California Department of Corrections
Richard Schoenfeld, the convicted kidnapper who took 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver in Chowchilla, Calif., 36 years ago, is expected to be released from prison within the next week.
Richard Schoenfeld, the convicted kidnapper who took 26 schoolchildren and their bus driver in Chowchilla, Calif., and buried them alive in a rock quarry 36 years ago, is expected to be released from prison within the next week, NBC Bay Area has learned.
That is a big change from the 2021 parole date that Schoenfeld was last given.
But in a statement Friday to NBCBayArea.com, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation spokesman Luis Patino said: "Schoenfeld will be released to an undisclosed location during the second half of the month of June 2012. As this is a developing situation, no other details are available at this time.”
See the original story at NBCBayArea.com
Patino added that the prison body has "been informed that the California Supreme Court has declined to review an appellate court's earlier decision granting immediate parole to Richard Schoenfeld. As such CDCR does not have any legal option other than to release inmate Shoenfeld and will do so."
Schoenfeld, his brother, James Schoenfeld, and Frederick Woods kidnapped 26 children and their bus driver on July 15, 1976, buried them alive in a rock quarry in Livermore, Calif., and then planned to demand a $5 million ransom. The victims miraculously escaped.
Frank Edward Ray, the school bus driver hailed as a hero for helping lead the children to safety after 16 hours underground, died May 17 at the age of 91 in Chowchilla.
In March, the First District Court ruled that California's Board of Parolee Hearings improperly calculated Schoenfeld's release date after determining in 2008 that he could be safely paroled.
James Schoenfeld and Woods never have been found suitable for parole by the state board.
The trio, who were in their mid-20s at the time of the kidnapping, said they had fallen into debt because of a failed real estate deal and hatched the elaborate kidnapping as a way to rid themselves of financial worry, The Associated Press reported.
Laws in effect in 1977 when the three pleaded guilty made Richard Schoenfeld, and who hailed from a wealthy family in upscale Atherton, Calif., eligible for parole after only six months, but like the others, his parole was routinely denied, largely because of the seriousness of his crimes.
There have been a series of significant dates in Schoenfeld's legal case:
In 2008, the parole board ruled that Schoenfeld "would not pose an unreasonable risk of danger to society or a threat to public safety if released from prison."
But in August 2009, a second panel decided against granting parole to Schoenfeld, saying that a third panel should consider whether granting parole would be "improvident."
On April 5, 2011, the third panel held its hearing on the matter at the California Men's Colony in San Luis Obispo, where all three kidnappers are being held, and it ruled that parole would be appropriate for Schoenfeld.
But the panel said that based on its calculations Schoenfeld should not be released until November 2021.
However, the First District Court of Appeal said the parole panel "erred" because it violated its own rules and lacked authority to increase Schoenfeld's sentence after finding him suitable for parole.
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Source: usnews.msnbc.msn.com
Secretive US military space shuttle lands itself at California base - The Guardian
A secretive unmanned US space shuttle landed at a California military base early Saturday, having completed a 15-month clandestine mission.
The air force craft, which was launched from Cape Canaveral air force station in Florida in March 2011, conducted in-orbit experiments during its time in space, officials said.
It was the second such autonomous landing at the Vandenberg air force base, 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles. In 2010, an identical unmanned spacecraft returned to Earth after seven months and 91m miles in orbit.
The latest homecoming was set in motion when the stubby-winged robotic X-37B fired its engine to slip out of orbit, then pierced through the atmosphere and glided down the runway like an airplane.
"With the retirement of the space shuttle fleet, the X-37B OTV program brings a singular capability to space technology development," said Lt Col Tom McIntyre, the X-37B's program manager.
"The return capability allows the air force to test new technologies without the same risk commitment faced by other programs. We're proud of the entire team's successful efforts to bring this mission to an outstanding conclusion."
With the second X-37B on the ground, the air force planned to launch the first one again in the fall. An exact date has not been set.
The twin X-37B vehicles are part of a military program testing robotically controlled reusable spacecraft technologies. Though the air force has emphasized the goal is to test the space plane itself, there's a classified payload on board – a detail that has led to much speculation about the mission's ultimate purpose.
Some amateur trackers think the craft carried an experimental spy satellite sensor judging by its low orbit and inclination, suggesting reconnaissance or intelligence gathering rather than communications.
Harvard astrophysicist Jonathan McDowell, who runs Jonathan's Space Report, which tracks the world's space launches and satellites, said it's possible it was testing some form of new imaging.
