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26 Jan 2012 23:41

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U.S.: California’s new “Clean Car” regulations: Necessary or too costly?

  • We can’t afford to wait. We have to act on these issues now. Our projections show continued growth in population and vehicle miles traveled, which will affect air quality for years to come.
  • Mary Nichols, the chairman of the California Air Resources Board • Discussing why new ‘Clean Car’ regulations are necessary. California’s new bill, which would require vehicles to cut down on pollutants by 75 percent, would start in 2015, and the rules would tighten further by 2025. This could be a step in the right direction for such a smog-ridden state, but opponents say that it would hurt consumers and car manufacturers, claiming it raises the price of a new vehicle by $3,200. The new standards could inspire other states to follow suit. source

18 Jan 2012 08:53

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Offbeat: A witness to a murder-suicide was able to escape — and she’s only 7 years old.

  • This young girl witnessed a heinous crime, yet she was able to provide great insight into that fateful day. She may be young, but she’s extremely bright, articulate and courageous.
  • Fresno, Calif. Police Department Deputy Chief Keith Foster • Regarding a child who escaped a triple murder-suicide. The 7-year-old was able to leave the scene of this bloody crime unharmed. She had stayed the night at the house of her neighbor, Aide Mendez, the woman police say was behind the murder-suicide. The young girl witnessed at least one of the murders; Mendez allegedly shot her two children and also killed her cousin before killing herself. She also shot and stabbed her husband, but he survived the attack and is recovering in a local hospital. What could have caused Mendez to go through with all of that? While we may not know the complete truth, investigators discovered an iPad video recording of Mendez and her cousin smoking methamphetamine hours before the deadly incident. source