TUESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* Home prices continue to drop in the Bay Area, according to a report from Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller. The average cost of a home in this region of the state dropped just over 17 percent year-over-year in February. That compares to just over 13 percent in January and nearly 11 percent in December.

* Tooth fragments located in the body of 66-year-old David Martin, the San Diego area triathlete killed in a shark attack last Friday off Solana Beach, show that the creature was a great white shark. Martin, who bled to death, was swimming with others around 7 a.m. when he was attacked. The shark was reportedly 15 to 16 feet long.

* Lawanda Jackson, 49, a former UCLA Medical Center employee, was indicted for allegedly accessing the records of a number of high-profile patients. She reportedly then sold the information to a media outlet. Jackson, who will be arraigned on June 9, could face up to a decade in jail if convicted.

SPORTS

* The Los Angeles Dodgers got one run in the ninth inning in a 7-6 victory at Florida. Meantime, the San Diego Padres dropped a 7-4 decision in Philadelphia to start a nine-game East Coast trip.

MONDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* And you think your financial times are tough. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger reports that California is looking at a budget gap that could reach $20 billion through June 2009. With talk of such a deficit, there is already discussion in Sacramento of possible tax increases and spending cuts that may reach classrooms, law enforcement and health care.

* Officials with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement (Labor Commissioner’s Office) issued 38 citations totaling more than $207,000 in fines to restaurants in Riverside and San Bernardino Counties in a recent two-day enforcement sweep. To see more on this story, visit dailyinsurer.blogspot.com.

* SmartDrive Systems Inc. will be participating at the 2008 Risk and Insurance Management Annual Conference in San Diego (April 27-May 1) exhibiting driver risk management solutions for fleets. RIMS 2008 gathers more than 10,000 risk professionals over five days. The annual Conference and Exhibition will offer resources to help companies identify the critical issues facing risk professionals today, discover innovative ideas and solutions to optimize risk, acquire the skills and resources to become a risk management expert and cultivate and strengthen your network of contacts. To see more on this story, visit dailyinsurer.blogspot.com.


SPORTS

* The Los Angeles Lakers made it a clean sweep of the Denver Nuggets in their first round Western Conference matchup, eliminating the 50-win team in a 107-101 victory in Denver.

UPDATE: Several Beaches Still Closed After Shark Attack

A number of Beaches in San Diego's North County remain closed following Friday's fatal shark attack on a local triathlete.

David Martin, 66, of Solana Beach, was killed early Friday morning when he was bitten in both legs by what authorities believe may have been a great white shark. Several people on the scene who were swimming with Martin at the time helped bring the former veterinarian into shore, but he was likely already dead. Although autopsy details have not been released, reports say Martin likely bled to death before reaching the shore.

Great white shark attacks are extremely rare in Southern California waters. Although there is a substantial seal population in the La Jolla area, there has not been a confirmed great white attack in the San Diego area in some 50 years. Sharks are very minimal in the water off Southern California, though female great white sharks can move south from their usual territory in the cooler waters of the central and northern coast to pup. Experts say the shark that attacked Martin could have been anywhere from 12 to 17 feet long.

Beaches were ordered closed until at least Monday morning from Torrey Pines State Beach to south Carlsbad.
Authorities said that while warning signs are posted, no one will reportedly be arrested if they dare to enter the water.

FRIDAY HEADLINES..... Shark Attack in San Diego

NEWS

* Several beaches in San Diego's North County were closed Friday morning after a shark killed a man swimming less than 200 yards from the shore in Solana Beach. The victim, David Martin, 66 of Solana Beach, was apparently bitten in both legs by a great white shark, although authorities have not confirmed that species of shark. Beaches were ordered closed for at least 72 hours from Torrey Pines State Beach to south Carlsbad. Great white sharks are rarely seen in the San Diego area, but there have been a few attacks in the past that make them not entirely impossible.The last fatal shark attack in San Diego County was off Ocean Beach in 1994.

* A hit-and-run accident claimed the life of a man who was fatally injured on a transition road off the Santa Monica (10) Freeway in the Los Angeles area. Authorities say they received a call shortly before 5:30 a.m. The man, who was not immediately identified, was reportedly in his mid-30s.

