Murder Of Sharone Bailey Will Be Heard By Grand Jury

EASTVILLE — Sharone White Bailey’s accused killer allegedly stabbed her, chased her as she ran and then stabbed her repeatedly as she banged on a neighbor’s door for help.

Then, after she gained entry to the home of elderly neighbors, Derrick Epps broke through the door and continued to stab her.

“He must have killed her,” the neighbor, 84-year-old Alice Doughty, told a judge during a criminal hearing in Northampton court. “All that blood was on the floor.”

Later, while in custody, Epps made an escape attempt while using the restroom and apparent ran out of the sheriff’s office before being apprehended.

General District Court Judge Gordon Vincent certified the murder charge against Epps, 36, of Exmore, to a grand jury.

Witnesses presented by Commonwealth’s Attorney Bruce Jones told a horrifying story to a courtroom packed with the victim’s friends and family. Many wept quietly as they heard the story of her final moments on July 9.

The slaying of Bailey, 57, who had recently been named the 2010 Eastern Shore Citizen of the Year at a gala event, shocked the community.

On the day of her death, Bailey drove home from work in the middle of the day. Epps, her neighbor, saw her pull into her driveway and ran into his kitchen to get a long knife.

“He told her he wanted money,” testified Northampton County Sheriff’s Office investigator Terry Thomas, who said Epps told him the entire story of the slaying when he was arrested. Thomas said Epps told him he stabbed her “a few times.”

He told Thomas that Bailey fell to the ground and then got up and ran across the street. Thomas said Epps told him that Bailey was screaming for help when she got to the neighbor’s front door. He said he was continually stabbing her as she banged on the door.

Epps admitted he went back a few minutes later and broke through the Doughtys’ door, “because a voice told him she was not dead,” Thomas said.

The testimony of the neighbor, Joseph Doughty, 86, told more of the story.

“I heard a hard rap on the door. I jumped up. I opened the door, ” he said.

“She fell on the floor,” he said. “She asked me to call 911. She was trying to fight him off. He had this big, long knife.”

When Bailey fell, the defendant backed away, Doughty said. He testified that he quickly locked the storm door and the wooden door and ran to the telephone to call for help.

As he was talking to 911, Doughty said the defendant burst through the doors breaking the door frame and the wooden door.

“He came in the house and cut her again.”

His wife, Alice Doughty, appeared frail as she was helped to the witness stand by deputies.

Jones asked her if she knew Epps. She pointed to the defendant and said, “He lived next door.”

She recalled the scene with obvious pain, telling the same story as her husband.
“She came running in the door and he was right behind her,” she said, looking at Epps.

“When she fell, I was talking to her. He came into the house, cut her again,” she said.

In addition to the first degree murder charge, Epps is charged with entering a dwelling with a deadly weapon with the intent to commit murder and assault and battery of a police officer.

Northampton Sheriff’s Office Deputy William Smith transported Epps to the sheriff’s office after he was picked up walking on Broadwater Road.

He was being held in the conference room there when he insisted he had an urgent need to use the bathroom. Smith was instructed to take him.

Smith released one of the man’s handcuffs while in the bathroom. At that moment, he said, Epps shoved him into a wall and ran out the door.

Epps ran out the door of the building with Smith fifteen or twenty feet behind him. Smith said he deployed his Taser and Epps went down. He was again taken into custody.

“He made no bones about what he did,” investigator Thomas told the court, referring to Epps’ description of the day’s events. “He said it was not a robbery, that her people owed his people.”

www.easternshorenews.com

Wind Restrictions Have Been Lifted

All wind restrictions on the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel have been lifted.

The hurricane is expected to head further off shore and continue northward and not cause any threats for closure of the bridge/tunnel facility.

Drive safely.

This Weekend In Crisfield

63rd National Hard Crab Derby
Schedule of Events 2010
At Somers Cove Marina grounds
7th Street, Crisfield, Maryland 21817

ADMISSION TO GROUNDS IS FREE ALL WEEKEND!!

Friday, Sept. 3rd
9:00 a.m. – Crab Cooking Contest – Baptist Church, Somerset Ave.

6:00 p.m. – Grounds open: rides, games, food, arts/crafts.

7:00 p.m. – Live Entertainment - the "Funsters" - classic rock, country, Jimmy Buffet - type music

Saturday, Sept. 4th
7:30 a.m. – 10-K Race/Walk

9:00 a.m. – Lions Club Swim Meet – Marina Pool

11:00 a.m.–Street Parade – Main St.

12 noon - Gates open on grounds

12:30 – 1:30 – Skiff Races – Crisfield City Dock

2:00 p.m. – Governor’s Cup Crab Race – Crab Bowl

2:30 p.m. – 63rd Annual National Hard Crab Derby Race – Crab Bowl

3:30 p.m. - Crab Picking Contest – Crab Bowl

4:30 p.m. – Arm Wrestling Contest – Crab Bowl

7:00 p.m. - Live Band - "Draw The Line" - AEROSMITH Tribute Band - tickets sold in advance; call 1-800-782-3913

Sunday – Sept. 5th

8:00 a.m. – Open Air Religious Service – Crisfield City Dock

12 noon- Gates open on grounds

1:00 p.m. – Boat Docking Contest – Crisfield City Dock, end of Rt. 413 - admission $15.00 (also gives access to Crab Derby grounds)

7:00 p.m. – "Crisfield Idol" - admission fee

9:00 p.m. – Fireworks!!

Schools Ban Bracelets Promoting Cancer Awareness

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Cancer has ravaged several of Ann Aberson's relatives, so she doesn't have a problem with her two teenage daughters wearing bracelets to raise awareness of breast cancer.

But their school principal does.

This week, Baltic High School, just north of here, became one of the latest across the USA to ban the rubber bracelet, which has a message some say is in poor taste: "I love boobies."

The bracelets have caused controversy in schools in states including California, Colorado, Idaho, Florida and Wisconsin. Some districts allow students to wear them inside-out, and others ban them.

"When we had an assembly the first day of school, I basically told the students we are not insensitive to the cause," Baltic High Principal Jim Aisenbrey says. "I think everybody in the gym, including myself, has had a family member or relative or friend who has dealt with the issue. I do think there are more proper ways to bring this plight to the attention of people, and I don't think this is a proper way."

"I guess I never thought of them as offensive," Aberson says. Her grandmother and five of her grandmother's sisters battled breast cancer.

The bracelets, which sell for about $4 in stores, were created by Keep A Breast Foundation, a Carlsbad, Calif., non-profit group that seeks to increase breast cancer awareness among young people.

Proceeds from sales support the foundation's programs, founder Shaney Jo Darden says. She says the bracelets are meant to spark discussions.

"That's the whole idea, it's getting people to talk about breast cancer, it's getting people to share their feelings about how this disease has impacted their life," she says. "The bracelet is doing what it's meant to do — it's making people talk."

"Schools banning it? That's crazy," says Julie Hubbell of Lewisville, Texas. Hubbell helped organize an auction and barbeque named "Boobie Q" to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation.

