BY TODD RICHMOND THE ASSOCIATED PRESS MADISON, Wis. An online weapons dealer who sold the handgun used in the Virginia Tech massacre and provided equipment in two other mass shootings has quietly closed up shop amid a flurry of complaints from customers who allege he failed to deliver orders after billing them. Police say Eric Thompson last month abruptly closed his Green Bay, business, TGSCOM as they probed scores of complaints from cus- tomers in nearly every state. connections to three mass shootings have drawn national attention in recent years. Seung-Hui Cho used a handgun purchased through TGSCOM when he killed 32 people at Virginia Tech in April 2007.
Stephen Kazmierck, who killed five people in a Northern Illinois University classroom in 2008, bought two empty magazines and a holster through a company site. George Sodini, who killed three women when he opened fire at a Pittsburgh-area health club in 2009, bought an empty magazine and a magazine loading apparatus from the company. Thompson, who has claimed his company generates millions of dollars, has maintained not responsible for how people use guns, but he still has had run-ins with federal regulators and now he has dozens of people across the country angry with him. gives everybody who does business online a bad said Dennis Johnson, a 60-year-old Web designer in Omaha, Ark. He filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau this month and has started disparaging TGSCOM on his blog after the company billed him almost $70 for two empty magazine cartridges that never arrived.
site) looked Johnson said. guy talked about integrity and all this crap pretty rude of him. And meanwhile, where is all the money going? Is he spending Thompson told the Green Bay Press-Gazette newspaper that he was doing his best to solve his problems and locate investors who could help him reopen. He said he doubted he would face criminal charges. BY DAVID B.
CARUSO THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW YORK Call it compassionate, even political. But scientific? Several experts say no hard evidence to support the federal declaration this month that 50 kinds of cancer could be caused by exposure to World Trade Center dust. The decision could help hundreds of people get payouts from a multibillion-dollar World Trade Center health fund to repay those ailing after they breathed in toxic dust created by the collapsing twin towers on Sept. 11, 2001. But scientists say there is little research to prove that exposure to the toxic dust plume caused even one kind of cancer.
And many acknowledge the payouts to cancer patients could take money away from those suffering from illnesses more definitively linked to Sept. 11, like asthma and some types of lung disease. imagine that there is strong evidence about any cancer resulting from is naive in the said Donald Berry, a biostatistics professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston. Yet this month, Dr. John Howard, who heads the federal agency that researches workplace illnesses, added scores of common and rare cancers to a list that had previously included just 12 ailments caused by dust exposure.
Lung, skin, breast and thyroid cancer were among those added; of the most common types of cancer, only prostate cancer was excluded. recognize how personal the issue of cancer and all of the health conditions related to the World Trade Center tragedy are to responders, survivors and their loved Howard said in a June 8 statement. He declined requests for an interview with The Associated Press. His decision, based on an advisory recommendation, will go through a public comment period and additional review before final. Several factors about the decision by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health raised eyebrows in the scientific community: Only a few of the 17 people on the advisory panel are experts at tracking cancer and weighing causal risks; they were outnumbered by occupational physicians and advocates for Sept.
11 rescue and cleanup workers. Exposure to a cancer- causing agent necessarily mean someone will develop cancer. And if they do, conventional medical wisdom says it generally takes decades. But the panel agreed to cover those diagnosed with cancer within just a few years of the disaster. The panel members favored adding cancers if there was any argument to include them.
They added thyroid cancer because a study found a higher-than-expected number of cases in firefighters who responded to even though thyroid cancer is generally linked to genetics or high doses of radiation. The same study found a lower-than-expected number of lung cancers, but it was added because it was considered a plausible consequence of inhaling toxins at the site. Even lawyers for the first responders were stunned: They had expected to see only cer- tain blood and respiratory cancers put on the list. understand the urge to want to compensate and reward the heroes and victims of that said Dr. Alfred Neugut, a Columbia University oncologist and epidemiologist.
But using medical compensation as the means to that, then we should be scientifically rigorous about When the twin towers collapsed, much of lower Manhattan was enveloped in a dense cloud of pulverized glass and cement that left people in the area gasping for air. Fires smoldered in the rubble pile for weeks. Many workers labored in the ash wearing only flimsy paper masks, and went home coughing up black phlegm. Years later, some were still experiencing mild respiratory problems. After Sept.
11, the government established the Victim Compensation Fund, which paid out about $7 billion for the nearly 3,000 deaths from the attacks and for injuries, including some rescuers with lung problems. THURSDAY, JUNE 21, 2012 BITUARIES One year ago today, you left us to be with our Lord Jesus Christ. We miss having you here by our side to make us laugh, cry, even to play jokes on us. We want to let you know that you are never and will never be forgotten. We miss you mom.
Know that you are always in our hearts. Love, Beto, Gori, Jose, Irma, Poncho, Letty, and Choche In Loving Memory of TERESA F. BUITUREIDA February 8, 1935 June 21,2012 EENNRRIIQQUUEE CCAASSAARREESS Enrique R. Casares, 86, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by his family on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, in Brownsville, Texas. Mr.
Casares was born on April 26, 1926, in Pharr. At the age of 16, eager to serve his country, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force. He served proudly for 28 years, serving through World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam. After retiring from the U.S.
Air Force, he returned to the Valley and was employed at the Cameron County Department. He was a hard-working man, dedicated to his family, church and country. He is loved by his family and friends and will be missed dearly. Enrique was preceded in death by his brothers, Rufino Casares and Roberto Casares; and sisters, Consuelo Pinkerton and Andrea Sanchez. He is survived by his wife, Elvia G.
