NEWS OF THE DAY
From Across the Nation
Officer killed: A Philadelphia police officer was shot to death blocks from his precinct house just after he finished his shift Saturday in what authorities suspect was a street robbery. No arrests have been made. Officer Moses Walker Jr., 40, was shot several times around 6 a.m. near his station in north Philadelphia, police said. He wasn’t wearing a uniform.
Vehicle recall: General Motors and Isuzu are recalling more than 258,000 sport utility vehicles in the United States and Canada to fix short circuits in power-window and door-lock switches that can cause fires. The recall covers Chevrolet TrailBlazer, GMC Envoy, Buick Rainier, Isuzu Ascender and Saab 97-X SUVs from 2006 and 2007. GM has reports of 28 fires. It says it doesn’t know of any injuries caused by the problem.
Parole hearing: The man who fatally shot John Lennon outside his Manhattan apartment building in 1980 could have a parole hearing as early as Tuesday, officials said. New York Department of Corrections spokeswoman Linda Foglia said Mark David Chapman is scheduled to be interviewed by members of the parole board, and they could make a decision by the end of the week. Chapman was sentenced in 1981 to 20 years to life in prison after pleading guilty to seconddegree murder. He was denied parole for the sixth time in September 2010.
Citrus bug: A parasite that threatens California’s $1.6 billion citrus industry is rapidly spreading through Southern California groves despite efforts to contain it. At least 20 cases of Asian citrus psyllid have been confirmed in Riverside and San Diego counties over the past two months. The insect carries a disease that is lethal to citrus trees. Quarantines in the counties will be extended two years. No citrus fruit can be shipped out of those counties unless clipped of foliage.
Officer slain: A law enforcement officer among three people killed in a shootout near Texas A&M University was remembered Saturday as a devoted friend, a loving family man and a dedicated public servant. Several thousand people attended a funeral service for Brazos County Constable Brian Bachmann in College Station. Bachmann was shot Monday by Thomas Alton Caffall III while trying to serve a court summons. Other officers fatally shot Caffall.
Pot seized: Santa Barbara authorities have cleared several marijuana farming camps nestled deep in Los Padres National Forest. The California Department of Justice’s Campaign against Marijuana Planting seized more than 11,800 marijuana plants with an estimated street value of almost $30 million last week.
Tonight Show’ cuts: “The Tonight Show” has laid off about two dozen workers, prompting host Jay Leno to accept a pay cut to spare others as NBC clamps down on expenses. NBC Universal imposed the cutbacks Friday, but viewers shouldn’t notice any changes in programming, a person familiar with the moves said. The cuts affected about 10 percent of the roughly 200 people who work on “The Tonight Show,” the top-rated late-night program. Leno had been making between $25 million and $30 million annually. His salary will be reduced to about $20 million.