* Reflecting the general upward trends in the cost of property and liability insurance claims, State Farm General Ins. Co. has filed a request for an average statewide 6.9 percent rate increase with the California Department of Insurance. The rate filing covers policies for homeowners, renters and condos. For more information on this story, visit dailyinsurer.blogspot.com.

SPORTS

* The San Diego Padres open a three-game set at home tonight with the N.L. West leading Arizona Diamondbacks. First pitch at Petco Park is set for 7:05 p.m. Meantime, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Colorado Rockies, while the San Francisco Giants are home to the Cincinnati Reds.

THURSDAY HEADLINES..... SPECIAL REPORT

NEWS

* A jury returned the final two guilty verdicts this week in the case of two California women convicted of befriending homeless men, then murdering them to collect $2.8 million in life insurance.

Helen Louise Golay (far left), 77, and Olga Rutterschmidt, 75, are scheduled to be sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for their crimes. Golay is scheduled to be sentenced on June 24 and Rutterschmidt on July 15.

A jury of nine women and three men returned the bulk of the guilty verdicts against the women last Wednesday following a little more than a day of deliberation. Golay was convicted of two counts of first-degree murder with the special circumstances of murder for financial gain and multiple murders, and two counts of conspiracy to commit murder for financial gain. The jury convicted Rutterschmidt of one of the conspiracy counts, but was unable to reach verdicts on the other three. Jurors told trial Judge David Wesley they needed more argument from both the prosecution and defense to help them decide.

Jurors on Thursday came back with a guilty verdict on one of the murder counts against Rutterschmidt, but were unable to reach verdicts on the other two counts of murder and conspiracy. One of the jurors – a man – was replaced because he had to leave town on a business trip. He was replaced by a male alternate and the judge told jurors to renew the deliberations. Verdicts on the two counts were reached in a half-hour.

Both women were convicted of Paul Vados, 73, who was killed on Nov. 8, 1999. He was run over by an automobile in an alley in the 300 block of Westwood Boulevard in Westwood. It was a hit and run killing.

They also were convicted of murdering Kenneth McDavid, 50, on June 21, 2005, when he was run over by an automobile in an alley in the 1200 block of North La Brea Avenue in Hollywood. It also was a hit and run.

The women provided housing for both victims prior to their deaths. They applied for dozens of insurance policies in the men’s names and were involved in activities relating to the victims after their deaths.

Originally charged with capital murder, the District Attorney’s office later decided to seek life in prison without the possibility of parole for the two women, dubbed by the media during the trial as the “Black Widows.”

Editor's note: For more insurance news, visit dailyinsurer.blogspot.com .

WEDNESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* Is a San Diego County Chipotle Mexican Grill to blame for six cases of hepatitis A? Health officials are investigating the health concerns of some patrons who ate at the La Mesa establishment between March 1 and yesterday. Twenty-five employees at the restaurant are being tested for the viral infection that is spread by fecal contamination of food or water.

* Gaining a rather dubious distinction, four of the top five stolen car cities are in California. According to a report from the National Insurance Crime Bureau, Modesto is the top city with the highest per capita rate for auto thefts nationwide in 2007. After Las Vegas, the next three cities are San Diego, Stockton and San Francisco.

* BB&T Insurance Services has reached an agreement with Union Bank of California, N.A., to purchase its San Diego-based insurance subsidiary, UnionBanc Insurance Services Inc. The acquisition would expand BB&T Corporation's insurance operation in California, where wholesale insurance subsidiary CRC Insurance Services and large account commercial insurer McGriff, Seibels & Williams already operate. The deal has been approved by the directors of BB&T Corporation and Union Bank holding company UnionBanCal Corporation. It is expected to be completed by the end of the second quarter pending regulatory approval. For more on this story, visit dailyinsurer.blogspot.com.

SPORTS

* Behind 49 points from Kobe Bryant, the Los Angeles Lakers took a 2-0 lead in their series with the Denver Nuggets, posting a 122-107 victory at Staples Center. The first-round series now shifts to Denver this weekend for games 3 and 4.

TUESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS
* The housing crisis in California continues, as foreclosures in the Bay Area and across the state rose more than 300 percent in the first quarter. In information released by DataQuick Information Systems, 6,579 homes in the nine-county region were taken back by lenders during the three-month period. Contra Costa County noted the most foreclosures with 2,228, with Marin County recording the least amount with 76.

