Freezing termperatures taking a toll on the homeless

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The blast of Arctic air putting California in a cold freeze is responsible for the deaths of at least four homeless people in the Bay Area and has damaged part of the state’s citrus crop. Overnight temperatures dipped into the 30s in L.A. and were much lower in other areas. Temperatures are expected to rise a bit today and tomorrow, but the chill will remain as Southern California is lashed by powerful winds. Gusts of up to 60 miles an hour are forecast in the Santa Monica and San Gabriel mountains…Former San Diego Mayor Bob Filner has been keeping a low profile since he was forced to resign amid accusations that he sexually harassed women. But the Democratic politician resurfaced this morning when he was sentenced for several of those incidents. Filner pleaded guilty in October to one felony and two misdemeanors for placing a woman in a headlock, kissing another woman and grabbing the buttocks of a third. Today he was sentenced to three months of home confinement and three years of probation. If he violates his probation he could be sentenced to a year in jail…The L.A. Board of Education has scheduled a special meeting to discuss how to fill the seat held by the late Marguerite LaMotte. LaMotte – the Board’s longest serving member – died last week in a hotel room in San Diego, where she was attending a conference. She represented South and Southwest L.A. LaMotte’s seat is scheduled to go before voters in 2015. In the meantime, the board has two options: it can either appoint a replacement or call a special election…WALKERMEMORIALjpgEngines roared and tears flowed as big crowds turned out for a car rally and memorial in Santa Clarita for “The Fast and the Furious” star Paul Walker and his friend Roger Rodas. The tribute came eight days after the pair died in the fiery crash of a high-performance sports car in a Valencia industrial park. The memorial was organized through social media, and it drew fans from as far away as Seattle, Texas and Tennessee. Sheriff’s officials estimate more than 5,000 people showed up for the event…Violent dramas on the broadcast networks carry milder warnings than cable shows with equal amounts of gore. A new study from the Parents Television Council finds that graphic violence on network series usually receives a TV-14 label, or “parents strongly cautioned.” Similar fare on cable shows often gets the tougher label — TV-MA, for mature audiences only. Episode ratings are decided by networks and cable channels, similar to how the movie studios’ Motion Picture Association of America self-governs by issuing its own movie ratings…kobeAnd finally, it was understandable that Kobe Bryant looked more than a little rusty as he returned to the court for the first time since tearing his Achilles tendon eight months ago. Bryant shot poorly and scored just nine points last night as the Lakers lost 106-94 to the Toronto Raptor at Staples Center. Bryant says his heel feels fine but his game was completely “out of sync.” The Lakers’ records stands at 10-10.