Gibbs, Beth

The Star Tribune reported another assault was reported on Monday near Lake Phalen.

According to Maplewood police, a woman, who had been running along the west side of the lake, was knocked to the ground by a male attacker.

The attacker struck the woman around three times in the face and began grabbing at her clothing, police said. The man fled after the woman fought back and other people approached.

Police said the victim was not seriously injured.

Police are investigating if this incident might be related to other attacks in the past months near Lake Phalen and an assault in Maplewood almost three weeks before. According to WCCO.com, this is the sixth attack near the lake since August.

Police said the suspect in the incident is described as a black male, about 5-foot-11 and 170 pounds. He was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and jeans. They also suggest being with a companion, if going around the lake.

Posted by gibb0138 at 6:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported a fire destroyed two townhomes and damaged at least three others on Monday in south Minneapolis.

The fire began after noon in a condominium on the 5000 block of Sheridan Ave. S., according to witnesses.

Assistant Fire Chief John Fruetel said the fire spread quickly to adjoining homes.

"With this new lightweight construction, fire can spread very fast," Fruetel said.

With Minneapolis and Richfield firefighters on the scene, the fire was under control in within an hour, Freutel said.

No one was hurt and it is not clear if anybody wan inside the units when the fire began, Freutel said.

The cause of the fire is unknown and is under investigation.

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This entry is about an obituary titled, “Irving R. Levine, NBC News Correspondent, Dies at 86” written in The New York Times.

The source attributed in this obituary was his son, Daniel Rome Levine.

The obituary has a standard lead. It gives Levine’s name, his claim to fame, when he died, and where he died. It then has a second sentence that says his age and where he lived.

The lead does work because it gives basic information about who Irving Levine was and leads the reader to learn more about his life and death.

The obituary differs from a resume because it gives more detail about the person’s life. It shows who this complicated person was through their actions.

Posted by gibb0138 at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that a study revealed that the triathlon, which is a swimming, biking and running race, create a higher risk of sudden death than marathons.

According to the study’s author, the greatest risk happens during the swimming portion of the race. It is mostly heart problems, although it only about 15 of a million athletes are affected.

The popularity of triathlons is increasing and each year about 1,000 events are held and several hundred thousand Americans try one, many of whom are not used to such exercise.

Dr. Kevin Harris, a cardiologist at the Minneapolis Heart Institute at Abbott Northwestern Hospital expressed concern that people often sign up to do triathlons without a medical checkup.

"They might prepare for a triathlon by swimming laps in their pool. That's a lot different than swimming in a lake or a river,” Harris said.

Harris, who had led the study, presented its results Saturday at an American College of Cardiology conference in Florida.

After the death of Ryan Shay, 28, while competing in New York in the men’s marathon Olympic trials, sudden death due to exercise has been in the headlines. Statistically, four to eight deaths occur during marathons, a 26.2-mile running race, out of every million participants.

The study shows the rate for triathletes is even higher, 15 out of a million and almost all occur during the swim portion of the race, which is typically the first part.

This is most likely because cold water constricts blood vessels and makes the heart work harder. It might also trigger an irregular heartbeat.

Posted by gibb0138 at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported a dolphin calf was stillborn on Thursday at the Minnesota Zoo located in Apple Valley.

Kelly Lessard, a zoo spokeswoman, said Allie, 21 , an Atlantic bottle nose dolphin, was the mother of the calf. Only 70 percent of dolphins born survive their first 30 days.

According to the Dolphin Blog on the Minnesota Zoo Web site, labor complications are suspected of being the cause of death. A necropsy, which is an animal autopsy, will be performed.

The blog entry written by Diane, a marine mammal supervisor at the zoo, stated Allie went into labor about midnight on Wednesday night. Zoo employees did an ultrasound on Allie on Tuesday, which showed the calf was in good position for delivery and had a heartbeat.

Allie came from the Dolphin Connection in Florida in January 2008. The Minnesota zoo is home to three other Atlantic bottlenose dolphins: April, 41; Semo, 45, and Spree, 6.

Posted by gibb0138 at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that a St. Paul substitute teacher was charged with a misdemeanor after allegedly drinking alcohol while teaching at an elementary school last month.

