Cross Country
Calling Timeout for Safety in the Mines
Gov. Joe Manchin of West Virginia and federal mine regulators called for new safety checks last week following the death of two more coal miners in the Mountain State.
Manchin asked for an immediate "stand down" at the state's 544 mines for reviews of safety procedures and inspection of escape routes. By late in the week, miners across the state were starting their shifts with safety lectures and meetings, though it appeared mining was continuing. Governor Manchin also told state mining regulators to speed up their schedule for mine inspections and to review all 229 surface and 315 underground mines immediately. Following Manchin's actions, David Dye, the acting assistant U.S. labor secretary for mine safety, called for coal mines nationwide to conduct a timeout, or "Stand Down for Safety, "early this week to undertake similar safety reviews for their employees.
The latest West Virginia deaths continue one of the worst stretches in the recent history of American coal mining; 18 miners have died over the course of the past month. All but two of the fatalities occurred in West Virginia, which has 16,000 miners, more than any other state. The other deaths were in Kentucky and Utah.
Sect Sidelined in San Francisco
The Chinese spiritual movement Falun Gong is once again catching headlines for angering Chinese authorities--but this time the fight is on this side of the Pacific. Members of the group, which practices meditation, have been barred from participating in this weekend's Chinese New Year parade in San Francisco.
The reason? The Chinese Chamber of Commerce, which runs the parade, says Falun Gong broke the rules in 2004 by handing out leaflets. Outraged group members filed suit to try to stop San Francisco from giving $77,000 to the parade and protested outside city hall, while politicians bickered over the controversy. As of late last week, the bottom line was the same: Falun Gong will meditate on the sidelines.
A Fire That Keeps on Burning
It was a tragedy of almost unfathomable proportions. On Feb. 20, 2003, 100 people were killed and 200 injured when fireworks that were part of a heavy-metal music show turned the Station nightclub in West Warwick, R.I., into a raging inferno. Last week, the man who lit the fireworks, Daniel Biechele--former tour manager for the band Great White--agreed to plead guilty to 100 counts of manslaughter, for which he'll serve no more than 10 years in prison. The pyrotechnics showered the club's walls with sparks, igniting foam that had been installed as soundproofing.
The plea stunned many relatives of the victims. "This is absolutely wrong," said Diane Mattera, who lost her daughter, Tammy, 29. But Judge Francis Darigan said the agreement avoided a "lengthy and costly trial that could be difficult for the families of the victims and the entire Rhode Island community. "It was not clear whether Biechele might cooperate in the pending prosecution of club owners Jeffrey and Michael Derderian.
A Left Coast Identity Crisis
Even with Disneyland and the hit show The O.C. to call its own, Anaheim has long had an inferiority complex. Los Angeles always had the glitz and power. Anaheim suffered, mostly in silence. That changed in January 2005 when its baseball team decided to hitch its fortunes to the City of Angels. Anaheim sued the Anaheim Angels after owner Arte Moreno renamed the team the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in an attempt to profit from the L.A. media market. City fathers say Anaheim's very identity is at stake. What's more, they say the city is losing $100 million in tourism revenue and publicity because of the name change. They claim the action violated a 1996 contract requiring Anaheim to be featured in all the team's merchandise and publicity. Moreno says the contract calls only for including Anaheim in the team's name. The case goes to the jury this week.
With Silla Brush, Ilana Ozernoy and Associated Press
This story appears in the February 13, 2006 print edition of U.S. News & World Report.
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