24 October 2011

USS Spruance Returns to San Diego

USS Spruance Returns to San Diego

The USS Spruance returned to San Diego on Monday morning to hundreds of families and friends.

The ship is the second Navy ship to bear the name Spruance in honor of Admiral Raymond Spruance who commanded Carrier Task Force 16 during the Battle of Midway in World War II.

“We are thrilled to be back in San Diego”, beamed Commander Tate Westbrook. “One of our big challenges has been bringing the honor of Admiral Spruance, a WWII hero, which for most of my crew of an average age of 21 is the hero of a black and white movie. It’s been an important part of our duties to bring Admiral Spruance’s legacy to the color TV generation and we are thrilled to honor the second USS Spruance.”

The Spruance is a multi-mission ship with a crew of 285 sailors. It carries Tomahawk cruise missiles, a 5-inch gun, sonar systems and two helicopters. The ship is powered by four gas-turbine engines and is capable of speeds in excess of 30 knots.

The ship’s mission was to help provide deterrence, promote peace and security, preserve freedom of the sea and humanitarian/disaster response within the Fleet’s 50 million-square mile area of responsibility in the East Pacific.

Diana Zuigia, an operation specialist aboard the ship, said she is just happy to finally be back home after a year and a half.

“I kept coming back but it’s not the same," she said. "Now I’m back for good. It’s the newest ship on the waterfront. Glad to be a part of it.”

Apple Considers Store in Downtown D.C.

Apple Considers Store in Downtown D.C.

DC may soon have a second Apple store, and you won't have to battle for Georgetown parking when you go.

According to Washington Post blogger Steven Pearlstein's Sunday look at the CityCenter DC development that is currently under construction, Apple is considering bringing a flagship store to downtown D.C.

The CityCenter development is being built at the site of the old convention center in Northwest. The complex is currently under construction between 9th and 11th streets and H Street and New York Avenue. It will eventually include 520,000 square feet of office space, hundreds of apartments and condos, and retail space.  There will be plenty of underground parking at the complex.

Apple's only store in D.C. is on Wisconsin Avenue in Georgetown.

D.C. Man Dies in Afghanistan

D.C. Man Dies in Afghanistan

An airman from Washington has died in a non-combat incident in Afghanistan, according to the Pentagon.

Airman 1st Class Jerome D. Miller Jr., 23, died Oct. 13 in Parwan province, Afghanistan.

He was assigned to the 459th Security Forces Squadron, Andrews Air Force Base, Md.

Md. Found Negligent in Prison Bus Slaying

Md. Found Negligent in Prison Bus Slaying

A state court jury awarded $18.5 million on Monday to the parents and estate of a Maryland prison inmate who was murdered by another maximum-security inmate about a state prison bus in 2005.

The six-member panel found the state and three correctional officers negligent, one grossly negligent and one not negligent for failing to prevent Philip Parker Jr.'s death. The state's obligation for negligence is limited to $200,000. The jury awarded Parker's parents and estate the $18.5 million as compensation for the victim's physical pain and mental anguish and his parents' emotional pain and suffering.

Parker's mother Melissa Rodriguez and father Philip Parker Sr. claimed the five officers aboard the bus didn't properly secure inmate Kevin Johns and didn't keep watch on the 34 prisoners as the bus rolled through pre-dawn darkness along Interstate 70 from Hagerstown to Baltimore on Feb. 2, 2005.

The Maryland attorney general's office had argued the officers weren't responsible because they didn't know Parker was in danger and couldn't see Johns strangling him in the darkened vehicle. Two of the officers were stationed in a caged area at the rear of the bus about seven feet from where Parker was attacked.

Johns was convicted in 2008 of murdering Parker but found not criminally responsible because of mental illness. It was his third murder conviction. He killed himself in prison in 2009.

Parker, 20, of Baltimore, was serving a 3 1/2-year sentence for attempted robbery.

Two of the officers were fired, one was allowed to retire and two were disciplined after the incident.

A spokesman for the attorney general's office says the state likely will file post-trial motions.

Ellicott City Teen Enters Not Guilty Plea in "Jihad Jane" Case

Ellicott City Teen Enters Not Guilty Plea in

A Maryland teenager pleaded not guilty for his alleged role in the so-called “Jihad Jane” case.

Mohammad Hassan Khalid, 18, of Ellicott City, Md., entered the plea Monday in federal court in Philadelphia. It was his first public court appearance since his arrest in July.

Khalid is accused of helping American terror suspect Colleen “Jihad Jane” LaRose raise money and recruit men to wage jihad -- holy war -- in Europe and South Asia.

According to the indictment filed last week, Khalid met LaRose in an Internet chat room.

Khalid is a high school honors student. He faces 15 years in prison and could be deported to his native Pakistan if convicted. 

Family Outraged Police May Have Killed Wrong Man

Family members of a man shot and killed by Downey police continued to express outrage Monday over the possibility that police may have shot the wrong man.

The shooting happened Saturday night after officers responded to a report of an armed robbery at an ATM near Imperial Highway and Paramount Boulevard.  The arriving officers spotted 31-year-old Michael Nida and thought he matched a description of one of the suspects.

A Downey officer ordered Nida to sit on the ground but did not search Nida for a weapon. Police say Nida got up and tried to run away.

Lt. Dave Dolson of the LA County Sheriff's Department, which is now handling the investigation, addressed why he thought Nida was not searched for a weapon.

"I believe it was not done because, during the first detention, that officer was waiting for more backup officers," Dolson said.

A second set of officers encountered Nida a short time later and again ordered him to the ground. Officers again failed to search Nida for a weapon. Investigators say he got back up and started running again, and that's when at least one officer opened fire.

"He was not armed. He had no outstanding warrants. He was not on probation," Nida's sister Terri Teramura said.

Investigators say the officer would be justified using deadly force if he feared for his safety, his partner's safety or the safety of the general public. They say running could have contributed to the officer's mindset as to guilt or innocence.

Nida was struck by at least three bullets. His family said at least two hit him in the back.

"How can that be? That’s just ludicrous," Teramura said. "How can you be threatened when somebody’s running away from you?"

Family members have set up a memorial fund to raise money for Nida's burial. The family says donations can be sent to the following address:

Michael Nida Memorial Fund

PO Box 3272

Huntington Beach, CA 92605

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Barbara Sheehan, Acquitted of Husband's Murder, Released on Bail

Barbara Sheehan walked out of Queens Criminal Court Monday, free on bail after spending time in jail waiting for sentencing.

"It's been very, very difficult for me and my family, but I'm thankful for everyone that has supported me," said Sheehan.

On Oct. 13, Sheehan was found not guilty in a jury trial of murdering her husband, a former NYPD police officer she claimed physically abused her for years.

Her attorneys argued that she took a gun and shot him in self-defense. The jury believed that part of the story, but convicted her on an illegal gun charge.

Sheehan's now fighting the gun charge, and made bail Monday while her attorney appealed it.

Though the jury believed Sheehan deserves to spend at least some time in jail, Sheehan said she's still grateful for their verdict.

"They believed in me," she said.

Sheehan said she planned to spend time with her family.

Electric-Car Carmaker Arrives in LA

Electric-Car Carmaker Arrives in LA

Triumphing over a list of rules and regulations that has kept businesses from setting up shop in Los Angeles, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa celebrated the arrival of a Chinese-based company Monday that is expected to bring jobs to the city.

“By reaching out to the world and harnessing LA’s unique resources, we have attracted China’s leading green company to our city,” said Villaraigosa at the grand opening of electric car company BYD’s North American headquarters in downtown Los Angeles.

The multi-national manufacturer, which is backed by billionaire investor Warren Buffett, was initially reluctant to come to LA, fearful of getting tied up in the city’s red tape.

The mayor and his staff brought the auto company to the city with incentives that included a 15 percent reduction on tariffs for BYD cars coming into the Port of Los Angeles and an agreement with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power to install battery charges in BYD cars within a week of purchase, according to a press release from the Mayor’s Office.

Villaraigosa’s business team, spearheaded by former first Deputy Mayor Austin Beutner, even took advantage of the glitz and glamour of Hollywood to win over BYD.

City officials are working to comply with BYD’s request for a celebrity to drive one of their cars to the annual Oscars party held at the Getty House.

BYD, which stands for “Build Your Dreams,” is expected to bring about 150 engineering and management jobs to Los Angeles and produce hundreds of additional jobs in feeder industries, according to the Mayor’s Office.

“BYD brings good paying jobs to Los Angeles,” said Beutner, who is running for mayor in 2013. “This is a great example of how Los Angeles can attract world-class companies to invest in our community.”

BYD, which also manufactures solar power systems, rechargeable batteries and energy-efficient lighting, brought to light the city’s attempt at positioning itself as the hub of green business.

