Ron Paul rings the Liberty Bell at his University of Texas rally — February 23, 2008.

Footage courtesy of CITIZINE News.

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Interviews with American soldiers from Iraq.

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By Thom White
CITIZINEmag.com

AUSTIN January 23, 2008 - On Tuesday, recently-appointed Austin police chief Art Acevedo announced to the media a proposed police surveillance camera system that would attempt to record all public activity in the Sixth Street district in order to reduce the likelihood of crime. The cameras’ recordings would be reviewed in secret by police personnel who would use the footage as evidence in prosecutions against individuals they identify committing crimes on video.

Chief Acevedo said if there is no public opposition to the installation of the public spy cameras, the equipment will be installed and begin recording around 6th Street in a few months.

According to news reports, Chief Acevedo told reporters, “As I travel around the city, I have been approached by residents in high-crime areas who are not only asking, but who are really starting to demand the use of technology.” Acevedo said. “People in this community want us to do everything we can to keep them safe. This is one of those strategies.”

According to KEYE-TV, Chief Acevedo said, “This is to put people on notice: criminals, the community, and the cops — that, yes… You’re in an area to be surveilled that’s out in the open. So, guess what? Before you start fighting with somebody, before you start stabbing somebody, before you start trying to victimize somebody, your action may be caught on tape, and you may be prosecuted and convicted, because we’ll have the best evidence.”

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By Thom White
CITIZINEmag.com

On the afternoon of November 14, 2007, computer consultant Joe Horn, 61, shot and killed two men that had burglarized his neighbor’s home in Pasadena, Texas, near Houston.

When Mr. Horn looked out the window at two o’clock in the afternoon and saw a couple men breaking into his neighbor’s home in broad daylight, he first called 911. When he saw the thieves then come out of the house with a bag of loot, and still no squad cars had arrived, he went outside with his shotgun to confront the men himself.

During his 911 call, Joe Horn identified the two burglars as “black,” and when the news story was first blasted across the airwaves, it was portrayed as another episode in Americans’ ongoing “black/white conflict.” However, in today’s America, nothing is that simple. Read more »

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By Thom White
CITIZINEmag.com

AUSTIN, Tex. January 12, 2008 — Opponents of the Wal-Mart Supercenter that is planned for Northcross Mall gathered together yesterday at St. Louis Catholic Church for a town hall meeting. Responsible Growth for Northcross (RG4N) leaders proposed their next steps after a recent court ruling effectively gave the developer, Lincoln Property Company, a green light to begin construction of the giant retail store.

According to a December 21, 2007, report by the television station News 8 Austin, “District Court Judge Orlinda Naranjo ruled that the site plan in question complied with ordinances and that it did not require public hearings.”

Responsible Growth for Northcross leaders remarked in a written statement that, “In December, the 200th Judicial District Court of Travis County issued its ruling on our lawsuit. RG4N is disappointed with the verdict, but we are not done fighting yet.” Read more »

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Thieves elude police despite SWAT team action

AUSTIN November 25, 2007 – It’s now been more than ten days since a bizarre SWAT team “standoff” around McBride’s Guns in central Austin ended with police searching the building only to discover the thieves had gotten away. Robbers absconded with $5,000 to $10,000 in jewelry and gold coins, but did not steal any weapons.

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Feds grab over 50,000 collectible “Ron Paul Dollars” in raid

November 21, 2007 – Last week federal agents invaded the headquarters of Norfed, manufacturer of collectible “Liberty Dollars,” and confiscated all of the company’s precious metals, computers, and documents. FBI officials in charge of an investigation have refused to publicly discuss the raid that has effectively shut down the “National Organization for the Repeal of the Federal Reserve Act and the Internal Revenue Code.”

Norfed manufactures collector currency, “Liberty Dollars,” which contain precious metals such as gold and silver. On their website, Norfed offers instructions on how to use the silver medallions in everyday transactions as a “private voluntary barter currency.” About a year ago, the U.S. Mint issued an internet “warning” about Norfed’s “Liberty Dollars,” indicating that prosecutors within the Department of Justice had determined the minting of gold and silver “Liberty Dollars” to be a federal crime because the medallions “are specifically intended to be used as current money in order to limit reliance on, and to compete with the circulating coinage of the U.S.” and thus violates United States Code Title 18, Section 486, which prohibits privately “uttered” gold or silver currency.

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AUSTIN November 14, 2007 — Over a hundred Austin business owners have joined the community group, Stop Domain Subsidies, which is pushing to reverse the city of Austin’s multi-million dollar tax giveaway to Simon Property Group, current owner of the ‘mixed-use’ development, The Domain.

Petitioners contend that massive tax rebates granted to Simon Properties give the corporation an unfair advantage over local retail businesses. If the petition drive is successful, Austin residents will vote as soon as May 2008 on an amendment to the city charter that would prohibit tax subsidies for retail businesses.

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