Worth the paper it's printed on

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A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. -- 2nd Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. -- 4th Amendment

For the most ardent gun rights advocates out there, the language of the 2nd Amendment is sacrosanct. Of course the qualifying clause before the comma is often brushed off as if it didn't exist.

We look back now at the Constitution and Bill of Rights as the great blueprints of our nation. At the time the Constitution was adopted, however, there were a multitude of voices arguing that the plan laid out in that document would only serve to enslave farmers and other agrarian interests. That's why we have two house of Congress - one represented the voice of the people and other represented the voice of the states. It's the reason the Electoral College was created - to ensure that the voters of just a few of the larger states could dictate who served as president. (The irony, of course, is that we have just the opposite situation today where the voters of a few states hold the rest of the nation hostage on Election Day.)

The agrarian interests were not in favor of a strong centralized government. They believed that only favored the monied interests in the larger states. One thing they really feared was the creation of a federal army. The 2nd Amendment was designed to sway those critics by leaving the defense of the republic to the state militias.

And, in order to have state militias capable of defending the republic against an expected attack from the English, folks needed to have guns.

Now that we have a professional army, the original rationale for the 2nd Amendment no longer exists.

If one wants to argue that the words of the 2nd Amendment are absolute, I can only show you the words in the 4th Amendment as proof that nothing in the Bill of Rights is absolute.

The 4th Amendment, despite its clear prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure and the warrant requirement has been honored far more in the breach than in the observance over the history of the republic. Most of the "reinterpretation" of the 4th Amendment has been the result of judges seeing cases in which someone either did something bad or had something bad and, but for a warrantless search, would have gotten away. Supreme Court justices, instead of reading the 4th Amendment and applying its words, adopted a results-oriented approach and looked for ways to get around the warrant requirement.

Over the years the Court has redefined "persons, houses, papers and effects" and created a mythical "reasonable expectation of privacy" test out of whole cloth. Courts have redefined "searches" and "seizures" in such a way that a person can be handcuffed in the back of a police car and not be considered seized and a pat down for weapons isn't considered a search. The word "unreasonable" has apparently been deleted from the English language and probable cause has become so watered down that stops are justified because an officer thinks someone may have violated the law.

Once upon a time we had a right to be left alone by the state, today you can get tased if you don't stop to answer questions. 

Maybe it helps that gun holders and makers have a very powerful lobby behind them with lots of money to throw around while victims of warrantless searches tend to be convicted criminals without a lot of cash.

Thinking twice before uttering that big number

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So just how much sense does it make to lock someone up in prison until they are in their 80's or 90's? Sure, maybe the sentencing guidelines tell you it's got to be done. Or maybe it's that election coming up in a few months.
But does anyone stop to think about the social costs of keeping elderly prisoners behind bars?
US District Judge Richard Posner has thought about. And the notion troubled him enough that it was the subject of a concurring opinion in U.S. v. Craig, No. 12-1262 (7th Cir. 2012).
Mr. Craig plead guilty to four counts of producing child pornography. He photographed his sexual assaults of a preteen girl and then threatened to kill her if she didn't provide him more pictures of herself. Based on the sentencing guidelines (and I thought those were but advisory these days), he could have been sentenced to life on each count. But, because he had no prior convictions, the most he could be sentenced to was 30 years per count. The trial court decided to sentence him to 30 years on one count and concurrent sentences of 20 years each on the other three counts. He then stacked the sentences and Mr. Craig headed off to prison for 50 years.
At the time of his sentencing Mr. Craig was 46 years old. Judge Posner pointed out that if he served out his sentence, Mr. Craig would be a guest of the state until he was 96 years old. As you may or may not be aware of, elderly folks tend to have more serious medical conditions than younger people. These conditions require more treatment, more medication and more expense in general. And if Mr. Craig remains in prison, someone has to foot the bill for his medical care.
Judge Posner suggested that it would be more economical for Mr. Craig to be released at some point so that he could seek employment and make contributions to the Medicare system. Should that happen, he would be  paying for at least a portion of the care he receives - like anyone else covered by Medicare. But, if we're going to continue to lock people up beyond the point that they are a threat to anyone, then we are all going to pay the cost of those draconian sentences.

The social costs of imprisonment should in principle be compared  with the benefits of imprisonment  to the society, consisting mainly of deterrence and incapacitation. A sentencing judge  should therefore consider the incremental deterrent and incapacitative effects of  a very long sentence compared to a somewhat shorter one. An impressive body of economic research (summarized and extended in David S. Abrams,  “The Imprisoner’s Dilemma: A Cost Benefit Approach to Incarceration,” forthcoming in  Iowa Law Review) finds for example that forgoing imprisonment as punishment of criminals whose crimes  inflict little harm may  save more in costs of imprisonment  than  the  cost  in  increased crime that it creates. Ours is not a “little crime” case, and not even the defendant suggests that probation  would  be an  appropriate punishment. But it is  a lifetime imprisonment case, and the implications for cost, incapacitation, and deterrence create grounds for questioning that length of sentence. 

Yes, there are some people out there that should be locked up until they breathe their final breath, but those folks are few and far between. We are living longer now than ever before and there is no reason not to expect that trend to continue into the future. So long as the cost of health care continues to increase for elderly people, we are going to find new funding mechanisms for Medicare (as well as revamping Social Security when we reach the point that there aren't enough workers paying FICA taxes to support those receiving Social Security benefits).
With our longer lifespans we see more incidences of cancer as well as heart disease. These are costly conditions to treat and if we insist on locking people up until they are carted out in a pine box then we are the ones who are going to have to pay for it.
I doubt most judges give the matter a second thought for they will be long off the bench before the bill comes and, besides, no one will remember who put that inmate behind bars until his dying days. At least Judge Posner has given us something to think about.
Not to mention that they're aren't too many 70, 80 and 90 year olds out there committing crimes anyway.
H/T Doug Berman (Sentencing Law and Policy)

Here's another bad idea

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As I was heading to traffic court on Friday afternoon I was listening to BBC World Have Your Say on the radio. The show led off with a discussion of the gang rape on a bus in India the other day. The guests spoke about how we needed to stop blaming the victim and that women should be able to walk the streets free from fear of sexual assault.

But one of the guests, a counselor in Toronto, stated that in order to protect women the justice system needed to support survivors of sexual assault. While there was much discussed that I agreed with, I could only glare at the radio when she uttered those words.

