Month: June 2013

Breaking News!!: Washington, DC: The United States Supreme Court struck down Marriage Act Law.

Sanford, FL: Day 2 of the George Zimmerman Court Trial.

Day 2 of the George Zimmerman Court Trial was held Tuesday.

Past police dispatcher calls in which George Zimmerman complained about “suspicious” characters in his neighborhood should be presented to jurors that would show his state of mind and provide context to his fatal encounter with 17 year old Trayvon Martin wasa argued about on Tuesday.

Prosecutor Richard Mantei told the judge the five calls are central to the prosecution’s argument that George Zimmerman committed second-degree murder since it shows his growing ill will at people he viewed as suspicious who were walking through his neighborhood.

In each of the calls, which were played for Judge Debra Nelson with the jurors out of the courtroom, George Zimmerman described the suspicious characters as black males.

The calls made in the 6 months before George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin, reflect the neighborhood watch volunteer’s growing frustration with repeated break-ins at his gated community of townhomes and plays into the prosecution’s theory that his view of Trayvon Trayvon Martin as a suspicious character was “the straw that broke the camel’s back,” Mantei said.

Defense Attorney Mark O’Mara argued that the calls were irrelevant and that no previous incidents matter except the seven or eight minutes prior to when George Zimmerman fired the deadly shot into Trayvon Martin’s chest.

“They’re going to ask the jury to make a leap from a good, responsible, citizen behavior to seething behavior,” said Defense Attorney Mark O’Mara as the prosecution’s depiction of George Zimmerman’s actions.

Judge Debra Nelson said she would make a ruling after reviewing prior cases.

Prosecutors called on a Sanford police sergeant who was the second officer to respond to the scene after George Zimmerman fatally shot Trayvon Martin.

Sergeant Tony Raimondo testified that he tried to seal a bullet wound in Trayvon Martin’s chest with a plastic bag and attempted mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Sergeant Tony Raimondo said bubbling sounds indicated that air was escaping the teen’s chest.

Trayvon Martin was pronounced dead a short time later.

During Sergeant Tony Raimondo’s testimony, prosecutors showed jurors a photo of Trayvon Martin’s dead body face-down in the grass, another of Trayvon Martin’s body face up with his eyes slightly open and a third of the bullet wound.

George Zimmerman could get life in prison if convicted of second-degree murder for gunning down Trayvon Martin as the black teenager, wearing a hoodie on a dark, rainy night, walked from a convenience store through the gated townhouse community where he was staying.

George Zimmerman is pleading not guilty claiming self-defense.

Prosecutors called the former coordinator of the Sanford Police Department’s neighborhood watch program, who testified how she had worked with George Zimmerman to set up a watch program in his neighborhood, The Retreat at Twin Lakes.

When asked by Prosecutor John Guy if neighborhood watch participants should either follow or engage with suspicious people, she answered “no.”

“They are the eyes and ears of law enforcement,” said Wendy Dorival, the Sanford Police manager. “They’re not supposed to take matters into their own hands.”

But Wendy Dorival said she was impressed with George Zimmerman’s professionalism and dedication to his community and asked him to join another program, Citizens on Patrol, which trained residents to patrol their neighborhoods. He declined.

“He seemed like he really wanted to make changes in his community, to make it better,” said Wendy Dorival.

The president of George Zimmerman’s homeowners association testified that George Zimmerman was in charge of the neighborhood watch program started in his townhome complex. He said George Zimmerman was the person who went through a class offered by Sanford police to get it started.

Donald O’Brien said he also attended a neighborhood watch meeting led by George Zimmerman and it was Donald O’Brien’s understanding that participating residents “were supposed to stay away” from suspicious activity and “call the police.”

“Do not get close to anybody,” Donald O’Brien said of what he understood about neighborhood watch. “Stay at a safe distance and call 911. Let the police handle it.”

The George Zimmerman Court Trial continues Wednesday morning at around 8:30am ET.

This trial has attracted international attention and prompted nationwide debates about gun control, race, and equal justice under the law.

** Live streaming news coverage of the George Zimmerman Court Trial is at the following website addresses: **

– NBC News:

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/nbcnews.com/52117880

– ABC affiliated WFTV Channel 9:

http://www.wftv.com/s/zimmerman-livestream/

– Central Florida News Channel 13:

http://www.cfnews13.com/content/news/cfnews13/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2013/6/25/zimmerman_opening_statements.html

** Stay tuned to ZachNews for news updates with more information regarding this news story. ** —————————————————————————————————————————-

** (Map Was Made By ZachNews Using Google Earth) **

Weather and Traffic Alert!!: Needles, California Weather and Traffic:

Good Morning Everybody!! Hope you are having a great start to your morning. —————————————————————————————————————————-

**** Weather Alert!!: ****

** The National Weather Service has issued the the following: **

– Excessive Heat Watch:

Effected at 11:00am PT on Friday, June 28th 2013 until 8:00pm PT on Monday, July 1st, 2013.

http://forecast.weather.gov/showsigwx.php?warnzone=CAZ527&w arncounty=CAC071&firewxzone=CA Z229&local_place1&product1=Exc essive+Heat+Watch#.UclzZdK1GSo

—————————————————————————————————————————-

** Needles, California Weather: **

– Wednesday: Sunny and hot, High 111*F. West southwest wind 5 to 14 mph becoming south southeast in the morning. Winds could gust as high as 20 mph

– Wednesday Night: Clear, Low 85*F. South southwest wind 8 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 18 mph.

– Thursday: Sunny and hot, High 116*F. Light and variable wind becoming south 5 to 7 mph in the afternoon.

