Year-end adoptions brighten Family Court

Family Court Judge R. Mark Browning suggested a stuffed animal as a gift for Emma Directo, 3, who was officially adopted by the Directo family Friday. Instead, Emma chose a gun that fires foam rockets. Emma's mother, Martha, held her hand as her father, Mike, and cousin Cherey, 9, looked on. Friday marked a special Adoption Day when 53 pending adoption cases were finalized.