Judge Jim Gray calls for Iraqi prison investigation

Alicia Robinson

U.S. Senate candidate and Newport Beach resident Judge Jim Gray

weighed in Wednesday on recently discovered photos of American

soldiers abusing Iraqi prisoners, calling for an independent

investigation into allegations of torture of captive Iraqis by

American forces.

"As a Vietnam-era veteran, I am sickened by photos purporting to

show American soldiers engaging in obvious abuse of detainees," Gray

said in a statement Wednesday.

Gray, a Libertarian, faces incumbent Democratic Sen. Barbara Boxer

and Republican candidate Bill Jones in November.

Business bullish on

Gov. Schwarzenegger

The business community, at least in Newport Beach, is feeling

positive about Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's recent actions to rescue

the state's floundering economy.

Newport Beach Chamber of Commerce President Richard Luehrs came

away optimistic from a lobbying trip to Sacramento last week. Luehrs

visited with a host of legislators from both parties to discuss

business issues such as the state's bankrupt unemployment insurance

system and an impending increase in California's minimum wage, he

said.

While business owners are still wondering how the new worker's

compensation legislation will play out, Luehrs said they're

comfortable with it and they trust Schwarzenegger to hammer out the

details.

And right now in the capital, Luehrs said, it's all about

Schwarzenegger.

"I've been going to Sacramento once or twice a year for the last

20 years, and I've never seen it as focused on one individual,

specifically the governor," he said. "Both sides of the aisle are

just in awe of his tenacity, his ability to draw people together and

his focus on fixing the California economy."

Assemblyman Maddox makes most of his bills

The state Assembly's judiciary committee apparently liked three

bills 68th District Assemblyman Ken Maddox wrote, because it passed

them overwhelmingly, a statement from Maddox's office said Wednesday.

The three bills will allow collection agencies to fully recoup the

cost of their services, prohibit cities and counties from using

zoning to block religious institutions from their communities and

amend the probate code to give a notice of proceedings to anyone with

an interest in the related trust.

The bills, which go next to the full Assembly, are part of a slate

of 15 pieces of legislation Maddox introduced for consideration in

February. They may be among his last bills, as he is termed out of

the Assembly at the end of the year and lost a primary bid for the