National News Round-up Nov. 25 – Dec. 11

This is not original reporting. All information has been compiled from CNN.com, and The Washington Post. Silver Chips Online posts this news summary to provide readers with a forum for discussion.

New York City

Dec. 6 - Walmart and the Department of Homeland Security teamed up to create the program "If You See Something, Say Something," which is designed to promote safety in participating communities. 588 stores in 17 states are participating in the national campaign. Initially used by New York City's Metropolitan Transportation Authority, Walmart and the Department of Homeland Security have collaborated on creating a campaign that they hope will encourage shoppers to report crime or incidents of terrorism that they witness.

Washington, D.C.
Dec. 9 - The repeal of the "Don't Ask Don't Tell” policy failed to obtain the 60 votes necessary for it to pass in the Senate. With only 57 votes the repeal of the Don't Ask Don't Tell” policy did not receive the 60 votes necessary for it to pass. President Obama expressed his disappointment that the repeal could not be passed. Despite her original support for the repeal, Alaskan Senator Lisa Murkowski (R) voted against it, along with a majority of Senate republicans.

Chicago, Illinois
Nov. 29 - After investigation into the death of Stuart Haverty, who fell from the upper deck at a Chicago Bears game, the tragedy was ruled an accident by the police. Autopsy reports proved that Haverty suffered injuries from his fall that caused his death. Haverty was pronounced dead at Northwestern Memorial Hospital, 27 minutes after his fall. After the death of a two year old boy who fell during a NBA game at the Staples Center a week earlier, Haverty's death marks the second fatal accident during a professional sporting event in just a one week time span.

Washington, D.C.

Dec. 7 - A panel of California federal appeals court judges the debated whether Proposition 8 will stand. During the ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals hearing, Proposition 8, a measure that defined marriage as solely the union between a man and a woman, was the main topic of discussion. Although the measure was approved by 52 percent of voters, opponents of Proposition 8 stated that they want the court to abide to federal district judge's decision made in August that claimed the proposition as a violation of the equal protection clause of the U.S. Constitution.