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Hand Up event inspires local teens
SAN DIEGO (Press Release)--At the recent Hand Up Open House, returning leaders on the Hand Up Student Executive Committee lectured to a packed house of socially-minded students about food insecurity and hunger in San Diego County. The teen presenters described the important role Hand Up teen leaders play in running the food pantry and raising awareness about hunger. Teen leaders collect food and monetary donations to benefit the Food Pantry, and frequently participate in advocacy efforts to raise awareness and affect policy about hunger and access to nutritious foods.
Students representing more than ten different high schools were in attendance, including: Canyon Crest Academy, La Jolla Country Day, San Diego Jewish Academy, Bonita Vista High School, and High Tech High. Participants spent the day learning about the Hand Up Youth Food Pantry, the Student Executive Committee, and Hand Up School-Based Clubs, and helped make food bags and stock the shelves in the pantry.
Eitan, a returning leader, inspired other teenagers in the crowd, saying, “Of course Hand Up is a fun way to serve the community and meet new people, but more than that, Hand Up leaders make a meaningful difference in the lives of people in need across our community. We are creating change!”
When asked why they wanted to get involved in Hand Up’s teen leadership program, the students overwhelmingly responded by saying they want to become leaders in the community and make an important difference in people’s day-to-day lives.
After the Open House, the participants helped out at Hand Up Youth Food Pantry’s monthly Murphy Canyon Military food and hygiene distribution. The teens served more than 130 military families!
One teen participant reflected on the experience, saying, “These military families are just like mine. The kids look like me and my friends. I never knew our service men and women needed a hand up.”
Brittany, a first year Student Executive Committee Leader,later commented on her "wonderful experience at the Hand Up Open House and at the Murphy Canyon military distribution. The JFS staff was so welcoming, and I really learned a lot about all that Hand Up Youth Food Pantry does to help people in our community.... It was also a pleasure to contribute at the Murphy Canyon Distribution. I had a lot of fun with friends and felt great about giving back to the community. It was amazing handing out the food and hygiene items to so many grateful military families. It made me feel so good to give to people who needed and appreciated my service."
Wayne and Filner to participate
in diverse public events in S.D.
SAN DIEGO-- Two upcoming public events will showcase two members of the Jewish community who are active in politics -- Congressman Bob Filner (Democrat-San Diego) and former Assemblyman Howard Wayne, who is now running for San Diego City Council.
Wayne will debate Steven Hadley, who has been the top aide to Councilwoman Donna Frye in the 6th Council District, before the Pacific Beach Democratic Club, at 7 p.m., Thursday, Nov.5, at the Pacific Beach Recreation Center, 1405 Diamond Street. More information on line at www.pbclub.sddem.org.
Filner, chairman of the HOuse Committee on Veteran Affairs, will deliver a keynote address at an 11;30 a.m. to 4 p.m forum at UCSD on Sunday, November 8, in the multipurpose room of the Student Service Center. Called "Testimonies from the Frontlines," the forum will also feature comments from veterans who have fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Other highlights will include Cross My Heart, a play by Peter Dudar & Sally Marr, followed by "Bring Their Boddies Home: An Act of Art."
Poizner says 8 arrested in 'staged automobile collision ring'
SAN DIEGO (Press Release)-- California's Insurance Commissioner Steve Poizner on Wednesday announced that a year-long investigation by California Department of Insurance detectives has resulted in eight arrests and the dismantling of a staged automobile collision ring.
“Criminals that engage in staged auto collisions seek monetary gain while risking not only their lives but also the innocent lives of other drivers on the road,” Commissioner Poizner said. “Through the diligent work of our fraud detectives and a tireless effort by this department and our partners, we have broken up a crime ring that has caused more than $200,000 in damages. This department will not rest when lives are placed at risk by these types of criminal enterprises.”
The suspects were arrested throughout San Diego County for their alleged roles in staging violent automobile collisions in order to fraudulently collect money from insurance carriers. More than 83 felony counts of insurance fraud were filed today against the suspects by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office. Twenty-eight counts were filed against the alleged ring leader, Jay Stoney Anderson, 31, of Chula Vista, for his alleged involvement in at least seven staged collisions. If convicted, Anderson could face up to 11 years in prison. Anderson is already in custody for a probation violation, CDI detectives said.
In each collision, the vehicle that caused the collision, commonly referred to as the “hammer” vehicle, was abandoned at the scene prior to police arrival. Follow-up investigation revealed that the hammer vehicles had either been abandoned by their registered owners or reported as stolen prior to the collision.
For each collision, the passengers in the other involved vehicle, referred to as the “nail” vehicle, claimed soft tissue injuries and sought treatment at a local hospital. These passengers later filed personal injury claims with the insurer. When the insurance company settled the claims, the payment checks were sent directly to the “injured” passengers who allegedly left outstanding hospital bills.
