Victim in fiery crash arrested hours before for DUI
By KOMO Staff SEATAC, Wash. -- A brother, his sister and their good friend were killed when a speeding SUV crashed and caught fire early Wednesday.
Ryan Savage, 30, and his sister Erika Savage, 24, grew up together and were both killed when the Lincoln Navigator crashed about 3:15 a.m.
Just hours before the crash, police in Des Moines had arrested Erika for allegedly driving under the influence and say she was too drunk to even blow into a breathalyzer.
read more here
http://www.komonews.com/news/local/60668582.html
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Soldier, 2 others dead in Guard Humvee crash
Soldier, 2 others dead in Guard Humvee crash
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 21:03:40 EDT
TROY, Texas — A Texas National Guard Humvee went airborne on a Texas interstate Wednesday and vaulted into an oncoming lane, triggering a six-vehicle crash that killed a soldier and two other drivers, authorities said.
Texas National Guard spokesman Col. Bill Meehan declined to say where the soldier, who was driving the Humvee, was stationed or where he was going at the time of the crash. The drivers of an 18-wheeler and a car also were killed, authorities said.
Identities were not immediately released pending notification of relatives.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_guard_texas_humvee_092309/
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 21:03:40 EDT
TROY, Texas — A Texas National Guard Humvee went airborne on a Texas interstate Wednesday and vaulted into an oncoming lane, triggering a six-vehicle crash that killed a soldier and two other drivers, authorities said.
Texas National Guard spokesman Col. Bill Meehan declined to say where the soldier, who was driving the Humvee, was stationed or where he was going at the time of the crash. The drivers of an 18-wheeler and a car also were killed, authorities said.
Identities were not immediately released pending notification of relatives.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_guard_texas_humvee_092309/
Some vets lose sight, may trigger Calif. probe
Some vets lose sight, may trigger Calif. probe
By Juliana Barbassa - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 20:53:01 EDT
SAN FRANCISCO — A Veterans Administration probe that found eight veterans suffered potentially preventable vision loss while under the care of optometrists at a Northern California VA facility is prompting medical groups to call for a state investigation.
The groups sent a petition Wednesday to the California Department of Consumer Affairs seeking an evaluation of the care received by the veterans at VA Palo Alto. The patients had glaucoma, a class of eye diseases that can lead to blindness.
The California Medical Association, California Academy of Eye Physicians & Surgeons and American Glaucoma Society want the state to suspend a new state law set to take effect in January that would expand optometrists’ ability to care for glaucoma patients.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_california_va_eyesight_probe_092309/
By Juliana Barbassa - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 20:53:01 EDT
SAN FRANCISCO — A Veterans Administration probe that found eight veterans suffered potentially preventable vision loss while under the care of optometrists at a Northern California VA facility is prompting medical groups to call for a state investigation.
The groups sent a petition Wednesday to the California Department of Consumer Affairs seeking an evaluation of the care received by the veterans at VA Palo Alto. The patients had glaucoma, a class of eye diseases that can lead to blindness.
The California Medical Association, California Academy of Eye Physicians & Surgeons and American Glaucoma Society want the state to suspend a new state law set to take effect in January that would expand optometrists’ ability to care for glaucoma patients.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_california_va_eyesight_probe_092309/
Florida dad admits killings to reporters, blames crime on 'spirit'
Dad admits killings to reporters, blames crime on 'spirit'
Story Highlights
NEW: Warrant indicated victims were stabbed, throats slashed, paper reports
NEW: Mesac Damas admits killings, tells reporter he wants to be executed
NEW: He blames the crime on his mother-in-law's "spirit"
Damas, 32, faces murder charges in the deaths of his wife and five children
(CNN) -- A Florida man admitted to reporters that he killed his wife and five "innocent" children, adding that he wants to be executed "right away" so he can be buried with them on Saturday.
Mesac Damas, 32, said he wanted to take his own life, but did not have the courage to go through with it, "because if you kill yourself, you're not going to heaven."
Damas made the statements to a Naples Daily News reporter as he was being led into a Haitian police vehicle in Port-au-Prince. Damas was returned to the United States late Tuesday following his capture in Haiti.
read more here
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/23/florida.family.dead/index.html
Story Highlights
NEW: Warrant indicated victims were stabbed, throats slashed, paper reports
NEW: Mesac Damas admits killings, tells reporter he wants to be executed
NEW: He blames the crime on his mother-in-law's "spirit"
Damas, 32, faces murder charges in the deaths of his wife and five children
(CNN) -- A Florida man admitted to reporters that he killed his wife and five "innocent" children, adding that he wants to be executed "right away" so he can be buried with them on Saturday.
Mesac Damas, 32, said he wanted to take his own life, but did not have the courage to go through with it, "because if you kill yourself, you're not going to heaven."
