Lawsuit claims A&E's 'Storage Wars' show is rigged

Lawsuit claims A&E's 'Storage Wars' show is rigged 

This 2011 photo released by A&E shows Dave Hester in front of the Rags to Riches thrift store in Costa Mesa, Calif. Hester sued A&E Television Networks on Tuesday, Dec. 11, 2012, claiming he was fired from the show after complaining that producers had planted valuable items in some of the lockers featured on the reality series.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Some of the valuables found hidden in abandoned lockers on A&E's "Storage Wars" have been added by producers to deceive viewers, a former cast member of the show claims in a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

David Hester's suit claims producers have added a BMW Mini and newspapers chronicling Elvis Presley's death to lockers in order to build drama for the show and that his complaints about the practices led to his firing.

Hester is seeking more than $750,000 in his wrongful termination, breach of contract and unfair business practices lawsuit. A&E Television Network declined comment, citing the pending lawsuit.

"Storage Wars" follows buyers who bid for abandoned storage lockers hoping to find valuables tucked inside.

"A&E regularly plants valuable items or memorabilia," the lawsuit states. Hester's suit claims he was fired from participating in the series' fourth season after expressing concerns that manipulating the storage lockers for the sake of the show was illegal.

He claims that producers stopped adding items to his units after his initial complaints but continued the practice for other series participants. The lawsuit alleges entire units have been staged and the practice may violate a federal law intended to prevent viewers from being deceived when watching a show involving intellectual skills.

"Storage Wars" depicts buyers having only a few moments to look into an abandoned unit before deciding on whether to bid on it at auction. The lawsuit claims some of the auction footage on the show is staged.

Hester, known as "The Mogul" on the show, has been buying abandoned storage units and re-selling their contents for 26 years, according to the suit.

Nielsen Co. has ranked "Storage Wars" among cable television's top-ranked shows several times since its 2010 debut.

School Bus Slams Into North Philadelphia Home

School Bus Slams Into North Philadelphia Home

 

 

  



PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A school bus crashed into a home in North Philadelphia Monday afternoon, sending four students to the hospital with minor injuries, according to police.

The crash happened at about 4 p.m. in the 800 block of West Cambria Street in the city’s Kensington neighborhood.

Authorities say the bus sideswiped a car, then struck and partially went through the home. The circumstances surrounding the crash are not clear at this time.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Pot legalized in Colo. with gov's proclamation

Pot legalized in Colo. with gov's proclamation 

FILE - In this Nov. 6, 2012 file photo, people attending an Amendment 64 watch party celebrate after a local television station announced the marijuana amendment's passage in Denver. Using marijuana for recreational use is now effectively legal in Colorado. Gov. John Hickenlooper declared a voter-approved marijuana legalization amendment as part of the state constitution on Monday, Dec. 10, 2012. It was the last procedural step needed for the amendment to take effect.

DENVER (AP) -- Marijuana for recreational use became legal in Colorado Monday, when the governor took the procedural step of declaring the voter-approved change part of the state constitution.

Colorado became the second state after Washington to allow pot use without a doctor's recommendation. Both states prohibit public use of the drug, and commercial sales in Colorado and Washington won't be permitted until after regulations are written next year.

Gov. John Hickenlooper, a Democrat, opposed the measure but had no veto power over the voter-approved amendment to the state constitution. He tweeted his declaration Monday and sent an executive order to reporters by email after the fact. That prevented a countdown to legalization as seen in Washington, where the law's supporters gathered to smoke in public to celebrate.

The law gave Hickenlooper until Jan. 5 to declare marijuana legal. He told reporters Monday he saw no reason to wait and didn't see any point in letting marijuana become legal without his proclamation.

"If the voters go out and pass something and they put it in the state constitution, by a significant margin, far be it from myself or any governor to overrule. I mean, this is why it's a democracy, right?" Hickenlooper said.

Adults over 21 in Colorado may now possess up to an ounce of marijuana, or six plants. Public use and sale of the drug remain illegal.

Colorado and Washington officials both have asked the U.S. Department of Justice for guidance on the laws that conflict with federal drug law. So far the federal government has offered little guidance beyond stating that marijuana remains illegal and that the controlled Substances Act will be enforced. Of special concern for state regulators is how to protect state employees who violate federal drug law by complying with state marijuana laws.

The U.S. Attorney's Office issued a statement Monday shortly after Hickenlooper's announcement restating its position.

Hickenlooper also announced a state task force Monday to help craft the marijuana regulations. The 24-member task force includes law enforcement, agriculture officials and marijuana advocates.

The governor admonished the task force not to ponder whether marijuana should be legal.

"I don't think we benefit anyone by going back and turning over the same soil. Our job is to move forward," he said.

Hickenlooper told the task force to "work to reconcile Colorado and federal laws such that the new laws and regulations do not subject Colorado state and local governments and state and local government employees to prosecution by the federal government."

Colorado's marijuana measure, Amendment 64, was approved with 55 percent of the vote last month. One of the authors of Colorado's pot amendment, Mason Tvert, called the declaration "truly historic."

"We are certain that this will be a successful endeavor and Colorado will become a model for other states to follow," Tvert said in a statement.

Approved Traffic Code To Affect Drivers, Bicyclists, Pedestrians

Approved Traffic Code To Affect Drivers, Bicyclists, Pedestrians

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – City Council approved and sent to the mayor an overhaul of the Philadelphia traffic code and the head of a local bicyclists group says it’s time for everyone to pay heed, including cyclists.

Council gave final approval to a package of changes to the traffic code that he dubbed “Complete Streets” dealing with the sometimes dangerous clash of drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

New Center Encourages Fitness, Healthy Eating at CHOP

New Center Encourages Fitness, Healthy Eating at CHOP

 

 

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – There was a dedication ceremony today at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia for its “Healthy Weight Program,” a teaching kitchen and fitness center.

The center, located at 35th and Market Streets in West Philadelphia, is designed to teach at-risk children and their families about healthy eating and exercise.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Philadelphia Cop Accused of Faking Insurance Claim After Leaving Accident Scene

Philadelphia Cop Accused of Faking Insurance Claim After Leaving Accident Scene

 

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A fourteen-year veteran of the Philadelphia Police Department has been suspended from the force with intent to dismiss. The Philadelphia DA’s office says she committed insurance fraud.

