Kids abandoned in Italy returning to Germany

Three young children abandoned in a northern Italian pizzeria by their mother and her escaped-convict boyfriend will return soon to their native Germany in the care of their grandparents, officials said Friday.

Meanwhile, authorities in German officially requested the extradition of the boyfriend, Sascha Schmidt, who had been on the lam since April 2 until captured by Italian police on Thursday.

The mother, identified as Ina Caterina Remhof, 26, remains free while prosecutors in Aosta investigate her and her companion for abandoning minors, said local police spokesman Lorenzo Mesiano.

The pair were nabbed together on the outskirts of Aosta, the …

More and more, sellers reaching out to ethnics

When the U.S. Census Bureau turned to public service advertisingto encourage participation in this year's count, ads in six differentAsian languages were used in America's biggest cities.

For the 1980 census, the bureau created advertising for thegeneral population and then had the ads translated into Spanish toreach Hispanics.

That kind of superficial targeting no longer is sufficient tocommunicate with a diverse population, with most groups having theirown newspapers or magazines and even radio and television stations.

Ethnic marketing, part of the general trend to sell productsand services to particular population segments rather than to themasses, …

Bruins-Islanders Sums

Boston	3 0 3—6
N.Y. Islanders	0 0 0—0

First Period_1, Boston, Bergeron 4 (Seguin, Marchand), 7:08. 2, Boston, Horton 6, 12:24 (pp). 3, Boston, Kelly 6, 18:45. Penalties_Comeau, NYI (high-sticking), 9:52; Jurcina, NYI (holding), 11:23.

Second Period_None. Penalties_Streit, NYI (holding), 5:34; New York bench, served by Jurcina (too many men), 17:44.

Third Period_4, Boston, Ference 1 (Corvo, Kelly), 10:25. 5, …

Friday, January 22

Today is Friday, Jan. 22, the 22nd day of 2010. There are 343 days left in the year.

Highlights in history on this date:

1517 - Ottoman troops take Cairo, Egypt.

1528 - England and France declare war on Holy Roman Emperor Charles V.

1655 - Oliver Cromwell dissolves Britain's Parliament.

1760 - French are defeated by British under Eyre Coote at Wandiwash near Pondicherry, ending French presence in India.

1771 - Spain agrees to cede Falkland Islands to Britain.

1808 - King Joao VI and the Portuguese royal family flee from Napoleon's troops and move the court from Lisbon to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

…

I wouldn't hold brew back, says Jimmy

Jimmy Calderwood will allow veteran striker Craig Brewster toleave Pittodrie if he's handed a return to management, writes AndrewMoir.

The 40-year-old hitman has penned a new six month deal atPittodrie after a successful end to the last campaign.

Brewster, who has impressed during pre-season …

Plagiarism: Playing by the rules

In the academic world, in music and even in church, what constitutes plagiarism is under new scrutiny after journalism's wake-up call

Anyone who thinks that a young black reporter wrote the book on plagiarism does not know much history. Other writers, performers and artists-even well-known preachers-who blend of the arts of writing, storytelling and dramatic performance, have faced accusations of plagiarism.

In essence, plagiarism is borrowing someone else's words and passing them off as one's own, whether in print, speech or performance. Journalists, scholars and other professional writers understand the rules, written and unwritten. Any original work should be just that. A …

Boats collide on Bolivian part of Lake Titicaca; 6 reported dead

A Bolivian navy captain says a boat has sunk after hitting another vessel in the dark on Lake Titicaca. Six people are reported dead.

Navy Capt. Fernando Enriquez tells the Associated Press that all of …

Suburban assessor: 'Bunch of Mexicans' botched fence

As Frankfort Township assessor, Paul J. Ruff is in charge ofproperty tax bills.

But a lawsuit accuses him of ducking one of his own debts.

A New Lenox business is suing Ruff in Will County Circuit Court,claiming he owes $1,900 for a fence installed at his home inNovember.

Ruff says he hasn't paid up because "a bunch of Mexicans" workingfor Fence Outlet made more than $2,000 worth of mistakes, likeinstalling part of the structure in his neighbor's yard.

Workers also punctured a gas main, causing the entire block to beevacuated for four hours, he said. Two painters he hired for the …

Putting feet to the vision

Mennonite Church Saskatchewan

On April 2, the MC Sask executive met at First Mennonite Church, Saskatoon, together with the Commissions and the Envisioning Team, to brainstorm on how the future might look for Saskatchewan Mennonites.

Although the "Vision for 2010" approved in principle at the delegate sessions is still being changed and adapted, tentative first steps are being taken to put feet to the vision. The fluid nature of the document will remain for several months while Ken Bechtel, conference minister, and others gather feedback on the statement from the Saskatchewan …

Sundance doc wants people to know 'it's Cazale'

The most star-studded entry at the Sundance Film Festival is a short documentary about an actor whose intense face is known to just about any serious cinema fan but whose name often escapes them.

"I Knew It Was You" features interviews with Al Pacino, Meryl Streep, Robert De Niro, Gene Hackman, Richard Dreyfuss, Francis Ford Coppola and others, all paying tribute to the guy whose long, sad face leaves people saying: "I know him. Isn't that Fredo from 'The Godfather'?"

John Cazale made only five films, among them the first two "Godfather" flicks, before dying of cancer at age 42 in 1978. But all five were nominated for best …

Grateful Dead book 3rd show at Horizon

Tickets for a third Grateful Dead show at the Rosemont Horizon,6920 N. Mannheim, Rosemont, will go on sale at 10 a.m. today. Thenew show will be at 7:30 p.m. April 15. The other shows, on April 13and 14, are almost sold out. Tickets are $17.50 and $18.50.Tickets will go on sale at 2 p.m. today for Pink Floyd (without RogerWaters), who will play the Horizon at 9 p.m. May 21 and 8 p.m. May22. No other dates will be added. Tickets are $25. Tickets forboth both shows are available only at Ticketmaster outlets(559-1212). Tickets will go on sale today for the Gregg Allman Band and John Kayand Steppenwolf performing at 8 p.m. May 19 at the Holiday StarTheatre. Tickets are $17 and …

Argentina guest of honor at Frankfurt fair

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — The annual Frankfurt Book Fair has opened with Argentina as this year's guest of honor.

Argentine President Cristina Fernandez officially opened the showcase of global trends and best sellers on Tuesday. About 7,500 exhibitors from more than 110 countries are expected.

Digital media have played …

More bodies found from North Sea helicopter crash

Scottish police say seven more bodies have been recovered from a helicopter crash in the North Sea.

Police are still searching for a last body after finding all 15 others killed when the Super Puma helicopter went down off the Scottish coast on April 1 in calm and sunny conditions.

Grampian Police say two of the seven bodies recovered Sunday are believed to be that of the pilot and co-pilot.

BP PLC has said the helicopter was coming back from the company's Miller oil field. It was operated by British firm Bond Offshore Helicopters. BP says it has discontinued using the helicopters for an unspecified period.

Court: Ireland's 'bad bank' seized loans illegally

DUBLIN (AP) — The Supreme Court dealt a surprise blow to Ireland's "bad bank," a fund set up to take on and ringfence toxic loans, ruling Thursday it had illegally seized control of a property tycoon's €2.1 billion ($2.9 billion) in debts.

