K2 Radio News: Flash Briefing For September 20th, 2017 – Morning

MEXICO CITY (AP) - THE HEAD OF MEXICO'S NATIONAL CIVIL DEFENSE AGENCY SAYS 225 PEOPLE ARE NOW KNOWN TO BE DEAD DUE TO THE MAGNITUDE 7.1 EARTHQUAKE. LUIS FELIPE PUENTE POSTED A TWEET WEDNESDAY SAYING 94 ARE KNOWN DEAD IN MEXICO CITY, 71 IN MORELOS STATE, 43 IN PUEBLA, 12 IN THE STATE OF MEXICO, FOUR IN GUERRERO AND ONE IN OAXACA.

MEXICO CITY (AP) - A DOCTOR WHO CRAWLED INTO THE RUBBLE OF A THREE-STORY SCHOOL THAT COLLAPSED IN YESTERDAY'S DEADLY EARTHQUAKE IN MEXICO SAYS HE SAW THE BODIES OF A CHILD AND TWO ADULTS IN A CLASSROOM. PEDRO SERRANO IS AMONG A GROUP OF ORDINARY MEXICANS WHO VOLUNTEERED TO JOIN THE RESCUE EFFORT. HE SAYS THEY CRAWLED ON THEIR BELLIES, WITH BARELY ROOM TO MOVE. THE BODIES OF 21 CHILDREN AND FOUR ADULTS HAVE BEEN PULLED FROM THE RUBBLE. OUTSIDE THE SCHOOL GATES, ANXIOUS PARENTS HOPE FOR WORD OF SURVIVORS.

SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO (AP) - AN ADVISER TO DOMINICAN PRIME MINISTER ROOSEVELT SKERRIT SAYS THERE HAVE BEEN SEVEN CONFIRMED DEATHS IN THE CARIBBEAN COUNTRY FROM HURRICANE MARIA. HARTLEY HENRY DIDN'T GIVE DETAILS ABOUT HOW THE DEATHS OCCURRED. THEY RAISE THE OVERALL DEATH TOLL TO NINE FROM THE STORM INCLUDING ONE ON THE FRENCH ISLAND OF GUADELOUPE.

NEW YORK (AP) - THE U.S. AND IRAN WILL HAVE THEIR HIGHEST-LEVEL INTERACTION OF DONALD TRUMP'S PRESIDENCY, A DAY AFTER THE AMERICAN LEADER DELIVERED A BLISTERING ATTACK ON THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC AND THE LANDMARK 2015 NUCLEAR DEAL. AMID STRONG SIGNALS TRUMP COULD WALK AWAY FROM THE DEAL, SECRETARY OF STATE REX TILLERSON AND IRANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER MOHAMMAD JAVAD ZARIF WILL ATTEND AN EU-HOSTED MEETING ABOUT THE AGREEMENT AT THE UNITED NATIONS ON WEDNESDAY. THE CLOSED-DOOR GATHERING IS EXPECTED TO BE CONTENTIOUS.

UNITED NATIONS (AP) - COUNTRIES HAVE STARTED SIGNING ON TO THE FIRST TREATY TO BAN NUCLEAR WEAPONS. IT'S BACKED BY OVER 100 NATIONS, BUT NUCLEAR-ARMED ONES WANT NO PART OF IT. BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT MICHEL TEMER WAS FIRST TO SIGN AT A CEREMONY WEDNESDAY AT THE UNITED NATIONS. THE U.N. TREATY OFFICE SAID 51 COUNTRIES WERE EXPECTED TO SIGN ON THE FIRST DAY.
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A MILLS WOMAN ACCUSED OF STEALING OVER $7,000 FROM HER FORMER EMPLOYER PLEADED GUILTY TO A FELONY CHARGE TUESDAY MORNING IN NATRONA COUNTY DISTRICT COURT.

34-YEAR-OLD JENNIFER PIZARRO PLEADED GUILTY TO ONE COUNT OF FELONY THEFT. THE CRIME IS PUNISHABLE BY UP TO 10 YEARS IN PRISON AND A FINE OF $10,000, BUT UNDER A PLEA DEAL, PROSECUTORS WILL RECOMMEND SHE SERVE NO PRISON TIME.

THE TERMS OF THE AGREEMENT CALL FOR PIZARRO TO BE PLACED ON A TERM OF PROBATION AND REPAY $7,916 TO HER FORMER EMPLOYER. THE STATE IS CONSIDERING GRANTING PIZARRO FIRST-OFFENDER STATUS, THOUGH WHETHER PROSECUTORS ELECT TO GO THAT ROUTE WILL BE THEIR DECISION AT PIZARRO'S SENTENCING HEARING.

CHARGING PAPERS SAY THE OWNER OF DIAMOND SUITES IN CASPER REPORTED THE THEFT TO THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT ON DEC. 21. THE OWNER SAID SHE HAD JUST LEARNED SOMEONE WAS USING HER COMPANY'S CREDIT CARD MACHINE TO PROCESS REFUNDS WITHOUT HER PERMISSION.

AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED PIZARRO, WHO HAD WORKED ON AND OFF AT DIAMOND SUITES FOR ABOUT A YEAR. USED THE CREDIT CARD PROCESSING MACHINE TO PROCESS REFUNDS, PUTTING THE MOTEL'S MONEY BACK ONTO HER CREDIT CARD.

IN TOTAL, COURT DOCUMENTS SAY, PIZARRO ATTEMPTED TO PROCESS OVER $17,000 IN REFUNDS. SHE ENDED UP TAKING JUST SHY OF $8,000 FROM THE MOTEL.

PIZARRO REMAINS FREE ON BOND PENDING SENTENCING.

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THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING HAS SELECTED A DEAN TO LEAD AND BUILD UP ITS NEWLY ESTABLISHED HONORS COLLEGE.

FORMER ZOOLOGY AND PHYSIOLOGY DEPARTMENT HEAD DONAL SKINNER WILL LEAD THE NEW COLLEGE THAT DEVELOPED FROM THE UNIVERSITY'S HONORS PROGRAM.

THE COLLEGE REPRESENTS AN EFFORT BY THE UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING TO ATTRACT MORE TOP-TIER STUDENTS AND DEVELOP CHALLENGING REQUIREMENTS FOR ITS HONORS STUDENTS.

AS THE FLEDGLING COLLEGE'S FIRST LEADER, SKINNER WILL BE TASKED WITH FUNDRAISING, DEVELOPING CURRICULA AND WORKING WITH OTHER COLLEGES TO DEVELOP SCHOOL- AND DEPARTMENT-SPECIFIC HONORS TRACKS.

THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES VOTED IN MAY TO UPGRADE THE HONORS PROGRAM TO A FULL COLLEGE, AND THE POSITION OF DIRECTOR TO A FULL DEAN, ON EQUAL FOOTING WITH THE DEANS OF THE UNIVERSITY'S OTHER SCHOOLS AND COLLEGES.