* The fact that there is little or no financial gain in setting a home on fire may explain why investigators are seeing so few cases of suspected arson involving houses threatened with foreclosure, according to the Insurance Information Network of California. When a home is destroyed by fire, insurance will cover the replacement cost of the home. However, whether the fire is a result of arson or other means, the lender will be named on the insurance settlement check. Editor's note: For more on this story, visit www.dailyinsurer.blogspot.com .

* A bear trainer died when a grizzly bear, which had appeared in the recent Will Ferrell movie "Semi-Pro," killed the 39-year-old trainer by biting him. The attack took place at a private facility in the Big Bear Lake area used for hosting exotic animals used in motion pictures and television. The bear was not injured in the attack.

SPORTS

* The San Jose Sharks moved on to the NHL conference semifinals with a 5-3 Game Seven win over Calgary. San Jose will host Dallas beginning Friday Night at the Shark Tank.

MONDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* A new survey of insurance companies estimates that nearly 90 percent of claims stemming from the devastating October fire and wind storms in California have been settled. A poll by the Insurance Information Network of California (www.iinc.org) of companies representing nearly two-thirds of California’s homeowner insurance market found that they have settled 29,954 of their 33,789 residential claims from the October catastrophe. To date, those claims have resulted in more than $1.27 billion worth of claims settlements among the surveyed companies, which expect those claims to ultimately total $1.47 billion. Editor's note: To see more of this story, visit dailyinsurer.blogspot.com.

* California's Labor and Workforce Development Agency announced that Economic Employment Enforcement Coalition (EEEC) investigators issued 41 citations for labor violations – with fines totaling more than $226,000 – in a recent sweep of 28 San Diego auto body businesses. Editor's note: To see more of this story, visit dailyinsurer.blogspot.com

* Gas prices continue to go up, up, up and California drivers are seeing the worst of it. While drivers in New Jersey pay the least on average for a gallon of gas, drivers in the Golden State are paying $3.86 on average for a gallon of gas.

SPORTS

* The Los Angeles Dodgers rebounded from being swept over the weekend in Atlanta as they posted a 9-3 win at Cincinnati. Meantime, the San Diego Padres were hammered in Houston by a 10-3 score.

SATURDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* A new scanner will search some travelers at Los Angeles International Airport, searching for weapons and explosives that previous technology could not reportedly detect. The technology will reportedly peer through clothing and creates an image of the traveler's body. Questions are being raised, though, about privacy rights with the new technology.

* Some estimates say up to 5,000 people protested outside CNN's Hollywood Studios in anger over comments made by one of the network's commentators regarding China. The protest was aimed at CNN's Jack Cafferty, who angered China and many of its citizens with comments earlier this month, saying that Americans "continue to import their junk with lead paint on them and the poison pet food" and said, "I think they're basically the same group of goons and thugs they've been for the last 50 years." Cafferty apologized, saying he was referencing the Chinese government, not the people. There were no arrests reported during the demonstration.

* The decomposing body of a male was found in bushes in San Diego's famed Balboa Park. Authorities say a homeless man discovered the body in the early afternoon hours. An autopsy will be done to determine a cause of death.

SPORTS

* The Los Angeles Angels scored a 4-1 win over the Seattle Mariners, while the Los Angeles Dodgers dropped a 4-1 decision in Atlanta. Both San Francisco and Oakland scored diamond victories.

FRIDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* A high-speed chase lasting close to two hours ended when a woman behind the wheel of a stolen SUV surrendered to authorities on I-5 near Camp Pendleton. The woman was reportedly driving at speeds of close to 110 mph during the chase. California Highway Patrol officers used a spike strip to puncture a tire, leading to the ending of her wild ride. The vehicle had reportedly been stolen out of the Anaheim area earlier in the day.

* Don't look now, but San Francisco will likely become the first major U.S. city to pay an average of $4 a gallon for gas in the next week. AAA Auto Club says that folks in San Francisco are paying on an average of $3.97 for gas right now.

* Anaheim resident Angel Montero Avila, 44, was sentenced to 46 years to life in prison, having been convicted of murdering three people as he drove drunk and fled from police two years ago. Three people were killed carpooling to work that day and their two co-workers with them in the car suffered serious injuries as Avila's minivan ran into the Toyota Camry at a stop light.

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

SPORTS

* Fresh-off their 22-inning 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rockies on Thursday, the San Diego Padres dropped a 9-0 decision in Arizona this evening. Meantime, the Los Angeles Angels scored a 5-4 home victory over Seattle.

