Holiday Traffic On I-77 Turns Deadly

GALAX, Va. Nearly 100 vehicles crashed Sunday along a mountainous, foggy stretch of interstate near the Virginia-North Carolina border, killing three people and injuring 25 others.

Police said traffic along Interstate 77 in southwest Virginia backed up for about 8 miles in the southbound lanes after the accidents. Authorities closed the northbound lanes so that fire trucks, ambulances and police could get to the series of chain-reaction wrecks.

(Courtesy Jennifer Gonzalez)

Virginia State Police determined there were 17 separate crashes involving 95 vehicles within a mile span near the base of Fancy Gap Mountain, spokeswoman Corinne Geller said. The crashes began around 1:15 p.m. Sunday when there was heavy fog in the area.

Photos by WXII's Willam Bottomley and Jennifer Gonzalez. Special Thanks to Justin Engel for the awesome panorama.

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/03/31/3951504/3-killed-in-75-vehicle-pileup.html#storylink=cpy

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Homeowners Association Dispute Turns Deadly

From Charlotte's WBTV News

Investigators in Cabarrus County say a 50-year-old man is accused of shooting and killing two of his neighbors after getting into a dispute with the men.

Neighbors say Hardy was angry about trees that were cut down behind his house and that the victims were on the homeowners’ association board that approved the removal of the trees.

Deputies were called to a home off Coachman Court, in Harrisburg, on Friday afternoon to the report of shots fired.

When deputies arrived, they found the bodies of 42-year-old Daniel Thomas Kirchner and 64-year-old Gary Wade Stocks in the backyard of Kirchner's home.

Several minutes later, officers say a gunshot rang out from a nearby home.

Deputies immediately took cover and established a security perimeter around the home of 50-year-old Anthony Charles Hardy. According to investigators, Hardy barricaded himself inside the home.

After several hours of negotiations, deputies say they heard two more gunshots from inside the home.

The Cabarrus County Sheriff's Office Special Response Team, assisted by Kannapolis Special Response Team, entered the home and found Hardy's body inside. He died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

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Once Again It Is Easter

Cedar Posts is in Charleston working the real job so instead of the usual Friday Wrap Up you get a strong dose of Southern Style Religion. Originally posted back in 2007.... Once Again It Is Easter.... Please be seated.

Years back, when Charlotte was a lot smaller and the pace of life a lot slower, an Easter Sunrise Service was held at Providence High School.

As the headlights of two hundred or so cars streamed into the parking lot, the crimson and purple hues of the sun's first rays began to touch the far eastern corners of the Carolina horizon, while birds sang in wonderful orchestra we call nature.

It's not hard to see the hand of God on Easter Sunday in the Carolina's. Azaleas, Dogwoods, rainbow colors of flowers all in bloom and Carolina blue skies which might explain the large number of churches in the Carolinas. I think there are 87 on the Charleston Peninsula alone, I know there are twice that many in Charlotte and the biggest of which is Calvary.

Standing at the corner of Rea Road and Highway 51, Calvary is so big that it's pipe organ is second in size only to that of the Mormon Tabernacle in Salt Lake City. It is a big church, so big it has escalators to the two balconies.

The church was once painted a somewhat a dull shade of pink and, was nick named by members and non-members as "The Pink Church" or the "Mary Kay Cathedral". Calvary was founded by Dr. Ross Rhodes who at the time of this Easter sunrise service was senior pastor.

Charlotte is of course the well known home to the famous preacher Dr. Billy Graham, and a close second to Billy Graham is Dr. Rhodes. I think Ross Rhodes could make a believer out of Satan if given the chance.

My grandmother used to tell us to sit up straight in church so that God knew we were paying attention. On this Easter Sunday, the frosty cold aluminum bleachers of Providence High School Football Stadium made certain we were all sitting up straight and paying attention.

The hot coffee and warm biscuits from Bojangles that the Calvary volunteers handed out, helped ease the chill but it was so cold, that I soon began to plot an early exit back to my car.

I'm a morning person, most of the time and I love to watch the sunrise. Cold on the other hand I'm not nearly as fond of, so I thanked my sister who was kind enough to bring an extra blanket to sit on.

Before the small choir had finished the second verse of the first hymn, my biscuit was cold and my coffee gone.

