Three Injured in Seaford Two Car Crash

Location: Northbound Rt. 13 (Sussex Highway) south of Middleford Road, Seaford, DE

 

Date of Occurrence: Sunday, July 24, 2011 at 11:35 a.m.

 

Operators/Vehicles:

 

Operator #1: Ronald L. Merediths, 60, Fruitland, MD

Vehicle #1: 2009 Hyundai SUV

 

Operator #2: Miranda L. Walker, 21, Gloucester City, NJ

Vehicle #2: 2010 Ford Focus

 

Resume:   

Seaford- The Delaware State Police are investigating a two vehicle crash in which three people were injured that occurred late this morning in Seaford.

 

The accident occurred at approximately 11:35 a.m. as Ronald L. Walker was operating a 2009 Hyundai and was traveling northbound on Rt. 13 approaching Rt. 20. As Walker slowed his vehicle due to traffic, it was struck from behind by a 2010 Ford Focus that was being operated by Miranda L. Walker, 21.

 

Ronald Merediths, as well as a 42 year old female passenger in his vehicle were transported by EMS to the Nanticoke Memorial Hospital where they were treated for non life threatening injuries. Miranda Walker was also removed from the scene by EMS and transported to the Nanticoke Memorial Hospital where she was also treated for non life threatening injuries. Walker was cited by troopers with inattentive driving.

Norwegian Gunman Says He Acted Alone

A right-wing zealot who admitted to bomb and gun attacks in Norway that killed 93 people on Friday claims he acted alone, Norway's police said on Sunday.

"He has admitted to the facts of both the bombing and the shooting, although he's not admitting criminal guilt,'' acting police chief Sveinung Sponheim told a news conference about detained suspect Anders Behring Breivik.

"He says that he was alone but the police must verify everything that he said. Some of the witness statements from the island (shootings) have made us unsure of whether there was one or more shooters.''

Sponheim said police had no other suspects for the worst massacre committed in Norway since World War Two, in which 97 people were also wounded. Several people also remain missing, which could raise the death toll.

King Harald and Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg were among mourners at a service in Oslo cathedral, where the premier spoke emotionally about the victims, some of whom he knew.

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Virginia Unemployment Holds Steady at 6%

The slowdown in the economic recovery showed up in Virginia's unemployment figures for June.

The state's jobless rate held steady at 6 percent from May to June. Yet the number of unemployed people increased by 1,534 and the state's overall labor force declined by 2,848 after nine months of expansion, the Virginia Employment Commission reported Friday.

"We have had a deceleration the last couple of months," said Ann Lang, senior economist for the commission. "The recovery is just slow."

The 6 percent jobless rate is an adjusted figure accounting for seasonal fluctuations.

When not adjusted for seasonal factors, the state's jobless rate rose from a revised 5.9 percent in May to 6.3 percent in June. The commission attributed the increase to students and new graduates looking for work, which helped swell the number of unemployed by 17,674.

The seasonally unadjusted figures also showed nonfarm payroll employment gains of about 11,100 in the state. Yet June's job gains were the weakest in five months, and the number of jobs added in the state in May was revised downward from 18,800 to 14,200.

The leisure and hospitality industry led the hiring in June by ramping up its employment by 16,600 for the summer travel season. Other industry sectors adding jobs in June, according to the unadjusted figures, included manufacturing, construction, and professional and business services.

READ MORE …

On Friday we reported that Maryland’s unemployment rate had risen to 7% and that MD was tied with Kansas for the highest rate of job loss.

Australian Wins Tour de France

Cadel Evans becomes the first Australian to capture cycling’s most prestigious title.

Redistricting Public Hearings Begin in Maryland

HANCOCK - Maryland lawmakers were urged Saturday to draw district lines that "make sense," as a panel on legislative redistricting heard public comments in a process leading up to a special session to redraw congressional districts in October.

The hearing, which lasted about 30 minutes, was attended by only about 50 people and drew only five speakers.

Elizabeth Paul, chair of the Washington County Democratic Central Committee, urged the panel to reconfigure the state's 6th congressional district to make it more unified.

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Boyfriend of “Modern Family” Star May Enter FL Senate Race

Nick Loeb, boyfriend of “Modern Family” star Sofia Vergara, is obviously already the luckiest man on the planet. Now he’s hoping that luck will extend to a win in the 2012 race for Democratic Florida Sen. Bill Nelson’s seat.

