31 Aralık 2012 Pazartesi

SC releases 'Scrooges and Angels' charities list

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South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond has released his annual "Scrooges and Angels" list of what charities in the state give the most toward their goals.
Hammond names as "angels" those charities that use at least 80 percent of their donations for their charitable purpose, use volunteers and don't rely heavily on government grants or outside money.
On Thursday, Hammond said the charity that spent the highest percentage of its money on program efforts was Seneca-based Rosa Clark Medical Clinical Association, Inc., at 99.1 percent.
  1. Rosa Clark Medical Clinic Association, Inc., Seneca, SC 99.1%
  2. Habitat for Humanity of North Augusta, North Augusta, SC 96.7%
  3. Humane Society of McCormick County, McCormick, SC 95.1%
  4. Deep Well Project, Hilton Head Island, SC 91.6%
  5. South Carolina Hunters and Landowners for the Hungry, Spartanburg, SC 91.2%
  6. East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO), Mount Pleasant, SC 85.4%
  7. Samaritan House of Orangeburg, Inc., Orangeburg, SC 84.3%
  8. Nurturing Center, Inc., Columbia, SC 83.0%
  9. Early Learning Partnership of York County, Rock Hill, SC 81.4%
  10. America's VetDogs - the Veterans's K-9 Corps, Inc., Smithtown, NY 80.2%
Hammond also annually alerts residents to charities whose financial reports show they spend little on their stated purpose and much on professional solicitors. The organization with the lowest expenditure was the Fraternal Order of Police Tri-County Lodge No. 3 in Hanahan, at 4.1 percent.
  1. American Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., Baltimore, MD 37.5%
  2. Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, Inc., Annandale, VA 36%
  3. Veterans Support Foundation, Silver Spring, MD 24.6%
  4. Firefighters Support Services, Incorporated, Wyandotte, MI 21%
  5. United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association, Inc., Ashburn, VA 14.8%
  6. Defeat Diabetes Foundation, Inc., Madeira Beach, FL 11.8%
  7. Operation Lookout National Center For Missing Youth, Everett, WA 9.9%
  8. Fraternal Order of Police York County Lodge #15, Rock Hill, SC 9.2%
  9. Missional Advancement Project, Inc., Aiken, SC 6.4%
  10. Fraternal Order of Police Tri-County Lodge #3, Hanahan, SC 4.1%
The following criteria were considered in selecting Scrooges: the charity had devoted 40 percent or less of its total expenditures to charitable programs; the charity had spent a significant amount of revenue on fundraising expenses; and the charity had registered with the Secretary of State to solicit funds in the state of South Carolina."As Secretary of State, I have the duty of enforcing the Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, and of protecting the public against "Scrooge" organizations that want to take advantage of our giving spirit," Secretary Hammond said. "Charitable solicitations across the state have increased in the last four years because more and more people are in need of assistance. Times are still tough in South Carolina, but our residents continue to be some of the most generous people in the nation and always answer the call when it comes to defending and helping the less fortunate.""However, there are those who would take advantage of our generosity," he continued. "So I ask that you check out any organization before you contribute your hard-earned money."Charitable donors may research organizations registered in South Carolina by visiting the Secretary of State's website at www.sos.sc.gov. To review an organization, select the Charity Search button to learn a charity's total revenue, program expenses, total expenses, net assets, and fundraiser costs.

SC releases 'Scrooges and Angels' charities list - WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC

Cracks found in South Carolina atomic station's nuclear reactor head

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Reuters/Progress Energy/NRC/Handout Reuters/Progress Energy/NRC/Handout The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has ordered engineers at a power plant in South Carolina to act urgently on cracks that have appeared in a reactor head there that could increase the likelihood of an atomic disaster.
The group that ensures safe and sound nuclear facilities across the US says they don’t believe the public needs to worry as of now about cracks discovered at the SCE&G plant in Jenkinsville, SC, but that could change if action isn’t taken immediately.
According to The South Carolina State newspaper, the SCE&G plant told the commission that they would make repairs in order to satisfy their concerns in an October 30 statement delivered to the NRC. Confirming this week, a spokeswoman for the atomic energy plant said that they have indeed begun fixing the cracks.
Those repairs, say the NRC, will be a good fix for the moment, but might not necessarily relieve them of future concerns.
“The situation … indicates to me that the best and safest fix is for the old, cracked vessel head to be taken out of service and replaced,” anti-nuclear activist Tom Clements tells The State.
“At some point in the not-too-distant future, it seems like the company will want to replace the head with one that is a little more resistant to this kind of cracking,” David Lochbaum of the Union of Concerned Scientists adds to the paper, a move that could set SCE&G back upwards of $60 million.
Only a few miles from the busy city of Columbia, though, the investment might be imperative to ensure that the area stays safe from any potential catastrophes.
“The cracks found in the VC Summer reactor pose a clear safety risk and must be immediately addressed,” Clements explains to the Aiken Leader. “While SCE&G will want to rush to get the reactor back on line and do a quick repair, the NRC must be deliberate in reviewing the causes of the cracking and how it is addressed.Operation of the reactor with a vessel head subject to cracking poses a safety hazard that both SCE&G and the NRC are responsible for.”
In an email to The State this week, company spokeswoman Rhonda O’Banion characterized the cracks as “minor defects” in the steel domes that sit atop the part of the facility where atomic reactions actually occur and that current efforts are “pre-emptive” to assure that are no issues down the road. Once the current round of repairs is complete, the company says the dome should be in satisfactory condition for the next 40 years.
According to a year-long investigation finalized by the Associated Press in 2012, the AP says they believe that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has regularly lessened restrictions in recent years. In their probe, they found that 82 of America’s operating reactors are more than a quarter-century old, with 66 units having been re-licensed for an additional two decades.

Cracks found in South Carolina atomic station's nuclear reactor head — RT

Major Embezzlement Cases: August 14 - 20, 2012

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Cheryl Porter
Cheryl Celeste Kenyon Porter, 45, of Greensboro, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled about $162,000 from Piedmont Staffing Solutions Inc., where she had been employed and had the responsibility of handling the company's payroll.  According to authorities, Porter caused the payroll system to cut additional payroll checks to herself and family members, totalling $162,000.  The thefts spanned a period of about 4 years, beginning in 2008.

Heather Laake, 21, of Winifrede, West Virginia, has been charged with embezzling more than $101,000 from the South Charleston Employees Federal Credit Union where she had been employed.  According to authorities, Laake took funds from customer accounts and changed the account information in an effort to conceal the thefts.  Laake's boyfriend at the time, Dewayne Spaulding, is also facing similar charges.  The misappropriations reportedly spanned a 4 month period. 

Stennett “Glen” Bernard, 58, of Brockton, Massachusetts, was sentenced to 5 years probation and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling $173,312 from the United Steelworkers Local 421 union which operated at the Serta Mattress Company in Middleboro, Mass.  Bernard had served as president of the union from which he siphoned funds over a period of about 2 years. 

Joseph Winford Hughes, 44, and his wife, Cylena Taylor Hughes, 44, both of Bryson City, North Carolina, were arrested and charged with embezzling more than $100,000 from the Bryson City Fire Department local Firemen’s Relief Fund and the East Swain Elementary Parent Teacher Organization fund.  Joseph Hughes was the Bryson City fire chief. 

