Woman who drove with dying man on car gets prison

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A substance-abuse counselor was sentenced Thursday to 55 years to life in prison for hitting a pedestrian with her car and driving through a Los Angeles suburb with the dying man on her windshield.

A jury earlier this year convicted Sherri Lynn Wilkins, 53, of second-degree murder, driving under the influence and hit-and-run.
Prosecutors said Wilkins' blood-alcohol level was nearly twice the legal limit when she struck 31-year-old Phillip Moreno in November 2012 as she was leaving a counseling center.

She drove 2 miles through the city of Torrance before other motorists swarmed her car at a traffic light and kept her there until police arrived. Moreno was taken to a hospital, where he died.

Superior Court Judge Henry Hall said, "Ms. Wilkins demonstrated an extraordinary callousness in fleeing the scene and trying to shake Mr. Moreno's body off her car. This is a callous murder, not an unfortunate act."

Hall rejected a request from the defense and sentenced Wilkins under California's three strikes law, citing her long history of drug-related crimes. That tripled the minimum 15 years to life she otherwise could have received before being eligible for parole.

View gallery

Sherri Lynn Wilkins gets emotional in court during sentencing Thursday June 12, 2014 in Los Angeles. …

Wilkins, who was a drug addict before she became a drug and alcohol counselor, contended she wasn't drunk that night. She claimed she was "self-medicating" while waiting for knee-replacement surgery and had consumed three single-serving bottles of vodka and a can of Budweiser beer and Clamato before starting to drive.

In her first apology since that night, Wilkins turned toward 16 Moreno family members and friends in the courtroom Thursday and said what happened was a "tragedy."

"I am sorry for the pain I caused you," she said. "It hurt so many people."

The judge said he carefully considered the three strikes element.

"Ms. Wilkins is not what we normally see," Hall said. "She's not a classic violent criminal. But you have to evaluate her history. She had an insatiable desire to become intoxicated."

View gallery

Sherri Lynn Wilkins sits in court during sentencing Thursday June 12, 2014 in Los Angeles. Wilkins,  …

She also had a "relatively unbroken crime history" dating back 34 years, he said.
Wilkins' attorney, Deputy Public Defender Nan Whitfield, said she would appeal.
"Because this case was so emotionally charged," she told the judge, "the jury was unable to see the evidence."

Outside court, Whitfield said, "Nobody likes a drunk driver. Because she was a drug and alcohol counselor, she's held to a higher standard."

Deputy District Attorneys John Harland and Sam Ahmadpour said jurors evaluated the evidence carefully.

View gallery

Sherri Lynn Wilkins gets emotional in court during sentencing Thursday June 12, 2014 in Los Angeles. …

"Everyone is a human being and you have emotions, but this was not based on emotion," said Harland.
Wilkins testified during the trial that she never saw Moreno coming, and it was as if he fell from the sky. The defense argued Moreno was drunk and jumped on Wilkins' car and that she panicked.
The judge called that theory "fanciful" and an effort by Wilkins to evade responsibility.

Two family members and a friend of Moreno on Thursday angrily denounced Wilkins. Friend Victor Gasset said, "Phillip was 31. You were getting high longer than he was alive."

Moreno's brother, Tony, told her she deserves to "rot in prison the rest of your life."

Moreno's niece, Alyssa Moreno, told Wilkins: "You made sure Phillip went without any goodbyes. I wish the same for you. As of today, you will no longer exist to society. You will be just a number."

Nigerian media chase politics in Boko Haram coverage

LAGOS/ABUJA (Reuters) - A year ago, the daily editorial conference at Nigeria's Guardian newspaper might have paused to consider where on the inside pages to place a story about the latest Boko Haram attack.

These days there is no need to think. Major raids by the Islamist insurgents go front and center in the paper - and then further, generating comment pieces looking at every angle through the prism of Nigerian politics.

As with the global press, coverage has increased as attacks have increased in recent months. "It is breaking news all the time," said Martins Oloja, the tabloid's editor. "We know that before we go to bed there will almost definitely be a strike."

