by Paige Brown

Dr. Cova Arias, professor of Aquatic Microbiology at Auburn University, and two of her lab members had rather disturbing results published in the journal EcoHealth last December, 2011, on their discovery of high concentrations of Vibrio vulnificus, also known as a type of flesh-eating bacteria, in tarballs.

What is surprising is that Arias’ findings haven’t received more attention from public health officials, given the implications of the research. Findings involving V. vulnificus should be a concern for public health authorities in coastal areas, given that in addition to causing severe wound infections, this bacteria is the leading cause of seafood-borne fatalities nationwide.

While many media stories have focused on either bashing beach clean-up efforts in the aftermath of the 2010 Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill, or hushing up the story completely, Arias’ group has clear data from tarballs and other forms of weathered oil on beaches in Mississippi and Alabama that could be valuable information for public health and future health research efforts. Especially in the aftermath of several reported cases of flesh-eating bacterial infections contracted from beaches and water in the Gulf of Mexico this summer, and warnings from the Louisiana Department of Health and Hospitals about flesh-eating bacteria found in Gulf waters, Arias’ findings are relevant and concerning.

I decided to have a Q&A with Dr. Arias, so that she could tell us in her own words the implications of her research findings on tarballs in the Gulf of Mexico. Before this research study, no published study had analyzed the bacteria that might be growing inside tarballs or other forms of weathered oil on beaches and in marshes in the Gulf.

From July to October 2010, Arias and her colleagues collected sand, tarballs and seawater from the intertidal of three beaches in Alabama and two in Mississippi, subsequently analyzing these samples for the presence of V. vulnificus genetic material. Arias found that V. vulnificus numbers are 10× higher in tarballs than in sand, and up to 100× higher in tarballs than in seawater.

 

Reporter: How did you come to study the presence of this bacteria in tarballs? Is this bacteria known to be associated with tar/oil?

Arias: I have been working with Vibrio vulnificus (Vv) since I started working on my PhD back in 93. I joined Auburn University in 2002 and soon after I started to work with Vv as one of the main concerns affecting the oyster industry in the Gulf. My Department has a lab in Dauphin Island where I had one student working on depuration of oysters [involves removal of bacteria from oysters] at the time of the spill.

I went there to see the effects of the spill and there were many tarballs on the beach in Dauphin Island. Actually, one of my colleagues who was with me at the time, asked me ‘why don’t you check if these have Vv?’ so we did, and to our surprise, they contained high numbers of this pathogen.

Vv is a natural member of the Gulf coast environments. Vv is actually distributed worldwide, as long as the temperature and salinity [salt concentration] are right. Vv prefers warmer temperatures and brackish salinities, although it can survive in full-strength seawater.

Reporter: What were your major findings, and were these surprising?

Arias: We were surprised to see the high numbers of Vv in tarballs which compared to numbers found in oysters in during the peak season for Vv (summer). Oysters are filter feeders that tend to accumulate bacteria present in their surrounding waters, but we did not expect to find such high levels in tar. On the other hand, I guess nobody had looked before, so we didn’t know what to expect.

Reporter: Do you know why V. vulnificus numbers might be 10× higher in tarballs than in sand and up to 100× higher than in seawater? What is special about the tarballs that might help them act as reservoirs for these bacteria?

Arias: Our hypothesis – which has not been demonstrated yet, we’ll need to run more experiments – is that Vv is using the byproducts of the microbial communities that are degrading the tar as source of food. Based on the Vv genome, it is unlikely that this bacterium can degrade most of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) present in tarballs, but it may be using byproducts from the bacteria who are actively degrading the tarballs. Basically, tarballs contain a much higher concentration of organic carbon (bacteria food) than sand or water.

Reporter: What are the implications of this finding for cleanup efforts and beach safety? Is this bacteria a threat to animal or human health when contained in the tarballs themselves, or when somehow released from tarballs into surrounding environment?

Arias: We don’t know the answer to the second question, i.e. is Vv virulent when it is attached or embedded in tarballs? We’ll have to use animal models to prove this, but as precaution, I would advise people to avoid being in contact with them, particularly if they have any kind of skin abrasion or open wound.

