Fire Doused, Search for Victims Continues

LOS ANGELES -- Tragedy has struck the Los Angeles Police Department and others in the area.  A train wreck killed 10 people, including a member of the LAPD.


A communter train carrying 222 people collided head-on with a freight train during the friday afternoon rush.  More than 100 people have been injured and an unknown number of others have been trapped in a passenger car crushed by its own engine.


Fire Chief Dennis Barry says firefighters are still in the "rescue and extrication phase," hours after the collision.  He says heavy equipment is coming in to wrench the trains apart.


Assistant Police Chief James McDonnell says one of the dead is a Los Angeles police officer.


The cause of the collision is under investigation.  It isn't clear how the two trains ended up heading toward each other on the same track.


There is a siding nearby where one train can wait for another to pass.  An engineering expert says the stretch of train has had a reputation for trouble.


Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa says it's the worst accident he's ever seen.

Fresno Pacific steps up game in NAIA opening round

In the first round of the NAIA Basketball Tournament, the stage belonged to Fresno Pacific.  From the beginning, this was Fresno Pacific’s game to lose. 

There was no losing going on in this game.

Fresno Pacific got off to a 40-31 halftime lead and never looked back, largely with the help of (no first name) Moore, who pocketed 24 points and 11 rebounds on the way to a an 81-56 triumph over Springfield College. 

Retired Air Force Lt. Col. Ronald H. Lache dies at 67

Retired Lt. Col Ronald H. Lache of the U.S. Air Force died at age 67 

Thomas H. Lache died Monday at his home in Springfield after enduring a long battle with lung cancer.  He was 67. 

Born November 3, 1943 in Philadelphia to Harry and Thelma Curry Lache, Lache was a member of the Newman Center and the Rock Bridge Lions Club.  (He had a particular love for baseball, coaching in the local little league for years and watching the game whenever provided an opportunity.  He particularly adored former Phillie, Richie Ashburn).

Five years ago, he and his wife, Dolores Carney, moved to Springfield from Dayton, Ohio, where they would spend the rest of their lives.     

His wife passed away on March 7 of this year of a heart attack.   

Lache was a retired Lieutenant Colonel from the U.S. Air Force.  His experiences in the Air Force, including leading his squadron on missions to ensure the safety of Americans at home, were some of his most cherished possessions.

“Our squadron was one of the best trained in the Air Force, and that helped us get through tight situations.  If it was not for him, the squadron very well might not be here today.  We owe our lives to him.  He was a true leader,” said John Jay, one of his subordinates in the Air Force.  “He made all of us better people.”

He is survived by his mother, Thelma Lache, his son, Ronald Lache of Springfield, and his three daughters – Barbara Ann Peck of Dayton;  Patrice Louis Wylie of Indianapolis, Ind.; Cynthia Lache of San Mateo, Calif.; and a granddaughter, Jennifer C. Peck, Springfield.

Services will be at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Parker Funeral Services at 606 Washington Avenue. He will be buried on Friday at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery at 303 Reimert Street.

St. Joseph Police Officer shot, killed in line of duty

ST. JOSEPH, MISSOURI--Tragedy has struck St. Joseph.

A shooting rampage killed a police officer and the gunman near 22^nd and Frederick Streets in St. Joseph yesterday.

Officer Bradley Thomas Arn, the respondent on the scene, was killed when bullets hit his back window seven times, striking him in the back of the head and killing him,

All available officers responded to the shooting, resulting in the death of the gunman by an unnamed officer near the Calvary Baptist Church.

The gunman, who donned camouflage, a backpack, fired his shotgun at the officer as he arrived at 22^nd and Union Streets, according to police.

Police are using finger prints to identify the shooter, who sported a Mohawk haircut.  His pockets were filled with ammunition and had a knife, police said.

 Witnesses saw Officer Arn driving until he slumped over in his seat and hit the accelerator, causing the car to lurch forward, jump the curb and crashing into a boat in the parking lot. After his car was recovered, it was discovered that seven shots had riddled his car.

