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New York city suburb are on the look out to find a hybrid. They coywolf if a cross bread of a wolf and a coyote. The coywolf was found stalking a women while she was taking the thrash out. The coywolf will weight 30 to 55 lbs.

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A mutant animal has a suburban New York City community on edge, with worries about threats to pets and residents being stalked as authorities try to track down the beasts.

Police in Rockland County are on the hunt for the elusive coywolf -- a hybrid created when a coyote and a wolf mate - and are warning residents to keep their dogs on a leash and their cats indoors "if you are truly concerned with its health."

"DO chase them away and make noise (bang pots and pans) if you don't want them in your yard," police in Clarkstown, N.Y., warned in a Facebook post. "Of course, if you don't mind them, then watch them from a window quietly so as to not scare them away."

A local plumber recently shot video footage of a coywolf prowling behind a woman taking out her trash.

"It seemed to be stalking her and kind of followed her back up onto her driveway," Sean McCormack said, according to the New York Daily News.

The Rockland County coywolf is believed to be one of about 20 living in the New York City area, with most making their home in the Bronx.

When full grown, coywolves, which can travel up to 15 miles a day, can take down an adult deer.They weigh between 30 and 55 pounds.

Coyotes, by contrast, weigh between 18 and 44 pounds. They were first spotted about 100 years ago in eastern Ontario. Since then, these canines have migrated to the south and west with sightings as far west as Ohio and scientists finding traces of wolf DNA in coyote scat in Virginia.

While an accurate count of how many coywolves are roaming North America is difficult, Roland Kays, a leading coyote biologist with the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, estimates there are likely more than 1 million.

Coywolves are particularly well-adapted to life in the Northeast as the canines have taken up the role of top predator in the region - a position once played by wolves. The beasts are particularly active around New York City and Cape Cod as well as areas with large deer populations such as the woods of upstate New York and Maine.

"We now have a novel, large canine to take over that new role," Robert Crabtree, chief scientist of the Yellowstone Ecological Research Center, told the Daily Mail. "The right size is going to be selected for us by biological evolution itself."

Crabtree noted that through evolution the coywolves are becoming more wolf-like and less like their coyote counterparts in the west.

Good news for hungry coywolves. Bad news for deer, sheep, turkeys, dogs and any other animal farther down the food chain.

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New York City suburb on edge over sightings of 'coywolf,' a wolf-coyote cross

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A mutant animal has a suburban New York City community on edge, with worries about threats to pets and residents being stalked as authorities try to track down the beasts.

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Man caught on camera stealing Salvation Army red kettle at Walmart in Gladstone caught on camera and raw footage of him stealing from the kettle.

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FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports

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GLADSTONE, Mo. -- Police are searching for a couple they say spotted an open window and took the opportunity to steal a Salvation Army red kettle.

The money that gets dropped into red kettles each Christmas is critical to the work the Salvation Army does around Kansas City.

"All these kettles stay right here in KC and equip us to be able to help people in winter time pay their utilities, assist people at Christmas with presents, food, staying in their homes so they're not homeless or even helping if they are homeless," said Major David Harvey with the Salvation Army.

So it's tough to watch surveillance images that show a Christmas Grinch pull up to the Gladstone Walmart, adjust belongings in the back of his van, then jam a red kettle -- bucket, stand and all -- in the back as the ringer took a quick second behind the glass doors to get warm.

The driver's female passenger was caught on camera watching the whole thing happen. Once the bell ringer saw what was happening, he tried to chase the van down, but it got away.

"The money will be replaced," Harvey said. "God will take care of us. So again it's unfortunate this was taken, but we're glad the bucket and stand is back. But pray this income is recovered so we can serve the people of this great city."

Sadly this year, fewer nickels, dimes and dollars are finding their way into the famous buckets. Donations are down 15 percent, making a theft like the one Tuesday all the more painful.

"If people do have need and they're that desperate -- just find your local Salvation Army," Harvey said. "We're here to help. We'll assist anybody that we can in this city, and there's other agencies we work with. We can find answers to those needs so they don't need to do this kind of thing that's going to end up hurting them in the long run."

The white Dodge Caravan used in the crime had no front or rear license plates, but it does have distinct white tape down both back windows.

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Man caught on camera stealing Salvation Army red kettle at Walmart in Gladstone

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GLADSTONE, Mo. -- Police are searching for a couple they say spotted an open window and took the opportunity to steal a Salvation Army red kettle. The money that gets dropped into red kettles each Christmas is critical to the work the Salvation Army does around Kansas City.

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A police dog was on the street looking for burglary suspects. The suspects were on foot so there were somewhere close. Thats when the dog turned the corner and bit a 52 innocent womans arm. They claimed the woman only was taking out her trash. The woman and the officer went to court because of her severe injuries she also implied " that the dog was simply not under control "

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The Washington Post 4 hrs ago Kyle Swenson

A Minnesota police dog was on the hunt, snout to the street, searching for traces of possible burglary suspects early on a September morning. A 20-foot leash tethered the German shepherd to an officer from the St. Paul Police Department.

The two suspects were fleeing on foot, and Gabe, a five-and-a-half year old dog with the police K-9 unit, had been brought in to help law enforcement respond to a possible burglary in a neighborhood just west of downtown St. Paul.

But when the K-9 darted past a garbage dumpster, screams suddenly filled the air.

