India Ink: New Focus on Village of Delhi Rape Victim's Father

MEDAWARA, Uttar Pradesh — A makeshift helipad was being built this week in this remote dusty village in eastern Uttar Pradesh. The potholed single-lane road that leads the village was under repair, and journalists, district officials and local politicians had come to call.

Medawara, population 2,000, has never seen this kind of action and attention before, residents said.

A brutal rape took place 600 miles away in New Delhi that shook the conscience of the nation and sparked angry nationwide protests. The rape victim, who struggled for her life for 12 days before dying, belongs to Medawara village. Her family came here to perform 13 days of death rituals.

The family’s presence in the village brought members of the media, which in turn brought politicians who were apparently eager to make political capital out of the situation. And the visits of the politicians brought other government officials.

The village is 7 kilometers (4 miles) from a real road and gets electricity for only three to five hours a day. There are no health facilities, and a government primary school up to fifth grade and a private school up to eighth are the only means of education. No other signs of development are visible in the village.

Residents largely depend upon agriculture for their livelihood, and they grow wheat, sugarcane, pulses, rice, potatoes and onions. The village lies in the floodplains of the Ganges River and its tributaries, and it experienced massive floods in 1972, 1982 and 1994.

Like the family of the rape victim, many others from the village have migrated to Delhi, Mumbai and Ahmedabad, Gujarat for to earn a living.

Local politicians who were visiting the village this week told journalists “facts” about the village that were easy to disprove.

“The village gets electricity for 16 to 18 hours a day” said one, speaking to journalists sitting the victim’s family courtyard. “The village has a government high school” said another. Villagers who were there gave sceptical looks, but did not correct his statement.

“They do their dirty political games in every situation” one man who had lived in the village his entire life said after the politicians had  left the family courtyard.

After decades of being ignored, though, this week backhoes were levelling the ground and tractors were bringing bricks to construct the makeshift helipad in a private school ground. Road rollers were pressing the freshly put growl to fill the road potholes. Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav was coming to visit, villagers said.

The locals were not immediately impressed by all the work.

“What will the helipad give to the village?” asked Ashwani Kumar, the founder of the private school. “If the big leaders would have come by road at least they will see the road condition and the backwardness of the area.”

Mr. Kumar is also worried that no one will remove the makeshift helipad from the school playground, leaving his students nowhere to play.

The state government was spending 3 million rupees ($55,000) sprucing up the village and its connecting road, a local official told India Today.  Earlier, the state government said it would give 2 million rupees to the family of the rape victim.

On Friday, the chief minister touched down, carrying a check for that amount. He also promised development of the village, including construction of a primary health center.

Read More..

Iowa man, sister reunite thanks to Facebook, boy

DAVENPORT, Iowa (AP) — An Iowa man has been reunited with his sister 65 years after the siblings were separated in foster care thanks to a 7-year-old friend who searched Facebook.

Clifford Boyson of Davenport met his sister, Betty Billadeau, in person on Saturday. Billadeau drove up from her home in Florissant, Mo., with her daughter and granddaughter for the reunion at a hotel in Davenport.

Boyson, 66, and Billadeau, 70, both tried to find each other for years without success. They were placed in different foster homes in Chicago when they were children.

Then 7-year-old Eddie Hanzelin, who is the son of Boyson‘s landlord, got involved.

Eddie managed to find Billadeau by searching his mom’s Facebook account with Billadeau’s maiden name. He recognized the family resemblance when he saw her picture.

“Oh, my God,” Boyson said when he saw and hugged Billadeau.

“You do have a sister,” Billadeau said.

“You’re about the same height Mom was,” Boyson said.

Billadeau’s daughter, Sarah Billadeau, 42, and granddaughter, Megan Billadeau, 27, both wiped away tears and smiled during the reunion.

“He didn’t have any women in his life,” Sarah said. “We’re going to get that straightened out real fast.”

Boyson said he’s looking forward to visiting Billadeau near St. Louis and meeting more family.

“I’m hoping I can go and spend a week or two,” he said. “I want to meet the whole congregation. I never knew I had a big family.”

Eddie, who enjoys messing around with his family’s iPad, said he’s glad he was able to assist in making the reunion happen and that he learned about helping others at school.

“Clifford did not have any family, and family’s important,” the boy said.

Near the end of their tearful reunion Boyson and Billadeau presented Eddie with a $ 125 check in appreciation of his detective work.

