National

When: November 9, 2007

Where: San Francisco Bay area, California

Who: Coast Guard, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, California Oiled Wildlife Care Network, Bay Institute

What: Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger of California declared a state of emergency for the San Francisco Bay area due to an oil spill. The 58,000 gallon spill is the biggest spill since 1988. A container ship apparently hit a column of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge on Wednesday, though the coast guard is still looking into the specific cause and why it happened. The oil has been spotted up to 15 miles upshore and will most likely leave lasting effects for months or even years.

Why: It is crucial for the clean-up crews to close off beaches and try to clean up the spill as best as possible. One major risk is the endangerment of the marine life. Numerous birds are in the process of being rescued from the spill and cleaned. Local wildlife officials are also worried about other marine life including the harbor seals and sea lions. Fish populations are also in danger, causing worry for local fishermen.

Source: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21707524/

State

When: November 8, 2007

Where: Indianapolis, Indiana

Who: The Indiana National Guard Service,

What: On Thursday, November 8th, the Hoosier Patriot Memorial was dedicated in honor of the Indiana National Guard Service. The memorial is a larger-than-life statue made of bronze that is holding a child. The memorial is located at Washington Park East Cemetery also features a backdrop of large glass walls, which when completed will contain etchings of art depicting Guard soldiers from the historic minutemen to modern troops

Why: The project coordinator Bert Pettygrove wanted to create a place for people to go where they can commemorate Guardsmen. The Hoosier Patriot Memorial was made possible by supporters who raised $550,000 to support the Guard. Even though everyone may not agree with the war, the public can see that what the Guard is doing is very special for this country and they deserve recognition.

Source: http://www.heraldbulletin.com/statenews/local_story_312204752.html

Local

When: November 7, 2007

Where: Madison County

Who: The Madison County Sheriff's Department, Indiana State Police

What: The Madison County Sheriff’s Department plans to participate in a statewide Safe Family Travel traffic safety enforcement blitz for the upcoming holiday season. Starting Sunday, November 11 through Saturday, November 24th, police will be patrolling for impaired drivers and those who are not wearing seat belts. Anyone pulled over for improper restrictions on children (car seats, seat belts, etc.) or if wearing no seat belt will be cited. Those pulled over for impaired driving will be arrested.

Why: According to the press, the goal of this high-visibility pull-over blitz is to decrease impaired and dangerous driving behaviors that compromise safety on Indiana’s roadways during this heavily traveled season. They want to discourage any dangerous activity on the roads because of the upcoming weather, including ice, and increases in traffic due to travelling for Thanksgiving and Christmas. There are also statistics proving that this type of increased patrol decreases overall crime rates, too.

Source: http://www.heraldbulletin.com/local/local_story_311193815.html