Former Football Player Agrees With PENN Sanctions

Former USC Football Player Writes About the NCAA's Sanctions Against PENN State

Diana,

Great article and I agree that the NCAA finally showed what should truly be important at colleges across the country.  While there is a question as to whether Joe Paterno was certain these acts actually took place, I agree that Sandusky should have been fired and barred from the campus long ago.  I will say this as well; the janitor should have walked into the police station and reported what he saw directly to the authorities. Hiding behind the perceived threat of being terminated and blaming the "football culture" shouldn't obscure what is the right thing to do, especially when it involves children.  There will be more money and wins down the road but what these victims lost can never be replaced!

I'd like to think I have a unique understanding about all this as a former college player.

Sometimes we pay for the sins of our fathers and friends that went before us.  This has always been how the NCAA works (just look at the recent USC sanctions with Reggie Bush & other schools). Besides, the players can immediately transfer without sitting out a year as they normally would.

As far as the students go:

1. I hope they didn't chose to attend their college based only on how well their team plays (or if it is bowl-eligible).

2. Some things, especially like this, are more important than a game and force all of us to take a step back a right the ship.

The "leaders" of their school put them in this position over money and image (which ties back to money) so now it was time to send a message that college isn't all about big time athletics and that gravy train. You should know the President of the Penn State University signed off on these sanctions before they were announced which leads me to believe he felt it was time to take our medicine and move forward.

Shawn Talbott -- a former USC center/long snapper

NCAA Ruling Against Penn State Imperative

NCAA President Mark Emmert (right) announces sanctions Monday for Penn State.

NCAA Slaps Penn State With Severe Sanctions; Was It Wrong?

By Diana L. Chapman

   As the news streamed in that the NCAA slapped a $60 million fine on Penn State Monday and wiped away its successful football record over the past 14 years, all morning long commentators and others kept saying this: "It's not about football."

   In fact, this has everything to do with football and that's exactly why the NCAA had to act -- and act harshly even if it's not within its own policy or using its own investigation.

   This is a football story on how a bunch of administrators at Penn State University believed the football program was more important than the lives of a lot of young boys being molested for years by the university's former defensive coach Jerry Sandusky. This often happened in the school's facilities and was something the famous head coach, Joe Paterno, apparently knew about. (Sandusky was found guilty of 45 criminal sex abuse counts last month involving at least eight boys.)

   It's also about how the popular and highly regarded Penn State  football program racked up so much money, administrators considered it more significant than the fact Sandusky was raping boys in the university's gym showers. They seemed to think it better to hide such a scandal to save its renowned reputation -- and its money.

   It's  also about how a janitor who cleaned the football stadium and gym witnessed a Sandusky molestation and told his supervisor. The janitors were too terrified to talk to anybody due to the football culture that apparently had an iron-fist rule at the school for decades. In fact, the janitors believed they'd be fired if they brought it up to their administrators, according to an investigation completed by former FBI director Louis Freeh, also a former judge, in a 267 page report.

   The NCAA used Freeh's report, released in July that sets the blame squarely on Paterno as well as then president Graham Spanier and other powerful administrators, for failing to protect the children.

   After that, the NCAA swooped in with some of the harshest sanctions it's ever imposed  and are unprecedented.

   "Football will never again be placed ahead of educating, nurturing and protecting young people,"  Mark Emmert, NCAA president, told the press.

   Thank you.

   While many denounced the NCAA sanctions, I embrace Emmett's startling announcement Monday despite many sports commentators complaining the board stepped way out of its league. The heavy restrictions included that the team will not be allowed in bowl or post season games for four years, the $60 million will be used to help child abuse victims and the school will be undergo  five years of probation. In addition, 10 new scholarships for football will be eliminated in 2013-2014 along with another 15 the following year, according to news accounts.

   The university wins from 1998 to 2011 will be erased along with the fact that Paterno will no longer be considered the most "winningest" university coach in history. Penn state football players can also leave and go to other school's without any punishments, the NCAA ruled.