"Oh, there's a lady," one of the police officers shouted, according to footage from an officer's body cam.
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The dog's jaws were clamped around the right arm of Desiree Collins, a 52-year-old woman who happened to be taking out her garbage when the K-9 attacked. The animal hauled Collins to the ground, where she screamed and squirmed to break free as the dog refused to give.

"You're fine, you're fine," one of the officers tried to tell Collins over hear pained shouts.

"Please," Collins, eyes hitched wide in pain. "Help me!"

After about 30 seconds, Gabe released Collins and the officers helped her up. "What did I do to him?" she asked.

"Nothing," an officer consolingly answered. "Just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

But according to lawyers for Collins, the Sept. 23 K-9 attack was no simple accident but the fault of the dog's officer, Thaddeus Schmidt.

"What you have here is a completely innocent person taking out their garbage ... and a K-9 simply wasn't controlled," Andrew Noel, Collins's attorney, told the Star Tribune this week. "It should never have happened."

Following the incident, Schmidt was suspended for a day for keeping Gabe on a long leash, allowing the dog to get out of sight, the Star Tribune reported.

On Wednesday, Collins filed a federal lawsuit against Schmidt in his official capacity as a St. Paul Police officer. The complaint seeks unspecified damages for Collins's injuries from her run in with the police dog.

St. Paul Police had apologized to Collins while she was being treated for her injuries at a hospital, the Pioneer Press reported. Police Chief Todd Axtell apologized again on Thursday.

"What happened to Ms. Collins was a terrible accident that should not have occurred," the chief wrote in a statement. "I am sorry it happened and that she was injured. As a department, we wish we could go back and do things differently. Unfortunately, we can't. What we can do is apologize and take responsibility."

This is not the first time the police department has ended up in court over a K-9 attack.

Last March, St. Paul police agreed to a $2 million settlement with a man kicked and bitten by a police dog in June 2016. In March 2016, the city paid out $200,000 to a woman bitten by a K-9 dog charged her in her backyard and bit her on the arm.

The lawsuit filed by Collins says that before latching on to her right arm, the police dog bit her left leg, causing multiple injuries. The injuries were particularly difficult for Collins, the lawsuit said, whose left hand had been previously amputated due to burns sustained as a child. The dog injured her good arm, meaning it was hard for Collins to change her bandages.

In Collins's lawsuit, which alleges her Fourth Amendment rights were violated in the attack, she charges the officer "should have been aware of this and also the specific danger to innocent people caused by the use of the long lead since he had his K-9 bit another innocent person in August 2016 for which he received supervisory counseling."

Police told Fox-9 that after the incident, Schmidt and the K-9 were sent to training for a month. They are still on duty with the police department.
More from Morning Mix: The solar eclipse burned a crescent wound on a woman's retina. She wasn't wearing proper glasses. Criticizing red-light cameras is not a punishable offense, Oregon concedes

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Body cam captures police dog attacking innocent woman taking out her garbage

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The Washington Post 4 hrs ago Kyle Swenson A Minnesota police dog was on the hunt, snout to the street, searching for traces of possible burglary suspects early on a September morning. A 20-foot leash tethered the German shepherd to an officer from the St. Paul Police Department.

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The Tampa killer parents may face jail time for not speaking on if there son has a mental illness or about the case at all they have until January 1 to come forward or may face jail time.

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Get the latest breaking and in-depth U.S. news headlines, photos and videos on FoxNews.com.

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A Chinese was arrested at school after filming him killing his mother and decapitating her. He sent the to his friends. He killed his mother after a quarrel Sunday night after he did it he stored her head in a bucket and then disposing it outside of their down a drain.

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A 13-year-old Chinese boy has been arrested for allegedly killing his mother and chopping off her head.

The boy reportedly filmed the murder and sent the clip to friends via popular messaging app WeChat. He was arrested several days later after a friend showed the clip to his mother.

The incident took place in the town of Wenxing in Sichuan province.

Local police confirmed the case with the BBC but gave no further details, saying it was still being investigated.

The boy killed his mother after a quarrel on Sunday night, reported Radio Free Asia, citing local sources.

He then decapitated her and stored her head in a bucket, before disposing of it in a drain outside their home, according to the news outlet.

It also said the murder was not discovered until Wednesday, when one of the boy's classmates showed the video clip to a parent who immediately reported it to the police.

The boy was said to have been arrested at school.

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A 13-year-old Chinese boy has been arrested for allegedly killing his mother and chopping off her head. The boy reportedly filmed the murder and sent the clip to friends via popular messaging app WeChat. He was arrested several days later after a friend showed the clip to his mother.

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A Mississippi man was arrested this week after video footage appeared to show him repeatedly beating a girl with a belt and then shaving her head to punish her.

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A Mississippi man was arrested this week after video footage appeared to show him repeatedly beating a girl with a belt and then shaving her head to punish her.

Police said Alex J. Harrison, 30, of Ferriday, was charged Monday with cruelty to a juvenile, the Democrat, of Natchez, Miss., reported.

The first video, which appeared on Snapchat, Facebook and YouTube, appeared to show the suspect striking the child with the belt more than 50 times, the newspaper reported.

A second video shows the same suspect shaving the girl's head.

A third video shows the girl crying, with a partially shaved head.

In all the videos, both the suspect and an off-camera man repeatedly yell at the child, the newspaper reported.

"You want to act like you grown?" the off-camera voice says. "You ain't grown."

Ferriday police Det. Richard Madison told the paper he could not discuss the video footage in greater detail because of an ongoing investigation.

It was unclear if the off-camera man was also arrested.

