04 October 2011

Dallas Police Keep Eyes on State Fair With Surveillance Cameras

Dallas Police Keep Eyes on State Fair With Surveillance Cameras

Dallas police are using a new surveillance camera system at this year's State Fair of Texas.

Police would not show NBC 5 the system, citing safety concerns, but said it covers every inch of the fairgrounds, from the midway to the skyway.

"We can zoom in and pan around with the cameras," said Lt. Scott Bratcher, one of the commanders at this year's fair. "It gives us, a lot of extra eyes. Last year, we experimented with three or four of them; now we have a bunch of them."

The State Fair of Texas purchased the cameras.

"When you consider millions of people will visit the fair over the next 24 days, we think we do a pretty good job of keeping them safe," Bratcher said.

Since the State Fair of Texas opened Friday, Dallas police said the cameras have been particularly helpful along the midway, where tall rides and large crowds have restricted officers' views in past years.

"People watching cameras can say, 'Hey they're congregating by the pirate ship. You might want to send people through there,'" Bratcher said.

So far, only one violent crime has been reported at the fair -- a robbery Monday night along the midway. Police said they were there within seconds and arrested the suspect on the fairgrounds.

Fair-goers seem to like the addition of surveillance cameras.

"I think it's great," said Valerie Kneelan, who was visiting from Montana.

"We've always felt safe here," said Courtney Obasohan, of Grand Prairie. "I haven't had any issues or felt unsafe at anytime since we've been here."

The State Fair of Texas runs through Oct. 23.

I-35 Projects Will Stop for Texas-OU Traffic

I-35 Projects Will Stop for Texas-OU Traffic

Football fans heading north or south on Interstate 35 for the Red River Rivalry at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas this weekend are being told to pack their patience.

Thousands of football fans will converge on North Texas for the annual game between the Longhorns and the Sooners, and just about everywhere they go, they'll be met with heavy traffic and active construction zones.

But the Texas Department of Transportation and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation said Tuesday that no lane closures are planned between Oklahoma City and Austin during peak travel periods. Work will stop on most I-35 projects from early Friday morning until late Monday evening.

But it won't all be easy-going. Drivers will still encounter the usual heavy traffic, bottlenecks where roads go from three lanes to two and 30 miles of construction in Central Texas where lane widths are reduced.

TxDOT is touting its website > to keep up to date on highway conditions, as well as offering the old sage advice:

  • Expect delays
  • Leave early to allow for delays
  • Don't drink and drive
  • Buckle up (it's Texas law)
  • Be patient and take your time
  • Avoid distractions (never text and drive)

TxDOT is in the midst of a massive highway improvement project that will expand I-35 from four to six lanes, not to mention all the other construction projects throughout North Texas.

So, chin up football fans. Someday, getting to the game will be easier -- although we suspect your kids will be the ones enjoying the fruits of TxDOT's current labor.

Huntington Beach Couple Fights Bank Over Foreclosure

The stress of a possible home foreclosure has put a visible strain on the Diaz family of Huntington Beach.

For more than 30 years Conrad Diaz and his wife have created the memories of a lifetime there.

"To find ourselves in this situation... and the idea we might lose this home is unbearable," Conrad Diaz said.

 

The economic downturn in 2007 along with the sudden illness of his wife started the downward spiral for Diaz, and he had to quit his job to care for her.

 

Diaz found himself in need of a mortgage loan modification.

 

"We had been making monthly timely payments for 33 years and never missed a payment," he said.

 

However, a loan modification has not been easy to come by. One West Bank has had the family in limbo for a year. Recently the bank threatened the Diaz family with foreclosure.

 

"I am a victim of the soft economy, but I feel I am more a victim of the way the bank is approaching the situation," Diaz said.

 

The bank would not comment on camera, but a bank spokesperson said a 60-day reprieve on a foreclosure was given to the family in hopes a loan modification could be done.

 

Diaz hangs on the hope the bank will come through and give him the loan modification necessary to create new home family memories.

 

"Either yea or nay. Give us some type of answer," he said.

 

 

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Defense Expert Presents Essential Elements for Insanity Defense in Tysons Toddler Trial

Carmela dela Rosa couldn't distinguish between right and wrong and did not understand the consequences of her actions when she when she threw her 2-year-old granddaughter, Angelyn Ogdoc, off a Tysons Corner mall elevated walkway Nov. 29, concluded defense expert Michael Hendricks, a psychologist hired to evaluate the defendant. While he didn't declare dela Rosa insane, he laid out the elements essential for an insanity defense under Virginia law.

Hendricks spent two days with dela Rosa last February, more than two months after she was jailed and charged with murder in her granddaughter’s death. He diagnosed her with recurrent major depressive disorder with psychotic features.

"She was often slow to respond," Hendricks testified about the interview. "She spoke softly. Sometimes she didn't give me any response. It was almost like she couldn’t form the words."

Hendricks testified dela Rosa's deteriorating mental health last fall, including two suicide attempts in the months before the Tysons incident, led her to experience a type of psychosis that night. She believed her family was isolating her and secretly communicating to each other with special eye gestures. He also testified the defendant became hyper-focused on her son-in-law, James Ogdoc, whom she'd long blamed for getting her daughter pregnant before the couple married.

"She was getting more and more focused on her anger toward James and began thinking about Angelyn as looking more like James and hurting Angelyn as a way of getting back at him," Hendricks said.

He said Dela Rosa told him she first considered throwing Angelyn off the walkway as she watched the little girl play with the mall's electronic door, but something held her back. Later, as the family left the mall, she acted.

Hendricks said he was surprised "when I asked her what she intended to happen to Angelyn and she replied she hadn't intended her to get hurt at all."

Hendricks was also asked about dela Rosa's videotaped confession, in which she matter-of-factly described the crime to detectives. Her demeanor indicates dela Rosa was still in a delusional state, Hendricks said.

In cross examination, prosecutor Ray Morrogh suggested Hendricks had changed his diagnosis since his original report.  Said Morrogh,

"Delusions were never mentioned," Morrogh said.

Hendricks agreed.

“So you're not saying she had any delusions on Nov. 29?” Morrogh asked.

"No overt delusions,” Hendricks replied.

"And no hallucinations?” Morrogh asked.

"No," Hendricks said.

Morrogh repeatedly challenged Hendricks’s conclusion that dela Rosa didn't understand the consequence of dropping Angelyn.

"Isn't it true that her letting her husband go ahead of her provides guidance that she knew she was about to do something wrong and didn't want to be stopped?" Morrogh asked.

"Not that she didn't want to be stopped,” Hendricks said. “She contemplated what she was about to do,"

"She was capable of understanding the consequences of throwing the baby off?" Morrogh pressed.

"I don't think that she was capable of understanding the consequences because of her constricted thinking," Hendricks said.

"Don't a lot of people who do bad things not consider the consequences?" the prosecutor asked.

"Sure," the witness said.

Morrogh also took aim at Hendricks’s finding that dela Rosa didn't know right from wrong at the time of the incident.

"She told the police she knew wrong from right?" he asked.

"Yes," Hendricks answered.

Testimony will conclude tomorrow and closing arguments are expected.

Carmela dela Rosa will not take the stand.

Grass-Cutting Contracts Cause the Latest Ethics Controversy in D.C.

D.C. has dozens of acres of grassy fields and rec centers that must be mowed, but a disputed $2 million contract to do that is now raising serious ethical questions about who gets paid what and why.

One firm has a contract twice as expensive as that of a competitor that was doing a good job.

In an unusually long, lead editorial Tuesday, The Washington Post questioned why the mayor's office attempted to fire a firm that had won high marks from Public Works officials while allowing a smaller and more expensive company to continue working.

