Instagram post brings arrest; cops get rich on OT; transgender book fuss
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Odd and interesting news from around the West.
- Updated
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Officials with authority over the Las Vegas Strip have decided to wait until the city of Denver approves the nation's first marijuana club before they discuss licensing and regulating pot lounges in Sin City.
Nevada launched legal sales of recreational pot on July 1, and there's been heavy demand from tourists. But the law only allows it to be used in private homes, leaving visitors without a place to legally smoke the drug.
Commissioners in Nevada's Clark County on Tuesday decided they will wait for Denver to act before continuing discussions. They began after attorneys for the Legislature recently concluded that nothing in state law prohibits local governments from allowing the lounges.
Denver allowed businesses to submit applications to open marijuana clubs in late August, but it hasn't received any so far.
- By RUSSELL CONTRERAS Associated Press
- Updated
ALBUQUERQUE  (AP) — Seven Albuquerque beat police officers were among the city's top 25 salary earners last year and made more than the mayor thanks to overtime, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of the city of Albuquerque's top earners.
The review found that the seven first class police officers, or beat cops, patrolling New Mexico's largest city took in a salary of at least $124,000 in 2016. By contrasts, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry earned $104,000.
Critics of the overtime spending say it is a result of officers taking advantage of a system that allows them to grab excessive overtime at the expense of the city. But the leader of Albuquerque police union says the overtime is a result of an understaffed, overworked department trying to keep pace with rising crime and limited resources.
According to records, Officer Ramiro Garza was the city's seventh top earner, taking home nearly $147,000 in salary and overtime. Records show he was followed by Officer Brian Johnson who earned $145,100 last year.
The average Albuquerque patrol officer makes around $50,000 a year.
The review of the city's 250 top earns also found that 66 first class police officers were among the highest paid, earning in total around $7.1 million in salary and overtime.
Former Albuquerque Public Safety Director Pete Dinelli said the salaries show that certain officers know how to manipulate the system to gain overtime — something that's been happening for years.
"This is not new. I remember expressing concern about this when I noticed that a few officers were getting paid more than the mayor," said Dinelli, a former city councilor who now runs a political blog.
Among those Dinelli spotted making excessive overtime was Paul Heh, a retired sergeant, who drew scrutiny of city officials for pulling tens of thousands of dollars in overtime. In 2011, city records showed that Heh was the fourth-highest paid employee the previous year at $139,000, also earning more than the mayor.
Heh said that overtime was owed to him and he did nothing wrong. He later ran unsuccessfully for mayor.
But Albuquerque Police Officers Association President Shaun Willoughby said the recent figures highlight that the department is understaffed and funding hasn't kept up amid rising crime and population growth.
"In 1990, we have 809 officers. Today, we only have 35 more officers from that time and we have around 175,000 more people," Willoughby said. "We should have at least 1,000 officers now."
In addition, Albuquerque police have to patrol an expanded area that includes the busy Paseo del Norte street and a booming west side. The department also in the mist of federally-ordered reforms and rising violent crime, especially in downtown, Willoughby said.
"Is it any wonder why Albuquerque is on fire," Willoughby said. "We are at war."
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Associated Press writer Mary Hudetz contributed to this report.
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Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at
- Updated
ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — A southern Utah woman whose malnourished son was found in a feces-strewn bathroom is appealing her sentence of up to 45 years on child abuse charges.
Court records show the 36-year-old mother has filed a notice of appeal in the case. Her lawyer has said she was overwhelmed and unable to care for the boy as she dealt with addiction to heroin and methamphetamine.
The Associated Press is not naming the woman to avoid identifying the boy.
Police believe the 12-year-old boy had been locked away for at least a year.
He weighed 30 pounds when he was found with one blanket and a few empty cans of beans in the filthy bathroom with camera surveillance in the city of Toquerville.
The woman pleaded guilty to three felony charges of intentional child abuse.
- Updated
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ten California men who fought overseas with the U.S. forces have been awarded the French government's highest honor for their World War II service.