Fourth grade students at Roosevelt Elementary West Side School of Excellence reported to the principal on March 10 that their substitute teacher, Karl F. Gehrke, 43, was drunk and "drinking something out of a clear bottle with a gray top."

Gehrke is being charged with alcohol possession on school grounds and could face up to 90 days in jail and a fine of up to $1000.

After he was made aware of the situation, Principal Scott Trygeseth, notified the police. Gehrke registered .19 percent on a Breathalyzer test and police found a small bottle of Phillips vodka in his bag, which was 1/3 full.

Tryggeseth told police that Gehrke was, “slurring his words, had poor balance and watery red eyes,” according to the complaint made to the police.

According to the Pioneer Press, Gehrke told police he had been drinking earlier that day.

School officials said Gehrke was fired after the incident.

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The Star Tribune reported that New York Sen. Charles Schumer announced Monday that he now supports gay marriage.

“It’s time. Equality is something that has always been a hallmark of America and no group should be deprived of it,” Mr. Schumer said in a statement. “New York, which has always been at the forefront on issues of equality, is appropriately poised to take a lead on this issue.”

Schumer made the announcement in an upscale Manhattan restaurant in front of gay leaders. Alan Van Capelle, the executive director of Empire State Pride Agenda said, “the room applauded.

Schumer was the only statewide Democratic official in New York who was in opposition of same-sex marriage until his announcement.

Some believe Schumer was pressured into changing his position to be in line with other Democratic officials.

After former Sen. Hilary Clinton, who did not support gay marriages, but supported civil unions, moved to the position of Secretary of State, she was replacement by Kirsten Gillibrand, who supports gay marriage. This change left Schumer as the last Democratic statewide official to oppose the marriages.

According to the New York Times, Micah Kellner, a former aide to Schumer and currently an openly gay New York Assembly member said Schumer’s support was not half-hearted.

“This was, ‘I’m going to be out front and take the lead on these issues.”

Posted by gibb0138 at 1:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The New York Times reported a senior Taliban leader and nine insurgent fighters have been killed according to a statement by NATO on Monday.

Maulawi Hassan, was killed on Saturday in an attack on his Compound near Kajaki on Saturday. Hassan was responsible for many roadside bombings and suicide attacks.

Helmand Province Police Chief Assadullah Shirzad said Hassan’s death is, “a real blow to Taliban.”

Attacks have risen in the Helmand, Uruzgan and Kandahar provinces of Afghanistan in the past weeks due to Taliban resurgence.

Eight police officers were killed and one wounded in a Taliban attack on Monday, according to the Associated Press.

President Barack Obama ordered last month that an additional 17,000 troops be sent to Afghanistan and are expected to be there by summer.

“What we can’t do is think that just a military approach in Afghanistan is going to be able to solve our problems,” Obama said. “So what we’re looking for is a comprehensive strategy. And there’s got to be an exit strategy. There’s got to be a sense that this is not perpetual drift.

Posted by gibb0138 at 5:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that Jon Stewart ‘hammered’ his guest Jim Cramer, host of CNBC’s “Mad Money,” and the network on Thursday night’s “The Daily Show” for putting entertainment above his journalistic responsibilities.

"I understand that you want to make finance entertaining, but it's not a ... game," Stewart said.

Stewart, who is a comedian and host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” normally uses satire to portray the news of the day, but on Thursday night's program, the show was dedicated to confronting the CNBC host.

The program was similar to when Stewart appeared on CNN’s “Crossfire” in 2004 and Stewart accused the co-hosts Tucker Carlson and Paul Begala of being “partisan hacks.” “Crossfire” was canceled soon after.

Stewart utilized mostly the 2006 video clips not meant for television of Cramer speaking about the duplicity of the economic market.

Stewart said CNBC is not doing its journalistic duty because it believes corporate lies, rather than investigating and looking for the truth.

Cramer disagreed with a few of Stewart's arguments, but agreed that he should have done a better job.
"We all should have seen it more," Cramer said.

The entire un-edited interview is available on ComedyCentral.com.

Posted by gibb0138 at 8:41 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Minnesota Daily reported the University of Minnesota will test its new outdoor emergency public address system on Monday.

The testing will occur over the university’s spring break at six locations on campus.

The tests are to help with the system design to see how far the sound from each location travels and how big the speakers need to be, Director of emergency management Terry Cook said.

