21 October 2011

Marines Upset by Slashed Tuition Assistance

Marines Upset by Slashed Tuition Assistance

The U.S. Marine Corps drastically cut what it will pay for Marines to take classes, and some Marines say that's a big hit to morale.

Three active-duty Marines spoke to News4 on condition of anonymity for fear of getting in trouble with the corps.  They’re upset about a recent change to a tuition assistance program used to further their education while serving the country.

The Department of Defense allows enlisted soldiers of all branches to spend $3,500 a year for their education. But according to the Marine Corps website, starting Oct. 1, the Marine Corps cut that figure to $875, “which would only allow Marines to take one class a year,” a Marine said.

“One of the reasons that I personally joined the Marine Corps was for education,” a Marine said. “Right now, I can tell you off the spot the morale just isn’t high. This really is a big hit for all enlisted ranks.”

This is different from the Montgomery GI Bill, which entitles enlisted soldiers a monthly education stipend after completing the minimum required service.

“The Marine Corps said that they had polled the Marines and that they only attend one class per year. I can tell you right now that personally, I attend four classes per year and am a full-time Marine, so that’s definitely not true, and I don’t know where they go their numbers from.”

“I feel blindsided, definitely feel blindsided because we never got any word of no survey, how it was conducted, how it looks like, when it was sent out, never got an email, phone call, anything.”

These Marines said this new rule will force them to delay their education or dip into their Montgomery GI Bill assistance early -- something they hoped to use to further their education or for their family after getting out of the service.

“Honestly, a lot of Marines are going to start getting out, transferring over to the other services, maybe getting out entirely and getting a civilian job.”

“We feel like we’re being targeted. Why the Marines, when we’re the first to fight, we’re the first to be out there making the ultimate sacrifice, for the country, for our family, for our freedom? It just isn’t fair.”

News4 sent email and made phone calls to the Marine Corps but has not heard back.

Ex-DC Worker Sentenced in Summer Jobs Attempted Sex Abuse

Ex-DC Worker Sentenced in Summer Jobs Attempted Sex Abuse

A man who pleaded guilty to making sexual advances on a teenage girl who was participating in a summer employment program has been sentenced to almost three years in prison.

Thomas Nelson was sentenced Friday in D.C. Superior Court to 33 months in prison.

The 55-year-old Nelson pleaded guilty in August to a charge of attempted sexual abuse of a minor. Prosecutors said Nelson was supervising the girl and other teenagers who were participating in the District of Columbia's Summer Youth Employment Program.

Nelson exposed himself to the girl, touched her inappropriately, and later sent her a text message directing her not to tell anyone, prosecutors said. The girl told her mother, and Nelson was then arrested.

The Big One: Ready to Rebuild After Quake?

Even though California is a hot spot for earthquakes, many homeowners feel they don't need quake insurance.

Special Section: Earthquake Info, Maps, Resources

It's a fact that "in our lifetime" we will experience a "large, damaging earthquake," said Pablo Ampuero, assistant professor of seismology at CalTech.

"We are basically all threatened by the San Andreas Fault because it's such a large fault. The amount of damage can depend on where the rupture starts," said Ampuero. "But there are also faults that are called blindfolds and we don't know where they are."

The 1994 Northridge quake came from a blindfold, Ampuero said.

Los Angeles sits on a soft soil basin and that means, said Ampuero, the shaking from a large quake could last for a long time, leading to greater devastation in densely populated areas.

Just as earthquakes are a part of life in the Golden State, Chris Nance of the California Earthquake Authority said earthquake insurance should be as well.

"Earthquake insurance gives you the peace of mind that you have the strength to rebuild after an event," said the C.E.A.'s Chief Communications Officer.

Nance said many people think the federal government will act like an insurance policy after a disaster or devastating earthquake.

"Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. While FEMA, the federal government agency that deals with disasters, may have some assistance," he said. "First, you have to qualify and secondly, it may only be up to $30,000."

But don't wait for a shaker to buy quake insurance, said Nance.

"There's a period of time after an [earthquake] that we require new policy holders to wait before the policy becomes active," said Nance.

The reason for that, he said, is the likelihood of aftershocks.

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Eight Lake Forest Marijuana Dispensaries Closed

Eight Lake Forest Marijuana Dispensaries Closed

Eviction notices from local and federal authorities have shut down eight medical marijuana dispensaries in Lake Forest after years of litigation and more than $600,000 in legal fees.

The closures come almost two weeks after four U.S. attorneys in California announced they would crack down on the state’s growing medical marijuana industry.

The dispensaries at 26402 Raymond Way held suites on the second floor of a strip mall, and included Lake Forest Patients Group, Pharmers' Choice, Cannabis Permanente, Evergreen Holistic, Cooperative, Florentina Organic, Independent Collective of Orange County and The Health Collective.

Lake Forest zoning code prohibits operations that are not specifically noted in the code, or anything that violates state or federal law, said Debra Rose, Lake Forest deputy city manager.

The marijuana dispensaries operating out of the strip mall’s second floor fall under both categories, Rose said.

More than 100 patients, caregivers and dispensary owners attended the Lake Forest City Council meeting Tuesday to demand the pot shops be reopened, according to the Orange County Register.

"This is serious. It's the end of the line. It wasn't right for them to call in the federal government,” Kandice Hawes, executive director of Orange County NORML, told the OC Register. “It's inappropriate to take something that is state law, and make it illegal. You're driving people onto the streets. Why aren't you protecting us?"

Lake Forest City Council did not take action after Tuesday’s public comment and has not taken a stand on medical marijuana, Rose said, but its ultimate goal is to see the dispensaries close their doors.

Two Lake Forest dispensaries remain open, according to the OC Register.

In 1996, Californians voted in favor of Proposition 215, which created a defense for individuals charged with the possession of marijuana. If brought to court in California, the law allowed charged individuals to defend themselves by claiming the substance was physician-prescribed.

But the cultivation, distribution and possession of marijuana remained illegal under the federal Controlled Substance Act.

In addition to the local case, the collectives are juggling a federal lawsuit, which opponents have until Nov. 5 to appeal, said Thom Mrozek, spokesman for the U.S. attorney office.

“Lake Forest requested the assistance of the federal government to eradicate (dispensaries) in the city,” Mrozek said.

The federal lawsuit will stay in place even if the dispensaries are no longer functioning, Mrozek said.

Medical marijuana advocates said the closures could force displaced patients to travel for their medication or turn to illicit market.

“It’s not just in California where these aggressive attacks are taking place,” said Kris Hermes, spokesman for Americans for Safe Access. “The outcome is these facilities that patients rely on shut down, (giving them) no other options.”

The Lake Forest collectives opened as early as 2008 and have been facing legal problems since, said attorney Vincent Howard, who represents Lake Forest Patients Group and Independent Collective of Orange County.

Howard said the cluster of dispensaries grew from circumstances.

“They’re all in one location because it’s hard to find a landlord who will allow (them),” he said.

Nearly $130,000 in assets was frozen from the account of Youssef Ibrahim, building owner, according to court documents.

Ibrahim gave his tenants a three-day eviction notice earlier in the week, Howard said.

“My clients are not going to fight it because they understand what (the landlord had to do),” he added.

A hearing for the city’s lawsuit is scheduled for mid-November.

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Protester Camps Killing Tax-Funded Grass at McPherson Square

Protester Camps Killing Tax-Funded Grass at McPherson Square

Some of your stimulus tax dollars have been protested to death.

Federal money paid for improvements to McPherson Square earlier this year, including refurbished benches, light poles, water fountains, fencing and sod.

Then three weeks ago, protesters with Occupy D.C. moved in, camping on the new grass.

Now the National Park Service says the protesters have killed much of the new grass that was put there.

According to the Washington Examiner, it could cost $200,000 to replace it.

Protesters told the Examiner they're not happy with what the camp has done to the grass, and they're taking steps to try to lessen their impact.

But one protester from Gaithersburg, Joe Gray, 23, told the Examiner "this is our home, too."

Stricken Italian Tourist Leaves San Diego With New Liver

Stricken Italian Tourist Leaves San Diego With New Liver

An Italian woman who arrived in California on vacation two months ago is leaving San Diego for home Saturday with a new liver, thanks to UCSD Medical Center.

Monica Rossi was stricken with a critical case of Hepatitis B, and wound up comatose for almost two weeks.

"And one day I woke up and (her husband) told me, 'You have a new liver'," Rossi recalled during a news conference Friday in Hillcrest. "And I said, 'Why? Mine works, mine works very well. Why do I have a new liver'?"

Rossi, her husband and their three young children had visited San Francisco, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park before her liver failed in Los Angeles, on the eve of a Disneyland outing.

Friends in San Diego helped get her admitted to UCSD Medical Center, which quickly arranged for a liver donation and transplant.

"If a liver had not been available within a 12-hour period for Monica,” said UCSD transplant surgeon Dr. Alan Hemming, "she would not be here with us today, and be able to share her life with her children."

The operation involved using a catheterization procedure pioneered by a UCSD School of Medicine graduate, to cool Rossi's blood to 33 degrees Celsius (91.4 degrees Fahrenheit) to reduce the brain swelling that followed her liver failure.

"So when they took the (intubation) tube out," recounted her husband, Michail Perackis, "they asked her 'Please tell us your name'. And she said, 'Monica'. And then the second thing she told us was (she wanted) a kiss from me ... so it was very moving."

