The Review-Journal has long been a cornerstone of Las Vegas, and we want the community to understand the three principles that will guide us as the new owners of the R-J.

First, we are committed to making the new investments necessary for the Review-Journal to succeed. The R-J has now been sold twice within just one year, in the midst of a volatile newspaper industry that is facing enormous challenges. Our goal is to invest with the team at the R-J as necessary to create new features and components that will be win-wins for the newspaper and its readers. We are proud to have contributed over many years to the success of the Las Vegas economy and to the lives of more than 10,000 Las Vegas residents who work with us at Sands. We are determined to generate the same kind of new investments and financial stability at the Review-Journal.

Second, we pledge to publish a newspaper that is fair, unbiased and accurate. We decided to buy the Review-Journal to help create a better newspaper — a forward thinking newspaper that is worthy of our Las Vegas community. This journalism will be supported by new investments in services such as enhanced fact checking and a Reader Advocate or Ombudsperson to respond to reader concerns.

Third, we regard ourselves as stewards of this essential community institution, and we promise that the Review-Journal will serve the people of Las Vegas for many years to come. In particular, we will deepen the newspaper's involvement with the community and invest what is necessary to ensure that the R-J is reporting news in the ways our community expects.

These are the three principles that will guide our ownership of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. How will this all work over the coming weeks and months? The professionals at New Media, who are now managing the R-J as well as running more than 125 other daily newspapers nationwide, will continue to oversee all operations. Mike Hengel, the paper's current editor, accepted a voluntary buyout offer from the R-J's prior owners, an offer that was also made to other qualified employees. Other R-J employees also accepted the voluntary buyout offer from the previous owners. The New Media managers will appoint an interim editor and will immediately begin a search for the next permanent Review-Journal editor.

We are confident that the best days for the Review-Journal, Southern Nevada and the entire state are yet to come, and we feel privileged to be able to continue to play a role in our great community.

On voting rights, Beshear signed an executive order in November that streamlined the process for at least 100,000 former felons to regain their right to cast a ballot so long as they had completed their sentence and were not convicted or violent crimes, sex crimes, bribery or treason. Beshear's order also established a new process to automatically restore rights to current felons as they complete their sentences and move out of the correctional system.

Mantell Stevens, who was convicted of possession of a controlled substance about 15 years ago, sounded shocked Tuesday after Bevin's announcement. Stevens said he was close to completing his application and was disappointed and upset by the news.

“The only thing I needed to do was get it notarized,” he said. “It’s really weird because I’m literally sitting here looking at the envelope. It’s stamped.”

Stevens said he is working two jobs and had difficulty obtaining the new application after Beshear's order. He said he had already taken the paperwork to a notary at the bank. However, the line was long, and he decided to return a couple of days later. “It’s like a double-whammy.”

Bucky wrote:one dude from cheltenham

The Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks police officer deaths, estimates 123 police officers died in the line of duty up to this point in 2015, down 4 percent from the same time period in 2014. Gunfire deaths in particular are at 36, down 22 percent from the same time period last year.
This continued a long-term downward trend. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported that on-duty police fatalities in 2014 totaled 117, up from a historic low of 107 in 2013 but down nearly 60 percent from a peak of 280 in 1974. (There are some discrepancies in what the Officer Down Memorial Page and National Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counts, but they're the best available data.)
The overall drop in on-duty police deaths coincides with a dramatic drop in crime in recent decades: Violent crime rates in the US dropped by roughly 49 percent between 1994 and 2014, according to FBI data.

pacino wrote:police deaths continue to decline:

The Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks police officer deaths, estimates 123 police officers died in the line of duty up to this point in 2015, down 4 percent from the same time period in 2014. Gunfire deaths in particular are at 36, down 22 percent from the same time period last year.
This continued a long-term downward trend. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported that on-duty police fatalities in 2014 totaled 117, up from a historic low of 107 in 2013 but down nearly 60 percent from a peak of 280 in 1974. (There are some discrepancies in what the Officer Down Memorial Page and National Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counts, but they're the best available data.)
The overall drop in on-duty police deaths coincides with a dramatic drop in crime in recent decades: Violent crime rates in the US dropped by roughly 49 percent between 1994 and 2014, according to FBI data.

Phred wrote:

pacino wrote:police deaths continue to decline:

The Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks police officer deaths, estimates 123 police officers died in the line of duty up to this point in 2015, down 4 percent from the same time period in 2014. Gunfire deaths in particular are at 36, down 22 percent from the same time period last year.
This continued a long-term downward trend. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported that on-duty police fatalities in 2014 totaled 117, up from a historic low of 107 in 2013 but down nearly 60 percent from a peak of 280 in 1974. (There are some discrepancies in what the Officer Down Memorial Page and National Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counts, but they're the best available data.)
The overall drop in on-duty police deaths coincides with a dramatic drop in crime in recent decades: Violent crime rates in the US dropped by roughly 49 percent between 1994 and 2014, accordingl to FBI data.

Also because now, the cops tend to shoot first.

smitty wrote:

Phred wrote:

pacino wrote:police deaths continue to decline:

The Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks police officer deaths, estimates 123 police officers died in the line of duty up to this point in 2015, down 4 percent from the same time period in 2014. Gunfire deaths in particular are at 36, down 22 percent from the same time period last year.
This continued a long-term downward trend. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported that on-duty police fatalities in 2014 totaled 117, up from a historic low of 107 in 2013 but down nearly 60 percent from a peak of 280 in 1974. (There are some discrepancies in what the Officer Down Memorial Page and National Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counts, but they're the best available data.)
The overall drop in on-duty police deaths coincides with a dramatic drop in crime in recent decades: Violent crime rates in the US dropped by roughly 49 percent between 1994 and 2014, accordingl to FBI data.