In the Fresno area, students in the Clovis Unified School District were told not to wear the bracelets in class — or to turn them inside out so the message is not visible, spokeswoman Kelly Avants says. The school district's dress code outlaws jewelry with sexually suggestive language or images, she says.

www.usatoday.com

Chicago Police Chief Criticized For "Gang Summit"

CHICAGO -- The idea seemed simple though bold: Call reputed gang leaders to a meeting with top police and federal prosecutors and deliver an ultimatum to end killings in the nation's third-largest city.

But Chicago police Superintendent Jody Weis is facing mounting criticism for holding a so-called "gang summit" last month, even though several police departments across the country have relied on that approach for decades to help reduce crime.

Among the chief complaints: that Weis himself was at the meeting, that the department should instead be adding more officers on the streets and that gangs won't take the message seriously.

"What are we doing negotiating or having a sit-down with urban terrorists who are killing with guns and drugs on the streets?" Chicago Alderman Bob Fioretti said. "Gangs are not to be coddled.

The issue resonates deeply in Chicago, where the number of brazen shootings has escalated this year, even though the overall homicide rate is down. Earlier this year, two state lawmakers asked to send in the National Guard to patrol streets. On Wednesday, two cops were shot and injured while serving a warrant.

The Chicago Gang Violence Reduction Initiative launched at an unpublicized Aug. 17 meeting, when Weis met with parolees and reputed gang members from Chicago's west side. The meeting, which was also attended by family members of victims, was first reported by the Chicago Sun-Times.

Some reputed members of gangs like the Four Corner Hustlers and the Traveling Vice Lords said they were surprised to see Weis there after being told by their parole officers to show up. Many were visibly angry and some left during the meeting.

But Weis has defended the initiative with the support of Mayor Richard M. Daley and U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, who likened the tactic to his office holding parolee forums to warn people leaving prison that they'll be watched.

Weis said the message was simple: "If you should resort to violence, we'll sharpen our focus on you and really really make your lives uncomfortable. You have the ability to influence people within your sphere. You guys are in the position to stop the killing."

Weis said prosecutors at the meeting threatened attendees that they could be charged under the Racketeering Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act if killings were traced back to gangs with members attending the meeting. The federal law, commonly known as RICO, provides stiffer penalties for acts performed as part of a criminal organization such as the Mafia.

Experts say the tactic of meeting with gang leaders -- whether formally with top administrators or at the neighborhood level -- is just part of good police work.

"It's become almost standard practice in police departments around the country," said David Kennedy, director of the Center for Crime Prevention and Control at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York. "It's simply saying to people that violence is going to get special attention from law enforcement and that a whole lot of violence, especially in places like Chicago, is driven by gangs."

At least 50 jurisdictions nationwide use the approach. In Cincinnati, Chief Tom Streicher Jr. attends similar meetings, and the Los Angeles Police Department has started using the approach.

Among the pioneers was the Boston Police Department. In the early 1990s when the city's murder rate hovered around 150 a year, the department launched Operation Ceasefire, which continues today.

Parolees and other alleged criminals attend meetings with prosecutors where they're warned of consequences and given jobs information. Police say it has helped cut Boston's homicide rate.

Last year the department reported 49. "We give them a conversation about the fact that we know who they are, what they're up to and they have two options," said Boston police spokeswoman Elaine Driscoll. "Take advantage of the resources or end up in jail."

Still, criticism in Chicago has continued,"I don't think that's the way to go," Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn said. He suggested going after guns on the streets. Fioretti, who is mulling a run at Chicago mayor, said Weis shouldn't have been there with reputed gangsters.

"He brought them to a table and made them equal," Fioretti said.

Chicago Alderman Joe Moore has called it "a desperation tactic," while others have suggested younger and active gang members may not listen to the word of parolees. Some of the scrutiny could simply be because it was Weis' idea.

Since he took over in 2008, the department has been weary of Weis, a career FBI agent who continues to be seen as an outsider by many rank and file officers.

Weis noted the program hasn't incurred big costs and that if it doesn't work, the department will drop it. He said he thinks his presence at the meeting made it more meaningful and that attendees were chosen because of their influence.

Overall, Chicago's homicide rate has mirrored national trends and dropped significantly since the 1990s. It fell from a high of 943 in 1992 to 460 last year and has held steady in recent years.

But if residents and police need evidence that the city remains a dangerous place for officers -- four officers were killed in the line of duty this year -- they found it Wednesday morning. Two plainclothes officers were shot and wounded while serving a warrant on the city's South Side.

Weis said the next step is to determine if recent crimes can be traced to gangs at the meting.

"I don't view it as the panacea to stop all crimes," he said. "It certainly seemed like a worthwhile effort, even to try.

www.foxnews.com

Oil Platform Catches Fire Off Coast Of Louisiana - Crew Okay

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An oil platform that burned off the Louisiana coast Thursday was the second such disaster in the Gulf of Mexico in less than five months. This time, the Coast Guard said there was no leak, and no one was killed.

The Coast Guard initially reported that an oil sheen a mile long and 100 feet wide had begun to spread from the site, about 200 miles west of the source of BP's massive spill. But hours later, Coast Guard Cmdr. Cheri Ben-Iesau said crews were unable to find any spill.

The company that owns the platform, Houston-based Mariner Energy, did not know what caused the fire. Workers who were pulled from the water told rescuers that there was a blast on board, but Mariner Energy's Patrick Cassidy said he considered what happened aboard the platform a fire, not an explosion.

"The platform is still intact and it was just a small portion of the platform that appears to be burned," he said.

Mariner officials said there were seven active production wells on the platform, and they were shut down shortly before the fire broke out.

Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal said the company told him the fire began in 100 barrels of light oil condensate.

The Coast Guard said Mariner Energy reported the oil sheen. In a public statement, the company said an initial flyover did not show any oil.

Photos from the scene showed at least five ships floating near the platform. Three of them were shooting great plumes of water onto the machinery. Light smoke could be seen drifting across the deep blue waters of the gulf.

By late afternoon, the fire on the platform was out.

The platform is in about 340 feet of water and about 100 miles south of Louisiana's Vermilion Bay. Its location is considered shallow water, much less than the approximately 5,000 feet where BP's well spewed oil and gas for three months after the April rig explosion that killed 11 workers. Responding to any oil spill in shallow water would be much easier than in deep water, where crews depend on remote-operated vehicles to access equipment on the sea floor.

A Homeland Security update obtained by The Associated Press said the platform was producing 58,800 gallons of oil and 900,000 cubic feet of gas per day. The platform can store 4,200 gallons of oil.

White House press secretary Robert Gibbs said the administration has "response assets ready for deployment should we receive reports of pollution in the water."

All 13 of the platform's crew members were rescued from the water. They were found huddled together in life jackets.

The captain of the boat that rescued the platform crew said his vessel was 25 miles away when it received a distress call Thursday morning from the platform.