“BYD is thrilled to be making this investment in Los Angeles, a global city working towards a green, sustainable future,” said BYD Charmain Wang Chauanfu, according to the release. “We look forward to a long, productive relationship with the city, and thank Mayor Villaraigosa and his team for their hard work and dedication to recruiting businesses to Los Angeles.

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The Final Seal Beach Memorial Service

The Final Seal Beach Memorial Service

Two very different scenes played out Monday in Los Alamitos and Santa Ana, in the aftermath of the Seal Beach massacre.

Scott Dekraai, suspected of killing eight in the salon shooting spree, told a judge in Santa Ana that he can't afford his legal defense.

Dekraai, who could face the death penalty, will now be represented by a court-appointed, taxpayer-funded public defender.

Among those in court to witness the proceeding was Paul Wilson, husband of murder victim Christy Wilson.

"Over the past week we have said goodbye to eight very loving people," Wilson lamented outside the courthouse. "They were mothers, fathers, sisters, daughters, grandparents."

Meanwhile, in Los Alamitos, friends and family said their final goodbyes to Michelle Fournier in a service at Cottonwood Church. Fournier was 41 years old, when her ex-husband allegedly came to Salon Meritage in Seal Beach targeting her, and inexplicably, anyone else in the vicinity.

The former couple had been feuding over the custody of their 8 year old son.

"She was a fabulous person and a great friend," said Wendy Seele. "She loved life and loved her kids. It's a very sad day. She's going to be missed."

"She was very kind, loving, generous, and a great mom," said Erin Loch.

They remembered her with flowers and blue ribbons. Blue was her favorite color. They remembered her as one life, lost in a sea of tragedy.

Jack Dial said he came to the memorial for Michelle Fournier, and for the entire community.

"To show my care and respect for the family and for her," said Dial. "And what she meant to this community and what this did to everybody. It was a horrible thing to happen in a place where this just doesn’t happen."

"Goodbye, Michelle, we love you," someone shouted as a white dove was released outside the church in Michelle Fournier's memory.

Then seven more doves were released, in memory of the other victims. They were all connected, forever, to a community that will never be quite the same.

Structures Damaged in Moorpark Brush Fire

At least two structures have been damaged in a brush fire near Arroyo Vista Park on Monday afternoon, according to fire officials.

The blaze was reported at 4550 Tierra Rejada Road, between the creek and the football field of Arroyo Park, according to Ventura County Fire Department.

Officials have not confirmed if the structures were homes.

No injuries have been reported.

Refresh this page for more details.

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DA Fails to File Charges in Norma Lopez Case

DA Fails to File Charges in Norma Lopez Case

 

Prosecutors failed to file charges within a 48-hour window in the high-profile slaying of a 17-year-old Moreno Valley girl.

Norma Lopez was found dead in a partially vacant field in Moreno Valley in July 2010. She disappeared on her way home from summer school.

Last Thursday, police arrested 35-year-old Jesse Perez Torres in Long Beach.

On Monday, the window to charge Torres expired, according to the Riverside County District Attorney's office.

Prosecutors are continuing to review the case and a final filing decision has not been made, according to the DA.

Torres was released and then immediately re-arrested, said Riverside County Sheriff's spokesman Deputy Angel Ramos. Torres remains in custody.

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Official: Formula 1 Race Coming to NJ in 2013

Official: Formula 1 Race Coming to NJ in 2013

An official with direct knowledge of the plan says Formula One is coming to New Jersey in June 2013 with a race on the Hudson River shoreline just minutes from New York City.

The person says the Grand Prix event will take place in Weehawken and West New York, with the Manhattan skyline as a backdrop. The person spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity Monday because the race has yet to be announced. A press conference is scheduled in Weehawken on Tuesday, and will likely be attended by New Jersey governor Chris Christie.

The U.S. hasn't hosted a Formula One race since 2007 in Indianapolis, an event won by Lewis Hamilton.

A race is scheduled for Austin, Texas, in 2012.

The race could mean a big boost to the economy in North Jersey, which typically benefits from national and international events at the Meadowlands Sports Complex, where the NFL's New York Giants and Jets play. But although the Super Bowl is coming to MetLife Stadium there in 2014, the complex has sagged a bit economically with the loss of the NHL's New Jersey Devils and NBA's New Jersey Nets to the nearby Prudential Center in Newark.

The tentative name for the race is the Formula 1 Grand Prix of America.

The area is not foreign to motorsports, though it has been awhile. The Meadowlands Grand Prix was a CART IndyCar race held in East Rutherford from 1984-1991. It was the first major race in the New York City metropolitan area since 1937, and the course twisted and turned around the original Giants Stadium.

The Formula One race would likely stroll through River Road, which runs alongside the Hudson River, allowing for clear views of the New York City skyline. It would also offer fans and tourists easy accessibility to New York City lodging, restaurants and nightlife, though they could also easily stay in Hudson County, as well.

Breast Cancer at the Age of 24

Breast Cancer at the Age of 24

Professional LA rock violinist Asha Mevlana is one of the 7 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 40.

"I found the lump in January 1999. It was hard and small, in my left breast, under my armpit," Mevlana said.

She was 24 years old.

"I was shocked. It didn't make any sense," Mevlana said. "Everyone that I had heard of with breast cancer wasn't certainly my age. They were always my mother's and grandmother's age."

The American Cancer Society's 2011-2012 research shows that women with a family history of breast cancer, especially in a first-degree relative such as a mother or sister, are at increased risk of developing breast cancer.

Mevlana did have a family history of breast cancer. Her aunt was diagnosed at a young age and her grandmother was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 81, just six months before Mevlana was.

She was inspired to help spread awareness, so she worked for the Young Survival Coalition, a New York-based, non-profit organization that educates about breast cancer in younger women.

There, she spent time helping women who were in the same situation.

"It's hard because I had so many friends there that passed away from it. It was tough," she said.

More than 10 years later, breast cancer survivor Mevlana moved from the East Coast to LA and pursued a full-time music career.

In addition to performing at the Grammys with Gnarls Barkley, Mevlana also has shared the stage with Cindy Lauper, Alanis Morrisette, The Black Eyed Peas, Enrique Iglesias and many more artists.

She hardly thinks about it anymore.

"It's weird to look at pictures now of me (back then). I keep thinking, 'wow I can't believe I went through this.' It felt like a totally different life and time," she said.

Younger women are more aware of their family history, their ethnicity and of certain breast cancer risk factors, said breast oncologist Dr. Cathie Chung of the Angeles Clinic.

"When you hear a woman that has breast cancer at a younger age, it makes you more aware of it because it sort of sticks out more," Chung said.

Burbank breast cancer surgeon Dr. Deanna Attai recommends women over the age of 40 get mammograms, but she doesn't recommend mammograms for the average younger women.

"Not someone with a strong family history, not someone who has had a biopsy in the past that shows abnormality or women with increased risk," Attai said. "Mammograms are not that helpful in younger women."

Breast self-exam and breast health awareness are more common options for younger women.

"Get to know what your normal breast tissue feels like," Attai said. "It doesn't mean that you'd have to be able to pinpoint every little lump and bump, but to have a general awareness of what you breast feel like. Just like you have a general awareness of what's going on in the rest of your body."

Chung said to consult a medical expert immediately if a lump or abnormality is found.

"Whether it is getting another imaging modality such as an ultrasound or an MRI or a biopsy, do not rest if the mammogram says it's nothing when you feel something in the breast," Chung said.

That's what saved Mevlana's life.

"I think it's so important to be pro-active about your health and if you feel like there might be something wrong, it's ok to get a second opinion," Mevlana said. "It's ok to find someone that you really trust. It's really important. You want to really have full faith in your doctor."

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CityTime Scandal Causes Shakeup at Company Hired by NYC

CityTime Scandal Causes Shakeup at Company Hired by NYC

The multibillion-dollar technology giant that was in charge of New York City's scandal-plagued CityTime payroll project has fired three senior managers and hired a law firm to review its ethics and practices.

A representative for SAIC Inc. says the company's chief executive sent a letter to employees Monday about the changes.

Prosecutors say SAIC received a whistleblower complaint in 2005 about CityTime, but the target of the complaint remained on the project. Prosecutors now say CityTime is tainted by an epic fraud that involved hundreds of contractors, systemic overbilling and an international money-laundering conspiracy.

In the letter, Walt Havenstein thanked employees for raising concerns about CityTime, and said the company was "putting in place vigorous new measures to ensure that similar concerns are fully addressed in the future."

Arlington Man Sentenced for Arson at Islamic Playground

Arlington Man Sentenced for Arson at Islamic Playground

An Arlington man was sentenced to 14 months in federal prison for setting fire to an Islamic center's playground in July 2010.

