AOL – by Ryan Gorman

The Pennsylvania survivalist charged in the shooting death of one state trooper and the severe wounding of another now faces terrorism charges for trying to spark an armed revolution against the government.

Survivalist Eric Frein, 31, was hit with two charges of terrorism for trying to “influence the policy of government” through “assassination” during a late Thursday afternoon court hearing, authorities said. He appeared via closed-circuit television.   Continue reading “PA survivalist Eric Frein charged with terrorism after boasting of state trooper’s ‘assassination’”

Huffington Post – by Eleanor Goldberg

A new Alabama fraternity has already redefined what it means to be a “brother.”

Phi Kappa Psi has only had a presence at the University of Alabama in Huntsville for less than a year, but they already have big plans to help improve their community, WHNT reported. Inspired by a chance meeting with a local homeless person, Taylor Reed — president of the frat — decided to establish an organization to build tiny homes for people without a place to live.   Continue reading “Alabama Frat Is Building Tiny Houses For Homeless Because They’re Their Brothers Too”

Wall Street Journal – by Kris Maher

A West Virginia University freshman who did most of her campaigning out of her dorm room became the youngest state lawmaker in the nation Tuesday.

Republican Saira Blair, a fiscally conservative 18-year-old, will represent a small district in West Virginia’s eastern panhandle, about 1½ hours outside Washington, D.C., after defeating her Democratic opponent 63% to 30%, according to the Associated Press. A third candidate got 7% of the vote.   Continue reading “West Virginia Elects America’s Youngest State Lawmaker”

New York Times – by Marc Santora

A tower rising 50 stories. A one-pound tape measure attached to the waist of a construction worker. An unsuspecting man stepping from a vehicle at the foot of the building.

The three elements converged on Monday morning in a freakish accident, when a 58-year-old man died in Jersey City after being struck in the head by the tape measure after it fell some 400 feet.

The accident led to the suspension of work on one of the largest development projects in the city.   Continue reading “Falling Tape Measure Kills Man at Jersey City Construction Site”

GPB Texas Win.jpgFox Latino – by Andrew O’Reilly

His grandfather wasn’t able to do it. Neither were his uncle or his father. In fact, George P. Bush became the first person in his family’s political dynasty to win an election the first time around when he defeated his little-known Democratic opponent, former El Paso Mayor John Cook for Texas’ land commissioner.

Bush, a 38-year-old Fort Worth attorney and energy consultant, raised more than $3 million in his campaign in a state where Republicans haven’t lost a statewide race since 1994.   Continue reading “George P. Bush becomes first in family to win first race, wins Texas land commissioner post”

KENS 5 – by Jason Whitely

AUSTIN — The Bexar County Elections Department administrator said her office is dismantling an electronic voting machine to determine whether it malfunctioned and omitted Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott’s name, or if someone altered an image to make it appear that way.

Elections administrator Jacquelyn Callanen told WFAA that the problem is either due to a corrupt flash card in the electronic voting device… or the image going viral on social media is a hoax.   Continue reading “Ballot problem in San Antonio believed to be hoax”

Woman sentenced to 3 years in TDCJ for planting gun in child’s backpack, reporting him to schoolThe Courier – by Brandon K. Scott

A 28-year-old woman was sentenced Thursday to three years in prison for planting a pistol in a child’s backpack and anonymously reporting him to the school.

Heather Hodges, who pleaded guilty to unlawful carrying of a weapon on restricted premises in exchange for the dismissal of two lesser charges, was the live-in girlfriend of the boy’s father but they had struggled as a blended family.

Hodges wanted to teach 13-year-old James Bailey McKeegan a lesson for what she considered to be the mistreatment of her own children, ages seven and four.   Continue reading “Woman sentenced to 3 years in TDCJ for planting gun in child’s backpack, reporting him to school”

Ferguson Media RestrictionsAOL – by JACK GILLUM & JOAN LOWY

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. government agreed to a police request to restrict more than 37 square miles of airspace surrounding Ferguson, Missouri, for 12 days in August for safety, but audio recordings show that local authorities privately acknowledged the purpose was to keep away news helicopters during violent street protests.

On Aug. 12, the morning after the Federal Aviation Administration imposed the first flight restriction, FAA air traffic managers struggled to redefine the flight ban to let commercial flights operate at nearby Lambert-St. Louis International Airport and police helicopters fly through the area – but ban others.   Continue reading “Ferguson no-fly zone aimed at media”

Michael PetzerThe Daily Kos – by Daily Rose

A Tucson Pastor, Michael Petzer, who returned from Zambia in early September, was awakened by two Tucson police officers pounding on his door at 2 AM. They wanted to know if he had Ebola.

It turns out that a woman from his congregation went to the hospital with self-described “possible Ebola symptoms” and she shared with doctors that her Pastor had been to Africa.

The hospital called the cops, and TPD sent out two officers to check it out.

Read on:

Continue reading “Tucson Pastor checked for Ebola at 2 AM because congregant had “Ebola Symptoms””

The Weather Channel

An early season snow is combining with gusty winds to cause power outages, road closures and other adverse impacts across the South.

At the peak of the snow, tens of thousands of people were without power in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia  According to weather.com senior meteorologist Jonathan Erdman, the unique combination of snow, wind and the time of year is contributing to these power outages.    Continue reading “Snow Falls on the South: Thousands Without Power in South Carolina, Georgia, Virginia”

I'm terrified of my new TV: Why I'm scared to turn this thing on -- and you'd be, tooSalon – by Michael Price

I just bought a new TV. The old one had a good run, but after the volume got stuck on 63, I decided it was time to replace it. I am now the owner of a new “smart” TV, which promises to deliver streaming multimedia content, games, apps, social media and Internet browsing. Oh, and TV too.

The only problem is that I’m now afraid to use it. You would be too — if you read through the 46-page privacy policy.   Continue reading “I’m terrified of my new TV: Why I’m scared to turn this thing on — and you’d be, too”

UrbanaWashington Post – by Dana Hedgpath

A door malfunction on an armored vehicle sent money flying along Interstate 270 on Friday morning.

The incident, which began about 8 a.m., initially was thought by officials to involve the crash of an armored vehicle that was headed northbound on I-270 near Route 80 in Urbana.

The driver of the vehicle, which was owned by Canada-based GardaWorld, was in the far left lane of the interstate when a lock on a door of the Ford E-350 van malfunctioned. A bag of cash fell out, sending bills flying.   Continue reading “Money flies on I-270 north near Urbana after armored truck’s door malfunctions”