Wednesday, June 26, 2013

In the news, Tuesday, June 25, 2013


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MON 24      INDEX      WED 26
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POPE FRANCIS' 'EMPTY CHAIR' A SIGN OF LEADERSHIP, NOT REBELLION

MADONNA: 'GUNS DON'T KILL PEOPLE, PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE'
When Madonna came under criticism in a weekend interview with "Good Morning America," for using guns in her stage performances she answered, "The thing is, guns don't kill people, people kill people."


ZIMMERMAN PARENTS BARRED FROM COURTROOM, TRAYVON'S PARENTS ALLOWED TO STAY


SEBELIUS WANTS NFL TO PUSH OBAMACARE

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from Daily Mail

How to stop Google seeing you: Scientists produce 'Anti-Glass' specs that BLOCK eye-wear technology (but they aren't very trendy)
Japanese researchers develop 'Anti-Google Glass' technology
Uses near infrared light to stop wearers from seeing their face
Controversial Google Glasses on limited release to 2,000 people

Thieves targeting sellers on Craigslist
Spokane Police suggest exercising some discretion, some common sense and take steps to protect yourself if you're going to sell stuff through Craigslist.

Paula Deen's sons: She's no racist
Bobby Deen calls mom 'compassionate, good-hearted, empathetic'

Immigration reform passes key Senate test
Measure designed to strengthen border security
By Alan Silverleib      CNN Congressional Producer

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from KREM 2 News

Wash. lawmaker under fire for Facebook post

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from LifeNews.com

from LiveScience

How Far Away Is Lightning?
Just count the number of seconds that pass between a flash of lightning and the crack of thunder that follows it, then divide that number by five. The resulting number will tell you how many miles away you are from where lightning just struck.

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from NPR

Why Morning-After Pill Won't Stop All Unintended Pregnancies


Real-Life 'Star Trek' Tricorder Project Raises $1 Million


from The Spokesman-Review

Why Warp Drives Aren't Just Science Fiction

Abortion bill passes Texas legislature
(note: It was later ruled that the session had ended.)

Obama makes move on climate change
Power plant emissions part of broad plan

High court voids key part of Voting Rights Act

Snowden gets lift from ire at U.S.
Countries willing to help fugitive

Immigration bill advances
Senate may pass reform this week

Justices sidestep admission ruling

CdA schools to consider more flexible weapons policy

Mormons expand use of technology

Alberta’s flood recovery cost put at $1 billion

IRS screened liberal groups, documents say
Practice broader, lengthier than previously admitted
See Fox News report on Wednesday disputing this.

Brazil leader commits to transit, wide reform

Lebanon tested by violent clash
Extremist cleric’s followers kill at least 16 soldiers in key port

Iraq bombs kill dozens
Markets in Baghdad area, locations north of capital hit


In brief:  From Staff and Wire Reports:

Vivint to hold job fair today

A Utah company moving to Liberty Lake to open a call center and sales office will hold a job fair this afternoon.

The Vivint job fair will be held from 4 to 8 p.m. at 22425 E. Appleway Ave. in Liberty Lake.

The company will be hiring for 400 positions, including entry-level and advanced sales jobs.

Company officials have said the jobs will offer full benefits. Salaries at the lower level will start in the high $20,000 range while more experienced positions will pay between $30,000 and $40,000. All sales jobs will also have commissions based on performance.


Taliban take credit for palace gate attack

KABUL, Afghanistan – The Taliban say they have hit one of the most secure areas of the Afghan capital with a suicide attack, as a series of explosions rocked the presidential palace gate.

Smoke rose from the eastern gate of the palace early today after more than a half dozen explosions and at least 45 minutes of on-and-off small arms fire.

The Taliban sent a quick text message saying “we brought death to the enemy.”

The palace is in a large fortified area of downtown Kabul that also includes the U.S. Embassy and the headquarters for the NATO-led coalition forces.


Syria official condemns U.S. effort to arm rebels

DAMASCUS, Syria – Syria’s foreign minister said the decision by the U.S. and Western countries to arm rebel groups is “very dangerous” and will prolong the violence and killing in the country.

Walid al-Moallem also said sending weapons to the rebels will hinder peace efforts.

He spoke Monday at a news conference in the capital Damascus two days after an 11-nation group that includes the U.S. met in Qatar and agreed to step up military and other assistance to the rebels.

“We are not scared,” al-Moallem said.


Ex-governor charged with embezzlement

MEXICO CITY – Federal prosecutors have charged a former Mexican governor with money laundering and embezzling millions of dollars from state coffers in a case that has outraged Mexicans because of reports of his extravagant spending, authorities said Monday.