Prosecutors say that when First District officer April Shaynick filed a claim with Allstate this summer, she wrote up a police report saying her car had been parked when it was hit.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Syrian civil war spills over into Lebanon

Syrian civil war spills over into Lebanon 

Lebanese citizens run to cross a street to avoid sniper fire during clashes that erupted between pro and anti-Syrian regime gunmen in the northern port city of Tripoli, Lebanon, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2012. Gunmen loyal to opposite sides in neighboring Syria's civil war battled in the streets of northern Lebanon and the death toll from two days of fighting was at least five killed and 45 wounded, officials said. The fighting comes at a time of deep uncertainty in Syria, with rebels closing in on President Bashar Assad's seat of power in Damascus.

TRIPOLI, Lebanon (AP) -- The families of Lebanese men killed in Syria last week say their relatives were more interested in nice clothes and vacations than fighting a civil war. Yet Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime branded them foreign jihadists - and their deaths set off three days of new spillover violence.

Gunmen loyal to opposite sides in Syria's civil war battled Wednesday in the streets of the Lebanese city of Tripoli. The fighting has killed six people and wounded nearly 60 since Monday, security officials said.

The bloodshed is a sign of just how vulnerable Lebanon is to getting sucked into the Syrian crisis. The countries share a porous border and a complex web of political and sectarian ties that is easily enflamed.

Among the 17 Lebanese men who turned up dead in Syria last week were Bilal al-Ghoul and his childhood friend, Malek Haj Deeb, both 20. Malek's older brother, Jihad, said the two men sympathized with the rebellion, but they were not fighters.

"Malek used to see the videos of dead Syrians and cry," Jihad Haj Deeb told The Associated Press in Tripoli, as gunfire and explosions echoed near his home in the poor neighborhood of Mankoubeen. "He used to say, `May Bashar fall soon, God willing.'"

A giant poster hung in the entrance of the home, with photos of three of those killed in Syria and a sign that read: "Our dead are in heaven, and yours are in hell."

Haj Deeb and Bilal al-Ghoul's older brother, Omar, said the men must have been kidnapped and handed over to Syrian authorities by a pro-Syrian Lebanese group. They said their brothers were not members of any political or Islamic group but were observant Muslims.

"My brother doesn't know how to hold a rifle," Haj Deeb said.

The Lebanese men killed in Syria were Sunni Muslims, like the majority of rebels trying to overthrow Assad's regime. Assad and much of his inner circle belong to the Alawite sect, which is an offshoot of Shiite Islam.

The fighting in Lebanon comes at a time of deep uncertainty in Syria, with rebels battling government troops near Assad's seat of power in Damascus.

In Brussels, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reiterated concerns that "an increasingly desperate Assad regime might turn to chemical weapons" or lose control of them to militant groups.

She also said NATO's decision on Tuesday to send Patriot missiles to Turkey's southern border with Syria sends a message that Ankara is backed by its allies. The missiles are intended only for defensive purposes, she said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was quoted Wednesday in the Turkish newspaper Sabah as saying that Syria has about 700 missiles, some of them long-range.

Syria has been careful not to confirm it has chemical weapons, while insisting it would never use such weapons against its own people.

But as the regime wobbles, there are fears the crisis will keep spiraling outside its borders. Fighting has spilled over into Turkey, Jordan and Israel since the uprising began more than 20 months ago, but Lebanon is particularly susceptible.

Seventeen times bigger than Lebanon and four times more populous, Syria has long had powerful allies there, including the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah. For much of the past 30 years, Lebanese have lived under Syrian military and political domination.

That grip began to slip in 2005, when former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri was assassinated in Beirut. Widely accused of involvement - something it has always denied - Syria was forced to withdraw its troops. But Damascus has maintained power and influence in Lebanon.

Syria's state-run news agency, SANA, reported that 17 Lebanese "gunmen" were killed inside Syria last week, and on Sunday, Syrian TV aired footage of the dead.

Bassam al-Dada, a political adviser for the rebel Free Syrian Army, said the group believes the Lebanese men were the victims of a "complicated Syrian intelligence operation" aimed at showing that foreign fighters are involved in fighting in Syria.

According to their relatives, Malek Haj Deeb and Bilal al-Ghoul left their parents' homes a week ago saying they were going to downtown Tripoli. Hours later, the families grew concerned and started calling the men's mobile phones.

There was no sign of them until two days later, when local media reported that a group of Lebanese citizens had been killed while fighting in Syria.

Pictures of the men, shown to the AP by their families, showed them clean-shaven and playing in the snow in one of Lebanon's mountain towns, and in front of Tripoli's Crusader-built citadel.

"We want their bodies back," Omar al-Ghoul said.

On Wednesday, Syrian Ambassador Ali Abdul-Karim Ali told Lebanese Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour that Damascus has agreed to repatriate the men's bodies. Lebanon's National News Agency said the countries would soon discuss how to hand them over.

Members of the International Committee of the Red Cross visited the dead men's families on Tuesday and took details about the men, their brothers said.

Jihad Haj Deeb said his brother was about to resume his college studies and would not have jeopardized his future to fight in Syria.

"He registered at the university four days before he went missing," Haj Deeb said, adding that his brother took 500,000 pounds ($335) from their father to pay his tuition at Lebanese University, where he was a third-year mathematics student. Haj Deeb's father, a school bus driver, makes $400 a month and has nine other children.

"Had he been planning to go to Syria, he wouldn't have registered," added Jihad, saying his father had to borrow the money.

Meanwhile, the unrest inside Syria shows no sign of slowing down.

The uprising began with peaceful protests in March 2011 and later escalated into a civil war that the opposition says has killed more than 40,000 people.

Besides the violence roiling the capital, Damascus, there was growing speculation about the fate of a top Syrian spokesman who has become a prominent face of the regime.

Lebanese security officials have said Foreign Ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi flew Monday from Beirut to London. But it was not clear whether Makdissi had defected, quit his post or been forced out. Syria has had no official comment on Makdissi, who has defended the regime's crackdown on dissent.

Sick girl sought after mom takes her from hospital

Sick girl sought after mom takes her from hospital 

In this hospital surveillance photo released by the Phoenix Police Department on Monday, Dec. 3, 2012, a woman is seen with her 11-year-old daughter, a leukemia patient who had her arm amputated and a heart catheter inserted due to an infection. Authorities say the woman inexplicably took the girl from the hospital last week. Police say that if the catheter is left in too long it could lead to a deadly infection. The family’s identity is being withheld but they are calling the girl Emily.

