News briefs

Rainfall could cause fire hazard

Hills turned emerald green by this winter’s record
rainfall will be dried out by the sun and wind in coming months,
leaving an abundance of fuel for blazes in the upcoming fire
season.

“˜”˜Even with all the rain and all the mud, in a few
months you’ll have a potential for catastrophic grass
fires,” city fire Inspector Michael Henley said.
“˜”˜To see an increased fuel load always makes
firefighters nervous.”

The Fire Department has jump-started surveys of hillside areas
to determine just how much growth has sprouted up. A 40-person task
force is being assembled this spring for inspections of more than
130,000 properties in the city and 37,000 in the county for signs
of brush hazards.

Thousands of homeowners will also be getting fliers urging them
to cut back vegetation and low-hanging branches near their
homes.

LAUSD undergoes enforced reforms

LOS ANGELES “”mdash; The nation’s second-largest school
district launched a new crackdown at troubled campuses by
appointing new administrators and tightening control over campus
budgets and instruction.

Responding to federal pressure to improve the schools, the Los
Angeles Unified School District said it was also considering
wholesale staff changes next year at more than a third of its 49
high schools.

The troubled campuses serve mostly low-income and minority
students.

The campaign is part of the reform agenda triggered by the
federal No Child Left Behind Act. The law requires districts
nationwide to restructure campuses that have repeatedly failed to
meet state achievement goals.

Reports from Bruin wire services.

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