Henry Clay Glaspell pleaded guilty to the ethnically motivated arson of the children's playground at the Dar El-Eman Islamic Center in Arlington.

Glaspell admitted to setting the fire, stealing and damaging mosque property, throwing used cat litter at the mosque and shouting racial and ethnic slurs at individuals of Arab or Middle Eastern decent at the mosque.

"The defendant targeted Arab-Americans at a mosque where families worship peacefully and children play," said Thomas E. Perez, assistant attorney general for the Civil Rights Division in a press release. "The Justice Department is committed to vigorously prosecuting hate crimes against all persons, and incidents of this kind will not be tolerated in our country."

Glaspell has been out on bond and was ordered to surrender to prison in late November of this year.

Police Work With Communities to Reduce Dallas Burglaries

Police Work With Communities to Reduce Dallas Burglaries

The Dallas Police Department says the city is safer in 2011, after releasing new numbers that show a drop of almost 10-percent in violent crimes.

However, the amount of home burglaries is consistent with last year.

In order to reduce those numbers, police say they're working to find a way to get more involved with specific communities, including developing more crime watch groups.

At a public safety meeting, the city council discussed ways to reach out to communities and get more groups started in each of their districts.

Nancy Wilson of a Lakeside crime watch group says communication with police and technology have helped her neighbors stay safe.

Police discussed having a mobile presence including using the smart phone app iWatchDallas to get more tips and to make it easier for folks to contribute to their safety.

New Development to Cause Parking Problem in Downtown Bethesda

New Development to Cause Parking Problem in Downtown Bethesda

The search for parking in downtown Bethesda, Md., is about to become more difficult as one of the area’s most popular parking lots is closing.

The lot at the corner of Woodmont and Bethesda avenues shuts down in January. Some rows will be closed next month.

“This lot's been very important,” said shopper Marnie Shaul. “It serves as a gathering spot. It really serves all these businesses right around here and having it here makes it easy to use those businesses. Once these lots, both sides, are gone and the road is closed, it's going to be tough to find parking nearby.”

The 300 parking spaces will be replaced by a new development by Stonebridge Carras. That includes more apartments and retail. It also includes an underground parking garage with 600 new spaces. But it won't be finished for three years.

Some businesses are worried about the short term impact.

“I hear about parking being an issue in Bethesda already, so the fact that they're closing down another parking lot is going to be tough for us,” said Gregory Konoshima, of Bethesda Bagel. “I guess if they have a vision for the future for us, then good for them, but it's going to suck for us for the next three years.”

A section of Woodmont Avenue also will be closed during construction. 

Montgomery County plans to create 150 short-term parking spaces and expand Circulator bus service during rush hour.

UNT Program Makes Commute Safer

A University of North Texas professor has come up with a way to make the daily commute safer and easier. Dr. Ram Dantu developed a program called Mobile Life Guard that alerts drivers of bad road conditions and bad driving.

"Every day, I actually commute one hour in the morning, one hour in the evening," Dantu said. "I see the people lane hopping and so many different accidents."

Dantu came up with a way to make roads safer. The Mobile Life Guard program senses road conditions and then gives the driver feedback on how they handled the situation. 

"It can easily tell them, 'you are making a wrong lane change, you are making a hard breaking, or the turning is not smooth,'" Dantu said.

The program combines the vehicle's on-board computer system with the user's smart phone to analyze driving behavior and road conditions. It then alerts the user if there are unsafe conditions.

"Like if the surface of the road is even. Are there any road bumps? Are there any pot holes?" Dantu said.

Dantu received a $50,000 dollar grant from the National Science Foundation to develop the program. The first phase will focus on individual cars and their driver, but the second phase will go beyond that. Eventually, it will keep an eye on neighboring drivers.

The trial version of Mobile Life Guard will launch at the first of the year.

Collin County Considers Business Tax Rebates

 Collin County is proposing a plan to show the world it’s open for business.  “We welcome your business to come here,” said county judge Keith Self.

Judge Self has proposed a tax incentive program to ease the cost of operations.  “The point is to create tax base increase and jobs” he said.
While he said the unemployment rate in the county has been fairly consistent in recent months, hovering around 7.5%, vacant store fronts and “for lease” signs are still abound.
 “I see a lot of empty spaces now,” said Donna Pass of Plano. “I think it’s a shame to go up to all these nice shopping centers and see so many empty spots.”
Judge Self said his plan is essentially a tax reduction, meant to help cities in Collin County compete with other areas in Texas for businesses.
The proposal is a rebate-based program, where businesses would pay county taxes up front, but if they qualified, would be eligible to see 50% of that money back.
 “For every $100,000 in business personal property or real property improvements, you get about $120,” said Self.
Businesses would have to invest a minimum of $100,000 in property or improvements and hire five full-time people based in Collin County.
The rebate applies only to county taxes, not those paid to the city or for Collin College.
In the meantime, Plano is considering about restrictions to make the plan work within its boundaries, namely, to limit the incentives to certain areas to prevent an over-flux of retailers.

Panties Entered as Evidence in Ex-Cop Sex Assault Trial

Panties Entered as Evidence in Ex-Cop Sex Assault Trial

In the trial of former San Diego police officer Anthony Arevalos, an accuser took the stand as well as the police investigator who discovered two pairs of women's panties in the ex-cop's locker.

Arevalos faces 21 felony counts, including assault under color of authority, after at least seven women claimed the former officer molested or abused them during traffic stops.

Arevalos is accused of brokering deals with female drivers during traffic stops and asking for their panties in exchange for not citing them or, in one case, asking to see proof a woman’s pubic hair was manicured according to court documents obtained by NBCSanDiego.

Detective Jamal Pasha, testifying for the prosecution, explained Monday how he found two pairs of woman's panties when he searched Arevalos's police locker as part of the investigation.

One pair of panties was black lace, the other was blue with the words "live for pink" on them.

After the department's crime lab tested the panties', investigators found DNA on the black pair belonged to a friend of Arevalos', not one of the victims. DNA from the blue panties matched neither the victim nor Arevalos's friend.

One of the alleged victims, identified in court proceedings as Danielle F., took the stand Monday and testified she was in "panic mode" when Arevalos handcuffed her outside the Voyeur nightclub.

She was stopped by Arevalos on 5th Avenue in the Gaslamp around 1 a.m.

As they drove to the women's jail, she told him she had nothing to offer.

She said Arevalos at least twice asked her what she had to "offer" him, and specifically said women sometimes offer him things so he will help them. She testified she "assumed he was talking, like, something sexually" but didn't consider "offering" him anything because she wanted to "keep my dignity."

Under cross-examination, Arevalos' attorney, Gretchen von Helms asked Danielle F. if she had tried to bargain with the then-officer in order to get out of legal trouble.

The alleged victim, a cocktail server, admitted she had offered free drinks for Arevalos if he would let her off.

"You made the offer, 'Hey, I'll trade you, I'll trade you a free drink for not getting this ticket, fair to say," asked the former officer's attorney.

Danielle F. testified she consumed vodka, rum, tequila, gin, raspberry vodka and peach Schnapps the night of the incident.

The defense reminded the jury that Danielle's blood alcohol level was at least .11, well over the legal limit.

Several of those alleged victims have already filed claims or lawsuits against the police department, seeking payment for that alleged sexual abuse.

In opening statements, prosecutor Sherry Thompson told jurors Arevolos preyed on female DUI suspects, offering to let them go without arrest if they gave him their undergarments.

Arevalos is also accused of groping several women, when he put them in his patrol car, or walked them into the police station.

Seven of the alleged female victims are expected to testify, along with an undercover police officer.

The 41-year-old former officer who was fired in March faces 19 years in prison if convicted.

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Recuperated Sea Turtle Returns to Ocean

Recuperated Sea Turtle Returns to Ocean

The sea turtle “Bruce” that was shot four times in the neck has been nursed back to health and is ready to return into the wild.

Bruce and has spent the majority of the year healing at Sea World’s Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation Program. After being in SeaWorld San Diego’s care undergoing life-saving medical treatment since Jan. 25, Bruce will be returned at 11 a.m. on Oct. 25. to the San Diego Bay.

In January, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrative officials found the adult male turtle in San Diego’s South Bay lethargic and breathing slowly.  They then brought him to SeaWorld weighing 250 pounds, with gunshot wounds in his neck, dehydrated and suffering from lacerations and a crack in his underside.  SeaWorld aquarists, animal care specialists and veterinarians treated Bruce with antibiotics, pain medication and rehydration fluids. 

