Karma: Pardoned rioter is shot and killed

When you do something bad and you don't learn from it,  then threaten to harm others, Karma will catch up to you, as is the case with today's blog. Two other rioters who were pardoned were also recently arrested. Both, now felons, cannot own firearms, yet they had them. As a certain Senator from Maine erroneously once said, "I hope he's learned his lesson." She was so wrong, and apparently, this guy didn't either, sadly.

Indiana man pardoned by Trump for Jan. 6 riot is shot and killed by deputy during arrest

Emily Sanderson, Digital Media Manager, WLWT-TV Jan 28, 2025 

RENSSELAER, Ind. — An Indiana man who was recently pardoned by President Donald Trump for his participation in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot was fatally shot by a deputy during a traffic stop.

The man, identified as 42-year-old Matthew Huttle, was pulled over by Jasper County Sheriff's deputies.

Huttle allegedly resisted arrest and was found to have a firearm on him.

"An altercation took place between the suspect and the officer, which resulted in the officer firing his weapon and fatally wounding the suspect," the release said.

Our condolences go out to the family of the deceased as any loss of life is traumatic to those that were close to Mr. Huttle. I will release the officer's name once I have approval from the State Police Detectives."

The Indiana State Police, at the request of the Jasper County Sheriff's Department, is investigating the shooting.

The deputy has been placed on paid administrative leave in accordance with department policy.

New Podcast- Part 1 of 2: the Grave Talks "Haunting of Emery Estate!"

LISTEN! New Podcast- Part 1 of 2: the Grave Talks Haunting of Emery Estate!

Carol, the host of the Grave Talks podcast welcomed back Rob and Monique to talk about their first collaborative True Paranormal Book! This is PART 1 of a 2 Part podcast (which comes out in tomorrow's blog)

LINK TO PODCAST: https://audioboom.com/posts/8639873-the-haunting-of-emery-estate-part-one-guests-rob-gutro-and-monique-toosoon

In their new book, “Haunting of Emery Estate,” Rob Gutro and Monique Toosoon recount their paranormal investigation at the notorious Emery Estate. What began as a routine ghost hunt soon spiraled into an unsettling experience when they encountered not one but three spirits – a young boy whose presence was both haunting and heartbreaking. The second spirit seemed mysteriously bound to an object, its energy tied to something from the past. But it’s the third entity that truly raised the stakes—a dark, troubling presence that seemed to leave an air of fear and unease in its wake.

Heroes of the Week: Teens honored for heroic rescue during house fire

Three quick thinking teens rescued the residents of a burning home in Maine earlier this year. Recently they were honored with an award. Here's the story. 

(Photo: Colby, Kaleb and Robert)
Teens honored for heroic rescue during Atkinson house fire

16-year-old Colby Simmons, 15-year-old Kaleb Weymouth and 17-year-old Robert Weymouth, were presented with Community Heroism Awards for their life-saving actions on Jan. 1.

 WMTW : 11:41 PM EST Jan 25, 2025

DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine — Three teenagers were honored Friday at Foxcroft Academy for their bravery in rescuing two people from a house fire in Atkinson earlier this month.

Sixteen-year-old Colby Simmons, 15-year-old Kaleb Weymouth and 17-year-old Robert Weymouth, were presented with Community Heroism Awards for their lifesaving actions on Jan. 1.

The trio spotted flames at a home on North Stagecoach Road and acted quickly. After knocking on the doors and receiving no response, they entered an unaffected portion of the house, woke the occupants, and helped them escape to safety. They also called 911, notifying authorities of the fire.

Officials say the situation could have ended tragically if not for the teens’ swift intervention.

“Had they not been in the right place at the right time, this could have been a much more tragic fire event,” said State Fire Marshal Shawn Esler.

(Photo: Robert and Kaleb Weymouth, 16 and 14, respectively, and Colby Simmons, 16, sprang into action to rescue a couple from a devastating fire just hours into the new year.(Source: AJ Willis, WABI via CNN))

The plaques, inscribed with gratitude from the Dover-Foxcroft Fire Department and the State Fire Marshal’s Office, recognized the teens for their selflessness. State Rep. Chad Perkins also presented challenge coins and commendation letters from the Maine Legislature.

