Friday, May 15, 2015

In the news, Thursday, May 7, 2015


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MAY 06      INDEX      MAY 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 CNSNews.com (& MRC & NewsBusters)

Judge: Administration's Legal Argument Would Allow Mass Seizure of 'Metadata' for 'Financial Records, Medical Records and Electronic Communications'

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from Conciliar Post

5 MISTAKES WHITE FOLKS MAKE WHEN DISCUSSING RACE
Unfortunately, discussions on race relations often devolve into shouting matches, tired cliches, and playing the “blame game.” Here, I would like to outline 5 major mistakes my fellow Caucasians make when discussing race and the problems facing African-Americans. 1) Blaming black people. 2) Blaming the media. 3) Narrowly defining racism. 4) Finding that one black guy. 5) Changing the subject.

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from Conservative Post
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

Rev. GRAHAM is Calling all 50 States To Pray for This on the National Day of Prayer
“May 7 is the National Day of Prayer. Our country is broken; morally and spiritually. As a nation we need to turn back to the God of our fathers. I urge you to pray for America, pray for our president and our leaders, pray that we would have a spiritual revival in this land."

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from The Intercept
[Information from this site may be unreliable.]

In a little-noticed brief filed last summer, lawyers for the House of Representatives claimed that an SEC investigation of congressional insider trading should be blocked on principle, because lawmakers and their staff are constitutionally protected from such inquiries given the nature of their work.

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from KREM 2 News (CBS Spokane)

Procession brings Sgt. Moore's body to Coeur d'Alene
A PROCESSION OF LAW ENFORCEMENT BROUGHT THE BODY OF SERGEANT GREG MOORE BACK TO COEUR D'ALENE ON THURSDAY.

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from National Review
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]

You Need to Work 50 Hours A Week to Stay Out of Poverty on Minimum Wage
A new study puts the U.S. near the bottom of countries that have a minimum wage.

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from New York Times

The Price of Nice Nails
Manicurists are routinely underpaid and exploited, and endure ethnic bias and other abuse, The New York Times has found.

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from The Spokesman-Review

Community mourns, offers tributes for Moore
Reeling from the fatal shooting of a Coeur d’Alene police officer, the community expressed its heartache and paid tribute to the service of Sgt. Greg Moore in a range of gestures Wednesday.

Line of blue brings slain officer home
Dozens of police officers and firefighters from throughout Spokane and Kootenai counties took time today to escort a fallen comrade, Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Greg Moore, across the state line and back home.

Coeur d’Alene officer’s body camera captures shooting, aftermath
Grieving family, friends and co-workers of a slain Coeur d’Alene police officer are preparing for his funeral Saturday, while new details emerged Wednesday about the early morning encounter that left Sgt. Greg Moore gravely wounded. The shooting was captured by Moore’s body camera, and the Rathdrum man who is expected to face a murder charge in Moore’s death said in a police interview he shot the officer fearing Moore would find the gun in his pocket. Jonathan Daniel Renfro, a 26-year-old felon who was on parole and could not legally possess firearms, pulled out his 9 mm Glock pistol and shot Moore on a residential street about 1:20 a.m. Tuesday, court documents allege. He then stole the officer’s gun, ammunition and patrol car.

Judge postpones hearing in CdA officer’s slaying
Jonathan Daniel Renfro, 26, who faces multiple felony charges in Tuesday’s fatal shooting, had been scheduled back in court May 15. Renfro on Thursday waived his right to a speedy preliminary hearing, and 1st District Magistrate Judge James Stow today agreed to postpone the hearing another 30 days. The Kootenai County Public Defender’s office, which is representing Renfro, requested the additional time in a motion filed Wednesday.

Renfro to be tried for first-degree murder
Jonathan Daniel Renfro will be tried for first-degree murder in the shooting death of Coeur d’Alene Police Sgt. Greg Moore.

