Cheryl K. Chumley

Democrat thwarts Nevada activist’s try to name peak after Reagan

A Nevada conservative activist is incensed after his attempt to name a peak after former President Ronald Reagan was thwarted by a Democratic lawmaker who instead filed a bill to name the property after a former state politico — another Democrat.

December 9, 2013

Rogue reindeer runs from Santa, eludes police for hours

A rogue reindeer who was supposed to hang with Santa for a Christmas lighting event in Dillon, Colo., had different ideas, jumping his enclosure and leading police on a chase that lasted for hours.

December 9, 2013

Iran touts new laser that bolsters missile accuracy

The defense minister of Iran said the military has a new laser system, and it's significantly bolstered the accuracy of ballistic missiles — to the point that they can hit within a couple feet of their targets.

December 9, 2013

Satanists petition for statue at Oklahoma Statehouse

Self-declared satanists in Oklahoma are seeking to erect a statue at the Statehouse, right next to a monument of the Ten Commandments.

December 9, 2013

Deadly N.Y. train derailment leads to Senate call for cameras at tracks

At least two senators are pushing for cameras at the train tracks — their political response to a deadly derailment outside the Bronx borough of New York that was attributed to a sleepy engineer who entered a curve at three times the posted speed.

December 9, 2013

WWII vet, 90, en route to Pearl Harbor event booted from flight

A World War II veteran, 90, en route from Los Angeles to a Pearl Harbor ceremony in Hawaii, was booted from his flight so the airline could add some more fuel without violating weight limits.

December 9, 2013

SWAT team at Phoenix hospital as armed man clears emergency room

Police officers and a SWAT team surrounded a Phoenix hospital on Monday morning and are trying to coax an armed man who is holed up inside the emergency room into giving up peacefully.

December 9, 2013

Kim Jong-un’s uncle dragged from political meeting, booted from party

North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un's uncle — once considered the second-in-charge in the closed country and a key figure in his nephew's rise to power — was dragged by police from a political meeting, the state-run media reported Monday.

December 9, 2013

Wendy’s worker mistakenly serves burger with marijuana joint

A Wendy's fast-food worker in Lovejoy, Ga., accidentally dropped her half-smoked marijuana blunt in a cheeseburger she served to an unwitting customer.

December 6, 2013

Patriot Act author on James Clapper: Fire, prosecute him

Rep. F. James Sensenbrenner Jr., the brains behind the Patriot Act who in recent months has called for a scale-back on part of its surveillance powers, now says that one of the nation’s leading surveillance operatives, National Intelligence Director James Clapper, should be fired and prosecuted.

December 6, 2013

John Kerry: Israel-Palestinian peace deal ‘closer’ than ever

Secretary of State John Kerry announced Friday that a peace agreement between Israel and the Palestinians is closer than ever, a somewhat surprising claim given the opposite reactions of other key players involved in the talks.

December 6, 2013

Michigan GOP Senate hopeful reminds government is the ‘servant’

A Michigan Republican running for a U.S. Senate seat is likely striking a chord with tea party types who favor limited government, with a mantra that reminds government is a servant.

December 6, 2013

Obamas host Hollywood for Hanukkah: Larry David says, ‘I’m going to party’

President Obama earned another notch in his hail-to-Hollywood belt Thursday evening, with a Hanukkah celebration at the White House that included the co-creator of the successful "Seinfeld" television series, Larry David.

December 6, 2013

Christmas, by Congress: Members mull a 15-cent tax on trees

It’s that time of year again – the Christmas tree tax has reared. Congressional members are mulling a 15-cent tax on fresh Christmas trees, a small but significant line-item mention in the current farm bill weaving through the House.

December 6, 2013

Bill O’Reilly reminds: Nelson Mandela ‘was a communist’

Amid the wave of grief over Nelson Mandela’s passing, and outpouring of fond memories about his inspiring deeds of greatness, came a harsh reminder from Fox News’ Bill O’Reilly: Let’s not forget he was a communist.

December 6, 2013

John Boehner says GOP should support gay candidates: ‘I do’

Speaker John Boehner said the Republican Party ought to openly support gay candidates — a blunt statement that's sure to ratchet up tensions among traditional conservatives who see the GOP as straying from core principles and wading into political territories held by Democrats.

December 6, 2013

Grass-Whopper: Pan-fried cricket burgers go over big in New York City

A popular Mexican restaurant in the trendy, artsy Soho section of New York City has a new menu item that scores high on the puke factor but nonetheless is bringing in the bucks: A pan-fried burger dotted and splashed with crickets.

December 6, 2013

CDC sees measles spike and ‘failure to vaccinate’

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 175 cases of measles so far this year, a significant spike that’s attributed largely to the failure of those infected to get vaccinated, medical professionals said.

December 6, 2013

Ex-Secret Service agent seeking Md. seat: Everyone’s a ‘de facto criminal’ now

Dan Bongino, a former Secret Service agent who's now campaigning in Maryland for a congressional seat, said the biggest threat facing the nation is the massive bureaucracy that's driving out common sense politics.

December 6, 2013

New prosthetic hand technology lets amputees feel again

Ohio researchers have made a break-through discovery and created a new prosthetic hand that allows amputees to actually feel what their fake fingers touch.

December 6, 2013