In the first time in two decades that she has been challenged, a Latvia-born judge of the Los Angeles Superior Court has lost her bid for reelection.

Dzintra I. Janavs, a judge for the past 20 years, lost her reelection bid during California’s June 6 gubernatorial primary vote.

With all precincts reporting, preliminary election results compiled by Los Angeles County officials show challenger Lynn Diane Olson receiving 325,537 votes (53.99 percent) to Janavs’ 277,387 votes (46.01 percent).

Janavs’ loss came despite strong endorsements from newspapers, politicians, lawyers and the Republican Party of Los Angeles County. Olson, a Los Angeles area lawyer, counted among her endorsements one from the Los Angeles County Democratic Party.

The Metropolitan News-Enterprise, a daily newspaper covering the Los Angeles judicial system, endorsed Janavs for reelection and questioned Olson’s motives for running against the incumbent.

“The conclusion is inescapable that she is running against Janavs for one reason alone: an assumption that voters will avoid casting ballots for a candidate with an odd, foreign-sounding name,” the newspaper said in an April 7 editorial.

The paper conceded that Janavs has a reputation for sometimes being “testy,” especially if lawyers don’t understand her because of her accent. But otherwise the newspaper found her well qualified for the job.

Janavs left Latvia as a child during World War II and in 1950 immigrated with her family to the United States. She joined the U.S. Attorney’s Office in 1962. In 1986, she was appointed to the Superior Court by former Gov. George Deukmejian.

The Los Angeles Times also endorsed Janavs for reelection.

The latest album from the Latvian post-folk group Iļģi has broken into the Top 20 of the World Music Charts Europe, finishing ninth in the June listing.

The album, Ne uz vienu dienu (Not for Just One Day), was released in March by the Rīga-based UPE Recording Co. It features 12 songs about weddings. Guests artists on the album are Rūta Muktupāvela, wife of noted folklorist Valdis Muktupāvels, and Ugandan-American musician Samite.

The music chart is compiled monthly from the favorite albums reported by world music specialists in 23 European countries, according to World Music Charts Europe. The lists are posted online at www.wmce.de and also displayed in shops where world music recordings are sold.

Appearing on the chart, Ainars Mielavs of UPE Recording said in a press release, is the greatest acknowledgement from international professionals that Latvian musicians so far have received in this genre.

Topping the June chart is La Cantina by American artist Lila Downs. The list also includes albums by such well-known world music performers as the British-Egyptian singer Natacha Atlas and Cape Verdean performer Cesaria Evora.

Does $2,000 seem like a lot of money for a pair of slightly used athletic shoes? How about if you knew one of the shoes was a minor part of recent Latvian hockey history?

Latvian hockey fan Dainis Krievs was fined LVL 50 for hurling his left shoe onto the ice of Arēna Rīga during the May 11 World Championship game between Canada and the hometown team.

Rīga resident Jānis Dumpis, who goes by the handle “bulkcover,” now is offering Krievs’ left shoe—and its less famous right-footed partner—for sale on eBay, an online auction service. Dumpis doesn’t own the shoes, but has agreed to handle the sale for Krievs, he told Latvians Online in an e-mail.

The left shoe was one of many diffferent items fans threw in protest of an American referee’s frequent penalty calls against the Latvian national team. The action delayed the game and garnered press coverage at home and abroad. Latvia lost the game 0-11.

The listing, which ends June 11, asks USD 2,000 for the initial bid. The story of the left shoe is retold in detailed text illustrated with several photographs, including two of a court judgment against Krievs. The shoes are listed under the heading, “Latvia-Canada 0:11 Ice-Hockey IIHF 2006 Scandal SHOEs.”

Dumpis usually markets Latvian antiques on eBay and currently offers more than 50 other listings, including old photographs, philatelic items and books.