Free Republic

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Wachovia Corp's shareholders approved the bank's takeover by rival Wells Fargo & Co on Tuesday, bringing one of the largest mergers stemming from the financial crisis near to completion. Separately, regional bank PNC Financial Services Group Inc said its planned takeover of National City Corp was approved by shareholders of both banks and is expected to close by December 31.

In front of a ballroom full of N.C. bankers in January 2006, Wachovia chief executive Ken Thompson warned of the dangers of “toxic” home loans. A problem with so-called option adjustable-rate mortgages, he told the group, was that homeowners can end up owing more at the end of the month than the beginning, which can be a “tough situation” for customers and lenders. “I have literally been amazed at the terms offered by some mortgage lenders, thankfully not at Wachovia and thankfully not so much in North Carolina,” he said. Four months later in May 2006, Thompson took a $24...

Posted on Fri, Jan. 20, 2006 2 children dead at S.E. Mecklenburg homeSTEVE LYTTLEslyttle@charlotteobserver.com Five-year-old twin girls were found dead Friday afternoon at a home in southeast Mecklenburg County, and police say they are questioning a suspect in connection with the case.The children's mother and older siblings are in seclusion while police continue their investigation.WCNC-TV, the Observer's news partner, reports a man called 911 early Friday afternoon and said he had stabbed his two children.Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police spokesman Keith Bridges would not confirm if the children's father was the suspect being held. He also would not comment on the cause...

Pakistani in custody had film of Dallas, other cities 12:15 PM CDT on Tuesday, August 10, 2004 Associated Press CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Federal officials charged a Pakistani citizen with immigration violations and said Tuesday the man was detained last month after being spotted taking videotapes of downtown skyscrapers. A federal affidavit unsealed Tuesday said a review of the tape in Kamran Akhtar's camera and others in his possession showed film of the downtown Wachovia Bank and Bank of America headquarters buildings in Charlote, N.C., as well as film of other major U.S. cities, including Atlanta, New Orleans, Dallas, Houston and...

Don't know if there's anything here, but in trying to get information about Ed Shohat, quite an intriguing web is revealed. He's the attorney for the alleged "maid" to Rush Limbaugh who's reported turning him in for illegal prescription drug purchasing. His Democrat Party ties are known .. but there's more. Shohat is also the attorney for Eduardo and Hector Orlansky, whose financial intrigue is described here: Miami Herald Article about Espirto Santo Bank and the Orlansky brothers It just show happens that Espirito Santo Bank formed a partnership with the Orlansky brothers for the purpose of funding their lucrative...