The reptile now weighs 300 pounds and able to forage on his own.  Prior to the return, research scientists from NOAA will have outfitted Bruce with an acoustic transmitter that replaces the one Bruce had at the time of his rescue.  They hope to monitor and track his movements in San Diego Bay and believe the threatened species will stay in the area.

A student and teacher from Ben Hulse Elementary School in Imperial, Calif. — grand prize winners of the SeaWorld Sea Turtle Essay Contest — will assist with the return.  Jacob Sanchez wrote a creative and thoughtful essay on sea turtles’ natural history that included a way to help save sea turtles.

Shooter Identified in Murder-Suicide

Shooter Identified in Murder-Suicide

Dallas police have identified the shooter in an East Dallas murder-suicide that occurred on Saturday.

Forty-year-old James Michael Newby apparently shot and killed a woman in their shared home on Ferguson Road before shooting himself.

The female victim's name was not released by investigators, as they had yet to notify the family.

Residents of the neighborhood told the Dallas Morning News the quiet couple appeared happy and residents had "never seen them fight."

Man Falls at Belvedere Castle in Central Park

Man Falls at Belvedere Castle in Central Park

Emergency responders retrieved a man from the rocks surrounding Belvedere Castle in Central Park after he climbed over the gate separating the castle from the rocks and fell, police said.

The man had reportedly climbed over the gate because he dropped his cigar, witnesses at the scene said. He was on the rocks and trying to climb back up when he fell.

He broke both legs, said officials at the scene.

Defense Begins Case in Michael Jackson Doctor's Trial

Defense Begins Case in Michael Jackson Doctor's Trial

Michael Jackson's personal physician has been called inept, frantic, distracted, self-serving and irresponsible during testimony from 33 prosecution witnesses in the doctor's involuntary manslaughter trial.

On Monday, defense attorneys began countering those claims with testimony from their own witnesses. The defense began with testimony from Donna Norris, a member of the Beverly Hills Police Department, after Conrad Murray's attorneys finished questioning a key prosecution drug expert who has been on the stand since late last week.

Dr. Steve Shafer's scathing criticism of Murray's care for Jackson began late last week. He claimed a series of errors, including Murray's failure to provide proper monitoring equipment at the rented Holmby Hills mansion where he was caring for Jackson, led to the pop superstar's death.

Shafer is considered a leading expert of the drug blamed in Jackson's death -- propofol. In an interview with Los Angeles Police Department investigators two days after Jackson's June 25, 2009 death, Murray said he gave the superstar the powerful surgical sedative after Jackson pleaded with him for something to help him sleep.

Prosecutors played that two-hour interview for jurors earlier in the trial, and it's likely that will be the only time jurors hear from Murray -- the Houston-based cardiologist probably will not be called to the stand. Defense attorneys will probably call on police detectives, character witnesses, their own propofol expert and other medical experts to make their case.

The defense is expected to argue that Jackson self-administered the fatal dose of propofol when Murray was out of the bedroom June 25, 2009. They also might argue that Jackson swallowed several pills of the sedative lorazepam.

"People don't just wake up hell-bent to grab the next dose in the syringe, draw it and shove it in the IV again. It's a crazy scenario," said Shafer. "(Murray) is responsible for every drop of propofol in that room, every drop of lorazepam in that room.''

The defense case might wrap up late this week. Attorneys expect to call about 15 witnesses.

As the trial nears a close, Jackson sister Janet Jackson announced she will reschedule a series of concerts in Australia to be with her family in Los Angeles.

Murray has pleaded not guilty. If convicted, he faces up to four years in jail and loss of his medical license.

4 Fontana Teens Killed in Fiery Car Crash

4 Fontana Teens Killed in Fiery Car Crash

Four Fontana teenagers were killed in a fiery crash over the weekend.

The 18-year-old driver lost control of his Chrysler Sebring at high speed early Sunday and the vehicle burst into flames when it slammed into a concrete bridge, Fontana police said.

"The victims were badly burned, which compounded the identification process," Fontana police Chief Rodney Jones told the San Bernardino County Sun.

No other vehicles were involved in the 1:08 a.m. crash on Foothill Boulevard.

The victims were identified by the Sun as Javier T. Contreras, 18; Rebecca Garcia, 16; Pedro Rivera, 18; and Raquel Garcia, 18.

Contreras was reportedly driving at the time, the newspaper reported.

Mourners created a makeshift memorial with candles, flowers and stuffed animals near the scene of the crash.

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Loaded Handgun in Checked Luggage Clears LAX Security

Loaded Handgun in Checked Luggage Clears LAX Security

A passenger who packed and failed to declare a loaded gun in his checked luggage cleared security on Sunday at LAX and boarded an Alaskan Airlines flight bound for Portland, Ore.

The gun was discovered by the airport ramp crew while loading luggage onto the flight when it slipped out of the bag.

“At approximately 8:20 a.m. Los Angeles Airport Police responded to a report of a loaded hand gun found by a baggage handler after the weapon had fallen out of a piece of luggage that had been checked in by a passenger,” said Los Angeles Airport Police Public Information Officer Sgt. Belinda Nettles in a prepared statement.

The TSA allows passengers to check a firearm so long as it is unloaded and placed in a locked, hard-sided container. The passenger must declare the firearm to the airline during the check-in process.

Additionally, Alaska Airlines requires individuals who are checking baggage containing a firearm to sign a tag declaring the weapon is unloaded and packed properly.

According to the TSA website, violations “can result in criminal prosecution and civil penalties of up to $10,000 per violation.”

However, the passenger was allowed to continue his travel onto Portland. No criminal charges will be filed.

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Search for Impartial Jurors in Lululemon Murder Trial

Search for Impartial Jurors in Lululemon Murder Trial

In court Monday, a judge told the prospective jurors the allegations: Brittany Norwood is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing Jayna Murray, a fellow employee at the Bethesda Row Lululemon Athletica store March 11.

The judge asked the first group of 149 prospective jurors if any of them heard, read or viewed any article, report or account from any source concerning this case. Only 18 said they haven’t heard about the case.

Through a long series of questions, the judge, prosecutors and defense attorneys will try to pick jurors who can put aside anything they learned from news reports and be fair and impartial weighing the evidence in this trial.

Finding impartial jurors in such a high-profile murder trial is difficult, said veteran defense attorney Steven Kupferberg, who is not involved in this case.

"What you want to do is get people who will listen to your case and put aside their bias and prejudices in light of this particular crime," he said.

Norwood sat quietly in street clothes her family brought to her, her hair pulled back tight.

She is accused of premeditated murder. She pummeled and slashed Murray in an attack that lasted up to 20 minutes, prosecutors said. Norwood allegedly attacked Murray after Murray found clothing stolen from the store in Norwood’s bag. Norwood allegedly attempted to cover up the crime by inflicting cuts on herself and making up a story that they had both been attacked and raped by two masked men.

If convicted of first-degree murder, Norwood could face a possible sentence of life in prison.

Murder-Suicide Dad Bought Gun in April

A man who shot his two young children as they laid in their beds and beat his wife to death before killing himself at their Westchester home last week legally bought the gun in April.

State police said Sam Friedlander, 50, bought the shotgun at a Yonkers, N.Y. sporting goods store six months before he shot his children, 8-year-old Gregory and 10-year-old Molly, on Oct. 17.

Friedlander also bludgeoned his wife, Amy, with a piece of furniture. He then turned the shotgun on himself in the basement of the family's four-bedroom Colonial-style house in Cross River.

The bodies were found Tuesday afternoon by a state trooper after someone at Sam Friedlander's office called out of concern when he didn't show up for work.

Police said the couple was in the midst of a divorce.

Police said people close to Sam Friedlander have told authorities he was acting irrationally in recent weeks, but said it was nothing that would have indicated such a violent spree.

Amy Friedlander and the children were mourned Saturday in a Pennsylvania funeral.

Man Killed in Northwest D.C. Hit-and-Run

Man Killed in Northwest D.C. Hit-and-Run

A 32-year-old man died after being struck and dragged by a vehicle in northwest Washington Monday morning.

John Young Kim, of Berkeley, Calif., was found about 8 a.m. in the 1800 block of Sixth Street, about two blocks from the Shaw Metro Station. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The driver of the vehicle that struck Kim left the scene, police said.

Anyone with information about the hit-and-run should call 202-727-9099 or 888-919-2746. Anonymous tips can be made at 800-673-2777 or by texting 50411.

Homeless Population Surveyed in Silver Lake

Homeless Population Surveyed in Silver Lake

The first survey of Silver Lake’s homeless population was administered over the weekend. Led by local nonprofit People Assisting the Homeless (PATH), volunteers were trained to collect data that would help to identify the community’s most at-risk and get them off the streets.

This initiative, known as Silver Lake Connections, is part of a national effort led by the 100,000 Homes Campaign. The initiative's goal is to find permanent housing for the nation’s 100,000 most vulnerable homeless individuals by July 2013.