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/niilzDpzrJU?si=A-Y8YemSWvAf2WL- 

While officials praised the young men’s courage, they cautioned against entering burning buildings, noting the inherent dangers of fire, which claims many lives each year. The State Fire Marshal’s Office occasionally grants Community Heroism Awards in rare cases where such actions are deemed extraordinary.

The Jan. 1 fire remains under investigation. No injuries were reported.

New 30 min. Video Interview- Beyond the Veil talks Ghosts of Bird Cage Theatre!

Here's my latest NEW Video interview (Part 1 (30 Mins.) - I recently had the opportunity to speak with Daniel Jackson of Beyond the Veil. It was a great conversation- as we both loved the Bird Cage Theatre, and talked about it's hauntings... and we touched on past life experiences, ghosts, spirit pets, and more.

WATCH:  https://newrealitytv.com/episode/beyond-the-veil-ep-6-medium-author-part-1-rob-gutro/

DC Showcase Presents: Secrets of Sinister House - 1970s Horror comic Collection

Back in the 1970s when I was a kid and was reading comics, I was only interested in superheroes. But after I turned 13 and had my first paranormal experience, ghosts began to interest me. Although I didn't read the paranormal-tinged comics then, I've enjoyed them as an adult in collections like DC Showcase Presents: Secrets of Sinister House.

In the mid-late 2000s, DC Comics published 500-page volumes of classic comic books in black and white under the "DC Showcase presents" title, giving new fans a chance to read classics. It was a great idea, and sadly, now they are out of print. Fortunately, I was able to get a copy of "Secrets of Sinister House, a 1970s Horror comic collection of comic book issues #1-18 that only ran from 1972 to 1974.

The series was originally titled "Sinister House of Secret Love" and was a Gothic grotesquery. By issue number five it changed titles to "Secrets of Sinister House" and became more of a horror comic without the gothic romance (and a much better comic!).

It's a great collection, and after issue #5 once the title changed, the stories are short and imaginative! Well worth a read.

Surgeon General calls for cancer risk warning on beverages with alcohol

 This is surprising news... but science has apparently now found a link between alcohol consumption and different types of cancer. Here's the story.

Surgeon General calls for cancer risk warning on beverages with alcohol

CBS NEWS, January 5, 2025

The U.S. surgeon general has issued an advisory calling for a warning about the risk of cancer to be included on alcoholic beverages.

"Given the conclusive evidence on the cancer risk from alcohol consumption and the Office of the Surgeon General's responsibility to inform the American public of the best available scientific evidence, the Surgeon General recommends an update to the Surgeon General's warning label for alcohol-containing beverages to include a cancer risk warning," Dr. Vivek Murthy said in the advisory Friday.

The advisory notes that alcohol is the third leading preventable cause of cancer in the country, after tobacco and obesity.

"Alcohol is a well-established, preventable cause of cancer responsible for about 100,000 cases of cancer and 20,000 cancer deaths annually in the United States — greater than the 13,500 alcohol-associated traffic crash fatalities per year in the U.S. — yet the majority of Americans are unaware of this risk," Murthy said in a news release.

Research shows more than 740,000 cancer cases globally could be attributed to alcohol use in 2020. The American public, however, is largely unaware of the risk, despite a link between alcohol use and cancer coming to light in the 1980s and becoming clearer over time, the advisory says.

Warning labels are currently required on alcoholic beverages to state that women who are pregnant should not drink alcohol due to the risk of birth defects. They must also state that "consumption of alcoholic beverages impairs your ability to drive a car or operate machinery, and may cause health problems."

The warning label hasn't been updated since 1988, Murthy says, noting that Congress has the ability to change the label. Murthy also calls for reassessing recommended limits for alcohol consumption and boosting education efforts regarding alcohol and cancer, in addition to other measures.

According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, a standard alcoholic drink contains 14 grams (or 0.6 ounces) of pure alcohol. Generally, this amount is found in 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine and 1.5 ounces, or a "shot," of 80-proof distilled spirits or liquor.

