Archive for March, 2010

Story by abclocal

(CNN) — Not even a full week has passed since Gabourey Sidibe attended the 82nd Annual Academy Awards as a best actress nominee and we’re already questioning whether her career is over.

Despite the accolades bestowed upon the actress in the past few months, it’s unclear if the film industry can go against the norm and cast a young woman who is not only African-American, but also larger than the Hollywood standard in a non-niche role, as the romantic lead in a major film vehicle, for example.

During Howard Stern’s Sirius satellite show on Monday morning, co-host Robin Quivers commented that Sidibe should have looked around at the Oscars and noticed that none of the other working actresses looked like her.

“What movie could she play in?” Stern questioned on his live broadcast. “You feel bad because everyone pretends that she’s part of show business, and she’s never going to be in another movie.”

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AU.S. toddler accidently killed herself after mistaking her stepfather’s handgun for a Nintendo Wii control.

Cheyenne Alexis McKeehan, three, shot herself in the stomach with the .380 caliber, semi-automatic weapon after finding it lying on a table in the living room.

Her mother was sitting at the computer just a few feet away while her three-month-old brother was also lying  nearby.

Investigators today said that the child had probably mistaken the weapon for a Wii control.

Her mother, Tina Ann Cronberger, 32, told them Cheyenne had played on the games consol for days at a time.

Wilson County Sheriff Terry Ashe displayed two guns taken from the home – one the Wii controller and the other the handgun which killed Cheyenne.

‘You can see by the comparison of the toy weapon and the real weapon that there’s little chance a three-year-old would differentiate between the two,’ Ashe said.

‘If you have a live handgun with a toy that looks the same – for parents some bells and whistles need to go off.

‘Right now it’s a terrible tragedy investigation.’

The horrific events unfolded in Lebanon, Wilson County, Tennessee, on Sunday evening after Cheynne’s stepfather Douglas Cronberger, 32, heard a prowler outside the property.

He fetched his gun, which he usually kept unloaded in a cabinet and went to investigate. After failing to find anyone, he left the gun in the living room and went to bed.

A short time later, Cheyenne short herself. She was taken to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.

There has been no decision if any charges will be filed against the child’s parents at this stage.

Story by dailymail

Two Anchorage men who told investigators they were horsing around with a “redneck flamethrower” set a 5-year-old boy’s head on fire and have been charged with felony assault and reckless endangerment, according to police and court records.

Jonathon Michael Miller, 29, and Stephen Ray Dilley II, 32, were jailed Tuesday after inflicting second-degree burns to the boy’s head and singing his hair with an aerosol sprayer and lighter, according to Alaska State Troopers. The child, who was injured Friday, did not receive medical treatment until arriving at school near his home in Anchor Point on Monday.

“It was described to the troopers as an accident,” troopers spokeswoman Megan Peters said. “I mean a child, two guys, can of Quick Start, Bic lighter: How could this not go wrong?”

According to a troopers’ affidavit filed in court, Miller told investigators he’s been trying to toughen the boy up and the best way to do it is to “scare the s–t out of them when they don’t see it coming.”

Asked why the child had not gotten treatment, Miller told investigators, “Why go make bills for yourself over little things,” according to the affidavit.

The child, identified only by his initials in court documents, suffered burns to the left side of his face, nose, eyelid and ear, according to troopers. Most of the hair on the left side of the boy’s head was singed, along with some on the right side.

The boy told troopers he had not been in trouble and described the incident as a “practical joke gone wrong,” Trooper Ryan Browning wrote in the affidavit. The child said he was playing in his room over the weekend when the incident occurred.

To read the complete article, visit www.adn.com.



A southwest Ohio woman said her ex-boyfriend is in jail Wednesday night for using a knife to carve his name on her chest.

It was there at Mike Welliver’s Springfield home where police said he got into a bizarre argument with his girlfriend.

“Mr. Welliver stated he didn’t like the tattoo and said she should have it removed,” said Lieutenant Jim Hutchins of the Springfield Police Department.

That’s when Welliver allegedly gave her an ultimatum, ONN’s Denise Alex reported.

He pulled out a meat cleaver and said he’d cut off the tattoo from her buttocks or he’d cut something into her chest.

The victim opted for the latter choice.