Rossi said she was in and out of a fog of "weird" dreams from the time she was stricken until a week to ten days after her transplant surgery in late August.

"It's like something that happened to another person and not to me," said Rossi, " because I have no idea of reality. Mine is my dreams, this is for real -- not what happened, exactly."

Perackis -- a business consultant in the family's hometown of Bergamo, northeast of Milan -- faced a different reality involving emergency planning, child-care and travel arrangements for two sons and a daughter under the age of nine who had to return to Italy, and financing Rossi's medical care.

Through fundraising drives here and at home, and arrangements with UCSD Health Care Systems and Italian national health coverage, Perackis said the costs will be affordable.

"Now, I can say it was a great experience, a human experience," is how he summarizes the ordeal. "In the beginning I didn't have the time to think about that, so I'm very happy it happened like this. And now it's almost over."

With her kids with relatives and back in school in Italy, Rossi stayed at the hospital's Bannister Family House, receiving eight visits from Perackis.

They've become strong advocates for the cause of liver donations -- and vaccinations against Hepatitis B.

"It's a huge issue that I'd like to get out," said Hemming. "For people to donate, and see what effect you can have on people's lives."

Doctors say that with medications, Rossi should have a normal lifespan.

For her part, Rossi expressed gratitude for the surgical team's empathy as well as professional skills.

"I feel they really cared for me," she said. "Not just because it's their work."

 

Local Families Applaud Iraq Troop Withdrawal

Local Families Applaud Iraq Troop Withdrawal

Candida Torre wants to believe what President Obama said Friday. She wants to believe that the 40,000 troops still in Iraq will come home, alive, unlike her own son.

Jose Torre, just 21, was an Army Combat Engineer. He was killed in January by a rocket propelled grenade.

His mother says she would never second guess his decision to enlist.

"He died for our country," she says. "He died for our freedom. I believe in what he did."

She wonders about President Obama's promise.

"Unless he says every one of them is coming home, I’d say err on the side of caution," she says.

Laura Sharma's son will be home in a matter of weeks.

"We should never have been there,"  she says.

Matthew Serrano went straight to Iraq out of boot camp. He is an Infantryman, whose platoon was deployed in April.

Sharma says she tried to talk her 25 year old son out of joining the military.

"I knew the reasons we were there, but I didn’t believe in it. I think our kids should have their own destiny."

Sharma and Torre have different opinions about the Iraq War, but they are working together toward a common goal. They're raising money for military families who are unable to pay for things like baby showers and burial transportation costs. They sell bracelets made by the soldiers and think about the history of all American wars.

"The American people need to look back," says  Torre. "All wars were fought because nobody could agree on what we should be doing."

Both women are working with an organization called "Honoring Our Fallen."

Brickyard Cemetery Project Needs Funding

Mesquite and the Mesquite NAACP want to build a memorial to raise awareness of a historic cemetery.

About 80 African-American workers of the Ferris Brick Company and their family members were buried in the early 1900s. The Mesquite brick company opened in 1904 and closed in the 1950s.

The Brickyard Cemetery is now an open field hidden between a railroad track and a drainage ditch. It does not have an official marker memorializing the site.

Bill Holliman, of the Mesquite NAACP, and the city want to raise $90,000 to erect a memorial for public awareness.

"What we have here is an opportunity to build a memorial for a group of people who worked under adverse conditions and survived," said Holliman, the leader of the project.

The city of Mesquite acquired ownership of the Brickyard Cemetery and the surrounding acreage in 2001 and has been maintaining it.

But over the years, people have vandalized and thrown trash in the area. Just this week, a makeshift memorial marking the cemetery was taken down, and there are no leads on what happened to it.

"It's an unknown," said Cliff Kehely, of the city of Mesquite. "If you haven't been in the city for the past 50 years, you wouldn't know that this cemetery exists at all. It's one of those hidden historical facts about Mesquite that this cemetery was here, that the brickyard was here, and that's one of our goals with the memorial, is to raise awareness of Mesquite's history."

For some residents, it's about putting a face to those who are long forgotten.

"If we don't recognize that someone built us up, then it will be history that's lost," Winston Solomon said.

Once the memorial is erected, the City and the NAACP will work with groups to restore some of the headstones and artifacts.

Md. Man Pleads Guilty in 1980 Kidnapping, Assault

Md. Man Pleads Guilty in 1980 Kidnapping, Assault

A Maryland man pleaded guilty in a 31-year-old kidnapping and sex assault case in Pennsylvania.

John Leroy Kroll pleaded guilty Thursday in the cross-border kidnapping of a then-9-year-old girl from Cumberland, Md., the Altoona Mirror reported.

Kroll was scheduled to go in trial in Bedford County court but pleaded guilty instead to charges including attempted homicide, aggravated assault and indecent assault.

Kroll took the girl in March 1980 then drove to southern Pennsylvania and assaulted the girl with a broom handle, prosecutors said. He was convicted in Maryland and sentenced to life in prison but the conviction was overturned because the sex crime happened out of state.

Sentencing is set for January 12. District Attorney Bill Higgins told The Mirror he hopes Kroll will die in prison.

Ex-DC Cop Gets 15 Years for Role in 2009 Robbery

Ex-DC Cop Gets 15 Years for Role in 2009 Robbery

A former D.C. police officer was sentenced to 15 years in prison for acting as a lookout during a robbery that ended in the death of one of the suspects.

Reginald Jones was sentenced Friday in D.C. Superior Court after pleading guilty last year to charges of second-degree murder and conspiracy to commit robbery.

The 42-year-old Jones, who was on duty at the time of the December 2009 robbery attempt, used his police cruiser to clear out the area and to act as a lookout, prosecutors said. He drove away after the robbery went awry and ignored a woman who ran to his cruiser pleading for help, authorities said.

The victim fought back and was shot by Arvel Crawford during the crime, but he survived, authorities said. Crawford also shot his father and fellow conspirator Arvel Alston, who died.

Three other defendants pleaded guilty for their roles in the robbery.

"Mill Fire" Shuts Down Highway 38 in San Bernardino

Firefighters responded to a wildland fire burning Friday on Highway 38, east of Bryant Street near Mentone, according to the San Bernardino National Forest Twitter page.

The 150-acre fire, since named “Mill Fire,” is 25 percent contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported.

Due to the Mill Fire, the highway has been shutdown to all traffic between Bryant Street and Forest Falls, according to California Highway Patrol.

The highway is expected to open within one to two hours, San Bernardino Fire Department officials said at 3:45 p.m.

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Mayor Paints Rosy Picture in Arlington

Unlike in years past, Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck had nothing but good news to deliver in his annual State of the City address.

“The state of the city this year is very rosy,” Cluck said Friday just before his annual address.

The city's rosy state includes a $4 million surplus.

“The convention and hotel businesses have really risen to the top here in Arlington," he said. "There’s also the Cowboys and the Rangers.”

The mayor was quick to point out that without the booming convention business, Arlington would have 10,000 fewer jobs to offer.

While accommodating and entertaining -- from conventions and hotels to sports and Six Flags Over Texas -- are two of the biggest games in town, city officials admit that they’re not enough to rely on.

“I would never be satisfied just thinking it would work every year," Cluck said. "I think we have to make it work, and we’re prepared to do that. I know the Rangers are going to be here, the Cowboys are going to be here, and they’re good for us. But you never know when something untold is going to occur."

He said the expansion of existing industries and the recruitment of new ones needs to happen.

“We want another hotel, a new hotel," he said. "We’re closing in on a couple that we think that would be good."

As Arlington continues to grow, the lack of public transportation is the one glaring difference between it and cities its size and larger. While the city has been on board, enough residents have resisted to park the issue, Cluck said.

“It’s been voted down by residents -- by wide margins," he said. "We’re always on the lookout for something to remedy [transportation], but I don’t think we’re close at this stage. Yes, most big cities, especially cities like ours that have 100 square miles, do have some transportation. We have rudimentary transportation. It’s not what you see in Dallas or Fort Worth.”

Despite the comparison, Cluck also quickly moved Arlington out from under the shadow cast by some of its big-city neighbors.

“It’s not a contest," he said. "I want everyone to do well.”

Good Time for Fall Planting

North Texas nurseries are getting ready for a busy weekend.

The cooler fall weather is driving people outdoors to spruce up their yards, and plant experts say now is a good time to plant.

Ginsy Christman has patiently been waiting for the right time to give her lawn a makeover.

"I came in to the nursery to say hello to my tree that I bought about three weeks ago," she said.

She's not alone.

"People are sick of the brown," said Kathleen Soderlund, an employee at Meador Nursery. "There are people who are replacing trees. They are migrating towards more drought- tolerant plants. A lot of people want color."

Soderlund said it is prime time for fall planting. This comes after a brutal summer that wiped out yards across the region.

"Anything that was not established -- and that could have been things that weren't planted more than five years ago -- suffered," Soderlund said. "A lot of people lost things that are normally sun loving and drought tolerant. It was a costly event."

As the weather changes, North Texans say they are anxious to bring new life to their lawns.

"Two or three weeks ago, there was no water in the ground, but now there is," Christman said.

But experts say people shouldn't let the recent rainfall fool them. Plants need extra attention and extra water this fall and winter.

"We are still officially in a drought, so be mindful of that," Soderlund said. "If it doesn't rain, we still need to hydrate our plants."

