Dallas Husband Up for Hottest in America

Dallas writer Jeff Hoferer is one sweet and handsome man.

Hoferer, 34, has been named a finalist in Redbook's Hottest Husband in America contest. That's right ladies, he's taken, but that doesn't mean you can't ogle.

Thousands of wives across the country submitted their husband's name and photo, hoping their groom would be crowned the hottest in the country.  Hoferer is one of the 25 finalists and, this is where you come in, he needs your votes before Nov. 10 to be crowned the winner.  If he's successful, he'll be able to take his bride Hilary to St. Croix on Redbook's dime.

So, why should you vote for him?  Sure, he's a looker, but he's more than just a pretty face.  He's a writer and also the creator of "Dallywood", a comedy web series about Dallas actors that has been featured in American Way Magazine, D Magazine's Front Burner Blog and YouPlusDallas.com.

If I haven't convinced you to vote for him yet, these next few sentences should do the trick.

Hoferer's bride said she nominated her husband not only because he helped her grandparents move into an assisted living facility, but because he visits them every week and brings her grandmother flowers. 

Did you vote for him yet?

He also put on a tuxedo T-shirt so that he could "officiate" said grandparent's 69th wedding anniversary, leading them through their vows one more time.

Click, click. Voted.  Here is a link for you to do it.

He also picked the flowers for the anniversary dinner, made the punch for the reception and created a small bridal bouquet.

Wow, the bouquet too? Have fun in St. Croix Jeff.  You probably don't need our votes, but you got 'em anyway.

If you think you can do better than Hoferer, check out the other three guys from North Texas who made the Top 25 -- Nicolas Garcia, Ryan Glor and Sam Cano.

2 Found Dead in Borrego Springs Home

Investigators with the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department are looking into two mysterious deaths inside a Borrego Springs home.

Deputies were asked to stop by a home on Saint Thomas Drive to perform a welfare check. When they arrived there just after 6 p.m. Monday, they looked through a window and saw the body of a man on the couch in the living room. 

Inside the home, deputies confirmed the man was dead and found another body, that of a female, in the kitchen of the home.

Investigators said there does not appear to be any outstanding suspects.

A cause and manner of death, as well as a positive identification of the decedents will be determined by the county's medical examiner’s office. 

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Elderly Couple Killed During Limo Ride to Airport

Bordentown Police say an elderly couple killed in an early morning crash on Route 130 in New Jersey was on their way to the Philadelphia International Airport at the time of the accident.

Monroe and Mireille Danbury were traveling by Lincoln Town Car to the airport to catch an early flight for their yearly vacation to St. Maarten when they were killed, according to police.

Police tell USA LOCAL NEWS that a trailer delivering equipment to a construction site collided with the Town Car along 130 S in Bordentown just before 5 a.m. Tuesday.

The limo driver, 24-year-old Jesse Graves, and Monroe were both rushed to the hospital. The elder man died during emergency surgery.

His wife was pronounced dead on the scene.

Graves is suffering from a broken arm and hand, according to authorities.

The driver of the trailer, Gregg Matthews, 42, was not injured. He was questioned by police Tuesday morning, although no files have been charged.

Police continue to investigate the fatal accident.

 

Armed Guards at A.C. Casinos?

It’s a far stretch from current legislation, but soon armed security guards could be making their way to Atlantic City casinos--that’s if the Trump Entertainment group has its way.

The press of Atlantic City is reporting that Trump CEO Bob Griffin made the request to the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement.

Right now, the New Jersey Casino Control Act forbids guns anywhere on casino property, unless given special permission from the Casino Control Commission. The only exception is for off-duty police officers who are hired by casinos.

Griffin’s request comes one month after 28-year-old Sunil Rattu was carjacked inside the Taj Mahal parking garage and then murdered. It’s the second time in 16 months someone was carjacked inside the parking facilities. Back in 2010, 47-year-old Martin Caballero was allegedly carjacked and killed there also.