   Why do I so agree with this NCAA action while others are crying foul for the innocent football players, taking away scholarships for those who need them and ruining the whole atmosphere of a school where students were once proud of its football legends, many of whom were devastated when they learned of the sanctions Monday?

   It's simple. We can never, never, never let this happen again. As soon as the Sandusky case broke, we soon discovered there were other college coaches who had molested young victims as well. The NCAA didn't go far enough in fact, and should have gone after each and every administrator involved.

   What these sanctions did do is give an extremely clear smoke signal that any college involved with any horrendous molestation scandals like this again will bleed - and bleed badly all over.

   As it should.

   And something more important about the sanctions:

Penn State has to be thoroughly stripped of this culture, cleaned up and sterilized to show the world that in America this can never happen at any college again or anywhere else for that matter. Children will no longer be treated like snared cattle without any power, raped repeatedly while adults stand around more concerned about their organizations or more worried about injuring the reputation of a Catholic priest, a football coach or a Boy Scout leader.

   I am more attuned with ESPN football analyst Desmond Howard who points out that once again people have forgotten the real victims here and are worried about the innocent Penn state football players.

   " Penn state football players today have a choice, "Howard said to go elsewhere.  "The victims did not."

   We all need to remember that.

Bonnie Sheehan Pled Guilty To Misdemeanors

My Friend Pled Guilty Thursday in Tennessee; Receives Two Year Probation and Fine

By Diana L. Chapman

   My friend Bonnie Sheehan, who has rescued thousands of dogs in and around Long Beach, pled guilty this week to 14 misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty in Tennessee after a failed attempt to transport her dogs across country.  She received two years probation and a $500 fine and is prohibited to have any animals during her probation.

   Sheehan, 55, ran Hearts or Hounds in Long Beach for 15 years but decided to leave the area due to the souring economy.  In January, she and a friend, Pamela King‑McCracken, were taking  140 dogs in a U-Haul trailer to a farm in Virginia they recently purchased when they were stopped by state patrol officers.

   Following the guilty pleas, the judge refused to expunge her record although she has no criminal record. All charges against Pam were dropped. Bonnie told the court that, as the driver, she was to blame.

  Bonnie built a loyal following with her adoptions in California, and supporters raised thousands of dollars for attorney fees. Several went to Tennessee to testify on the two women's behalf.

  "We are so grateful we had all this support," Bonnie told me this week as she drove to Virginia with a great sense of relief that she won't be headed back to jail. "We are blessed. I'll always go through life so humbled by the people who did so much."

   The officer pulled them over on I-40 in Tennessee and called in animal control officials.  The two women were plunged into a world of turmoil and were charged with felony animal cruelty for allegedly overcrowded conditions. While Pam was able to post her bail, Bonnie spent seven days in jail.

   The women can relax at last, said a friend.

   District Attorney General Mike Dunavart, who prosecuted the case, told news media that Bonnie basically took all the blame to save her friend.

   "She is absolving Ms. McCracken," Dunavart told the media. "She's essentially falling on the sword and saying: 'I abused them. I am responsible.' "

    It doesn't surprise me that Bonnie would do this for Pam, a stalwart volunteer who had religiously helped Bonnie in her full-time quest to save thousands of small dogs.

   For me, it's sad the two women didn't make it to Virginia this time. If they had, her supporters likely would have been celebrating huge numbers of adoptions instead of working so hard to keep the women out of jail. In an earlier visit to the farm, Bonnie had adopted out 28 dogs with many other adoptions pending, waiting for the other dogs to arrive.

 While Bonnie was obviously relieved, it makes me sad that it came to this after seeing news reports of people cutting dogs heads off, torturing animals in horrible ways and still others putting dogs in illegal dogfights where they are often maimed or killed.   Football player Michael Vick -- after being found guilty for holding horrendous dog fights wants to adopt a dog for his children.  But not Bonnie for the next two years? 

 Please.