THURSDAY HEADLINES..... SPECIAL REPORT

NEWS

* In a case that previously gained national attention, now the San Diego District Attorney's office said it will drop all charges against alleged Marine husband killer Cynthia Sommer.

The 34-year-old Sommer (www.cynthiasommerdefense.com), who was released from jail Thursday evening, was originally convicted of killing her husband, Todd, back in 2002. Todd Sommer collapsed at the couple's home at the Miramar Marine base, then died in a hospital on Feb. 18. His death was ruled a heart attack, but prosecutors said they believed his wife had poisoned him with arsenic. A military lab test said he had high levels of the substance in his system.

Two medical experts hired by the DA's office now say recent tissue sample tests lead them to believe that they could not conclude by a reasonable doubt that Mr. Sommer could have been poisoned by arsenic.

It was back in January of 2007 that a jury convicted Sommer of her husband's murder, saying she did it for financial reasons. Witnesses for the prosecution had testified that Sommer, who has four kids, often partied, slept with other men shortly after Todd's death, and used some of his life insurance earnings to pay for breast implants.

Last November, a San Diego Superior Court Judge said that Sommer, who could have gotten life in prison without parole, had received ineffective representation by her former defense attorney, therefore granting her a second trial this May.

While that trial will not happen now, it is rather evident that someone has some explaining to do here.

Just what did kill Todd Sommer? Which lab tests are right and which ones were wrong? And, did Cynthia Sommer receive a bad rap because she did not act like other widows may at the time of their husband's death or is she someone that just got away with murder?

So what do you think?

WEDNESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* With the U.S. Supreme Court voting 7-2 to resume lethal injections in death penalty cases, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger said this decision affirms California's capital punishment procedure. With that, he said he would allow executions to resume. Executions in the Golden State had been held up for two years due to legal challenges in federal and state court.

* With hopes of bringing professional football back to Los Angeles, realtor Edward Roski Jr. will on Thursday lay out his plans for a stadium in the City of Industry, approximately 20 miles from downtown L.A. The stadium would have a shopping mall surrounding it. Los Angeles has been home in the past to both the Los Angeles Rams (St. Louis) and the Los Angeles Raiders (Oakland).

* A club in the city of Orange that promotes weekly sex parties is closing its operations. Club Amnesty's Web site said the city was causing too much hassle for them to operate. They went on to say that it would take too much time and money to fight city hall.

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

SPORTS

* The Los Angeles Dodgers pounded out 15 hits in an 8-1 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. Meantime, the Colorado Rockies rolled to a 10-2 win at San Diego.

TUESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* According to information released by DataQuick Information Services, home prices in Southern California dropped nearly 25 percent in March, sending property values to almost a four-year low. Median prices for homes that were sold in a six-county region were at $385,000, more than $100,000 less than the same time a year ago.

* Two men suffered injuries when a small plane went down in San Dimas. The twin-engine Piper reportedly took off around 8:45 p.m. from Brackett Field and crashed a short time later.

* With older arenas and stadiums falling by the wayside nationwide, one local landmark doesn't appear to be going anywhere anytime soon. The Bay Area's Cow Palace obtained a new lease on life as State Sen. Leland Yee (D) halted his bid to place the aging facility up for sale. The new deal calls for just an adjoining parking lot to be sold. The Cow Palace, which could have been razed for condos and a market, was built in 1941. Among other events, it hosted the former San Francisco Warriors of the NBA for several years.

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

SPORTS

* The San Jose Sharks evened their NHL first round series with the Calgary Flames at 2-2 with a 3-2 victory in Calgary. The Anaheim Ducks now trail the Dallas Stars 2-1 in games following a 4-2 victory in Dallas.

MONDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* When can the Golden State plan on its next big earthquake? According to a just released report, don't be surprised if a sizeable quake hits the state by 2037. A new report says there is a 99.7 percent chance that a magnitude 6.7 or larger quake will strike California in the next 30 years. Southern California is slightly more at risk than Northern California, according to the report, which is a combined effort by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Southern California Earthquake Center, (SCEC) and the California Geological Survey. The last major quake to hit California was the 1994 Northridge quake which resulted in some $25 billion in damage and 72 fatalities.