The federal Attorney General’s Office said former Tabasco state Gov. Andres Granier is at a hospital in Mexico City and it will be up to a Tabasco judge to decide where he will go next.

Granier, hospitalized 10 days ago because of chest pains, also faces state charges, the office said in a statement.

Last month, Tabasco prosecutors found about $7 million in cash in an office of ex-state treasurer Jose Saiz, who served under Granier.


Filibuster planned for abortion package

AUSTIN, Texas – The Republican-dominated Texas Legislature pushed Monday to enact wide-ranging restrictions that would effectively shut down abortion clinics across the nation’s second- most-populous state, and Democrats planned an old-fashioned marathon filibuster to stop the final vote.

After the House easily approved it Monday morning, the wide-ranging package of anti-abortion measures was headed to the Senate. But with the special session scheduled to end at 11:59 p.m. today, the clock presented a far bigger obstacle than the votes to win approval there.

The proposal would ban abortions after the 20th week of pregnancy, require doctors to have admitting privileges at nearby hospitals, limit abortions to surgical centers and stipulate doctors must monitor even nonsurgical abortions.


Mayors push for states’ rights on marijuana

LAS VEGAS – Hundreds of mayors from around the nation voted Monday to urge the federal government to give states leeway in establishing marijuana policies.

The resolution was among dozens of symbolic measures city leaders unanimously passed on the last day of the 81st annual U.S. Conference of Mayors in Las Vegas.

Attendees also drew attention to the loss of jobs they said would occur in their cities if Congress goes ahead with a proposal to limit municipal bonds’ tax exemptions.


Suspect in brother’s murder arrested

Stevens County deputies arrested a Colville-area man Monday night suspected of killing his younger brother.

Eric Harris, 48, was jailed after deputies found him hiding in a mobile home less than a mile away from his rural home where Larch Harris, 43, was shot in the chest and killed Sunday.

Eric Harris has an extensive criminal history, according to the Stevens County Sheriff’s Office.

Deputies took Harris into custody without incident. He is expected to make an initial court appearance today.


Inslee remains confident on budget deal

OLYMPIA – Warnings of a possible temporary layoff began going out to state workers Monday, but Gov. Jay Inslee and legislative leaders said they were increasingly optimistic a budget agreement would be reached before a partial government shutdown would be needed.

Inslee said “very substantial progress” on key items led him to believe an agreement might be announced by the end of Monday. “Top leadership has found a path” that would put a substantial amount of new money into education and protect key social service programs, he said, but refused to provide further information.

When both chambers of the Legislature adjourned for the day legislative sources said some details of the $32 billion-plus two-year spending plan remained to be worked out and an agreement couldn’t be announced before today.


Company will seek bids with local labor

About 30 people from Boilermakers Local 242 showed up at the Spokane City Council chambers Monday night, all in favor of amending city business to allow for more local tradesmen to be put to work on local projects.

The union protested a closed bidding process at the Waste-to-Energy plant, which was leading to $8.6 million in upcoming projects going to companies that use no local labor.

“Why should we not have something in our own backyard,” said Ron Fowler, a second-generation boilermaker.

With urging from the council, New Hampshire-based Wheelabrator said it would entertain two more bidders that use local labor, in addition to the two bidders they’ve already chosen for four projects. The council amended a contract with the company Monday night to allow such a move.

Wheelabrator has had a contract with the city since 1987, when the Waste-to-Energy plant began construction.

The company has operated the facility since.


Helicopter crash leaves pilot injured

A man was injured Monday morning after a helicopter he piloted crashed into a cherry orchard in Grant County.

A release from the Grant County Sheriff’s Office said 31-year-old Christopher Iezzoni, of Tumwater, Wash., suffered back injuries and was having trouble breathing. He was transported by ambulance to Quincy Valley Medical Center.

The release said Iezzoni was flying a Bell Jet Ranger helicopter around 7:45 a.m. over an orchard near County Road 9 and M-Southwest, between Royal City and George.

He crashed when the helicopter became tangled in bird control netting over the orchard.

He was able to extricate himself from the helicopter.

“Helicopter rotor wash is often used to blow water off of cherries in an effort to keep the fruit from splitting open after rainfall,” the release said.

The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the crash.


City Council votes to move ahead with new parking meters

The Spokane City Council voted unanimously Monday to move ahead with a 60-day testing period for new downtown parking meters equipped with vehicle sensors and credit card readers.