The survey helps to get a snapshot of the homeless individuals living in a community and their health conditions.

PATH will report the results from their survey at a community meeting on Nov. 2.

PATH chief development and communication officer Jeremy Sidell said volunteers were prepared for the possibility that not everyone would be willing to answer questions.

"We offer meal gift cards and meals – that’s the number one way to get people to speak with us," Sidell said.

The Vulnerability Index Survey is used to identify those who are most vulnerable to serious illness and death.

"This is not a survey about who is more in need,” said Jake Maguire, community director for 100,000 Homes. "The survey helps to identify people with health conditions associated with an increased vulnerability. Some things aren’t lethal indoors, but when combined with homelessness, they can be."

Some illnesses Maguire identified as deadly when coupled with homelessness were HIV/AIDS, kidney disease, liver disease, and the combination of chronic health conditions, mental health conditions and substance abuse.

Additionally, Maguire said that old age could be an elevated vulnerability factor.

"If you are over 60 and homeless, you have already outlived your life expectancy," said Maguire. "Finding people over 60 is rare -- it means you have someone quite vulnerable, who really needs to be given attention."

However, the surveying initiatives are only the first step in a larger operation to provide homes for the homeless.

"We can offer people the opportunity to get housed,” said Sidell. “Most of them don’t want to go into a shelter, but we offer permanent supportive housing."

Maguire said permanent housing combined with supportive services, from drawing up weekly budgets to accessing basic primary care, were the most effective methods in ending homelessness.

PATH already has 500 permanent supportive housing units built, Sidell said. One of those units is located across from PATH headquarters in Silver Lake.

In addition to the survey, the nonprofit is providing a full outreach team in the Silver Lake area.

"Homelessness is not something that if you just ignore it, it will go away," said Macguire. "It is really a public health emergency."

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Obama Seeks Latino Backing on LA Visit

Obama Seeks Latino Backing on LA Visit

There’s more to President Barack Obama’s visit to Los Angeles Monday than just raising money at a couple of star-studded events.

Obama also is here because he needs to shore up his standing with Latino voters, many of whom are angry about his failure to make meaningful progress on immigration reform during his first term.

“The failure to pass the Dream Act and meaningful immigration reform really do create a contest where Obama has to go out and win the Latino vote all over again,” said USC political scientist Ange-Marie Hancock, who studies immigrant issues.

The lack of progress on the Dream Act – which would grant legal residency to many immigrant college students who were brought to the U.S. as minors – is taking place against a backdrop of the poor economy and anti-immigrant laws in Alabama, Arizona and other states. The combination has further soured many Latinos on the President, Hancock said.

MORE: Presidential Traffic 

A recent poll by the PEW Research Center shows that Obama still has sizeable support among Hispanic voters, about 60 percent of whom say they would support him in match-ups against Republicans Mitt Romney or Rick Perry. But that’s lower than during the 2008 election, when 67 percent of Hispanic voters turned out for Obama.

To win them back, Obama will also have to reach out to Latino business owners. Latinos are disproportionately represented among small business owners, responsible for 35 percent more startups than the national average, said Jorge Corralejo, chairman of the Latino Business Chamber of Greater Los Angeles.

“There has not been an administration in decades that has been a leader for small business,” he said. “I think there’s enormous opportunity for the president to take advantage of this.”

Recent crackdowns on illegal immigration, including requiring all business owners to use the electronic e-verify system to prove that their employees are in the country legally, have hurt Latino businesses, depriving them of both workers and customers, he and others said.

“It’s not the best time for Latinos in business,” said Patricia Perez, past president of the Latin Business Association in Los Angeles. “The crackdown on undocumented immigrants is not only hurting Latinos in general as workers, but also as consumers. So it’s affecting us in both ways.”

A key stop on the president’s Los Angeles tour -- a fund-raiser at the Hancock Park home of actors Antonio Banderas and Melanie Griffith -- is co-sponsored by a Latino political organization, the Texas-based Futuro Fund.

A number of Latino activists and politicians will attend, including Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Antonio Mayor Julian Castro. It is co-sponsored by actor and activist Eva Longoria.

State Senator Alex Padilla (D-Pacoima), who has been stumping for Obama in Southern California, said winning more Latino support is less about developing new policies and more about putting the blame on Republicans for blocking the president's initiatives.

“His challenge is to demonstrate that to the extent he hasn’t achieved what he wants to achieve, it has nothing to do with lack of proposals - and everything to do with Republican Party recalcitrance,” Padilla said.

“In campaign talk, it’s putting out the message,” Padilla said.

Tickets for the event range from $5,000 to $35,800. It is one of two fund-raisers for the president on Monday. The other is at the home of movie producer James Lassiter, and is co-hosted by actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith.

On Tuesday, Obama will come to Burbank to tape an appearance on “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno,” which will air Tuesday night on NBC.

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Autistic Boy Missing in Virginia

Autistic Boy Missing in Virginia

Police and emergency crews are searching for a 9-year-old autistic boy who disappeared while on a walk with his family.

Robert “Robbie” Wood Jr. wandered away while with his father, brother and a woman at North Anna Battlefield Park in Hanover County, Va., about 2:45 p.m. Sunday, police said. The search continued throughout the night as temperatures dropped to 45 degrees.

Hanover County Sheriff's Office spokesman Michael Trice said air crews would continue searching for the boy. Crews on the ground are using search dogs.

The 80-acre park is not fenced in, so officials are concerned Robbie could wander off the property.

Robbie does not speak. He has blond hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing a red, long-sleeved T-shirt, blue athletic pants and blue shoes.

NYC Doctor Arrested Twice in 2 Days for DWI

NYC Doctor Arrested Twice in 2 Days for DWI

A New York City doctor was arrested twice this past weekend for driving while intoxicated two separate times, according to state police.

Dr. Susana G. Duncan, who lives on Park Avenue in New York City and has a home in Ancram, N.Y., was first arrested Saturday, Oct. 22, when she called police to report her 2004 Volkswagen stolen.

When state troopers in Columbia County responded to her home in Ancramdale, they found her intoxicated and claiming her vehicle was stolen, according to state police. Troopers found the vehicle on her property, crashed down a large enbankment.

Duncan was arrested and charged with DWI at state police headquarters in Livingston, police said. She was released on a ticket.

The next day, Sunday, Oct. 23, Duncan was stopped in the town of LaGrange for speeding at 80 miles per hour in a 55 mph zone on the Taconic State Parkway, said state police. She was found to have a blood alcohol level of . 19 percent.

Duncan was again arrested, this time for aggravated DWI and second-degree obstructing governmental justice.

Duncan was arraigned in the Town of LaGrange Court and remanded to Dutchess County Jail on $2,500 cash bail.

It was not immediately clear if she had an attorney.

McDonnell Seeks FEMA Aid for Quake-Damaged Schools

McDonnell Seeks FEMA Aid for Quake-Damaged Schools

Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell is seeking federal disaster aid for Louisa County schools that were damaged by a powerful Aug. 23 earthquake and its aftershocks.

Thomas Jefferson Elementary School and Louisa County High School sustained the most damage and have been closed indefinitely, McDonnell said. Students are being taught in makeshift classrooms until their schools are repaired or rebuilt.

McDonnell is seeking the emergency declaration through the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Engineers estimate the damage to the schools at $31 million.

FEMA already has denied individual assistance to residents whose homes were damaged by the magnitude-5.8 quake, which was centered in Mineral.

Mourning Zurana Horton, Community Calls for End to Gun Violence

Mourning Zurana Horton, Community Calls for End to Gun Violence

The mother of the 33-year-old woman who died in a hail of gunfire Friday while trying to protect young children who had just been dismissed from elementary school is urging the city to put an end to gangs and illegal guns.

Denise Peace stood beside the Rev. Al Sharpton and elected officials in Brooklyn Monday to urge the city to take action against gun violence.

"We are sending a signal to our young people that we can't protect them, and that they need to join a gang to be protected," Sharpton said. "I hope this incident can wake the city up."

Horton was the third of her siblings to die from gun violence. Her two brothers were also killed in gunfire, according to their mother Denise Peace. 

Horton, a mother of 12, died of a gunshot wound to the chest when she tried to protect students from a gunman on a rooftop who had opened fire on rival gang members on Watkins Street Friday just after school was dismissed at P.S. 298.

An 11-year-old girl was grazed in the face by a bullet, and another 31-year-old mother was shot in the arm and chest.

The girl, Cheanne McKnight, was doing well Monday, according to her mother. And she has Horton to thank for it.

"That woman died saving my child's life," said Harriet McKnight.

