MR GRADY'S DAILY BLOG: AMERICAS EARLY BIRD NEWS

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

AMERICAS EARLY BIRD NEWS

Police Pension Fund to probe retired NYPD cop who got lifetime disability pension — then started running marathons

Christopher DePaolis, 43, spent 20 years in the NYPD, blew out his knee on duty and retired with a disability pension worth more than $82,000 a year in 2013.

Oregon sheriff accuses armed militia of harassing, intimidating police officers at home

Sheriff Dave Ward has accused armed militiamen of staking out police officers at their homes and stalking U.S. Fish and Wildlife employees.

Two children and mom killed in early morning Ohio stabbing

Police were called to an apartment in north Columbus around 1:30 a.m. after violence erupted.

North Carolina boy, 3, dies after accidentally shooting himself with gun found in father's store

A 3-year-old boy died after he accidentally shot himself with a handgun he found in a store where his father was working.

VH1 gives 'America's Next Top Model' another chance

Explosion in Istanbul tourist hub kills at least 10, injures 15

An explosion at Istanbul's historic Sultanahmet district, which is popular with tourists, has injured several people on Tuesday, Turkish media reports said.

New York village votes to keep emblem labeled racist against Native Americans

Residents of Whitesboro, near Utica, voted overwhelmingly to keep their logo, which shows the town’s 18th century founder Hugh White subduing a member of the local Oneida tribe.

Barack Obama offered Joe Biden financial help during his son Beau's battle with cancer

Biden told CNN that Obama had offered to help his family out financially when his late son Beau Biden was fighting cancer and thinking about quitting his job as attorney general of Delaware.

Meet El Chapo's femme fatale Kate Del Castillo

Remains found in 'garbage heap' in Florida forest likely belong to toddler who vanished in July

Authorities believe the body found just after midnight Sunday is little Lonzi Barton (pictured), who vanished six months ago from his Jacksonville home.

Three children killed in early morning Ohio stabbing

Police were killed to where three were killed and two others were taken to local hospitals.

Jackpot-fixing scandal isn't stopping Powerball's success; watchdog calls astronomical $1.4 billion prize a 'scam'

A lingering jackpot-fixing scandal isn't stopping the Powerball from reaching record heights — but one lottery watchdog is calling the astronomical jackpot a "scam."

In shocking twist, NJ dad arrested and charged with murder months after 3-year-old son found dead in woods

Police arrested David Creato Jr., nicknamed DJ, Camden County prosecutors said, after a grand jury indicted him on first-degree murder and second-degree endangering the welfare of a child charges.

Powerball sales fuel 3.8 percent increase in total lottery sales

Sales for the multi-state Powerball game totaled $302.5 million, a 7.4% increase over 2014, according to figures provided by the state Division of Lottery.

SEE IT Okla. woman wins 'greatest interview ever' praise after fire

Woman, 24, says pimp calling himself 'black Hitler' threatened to skin her alive in series of torture sessions

The woman, now 24, said she was terrified when Sherman Gamble pinned her down and shoved a rolled up magazine or newspaper down her throat as she gagged and gasped for air.

SEE IT Portland police hunting thief who robbed $200 python by shoving it down his pants

The man was caught on camera walking into the A to Z Pets Store, grabbing the reptile from its cage and pushing it down the front of his pants before walking out.

Ohio man on the run sends selfie to police because mugshot is 'terrible'

Chris Pugh failed to appear in court late December, and later texted the Lima police department a picture of himself on the run when they put out a warrant for his arrest.

Dentist wanted for sexually assaulting patient under anesthesia arrested at Kennedy Airport

Bilal Ahmed, 43, is accused of putting his penis in the mouth of the male patient who awoke during a procedure to repair a chipped tooth, according to an arrest affidavit.

Penn State rated top online college program in annual report

For the second year in a row, Pennsylvania State University was rated the top online bachelor's program.

