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Two men arrested in robbery of 100-year-old veteran

By Caroline Bleakley, Senior Online Editor

CARSON CITY, Nev. (AP) -- Two people have been arrested in the robbery of a 100-year-old Carson City veteran at his home over the Memorial Day weekend.
Authorities say two men forced their way into Jim Sorentino's home on Sunday looking for a non-existent safe. Sorentino says they fled with a wristwatch, pocketknife and wallet worth about $30.
One of the men, 27-year-old Robert Hernandez, was arrested Wednesday on a probation violation. Authorities say he later was identified as a suspect in the robbery.
The second man, 24-year-old Jordan Burkhart, was picked up by police in Sparks after a short foot chase.
Bail for the men has been set at $250,000 each.
Sorentino lives alone with a caretaker in a gated community. Authorities say the caretaker was held at gunpoint during the robbery.

Jorge Ramos: Reporters ‘Cozy with Power,’ Act Like They’re in a Club

by Josh Feldman

POLITICO’s Dylan Byers has a profile out todayof Univision/Fusion anchor Jorge Ramos, branding him as one of the most confrontational newsmen out there these days, on the heels of his confronting John Boehner over immigration reform.
And it’s that very issue where Ramos is very comfortable calling out both parties for lack of action. Ramos is also a very outspoken news anchor, a trait which has not done him any favors in Washington. Chuck Todd was asked about Ramos for the profile and simply said, “It’s not about us.” Another reporter who didn’t go on the record took a swipe at Ramos for not understanding the “difference between activism and journalism.”
Ramos, of course, doesn’t see it that way, and the way he views it, it’s the establishment reporters in Washington who are falling behind when it comes to doing journalism right.
“You turn on the TV, and you see very bland interviews. Journalists in the United States are very cozy with power, very close to those in power. They laugh with them. They go to the [White House] correspondents’ dinner with them. They have lunch together. They marry each other. They’re way too close to each other. I think as journalists we have to keep our distance from power.”
“I’m not seeing tough questions asked on American television,” he added later. “I’m not seeing those correspondents that would question those in power. It’s like a club. We are not asking the tough questions.”
Ramos has been critical of Republicans who haven’t prioritized immigration reform and Democrats likePresident Obama who have yet to deliver on their promises. And Ramos’ hard-hitting interview withRahm Emanuel earned him praise from Matt Drudge as “the last journalist standing.”
[image via Fusion]

White House staff tried to 'un-ring the bell' after revealing CIA chief's identity

barack obama afghanistan
President Barack Obama greets US troops during a his visit to Afghanistan, which led to the CIA's station chief's identification. Photograph: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

by Tom McCarthy

The White House blew the cover of the top CIA agent in Afghanistan on Sunday, when the person’s name was included on a list given to reporters during a visit to the country by President Barack Obama.
The name was then emailed by the White House press office to a distribution list of more than 6,000 recipients, mostly members of the US media.
The agent in question, listed as chief of station, would be a top manager of CIA activity in Afghanistan, including intelligence collection and a drone-warfare programme under which unmanned aerial vehicles mount cross-border attacks into Pakistan.
The name appeared on a list of attendees requested by White House officials for the president’s visit to Bagram air base to mark Memorial Day, the national day of tribute to fallen service members. The list of 15 people was drawn up by the military, written into a routine press report and sent to Washington. The Obama press office then sent the list, unredacted, to the larger group.
The mistake did not come to light until the reporter who had filed from Afghanistan, the veteran Washington Post correspondent Scott Wilson, looked more closely at what he had sent and noticed the name and title.
“I drew it to their attention before they had noticed what had happened,” Wilson said on Monday, hours after returning from the 33-hour trip overseas.
“I asked the press official that was with us on the trip if they knew that the station chief had been identified in the list. That person said that they did not know that, but that because the list was provided by military, they assumed it was OK. By this time the list was out.
“Soon after, I think that they talked to their bosses, and realised that it was not OK. And they tried to figure out what to do about this, if there was a way to kind of un-ring the bell.”
The name was left off of a subsequent report filed from Bagram.
The White House declined to comment on Monday on the disclosure. It was unclear whether or how the disclosure would affect US intelligence operations in Afghanistan. An internet search for the name turned up no results.
It is extremely rare for a US intelligence operative to be outed by the US government. In 2003, someone inside the George W Bush administration exposed the identity of CIA operative Valerie Plame, a month after her husband, the diplomat Joe Wilson, had publicly questioned the administration’s case for the Iraq war. Lewis “Scooter” Libby, former chief of staff to then-vice-president Dick Cheney, was convicted of obstruction of justice and perjury in connection with the case.
Members of the CIA's operations arm, called the National Clandestine Service, are typically given cover identities to protect both them and sources they have recruited abroad. A station chief, who manages all CIA operations in a country, is often a senior officer whose true name is known to the host nation and other intelligence agencies. The term "station chief" is sensitive enough, however, that former officers usually are not allowed to use it in their resumés in connection with specific countries, even after their covers have been lifted.
Because the Afghanistan station chief is known to Afghan officials and lives in a heavily guarded compound, he may be able to continue in his job. In 2010 the CIA station chief in Pakistan, Jonathan Bank, wasevacuated after local newspapers published his name in connection with a lawsuit, and he was threatened.
Wilson said time pressure, a high level of activity tied to the president’s visit and the relative inexperience of the military officers involved could have contributed to the mistake.
“My impression is these were very junior people trying to follow an order, that they don't fully understand or get the ramifications of,” he said.
“There were a number of misunderstandings and mistakes, including my own failure to review the list before including it in my email, in my pool report.
“I wish I had, I regret it.”

