Free Republic

WOODBURN, Ore. (AP) - A bomb exploded inside a bank here late Friday afternoon after explosives experts arrived to check on a suspicious object and authorities said at least one person was killed by the blast. Oregon State Police said the explosion at the West Coast Bank caused "serious injuries" and that police officers were in the area when the device detonated. They did not say how many police officers were injured. A spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives told The Oregonian at least one bomb technician had been injured. Marion County deputy medical examiner Rodge...

Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama spoke to a packed, cheering crowd of 2,300 at Bend's Summit High School Saturday, addressing a variety of issues and imploring his audience to help him "turn the page" and write a new chapter in U.S. history. "How's it goin', Bend?" Obama said as he took the stage in an open-collar white shirt and rolled-up sleeves, pacing slowly back and forth as he touched on all the issues and took several questions from the audience over an hour-long span. "Thank you everybody! Thank you so much!" he said. "What a wonderful crowd. Please, have a...

The Home Office is to investigate allegations that immigration officials operated a "sex for visas" scam and ignored vital security checks. Anthony Pamnani, a former administration officer at the Lunar House immigration processing centre in Croydon, south London, told The Sun newspaper that women were helped to stay in the UK in return for sex. He also alleged that security checks were lax, making it easier for potential terrorists to sneak into the country. According to the newspaper, Mr Pamnani, 23, alleged that attractive women applicants were seen first at the centre, which deals with 300,000 visa and asylum applications...

South Bend, IN - A four-year-old South Bend boy was rushed to the hospital Thursday after suffering an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Shortly before 5 PM, police responded to the 800 block of North Sherman in South Bend. When they arrived, they found a four-year-old boy suffering from a gunshot wound. According to Captain John Williams of the South Bend Police Department, the gunshot wound was to the boy's chest. Reports from the scene say the four-year-old was alone in an upstairs bedroom when the mother heard a gunshot and ran upstairs where she found her injured son. According to...

BEND, Ore. - Public displays of affection are against the rules at Sky View Middle School in Bend, and 14-year-old Cazz Altomare found that out the hard way. She got detention earlier this year after hugging her boyfriend in the hallway as he headed to lunch and she went to gym class. Her mother, Leslee Swanson was infuriated by the punishment — in fact, when she went to pick her daughter up from detention, she gave her a good, hard hug. "I'm trying to understand what's wrong with a hug," said Swanson, 42. But administrators said such policies are standard-issue...

(WSBT) The City of South has made a move to get stun guns off the streets. Monday night, the Common Council passed an ordinance that bans selling or owning the weapons with-in city limits. Police also support the measure. They say in un-trained hands, a stun-gun can be a powerful force Officer's can't fight. "Now they're becoming more refined, a lot smaller, a lot lighter, and a lot more powerful," says South Bend Police Sergeant Scott Ruszkowski. "You know them being out there and being allowed to be out there, from a police officers perspective, there's no way to defeat...

Patriotic Rallies From Florida to Oregon to PennsylvaniaIn case you missed our announcement Wednesday of the pro-America rallies being held around the country, check it out again. Many are going on this weekend, including those in Cleveland, Washington, Nashville, Houston, San Antonio, Oklahoma City, Racine, Wis., and Bend, Ore. Here's a new one: Weeki Wachee, Fla.: Meet at noon Saturday, the corner of U.S. 19 and SR 50. Please bring a patriotic sign or an American flag. Please park at the far end of the Winn Dixie Shopping Center or the Bank of America parking lot. Another rally is planned...

Astronomy Picture of the Day Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer. 2002 July 8 Weighing Empty Space Credit & Copyright: Bell Labs-Lucent Technologies, AURA, NOAO, NSF Explanation: Sometimes staring into empty space is useful. Pictured above is a region of sky that was picked because it had, well, nothing: no bright stars, no bright galaxies, and no picturesque nebulas. What could not be avoided, however, were a few stars in our own Galaxy, and many distant galaxies strewn across...