Nation in Brief: Orange County residents turn kitchen scraps to power source

COSTA MESA, Calif. – Some Orange County residents are learning how citrus peels, lawn clippings – even chicken bones – have a second life as a clean energy source.

Six months ago, the Costa Mesa Sanitary District started asking residents to separate kitchen scraps and yard waste so the materials could help make fuel. It’s the first such program in Southern California, and the response has been strong, the Orange County Register reported Monday.

So far, more than 7 million pounds of material that otherwise would have gone to a landfill has been recycled. Already, nearly half of single-family households separate scraps into a separate kitchen pail, according to a study of more than 1,000 households conducted by the University of California, Irvine.

Instead of heading for the trash, the scraps are trucked to a compost pile in the desert. Starting next month, they will be fed into an anaerobic digester that creates a brew that gives off biogas.

That gas will be used to power the trucks that hauled the waste.

Settlement reached in traffic stop death

CINCINNATI – The family of a man shot and killed by a University of Cincinnati police officer who pulled him over for not having a front license plate has reached a $5.3 million settlement with the school, the family and university announced Monday.

The deal gives the family of Samuel DuBose $4.85 million and promises free undergraduate tuition for his 12 children. It also provides for a memorial commemorating DuBose and an apology from the university.

DuBose, 43, was shot and killed behind the wheel of his car on July 19 after Officer Ray Tensing stopped him near campus for missing a front license plate, which is required by Ohio law.

Tensing was charged with murder and pleaded not guilty.

Tensing said that after he stopped the car, DuBose refused to provide a driver’s license and get out.

A struggle ensued as DuBose tried to drive away, and Tensing said he fired because he feared being dragged under the car, according to his attorney, Stewart Matthews.

Matthews said a hearing to set a trial date has been scheduled for Feb. 11.