Crowe Family Receives More than $7M

The family of murdered teen Stephanie Crowe will receive a $7.2 million settlement from a case against the cities the Oceanside and Escondido.

The federal civil rights case involved the confessions gained from Escondido police and an Oceanside officer from Stephanie’s brother Michael and his friend, Joshua Treadway. The courts later stated that the officers coerced the statements from the two.

Michael sued the city of Escondido and Oceanside. The trial was set to begin next week, but on Friday, the Crowe family reached a settlement offer, according to our media partner, the North County Times.

Collin County Manufacturers Looking to Hire

Collin County Manufacturers Looking to Hire

Manufacturing businesses say they are having trouble finding potential employees with the right skill sets.

The unemployment rate in Texas hovers at about 8.5 percent, but the manufacturing industry has plenty of job vacancies.

"It's always going to be around," said Virgil Gist, owner of Plano Sheet Metal. "Everyone is always going to need metal products."

Gist said he has two vacancies, but filling them is matter of getting the right person with the right skill set.

"It's getting guys in that can do the job, with the capability of learning the job," he said.

According to national survey by Deloitte LLP and the Manufacturing Institute, 67 percent of manufacturers are seeing a moderate to severe shortage of qualified workers.

Experts say a skills gap is keeping thousands of jobs open nationwide in an industry with competitive wages.

"Industry, manufacturing -- all of these businesses in our area are changing so rapidly," said Natalie Greenwell, director of the Center for Workforce & Economic Development at Collin College. "As soon as an employee was let go in a recession, that same employee coming back cannot find their same job."

Greenwell said her office offers training to help people out of work tweak their skill sets in order to qualify for jobs that already exist.

In the meantime, Gist said that small business would not survive if it can't produce.

"If you can't get the product out, you're not going to keep a customer around very long," he said. "They're going to go somewhere where they can."

Nationally, it's estimated there are 600,000 vacant manufacturing positions.

Family Seeks Justice For Teen Killed By Hit and Run Driver

Family Seeks Justice For Teen Killed By Hit and Run Driver

Police identified the teenage victim of a hit and run driver Friday, as his tearful family called on that driver to surrender.

Oscar Veliz, 16, died Thursday,  two days after being struck in Hempstead.  Veliz had been crossing Clinton Street on his bike, heading home. 

"It hurts that somebody could do this and just leave," said Carlos Veliz, the victim's brother.  As he fought back tears, his mother wept openly, her head on the shoulder of her surviving son. 

Nassau police released a photo Friday of the type of car they are seeking -- a gold or tan Toyota Camry.  The driver is believed to be a man around 20. 

A reward of up to $5000 is being offered for information leading to his arrest.

"The guy who was driving the car, he didn't stop," said witness Vondell Jamison, who also shot video of the aftermath of the crash.

"He let him fall in front of the car and he moved out of the way and kept on moving."

Oscar's bike was still under the car as it fled, according to investigators.

"If it was an accident, he should have stopped," said Veliz's aunt, Lurbyn Contreras.  "You should help him.  That's not fair."

Oscar Veliz was a junior at Hempstead HS, who loved to rap and dance, said his brother. 

"He was a good guy, who was never in trouble." added Carlos Veliz.

"Me and him have always been together.  We did everything together. He was my only little brother."

A family friend placed a candle and flowers at the crash site to remember the teen, as neighbors urged the driver to surrender to police.

"Turn yourself in," said Melanie Butler.  "You killed a young kid. Turn yourself in."

Chase Ends at Denton Apartment Complex

Chase Ends at Denton Apartment Complex

After a pursuit through Denton County, Corinth Police arrested a suspect that resembles a bank robbery suspect.

The suspect attempted to rob a PointBank location off of I-35 and Teasley Road around 10:50 a.m. Friday morning. Police say the suspect show a teller a note, then put the note back in his pocket and left without any money.

This afternoon, Corinth Police picked up the chase based on suspect vehicle information from the earlier attempted robbery.

The chase started down I-35 and went through multiple Denton County roads before ending in the Pace's Crossing apartment complex parking lot on Colorado Blvd. in Denton.

Chopper 5 followed the chase until the man was arrested.

No Civil Rights Charges for Metro Transit Police in Wheelchair Arrest

Two Metro Transit Police caught on video removing a man from his motorized wheelchair and taking him to the ground will not face federal criminal civil rights charges.

Dwight Harris was drinking in public May 19 and resisted arrest outside the U Street/Cardozo Metro Station, according to police reports.

The U.S. Department of Justice reviewed training records, video and medical reports and interviewed witness extensively and found insufficient evidence to charge the officers, saying there wasn’t evidence that the officers intentionally tried to deprive Harris of a constitutional right.

The officers were reassigned to administrative duties after the incident as the video was met with outrage online.

Libyan Training Program Re-Launching at American University

Libyan Training Program Re-Launching at American University

A Libya-funded diplomatic and educational program for professionals from the North African nation will move to American University, Michigan State University said.

Michigan State learned this week -- just before news of former Libyan leader Moammar Khadaffy's death -- that Libya's National Economic Development Board would re-launch the two-year Visiting International Professionals Program, spokesman Kent Cassella told the Associated Press. The program was halted in the spring.

Michigan State also learned the program would move all students to American University, Cassella said. AU officials said they are considering the inclusion of diplomatic trainees from Michigan but have made no final decisions.

Michigan State officials and the 19 remaining students are disappointed to lose the program that once included 35, Cassella said. Some returned to Libya and those who remained were provided housing and other help from the university and community.

Fire on 28th Floor of Downtown High-Rise

Dozens of firefighters are on the scene of a fire on the 28th floor of a 41-story building downtown.

The fire is inside 120 Broadway, which is at Pine Street.

No injuries have been reported.

The building is across the street from Zuccotti Park, where the Occupy Wall Street protest is taking place.

‘Gumby Robber’ Charged with Burglary

‘Gumby Robber’ Charged with Burglary

The infamous "Gumby Robber" and his accomplice were charged with three counts of burglary Friday, the District Attorney’s office said.

Jacob Kiss, 19, and Jason Giramma, 20, face three counts of burglary for robbing a 7-Eleven store in Rancho Penasquitos last month. The DA announced the charges Friday afternoon.

Kiss was dressed as the cartoon character Gumby as he allegedly attempted to rob the store, but the clerk thought he was playing a prank, so Kiss left empty handed.Giramma drove the getaway car.

Kiss and Giramma turned themselves in after robbery unit detectives identified them. They were interviewed by the San Diego Police Department, which confiscated the Gumby costume.

They will be arraigned Nov. 7 in a San Diego superior court.

 

Local Woman Killed in Murder-Suicide Spree

They looked like the perfect family. Until a shocking act of violence shattered the picture.

According to investigators, 50-year old Sam Friedlander shot and killed his 8-year-old son Gregory and 10-year-old daughter Molly as they slept in their beds late Monday night.

The body of his wife Amy was found dead on the floor of their bedroom in Westchester County, NY.  Police say she’d been beaten with the leg of a piece of furniture.

46-year old Amy Friedlander grew up in Penn Wynn, Montgomery County and earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania.  She was formerly a vice president of Chase Manhattan Bank, as well as a partner at a college tutoring program. 

Sam’s friends say Amy was emotionally abusive toward her husband.  Amy’s father tells NBC 10 the couple was getting a divorce, but denies his daughter was abusive.

“If there was any mental abuse it was him” said Gary Perez.  “I think he had a personality disorder.  He blamed everything on Amy”.

Investigators say the Friedlanders had a court date scheduled this week.

“We knew about the stresses the family was experiencing, the house was for sale, there was a divorce in the works and we knew that they had financial difficulties,” said the family’s rabbi Carla Friedman.

While people close to Friedlander told authorities he was acting irrationally in recent weeks, they are still shocked by the violent crime.

"He was always out on the front lawn building forts and always out there playing with them,” said the family’s neighbor Michelle Dienst. “It’s just hard to believe.”

 

Mother Kills Child Before Turning Gun on Herself: Police

Mother Kills Child Before Turning Gun on Herself: Police

A mother shot and killed her 7-year-old son before turning the gun on herself late Friday morning in Sachse, police say.

According to the Sachse Police Department, officers arrived at the home on the 7100 block of Longmeadow Drive to support the woman's estranged husband who had received custody of the child earlier in the morning.

Shortly after officers arrived, someone left the home while they waited outside for the woman's husband to arrive. A few moments later, officers said they heard three gunshots inside the house.

Officers forced their way into the residence and found the 43-year-old woman and her son dead.

Lt. Marty Cassidy, with the Sachse Police Department, said the officers were visibly shaken but did the best they could in a really bad situation. 

An investigation into what happened is ongoing. Officials will work with the Collin County medical examiner to confirm the cause of death, but it appears the woman shot the child and then herself.

The names of those involved are being withheld by investigators until family members can be notified.

14 SDUSD Schools Face Closure Next Year

San Diego Unified School District reported Friday that they will consider the closure of over a dozen schools at the end of this school year.  

The closures were proposed to achieve five million dollars worth of cuts to cover the district's budget deficit, according to school officials.

"There could be anywhere from five to 14 schools closed by the end of the year," said Julie Martel, Principal at Pacific Beach Middle School and a member of the Closure Realignment Committee.
 
