Free Republic

Orange County supervisors have unanimously approved a proposed settlement in a federal wrongful death lawsuit filed by the family of Manuel Loggins Jr., an unarmed Marine sergeant who was shot to death by a sheriff’s deputy in a darkend high school parking lot. The suit, which also names the county and the Sheriff's Department, said that Loggins didn't pose a threat to Sandberg in the early morning incident in 2012. Loggins, described by friends as a disciplined and religious career Marine, had recently begun taking his family on prayer walks at the field. His two daughters were in the SUV...

On Monday 4/15/2013 Two bombs explode near the finish line of the Boston marathon, killing three and wounding nearly 180. On Thursday 4/18/2013 the FBI released marginal pictures, images and video of two men suspected of involvement in the attacks, appealing to the public to help identify them. It seems clear now, the FBI were unable to ID the suspects, so they went public on 4/18/2013. Within hours a campus police officer is shot to death. However, within a very short time after the news conference, possibly less than an hour or so, the FBI then released near perfect images....

In custody

The terror attacks in Boston wrecked plans for a quick Friday hearing on immigration reform and prompted Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to withdraw from the high-profile hearing. Her withdrawal denied Republican Sens. Jeff Sessions and Chuck Grassley — both opponents of the pending Senate immigration bill — the chance to chance to speak to public worries about terrorism’s relation to the 844-page bill. “We’re here trying to understand why these events have occurred … so this hearing is an opportunity to focus on the issues at hand,” said Grassley, the lead Republican on the judiciary panel....

<p>A reporter from Bloomberg News from Boston just reported the Feds/law enforcement will hold a news conference at 5:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Hotel in Boston.</p>

Last reports indicated video of a suspect planting a device was obtained, but there is no ID on the suspect. If they have no ID on the suspect, would not showing the video to the public possibly reveal who the suspect is? Would friends, family, acquaintances, co-workers or possibly his neighbors be able to ID the suspect? It's already been announced world wide the video was obtained at one of the bomb sites in front of a retail shop. So it would not seem likely the investigation would be compromised, since the suspect himself would already know they had video...

ANAHEIM – Police Chief John Welter will collect a $70,125 annual pension and cash out on $38,854 in sick and vacation time when he retires May 16, city officials said. Welter's highest 12 months of compensation included a base salary of $242,694.

The video clearly depicts an overweight female TSA Security Agent supposedly guarding a "Secured Area". Some female walks in clocks the TSA security agent, knocks her radio to the ground, and put the security agent in a head lock. She's lucky, an male off duty CA cop, (who was vacationing in Hawaii of course) jumps the rope line and saves the overweight TSA Security Agent from being pummeled into the floor.

A gunman was barricaded in a home in Georgia on Wednesday with four firefighters he took as hostages after they responded to what appeared to be a medical emergency call, officials said. The man initially held a fifth firefighter captive in the home, in Suwanee, about 35 miles northeast of Atlanta, but let that person leave to move a fire truck, police and fire officials said. Officials were not releasing details about what happened inside the house or a possible motive but said the hostages did not appear to have been harmed.

The Galveston National Laboratory lost one of five vials containing a deadly Venezuelan virus, according to the University of Texas Medical Branch, which owns the $174 million facility designed with the strictest security measures to hold the deadliest viruses in the country. Like Ebola, the missing Guanarito virus causes hemorrhagic fever, an illness named for "bleeding under the skin, in internal organs or from body orifices like the mouth, eyes, or ears," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "This is clearly an incident that is very discomforting and embarrassing to the University of Texas Medical Center and...

Moscow (CNN) -- A meteor streaked through the skies above Russia's Urals region Friday morning, before exploding with a flash and boom that shattered glass in buildings and left about 1,000 people hurt The number of injured has continued to rise through the day as new reports come in from across a swath of central Russia. Most of those hurt are in the Chelyabinsk region, the news agency said. The vast majority of injuries are not thought to be serious. About 3,000 buildings have sustained damage -- mostly broken glass -- as a result of the shock waves caused by...

A former Los Angeles cop who had allegedly warned he would target law enforcement in retribution for being fired is now suspected of shooting three officers early Thursday, killing one, The shootings -- which come a day after Irvine, California, police named Christopher Jordan Dorner as the suspect in a double slaying there Sunday be on the lookout for the onetime officer and Navy lieutenant. The manhunt stretched from Los Angeles to San Diego He worked for the LAPD from 2005 until 2008. Multiple law enforcement agencies linked Dorner, 33, to the shooting of two Riverside police officers in...

Christmas in California: rejoice, celebrate Christmas in California is special. Beaches, mountains, the rich earthy smell of damp eucalyptus. You will see surfing Santas and snow in the mountains for the reindeer. Wherever you are, pause a moment; savor the beauty and wonder of the day and of this place.

