K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For August 14th, 2017 – Morning

CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA. (AP) - CLERGY IN ROBES. A WOMAN HANDING OUT FLOWERS. BLACK LIVES MATTER ACTIVISTS. ARMED MILITIA MEMBERS. STUDENTS. ANGRY ANTI-FASCIST PROTESTERS. THE DIVERSE GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO CAME TO OPPOSE A WEEKEND GATHERING OF WHITE NATIONALISTS IN CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA, SEEMED TO OUTNUMBER THE RALLY-GOERS. THE COUNTER-PROTESTING GROUPS DIDN'T ORGANIZE COLLECTIVELY. INSTEAD, IT WAS A LARGELY ORGANIC EFFORT AMONG GROUPS WHO SHARED THE SAME MISSION: SHOWING THAT HATE WASN'T WELCOME.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE CEO OF THE NATION'S THIRD LARGEST PHARMACEUTICAL COMPANY IS RESIGNING FROM THE PRESIDENT'S AMERICAN MANUFACTURING COUNCIL CITING "A RESPONSIBILITY TO TAKE A STAND AGAINST INTOLERANCE AND EXTREMISM." PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP LASHED OUT ALMOST IMMEDIATELY MONDAY AT MERCK CEO KENNETH FRAZIER ON TWITTER, SAYING FRAZIER "WILL HAVE MORE TIME TO LOWER RIPOFF DRUG PRICES!"

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP) - THE TOP U.S. MILITARY OFFICER SAYS THE U.S. WANTS TO PEACEFULLY RESOLVE A DEEPENING STANDOFF WITH NORTH KOREA BUT IS READY TO USE THE "FULL RANGE" OF ITS MILITARY CAPABILITIES IN CASE OF PROVOCATION. THE COMMENTS BY MARINE CORPS GEN. JOSEPH DUNFORD IN MEETINGS MONDAY WITH SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS APPEARED TO BE AN ATTEMPT TO EASE ANXIETY OVER TIT-FOR-TAT THREATS BETWEEN PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND NORTH KOREA WHILE ALSO SHOWING A WILLINGNESS TO BACK UP TRUMP'S WARNINGS IF NEED BE.

VICTORIA STRAIT, NUNAVUT (AP) - THE ARCTIC IS WARMING MUCH FASTER THAN THE REST OF THE WORLD, AS SCIENTISTS EXPECTED. WHILE GLOBAL LEADERS SET A GOAL OF PREVENTING 2 DEGREES CELSIUS (3.6 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT) OF MAN-MADE WARMING SINCE PRE-INDUSTRIAL TIMES FOR THE PLANET, THE ARCTIC HAS ALREADY HIT THAT DANGEROUS MARK. SCIENTISTS ARE CONCERNED BECAUSE A WARMING ARCTIC HAS CONSEQUENCES ELSEWHERE.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE SUN IS ABOUT TO SPILL SOME OF ITS SECRETS, AND MAYBE EVEN REVEAL A FEW HIDDEN TRUTHS OF THE COSMOS. ASTRONOMERS ARE GETTING READY FOR NEXT MONDAY'S STUNNING SOLAR ECLIPSE IN THE UNITED STATES. THEY'LL LOOK FROM THE GROUND, USING TELESCOPES, CAMERAS, BINOCULARS AND WHATEVER ELSE WORKS. AND SCIENTISTS ALSO WILL BE LOOKING FROM THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION, A FLEET OF 11 SATELLITES IN SPACE, PLANES AND MORE THAN 70 HIGH-ALTITUDE BALLOONS.
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A CASPER WOMAN WAS SENTENCED FRIDAY TO TWO-AND-A-HALF YEARS TO EIGHT YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT FOR STEALING A MAN'S LIFE SAVINGS.
DISTRICT ATTORNEY MIKE BLONIGEN SAID DURING THE SENTENCING HEARING THAT TAMARA VOELKER TOOK ADVANTAGE OF AN 89-YEAR-OLD MAN, DRAINED HIS BANK ACCOUNT OF NEARLY $44,000, AND SPENT IT ON HER BILLS, COSMETICS AND JEWELRY.

BLONIGEN TOLD DISTRICT COURT JUDGE THOMAS SULLINS THAT VOELKER ROBBED HIM OF HIS DIGNITY DURING THE LAST YEARS OF HIS LIFE.

VOELKER PLEADED GUILTY IN APRIL TO ONE COUNT OF EXPLOITATION OF A VULNERABLE ADULT.

SULLINS AGREED WITH BLONIGEN, AND DISAGREED WITH HER DEFENSE ATTORNEY'S RECOMMENDATION THAT SHE BE GIVEN PROBATION.

SULLINS SAID THE MESSAGE NEEDED TO BE SENT THAT THIS SORT OF CRIME WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.

BESIDES THE PRISON SENTENCE, SULLINS ORDERED HER TO PAY BACK WHAT SHE STOLE FROM THE VICTIM.

DURING THE SENTENCING HEARING, VOELKER ADMITTED MISMANAGING SOME MONEY, BUT EXPRESSED HER AFFECTION FOR THE VICTIM

THE CASE BEGAN IN APRIL 2016 WHEN THE VICTIM'S DAUGHTER-IN-LAW REPORTED TO POLICE THAT THE VICTIM WAS HAVING FINANCIAL TROUBLES.

THE VICTIM TOLD POLICE VOELKER BEFRIENDED HIM SEVERAL YEARS EARLIER AND BECAME HIS CAREGIVER AFTER HIS WIFE DIED.
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CHEYENNE, WYO. (AP) - A 20-YEAR-OLD WYOMING MAN HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO CHARGES THAT HE STABBED TWO MEN IN CHEYENNE, KILLING ONE OF THEM, DURING A FIGHT OVER HIS EX-GIRLFRIEND.

VINCENT A. RAMIREZ PLEADED NOT GUILTY ON FRIDAY TO SECOND-DEGREE MURDER IN THE DEATH LAST MONTH OF 18-YEAR-OLD IAN DANGLER. HE ALSO PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO ATTEMPTED SECOND-DEGREE MURDER OF 20-YEAR-OLD CAMILO OLIVAS DURING A HEARING IN LARAMIE COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.

PROSECUTORS SAY DANGLER WAS STABBED IN THE HEART WITH A POCKET KNIFE ON JULY 12.

RAMIREZ REMAINS JAILED WITH HIS BAIL SET AT $500,000. HIS TRIAL WAS SET FOR NOV. 13.