Long, Hard Job Ahead for Wildland Firefighters in California
Tim King Salem-News.comNational Guard forces are working with firefighters in an effort to bring the hundreds of early season fires to a close in this dry state.
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) - 
Dry and hot weather conditions across central and northern California are increasing the difficulty for firefighters. They continue to battle hundreds of wildfires sparked by dry lightning and thunderstorms two weeks ago. So far, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reports hundreds of fires have been contained, but hundreds of other fires continue to burn and they now threaten a number of communities.
Accuweather.com forecasters report that the fire in Santa Barbara County is threatening as many as 200 homes in Goleta. Farther to the north, the Big Sur fire has scorched more than 60,000 acres, and it is only 3 percent contained at this point. Among the communities and homes threatened by the wildfires, is the historic town of Big Sur and the town of Lucia. The Associated Press reports that authorities ordered the remaining residents of the communities to leave after the out-of-control wildfire jumped a fire line and threatened more homes Wednesday.
Iraqi Criminals Receive Chance to Start New Lives
Salem-News.com"I ask that when you begin to build your new life, establish it on the new Iraqi laws," - Salem Bedin, Jisr Diyala city council leader
(BAGHDAD, Iraq) - 
A number of Iraqi citizens were released from the Jisr Diyala JSS, following a reconciliation ceremony, June 25th. The JSS are the patrol bases where U.S. soldiers, Iraqi police, and Iraqi army units operate from within the neighborhoods in Baghdad.
U.S. officials say the ceremony, which is held once a month, is a chance for the former detainees to reunite with their families and celebrate returning to their villages.
Eighteen men were detained after being found guilty of criminal acts in this instance. U.S. officials report that the reintegration process offers these citizens the chance to make amends for the mistakes of their past and start fresh.
Medical Marijuana Questions Answered by Salem-News.com`s Dr. Phil Leveque (VIDEO)
Bonnie King and Dr. Phil Leveque Salem-News.comThis is the 21st installment of Salem-News.com's special video series on medical marijuana.
(SALEM. Ore.) - 
In our latest medical marijuana question and answer video, Dr. Phil Leveque and Bonnie King go over a number of questions sent to us by our viewers about the legal ins and outs of medical marijuana in Oregon as well as other states.
This is the 21st edition of this special series; and it is the only service of this type available in the world. Dr. Phil Leveque is a physician, toxicologist and pharmacologist, and his experience with this subject is almost unrivaled.
Anyone with questions about what is legal and what is not legal in regard to medical marijuana, is encouraged to write to us at the email address listed below. We will do our best to answer your questions through a video segment, or through email.
Iran Doesn`t Have Illegal Nukes; but Israel Has Hundreds
Tim King Salem-News.comIf speculation and rumors add up, George W Bush could be planning an attack on another innocent nation of people.
(SALEM, Ore.) - 
The investigative journalist who revealed both the My Lai Massacre in Vietnam and Abu Ghraib military torture scandal in Iraq, Seymour Hersh, says his sources have revealed that the United States is very close to staging an attack against Iran. He told NPR that Congress' is already funding covert military operations, information that will be part of the upcoming issue of The New Yorker.
For his part, Bush dismissed the idea that his administration is planning to attack Iran as "wild speculation". His pattern of grave military errors up until now however, is certainly no reassurance that he isn't lying.
Even though former President Jimmy Carter revealed to the world that Israel has hundreds of armed nuclear weapons pointed at targets around the world illegally, our cowboy president George "W" Bush is still injecting lie after lie into the news media about Iran's nuclear program.
Depression in U.S. is Looming: What are People Going to Do?
Tim King Salem-News.comWhat would John Steinbeck think?
(SALEM, Ore.) - 
It seems fair to state that even years into the war in Iraq, most of us figured we would get through this difficult national period. It wasn't the case for those who lost loved ones in the fighting overseas, but it still looked like the majority of American families might be able at least eventually, see the dawning of a new, better, and more peaceful era.