 On the other hand, Bonnie has dedicated her life to taking dogs from death's door, cleaning them up, treating them for illnesses like mange and making them beautiful again for adoption. This is how my 83-year-old mother adopted Dara, a 3-year-old Havanese.  The two are inseparable.  My sister adopted Lily, another Havanese,  and my family brought home a bearded collie/poodle mix we call Baxter.

  Bonnie, who has been haunted by the loss of the dogs, several of which were her own personal animals, is ready to turn the page.

 "I'm going to have a normal life now," she said. "I can go to work at Rite Aid."

Bonnie Sheehan Pled Guilty To Misdemeanors

My Friend Pled Guilty Thursday in Tennessee; Receives Two Year Probation and Fine

By Diana L. Chapman

   My friend Bonnie Sheehan, who has rescued thousands of dogs in and around Long Beach, pled guilty this week to 14 misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty in Tennessee after a failed attempt to transport her dogs across country.  She received two years probation and a $500 fine and is prohibited to have any animals during her probation.

   Sheehan, 55, ran Hearts or Hounds in Long Beach for 15 years but decided to leave the area due to the souring economy.  In January, she and a friend, Pamela King‑McCracken, were taking  140 dogs in a U-Haul trailer to a farm in Virginia they recently purchased when they were stopped by state patrol officers.

   Following the guilty pleas, the judge refused to expunge her record although she has no criminal record. All charges against Pam were dropped. Bonnie told the court that, as the driver, she was to blame.

  Bonnie built a loyal following with her adoptions in California, and supporters raised thousands of dollars for attorney fees. Several went to Tennessee to testify on the two women's behalf.

  "We are so grateful we had all this support," Bonnie told me this week as she drove to Virginia with a great sense of relief that she won't be headed back to jail. "We are blessed. I'll always go through life so humbled by the people who did so much."

   The officer pulled them over on I-40 in Tennessee and called in animal control officials.  The two women were plunged into a world of turmoil and were charged with felony animal cruelty for allegedly overcrowded conditions. While Pam was able to post her bail, Bonnie spent seven days in jail.

   The women can relax at last, said a friend.

   "Most of the charges were dropped and all of Pam's were dismissed completely," said Cecille Giacoma. "Last night, they smiled and even laughed for the first time in a long time. It was wonderful!"

   District Attorney General Mike Dunavart, who prosecuted the case, told news media that Bonnie basically took all the blame to save her friend.

   "She is absolving Ms. McCracken," Dunavart told the media. "She's essentially falling on the sword and saying: 'I abused them. I am responsible.' "

    It doesn't surprise me that Bonnie would do this for Pam, a stalwart volunteer who had religiously helped Bonnie in her full-time quest to save thousands of small dogs.

   For me, it's sad the two women didn't make it to Virginia this time. If they had, her supporters likely would have been celebrating huge numbers of adoptions instead of working so hard to keep the women out of jail. In an earlier visit to the farm, Bonnie had adopted out 28 dogs with many other adoptions pending, waiting for the other dogs to arrive.

 While Bonnie was obviously relieved, it makes me sad that it came to this after seeing news reports of people cutting dogs heads off, torturing animals in horrible ways and still others putting dogs in illegal dogfights where they are often maimed or killed.   Football player Michael Vick -- after being found guilty for holding horrendous dog fights wants to adopt a dog for his children.  But not Bonnie for the next two years? 

 Please.

 On the other hand, Bonnie has dedicated her life to taking dogs from death's door, cleaning them up, treating them for illnesses like mange and making them beautiful again for adoption. This is how my 83-year-old mother adopted Dara, a 3-year-old Havanese.  The two are inseparable.  My sister adopted Lily, another Havanese,  and my family brought home a bearded collie/poodle mix we call Baxter.

  Bonnie, who has been haunted by the loss of the dogs, several of which were her own personal animals, is ready to turn the page.

 "I'm going to have a normal life now," she said. "I can go to work at Rite Aid."