Casares; six children, Sonia J. Corbeil (Jean-Baptiste), Abel G. Saenz (Gabriela), Diana Casares, Karen, Michael and Ricky Casares; four grandchildren, Michelle Corbeil, Jean Baptiste Corbeil, Jonathan Saenz and Jacob Saenz. Visitation will be from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
with a rosary at 7 p.m. today, Thursday, June 21, at Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista. A chapel service will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, June 22, at Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista with a committal service to follow at Buena Vista Burial Park. Serving as pallbearers will be Jean- Baptiste Corbeil, Abel Saenz, Luis Ibarra, Abel Salda Efrain Aaron Bazaldua and Leonel De La Cruz III.
Honorary pallbearers will be Rene Corbeil, Billy Pinkerton and J.B. Corbeil. You may view the obituary, sign the guestbook and send condolences online to Enrique R. family at www.funerariadelangel- buenavista.com. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Funeraria Del Angel Buena Vista, cemeteries, mausoleums, and crematory.
125 McDavitt Brownsville, TX 78521; phone (956) 541-5400. Dignity Memorial Provider. RRUUBBEENN LLOOPPEEZZ Ruben S. Lopez, 55, beloved father, brother and son, passed and entered into Kingdom on Monday, June 18, 2012, at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville, Texas. He was a native and lifelong resident of Brownsville.
He was an avid fisherman, sportsman and a very talented carpenter. He was preceded in death by his parents, Benito V. and Manuela Lopez; a brother, David Lopez; and a sister, Gloria L. Hickox. Mr.
Lopez is survived by his wife, Juana Tovar; two daughters, Rubie L. (Jesus) Martinez and Patty R. Lopez (Guillermo Garcia); a son, Ruben (Silvia) Lopez and their mother, Ofelia A. Lopez; three sisters, Benilda L. Cervantes, Maria Anita (Adolfo) Hernandez and Delia L.
Chavez; five brothers, Benito (Maria Luisa) Lopez Jr. and Silvano (Angie) Lopez of Winnsboro, Texas, Jorge Lopez, Joseph (Crissela) Lopez of Brownsville, and Ramon Lopez of Hartley, Delaware; seven grandchildren; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews. Visitation will be today, Thursday, June 21, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., with the recitation of the holy rosary to begin at 7 p.m., at Garza Memorial Funeral Home. Mass of Christian burial will be Friday, June 22, at 10 a.m., at Christ the King Catholic Church.
Committal will follow at Rose Lawn Memorial Gardens. Pallbearers will be Jesus Martinez, Guillermo Garcia, Ruben Lopez Pete Cervantes Joseph Lopez and Silvano Lopez. Honary pallbearers will be Benito Lopez Jorge Lopez, Ramon Lopez, Juan Enriquez, Antonio Chavez and Alejandro Chavez. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Garza Memorial Funeral Home, 1025 E. Jackson Brownsville, TX 78520; phone (956) 5425511.
AAPPOOLLIINNAARR PPEERREEZZ DDEE LLAA RROOSSAA 69, of Brownsville, passed away Tuesday, June 19, 2012, at Valley Regional Medical Center in Brownsville. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home, (956) 233-6333. MMAAGGDDAALLEENNAA RROODDRRIIGGUUEEZZ Magdalena Rodriguez, 84, of Corpus Christi, Texas, passed away on Monday, June 18, 2012. She was born on Oct. 1, 1927, to Tomas and Josefa Salinas.
She married the love of her life on Nov. 6, 1944, Rodolfo Rodriguez, and devoted her life to him and her children. Maggie retired from F.W. Woolworth after 30 years of dedicated service. She was also the owner of the Space Burger.
She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Rodolfo Rodriguez; daughter, Margarita Rodriguez; and granddaughter, Melinda Ann Rodriguez. Maggie leaves her memories to be cherished by her children, Rodolfo Rodriguez Jr. (Norma), Victor S. Rodriguez, Patricia Cruz (Edward) and Priscilla Rodriguez; former daughter-in-law, Hilda Ruppal; grandchildren, Gabe, Ben, Maricela, Monica, Martin, Matthew, Heavenlee and Destinee; and great-grandchildren, Dora, Mandy, Quinn and Olivia. Also surviving are her siblings, Matilde Mercado, Celia Arzola and Gilberto Salinas; and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.
Public visitation will be from 3 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, June 21, at Funeraria Del Angel- Memorial Holly in Corpus Christi with a worship service to be held at 7 p.m. that evening. Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, June 22, at Kelsey United Methodist Church.
Interment will follow at Rose Hill Memorial Park. Please visit www.funer- ariadelangelmholly.com to offer condolences and sign guest book. BBAABBYY HHIILLAARRIIOO AAVVIILLAA IIIIII of San Benito, passed away on Tuesday, June 19, 2012, at Valley Baptist Medical Center in Harlingen. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Thomae-Garza Funeral Directors, (956) 399-1331. RROOSSAA of Brownsville, passed away Tuesday, June 19, 2012.
Funeral services will be today, June 21, at 10 a.m. at St. Catholic Church in Los Fresnos. Interment will follow at Los Cuates Cemetery in Los Fresnos. Funeral services were entrusted to Sunset Funeral Home, (956) 233-6333.
ATION Experts say science lacking on cancer dust exposure TED S. WARREN ASSOCIATED PRESS In this September 2001 workers examine the site of the World Trade Center terrorist attacks in New York. Company that sold to Virginia Tech gunman closes.
