Buyer's Choice Caroler Bingo

NEW CHURCH -- The New Church Volunteer Fire and Rescue Company will host its ninth annual Byers' Choice Caroler bingo on Friday at the New Church firehouse.

Doors open at 5:30 p.m. and bingo starts at 7 p.m.

Oyster fritter sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs, french fries and desserts will be on sale.

Homemade cakes will be awarded as door prizes.

The bingo game prizes will be Byers' Choice Carolers.

Admission for the 21 bingo games is $20.00. Tickets may be purchased at the door or by calling 757-824-3038.

Accomack Man Indicted In Shooting Death Of Delaware Man

ACCOMACK COUNTY
A 23-year-old man has been indicted by a grand jury on charges including capital murder and robbery in connection with something that initially appeared to be a fatal traffic crash but was actually a shooting, a Virginia State Police news release said.

Brian Marquis Northan, of Accomack County, was being held in the county jail on unrelated charges. These new charges stem from a June vehicle crash.

On June 24 at 7:27 a.m., state police were called to the 20000 block of Bailey Road in Accomack County and found a 1996 Chevrolet pickup truck had run off the road and hit an embankment. Trooper K.J. Johnson found a body outside the vehicle, later identified as Anthony W. Wilson, 46, of Fenton, Del.

The trooper determined evidence at the scene was not consistent with a traffic crash, the news release said, and notified state police special agents. Further investigation revealed Wilson had been shot to death.

No additional details about what led to the fatal shooting were released.

Northan was indicted Monday and also faces charges of use of a firearm in the commission of a felony and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon.

Police said the investigation with the Accomack County Sheriff's Office continues.

www.hamptonroads.com

The "Conan Blimp" Visible Over Virginia On Saturday

Did anyone happen to see this huge orange blimp floating northbound over Route 13 this past Saturday afternoon (October 2)?


It seems TBS is flying their "Conan Blimp" over the Major League Baseball Postseasons games to promote the new Conan O'Brien late night show on the TBS channel beginning November 8th.

The blimp pilot must have been taking the Eastern Shore scenic route to a city further north.

Kids words of wisdom....

1.  HOW  DO YOU DECIDE WHOM TO   MARRY?   (written by kids)   

You  got to find somebody who likes the same stuff. Like, if  you like sports, she should like it that you like  sports, and she should keep the chips and dip coming.   --  Alan, age 10
-No  person really decides before they grow up who they're  going to marry. God decides it all way before, and you  get to find out later who you're stuck with.   --  Kristen, age  10   

2.  WHAT IS  THE RIGHT AGE TO GET   MARRIED?
Twenty-three is the best age because you know  the person FOREVER by then.  --   Camille, age 10  

3.  HOW CAN A  STRANGER TELL IF TWO PEOPLE ARE   MARRIED?   You  might have to guess, based on whether they seem to be  yelling at the same kids. --  Derrick, age  8   

4.  WHAT DO  YOU THINK YOUR MOM AND DAD HAVE IN  COMMON?   Both  don't want any more kids.    --  Lori,  age 8   

5.  WHAT DO  MOST PEOPLE DO ON A  DATE?
-Dates are  for having fun, and people  should use them to get to know each other. Even boys  have something to say if you listen long enough.   --  Lynnette, age  8    (isn't  she a treasure)

-On  the first date, they just tell each other lies and that  usually gets them interested enough to go for a second  date.  --  Martin, age  10   

6.  WHEN IS  IT OKAY TO KISS   SOMEONE?    -When  they're rich.   --  Pam, age  7

-The  law says you have to be eighteen, so I wouldn't want to  mess with that.  -  - Curt, age   7
-The  rule goes like this: If you kiss someone, then you  should marry them and have kids with them. It's the  right thing to do.    -  - Howard,  age 8   

7.    IS IT BETTER TO BE SINGLE OR   MARRIED?
It's better for girls to be single but not for  boys. Boys need someone to clean up after them.  --  Anita, age 9   (bless you child )  

8.  HOW  WOULD THE WORLD BE DIFFERENT IF PEOPLE  DIDN'T  GET  MARRIED?    There  sure would be a lot of kids to explain, wouldn't there?  --  Kelvin, age 8   
And   the #1 Favorite is .......   

9.  HOW  WOULD YOU MAKE A MARRIAGE   WORK?    Tell  your wife that she looks pretty, even if she looks like  a dump truck.
 --  Ricky, age  10 

Hat Tip; Mrs M.

Picture of the year

Click to enlarge

Hat Tip; Kack

Firefighters Let Home Burn Because Of Unpaid Fee

-Tennessee--A small rural community in western Tennessee is outraged and the fire chief is nursing a black eye after firefighters stood by and watched a mobile home burn to the ground because the homeowner hadn't paid a $75 municipal fee.

South Fulton city firefighters -- equipped with trucks, hoses and other firefighting equipment -- didn't intervene to save Gene Cranick's doublewide trailer home when it caught fire last week. But they did arrive on the scene to protect the house of a neighbor, who had paid his fire subscription fee.

"I just forgot to pay my $75," Cranick told ABC News. "I did it last year, the year before. ... It slipped my mind."

Later that day, Cranick's son Timothy went to the fire station to complain, and punched the fire chief in the face.

"He just cold-cocked him," Police Chief Andy Crocker told the Union City Daily Messenger. The younger Cranick was arrested and charged with felony aggravated assault, and South Fulton Fire Chief David Wilds was treated and released from a hospital, Crocker said.

Firefighters in South Fulton city are under orders to respond only to fire calls within their city limits, as well as to surrounding Obion County, but only to homes there where people have signed up for a fire subscription service.

Because Cranick hadn't paid his fee, firefighters doused the border of his neighbor's property to protect that house in case the flames spread, but wouldn't help him. He lost all his possessions, plus three dogs and a cat.

"They could have been saved if they had put water on it, but they didn't do it," Cranick told MSNBC.

The fire began when Cranick's grandson set fire to some trash near the house, and the flames leapt up. Cranick said he told the 911 operator that he'd pay whatever fee was necessary, but it was too late.

"I have no problem with the way any of my people handled the situation. They did what they were supposed to do," South Fulton City Manager Jeff Vowell told the Messenger. "It's a regrettable situation any time something like this happens."

But one firefighting expert said the fee system isn't fair to homeowners or firefighters.

