Cheryl K. Chumley
Columns by Cheryl K. Chumley
Navy unveils ‘leap-ahead technology’ that turns choppers into drones
The U.S. Navy has a new means of getting aid to military troops and Marines in the field without taking on more casualties: A software program that allows even the most novice of operators to guide an unmanned helicopter using a specially designed app and a tablet-size computer. Published April 7, 2014
Israelis, Palestinians call on U.S. to mediate new round of peace talks
Israeli and Palestinian peace negotiators have turned back to the United States for mediation assistance with their talks, prepping for a Monday meeting with an American envoy who's supposed to jumpstart discussions. Published April 7, 2014
Angry students snap photos of lunches, tell Michelle Obama: ‘You call this a [expletive] lunch?’
Students from around the nation have been taking to Twitter and other social media sites to post snapshot photos of their meager lunches — in some cases, a sad-looking sandwich with a carton of milk — and say to the first lady: Thanks a lot, Michelle Obama, for the rations. Published April 7, 2014
Charity hockey game turns chaotic as NYC police, firemen fight
A charity hockey game between New York City police and firemen came to chaos on Sunday as the two sides traded fists and blows in a game one watcher said reminded of old-timey NHL rivals. Published April 7, 2014
Possible tornado tears through Mississippi, injuring several
Authorities say that between four and six people have been injured, and several other trapped in debris, from what they believe is a tornado that touched down in one neighborhood near Jackson, Miss. Published April 7, 2014
Jeb Bush: Illegal immigration is an ‘act of love’ — it’s ‘not a felony’
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, a talked-about candidate for the White House in 2016, gave an interview over the weekend in which he bluntly said illegal immigrants are only trying to better themselves and should not be treated as felons. Published April 7, 2014
Oscar Pistorius apologizes to victim’s family, retches and weeps in court
An emotional Oscar Pistorius headed back to court Monday for the continuation of his murder trial, taking the stand and apologizing to the parents of his slain girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp. Published April 7, 2014
NASA on edge as Russia-America relations leave U.S. space travel in limbo
The escalating tensions over Russia's invasion into Ukraine and subsequent annexation of Crimea have spilled over into America's space program, leaving NASA wondering: What's to say President Putin won't cut off the United States from accessing the International Space Station? Published April 4, 2014
U.S. Air Force under fire for booting Bible from MIA-POW display
The U.S. Air Force at one base in Florida gave the boot to its Missing Man Table, saying the included Bible among the display items that are staged to honor those who've served but not returned was causing too much controversy. Published April 4, 2014
Conservatives launch boycott of Mozilla after gays press CEO to quit
Conservative activist Ben Shapiro is leading up an online charge of fellow political compadres to boycott the browser Firefox — an outraged response to the Mozilla chief's departure from his CEO role due to gay rights' protests. Published April 4, 2014
Florida State University facing federal investigation for sex assault claim
Florida State University is under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education over a range of sexual assault complaints that may not have been properly vetted by campus authorities. Published April 4, 2014
Cubs’ Junior Lake takes the field wearing wrong uniform
Chicago Cubs outfielder Junior Lake, likely weary after a 16-inning game that went into the wee hours of the night, mistakenly showed up for the next day's 12:35 p.m. game wearing the wrong jersey — an outdated version that's no longer even distributed to players. Published April 4, 2014
Hillary Clinton throws gender card at media, decrying ‘double standard’
Former first lady and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton complained that the media has a "double standard" for women, on the one hand running them through the mill of public service and on the other, pressing them to bounce back in the face of all types of adversity. Published April 4, 2014
Radio’s ‘Opie & Anthony’ booted from health insurance, call for ‘revolution’
The Sirius XM Radio hosts of the popular "Opie & Anthony Show" spent their most recent show ranting how they were booted from their health insurance plan due to Obamacare and questioning why the American public would sit still for such treatment from their government. Published April 4, 2014
Indiana air quality deputy smacked down for climate warming joke
An Indiana assistant commissioner who works for the state's Department of Environmental Management has learned a harsh lesson from colleagues who are fast in the middle of the climate change crowd: Don't make jokes about global warming. Published April 4, 2014
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford votes ‘no’ on honoring Olympians, Mandela — then blames his sore back
Rob Ford, Toronto's now infamous mayor, has done it again: He cast the sole "no" votes at a City Council meeting to congratulate Olympian athletes and to name a street in honor of Nelson Mandela — and after outrage, tried to blame it on his sore back. Published April 4, 2014
Philadelphia women unleash rats on another woman’s home in fight over man
Philadelphia police say a group of baseball bat-wielding women busted through another woman's home and unleashed a score of rats into her room -- all over a fight over a man. Published April 4, 2014
Marijuana black market still thrives in Colorado, where pot is legal
Just because marijuana is legal in Colorado doesn't mean the black market for the drug has disappeared. Rather, the opposite, police officials said. Published April 4, 2014
McDonald’s shuts down its three restaurants in Crimea
McDonald's fast-food restaurants have temporarily shut down in Crimea, the second overseas company to close operations in recent days in the tension-filled peninsula. Published April 4, 2014
Vice Adm. Jan Tighe takes over as ‘first female commander of a numbered fleet’
Vice Adm. Jan Tighe was just appointed to head up the U.S. Fleet Cyber Command and U.S. 10th Fleet, making her the "first female commander of a numbered fleet in U.S. Navy history," the military branch reported. Published April 4, 2014