Mother sues for $100 million
Rosa Rivera, the mother of Jennifer Bonilla, one of the students who was killed in the FedEx and school bus crash on April 17, is suing FedEx for negligence and is seeking $100 million in damages, according to CBS News.
The lawsuit claims that FedEx trucks have a “history of catching fire from mechanical problems, driver error or improper cargo loading.” The lawsuit also claims that the bus carrying the students “lacked adequate exit doors,” which made it difficult for the passengers to get out. Silverado Stages, the bus owner, and the estate of the FedEx driver are named the defendants.

Police allegedly alter evidence
Julio Cesar Martinez and Anthony Manuel Paez, two former Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies, have been charged with “conspiracy, perjury and altering evidence” after planting guns inside a marijuana dispensary, according to The Los Angeles Times. The men were charged after investigation showed that they had planted the guns in the dispensary to justify two arrests they made.
Martinez and Paez have been charged with one felony count of conspiracy after obstructing justice and altering evidence. They were booked on April 18, but were later released after each paid a $50,000 bail. They will be arraigned on June 17. If convicted, Martinez and Paez could serve seven years in state prison.

Fresno is most polluted CA city
Fresno, Calif. ranked number one in the pollution maps released by the California Environmental Protection Agency on April 21, according to The Los Angeles Times. Eight of the 10 census tracts by the state show that Fresno is the most affected by pollution.
Fresno is known to be the place “where agriculture meets industry.” Strawberry fields, pistachio orchards and even a meat processing plant surround different parts of the city; all of which release pesticides and pollution in the air. The overwhelming amounts of agriculture and poverty in the city are thought to be detrimental to the city’s efforts to have clean air and water.

Athlete gives back to school
Darrius Heyward-Bey, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, paid for the installation of stadium lighting at the McDonogh School football field, according to Yahoo News.
Heward-Bey, who was a student and athlete at the private college-preparatory school, said he remembers his football team could only play games on Saturdays because the school did not have enough funds to set up stadium lights to light up the field for Friday night games. Now students will have the chance to play and attend games under the Friday night lights. The NFL athlete said he was glad he could give back to the school that helped him get to where he is today.

More U.S. victims in Afghanistan
An Afghan government security guard killed three American physicians and wounded an American nurse after he opened fire at a Kabul hospital on April 24, according to The Associated Press. The man’s motives are not clear.
The attacker served in the Afghan Public Protection Force, an armed security force under Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior, which can be hired by foreign organizations to protect them.
The alleged shooter was wounded during the attack. He received surgery at the Kabul hospital where he opened fire and will be questioned upon his recovery.  Connections to the Taliban will be investigated as there has been a rise in the number of attacks on foreigners since January.

Mayra Ruiz
Staff Writer
Published April 30, 2014