Lake City officer shot during domestic call dies | StarTribune.com
Saturday, December 31, 2011
Lake City officer shot during domestic call dies | StarTribune.com
Lake City officer shot during domestic call dies | StarTribune.com
Free rides home on New Year's Eve
A gentle reminder before you head out on New Year's Eve: The typical cost of a drunken-driving conviction is $10,000, including a big hit to your car insurance premiums. Consider yourself lucky if they merely double.
With that in mind, let's take a look at ways to get home -- some free and some not -- if you're over the legal blood-alcohol limit for firing up your chariot. The limit is 0.08% in all 50 states, and it doesn't take much to get there.
The free stuff first: Some AAA clubs provide free New Year's rides home for members and nonmembers. The program is called Tipsy Tow or Tow-to-Go. Here's the list of locations where it's available.
Before you party, call the sponsoring club first to find out what's being offered, just in case you get to the point where you shouldn't drive. Some will tow a car and give a ride to the driver only (no passengers), and there are mileage restrictions. After so many miles of free towing, you could end up paying the regular tow rate.
Check locally for other free programs. For instance:
Another AAA site, AAA DUI Justice Link, has a list of services that provide sober drivers and sometimes vehicles, often for a fee. Some examples:
Other alternatives for a law-abiding night:
Free rides home on New Year's Eve- MSN Money
With that in mind, let's take a look at ways to get home -- some free and some not -- if you're over the legal blood-alcohol limit for firing up your chariot. The limit is 0.08% in all 50 states, and it doesn't take much to get there.
The free stuff first: Some AAA clubs provide free New Year's rides home for members and nonmembers. The program is called Tipsy Tow or Tow-to-Go. Here's the list of locations where it's available.
Before you party, call the sponsoring club first to find out what's being offered, just in case you get to the point where you shouldn't drive. Some will tow a car and give a ride to the driver only (no passengers), and there are mileage restrictions. After so many miles of free towing, you could end up paying the regular tow rate.
Check locally for other free programs. For instance:
- Yellow Cab in Topeka, Kan., is providing free rides home on New Year's Eve thanks to a generous contribution by a law firm, The Topeka Capital-Journal says.
- A similar program is available in Albany, Rensselaer, Saratoga and Schenectady counties in New York, according to Albany's Times Union newspaper.
- In Houston, Metro is offering free rides on its rail and bus system.
- You can find many others here.
Another AAA site, AAA DUI Justice Link, has a list of services that provide sober drivers and sometimes vehicles, often for a fee. Some examples:
- Wisconsin has 30 towns on the list served by an outfit called Road Crew -- "a full night of bar hopping for the low cost of $20," its websites say. A one-way ride home from the bar is a mere $5.
- Pennsylvania has six listings, including two (in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh) for Safe Ride Solutions, which provides off-duty or recently retired police officers to drive you in your own car. Membership is $100 a year, then $50 an hour with a four-hour minimum. Confidentiality is ensured. "SRS did start out as a driving service for pro-athletes in 2006 and we have helped many ball players avoid problems," the website says. (I can think of a few who should have availed themselves of this service.)
Other alternatives for a law-abiding night:
- Take a cab. That works too, but the beauty of many of the other services is that they drive you home in your own car, so you don't need to worry about finding and retrieving it the next day.
- Have a designated driver. Surely you know someone who doesn't drink. Offer to pay for their dinner or ticket to the ball, plus all the nonalcoholic beverages they consume.
- Stay home. What's that old saying about New Year's Eve being amateur night? Home may be the safest place.
Free rides home on New Year's Eve- MSN Money
Friday, December 30, 2011
Babes with Bullets (TM) "Moving While Shooting Takes Courage"
Babes with Bullets (TM) "Moving While Shooting Takes Courage"
Thursday, December 29, 2011
32 Worst First-Round Draft Picks in NFL History | Bleacher Report
32 Worst First-Round Draft Picks in NFL History | Bleacher Report
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Cheetah the chimp from 1930s Tarzan flicks dies
Cheetah the chimp from 1930s Tarzan flicks dies - TwinCities.com
U.S. police fatalities up 13 percent in 2011 to 173
The nonprofit group that tracks police deaths also reported that 68 federal, state and local officers were killed by gunfire in 2011, a 15 percent jump from last year when 59 were killed. It marks the first time in 14 years that firearms fatalities were higher than traffic-related deaths. The data shows that 64 officers died in traffic accidents, down from the 71 killed in 2010.