According to the Press of Atlantic City, Trump invested millions of dollars in surveillance and security improvements following Caballero’s death. They even paid for an Atlantic City police officer to patrol the garage, but it wasn’t enough to stop Rattu’s death.

DGE—which has taken over most functions formerly handled by the CCC—has not said how long it will take to come up with a decision, but the agency will reportedly release more information later this week.

Although hiring armed security guards is nothing new in places like Las Vegas, bringing them to Atlantic City may be a whole new ball game. Atlantic City Tourism District Commander Tom Gilbert told the Press of Atlantic City on Monday that using the guards is just one option officials are considering and they would have to seek legal expertise on the reality of such a program.

While some officials are in support of the proposal, others are already speaking out against it.

"I'm not sure what people are reacting to, but I think ... the most important thing with security is presence of people who look like they have some kind of official capacity. I'd be much more in favor of having a few more people out there walking around," Revel Entertainment Group CEO Kevin DeSanctis told the press of Atlantic City. His almost 3-billion casino is scheduled to open next year.

Instead of armed guards, state Sen. Jim Whelan reportedly said he would prefer increasing visibility or using former or off-duty law-enforcement personnel. This would also prevent having to change current legislation.

Either way, something has to be done. Atlantic City has the highest crime rate of all the top-ranked U.S. gaming markets.

 

New Details in Culpeper Triple Shooting

Culpeper police released new details Tuesday in a triple shooting that resulted in the town’s first murder in five years.

Patricia Adams,31,was shot and killed late Saturday afternoon in her apartment in the 600 block of Willis Lane. A second victim, a 43-year-old Culpeper man, was also shot and remains in critical condition at a Virginia hospital. Police are withholding his identity. 

Investigators believe both victims were shot by Gary Willie, 50, of Catlett. Willie then apparently shot himself in the head. He is on life support in the ICU at the University of Virginia Medical Center. He had been romantically involved with Patricia Adams, but she reportedly broke up with Willie the day before her murder, police said.

Willie and the unidentified victim arrived at Adams’ apartment together, police said, but declined further comment on their relationship, citing the ongoing investigation.

Prior to Saturday, Culpeper’s last homicide involved a case of murder-suicide on October 22, 2006.

Virginia's On-Time Graduation Rate Rises

A growing number of Virginia students are staying in school and graduating on time.

Virginia’s on-time high school graduation rate rose one point this year to 86.6 percent, and the statewide dropout rate fell one point to 7.2 percent, according to data reported today by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE).

In addition, 55 percent of the diplomas earned by 2011 graduates were Advanced Studies Diplomas.

"A one-point increase in the graduation rate means that nearly 1,000 more young Virginians are beginning their adult lives with the diploma they need to pursue further education and training or an entry-level job," Superintendent of Public Instruction Patricia I. Wright said in a press release.   "The progress our schools have made in raising graduation rates is due the efforts of hundreds of teachers, counselors, principals and other educators across the commonwealth who refused to give up on even the most challenging students."

The graduation rates of African-American and Hispanic students continued to improve. The rate for black students increased 1.4 points to 80.3 percent, and on-time graduation for Hispanic students increased 3 points to 79.1 percent.

An on-time graduation rate is the percentage of students who were first-time ninth graders during the 2007-2008 school year and earned a diploma within four years.

The on-time graduation rate for African-American students has risen 6.3 points, and the rate for Hispanic students has risen by 7.9 points since 2008, the first year VDOE reported cohort graduation rates.

Virginia's Wages Among Highest in the Country

If the country is in a recession, someone better tell Virginia.

A new report says average wages in the state went up again last year, to $17.83 and hour.

That's 11 percent above the national average and the eighth highest in the country.

The report is by the Commonwealth Institute for Fiscal Analysis based in Richmond, described as a left-leaning think tank.

The group found the median household income in Virginia held steady at  $60,674 last year and that college educated workers continued to be paid higher wages.

Among the study's other findings, the wage gap between the highest and lowest earners has reached a 30-year high.

The group found the top 10 percent of wage earners make at least 5.7 times more than those in the bottom 10 percent.

The group says that gap is second to only New Jersey.