Schools that may be closed at the end of the year include Cadman, Cabrillo, Cubberly, Franklin, Marvin, Paradise Hills and Vista Grande elementary schools.
 
Pacific Beach Middle School has been considered for closure, with a plan to relocate students to Mission Bay High School and create a Grade 6 to 12 program.  "That's not going to happen this year," Martel said.  
 
She added that students currently bused to the school would have to be returned to their neighborhood schools, then new structures would need to be built before the students could move.
 
Parents have already started campaigning to save the schools from closure and Martel agreed no one would want to see happen. 
 
On Friday, parents outside Crown Point Elementary in Pacific Beach passed out flyers urging other parents to represent the school at Tuesday's school board meeting.  
 
Raul Cadena, one of those passing out the flyers, said Crown Point should not be closed down.
 
"I think schools that are achieving, that are successful, should remain intact," said Cadena, "Programs that are not doing so well, those are the ones that should be focused on to possibly close down."
 
Martel gave other criteria, "There are a lot of schools that are not at capacity and we need to right-size our schools."
 
The district also said additional closures may be needed in the future.  
 
About 21 schools could be considered including Adams, Carver, Spreckels elementary.  De Portola and Taft middle school among many others.
 
In the end, the district said these are merely proposals and will be open for discussion in the coming weeks, however district officials said they wanted to make a decision by December to have time to prepare for the next school year.

Traffic vs. Worst Case Scenarios at Mark Center

Traffic vs. Worst Case Scenarios at Mark Center

Residents living near the Department of Defense's new Washington Headquarters Service building at Mark Center heard how the massive new building is affecting Alexandria's emergency response plans.

City emergency management coordinator Mark Penn guided residents inside the auditorium at Francis Hammond Middle School through a few worst-case scenarios.

"We're gonna talk about an active shooter incident at 11 a.m.," Penn explained to the audience. "Numerous calls are coming in that shots are fired in the vicinity of Mark Center."

Afterward, Alexandria law enforcement leaders explained how their respective departments would respond, what other agencies would be involved and how fast federal resources could be utilized.

It was an exercise designed to reassure local residents that city leaders are prepared for the worst, but Fire Chief Adam Thiel, who was among those answering questions from the audience Thursday night, said the congestion around the new building is causing problems even without a doomsday situation.

"My principal concern is being able to serve this area on a regular day for the garden variety fire and medical services calls that we receive and being able to do that in a timely fashion," Thiel said.

The ideal response time for an emergency service is 5 to 7 minutes, and the average response time in the area around Mark Center is more than 8 minutes, Thiel said.

That isn't likely to change until a new fire station is built west of Interstate 395, Thiel said, a proposal that Alexandria's City Council is currently considering.

Does Ditching Beat Dropping Out?

Does Ditching Beat Dropping Out?

Parents who received ominous robo-calls from Los Angeles school officials a few weeks ago warning that police and other officials would be showing up on their doorsteps looking for truants can rest easier today.

The Los Angeles Unified School District plans to dial back its heightened efforts to catch kids who skip school, focusing instead on finding other ways to get them to show up, district officials told NBC LA Friday.

It a story on the about-face, the Los Angeles Times reported that the district’s previous policy of conducting truancy sweeps near local schools and issuing $250 tickets to parents had only caused more students to drop out.

A student who had been ticketed told The Times’ Howard Blume that he supported the changes.

“When you're dealing with real-life issues dragging you down and making you late to school, the last thing you need when you get there is to run into police treating you like a criminal and making you feel like there's no point to trying anymore," Nabil Romero, a recent graduate from Roybal Learning Center in Echo Park, told The Times.

Horse Killed in Hit and Run in NJ

Horse Killed in Hit and Run in NJ

A former jockey is mourning the death of his beloved horse. The chestnut mare named Kassey was killed in a hit and run accident on Thursday in Vineland, NJ.

According to police, Kassey was found along East Forest Grove Road, not far from Nestor Mendez’s home. Mendez adopted the mare 25-years ago after both retired from racing.

Mendez believes a broken tree limb spooked the horse and she broke through a fence and ran onto the road. He learned of Kassey’s death when an animal control officer showed up at his house with her halter.

Investigators found a passenger mirror at the scene of the accident.. They are now trying to track down the car and driver.

Weekend Detour: WB I-635/I35E Ramp

Weekend Detour: WB I-635/I35E Ramp

The Texas Department of Transportation will shut down the two left lanes of westbound Interstate 635 from Josey to the Interstate 35E interchange from 10:30 p.m. Friday through 5 a.m. Monday, Oct. 24, 2011.

TxDOT will also close the southbound I-35E ramp from westbound I-635 during that time.

Westbound I-635 travelers looking to travel on I-35E southbound will need to U-turn at Luna Rd. then head on the eastbound lanes of I-635.

Workers will repair bridge decks, approaches, and joints during the closure.

NJ Assistant Principal Bought Drugs on Campus: Cops

NJ Assistant Principal Bought Drugs on Campus: Cops

Police arrested an assistant principal at Pinelands Regional High School in South Jersey after they say he purchased painkillers on school grounds.

Christopher Peters, 56, of Barnegat Township, is charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance on school property.

Supervising assistant Ocean County Prosecutor Michael Paulhus stated in a press release that Peters purchased Roxicet from a Little Egg Harbor Township man at Pinelands Regional High School Thursday.

Roxicet is a combination of acetaminophen and oxycodone.

Police also arrested the other man, 31-year-old Mark Kilmurray, of Little Egg Harbor Township.

The school superintendent, citing confidentiality, declined to say whether Peters has been suspended.

Anyone with information relative to this investigation is asked to contact Patrolman Joel Mahr of the Little Egg Harbor Township Police Department at (609) 296-3666 extension 178.

 

First-Grade Teacher Not Guilty in Choking Case

First-Grade Teacher Not Guilty in Choking Case

A Montgomery County, Md., first-grade teacher was found not guilty of hurting her students Friday.

Susan Burke, 36, was suspended from Greencastle Elementary School in Silver Spring, Md., in January after several students accused her of either choking, grabbing, pinching or scratching them, and causing pain in the process.

Burke denied any punitive contact.

Five of the 16 students in Susan Burke’s class testified about the alleged abuse.

Nine students originally made accusations, and Burke was charged with nine counts of second-degree assault. Two counts were dropped before the case went to the jury Friday afternoon.

Burke testified that when her students misbehaved, fought or disrupted class, she would physically redirect them to a corner of her portable classroom to talk to them, News4’s Chris Gordon reported Thursday. Sometimes she grabbed them by the wrist, she said, and sometimes the students got angry. She said she used light force.

Prosecutors called supervisors and coworkers as rebuttal witnesses to testify that Burke isn’t always truthful, Gordon reported.

30 Arrested in Stop and Frisk Protest

Police say about 30 people were arrested on disorderly conduct charges during a protest outside a police precinct in Harlem.

A group of activists, religious officials and others had gathered Friday to protest the New York Police Department's stop, question and frisk policy.

The NYPD said some demonstrators did not comply with police orders not to block the entrance to the precinct building and were arrested.

Police officials say most of the people will be given summonses and released.

Opponents say the stop-and-frisk policy is unfairly targeted at black and Hispanic men. The department says it's a necessary crime-fighting tool and does not target a particular race.

DDOT Punishes Employee Who Had Sex in Office

DDOT Punishes Employee Who Had Sex in Office

The DDOT employee that the Office of Inspector General accused of misusing city property by "engaging in sexual activity" in her office at the Reeves Center has been put on administrative leave, LL has learned.

LL's not heard of similar punishments for the others involved.

DDOT Punishes Employee Who Had Sex in Office was originally published by Washington City Paper on Oct 21, 2011

Eric Cantor Cancels Philly Appearance Targeted by Occupy Protesters

Eric Cantor Cancels Philly Appearance Targeted by Occupy Protesters

Virginia Congressman Eric Cantor pulled the plug on a Friday speaking appearance at Wharton Business School in Philadelphia. 

The Congressman decided not to speak in front of a crowd that would likely contain protesters aligned with the Occupy Wall Street movement. 

Prior to the speech, a Philadelphia political group announced a march called "Occupy Eric Cantor" to coincide with the speech.

Rep. Cantor's office wrote in a release:

“The Office of the Majority Leader was informed last night by Capitol Police that the University of Pennsylvania was unable to ensure that the attendance policy previously agreed to could be met.  Wharton is a educational leader in innovation and entrepreneurship, and the Majority Leader appreciated the invitation to speak with the students, faculty, alumni, and other members of the UPENN community."

The Congressman was scheduled to speak at 4:30 p.m. Friday as part of the Wharton Leadership Lecture series.

Part of the agreement with the business school was that the audience would be limited to Wharton students, faculty, and other members of the UPenn community.  However, the Virginia congressman's office learned that the university would allow a group of several hundred protesters on campus near the event.

Speaking to a conservative audience in Washington D.C. on October 7, Cantor derisively referred to the Occupy Wall Street protesters as "mobs."  He has since walked back from that comment, telling Fox News last Sunday that the protests were a symbol of "growing frustration across the county and it is warranted."

However, his modified comments did not seem to mollify political activists in Philadelphia.  Organizers for the group Occupy Philadelphia arranged for their "Occupy Eric Cantor" to wind up in front of the the congressman's scheduled lecture.

On the Facebook page of the group Occupy Philadelphia, posters were calling the cancellation a victory.