What we wanted to change with this study was the idea that tarballs are a mere nuisance (as NOAA published soon after the spill). The fact is that they do contain high number of bacteria and at least one pathogenic species. We only looked for one, V. vulnificus, but perhaps there are more. It may be that they have the same effect as a rotten crab on a beach, which also provides an excess of organic carbon. But while most people will avoid a rotten carcass, they may be tempted to touch a tarball.

Someone asked me once after I presented our data at a scientific meeting, what was the difference between having a dead crab and a tarball on the beach – basically, why was I making such a big deal about it? And my answer was: well, if you have a ton of dead crabs sitting on a beach that’ll become a public health issue. I think public health authorities should monitor the presence of pathogens in areas where we still have weathered oil.

Reporter: How can this bacteria affect the environment and humans exposed to it?

Arias: Vv is a marine bacteria that probably plays an important role in the carbon cycle of estuaries and coastal environments. It’s very abundant in our Gulf coast ecosystems particularly during the warmer months of the year. It’s supposed to be there, it’s not a contaminant.

We believe – several groups are working on it but we still need more data on this – that only a small percentage of Vv cells are pathogenic. In addition, not everyone is at the same risk of contracting an infection caused by this bacterium. There are some diseases such as cirrhosis [liver disease] that makes people more susceptible to it. Exposure to Vv by cutaneous contact, i.e. touching a tarball, can lead to severe wound infections, but you need to have a preexisting wound or at least a skin abrasion/cut in order for the bacteria to go through the skin.

Reporter: Is this the same bacteria that can cause ‘flesh eating’ skin infections? Can you talk to me about the safety procedures your lab has to use to handle these bacteria-contaminated tarballs?

Arias: Yes, sometimes Vv can cause severe wound infections that lead to amputations and in a few cases to death. People who fish or spend time doing recreational activities in the Gulf, particularly in summer, should be aware of Vv. Seeking medical attention as soon as the wound is infected is critical for a good outcome. We have detected Vv in the fins of many fish species that range in the Gulf as well as in bait shrimp.

Vv is considered a bio-safety level 2 microorganism, and we used appropriate methods to decontaminate everything that has been in contact with this pathogen.

Reporter: What are the future plans for your research, and how do you hope your current findings will inform current clean-up and research efforts?

Arias: I’m still trying to figure out a way to get research funds to continue this study. Unfortunately, two proposals that we submitted to the Gulf Research Initiative didn’t get funded but I’d like to try again. Honestly, I don’t know how our data will impact clean-up or other research efforts, but I hope it will translate into more public awareness on vibrios.

We’re blessed with but a handful of spins on our solar roulette wheel, each bringing with it but one spring, one summer, fall, and winter respectively. Each has its special grace, its own beauty for which we’re grateful. For we know only too well, like the leaves on a summer’s day, first we wither, then decay.

The Skokomish Valley has the richest top soil in Mason County and among the most scenic territorial views. Families who settle here tend to stay. There’s hardly any point in moving elsewhere. Having lived here, they consider Heaven redundant. Some have been here for generations…mostly farmers. Their labors are timeless. They hand down a tradition of love for the land…a land wrested at great emotional cost from the indigenous tribes such as the Skokomish. It’s a land that has been exploited by voracious corporations like Simpson, trashed by thoughtless residents dumping their rubbish in the wood, cruelly releasing their unwanted pets to the wild, poaching elk, stealing timber, encroaching in a thousand ways upon the gift nature bestowed. Still the land retains its beauty despite the pollution, the haze, the aquifer contamination, the dumping. Its marvelous presence remains to inspire all with souls not yet deadened by a consumer society driven by a lust for all that’s disposable.

Sure, we all have our favorites and take civic pride in our local municipalities. But despite a bare bones budget unable to maintain city streets, eliminating the expense of public sidewalks, and banning anal cleavages from entering the City limits, absolutely nobody takes a back seat to Shelton in it’s fondness of urine. Though some may argue the lack of 24/7 public restrooms could bode ill for public health, the City Council just can’t get enough of the whiff of a budget balanced on our collective bladders…no need to fret about paying for fundamental public necessities when urine Shelton!

A small (~12) group of activists rallied by Kneeland Park in Shelton today just after the 5:00pm rush hour traffic and daily train blockade on 1st Ave. They looked a little tired and long in the tooth, closely matching Mason County’s demographics. i.e. retired senior citizens passionately opposed to the suspected gratuitous killing of a black teen in Sanford, FL, SYG (stand your ground) laws, and the unannounced carrying of a concealed handgun by citizens intent on monitoring/observing their neighborhoods to reduce crime.