The veterans were each presented the National Order of the Legion of Honor during a ceremony Tuesday at Los Angeles National Cemetery.
Among them was 94-year-old Sterling D. Ditchey, an Army Air Corps 1st lieutenant who flew 70 combat missions in Europe as a B-25 bombardier.
Ninety-five-year-old Ignacio Sanchez was part of 35 combat missions as a B-17 turret gunner.
The presentations were made by Christophe Lemoine, the consul general of France in Los Angeles.
Instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Legion of Honor recognizes exceptional service to France.
- Updated
WELLSVILLE, Utah (AP) — Wellsville city officials say in a letter to residents that they will make changes to an annual reenactment tradition that could be considered offensive to Native Americans.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports ( ) Wellsville's "Sham Battle" features participants covered in red paint to play Native Americans attacking Mormon settlers. In its Sunday letter, the city says it will make "necessary changes" to the almost 90-year-old reenactment tradition after meeting with members of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation.
The city has apologized to anyone that may have been offended by the reenactment and says it meant no disrespect.
Although the city's letter is not clear on whether participants will continue dressing up as American Indians or list specific changes, tribal Chairman Darren Parry considers it a "wonderful first start."
___
Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune,
- Updated
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon drivers soon can be pulled over for not only texting and talking on their cellphones, but also for navigating, using social media and any other "hands-on" cellphone and electronics use.
The changes, which begin Oct. 1, call for repeat offenders to face steeper fines and as much as a year in jail.
Officials are hoping the changes will help officers nab reckless drivers and curb dangerous distracted driving behaviors, the Statesman Journal reported ( ).
Wording on the previous cellphone driving law made texting and talking on the phone the only primary distracted driving offenses, meaning if an officer spotted someone behind the wheel reading a Kindle or scrolling through Facebook, they could not pull over the driver solely for that.
The new law makes it illegal to drive in Oregon while holding or using any electronic device, including cellphones, tablets, GPS or laptops.
Hands-free and built-in devices are allowed under the law.
Other exemptions include those making medical emergency calls, truck and bus drivers following federal rules, two-way radio use by school drivers and utility drivers during in the scope of their employment, police, fire, ambulance and emergency vehicle operators during the scope of their employment and ham radio operators.
A first-time distracted driving offenders not contributing to a crash face a presumptive fine of $260, with a maximum fine of $1,000. Starting on Jan. 1, the court may suspend the fine for first-time offenders if the driver completes an approved distracted driving avoidance course within four months.
Although the fine would be suspended, the violation would still remain on the offender's driving record.
A second-time offense or one involving a crash carries a presumptive fine of $435 and a maximum fine of $2,500.
Committing a third distracted driving offense in a 10-year span is considered a misdemeanor. The minimum fine is $2,000, but repeat offenders could face a $6,250 fine and up to one year in jail.
___
Information from: Statesman Journal,
- Updated
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A convicted drug dealer was sentenced Tuesday in California to 11 years in prison in the beating death of a movie studio executive who had been having an affair with his wife.
John Lenzie Creech, 45, was convicted in July of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Gavin Smith, a 20th Century Fox distribution executive.
Smith's body was found in a shallow desert grave two years after he was reported missing in 2012.
A jury rejected first- and second-degree murder charges.
Before sentencing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephen A. Marcus called Creech "a cold and cruel person."
"Mr. Creech has shown no remorse in this case whatsoever," the judge said. "He has attempted to sort of paint himself as the total victim in this case and the court does not find, in my view of the evidence, that that's true."
Prosecutors said Creech killed Smith because Smith was having an affair with Creech's estranged wife, Chandrika Cade. She and Creech had met in drug rehab and been in a sporadic affair for years.
In May 2012, they were having a romantic rendezvous inside Smith's Mercedes-Benz sedan in a Los Angeles neighborhood when Creech found them through an iPhone app that allowed him to track his wife's phone.
In the fight that followed, Creech crushed Smith's skull on both sides, according to an autopsy.
