“It’s definitely a trial we get to endure,” said Jeanette Donigan, whose Turner, Ore., home was surrounded by floodwater. “But earthly possessions can be replaced, as long as we got our children to higher ground.”
Etta James dies from Leukemia
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Etta James’ performance of the enduring classic “At Last” was the embodiment of refined soul: Angelic-sounding strings harkened the arrival of her passionate yet measured vocals as she sang tenderly about a love finally realized after a long and patient wait.
In real life, little about James was as genteel as that song. The platinum blonde’s first hit was a saucy R&B number about sex, and she was known as a hell-raiser who had tempestuous relationships with her family, her men and the music industry. Then she spent years battling a drug addiction that she admitted sapped away at her great talents.
The 73-year-old died on Friday at Riverside Community Hospital from complications of leukemia, with her husband and sons at her side, her manager, Lupe De Leon said.
Gas pump prices at record high
Americans aren’t likely to find much relief from high prices at the gas pump as they go about paying their post-holiday bills.
Retail gas prices are at their highest levels ever for this time of year despite ample supplies and declining demand. That’s because tension in the Persian Gulf has kept crude oil prices around $100 per barrel for most of the month.
Analysts say oil prices are likely to remain at those levels until there is more clarity about what will happen in the Gulf, where Iran has threatened to close the Strait of Hormuz if the U.S. and other countries impose more sanctions on its nuclear program.
Iranian imports are banned in the U.S., but Iran supplies 2.2 million barrels per day to the rest of the world, mainly Asia and Europe.
Protesters block banks in San Francisco
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — At least a dozen people were arrested Friday during an anti-Wall Street protest in downtown San Francisco, mostly for blocking an entrance at a bank’s corporate headquarters.
The midday arrests came as hundreds of protesters gathered in the rain attempting to disrupt business in the city’s Financial District as part of daylong Occupy Wall Street-related demonstrations scheduled around the county demanding that banks end evictions and foreclosures.
As officers tried to keep the streets clear as the noon hour approached, numerous protesters chanted, “You’re protecting corporate greed!” and held signs that read, “The Overlords of Wall Street are the Real Vampires,” and “The Ruling Elites Betrayed Our Country.”
Organizers said that Friday’s protest also coincided with the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision two years ago to remove limits on how much money corporations could donate to political campaigns.
Man admits he caused Reno fire
RENO, Nev. (AP) — Fire officials in Reno say a man has admitted to accidentally starting a huge fire that destroyed 29 homes and forced as many as 10,000 people to evacuate.
Fire Chief Michael Hernandez says the elderly man told authorities on Friday that he improperly discarded ashes from his fireplace in the Washoe Valley. He says the man is extremely remorseful and is cooperating with investigators.
Washoe County Sheriff Mike Haley says the case will be forwarded to the district attorney’s office for consideration of criminal charges.
Fire officials have increased the number of destroyed homes from 26 to 29 but scaled back the estimate of acres burned form 3,900 to about 3,200.
Northwest power outages to persist
SEATTLE (AP) — A Pacific Northwest storm that brought snow, ice and powerful winds left a mess of fallen trees and power lines Friday as tens of thousands of residents already without power faced the prospect of a cold, dark weekend and flooding became a top region-wide concern.
While temperatures warmed and the icy, snowy conditions abated in western Washington and Oregon, slick roads and fast-melting snow brought challenges for road workers, city officials and rescue crews.
The region also faces more rain as swelling rivers lead to the worst flooding some Oregon counties have seen in more than a decade.
“It’s definitely a trial we get to endure,” said Jeanette Donigan, whose Turner, Ore., home was surrounded by floodwater. “But earthly possessions can be replaced, as long as we got our children to higher ground.”