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Two legislators serving the South Coast have introduced proposed new laws to try to help regulate the oil and gas extraction process known as fracking.

Democratic Assemblyman Das Williams of Santa Barbara introduced AB 982, which would require companies using the hydraulic fracturing process to monitor the quality of groundwater before, and after each operation takes place. And, Democratic State Senator Hanna Beth Jackson of Santa Barbara has proposed SB 395, which would require any fluids brought up during the fracking process to be regulated as hazardous waste. It would give state agencies more control over the disposal of the fluids.

The state has been in the process of developing potential guidelines for the controversial oil and gas removal process, which calls for the injection of fluids at high pressure underground to open the way for oil, and gas removal.

Some people are concerned fracking could contaminate groundwater supplies vital for drinking, and agricultural uses.

There are currently more than a thousand children, and teenagers in Ventura County’s foster care system.

Some are the victims of abuse, others of neglect.
A non-profit group in the county with more than 100 volunteers is dedicated to helping as many of these kids as possible, by serving as their advocates in the foster care system.

KCLU’s Lance Orozco has the story, from Camarillo.

Click on link to listen to/download story: CASA Ventura County Program

Link to CASA of Ventura County: casaofventuracounty.org

The State Supreme Court has rejected the final chance for the parents of a woman murdered by an LAPD officer to sue the police department over the handling of the case.

Nels and Loretta Rasmussen sued the LAPD, saying that the agency had rejected their contention at the time that Lori Rasmussen was killed by a jealous officer. Detectives at the time thought it might have been connected to a string of robberies in the San Fernando Valley.

However, cold case detectives using DNA evidence linked the 1986 killing to an ex-girlfriend of Rasmussen’s husband, who was an LAPD officer.

In 2012, Detective Stephanie Lazarus, who was a Simi Valley resident, was convicted of the killing, and sentenced to 26 years to life in prison.

However, two lower courts ruled the ability of the parents to sue expired in 1998, due to the statute of limitations. The State Supreme Court declined to review the lower court ruling, in effect ending the lawsuit.

A man is facing multiple charges after police say witnesses say the saw him burglarizing vehicles on Santa Barbara’s Westside.

Santa Barbara Police were called to the area of San Andres and Pedregosa Streets just after 12:30 yesterday afternoon, by reports of a man randomly opening the doors of vehicles. Officers say Eduardo Murillo was hiding behind a vehicle when the reached the scene, and tried to run away, but was caught when he tripped, and fell to the ground.

They recovered drugs, and a gym bag which were filled with items which they say the 20 year old Santa Barbara man admitted taking from multiple vehicles. He was arrested for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of stolen property.

Authorities are trying to figure out what led to a fire which seriously injured a four year old girl in Santa Barbara.

The fire occurred just before a11 a.m., in a van apparently parked on the 13000 block of Santa Terisita Drive. Santa Barbara firefighters quickly knocked down the fire.

They discovered a little girl with serious burns, and a woman who was also injured by the fire at a nearby home.

Exactly what occurred is still under investigation, but the little girl’s burns were serious enough that she was moved to a burn center in the San Fernando Valley.

“KCLU 8 a.m. Newscast With Jim Rondeau”

8:06 am, 9/13/2012

TRAFFIC UPDATE—Animal hazard in Santa Barbara.

OXNARD POLICE CUSTODY DEATH—Chief responds to public protests.

JOB LOSSES IN CARPINTERIA–John Palminteri reports manufacturer closing.

STATE PENSION ROLLBACK—Governor Brown announces changes.

AMAZON TAX—On line sales tax goes in to effect.

SEABEE SQUADRON DECOMISSIONED—Port Hueneme ceremony.

Click on link to listen to newscast:KCLU News With Jim Rondeau 9-13-12

Could Ventura County become home to U.S. Navy drone operations on the West Coast?

The Navy is proposing to make Naval Base Ventura County home base for four Triton drone aircraft. They’re 48 feet long, with a wingspan of more than 130 feet. The drones would be used for what is being described as marine reconnaissance, with up to 1800 flights a year.

The draft environmental assessment report released by the Navy says there would be no major local environmental impacts if the plan is implemented.

It would be an economic boost for the county, though, with an additional 700 personnel being assigned to the base over the next few years.

More than 280,000 new square feet of hanger, and operational facility space would be built. The Navy is taking comments on the draft EIR through March 11th.

A list of airport control towers which might be shut down this week as a result of the national budget crisis includes 23 in California, and two on the South Coast.

The FAA’s list of about 100 potential control tower shutdowns includes the facilities in Camarillo, and Oxnard. If the shutdown occurred, it wouldn’t close the airports, but it could slow operations. Many smaller general aviation airports, like the one in Santa Paula, don’t have towers, and rely on pilots to follow accepted safety guidelines to insure they aren’t taking off, landing, or taxing in the path of other aircraft.

Camarillo and Oxnard Airports don’t offer commercial airline service.

Santa Barbara Airport’s tower would be unaffected under the FAA proposal to deal with its budget cuts.

He’s one of America’s best known physicists, who’s written bestsellers, and appeared on television to help explain breakthroughs into the building blocks of everything in the universe as we know it.

Now, Brian Greene’s latest research, and book open a new door. Greene says what we now know about “string theory” also suggests the existence of parallel, and multiple universes.

The theoretical physicist is speaking on the South Coast tonight, in a lecture that’s open to the public.

KCLU’s Lance Orozco talks with Greene about his research, and the possibilities it holds.

Click on link to listen to/download story: Brian Greene

A man who brought classic theater to Santa Barbara for decades has died.

Businessman Bill Budd founded the Gilbert & Sullivan Company of Santa Barbara in 1982, directing its productions for more than a decade.

Budd and his wife also created a popular local video production company, which records community and school theatrical productions, to make them available to families.

Budd was 80 years old.