Con Edison Trucks Float Away On Ave. C In New York As Hurricane Sandy Hits

New York residents report flooded streets take toll on vehicles and trucks. Local vehicles were just floating away.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 29, 2012

New York – Hurricane Sandy creates major flooding in New York City and most of Manhattan was under water. Flood waters at the Ave. C, where upscale apartments are located has flooded vehicles parked on the street and the high rising water has taken away some vehicles, including several Con Edison trucks. The trucks seen floating down the Ave., according to residents that remained in their condos as Sandy goes through the area causing considerable damage and havoc.
The subway system in New York City is also expected to flood as well. Power outages have been reported throughout the city and people are using Wi-Fi to keep in contact with family and friends.
Earlier in day in Manhattan, police and fire emergency crews were called to the Manhattan One57 luxury apartments after a crane on the side of the skyscraper partially collapsed. Part of the crane remained dangle facing 57 Street. Authorities did not say, how much damage was caused or if anyone was injured after parts of the crane fell into the street below.
Police blocked the area and blocked off traffic as Hurricane Sandy continues to blast winds up to 60 miles an hour. Tenants from the building and adjacent buildings were told by the New York Office of Emergency Management to move to the lower floors as emergency crews will try to secure or remove the damaged parts of the crane once the winds die down.
Hurricane Sandy began to hit New York with high wind gusts and rain earlier than expected, according to authorities.
The aftermath of Cyclone Sandy preliminary damage in the East Coast of the U.S. was estimated at $20B in property and $13B in business, also 18K flights canceled, 8.2M people without power and 48 reported deaths.

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Top photo: YouTube

Lower photos by George Gonis

Crane Dangles From One57 Luxury Skyscraper In Manhattan

A crane on the side of the One57 luxury skyscraper collapsed on Monday leaving a part of its section dangling over a New York street.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 29, 2012

Manhattan, New York – Police and fire emergency crews were called to the Manhattan One57 luxury apartments after a crane on the side of the skyscraper partially collapsed. Part of the crane remained dangle facing 57 Street. Authorities did not say, how much damage was caused or if anyone was injured after parts of the crane fell into the street below.
Police blocked the area and blocked off traffic as hurricane Sandy continues to blast winds up to 60 miles an hour. Tenants from the building and adjacent buildings were told by the New York Office of Emergency Management to move to the lower floors as emergency crews will try to secure or remove the damaged parts of the crane once the winds die down.
Hurricane Sandy began to hit New York with high wind gusts and rain earlier than expected, according to authorities.

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Photo: YouTube

Milwaukee Couple Charged In the Death Of A 5-year-old Child

5-year-old boy died from injuries sustain during child abuse by mother’s boyfriend.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 28, 2012

Milwaukee, WI – A Milwaukee couple have been charged for the October 18, death of Jayden Banda, 5. Both Alyssa Marie Banda, 20, and Marcos A. Colin, 23, appeared at a Milwaukee County court on Saturday for Jayden’s homicide resulting from neglect and child abuse in the hands of Colin, according to the criminal complaint.
Banda was charged with one felony count for neglecting a child resulting in death. Colin was charged with two felony counts for neglecting a child resulting in death and child abuse, including recklessly causing great bodily harm and one misdemeanor count for bail jumping.
The complaint states, that on October 18, Jayden had stayed home from school due to being sick. Colin spend the day playing football with Jayden on the street. Later that day, both Banda and Colin took Jayden to the St. Francis Hospital for medical treatment for some injuries. Banda told the doctor that Jayden had fallen from the apartment stairs, suffered some bruises and injuries in the fall. Her claim didn’t match with the injuries Jayden had suffered, according to doctors. He died at the hospital from the injuries.
Doctors reported to police that Jayden had suffered a blown pupil, a baseball-size bruise to the head, a scrape to the chin and at least 20 bruises to his body, according to the criminal complaint.
Banda told police that Colin was “toughening him up” by jabbing him back handed with boxing gloves. But a doctor claimed, Jayden was punched multiple times with abusive and aggressive force causing severe injuries resulting in his death.
Both Banda and Colin are facing up to 25 years in prison and $100,000 in fines, if convicted. Cash bond for Banda was set at $10,000 and for Colin at $75,000.