In the faint half light of the early dawn Dr. Rhodes rose from his seat and walked over to the podium, for all practical purposes it was still dark.

His sermon was simple….. his first words where.....

"He Has Risen!"

And with that voices came to life through the gathered crowd as these words were repeated and rose on wisps of steam from our breath which filled the cold morning air.

Dr. Rhodes continued….

"Now if this had just happened today, on this Sunday morning, we would have proof! There would be satellite trucks, and news media everywhere. Larry King would be live with eyewitnesses to interview, and there would be full page photo spreads in USA Today, the New York Times and the Charlotte Observer. There would be a "film at eleven" on television that would show the massive stone rolled aside and for the next forty days Jesus himself would hold press conferences right up until ascension.

And he would tell the world: "Hey, I'm back for I have risen!"

"But, because this single event occurred nearly 2000 years ago we don't have a film at eleven, but we do have eyewitness accounts and interviews with the Larry King of the day Mark, and his interview is right here".

And as he spoke those words, Dr. Rhodes held up his bible the one he has carried for nearly 40 years and proclaimed.

"It says right here…" HE HAS RISEN!

With that a flock of Canada Geese flew over head no more than a dozen feet above the bleachers, winging their way no doubt to eternity and just as suddenly the sun rose above the horizon and bathed the bleachers in wonderful light and warmth that you could feel all the way through to your soul.

And I have got to tell ya ... I don't know how Ross Rhodes pulled it off but his timing was perfect. Within an instant the chill in the air was gone as a new day had begun.

Now years later Dr. Rhodes message, and that Easter sunrise service is still a very vivid memory.

Dr. Rhodes' message has always been simple… "Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved" Period!

No fancy church or nearly drowning style of baptism, pilgrimage to Mecca, or giving up a certain amount of your paycheck, no course of study, no special communion, no specific number of Sunday school sessions or bible study attendance required, just one simple thing.

"Believe in the Lord Jesus and thou shalt be saved" - Just Believe!

OK I'm done preaching now go color those chickens.

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What Not To Wear To An American Cancer Society Charity Event

Seriously what was she thinking?

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Wednesday Change Up - Cedar Posts Takes On Donald Trump

Cedar Posts has never been one to avoid taking on big names, but frankly I never thought I'd try to go head to head against "The Donald" but America's number one celebrity CEO has been shooting off about how bad our country is long enough.

Trump is worried that the United States is quickly losing its economic power to China, while the country faces debt levels that “no one ever dreamt possible.”

More than once during the 2012 Presidential Campaign Trump claimed that the "US doesn't make anything anymore" well Trump is wrong.

Trump says that China will soon be the biggest economic engine in the world while the U.S. grapples with nearly $17 trillion in debt. Trump’s comments are similar to statements he made last fall during an appearance on Fox News’ “On the Record with Greta Van Susteren.”

China's manufacturing output in 2011 exceeded the USA's output by nearly 24%, yet the rest of world can barely keep out, in fact the combined producting of Eurpoe, Barzil and Korea is still less than the USA.

In that interview, Trump said the United States is no longer a rich country. “When you’re not rich, you have to go out and borrow money. We’re borrowing from the Chinese and others. We’re up to $16 trillion in debt.”

He went on to point out that the downgrade of U.S. debt is inevitable.

“We are going up to $16 trillion [in debt] very soon, and it’s going to be a lot higher than that before he gets finished. When you have [debt] in the $21-$22 trillion, you are talking about a downgrade no matter how you cut it.”

Trump contiues, "In 2016, China will become the big economic factor of the world. That was unthinkable if you think back 10 years from now -- you know, from now, you go back 10 years, it was unthinkable. But China will become the big economic power. 2016, that's right around the corner. And we let that happen. And they've become the economic power on our back!"

This is why The Donald is wrong, first the US Dollar has declined by 30% over the last decade. Not good news you say? Well actually a lower dollar makes US goods priced more competitively in world markets.

Trump is wrong about the US and Oil and Trump is all worked up about OPEC.  But the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is of little concern because, US Oil Production has actually increased from 2008 levels and our net imports of oil have drastically declined from a high of nearly 60 % in 2004 to less then 45% in 2011.

Oil is less than 40% of US energy consumption and coal and natural gas prices are a historically low prices.