Our criminal laws are designed to protect the victims of crime. Our criminal (in)justice system is supposed to protect the rights of the accused. The due process provisions of the Bill of Rights were included because the Founders of the Republic thought the greatest injustice was sending an innocent man to prison. Therefore, they set out to make it hard for the state to obtain a conviction. Yes, it means that folks who did bad things sometimes walk away free, but it's better for that to happen than to imprison an innocent man (which we seem to do plenty of).

If the justice system is going to do more to protect the alleged victims of sexual assault then it must come at the expense of the rights of the accused. This is simply unacceptable. Once you take away a defendant's rights because of the crime of which he's accused, it's easier to expand that forfeiture to other crimes.

The state always seeks to limit the rights of the accused because it makes it easier to obtain a conviction. That is precisely why we must constantly fight to preserve those rights we have, because even though we call them the rights of the accused, they protect all of us. We all have the right to be left alone by the state and we all have the right to keep our mouths shut. We all have the right to hold the state to its burden of proof. So if we're going to take that right away from one person - we are taking it away from all of us.

The way our courts treat motorists accused of driving while intoxicated is shameful - but it happened because no one wanted to appear to be in favor of drunk driving. The result is judges now volunteer to sign warrants for officers to jab needles in people's arms for committing a misdemeanor.

So what would our counselor have us to do to modify our criminal (in)justice system? Take away the accused's right to keep his mouth shut? Take away his right to cross examine the witnesses for the state? Take away his ability to defend himself?  She never did say  because no one pressed her on the stupidity of her statement.

I get it. No one wants to be accused of being in favor of sexual assault. But depriving a defendant accused of rape of his due process rights isn't the way to go.

For one you walk down that path you weaken the piece of paper that is our last line of defense against tyranny in this country.

Fiscal cliff? What fiscal cliff?

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If I remember my Constitution correctly, all bills dealing with taxing and spending must originate in the House.   So, it would appear to me that John Boehner has a little work to do - a little work that he seems incapable of doing.

Now first a word on this over-hyped so-called fiscal cliff that we're supposed to be plunging over on New Year's Day. It's all an illusion. There is no such thing. The illusion was created so that no one would question the need to implement austerity measures during a fragile economic recovery. Just go ask the Greeks or the Spanish how well those austerity measures are working in their countries.

So what if there's no deal in place by Tuesday. Wouldn't it make more sense for the incoming Congress to debate the issue rather than the lame ducks still in session? The tax cuts can be extended, or re-introduced, at any time. The broad spending cuts won't take effect until the next fiscal year.

President Obama is once again showing his appalling lack of poker skills in groveling with Congressional leaders to come up with a grand bargain. Mr. Obama doesn't have to do anything. Mr. Boehner couldn't even command enough of his own party members to stage a vote for his bill that would coddle the wealthy and defense contractors while fleecing seniors and the unemployed. Apparently members of his own party didn't think his proposal did enough coddling or fleecing.

The President's only role in the process is either signing or vetoing the bill that comes across his desk. The President doesn't need to propose anything. The President doesn't need to fold his hand if the leader of the other party barks at him. He can just sit back and wait to see what happens.

So, Mr. Obama, why not just sit back and enjoy the show? Put the onus on Mr. Boehner and his colleagues to pass legislation to avoid this mythical cliff. Let the American people see who the House GOP really represents. Let then pass a bill that doesn't raise tax rates on the wealthiest 2% of Americans but imposes benefit cuts for seniors who rely on their monthly social security check for survival. Let's see how that goes over.

Right now Mr. Boehner is laughing because he's not being forced to exercise any leadership or responsibility. President Obama's latest moronic idea of pressing the Speaker to put the Senate bill up for a vote in the House boggles the mind.

Come on, Mr. President, you were man enough to break up thousands of families by deporting parents of American citizens. You were man enough to authorize the murder of thousands of civilians in the Middle East. You were man enough to brag that you were the one who decided who was to be killed by unmanned drones. But you're not man enough to stand your ground and force John Boehner to do his job?

Mr. Obama, and the rest of the cabal in Washington, were only too happy to shower cash down on the very folks who drove the economy into the ground while ignoring the plight of ordinary Americans who lost their jobs, their homes and their families. Now they're only too happy to do it all over again under the fiction of the fiscal cliff.

(In)justice of the peace

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We would like to think our judges have a least a little knowledge of the law. We would assume a judge would also be an attorney. It would make sense, wouldn't it?
But, in Texas you can be a judge even if you aren't a lawyer. Justices of the Peace preside over a docket consisting of traffic code violations and other Class C misdemeanors as well as small claims cases and other civil cases if the amount in dispute is under $10,000. They also perform weddings and, in some counties, act as coroner (without the need for any formal medical training).
Michael McCleary is a justice of the peace in Brazos County. Mr. McCleary is not a judge. And, should you ever set foot in his court, that fact will be readily apparent.
I recently represented a truck driver who got a speeding ticket in Brazos County a few years ago. Prior to trial I faxed a subpoena to the court for service on the state trooper who wrote the ticket. I received a response back that the county attorney said I needed to serve the subpoena myself or issue a public information request.
Now this concerned me for two reasons. First, why were the judge and the county attorney discussing what to do with the subpoena request I had filed with the court? Does the phrase ex parte communication mean nothing in Brazos County? Second, my client was charged with a criminal offense and has a right to compulsory service.
So I sent a letter to Mr. McCleary informing him that the court's refusal to serve my subpoena violated my client's due process rights. The response I received made it clear that no one in that court had any clue what the words due process meant either.
When I pressed the matter I was informed that the court would serve my subpoena - but only if I paid a $75 fee for each item requested (for a total of $450). Once again I fired off a response that the court doesn't get to charge a defendant in a criminal case to serve a subpoena. And, once again, the response I got back indicated that a lack of intelligence won't hold anyone back in Brazos County.
And so, as a Christmas present, after my client was convicted in a trial that was rigged from the get-go, I handed Mr. McCleary a copy of the complaint I had filed the previous day with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct.
I would like to think that something might happen as a result - but I know too much to expect anything to come of it.
But the problems go much deeper than one judge who wouldn't recognize the Bill of Rights, or Code of Criminal Procedure, if it landed in his lap. The problem is allowing non-lawyers to preside over criminal cases in which a citizen's livelihood could be at stake. No, a traffic citation is nowhere near as serious as a murder case, but the consequences of a conviction can be severe, nonetheless. When a conviction for speeding can cause a driver to lose his job, I don't think it's too much to ask that a qualified judge be sitting on the bench.
And when a justice of the peace is either ignorant of the law or just chooses to ignore it, the citizen accused of speeding isn't being afforded his constitutional rights. Sure, it's not a "court of record" so any adverse verdict can be appealed to the county court for a new trial - but then we're talking about even more money being shelled out to get something that approaches "justice." That remedy is no excuse for continuing the dog-and-pony show you can see any day in any rural county across this state.
If you want a non-lawyer serving as justice of the peace to perform weddings and to agree with the police that someone is actually dead - that's fine. But, please, don't allow him to preside over a criminal trial.