The Crystal Clear, a 110-foot boat, was in the Gulf doing routine maintenance work on oil rigs and platforms. When Capt. Dan Shaw arrived at the scene of the blast, the workers were holding hands in the water, where they had been for two hours. They were thirsty and tired.

"We gave them soda and water, anything they wanted to drink," Shaw said. "They were just glad to be on board with us."

Shaw said the blast was so sudden that the crew did not have time to get into lifeboats. They did not mention what might have caused the blast.

"They just said there was an explosion, there was a fire," Shaw said. "It happened very quick."

Crew members were being flown to a hospital in Houma. The Coast Guard said one person was injured, but the company said there were no injuries. All of them were released by early Thursday evening.

Jindal met with some of the survivors. He would not identify them except to say most were from Louisiana.

Environmental groups and some lawmakers said the incident showed the dangers of offshore drilling, and urged the Obama administration to extend a temporary ban on deepwater drilling to shallow water, where this platform was located.

"How many accidents are needed and how much environmental and economic damage must we suffer before we act to contain and control the source of the danger: offshore drilling?" said Rep. Frank Pallone, a New Jersey Democrat.

Mike Gravitz, oceans advocate for Environment America, said President Barack Obama "should need no further wake-up call to permanently ban new drilling."

There are about 3,400 platforms operating in the Gulf, according to the American Petroleum Institute. Together they pump about a third of the America's domestic oil, forming the backbone of the country's petroleum industry.

Platforms are vastly different from oil rigs like BP's Deepwater Horizon. They are usually brought in after wells are already drilled and sealed.

"A production platform is much more stable," said Andy Radford, an API expert on offshore oil drilling. "On a drilling rig, you're actually drilling the well. You're cutting. You're pumping mud down the hole. You have a lot more activity on a drilling rig."

In contrast, platforms are usually placed atop stable wells where the oil is flowing at a predictable pressure, he said. A majority of platforms in the Gulf do not require crews on board.

Many platforms, especially those in shallower water, stand on legs that are drilled into the sea floor. Like a giant octopus, they spread numerous pipelines and can tap into many wells at once.

Platforms do not have blowout preventers, but they are usually equipped with a series of redundant valves that can shut off oil and gas at different points along the pipeline.

Numerous platforms were damaged during hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The storms broke pipelines, and oil spilled into the Gulf. But the platforms successfully kept major spills from happening, Radford said.

"Those safety valves did their job," he said.

Industry representatives sought to minimize Thursday's incident and distance it from the well blowout in April.

"We have on these platforms on any given year roughly 100 fires," said Allen Verret, executive director of the Offshore Operators Committee.

Federal authorities have cited Mariner Energy and related entities for 10 accidents in the Gulf of Mexico over the last four years, according to safety records from the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management, Regulation and Enforcement.

The accidents range from platform fires to pollution spills and a blowout, according to accident-investigation reports from the agency formerly known as the Minerals Management Service.

In 2007, welding sparks falling onto an oil storage tank caused a flash fire that slightly burned a contract worker. The Minerals Management Service issued a $35,000 fine.

Mariner Energy Inc. focuses on oil and gas exploration and production in the Gulf. In April, Apache Corp., another independent oil company, announced plans to buy Mariner in a cash-and-stock deal valued at $3.9 billion, including the assumption of about $1.2 billion of Mariner's debt. That deal is pending.

On Friday, BP was expected to begin the process of removing the cap and failed blowout preventer from its ruptured well, another step toward completion of a relief well that would seal the leak permanently. The Deepwater Horizon exploded April 20, setting off a three-month leak that totaled 206 million gallons of oil.

www.baltimoresun.com

Hurricanes Of Maryland Through The Years

While Hurricane Earl is still on our minds go to the link below to see if you remember any of the past hurricanes that have passed through Maryland. Many of them are of Ocean City, Maryland.

Hurricanes that blew through Maryland through the years - baltimoresun.com

Hurricane Esther (George Cook, Baltimore Sun / September 21, 1961) Esther pushed high tides into some of the streets of Ocean City.

www.baltimoresun.com

"90210 Day" ~ woohoo.......

Unfortunately, it isn’t a joke: today is 90210 day.

For some reason, somebody noticed that today’s date, 9-02-10, looks a lot like the name of the show, and fans have taken the coincidental similarity as as an opportunity to celebrate the 90′s classic.

If anyone else is bothered by how tacky this situation is, they can take comfort in the fact that today will be the only 90210 day ever, assuming that the show will have been forgotten a hundred years from now. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

www.execte.com

OCEAN CITY BEACHES ARE CLOSED TO SWIMMERS !!

OCEAN CITY, Md. (AP) — The mayor of Ocean City says the resort town's beaches are closed to swimmers as the East Coast braces for strong winds and rain from Hurricane Earl.

Mayor Rick Meehan said Thursday the beaches are off limits to swimmers because of pending weather driven by the hurricane. Meehan says lifeguards are only allowing in experienced body-boarders and surfers.

The mayor says the restrictions would likely continue through Saturday.

www.delmarvanow.com

Offshore Oil Rig Explodes In Gulf/ Reported at 12:06 PM

An offshore oil rig exploded in the Gulf of Mexico 80 miles off the Louisiana coastline Thursday, west of the site of the April BP blast that caused a massive oil spill, Coast Guard officials said.

There were 13 workers aboard the rig, U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Bill Colclough told CNN, reporting that all were accounted for with one person injured.

They will be transported to Terrebone General Medical Center in Houma, La., according to a report in the Times Picayune.

The blast was first reported by a commercial helicopter company about 9:30 a.m. CDT Thursday, Coast Guard Petty Officer Casey Ranel told the Associated Press.

Seven helicopters, two airplanes and four boats are en route to the site, about 80 miles south of Vermilion Bay along the central Louisiana coast.

Ranel says it hasn't been determined whether the structure is a production platform or a drilling rig or whether workers were aboard. Ranel says smoke was reported but it is unclear whether the rig is still burning.

www.nydailynews.com

Spike Express Youth Volleyball Offered

SNOW HILL -- Worcester County Recreation & Parks is currently offers Spike Express youth volleyball for those ages 9 to 14 at the Worcester County Recreation Center in Snow Hill.

This program provides an arena for young players to learn and practice skills needed to play the game of volleyball. Time will be allotted during each session for instruction, practice and game play. Teams will be formed based on age and skill level.

Beginners are welcome.

Practices take place on Tuesdays from 5:30-6:30 p.m. from Sept. 7 through Nov. 23. Knee pads are recommended for this program.

The cost is $20. Financial aid is available to those who show a demonstrated need, and proof of eligibility is required.

For more information, contact Daryl Gross at 410-632-2144 ext. 106 or dgross@co.worcester.md.us.

www.delmarvanow.com

Son Ran Over His Mother On Purpose

BERLIN -- Police charged a Pennsylvania man with murder after he allegedly ran his mother over with a work van two to three times and tried to convince investigators it was an accident.