Bowie's gender-bending style impacted musicians from Prince to Gaga

NO MORE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM: Ringling Bros. circus elephants to retire in May

The pachyderms will be sent to the circus's 200-acre Center for Elephant Conservation near Orlando.

How David Bowie’s new album ‘Blackstar’ is about his death

David Bowie knew his end was near — and said so on his new album.

an appreciation PURE GENIUS: Bowie's most extraordinary gift was his mind

Let's talk about something bigger than ourselves for a moment. Let's talk about David Bowie's brain.

Police dog smelled Hannah Graham’s scent on car and in apartment owned by suspect in UVA coed’s murder

The new details emerged in a daylong pretrial hearing for Jesse Matthew Jr., 34, who is charged with capital murder in Graham’s 2014 death.

Baby penguin at Cincinnati Zoo named for David Bowie

‘Affluenza’ teen’s mom Tonya Couch expected to leave jail Tuesday after posting reduced $75,000 bond

The mother of a Texas teenager who used an “affluenza” defense for a deadly wreck will leave jail as early as Tuesday morning after posting a sharply reduced bond.

PHOTOS Fans around the world pay tribute to the late David Bowie

From his hometown of Brixton, London to his New York City apartment, fans from around the world paid tribute to rock legend David Bowie following news of his death.

Celeb fans make David Bowie fashion statements

David Bowie devotees mourned by wearing their hearts on their sleeves and the late rocker on their chests

SHADES OF PLUTO: NASA releases new photos of planet's 'lava lamp' icy planes, Viking Terra region

Months after New Horizons' Pluto flyby, NASA still receives space probe photos of the icy dwarf planet.

Autos

Detroit Auto Show: 2017 Audi A4 Allroad

Audi’s jacked up wagon is dubbed an SUV by the brand, but they’re not fooling anyone. This is an Outback for the elite.

Revealed! Infiniti Q60 at the Detroit Auto Show

The latest addition to the Infiniti lineup, the Q60 coupe, is surely a looker. But will it be a hit?

Detroit Auto Show: 2017 Volvo S90 debut

Volvo is back with a vengeance… or a sleek Swedish luxury sedan, that is. Meet the 2017 S90 at NAIAS.

Detroit Auto Show - 2017 Genesis G90

Everything you’d expect in a premium luxury sedan, minus any Hyundai badge. Genesis brand will have a full lineup of sedans and SUVs.

2016 Detroit Auto Show - 2017 Ford Fusion

Even perfectly good cars need updating - and a twin-turbocharged family sedan can only be a good thing.

Detroit Auto Show: 2017 Porsche 911 Turbo and Turbo S

Almost every 911 now is a turbo. But there is only one REALY Turbo (and Turbo S). For the 2017 model year, Porsche is upgrading it strongly.

New York

Landlords overcharging rent-stabilized tenants could face stiffer penalties

Landlords who overcharge a rent-stabilized tenant would face tougher fines under a bill set to be introduced by two Manhattan state lawmakers, the Daily News has learned.

EXCLUSIVE Making community college free for CUNY students would cost $138 to $232 million a year

The Independent Budget Office found that the bill would come out to an average of $3,456 per student

Long Island girl, 12, killed by stray bullet in her own home died from a retaliation shooting over a hoverboard

A man accused of firing the bullet that fatally struck Dejah Joyner as she sat in her living room was retaliating after his younger brother’s hoverboard was stolen by a rival gang member, cops said.

NYC high school graduation rate increases to 70 percent for 2015 — up 2 percent from 2014

The number of students graduating in four years from city high schools increased to 70.5% in 2015, up from 68.4% in 2014, Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña said Monday.

Pill-pushing NYC doctors sentenced in separate bogus prescription cases

Dr. Kevin Lowe was convicted in May for operating a chain of Astramed clinics that, for three years, wrote around 35,000 fraudulent prescriptions for some 5.5 million tablets of oxycodone.