LITTLE ROCK — QUOTE OF THE DAY
“Our warriors are trained not to fail on the battlefield.We must be committed not to fail them on the home front.”
Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta,
testifying before Congress on efforts to help veterans transition to civilian life Article, 3A
Mom: End post-police-shooting fury
ANAHEIM, Calif. - A woman whose unarmed son was shot by Anaheim police officers has condemned violent protests against the killing, saying Wednesday she did not want them to become her son’s legacy.
“I watched as my son took his last breath. I watched as his heart stopped beating for the last time,” Genevieve Huizar said, breaking into sobs. “Please, please, please stop the violence. It’s not going to bring my son back, and this is the worst thing any mother could go through.”
Her news conference followed a fourth day of violent protests over Saturday’s police shooting of Manuel Diaz and the Sunday police shooting of another man who fired at police during a pursuit.
In the latest wave of protest, as many as 600 demonstrators surged through downtown Tuesday night, smashing shop windows, setting trash fires and hurling rocks and bottles at police, authorities said.
Police Chief John Welter has said that Diaz was shot after two officers approached three men who were acting suspiciously in an alley before running away. One officer chased Diaz to the front of an apartment complex.
The chief would not say what led the officer to shoot Diaz, who police said was a known gang member. Both officers have been placed on paid leave pending an investigation.
Las Vegas window washers rescued
LAS VEGAS - Four window washers were rescued by firefighters Wednesday after they were stranded for several hours outside the 35th floor of a Las Vegas Strip high-rise hotel.
Clark County and Las Vegas firefighters spent three hours rigging ropes and descending from the roof of the 46-story Vdara Hotel to harness and lower the workers one at a time to a landing area below.
Clark County spokesman Stacey Welling said firefighters were summoned about noon after the men reported that their work platform appeared to be slipping.
No injuries were reported.
Hotel spokesman Yvette Monet said the workers’ platform apparently stalled because of a mechanical malfunction.
Offshore oil expansion passes House
WASHINGTON - The House of Representatives passed legislation opening the California and Virginia coasts for offshore oil drilling, defying a presidential veto threat.
The measure, if approved by the Senate, would replace President Barack Obama’s 2012-2017 leasing plan, almost doubling total sales to 29 from 15 and speeding auctions off the north coast of Alaska.
The administration “strongly opposes” the measure and senior Obama advisers would recommend a veto, according to a statement Monday. The Senate doesn’t plan to take up similar legislation.
Iowan admits 19 Kids-extortion guilt
IOWA CITY, Iowa - An Iowa woman pleaded guilty Wednesday to attempting to extort the parent company of cable channel TLC by threatening to reveal a purported affair involving a cast member of the reality show 19 Kids and Counting.
The show follows Arkansans Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children.
Teresa Hunt, a 49-year-old Bettendorf photographer, entered a guilty plea to one count of extortion during a hearing in federal court in Davenport. Sentencing was scheduled for Nov. 9.
Prosecutors said Hunt told TLC’s parent company, Discovery Communications Inc., that she had photographs of a cast member of 19 Kids and Counting that would reveal an inappropriate sexual relationship with a 56-year-old singer from Branson. A criminal complaint said Hunt sent a letter to Discovery in January threatening to release the photos to tabloids unless TLC either canceled the show or paid her $10,000.
Investigators have not revealed the identity of the cast member. But Duggar cousin Amy Duggar, 25, and Branson singer James Garrett have both said publicly they were the targets of the plot, which they have called laughable.
Front Section, Pages 4 on 07/26/2012