Nearly a year later, the Mercedes, with Smith's blood on it, was found in a storage facility connected to Creech.
Smith's remains were eventually found in a shallow grave in the desert north of Los Angeles.
Creech testified that Smith had thrown the first punch and he defended himself.
Creech was serving an eight-year sentence for the sale or transportation of drugs when he was indicted for the killing.
- Updated
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Zoo officials are celebrating the birth of a female baby giraffe, the first calf of the 4-year-old mother.
The calf doesn't have a name yet. She will remain with its mother in the giraffe barn for a few weeks until the calf is old enough to be introduced to other animals and go out in an open area of the zoo.
She was born Sept. 12, making it the zoo's first baby giraffe in 12 years.
The mother is a 4-year-old named Sunshine. She arrived at the zoo in 2014 in order to breed with an 8-year-old male brought to the zoo in 2010 from the Los Angeles Zoo.
- Updated
PHOENIX (AP) — A Tempe information technology contractor has been sentenced after pleading guilty to wire fraud for trying to extort $10,000 from a company and then defacing its website by redirecting its home page to a pornographic site.
A federal judge on Monday sentenced Tavis Irvin Tso of Tempe to serve four years of probation and pay over $9,100 of restitution to the victim, a Phoenix company not identified in court records.
Records say Tso provided IT services to the company and used its account to make changes to its website, with the changes preventing employees from using their email accounts and blocking the home page.
Tso then offered to return everything to normal for $10,000 and redirected the home page to a porn site when the company refused to pay.
- Updated
ROCKLIN, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California school board voted unanimously to keep its literature policies following months of controversy over a book about a transgender child that a teacher read to a kindergarten class.
The Rocklin Academy Family of Schools also adopted a provision to give parents advance notice if a controversial topic will be discussed in class.
The vote late Monday came during a packed meeting that included hours of emotional and often tearful testimony, the Sacramento Bee reported ( ).
The controversy began June 7 when a transgender student brought the children's book "I Am Jazz" and her teacher read it to her kindergarten class. "I Am Jazz" is the story of a real-life transgender girl named Jazz Jennings.
The controversy grew over the summer with some parents expressing concerns that there was no warning the book would be read and some saying parents should have a say in what students learn. Others supported the decision to read the book.
The book was part of the California Department of Education's recommended reading list and was given to the teacher by a transgender student in the process of transitioning, the school said.
Wendy Sickler, a parent of two children at Rocklin Gateway Academy, said her "concern is that a book that was read was outside the curriculum, and it was a sensitive topic, and the parents weren't notified."
But Sickler felt stronger changes are needed than those brought before the school board.
"Today I come here with an open mind," she said. "I do believe the proposal in the board packet is loose. It says they will endeavor to notify. I do not think that is strong, and I don't think it makes staff accountable. If that is the policy that is in place, I will not support that."
Some families have pulled their children from the school, though the number is disputed between the divided factions.
After the vote, school board member Larry Steiner pleaded with parents to come together and move forward now that a decision had been made.
"Please let this end tonight," he said. "We cannot forget Rocklin Academy is a school of choice. The hostility has to end. Let's bring back our sense of community."
- Updated
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A man arrested in the kidnapping of a Cheney marijuana store employee has given a jailhouse confession to a Spokane television station.
Donovan Culps told KHQ-TV Monday that he shot Cameron Smith several times after Smith declined to sell him pot products because he didn't have identification.
The 36-year-old Culps told the station he was having a bad day and that Smith "got the ugly side of it."
Culps is in a Spokane jail on accusations of kidnapping and robbery. He has not been charged for killing Smith.
Culps' niece, 18-year-old Violetta Culps, remains at large.
Authorities say the 46-year-old Smith was abducted from the parking lot of Lucid Marijuana on Sept. 10 as he was eating lunch in his car.
Culps was arrested in Goldendale on Thursday.
___
Information from: KHQ-TV,
- Updated
BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Feeding deer could soon be against the law for one Washington city, as the animals are invading a local neighborhood at an out-of-control rate.