Bonnie Sheehan Pled Guilty To Misdemeanors

My Friend Pled Guilty Thursday in Tennessee; Receives Two Year Probation and Fine

By Diana L. Chapman

   My friend Bonnie Sheehan, who has rescued thousands of dogs in and around Long Beach, pled guilty this week to 14 misdemeanor charges of animal cruelty in Tennessee after a failed attempt to transport her dogs across country.  She received two years probation and a $500 fine and is prohibited to have any animals during her probation.

   Sheehan, 55, ran Hearts or Hounds in Long Beach for 15 years but decided to leave the area due to the souring economy.  In January, she and a friend, Pamela King‑McCracken, were taking  140 dogs in a U-Haul trailer to a farm in Virginia they recently purchased when they were stopped by state patrol officers.

   Following the guilty pleas, the judge refused to expunge her record although she has no criminal record. All charges against Pam were dropped. Bonnie told the court that, as the driver, she was to blame.

  Bonnie built a loyal following with her adoptions in California, and supporters raised thousands of dollars for attorney fees. Several went to Tennessee to testify on the two women's behalf.

  "We are so grateful we had all this support," Bonnie told me this week as she drove to Virginia with a great sense of relief that she won't be headed back to jail. "We are blessed. I'll always go through life so humbled by the people who did so much."

   The officer pulled them over on I-40 in Tennessee and called in animal control officials.  The two women were plunged into a world of turmoil and were charged with felony animal cruelty for allegedly overcrowded conditions. While Pam was able to post her bail, Bonnie spent seven days in jail.

   The women can relax at last, said a friend.

   "Most of the charges were dropped and all of Pam's were dismissed completely," said Cecille Giacoma. "Last night, they smiled and even laughed for the first time in a long time. It was wonderful!"

   District Attorney General Mike Dunavart, who prosecuted the case, told news media that Bonnie basically took all the blame to save her friend.

   "She is absolving Ms. McCracken," Dunavart told the media. "She's essentially falling on the sword and saying: 'I abused them. I am responsible.' "

    It doesn't surprise me that Bonnie would do this for Pam, a stalwart volunteer who had religiously helped Bonnie in her full-time quest to save thousands of small dogs.

   For me, it's sad the two women didn't make it to Virginia this time. If they had, her supporters likely would have been celebrating huge numbers of adoptions instead of working so hard to keep the women out of jail. In an earlier visit to the farm, Bonnie had adopted out 28 dogs with many other adoptions pending, waiting for the other dogs to arrive.

 While Bonnie was obviously relieved, it makes me sad that it came to this after seeing news reports of people cutting dogs heads off, torturing animals in horrible ways and still others putting dogs in illegal dogfights where they are often maimed or killed.   Football player Michael Vick -- after being found guilty for holding horrendous dog fights wants to adopt a dog for his children.  But not Bonnie for the next two years? 

 Please.

 On the other hand, Bonnie has dedicated her life to taking dogs from death's door, cleaning them up, treating them for illnesses like mange and making them beautiful again for adoption. This is how my 83-year-old mother adopted Dara, a 3-year-old Havanese.  The two are inseparable.  My sister adopted Lily, another Havanese,  and my family brought home a bearded collie/poodle mix we call Baxter.

  Bonnie, who has been haunted by the loss of the dogs, several of which were her own personal animals, is ready to turn the page.

 "I'm going to have a normal life now," she said. "I can go to work at Rite Aid."

San Pedro students writes about worst day of her life

 

San Pedro High School Student Tells Another Sad Tale About Life

The Worst Day of My Life

 By San Pedro Senior Rain Wase

  

   The worst day of my life was when my best friend killed herself.

   It was a hot summer morning and I hadn't seen her for a few weeks. As I got out of bed, she called and asked me to come over. As I start to get ready, my mom tells me to ask her mom if we are stilling going to have the bonfire that night.

   I start to ride my bike to the halfway point in between our houses. When I get there she's waiting and greets me with a nice hello. We start to ride to her house and we began a real talk. We called it a "real talk "because it isn't a "b.s" conversation.

   She starts to tell me about what's going on in her life. She starts talking about school and she begins to cry.  I don't understand.