The bottom line is the US has increased our energy independence over the last decade and will continue to do so.

How many times have you heard Trump say we are losers, we don't make anything? The Donald is right, that iPhone, iPad and flat screen television are not made in the USA.

But we lead the world in, construction equipment, pharmaceuticals, aerospace and defense, energy equipment and services, entertainment, computer and software design.

The truth is that that Made in USA is all over the globe, in fact US exports represent nearly 14% of the US Economy vs back in the good old days of the 1950's when is was less than 6%.

The claim that China owns the US, is nice ploy to scare Americans into thinking we are on the road to ruin.

FOXCONN employs more than 1.2 million Chinese workers who assemble more than 40% of the world's smart phones, computers and other electronic devices. Yet their wage rates increased by 25% in 2012 vs the US which increased by only 1.7%. The fact is you can't stay competitive for long with skyrocketing labor costs.

Plus workers in the USA are substainally more productive than their Asian counterparts. While China's production exceeds the US's it’s important to remember that China’s manufacturing workforce is estimated to be around 100-110 million compared to America’s manufacturing employment of less than 12 million.

In other words, it takes ten Chinese guys to screw in a lightbulb where here in the USA it takes only one.

Finally their is the area of growth, how do you grown an ecomony depends on the resources avaiable. Unlike Europe and many emerging market countries that are tied to just one source the US has far deeper pockets to help develope ideas and products. Our souces Commercial Banks, Venture Capital, Private Equity, The Stock Market, The Bond Market, Life Insurance Companies and Real Estate Investement Trusts, vs one single cental bank.

Bottom line is USA is a considerably better builder of a diverse array of products than most people realize including Mr. Trump and Cedar Posts can back this up with a visual.

Seldom am I on the water in Charleston Habor when I don't pass a container ship and it's easy to notice that those going out are sitting lower in the water than when they came in, meaning they are loaded with goods leaving the USA.

Maybe my perspective is just a little better than Mr. Trump's view from that NYC office tower bearing his name.

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Car Hits Tree But Not Just Any Car - Cobra Totaled

WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC

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3 Months After CMPD Takeover Questions Remain at CDIA

Months ago Cedar Posts first reported that Jerry Orr was doing an end run on Charlotte and the City Council in order to pry control away of Charlotte's airport from the City.

We also introduced you to Herbert Judon the CDIA no. 2 who lead the push at the city's expense to fact find the idea of creating an airport authority. It was during this time that we also learned that CMPD Command Staff were in a "tit for tat" ongoing battle with Jerry Orr.

We now know that Jerry Orr prevented CMPD Officers from having complete access to the airport and then photographed CMPD Officers lounging around the concourses, later using the photos to claim that CMPD was doing nothing as far a Airport Security.

We also now know that CMPD is playing hardball as well, leaving more than a dozen former Charlotte Airport Police Officers in the dark and confused as promises are made and then withdrawn.  According to several sources Charlotte Airport Officers were sworn in as CMPD Police Officers on December 15, 2012. But as of this past week they have still not been placed on CMPD's payroll nor are they being paid at the same rate as CMPD Officers.

A check of online records show CDIA Officers are on a pay scale that is less than competitive with the CMPD pay scale based on the same rank and years of service.

Yet a number of former Airport Officers were reportedly given a salary proposal by a CMPD Captain that showed what increases in pay and benefits the former CDIA Officers could expect when CMPD took over law enforcement operations at the Airport. Apparently those proposed increases were later rescinded by some unknown higher ranking member of CMPD's Command staff.

According to sources The City of Charlotte runs two payroll systems, one referred as "broad band" and the other "Public Safety".

Chief Monroe reportedly told CDIA Officers that they would remain on broad band pay system and would not be placed on the public safety pay system, unless they re-applied to work with his agency. In doing so the chief  inferred that former Charlotte Douglas International Airport Officers would make less on the broad band system.

However it is reported that Chief Monroe along with CMPD staff above the rank of lieutenant are ALL on broad band.

CP doesn't understand why the City has two different payroll systems and has emailed interim City Manager Julie Burch for an explanation.

When the merger process began CDIA Officers were told the transition would be seamless, but weeks into the merger/takeover CDIA Officers are now being told they must complete an entire application process. A process that earlier CMPD Chief Monroe personally told the group they would not be required to complete.