Police say 58-year-old Steven Frederick Molin of Darby, Pa., killed his mother, 85-year-old Emily Belle Molin, by running her over with a large work van on rural Carey Road, north of Berlin and west of Ocean Pines, late Tuesday night. The elder Molin, who was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center, died from injuries sustained from a motor vehicle.

Investigators from the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation said Steven Molin notified police around midnight Tuesday of a serious motor vehicle accident on Carey Road. He told them that as he and his mother were riding in his vehicle, which he was driving, his mother fell out. He told police that once he realized she had fallen out, he stopped and drove in reverse.

Accident reconstruction specialists looking at the scene could tell that the elderly woman had been driven over two to three times, police said. At that point, WCBI was notified and a criminal investigation ensued.

"He passed it off as, his mom fell out," WCBI Sgt. H. S. Brent said. "When the reconstructionist came out, things weren't adding up."

Based upon his interview with police and the forensic evidence from the scene, Molin was charged with first-degree murder, second-degree murder and manslaughter. According to police, detectives "identified evidence that was not consistent with the reported incident."

Molin is being held in Worcester County Jail without bond, although a bond review hearing is scheduled for today.

Detectives continue to investigate the incident and are asking anyone who was traveling on Carey Road at the time who saw anything suspicious to contact WCBI at 410-352-3476, or the Sheriff's Office at 410-632-1111.

www.delmarvanow.com

Assateague Closings

BERLIN — Assateague Island National Seashore is telling all campers to leave by noon Thursday and will close its visitor centers on Friday.

The park made the announcement on its Twitter page, @AssateagueNPS, as Hurricane Earl came closer to Delmarva. On Wednesday, park rangers had told campers in remote campsites accessible only by canoe or kayak to move out.

The park also closed its off-road vehicle areas, used by surf fishermen, to any traffic.

Homeless Man Calls 9-1-1 From Hot Tub

A homeless man who sneaked into a Beaverton hot tub, then called 9-1-1 to ask for towels, hot chocolate and a hug got cold comfort from police instead.

Mark Eskelsen called emergency dispatchers from his cell phone about 7:10 a.m. Sunday, identified himself as "the sheriff of Washington County," and asked for medical help.

The dispatcher asked Eskelsen, who later admitted he wasn't the sheriff, what was wrong.

"Well, I've been yelling for about an hour and a half," Eskelsen said.

But the dispatcher already knew that. Neighbors had called 9-1-1, concerned about the man bellowing from a fence-surrounded pool in the 15000 block of Southwest Village Lane.

Eskelsen said he had been sitting in the water for about 10 hours. His towels had gotten wet, and his fingers looked like prunes.

"I just need a hug and a warm cup of hot chocolate with marshmallows in it," he told the dispatcher.

Beaverton police officers arrived, found Eskelsen naked in the tub, and arrested him on accusations of second-degree criminal trespass and improper use of the 9-1-1 system.

www.oregonlive.com

Del. Man Accused Of Killing Officer Gets Trial Postponed

I can't help but feel sadness for the Spicer family. A trial postponement just IS NOT fair when lawyer's suddenly, after ONE year, seem to think this "animal" must be insane!


GEORGETOWN — The trial of a man accused of killing a Georgetown police officer last year has been postponed so his lawyers can do research for their client’s insanity defense.

Derrick J. Powell’s trial was scheduled to begin Oct. 11 in Georgetown. He is charged with first-degree murder in the September 2009 shooting of police officer Chad Spicer. The Attorney General’s office has said it will seek the death penalty.

Superior Court Judge T. Henley Graves and lawyers will meet Friday to discuss a new trial date.

www.delmarvanow.com

Virginia DMV Extends Licenses, And Hours After Computer Outage

Richmond, Va. --

Virginia expects to resume renewing driver's licenses today after a giant, weeklong computer failure. But that may not be reason to smile.

Because of continuing data headaches, the Department of Motor Vehicles still can't match thousands of photographs with driver information, potentially rendering 10,000 to 16,000 head shots unusable.

If the photos contained in giant electronic files can't be restored, affected Virginians would have to report to DMV offices to sit for fresh pictures.

"It's too early to say whether that next step is necessary," said Samuel A. Nixon Jr., the state's computer chief.

With officials saying Virginia's information-technology systems are fully operational again for the first time since the Aug. 25 crash that crippled 26 agencies, DMV -- the hardest-hit -- breathed 20 days' new life into most of the driver's licenses and identification cards that expired during the outage.

DMV said the 12,226 people whose licenses and ID cards became invalid during the outage will not have to prove their legal presence in the United States by producing additional documentation, such as a passport or birth certificate -- as the agency had advised earlier.

All told, 35,000 to 45,000 customers have been unable to get driver's licenses or ID cards during the service blackout.

The last of Virginia's stricken agencies were, for the most part, up and running yesterday.

That included the State Board of Elections and the departments of Social Services, Environmental Quality, and Taxation.

The tax agency, which handles millions of dollars a day, resumed issuing refunds and liens as well as processing returns via the Internet.

The tax department still has some gaps in its records, but, "we don't think it's as bad as we thought it might be," spokesman Joel Davison said.

Meantime, the state moved closer to opening an independent investigation of Virginia's biggest computer failure since the government hired Northrop Grumman in 2005 to run its IT networks.

Gov. Bob McDonnell, the Nixon-led Virginia Information Technologies Agency, and the General Assembly's investigative arm, the Joint Legislative Audit and Review Commission, will select an outside expert -- who would be paid by Northrop Grumman -- to study the crisis and report within three months.

McDonnell initially wanted VITA to choose the investigator, but legislative leaders said that would raise questions about the probe's independence.

JLARC, under state law, has oversight responsibility for VITA and Northrop Grumman, which is being paid more than $2.3 billion under Virginia's largest privatization contract.

Calling the results of the outage an emergency, DMV also said it will lengthen service hours at its 74 offices to accommodate tens of thousands of inconvenienced people.

"We're trying to get every [service counter] window open," DMV spokeswoman Melanie Stokes said. "We are planning to be extremely busy."

With employees working overtime, DMV will extend hours today and tomorrow until 6 p.m. Offices, which generally open at 8 a.m., usually close at 5 p.m.

During the Labor Day holiday weekend, DMV will extend hours at 14 offices on Saturday. Rather than close at noon, most of the offices will remain open until 6 p.m.

Using the DMV's authority to extend their validity periods, the agency will add 20 days to most licenses and ID cards that lapsed during the disruption.

As an example, licenses that expired Aug. 25 will be good until Sept. 14, giving customers time to renew before the new expiration date.

DMV headquarters workers are being sent to field offices to help with the expected influx of customers.

DMV is paying for the increased costs from the crisis out of its regular operating budget, Stokes said.

The 20-day extension on expired licenses and ID cards will shorten the new ones' validity period by the same amount.