The university developed a list of communication needs in case of an emergency, after the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting. The PA system is the last need being filled on the list, after TXT-U, emergency e-mails, Twitter and others.

The system will only be used in extreme situations such as chemical spills, shootings or natural disasters, Cook said.

The system would use a voice transmission rather than a warning siren, although it is capable of producing such a sound, Cook said.

Posted by gibb0138 at 7:08 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported officials said Thursday that the 17-year-old gunman who killed 15 people and himself at his former school warned hours earlier in an Internet chatroom that he was planning the attack

The suspect, who according to police documents is Tim Kretschmer told other he was “sick of this life,” and planned to attack the school in Winnenden located in Germany, Baden Wuerttemburg state interior Minister Heribert Rech said.

The police were not told about the chat until after the school shooting, Rech said. A Bavarian man told authorities his son, 17, notified him after the shooting had taken place.

Authorities learned the suspect was treated for depression in 2008, Investigator Siegfried Mahler said. He had five visits to a psychiatrist between April and September and was supposed to continue the treatment at different clinic, but did not show up, Mahler said.

According to CNN.com, most of the victims were female. Eight female students, three female teachers and one male student were victims in the tragedy, Rech said.

Posted by gibb0138 at 7:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that seven Texan employees have been suspended for supposedly creating a “fight club” among residents of the state-run home for the mentally disabled where they work.

The fight clubs were discovered when a person gave an off-duty officer a cell phone that had videos of the fights at the Corpus Christi State School, Corpus Christi Police Captain Tim Wilson said.

The videos show employees watching the mentally disabled adult clients striking, punching and shoving each other, Wilson said.

Wilson said police expect to file charges against the employees by the end of the week.

According to the Houston Chronicle, the school has 375 residents and 877 employees.

The Texas Senate approved legislation that now waits for approval in the Texas House that should improve the conditions of the state-run schools.

“We cannot tolerate the abuse or neglect of citizens with these disabilities.“ State Sen. Jane Nelson, R-Flower Mound said.

Posted by gibb0138 at 7:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that a kidnapped Elbow Lake girl drove to safety and called authorities on Sunday.

Amy Henning, 17, was kidnapped by her stepfather, David R. Sabby, 46, at gunpoint on Saturday at about 7:30 p.m in Fergus Falls. An Amber Alert was issued just after midnight on Sunday, according to Fergus Falls police and the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension.

Fergus Falls Police Chief Tim Brennen said, Henning and her stepbrother, who is not Sabby’s biological son, were approached by Sabby in the parking lot of West Ridge Mall where they were going to see a movie. Sabby drew a gun, bound the stepbrother with duct tape, left him in the car he and Henning had taken to the mall and fled with Henning.

After struggling for 30 minutes, the stepbrother freed himself of the duct tape and called police.
Sabby let Henning go and allowed her to drive his vehicle. She drove to a Fergus Falls gas station and called police, Brennen said.

Sabby was arrested at his home.

Brennen said there is no obvious motivation for the kidnapping. No details were released about what occurred during the kidnapping.

According to the Pioneer Press, Henning obtained a restraining order on Sabby on Jan. 20. Sabby was charged with 14 felony counts of third-degree criminal-sexual conduct six days later, Sheriff Dwight Walvatne, of Grant County, said.

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This advance is from the Star Tribune and about Michael Jackson’s final tour.

The sources used in this article are Jackson, a 21-year-old student who is a Michael Jackson plan, and a 17-year-old fan.

The angle of the story is that according to Jackson, this tour in London will be his last. The story focuses on what fans think of this and what the tour means to Jackson’s career.

The reporter has included more facts and public opinions about the event, to make the article more interesting to everyone, specifically people who are interested in learning more about the tour than where it will take place and the time.

Posted by gibb0138 at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that a Canyon, Minn., man came to claim his winning hot Lotto lottery ticket on Wednesday.

According to state lottery officials, Edward M. Ruiz, bought the winning ticket last Saturday and validated the ticket on Wednesday.

Ruiz was given the choice of a 25-year annuity option of $3.62 million or $2.37 million in cash. Ruiz chose the cash and after taxes will have won $1.6 million.

Lottery official said after validating his ticket he said, “You’re looking at a millionaire."