Click here for more from the Democrat of Natchez, Miss.

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Video shows Mississippi man lashing girl with belt more than 50 times, police say

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A Mississippi man was arrested this week after video footage appeared to show him repeatedly beating a girl with a belt and then shaving her head to punish her. Police said Alex J. Harrison, 30, of Ferriday, was charged Monday with cruelty to a juvenile, the Democrat, of Natchez, Miss., reported.

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A 17 year old teen hitched a ride on the semi truck for 50 miles when they found him he was covered in deisel fuel and grime

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A runaway teenager from Ohio used a risky means of transport to get across Indiana: Riding on the exterior catwalk of a semi-truck.

Indiana State Police said in a news release the 17-year-old boy, who was not identified, was found riding on the truck around 9 a.m. Tuesday at a weigh station on Interstate 65 in Seymour, located about 60 miles south of Indianapolis.

"We were just running trucks through like we do every day just weighing them," State Police Motor Carrier Inspector Mike Buckley told FOX59. "And I happened to catch a face coming out behind one of the trucks on the tractor."

Buckley said the teenager was crouched down on the catwalk platform between the cab and trailer of the truck. When the teen realized he had been spotted, Buckley said he slipped and fell off the truck, which had stopped to be weighed at the station.

"Oh, it was very obvious there was a person sitting back there," he said.

The inspector then called an ISP trooper stationed at the facility, and the trooper tried to track down the truck as it started to drive away.

"He chased the truck down the ramp, got the truck stopped at the end of the ramp, and the kid was gone," he told FOX59. "So we started searching the truck, and he had actually climbed under the truck."

"I've heard stories of people hitching rides on trains, but never semis."
- Indiana State Police Motor Carrier Inspector Mike Buckley

When police eventually found the 17-year-old, Buckley said he was covered in diesel fuel and grime, only wearing a hooded sweatshirt on a morning when temperatures were in the low 40's.

"The driver had no clue he was even back there," Buckley said. "He was very shocked. He was very scared, thinking the kid could have fell off."

Indiana State Police told FOX59 the teenager had originally run away from Shelby, Ohio and went with a friend to Louisville, KY.

After his friend got a ride back to Ohio, the 17-year-old was left behind. So he hopped on the back of the semi at a truck stop in Louisville without knowing the driver's destination.

The teen rode on the outside of the truck through southern Indiana for 55 miles before Buckley spotted him at the weigh station in Seymour.

"He was very lucky he didn't fall off between Kentucky and here," Buckley said. "I've heard stories of people hitching rides on trains, but never semis."

Travis Fedschun is a reporter for FoxNews.com. Follow him on Twitter @travfed

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Teen hitches ride on semi-truck for 50 miles through Indiana, cops say

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A runaway teenager from Ohio used a risky means of transport to get across Indiana: Riding on the exterior catwalk of a semi-truck. Indiana State Police said in a news release the 17-year-old boy, who was not identified, was found riding on the truck around 9 a.m.

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Wildfires roared across Southern California for a fifth day on Friday, with new blazes prompting more evacuations as neighborhoods in San Diego County went up in flames.

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Six large wildfires have scorched 141,000 acres in the state this week, Cal Fire officials said. At least 5,700 firefighters from several agencies are working to contain the massive walls of flames.

The fires have forced 190,000 people out of their homes, some with nothing but their pets and a few mementos. The latest blaze, Lilac Fire, broke out in San Diego County, leaving three people with burn injuries, authorities said.

Dry air and strong winds are forecast through Sunday, which may lead to dangerous fire conditions, CNN meteorologist Rachel Aissen said.

Residents in those areas should be ready to evacuate at a moments notice.

"They need to prepare as if they will be impacted. Where are they gonna go? What are their escape routes? What is their communication to their families? What are they going to do with their pets and do they have their vehicles loaded to go?" Cal Fire Division Chief Nick Schuler said Thursday night.

Latest developments

* New fire: The Lilac Fire in San Diego County started Thursday and grew to 4,100 acres in a few hours, leading to new evacuation orders. Evacuation centers have been set up in affected areas.

* More injuries: The Lilac Fire has left three civilians with burn injuries and two firefighters hurt. One firefighter suffered smoke inhalation while the second one had a dislocated shoulder. The latter popped it back into place and continued working, Schuler said.

*Train system affected: Amtrak has suspended service between Los Angeles and San Luis Obispo as a result of the wildfires in the area. Union Pacific Railroad has closed the tracks between Ventura and Santa Barbara.

* School closings: Officials have shut down schools spanning at least 16 districts.

* Declarations: Gov. Jerry Brown issued an emergency proclamation for Santa Barbara and San Diego counties. The declarations free state resources such as the National Guard to support response efforts. He's also requested federal assistance to supplement state and local emergency response.

Fast winds: Wind gusts in the region will be between 35 mph to 55mph through Sunday, which can can fan the fire, Aissen said.

Firefighters are battling six wildfires across various counties in Southern California.

Thomas Fire: The largest of the six blazes started Monday in Ventura County, and has scorched 115,000 acres. It's only 5% contained, and has destroyed at least 73 residential.

Creek Fire: The second-largest fire is in neighboring Los Angeles County, and ignited a day later. It has burned 15,323 acres and is 20% contained.

Rye Fire: It broke out Tuesday in Los Angeles County and has burned 7,000 acres. Firefighters are making progress, with 25% of the blaze contained.