KOMO-TV reports ( ) dozens of deer and a growing number of several others are frequently being spotted around the South Hill neighborhood of Bellingham.
Bellingham City Council President Michael Lilliquist says the number of deer is getting out of control because "people are intentionally feeding the deer."
Lilliquist says the city is considering a ban on feeding deer.
It is not yet clear what consequences neighbors would face if they continue to feed the animals, but some residents and officials hope is will begin to solve the growing problem.
It is not yet clear when the Bellingham City Council will vote on the proposed ordinance.
___
Information from: KOMO-TV,
- Updated
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California man who admitted posing as a fire inspector to con businesses out of cash has been sentenced to six months in jail.
Brian Lee Carsten pleaded guilty last week to misdemeanor charges including impersonating fire personnel.
Authorities say Carsten told the owners of businesses that he was a fire marshal there to do an inspection. He then told the owners they had violated fire codes and provided an invoice, which they paid.
Prosecutors say Carsten focused on immigrant-owned businesses where owners did not speak English.
The Orange County Register reported Monday ( ) that the 37-year-old must serve three years' probation and pay back the money he took from the businesses.
- Updated
TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) — A Pieology spokeswoman says an employee for the California-based pizza chain was fired after writing "(obscenity) The Cops" on a receipt for a local police officer's takeout order.
The Los Angeles Daily News reports ( ) the officer, who was in uniform Thursday at Pieology in Torrance, did not respond and left a tip when the female cashier handed him the receipt with the obscene anti-police message, a gesture that started a firestorm Monday on social media.
A Pieology spokeswoman says the employee was fired and the worker's message does not reflect the attitude of the Rancho Santa Margarita-based restaurant.
The officer, who declined to speak publicly Monday and asked a department spokesman to speak for him, did not talk to the server. Instead, he decided not to make a scene.
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LAS VEGAS (AP) — Officials with authority over the Las Vegas Strip have decided to wait until the city of Denver approves the nation's first marijuana club before they discuss licensing and regulating pot lounges in Sin City.
Nevada launched legal sales of recreational pot on July 1, and there's been heavy demand from tourists. But the law only allows it to be used in private homes, leaving visitors without a place to legally smoke the drug.
Commissioners in Nevada's Clark County on Tuesday decided they will wait for Denver to act before continuing discussions. They began after attorneys for the Legislature recently concluded that nothing in state law prohibits local governments from allowing the lounges.
Denver allowed businesses to submit applications to open marijuana clubs in late August, but it hasn't received any so far.
- By RUSSELL CONTRERAS Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE  (AP) — Seven Albuquerque beat police officers were among the city's top 25 salary earners last year and made more than the mayor thanks to overtime, according to an analysis by The Associated Press of the city of Albuquerque's top earners.
The review found that the seven first class police officers, or beat cops, patrolling New Mexico's largest city took in a salary of at least $124,000 in 2016. By contrasts, Albuquerque Mayor Richard Berry earned $104,000.
Critics of the overtime spending say it is a result of officers taking advantage of a system that allows them to grab excessive overtime at the expense of the city. But the leader of Albuquerque police union says the overtime is a result of an understaffed, overworked department trying to keep pace with rising crime and limited resources.
According to records, Officer Ramiro Garza was the city's seventh top earner, taking home nearly $147,000 in salary and overtime. Records show he was followed by Officer Brian Johnson who earned $145,100 last year.
The average Albuquerque patrol officer makes around $50,000 a year.
The review of the city's 250 top earns also found that 66 first class police officers were among the highest paid, earning in total around $7.1 million in salary and overtime.
Former Albuquerque Public Safety Director Pete Dinelli said the salaries show that certain officers know how to manipulate the system to gain overtime — something that's been happening for years.
"This is not new. I remember expressing concern about this when I noticed that a few officers were getting paid more than the mayor," said Dinelli, a former city councilor who now runs a political blog.
