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Kirkuk IPs: Dangerous, Most Sought After Occupation

Part 2 of a 3 part series from an Oregonian serving in Iraq: Once Selected, Transformation from Civilian to Iraqi Police Recruit is swift.

(KIRKUK, Iraq) - Their training regiment is similar to what a police officer may endure during training in the U.S.; however what these recruits learn in 10 weeks, their U.S. counterparts learn in six months, according to 1st Lt. Christopher C. Harris, a 1-10th Mountain Division PTT-P.

“The difference between U.S. police and Iraqi police is they don’t have the luxury of time…they have to learn quickly with less training and equipment, in a more hostile environment,” Harris, an active duty military policeman said.

Salem Riverfront Carousel Hosts Family Holiday Traditions (VIDEO)

The Carousel is OPEN Christmas Day and New Years Day: free rides with a canned food donation.

(SALEM, Ore.) - Traditions come in many forms, and this one goes around and around. The Salem Riverfront Carousel began hosting Santa and his reindeer 4 years ago, and it's a regular stop for him now. Arriving on the Santa Express every year the day after Thanksgiving, Santa then makes himself at home through Christmas Eve, greeting children and even taking a few rides around the carousel himself.

Kids and their families are invited to join Santa for breakfast up until Christmas, and they can even watch as the woodcarvers create more magical carousel horses.

Gift Cards Help The Salvation Army Address Critical Needs this Holiday Season

$200,000 from Wal-Mart to be distributed among eight U.S. communities with great need this Christmas.

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Wal-Mart will lend a hand to The Salvation Army with one more holiday gift this season. Local Salvation Army corps in eight U.S. cities each received $25,000, for a total of $200,000, which will be presented by a local Wal-Mart store in each community.

The stores presented each corps with 500 gift cards, which The Salvation Army will then distribute to families and individuals in each area whose needs are especially critical.

Soldiers Deliver Season’s Tidings to Iraqi Children

What started out as a suggestion, snowballed into 200 packages full of toys, candy and blankets.

(KIRKUK, Iraq) - The 2nd Brigade, 4th Iraqi Army Division invited coalition forces to a Christmas party, at an Assyrian Christian School in Kirkuk, Iraq, December 15th.

Representing approximately 2 percent of the population here, according to military officials, the underlining theme of this year’s celebration was ethnic and religious diversity. “Kirkuk is a good place to be for Christians…a place where all ethnic groups, Arab, Kurd, Turkman, and Christian, are living in peace,” said the priest of the Christian school.

Army Homosexuals: Let Them Serve

This article was originally published in December 2007.

(SALEM Ore.) - CBS Sixty Minutes recently carried a story about homosexuality in the Army. The Army system of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" is and was, a failure from the start. In WWII, my war, we had some, and if they wanted to get out all they had to do was to go to their commanding officer and tell him, "Sir, I am queer".

This didn't always work. A guy in my infantry company tried to get out and avoid possible overseas battle service. The Captain told him, "We'll discuss it when we get to France". I saw many eight balls in the Army. How many actually got out, who knows?

Guantanamo Detainee Al Darbi Charged in Terrorist Attacks

Mr. al Darbi was allegedly involved in planning attacks on a vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and off the coast of Yemen.

(GUANTANAMO BAY, Cuba) - The Office of Military Commissions announced today that Charges have been sworn against Guantanamo detainee Ahmed Mohammed Ahmed Haza al Darbi of Saudi Arabia, held in extrajudicial detention in the United States Guantanamo Bay detainment camps, in Cuba.

Government officials say the accused, al Darbi, is the brother-in-law of the Flight 77 hijacker al Mihdhar. Flight 77 is the plane that hit the Pentagon on 9/11. According to the official list of detainees, released on May 15, 2006 Al Darbi was born on January 9, 1975, in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Keizer Burglary Interrupted by Property Owner

This burglary was very similar in nature to a burglary that was reported to the Keizer Police Department yesterday, December 20th, in the same neighborhood.

(KEIZER, Ore.) - Keizer Police officers were dispatched to a residential burglary that had just been interrupted by the homeowner this morning at 10:00 AM, at 4789 Tate Avenue North.

Keizer Police Captain Jeff Kuhns says the home is under construction at this time, but is nearing completion. The homeowner had apparently stopped by the residence and upon entering the garage she saw the suspect fleeing from it. The suspect was last seen running on foot towards an orchard that is adjacent to this residence.

Multiple Burglaries Lead to Arrest of Sex Offender

Several items of clothing and other personal property were stolen during in the burglaries and later recovered inside Sitton's home.

(CORVALLIS, Ore.) - Police in Corvallis say that between August 25th, 2007 and October 23rd, 2007, seven local residents were victims of residential burglary. In each burglary, the victims were home during the commission of the crime and each time the suspect entered through unlocked doors and windows.

Members of the Corvallis Police Department, Benton County Sheriff's Office Street Crimes Unit, investigated the crimes and linked them all to one man, Bruce A. Sitton, who is a registered sex-offender.

Salem Resident Dies in Early Morning Ice Related Crash

Excessive speed and icy conditions have been identified as contributing factors in this fatal crash.

(SALEM, Ore.) - A Marion County deputy driving home from work this morning was the first person at the scene of a crash involving two vehicles that left a 24-year old Salem resident dead.

This morning at 7:34 AM, Deputy Ryan Postlewaight came across the two vehicle head on crash at Vitae Springs Road S. approximately 1/2 a mile south of the Skyline Road S. intersection.

Family Members Find Fatal Crash Scene South of Oregon City

Highway 213 was closed until about 11:00 AM.

(MOLALLA, Ore.) - A Molalla-area man died early Friday morning in a single vehicle crash on Highway 213. Police say it happened about 1/4 mile north of Spangler Road south of Oregon City. The victim was found by family members after he failed to arrive at work this morning.

Investigators say that around 8:00 AM, the victim's red 1997 Chevrolet Blazer was found about 35 feet off Highway 213 near milepost 8 in a creek. The lone occupant, 26-year old Mark Lester Salvetti of Molalla, reportedly left for work in Oregon City about 4:30 AM and failed to arrive.