Nation in brief: Lawmaker quits over intern affair
Nashville, Tenn. – A Tennessee lawmaker resigned from the state Senate on Tuesday after his extramarital affair with a 22-year-old intern was revealed by an investigation into an extortion case.
“Due to recent events, I have decided to focus my full attention on my family and resign my Senate seat effective August 10,” Republican Sen. Paul Stanley wrote in his resignation letter.
Court records show that Stanley, 47, told agents investigating a blackmail case that he had a sexual relationship with intern McKensie Morrison. Her boyfriend, Joel Watts, is charged with trying to extort $10,000 from Stanley in April. Investigators say Watts demanded the money in exchange for not releasing to the media explicit photos of Morrison that Stanley had taken in what appears to be Stanley’s apartment.
Endeavour headed home
Cape Canaveral, Fla. – After 11 days together in orbit, Endeavour undocked from the international space station on Tuesday and began its trip home.
The shuttle’s departure broke up the biggest off-the-planet gathering ever: 13 people in space. Seven astronauts headed back aboard the shuttle and six remained.
The two spacecraft parted company 220 miles above the Indian Ocean. Endeavour took a lap around the space station for some impressive picture-taking before pulling away for good. The shuttle is aiming for a Friday touchdown.
Sharks attack released dolphin
Clearwater, Fla. – An Atlantic bottlenose dolphin was attacked by sharks and had to be euthanized just hours after he was released into the Gulf of Mexico off of western Florida.
Dunham, a juvenile male dolphin, was released Tuesday morning after eight months in rehab recovering from pneumonia.
Jeni Hatter, spokeswoman for the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, said the dolphin was attacked twice by at least two different sharks. Hatter said experts nearby were monitoring the dolphin with a VHF radio transmitter at the time of the attack.
Hatter said experts rushed to the dolphin and euthanized him because of the life-threatening injuries. She added that he wouldn’t have been able to recover.