Community Awareness Meeting

There is a Community Awareness Meeting at 9 am at New Macedonia Church - Bishop Jenkin's in Pocomoke.

  At the 1st meeting, Lighthouse Counseling & Police Dept. provided donuts...and tomorrow Lighthouse Counseling is providing fall assorted donuts/munchins and coffee from Dunkin Donuts.

Please try to attend these meetings, the community needs to be aware and more so know what is going on in and around Pocomoke. People need to demand that press releases be published in a timely manor not weeks after the crime or in most incidences NEVER.

Speak your mind, this is the place to do it.

A Comment Worthy Of a Post

This commenter has asked some very good questions so I thought I'd bring it out to a post because a lot of visitors do not read the comments under the articles. Hopefully it will gain more attention here, and maybe it will bring some answers. 


Comment;

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Corrections; Joel Todd Explains Nolle Prosequi":

As a registered Democrat it pains me to even think about voting for the "other" candidate. In 30 years I've only done this once.

After searching and reading about the Candidates in the State's Attorney race this is bothering me the most. I"ve talked with many fellow Democrats and I find that I'm not alone in my concerns.

Mr. Todd you've eloquently answered citizens concerns over the cases mentioned in the original post. Why are you not answering other questions especially about this Clarence Jackson case? Why are you letting other's speak for you?

It's no big secret about the crimes that this criminal has comitted and I'm sure that there are more crimes that he has done that we all don't know about because he didn't get caught.

I just don't understand why Mr. Todd didn't put him away for a very long time in September (someone mentioned 30 yrs.) when he had the opportunity to do so.

As a resident of Worcester County it concerns me that this person will be back on our streets and in our community more than likely in about 1 year.

This person is a repeat offender as is evidenced by his criminal record. Whose home will he invade and steal from next? Where will his next fire be set? Who will be his next vitim of his terror?

The disturbing part of all of this is that my candidate let this happen and then refuses to answer legitimate questions about it. The people he has chosen to speak for him have no credibility and this is even more disturbing.

Who should I vote for as State's Attorney for Worcester County come November?

Prostock Points At Gumboro

The Prostock Class will be exciting for everyone this Saturday!

At the present time 187 East Perfomance trucks take 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place in Prostock.
Who will be the first place winner?
Will it be one of the three or someone else?

Be there on Saturday to see who will take 1st place in this class for the season.........


Prostock class

All Night Soldier Patrick Long 34 pts.
Blue Chevy(Short 'n' Sassy) Barry Wise 28 pts.
Gray Ghost Lori Ann Long 23 pts.
Friends n Low Places Daniel Harrison 22 pts.
81 Chevy Chris Stubbs 22 pts.
Mud Hog Wayne Downes 19 pts.
Mean Green Danny Smith 16 pts.
Dirty Money To Tony Kosar 16 pts.
No Shame Ed Vogel 13 pts.
Digger Orville Wells 13 pts.
The Animal Steve Wisbeski 12 pts.
Outta Order Trey Milligan
Nothin Special Allen Stephens 10 pts.
Gray Chevy Roger England III 10 pts.
86 Chevy David Jones 8 pts.
Blazer Bryan Johnson 8 pts.
Ridin Dirty Greg Stephen Jr. 5 pts.
Nothin But Truth Cliff Taylor 5 pts.
Wh Bronco Fred Wriston 4 pts.
Dirty Money Richie Knox 4 pts.
The Gator Vince McMahon 3 pts.
Miss Behavin Katherine Marshall 2 pts.
Blue Ramcharger Matt Gibson 2 pts.
Prime Example Thomas Jackson 1 pt.
Back & Black Mike Payes 1 pt.
Blue 89 Bronco Scott Carmean 1 pt.
Big Blue Skip Fleischut 1 pt.
Goldrush Bruce Vogel 1 pt.
Patrick Long "All Night Soldier"

Man Charged With Murder Is No Stranger To Jail

SNOW HILL -- Police arrested a Pocomoke City man for the stabbing death of a teen, charging him with murder.

James Edward Ballard, 29, of Pocomoke City, was ordered to be held without bond by Judge Gerald Purnell in Worcester County District Court.

Police charged Ballard with first-degree murder in connection with the death of 18-year-old Russell Matthew Bailey III, also of Pocomoke City. Police also charged him with second-degree murder, manslaughter and first-degree assault.

