Friday, July 17, 2015

In the news, Tuesday, July 7, 2015


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JUL 06      INDEX      JUL 08
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Information from some sites may not be reliable, or may not be vetted.
Some sources may require subscription.

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from Breitbart

HOW THE PROPOSED ‘ASSEMBLY OF THE STATES’ DIFFERS FROM AN ARTICLE V CONVENTION OF THE STATES
Some readers have confused my proposal for an “Assembly of the States” with an Article V Convention of the States. But the two proposed gatherings of the states are markedly different in purpose, means of calling, legal authority and likelihood of coming to fruition within the next twelve months.

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from Charisma News

WATCH: Jimmy Carter: 'I Believe Jesus Would Approve of Gay Marriage'

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from Greenville Gazette
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]
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from The Hill

Trump mocks Bush over Common Core, immigration
Donald Trump ratcheted up the war of words with Jeb Bush on Tuesday, calling the former Florida governor’s support for Common Core education standards “pathetic” and his stance on immigration “baby stuff.”

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from The Spokesman-Review

Air quality still ‘moderate’ despite smoke
Two of Spokane Regional Clean Air Agency’s monitors are down for repairs, but five others are still providing a comprehensive look at how smoke from wildfires across the region is affecting local air quality, officials said. Air quality was ranked at “moderate” today, based on measurements of fine particles, which is the pollutant associated with the smoke.

Wind, lightning warnings increase fire worries
With three active wildfires burning in Eastern Washington and North Idaho, fire officials braced for high winds and potential thunderstorms into this evening.

Deputies: Woman caught stealing from Home Depot fled, abandoned 2 children
A 31-year-old woman allegedly abandoned two children last week at a Home Depot in Spokane Valley after an employee caught her stealing inventory. Amber M. Elliott is accused of trying to smuggle items out of the store, at 5617 E. Sprague Ave., by hiding them in a car seat under her 1-year-old baby, a news release from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said. The employee tried to detain Elliott outside, but she fled on foot, dropping off her baby near an SUV in the parking lot.

Whooping cough cases on rise in Spokane County
Whooping cough is on the rise in Spokane County and health officials are urging people to get vaccinated. Twenty-eight cases of whooping cough reported in the county, compared to five reported cases during the same period in 2014. Ten of these cases were reported in June.

Sheriff seeks public help finding animal abuser
The Kootenai County sheriff is seeking public assistance in finding the person responsible for abusing and abandoning two puppies in Worley on Saturday night. A witness saw someone throw a white pillowcase out of the window of a black, possibly diesel, passenger-type truck, a news release from the sheriff’s office said. The witness found the pillowcase to be zip-tied closed and found a male and female puppy inside.

Canadian wildfires lead to evacuations, smoke in U.S.
Canadian soldiers were arriving Tuesday to battle raging wildfires on the country’s west, where about 13,000 people have been evacuated in recent days. The smoke has triggered air quality warnings across the U.S. West and Midwest. Premier Brad Wall said it is the biggest evacuation effort in Saskatchewan’s history. About 1,000 military personnel were arriving from Manitoba and Alberta, said Colin King, deputy commissioner of operations with Saskatchewan’s emergency management department. King called the fire situation “critical,” adding that people evacuated from more than 50 communities won’t be returning soon. More than 110 fires are burning in Saskatchewan alone. Environment Canada has issued air quality warnings for much of Saskatchewan and parts of Manitoba, Alberta, and British Columbia, where heavy smoke is visible over Canada’s Pacific coast. Smoke from the wildfires has also led to air quality advisories in parts of the Midwest and western U.S. including Washington, North and South Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado and Wisconsin.

Deputy investigated for fatal bike crash will keep job
The Spokane County sheriff’s deputy who sped through Spokane Valley last year without his lights or sirens activated, narrowly missing a teenage bicyclist, was given a written reprimand for violating department policies and will keep his job, a spokesman said Tuesday.

Police-issue AR-15 rifle stolen from off-duty officer’s personal vehicle
One of the Spokane Police Department’s assault-style AR-15 rifles was stolen from an off-duty officer’s personal vehicle and now two investigations are under way. Authorities are conducting a criminal probe into the theft, said Spokane Police Officer Teresa Fuller, and an internal affairs investigation into the circumstances surrounding the high-powered weapon’s disappearance.