Sgt. Moore’s death a reminder of benefits for families of fallen officers
A gunbattle that left two sheriff’s deputies dead in southern Idaho back in 2001 became the legislative catalyst for improving the state’s support for families of fallen officers. Now, family members of slain police officers in Idaho are eligible for state and federal cash payments, plus monthly pension and other benefits including college tuition waivers and scholarships. Similar packages are available in most states, though dollar amounts vary, and – as in Idaho – often are augmented with support from local governments, private organizations and individual community members.

Plane crashes near Spokane River
Two men were pulled from a single-engine airplane that crashed into the Spokane River this afternoon near Felts Field. Witnesses said the plane sounded like it was having engine problems and appeared to lose power as it flew east over Millwood.

Carbon dioxide levels in atmosphere reach 2 million-year high
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that in March, the global monthly average for carbon dioxide hit 400.83 parts per million. That is the first month in modern records that the entire globe broke 400 ppm, reaching levels that haven’t been seen in about 2 million years.

Germanwings co-pilot tested descents hours before crash
A co-pilot who purposely crashed a Germanwings A320 plane into the French Alps appeared to have rehearsed sending the jet into a deadly descent on another flight just two hours earlier, investigators said Wednesday.

IRS workers didn’t pay taxes, kept jobs
Nearly 1,600 IRS workers were found to have willfully evaded taxes over a 10-year period, including some who were responsible for enforcing the nation’s tax laws, a government watchdog said Wednesday.

Tornadoes in Great Plains destroy homes, flip cars
Tornadoes raked the southern Plains on Wednesday, overturning cars on an Oklahoma City interstate and destroying dozens of homes. No deaths were immediately reported from the tornadoes that hit Oklahoma and rural parts of Kansas and Nebraska.

Train hauling N.D. crude derails, catches fire
A train that derailed and caught fire early Wednesday in rural North Dakota was hauling crude from the state’s oil patch, raising questions about whether new state standards intended to reduce the volatility of such shipments are sufficient.

Study: More gain health insurance under Affordable Care Act
As congressional Republicans move toward another vote on repealing the Affordable Care Act, new evidence was published Wednesday about the dramatic expansion of insurance coverage made possible by the law. Nearly 17 million more people in the U.S. have gained health insurance since the law’s major coverage expansion began, according to a study from the Rand Corp., a Santa Monica, California, nonprofit research firm.

Aid to California attorney general charged in probe of phony police
Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Capt. Roosevelt Johnson thought it was odd when three people – two of them dressed in police uniforms he didn’t recognize – strolled into the Santa Clarita, California, station in February.

Netanyahu completes formation of government
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu completed the formation of a new coalition late Wednesday, putting him at the helm of a hard-line government that appears to be set on a collision course with the U.S. and other key allies.

Rise of Scottish National Party transforms U.K. elections
To the surprise of many analysts, voters have fled Labor and flocked to the SNP in recent months. Once thought doomed, the SNP – fiscally liberal but fiercely nationalist – has surged under new leader Nicola Sturgeon. It is now expected to octuple its number of seats in the House of Commons, from six to more than 50.

In brief: Alberta elects NDP, ending 44 years of conservatism
Alberta, Canada’s most conservative province, has elected a left-of-center government, ending a 44-year-old conservative party dynasty. Voters in the western oil-rich province chose a New Democratic Party government in Tuesday’s election. Few had predicted such a result just 28 days ago when the election was called by Progressive Conservative Alberta Premier Jim Prentice, a former cabinet minister in Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s Conservative federal government.
Serra will be saint, despite past accusation of crimes
Friar Junipero Serra, an 18th century Franciscan who brought Christianity to California and is accused by Native American groups of colonial crimes, will be made a saint, the Vatican said Wednesday.
U.S. prepares for Iraq oil refinery loss to IS militants
U.S. military officials on Wednesday acknowledged that Iraq’s biggest oil refinery is in danger of falling to Islamic State militants and appeared to be setting the stage for its eventual loss.