"Professional, career firefighters shouldn't be forced to check a list before running out the door to see which homeowners have paid up," Harold Schatisberger, president of the International Association of Fire Fighters, said in statement excerpted by MSNBC. "They get in their trucks and go."
www.aolnews.com

Concerns From An Accomack County Resident And Taxpayer

What's going on in Accomack County? More robberies in the local area......two within a few days of the other.

I wonder what happened to the suspect (see photo below) back around the 20th of August 2010 who walked into the Corner Mart in Oak Hall, Virginia and robbed the clerk of money and merchandise and then fled the scene in a black step-side Checrolet step-side pickup.
Did they arrest him yet?

And then sometime around September 7th of 2010 another face appears!

Again, the Accomack County Sheriff's Office is asking for the publics help in finding Kenneth Corneal Birch, Jr. of Saxis, Virginia. A felony warrant had been obtained for Birch in connection with the robbery at Corner Mart in Oak Hall.

Has he been located? Are these photos of the same person?

To be sure he isn't on Saxis, Island anymore. But this creeps me out. Major Godwin, you and I both live near the island and I think the people in the area along with the rest of Accomack County deserve to know what is happening.

You need the communities support just as we need the support from the Accomack Sheriff's Office. What baffles me is why there is such a time lapse between the robberies before the public is alerted.

Now there are at least a half dozen men running around somewhere that are accused of robbing two Corner Marts both of which are not far from each other.

We have a scanner in our home and we are aware of what goes on most times. We are VERY aware of the home invasions that occur.

Why aren't the people told?

Body Found On Beach In Ocean City Is Identified

OCEAN CITY — Ocean City police have identified a woman whose body was recovered from the ocean over the weekend. Police spokesman Pfc. Michael Levy identified the woman on Tuesday as 32-year-old Tara Chanise Taylor of Lanham, Md.

Officers called to the beach near 74th Street around 2 a.m. Saturday for a report of a missing person found a friend performing CPR on Taylor. Levy says Taylor appeared to have just been in the ocean. Paramedics took Taylor to Atlantic General Hospital in Berlin where she was pronounced dead.

Levy says police are still investigating the incident, which is not believed to be suspicious.

Taylor’s body has been taken to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of Maryland in Baltimore for an autopsy.

www.delmarvanow.com

Corner Marts Robbed AGAIN

According to Major Todd Godwin of the Accomack County Sheriff's Office, an investigation is being conducted in connection with two robberies that targeted Corner Mart convenience stores in Wattsville and Oak Hall, Virginia.

Several black males entered the Wattsville Corner Mart on Tuesday, September 28 at approximately 10:19 p.m. and robbed the clerks of an undisclosed amount of money and property. Suspect 1 is described as 6'2 to 6'4 and slim build. Suspect 2 is described as 5'5 to 5'7 and medium build. Suspect 3 is described as 5'6 to 5'8 and medium build.

Two males entered the Oak Hall Corner Mart on Sunday, October 3 at approximately 10:01 p.m. and robbed the clerk of an undisclosed amount of money and property.

Anyone with information concerning these two crimes is asked to contact the Accomack County Sheriffs Office at 787-1131 or 824-5666.
www.shoredailynews.com

Thieves Pulled Over For Seat Belt Violation

OCEAN CITY -- Thousands of dollars in suspected stolen property was recovered when Selbyville police stopped a Dodge Caravan for seat belt violations.

Selbyville police were advised to look for the vehicle after receiving a tip that it had been involved in a burglary in Ocean Pines.

According to Lt. Greg Schoepf of the Ocean Pines Police Department, two residents returned home Saturday to find two strangers on their front porch. Once confronted, the two people said they were feeling weak and looking for some juice, according to police.

After the strangers left, the residents went inside to discover their house had been broken into and several items had been stolen. They immediately called Ocean Pines Police to report what had happened and give them a description of the vehicle.

They later identified James W. Cloyd, 63, of Berlin and Patricia J. Clemer, 25, of Berlin as the two who had been on their porch, police said.

After confirming it was the same vehicle that had fled the burglary in Ocean Pines, police held the occupants until Ocean Pines Police officers and detectives with the Worcester County Bureau of Investigation could arrive.

Upon searching the vehicle authorities found about $4,400 in suspected stolen property, drug paraphernalia and 40 100-mg pills of a controlled substance.

The suspected stolen property included several televisions, earrings, necklaces, bracelets, tools, videos and DVDs, according to Scott Collins, chief of the Selbyville Police Department.

"I think it's ironic -- they do a burglary and then get stopped for a couple of seat belts," Collins said.

Some of the stolen property has already been returned. Collins said additional property is expected to be returned to the original owners once they are found and able to identify it.

Cloyd and Clemer were charged with six counts of receiving stolen property, possession of burglary tools, possession of a controlled substance, two counts of possession of drug paraphernalia, maintaining a vehicle for drug distribution, two traffic offenses of not wearing seat belts and not having valid insurance.

Cloyd is being held at Sussex Correctional Institute on $34,100 secure bond, and Clemer is being held on $33,000 secure bond.

Charges in Maryland are pending, police said, as well as additional charges in Delaware.

www.delmarvanow.com

Thieves Rip Off Museums's Eyeball

Someone poked the Science Museum of Virginia in the eye.

At least that's how Museum Director Richard Conti feels.

Just 12 hours after Conti's staff turned the iconic Grand Kugel outside the museum into a giant eyeball, someone stole its cover.

About 1:30 a.m. Saturday, thieves cut away a fabric cover resembling a large eyeball that tightly wrapped the 8 ½-foot diameter, 29-ton ball, Conti said. The globe gyrates on a thin film of water.

The eyeball decoration, valued at $4,000, promoted a "Goose Bumps, the Science of Fear" exhibit at the museum in conjunction with Halloween.

"We thought it would be kind of cool to turn the Kugel into an eyeball," he said. "We have mummies and sea monsters in the Imax, and it was just kind of a fun way to get attention that something new and different is going on here."

Turning the Kugel into an eyeball "is pretty striking," he added.

But someone decided to spoil the fun before it really got started.

"It was its first night," explained a disappointed Conti, who wondered what use the thieves would make of their pilfered prize. "Where are they going to put it?"