But Nigerian newspapers differ from the almost exclusively human interest reporting of their global counterparts in the lengths they will go to make links between attacks in the remote northeast and national politics - all against the background of looming elections.

"We thought it (the Boko Haram insurgency) was a flash in the pan ... But it has become a very bad ulcer," said Oloja.

"This insurgency is political. It is tied to the 2015 presidential election. People are imputing motives. This wasn’t like that a year ago," he added.

Once the revolt was largely a matter for the authorities of the northeast. But the fighters have stepped up the violence in recent months, launching attacks in the central city of Jos and in Abuja, the capital.

The government's decision to declare states of emergency and launch a military offensive in May last year has meant national agencies face harsh scrutiny - particularly after their failure to rescue more than 200 schoolgirls abducted in April.

The police's decision to ban public protests over the girls in the capital last week, and then apparently reverse that decision, generated a three-column editorial asking if the police chief should "be allowed to function in a democracy".

PRIDE DAMAGED

Ahead of the election, the revolt has become tangled in Nigeria's geographic and political fault line, between the mainly Muslim north and the mainly Christian south - and between the ruling People's Democratic Party and the opposition coalition the All Progressive Congress.

The PDP, which runs the country, and the APC, which runs the regional bodies in the northeast, have traded blame in print and on TV over the mishandling of the revolt.

President Goodluck Jonathan has delayed announcing his candidacy for the next election until after the girls are found, unnamed sources say in one report. Northern army officers have been court-martialed on charges of secretly backing the rebels, say others, despite military denials.

Wednesday's Guardian - a paper seen as largely non-partisan - ran a front page editorial demanding the president visit the site of the kidnapping and make bolder statements. "Why is it that whenever history furnishes our President with an opportunity to roar, he whimpers," it asked.

The relentless insurgency, covered with CNN-like intensity on stations such as Channels TV, has had an inevitable impact on viewers, even on the coastal commercial capital of Lagos, where many had felt insulated from the northeast.

Gallop polls repeatedly put Nigerians at or near the top of the world's countries ordered according to optimism. But even in Lagos' glitzy Intercontinental Hotel, the impact of Boko Haram can be found.

"It's really damaged our pride to find ourselves in this situation," oil company official O.B. Nyong said.

"We believed our military could do a lot but it seems not. Ten years ago nobody would believe you could have suicide bombers in Nigeria," he added. "Now look at us."

The government has been prickly about the surge in negative coverage, keen to focus on positives such as Nigeria's recent crowning as Africa's largest economy and its hosting of the World Economic Forum in May.

That event barely got a mention amid a wave of stories on the girls.

Even when there hasn't been an attack, a panel on the front page of The Daily Trust newspaper counts up the days since the mass adduction. Every front page on The Nation is marked with a bold question mark over the words 'Where Are the Chibok Girls'.

"We are optimistic people but the events of the past three years have been bleak. I'm depressed," said Abdallah Bello, a civil servant in Maiduguri, the city where Boko Haram originated.

"The feeling that things must get better is no longer there. There's no pride in being a happy people anymore. The killing has gone on for too long."

Fabregas in his new Chelsea shirt, making Arsenal feel sad

.

Arsenal finally ended their nine-year trophy drought this season by winning the FA Cup, but former captain Cesc Fabregas has decided to go and trample the good feelings about that and the start of the World Cup by signing for London rivals Chelsea. When Fabregas left Arsenal for Barcelona in 2011, it was said that he did it only because he has "Barca DNA" and it seemed a given that if he ever left his hometown club, it would be for an Arsenal return.