A recent report from the American Association for Cancer Research found excessive levels of alcohol consumption increase the risk for six different types of cancer, including:

• Breast cancer 
• Colorectal cancer 
• Liver cancer 
• Stomach cancer 
• Certain types of head and neck cancer 
• Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

"Some of this is happening through chronic inflammation. We also know that alcohol changes the microbiome, so those are the bacteria that live in your gut, and that can also increase the risk," Dr. Céline Gounder, CBS News medical contributor and editor-at-large for public health at KFF Health News, said on "CBS Mornings" in September.

Other studies have shown that there is no "safe amount" of alcohol, Gounder said, particularly if you have underlying medical conditions.

Sara Moniuszko contributed to this report.

Why Calling Your Legislators Make a HUGE Difference (vs. On-line signatures)

 Here's a special blog for anyone who wants to try and make a difference. I made calls this morning and will do so every day. It takes 5 minutes. -  ***Legislators receive "Call reports" Daily, which has a LOT more influence on them than on-line petitions.  Learn more here!! 

This morning here in Maine, a group that started back in 2016 called "Pantsuit nation" for Hillary Clinton, re-posted the following instructions from the ACLU on how to make a difference: CALL YOUR LEGISLATORS. *I was shocked to see that republicans call 4 times more than democrats* - and On-line petitions are a Waste of time, because Political offices make daily reports of CALLS RECEIVED. Here are the instructions.  **You can find your legisators' phone numbers on-line and today's blog provides ALL you need. Keep Conversations or Phone Messages SHORT and to the point. 

HOW TO FIND YOUR LEGISLATORS

FIND YOUR REPRESENTATIVE (input ZIP Code): https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative

 FIND YOUR CONGRESS MEMBER (Input ZIP Code): https://www.congress.gov/members/find-your-member

From the ACLU FB page: 

 FOR THOSE OF YOU LOOKING TO TURN YOUR ANGER INTO ACTION, here's some advice from a high-level staffer for a Senator.  

   You should NOT be bothering with online petitions or emailing. 

1)  IN-PERSON -  The best thingis face-to-face time OR Calls. — Attend any Townhalls, Go to their local offices.   Go to the "mobile offices" that their staff hold periodically (all these times are located on each congressperson's website). When you go, ask questions. A lot of them. And push for answers. 

  in-person events don't happen every day. So, the most important thing to do DAILY \ is calling. 

2) MAKE 6 CALLS A DAY: 2 each (DC office and your local office) to your 2 Senators & your 1 Representative. The staffer was very clear that any sort of online contact often gets ignored, and letters often Trashed. Calls are what all the congresspeople pay attention to. 

      * Every single day, the Senior Staff and the Senator get a report of the 3 most-called-about topics for that day at each of their offices (in DC and local offices), and exactly how many people said what about each of those topics. 

  * They're also sorted by zip code and area code. 

   * Republican callers generally outnumber Democrat callers 4-1, and when it's a particular issue that single-issue-voters pay attention to (like gun control, or planned parenthood funding, etc...), it's often closer to 11-1, and that's recently pushed Republican congressmen on the fence to vote with the Republicans. 

  *WHEN YOU CALL -  

 A) When calling the DC office, ask for the Staff member in charge of whatever you're calling about ("Hi, I'd like to speak with the staffer in charge of Healthcare, please") — local offices won't always have specific ones. If you get transferred to that person, awesome. If you don't, that's ok — ask for that person's name, and then just keep talking to whoever answered the phone. 

B) Give them your zip code. They won't always ask for it, but make sure you give it to them, so they can mark it down. Extra points if you live in a zip code that traditionally votes for them, since they'll want to make sure they get/keep your vote. 

 C) If you can,  make it personal "I voted for you in the last election and I'm worried/happy/whatever" or "I'm a teacher, and I am appalled by Betsy DeVos," or "as a single mother" or "as a white, middle class woman," or whatever. 

 D) Pick 1-2 specific things per day to focus on. Don't rattle off everything you're concerned about — they're figuring out what 1-2 topics to mark you down for on their lists. 

 E) Be clear on what you want — "I'm disappointed that the Senator..." or "I want to thank the Senator for their vote on... " or "I want the Senator to know that voting in ___ way is the wrong decision for our state because...  