Virginia's Capitol Police, who have jurisdiction over the Science Museum property, are investigating. They are reviewing surveillance camera photos of the possible suspects.

"Two individuals were seen running away from the globe towards Broad Street carrying and folding the fabric eye as they fled," police said in a statement. They were last seen crossing Broad heading towards North Robinson Street.

www.timesdispatch.com

Navy Chooses Franklin County Airport for Prop Aircraft Test Landings

The Navy has decided to conduct Field Carrier Landing Practice (FCLP) operations at Franklin Municipal Airport for the E-2/C-2 squadrons that are currently home-based at the Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field. The Navy had considered using Melfa Airport for the landings.

The Navy is negotiating for the use of an airfield for E-2/C-2 aircraft in order to provide a near term, interim solution to Navy Auxiliary Landing Field (NALF) Fentress FCLP capacity shortfalls.

The agreement would also eliminate the need for the E-2/C-2 Fleet Replacement Squadron to conduct out-of-area FCLP operations in NAS Jacksonville, Fla., four to six times per year.

Governor McDonnell gave his blessing to the Navys decision in a release Friday afternoon.
www.shoredailynews.com

Thieves Steal Bronze Vases From Veteran's Graves

CHESAPEAKE
Is nothing sacred?

It's a fair question when thieves are robbing from the dead, and that's what Michael Ruiz Cardona and Holly Minnie Chandler were charged with when they were arrested Wednesday by Chesapeake police.

According to police reports, Cardona and Chandler were stocking their van with the bronze vases that mark the plots of veterans' graves at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens.

Police patrolling the area around 8:45 p.m. took the suspects into custody, charging each with one count of grand larceny with intent to sell and one count of vandalism.

They could face additional counts, as each stolen vase represents a separate offense.

Cardona, 23, of Decatur Street in Portsmouth has three previous convictions, including one in 2008 for petty larceny and one in 2009 for grand larceny. Both were in Portsmouth.

Chandler, 21, is of the 2500 block of Woodshire Circle in Chesapeake.

The cemetery, at 3920 Airline Blvd., reported 101 vases stolen on six occasions since Aug. 30.

A police investigation concluded Cardona and Chandler are responsible for at least 53 of those vases, Chesapeake police spokeswoman Officer Dorienne Boykin said.

The arrests are a relief to Hinton Hurff, president of Greenlawn Memorial Gardens. Hurff said he has been distressed by the thefts of the costly vases, which are not covered by insurance.

"It's really emotional for the family. I hope this puts an end to it," he said.

A typical vase assembly kit costs $548, including $300 for the vase itself. The vases are not the property of the cemetery; they are the property of the plot owners. However, Hurff plans to offer the family members a discount if they choose to replace a missing vase.

Diane Pettway, who visited the cemetery last week to put birthday flowers in the vase on her father's grave, was stunned when she found no vase. The chain holding it in place had been cut.

"I started looking around, and I saw a lot missing," she said. "You have to be pretty low to do this. Nobody should steal to begin with, but you don't get any lower than stealing from a grave. On top of that, these are veterans."

Thieves usually pilfer the bronze vases from grave sites to melt them down for scrap metal, typically getting $1.50 a pound - $30 to $65 or more for a vase between 20 and 45 pounds.

Cemeteries in Raleigh, N.C.; Charlotte, N.C.; Albany, N.Y.; and Las Vegas have had vases stolen by the hundreds in the past year. Boykin said no additional Chesapeake cemeteries have reported problems.

In Norfolk, three reports were filed regarding stolen vases from Woodlawn Memorial Gardens at 6309 E. Virginia Beach Blvd., Norfolk police spokeswoman Karen Parker-Chesson said.

Three reports were also filed since May by Forest Lawn Cemetery at 8100 Granby St., Parker-Chesson said.

Hurff said securing the 47 acres at Greenlawn is not realistic. Cameras and floodlights are also not practical, he said.

Pettway said she is unsure what her father's replacement vase will be made from.

"Maybe ceramic or plastic, I don't know," she said. "It's just horrible what they did."

http://www.hamptonroads.com/

Armay Airfield Ranger From Maryland Killed

The Department of Defense says Sgt 1st Class Lance Vogeler died as a result of injuries he recived when insurgents attacked his unit in the Helmand Province, Afghanistan

Vogeler was assigned to Headquarters and Headquarters Company in the battalion mortar platoon of the 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment at Hunter Army Airfield

A native of Fredrick, Md., he enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 2001. For nearly nine years he served as a mortar man in 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. The battalions of the 75th Ranger Regiment have been continuously deployed to Afghanistan since October 2001.

“I wish the American people could truly understand the dedication and sacrifice that Lance Vogeler made for his country,” ,” said Col. Michael E. Kurilla, commander, 75th Ranger Regiment. “Since December 2001, Lance has either been in combat or training for combat. This was his 12th combat deployment. Lance was the quintessential Ranger; he is a hero to our Nation, the Army, and his family.”

Vogeler previously served on seven deployments to Afghanistan and four to Iraq.

“In an organization full of great men, Lance Vogeler stood out for his leadership, dedication and all of his talents,” said Lt. Col. Michael Foster, commander of 1st Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment. “He has done so much for his Nation over the past nine years of combat action it is hard to put it into words. His loss will be felt across the whole Battalion and our thoughts and prayers go out to his family.”

Vogeler is survived by his wife, Melissa Lee Vogeler of Savannah, Ga.; his son, Kyle Vogeler, and his daughter, Madison Eyler, both of Frederick, Md.; and his parents, Timothy and Donna Vogeler, also of Frederick, Md.

"Operation Enduring Freedom"

www.2.wsav.com

Tractor Trailer Crashes Into Melfa Shore Stop

MELFA, Va.- Virginia State Police say two people were injured Monday after a tractor-trailer crashed through the front of a Shore Stop convenience store on Route 13 in Melfa.

Police say that at around 10:20 a.m., a car was turning into the parking lot of the Shore Stop. Police say about three or four other vehicles were in back of the turning car, which had its turn signal flashing. Investigators say the tractor-trailer, which was in back of the stopped vehicles, was unable to slow down in time. Police say the driver of the tractor-trailer then swerved to the right of the stopped vehicles in order to miss them. The tractor-trailer missed the vehicles, and instead ended up going through the front of the Shore Stop building.