CENSUS: TEXAS HAS 3 OF 5 FAST-GROWING CITIES




HOUSTON (AP) -- Oil equals boom - especially in population right now. And Texas, in the midst of a significant energy rush, is seeing its towns and cities burst at the seams.

Three of the nation's five fastest-growing cities - and seven of the top 15 - are in the Lone Star State, according to new data from the U.S. Census Bureau, part of a trend across the West largely fueled by an oil boom. Most of the cities are West of the Mississippi.

Now these cities need to have enough roads, schools, water and infrastructure to keep up - the growing pains of a surging population. And while it is viewed as opportunity, city planners are frazzled.

Odessa, Texas, smack-dab in the middle of the oil-rich Permian Basin, is No. 11 on the Census Bureau list. People are flooding the oil fields, booming thanks to new hydraulic fracturing technologies that allow drillers access to once out-of-reach resources.

People are lured by higher-than-average salaries, but developers can't build homes quickly enough, the schools are rapidly filling and an overburdened water supply, made worse by a long drought, is stretched thin.
"It's a challenge to continue to provide services to the rising population when you're competing with the same workforce and labor that the oil field is. So that means that the municipalities have to adjust their pay scale ... to try to attract the labor," said Richard Morton, Odessa's city manager. "We're growing, but we're not growing fast enough."

The Texas cities of San Marcos, Frisco and Cedar Park were No. 1, 2 and 4 in percentage population growth between 2012 and 2013, each growing by at least 5 percent in that time span. Utah had two of the top five: South Jordan, at No. 3, and Lehi, at No. 5.

San Marcos - a city between Austin and San Antonio - has topped the list of expanding cities with more than 50,000 people for the second year in a row, showing growth of 8 percent between July 2012 and 2013 to 54,076 people.

Mayor Daniel Guerrero noted that while the city has been enjoying steady growth for years, and set aside money to keep up, not everything has gone as planned. The Great Recession and a sudden rise in costs forced San Marcos to delay major construction. Now, it is rushing to lay down new roads, expand existing ones, add bike paths and repair or replace old utility pipelines.

"So throughout San Marcos you see a multitude of construction," Guerrero said.
And then there are the biggest cities. While by population increase, New York City still topped the charts, growing by 61,440 people in 2012 to 8.4 million people in 2013, several Texas cities, including Houston grew rapidly.

Houston's surge of 35,202 people to 2.2 million in 2013 has also been fueled by oil, said Andy Icken, the city's chief development officer. The refineries, the port, the technology and many oil company headquarters 
are in the city and its suburbs, and employees are moving in.

That pace, he said, will not let up, and so Houston is studying how to improve a crucial network of freeways that connects the sprawling city.

"The industries are all doing well," Icken added, noting rapid growth in Houston's medical center. "That has consequences to the city of Houston."

Frisco, a suburb about 30 miles north of Dallas, has had growth "so long and sustained that we're used to it," said Mayor Maher Maso. Just 15 years ago there were only five schools in Frisco's main school district. Now, there are 56 and seven under construction, he said.