 F) They may get to know your voice/get sick of you — it doesn't matter. 

The people answering the phones generally turn over every 6 weeks anyway 

BEST WAY TO PUT IN YOUR PHONE- 

     Put the 6 numbers in your phone (all under P – Politician.) An example is McCaskill MO, Politician McCaskill DC, Politician Blunt MO, etc., which makes it really easy to click down the list each day.

It's TAX SEASON! Taxpayers in 24 states will be able to file their returns directly with the IRS in 2025

I posted this in November 2024, but posting again because it's now 2025 Tax season.  Here's some good news that may save you money during tax season!  Thanks to the Biden Administration, taxpayers in 25 states will be able to file their 2025 tax returns directly with the IRS  at NO Cost. UPDATE: Jan 27, 2025: Scott Bessent, the hedge fund executive picked by President-elect Donald Trump to serve as Treasury Secretary, committed to keeping the IRS Direct File open for the coming tax season but did not elaborate on its long-term future, noting that he’ll want to “study the program” if confirmed.

  Today's blog explains which states are participating and provides a link to the program on-line. 

 Taxpayers in 25 states will be able to file their returns directly with the IRS in 2025

By FATIMA HUSSEIN, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The IRS is expanding its program that allows people to file their taxes directly with the agency for free.

The federal tax collector’s Direct File program, which allows taxpayers to calculate and submit their returns to the government directly without using commercial tax preparation software, will be open to more than 30 million people in 25 states in the 2025 filing season.

The program was rolled out as a pilot during the 2024 tax season in 12 states. Access it at: https://directfile.irs.gov/ 

The pilot program in 2024 allowed people in certain states with very simple W-2s to calculate and submit their returns directly to the IRS. Those using the program claimed more than $90 million in refunds, the IRS said.

 In Filing Season 2025, Direct File will be available in Alaska, Arizona, California, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

In addition, new eligibility standards will allow participation by taxpayers with 1099 income and credits including the Child and Dependent Care Credit, Retirement Savings Contributions Credit, and the deduction for Health Savings Accounts, among others.

“Other countries have been providing their citizens with the ability to do this type of thing for years,” Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said on the call with reporters. Several nations in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, including Germany and Japan, have similar systems with prepopulated tax forms.

The direct file idea is not viewed favorably by the commercial tax prep software firms that have made billions of dollars from charging people to use their software.

Additionally, an IRS inspector general report released this week notes that the IRS has not maintained sufficient safeguards over data protection related to the IRS Free File Alliance. The alliance is a longstanding agreement between the IRS and some commercial tax preparation companies to provide free tax prep services to low and middle-income taxpayers.

The Free File Alliance is separate from the Direct File program.

The IRS was tasked with looking into how to create a “direct file” system as part of the money it received from the Inflation Reduction Act signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2022. It gave the IRS nine months and $15 million to report on how such a program would work.

Here's the LINK: https://www.irs.gov/filing/irs-direct-file

What's Important in Life? Same thing Spirits of loved ones say (4 min. clip)

Spirits of our loved ones are always sharing messages of love, and trying to get us to focus on what's important in life. This 4 minute clip from one of my favorite television shows sums up that message in a very moving way. Watch it.

In December 2023, the last episode of the television show "Superman and Lois" (about how they are married with 2 teenage sons) hits the nail on the head. Whether you're a fan or not, it doesn't matter. The message here is powerful. And it's EXACTLY the message spirits try to convey to the living.

This is a must-see 4 min. clip for EVERYONE.

At the end of Superman and Lois, when Clark ages and passes, he walks through what is important in life, and it will move you deeply. The lesson is so powerful. You will never forget it. I won't.

WATCH Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUhSOeASK2k

Indoor Play Days: Dog Puzzles!

 Here in southern Maine, during the third week in January, an Arctic outbreak brought high daytime temperatures in the teens with daytime windchills in the single numbers, and actual night-time temperatures near zero!!! Although the dogs have coats with hoods, they need physical activity in place of walking... so we have games, and I do indoor agility with the dogs. That's today's blog.