Social Media News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Iowa man, sister reunite thanks to Facebook, boy
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/iowa-man-sister-reunite-thanks-to-facebook-boy/
Link To Post : Iowa man, sister reunite thanks to Facebook, boy
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

Who Gave Better Leg on the Red Carpet: Halle Berry or Eva Longoria?

Stylewatch
Style News Now

01/13/2013 at 11:25 PM ET

Jason Merritt/Getty (2)

We could call it pulling an Angelina, but at this point, lots of stars have flashed lots of legs on lots of red carpets — and Halle Berry and Eva Longoria are two of the latest.

The stars tied for the “highest slit” award at the Golden Globes Sunday night, beating fellow risk-takers Lea Michele, Miranda Kerr and Katharine McPhee and giving all of us quite the eyeful. Berry gave the goods while posing in her Versace gown, while Longoria (in Emilio Pucci) made her big reveal as she walked toward the Beverly Hilton. So whose leg flashing did you like better? Vote in our poll below!

PHOTOS: FIND OUT WHICH STARS MADE THE BEST DRESSED LIST

Read More..

Flu more widespread in US; eases off in some areas

NEW YORK (AP) — Flu is now widespread in all but three states as the nation grapples with an earlier-than-normal season. But there was one bit of good news Friday: The number of hard-hit areas declined.

The flu season in the U.S. got under way a month early, in December, driven by a strain that tends to make people sicker. That led to worries that it might be a bad season, following one of the mildest flu seasons in recent memory.

The latest numbers do show that the flu surpassed an "epidemic" threshold last week. That is based on deaths from pneumonia and influenza in 122 U.S. cities. However, it's not unusual — the epidemic level varies at different times of the year, and it was breached earlier this flu season, in October and November.

And there's a hint that the flu season may already have peaked in some spots, like in the South. Still, officials there and elsewhere are bracing for more sickness

In Ohio, administrators at Miami University are anxious that a bug that hit employees will spread to students when they return to the Oxford campus next week.

"Everybody's been sick. It's miserable," said Ritter Hoy, a spokeswoman for the 17,000-student school.

Despite the early start, health officials say it's not too late to get a flu shot. The vaccine is considered a good — though not perfect — protection against getting really sick from the flu.

Flu was widespread in 47 states last week, up from 41 the week before, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Friday. The only states without widespread flu were California, Mississippi and Hawaii.

The number of hard-hit states fell to 24 from 29, where larger numbers of people were treated for flu-like illness. Now off that list: Florida, Arkansas and South Carolina in the South, the first region hit this flu season.

Recent flu reports included holiday weeks when some doctor's offices were closed, so it will probably take a couple more weeks to get a better picture, CDC officials said Friday. Experts say so far say the season looks moderate.

"Only time will tell how moderate or severe this flu season will be," CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden said Friday in a teleconference with reporters.

The government doesn't keep a running tally of adult deaths from the flu, but estimates that it kills about 24,000 people in an average year. Nationally, 20 children have died from the flu this season.

Flu vaccinations are recommended for everyone 6 months or older. Since the swine flu epidemic in 2009, vaccination rates have increased in the U.S., but more than half of Americans haven't gotten this year's vaccine.

Nearly 130 million doses of flu vaccine were distributed this year, and at least 112 million have been used. Vaccine is still available, but supplies may have run low in some locations, officials said.

To find a shot, "you may have to call a couple places," said Dr. Patricia Quinlisk, who tracks the flu in Iowa.

In midtown Manhattan, Hyrmete Sciuto got a flu shot Friday at a drugstore. She skipped it in recent years, but news reports about the flu this week worried her.

During her commute from Edgewater, N.J., by ferry and bus, "I have people coughing in my face," she said. "I didn't want to risk it this year."

The vaccine is no guarantee, though, that you won't get sick. On Friday, CDC officials said a recent study of more than 1,100 people has concluded the current flu vaccine is 62 percent effective. That means the average vaccinated person is 62 percent less likely to get a case of flu that sends them to the doctor, compared to people who don't get the vaccine. That's in line with other years.

The vaccine is reformulated annually, and this year's is a good match to the viruses going around.

The flu's early arrival coincided with spikes in flu-like illnesses caused by other bugs, including a new norovirus that causes vomiting and diarrhea, or what is commonly known as "stomach flu." Those illnesses likely are part of the heavy traffic in hospital and clinic waiting rooms, CDC officials said.