As far back as November city staff were calling the change a "merger" and using terms like "integration" and "security increase" but neither seems to be the case.

According to sources CMPD Command swore the airport officers in and had each officer sign the required F5 forms which should have completed the hiring process and made every signed CDIA Officer a CMPD Officer. The F5 forms that each former Airport Officer signed clearly classified them as “Charlotte-Mecklenburg Patrol Officers”, but that may not be the case.

Turns out CMPD staff did not submit the paper back in December and Officers two week ago Officers were required to be sworn in again. Seems there is a 10 day limit to file the forms and apparently CMPD withheld he forms for some reason.  The folks at Training and Standards in Raleigh were unwilling to talk about the paperwork process or confirm if the former CDIA Officer paperwork had arrived in time.

Other irregularities have been exposed, for instance, all "new" Airport Division Officers “required” to attend a shift briefing 15 minutes prior to their shifts. They are not paid for this 15 minutes yet all CMPD officers are paid for their shift briefing time at the airport. A review of pay rates discovered that many former Airport Officers are doing the same jobs as and in many cases training newly assigned CMPD Airport Division officers and call-back hires brought in to fill the vacancies, but at a rate of but  $15,000 to $20,000 less per year.

A walk through the Airport last Friday found CMPD badges and insignia, as well as Charlotte Airport Badges and insignia. It is not clear why if CMPD took over that the two groups are not unified 3 months later.

Many are questioning if the change is even permanent despite the word of CMPD Chief Monroe that the old Airport Police "don't exist anymore"

According to the Training and Standards personnel at the North Carolina Justice Department, former airport Officers are certified to exactly to the same standards as CMPD Officers.

Which mean they should be treated the same and paid the same as current CMPD Officers.

Sources tell Cedar Posts that CMPD Human Resources staff, Miriam Hannon blamed the confusion and frustration that former Airport Officers are dealing with, on the City saying that the city is backing Chief Monroe's decisions and there is nothing that HR can or will do to address the concerns of former CDIA Officers. Ms. Hannon reportedly suggested that Airport Officers file a lawsuit.

In speaking with former Airport Officers they note that CMPD call back and overtime officers not required to take reports, answer alarm calls and are pretty much not expected to engage in police actions of any type while at the airport. In most cases they are just bodies roaming about the airport.

One of the key reasons CMPD wanted to take over Airport Policing was that they could do a much better job in light of the Delvonte Tisdale event. Yet at trip around the airport perimeter shows little change from two years ago. A visit to the general aviation ramp proves it is easy as ever to enter the tarmac and have easy access to aircraft and given a rather long walk access to departing aircraft as young Mr. Tisdale did.

Many current CMPD/Airport Police Officer report being concerned that should the Airport be removed from City of Charlotte control, and turned over to an airport authority they will lose their jobs.

Sources state that Jerry Orr wasn't very encouraging when asked about this scenario and that he reportedly told Officers. "Well, you are now city employees, so the city will have to find a job for you."

Cedar's Take: Being a Police Officer, City of Charlotte or Airport Police is a tough job. Forget the gun toting felons and being a target for the abuse that comes with the badge. The tough part is long hours, weekends, nights and missing your kids soccer games because someone in command screwed up the work assignments last week.

The truth is even standing in the freezing rain directing traffic at 2 a.m. is not nearly as bad as being fed bullshit by your superiors when it comes to your job security and pay.

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Monday Odds and Ends

Michael Jordan Makes a Donation - Charlotte local media swarmed over the Bobcats owner's gift to CMS students who participate in the YMCA's Y Achievers program last week.

From the Charlotte Observer:

"Jordan led by example Thursday by making appearances at three high schools in three hours, announcing a series of surprises for participants in the YMCA’s Y Achievers mentoring program."

"The big news: a $200,000 gift to the program from the team and its broadcast partner, FOX Sports Carolinas/Sports South."

So maybe you were like Cedar Posts when you saw the amount of the gift $200,000.

Seriously I thought it must have been a typo, $200,000.00?

It should have been more like $2 million.

Come on Jordan isn't it time to put down your pom poms and get in there with the rest of the Varsity?

The complete Observer story is here.

