K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For December 29th, 2017 – Morning

PORTLAND, MAINE (AP) - DANGEROUSLY COLD WEATHER ACROSS HALF THE COUNTRY HAS ADVOCATES FOR THE HOMELESS SCRAMBLING TO GET PEOPLE OFF THE STREETS AND OFFICIALS URGING RESIDENTS TO ASSIST THEIR ELDERLY NEIGHBORS. IN WATERTOWN, NEW YORK, THE TEMPERATURE DIPPED TO MINUS 32 DEGREES THURSDAY MORNING. IT ROSE TO MINUS 7 FRIDAY MORNING. IN BOSTON, THE PINE STREET INN SENT A VAN WITH OUTREACH WORKERS AROUND TO PERSUADE PEOPLE TO SPEND THE NIGHT INSIDE.

NEW YORK (AP) - POLICE SAY FOUR CHILDREN ARE AMONG THE 12 PEOPLE KILLED IN NEW YORK CITY'S DEADLIEST RESIDENTIAL FIRE IN DECADES. MAYOR BILL DE BLASIO SAID FRIDAY ON CNN THAT OTHER PEOPLE ARE STILL FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES. THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT SAYS THOSE WHO DIED IN THE BRONX FIRE THURSDAY NIGHT INCLUDE GIRLS AGES 1, 2 AND 7, AND A BOY. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION.

CAIRO (AP) - EGYPT'S HEALTH MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SAYS AT LEAST 10 PEOPLE, INCLUDING EIGHT COPTIC CHRISTIANS, HAVE BEEN KILLED IN A SHOOTOUT OUTSIDE A SOUTH CAIRO CHURCH. KHALED MEGAHED SAYS FRIDAY'S ATTACK TOOK PLACE WHEN GUNMEN ON A MOTORCYCLE OPENED FIRE OUTSIDE MAR MINA CHURCH. ONE GUNMAN WAS SHOT DEAD AS WAS A SECURITY OFFICER, HE SAID.

WARSAW, POLAND (AP) - MEDIA FREEDOMS ARE UNDER THREAT IN HUNGARY, POLAND AND TURKEY, WHICH ARE SEEKING TO MINIMIZE CRITICISM AND PROMOTE POSITIVE COVERAGE. THE THREE COUNTRIES IN RECENT YEARS HAD BEEN MOVING TOWARD DEMOCRATIC NORMS OF FREE EXPRESSION, BUT THOSE HAVE LARGELY BEEN REVERSED. MEDIA OUTLETS ARE BEING TAKEN OVER BY PEOPLE CLOSE TO THE RULING PARTY OR HAVE BEEN CLOSED DOWN ALTOGETHER.

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A CASPER MAN RECENTLY RELEASED FROM FEDERAL PRISON FOR CHILD PORNOGRAPHY CRIMES WAS ARRESTED FOR VIOLATING THE TERMS OF HIS PROBATION.

U.S. MAGISTRATE COURT JUDGE MICHAEL SHICKICH TOLD BRETT SWENSON DURING HIS INITIAL HEARING THURSDAY THAT HE VIOLATED THE TERMS OF HIS LIFETIME PROBATION BY POSSESSING DRUG PARAPHERNALIA THAT TESTED POSITIVE FOR MARIJUANA, POSSESSING SYRINGES THAT TESTED POSITIVE FOR METHAMPHETAMINE, AND POSSESSING MULTIPLE ELECTRONIC DEVICES THAT HAD IMAGES OF PORNOGRAPHY.

SHICKICH ORDERED SWENSON TO REMAIN IN CUSTODY UNTIL A FORMAL HEARING CAN BE HELD IN TWO WEEKS TO DETERMINE WHETHER HIS PROBATION WILL BE REVOKED.

IN AUGUST 2007, A JURY CONVICTED SWENSON OF ATTEMPTED INTERSTATE DISTRIBUTION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, RECEIPT OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY, AND POSSESSION OF CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.

HE WAS SENTENCED TO MORE THAN ELEVEN YEARS OF IMPRISONMENT.

THE CASE STARTED IN SEPTEMBER 2006 WHEN A WYOMING DIVISION OF CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION AGENT FOUND HIS COMPUTER WAS OFFERING TO DISTRIBUTE MORE THAN 600 FILES WITH AT LEAST 16 OF THEM CONTAINING CHILD PORNOGRAPHY.

THE GOVERNMENT REGARDS CHILD PORNOGRAPHY AS A CRIME OF VIOLENCE BECAUSE IT INVOLVES SOMETIMES BRUTAL ASSAULTS ON CHILDREN WHO CANNOT GIVE CONSENT TO SEXUAL ACTIVITY.
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A CASPER MAN DIED FROM HIS INJURIES IN A CRASH NEAR KELLY WALSH HIGH SCHOOL THURSDAY MORNING.

POLICE DETECTIVE JOHN HATCHER ADDED THE MAN WAS TAKEN TO THE WYOMING MEDICAL CENTER WITH SERIOUS BODILY INJURIES, AND HE LATER DIED.

HATCHER SAID THE VEHICLE WAS A GRAY MINIVAN TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON 12TH STREET.

THERE WERE NO OTHER INJURIES REPORTED.

HATCHER SAID THE CRASH REMAINS UNDER INVESTIGATION, SO IT IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME WHETHER HE DROVE ON A PATCH OF ICE, WAS DRIVING TOO FAST FOR CONDITIONS, WAS WEARING A SEAT BELT, WAS UNDER THE INFLUENCE, OR WAS DISTRACTED.

BY THURSDAY AFTERNOON, THE CRASH SCENE HAD BEEN CLEARED AND EAST 12TH STREET BETWEEN KINGSBURY DRIVE AND TROJAN DRIVE WAS REOPENED.

THE NATRONA COUNTY CORONER'S OFFICE SAID THURSDAY AFTERNOON THE MAN'S IDENTIFICATION WILL BE RELEASED AFTER FAMILY MEMBERS ARE NOTIFIED, AND THE CAUSE OF DEATH WILL BE DETERMINED AT A LATER DATE.