BOY GENIUS' BOOK REVEALS LIFE IN COLLEGE AT AGE 8: LOS ANGELES (AP) — One thing 14-year-old Moshe Kai Cavalin dislikes is being called a genius.
All he did, after all, was enroll in college at age 8 and earn his first of two Associate of Arts degrees from East Los Angeles Community College at age 9.
Now, at 14, he's poised to graduate from UCLA this year. He's also just published an English edition of his first book, "We Can Do."
The 100-page guideline explains how other young people can accomplish what Cavalin did through such simple acts as keeping themselves focused and approaching everything with total commitment.
He's hoping it will show people there's no genius involved, just hard work.
Cavalin, whose mother is Chinese, originally wrote the book in Mandarin.
After it sold well in Asia, he translated it into English.
MURDER DEFENDANT WANTS COCOA PUFFS IN EVERETT JAIL: EVERETT, Wash. (AP) — Lawyers are arguing whether a woman charged with aggravated murder should have access to Cocoa Puffs and other snacks while awaiting trial in the county jail in Everett.
A two-hour hearing was held Monday in Snohomish County Superior Court on motions filed by lawyers for Holly Grigsby and David "Joey" Pedersen. They are denied access to the jail commissary - and treats like Cocoa Puffs and candy bars - because of the serious charges against them in a possible death penalty case.
Defense attorney Pete Mazzone argued that it's against Grigsby's constitutional rights to deny her access to the commissary.
Grigsby and Pedersen have pleaded not guilty in the Everett deaths last September of Pedersen's father and stepmother. Pedersen and Grigsby are also accused of killing Cody Myers in western Oregon and Reginald Clark near Eureka, Calif., in early October.
BART-TO-SAN JOSE PROJECT GETS MORE FEDERAL FUNDING; SAN JOSE (AP) — The project to extend Bay Area Rapid Transit service to San Jose is getting more federal funding than expected.
The San Jose Mercury News reports (http://bit.ly/woHieq) that federal transportation officials have approved $250 million for the project — $20 million more than local officials had estimated they would get.
The Valley Transportation Authority announced on Monday that the first $100 million installment will be disbursed as soon as an agreement with the Federal Transit Administration is signed on March 12.
The remainder of the money is contained in President Barack Obama's proposed budget for the next fiscal year.
Groundbreaking on the 10-mile, $2.1 billion line from Fremont to the Berryessa area of San Jose is set for April.
The project is also being supported by $352 million in state funds and $848 million in local sales tax revenues.
PRIVATE FUNERAL FOR HOUSTON SET FOR SATURDAY IN NJ: NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — Whitney Houston's funeral will be held Saturday in the church where she first showcased her singing talents as a child, her family choosing to remember her in a private service rather than in a large event at an arena.
The owner of the Whigham Funeral Home said Tuesday that the funeral will be held at noon at Newark's New Hope Baptist Church, which seats up to 1,500 people. Gospel singer Marvin Winans, a Grammy Award winner and longtime family friend, has been chosen to give the eulogy, his son said.
The family said no public memorial service is planned. Officials had discussed the possibility of holding a memorial at the Prudential Center, a major sports and entertainment venue that can seat about 18,000 people, but the funeral home said it had been ruled out.