Loeb, a Republican and businessman, ran for the Florida state Senate in 2009 before he ultimately dropped out of the race to deal with a divorce.

But he may be ready to re-enter the political arena. When news broke this week that Florida’s state Senate president, a Republican, was dropping out of the race against Nelson, Loeb’s ears perked up. Loeb tells Roll Call he’s considering entering the crowded field of Republican candidates “even more seriously.”

Loeb says he’s “moderate on some issues and very conservative on others.” One area where he could face trouble with conservatives: environmental issues. He owns an environmental consulting firm and is a staunch advocate for conservation. But he isn’t making any apologies.

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DNC Releases Spanish Language Ad

The 2012 presidential race will have a Latin flavor.

The Democrat National Committee’s first ad of the election cycle is a Spanish-language spot in Reno, Las Vegas, Tampa, Orlando, Miami, Denver, Albuquerque, and Washington, DC.

The ad, “En Quien Confiar,” first attacks Republicans for their criticism of the president before touting the record of Barack Obama’s middle-class tax cuts, student grants, and health insurance of children. The ad ends with a strong note:

We know who to trust, and who we can’t.  Because it’s our job to protect our families.

According to a DNC official, the ad buy is “many times larger” than the latest spot from the Republican National Committee, which launched it’s “Change Directions” series earlier this month. The RNC’s third and latest spot in the series cost about $7,750, according to Politico’s Ben Smith.

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Default Now?

by Blair Lee

The University of Maryland athletic department is broke. Swayed by dreams of going big time, the university poured millions into new stadiums, arenas and other sports facilities just as the national economy and the Terps teams took nose dives.

When revenues stopped covering expenses (the athletic department lost $64 million between 2005 and 2010) the university covered the deficits by dipping into a special reserve fund. But now the reserves are exhausted, so the university is adopting a novel approach — cutting costs and living within its means.

Several of the university’s varsity sports programs will be eliminated (the ones that generate the least money and fans) and others will be downsized.

Making expenses match revenues isn’t a novel approach for businesses and for American families. But it’s a novel approach in our nation’s capital, where budgets don’t need balancing and money can be endlessly printed or borrowed.

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Hyperbole: MSNBC Host Says Bachmann Wants to ‘Extinguish’ Gays

Minnesota Republican Rep. Michele Bachmann. The 2012 GOP presidential hopeful has taken her share of flak from over-the-top pundits and talk-show hosts. But now an anchor of a non-opinion daytime news show at a major cable news outlet has joined in.

On Friday’s broadcast of “MSNBC Live,” host Thomas Roberts asked GOProud’s Jimmy LaSalvia why he would be so willing to replace President Barack Obama, especially in the person of Bachmann.

“But you will replace him with a person that would extinguish you,” Roberts said. “You’re replacing him with a person that doesn’t believe that that you have a right in this country to get married, that believes you don’t even have a right in this country to be gay because she co-owns a clinic that will convert you.”

LaSalvia didn’t directly acknowledge Roberts’ “extinguish” comments, but said he was undeterred.

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State Revenue Higher Than Expected

Maryland general fund revenues will come in roughly $300 million above initial projections for the 2011 fiscal year, according to a report from Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot.

The overage can be attributed in part to a strong tax filing season, Franchot stated in a July 22 letter to Gov. Martin O’Malley and the presiding officers of the legislature.

The fiscal year, which concluded at the end of June, saw a $300 million overage in the estimated income taxes; however the corporate income tax is $40 million under predicted revenues and sales tax revenue is expected to come in $30 million under expected totals.

For fiscal 2011, Maryland has so far collected $12.669 billion in general fund revenue, an increase of 8.3% over the previous year, Franchot wrote. He added that roughly $700 million in fiscal 2011 general fund revenue remains to be collected.

“While these aggregate numbers offer cause for relief and even guarded optimism that economic recovery is on the horizon, this report also provides ample basis for continued caution,’ Francot wrote. “The lackluster pace of corporate income tax collections serve as a reminder that Maryland's employers continue to struggle with the effects of the economic crisis.”

from Stephen Kelly @ the Gazette

Aquaculture Lease Applications Begin August 1

ANNAPOLIS - The Maryland Department of Natural Resources will begin taking limited applications for aquaculture leases within oyster sanctuaries Aug. 1.

