VOA

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Justice Department said Tuesday that it was considering whether to ban certain bump stocks, the attachments that make semiautomatic rifles fire faster and were used in the deadliest mass shooting in modern U.S. history in Las Vegas in October.

The Las Vegas gunman’s use of bump stocks to allow his weapons to fire like fully automatic machine guns, killing 58 people and wounding hundreds, has led to rare bipartisan agreement in Congress on the need to review whether they should be banned.  Continue reading “US Justice Department Weighs ‘Bump Stocks’ Ban”

Fox News

A police officer in San Marcos, Texas, was shot and killed Monday afternoon when he was serving a warrant, police said.

Officer Ken Copeland, a veteran of the San Marcos Police Department since March 1998, was serving a warrant in the El Camino Real subdivison of the city when he was fatally shot, Police Chief Chase Stapp confirmed during a press conference Monday night.  Continue reading “Texas cop shot dead in line of duty while serving warrant”

Yahoo News

Thousands were forced to flee their homes on Monday as firefighters battled a fast-moving wildfire in Southern California that had charred at least 25,000 acres of land, authorities said.

Intensified by strong winds and harsh weather conditions, the fire caused at least one death in Ventura County, emergency officials said. The person’s identity was not released, but authorities attributed the death to an automobile accident that occurred as the individual attempted to evacuate.   Continue reading “Wildfire threatens several thousands of homes in Southern California, kills 1”

Newshub

The twin brothers who sued Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg have become the first bitcoin billionaires.

Tyler and Cameron Winklevoss attended Harvard with Zuckerberg and claimed he stole the idea for the social media site Facebook from them.

The brothers, who represented the US in rowing at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, settled out of court with Zuckerberg for an undisclosed sum, thought to be around US$95 million (NZ$138m).    Continue reading “Twins who sued Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg become Bitcoin billionaires”

Fox News

A Republican congressman plans to introduce a bill Monday that would threaten huge fines and prison time for elected officials accused of sheltering illegal immigrant criminals from deportation, in the wake of the not-guilty verdict in the Kate Steinle murder trial.

Indiana Rep. Todd Rokita’s bill is one of the most aggressive pieces of legislation to date aimed at sanctuary city policies, going beyond the Justice Department’s threat to cut off grants to those jurisdictions.    Continue reading “After Steinle verdict, rep unveils bill to imprison officials who shelter illegal immigrants”

Washington Times

House Republicans could draft a resolution to hold Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray in contempt of Congress as soon as Monday for failure to turn over documents sought as part of an intelligence committee investigation.

The move comes after what House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Devin Nunes describes as months of stonewalling on the part of the Justice Department and the FBI as his panel sought access to records related to federal investigators’ use of the salacious Trump dossier compiled by British ex-spy Christopher Steele.   Continue reading “House intel committee threatens DOJ, FBI with contempt in Russia election meddling probe”

Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Oil and gas drilling in a vast northern Alaskan wildlife refuge the U.S. government has protected since 1960 moved a step closer to reality on Saturday with the passage by U.S. Senate Republicans of the tax bill.

Republicans attached a measure introduced by Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski to the tax bill to open a portion of Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, or ANWR. The 51 to 49 passage of the tax overhaul early Saturday was a “critical milestone in our efforts to secure Alaska’s energy future,” Murkowski said.   Continue reading “Drilling in Alaska refuge likelier as Senate clears tax bill”

ABC News

A day after North Carolina deputies arrested the mother’s boyfriend in connection with a missing 3-year-old, they have found the toddler’s corpse.

The Onslow County Sheriff’s Office and FBI revealed on Saturday evening that Mariah Woods’ body was recovered by a Fayetteville Police dive team in Shelter Creek in Pender County, ABC News has confirmed.

The news comes after the mother’s live-in boyfriend, Earl Kimrey, 32, was arrested by investigators with the Onslow County Sheriff’s Office on Friday in connection with the disappearance of Woods.   Continue reading “Remains of missing North Carolina girl found: Authorities”

CNN

The Senate passed its tax reform bill in the early hour of Saturday morning, following a day full of Republican leaders making changes to bring enough members on board and a long night full of heated rhetoric on both sides of the aisle.

The vote was 51-49, mostly along party lines. Sen. Bob Corker of Tennessee was the only Republican to vote against the bill, citing concerns about growing the deficit.  Continue reading “Senate passes sweeping GOP tax plan in early hours of Saturday morning”

Fox News

The Justice Department is considering bringing federal charges against Jose Ines Garcia Zarate after his not guilty verdict in the Kate Steinle murder trial, department officials told Fox News on Friday.

A California jury acquitted Zarate of the more serious charges in the case, including murder, involuntary manslaughter and assault with a deadly weapon — only convicting him of being a felon in possession of a firearm.   Continue reading “DOJ weighing federal charges in Kate Steinle murder case, after not guilty verdict”

Mercury News

SAN FRANCISCO — After nearly a week of deliberations, a jury of six men and six women found an undocumented immigrant accused of fatally shooting 32-year-old Kate Steinle two years ago at San Francisco’s Pier 14 not guilty of homicide.   Continue reading “Kate Steinle shooting: Jury acquits Jose Ines Garcia Zarate”

Washington Examiner – by Anna Giaritelli

Current “chain migration” policies would allow an estimated 2 million immigrants to move to the United States in addition to the 700,000 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients if Congress legalizes the expiring program.

