AP – by MATTHEW BROWN and MATT VOLZ

BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Before the applause faded from the U.S. government’s announcement that there would be no endangered species protections for the greater sage grouse, the criticism began over wide-reaching federal conservation plans meant to protect the bird’s habitat across 11 Western states.

The land-use plans were released Tuesday after Interior Secretary Sally Jewell said additional federal protections weren’t needed for the ground-dwelling bird that’s seen its habitat shrink due to oil and gas drilling, grazing and other human activity.   Continue reading “With no protections for Western bird, focus is on land-use”

Thanks to Enemy of the State.

Newsmax

Hillary Clinton — believing leaks by President Barack Obama staff’s triggered the federal probe of her private email account — ripped into the commander in chief, telling him, during a tense meeting, “What I want for you to do is call off your f–king dogs, Barack!”    Continue reading “Hillary Screams at Obama: ‘Call Off Your F-ing Dogs’”

Huffington Post – by Ryan J. Reilly, Amber Ferguson

WASHINGTON — “What if I don’t have the money?” the man asked the judge. He was in court because he hadn’t completed the 32 hours of community service he’d agreed to serve as part of a plea deal for a minor offense, and he couldn’t afford to pay his $320 fine.

The defendant was hoping for a deferred sentence — for a bit more time to get the funds together or to complete his community service. No such luck.

“You go to jail,” the judge replied. Continue reading “New Hampshire Judges Send Poor People To Jail”

EAG News – by Victor Skinner

LANCASTER, Calif. – The Antelope Valley Schools Transportation Agency is using biometric iris scanners on special needs buses to prevent tragedies like the recent death of an autistic student who was abandoned on his school bus.

Hun Joon “Paul” Lee, a 19-year-old autistic student, was left on a contracted school bus in a district parking lot for hours Sept. 11, when he was found unresponsive laying in the aisle. A substitute driver picked him up at 8:30 a.m. and his parents believe he never got off the bus. Lee’s mother realized something was wrong when his bus didn’t arrive after school, NBC Los Angeles reports.   Continue reading “School district implements iris scanners on buses after student’s death”

NBC News – by Phil Helsel

A Tucson scrap yard cutter was killed when he cut into a military bomb that exploded, authorities said.

The employee who was killed was not identified. A Tucson police officer was flagged down at around 12:45 p.m. local time (3:45 p.m. ET) and told of an explosion at Tucson Iron and Metal, Tucson police said.   Continue reading “Man Killed While Cutting Into Military Ordnance at Tuscon Scrap Yard”

Fox News

JERUSALEM –  Israel has set up a joint mechanism with the Russian military to coordinate their operations in Syria and avoid any accidental confrontations, a senior Israel military official said Thursday.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because of military regulations, said that teams headed by each of the militaries’ deputy chiefs will hold their first meeting in two weeks and will discuss coordination of aerial, naval and electromagnetic operations around Syria.   Continue reading “Israeli military says it is coordinating operations with Russia in Syria”

Reuters – by NIDAL AL-MUGHRABI

At least 310 pilgrims were killed on Thursday in a stampede at Mina, outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, where some two million people are performing the annual Haj pilgrimage, Saudi authorities said.

At least 631 others were injured in the crush, which occurred when two large groups of pilgrims arrived together at a crossroads on Street 204 at the camp city at Mina, a few kilometers east of Mecca, the Saudi civil defense said.   Continue reading “More than 300 pilgrims die in stampede in worst Haj disaster since 2006”

RT

Chicago-based WGN-TV has apologized after accompanying a segment about Yom Kippur with a graphic showing the symbol that Jewish concentration camp inmates were forced to wear in Nazi Germany.

The stock photo used in WGN’s coverage of the Jewish holiday, broadcast on Tuesday, September 22, featured a yellow Star of David against a striped background of a camp uniform, inscribed with the German word “Jude” (Jew).   Continue reading “Happy… Holocaust?! TV station uses Nazi graphic for Jewish holiday”

The Free Thought Project – by Matt Agorist

Chicago, IL — George Roberts is a civilian whose job is to investigate crooked cops. As the supervisor for the Independent Police Review Authority, (IPRA), Roberts is responsible for investigating claims of police misconduct and officer-involved shootings.

After a nightmarish interaction with six Chicago cops, however, Roberts became the subject of his own work.   Continue reading “Once Cops Realized Who this Man Was, they Turned Dashcams Off and Savagely Attacked Him”

Business Insider – by Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press

A government shutdown Oct. 1 could immediately suspend or delay food stamp payments to some of the 46 million Americans who receive the food aid.