The Maryland General Assembly last session passed legislation that expanded aquaculture opportunities into sanctuaries. That move followed Gov. Martin O'Malley's Oyster Restoration and Aquaculture Development plan that increased the number of sanctuaries in the state.

"By expanding aquaculture opportunities we are taking innovative steps toward reviving our native oyster population," O'Malley said. "Through a combination of sanctuaries, aquaculture and enforcement we are creating green jobs and a greener, more sustainable future."

The new regulations prohibit leases within 150 feet of Maryland's historic oyster bars in the sanctuaries. This 150-foot setback provides sanctuary bars protection from accidental harvesting. DNR also is limiting these lease opportunities to no more than 10 percent of available sanctuary acreage. Leaseholders using a power dredge to harvest oysters from a sanctuary lease must provide DNR 48 hours notice prior to harvesting oysters.

More information is available online at www.dnr.maryland.gov.

from the Star-Democrat

Obama At His Most Sanctimonious, Arrogant

Late Friday afternoon, President Barack Obama went to the White House press room after House Speaker John Boehner reportedly walked away from the debt-ceiling negotiation.

He had some very stern words about Boehner and the Republicans in the House. But Washington Post columnist Charles Krauthammer wasn’t impressed with Obama’s anger.

During Friday’s “Special Report” on the Fox News Channel, Krauthammer said this was Obama at his worst.

“This is Obama at his most sanctimonious, demagogic, self-righteous and arrogant,” Krauthammer said. “And given the baseline, it wasn’t a pretty sight. Look, he started out by summoning the leaders of Congress – summoning on them at 11:00, who does he think he is? In the American system, the executive and Congress are coequal … The way he demanded their appearance in the Oval Office I thought was disgraceful,” Krauthammer said

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Some Aircraft Just Get More Beautiful With Age

Tax Differential Back on Table for Caroline Commissioners

DENTON - Caroline County officials do not want to let slide an issue they began discussing during last spring's budget process creating a more logical tax differential.

The differential is a tax break provided to Caroline residents living in an incorporated municipality and is aimed at offsetting duplicated services provided by the towns and the county, namely trash collection and law enforcement.

In this year's budget, the commissioners reduced the trash portion of the differential from 6 cents for every $100 of assessed property value to 1 cent. They reasoned it would be unfair to keep giving town residents a break on trash when county residents were going to now be charged $100 to use the county's trash collection sites.

During the budget process, the commissioners questioned how the figures for the tax differential were determined and agreed a more concrete method in setting them needed to be established.

At their meeting Tuesday, Commission Vice President Larry Porter called for the commissioners to begin talks again on the tax differential. Porter said he did not want to let the subject fall by the wayside.

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Troopers Search For Suspect After Millville Robbery

Location: Marvel’s Produce, Atlantic Avenue, Millville, DE

 

Date of Occurrence: Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 4:30 p.m.

 

Suspect:

 

-Stephen F. Banks, 46, Millsboro, DE

-White male, 6’01” tall, 235 lbs, gray hair, and brown eyes.

 

Charges:

 

-Robbery 1^st Degree

-Possession of a Deadly Weapon during the Commission of a Felony

-Aggravated Menacing

 

Victims:

 

-39 year old Laurel, DE female

-41 year old, Laurel, DE male

 

Resume:  

Millville- The Delaware State Police are currently searching for a 46 year old Millsboro, DE man after he robbed a Millville produce stand yesterday afternoon.

 

The incident occurred as Stephen F. Banks approached the Marvel’s Produce Stand located on Atlantic Avenue in Millville, DE at approximately 4:30 p.m. yesterday. Banks proceeded to remove a metal can containing cash from one of the wagons that the stand uses to display produce for sale. Banks, however, was seen by a 39 year old female employee and a 41 year old employee of the produce stand who had been sitting in a car due to the excessive heat. The employees began to chase Banks into a corn field. The male employee caught up to Banks who threw the metal container at him and then produced a hammer which he swung at the male employee several times. Banks was then able to flee the area in a white Chevrolet pick up truck in an unknown direction. The male employee was not injured; however, the female employee suffered an injury to her foot while chasing the suspect.

 

Troopers were able to obtain a registration number from the fleeing pick up truck and after further investigation, were able to positively identify Stephen Banks as the suspect. Warrants have been obtained for Banks charging him with the above list of crimes.