Among those Dinelli spotted making excessive overtime was Paul Heh, a retired sergeant, who drew scrutiny of city officials for pulling tens of thousands of dollars in overtime. In 2011, city records showed that Heh was the fourth-highest paid employee the previous year at $139,000, also earning more than the mayor.
Heh said that overtime was owed to him and he did nothing wrong. He later ran unsuccessfully for mayor.
But Albuquerque Police Officers Association President Shaun Willoughby said the recent figures highlight that the department is understaffed and funding hasn't kept up amid rising crime and population growth.
"In 1990, we have 809 officers. Today, we only have 35 more officers from that time and we have around 175,000 more people," Willoughby said. "We should have at least 1,000 officers now."
In addition, Albuquerque police have to patrol an expanded area that includes the busy Paseo del Norte street and a booming west side. The department also in the mist of federally-ordered reforms and rising violent crime, especially in downtown, Willoughby said.
"Is it any wonder why Albuquerque is on fire," Willoughby said. "We are at war."
___
Associated Press writer Mary Hudetz contributed to this report.
___
Follow Russell Contreras on Twitter at
ST. GEORGE, Utah (AP) — A southern Utah woman whose malnourished son was found in a feces-strewn bathroom is appealing her sentence of up to 45 years on child abuse charges.
Court records show the 36-year-old mother has filed a notice of appeal in the case. Her lawyer has said she was overwhelmed and unable to care for the boy as she dealt with addiction to heroin and methamphetamine.
The Associated Press is not naming the woman to avoid identifying the boy.
Police believe the 12-year-old boy had been locked away for at least a year.
He weighed 30 pounds when he was found with one blanket and a few empty cans of beans in the filthy bathroom with camera surveillance in the city of Toquerville.
The woman pleaded guilty to three felony charges of intentional child abuse.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ten California men who fought overseas with the U.S. forces have been awarded the French government's highest honor for their World War II service.
The veterans were each presented the National Order of the Legion of Honor during a ceremony Tuesday at Los Angeles National Cemetery.
Among them was 94-year-old Sterling D. Ditchey, an Army Air Corps 1st lieutenant who flew 70 combat missions in Europe as a B-25 bombardier.
Ninety-five-year-old Ignacio Sanchez was part of 35 combat missions as a B-17 turret gunner.
The presentations were made by Christophe Lemoine, the consul general of France in Los Angeles.
Instituted by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802, the Legion of Honor recognizes exceptional service to France.
WELLSVILLE, Utah (AP) — Wellsville city officials say in a letter to residents that they will make changes to an annual reenactment tradition that could be considered offensive to Native Americans.
The Salt Lake Tribune reports ( ) Wellsville's "Sham Battle" features participants covered in red paint to play Native Americans attacking Mormon settlers. In its Sunday letter, the city says it will make "necessary changes" to the almost 90-year-old reenactment tradition after meeting with members of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation.
The city has apologized to anyone that may have been offended by the reenactment and says it meant no disrespect.
Although the city's letter is not clear on whether participants will continue dressing up as American Indians or list specific changes, tribal Chairman Darren Parry considers it a "wonderful first start."
___
Information from: The Salt Lake Tribune,
SALEM, Ore. (AP) — Oregon drivers soon can be pulled over for not only texting and talking on their cellphones, but also for navigating, using social media and any other "hands-on" cellphone and electronics use.
The changes, which begin Oct. 1, call for repeat offenders to face steeper fines and as much as a year in jail.
Officials are hoping the changes will help officers nab reckless drivers and curb dangerous distracted driving behaviors, the Statesman Journal reported ( ).
Wording on the previous cellphone driving law made texting and talking on the phone the only primary distracted driving offenses, meaning if an officer spotted someone behind the wheel reading a Kindle or scrolling through Facebook, they could not pull over the driver solely for that.
The new law makes it illegal to drive in Oregon while holding or using any electronic device, including cellphones, tablets, GPS or laptops.
Hands-free and built-in devices are allowed under the law.