Shawnie Ann Vedder/Whelan (aka: Shawna Whelan) (dob: 10-9-65) of 1017 W. Franklin St, Shelton, WA. 98584 posted notice of the event, rode her bicycle along w/her youngest daughter to attend, but changed her mind after seeing this reporter w/camera in hand. Community activist Katherine Price showed up, as did her friend, Sheri Staley. Several others (including Pat Vanderhay) donned hoodies to amplify their voices while some displayed packets of Skittles or held signs protesting what they viewed as a miscarriage of justice that allowed Zimmerman to walk away as a free man after a jury returned a not-guilty verdict in his murder trial. Nevertheless, the local activists who displayed their displeasure with the verdict, the SYG laws around the country, and the right of citizens with a permit to carry a concealed handgun, insisted on referring to Zimmerman as a ‘murderer’.

During interviews with two, they advanced arguments amounting to speculation as reason why Zimmerman should have been convicted of murder. It is well we have people in our community who place such a high value on human life. Conversely, it is disturbing so many have misapprehensions about our judicial system, due process, and citizen juries of our peers. They reflected little nuance or critical reasoning regarding a jury’s fact finding deliberations, and for that reason should be challenged or removed from any panel involving emotionally charged allegations. Toward that end, any defendant in Mason County slated for such a jury trial would do well to study the following faces and reckon with the likelihood their owners are unable to set their biases and passions aside in order to discharge their duty as members of an impaneled jury…especially in a criminal trial, but likely any litigation.

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Background on Shelton’s very own Cadillac Welfare Queen:

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Shawnie Ann Vedder (many aliases) has been a gadfly about town since her arrival in Shelton due to her interest in photography and community events. She is an avid mountain hiker and consistently photographed them on her many expeditions along with narratives she posted online.

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Shawnie has a business–selling her photographs and a WA State business license claiming as much. She has 2 daughters and 3 ex-husbands, the last having died prior to her vacationing in New Zealand some months ago. When he was yet alive, but ill, she found the time and $ to tour China. She published beautiful pictures of both trips. The cameras she uses are among the best and most expensive. She purchased a drone for aerial shots and 4WD vehicles for making to the many distant trailheads she regularly visited to start her various assaults on surrounding mountain peaks–after all, Shelton likes to describe itself as the gateway to the Olympics.

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The woman is as strong as an ox and wily as a coyote with an abiding interest and education in fungi–a 4 year degree in that science from TESC and yet a 2nd degree also at public expense. Not to put too fine a point on it, but she’s managed to purchase a home @ 1017 W. Franklin St, Shelton, WA. 98584…all while on the dole, an $800/mo. dole according to her child support worksheet because she’s…uhhh…CRAZY! Yeah, social security provides this parasite at least the amount she admitted to in court not counting all the health care benefits and other extras (free park passes) she receives because she’s DISABLED you see.

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Shawnie was not too disabled to be hired by Shelton’s Mason County JOURNAL as a photographer or too handicapped to earn 2 college degrees, or to represent herself in multiple court litigations, but she feels entitled to the $ she argues because she worked at one time decades ago as a truck driver. Living the life of Riley while Riley’s away seems to be Shawnie’s chosen lifestyle…and it’s free. Gosh–house, 4WD RV’s, 2 girls, husband allowed to only live in the garage, world traveler, mountain climber and wanderer, photographer with all the gear you could imagine–even aerial drones w/camera, likely reduced property taxes, free park passes, food stamps, free health care, TWO 4-year college degrees at public expense, her own business and photography career, microscope w/camera for her fungi hobby–is this a great country, or what?

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So what’s the downside?–the underbelly of the beast? I mean, looks aren’t everything–right?

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As it turns out, Shawnie’s mental illness has an erratic violent side that includes self harm and child abuse to her own girls. She is also dangerous to adults and those closest to her tell the tale:

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Father’s Plea to protect his daughter from Shawnie’s physical& mental abuse

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Shawnie’s father declares her a mortal threat to his granddaughter

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Girl’s father cites multiple instances of abuse & neglect

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Order Protecting Mildred

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Being ‘crazy’ hadn’t been just a bonanza, Shawnie wasn’t even ordered to pay a nickel toward the support of her own daughter. If you’re wondering what’s to become of our social safety nets, look no further than the Queen of mean in Shelton. While it’s true the system expects even the halt, lame & handicapped to work toward their own support, Shawnie figures that’s only for the little people.