   When we get to her house, we go straight to her room. She rolls up her sleeves and I notice her wrist's dense scars.

   "Why are you hurting yourself?" I ask.

   She starts to cry and just runs out of her room, goes in the kitchen, grabs a knife and stabs her lower stomach and just falls to the floor and starts to bleed. Her mother and I run to her. She looks up at me and says: "Don't do what I did."

   I didn't understand what that meant and I still don't.

   After the police left, I still ask her mom about having a bonfire and she looks at me like I'm crazy.

   But it's just death. And it happens every moment of every day.

----------------------------

French Racing Sailboat Arrives in LA Port

French sail vessels prepping for the Transpac Race From Los Angeles to Hawaii

San Pedro Gets a Sneak Peek at l'Hydroptere - A Sleek Sailing Racer Its French maker Claims Can Fly Over the Sea

By Diana L. Chapman

   They don't really want you to know about it.

   But it's difficult to miss. Sitting like a small airplane ready for takeoff at the most southern tip of Miner Street in San Pedro, the aerodynamic/marine cross, nearly 60 feet longvessel arrived at the Port of Los Angeles this week to make adjustments  and prepare for a potentially history making challenge.

   The French team wants to break the 2005 Transpac record -- a sailing race that starts near the Point Fermin Lighthouse in San Pedro and ends off the Diamond Head Lighthouse -- 2,215 nautical miles across the sea.

   And that's exactly why the "l'Hydroptere -DCNS" is here in Los Angeles- at the newly developed Cabrillo Marina in the Port of Los Angeles -- to prove its one of the fastest sailing vessels to exist.

   While it's French makers claims it can practically fly and skim over the sea, the group has set out to topple the record-breaker-- the Trimaran Geronimo (also sailed by a French team in 2005) which made the journey if four days, 19 hours and 37 seconds, said Rachel Campbell, a Port of Los Angeles spokeswoman.

   "After an anxious 24 hours prior to crossing the finish line, the crew on board Geronimo have succeeded in breaking the previous record of 5 days, 9 hours and 26 seconds, set in the 1997 Transpac  race by Bruno Peyron, by 13 hours," according to the International Sailing Federation's website."

   L'Hydroptere will visit for a few more days as its crew installs a new rudder and works on the "sail drive," Campbell said, and the crew doesn't want any visitors.

   On Friday, the team used a 15 foot tall crane to make mechanical improvements as they prepare for the 2012 Transpac race. L'Hydroptere was shipped to Los Angeles by a cargo arriving at the port on July 5 and was reassembled. "The big carbon bird" and its team awaits safe weather conditions to start on the race. Captain Alain Thebault and his four crew members hope to leave in 72 hours, a media release said.

   "The five sailors will initially position themselves in a 'a code red situation," as they await favorable conditions and prepare for the challenge on site. As soon as a propitious weather window presents itself, they'll switch to a 'code orange,' which is synonymous with a departure in the next 72 hours."

   Thebault's dream since childhood was to engineer a sailboat that could fly and was able to persuade other sailors and industrialists to design such a vessel alongside him.

   Should he beat the current record, Thebault might take flight and glide into sailing  history.

Three Great Leaders Depart Coastal Neighborhood Council

Doug Epperhart, (left) John Stinson and Bruce Horton depart after giving years of service to the Coastal Neighborhood Council in San Pedro

Three Great Leaders of San Pedro Coastal Neighborhood Council Depart At The Same Time After 21 Years of Combined Service

By Diana L. Chapman

   To me, it's a shame.

   To them, it's about time.

Three Coastal Neighborhood Council members have concluded they are done with their posts, quietly departing at the end of June to do other public service and say this too quietly stamps a philosophy all three have had for years: a good council board needs change.

   Doug Epperhart, 56, the coastal board president twice since he joined a league of 95 Neighborhood Councils established in Los Angeles in 2001 to thwart further secession attempts, said coastal was the second council to exist in the sprawling metropolis.

