Dow ends above 11,000 for first time in 18 months

According to the ABC News, the Dow Jones industrial average backed up almost 11,006 Monday for the first time in 18 months.

Over last weekend, 16 European leaders agreed to provide $40.5 billion in loans loan to Greece, in order to help the country lower its public debt burden. Meanwhile, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) could contribute another $13.5 billion. 

Specialists say the reports on Greece raised people's expectations that the economy is recovering. 

"This is clearly a positive development that the EU is identifying and dealing with what has really been it's first real challenge," Alan Gayle, senior investment strategist for RidgeWorth Investments, said.

924 Syracuse drivers ticketed for phoning and texting while driving

According to the Post-Standard, Authorities have ticketed 869 people for making phone calls and 55 texting while driving since last Thursday, when U.S. Department of Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood announced in a news conference that the city of Syracuse will receive $300,000 for crackdowns on distracted drivers using cell phones.

LaHood said Syracuse is one of the two cities in U.S. to run this pilot program this year. 

The grant, $200,000 from federal government and $100,000 from state, will pay for county deputies and city police working overtime shifts to target distracted drivers.

Crackdown on driving while using cell phones

Pulitzer Prize: Washington Post wins 4, New York Times wins 3

According to the New York Times, Pulitzer Prize were announced Monday. The Washington Post won four Pulitzer Prizes for its work in 2009, while the New York Times got three prizes.

Some prizes winners this year:

- Most prestigious award in print journalism: the ProPublica

- The prize for public service: the Bristol Herald Courier

- Fiction Prize: Paul Harding, "Thinkers"

- General Nonfiction Prize: David E.Hoffman, "The Dead Hand: The Untold Story of the Cold War Arms Race and Its Dangerous Legacy"

- History Award: Liaquat Ahamed, "Lords of Finance: The Bankers Who Broke the World"

- Biography Prize: T.J. Stiles, "The First Tycoon: The Epic Life of Cornelius Vanderbilt"