Other exemptions include those making medical emergency calls, truck and bus drivers following federal rules, two-way radio use by school drivers and utility drivers during in the scope of their employment, police, fire, ambulance and emergency vehicle operators during the scope of their employment and ham radio operators.
A first-time distracted driving offenders not contributing to a crash face a presumptive fine of $260, with a maximum fine of $1,000. Starting on Jan. 1, the court may suspend the fine for first-time offenders if the driver completes an approved distracted driving avoidance course within four months.
Although the fine would be suspended, the violation would still remain on the offender's driving record.
A second-time offense or one involving a crash carries a presumptive fine of $435 and a maximum fine of $2,500.
Committing a third distracted driving offense in a 10-year span is considered a misdemeanor. The minimum fine is $2,000, but repeat offenders could face a $6,250 fine and up to one year in jail.
___
Information from: Statesman Journal,
LOS ANGELES (AP) — A convicted drug dealer was sentenced Tuesday in California to 11 years in prison in the beating death of a movie studio executive who had been having an affair with his wife.
John Lenzie Creech, 45, was convicted in July of voluntary manslaughter in the killing of Gavin Smith, a 20th Century Fox distribution executive.
Smith's body was found in a shallow desert grave two years after he was reported missing in 2012.
A jury rejected first- and second-degree murder charges.
Before sentencing, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Stephen A. Marcus called Creech "a cold and cruel person."
"Mr. Creech has shown no remorse in this case whatsoever," the judge said. "He has attempted to sort of paint himself as the total victim in this case and the court does not find, in my view of the evidence, that that's true."
Prosecutors said Creech killed Smith because Smith was having an affair with Creech's estranged wife, Chandrika Cade. She and Creech had met in drug rehab and been in a sporadic affair for years.
In May 2012, they were having a romantic rendezvous inside Smith's Mercedes-Benz sedan in a Los Angeles neighborhood when Creech found them through an iPhone app that allowed him to track his wife's phone.
In the fight that followed, Creech crushed Smith's skull on both sides, according to an autopsy.
Nearly a year later, the Mercedes, with Smith's blood on it, was found in a storage facility connected to Creech.
Smith's remains were eventually found in a shallow grave in the desert north of Los Angeles.
Creech testified that Smith had thrown the first punch and he defended himself.
Creech was serving an eight-year sentence for the sale or transportation of drugs when he was indicted for the killing.
PHOENIX (AP) — Phoenix Zoo officials are celebrating the birth of a female baby giraffe, the first calf of the 4-year-old mother.
The calf doesn't have a name yet. She will remain with its mother in the giraffe barn for a few weeks until the calf is old enough to be introduced to other animals and go out in an open area of the zoo.
She was born Sept. 12, making it the zoo's first baby giraffe in 12 years.
The mother is a 4-year-old named Sunshine. She arrived at the zoo in 2014 in order to breed with an 8-year-old male brought to the zoo in 2010 from the Los Angeles Zoo.
PHOENIX (AP) — A Tempe information technology contractor has been sentenced after pleading guilty to wire fraud for trying to extort $10,000 from a company and then defacing its website by redirecting its home page to a pornographic site.
A federal judge on Monday sentenced Tavis Irvin Tso of Tempe to serve four years of probation and pay over $9,100 of restitution to the victim, a Phoenix company not identified in court records.
Records say Tso provided IT services to the company and used its account to make changes to its website, with the changes preventing employees from using their email accounts and blocking the home page.
Tso then offered to return everything to normal for $10,000 and redirected the home page to a porn site when the company refused to pay.
ROCKLIN, Calif. (AP) — A Northern California school board voted unanimously to keep its literature policies following months of controversy over a book about a transgender child that a teacher read to a kindergarten class.
The Rocklin Academy Family of Schools also adopted a provision to give parents advance notice if a controversial topic will be discussed in class.
The vote late Monday came during a packed meeting that included hours of emotional and often tearful testimony, the Sacramento Bee reported ( ).