TAR ..... HEELS! - Has become just about as annoying as "It's" "In" "The" "Hole" heard over and over again at PGA Golf Tournaments. The twitter world was abuzz with the "TAR" tweets and the requisite HEELS! response that is until the second half got underway. The final score a stunning 70-58.

The loss can be summed up with two words, Jeff Withey. The Kansas 7-foot senior center was amazing. Normally guys at the 7 foot level look just a tad awkward inside the paint. Withey has grace and balance unlike anyone of that height and he made it look easy.

As for the It's in the hole crowd, Augusta National says it discourages that sort of behavior, which is why the drunks at Augusta use the "four part" method with each particiant uttering only one of the four words while located on varying spots around the green.

And to think Bill Murray's unscripted soliloquy was total ad-lib. (See Below)

The First Day of Spring Was When? - Not around here. So much for that global warming alert.

It's In The Hole - Each spring golf jumps to the forefront of the sports world, a combination of basketball exhaustion and lack of NFL football dispondantness, with a good helping of please let the snow stop falling. The first signs of spring to many are the azaleas of Augusta for golfers in the northern states, Augusta and the Masters means that the thaw is within sight.

Along with Augusta comes "It's in the HOLE" and the question asked by many, why do they do that? 

Ahhh, the ancient ritual of drunkenness at a golf tournament, to which we thank Bill Murray's Carl Spackler and the movie Caddy Shack circa 1980.

Dressed as a bum greenskeeper Murray's Carl Spackler stepped in movie lore with this simple lines.

"What an incredible Cinderella story, this unknown comes outta no where to lead the pack, at Augusta.

He's on his final hole, he's about 455 yards away - he's gonna hit about a two-iron I think.

Oh he got all of that one! The crowd is standing on its feet here, the normally reserved Augusta crowd - going wild - for this young Cinderella, he's come outta no where, he's got about 350 yards left, he's gonna hit about a five-iron, don't you think?

He's got a beautiful backswing - that's - Oh he got all of that one! He's gotta be pleased with that, the crowd is just on its feet here, uh - He's the Cinderella boy, uh - tears in his eyes I guess as he lines up this last shot, he's got about 195 yards left, he's got about a - its looks like he's got about an eight-iron.

This crowd has gone deathly silent, the Cinderella story, outta no where, a former greenskeeper now - about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac - It's in the Hole!"

Between major scene takes Bill Murray picked up a hand sling after director Harld Ramis asked Murray if he would elmulate a kid announcing his own fantasy sports moment. Murray improvised the entire "Cinderella story" after asking that four rows of mums be planted along the clubhouse sidewalk. He did the entire scene in one take.

Yep It's in the Hole!

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In Case You Missed It - Kevin Siers on Anthony Foxx

More from Kevin Siers here.

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Friday Wrap Up - Deer Abby Edition

CMPD announced the promotion and suspension of Captain Allan Rutledge in the same week.

Rutledge as Cedar Posts noted two weeks ago was noticeably absent from the promotion ceremony that was to see him promoted to Major. His promotion had been circulated to the press, and via email from both CMPD's Public Information Officer and Deputy Chief Katrina Graue.

CMPD Captain Allan Rutledge

Details about what lead to the suspension were scant but Cedar Posts has learned that Steele Creek Division Lt. Casey Carver was driving his take home car, a marked CMPD patrol car, when he hit a deer on his way home in Union County. Fearing a formal investigation by either the SHP or Union County Sheriff's Office Carver elected to sleep on it.

CMPD Lt. Casey Carver

However, the following morning Carver felt the overwhelming flood of guilt for the death of the deer or perhaps the damage to Charlotte Taxpayer's patrol car and called his superior Allan Rutledge.

Rutledge apparently advised Carver to drive the patrol car into Mecklenburg County and report the deer vs patrol car collision as if it had just happened in Mecklenburg County.

It is not clear at what point the scheme fell apart, but once the facts made the rounds, and the Deer Tale became more than water cooler conversation Rutledge and Carver were offered a couple of sad options; resign or be terminated.

CP Update: Both CMPD Officers will keep their jobs. Rutledge was given a 30 day active suspension, Carver was given a 60 day active suspension. No word as to Rutledge's promotion to major at this time.