Europeans also are suffering an early flu season, though a milder strain predominates there. China, Japan, the West Bank, the Gaza Strip, Algeria and the Republic of Congo have also reported increasing flu.

Flu usually peaks in midwinter. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, head and body aches and fatigue. Some people also suffer vomiting and diarrhea, and some develop pneumonia or other severe complications.

Most people with flu have a mild illness. But people with severe symptoms should see a doctor. They may be given antiviral drugs or other medications to ease symptoms.

Some shortages have been reported for children's liquid Tamiflu, a prescription medicine used to treat flu. But health officials say adult Tamiflu pills are available, and pharmacists can convert those to doses for children.

___

Associated Press writers Dan Sewell in Cincinnati, Catherine Lucey in Des Moines, and Malcolm Ritter in New York contributed to this report.

___

Online:

CDC flu: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm

Read More..

Ferret activist is taking his cause to the top — Obama

LA MESA, Calif. — To Pat Wright, his beloved Fausto, Bailey and Tiger are smart, impish and endlessly entertaining, a counterbalance to the dreariness of modern life.

To the state of California, the three domestic ferrets are outlaws, and Wright is a criminal for harboring them.

California is one of only two states — Hawaii is the other — that ban the ownership of domestic ferrets. The California Fish and Wildlife Department fears that pet ferrets, a nonnative species, could escape, go feral and prey on native species and out-compete them for food.

Wright, 54, says that argument is bogus. For 25 years, he has been trying to get California to lift the ban, which dates from the mid-1930s.

"It really bothers me when rights are abused," he said during an interview in the spacious home east of San Diego that he and his partner share with the three ferrets, three dogs (Blue, Shorty and Luna) and a cat (Martini). The ferret ban, he says, "is a symptom of the disempowerment of the average person in California."

Wright ran for Assembly and then lieutenant governor on a free-the-ferrets platform (and lost badly both times). He sued the Fish and Game Commission (and lost). He formed Ferrets Anonymous to gather political clout. He became an officer in the local Libertarian Party.

He held rallies in Sacramento and San Diego. He went to county jail for 17 terrifying days after tussling with a Fish and Game inspector who tried to seize one of his ferrets over an alleged biting incident at a rally.

He came close to victory in 2004 when the Legislature, after considerable hectoring, passed a bill dropping the ban. The bill was vetoed by then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, despite the governor's starring role in the movie "Kindergarten Cop," in which he appeared with a ferret.

Since that defeat, the campaign has lost steam. Rallies have been flops, and Wright has accumulated a long list of unreturned phone calls from legislators.

"The problem is that it's seen as a loser issue," Wright said. "Any politician who would help us would be ridiculed."

Wright asserts that the concern about ferrets going feral is scientifically invalid, and he has an environmental analysis done at Sacramento State to back him up. But the California Fish and Game Commission staff says the analysis is too limited and not scientifically valid.

Still, Wright soldiers on, with a weekly bulletin to the faithful each Sunday. He now has a new, admittedly long-odds tactic: an appeal to President Obama. The president's staff has promised to review any issue in the nation for which supporters can gather 25,000 signatures on a petition in 30 days.

The White House prefers issues of national policy. But to Wright, legalizing ferrets is truly change that the nation should believe in. He is gathering signatures over the Internet, at http://www.legalizeferrets.org.

Just how many Californians own ferrets is unknown. Most guesses range from 10,000 to 100,000. Whatever the number, they're all vulnerable to a $500 fine and six months in jail.

Fish and Wildlife, however, puts no priority on finding ferrets and bringing charges against the owners. Budgets are tight and there are more important issues, department officials said.

At Wright's home, the ferrets are kept at night in a special cage (purchased in Yuma, Ariz., where ferrets are legal). The cat doesn't really like the ferrets, and the dogs are not happy with them either.

But Wright has a different perspective. "A household with more than one species is an enriched household," he said, as Fausto tried to climb up a visitor's pant leg and Bailey and Tiger used their tiny claws to open a floor-level cupboard for inspection.

tony.perry@latimes.com

Read More..

Israeli Police Evict Palestinian Protesters from E-1

JERUSALEM (AP) — Palestinians who pitched tents at a strategic West Bank site to protest plans to build a Jewish housing project there were evicted early Sunday, the police said.