PHOENIX (AP) -- Emily has leukemia. She just underwent a month of chemotherapy and had her right arm amputated after suffering complications. Doctors say she is at risk of dying from an infection.

But the sick 11-year-old isn't in a hospital.

Her mother last week inexplicably unhooked a tube that had been carrying vital medication through the girl's heart, got her out of bed and changed her clothes. Then she did something police say is even more baffling - she walked the child out of the hospital, a tiny tube still protruding from her chest.

Doctors say the device, if left unattended, could allow bacteria to quickly enter her body, leading to a potentially deadly infection.

Phoenix police are now on a desperate search for the mother and daughter, last seen Wednesday night on surveillance video leaving Phoenix Children's Hospital, the mother pushing an IV stand, the small child with a bandaged arm amputated above the elbow walking beside her.

Authorities have no explanation for why the child's mother - 35-year-old Norma Bracamontes - removed the girl from the hospital before her treatment was complete, but they say it's imperative she return her immediately. They're even considering criminal charges.

"Certainly from our standpoint, we are looking at it thinking, is this negligence in failing to provide Emily the proper medical care that she requires?" Phoenix police Sgt. Steve Martos said Tuesday. "They should know by now what is required, what Emily needs, so it baffles us that anyone, any parent with a child like this, with leukemia and an amputated arm, and now you put them in this situation where it's potentially fatal, we just don't understand why they would not seek medical treatment."

Authorities speculate the mother might have been concerned with paying the child's hospital bill, but her motivation remains a mystery. The family lives a "nomadic" life without a permanent residence, but they have relatives in Arizona, California and Mexico, none of whom have been able to provide police with information about their whereabouts, he said.

U.S. Border Patrol agents stopped the girl's father, Luis Bracamontes, 46, as he crossed into Arizona from Mexico over the weekend, but the man denied any involvement in removing his daughter from the hospital and said he didn't know where she was.

Martos said doctors, who can't discuss Emily's case publicly due to privacy laws, told authorities that when Emily's mother removed the tubing, she failed to put a cap on the open line leading into the girl's body. That's left the young girl susceptible to a potentially deadly infection.

The cap was found in the girl's hospital bathroom.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said Emily's immune system is already compromised from the cancer and chemotherapy.

"If bacteria get into the blood stream that can cause a serious infection," Schaffner said.

The open catheter could serve as a pathway for bacteria, he said. An infection is not only possible, but likely, he said.

"These are life-threatening infections, particularly in young children who've had leukemia and chemotherapy," he said.

The longer the girl is away from medical care, the greater the risk of contamination, he said.

If infection does set in, he said, the girl could die "in a few days or worse, hours."

Obama's 2nd inaugural seems almost an afterthought

Obama's 2nd inaugural seems almost an afterthought 

FILE - This Nov. 28, 2012 file photo shows construction contining on Capitol Hill in Washington, on the viewing stand for President Barack Obama's January's Inauguration Day ceremonies. Four years ago, Barack Obama’s swearing-in drew a jubilant record crowd to the National Mall to witness history: the country’s first black president taking the oath of office. This time, the capital is pre-occupied with a looming economic crisis, exit from war and reshuffling in Congress. It's almost as if Obama's swearing in on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday is a been-there-done-that moment.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Four years ago, Barack Obama's swearing-in drew a record crowd to the National Mall. There were 1.8 million people eager to witness history: the country's first black president taking the oath of office.

Now, as Obama prepares for his second-term kickoff, the capital is pre-occupied with a looming economic crisis, exit from war and a reshuffling in Congress. Ticket demand is lower. Hotels are far from booked. And from Capitol Hill to the White House, the upcoming festivities seem to be barely on anyone's radar.

More muted inaugural celebrations are typical with every second presidential term. But it's almost as if Obama's swearing-in, on the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, is a been-there-done-that afterthought around town.

Perhaps Obama is a victim of his own historical significance. Perhaps it's a sign of how far the nation has come, some 50 years after the March on Washington that drew a multitude of people calling for civil and economic rights for African-Americans.

Although inaugural planning and preparations are well under way, Obama's advisers say they aren't yet focusing on the swearing-in as they negotiate over the "fiscal cliff" automatic tax increases and budget cuts that will occur in January unless the White House reaches a compromise with Congress. Party planners haven't made even the most basic of announcements yet, such as who will serve on Obama's inaugural committee and how they will raise money. No plans are in the works for a star-studded concert like the one four years ago that kicked off the inaugural festivities.

The inauguration is thought of so little these days that there was even some confusion around the White House about when it would be held. Some aides said it would be Tuesday, Jan. 22, after the federal holiday observing King's birthday.

In fact, the public ceremony will be on the holiday, Monday, Jan. 21 - a day set by a joint resolution of Congress months ago, before it was known who would be taking the oath. Obama's second term automatically begins at noon on Jan. 20 under the 20th Amendment to the Constitution, and he's planning a private swearing-in at the White House.

There's precedent for the two-pronged approach: The public ceremony in the past has been postponed for a day when Jan. 20 fell on a Sunday, such as the second inaugurations for Presidents Ronald Reagan and Dwight Eisenhower.

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies, which stages all activities for the day on the Capitol grounds, has set a theme of "Faith in America's Future" to commemorate the 150th anniversary of the completion of the Capitol Dome during the Civil War. And work has begun on the platform where Obama will deliver his inaugural address. It will be the same design as in 2005 and 2009. It has 1,600 seats for members of Congress, Supreme Court justices, governors, ambassadors representing nations around the world, military leaders and the families of the president and vice president.

Beyond that, the planning is at such a preliminary stage that members of the Presidential Inaugural Committee haven't been officially announced. They include some of the same staffers who worked on Obama's campaign and his first inauguration. Those involved this year say to expect a similar celebration as 2009, but smaller.

Now like then, it will be up to Obama to set the tone for the day, an important moment for him to capture the world's attention in the midst of a vigorous debate over the country's economic future, a looming fight over immigration and conflicts across the globe.

Congressional offices will distribute roughly 250,000 tickets for people to watch in front of the podium, with members of the public able to attend without tickets down the National Mall.

Demand for tickets is predictably down on Capitol Hill.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who oversaw the congressional inaugural committee four years ago, introduced legislation back then trying to prevent scalping of the free tickets online. She said her office received 8,000 requests for tickets the first day after the 2008 election. This time, her spokeswoman said she's received 8,500 a month later.