Duncan Solutions will begin installing 200 meters this summer, and city and parking officials will be monitoring how well the new technology performs.

Sensors will detect when a vehicle arrives and departs, zeroing out the meter when a vehicle leaves and informing officials if a car has parked without payment.

“It’s not an entitlement,” said Councilwoman Nancy McLaughlin of finding a meter with time on it. “When you leave, you leave.”

The plan calls for the money generated by the new system to roll into a fund to beautify downtown and maintain sidewalks. Two new downtown police officer positions also will be funded by the meter fees.

“This is one part of the puzzle piece for public safety,” Councilman Jon Snyder said.


Twinkies returning to shelves July 15

NEW YORK – Hostess is betting on a sweet comeback for Twinkies when they return to shelves next month.

The company that went bankrupt after an acrimonious fight with its unionized workers last year is back up and running under new owners and a leaner structure. It says it plans to have Twinkies and other snack cakes back on shelves starting July 15.

Based on the outpouring of nostalgia sparked by its demise, Hostess is expecting a blockbuster return next month for Twinkies and other sugary treats, such as CupCakes and Donettes. The company says the cakes will taste the same but that the boxes will now bear the tag line “The Sweetest Comeback in the History of Ever.”

“A lot of impostor products have come to the market while Hostess has been off the shelves,” said Daren Metropoulos, a principal of the investment firm Metropoulos & Co., which teamed up with Apollo Global Management to buy a variety of Hostess snacks.

Drake’s cakes, meanwhile, were snapped up by longtime Hostess rival McKee Foods, which makes Little Debbie snacks. McKee said in an email Monday that Drake’s cakes should be back by “late summer/early fall.”

Digital revenue on rise, newspaper execs say

WASHINGTON – Executives at some of the nation’s largest newspaper companies say they are more hopeful about their future after seeing readership grow for digital subscriptions.

Speaking at the American Society of News Editors’ annual convention, the newspaper executives said Monday that increased use of their digital products is resulting in higher revenue.

Patrick J. Talamantes, president and CEO at the McClatchy Co., said that his company was getting an additional $25 million in revenue this year from its new subscription models that charge for online content.

Mark Thompson, president and CEO of The New York Times Co., also reported success from its digital subscriptions. Readers typically must pay to read stories on the New York Times’ website after viewing 10 stories for free each month.

Newspaper companies have struggled in recent years with declining circulation for their printed editions.

Court ruling protects generic drug makers

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court says generic drug manufacturers can’t be sued in state court for a drug’s design defects if federal officials approved the brand-name version the generic drug copied.

The justices voted 5-4 to agree with generic manufacturer Mutual Pharmaceutical Co. Inc., which wanted a $21 million judgment against it dismissed.

A New Hampshire jury gave that to Karen L. Bartlett after she took sulindac, the generic form of the drug Clinoril, in 2004. It caused her outer skin layer to deteriorate and burn off, leaving at least 60 percent of her body as an open wound. She is also now legally blind.

The federal appeals courts upheld her verdict, but the justices said federal law pre-empts the New Hampshire law that allowed Bartlett’s lawsuit.


Fired Zimmer leaves Men’s Wearhouse board

NEW YORK – Ousted Men’s Wearhouse founder George Zimmer has quit the company’s board.

Zimmer was fired as the company’s executive chairman last week. On Monday he submitted a letter resigning from the board.

Zimmer says in the letter that it’s clear from his firing that the board is determined to avoid addressing his growing concerns with recent board decisions and the company’s direction.

Zimmer, 64, built Men’s Wearhouse Inc. from one small Texas store using a cigar box as a cash register to one of North America’s largest men’s clothing sellers, with 1,143 locations.

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Large convention hotel nearer
Letter of intent moves forward Worthy’s plan for 15-story project

Businesses less liable
Supreme Court narrows grounds for lawsuits

Higher-ethanol blend may spread as big oil loses fight


GOP shouldn’t embrace bad immigration bill
Mona Charen

letter re. Washington Redskins

Big Ten, Pac-12 bowl together

Rules change for college hoops
Recommendations effective immediately

Take this moment to learn about HIV
Dr. Alisa Hideg

No cure exists for Parkinson’s
Anthony L. Komaroff      Universal Uclick

Mastectomy debate
Much-needed information or fueling hysteria?

Does beet root powder boost libido?
Joe Graedon M.S.      peoplespharmacy.com

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from The Wall Street Journal

The Perils of Giving Advice
Even When Well Intentioned, It Hurts Marital Satisfaction for the Giver and Receiver

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