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© St. Petersburg Times, published December 13, 2002
Calif. couple wins millions: 2 lottery jackpots in 1 day
BELMONT, Calif. -- Angelo and Maria Gallina figure they have spent $124,000 over the years on California lottery tickets.
Last month, they won the jackpot -- not once, but twice, on the same day. An hour after winning $126,000 in the Fantasy Five game, they won $17-million in SuperLotto Plus.
State officials told the San Francisco Chronicle that that has never been done before, maybe because the odds of its happening are 1 in 24-trillion -- that's a 24 followed by 12 zeros.
Angelo Gallina, a 78-year-old retired railroad machinist, cheerfully admitted he has bought $20 worth of lottery tickets every day since the lottery started in 1985.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture issued a voluntary recall of about 1,200 pounds of fresh and frozen smoked pork sausage products that may be contaminated with listeria.
The products were produced Nov. 11 at Tampa-based Crofton & Sons Inc., and distributed to retail stores in Florida.
The products recalled:
-- 1-pound vacuum-packed packages of "Mild, Bean Brothers Country Smoked Sausage" with a Feb. 10, 2003 sell-by date.
-- 1-pound vacuum-packed packages of "Hot, Bean Brothers Country Smoked Sausage" with a Feb. 10, 2003 sell-by date.
Each label bears the establishment code "Est. 9179" inside the USDA seal of inspection.
Dr. Garry L. McKee, administrator for the USDA's Food and Safety Inspection Service, said if consumers find the recalled products, they should return them to the point of purchase.
Consumption of food contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes can cause listeriosis, an uncommon but potentially fatal disease. Symptoms include high fever, severe headache, neck stiffness and nausea. It also can cause miscarriages and stillbirths.
Consumers with questions about the recall may contact David Bean, company sales manager, at (813) 685-7745.
SAN DIEGO -- In a finding that outraged California's governor, a federal regulatory judge decided Thursday that energy companies overcharged the state by $1.8-billion during its energy crisis.
But Federal Energy Regulatory Commission administrative law judge Bruce Birchman said that the companies are still owed $3-billion for power delivered to California. As a result, the state and its utilities could actually end up owing the power companies about $1.2-billion.
After the decision, California Gov. Gray Davis blasted the FERC and the Bush administration, saying the Bush-appointed leaders of the FERC "rigged the rules" and in doing so aided big energy companies while hurting consumers.
FRESNO, Calif. -- A man accused of stabbing a Greyhound bus driver and causing a crash that killed two passengers Sept. 30 will likely be sent to a state mental hospital.
A judge ruled Wednesday that Arturo Tapia Martinez, 27, isn't competent to stand trial, and needs to be evaluated by mental health officials.