Albuquerque news

• Colo. Senate panel kills electronic open records bill

  24-02-2016 23:59
  
  DENVER — A Republican-led state Senate committee has voted to defeat a bill to modernize Colorado’s open records law. The bill would have made more government records available in their original computerized formats, rather than paper, so that the public can better analyze them. The State, Veterans and Military Affairs Committee voted 3-2 along party […]
  
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• Teenage boys testify about suspect in Arizona terror case

  24-02-2016 23:12
  
  PHOENIX — Two teenage boys testified at a terrorism trial in Phoenix about how the defendant befriended them and repeatedly talked about how he wanted to kill non-Muslims and people at an anti-Islam event in Texas. The 13- and 15-year-old boys testified Wednesday against Abdul Malik Abdul Kareem, who is standing trial on charges that […]
  
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• Man waives extradition in 1960 death of Texas beauty queen

  24-02-2016 23:12
  
  PHOENIX — An 83-year-old Arizona man accused of murdering a Texas beauty queen when he was a young priest in 1960 has waived his right to extradition. Maricopa County Superior Court officials say John Feit will be transported to Texas in the next 30 days. Feit was arrested in Scottsdale, Arizona, on Feb. 9 after […]
  
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• Study: Tourist pot complaints up at Colo. emergency rooms

  24-02-2016 23:09
  
  DENVER — Colorado’s tourists aren’t just buying weed now that it’s legal — they’re ending up in emergency rooms at rates far higher than residents, according to a new study. Doctors reviewed marijuana-related emergency-room admissions at a hospital near Denver International Airport during 2014, when the sale of recreational pot became legal. The results will […]
  
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• Man charged with using social media to find burglary victims

  24-02-2016 23:08
  
  FULLERTON, Calif. — A maintenance worker is charged with using social media to track dozens of college women in order to burglarize their Orange County homes and sorority houses. The Orange County Register (http://bit.ly/1XMN2lZ) says Arturo Galvan of Menifee appeared in court on Tuesday. He has pleaded not guilty to burglary and remains jailed. Galvan […]
  
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• Albuquerque man gets prison term for robbing 4 businesses

  24-02-2016 23:08
  
  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — An Albuquerque man has been sentenced to nine years in federal prison after being convicted of robbing four commercial businesses. Federal prosecutors say 56-year-old David Savoy Thomas will be on supervised release for three years following his term of incarceration. Thomas was arrested in December 2013 after being indicted in the case. […]
  
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• No charges against Austin police officer in fatal shooting

  24-02-2016 22:48
  
  AUSTIN, Texas — An Austin police officer will not face charges in the fatal shooting of a gunman who had fired at a law enforcement helicopter. Prosecutors on Wednesday announced a Travis County grand jury declined to indict Officer Luke Serrato in the Feb. 7 fatal shooting of Sawyer Flache. Officers responded to a 911 […]
  
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• Arizona prosecutor boycotts iPhones over Apple-vs.-FBI fight

  24-02-2016 22:47
  
  PHOENIX — The prosecutor’s office for most of metro Phoenix is boycotting Apple Inc.’s iPhones because of the company’s legal fight with the FBI over accessing a locked and encrypted iPhone used by a gunman in the San Bernardino, California, mass shootings last December. Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said Wednesday his office will discontinue […]
  
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• White House considers Nevada Gov. Sandoval for Supreme Court

  24-02-2016 22:46
  
  WASHINGTON — Two people familiar with the process say the White House is considering Republican Gov. Brian Sandoval of Nevada as one of several potential nominees to the Supreme Court. The nomination of a Republican would be seen as an attempt by President Obama to court the Senate GOP. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has […]
  
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• Feds want proof for ACA exchange special enrollment windows

  24-02-2016 22:46
  
  The federal government is tightening loopholes that let customers on the Affordable Care Act’s public insurance exchanges buy coverage outside the law’s annual enrollment window. That could ease a major concern health insurers have about the exchanges. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said Wednesday that it will start requiring documentation or proof from […]
  
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• Coast Guard initially didn’t think El Faro was sinking

  24-02-2016 22:46
  
  When an initial report arrived saying the captain of the cargo ship El Faro had called ashore for help, the U.S. Coast Guard didn’t believe the vessel was at risk of sinking and later had software problems while preparing a response plan. Still, Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Matthew Chancery testified Wednesday at an […]
  
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• New: Fey talks ‘Whiskey,’ NM at MPAA event

  24-02-2016 22:43
  
  Tina Fey has been making the rounds promoting her upcoming film “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot.” At a screening in Washington D.C. hosted by Paramount Pictures and the Motion Picture Association of America, Fey chatted about the film and why the production chose New Mexico. “Whiskey Tango Foxtrot” is based on the true story of Kim Barker, […]
  
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• Police: Man wanted in theft from museum also wanted in theft from UNM

  24-02-2016 22:38
  
  The man wanted in the theft of the bronze dog statue from the Albuquerque Museum of Art and History is also wanted for stealing a lap top computer and lab equipment from the University of New Mexico, according to a statement released by Albuquerque Metropolitan Crime Stoppers. According to the statement, on Jan. 24 Johnathan […]
  
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• Judge: Omaree Varela’s mother competent to stand trial

  24-02-2016 22:32 via krqe.com
  
  ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – The wait to determine if Synthia Varela-Casaus, the woman accused and charged with kicking to death her 9-year-old son Omaree, will go to trial is over.
  A judge has deemed Varela-Casaus competent to stand trial more than two years after Omaree’s death. A scheduling conference is set for March 2nd to determine a trial date.
  Since the child’s death in late 2013, Varela-Casaus’ attorneys have argued that she’s not fit for trial and that she can&rsq
  
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• Excitement for Trump breaks Nevada GOP turnout record

  24-02-2016 22:32 via krqe.com
  
  LAS VEGAS (AP) — First time caucus-goers were energized by Donald Trump’s angry outsider campaign and flooded the polls, driving turnout to record levels in Nevada’s first-in-the-West presidential preference event.
  Trump received 34,531 votes in Tuesday night’s contest, more than the total number of people who caucused four years ago. The Nevada Republican Party said Wednesday that attendance at its latest caucus set a record with more than 75,000 voters who cast bal
  
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• Heavy snow, strong winds whip through Midwest

  24-02-2016 22:05
  
  CHICAGO — A powerful storm brought heavy snow and biting winds to parts of the Midwest on Wednesday, leading to mass flight cancellations at Chicago airports and school closings in several states. Airlines cancelled more than 1,000 flights to and from Chicago’s major airports. Most were at O’Hare, but Southwest Airlines cancelled all of its […]
  
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• Court: FBI OK to not notify of Minutemen home invasion

  24-02-2016 22:03
  
  TUCSON, Ariz. — A federal appeals court has ruled that the FBI didn’t have an obligation to notify local authorities about a planned home invasion that later resulted in the deaths of a man and his young daughter in southern Arizona. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a lower court’s dismissal of the […]
  
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• Report: Sheriff was told he had no authority in Scalia death

  24-02-2016 22:02
  
  DALLAS — A sheriff’s report offers a detailed account of the hours after Antonin Scalia’s body was found in Texas, describing how the owner of the luxury resort where the Supreme Court justice died told the sheriff he had no authority in the matter. The report also includes a reference to a pillow that spawned […]
  
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• Dogs that mauled 4 children euthanized

  24-02-2016 22:02
  
  RUSH, Colo. — Authorities in El Paso County have euthanized three dogs that that mauled children over the weekend. KRDO-TV reports (http://bit.ly/1TG6IIM) that the three Great Danes were euthanized by the El Paso County Sheriff’s Office after the attacks Saturday that injured four children, three of whom required surgery. The dogs’ owner, who runs a […]
  
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• Bundys, others plead not guilty to Oregon refuge charges

  24-02-2016 22:01
  
  PORTLAND, Ore. — Ammon Bundy and another 15 defendants have pleaded not guilty to a federal conspiracy charge related to the armed takeover of an Oregon wildlife refuge. U.S. District Judge Anna Brown reminded the defendants Wednesday that they are considered innocent until proven guilty. Several of the accused doubted that assertion. One of them, […]
  
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• Lockdown: Apple could make it even tougher to hack phones

  24-02-2016 21:53 via krqe.com
  
  SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Suppose the FBI wins its court battle and forces Apple to help unlock an iPhone used by one of the San Bernardino killers. That could open all iPhones up to potential government scrutiny — but it’s not the end of the story.
  Turns out there’s a fair bit both individuals and Apple could do to FBI-proof their phones and shield private information from investigators and cybercriminals alike. Those measures include multiple passcodes and longer, more compl
  
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• Updated: Officials: Man who lost ownership of home shot deputies

  24-02-2016 21:51
  
  BAILEY, Colo. — A man who lost ownership of his home two years ago and sued to stop his foreclosure opened fire on three law enforcement officers trying to serve an eviction notice Wednesday near this Colorado mountain community, killing one and wounding the others, authorities said. The officers fired back, killing the gunman. One […]
  
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• Senate GOP leader holds fast in blocking Obama court pick

  24-02-2016 21:50
  
  WASHINGTON — Democratic foes gloat that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has guided his Republicans into a political dead end with his unbending edict that President Barack Obama’s successor will fill the Supreme Court vacancy and replace Justice Antonin Scalia. The six-term Kentucky Republican has abysmal public approval ratings nationwide. Polling suggests independent voters side […]
  
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• Homeless gnomes: Pennsylvania state park evicts tiny houses

  24-02-2016 21:50
  
  NEWPORT, Pa. — Nearly 40 gnome homes have been evicted from a Pennsylvania state park after a decision change sent them packing. Pennlive.com reports (http://bit.ly/1Qyu9NG ) that park management at Little Buffalo State Park gave permission for Steve Hoke to create the mini, magical houses in December. Since then, he has made 38 tiny houses […]
  
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• Senators reach tentative deal on Flint water crisis aid

  24-02-2016 21:12 via krqe.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — Senators from both parties reached a tentative deal Wednesday to address a water crisis in Flint, Michigan, and allow a long-stalled energy bill to move forward.
  A proposal by Sens. Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., James Inhofe, R-Okla., would authorize $100 million in emergency aid to fix and replace the city’s lead-contaminated pipes, as well as $70 million in loans to improve its water infrastructure. The deal also authorizes $50 million nationwide to bolster lead-preve
  
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• Suit planned challenging Peabody mine clean up funding

  24-02-2016 20:52 via krqe.com
  
  STEAMBOAT SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) – An environmental group plans to sue financially-troubled coal giant Peabody Energy, claiming it doesn’t have the money to make good on its promise to clean up its mines in Colorado, New Mexico and Wyoming.
  The Steamboat Today newspaper reports that WildEarth Guardians notified the St. Louis-based company Monday that it intends to file a lawsuit claiming it is violating the federal mine reclamation law. It’s required to provide 60-days notice
  
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• Navajo Nation president OKs bill for water, sanitation projects

  24-02-2016 20:49 via krqe.com
  
  WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. (AP) – Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye has approved legislation to fund dozens of water and sanitation projects across the reservation.
  Thousands of Navajos live without running water or access to good quality drinking water. Begaye says the bill will ensure Navajo communities have sufficient water and foster economic development.
  The tribe will use $180 million over five years for the projects. The money comes from the principle of a fund established with a $554
  
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• 4 in custody after mall incident

  24-02-2016 20:23
  
  Four teenagers were taken into custody at Coronado Mall Tuesday night around 9 p.m.
  
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• Pediatrician appeals child porn conviction, asks to get out of prison

  24-02-2016 20:20 via krqe.com
  
  ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – A pediatrician who got busted with child porn is trying to get out of prison while he appeals his conviction.
  Juan Torrez Santos’ attorney told the judge that his client isn’t a flight risk because he has ties to the community.
  Santos was convicted last October of downloading child pornography. He was sentenced to 14 months behind bars.
  In November, Santos and his attorney filed a motion for him to be released while waiting on the outcome of an appeal.
  On W
  
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• UPS invests in same-day delivery company Deliv

  24-02-2016 19:57
  
  NEW YORK — UPS, looking for ways to get goods to shoppers faster, is investing in same-day delivery company Deliv. Deliv, founded nearly four years ago, works with Macy’s Inc., Kohl’s Corp. and other retailers to deliver online orders within the same day. Shoppers select same-day delivery when they’re about to buy something from the […]
  
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• Rockies adjust to spring training without Jose Reyes

  24-02-2016 19:52
  
  SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — The Colorado Rockies have had some of the uncertainty surrounding Jose Reyes’ status resolved, at least for spring training, but manager Walt Weiss says he understands the process is still unfolding. The four-time All-Star shortstop has been placed on paid leave under Major League Baseball’s new domestic violence policy pending the outcome […]
  
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• Late night fire at UNM fraternity house spurs investigation

  24-02-2016 19:46 via krqe.com
  
  ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – Tuesday night, firefighters were called to an old fraternity house on the University of New Mexico campus.
  They were dispatched after a fire alarm went off at the old Sigma Phi Epsilon house at 1705 Mesa Vista.
  When firefighters arrived they found a small fire under the staircase. The building is vacant.
  Investigators are still trying to figure out how the fire started and if it was an accident or intentional.
  
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• Albuquerque man sentenced for series of armed robberies

  24-02-2016 19:44 via krqe.com
  
  ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – A federal judge has sentenced an Albuquerque man for a series of armed robberies.
  The crime spree started in 2010 when David Thomas held up a McDonald’s for just $60.
  Police say he also used a knife to hold up a Family Dollar twice in one week.
  Thomas then returned to the same shopping center using a gun to get nearly $4,000 from a Check-N-Go.
  When police went to arrest Thomas in 2013, he bit an officer’s thumb.
  Thomas was sentenced to nine years.
  
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• Judge approves $1B settlement between US and tribes

  24-02-2016 19:08 via krqe.com
  
  ALBUQUERQUE (AP) – A judge has approved a nearly $1 billion settlement between the Interior Department and Native American tribes over a decades-old claim that the government failed to adequately compensate tribes while they managed education, law enforcement and other federal services.
  U.S. District Court Judge James Parker in Albuquerque gave the agreement final approval Tuesday – about five months after federal officials and tribal leaders announced they had reached a deal to sett
  
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• Breaking: ABQ judge approves $1B settlement between US and tribes

  24-02-2016 18:53
  
  ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — A judge has approved a nearly $1 billion settlement between the Interior Department and Native American tribes over a decades-old claim that the government failed to adequately compensate tribes while they managed education, law enforcement and other federal services. U.S. District Court Judge James Parker in Albuquerque gave the agreement final approval […]
  
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• Navajo president OKs bill for water, sanitation projects

  24-02-2016 18:52
  
  WINDOW ROCK, Ariz. — Navajo Nation President Russell Begaye has approved legislation to fund dozens of water and sanitation projects across the reservation. Thousands of Navajos live without running water or access to good quality drinking water. Begaye says the bill will ensure Navajo communities have sufficient water and foster economic development. The tribe will […]
  
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• Teen arrested for threat that closed Colo. schools

  24-02-2016 18:41
  
  ELLICOTT, Colo. — A 15-year-old student has been arrested for allegedly posting a message on social media that led to the closure of schools in a small district east of Colorado Springs. The Gazette (http://bit.ly/1oB3OIi) reports that the teen was arrested Tuesday on suspicion of influencing a public official, a felony, and interfering with a […]
  
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• Judge rules ‘San Antonio 4’ deserve new trial in rape cases

  24-02-2016 18:41
  
  SAN ANTONIO — A judge says four San Antonio women were wrongfully convicted of sexually assaulting two young girls in a case that criminal justice advocates have long championed. Texas District Judge Pat Priest on Tuesday ordered a new trial for the so-called “San Antonio 4,” but he didn’t declare them innocent, which would make […]
  
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• Colorado right-to-die bill fails; Sponsors: Not enough votes

  24-02-2016 18:41
  
  DENVER — The House sponsors of a Colorado right-to-die bill have withdrawn their legislation, conceding they didn’t have the votes for it to pass this election year. Democratic Reps. Joann Ginal of Fort Collins and Lois Court of Denver tearfully vowed before a hushed House chamber that they will try again next year. The bill […]
  
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• The Latest: Kasich goes after Rubio as bad investment

  24-02-2016 18:40
  
  WASHINGTON — The Latest on the 2016 presidential campaign (all times local): 12:12 p.m. John Kasich’s campaign is unleashing a stream of attacks against Marco Rubio, saying it’s time to “rethink the conventional wisdom” that Rubio is the establishment’s best hope for defeating Donald Trump. Kasich’s campaign has sent three memos to reporters in fewer […]
  
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• For some turned-off GOP voters, grudging acceptance of Trump

  24-02-2016 18:40
  
  MIDLOTHIAN, Va. — Sheila Covert is worried about Donald Trump. A loyal Republican voter from swing state Virginia, Covert calls the businessman “bombastic” and says there’s “just no substance” in his boastful campaign rhetoric. But if Trump does become the GOP presidential nominee? “Well, I’d definitely vote for him,” said Covert, an 81-year-old from the […]
  
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• The Latest: Michigan government offices close due to storm

  24-02-2016 18:39
  
  CHICAGO — The Latest on the winter storm moving through parts of the Midwest (all times local): 12:35 p.m. Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder has closed many state government offices due to a winter storm that could bring 8-12 inches of snow. All Lower Peninsula state offices closed at noon Wednesday. The State Emergency Operations Center […]
  
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• Speaker: Legal steps to stop Obama from closing Guantanamo

  24-02-2016 18:15 via krqe.com
  
  WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Paul Ryan said Wednesday Republicans are taking legal steps to stop President Barack Obama from closing the U.S. prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, a day after the president unveiled his plan to shutter the facility and move terror suspects to the United States.
  Ryan told reporters that lawmakers have the votes to block Obama’s plan in Congress and enough votes to override any veto. Separately, the Wisconsin Republican said the GOP is “preparing our
  
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• Tornadoes ravage South, threat remains for more twisters

  24-02-2016 18:13 via krqe.com
  
  PENSACOLA, Fla. (AP) — Tornadoes ripped through an RV park in Louisiana and significantly damaged nearly 100 homes and apartments in Florida as a deadly storm system rolled across the South, and forecasters warned that more twisters were possible Wednesday along the East Coast.
  At least three people were killed and dozens of people were injured, some critically.
  One of the hardest-hit areas along the Gulf Coast on Tuesday was a recreational vehicle park in the town of Convent, in southern
  
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• Martinez: Some progress, lots of failure in legislative session

  24-02-2016 18:09
  
  Gov. Susana Martinez on Wednesday strongly praised the bipartisan support shown for some key initiatives in this year’s legislative session, but firmly criticized ongoing gridlock that continues to block progress on many issues. “There were some good, some bad, some disappointing and some very encouraging things in the session,” Martinez said during a speech at […]
  
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• Oscar predictions: What will win and what should win

  24-02-2016 17:44
  
  LOS ANGELES — Ahead of Sunday’s 88th Academy Awards, Associated Press film writers Lindsey Bahr and Jake Coyle share their predictions for a ceremony that has everyone guessing: BEST PICTURE The Nominees: “The Big Short,” “Bridge of Spies,” “Brooklyn,” “Mad Max: Fury Road,” “The Martian,” “The Revenant,” “Room,” “Spotlight.” BAHR: Will Win: “The Revenant’s” bravado [&hell
  
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• Law officer fatally shoots machete-wielding man in Houston

  24-02-2016 17:43
  
  HOUSTON — A deputy constable has fatally shot a machete-wielding man who was upset after missing his bus at a Houston terminal. Houston police on Wednesday said autopsy results are pending on the 40-year-old suspect, who died at the scene. The shooting happened Tuesday as a Harris County deputy constable investigated a disturbance at an […]
  
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• Man killed while trying to direct traffic

  24-02-2016 17:42
  
  DEL CITY, Okla. — The Oklahoma Highway Patrol says a Texas man was struck and killed as he stood on an interstate, trying to direct traffic after a previous wreck. The highway patrol says 56-year-old Mark Leaton of Dalhart, Texas, was standing in a lane of Interstate 40 in Del City — just outside Oklahoma […]
  
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• Husband, wife both facing 12 counts after Odessa standoff

  24-02-2016 17:42
  
  ODESSA, Texas — A husband and wife both face 12 counts of attempted capital murder of a peace officer after a standoff in which two Odessa police officers were shot. Ector County District Attorney Bobby Bland said Wednesday that Roy Daniel Garza and Meghan Leanne Garza are charged with the same counts over the December […]
  
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• Gaming chip is helping raise your computer’s IQ

  24-02-2016 17:11
  
  SAN JOSE, Calif. — Facebook, Google and Microsoft are tapping the power of a vintage computer gaming chip to raise your smartphone’s IQ with artificially intelligent programs that recognize faces and voices, translate conversations on the fly and make searches faster and more accurate. It’s part of a trend toward the use of an artificial […]
  
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