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(L-R) Marcos A. Colin, Alyssa Marie Banda and Jayden Banda

U.S. Government Avoids Paying Benefits To Deported War Veterans

The U.S. Government is accused of keeping earned benefits from thousands of War Veterans that have been deported for minor crimes.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 27, 2012

Washington, D.C. – U.S. Veterans that have been deported to Mexico are planning to file for benefits that were unjustly taken away when they were removed from the country. Most War Veterans (non-citizens) lost all their benefits allowed under federal law after they were deported to their native countries and left with no means of support or medical benefits for medical issues sustained while in the military service, despite serving multiple combat duty tours. For these deported Veterans, they would have to apply for Veteran benefits from abroad.
The U.S. Government, including the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) would have to set appointments for Veterans to present their need, but deported Veterans are banned from ever returning to the U.S. They would face long federal prison sentences, if they illegally reenter the U.S. to claim benefits. An integral issue of securing an appointment to certified such benefit requests by deported Veterans that the VA would have to overcome or go through a U.S. Consulate in Mexico.
A group of U.S. deported War Veterans now living in El Rasarito Beach, a suburb of Tijuana, Baja California will soon apply for certain Veteran benefits they rightfully earned.
Deported Army Veteran Hector Barajas, 35, posted in his Facebook account that he and other deported Veterans who recently opened a U.S. Deported Veteran Support House (Safehouse) in El Rasarito will turn in their requests for Veteran benefits with the VA. The outcome and response by the VA to Barajas and other deported Veterans would certainly set precedent, since thousands of War Veterans have been previously been deported.
In 2011, ICE figures showed that at least 3,000 War Veterans were facing deportation proceedings for minor to serious crimes.
The El Rosarito safehouse is the first of its kind in Mexico and is operating with a limited budget. Most food donations for the safehouse are provided by family members and limited monetary funds are sent through a PayPal account (banishedveteran@yahoo.com). The safehouse offers support and other necessary help for deported Veterans facing removal trauma once they are removed from the U.S.A. by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Those Veterans seeking support at the safehouse will be able to get spiritual advice, shelter, food, assistance in getting a local Mexican ID. They will also have access to a phone and Internet, according to Barajas. But the safehouse was recently left in the dark when a Mexican utility company shut off their electricity (including water and Internet) due to an outstanding bill. Barajas posted on Facebook that someone had offered to pay the light bill, but couldn’t confirm, if it was actually paid.
Veteran health care, patient care, disabilities, federal benefits and etc. were awarded to Veterans by the U.S. Congress and are not automatically taken away when they are deported.
For example, one of those benefits is U.S. recognition upon death, a deported Veteran can return as an American and is buried with full military honors. The U.S. Government provides the bannished Veteran a plot and a marker.

Hector Barajas can be contacted at banishedveteran@yahoo.com or at U.S. area code 626-569-5491 for more information about the safehouse.

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Photos: Facebook

Petarius Charged With Nine Felony Counts In Waukesha Domestic Abuse Case

76-year-old man remains in custody after being charged with multiple felonies and surviving a gunfight with Waukesha police who discharged 26 rounds at the suspect.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 26, 2012