However, the grace period will not apply to limited-duration licenses, such as those issued to foreigners temporarily in the U.S. on a work visa.

www.timesdispatch.com

MD. Senate Committee Chairman Indicted On Extortion and Bribery Charges

A federal grand jury has indicted powerful Maryland Senate committee chairman Ulysses S. Currie on charges of bribery, extortion, and mail fraud and making false statements.

Currie, a Democrat from Forestville in Prince George's County, is accused of taking an off-the-book job with Shoppers Food Warehouse in exchange for using his official position to influence government business to benefit the supermarket chain. He has been under federal investigation for more than two years for working as a consultant for Shoppers without disclosing the work in financial disclosure forms.

"Government officials cross a bright line when they accept payments in return for using the authority of their office, whether they take cash in envelopes or checks labeled as consulting payments," U.S. Attorney Rod J. Rosenstein said in a statement Wednesday.

Prosecutors said Currie received monthly payments of up to $7,600 for a total of nearly $240,000 during the six-year scheme.

The 18-count indictment alleges that after Currie became chairman of the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee in 2002, he asked to be placed on the payroll of Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp.

Two former grocery store chain executives are also charged in the scheme. They are former Shoppers President William White, 67, of Annapolis, and grocery store real estate executive Kevin Small, 55, of Lewisburg, Pa.

Senate President Thomas V. Mike Miller Jr. said Wednesday that Currie told him he will step aside as chairman.

The indictment alleges that in 2007, the 73-year-old Currie prepared a list called "Accomplishments on Behalf of Shoppers," to justify his payments and listed 12 projects he had furthered on behalf of the grocer.

As part of the conspiracy, prosecutors said Currie:

¥ Persuaded government officials to give up the right to purchase land in Chillum owned by the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, so that the property could be bought to expand a Shoppers supermarket.

¥ Met with government officials to secure $2 million for a Baltimore supermarket to lower the costs of opening a Shoppers store.

¥ Lobbied the Prince George's County Liquor Board to allow the transfer of a liquor license from one Shoppers store to another, and then arranged for another state lawmaker to introduce legislation to approve the transfer and then voted on it.

¥ Convened meetings in his Senate office with state officials to obtain a grant of up to $3 million for road improvements for the supermarket.

¥ Used official letterhead to repeatedly lobby Maryland highway officials for traffic signals at Shoppers stores in Laurel and Baltimore County.

If convicted, Currie, White and Small face more than 80 years in prison.

In a separate criminal filing, Shoppers Food Warehouse Corp., has agreed to pay a $2.5 million penalty. The court must approve the agreement.

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Please Fly Your Flag

GET YOUR FLAG READY!
Please join us in this FLY THE FLAG campaign and PLEASE forward this Email immediately to everyone in your address book asking them to also forward it. If you forward this email to least 11 people and each of those people do the same ... you get the idea.

THE PROGRAM:
On Saturday, September 11th, 2010, an American flag should be displayed outside every home, apartment, office, and store in the United States . Every individual should make it their duty to display an American flag on this seventh anniversary of one our country's worst tragedies. We do this honor of those who lost their lives on 9/11, their families, friends and loved ones who continue to endure the pain, and those who today are fighting at home and abroad to preserve our cherished freedoms.

 In the days, weeks and months following 9/11, our country was bathed in American flags as citizens mourned the incredible losses and stood shoulder-to-shoulder against terrorism. Sadly, those flags have all but disappeared. Our patriotism pulled us through some tough times and it shouldn't take another attack to galvanize us in solidarity. Our American flag is the fabric of our country and together we can prevail over terrorism of all kinds.

 Action Plan:
So, here's what we need you to do ...
(1) Forward this email to everyone you know (at least 11 people). Please don't be the one to break this chain. Take a moment to think back to how you felt on 9/11 and let those sentiments guide you.

(2) Fly an American flag of any size on 9/11. Honestly, Americans should fly the flag year-round, but if you don't, then at least make it a priority on this day.

(3) Pray for our country and military and all elected officials... and remember to thank God for all our wonderful blessings.

Thank you for your participation. God Bless You and God Bless America !!!

Disaster Checklist For Seniors

The elderly are among the most vulnerable victims when hurricanes strike. Home Instead Senior Care has offered up some tips to help seniors prepare.

Disaster Prep Checklist For Seniors:

Tune in. Contact the local emergency management office to learn about the most likely natural disasters to strike your area. Stay abreast of what's going on through your local radio or television.

Take stock. Decide what your senior can or can't do in the event of a natural disaster. Make a list of what would be needed if a disaster occurred. For example, if your loved one uses a wheelchair, determine an evacuation strategy ahead of time. Prepare for whatever disaster could hit the area.

To go or to stay? When deciding to evacuate, older adults should go sooner rather than later. By waiting too long, they may be unable to leave if they require assistance.

Make a plan. Schedule a family meeting to develop a plan of action. Include in your plan key people - such as neighbors, friends, relatives and professional caregivers - who could help.

More than one way out. Seniors should develop at least two escape routes: one to evacuate their home and one to evacuate their community. The local emergency management office can tell you escape routes out of the community.

Meet up. Designate a place to meet relatives or key support network people outside the house, as well as a second location outside the neighborhood, such as a school or church. Practice the plan twice a year.

Get up and "Go Kit." Have an easy-to-carry backpack including three days non-perishable food and water with an additional four days of food and water readily accessible at home. Have at least one gallon of bottled water per person per day. Refresh and replace your supplies at least twice a year. And don't forget the blanket and paper products such as toilet paper.

Pack extras and copies. Have at least a one-month supply of medication on hand at all times. Make ready other important documents in a waterproof protector including copies of prescriptions, car title registration and driver's license, insurance documents and bank account numbers, and spare checkbook. Also take extra eyeglasses and hearing-aid batteries. Label every piece of important equipment or personal item in case they are lost.

Your contact list. Compile a contact list and include people on a senior's support network as well as doctors and other important health-care professionals.

If you can't be there. If you're not living close by to help your loved one, enlist the help of family or friends, or contact a professional caregiving company.

"We know that a disaster can be deadly for some seniors because of physical and other limitations," said Laura Bousman owner of the Home Instead Office serving Tidewater. "That's why the sooner the better for families to talk with their senior loved ones and begin preparing in advance for any kind of emergency that could threaten their health or safety. Consider this checklist as you help your older adult get ready."

For more information contact Home Instead Senior Care at (757) 631-7744 or online at www.homeinstead.com.

Day Camp For Dogs In South Florida

Your smile for today........
Even if you have never owned a dog in your entire life you must read this..........
And if you have owned a dog you will know just how much fun this must be for a four-legged best friend.

MIAMI (AP) - The yellow school bus makes its rounds, picking up one eager passenger after another en route to day camp. Small legs quickly climb the stairs, heads pop out of bus windows and excitement rises.