Inmate steals truck while working at Spokane County Fairgrounds
Deputies are searching for an inmate who escaped from the Spokane County Fairgrounds in a stolen work truck around 9 a.m. Tuesday. Devin B. Johnson, 25, stole the truck while working at the fairgrounds, a news release from the Spokane County Sheriff’s Office said. He was being held at the Geiger Correctional Facility for domestic assault and harassment charges.

Federal, Indiana authorities raid home of Subway spokesman Jared Fogle
FBI agents and Indiana State Police raided the home of Subway restaurant spokesman Jared Fogle on Tuesday, removing electronics from the property and searching the house with a police dog.

Amphibious invasion: Bullfrogs threaten native Northwest species
Several years ago, Michael Lucid pulled to the side of the highway to watch hundreds of frogs hopping across the road. The Idaho Department of Fish and Game biologist didn’t realize it on that rainy, autumn night in Boundary County, but he was witnessing American bullfrogs’ aggressive, northward expansion. Bullfrogs, known for their distinctive croak, are native to the southeastern United States, where they’re food for alligators. But there’s no native predator for them in the West, where they are multiplying rapidly and terrorizing the rest of the amphibian world. Bullfrogs take over ponds and marshes, gobbling up native frogs and other wildlife. A single female can lay 20,000 eggs, which is one reason bullfrogs have spread so rapidly in Western states. During the 1940s, Fish and Game employees released bullfrogs in Idaho in a misguided effort to provide frogs for people to catch and eat.

Disaster declared for Bayview blaze
The Cape Horn fire near Bayview, Idaho, remained uncontained Monday evening after burning 2,000 acres and destroying six homes and two other structures since it started Sunday afternoon. The wildfire raced through steep terrain on the south end of Lake Pend Oreille and continued to pose a threat to Bayview’s 287 homes and businesses, including a high-value marina. The Naval Acoustics Research Station in Bayview, nearby Farragut State Park and high-use recreation areas on the lake’s shores also are at risk. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has authorized using federal funds to help with firefighting costs, including eight air tankers, three helicopters and eight engines. A federal firefighting team will assume command today, relieving the Idaho Department of Lands and rural fire districts. Idaho Gov. Butch Otter on Monday declared Kootenai and Bonner counties a disaster emergency area – a necessary step in securing federal spending to help cover the costs of battling the fire.

Bayview locals worry about fire’s impact on homes, tourism
Residents who remained in this small resort community Monday gave thanks that a swiftly moving wildfire slowed in the hills above town, but braced for the worst as smoke continued to billow overhead. Ralph Jones, owner of a coffee shop that remained open, pointed to pictures of a fire that scorched thousands of acres in 1910. “In 1997 there was a fire over Labor Day, and you can still see the scars running up the hill,” Jones said in between frying eggs and assembling sandwiches for customers.

Cosby admits in 2005 deposition he got drugs to give to women for sex
Bill Cosby admitted in 2005 that he secured quaaludes with the intent of giving them to young women he wanted to have sex with and that he gave the sedative to at least one woman and “other people,” according to documents obtained Monday by the Associated Press.

In brief: Man charged with posting threat to kill Obama
A Massachusetts man has been charged with posting on an FBI website that he planned to kill President Barack Obama. Andrew O’Keefe, of Mansfield, has been charged with a felony count of posting an online threat against the president.
Rabbit population, fever risk both high
Fed by unusually lush vegetation, rabbits have been breeding like rabbits around Colorado, increasing the risk for what is normally a rare bacterial disease in the state. Fifteen people have contracted tularemia, or rabbit fever, so far this year.
Marine bitten by shark off N.C. coast
Medical personnel at Camp Lejeune say a Marine was bitten by a shark off the North Carolina coast over the weekend, the eighth such attack in the past three weeks.

Zimbabwe exports wild elephants to zoos despite protests
Twenty elephants exported to China would be “better off” in Chinese zoos rather than struggling wildlife parks in Zimbabwe, the southern African nation’s minister in charge of wildlife said on Monday, dismissing protests from animal rights groups.

U.N. anti-poverty goals help billion, still need
A 15-year effort to implement eight goals adopted by world leaders at the start of the new millennium has helped lift more than 1 billion people out of extreme poverty, enabled more girls to go to school than ever before, and brought unprecedented results in fighting diseases such as HIV/AIDS, the U.N. chief said Monday.

Study: Increased mammograms may not decrease cancer deaths
The increased use of mammograms to screen for breast cancer has subjected more women to invasive medical treatments but has not saved lives, a new study says. After reviewing cancer registry records from 547 counties across the United States, researchers concluded that the screening tests aren’t working as hoped. Instead of preventing deaths by uncovering breast tumors at an early, more curable stage, screening mammograms have mainly found small tumors that would have been harmless if left alone.