Puget Sound Anarchists is an online publication catering to (A)narchists and street violence. ‘Maddy’ Pfeifer was a Grand Jury resister, jailed for his refusal to answer questions put to him in that proceeding, and an editor of pugetsoundanarchists.org.

Recently, in the wake of the Zimmerman jury verdict, the publication issued the following screed with its call to arms:

Hoodsupsupporter (click to display PDF file)

There have been outbreaks of violence responding to such calls to action across the nation, attacking innocent bystanders and venting their ‘rage’ in a surfeit of race baiting. What Charles Manson was unable to achieve, the polemics surrounding the Zimmerman murder trial appear to have accomplished.

In trying to assess the killing of Trayvon Martin by George Zimmerman, two seemingly conflicting truths emerge. Based on the case presented by the state, and based on Florida law, George Zimmerman should not have been convicted of second degree murder or manslaughter. It’s important to take a very hard look at the qualifications allowed for aggressors by Florida’s self-defense statute:

Use of force by aggressor.–The justification described in the preceding sections of this chapter is not available to a person who:(1) Is attempting to commit, committing, or escaping after the commission of, a forcible felony; or

(2) Initially provokes the use of force against himself or herself, unless: (a) Such force is so great that the person reasonably believes that he or she is in imminent danger of death or great bodily harm and that he or she has exhausted every reasonable means to escape such danger other than the use of force which is likely to cause death or great bodily harm to the assailant; or (b) In good faith, the person withdraws from physical contact with the assailant and indicates clearly to the assailant that he or she desires to withdraw and terminate the use of force, but the assailant continues or resumes the use of force.

The importance of this isn’t being appreciated. Effectively, one can bait you into a fight and if he/she starts losing, they can can legally kill you, provided they “believe” they’re subject to “great bodily harm.” It is then the state’s job to prove — beyond a reasonable doubt — that they either did not actually fear for their life, or thier fear was unreasonable. In the case of George Zimmerman, even if the state proved that he baited an encounter (and it not certain they did) they still must prove that he had no reasonable justification to fear for his life. You see very similar language in the actual instructions given to the jury:

In deciding whether George Zimmerman was justified in the use of deadly force, you must judge him by the circumstances by which he was surrounded at the time the force was used. The danger facing George Zimmerman need not have been actual; however, to justify the use of deadly force, the appearance of danger must have been so real that a reasonably cautious and prudent person under the same circumstances would have believed that the danger could be avoided only through the use of that force. Based upon appearances, George Zimmerman must have actually believed that the danger was real.If George Zimmerman was not engaged in an unlawful activity and was attacked in any place where he had a right to be, he had no duty to retreat and had the right to stand his ground and meet force with force, including deadly force if he reasonably believed that it was necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm to himself or another or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony.

There has been a lot of complaint that “stand your ground” has nothing to do with this case. That contention is contravened by the fact it is cited in the instructions to the jury. Taken together, it is important to understand it is not enough for the state to prove George Zimmerman acted unwisely in following Martin. Under Florida law, George Zimmerman had no responsibility to — at any point — retreat. The state was required to prove Zimmerman had no reasonable fear for his life. Moreover, it is not enough for the jury to find Zimmerman’s story fishy. Again the jury instructions:

George Zimmerman has entered a plea of not guilty. This means you must presume or believe George Zimmerman is innocent. The presumption stays with George Zimmerman as to each material allegation in the Information through each stage of the trial unless it has been overcome by the evidence to the exclusion of and beyond a reasonable doubt. To overcome George Zimmerman’s presumption of innocence, the State has the burden of proving the crime with which George Zimmerman is charged was committed and George Zimmerman is the person who committed the crime. George Zimmerman is not required to present evidence or prove anything.

Whenever the words “reasonable doubt” are used you must consider the following: A reasonable doubt is not a mere possible doubt, a speculative, imaginary or forced doubt. Such a doubt must not influence you to return a verdict of not guilty if you have an abiding conviction of guilt. On the other hand if, after carefully considering, comparing and weighing all the evidence, there is not an abiding conviction of guilt, or, if having a conviction, it is one which is not stable but one which wavers and vacillates, then the charge is not proved beyond every reasonable doubt and you must find George Zimmerman not guilty because the doubt is reasonable.