Steven Vetterlein wrote, "Didn't think he had the guts to face real Americans."

Another poster, identified as Marc Train, wrote, "I guess he was expecting some Brotherly Love in his warped world of giving to the Haves."

More Than One-Third Polled Support Wall Street Protests

More than one-third of the country supports the Wall Street protests, and even more -- 58 percent -- say they are furious about America's politics.

    
The number of angry people is growing as deep reservoirs of resentment grip the country, according to the latest Associated Press-GfK poll.
    
Some 37 percent of people back the protests that have spread from New York to cities across the country and abroad, one of the first snapshots of how the public views the "Occupy Wall Street" movement. A majority of those protest supporters are Democrats, but the anger about politics in general is much more widespread, the poll indicates.
    
"They've got reasons to be upset, they've got reasons to protest, but they're protesting against the wrong people," Jan Jarrell, 54, a retired school custodian from Leesville, S.C., says of the New York demonstrators. "They need to go to Washington, to Congress and the White House. They're the ones coming up with all the rules."
    
"Occupy Wall Street" has been called the liberal counterpoint to conservative-libertarian tea party, which injected a huge dose of enthusiasm into the Republican Party and helped it win the House and make gains in the Senate last fall.
    
While the troubled economy is at the root of anger at both government and business leaders, there's a key difference. Tea party activists generally argue that government is the problem, and they advocate for free markets. The Wall Street protesters generally say that government can provide some solutions and the free market has run amok.
 
Of the Americans who support the Wall Street protests, 64 percent in the poll are Democrats, while 22 percent are independents and just 14 percent are Republicans. The protest backers are more likely to approve of President Barack Obama and more likely to disapprove of Congress than are people who don't support the demonstrations.
    
More generally, many more Americans -- 58 percent -- say they are furious about the country's politics than did in January, when 49 percent said they felt that way. What's more, nearly nine in 10 say they are frustrated with politics and nearly the same say they are disappointed, findings that suggest people are deeply resentful of the political bickering over such basic government responsibilities as passing a federal budget and raising the nation's debt limit.
    
This wrath spreads across political lines, with about six in 10 Democrats, Republicans and independents saying politics makes them angry.
    
Fewer are hopeful about politics than when the year began, 47 percent down from 60 percent. Only 17 percent of respondents say they feel proud or inspired.
    
Since January, Congress and the White House have engaged in repeated standoffs over federal spending and the size of government as the economy has struggled to recover from recession.
    
In the past month, fury over all that has spilled into New York's financial district, and groups of mostly young people have camped out in a park.
    
The protesters cite the economic crisis as a key reason for their unhappiness. The unemployment rate hovers around 9 percent nationally. Many homeowners owe more than their homes are worth. Foreclosures are rampant. And many young people -- the key demographic of the protesters -- can't find jobs or live on their own.
    
"They all have college educations, and some have advanced degrees, and they're unemployed?'' says Alice Dunlap, 63, a retired speech language pathologist from Alexandria, Va. She supports the protests because, she says, anger lingers at those who profited while the nation's economy tanked.
    
"We all got ripped off by Wall Street, and we continue to be ripped off by Wall Street," she says. "You can look at my portfolio, if you like."
 
The poll found that most protest supporters do not blame Obama for the economic crisis. Sixty-eight percent say former President George W. Bush deserves "almost all'' or a lot but not all'' of the blame. Just 15 percent say Obama deserves that much blame.
 
Nearly six in 10 protest supporters blame Republicans in Congress for the nation's economic problems, and 21 percent blame congressional Democrats.
    
Six in 10 protest supporters trust Democrats more than Republicans to create jobs.
   
 Most people who support the protests --like most people who don't -- actually report good financial situations in their own households.
    
Still, protest supporters express more intense concern than non-supporters about unemployment at the moment and rising consumer prices in the coming year.
    
Norton Shores, Mich., retiree Patsy Ellerbroek, 65, is among those who have little empathy for the Wall Street protesters.
    
"Everybody ought to own their own business before they start complaining," Ellerbroek says.
    
Eight years ago, she and her husband sold "The Fun Spot," a roller rink they owned for three decades. Now she's a member of neither political party, and she gets frustrated when she sees politicians like the Republican candidates for president being disrespectful. Or Obama "flying around the county on our taxpayer dollars, politicking."
 
"With all the politicians, it's like, the heck with the people who put them there. We need another Mr. Smith goes to Washington," she said.
 
The poll was conducted Oct. 13-17, 2011, by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,000 adults and had a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4 percentage points. The poll included 384 respondents who said they were supporters of the Wall Street protests. Among that group, the error margin was 6.5 points.
 

DISD Approves 'Excess' Resignation Incentive

DISD Approves 'Excess' Resignation Incentive

The Dallas ISD Board of Trustees approved a resignation incentive for "excess" teachers and staff on Thursday.

"Excess" employees are defined by the district as employees under contract but not placed in permanent positions and include many teachers and staff that were cut from the district's budgets due to state budget cuts earlier this year.

Affected employees will receive a letter notifying them of their status as a Chapter 21 "excess" employee and will be temporarily re-assigned as a substitute teacher.

Teachers and staff that take voluntary resignation option offered by the district will receive salary and benefits through Jan. 31, 2012 if they hand in their resignation by Nov. 1 of this year.

Employees marked as "excess," that don't take the resignation incentive will be subject to non-renewal of contract. Those who resign before Nov. 1 will not be recommended for non-renewal.

The DISD board approved a final budget of $1.174 billion dollars in June. The budget included $76.9 million in cuts.

AA Pilots Struggled with Brakes in Wyo. Runway Overrun

AA Pilots Struggled with Brakes in Wyo. Runway Overrun

Just before an American Airlines plane ran off a Wyoming runway last December, the pilots struggled to engage the brakes and thrust reversers that help slow speed, according to documents released Friday.

None of the 181 people aboard Flight 2253 from Chicago was injured in the incident at the Jackson Hole airport, but the material made public by the National Transportation Safety Board raises questions about the Boeing 757-200's braking system and the pilots' actions.

The pilots had anticipated a rough landing as they approached the airport, according to a cockpit voice recorder transcript and other documents.

Light snow was falling and conditions were icy. On top of that, the airport's runway is short. The pilot of a smaller plane that had just landed told air traffic controllers that the first two-thirds of the runway were fine, but braking was "poor" on the final third.

A few minutes before landing, the American captain told passengers: "We don't try and make a smooth landing here at Jackson Hole. We just put the aircraft on the runway very quickly and firmly and go into full reverse and then use a heavy amount of braking (to) make sure we stop in the first part of the runway. So just be aware of that that's normal procedure for a mountain airport."

As the plane touched down, the pilots struggled several times to engage the thrust. "No reverse ... I can't get it," said the first officer, who was at the controls. They finally succeeded, but by the plane was nearly out of runway.

The captain's call for the brakes to be used was followed by sounds of physical exertion, mechanical clicks and thumps. "All right, I got max brake," he said.

But four seconds later the first officer swore, and then said: "I don't know what the (expletive deleted) is wrong. ... We're screwed."

The plane is then heard thundering off the runway. It came to rest in deep snow 730 feet past the end of the runway.

"Well ... end of our career," the captain said.

But the first officer insisted, "It's not the end. We did everything right. We didn't get the thrust reversers."

American did not immediately respond to an inquiry about the current stratus of the pilots.

The pilots did acknowledge in interviews with investigators that they didn't try to manually engage the plane's speed brakes -- essentially wing panels that pop up -- as American's procedures require under the circumstances.

The safety board is continuing to investigate the Dec. 29 incident. The transcript was released along with more than 300 pages of evidence gathered by investigators, who will try to now figure out what caused to the overrun and make safety recommendations.

Runway overruns are the most common type of airline accident worldwide, according to the Flight Safety Foundation of Alexandria, Va., which promotes global aviation safety. Of the 1,508 aviation accidents between 1995 and 2009, 442, or nearly a third, were runway excursions, the foundation said.

Police Pursuit Enters Hospital Grounds

San Diego police officers were involved in a pursuit that moved along Interstate 8, surface streets and even onto hospital grounds Friday.

Two suspects driving a dark colored SUV led several CHP patrol cars through Linda Vista, Mission Valley, Kearny Mesa and even drove near Rady Children's Hospital and Sharp Hospital.

The suspects' vehicle traveled along a sidewalk area normally used by pedestrians and golf carts near the hospital.

The chase came to an end when the suspects drove southbound on Ruffin Road and turned onto  Murphy Canyon Road just west of Interstate 15.

Just before the chase reached Chargers park, the vehicle slowed and the two people inside stuck their hands outside the windows.

One at a time, the suspects exited the vehicle, knelt down on the ground and scooted backward until they were cuffed by officers.

The chase began when a San Diego Sheriff's deputy spotted a person in a black SUV that had a felony warrant out for his arrest around 11:15 a.m. near Interstate 8 and SR 125.

No crashes or injuries were reported. 

Keep up to date on breaking news: Follow us on Twitter @nbcsandiego, fan us on Facebook, sign up for our breaking news e-mail alerts or text SDBREAKING to 622339 to receive text messages for local breaking news. (Standard rates apply)

Teen Sexually Assaults 10-Year-Old Girl in Prince George’s County: Police

Teen Sexually Assaults 10-Year-Old Girl in Prince George’s County: Police

A teenager sexually assaulted a 10-year-old girl in Temple Hills, Md., Thursday, according to Prince George’s County police.

