I think I mentioned in the heading of this blog that I might, from time to time, venture beyond my comfort zone. I had intended that my "forays" would have a certain levity, but I just can't muster that this morning.
It's a beautiful Saturday, and we have time to sit at the breakfast table with cinnamon rolls (Thank you, Pillsbury Doughboy) and our two newspapers: The Arizona Republic and The Wall Street Journal. The sun is shining, the tiny hummingbirds are bathing and splashing vigorously in the courtyard fountain, and all is right with the world. After reading the "Home" section, my favorite Saturday starter, I turn to the "Valley and State" pages of the Arizona Republic.
It reads normally: News first, then Opinions, Editorials, Letters to the Editor and, finally, Clay Thompson venting about crazy drivers. However, as I look toward the bottom of the last page, I suddenly realize what's been nagging at me the last 20 or so minutes:
Page 1: "Prosecuters in Loughner trial can access notes on his mental health." Despite the fact that 50 years ago, our high school journalism teacher required all words in a headline to be capitalized, the bigger fact is that thirteen months ago Jared Loughner was accused of shooting 19 people...killing six and wounding thirteen including Representative Gabby Giffords and one of my favorite bloggers, Suzi Hileman. He used a Glock handgun.
Page 2: "City sees protest vs. police officer." This story involves a Scottsdale police officer who, since 2002, has been involved in seven shootings, six of them fatal. The most recent incident took place this past Tuesday when the officer, on a 911 call, shot and killed a man who had allegadly been threatening neighbors with a gun. The shooting victim was holding his grandson at the time he was killed (he was babysitting). A search of his home after the shooting yielded a variety of weapons (some loaded) plus an improvised explosive device.
"Suspect arrested in shooting." Tempe police arrested a California man suspected of shooting and killing a man in a Tempe apartment last month. A second person was wounded during that incident.
"Benefit to aid deputy's family." A raffle and barbecue will be held this afternoon to benefit the family of Bill Coleman, a sheriff's deputy killed last month while responding to a call regarding a burglar alarm in Anthem. He was fatally shot by a man wielding a semiautomatic rifle. That same man is accused of shooting and killing a couple parked in their car near Sedona.
Page 3: "Phoenix police plan to replace faulty vests." Phoenix police, following the shooting of an officer while on a trespassing call, will replace faulty ballistic vests worn by the many of its men. This officer, wearing one of the vests in question, was wounded in the abdomen and continues on medical leave.
Page 8: "Police inquiry clears officer in dog's fatal shooting." An Akita was shot and killed by a Peoria police officer when he felt threatened by the large dog whose owner was nearby.
I put away the paper.
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