Those numbers tell the story of who's moving in. The city's median age is 34, one-third of the population is under 17 and about 10 percent are under age 5. Maso said this has translated into an active community.
"People are involved out here, they value their children's education, they value public safety," he said, noting a $775 million school bond passed with a margin of nearly 80 percent.

For Texas, though, water is a concern, highlighted by years of debilitating drought.

Conservation is key, Maso said, and his city has distributed rain-water barrels, changed reuse policies and is trying to make better arrangements to get water from a river on the Oklahoma border.
"That resource is challenging and we have to change the way we do things," he said.
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Online:
U.S. Census Bureau: HTTP://WWW.CENSUS.GOV
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Follow Ramit Plushnick-Masti on Twitter at HTTPS://TWITTER.COM/RAMITMASTIAP .
Jesse J. Holland reported from Washington. He can be followed on Twitter atHTTP://WWW.TWITTER.COM/JESSEJHOLLAND

California Chrome wins the 2014 Preakness Stakes

By 
They may be named Dumb Ass Partners, but Steve Coburn and Perry Martin look pretty smart today after California Chrome, bred of an $8,000 mare and $2,500 sire, won the 139th Preakness Stakes Saturday in Baltimore.

With the second jewel of horse racing's Triple Crown safely tucked away, California Chrome becomes the 13th horse to enter Belmont with a chance to complete the task since Affirmed last accomplished the feat in 1978. The last horse, I'll Have Another, did not start in 2012. Big Brown, in 2008, did not finish. Smarty Jones, who finished the Belmont Stakes in second in 2004, was the last to finish.
The 1-½-mile Belmont Stakes will be held three weeks from now, June 7, in New York.
California Chrome started well and stayed just off the pace early at Pimlico, just as he did in the Kentucky Derby, running in third. He made his move at the three-quarter mile mark, then pulled away from Social Inclusion down the stretch to win in 1:54.84. That is the fastest time since Curlin in 2007. Curlin's offspring, Ride on Curlin, finished second 1½ lengths back and Social Inclusion third.
California Chrome, dubbed the "people's horse" by his connections, became the fifth California-bred horse to win the Preakness and the first since Snow Chief in 1986. He was also the first California-bred horse to win the Kentucky Derby since 1962.
California Chrome entered the 1-3/16-mile Preakness a heavy 3/5 favorite after winning the Kentucky Derby handily. He stayed just off the pace that race, then found another gear down the backstretch, leading by as many as five lengths before finishing the 1¼-mile race first in 2:03.66. The only criticism was that his time was not particularly impressive, his dry time the slowest since 1974. But many would counter he ran the race jockey Victor Espinoza asked of him and it was enough to win. At 5/1, Social Inclusion had the second-best odds entering the race.

JEFF DAYTON; ROCKIN’ AND TWANGIN’ THE FREE WORLD


From the White House to the Wildhorse Saloon, Jeff has been playing guitar and performing all his life. 

He’s been a Nashville writer for fourteen years and thrives on the concentrated creative scene in Music City.

Not half bad for a guy from the small Minnesota town of Orono! 

Today, Jeff makes his home in Nashville and is an active music producer, songwriter, session guitarist, touring artist and educator and tours as a dynamic solo artist.

Jeff was the former bandleader and guitarist for 15 years with Hall of Fame artist Glen Campbell and later Kenny Chesney, Jeff Dayton leads a band of top pros from Music City, USA.

Jeff and the JDB have played at the White House, the Grand Ole Opry and appeared on network TV shows like The Voice, Hawaii Five-O, NBC’s Today Show and Late Night with Conan O’Brien.

He also found time to land his music degree, regional hit records and the honor of backing artists like Vince Gill, Buck Owens, Bo Diddley, Dizzy Gillespie, Willie Nelson, Gene Autry, Toby Keith and many more. Jeff's songs have been recorded by George Strait, Grammy winning zydeco artist Chubby Carrier. Once relocating to Nashville, Jeff was soon touring with megastar Kenny Chesney, Lee Greenwood and others.

His new CD “Twang On” is due June 1st, with eight brand new songs and a special tribute to Glen Campbell including Gentle On My Mind and The Highwayman. Dayton spent 15 years on guitar with Campbell and toured the world with him. The CD will also feature a special version of Somewhere Over The Rainbow to honor his Hawaiian connection.


