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Birthplace of pipeline controversy

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FORT MCMURRAY, Alberta — Even those in the Canadian oil industry will tell you that mining oil sands isn't pretty.

At the Syncrude strip mine north of town, huge scoop shovels gnaw garage-size bites of the dark sands from the terraced walls of the largest open-pit mine of its kind — a 1.5-mile-wide, 300-foot-deep hole scraped out of the boggy forest.

Dozens of dump trucks as big as barns rumble and groan up and down dusty roads, hauling away 400 tons at a time to processing buildings the size of grain elevators.

After a trip through a steam-belching "upgrader" plant — a maze of metal pipes, centrifuges and towers — that 400-ton load of sand eventually becomes 20 barrels of synthetic crude oil.

The mining area stretches as far as the eye can see.

Bright yellow dried sulfur, a waste product removed from the oil sands, is stacked in piles as big as shopping centers.

Nearby is a muddy mile-wide pond that holds the wastewater from the upgrader plant. It's dotted with floating scarecrows and ringed with radar-activated, propane-powered cannons to scare off any waterfowl pondering a deadly landing in the oily water.

Source: Omaha World-Herald

39th District: People robbed while waiting for, or getting off, a bus

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39th Police District in Philadelphia

This list covers Sept. 30 – Oct. 6.

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September 30, 2011

3000 block W. Clearfield Ave. – A man was murdered. Police found the victim in the street with a gunshot wound to the right side of his neck and unknown additional injuries. Victim was pronounced dead on scene at 6:40 a.m.

3300 block Tilden St. – 1996 Honda Accord stolen between 1 and 6:45 a.m.

4000 block Ridge Ave. – Workbag and laptop stolen from a 2008 Toyota Corolla between 5:30 p.m. Sept. 29 and 7:45 a.m. Sept. 30.

100 block W. Queen Lane – Complainant said she was robbed at gunpoint at a gas station lot. Offender drove off with $500, car keys and IDs.

1700 block W. Hunting Park Ave. – Complainant said someone stole his cell phone, clothing and a jacket from an unlocked athletic locker.

3500 block N. 17th St. – Briefcase containing passport, rent payment, money order, check books and tax info was stolen from a car.

Source: Newsworks.org