The latest X-37B was boosted into orbit atop an Atlas 5 rocket. It was designed to stay aloft for nine months, but the air force wanted to test its endurance. After determining the space plane was performing well, the military decided in December to extend the mission.
Little has been said publicly about the second X-37B flight and operations. At a budget hearing before the Senate armed services subcommittee in March, William Shelton, head of the air force space command, made a passing mention.
That the second X-37B has stayed longer in space than the first shows "the flexibility of this unique system", he told lawmakers.
Defense analysts are divided over its usefulness.
Joan Johnson-Freese, professor of national security affairs at the Naval War College, said such a craft could give the US "eyes" over conflict regions faster than a satellite.
"Having a vehicle with a broad range of capabilities that can get into space quickly is a very good thing," she said.
The arc of the X-37 program spans back to 1999 and has changed hands several times.
Originally a NASA project, the space agency in 2004 transferred it to the Pentagon's research and development arm, Darpa, and then to the secretive air force rapid capabilities office.
Hundreds of millions of dollars have been poured into development, but the current total spent remains a secret.
Built by Boeing's Phantom Works, the 11,000-pound space plane stands 9 1/2 feet tall and is just over 29 feet long, with a wingspan of less than 15 feet. It possesses two angled tail fins rather than a single vertical stabilizer. Once in orbit, it has solar panels that unfurl to charge batteries for electrical power.
McDowell of the Jonathan's Space Report sees a downside. He noted it'll be tough for the air force to send up such planes on short notice if it has to rely on the Atlas V rocket, which requires lengthy preparations.
"The requirement to go on Atlas V is a problem; they may need to look at a new launch vehicle that would be ready to go more quickly," he said.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Art attack’ transforms a rundown subway walk (From The Bolton News) - The Bolton News
‘Art attack’ transforms a rundown subway walk
10:15am Saturday 16th June 2012 in News
MUMS, kids and volunteers launched an art attack in a run-down subway.
About 20 pupils from Kearsley Academy joined forces with three artists to cover the walls of the dis- mal subway under the Kearsley roundabout with a colourful mural for the community to enjoy.
Plans to spruce up the area began in February when a group of mums got fed up of walking past the graffiti-covered walls everyday on the school run.
Together the six women formed the Kearsley and Farnworth Vision Group and started the sub- way project with Kearsley Acade- my.
Sharon Tonge, chairman of the group, said: “Everyone has loved doing it and we’ve had so many people comment on how much bet- ter it looks now.
“It’s more brilliant than I could have imagined.
“The kids have absolutely loved painting it with the artists, and the girls from Asda who came down to help for the day were great, too.”
Sharon, aged 41, hopes to tackle the roundabout’s second walkway with primary school pupils from Kearsley West and Spindle Point for their next project. Pupils from Kearsley Academy’s school coun- cil worked in teams to brainstorm ideas for the mural before finalis- ing their choice of designs last week.
The artwork focused on giving out “positive and inspiring” mes- sages to the community who use the subway.
Offenders from the community payback scheme also helped clean up the walkway, working for 35 hours to scrub off the anti-vandal paint.
Dave Bowyer, who manages the community payback teams for the Greater Manchester Probation Trust (GMPT), said: “I am delight- ed that teams of offenders rigor- ously supervised by GMPT have completed this project and have, in a very real way, paid back to the community against which they offended.”
Tracy Fenton and her team of artists from Bolton’s ArtFantastic organisation outlined the artwork before the pupils set to work with their paintbrushes.
Tracy said:”It’s a piece of public artwork and the feedback has been absolutely overwhelming.
“People have said that the posi- tive message and colours of the mural makes them feel safer when they’re walking through the sub- way.”
Source: www.theboltonnews.co.uk
California Budget Passed, but Discussions Continue - New York Times
The budget, along with a handful of companion bills, was sent to the governor nearly 10 hours before the midnight deadline on Friday. But Democrats did not take up any of the contentious bills needed to execute the budget because they refuse to make deeper cuts to the state’s welfare-to-work program and to other social services for the poor.
Mr. Brown, a Democrat, wants a welfare overhaul and a larger reserve to help the state bridge its projected $15.7 billion deficit.
California’s fiscal year begins July 1. Without a budget in place, the state would not be able to make certain payments to school districts and vendors or pay salaries of elected officials and their staff members. Democratic leaders said they hoped to work out a deal with Mr. Brown in the next week.
The Democratic-led State Senate passed the main budget bill on a 23-to-16 vote along party lines. The bill was also passed by the Democratic-led Assembly on a 50-to-25 vote.