"I hope her family's okay, and that she's in a better place now," said the girl, Cheanne McKnight.

Horton's mother will now care for seven of her grandchildren while the other five stay with their father.

A collection has started at Horton's memorial, and is already filling up with donations from people who have been touched by her story. Community leaders are calling for Horton to be honored as a hero.

Occupy Dallas Supporters Arrested After Protest

Occupy Dallas Supporters Arrested After Protest

A small number of Occupy Dallas protestors began demonstrating outside of Chase Tower and a Chase Bank branch in downtown Dallas Monday afternoon.

At about 2:15 p.m., NBC 5 got word that protestors were said to be blocking an entrance to Chase Tower.  It was leared a short time later that another protest was under way at a Chase bank branch at Main and Akard in downtown Dallas.

Dallas police were called to both locations, but have not confirmed if any arrests were made. However, they did say that a public information officer is being sent to the scene of the Occupy Dallas arrests.

On their Facebook page, the organization was relaying information to supporters about moving the protests to Lew Sterrett Justice Center in order to protest the arrests of about 20 supporters.

Dallas police are expected to remain at both locations for the next several hours. According to the group's schedule, the protest by the encampment was also planning to march on Chase Tower at 5 p.m.  On Facebook, the group said the protest was planned from noon to 5 p.m.

The group is currently occupying and living in a section of land at Dallas' City Hall Park as part of the Occupy Wall Street movement.

Man Accused in Plot to Assassinate Saudi Ambassador Pleads Not Guilty

Man Accused in Plot to Assassinate Saudi Ambassador Pleads Not Guilty

A man charged in a plot to assassinate the Saudi ambassador to the United States has pleaded not guilty in court in New York City.

A five-count indictment against Manssor Arbabsiar was returned last week in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.

The charges are the same as those contained in an Oct. 11 criminal complaint.

Authorities say the 56-year-old U.S. citizen with an Iranian passport has admitted his role in a $1.5 million plot to kill the ambassador at a restaurant by setting off explosives.

President Barack Obama's administration has accused agents of the Iranian government of being involved in the plot.

The press attache at Iran's mission to the United Nations has called the accusation ``baseless.''

DISD Bus Crashes With Kids On Board

DISD Bus Crashes With Kids On Board

A school bus from the Dallas Independent School District has crashed.

The bus is believed to have eight children inside. The conditions of the passengers is not known.

The crash between the bus and another vehicle took place near the 12500-block of Jupiter Road.

NBC 5 has crews on the way to the scene and we'll update this story with more information as soon as we get it.

Cab Drivers Warned: Horn Honking for Emergencies Only

Cab Drivers Warned: Horn Honking for Emergencies Only

New York City cabbies are being warned that horn honking could lead to a $350 fine.

A warning message from the Taxi and Limousine Commission began appearing on taxicab information monitors Monday:

“Drivers – remember that honking is against the law except when warning of imminent danger! Be a good neighbor and save yourself a $350 summons – honk ONLY in an emergency!”

The TLC says passengers should tell drivers that they do not want them to honk their horns. If the driver does not comply, they should call 311 to report the violation. 

“We understand and appreciate that drivers want to be responsive when passengers are in a hurry to get to their destinations,” said TLC Commissioner David Yassky, “but horn abuse isn’t the way to accomplish that goal.”

The city recently announced that a new taxi model, expected on roads in November 2013, will have a "low annoyance horn."

Villanova Alum Struck, Killed During Homecoming

Villanova Alum Struck, Killed During Homecoming

A female graduate who returned to Villanova University for homecoming weekend was struck and killed by a car Saturday night, police say.

Family members tell the Daily News 23-year-old Lauryn Ossola of Pittsburgh was struck and killed late Saturday night by a sport-utility vehicle. Police say she was pronounced dead at a hospital.

Ossola returned to see friends and her younger sister, who is a junior at Villanova, her father Jerry Nickodemski told the Daily News. He said that she was trying to catch up with friends when she was hit.

Ossola was crossing Lancaster Avenue from the north side in Bryn Mawr at about 11:20 p.m., when she was struck by a 2008 silver Jeep Liberty, police say.

"The entire Villanova community mourns the loss of Lauryn Ossola, a member of the University’s Class of 2010," Jonathan Gust, director of media relations at Villanova, said in an e-mail to USA LOCAL NEWS.  "All of us at the University extend our deepest sympathy and prayers to Lauryn’s family and friends on their loss."

Gust said that a Mass was offered for Ossola at St. Thomas of Villanova Church Sunday evening.

No charges have been filed but police are still investigating.

Ossola was a 2010 graduate working at PNC Bank in Pittsburgh as an analyst.

“I can’t grasp that this beautiful woman, who had everything going for her, with whom I made all these happy memories, is gone,” a friend of Ossola wrote on a blog after the fatal accident. “Life is not fair.”

Officers in Sean Bell Case Face NYPD Trial

Officers in Sean Bell Case Face NYPD Trial

Nearly five years after an unarmed man died in a barrage of 50 police bullets following his bachelor party in Queens, two of the shooters faced a long-delayed disciplinary trial on Monday that could cost them their jobs.

Detective Gescard Isnora and Officer Michael Carey are charged with violating department guidelines by using unnecessary force in the 2006 shooting of Sean Bell, who died on what would have been his wedding day.

The 23-year-old Bell was killed and two friends seriously injured outside a topless bar where police were investigating reports of prostitution. No weapon was found in Bell's blood-splattered, bullet-riddled car, sparking accusations that the New York Police Department was too quick to use deadly force in his case and others.

The disciplinary proceeding follows a 2008 non-jury trial where Isnora and two other officers were acquitted of criminal charges. Carey was never charged criminally.

NYPD attorney Adam Sheldon told an administrative judge on Monday that the tragic outcome was the result of "the outrageous, unimaginable and unjustified actions of Detective Isnora."

When Isnora and other officers began shooting at a car carrying Bell and two friends, Carey fired three rounds without proper cause, Sheldon said.

Carey "never saw an actual threat coming from the car," the attorney said. "He couldn't have, because one didn't exist."

Isnora's attorney, Philip Karasyk, blamed Bell for not following the detective's orders to halt and instead trying to drive away.

If Bell "had just put his foot on the brake instead of the accelerator, none of us would be here today," the lawyer said.

At the 2008 criminal trial, an undercover officer working with the accused officers testified that they became alarmed after witnessing a heated argument outside the club between Bell's friends and another patron who appeared to have a gun. He claimed they overheard a bell associate, Joseph Guzman, say, "Yo, go get my gun."

In grand jury testimony, Isnora said he decided to follow Bell, Guzman and Trent Benefield to their car because he believed they were going to commit a drive-by shooting.

Guzman denied saying anything about a gun; other witnesses also testified that the dispute ended peacefully. He and Benefield testified that they never heard the officers yell warnings before opening fire and tried to drive away because they feared for their lives.

Isnora gave a different account: When he confronted the men, he resorted to deadly force only after Bell bumped him with the car and smashed into an unmarked police van, and after he spotted Guzman make a sudden move as though he were going for a gun.

A judge ended up acquitting the three officers of state charges that included manslaughter, assault and reckless endangerment.

After hearing evidence at the disciplinary trial, the administrative judge will make a recommendation to Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly about whether and how to discipline the officers, who aren't on active duty but collect a paycheck. Kelly has the final say on their future with the department.

The two other officers acquitted in the criminal trial are trying to negotiate plea deals in their disciplinary cases.

Last year, the city agreed to pay $3.25 million to the estate of Bell, $3 million to Guzman and $900,000 to Benefield to settle a civil suit.

EB I-30 at Zion Road Closed Monday Night

EB I-30 at Zion Road Closed Monday Night

The Texas Department of Transportation will close the eastbound lanes of Interstate 30 west of Zion Road beginning at 9 p.m. Monday.

The lanes will remain closed until 4 a.m. while construction equipment damaged in last weekend's storm is repaired.

The construction equipment is being used in the construction of the eastern extension of the President George Bush Turnpike to I-30.

Those on the highway at the time will be detoured onto the frontage road and allowed back on the freeway east of Bass Pro Drive.

SDSU Aztec Basketball Preps for 2011 Season

SDSU Aztec Basketball Preps for 2011 Season

San Diego State University basketball tips off in just over two weeks. Student tickets for the first five days went on sale Monday morning.

The first game is set for Wednesday, Nov. 2 against Cal State San Marcos at Viejas Arena.

Hoops hoopla hit SDSU last season, as the Aztecs went 32-2, were ranked in the top ten, won the mountain west and advanced to the sweet 16.

It’s considered the best season in SDSU basketball history.

"What we did last year is always going to be there," said head coach Steve Fisher.

But like most coaches, Fisher is moving on and looking ahead.