Ireland's highest court ruled 7-0 in favor of Paddy McKillen, the first developer to sue the National Asset Management Agency. The NAMA chairman, Frank Daly, called the judgment "obviously a disappointment."

The government created NAMA in 2009 to prevent the nationalization or collapse of five Dublin banks, all of whom had loaned billions recklessly to an elite of Irish property barons. NAMA over the past year has purchased more than €71 billion ($98 billion) in bad loans from those banks at massive discounts — with a mission to force the debtors to liquidate assets and repay at least some of the bill.

McKillen, who has 15 companies and stakes in properties worldwide including three of London's top hotels, was among the 10 biggest debtors targeted by NAMA.

But the Supreme Court ruled in his favor, saying NAMA's actions against him were initiated before legally permitted. The ruling triggered spirited debate in Dublin financial circles over whether the judgment would encourage other construction kingpins facing financial ruin to also sue NAMA and complicate Ireland's already tortuous efforts to stabilize their cash-strapped banks.

Most analysts said the Supreme Court's verdict represented only a narrow technical victory for McKillen, who still could face renewed NAMA pressure to dump assets at currently depressed prices. McKillen insists his assets are all generating cash and he won't be forced to sell anything.

The court, hearing an appeal against NAMA's initial High Court victory, ruled that the agency had not exercised its powers legally — because it took action against McKillen one week too early.

It found that NAMA officers started action against McKillen in mid-December 2009, but Ireland's parliament did not pass the required law granting them this power until Dec. 21 that year.

The government created NAMA in hopes that the rapid transfer of toxic debts would prevent most of the five banks from being nationalized. That strategy failed. Three are fully state-owned today, while state ownership of the two biggest banks — Allied Irish Banks and Bank of Ireland — has risen to 92.8 percent and 38 percent, respectively.

Critics say the NAMA strategy actually made Ireland's banking crisis worse, because it forced the five banks to face the true scale of their property-based losses in one blow in 2010 rather than seek to string out reporting of the losses over several years.

NAMA paid the banks just €30.2 billion ($41.7 billion) for the €71.2 billion book value of the loans. That staggering 58 percent discount reflected the property assets' current worth, and the five Dublin banks were obliged to report the difference as 2010 losses.

Those losses, in turn, were covered by Irish taxpayers and drove Ireland's 2010 deficit to an unprecedented 32 percent of gross domestic product. Ireland in November negotiated an international rescue loan worth a potential €67.5 billion ($93 billion) to help recapitalize and restructure those five banks.

___

Online:

National Asset Management Agency, http://www.nama.ie/

Hakuho remains in control at New Year sumo

Grand champion Hakuho of Mongolia defeated Miyabiyama on Saturday to remain in sole possession of the lead at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

In the day's final bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan, Hakuho and Miyabiyama exchanged a series of slaps before the grand champion took the No. 2 maegashira down with an arm throw.

Hakuho improved to a perfect 7-0 and has a one-win lead over a group of four wrestlers, including compatriot Asashoryu.

Miyabiyama fell to 2-5.

Grand champion Asashoryu posted an impressive win over Dejima to improve to 6-1.

Asashoryu was pushed back at the faceoff but calmly dodged to his side at the edge and swatted the komusubi out to stay one win off the pace.

Dejima fell to 2-5.

Asashoryu is coming off a two-tournament ban for playing a charity soccer game in Ulan Bator last summer while skipping an exhibition sumo tournament in Japan, but has looked solid over the first week of the tournament.

Lower-ranked wrestlers Kotoshogiku, Takekaze and Kyokutenho also stand at 6-1.

Ozeki Kaio forced out Tochinonada to pick up his fourth win against three losses. No. 3 maegashira Tochinonada was handed his fifth loss against a pair of wins.

Mongolian sekiwake Ama spun Kotomitsuki around before shoving the ozeki out to improve to 4-3. Kotomitsuki lost his third straight and dropped to 3-4.

Top maegashira Tokitenku shoved out struggling ozeki Chiyotaikai to pick up his second win against five losses. Chiyotaikai, who is clearly not fighting up to potential, dropped to 0-7.

Sekiwake Aminishiki bulldozed over Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu to improve to 5-2. Kotooshu, who needs a winning record to maintain his ozeki status, fell to 4-3.

Russia's ruling party calls elections 'dirty'

Russia's ruling party said Sunday's regional elections were "dirty" and it traded accusations of fraud with the opposition.

The United Russia party, which is chaired by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, normally defends the legitimacy of elections, which it tends to win by a wide margin.

The party was looking for Sunday's ballots in 76 of Russia's 83 regions to show that it can still garner broad support despite the country's economic hardships and high unemployment.

United Russia parliamentary deputy Vyacheslav Timchenko said in a statement issued by the party that the elections were marked by a "shockingly large number of violations."

He said Russia's three main opposition parties _ the Communists, the right-wing Liberal Democrats and the pro-Kremlin Just Russia party _ were involved in vote buying, an accusation frequently leveled against United Russia in past elections.

"These are very dirty elections... One gets the impression that certain opposition parties have taken the president's call for greater democratization and electoral development as an excuse to break the law," Timchenko said in the statement.

In an article in September, President Dmitry Medvedev called for greater pluralism in Russia's political system, saying that Russia should move toward a system where multiple parties periodically take each other's place in power.

Earlier Sunday, the Communists had claimed United Russia was abusing its administrative resources in the Krasnodar mayoral elections by busing police cadets to vote for the party's candidate in districts where they were not registered.

Russia's main independent elections watchdog, Golos, also reported irregularities in many regions, including factory workers in Ekaterinburg being pressured to vote for United Russia by their employers.

The head of the Central Election Commission Vladimir Churov, a longtime Putin associate known for deflecting opposition claims of vote fraud, attacked "political technologists" in the region of Ryazan for handing out free alcohol to voters on election day, Interfax news agency reported.

"That was a clear provocation... Unfortunately, my dream that the last political technologist will be dead hasn't come true yet," Churov was quoted as saying.

Across the country, there were more than 6,000 local elections and referendums Sunday.

The last major voting day for the Russian regions in October ended in a landslide for United Russia but was marred by allegations of widespread fraud.

Malaysian PM says no date set for power transfer, to seek re-election in December party polls

Embattled Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah Ahmad Badawi said Sunday that he would seek re-election as ruling party leader in December and that he has not set a date for handing over power to his deputy.

On Friday, Abdullah said he has struck a deal with his deputy, Najib Razak, on when he would step down as pressure for him to resign intensified amid public anger over rising fuel prices.

But Abdullah clarified Sunday that no timeframe has been set for the power transfer to Najib and that he intends to stand for the presidency of the United Malays National Organization, or UMNO.

"I will not be retiring before December. I will be contesting for the post of party presidency," he told reporters, adding that no date has been set for stepping down. "That could be anytime, but not in one or two or three months."

Abdullah has been fighting for his political survival after his ruling coalition, led by UMNO, suffered shock losses in March general elections. In its worst performance since independence in 1957, it retained power with only a simple majority in Parliament and lost control of five of the country's 13 states.

Abdullah's critics have since demanded his resignation, accusing him of making numerous policy blunders and allowing problems such as corruption and racial disputes to fester.