But Arsenal reportedly had first refusal on bringing him back and didn't make use of it. Still, Fabregas' words upon moving to Chelsea read like an extra dagger thrown at his former club. He told Chelsea's

Americans being evacuated from Iraqi air base as militants advance

Americans were being evacuated Thursday from a major Iraqi air base as Al Qaeda-aligned militants toppled cities in the country's north and threatened to advance toward Baghdad. 
A senior U.S. official confirmed to Fox News that Americans were being evacuated from a base in Balad, which had been one of the largest training missions in Iraq. 
The three planeloads of Americans are mostly contractors and civilians. The State Department said Thursday that the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad is operating as usual. 
But the evacuation means that the vital training mission at Balad, about an hour northwest of Baghdad, has been suspended indefinitely -- despite repeated administration statements that it would continue to support Iraq's military. 
Regarding those assurances, one U.S. official clarified to Fox News: "At the same time, we are not going to do anything stupid." 
The development signals the worsening security environment in the northern part of the country. One senior official told Fox News that the focus for evacuation at this point is on people outside of Baghdad. 
Two senior intelligence sources, though, told Fox News there is serious concern about how to evacuate other Americans out of Iraq if the situation further deteriorates. 
"We need places to land, we need safe and secure airfields," one source said, noting that the militants are "seizing airfields and they have surface-to-air missiles, which very clearly threatens our pilots and planes if we do go into evacuation mode." 
Sources said "all western diplomats in Iraq are in trouble," and American allies are scrambling to put together an evacuation plan. Military officials said there are "not a lot of good options." 
The Obama administration is still trying to determine how to assist the Nouri al-Maliki government, while making clear it does not want U.S. troops in the middle of the fight. 
"We are not contemplating ground troops," White House Press Secretary Jay Carney said Thursday. 
According to the White House, Vice President Biden spoke Thursday with Maliki and expressed "solidarity" with the Iraqi government in its fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria. 
Obama promised Thursday to send more military aid, without saying what kind of new assistance would be given to Baghdad. Two U.S. officials who are familiar with ongoing negotiations told The Associated Press the White House is considering air strikes and increased surveillance, requested this week by the Iraqi defense minister, as the insurgency nears Baghdad. 
The Iraqi government has been asking for more than a year for surveillance and armed drones to combat a Sunni insurgency that has gained strength from battlefield successes in neighboring Syria. 
Republican lawmakers were harshly critical Thursday of the administration's response. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., called for Obama to replace his national security team. 
House Speaker John Boehner snapped: "What's the president doing? Taking a nap." 
Obama commented on the violence shortly afterward. 
"What we've seen over the last couple of days indicates the degree to which Iraq is going to need more help," Obama said. "It's going to need more help from us, and it's going to need more help from the international community." 
Several thousand Americans remain in Iraq, mostly contractors who work at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad on programs to train Iraqi forces on American military equipment like fighter jets and tanks. Those being evacuated from Balad on Thursday included 12 U.S. government officials and military personnel who have been training Iraqi forces to use fighter jets and surveillance drones. 
Other U.S. contractors are at a tank training ground in the city of Taji, just north of the capital, that is still in operation for now. 
In addition to the possible military assistance, State Department spokeswoman Psaki said the U.S. is sending about $12 million in humanitarian aid to help nearly a million Iraqis who have been forced from their homes by recent fighting in the nation's north and west.

Sales Representative

“One of the 25 best sales organizations”

(As Rated by Selling Power Magazine)

UniFirst Corporation has an opening for a Professional Outside Business-to-Business Salesperson. Our outside sales representatives are responsible for new business development, managing a zip code based territory, and attainment of sales goals and quotas.

UniFirst offers significant opportunities for personal and professional growth to its sales representatives. We are a company dedicated to customer focus, a commitment to quality, and respect for others. UniFirst has been in the Uniform and Facilities Services business since 1936 and has recently been named to the “Platinum 400 List” by Forbes magazine and has been ranked as a “Top 100 Performing Company” by the Boston Globe every year since 1988. We provide our customers with a wide variety of professional clothing and traditional uniform solutions, as well as facility service products. We offer the most in depth training platform in the industry designed to provide a real opportunity for career advancement.

You can view an inside look at UniFirst and our CEO Ron Croatti through our episode of "Undercover Boss" by visiting the UniFirst website, or on YouTube.