“Welliver carved into her chest the word love, spelling for the word love like ‘luv’ with a heart,” said Hutchins.

Neighbors said Welliver carved his name onto his girlfriend’s chest because she was cheating on him and he wanted to mark his territory.

They also said she was a willing participant, but police still locked him up.

“With his size and with the meat cleaver she felt threatened so she didn’t fight him,” said Hutchins.

Police said Welliver took several pictures of the chest carving with his cell phone. They said he shared them with officers at the jail who in turn submitted the phone as evidence.

Stay with ONN or ONNtv.com for the latest information.

Story by onntv.com

Man Stripped Naked In Library

YPSILANTI, Mich. — An Ypsilanti man is accused of getting naked and stealing children’s books from a local library.Ypsilanti workers and patrons “checked out” something they probably wish they hadn’t last Thursday at the branch on Michigan Avenue when police said 52-year-old Terrence Miles emerged from the children’s section in the nude.Police said Miles stripped naked and is accused of “thrusting his hips” toward a library worker before putting his clothes back on and stealing a handful of children’s books.Watch: Man Accused Of Being Naked, Stealing From Library Police said they used library records to track down Miles because he had asked for help in finding some books before the incident.Miles turned himself in to police headquarters Monday, but took off again when he was being formally arrested. Officers found him a short time later.”Why I panicked and ran, I can’t explain that,” Miles told a judge during a video hearing from the Washtenaw County Jail.He is facing charges of larceny, resisting arrest and indecent exposure.He has pleaded guilty to the indecent exposure charge. He does not have a lawyer yet.In addition to the criminal charges, library officials said they are in the process of revoking Miles’ library privileges.

Detroit Local News

Video Man Accused Of Being Naked, Stealing From Library

Child Directs Air Traffic….

By Kate McCarthy (ABCNews.com)

Story Published: Mar 3, 2010 at 9:08 AM EST

Story Updated: Mar 3, 2010 at 9:08 AM EST

NEW YORK, NY (ABC) — JFK airport is one of the largest airports in the country, handling a thousand takeoffs and landings a day. Yet on Feb. 17 a child was caught on tape in the control tower directing air traffic and giving instructions to pilots.

“Jet Blue 171, clear for takeoff,” the young boy said, according to audio recordings from LiveATC.net.

The pilot replied “Clear for takeoff, 171.”

The child’s father, who is a certified controller, brought his son to work with him but then decided to put him to work as well, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).

This is what you get, guys, when the kids are out of school,” the father said to a pilot.

“Wish I could bring my kid to work,” the pilot responded.

Yet on the audio recording the pilots appear more amused than worried.

“Jet Blue 171, contact departure,” the boy said.

“Over to Jet Blue departure, 171. Awesome job,” the pilot responded.

The young boy continued directing pilots for several takeoffs and landings.

“4-0-3, prepare for takeoff,” the boy said.

“4-0-3, preparing for takeoff. Thank you very much, have a great day,” the pilot responded.

“MS 4-0-3, contact departure, adios,” the boy said.

“Adios, amigo,” the boy said.

“Adios, amigo,” the pilot responded. “Over to departure, Jet Blue 195.”

The FAA, which hasn’t released the names of the controllers involved, is not treating this as a joke. It is investigating the controller as well as a supervising controller. Both have been relieved of their duties, the FAA said.

By Lisa Stark

 

Link to video  http://cosmos.bcst.yahoo.com/up/player/popup/?cl=18427624

CNN

At school, Rajaan Bennett was the senior with the shiny future — the honors student and star running back who led his Georgia high school team to its first undefeated season.

He’d just gotten a full scholarship to Vanderbilt University. He wanted to be an architect.

But at home, Bennett was the man of the family. And that is where a gunman with a grudge against his mother found him, police say. The 18-year-old with hopes of someday providing for his family died protecting them. He summoned help when he, his mother, younger sister and his uncle were under threat.

Sometime after midnight on February 18, his mother’s former boyfriend, Clifton Steger, 39, came to the woodsy, two-story stone house in Powder Springs, Georgia, with a .22-caliber revolver in his hand, police say. Upset over a recent breakup, he forced Bennett, his mother and sister into a bathroom. They brought a phone with them and Bennett called 911.

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