It's time to shuffle up and deal, Mr. President

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Someone please let President Obama know I'm trying to get a poker night together sometime in the next couple of weeks. I'd really love to have Mr. Obama sit at the table and play with us. I think I can clean out his wallet.

You see, I don't think Mr. Obama is much of a poker player. He was just re-elected despite the high unemployment rate because folks thought he'd do a better job managing the economy than his opponent. His party has a bigger majority in the Senate and picked up a few seats in the House. He's not in a weak position facing the so-called fiscal cliff.

President Obama started off calling for a renewal of the Bush-era tax cuts for somewhere around 98% of the taxpaying public. His plan to avoid the cliff was to raise taxes on the wealthiest Americans and to trim some dollars from the budget.

His antagonist, House Speaker John Boehner, said he wouldn't stand for raising taxes on the wealthy and that he wanted to see more cuts to Social Security and Medicare and no cuts in defense spending.

If the parties couldn't agree by December 31, the tax cuts would expire and automatic spending cuts would go into place for next year's budget. President Obama held the high ground. If the House Republicans refused to go along with his plan, everyone's taxes would go up in the new year and their precious defense budget would be cut. The president had the best hand. All he had to do was shove his chips into the center of the table and the pot was his. There was no way Mr. Boehner would call that bet.



So what did Mr. Obama do?

True to fashion he checked the hand and offered more concessions to the GOP. How about we only raise taxes on those folks making more than $400,000 a year, John? And how about we cut more money from Social Security than we do from the Pentagon budget? Would that work for you?

As an aside, in all of this talk about Social Security, the one thing no one likes to mention is that Social Security isn't part of the federal budget. It's a "trust fund." While the government borrows from the surplus in the trust fund in exchange for treasury bonds, Social Security spending is completely unrelated to the federal budget. Now at some point in the future when FICA receipts don't cover the benefits paid out it might be a different story.

But if President Obama thinks that making more (unnecessary) concessions is going to engender bipartisanship in the House of Representatives, he's crazy. By caving in like he did he is only strengthening the GOP's hand. Now what's he going to do when Mr. Boehner shoves a stack of chips in the middle of table?

So come on down to Houston, Mr. President. I've got a chair for you. Checking with a strong hand is dangerous. If you make the bet, you're forcing your opponent to make a tough choice; but when you check your hand and your opponent makes a big bet now the onus is on you. When you've got a big hand, it's much better to lead.

On ritual, superstition and subjugation

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While most of us are preparing to participate in the pagan celebration of the winter solstice, I had a couple of questions for the superstitious among us.

If we are to believe, as the superstitious around us do, that there is a loving, all-powerful god behind the curtain pulling the strings in this universe of ours, how do you explain what happened in Newtown?

If you believe that this loving, all-powerful god of yours knew every one of us before we were ever born, how do you explain why this god would have snuffed out the lives of 20 children in a hail of gunfire?

And don't tell me that it's to test the faith of the parents. If that's your argument then we are all just pawns in someone else's game. What message does that send to our children - that this god they are told loves them has no compunction about ending their lives in an instant?

If your god does exist as some kind of a prime mover then your god is an arbitrary and capricious god. Your god is a cruel and sadistic deity.

And the massacre also points to another loose end. If your loving, all-powerful god really does sit in a throne in an alternative universe called heaven, most (if not all) of those 20 children will never enter the gates.

For those steeped in liturgical superstition, when that little baby is baptized it's only a ritual that means next to nothing until the bureaucrats in charge have determined that the child has been confirmed. And that only happens after the child is thoroughly indoctrinated in the particular flavor of superstition you practice.

For the rest of the superstitious among you, a person is only "saved" from their miserable existence in this universe if they buy into the sect's superstitions. But, until that time, you don't pass Go and you don't collect your $200.

But that's the dirty little secret that no one wants to talk about and that no one dare admit. Just how many folks do you think would buy into the great opiate of the masses if that was explained to them?

Religion has always been a tool to subjugate the masses and to quell dissent. It is used today as a tool of the ruling elite to justify the suffering that they have wrought on the rest of the world. It is used as a tool to justify the mass killings of innocent men, women and children around the world. It is used as a tool to inflame prejudice. It is used as a tool to convince the downtrodden that it was ordained by god that they be exploited and left to rot like garbage.

Just something to think about.

Christmas thoughts

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Today while you're sitting around with the family enjoying the holiday (whichever you choose to celebrate), give a thought or two to a few folks:

Think about the 20 children and their teachers who were killed in a(nother) senseless act of gun violence.

Think about the thousands of innocent men, women and children who have been killed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Pakistan and Yemen in a murderous war carried out by our government.

Think about the men and women who were strapped down and murdered by their own government across this country.

Think about the men who were kidnapped and tortured in secret prison around the world at the behest of our government.

Think about the men and women serving inordinate prison sentences as a result of our government's war on drugs and our simplistic "three strikes" laws.

Think about the families that have been torn asunder as a result of our courts' daily assault on our Constitutional rights and a judge's desire to be seen as "tough on crime."

Think about those men and women who were exonerated after spending years in prison and having their lives stolen from them by the state and its agents.

Think about that young man or young women who's spending today in a jail cell because they couldn't afford to post a bond for a low-level misdemeanor case and a judge wouldn't grant them a personal bond.

Think about the families who have been torn apart because of an immoral immigration policy defended and enforced by our government.

No, these aren't cheery thoughts for a holiday, but they are a dose of reality. And, if enough people think long and hard enough about each of them, there is a chance, small as it may be, that something will change. But, so long as we sit back and ignore these matters, nothing will happen and many more will suffer needlessly.

Enough of the serious stuff for now. Here's a little Robert Earl Keen to put you in the holiday mood...

Worth the paper it's printed on

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A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed. -- 2nd Amendment

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized. -- 4th Amendment

For the most ardent gun rights advocates out there, the language of the 2nd Amendment is sacrosanct. Of course the qualifying clause before the comma is often brushed off as if it didn't exist.

