BRIEFLY.

Students weep at site of death

CULVER CITY - Students wept and prayed Thursday at a sidewalk memorial where a car carrying a quarreling couple struck eight youngsters and killed their teacher.

Carrie Phillips, 24, of Santa Monica, was walking behind the students when she was struck and died at the scene.

Eight youngsters, ages 13 to 14, suffered broken bones, mild concussions and other injuries, but none were life-threatening, authorities said.

Phillips taught physical education at nearby Turning Point School, an upscale private school.

``She was just a terrific, caring, wonderful young lady that certainly deserved a lot better than this,'' parent Mark Steinman said.

At the crash site, blood still stained bushes and bits of windshield glass glittered on the sidewalk.

- City News Service

Panel urges ban on outside work

The Los Angeles Police Department should ban its officers from working as private investigators, the City Council's Public Safety Committee recommended Thursday.

A study into the matter is expected to be finished next month, Cmdr. Kenneth Garner, head of the LAPD's Personnel Group, told the council committee.

About 2,200 officers have permits to conduct outside work, and eight have licenses on file to work as private detectives, Garner said.

- City News Service

Inmates cause spill, evacuation

VENTURA - A sewage spill deliberately caused by jail inmates forced the Ventura County Sheriff's Department to evacuate dispatchers from the departments main communications center Thursday morning.

The dispatchers, who take 911 calls and dispatch sheriff's deputies through much of the county, were moved to an alternate communications center in Thousand Oaks, and the evacuation did not result in any loss in response time to public calls for help, officials said.

The spill was caused by inmates flushing various items down the drains in the county's pre-trial detention facility, which is located above the sheriff's communications center in the Ventura County Government Center.

- Daily News

Debate over hues is intensifying

The debate over what color to assign to the Exposition light-rail line intensified Thursday when one MTA board member suggested two hues for the route - cardinal for the first leg near University of Southern California, and aqua for the second phase to the Westside.

Supervisor Yvonne Burke's suggestion drew audible groans from the audience at a Metropolitan Transportation Authority committee meeting.

The MTA has suggested aqua for the line - saying it works in English and Spanish and connotes the ocean. But others have said aqua is too Westside.

- Daily News

Mayor outlines desired savings

In a new series of letters to department heads, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa on Thursday outlined savings he would like to see made to reduce a $271 million city budget deficit as he renewed his commitment to hiring 1,000 more police officers.

Villaraigosa released copies of letters sent to Police Chief William Bratton and General Services Director Alvin Blaine as he nears the scheduled April 20 release of his projected $5.9 billion spending plan for the coming year. Villaraigosa noted the LAPD budget is the largest in the city at $1.6 billion, and Bratton has said he already instructed his staff to look for areas where improvements and efficiencies can be made.

- Daily News

Grandmother dies when auto is hit

MISSION HILLS - A grandmother was killed and her two grandchildren were injured Thursday when a man driving under the influence of drugs smashed into their car, which was stopped at an intersection, Los Angeles police said.

The grandmother was crushed when the Toyota driven by the man pinned her car to a utility pole at the intersection of Brand Boulevard and Noble Avenue, Sgt. Arelene Hennessey said. One of the grandchildren was in critical condition at a local hospital and the other suffered a broken leg, she said.

The man, who was in his late thirties and did not suffer serious injuries, was arrested, she said.

No other information was available.

- Daily News