Companies Sued Following Naval Accident

Seven companies are being sued by relatives of three sailors who died when a helicopter crashed off the San Diego coast during a Navy training mission. The companies manufactured and sold the aircraft and its parts.

The lawsuit alleges that several parts of the MH-60S helicopter were defective and caused the crash in January 2007, which killed four people in all.

Named in the lawsuit are the helicopter's manufacturer, Sikorsky Aircraft, and other companies that manufactured components for the aircraft: Alcoa, Pacific Scientific, Hi-Shear Corp., Parker-Hannifin Corp. and General Electric.

The helicopter departed for the training exercise Jan. 26, 2007, from the amphibious assault ship Bonhomme Richard, some 50 miles from shore.

The victims were Lt. j.g. Laura J. Mankey of West Hills; Lt. Adam Dyer, 28, of Lafayette, La.; Petty Officer 1st Class Cory Helman, 27, of New Richmond, Wis.; and Petty Officer 2nd Class Christopher Will, 29, of Warren, Mich. They were members of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 23 assigned to the North Island Naval Air Station.

Here We Go Again... Gays Vow to Fight Vote

Earlier this decade, California voters to the tune of some 61 percent voted that they wanted marriage to stay defined as between a man and a woman.

After that vote was overturned by four judges back in May of this year, proponents of traditional marriage managed to get enough signatures to bring the issue to a vote on Nov. 4. While not all precincts are in, Yes on Proposition 8 (defining marriage as that between a man and a woman) was passing 52 to 48 percent or 5,163,908 votes to 4,760,336 votes. Unless thousands and thousands of votes come in from some strong homosexual district, Prop 8 will pass.

And what are gays doing about this? Once again, they're trying to throw out the majority's vote and tie up the issue in court. Didn't we go through this dog and pony show once before?

Three legal groups filed a writ petition today with the state Supreme Court, urging the invalidation of Prop 8.

The petition claims that Prop 8 is invalid because the initiative process was improperly used in an attempt to undo the constitution’s core commitment to equality for everyone by eliminating a fundamental right from just one group – lesbian and gay Californians.

Spending for and against the Prop 8 hit $74 million, making it the most expensive social-issues campaign in the nation's history and the most expensive campaign this year outside the race for the White House.

So while it looks like the Prop 8 vote is going to hold in favor of those banning same-sex marraige, gays and lesbians now want to tie the issue up in court for a second time.

Whatever happened to majority rules? Should we now contest every race that we don't like the outcome of? Should we run down to the nearest courthouse and whine each time a vote doesn't go our way?

This will be blunt and to the point....but if you don't like the way Prop 8 apparently has turned out, no one is forcing you to live in California.

Many of us who supported Prop 8 have no issue with making sure same-sex couples are entitled to the same medical care, insurance and other rights that heterosexual couples have. We just draw the line at redefining marriage.

For once, could you live with what the voters have said?

AIG Sub to Pay San Diego $1.625M to Settle Claim

Lexington Insurance Co., a subsidiary of AIG, will pay the City of San Diego $ 1.625 million to settle a claim brought by the city to recoup lost revenues from a Chargers game that was canceled as a result of the 2003 wildfires.

According to the city attorney's office, San Diego officials determined the Oct. 27, 2003, Monday Night Football game between the San Diego Chargers and Miami Dolphins could not be played at Qualcomm Stadium because of ash and smoke, so the game was moved to Tempe, Arizona, which at the time was home to the Arizona Cardinals. As a result, the city lost out on about $500,000 from its cut of stadium sales, taxes and other revenues.

Following the fires, city officials filed a claim with Lexington Insurance Co. in an effort to recover some of the money. The claim was intially denied, so city officials sued the insurer in 2006 in an effort to recover the money.

Lexington Insurance recently said it would pay the city $1.625 million to close the lawsuit.

Family Sues Disneyland Following Dog Attack

An Illinois family has sued Disneyland, stating that their four-year-old daughter was mauled by a dog at the park's petting zoo two years ago.

Filed in Orange County Superior Court, the suit claims that the German shepherd-Labrador retriever mix attacked the at the time two-year-old and left her permanently scarred.