– Thursday Night: Clear, Low 87*F. West wind around 9 mph.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

More weather information and weather radars are on the National Weather Service website at: http://www.weather.gov/
—————————————————————————————————————————-

** Traffic Alert!!: Needles, California Traffic: **

– Downtown Needles, California:

**** Traffic Alert!!: ****

Due to the removal of a large tanker under Santa Fe Park, drivers should be on alert for addition street closures or traffic restrictions near the intersection of Front Street and G Street. This removal of this large tanker from under Santa Fe Park may happen between Tuesday, June 25th, 2013 to Thursday, June 27th, 2013.

– Downtown Needles, California:

Due to sidewalk construction, Front Street from E Street to F Street will be having some parking restrictions and construction equipment traffic.

Limited parking will be available for those who are wanting to do business along Front Street. People should use caution when walking on the dirt areas near the construction zone and watch for on coming construction equipment traffic.

Businesses along Front Street are open as construction is happening.

– Downtown Needles, California:

Due to construction near the El Garces Hotel, H Street at Front Street, Front Street from I Street to G Street, G Street at Front Street, and westbound Front Street from E Street to F Street will be closed.

– Near Needles, California:

According to the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) website, mill and overlay the existing asphalt is being done and is being done in and near Needles, California on Interstate 40 from Buzzard Wash to the California State Line. The construction project began on Thursday, March 7th, 2013 and estimate completion date is set for Monday, May 19th, 2014.

More information regarding the road work along Interstate 40 at the following California Department of Transportation (Caltrans) website address:

http://dot.ca.gov/hq/construc/consMap/consproject1.php?DISTEA=080K2604

News Update!!: Downtown Needles, CA: Tanker will be remove on Wednesday morning in Downtown Needles, California.

The wait is almost over as ZachNews has been informed that the tanker (Possibly a railroad tanker car or tanker truck) is going to be remove from Santa Fe Park in Downtown Needles, California on Wednesday, June 26th, 2012 starting at 8:00am PT.

A large crane from Lake Havasu, Arizona will be lifting the tanker (Possibly a railroad tanker car or tanker truck) and place the tanker (Possibly a railroad tanker car or tanker truck) on a long flat bed truck to move away.

Ground inspectors and fire department crews will also be there to test the soil in and around the tanker (Possibly a railroad tanker car or tanker truck) and to make sure that there is no leaks from the tanker (Possibly a railroad tanker car or tanker truck).

ZachNews will be there on Tanker Watch to cover the removal of the tanker (Possibly a railroad tanker car or tanker truck) and will bring you the pictures and videos of the removal of the tanker (Possibly a railroad tanker car or tanker truck).

Needles, CA: Tri-State Community Healthcare opens in Needles, California.

After months of delays, the new Tri-State Community Healthcare has open at 1402 Bailey Avenue just across the street from the Colorado River Medical Center in Needles, California.

Reports that many people from the community have been stopping in wanting to be check.

Complete physical check up for adults and children.

They accept Medi-Cal, Medi-Care, and private Insurances.

Special offers to our community for cash patients.

Services include testing and physical exam, comprehensive bliid wook, diagnostics, eletrocardiogram/EKG, spirometry, and audiometry.

For more information, contact the Tri-State Community Healthcare at: 1 (760) 326-0222

Breaking News!!: Mid-City, CA: 2 Los Angeles Police Department Detectives were shot in Mid-City, California.

Tuesday morning, 2 Los Angeles Police Department Detectives were shot outside the Wilshire Station in the Mid-City, California.

A massive search for suspect is underway.

According to Los Angeles Police Department Comander Andrew Smith, the detectives were returning from a shift around 4:30 a.m. and were outside the station in their vehicle, using a key card to enter a secure area. The suspect, who was on foot, opened fire from behind them and struck the vehicle multiple times. The officers returned fire, and the suspect fled.

One of the officers was shot in the hand, and the other was shot in the head. They were hospitalized with non-life threatening injuries. They have since been released and are back at the command post, according to Smith.

So far, 3 people being called persons of interest have been detained. The suspect is described as a black male, 30-to 35-years-old, armed with a hand gun, wearing all black clothing, a black hat and black shoes.

A 25-square-block perimeter has been set up from Pico Boulevard on the north to Washington Boulevard on the south, from Redondo Boulevard on the west to Rimpau Boulevard on the east.

Residents have been asked to shelter in place, and people are asked to stay out of the area.

A man was also taken into custody following the shooting after he was found nearby acting unruly; however it is not believed that he is the suspect.

Breaking News!!: Washington, DC: United States Supreme Court strikes down part of Voting Rights Act.

The United States Supreme Court on Tuesday struck down a key part of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, the map that determines which states must get federal permission before they change their voting laws.

Civil rights activists called the decision devastating, and a dissenting justice said it amounted to the “demolition” of the law — widely considered the most important piece of civil rights legislation in American history.

The ruling, a 5-4 decision by United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts, leaves the future of the law deeply uncertain because it will be up to a sharply divided Congress to redraw the map, if it can agree on one at all.

The Voting Rights Act requires nine states with a history of discrimination at the polls, mostly in the South, to get approval from the Justice Department or a special panel of judges before they change their voting laws. The rule also applies to 12 cities and 57 counties elsewhere.

The law was renewed most recently in 2006, but the coverage map still uses election data from 1972 to determine who is covered. Some jurisdictions complained that they were being punished for the sins of many decades ago. An Alabama county brought the case.

“Our country has changed, and while any racial discrimination in voting is too much, Congress must ensure that the legislation it passes to remedy that problem speaks to current conditions,” United States Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court.