 

Troopers are asking anyone who may know the location of Stephen Banks to contact Delaware State Police Troop 4 at 302-856-5850 ext. 0. Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES).  Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I'm focused on America. And I'm for a plan for us, to get us off of the OPEC oil."

T. BOONE PICKENS,

Silent Majority Fed Up With Washington

(CNN) -- The brilliant but disgraced President Richard Nixon once gave a speech in which he spoke of the "silent majority" in American politics.

These were the people, he observed, who didn't wave signs or march in the streets. Rather, they were the people who quietly went about their lives, going to work, raising their families and giving back to their communities.

Nixon gave this speech in 1969 at the height of the Vietnam War. But more than four decades later, his basic observation still rings true. For if there was ever a time that a silent majority existed in American politics, it is today. The current debate over raising the debt limit is a good example.

The debate is dominated by the political extremes. Those on the far right would rather have the federal government default on its financial obligations than give ground on what is anathema to most conservatives: raising taxes. Those on the far left would rather risk default than give ground on what is anathema to most liberals: reducing entitlements.

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Weiner Says He Needs to Prove He’s Cured – To Wife, and to Hillary Clinton

In the aftermath of the Weinergate scandal, former Congressman Anthony Weiner is telling his friends he is most concerned about earning back the trust of the woman who means so much to him. Yes, Hillary Clinton.

“My problem is that I have three women I have to convince that I’m cured: Huma, her mother — and Hillary,” Weiner reportedly told a friend, according to the New York Post.

Weiner’s wife, Huma Abedin, is a top aide to the secretary of state.

The friend told the Post that Weiner just recently hit rock bottom and has entered therapy, hoping to cure himself of his desire to send lewd pictures of his private parts to women he meets online. Until recently, Weiner “didn’t fully comprehend” how destructive his conduct was.

The Post also reports Weiner was thinking of writing a book, but his friend says Weiner was “totally in denial…to think that he’s in a position to write a book, there has to be redemption.”

READ MORE …

ExtenZe Penis Enlargement Maker Biotab Nutraceuticals To Pay $1.75M Settlement To Consumers

SANTA ANA, Calif. (Associated Press) -- A California diet supplement maker that promises its ExtenZe pills increase penis size is paying $1.75 million in penalties to settle consumer protection law violations.

The Orange County district attorney's office says Monrovia-based Biotab Nutraceuticals Inc. misled consumers with unsubstantiated advertising claims for some of its supplements, including ExtenZe.

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Talent Blossoms at State Fair

The flowers lay bundled with greenery, forming 21 loose bouquets spread apart on the tables.

Then, simultaneously, 21 pairs of hands seized scissors and knives and began trimming and pruning, then stabbing the stems into pieces of foam in the small baskets in front of them.

"You don't have to use every single flower that's given to you," called out Susan Krabill, superintendent of the Delaware State Fair's flower department. "Whatever you feel comfortable with."

Lined up at the tables in a room off the exhibit hall early Saturday morning were eight boys and 13 girls, ages 8 to 15, vying for bragging rights to be Delaware's top floral artist in the fair's annual flower arranging competition.

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Annapolis Bar Cited For Serving Teen Who Died

Annapolis police cited a downtown bar yesterday with four counts of serving underage customers following an investigation into last month’s double-fatal motorcycle accident on King George Street.

The four counts cite Acme Bar and Grill at 163 Main St. with serving four underage women, including 19-year-old Kelcey Silva, who was killed in the high-speed wreck in the early morning hours of June 16.

“Our detectives, through interviews and other means, have established that the four females entered the establishment on the night of June 15 and were served in violation of city alcohol control rules and regulations,” Chief Michael Pristoop said.

“One of those females left the bar and was soon involved in the fatal accident on King George Street around 1 a.m.,” Pristoop said.

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Perry Loves States Rights, Doesn’t Care About Gay Marriage in New York

Even though he calls himself an “unapologetic social conservative,” Texas Gov. Rick Perry says he’s so dedicated to states’ rights that the state of New York’s approval of gay marriage is fine by him.

Perry opposes gay marriage, but said that the 10th Amendment, which gives power not afforded to the federal government to state governments, is more important than his personal beliefs.

“Our friends in New York six weeks ago passed a statute that said marriage can be between two people of the same sex. And you know what? That’s New York, and that’s their business, and that’s fine with me,” Perry told top Republican donors in at an event in Colorado.