The teen grabbed the girl in the 3100 block of Scottish Drive about 4:50 p.m. and forced her to a wooded area where he allegedly assaulted her, police said.

People heard the girl’s cries for help and scared the attacker away.

He’s described as a black teen, age 14-16 years old, standing about 5-foot-5 or 5-foot-6 with a close haircut, and wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt, blue jeans, and red and white shoes.

Police want to know if anyone saw any suspicious activity in the area or know anything about the case. They should call police at 301-749-5064. To remain anonymous, call Crime Solvers at 1-866-411 TIPS (8477), text PGPD and the tip to CRIMES (274637), or submit the tip online.

Man Charged After Weapons Found Near I-66

Man Charged After Weapons Found Near I-66

An Arlington, Va., man has been arrested and charged after hidden weapons were found last week near Interstate 66.

The weapons were found Oct. 12 near Patrick Henry Drive and I-66. A search was then conducted by the FBI and the Arlington County Police Department Thursday night at a home on the 4000 block of N. 17th Street in Arlington.

Rodney Gunsauley, 61, was charged Friday with possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

He is being held without bond in the Arlington County Detention Facility.

"Beautiful Service" for Seal Beach Victim, Mother of Three

Final respects were paid to Michele Daschback Fast Wednesday in Seal Beach.

The 47-year-old wife and mother of three was one of the victims killed during the Seal Beach massacre.

Special Section: Ongoing Coverage of Seal Beach Massacre

“A beautiful family, beautiful support from the community, [and] a beautiful service,” said Rob Coy, an attendee of the funeral service.

Fast was a customer at the Salon Meritage, Oct. 12, 2011, when a gunman opened fire in and around the hair salon killing eight and injuring one other.

She is survived by her husband Patrick Fast; son, Patrick, 20; and daughters, Laura, 18, and Lisa, 16.

Fast was the youngest daughter of Howard and Lenore Daschback of Atherton.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, October 22, at 11 a.m. at Church of the Nativity, 210 Oak Grove Ave. in Menlo Park.

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82-Year-Old Woman Builds Townhome

82-Year-Old Woman Builds Townhome

The construction crew outside a town home in National City on Friday featured an array faces; one of which you’ll rarely see at such a scene.

Hammering wood, grouting, painting and more was 82-year-old Jean Wright-Elson who, after supporting the local chapter of Habit for Humanity for 20 years, decided that her skills could be put to better use.

Wright-Elson's interest was sparked after reading a newsletter about Habit for Humanity’s “Women Build” group that planned to construct a townhome for a local family.

“I’ve always been endorsing of the program,” said Wright-Elson. “There are so many people in need of decent housing.”

As she stood outside the home at 1820 G Avenue, it was obvious Wright-Elson, a retired nurse with the United States Air Force, didn't let her age get in the way of what she wanted to do.

“I think we need to let people know that people who are octogenarians can still contribute back to society,” said Wright-Elson.

Friday’s project included tasks such as cutting pipe, moving equipment and adding final touches to the home which is scheduled to be done in December for a family that has yet to be chosen.

Though she was working with the best of them, don’t call Wright-Elson, an “old pro”. The project was her first time doing large-scale home building, she said.

“I think they’re going to be working on sprinklers and I may have trouble getting down to that level” she joked. “So they may have me painting or do some grouting -- however I can contribute. “

Wright-Elson’s message of not acting one’s age wasn’t her only mantra of the day.

As she worked, on her back was a graphic of the sign “Men at Work” with a “wo” and added in red before the first word.

Forget the idea that’s home construction is a man’s job Wright-Elson said.  “Women can do it, we do a lot of home maintenance so we’re capable of doing hammering, sawing and painting.”

“It’s not often we get someone this wise,” said Habitat for Humanity manager and developer, Ellen Immergut.

“Women say ‘what are we going to do’ and once we get them on a site with our crew they realize what kinds of things they are really capable of,” said Immergut.

The Women Build program has created three homes since its launch in June, with just over 100 volunteers, according to Immergut.

So what’s next for Wright-Elson? It seemed only time will tell.

“I’m retired. But I don’t like the word ‘retire’," Wright-Elson said, "I like to tell people I’m regrouping."

 

Slain Cabbie’s Family Advocates for Cameras in Cabs

Slain Cabbie’s Family Advocates for Cameras in Cabs

The daughter of a murdered cab driver made an emotional plea for safety and security Friday to help prevent more deaths similar to her father’s.

Mir Sahou was killed last month in La Jolla. Sahou may have unknowingly picked up the suspected killer at the San Diego Airport, where he was often dispatched to.

That murder has taxi drivers talking today about better safety measures, including camera, panic buttons and thick plexi-glass shields that separate the front and rear seats. Sahou’s daughter supports this effort, she said.

She attended an MTS board meeting Friday morning to voice these concerns.

The committee of taxi drivers and owners will study the issue, and also offer safety classes for drivers.

Fellow cab drivers say they are often concerned about their safety while on the job.

“The job is dangerous. We’re all constantly in danger of being robbed,” cab driver Sal Nasery told NBC 7 San Diego last month. “We have to watch out for ourselves.”

Another fellow cab driver said police could be more vigilant to help protect cab drivers in the city.

“Now, we are asking ourselves ‘Who is next?’ Our friend is gone. We don’t know who is going to be next now,” cab driver Ali Jillal told us in September.

 

Parents of Dungeon Victim Seek Custody of Grandchildren

Parents of Dungeon Victim Seek Custody of Grandchildren

The parents of one of the mentally disabled people found chained in a Philadelphia basement are seeking custody of the two grandchildren their daughter had while in captivity.

Kensington residents Wilbert and Peggy Wanamaker, the parents of 29-year-old Tamara Breeden, are planning to take legal measures to get temporary custody of their 2-year-old and 7-year-old grandchildren, the couple’s lawyer said in a statement Friday.

“What has happened is unspeakable, and the Wanamaker's grandchildren have already been through too much,” attorney Steven G. Wigrizer.  “As their daughter heals and gets the care she needs, they will be asking DHS to give them their grandchildren to care for and support as they begin rebuilding their family.”

Breeden and three mentally challenged men were found locked in a boiler room in the Tacony section of the city last Saturday, and investigators have unraveled a sordid story of abuse and imprisonment of the adult mentally challenged people and at least 10 children.

Police have arrested “ringleader” Linda Ann Weston, her daughter Jean McIntosh, Gregory Thomas, 47, and Eddie Wright, 50, all on charges of kidnapping, conspiracy, unlawful restraint, simple assault, burglary and related charges.

In a press conference on Wednesday, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey said that two of the young children found in Weston’s custody were children of two of the mentally challenged victims.

All of the children rescued from Weston are in the care of the Department of Human Services.

3 Shot Outside Brooklyn Store

3 Shot Outside Brooklyn Store

Police are on the scene of a shooting that injured three people in Brooklyn.

The shooting Friday afternoon was outside a store at Pitkin Avenue and Watkins Street in Brownsville.

Stay with NBC New York on this developing story. Follow us on Twitter @NBCNewYork and at Facebook/NBCNewYork.

U.S. Troops in Iraq Home for Holidays: Obama

U.S. Troops in Iraq Home for Holidays: Obama

President Barack Obama on Friday declared an end to the Iraq war, one of the longest and most divisive conflicts in U.S. history, announcing that all American troops would be withdrawn from the country by year's end.

"I can report that, as promised, the rest of our troops in Iraq will come home by the end of the year," Obama said. "After nearly nine years, America's war in Iraq will be over."

Two months ago, when news spread of the upcoming troop withdrawal, some Marines stationed near Oceanside who said they were not allowed to talk to the media said they are grateful the mission has come to an end.

A week ago, a team of 13 Camp Pendleton Marines made history when they were the last Marines to leave Iraq.

Obama's statement put an end to months of wrangling over whether the U.S. would maintain a force in Iraq beyond 2011.

The U.S. military presence in Iraq stands at just under 40,000. All U.S. troops are to exit the country in accordance with a deal struck between the countries in 2008 when George W. Bush was president.

Obama, an opponent of the war from the start, took office and accelerated the end of the conflict. In August 2010, he declared the U.S. combat mission over.

"Over the next two months our troops in Iraq, tens of thousands of them, will pack up their gear and board convoys for the journey home," Obama said. "The last American soldier will cross the border out of Iraq with their heads held high, proud of their success and knowing that the American people stand united in our support for our troops."

More than 4,400 American military members have been killed since the U.S. and its

allies invaded Iraq in March 2003.

The Associated Press first reported last week that the United States would not keep troops in Iraq past the year-end withdrawal deadline, except for some soldiers attached to the U.S. Embassy.

In recent months, Washington had been discussing with Iraqi leaders the possibility of several thousand American troops remaining to continue training Iraqi security forces.

Throughout the discussions, Iraqi leaders refused to give U.S. troops immunity from prosecution in Iraqi courts, and the Americans refused to stay without that guarantee.

Moreover, Iraq's leadership has been split on whether it wanted American forces to stay.

When the 2008 agreement requiring all U.S. forces to leave Iraq was passed, many U.S. officials assumed it would inevitably be renegotiated so that Americans could stay longer.