* A man will spend several decades behind bars after receiving a 58-year sentence for kidnapping and raping a 22-year-old San Diego woman. Larry Eugene Wilson got the sentence nearly a decade after the crime. Authorities say Wilson kidnapped, then raped the woman numerous times back in July of 1999. The rapes reportedly took place in Balboa Park and at a trolley station in La Mesa. Authorities did not arrest the man until last year after DNA evidence proved he was the attacker.

* A reporter from KTTV (www.kttv.com), who alleged that Los Angeles Police Department officers used excessive force on her during a May Day 2007 protest at MacArthur Park, has filed a civil suit against the LAPD. Christina Gonzalez is asking for unspecified damages, claiming she was injured by police who targeted her among others because she was with the press and because she is Hispanic.

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

EVENTS

* 7:10 p.m. (Dodger Stadium) Pittsburgh Pirates at Los Angeles Dodgers
* 7:15 p.m. (AT&T Park) Arizona Diamondbacks at San Francisco Giants

SATURDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* Friends, family members and admirers turned out to honor Hollywood legend Charlton Heston at a funeral service in Pacific Palisades. More than 200 people were on hand for the man who starred in such movies as "Ben Hur" and "Planet of the Apes." Heston, 84, died April 5 after a battle with Alzheimer's disease.

* Four people were injured when a twin engine Cessna 310 crashed into a Compton neighborhood. The flight had reportedly originated at Montgomery Field in San Diego.

* Three individuals were rescued in the San Francisco bay area on the west side of Treasure Island as their motor yacht caught fire. No reports were availabe if there were any injuries.

SPORTS

* St. Louis got a run in the 10th inning in posting an 8-7 win over the San Francisco Giants in afternoon baseball.

EVENTS

* (Honda Center) 7 p.m. Dallas Stars at Anaheim Ducks (Stars lead playoff series 1-0)

FRIDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* Does California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger have another side to him? Once an opponent of legalizing gay marriages, the governor said in San Diego that should an initiative to outlaw gay marriage be on the November ballot, he will fight it. Schwarzenegger spoke to the annual convention of the Log Cabin Republicans, the biggest gay GOP group in the nation.

* Wife killer Curtis Allen Brown was sentenced in San Diego to 75 years to life in prison for murdering Linda Brown, 41, last year. In exchange for the man's guilty plea, Brown had other charges against him dropped that would have made him eligible for the death penalty.

* Los Angeles police are investigating yet another freeway shooting. Samantha Padilla, 19, was fatally shot while driving on the 110 Freeway off-ramp. Padilla was on her way home from work at LAX when the shooting happened around 12:15 a.m. Thursday.

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

EVENTS

* 7:30 p.m. (Staples Center) New Orleans Hornets at Los Angeles Lakers
* 7:40 p.m. (Dodger Stadium) San Diego Padres at Los Angeles Dodgers

THURSDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* The federal government has billed a Chino slaughterhouse more than $67 million related to the largest U.S. beef recall in the nation's history. It was back in February that the USDA recalled some 143 million pounds of beef after reports showed that a number of the cows who were too weak or sick had been abused.

* Two men in their early 20s have been charged with murder for their reported participation in a Los Angeles robbery gone bad that left two teenage girls, their reported co-conspirators, dead. The two men were charged with two counts of murder and the special allegation involving personal use of a firearm. The two reportedly tried to rob a taxi on Tuesday as the two teen women were riding in the cab. After unsuccessfully trying to hold up the cab driver, the two men followed the cab with the girls in it. The cab driver lost control of the vehicle when one of the girls reportedly pulled a box cutter on him. The driver survived, the two girls were killed.

* A former Miss California USA is suing the pageant for $500,000, claiming she lost her crown due to racism on management's part. Christine Silva, who won the title last November, was told three days after winning the crown that there had been a "mistake" and that she was not the winner. Raquel Beezley was then crowned Miss California USA.

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

SPORTS

* The Golden State Warriors fell one game out of the last playoff spot in the Western Conference with three games to go in a 114-105 loss to Denver. The Nuggets lead the Warriors by one game and own the tiebreaker between the two teams.

* The Los Angeles Lakers completed a season-series sweep of the Los Angeles Clippers with a 106-78 victory at Staples Center.

WEDNESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* The controversy surrounding the Olympic torch in San Francisco carried on despite the torch itself being rerouted away from the demonstrators. This was the only North American appearance of the torch, headed for the 2008 Summer Games in China. People around the world are protesting the Olympics due to China's record on human rights issues. The ceremony with the torch was moved to San Francisco International Airport.

* A lawsuit between recording artist Snoop Dogg and a record label has reportedly been settled. Dogg and Priority Records were at odds over fees and advances for a recording agreement made 10 years ago. Dogg sued the record company two years ago, saying that he was allegedly owed some $2 million in fees under the 1998 arrangement.

* Veteran character actor Stanley Kamel, 65, was found dead in his Hollywood home. Kamel portrayed Dr. Charles Kroger on the USA Network series "Monk" recently. Before his recent work on "Monk," he had portrayed the dad of Rebecca Gayheart's character on the long-running "Beverly Hills 90210."

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

SPORTS

* The Arizona Diamondbacks concluded their series sweep with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the Valley of the Sun with a 4-3 victory. Meantime, the Los Angeles Angels prevailed at home in a 9-5 win over the Cleveland Indians. Finally, San Francisco held San Diego to just four hits in a 1-0 shutout at home.

TUESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* Two teen girls from Los Angeles were killed when a taxi cab crashed in City Terrace after one of the teens allegedly assaulted the driver of the cab. The reported assault led to the cab crashing into a concrete barrier. Two men in their early 20s were detained and are suspected of being involved with the girls in a reported plan to rob the driver, who survived the crash.

* The Olympic torch arrived in San Francisco in the early morning hours as more protests are feared over the next 24 hours. Making its only North American stop, the torch is to be carried through the city on Wednesday in a six-mile relay amid tight security. People are protesting this summer's 2008 games in China because of the country's human rights record.

* San Diego police will vote Wednesday on a new contract. While details of the proposed contract have not been released, it reportedly includes a pay raise. Most officers received a 9 percent pay raise a year ago.

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

SPORTS

* The dream of a national women's basketball title ended in the evening hours in Atlanta for the Stanford Lady Cardinal. Tennessee captured its eighth national crown with a convincing 64-48 victory over Stanford.

* The Oakland A's got one run in the ninth inning to post a 9-8 win at Toronto. Meantime, the Cleveland Indians got two runs in the ninth inning in a 4-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels.

MONDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* Three individuals protesting the passage of the Olympic torch were arrested when they scaled the suspension cables around the south tower of the Golden Gate Bridge. The trio unfurled banners backing Tibetan independence. The three, arrested by the California Highway Patrol, were booked on suspicion of felony conspiracy along with several misdemeanor charges. This summer's Olympic Games in China are being protested in a number of places around the world.

* Did a pair of Marines go on the run to avoid serving in Iraq? Federal authorities are searching for a San Diego couple who were reported missing after not showing up for work last week at their respective bases. A new lead in the case came when the woman, Lance Cpl. Margaret McMahon-Reid, 20, reportedly attempted to withdraw money from an ATM in Salina, Kansas. Authorities did not say if the withdraw was successful and if so, how much money was retrieved. For more on this story, visit newsblip.blogspot.com.

* Six people were injured in Los Angeles when an ambulance and another vehicle hit head-on. The driver of the car that collided with the ambulance was in critical condition, while the patient being transported inside the ambulance was reportedly critically ill. The accident happened in Pacific Palisades on Pacific Coast Highway and Temescal Canyon Road.

Editor's note: For more world and national news and opinions, please visit newsblip.blogspot.com .

SPORTS

* The San Diego Padres pounded out 13 hits to spoil the home opener for the San Francisco Giants, 8-4.

* Torii Hunter hit a pair of home runs, including a grand slam, to lead the Los Angeles Angels to a 6-4 win over the Cleveland Indians.

SATURDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* A pair of men were arrested at LAX after reportedly attempting to board a flight to China with almost a dozen sensitive infrared cameras in their luggage. Yong Guo Zhi, a Chinese national, and Tah Wei Chao, a naturalized U.S. citizen, are being investigated on grounds that they were trying to move thermal imaging cameras with potential military use to China minus the proper export licenses.

* Police arrested a 39-year-old man after he allegedly stabbed his boss at a trucking facility in Industry after getting notice he was fired. Zhang Lie of Hacienda Heights allegedly stabbed his boss with a pocket knife after getting word of the firing. The wounds to the employer were reportedly not fatal.

