It's Not Carmageddon, But Don't Go There

The uninformed were treated harshly Monday night. But it was expected to be even worse Tuesday morning.

Monday night's road closures and inconveniences near Sunset Boulevard may be nothing compared to Tuesday's commute.

Drivers who couldn't get to Sunset Boulevard the usual way Monday night, through Church Lane, at least had a road worker available to help them navigate.  Tuesday morning commuters may not be so fortunate.

For the next two weeks, the 405 Freeway's southbound Sunset Boulevard off ramp will be closed from 6 am to 10 am.

Westside commuters know that's when traffic is worst in Sepulveda Pass. There will also be nighttime closures from 8pm until 6am. But CalTrans and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority say the closures are necessary in order to rebuild the Sunset Boulevard bridge, which is an important element of the 405 widening.

"We're asking the public to make a sacrifice while we make some long term investments in the roadway infrastructure on the westside," said Dave Sotero, a spokesman for the MTA.

If this all sounds familiar, it's because the 405 widening is the same project that led to last summer's widely publicized "Carmageddon" weekend, when the entire 405 Freeway was shut down through Sepulveda Pass.

The weekend turned out to be more novelty than apocalyptic travel event. It was even fun for a lot of people. In some ways, the current inconvenience may be even worse, depending where you live.

Lian Kimia, a Brentwood resident, is preparing for the worst.

"Right now it's 8:20 (pm) and I'm just getting back from work in the valley," said Kimia. "I want to go home and now I have to go through all these detours and it's inconvenient but hopefully in the long term it will be better for all of us."

The MTA says the situation really will get better, with the added 405 lane and more lanes along Sunset Boulevard. Until then, officials hope all those who are diverted from there usual routes, will handle the delays with patience and understanding.

Perzel to Testify in Corruption Trial

John Perzel, the disgraced former state House speaker, is scheduled to testify in Pennsylvania's government corruption trial.

Perzel is expected to take the witness stand Tuesday morning in Dauphin County court in Harrisburg.

State investigators say Perzel engineered a scheme in which millions of taxpayer dollars was illegally spent on computer technology to give GOP candidates an advantage in elections.

The Philadelphia resident pleaded guilty in August to two counts of conflict of interest, two counts of theft and four counts of conspiracy as part of an agreement that requires him to testify for the state.

Six others have also pleaded guilty.

Two more are on trial _ former Rep. Brett Feese and his former aide Jill Seaman are charged with theft, conspiracy, conflict of interest, hindering apprehension and obstruction.

 

Gay Rights Group to Protest at NJ School Meeting

Gay rights activists plan to protest at a school board meeting in a northern New Jersey town where a teacher is under investigation for allegedly posting anti-gay remarks on her Facebook page.

Garden State Equality wants protesters to urge the Union Township board take action against Viki Knox when they meet Tuesday night.

Knox, a high school teacher and faculty adviser to a prayer group, came under fire last week after allegedly calling homosexuality ``perverted'' on Facebook and posting other negative comments about a school display celebrating Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender History Month.

Messages left for Knox at her school were not returned, and a home phone number could not be located.

A local lawyer brought the comments to the attention of school officials, who say they are investigating.

 

Truck Full of Equipment for Obama Bus Tour Stolen in Virginia: Report

President Obama's teleprompter, podium, and audio equipment were stolen from a Virginia hotel parking lot, NBC12 in Richmond reports.

The Richmond station confirmed the investigation with the Defense Department.

Inside the vehicle were presidential seals, several podiums, $200,000 worth of audio equipment and President Obama's see-thru teleprompter.

The truck was reportedly parked at the Virginia Center Commons Courtyard Marriott before the president's scheduled appearance in Chesterfield.

NBC12 reports the truck was recovered on Monday in another hotel's parking lot near the airport.

A Defense Information Systems Agency spokesperson released a statement saying, "no classified or sensitive information was in the vehicle.  We take incidents such as this very seriously and a formal investigation is continuing."

At this time, officials have not said whether any equipment was missing from the van.

Trailways Bus Involved in Thruway Accident

A Trailways bus has been involved in an accident on the New York Thruway.

There are multiple reports of people injured, though the extent of their injuries is unclear.

It wasn't immediately clear what caused the accident, nor how many people were on the bus.

The accident happened sometime after 5:30 a.m. The bus was en route from Kingston to New York City.

Trailways is a commuter bus, not a tour bus, that regularly runs the route it was running today.

Check back for updates on this developing story.

Joe Biden Comes to Philly

As President Obama continues to push his jobs plan on a three day bus tour through North Carolina and Virginia, Vice President Joe Biden is set to discuss how the proposed bill would impact Philadelphia.

Biden will speak at the University of Pennsylvania on Tuesday at 3:30 p.m. He will be joined by Mayor Michael Nutter, Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey, other city officials and police chiefs from Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.

The participants will discuss the impact budget cuts have had on their ability to effectively police their communities. They will also speak on how the American Jobs Act would help keep first responders on the job and communities safe.

The round table discussion will take place at the Bodek Lounge of Houston Hall on 34th and Spruce Street.

 

Virginia Man Tackles, Restrains Burglar: Police

Police arrested a burglary suspect after a Fredericksburg, Va., man tackled and restrained an intruder in his Fredericksburg home Sunday afternoon, police said.

Robert Cline White 41, of Stafford, was arrested and charged with  two counts of burglary, two counts of grand larceny, and one count of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon after allegedly breaking into a residence in the 300 block of Herndon Street.

The resident  and his girlfriend were on the second floor when they heard his dog barking. When they walked down the stairs and entered the bedroom, they found an unknown man going through dresser drawers.

The resident tackled the burglar and restrained him while his girlfriend called police. During the struggle, the resident's loaded handgun fell out of the intruder's waistband, police said.

When police arrived, White was found with jewelry in his pocket and was taken into custody, police said.

The resident told News4's Jane Watrel he learned a lesson and would no longer keep the gun loaded.

White has been linked to a break-in at a residence in the 1200 block of Rappahannock Avenue just 30 minutes earlier, police said. He is also considered a suspect in several daytime robberies in recent weeks. 

White is being held at the Rappahannock Regional Jail with no bond.

The investigation has also led to two arrests through a search warrant. Investigators found heroin, marijuana and prescription narcotics at a residence in the 100 block of Hillcrest Drive, police said.

Lauren Taflambas, 27, of  Spotsylvania, was arrested for possession of narcotics, and Shaun Smith, 32, of Fredericksburg, was arrested for misdemeanor possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, felony possession of narcotics with intent to distribute and possession of narcotics.

Taflambas and Smith both are being held at Rappahannock Regional Jail.