“If Congress were to pass an amnesty for people with DACA, it would ultimately result in 2 million new immigrants over time,” Jessica Vaughan, director of policy studies for the Center for Immigration Studies, told reporters in a Thursday panel discussion in Washington, D.C.   Continue reading “Legalizing DACA with current ‘chain migration’ policies would give green cards to additional 2 million foreigners”

Tech Spot – by Shawn Knight

The Federal Communications Commission earlier this year – from April 27 to August 30 – allowed members of the public to weigh in on the subject of net neutrality. Millions of comments were submitted electronically and posted online for review and almost immediately, it was clear that something wasn’t quite right.

A study from consulting firm Emprata funded by industry lobbyist group Broadband for America that came out shortly after the public comment period closed found a high level of form use and bots. Now, we have another source weighing in on the matter.   Continue reading “The FCC’s public comment period on net neutrality was ripe with fraud, Pew analysis concludes”

US Customs and Border Protection

Yuma, Ariz. – Yuma Sector Border Patrol agents were involved in a shooting incident November 28, 2017, at approximately 2:00 a.m. at the westbound rest area on Interstate 10 near milepost 51, west of Phoenix, Arizona.

Earlier this morning, Border Patrol agents responded to a call for assistance from the La Paz County Sheriff’s Office and the Department of Public Safety in an attempt to locate a suspect in a fleeing vehicle reportedly involved in an earlier shooting. The suspect was located and the vehicle stopped near milepost 51 on Interstate 10. Several agents arrived on scene in a backup role and subsequently discharged their firearms. The suspect sustained serious injuries and was transported via air ambulance to a local hospital.
Continue reading “Yuma Sector Border Patrol Agents Involved in Shooting”

Fox 29

PHILADELPHIA (WTXF) – A controversial bill is currently working its way through city hall designed to regulate ‘stop and go’ liquor stores. One part of the bill would force business owners to take down bulletproof glass inside their stores. But at what cost to their safety?

Broad Deli sits on the corner of the 2200 block of North Broad, inside a wall of bulletproof glass separates customers from workers.

“The most important thing is safety and the public’s safety,” owner Rich Kim said.  Continue reading “Controversial bill would force business owners in Philadelphia to take down bulletproof glass”

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

National reciprocity for concealed carry passed the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday is expected to receive a floor vote before the end of the year.

The Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2017 was introduced by Rep. Richard Hudson (R-NC) on January 3, 2017. It changes federal law that so concealed carry permits are treated like driver’s licenses, making a permit from one state valid in the other 49. This would fix the complicated and often confusing patchwork of concealed carry laws currently in effect throughout the country.   Continue reading “National Reciprocity for Concealed Carry Passes, Next Stop House Floor”

Yahoo News – by John L. Smith

LAS VEGAS (Reuters) – Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy won a court order releasing him from jail to home confinement for the duration of his federal conspiracy and assault trial in Las Vegas, but he has opted to remain locked up on principle, his attorney said on Wednesday.

U.S. District Judge Gloria Navarro has ruled that the 71-year-old cattleman and three others on trial with him, including sons Ammon and Ryan Bundy, may remain essentially under house arrest, rather than behind bars, while the case proceeds in court.  Continue reading “Nevada rancher Cliven Bundy declines release from jail during trial”

Sent to us by the author.

Crowquill – by Howard R Music

In 1966 the Highway Safety Act was passed and congress soon tied the receiving of highway funds to the passage of motorcycle helmet laws by individual states. Avid motorcyclists were a rarity in those days, mostly young, and not an obvious voting threat to state politicians. Every state except California passed a mandatory helmet law. Oddly enough, during this period, the Hells Angels (little known outside of California) were receiving national press coverage over an alleged gang rape.  Though the charges were dropped, the notoriety of motorcycle club members and the threats of legislation contrary to a two-wheeled lifestyle, would form a disastrous mix a half-century later in Waco, Texas.   Continue reading “Waco”

Yahoo News

Las Vegas Metropolitan Police said they are searching for a suspect who robbed the poker room cash cage at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino Tuesday afternoon.

Las Vegas police Capt. John Pelletier said the male suspect entered the Bellagio armed with a small black handgun and demanded money. The employees complied with the suspect’s demands, and he escaped with an “unknown amount of money.”   Continue reading “Gunman on the run after robbing Las Vegas casino poker room”

Yahoo News

ZAGREB (Reuters) – The wartime commander of Bosnian Croat forces, Slobodan Praljak, died after he drank poison seconds after a United Nations judges turned down his appeal against a 20-year sentence for war crimes against Bosnian Muslims, Croatian state television reported.

The television quoted sources close to Praljak as saying he died in a hospital in The Hague.   Continue reading “Bosnian Croat general dies after drinking poison in courtroom”