Council members consider new proposal to restrict topless baristas
Spokane leaders will consider a new proposal to restrict public nudity, despite a failed effort earlier this year to place the issue before voters. A rule proposed last week by council members Mike Fagan and Mike Allen would restrict or ban businesses with naked or nearly naked workers if they are near schools, parks, places of worship, day care centers or libraries.

Same sex-couples in Latah County offered new application to make past marriages legal
Six same-sex couples in North Idaho who received marriage licenses before state officials say a federal court made such unions legal are being given a unique state-approved opportunity for a do-over.

Police shoot man in northwest Spokane after he fired from backyard
A man believed to be suicidal was shot once by police after the man fired shots from a yard in northwest Spokane late Wednesday, Spokane police Chief Frank Straub said. Officers were called to a home at 5527 N. Ash St. about 9:50 p.m. Update: Police said the man shot Wednesday night was in critical condition at a local hospital as of 1:45 a.m. Thursday.

Craig S. Burton, 25, shot by Spokane police Wednesday night, fired a gun several times and yelled “Do it!” before he was shot. He is in critical condition at the hospital after one officer shot him.

In brief: Police shoot man at home in northwest Spokane
A man was shot once by police in northwest Spokane late Wednesday, Spokane police Chief Frank Straub said. Officers were called to a home at 5527 N. Ash St. about 9:50 p.m. Residents in the home were concerned a man at the home was suicidal, intoxicated and had a gun.
Police sting at CdA casino ends in 9 prostitution-related arrests
A two-night law enforcement operation targeting prostitution at the Coeur d’Alene casino last week ended with nine arrests, the Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office said Wednesday.
UW hires Eastern Washington government, community director
The University of Washington has hired an Eastern Washington government and community affairs director. Catherine Brazil, a former aide to U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton who has served as public affairs director for the Cowles Co. since 2001, will coordinate government, business and community relations efforts from the university’s new center in downtown Spokane.

Commencement dates set for Inland Northwest colleges
Thousands of new college graduates are set to receive diplomas across the Inland Northwest in the days and weeks ahead. Commencement ceremonies begin this week with Washington State University and Gonzaga University leading the way.

Fire at Tacoma oil refinery sends smoke to sky
A crude oil fire at U.S. Oil and Refining Co. burned for almost two hours Wednesday, sending plumes of black smoke over the Port of Tacoma, but it didn’t cause any injuries. The refinery processes crude oil into transportation products, including gasoline, jet fuel and asphalt primarily for the south Puget Sound market.

New Washington law targets misleading floral companies
Under a law signed Wednesday by Gov. Jay Inslee, florists could face a $250 fine for misrepresenting their locations in a way that makes customers think they are dealing with local businesses when they are really dealing with a national operation.

Cost of ballot measures must be known prior to submittal
Under a law signed Wednesday by Gov. Jay Inslee, the official estimate of a ballot measure’s fiscal impact from the Office of Financial Management must be given to both sides of the campaign before they submit their arguments for or against the measure to be included in the pamphlet that goes to all of the state’s voters. Currently those fiscal statements sometimes aren’t ready before supporters and opponents must submit their arguments.

