City beat

The restaurant is located at 480 Parkside Dr. and specializes in Chinese cuisine. It is owned by Fred Lee, who also does all the cooking. City health inspectors suspended its license late yesterday. They complained of poor food handling and storage. “The condition of the licensed premises was so serious that it was condemned as posing an immediate threat to public health,” the city’s emergency license suspension order states. Chester Garland, a city health inspector, said the city suspends licenses only when there are serious violations. “It has to be something that is a major problem,” Garland said. “We don't just do it on minor stuff.” Garland added that the restaurant has consistently failed to comply with city health codes. Violations cited yesterday by city inspectors include rodent and roach infestations. The inspectors found rodent droppings strewn about storage areas and on canned goods. Garlands report adds: “A mouse was seen running across the dining room. A live mouse was spotted in the pantry. Another mouse jumped on an inspector. Toxic materials were stored in food-preparation and dish-washing areas. Food was found improperly stored in a janitor’s closet as well as in uncovered containers and in locations less than 6 inches off the floor.”

Marlene Holland is a junior at Colonial High School. She was enrolled in a biology class there last term and objected when, as part of her class assignments, she was asked to dissect worms, frogs, and a fetal pig. She said the assignments violated her religious beliefs. The teacher then gave her a grade of “F” on the assignments, and she flunked the course as a result. Her parents sued the school district, and the trial was supposed to begin at 8 a.m. next Monday. The lawsuit charged that the Board of Education violated her freedom of religion by giving her failing grades for refusing to participate in dissection experiments. There was a settlement today. “I learned that it’s worth it, in the end, to act on your convictions,” the girl said when interviewed after the settlement. The board's attorney, Karen Bulnes, said the district decided to settle, giving her a passing grade based upon her other work, a grade of “B,” because Marlene would have proven in a trial that her refusal to cut up dead animals stemmed from sincere religious beliefs. The district also agreed to pay $12,500 in legal fees, which will go to the American Civil Liberties Union, which represented her. Marlene said her spiritual doctrine bars her from harming animals or cutting them up. They also keep her from wearing leather or wool, eating meat, or drinking milk. She also shuns makeup, which is often tested on animals.