Troopers say a delivery man was inside the store when he saw the tractor-trailer headed his way. The delivery man then pushed the store clerk out of the way to safety.

Both the delivery man and the clerk were transported to Shore Memorial Hospital in Nassawadox where they were treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Police determined the tractor-trailer driver was at fault in the accident. He was charged at the scene.

www.wboc.com

States Attorney Rematch Heats Up

BERLIN – Three local fraternal law enforcement organizations have announced their support for the challenger in this year’s rematch for the top prosecutor job in Worcester, touching off a war of words this week between the candidates.

Last Sunday, Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) Lodge 50 (Worcester) announced it will be officially backing State’s Attorney challenger Beau Oglesby, a Republican who is currently a prosecutor in Caroline County. Additionally, the lodge endorsed Republican Sheriff candidate Reggie Mason, current deputy sheriff in Worcester County, and Republican Delegate candidate Mike McDermott, a member of the Worcester County’s Sheriff’s Office.

In a press release this week, the lodge explained why Oglesby was the pick over incumbent State’s Attorney Joel Todd.

“Beau Oglesby is a proven prosecutor. He has worked with State’s Attorney’s offices in Wicomico and Caroline counties. He has been endorsed by Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis and Worcester County Chief Deputy Sheriff, Reggie Mason, and Caroline County States Attorney Jonathan Newell,” the lodge wrote in a statement.

“Beau Oglesby was the chief prosecutor in many of Sheriff Lewis’ drug cases when Sheriff Lewis was a Maryland State Trooper. [He] was recognized by the Wicomico County Drug Task force for his outstanding efforts in prosecuting drug dealers and asset forfeiture. Beau Oglesby has the drive to keep Worcester County safe by prosecuting criminals.”

The lodge did not make an endorsement in the State’s Attorney race in 2006 when Oglesby lost to Todd in one of the closest and spirited elections in Worcester County political history.

That fact is noteworthy, according to Oglesby, who added he has also received the official support of Ocean City, Berlin and the state lodges of the FOP. Oglesby also expects the FOP lodges in Wicomico and Caroline counties to give him their support in the coming weeks.

“This is an endorsement that means something. To dismiss it otherwise would be disrespectful to law enforcement,” Oglesby said. “Four years ago, the Worcester lodge went middle of the road. They sat it out as far as endorsing. Here we are four years later, I get their endorsement. What does that tell you?”

Todd said he was not only disappointed that partisan politics seemed to play a role in the FOP’s endorsement but also that the process that was presented to him did not play out as originally proposed.

“I have learned from a member of the lodge there were a grand total of 11 members of the lodge present and voting the night the endorsement was handed down. I don’t think 11 members is very representative of the law enforcement community in general,” Todd said. “Additionally, I think it’s an example of putting partisan politics over public safety. They have endorsed two other Republicans, both of whom they answer to on a daily basis. I don’t really think it means anything, and I’m sorry to see them put partisan politics ahead of public safety.”

According to Todd, he was still expecting a questionnaire from the lodge as another part of the endorsement process when he read that Oglesby had garnered the lodge’s support online.

“I read it on their Facebook page that they met in September and made an endorsement, and I have yet to receive the questionnaire that the president of the organization assured me I would be receiving,” Todd said. “All I can tell you is, in my opinion, 11 people hardly represents the bulk of county law enforcement.”

Oglesby flatly dismissed Todd’s claims that the endorsement is not representative of the law enforcement community.

“This is a not a few rogue police officers or malcontents who are voicing their displeasure. This is the unanimous support of my candidacy by all of the county FOPs. These are the men and women in law enforcement who are in court day in and day out. Who better to know what’s going on in the court system and how the incumbent and his office is handling criminal cases? Their support is the primary reason why I am running again,” Oglesby said. “If they told me, ‘Beau everything is okay,’ I suspect I would not have run. They reached out to me continually and told me we need a change and that I’m the guy to do it. That’s the primary reason why I continue to come back and run these campaigns.”

Todd stands by his office’s prosecution rate and believes his crackdown on crime is on display every day. Furthermore, Todd said he was not surprised to hear Oglesby’s claims that it’s a signal for change.

“I’m sure he would say that. What I can tell you is I’m not running to be attorney for the FOP or attorney for any police agency. I’m running for re-election as the people’s attorney,” Todd said. “My client is justice, not the police. Unfortunately, from time to time, more often than people realize, I’m called to write letters to police chiefs letting them know when something has gone wrong in the courtroom or during the investigation of the case. On a less frequent basis, we are actually called to do criminal investigations into police officers. If by doing justice, it means I lose support of the police unions than so be it. I sleep well at night knowing I have done what’s in the best interest of justice, and I will continue to do that.”

Oglesby said the officers he speaks with routinely want to see crimes prosecuted fully and for the plea bargains and frequent deals Todd signs off on to come to a halt.

“I think it’s certainly a recognition that they are dissatisfied with the incumbent and the way his office is being run,” Oglesby said. “You have to remember here’s a guy who has been at the State’s Attorney’s office for 25 years now, 16 years a State’s Attorney, and not one FOP or any organized unit of law enforcement supports him.”

Todd said a simple Maryland Judiciary Case Search online confirms Oglesby also agrees to plea bargains in similar cases away from Worcester County.

“It’s not practical to prosecute every case, and he knows it, and it’s proven by what he does in Caroline County,” Todd said.

Todd added there are four current murder prosecutions underway in Worcester County, and voters need to realize these cases will likely go to trial after the election.

“To my knowledge, my opponent still has not tried one murder case,” Todd said. “I’m experienced and knowledgeable on how these cases need to be prosecuted and that’s important to realize.”
www.md.coastdispatch.com

Tractor Trailer Slams Into Melfa Shore Stop

An 18-wheel tractor trailer has slammed into the front of the Melfa Shore Stop along Route 13. The call came over the scanner from dispath just after 10:00 AM Monday morning.

Dispatchers called for two ambulances, although injuries are currently not known.

Several fire and EMS personel responded to the accident. It appears as though the truck missed the gasoline pumps in front of the buildling.

Details on the accident are still emerging.

The right hand land in the southbound lane is currently blocked off as emergency teams clear the damage.
www.shoredailynews.com

WWII Dog Tag Returned To Soldier's Son

A military collector crossed an ocean to make sure a World War II dog tag ended up in the right hands.

