| Effects of lax lending standards settling in
There are increasing signs that the subprime home mortgage pain is spreading to other forms of consumer credit, economic observers say.
On Thursday, the American Bankers Association released data showing that for many types of consumer loans, delinquency has reached the highest rate since mid-2001, when the nation was in the embrace of recession. Delinquency is defined as payments that are 30 days or more overdue.
"There has been an increase in certain categories of delinquencies," said Carol Kaplan, senior manager of public relations for the American Bankers Association. "We are seeing stress in housing-related loans and we anticipate that trend continuing."
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Whistleblower legislation being readied
At least two lawmakers are working on a drafts for the next legislative session to address the state's protection of its whistleblowers.Rep. Tracy Potter, D-Bismarck, submitted a draft of a bill to the Legislative Council in an effort to better define the winding path a state employee must go down when reporting perceived violations in the workplace.Rep. Pam Gulleson, D-Rutland, also is drafting a bill that "ensures the law is meaningful in terms of providing protection ..."Currently, a state employee is ensured protection under the North Dakota Century Code, chapter 34-11.1, the public employees relations act; the act says an employee may report, without fear of reprisal, in writing to the employee's respective agency head, a state's attorney, the attorney general or an employee organization a job-related violation or misuse of public resources.For doing so, an employer should not retaliate against an employee.But the law seems to provide little by way of protection, perhaps only leaving an employee who may have been a victim of retaliation to follow up with a civil suit or to wait to see if the complaint of retaliation will be investigated and prosecuted.Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem and Burleigh County State's Attorney Richard Riha have cited conflicts of interest with at least one agency that's seen the most recent eruption of whistleblower requests - Workforce Safety and Insurance.Five employees have filed for whistleblower protection from WSI, the state's workers' compensation agency, citing concerns of retaliation for reporting a myriad of issues.One, Jim Long, chief of support services, was put on paid administrative leave shortly after sending a 30-page document, which outlined perceived violations, including open meetings circumvention and disclosure of confidential information, among others, to the North Dakota Highway Patrol.Another whistleblower, Todd Flanagan in the special investigations unit, was fired in early December.Shortly thereafter, Stenehjem requested a highway patrol investigation into whether there was evidence of retaliation; that investigation, along with Long's 30-page document, was given to Grand Forks' State's Attorney Peter Welte.Welte, who was at the North Dakota State's Attorneys Association conference in Mandan this week, said his office has just begun reviewing the investigation."We haven't had time to completely review it, but we're in the process of doing that,"he said.Afurther section of North Dakota employment law, NDCC 34-01-20, provides only for private employees, ultimately allowing for civil action or mediation by the Department of Labor; however, the Department of Labor has no authority to investigate or enforce a complaint, only to act as a mediator between the company and the employee, said Lisa Fair McEvers, commissioner of the Department of Labor.The department does, however, investigate retaliation in relation to other complaints, but not for whistleblowers, she said.The two bills would seek to change the Department of Labor's role.Potter's bill would actually require the employee report the initial violation to the state auditor's office, which would be given the authority to investigate the claim.
Canadian ship performs rescue in Arabian Sea
HMCS Charlottetown brought aid to a Pakistani fishing vessel adrift in the Arabian Sea on Friday. HMCS Charlottetown picked up a distress call on the evening of Jan. 24 from a fishing vessel that had run out of fuel near Pakistan. A crew from the Charlottetown filled the vessel's tanks.(Cpl. Robert LeBlanc/Formation Imaging Services, Halifax) Crew members on the frigate, which is in the Persian Gulf-Arabian Sea area as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, were monitoring the radio on Jan. 24 when a distress call came from a fishing boat adrift off the coast of Pakistan. The Charlottetown, which is based in Halifax, headed to the area of the call and placed a crew and interpreter in a smaller boat, which went to the fishing ship. The captain of the drifting boat, which had a crew of 18 on board, told the Canadian sailors he was out of fuel and not able to get the ship to port.
Stunned by Lack of Outrage, Not Outrageous Acts
I am stunned that Americans aren't writing angry letters to the editor about the Iran rhetoric, this carbon copy of lies that led up to Bush's invasion of Iraq. I am stunned that Americans didn't take to the streets with placards condemning Bush for vetoing a bill that would have ensured health care for children. I am stunned that Americans aren't rioting over federal money that has helped only the rich in New Orleans rebuild while the poor still live homeless. I am stunned that Americans aren't storming the White House as Bush accuses the Democrats of irresponsible spending on domestic programs even as he destroys the economy with his war and his deficit. I am stunned that Americans haven't marched on Washington over the rising unemployment rate, over corporate greed that is causing millions to lose their homes, over our rotting infrastructure.
Man charged with murder in baby's death
The charge was dismissed Dec. 26. The next day, Brooks was charged with second-degree murder and assault resulting in death of a child under 8, court records show. The prosecutor and defense attorneys could not be reached for comment Wednesday. Brooks told police he was throwing Syrenity a few feet in the air Sept. 19 in a home in the 800 block of North Norma Street, court records said. He was watching the child for her mother, Tawana Owens. Brooks declined an interview Wednesday. "At the worst, it's an accident, a horrible accident," Henry Mosier, Brooks' attorney, said in a court transcript. Brooks, who was sitting on a couch, accidentally dropped the baby on his chest after his 3-year-old daughter grabbed his arm, court records said.
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