It is to the evidence introduced in this trial, and to it alone, that you are to look for that proof.

A reasonable doubt as to the guilt of George Zimmerman may arise from the evidence, conflict in the evidence, or the lack of evidence.

If you have a reasonable doubt, you should find George Zimmerman not guilty. If you have no reasonable doubt, you should find George Zimmerman guilty.

This was the job given to the state of Florida. Nothing was seen within the actual case presented by the prosecution that allowed for a stable and unwavering belief George Zimmerman was guilty.

“To blame the poor for subsisting on welfare has no justice unless we are also willing to judge every rich member of society by how productive he or she is. Taken individual by individual, it is likely there is more idleness and abuse of government favors among the economically privileged than within the ranks of the disadvantaged.” -Norman Mailer-

Oyster House employees “in shock” after fire

by JEREMY PAWLOSKI – 7-19-13

Olympia – If not for an early-morning fire that destroyed their workplace, the wait staff and bartenders at The Oyster House would have been slammed with a Friday afternoon rush of hungry and thirsty Lakefair customers.

But instead of counting tips, five or six Oyster House employees stood together that afternoon behind the burned-out, roofless shell of the former iconic Olympia landmark. They hugged one another, shared stories, and said they would soon head to Hannah’s Bar and Grille to drown their collective sorrows.

“We’re just shocked,” said Elbert Conklin, who has worked as a bartender at The Oyster House the past four years. His wife, Lindsey, works there as a server. “This is not just our place of employment, it’s family. We’re all very close-knit.”

Lisa LaRue, a server and manager at The Oyster House, said the economic impact on the 50 or so employees now out of work is hard to calculate.

“A lot of the guys here work paycheck to paycheck, and that’s what hurts,” LaRue said.

The Oyster House’s owner, Tom Barrett, was able to salvage its distinctive neon-lit Oyster sign, Lindsey Conklin said. She added that she heard about the fire immediately after it started close to midnight Friday, when a downtown bartender called her. The news spread quickly among employees, she added.

Hostess Stephanie Whitfield said she “just started crying” when she heard of the fire early Friday morning. “I’ve been in shock all day,” she said.

Added Lindsey Conklin: “It’s heartbreaking.”

A passerby called 911 about 12:17 a.m. Friday, reporting smoke coming from inside the Oyster House, located at 320 Fourth Avenue in the heart of downtown Olympia. When fire crews forced their way through the front doors five minutes later, they reported heavy smoke and fire near the kitchen areas. Firefighters then cut a hole through the roof and found heavy fire underneath.

As conditions deteriorated, they retreated from the inside of the building about 12:45 a.m. and started attacking the fire from the outside, Olympia Deputy Fire Chief Greg Wright said.

The Olympia landmark, at a location that has been home to Olympia’s oyster industry since the turn of the century, was destroyed.

The site has held a restaurant since about the 1940s and was an oyster-shucking establishment in the early 1900s.

The cause of the fire is under investigation. Wright said due to the heavy damage to the restaurant – the roof caved in, and the city had to tear down the upper, brick portions of its walls – it could take weeks before a cause of the fire is pinned down. Fire inspectors were focusing their investigation in the kitchen and bathroom areas, he said.

Standing outside his restaurant Friday afternoon, Barrett vowed to rebuild.

“We have a lot of loyal customers,” said Barrett, who has owned the Oyster House since 1995. “We’re going to get it built back up for them as close as we can to what it was.”

Employees, like Conklin, said they are grateful for Barrett’s pledge to rebuild. But a city official said the process could take time.

The city of Olympia will allow The Oyster House to rebuild in the same waterfront location, subject to some process, said Keith Stahley, director of Community Planning and Development, on Friday. A rebuilt restaurant would not only be subject to the city’s permitting process, but the city’s hearing examiner would also have to review the case due to its waterfront location, he said. The city’s draft Shoreline Master Program, which would disallow over-water structures like The Oyster House, wouldn’t apply. Stahley said it isn’t likely to be in place for another year.

Wright said Friday he could not put a dollar loss on the damage caused by the fire. But according to the Thurston County Assessor’s Office, the value of the land where The Oyster House is located is valued at $913,300, and the property itself is valued at $594,300.