Basketball Drones - Cedar Posts didn't even get a honorable meantion in Kevin Siers' you write the caption contest this week.

Click to hear Basketball Jones by Tyrone Shoelaces

I proably dated myself as well with my play on the 1973 song by Tyrone Shoelaces aka Cheech and Chong. What you have no idea what "Basketball Jones" is? Well click on the Kevin Siers image above.

Cedar Update: CP Operative Agent Bill Fehr is reporting just before 12 noon, a "with his own eyes" sighting of a pilotless drone near Charlotte. Flying on a west southwest to east flight path just south of uptown. No shit!

Idiots In The Road - The Charlotte Observer is reporting another fatal pedestrian vs. vehicle encounter on Thursday night.

"A man died after he was hit by a truck on West Boulevard in Charlotte around 9:30 p.m. Thursday.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said Matthew White Jr. was driving his pick-up truck westbound on West Boulevard when Johnny Tisdale stepped in front of the truck. Tisdale died at the scene, according to Medic.

West Boulevard was briefly shut down while police investigated the incident. The road reopened a few hours later."

Cedar's Take: CMPD needs to step up and address this issue. Start citing people who insist crossing streets mid block rather than at intersections on streets with more than two travel lanes. Cedar also like the idea of the SFS "Signs for Stupids" campaign, a sample is posted above.

More CMPD - Cedar Posts understands that big changes are underway among patrol divisions.

Cedar hears that Captain Bannerman taken command of Providence Division and effectively tossed the poker table end over end, telling every one that changes are coming. Bannerman future reportedly stated that anyone with a special assignment job, would be required to re-apply for his/her position and that formal interviews would be held to determine if that officer gets to keep his special assignment or is sent back to patrol.

Cedar's Take: "Real nice moral booster"! Maybe Bannerman should ask Deer Abby for some basic guidance for interaction with subordinates.

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Wednesday Change Up - North Carolina Deputy Has A Nutty Video By Chad Walton

Cedar's Take: The Deupty is wrong, however. When Jackass meets Jackass the trouble is we eventually have an accident and the rest of us just trying to go about our drive home, end up sitting in the resultant traffic backup for hours.

Cedar Update: Charleston's Post and Courier delivers the details:

A Summerville man said he wanted whomever was driving a North Carolina sheriff's cruiser on Interstate 526 on Monday to be held accountable for erratic driving.

Chad Walton said that's why he posted a video of his interaction with the cruiser on YouTube Tuesday afternoon. In less than a day, the video has been viewed more than 304,200 times and has led to the deputy's resignation.

Onslow County Sheriff Ed Brown issueed a news release saying the deputy who was driving the cruiser, Craig Culpepper, resigned after the Sheriff's Office reviewed the video and discussed the matter with Culpepper.

In a 911 call obtained by The Post and Courier through a Freedom of Information Act request, Walton, 32, can be heard telling an operator about his run-in with an Onslow County Sheriff's cruiser on I-526 about 6:30 p.m. Monday near the Ashley River Road exit.

Walton, who made a similar but unfounded complaint about a North Charleston police officer a year ago, told The Post and Courier the Onslow County Sheriff's cruiser was going about 50 mph in the left lane, so he flashed his lights at the car in hopes he could pass.

“He was holding up traffic,” Walton said. “I flashed my high beams at him. I could see him yelling at me in the side view mirror.” That's when Walton said he began recording the cruiser.

“I just thought 'he's going to do something stupid' and if I don't record it, no cop is going to believe me,” Walton said.

At the end of the nearly two minute video, the cruiser is seen pulling in front of Walton and hitting the brakes.

The driver of the cruiser braked suddenly, causing Walton's car to hit the cruiser, according to a North Charleston traffic collision report released today. Police have not said whether anyone was ticketed.

Sheriff Brown said in the release that the investigating officer in South Carolina did not issue any tickets, but listed Culpepper as having contributed to the collision. The damage to the sheriff's cruiser was estimated at less than $100, the release said.

Cedar Update 2: Say hello to Chad Walton. Why am I not surprised?

Cedar Update 3: Took some digging but Walton is a jackass, with a long criminal record that dates back to 1999 with convictions for failure to stop for blue lights, grand larceny, possession of a stolen vehicle and being a habitual traffic offender, according to SC Law Enforcement Division records.

