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

WASHINGTON (AP) - SENIOR U.S. OFFICIALS SAY THE UNITED STATES IS PULLING ROUGHLY 60 PERCENT OF ITS STAFF OUT OF CUBA AND WARNING AMERICAN TRAVELERS NOT TO VISIT DUE TO "SPECIFIC ATTACKS" THAT HAVE HARMED DIPLOMATS' HEALTH. THE OFFICIALS SAY THE U.S. IS ORDERING ALL NONESSENTIAL STAFF IN THE EMBASSY IN HAVANA TO LEAVE, ALONG WITH ALL FAMILY MEMBERS. THE U.S. IS ALSO WARNING AMERICAN CITIZENS THEY COULD BE HARMED IF THEY TRAVEL TO CUBA.

WASHINGTON (AP) - THE ACTING U.S. HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY IS HEADED TO PUERTO RICO TO SEE THE DEVASTATION AND MEET LOCAL OFFICIALS. THE TRIP WAS PLANNED BEFORE ELAINE DUKE SET OFF A STORM HERSELF WITH HER COMMENTS ON THE DAMAGE. ON THURSDAY, DUKE DESCRIBED THE RELIEF EFFORT AS "UNDER CONTROL" AND CALLED THE FEDERAL RESPONSE TO THE DISASTER A "GOOD NEWS STORY." THAT DREW A SHARP REBUKE FROM SAN JUAN MAYOR CARMEN YULIN CRUZ, WHO TOLD CNN, "THIS IS A PEOPLE-ARE-DYING STORY."

UNDATED (AP) - THE AGRICULTURAL SECTOR, ONE OF THE RARE BRIGHT SPOTS IN PUERTO RICO'S ECONOMY, HAS BEEN DEVASTATED BY HURRICANE MARIA. CROP AND LIVESTOCK SALES HAD GENERATED HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS A YEAR IN INCOME. ONE DAIRY FARMER SAYS THE STORM DESTROYED 90 PERCENT OF HIS BARNS, AND AS MANY AS 700 OF HIS 12,000 COWS ARE MISSING OR DEAD. NOEL LOPEZ SAYS A LOT OF HIS FELLOW FARMERS WILL NEVER RECOVER.

ST. AUGUSTINE, FLA. (AP) - HOMELESS PEOPLE AND THEIR ADVOCATES IN FLORIDA ARE COMPLAINING THAT SOME OF THEM WERE TURNED AWAY AT SHELTERS, SEPARATED FROM OTHERS VIA YELLOW WRISTBANDS OR OTHERWISE MISTREATED DURING HURRICANE IRMA IN EARLY SEPTEMBER. MANY OF THE COMPLAINTS HAVE BEEN BLAMED ON MISUNDERSTANDINGS, THE SHEER MAGNITUDE OF THE DISASTER, OR INADEQUATE STATE AND LOCAL EMERGENCY PLANNING.

WASHINGTON (AP) - HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY TOM PRICE SAYS HE'S PAYING OUT OF HIS OWN POCKET NEARLY $52,000 TO COVER THE COST OF HIS TRAVEL ON CHARTER FLIGHTS TAKEN ON GOVERNMENT BUSINESS. PRICE IS PROMISING TO FLY COMMERCIAL FROM NOW ON, A PLEDGE THAT COMES WITH HIS JOB ON THE LINE AMID CRITICISM FROM PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND OTHERS QUESTIONING THE USE OF PRIVATE JETS INSTEAD OF CHEAPER PUBLIC FLIGHTS. PRICE ALSO IS EXPRESSING REGRET FOR RAISING CONCERNS ABOUT HIS USE OF TAXPAYER DOLLARS.

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IN ITS EFFORTS TO BETTER CONNECT WITH THE COMMUNITY, THE CASPER POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL START CONDUCTING BRIEFINGS OF ITS MOBILE PATROL TEAM AT DIFFERENT LOCATIONS IN THE CITY.
INTERIM CHIEF STEVE SCHULZ SAID WEDNESDAY THE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO STRENGTHEN THE RELATIONSHIPS IT HAS WITH RESIDENTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

BEGINNING NEXT WEEK, THE DEPARTMENT WILL CONDUCT ITS TWICE-DAILY SHIFT TURNOVER BRIEFINGS CALLED COMMUNITY TEAM BRIEFS AT LOCAL BUSINESSES AND RESIDENCES SO OFFICERS, SERGEANTS AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMAND STAFF CAN MEET WITH THE PUBLIC.

THE FIRST ONE WILL BE AT THE METRO COFFEE COMPANY AT 241 SOUTH DAVID STREET AT 6:50 A.M. WEDNESDAY

SCHULZ SAID THE DEPARTMENT ENCOURAGES THE PUBLIC TO ATTEND THE FREE EVENTS.

THIS COMMUNITY TEAM BRIEF ALSO COINCIDES WITH NATIONAL COFFEE WITH A COP DAY.

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN HOSTING A COMMUNITY TEAM BRIEF AT YOUR RESIDENCE OR BUSINESS, CONTACT DETECTIVE JOHN HATCHER AT THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
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CASPER, WYO. (AP) - THREE FAMILIES WHO LOST HOMES OR PROPERTY IN A 2015 FIRE HAVE FILED COUNTERCLAIMS AGAINST THE CITY OF CASPER THAT ALLEGE IT IS LIABLE FOR THE BLAZE.

THE THREE LAWSUITS COME AFTER THE CITY REQUESTED A JUDGE RULE ON WHETHER THE CITY IS LIABLE FOR THE FIRE.

THE 2015 FIRE ORIGINATED IN A CASPER LANDFILL AND BURNED NEARLY 16 SQ. MILES (41 SQ. KILOMETERS) OF LAND.

ONE COUNTERCLAIM SEEKS $100,000 AS COMPENSATION FOR DAMAGED PROPERTY. THE SECOND ASKS FOR $68,661 AND THE THIRD ASKS FOR AN UNSPECIFIED AMOUNT.

A REPORT BY FIRE INVESTIGATORS HAS DETERMINED THAT THE FIRE WAS ACCIDENTAL.

THE CITY'S LAWYER IN THE CASE, JAY GILBERTZ, DECLINED TO COMMENT ON THE COUNTERCLAIMS.