AROUND L.A.

Broads donate to 17 charters

The Eli and Edythe Broad Foundation announced Thursday a $23.3 million investment to open at least 17 charter schools in Los Angeles.

Lauding charter schools' track record for raising student achievement, particularly in struggling neighborhoods, the foundation gave grants to three leading charter organizations -- KIPP, Aspire Public Schools and Pacific Charter School Development Inc.

"High-quality public charter schools in Los Angeles are showing dramatic results in improving student achievement, and we need to do what we can to make sure the best models are available to as many students as possible," said Broad, founder of The Broad Foundation.

The foundation has invested $56 million since 2000 in the city's charter schools for projects that will serve 25,000 students.

Truck crash into home sparks fire

HOLLYWOOD -- A dump truck crashed into a house in the Hollywood Hills on Thursday, slightly injuring the driver, rupturing a natural-gas line and sparking a fire that damaged part of the residence.

The crash was reported about 8 a.m. in the 2100 block of Alcyona Drive, said d'Lisa Davies of the Los Angeles Fire Department. The truck driver was taken to a hospital for examination, Davies said.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the house fire, but the flame in the natural-gas line -- which broke outside the residence between the main and the meter -- continued to burn, Davies said.

Southern California Gas Co. crews pinched off the flow of natural gas by about 10:15 a.m., Davies said. The flames did not spread to brush or to other structures.

Funds recipient heads to prison

A self-proclaimed former gang member, who ran an anti-gun group that received $1.5 million from the city to reduce gun and gang violence, was sentenced Thursday to eight years in state prison for selling assault weapons during an undercover sting.

Hector "Big Weasel" Marroquin, 51, of Downey was sentenced by Judge Steven Van Sickle immediately upon entering a no contest plea to three felony counts of manufacture, distribution and transport for sale of an unlawful assault weapon.

A co-defendant also entered a no contest plea to those counts, as well as a machine-gun-conversion charge and possessing a silencer. Sylvia Arellano, 25, also admitted that the crimes were committed for the benefit of a criminal street gang.

Deputy District Attorney Eric Harmon said Marroquin sold weapons to an undercover officer in September, October and November of 2006.

Marroquin, a suspected 18th Street gang "shot caller," used his status as a "gang interventionist" to hide his criminal enterprises, Harmon said.

-- Staff and Wire Services