In brief: Police car damaged after collision in Northern Quest lot
An Airway Heights police car was damaged Tuesday night after an inattentive driver hit the car in the parking lot of the Northern Quest Casino. The Washington State Patrol investigated the collision. The driver was cited for driving with a suspended license and not having proof of insurance.
E. coli outbreak numbers updated from Milk Makers Fest
The Whatcom County Health Department has updated the numbers of E. coli cases after the recent outbreak at the Milk Makers Fest. Officials on Wednesday said 23 cases have been confirmed and 22 more are awaiting lab results. That’s an additional three cases from earlier reports.
Man wounded in Tacoma drive-by shooting dies
A 19-year-old man wounded in a drive-by shooting in Tacoma last Friday died Wednesday. The Pierce County medical examiner’s office identified him as Brandon Morris of Tacoma.
Three days of razor clam dig canceled due to toxin levels
Washington state shellfish managers say they’ve canceled three days of a planned four-day razor clam dig on ocean beaches because of health concerns about rising toxin levels. The state Fish and Wildlife Department said Wednesday that razor clam fans will be able to dig them as planned today on Long Beach and Twin Harbors beaches.
Unsafe biotoxin levels close recreational shellfish harvests
State Department of Health officials have closed all recreational shellfish harvesting on beaches in northern Whatcom County after tests found unsafe levels of a biotoxin. The closure was announced on Wednesday for beaches from Sandy Point north to the Canadian border, including Point Roberts.
Utah man cited for packing pistol in carry-on bag
A 59-year-old Utah man was cited for trying to bring a semiautomatic pistol in his carry-on bag at the Boise Airport.
No charges against teacher after students’ arms burned
A prosecutor isn’t filing criminal charges “at this time” against an Oregon science teacher accused of using a Tesla coil to burn the phrase “I love mom” into students’ arms. Marion County Deputy District Attorney Doug Hanson said Wednesday his office has decided not to charge 37-year-old Samuel Dufner now but the investigation continues. The Salem-Keizer School District placed Dufner on leave.

Judge denies exception to seven-day limit
A federal judge on Wednesday refused to approve a list of exceptions sought by the state Attorney General’s office that would give health officials more time before providing competency services to mentally ill people held in jails.

Prom hopeful sought for cliffside graffiti
The Ada County sheriff’s office is looking for a teen who wanted a date with Destiny and hoped to get it by spray-painting a prom proposal on an Idaho cliffside. The message “Destiny, Prom?” was painted in large pink and blue letters on the side of the Black Cliffs, in a popular rock climbing spot, east of Boise.  The person could face a misdemeanor charge of injury by graffiti, which is punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of $1,000. A federal charge also is possible because the U.S. Bureau of Land Management owns the area. The culprit also would be responsible for the cost of cleanup.

Canada considers plan for nuclear waste site
A Canadian advisory panel Wednesday endorsed a fiercely debated plan to bury waste from nuclear power plants less than a mile from Lake Huron, saying it had concluded the project would pose no danger to the environment.

In brief: State of emergency lifted in Baltimore
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan lifted the state of emergency in Baltimore on Wednesday, shortly after Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake said she has asked the U.S. Justice Department to investigate the city’s Police Department.
Bill puts end to fuel’s ethanol requirement
Hawaii lawmakers have put the state at the front of a national discussion over the future of ethanol in gasoline by passing a bill that puts an end to a requirement that the corn-based additive be mixed into fuel sold in the state.
City to pay $5.5M to police-abuse victims
Chicago’s leaders took a step Wednesday typically reserved for nations trying to make amends for slavery or genocide, agreeing to pay $5.5 million in reparations to the mostly African-American victims of the city’s notorious police torture scandal and to teach schoolchildren about one of the most shameful chapters of Chicago’s history.

Briefcase: Warm winter reduces Avista earnings
The warm winter cut into Avista Corp.’s first-quarter earnings through lower sales of electricity and natural gas, company officials said Wednesday.
Stock market prices high, Yellen says
Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen on Wednesday described stock market valuations as high and said the central bank was carefully monitoring their impact on financial stability.
Survey: Hiring pace slows down in April
U.S. companies hired in April at the slowest pace in nearly a year and a half, a private survey found, as the strong dollar dragged down overseas sales and energy companies cut back on spending in the face of lower oil prices.
Worker productivity drops in first quarter
U.S. worker productivity declined in the first three months of the year as labor costs jumped, reflecting a slowdown in growth.
Whole Foods chain aimed at millennials
Whole Foods is planning to open a new chain of stores that courts millennials with lower prices as it faces intensifying competition as a purveyor of organic and natural products.

Study: Tech companies don’t promote Asians
Google, Yahoo and other major technology companies are far more inclined to hire Asians as computer programmers than to promote them to become managers or executives, according to a study released Wednesday.