Damas made the statements to a Naples Daily News reporter as he was being led into a Haitian police vehicle in Port-au-Prince. Damas was returned to the United States late Tuesday following his capture in Haiti.
read more here
http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/09/23/florida.family.dead/index.html
Man accused of beating female reservist jailed
Man accused of beating female reservist jailed
By Johnny Clark - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 13:35:02 EDT
JONESBORO, Ga. — A white man accused of beating a black female Army reservist while yelling racial slurs at her outside a suburban Atlanta restaurant was indicted Wednesday on felony charges.
Troy Dale West Jr., 47, of Poulan faces one count each of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and first-degree cruelty to children under the indictment filed in Clayton County Superior Court. He also faces two counts each of battery and disorderly conduct, which are misdemeanors.
West’s lawyer, Larry King, declined comment.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_female_reservist_assault_092309/
By Johnny Clark - The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 13:35:02 EDT
JONESBORO, Ga. — A white man accused of beating a black female Army reservist while yelling racial slurs at her outside a suburban Atlanta restaurant was indicted Wednesday on felony charges.
Troy Dale West Jr., 47, of Poulan faces one count each of aggravated assault, false imprisonment and first-degree cruelty to children under the indictment filed in Clayton County Superior Court. He also faces two counts each of battery and disorderly conduct, which are misdemeanors.
West’s lawyer, Larry King, declined comment.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_female_reservist_assault_092309/
Fort Bragg soldier dies while working out
Bragg soldier dies while working out
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 12:27:49 EDT
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A soldier who was training for Special Forces at Fort Bragg has died while exercising at a gym in Fayetteville.
Army officials said Wednesday that doctors pronounced 28-year-old Spc. Jay Sevier dead at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
An Army spokesman said the cause of death is still under investigation but that no foul play is suspected.
Sevier was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, Airborne, at Fort Bragg.
Sevier is a native of Austin, Texas. He joined the Army in 2007.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_bragg_soldier_dies_092309/
The Associated Press
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 12:27:49 EDT
FORT BRAGG, N.C. — A soldier who was training for Special Forces at Fort Bragg has died while exercising at a gym in Fayetteville.
Army officials said Wednesday that doctors pronounced 28-year-old Spc. Jay Sevier dead at 4 p.m. on Saturday.
An Army spokesman said the cause of death is still under investigation but that no foul play is suspected.
Sevier was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 1st Special Warfare Training Group, Airborne, at Fort Bragg.
Sevier is a native of Austin, Texas. He joined the Army in 2007.
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/ap_bragg_soldier_dies_092309/
Lawmakers question $30K bonuses for VA execs
Lawmakers question $30K bonuses for VA execs
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 13:17:19 EDT
Voters and veterans won’t understand if the Veterans Affairs Department pays big performance and retention bonuses to its workers, members of a House subcommittee said Wednesday.
At a hearing that focused on a VA inspector general investigation into misuse of retention bonuses in the VA’s information and technology division and into plans for 2009 senior executive service bonuses, lawmakers urged VA officials to make sure extra pay is kept to a reasonable amount and is paid based on performance directly tied to helping veterans.
Deputy VA Secretary W. Scott Gould said revised rules for awarding executive bonuses cap payments at $30,000, lower than previous years.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/military_VA_bonuses_092309w/
By Rick Maze - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Sep 23, 2009 13:17:19 EDT
Voters and veterans won’t understand if the Veterans Affairs Department pays big performance and retention bonuses to its workers, members of a House subcommittee said Wednesday.
At a hearing that focused on a VA inspector general investigation into misuse of retention bonuses in the VA’s information and technology division and into plans for 2009 senior executive service bonuses, lawmakers urged VA officials to make sure extra pay is kept to a reasonable amount and is paid based on performance directly tied to helping veterans.
Deputy VA Secretary W. Scott Gould said revised rules for awarding executive bonuses cap payments at $30,000, lower than previous years.
read more here
http://www.armytimes.com/news/2009/09/military_VA_bonuses_092309w/
Veterans Suicide Report Earns Emmy
Keep in mind with all of this, with all that happened, NAMI Veterans Council thought it was a good idea to award Dr. Katz for being behind all of this and forced to act to save lives.
It is not as if they didn't know what was going on.
Anyway, a reminder of what was behind all of this can be found here
Friday, July 3, 2009
Dr. Ira Katz award slaps veterans
I still believe in NAMI but I no longer believe in the NAMI Veterans Council. The decision to award Dr. Ira Katz for suicide prevention is akin to awarding a vampire for testing blood. Katz, as reported here countless times, was refusing to admit there was a problem with veterans committing suicide. Everything he did, what they are awarding him for, he was forced to do. The Veterans Council is giving him an award for what it took an act of Congress to do!