Pamela Fisha Nishon Atkinson, 41, of Asheville, North Carolina, was arrested and charged with embezzling more than $100,000 from Wood Tech Enterprises over a period of about 2 years, from 2009 to 2011.   Developing...


Cathleen Schmid
 Cathleen Schmid, believed to be in her mid-40s, has been arrested and charged with embezzling about $220,000 from Dominion Liquid Technologies of Fairfax, Ohio.  The thefts reportedly spanned a 3 years period, from 2008 through 2011.  Schmid allegedly submitted fraudulent expense reports for reimbursement and caused the company to issue checks to third party personal vendors to whom she owed money.

Mirza H. Baig, 49, of Marlborough, Massachusetts was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison for embezzling more than $2 million from New England Cash Dispensing Systems Inc. which was contracted to manage ATMs for the Domestic Bank of Cranston, Rhode Island.  Baig and other NECDS employees reportedly ordered excess cash for ATM refills and pocketed the difference.

Major Embezzlement Cases August 21 - 31, 2012

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Etheridge H. Moore
Etheridge Henry Moore, 58, of Kentwood, Michigan, reportedly confessed to embezzling more than $100,000 from the Heritage Baptist Church in Gaines Township, where he had served as pastor for 26 years.  Moore allegedly submitted receipts for reimbursement which were not approved by the deacons of the church.  The thefts allegedly spanned at least 2 1/2 years beginning at least as far back as January 2010.


Jennifer Lynn McCage, 39, of Memphis, Tennessee, pleaded guilty to embezzling some $234,000 from Dunavant Enterprises where she had been employed as an executive assistant to company chairman, William B. 'Billy' Dunavant Jr.  According to authorities, beginning in April 2007, McCage began abusing Dunavant's credit cards and checking accounts for personal purposes.  The thefts reportedly continued until January 2012.  She had been employed at the company since 1992.  She faces a sentence of up to 27 months in prison.

Manika Kelly, 33, was arrested and charged with embezzling more than $107,000 from the City of Anguilla, Mississippi, where she had served as town clerk.  According to authorities, Kelly misappropriated town receipts for her own purposes over  a period of about 5 years, from October 2006 through November 2011, totaling $107,444.67.

Timothy Sharpe, a paralegal working for the Chattanooga, Tennessee branch of the Fisher Law Group, has been charged with embezzling about $126,000 from the law firm.  According to legal filings, over an 11 month period, Sharpe converted at least 30 checks made out to the firm for his own benefit.

Jongluck Mutrais, 59, of Orange, California, pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled some $600,000 from the City of Long Beach, for which she was employed in the Animal Care Services Bureau.  She is expected to be sentenced to 3 years in state prison pursuant to a plea agreement.  Mutrais' misappropriations reportedly spanned a 10 year period.  Specifically, Mutrais was charged with one felony count each of misappropriation of public funds, altering or falsifying an account and embezzlement by a public officer, along with six felony counts of filing false income tax returns. She pleaded guilty to embezzling public funds and filing a false 2008 state tax return and admitted two allegations that the amount of money taken was more than $100,000.

Eugene Ceriello
Eugene Ceriello, 48, of Stamford, Connecticut was arrested for embezzling $1,157,706.62 from Greenwich Automotive Services where he had been employed as a manager.  According to authorities, Ceriello's thefts spanned nearly 4 years, from January 2005 to December 2008.  He had already pleaded guilty to filing false tax returns and was sentenced to 18 months in prison in April 2012.

Terry Workman, 44, of Hurricane, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled about $380,000 from the law firm of Bucci, Bailey & Javins where she had been employed as office manager.  Over a period of at least 6 years, from 2004 until 2010 when she was fired, Workman wrote checks to herself.  She plead guilty to 6 out of 13 felony embezzlement counts she had been indicted on in a plea agreement. 

Edward Steed
Edward Waters, 62, of Kinston, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to charges he defrauded the Discovery Insurance Company out of more than $2.3 million in a conspiracy involving executives and others affiliated with the company.  A total of $5.3 million is alleged to have been misappropriated from the company through an embezzlement scheme led by Former company executive Edward Roland Steed, 67, of Swansboro, North Carolina, who is accused of writing company claim checks to fictitious businesses owned by Marvin Quinn, 55, of Goldsboro, North Carolina and Waters.  Steed's brother, Franklin Steed, 65, of Denton, North Carolina, is accused of cashing checks from the insurance company that were made out to fake people.  The fraud allegedly spanned a 6 year period in which the four co-conspirators split the embezzled funds.  Steed faces 48 felony counts including conspiracy, corporate malfeasance, larceny by employee, embezzlement and obtaining property by false pretense.  The other defendants face similar charges.

Dolores Morales was sentenced to 1 year in prison and ordered to pay restitution for embezzling about $111,000 from the Quail H Farms LLC in Livingston, California, where she had been employed as a sales clerk for some 20 years.  Morales reportedly accepted cash sales for produce and kept the money for herself over a period of 4 months beginning in 2010.

Stephanie Kaye Cieslinski, 53, of Midland, Michigan, pleaded guilty to two felony counts admitting she embezzled more than $100,000 from the local dentist office of Dr. Michael T. Smith where she had been employed.  Cieslinski admitted that she deposited receipts into her own accounts during the year 2009.  Cieslinski’s husband, Kenneth Cieslinski, 55, faces two counts of embezzlement as the funds misappropriated from Dr. Smith were held in accounts in Kenneth Cieslinski's name.  Together, the couple are alleged to have embezzled nearly $1 million from the dentist.  Stephanie Cieslinski was also ordered to pay $750,000 in restitution. 

An unnamed (now former) employee of Rathbun Reality in Tucson, Arizona is suspected in the alleged embezzlement of as much as $1 million from client accounts.  Developing...

Harry Jose, believed to be 41, of Canyon Country, California, has been sentenced to one year in jail for embezzling $256,000 from the Canyon Country Athletic Association for which he had served as treasurer.   Jose's thefts reportedly spanned a 4 year period.  He pleaded no contest to one count of grand theft and two counts of forgery.  Jose was also ordered to pay restutition. 


Paul Kulgavin
 Paul Kulgavin, 33, of OaktonKulgavin's failure to repay advance monies for seminars that never ran. in 2011 and 2012.  He faces to counts of embezzlement.  (Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe)

Satishi Suri, 57, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has been arrested on federal fraud charges involving $2.37 million in fraudulent mortgages and loans for eight properties while serving as a bank officer at Sovereign Bank in Horsham, Pennsylvania.  Suri allegedly submitted false and fraudulent documents to get the loans and mortgages approved in exchange for kickbacks from the borrowers.

