Whittier Daily News

Going Places

-- Photo Gallery: Dial-A-Ride WHITTIER - Look for Whittier's Dial-A-Ride program to expand, with more hours, more buses and additional services, beginning July 1.

'Night Stalker' Appeal Denied

"Night Stalker" Richard Ramirez, who terrorized residents of the San Gabriel Valley during a 14-month killing spree in the 1980s, lost an appeal of his death sentence before the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. Ramirez, 47, was sentenced to death in 1989 for murdering 13 people in Monterey Park, Montebello, Arcadia, Monrovia, Diamond Bar, Glendale, Rosemead, Los Angeles and Sun Valley.

County Weighs 'Data Mining' to Spot Fraud

LOS ANGELES - The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday to study the use of "data mining" technologies to target fraud in all public assistance programs. The motion, sponsored by Supervisor Michael Antonovich, comes after a Los Angeles Daily News report found widespread fraud in federal, state and local government health and welfare programs by organized crime syndicates.

3-Month Boulevard Repaving Work Begins

LA MIRADA - Drivers using La Mirada Boulevard may want to consider an alternate route this summer as the busy thoroughfare undergoes a $2 million face-lift. The boulevard already is under construction, with one lane on both sides closed in some parts. Work isn't expected to be completed until the end of August, officials said.

Blackstock, Founder of La Mirada Symphony, Dies at 96

LA MIRADA - Gertrude Blackstock, a longtime resident of La Mirada who founded the La Mirada Symphony 35 years ago, has died of congestive heart failure, her family said. Blackstock was 96.

Shooting Suspect to Be Tried As Adult

MONTEBELLO - A 17-year-old boy accused of shooting a 12-year-old in the abdomen during a drive-by will be tried as an adult, authorities said Wednesday. Montebello Police Department officials said the victim's older brother was the intended target.

Eighth-Grader Wins Free Trip to Space Academy

WEST WHITTIER - To accuse Edwards Middle School eighth-grader Marisa Jauregui of having her head in the clouds wouldn't be accurate. It is more like outer space. As in astronomy, which is the career field that the shy 13-year-old from West Whittier hopes to pursue.

Around Whittier

WHITTIER - Whittier City Council members will meet in closed session at 9:30a.m. Friday to discuss the lawsuit filed by the Whittier Conservancy, which is seeking to prevent the destruction of three California Domestic Water Co. buildings. Conservancy members contend the three buildings are historic and should be re-used instead of being demolished.

Officials Pushing for New Legislation On Fake Guns

AZUSA - A near-fatal incident earlier this month involving toy guns at an elementary school gave city officials a chilling example of what could happen when children obtain replica firearms. In response, the mayor, police officers and school administrators met with representatives of Assemblyman Ed Hernandez, D-West Covina, on Thursday in a drive to create new legislation banning the popular toys, or at least altering their appearance.

Charter School Shuts Down

The financially troubled Gorman Learning Center planned to close all of its campuses by today, including one in Whittier and another in Pasadena, and move its headquarters from Redlands to Los Angeles County before September, officials said. The charter school will continue to counsel students and offer home-schooling support, but intended to shutter the learning centers in seven cities where students used to visit for group-learning sessions, Gorman board President Kim Clark said this week.