Daily Archives: June 28, 2012

Freedom Days kicks holiday off on Friday in Farmington

Posted: June 28, 2012 at 7:16 am

FARMINGTON Every year, the buzz surrounding Freedom Days can be heard early in summer. It's grown into an event that businesses, families and the entire community looks forward to all year.

"Freedom Days is a great family oriented event that not only attracts locals but draws interest region wide," said Tonya Stinson, interim Farmington Convention & Visitors Bureau manager. "With great community minded sponsors and committee members that work hard to keep it going, it offers high quality, fun and inexpensive activities for people of all ages to enjoy. It is a great way to honor and remember the freedoms we are so fortunate to have in this country and those that fight to protect our freedoms."

Celebrating its 26th year, Freedom Days has events spread throughout the five-day celebration that begins Friday.

The annual Gem and Mineral Show runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday, at the Farmington Civic Center.

Rock collectors from all over venture to this show to bring the best of what they have or to find one-of-a-kind pieces to add to their collections.

A silent auction will take place as well as a raffle, with proceeds to be used toward funding a scholarship for a San Juan College geology student.

What has grown to become a staple during Freedom Days, the Sullivan Hill fireworks display will take place Tuesday night beginning around 9:25 p.m.

The best places for viewing are from Gateway Park or San

A Freedom Days favorite is the "Party in the Park" at Brookside Park from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Food vendors and live music will take over the park, offering families a great opportunity to kick back and enjoy the holiday with others. A skateboard competition will take place during the party at the skate park.

"The Farmington Convention & Visitors Bureau, the city of Farmington and the Freedom Days committee work very hard on this event from January till the start of Freedom Days," Stinson said. "We are always looking for ways to keep events fresh, fun and accessible to everyone. With so many events on the schedule, it takes a lot of dedicated people and sponsors to make all the logistics come together. But everyone is happy to help out with something so fun, rewarding and meaningful."

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Freedom Communications Announces Sale of Florida, North Carolina Properties Has Closed

Posted: at 7:16 am

IRVINE, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Freedom Communications announced today that the sale of all of its newspaper properties in Florida and North Carolina to Halifax Media Group has closed.

The properties involved in the transaction include Holmes County Times-Advertiser, Bonifay, FL; Times-News, Burlington, NC; Havelock News, Havelock, NC; The Daily News, Jacksonville, NC; Free Press, Kinston, NC; The Star, Port St. Joe, FL; The Walton Sun, Santa Rosa Beach, FL; Washington County News, Chipley, FL; The Crestview News Bulletin, Crestview, FL; The Destin Log, Destin, FL; Northwest Florida Daily News, Fort Walton Beach, FL; The Gaston Gazette, Gastonia, NC; Jones Post, Kinston, NC; Santa Rosa Press Gazette and Santa Rosa Free Press, Milton, FL; Sun Journal and The Shopper, New Bern, NC; The News Herald, Panama City, FL; The Star, Shelby, NC; The Times, Apalachicola, FL and The Topsail Advertiser, Surf City, NC.

Providing value for our shareholders was a major goal of this transaction and the others weve undertaken, said Mark McEachen, Freedom Executive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer. At the same time we wanted to make sure current employees would transition to the new owner and that the new owner shared our view of the importance of community journalism.

Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP acted as legal advisors to Freedom.

About Freedom Communications

Freedom Communications Holdings, Inc., headquartered in Irvine, CA, is a national privately owned information and entertainment company of print publications and interactive businesses. The Companys print portfolio includes approximately 50 print publications, including seven daily newspapers, weekly newspapers, plus ancillary magazines and other specialty publications. The Companys news, information and entertainment websites and mobile applications complement its print properties. For more information, visit http://www.freedom.com.

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Liberty Mutual’s Indian Joint Venture Receives Insurance License

Posted: at 7:16 am

Liberty Mutual Insurance Group announced that Liberty Videocon General Insurance Company Ltd, a joint venture between Liberty Mutual Insurance Group and Videocon Industries Ltd., has received the necessary license from Indias insurance regulatory authority to commence its operations.

The operation is headquartered in Mumbai, and will provide multi-line insurance underwriting capabilities nationally to various distribution channels, with an emphasis on personal insurance products, said the announcement.

Liberty Mutuals President and CEO David Long noted: Indias rapidly growing economy and personal income levels mean more and more Indians will be buying insurance to protect their property and possessions. We have an exceptional partner and a very professional management team in place. We believe the combination will enable us to provide high-quality products and service in the growing Indian insurance marketplace.

The bulletin described Videocon Industries Ltd. as the flagship company of $4.75 billion Videocon Group, with diversified interests in consumer electronics, household appliances, oil and gas, power generation, retail, DTH and telecom businesses. The parties entered in to the joint venture agreement in December 2010.

Commenting on the development, Mr. Venugopal N. Dhoot, CMD, Videocon Industries stated: Videocon Group has a strong presence in the Indian consumer space ranging from white and brown goods to mobile telecom services covering the entire geography of India. Domain expertise of Liberty Mutual Insurance Group coupled with our huge platform of brand, trade and customer relationships should provide a robust business model for Liberty Videocon General Insurances business.