The circumstances of the incident were not immediately clear. First-degree murder is a charge that implies premeditation; Ballard told police he was defending himself.

According to court documents, Pocomoke City Police and Maryland State Police responded at 2:30 p.m. to a reported stabbing in the 700 block of Eighth Street in Pocomoke City, across the street from the middle school.

Police found the victim lying on the ground, bleeding from a chest wound. In charging documents, police said "numerous witnesses" said they saw Ballard stab Bailey.

Investigators telephoned Ballard to come in for an interview. At the Pocomoke City Police station, he confessed to stabbing Bailey, calling it an act of self-defense. In charging documents, police allege that Ballard killed Bailey with premeditation, based upon their investigation.

Pocomoke Mayor Mike McDermott said the event was sad and unfortunate.

"It's always a tragedy when people resolve anger and frustration with this kind of violence," said McDermott. "I'm glad we know who the bad guy is and we have dealt with the criminal."

Bailey had graduated from Pocomoke High School in June. Tyrone Mills, the school's principal, said in a statement: "We are deeply saddened to learn of Russell's death. It is a tragedy to lose a young man who had his whole life ahead of him."

Mills described Bailey as a student who enjoyed working on vehicles in the auto tech program who had aspirations to continue his education after he graduated last spring.

At Snow Hill District Court early last Thursday, Ballard, the suspect in Bailey's killing, sported a bushy beard and shiny white Air Jordan sneakers with his a navy blue prisoner jumpsuit. He told the judge that he has "a lot of stuff going on" in his life, that he needed a lawyer, and asked for a preliminary hearing.

Ballard also told the judge he had barely been home two weeks after having spent 18 months in jail for a probation violation.

In September 2008, a Worcester County Circuit Court judge sentenced Bailey to a year in jail and two years on probation on charges of second-degree assault.

Months later, authorities learned not only had Ballard moved from Pocomoke City to Philadelphia, but he had been arrested there in February 2009 on drug charges. They also learned of his July 2009 arrest in Hampton, Va., also on a drug charge.

Both his move and the arrests violated the terms of his probation. As a result, a judge sent him back to jail for another 18 months in November 2009.

Ballard's criminal record in Worcester and Wicomico counties dates to 1999 and includes other charges for burglary, drug possession, armed robbery, assault and escaping from police custody. No date has been set yet for Ballard's next court appearance.

www.delmarvanow.com

Sentences Given To Four In Accomack County Circuit Court

Accomack County Commonwealths Attorney Gary Agar reports the following cases were heard in Accomack County Circuit Court:

Bruce Meilhammer, 18 of Chincoteague, was sentenced to 90 days imprisonment, suspended but time served, and restitution for 3 counts of grand larceny.

Kerwin Mears, 25 of Accomac, was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment for a second offense of possession of cocaine and marijuana with intent to distribute.

Kenneth Simpkins, Jr., 26 of Greenbush, was sentenced to one year and three months imprisonment for distribution of cocaine.

Bruce Johnson, 52 of Mappsville, was sentenced to three years imprisonment for possession of cocaine. Johnson was also reimposed a suspended sentenced of one year for possession of cocaine.
www.shoredailynews.com

Reading is Fundamental

Watch this video and when they pan in on Bill Cosby look at the book he is supposedly reading.

This Weekend At Melson Power Show

Make plans now to join in on the excitement this Saturday, October 9, 2010 at Melson's !!

No kidding!

The folks at Melson's have planned an entire day (and into the evening) of racing events! They have combined Friday night events with Saturday night events and rolled them into one great day of nothing but exciting racing........

200 foot Dirt Drag ~~ Most trucks travel this muddy track in a matter of a few seconds!

With the recent rainfall how will the mud on this track effect the speeds of those trucks?

Garden Tractor Pullin' ~~ This young lady just started competing this season. Since she is the only girl with alot of foolish men I give her lots of credit! I think she will go far with garden tractor competition! Let's see how she does this week.........against all those silly guys. (They can't even keep their tractors running sometimes)

Truck and Tractor Pullin' ~~ This a big favorite for everyone.

How much weight will they pull?

Mud Hop ~~ Will Brian in "Cowpatty" be there to race through the mud? Who else will brave this hill and come crashing into the mud on the other side?

