HATE IN AMERICA
Study of violence spots rise in lone wolf attacks
The shooting of nine people by a white gunman inside a black church comes amid a recent surge in violent hate groups and incidents, in which “lone wolf” attacks are increasingly common, according to groups who monitor hate crimes.
Killing not quite “a surprise”
In Charleston, some say racist ideology still strong. IN NEWS
Flipping Poverty
A lone parent with
2 kids earning
minumum wage
would have to work
50 hours a week
to escape poverty.
Video games advance in tech, diversity
LOS ANGELES I’ve played Tetris in many ways over the years, including on GameBoys, computers, and TV’s. Now I’ve literally played using my head.
GOOD DAY:
STEVIE WONDER
The singer is among stars who
have been tapped to perform in
next month’s opening cermony
of the Special Olympics World
Games. Avril Lavigne and Cody
Simpson are also set to perform.
Pope: ‘No right’ to destroy the earth
Francis’ poetic encyclical blames many for global warming
“The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”
—Pope Francis
Global warming deniers “unmoved”
Say pope’s encyclical could hurt the poor, is “a grave mistake.”
ALABAMA, Montgomery: “We no longer have a moonshine task force,” Alabama Law Enforcement Agency spokeswoman Anna Morris told AL.com For the past year, three agents have prowled the backwoods for illegal booze until a lack of funds and personnel forced the team to disband and move on to other crime-fighting assignments.
HIGHLIGHT: NEVADA
Library closing despite protests
ALASKA, Fairbanks: Moosie the cat survived a 64-day journey over thousands of miles, trapped inside a futon matress packed with the rest of his owners’ belongings. Kymberly and Jessie Chief thought they had lost Moosie when they moved from El Paso. When the family’s furniture arrived, they unpacked, and Moosie broke his long silence.
IOWA, West Des Moines: Three boxes left at a department store entrance were deemed suspiscious and prompted officials to call a bomb squad to the Valley West Mall. The three boxes were filled with clothes, the Des Moines Register reported.
LOUISIANA, New Orleans: One family-owned restuarant will celebrate 50 years of selling mufulettas next month, nola.com reported. The secret to its success? “We toast the bread,” said Frank Gagliano, Jr., owner of Frank’s Restaurant. “We melt the cheese. Really, it’s like hot-baked, right out of the oven.”
MARYLAND, Salisbury: Justin Aita, a local police officer who as at least five federal lawsuits against him alleging excessive force, has resigned to pursue other opportunities, the Daily Times reported.
NORTH CAROLINA, Raleigh: The state House voted: 78-37 to make it easier for people with concealed handgun permits to carry their weapons in more places.
RHODE ISLAND, Newport: A campaign to promote traffic safety is urging people to wave to each other. The Newport Daily News reported the centerpiece of the campaign is a short video, called Newport Waves. The video shows well-known people around town waving to each other as they cross paths.
TEXAS, Dallas: A study found it’s common practice at Texas General Hospital and two other for-profit medical centers in North Texas to charge patients upward of nine times the cost of care, The Dallas Morning News reported.
WHAT’S HAPPENING ONLINE
TODAY’S MUST READS
-We report as Brian Williams ‘splains all in Matt Lauer interview
-Stories, photos as Bay Area parade honors Warriors NBA win
-Latest updates on the church massacre in Charleston, S.C.
MOST CLICKED STORIES
-Report: Lebron ‘emasculated’ his coach during NBA Finals
-5 things we learned from the new “Grey” book
-Buckle up for behind the scene access to the Paris Air Show.
‘Gawker’ should pay for free speech
Ford’s new Edge SUV sports power, space
Crossover competes with luxury models at lower price
It’s about you.
And it’s about time.
Mercedes-Benz introduces Premier Express. Vehicle maintenace in about an hour or less with no appointment necessary. It’s one more way we can give you something special. The luxury of time.
YOUR SAY
High drug prices push treatments out of reach
I’m not a fan of the business practices of Big Pharma, but if drug companies have no incentive for profit, then why would they bother to develop any of these kinds of drugs?