Duluth News Tribune reported Ruiz bought the winning ticket at Miller Hill Super One Foods in Duluth, about 30 miles southeast of Canyon.

Ruiz is the seventh Minnesotan to win the Hot Lotto jackpot since the game started in 2002. The winning numbers were chosen with a quick pick and were 3, 6, 21, 22, 27, with 2 as the Hot Ball.

Posted by gibb0138 at 10:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that on Monday, President Barack Obama is expected to sign an executive order that will reverse the restrictions made on federal government spending on embryonic stem cell research.

According to a senior administration official, Obama will have an event at the White house to announce the executive order.

The order will reverse that of George W. Bush’s, which said that funding would only go to stem cell research on cells created before Aug. 9, 2001.

Embryonic stem cells are capable of turning into any type of cell in the body and are therefore capable of creating replacement tissues to treat multiple diseases.

The research on the cells is controversial because in order to acquire the cells embryos must be destroyed.

According to the Washington Post, the cells that scientists are allowed to study under Bush’s executive order may have defects that could make them dangerous to transplant to patients. By reversing the restrictions, more cells that carry specific diseases can be studied.

Posted by gibb0138 at 10:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that a police said Tuesday that a 16-year-old Minneapolis boy was arrested after admitting to shooting two teenagers near Southdale mall in Edina.

The boy could be charged with attempted murder by the Hennepin County attorney’s office if he is certified as an adult, Mike Siitari, the Edina police chief said.

The teen was arrested late Monday at a home in Minneapolis. The teen was cooperative and showed officers where he had hid the gun and casings in a snow bank, Siitari said.

The arrest comes after two boys were shot during a clash between to rival Hispanic gangs, the Surenos 13 and Vatos Locos, Siitari said.

One gang member, 15, was shot in the leg and was not seriously injured. A second member, 18, was shot in the stomach and required surgery. Sitarii said the 18-year-old is expected to survive.

According to Kare11.com, the Southdale mall security camera system allowed investigators to watch the video and view photos to help them identify those involved and witnesses.

Posted by gibb0138 at 9:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported Minnesota Zoo officials announced Tuesday a rare baby three-banded armadillo was born mid-February at the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley.

According to Minnesota Zoo officials, the baby armadillo, weighting about 4.6 ounces, is believed to be just the third born in a U.S. zoo this year.

The baby was born Feb. 19., and has been kept behind the scenes with its mother. Its public debut is expected in the summer, Zoo officials said.

According to Fox9.com, the zoo started exhibiting the rare three –banded armadillos in 2005 as part of its “Creatures Beneath the Canopy" exhibit.

The three-banded armadillo is not nearly as common as the nine-banded armadillo, which is commonly found in Texas. The three-banded armadillo is native to Bolivia, Brazil, Paraguay and Argentina.

The three-banded armadillo is the only type of armadillo that can roll completely into a ball. It uses it shell as a defense mechanism and can close its shell at within hours after birth.

Posted by gibb0138 at 4:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported that police recuperated millions of dollars and questioned seven suspects on Saturday, in relation to a bank robbery in Dublin the previous day.

Sgt. Alan Roughneen said police arrested a woman and six men that might be the armed bank robbers, who came in to the home of Bank of Ireland worker Shane Travers, took his family as hostages and forced him to cooperate in robbing the bank.

The use of hostage-taking in the robbery is similar to past crimes in Ireland, but no former robbery in the Republic of Ireland resulted in $9 million being stolen.

Travers' family, his partner, her 5-year old son and her mother, were left inside a van north of Dublin. The family escaped on their own and was not badly harmed.

Police said a third of the stolen cash has been recovered.

According to The Lede blog, the money lost in the robbery has been hard on the bank, especially in the current economic crisis. The Irish finance ministry had recently announced plans to put 3.5 billion euros ($4.4 billion) into the Bank of Ireland to improve the country’s banking industry.

Posted by gibb0138 at 6:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

This article was written by a local California television station, CBS47.tv.

The press conference transcript was found on the California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger's website.

The article needs to give a short summary of the press conference. Therefore, the author did not give much detail.

The article gives a description of what the press conference was for, followed by the most important points of the press conference.

The author put important quotes in the article.

Although more people spoke than Schwarzenegger and Assemblyman Mike Villines, the article only mentions those two speakers, because they we the most important.

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