New York Times

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, which has been struggling with a financial crisis stemming from California’s historic wildfires, intends to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by the end of the month, according to a regulatory filing.

The company, which is the largest investor-owned utility in California, said it faced an estimated $30 billion liability for damages from the 2017 and 2018 wildfires that killed scores in Northern California, a sum that would exceed its insurance and assets.   Continue reading “PG&E Plans Bankruptcy Filing Over Deadly California Fires”

Yahoo News

Across some of the biggest U.S. cities, rent prices are continuing to rise for lower-income Americans. Meanwhile, an estimated 553,000 people experienced homelessness in 2018, according to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) data.

And a recent Zillow study — which estimated the number of homeless people in America to be closer to 661,000 — found a specific correlation between rent affordability and the rate of homelessness at a certain threshold: “Communities where people spend more than 32 percent of their income on rent can expect a more rapid increase in homelessness.”  Continue reading “Research details the ‘rapid increase in homelessness’ in certain U.S. cities”

ABC News

Two police officers were shot and one — a sergeant who in 2016 helped rescue two little girls buried under a collapsed roof — was killed Sunday when they confronted an armed suspect while working on a car-burglary sting operation in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, officials said.

Gunfire erupted at 1:59 a.m. when the officers, one working undercover, approached two suspects they spotted allegedly trying to break into a car, Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith said at an early morning news conference.   Continue reading “2 police officers shot, 1 killed while working a car-burglary sting in Alabama”

ABC News 

One person is dead and a dozen others were rushed to the hospital after an apparent mass fentanyl overdose in Chico, California, on Saturday morning.

Four of those taken to the hospital are in critical condition, according to authorities. Police called the 13 people “friends and acquaintances,” but did not provide exact relationships to the homeowner. The victims ranged in age from 19 to “about 30,” police said.   Continue reading “1 dead, 12 hospitalized in mass fentanyl overdose in California”

Yahoo News

DAVIS, Calif. (AP) — Natalie Corona was a rising star in her police department with a sparkling smile and a huge heart who had followed in her father’s footsteps and became an officer, fulfilling a lifelong dream just a few months ago when her dad pinned the badge on her uniform.

On Friday, her father and a stunned community mourned the 22-year-old who was shot and killed on duty while responding to a multi-vehicle crash in the small college town of Davis, California. Investigators believe she was ambushed by a gunman on a bicycle, but they haven’t a determined the motive for his actions.   Continue reading “Rookie cop in Northern California ‘ambushed’ at crash scene”

ABC News

Six families of victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School won a legal victory Friday in their fight against controversial radio and internet personality Alex Jones.

A judge in Connecticut has granted the families’ discovery requests, allowing them access to, among other things, Infowars’ internal marketing and financial documents.

The judge has scheduled a hearing next week to decide whether to allow the plaintiffs’ attorneys to depose Jones.   Continue reading “Families of Sandy Hook shooting victims win legal victory in lawsuit against InfoWars, Alex Jones”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

Contrary to assurances from Trump’s National Security Advisor, neocon John Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who suggested earlier this week that US troops would remain in Syria for at least a little while longer, the Associated Press reported on Friday that the US has begun the process of removing the 2,000 soldiers based in northeastern Syria.   Continue reading ““We Don’t Take Orders From Bolton”: US Withdrawal From Syria Begins”

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

Five Republican House members have joined the Democrat push to criminalize private gun sales.

The five are Reps. Peter King (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Brian Mast (R-FL).  Continue reading “Five Republicans Join Democrat Push to Criminalize Private Gun Sales”

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is pushing a ban on commonly owned semiautomatic rifles and “high capacity” magazines.

She announced the push via Twitter where she wrote: “Americans across the nation are asking Congress to reinstate the federal ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. If we’re going to put a stop to mass shootings and protect our children, we need to get these weapons of war off our streets.”   Continue reading “Dianne Feinstein Pushes Ban on Commonly Owned Semiautomatics, ‘High Capacity’ Mags”

Fox News

A police officer in North Carolina was shot in the face Wednesday night while responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle — and two people were in custody in connection with the case, reports said.