After the vote on Friday, Senator Darrell Steinberg, a Democrat and the Senate’s president pro tem, said he expected Mr. Brown not to act until all the bills were before him.
“We will engage in more discussion with the governor about the remaining issues that have been vetted and discussed throughout this week,” Mr. Steinberg said.
Mr. Brown did not indicate on Friday whether he would sign or veto the budget bill. His spokesman, Gil Duran, said negotiations were continuing. “We’re still not there yet,” Mr. Duran said.
Republicans, who have been sidelined because Democrats can pass the budget on a majority vote, called the budget incomplete and urged Mr. Brown to veto the bill. To override a veto, Democrats would need Republican support to reach a two-thirds majority.
“This budget is a slow-motion train wreck, and you’re driving the bus,” said Senator Tom Berryhill, a Republican. He criticized Democrats for omitting pension and regulatory changes and a cap on state spending that Republicans say are all needed to rescue state government in the long run.
In passing the main budget bill Friday, lawmakers met the requirement for keeping their paychecks flowing under a voter-approved measure that blocks their pay if a budget is late.
Last year, the governor vetoed the budget passed by Democrats, calling it unbalanced. The state controller withheld 12 days of pay, but a judge has since found that the controller has no authority to block paychecks because it violated the separation of powers in the State Constitution.
In introducing the Democratic spending plan, the chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, Bob Blumenfield, said lawmakers tried to soften the most severe cuts to social services and proposed “more compassionate alternatives to some of the governor’s proposals.”
The governor’s plan and the Democrats’ plan assume that voters will approve Mr. Brown’s tax initiative in November. The measure seeks to raise the state sales tax by a quarter of a cent and increase income taxes for people who make more than $250,000 a year, which is projected to raise $8.5 billion through mid-2013.
If voters reject the tax increases, schools and other public entities would be subject to severe automatic cuts, which include shortening the academic year by several weeks.
The governor and lawmakers propose bridging the remainder of the deficit by cutting the budget and shuffling funds, but Mr. Brown wants larger cuts for welfare, child care, in-home support and college aid.
Jim Nielsen, a Republican and the vice chairman of the Assembly Budget Committee, said voters would not approve the tax increases because they understood how poorly the budget was created.
Source: www.nytimes.com
California's cigarette tax initiative picking up votes in late tally - Los Angeles Times
Down by 63,000 votes, the statewide ballot initiative for a $1-per-pack tax on cigarettes was pretty much given up for dead the night of the June 5 primary election.
Then, election workers across California began tallying stacks of uncounted ballots — more than a million of them, mostly sent by mail a day or two before the election or handed in at polling places.
The gap in the vote on the tobacco tax, Proposition 29, began to narrow. And narrow. By Friday night, the margin of defeat had shrunk to 16,778 votes — or four-tenths of 1%.
"I think we're still definitely in it," said Jim Knox of the California Division of the American Cancer Society, one of the major supporters of the Yes on 29 campaign. "Either way, it appears this is going to be the closest ballot measure outcome in modern history — if not ever."
Knox remains cautious for good reason. The measure was trailing by 29,000 a week ago, by 42,000 on Thursday and then dropped to its smallest gap yet on Friday.
The odds of the Yes on 29 campaign pulling off a victory remain long: About 52% of the remaining 436,000 uncounted ballots would have to favor the measure, which would fund cancer research and anti-smoking campaigns. The proposition reached or exceeded that level of support in only 16 of California's 58 counties.
"It's not very probable, not unless it gets the vast majority of outstanding ballots in counties where it's doing very well," said Stephen Weir, Contra Costa County's registrar of voters.
As the uncounted ballots were being tallied, some of the biggest gains were coming from large counties where the tobacco tax support received the strongest support, including Alameda, Contra Costa and Santa Clara. The measure also picked up ground in San Diego County, where it still trails by 1%. The measure made a minute gain — 0.2% — in voter-rich Los Angeles County, where it still is losing by 1.2%, election figures show.
A spokeswoman for the No on 29 campaign, bankrolled by the tobacco industry, said the campaign was happy to still be in "such a good position."
"Coming out of election night with a 60,000-plus vote lead, we have always felt in a good position to hold on and be successful when all the votes are counted," said Beth Miller. "We're not seeing anything at this point to lead us to believe anything different.''
The ballot count could continue to fluctuate until July 6, the deadline for county election officials to submit certified results. Once the official results are announced, any voter has the right to ask for a recount, although requests must be made county by county and paid for by the person making the request.
