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Long Beach Tax Preparer Sentenced for Aiding in False Tax Return

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Los Angeles — Rathana Ung and former director and officer of Lim’s Income Tax and Lim’s Tax Inc. in Long Beach, was sentenced to 12 months and a day imprisonment, one year of supervised release and ordered to pay$103,736 in restitution to the Internal Revenue Service, Dec. 9, for aiding in the preparation of a false federal income tax return.

According to court documents, between 2006 and 2010, Ung, 41, filed at least 60 false Forms 1040 with the IRS containing false deductions and false business losses. She admitted in court on July 1, 2013 that she knew that the taxpayers for whom the returns were filed were not entitled to claim such deductions when she pleaded guilty to one count of filing a false federal income tax return.

Ung, a resident of Coto De Caza in OrangeCounty, filed federal income tax returns for numerous clients claiming false deductions for mileage, meals and entertainment expenses, and other unreimbursed employee business expenses. Some of the tax returns contained false Schedules C (Profit or Loss from a Business) and at least one return contained a false deduction for tuition and fees.

POLA Receives APWA’s 2013 B.E.S.T. Project of The Year Award

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San Pedro — On Dec. 10, the Port of Los Angeles received the 2013 B.E.S.T. Project of the Year award from the Southern California Chapter of the American Public Works Association for its Southern Pacific Slip Waterfront Plaza.

The plaza pays homage to San Pedro’s history as a commercial fishing hub, located on the Los Angeles Waterfront near Ports O’ Call Village.

Winning in the recreation and athletic facilities category, the Southern Pacific Slip Waterfront Plaza includes improved public waterfront access for pedestrians and vehicles and development of a 1.5-acre landscaped plaza that features the “Ghost Fish 102” sculpture, a 40-foot blue fin tuna by artist Carl Cheng, hung from a galvanized steel frame over the water at Berth 73. Teak benches by San Pedro woodworker Harold Greene were also installed near the public art display. The plaza was completed in December 2012 at a cost of $6.5 million.

The waterfront features several beautification and redevelopment projects that cover more than 400 acres of existing Port property in both San Pedro and Wilmington.

Details: www.lawaterfront.org.

City Council to Discuss Medical Marijuana, Again

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The Long Beach City Council is scheduled to discuss a new medical marijuana ordinance at its Dec. 17 meeting in City Hall.

The city council adopted a medical marijuana ordinance 2010 but it was repealed after several court rulings, effectively banning medical marijuana dispensaries.

The council decided to take the issue up again in September of this year.

The Planning Commission will be the next step after the council discusses and instruct the city attorney and staff on how to move forward with the potential ordinance. The commission will have to do a study session in early 2014 and vote on the ordinance before council members vote on its approval.

LAPD Officers Arrested for Worker’s Compensation Fraud

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Los Angeles — On Dec. 11, two veteran Los Angeles police officers have been arrested following a Los Angeles Police Department’s Workers’ Compensation Fraud Unit internal investigation.

The unit initiated investigations stemming from medical claims that Officer Jonathan Hall, a 19-year LAPD veteran, and Officer Ralph Mendoza, a 13-year LAPD veteran, filed medical claims in late 2012.

Working in partnership with the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Healthcare Fraud Division, investigators established probable cause to believe that Hall knowingly provided false testimony during a deposition related to his industrial injury claim under the penalty of perjury and received benefits to which he was not entitled.

In Mendoza’s case, the investigation showed that Mendoza falsified medical documents related to his industrial injury claim and received benefits to which he was not entitled. Warrants were then obtained for both officers.

Hall, last assigned to Emergency Services Division, surrendered to authorities Dec.11, pursuant to charges of four felony counts of workers’ compensation fraud, insurance fraud, grand theft and attempted perjury. Bail was set at $80,000. Hall, 45, is assigned home pending the outcome of both the criminal and administrative investigations.

Help Grow the El Dorado Nature Center

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Help keep the El Dorado Nature Center a beautiful and healthy place for wildlife. A three-part training session will get you ready to plant and care for California natives on the trails. Monthly meetings, work parties and educational field trips throughout the year will provide ongoing opportunities to sharpen your skills, meet new friends and increase your knowledge base. Applications due by Jan. 3. Training takes place from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Jan. 18, 25 and Feb.15. Applicants must attend all three sessions.