GAME 1 -  Nina Ottosson by Outward Hound Dog Hide N Slide Dog Toy, Purple - this has cylindrical pieces that slide, and plastic leaf shaped tabs that also slide and cover a treat. In the first picture, Cody, far back, is playing with this toy. It's available on Chewy for about $15.00.  

• Level 2 intermediate dog puzzle is paw-fect for pets with little to no puzzle experience. 
• 
  Your dog will slide blocks and swivel flippers to find hidden treats–holds a quarter cup of dog food.

GAME 2 - YELLOW FLIPPERS - This game is round, and has 8 circular storage containers. (Photo: above and right)  It has 4 big yellow hand flippers that dogs can spin around to access all 8 treat holders. Dogs use their nose to flip open the "flippers" to get the treat. Tyler and Cody love this puzzle. Photo is Tyler sniffing out a treat by nudging the yellow flipper with his nose.

VOLCANO PUZZLE  -  This plastic toy has four "legs" and looks like a volcano with an opening where you can drop treats in the center, and the treats roll down into the ends of the legs. At the end of the "legs" dogs use their noses to lift the plastic door to get to the treat. Dash (above)  loves this toy!!  Cody  (right) also likes to play with it. 

Idiot of the Week: Laconia Man Accused Of Wrong-Way Driving On I-93

This week's idiot is another wrong way driver on an Interstate in New Hampshire. What the heck is wrong with all these people? Every week in New Hampshire, there's a wrong way driver!!!

 

Laconia, nh Man Accused Of Wrong-Way Driving On I-93 

 Tony Schinella, Patch Staff , Thu, Jan 23, 2025 at 1:18 pm ET|

CONCORD, NH — A man from the Lakes Region was charged with reckless conduct after a wrong-way driving incident on Interstate 93 in Salem on Jan. 14, according to the New Hampshire State Police.

According to Tyler Dumont, the public information officer for state police, Dexter Cilley, 63, of Laconia, was arrested by a state trooper around 4 p.m. after being accused of wrong-way driving.

“The preliminary investigation determined that Cilley drove a Honda Accord the wrong way up the Exit 2 northbound offramp,” he said. “Cilley then drove southbound in northbound lanes until (a) trooper located him. At that point, Cilley attempted to make a U-turn to reverse direction. Cilley then stopped and was taken into custody.”

No crashes or injuries were reported during the incident.

Cilley will be arraigned in Salem District Court at a later date.

Hero of the Week: New England Man Risks His Life to Save Drowning Puppy in Nothing but a T-Shirt

Falling through ice during the winter time is often fatal unless someone happens to be there to pull you out. This week's hero is a man who saw a dog whom he didn't know, struggling in a mostly frozen river in Vermont and immediately went into the river to save the dog!

 

New England Man Risks His Life to Save Drowning Puppy in Nothing but a T-Shirt

Published: January 21, 2025 ABC News via Instagram, Canva

From now on, when people ask what a hero is to me, I will show this video.

A pet owner's worst nightmare came true last week when a dog was found drifting down a frozen river in Vermont.

This is scary on so many levels.

First off, the dog was NOT near his or her house. It was floating down a river, trying to escape on the snow and ice-covered sides.

Unfortunately, as you will see in the video below, the freezing cold water was moving so fast that it was hard for the pup to get ahold of the edge.

Further, the colder it is, the harder it is for humans, and animals, to use their body, muscles, and joints correctly.

Essentially, this dog was drowning in a swiftly moving, freezing-cold river, with no owners in sight, and no strength to help themselves...

But out of nowhere comes T-Shirt MAN (I gave him the superhero nickname).

VIDEO: ********* 

(Caption: Vermont man rescues a dog from a freezing river, The dramatic rescue Friday by Chris MacRitchie was caught on video by his son, who had first spotted a dog struggling to escape an icy river as they were going through the drive-thru of a local Dunkin’ Donuts. Associated Press)

Stuck on the ice on the river's side, the T-Shirt Man had no choice but to just go get the pup. And thank god he did - the water was moving so fast that if the dog drifted past this civilian, he may not have lived.

If you watch the video you can see just how cold and weak the dog really was. Unable to pull himself up the side, unable to doggy paddle, and then after being rescued, he was still unable to walk...

If it were not for T-Shirt Man, this poor puppy would not be here today.