Ward 3 Council member Mary Cheh said she's worried about the handling of this city money by Mayor Vincent Gray's administration and will hold a hearing Friday.

The Lorenz company has cut grass in six of the city's eight wards at an estimated cost of about $60 per acre. Public Works sought to renew its contract, but the mayor's office moved to end it.

Meanwhile, Community Bridge Inc., responsible for two of eight wards, charged about $120 an acre and continued working. Another possible complaint is that Community Bridge may not qualify as a D.C.-based company.

Ward 5 Council member Harry Thomas, who had strongly backed Community Bridge earlier this year, did not speak at the council session Tuesday. Warner Session, who represents Community Bridge, declined to comment on the dispute.

The mayor's office -- stunned by the criticism -- told The Post that ending the cheaper Lorenz contract was a misunderstanding and that both companies would be continued until the city decides what to do next.

The D.C. Council also wants to see internal documents from the mayor's office that might explain why this grass-cutting got so much high-level attention.

The Secret to Clear Skin is in What You Eat

The Secret to Clear Skin is in What You Eat

It turns out you really are what you eat.

"What you eat has at least 50% to do with the condition of your complexion," said Dr. Jessica Wu, dermatologist and author of "Feed Your Face."

Dr. Wu has spent years helping her patients feed their faces.

"It's all in choosing the right foods that are delicious to eat and also good for your skin," Wu said.

She suggests picking beef fajitas over cheese quesadillas, since dairy products are high in hormones.

"Even organic dairy products [like] cheese [are] full of cow hormones that are shown to affect your acne, increase oil glands and make you break out," Wu said.

Animal proteins like lamb, chicken and beef are also good to eat if you are fighting wrinkles. Beef is also high in zinc.

"Zinc is a mineral that helps to fight acne because it is anti-inflammatory," said Dr. Wu.

For smoother skin, throw in some vegetables. If sushi is your dish of choice, cut back on the rice. The body quickly turns it into sugar.

"[Sugar] eats up the collagen in your skin and . . . has been linked to acne."

If you're after healthy hair and nails, Dr. Wu suggested green beans and Volvic water. Both are chocked full of silicon.

How about dessert? Stick to dark chocolate.

"It's high in the flavinol antioxidants that help protect the collagen in your skin and fight sun damage."

 

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After Hype Over iPhone 5, Apple Delivers iPhone 4S

After Hype Over iPhone 5, Apple Delivers iPhone 4S

The most closely kept secret about the iPhone 5? There isn't one — yet.

The new iPhone is faster, has a better camera and allows you to sync content without needing a computer. It includes a futuristic, voice-activated service that responds to spoken commands and questions such as "Do I need an umbrella today?" It will now be available to Sprint customers as well as those from AT&T and Verizon Wireless.

But there's a catch. Apple named it 4S when most people were expecting the iPhone 5. Immediately, tech bloggers and Apple fans alike began to wonder if this new iPhone was not as cool as they had hoped. Investors were disappointed, too. Apple's stock fell more than 5 percent before getting a late bump.

If Tuesday's unveiling seemed like a letdown, it was because Apple didn't do a good job of managing expectations. That's a familiar problem for Apple, whose penchant for secrecy invites hyperbolic speculation between its product announcements. Given that it had been 16 months since the previous iPhone hit the market, imaginations had even more time to run wild this time.

"This is the typical Apple scenario: People keep wanting it to do the impossible," said Tim Bajarin, a Creative Strategies analyst who has been following the company for decades.

Apple's approach to the event didn't do any favors for Tim Cook in his first major public appearance since he succeeded Steve Jobs as CEO six weeks ago. Jobs, the Apple visionary and co-founder, relinquished the reins to focus on his health problems.

Cook handled his presentation in a pedestrian fashion that lacked Jobs' flair. The format and stage setting were similar to the presentations that Jobs had orchestrated so masterfully, giving Cook little opportunity to make his own mark, said Adam Hanft, a marketing consultant who runs his own firm in New York.

"It wasn't fair to Tim in his inaugural because there he didn't have any product to show off that was a real barnburner," Hanft said.

"This allowed him to get his sea legs, but he still needs to find his voice and style. They need to come up with a new setting that is equally Apple-like aesthetically, but not the same that they had while Steve was there."

Even though the iPhone 4S is an improvement over its predecessor, it isn't being perceived as a breakthrough partly because it's not being branded as an iPhone 5, as most people had been expecting, said Prashant Malaviya, a marketing professor at Georgetown University.

Not all investors were disappointed.

Stephen Coleman, chief investment officer for Daedalus Capital and an Apple investor since 2004, calls his Apple stock "the safest investment that I own." He said Tuesday's upgrades were "incremental" — and praised Apple for not messing too much with a model that's working.

"To those who say they're underwhelmed, I'd say they've been fast asleep," Coleman said. "Anyone who's been paying attention at all would have to be dazzled by the product, and earnings."

The stock has risen more than 15 percent this year, at one point hitting an all-time high of $422.86. It has nearly quadrupled since the first iPhone was announced in 2007. The device has been the cornerstone of one of the most remarkable runs in technology history. Apple is now one of the world's most richly valued companies, holding its own against oil companies and international conglomerates.

"What is there to lament?" Coleman said. "For people like me, it's peace on earth. This is one of the great economic stories of our time."

The new iPhone has an improved camera with a higher-resolution sensor. The processor is faster — the same A5 chip found in the iPad 2 — so the phone will be able to run smoother, more realistic action games. It's also a "world phone," which means that Verizon iPhones will be useable overseas, just as AT&T iPhones already are.

The fact that a more radical revision of the phone was a no-show leaves room for speculation that Apple will reveal a new model in less than a year, perhaps one equipped to take advantage of Verizon's and AT&T's new high-speed data networks.

There had also been speculation that Apple would include a chip that could talk to payment terminals at retail stores, turning the iPhone into a mobile wallet. Competitors are starting to include this capability in their phones, though the payment systems are still immature. The iPhone 4S doesn't have this.

The iPhone 4S will come with new mobile software that includes such features as the ability to sync content wirelessly, without having to plug the device to a Mac or Windows machine. The phone includes Siri, which lets people speak questions and commands and represents an advanced version of speech-recognition software found on other phones.

Apple also unveiled software that can send greeting cards through the postal system for $2.99 each.

Cook said the most recent iPhone, which came out in June 2010, sold more quickly than previous models, but the iPhone still has just 5 percent of the worldwide handset market. Among smartphones, devices running Google Inc.'s Android software make up 43 percent of the market in the second quarter, while the iPhone captures 18 percent, according to Gartner Inc.

Apple is hoping to grow that share with the iPhone 4S — something it can do by luring new customers from Sprint and elsewhere, even if existing owners don't see a need to upgrade.

Bajarin, the longtime Apple watcher, is confident that Apple will quickly overcome the perception problem once technology reviewers get a better handle on all the new bells and whistles. He believes that the improved camera and speech-recognition technology are compelling enough additions to make the iPhone 4S another hit for Apple.

"People are going to get over their initial disappointment and want this phone," he said.

Apple's new mobile software, iOS 5, will also be available on Oct. 12 for existing devices — the iPhone 4 and 3GS, both iPad models and later versions of the iPod Touch.

Apple said Oct. 12 will also mark the launch of its new iCloud service, which will store content such as music, documents and photos on Apple's servers and let people access them wirelessly on numerous devices. One component is a $25-per-year service, called iTunes Match, that will allow people to play their personal jukeboxes on any device with iTunes software instead of keeping them tethered to a personal computer that must be synced with other devices.

