RIVERSIDE COUNCIL CHANGES RULES AFTER ARREST: RIVERSIDE (AP) — The Riverside City Council is changing the way it deals with disruptions after a woman was handcuffed and arrested when she ran over the three-minute public speakers' time limit.
Video of 60-year-old Karen Wright in handcuffs Tuesday in the council chamber made headlines and sparked criticism. Police stepped in when she failed to leave the lectern. Wright was taken outside and cited for disturbing the meeting.
Wright says she believes she was targeted for political reasons.
The Riverside Press-Enterprise says Police Chief Sergio Diaz met with the city manager on Thursday to discuss new rules for policing council meetings that could take effect in November.
Now the person presiding at the meeting — typically the mayor — will decide when and how police should deal with disruptions.
STUDENT ACCESSES COMPUTER, DELETES ABSENCES: MADERA (AP) — School officials in central California say a student at Madera High School got access to the school's computer system and for a fee cleared absences for other students.
KFSN-TV reported Thursday that a senior varsity football player, who was also a teacher's aide, gained access to a computer and cleared absences for fellow football players, other athletes and friends.
Madera Unified School District officials are investigating.
Students who were involved in the scheme told KFSN that they paid to have their absences cleared. They said having too many unexcused absences prevents students from attending school dances and other functions.
The students said they were suspended for participating in the scheme.
WOMAN DRIVES CAR INTO TARGET, INJURING 2, HERSELF: CANOGA PARK (AP) — Two shoppers and an elderly woman driver were injured when she drove her car about 50 feet into a Target store in Canoga Park.
Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Erik Scott says the driver, who appeared to be in her 70s, drove through double glass doors around 5:30 p.m. Friday.
The vehicle came to a stop near the electronics section of the store.
Of the three injured, two were in serious condition and the other was in critical condition. They were all transported to hospitals for treatment.
The building is being inspected for structural integrity.
MAN PLEADS NOT GUILTY IN LA IN GRANDPARENT SCAM: LOS ANGELES (AP) — A Canadian man accused of scamming money from people by convincing them their grandchildren were in danger overseas has pleaded not guilty to federal charges in Los Angeles.
Pascal Goyer was arrested Thursday after his flight from Mexico landed at Los Angeles International Airport.
City News Service reports the 29-year-old Goyer is one of a half-dozen people named in a Sept. 25 federal grand jury indictment charging them with wire fraud, attempted wire fraud and aiding and abetting.
Prosecutors say the defendants told grandparents their relatives needed money to resolve a problem, such as car trouble.
The indictment alleges that wire transfers were sent from alleged victims in six California cities, including Burbank, Canyon Country, Tarzana and Irvine. The transfers involved amounts ranging from $1,000 to nearly $3,000.
SCHWARZENEGGER TO STAR IN 'THE LEGEND OF CONAN' : LOS ANGELES (AP) — Arnold Schwarzenegger is coming back — as Conan the Barbarian.
Universal Pictures says California's former governor will star in "The Legend of Conan," an action film being developed for the actor. Deadline Hollywood was the first to report the news Friday.
The 65-year-old Schwarzenegger starred in two previous films about the mythic hero: 1982's "Conan the Barbarian" and 1984's "Conan the Destroyer."
Schwarzenegger told Deadline he loves the character and is "honored" to play him again.
