Martinsville Bulletin, Wednesday, Decembet. 19, 2012 In wake of funerals, NEWTOWN, Conn. (AP) return to class after the winNewtown returned its stur ter break: in neighboring dents to their classrooms Monroe at a school that was Tuesday for, the first time closed last year. Volunteers since last week's massacre and town officials have been and faced the agonizing task making the Chalk Hill School of laying others to rest, as this safe and suitable for them, the grieving town wrestled with Connecticut Post reported. the same issues gripping the At St.
Rose of Lima country: violence, gun control Catholic Church in Newtown, and finding a way back funerals were Funerals were held for held for first-graders James two more of the tiny fallen, a Mattioli and Jessica Rekos, 6-year-old boy and: a 6-year- the third and fourth so far old girl. A total of 26 people and the first of eight to be were gunned down at Sandy held in the coming days at the. Hook Elementary School in church. Memorial services one of the worst mass shoot- and wakes were also held for ings in U.S history. The gun- some of the adult victims.
man also killed his mother in As mourners gathered outher home before committing side, a motorcade led by suicide. police motorcycles arrived The resumption of classes for the funeral of little James, at all Newtown's schools who especially loved recess except Sandy Hook brought and math and who was a return of familiar routines, described by his. family as a something students seemed "numbers guy" who couldn't to welcome as they arrived wait until he was old enough aboard buses festooned with to order af foot-long Subway large green-and-white rib- sandwich. bons the colors of the Traffic in front of the stricken elementary school. church slowed to a crawl as "We're going to be able to police directed vehicles into comfort each other and try the parking lot.
A school bus and help each other get carrying elementary students classes resume in Newtown eaten, Mo Angel Tom Doyle (back left), standing with family and co-workers, wipes his face as the funeral procession for 6-yearold James Mattioli, who died in the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, approaches the St. John's Came- through this, because that's got stuck in traffic, and the tery on Tuesday in Darien, Conn. Center are his wife Debbie and daughter Emily, 10. Adam Lanza opened fire the only way we're going to do children, pressing their faces at the Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown on Friday, killing 26 people, including 20 children. (AP) it," said 17-year-old PJ.
Hick- into the windows, sadly a senior at Newtown High watched as the mourners and recalled him as "a love- when her family had and Krista Rekos, said in a Stratford. great eyes, just ey, School. "Nobody can do this assembled. ly little boy, a sweet little promised her a horse of her statement. "Big smile, alone." Inside the church, James' angel." own.
For Christmas, she had At a wake for 27-year-old a wonderful person," Lauren Still, he noted: "There's mother stood and remem- The service had not con- asked I Santa for new cowgirl first- grade teacher Victoria was Ostrofsky killed said as of she Soto, tried who to going doesn't feel like "It was very somber, it was began arriving for the funer- "We are devastated, and many wearing green- shield her students from the to be no joy in school. bered him. cluded when mourners boots and hat. Soto, hundreds of mourners, It really Christmas anymore." very sad, it was very moving," al of Jessica, who loved hors- our hearts are with the oth- white ribbons, stood in a gunman. "If anyone could be The students who survived said Clare Savarese, who es and was counting the er families who are grieving line that wrapped around a an example of what a person the Sandy Hook shooting will taught the boy in preschool years until she turned 10, as we are," her parents, Rich funeral home in nearby should be today, it's her." Investors turn against gun NRA speaks on Investors shunned some of rest from ammunition.
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) came from guns, much of the school shootings the nation's largest gun Cerberus filed papers in makers Tuesday in the 2009 to take Freedom Group WASHINGTON (AP) The group said it would aftermath of the Connecticut public, but withdrew the After four days of self- have a news conference to school shooting, including bid in 2011 without saying imposed silence on the shoot- answer questions Friday, the making plans to sell the why. A Cerberus spokesman ing that killed 26 people one-week anniversary of the company that manufactures declined to comment Tues- inside a Newtown, ele- shootings. the Bushmaster semi-auto- day beyond the company's mentary school, the nation's Almost immediately after matic rifle used in the statement. largest gun rights lobby it became clear the extent of bloody attack. The assault weapons ban emerged Tuesday and carnage, the group's FaceStocks of other gun com- that expired in 2004 restrict- promised "to offer meaning- book page disappeared.