 George MacFeat who was driving in the car behind Officer Arn, was also injured by the gunshots

Windows broke in his car and a bullet fragment or glass caught MacFeat’s head.  He received treatment for his injuries, according to his girlfriend, Norma Guthrie.

There are no funeral services scheduled.  A 10 a.m. press conference has been scheduled by the police department to give more details. 

Officer Bradley
Thomas Arn


Officer Bradley Thomas Arn Memorial Page

Candidates Sway Seniors for Lenoir School District Seat

Senior citizens in the Lenoir School District worry that a proposal for year-round schooling might hit them in the pocketbook.

School board candidates took opposing stands on the proposal at the Lenoir center Tuesday night.



Could year-rould schooling could be the solution to overcrowding?



School board candidate Henry Lane said he believes there is “a changing tide” when it comes to using trailers as classrooms.

Lane said that implementing a schedule with multiple tracks would help overcrowding by reducing the number of students in daily attendance at the school by 25 percent. 

Board President Elton Fay, also in the running, said year-round schooling isn’t a practical idea.

“What Mr. Lane fails to tell you is that if we are to avoid erecting additional buildings, to save on construction costs, the cost of educating our children would go up substantially,” Fay said.

Fay added that year-round schooling would mean different schedules for students of different ages.

“This community does not want schools on totally different schedules,” he said.  Candidate Larry Dorman said.

“If money weren’t an issue, I’d build all the schools necessary,” Dorman said.

Incumbent Kerry Corino said the increasing population makes it difficult to counteract large class sizes.

She said it is unfair to make comparisons between public and private schools because public schools cannot turn away students.

“Private schools can pick who they want; public schools cannot pick who they want,” Corino said.

Beverly Stuart... and Will Robinson discuss
year-round schooling...does it work?

Where do the candidates stand? Take a look

• Henry Lane-believes that year round schooling is a practical idea. Lane said a multitracking schedule would help overcrowding by reducing the number of students in daily attendance at the school by 25 percent.
• Elton Fay- year round schooling is a bad idea.  “The community does not want schools on totally different schedules.”
• Larry Dorman- focus is on eliminating overcrowding in the schools and increasing teacher pay.
• Incumbent Kerry Corino- Increasing population makes it difficult to counteract large class sizes, especially in public schools due to overcrowding.

Year-Round Schooling? Just say No

Year-round schooling is simply not a practical idea. Making the school year more complicated than it already is might just be one of the worst ideas possible.  While cost cutting measures are always looked at, this one seems ridiculous. 

Candidate and current Board President Elton Fay takes the correct stand here, thinking that having everyone on different schedules would be insane, chaotic, and something that the community does not want. 

A multi tracking schedule is the way to go for a community that does not have their head on straight, and I am sure that is not the case with the Lenoir School District.


While this is simply my point-of-view, the rest of the nation seems to be leaning the other way.

Football Too Violent for High School? Some say Yes

Is football too violent for high school?  Some critics think so.

Last year alone, 13 youths died.  Each year, about 20,000 injuries occur in high school football, with 2,400 of them disabling victims permanently.  What may be most concerning is that 70,000 of these injure the head or neck, leading to speculation that helmets used in football are not up to par.

Pete Stenhoff knows about football injuries.  He was a physically fit, 210-point linebacker for Chula Vista High School when he planted his helmet in the chest of a ball carrier two years ago.  He hasn’t walked since.

Medics that night rushed Stenhoff to the hospital, where he learned he had cracked vertebrae

Many critics blame the helmet for these injuries; however, many people simply think that football at the high school level is too dangerous, and that the risks outweigh the rewards.

Stenhoff lost nearly 40 pounds and was unable to graduate with his classmates.  He is taking courses in hopes of graduating soon.  After all he has endured, he is not bitter.

“I knew the risks involved when I decided to play football, but I wish I would have known just how bad it could be.”


In response to injuries such as this, youths are becoming more informed about concussions and injuries of this nature, EA Sports' Madden NFL video game leading the way.

Dr. David Samadi discusses concussions in Youth Sports