Lena Dickerson was reportedly bitten several times on the face by the animal. The family, which lived in Valencia, Calif. at the time of the attack, has since moved to Illinois.

According to reports, a Disneyland employee adopted the 6-year-old dog from the Orange County Animal Shelter and brought it to Disneyland two weeks before the attack. The lawsuit goes on to say that the dog was situated on a box in the Big Thunder petting zoo while a park employee held its leash and invited children to pet it.

The lawsuit is seeking unspecified punitive damages and reimbursement for the Dickerson family's medical costs and the trauma it endured.

Lawsuit Follows Gov. Schwarzenegger Moves

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's move to eliminate state jobs and slash the pay of many workers was met with a lawsuit on Friday.

California's biggest state employees union filed a lawsuit in Sacramento County Superior Court to block the part of the executive order forcing layoffs for 10,300 seasonal, contract and part-time workers. Employee unions have also filed unfair labor practice allegations against a provision temporarily trimming the pay of up to 200,000 state employees to the federal minimum wage of $6.55 an hour. Those workers would be reimbursed at the time a budget is approved.

Schwarzenegger said the layoffs and pay cuts were designed to avoid a fiscal crisis as the state remains without an approved spending plan.

California is the only state with a fiscal year starting July 1 to be without a budget.

Teen Sues School; Seeks More Than $75K

A San Diego area teen is suing Mount Miguel High School for more than $75,000, claiming she suffered pain and humiliation after her choir teacher allegedly called her names and more.

Jade Ray filed the lawsuit seeking damages against teacher Heather Hargett and the Grossmont Union High School District earlier this month.

In the suit, Ray claims that on Valentine's Day Hargett chose several students to deliver singing grams on campus and "intentionally excluded" Ray.

The teacher allegedly told Ray when she asked why she was excluded that she "looked bad" and did not have a choir T-shirt. After Ray reportedly asked about the $15 cost of the required T-shirt, Hargett allegedly told her to get out of class. When Ray reportedly would not leave, the teacher allegedly called Ray a "brat" and "ugly" and kicked her on the buttocks.

The Grossmont Union High School District said in a statement that it has followed through with appropriate action to address the allegations.

Ray's attorney claims he offered to settle with the school for $75,000, but they declined. He is now seeking a jury trial.

Civil Suit Filed in Death of La Jolla Pro Surfer

A civil lawsuit was filed against five men Tuesday in San Diego by the mother of a pro surfer who allegedly died as a result of an altercation he had with the men back in May of 2007.

The mother of Emery Kauanui filed the wrongful death suit, alleging that Seth Cravens, Orlando Osuna, Matthew Yanke, Eric House, Henri Hendricks, plus the men's parents, are responsible for Kauanui's death.

Attorneys for Cindy Kauanui filing the suit allege that the parents failed to act on signals that their children had turned to violence.

The civil suit also names Barkandbrew Inc., the company that owns the La Jolla Brewhouse. Kauanui and House reportedly got into an argument there hours before the beating. The suit alleges that the Brewhouse provided alcohol to the young men even though they were drunk at the time.

The defendants allegedly went to Kauanui's mother's home later that night and confronted Kauanui. An altercation took place outside, with Kauanui suffering grave injuries. He died four days later at a local hospital.

Four of the five defendants accepted plea deals for their reported roles in the fight. The fifth, Seth Cravens, will go on trial later this year on murder and other charges stemming for the incident.

Nudists Say They Want to Let It All Hang Out

Some folks just want to let it all hang out at a California state park.

Nudists are suing the state following a directive from state officials that they would crack down on those in their birthday suits.

The Naturist Action Committee filed a lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court Wednesday against the State Department of Parks and Recreation. The suit states the agency should have requested public comment before banning nudity at the 1,000-foot beach beginning after Labor Day.

Park officials, however, say they need a ban after complaints from those actually wearing clothing at the beach, which is located behind some cliffs at San Onofre State Beach.

The hearing, where everyone will be required to be dressed, will be held on Aug. 20.

Editor's Take: We don't have a problem with people in their birthday suits, as long as the area is not impacting the rights of families and individuals who do not want to see that kind of thing. Then again, maybe some people wearing swimsuits to the beach should be banned. Some folks just don't know when to say no to the beach.

So what do you think?