Californians are buying more guns than ever. As of November, the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System had run 981,798 background checks related to guns in California, beating out totals for previous years before 2012 is even over. The numbers jumped about 8 percent from last year, part of a steady increase since 2008. This year, however, the system broke records, with 154,873 calls on Nov. 23, up about 20 percent from Black Friday last year. With the high volume of calls, officials shut down call centers briefly to allow the system to catch up, Fischer said. Among California...

Fortune considers companies, domestic or foreign, that are traded on a U.S. stock exchange. California has more of the 2012 fastest growth companies than any other location: California: 24 International: 20 Texas: 11 New York: 8 Massachusetts: 4

It wouldn't be a trip to Southern California without a visit to Disneyland. The Anaheim park is one of several Los Angeles-area landmarks that space shuttle Endeavour will fly over before landing Friday morning at Los Angeles International Airport.. Also on deck: the Getty Center, Griffith Observatory and the California Science Center, the retired orbiter's new permanent home. The Los Angeles flyover will mark the end of Endeavour's farewell aerial tour which is slated to begin at dawn Wednesday when it departs Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Flown atop a modified Boeing 747, the shuttle will dip low over several...

A man in Ohio was apparently caught in this very predicament today and promptly relieved himself. However, the gentleman in question was a Secret Service agent in charge of protecting the POTUS and seemingly took a leak in full view of Barack Obama and his hundreds of supporters, who were just yards away.

Surveillance video from a Del Taco not far from where Michelle Jordan, 34, was stopped by police has prompted an internal investigation into how LAPD handled the arrest, which the woman says was unnecessarily rough. Update, Aug. 29: Officer Stripped of Rank in Alleged Rough Arrest The security video -- obtained exclusively by NBC4 -- shows a patrol car pull up at about 11:15 a.m. on Aug. 21 near Foothill Boulevard at Saluda in the Tujunga area. Police say they pulled her over for allegedly using her cell phone while driving. It looks like a routine traffic stop, until Jordan...

No idea where it centered.

Councilman Jim Righeimer said Friday at a news conference that political enemies set him up for an accusation of driving drunk. Righeimer was given a sobriety test outside his home Wednesday evening after a caller told Costa Mesa police that the councilman had been driving recklessly. "I have no doubt in my mind the labor unions fighting in this city are behind this," said Righeimer, who has been under fire by the city's unions and some residents for backing outsourcing of city services and for leading the charge for a November charter city ballot proposal.

With hundreds of human cases of the West Nile Virus being reported across Texas and more than a dozen related deaths in North Texas it seems some people are overreacting and calling 911 when they’re bitten by a mosquito. In short, health officials say a mosquito is not a health emergency. “We understand peoples concerns regarding the West Nile Virus, but in the absence of any symptoms of West Nile then a simple mosquito bite is really not a reason for someone to call 911,” said Matt Zavadsky, public affairs director for MedStar Emergency Medical Services. One woman called Fort...

<p>The West Nile Virus has hit Dallas County in Texas, which has killed 10 people and infected hundreds of others.</p> <p>Planes began spraying for harmful mosquitoes in Dallas north of Interstate 30 and east of the Dallas North Tollway at 10 p.m. Thursday night and continued until early Friday morning.</p>

Student who revealed Troy High election-rigging seeks post Senior Jacob Bigham, 17, says he became his school’s scapegoat after a teacher altered last spring’s student election results. The Troy High School senior who was suspended from school and stripped of his student-government post after he broke into a school database to reveal that a teacher altered election results is seeking to undo some of the discipline imposed on him. Jacob Bigham, 17, and his parents have asked the Fullerton Joint Union High School District to consider expunging from his record his five-day suspension and reinstating him this fall as student-body...

This image taken by NASA's Curiosity shows what lies ahead for the rover -- its main science target, Mount Sharp. The rover's shadow can be seen in the foreground, and the dark bands beyond are dunes. Rising up in the distance is the highest peak Mount Sharp at a height of about 3.4 miles, taller than Mt. Whitney in California. The Curiosity team hopes to drive the rover to the mountain to investigate its lower layers, which scientists think hold clues to past environmental change. This image was captured by the rover's front left Hazard-Avoidance camera at full resolution...

The Curiosity Mars Descent Imager (MARDI) captured the rover's descent to the surface of the Red Planet. The instrument shot 4 fps video from heatshield separation to the ground.

Since the 1980s, In-N-Out prints discreet references to Bible verses on their paper containers. These consist of the book, chapter, and number of the verse, not the text of the passage, in small print on an inconspicuous area of the item.

