By JOSHUA WOLFSON
Star-Tribune staff writerSaturday, June 28, 2008 2:07 AM MDT

Ask Casper Police Chief Tom Pagel or Natrona County District Attorney Michael Blongien and they’ll tell you: They alone can’t stop domestic violence.

Sure, Pagel’s officers can throw an abuser in jail and Blongien’s attorneys can work to get him punished. But those steps only come after a crime has already been committed.

According to some experts, the key to reducing domestic violence in Casper can be found inside the city’s restaurants.

A generation ago, those restaurants, along with most public places, were choked with cigarette smoke. The smoke and the odor were certainly an annoyance, but most people tolerated it. Smoking in public was acceptable.

Flash forward 30 years and only a few restaurants allow customers to smoke. Those that do usually confine smokers to one part of the building.

In many respects, smoking in public has become a societal taboo. The effort took decades of public awareness and legislation, but it managed to drastically alter how the public viewed smoking.

StarTribune

by Matthew Benson - Jun. 27, 2008 04:39 PM
The Arizona Republic

Democratic state Rep. Mark DeSimone is expected to resign his seat following his arrest early Friday morning on charges related to an episode of domestic violence involving him and his wife.

DeSimone, 45, a first-term legislator representing District 11 in Phoenix, was booked into Maricopa County’s 4th Avenue jail. He faces assault charges, a Class 1 misdemeanor.

Phoenix police responded to DeSimone’s north-central Phoenix home after receiving a 911 call from his wife around 11:45 p.m. Officers were told that the couple had engaged in a verbal dispute that turned physical, said Sgt. Joel Tranter. DeSimone, who had been drinking, is believed to have struck his wife in the face at least once, Tranter said.

AZCENTRAL

DENTON COUNTY, Texas  –  A Denton County man with a long criminal history is now behind bars after an alleged shootout with sheriff’s deputies on Thursday morning.

31-year-old Ronnie Nash is facing attempted capital murder charges on a peace officer for shooting a pistol at a deputy who responded to an emergency domestic violence call. The deputy fired two shots from a rifle back at Nash, but didn’t strike him.

MyFoxNews

Ouisa D. Davis / Special to the Times

Article Launched: 06/27/2008 12:00:00 AM MDT

Here’s an entertainment idea for those of you with teenaged and young adult sons and daughters. Go see the play, “Domestic Violence — the Musical!”

What a concept; stories of struggle and survival told through the medium of theater and music is a powerful way of educating and advocating for the silent and invisible victims of violence in our homes, our neighborhoods, our community.

Linda King, co-writer of this production, is a powerful person with a powerful story — her own story of a family’s struggle through tragic loss, resolution and resilience and healing through outreach and advocacy.

King was the mother of three children, all three of whom tragically died — one in an automobile accident, the others through violent crime. Her daughter died as a result of a nine-year relationship rife with violence. Lisa’s death led Linda toward the path upon which she now travels; speaking out against family violence and driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol.

El Paso Times