In one particular staged collision, the backpack of an occupant of the nail vehicle was found by police in the hammer vehicle of the same collision, which had been abandoned at the scene. Numerous connections between the owners of the hammer vehicle to the occupants of the nail vehicles were found throughout the investigation. The investigation also revealed numerous connections between participants of each collision and Anderson.
To date, seven insurance carriers have paid out more than $200,000 to suspects involved in these 11 staged collisions.
California Department of Insurance Detective Matthew Barnes led the Auto Insurance Fraud Task Force team in this investigation. The San Diego AIFTF is comprised of detectives from the Department of Insurance, investigators from the
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California Highway Patrol, San Diego District Attorney’s office and a National Insurance Crime Bureau special agent.
This is an ongoing investigation and additional charges may by filed by the San Diego County District Attorney’s Office in the future. The case is being prosecuted by San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Victor Ou.
Commissioner Poizner oversees 16 CDI Enforcement Branch regional offices throughout the state. Approximately 1,900 insurance fraud-related arrests have been made by the Department of Insurance’s enforcement division since Commissioner Poizner took office in 2007 – more arrests than have been made during any other two year period, under any previous insurance commissioner.
SAN DIEGO (Press Release)—San Diego County District Attorney Bonnie M. Dumanis and California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation Secretary Matthew Cate on Thursday presided over the first graduation ceremony for participants of San Diego’s prisoner reentry program that helps non-violent offenders successfully enter back into the community.
Known as SB 618, it is a comprehensive case management program created in 2007 through multiple-agency collaboration among the County, State and community-based organizations. “Elected officials, law enforcement officials and community members all understand the importance of reducing recidivism,” DA Dumanis said. “Helping offenders through SB 618 in turn helps us. It makes our communities safer by promoting success, recovery and improvement for offenders.
This event is a milestone for the program.” The reentry program does not alter the length of the participant’s sentence, but uses that time in prison to provide adequate treatment of drug and alcohol addiction and improve the prisoner’s vocational and educational skills. In providing case management throughout the participant’s sentence and up until 18 months after their release, participants are encouraged to successfully complete their terms of parole and become a viable member of the community. SB 618 is currently active at two state institutions, Richard J. Donovan State Prison and California Women’s Institution.
“I would like to congratulate the inmates who successfully graduated from this program and are now discharged from parole as well as the many community organizations who have made this program a success,” said Matthew Cate, Secretary of the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation.
“This program demonstrates the importance of community support in helping inmates succeed and reducing recidivism.” More than 35 graduates attended the ceremony after having been discharged from their parole. San Diego County is the first in the state to initiate this cooperative effort between the District Attorney’s Office, Reentry Roundtable, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, Parole Offices, Probation Department, Sheriff’s Department, Public Defender’s Office and Superior Court.
SDJA at AIPAC
Motive unclear in wounding
of two at L.A. synagogue
LOS ANGELES (WJC)—Two men were injured wounded in a shooting at a Los Angeles synagogue early on Thursday. Police initially said the incident was being investigated as a possible hate crime, but later said it possibly was motivated by other reasons. Michel Moore, the deputy chief of Los Angeles police, said the two men were shot in their legs after arriving separately in an underground car park for worship at the Adat Yeshurun Sephardic Congregation, in North Hollywood.
Moore said a black male wearing a hooded sweatshirt opened fire on the two men before fleeing the scene. The victims were being treated in hospital and "were stable and doing fine" Moore said. "They are stable, they are conscious and they will survive their injuries," Moore told reporters at a press briefing . He said a man fitting the "very loose" description of the gunman was detained near the scene shortly afterwards but stressed that the investigation was ongoing and remained "dynamic."
Jewish organizations in the LA area were put on high alert, and police put extra patrols at Jewish schools and synagogues in the area. The shooting came one day after US President Barack Obama signed a landmark hate crimes law hailed as a new step forward for US civil rights. The act outlaws offenses motivated by a person's race, gender, identity, color, sexual orientation, or mental of physical disability.
“We'll assume right now that this synagogue did play a role in this and it's a reasonable expectation that we alert our other friends in the Jewish community as to their locations," said Moore. “We have no remarks by the suspect to these victims that we're aware of at this early juncture that can identify what his motive was whether it was a robbery or this was an attack on these two individuals because of their presence at the synagogue. We have worked to activate law enforcement resources and our contact with the Jewish community throughout this region. We have extra patrols already in place at all of our Jewish schools as well as the synagogues."
Speaking to reporters outside the synagogue, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa called the incident "a senseless act of violence." However, he was careful to temper worries that the shooting was a hate crime. "None of us should presume or speculate more about this other than it was a random act of violence," he said.
Shootings at American houses of worship have increased dramatically in recent years, although synagogues have largely been spared. In 2006, a mentally ill gunman stormed into the offices of the Seattle Jewish Federation, killing a woman and wounding five others.
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