Each of these day campers has four legs and a tail and many wag those tails rapidly as the "Doggie Bus" pulls up at a southwest Miami camp created just for canines _ Totally Dog.
Dog trainer Elena Sweet says she opened Totally Dog in 1999 as a peaceful getaway for dogs to run free, socialize and beat urban stress. Husband Jeremy drives the bus and dogs bound off into a bone-shaped wading pool, then romp at play. Owners pay about $45 a day for camp. Kenny Reich says his three pooches go right to sleep after camp _ a sure sign they had a doggone "great time."

www.wtop.com

Amtrak Cancels Some Services Due To Earl

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) - Amtrak says it's canceling some Virginia passenger train routes because of Hurricane Earl.

Amtrak says the cancellations involve routes between the Tidewater area and Newport News. The changes announced Wednesday run Thursday through Saturday.

On Thursday, Amtrak says trains 67 and 66 will end in Richmond instead of Newport News and Train 95 will end at Washington, D.C. instead of Newport News.

On Friday, Train 66 will start from Richmond instead of Newport News, while Train 94 will originate in Washington, instead of Newport News. Trains 95 and 83 will end their routes in Washington instead of Newport News and Train 78 is canceled.

Saturday, Amtrak says Train 194 will start in Richmond instead of Newport News and Train 82 will originate in Washington instead of Newport News.

http://www.wavy.com/

This One's For You Earl !!!

No vacancy

( AP photo / September 1, 2010 )

A window is boarded up with a message at the Buxton Beach Motel in Buxton, N.C. as Hurricane Earl approaches North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Son From Pennsylvania Arrested In Mother's Murder

BERLIN, Md.- Detectives with the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation have arrested a Pennsylvania man on murder and related charges after they say he intentionally ran over his elderly mother with a vehicle.

Steven Frederick Molin, 58, of Darby, Pa., is charged with first- and second-degree murder and manslaughter. He is being held without bond in the Worcester County Detention Center.

At around 11:57 p.m. Tuesday, deputies with the Worcester County Sheriff's Office responded to a reported motor vehicle accident on Carey Road in Berlin. When police arrived on the scene, 85-year-old Emily Belle Molin, also of Darby, was transported to Peninsula Regional Medical Center in Salisbury where she died from injuries sustained in the reported accident.

Investigators learned that Steven Molin was the driver of the vehicle. According to police, Molin claimed that his mother fell out of the moving vehicle. He explained that he backed up after he discovered she had fallen out of his vehicle. Police say it was reported that Molin had driven over his mother two or three times before stopping the vehicle.

It was at that point that the WCBI was notified and responded to conduct a criminal investigation. Investigators interviewed Molin. Police say that in addition, a forensic detective identified evidence that was not consistent with the reported incident.

Based upon the interview and forensic evidence Molin was arrested on the aforementioned charges. Police have not yet released a possible motive.

Detectives are still actively investigating this incident. Anyone who may have been traveling on Carey Road between Aug. 31 and Sept. 1, and saw anything suspicious is urged to call the WCBI at (410) 352-3476 or the Sheriff's Office at (410) 632-1111.

www.wboc.com

~~STILL MISSING~~

Advanced Delivery Of Social Security Checks

The Social Security Administration has authorized the advance delivery of checks in the areas threatened by Hurricane Earl.

The goal of early delivery is to ensure beneficiaries receive the checks before Friday when the storm’s worst affec...ts are expected to begin.

SSA will raise the limit on Third-Party Draft payments to facilitate immediate payment processing, where necessary.

Social Security checks will be delivered early to locations along the Atlantic seaboard in North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, New Jersey, and New York.

Early check delivery begins today and the remaining checks will be delivered on Thursday, September 2.

www.wtkr.com

Salisbury Cardiologist Indicted

BALTIMORE- A Salisbury cardiologist alleged to have implanted unnecessary cardiac stents in the arteries of his patients has been indicted on health care fraud charges, federal prosecutors announced Wednesday.

Dr. John R. McLean, 58, is not charged with a crime for the actual surgeries he performed but for the alleged fraud that went along with them. Federal prosecutors say McLean submitted insurance claims for the unnecessary stents, ordered needless tests and falsely documented patients' medical records.

According to the indictment, McLean had a private medical practice known as John R. McLean M.D. and Associates, located at 1315 S. Division Street in Salisbury. He also had hospital privileges at Peninsula Regional Medical Center.

The indictment alleges that at least from 2003 to May 2007, McLean performed cardiac catheterizations on patients at PRMC and falsely recorded in the patients' medical records the existence or extent of any coronary artery blockage, known as lesions, observed during the procedures. Patients must have a 70 percent blockage before cardiac stents are considered medically necessary. The indictment alleges that in order to increase his profit, McLean allegedly implanted cardiac stents in patients who had neither a 70 percent or more blockage nor symptoms of blockage.

The indictment also alleges that McLean ordered that his cardiac patients have routine follow up visits and undergo unnecessary diagnostic testing such as Cardiolite Stress Tests, echocardiograms and electrocardiograms. McLean caused claims in the total amount of $519,063 for medically unnecessary procedures, services and testing to be submitted to health care benefit programs, including Medicare, according to the indictment.

The indictment also alleges that McLean shredded and attempted to shred documents that were subpoenaed by the Maryland Board of Physicians and the United States Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland during an investigation of his medical practice.

The indictment seeks forfeiture of $519,063 and two properties located in Ocean City and Salisbury.

McLean faces a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison for health care fraud and five years in prison on each of six counts of making false statements relating to health care matters. No court proceedings have been scheduled yet.

McLean is also facing a lawsuit filed by more than a dozen of his patients. His attorneys could not immediately be reached for comment.

www.wboc.com

11 AM UPDATE ON EARL

TROPICAL UPDATE: Hurricane Earl

11 AM Update

Little to no change in strength or forecast path as Earl moves NW at
17mph.

Earl is now 725 miles SSE of Cape Hatteras.

A Hurricane Warning has been issued for NC from Bogue Island to NC/VA line,
Hurricane Watch has been expanded from NC/VA line to Delaware.
www.wtkr.com

Residents Of the Shore Watching Are Watching Earl

Hurricane Earl still is the center of attention for Eastern Shore residents this morning. According to the 5 AM advisory Earl has lost a little strength overnight. Highest sustained winds are 125 miles per hour down from 135 earlier and the predicted track has been moved slightly to the East which should make it less likely that we will be experiencing hurricane conditions here. Still, a minor change in the track of Earl could result in major damage on the Shore.

As of now Earl is expected to brush the Outer Banks before moving off to the North Northeast which would take the center a couple of hundred miles off the coast here. The National Hurricane Centers threat map shows that the seaside here has a moderate threat of tropical storm winds when Earl passes. The bayside is showing a low threat as of now. Again, a minor drift to the West would dramatically affect the weather here and what we receive.

Shore residents should monitor Earls progress and be prepared to act if conditions change. As of now no evacuations are contemplated. The main effect of Earl on our weather should be rough surf and strong rip currents. There could be some minor flooding with winds expected to be between 30 and 40 mph, from the northeast late Thursday or early Friday morning. The worst of the winds will occur at the seaside beaches and away from the coast winds should be in the 20 to 30 mph range.