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CRIMINAL CHARGES OBTAINED FOR MAN WHO ASSAULTED TROOPER

(FORESTVILLE, MD) – Maryland State Police have obtained an arrest warrant with criminal charges against the Prince George’s County man accused of assaulting a state trooper with a knife early this morning when the trooper responded to the man’s single vehicle crash on the Capital Beltway near the Woodrow Wilson Bridge.

James A. Howard, 54, of Hyattsville, Md., is charged on the warrant with first and second degree assault, second degree assault on a law enforcement officer in the performance of his duties, wearing/carrying a dangerous/deadly weapon with intent to injure, and attempting to disarm a law enforcement officer. The charges were issued this evening and will be served on Howard upon his release from the hospital where he remains tonight.

Howard is accused of assaulting a Maryland state trooper at about 6:30 a.m. today when the trooper responded to a single-vehicle crash the suspect had been involved in on I-495 near I-295 on the southeastern portion of the Capital Beltway. Howard assaulted the trooper with a knife while the trooper was still in his patrol car. During the struggle, the trooper sustained cuts to his hand and was treated and released from an area hospital. Howard was arrested and remains in the hospital tonight for evaluation.

Hundred Flock to Tamer “Bumper Bash” Party

A woman in a red bikini danced giddily on a big floating trampoline in the Magothy River, at one point turning a graceful back flip — without losing her straw hat. Her apparent carefree delight captured what fans consider the true spirit of Bumper Bash, a yearly convergence of boat-borne revelers.

But on Saturday, the men in blue were no less a part of the story at the party's fifth-annual installment. Spurred by multiple fights and drunken rowdiness last year, authorities stepped up the police presence considerably, both along the Dobbins Island beach and in the river.

The Coast Guard for the first time mandated a 40-foot-wide float-free channel leading to the beach in case of emergency, and paramedics were stationed on a county fireboat and in an ambulance on shore.

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FAA Shutdown WouldCcost Govt $200 Million A Week

WASHINGTON (AP) - The government will lose about $200 million a week in airline ticket taxes and $2.5 billion in airport construction projects will come to a halt if the Federal Aviation Administration is forced to shut down, Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said Thursday.

A partial shutdown looks increasingly likely because Congress hasn't been able to come to an agreement on legislation to extend the FAA's operating authority, which expires at midnight Friday.

The main obstacle is a provision sought by House Republicans and the airline industry that would make it more difficult for airline and railroad workers to unionize. The provision was added to a long-term FAA funding bill earlier this year, but negotiations on that bill have stalled. Without long-term legislation, an extension bill is necessary to keep the agency operating.

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Non-Profits on Edge Over Possible Trim of Charitable Deduction

With the United States lugging around more than $14.3 trillion in debt, and interest payments on that debt already around $400 billion this year, Washington is looking for a deal to raise income or cut costs.

One plan -- to trim tax deductions for charitable donations -- is a worry for Delaware groups that depend on private money, a source that already has been hit hard by the recession.

Details are not yet clear. Among recent proposals are cutting the deduction rate for high-income taxpayers, allowing deductions only for those who give at least 2 percent of their income, tweaking the amounts and percentage of donations that can be deducted or replacing deductions with lesser tax credits.

The deductions are valuable -- worth an estimated $246 billion from 2010-14, according to recent projections by Congress' Joint Committee on Taxation.

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Relief From The Heat On The Way

The triple-digit scorcher that taxed the electrical grid and made life uncomfortable on the East Coast was expected to simmer down somewhat Sunday, but forecasters said states in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast will still be feeling the heat wave.

More

Corporate Profits Booming, Labor Market Still Weak

Strong second-quarter earnings from McDonald's, General Electric and Caterpillar on Friday are just the latest proof that booming profits have allowed Corporate America to leave the Great Recession far behind.

But millions of ordinary Americans are stranded in a labor market that looks like it's still in recession. Unemployment is stuck at 9.2 percent, two years into what economists call a recovery. Job growth has been slow and wages stagnant.

"I've never seen labor markets this weak in 35 years of research," says Andrew Sum, director of the Center for Labor Market Studies at Northeastern University.

Wages and salaries accounted for just 1 percent of economic growth in the first 18 months after economists declared that the recession had ended in June 2009, according to Sum and other Northeastern researchers.

from the AP

Vibrator Truck May Give NYC A Buzz

Trojan hopes its 'Good Vibrations' truck will stimulate a discussion about sex

From schnitzel to Korean tacos, you can find almost anything at New York food trucks. But next weekend, one new truck will offer something that even New Yorkers may find out of the ordinary.