Waukesha, WI – On Thursday, Richard A. “Dick” Petarius, 76, was charged with nine felony counts and one misdemeanor count for Tuesday’s shootout with police, an hour-long standoff and violating a court injunction. Petarius was charged with nine felony counts for 1st-degree intentional homicide; two counts for 1st-degree recklessly endangering safety; armed burglary with a dangerous weapon; false imprisonment; intimidating a witness by damaging property; possession of a weapon contrary to an injunction; possession of a short barrel shotgun and aggravated battery of an elderly. He was also charged with one misdemeanor count for violating a domestic abuse injunction.
A $500,000 cash bond was set for Petarius and remains at the Waukesha County jail. He is facing more than two life sentences, if convicted on all counts and more than $100,000 of fines or both.
With his current age, Petarius will most likely die in prison of old age before doing to much time, if convicted.
Last Tuesday, Waukesha police responded to a domestic violence call at the Wynwood Condominiums at the 1800 block of Racine Ave. where a 75-year-old woman was being interviewed when her former husband appeared from inside the condo with a short barrel 12-gauge shotgun and fired at police. Petarius had a restraining order against him since 2010 lasting until 2014. Petarius had just appeared in a Waukesha County court that same day for contempt of court for not paying alimony and not signing over tax refunds to his former wife, Phyllis D. Petarius.
Phyllis D., 75, had been married to Petarius for more than 53 years. She suffered a broken arm around 4:00 p.m. when Petarius allegedly grabbed her arm and pushed her to a concrete garage floor when he forced his way into the condo.
Her daughter called police. When police arrived minutes later and were conducting an interviewed with the victim, Petarius suddenly appeared from inside the condo with a shotgun and pointed it at his ex-wife, including police and then fired.
Phyllis D. was removed from the entrance of the condo to another location by an officer, while another officer fired multiple rounds at Petarius and into the condo to keep him distracted when the gunfight ignited. Police fired at least 26 rounds at Petarius.
The victim and her daughter were later taken to the Waukesha Memorial Hospital for treatment due to injuries suffered at the scene.
One officer was grazed in the head by debris and survived, according to Waukesha Police Chief Russell Jack. The officers involved were placed in administrative duty until the outcome of the shooting investigation.
Chief Jack confirmed, that Petarius was not injured during the gunfight with police and was taken into custody unharmed after an hour-long standoff ended with police. Petarius’ attorney helped defuse the standoff, according to police.
Petarius was living in Watertown, according to Waukesha court records.

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Richard A. Petarius and Phyllis D. Petarius

Waukesha Police Discharged 26 Rounds At 76-year-old Man During Domestic Violence Call

76-year-old man taken into custody after gunfight and standoff with Waukesha police.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 24, 2012

Waukesha, WI – On Tuesday, Waukesha police responded to a domestic violence call at the Wynwood Condominiums at the 1800 block of Racine Ave. where a 75-year-old woman was being interviewed and her former husband, Richard A. “Dick” Petarius, 76, showed up with a shotgun. Petarius had a restraining order against him since 2010 lasting until 2014. Petarius had just appeared in a Waukesha County court this week for contempt of court for not signing over tax refunds to his former wife.
The 76-year-old woman identified as Phyllis D. who had been married to Petarius for 53 years, suffered a broken arm around 4:00 p.m. when Petarius allegedly grabbed her arm and pushed her. Her daughter called police and when they arrived minutes later and were conducting an interviewed with the victim. Petarius then appeared at the condo with a shotgun and pointed it at police and fired. Two officers at the scene returned fire, discharging at least 26 gunshots inside and outside the condo. One officer was grazed in the head by debris and is expected to survive, according to Waukesha Police Chief Russell Jack.
The woman was taken to a safe location when the gunfight ignited. Phyllis D. and her daughter were later taken to a hospital for treatment due to injuries suffered at the scene.
Chief Jack confirmed, that Petarius was not injured during the gunfight with police and was taken into custody unharmed after an hour standoff ended with police.
Petarius now living in Sussex is expected to be charged on Thursday with multiple counts of domestic violence related crimes, including violating a restraining order.
Multiple police agencies and the FBI responded to the scene in Waukesha.