He suffered further public criticism after raising retail gasoline prices by 41 percent early this month. More than 1,000 people marched in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's main city, Friday in the biggest protest so far against the price hike, calling for Abdullah to step down.

Najib has stood by Abdullah and pledged not to challenge him for power. But political observers said Abdullah risks losing power if other rivals challenge his presidency of the ruling party in December.

Abdullah, who took office in 2003, also faces a threat from the opposition, which claims it has the secret support of enough ruling coalition lawmakers to bring down the government.

Abdullah said Sunday the government will not reverse its decision to cut fuel subsidies, reiterating that the subsidies were untenable amid rising world oil prices. He has, however, promised not to further raise gasoline prices this year.

"I know Malaysians are furious. They are accustomed to getting oil very cheap," Abdullah said. "If they want to protest against the increase, it's OK. We will continue to do what is best for the country."

Opposition parties plans to hold more protests nationwide in the next few weeks, culminating in what they say will be a rally by 1 million people in Kuala Lumpur on July 5.

Japanese amateur pitcher eyes major leagues

Japanese amateur pitcher Junichi Tazawa is bypassing local pro ranks and aiming to move straight to U.S. Major League Baseball.

Tazawa, who has a 156-kph (97 mph) fastball, has opted to negotiate with major league teams and not enter Japanese baseball's amateur draft next month, where he was expected to be the top pick.

"I have a strong desire to test my abilities in America," the 22-year-old right-hander told reporters Thursday.

Tazawa's decision stokes fears that Japan is losing much of its baseball talent to the U.S., now including talented youngsters.

Several major league teams, including the Boston Red Sox and the Chicago Cubs, have scouted Tazawa who led Nippon Oil to the corporate league championship this season, earning four wins in five mound appearances.

Players from Japan's professional leagues need to wait nine seasons before becoming free agents.

No rules prevent MLB teams from pursuing Japanese amateurs. Kazuhito Tadano and Mac Suzuki are the only Japanese players to have played in the majors without playing Japanese pro baseball.

Movable feasts just got easier // Quality equipment perks up picnicking

My husband accuses me of turning every trip into an extendedpicnic - taking along enough food, thermal containers and eatingutensils so we could be stranded just about anywhere for a day or twoand never go hungry or thirsty.

Now I've discovered some portable culinary aids that make mymobile dining inclinations even more palatable. Many items may beavailable in area stores. Prices do not include shipping andhandling.

MONDO THERMOS: I seldom travel without my stainless steelThermos, especially on car trips. In this virtually indestructiblevacuum bottle I can keep the coffee of my choice steaming hot allday. Now for people with a really big coffee thirst - or who aretraveling with others with whom they must share - Thermos hasdeveloped a huge two-quart model with some handy innovations.There's a retractable handle for easy grip that folds nearlyflat and prevents rolling, and a detachable heavy-duty shoulder strapfor easy transport while walking. The plastic stopper has groovesthat make for pouring without removal; just twist the stopper oneturn, tilt and the liquid pours out smoothly. The manufacturerclaims this model keeps liquid hot (149 degrees) for 24 hours in aroom at 68 degrees or higher. Amazingly, that proved true intesting.Thermos/Nissan 2-quart stainless steel vacuum bottle (NCD18) isabout $65. For a store near you, call (800) 831-9242.PICNIC ON YOUR BACK: Just because you are heading off on foot(or canoe or bicycle), doesn't mean you shouldn't have all theaccoutrements of a gourmet picnic. Vesture, a North Carolinamanufacturer, has developed a backpack stocked with all theaccessories you need for fine dining al fresco - you just add thefood and wine.The Back Pac, which is constructed of a heavy-duty blue PVCmaterial, comes with two each of sturdy plastic plates, acrylic wineglasses, blue and white checkered napkins, forks and spoons, as wellas a cutting knife, cheese slicer, corkscrew, blue and whitecheckered tablecloth and cutting board (the latter stores in aninternal pouch pocket).An insulated side pouch can hold a bottle of wine. The BackPac comes with a slim cooling pack that can be frozen beforehand tokeep items cold in the back pack. There is also a heatableMicrocore element that keeps items hot after it has been warmed up ina microwave oven. Now all you need are the ants.Picnic Back Pac is $78 from Vesture. For mail order or tolocate a distributor, call (800) 283-7887.COOL COOLERS: A less chi-chi but very efficient portable cooleris the Backpackable Cooler from L. L. Bean. Made of heavy-dutypackcloth with a no-leak vinyl lining over foam insulation, the 161/2-by-11-by-6 1/2-inch-deep pack has two zip compartments (one ontop, another in front) to keep beverages separate from food.A deep pocket on each side can hold eating utensils (notincluded) or bottles up to one liter. A large mesh zippered pocketat the front of the pack can hold sunscreen, magazines, a towel andother small items. Shoulder straps have extra padding for heftytake-along feasts.Bean also makes three other easy-tote coolers: the 6-Pack,which carries six cans of soda or other beverage and has a zip pocketfor extras, the larger 6-Pack Plus Carrier, which also has room forsandwiches and other snacks, and the Picnic Size, which carries lunchfor a whole family.Backpackable Cooler is $65; 6-Pack is $18; 6-Pack Plus Carrieris $32; and Picnic Size is $40; all in spruce/navy or red from L.L.Bean; (800) 809-7057.TABLE TO GO: Picnicking on the ground is not the mostcomfortable way to go - especially for us aging baby boomers withincreasingly persnickety joints. Rejoice then, for the Little TableBox from Howda Designz, a 10-pound pine box that resembles abriefcase and converts in minutes into a perfectly civilized31-inch-by-19-inch dining table.Pull apart the canvas carrying handles, fold down the12-inch-long legs (alas, we said this was a table, not full-sizetable) and you are almost ready. The box also contains two canvasstadium seats with basswood frames so you avoid grass stains and getsome back support. The table supports a maximum weight of 10 pounds.Little Table Box with two stadium chairs is $190 from HowdaDesignz; (800) 348-3884.TODDLER TUMBLER: So your toddler can join in the picnic withoutspilling his drink all over the crowd, Evenflo, makers of children'sfurnishings, has developed an (almost) spill-proof plastic child'stravel tumbler.The screw-on lid conceals a soft silicone straw that pops upwhen the top of the lid is turned counter-clockwise and folds back inwhen the lid top is turned clockwise. The lid also has a detachablecarrying strap so junior can roam the grounds with ready refreshment.Toddler Travel Tumbler is $4.99. For a nearby store call themanufacturer, Evenflo, at (800) 356-2229.Judi Dash is a free-lance writer in Ohio.

Springfield vote suits dismissed

SPRINGFIELD Voting rights lawsuits filed against the city'sschool district and park board were thrown out Thursday by a federaljudge.

The suits were filed by black residents who contended thecity-wide election of the two boards has diluted minority votes andprevented them from winning board posts.

But U.S. District Judge Richard Mills said the plaintiffs'proposed solution did not meet the legal requirements to prove thetwo boards violated the federal Voting Rights Act.

The black residents proposed seven election districts for eachboard, with at least one district including a minority population ofat least 50 percent. But because federal law requires that thevoting district's applicable minority population be of voting age,Mills said that quota could not be reached by using the city's 11percent minority population.