Also because now, the cops tend to shoot first.

Police officers better be shooting first. You tend to live longer that way. Once a confrontation escalates to the point where the officer needs to use deadly force, he fires. This should happen before the bad guy fires.

pacino wrote:police deaths continue to decline:

The Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks police officer deaths, estimates 123 police officers died in the line of duty up to this point in 2015, down 4 percent from the same time period in 2014. Gunfire deaths in particular are at 36, down 22 percent from the same time period last year.

The juveniles bailed out of the vehicle in the area of the 300 block of North Main Avenue with several officers, including Patrolman Wilding, chasing them on foot. Patrolman Wilding jumped over a small wall behind a restaurant at 301 North Main Avenue, not realizing that there was a 15-foot drop on the other side. He suffered a serious head injury as the result of the fall.

Director Gorman was role playing an attacker with an edged weapon. The agent being attacked in the exercise drew his service weapon, which contained a live round, and fire once, striking Director Gorman in the chest.

K9 Dutch died after accidentally ingesting a lacrosse ball during a training exercise.

Sergeant Eric Meier suffered a fatal heart attack while hiking in a remote, rugged area while searching for a marijuana grow operation.

Good morning and HAPPY #Festivus! I will be airing my grievances soon.

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
"I've got a lot of problems with you people and now you're gonna hear about them!" #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
But first, my fellow Presidential candidates get the #Festivus treatment!

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
Where to start but @realDonaldTrump. If u bring the Yiddish, know what it means. Guess that's more of a kvetch than a grievance #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
After the debates, @realDonaldTrump always trying to give us parting gifts of his made in China ties. Weird. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015

My friend @tedcruz has still not pledged to issue exec order declaring Canadian "bacon" is not real bacon. Makes me suspicious. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
I have no grievances against my fellow doc @RealBenCarson because I have not heard a word he has said in any debate. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
I think I speak for all in NJ when I say @GovChristie I don't care how much $ u spend at Met Life, Cowboys fans should stay out. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
to my absentee friend @marcorubio, I didn't put your $170k+ salary in my waste report today. But I could have #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
to my comrade @SenSanders: Unless you're Santa Claus, Socialism runs out of other people's money #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
.@CarlyFiorina has ZERO trouble making it back from commercial breaks @HillaryClinton. Just saying. #Festivus #waronwomensrooms

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
.@JebBush is always trying to change the debate rules to allow extra time for awkward pauses in answers. Not gonna happen. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015

JUburton wrote:

smitty wrote:

Phred wrote:

pacino wrote:police deaths continue to decline:

The Officer Down Memorial Page, which tracks police officer deaths, estimates 123 police officers died in the line of duty up to this point in 2015, down 4 percent from the same time period in 2014. Gunfire deaths in particular are at 36, down 22 percent from the same time period last year.
This continued a long-term downward trend. The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund reported that on-duty police fatalities in 2014 totaled 117, up from a historic low of 107 in 2013 but down nearly 60 percent from a peak of 280 in 1974. (There are some discrepancies in what the Officer Down Memorial Page and National Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund counts, but they're the best available data.)
The overall drop in on-duty police deaths coincides with a dramatic drop in crime in recent decades: Violent crime rates in the US dropped by roughly 49 percent between 1994 and 2014, accordingl to FBI data.

Also because now, the cops tend to shoot first.

Police officers better be shooting first. You tend to live longer that way. Once a confrontation escalates to the point where the officer needs to use deadly force, he fires. This should happen before the bad guy fires.

The problem is that deadly force doesn't seem so necessary when the person is walking away without a gun or face down on the ground already dying.

pacino wrote:

Good morning and HAPPY #Festivus! I will be airing my grievances soon.

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
"I've got a lot of problems with you people and now you're gonna hear about them!" #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
But first, my fellow Presidential candidates get the #Festivus treatment!

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
Where to start but @realDonaldTrump. If u bring the Yiddish, know what it means. Guess that's more of a kvetch than a grievance #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
After the debates, @realDonaldTrump always trying to give us parting gifts of his made in China ties. Weird. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015

My friend @tedcruz has still not pledged to issue exec order declaring Canadian "bacon" is not real bacon. Makes me suspicious. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
I have no grievances against my fellow doc @RealBenCarson because I have not heard a word he has said in any debate. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
I think I speak for all in NJ when I say @GovChristie I don't care how much $ u spend at Met Life, Cowboys fans should stay out. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
to my absentee friend @marcorubio, I didn't put your $170k+ salary in my waste report today. But I could have #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
to my comrade @SenSanders: Unless you're Santa Claus, Socialism runs out of other people's money #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
.@CarlyFiorina has ZERO trouble making it back from commercial breaks @HillaryClinton. Just saying. #Festivus #waronwomensrooms

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015
.@JebBush is always trying to change the debate rules to allow extra time for awkward pauses in answers. Not gonna happen. #Festivus

— Dr. Rand Paul (@RandPaul) December 23, 2015

“You’re not going to hear any intolerance from me,” CANDIDATE X said. THEY said, THEY could “tell the difference between a radical Islamic jihadist and someone who’s a peace-loving Muslim. … We’re going to continue to make that distinction.”