SAN NARCISO, Calif. (Bennington Vale Evening Transcript) -- Racially charged incidents over the past few years, seemingly on the rise, illustrate clearly that nothing is scarier to Americans than black people shopping, walking, talking or even thinking. The dark aftermaths of events in Ferguson, Mo., and Sanford, Fla., where unarmed teens Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin fell to hails of bullets fired by the fearful, continue to haunt our national conscience. The legal showdown now raging in a San Diego, Calif., court, involving rapper Tiny Doo (Brandon Duncan), marks a new iteration in this ongoing dilemma: how can worried Americans suppress the threat posed by people of color who insist on co-existing with the rest of the population? Although Duncan is not tied to the nine shootings at the heart of the trial, he could face life in prison for lyrics he penned about them. Seizing on this potential legal precedent, Congressional Republicans say they are preparing to launch similar charges against President Barack Obama, another terrifying and influential black man who keeps saying uncomfortable things.

SAN NARCISO, Calif. (Bennington Vale Evening Transcript) -- Towns all across America lit up with fireworks displays Friday to pay homage to the nation's birth on July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. But whenever pyrotechnics are involved, accidents are never far behind. Injuries and property damage from poorly staged events regularly make the news each year. That's why the strangest Fourth of July story involves a group of foreign tourists who accidentally ended up in the middle of a gang war in Los Angeles, but found the standoff stimulating, historically educational and absent any injuries or chaos.

SAN NARCISO, Calif. (Bennington Vale Evening Transcript) -- Towns all across the United States lit up with fireworks displays Thursday to pay homage to the nation's birth on July 4, 1776, when the Declaration of Independence was signed. But whenever pyrotechnics are involved, accidents are never far behind. Injuries and property damage from poorly staged events regularly make the news each year. That's why the strangest Fourth of July story involves a group of foreign tourists who accidentally ended up in the middle of a gang war in Los Angeles, but found the standoff stimulating, historically educational and absent any injuries or chaos.

SAN NARCISO, Calif. (Bennington Vale Evening Transcript) -- A turf war between rival motorcycle gangs that erupted outside an area Starbucks has left several men dead, authorities say. Last year in Northern California, a similar territorial dispute broke out between the Hells Angels and Vagos motorcycle clubs, stirring fears of more bloodshed as key members from each gang went missing in three different states. That incident was ranked by state law enforcement as the most severe clash of biker groups in nearly a decade. Thursday’s brawl, however, surpassed the Hells Angels-Vagos fracas in terms of body count, even though San Narciso Police dismissed theories that the feuds were related. Said SNPD spokesperson Ren Williams, “Apart from taking place outside a Starbucks -- which is virtually impossible to avoid in any city nowadays -- there’s no correlation between the two events. Also, the role of Starbucks in the 2010 massacre was coincidental. Here, it was the catalyst.”

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. -- Below average temperatures and powerful winter storms brought a rare snowfall to the City by the Bay this weekend. High elevations in San Francisco saw dustings of snow late Friday, marking the first time flakes have fallen since 1976, when Harvey Milk’s Gay Day Parade and Elvis Presley’s appearance at the Cow Palace brought masses of unwashed, dandruff-ridden hippies to the area.

However, police are warning gleeful residents to exercise caution before taking to the icy streets in celebration. Misprints and humorous headlines in several local papers, although well intentioned, have unwittingly attracted gangs to the city.

One paper ran the headline “City Powders its Nose after Finding Surprise Shipment of Fresh Snow.” A second paper announced that the city’s mayor was “seen openly pushing snow.” And another referred to the powder on the ground as “Jack Frost’s Nose Candy.” The humor was lost on several gangs from nearby Oakland, who infiltrated metropolitan areas of the city Saturday to appraise the “street value” of the snow, according to police intelligence.

Residents should avoid suspicious looking individuals or groups of people in gang attire who are either snorting snow directly off the ground or packaging it in baggies to sell.

SAN NARCISO, Calif. -- Plagued by a series of crippling budget cuts and fiscal shortfalls, San Narciso police have been forced to abandon pricey forensic equipment and Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) tools for resources that are more cost efficient. The decision comes at a bad time, with police detectives desperately trying to locate the North Viaduct killer. With limited options at their disposal, officers have resorted to passing out flyers.