In brief: Boston marathon bomber asks for new trial
Boston Marathon bomber Dzhokhar Tsarnaev has filed a motion for a new trial, less than two weeks after he was formally sentenced to death for the 2013 attack. Tsarnaev’s lawyers filed a preliminary motion for a new trial Monday for his conviction and death sentence. The motion did not contain any details on what grounds they plan to argue, saying only that a new trial is “required in the interests of justice.”
Autistic boy on life support after allegedly being beaten
Sheriff’s officials said a 6-year-old autistic boy is on life support after he was beaten by his mother’s boyfriend. Defendant Aaron Vanmeter, of Hancock, was being held on $1 million bail after a hearing Monday in Hagerstown.
Clerk wants Kentucky to issue marriage licenses online
A Kentucky clerk of court wants the state to issue marriage licenses online so he doesn’t have to. Casey County Clerk Casey Davis said same-sex marriage violates his religious beliefs. He stopped issuing marriage licenses following the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that legalized gay marriage. Davis said lawmakers should pass a law allowing people to buy marriage licenses online, similar to the process of obtaining a hunting or fishing license.
Same-sex couple gets license after filing federal lawsuit
A gay couple has received a marriage license after filing a federal lawsuit against a North Texas county clerk who previously cited her religious opposition to gay marriage in denying the license. Jim Cato and Joe Stapleton filed the lawsuit Monday against Hood County Clerk Katie Lang, saying they repeatedly had been turned away when trying to obtain a license last week. The couple was quickly granted a license later in the morning in Granbury, the county seat. The city is southwest of Fort Worth. The couple’s attorney, Jan Soifer, released a statement saying they haven’t withdrawn the lawsuit and are seeking an agreement from Lang that her office will issue licenses to same-sex couples without delay. They’re also seeking attorney fees.

Airstrikes hit Yemen markets; more than 100 killed
More than 100 people were killed in airstrikes that hit two markets in Yemen on Monday, according to witnesses and officials, as a Saudi Arabian-led coalition continued aerial attacks against Houthi rebels for a fourth month.

South Carolina Senate votes to remove Confederate flag
The South Carolina Senate voted Monday to pull the Confederate flag off the Capitol grounds, clearing the way for a historic measure that could remove the banner more than five decades after it was first flown above the Statehouse to protest integration.

In brief: Court upholds EPA bay pollution limits
A U.S. appeals court on Monday approved a federal plan to limit pollution in the Chesapeake Bay despite objections from farmers, builders and others who accused the Environmental Protection Agency of a power grab. The ruling by the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld restrictions on farm and construction runoff and wastewater treatment, and has the support of environmentalists and officials in the six states in the Chesapeake Bay watershed. The bay is the nation’s largest estuary and the economic lifeblood for communities near the waterway.
Ten shot to death, 55 hurt in weekend
Shootings over the Fourth of July weekend in Chicago left 10 people dead and 55 others wounded, a toll lower than last year but one marked by an intense stretch of gun violence over eight hours on one of the nights.
Producer, manager Weintraub dies
Jerry Weintraub, the dynamic producer and manager who pushed the career of John Denver and produced such hit movies as “Nashville,” “Karate Kid” and “Ocean’s Eleven,” died Monday in Santa Barbara, California. He was 77. A publicist for Weintraub said he died of cardiac arrest.
Scores killed in Nigerian bombings
A day of extremist violence against both Muslims and Christians in Nigeria killed more than 60 people, including worshippers in a mosque who came to hear a cleric known for preaching peaceful coexistence of all faiths.
Twelve die after jet bomb accident
An Iraqi fighter jet accidentally dropped a bomb over a Baghdad neighborhood on Monday, killing at least 12 people, Iraqi officials said.

Nearly a year into a bombing campaign intended to degrade and destroy the Islamic State group, the United States finally may have found a reliable partner on the ground in Syria. In comments Monday, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter acknowledged that Kurdish fighters from the YPG militia are identifying bomb targets for U.S.-led airstrikes. It was the first public description by a senior Obama administration official detailing the cooperation between the United States and the militia, to which NATO ally Turkey has objected.

