The alleged shooter in today’s tragic Connecticut school shooting was identified by NBC News as Ryan Lanza, 24, who reportedly also killed his father in Hoboken, N.J. However, reports now conflict as to whether this is truly the case; several sources believe his brother, 20-year-old Adam Lanza , was actually the shooter. WNBC says Lanza then drove to Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Conn., an hour east of N.Y. City, where his mother was the kindergarten teacher. There, Lanza was said to have been responsible for the Connecticut school shooting that claimed 26 lives – 18 of them children – before he killed himself. The gunman opened fire after wanting through the front office, then walked to his mother’s classroom and opened fire, killing her and other students. Lt. Paul Vance of the Connecticut State Police would not confirm the shooter’s identity, only saying that “the shooter is deceased inside the building.” Vance said the incident began after a 911 call from the school to Newtown Police at 9:41 a.m. The police immediately called State police and other local law enforcement for mutual aid. Vance said that when his officers arrived at the school, they made “immediate entry.” Vance would not give specific numbers on how many children and how many staff are dead and walked away when asked if that was the only shooter. There are reports that there is a person in custody but that has not been confirmed; Vance said there would be another press conference shortly. CNN first identified the killer as Ryan Lanza, but the New York Post claims Adam Lanza was responsible and that Ryan is being questioned by police, but not a suspect. Story developing …
Francesca Eastwood is the daughter of Eastwood and actress Frances Fisher. She is the second Eastwood to become a Miss Golden Globe – her half sister Kathryn Eastwood, daughter of Clint Eastwood and Jacelyn Reeves, received the title in 2005,She will serve as Miss Golden Globe at the 70th Golden Globe Awards ceremony in Los Angeles. The announcement was made Thursday by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Francesca Eastwood will help hand out the HFPA#39;s Golden Globes for outstanding
Bangor, Maine TV news anchors Cindy Michaels and Tony Consiglio resigned live on air last night, stunning the audience and their managers alike. The pair matter-of-factly announced at the end of their newscast on WVII that it would be their last. They offered no details – on the air, anyway: Anchors Resign On The Air The duo later told the Bangor Daily News that they were frustrated with management . “I wanted to know I was doing the best job I could and was being honest and ethical as a journalist, and I thought there were times when I wasn’t able to do that,” said Consiglio. “There was a constant disrespecting and belittling of staff and we both felt there was a lack of knowledge from ownership and upper management,” Michaels added. “I was not allowed to structure and direct professionally. I couldn’t do everything I wanted to as a news director. There was a regular undoing of decisions.” Consiglio, 28, started with WVII as a sports reporter in April 2006. The 46-year-old Michaels was the news director and also spent six years at WVII. General manager Mike Palmer says they were on their way out, anyway. He says sometimes people leave their jobs before they’re asked to leave. “Upper management is not involved in the daily production of the news. Period,” said Palmer, noting the creation of 10 new full-time jobs and other investments in the station.
Rihanna’s odd 777 tour – seven cities in seven days with a plane full of fans and reporters – ends in NYC this evening. For some, not a moment too soon. As horror stories from the tour emerge at breakneck speed, so fast that the Unapologetic singer actually apologized (sorta) for some of what transpired. Streaker on Rihanna Tour Plane Or more accurately, what didn’t. Rihanna being MIA was the biggest gripe. ”I know you guys got barely any dirt,” she told the press Tuesday. “I had to preserve my health. Normally, I’d be back here popping bottles with y’all … I had to preserve my voice. I was worried about my body more than partying.” “I had to just sleep whenever I could.” “But I had to be good. I still sound like $h!t. It’s impossible to spend time with everybody. I’m sorry I didn’t. But this was excellent and I would definitely do it again.” No stories about Rihanna, ironically, became the big story. ”There has been general discontent with the dearth of interaction with the star,” Spin reported. ”One person was basically responsible for not only keeping us from doing our jobs, but from sleeping, eating, going outside or even using a bathroom.” Eventually, disgruntled plane passengers broke out in chants like ”Save our jobs! Save our jobs!” and “Just one quote!” and, most hilariously, “Wi-Fi!” Other issues: Long waits on buses, tarmacs and in windowless pens, nude on-board streakers (above), bad food, too much alcohol and overall “bedlam.” Also distressing were the living conditions, which seemed closer to cattle keeping than the supposed glamor a round-the-world jet would imply. The streaker, Australian DJ Tim Dormer, at least used the 777 tour to his advantage. Rihanna herself did not, despite the great cost of the publicity stunt. The pop superstar gave fans and reporters attention on day one, mingling and serving champagne, and then promptly disappeared for the remaining six. She did, however, tweet pics of herself in various stages of undress. Phew. Who cares about in-person mingling when you can see Rihanna nude on Twitter.
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul bid farewell to the U.S. House Wednesday. Watch the Texas Congressman’s final speech on the floor of the U.S. house here: Ron Paul Farewell Speech Not surprisingly to those familiar with Dr. Paul’s career and philosophy, he spoke for a LONG time (48 minutes) and touched upon his usual themes: Liberty, freedom, peace, and tolerance. Yes, there are the obligatory gold standard and raw milk references. This is Ron Paul, people. But wherever you are on the political spectrum, this is worth listening to. Paul’s influence on the Republican Party in recent years has been substantial, and his son, Sen. Rand Paul, will likely carry the torch going forward. The elder Paul’s unabashed calls for the rejection of both social and economic interventionists have galvanized many Americans in the past few years. Will the movement continue after the 77-year-old’s retirement? That remains to be seen, but this is one political figure who has left an indelible mark.