Lilac Fire: This fast-moving fire erupted Thursday in San Diego County, and has consumed 4,100 acres in just a few hours. It's unclear what percentage of it is contained.

Skirball Fire: It started Wednesday as a brush fire in Los Angeles County, and is now 30% contained.

Liberty Fire: The blaze in Riverside County has burned 300 acres since it ignited Thursday. It's 5% contained.

The firefighters

In addition to long hours battling blazes, firefighters are also grappling with the effects of smoke inhalation and embers irritating their eyes.

About 5,700 firefighters -- almost half of them assigned to the massive Thomas Fire alone -- have been working to contain the flames.

"Honestly, the firefighters are taking a beating, but we have to acknowledge the residents because they're taking a beating, too, but they're cooperating with our orders," said Thomas Kruschke, spokesman for the Ventura County Fire Department.

Other agencies have stepped in to help the firefighters, with military and navy helicopters set to join the Lilac Fire effort Friday morning, Schuler said.

The state National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing out of Oxnard has also joined the fight, even though roughly 50 of the National Guardsmen involved had to be evacuated themselves, said spokeswoman Maj. Kimberly Holman. Three lost their homes in the blazes, she said.

How bad is it?

The Thomas Fire has burned more than 100,000 acres north of Los Angeles, which is more than twice the size of Washington DC.

It spread over 31,000 acres in nine hours, which is nearly an acre per second. At that rate, it would have consumed New York's Central Park in about 15 minutes.

The fire was so destructive, it prompted officials to upgrade their color-coding system to include purple for the first time. It ranks as the 19th most destructive fire in California records.

CNN's Paul Vercammen reported from Carpinteria, and Faith Karimi and Steve Almasy reported and wrote from Atlanta. CNN's Nicole Chavez contributed to this report.

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california fires: 3 people burned in new blaze  - cnn

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California fires: 3 people burned in new blaze

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Six large wildfires have scorched 141,000 acres in the state this week, Cal Fire officials said. At least 5,700 firefighters from several agencies are working to contain the massive walls of flames. The fires have forced 190,000 people out of their homes, some with nothing but their pets and a few mementos.

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A 19 year old dad in Utah killed his 7 week old son because he wouldn't stop crying.
He told authorities he was “tired of the baby crying and finally exploded.” The dad pulled the baby, carried him by the leg from the living room into the kitchen and than he dropped the child in the kitchen sink and the baby struck his head killing the baby.

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Utah Dad Allegedly Murdered 7-Week-Old Because He Wouldn't Stop Crying: I 'Finally Exploded'

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A 7-week-old baby boy is dead after his father allegedly admitted he "exploded" in a fit of violent rage because the infant wouldn't stop crying, PEOPLE confirms. According to a statement from the Clearfield Police Department, Clint Corydon Nokes, 19, was arrested on charges of child abuse homicide on Monday in Clearfield, Utah.

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A 16-year-old from Florida turned himself in to police on Thursday after he was caught on surveillance video stealing an assault rife and bulletproof vest from a police car. The suspect is seen making three trips to his car, including one carrying the rifle. He also made off with a Taser and cartridges, and a 16-round, .45-caliber magazine, according to police. Pembroke Pines police believe the suspect was also responsible for additional vehicle burglaries which occurred around the same area Tuesday morning.

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A 16-year-old from Florida turned himself in to police on Thursday after he was caught on surveillance video stealing an assault rife and bulletproof vest from a police car.

ABC affiliate WPLG says Christopher Clarke turned himself in at the urging of family and friends after the video was shared widely online.

Police said they were still searching for the items stolen from the vehicle.

Florida police were searching for the teen after he was caught stealing police equipment right out of a cop car, including an AR-15 assault rifle with three fully loaded magazines.

At approximately 3:30 a.m. Tuesday, the suspect was caught on surveillance camera stealing from a marked Opa Locka Police Department patrol vehicle while it sat in a neighborhood driveway, according to the Pembroke Pines Police Department.

In the video, the man walks up to the car, opens the unlocked passenger door and begins stealing equipment, such as a tactical vest with police markings. The suspect is seen making three trips to his car, including one carrying the rifle. He also made off with a Taser and cartridges, and a 16-round, .45-caliber magazine, according to police.

Pembroke Pines police believe the suspect was also responsible for additional vehicle burglaries which occurred around the same area Tuesday morning.

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Teens turns himself in after stealing AR-15 assault rifle from police car

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A 16-year-old from Florida turned himself in to police on Thursday after he was caught on surveillance video stealing an assault rife and bulletproof vest from a police car. ABC affiliate WPLG says Christopher Clarke turned himself in at the urging of family and friends after the video was shared...

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Utah Dad Allegedly Murdered 7-Week-Old Because He Wouldn't Stop Crying: I 'Finally Exploded'

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A 7-week-old baby boy is dead after his father allegedly admitted he "exploded" in a fit of violent rage because the infant wouldn't stop crying, PEOPLE confirms. According to a statement from the Clearfield Police Department, Clint Corydon Nokes, 19, was arrested on charges of child abuse homicide on Monday in Clearfield, Utah.

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A heart-warming video of a man in hoodie "saving" a rabbit during the California wildfire recently went viral. But a local animal expert said if wildlife is seen during a fire leave it alone, this is because around this time of year they are still giving birth to liters that they keep safe underground. A wildlife Spokes person Peter Tira says "Fire or no fire, let the animals be." "Fire is something animals have to deal with constantly." While the video was very heartwarming it serves as an example of what not to do.