Donald Craven, lawyer for the black plaintiffs, said Mills'decision could have national implications if allowed to stand becauseit narrows the scope of the Voting Rights Act.

Earlier this year, another federal judge found Springfield'scitywide city council elections violated the Voting Rights Act, andhe ordered the creation of a new council elected from 10 wards.

How to keep your projects on the level

A good-looking project is often one that is true and straight.Here are some good ways to achieve the results you are looking for.

First, it's important to start with straight lumber. Eyeballingis usually adequate.

As you start to build, it's important to keep your work level andplumb. A good 4-foot level will help. Most will have at least threevials with a bubble in liquid to help you get things right. Set thelevel on top of the wood horizontally and look at the vial. If theair bubble is exactly between the lines, it's level.This same level can be used to determine plumb. The level canbe set against a vertical surface, and the vial that sitshorizontally will help you get the surface straight.Q. What is a good way to clean around radiators? Mine seemto have collected a lot of dust over the years, but I can't reallyget around the back and into the cracks to clean them. Got anyideas?A. The crevice tool that fits on the vacuum hose can do a prettygood job, particularly if you'll loosen the dust with a bottle brushbeforehand.Q. Our den has a brick wall, and I want to hang some picturesfrom it. Should I drill into the brick or the mortar?A. The mortar is much softer and thus easier to drill into. Ifthat lets you install the hangings in the right places, it's suregoing to be easier.Q. I have an old book that I took out of storage and find thereis mildew on some of the pages. Is there any way to remove thisstuff?A. Try sprinkling a little cornstarch on the mildew. It mightalso help to air it out and expose the mildew to sunlight.Write Super Handyman, Chicago Sun-Times, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago60611.

AP: Pakistani detained in Chile says he was framed

A Pakistani man being investigated in a terror probe after being detained at the U.S. Embassy told The Associated Press that he thinks it all must be a mistake.

"Everything is so weird. I am still trying to think what happened," Mohammed Saif Ur Rehman Khan said in an interview Wednesday in his public defender's office.

Khan, 28, repeated his denials that he has anything to do with terrorism, and said he can't figure out why Chilean police say they found traces of tetryl, a chemical used to boost the power of explosives, in his bag, on his cell phone and on clothing in his apartment.

Khan had been called to the U.S. Embassy to be told his visa was revoked because of information received by the U.S. government, the State Department has said.

But Khan said they never told him his visa was revoked, and he claimed a bomb sniffing dog was so uninterested in his bag that it appeared to fall asleep.

Perhaps it's a case of mistaken identity or that he's being framed for reasons he doesn't understand, Khan said.

Khan has been freed three times by judges who ruled that the evidence is insufficient to justify holding him in Chile's maximum-security prison for terror suspects.

Prosecutors and the Interior Ministry asked judge Carolina Araya to apply Chile's tough anti-terror law _ a legacy of the dictatorship of Gen. Augusto Pinochet that allows for long detentions without court orders, tougher sentences and unidentified witnesses.

But the judge has so far refused to order Khan held on any charge tougher than an alleged violation of Chile's explosives control law, and her order that he be free pending the investigation has been upheld twice.

Asked if he still wants the United States to be safe and secure, Khan said: "Obviously. Not just for my brother, but my cousin and my friends, so many people" who live there.

Asked about a photo leaked by Chilean authorities that shows Khan holding what appears to be an air rifle in Pakistan, Khan said they didn't show others from the same picnic that make it clear it was a casual party and nothing like a terror training effort.

Parents give high marks - with some reservations

In his first three years on the job, Paul Vallas has won overteachers and administrators, lawyers and lawmakers.

But what about the people who have a more personal stake in whathe has done and is doing: the parents?

Many mothers and fathers of Chicago's schoolchildren give Vallashigh marks.

They praise the end of social promotion - the passing ofchildren regardless of achievement. They like the financialinvestment in new buildings, the emphasis on back to basics, the risein test scores and the overall perception of positive change. Theylike Vallas' accessibility and his willingness to listen.

They also have concerns about the amount of power Vallas wields,particularly when it comes to something near and dear to theirhearts: local school councils.

Albert Randall, whose 5-year-old daughter was just accepted intoone of the system's magnet schools, praises Vallas for pushingstandards and accountability.

"I take my hat off to him," said Randall, who lives in the SouthLoop. "Going back to basics can only benefit any student,particularly those who have had a lack of that. I've found thatpeople who can read and write are also good thinkers. . . . I thinkhe's doing a very good job."

Parent Claudia Mazola, co-chairman at Galileo Academy on theNear West Side, agrees. "I think he's really moved in the rightdirection. No tests are perfect, no teachers are perfect, but youhave to start somewhere. Kids need to be accountable. Kids need toget back to basics. I think Paul Vallas has brought that to theforefront."

South Sider Mary Sherrod, whose 16-year-old daughter attendsBogan High School, also grades Vallas high.

But she also has concerns, particularly when Vallas talks aboutwanting more power to hire and discipline principals - an authoritythat by state law belongs to local school councils.

"I think he's kind of stepping over the line there," Sherrodsaid. "If he starts pulling those powers, then what do (LSCs) reallyhave left?"

Mazola has fewer such concerns, but she said that's mostlybecause she has not had a run-in with Vallas or the School Board.

"If we did, I'm sure there's a good chance I would thinkdifferently," she said. "He's not making it easy for some LSCs, butI actually think that's a good thing."

What parent Cora Hudik likes most is the sense of confidencethat she says Vallas has restored to the system.

"Overall, he has been much better than some predecessors," shesays. "The past kind of depended on who you knew or where you were.. . . It was much more political."

For Sherrod, it is Vallas' willingness to hear her out. "Hedoes respond when you write," she said. "Somebody will get back toyou. In the past, you had to call 15 people only to get sent back tothe first person you were dealing with."

The target range for the federal funds rate

The target range for the federal was continued at 0 to 0.25 percent at the March 1 6 Federal Open Market Committee meeting. The FOMC said it continues to anticipate that economic conditions, including low rates of resource utilization, subdued inflation trends and stable inflation expectations, are likely to warrant exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period.

In its statement, the FOMC said information received since the FOMC met in January suggests that economic activity has continued to strengthen and that the labor market is stabilizing.

With substantial resource slack continuing to restrain cost pressures and longer-term inflation expectations stable, inflation is likely to be subdued for some time, the FOMC said.

Voting against the policy action was Thomas M. Hoenig, president of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City, who believed that continuing to express the expectation of exceptionally low levels of the federal funds rate for an extended period was no longer warranted because it could lead to the buildup of financial imbalances and increase risks to longer-run macroeconomic and financial stability.

Wheeling native will be coaching against his guys

RALEIGH NEWS & OBSERVER

AUSTIN, Texas - Michigan State Coach Tom Izzo has been saying thesame thing to associate head coach Doug Wojcik all season.

From afar, Izzo and Wojcik, a Wheeling, W.Va., native and formerNorth Carolina assistant, have watched the Tar Heels win the ACCregular-season title, earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament andthen a trip to the NCAA Final Four. All along, Izzo has said toWojcik, "Those are your guys."