The U.S. said repeatedly this year it would entertain an offer from the Iraqis to have a small force stay behind, and the Iraqis said they would like American military help. But as the year wore on and the number of American troops that Washington was suggesting could stay behind dropped, it became increasingly clear that a U.S. troop presence was not a sure thing.

The issue of legal protection for the Americans was the deal-breaker.

Pulling troops out by the end of this year allows both al-Maliki and Obama to claim victory.

Obama kept a campaign promise to end the war, and al-Maliki will have ended the American presence and restored Iraqi sovereignty.

The president used the war statement to once again turn attention back to the economy, the domestic concern that is expected to determine whether he wins re-election next year.

"After a decade of war the nation that we need to build and the nation that we will build is our own, an America that sees its economic strength restored just as we've restored our leadership around the globe."

 

NJ Candidate Apologizes for Tweeting 'Whore in Bed' Advice for Women

NJ Candidate Apologizes for Tweeting 'Whore in Bed' Advice for Women

A day after staunchly defending his tweet directing women to be “whores in the bedroom” if they want to keep their men, New Jersey Senate candidate Phil Mitsch apologized for offending people with his relationship advice.

The apology did not help Mitsch's cause Friday, as the GOP officially pulled its support for his candidacy Friday afternoon.

The tweet, which he sent out to his 44,000 Twitter followers on Sept. 2, said, “Women, you increase your odds of keeping your men by being faithful, a lady in the living room and a whore in the bedroom."

"I would like to sincerely apologize for any offense I may have caused anyone, particularly women, as a result of a Twitter post that has recently been reported," Mitsch said in a statement.

After apologizing, Mitsch’s statement went on to explain that the tweet was inspired by an “age-old saw most notably quoted by Jerry Hall, Mick Jagger's ex-wife, in the early 1990's: 'My mother said in order to keep a man, you must be a maid in the living room, a cook in the kitchen, and a whore in the bedroom.' "

Mitsch said that he updated the “timeworn adage” by adding that men should “be faithful, a gentleman in the living room and a stud in the bedroom.”

In an editorial board meeting with the Inquirer Thursday, Mitsch kept digging.

"That's a great tip. . . . That shows the utmost respect for women. . . . What I was trying to say to men was, 'Men, look, if you got to go out and play around and you can't be honest with a woman and respect her, then you're better off just doing pay, play, and get the 'f' away,'" he told the Inquirer.

Mitsch’s apology comes a day after he said that he was “definitely not apologizing,” despite the fact that Democrats demanded that Mitsch drop out of the race and his own party of Republicans said that he was “unfit for office.”

State GOP spokesman Rick Gorka told the Inquirer that the apology changes nothing and the Republicans’ position remains.

Conditions Right to See Orionid Meteors Tonight

Conditions Right to See Orionid Meteors Tonight

Night sky watchers should be able to see a dozen or more meteors per hour tonight, as the Earth passes through dust left by Halley's Comet.

The Orionid meteor shower will peak in the early morning hours on Saturday.  This annual shower occurs when the Earth passes through dust released by Halley's Comet.

News4 meteorologist Veronica Johnson says tonight promises good conditions for gazing at shooting stars.  The midweek storms have moved on, and the coming overnight sky will be nearly clear of cloud cover.  In addition, we'll have a waning crescent moon tonight, meaning only a third will be illuminated.  The less moonlight in the sky, the easier for sky-gazers to see meteors.

Meteors in the Orionid shower appear to originate in the sky from the Orion constellation.  The peak number of meteors per hour have varied over the years, between a dozen and twenty.

If you're heading home from a Friday night football game or out on a midnight stroll, take a look up - you might catch a celestial shower.

Gates, Gilchrist Practice for Chargers

Gates, Gilchrist Practice for Chargers

Hardly anyone was missing Friday morning in the final Chargers practice before the team's afternoon trip to the East Coast.

Tight end Antonio Gates, after sitting out Thursday, worked out for the third time this week and, barring a setback, will be on the field Sunday when the team faces the New York Jets at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, N.J. He is expected to see limited snaps.

Gates has missed the past three games with a plantar fascia injury.

Cornerback Marcus Gilchrist also return to action. He injured his knee in a fall during Wednesday's practice and didn't participate Thursday.

Both players' statuses will be updated after practice.

Only defensive Luis Castillo (tibia) was absent Friday. He is the lone Chargers player viewed as a lock not to play Sunday.

Vincent Jackson (hamstring) was on the field for the third straight day. It was the most active bodies the Chargers have had in practice since the final training camp cut in early September.

Not Your Average Canned-Food Drive

Not Your Average Canned-Food Drive

Horton Plaza now features an installation that would make Andy Warhol jealous.

Structures made with canned foods are part of a benefit event to support the hungry in San Diego. The annual Can-Struction event features large structures built by teams of local architects, engineers and designers.

The structures are located at324 Horton Plaza in downtown San Diego. Visitors are encouraged to donate canned foods.

All the cans will be donated to Homefront San Diego and the East County Transitional Living Center.

 

Virginia Unemployment Increased Last Month

Virginia Unemployment Increased Last Month

Virginia's unemployment rate increased for the third time in more than a year in September, but still remains below the national average.

The U.S. Labor Department said Friday that the state's seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in September was 6.5 percent, up from 6.3 percent in August but down from 6.7 percent a year ago.

Virginia's seasonally adjusted jobless rate has increased since a rate of 6 percent in June after having decreased since peaking at 7.2 percent from December 2009 to February 2010.

The Virginia Employment Commission said the number of unemployed increased by 7,676, or 2.9 percent, in September.

The national rate remained at 9.1 percent for the third straight month as unemployment rates fell in half of U.S. states last month. Rates dropped in 25 states, rose in 14 and stayed the same in 11. That's an improvement from August, when unemployment rose in 26 states.

Target Recall Kids' Frog Masks Due to Suffocation Risk

Today the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced that Target has issued a voluntary recall for about 3,400 of plush frog masks.

It's hard to imagine how anyone thought it was a good idea to start selling these in the first place.

The masks have eye holes -- but the nose and mouth areas of the wearer would be completely covered.

ractice, it would be like strapping a pillow to a child's face. Fortunately, no kids have died or been hurt.

The masks were sold at Target stores nationwide from August to September 2011 for about a dollar. (Discount bins at the front, we're looking at you.)

Consumers should immediately take these masks away from young children and return the items to any Target store for a full refund.

For additional information, contact Target at 800-440-0680 between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday.

FEMA Extends Deadline for Hurricane Aid in NJ

The deadline for families, individuals and businesses in New Jersey that suffered damages during Irene to request financial aid from FEMA and the Small Business Administration has been extended to Nov 30.

More than 20,000 New Jerseyans have already sought assistance from FEMA. The agency has thus far doled out $7.9 million in checks for things like rental assistance and appliance replacement.

Sen. Frank Lautenberg applauded FEMA and the SBA for giving families and businesses more time to register for assistance.


 


"Families and businesses in our state are trying to get back on their feet and I encourage them to take advantage of this extra time," Lautenberg said.


 


Disaster assistance to individuals could include grants to help pay for temporary housing needs, essential home repairs and other serious disaster-related expenses not covered by insurance or other sources. Low-interest disaster loans from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) are also available for homeowners, renters and business owners to repair or replace real or personal property.


 


There are three ways to register – go to (FEMA).  

Those with access or functional needs and who use a TTY may call 800-462-7585 or use 711 or Video Relay Service to call 800-621-3362.  Telephone lines are open from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. ET; multilingual operators are available.

Occupy Wall Street Protesters Acknowledge Neighbors' Quality of Life Concerns

Frustrated residents and business owners near the Occupy Wall Street headquarters downtown met Thursday night, complaining that the gathering has sent their quality of life into rapid decline.

Health and sanitation issues, public safety dangers and high noise levels were among the top grievances of neighbors at the packed Community Board 1 meeting. 

"The occupiers are not our neighbors," said Linda Gerstman, who lives on Broad Street. "Our neighbors do not beat on drums while children are sleeping. Our neighbors do not verbally attack people on their way to work."

The loud repetitive drumming is also a big source of irritation, said neighbors who live near Zuccotti Park.

Some said the inconvenience associated with the protest is more a product of the police response. Vincent Alessi, who helps manage Bobby Vans Steakhouse, said business was down 50 percent at certain hours because police have placed metal barricades in front of his restaurant.

"That's the NYPD," Alessi said. "The protesters have been peaceful. They march by the restaurant, no one causes any damage."

A spokesman from Occupy Wall Street, Han Shan, came to the board meeting and promised negotiations were under way to limit the noise.

"I know that there's a growing consensus, if not a true consensus among everyone there, that we need to be better neighbors," said Shan.

He said he would bring the proposal of a good neighbor policy back to the general assembly at Occupy Wall Street.

A resolution passed by Community Board 1 during the meeting recognized Occupy Wall Street's First Amendment rights to protest and to assemble, and said it opposed the use of force by the city or by Zuccotti Park's owners to address the community's concerns. 

But the resolution also called for protesters to help address the residents' health, public safety, noise and sanitation concerns.

Among the goals detailed in the resolution: 

  • limiting the use of drums, trumpets, bugles and air horns to two hours a day, during midday;
  • arranging access to bathrooms off-site to eliminate urinating and defecating in doorways of retail shops and residential buildings;
  • removing police barricades that block access to homes and businesses

In a joint statement released Thursday, State Sen. Daniel Squadron, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, and Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer said the resolution "is an attempt to establish a sensible framework that respects the protesters’ fundamental rights while addressing the very real quality of life concerns for residents and businesses around Zuccotti Park."