We look back now at the Constitution and Bill of Rights as the great blueprints of our nation. At the time the Constitution was adopted, however, there were a multitude of voices arguing that the plan laid out in that document would only serve to enslave farmers and other agrarian interests. That's why we have two house of Congress - one represented the voice of the people and other represented the voice of the states. It's the reason the Electoral College was created - to ensure that the voters of just a few of the larger states could dictate who served as president. (The irony, of course, is that we have just the opposite situation today where the voters of a few states hold the rest of the nation hostage on Election Day.)

The agrarian interests were not in favor of a strong centralized government. They believed that only favored the monied interests in the larger states. One thing they really feared was the creation of a federal army. The 2nd Amendment was designed to sway those critics by leaving the defense of the republic to the state militias.

And, in order to have state militias capable of defending the republic against an expected attack from the English, folks needed to have guns.

Now that we have a professional army, the original rationale for the 2nd Amendment no longer exists.

If one wants to argue that the words of the 2nd Amendment are absolute, I can only show you the words in the 4th Amendment as proof that nothing in the Bill of Rights is absolute.

The 4th Amendment, despite its clear prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure and the warrant requirement has been honored far more in the breach than in the observance over the history of the republic. Most of the "reinterpretation" of the 4th Amendment has been the result of judges seeing cases in which someone either did something bad or had something bad and, but for a warrantless search, would have gotten away. Supreme Court justices, instead of reading the 4th Amendment and applying its words, adopted a results-oriented approach and looked for ways to get around the warrant requirement.

Over the years the Court has redefined "persons, houses, papers and effects" and created a mythical "reasonable expectation of privacy" test out of whole cloth. Courts have redefined "searches" and "seizures" in such a way that a person can be handcuffed in the back of a police car and not be considered seized and a pat down for weapons isn't considered a search. The word "unreasonable" has apparently been deleted from the English language and probable cause has become so watered down that stops are justified because an officer thinks someone may have violated the law.

Once upon a time we had a right to be left alone by the state, today you can get tased if you don't stop to answer questions. 

Maybe it helps that gun holders and makers have a very powerful lobby behind them with lots of money to throw around while victims of warrantless searches tend to be convicted criminals without a lot of cash.

Book review: The (honest) truth about dishonesty

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How honest are we in our everyday lives? How many little white lies do we tell over the course of a day? Dan Ariely, a professor of psychology and behavioral economics at Duke, thinks we do a pretty fair amount of lying.

The first target in his book, The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty, is the Simple Model of Rational Crime. Put simply, the model posits that when we need something we have to make a cost-benefit analysis as to how to acquire that thing. Do we steal it? Do we whip out our wallet and buy it? The decision is quite simple - are the costs associated with stealing the item worth risking in order to get the item? If the answer is yes, our rational criminal steals it. If the answer is no, then he doesn't.

It's a nice theory for a bunch of professors sitting around a computer trying out various mathematical formulas to simulate how we behave on a daily basis. But, as far as a useful theory in the real world - it's garbage. People commit crimes for all sorts of reasons but few base those choices on a cost-benefit analysis - defense contractors, hedge fund managers and bankers being the exception.

In researching the book, Professor Ariely conducted a series of experiments in which a group of people were asked to solve some math problems. For every correct answer the subject got something - money or tokens. Some folks would hand their papers in and the proctor would score them. Some folks would hand their papers in and tell the proctor how many they got correct. Others would run their papers through a shredder (that only shredded the outside margins) and tell the proctor how many they got correct.

The results were consistent across sex, race, religion and ethnicity. The folks who used the shredder were far more likely to cheat than any other group. And, the likelihood of someone cheating increased when the reward was not money, but something that could be exchanged for something else.

He then asked the question whether the social costs of cheating were the result of a few folks cheating a lot or a lot of folks cheating a little. When he changed the amount of compensation for correct answers he found that when the amount offered was low, more people were willing to cheat a little bit but, when the amount offered was higher, the amount of cheating dropped.

One problem I have with his analysis, however, has to do with his critique of corporate analysts. His conclusion was analysts would fudge the numbers because they believed that's what their bosses wanted them to do. His example was a report that was returned to the analyst team with the implicit understanding that the conclusions were not what the boss wanted. What Professor Ariely doesn't look at is the mindset of analysts and corporate officials when so much pressure is placed on companies to outperform quarterly projections. Instead of holding investments for the long run, we have become a nation of day traders who will dump a stock if the quarterly numbers don't meet expectations. The analysts understand this and so they write their reports in such a way to benefit their corporate clients who are paying the bills. The cheating occurs not because of peer pressure but because the financial industry is so incestuous.

My question is whether or not this analysis could be used to help us with jury selection. If we accept Professor Ariely's premise, then we know that there will be folks on that jury panel that are not being honest with us. We must also understand that there will be jurors in that deliberation room that are not going to hold the state to its burden of proof. And, if everyone cheats just a little bit, that could be enough to tip that jury to the state.

Interstate 35 reopens following three vehicle crash

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Posted: December 20, 2012 - 3:31am
Updated: December 20, 2012 - 4:21am

Merriam Police were forced to shut down all lanes of Interstate 35 for about an hour this morning following an injury accident.

Officials say three vehicles were involved in the crash which began after a Jeep spun out and was then struck by another vehicle. A third vehicle then struck the vehicle already involved.

Three people were transported from the scene. One of those injuries was said to be serious but, non-life threatening.

The Interstate was closed at 3:20 a.m. and all lanes were cleared at 4:20 a.m.

Operation 100 News reported this accident and closure to the public as it happened. No information from any other media until after 4 a.m..

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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Adventures In Texas

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Planes, Trains, and Automobiles: Dan & Kath Get Around Japan

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As my mom and dad found out, I take an aggressive approach to sightseeing. I'm also a bit of a dweeb when it comes to transportation - I love to puzzle out all the different ways to get from A to B. The end result was a ten-day itinerary that included every major form of transportation available in Japan, with the exception of the rickshaw.

• All our airport runs were done by taxi.
• In Fukuoka, we got around using bikes and the subway.
• From Fukuoka to Kuju and Aso and back, we took a rental car. Both toll roads and windy mountain passes were involved.
• From Fukuoka to Nagasaki, we took JR Kyushu's Kamome Limited Express.

A beautiful ride near the Nagasaki end.

• In Nagasaki, we got around by streetcar.

Not really impressive for a yinzer.

• From Nagasaki to Kansai, we flew on Peach, a Japanese budget airline.
• From Kansai to Kyoto, we took JR West's Haruka Limited Express.
• Around Kyoto, we took the Kyoto City Bus, a local JR line, and the Keifuku Electric Railway, a dinky little private streetcar line.
• In Arashiyama, we took a rowboat across the river!