With the amount of rain recently any truck is bound to make a big splash! Head over to Melson's Saturday, October 9th to find out!
Bring a chair and sit back and relax. Good clean fun for the whole family. Kids love it!

REFRESHMENTS AVAILABLE

Registration for events: 4:00 PM
Events begin @ 5:30 PM
Admission: $5.00 ~~ Remember: You will be seeing two nights worth of events all in one afternoon and evening.

9343 Guy Ward Road
Parsonsburg, MD.

www.melsontractorpull.webs.com For more information!

Rain date... October 16th

PSST ! Have you heard the latest?

The Democrats are standing back because they KNOW they can't touch a Republican

like Mike McDermott !!

Don't Forget to VOTE MIKE!!

Pharmaceutical Advertising in Doctor's Office

I'm sure that you have seen 

pharmaceutical advertising in 

doctor's offices on everything from

tissues to syringes to note 

pads.   This one pushing Viagra 

should get First prize....

I e-mailed it to my Chinese doctor 

friend; he e-mailed back: "If light 

stay on more than 4 hour, 

call erectrician.

Hat Tip; Ree

Last Mudbog Of The Season At Gumboro

Your last chance to see mudbogging in Gumboro, Delaware is approaching fast!

So get ready!

Be sure to be there on Saturday, October 9, 2010

Gates open @ 11:00 AM
Races begin @ 1:00 PM

Admission: $7.00 ( Children under 10 FREE but must be with an adult)
Pit Admission: $5.00 per person

Registration will be held from 11:00 AM until 12:30 PM
KIDS POWER RACING EVENT AT EVERY RACE!

Refreshments available.......

From Rt. 13 Take Rt. 24 East Right onto Lowes Crossing Rd. Left on Fox Hound Lane.

From Rt. 113 Take Rt. 24 West Left onto Lowes Crossing Road. Left on Fox Hound Lane.

187 EAST PERFORMANCE WILL BE THERE!

See you there !!...............

ACLU Files Lawsuit Over Nose Piercing

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - The American Civil Liberties Union claims in a lawsuit filed Wednesday that a North Carolina school violated the constitutional rights of a 14-year-old student by suspending her for wearing a nose piercing.

The lawsuit from the state chapter of the ACLU seeks a court order allowing Ariana Iacono to return immediately to Clayton High School, which has kept her on suspension for four weeks since classes started.

The complaint hinges on Iacono's claim that her nose piercing isn't just a matter of fashion, but an article of faith. She and her mother, Nikki, belong to a small religious group called the Church of Body Modification, which sees tattoos, piercings and the like as channels to the divine.

"This is a case about a family's right to send a 14-year-old honor student to public school without her being forced to renounce her family's religious beliefs," wrote lawyers from the ACLU and the Raleigh firm Ellis & Winters in a brief supporting the lawsuit.

The Johnston County school system has a dress code banning facial piercings, along with short skirts, sagging pants, "abnormal hair color" and other items deemed distracting or disruptive.

But the dress code also allows for exemptions based on "sincerely held religious belief," and says, "the principal or designees shall not attempt to determine whether the religious beliefs are valid, but only whether they are central to religious doctrine and sincerely held."

That's where the school stepped over the line, the lawsuit alleges, saying officials repeatedly dismissed explanations of the Iaconos' faith by the family and their Raleigh minister.

"We followed all the rules, so I don't understand why the school is being so unreasonable," Nikki Iacono said. "The dress code policy allows for a religious exemption, and I explained to the principal and various school officials how my daughter's nose stud is essential to the expression of our family's religious values."

Terri Sessoms, spokeswoman for Johnston County schools, said the district had received notice of the lawsuit, but officials can't comment on disciplinary actions involving individual students.

Ariana Iacono has been suspended four times since fall classes started, missing 19 out of 28 school days so far. On Monday, the school system denied an appeal of her most recent suspension, and told her she'd have to attend South Campus Community School, an alternative facility for students with disciplinary and other problems. She still wouldn't be allowed to wear the nose piercing in the other school.

Nikki Iacono, 32, joined the Church of Body Modification in 2009, and her daughter followed a year later. Their minister, Richard Ivey, thinks school officials are dismissing a little-known belief system simply because it's unfamiliar.

"I'm shocked that it's gone this far, but I guess I'm not surprised they'd be so quick to stick with their first judgment and not hear anyone else's reasoning," he said.

www.wavy.com

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