The new phone will come in black or white. It will cost $199 for a 16 gigabyte-version, $299 for 32 GB and $399 for 64 GB — all with a two-year service contract requirement. Pre-orders will begin Friday with availability on Oct. 14.

The previous version, iPhone 4, will now cost $99 for 8 GB. The 2009 model, the iPhone 3GS, will be given away for free with 8 GB. Both also require a two-year service contract.

Don't expect to see an iPhone available with prepaid, contract-free service plans any time soon — at least not with AT&T. Ralph de la Vega, AT&T's head of wireless and consumer services, said in an interview that the carrier has no plans to offer iPhones with prepaid plans, because even phones that are free with two-year contracts — namely the iPhone 3GS — would cost customers a significant amount up front. Wireless companies typically subsidize the cost of phones and make that back from monthly service fees over the life of the contract.

Apple also unveiled a new line of iPods, including a Nano model with a multi-touch display that promises to be easier to navigate.

Apple's stock fell $2.10, or 0.6 percent, to close Tuesday at $372.50 after dropping earlier to $354.24.

Speed Cameras Questioned in Prince George’s County

New speed camera concerns were raised in Prince George’s County, Md., when at least one worked overtime a cited several drivers who shouldn’t have received tickets.

By law, the speed camera along High Bridge Road near an elementary school in Bowie operates Monday through Friday from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Drivers exceeding the speed limit get a citation in the mail. But one driver complained to police after getting a ticket dated Sunday, Sept. 25.

“On this particular Sunday, Sept. 25, we discovered 18 citations issued incorrectly,” said Julie Parker, of Prince George’s County police. “We then reviewed all of them. We got in touch with the individual drivers. One of them had already paid and was reimbursed. The rest had their tickets waived."

Police did the right thing by forgiving those citations, according to AAA Mid-Atlantic, but the incident indicates there may be a bigger problem with speed cameras.

"There are serious questions,” said John Townsend, of AAA Mid-Atlantic. “We're seeing numerous questionable tickets in the county. Many ticketed motorists have gone to court to prove their case, and those cases have been thrown out."

The High Bridge Road incident was isolated, police said. The vendor improperly programmed that camera to operate that Sunday.

Each county can choose the vendor that operates its speed cameras. This mistake may prompt state lawmakers to consider streamlining the regulations over speed cameras.

CicLAvia Returns for a Third Spin

CicLAvia Returns for a Third Spin

Bicyclists, skateboarders, roller-bladers, and other non-motorized vehicles will be able to take Los Angeles city streets for a spin—car free --  when CicLAvia returns for a third time this Sunday.

More than 100,000 people are expected to explore the 10 mile route that traverses the city from Hollenbeck Park in Boyle Heights through Downtown and into East Hollywood.

"We want the public to fall in love with the city again," Aaron Paley, Producer and co-founder of  CicLAvia said. "We want Angelinos to explore their city in ways that are completely different from their normal experience."

Sunday's route adds two new spurs to the event's previous 7.5 mile course which was held in April-- one from City Hall to El Pueblo de Los Angeles and another through the Fashion District.

In addition, CicLAvia has also launched CicLAvia Walks, a new program that encourages participants to slow down and discover local architectural, cultural, and culinary hot spots along the route.

Paley said the events and the route are an opportunity for the public to explore the entire city as opposed to going from one end to the other.

 "It creates a new park that exists for a bit of time then goes away," Paley said. "It creates a park space without the investment."

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said CicLAvia is part of a larger plan to integrate open space, cycling and public transportation into the public's everyday lives.

"We have already set in motion our new Citywide Bicycle Plan to build over 1600 miles of bike lanes, paths, routes and bike-friendly streets across LA," Villaraigosa said. "And we are already seeing the results -- we recently completed 20 miles of sharrows along City streets and opened new bike lanes on 1st and 7th streets that will be part of the CicLAvia route."

For the motorized public traveling through the area, Paley said there would be "as little disruption as possible to traffic." Vehicles will be allowed to cross the event's course at 18 points, with most drivers having to detour a block or two, he said.

Fundraising and support for the event has doubled in six months, Paley said. The Los Angeles City Council allocated $200,000 this fiscal year.

The organization hopes to expand the idea into other areas including USC, Santa Monica via Culver City, and further east into Boyle Heights to accommodate larger crowds. Long Beach and the San Fernando Valley are also under consideration.

CicLAvia is a partnership of Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa, the City of Los Angeles, and the CicLAvia organization.

The event is free to the public and ends at 3:00 p.m.

 

Md. Voters Split Over Same-Sex Marriage

Md. Voters Split Over Same-Sex Marriage

A new poll by Gonzales Research & Marketing Strategies finds voters in Maryland about evenly divided over allowing same-sex marriage.

The poll found 48 percent of Maryland residents who vote regularly favor a law allowing same-sex marriages, and 49 percent are against allowing them.

The poll founds a notable difference by race, with 51 percent of white voters approving but only 41 percent of African-American voters approving.

The Washington Post reports Gov. Martin O'Malley is planning to sponsor a same-sex marriage bill in the next legislative session.

The opinion of voters could become particularly relevant if it passes, because opponents have vowed to take advantage of a provision in the state Constitution that allows citizens to petition just-passed laws to the ballot.

With enough signatures, same-sex marriage would be subject to a statewide vote in November 2012.

The telephone poll of 805 registered voters was conducted September 19-27, and has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.5 points.

Starbucks: Helping Communities One Cup at a Time

Starbucks: Helping Communities One Cup at a Time

Howard Schultz, Starbucks’ chief executive officer, changed the way the world drinks coffee. Now, he wants to change the way the world thinks about community service.

Starbucks Coffee Company announced in a news release Tuesday, it will donate a minimum of $100,000 in annual profits from two Starbucks stores in low-income areas back into those communities.

Starbucks is partnering with the Abyssinian Development Corporation (ADC) in Harlem and the Los Angeles Urban League (LAUL) in Crenshaw in what the company is calling its new community model, which is designed to help infuse money into communities through a public-private partnership.

In that model, profits from the Starbucks store on Crenshaw and Coliseum will go to the Los Angeles Urban League to improve education and job training for youth in the neighborhood.

The neighborhood has been hit hard by the recession, said Chris Strudwick-Turner, a spokeswoman for the league.

“We are looking for alternative revenue streams that aren’t based on giving,” said Strudwick-Turner.

The area used to have two Starbucks stores, said Strudwick-Turner, until Starbucks shut down one of the stores in the summer of 2009.

“That’s when Starbucks heard from this community,” she said.

Strudwick-Turner said Schultz personally visited the neighborhood and met with several Crenshaw High School students to find out how to help the community.

“Two of those students told him about a cheesecake business they started for their entrepreneurship class,” said Strudwick-Turner.

It was Schultz who suggested selling their cheesecakes at the Crenshaw-Coliseum store, and according to Strudwick-Turner, they ended up doing that during their senior year.

“He (Schultz) and Starbucks doubled down on Crenshaw,” said Strudwick-Turner.

Starbucks' investment in the community groups in Los Angeles and Harlem is a pilot program. If it is successful, according to a statement from the company, Starbucks will try it in other low-income areas where the company operates stores.

“It’s out of the box thinking,” said Strudwick-Turner. “A real commitment to the community.”

Groups Propose "Unity Map" for NYC Redistricting

Groups Propose

Civil rights groups working to protect the voting rights of blacks, Latinos and Asian Americans say they have a vision for redrawing state legislative districts in the city to reflect the demographic changes of their communities.

Calling it a "unity map" for new state Assembly and state Senate districts, the groups unveiled a proposal Tuesday in a bid to shape the debate surrounding how election lines are redrawn.

