COMMUNITY MEETING, VIGIL SET FOR SEVEN KILLED ON 118.Byline: Angie Valencia-Martinez Staff Writer MOORPARK - A community meeting and candlelight vigil A candelight vigil is an outdoor assembly of people carrying candles, held after sunset. Such events are typically held either to protest at the suffering of some marginalized group of people, or in memory of lives lost to some disease, disaster, massacre or other tragedy. is planned for Thursday night to honor and remember seven people, including five children, who died in a multicar crash along Highway 118. The meeting is being organized by residents of the Moorpark Home Acres neighborhood where Francisco Covarrubias, 35, his wife and three children lived. The three-car wreck also claimed the lives of two other relatives, a 2-year-old niece and a year-old nephew, both from Northridge. Local leaders and policy makers are expected to attend the event, which is designed to be a forum between the community and public officials. ``I think the Home Acres community has a lot of questions,'' said Colleen col·leen n. An Irish girl. [Irish Gaelic cailín, diminutive of caile, girl, from Old Irish. Durston, a neighbor organizing the event. ``They also have a lot of rumors and a lot of misconceptions about what can be done and what can't be done. ``They've been told different things. By gathering together different officials, we can talk about what really can happen.'' Neighbors want officials to step in to prevent another tragedy along that rural stretch of highway. Among the suggestions are widening the two-lane road or installing a traffic light. The chain-reaction crash occurred Aug. 15 at Hitch Boulevard and Highway 118, an intersection many residents consider dangerous. Authorities said the minivan carrying the Covarrubias family was on Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. Avenue, waiting to turn left onto Hitch Boulevard, when the car was rear-ended by a sedan Sedan (sədäN`), town (1990 pop. 22,407), Ardennes dept., NE France, on the Meuse River. A noted textile center since the 16th cent., Sedan also has metal and brewing industries. The town became part of French crown lands in 1642. , pushed into oncoming on·com·ing adj. Coming nearer; approaching: an oncoming storm. n. An approach; an advance. traffic and hit by a full-size van. The community meeting begins at 6 p.m. at the buffer zone buffer zone n. A neutral area between hostile or belligerent forces that serves to prevent conflict. Noun 1. buffer zone - a park within Home Acres on Dalaway Drive - and will be followed by the candlelight vigil. Members of the extended Covarrubias family are expected to attend, along with city, county and state officials. County Supervisor Judy Mikels will be attending, said aide Jarrod DeGonia. ``She has a long history of trying to raise safety awareness on the 118 and she feels it's important for her to speak with the community about what actions government can take in trying to make it safer,'' he said. ``She recognizes the fact that there needs to be improvements.'' Meanwhile, an investigation into the accident continues. ``It's not our desire to rush this thing,'' said California Highway Patrol highway patrol n. A state law enforcement organization whose police officers patrol the public highways. Capt. Cliff Williams
Cliff Williams (Born December 14, 1949 in Romford, Essex, England) is the bassist for the Australian hard rock band AC/DC. . ``We won't put any pressure on our investigation to rush through this.'' Angie Valencia-Martinez, (805) 583-7604 angie.valencia(at)dailynews.com IF YOU GO A community meeting and candlelight vigil for the seven crash victims is set for 6 p.m. Thursday at Dalaway Drive in Home Acres. CAPTION(S): box Box: IF YOU GO (see text) |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion