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Deputy recovering after confrontation with inmate
by Associated Press
Jun 19, 2013 | 0 views | 0 0 comments | 0 0 recommendations | email to a friend | print
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia sheriff's deputy is recovering from his injuries after authorities say he was attacked by an inmate. The Savannah Morning News reports that the Chatham County deputy was working at the county jail Sunday night when the attack took place. Sheriff's spokeswoman Gena Bilbo said the deputy's injuries are not considered life-threatening. Authorities say a 24-year-old inmate is facing charges in connection with the incident.
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Mum's the word on Hossa amid NHL's injury culture
by JIMMY GOLEN, AP Sports Writer
Jun 19, 2013 | 50 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville listens to a reporter's question during a press conference in Boston, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. The Blackhawks trail the Boston Bruins 2-1 in the best-of-seven series in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville listens to a reporter's question during a press conference in Boston, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. The Blackhawks trail the Boston Bruins 2-1 in the best-of-seven series in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
slideshow
BOSTON (AP) — Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville didn't want to talk about the injury that forced him to scratch forward Marian Hossa from the Stanley Cup finals against the Boston Bruins. And why not? "I think that's self-explanatory," Quenneville said, once again declining to explain the secrecy that is as much a part of the NHL culture as playoff beards and Zambonis. Hossa's surprise scratch from Game 3 and the one-word explanation — "upper" — for the part of his body that was injured is part of a long-running cat-and-mouse game NHL teams play. The theory goes that any revealing information about injuries could become a competitive disadvantage. Hossa is expected to play in Game 4, Quenneville said Tuesday, but only after making it clear that "I'm not going to get (into) exactly what the injury is or where it occurred." "It's sort of a secret society in the hockey world and in the injury world," Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland said. "You don't want other teams having any injury information at all." Asked if he had seen Hossa or had a chance to talk to him, Bolland said, "I don't know." You don't know if you've seen him or talked to him? "I don't know if I've seen him," Bolland repeated with a sly smile. Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots from the depleted Blackhawks to help the Bruins win 2-0 on Monday night and move two wins from their second Stanley Cup title in three seasons. Game 4 is Wednesday night in Boston before the series returns to Chicago for a fifth game. Hossa's mysterious injury may have been a turning point in Game 3, but it's hardly unusual in the secretive world of hockey injuries. Players and coaches say they just don't talk about what's hurting, partly because they don't want to seem weak in a sport where they hit each other for a living. But mostly they don't want let the other team know where to aim. "If I'm going out to battle and I have an injury to any part of my body, I don't want the other side to know what it is," Bruins forward Shawn Thornton said. Injury information can also help the opponent strategize. Quenneville was so concerned about giving the Bruins advance notice of even a few minutes that he didn't let substitute Ben Smith skate in the warmup even though there was a chance he would need to play. "I just didn't want to tip our hand that there's something going on," the coach said. "Ben was ready. I knew he was doing everything," Quenneville said. "We were hopeful that Hoss was playing, and Ben was doing everything to get ready. He was ready." No hard feelings, Bruins coach Claude Julien said. After all, he would do — and has done — the same thing. "I respect that from other teams. When you're playing against each other, you know exactly where everybody is coming from," Julien said. "There's times where you have to protect your players, and I understand it. I know it's frustrating for you guys as media. You're trying to share that information. The most important thing for us, we can take the heat for that, is protecting your players." So, how to tell if an injury is minor? When a team actually admits it exists. "I'll share one with you: Yesterday in a warmup, Zdeno Chara fell down, got a cut over the eye," Julien said, to laughter, of the injury to his captain that had already been confirmed and reported. "I'll let you know about that. That's not a hidden injury." The Bruins also confirmed without delay the broken leg that knocked Gregory Campbell out of the Eastern Conference finals against Pittsburgh. But that was only because Campbell was out for the season after taking a shot to his leg on national TV and struggling to get off the ice. "If it's something that doesn't put your player in danger, I don't see why you shouldn't talk about it," Julien said. Players say they don't have to be told not to discuss injuries; they grow up with the culture in junior and minor leagues. Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp said he doesn't remember when he first learned the subject was off-limits, but it was long before he reached the NHL. And hockey players are not alone. "It's not just here," Thornton said. "I don't think Bill Belichick is (listing) all the injuries they have, either." But even the notoriously uncommunicative New England Patriots coach is required by NFL rules to say what body part is injured. NHL coaches have to narrow it only to "upper body" or "lower body," which means a player with a concussion and one with a broken finger would have the same diagnosis. During the playoffs, information is even more scarce. "It's that time of year where everybody's kind of battling. I would say that not just injuries, strategy, all that kind of information we're not going to talk about," Sharp said. "It's all part of being this close to the ultimate goal." And does he have any injuries he cares to mention? "No comment."
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Chrysler agrees to recall of Jeeps at risk of fire
by DEE-ANN DURBIN and TOM KRISHER, AP Auto Writers
Jun 19, 2013 | 79 views | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
This March 6, 2012 photo provided by the law offices of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP shows the scene of a crash in Bainbridge, Ga., where a 4-year-old boy named Remi Walden was burned and died when a Jeep Grand Cherokee was struck from the rear by a Dodge Dakota pickup truck. Chrysler is expected to file papers Tuesday, June 18, 2013, explaining why it’s refusing to recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP)
This March 6, 2012 photo provided by the law offices of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP shows the scene of a crash in Bainbridge, Ga., where a 4-year-old boy named Remi Walden was burned and died when a Jeep Grand Cherokee was struck from the rear by a Dodge Dakota pickup truck. Chrysler is expected to file papers Tuesday, June 18, 2013, explaining why it’s refusing to recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP)
slideshow
DETROIT (AP) — After initially defying federal regulators, Chrysler abruptly agreed Tuesday to recall some older-model Jeeps with fuel tanks that could rupture and cause fires in rear-end collisions. But the recall, which came in an 11th-hour deal between the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, covers only 1.56 million of the 2.7 million Jeeps that the government wanted repaired. The rest are part of a "customer service action" and many may not get fixed. By giving in to government pressure, Chrysler sidesteps a showdown with NHTSA that could have led to public hearings with witnesses providing details of deadly crashes. The dispute could have landed in court and hurt Chrysler's image and its finances. Yet the deal still leaves some Jeep owners with gas tanks that NHTSA just two weeks ago said were risky. Chrysler maintains that they are safe and need no repairs. Earlier this month, the automaker publicly refused the government's request to recall Jeep Grand Cherokees from model years 1993 through 2004 and Jeep Libertys from 2002 through 2007. NHTSA, the U.S. agency that monitors vehicle safety, contends the Jeep gas tanks can rupture if hit from the rear, spilling gas and causing a fire. NHTSA said a three-year investigation showed 51 people had died in fiery crashes in Jeeps with gas tanks positioned behind the rear axle. Chrysler had until Tuesday to formally respond to NHTSA, but the deal made the response unnecessary. Here's how the recall will work, according to Chrysler: — The company will recall 1.56 million Libertys from 2002 through 2007 and Grand Cherokees from 1993 through 1998. If they don't have factory or Chrysler "Mopar" trailer hitches, dealers will install them. The heavy metal hitches bolt to the frame and help bolster protection for the gas tank. — About 1.2 million Grand Cherokees from the 1999 to 2004 model years will be part of the "customer service action." Owners will get notices saying their vehicles are fine if they have factory or Chrysler trailer hitches. Dealers will inspect other trailer hitches to make sure they're secure. But if the Jeeps don't have trailer hitches, Chrysler won't do anything, maintaining that the Jeeps are safe and do not need any changes. A Chrysler spokesman was not sure how many of the SUVs are without trailer hitches. In a letter to Chrysler dated June 3, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation told the company all of the Jeeps should be recalled. "The defects present an unreasonable risk to motor vehicles," the letter said, "because people ... have burned to death in rear impact crashes." NHTSA began investigating the Jeeps at the request of the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, that also says all the Jeeps should be recalled. "In view of Chrysler's refusal to recall 1999-04 Grand Cherokees, we call on NHTSA to move to an initial determination of a defect in order to force their recall as well," Clarence Ditlow, the center's director, said in a statement late Tuesday. Ditlow also said NHTSA should test the trailer hitches to make sure they protect the gas tanks. An agency spokeswoman said Tuesday evening that she was checking into details of the recall. Chrysler Group LLC, which is majority owned by Fiat SpA of Italy, wouldn't say how much the hitches would cost, although they sell for about $200 each on websites. Erik Gordon, a law and marketing professor at the University of Michigan, said Chrysler realized it was headed for a public-relations disaster and decided to reverse course. "What happened is they get surprised by how loud the hue and cry is," Gordon said. Chrysler's image will still get dinged a little "because it looks as if they have done the right thing only because they were forced to," he said. Chrysler executives probably realized their chance for success was slim because courts have given wide latitude to government regulatory agencies, said David Kelly, former acting NHTSA administrator under President George W. Bush. "They have some very smart people at Chrysler and probably looked into a crystal ball and didn't think this would end the way they wanted it to," Kelly said. NHTSA said in a statement that it's pleased with Chrysler's decision. The agency plans to keep investigating the issue as it reviews recall documentation from Chrysler. Ditlow said he is cautiously optimistic that the solution will make the Jeeps safer. He urged Chrysler to add Jeep Cherokee SUVs from 1993 through 2001 to the recall. The Cherokees are under investigation for the same problem. Chrysler will begin notifying owners about the recall in about a month, the company said. The last time an automaker defied a NHTSA recall request was early in 2011, when Ford refused to call back 1.2 million pickup trucks for defective air bags. Ford later agreed to the recall after NHTSA threatened to hold a rare public hearing on the issue. In a statement on June 4, Chrysler said its review of nearly 30 years of data showed a low number of rear-impact crashes involving fire or a fuel leak in the affected Jeeps. "The rate is similar to comparable vehicles produced and sold during the time in question," the company said. It also said NHTSA left some similar vehicles out of its investigation. But NHTSA found at least 32 rear-impact crashes and fires in Grand Cherokees that caused 44 deaths. It also found at least five rear crashes in Libertys that caused seven deaths. The agency calculated that the older Grand Cherokees and Libertys have fatal crash rates that are about double those of similar vehicles. It compared the Jeeps with the Chevrolet S10 Blazer, Ford Explorer, Toyota 4Runner, Isuzu Rodeo, Isuzu Trooper, Mitsubishi Montero, Suzuki Sidekick and Suzuki XL-7. Among the 51 deaths was Remington "Remi" Walden, a 4-year-old boy from Bainbridge, Ga., who was killed when a 1999 Grand Cherokee driven by his aunt was hit from behind by a pickup truck in March 2012. The child was on his way to a tennis lesson when the SUV was struck. The fuel tank leaked, engulfing the Jeep in flames and killing the boy, according to a lawsuit filed against Chrysler by his family. "Numerous witnesses saw Remi struggling to escape and heard him screaming for help," the lawsuit says. The lawsuit alleges that Chrysler placed the gas tank in a "crush zone" behind the rear axle and knew the location was dangerous, and that the company failed to protect the gas tank against rupturing. In court papers, Chrysler denied the allegations and said the pickup truck driver's negligence was the sole cause of the boy's injuries.
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Judge raises concerns about school cheating case
Jun 19, 2013 | 62 views | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
ATLANTA (AP) — A judge overseeing the case against dozens of Atlanta educators accused of a conspiracy to cheat on standardized tests is expressing concerns about whether their statements to investigators were coerced by investigators. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter addressed prosecutors at a hearing this week, telling them "I am seriously concerned about your case." The judge told prosecutors it appeared to him that defendants had been threatened with the prospect of losing their jobs if they didn't cooperate with the investigation, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. At issue is whether prosecutors improperly relied upon tainted testimony to obtain an indictment. In March, Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Beverly Hall and 34 other educators were named in a 65-count indictment alleging a conspiracy to cheat in order to bolster student test scores. If the judge finds that defendants gave compelled statements to the governor's special investigators or to Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents, prosecutors would then have to prove that they did not use the statements when preparing their case or presenting it to the grand jury. Such a determination would require a lengthy hearing before the trial, with prosecutors having to put up evidence to show they obtained the indictment independently of any compelled statements.
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Stocks edge lower as investors wait on Fed
by STEVE ROTHWELL, AP Markets Writer
Jun 19, 2013 | 173 views | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks edged lower in early trading on Wall Street Wednesday as investors waited for word from the Federal Reserve. The U.S. central bank will release its latest policy update at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Fed chairman Ben Bernanke will speak at a press conference thirty minutes later. The Fed has been buying $85 billion of bonds a month to support an economy that is still struggling to recover following the Great Recession. Comments by Bernanke last month suggesting the central bank may soon ease that support unsettled investors and caused this year's rally in stocks to stall. "All eyes are on Bernanke and markets are being held hostage until he speaks," said Joseph Tanious, Global Market Strategist at J.P. Morgan Funds. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 20 points, or 0.1 percent, to 15,298 in the first half hour of trading. The Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped two points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,649. The Nasdaq composite fell a point, less than 0.1 percent, to 3,481. Bernanke is unlikely to give investors any greater clarity as to when the Fed will start to pull back on its stimulus, Tanious said. Instead, he expects the Fed chairman to reaffirm the bank's view that the U.S. economy is slowly improving and that it will consider reducing the stimulus at some point this year. While stocks may decline in the short term after Wednesday's announcement, they should revive over coming months as investors start to focus on the outlook for the economy and company earnings. "Once we get past Bernanke's testimony today, and once we're past the knee-jerk reaction, whatever it may be, I suspect the markets (to) head higher," said Tanious. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was unchanged from late Tuesday at 2.19 percent. In commodities trading, the price of oil was little changed at $98.67 a barrel. The price of gold dropped $3.80, or 0.3 percent, to $1,371 an ounce. The dollar edged lower against the euro and the Japanese yen. Among stocks making big moves: — Adobe jumped $2.72, or 6.3 percent, to $46.08 after the software maker said that its Creative Cloud subscriptions continued to climb in its fiscal second quarter. — Sprint Nextel fell 24 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $7.08 after satellite TV operator Dish Network said late Tuesday that it wouldn't submit a revised bid for the wireless carrier. — FedEx rose $2.07, or 2.1 percent, to $101.70 after the company posted earnings that beat the expectations of Wall Street analysts.
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Deputy recovering after confrontation with inmate
by Associated Press
Jun 19, 2013 | 0 views | 0 0 comments | 0 0 recommendations | email to a friend | print
SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia sheriff's deputy is recovering from his injuries after authorities say he was attacked by an inmate. The Savannah Morning News reports that the Chatham County deputy was working at the county jail Sunday night when the attack took place. Sheriff's spokeswoman Gena Bilbo said the deputy's injuries are not considered life-threatening. Authorities say a 24-year-old inmate is facing charges in connection with the incident.
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Mum's the word on Hossa amid NHL's injury culture
by JIMMY GOLEN, AP Sports Writer
Jun 19, 2013 | 50 views | 0 0 comments | 4 4 recommendations | email to a friend | print
Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville listens to a reporter's question during a press conference in Boston, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. The Blackhawks trail the Boston Bruins 2-1 in the best-of-seven series in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
Chicago Blackhawks head coach Joel Quenneville listens to a reporter's question during a press conference in Boston, Tuesday, June 18, 2013. The Blackhawks trail the Boston Bruins 2-1 in the best-of-seven series in the Stanley Cup Finals. Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday in Boston. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa)
slideshow
BOSTON (AP) — Chicago Blackhawks coach Joel Quenneville didn't want to talk about the injury that forced him to scratch forward Marian Hossa from the Stanley Cup finals against the Boston Bruins. And why not? "I think that's self-explanatory," Quenneville said, once again declining to explain the secrecy that is as much a part of the NHL culture as playoff beards and Zambonis. Hossa's surprise scratch from Game 3 and the one-word explanation — "upper" — for the part of his body that was injured is part of a long-running cat-and-mouse game NHL teams play. The theory goes that any revealing information about injuries could become a competitive disadvantage. Hossa is expected to play in Game 4, Quenneville said Tuesday, but only after making it clear that "I'm not going to get (into) exactly what the injury is or where it occurred." "It's sort of a secret society in the hockey world and in the injury world," Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland said. "You don't want other teams having any injury information at all." Asked if he had seen Hossa or had a chance to talk to him, Bolland said, "I don't know." You don't know if you've seen him or talked to him? "I don't know if I've seen him," Bolland repeated with a sly smile. Tuukka Rask stopped 28 shots from the depleted Blackhawks to help the Bruins win 2-0 on Monday night and move two wins from their second Stanley Cup title in three seasons. Game 4 is Wednesday night in Boston before the series returns to Chicago for a fifth game. Hossa's mysterious injury may have been a turning point in Game 3, but it's hardly unusual in the secretive world of hockey injuries. Players and coaches say they just don't talk about what's hurting, partly because they don't want to seem weak in a sport where they hit each other for a living. But mostly they don't want let the other team know where to aim. "If I'm going out to battle and I have an injury to any part of my body, I don't want the other side to know what it is," Bruins forward Shawn Thornton said. Injury information can also help the opponent strategize. Quenneville was so concerned about giving the Bruins advance notice of even a few minutes that he didn't let substitute Ben Smith skate in the warmup even though there was a chance he would need to play. "I just didn't want to tip our hand that there's something going on," the coach said. "Ben was ready. I knew he was doing everything," Quenneville said. "We were hopeful that Hoss was playing, and Ben was doing everything to get ready. He was ready." No hard feelings, Bruins coach Claude Julien said. After all, he would do — and has done — the same thing. "I respect that from other teams. When you're playing against each other, you know exactly where everybody is coming from," Julien said. "There's times where you have to protect your players, and I understand it. I know it's frustrating for you guys as media. You're trying to share that information. The most important thing for us, we can take the heat for that, is protecting your players." So, how to tell if an injury is minor? When a team actually admits it exists. "I'll share one with you: Yesterday in a warmup, Zdeno Chara fell down, got a cut over the eye," Julien said, to laughter, of the injury to his captain that had already been confirmed and reported. "I'll let you know about that. That's not a hidden injury." The Bruins also confirmed without delay the broken leg that knocked Gregory Campbell out of the Eastern Conference finals against Pittsburgh. But that was only because Campbell was out for the season after taking a shot to his leg on national TV and struggling to get off the ice. "If it's something that doesn't put your player in danger, I don't see why you shouldn't talk about it," Julien said. Players say they don't have to be told not to discuss injuries; they grow up with the culture in junior and minor leagues. Blackhawks forward Patrick Sharp said he doesn't remember when he first learned the subject was off-limits, but it was long before he reached the NHL. And hockey players are not alone. "It's not just here," Thornton said. "I don't think Bill Belichick is (listing) all the injuries they have, either." But even the notoriously uncommunicative New England Patriots coach is required by NFL rules to say what body part is injured. NHL coaches have to narrow it only to "upper body" or "lower body," which means a player with a concussion and one with a broken finger would have the same diagnosis. During the playoffs, information is even more scarce. "It's that time of year where everybody's kind of battling. I would say that not just injuries, strategy, all that kind of information we're not going to talk about," Sharp said. "It's all part of being this close to the ultimate goal." And does he have any injuries he cares to mention? "No comment."
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Chrysler agrees to recall of Jeeps at risk of fire
by DEE-ANN DURBIN and TOM KRISHER, AP Auto Writers
Jun 19, 2013 | 79 views | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
This March 6, 2012 photo provided by the law offices of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP shows the scene of a crash in Bainbridge, Ga., where a 4-year-old boy named Remi Walden was burned and died when a Jeep Grand Cherokee was struck from the rear by a Dodge Dakota pickup truck. Chrysler is expected to file papers Tuesday, June 18, 2013, explaining why it’s refusing to recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP)
This March 6, 2012 photo provided by the law offices of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP shows the scene of a crash in Bainbridge, Ga., where a 4-year-old boy named Remi Walden was burned and died when a Jeep Grand Cherokee was struck from the rear by a Dodge Dakota pickup truck. Chrysler is expected to file papers Tuesday, June 18, 2013, explaining why it’s refusing to recall 2.7 million older Jeep SUVs. (AP Photo/Courtesy of Butler, Wooten & Fryhofer, LLP)
slideshow
DETROIT (AP) — After initially defying federal regulators, Chrysler abruptly agreed Tuesday to recall some older-model Jeeps with fuel tanks that could rupture and cause fires in rear-end collisions. But the recall, which came in an 11th-hour deal between the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, covers only 1.56 million of the 2.7 million Jeeps that the government wanted repaired. The rest are part of a "customer service action" and many may not get fixed. By giving in to government pressure, Chrysler sidesteps a showdown with NHTSA that could have led to public hearings with witnesses providing details of deadly crashes. The dispute could have landed in court and hurt Chrysler's image and its finances. Yet the deal still leaves some Jeep owners with gas tanks that NHTSA just two weeks ago said were risky. Chrysler maintains that they are safe and need no repairs. Earlier this month, the automaker publicly refused the government's request to recall Jeep Grand Cherokees from model years 1993 through 2004 and Jeep Libertys from 2002 through 2007. NHTSA, the U.S. agency that monitors vehicle safety, contends the Jeep gas tanks can rupture if hit from the rear, spilling gas and causing a fire. NHTSA said a three-year investigation showed 51 people had died in fiery crashes in Jeeps with gas tanks positioned behind the rear axle. Chrysler had until Tuesday to formally respond to NHTSA, but the deal made the response unnecessary. Here's how the recall will work, according to Chrysler: — The company will recall 1.56 million Libertys from 2002 through 2007 and Grand Cherokees from 1993 through 1998. If they don't have factory or Chrysler "Mopar" trailer hitches, dealers will install them. The heavy metal hitches bolt to the frame and help bolster protection for the gas tank. — About 1.2 million Grand Cherokees from the 1999 to 2004 model years will be part of the "customer service action." Owners will get notices saying their vehicles are fine if they have factory or Chrysler trailer hitches. Dealers will inspect other trailer hitches to make sure they're secure. But if the Jeeps don't have trailer hitches, Chrysler won't do anything, maintaining that the Jeeps are safe and do not need any changes. A Chrysler spokesman was not sure how many of the SUVs are without trailer hitches. In a letter to Chrysler dated June 3, NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation told the company all of the Jeeps should be recalled. "The defects present an unreasonable risk to motor vehicles," the letter said, "because people ... have burned to death in rear impact crashes." NHTSA began investigating the Jeeps at the request of the Center for Auto Safety, a Washington, D.C.-based advocacy group, that also says all the Jeeps should be recalled. "In view of Chrysler's refusal to recall 1999-04 Grand Cherokees, we call on NHTSA to move to an initial determination of a defect in order to force their recall as well," Clarence Ditlow, the center's director, said in a statement late Tuesday. Ditlow also said NHTSA should test the trailer hitches to make sure they protect the gas tanks. An agency spokeswoman said Tuesday evening that she was checking into details of the recall. Chrysler Group LLC, which is majority owned by Fiat SpA of Italy, wouldn't say how much the hitches would cost, although they sell for about $200 each on websites. Erik Gordon, a law and marketing professor at the University of Michigan, said Chrysler realized it was headed for a public-relations disaster and decided to reverse course. "What happened is they get surprised by how loud the hue and cry is," Gordon said. Chrysler's image will still get dinged a little "because it looks as if they have done the right thing only because they were forced to," he said. Chrysler executives probably realized their chance for success was slim because courts have given wide latitude to government regulatory agencies, said David Kelly, former acting NHTSA administrator under President George W. Bush. "They have some very smart people at Chrysler and probably looked into a crystal ball and didn't think this would end the way they wanted it to," Kelly said. NHTSA said in a statement that it's pleased with Chrysler's decision. The agency plans to keep investigating the issue as it reviews recall documentation from Chrysler. Ditlow said he is cautiously optimistic that the solution will make the Jeeps safer. He urged Chrysler to add Jeep Cherokee SUVs from 1993 through 2001 to the recall. The Cherokees are under investigation for the same problem. Chrysler will begin notifying owners about the recall in about a month, the company said. The last time an automaker defied a NHTSA recall request was early in 2011, when Ford refused to call back 1.2 million pickup trucks for defective air bags. Ford later agreed to the recall after NHTSA threatened to hold a rare public hearing on the issue. In a statement on June 4, Chrysler said its review of nearly 30 years of data showed a low number of rear-impact crashes involving fire or a fuel leak in the affected Jeeps. "The rate is similar to comparable vehicles produced and sold during the time in question," the company said. It also said NHTSA left some similar vehicles out of its investigation. But NHTSA found at least 32 rear-impact crashes and fires in Grand Cherokees that caused 44 deaths. It also found at least five rear crashes in Libertys that caused seven deaths. The agency calculated that the older Grand Cherokees and Libertys have fatal crash rates that are about double those of similar vehicles. It compared the Jeeps with the Chevrolet S10 Blazer, Ford Explorer, Toyota 4Runner, Isuzu Rodeo, Isuzu Trooper, Mitsubishi Montero, Suzuki Sidekick and Suzuki XL-7. Among the 51 deaths was Remington "Remi" Walden, a 4-year-old boy from Bainbridge, Ga., who was killed when a 1999 Grand Cherokee driven by his aunt was hit from behind by a pickup truck in March 2012. The child was on his way to a tennis lesson when the SUV was struck. The fuel tank leaked, engulfing the Jeep in flames and killing the boy, according to a lawsuit filed against Chrysler by his family. "Numerous witnesses saw Remi struggling to escape and heard him screaming for help," the lawsuit says. The lawsuit alleges that Chrysler placed the gas tank in a "crush zone" behind the rear axle and knew the location was dangerous, and that the company failed to protect the gas tank against rupturing. In court papers, Chrysler denied the allegations and said the pickup truck driver's negligence was the sole cause of the boy's injuries.
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Judge raises concerns about school cheating case
Jun 19, 2013 | 62 views | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
ATLANTA (AP) — A judge overseeing the case against dozens of Atlanta educators accused of a conspiracy to cheat on standardized tests is expressing concerns about whether their statements to investigators were coerced by investigators. Fulton County Superior Court Judge Jerry Baxter addressed prosecutors at a hearing this week, telling them "I am seriously concerned about your case." The judge told prosecutors it appeared to him that defendants had been threatened with the prospect of losing their jobs if they didn't cooperate with the investigation, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported. At issue is whether prosecutors improperly relied upon tainted testimony to obtain an indictment. In March, Atlanta Public Schools Superintendent Beverly Hall and 34 other educators were named in a 65-count indictment alleging a conspiracy to cheat in order to bolster student test scores. If the judge finds that defendants gave compelled statements to the governor's special investigators or to Georgia Bureau of Investigation agents, prosecutors would then have to prove that they did not use the statements when preparing their case or presenting it to the grand jury. Such a determination would require a lengthy hearing before the trial, with prosecutors having to put up evidence to show they obtained the indictment independently of any compelled statements.
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Stocks edge lower as investors wait on Fed
by STEVE ROTHWELL, AP Markets Writer
Jun 19, 2013 | 173 views | 0 0 comments | 5 5 recommendations | email to a friend | print
NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks edged lower in early trading on Wall Street Wednesday as investors waited for word from the Federal Reserve. The U.S. central bank will release its latest policy update at 2 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time. Fed chairman Ben Bernanke will speak at a press conference thirty minutes later. The Fed has been buying $85 billion of bonds a month to support an economy that is still struggling to recover following the Great Recession. Comments by Bernanke last month suggesting the central bank may soon ease that support unsettled investors and caused this year's rally in stocks to stall. "All eyes are on Bernanke and markets are being held hostage until he speaks," said Joseph Tanious, Global Market Strategist at J.P. Morgan Funds. The Dow Jones industrial average fell 20 points, or 0.1 percent, to 15,298 in the first half hour of trading. The Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped two points, or 0.1 percent, to 1,649. The Nasdaq composite fell a point, less than 0.1 percent, to 3,481. Bernanke is unlikely to give investors any greater clarity as to when the Fed will start to pull back on its stimulus, Tanious said. Instead, he expects the Fed chairman to reaffirm the bank's view that the U.S. economy is slowly improving and that it will consider reducing the stimulus at some point this year. While stocks may decline in the short term after Wednesday's announcement, they should revive over coming months as investors start to focus on the outlook for the economy and company earnings. "Once we get past Bernanke's testimony today, and once we're past the knee-jerk reaction, whatever it may be, I suspect the markets (to) head higher," said Tanious. The yield on the 10-year Treasury note was unchanged from late Tuesday at 2.19 percent. In commodities trading, the price of oil was little changed at $98.67 a barrel. The price of gold dropped $3.80, or 0.3 percent, to $1,371 an ounce. The dollar edged lower against the euro and the Japanese yen. Among stocks making big moves: — Adobe jumped $2.72, or 6.3 percent, to $46.08 after the software maker said that its Creative Cloud subscriptions continued to climb in its fiscal second quarter. — Sprint Nextel fell 24 cents, or 3.3 percent, to $7.08 after satellite TV operator Dish Network said late Tuesday that it wouldn't submit a revised bid for the wireless carrier. — FedEx rose $2.07, or 2.1 percent, to $101.70 after the company posted earnings that beat the expectations of Wall Street analysts.
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