The Trojan "Good Vibrations" truck will be traveling around Manhattan and Brooklyn on Thursday, July 28, and Friday, July 29, to promote sexual health awareness by showcasing Trojan's line of vibrators.

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Power Grid Reports Record Usage

Customers battling the heat broke a record for peak power usage in 13 states and the District of Columbia.

PJM Interconnection says the record was set at 5 p.m. Thursday as customers used 158,450 megawatts of power. Each megawatt power about 1,000 homes.

The previous record for peak demand was set on August 2, 2006.

PJM company says its supplies held up to the demand from 58 million customers.

Temperatures are expected to remain very high Friday in much of the region, hovering near 100 degrees in some areas.

PJM serves customers in Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, New Jersey, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia and the District of Columbia.

from the AP

Police Searching For Missing Baby And Sitter, Last Seen Friday

Baltimore police are looking for 7-month-old Ki'Yauhn Birch and 16-year-old Jonae Boozer, who have not been seen since Friday evening.

Birch was left in Boozer's care, police said, and neither of the child's parents have been able to locate them since.

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Gunman Kills Self, 5 Others at Texas Roller Rink

GRAND PRAIRIE, Texas –  Relatives were celebrating a child's birthday Saturday night at a skating rink when a gunman opened fire in an apparent domestic dispute, fatally shooting five attendees before killing himself and wounding four others, police said.

The man started arguing with a woman in Forum Roller World's front area where the party was being held, although the rink was not open to the public because the family had rented it for several hours for the private party, Grand Prairie police spokesman John Brimmer said.

He said investigators were still trying to determine how many people were inside the building in Grand Prairie, about 20 miles west of Dallas, when the shootings happened about 7 p.m.

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Hospital Construction Offer Lifeline

In a recession that has hit the construction industry particularly hard, Delaware has a building bright spot -- in the medical sector.

From north of Wilmington to Sussex County's coast, hospital construction is booming, creating more than 2,000 construction jobs and injecting hundreds of millions of dollars of spending into an economy still struggling to replace a moribund housing market.

Health care is a rare growth area in the struggling economy, with the U.S. Department of Labor last year projecting the field will add 15 million jobs this decade to accommodate growing patient volume and the aging population.

Fueling the hospital boom is an aging population and the need to replace aging facilities while housing new technologies.

A formula used by federal officials says each $100 million of hospital construction creates 350 to 500 construction jobs, said Tim Duggan of RSMeans cost-engineering research in Connecticut. By that formula, Delaware's hospital boom is creating at least 2,146 to 3,065 construction jobs.

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Winehouse, Before And After Drugs

Dew Tour Heating Up OC

The second day of Dew Tour festivities had lines of spectators waiting to take part in the many different activities that were offered.

The different exhibits and events had a lot of interest and the lines for the autograph sessions also had their share of eager signature seekers.

Derek Elliot of Baltimore had been standing in line for only a few minutes as he waited to get an autograph. He and a friend were one of dozens of spectators who lined up to get various different items adorned with the names of their favorite extreme sports stars.

"I'm getting my hat and my skateboard signed," he said. "They were the only things I had with me."

Friday's autograph sessions were the first of several going on throughout the four-day event. The list of competitors signing includes Mike Spinner, Bucky Lasek, Bob Burnquist and Brett Banasiewicz.

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Former Chairman of Joint Chiefs, General John Shalikashvili, Dies

Retired Army Gen. John Shalikashvili, an immigrant who rose to the top job in the Pentagon where he advised President Bill Clinton over military involvement around the world, has died at age 75, the Army said in a statement.

Shalikashvili, the first foreign-born chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, died Saturday morning at Madigan Army Medical Center in Washington state following complications from a stroke suffered on August 2004 that paralyzed his left side.

The country has lost a “genuine soldier-statesman,” President Barack Obama said. His “extraordinary life represented the promise of America and the limitless possibilities that are open to those who choose to serve it.”

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Wilmington Man Injured In Fall from Bridge

Location: White Clay Creek, 744 Stanton-Christiana Road, Wilmington, DE

Date of Occurrence: Friday, July 22, 2011 at 6:55 p.m.