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Richard A. Petarius and Phyllis D. Petarius

Judge Won’t Stay Decision Striking Down Parts Of Governor Walker’s Bargaining Law

State failed to show that irreparable harm would result, if parts of the Act 10 bargaining law remained moot.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 22, 2012

Madison, WI – On Monday, Dane County Circuit Court Judge Juan Colas decided not to suspend his ruling striking down parts of Governor Scott Walker’s Act 10 collective bargaining law. The state failed to show irreparable harm would result, if Colas’ ruling striking down sections of the collective bargaining law eliminating certain bargaining rights for city, county and public school district unions would cause harm to the state. The state sought a stay to put on hold Colas’ ruling, so the state could continue to ban certain collective bargaining rights for workers until an appeals court decides, if Colas’ ruling would be overturned.
Judge Colas on September 14, ruled that sections eliminating certain collective bargaining rights for municipal and public school employees were unconstitutional and restored their collective bargaining rights, except for state employees.
Colas wrote, “The constitutions are the fundamental expressions of the will of the people acting in their sovereign capacity…Even laws enacted by the legislature and the governor, though they may manifest the popular will of their time, are subordinate to them. Even a temporary infringement of fundamental rights of speech and association protected by the constitutions is an irreparable harm.”
Allowing the state to continue to violate state and federal constitutional rights such as free speech, freedom of association and equal protection of city, county and public school district workers would result in irreparable harm contrary to public interest, according to Colas.
Governor Walker’s collective bargaining law eliminated most bargaining rights for state, municipal and public school district union workers when it took effect on June 2011.
Wisconsin Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen had tried to appeal Judge Colas’ September decision. Van Hollen now plans to ask the state Court of Appeals to stay Colas ruling.

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U.S. Veteran Considered Non-Citizen Will Exercise His Right To Vote In Colorado

Vietnam U.S Veteran considered a non-citizen by the U.S. Homeland Security Department will vote in the next election.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 22, 2012

Colorado Springs, CO – U.S. Marine Veteran Jesus Manuel Valenzuela-Rodriguez, 59, confirmed that he will cast his vote in the upcoming November elections in Colorado, despite an attempt by the U.S. Homeland Security Department (DHS) to bar him from voting because he is considered a non-citizen. On September 12, he was notified by the El Paso County Office of the Clerk and Recorder that DHS had sent a list of registered voting non-citizens to the Colorado Secretary of State, which included his name.
Valenzuela-Rodriguez challenged the DHS non-citizen notification with the State of Colorado by providing documents that he is an U.S. Citizen and succeeded to be recognized as an American by the state clearing his way to exercise his right to vote in Colorado.
“The State of Colorado says I am a Citizen of America and I can vote. I showed all my documents and they took copies, and for once in 7 years of hell, I was told welcome home you are a Citizen of America. So now, I will exercise my rights and who stops me, will have to answer. For, I am an American Citizen,” Valenzuela-Rodriguez posted on his Brothers Valenzuela Facebook page on Monday.
On October 12, both Manuel and his brother Valente Valenzuela, 62, an Army Veteran from Colorado addressed and spoke about the issue of the banished U.S. Veterans at the University of Texas El Paso Campus in El Paso, Texas. The Valenzuelas who have become advocates for deported Veterans had faced the threat of deportation themselves for misdemeanor crimes, but were able to stay in the U.S., until their immigration case gets resolved. The Valenzuelas were born in Mexico to a U.S. Citizen mother from New Mexico. Their father was a Mexican national, but later legalised and became a U.S. Citizen. By birth right to a U.S. Citizen in another country, their born children become automatically U.S. Citizens, according to federal law.
Since then, they have learned of hundreds of Veterans facing deportation or who have been deported regardless of their contributions and honorable service in the armed forces protecting the freedom of Americans and the U.S. Constitution.
In 2011, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) figures confirmed that at least 3,000 War Veterans were in process of being deported to their native countries.
The Valenzuela brothers have put forth the issue of the deportation of U.S. Veterans in the national political ring, despite President Barack H. Obama and former Governor Mitt Romney’s exclusion of the issue in their debates or in their current campaigns for U.S. President.
On October 13, a group of U.S. Deported Veterans led by Army Veteran Hector Barajas opened the first U.S. Deported Veterans Support House (Safehouse) in El Rosarito Beach, Baja California, Mexico to help other deported Veterans from the U.S. ajust to being dislocated and facing removal trauma caused by DHS and the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement when separating families.