Francis stresses the power of family unity in Ecuador
As hundreds of thousands battled the heat and crowds to hear Pope Francis’ first sermon on Spanish-speaking soil Monday, the 78-year-old pontiff used the occasion to defend family unity and promise the faithful that better times were ahead. “In the heart of the family, no one is rejected,” he said in the port city of Guayaquil. “Everyone is worth the same.” If Monday’s scene was one of apostolic harmony, today may give the pope a taste for some of the divisions running through the Ecuadorean family, as he holds a meeting with several hundred members of civil society groups.

As negotiators braced for yet another possible extension of nuclear talks, Iran demanded on Monday that any deal should include the end to a U.N. arms embargo as well – a condition backed by Russia but opposed by the United States as it seeks to limit Tehran’s Mideast influence.

Waste management workers face high injury, fatality rates
Waste and recycling collectors have one of the highest occupational fatality rates in the United States, according to a study by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. At least 33 waste and recycling collectors died at work in 2013, putting them in the top 10 most dangerous jobs behind loggers, fishermen, roofers, pilots and flight engineers. Police and firefighters died at much lower rates.

In brief: Second man dies after illness at Paradiso Festival
A second man has died after becoming ill at the Paradiso Festival in Central Washington, the British Columbia Coroners Service confirmed Monday. Vivek Pandher died Saturday in Vancouver General Hospital in British Columbia. The 22-year-old was one of dozens who were rushed to emergency rooms after attending the festival late last month at the Gorge Amphitheatre.
GU nursing program receives accreditation
Gonzaga University’s nursing doctorate program has received a five-year initial accreditation from the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education.

Weather forecast bad news for firefighters
As if firefighters don’t have enough trouble trying to stop wildfires across the region, the National Weather Service warns of lightning storms and wind gusts this afternoon. A weak cold front is expected to move south out of Canada and cross into the mountainous tier of counties from the Cascades to Western Montana.

State budget on hold as lawmakers debate suspending part of class-size initiative
Democrats and Republicans in the Senate remained at odds Monday over a key bill designed to keep the recently approved $38.2 billion operating budget balanced. But the dispute, which pushed the Legislature into its 172nd day, had no solution in sight.

In brief: West Side ice cave collapse kills one, injures four
A partial ice cave collapse in northwest Washington killed one person and injured four others Monday evening. A Snohomish County sheriff’s spokeswoman said late Monday that the person who was killed remained buried under the debris at the popular Big Four Ice Caves east of Granite Falls.
Greensferry work will close I-90 lanes
Concrete pours for the new Greensferry overpass in Post Falls will result in lane closures on Interstate 90 Wednesday and Friday.
Woman found guilty after death of falcon
An Idaho woman was found guilty of pursuing a protected bird after her attempt to save a duck from a hunter’s falcon ended with the death of both birds.

Remains found in Idaho those of North Dakota woman missing since 2011
The death of an 82-year-old North Dakota woman who went missing almost four years ago was an accident, authorities concluded Monday after her vehicle and remains were discovered in northwest Idaho. Grand Forks County Sheriff Bob Rost said the prosthetic knee belonging to Florence Dumontet, of Ardoch, was found Wednesday by hikers in Idaho and prompted authorities to launch a search for the woman, who disappeared while driving to Washington in October 2011. Authorities in Shoshone County, Idaho, used a helicopter crew, which spotted Dumontet’s vehicle off Interstate 90. Some of her remains were later found next to her pickup.

State must fix hundreds of fish-blocking culverts
Washington state is under a federal court order to fix hundreds of barriers built under state roads and highways that block access for migrating salmon and thus interfere with Washington tribes’ treaty-backed right to catch fish. But it’s not clear how the state is going to come up with the estimated $2.4 billion it will take to correct more than 825 culverts – concrete pipes or steel structures that allow streams to flow under state roads and highways. The state said it would need to fix an average of 30 to 40 culverts a year by 2030, spending $310 million every biennium, to comply with the 2013 court injunction. The state has appealed the judge’s decision. But in the meantime, the Legislature last week approved millions to correct fish barriers statewide. The 16-year transportation revenue bill includes $300 million for fish passage, dramatically more than in the past but far short of what the state estimates it needs.