"We now have clear indications of where there has been tremendous expansions by communities, particularly Latino and Asian, and where the black community has shifted," said Esmeralda Simmons, the executive director of the Center for Law and Social Justice.

"We want to make sure our communities get their fair share of districts," she said.

State legislative district boundaries are remapped every 10 years to reflect demographic changes demonstrated by the federal census — a politically contentious process is known as redistricting.

The groups said they followed the "one person, one vote" requirement of the U.S. Constitution and mandates of the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 in developing their maps — criteria that the designers of any new election maps will have to abide by. They also said they had sought to respect "communities of interest" that are bound by some common denominator, and to try to follow neighborhood lines.

The Center for Law and Social Justice, based at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, developed the district maps with LatinoJustice PRLDEF, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund and the National Institute for Latino Politics.

The maps take into account the rapid growth of Asians, who now account for 13 percent of the city's 8 million people; and the increase in Hispanics, now 29 percent of the city's population. The maps also aim to protect black districts.

The groups said they submitted the proposal to the state task force responsible for redrawing the legislative district boundaries.

Assemblyman John "Jack" McEneny, a Democratic member of the task force, said they welcomed the proposal and would consider it.

"What we would hope is that it be comprehensive," he said. "No tunnel vision."

Juan Cartagena, the president and general counsel of LatinoJustice PRLDEF, said the maps were a first step.

"It doesn't mean anything until we take the next step and galvanize our communities, looking for the right candidates, and making sure that whoever gets elected from the new district responds to the needs of the community," he said.

It could also be ignored by whoever ends up redrawing the district lines — whether it is a task force or the courts.

But Margaret Fung, executive director of the Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, said that was unlikely to happen.

"It makes more sense for them to recognize the demographic change," she said.

Argyle Fire District Plans New Station

Plans are under way for a new fire station in Denton County.

The Argyle Fire District wants to build a new station to keep up with the growth in the area. The facility will be on the corner of Farm-to-Market 407 and Gibbons Road, west of the Lantana community.

"We cover Argyle, town of Bartonville, town of Copper Canyon, Northlake and the community of Lantana, and we provide EMS service for the town of Double Oak," Argyle Fire District Chief Mac Hohenberger said.

The district serves 23,000 people, more than four times as many as it served 20 years ago.

"There is a lot of growth that is going on here, and we have more coming," Hohenberger said.

He said the fire district needs to expand to keep up with the growth. The fire district currently has two stations, and one of them was built in 1973. The district wants to replace that facility with a new one.

"It is going to feel more like a real, actual fire department," Training Chief Collin Skipper said.

Skipper said an updated facility is crucial to sustain the fire and EMS services in the area. The district is made up of paid employees and volunteers, but they still require help from other cities on most calls. 

"That puts a strain on them and on us, knowing that our help comes from another city," Skipper said. "There are million-dollar homes out here. That's a lot of assets to have and not the resources to protect it all the time."

The district said a new station would better serve their community and boost the attitude among employees.

And Hohenberger said now is the time to do it.

"With the economy like it is, we are going to take advantage of low construction costs," he said.

Teachers Revive Student Who Collapsed at School

Frisco teachers used an automated external defibrillator to revive a 12-year-old student.

Seventh-grader Kylee Shea collapsed while walking to gym class.

"I sat down, then I fell over, and I don't remember anything after that," she said.

Doctors have have diagnosed Kylee with a heart arrhythmia, meaning her heart was quivering rapidly but wasn't pumping blood.

"Survival for somebody who collapses outside a hospital for a child is about 3 percent -- not very many," said Dr. William Scott, her physician.

Kylee's classmates at Frisco Middle School rushed to get help. Brent Reese and Kristen Goodgion, the two teachers who responded, calmly performed CPR and used the AED.

By the time paramedics arrived, Kylee was speaking and asking for her mother.

"They had a hand in a miracle, and it's just, 'Thank you,'" Sheryl Shea said.

She and her husband, Mike, now both advocate putting AEDs in all schools and public buildings nationwide.

"If it wasn't for this machine and what they did, our daughter still may be with us today, but she wouldn't be the Kylee we know," Mike Shea said.

Doctors still don't know what caused Kylee's heart problem. She now has a pacemaker, which will physically limit her from participating in contact sports.

Kaylee will resume school next week. She has a long list of people she wants to thank, starting with Reese and Goodgion.

The teachers said their efforts on Kylee's behalf emphasize the importance of AEDs and of teachers.

"The biggest thing is, we were here for a reason, and that was Kylee," Goodgion said.

Washington Monument Inspections Almost Done

High winds suspended inspections of the Washington Monument on Tuesday afternoon, just as workers entered the home stretch of their survey.

Members of the Difficult Access team from architechtural firm WJE have been rappelling down the monument since last week to check for further damage caused by the August earthquake.

The National Park Service said inspections on the monument's south and east walls were completed Tuesday before it got too windy. As part of standard safety precautions, and presumably to avoid a repeat of what happened to climber Erik Sohn on Friday, team members lowered themselves to the ground when gusts started to pick up.

The team has about 300 feet on both the north and west walls left to inspect. The entire survey operation is expected to wrap up on Wednesday, weather permitting.

Hitler Letter Lays Out Holocaust Plan

Hitler Letter Lays Out Holocaust Plan

A typewritten letter that shows Hitler’s hatred of Jews – and his belief that they should be removed from Germany by a “ruthless government” – will be displayed to the public for the first time Wednesday at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles.

The letter is the single most important document in the museum’s historical archive, said Rabbi Marvin Hier, who heads the Simon Weisenthal Center, which operates the facility.

It’s important, Hier said, because it shows that long before he became famous, Hitler espoused anti-Semitism, and called for the elimination of Jews.

That’s significant, he said, because there are no records that Hitler personally ordered the extermination of Jews in his concentration camps, and some have argued that it was aides – not the dictator himself – who originally had the idea.

“This letter tells us it was Adolf Hitler’s idea to get rid of the Jews,” Heir said. “He had this idea when he was a nobody., and 21 years later he implemented everything he wrote about. He eliminated one-third of world Jewry and started a war in which 50,000 people lost their lives.”

In the letter, which is on display along with a timeline of the Holocaust and other images, Hitler refers to the “Jewish peril.” He says that Jews flatter rulers to get their way, and are ruthless in their support of money.  It’s not enough to foster anti-Semitism, Hitler writes – governments must be ruthless and “remove” them.

“Anti-Semitism stemming from purely emotive reasons will always find its expression in the form of pogroms (physical violence against Jews),” Hitler wrote, according to a translation provided by the Weisenthal Center.  “But anti-Semitism based on reason must lead to the systematic legal combatting and removal of rights of the Jew. … Its final aim, however, must be the uncompromising removal of the Jews altogether.”

Hitler wrote the letter while working for the German army in 1919. It was just after the end of the First World War, and a fellow soldier requested the army’s position on the role of the Jews in the country’s defeat. 

Hitler, who worked in a propaganda unit, was assigned to write a response. This letter, called the Gemlich letter because it was addressed to soldier Adolf Gemlich, is the four-page result. It was written six years before Hitler's famous manifesto, Mein Kampf.

The Museum of Tolerance is located at 9786 W. Pico Blvd., Los Angeles.

 

Mountains Brace For Rare October Snow

Mountains Brace For Rare October Snow

It looked more like January than October Tuesday along routes to Big Bear. CalTrans crews were stationed near mountain communities, like Sky Forest.

"This time of year, it's really not more than we can handle," said a confident John Perry, a CalTrans Highway Maintenance Supervisor.

Although the approaching storm may be more of a cub than a bear, precautions were put in place.

