1 Charges Filed Against Suspect In Colorado Springs Shooting As Hero Speaks
Police in Colorado have identified the five people killed at an LGBTQ club late Saturday night. They are: Daniel Aston, Kelly Loving, Ashley Paugh, Derrick Rump and Raymond Green Vance. Officials say 25 more were injured – 17 of those from gunfire. So far, the shooter is being charged with five counts of murder and five counts of bias-motivated crime causing bodily injury, which is Colorado's hate crime law. Colorado Springs Police Chief Adrian Vasquez is also giving thanks to the two people who helped subdue the suspect. Those men, Richard Fierro, a decorated Army veteran, and Thomas James are being credited with stopping further bloodshed. Fierro tackled and held down the gunman – and James jumped in to help. While Fierro is being hailed as a hero, it's not a title he thinks is valid. Why? As he sees it, “because five people are dead.”
2 Blumenthal Calling For Federal Action Against Ticketmaster
Connecticut Senator Richard Blumenthal is calling for federal action to be taken against Ticketmaster. Speaking outside federal court in New Haven, Connecticut yesterday, the Democrat said he expects the Senate Judiciary Committee to investigate Ticketmaster's “monopolistic” practices. And while the recent Taylor Swift fiasco is the inspiration for his feels, the senator says it’s proof that is the Ticketmaster/ Live Nation merger approved in 2010 needs to be broken up. Blumenthal says that merger has led to price gouging, strategic acquisition of competitors and pressure on artists and venues. “It's more than just Taylor Swift,” he notes. “It's everybody who goes to concerts, whether you're aware of it or not, you're paying more than you should for those concert tickets, because of this kind of monopoly.”
3 Railroad Strike Looms Once Again
The possibility of a national rail worker strike is once again on the table. In September, the Biden Administration praised a tentative deal between railroads and unions that addressed longtime disputes over pay, working conditions and paid time off. But it seems that celebration was premature. While eight other unions ratified the deal, the largest rail union in the US – which represents 28-thousand conductors, brakemen and yardmen – has officially rejected the latest offer. The Biden administration warned back in September that a nationwide strike could cripple our economy. Why? The action would affect freight trains as well as some Amtrak and commuter lines. If a deal isn't reached, a strike could take place next month.