The Agriculture Department said Tuesday that it will stop providing benefits “within the first several days of October” if Congress does not pass legislation to keep government agencies open. Democratic lawmakers said USDA does not have enough money in reserve to pay a full month’s benefits and a partial government shutdown would affect recipients in states that pay out their benefits at the first of the month.   Continue reading “A government shutdown could suspend food stamps for 46 million Americans”

CBS Sacramento – by Nick Janes

REDDING (CBS13) — There is a growing, underground movement of people who believe California’s drought is part of a government conspiracy instead of a naturally occurring event from a lack of rain during the last four years.

The movement’s leader, Dane Wigington, says he’s putting his life on the line to reveal a truth that will shake society to its core.   Continue reading “Growing Number Believe California’s Drought Is A Government Conspiracy”

RT

A suspect in Arizona’s recent spate of highway shootings was formally charged on Wednesday with 16 felonies, including drive-by shooting, aggravated assault, and discharging a firearm, prosecutors said.

The complaint accuses Leslie Allen Merritt Jr, 21, a landscaper and father of two, with six counts of aggravated assault, three counts of drive-by shooting, three counts of unlawful discharge of a firearm, three counts of disorderly conduct, and one count of endangerment.   Continue reading “Arizona freeway sniper suspect charged with 16 felonies”

The Free Thought Project – by John Vibes

Seattle, Washington – An IRS agent was arrested this week after he was caught attempting to con a Seattle marijuana shop owner out of $20,000.

The 42-year-old agent, Paul G. Hurley, reportedly demanded a $20,000 bribe from the shop owner, in exchange for a break on an audit. In fact, Hurley had said that he saved the business owner over a million dollars on his tax return, and that his current tax bill was just under $300,000.   Continue reading “IRS Agent Busted For Attempting To Extort $20,000 From Cannabis Shop Owner”

Natural Blaze – by Yelena Sukhoterina

Natural Blaze note: when reports started surfacing several years ago about fake, plastic rice it shocked the world. Maybe everyone forgot because it didn’t affect them and the reports of it settled on a few particular Chinese cities. However, the problem continues and it is insidious. For a poor Chinese family to unwittingly consume the equivalent of one plastic bag per three bowls of rice – this is cruel!

China has been producing fake rice for at least four years, and it is still on the market. Singapore media reported that this “rice” is produced with potatoes, sweet potatoes and – believe it or not – poisonous plastic. It is shaped like regular rice grains but remains hard after cooking and can cause serious health issues.   Continue reading “Chinese Companies are Still Mass Producing Fake Plastic Rice”

The Watchers – by Elena Urgin

A disastrous flash flood hit the Bodrum town in Turkey on the evening of September 22, 2015. An unprecedented event inundated the streets as strong flood waters came rushing down the adjacent mountains. 8 people were injured and at least 40 were rescued from their homes by the Turkey’s Search and Rescue Society (AKUT), media reports.

A severe flash flood began late evening on September 22 and lasted for about three hours. Raging flood waters were rushing down the streets carrying a number of vehicles for more than 300 meters (1 000 feet) and leaving them scattered all over the town center.   Continue reading “Disastrous flash flood ravages the streets of Bodrum, Turkey”

Concealed Nation – by James England

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA — An armed robber walked into a rental property agency and levelled his illegally obtained pistol directly at the head of the owner’s wife.  Little did he forget to see her husband walk out from behind a house with a gun of his own.  According to IndyStar, the Indianapolis Police arrived to find one Anthony Talley critically injured with gunshots to his body and head.  He was evacuated by emergency services to a nearby hospital where he remains in critical condition.  Continue reading “Armed Robber Tries To Mug Wife — Doesn’t See Armed Husband Standing Behind Him”

Flight Global – by James Drew

As US Air Force Global Strike Command anticipates the introduction of the nuclear-capable Long-Range Strike Bomber in the mid-2020s, the command is de-arming its air-launched cruise missile-carrying Boeing B-52 bombers to comply with New START treaty limits with Russia.

The command announced last week that 30 B-52Hs, all veterans of the Cold War, would be modified as conventional heavy bombers, in line with verifiable treaty standards.   Continue reading “USAF stripping 30 B-52Hs of nuclear weapons capability”

US News – by Matthew Daly

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Veterans Affairs continues to retaliate against whistleblowers despite repeated pledges to stop punishing those who speak up, a group of employees said Tuesday. One called the department’s office of inspector general a “joke.”

VA whistleblowers from across the country told a Senate committee that the department has failed to hold supervisors accountable more than a year after a scandal that broke over chronic delays for veterans seeking medical care and falsified records covering up the waits.   Continue reading “Whistleblowers say retaliation by VA supervisors continues, a year after scandal”