Cheryl K. Chumley
Columns by Cheryl K. Chumley
11 dead in 2 head-on, wrong-way crashes in Florida and California
Five men in Florida — including four fraternity brothers — were killed in an early morning crash when a suspected drunken driver who was speeding the wrong way down a highway smashed into their vehicle. Published February 10, 2014
Copenhagen zoo facing fire for feeding healthy giraffe to lions
A Copenhagen zoo is fielding fire after dismembering a healthy and young giraffe — in front of kids — and then tossing the body parts into the lion cages. Published February 10, 2014
Vancouver rehab offers crack pipes by vending machine
A drug rehabilitation facility in Vancouver has installed a vending machine that offers crack pipes to addicts — an apparent desperate attempt at reaching out to users and getting them off the streets. Published February 10, 2014
Rand Paul warns of blue Texas: GOP needs people ‘with tattoos’
Sen. Rand Paul, who represents Kentucky, said his home state of Texas could easily switch from a Republican stronghold to a Democratic voting block if the GOP doesn’t open its arms and take in more working class and more minorities. Published February 10, 2014
Utah newlywed dies basejumping when chute fails to open
A Utah woman trying to make a parachute jump nearby Zion National Park died after her parachute failed to open and she fell 2,000 feet to the ground, park agents said. Published February 10, 2014
Iran ratchets threats: ‘U.S. ‘can sense … how their warships will be sunk’
An Iranian naval commander issued a bellicose statement against America in the face of supposed Iranian ships sailing to the Atlantic Ocean just a few miles from maritime borders: This means we can sink your warships. Published February 10, 2014
Whoopi Goldberg: ‘The View’ books conservatives when ‘going for ratings’
"The View" co-host Whoopi Goldberg said that the show likely brought on conservative women as guests this week to bolster ratings — an indirect admission she made while decrying the move. Published February 7, 2014
GOP bill would force EPA to reveal science behind regulations
A new bill introduced by Republican lawmakers would put an end to the Environmental Protection Agency issuing regulations without revealing all the scientific research used to justify the new rules. Published February 7, 2014
Penguins put on Prozac to counter cold, rainy British zoo climate
Penguins in a British zoo have become so embittered by the cold and dreary weather conditions that they have to take antidepressants — "uppers" — to properly function, sanctuary workers said. Published February 7, 2014
Forget fingerprints: New security technology tracks body odor
Fingerprints and iris scans — those are so 2013. The newest security technology to hit the lines of passport presenters takes an entirely different tack: odor. Published February 7, 2014
Tony Danza: ‘Who’s the Boss?’ star seated as juror for N.Y. drug case
Tony Danza, who played starring roles in the long-running sitcoms, “Taxi” and “Who’s the Boss?” has a new job: Juror No. 3 for a felony drug case set for Manhattan Supreme Court. Published February 7, 2014
Calif. school’s Black History Month menu of fried chicken, watermelon sparks ire
Administrators at a private school in Northern California are scurrying to apologize after a well-intentioned lunch affair to recognize and remember Black History Month went awry, and angry parents called the menu racist. Published February 7, 2014
Cash-strapped counties ‘scheme’ to stick prison inmates on Obamacare
Counties in six states facing budget shortfalls have turned to their prison populations as a means of saving some quick cash — by putting as many inmates on Obamacare as possible and tapping into federal funds for their health care. Published February 7, 2014
Joe Biden: No reason ‘I should not run’ for president in 2016
It's looking more and more like the Democratic Party will have a choice of two high-profile political candidates for the White House in 2016: Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton or Vice President Joseph R. Biden. Published February 7, 2014
Joe Biden cracks on LaGuardia Airport in N.Y.: ‘Third World country’
It's like a Third World country around here — that was Vice President Joseph R. Biden's assessment of LaGuardia Airport in New York, as he compared it other hot travel spots around the world. Published February 7, 2014
Taliban claim to have captured U.S. military dog during ISAF mission
Members of the Taliban say they’ve captured a major U.S. military asset — a working dog named Colonel. Published February 6, 2014
Alabama’s Roy Moore moves from 10 Commandments fight to gay marriage
Roy Moore, the Alabama chief justice who reached national prominence for fighting the removal of the Ten Commandments from the state judicial building, has found a new cause: gay marriage. Published February 6, 2014
Cop cuffs firefighter amid road rescue over parking dispute
A long-running dispute between San Diego firefighters and police came to an abrupt and alarming head this week, after a cop arrested one of the fire department’s emergency responders who was working a road rescue. Published February 6, 2014
‘You all need to leave’: SWAT uses Fla. woman’s home without permission
A Jacksonville, Fla., homeowner said she was ordered out of her house by members of a SWAT team who were responding to an incident at a neighbor’s residence. Published February 6, 2014
Bionics breakthrough: Amputee tests prosthetic hand with fingers that feel
Bionics researchers have made a breakthrough, creating a new hand for amputees with fingers that allow the wearer to actually feel sensations. Published February 6, 2014