National Roundup

 Georgia

Man sentenced after threat to eat judge’s kids
MARIETTA, Ga. (AP) — A Georgia man who was found guilty but mentally ill after prosecutors say he threatened to kill and eat a judge’s children has been sentenced to prison.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports that 59-year-old James Edward Satterfield on Thursday was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday, followed by two years of probation.
The threats involved Cobb County Superior Court Judge Reuben Green, who presided over Satterfield’s divorce. The case ended in July 2012.
A prosecutor and police say Satterfield sent a letter to the judge’s wife months later threatening to kill the judge’s children and eat them.
A defense attorney didn’t dispute that Satterfield wrote and mailed the letter, but he argued the man is delusional. 

Florida
Woman doesn’t blame bear for her attack
LAKE MARY, Fla. (AP) — A Florida woman who was attacked by a bear last weekend says she doesn’t want bears to be killed by wildlife officials for doing what wild animals do.
Terri Frana told Orlando television station WFTV that residents of her Lake Mary neighborhood need to understand the danger from bears.
“We need to learn to expect them at some point,” said Frana, 45.
More than a half dozen bears have been killed by wildlife officials since last Saturday’s attack. Wildlife officials say the bears pose a danger since they’ve grown accustomed to eating human food, either from garbage or fed by residents.
Frana said the bear pushed her down, bit her leg and then bit into her skull, trying to drag her into the woods.
“Those teeth were digging into my skull and I said, ‘Please God, don’t let this be my end,’” she said. “I said, ‘My kids need me. Please spare me.’ And the bear let me go.”
 
Washington
White House updating online privacy policy
A new Obama administration privacy policy explains how the government will gather the user data of online visitors to WhiteHouse.gov, mobile apps and social media sites. It also clarifies that online comments, whether tirades or tributes, are in the open domain.
The Obama Administration promises not to sell the data of online visitors. But it cannot make the same assurances for users who go to third-party White House sites on Facebook, Twitter or Google Plus.
The new policy statement issued Friday makes it easier for readers to now understand that the White House stores the date, time and duration of online visits; the originating Internet Protocol address; how much data users transmit from WhiteHouse.gov to their computers; and more.
 
Colorado
Police: Man ate pot candy before shooting wife
DENVER (AP) — A Denver man accused of killing his wife while she was on the phone with a 911 dispatcher ate marijuana-infused candy before the attack, according to search warrants released Thursday.
Denver police are investigating if the pot influenced his behavior and also whether officers responded quickly enough to pleas for help from the woman, who was shot to death 12 minutes into the 911 call she made Monday.
Kristine Kirk, 44, told dispatchers her husband bought and ate the marijuana candy and may have also taken prescription pain pills before he started hallucinating and frightening the couple’s three children, the warrants state.
She pleaded with dispatchers to hurry and send officers because her husband, Richard Kirk, 47, had asked her to get a gun and shoot him. She said he was talking about the end of the world and she was “scared of what he might do.”
Investigators were analyzing blood samples to see whether he was under the influence of any other substances.
 
Washington
Tacoma zoo’s trained owl spooked, flies off
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — A Tacoma zoo says a Eurasian eagle owl named Forrest that is trained to fly during performances of its outdoor theater got spooked and flew off into a nearby park.
Point Defiance Zoo and Aquarium is asking for calls from anyone who sees Forrest, who is believed to be in Point Defiance Park.
Members of the zoo’s Wild Wonders Outdoor Theater staff were rehearsing a new show when Forrest flew off Wednesday afternoon. They think he was startled by changes made to the stage. He’s trained to fly during performances and then return.
Forrest is about 2 feet tall, with a 5-foot wingspan. Besides looking like an owl, he’s wearing red “jesses,” which look like red cords dangling from his legs, and telemetry, which looks like a black wire dangling from a leg.
Staff biologist Sara Mattison says he’s comfortable around people and may even “hoot” if he sees someone.

Georgia
Atlanta residents object to planned priests’ home
ATLANTA (AP) — Residents are objecting to the Archdiocese of Atlanta’s plans to renovate a house in the city’s upscale Buckhead neighborhood so it can be a home for a group of priests.
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports the dispute involves Atlanta Catholic Archbishop Wilton Gregory’s former residence.
It’s the latest controversy involving church properties in Atlanta. Earlier this month, Gregory said he would sell a $2.2 million mansion after parishioners complained it wasn’t in line with the tone of austerity Pope Francis set. Attorney Hakim Hilliard, who represents some residents near Gregory’s former home, say the planned renovation is an extravagant project that’s out of character for the neighborhood.
 
Texas
Town could rebuild plant after fatal blast
WEST, Texas (AP) — The mayor of a Texas town where a fertilizer plant explosion killed 15 people says local officials are considering building a new one.
West Mayor Tommy Muska acknowledged that the idea is highly controversial among local residents. But he notes that his central Texas town’s economy revolved around the West Fertilizer Co. before the facility was leveled by a fire and explosion a year ago.
He also says that “unfortunately or fortunately” more people outside the region are now aware of the town, which has brought some economic opportunity. Muska says he is negotiating with a flag manufacturer and a recycling company to set up operations in West.
The explosion on April 17, 2013, also caved in homes and schools, and damaged roads.