Details: (562) 570-1750
Venue: El Dorado Nature Center
Location: 7550 E Spring St., Long Beach

Carson Hosts Telethon for Typhoon Haiyan Survivors

 

Carson is scheduled to host Pamaskong Handog, a Christmas Telethon as a part of the city’s ongoing efforts to benefit the survivors of the Philippine Typhoon Haiyan.

The telethon will take place, from 2 to 6 p.m. Dec. 15. It will be broadcasted live through the internet on the City of Carson’s website, http://ci.carson.ca.us, Time Warner Carson Cable Channel 35, and AT &T Channel 99.

Phone banks will be staffed for four hours to make it easy for individuals to make a donation. You do not have to wait until the telethon to make your tax-deductible donations. Monetary donations are being accepted now. You can make your checks payable to City of Carson Filipino Relief Fund at CarsonCity Hall, City

Treasurer’s Office located at 701 E. Carson Street, Carson, CA90745.

The typhoon struck the Philippines on Nov. 8 taking thousands of lives and displacing millions of people.

Details: (310) 952-1740, (888) 886-7889

NWSPNC Taking Applications for Vacant Board Seat

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The Northwest San Pedro Neighborhood Council is seeking to fill one vacant board seat for the term ending June 30, 2016. Anyone who is a stakeholder, at least 16 years of age and lives, or owns property within the boundaries of the NWSPNC is eligible to apply for the vacated Census Tract 2964 board position.

The Boundaries of Census Tract 2964 are roughly, the Peck Park boundary South to 9th Street (Excluding LA County Area) and Bandini Street west to the Los Angeles City/Rancho Palos Verdes Boundary.

Applications for this position should be received no later than January 4, 2014. The Selection to fill the Board seat will be made at the regular NWSPNC meeting at the Peck Park Auditorium on January 10, 2014.

Details: www.nwsanpedro.org.

Medical Marijuana Dispensaries

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The Long Beach City Council is scheduled to consider a recommendation to provide direction to the city attorney and Development Services Department regarding the contents and parameter of a draft ordinance that will be presented to the Planning Commission relating to the regulation of medical marijuana dispensaries at the 5 p.m. Dec. 10 meeting in City Hall.

Details: http://tinyurl.com/LBMedicalMarijuanadraft
Venue: Long BeachCity Hall
Location: 333 W. Ocean Blvd., Long Beach

LB Planning Commission Approves Housing Element

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LONG BEACH — On Dec. 5, the Long Beach Planning Commission voted 7-0 to approve the latest Housing Element proposal.

The housing element is a state-required map on how to deal with housing needs in the city in an 8-year period, especially important now that the redevelopment agency has been dissolved.

The city must show to the state that it has a viable plan for 7,048 housing units. Of those, 4,009 units must be for people with moderate, low and very-low incomes.

The Long Beach City Council is scheduled to cast a final vote on the 2013-21 Housing Element in January. The deadline for the plan is Feb. 12.

Details: www.lbds.info/housing_element/default.asp.

LB Man Pleads Guilty of Sex Trafficking

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Long Beach — On Dec. 4, William Earl Flavors, of Long Beach, plead guilty to sex trafficking in a federal court.

Flavors, 40, had prior conviction for forcing women into prostitution. In 2000, he was convicted of taking two teenage girls from Seattle — where he formerly lived — and forcing them to work as prostitutes in OrangeCounty. For that, he received a 14-year prison sentence, which he completed and was released with supervision in late 2011.

In October 2012, the Long Beach Police Department arrested him for attacking a woman.

He admits to forcing two women to go from Long Beach to Las Vegas to work as prostitutes. A U.S. Attorney’s Office press released stated that Flavors also admitted that he physically abused, threatened and forced one of the women to work for him as a prostitute for eight months in 2012.

He is serving four-years for violating the terms of his release after. His hearing is scheduled for May 9.

Flavors, also known as “Andre,” is expected to be sent to prison for another decade.