* A former marine, Kevin Lee Graff, 31, has been sentenced to two life prison terms without the option of parole for killing two people. Robert Lees, 91, and Dr. Morley Engelson, 69, neighbors, were killed by Graff in June of 2004 in an upscale Hollywood neighborhood.

SPORTS

* Jake Peavy pitched a complete-game as the San Diego Padres posted a 4-1 win over rival Los Angeles in afternoon baseball at Petco Park.

* Anaheim posted a 4-3 victory over rival Los Angeles in afternoon hockey at Staples Center.

EVENTS

* 6 p.m. (Angel Stadium) Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels

FRIDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* A brawl early today left a dozen inmates injured at the California Institution for Men. The Chino facility is the second one to see fighting this week. On Thursday, a statewide prison lockdown went into effect after three guards were stabbed at the state prison in Tehachapi. All three were in stable condition. Authorities do not believe the Chino brawl was related to the incident at Tehachapi.

* Although she was murdered nearly seven years ago, justice is arriving for a 20-year-old Cal Poly Pomona student, kidnapped and killed back in August of 2001. Henry Arnold Singer was sentenced to 25 years to life in state prison. He pleaded guilty late last year in the death of Christina Burmeister. Co-defendant James Winslow Dixon Jr. was convicted in March of first degree murder (including special circumstance allegations of murder during a roberry and kidnapping). He will be sentenced early next month. The third person, Markeisha Dixon, was sentenced to 25 years to life in prison. Burmeister was kidnapped on her way to a frat party. Her body was discovered the day after in the mountains above Azusa.

* California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced the arrests of nearly one dozen alleged Bay Area fraud perpetrators. Eleven subjects were arrested over the last week on numerous felony counts including insurance fraud, identity theft, possession of stolen property, and filing a false tax return. Wireless phone dealers, employees and customers were arrested for their purported involvement in a $2 million insurance scam. To see more on this story, visit dailyinsurer.blogspot.com/2008/04/bay-area-fraud-sweep-nets-arrests.html

SPORTS

* The Milwaukee Brewers scored five runs in both the fifth and sixth innings to post a 13-4 win over the San Francisco Giants in afternoon baseball.

* The Los Angeles Lakers clinched a playoff spot with a 112-108 win over the Dallas Mavericks.

EVENTS

* 7 p.m. (Angel Stadium) Texas Rangers at Los Angeles Angels - Home Opener
* 7 p.m. (Petco Park) Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres
* 7:30 p.m. (Staples Center) Dallas Mavericks at Los Angeles Lakers

THURSDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* A jury has found one man guilty in the 2005 slaying of California Highway Patrol Officer Andy Stevens. The jury rejected defense arguments for Roseville resident Brendt Anthony Volarvich, 22, that the gunman's heavy methamphetamine use impacted his brain's ability to properly function. Volarvich was convicted of first-degree murder for killing Stevens, 37, during a routine traffic stop. A second defendant, Gregory Zielesch, 50, who reportedly provided Volarvich with the gun, is on trial too. The jury hung on a murder verdict for him, with prosecutors set to return to argue his case in court on Friday.

* Three guards were stabbed at the California Correctional Institution in Tehachapi by a pair of inmates. As a result, all state prisons were locked down for precautionary measures. The officers were in stable condition at area hospitals.

* The death of an Orange County sheriff is being investigated as a possible suicide. Officer Gerald Stenger, 41, was discovered with a gun shot wound to the head on Wednesday afternoon in a patrol car. He had recently been charged by authorities with molesting a 12-year-old boy and plans were to arrest him this week.

SPORTS

* Torii Hunter, Gary Matthews Jr. and Mike Napoli all homered to lead the Anaheim Angels to a 5-4 victory over the Minnesota Twins in afternoon baseball in the Metrodome.

* Former USC quarterback Matt Leinert is in some hot water with his head coach in Arizona. Leinert apparently had a good time with the ladies recently as some recent photos show at TheDirty.com. For more on this story, visit newsblip.blogspot.com.