Craig Floyd, the group's chairman, blamed the rise on budget cuts to public safety departments. He cited surveys by police groups that showed many cut back on training and delay upgrading equipment, and referenced a Department of Justice report issued in October that said an estimated 10,000 police officers and sheriff's deputies have been laid off within the past year.
"I'm very troubled that these drastic budget cuts have
put our officers at a grave risk," he said.
U.S. police fatalities up 13 percent in 2011 to 173 - TwinCities.com
Craig Floyd, the group's chairman, blamed the rise on budget cuts to public safety departments. He cited surveys by police groups that showed many cut back on training and delay upgrading equipment, and referenced a Department of Justice report issued in October that said an estimated 10,000 police officers and sheriff's deputies have been laid off within the past year.
"I'm very troubled that these drastic budget cuts have
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U.S. police fatalities up 13 percent in 2011 to 173 - TwinCities.com
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
Sears, Kmart closures spark speculation about whether famous retailer can avoid death spiral
Sears, Kmart closures spark speculation about whether famous retailer can avoid death spiral | StarTribune.com
Boy, 3, dies after being hit by stray bullet in Minneapolis
Boy, 3, dies after being hit by stray bullet in Minneapolis | StarTribune.com
Monday, December 26, 2011
Iranian woman convicted of adultery to be executed by stoning or hanging,
TEHRAN, Iran - Authorities in Iran said Sunday they are again moving ahead with plans to execute a woman sentenced to death by stoning on an adultery conviction in a case that sparked an international outcry, but are considering whether to carry out the punishment by hanging instead.
Iranian woman convicted of adultery to be executed by stoning or hanging, official says | StarTribune.com
Iranian woman convicted of adultery to be executed by stoning or hanging, official says | StarTribune.com
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Christmas attacks claimed by Muslim sect on churches, police in Nigeria kill at least 39
Christmas attacks claimed by Muslim sect on churches, police in Nigeria kill at least 39 | StarTribune.com
Saturday, December 24, 2011
Friday, December 23, 2011
Deputies: Man returned to beer after bank robbery
PORT RICHEY, Fla. — Authorities say a Tampa Bay area man ordered a beer at a bar, left to rob a nearby bank then came back to finish his beer.
Deputies: Man returned to beer after bank robbery | Wausau Daily Herald | wausaudailyherald.com
Deputies: Man returned to beer after bank robbery | Wausau Daily Herald | wausaudailyherald.com
Sources: Officer who shot veteran knew of plan to take man alive/Graphic video
Sources: Officer who shot veteran knew of plan to take man alive - News - ReviewJournal.com
http://www.lvrj.com/news/sources-officer-who-shot-disabled-veteran-knew-of-plan-to-use-nonlethal-force-136115728.html
http://www.lvrj.com/news/sources-officer-who-shot-disabled-veteran-knew-of-plan-to-use-nonlethal-force-136115728.html
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Report: Earthquake-damaged Washington Monument has extensive cracking, chipped stones near top
Report: Earthquake-damaged Washington Monument has extensive cracking, chipped stones near top | StarTribune.com
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
Menasha police officer rescues woman from burning car/Video
Menasha police officer rescues woman from burning car Menasha police officer Matt Lenss pulled a woman from a burning car early Tuesday morning after a crash at Racine and Fourth streets on Dec. 13, 2011.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Monday, December 19, 2011
Lake City officer shot in head; police in standoff at the scene/Breaking News, Suspect found dead
Alan J. Sylte Jr.
Breaking News; Sources have informed The Hatchet the suspect was found dead in the house. He had gone to his girlfriends bed and shot himself.Lake City officer shot in head; police in standoff at the scene
Lake City officer shot in head; police in standoff at the scene | StarTribune.com
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Neighbor sees mother kill child in Downstate murder-suicide that leaves 5 dead
Fiedler walked out of her home and saw her next-door neighbor Sara McMeen standing over a baby on the ground.
“I asked her, ‘Is everything all right?’” Fiedler recalled Saturday. “She said: ‘No, everything is not all right.’”
Then McMeen did the unthinkable, Fiedler said. “She put the gun to the baby and she shot it.”
Neighbor sees mother kill child in Downstate murder-suicide that leaves 5 dead - chicagotribune.com
FIVE RULES FOR MEN TO FOLLOW TO A HAPPY LIFE:
FIVE RULES FOR MEN TO FOLLOW TO A HAPPY LIFE:
1. It's important to have a woman who helps at home,
cooks from time to time, cleans up, and has a job.
2. It's important to have a woman who can make you
laugh.
3. It's important to have a woman who you can trust,
and doesn't lie to you.
4. It's important to have a woman who is good in bed,
and likes to be with you.