Source: Liberty Mutual Insurance Group

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Liberty Mutual’s Indian Joint Venture Receives Insurance License

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Michigan Court Zaps State Stun-Gun Ban

Posted: at 7:14 am

By Joe Palazzolo

Michigans second-highest court on Tuesday ruled that the states stun-gun ban violates the SecondAmendment. In so doing, the Michigan Court of Appeals also said the Second Amendment protects the open carrying of at least some weapons.

From the opinion:

Because tasers and stun guns do not fit any of the exceptions to the Second Amendment enumerated in [D.C. v. Heller], we find that they are protected arms. Heller found unconstitutional a law which completely banned the possession of protected arms in the home. We therefore hold that a complete ban on tasers and stun guns in the home violates the Second Amendment.

The next question is whether the protected status of these arms makes unconstitutional a complete ban on carrying them in public. Heller specifically addressed only a full ban of protected weapons inside the home, not in public. Further, the analysis in Heller focused in part on the unmatched popularity of handguns for self-defense, and did not make clear to what extent greater restrictions could be applied to less popular weapons.

On the other hand, Heller states that concealed weapons may be banned, but makes no such statement regarding openly carried arms. Indeed, Heller cites with approval two state cases that struck down laws prohibiting the public carrying of hand guns. The Second Amendment explicitly protects the right to carry as well as the right to keep arms. Likewise, the Michigan Constitution specifically allows citizens to bear arms for self-defense. We therefore conclude that a total prohibition on the open carrying of a protectedarm such as a taser or stun gun is unconstitutional.

Stun guns are legal in 43 states. They are banned in Hawaii, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Virgin Islands and Wisconsin.

h/tthe Volokh Conspiracy

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Michigan Court Zaps State Stun-Gun Ban

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Megaupload's Closure: The Impact on Free Speech and More…

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Ethiopia's terror conviction of journalist raises doubts on free speech

Posted: at 7:14 am

Ethiopia conviction of journalist Eskinder Nega for covering planned protests sparks international condemnation. US Sen. Patrick Leahy suggests cutback in aid to Ethiopia.

Dissident Ethiopian writer Eskinder Nega was today convicted of conspiring to commit acts of terror, sparking an outpouring of international condemnation.

The eloquent, long-standing critic of the Ethiopia Peoples' Revolutionary Democratic Front's rule who has also been jailed at least seven times was awarded the PEN American Center Freedom to Write prize last month. PEN called today's verdict demonstrated a "shameful disdain for Ethiopias obligations to its citizens and to international law."

Judges at the Federal High Court found Mr. Eskinder along with 23 other activists and writers guilty of being involved in plotting a violent revolt. Supporters say his actual crime was voicing pro-democracy views and discussing the possibility of peaceful protests in the wake of the Arab Spring.

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Supporters include US Sen. Patrick Leahy (D) of Vermont, who wants at least $500,000 of existing American aid to Ethiopia's military next year to be potentially withheld, depending on whether the Ethiopian government respects press freedom.

"That means enabling journalists like Eskinder Nega to do their work of reporting and peaceful political participation," he said in a congressional statement on June 14.

The conditions in the bill, expected to become law, also press Ethiopia to protect judicial independence and a host of other human rights.

Despite these moves, Eskinders conviction is just one indication that there will be little change of course from Prime Minister Meles Zenawi's government, which relies heavily on up to $3 billion of Western aid a year in its much-lauded mission to improve health and education.

"The net result of the legislation's passage would be to annoy the current Ethiopian government without really pressuring it," says J. Peter Pham, director of the Michael S. Ansari Africa Center at the Atlantic Council. There is no substance to the conditions and the sole consequence will be denying young Ethiopian military officers a chance to be educated at a US university, he says.

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Ethiopia’s Terrorism Law Crushes Free Speech: Rights Group

Posted: at 7:14 am

By Jack Phillips Epoch Times Staff Created: June 27, 2012 Last Updated: June 27, 2012

Ethiopia is using controversial anti-terrorism legislation to crush free speech after the countrys high court convicted 24 journalists, opposition politicians, and other people under the auspices of the law, Human Rights Watch said Wednesday.

The New York-based rights organization contends that Ethiopias government needs to amend the laws provisions, which are being used to crack down on expression and peaceful dissent. Meanwhile, politically motivated charges should be dropped against the defendants.

A prominent, award-winning journalist was convicted under the 2009 anti-terrorism law. This case shows that Ethiopias government will not tolerate even the mildest criticism, said Leslie Lefkow, who is a deputy head of the rights groups Africa division.

The use of draconian laws and trumped-up charges to crack down on free speech and peaceful dissent makes a mockery of the rule of law, she added.

Human Rights Watch said the most suspect provisions of the law were used in handing down the convictions Wednesday.

During his pretrial imprisonment, Nathnael Mekonnen, one of the defendants, was quoted by the rights organization as saying that he was tortured for 23 days, including being deprived of sleep, being beaten, forced to stand for hours, and having cold water repeatedly poured on him.

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Daily Archives: June 28, 2012

Freedom Days kicks holiday off on Friday in Farmington

Freedom Communications Announces Sale of Florida, North Carolina Properties Has Closed

Liberty Mutual’s Indian Joint Venture Receives Insurance License

Michigan Court Zaps State Stun-Gun Ban

Megaupload's Closure: The Impact on Free Speech and More…

Ethiopia's terror conviction of journalist raises doubts on free speech

Ethiopia’s Terrorism Law Crushes Free Speech: Rights Group

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