Hundreds of pounds of a special gravel and sand compound were ready to be spread on roadways if and when the first snow flakes fall.

But Perry says the real danger isn't rain or snow, but the impact the weather could have on the roads.

"Rocks will come off the cuts in the sides of the mountain down on route 18," said Perry. "That's going to cause problems for motorists to hit and they won't be able to get through. We have to keep it clear for them."

Clarity was definitely a problem even without road hazards. Thick fog blanketed the area, turning the drive along two lane roads into a crawl.

Conditions were better at Lake Arrowhead, where some people used the misty background for boating. Others were bracing for the early arrival of the first storm of the season.

"I've got cars that I park in the driveway," said Lake Arrowhead resident Kevin Rice. "I don't have a garage so I keep those covered. If it snows, I move them down the driveway."

CalTrans planned to work crews in 12 hour shifts, patrolling roads for debris or potential hazards.

CHP officers are asking motorists to bring warm clothes, chains, and exercise caution in case the predicted dusting at higher elevations turns into white-out conditions..

"Just give yourself some space between you and the car in front of you," said Officer Stan Brake of the California Highway Patrol "Give yourself a little extra time to stop. The roads are going to be slick if the snow does come in."

 

Angry Businesses Delay West Hollywood Fur Ban

Angry Businesses Delay West Hollywood Fur Ban

An outcry from local businesses caused the city of West Hollywood to delay final approval of a controversial ban on the sale of fur apparel products within city limits.

Council members decided to table the ordinance for 30 days while they consider its impact as well as amendments including a possible exemption for vintage clothing.

The ban, which sparked anger and outrage among several local businesses, was tentatively approved Sept. 20.

"The business community is not happy about this," said Genevieve Morrill, president and CEO of the West Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. "We feel it's arbitrary and capricious."

West Hollywood's economy could be hit hard, Morrill said, with some businesses losing as much as 15 percent of their revenue. Since fur is often associated with luxury brands, many high-end businesses may be encouraged to relocate.

West Hollywood Mayor Jeff Duran said the city decided to slow down and take more time to consider the issue because of "a very large outcry from the business community."

"We are trying to balance some contradictory principals that the city has. One is, of course, the principal that we are opposed to any form of animal cruelty; and the other is that we have a fashion district in West Hollywood that is engaged in the selling of fur," Duran said.

Merchants argue that a ban could affect their ability to take designers' full collections of apparel if some pieces were made of fur.  In addition, they say, much of the fur comes from animals that are already used for meat.

"Businesses don’t feel it’s a municipality's role to dictate what they can and can't sell as a business," Morrill said. "It's OK to sit on it but you can't wear it? What about leather?"

"Hopefully we'll be able to tailor something that's narrow and focused, and result in some sort of compromise or accommodation between those two principals," Duran said.

Mayor Pro Tempore Jeffrey Prang said the city has also been working with City Attorney Michael Jenkins to clarify the ordinance's wording and to ensure it would stand up in court if challenged.

"We're still on track," Prang said. "We discovered it’s a little more complicated than it may appear to be. We want to fully understand what the definitions are, what's included, what's excluded."

Prang said the city will be meeting with business leaders over the next 30 days to find ways to make implementing the ordinance easier and to make sure "everybody feels the process was exhaustive."

The city is scheduled to finalize a new draft of the ordinance by its first meeting in November. The ordinance could go into effect as early as Jan. 1, 2012.

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Culprit Sought After Shot Whale Washes Up on NJ Shore

Culprit Sought After Shot Whale Washes Up on NJ Shore

Federal wildlife officials are looking for whoever shot a whale at sea, leaving the animal to wander the ocean in agony for a month or more before it beached itself in New Jersey and died. The culprit could get a year in prison and a hefty fine.

Scott Doyle, an agent in charge of the National Marine Fisheries Service's New Jersey shore office, said his agency is hoping someone comes forward to report the shooter.

"Sometimes what we find is months down the road, you get a disgruntled crew member on a boat, or someone who had an argument with someone else, and then you get a phone call," Doyle said.

The nearly 11-foot-long short-finned pilot whale, which was near death, weighed about 740 pounds but should have tipped the scales at more than 1,000 pounds. It died shortly after police responded, but it wasn't until a necropsy was performed that the cause of death was revealed.

Someone had shot the whale.

The wound near its blow hole had closed and faded somewhat, indicating the animal had been wounded as long as a month ago, said Bob Schoelkopf, co-director of the Marine Mammal Stranding Center. The bullet lodged in the whale's jaw, causing an infection that left it unable to eat.

"This poor animal literally starved to death," Schoelkopf said. "It was wandering around and slowly starving to death because of the infection. Who would do that to an innocent animal?"

That's what federal law enforcement authorities want to know, as well. Whales are among the species protected by the 1972 Marine Mammal Protection Act. Violators can be fined up to $100,000 and sent to prison for a year.

The whale washed up on the beach at Allenhurst, a small Monmouth County town just north of Asbury Park, on Sept. 24.

Schoelkopf said the whale could have been shot anywhere on the East Coast, given the amount of time that it spent losing weight before dying. He said authorities think the bullet, which was recovered from the animal's jaw, came from a .30-caliber rifle.

But Doyle said ballistics tests on the bullet still have not been completed.

"It could have been shot anywhere by numerous persons," he said.

Schoelkopf said shark fishermen commonly carry guns to shoot large sharks they catch before bringing them aboard boats, and speculated that someone on a boat where fishing was slow decided to use the whale for target practice.

"Whoever did this couldn't have been out there alone, and we're hoping somebody who was there speaks up," Schoelkopf said.

He said there have been no other reports of whales being shot on the East Coast, but there remains an investigation into the fatal shootings of several gray seals in Massachusetts this year.

Short-finned pilot whales are part of the dolphin family. They have bulbous melon heads, and their dorsal fin is located far forward on the body. While the animal is swimming, it bears some resemblance to more commonly known species of dolphins.

There have been scattered reports of fishermen shooting at dolphins that they blame for interfering with their catch, although Doyle said he doubts that was the case here.

The whales travel in large groups of 25 to 50 animals, feeding primarily on squid, octopus and fish. According to the national Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, there are about 31,000 pilot whales, both long and short-finned, in the western North Atlantic Ocean.

There are an additional 300 or so off the West Coast of the United States, about 8,800 in Hawaii, and 2,400 in the northern Gulf of Mexico.

California Leads in Reported Anti-Semitic Incidents Nationwide

California Leads in Reported Anti-Semitic Incidents Nationwide

Anti-Semitic incidents surged in California in 2010, making it the worst offender nationwide, according to the Anti-Defamation League.

While the audit found a 2.3 percent increase in incidents over 2009 throughout the states, California incidents rose by 8 percent, from 275 to 297, according to the league's annual Audit of Anti-Semitic Incidents.

Many of the recorded occurrences were concentrated in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Kern counties.

“Honestly, one of the things we do see in terms of trends is a lot of, surprising number of incidents happening in schools and even elementary schools,” said Amanda Susskind, the regional director for the Anti-Defamation League’s Los Angeles Office. “We are kind of surprised about that.”

Rabbi Suzanne Singer of Riverside County’s Temple Beth El elaborated on anti-Semitism in schools.

“In the schools, apparently the kids get so-called jokes said about Jews,” Singer said. “One is, what is the difference between a pizza and a Jew? A Jew doesn’t scream when you put them in the oven. That is a hideous joke.”

“Some kids say they’ve gotten kids doing the Hitler salute,” she added. The Jewish kids tend to not publicize that they are Jewish.

The ADL uses the annual report as an opportunity to bring awareness to resources available nationwide promoting positive human relations.

