Free Republic

The Police's journey toward fame began on April 7, 1978, with the release of their first major-label single, "Roxanne." That's not to say the song was an overnight hit – far from it. It took a long time for the track to eventually find its place among the most recognizable rock songs of all time. The inspiration for "Roxanne" can be traced back to October 1977. The Police were in Paris for a performance, tirelessly trying to make a name for themselves. "We were supposed to do this X little gig with the Damned," guitarist Andy Summers recalled to Classic...

San Francisco is considering a formal “red light district” as it attempts to cut down on illegal street prostitution while also allowing sex workers to continue their trade. The Los Angeles Times reported Thursday: As San Francisco prepares to block vehicle traffic from a stretch of the Mission District this month in an attempt to stifle street prostitution, the idea of creating a designated district for sex work is gaining traction among some advocates and officials. A red-light district might not be a far-fetched concept in the Mission, where many residents say sex workers have been present for decades. Though...

...As a practicing Catholic, I began my career in local TV newsrooms where I quickly learned...religious beliefs are something you keep to yourself. ...I never thought that wearing a cross necklace would be considered “flashy.” The first time I wore one to work, I was told to take it off because it would be distracting to the audience. I wanted to keep my TV job so much; I did it. It didn’t seem to matter to management that I wasn’t covering religion. While putting the cross -- given to me by my parents -- in my purse, I told myself...

Dallas City Hall has idled more than one-fourth of the 62 cameras that monitor busy intersections because many of them are failing to generate enough red-light-running fines to justify their operational costs, according to city documents. Initial gross revenue estimates for the red light camera system during Dallas' 2007-08 fiscal year were $14.8 million, according to city records. The latest estimate? About $6.2 million. City Manager Mary Suhm on Friday estimated net revenue will fall $4.1 million under initial estimates. That leaves Dallas government with a conundrum

February 5, 2007 AUSTIN, Texas (Crime Library) — Tomorrow will be the seven-month anniversary of 18-year-old Roxanne Paltauf's mysterious disappearance. The case, which gained national attention on America's Most Wanted this past weekend, is becoming a hot topic on Internet message boards and blogs alike. Yesterday evening, I had the opportunity to speak with Roxanne's mother, Elizabeth Harris, about the circumstances surrounding her daughter's disappearance and this is how she described the situation: "I had talked to her the night before she disappeared. She was staying with her boyfriend at the Budget Inn Hotel on I-35 in Austin. They were...