Dan likes putting Kath to work.

Granted, there's also some residual monkey park glee in Dan's face at this moment.
(More on the monkey park later.

• And from Kyoto back to Fukuoka, we took the Nozomi Shinkansen (bullet train).

Oddly enough, the bullet train is the least blurry thing in the picture . . .

A morning in the life of a test supervisor.

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This is from an email I sent to Justin a bit ago. I supervise standardized tests (like the SAT and ACT) at our school on Saturdays a few times a semester. Some times go more smoothly than others.


Omg let me tell you how unboring my morning was. First I got up in time for the test but lost a bit of time to my stomach feeling a bit off. Then I got ready to go and saw all the bikes blown over by last night's storm, so I picked them all up and got ready to go.

Then I realized my wallet wasn't in my bag and I needed the alarm card to turn off the security system when I opened the building for the test. I went back upstairs to look. No dice. Back downstairs to look in the bag in case I missed it last time. Nope. Back upstairs. Suddenly remembered that I had used my cash to make change for prom committee pizza sales and forgot the wallet in my desk. At school. On the other side of the alarm. Panic. Remembered fellow teacher and downstairs neighbor Corina is an early riser and telephoned. Fortunately she was up studying Japanese and gave me her card. Hero.

Running late but disaster averted! Hopped on my bike. Bike does not go. Lurched sideways off bike.Realized that upon being blown over, chain has slipped off gears. Cannot recall how to put chain back on bike. Bail on bike and try to walk really fast.

Still arrive at reasonable time. See the car belonging to another teacher, supervising a different test, in parking lot and breathe relief - he has let students in to the warm. Building door is locked, but sign-in sheet says alarm is off, and no red lights are on. Unlock door.

ALARM.

Recall that in one building, lights mean "on," but in the other building, lights mean "off." Not helpful. Deactivate alarm and open building. Open second-floor door to the outside, where students are supposed to wait before the test.

No students.

Go looking and find them waiting with other teacher in the other building. Bring them to my building waiting room and go swing by printer to pick up admissions rosters printed yesterday.

Admissions rosters printed wrong. And by "wrong," I mean completely blank.

Turn on workroom computer to reprint. 5 minutes later, workroom computer has not turned on. Desperately turn to staff room computer belonging to after-school teachers. Password locked, do not know their password. Suddenly remember old login, which used to apply to all school computers. Hold breath.

Teacher login ACTIVATE! Reprint using different browser.

ROSTERS ARE GO.

Take rosters. Unlock secure test storage and remove tests. Hustle to testing area to check in students. Start test at 8:10, just ten minutes after usual and well ahead of required 9 AM start time.

Don't smell so good right now.

Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally

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The content is nice quality and helpful content, Which is new is that you simply never knew before that I know is that I actually have discovered. Prior to the distinctive. It is now near to enter destination Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally.

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Online Driver Safety! Again, for I know. Ready to share new things that are useful. You and your friends.

Everybody wants to pass their driver's exam on the first attempt, but not everyone is able to. It doesn't involve luck, either; whether you pass or not depends on how prepared you are and how much you learn beforehand. You need to pass both the written and road exams in order to get your license. The first is easier than the latter, so you need to study and practice extra hard in order to pass the road test.

What I said. It is not outcome that the real about Online Driver Safety. You check out this article for information about that wish to know is Online Driver Safety.

How is Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally

We had a good read. For the benefit of yourself. Be sure to read to the end. I want you to get good knowledge from Online Driver Safety.

So, how can you get ready yourself? The most inescapable solution is to practice driving every singular day. However, you can also learn some secrets, such as the things the investigator will be watching for. There are a lot of resources available on the internet filled with driving test secrets and tips that you'll need to know in order to pass easily. Your Dmv handbook that you have only offers some information. The test will want a lot more knowledge.

All the added resources you'll need for passing can be found online, including secrets, tips, videos, simulation software, and so forth. There are also practice tests you can take. They're not only helpful for passing the written exam, but the road test as well. This is because some of the questions pertain to the things you should and shouldn't do when taking road exam.

Even if you know everything, you still need to get ready you emotionally for the road test. For some, nervousness is the main contributing factor to whether they fail or pass. As such, you need to take things easy to night and morning before the test. Make sure you study well beforehand and don't try cramming whatever in your mind the last night. Eat breakfast, even if you don't feel like doing so. It'll furnish you with the energy you need to help fight anxiety. Being well prepared, rested, and fed are the keys to passing your driving test and getting your driver's license.

I hope you obtain new knowledge about Online Driver Safety. Where you may offer easy use in your evryday life. And just remember, your reaction is Online Driver Safety.View Related articles related to Online Driver Safety. I Roll below. I actually have counseled my friends to assist share the Facebook Twitter Like Tweet. Can you share Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally.

Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally

To contact us Click HERE
The content is nice quality and helpful content, Which is new is that you simply never knew before that I know is that I actually have discovered. Prior to the distinctive. It is now near to enter destination Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally.

Do you know about - Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally

Online Driver Safety! Again, for I know. Ready to share new things that are useful. You and your friends.

Everybody wants to pass their driver's exam on the first attempt, but not everyone is able to. It doesn't involve luck, either; whether you pass or not depends on how prepared you are and how much you learn beforehand. You need to pass both the written and road exams in order to get your license. The first is easier than the latter, so you need to study and practice extra hard in order to pass the road test.

What I said. It is not outcome that the real about Online Driver Safety. You check out this article for information about that wish to know is Online Driver Safety.

How is Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally

We had a good read. For the benefit of yourself. Be sure to read to the end. I want you to get good knowledge from Online Driver Safety.

So, how can you get ready yourself? The most inescapable solution is to practice driving every singular day. However, you can also learn some secrets, such as the things the investigator will be watching for. There are a lot of resources available on the internet filled with driving test secrets and tips that you'll need to know in order to pass easily. Your Dmv handbook that you have only offers some information. The test will want a lot more knowledge.

All the added resources you'll need for passing can be found online, including secrets, tips, videos, simulation software, and so forth. There are also practice tests you can take. They're not only helpful for passing the written exam, but the road test as well. This is because some of the questions pertain to the things you should and shouldn't do when taking road exam.