<p>Orange County-Long Beach-Los Angeles ranked second out of 372 U.S. metropolitan areas for year-over-year job growth in June, reports the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.</p> <p>Orange County alone accounted for 31,500 of the jobs created over the last 12 months.</p>

<p>Triumphant in the first Gulf war, George H.W. Bush, in October 1991, went before the UN to declare that the US’s goal was now to build a “New World Order”.</p>

James Holmes, 24, the man accused of opening fire inside a Colorado theater during a midnight screening Friday of “The Dark Knight Rises,” allegedly has a sex site profile that is being investigated by police. His rampage left at least 12 dead and 59 injured. According to TMZ, a man claiming to have the name James Holmes created a profile on AdultFriendFinder.com on July 5, just weeks prior to the “Batman” movie shooting. The photo used for the profile shows the man with orange-tinted hair, which is how the shooter was described by witnesses and police. The TMZ report indicates...

A Sheriff of a major county in the United States conducted a thorough and formal investigation regarding President Obama's birth record. They provided substantial evidence today in a public news conference saying the birth record is fraudulent. Yet not a word from the White House. In fact in the news conference Sheriff Arpaio stated: "President Barack Obama's birth certificate is definitely fraudulent", which they then provided detailed evidence. How is it possible, with all the resources available to the White House, including an army of attorneys, advisers, researchers and spokespersons, not a single word refuting the evidence laid out today?...

If ya haven't seen this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wiu_fHvPoHk

Scranton, Pennsylvania's, the state's sixth-most-populous city is down to its last $5,000 and has no way to pay salaries. In every sense of the word, Scranton is bankrupt. Doherty says his city has run out of money. After paying workers Friday, the city had only about $5,000 left in the bank. The firefighters' union, along with the police and public works unions, have taken the city to court. The unions plan to be back in court first thing Monday morning to ask the judge to hold Doherty in contempt. Doherty wants to raise taxes by 29 percent immediately and by...

Fire prevention » President of target-shooters group says restrictions are probably needed. http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/54472392-78/shooting-fire-font-utah.html.csp

El Monte Police Chief Thomas Armstrong oversaw a modestly sized department, with 120 officers But when Armstrong stepped down last year, he was paid nearly $430,000 The payday was possible thanks to a clause in Armstrong's contract that allowed him to accrue unlimited sick and vacation hours and sell them back to the city at the end of his career. By the time he retired at age 56, Armstrong cashed out for roughly $200,000. And he's not alone. Similar payouts have been made in city governments across the state. Those employees include Roy Campos, Downey's former police chief, who was...

Colorado Springs residents, many of whom have been away from their homes for several days, were allowed to return to what remained of their houses on Sunday. The wildfires, which are being called the most destructive of its kind in Colorado history, forced thousands of people to evacuate the city as it blazed a 17,659 acre trail across the state. At last count, 346 homes and communities were laid to waste as a result. Sadly, sifting through the rubble might be the least of their concerns at the moment. Bears and other wildlife have been spotted in these deserted neighborhoods...

It appears she is having difficulty thinking as she pauses between words. Watch her demeanor, watch her hand movements. See 1:31 She was repeating her words over and over. She appears to be having a problem with here lips sticking to her teeth. Watch her holding and leaning onto the podium for support. At one point, she appears to be borderline emotional. Even some of her words seem slurred (See 1:27) Was Pelosi intoxicated?

An Irvine couple who became upset with a parent volunteer at their son’s elementary school have been arrested and charged with conspiring to frame her by planting drugs in her car and calling police. Kent and Jill Easter, both 38 and both attorneys, are charged with three felonies. Orange County prosecutors say the story began in 2010 when Jill Easter was angered by the unnamed school volunteer, whom she accused of not properly supervising their son. In retaliation, the Easters allegedly hatched a plot to have the volunteer arrested. Kent Easter, authorities say, drove to the volunteer’s home shortly after...

White House Comment Line: 202-456-1111 or 202-456-1414). Ask to record the call! I was very polite, and asked for permission to record my call...I was put on the line with a supervisor, who asked why, and told them for personal reasons. I was denied. Then the female supervisor on the line refused to identify themselves even by first name and exhibited a very negative attitude. I started to make my polite comment.... Half way through my brief comment the telephone connection was disconnected followed by a dial tone.

About 2 minutes ago. Quick, sharp, lasted about 2 seconds... No idea where it centered.

The newest problem for the slowly improving housing market isn't a shortage of serious buyers, it's a shortage of good homes. Would-be buyers are packing open houses and scrambling to make offers on properties before they are even listed. Bidding wars are erupting. David Dennick, who lives in Echo Park, has been searching for a home with his wife, Denise, for about two months. The couple have already bid on three properties. They are hoping to find a home for less than $525,000, which is $25,000 more than they originally had hoped to spend. "It is much more competitive than...