Proposition 29 would add a $1-per-pack tax on cigarettes to raise an estimated $860 million a year for research on tobacco-related diseases and for prevention programs. The American Cancer Society and cycling champ Lance Armstrong, a cancer survivor, were among the measure's biggest proponents, raising more than $11 million to support the ballot initiative.
Tobacco giants Philip Morris USA and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. poured nearly $47 million into the "no" campaign and were joined by anti-tax and business groups.
Vacillating counts are common in the weeks after election day, as uncounted ballots are processed and sporadically updated by counties. Some local registrars wait until all ballots are tallied to report their vote updates; others do it as they go. The statewide margin of difference on Proposition 29 is less than 1 percentage point.
"Having been through this experience before, I would always caution against making a bold prediction of victory or defeat until it becomes mathematically impossible for any other outcome," said Democratic political consultant Brian Brokaw.
Brokaw worked as a consultant for Democratic state Atty. Gen. Kamala D. Harris' campaign in 2010, when Harris beat Republican Steve Cooley, the Los Angeles County district attorney, by less than 1 percentage point. Her margin amounted to 74,157 votes.
Cooley, in fact, declared victory on election night. Hours after he strode onto a stage at the Beverly Hilton Hotel to deliver the news, Cooley was trailing. Over the next three weeks, as 2.3 million more ballots were tallied, the lead switched back and forth until Harris finally pulled ahead for good.
"The vote would swing by the hundreds, sometimes by the thousands," Brokaw said. "We were careful about never getting our hopes up too high."
Regardless of the outcome, the fact that the tobacco tax initiative made up significant ground after election day has caught the attention of campaigners and election experts.
Figuring out what sways mail-in voters has become crucial: Nearly half of the voting electorate turns in ballots by mail. Some theorize they may be younger, or busy parents with little free time, and their votes trend liberal. Others believe they may have been swayed by Yes on 29 campaign ads, which aired late in election season.
"There's a lot that goes on in campaigns at the end. There are probably more people who are waiting until then," said Secretary of State Debra Bowen, California's chief election official.
Bowen dismissed the conventional wisdom that conservatives tend to mail ballots early and liberals late. What is apparent, she said, is that the most partisan Republicans and Democrats tend to mail their ballots early because they make up their minds early.
Late ballots tend to mirror the results from traditional polling places, she said.
As for the apparent late surge for Proposition 29, Bowen didn't offer any opinions. Too many factors were in play, she said: a new "top-two" primary system, redistricting and millions spent on independent expenditure campaigns.
"Was it the pizza or the beer that caused you to gain 15 pounds during your first year of college?" she joked.
Source: www.latimes.com
Huge photo mosaic of the Queen on show at Turner Contemporary - Kent News
Chris Murphy
Saturday, June 16, 2012
10:00 AM
Jubilee artwork on display in Margate the size of a double-decker bus
A photo mosaic of the Queen that is the size of a double-decker bus is on display this weekend.
The incredible artwork was created by Helen Marshall for BBC South East to celebrate the Jubilee.
It will be on show at Margate’s Turner Contemporary this weekend, which is one of the few galleries in Kent big enough to cope with the sheer size.
It will be les than a year since the Queen herself visited the new gallery.
The artwork is made up of more than 50,000 photos sent in by viewers of the show. Using the basic colour of the snap, Marshall used a special computer programme to map out the pictures to create images of the Queen as she is now, and as she was during the coronation.
The work is called The People’s Monarch. One person who donated a picture is Philippa Wilson from New Romney. She sent in a photograph which captured the moment when she was reunited with her husband, Private Paul Wilson, on his return from six months’ duty in Afghanistan.
She said: “The photo captures the emotion of our first hug. I feel it would be a wonderful addition to your mosaic as he had just returned from fighting for Queen and country and is very patriotic.”
And third generation British Indian Baljit Balrow from Maidstone, sent in a picture of herself wearing traditional Indian jewellery and a Union Jack painted on her face.
Baljit said: “I want this picture to represent our proud multicultural Britain. No matter how much you adapt to another culture, it doesn’t mean you lose your cultural roots.”
Vicki Berry, producer for BBC South East, said: “Thousands of people submitted family portraits, photos of their ancestors, snaps of important occasions in their lives and of times that made them laugh. Many used the opportunity to remember loved ones they had lost, sharing precious memories.
“Stand up close to our portrait and you will see a mass of touching, funny or inspirational photos – step back 20 paces and it transforms to become a double portrait of the Queen.”
The work is on show at Turner Contemporary on Saturday and Sunday.
Source: www.kentnews.co.uk
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