Even if you know everything, you still need to get ready you emotionally for the road test. For some, nervousness is the main contributing factor to whether they fail or pass. As such, you need to take things easy to night and morning before the test. Make sure you study well beforehand and don't try cramming whatever in your mind the last night. Eat breakfast, even if you don't feel like doing so. It'll furnish you with the energy you need to help fight anxiety. Being well prepared, rested, and fed are the keys to passing your driving test and getting your driver's license.

I hope you obtain new knowledge about Online Driver Safety. Where you may offer easy use in your evryday life. And just remember, your reaction is Online Driver Safety.View Related articles related to Online Driver Safety. I Roll below. I actually have counseled my friends to assist share the Facebook Twitter Like Tweet. Can you share Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally.

Alert Police Officer likely saves woman's life

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Posted: November 15, 2012 - 2:10pm

A Shawnee Police Officer on routine patrol likely saved a woman's life last week.

The department says, at 11:30 p.m. Friday, November 9th, Officer Justin Cobb was patrolling the area of the 7400 block of Martindale Road, in western Shawnee, when he noticed what he believed to be an unoccupied SUV on the side of the roadway.

Officer Cobb approached the blue SUV on foot. While looking at the stopped vehicle he noticed a woman in the backseat who appeared to be asleep. When attempts to wake the woman were unsuccessful, Officer Cobb opened the car door and found the female was unresponsive.

Johnson County Med-Act was called to the scene and through further investigation determined the woman was suffering from a suspected drug overdose. The woman was transported to a local medical center for treatment.

A statement released by the department says, "Officer Cobb's attentiveness to duty and quick action surely saved the victim's life. Needless to say, the Shawnee Police Department is very proud of Officer Cobb."

Information provided by the Shawnee Police Department.

Change in service hours notice

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Posted: December 13, 2012 - 7:58am

Beginning on Sunday, December 13, 2012, the business hours of Operation 100 News will change.

My new hours will be from 12 a.m. (midnight) until 5 a.m., seven days a week.

The change in hours comes at the request of one media contract who is seeking to fill a gap in their overnight news coverage. I am hopeful that these hours will attract additional media inquiries for overnight and/or weekend morning coverage.

More and more media outlets are being forced to make budget cuts. Operation 100 News is here to help you remain within your budget constraints while remaining on top of breaking news. Additional information for interested media outlets can be found here. Rates are very affordable and flexible based on your specific needs.

As many of my longtime followers know, Operation 100 News is the work of one person with privately purchased equipment. Without media contracts and occasional donations from the public, I would not be able to provide real-time updates to the public at no cost, as I have done on Twitter since July 2009.

I continue to explore the option of making Operation 100 News a paid-subscription based service. This option would allow me to turn a profit, instead of just barely breaking even. While not popular with most current followers, I have to make a living for myself. Any changes to a paid service would be in the future, at least a year away.

Thank you for your continued support of Operation 100 News.

If you have any questions, comments, or concerns about anything regarding Operation 100 News, please contact me directly by email at Operation100News@gmail.com.

All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

Dryer fire forces partial evacuation of Shawnee assisted living facility

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Posted: December 15, 2012 - 2:44am

An early morning dryer fire forced the partial evacuation of an assisted living facility in Shawnee.

Firefighters from Shawnee and Lenexa were called to Shawnee Heartland Assisted Living, 16207 Midland Drive, shortly after 1:30 Saturday morning.

Arriving firefighters reported light smoke inside the building upon their arrival. Three Johnson County Med-Act ambulances were dispatched to the scene.

Radio traffic indicates that around 20 residents were evacuated from their rooms to the waiting ambulances and other wings of the building that were clear of smoke.

Shawnee Fire Marshal Corey Sands tells Operation 100 News that there was a dryer fire. One fire sprinkler head activated and extinguished the fire. No one was injured.

All residents were allowed to return to their rooms before 2:15 a.m..

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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Overland Park armed robbery

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Posted: December 16, 2012 - 12:19am

Overland Park Police are investigating after a Cricket Wireless store was robbed early Saturday evening.

Police say at approximately 5:35 p.m., they were called to the business at 10221 W. 75th Street following an armed robbery. This address is on the southeast corner of the intersection of W. 75th Street and Switzer Road.

The store employee told officers that a man came into the store, displayed a black handgun and ordered the employee to the ground, he then took money from the cash register and also took some cell phones. The suspect then fled from the address on foot.

Police say the suspect is a white male in his late 20's, approximately 200lbs, 5 feet 9 inches tall. He was last seen wearing a black hoodie with a short sleeved, red striped shirt over the hoodie, and blue jeans. The man was also wearing black sunglasses and is said to be clean shaven.

No injuries were reported during the robbery.

Anyone with information is asked to call the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

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NTSB calls for mandatory ignition interlocks

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In 1928 Herbert Hoover promised that if he were elected there would be a chicken in every pot and a car in every garage. Things, of course, didn't quite work out that way.

Today the National Traffic Safety Board wants to see an ignition interlock in every car.

If the NTSB has its way, everyone in the United States convicted of a DWI would be required to have an ignition interlock device installed on their car. What's wrong with that, you might ask?

The ignition interlock only detects alcohol. Our drunk driving laws lump in drivers who are under the influence of other substances - such as prescription medications, marijuana or other illicit drugs. What use would an interlock have for a driver convicted of being impaired by smoking marijuana?

Then there's the question of who would be required to install the interlock and for how long. As a condition of probation? That might fly. But what if the defendant ends up going to jail or taking time served and a fine? Are we going to require someone to install the device after they've done their time? And what if there was no breath test? There are plenty of DWI cases in which a jury convicts based on how they think a defendant did on the roadside calisthenics? Will we be looking at mandatory sentences in DWI cases next? Will los federales dictate to the states (through the use of transportation funds) that probation is the only acceptable sentence for a motorist convicted of drunk driving?

These proposals are just a precursor to what the NTSB really wants - interlocks as standard equipment in new cars. Let's forget for a second that it's perfectly legal to drink a beer and get behind the wheel. Go to dinner, have a drink and sit in the parking lot waiting for your alcohol concentration to go down. Let's forget for a second that in this country we are presumed innocent unless the state can prove otherwise.

If interlocks are made standard is the next step a database that will store the interlock readings from every car on the road. You laugh but GM's On-Star allows the police to retrieve a virtual black box that tells them everyplace you've been and how fast you were driving.

And what about the technology itself? Who will calibrate the devices installed as original equipment in new cars? What assurances would we have that the technology is reliable and accurate?

The call for interlocks was based on a study in which the NTSB determined that most wrong-way collisions involve at least one motorist driving while intoxicated. The board patted themselves on the back for pointing out that wrong way collisions are bad. Well, maybe it's one way streets that are causing the problems.