"To be honest, it's in rearview mirror,” he said. “We're worried about preparing a team for this season."

So what kind of team will SDSU have?

Well, it will be pretty much a brand new team. Only one starter returns from last season.

Many of SDSU's best players will not be eligible until next season because they are transfers like Dwayne Polee from St. Johns.

One transfer that will be eligible and looks good is Garret Green.

“We're very excited about one year of eligibility 6'11 and he provides size," said Fisher

While the schedule and experience will be working against the Aztecs, SDSU's home court advantage will be working for them.

"The atmosphere that is in our building is second to none,” Fisher said. “Our fans, “The Show”, are as good as any fans in the U.S. and we need to maintain that.”

“It’s a huge home court advantage."

“The Show” (on and off the court) starts Nov. 11 when the Aztecs tip off the season against Bryant.

Tatooine-like Planet Discovered by SDSU Professors

Tatooine-like Planet Discovered by SDSU Professors

San Diego State professors recently assisted NASA in discovering the first cicumbinary planet – a planet that orbits two suns.

The professors worked as part of the Kepler Mission team at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California. Kepler Mission primarily searches for Earth-size and smaller planets in the habitable zone of other stars in our neighborhood of the galaxy, according to NASA.

Astronomy professors Jerome Orosz and William Welsh, along with former College of Sciences Dean Donald Short, analyzed the Kepler-16 data. They were able to determine the properties of the stars including their sizes and to measure the planet's mass.

“The discovery of Kepler-16 is perhaps the biggest discovery in exoplanet studies since the discovery of 51 Pegasi,” said Orosz. The discovery of 51 Pegasi in 1995 was the first sun-like star found to have a planet orbiting it.

The planet is similar to the fictional planet Tatooine in Star Wars, according to NASA. But unlike Tatooine, Kepler-16b is cold, gaseous and not thought to harbor life.

“Kepler-16b shows us that planetary bodies can exist in circumbinary orbits,” said Orosz. “The Kepler Mission represents a huge step forward not only in planetary science, but in the study of stars.”

 

Pleasantville Tennis Team Serves Up First Win in 9 Years

Pleasantville Tennis Team Serves Up First Win in 9 Years

It's something the Pleasantville High School Girls Tennis Team players haven't been able to call themselves in nine years -- winners.  Last week, the Greyhounds broke their long losing streak, with a 3-2 victory over the Bridgeton Bulldogs, according to The Star-Ledger.

At the October 18th home match, a 2-2 tie put all the pressure on second-singles player Lorna Miller.  When the sun started to go down, Coach Harry Green said it was too dark to see the ball. “I was a little nervous the other coach would have wanted to split the point and we would have to settle for a tie. I was thinking, there goes our first win,” he told The Star-Ledger.

Green's quick-thinking,  to light the nearby football field, meant Miller's tie-breaking match could continue.  After three hours on the court, the 16-year old Pleasantville teen was excited to lock in her first victory of the season, and the first win for the Greyhound girls team in nine years.

"It feels awesome," Miller told The Press of Atlantic City.  "I came up to the net more and slammed (the ball)," she said. "They finally broke the news that I won the match (for the team) and I was very happy."

Green, who has been coaching the team for seven years, hopes the big win will help attract new players.  "It feels good because it's something they can build upon," Green told the press of Atlantic City.  "They finally know what winning is...Normally they're competing and they come off (the court) and they don't win. This is something I think will motivate them and the school district to help other people come out (for the team) and build on the success we had."

First doubles player Julia Monroe says the team is like a family.  "It's great to finally get that win and show that all our hard work paid off. We don't have the best record, but we always go out and play hard. So it was nice to finally let people know that we could go out there and compete," she told the Press of Atlantic City.

 

Teen in 'Jihad Jane' Case Pleads Not Guilty

Teen in 'Jihad Jane' Case Pleads Not Guilty

A high school honors student has pleaded not guilty in federal court in Philadelphia to charges he helped the American terror suspect dubbed "Jihad Jane" raise money and recruits.

Eighteen-year-old Mohammad Hassan Khalid of suburban Baltimore entered the plea Monday at his first public court appearance since his arrest in July.

U.S. prosecutors say Khalid tried to recruit men to wage jihad in Europe and South Asia, and women with passports. The indictment filed last week says he met Colleen “Jihad Jane” LaRose of Pennsylvania in an Internet chat room.

Neither family nor friends were in court to support Khalid. He faces a 15-year prison term and deportation to his native Pakistan if convicted.

Defense lawyer Jeffrey Lindy says his client's online posts are less sinister than the government believes.

Israel: Egypt to Free Jailed Queens Man

Israel: Egypt to Free Jailed Queens Man

A statement from the Israeli prime minister's office says Egypt has agreed to release a dual U.S.-Israeli citizen from Queens who has been held since June on spy suspicions.

The statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said Monday that Israel will release 25 Egyptian prisoners in exchange. There was no immediate comment from Egypt.

Ilan Grapel was arrested in Cairo on June 12 and has been held without charge since.

Grapel, who is 27, was suspected by Egyptian officials of spying for Israel during the height of Egypt's uprising earlier this year.

Israel and his relatives in the U.S. deny Grapel was a spy, saying he worked for a Cairo legal aid project.

Irene Grapel told NBC New York last week that her son "always wanted to do good for the world."

"He learned Arabic at Johns Hopkins. He went to Egypt to help in the re-settlement of people from Arab countries who were displaced. Ilan is a young man who wanted to see all sides of every issue. “

Foreclosures Harming Nation's Health: Study

 Foreclosures Harming Nation's Health: Study

On Monday President Barack Obama will roll out a new plan to assist the millions of homeowners with distressed mortgages across the country.

According to a University of Maryland researcher, if the plan is effective in assisting homeowners threatened by foreclosure, it may benefit the nation's mental health as well.

The new study found high rates of depression for adults who are behind in their mortgage payments.

""This study has pinpointed an issue that until now has been somewhat under the radar," said Albert Reece, dean of the University of Maryland School of Medicine, "but which threatens to become a major public health crisis if not addressed."

The study, published in the American Journal of Public Health, tracked adults over age 50.  Researchers looked at 2,474 subjects, measuring their psychological impairment, general health status, and access to health resources, like prescription medicine.

According to the study, 22 percent of those who were delinquent on their mortgages showed depressive symptoms over a two-year period.  Among the study group that was not behind in their mortgage payments, only three percent showed depressive symptoms.

The study also found that the group with delinquent mortgage payments was six times more likely to skip prescription medicine than the non-delinquent group

Dr. Dawn Alley, the study's principal investigator, says that the trends seen in this study has gotten worse in recent years, as the mortgage crisis is compounded with long-term unemployment.

"Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that the number of Americans with depression has been increasing along with rising unemployment," Dr. Alley said.

Cerritos Strip Mall is Likely a Total Loss, Fire Captain Says

Cerritos Strip Mall is Likely a Total Loss, Fire Captain Says

Fire investigators were working Monday morning to determine what caused a three-alarm fire at a popular strip mall in Cerritos early Sunday morning, said Matt Levesque, an inspector and spokesman for the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

The entire back building, which housed several small businesses, including the Imperial Mandarin Palace Chinese restaurant, where the fire began, is likely a complete loss, said Levesque.

“More than likely they’ll have to level the entire building,” Levesque said.

The official condition of the building will have to be determined by the City of Cerritos, according to Los Angeles County Fire Capt. Mark Savage.

Firefighters remained on the scene Sunday and Monday to assist business owners who showed up to survey the damage and gather any salvageable items, Savage said.

Savage could not confirm the names of all the businesses that were destroyed at the Fountain Plaza Mall on South Street and Gridley Road, but he said, people from a dental office and a bank were among the business owners who were getting help gathering their belongings.

Businesses at the mall included the restaurant, a driving school, a nail salon and an accounting office, according the mall website.

The website was updated Monday with a message that read, “some of the businesses listed below may not be open at this time.”

Damages were estimated at $5.5 million -- $4 million for the building and $1.5 million for its contents, according to fire officials.

Firefighters were called at about 2 a.m. Sunday to respond to the blaze, but it was too late to save the building, said Savage.

"It started collapsing when we were here so we had to pull out," he said.

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One-Third of NYC High Schools Earn A Grade on Latest Report Cards

One-Third of NYC High Schools Earn A Grade on Latest Report Cards

One-third of New York City's public high schools have earned an A on their latest report cards.     

That's down from last year when 38 percent of high schools got A's.     

This is the fifth year that the city Department of Education has given out progress reports for schools.     

The high school grades are based largely on graduation rates and student performance on New York state Regents tests.     

The 2010-2011 grades released Monday do not include college readiness measures that have been calculated for the first time.     