Last time, the ticketed crowd included scores of celebrities, with Oprah Winfrey, MTV and Nickelodeon holding special broadcasts from the capital city. An inaugural weekend concert at the Lincoln Memorial in 2009 featured appearances by Bruce Springsteen, Bono, Beyonce, Stevie Wonder, Jamie Foxx and Tiger Woods. No such event is planned this time.

Questions remain about how the inaugural committee will handle fundraising to put on the parade, balls and other celebratory events.

Four years ago, the committee tried to make good on Obama's campaign promise to change the way business is done in Washington by refusing contributions from corporations, unions, political action committees and lobbyists and by limiting individual donations to $50,000. But some on his team want to lift that self-imposed restriction this year to make fundraising easier at a time when there's less hype to fuel it.

Those who want to attend will find an easier time than those who came four years ago, starting with greater hotel availability.

At this time in 2008, 89 percent of rooms in Washington were rented at an average rate of $605 a night, according to Smith Travel Research. At least some desperate travelers resorted to camping outside in the winter cold or trying to find a couch for rent. This time, hundreds of ads on Craig's List offered space for rent and hotels were still hawking their rooms, albeit at inflated prices with four-night minimums.

The Ritz Carlton, which sold out within a week of Election Day in 2008, still had nearly half its 300 rooms available a month after Obama's re-election, putting this year on par with typical inaugural bookings.

Inaugural guests there will receive special amenities including an edible chocolate photo of the president and commemorative inauguration pillow cases, or for $100,000, they can buy a package that includes four nights in a luxury suite, a private tour of Washington and other VIP access and a one-of-a-kind diamond and ruby eagle pin that retails for $35,000.

Eagles Drop Eighth Straight With 38-33 Loss To Cowboys

Eagles Drop Eighth Straight With 38-33 Loss To Cowboys

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — Just when you thought you were out, able take a spa from the angst, they forced you to clench your fists, hold on tight and pulled you back in again. For three quarters, at least, the Eagles lured you into thinking they might win for the first time in two months.

Nick Foles looked good, Bryce Brown looked real good, and the Eagles briefly looked like the team they were supposed to be against the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Philadelpha Judge Found Dead at NJ Shore Home, Apparent Suicide

Philadelpha Judge Found Dead at NJ Shore Home, Apparent Suicide

 

VENTNOR, N.J. (CBS) — Philadelphia’s legal and political community is mourning the death of Common Pleas judge Adam Beloff, whose body was found at his Ventnor, NJ home on Saturday after an apparent suicide.

US congressman Bob Brady (D-Phila.), who runs the Democratic City Committee, calls the death of Judge Beloff a tragedy.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Fungal Meningitis Case Count Rises To 37 In New Jersey

Fungal Meningitis Case Count Rises To 37 In New Jersey

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey health officials say 37 cases of fungal meningitis have now been reported in the state.

The cases, two confirmed and 35 considered probable, are linked to a recalled, potentially tainted steroid produced by a specialty pharmacy in Massachusetts. Nationally, officials say more than 500 cases have been reported in 19 states, including 36 deaths.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Students, Activists Mark World AIDS Day On Penn’s Campus

Students, Activists Mark World AIDS Day On Penn’s Campus

 

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Students, and activists gathered at Institute of Contemporary Art on the Penn campus to mark World AIDS Day. They took part in a ribbon-making event as part of the 23rd annual Day Without Art.

The crowd of about 60 young people sipped coffee and munched on bagels before getting down to the task of creating the iconic red looped HIV/AIDS ribbons, held together by a button reading “Not Over.”

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

3 Pa. Parole Board Employees Fired In Wake of Murder of Philadelphia Cop

3 Pa. Parole Board Employees Fired In Wake of Murder of Philadelphia Cop

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — The Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole says three employees have been fired as the result of an investigation following last summer’s murder of an off-duty Philadelphia police officer.

The alleged killer had been released from prison just ten days before the murder.

Police say Rafael Jones shot and killed veteran officer Moses Walker Jr. last August, during a pre-dawn robbery attempt.

For full story go to  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Suspect in baby, grandma deaths had casino losses

Suspect in baby, grandma deaths had casino losses 

Raghunandan Yandamuri is escorted to a Montgomery County district court for a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Nov. 28, 2012, in Bridgeport, Pa. Investigators said Yandamuri killed 10-month-old Saanvi Venna and her grandmother Satyavathi Venna in a botched ransom kidnapping. He is being held without bail on murder, kidnapping and other charges.

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. (AP) -- A young man mired in gambling debts told police he killed a 10-month-old girl and her grandmother during a botched kidnapping after losing at least $15,000 at a casino near his office.

Raghunandan Yandamuri, 26, knew the family from his apartment complex. Like him, the baby's parents were young technology professionals from India. He had gone to the wife's birthday party, met the visiting grandmother and - tellingly - used family nicknames in a ransom note demanding $50,000.

"They both are working, so I thought maybe they have some money," Yandamuri told police in a videotaped statement played at his preliminary hearing Wednesday, during which a suburban Philadelphia judge ordered him to stand trial on murder, kidnapping and other charges.

"My intention was not to kill anyone or not to harm anyone," he said. "I only tried to kidnap the baby."

Yandamuri told investigators he panicked after the grandmother, who had opened the apartment door to him on Oct. 22, was killed in a struggle over a kitchen knife he had brought.

He accidentally dropped the baby, put a handkerchief over her mouth to quiet her and tied a towel around her head, he told police. He then left the infant - with her dark hair, huge dark eyes and white dress - in a trash-strewn, unused sauna in a basement fitness center, he said.

He said he returned hours later with milk for her, but found her "unconscious."

Yandamuri was arrested days later as police, given the nicknames in the ransom note, zeroed in on people who knew the couple.

Venkata Venna, and his wife, Chenchu Latha Punuruss, did not know of anyone with a grudge against them. 

They are both software engineers who came to the U.S. in 2007.

They had left for work about 8 a.m. that Monday, leaving their only child with Venna's mother, 61-year-old Satyavathi Venna, who was visiting from India. Venna raced home at 12:30 p.m. when his mother didn't answer the phone. He found her in a pool of blood, and discovered his daughter was missing.

Yandamuri worked in information technology for GSI Commerce Inc., a unit of eBay Inc. that builds e-commerce sites for other businesses. Its office in King of Prussia, Pa., is less than a mile from the Valley Forge Casino Resort.

When asked by police if he had a gambling problem, he replied "a bit."