And the son of the late soldier, who fought in the South Pacific and lost his tag while serving at Guadalcanal, couldn't be more grateful.

"It's a good feeling to have it back home," said George Carter Jr., a former Fredericksburg policeman who lives in Stafford County. "I have very little that belonged to my father, fishing poles and tools and so forth. This is the top of the list."

How the dog tag found its way back to the Fredericksburg area is another example of what a small world it is, Carter said.

The story starts with Clinton Kempnich, a deputy director of education in Queensland, Australia.

He enjoys studying World War II history and recently received a box of items, including a brass dog tag, from a friend who had been a diver in the South Pacific.

Kempnich knew brass tags were issued early in the war, and that the owner probably enlisted about 1942.

Inscribed on the tag was "George B. Carter, 312 Amelia St., Fredericksburg, Va.," along with his blood type, serial number and next of kin.

Kempnich did a Google Earth search. His hopes sank when he saw the address on the dog tag is now a parking lot--or a "car park," as he called it. He also noticed the Free Lance-Star building nearby, and contacted Hilary Kanter, the letters editor at the newspaper.

She found a listing for George B. Carter Jr. in the phone book and called him, asking if the dog tag might have belonged to a relative. She also passed along each man's e-mail address to the other.

Carter had heard lots of war stories about his father's time in Burma and the South Pacific, where he worked in military transport. He often heard tales of caring for mules that were used to carry goods to hard-to-reach places. The elder Carter also talked about working with a man who was a veterinarian back in Fredericksburg.

But Carter hadn't heard anything about a missing dog tag. He told Kempnich he'd check with relatives.

"Regardless, thank you for taking the time to research this matter," Carter wrote Kempnich in an e-mail. "If this is my father's dog tag, I would be humbled and forever in your debt to have it returned."

Carter talked with his sister, who cared for their father for several years until his death in 2001. Carter learned that his father and mother, Blanche, had lived at the Amelia Street address when he entered the Army.

The blood type matched, and his father had lost his dog tag overseas.

In fact, the lack of identification was a problem when his father applied for veterans benefits. The brass tag was tangible proof of service at a time when the military "didn't keep the greatest records," Carter said.

Kempnich and Carter e-mailed each other several times. Kempnich mentioned he would be visiting friends in Philadelphia in September.

"It would be special if I could hand it to you instead of just posting it," Kempnich wrote.

Carter drove to Philadelphia last Sunday to get the tag. The meeting was emotional for both men.

Kempnich told Carter that his own father is 92 and served in the Royal Australian Air Force during Word War II. As much as he enjoys memorabilia from that era--and he and his son have a 1940s tank they drive in local parades--he believes personal items should always be returned to family members.

"I have a great appreciation of these guys and what they achieved," Kempnich said. "Alas, there are not many left now."

www.fredericksburg.com

Iran's President Ahmadinejad Wants U.S. Leaders 'Buried' For Threats

Iranian President and notorious firebrand Mahmoud Ahmadinejad unleashed his latest round of insults at the U.S. on Sunday, calling for American leaders to be "buried” for what he claims are threats of violence against Tehran's nuclear program.

"May the undertaker bury you, your table and your body, which has soiled the world," Ahmadinejad said, according to The Associated Press, an unusually harsh statement even for the controversy-loving leader.

Adm. Mike Mulllen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in August the use of force against Iran remains a possibility.

"I think the military options have been on the table and remain on the table," he said on NBC’s "Meet the Press." "It's one of the options that the President has…I hope we don't get to that, but it's an important option and it's one that's well understood."

President Obama has also pledged to take a hard line against Iran if the country does not comply with its non-proliferation treaty obligations.

"The United States and the international community seek a resolution to our differences with Iran, and the door remains open to diplomacy should Iran choose to walk through it," Obama said last month in an address to the UN General Assembly. "But the Iranian government must demonstrate a clear and credible commitment, and confirm to the world the peaceful intent of its nuclear program."

Ahmadinejad also took the opportunity on Sunday to once again express doubts about the facts behind the September 11th attacks.

"We have hundreds of unanswered questions about the September 11 incident to which they should respond, and we will not back down on this," he said, in the speech broadcast by state television and English-language Press TV.

"If they claim 3,000 people were killed on September 11, [the perpetrators] should be identified and executed," he added. "We will even help in their arrest provided they present evidence, but will not accept whatever Bush and Obama say."

Ahmadinejad has made similar remarks in the past, most recently at the U.N. last month in which he argued "some segments within the U.S. government orchestrated the attack."

That speech caused the U.S. delegation to walk out of the room in protest, and was immediately decried by Obama.

"For him to make a statement like that was inexcusable," the President told the BBC.

Coca-Cola Company Closes Bottler Buyout

NEW YORK (AP) - Coca-Cola Co. has completed its $3.4 billion buyout of the North American operations of its largest bottler, part of the company's plans to control more of its distribution to better react to changing customer tastes.

The world's largest soft drink maker on Sunday closed the deal for the domestic unit of Coca-Cola Enterprises Inc. Including about $8.8 billion in assumed debt, the transaction is valued at nearly $12.3 billion. In exchange, the bottler will buy certain foreign bottling operations from Coca-Cola, and its shareholders get stock in a new company and $10 per share.

The bottler's shareholders approved the deal on Friday. Earlier in the week regulators approved the sale with certain conditions, namely that Coca-Cola restrict its access to business information from rival Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc. Some of Dr Pepper's drinks are bottled by Coca-Cola Enterprises under a deal made when it was an independent bottler.

Coca-Cola will operate the acquired businesses under the names Coca-Cola Refreshments USA Inc. and Coca-Cola Refreshments Canada Co. The subsidiaries will be led by Coca-Cola Refreshments President and CEO Steve Cahillane, former president of Coca-Cola Enterprises' North American business unit.

Coca-Cola announced the deal in February, just after PepsiCo Inc. made a similar move. Both Coca-Cola and the bottler are based in Atlanta.

The move is part of a soft drink industry trend to gain more control over distribution. Soft drink makers make concentrate and then sell it to bottlers, who make and distribute the products.

By owning bottlers, the companies can better control where their products go and how they are displayed. They are also able to get products to market more quickly. Coca-Cola expects $350 million in cost savings as a result of the deal.