Just hang out in downtown Houston any day and you will see at least one person turning left when they should have turned right (or vice versa) during the middle of the day. All it takes is a driver unfamiliar with the area and a series of one way streets and you've got yourself a potential disaster.

The penalties for driving while intoxicated are already out of proportion with any other misdemeanor on the books. We don't need to pile even more conditions on top of a motorist who finds himself with a DWI conviction. Of course drunk drivers make an easy target for proponents of a stronger police state - no one wants more drunk drivers on the road. And that's just how bad laws get passed.

Alert Police Officer likely saves woman's life

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Posted: November 15, 2012 - 2:10pm

A Shawnee Police Officer on routine patrol likely saved a woman's life last week.

The department says, at 11:30 p.m. Friday, November 9th, Officer Justin Cobb was patrolling the area of the 7400 block of Martindale Road, in western Shawnee, when he noticed what he believed to be an unoccupied SUV on the side of the roadway.

Officer Cobb approached the blue SUV on foot. While looking at the stopped vehicle he noticed a woman in the backseat who appeared to be asleep. When attempts to wake the woman were unsuccessful, Officer Cobb opened the car door and found the female was unresponsive.

Johnson County Med-Act was called to the scene and through further investigation determined the woman was suffering from a suspected drug overdose. The woman was transported to a local medical center for treatment.

A statement released by the department says, "Officer Cobb's attentiveness to duty and quick action surely saved the victim's life. Needless to say, the Shawnee Police Department is very proud of Officer Cobb."

Information provided by the Shawnee Police Department.

Suspicious subject reported near a Shawnee elementary school

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Posted: December 12, 2012 - 8:27am

Nieman Elementary School's Principal sent a letter home with students on Tuesday informing them of recent suspicious activity near the school.

Shawnee Police say two girls were walking home from school around 3:30 p.m. Monday. The girls were on 65th street, just to the west of Nieman road when they were approached by a man. The man, possibly in his 60's, asked the girls what school they attended.

The girls reported the incident to officials at the school on Tuesday morning. School officials notified Police of the suspicious activity.

Shawnee Police Department spokesperson, Captain Dan Tennis, tells Operation 100 News that Police "took a report of a suspicious subject."

Attention News Media LINK

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Sapporo's Unseasonal Seasonal Beer

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The Japanese are obsessed with seasons. And the marketing people know it: tons of mass-produced stuff comes in limited-edition seasonal varieties. (We're especially fond of our seasonal wall-hangings.)

The problem is, many of these seasonal varieties are pretty much the same thing you get the rest of the year. Honestly, when you think of "autumn-flavored beer," it ain't straw-colored light lager that comes to mind. This is baseball and barbecue beer I'm talking about. Bad form, Sapporo, bad form - you really ought to change a lot more than the can!

Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally

To contact us Click HERE
The content is nice quality and helpful content, Which is new is that you simply never knew before that I know is that I actually have discovered. Prior to the distinctive. It is now near to enter destination Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally.

Do you know about - Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally

Online Driver Safety! Again, for I know. Ready to share new things that are useful. You and your friends.

Everybody wants to pass their driver's exam on the first attempt, but not everyone is able to. It doesn't involve luck, either; whether you pass or not depends on how prepared you are and how much you learn beforehand. You need to pass both the written and road exams in order to get your license. The first is easier than the latter, so you need to study and practice extra hard in order to pass the road test.

What I said. It is not outcome that the real about Online Driver Safety. You check out this article for information about that wish to know is Online Driver Safety.

How is Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally

We had a good read. For the benefit of yourself. Be sure to read to the end. I want you to get good knowledge from Online Driver Safety.

So, how can you get ready yourself? The most inescapable solution is to practice driving every singular day. However, you can also learn some secrets, such as the things the investigator will be watching for. There are a lot of resources available on the internet filled with driving test secrets and tips that you'll need to know in order to pass easily. Your Dmv handbook that you have only offers some information. The test will want a lot more knowledge.

All the added resources you'll need for passing can be found online, including secrets, tips, videos, simulation software, and so forth. There are also practice tests you can take. They're not only helpful for passing the written exam, but the road test as well. This is because some of the questions pertain to the things you should and shouldn't do when taking road exam.

Even if you know everything, you still need to get ready you emotionally for the road test. For some, nervousness is the main contributing factor to whether they fail or pass. As such, you need to take things easy to night and morning before the test. Make sure you study well beforehand and don't try cramming whatever in your mind the last night. Eat breakfast, even if you don't feel like doing so. It'll furnish you with the energy you need to help fight anxiety. Being well prepared, rested, and fed are the keys to passing your driving test and getting your driver's license.

I hope you obtain new knowledge about Online Driver Safety. Where you may offer easy use in your evryday life. And just remember, your reaction is Online Driver Safety.View Related articles related to Online Driver Safety. I Roll below. I actually have counseled my friends to assist share the Facebook Twitter Like Tweet. Can you share Tips For Getting Your Driver's License - How to get ready For the Test Mentally and Emotionally.

Alert Police Officer likely saves woman's life

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Posted: November 15, 2012 - 2:10pm

A Shawnee Police Officer on routine patrol likely saved a woman's life last week.

The department says, at 11:30 p.m. Friday, November 9th, Officer Justin Cobb was patrolling the area of the 7400 block of Martindale Road, in western Shawnee, when he noticed what he believed to be an unoccupied SUV on the side of the roadway.

Officer Cobb approached the blue SUV on foot. While looking at the stopped vehicle he noticed a woman in the backseat who appeared to be asleep. When attempts to wake the woman were unsuccessful, Officer Cobb opened the car door and found the female was unresponsive.

Johnson County Med-Act was called to the scene and through further investigation determined the woman was suffering from a suspected drug overdose. The woman was transported to a local medical center for treatment.

A statement released by the department says, "Officer Cobb's attentiveness to duty and quick action surely saved the victim's life. Needless to say, the Shawnee Police Department is very proud of Officer Cobb."

Information provided by the Shawnee Police Department.

Two injured in head-on crash

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Posted: December 2, 2012 - 6:16am
Updated: December 2, 2012 - 6:34am

Leavenworth County authorities are investigating after two vehicles collided head-on this morning south of Tonganoxie.

The accident was reported around 5:15 a.m. on U.S. Highway 24-40, also known as Chieftain Road, just to the south of 222nd Street. The crash scene was approximately one mile south of Tonganoxie.