“We are actually able to come into schools and provide anti-bias training,” Susskind said. “We are happy to be brought into schools to address problems that may be happening.”

One out of five of all hate crimes and 88 percent of hate crimes targeting religious groups in Los Angeles County are anti-Jewish related, according to the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relation’s 2009 Hate Crime Report.

The Jewish community has always been one the largest targets of hate crimes in Los Angeles County, said Robin Toma, the executive director for Los Angeles County’s Human Relations Commission.

“The good thing about anti-Jewish crimes, if there is one, is that there is a lower rate of violent crimes,” Toma added.

The ADL audit reported 220 claims of harassment, 71 for vandalism and six assaults in California in 2010.

If people develop a greater awareness of hate crimes and become more comfortable with talking to first responders, they are more likely to report these crimes, said Det. Christopher Keeling of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“We want the report. We encourage the report. If we don’t get the report, we can’t combat it,” said Keeling, who also participates in the Sheriff’s Department’s Hate Crimes Task Force.

“We need to educate people a lot more about diversity. I think there is not enough understanding of other people’s beliefs," Singer said.

3 Arrested in Sprint Kiosk Robbery

3 Arrested in Sprint Kiosk Robbery

Three men were arrested Tuesday near Westfield Plaza Camino Real in Carlsbad, accused of stealing phones from a Sprint kiosk in the mall.

Carlsbad police arrived to the mall just after 9 a.m. Tuesday and tried to talk with the suspects outside the mall.

The men jumped in a car and drove off. Officers caught up with the car at the dead-end of Home Avenue. Two of the men took off on foot but officers chased after them eventually putting them under arrest.

Officers arrested three suspects including 23-year-old parolee Thamar Moore along with  Dontay Thomas, 23, and Kelvin Veasley, 23.

The men are accused of breaking into two Spring kiosks and stealing cellular phones police said.

Time for Educational Excellence for Philly Children: Nutter

"Let us not be distracted by anything that takes one ounce of attention away from the most important folks involved in public education and those are the children of this city,” declared Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter on Tuesday.

With that, Nutter and state Education Secretary Ronald Tomalis announced Philadelphia schools are getting extra academic and financial oversight as they emerge from a summer of political turmoil.

Nutter and Tomalis appointed a pair of education advisers to work with the district.

Mayor Nutter’s pick is Philadelphia Chief Education Officer Lori Shorr and the Commonwealth is naming experienced educator Edward Williams to serve as full-time Executive Advisors (EA), working with Acting Superintendent Leroy Nunery.

Officials say the positions are temporary and designed to stabilize the state's largest district during a major transition in leadership.

"Let us not be distracted by anything that takes one ounce of attention away from the most important folks involved in public education and those are the children of this city,” said Mayor Nutter.

Former Superintendent Arlene Ackerman and two of five school board members abruptly left over the past several weeks.

“We have no more time for adult foolishness,” said Nutter. “This is a time for educational excellence for children. Let us stay focused."

A new business task force was also announced on Tuesday that will identify ways the schools can run more efficiently. The working group of local management experts, will be chaired by University of Pennsylvania Executive Vice President Craig Carnaroli.

“In many cases, the private sector has served as a model for the public sector on how to efficiently operate an organization,” Tomalis said.

Girl Scouts Money Manager Stole $300K: Prosecutors

Girl Scouts Money Manager Stole $300K: Prosecutors

A woman who managed money for the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York was arrested Wednesday, accused of stealing more than $300,000 from the organization to buy herself groceries, Metro-North railroad tickets, a gym memberhip and a $13,000 diamond ring, among other luxury purchases.

The prosecutor's office said Yaasmin Hooey, 35, began stealing in September 2008 from the Girl Scout Council of Greater New York, where she worked as director of finance. She wrote 65 checks to herself totaling $275,979, forged the signature of GSCGNY's then-CEO, and either cashed them or deposited them into her personal checking account.

Hooey also issued nine unauthorized wire transfers totaling $35,606 from two GSCGNY bank accounts into her own personal checking account.

According to court documents, Hooey used the money to pay for everyday expenses such as groceries, Metro-North Railroad tickets, a gym membership and clothing.

She also paid for cosmetic laser procedures, cruises, travel and concert tickets, and spent more than $18,000 in restaurants and bars, according to the documents.

Hooey also bought a $13,000 diamond ring, the prosecutor's office.

Hooey is charged as well with failing to file her state personal income tax returns for 2008 and 2009, and of intentionally failing to include the $142,077 she stole in 2010.

"The defendant's charged crimes not only violated the trust of the Girl Scout organization, but the trust of the girls that the organization serves," Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance said in a statement. "The District Attorney's Office will continue to aggressively investigate and prosecute crimes against nonprofit organizations." 

Hooey was charged Tuesday with grand larceny, forgery, criminal possession of a forged instrument, falsifying business records, and criminal tax fraud.

It was not immediately clear whether Hooey had an attorney.

Coroner IDs Man Found in 2nd Car in Ravine

Coroner IDs Man Found in 2nd Car in Ravine

The Los Angeles County Coroner on Tuesday confirmed the identity of a body found in a vehicle at the bottom of a 200-foot ravine off a mountain road in the Angeles National Forest last week.

Melvin Gelfand, of Los Angeles, was identified through dental records, said Lt. Fred Corral of the Coroner's office.

Last week, NBC LA was able to identify Gelfand as the owner of the crashed vehicle, although the coroner's official report was not released until this week.

Gelfand was last seen Sept. 14. His family said the 88-year-old was headed to a casino in San Diego, but never made it.

His body was discovered while authorities were rescuing another man whose vehicle also plunged off Lake Hughes Road into the cliff.

"We just wanted to thank that courageous family that found their father alive and thank God that they did," said Gelfand's son-in-law, Will Matlack, last week.

"We hope to meet with them and maybe join with them in trying to make this road safer. Because, you know, how many cars have to run off this road a week? One or two a week? Should that be enough to make it a safer road? I would think so. So that's one of the things we're focusing on now," Matlack said.

Dave LaVau, 67, survived six days before rescue.

LA County Renews Reward in Bryan Stow Case

LA County Renews Reward in Bryan Stow Case

In an effort to gather more information about the March 31 assault on a San Francisco Giants fan at Dodger Stadium, county officials renewed a $25,000 reward Tuesday.

The Bryan Stow Case: Timeline, Court Documents

The reward, set to expire Oct. 17, was extended to at least Jan. 15. The reward is for information leading to a conviction in the case of Bryan Stow, a 42-year-old Bay Area paramedic who was attacked in a stadium parking lot on opening day.

A total of $225,000 has been offered+, including more than $100,000 from the Dodgers, $50,000 from the LA City Council and $50,000 from radio personality Tom Leykis.

As for Stow, family members recently posted a series of positive updates. He remains hospitalized in San Francisco, but was described as "more responsive" and "getting stronger" in a recent blog post from his family.

The criminal case against two suspects is the subject of a Nov. 3 court date at which a preliminary hearing date will be scheduled. Louie Sanchez, 29, and Marvin Norwood, 30, are charged in the attack.

Last month, a judge ruled that Stow's children should be dismissed from a lawsuit filed on behalf of Stow against McCourt and 13 Dodger entities. All other allegations in the lawsuit, filed May 24, were permitted.

Call detectives at 213-486-6890 to provide information about the assault.

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National Cathedral to Re-Open Nov. 12

National Cathedral to Re-Open Nov. 12

Officials at Washington National Cathedral have announced that the building will re-open to the public on Nov. 12 for the consecration of the Episcopal Bishop of Washington, but millions of dollars are needed to offset restoration and operating costs through the end of next year.

