Thursday News Report With Kevin Hays (AUDIO)

Salem-News.com

(SALEM) - (Audio Transcript)

HERE ARE TODAY`S TOP STORIES FROM SALEM-NEWS.COM WITH KEVIN HAYS REPORTING...

LENGTH: 3:46

A BABY ROBOT AT SALEM HOSPITAL IS HELPING NURSES PRACTICING ON REALISTIC CONDITIONS FOR A NUMBER OF DELICATE INFANT CARE PROCEDURES.

CALLED SIMBABY, THE LIFE-LIKE MANNEQUIN TAKES THE TRAINING TO THE NEXT LEVEL -- IN A MORE REALISTIC SETTING.

PART OF SIMBABY'S REALISM IS ITS ABILITY TO CRY, BREATHE AND EVEN HAVE AN IRREGULAR HEARTBEAT.

BUT SIMBABY IS NOT CHEAP. THE COST OF THE BABY AND COMPUTER USED TO PROGRAM IT WAS 32-THOUSAND DOLLARS. IT WAS PAID FOR BY A GRANT FROM THE SALEM HOSPITAL FOUNDATION.

THE HOSPITAL ALSO PURCHASED TWO SIMMANS WHICH USE THE SAME TECHNOLOGY AS SIMBABY. BIT IT ALLOWS NURSES TO TRAIN AND PRACTICE ADULT PROCEDURES.

A SUSPECT WANTED BY SALEM POLICE WAS ARRESTED WEDNESDAY IN NEWPORT.

SALEM POLICE DETECTIVES LEARNED THAT 47-YEAR-OLD DAVID MANTOOTH WAS AT SHIRLY`S BAR IN NEWPORT.

WORKING WITH NEWPORT POLICE, DETECTIVES WENT TO THE BAR, WHERE MANTOOTH WAS ARRESTED FOR FIRST DEGREE ASSAULT AND UNLAWFUL USE OF A WEAPON.

MANTOOTH IS ACCUSED OF SHOOTING 24-YEAR-OLD BRANDON BROWN OF SALEM MONDAY OUTSIDE A NORTHEAST SALEM APARTMENT COMPLEX.

A PORTION OF CENTER STREET NE WILL BE CLOSED THIS SUMMER THROUGH OCTOBER TO THROUGH TRAFFIC BETWEEN 17TH STREET NE AND 14TH STREET NE WHILE CREWS REPLACE AN OLD BRIDGE OVER MILL CREEK.

THE EXISTING NARROW BRIDGE WAS BUILT IN 1914.

THE NEW BRIDGE WILL BE WIDER, AND WILL BE ABLE TO ACCOMMODATE AUTOMOBLIES, BICYCLES, AND PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC.

THE CENTER STREET CLOSURE BEGINS JUNE 13TH.

A DETOUR WILL ROUTE EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND TRAFFIC TO 12TH STREET, STATE STREET, AND 17TH STREET.

STATE OFFICIALS AND AN ADVOCACY GROUP ARE DEBATING WHERE TO PLACE THE BLAME FOR A RISE IN CHILD ABUSE CASES IN OREGON.

IS IT METH USE BY PARENTS, OR STATE BUDGET CUTS?

DHS SAYS IN A NEW REPORT THAT 18 OREGON CHILDREN DIED OF ABUSE OR NEGLECT IN THE FISCAL YEAR THAT ENDED SEPTEMBER 30TH � MOST FROM PARENTS METH USE.

CHILDREN FIRST OF OREGON SAYS STATE OFFICALS ARE USING METH TO MASK INADEQUATE STATE FUNDING OF THE CHILD WEL FARE SYSTEM.

THE GROUPS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR ROBIN CHRISTIAN TOLD THE OREGONIAN NEWSPAPER THAT WHILE METH IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM, IT DOESN`T EXPLAIN WHY THE STATE WON`T INVEST IN MORE CASEWORKERS OR EFFECTIVE SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT FOR PARENTS.

THE MARION COUNTY SHERIFF`S OFFICE IS LOOKING FOR CITIZENS THAT ARE INTERESTED IN BECOMING RESERVE ENFORCEMENT DEPUTIES.

VOLUNTEER RESERVE ENFORCEMENT DEPUTIES PERFORM TASKS SUCH AS PATROLS, COMMUNITY POLICING, PRISONER TRANSPORT, AND CRIME SCENE SECURITY.

APPLICATIONS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE MARION COUNTY SHERIFF`S OFFICE TEMPORARY OFFICE, 270 COMMERICAL STREET NE.

FOR MORE INFORMATION ON BECOMING A VOLUNTEER RESERVE DEPUTY VISIT OUR WEBSITE SALEM-NEWS-COM.

THE KEIZER POLICE DEPARTMENT WILL BE HOLDING FREE SAFETY COURSES NEXT MONTH, THAT ARE DESIGNED TO INCREASE THE LEVEL OF PERSONAL SAFETY FOR WOMEN.

THE COURSES, CONSIST OF INSTRUCTIONAL PRESENATIONS, TRAINING EXERCISES, AND DYNAMIC SIMULATIONS.

THE FREE SAFETY COURSE WILL BE ON THURSDAY, JUNE 15TH, AT 6:00 PM, AT THE KEIZER POLICE DEPARTMENT AUDITORIUM.

TOLEDO POLICE CHIEF DON DENISION IS IN SOME HOT WATER FOR USING A CITY OWNED BACKHOE TO HAUL HIS DAUGHTERS DEAD HORSE TO IT`S FINAL RESTING PLACE.

A STATE COMMISSION IS INVESTIGATING WHETHER DENISION BROKE ETHICS LAWS BY USING A PLOICE CAR WITH FLASHING LIGHTS TO ESCORT THE BACKHOE.

THE FUNERAL IS ONE OF SIX POSSIBLE VIOLATIONS BEING INVESTIGATED.

DENISION SAID HE IS BEING HARASSED BY A PAIR OF RESIDENTS WHO SIMPLY DON`T LIKE HIME.

PORTLAND RADIO TALK SHOW HOST AND ANTI-ABORTION ACTIVIST MARY STAR RETT IS PLANNING TO SEEK THE NOMINATION OF THE CONSERVATIVE CONSTITUTION PARTY.

STAR RETT COULD STEAL SOME KEY VOTES FROM REPUBLICAN NOMINEE RON SAXTON, WHO IS PRO-CHOICE.

THE CONSTITUTION PARTY HOLDS IT`S NOMINATING CONVENTION THIS WEEKEND IN LAKE OSWEGO.

THE LATEST SALEM-AREA NEWS, WEATHER, SPORTS, AND TRAFFIC IS ON DEMAND AT SALEM-NEWS.COM.

I`M KEVIN HAYS REPORTING FOR SALEM-NEWS.COM HAVE A SAFE AND WONDERFUL DAY