"Protecting the needs of Lower Manhattan and the rights of OWS do not need to be mutually exclusive," the statement said.

It seemed to be a sentiment both protesters and neighbors could agree on.

"Let us work something out together," said one Occupy Wall Street member at the meeting. "Please, try to give us a chance. "

Dozens Arrested in LeFrak City Drug Bust, Some Sold Out of Daycare Center

Authorities arrested nearly 50 people for selling cocaine, marijuana, heroin and other substances at one of the nation's largest housing developments, including two men who were running drug operations out of a day care center.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown and Police Commissioner Ray Kelly announced the charges on Friday for 46 people, ages 17 to 63, after a seven-month undercover investigation at LeFrak City in Queens.

Authorities said that while they were executing a search warrant at one apartment, the tenants released a pit bull that attacked one of the officers.

After police received information about drug dealing at the complex, they sent undercover officers to buy crack, powdered cocaine, heroin and marijuana in the investigation that went on for months.

Prosecutors said 14 drug sales took place in an apartment that was a state-licensed day care center that had the capacity for 12 children ages six weeks to 12 years.

“When they used a day care center from which to sell drugs, dealers set a new record for how low they can go," Kelly said in a statement.

More than 15,000 people live in LeFrak City, which has 5,000 apartments across 40 acres and is one of the nation's largest privately owned housing developments.

After executing search warrants, cops recovered seven pounds of marijuana, more than two pounds of cocaine, plus 3,600 pills, $3,400 in  cash and a semi-automatic handgun.

One of the people arrested is a Taxi and Limousine Commission lieutenant inspector, the DA said.

Businesses Add 15,000 Net Jobs in Texas During September

Businesses Add 15,000 Net Jobs in Texas During September

Businesses in Texas added more than 15,000 net jobs during the month of September, the Texas Workforce Commission said Friday.

The addition of 15,400 jobs brings the total gain of nonfarm jobs since Sept., 2010, to 248,500.  There are now 10,610,100 nonfarm jobs in Texas, which has experienced positive annual job growth for the past 17 months.

Texas' seasonally adjusted unemployment rate held at 8.5 percent in September, unchanged from August, and below the national unemployment rate of 9.1 percent, the TWC said.

"I am encouraged to see that we added 26,500 private sector jobs during that time period [September]. This continues a long-term trend in Texas of healthy private sector job growth with 282,200 such jobs added over the last year," said TWC chairman Tom Pauken.

Eight of the 11 major industries gained jobs in Texas last month, and all but two of those groups showed gains over the year. Here is more on job growth last month from the TWC:

Professional and Business Services added 18,400 jobs in September, growing by 68,200 positions over the year, for an annual job growth rate of 5.3 percent. Mining and Logging added 3,400 jobs in September, and had the highest annual growth rate of all the major industries in Texas at 18.4 percent. Construction added 7,200 jobs in September, and had the second highest annual growth rate at 6.3 percent. Manufacturing shed 3,000 positions in September, but still added 18,500 positions since September 2010, maintaining an annual growth rate of 2.3 percent.

Woman Arrested in Southeast D.C. Stabbing Death

Woman Arrested in Southeast D.C. Stabbing Death

Metropolitan police said they arrested one woman in the fatal stabbing that took place in Southeast D.C.

Authorities said officers found an unconscious man suffering from knife wounds on the 1100 block of Eaton Road on October 20.

The victim has been identified as Jodie Ward, age 30, of no fixed address.  Ward was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police arrested a Southeast resident in the crime, 30-year-old Felicia Dianne Jones.  Jones has been charged with murder.

Defense to Question Drug Expert in Michael Jackson Doctor Trial

After nearly three days of hearing a drug expert outline how he believes Dr. Conrad Murray contributed to the death of Michael Jackson, attorneys for the superstar's personal physician might finally question one of the prosecution's key witnesses.

Testimony in Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial is scheduled to resume at about noon, Friday.

Dr. Steven Shafer gave his account Thursday of the events that occurred in Jackson's body during the morning hours of June 25, 2009 -- the day the King of Pop died. Murray's administration of the surgical sedative propofol without proper monitoring equipment was just one critical mistake, Shafer said.

But it was Murray's abandonment of Jackson that ultimately led to the pop star's death, Shafer said. Murray told detectives that he left Jackson's bedroom for about two minutes to use the bathroom after Jackson fell asleep. That was after he administered a dose of propofol -- the drug cited in Jackson's death.

When he returned, he said he noticed Jackson was not breathing.

"Had Conrad Murray been with Michael Jackson, he would have seen the breathing slow down," Shafer said. "He could have easily turned off the propofol infusion... and there would have been no injury to Michael Jackson."

Instead, Shafer said the propofol continued to drip into Jackson's system. Eventually, the singer's heart no longer had enough oxygen and it stopped beating, Shafer said.

"He has died, but he has died with the (propofol) infusion still going, and that's why the levels are high," Shafer added.

Thursday's testimony included a demonstration of the propofol drip in court. As jurors watched, the milky white substance dripped into a water bottle to demonstrate the final scene of Jackson's life.

After questioning Shafer Friday, the defense is likely to start calling its own witnesses on the trial's 15th day. Those witnesses include Dr. Paul White, the defense's propofol expert who took notes as Shafer tried to pick apart defense theories.

One of those theories -- that Jackson self-administered the drug when Murray left the room.

"People don't just wake up hellbent to grab the next dose in the syringe, draw it and shove it in the IV again. It's a crazy scenario," said Shafer.

Another theory posited by the defense is that Jackson swallowed eight lorazepam pills in the hours before his death without Murray's knowledge. The amount of lorazepam in Jackson's stomach was "trivial," Shafer said.

"(Murray) is responsible for every drop of propofol in that room, every drop of lorazepam in that room,'' Shafer said.

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Ex-Texas Teacher Gets 62 Years for Sex Misconduct

Ex-Texas Teacher Gets 62 Years for Sex Misconduct

A former Dallas-area kindergarten teacher has been sentenced to 62 years in prison for sexual misconduct with students that included an apparent diaper fetish.

A judge in McKinney on Thursday sentenced 29-year-old Joseph Peter Garbarini. A jury in August convicted the former Plano Independent School District educator of continuous sex abuse of a child and sexual performance by a child.

Investigators say Garbarini was teaching at Hunt Elementary School in Murphy when allegations surfaced that he pretended to put diapers on girls in class and gave them pacifiers.

Two girls had alleged sexual-related misconduct by Garbarini, who resigned last year amid the investigation.

After 4 Decades, Fugitive Charged in Husband's Death

After 4 Decades, Fugitive Charged in Husband's Death

Mary Ann Rivera raised her three children and worked as a waitress in a small Georgia town where longtime friends were stunned when they learned of her past: She was a Texas fugitive accused of killing her husband in 1970 by dousing him with a pot of hot grease.

Four decades after she slipped away from Texas authorities, Rivera was returned to Houston this week and will make her first court appearance Friday. The ailing 76-year-old is charged with murder by omission in the October 1970 death of her husband, Cruz Rivera.

"It was a shock to me when I heard about it," said Lorraine Robertson, who knew Rivera for more than 25 years and lived in the same Georgia apartment building. "I was like, that's not Mary. She wouldn't do nothing like that."

Court records allege that Rivera was accused of killing her husband by "throwing hot grease on him and by throwing other substances and liquids." The documents don't indicate a motive, and authorities said police were never called to the couple's Houston home on allegations of domestic violence.

One of her sons, Mark Rivera, declined comment when reached at his home in South Carolina. Court records do not list an attorney for his mother, whose health required that she be driven and not flown back to Houston. She is being held without bond.

Rivera had been a fugitive since she posted a $10,000 bond in 1970 following her indictment. Authorities said she fled with her three children, including twin sons, and eventually made her way to Lake Park, Ga., a town near the Florida border.

An investigator with the Harris County District Attorney's Office in Texas worked on the cold case for several months, first tracking down Rivera's sons and eventually finding her Georgia address, said office spokeswoman Donna Hawkins.

Hawkins wouldn't comment on a possible motive for the alleged slaying.

Officials with Georgia's Lowndes County Sheriff's Office arrested Rivera after being contacted by Houston police.

Robertson said investigators first spoke to Rivera at her apartment about six weeks ago, asking her questions about who she was and her husband.

"They asked her how (her husband) treated her. She said they got along, raised their kids," Robertson said. Rivera had indicated that her husband had slapped her once but "that was it," Robertson said.

Investigators returned a month later and asked her similar questions. Robertson said Rivera had not previously talked about her husband and told investigators that she moved to Georgia after he died.

When investigators returned a third time, on Oct. 11, they arrested Rivera.

"Me and another neighbor walked her out. I could feel her whole body trembling," Robertson said. "We put her in the car. She cried. We all cried with her."

Robertson questioned why Rivera was being arrested after so many years and noted her frail health, including heart, back and breathing problems.

Hawkins, declining to address the health problems, said Rivera needs to face justice.

"The defendant was charged with committing a rather brutal murder of her husband. Although she was able to elude authorities for over 40 years, she ultimately must face judgment in a court of law for the murder of her husband," Hawkins said.