Those numbers show that just 25 percent of students who entered high school in 2006 were fully prepared for college four years later.     

The data will be included in the 2011-2012 high school progress reports that will be released next year.     

WWII Veteran Missing In Haltom City

WWII Veteran Missing In Haltom City

At four o'clock Monday morning, Earl Davis's family was driving the streets of Fort Worth looking for any trace of their father.

"Shocked. We don't know what to think. I think we're all just numb," says Terry Craig, daughter.

The World War II veteran of the U.S. Navy is a father of four and a creature of habit. He went to Larry's 7 & 10 Grocery, about half a mile from his home, everyday for twelve years to buy lottery tickets. He was there October 7.

"They said he came in, he got his little tickets, his little scratch-offs and they do remember seeing him leave the store. They do remember seeing him drive off," says Craig.

But that's the last anyone saw of Earl Davis.

Family members say he was of sound mind, but did have a heart condition. Haltom City police say they have delivered his picture to every hospital in the area.

Still, nothing.

"We've exhausted all of our leads," says Corp. Joe Hackfeld, Haltom City Police Department.

"We've got he and the car entered in our computer system as missing, and we just don't know where else to look," says Hackfeld.

It's frustrating for police and the family who are still holding out hope he'll be found safe, but beginning to fear the worst.

"We're concerned now that there's some sort of foul play. We don't know what to do," says Terry.

Earl Davis is 85 years old. He was last seen wearing a blue, button-down shirt with a collar, blue jeans and black leather velcro shoes. He walks with a cane or a crutch. He was driving a white, 1996 Oldsmobile 98 with TX plates 8FHYZ.

Anyone with information should call Haltom City Police: (817) 222-7000

The family is offering a $10k reward for his safe return.

Ben & Jerry to Speak at UTA

Ben & Jerry to Speak at UTA

The men behind Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream, Ben and Jerry, will speak at UTA next month as part of the Mavericks Speakers Series.

Ben Cohen and Jerry Greenfield will visit the University of Texas at Arlington on Nov. 17 and give a presentation titled "Entrepreneurial Spirit, Social Responsibility & Radical Business Philosophy."

The pair are known for building a vast ice cream empire worth an estimated $300 million.

The event, which will take place at Texas Hall, is open to the public. Preferred tickets, which are $25 and include parking, went on sale Oct. 24 at 9 a.m.  All other tickets are free.

Future lecturers in the series include Soledad O'Brien, Robert Ballard and Jeb Bush.

Small Plane Crash Near Hebron High School

Small Plane Crash Near Hebron High School

A small, single-engine airplane crashed near Hebron High School in Carrollton Monday morning.

The plane crashed at about 11:30 a.m. in a field adjacent to some railroad tracks shortly after departing the Addison airport.

Officials said the pilot reported engine trouble and asked to return to the airport. That is when the aircraft, a Cirrus SR22T, crashed in the field.

There were three people were on board the aircraft at the time. One passenger was killed in the crash, two others were injured and transported to area hospitals.

We'll continue to update this story with information as we receive it.

Former Booker Foe Gets 2 Years for Bribery Conspiracy

The former prosecutor who tried to unseat Newark, N.J., Mayor Cory Booker last year has been sentenced to two years in prison for a witness bribery conspiracy and coverup scheme.

Clifford Minor, 68, admitted in April that he tried to save his client, Abdul Williams, 34, of East Orange, from an illegal weapon possession charge by having another man confess to having the weapon in his possession at the time of the crime.

An FBI investigation ended with Minor being charged with conspiracy to use a facility in interstate commerce to commit witness bribery, use of an interstate facility to facilitate bribery, obstruction of justice, falsification of records, lying under oath and lying to federal agents.

The scheme involved taking $3,500 from Williams and then getting another man, Jamal Muhammad, 32, of Newark, to go with him to the Newark Police Department where Muhammad said he had been in possession of the gun.

Much of the conspiracy was secretly recorded by FBI agents, including Minor coaching Williams in how to post bail for Muhammad.

When the FBI and U.S. attorneys started to question him, he then, as he admitted in court, proceeded to lie to them about his involvement.

Minor is a former Essex County prosecutor who ran in last year's non-partisan mayoral race against Booker.

Torch Cams Coming to Statue of Liberty

Torch Cams Coming to Statue of Liberty

Lady Liberty is getting high-tech gifts for her 125th birthday: webcams on her torch that will let viewers gaze out at New York Harbor and read the tablet in her hands or see visitors on the grounds of the island below in real time.

The five torch cams are to be switched on Friday during a ceremony to commemorate the dedication of the Statue of Liberty on Oct. 28, 1886. The ceremony caps a week of events centered around the historic date, including the debut of a major museum exhibition about poet Emma Lazarus, who helped bring the monument renown as the "Mother of Exiles."

The statue's webcams will offer views from the torch that have been unavailable to the public since 1916, said Stephen A. Briganti, the president of the Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation Inc.

"The statue is the most famous symbol in the world," he said. "Most of the people in the world have seen it, but they have not seen it like this. It will be a visit that so many people, including New Yorkers, have never taken before."

Through the webcams, Internet users around the world will have four views, including a high-quality, 180-degree stitched panorama of the harbor with stunning views of Ellis and Governors islands. They will be able to watch as ships go by Liberty Island and observe as the Freedom Tower at the World Trade Center goes up floor-by-floor in lower Manhattan. They can get a fish-eye look at the torch itself as it glows in the night.

The five cameras, which will be on 24 hours, seven days a week, were donated to the National Park Service by Earthcam Inc., a New Jersey-based company that manages webcams around the world.

The cameras put viewers on the balcony of the torch and high above the crown, said Brian Cury, the founder of Earthcam.

"This is not your dad's picture of the Statue of Liberty," he said. "This is not a view from a tourist helicopter. This is unique."

Friday's ceremony also will be marked by a water flotilla, actress Sigourney Weaver reading Lazarus' poem and a naturalization ceremony for 125 candidates for citizenship representing over 40 countries.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony, with ferry service available between Manhattan and Liberty Island. The interior of the statue — from the pedestal down to the museum base — will close after the 125th celebration for up to a year so that stairwells, elevators and mechanical systems can be upgraded. The park itself will remain open to visitors.

The statue, designed by sculptor Frederic Auguste Bartholdi, was given by the French government to the U.S. as a token of friendship between the two countries and dedicated by President Grover Cleveland.

And while today it is known as a symbol of liberty for millions of refugees and exiles, initially the famous sonnet by Lazarus in the voice of the statue asking for "your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free" did not appear on the statue. It was not until 1903 that "The New Colossus" was placed on the pedestal.

Lazarus is the subject of a new exhibit at the Museum of Jewish Heritage in lower Manhattan, which has views of Lady Liberty. It's to open Wednesday to coincide with the anniversary of the statue's dedication.

Curator Melissa Martens said Lazarus was born into the fourth generation of a Jewish family in New York prominent since colonial times. "They were some of the early people to articulate the Jewish experience in dialogue with the challenges of freedom and religious liberty," she said.

Featuring over 83 original objects from 27 institutions and individuals, "Poet of Exiles" is the first full-fledged artifact exhibit at a major museum to robustly explore the life of Lazarus, from her work as an advocate for immigrants fleeing the Russian pogroms of the early 1880s to her pioneering support for a Jewish homeland.

Lazarus died in 1887 at age 38 from Hodgkin's disease, never having known her poem would be united with the Statue of Liberty.

 

Man Reunites With Long-Lost Ring

Man Reunites With Long-Lost Ring

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Janet Jackson Returns From Australia for Conrad Murray Trial

Janet Jackson Returns From Australia for Conrad Murray Trial

Janet Jackson will return from Australia to Los Angeles for the trial of Dr. Conrad Murray, the man charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of her brother.

Jackson announced Sunday that she will reschedule a series of concerts in Melbourne to be with her family as attorneys for Michael Jackson's personal physician present their case.

"I want to thank my fans in Australia for their love, support and understanding," Janet Jackson said in a statement. "When I planned these shows, the schedule in California was completely different. After talking with my family last night, I decided we must be together right now. I'm looking forward to being with you for the Gold Coast, Sydney, and the Melbourne concerts. You are all so important to me. This saddens me in so many ways. I love you,"

The announcement came as defense attorneys prepare to present their witnesses this week. A final prosecution witness will face more questions Monday, the trial's 16th day, before defense attorneys call their witnesses to the stand.

"It is important that Janet is with her family at this critical point in the hearing," said promoter Paul Dainty.

The defense might wrap up its case later this week.

Three Jackson concerts were scheduled for this week in Melbourne as part of her "Number Ones" tour. Instead, Jackson will perform at a one-night only event Nov. 3.

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