He was last arrested Dec. 24, 2010, by the Berkeley County Sheriff's Office and charged with second-degree assault and battery.

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The Yorkie Rides The Bedford Falls Fire Dept. Engine 343

Funny someone posted this clip of  Mrs. Cedar's "The Yorkie" riding in the St. Patrick's Day Parade.

Too bad the audio cuts out, so here is the transcript of the full announcement:

This is the Bedford Falls Fire Department a 1956 International Fire Truck.

 

The Bedford Falls Fire Department promotes the history of fire fighting in America, while building respect for the men and women who have made it their choice to help others and to save lives and property.

Bedford Falls Engine wears the number 343 honoring the 343 brave men and women of FDNY who gave their lives on September 11, 2001. Their final call.

Big thanks and a shout out to The Bedford Falls Fire Department for putting up with The Yorkie and giving Mrs. Cedar a ride, and to Firehouse Subs for the T-Shirts and supporting the guys at the Bedford Falls Fire Department.

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Hanna Elizabeth Rigley, 18, and Arielle McKenzie Troutman, 16

This story from the Charlotte Observer comfirms much of what Cedar Posts reported on Monday:

Two days before Arielle Troutman was found dead alongside her best friend on train tracks in south Charlotte, a breakup with her girlfriend put the 16-year-old in “a dark place,” her father told the Observer on Tuesday.

Arielle and 18-year-old Hannah Elizabeth Rigley were found dead early Sunday near where the tracks meet Monroe Road and the McAlpine Creek greenway.

A train conductor said he saw someone sleeping on the tracks, but couldn’t stop in time. Paramedics found the two teens dead beneath the train.

Jamie Troutman is not sure why his daughter died – whether because of a drug overdose or suicide or some other cause. He said he hasn’t received a final answer from police or the Mecklenburg Medical Examiner’s Office.

The rest of the Observer Story is here.

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Hawker Beechcraft Model 390 Premier I - 3 Fatal Crashes In a Month

SOUTH BEND, Ind. — A private jet apparently experiencing mechanical trouble crashed Sunday March 17, 2013 in a northern Indiana neighborhood, hitting three homes and killing two people aboard the plane.

Hawker Beechcraft 390 Premier 1 Crash Scene In South Bend, IN

The Hawker Beechcraft 390 Premier I twin-jet had left Tulsa, Okla.'s Riverside Airport and crashed late Sunday afternoon near South Bend Regional Airport.

Two of four people aboard the plane were killed.

Cedar Posts Update: local South Bend IN station picked up on the CP post and asked the NTSB if the crashes were somehow connected:

A spokesperson for the NTSB said there is no evidence at this time connecting the three crashes.

“If we identify a fleetwide safety issue with an aircraft, we work very quickly and very closely with the Federal Aviation Administration to issue any kind of rectifying, mitigating recommendations to make that process safer for the aircraft,” said Todd. “At this time, we are in the preliminary stages of this investigation, and we do not have any indication that we are going to be making any emergency recommendations at this time.”

NewsCenter 16 contacted Beechcraft, the company that manufactures the Hawker Beechcraft 390 Premier 1A to inquire about any known issues with the model, the exact number of planes in service, when the planes began being manufactured or whether there are plans to ground it in light of the three crashes in the past month. The company sent the following in an emailed response:

"Beechcraft is cooperating with the National Transportation Safety Board and cannot comment due to the three ongoing active investigations."

The plane that crashed in South Bend, was registered to 7700 Enterprises of Montana LLC in Helena, Mont. The company is owned by Wes Caves and does business as DigiCut Systems in Tulsa, Okla. It makes window film and paint overlay for automobiles

Mike Daigle, executive director of the St. Joseph County Airport Authority, said the jet attempted a landing about 4:15 p.m., went back up and maneuvered south to try another landing, but eight minutes later the airport learned the plane was no longer airborne.

"There was an indication of a mechanical problem," Herwig said.

The crash comes less than a month after the crash of another Hawker Beechcraft 390 jet in Thomson Georgia.

Five people died in that crash that also happened during an aborted landing.

Normally you could just fault tragic coincidence, but

On March 4, 2013, a Hawker Beechcraft model 390 (Premier IA) business jet, with a Cayman Islands registration of VP-CAZ, collided with terrain shortly after takeoff from Aérodrome d'Annemasse (LFLI), near Cranves-Sales, France.