"Last week I lost $15,000 to $20,000, but last month I won $20,000," he said on the videotape.

He said he had cleared most of his debts through a March bankruptcy filing in California.

Those records show that Yandamuri had amassed $26,000 in credit card debts since 2008, most of it on six accounts he opened in 2011. He was making $6,500 a month at the time, and netting $4,500 after taxes and deductions, he said. He reported sending $600 a month to his parents in India.

Yandamuri moved to the Philadelphia area from San Jose in the spring, about the same time his wife was expected to come to the U.S., the bankruptcy filings show. She has since returned to India, defense lawyer Stephen Heckman said Wednesday.

He worked for GSI from March to Oct. 26, when he was dismissed, the company said.

Yandamuri told police that he drafted the ransom note on his computer at work and left 10 copies at the apartment. After the slayings, he showered and returned to work, he said. Later that week, he made and distributed fliers to help in the search for the missing baby.

The victims' relatives moaned as they watched him re-enact the crime with a detective during the taped interview. Venkata Venna was among them, but his wife chose to wait in a nearby room.

Heckman tried to have the first-degree murder charges dismissed, arguing that his client lacked the intent to kill required for a conviction. However, a district judge said there was enough evidence to send the first-degree murder, felony murder and the other counts to trial.

Heckman hopes to help his client avoid the death penalty, which is under consideration by prosecutors.

"I'll have to talk to my client and see what he wants to do," Heckman said. "He was very sorry for what happened."

Kevin Steele, first assistant district attorney of Montgomery County, called the murders "vicious."

"This is one of those cases that haunts you," Steele said.

Task Force Recommends Major Changes to Pennsylvania Child Protection Laws

Task Force Recommends Major Changes to Pennsylvania Child Protection Laws

 

The Pennsylvania Task Force on Child Protection,
at Tuesday’s meeting.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) — A task force created by Governor Tom Corbett and state legislative leaders in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky scandal is recommending sweeping changes to Pennsylvania’s child protection laws.

The Task Force on Child Protection calls for, essentially, a complete rewrite of Pennsylvania’s child services
law.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Brash boxer 'Macho' Camacho dies in Puerto Rico

Brash boxer 'Macho' Camacho dies in Puerto Rico 

FILE - In this July 7, 2001 file photo, boxing champ Hector "Macho" Camacho acknowledges fans at KeySpan Park in New York's Coney Island. Camacho, a boxer known for skill and flamboyance in the ring, as well as for a messy personal life and run-ins with the police, has died, Saturday, Nov. 24, 2012, after being taken off life support. He was 50.

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico (AP) -- Hector "Macho" Camacho was a brash fighter with a mean jab and an aggressive style, launching himself furiously against some of the biggest names in boxing. And his bad-boy persona was not entirely an act, with a history of legal scrapes that began in his teens and continued throughout his life.

The man who once starred at the pinnacle of boxing, winning several world titles, died Saturday after being ambushed in a parking lot back in the Puerto Rican town of Bayamon where he was born. Packets of cocaine were found were found in the car in which he was shot.

Camacho, 50, left behind a reputation for flamboyance - leading fans in cheers of "It's Macho time!" before fights - and for fearsome skills as one of the top fighters of his generation.

"He excited boxing fans around the world with his inimitable style," promoter Don King told The Associated Press.

Camacho fought professionally for three decades, from his humble debut against David Brown at New York's Felt Forum in 1980 to an equally forgettable swansong against Saul Duran in Kissimmee, Florida, in 2010.

In between, he fought some of the biggest stars spanning two eras, including Sugar Ray Leonard, Felix Trinidad, Oscar De La Hoya and Roberto Duran.

"Hector was a fighter who brought a lot of excitement to boxing," said Ed Brophy, executive director of International the Boxing Hall of Fame. "He was a good champion. Roberto Duran is kind of in a class of his own, but Hector surely was an exciting fighter that gave his all to the sport."

Camacho's family moved to New York when he was young and he grew up in Spanish Harlem, which at the time was rife with crime. Camacho landed in jail as a teenager before turning to boxing, which for many kids in his neighborhood provided an outlet for their aggression.

"This is something I've done all my life, you know?" Camacho told The Associated Press after a workout in 2010. "A couple years back, when I was doing it, I was still enjoying it. The competition, to see myself perform. I know I'm at the age that some people can't do this no more."

Former featherweight champion Juan Laporte, a friend since childhood, described Camacho as "like a little brother who was always getting into trouble," but otherwise combined a friendly nature with a powerful jab.

"He's a good human being, a good hearted person," Laporte said as he waited with other friends and members of the boxer's family outside the hospital in San Juan after the shooting. "A lot of people think of him as a cocky person but that was his motto ... Inside he was just a kid looking for something."

Laporte lamented that Camacho never found a mentor to guide him outside the boxing ring.

"The people around him didn't have the guts or strength to lead him in the right direction," Laporte said. 

"There was no one strong enough to put a hand on his shoulder and tell him how to do it."

George Lozada, a longtime friend from New York who flew to Puerto Rico on Saturday, recalled that just hours after he was released from prison after serving a murder sentence, he received a call from Camacho, who was waiting outside his apartment in a black Porsche.

"He said, `Come down, I'm taking you shopping,'" Lozada said, wiping away tears.

"Because of him, man, I got what I got today," he said, pointing to pictures on his smartphone of his 6-year-old daughter. "Because of Hector, I stopped the drug scene ... He's helped so many people."

Drug, alcohol and other problems trailed Camacho himself after the prime of his boxing career. He was sentenced in 2007 to seven years in prison for the burglary of a computer store in Mississippi. While arresting him on the burglary charge in January 2005, police also found the drug ecstasy.

A judge eventually suspended all but one year of the sentence and gave Camacho probation. He wound up serving two weeks in jail, though, after violating that probation.

Camacho's former wife, Amy, obtained a restraining order against him in 1998, alleging he threatened her and one of their children. The couple, who had two children at the time, later divorced.

He divided his time between Puerto Rico and Florida in recent years, appearing on Spanish-language television as well as on a reality show called "Es Macho Time!" on YouTube.

Inside the boxing ring, Camacho flourished. He won three Golden Gloves titles as an amateur, and after turning pro, he quickly became a contender with an all-action style reminiscent of other Puerto Rican fighters.