The controversy began June 7 when a transgender student brought the children's book "I Am Jazz" and her teacher read it to her kindergarten class. "I Am Jazz" is the story of a real-life transgender girl named Jazz Jennings.
The controversy grew over the summer with some parents expressing concerns that there was no warning the book would be read and some saying parents should have a say in what students learn. Others supported the decision to read the book.
The book was part of the California Department of Education's recommended reading list and was given to the teacher by a transgender student in the process of transitioning, the school said.
Wendy Sickler, a parent of two children at Rocklin Gateway Academy, said her "concern is that a book that was read was outside the curriculum, and it was a sensitive topic, and the parents weren't notified."
But Sickler felt stronger changes are needed than those brought before the school board.
"Today I come here with an open mind," she said. "I do believe the proposal in the board packet is loose. It says they will endeavor to notify. I do not think that is strong, and I don't think it makes staff accountable. If that is the policy that is in place, I will not support that."
Some families have pulled their children from the school, though the number is disputed between the divided factions.
After the vote, school board member Larry Steiner pleaded with parents to come together and move forward now that a decision had been made.
"Please let this end tonight," he said. "We cannot forget Rocklin Academy is a school of choice. The hostility has to end. Let's bring back our sense of community."
SPOKANE, Wash. (AP) — A man arrested in the kidnapping of a Cheney marijuana store employee has given a jailhouse confession to a Spokane television station.
Donovan Culps told KHQ-TV Monday that he shot Cameron Smith several times after Smith declined to sell him pot products because he didn't have identification.
The 36-year-old Culps told the station he was having a bad day and that Smith "got the ugly side of it."
Culps is in a Spokane jail on accusations of kidnapping and robbery. He has not been charged for killing Smith.
Culps' niece, 18-year-old Violetta Culps, remains at large.
Authorities say the 46-year-old Smith was abducted from the parking lot of Lucid Marijuana on Sept. 10 as he was eating lunch in his car.
Culps was arrested in Goldendale on Thursday.
___
Information from: KHQ-TV,
BELLINGHAM, Wash. (AP) — Feeding deer could soon be against the law for one Washington city, as the animals are invading a local neighborhood at an out-of-control rate.
KOMO-TV reports ( ) dozens of deer and a growing number of several others are frequently being spotted around the South Hill neighborhood of Bellingham.
Bellingham City Council President Michael Lilliquist says the number of deer is getting out of control because "people are intentionally feeding the deer."
Lilliquist says the city is considering a ban on feeding deer.
It is not yet clear what consequences neighbors would face if they continue to feed the animals, but some residents and officials hope is will begin to solve the growing problem.
It is not yet clear when the Bellingham City Council will vote on the proposed ordinance.
___
Information from: KOMO-TV,
SANTA ANA, Calif. (AP) — A Southern California man who admitted posing as a fire inspector to con businesses out of cash has been sentenced to six months in jail.
Brian Lee Carsten pleaded guilty last week to misdemeanor charges including impersonating fire personnel.
Authorities say Carsten told the owners of businesses that he was a fire marshal there to do an inspection. He then told the owners they had violated fire codes and provided an invoice, which they paid.
Prosecutors say Carsten focused on immigrant-owned businesses where owners did not speak English.
The Orange County Register reported Monday ( ) that the 37-year-old must serve three years' probation and pay back the money he took from the businesses.
TORRANCE, Calif. (AP) — A Pieology spokeswoman says an employee for the California-based pizza chain was fired after writing "(obscenity) The Cops" on a receipt for a local police officer's takeout order.
The Los Angeles Daily News reports ( ) the officer, who was in uniform Thursday at Pieology in Torrance, did not respond and left a tip when the female cashier handed him the receipt with the obscene anti-police message, a gesture that started a firestorm Monday on social media.
A Pieology spokeswoman says the employee was fired and the worker's message does not reflect the attitude of the Rancho Santa Margarita-based restaurant.
The officer, who declined to speak publicly Monday and asked a department spokesman to speak for him, did not talk to the server. Instead, he decided not to make a scene.
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