Wittnesses reported that the aircraft struggled shortly after leaving the runway struck a barn then a fence and bounced once before impacting the ground behind a farm house and bursting into flames.

The wreckage of Hawker Beechcraft VP-CAZ

Hawker Beechcraft VP-CAZ

Satelite View of the airfield and crash site shown suspected flight path of VP-CAZ

The pilot and copilot were fatally injured, the sole passenger sustained serious injuries. The airplane was registered to Chakibel Associates Limited and operated by Global Jet Luxembourg.

VFR visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that had the intended destination of Genève Aéroport (LSGG), Geneva, Switzerland.

Cedar's Take: I'd expect the NTSB and FAA guys have taken notice. Just too many similarities, to call it coincidence. The Hawker Beechcraft may just not be as forgiving as pilots expect in certian configurations, much like a Lear-25.

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Tragic End Two Young Lives Lost But For CSX Employees The Horror Lingers

The deaths of Hanna Elizabeth Rigley, 18, and Arielle McKenzie Troutman, 16 on the CSX railroad tracks that parallel Charlotte's Monroe Road are likely to fade from the newspapers and nightly news inside of 24 hours.

CMPD sources tell Cedar Posts that they have not uncovered any signs of foul play. Based on the CSX engineer's comments and other evidence it seems that only one conclusion can be made, suicide.

Mainstream media doesn't report on suicides, but as horrific as it sounds these two girls may have had a death pact. The engineer's statement that he saw one person not moving suggest both girls on the tracks together.

A review of Rigley's Facebook page revealed nothing out of the ordinary at first glance, a young woman, into tattoos and piercing, somewhat goth in nature.

But then there is this photo.

Troutman's Facebook page is much the same, more or less unremarkable.

Except this photo.

Both girls, both with photos of train tracks leading off into the forest.

Sadly for the CSX crew the image of the photos is a harsh contrast to the reality of what happened in the early dark hours of March 17, 2013.

In the weeks leading up to their deaths Hanna is arrested on a felony charge of "Peeping" since the arrest was made by a Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Deputy it appears individual signed the warrant before a magistrate.

In the last six hours of their lives they both offered clues via twitter that they had decided to end their lives together.

On the afternoon of March 15, 2013 at 2:25 p.m. Hanna using the Twitter handle @0ccltism Tweeted "I'll kill you if I can't have you."

On the morning of March 16, 2013 at 10:52 a.m Arielle using the Twitter handle @ElleNeDitRien Tweets: "I get to see my best friend @0ccvltism today <3." A message that Hanna re-Tweets a minute later.

At 8:47 p.m. Arielle Tweets: "A song to say goodbye - placebo" perhaps referring to the UK Alternative Rock Band of the same name.

A few seconds later Arielle Tweets: "It was nice to visit the tracks.", suggesting that the tracks were a place she went to on more than one occasion and that they had left the CSX tracks early in the evening.

At 9:29 Arielle Tweets: "I think I just got my best friend fucked up for the first time lol."

An hour later at 10:30 p.m. Arielle Tweets: "I want someone to be in love with me."

At 10:52 p.m. Arielle's final Tweet: "Why don't I ever throw up."

At 11:21 p.m. Hanna Tweets: "I'm drunk help"

11:26 Hanna's final Tweet: "I'm really fucking dead."

Most disturbing is this photo on Hanna's Twitter feed posted a few days before her death:

It is difficult to understand everything that young women deal with. On Friday March 15 Arielle Tweets:

"Me: I get called a whore bc I'm pretty

Dad: you're pretty?".

There seems to be a tremendous amount of peer pressure among young women to be either straight or gay. There are huge cliches that revolve around homosexuality at high school that did not exist 20 years ago. It is a new form of "Bullying" that Cedar Posts has witnessed on several occasions.

The pressure to be "out" and not embarrassed and to make a choice, to determine who your friends are and how you are accepted and perceived has never been greater.

Hanna's obsession with death, the goth lifestyle, "I collect dead things" and her instagram page "Suicide is Simple" may have been more for shock value than anything else.

Hard to say. But not talking about it won't make it go away.

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