The protesters put up tents in the area known as E-1 on Friday, saying they wanted to “establish facts on the ground” to stop Israeli construction in the West Bank. They were borrowing a phrase and a tactic usually associated with Jewish settlers, who believe establishing communities means the territory will remain theirs once structures are built.

Micky Rosenfeld, a police spokesman, said officers evicted about a hundred protesters from the site early Sunday morning after a court decision authorizing their removal. He did not know which court had allowed the eviction.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that the eviction was carried out despite a temporary Supreme Court injunction preventing it.

Mr. Rosenfeld said that no arrests were made during the half-hour eviction and that no injuries were sustained on either side. He said that the tents were not dismantled, but that a decision on that would be made later in the day.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered roads leading to the area closed on Saturday evening, and had the military shut off access. Mr. Netanyahu’s office said the state was petitioning the Supreme Court to rescind its injunction blocking the evacuation.

Israel announced it was moving forward with the E-1 settlement after the United Nations recognized a de facto state of Palestine in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem in November.

Palestinians said E-1 would be a major blow to their statehood aspirations, as it blocks East Jerusalem from its West Bank hinterland. They are demanding these areas, along with Gaza, for their future state.

The protesters said they wanted to build a village called Bab al-Shams at the site.

The construction plans drew unusually sharp criticism from some of Israel’s staunchest allies, including the United States, who strongly oppose the E- 1 project.

Israeli officials have said actual construction on the project may be years away, if it ever happens, while Israeli critics have questioned whether Mr. Netanyahu actually intends to develop E-1 or is pandering to hard-liners ahead of the country’s Jan. 22 election.

In a separate episode Saturday, the Israeli military said soldiers shot at a Palestinian who tried to enter Israel from the West Bank. The military said soldiers called on the man to stop, then fired warning shots in the air, and finally fired at his legs when he refused to stop.

The Palestinian police said he later died of his wounds.

It was the second shooting death on the borders with the Palestinian territories in two days. On Friday, Palestinian officials in the Gaza Strip said a man was shot and killed near the coastal territory’s border fence. The Israeli military said he was part of a group who rushed the fence to damage it.

Read More..

Microsoft taps Krikorian to help run its Xbox business

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – Microsoft Corp said on Thursday it hired technology entrepreneur Blake Krikorian to help run its Interactive Entertainment Business as the world’s largest software company plans bigger things for its Xbox gaming console.

Krikorian will be corporate vice president for the Interactive Entertainment Business, reporting to Marc Whitten, chief product officer for the division, Microsoft added.

The appointment follows Microsoft’s recent acquisition of Krikorian’s company, id8 Group R2 Studios, which had developed an application that allows users to control home heating and lighting systems from smartphones.

Microsoft is trying to transform Xbox from a gaming device into a broader service that controls most aspects of home entertainment, including music, movies, TV and sports.

“We look forward to his contribution to our team as Xbox continues to evolve and transform the games and entertainment landscape,” Whitten said in a statement.

Krikorian’s Sling Media – which was sold to EchoStar Communications in 2007 – made the Slingbox device for watching TV over the Internet.

Krikorian resigned from Amazon.com Inc’s board in late December after about a year and a half as a director at the company, the Internet’s largest retailer.

(Reporting By Alistair Barr; Editing by Tim Dobbyn)

Gaming News Headlines – Yahoo! News

Title Post: Microsoft taps Krikorian to help run its Xbox business
Url Post: http://www.news.fluser.com/microsoft-taps-krikorian-to-help-run-its-xbox-business/
Link To Post : Microsoft taps Krikorian to help run its Xbox business
Rating:
100%

based on 99998 ratings.
5 user reviews.
Author: Fluser SeoLink
Thanks for visiting the blog, If any criticism and suggestions please leave a comment

Read More..

Chris Daughtry Makes 'Every Moment Count' with His Family

There was a time that Chris Daughtry stayed out every night, jamming onstage until dawn. But the rocker tells PEOPLE that those days are fewer and further between — replaced with the responsibilities of fatherhood and a growing social awareness.

“Being a father has made me grow up,” Daughtry, 33, says. “Life is about more than just me. I’ve got a great wife, great kids and a great life now.”

Sitting in his North Carolina home with his 2-year-old twins, Noah James and Adalynn Rose, Daughtry seems every bit the doting dad. As the toddlers start getting restless, he knows exactly what they need. “It’s almost nap time,” he says. “We like to keep them on a schedule.”