Kathryn Charbonneau
Kathryn E. Charbonneau, 49, of Bay City, Michigan, has been accused of embezzling more than $100,000 from the law firm of Rieman & Reyes in Bay City, Michigan, where she had been employed as the long-time secretary and bookkeeper.  Charbonneau's thefts allegedly spanned an 11 year period, from 2001 through 2012.  According to authorities, Charbonneau pocketed cash receipts for her own benefit.  (Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe)

Lili Clay, 50, of Mountain View, California has been arrested and charged with embezzling some $350,000 from Lencioni Construction where she had been employed.  Clay allegedly kept fraudulent reimbursements over a period of about one and a half years, from January 2011 and August 2012.  When confronted by company owners, Clay admitted to the theft and fled the business, but was apprehended in her car in Exeter, California.  (Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe)



Marc Eisbrener
 Marc Wayne Eisbrener, 30, of Caledonia, Michigan, has reached a plea agreement with county prosecutors in Kent County to plead guilty to one count of embezzlement of between $50,000 and $100,000 from Ludema’s Floral and Garden where he had been employed as a general manager.  The business has been in the Ludema family for 5 generations and Eisbrener married Alison Ludema, who has not been charged with any crime in this case at this time.  Eisbrener is believed to have embezzled about $345,000 from the business over a 2 year period from 2009 to 2011.  As part of the plea agreement, Eisbrener has agreed to pay restitution in the amount of $345,528, plus $5,000 to the company's insurance carrier.
Kandi Kay Holden, 43, of Cantonment, Florida, has been indicted on charges she embezzled at least $282,000 from Cantwell Steel Erectors, Inc., where she had been employed as a bookkeeper.  According to prosecutors, over a period of more than 6 years, from November 2004, until her discharge in January 2011, Holden executed at least 120 fraudulent wire transfers of company funds to her own accounts and failed to pay income tax on the ill-gotten gains.  Specifically, Holden has been indicted on 120 counts of wire fraud and 5 counts of federal tax violations.   Scott Gardner, a former investigator at the Porterville Developmental Center, in Porterville, California has been charged with embezzling $121,000 in fraudulent overtime pay from the agency.  Gardner's superior, Jeffrey Bradley, the former police chief, allegedly participated in the fraud “by directing and authorizing false entries on overtime slips submitted by Scott Gardner with respect to the number of hours worked and the reasons the hours were worked,” according to the criminal complaint.  The overtime hours were logged in 2008 and the pair were originally indicted on embezzlement charges in 2010.

Kirk Strause
 Kirk Lester Strause, 51, of Sanford, North Carolina, has been arrested on charges he embezzled $331,000 from Primax Properties LLC where he had been employed in an undisclosed capacity.  According to media reports, Strause made unauthorized expenditures for his own benefit from company business accounts beginning in June 2006 and continuing through August 2012.  Specifically, Strause has been charged with one count felony embezzlement greater than $100,000, one count felony forgery of endorsement, one count felony uttering forged endorsement and one count obtaining property by false pretense greater than $100,000.  (Hat tip: FraudTalk reader Joe)

Major Embezzlement Cases: September 1 - 7, 2012

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Paul Nogaki
Paul Nogaki, 55, of Murrieta, California, was arrested on charges he embezzled as much as $135,000 from the Vista Murrieta Golden Alliance Band Boosters for which he had served as treasurer.  According to media reports, an informal audit was conducted after a new treasurer was appointed which confirmed that Nogaki had misappropriated Band Booster Club funds for his personal use. 

Todd Lauzon, 39, of Woonsockett, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty to 30 counts of embezzlement in connection with his alleged theft of at least $137,000 from customer deposits for pre-payment of funderal services with his business, Lauzon Funeral Home.  Prosecutors allege that Lauzon misappropriated client funds over a 7 year period, from 2002 to 2009. 

Patricia Ann Stanz, 61, pleaded guilty to charges she embezzled more than $525,000 from the Gesu Roman Catholic Church in West Toledo, Ohio where she had served as business manager.  Over a period of about 3 years, from June 2008 through August 2011, Stanz issued nearly 100 checks to herself or cash.  During this period she also abused church credit card accounts for her own benefit.  Specifically, Stanz pleaded guilty to one count each of counterfeit securities and of fraudulent use of access device.  Stanz reportedly blames a gambling addiction for her actions.

The late Linda Jenkins, who passed away at 53 on March 24, 2012 from cancer, is reported to have embezzled about $140,000 from Old Orchard Beach, Maine's Libby Memorial Library, where she had served as bookeeper.  Jenkins' thefts reportedly spanned a 6 year period.  Officials blamed a complete lack of oversight for the embezzlement.

Charity Howder
Charity Howder, 36, of Santa Rosa, California, has been arrested on charges she embezzled more than $260,000 from a Petaluma consulting company and a Rohnert Park law office where she had served as outside bookkeeper.  Howder allegedly wrote numerous checks from the accounts of her two clients, The Law Offices of Charlotte Creaghan and Project Management Solutions, Inc., for her own benefit.  Specifically, Howder has been charged with one count of grand theft and two counts of forgery. 

Two former North Carolina Central University administrators were indicted for allegedly conspiring to misappropriate more than $1 milliion from the institution.  The two include Nan Coleman, who administered the former Historically Minority Colleges and Universities Consortium, and former NCCU Provost Beverly Washington Jones.  Coleman and Jones allegedly embezzling $137,330 and $62,128, respectively, in grant money meant to help African American students.  Coleman allegedly stole the funds over a 5 year period, from 2005 through 2010 and Jones misappropriated the funds over a 4 year period, from 2005 through 2009.  An additional $600,000 was allegedly diverted to a private account used by Coleman to pay for personal expenses over a nine month period between December 2008 and August 2009. 

27 Aralık 2012 Perşembe

Why I'm Voting for Rick Santorum in the SC Primary

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Tomorrow, in the South Carolina GOP Presidential Preferenceprimary, I will be voting for Rick Santorum. Here’s why.
I need to start out by saying that I haven’t been totallythrilled with any of the four remaining candidates.  All of them have obvious weaknesses ofcharacter and/or policy which will make their race against Obama less of a lockthan it ought to be.  The Republican Partyneeds a leader of the Reagan type, who, like him in 1980, would win 40+ statesand carry a mandate with him to Washington. But since we have four remaining candidates from whom to choose, andsince any of them will be an improvement over the current president, I mustchoose from among them.
Rick Santorum, on the whole, represents my views the mostconsistently.  He has been consistentlyand passionately pro-life, and wrote the bill that ended partial birthabortion.  On social issues, he and I areof one voice.  He is also a firm believerin the Second Amendment (The NRA rates him A+). He opposed TARP, voted against McCain-Feingold and Frank-Dodd, andreceives low ratings from both the ACLU and the AFL-CIO.  While I am concerned about the trouncing hetook in the 2006 Pennsylvania Senate race (and, for that matter, the trouncinghe may get here in SC tomorrow, if the polls are valid), he is moredemonstrably opposed to Obama than either Romney or Gingrich.  His biggest liability in my eyes is that hedoes not come across as a leader.
Newt Gingrich, at the moment, would be my secondchoice.  I agree with him on mostissues—but he occasionally throws one out there that makes me scratch myhead.  His personal character history isa serious problem and, even if he has sincerely repented and stays on the righttrack, will be a detriment in the race. (Obama, for all his flaws, has no hint of marital infidelity.)  I am also concerned that his ego may become aliability.
Mitt Romney seems to be a conservative now, but my gut justdoesn’t like the fact that he wasn’t while he was the governor ofMassachusetts.  I think he can be a greatexecutive, and if he is the GOP nominee, I will vote for him in November.  But for now, I’m going with the most consistentconservative.
Ron Paul is problematic. His voting record is often meritorious and often puzzling.  The ACLU rates him pretty favorably—that's aproblem.  His vicious and untrue attackads concerning Santorum (being shown adnauseam this week on SC TV stations) trouble me.  His foreign policy ideas are dangerous to thefuture of our country. 
Please educate yourself on the candidates and then take theopportunity to vote.