Charlie Ratt
Death is inevitable. Trying to live a few years extra is not worth destroying your hard earned savings. Leave them for the next generation. Embrace death with dignity and don’t fall for these unscrupulous and morally bankrupt pharmaceutical companies.
Pradeep Bhaumik
The heat goes on: Warmest May, spring, 5-month period
The planet had its hottest May, spring and first five months of the year on record, according to a climate report released Thursday.
PHOTO (C-SPAN): Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla, throws a snowball on Senate floor this year as his proof global warming is a hoax.
OPINION
OPPOSING VIEW
Pope’s thinking is outdated
Pope Francis’ encyclical letter on “care for our common home” reflects the thoughts of an extraordinary person on some of the most important issues of our time. Without showing disrespect toward the pope or his followers, it is important to recognize the letter’s shortcomings and consequences.
Pope Francis says, “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.” This is contradicted by extensive data…
Is that Michael Jackson doing the moonwalk in clouds during lightning storm?
GOOCHLAND, Va. — Six years after his untimely death, Michael Jackson made an appearance in the skies over Central Virginia.
The combination of clouds and light created an image that appeared — to some — to look like the King of Pop. The image was captured over Goochland County, Virginia during a June 19 lightning storm. Jackson died on June 25, 2009.
Photographer John Plashal said he was unaware of the Jackson imagery when he first submitted photos to the WTVR CBS 6 Facebook page following the storm. He said a storm chaser app, not a higher calling, compelled him to set up his camera outside Satterwhite’s Restaurant in Goochland where took several photos of the lightning storm.
“The image that you see of Michael Jackson just happens to be there,” Plashal said. He insisted he added nothing to the photo. “It’s pretty wild.”
Plashal, 45, said he was a fan of Michael Jackson and said he particularly recalled how the music video for Thriller changed MTV. He also said Jackson’s death six years ago was one of those ‘I know where I was’ moments.
“I was at the pool with friends. My friend got a text that Michael Jackson had just died,” Plashal said. “He was an icon.”
LIFE
We’re pulling back the ‘Shades’
Christian Grey is back, revealing his side of the story in Grey, E.L. James’ new Fifty Shades of Grey novel. So what do we learn about the enigmatic bad-boy billionaire? USA TODAY’s Kelly Lawler breaks it down. (Mild spoiler alert.)
1 CHRISTIAN DID A BACKGROUND CHECK ON ANA.
Christian is so intrigued by Ana at their first meeting that the very first thing he does (legitimately right after they say goodbye) is call for a background check on her. So when he shows up at that hardware store where she works, he’s 100% there to see her (we all assumed this, but it’s nice to have some confirmation). And when he asked for the cable ties? Yep, that was definitely deliberate.
**2 CHRISTIAN STILL HAS NIGHTMARES ABOUT HIS CHILDHOOD
3 CHRISTIAN DIDN’T BUY ANA THAT COPY OF ‘TESS AND THE D’UBERVILLES’ — HE ALREADY OWNED IT
4 CHRISTIAN ACTUALLY WORKS!
5 CHRISTIAN REALLY HATES KATE.**
WHAT MATTERS IN BLACK AMERICA
Nine lives taken at historic church snaps us back to reality
Life has a funny way of reminding us what really matters.
Over the past week, we have been inundated with news stories about the curious case of former NAACP leader Rachel Dolezal in Spokane, Wash., and the farcical notion of her being “transracial.”
Sure, we were deceived, but nobody died.
When I saw the headline “9 dead in ‘hate crime’ shooting at historic African-American church in Charleston,” my heart heaved. Not another mass killing. Not more gun violence. Not another black church.
Sadly, yes, yes, and yes.
Why is it that black wounds never get to heal? We ricochet from one atrocity to the next, never with time to fully process the pain of one deadly insult before the next one comes along.
Black America is under attack. Unsafe. Unprotected. Subject to random violence. Hated for who we are.
Nothing is sacred.
The great Donald could make America great, too
Either the world is coming to an end or America is beginning anew. These seem to be the only possibilities after Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he is running for
