Cinemark sued over Colo. theater shootings
AURORA, Colo., Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Three victims of the July theater shooting in Aurora, Colo., filed suit against the theater owner, alleging there should have been security guards on duty.
Two lawsuits filed Friday against Cinemark USA contended the large crowd at the late-night showing of the Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" should have warranted tighter security.
The midnight movie in July was interrupted when a gunman opened fire inside the crowded theater, killing 12 customers and wounding 58 others.
"Although the theater was showing a midnight premier of the movie and was expecting large crowds of people to attend the midnight showing, no security personnel were present for that showing," said the two suits, which CNN said were filed by the same law firm.
"The exterior doors to the theater were lacking in any alarm system, interlocking security systems, or any other security or alarm features," the suit said.
The Los Angeles Times said the suit took Cinemark to task for not monitoring the rear parking lot where accused killer James Holmes allegedly made his escape.
The suit contended that security guards have patrolled the Aurora theater complex on weekends due to occasional assaults and robberies. The shooting occurred early Friday morning.
The Denver Post said there were no specific monetary demands in the lawsuits but the plaintiffs claimed damages of more than $750,000.
Cinemark had no immediate comment on the lawsuits.
Cinemark informed Aurora city officials this week they intended to re-open the multiplex
No exact date was given but the company said it would be around the first of the year, the Post said.
"I am confident Cinemark will continue to remain sensitive to victims, their families, their employees and our community throughout their process of remodeling and reopening," said Aurora Mayor Fred Hogan.
GOP: Obama has failed to address deficit
WASHINGTON, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- The United States is in financial trouble, but President Barack Obama says the federal debt "is nothing to worry about," a Senate Republican charged Saturday.
Presenting the GOP's weekly address, Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama said "the American people see the financial chaos. They know it must stop," The Hill reported.
Sessions, the ranking Republican on the Senate Budget Committee., said the president had failed to rally the country to deal with the problem.
"Instead, he says our debt course is nothing to worry about," Sessions said. "He continues to insist that his budget plan will pay down the debt."
Sessions said the president's budget reduction plan provides for no surplus, which was needed to pay down the debt.
"Despite $1.8 trillion in new taxes, his budget increases our spending and debt every year, adding $11 trillion to the debt overall," he said.
The administration has previously rejected such claims. The White House website says, "Since his first day in office, President Obama has focused on laying the foundation for an economy built to last—creating jobs for American workers, cutting taxes for middle class families and small businesses, investing in education, manufacturing and American-made energy, and making sure everyone plays by the same rules, from Main Street to Wall Street."
Sessions charged Senate Democrats "have deliberately violated the legal requirement to produce a budget plan" for a third year in a row, examiner.com reported.
With an eye on the November elections and the potential to shift control of the Senate to the GOP, Sessions claimed that "if given the chance, Republicans will get this government under control."
Masks sent to smoky Washington cities
SEATTLE, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- Washington state health officials say they have shipped more than 20,000 face masks to several counties where wildfire smoke has made breathing difficult.
Smoke has filled valleys on the eastern slopes of the Washington Cascades and air pollution monitors in several towns indicate the air is hazardous to breath, KUOW-FM, Seattle, reported.
The Kittitas County Public Health Department has been sent 10,000 masks, with another 12,000 going to adjacent Chelan and Douglas counties.
The masks offer "limited" help from the fouled air, health officials said, cautioning residents to stay indoors as much as possible.
"Smoke from wildfires has ranged into the 'unhealthy' and 'hazardous' categories in several areas, according to local health officials," the Washington State Department of Health said in a statement.
The department had stockpiled the masks for use during the H1N1 swine flu outbreak.
Other counties hit hard by smoke include Whitman, Okanogan and Yakima, the department said.
The agency cautioned that infants and young children, pregnant women, adults over 65, and people with existing heart and lung conditions are particularly vulnerable to wildfire smoke.
5.1 quake hits southern Mexico
SAN PEDRO AMUZGOS, Mexico, Sept. 22 (UPI) -- A magnitude 5.1 earthquake jolted southern Mexico early Saturday after a smaller temblor was recorded in northern California, U.S. seismologists reported.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the Mexican quake struck shortly after dawn in the Oaxaca region of Mexico, about 7 miles southeast of San Pedro Amuzgos.
There were no immediate reports of damage or injury.
Southern Mexico and Central America have been experiencing a number of quakes in recent days. Most have been relatively minor but at least three have reached magnitude 5.4.
Northern California has also been seismically busy. The Santa Rosa area experienced a 3.3 magnitude quake around 1:23 a.m. PDT Saturday.
The Los Angeles Times said it was the second quake topping 3.0 centered in the area in the last 10 days.