Patrick Knutson, a co-owner of the Budd Bay Cafe, said he sympathizes with the losses felt by Barrett and Oyster House employees. He added that several employees of Budd Bay Cafe also worked part-time at The Oyster House, and are now looking to replace that income.

“It’s just terrible,” Knutson said. “The staff are all friends and family.”

Knutson, who said he has been working in restaurants his entire adult life, said restaurants always run a higher risk of fire than other types of businesses, because they include multiple sources of open flame. In a restaurant, gas lines, flat grills and ovens are all places where a fire can start, he said.

The destruction of The Oyster House is a loss to all of downtown, Knutson added. “We don’t want a dead spot on the boardwalk in downtown Olympia,” he said.

On Friday afternoon, the smiling families and tourists walking on Fourth Avenue during Lakefair – a carnival on Capitol Lake the third weekend of every July – took snapshots of the fire damage at the Oyster House. By Friday afternoon, its remains were surrounded by a chain-link fence to keep people out, as the structure itself is unstable and unsafe, Wright said.

Said passerby Kelly Brathovd, a lifelong Olympia resident: “It’s part of Olympia, and it’s a mess. It’s sad, really sad to see. I just can’t believe it’s gone.”

Dave Scroggins on trumpet; Steve Metcalf on sax; Dr. Chris Meagher – drummer; Don Morris – bass, vocals; Pat Cole – lead guitar, vocals; John Carleton – vocalist, guitar.
This talented band was banned…from the Olympia Farmer’s Market for being too loud–too punny. They’re also polished with a huge repertoire and genuine audience rapport. This local group plays public or private venues, provides high quality entertainment, and loves audiences dancing to their toe tapping rhythm.

They describe themselves as a group of players from the Olympia area who still have a great time playing and gigging who can’t help but be enthusiastic about playing music and having fun doing it. They all like playing swing and jump blues plus a variety of other tunes, which keeps them learning new music (even learning requested tunes for private gigs) and always adding to their huge repertoire. There’s nothing like having a horn section: after all, what’s a band without horns? It just won’t do. On any given evening you might hear tunes ranging from Brian Setzer to the Four Tops or Van Morrison, Chicago to Louis Prima or Louis Jordan, maybe a little Tower Of Power or Average White Band. It’s all about the feel of the music – get to get it on! http://7on7band.com/

7 on 7 – Music In The Park – Shelton, WA 7-20-13 1/4

7 on 7 – Music In The Park – Shelton, WA 7-20-13 2/4

7 on 7 – Music In The Park – Shelton, WA 7-20-13 3/4

7 on 7 – Music In The Park – Shelton, WA 7-20-13 4/4

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Trayvon Martin Protestors Violently Attack A Grandmother Trying To Take 7-Year-Old To Hospital

by Kristin Tate

The pro-Trayvon Martin protests sweeping the nation have become violent riots in some cities like Houston, Los Angeles, and Oakland.

On Monday night, rioters in Houston put the life of a 7-year-0ld in danger. The young girl was having an extreme allergic reaction, and was being driven to the hospital by her mother and grandmother. However, a group of violent protestors blocked the their vehicle, keeping it stalled for a substantial chunk of time. All the while, the 7-year-old was suffering in the back seat.

The grandmother, who only identified herself as Georgia, said, “I looked up and I see all the protesters, they’re everywhere… So, we got into the traffic and they’re stopping us and not letting us go.”

Georgia’s daughter (the 7-year-old’s mother) was driving the car at the time of the incident. She tried to drive around the protestors by driving through grass, but the rioters continued to target the car and block them from moving at all.

“One of them was hitting the windshield and I was just screaming, ‘We’ve got to get to the hospital,’ and they were screaming and chanting. All I could think of was, I got to get my granddaughter to the hospital,” Georgia said.

When Georgia rolled down her window to ask the rioters to move out of the way, they physically assaulted her.

Georgia’s daughter said, “She said, ‘We’re trying to get my granddaughter to the hospital,’ and a guy just started hitting her.”

A video shot by a local news affiliate shows the crowd blocking the car and a man assaulting Georgia.

“It wasn’t peaceful. It was terrifying,” Georgia said.

Good grief. These protests aren’t even about Trayvon Martin anymore. They have turned into violent riots for people who just want an excuse to be angry.

And the worst part? The so-called “mainstream” media refuses to report on the violence, since it doesn’t align with their liberal agenda.