Wojcik helped recruit Jawad Williams, Jackie Manuel, Melvin Scott,Sean May, Raymond Felton and Rashad McCants to UNC while working asone of Matt Doherty's assistants from 2000-03. Marshall seniorassistant coach Bob MacKinnon was on that UNC staff, too.

Those prize recruits will be Wojcik's foes when the Spartans facethe Tar Heels in the Final Four in St. Louis Saturday night.

"I'll have chills. It'll be awesome," said Wojcik, 40.

The good times have been truly good to Wojcik since he left UNC.Wojcik will take over as the head coach at Tulsa after the FinalFour.

Ask Wojcik what he thinks about the trick of fate that has hiscurrent team facing his old team and he laughs in one breath, shakeshis head the next, then goes sober in the third.

"What a turn of events," he said. "The fact that we're playingthem, it'll be weird but really very satisfying for me. "

Wojcik still speaks to the UNC players - most often with May andFelton - he helped lure to Chapel Hill with Doherty and former UNCassistant Fred Quartlebaum. May called him March 15, the day afterWojcik took the Tulsa job.

"He has a great head coaching job," May said. "I told him it waslong overdue. He deserved it a long time ago."

Wojcik cut his own path through the basketball world as a NavalAcademy teammate of David Robinson with whom he led the Midshipmen tothree straight NCAA Tournament appearances in the mid-1980s.

He was an assistant at Navy for nine years before hooking up withDoherty for their one season at Notre Dame in 1999-2000. Aftercurrent UNC coach Roy Williams declined the Carolina job in 2000,Doherty took the job and brought his Notre Dame staff - with no UNCgraduates among them save himself - to Chapel Hill.

There Wojcik coordinated the effort to bring in the recruitingclasses of the current Carolina seniors and juniors that aresignificant reasons why the Heels are in the Final Four now.

"It's going to be awkward, seeing him coaching on the othersideline, knowing he was the guy that used to be in my house when Iwas in high school, recruiting me," said Felton, who spoke to Wojcikon Monday. "It's going to feel funny, but he knows it's all aboutbusiness at this point, and when you get on the court, there are nofriends. ... But he knows it's all love, no matter what."

Two years ago - the first year at UNC for May, Felton and McCants -things were not close to being that peachy in Chapel Hill. The Heelshad gone 8-20 in 2002 and then finished 19-16 in 2003. After the 2003season, players met with athletics director Dick Baddour. Doherty wasfired and his staff, including Wojcik, sent adrift.

"In a way, it goes to show you that you meet the same people goingup as coming down the ladder," Wojcik said. "One day you're anassistant at North Carolina, arguably the best college program in thecountry, and the next day you're unemployed. In my opinion, it hadnothing to do with my work ethic or what I did there."

Wojcik didn't want to rehash the past but said things happen for areason.

"It was one of those things; there were powers that be thathappened at UNC; I've tried to take a positive approach to the wholething," he said. "Things happen for a reason. It was very unfortunatewhat happened at Carolina and (my family) was sad when we left. Westill talk about Chapel Hill but not like we used to. We talk aboutSpartan basketball and my boys know the Michigan State fight song."

He does speak with Doherty. They spoke on Monday, with Dohertyoffering congratulations.

"We had a direct feed in our CSTV studios (where Doherty works)and I got to see him cut down the net while holding his son, Paxson,"Doherty said. "That was great to see but it was kind of ironic."

Doherty said he didn't discuss the Tulsa job with Wojcik atlength. That Wojcik will now be a head coach and Doherty isn't at themoment is also ironic. Doherty has not coached since leaving UNC,having turned down the James Madison job in March 2004.

He also interviewed with St. John's but did not get the job, whichwent to Norm Roberts. Doherty's name was mentioned in the Tulsasearch but he removed himself from consideration on March 11. Wojcikaccepted the job on March 14.

"We didn't talk about that - it was more about what a ride it hasbeen for him, how a lot of people had (Michigan State) counted out,"Doherty said.

The UNC players Wojcik helped recruit still hold a soft spot forhim. McCants said Wojcik was his favorite.

"(Wojcik) wanted to bring the best player out of you," McCantssaid. "He believed in my talent, ability and passion for the game."

Though Wojcik wasn't a key in May's recruitment, May echoedMcCants' sentiment.

"Once I got here, he became my go-to guy," May said. "Whateverproblem I had, if I just needed someone to talk to about life, I wentto Coach Wojcik."

In another week, Wojcik will be headed to Tulsa, which has areputation for churning out high-major coaches like Kentucky's TubbySmith, Kansas' Bill Self and former Tennessee coach Buzz Peterson,who played with Doherty at UNC.

But, discussing the Tulsa job, Izzo told Wojcik how lucky he wasfor having gone through the wringer at Carolina, that Wojcikexperienced something there that few coaches ever do.

"Few people know what it's like to be involved with a place likethat," Wojcik said. "I mean Notre Dame is one thing and UNC issomething else."

Come Saturday, Wojcik will be working against Tar Heel maniainstead of for it. Michigan State assistant Mike Montgomery saidWojcik was emotional for the Spartans' win over Duke on Friday, sothe UNC game will be crazy for him.

"Doug has a little extra incentive to beat UNC, let's just saythat," Montgomery said. "But we're going to have his back."

May said facing Wojcik on such a huge stage will be difficult.

"For me it'll be tough," May said. "I'll try not to look to thatsideline until after the game. Whichever way it goes. I'm going to goover and give him a hug and wish him the best."

Mets Rally Past Dodgers in 10 Innings

LOS ANGELES - Chip Ambres singled home the go-ahead run in the 10th inning, and the New York Mets beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 5-4 Sunday to take three of four in a series between division leaders.

New York tied the score in the ninth when Matt Kemp allowed Shawn Green's fly to short right to fall for an error as pinch-runner Anderson Hernandez came home from third.

With the score 4-all in the 10th, Lastings Milledge singled with one out against D.J. Houlton (0-1). Carlos Beltran singled and David Wright grounded sharply to third, just beating the relay throw to avoid a double play. Ambres, who entered in the ninth, then grounded a single past third baseman Nomar Garciaparra, who was playing in on the edge of the grass with two outs.

It was Ambres' first hit since Oct. 2, 2005, for the Kansas City Royals at Toronto.

Pedro Feliciano (2-1) pitched a perfect ninth for the win after two perfect innings by Aaron Heilman. Billy Wagner worked the 10th for his 22nd save in 23 attempts, striking out the side as he allowed the potential tying run to reach third.

He walked Juan Pierre leading off, then picked him off first only to have Green - normally an outfielder - drop the ball as Pierre took second on the steal.

Russell Martin struck out, Jeff Kent was intentionally walked and Kemp struck out. Wagner threw a wild pitch that advanced the runners to second and third, then froze Garciaparra with a 3-2 pitch on the outside corner.

Rafael Furcal and Garciaparra homered off Orlando Hernandez as Los Angeles built a 4-2 lead, but Beltran pulled the Mets within a run with an eighth-inning sacrifice fly off Roberto Hernandez.

New York, which has outscored opponents 45-10 in the ninth this year, tied it against Jonathan Broxton after Carlos Delgado reached with a leadoff single off the glove of first baseman James Loney.