5. It's very, very important that these four women
do not know each other.
1. It's important to have a woman who helps at home,
cooks from time to time, cleans up, and has a job.
2. It's important to have a woman who can make you
laugh.
3. It's important to have a woman who you can trust,
and doesn't lie to you.
4. It's important to have a woman who is good in bed,
and likes to be with you.
5. It's very, very important that these four women
do not know each other.
Saturday, December 17, 2011
food and depression | 11 Foods That Can Wreck Your Holiday Mood
Don't let candy canes, popular sweeteners, and holiday ham bring you down this holiday season!
food and depression | 11 Foods That Can Wreck Your Holiday Mood | Rodale NewsFriday, December 16, 2011
Penn St. coach says he saw Sandusky molest boy in shower
Mike McQueary
HA RRISBURG, Pa. - As soon as he walked into the Penn State locker room, Mike McQueary heard running water and rhythmic, slapping sounds of "skin on skin." He looked in a mirror and saw a naked Jerry Sandusky, the former assistant coach, holding a young boy by the waist from behind, up against the wall in the campus shower.Penn St. coach says he saw Sandusky molest boy in shower, told Paterno and school officials | StarTribune.com
Thursday, December 15, 2011
Raw Video: Drunk, topless woman arrested/Video
Police in Ohio captured a nearly topless speeder on dashcam video and charged her with drunken driving. Local media report the 28-year-old woman was wearing sheer clothing, a G-string and heels when she was arrested. Video altered at source. (Oct...
Raw Video: Drunk, topless woman arrested - USATODAY.com Video
Raw Video: Drunk, topless woman arrested - USATODAY.com Video
Rosemount HS parent-on-student kissing prank has principal apologizing/Video's
Rosemount HS parent-on-student kissing prank has principal apologizing | StarTribune.com
Carlson School of Management Flash Mob, Deck the Halls, Video
Carlson School of Management Flash Mob, Deck the Halls
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
Lawyer flings even more anti-Catholic slurs at judge handling company's bankruptcy case
Naomi Isaacson
A Minneapolis lawyer has responded to a judge's threat of a hefty fine over an insult-laden legal memorandum by filing a reply loaded with even more religious slurs than the one prompting the judge's warning. Lawyer flings even more anti-Catholic slurs at judge handling company's bankruptcy case - TwinCities.com
Mystery person slipping $1,000 donations into Salvation Army kettles
The Salvation Army believes that the same person -- identity unknown -- has made five $1,000 donations into the charity's red kettles since late last month at various east metro locations.
In each case, the grand gestures have come in the form of 10 crisp $100 bills, tightly folded, said Salvation Army spokeswoman Annette Bauer.
Mystery person slipping $1,000 donations into Salvation Army kettles | StarTribune.com
Somehow the truth hurts, and this may be it.
Somehow the truth hurts, and this may be it.
In the coming New Year, 2012, both Groundhog Day and the State of the Union address will occur on the same day.
This is an ironic juxtaposition of events.
One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to an insignificant creature of little intelligence for prognostication.
The other involves a groundhog.
This is an ironic juxtaposition of events.
One involves a meaningless ritual in which we look to an insignificant creature of little intelligence for prognostication.
The other involves a groundhog.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
First, it was a $141M divorce. Then, it got pricey.
First, it was a $141M divorce. Then, it got pricey. - TwinCities.com
NTSB recommends states ban all nonemergency driver cell phone, electronic use device use
NTSB recommends states ban all nonemergency driver cell phone, electronic use device use | StarTribune.com
Sunday, December 11, 2011
THE MEANING OF THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS
1 True Love refers to God
2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
2 Turtle Doves refers to the Old and New Testaments
3 French Hens refers to Faith, Hope and Charity, the Theological Virtues
4 Calling Birds refers to the Four Gospels and/or the Four Evangelists
5 Golden Rings refers to the first Five Books of the Old Testament, the "Pentateuch", which gives the history of man's fall from grace.
6 Geese A-laying refers to the six days of creation
7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
7 Swans A-swimming refers to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, the seven sacraments
8 Maids A-milking refers to the eight beatitudes
9 Ladies Dancing refers to the nine Fruits of the Holy Spirit
10 Lords A-leaping refers to the ten commandments
11 Pipers Piping refers to the eleven faithful apostles
12 Drummers Drumming refers to the twelve points of doctrine in the Apostle's Creed
| THE TWELVE DAYS OF CHRISTMAS (12 Days of Christmas) lyrics *** |
In N. Dakota, police call in big backup: Predator drones
In N. Dakota, police call in big backup: Predator drones | StarTribune.com
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Is that $700 snowblower a lemon? Or Don't buy a Poulan!!!