Fire near Indian Trail mostly contained
Helicopters dumping water and an ease in the weather helped firefighters quickly get a handle on a brush fire that erupted Monday afternoon near the Indian Trail area north of Spokane. A big smoke column from the area near Rutter Parkway brought crews from Spokane County Fire District 9 and the state Department of Natural Resources. No homes were lost or threatened. The fire burned about 50 acres, according to DNR. The cause is under investigation.
Wenatchee fire
The Chelan County sheriff’s office is asking for the public’s help in identifying a person seen near the start of a central Washington wildfire that has destroyed more than two dozen homes.
231 fire
The fire south of Springdale has burned 880 acres. It has closed Lake Spokane Campground. The fire continues to burn on state and private grass and timber lands. Fireworks are suspected of igniting the fire.
Williams fire
About 330 acres have burned within miles of Colville. Firefighters have the fire about 50 percent contained. A cause is under investigation.
Twenty-One Mile Grade fire
The fire about 21 miles south of Republic has burned about 2,200 acres, according to the DNR. The spread of the fire has slowed. The fire is about 30 percent contained with 400 firefighters digging lines and putting out hotspots.

Greece to propose new bailout plan, aims to keep banks open
Greece intends to put forward new bailout proposals to its European partners at an emergency summit today, government sources here said, as officials sought to stave off a collapse of their country’s banking system and its potential ejection from the eurozone.

Surveillance firm hacked, records leaked
An Italian surveillance firm known for selling malicious software used by police bodies and spy agencies has succumbed to a cyberattack, the firm’s spokesman said Monday, confirming an embarrassing breach that sent documents and invoices ricocheting across the Internet.

Amazon offering ‘Prime Day’ deals
Amazon is trying to lure more subscribers to its $99 Prime loyalty program by pushing a day of discounts it calls “Prime Day” during the sleepier summer shopping season. The e-commerce retailer plans to offer thousands of deals on July 15 in the nine countries that have the Prime loyalty program, including the U.S.

In brief: Starbucks raises prices for some drinks
Starbucks is raising prices again starting today, with the increases ranging from 5 to 20 cents for most affected drinks, the company said. The Seattle-based company also raised prices nationally about a year ago.
Oreo Thins lower on calories, not meant to be pulled apart
Oreos are getting a skinny new look, and its maker said the new cookie is a “sophisticated” snack for grown-ups that isn’t meant to be twisted or dunked. Mondelez International Inc. said it will add Oreo Thins to its permanent lineup in the U.S. starting next week. The cookies look like regular Oreos and have a similar cookie-to-filling ratio, except that they’re slimmer. That means four of the cookies contain 140 calories, compared with 160 calories for three regular Oreos.
Growth for U.S. services firms edges up slightly in June
U.S. services firms grew at a slightly faster pace in June, as business activity and new orders increased. The Institute for Supply Management said Monday its services index edged up to 56 in June from 55.7 in May. Any reading over 50 indicates that services firms are expanding.

Farmers looking forward to wider use of drones
Mike Geske wants a drone. Watching a flying demonstration on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, the Missouri farmer envisions using an unmanned aerial vehicle to monitor the irrigation pipes on his farm – a job he now pays three men to do. “The savings on labor and fuel would just be phenomenal,” Geske says, watching as a small white drone hovers over a nearby corn field and transmits detailed pictures of the growing stalks to an iPad.

GOP split on Obamacare
Last month’s Supreme Court decision upholding the statute’s federal subsidies, which help millions of Americans afford health care, shattered the GOP’s best chance of forcing Obama to accept a weakening of his prized law. Without that leverage, Obama would likely veto any major changes they’d send him.

Robert J. Samuelson: World economy caught in a debt trap

Editorial: Businesses, trade losers in ideological struggle over Export-Import Bank

Dr. Zorba Paster: Mindfulness therapy may help depression

The whole food truth
A Spokane nutritionist offers tips for making healthy, tasty choices at farmers markets

Ask Dr. K: All cereal facts found on the box

Dangers lurking at home
Antibacterial soap with triclosan, Older flooring, Pressed wood, Contact lens case, Mascara, Dust.

Poor seniors get vouchers to use at farmers markets

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from The Western Center for Journalism
(Western Journalism)

This Big Name Republican Just Backed Trump’s Immigration Policy In A Huge Way
Speaking to reporters at the Hanks Yanks Golf Classic at Trump Golf Links in the Bronx Monday, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani (R) called Trump a “good friend” and a “good man” whom he has known for 25 years. "I would’ve said it differently, but I do think he’s got onto an issue that’s important which is making our border secure, and we have failed at that. It’s not just President Obama, we’ve failed at it for quite some time and we need to have  a plan so that we stop people from coming into this country without identifying themselves."

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from Zero Hedge
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

Surprise! CEOs Are Getting Rich By Buying Back Stock
For corporate management teams it’s all about instant gratification these days and if you needed proof that US equity markets have become the preferred channel for transferring debt sale proceeds directly into the pockets of top management, Bloomberg has all the evidence you need.

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