US & World News, Monday 12/17

US & World Summary --- Death Penalty Set To Die In New Jersey (Trenton, NJ) -- With the stroke of a pen, New Jersey will soon become the first state in the nation to abolish the death penalty. Governor Jon Corzine is expected to sign the measure this morning that was approved by both houses of the Democratic-controlled legislature. Despite passage, the controversial move isnt too popular with voters. Thats according to a recent Quinnipiac University poll, which says Garden State voters oppose ending the death penalty by a 53 to 39-percent margin. No one has been executed in the Garden State since 1963. --- Weather Blamed For Roof Collapse, Plan Mishap (Warwick, RI) -- The weather along the East coast is being blamed for the roof cave-in at a Massachusetts Rite Aid. Authorities say the apparent weight of snow and a heavy rain was just too much for the roof to bear. One customer suffered minor injuries when the roof collapsed. Meanwhile, investigators are looking into why a plane slid off the runway yesterday at a Rhode Island airport. The US Airways Express Flight 3758 from Philadelphia had just landed when it skidded off the runway, snapping one of the planes wings. No one one board was hurt, but the mishap temporarily shut down both runways for almost three hours. --- Ron Paul Raises Record Campaign Funds (Washington, DC) -- If money talks, supporters of Republican presidential hopeful Ron Paul are speaking loudly after the candidate raised a single day personal record of five-point-four-million-dollars. The record for a one day Internet fund raising event breaks Pauls previous record of four-point-two-million, which he achieved in a 24-hour stretch last month. The anti-war Texas congressman has received over 16-million-dollars in the fourth quarter alone, and continues to rival top Republican candidates such as Rudy Giuliani and John McCain. --- Today Is Busiest Mailing Day Of The Year (Washington, DC) -- Take a good book with you if youre headed to the post office. Today is expected to be the busiest mailing day of the year with more than one-billion pieces of mail entering the system. Overall, the postal service expects to process 20 billion pieces of mail between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Its the same story at FedEx. The delivery service expects to move more than ten-million packages nationwide today. About 40-percent of those packages will move through the companys largest hub in Memphis, where an army of workers and high tech sorting equipment can move packages at the rate of 139-per-second. --- Judge To Rule On Request To Have Seized Items Returned (Joliet, IL) -- Drew Peterson may get some of his personal items back. A judge is expected to rule today whether the husband of a missing Illinois woman should be given back items seized from the family home as part of the investigation into Stacy Petersons disappearance. Drew Peterson is a suspect in the disappearance of his fourth wife. Hes seeking the return of his two vehicles, eleven firearms and other items. --- Dan Fogelberg Dies At 56 After Battling Prostate Cancer (Los Angeles, CA) -- Dan Fogelberg has died at the age of 56. According to a posting on the singer-songwriters website, he died peacefully at home in Maine with his wife Jean at his side. Fogelberg first revealed that he had advanced prostate cancer in 2004. He also advised other men over the age of 50 to get tested for the disease. Fogelberg hit the music scene in the 1970s but didnt reach his commercial peak until 1981 with the album "The Innocent Age." --- Favre Sets All-Time Record For Passing Yards (St. Louis, MO) -- Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre 1/81/8 Farv 3/83/8 is now the NFLs all-time career passing leader. Favre surpassed Dan Marino yesterday when he completed a seven-yard pass to Donald Driver. Entering Sundays game against the St. Louis Rams the Packer Q-B need just 183 yards to break Marinos mark of 61-thousand-361 yards. Earlier this season, Favre set new league records for most career wins and most career touchdown passes. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-12-17-07 0847CST