U.S. Rep. Ron Paul bid farewell to the U.S. House Wednesday. Watch the Texas Congressman’s final speech on the floor of the U.S. house here: Ron Paul Farewell Speech Not surprisingly to those familiar with Dr. Paul’s career and philosophy, he spoke for a LONG time (48 minutes) and touched upon his usual themes: Liberty, freedom, peace, and tolerance. Yes, there are the obligatory gold standard and raw milk references. This is Ron Paul, people. But wherever you are on the political spectrum, this is worth listening to. Paul’s influence on the Republican Party in recent years has been substantial, and his son, Sen. Rand Paul, will likely carry the torch going forward. The elder Paul’s unabashed calls for the rejection of both social and economic interventionists have galvanized many Americans in the past few years. Will the movement continue after the 77-year-old’s retirement? That remains to be seen, but this is one political figure who has left an indelible mark.
Fresh off her X Factor elimination , Jennel Garcia faced the press last night and looked forward to what she hopes will be a very bright future. “It’s time for me to show the world who I am,” Garcia told reporters backstage. “Coming into this competition I lost myself. But I was looking for a place to grow and someone to guide me. And I feel like [ Demi Lovato ] guided me.” Garcia, of course, was stuck in the bottom two last night along with Paige Thomas . She fought back tears after the bad news was announced. But Garcia isn’t focusing on the negative. She’s dreaming big and hoping to combine rock with pop. “I’m so sick of hearing the same music on the radio,” she said of this goal. “Everything you hear on the radio sounds the same. And I know a lot of people can agree with that, people who don’t even like the music I like can agree with that. We’re sick of hearing the same thing.” What do you think, readers? Did you Garcia deserve to be given the boot? Yes, it was Jennel’s time! No way, should have been Paige! View Poll »
Obama isn’t taking any isht from the GOP anymore! POTUS just nominated Susan Rice as his candidate for Secretary of State and, while she may be the current Ambassador to the United Nations, some shady azz Republicans like John McCain are already throwing false accusations her way. According to The Huffington Post : In a series of media appearances on Wednesday, Sens. John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) pledged they would do everything in their power to block the possible nomination of Susan Rice, the current ambassador to the United Nations, as secretary of state. The senators have based their objection on Rice’s role in disseminating the White House’s version of events in the days immediately after the September attack on the U.S. consulate in Benghazi, Libya. At the time, Rice told several television stations that the attack, which left four Americans including the U.S. ambassador to Libya dead, was not believed to be related to terrorism. Administration officials later acknowledged that this was incorrect, and said the misleading information was the product of incomplete “talking points” from the intelligence community, although Republicans on Capitol Hill believe the White House knew the truth sooner. To McCain, Graham, and a small cadre of colleagues, this is enough to disqualify Rice from a cabinet-level job. “Susan Rice should have known better, and if she didn’t know better, she’s not qualified,” McCain said Wednesday during an appearance on Fox News. “I will do everything in my power to block her from being the United States secretary of state.” In his press conference Wednesday afternoon, Obama took umbrage with this line of attack. “If Senator McCain and Senator Graham and others want to go after someone, they should go after me,” he said. “And I’m happy to have that discussion with them. But for them to go after the United Nations ambassador, who had nothing to do with Benghazi and was simply making a presentation based on intel she had received, and to besmirch her reputation, is outrageous.” Obama also said Rice never had a choice about whether to appear on the talk shows to discuss Benghazi. “She made an appearance at the request of the White House in which she gave her best understanding of the intelligence that had been provided to her,” he said. Some Democrats have said that the Benghazi-related attack on Rice brings to mind another secretary of state nominee, Condoleezza Rice: Her appointment by the Bush administration was opposed by those who felt her advancement of the mistaken notion that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction in Iraq similarly disqualified her from the office. During a 2002 appearance on CNN, Condoleezza Rice had said that while “there will always be some uncertainty” about the intelligence, “we don’t want the smoking gun to be a mushroom cloud.” When she was later nominated for secretary of state, by which point it had become clear that there were no WMD in Iraq, both McCain and Graham publicly defended her appointment despite the misstatements. Graham and his allies denounced this comparison, saying that Condoleezza Rice’s statements at the time reflected the widely agreed upon understanding of the intelligence community, while Susan Rice should have opted not to speak on the subject without more certainty.”When it comes to Condoleezza Rice, we’re not the only country that thought he was trying to get weapons of mass destruction,” Graham said. These guys just keep making themselves look more and more ridiculous! Images via Getty
Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez have called it quits. The Hollywood power couple quietly broke up roughly one week ago, a source told E! Online, which was first to report the news. The source is not authorized to discuss the split with the press and spoke on condition of anonymity. The breakup apparently happened last week. Distance and their busy schedules were cited as factors. Eighteen-year-old Bieber is touring to promote his latest album, “Believe,” which contains the hit “Boyfriend.” T
William Wayne Jones III, 19 years old from Smyrna, Tennessee, was taking part in a non-contact practice for the university’s football team. During this practice, Jones unexpectedly collapsed and was discovered unconscious. Jones was then transported to Baptist Hospital, and later pronounced dead. The Detroit Free Press reports that Jones was 19 and was a freshman defensive back who hadn’t played any games because he was red-shirted. He caught a football toward the beginning of practice and
