What's in The News Today

A girl is acquitted for killing her father. For years the girl (whose name is withheld because she is a minor)  was sexual and physically abused by her father. One evening in April, 2009, while she was taking her bathe she noticed her father watching her and "she asked him to leave" and "he commented that she will regret the order." She was 12-years-old at the time and the abuse was just too much for her and that is when she decided to take her father's .38 caliber and kill him. The prosecution claimed that the father's death was cold blooded and the daughter just blamed it on abuse because the father was too strict. The paternal grandmother is fearing for own life now that her granddaughter  has been freed.

Meyers, D. ( February 7, 2012). Teen Acquitted of Murdering Dad, Now Grandmother is Afraid. abc Good Morning America. Yahoo! News. Retrieved February 8, 2012, from http://gma.yahoo.com/teen-acquitted-murdering-dad-now-grandmother-afraid-205537197--abc-news.html

Court strikes down Proposition 8 "forbidding gay marriages in California." The law was passed in 2008, with 52 percent to 48 percent. A three judge panel found that Proposition 8 has violated equal protection rights of the Constitution.

Nagourney, A. (February 7, 2012). Court Strikes Down Ban on Gay Marriages in California. The New York Times. Retrieved February 8, 2012, from http://www.nytimes.com/2012/02/08/us/marriage-ban-violates-constitution-court-rules.html?_r=1&hpw


The girl that accused a Miramonte teacher in Los Angeles, California for sexual abuse stated "she made it up." Martin Bernard Springer was charged with three counts of committing lewd acts on children. He was arrested on Friday. Two other students accused him of sexual assault and one has recanted her story. Three employees of Miramonte school have been accused of sexual abuse. Mark Berndt a teacher blinded folded children and gave them cookies with his sperm on them. He was also accused of putting cockroaches on their faces.   

L.A. Now. ( February 8, 2012). Girl who accused Miramonte teacher of abuse recants story. Retrieved February 8, 2012, from http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2012/02/girl-who-accused-miramonte-teacher-of-abuse-recants-her-story.html

What's in The News Today

Target stores have designer Jason Wu's clothes line. His clothes went on sale over the weekend and his line was completely sold out within hours. He was the designer for Michelle Obama's gown for the Inaugural Ball. His signature t-shirt is white with a black cat and it was also sold at Target. His clothes are under $60.00
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2012/02/06/jason-wu-target-collection?hpt=hp_t2


Starbucks is going to sell beer and wine. The Seattle chain announced on Monday that it will be selling beer and wine. The cities that will be offering wine and beer are Atlanta, Chicago and southern California. They started selling alcohol last year in Seattle and Portland. 
http://www.hlntv.com/article/2012/01/23/alcohol-starbucks

Amanda Knox is still not out of the woods. Knox's defense team filed an appeal of her slander conviction. She was acquitted last year for the death of her roommate Meredith Kercher. The appeal is based on wrongly accusing her former boss Patrick Lumumba of being involved in the murder of Kercher. Knox already served 4 years in prison and the slander charge went from two years to three years.
Battiste, N. (February 6, 2012). Amanda Knox Appeals Slander Conviction. abc Good Morning America. Retrieved February 7, 2012, from http://gma.yahoo.com/amanda-knox-appeals-slander-conviction-185439950--abc-news.html

What's in The News Today

Passengers are sickened on cruise ships. Three outbreaks of the noreovirus over the weekend on U.S. cruise ships. One of the cruise ships 'Voyager of the Sea" from New Orleans reported that two hundred people became ill from the norovirus causing vomiting and diarrhea.

Daily News. ( February 5, 2012). Stomach virus third cruise ship; Norovirus blamed for sickening 200 passengers. Retrieved February 6, 2012, from http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/stomach-virus-strikes-cruise-ship-norovirus-blamed-sickening-200-passengers-article-1.1017670

Josh Powell the husband of missing wife blows up his house with his children in it. Powell was a suspect for his missing wife Susan Powell, since 2009. Powell lost custody of his children and could only see them through supervised visits. Powell snatched the children from the social worker from Child Protective Services during a visit and locked the door. He had doused the house prior to the visit with a flammable liquid and the house exploded with Powell and his two children.

globalpost. (February 6, 2012). Washington man blows up his house, killing his children and himself. Retrieved Februay 6, 2012, from http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/regions/americas/united-states/120206/washington-man-blows-his-house-killing-his-child


A 6.9 earthquake hits the Philippines. At least 13 people are reported dead and 40 are missing. Many were buried alive from landslides; thirty homes were buried in the village of Planas trapping dozens of people.

Cuneta, J & Hookway, J. ( February 6, 2012).  Quake Rocks Central Philippines. The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved February 6, 2012,  from  http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204369404577206403112937194.html

What's in The News Today

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and his regime went on a killing spree. They have killed 260 civilians within a day. Homes and buildings were bombed during the attacks. Syrian residents have stated that "the international community have not intervened and that they are left to watch dead bodies mount on the streets." The assaults started when dozens of the Syrian army defected and fled to a part of the city. The civilians went to welcome the defectors and thanked them for their bravery and when the regime found out they started bombarding with tank shells. There are so many people on the streets that need help and are wounded, but it's impossible to get to them.  It has been reported that Assad's regime is ready to kill all the civilians. Violence in Homs occurred when the Syrian people were celebrating the birth of the Prophet Mohammed. 

