Los Angeles, CA - A federal judge rejected a mistrial motion today after dismissing a juror for allegedly making an ethnically disparaging remark during deliberations in a copyright infringement lawsuit that pits the maker of the popular Bratz dolls against toy giant Mattel Inc. Lawyers for MGA Entertainment Inc. had argued that the comment could have tainted the jury against the company's...

Williamsburg, NY - A city-owned parcel of land along the water next to the Domino Sugar factory should be transformed into a city park, local officials said. "It's a complete waste to have trucks parked along one of the most beautiful views in the entire world," said Williamsburg Community Board 1 member Evan Thies. The proposed parkland at 390 Kent Ave. is currently the site of a parking...

Postville, IA - Agriprocessors Vice President Sholom Rubashkin gave The Des Moines Register a copy of a letter of support last week signed by 29 northeast Iowa cattle farmers. Another Agriprocessors executive cited the letter as evidence of local good will earned by the company's contributions to the local economy. One of the farmers said he did not know who wrote the letter, but he said a...

Jerusalem - Jonathan Pollard, who is serving a life sentence in the United States for spying on Israel's behalf, has sued the State of Israel for failing to grant him financial assistance since his arrest. Pollard, a former civilian intelligence analyst for the U.S. Navy, sold military secrets to Israel while working at the Pentagon. He was arrested in 1985 and pleaded guilty at his...

New York - More New Yorkers will qualify for state checks to help pay winter heating bills this year because the maximum income to qualify for the program is higher. A family of four may qualify for help if they make up to $3,776 per month, or more than $45,000 a year, said Anthony Farmer, a spokesman for the Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance. Last year, the same family could make...

Washington - The managers of New York City's crowded airports say they will block a Bush administration plan to try to reduce flight delays around the country through an experimental auction of slots at their airports. The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has issued a legal notice stating it will not accept any flights at its three major airports — John F. Kennedy, Newark Liberty...

Jerusalem - Highlighting what may be a growing trend in fanaticism, a 28-year-old resident of Jerusalem's Ramot neighborhood has been arrested for attacking a woman as part of his activity in the "tznius patrol" or modesty police. Elhanan Buzaglo appeared in Jerusalem District Court on Sunday to answer charges stemming from a June 2008 home invasion in which a young woman was reportedly beaten...

Israel - Israeli produce marketing company Otzar Ha'aretz announced today that it will not market produce grown by Arab farmers, and will from now on only sell only Jewish-grown products. The company, which has been marketing fruits and vegetables to the ultra-Orthodox community during the shmita (sabbatical) year, announced that it will continue to operate once the year is over in effort to...

Oakland, CA - A fast-moving, one-alarm fire destroyed Oakland Kosher Foods at 3419 Lakeshore Ave. in Oakland Saturday afternoon, causing East Bay Jews and synagogues scrambling to find another source of kosher meat. "We're in the process of trying to figure it out. This is a big loss for the community," said Kathy Hollander, administrative assistant for Congregation Beth-Jacob, the orthodox...

Trenton - New Jersey Attorney General Anne Milgram received a ticket on Friday morning for speeding on Route 1 in North Brunswick, according to a press release issued from her office today. The release stated Milgram was on personal time and was driving her own car, a 1994 Honda Accord. Police clocked her driving 69 mph in a 50 mph zone on Route 1 South before 10 a.m. on Friday, according...

Guam - The Guam Jewish community is receiving a visit from two rabbis. Rabbi David Loksen and Rabbi Shmulie Hecht, of the Brooklyn, New York-based Chabad Lubavitch Jewish Community Enrichment Program, are currently volunteers with Chabad Hawaii, which sponsored their visit to the island. Rabbi Loksen said the goal of the organization is to reach out to Jewish communities across the...

Borough Park, NY – Councilman Simcha Felder (D-Brooklyn) announced that through his outreach and the urging of community leaders and Rabbonim, the Department of Parks and Recreation (Parks) has pruned trees on Fort Hamilton Parkway along Greenwood Cemetery. The trees were not scheduled for pruning this summer, but Parks responded to concerns from the neighborhood. "I want to thank the...

New York, NY - JetBlue Airways Corp, which made its name providing free television and leather seats on its flights, started charging passengers for pillows on Monday, marking the latest attempt by struggling airlines to claw back some of the cost of soaring fuel prices. The U.S. No. 7 carrier said it will no longer provide pillows, but passengers on flights longer than two hours can buy a...

Jerusalem - Former Sephardic Chief Rabbi of Israel and Shas Party leader Rabbi Ovadia Yosef has spoken out strongly against excessive non-washing and non-showering during the Nine Days in recent lectures. Rabbi Yosef questioned the minhag of the Ashkenazim Jews not showering or bathing at all from Rosh Chodesh Av onwards, saying that the resulting offensive odor was not "kavod habrios." In...

Brooklyn, NY - A Brooklyn Rabbi who was wrongly charged over $5,000 in medical bills won’t have to pay a cent, Representative Anthony Weiner (D-Brooklyn and Queens) said today. Weiner corrected a Medicare error that held 85-year old Rabbi Meyer Lubin responsible for 2007 hospital fees. Rabbi Lubin was charged two medical bills totaling over $5,000 for an April 2007 visit to Sloan-Kettering...