• VENTURA RESIDENTS WORRIED ABOUT TIGERS MOVING IN: VENTURA  (AP) — A Hollywood company that trains white tigers and other animals for movies wants to move into a 19-acre Ventura County property, but neighbors are worried the ferocious felines are dangerous.

ISIS Preservation has applied for a permit to construct and operate an animal facility that will house up to five tigers.

The company plans to install an 8-foot perimeter fence around a 7-acre parcel. Within that enclosure, there will be three more chain-link cages with roofs, among other facilities.

County Supervisor Linda Parks said she has received numerous emails, letters and phone calls from concerned residents who say their children and pets may be harmed.

The company’s owners, Irena Hauser and Sophia Kryszek, said in an email statement that they’ve safely worked with the tigers for more than 12 years.

“We have taken it upon ourselves to exceed all state and federally mandated safety procedures and protocols. We understand the concerns of our neighbors but are confident that once residents know the facts about our facility, our tigers, and our experience in the field, their concerns will be alleviated,” the statement said, in part.

Next-door neighbor Dan Bercu isn’t convinced his four children, all under age 12, will be safe with the new neighbors.

“We don’t believe having tigers there is a logical or safe outcome for anyone in the area,” he said. “All it takes is one careless human error for the animals to get out.”



• YOUNG DRIVER HITS TRANSIT BUS IN LA., INJURING 12: SHREVEPORT, La. (AP) — A 13-year-old boy driving a pickup truck ran a stop sign and then cut off a city bus in Shreveport, La., causing a collision that left him and 11 others injured, some seriously, authorities said Saturday.

At least two people remain hospitalized after the Friday night crash. The boy driver of the truck and 41-year-old bus driver Jenet Howell were in fair condition Saturday afternoon at LSU Medical Center in Shreveport.

Shreveport Assistant Fire Chief Scott Wolverton says Howell and a passenger near the front of the bus suffered head injuries. Nine others were taken to hospitals with less severe injuries.

“There are no life-threatening injuries for the bus driver, any of the passengers, or even the kid,” said Shreveport police spokesman Cpl. Marcus Hines.

The boy had to be extracted from the truck using hydraulic rescue tools, while the front window and entryway of the bus were also severely damaged.

Hines said the boy will likely face juvenile charges of driving without a license, running a stop sign and reckless driving.

The bus, which had 24 passengers, was running one of six night routes operated by SporTran, a Shreveport city agency that provides bus service there and in Bossier City, La.



• CONN. STARBUCKS CLOSES BEFORE GUN-ISSUE GATHERING: NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) — Starbucks says a Newtown, Conn., store closed early Friday before advocates on both sides of the gun issue planned to gather there.

Starbucks vice president Chris Carr said on the company website that the decision was made out of respect to the community, where 20 school children and six educators were slain in December.

Organizers of a “Starbucks Appreciation Day” said in a Facebook ad that they wanted to thank Starbucks for standing up for their rights to bear arms and would meet at the store.

Newtown Action Alliance, a gun control group, objected, saying the community was still healing and asked Starbucks to evaluate its policy allowing guns into their stores.

Carr said Starbucks did not sponsor the event and he encouraged people to contact lawmakers about their views.



• RI POLICE ARREST 2 IN DOUBLE HOMICIDE, BOY MISSING: JOHNSTON, R.I. (AP) — Police say they have arrested two men in a double homicide and the abduction of a 2-year-old boy from a Rhode Island home. The child, Isaiah Perez, remained missing Sunday evening.

Johnston Deputy Police Chief Daniel Parrillo said authorities are searching for the boy “any place and every place.” The boy was found missing early Sunday from a Johnston residence when the two bodies were found.

Parrillo said 22-year-old Malcolm Crowell was arrested in Fall River, Mass., and Daniel Rodriguez was arrested hours later in Providence. Both are from Providence.



• SENATORS OBJECT TO NH SWIMMER BEING INELIGIBLE: CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — U.S. Sens. Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayotte are objecting to a decision not to allow a New Hampshire record-setting swimmer to participate in the International Paralympic World Swimming Championships next week in Montreal, saying she is ineligible because they don’t believe her disability is permanent.

The two senators from New Hampshire sent letters to the International Paralympic Committee on Friday saying that notifying Victoria Arlen that she is ineligible shortly before the competition is to start is wrong and unfair.

“The way in which the International Paralympic Committee conducted itself regarding the classification process of Victoria is reprehensible,” their letters said. “Not only does this decision have a direct impact on Victoria but it also affects the sport of swimming, as well as the sponsors and coaches involved in the competition.

“In addition, we believe the para-swimming classification process used to determine the athlete’s eligibility should be reevaluated,” the senators wrote.

Arlen was paralyzed from the waist down due to illness seven years ago. She resumed competitive swimming at the age of 16. And at last year’s Paralympics in London, the Exeter teenager set a world record and won a gold medal in the 100-meter freestyle and silver medals in three other races.

On Monday, she learned she was deemed ineligible for the Montreal games based on the possibility of future treatment, her father said. She has been training all year for the games and is devastated not to be competing, Larry