EVENTS

* 7:30 p.m. (Staples Center) San Jose Sharks at Los Angeles Kings

WEDNESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* California Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner announced the arrests of three individuals allegedly involved in a five-person conspiracy that resulted in a vehicle owned by one of the conspirators driven to Mexico where it was "chopped" (i.e., taken apart so that its parts can be used or sold separately). On March 25, 2008, Ninfa Patricia Ramos-Ortiz, 44, of Hawaiian Gardens was arrested on three felony insurance fraud charges. On March 26, 2008, Ana Laura Salgado-Antunez (aka Ana Laura Salgado or Ana Laura Antunez), 26, of Santa Ana was arrested on five felony insurance fraud charges. And on March 27, 2008, Ramos-Ortiz's son, Julio Edder Ramos-Alarcon (aka Julio Ramos Alarcon, Julio Edder Ramos, or Julio Edder Alarcon), 25, also of Hawaiian Gardens was arrested on six felony insurance fraud charges. Each felony insurance fraud charge is punishable by up to five years in prison and/or a $50,000 fine.

Arrest warrants for multiple insurance fraud felonies are still outstanding for:

• Diana Maldonado Cruz, 38, of Tijauna, Mexico
  
• Juan Diego Cartagena-Alarcon, 31, of Tijauna, Mexico
  

For more information on this story, visit www.dailyinsurer.blogspot.com.

* In another sign of hard economic times, the City of San Francisco will eliminate 301 governmental jobs in hopes of balancing the budget. Mayor Gavin Newsom made the announcement and noted that the majority of positions being terminated were currently vacant. The biggest cuts will be at Laguna Honda Hospital, where around 200 jobs are being eliminated. The hospital opened its doors in 1866.

* Police report that an Illinois man has been arrested after allegedly stealing more than 300 gallons of kitchen grease from a Morgan Hill Burger King on Tuesday. The man reportedly was observed by two witnesses pumping the inedible grease from an on-site storage tank to his restaurant oils truck. The estimated value of the stolen grease was just over $400.

SPORTS

* In afternoon baseball, the Anaheim Angels scored a 9-1 victory at Minnesota. Vladimir Guerrero went 3-for-4 with three RBIs.

* The Los Angeles Dodgers ran their record to 2-0 Tuesday night with a 3-2 win over rival San Francisco. Down the coast, the San Diego Padres also remained unbeaten with a 2-1 victory over Houston.

* The San Jose Sharks won their 49th game of the season Tuesday night in a 5-2 victory over the Los Angeles Kings.

EVENTS

* 7:30 p.m. (Staples Center) Portland Trailblazers at Los Angeles Lakers

TUESDAY HEADLINES.....

NEWS

* One trucker was injured and traffic was tied up for hours early Tuesday morning on the westbound Foothill 210 Freeway in Sunland. Authorities reported that two big rigs crashed, resulting in thousands of pounds of onions being spilled onto the roadway. The accident happened just before midnight and westbound traffic was halted until around 3:15 a.m. when two lanes were reopened. All lanes were reopened around 6:30 a.m.

* In yet another sign of trimming costs in the media, San Francisco TV station KPIX is laying off 14 newsroom employees. Among the more notable departures are those of Manny Ramos, Bill Schechner, Tony Russomano and John Lobertini. Schechner has been on Bay Area television since 1972.

* Passengers destined for San Diego early Tuesday morning on the Coaster were delayed when a southbound train hit an abandoned vehicle on the tracks in Del Mar. No injuries were reported among the 200 or so people on the train. The collision happened shortly before 6 a.m.

* Emily Leatherman, who was ordered to not have contact with actor John Cusack, has been arrested on suspicion of stalking the celebrity and also for violating a restraining order. Leatherman, 33, was taken into custody on Sunday when Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were summoned to Cusack's neighborhood. Cusack reportedly alerted the police that he recognized the woman, who was in a cab at the time, of being the individual who had previously sought contact with him. Leatherman was being held on $150,000 bail.

SPORTS

* The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres opened the 2008 season with shutout victories on Monday. Los Angeles scored a 5-0 win over rival San Francisco in Joe Torre's managerial debut, while the Padres and Cy Young Award winner Jake Peavy posted a 4-0 win over the Houston Astros.

* Candice Wiggins poured in 41 points in a 98-87 win over Maryland Monday night to lead Stanford into the NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four this weekend in Tampa. The Lady Cardinal last played in the Final Four in 1997 and will meet the winner of tonight's Connecticut-Rutgers contest.

EVENTS

* 7 p.m. (McAfee Coliseum) Boston Red Sox at Oakland A's - Home Opener
* 7:30 p.m. (HP Pavilion) Los Angeles Kings at San Jose Sharks