Anderson Hernandez ran for Delgado and advanced to third on a wild pitch and a groundout by Paul Lo Duca, then scored when Green's fly dropped in front of Kemp, who had made a long sprint toward the infield.

Dodgers rookie Eric Stults, making his third big league start and second against the Mets, allowed two runs, five hits and no walks over 5 1-3 innings and struck out five. El Duque gave up four runs and seven hits over six innings.

Furcal led off the bottom of the first by driving a 1-1 pitch into the right-field pavilion for his second leadoff homer this season and 20th of his career. Loney hit an RBI double in the fourth.

New York tied it in the sixth. Jose Reyes tripled and scored on a double by Milledge that chased Stults. Wright drove in the tying run with a broken-bat bloop single against Rudy Seanez.

Garciaparra, who entered 9-for-27 in regular-season play against El Duque, hit a two-run homer in the bottom half. It was Garciaparra's fourth homer this season and second in three days.

Notes:@ The Mets are 4-41 when trailing after eight innings. ... Derek Lowe, making only his second relief appearance since 2001 and his first since last Aug. 29, pitched a perfect seventh. ... Raymond Easley, the father of Mets INF Damion Easley, passed away Saturday night at age 63 in Riverside, Calif., after a lengthy illness. Damion has been on the bereavement list since July 17. ... Mets LF Moises Alou is expected to be activated on Tuesday for the opener of a six-game homestand. He has been sidelined since May 13 because of a strained left quadriceps.

Engineer failed to stop a red light before crash

The engineer of a commuter train that crashed and killed 25 people in California last year was planning to let a railroad fan operate the locomotive on the day of the accident, according to documents from federal investigators.

A transcript of the text messages by engineer Robert Sanchez was released Tuesday as the National Transportation Safety Board opened a two-day hearing into the Sept. 12 collision in suburban Chatsworth that also injured at least 130 people. Investigators sketched out the days and minutes leading up to the deadly crash between the Metrolink train and a Union Pacific freight train.

The texts indicate Sanchez had allowed the fan to ride in the cab several days before the crash, and that he was planning to let him run the train between four stations on the evening of the crash.

"I'm gonna do all the radio talkin' ... ur gonna run the locomotive & I'm gonna tell u how to do it," Sanchez wrote in one text.

The documents do not identify the fan, but after the crash two teenage train buffs told KCBS-TV that they received a text message from Sanchez minutes before the crash.

Federal investigators said Sanchez sent and received 57 text messages while on duty that day, including one that he sent 22 seconds before his train slammed head-on into the freight train. Investigators said the pattern of text messages was not uncommon for the engineer, who died in the crash.

Investigators said there was no sign of mechanical error involving the Metrolink train that was carrying 220 passengers.

"All the evidence is consistent with the Metrolink engineer failing to stop at a red signal," investigator Wayne Workman told the NTSB.

Workman said text message records also indicated Sanchez had allowed unauthorized individuals into the locomotive cab three days before the accident. One of those individuals was allowed to sit at the controls while the train was operating.

"Both company and federal rules prohibit these activities," Workman said.

Investigators also found that the conductor of the Union Pacific train received and sent numerous text messages while on duty. The conductor tested positive for marijuana, but he was not driving the train at the time of the crash.

The NTSB panel conducting the hearing focused on cell phone use by train crew members; the operation of trackside signals designed to prevent collisions; and oversight and compliance with safety procedures during the crash.

Robert Heldenbrand, the conductor of the Metrolink train, contends the signal light was actually green as the train left the station about a mile from the crash site.

Heldenbrand also told investigators he had warned a supervisor months before the deadly crash about Sanchez's on-duty cell phone use. He said he followed up with the same supervisor two days before the collision and was assured his concern would be addressed.

His contention is the basis of dozens of negligence lawsuits that allege Connex Railroad LLC, the contractor that provides engineers who run Metrolink trains, knew about the cell phone use but did nothing about it.

Connex is a subsidiary of Veolia Transportation Inc., a private operator of bus, rail, shuttle and other transportation services throughout North America.

"How far up the Veolia/Connex chain had the complaints gone before the accident? We hope to find out about that, and a number of other things," said attorney Ed Pfiester, who represents 24 people suing the companies.

Connex and Metrolink said they have strict cell phone policies prohibiting use of cell phones by on-duty employees.

The crash prompted a federal ban on cell phone use by rail workers and led Congress to pass a new law requiring so-called "positive train control" technology that can stop a train if it's headed for a collision.

Metrolink also pushed for a number of safety measures, including a video camera system to monitor locomotive crews.

____

Nguyen reported from Los Angeles.

____

On the Net:

NTSB: http://www.ntsb.gov

9/11 detainee free after 5 years

NEW YORK -- A former Algerian Air Force lieutenant -- who isbelieved to be the last detainee held in the U.S. from the Sept. 11attacks -- was freed this week, nearly five years after the FBIconcluded he had no terrorism links.

Benamar Benatta, 32, was released from the federal detentioncenter in upstate Batavia, N.Y., on Thursday and crossed the borderinto Canada to resume his half-decade struggle to gain politicalasylum there.

"He's hopeful for the first time in five years," said Benatta'sattorney, Catherine Amirfar, who called his treatment by the U.S.authorities "an absolute tragedy."

"It's the result of an individual being labeled a terrorist eventhough the FBI itself determined he had no connection to terrorismwhatsoever," Amirfar said.

Benatta arrived in the United States with other members of theAlgerian Air Force for military training in 2000 but later deserted.He was arrested as he tried to enter Canada on Sept. 5, 2001, afterhe was allegedly found to have false identification papers. Benattaalso had overstayed a six-month visa.

Fearing that he might have links to the Sept. 11 plot, Canadianauthorities shipped the Algerian man with professional aviationskills and a dubious immigration record to New York City.

He was held in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan DetentionCenter in Brooklyn for five months, even though the FBI concluded inNovember 2001 that Benatta had no connection to terrorism.

The Algerian army deserter was initially charged with carryingfraudulent papers, but a federal judge criticized the government'scase, calling it a "sham."

"(Benatta) undeniably was deprived of his liberty," Judge KennethSchroeder Jr. wrote in his 2003 decision. Keeping him in prison"would be to join in the charade that had been perpetrated."

Despite the judge's ruling, Benatta continued to be held at theBatavia detention facility for overstaying his visa.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit issuedan order confirming that Canada had issued Benatta a temporaryresidency permit allowing him to "enter into Canada to pursue a claimof refugee status."

9/11 detainee free after 5 years

NEW YORK -- A former Algerian Air Force lieutenant -- who isbelieved to be the last detainee held in the U.S. from the Sept. 11attacks -- was freed this week, nearly five years after the FBIconcluded he had no terrorism links.

Benamar Benatta, 32, was released from the federal detentioncenter in upstate Batavia, N.Y., on Thursday and crossed the borderinto Canada to resume his half-decade struggle to gain politicalasylum there.

"He's hopeful for the first time in five years," said Benatta'sattorney, Catherine Amirfar, who called his treatment by the U.S.authorities "an absolute tragedy."

"It's the result of an individual being labeled a terrorist eventhough the FBI itself determined he had no connection to terrorismwhatsoever," Amirfar said.