Exceptional Career Opportunity

An opportunity exists for a sales minded individual to become part of the UniFirst team. We offer a competitive base salary, vehicle allowance, cellular allowance, benefits, profit sharing, monthly commission + bonus, established/protected territories and prospect database, an exotic all expense paid trip for 2 every year for President's Club achievers and it all starts off with a comprehensive training program including use of cutting edge sales tools.

Job Requirements:

As an Outside Sales Representative with UniFirst, you must possess exceptional communication, negotiation and time management skills and be able to follow our specific and successful sales process. Our ideal Outside Sales Representative can establish rapport with people from all walks of life; wear different hats based on each client’s needs and is open to coaching and advice.

Do you have:

• A strong work ethic?
• Are you competitive and love to win?
• Not intimidated introducing yourself to new people?
• Have a natural ability to persuade and lead?
• Willing to be mentored and are a quick learner?
• Motivated by achievement with an internal drive to succeed? A college degree (or sufficient experience with a high school diploma)?

If this describes who you are, then this is your opportunity! Experience is not mandatory but the majority of the attributes listed above are. Join our team and take the next step in your career!

UniFirst Corporation is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer M/F/D/V

*LI-UF1

Clinical Informaticist (895-684) Systems Made Simple, Inc

About the Job

Responsible for supporting the Chief Medical Information Officer through the application of clinical workflow processes and informatics best practices.

Role and Responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Support the development of Healthcare IT Strategy models.
• Provide Clinical Informatics and Healthcare IT expertise to Operations teams.
• Evaluate contract pipeline opportunities to support the acquisition of new business.
• Represent the organization in professional societies and at conferences as well as with current and potential customers.
• Provide thought leadership and understanding of the direction of Healthcare IT.
• Perform Quality Assurance of clinical and clinical informatics content for corporate documentation, as required.
• Serve as a physician resource for both internal and external customers.
• Serve as a liaison between clinical development and software product development as needed.
• Other duties may be assigned.

Required Skills

• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills.
• Strong literature research capabilities.
• Effective organizational, research, time management and priority setting skills.
• Strong conceptual skills, with demonstrated knowledge and skill in problem-solving, decision-making and critical-thinking, with the ability to step through logical pathways to determine results.
• Demonstrated ability to function both autonomously and collaboratively within a team.
• Experience in using acute care and/or ambulatory Electronic Health Records (EHRs) as a clinician.
• Demonstrated proficiency with various software applications, including but not limited to MS Word, MS Project, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel.
• Successful management of clinical informatics project team(s).

Experience Required

• Doctor of Medicine or Osteopathy (MD or DO) from an accredited US or Canadian institution and 10 or more years related experience.
• Current valid US State medical license.
• Medical Board Certification in a clinical discipline.
• Experience as a clinical user of acute care and ambulatory EMRs.
• Completion of formal education program in Medical Informatics as evidenced by certificate (e.g. AMIA 10x10) or academic diploma (Masters or PhD).
• Experience in healthcare data standards development and/or implementation preferred.
• Five of more years’ experience in the Federal Health IT environment (e.g. DHA, VHA, HHS) desired.
• On-going participation in industry-related organizations (e.g. HIMSS, HL7, AHIMA, AMIA, ATA) a plus.
• Has published in relevant trade journals and/or presented to national/international trade associations preferred.
• 10 years of more experience providing direct clinical care. Practice in both government and commercial/civilian sectors a plus

Please apply directly at:
http://smscareers-openhire.silkroad.com/epostings/submit.cfm?fuseaction=app.dspjob&jobid=895&company_id=16684&jobboardid=202

STORE MANAGER

About the Job

Now Hiring

STORE MANAGER

We currently have an opportunity for a store manager in our Madison FL area. The position requires management experience. Qualified candidates must have excellent customer service and employee relations skills. The successful candidate will be capable of operating in a fast paced environment. Must have a flexible schedule, be self motivated, able to train motivate and prepare employees for greater responsibilities and have effective communications skills.

Benefits include: Competitive pay, bonus program, performance-based pay increases, paid vacation and holidays. Apply on line at

fasttrackstores.com