An Update on our Friends' Adoption!

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Friends of ours adopted a 3½-year-old boy with Down's Syndrome from Eastern Europe last summer (see their blog here).  They have now had the boy in their home for six months.  Their story has been featured on a local TV station and I'm sure many have viewed their blog.  In short, their story not only testifies of God's love working through individuals, but also to the value of every individual soul—no matter the limitations of the physical body.

Six months later, there are still trials and struggles, but there has been both remarkable progress and great blessings.  The work that God has allowed them to be a part of has now reached all the way back to Russia, and we are so grateful for it!  I trust you will take the time to read about it here.

Penny's Cataracts

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I gave  Penny a bath today. It was not a pleasant experience for either of us. I wouldn't have gotten any more scratches that if I had been in a fight with a dozen rose bushes.  She sure has some claws on her and still acts like a cat after 16 years. She looks so fluffy and smells so nice though.
The sad part came when I was brushing the hair on her face and blowing her dry. I notice that she flinched ( more so than usual) every time I started to touch her face. Upon closer inspection I noticed that she had clouding (cataracts)in both her eyes now. She has had them in her left eye for some time but now they are in both. This explains why she has started to hesitate more when walking and jumping up or down from the couch. I noticed it more in the past two  or three weeks that she seems to be disoriented but now I think she just couldn't see where she was going.
It makes me so sad for her. I know what it's like to have cataracts. I had them removed from my right eye two years ago because I was 98% blind in that eye.Now I need my left eye done but it will have to wait a while due to finances. Medicare will not pay for cataract surgery until you are 65. I guess they figure you can stay blind until then. It is upsetting when you have worked and paid all that money in to a system that doesn't want to give back when you need it.
I guess Penny and I will just have to continue to look out for each other. I will be her eyes for her as long as I can. After all she is my heart.

Penny's Doctor Visit

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I took Penny in for a checkup yesterday. Seems she has a kidney infection so now she is on antibiotics. She did not want to be there for sure. She has lost a few ounces. She now weighs 9.3 lbs. Dr. Carroll said the cataracts were fairly normal for a dog of her age and overall she seemed to be doing okay. Her heart murmur is graded on a scale of 1-6 and hers is now at a 5. Penny's heart was racing so fast while she was there it  took her a while to get a reading on it. She said that when it's that bad a 5 or 6 were about the same. They didn't give her any booster shots because of her age and the fact that she is NEVER boarded. Her Rabies is up to date and that is the most important one since it is required for travel or anything like that.
She is doing good today. She took her antibiotics (liquid of course) like a little trooper and is sleeping soundly on my legs. She starts on heart medication twice a day later this week. The vet had to contract it to a lab that liquefies them for her. You cannot get a pill down her no matter what you do. I was hoping she wouldn't have to take the heart medicine but if it will help her even a little I am willing to do it.
So extra love an hugs for my baby.

Penny's Beauty Salon Day

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Today is the day Penny visits the Beauty Salon. Since losing her eyesight, she doesn't go as often as she used to. We found that the scissors and sounds around her upset her. So we had to do a search  of a place where they would not leave her alone even for a minute. We were fortunate enough to locate a lady named Brenda that works at our local PetSmart that does an "Express Groom." This is the perfect thing for Penny. From start to finish it only takes about an hour. They give complete attention to her and she is never put into a cage. This is so important to us because she gets very upset in unfamiliar surroundings these days and she has never liked cages. Brenda is very gentle with her and so patient. penny is very difficult to groom these days because sudden movements or anything coming close to her face startles her and she jerks away. I appreciate the time she takes in between the grooming to hug her and calm her down. There are still some special people out there that will take the time to help you out.
I will be posting pics of her sweet face when we get back...In the meantime, we have to take a nap in preparation for the trip.

20 Aralık 2012 Perşembe

Missing NC teens car believed to have been found in Kershaw County

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Missing NC Teens car believed to have been found in Kershaw County.
Kershaw County Deputies along with the South Carolina Highway Patrol are actively investigating a car found underneath the bridge over the Wateree River on Interstate 20 east near the 96 miler marker.
Kershaw County Sheriff Jim Matthews tells WACH Fox News that the bumper and license plate found separated from the car was believed to be from the vehicle that Ray Pierce and Jake Ziegler of Sherrils Ford, North Carolina were driving.
Monica Caison with the CUE Center for Missing Persons tells NewsChannel 15 she alerted SLED and Kershaw County Sheriff's Office to their discovery Sunday afternoon. Caison and her team have been searching for the missing teens since they went missing October 13.
 


Missing NC teens car believed to have been found in Kershaw County : News : CarolinaLive.com

Daughter accused of stealing elderly dad's money, land

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A Spartanburg County woman is accused of stealing thousands of dollars and more than 35 acres of land from her father, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease. Spartanburg County deputies said a retired magistrate judge, who is a friend of the victim, brought the case to their attention.
Investigators said they determined that after Tammie Price’s mother died in 2007, she began to exploit her father.  They said from April 2008 to June 2012, Price took more than $60,000 of her father’s money without his knowledge.   Investigators said they also found that in January 2012, Price had her father sign over 35.5 acres of land he owned in Pauline to her.
Price is charged with exploitation of a vulnerable adult.

Daughter accused of stealing elderly dad's money, land - Local News - Greenville, SC | NBC News

Suspect rides on hood of victim's car after assault

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A man was arrested after police said he assaulted a woman, jumped on the hood of her car and held on while she drove to get help. Spartanburg police said they were called to the Crescent Hill apartments on Sunday at 5:47 a.m. about an assault and battery incident.
Officers said when they arrived, witnesses told them the suspect had jumped on the victim’s hood in the parking lot and the car was driven to a convenience store.
According to police, the man, later identified as 20-year-old Broughton Nesbitt, was still holding on to the hood of the car when police arrived.
Officers said Nesbitt resisted arrest and it took four officers to control him.
He was eventually taken into custody and charged with assault and battery, police said.
The victim told police Nesbitt was upset because she got home later than expected.
She said Nesbitt reached into her car while they were outside the apartment and put both hands around her neck, choking her.
The woman told police Nesbitt then tried to drag her out of the car.
She said that is when Nesbitt got on the hood of her car and stayed there until she arrived at the convenience store.