The U.S. soft drink market has been hurting for several years as people switch to juices and teas for health reasons. Shoppers have also spurned soft drinks in the down economy as a way to save money.

Coca-Cola CEO Muhtar Kent said shoppers will notice a more varied stable of products on shelves at different prices, as the company can now control what is distributed where and at what price points. Sales of drinks like Coke are improving enough now in North America that changes that come with the deal will lead to more sustainable growth, he said. Growth wouldn't come, he said, if the brands were hurting.

"A new structure can never be a replica or make up for bad brands," he said.

The new Coca-Cola Enterprises is expected to start trading Monday on the New York Stock Exchange under the existing ticker "CCE."

www.wtop.com

Accused White House Crasher Tareq Salahi Files Bankruptcy

Alleged White House gate crasher Tareq Salahi's polo club has filed for bankruptcy.

The Northern Virginia Daily reported that America's Polo Cup Inc. filed for Chapter 7 in U.S. Bankruptcy Court on Sept. 13.

The petition says America's Polo Cup grossed more than $400,000 in 2008 and 2009, but just slightly more than $50,000 this year.

It lists $67,000 in assets - all in the form of money owed to the company - and $329,850 in debts, including more than $304,000 for catering that is the subject of a civil lawsuit.

A winery business owned by Salahi filed bankruptcy in 2009.

Salahi and his wife, Michaele, made headlines last year when they allegedly crashed a White House state dinner. Michaele is a cast member on Bravo's reality show "Real Housewives of D.C.

www.nydailynews.com

Verizon Plans Customer Refunds

NEW YORK (AP) - Verizon Wireless could pay out up to $90 million in refunds to cell phone customers who were improperly charged for inadvertent Web access or data usage over the past several years.

The FCC had asked Verizon Wireless last year about $1.99-a-megabyte data access fees that appeared on the bills of customers who didn't have data plans but who accidentally initiated data or Web access by pressing a button on their phones.

In a statement on its website Sunday, Verizon Wireless said most of the 15 million customers affected will receive credits of $2 to $6 on their October or November bills. Some will receive larger sums. Customers no longer with the New York-based carrier will get refund checks.

"Verizon Wireless values our customer relationships and we always want to do the right thing for our customers," said Mary Coyne, deputy general counsel for Verizon Wireless. "The majority of the data sessions involved minor data exchanges caused by software built into their phones; others involved accessing the Web, which should not have incurred charges. We have addressed these issues to avoid unintended data charges in the future."

Verizon has said that it stopped charging such fees when a customer started using a data service but then quickly shut it off.

The FCC confirmed Sunday that it has been investigating the charges after complaints from consumers. It said Verizon itself has reportedly put the amount of overcharges at more than $50 million, dating back two years.

"We're gratified to see Verizon agree to finally repay its customers," FCC Enforcement Bureau Chief Michele Ellison said in a statement.

"But questions remain as to why it took Verizon two years to reimburse its customers and why greater disclosure and other corrective actions did not come much, much sooner."

The FCC will continue to look into those issues, including the possibility of additional penalties, Ellison said.

Verizon Wireless, the largest cell phone carrier in the U.S., is a joint venture between Verizon Communications Inc. and Britain's Vodafone Group PLC.

www.wtop.com

Our Judicial System and Nolle prosequi, How Easy is to Easy?

 Seriously, Is Judge Purnell and/or the office of the SA just extremely to liberal? I'd go as far as to say they have become extremest in such a way that it has become so obvious to most of the criminals we have out and about on our streets that they are selling dope, robbing stores, burglarizing homes and they will literally take a life in broad daylight on a busy street and it's not getting better.

Now I completely understand that in some cases a PBJ or Probation with/without a fine is harsh enough for some lesser petty offense but all these aforementioned plus even more a coupled with the ever so popular nolle prosequi by the Judges and SA's office is just way to lenient and I feel that if the SA's office and Purnell has the sitting power to make these repetitive decisions for some if not most of the crimes committed in Worcester County they should do so with judgment and for the best interest of the public not the criminal.

This just goes to show that ours and other law enforcement agencies within the City, County, and State that receive such negativity in most cases do not deserve the slander that they must endure from other people, forums, blogs etc. time and time over again. Now I'm not saying any LEO should not do their job, in fact the good cops will need to do their job better to make sure their evidence is overwhelming, complete and precise. The bad cops? Well they're and always will be just that "bad cops" (you know who you are), we can put them in the same "Pen" with criminals until the good cops (you know who you are) can put them away too. Yeah that sounds harsh I know but until we can force those that apply punishment and demand that the criminals be held accountable for their actions it will never get better. 

I'm not familiar with other cities criminals other than what I read about in the local news and of course, our local criminals just seam to stick out more like Capone does to Chicago or Jesse James does to Bank Robberies, it's the locals names that I/we just keep hearing over and over so in that way we become more familiar and see the repetitious names associated with the same crimes over and over and over and we also become aware that the same names become connected over and over and over. What names might you ask? The local criminal(s) and nolle prosequi.

Most of the following cases were heard in Worcester County District Court in Snow Hill by Judge Gerald V. Purnell on Sept. 3 and Sept. 7, 2010. All can be seen here on Delmarvanow

[Well, well, well here's a familiar name you might want to check the Maryland Case search on this one for priors] Honiss Webster Cane III, 39, of the 100 block of Fourth Street, Pocomoke City, was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. Nol pros was entered for both charges.

David Glenn Gambrell, 21, of the 500 block of 37th Street, Philadelphia, Pa., was charged with possession of marijuana. The verdict was probation before judgment.

John Adam Conn, 18, of the 5000 block of Cedar Grove Road, East New Market, Md., was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. The verdict was probation before judgment for both charges.

Daniel Lee Ng, 19, of the 700 block of Generals Highway, Millersville, Md., was charged with possession of marijuana and possession of controlled dangerous substance paraphernalia. Nol pros was entered for both charges.

[WHAT??!! REALLY??] Timothy McCoy Wilson, 42, of the 300 block of River Terrace, Toms River, N.J., was charged with controlled dangerous substance: possession with intent to distribute: narcotics , controlled dangerous substance possession - not marijuana and controlled dangerous substance possession with intent - large amount. Nol pros was entered for all charges.