First responders arrived at the scene to report two trucks were involved and both had sustained heavy damage. Each vehicle was said to have been occupied by only a driver. Crews had to extricate both men from their trucks.

A responding EMS unit reported thick fog with visibility of under 0.25 miles. Due to the decreased visibility, one medic unit was dispatched to respond from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical. That Lawrence medic unit was cancelled prior to their arrival at the scene.

Officials say the injuries are serious and both men have been transported to a Kansas City area trauma center.

Initial reports indicate that one man was wearing a seat belt, the other was not. It is estimated that both trucks were traveling at approximately 50 miles per hour when they collided head-on.

Officials are working to determine what led up to the accident and what role the weather may have played. As standard procedure, authorities are also investigating if either driver was possibly intoxicated.

U.S. Highway 24-40 was shut down to all traffic while crews were on the scene. As of 6:30 a.m., there has been no official confirmation as to whether or not the roadway has reopened.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

Attention News Media LINK

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Lenexa Police seeking information regarding vehicle seen near attempted abduction

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Posted: December 3, 2012 - 8:22am
Updated: December 6, 2012 - 3:15am

Update:

Lenexa Police are asking for the public's assistance in locating the occupant and driver of the vehicle seen in this traffic camera footage.

Click image to view full size
Courtesy: Lenexa Police Department

Police say this vehicle was in the area of Sunday's attempted abduction and matches the description of the description given by the victim.

Click image to view full size
Courtesy: Lenexa Police Department

Anyone who may information about this car or occupants isasked to call the Lenexa Police Department at 913-477-7300 or the Tips Hotlineat 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Original report:

The Lenexa Police Department says an 11-year-old boy was nearly abducted early Sunday afternoon.

Police say the boy was riding his bicycle on the sidewalk near the intersection of 101st Street and Cherry Lane, at approximately 2:15 p.m., when he noticed a vehicle slowly pass him traveling the opposite direction.

Seeing this as suspicious, the boy dismounted his bicycle in preparation to flee if confronted. The vehicle pulled along side of him and a male passenger is said to have pointed a black handgun at the boy and told him to "get in the car." The boy ran to a nearby business to report what happened.

The suspect vehicle is a white 4-door passenger car, unknown make or model. The car was only described as being dirty. The passenger who was armed with the handgun is described as a white male with a dark complexion, wearing a white T-shirt and blue jeans. The boy was unable to get a good look at the driver of the vehicle. The vehicle was last seen driving westbound on 101st Street towards Woodland Road.

Police say the juvenile was very alert to his surroundings and knew that he shouldn't get into the vehicle under any circumstances.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to contact the Greater Kansas City Crime Stopper's TIPS Hotline at 816-474-8477.

All information provided by the Lenexa Police Department.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.

Attention News Media LINK

All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

Head-on crash on K-10 seriously injures one person

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Posted: December 4, 2012 - 5:59am
Updated: December 4, 2012 - 11:06am

Update:

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office tells the Lawrence Journal-World the accident occurred about 5:40 a.m..

A westbound Mitsubishi Eclipse driven by Jakob Devore, 21 of Ottawa, drifted into the eastbound lane.

An eastbound Chevrolet Silverado, driven by Lauro Salas Garcia, 51 of Topeka, collided head-on with Devore's car. The Sivlerado overturned, trapping Garcia.

Sergeant Steve Lewis of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office tells the Journal-World that Garcia was transported by air ambulance to Stormont-Vail Hospital in Topeka. The extent of his injuries were unknown. Devore refused medical treatment.

Link to the Lawrence Journal-World report.

Original report:

Douglas County authorities are investigating a head on collision on Kansas Highway 10 bypass this morning just outside of Lawrence.

The crash was reported just before 5:40 a.m. on the South Lawrence Trafficway (K-10 bypass) just to the south of Clinton Parkway.

Deputies arriving at the scene reported two vehicles involved, one had rolled onto its roof and sustained heavy damage. The driver of that vehicle was extricated from the wreckage.

One person was transported from the scene to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka by a LifeStar air-ambulance.

A second person, said to have minor injuries, refused medical treatment.

Authorities closed K-10 to all traffic due to debris being scattered across the highway and for the LifeStar helicopter to land on the roadway. All lanes were reopened at 6:45 a.m. and the crash scene was completely clear by 7:45 a.m..

More on this accident can also be found from Operation 100 News reporting partners at the Lawrence Journal-World.

Stay with Operation 100 News on this blog and on Twitter for the latest details as they become available. Remember where you heard this news first, Operation 100 News, reporting the news to the public as it breaks.


Attention News Media LINK

All comments are moderated. Inappropriate and/or abusive comments will not be published. More information.

Sapporo's Unseasonal Seasonal Beer

To contact us Click HERE
The Japanese are obsessed with seasons. And the marketing people know it: tons of mass-produced stuff comes in limited-edition seasonal varieties. (We're especially fond of our seasonal wall-hangings.)

The problem is, many of these seasonal varieties are pretty much the same thing you get the rest of the year. Honestly, when you think of "autumn-flavored beer," it ain't straw-colored light lager that comes to mind. This is baseball and barbecue beer I'm talking about. Bad form, Sapporo, bad form - you really ought to change a lot more than the can!

Several animals killed in De Soto house fire

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Posted: December 5, 2012 - 2:42am
Updated: December 5, 2012 - 6:44am

File image
Property of Operation 100 News

Northwest Consolidated Fire District crews are battling a house fire in De Soto this morning. The structure is a single wide trailer home at 8820 Waverly Road.

Crews were called to the scene around 2:10, Wednesday morning after a resident reported a fire under the home.

A Johnson County Sheriff's Deputy arrived to report that the residents were making their way out of the structure and smoke was visible.

Firefighters arrived to report a working fire on the rear side of the structure. Crews began an interior attack but, were forced to evacuate after conditions inside deteriorated.

A Safety Officer reported that there was fire visibly "blowing through" three or four windows on the rear side and the fire appeared to extend the entire length of the structure. Crews began defensive operations from the exterior of the home.

Residents reported that their pets were believed to still be inside the structure.

The Lenexa Fire Department has one fire crew and a Battalion Chief at the scene assisting with fighting the fire. One Olathe Fire Department crew is standing by at Northwest Consolidated Fire District Station 1 for coverage of the area.

The fire was declared to be under control at 3:20 a.m.. An official cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Authorities say the Red Cross will be assisting the three adult residents. The structure has been declared a total loss. Several animals died in the fire including; a bird, dog and a snake. A cat remains unaccounted for. The homeowner is said to be a veterinarian.

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