Winehouse cautioned over assault

Winehouse arrived in a people-carrier and was surrounded by paparazzi

Troubled pop singer Amy Winehouse has been cautioned for common assault, police have confirmed.

The star, whose battle against drug addiction has overshadowed her recording success, spent the night in the cells at Holborn Station in London.

The 24-year-old singer was questioned by police about an alleged assault in north London on Wednesday.

She agreed to attend the station voluntarily but has now left the police building.

Winehouse's spokesman said in statement: "Amy Winehouse was questioned this morning at a London police station in connection to an incident in Camden in the early hours of 23 April, 2008.

Labels: Amy Winehouse, Drug addiction, entertainment, government, London, police, Police station, United Kingdom

Jennifer Muir of The Orange County Register reports on the California Department of Motor Vehicles' "Confidential Records Program," which was created 30 years ago to keep DMV records of police officers private from criminals. The program has since expanded to cover "hundreds of thousands of public employees – from police dispatchers to museum guards – who face little threat from the public. Their spouses and children can get the plates, too."

Labels: corruption, crime, government, law enforcement

Seems I got a letter in the mail today from my employer. They want me to sign a form showing that I am 1) a US citizen or 2) a LEGAL immigrant. (I work nominally for the government)

I have no problem with this and am actually glad to see them doing it. It’s about time enforcement of the law became something an employer would want to do. I was looking at the form to figure out why me (I’ve worked there for 4+ years now) and saw that it was policy that everyone hired after April 2002 had to submit the form.

This makes me both happy and sad. Happy that something is being done at my employer for legal immigration (even though it is not a ’hotbed’ of illegal activity) and at the same time very sad that it took over 5 years to implement this simple form.

Friday Free-for-all at StoptheACLU!

Labels: government, illegal immigration, immigration

Seatbelt bill hits bump in the road

By GARRY RAYNO
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
1 hour, 27 minutes ago

Concord – The mandatory seatbelt bill hit a bump in the road when the Senate Transportation and Interstate Committee voted to recommend the bill be killed.

The committee voted 3-2 on the recommendation and the full Senate is scheduled to vote on the bill May 31.

On Wednesday, committee chairman Sen. Robert Letourneau, R-Derry, voted to recommend killing the bill, joined by Sens. Bob Clegg, R-Hudson, and Betsi DeVries, D-Manchester. Committee vice chairman Sen. Peter Burling, D-Cornish, and Sen. Molly Kelly, D-Keene, opposed the recommendation.

The bill, HB 802, passed the House last month by 13 votes. New Hampshire is the last state in the country without a mandatory seatbelt law, although restraints are required for children and teenagers.(link)

Labels: government, law

New wage boost puts squeeze on teenage workers across Arizona

Employers are cutting back hours, laying off young staffers

Chad Graham
The Arizona Republic
Feb. 10, 2007 12:00 AM

Oh, for the days when Arizona's high school students could roll pizza dough, sweep up sticky floors in theaters or scoop ice cream without worrying about ballot initiatives affecting their earning power.

That's certainly not the case under the state's new minimum-wage law that went into effect last month.

Some Valley employers, especially those in the food industry, say payroll budgets have risen so much that they're cutting hours, instituting hiring freezes and laying off employees. (link)

Labels: economy, government, wages