Self-driving big rigs not far from future highways
Although much attention has been paid to autonomous vehicles being developed by Google and traditional car companies, one truck maker believes that automated tractor-trailers will be rolling along highways before self-driving cars are cruising around the suburbs.

Oil prices hit 2015 high as producers cut back
Nationwide oil inventories dropped last week for the first time in four months, causing oil prices to increase to a 2015 high Wednesday and raising the possibility that the oil-supply glut that’s brought cheap gasoline, along with thousands of energy company layoffs, might be coming to an end.

McDonald’s among chains getting into delivery
On the same day McDonald’s said it would begin testing delivery in New York, an order placed for two cheeseburgers, two large fries and a vanilla shake took about a half-hour to arrive at the Associated Press headquarters. The whipped cream on the shake was a little melted, and an order of apple slices was missing. But the burgers and fries were warm. The bill came to $23.32, including tip – nearly double the cost if a reporter had walked around the corner to the nearest McDonald’s to pick up the food.

Dana Milbank: Mike Huckabee’s quest for presidency ill-fated without big money

Editorial: Public work on private devices must remain public

Caroline Little: Congressional bills offer hope for transparency

Dear Doctor K: Abnormal menstrual bleeding

Susan Mulvihill: Gardeners’ party
Have you been eager to do some serious planting in your garden? One sure sign the garden season is officially underway is the arrival of Garden Expo. It takes place from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, in and around the Spokane Community College Lair Student Union building.

Airway Heights applauded in public outreach
Airway Heights is being recognized nationally for its efforts over the past four years to bring innovation to public engagement.

In brief: Work to close southbound Sullivan Road Bridge
The southbound Sullivan Road Bridge is closing this morning and all traffic will be shifted onto the northbound bridge as demolition of the southbound bridge begins.There will be two southbound lanes and one northbound lane available during the first phase of the Sullivan Bridge construction project, which is expected to be completed by early 2017.
Forgotten officer added to service
The annual Law Enforcement Memorial Ceremony will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday in the Spokane County Courthouse Cul-de-sac, 1100 W. Mallon Ave. This is the 28th annual ceremony, and added to the memorial this year will be a forgotten officer, Deputy Sheriff James M. Bennett from the Chelan County Sheriff’s Office, whose end of watch was July 14, 1911.

Mukogawa school kitchen serves students a taste of home
Mukogawa staff prepares food daily for just over 200 Japanese students, who visit Spokane for four months to learn about American culture and the English language. Menus have American dishes ranging from spaghetti to ham sandwiches, along with some typical Japanese meals.

Pat Munts: Remember a mom whose love is growing

Eastern’s story of two statue Sacajaweas; one battered, one stolen
This is a story about the two Sacajaweas at Eastern Washington University – one being the larger-than-life plaster statue that came to Eastern in 1916; the other a smaller bronze statue that arrived in 1960 and was stolen in the dark of night in 1997.

Randy Mann: Northwest has seen some big quakes

Theia, the Moses Lake miracle dog, finds a permanent home
Theia, the Moses Lake dog who rose from the grave after she was run over by a truck, beaten and buried alive, has found her permanent home. The 1-year-old bully breed mix will be staying with Sara Mellado, the woman who took Theia in and raised money to treat her injuries.

Former House Speaker Jim Wright dies at age 92
Former U.S. House Speaker Jim Wright, the longtime Texas Democrat who became the first House speaker in the nation’s history to be driven out of office in midterm,  died early Wednesday. The World War II veteran and author, often praised for his eloquence and oratorical skills, represented a Fort Worth-area congressional district for 34 years, beginning with his election in 1954. He was the House’s Democratic majority leader for a decade, rising to the speakership in January 1987, to replace Tip O’Neill.

Obituary: Lust, Lucille (Benson) (Poffenroth)
15 Sep 1918 - 20 Apr 2015      Colfax, Endicott

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from TPNN (Tea Party News Network)
[Information from this site may not be reliable.]
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