High-security nuclear material leaves Livermore
LIVERMORE (AP) — Federal officials say Lawrence Livermore Laboratory is no longer home to some high-security, special nuclear weapons materials.
The National Nuclear Security Administration say the lab will still focus on the safety, security and reliability of the nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, but just with a reduced amount of nuclear material that does not require as much as security as was needed in the past.
The agency says that decision will save about $40 million in taxpayer funds.
NNSA Administrator Thomas D'Agostino says taking the materials out of Livermore is part of a national plan to consolidate special nuclear materials in as few places as possible.
The Oakland Tribune reports the materials were removed from the lab's Plutonium Facility, which is located in an area known as the "Superblock."
Principal arrested on suspicion of having meth
SANTA CLARA (AP) — The principal of a Santa Clara elementary school has been arrested on suspicion of possessing crystal methamphetamine for sale.
State prosecutors say Eric Dean Lewis was taken into custody on Friday after he arranged to meet an undercover officer he encountered on an online dating site at a Caltrain station and provide him with narcotics.
California Department of Justice spokeswoman Michelle Gregory says police began investigating Lewis after getting a tip that the Montague Elementary School principal was involved in drugs. The San Mateo County Times reports authorities searched Lewis' house after his arrest and found a quarter-ounce of methamphetamine and the club drug GHB.
Santa Clara Unified School District authorities say Lewis has been placed on unpaid administrative leave.
Lewis, of San Francisco, was booked into Santa Clara County jail. It was not immediately clear whether he had an attorney.
EPA probes bypass pipe at Chevron Calif. refinery
RICHMOND . (AP) — The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is conducting a criminal investigation of Chevron after learning the company had been routing pollutants around monitoring equipment at its Richmond refinery and burning them off into the atmosphere.
The San Francisco Chronicle reports that the Bay Area Air Quality Management District found a pipe inside the refinery used to route hydrocarbon gases around monitoring equipment about two years ago.
The EPA opened the criminal investigation in early 2012. EPA investigators want to know who at Chevron was aware of the bypass pipe and whether it was used to intentionally deceive air pollution regulators.
The probe is unrelated to the Aug. 6 fire at the Richmond plant, which reduced production at one of the nation's largest refineries. Smoke from the fire sent thousands of residents to hospitals with health complaints.