CNN. (February 4, 2012). Obama slams Syria on massacre, as U.N. Security Council mulls vote. retrieved February 4, 2012, from http://www.cnn.com/2012/02/04/world/meast/syria-unrest/index.html?hpt=hp_t1


Tension between Israel and Iran may initiate a war.  Iran's supreme leader had pledged to "remove Israel." At the Herzliya Interdisciplinary Center's annual conference Israel's military intelligence chief Aviv Kochavi, stated that "Iran had enough nuclear material to make four bombs and could construct a missile within three years. Tension is rising between the two and Israeli leaders are taking the nuclear threat very seriously.

msnbc.com. (February 3, 2012). Israeli official implies strike on Iran nukes program. Retrieved February 4, 2012, from  http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46257786/ns/world_news-christian_science_monitor/#.Ty1ibDXlrqc

Inspirational Friday

A Florida 21-year-old waitress wins the lottery and refuses to quit her job. Alexandra Chaar stated she "loves her job as a waitress at a Mexican Restaurant in Clearwater Beach, Florida and has no intention of quitting, after winning $700,000. She bought a Monopoly Scratch-Off Game at a local food mart. Chaar told lottery officials that "she is a student at St. Petersburg college and will use the money to pay for her tuition."

msnbc.com. (February 2, 2012). $1 million lottery winner won't quit waitress job. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/02/02/10301988-1-million-lottery-winner-wont-quit-waitress-job



A nurse donates her kidney to her patient. Allison Batson was treating Clay Taber for Goodpasture's Syndrome, which is an autoimmune disorder and it can cause kidney failure. Taber is 22-years-old and his engaged to his college sweetheart. He started experiencing symptoms, after returning home form a trip from the Gulf of Mexico. He had blood work done and it revealed that Taber was in kidney failure. He was placed in the hospital for several weeks and had several procedures and dialysis. Batson was the nurse assigned to him and she automatically connected to him having children his same age. Taber was put on the waiting list for a kidney transplant. Taber's mother was not a match, but Batson was. Batson stated that "the only think that she was nervous about that they would tell her she couldn't do it." The operation took place om January 10th. Taber plans to marry his fiancee on June 9th and said that "he will have a special dance with Batson and 'she can pick out the song'."

Huff Post. Good News. (January 16, 2012). Allison Batson, Nurse, Donates Kidney To Patient Clay Taber. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/13/allison-batson-nurse-donates-kidney-clay-taber_n_1205554.html


A 9 year-old Maine girl has a 6- organ transplant. She received a new stomach, pancreas, liver. spleen, small intestine and part of an esophagus. Her own was being strangled by a huge tumor. She is now scampering around her families home in Portland and she is happy to be feeling well again and is able to go sledding. She states that "she is just happy to be home again."


Huff Post. Good News. (February 3, 2012). Maine Girl Bouncing Back After 6-organ Transplant. Retrieved February 3, 2012, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/02/02/maine-girl-bouncing-back-_0_n_1251212.html

What's in The News Today

What is Groundhog days

Groundhog's day stemmed from a Christian Belief. The tradition was Candlemas Day and clergy would bless and give out candles for the winter. The candles represented how long and cold the winter was going to be. The Germans broaden the holiday by adding hedgehogs. German settlers brought the tradition to Pennsylvania and changed it to groundhogs.  The first day that it was celebrated in the United States was in 1887, in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. If the groundhog comes out of his hole and sees its shadow then their is 6 weeks more of winter; no shadow means an early shadow. 

The groundhog did see his shadow so that means 6 more weeks of winter, of course it doesn't matter in Los Angeles where it's already 70 degrees.

http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history

What's in The News Today

Don Cornelius the host of Soul Train kills himslef. He died of a gun shot wound that he inflicted upon himself. Police responded to a shooting on Mulholland Drive in Los Angeles, Ca at 4 a.m. He was brought to Cedars-Sinai Medical Center where he was pronounced dead at 4:56 a.m. Cornelius was 75-years-old.


Wilson, J. ( February 1, 2012). 'Soul Train' hot Don Cornelius dead of suicide. Chicago Tribune. Retrieved February 1, 2012, from http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/chi-ap-us-obit-cornelius,0,7220791.story




A teacher at Miramonte Elementary school has been accused for unthinkable acts on children. A drugstore  photo clerk reported in 2010 disturbing images of children being blindfolded and gagged with  clear packing tape. Detectives trailed Mark Berndt for the next year and traced him to a Los Angeles elementary school. Berndt is 61-years-old and is being charged with 23 counts of committing lewd acts on children. His bail is sent at $2.3 million. The victims were boys and girls ages 7 to 10. The disturbing acts included 3-inch Madagascar cockroaches on the students' faces and mouths in the classroom. He also spoon fed the students his semen and he also put his sperm on cookies.  The children didn't report it because they thought it was a game. Berndt worked for the school for 30 years and half the students are learning English.

Los Angeles Times. (February 1, 2012). Los Angeles teacher charged with lewd acts. Retrieved February 1, 2012, from Los Angeles teacher charged with lewd acts - latimes.com
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2094444/Mark-Berndt-School-teacher-roaches-childrens-faces-fed-semen-took-photos.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Iran is planning an attacks on the United States. U.S. Intelligence community believes that Iran  is ready to launch terrorist attacks inside the U.S.

Sexton. B. ( January 31, 2012). US Intel Chief: Iran Ready to Strike America in Terror Attacks. The Blaze. Retrieved February 1, 2012, from US Intel Chief: Iran Ready to Strike America In Terror Attacks | TheBlaze.com