Luis Rafel Ahorrio, 35, of the 100 block of South Conduit Avenue, Jamaica, N.Y., was charged with controlled dangerous substance: possession with intent to distribute: narcotics , controlled dangerous substance possession - not marijuana and controlled dangerous substance possession with intent - large amount. Nol pros was entered for all charges.


Getting ridiculous? Sorry not yet

[Wait! don't we know this name? Why I do believe we do]
Juergen D. Ervin Jr., no date of birth listed, of the 100 block of Fourth Street, Pocomoke City, was charged with assault second degree and malicious destruction of property valued at less than $500. Nol pros was entered for both charges.

Lisa Bergling Kerstetter, 49, of the 9000 block of Pitts Road, Showell, Md., was charged with assault second degree, malicious destruction of property valued at less than $500, resist/interfere with arrest and failure to obey. The verdict was guilty for the third charge. Nol pros was entered for the other charges.

Gregory D. Secon, 48, of the 7000 block of Old Ocean City Road, Whaleyville, was charged with two counts of assault second degree. The verdict was guilty for the first charge. Nol pros was entered for the second charge.

John Spencer Tillman, 22, of the 10 block of Breezeway Lane, Berlin, was charged with assault second degree. Nol pros was entered.

Jarrett Ryan Tillman, 24, of the 10 block of Breezeway Lane, Berlin, was charged with two counts of assault second degree. Nol pros was entered for both charges.

Now keep in mind that the above listing are just a drop in the bucket of the slap on the wrist justice system that we have let our legal system become, and for 2 DAYS ONLY.  Sept. 3 and Sept. 7, 2010

US Issues Travel Alert For Americans In Europe

The US State Department issued a travel alert on Sunday for American traveling in Europe after Western intelligence agencies last week uncovered an Al Qaeda plot to wage attacks on European cities. The US State Department issued a travel alert Sunday to urge Americans traveling to Europe to use caution and vigilance in the wake of a terrorist plot uncovered last week to attack major European cities.

"Current information suggests that Al Qaeda and affiliated organizations continue to plan terrorist attacks," warns the alert. "US citizens should take every precaution to be aware of their surroundings and to adopt appropriate safety measures to protect themselves when traveling."

The alert also warns that terrorists might attack public transportation systems and "tourist infrastructure."

The alert is not a travel warning, which would advise Americans from traveling to Europe. But it underlines how seriously officials are taking the recent Al Qaeda threat against Europe.

The Associated Press reports that the US did not meet strong opposition from European leaders when it informed them of the plan to issue the alert. But the New York Times reports that European officials have been worried about the effect such an action could have on tourism and student travel to Europe.

Al Qaeda plot

A US official told the AP the travel alert is “a cumulative result of information the US has received over an extended period.” But it comes after the revelation last week that Western intelligence agencies had uncovered an Al Qaeda plot to wage attacks on European cities. The Monitor reported that the plan was reportedly to mimic the style of the deadly attack on Mumbai in 2008, with small teams of heavily-armed militants moving in teams to capture and execute Westerners in Britain, France, and Germany.

Al Qaeda militants in Pakistan were reportedly behind the attack, and intelligence agencies have said that Osama bin Laden was possibly involved personally. The plot may have been uncovered when authorities detained a German terror suspect in Afghanistan in July.
Link to drone strikes in Pakistan?

Media reports have linked the plot to US drone strikes in Pakistan. But it is unclear whether the Al Qaeda plot was an attempt to respond to the drone strikes, or whether the strikes were intended to disrupt the plot – or both. The Wall Street Journal reports that the number of reported drone attacks in Pakistan doubled in September, up to 22.

Regardless of the reason for the reported plot to attack Europe, officials appear to be reacting with seriousness.

In addition to the travel alert, Sweden announced Friday that it has raised its terror alert to the highest status, reports The Guardian. France has been hit particularly hard: the Eiffel Tower in Paris was evacuated twice in September after bomb threats and a warning was issued about a female suicide bomber targeting public transit. The Monitor reported that France has been unusually shaken by the recent threats.

The terror warnings have put Europe on alert and caused France, which prides itself in taking something of a phlegmatic view of the threat of terrorism, to increase its terror alert to “red plus” – the second-highest level. France's uncharacteristic cautiousness could signal the seriousness of recent threats, say security analysts, and suggests a new attitude emerging in France toward security.

www.csmonitor.com

Grand Jury Indicts Son In First-Degree Murder Of Mother

SNOW HILL – A Worcester County grand jury this week formally indicted on a first-degree murder charge a Pennsylvania man charged in early September with repeatedly running over his elderly mother on a rural road north of Berlin.

Steven Frederick Molin, 58, of Darby, Pa., was indicted on a first-degree murder charge in the death of his mother, Emily Belle Molin, 85, also of Darby, after an incident on Carey Rd. on Aug. 31.

Molin was scheduled to appear for a preliminary hearing in District Court yesterday, but that hearing was superseded by the grand jury indictment earlier in the week. The case is now set to take place in Worcester County Circuit Court.

Shortly before midnight on Aug. 31, the Worcester County Sheriff’s Office responded to a serious motor vehicle accident on Carey Rd. in Berlin. From the beginning, Steven Molin has not denied running over his mother as many as three times, but has claimed the incident was an accident, caused in part by a faulty passenger side door on the 2008 Chevy work truck damaged in a different accident earlier in the day.

However, a Worcester County Sheriff’s Office accident reconstructionist, after reviewing the physical evidence and interviewing Molin, determined the victim had been run over three times despite ample opportunity by the suspect to avoid hitting her after the first collision.


According to police reports, there was substantial physical evidence in the roadway including the victim’s shoes and articles of clothing along with blood and hair evidence with tire impressions through the middle of them. The report also indicates the victim’s shoe impressions were discovered on the back bumper and near the undercarriage and ball hitch of the work truck, suggesting she tried to stick her foot up to avoid being run over.

After reviewing the physical evidence at the scene, detectives determined the incident was not merely a motor vehicle accident, according to police reports.
Detectives at the scene also noted the vehicle had a piece of rope tied to the passenger side door handle along with damage to the passenger side of the vehicle.

When questioned about the rope and the damage, Molin allegedly told police at the scene, “I don’t know how much I should say to you,” before telling the officers he was involved in a different accident earlier in the day.


