Madeleine McCann police to arrive in Portugal ‘within days’ to follow up new leads

British detectives looking for missing Madeleine McCann could arrive in Portugal within days to follow up a string of new leads. Officers from Scotland Yard will travel to the scene of the crime, potentially interviewing witnesses and suspects, searching properties and even making arrests. It comes after the Crown Prosecution Service yesterday confirmed it had written a letter to Portuguese judges on Thursday asking for permission to gather evidence, with the help of the local police. The letter is believed to name a number of suspects and witnesses living in Portugal who officers want to talk to over the coming months. It is thought to outline possible offences being probed, including child trafficking, kidnap and murder. READ MORE HERE

TIPS FOR SINGLE DADS

The 2009 Census estimates 13.7 million families have parents with dual residences. This creates a delicate balance for parents who want to provide a comfortable living situation for their children while keeping their home accommodating to their own needs. Single dads can have a particularly tricky time when they want to have a space conducive to watching Saturday morning “Dora the Explorer” and Sunday morning football.

It is not easy drawing the line between a hip bachelor pad and a kid-friendly space. On top of that, most dads are not exactly interior decorating champions, so finding that balance is tricky but not impossible.

Make an Effort

Deciding to make do when the kids come over is a rookie mistake. It turns the visit into a hassle, not a bonding experience. The worse thing you can do is give the kids the bedroom and move to the couch during their weekend visits or stick them into a back room with a futon and a portable TV when they are there.

It is better to set up the household around the kids, so you have freedom whether they are staying with you or at their other place. MissouriFamilies.org explains that dual residency is a difficult time for kids. They need to feel secure in the idea that no matter which house they are in, they are home.

Start by Decluttering

Everyone is guilty of it— that build up of crap that serves no purpose. Do you really need two year’s worth of sport magazines? Start by going through everything and marking stuff as:

• A necessity
• Garbage
• Give away
• Keep if there is room

You can motivate yourself to complete this project by setting up a garage sale. You can also rent a storage area for seasonal items like winter clothing or holiday decorations just to get them out of the way.

Learn to Maximize

The key is in learning to maximize space. That means turning your apartment into a vertical area, not just a horizontal one. You can research stacking units to open up closet and floor space, and consider installing shelves to create wall storage.

Don’t forget there is room down below too. Put bins under the bed to serve as drawers for clothing or toys. Consider loft, trundle or Murphy beds to create even more room.

Get Some Privacy

Privacy should be a top priority. Kids need a place that is their own, but so does dad. Ideally, you want kids to have their own room. If you must settle, look for big rooms and set up dividers, so everyone in the family has a private area.

Get to know the neighborhood before you rent an apartment. For example, Chicago apartments in the South Loop will put you near the aquarium. If moving to Orlando, you might consider one of the smaller communities like Kissimmee or Lake Buena Vista for that small-town feel. Once you pick the area, you can find an apartment big enough for you and the kids.

Being a single dad comes with challenges, but your living space doesn’t have to be one of them. Plan ahead and find the most practical apartment to make a home they will enjoy during their time with you.

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AUTHOR: Dennis Altman

Dennis owns a small auto and motorcycle repair shop. He writes in his spare time and cruises the desert sunsets as often as he can.

HUNTSVILLE, Alabama – One day after being put on Tennessee’s Most Wanted List, a suspected child rapist is waking up behind bars in Huntsville. At about 1:30 a.m. Friday, patrons leaving the Voodoo Lounge recognized 24-year-old Anthony Dean Blackwell and called police. Several officers rushed to the area. They found Blackwell near the fountain at Big Spring Park and arrested him without incident. The details of this case are very disturbing. READ MORE HERE

Monty Grow spent two seasons in the NFL, playing 15 games for the Chiefs in 1994 and four games for the Jaguars in 1995. On Sunday, Grow was arrested by police in Clearwater, Fla., and charged with child abuse after authorities said he left a 3-year-old girl in his car while he went into a strip club, according to the Tampa Bay Times. READ MORE HERE

Body of missing Louisiana 6-year-old found in garbage can

(CNN) — Louisiana authorities said Tuesday they found the body of a missing 6-year-old girl, stabbed and stuffed in a trash can down the street from her home. Ahlittia North had been missing since Saturday morning. Her mother awoke to find her gone from their apartment in the New Orleans suburb of Harvey. The Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office issued an arrest warrant for Matthew Flugence, who is the nephew of Ahlittia’s stepfather and who often babysat for her, Sheriff Newell Normand said. READ MORE HERE