It is not as if they didn't know what was going on.
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Submitted to
Subcommittee on Military Construction,
Veterans’ Affairs and Related Agencies
Committee on Appropriations
United States House of Representatives
March 20, 2007The General Accountability Office (GAO) issued a startling report last year to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs documenting VA’s failure to spend several millions of available dollars in pursuit of important initiatives that would move VA in the right direction to reform its mental health programs. The Veterans Council Executive Committee met recently with Dr. Ira Katz to discuss his plans to improve the allocation of funds dedicated to the initiatives under the new strategic plan. We hope Congress will closely monitor VA’s implementation of the new strategic plan to ensure it meets that promise.
Anyway, a reminder of what was behind all of this can be found here
Friday, July 3, 2009
Dr. Ira Katz award slaps veterans
I still believe in NAMI but I no longer believe in the NAMI Veterans Council. The decision to award Dr. Ira Katz for suicide prevention is akin to awarding a vampire for testing blood. Katz, as reported here countless times, was refusing to admit there was a problem with veterans committing suicide. Everything he did, what they are awarding him for, he was forced to do. The Veterans Council is giving him an award for what it took an act of Congress to do!
Veterans Suicide Report Earns Emmy
CBS' Armen Keteyian's Investigation Exposing a Cover-up by the VA Honored by Award
By CBSNews.com
(CBS) The "CBS Evening News with Katie Couric" won an Emmy Award last night in the category of Outstanding Investigative Journalism in a Regularly Scheduled Newscast for a series of reports by Chief Investigative Correspondent Armen Keteyian that exposed how officials at the Department of Veterans Affairs tried to cover-up the true risk of suicide among veterans.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/22/cbsnews_investigates/main5329689.shtml
Play CBS Video Video Suicide Cover-Up Runs Deep
New information reveals that statistics related to veterans' suicides was explicitly withheld from the public and from CBS News. Chief investigative correspondent Armen Keteyian reports.
Video Veterans Suicides In Question
In a recently filed lawsuit, the Department of Veterans Affairs is accused of deliberately misinforming the American public about the number of veterans committing suicide. Armen Keteyian reports.
Video Veteran Suicides, An Epidemic
CBS News first reported on the staggering number of veteran suicides in a report last year. Now, newly-released data shows that vets who get help from the VA are still at risk. Armen Keteyian reports.
Photo
(CBS)
Stories
Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans
Veteran Suicides: How We Got The Numbers
Excerpts of the veteran suicide coverage:
Suicide Epidemic Among Veterans
Veteran Suicides: How We Got The Numbers
Congress Vows Action On Vets' Suicides
VA Admits Vet Suicides Are High
VA Says E-mail Was "Poorly Worded"
VA Official Grilled About E-Mails Soldier Suicide Attempts Skyrocket
Orlando-based evangelist says Bill Maher movie ruined his life
Orlando-based evangelist says Bill Maher movie ruined his life
Amy L. Edwards
Sentinel Staff Writer
September 23, 2009
For the past decade, Jeremiah Cummings says, he has made a modest living as an Orlando-based evangelist who traveled the globe to encourage people to deepen their faith.
Then, he said, he was tricked into appearing in front of a movie camera with political comedian Bill Maher and was falsely portrayed in Maher's comedy documentary Religulous as a flashy, gold-loving evangelist.
Since the movie came out about a year ago, Cummings said, his life — and work — has been a struggle.
He has sued. He has been sued. His speaking engagements are down. He can't pay the rent on his family's five-bedroom home in the Rio Pinar community, court records show.
"All of these things that have happened have hurt the ministry," Cummings said. "I'm struggling to try to keep my family together."
Cummings, 58, said he wasn't told the truth about Religulous when he agreed to be interviewed in 2006. Cummings, a former Muslim who converted to Christianity, said he was told he was going to be featured in a documentary called A Spiritual Journey.
read more here
Orlando based evangelist
Amy L. Edwards
Sentinel Staff Writer
September 23, 2009
For the past decade, Jeremiah Cummings says, he has made a modest living as an Orlando-based evangelist who traveled the globe to encourage people to deepen their faith.
Then, he said, he was tricked into appearing in front of a movie camera with political comedian Bill Maher and was falsely portrayed in Maher's comedy documentary Religulous as a flashy, gold-loving evangelist.
Since the movie came out about a year ago, Cummings said, his life — and work — has been a struggle.
He has sued. He has been sued. His speaking engagements are down. He can't pay the rent on his family's five-bedroom home in the Rio Pinar community, court records show.
"All of these things that have happened have hurt the ministry," Cummings said. "I'm struggling to try to keep my family together."