During an interview hours after the incident, Molin told police he had picked up the victim at a nursing home in Pennsylvania where she lived around 5:20 p.m. that night to take her to dinner. He then drove her to Evergreen Cemetery in Berlin to visit the grave of her late husband and his father, who had died in 1981. After a visit at the cemetery, Molin started driving his mother back to Darby, Pa. along Carey Rd. in northern Worcester County.


Molin told detectives while he was driving on Carey Rd., he thought his mother had fallen out of the vehicle. He told police the door swung open, but he did not see anything. At that point, he allegedly heard a thump and ran over the victim. He told detectives he then backed up and ran over her again. According to police reports, Molin told police he then thought the vehicle was on top of her, so he pulled forward, which is when he ran over the victim a third time.


Information contained in the statement of charges suggests the incident might have been more than an accident, however. According to police reports, Molin and his mother were scheduled to appear for a court hearing the next day, Sept. 1, on two pieces of property that were in his name.

The purpose of the hearing was to transfer ownership of the two properties back into the victim’s name and the victim would then transfer the properties to the nursing home in order to allow her to continue to receive services from the facility, according to police reports.


A Sheriff’s deputy on the scene of the incident reportedly received a call from an employee of the nursing home where the victim lived advising that she had talked to Molin earlier that day and that he intentionally wrecked his truck because he was mad about the pending court issues regarding the two properties.

The nursing home employee also told detectives Molin had allegedly threatened to blow her head off because of an argument she had with him.

www.mdcoastdispatch.com

CNN's Rick Sanchez Fired

NEW YORK -- CNN fired news anchor Rick Sanchez on Friday, a day after he called Jon Stewart a bigot in a radio show interview where he also questioned whether Jews should be considered a minority.

Sanchez, who was born in Cuba and had worked at CNN since 2004, was host of the two-hour "Rick's List" on CNN's afternoon lineup. He did a prime-time version of that show in recent months, but that ended this week because the time slot is being filled by a new show featuring former New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and columnist Kathleen Parker.

Stewart had frequently poked fun of Sanchez on Comedy Central's "The Daily Show," most recently for saying on the air that his show had received a tweet from House Republican leader John Boehner. Stewart called it a case of "send a twit a tweet."

"He's upset that someone of my ilk is almost at his level," Sanchez said during a satellite radio interview with Pete Dominick. Details of the interview were posted on the Mediaite website Friday and quickly became a topic of conversation in the media world.

Sanchez said that Stewart is bigoted toward "everybody else that's not like him." He said Stewart "can't relate to what I grew up with," saying his family had been poor and he had seen prejudice directed at his father.

Sanchez dismisses it when Dominick points out that Stewart, who is Jewish, is also a minority.

"I'm telling you that everyone who runs CNN is a lot like Stewart, and a lot of people who run all the other networks are a lot like Stewart, and to imply that somehow they, the people in this country who are Jewish, are an oppressed minority?" Sanchez said, adding a sarcastic "yeah."

"I can't see someone not getting a job these days because they're Jewish," he said.

www.foxnews.com

Crisfield Man Dies In House Fire

CRISFIELD — Deputy state fire marshals are investigating the cause of a fire that claimed the life of a Crisfield man early this morning.

Paul Tyler, 74, was found by firefighters inside his two-story home on Johnson Creek Road.

Tyler had discovered the 1:04 a.m. fire and evacuated his wife, then re-entered the house to retrieve personal belongings prior to the arrival of the fire department.

The fire originated in a first floor room that was being used as a bedroom. The cause remains under investigation. Investigators from Maryland State Police are assisting in the case.

Firefighters from Crisfield and Marion brought the blaze under control in an hour. Damages were estimated at $130,000.

www.delmarvanow.com

Adult Novelty Item......Have You Seen These Yet?

MISHAWAKA, Indiana — The name sounds like "lollipops," but the product is a "Lollipipe." It's a fruit-flavored candy that is fully edible, but in the shape of a drug pipe.

The packaging touts how it won't melt, even when the pipe is lit. The product has been sold at some 7-Eleven stores in Mishawaka and South Bend — that is up until Friday afternoon. That's when corporate officials out of 7-Eleven's Dallas office mandated that all Indiana franchisees pull the product.

John Ray owns the Mishawaka store at 601 N. Main Street that stocked it. He says he was unaware the product was even being sold in his store. Upon learning of it, he had store employees remove it, even before the corporate edict came down.

"I'll be honest with you, I tend not to get involved with those, the K2 stuff, Mr. Smiley, that kind of stuff. I turned that one down and never got involved with that one. Obviously, this is something that has slipped by me," Ray said.

The 7-Eleven store on Logan Street and Jefferson in South Bend was out of the product Friday, but an employee said more would be coming in next week. That statement was made prior to the corporate Friday afternoon crackdown.

"We think it harms our image," said Margaret Chabris, corporate spokeswoman for 7-Eleven.

"Franchisees can order products, but they need to be products within the scope of the 7-Eleven image, Chabris added.

Joan Horvath spotted the product about a week ago. She says it was being sold as a point of purchase item at the cash register at the 7-Eleven she frequents.

"The more I look at it, it's a drug paraphernalia item that is candy. I'm afraid of little kids getting their hands on this," Horvath said.

"They took candy cigarettes off the market, but they put out drug paraphernalia for kids to eat?" questions Horvath.

"It appalls me. I can't believe this is in a convenience store. I don't understand why anybody would even make this," Horvath said of the company Kzee Novelty Products, LLC, out of Berkeley, California.

The company behind the Lollipipe maintains a Facebook page in which friends of the site post openly, discussing the use of the product when it comes to drugs. The company's website, www.lollipipe.com, is currently not accessible.

Many in Michiana were unaware the product even existed.

"I haven't seen this. This is new," was the reaction of Lt. Tim Williams, a DARE officer with the Mishawaka Police Department.

"Any kind of candy that would illustrate or be a likeness of anything we're teaching them not to do, like smoking cigarettes or drugs, I'd say something needs to be done about it. This influences our children and what they want to do," said Williams.

Jill Sabo, who is a tobacco education coordinator with St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center, says she had not heard of this product before either.

"It looks like something you would smoke hash in," Sabo commented.

"I don't know if they're going to put illegal drugs in here or tobacco, but it really doesn't matter. It is still dangerous," said Sabo, who believes the product's packaging and flavors make it attractive to children.

www.wsbt.com