It panies fell, and one sport- ed the sale of some types of ful contributions to help posted no tweets. It made no ing-goods chain said it guns like those made by make sure this never happens mention of the shooting on would temporarily stop Bushmaster. The adoption again." its website. None of its leadsales of military-style of a similar law "could have The National Rifle Associ- ers hit the media circuit firearms. In Washington, a material adverse effect on ation explained its unusual Sunday to promote its supsome former opponents of This 2006 file photo shows a Bushmaster AR-15 semi- our business," Freedom absence "out of respect for the port of the Second Amendgun control signaled that automatic rifle and ammunition on display at the Seat- Group noted in its families and as a matter of ment right to bear arms as they may change their posi- tie Police headquarters in Seattle.
The maker of the Bush- announcement. common decency" after Fri- the nation mourns the latest tion, potentially giving master rapid-fire weapon used to kill schoolchildren in In 2010, Freedom Group day's shooting that left dead 20 shooting victims and opens stricter gun laws their best Connecticut on Dec. 14 was put up for sale on Tuesday said it would close its Bush- children, all ages 6 or 7. a new debate over gun chance of passage in years. as investors soured on the gun business.
(AP) master plant in Windham, The group typically out- restrictions. On Monday, the The most notable rejec- Maine, and shift the work to spoken about its positions NRA offered no rebuttal as tion of the gun industry pany sold 1.1 million rifles necticut shooting. a plant in Ilion, N.Y. At the even after shooting deaths- 300 antigun protesters came when the private- and shotguns last year, Through its stake in Cer- time, New York Sen. Charles went all but silent since the marched to its Capitol Hill equity firm Cerberus Capi- along with 2 billion rounds berus, the California State Schumer praised the move rampage.
As it faced public office. tal Management announced of ammunition. Its prod- Teachers' Retirement Sys- as a way to strengthen Rem- scrutiny online and in person, Yet on Tuesday, the NRA it would sell the maker of ucts are sold to law enforce- tem owns a 2.4 percent stake ington's ability to compete the group left many wonder- re emerged, albeit more slowthe rifle used in the mas- ment and military cus- in Freedom Group, accord- for Defense Department gun ing how if at all it would ly than normal and with its sacre, which it called a tomers, as well as retailers ing to the pension fund. contracts. respond to one of the most somber statement.
"watershed event." who serve hunters and gun Fund spokesman Michael Firms such as Cerberus shocking slayings in the After previous mass shootThe shooting "raised the enthusiasts. Sicilia confirmed the fund are basically privately run nation's history. ings such as in Oregon and national debate on gun con- Cerberus, a large private- owns approximately $4 mil- pools of money that invest in "The National Rifle Asso- Wisconsin the group was trol to an unprecedented equity firm best known for lion in shares of Sturm companies on behalf of pen- ciation of America is made up quick to both send its condolevel," Cerberus said in investing in Chrysler and Ruger Co. and $1.7 million sion funds. On Tuesday, the of 4 million moms and dads, lences and defend gun ownpapers announcing the other troubled corporations, in shares of Smith and Wes- fund attempted to distance sons and daughters, and we ers' constitutional rights, popplanned sale.
"We are appears to have been under son. itself from the national were shocked, saddened and ular among millions of Amerinvestors, not statesmen or pressure from two sources: Freedom Group has lost debate. heartbroken by the news of icans. There's no indication policy makers." investors and the threat of money in four of the last five "It is not our role to take. the horrific and senseless that the National Rifle AssoBushmaster, Remington more gun control.
years, according to financial positions, or attempt to murders in Newtown," the ciation is prepared to weakand DPMS are among the Officials at California's filings on its website. Rev- shape or influence the gun organization said in a state- en its ardent opposition to brands made by Freedom huge teacher pension fund enue in 2011 was $775 mil- control policy debate," the ment. "The NRA is prepared gun restrictions but i it did hint Group the largest said they were reviewing a lion, down from $848.7 mil- firm said. "That is the job of to offer meaningful contri- it was open to being part of a firearms maker in the U.S. $600 million investment in lion in 2009.
