Miscellaneous

• Twenty Million Dollar Verdict is Thrown Out

  Greg Owen | January 23, 2007 2:50 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  An appeals court threw out a $20 million dollar verdict against State Farm Insurance. The appeals court felt that State Farm was within its right when five agents were fired. The five employees were fired in 2000. In 2002 they filed suit against State Farm claiming that they were wrongfully terminated. Additionally, they claimed that their employee contract was ambiguous. A 14-day trail...

• Dog Bites to the Death?

  Greg Owen | January 19, 2007 3:48 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  A Missouri woman was found dead in her home yesterday. Police responded to a call and went to the residence. What struck the responding St. Louis County Police Officer as odd is that the woman had multiple lacerations on her body, which could be traced to the family dog. Police are unsure whether the dog bites were the cause of the victim's death.Family members told police that the large dog had...

• Elder Abuse is No Laughing Matter

  Greg Owen | January 18, 2007 12:58 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  After attending a less-than-inspiring talk on elder abuse last year, an 85-year-old local actress lent her talents in an effort to educate seniors about elder abuse. Joan Hill decided to create awareness through drama by making vignettes, which were written and performed by her. Each vignette covers a different area of elder abuse such as scams and neglect. Ms. Hill, who was born in England,...

• Aviation Accidents

  Greg Owen | January 17, 2007 5:37 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Accidents of any kind are unfortunate at best. However, over the holidays they are usually plentiful and are particularly difficult to deal with. The National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Mark V. Rosenker said today that, during the holidays in the period between December 22, 2006 and January 2, 2007, he dispatched investigators to 12 fatal accidents. These particular accidents involved...

• Dog Is Shot after Following Attack Command

  Greg Owen | January 11, 2007 9:46 AM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Mary Taylor called 911 as a result of a fight between her and her live-in partner, Dwight Jackson, that had become physical. When officers arrived, Dwight Jackson gave a verbal command to his dog, at which time the dog pounced on the officers. Details about the incident are sketchy. It is unclear exactly what Mr. Jackson said to the dog, but it is clear that the dog attacked the officers...

• Wrongful Termination Proposed Pay Off

  Greg Owen | January 05, 2007 11:52 AM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  A bill was introduced by Senator Adolpho Palacios today that would use General Fund money in order to pay off a wrongful termination judgement that dates back to 1991. Former Assistant Attorney General Alan F. Haeuser was awarded more than $400,000 in back pay as a result of wrongful termination. Until the entire judgement amount is paid in full, the Attorney General's office cannot hire any...

• Sexual Harassment

  Greg Owen | January 05, 2007 11:31 AM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Sexual harassment is unwelcome attention of a sexual nature. It may include behavior from a mild transgression or harassment to serious abuse. Sexual harassment is a form of sexual discrimination that violates Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Approximately 15,000 sexual harassment cases are brought to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) each year. Media and...

• 2006 Was a Good Year For Aviation Safety

  Greg Owen | January 02, 2007 11:42 AM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  A Geneva-based organization said that the number of plane crashes around the world in 2006 was the lowest we have had in 53 years. Worldwide there were 178 plane crashes in 2005 as opposed to 156 last year. ACRO records all aviation accidents in which planes capable of carrying at least six passengers in addition to the crew are damaged beyond repair. According to ARCO,...

• Lost Plane

  Greg Owen | January 02, 2007 11:37 AM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  A passenger plane carrying 102 people is believed to have gone down near Makassar Indonesia. However, the wreckage is yet to be found. To add to the devastation, a widespread rumor led the families to believe that the crash site and the survivors had been found. According to the transport minister, Hatta Radjasa, the search and rescue team is still looking for the location of the...

• Serviceman's Life Lost in Motorcycle Crash

  Greg Owen | December 27, 2006 6:26 PM | 0 CommentsGlendale, CA

  Just outside Red Oak on Christmas Eve, a motorcyclist was killed after colliding with a truck. The decedent was a Navy serviceman who was home on leave. He rounded a curve while speeding and swerved into oncoming traffic. The driver of the truck is in stable condition. It appears that the speed coupled with careless driving were the primary causes of the incident. N.C. Highway Patrol 1st Sgt....