Valenzuela will cast his vote on Tuesday, November 6, at 11:00 a.m. at the First Methodist Church, 420 N. Nevada, Colorado Springs, Colorado.

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Jesus Manuel Valenzuela-Rodriguez

Photos: Facebook

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Hailey Meets Bieber At Milwaukee Concert

Child suffering from a rare childhood brain cancer gets to meet Justin Bieber.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 21, 2012

Milwaukee, WI – On Sunday, Hailey Charlotte Roser, 4, fulfilled her dream to finally meet Canadian pop star Justin Bieber, 18, the Healing Hailey Facebook page reported. Roser was taken from the Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin by ambulance to the Milwaukee Bieber concert where she finally met her idol.
Roser had her hospital room filled with wall posters and items of Bieber and considered him a make belief boyfriend.
Justin Bieber who heard about her plight with cancer decided to meet Roser. Bieber took time from his Milwaukee concert at the BMO Harris Bradley Center to personally meet Roser who is suffering from a rare childhood brain concert.

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Justin Bieber and Hailey Charlotte Roser

Photos: Healing Hailey Facebook

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Azana Salon & Spa Gunman Commits Suicide After Shooting Seven Killing Three Victims

Suspect killed himself of a self-inflicted wound to the head after killing three victims inside a salon.

By H. Nelson Goodson
October 21, 2012

Brookfield, WI – Radcliffe Franklin Haughton, 45, of Brown Deer apparently killed himself with a self-inflicted wound inside the Azana Salon & Spa in Brookfield after shooting seven women and killing three of them, including Zina Haughton, 42, his estranged wife. Haughton’s body was found just after 4:00 p.m. inside the salon.
Haughton went inside the salon on late Sunday morning with a weapon and began to shoot at customers and workers at the Azana Salon. Four injured women ranging in ages 22, 30, 32 and 40 suffered non-critical injuries and were taken to Froedtert Hospital for treatment.
Haughton apparently walked into the Azana Salon located at the 200 block of N. Moreland Rd. after 11:00 a.m. and proceeded to fire a .40 Caliber semiautomatic handgun killing three victims at the scene and injured four others.
A young barefooted woman ran out of the salon pleading for help, shouting that her mother was shot inside the Azana Salon and that her stepfather was inside the Azana Salon trying to kill as many people as he could with a machine gun , according to some witnesses.
Brookfield Police received a 911 call at 11:09 a.m., when police arrived at the Azana Salon, they discovered a suspected improvised bomb at the scene making it difficult to remove injured victims still alive.
Haughton is the estranged husband of Zina, an employee at the salon who was also shot and killed. The Waukesha County Medical Examiner’s Office identified the victims that were killed as Zina of Brown Deer, Cary Robuck, 35, of Racine and Maelyn Lind, 38, of Oconomowoc. The Azana salon is across from Brookfield Mall.
ATF, FBI, Brookfield Police, New Berlin Police, Waukesha County Sheriff’s Department and Milwaukee Police responded to the shooting scene and are investigating the incident.
The suspect’s vehicle was found at another location. Authorities were at the suspect’s home in Brown Deer and no explosives were found at the home, according to Brown Deer Police.
Haughton, a manager at a Jaguar dealership in Madison had his Brown Deer home listed for sale. The suspect is a Marine Veteran who served four years. His has a 14-year-old daughter, an older step daughter and a third child. The daughters and a third child were reported safe and unharmed.
Recently, a restraining order had been issued against Haughton after he allegedly last week slashed the tires of his estrange wife’s vehicle. He was ordered to turn any weapons on his possession to the Milwaukee County Sheriff’s Department.
Under Wisconsin Conceal Carry, if a shooting occurs inside a place where a posted sign bans weapons, the owners can become liable and are not protected against liability under the CCW law. It is unclear, if Azana Salon had a posted sign banning weapons.

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Radcliffe Franklin Haughton