Whistleblower: Is that $700 snowblower a lemon? | StarTribune.com
IN RUSSIA, STUNNING OUTCRY
IN RUSSIA, STUNNING OUTCRY | StarTribune.com
State Appellate Court overturns conviction in 1992 Lake County murder
State Appellate Court overturns conviction in 1992 Lake County murder - chicagotribune.com
Thursday, December 8, 2011
Md. teacher charged with having sexual relations with students
Md. teacher charged with having sexual relations with students - Crime Scene - The Washington Post
Wisconsin community buries 'Jane Doe' - TwinCities.com
A local funeral home offered flowers. The town's high school donated a wreath. The county found the cash to pay for the casket. Strangers came to mourn.
Nobody here knows who she is, but everyone agreed on one thing: She deserved a proper burial.
Three years ago, a slain girl's body was found partially submerged in a freezing creek in Waupun, Wis. Despite years of investigative work, her identity is still a mystery, and sheriff's deputies and staff in the medical examiner's office have become a family of sorts.
Wisconsin community buries 'Jane Doe' - TwinCities.com
Nobody here knows who she is, but everyone agreed on one thing: She deserved a proper burial.
Three years ago, a slain girl's body was found partially submerged in a freezing creek in Waupun, Wis. Despite years of investigative work, her identity is still a mystery, and sheriff's deputies and staff in the medical examiner's office have become a family of sorts.
Wisconsin community buries 'Jane Doe' - TwinCities.com
Why falling unemployment doesn't always mean rising employment
Last Friday, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate for the United States fell from 9 percent in October to 8.6 percent in November and that nonfarm employment rose by 120,000 workers. This sounds sensible: unemployment fell and employment rose.
But consider this: On Nov. 17, the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development announced that Minnesota's unemployment rate fell from 6.9 percent in September to 6.4 percent in October while employment decreased by 6,100 jobs.
MinnPost - Macro, Micro, Minnesota: Why falling unemployment doesn't always mean rising employment
USAF: Partial remains of 274 troops sent to landfill
USAF: Partial remains of 274 troops sent to landfill | StarTribune.com
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
No one should have to pay for right to vote
You'll hear a lot of sound and fury about the impact of Wisconsin's new voter ID law. But as we see it, it is finally not much more complicated than this:
No one should have to pay to vote, ever.
Voting is a constitutionally protected right. No one who is legally qualified to vote, regardless of circumstance, should have to pay any fee -- period.
The Wausau Daily Herald on Sunday featured the story of Ruthelle Frank of Brokaw, an 84-year-old woman caught in a bureaucratic maze as she tries to obtain a state ID card so she can vote in next year's elections.
The condensed version of her story: Frank was born at home and never had a birth certificate. Without a birth certificate, she cannot obtain a state ID. Without a state ID, she will be legally ineligible to vote. And a birth certificate costs money -- money that Frank sees, justifiably, as the equivalent of a poll tax.
And by the way, Frank has lived in Brokaw her entire life, has served on the Brokaw Village Board for 15 years and has voted in every election since 1948.
It's hard to fathom that she could actually be turned away next year. It makes no sense.
The problems with the voter ID law are broad and deep. But there is a narrow proposal that would solve the specific problem faced by Frank and other legally eligible voters who lack birth certificates.
Sen. Jim Holperin, D-Conover, will introduce a bill -- perhaps today -- that would waive fees for residents seeking birth certificates in order to be allowed to vote.
State lawmakers, under pressure from voting-rights advocates, already changed the law to waive the cost of a state ID card for those who need them to vote.
Logically, the same argument -- that no one should have to pay to vote -- should apply for those who need government-issued birth certificates to get state-issued ID cards.
There is time before the 2012 elections to solve the particular problem Frank and others who lack birth certificates face. We hope Frank's own state senator, Republican Sen. Pam Galloway of Wausau, will sign onto Holperin's bill and help to see through its passage into law. In the long run, though, there remain serious questions about the foundations of the voter ID law itself.
It was expected that the GOP would pass some form of voter ID, said Jay Heck, executive director of the good-government advocated Common Cause Wisconsin. But "Wisconsin is by far the most restrictive" law in the nation, Heck said. Is that really the place we want to be? Shouldn't we be encouraging legally eligible voters to cast ballots -- not forcing them to jump through hoops?
It should be said that we were against the passage of a voter ID law in the first place. Under Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, Wisconsin's Justice Department devoted a lot of time and resources to investigating voter fraud in the 2008 election.