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The hoodie-wearing "hero" caught on video rescuing a rabbit from the California wildfires may have actually made things worse for the poor critter.

Local animal experts warn that any wildlife spotted near a blaze should be left alone - especially desert cottontails like the ones common to Southern California.

This is due to the fact that they are still giving birth to litters around this time of year and are typically keeping them safe underground in their burrows, according to Live Science.

So in reality, while the video of the rabbit rescue is heartwarming, some say it should really serve as an example of what not to do when you spot an animal near the flames.

"If you encounter a wild animal in our neighborhood, leave it alone," California Fish and Wildlife spokesperson Peter Tira told SFGate back in October as wildfires were raging in Northern California.

"Fire or no fire, just let the animals be," he said.

The comments were in response to a Facebook post going around at the time asking local residents to provide water and shelter for any wildlife that shows up in their yards.

"Fire is something animals have to deal with constantly," Tira explained.
Click for more from NYPost.com

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Man who 'saved' rabbit from wildfire probably made things worse

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The hoodie-wearing "hero" caught on video rescuing a rabbit from the California wildfires may have actually made things worse for the poor critter. Local animal experts warn that any wildlife spotted near a blaze should be left alone - especially desert cottontails like the ones common to Southern California.

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Jones, defense keep Falcons in playoff hunt

The Falcons overcame three interceptions from Matt Ryan and picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees late to seal a key NFC South victory.

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11:42 PM ET

Vaughn McClureESPN Staff Writer

Close

Covered Bears for seven seasons at Chicago Tribune

Also worked at Chicago Sun-Times, Fresno Bee

Honorable mention, Football Writers Association of America for enterprise writing, 2002

ATLANTA -- A swarm of bright red succumbed Deion Jones as he held the ball tightly in the end zone.

The Atlanta Falcons linebacker, decked in his all red color rush uniform, gave the home crown an adrenaline rush in the final moments of Thursday night's showdown with the New Orleans Saints.

Jones intercepted Drew Brees in the end zone, capping a heck of a defensive effort against a potent Saints offense in what no doubt was the biggest Falcons' win of the season - a 20-17 triumph over their biggest rival and the NFC South leaders.

Now the Falcons, at 8-5, can continue the playoff conversation. According to ESPN's Football Power Index, the Falcons chances to make the playoff increased from 36 percent to 52 percent with the win. Had they loss, those chances would have dropped to 19 percent.

Most figured the offense would be the one guiding the Falcons to victory, if anything. But reigning MVP Matt Ryan struggled miserable with three interception, two of them which appeared to be solely on him. Penalties were a factor again on offense. And there was a questionable declined penalty late by Falcons coach Dan Quinn that allowed the Saints to convert a fourth-and-1 and keep their potentially game-winning drive.

Then Jones, the New Orleans native who grew up rooting for the Saints, stepped in and stole the show. Literally.

It was Brees' first red-zone interception of the season and just the Falcons' fourth interception of the season. Jones recorded his second interception to tie Desmond Trufant for the team lead. And the Falcons limited the Saints to 3 of 10 on third down, part of the reason a team that came into the game scoring 29.4 points per game only managed 17.

Give defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel credit for dialing up pressure at the right time. Both Dontari Poe and Adrian Clayborn had key third-down sacks to foil Saints' possession.

True, the Falcons benefited on offense from a slew of penalties by the Saints that resulted in first downs. No matter how they got it done, it was an important victory. Touchdowns by Devonta Freeman and Mohamed Sanu, along with field goals by Matt Bryant -- who reached 1,000-career points -- helped secured the win.

See what the latest playoff picture looks like and simulate your own playoff scenarios.
NFL Playoff Machine

Now the Falcons, still seventh in the playoff picture right behind Carolina, have to build off the win, no matter how ugly it was. They have consecutive road games against Tampa Bay and at New Orleans before finishing the season at home against Carolina. The postseason is within reach, if the Falcons handle their business.

The fact that Jones and defense is stepping up the right time is a positive sign that could lead right to a postseason berth.

Despite three interceptions by Matt Ryan -- two of which seemed to be solely on him -- the Falcons found a way to finish against the rival Saints and make sure their season wasn't finished quite.

Defensive coordinator Marquand Manuel's defense came up with some key stops against Drew Brees and a potent Saints' offense that averaged 29.4 points per game coming into Thursday night. Those stops gave Ryan and

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Deion Jones, defense keeps the Falcons in the playoff hunt

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11:42 PM ET Vaughn McClureESPN Staff Writer Close Covered Bears for seven seasons at Chicago Tribune Also worked at Chicago Sun-Times, Fresno Bee Honorable mention, Football Writers Association of America for enterprise writing, 2002 ATLANTA -- A swarm of bright red succumbed Deion Jones as he held the ball tightly in the end zone.

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A nanny from Florida was found in a wooded area. She was found a couple of days after her death by a police helicopter. Police say she was stabbed and suffocated before being dumped in the woods. She was last seen at the dental office. Her husband had reported that his wife's purse was found on the floor of a home where she worked, and she didn't pick up her bosses son from school.  Her husband saw a $300 withdrawal from their joint bank account that night, which led to the arrest of 53-year-old Scott Edward Nelson, who was later caught on surveillance footage using Fulford’s ATM card. Nelson was charged with murder, kidnapping, carjacking, burglary, robbery with a deadly weapons and hindering communication with law enforcement.

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A nanny in Florida whose body was found in a wooded area in September was tortured before she was ultimately killed, according to reports.