Benatta arrived in the United States with other members of theAlgerian Air Force for military training in 2000 but later deserted.He was arrested as he tried to enter Canada on Sept. 5, 2001, afterhe was allegedly found to have false identification papers. Benattaalso had overstayed a six-month visa.

Fearing that he might have links to the Sept. 11 plot, Canadianauthorities shipped the Algerian man with professional aviationskills and a dubious immigration record to New York City.

He was held in solitary confinement at the Metropolitan DetentionCenter in Brooklyn for five months, even though the FBI concluded inNovember 2001 that Benatta had no connection to terrorism.

The Algerian army deserter was initially charged with carryingfraudulent papers, but a federal judge criticized the government'scase, calling it a "sham."

"(Benatta) undeniably was deprived of his liberty," Judge KennethSchroeder Jr. wrote in his 2003 decision. Keeping him in prison"would be to join in the charade that had been perpetrated."

Despite the judge's ruling, Benatta continued to be held at theBatavia detention facility for overstaying his visa.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit issuedan order confirming that Canada had issued Benatta a temporaryresidency permit allowing him to "enter into Canada to pursue a claimof refugee status."

Suspect cries after being caught by homeowner

Norwalk police said they nabbed a burglary suspect after he broke out in tears when the homeowner caught him. Police said Miguel Alvizures-Montaya, 35, of Norwalk, cried, handed over his cell phone and told the homeowner to call police.

The homeowner apprehended Alvizures-Montaya after chasing him on foot for a block. The 26-year-old homeowner was awakened Saturday …

The Associated Press

CHALMETTE, La. - The husband and wife owners of a ...

The Associated PressCHALMETTE, La. - The husband and wife owners of a nursing home near New Orleans were indicted Wednesday on charges of negligent homicide and cruelty in the deaths of 35 patients who perished in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Salvador and Mabel Mangano were initially arrested about two weeks after the Aug. 29, 2005, storm, but a grand jury was unable to convene for months because of damage to government buildings and the displacement of residents.

The couple, who remained free on bond Wednesday, owned St. Rita's nursing home in St. Bernard Parish, a coastal suburb of New Orleans badly flooded by Katrina.

Attorneys in the case were prevented from …

The Associated PressCHALMETTE, La. - The husband and wife owners of a ...

The Associated PressCHALMETTE, La. - The husband and wife owners of a nursing home near New Orleans were indicted Wednesday on charges of negligent homicide and cruelty in the deaths of 35 patients who perished in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.Salvador and Mabel Mangano were initially arrested about two weeks after the Aug. 29, 2005, storm, but a grand jury was unable to convene for months because of damage to government buildings and the displacement of residents.

The couple, who remained free on bond Wednesday, owned St. Rita's nursing home in St. Bernard Parish, a coastal suburb of New Orleans badly flooded by Katrina.

Attorneys in the case were prevented from …

Korea: Sweat-Absorbing/Quick Drying Casual Wear Gains Popularity

Casual wear and sportswear with sweat-absorbing and quick drying properties have won popularity in Korea. Apparel manufacturers expect that such items will cover the fall in sales of regular apparel. Daehan Synthetic Fiber Co., Ltd. put "Neo Cool" on the market in February, and Tongkook Corporation launched sales of "i-COOL" in March. A first comer in this field is Invista (formally Du Pont), which has been marketing "Cool Max" for ten years. Kolon Industries, Inc. and Hyosung Corporation have entered this field …

More or less perfect union.

The debate over whether to unionize the news staff at WDAF-TV Kansas City, Mo., went public last week, to the chagrin of management and anchor Mike Thompson-whose internal memo opposing a union shop was made public.

Sources say Thompson's four-page paper caused enough internal friction that general manager Stan Knott said no further memos would be posted either for or against the union. To organizers from the American Federation of Radio & Television Artists (AFTRA), that decision to stop the debate after Thompson's statement was unfair and illegal. The station rescinded the policy following AFTRA complaints. Still more friction ensued, however, when someone from the …

Catalina's experience a strength too big for Cabs to overcome.

Byline: Peter J. Stevenson

Mar. 7--Power in numbers is not an absolute. Catalina reinforced that view in a dominating 3-0 (25-15, 25-17, 25-23) win over the Caballeros on Tuesday at Flowing Wells. Entering the match, Catalina's roster boasted only seven players. Flowing Wells had twice as many. But having more bodies did not equal experience. "We're so young right now. They have to learn from their mistakes," said Flowing Wells coach Mark Martin. "In the third game, they proved it." After dropping the first two games, Flowing Wells (2-6) orchestrated a comeback.

Under the instruction of senior Daniel Ballenger, who would call out …

FUND-RAISING PARTIES FILL THE CALENDAR.(Living Today)(Calendar)

Byline: Frances Ingraham

CHARITABLE EVENING: The Ladies of Charity will sponsor its annual fund-raiser on Saturday

at Marian Hall, 700 New Scotland Ave., Albany, from 6 to 9 p.m.

The theme is New Year's Resolutions. Tickets are $25 per person from 482- 0686.

***

BENEFIT FOR THE HOMELESS: The TriStar Network will sponsor a benefit performance of "They're Playing Our Song" at the Cohoes Music Hall on Wednesday

for the Fund for the Homeless.

The 8 p.m. performance will be preceded at 6:30 p.m. by a cocktail party with coffee and desserts at intermission. Tickets are $50 per person from 877-5250 by today.

***

ANNUAL EVENT: The second annual reception for the benefit of the …

Cease-fire reported in Sadr City, offensive begins against al-Qaida in Mosul

Shiite groups brokered a reported cease-fire Saturday with militants fighting U.S. and Iraqi forces in Baghdad's Sadr City as the country's army launched an offensive in the northern city of Mosul against al-Qaida's main bastion in Iraq.

The cease-fire will go into effect Sunday, said Sheik Salah al-Obeidi, an aide to radical Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. The cease-fire may not necessarily end the seven-week old clashes in Sadr City, the stronghold of al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, as U.S. military has blamed clashes on breakaway groups.

The bulk of the 60,000-strong Mahdi Army is not believed to have participated in the clashes, instead adhering to a general …

Johnson Powers Up Sox

ATLANTA There was a telling moment three years ago when DanPasqua walked by the weight bench, and gazed suspiciously at 315pounds hovering over a 160-pound teammate.

"What are you going to do with that?" Pasqua asked LanceJohnson.

Up, down, up, down, up, down, came the silent reply.

"And I kept adding weight," Johnson said. "335, 345, 355. .."

And there was the day when clubhouse assistant Gabe Morellspotted Johnson doing fingertip push-ups.

"Non-stop," Morell said. "I did some laundry, came back fiveminutes later, and he was still doing them."

Morell said the most amazing thing he's ever seen was witnessingJohnson bench press …

Director finds family ties raises roof in 'Fiddler' production.

ONE of the things that makes Fiddler on the Roof such an enduring tale is the music.

"It's the musical of the people. For all that the songs are great, they're really simple. There's no great operatic figure in there. It's just ordinary people singing songs about their culture," says Ashleigh Downes, who will be playing the role of Tzeitel in the Cape Town Gilbert and Sullivan Society's staging of Fiddler on the Roof at Artscape Opera House from September 9 to October 1.

