Press Telegram

Toxic Waste Found On Lakewood Sidewalk

BELLFLOWER - Three trash cans full of toxic waste were abandoned on a sidewalk in a busy area of Lakewood Boulevard, authorities said Wednesday. The 32-gallon cans filled with an unidentified biohazardous material were discovered on the east sidewalk of Lakewood near Hegel Street at about 10:20 p.m., said Sgt. Andy Berg of the Lakewood Sheriff's Station.

Mother Found Not Guilty On 2 Charges in Newborn's Death

LONG BEACH - Following an emotional two-week trial, a jury on Wednesday found a woman not guilty of murdering her newborn daughter. Leticia Castro, a 29-year-old Catalina resident, was charged three years ago with the first-degree murder of her newborn daughter, whom she delivered inside a ferry bathroom and then stuffed into a 4-inch-wide trash container designed to hold paper towels.

Port Workers Give Biometric Data for Access

After paying a $132.50 fee, Torrance resident Ted Quinn pressed all 10 of his fingers onto a digital scanner that will embed his prints into a new security card he'll need to access the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach. He then displayed two identification cards and answered a few personal questions before returning to work at the Pacific Maritime Association, where he trains longshore workers.

Bondsman Sought to Aid Poor

LONG BEACH - Andy Andriole had an unwavering trust in his fellow man. As a bail bondsman in Long Beach for more than 50 years, he would often bail out risky people just to give them a second chance, said his son, Guy Andriole. He would let neighborhood kids swim in his pool, and was also known for giving clothing and money to the homeless.

Local Crime Briefs

Toxic waste cans dumped on street Three trash cans full of toxic waste were abandoned on a sidewalk in a busy area of Lakewood Boulevard, authorities said Wednesday.

Blended Family Needs Your Help

LONG BEACH - There was never any doubt that Susana would comply with her dying sister's wishes. "She died from breast cancer (three years ago)," recalled Susana, who asked that her last name be withheld. "Before she died, she asked us to take care of her children."

Beach Bash for the Boatless

SANDY CLAUS: Beachgoers, as brave and small in number as they are in the wintertime, will get a rare shot at seeing the King of the Beaches (that's a title that sounds better than Son of the Beaches, which is precisely why we chose it), Fred Khammar on Saturday as he throws open his Alfredo's Beach Club/Kayak Kafe for the 21st annual Christmas Beach Party starting at 5 p.m. That is, you'll note, the same evening of the Naples Boat Parade.

Mother Is Cleared of Murder

LONG BEACH - A Catalina Island woman who gave birth in a ferry bathroom and then stuffed the child into a trash container was acquitted of first-degree murder Wednesday. Leticia Castro, 29, sobbed heavily as the verdict was read in the courtroom of Long Beach Superior Court Judge Gary Ferrari. She also was acquitted of a lesser charge, assault of a child causing death.

Lawyer Said Mcvarish Firing Legal

LONG BEACH - A lawyer affiliated with the California Teachers Association in June advised that the firing that month of Long Beach teachers union leader Scott McVarish was done legally and for "just cause," according to a declaration by the then-president of the Teachers Association of Long Beach in a lawsuit. Tony Diaz was union president on June 5 when the TALB board of directors voted to fire executive director Scott McVarish, causing a rift in the union that eventually led the CTA - the s...

Lowenthal Ready for Assembly Run

LONG BEACH - City Councilwoman Bonnie Lowenthal may have moved only four blocks away, but her new digs have put her in position to be a viable candidate for the 54th Assembly District. Lowenthal, a Democrat, confirmed Wednesday that she moved over the summer from her California Craftsman home on Cedar Avenue where she had lived since 1989 to a two-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment at Archstone Long Beach Harbor apartments, 225 W. Third St.

Labor Played Role in Furutani's Win

Organized labor extended its winning streak in special elections this week, as Warren Furutani claimed victory in the 55th Assembly District. Labor groups unleashed an army of precinct walkers and phone- bankers in the days and weeks leading up to Tuesday's vote, giving Furutani the margin he needed to beat Carson Councilman Mike Gipson in a low-turnout election.

Residents Group Says 'Woah'

LONG BEACH - Putting the brakes to a speeding car takes good timing. At times it's reflexive; other times it takes quick action to avoid problems. Mike Ruehle, the activist president of the Belmont Shore Residents Association, seems to know that. He's taking on the task of looking more closely at a city plan to introduce upgrades to recreation facilities on the beach along Ocean Boulevard.

Illuminating Christmas Displays

It's that time of year again. If you know a house that's decorated for the holidays, we'd like to know about it. To submit an address, go online to presstelegram.com and click on the Holiday Lights banner, or send an e-mail to online@presstelegram.com. You can also submit a photo of the decorated home.

Board Eases Costco's Entrance

LAKEWOOD - Planning commissioners paved the way Wednesday for a Costco to come to Lakewood Center by granting a permit for an onsite gas station and endorsing a traffic study on intersections near the mall. With the Planning and Environment Commission's unanimous vote in support of the gas station permit and a traffic analysis, Costco can move through the plan check process without coming before the City Council, city officials said.

Woman Convicted of Killing Husband by Pouring Acid Over His Unconscious Body

LOS ANGELES - A biochemist who killed her husband by knocking him out and pouring hydrochloric acid on him was convicted Wednesday of first-degree murder. A Superior Court jury found Larissa Schuster, 47, of Clovis, guilty of murdering Timothy Schuster with the special circumstance that the murder was committed for financial gain. His half- dissolved body was found a few days after his 2003 death in a barrel that was inside a storage unit that his wife had rented.

Who's Open for Christmas Dinner?

If you aren't with your family, you may have a hard time finding a Christmas feast because many restaurants are closed on Christmas Day. The Press-Telegram and www.presstelegram.com are compiling a list of restaurants that will be open and serving meals to the public on Dec. 25.