the-appropriate – Afro Universe

ENCINO (CBSLA) — Residents at an apartment complex in the San Fernando Valley have gone six days without running water, just in time for another approaching heat wave. The taps at the 509-unit Encino Oaks apartment have been dry since Sunday, when a water pipe broke. Some of the disgruntled residents said that as soon as the 47-year-old complex’s management fixes one pipe, another one breaks. Crews were working on the third break Friday. “It’s a nightmare! It’s terrible,” said one man. “Like 19th century!” said Arman Arman. “We take water from [the] pool for [the] toilet,” he chuckled. “It’s impossible to live without water, you know. It’s second to air,” one woman said. One tenant, however, said his neighbors are overreacting. “I don’ think it’s a big deal.[…] Immediately,[…] there were Sparkletts trucks pulling up with hundreds and hundreds of cases of water to drink,” he said. Portable toilets were also provided. Still, senior citizen Alfredo Lima said it’s difficult for him to access the water, given his age. “I need the water.[…] Very hot. I’m 84-years-old, you know. It’s too much,” said Lima. The condo association released the following statement: “The Association is working with the appropriate governmental authorities and is complying with their orders and requirements in order to restore water service to the community as quickly as possible.” Many residents fear their homeowners association fees will increase with all the fixes. The repairs come as another extreme heat wave is forecast to hit the Southland on Monday.

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‘Like 19th Century!’: Encino Condo Residents Going On Sixth Day Without Running Water

July 21, 2018 0 comment

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New Jersey Supreme Court Considers Dismissing Hundreds Of Thousands Of Minor Cases

written by EvieChatham

TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork) – New Jersey may toss out more than 780,000 old warrants for minor offenses, like parking violations and local ordinance violations. As CBS2’s Andrea Grymes reports, it’s part of an effort to improve the state’s municipal court system. Elmon Grant, of Montclair, says he still owes money on parking tickets he got back in the 1970s. Thanks to this new push, those fees may finally be dropped. “Very good idea, because I still owe about $2,000,” he said. He’s not alone, Grymes reports. The state’s Supreme Court is considering dismissing minor cases that are unresolved and more than 15 years old. For example, from 1986 to 2003, there are more than 780,000 open warrants for failure to appear, like in cases for parking tickets and moving violations. In an order issued Thursday, Chief Justice Stuart Rabner wrote that these outstanding complains and open warrants, “raise questions of fairness, the appropriate use of limited public resources… and administrative efficiency.” Jeanne Locicero, with the New Jersey chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, says this is a big step in the right direction. “New Jersey’s municipal courts need more oversight and they really oftentimes are prioritizing revenue over justice,” she said. She says the overdue fines add up, disproportionately affecting the poor. The court will not consider tossing more serious offenses, like driving while intoxicated or driving with a suspended license. A three-judge panel will conduct a series of hearings across the state on the potential case dismissals. Not all New Jersey residents are on board. “I think people should pay their fines no matter how long they’ve been out. On the other hand, if that proves to be impractical and the state wants to let it all go, I think the state owes something to the towns,” one man said. This comes just days after a Supreme Court committee report found significant concerns in the state’s municipal court system. Hearing dates have not been announced yet.

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New Jersey Supreme Court Considers Dismissing Hundreds Of Thousands Of Minor Cases

July 20, 2018 0 comment