   "We were the second neighborhood council in the city and we organized early," Epperhart said. "It was a good, thorough process. But it's time to get out and let somebody else do it. You need someone fresh."

   Epperhart has moved up to neighborhood council ranks while John Stinson, treasurer for the last seven years and Bruce Horton, the secretary for the same amount of time, both said they are moving on to pursue other interests -- both community oriented as well. Vice president Dean Pentchaff also departed after about five years on the council.

   "I've got a lot of other fish to fry," said Stinson, 65, who also heads the San Pedro Art Association ."I've been a treasurer for the last seven years and while it has had its upside, dealing with the city's bureaucracy is maddening. But we've done good things."

   Former secretary Bruce Horton,72, joked: "Why am I giving it all up, all the fame and glory? I've met so many good people. I feel like I almost grew up here. But the board needs new blood. I'm moving on and I think others should too."

   Horton says he'll return to do volunteer work for The Lone Wolf Colony in Apple Valley which provides two week stays for ambulatory adults trying to heal from injuries or illness. He was once a board member for the program.

   All three -- also commending their council member comrades -- say they have worked diligently to aid their community and have much to be proud of.

   That they have.

   Their council aligned with two other Neighborhood councils -- central and Northwest San Pedro and Harbor City -- to beat back a scheme to change single family residential zoning at a former Navy housing site on Western Avenue to multiple-zoning.

   Developer Bob Bisno wanted to force in 2,300 condominiums on the 61.5 acres, but met his match when he faced off with the councils.

   "In proposing what officials say would have been San Pedro's largest residential development ever, Bisno unwittingly galvanized potent opposition from within the community's increasingly sophisticated neighborhood councils," said a 2009 L.A. Times article.

   Bisno's "move to scale back the project to 1,950 units...did nothing to mollify the well-organized opponents," the article said. The project has since been revised  by I-Star finance which is seeking to build 1,135 units at the site.

   The former coastal members  are also proud of helping to defeat another condominium project at a defunct McCowan's grocery site on Leland Street in yet another residential neighborhood.

   One of the proudest moments, he had, Epperhart said, was helping to divert the YMCA's proposed move to take over the Cabrillo Youth Camp -- saying it would only be open to the public once a week. Still in the hands of the Boy Scouts, many San Pedro residents for years have been miffed that the port property was used exclusively and run by the Boy Scouts, often the monstrous building with a pool and camping sites sitting empty along the West Channel on Shoshonean Drive. The Boy Scout lease ends in 2013 and the debate is expected to resume.

   Epperhart, who has moved to the top amongst councils, now serves on the seven member Board of Neighborhood Commissioners. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa appointed him last year.

   "We're sitting on a road map of possibilities," Epperhart said. "I'm 80 percent happy with the way (the councils) turned out. You can't be 100 percent. It's not perfect by any stretch of the imagination. But even in the bad times, we were moving in the right direction."

   Why do I feel disappointed by the departure of these veterans?

   Over the years, I've witnessed what they've done.  As the treasurer, Stinson was an absolute treasure. Many of us seeking funds for help with projects in San Pedro are also volunteers and did not understand the process. Step by step, Stinson guided many to receive the funds his council awarded, including a $5,000 award to run afterschool programs at Dana Middle School.

   In another heated battle, Stinson and Horton went to bat for a neighborhood protesting the building of a new 7-11 at 1831 South Pacific Avenue. Residents there worried that they already had enough liquor stores in and didn't want any more alcohol sales. The two board members physically counted every bar and store that sold liquor. Coastal sided with the neighbors.

   Former Councilwoman Janice Hahn, however, disagreed and allowed the 7-11 development with a clause that the store could not sell liquor for the first year.

   Although they didn't succeed at everything,  my point is that these veterans -- and the hundreds sitting on these councils that work as hard as these three and others did deserve a big thank you for taking on such role.  It's not easy. It's not always fun. And the meetings often are  tedious.

   But for those who have delved into council posts trying to make what we all want -- our community to be in a better place-- I salute you.