A newsletter roundup of recent new stories covering topics such as a fine against SoCalGas, a settlement over sexual abuse at elementary schools, and problems with contamination at two LA area hospitals.

1. NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 5/25/16
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Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
1. $2.25-million fine for gas company
Adapted from L.A. Times, 5/18/16
State regulators fined Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) $2.25 million for safety violations. The
utility failed to promptly fix problems with the corrosion-control systems used for its underground
natural gas pipelines. The California Public Utilities Commission cited the utility for 45 safety violations
uncovered in the Mid-City and Harbor area in April and May 2015. The citation further noted that, from
2011 to 2015, the utility failed to fix 125 deficient corrosion prevention systems within the required 15-
month time period. In some cases, SoCalGas allegedly waited more than three years to fix the problems.
2. LAUSD Settles Sex Abuse Cases
Adapted from L.A. Times, 5/17/16
On May 16, officials confirmed the L.A. school district will pay $88 million to resolve sexual abuse
cases at two elementary schools, De La Torre Elementary in Wilmington and Telfair Avenue Elementary
in Pacoima. In both cases, there had been complaints about the teachers’ behavior long before their
arrest. The settlement, involving 30 children and their families, was the second largest in the district’s
history. Both schools serve predominantly low-income communities. Plaintiffs’ attorney John Manly
compared the district’s handling of the complaints to the Catholic Church’s sexual abuse scandal.
Plaintiffs’ attorney Luis Carrillo further accused the district of being more interested in protecting
administrators and staff than children.
3. Pipeline Company Indicated in 2015 Oil Spill
Adapted from L.A. Times, 5/18/16
A Santa Barbara grand jury indicted Plains All American Pipeline LP and one of its employees for a
May 2015 oil spill that released up to 143,000 gallons of crude oil. The company faces 46 criminal
counts, including four felonies for knowingly discharging pollutants into state waters. The employee
faces three charges. Critics have charged the company was slow to respond to the leak, which sent
crude oil flowing into the ocean. Plains All American could face a nearly $3 million fine. While the
charges remain sealed, prosecutors said both the company and employee James Buchanan failed to
notify authorities of the leak in a timely manner.
4. FDA Seeks Stronger Antibiotics Warnings
Adapted from Wall Street Journal, 5/13/16
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has indicated it will require stronger warnings about
fluoroquinolones, a commonly used class of antibiotics. The FDA called for a warning that side effects
often outweigh the benefits of taking the drug for people with bronchitis, sinusitis, and uncomplicated
urinary tract infections if other treatment options are available.

2. NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 5/25/16
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
5. Child Abuse Data Case Is Settled
Adapted from L.A. Times, 5/13/16
On May 10, the L.A. County Board of Supervisors approved a $2.4 million payout to the father and
stepmother of a 15-year-old runaway girl who falsely accused them of abusing her. This comes in
addition to a $1.7 million payment to the couple approved by state lawmakers in October. In 2001, the
couple were arrested after their daughter ran away and told police of the alleged abuse. Their names
were entered into California’s Child Abuse Central Index identifying them as “substantiated” child
abusers. Even after all charges were dismissed, the couple struggled to get their names removed from
the list, with the city and the county pointing fingers at one another. In 2012, a district court judge
finally ordered L.A. to notify the California Dept. of Justice that the allegations were
“nonsubstantiated.”
6. Lawsuits challenging new crystalline silica exposure rules
Adapted from L.A. Daily Journal, 5/17/16
Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s
(OSHA) final rule amending 1971 standards for workplace exposure to respirable “crystalline silica.” The
new rule, which was published in late March, takes effect June 23. Some worker groups have filed suits
alleging the standards should be lowered further, while industry groups argue the standard is not
feasible and will be too expensive to implement. OHSA estimated the new rule will prevent about 600
deaths and more than 900 new cases of silicosis each year. The agency estimated it will cost industries
about $1.03 billion per year, while industry groups argue it will cost around $5 billion per year.
7. With Its Eye on Climate Change, E.P.A. Moves on Methane Gas Leaks
Adapted from N.Y. Times, 5/13/16
On May 12, the Obama administration unveiled the first federal regulations to control methane gas
emissions from new oil and gas wells. The rules require oil and gas companies to plug and capture
methane leaks from new and altered storage tanks and drilling wells. It does not affect older wells.
8. Hospital safety lapses cited after germ outbreaks
Adapted from L.A. Times, 5/16/16
During inspections, California inspectors found numerous safety violations at two of Los Angeles’
largest hospitals. Inspectors declared an “immediate jeopardy”—a designation meaning lives are at
immediate risk—at both Ronald Regan UCLA and Cedars-Sinai Medical Center. At UCLA, inspectors
found tainted water and a contaminated liquid cleaner used to prepare devices such as colonoscopes,
while at Cedars-Sinai they found widespread potential ineffective sterilization of surgical devices and
problems with the scope cleaning process. Both issues have since been resolved, and the medical
facilities indicated they were unaware of any patients who had been sickened by the issues identified by
inspectors. The inspections followed multiple superbug outbreaks at facilities across the U.S. and
Europe due to contaminated scopes. Fifteen patients, including three who died, were infected by

3. NEWS You Can Use
From the Walker Advertising Research Desk 5/25/16
_______________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________
Courtesy news clipping service provided to clients of Walker Advertising. All material is copyrighted by respective
publications. For copies of complete articles, contact your sales rep or Walker Advertising at 1-800-4WALKER.
contaminated scopes at UCLA. At Cedars-Sinai, four patients were sickened by a contaminated
duodenoscope.
9. A settlement, yes, but what about justice?
Adapted from L.A. Times, 5/13/16
Last week, Kern County offered to settle a wrongful death case involving a man who was beaten by
police for $3.4 million. Witnesses who saw the beating called 911 in an effort to stop it. Thirty-three-
year-old David Silva was allegedly sleeping when the incident began. Nine officers and a police dog were
involved. Sheriff’s detectives allegedly confiscated cellphones from witnesses who recorded the
incident, and one man claimed police deleted his video. Police allegedly sat on the handcuffed, hogtied
suspect for several minutes. A pathologist hired by the Kern County sheriff attributed Silva’s death to
heart disease, but a pathologist hired by the family alleged his death was caused by asphyxiation. The
Kern County district attorney held the deputies’ use of force was reasonable, and the FBI said it did not
have enough evidence to prosecute.
10.Websites Misdiagnose Ailments
Adapted from Wall Street Journal, 5/16/16
Researchers who posed as patients and sought help from 16 online tele-medicine companies found
some online doctors misdiagnosed potentially serious conditions such as skin cancer, herpes and
syphilis. The researchers pretended to have skin problems and used online stock photos. They also had
detailed patient histories. Some of the online doctors prescribed medication without asking important
medical questions, which in one case led a doctor to prescribe a medication that would make the
condition worse. The American Telemedicine Association reports direct-to-consumer telemedicine
services have grown rapidly, with virtual medication visits expected to surpass 1 million this year alone.
American Telemedicine Association CEO Jonathan Linkous agreed there is a lack of quality control when
it comes to virtual medical consultations. Some insurance companies promote such services as low-cost
and convenient, while some doctors have expressed concerns they erode the doctor-patient
relationship.