Alavi Foundation Is Iran Front

Alavi Foundation Is Iran Front, U.S. Says in Lawsuit November 12, 2009 at 9:32 pm The Alavi Foundation, part owner of a 36-story New York office tower, is a front for the government of Iran, the U.S. government alleged in a lawsuit seeking to seize the building. The U.S. today filed a new complaint in the 2008 lawsuit. The original case, which sought to seize the interest in the building held by ASSA Co., a company based in the U.K.'s Channel Islands, claimed the Iranian government's Bank Melli co-owned the building through ASSA. The new complaint seeks to seize the Alavi Foundation's interest in 650 Fifth Avenue as well, along with accounts and property the Alavi Foundation owns in New York, Maryland, Virginia, Texas and California. "The Alavi Foundation has effectively been a front for the government of Iran," U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a statement. "For two decades, the Alavi Foundation's affairs have been directed by various Iranian officials, including Iranian ambassadors at the United Nations, in violation of a series of U.S. laws." The foundation, which has offices in New York, didn't immediately return a call for comment. Last year, the president of the foundation, Farhsid Jahedi, was arrested and accused by U.S. prosecutors of destroying documents. The case is pending. Jahedi denies the charges. The Alavi Foundation is a successor to one created in the 1970s by the late Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi. Pahlavi was overthrown as that country's leader in 1979. The building was constructed in 1979 by the Pahlavi Foundation, a nonprofit group set up by the Shah. Iran, the world's second-biggest holder of oil and natural- gas reserves, is subject to various U.S. sanctions over the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. Daniel Ruzumna, a lawyer for the Alavi Foundation, didn't immediately return a call. The case is U.S. v. All Right, Title and Interest of Assa Corp., 1:08-cv-10934, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York (Manhattan). To contact the reporter on this story: David Glovin in New York at dglovin@bloomberg.net. Mary Weiland on Destructive Marriage to Stone Temple Pilots' Scott Weiland November 12, 2009 at 1:00 pm Mary Weiland, estranged wife of Stone Temple Pilots' frontman Scott Weiland, dishes on her destructive marriage, drug use and mental illness in her new book, Fall to Pieces: A Memoir of Drugs, Rock 'n' Roll, and Mental Illness. In the memoir, which hit shelves Nov. 10, Mary Forsberg Weiland claims she and husband Scott Weiland spent much of their marriage strung out on heroin and crack. In one passage from the book, Weiland recalls they both had to wear long-sleeved shirts to a party thrown by Leonardo DiCaprio because of excess of needle marks on their arms. Weiland also details the "Weiland Wardrobe Bonfire" incident in March, 2007 that eventually landed her in a mental hospital. According to Weiland, she dragged her husband's wardrobe out into their driveway and set it on fire. "The bonfire was huge and very pretty. Everything went u pin smoke quickly, except the shoe leather; the Guccis took the longest." Mary Weiland was later diagnosed with bi-polar disorder. Weiland says she was inspired to write the book because she rejects "the stigma that the words 'mental illness' carry and I'd love to be a part of the movement to eliminate it." Mary and Scott Weiland separated in late 2007 and are currently in the process of getting divorced. VDOT Snow Removal Will Remain Unaffected Says Mike Branham November 12, 2009 at 10:57 am Officials of Virginia Department of Transportation have declared that snow removal operation will remain as usual like every year and will not be affected due to layoffs and budget cuts. They said they consider snow removal as an emergency service and the level of service will not be compromised. Mike Branham, District Maintenance Engineer of VDOT said the next layoff announcement in coming winter will take effect in next year and maintenance employees will not be included in that. VDOT is prepared to handle any kind of situation and they have already made themselves ready for the task. According to the officials, VDOT is equipped with 239,000 tons of road salts and 2314 pieces of snow removal machinery to execute the task and make the roads clear. Bristol District got highest snow removal budget of $11.9 million out of $79.6 million for the entire state. Randy Felty, with his 25 years of experience in driving snow removal equipment for VDOT said only snow removal efforts from the Department is not enough is reduce the motor accidents in winter season. Motorist should be cautious and careful while driving. He advised to use alternate route using main roads in the winter as those will be cleared first.