Jennifer Fulford, 56, went missing on Sept. 27 and was found dead days later when her body was spotted by a police helicopter.

Fulford "was stabbed and suffocated before being dumped in the woods," the Orlando Sentinel reported, citing court documents. Her wrists and ankles were also reportedly bound.
PERSON OF INTEREST IN DEATH OF FLORIDA NANNY IS APPREHENDED
She was last seen the morning of Sept. 27 leaving a dental office in Winter Park. Her husband, Robert, had posted on Facebook that his wife's purse was found on the floor of a home where she worked as a nanny, and she didn't pick up her boss's son from school, prompting concern.

Robert Fulford had detected a $300 withdrawal from their joint bank account that night, which led to the arrest of 53-year-old Scott Edward Nelson, who was later caught on surveillance footage using Fulford's ATM card.

Nelson was arrested in Fulford's death the day after her body was found, and reportedly confessed to the murder days later after he sent a judge a letter which stated: "Allegedly, I kidnapped/murdered a woman in Winter Park and have spoken to no law enforcement. Their [sic] are many things they don't know!"

"The man we suspect took her life, she probably would've done anything to help him out, just like she helped out other people," Robert Fulford told the Orlando Sentinel in October. "It's just so indescribable. ... She was just so full of life."
FLORIDA NANNY FOUND DEAD, PERSON OF INTEREST SOUGHT
Police reportedly found Fulford's car abandoned in a public parking lot days after her body was discovered. In the truck was a blood-stained towel, a t-shirt and a watch, which Fulford was wearing the day she was murdered. The blood on the towel reportedly matched Fulford's DNA.

Nelson was charged with murder, kidnapping, carjacking, burglary, robbery with a deadly weapons and hindering communication with law enforcement, according to the Sentinel.

Nicole Darrah covers breaking and trending news for FoxNews.com. Follow her on Twitter @nicoledarrah.

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Florida nanny found dead in woods reportedly tortured before her murder

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A nanny in Florida whose body was found in a wooded area in September was tortured before she was ultimately killed, according to reports. Jennifer Fulford, 56, went missing on Sept. 27 and was found dead days later when her body was spotted by a police helicopter.

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A barn started to burn earlier this week, the owner,Virginia Padilla, tried to save more than 60 animals. When animal control officers arrived to help her, they saw and heard "horses in distress" but were only able to evacuate some of animals before the barn's roof collapsed. Twenty-nine horses died during the Creek Fire and those who were rescued sustained severe burns and were treated for smoke inhalation, dehydration and stress.Virginia Padilla said her 7-year-old horse "Ruben" was burned over 65% of his body.
"It's awful. There's no words to explain it. I'm very fortunate he's alive because, I mean so many people have lost their horses," Padilla told CNN. Hundreds of animals were taken to temporary shelters.

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horses burned to death in california fires - cnn

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Horses burned to death in California fires

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Horse owners scrambled to rescue and evacuate hundreds of animals as wildfires raged across Southern California.

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there is a pretty big storm hitting the north east up the coast, it is supposed to hit from Virginia to New York in Virginia they are supposed to get 6 inch's of snow.

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The Northeast is about to taste its first snowfall of the season this weekend.

Interested in Weather?

Add Weather as an interest to stay up to date on the latest Weather news, video, and analysis from ABC News.

A storm system is developing in the Gulf Coast on Friday morning, and is expected to track northeast into Georgia and the Carolinas by Friday night.

A swath of accumulating snow is expected from Louisiana to Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas.

The storm system will move up the East Coast and spread snow from Virginia to New York early Saturday morning.

The heaviest snow should be flying along the I-95 corridor during the late morning on Saturday into the early afternoon as the storm system moves east of New Jersey.

The snow should be moving out of the Northeast Sunday morning.

Snow accumulations will be anywhere from 1 to 3 inches from Alabama to Georgia and into the Carolinas.

Up to 6 inches of snow is possible from southern New Jersey to Connecticut and eastern Massachusetts. Philadelphia should see a couple of inches, while New York City receives 2 to 4 inches and Boston sees 4 to 6 inches.

Winds gusted to over 50 mph in San Diego County yesterday, spreading two new wildfires. Winds gusted to 88 mph in the mountains of San Diego County.

The National Weather Service has extended red flag warnings for Southern California through Sunday as the dry, gusty Santa Ana winds will continue.

Relative humidity is expected to be as low as 5 percent in Southern California.

This morning, the winds are a little lighter, but the region could still see gusts near 30 mph in spots.

Gusty off-shore winds are expected to continue Saturday at 20 to 30 mph with local gusts near 60 mph in the mountains.

Santa Ana winds will continue to gust on Sunday near 25 mph along the coast with higher gusts near 60 mph in the mountains.

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Winter storm watch in place for Northeast as snowstorm arrives Saturday

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The Northeast is about to taste its first snowfall of the season this weekend. A storm system is developing in the Gulf Coast on Friday morning, and is expected to track northeast into Georgia and the Carolinas by Friday night. A swath of accumulating snow is expected from Louisiana to...

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The Falcons beat the Saints 20-17 with a game saving catch by Deion Jones. Atlanta scored 10 fourth quarter points to help them take the win.

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ATLANTA -- Deion Jones made a leaping interception in the end zone with 1:25 remaining and the Atlanta Falcons held on for a crucial 20-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, setting up a three-way race for the NFC South title.

The Saints still control their own destiny in the NFC South. But they'll need to get revenge on the Falcons in two weeks to maintain that control.