Dallas-based pizza chain, Pizza Patron, is giving away free pepperoni pizzas to customers who order their pies in Spanish. the company says is a way to reach out to and build their already largely-Latino clientele, is sparking outrage. Marcela Gomez, president of Hispanic Marketing Group, a Latino marketing firm in Nashville, told USA Today that "maybe they thought it was a cute thing to do, but I think it's discrimination." In a press release announcing the promotion, which has been dubbed 'Pizza Por Favor,' the company said the pizza promo is an effort to promote the "positive force of change...

Eight people were shot Monday night just blocks from the Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City as large crowds were leaving the playoff game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Oklahoma City Thunder, police said. Authorities were trying to determine what led to the shootings that occurred at about 11:35 p.m., said Capt. Dexter Nelson of the Oklahoma City Police Department. Of the victims, one was in critical condition and seven suffered less severe injuries, Nelson said. Also, a woman was injured when she was punched and kicked in the crowded streets, authorities said.

Ask the Texas Democratic Party and, as far as they’re concerned, there has never been a Latino party chair. This is partly due to party structure. But, it’s also the historical exclusion of Latinos from power in Texas. Whatever the case, that’s all about to change. One way or another, in a few short months, a Latino will be the public face of the Democratic Party in Texas. Currently, the only three candidates are Gilberto Hinojosa of Brownsville, Fidel Acevedo of Austin, and Rachel Barrios-Van Os of San Antonio. Changes have been taking place within the party in the past...

COLOMA-LOTUS VALLEY, Calif — In the week since a fireball shot across the sky and exploded, scattering a rare type of meteorite over California's Gold Country, Once again there are lively saloons, fortune hunters jockeying for prime spots.. including that of Brenda Salveson, a local who found a valuable space rock while walking her dog It started April 22, with a blazing streak across a morning sky and a sonic boom Eight hundred miles away, while windows were still rattling, Robert Ward in Prescott, Ariz., was getting alerts. A professional meteorite hunter .. after 16 hours of driving, he scanned...

Los Angeles Police Department officials described the shooting death of a 19-year-old man after a bizarre high-speed chase on the 101 Freeway "tragic" but defended the officers' actions. Eight Los Angeles police officers fired more than 90 rounds, killing him. LAPD officials will review several factors related to the incident, including communication tactics and whether the large number of rounds fired endangered other freeway motorists. Police said they noticed Abdul Arian driving erratically near the Northridge Fashion Center on Wednesday and tried to pull him over. But he refused, instead taking them on a high-speed pursuit through city streets He...

As the economy continues to take a toll on consumers' finances, a growing number of people are discovering that becoming roommates with mom and dad, or a 20- or 30-something son or daughter, helps to ease some of the financial pain in tough times. As of 2010, 4.4 million U.S. homes held three generations or more under one roof, a 15% increase from 3.8 million households two years earlier, according to the latest data available from the Census Bureau. For multi-generational households, there is typically a nice payoff. Not only do they save money, but they are better able to...

Students demanding justice in the shooting death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin shut down the Sanford Police Department headquarters. “I can honestly say that I’ll never forget this experience,” James Bland told WOFL on Sunday. “It’s been incredible, I honestly feel, as if I’m participating in something that will forever change the course of history.” Gabriel Pendas, one of the organizers of the march, said the students were doing “the right thing” by participating in the three-day, 41-mile march from Daytona Beach to Sanford. “We’re coming to Sanford with love and with compassion and ... working to heal this community,”...

A former student expelled from a small Christian university and upset about being teased over his poor English skills went to the school to find a female administrator, then opened fire when she was not there, killing at least seven people, police said Tuesday. Howard described Goh as cooperating with authorities although he said he has not been "particularly remorseful." Art Richards said he was driving by the university when he spotted a woman hiding in the bushes. He pulled over, and when he approached her, she said, "I'm shot" and showed him her arm. "She had a piece of...

Thousands took to the streets Friday night to show support for the family of Trayvon Martin, the 17-year-old Florida teen who was shot to death last month by a neighborhood watch volunteer. The Million Hoodie March began at 7:17 p.m. (the time that police found Martin’s body in Sanford, Fla. On Feb. 26) with nearly 8,000 participants (according to police crowd estimates) marching from 30th Street Station and down John F. Kennedy Boulevard to Love Park. Participants wore hooded sweatshirts in support of Martin, who was wearing one at the time of his death. The case, which has caused a...

An attempt to rob a Fullerton jewelry store failed dramatically Friday when the shop owner shot one of the intruders and police quickly captured four suspects who fled in a minivan, swapped cars around the corner, then crashed a few blocks away. The man shot at the scene, identified as 23-year-old Nelvin Cook of Los Angeles, was taken by ambulance to UC Irvine Medical Center in Orange for treatment of gunshot wounds, said Fullerton Police Cpl. Tim Kandler. Cook was reported to be in critical condition. Three other men who fled All Phases Jewelers after the shooting jumped into a...