Slightly more our federal and state legis- butions to help make sure this dialogue that already has The Madison, N.C., Cerberus in light of the Con- than half of its 2011 revenue lators." never happens again." begun. Unions strategizing Boehner's 'Plan B' slows cliff talks after Michigan loss Just two WASHINGTON weeks from an (AP) econ- but would across-the-board not address spending huge ty incensed benefits liberal that Democrats. have from from a 35 hike in percent the to top 39.6 tax rate peromy-threatening deadline, cuts that are set to strike the Just Monday, Obama cent would raise only $269 WASHINGTON (AP) from requiring workers to fiscal cliff talks hit a lull Tues- Pentagon and domestic pro- offered concessions, includ- billion over the coming Blindsided by a new law pay dues or representation day as House Speaker John grams next year. ing a plan to raise top tax decade. weakening union rights in fees, even if they are covered Boehner announced that "Everyone should under- rates on households earning But the outlines of a possiMichigan, organized labor is by union contracts.
Republicans also would stand Boehner's proposal more than $400,000 instead of ble Obama agreepreparing to target Republi- It was another jarring blow march ahead with their own will not pass the Senate," said the $250,000 threshold he ment appeared to have shaky can governors in politically for unions in Michigan, a cra- tax plan on a separate track Senate Majority Leader Har- had campaigned on. And the support at best from Boehnimportant states up for re- dle of the modern American from the one he's been pur- ry Reid, D-Nev. two sides had inched closer er's leadership team and outelection in 2014 part of a labor movement. Unions suing with President Barack Boehner's surprise move on the total amount oftax rev- right opposition from key renewed offensive against already had spent $22 million Obama. came after significant enue required to seal the Republicans like vice presiperceived anti-union poli- this year in the state on a The White House and lead- progress over the past sever- agreement.
Obama now dential nominee Paul Ryan, cies. failed effort to enshrine col- ing congressional Democrats al days in talks with Obama would settle for $1.2 trillion a House GOP aide While unions fared rea- lective bargaining rights in immediately rejected Boehn- -talks that produced move- over the coming decade said. That aide spoke only on sonably well nationally last the Michigan Constitution. er's "Plan which would ment on tax rate hikes that while Boehner is offering $1 condition of anonymity month at the ballot box, their Unions are gearing up for extend soon-to-expire Bush- have proven deeply unset- trillion. because the aide was not struggle to survive has forced another expensive fight in era tax cuts for everyone tling to GOP conservatives By contrast, protecting authorized to discuss the sitthem to spend staggering the state.
They hope to col- making less than $1 million and on cuts to Social Securi- income below $1 million uation publicly. sums just trying to hold lect enough signatures for a ground. It is money not spent "statutory initiative" that on recruiting new workers to would let the state's voters Two inmates escape from Chicago jail stem a membership decline cast a ballot for or against that has made unions more "right-to-work," a measure CHICAGO (AP) A mas- three hours after Joseph according to an FBI affi- vow of retribution. Both men vulnerable than ever. that would essentially over- sive manhunt is under way for "Jose" Banks and Kenneth davit filed late Tuesday.
are facing hefty prison unfortunate said Michael that that's Pod- ride law. the substance of the new two bank robbers who pulled Conley went unaccounted for Fake metal bars also were tences, and the FBI said they the case," off a daring escape from during a 5 a.m. headcount. It's found in the men's cell, a should be considered armed horzer, AFL CIO. political "But director the real- for But the symbolism in of the downtown Chicago's high- unclear if the men were still rope was tied to a window and dangerous.
the law's enactment pro-labor rise jail Tuesday by appar- inside the 27-story facility at bar, and each man's bed was SWAT teams stormed at ity of having elected officials Michigan has given conserv-. ently: squeezing through a that time, U.S. Marshal's Ser- stuffed with clothing and least one home in Tinley who are so anti-organizing is atives high hopes they can narrow window and scaling vice spokeswoman Belkis sheets to resemble a body, Park, a suburb south of the' that this is the first step to succeed elsewhere. Mark down about 20 stories using a Cantor said. the affidavit said.
city. Although neither man getting to the point where we al Mix, Right president to Work of the Committee, Nation- makeshift rope. Investigators later found a It appeared to illustrate a was found, evidence suggestcan organize workers." helicopters, and broken window in the men's meticulously planned escape ed that both had been at the In Michigan, Gov. Rick said his group now is Montana eyeing canine units swarmed the cell, where window hars which came a week after. home just hours earlier, Snyder signed legislation Alaska, Missouri, area, but not until more than were found inside a mattress, Banks made a courtroom according to the FBI last week prohibiting unions and Pennsylvania.