Their music is an uptempo blend of classic and new pop, country and audience favorites, including blues, classic R&B, bluegrass and rock; always interactive, always fun and totally pro in every way.

TELEVISION
Today Show (NBC)
Nashville (ABC)
Hawaii Five-O (CBS)
Late Night with Conan O’Brien (NBC)
Glen Campbell Live (PBS)

MUSIC VIDEOS
Kenny Chesney (Road Case, When The Sun Goes Down)
Toby Keith (Honkytonk U)
Glen Campbell (Wichita Lineman, Galveston, etc)
Grinning Like I’m Winning (Jeff Dayton)
Flutterby, Butterfly (Jeff Dayton)

AWARDS
Platinum Record Award (George Strait)
CMA and ACM Album of the Year (George Strait)
Country Band of the Decade (Phoenix)
Marlboro Country Roundup (winner)
Wrangler Country Showdown (2x winner)
Hall of Fame (Verde Valley, AZ)

ARTISTS BACKED
Glen Campbell
Kenny Chesney
Lee Greenwood
Toby Keith
Willie Nelson
Bo Diddley
Tammy Cochran
Sarah Darling
Gene Autry
Dizzy Gillespie
Mac Davis
Vince Gill
Buck Owens
Mark Wills
Steve Wariner
BC Jean
Heidi Rojas
Kevin Kronin (REO)
Nicolette Larson
Pam Tillis
Gary US Bonds
Mickey Dolenz
Jimmy Dean
JM Montgomery
Clint Black
Bryan White
Mickey Gilley
Johnny Lee
David Pack (Ambrosia)

MAJOR FESTIVALS
We Fest (Detroit Lakes)
KISS Chili Cookoff (Miami)
CMA Music Festival (Nashville)
Chilliwack and Merritt  festivals (British Columbia)
State Fairs (Iowa, Oklahoma, Minnesota, Florida etc.)
Tall Stacks Festival (Cincinnati)

TOUR DATES
Nashville
May 21 • Country Music Hall of Fame • 6 pm
    Words & Music Finale • Ford Theater
May 24 • Opry Backstage Grille • 8 pm
May 28• Omni Hotel • 4:30 pm Barlines
May 29 • private event

Minnesota
June 2 • Minneapolis • IPR seminar 

June 4 • Chanhassen • School II Bistro 
    CD RELEASE PARTY at the Bistro
    Prizes and special fun. Stay tuned for more.
    Party starts at 6:30, music at 7:30

June 5 •  Plymouth • Lucky’s 13 Pub
June 6 •  Excelsior • Dunn Bros. • 7: 30 pm
June 7 •  Long Lake • Red Rooster • 8 pm
June 11 • Chanhassen • School II Bistro 
June 12 • Plymouth • Lucky’s 13 Pub
June 13 • Plymouth • Lucky’s 13  FULL BAND
June 18 • Chanhassen • School II Bistro 
June 19 • Plymouth • Lucky’s 13 Pub
June 20 • Navarre • Narrows • FULL BAND
June 21 • private event
June 22 • private event
June 26 • Plymouth • Lucky’s 13 Pub

Nashville
July 11 • Franklin • private event
July 17-19 • NAMM Show • times tba

Minnesota
July 23 • Wayzata • Summer Series * 6 pm
    at the historic Great Northern Depot
    on beautiful Lake Minnetonka
July 24 • private event
July 25 • Chanhassen • School II Bistro • BAND
July 26 • Plymouth • Lucky’s 13 Pub 7:30 pm

Iowa
Aug 22-23 • Storm Lake • King’s Pointe •
    with Jeff Carver

Minnesota
Aug 28 • Wayzata • private event
Aug 30 • Navarre • Narrows Saloon FULL BAND
Sept 5 • Plymouth • Lucky’s 13 Pub FULL BAND
Sept 6 • Wayzata  • JJ Hill Days  FULL  BAND

Nashville
Sept 13 • Franklin • private event

Jeff’s music available on iTunes  at:
www.itunes.com/jeffdayton
Email:  jeffdaytonmusic@gmail.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/jeffdaytonmusic
New Jeff Dayton Band website www.jeffdaytonband.com
*Content & media from Jeff Dayton's website was used in this article.