Decline in US dollar raises concern amongst Americans

[US dollar price declines]

[Image courtesy of Google images]

Mac Kilduff, Staff Writer

The price of the dollar has declined recently due to the recession, making foreign markets react and making luxury harder to attain for US citizens.

Some international markets, like oil are reacting to the decline in the price of the US dollar.

International travelers will have to buy less with their dollars due to the sharp decline in price. Travel agencies are suffering as word spreads that travel should be delayed until the economy rises again.

Saudi Arabian oil companies plan to raise the price of oil shipped to the US in accordance with the change. Some local Philadelphia residents are upset over this change due to oil prices already rising.

“I only use my car for long distance trips that would be hard to do by train or bus,” said Rebecca Smith.

The prices of expensive luxuries will also rise due to the fall of the dollar.

PA Skinheads being charged in family murders

[David Freeman in court]
[Image courtesy of Google images]


Mac Kilduff, Staff Writer

4/10/2010 - The Mich. justice system has just overcome a challenge as two skinhead teenage brothers are denied extradition from Michigan to Pennsylvania.
Seventeen year old Bryan Freeman and sixteen year old David Freeman are being charged with the murder of their parents and younger brother.
They committed the crimes in Pennsylvania but were caught in Michigan after being pulled over by police for speeding.
The murders of Mark and Sally Freeman and their child Jacob Freeman, were just last year and since then the boys have been pushing to be extradited to Pennsylvania where their sentence would likely be lighter due to state laws.
Police say the murders may have been coerced by a local skinhead group that the young boys were attempting to impress.
"These groups are clearly damaging today's impressionable youth," said Police Chief Bill Johnson, "Such a heinous crime is a horrible thing to see."
Allentown residents were shocked when they heard of the murders in the area.
"We know there's a skinhead problem in the area but we never expected anything like that to happen," Says one local Allentown resident.
Their lawyers aren’t saying if they have confessed to the crimes.

Gunman killed after fatal shooting rampage

[Police funeral]
[Image courtesy of Google images]


Mac Kilduff, Staff Writer

4/26/10 - A gunman opened fire killing a police officer and wounding three more near 22nd and Frederick in Saint Joseph, before police shot and killed him.
Officer Bradley Thomas Arn, 27, responded to the call of a lone, unidentified, gunman shooting at civilians. The gunman hit the police car seven time and one bullet managed to hit the officer in the back of the head before backup arrived and shot the gunman near the Calgary Baptist Church where he had stood firing shots.
The gunman was armed with a high power rifle, a shotgun and pockets full of ammunition. He was wearing camouflage and had a backpack on as well, police said.
Crisis intervention teams have been deployed to talk to Arn’s fellow officers and friends and families.
The last police officer shot in the line of duty was in 1944 but the last officer killed was in 1991 after an automobile struck him.
A four block area around 22nd and Frederick was blocked off after the event.
A victim from Saint Joseph, Jack Martin, 56 was shot several times and underwent surgery at the Heartland Regional Medical Center and is in stable condition. Valerie Sharp, 28, a Saint Joseph resident, and Kenny Cordonier, a Saint Joseph firefighter, were both treated for their injuries and released.
A police spokesman mentioned the police were trying to identify the gunman through fingerprints.
“I think he was firing randomly. I just don’t think he cared what was in front of his gun,” he said, “This just doesn’t happen in Saint Joseph.”
A witness, Norma Guthrie, saw the entire scene break out.
She was with her boyfriend, George Macfeat, as they were driving behind the officer. “We ducked down when we heard the shots, the windows broke out,” she said, “It nicked George and killed the police officer.”
Police officers were in tears and grieving at the scene. Arn is survived by his wife Andrea and his twin three-year-old daughters.

Retired Colonel dies of lung cancer

Mac Kilduff, Staff Writer

4/26/10 - Retired Lt. Col. Ronald H. Lache, a recipient of several medals during his service in the Air Force, died here of lung cancer Monday in his Springfield home at the age of 68.

He flew for the Air Force in Vietnam and received medals to honor his valor after being shot down over enemy lines only to return safely on his own.

Lache was born Nov. 3, 1943 in Philladelphia to Harry and Thelma Curry Lache. He joined the United States Air Force where he reached the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

“He was a brave airman and it was an honor to serve with him,” said one of his Air Force friends, Maxwell Leonard. Lache had once saved Leonard from a fire after an attack on their base. He served until he retired after 15 years of service.

He and his wife Delores Carnery, who passed away earlier this year, had moved from Dayton, Ohio to Springfield five years ago where Lache became a member of the Newman Center and the Rock Bridge Lions Club.

Lache is survived by his mother, Thelma Lache his son Ronald, and his granddaughter Jennifer C. Peck, all of Springfield; He is also survived by his three daughters Barbara Ann Peck of Dayton, OH, Patrice Louis Wylie of Indianapolis, Ind., and Cynthia Lache of San Mateo, Calif.