Cummings, 58, said he wasn't told the truth about Religulous when he agreed to be interviewed in 2006. Cummings, a former Muslim who converted to Christianity, said he was told he was going to be featured in a documentary called A Spiritual Journey.
read more here
Orlando based evangelist
Failing to win
Counting the days without smoking and wondering what took me so long to do it. I quit on September 12th. It has been one long battle but as people tell me they are proud of me for doing it, I look back wondering what took me so long instead. I smoked for 32 years. When my husband quit smoking, I didn't. I found reasons to just keep lighting up.
I used to pray that I would quit but my heart really wasn't in it. I didn't want to quit. People would tell me that Christ came into their lives and they stopped drinking, smoking, swearing, lying, whatever they viewed as a sin in others. I had Him in my life all my life, but did all the above, except lying was something I was never really good at so I found it easier to give up than to struggle with being very bad at it. It's also one of the reasons why I am not very diplomatic.
The thing that finally got me to quit was my husband. When I lost my job last year, I couldn't get unemployment. The church didn't pay into the system. I was terrified of being broke but my husband encouraged me to become a chaplain when the possibility came. He stood by me all these years while I worked for a paycheck and did this the rest of the time for free, but he knew this time I would be going in a whole new direction.
He didn't complain when I had to travel or when I had to come up with money to pay for the expenses that go along with this work. He kept encouraging me to keep going. Whenever people let me down and I got depressed, he did all he could to build me back up again. We have been living off his disability and pension, while I kept waiting, hoping, praying for help to come. Honestly, I felt that after all these years, all this work, dedication and long hours, I deserved to be paid. I was ahead of so many other people out there, wondering what I was doing wrong when they were getting paid, but I was just being passed by. No matter what I did, I just didn't really matter. People came in and out of my life so fast, memory of them became a blur when I'd get an email after a long time, then have to look up a saved record of them to figure out who they were.
This month, as a matter of fact the 30th, we will be celebrating out 25th anniversary. I kept looking at the date and crying because all the hopes I had for this anniversary were not possible. No money to go away and having a hard time paying the bills we have, left no money to go away. I kept looking at my husband, knowing how far he's come, how much he's given up for me, how hard he fought to heal and how much I love him. If anyone deserved a good anniversary it was him. He's given up so much that the least I could do was quit smoking so that he could buy a better motorcycle. Yes, I was smoking a bike payment. Pretty terrible when you think about it.
I kept praying for what I thought I deserved, but not for what he deserved. I kept feeling bad about what I gave up but not for what he gave up. He married a woman with a good job and good income. He ended up with someone who can't make a living at something I've been doing for over half my life. I keep telling him that he married a failure but he says I'm not. I just fail to win. The thing is, I won 25 years ago when I married my best friend.
I used to pray that I would quit but my heart really wasn't in it. I didn't want to quit. People would tell me that Christ came into their lives and they stopped drinking, smoking, swearing, lying, whatever they viewed as a sin in others. I had Him in my life all my life, but did all the above, except lying was something I was never really good at so I found it easier to give up than to struggle with being very bad at it. It's also one of the reasons why I am not very diplomatic.
The thing that finally got me to quit was my husband. When I lost my job last year, I couldn't get unemployment. The church didn't pay into the system. I was terrified of being broke but my husband encouraged me to become a chaplain when the possibility came. He stood by me all these years while I worked for a paycheck and did this the rest of the time for free, but he knew this time I would be going in a whole new direction.
He didn't complain when I had to travel or when I had to come up with money to pay for the expenses that go along with this work. He kept encouraging me to keep going. Whenever people let me down and I got depressed, he did all he could to build me back up again. We have been living off his disability and pension, while I kept waiting, hoping, praying for help to come. Honestly, I felt that after all these years, all this work, dedication and long hours, I deserved to be paid. I was ahead of so many other people out there, wondering what I was doing wrong when they were getting paid, but I was just being passed by. No matter what I did, I just didn't really matter. People came in and out of my life so fast, memory of them became a blur when I'd get an email after a long time, then have to look up a saved record of them to figure out who they were.
This month, as a matter of fact the 30th, we will be celebrating out 25th anniversary. I kept looking at the date and crying because all the hopes I had for this anniversary were not possible. No money to go away and having a hard time paying the bills we have, left no money to go away. I kept looking at my husband, knowing how far he's come, how much he's given up for me, how hard he fought to heal and how much I love him. If anyone deserved a good anniversary it was him. He's given up so much that the least I could do was quit smoking so that he could buy a better motorcycle. Yes, I was smoking a bike payment. Pretty terrible when you think about it.
I kept praying for what I thought I deserved, but not for what he deserved. I kept feeling bad about what I gave up but not for what he gave up. He married a woman with a good job and good income. He ended up with someone who can't make a living at something I've been doing for over half my life. I keep telling him that he married a failure but he says I'm not. I just fail to win. The thing is, I won 25 years ago when I married my best friend.
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