The Cathedral has been closed to the public since the Aug. 23 earthquake, which damaged the central and west front towers of the building. Cathedral officials cited the need to stabilize damaged areas as the reason for the delay. An operation to place 70 tons worth of steel beams in the damaged central tower is ongoing.  Worship services and other events previously scheduled to be held at the Cathedral have had to be moved elsewhere while work continues.

Cathedral officials also confirmed that tens of millions of dollars would be required to offset repair,  restoration, and operating costs through the end of 2012. The Cathedral hopes to raise at least $25 million through the continuation of an aggressive fund-raising effort. The short-term priorities of these fund-raising efforts would be the stabilization of the building, the re-opening of the Cathedral, and the continuation of its operations and missions

"The Cathedral has been entrusted to us as an important resource and national treasure to serve as the spiritual home for the nation," said the Rev. Dr. James P. Wind, chair of the Cathedral's governing board, the Cathedral Chapter. "We take that trust very seriously and will do everything necessary to restore the building to the condition our national community of supporters has come to expect."

Full restoration of the Cathedral is expected to take years.

Prowler Preys on Mission Beach Residents

Twice in one night, a burglar struck in Mission Beach. The victims' homes were just blocks from each other. Now, San Diego police are reminding residents to lock their doors at night.

A prowler walked into a home on Lido Court early Tuesday police said. Then, three minutes later, a burglar entered a home on Manhattan Court just two blocks away.

San Diego police investigators believe the same suspect is responsible for both breakins and entered the residences through unlocked doors.

The burglar was trying to steal items from inside, but in both cases the residents woke up, scaring the suspect away police said.

Many who live in the area are part-time renters and college students.

"Anytime something like that happens it's somewhat disturbing but the hope would be you are aware of your surroundings you lock up at night and don't go to bed with the doors open," said resident Helena Rashkow.

One of the victims spoke with NBCSanDiego but didn't want to be identified. She said she was not physically harmed but was still shaken up.

San Diego Area Parks Closed

San Diego Area Parks Closed

A few campgrounds and parks in San Diego closed this week because of cuts to the California budget.

Doane Valley Campground, Cedar Grove Camp, Granite Springs Environmental Campground and Cuyamaca Rancho State Park all closed on Oct. 2 and have no plans for reopening.

A few factors were taken into consideration when closing down the parks, including park attendance and revenue. Some parks are safe from closure, because of their status as an “Outstanding and Representative Park.” Meaning parks such as Torrey Pines State Reserve or San Onofre State Beach cannot be closed because they contain notable geographical or historical features.

The California Department of Parks and Recreation issued a statement earlier in the year warning of park closures in order to achieve an $11 million reduction for the 2011/2012 fiscal year. Up to 70 of the 278 parks could be closed by July 2012.

Ex-Cop Castro: I Don't Deserve This Punishment

Ex-Cop Castro: I Don't Deserve This Punishment

Former Philadelphia police inspector Danny Castro vowed to fight the five year prison term he was slapped with on Tuesday, contending as he has all along, that he is the victim in a federal extortion case.

"I'm no criminal. I'm no thief," Castro said outside court. "I certainly don't deserve the punishment that was handed down today."

Castro, 48, was once a rising star in the department who aspired to be Police Commissioner. That is, until he "behaved like a common criminal," according to Assistant U.S. Attorney Louis D. Lappen.

Castro made a bad investment and when he couldn't get his $60,000 back on his own, the feds say Castro resorted to finding someone who could strong-arm the investor. The feds say Castro consented to using physical force, if that what it took to get his money, plus an additional $30,000 back. Castro didn't know it at the time, but his middle man was working undercover for the FBI.

When Castro's case went to trial in the spring, the jury found him guilty of lying to the FBI, but deadlocked on eight of the 10 charges. After that, facing a retrial, Castro entered a guilty plea to a charge of conspiracy to commit extortion. That's what he was sentenced for on Tuesday. But Castro, his mother and the 15 other people who testified on his behalf, pleading for community service in lieu of prison, were stunned when the judge gave him more prison time than the federal guidelines recommended.

Lappen said the judge wanted to make a strong statement.

"To send a message to the community that the justice system will not tolerate this conduct, particularly from a high-ranking police officer," Lappen said.

Castro's story has always been that he was betrayed by two men he considered friends. His supporters contended that he was a good cop, a good civil servant who one day had a temporary lapse in judgment. A man "who I believe should not go to jail but. . .use this as a potential teaching moment for young people and to continue to serve the community in another capacity," said Councilwoman Maria Quinones-Sanchez.

Going from top cop to tarnished cop didn't happen in a day, the prosecutor argued.

"This was not a bad day for Mr. Castro, this was not a momentary lapse of judgment. This was a crime committed over several months, repeatedly, again and again," said Lappen.

Castro has to report to federal prison by November 15, 2011.

Police Hunt Missing Leesburg Teens

Police Hunt Missing Leesburg Teens

The Loudoun County Sheriff's Office and Leesburg Police are looking for two missing teenagers who are believed to be together and are considered endangered.

Michael "Mike" Elsea, 16, and Danielle Maze, also 16, are both from Leesburg. The two were reported missing Tuesday and are believed to be travelling in a silver 1999 Chrysler minivan with Virginia handicap tags 326135. Law enforcement personnel are concerned for their welfare based on statements made by Elsea that he may want to harm himself.

Elsea is described as being 6 feet tall and weighing approximately 140 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray jacket, jeans, and a red-and-white baseball cap.

Maze is described as being 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighing approximately 150 pounds with blonde hair and blue eyes.

Anyone who knows the whereabouts of the teens or the vehicle is asked to call the Loudoun County Sheriff's Office at 703-777-1021 or the Leesburg Police Department at 703-771-4500.

At 15, NASCAR Racer Drives Home Point About Texting and Driving

When Andrew Murray races in a NASCAR event later this month in Roseville, he'll still need a ride to the track from his parents.

Murray turned 15 years old Monday, meaning he's six months away from getting a provisional driver's permit from the California Department of Motor Vehicles, but not too young to compete in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West race on Oct. 15. He'll become the youngest driver in that series' nearly 60-year history.

"I get to drive to school, but I still have to have my mom in the passenger's seat," Murray, of Temecula, said when asked whether he was excited about getting his learner's permit.

Like many professional race car drivers, Murray started small -- go-kart racing. He drove karts for seven years and learned the basics from several instructors.

"I had a lot of driving coaches teaching me driving lines, and now it's just all about getting comfortable with the car and learning your lines as you go," Murray said.

He has earned respect among fellow drivers. When he's with them, it's racer talk -- car setup, pit strategy, track conditions.

But when he's with his teen-age classmates, Murray takes on a more important subject -- the dangers of texting and driving.

"Being a race car driver, I know what little distraction you can have while driving and get into an accident because of it," Murray said.

In California, it's a violation to write, send, or read text-based communication on a wireless device when operating a motor vehicle.

But nearly 86 percent of teens admit to texting while driving, according to the Automobile Club of Southern California. That's a frightening statistic, but Murray presents other numbers that drive home his point.

For example, drivers are four times more likely to get into an accident when texting and driving, according to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

"What I want them to know is texting while driving is very, very dangerous," he said. "When I talk to (my friends) about all the stats, it impacts them."

Related: Pledge to Make Our Roads Safer

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Former Marine Turned Murderer Headed for Trial

Former Marine Turned Murderer Headed for Trial

A former Camp Pendleton Marine turned convicted murderer will travel from Illinois’ death row back to California to stand trial for the deaths of five women, including San Diegan Maryann Wells

Prosecutors in Southern California believe Andrew Urdiales shot and killed Wells, 31, in downtown San Diego in 1988. Wells, a prostitute, was found murdered on Second Avenue.