Brian Doben

“I have been blessed a lot in life,” says Daughtry, “and it’s the least I can do to give back.” Case in point: he teamed up with DC entertainment to be an ambassador for the We Can be Heroes giving campaign to fight hunger in the Horn of Africa.

It was a perfect fit for Daughtry, a lifelong comic fan who has Batman’s famous masks displayed in his home studio. “I always wanted to be a superhero,” he laughs. “That’s why I work out so much. So teaming up with DC Comics for a charitable campaign just made sense to me.”

Brian Doben

Daughtry, who homeschools his older kids with his wife, Deanna, was also touched by the Sandy Hook school shooting.

“As a father, I was just heartbroken,” he says, “I can’t even imagine what these families are going through.” Compelled to action, Daughtry decided to donate 100 percent of the proceeds of his song “Gone Too Soon” to the Connecticut School Shooting Victims Fund.

The tragedy has reminded Daughtry of the importance of family. “I’m not the type to give a lot of advice,” he says. “But to be a good dad, you have to be present. When I’m home, I’m home. I don’t work at home unless it’s after the kids go to bed. I don’t want my kids to say, ‘My dad never had time for me.’ They understand that there is a time I have to work, but when I come home, they need my undivided attention. I try to make every moment count.”

Brian Doben

And as for romance with Deanna, his wife of 12 years? “We just like to have movie night at home,” he says. “Sometimes we go out to a nice restaurant or something, but usually when we’re talking about what to do, she’s like, ‘Let’s just stay in.’ I love that. We sit together on the couch and watch a movie, and I feel very close to her.”

Adds Deanna: “I love to see Chris as a husband and father. He really has his priorities together, and we both have committed to put the kids first. But he’s good at finding time for us to ‘date,’ which is good for us, and also good for the kids.”

After spending the holidays with family, Daughtry will return to the road on Jan. 25 for a three-week tour with 3 Doors Down. “I love getting on stage. I love the camaraderie of being on tour,” he says. “I enjoy my time on the road, but when it’s over, I can come back home and just be Dad.”

Brian Doben

– Steve Helling

Read More..

Q&A: Scramble for vaccine as flu season heats up

WASHINGTON (AP) — Missed flu-shot day at the office last fall? And all those "get vaccinated" ads? A scramble for shots is under way as late-comers seek protection from a miserable flu strain already spreading through much of the country.

Federal health officials said Friday that there is still some flu vaccine available and it's not too late to benefit from it. But people may have to call around to find a clinic with shots still on the shelf, or wait a few days for a new shipment.

"We're hearing of spot shortages," said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Colorado offers an example. Kaiser Permanente, which has 535,000 members in the state, stopped giving flu shots this week. But it expected to resume vaccinations when new shipments arrive, expected this weekend.

Some questions and answers about flu vaccines:

Q: Are we running out of vaccine?

A: It's January — we shouldn't have a lot left. The traditional time to get vaccinated is in the fall, so that people are protected before influenza starts spreading.

Indeed, manufacturers already have shipped nearly 130 million doses to doctors' offices, drugstores and wholesalers, out of the 135 million doses they had planned to make for this year's flu season. At least 112 million have been used so far.

The nation's largest manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur, said Friday that it still has supplies of two specialty vaccines, a high-dose shot for seniors, and an under-the-skin shot for certain adults, available for immediate shipment. But it also is working to eke out a limited supply of its traditional shots — some doses that it initially hadn't packaged into syringes, said spokesman Michael Szumera. They should be available late this month.

And MedImmune, the maker of the nasal spray vaccine FluMist, said it has 620,000 extra doses available.

Q: Can't they just make more?

A: No. Flu vaccine is complicated to brew, with supplies for each winter made months in advance and at the numbers expected to sell. Although health officials recommend a yearly flu vaccination for nearly everybody, last year 52 percent of children and just 39 percent of adults were immunized. Most years, leftover doses have to be thrown out.

Q: Should I still hunt for a vaccine?

A: It does take two weeks for full protection to kick in. Still, health officials say it's a good idea to be vaccinated even this late, especially for older people, young children and anyone with medical conditions such as heart or lung diseases that put them at high risk of dangerous flu complications. Flu season does tend to be worst in January and February, but it can run through March.

Q: I heard that a new flu strain is spreading. Does the vaccine really work?