If systemic fraud were a significant problem, the contentious, high-turnout presidential year would clearly have brought it out. And cases adding up to more than a few scattered violations just did not materialize.
No matter. For some, widespread voter fraud is an article of faith.
But if voter ID is to be the law of the land here, Wisconsin residents deserve to know that no voter will be made to pay to vote, ever. Not for a state ID card -- and not for a birth certificate, either.
No one should have to pay to vote, ever.
Voting is a constitutionally protected right. No one who is legally qualified to vote, regardless of circumstance, should have to pay any fee -- period.
The Wausau Daily Herald on Sunday featured the story of Ruthelle Frank of Brokaw, an 84-year-old woman caught in a bureaucratic maze as she tries to obtain a state ID card so she can vote in next year's elections.
The condensed version of her story: Frank was born at home and never had a birth certificate. Without a birth certificate, she cannot obtain a state ID. Without a state ID, she will be legally ineligible to vote. And a birth certificate costs money -- money that Frank sees, justifiably, as the equivalent of a poll tax.
And by the way, Frank has lived in Brokaw her entire life, has served on the Brokaw Village Board for 15 years and has voted in every election since 1948.
It's hard to fathom that she could actually be turned away next year. It makes no sense.
The problems with the voter ID law are broad and deep. But there is a narrow proposal that would solve the specific problem faced by Frank and other legally eligible voters who lack birth certificates.
Sen. Jim Holperin, D-Conover, will introduce a bill -- perhaps today -- that would waive fees for residents seeking birth certificates in order to be allowed to vote.
State lawmakers, under pressure from voting-rights advocates, already changed the law to waive the cost of a state ID card for those who need them to vote.
Logically, the same argument -- that no one should have to pay to vote -- should apply for those who need government-issued birth certificates to get state-issued ID cards.
There is time before the 2012 elections to solve the particular problem Frank and others who lack birth certificates face. We hope Frank's own state senator, Republican Sen. Pam Galloway of Wausau, will sign onto Holperin's bill and help to see through its passage into law. In the long run, though, there remain serious questions about the foundations of the voter ID law itself.
It was expected that the GOP would pass some form of voter ID, said Jay Heck, executive director of the good-government advocated Common Cause Wisconsin. But "Wisconsin is by far the most restrictive" law in the nation, Heck said. Is that really the place we want to be? Shouldn't we be encouraging legally eligible voters to cast ballots -- not forcing them to jump through hoops?
It should be said that we were against the passage of a voter ID law in the first place. Under Republican Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen, Wisconsin's Justice Department devoted a lot of time and resources to investigating voter fraud in the 2008 election.
If systemic fraud were a significant problem, the contentious, high-turnout presidential year would clearly have brought it out. And cases adding up to more than a few scattered violations just did not materialize.
No matter. For some, widespread voter fraud is an article of faith.
But if voter ID is to be the law of the land here, Wisconsin residents deserve to know that no voter will be made to pay to vote, ever. Not for a state ID card -- and not for a birth certificate, either.
Bullying gay and lesbian kids: How a school district became a suicide contagion area
MinnPost - Bullying gay and lesbian kids: How a school district became a suicide contagion area
Sandusky arrested on new sex abuse charges
FILE - This Nov. 5, 2011 file photo shows former Penn State football defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky, center, wearing handcuffs as he is escorted to the office of Centre County Magisterial District Judge Leslie A. Dutchcot, in State College, Pa. A lawyer for a young man who accuses Sandusky of sexual abuse says he expects his client and at least five other alleged victims to testify at a preliminary hearing next week. (AP Photo/The Patriot-News, Andy Colwell, File) (Andy Colwell)
Sandusky arrested on new sex abuse charges - TwinCities.com
Blagojevich gets 14 years in prison for corruption
Blagojevich gets 14 years in prison for corruption - TwinCities.com
Arrest made in Jorelys Rivera case
Arrest made in Jorelys Rivera case | ajc.com
Opening up about Pearl Harbor
Opening up about Pearl Harbor | StarTribune.com
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Derek Boogaard had Alzheimer's-like brain affliction at time of overdose
Boogaard's brain was ravaged by head blows
Derek Boogaard had Alzheimer's-like brain affliction at time of overdose - TwinCities.comNew 'extreme cold' warning will replace wind chill warning
New 'extreme cold' warning will replace wind chill warning - TwinCities.com
Monday, December 5, 2011
Special-needs Scout Steve Lape awaits Eagle Scout award, as his dementia worsens
Special-needs Scout Steve Lape awaits Eagle Scout award, as his dementia worsens - TwinCities.com
Saturday, December 3, 2011
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