The Falcons overcame three interceptions by Matt Ryan and picked off Saints quarterback Drew Brees late to seal a key NFC South victory Thursday.

Matt Ryan shook off three interceptions to guide the Falcons to Matt Bryant's 52-yard field goal with 3:49 to go, snapping a 17-all tie.
The Saints (9-4) were in position to pull out the victory, driving to the Atlanta 11 after Drew Brees converted on fourth-and-1 with a quarterback sneak. On second down, Brees attempted to hit tight end Josh Hill in the back of the end zone.

Jones had other ideas. He soared to make the pick , landing flat on this back but holding on to the ball while his teammates mobbed him.

The Falcons (8-5) climbed within one game of the division-leading Saints with three weeks to go, as New Orleans squandered a chance to build a three-game lead on the defending division champs. Atlanta is back in the race and gets another crack at New Orleans when the teams meet in the next-to-last week of the regular season at the Superdome.

The Carolina Panthers (8-4) are also right in the thick of things.

Ryan had three interceptions in a stretch of nine plays at the end of the first half and the beginning of the second. But he tied the game with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu with 9:55 remaining , finishing 15 of 27 for 221 yards.

Brees was 26 of 35 for 271 yards and two TDs, but he was kicking himself for trying to force one at the end.

On the opening possession, New Orleans lost half of its dynamic 1-2 punch in the backfield when rookie Alvin Kamara took a shot to the helmet and staggered off with a concussion.

Kamara was averaging 7 yards per carry and providing a huge weapon in the passing game, averaging 10.2 yards on 60 receptions. When he went out, Mark Ingram was left to carry the load as the "Boom and Zoom" duo became simply "Boom."

Ingram was held to 49 yards on 12 carries as the Saints largely abandoned one of the league's top rushing attacks. Michael Thomas had 10 catches for 117 yards and a TD .

With Atlanta trying to drive into position for a tiebreaking field goal in the waning seconds of the opening half, Ryan threw a terrible pass that was picked off by rookie Marshon Lattimore, who was back in the lineup after missing two games with an ankle injury.

Lattimore returned it 33 yards to the Atlanta 29 with 4 seconds remaining, setting up Wil Lutz to boot a 47-yard field goal as time expired. But the Falcons caught a break when the Saints failed to have seven blocked on the line of scrimmage, and the penalty resulted in a 10-second runoff that ended the half with the score tied at 10.

INJURY REPORT

It was a brutal night for the Saints, which is sure to raise more questions after the health risks of playing on Thursday nights.

In addition to Kamara's injury, New Orleans lost another offensive guard and three starters on defense.

Guard Senio Kelemete, filling in for injured starter Andrus Peat (groin), left with a concussion. That forced the Saints to go with Josh LeRibeus, the backup center.

On defense, the Saints lost linebacker A.J. Klein in the first half with a groin injury. Starting defensive end Trey Hendrickson left with an ankle injury and strong safety Kenny Vaccaro was sidelined with a groin injury.

UP NEXT

Saints: Host the New York Jets (5-7) on Dec. 17 in the first of two straight home games.

Falcons: After a short turnaround for the Thursday night game, Atlanta has an 11-day break before returning to action with a Monday night contest at Tampa Bay (4-8) on Dec. 18.

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Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at https://apnews.com/search/paul%20newberry

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For more AP NFL coverage: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL

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Saints vs. Falcons - Game Recap - December 7, 2017 - ESPN

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ATLANTA -- Deion Jones made a leaping interception in the end zone with 1:25 remaining and the Atlanta Falcons held on for a crucial 20-17 victory over the New Orleans Saints on Thursday night, setting up a three-way race for the NFC South title. The Saints still control their own destiny in the NFC South.

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Outspoken college basketball dad LaVar Ball appeared eager to reignite his feud with President Trump on Thursday, posting an animated video of him dunking on an infuriated rendition of the president, along with the phrases

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Outspoken college basketball dad LaVar Ball appeared eager to reignite his feud with President Trump on Thursday, posting an animated video of him dunking on an infuriated rendition of the president, along with the phrases "The Trump dunk" and "Stay in yo lane."

The video, which Ball posted to Twitter, depicts Trump attempting to defend a basketball hoop as Ball approaches, knocks the president over, and scores.

The cartoon Trump, visibly irate, then pulls out his cellphone - which is displaying two tweets purportedly from Fox News, as well as Ball's video.

Ball made headlines in November when his son, UCLA guard LiAngelo Ball, was arrested for allegedly shoplifting from high-end stores in China along with two other UCLA student athletes.

The elder Ball and Trump have engaged in a public war of words since the three players returned from China. Ball minimized Trump's involvement in winning the players' release and Trump tweeted in response that he should have left the players in China in jail. The men's exchanges escalated from there.

The younger Ball, along with freshmen Jalen Hill and Cody Riley, have been barred from all team activities as part of their suspension.

LaVar Ball announced earlier this week that his son would withdraw from UCLA to prepare to enter the NBA.

The president has not responded to Ball's tweet. In November, rapper Eminem expressed frustration that Trump did not respond to a five-minute freestyle rap he recorded bashing the president.

"I was and still am extremely angry," Eminem told Shade 45. "I can't stand that motherf***er. I feel like he's not paying attention to me. I was kind of waiting for him to say something and for some reason, he didn't say anything."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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LaVar Ball posts animated video of him dunking on Trump

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Outspoken college basketball dad LaVar Ball appeared eager to reignite his feud with President Trump on Thursday, posting an animated video of him dunking on an infuriated rendition of the president, along with the phrases "The Trump dunk" and "Stay in yo lane."