A: Flu strains constantly evolve, the reason that people need an updated vaccine every year. But the CDC says this year's is a good match to the types that are circulating, including a new kind of the tough H3N2 strain. That family tends to be harsher than other flu types — and health officials warned last fall that it was coming, and meant this winter would likely be tougher than last year's flu season, the mildest on record.

Q: But don't some people get vaccinated and still get sick?

A: Flu vaccine never is 100 percent effective, and unfortunately it tends to protect younger people better than older ones. But the CDC released a study Friday showing that so far this year, the vaccine appears 62 percent effective, meaning it's working about as well as it has in past flu seasons.

While that may strike some people as low, Frieden said it's the best protection available. "It's a glass 62 percent full," he said. "It's well worth the effort."

Q: What else can I do?

A: Wash your hands often, and avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Viruses can spread by hand, not just through the air. Also, cough in your elbow, not your hand. When you're sick, protect others by staying home.

And people who are in those high-risk groups should call a doctor if they develop symptoms, added CDC spokesman Tom Skinner. They might be prescribed antiviral medication, which works best if given within the first 48 hours of symptoms.

___

AP Medical Writers Lindsey Tanner and Mike Stobbe contributed to this report.

Read More..

Henry's Tacos stands down

Janis Hood got her start at Henry's Tacos when she was 10.

Her mother allowed her to fasten caps on the hot sauce and serve RC Cola to customers.

Through 51 years, the family business served ground beef tacos and burritos to customers. But on Saturday, the Studio City neighborhood treasure — a favorite of actor Elijah Wood and comedian George Lopez — closed its doors.

The shutting of Henry's Tacos, named for Hood's grandfather, Henry Comstock, came after a yearlong saga with the landlord that Hood said began when she applied for a historic designation. She said the application sparked conflict, and the landlord refused to renew her lease.

"It's a very emotional day for me," Hood said Saturday.

In recent weeks, news of the closure prompted thousands of fans to sign an online petition to save the restaurant and inspired a Twitter hashtag (#SaveHenrysTacos).

At one point, a financial consultant and a TV writer were in talks to purchase the restaurant to keep it open. "It all just took us back to our childhood," said Matt Pyken, a Studio City TV writer who grew up eating at the stand, explaining why he sought to buy it with his former middle-school buddy. "We wanted it to be the same place."

But in the end, Hood decided to work with longtime employee Omar Vega, who wants to relocate the shop but keep the name. Hood said she plans to eventually sell the business to Vega. A preservation group has offered to store the stand's signage, she said.

On Saturday, customers formed a line down the sidewalk for a last meal, and Hood said the stand would keep serving them until the food ran out. Cathy McCroskey, a longtime customer, posed for a picture in front of the stand and pantomimed wiping away a tear. "This is a neighborhood icon," she said.

McCroskey and her husband, Steve, both 55, have lived in the Tujunga Village area since the late 1980s and came to pay one last visit to the stand they'd enjoyed for years. They took photos and, of course, ordered a bean and cheese burrito. They said the stand's Googie-style architectural design and history made it a neighborhood gem.

Near them, a large sheet of paper had been taped to a wall of the stand for people to jot their goodbyes.

"Sacred ground. We have been coming for four generations. It was the first food I ate and my kids ate. It saved my sister ... it was all she would eat when she was sick. Please prevail," wrote Kathryn Vanderveen.

"Henry, please keep the sign and stay in Studio City, we love you," another message said.

Vega, a 21-year veteran of the stand, said he hopes to do just that. He would like to retain the old location's ambience by using the old sign and menu and even hopes to replicate the colorful lettering on the stand's outside wall that spells "Henry's Tacos."

"I hope everything goes well," Vega said.

For Hood, the closure is the end of an era. She said the restaurant is where she grew up and recalled going to elementary school blocks away. After school, she'd walk to the stand to see her mother and linger there.

"A lot of the customers took me under their wing and were helpful to me," she said.

After Hood's mother, LeVonne Eloff, died in 2009 at 82, longtime customers shared stories with Hood, some of which she said she had never known. They told her, for example, that her mother and stepfather had sometimes used the honor system with customers.

Now, Hood said she's acting in the same vein, "paying it forward" by helping Vega get his start running the business, a move she sees as continuing her family's legacy.

nicole.santacruz@latimes.com

ruben.vives@latimes.com

Read More..