K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For August 31st, 2017 – Morning

CROSBY, TEXAS (AP) - A HOUSTON-AREA CHEMICAL PLANT THAT LOST POWER AFTER HARVEY FLOODED THE AREA HAS BEEN ROCKED BY TWO EXPLOSIONS. ARKEMA INC. SAYS THE HARRIS COUNTY EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER REPORTED TWO EXPLOSIONS AND BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE PLANT AT ABOUT 2 A.M. THURSDAY. THE HARRIS COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE SAYS 10 DEPUTIES HAVE BEEN HOSPITALIZED. ARKEMA HAS SAID THAT WITHOUT POWER, THE PLANT HAD NO REFRIGERATION SYSTEM TO COOL CHEMICALS THAT BECOME VOLATILE WHEN THE TEMPERATURE RISES.

HOUSTON (AP) - A HOUSTON MOTHER IS WARNING PEOPLE IN THE AREA TO STAY OUT OF HARVEY'S FLOODWATERS AFTER HER SON WAS ELECTROCUTED WHILE WADING THROUGH THE WATER TO CHECK ON HIS SISTER'S HOME. JODELL PASEK SAYS HER 25-YEAR-OLD SON ANDREW WAS UNAWARE THAT A LANDSCAPE LIGHT HAD ELECTRIFIED THE WATER WHEN HE STEPPED INTO IT TUESDAY AFTERNOON. SHE SAID HE FELL AND GRABBED A LAMPPOST AND TOLD A FRIEND WHO WAS WITH HIM TO STAY AWAY BECAUSE HE WAS DYING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - A GRAND JURY USED BY SPECIAL COUNSEL ROBERT MUELLER HAS HEARD SECRET TESTIMONY FROM A RUSSIAN-AMERICAN LOBBYIST WHO ATTENDED A JUNE 2016 MEETING WITH PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP'S ELDEST SON, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HAS LEARNED. A PERSON FAMILIAR WITH THE MATTER CONFIRMED TO THE AP THAT RINAT AKHMETSHIN HAD APPEARED BEFORE MUELLER'S GRAND JURY IN RECENT WEEKS. THE PERSON SPOKE ON CONDITION OF ANONYMITY TO DISCUSS THE SECRET PROCEEDINGS.

BAGHDAD (AP) - IRAQ'S PRIME MINISTER IS DECLARING THE TOWN OF TAL AFAR "FULLY LIBERATED" FROM THE ISLAMIC STATE GROUP AFTER A NEARLY TWO-WEEK OPERATION. HAIDER AL-ABADI SAID THURSDAY THAT IRAQI TROOPS "ELIMINATED AND SMASHED DAESH TERRORISTS" IN AL-AYADIA DISTRICT, ABOUT 10 KILOMETERS (6 MILES) NORTHWEST OF TAL AFAR, WHERE THE MILITANTS FLED LAST WEEK. DAESH IS THE ARABIC ACRONYM FOR IS.

BEIJING (AP) - CHINA'S RULING COMMUNIST PARTY IS TAKING A NEW APPROACH TO TRY TO REPATRIATE ONE OF ITS MOST WANTED EXILES. NEW YORK-BASED BILLIONAIRE GUO WENGUI (GWOH WUHN-GWAY) HAD PREVIOUSLY BEEN ACCUSED OF CRIMES INCLUDING BRIBERY. NOW TWO CHINESE OFFICIALS WITH DIRECT KNOWLEDGE OF THE INVESTIGATION TOLD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HE'S ALSO ACCUSED OF RAPE. GUO AND HIS REPRESENTATIVES DID NOT RESPOND TO REPEATED REQUESTS FOR COMMENT. GUO POSTS REGULARLY ONLINE TO RELEASE WHAT HE SAYS ARE OFFICIAL PARTY SECRETS.
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A FORMER WYOMING HIGHWAY PATROL TROOPER SENTENCED IN 2009 TO 15 YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT FOR A KIDNAPPING AND MURDER PLOT HAS APPEALED HIS SENTENCE.

FEDERAL COURT RECORDS SAY FRANKLIN JOSEPH RYLE, JR., OF DOUGLAS WAS SENTENCED TO 10 YEARS IMPRISONMENT FOR KIDNAPPING WHILE ACTING AS A TROOPER, AND A CONSECUTIVE FIVE YEARS FOR POSSESSION OF A FIREARM IN A CRIME OF VIOLENCE.

IN HIS APPEAL, RYLE SAID THE SENTENCE FOR THE POSSESSION OF A FIREARM SHOULD BE REVERSED, HIS ATTORNEYS WERE INEFFECTIVE AND FAILED TO ASK FOR A COMPETENCY HEARING, AND THE PROSECUTION COMMITTED MISCONDUCT.

COURT RECORDS SAY RYLE HAD PLANNED THE KIDNAPPING AND MURDER PLOT SINCE LATE DECEMBER 2008, AND ACTED ON IT ON JANUARY 8, 2009, WHEN HE PULLED OVER A WAL-MART TRUCK ON INTERSTATE 25 IN A REMOTE AREA NEAR DOUGLAS.

HE INTENDED TO KILL THE DRIVER, DRIVE THE TRUCK INTO HIS PATROL CAR, SUE WAL-MART AND RECEIVE A LARGE SETTLEMENT.

RYLE CHECKED THE DRIVER'S LICENSE, TOLD THE DRIVER TO GET INTO THE BACK OF HIS PATROL CAR, AND TOLD HIM THERE WAS AN ARREST WARRANT FOR HIM OUT OF COLORADO, AND THEN DROVE HIM TO HIS HOUSE IN DOUGLAS AND THEN BACK TO HIS TRUCK.

HE GAVE UP ON THE IDEA WHEN HE REALIZED THE TRUCK HAD A GPS SYSTEM.
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A CARNIVAL WORKER ACCUSED OF STABBING A MAN ON THE CHEYENNE FRONTIER DAYS MIDWAY IN JULY HAS PLEADED NOT GUILTY TO AGGRAVATED ASSAULT.

22-YEAR-OLD MATTHEW VICENCIO ENTERED THE PLEA DURING HIS ARRAIGNMENT MONDAY IN LARAMIE COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.

POLICE SAY VICENCIO STABBED 18-YEAR-OLD JOSIAH RICHARDSON IN THE BACK AFTER THE TWO CHEYENNE MEN GOT INTO A FIGHT OVER THE BASKETBALL SHOOTING GAME VICENCIO WAS RUNNING.

VICENCIO REMAINS JAILED ON A $10,000 CASH BOND. HIS TRIAL IS SCHEDULED FOR NOVEMBER 7.