Victim:  38 year old Wilmington, DE man

Resume:  

Stanton- The Delaware State Police are investigating an incident in which a Wilmington man was injured early yesterday evening after falling from a bridge while swimming in Stanton.

The incident occurred at approximately 6:55 p.m. on Friday, July 22, as a 38 year old Wilmington, DE man was swimming with friends in the White Clay Creek off of Stanton-Christiana Road. As the victim climbed onto a bridge over the creek in order to jump into the water, he fell backwards, striking him head on the concrete below. The victim was transported from the scene by EMS to the Christiana Hospital where he was admitted for serious injuries to his head.

This incident remains under investigation.

First Gay Couples Wed in NY

Gay-rights activists Kitty Lambert and Cheryle Rudd were legally married the very first moment they could be during a midnight ceremony at Niagara Falls that ushered in same-sex marriage in the state and marked a pivotal moment in the national drive for recognition.

With a rainbow-lit Niagara Falls as a backdrop early Sunday, Lambert, 54, and Rudd, 53, were among the first gay couples to tie the knot with the blessing of the state, which last month became the sixth and largest to sanction gay marriage. Couples in Albany, Hudson and Long Island also exchanged vows just after midnight Saturday, kicking off what was expected to be a Sunday packed with weddings.

The Buffalo women, grandmothers with 12 grandchildren between them, have been together for more than a decade and had long been fighting for the right to marry.

READ MORE …

Delaware State Police Issues Gold Alert: UPDATE

***UPDATE- Gold Alert Cancelled***

Location: 1500 block of Harvey Road, Wilmington, DE

Date and Time: Saturday, July 23, 2011 at 9:00 p.m.

Gold Alert Subject:

-Ryan Scanlon, 25, Wilmington, DE

-White male, 5’09” tall and 145 lbs, with brown hair and blue eyes

-Last seen operating a blue 2005 Toyota Solara with DE registration 842610

Resume:  

Wilmington- The Delaware State Police have issued a Gold Alert for Ryan Scanlon of Wilmington, DE. Scanlon is a white male, 25 years of age. He is 5’09” tall and weighs approximately 145 lbs.  A clothing description was not available for Ryan Scanlon; however, he was last seen operating a blue 2005 Toyota Solara with a DE registration of 842610. He was last seen leaving his residence in the 1500 block of Harvey Road, Wilmington, at approximately 9:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 23.

Ryan Scanlon’s medical condition is such that there is a real concern for his welfare.

Troopers are asking anyone who may know the location of Ryan Scanlon to call Troop 1 at 302-761-6677 ext. 0.  Citizens may also provide a tip by texting keyword “DSP” plus your message to 274637 (CRIMES).  Tipsters may also provide information through lines maintained by Delaware Crime Stoppers at (800) TIP-3333. Callers can also submit information via the internet at www.tipsubmit.com.

Boehner: Obama Kept Moving Goalposts in Debt Talks

House Speaker John Boehner, in a Friday evening news conference at the Capitol, said there are two reasons his debt-limit discussions with President Obama broke down.

“First, they insisted on raising taxes,” Boehner (R-Ohio) said. The Speaker said he and Obama “had an agreement on a revenue number,” which could be reached, not by tax hikes, but by a more “efficient” collection of the taxes that are due to the federal government.

“Let me just say that the White House moved the goalposts,” Boehner said. “There was an agreement, until the President demanded $400 billion more, which was going to be nothing more than a tax increase on the American people.  I can tell you Leader Cantor and I were very disappointed in this call for higher revenue.”

READ MORE …

Obama: Republicans’ Fault If Social Security Checks Don’t Go Out

At a hastily convened news conference Friday evening, President Obama offered his explanation of why debt negotiations with House Speaker John Boehner fizzled, and he once again raised the specter of entitlement checks not going out if the debt ceiling isn’t raised soon.

“Well, when it comes to all the checks, not just Social Security -- veterans, people with disabilities -- about 70 million checks are sent out each month -- if we default then we’re going to have to make adjustments.  And I’m already consulting with (Treasury) Secretary (Tim) Geithner in terms of what the consequences would be,” Obama said.

“We should not even be in that kind of scenario.  And if Congress -- and in particular, the House Republicans -- are not willing to make sure that we avoid default, then I think it’s fair to say that they would have to take responsibility for whatever problems arise in those payments.”

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