Funeral services will be held Friday at Jefferson Barracks National at 2 PM. Visitation will be on Wednesday, 7 p.m., at Parker Funeral Service, 606 Washington Ave. Springfield, OH.

Pillowcase robber strikes local liquor store

[The Black Derby Liquor Store]
[Image courtesy of Google images]

Mac Kilduff, Staff Writer

A robber with a pillowcase over his head held up The Black Derby Liquor Store at 7:12 p.m. and managed to evade police with $2,845.
The man fled from police as they fired a shot that missed, police said. They continued pursuit as he went into an alley until the suspect escaped.
Steve Bellincos, 28, a clerk at the store, saw a man with a pillowcase over his head enter the store, pull out a pistol and demand money, police said. It was reported that the suspect he was about 6 feet tall and weighed 155 pounds, wore blue jeans and a dirty white shirt with a torn sleeve.
Bellincos emptied the register into another pillowcase and tripped the silent alarm at 7:16 p.m., police said. Officers Anne Fulgham and Jose Lopez answered the call and arrived at 7:19 p.m. as the gunman was leaving the store.
“The guy ran so fast he looked like a track star” said a witness, John Paul Reinicke, 35, who was walking near the crime scene. “The officers did a great job.”
The owner of the liquor store, Ralph Martinson, 53, is clearly upset at the large amount of money that was stolen.
“Nobody wants this to happen to them, but usually they just get away with a small amount, why was my store different?” he said.
An internal police investigation will be conducted which is standard procedure when an officer fires their weapon, police said.

School Board candidates spike up hot debate

[School board members debate]
[Image courtesy of Google images]

Mac Kilduff, Staff Writer

As schools rely more on trailers to run classes, school board candidates were hot on the issues, debating at the Lenoir Retirement Community Center to senior citizens on Tuesday.

The senior citizens were more focused on changes in year-round schooling so a previous $35 million bond issue was not the topic of talk.

One of the top issues was the increase in the use of trailers as classrooms which is seen as a poor decision based on crowding. Candidate Henry Lane believes year-round schooling would reduce the use of trailers by dropping the students in daily attendance by 25%.

Lane’s plan would avoid eliminate the need for constructing new buildings but his opponent, incumbent Board President Elton Fay, said “the cost of educating our children would go up substantially.”

“This community does not want schools on totally different schedules,” Fay added because the students would end up being on completely different schedules.

Candidate Larry Dorman said he wants to work on eliminating overcrowding and increasing teacher pay, but money is always an issue, he said.

The debate also sparked issues about the difference of public and private schools due to the increasing population and larger class sizes.

“Private schools can pick up who they want; public schools cannot pick who they want,” said incumbent Kerry Corino.

A final issue that arose based on the questions of a senior citizen was the right of the teachers to unionize.

Corino said, “The teachers are anti-union. That tells you a lot of things about how this city operates.”

Arson suspected in barn fire, horses injured

[Barn fire rages on in early morning]
[Image courtesy of Google images]

Mac Kilduff, Staff Writer

Arson is suspected of a 4 AM fire killing 13 thoroughbred and two saddled horses, which occurred in a barn at Lincoln Downs Racetrack, where 25 horses were stabled the day before racing season.

Local jockey, Albert Ramos, is upset over the fire that fire chief, Bernard Perry has assembled and arson squad over, “The fire exploded near the center of the barn. Flames were shooting out of the building when we got here. The fire is definitely suspicious.”

Dan Bucci, assistant general manager of the racetrack confirmed the fire was centralized in the barn saying, “It could have been of an incendiary nature, because it started in the middle of the barn, not at the end. The only heaters and electrical outlets were in the tack rooms at the ends of the barn.

Ten of the horses escaped but two suffered injuries as their backs caught on fire.

Shaq is rich

[Shaq shows his strength]
[Image courtesy of Google images]

Mac Kilduff, Staff Writer

Despite Shaquille O’Neal’s large stature, he has no problem fitting inside your TV and making millions of dollars in the process.

Shaq’s height reflects his annual income. He actually makes about $35 million total, with about $15 million coming from the endorsements in 2007, reports Jonah Freedman.

Budget cuts caused O’Neal to lose his $15 million endorsement contract with Reebok in 1998, but he has clearly not slowed down. In 2007, that Shaq signed an endorsement deal with Chinese shoe company Li-Ning which showed financial promise at that point. He’s also previously had contracts with Pepsi, Radio Shack, Burger King, Vitamin Water and can often be seen selling Comcast services along with Ben Stein.

Shaq, often portrayed as a lighthearted individual, fun and involved in charity work, doesn’t mind talking about his endorsements, as he’s not in it for the money, but rather for the game. He once commented on his endorsement deals saying, “I'm tired of hearing about money, money, money, money, money. I just want to play the game, drink Pepsi, wear Reebok.” And while endorsements sometimes go, being at the top of his game will ensure they will keep coming.