But now the ground is shaking beneath our very feet, and a natural disaster is not causing it, at least not all of it. A man-made disaster fueled by greed among our richest citizens has caused it, and that greed comes in the form of war, oil, oppression, and monetary insecurity.
Combine that with the way so many Americans live beyond their means through credit card debt, and you have real serious problems for millions who are used to living well, and have almost no concept yet of how bad things could be.
Benny and Sid`s #1 Your Public Service Announcements
Glen Bledsoe Salem-News.comSalem-News.com premiers the new comic strip series Benny & Sid's Your Public Service Announcements (#1) and retires Nota Bene
(Salem) - 
Just at the crest of its popularity Salem-News.com's ever-popular comic strip Nota Bene by Leonard ceases following it's one-hundredth issue.
To find out more about the how and why of this historic event, please read the following interview with the creator of Nota Bene, Leonardo of Salem.
Salem-News.com Announces New Online Oregon Comic Strip
Salem-News.comSalem-News.com artist Glen Bledsoe, AKA "Leonardo", releases new original comic strip, celebrates 100 editions of 'Nota Bene'.
(SALEM, Ore.) - 
Just at the crest of its popularity Salem-News.com's ever-popular comic strip Nota Bene by Leonard ceases following it's one-hundredth issue.
The creator of Nota Bene, Leonardo of Salem, AKA Glen Bledsoe, has been busy generating the completely unique Oregon cartoon strip since the first edition was published on Salem-News.com August 6th, 2006. Poignant and politically relevant, the series utilizes movie frames highly customized through Glen's unique touch. The new series, Benny and Sid`s Your Public Service Announcements, is more unique; the artwork in the new series is entirely created by Glen from scratch.
Few people seem to enjoy their professional careers more than Glen and Karen Bledsoe. When Glen joined Salem-News.com he was working as a university professor. Today he is lending his skills toward an even more important set; elementary school students.
Lake Forest California Boy Abducted After His Mother Was Shot
Salem-News.comThe suspect vehicle that police are on the lookout for is a red Porsche with California license number 4BWU827, or possibly a white Chevy Suburban with California license number 5LTC712. Both vehicles appear to belong to the shooting and abduction suspect.
(LAKE FOREST, Calif.) - 
The California Highway Patrol issued an Amber Alert late Wednesday after a nine-year old Lake Forest boy was abducted and his mother was shot in Lake Forest on Wednesday night.
Police report that Ryan Ramos is a Hispanic male. No further description is available. The photo shows Ryan as a boy with dark hair and a slender build.
The suspect in both the shooting and the boy's abduction, is the boy's estranged father, 43-year old Lonnie Ramos. He is described as a Hispanic male who is six foot three inches tall and weighs approximately 180 pounds.
Family Of Robbery Suspect Blames Retired Marine for Fatal Shooting
Tim King Salem-News.com'If you want to kick a tiger in the ass, you'd better have a plan for dealing with his teeth.' - comment about this story on Topix.com
(PLANTATION, Fla.) - 
A Florida newspaper reported that John Lovell had just finished dinner at about 11:15 PM that night in June 2007, when the two men armed with guns quickly entered a Subway shop and demanded cash.
It seems like it could have ended there, but instead the men turned to Lovell and demanded his money, and then according to Police, tried to force him into a bathroom. The retired Marine apparently feigned dropping his wallet, and instead of picking it up, brandished a 9mm handgun and brought the robbery to a swift close.
Op Ed: `The Band Plays On`
But Do We Hear The Real Music?
By Henry Clay Ruark for Salem-News.com
Democracy dies without citizen attention and action.
(EUGENE, Ore.) - 
"...And the band played on"... That familiar phrase --from “the Titanic-disaster when the band played while the ship sank”-- very precisely pronounces our current status re patriotism true to American principles, on July 4th 2008 --well into the 21st Century.
We hear the music --meant to reassure us-- and we seek out any possible lifeboat, as the ship sinks; with similar results for far too many passengers.
We are very chary about DOING what proves up our real and true devotion to the nation AND its Founding Principles: Making sure the ship does NOT sink --and that our captain knows an iceberg when it towers over us.
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