News briefs

Seven injured, three die in van crash

LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE “”mdash; A packed commuter van heading to
NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory plunged off a wet, winding
mountain road Wednesday and tumbled 200 feet, killing three
people.

Ten people were inside the van when it went off Angeles Crest
Highway and tumbled down a rugged, densely forested mountainside in
the Angeles National Forest. The section of highway where the van
crashed had no guardrails, authorities said.

Notified by a driver who saw the crash, two California Highway
Patrol officers at a nearby movie shoot scrambled down to the
vehicle and called for rescue workers who ripped the van apart to
get to the injured passengers.

One person was hurled from the van and died at the scene. Two
others died inside the van, where other victims were left hanging
from windows or trapped under a collapsed roof for as long as an
hour, authorities said.

San Diego election finally resolved

SAN DIEGO “”mdash; The City Council certified the results of last
month’s hotly contested mayoral election on Wednesday and
Mayor Dick Murphy was sworn in for a second term.

The council voted 6-1 to accept the county registrar’s
results from the Nov. 2 election that showed Murphy leading
Councilwoman Donna Fry by 2,108 votes.

Murphy called on San Diegans “to put aside the rancor of
this election” and work together for the good of the
city.

New Stanford position aims to promote
diversity

STANFORD -“”mdash; The Stanford University School of Medicine
announced Wednesday a new position for diversity and
leadership.

Dean Philip Pizzo said he created the senior associate dean post
to attract more women and minorities to postgraduate programs and
faculty positions in medicine and science.

Compiled from Bruin wire services.