The officer was not identified but was reportedly shot multiple times, Raleigh’s WTVD-TV reported. The officer was responding to the call in southwest Raleigh. The condition of the officer was not immediately known.   Continue reading “Raleigh police officer shot in face responding to suspicious-car call”

Reuters

MEXICO CITY (Reuters) – Mexican authorities will meet with Central American officials to prepare for the arrival of a planned new caravan of migrants headed to the United States next week.

The head of Mexico’s immigration office, Tonatiuh Guillen, left on Wednesday on a trip to El Salvador and Honduras to meet with his counterparts and other authorities, said Interior Ministry spokesman Hector Gandini.   Continue reading “Mexico prepares for arrival of next Central American migrant caravan”

ABC News

Authorities are searching for a suspect in the death of a Louisiana police officer who was shot just before her shift Wednesday night.

The Shreveport Police Department didn’t disclose details about the shooting, but the city’s police association confirmed the officer’s death in a Facebook post around 2 a.m. Thursday and thanked the Oschner LSU Health Hospital doctors who “fought so hard” to save her.  Continue reading “Louisiana police officer fatally shot just before starting shift”

ABC News

Members of the Crow Tribe hunt elk to feed their families.

The state of Wyoming says they can’t kill the animals on federal forest land without a permit.

The Supreme Court will now decide whether an 1868 treaty protects the Native Americans’ right to hunt.   Continue reading “Native American tribe member who killed elk to feed family asks Supreme Court to throw out poaching conviction”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

For the second time in 18 months, a dead body has been found at the home of Ed Buck, a prominent LA-based Democratic donor who once ran for the West Hollywood City Council, according to reports from a local TV station.

KTLA reported that the body of a man in his 50s was found by police shortly after 1 am on Monday. Buck’s attorney said the deceased was an old friend of Buck’s who died of an overdose after ingesting drugs at another location.  Continue reading “Second Dead Body Found At LA Home Of Wealthy Democratic Donor”

ABC News

Eight years to the day that former Rep. Gabby Giffords was shot at a constituent meeting in Tuscon, Arizona, House Democrats said they’re planning to unveil a universal background check bill they hope to pass within the first 100 days of the new Congress.

The measure, which will be introduced today at an event with Giffords and gun control advocates, would require background checks on the sale of any firearm and expand existing background checks to cover anyone attempting to buy firearms online, commercially or at gun shows, while providing exceptions for law enforcement and the transfer of guns between friends and family members.   Continue reading “House Democrats to unveil universal background check bill on anniversary of Gabby Giffords shooting”

Real Clear Life

Five Chicago police officers have committed suicide over the past six months; the most recent of which occurred Tuesday.

The Department of Justice released a report in 2017 consistent with this alarming trend, noting that the city’s officer suicide rate was 60% higher than the national law enforcement average, NBC News reported. In response, Chicago police departments are currently working towards instituting new initiatives to help officers who might be considering the same fate.   Continue reading “Recent Cluster of Police Suicides Raises Alarms”

Fox News

A police officer in Utah was shot and killed while trying to apprehend a “dangerous fugitive” on Saturday night, officials said.

Officer Joseph Shinners, 29, of the Provo Police Department, was shot during the incident, Chief Rich Ferguson told reporters at a news conference Sunday afternoon.   Continue reading “Utah police officer shot, killed while attempting to arrest fugitive, officials say”

ABC News

Two former South Carolina sheriff’s deputies were arrested Friday after two women in their transport van died when they were swept away in Hurricane Florence floodwaters, officials said.

Joshua Bishop, 29, has been charged with two counts of involuntary manslaughter, and Stephen Flood, 66, has been charged with two counts of reckless homicide and two counts of involuntary manslaughter, said the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), which is investigating the case.   Continue reading “2 former deputies arrested after 2 women drowned in their transport van during Hurricane Florence: Officials”

Chron

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has awarded its first contract in a $326 million project to deepen and widen the Corpus Christi Ship Channel.

Officials with the Corps awarded a $92 million contract to Illinois-based Great Lakes Dredge and Dock Company, port officials confirmed on Thursday afternoon.   Continue reading “First dredging contract awarded to deepen, widen Corpus Christi Ship Channel”

Yahoo News

Police in Australia responded to reports of a man screaming “why don’t you die?” by dispatching multiple units to a home in Perth.

But officers were soon told to stand down when they found a man who “had only been trying to kill a spider”, according to the police log published online.   Continue reading “Australian man screaming at spider ‘why don’t you die?’ triggers full police response”