Cinco De Mayo: Cleaning your home after a holiday party

With Cinco de Mayo and the hot summer months just around the corner, now is the time that many people will be planning parties to entertain their friends and family and celebrate this special day.

When preparing your home for a party, cleaning is usually at the top of the list. What people forget is that cleaning is also essential after a party.

This is especially true after a party where a holiday is being celebrated because there tends to be more decorations, people and food at this type of event.

One large issue that arises from parties in the home are spills and stains on the carpet. Because these stains can become such an eyesore, having the carpets shampooed and cleaned after the event is the best way to protect your investment.

Something that can be done immediately after noticing a spill is to try and soak the stain up. This way the area does not remain damp.

In order to keep your carpet looking nice and not creating an even larger mess on your flooring, the Austin carpet cleaners push to have professionals do the job, so you can ensure that it is done quickly and correctly.

Pet custody cases: Growing trend in divorce cases

A growing trend that is being seen in divorce cases is the custody of pets after a couple breaks up occurs.

In divorce cases, if there is a child involved, the pet is usually left in the household that the child is at, but a recent trend being seen is when the pet is the child in the family.

Pets used to be seen as property, but in many relationships, pets are part of the family and this makes it much more difficult to treat them like property in a legal case.

This situation can be difficult because there are currently not any laws on the books on the subject. In the last five years alone, pet custody cases have risen by 15 percent.

Child custody cases affected by cigarette smoking

Cigarette smoking has become a large factor in child custody cases. Several states have started considering smoking statistics when determining custody of minor children.

The anti-tobacco advocacy group, Action on Smoking and Health, collected data regarding custody cases and tobacco use across the United States. They found that in 18 states, tobacco smoke was factored into the results of child custody cases.

There have also been instances where a smoking parent has lost custody of their child due to subjecting them to second-hand smoke. Judges have also considered the smoking habits of other relatives that may have contact with the child involved in the custody battle, and used that information in their decision.

Some people argue that this is an invasion of family privacy, but the data shows that numerous courts are weighing heavily on the issue.

Gas prices in San Diego at all-time high in February

A consumer group released a report on the gasoline prices in San Diego, and determined that on Thursday, February 16, the price for a gallon of gas was at an all-time high for the county.

The records indicate that one gallon of gasoline on Thursday cost $3.96, which is a 7.6 cent increase per gallon since Monday. It is estimated that it will reach the $4 gallon mark by President's Day.

The average price of gasoline in San Diego has risen every day for the past 22 days. In one year, the gas prices increased by 46.5 cents in San Diego County.

Katy Perry and Russell Brand settle divorce

Katy Perry and Russell Brand's divorce has now been settled and court documents show that the couple has agreed on a complicated "written settlement."

Not only is the divorce finalized, Katy Perry also petitioned to have her maiden name back, Katheryn Elizabeth Hudson. The couple did not have a prenuptial agreement in their divorce, but Brand is not asking for any money.

Perry also asked the court to block Brand from receiving any spousal support. Brand filed for divorce from Perry on Dec. 30. The couple was married in India in October 2010.

MiraCosta College celebrates the New Year

MiraCosta College offered free events to the community in order to celebrate the the Lunar New Year, the Year of the Dragon.

A few events include the Chinese Language Day Celebration, Chinese Paper Cutting Art and Book Fair, Chinese Knot Workshop, Alternative Healing and Energy Workshop, Lantern Festival and the showing of a Chinese Film.

The events took place over the weekend and were free to the community members. Some of the events will take place through out the first week of February. The year of the dragon is considered to be the luckiest of the 12 year cycle.

Nearly 100 gang members arrested in San Diego area

Federal agents and police have recently joined together this week in order to perform a major operation against gangs in the San Diego area.

Although crime in the San Diego area has recently decreased, nearly 100 suspected gang members were arrested.

Charges that the suspected gang members face are drug trafficking, conspiracy, and firearm violations. The drug trafficking charges include marijuana, heroin, and cocaine.

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Diego, there have been a total of 17 grand jury indictments and eight other criminal complaints against 119 people from San Diego or surrounding areas. The arrests come from three separate investigation that have taken place over the course of a year.

Vanessa Bryant may receive up to $75 million in divorce from Kobe

The divorce between Los Angeles Lakers player, Kobe Bryant and his wife Vanessa could cost Kobe nearly $75 million, according to sources.

The former couple does not have a prenuptial agreement and Bryant is said to be worth nearly $150 million. Vanessa's mother stated multiple years ago that the couple did not sing a prenup, and in the state of California, this entitles Vanessa to half of the community property.

Experts have also stated that Vanessa is expected to receive spousal support, child support for their two children, and possibly some of Kobe's retirement.

After being married for 10 years in the California, the law states that Vanessa should receive enough money to "maintain her standard of living."

Multiple MLK events take place in California

This weekend, multiple cities in California will be hosting events to celebrate the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Two popular events are taking place just hours away from Los Angeles.

First, Santa Barbara hosts a dance at 9 a.m. at the De la Guerra Plaza which continues on to a march up to Arlington Theater. A pastor, who marched with King in 1963, will be speaking about memories in the "Retelling the Story--The Civil Rights Years" at 11 a.m.

Also, there will be a free concert in Balboa Park in San Diego that will begin at noon and end at 7 p.m. There will be drumming, dancing and live reggae bands.