Claim NY state program violated their rights

They are some of the most sexually violent predators, convicted of hideous crimes, such as sexually abusing a five-year-old….Now they want $10 million dollars. The civil case in Manhattan’s federal court pits half a dozen child sex offenders against the former governor of New York, George Pataki, and a slew of former state prison and health officials. The six are suing the officials over a 2005 state government program that was designed to keep child sex offenders off the streets, but was disbanded a year later after a New York court ruled against it. READ MORE HERE

The estranged partner of the woman who killed both their sons and leapt 100ft to her death on Dartmoor is awaiting trial for assaulting her, it emerged yesterday. Neil Patterson, 52, is on bail following the alleged assault three months ago. His address was given as the home he had been sharing until then with Katherine Hooper and their two sons, Josh, five, and two-year-old Sam. Neighbors said he was due to go on trial in the next few weeks – which was causing concern for Miss Hooper, who went missing the day after the alleged assault on April 28, prompting a full-scale helicopter search. READ MORE HERE

A grandmother in Chicago is being charged with the murder of her 8-year-old granddaughter after firefighters discovered the girl dead at her home, with signs of long-term abuse.  Gizzell Ford’s body was cold when firefighters responded to a report Friday morning that the child was not breathing.  The girl lived at her grandmother Helen Ford’s apartment in the Austin area of Chicago, along with her bedridden father and two brothers, 12 and 9. READ MORE HERE

A mother accused of starving and murdering her four-year-old son has told a court she was prevented from feeding him by his stepfather. Magdelena Luczak claimed Mariusz Krezolek ‘hated’ Daniel Pelka and had given him physical punishments, including squats, almost every day. Luczak, 27, and Krezolek, 34, are alleged to have murdered Daniel during an ‘incomprehensible’ and escalating campaign of cruelty at their Coventry home. READ MORE HERE

Social services failed to notice shocking injuries of 23-month-old toddler

A vicious pervert is facing a life sentence after a savage attack on a 23-month-old girl after a series of blunders by social services. Christopher Atkins, 30, tried to hide his face as he arrived at court before a jury found him guilty of sexual assault and child cruelty by neglect. After the case it emerged social workers did not spot injuries to the toddler and there were delays carrying out background checks which would have revealed Atkins was suspected of previous assaults on another child. READ MORE HERE

Parents arrested over the death of their 15-month-old daughter who weighed just 9lbs

The parents of a 15-month-old child who weighted only 9lb when she died, have been arrested in connection with her death.  Ernest Ingram, and Denise Snow-Ingram, who are both 38, told police they had never taken their daughter to see a doctor because of religious beliefs.  The tiny girl died at a children’s hospital on Wednesday morning, after an ambulance was called to the parents’ Phoenix home after reports of a child not breathing. READ MORE HERE

The girl claims she was raped by three teachers but the police say they know better.  The 12-year old girl who has had a baby in Qiyang, Hunan province in China claims that three of her teachers raped her repeatedly, but the police have a arrested a 74 year old man from a neighboring village, claiming to have DNA evidence that he is the  father and the man who raped her. READ MORE HERE

OHIO — Convicted child killer Robert Wells, who brutally murdered and sexually assaulted 14-year-old Barbara Sue Caulley, will be released from prison on July 13, 2013 after completing his 25-year sentence. He will be under absolutely NO SUPERVISION after he is released. In addition, a loophole in Ohio law means that Mr. Wells will NOT be adjudicated a sexual offender and there will be NO COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION of his residence or employment. We were assured by Ohio Senators Kevin Bacon and Jim Hughes, as well as Franklin County Ohio Prosecutor Ron O’ Brien, that the loophole would be corrected with the passage of Roberta’s Law. Unfortunately none of these career politicians were familiar with the Ohio Constitution. Article II sec. 28 clearly states in part “The general assembly shall have no power to pass retroactive laws.” This law has been in Ohio’s Constitution for over 90 years and this means Mr. Wells could never have been adjudicated a sex offender. READ MORE HERE

NASHVILLE — A former soldier was sentenced to 50 years in prison Monday after pleading guilty to two state charges that he raped a 6-year-old girl in Montgomery County in 2008. The sentencing follows an investigation by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) with assistance from the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division. According to court documents, Joshua Matthew Cline, 28, received an automatic 25-year sentence without parole on each charge Monday after pleading guilty in April to two counts of child rape. Cline was previously sentenced to more than 27 years in federal prison for production of child pornography in August 2011. READ MORE HERE