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March 6, 2006
Vol. CXL VIII, No. 36
Former lineman dies
Travis Claridge played for the Atlanta Falcons and in the Canadian Football League.
By CARLEY DRYDEN
Staff Writer
Travis Claridge, a former Trojan offensive lineman who started all 48 games he played at USC, was found unconscious Tuesday at his Las Vegas home and later died at a Henderson, Nev., hospital. He was 27.
A Clark County, Wash., coroner spokeswoman said the cause of death would not be determined for several weeks until the toxicology results are released, reported The Columbian, a newspaper in Clark County, where Claridge attended high school.
Claridge received the Pacific-10 Conference’s Morris Trophy in 1999, awarded to the top offensive lineman in the Pac-10 and was a sec-
ond-round draft pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2000, where he played for four seasons, said Tim Tessalone, sports information director at USC.
Claridge left Atlanta after the 2003 season when the team did not offer him a new contract because of a knee injury. He signed with the Carolina Panthers but didn't make the final cut.
Claridge joined the Hamilton Tiger-Cats in the Canadian Football League in 2005, the final team he played for.
"When he called home and when he came home it was the first time he had used the word ’fun’ in the same sentence with ’football’ in 14 years. When he would come here to visit, he could not speak highly enough of the organization, of the way he was treated like a human being, of teammates, of the camaraderie,’’ said Denise Kopp, Claridge’s mother, in a story on the Tiger-Cats Web site.
Claridge was born in Detroit and after his parents divorced, went to live with his dad in Vancouver, Wash., where he attended Fort Vancouver High School.
“Wherever Travis was, people knew him. Everybody loved him. He was hardworking in the classroom and his work ethic on the football field speaks for itself," said Greg Watt, who was the administrative athletic director when Claridge attended high school.
When Claridge came in as a freshman, he was a “scrawny kid who looked up to me,” said Dan Gruenberg, one of Claridge’s closest friends in high school and throughout his life who was a junior when Claridge was a freshman. "He didn't have much confidence at first, but by sophomore year, I looked up to him.”
Claridge moved up to varsity foot-I see Claridge. page 7 I
Angelenos discuss U.S. health care system issues
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa spoke at a town hall meeting held downtown Saturday.
By CRAIG NELSON
Contributing Writer
Approximately 500 people met at the Los Angeles Convention Center Saturday for a town hall meeting on improving the state of the nation's health care system.
The meeting was organized by the Citizens' Health Care Working Group, which was created by Congress in the Medicare Prescription Drug,
Improvement and Modernization Act of 2003.
Randall Johnson, chairman for the Citizens' Health Care Working Group, said there are 46 million uninsured Americans, and in 2004, $1.8 trillion was spent on health care.
At the current rate of spending, that amount will increase to $3.6 trillion by 2014. Johnson said.
Health care is also a particularly important issue to Los Angeles, said Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. who was a speaker at the meeting.
‘We have more uninsured children here in Los Angeles, more uninsured people than any other city or area in
the nation.” Villaraigosa said.
He also said most health care services are provided by Los Angeles County, the state or federal govern ment
Jacquie Simms, chairwoman of the Watts Neighborhood Council, acknowledged that universal care would lead to higher taxes, but "they would be paid for by the rich.*
The Citizens' Health Care Working Group is a non partisan group charged with gathering information from the American public on the current state of America's health care system and how to improve it
I see Mealtii age T I
Quick
Facts
Americans spent $1.8 trillion on health care in 2004
46 million Americans do not have health insurance
INDEX
Need some relief? Check out some of the best bathrooms on USC's campus. 8
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WEATHER
Today: Showers. High 63, low 48. Tomorrow: Evening showers.
Photo courtesy of USC Sports Information
Set. Travis Claridge was a starting offensive lineman for the Trojans from 1996 to 1999. He was drafted by the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons in 2000.
High schoolers compete in science bowl
A team from Santa Monica High School won the competition, which was held at USC.
By SARAH SPRINGER
Staff Writer
High school students throughout Los Angeles County competed Saturday at USC in the seventh annual Los Angeles Regional competition for the Ocean Sciences Bowl, hosted by the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory.
A team from Santa Monica High School won the competition where 17 teams from 10 schools vied for the regional title.
The prizes included a trip to Catalina, a free trip to the national competition in Pacific Grove, Calif., and other prizes such as hats, T-shirts and sweatshirts.
The winners would also have the opportunity to work with experienced marine scientists and go on research cruises, JPL representative Natalie Godwin said.
The students were asked ocean-related multiple-choice or short-answer questions drawn from physics, chemistry, geology, biology and atmospheric studies.
I see Ocean.page 7 I
Trojan
Think K over. Students from Santa Monica High School discuss a question during the Los Angeles Regional Ocean Sciences Bowl Saturday. The Santa Monica High team won first place in the competition, sponsored by USC's Wrigley Institute and Jet Propulsion Laboratory.