A man in a wheelchair laden with explosives persuaded security guards to push him into an Iraqi operations center, where he blew himself up in an attack that killed the center's deputy commander. The infiltration, along with a U.S. report that insurgents used an adolescent to carry out a suicide attack against a mosque last week, was the latest indication that al-Qaida in Iraq is expanding its tactics to avoid detection before a bombing. The Iraqi military indefinitely banned all motorcycles, bicycles and hand-pushed and horse-drawn carts from Baghdad's streets on Sunday, two days after a bomb hidden under a horse-drawn cart killed three civilians. U.S. Embassy spokesman Philip Reeker said that while al-Qaida in Iraq has been "severely damaged," it remains a "dangerous threat." .

Pride strong at CSU Homecoming parade

Crisp morning air welcomed hundreds of students, alumni and residents of all ages in Old Town Fort Collins Saturday, as they gathered for the annual Colorado State University Homecoming parade. The sea of green T-shirts and CSU gear showed support for the football team and generated community support.

Festivities kicked off on Howes Street and Mountain Avenue, with the CSU cheerleaders, colorguard and marching band in-step with the thunderous echo of the drums.

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Bus Kill

When the truck slowed, there was no way the driver could stop in time, especially in a 42,000-pound behemoth. Investigators later learned that the driver had two prior accidents, one ruled preventable—in three years, and had been disciplined once previously for speeding.

His superiors fired him, but he went to arbitration and won a 20-day suspension. Before long, he was back on the road.

Two days after the Verrazano crash, another NYCT bus driver smashed into not one but two vans in the Bronx, injuring eight more people. That driver had been on probation for her involvement in six prior accidents, two ruled preventable, in three years.

After the Bronx accident, the driver insisted that the brakes had failed. State investigators concluded, however, that she had mistakenly hit the gas pedal when she meant to slow down.

Virginia's budget

It comes in the form of a gas tax increase, and it would rise a penny a year to five cents over the next five years, generating about $150 million.

When it comes to paying for roads, the gas tax is direct, simple and relevant. And it helps plug the gap created by the repealed fiasco of abusive-driver fees, which were none of those things. That's smart.

In the big picture, as things stand, divisions remain between the governor and the legislators, between senators and delegates, between Republicans and Democrats. If past proves prologue, this season's budget wrangling may go into overtime, though sunny optimism is the official posture from both sides of the Capitol and from the governor's office, too.

Regardless, you may want to tune in. Because, however the budget turns out, you'll be paying for it — and you deserve your money's worth.

'Just imagine in your minds what they could have done': Bathurst mayor

A soloist sang Ave Maria as people filled the last empty seats in the centre's hockey arena. A student choir held hands and sang, their voices breaking as the funeral began.

"Our nation grieves with you," Gov.

Kaufman County sheriff candidate indicted on oppression charges

Frankum called it "dirty tricks" in January when a warrant was issued for his arrest in a separate case based on allegations that he had stolen police equipment from his former department.

Mr. Frankum, who was expected to turn himself in on Monday, did not return calls for comment.

David Montague, spokesman for the Tarrant County district attorney's office, confirmed Monday that a grand jury on Feb. 7 indicted Mr. Frankum on three counts involving two complainants, whom Mr. Montague declined to identify.

Mr. Montague said he did not know when the original complaints that led to the indictments were made or whether they originated with an agency other than the district attorney's office.

All the incidents allegedly happened between February and August 2006 while Mr. Frankum was employed by the Police Department in Pelican Bay, a town of about 1,600 northwest of Fort Worth in Tarrant County.

Online Poll

I would be very interested in hearing some of the problems that are causing our state police to have to work under conditions most people would find difficult if not impossible. There are so many rules and so many people you have to be responsible to, it just doesn't seem fair...and when they ask for a little understanding, it seems that everyone thinks being a police officer means you somehow become less than human. I am finding in my research that there is far more occupational stress than stress that is felt through critical incidents. Is that true, and what would it take to make the job easier, not only for the officers, but also for the administration, I am sincerely interested in learning more.
Posted by: JC on Sep 2, 2007 at 09:41 PM Any word from the result of the nvestigation in the reason for suicide of Marlo Gonzales?.

Man guilty in teen's DUI death

A Texas man pleaded guilty Monday, taking responsibility for a drunken-driving crash that killed a Navarre High School student last summer. He now faces up to 46 years in state prison.Anthony Griego, 21, of Wichita Falls, Texas, pleaded guilty to DUI-manslaughter in the Aug. 19 crash that killed 17-year-old Gerran Copeland, who would have started his senior year at Navarre High School last fall.Originally having pleaded not guilty, a jury trial was set to begin Monday. Griego's blood-alcohol level was measured at 0.18, well above 0.08, the level that indicates intoxication.He also pleaded guilty to related charges of leaving the scene of a crash involving a death and resisting an officer without violence.Griego faces 12 to 46 years in prison. Circuit Court Judge Thomas Santurri set Griego's sentencing for March 28 at 1:30 p.m.Griego was driving a Ford van that struck the bicycle Copeland was riding on the outside west-bound lane of U.S.