Long promoted by Don King, Camacho won his first world title by beating Rafael Limon in a super-featherweight bout in Puerto Rico on Aug. 7, 1983. He moved up in weight two years later to capture a lightweight title by defeating Jose Luis Ramirez, and successfully defended the belt against fellow countryman Edwin Rosario.

The Rosario fight, in which the victorious Camacho still took a savage beating, persuaded him to scale back his ultra-aggressive style in favor of a more cerebral, defensive approach.

The change in style was a big reason that Camacho, at the time 38-0, lost a close split decision to Greg Haugen at Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas in 1991.

Camacho won the rematch to set up his signature fight against Mexico's Julio Cesar Chavez, this time at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Camacho was roundly criticized for his lack of action, and the Mexican champion won a lopsided unanimous decision to retain the lightweight title.

"Even though people say I beat him easily, it wasn't that way," Chavez told Mexico's ESPN-Radio Formula this week. "He was a very fast fighter, he faced everything and it was very hard for me."

"He revolutionized boxing, Chavez said. "It's a shame he got mixed up in so many problems."

After that loss, Camacho became the name opponent for other rising contenders, rather than the headliner fighting for his own glory.

He lost a unanimous decision to another young Puerto Rican fighter, Trinidad, and was soundly defeated by De La Hoya. In 1997, Camacho ended Leonard's final comeback with a fifth-round knockout. It was Camacho's last big victory even though he boxed for another decade.

The fighter's last title bout came in 1997 against welterweight champion Oscar De La Hoya, who won by unanimous decision. Camacho's last fight was his defeat by Saul Duran in May 2010. He had a career record of 79-6-3.

Doctors pronounced Camacho dead on Saturday after he was removed from life support at his family's direction. He never regained consciousness after at least one gunman crept up to the car in a darkened parking lot and opened fire.

No arrests and have been made, and authorities have not revealed many details beyond the facts that police found cocaine in the car and that the boxer and his friend, who was killed at the scene, had no idea the attack was coming. "Apparently, this was a surprise," said Alex Diaz, a police spokesman.

Survivors include his mother; three sisters, Raquel, Estrella and Ester; a brother, Felix; and four sons, Hector Jr., Taylor, Christian and Justin.

Griffin Shines, Redskins Hold Off Cowboys, 38-31

Griffin Shines, Redskins Hold Off Cowboys, 38-31

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Robert Griffin III threw for 311 yards and four touchdowns, helping the Washington Redskins beat the Dallas Cowboys 38-31 on Thursday.

The Heisman Trophy winner from Baylor made the Cowboys (5-6) look like an overmatched college team during the decisive second quarter in his first trip to Texas as a pro.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/.

Limited Free Meter Parking In City Begins Saturday

Limited Free Meter Parking In City Begins Saturday

 

A parking kiosk in Center City.

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The City of Philadelphia offers it’s annual gift of free meter parking to holiday shoppers on selected days and times. And it starts tomorrow.
 

It’s an incentive offered by the city every year around this time to get more holiday shoppers to do their gift buying in Philadelphia rather than the malls. Many shoppers say its a good idea.

 

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/.

 

Woman gets 80 years for deadly Texas day care fire

Woman gets 80 years for deadly Texas day care fire 

FILE - In this Nov. 13, 2012 file photo, home day care operator Jessica Tata is seen in Houston's Harris County Criminal Justice Center. Tata was sentenced to 80 years Tuesday, Nov. 20, 2012 for her felony murder conviction in the death of one of four children killed in a fire at her home day care in Houston.

HOUSTON (AP) -- It had been Jessica Tata's dream to run a day care.

She was soon in over her head, caring for too many kids and taking chances by leaving them alone to run errands. The young woman's actions ultimately proved fatal: Four children died and three others were injured when a fire broke out at her home day care after she had left them alone to go shopping at a nearby Target.

On Tuesday, jurors sentenced the 24-year-old woman to 80 years in prison for the death of one of the children, 16-month-old Elias Castillo. She still faces charges related to the rest of the children.

"Nobody wins in this situation," Elias' great-grandmother, Patty Sparks, said after the sentence was announced. "My heart goes out to the Tata family and those precious mothers and fathers who lost their babies."

Tata, who was only a few years removed from her teens when she started her day care, worked alone most of the time. Investigators said the February 2011 blaze happened when a pan of oil she had left cooking on the stove ignited while she was out shopping.

The same jury that decided her sentence had convicted Tata last week of one count of felony murder. The jury could have sentenced her to anywhere from five years to life in prison. Prosecutors had sought a life sentence, while defense attorneys asked only that jurors not give her an excessive sentence.

She will have to serve 30 years of her sentence before she is eligible for parole. Tata also was ordered to pay a $10,000 fine.

Jurors deliberated her punishment for seven hours over two days. The former day care owner had no visible reaction after the sentence was announced.

Tata's attorneys contended she was a good person who loved children but made a terrible mistake.

Prosecutors argued she was an irresponsible day care owner who had doomed the children when she left them alone. They said Tata had repeatedly left kids she was responsible for unsupervised and it was only a matter of time before her actions led to tragedy.

Defense attorney Mike DeGeurin said he still believes Tata should not have been tried for murder because the deaths were an accident.

"The sentence is not going to fix things. It's not going to make anybody feel better later on. But the jury has spoken. That's their sentence," DeGeurin said.

Tata's family and friends, who declined to comment after the sentence was announced, had testified she had changed since her troubled teenage years, when she had pleaded guilty to arson for starting two fires at her high school on the same day.

Defense attorneys had presented expert testimony to argue that a faulty stove or refrigerator may have sparked the blaze.

Prosecutor Steve Baldassano said that while he has sympathy for Tata's family, she had nobody to blame but herself.

"She was being paid to watch these children. She knew better," Baldassano said. "It's not the stove. It's not the refrigerator. It's not any parents' fault. It's nobody's fault but her own."

One of the surviving children, Makayla Dickerson, stood next to Baldassano as he spoke. Makayla, whose 3-year-old brother Shomari died in the fire, showed reporters scars the fire left on her right forearm.

Tata's attorneys argued she never intended to hurt the children, who ranged in age from 16 months to 3 years old, and whom Tata had referred to as "her babies." But prosecutors did not need to show she intended to harm them, only that the deaths occurred because she put them in danger by leaving them alone. Under Texas law, a person can be convicted of felony murder if he or she committed an underlying felony and that action led to the death.

In a victim impact statement Sparks read in court after the verdict was announced, she told Tata the children were never "your babies."

"They don't belong to you. They never did," she said.