Police: Suspect rides on hood of victim's car after assault - Local News - Greenville, SC | NBC News

SC releases 'Scrooges and Angels' charities list

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South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond has released his annual "Scrooges and Angels" list of what charities in the state give the most toward their goals.
Hammond names as "angels" those charities that use at least 80 percent of their donations for their charitable purpose, use volunteers and don't rely heavily on government grants or outside money.
On Thursday, Hammond said the charity that spent the highest percentage of its money on program efforts was Seneca-based Rosa Clark Medical Clinical Association, Inc., at 99.1 percent.
  1. Rosa Clark Medical Clinic Association, Inc., Seneca, SC 99.1%
  2. Habitat for Humanity of North Augusta, North Augusta, SC 96.7%
  3. Humane Society of McCormick County, McCormick, SC 95.1%
  4. Deep Well Project, Hilton Head Island, SC 91.6%
  5. South Carolina Hunters and Landowners for the Hungry, Spartanburg, SC 91.2%
  6. East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO), Mount Pleasant, SC 85.4%
  7. Samaritan House of Orangeburg, Inc., Orangeburg, SC 84.3%
  8. Nurturing Center, Inc., Columbia, SC 83.0%
  9. Early Learning Partnership of York County, Rock Hill, SC 81.4%
  10. America's VetDogs - the Veterans's K-9 Corps, Inc., Smithtown, NY 80.2%
Hammond also annually alerts residents to charities whose financial reports show they spend little on their stated purpose and much on professional solicitors. The organization with the lowest expenditure was the Fraternal Order of Police Tri-County Lodge No. 3 in Hanahan, at 4.1 percent.
  1. American Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., Baltimore, MD 37.5%
  2. Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, Inc., Annandale, VA 36%
  3. Veterans Support Foundation, Silver Spring, MD 24.6%
  4. Firefighters Support Services, Incorporated, Wyandotte, MI 21%
  5. United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association, Inc., Ashburn, VA 14.8%
  6. Defeat Diabetes Foundation, Inc., Madeira Beach, FL 11.8%
  7. Operation Lookout National Center For Missing Youth, Everett, WA 9.9%
  8. Fraternal Order of Police York County Lodge #15, Rock Hill, SC 9.2%
  9. Missional Advancement Project, Inc., Aiken, SC 6.4%
  10. Fraternal Order of Police Tri-County Lodge #3, Hanahan, SC 4.1%
The following criteria were considered in selecting Scrooges: the charity had devoted 40 percent or less of its total expenditures to charitable programs; the charity had spent a significant amount of revenue on fundraising expenses; and the charity had registered with the Secretary of State to solicit funds in the state of South Carolina."As Secretary of State, I have the duty of enforcing the Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, and of protecting the public against "Scrooge" organizations that want to take advantage of our giving spirit," Secretary Hammond said. "Charitable solicitations across the state have increased in the last four years because more and more people are in need of assistance. Times are still tough in South Carolina, but our residents continue to be some of the most generous people in the nation and always answer the call when it comes to defending and helping the less fortunate.""However, there are those who would take advantage of our generosity," he continued. "So I ask that you check out any organization before you contribute your hard-earned money."Charitable donors may research organizations registered in South Carolina by visiting the Secretary of State's website at www.sos.sc.gov. To review an organization, select the Charity Search button to learn a charity's total revenue, program expenses, total expenses, net assets, and fundraiser costs.

SC releases 'Scrooges and Angels' charities list - WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC

Cracks found in South Carolina atomic station's nuclear reactor head

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Reuters/Progress Energy/NRC/Handout Reuters/Progress Energy/NRC/Handout The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has ordered engineers at a power plant in South Carolina to act urgently on cracks that have appeared in a reactor head there that could increase the likelihood of an atomic disaster.
The group that ensures safe and sound nuclear facilities across the US says they don’t believe the public needs to worry as of now about cracks discovered at the SCE&G plant in Jenkinsville, SC, but that could change if action isn’t taken immediately.
According to The South Carolina State newspaper, the SCE&G plant told the commission that they would make repairs in order to satisfy their concerns in an October 30 statement delivered to the NRC. Confirming this week, a spokeswoman for the atomic energy plant said that they have indeed begun fixing the cracks.
Those repairs, say the NRC, will be a good fix for the moment, but might not necessarily relieve them of future concerns.
“The situation … indicates to me that the best and safest fix is for the old, cracked vessel head to be taken out of service and replaced,” anti-nuclear activist Tom Clements tells The State.
“At some point in the not-too-distant future, it seems like the company will want to replace the head with one that is a little more resistant to this kind of cracking,” David Lochbaum of the Union of Concerned Scientists adds to the paper, a move that could set SCE&G back upwards of $60 million.
Only a few miles from the busy city of Columbia, though, the investment might be imperative to ensure that the area stays safe from any potential catastrophes.
“The cracks found in the VC Summer reactor pose a clear safety risk and must be immediately addressed,” Clements explains to the Aiken Leader. “While SCE&G will want to rush to get the reactor back on line and do a quick repair, the NRC must be deliberate in reviewing the causes of the cracking and how it is addressed.Operation of the reactor with a vessel head subject to cracking poses a safety hazard that both SCE&G and the NRC are responsible for.”
In an email to The State this week, company spokeswoman Rhonda O’Banion characterized the cracks as “minor defects” in the steel domes that sit atop the part of the facility where atomic reactions actually occur and that current efforts are “pre-emptive” to assure that are no issues down the road. Once the current round of repairs is complete, the company says the dome should be in satisfactory condition for the next 40 years.
According to a year-long investigation finalized by the Associated Press in 2012, the AP says they believe that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has regularly lessened restrictions in recent years. In their probe, they found that 82 of America’s operating reactors are more than a quarter-century old, with 66 units having been re-licensed for an additional two decades.

Cracks found in South Carolina atomic station's nuclear reactor head — RT

16 Aralık 2012 Pazar

South Carolina Man Sells Doughnuts to Pay for Prosthetic Legs

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j
 Joey Funderburk’s Christmas wish list is pretty basic: He just wants two new legs to stand on.

The problem is he can’t afford the $120,000 it costs to buy the prosthetic limbs, and his insurance, BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, won’t pay for it.

So Funderburk, 20, with an assist from his mom, Chrystal, decided to take matters into his own hands and began selling Krispy Kreme doughnuts to try and raise enough money.

“We’re charging $7 dollars for a box of 12 glazed doughnuts, the most popular kind,” Funderburk said.  “And they’re good for you.”

The sweet idea came from his mom, who was racking her brain trying to figure out how to help her son, whom she adopted at age 6 from a Romanian orphanage.

Funderburk was born with a birth defect that left him with only about a foot of leg.  Until he was 18, Shriners Hospitals for Children, in Greenville, S.C., sponsored his prosthetic limbs, which typically last anywhere from three to five years.  But after age 18, he was no longer eligible for Shriners, and was in desperate need of a new pair of legs.

“There’s a big difference between what a little boy can walk on and what a man can walk on,” his mother said, adding that her son falls almost daily.  “He just wants legs that won’t throw him down on his head all the time.”

A representative for Shriners Hospital was not available for comment.

Funderburk’s insurance company denied him.  “They said they won’t cover it because there hasn’t been a change in my medical condition, I’ve just gained weight,” Funderburk said.  “My doctor said, ‘I don’t know how they’re getting away with this.’”