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A Minnesota woman who was unexpectedly attacked by a leashed police K-9 dog in late September, has filed a lawsuit in federal court this week.
Desiree Collins claims in her lawsuit that St. Paul police Officer Thaddeus P. Schmidt lost control of the dog, a 5-year-old German shepherd that bit Collins on a leg before “viciously”

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A Minnesota woman who was unexpectedly attacked by a leashed police K-9 dog in late September, has filed a lawsuit in federal court this week.

Desiree Collins claims in her lawsuit that St. Paul police Officer Thaddeus P. Schmidt lost control of the dog, a 5-year-old German shepherd that bit Collins on a leg before "viciously" clamping down on one of her arms, the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reported.

The lawsuit claims the K-9 was reluctant to let go of Collins despite repeated instructions from Schmidt and another officer, resulting in injuries that required hospitalization, the paper reported.

"What happened to Ms. Collins was a terrible accident that should not have occurred," police Chief Todd Axtell said in a written statement issued Thursday. "I am sorry it happened and that she was injured. As a department, we wish we could go back and do things differently. Unfortunately, we can't."

"What happened to Ms. Collins was a terrible accident that should not have occurred. I am sorry it happened and that she was injured. As a department, we wish we could go back and do things differently. Unfortunately, we can't."
- Chief Todd Axtell, St. Paul, Minn., police

Graphic police body camera footage released Thursday by Collins' attorneys shows the dog walking in front of the officer on a generous leash. The K-9 briefly disappears from view before officers rush to the screams of Collins, who is seen on the ground with the dog clamped down on her arm.

"What you have here is a completely innocent person taking out their garbage ... and a K-9 simply wasn't controlled," Andrew Noel, one of Collins' attorneys, told the paper.

The lawsuit alleges Schmidt and the dog were looking for suspects in response to a burglary call. The suit contends that Schmidt's long leash on the K-9 "greatly reduced" his control of the dog, the paper reported.

Collins is suing for unspecified punitive damages, the paper reported.

Click here for more from the Star-Tribune.

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Minnesota woman sues after being bitten by leashed police K-9

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A Minnesota woman who was unexpectedly attacked by a leashed police K-9 dog in late September, has filed a lawsuit in federal court this week. Desiree Collins claims in her lawsuit that St. Paul police Officer Thaddeus P.

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apple is ending the mac and going to ipads

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Apple is the master of radical pivots. It killed the floppy drive, the CD drive, and the headphone jack in iPhones, while Macintosh systems went from the Motorola 68000 to the PowerPC chip to the Intel X86 line of chips.

A very memorable pivot came when the company dropped the Apple II line of machines with an event called Apple II Forever. While it extolled the venerable machine with a fancy new model, it marked the end of the system.

What I'm sensing is that like the old Apple II (forever), the Mac will be phased out and the whole line will be replaced by iPads.

I've made this assertion before and received a good amount of hate mail, and I'm prepared for more. But my thinking is based on the latest Apple commercial for the iPad Pro, a machine with qualities similar to the Microsoft Surface Laptop.

Here, a little girl is floating around town with her iPad Pro doing all sorts of fiddling around. She's in a tree; she's in a field. At the end, her mom asks her what she is doing with her computer. The girl responds by asking, "What's a computer?"

The girl is about 10 years old. If she does not know what a computer is by the age of 10, then our school systems are worse than I thought. Maybe she's just being rude or mean to her mom.

Since negativity seem out-of-bounds for an Apple commercial, I assume the point is to highlight Apple's attitude towards computers. The little girl rejects the notion of a computer itself and thus separates an iOS device from everything you think of as a PC. The ad ends with a mention of iOS.

Earlier in the year, Apple ran a short ad where it said that an iPad Pro isn't close to being a computer. It's something better, more modern. The subtext of both ads is that computers are stupid or dead or passe. It's a rejection of the concept of computers.

What does this say about the Macintosh? I'm seeing the parallel with the Apple II and "Apple II Forever" extravaganza. It's the end of the line.

Apple mentions the Mac less and less at its big events. The company knows that the machine is a drain on resources that detracts from its new core business, iOS and its mobile devices.

I know that Mac users do not want to see this reality, but the Mac is not a money maker. When you go into the Apple Store, you see the phone and the watches front and center, then the iPads, then the Mac.

There was some talk a few years ago about iOS on the Mac. That chatter largely subsided with the arrival of the iPad Pro, which changes the focus and solves the problem of having to develop two separate and distinct OS code bases. Even Microsoft was not about to invest in parallel code development to this extreme. Google is almost doing something like this, but basing it on Linux kernels.

Apple does have some Unix in the guts of macOS, but iOS seems scratch-built. On top of that, the company is doing extensive custom chip engineering with its ARM licensing and the A9 chip. This is a lot of heavy lifting at the most complex levels of design.

Do not get me wrong. The Mac is not dead tomorrow. But I've seen this exact scenario before and it does not bode well. If Apple rolls out some odd and out-of-place extravaganza for the Mac, you can be sure the end is near.

This article originally appeared on PCMag.com.

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Apple is the master of radical pivots. It killed the floppy drive, the CD drive, and the headphone jack in iPhones, while Macintosh systems went from the Motorola 68000 to the PowerPC chip to the Intel X86 line of chips.