Free Republic

If warmer weather is inspiring you to visit the sun and surf along the Santa Cruz Boardwalk, you may want to consider a short side trip just north of town. Tucked behind a public park in the small town of Felton, is a bridge so unique it is recognized as both a state and national historic place. At one time, it was also the only way in or out of town. Fortunately, a paved road makes the trip to explore this bridge much easier. Learn more about the Felton Bridge in the video above.

The Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office has identified a man killed in a dog attack as 83-year-old Michael Downing. Downing was killed by his neighbor's dogs at about 4 p.m. Friday, officials said. The hole in the fence where witnesses said the dogs came through is now boarded up. Witnesses Mackenzie Partin and Eddie Edwards said Downing’s body may have been dragged into the dog’s yard because they saw his body on the other side of the fence. The Franklin Arms apartment community is mourning the loss of Downing, whom they described as a helpful neighbor and happy man. “He always had...

UPDATE, 9:15 p.m. April 10: Baton Rouge Police arrested a 22-year-old Florida man for his alleged role in a shootout at a party that left two Southern University students dead and wounded another man. Ernest Bernard Felton, of 3865 Day Ave., Miami, Fla., was arrested by Baton Rouge Police Sunday evening and booked into Parish Prison on counts of attempted second-degree murder and illegal use of a weapon.

Letter: Contrails or something more sinister? Jan 31, 2013 EDITOR, Have you looked up recently and seen white trails crisscross the sky and dismissed it as a harmless trail from a jet? Look again. We used to enjoy many clear blue skies, but nowadays we frequently have overcast skies as a result of spraying. As most of you, I went to work every day and didn’t really take notice of what was going on up in the sky overhead. But when I did take notice, what I saw were contrails from jets that disappeared quickly, and then there were the...

ALBANY — Aides to New York’s first African-American governor wanted a police entourage that looked more like their boss, so they made an unusual request to the State Police: Replace at least 10 white troopers assigned to protect Gov. David A. Paterson with black or Latino officers. The request prompted an extraordinary battle between the Paterson administration and leaders of the State Police shortly after Mr. Paterson, a Democrat, took office in 2008, according to court testimony, e-mails and interviews. Preston L. Felton, at the time the acting superintendent of the State Police and the first African-American to lead the...

GATES COUNTY, N.C. Two brothers who police say were trying to rob a store were shot and killed by the owner Tuesday night. According to Gates County Sheriff Edward Webb, the armed men entered the Joppa store at Acorn Hill and Hinton roads around 6 p.m. Webb said one stuck a rifle in the owner's face and told him to go to the cash register. Then the owner was struck in the back of the head and knocked to the floor, where he was stomped on and kicked. Despite bruises to his chest and back, in addition to the injury...