News for the Week of Nov. 2, 2007

Fatalities in N.C. Beach Fire – The New York Times
Fire engulfed a beach house at Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina early Sunday morning. Ocean Isle is about 30 miles north of Myrtle Beach, S.C. It is unclear how many people were in the house, but the reports it was college students possibly from the University of South Carolina. Approximately six were taken to the hospital, but there were deaths from the fire.

UPDATE: It now appears about six people were injured and seven died in the fire. They were mostly USC and Clemson students.

Happy Birthday to the NYC Subway System – Slate
This past weekend marked the 103rd anniversary of the opening of the New York City Subway system. It’s now the largest subway system in the world.

Couple Arrested for DUI – Dayton Daily News
A Michigan was stopped and given a prelimary breath test which Police said read above the 0.08 limit. He had his 12 year old son in the car, so police told him to call his mother to come pick him. She arrived with the couple’s 9 year old daughter in the car, and was found to be drunk herself.

Dog Shoots Hunter – Dayton Daily News
James Harris of Tama, Iowa was shot by his dog on opening day of Pheasant season. Harris was hunting with a group, and a bird was shot. He laid his gun on the ground to climb a fence to get the bird, and his dog stepped on the gun, causing it to discharge and put 100-140 pellets into Harris’ calf. I wonder if there’s any chance of getting this dog on any of Dick Cheney’s hunting trips?

The Sky Falls In Ohio – Planetout News
Either the sky is falling or hell has frozen, but an out gay person has been appointed as a judge in Ohio. A former Dayton city commissioner is Ohio’s first openly gay judge after being appointed by Gov. Ted Strickland, the Washington Blade reported. Mary Wiseman is replacing Common Pleas Court Judge John Kessler, who retires Wednesday.