The Funderburks have appealed the claims twice and been denied both times.  They are awaiting a third decision.  But even if his claims were accepted, his policy only covers $50,000, ”Not even enough for one leg,” his mom said.

Only 46 percent of private insurance plans cover artificial limbs, according to the Department of Labor.

Patti Embry-Tautenhan, a spokeswoman for BlueCross BlueShield of South Carolina, said the company has “policies and guidelines in place that meet accepted standards of medical care.”

She added that its medical experts were talking with Funderburk’s doctor and “gathering additional clinical information in order to make a final decision.”

In the meantime, Funderburk's mom desperately wanted him to get new limbs.  She recalled selling doughnuts to raise money for her church youth group when she was in high school, and she thought her son should give it a shot.  About two months ago, she ordered a hundred dozen donuts from Krispy Kreme and asked local businesses if they would let her son set up a stand in front of them.

The Starbucks in Charlotte, N.C., about an hour from the Funderburk’s home in Hickory Grove, S.C., agreed.  Funderburk stands out front and sells his treats three days a week from subsequent orders.

“They were so nice to me,” he said.  “Starbucks has been a huge trouper.  No other place would let me set up.”

So far, Funderburk has raised about $7,500.  He also has a website, JoeysLegs.org, which accepts online donations.

His mom says she is in the process of registering a formal charity to help her son -- and other kids and adults -- get prosthetics, medical care and also adopt.

“We want to give back in the same way we’ve been given to,” she said.  “There are a lot more people out there like us.”

South Carolina Man Sells Doughnuts to Pay for Prosthetic Legs - Health News - ABC News Radio

Suspect rides on hood of victim's car after assault

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A man was arrested after police said he assaulted a woman, jumped on the hood of her car and held on while she drove to get help. Spartanburg police said they were called to the Crescent Hill apartments on Sunday at 5:47 a.m. about an assault and battery incident.
Officers said when they arrived, witnesses told them the suspect had jumped on the victim’s hood in the parking lot and the car was driven to a convenience store.
According to police, the man, later identified as 20-year-old Broughton Nesbitt, was still holding on to the hood of the car when police arrived.
Officers said Nesbitt resisted arrest and it took four officers to control him.
He was eventually taken into custody and charged with assault and battery, police said.
The victim told police Nesbitt was upset because she got home later than expected.
She said Nesbitt reached into her car while they were outside the apartment and put both hands around her neck, choking her.
The woman told police Nesbitt then tried to drag her out of the car.
She said that is when Nesbitt got on the hood of her car and stayed there until she arrived at the convenience store.

Police: Suspect rides on hood of victim's car after assault - Local News - Greenville, SC | NBC News

SC releases 'Scrooges and Angels' charities list

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South Carolina Secretary of State Mark Hammond has released his annual "Scrooges and Angels" list of what charities in the state give the most toward their goals.
Hammond names as "angels" those charities that use at least 80 percent of their donations for their charitable purpose, use volunteers and don't rely heavily on government grants or outside money.
On Thursday, Hammond said the charity that spent the highest percentage of its money on program efforts was Seneca-based Rosa Clark Medical Clinical Association, Inc., at 99.1 percent.
  1. Rosa Clark Medical Clinic Association, Inc., Seneca, SC 99.1%
  2. Habitat for Humanity of North Augusta, North Augusta, SC 96.7%
  3. Humane Society of McCormick County, McCormick, SC 95.1%
  4. Deep Well Project, Hilton Head Island, SC 91.6%
  5. South Carolina Hunters and Landowners for the Hungry, Spartanburg, SC 91.2%
  6. East Cooper Community Outreach (ECCO), Mount Pleasant, SC 85.4%
  7. Samaritan House of Orangeburg, Inc., Orangeburg, SC 84.3%
  8. Nurturing Center, Inc., Columbia, SC 83.0%
  9. Early Learning Partnership of York County, Rock Hill, SC 81.4%
  10. America's VetDogs - the Veterans's K-9 Corps, Inc., Smithtown, NY 80.2%
Hammond also annually alerts residents to charities whose financial reports show they spend little on their stated purpose and much on professional solicitors. The organization with the lowest expenditure was the Fraternal Order of Police Tri-County Lodge No. 3 in Hanahan, at 4.1 percent.
  1. American Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc., Baltimore, MD 37.5%
  2. Military Order of the Purple Heart Service Foundation, Inc., Annandale, VA 36%
  3. Veterans Support Foundation, Silver Spring, MD 24.6%
  4. Firefighters Support Services, Incorporated, Wyandotte, MI 21%
  5. United States Deputy Sheriffs' Association, Inc., Ashburn, VA 14.8%
  6. Defeat Diabetes Foundation, Inc., Madeira Beach, FL 11.8%
  7. Operation Lookout National Center For Missing Youth, Everett, WA 9.9%
  8. Fraternal Order of Police York County Lodge #15, Rock Hill, SC 9.2%
  9. Missional Advancement Project, Inc., Aiken, SC 6.4%
  10. Fraternal Order of Police Tri-County Lodge #3, Hanahan, SC 4.1%
The following criteria were considered in selecting Scrooges: the charity had devoted 40 percent or less of its total expenditures to charitable programs; the charity had spent a significant amount of revenue on fundraising expenses; and the charity had registered with the Secretary of State to solicit funds in the state of South Carolina."As Secretary of State, I have the duty of enforcing the Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, and of protecting the public against "Scrooge" organizations that want to take advantage of our giving spirit," Secretary Hammond said. "Charitable solicitations across the state have increased in the last four years because more and more people are in need of assistance. Times are still tough in South Carolina, but our residents continue to be some of the most generous people in the nation and always answer the call when it comes to defending and helping the less fortunate.""However, there are those who would take advantage of our generosity," he continued. "So I ask that you check out any organization before you contribute your hard-earned money."Charitable donors may research organizations registered in South Carolina by visiting the Secretary of State's website at www.sos.sc.gov. To review an organization, select the Charity Search button to learn a charity's total revenue, program expenses, total expenses, net assets, and fundraiser costs.

SC releases 'Scrooges and Angels' charities list - WBTV 3 News, Weather, Sports, and Traffic for Charlotte, NC