Earl is moving north northwest at 16 mph and should increase in forward speed as it moves north. Thats good news because the worst of the weather here will be relatively brief. However you should avoid going to the barrier islands through the weekend because those strong rip currents and heavy surf will be very dangerous.

Still you should have plans in place to act quickly if necessary. This is the height of the hurricane season and there are other areas of concern moving off Africa which could move our way. Shoredailynews.com has a brand new hurricane preparedness section which contains extensive information including shelter options and flood zone maps for both counties, and tips on what to do before, during and after the storm.

Pictured top: The likelihood of areas experiencing hurricane force winds.

Pictured below: The likelihood of areas experiencing tropical storm force winds.

Charts courtesy of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
www.shoredailynews.com

1-In-4 Grown Men Travel With A Stuffed Animal

When Scott Hardy hits the road, he always makes sure to leave room in his suitcase for his stuffed animal.

That's right, the 34-year-old businessman always travels with Barkley, a stuffed beagle. No, it's not for his two daughters. No he doesn't sleep with a nightlight and no he isn't smuggling drugs.

Seven years ago Hardy's then girlfriend, now wife, gave him the doggie as a reminder of her.

"I travel enough that it's a nice reminder of home," said Hardy who runs an online legal notice company, Top Class Actions.

Housekeepers like to put it on top of his pillow or prop it up prominently on the night stand.

Even when Hardy travels on an annual guys trip -- a beach trip to Mexico this year -- Barkley comes along.

"I've had some friends who are like, 'What's with the stuffed animal?'" the Phoenix-area man said. "It's just a reminder of my beautiful bride."

"Barkley stays in the suitcase when I'm home," Hardy added. "He only comes out for trips."

Hardy isn't the only adult traveling with a stuffed animal. In fact, as many as one in every four grown men might just have a teddy bear tucked away in their suitcase.

Well, in the last 12 months, British hotel chain Travelodge has reunited more than 75,000 bears with the owners. That's a lot of stuffed animals left at its 452 hotels in the United Kingdom and Spain. So the company decided to investigate a bit further.

Travelodge surveyed 6,000 Britons and discovered that 35 percent of adults admitted they sleep with their teddy because they found cuddling their bear comforting. Additionally, many said the calming feeling of a bear hug helped them lower their stress level after a hard day.

And it turns out that a large number of the bear-toting travelers are men.

Travelodge said that 25 percent of men reported they take their teddy bear away with them when going away on business. The stuffed animal supposedly reminds them of home and -- some say -- helps fill a cuddle-void left by distant partners.

Men Travel with Stuffed Animals

One in ten single men surveyed admitted they hide their teddy bear when their girlfriend stays over and 14 percent of married men reported they hide their teddy bear in the wardrobe or under the bed when any family and friends come to visit.

Fear not, it's isn't just men who travel with stuffed animals.

Laurie Luck has a stuffed dog that she sleeps with every night -- at home or on the road.

"Puppy goes everywhere I go. He's kind of my security blanket," Luck said. "He's been everywhere. I sleep with him every night. I know that sounds terrible for a 42–year-old woman to say, but it's true."

Puppy has been camping, on a cruise. He's gone everywhere that Luck has been in the last 26 years.

Yes, that's right, Puppy isn't a holdover from childhood, but a more-recent acquisition.

"I was never allowed to have a stuffed animal or a blankie as a kid because my mom didn't want me to leave it and then not be able to sleep without it," said Luck, an animal trainer. "So 26 years ago, a friend gave me this. It sort of resonated with me. It was the stuffed animal I was never able to have as a kid."

She has never lost the stuffed animal when traveling but said to do so would be "disastrous."

"Puppy is more of a priority than my cell phone or purse," she said, adding, "I know I probably sound like an overgrown child."

Today, Luck said her friends and family accept her bunkmate when they learn about Puppy's existence.

"I made sure my husband was okay with it before we got married," she said. "I had to sort of break the news: I sleep with a stuffed animal. This is what I do and I hope there won't be a problem."

www.abcnews.go.com

Ships In Norfolk Ready To Evade Hurricane Earl

NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — The Navy says its ships in the Hampton Roads area are ready to head to sea to evade Hurricane Earl if needed.

The Navy said Tuesday that other operations in the area are normal. But preparations are being made for Earl, including placing sandbags in low-lying areas and removing debris from drainage areas.

Navy personnel have been advised to prepare for evacuation in the event one is necessary.

The National Hurricane Center says Earl has strengthened into a Category 4 hurricane with winds near 135 mph (215 kph) as it moves away from the Virgin Islands.

Earl is on a path that could brush the coast of the U.S. later in the week, though it's too early to tell exactly where it will go.

www.wtkr.com

Harry Potter Author Donates To MS

LONDON (AFP) – Writer J.K. Rowling has donated 10 million pounds to set up a new multiple sclerosis (MS) research clinic, the Harry Potter author revealed on Tuesday.

She hopes the clinic, to be based at the University of Edinburgh, will become a world centre for excellence in its field.

The facility will also aim to help researchers find out more about other incurable neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease and motor neurone disease.

The clinic will be named after Rowling's mother Anne, who suffered from MS and died at the age of 45.

The author said the new clinic, which is expected to be completed within a year, will place patients at the heart of the research and treatment process.

Rowling said in a statement: "It is with great pleasure and pride that I am donating 10 million pounds to the Regenerative Neurology Clinic at the University of Edinburgh, which is to be named after my mother, Anne."

"I am incredibly impressed by the calibre of clinicians and researchers that Edinburgh has already managed to attract to make this project a reality, and I truly believe that it is set to become a world centre for excellence in the field of regenerative neurology."

The Anne Rowling Regenerative Neurology Clinic will be based in a purpose-built facility within the University's Chancellor's Building, next to the city's Royal Infirmary at Little France.

It follows the setting up of the Centre for Multiple Sclerosis Research at the university three years ago, which also received support from the author.

The university said Rowling's 10 million pounds is the single largest donation she has given to a charitable cause. It is also the largest single donation the University has received.

www.yahoo.com

Earl Weakens To Category 3 Hurricane/Hurricane WATCH Moves Up The East Coast

RALEIGH, N.C. — Ocracoke Island tourists were ordered to board the ferries and head for the mainland today and more evacuations could be on the way as powerful Hurricane Earl threatened to sideswipe the East Coast.

The National Weather Service, meantime, extended its hurricane watch up the coast to include the Virginia Hampton Roads localities of Norfolk, Portsmouth, Chesapeake and Virginia Beach, and Northampton County on the Eastern Shore.

Hyde County emergency officials said the evacuation of Ocracoke Island started at 5 a.m. for about 5,000 visitors. The 800 or so year-round residents don’t have to heed it, but Emergency Services Director Lindsey Mooney said officials hope they’ll follow tourists on the 2½ hour trip to shore.

Hyde spokeswoman Jamie Tunnell said about 30 cars, including trucks pulling campers, were lined up to board ferries that would begin leaving Ocracoke Island on the state's Outer Banks for the 2½-hour trip to shore.

