Charleston Gazette

11 Charged in Massive Credit Card Fraud: ; Major Retailers Hit; Millions of Credit, Debit Cards Stolen

NEW YORK - The Department of Justice announced Tuesday that it had charged 11 people in connection with the hacking of nine major U.S. retailers and the theft and sale of more than 41 million credit and debit card numbers. It is believed to be the largest hacking and identity theft case ever prosecuted by the Department of Justice. The charges include conspiracy, computer intrusion, fraud and identity theft.

Traffic Death Shuts Down W.Va. Turnpike

Traffic was shut down Tuesday afternoon and into the evening on the both sides of the West Virginia Turnpike after two major accidents occurred within eight miles of each other, according to a Kanawha County 911 dispatcher. HazMat teams were still cleaning up a chemical spill late Tuesday after a tractor trailer carrying two trailers overturned about 2:05 p.m. in the Interstate 77 southbound lanes near the Chelyan exit, the dispatcher said.

Gun-Control Activist in Pa. May Have Been Nra Spy: ; Woman Infiltrated Animal Rights Group in 1980s

PHILADELPHIA - A gun-control activist who championed the cause for more than a decade and served on the boards of two anti- violence groups is suspected of working as a paid spy for the National Rifle Association, and now those organizations are expelling her and sweeping their offices for bugs. The suggestion that Mary Lou McFate was a double agent is contained in a deposition filed as part of a contract dispute involving a security firm. The muckraking magazine Mother Jones, in a story last...

Keep City's Gun Limits Intact, Jones Says: ; Group Urges City Officials to Overturn Laws

City Council members were surprised to find booklets at their desks Monday evening, asking them to overturn Charleston's handgun laws. The light-blue booklets were placed there courtesy of the West Virginia Citizens Defense League whose president, Jim Mullins, said the group simply wants council to align its gun laws with the state's.

In Focus L Cool Cooking

In Local L Suspect Charged

Police, Community Turn Out Against Crime

Charleston Police and community watch groups from around the city took to the streets Tuesday night for National Night Out Against Crime, which promotes community and police cooperation. It's important that police and the community work together to fight crime, said Charleston police Lt. V.L. Strege.

Road Work

West Virginia Paving will pave the following streets between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. today: * Sherwood Forest Road - from U.S. 119 to 1400 Nottingham Road

The Read: ; Social Worker's Killing has State Looking at Safety

HUNTINGTON - The sexual assault and killing of a West Virginia social worker has officials and safety advocates struggling to find ways to better protect those who work daily on potentially volatile issues of child welfare and family crisis management. The burned body of Brenda Yeager was found last week near Huntington, two days after the 51-year-old social worker was scheduled to visit the home of Steven Foster Jr., 23, and Rosemary Forney, 22.

Mannequin Helps Doctors, Nurses Train for Emergency Births

MILWAUKEE, Wis. - "OK, push at the next contraction, OK? And push ... very good," said a resident physician to his patient Noelle, a 39-year-old mother about to deliver her fourth child. The baby's head peeks out, but the shoulders get stuck. The baby's heart rate drops steadily. More nurses and another resident rush in to help.

Widow Blamed Government's Failure to Guard Deadly Anthrax 5 Years Ago

MIAMI - The widow of a tabloid photo editor who died in the 2001 anthrax attacks insisted in a $50 million federal lawsuit filed years ago that the U.S. government was ultimately responsible for his death. Now that the FBI is pinning the blame on government scientist Bruce Ivins, the lawsuit brought by Maureen Stevens looks positively clairvoyant. And results of the FBI investigation could have a major effect on the outcome of her case.

Chilean Woman Missing at Wvu

West Virginia University Police are searching for a woman from Chile who has been missing since Monday. The 36-year-old woman had been taking part in the school's intensive English program, university spokeswoman Becky Lofstead said.

Police Briefs

City man gets prison on felony firearm charge A Charleston man was sentenced in federal court Monday to 30 months in prison for being a felon in possession of a firearm, the U.S. Attorney's Office announced.

Mccain to Meet Today with Mu Football Team

Presumptive Republican presidential nominee Sen. John McCain will meet with Marshall University's football team today before traveling on to Ohio. McCain's presidential campaign announced the visit Tuesday afternoon during a conference call held to announce his West Virginia Statewide Leadership Team. The event at Joan C. Edwards Stadium is closed to the public and most media.

Iraq Could Have $79b Surplus

WASHINGTON - The Iraqi government could end this year with as much as a $79 billion cumulative budget surplus, based largely on ever-increasing oil revenues, congressional auditors say. A report by the Government Accountability Office made public Tuesday prompted renewed calls from senators that Baghdad pay more of the bill for its own reconstruction, which has been heavily supported with U.S. funds.

White House Denies Fake Iraq-Al-Qaida Link Letter

INSIDE: Editorial 4A WASHINGTON - The White House and the CIA on Tuesday adamantly denied a report that the Bush administration concocted a fake letter purporting to show a link between Saddam Hussein's regime and al- Qaida as a justification for the Iraq war.

Nitro Officials to Explore Metro Concept

Two Nitro city officials have agreed to participate in a trip to Louisville, Ky., to learn more about the concept of metro government. Mayor Rusty Casto told City Council Tuesday night that he and Treasurer John Young would make the trip Sept. 4 and 5 along with other regional leaders at the behest of Kanawha County Commission President Kent Carper.

Ex-White Supremacist Brings Message of Tolerance

WANT TO GO? Communities United Against Hate forum WHEN: 6 to 8 p.m. Sept. 10 WHERE: St. Johns Episcopal Church TICKETS: Event is free to public, free childcare will be provided INFO: Call 340-3584 or e-mail stophatewv@gmail.com A message of tolerance and inclusion came from an unexpected source on Tuesday, as community members in Charleston met to discuss solutions to hatred and division.

Readers' Voice

* When all the junior officers and NCOs come back and run for office later in their lives, they will be a positive influence in American politics. They have been helping to build a practical democracy in a hostile place and will have the skills to repair the damage done here from so much corporate corruption of the political process. * There is not one voter or patron who cares about how much the dog track paid for the new vault or surveillance system. We the people voted for a resort and cas...

Obama Leads Mccain 47-41 in New Poll

WASHINGTON - Solid margins among women, minorities and young voters have powered Barack Obama to a 6-percentage-point lead over John McCain in the presidential race, according to a poll released Tuesday. Obama is ahead of his Republican rival 47 percent to 41 percent, The Associated Press-Ipsos poll showed. The survey was taken after the Democratic senator from Illinois had returned from a trip to Middle Eastern and European capitals, and during a week that saw the two camps clash over which ...