Cracks found in South Carolina atomic station's nuclear reactor head

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Reuters/Progress Energy/NRC/Handout Reuters/Progress Energy/NRC/Handout The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has ordered engineers at a power plant in South Carolina to act urgently on cracks that have appeared in a reactor head there that could increase the likelihood of an atomic disaster.
The group that ensures safe and sound nuclear facilities across the US says they don’t believe the public needs to worry as of now about cracks discovered at the SCE&G plant in Jenkinsville, SC, but that could change if action isn’t taken immediately.
According to The South Carolina State newspaper, the SCE&G plant told the commission that they would make repairs in order to satisfy their concerns in an October 30 statement delivered to the NRC. Confirming this week, a spokeswoman for the atomic energy plant said that they have indeed begun fixing the cracks.
Those repairs, say the NRC, will be a good fix for the moment, but might not necessarily relieve them of future concerns.
“The situation … indicates to me that the best and safest fix is for the old, cracked vessel head to be taken out of service and replaced,” anti-nuclear activist Tom Clements tells The State.
“At some point in the not-too-distant future, it seems like the company will want to replace the head with one that is a little more resistant to this kind of cracking,” David Lochbaum of the Union of Concerned Scientists adds to the paper, a move that could set SCE&G back upwards of $60 million.
Only a few miles from the busy city of Columbia, though, the investment might be imperative to ensure that the area stays safe from any potential catastrophes.
“The cracks found in the VC Summer reactor pose a clear safety risk and must be immediately addressed,” Clements explains to the Aiken Leader. “While SCE&G will want to rush to get the reactor back on line and do a quick repair, the NRC must be deliberate in reviewing the causes of the cracking and how it is addressed.Operation of the reactor with a vessel head subject to cracking poses a safety hazard that both SCE&G and the NRC are responsible for.”
In an email to The State this week, company spokeswoman Rhonda O’Banion characterized the cracks as “minor defects” in the steel domes that sit atop the part of the facility where atomic reactions actually occur and that current efforts are “pre-emptive” to assure that are no issues down the road. Once the current round of repairs is complete, the company says the dome should be in satisfactory condition for the next 40 years.
According to a year-long investigation finalized by the Associated Press in 2012, the AP says they believe that the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission has regularly lessened restrictions in recent years. In their probe, they found that 82 of America’s operating reactors are more than a quarter-century old, with 66 units having been re-licensed for an additional two decades.

Cracks found in South Carolina atomic station's nuclear reactor head — RT

Major Embezzlement Cases: August 7 - 13, 2012

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I am going to make a concerted effort to get caught up here, but it may take some time.  Real work and life has intruded on all this fun fraud stuff...

Nicholas James Collins, 55, of Minneapolis, MN was arrested on charges he embezzled more than $155,000 from Open Arms of Minnesota, a local non-profit that delivers food to home bound individuals through Meals on Wheels and Loaves & Fishes charities.  He was the director of food services from 2009 to 2012 and presented fraudulent invoices for catering services.

Monica Pruett, 59, of Connell, Washington, was arrested on charges she embezzled more than $100,000 from D & S Farms where she had served as outside bookkeeper through her business, Lierman Business Services.  Developing...

Bobby Glen Guin, 44, of Minden, Louisiana, was indicted on charges he allegedly embezzled nearly $100,000 from the Webster Parish Coroner’s Office where he had been employed as a bookkeeper.  The thefts reportedly spanned more than a 3 year period, from March 4, 2009 through June 15, 2012, according to the indictment.

A prominent Tennessee-based surgeon, Dr. David G. Stanley, filed a civil lawsuit against his former bookkeeper, Jeffrey L. Russell, now 64, and SunTrust Bank for damages sustained as a result of Russell's embezzlement of some $654,003.82 from two of Dr. Stanley's companies over a five year period, from 2005 through 2010.  Russell was indicted in August 2011 on eight counts of forgery and two counts of theft and was arrested in July 2012 after months on the run.  According to the lawsuit, Russell wrote checks out of the operating accounts of Vascular Diagnostic Center of Oak Ridge, and Stanley's billing company, Physicians Diagnostic Services and deposited them into the SunTrust account of Premier Business Services, a janitorial business owned by Russell.

Ignacio "Nacho" Morales, 40, of North Philadelphia, PA, was charged with embezzling more than $2.3 million from the Borinquen Federal Credit Union (BFCU), where he was employed as a manager.  Morales repotedly used the ill-gotten gains to purchase 15 kilograms of cocaine and real estate.  BFCU was acquired by the National Credit Union Association in June 2011 which propmptly shuttered the financial institution.  Specifically, Morales has been charged with conspiracy to defraud the government with respect to claims, misapplication and embezzlement, making false reports on federal credit institution entries, engaging in monetary transaction in property derived from specified unlawful activity, filing false federal income tax returns, and attempted possession with intent to distribute more than five kilograms of cocaine.


Erica Gilmore-Grier, 35, of Fort Pierce, Florida has been indicted along with six other female beneficiaries/conspirators in a scheme to embezzle more than $200,000 from Policy Studies Inc., where she had been employed as a financial manager.  Specifically, she has been charged with one count of conspiracy to commit mail fraud and 64 counts of mail fraud.  According to the indictment, Gilmore-Grier authorized at least 64 fraudulent refund checks to her family and friends, also named as co-defendants in the case.  These include Margo Nickerson, Bridgette Galarza, Chelsea Durham, Jessica Harris, Jamile Williams and Venus Holloman.

John Kammerer, 60, of Wichita, Kansas, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for embezzling more than $1.2 million from Network Results of Kansas Inc. where he had been employed as company controller.  According to reports, Kammerer caused numerous checks to be issued to HMK Enterprises, a company that he controlled.  Kammerer had pleaded guilty last May to one count of bank fraud in connection with the embezzlement and must pay $1,240,540 in restitution.

Three parking attendants at the  Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia were arrested for embezzling at least $400,000 in parking fees over a period of 3 years.  The arrested included two women, Freweyni Mebrahtu of Sterling, VA and Genete Yigzu of Alexandria, VA, and one man, Meseret Terefe of Silver Spring, Maryland, employees of Parking Management Inc., which held the contract to manage the parking lot.  The three were recorded unplugging automobile counting devices and pocketing the difference, as much as $4,000 a day each.

Denise Inez Owens, 58, of Ocean Pines, Maryland, has been charged with embezzling more than $433,000 from the Worcester County Teacher's Association, where she had served as Treasurer.  Owens allegedly wrote numerous unauthorized checks to herself and others, and made withdrawals from the account for "personal issues and debt," according to the police.  Developing...

Davie Ba Ngo, 52, president of the Concerned Members Committee in Northern California and his co-worker, Stephanie Tuyet Le, 31, were charged with embezzling at least $200,000 from the survifor benefits firm.  Prosecutors charged both Ngo and Le with embezzlement. Ngo is also charged with theft by false pretenses, sale of an unqualified security, running a fraudulent securities scheme, money laundering and bouncing checks.

Jamie Askew, 36, of Troy, Illinois, has been indicted on charges she embezzled $104,755 between July 2009 and May $104,755 between July 2009 and May 2012 from St. Louis Community Credit Union in St. Louis, Missouri,  where she had ben employed.  Developing...

John Sheehan, 43, of Rohnert Park, California, has been arrested for allegedly embezzling about $1 million from Bibbero Systems Inc. where he had been employed for 15 years.  The thefts reportedly spanned a 6 year period.  Sheehan has been charged with eight felony counts, including grand theft and possession of stolen property.  Meanwhile, the company has suffered financially and has reduced its staff by 50% over the past 5 years. 

James Ryan Lanier, 33, of Albany, Georgia was arrested San Diego, California on fraud, money laundering, and identity theft charges relating to the embezzlement of more than $800,000 in funds from Merrill Lynch clients.  According to the indictement, over a period of more than 2 years, from 2008 through 2010, Lanier transmitted fraudulent letters of authorization bearing forged client signatures to wire funds for his own benefit. 