But Sparks said that while she holds Tata accountable for what happened, she forgives her. After reading the statement, Sparks went over to Tata's mother in the courtroom and hugged her.

Jurors declined to speak with reporters after the sentence was announced.

Tata fled to Nigeria after the fire but was captured after about a month, returned to the U.S. in March 2011 and has remained jailed since. She was born in the U.S. but has Nigerian citizenship.

Tata still faces three more counts of felony murder in relation to the other children who died, and three counts of abandoning a child and two counts of reckless injury to a child in relation to the three who were hurt. 

Baldassano said prosecutors planned to pursue trials on the remaining felony murder charges.

Turner Leads 76ers Over Reeling Cavaliers, 86-79

Turner Leads 76ers Over Reeling Cavaliers, 86-79

 

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Evan Turner had 19 points and nine assists to lead the Philadelphia 76ers over the reeling Cleveland Cavaliers 86-79 Sunday night.

Spencer Hawes and Jrue Holiday each added 14 points for the Sixers, who’ve won two straight and five of seven.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Steady US housing recovery is boosting economy

Steady US housing recovery is boosting economy 

FILE - This Wednesday, Oct. 10, 2012 file photo shows a for-sale sign at a home in Glenview, Ill. U.S. sales of previously occupied homes rose solidly in October, helped by improvement in the job market and record-low mortgage rates.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- From purchases and prices to builder sentiment and construction, the U.S. housing market is making consistent gains.

The latest evidence came in reports Monday that sales of previously occupied homes rose solidly in October and that builders are more confident than at any other time in 6 1/2 years.

New-home sales and home-price indexes have reached multi-year highs. And Lowe's Cos. on Monday reported a surge in net income, a sign that home-improvement retailers are benefiting.

The housing market's recovery still has a long way to go. But for now, it's helping prop up an economy that's being squeezed by a global slowdown and looming spending cuts and tax increases.

Joseph LaVorgna, an economist at Deutsche Bank, estimates that the housing recovery could boost U.S. economic growth by a full percentage point next year. That's because a stronger housing market would mean more jobs, especially in industries like construction, and more consumer spending.

"Housing could provide a meaningful - and critical - lift to overall economic activity when other growth drivers, like exports, are slowing," LaVorgna said.

Helping drive the housing rebound is growing confidence among builders. An index of builder sentiment compiled by the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo rose to 46 this month, up from 41 in October. It was the highest reading since May 2006, just before the housing bubble burst.

Readings below 50 signal negative sentiment about the housing market. The index last reached that level in April 2006. Still, the index has been rising since October 2011, when it was 17. It's surged 27 points in the past 12 months, the sharpest annual increase on record.

A second report Monday said sales of previously occupied homes are near five-year highs, excluding temporary spikes in 2009 and 2010 when a homebuyer tax credit boosted purchases. Sales rose 2.1 percent in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.79 million, the National Association of Realtors said.

Sales are nearly 11 percent higher than they were a year ago, though they remain below the more than 5.5 million that economists says is consistent with a healthy market.

The Realtors' group said Superstorm Sandy delayed some purchases of previously occupied homes in the Northeast. Sales fell 1.7 percent there, the only region to show a drop. Those purchases will likely be completed in coming months, the group said.

A key factor fueling the gains is a gradually improving economy, which has increased the number of people looking for homes. At the same time, fewer homes are available for sale. The low supply is helping push up prices.

Only 2.14 million homes were available for sale at the end of October, the lowest supply in 10 years. It would take just 5.4 months to exhaust that supply at the current sales pace. That's the lowest sales-to-inventory ratio since 2006.

"We built too many homes during the good years, and we have finally gotten rid of that excess," said Patrick Newport, an economist at IHS Global Insight.

In addition, mortgage rates have hit all-time lows. And rents are rising, making the purchase of a single-family home or condominium more attractive.

The rise in people seeking to buy should support more construction over the next year or two, economists say. More Americans are looking set up their own households after living with relatives or friends in the recession and its aftermath.

In a healthy economy, the number of new households typically reaches 1.2 million a year. It averaged only 570,000 a year from 2007 through 2011, according to Census data compiled by Bank of America Merrill Lynch. It reached 635,000 last year. The Census expects about 1 million new households this year.

In September, builders broke ground on new homes at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000. That was the fastest pace in more than four years. Yet it still trailed the rate of household formation. The trend suggests that home construction will have to keep rising.

Low inventory "is a sign that housing markets are tightening, and that builders will continue ramping up on new construction to fill demand," Newport said.

For all the improvement in the housing industry, sales and prices remain below normal levels. In part, that's because many potential buyers can't meet stricter lending standards or make the larger down payments that banks have required since the housing bust.

That can be a particular obstacle for first-time buyers. They accounted for 31 percent of home sales in October. That was down slightly from September and below the 40 percent common in a healthy market.

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke said last week that banks' overly tight lending standards might be limiting home sales and holding back the economic recovery.

Still, the steady improvement in housing is benefiting the economy. Each new home built creates about three jobs for a full year and yields $90,000 in taxes, according to the homebuilders' group.

More building also creates demand for steel, glass and other materials. People who buy new homes usually buy more furniture, carpets and appliances. That typically generates more manufacturing and retail jobs.

More home construction generates more demand for pick-up trucks, as builders and contractors add trucks to handle more work. Chrysler said last week that it was adding 1,000 workers to a factory that makes Dodge Ram trucks. Ford and General Motors have also said demand for trucks is rising.

All told, Alan Levenson, chief economist at T. Rowe Price, estimates that the housing recovery could add 25,000 jobs a month next year.

Home improvement chains are benefiting. In addition to Lowe's higher earnings, Home Depot Inc. last week reported slightly higher third-quarter net income. And Home Depot raised its full-year forecast.

The clearest sign of a better housing market may be the increase in prices. A measure of U.S. prices jumped 5 percent in September compared with a year ago, according to private data provider CoreLogic. That was the largest year-over-year increase since July 2006. Other gauges have also shown solid gains in home prices over the past year.

Higher home prices can also make homeowners feel wealthier and more likely to spend more. And consumer spending accounts for about 70 percent of the U.S. economy.

Redskins Run Over Eagles

Redskins Run Over Eagles

 Washington, DC (CBS) — The Eagles thought that they were traveling to Washington on Sunday for an NFC East game with the Redskins. It really was a trip to a parallel universe, involving two teams that mirrored each other from their records to the downward spiral both teams seem to be taking.