Orange County prosecutors said Tuesday that 47-year-old Andrew Urdiales will arrive Thursday to be prosecuted in the cases from Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties that stretch from 1986 to 1995.

Prosecutors say Urdiales killed four of the Southern California women while stationed at various military facilities in the region.

He is accused of killing the fifth woman while on vacation in Palm Springs in 1995, and was arrested the following year in Indiana.

Prosecutors had to wait to transport Uridales to California until after the evidentiary portion of his death penalty appeal concluded in Illinois.

Urdiales was convicted in Illinois for killing two women in 2002 and another in 2004.

Uridales allegedly confessed to the murders in 1987, while he was being prosecuted for three slayings in Chicago.

Orange County will prosecute all five cases in a consolidated proceeding.

Crashed Chopper Pilot Made Emergency Landing in Brooklyn in 2006

Crashed Chopper Pilot Made Emergency Landing in Brooklyn in 2006

Paul Dudley is the same pilot who safely landed a Cessna 172 in Calvert Vaux Park near Coney Island in November 2006.

On the morning of Nov. 14, 2006, Dudley took off from Linden Airport in New Jersey to fly to Westhampton Beach Airport on southeastern Long Island in his 28-year-old Cessna.

It's normally a 100-mile trip that takes about 35 to 40 minutes in the aircraft, and it was a route he had been flying over 20 years, he told reporters at the time.

At around 10:30 a.m., the engine in Dudley's Cessna quit. The plane was over Calvert Vaux Park, which juts out of Brooklyn into Coney Island Creek.

Dudley landed his plane in an empty field in the park, taxiing about 150 feet before coming to a stop.

No one was hurt, and the chopper was not damaged.

“I detected something wrong with the airplane, and rather than risk going across the water and maybe or maybe not making it, this was the closest available field,” Mr. Dudley told reporters in the park after the landing. “You’re trained to look for places to land. That’s all there is to it.”

"This was tailor-made," Dudley told the Daily News. "I couldn't have asked for a better place to land - except an airport."

Dudley compared the engine failure to "getting a blowout with your car on the highway," and said it was a nonevent, the New York Times reported at the time.

The National Transportation Safety Board told the Times it would not be looking into the landing because it did not qualify as an accident.

Liquor Store Owner Charged After Fire Deaths

Liquor Store Owner Charged After Fire Deaths

A North Texas liquor store owner has been charged with selling alcohol to a teenager who died later that night with five friends in a fire.

Hood County Fire Marshal Brian Fine says teens and others fell asleep after drinking at a March birthday party.

Fine says alcohol consumption may have been a factor in preventing them from escaping the accidental fire in the mobile home in Granbury, south of Fort Worth. The six victims were ages 16 to 30.

Authorities said Tuesday James Joseph Buckley, owner and sole employee of USA Liquor, previously known as Fuggedaboutit Liquor has been charged with two counts of selling alcoholic beverages to a minor. The misdemeanor is punishable by a fine up to $4,000 and/or up to a year in jail.

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission also wants to revoke the liquor license of USA Liquor.

Chris Christie: Now Is Not My Time

Chris Christie: Now Is Not My Time

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie told the people of New Jersey Tuesday: “You’re stuck with me.”

The straight-shooting governor that many Republicans hoped would make a bid for the White House officially announced Tuesday afternoon that he will not run for President in the 2012 election.

“Now is not my time. I have a commitment to New Jersey that I simply will not abandon,” Christie said in his 1 p.m. speech from the New Jersey Statehouse. “It just didn’t feel right to me to leave before the job was done.”

Christie's decision was revealed by anonymous sources close to the governor hours before the press conference.

In his address and while answering questions, the governor repeatedly stated that he seriously reflected on the decision after several “very serious people” and “all kinds of regular folks” begged him to consider the role of Presidential candidate.

The governor stoked the speculation with a high-profile speech last week at the Ronald Reagan presidential library in Simi Valley, Calif., where he reiterated that he wasn't running for president

But after weeks of mulling it over, the answer was still no, Christie said.

“In the end, the deciding factor was that it did not feel right, to me, in my gut, to leave now when the job is not finished,” he said. “I asked for this job. I fought hard to get this job.”

Christie dispelled any rumors that his family did not want him to run, swaying his decision.

“Mary Pat and the kids were completely behind me running,” Christie said.

By declining to run, Christie leaves many in the Republican Party looking to former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Texas Gov. Rick Perry, and Texas Congressman Ron Paul.

When asked if he would consider running for president in the future, Christie told a reporter:

"I have an interest in being employed in the future...whether it be president or working for NBC."

Marathon Profile: James Vergara

Some might call James Vergara an overachiever. He would say he is passionate.

As an Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent law student, editor of Chicago-Kent's Journal of Intellectual Property and Law Review, and a volunteer at the Chinatown Pro Bono Legal Clinic, Vergara doesn't always have time for everything.

But he makes time for running -- at 1 a.m., between classes, whenever.

"Running is a big passion," Vergara explains. "I make it a point to run even if that means late at night like 1 a.m. If you love something so much, you will find time."

This weekend he will join thousands to run the 2011 Bank of America Chicago Marathon.

Vergara is no stranger to marathons. The Oct. 9 race will be his 4th since 2009. He first ran the Chicago marathon in 2009 and achieved a personal best of 3 hours and 23 seconds.

He also ran the Berlin and Tokyo marathons and hopes to complete the five marathon majors:  Chicago, Boston, London, Berlin and New York.

But Chicago holds a special place in his heart.

It's one of his favorites because of the flat ground and the larger community.

"I love the crowd," he said. "Every neighborhood you have a different crowd. Absolute strangers cheering for your success is absolutely lovely."

It takes hard work, though. Vergara has been training since June.

His advice for first-timers? Remember to stay hydrated. "The weather is so unpredictable," he said. "Water is key."

Where You Can Watch Chef Fabio Cook Gnocchi

Where You Can Watch Chef Fabio Cook Gnocchi

If you're a fan of Bravo's "Top Chef" series, you've got to be a fan of Fabio.

The owner of Café Firenze, Italian Restaurant and Martini Bar, Chef Fabio Viviani never had a problem pouring on the charm when called upon while competing for Top Chef.

Now, he's going to be in San Diego cooking up gnocchi.

Viviani is scheduled to appear at The Gourmet Experience's Gourmet Saturday, Oct. 8 at 3 p.m.

For more information on reserve seating for the demonstration, go to the event's website. Tickets are $25 for a single day pass or $40 for a weekend pass.

Gov. Signs New Clemency Law

Gov. Signs New Clemency Law

Governor Brown has approved a new law that requires 'victim notifications' when a prisoner is being considered for clemency.

The new bill will require the Governor to give a 10-day notice to the District Attorney's office, before acting on an application for clemency.

During a press conference at the San Diego District Attorney's office, the two assemblymen who authored the bill, Nathan Fletcher and Marty Block, stood with supporters to celebrate.

District Attorney Bonnie Dumanis says the law will change the justice system for the better.

"No longer will victims have the rugs pulled out from underneath them with a secret communication to help a friend," Dumanis said during the press conference.

In January, former Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was criticized for shortening the prison sentence of Esteban Nunez, from 16 to 7 years, and not notifying the victim's family beforehand.

Nunez stabbed Luis Santos to death near SDSU after Esteban Nunez and his friends started a fight with him at a party near San Diego State University.

Nunez's father is a former state legislator and good friend of Schwarenegger's

Luis' parents Fred and Kathy Santos were in attendance at Tuesday's press conference. The Santos' are pursuing a civil lawsuit that could keep Nunez in jail.