12 Aralık 2012 Çarşamba

Penny's Beauty Salon Day

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Today is the day Penny visits the Beauty Salon. Since losing her eyesight, she doesn't go as often as she used to. We found that the scissors and sounds around her upset her. So we had to do a search  of a place where they would not leave her alone even for a minute. We were fortunate enough to locate a lady named Brenda that works at our local PetSmart that does an "Express Groom." This is the perfect thing for Penny. From start to finish it only takes about an hour. They give complete attention to her and she is never put into a cage. This is so important to us because she gets very upset in unfamiliar surroundings these days and she has never liked cages. Brenda is very gentle with her and so patient. penny is very difficult to groom these days because sudden movements or anything coming close to her face startles her and she jerks away. I appreciate the time she takes in between the grooming to hug her and calm her down. There are still some special people out there that will take the time to help you out.
I will be posting pics of her sweet face when we get back...In the meantime, we have to take a nap in preparation for the trip.

A Wonderful Story: God's Hand at Work

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Our friends had a successful court appearance, but only today did "mom" get a chance to tell us via blog about the details. Their story makes it abundantly clear that God answers prayer, often in ways far more blessed than we dare to hope. I trust you will take this opportunity to read their story and thank God for what He has done in their family and for the little boy who is now part of their family.

They cannot claim their new son until August 3, according to local law. I assume they will be returning to the USA soon thereafter. Be in prayer for their trip and for the inevitable challenges that their new son will bring to their home.

Our Friends' Adoption: An Update

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This summer friends of ours went to Russia and adopted a little boy, now four years old, with Down's Syndrome. Today "mom" updated her blog with uplifting photos of how well their new son is doing here in America. You can read about it here.

Of course, there are still a lot of challenges (take language, for example, and health), but it is a great blessing to see the willingness they have to cherish and raise up this little boy. Our prayers and encouragement go out to them.

Why I'm Voting for Rick Santorum in the SC Primary

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Tomorrow, in the South Carolina GOP Presidential Preferenceprimary, I will be voting for Rick Santorum. Here’s why.
I need to start out by saying that I haven’t been totallythrilled with any of the four remaining candidates.  All of them have obvious weaknesses ofcharacter and/or policy which will make their race against Obama less of a lockthan it ought to be.  The Republican Partyneeds a leader of the Reagan type, who, like him in 1980, would win 40+ statesand carry a mandate with him to Washington. But since we have four remaining candidates from whom to choose, andsince any of them will be an improvement over the current president, I mustchoose from among them.
Rick Santorum, on the whole, represents my views the mostconsistently.  He has been consistentlyand passionately pro-life, and wrote the bill that ended partial birthabortion.  On social issues, he and I areof one voice.  He is also a firm believerin the Second Amendment (The NRA rates him A+). He opposed TARP, voted against McCain-Feingold and Frank-Dodd, andreceives low ratings from both the ACLU and the AFL-CIO.  While I am concerned about the trouncing hetook in the 2006 Pennsylvania Senate race (and, for that matter, the trouncinghe may get here in SC tomorrow, if the polls are valid), he is moredemonstrably opposed to Obama than either Romney or Gingrich.  His biggest liability in my eyes is that hedoes not come across as a leader.
Newt Gingrich, at the moment, would be my secondchoice.  I agree with him on mostissues—but he occasionally throws one out there that makes me scratch myhead.  His personal character history isa serious problem and, even if he has sincerely repented and stays on the righttrack, will be a detriment in the race. (Obama, for all his flaws, has no hint of marital infidelity.)  I am also concerned that his ego may become aliability.
Mitt Romney seems to be a conservative now, but my gut justdoesn’t like the fact that he wasn’t while he was the governor ofMassachusetts.  I think he can be a greatexecutive, and if he is the GOP nominee, I will vote for him in November.  But for now, I’m going with the most consistentconservative.
Ron Paul is problematic. His voting record is often meritorious and often puzzling.  The ACLU rates him pretty favorably—that's aproblem.  His vicious and untrue attackads concerning Santorum (being shown adnauseam this week on SC TV stations) trouble me.  His foreign policy ideas are dangerous to thefuture of our country. 
Please educate yourself on the candidates and then take theopportunity to vote.

An Update on our Friends' Adoption!

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Friends of ours adopted a 3½-year-old boy with Down's Syndrome from Eastern Europe last summer (see their blog here).  They have now had the boy in their home for six months.  Their story has been featured on a local TV station and I'm sure many have viewed their blog.  In short, their story not only testifies of God's love working through individuals, but also to the value of every individual soul—no matter the limitations of the physical body.

Six months later, there are still trials and struggles, but there has been both remarkable progress and great blessings.  The work that God has allowed them to be a part of has now reached all the way back to Russia, and we are so grateful for it!  I trust you will take the time to read about it here.

11 Aralık 2012 Salı

Post Office lingerie strut leads to arrest of South Carolina sex offender

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Dougals Dean Evans, 41, was arrested recently after he was reportedly seen wearing women's lingerie outside of multiple South Carolina post offices Dougals Dean Evans, 41, was arrested recently after he was reportedly seen wearing women's lingerie outside of multiple South Carolina post offices
A South Carolina sex offender was arrested recently following an investigation where a man was reportedly seen wearing women’s lingerie outside of local post offices. Examiner.com spoke with deputies from Pickens County on Monday, November 12, and obtained some information concerning the investigation of the strange events leading up to an arrest.
Douglas Dean Evans, 41, was arrested on November 8th following an investigation by the Pickens County Sheriff’s office over the last few months. Several witnesses reportedly saw Evans wearing “only” women’s lingerie, high heels and a black wig inside and around Easley and Liberty Post Offices.
While it may not be a crime for men to wear women’s lingerie, it may be if the lingerie is too revealing.
According to a Pickens County Sheriff media release, Evans’ lingerie bottoms were so revealing his “private parts” were visible to people nearby. The release states that several witnesses, including post Office employees and customers, most of whom were women, witnessed the lingerie wearing man multiple times over the last few months.’
Of the claims, Evans was reportedly seen wearing various sheer lingerie which exposed his buttocks and genitalia.
The witnesses who encountered Evans claim that they were in fear of him, especially when they ran into him while they were alone.
Evans was convicted of indecent exposure in in California 5 years ago, and reportedly served 3 months in jail for that offense.
Evans was arrested on three counts of indecent exposure and booked into the Pickens County jail and he bonded out later that day on $15,000 bond.

Post Office lingerie strut leads to arrest of South Carolina sex offender - National Strange News | Examiner.com

Justices deny appeal over SC religious classes

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The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to hear an appeal over a South Carolina program that allows high school students to earn elective credit toward graduation through off-campus religious courses.
The high court on Tuesday denied the appeal from the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
In July, a federal appeals court upheld a lower court decision in favor of the program, saying Spartanburg District 7 properly accommodated religion without establishing it and acted within the First Amendment.

The 2007 policy allows students to earn up to two credits for off-campus religious courses offered by private educators.
The Freedom from Religion Foundation and the parents of two Spartanburg High students who did not take the course sued in 2009, arguing the policy endorses religion and entangles church and state.

COLUMBIA, S.C. - Justices deny appeal over SC religious classes - State & Regional - TheState.com