"Ferries are the only way off unless you have a private plane or boat," Tunnell said.

The 800 or so year-round residents don't have to heed it, but Emergency Services Director Lindsey Mooney said officials hope they'll follow tourists and leave the island.

The last time the island was evacuated was in 2005 as Hurricane Ophelia approached, shortly after Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast.

More evacuations along the Eastern Seaboard could follow, depending on the path taken by the storm, which weakened to a Category 3 hurricane early today as it whipped across the Caribbean with winds of 125 mph.

Earl was expected to remain over the open ocean before turning north and running parallel to the East Coast, bringing high winds and heavy rain to North Carolina’s Outer Banks by late tomorrow or early Friday. From there, forecasters said, it could curve away from the coast somewhat as it makes it way north, perhaps hitting Massachusetts’ Cape Cod and the Maine shoreline on Friday night and Saturday.

Forecasters cautioned that it was still too early to tell how close Earl might come to land. But not since Hurricane Bob in 1991 has such a powerful storm had such a large swath of the East Coast in its sights, said Dennis Feltgen, spokesman for the National Hurricane Center.

“A slight shift of that track to the west is going to impact a great deal of real estate with potential hurricane-force winds,” Feltgen said.

Even if Earl stays well offshore, it will kick up rough surf and dangerous rip currents up and down the coast through the Labor Day weekend, a prime time for beach vacations, forecasters said. Virginia’s governor today planned to declare an emergency, a preliminary step needed to muster emergency personnel should Earl hit the state.

The approaching storm troubled many East Coast beach towns that had hoped to capitalize on the BP oil spill and draw visitors who normally vacation on the Gulf Coast.

Yesterday, gusty winds from Earl’s outer fringes whipped palm fronds and whistled through doors in the Turks and Caicos Islands as tied-down boats seesawed on white-crested surf.

Islanders gathered to watch big waves pound a Grand Turk shore as the wind sent sand and salt spray flying.

“We can hear the waves crashing against the reef really seriously,” Kirk Graff, owner of the Captain Kirks Flamingo Cove Marina, said by telephone as he watched the darkening skies. “Anybody who hasn’t secured their boats by now is going to regret it.”

Carl Hanes of Newport News, Va. , kept an eye on the weather report as he headed for the beach near his rented vacation home in Avon, N.C. He, his wife and their two teenage children were anticipating Earl might force them to leave tomorrow, a day ahead of schedule.

“We’re trying not to let it bother us,” Hanes said before enjoying the calm surf.

In Rehoboth Beach, Del., Judy Rice said she has no plans to leave the vacation home where she has spent most of the summer. In fact, the Oak Hill, Va., resident plans to walk around town in the rain if it comes.

“I kind of enjoy it actually. You know, it’s battling the elements,” Rice said. “I have seen the rain go sideways, and, yeah, it can be scary, but I have an old house here in Rehoboth, so it’s probably more important that I am here during a storm than anywhere.”

In the Florida Panhandle, which has struggled all summer to coax back tourists scared away by the Gulf oil spill, bookings were up 12 percent over last year at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort. The resort is nowhere near Earl’s projected path, and spokeswoman Laurie Hobbs said she suspects the increase in reservations was partly because of a discount the hotel is offering and partly because of the hurricane.

“Weather drives business,” she said. “They go to where the weather is best.”

If Earl brings rain farther inland, it could affect the U.S. Open tennis tournament, being played now through Sept. 12 in New York City.

“We’re keeping our eye on it very closely,” said United States Tennis Association spokesman Chris Widmaier.

www.timesdispatch.com

Zsa Zsa Back In The Hospital

LOS ANGELES, Aug. 31 -- Nonagenarian celebrity Zsa Zsa Gabor was stabilized and undergoing tests at a Los Angeles hospital Tuesday, her publicist said.

John Blanchette, publicist for Gabor, said the actress's husband, Prince Frederic Von Anhalt, made an emergency call at 10:42 a.m. PDT and Gabor was taken to Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center by ambulance, the Los Angeles Times and KTLA-TV reported. Von Anhalt said Gabor, 93, was "unresponsive" before the call was made.

The spokesman said it was possible Gabor might be able to go home Tuesday night, the Times reported.

Gabor has been hospitalized several times since breaking a hip in a fall at her home in mid-July. Her publicist said she had returned home from the hospital two weeks ago, saying she wanted to spend her final days there. Before going home she had asked to see a priest, who administered last rites.

Gabor, a sex symbol in the 1950s and '60s, has been partially paralyzed since a 2002 car accident.

www.upi.com

5 Guilty Pleas in Northampton County Circuit Court

Northampton County Commonwealths Attorney Bruce Jones reports the following cases were heard in Northampton County Circuit Court:

Michael Devaughn Mitchell, 21 of Cape Charles, pled guilty to breaking and entering, grand larceny and destruction of property.

Cynthia Weathers, 35 of Jamesville, plead guilty to 4 counts of welfare fraud.

Juan Perez-Lopez, 25, pled guilty to breaking and entering and grand larceny. Perez was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment on each count to run concurrently with all time suspended but 6 months.

Andre Darnell Echevarria, AKA Andre Pittman, 29 of Boston, Ma., pled guilty to forging a public document, obstruction and driving on a suspended license. Echevarria was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment with all but 6 months suspended.

Mary Elizabeth Douglas, 43 of Nassawadox, pled guilty to felony eluding.
http://www.shoredailynews.com/

North Carolina Orders Ocracoke Evacuation On Wednesday

CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 31 (UPI) -- North Carolina officials Tuesday announced vacationers will be evacuated from Ocracoke Island as Hurricane Earl gained strength over the Atlantic Ocean.

An estimated 5,000 visitors are on the island, which is accessible only by ferry. The evacuation is set for Wednesday morning, The Charlotte (N.C.) Observer reported.

About 800 permanent residents of the island will be permitted to remain, officials said.

Plans also called for closing the Cape Lookout National Seashore at 5 p.m. EDT Wednesday.

Federal Emergency Management Agency head Craig Fugate said Tuesday was the day for people who may be in the path of the Category 4 storm to prepare, in event further evacuations are ordered Wednesday, the newspaper said.

"While it is still too early to tell exactly what impact Hurricane Earl will have on our state," North Carolina Gov. Bev Perdue said, "we do know that we all bear a responsibility to ensure we are ready for any type of emergency."

At 8 p.m. EDT Tuesday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami said the center of Hurricane Earl was 1,000 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and the storm, with top sustained winds of 135 mph, was moving toward the northwest at 14 mph. This general motion was expected to continue Wednesday, when the storm was likely to take a gradual turn toward the north-northwest, forecasters said.

A hurricane watch was posted from north of Surf City, N.C., to the North Carolina-Virginia border, including the Pamlico and Albemarle sounds. A tropical storm watch was issued from Cape Fear, N.C., northeastward to Surf City.

The center said communities from Virginia to New England should monitor the hurricane.

www.upi.com