The gaping difference, however, is the Redskins are moving forward with a franchise quarterback and toward a bright future, while the Eagles are mired in freefall losing at a record clip.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Philadelphia Police: Missing 10-Year-Old Girl Found Unharmed

Philadelphia Police: Missing 10-Year-Old Girl Found Unharmed

  


PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Police say a missing 10-year-old girl who was unlawfully taken from her custodial guardian by her birth mother was found unharmed on Sunday.

10-year-old Kimiyah Scott was reported missing on Saturday after the girl’s mother, 27-year-old Moriah Ford, allegedly took the child from a home in the 2500 block of West Gordon Street late Friday evening.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Philadelphia Inaugurates New One-Stop Center For Veterans’ Services

Philadelphia Inaugurates New One-Stop Center For Veterans’ Services

 

(Government officials cut the ribbon to open the
new Veterans Advisory Center at Philadelphia City Hall.


PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The City of Philadelphia held a ribbon-cutting today for a new office that will serve as a one-stop shop for local veterans, part of both a city and statewide effort to improve the quality of life for area veterans.

The Veterans Advisory Commission office is located in Room 127 on the first floor of City Hall, just off Market Street East (near Macy’s).  It’s handicap accessible, and will provide the city’s more than 70,000 veterans easy access to services.

For full story go to:  http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Texas parade honoring war heroes ends in tragedy

Texas parade honoring war heroes ends in tragedy 

This combination of undated family photos provided by the Show of Support, Hunt for Heroes committee show, from left: Sgt. Maj. Gary Stouffer, 37; Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Boivin, 47; Army Sgt. Joshua Michael, 34, and Sgt. Maj. William Lubbers, 43, four veterans killed when a parade float they were riding on was struck by a freight train at a crossing Thursday, Nov. 15, 2012, in Midland, Texas.

MIDLAND, Texas (AP) -- Cheered on by a flag-waving crowd, a parade float filled with wounded veterans and their spouses was inching across a railroad track when the crossing gates began to lower and a freight train that seemed to come out of nowhere was suddenly bearing down on them, its horn blaring.

Some of those seated on the float jumped off in wide-eyed terror just moments before the train - traveling at more than 60 mph - crashed into the flatbed truck with a low whoosh and a thunderous crack.

Four veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan - including an Army sergeant who apparently sacrificed his life to save his wife - were killed Thursday afternoon and 16 people were injured in a scene of both tragedy and heroism.

For some of the veterans who managed to jump clear of the wreck, training and battlefield instinct instantly kicked in, and they rushed to help the injured, applying tourniquets and putting pressure on wounds.

"They are trained for tragedy," said Pam Shoemaker of Monroe, La., who was with her husband, a special operations veteran, on a float ahead of the one that was hit.

A day after the crash, federal investigators were trying to determine how fast the train was going and whether the two-float parade had been given enough warning to clear the tracks.

And locals were struggling to cope with a tragedy at the start of what was supposed to be a three-day weekend of banquets, deer hunting and shopping in appreciation of the veterans' sacrifice.

"It's just a very tragic and sad thing," said Michael McKinney of Show of Support, the local charity that organizes the annual event and invited the two dozen veterans. "It's difficult when you're trying to do something really good and something tragic occurs."

National Transportation Safety Board member Mark Rosekind, standing near the intersection in downtown Midland where the crash took place, offered hope Friday that video would provide a fuller picture of what happened. Cameras were on both the lead car of the Union Pacific train and a sheriff's vehicle that was trailing the flatbed truck, Rosekind said.

The train was moving at 62 mph at the time of the crash, short of the 70 mph speed limit, Rosekind said. The speed limit was raised from 40 mph in 2006 to meet a growing demand for freight and to improve efficiency for passenger trains, Union Pacific spokeswoman Raquel Espinoza said.

NTSB investigators have not determined if the gate and other protective measures were updated when the speed limit was raised, Rosekind said. The agency plans to test signals for abnormalities Saturday.

Killed were Marine Chief Warrant Officer 3 Gary Stouffer, 37; Army Sgt. Maj. Lawrence Boivin, 47; Army Sgt. Joshua Michael, 34; and Army Sgt. Maj. William Lubbers, 43. One veteran and three spouses remained hospitalized Friday, with one spouse in critical condition.

At the time of the crash, the veterans were on their way to a banquet in their honor.

Shoemaker said the flatbed truck she was riding on had just crossed the tracks and was moving slowly when she heard a train coming and looked back to see the lowered crossing gates bouncing up and down on the people seated on the float behind her.

Witnesses described people screaming as the warning bells at the crossing went off and the train blasted its horn.

Daniel Quinonez, who was waiting in his vehicle as the parade went by, said the float on the tracks could not go anywhere because of the one right in front of it.

"It was a horrible accident to watch happen right in front of me," he said. "I just saw the people on the semi-truck's trailer panic, and many started to jump off the trailer. But it was too late for many of them."

Another witness, Joe Cobarobio, said only a few seconds elapsed between the time the crossing gates came down and the train slammed into the flatbed truck with a "giant cracking sound."

Michael, one of the soldiers killed, pushed his wife off the float when he saw the train coming, his wife told Cory Rogers, a friend of the couple.

"His first instinct was to get her out of harm's way," said Rogers, who was not at the parade. "That's the kind of man he was, and I feel like it was his training as a paramedic and then as a soldier, choosing to put someone's life before your own."

Federal Railroad Administration records reviewed by The Associated Press show there were 10 collisions at the crossing between 1979 and 1997. But no accidents had happened in the past 15 years, the NTSB's Rosekind said.

Six drivers were injured in those accidents. The trains involved were moving slowly at the time, between 15 and 25 mph.

A key question for investigators is whether, after the speed limit was raised, the timing of the crossing gates was changed to give cars and trucks enough time to clear the tracks, Robert Chipkevich, who headed NTSB's rail investigations unit until retiring in 2010, said in an interview.

Investigators will also look at whether traffic lights in town prevented the flatbed truck in front from moving ahead, he said.

Sudip Bose, who was a front-line physician in Iraq, said the aftermath reminded him of a combat triage situation. Veterans instantly tended to the injured, and bystanders helped, too. Shoemaker's husband, Tommy, resuscitated one person and applied a tourniquet to a bleeding woman.

"Instincts kicked in," said Bose, who served in Fallujah and Baghdad and was volunteering at the parade.