"I love the music, I haven't got bored of a single piece," she says.

This is the young performer's first turn on the musical theatre stage.

"I'm loving working on Fiddler. It …

MTM Entertainment is branching out from its core business of TV production with the creation of a music division and a consumer products division.(Brief Article)

MTM Entertainment is branching out from its core business of TV production with the creation of a music division and a consumer products division, Oscar-winning composer Al Kasha and lawyer Richard Schulenberg have been tapped to head the music division, which hopes to build a publishing library in …

HOLIDAY EVENTS.(CAPITAL REGION)

Here's a list of some of the events marking Independence Day:

TUESDAY The Clark Art Institute in Williamstown, Mass., will present an Independence Day concert at 6 p.m. The Paragon Brass Quintet will perform a program of patriotic American music. Visitors are encouraged to bring picnics, blankets and lawn chairs. For information, call (413) 458-9545. The Equine Sports Center in Saratoga Springs will play host to fireworks following the races at 6:40 p.m. For information, call 584-2110. WEDNESDAY Albany celebrates 25 years of fun and fireworks at Empire State Plaza. Grounds open at 4 p.m. The schedule for the evening: Cajun-flavored rock and blues from Captain Squeeze & the Zydeco Moshers at 6:30 p.m.; at 7:15 p.m., a naturalization ceremony welcomes new citizens; at 7:45 p.m., the Neville Brothers take the …

Corporate Payments: Easing, Expanding Use of E-Signatures: A double digital signature pilot from Citigroup and IdenTrust may prove a turning point in the quest to ease corporate treasury headaches and expand the transaction banking business.

About 150 global companies with multiple banking relationships have been drawn to the SWIFT network to interact with their banks, utilizing both SWIFT's accessibility and PKI-based security standards.

But those connections have been limited in use-no payment instructions, no exceptions processing-and still require corporates to adopt the proprietary interface to each SWIFT member's network. Since each bank on a corporate roster may require different levels of integration and security, treasurers have drawers filled with USB tokens and key fobs for authorized log-ins and transaction approvals.

But a newly launched SWIFT pilot program involving Citigroup and digital identity vendor …

Celebrity birthdays for the week of June 14-20

Celebrity birthdays for the week of June 14-20:

June 14: Actor Gene Barry is 90. Actress Marla Gibbs is 78. Actor Jack Bannon ("Lou Grant") is 69. Singer Rod Argent of The Zombies and Argent is 64. Singer Janet Lennon of The Lennon Sisters is 63. Businessman-TV personality Donald Trump is 63. Guitarist Barry Melton of Country Joe and the Fish is 62. Drummer Alan White of Yes is 60. Actor Eddie Mekka (Carmine on "Laverne and Shirley") is 57. Actor Will Patton is 55. Singer Boy George is 48. Actress Yasmine Bleeth is 41. Actress Traylor Howard ("Monk," "Two Guys And A Girl") is 38. Actor Daryl Sabara ("Spy Kids") is …

Alcohol Consumption and Alcohol-related Mortality in Canada, 1950-2000

ABSTRACT

Objective: To describe trends in overall alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality in Canada, and to test regional associations between per capita alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality.

Method: Alcohol sales for 1950-2000 were used to measure total alcohol consumption; alcohol-related mortality consisted of nine different alcohol-related causes of death for 1950-1998. Alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality were described for 1950-2000, and measures of dispersion were calculated to assess the homogeneity across regions.

Findings: Both alcohol consumption and alcohol-related mortality increased in all regions up to 1975-80 and …

Universities Targeted by Conservative Ad Campaign.(Brief Article)

WASHINGTON -- Conservative organizations that say top U.S. colleges are illegally using racial preferences in admissions are producing reports to support their claim and, in some cases, taking their case to the nation's college newspapers.

As a result, a committee appointed by the University of Virginia's (UVA) board of visitors plans to study whether the institution is violating the law by enforcing affirmative action in admissions.

The committee, established last month, will examine the university's admissions policies and examine whether board members could be held personally liable in a lawsuit.

The decision to form the committee came three days …

Product data brochure.(WHAT'S NEWS)

Thermal Ceramics

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

This company recently introduced its new and updated "Product Data Brochure 2007-2008 Edition." The brochure features comprehensive technical data on the company's U.S. and …

TALLEY BEATTY, 72; INNOVATIVE CHOREOGRAPHER.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: New York Times

NEW YORK Talley Beatty, a leading modern dance choreographer known for coolly empathetic portraits of inner-city people and for high-energy, technically demanding jazz innovations, died Saturday night at Roosevelt Hospital. He was believed to be 72, and lived in Manhattan.

The cause was complications from diabetes, said Glory Van Scott, a friend.

Beatty, described by Anna Kisselgoff, chief dance critic of The New York Times, as ``one of American dance's most brilliant talents,'' was best known for sleek jazz dances that exploded with fast stage crosses from which dancers peeled off for brief solos or ensembles before merging …

Euro rises slightly vs US dollar

The 16-nation euro rose slightly against the U.S. dollar Friday, but the American currency remained near three-month highs.

The euro bought $1.4357 in morning European trading, up from $1.4349 late in New York on Thursday _ when the shared currency dropped as low as $1.4305. That was the euro's lowest level since Sept. 7.

The British pound slipped to $1.6143 from $1.6156 in New York, while the dollar dropped slightly to purchase 89.75 Japanese yen from 89.96 yen the night before.

The dollar's strength Thursday came as markets brushed off U.S. reports pointing to a gradual recovery and focused instead on the unwinding of the U.S. Federal Reserve's …

Donation allows Hall to complete collection

Jeff Wolfson took his wife, children, parents and in-laws to theHall of Fame ceremonies earlier this month in Cooperstown, N.Y., andthey got the full VIP treatment. Which seems only fair becauseWolfson had just returned one of the most priceless baseballs in theHall's collection.

Wolfson, a trader on the Chicago Board Options Exchange who livesin Northbrook, is an avid collector of signed balls, and severalyears ago, when a friend offered to sell him a few he had purchasedat an auction, Wolfson bought them. Then last year, the FBI called.

Among the balls was the first signed by a president, WilliamHoward Taft in 1910, and it, along with balls signed by WoodrowWilson, …

SAVOR & SHARE.(Food)

For some of us, autumn brings the urge to light the oven and begin baking, so for our Oct. 15 Recipe Box we want to know how you use whole-wheat flour. Mail your recipes to Recipe Box, Times Union, P.O. Box 15000, Albany, NY 12212, or add them …

FILMMAKERS DON'T CRY OVER SPILLED CHAMPAGNE.(CAPITAL REGION)

Byline: MIKE HUREWITZ Staff writer

ALBANY -- It wasn't exactly a Hollywood moment Sunday afternoon when Marcus Hawran, bartender at The Ginger Man, spilled a half-glass of champagne on bartender Kate Cassidy.

In fact, it wasn't in the script at all.

With professional aplomb belying her volunteer status, Cassidy simply made sure it didn't short out the electronic equipment near her feet, and within seconds it was ``roll 'em.''

The moment of near-tragedy was not recorded for posterity. It will not be a part of the romantic comedy, ``Victoria Pool,'' a movie being filmed at The Ginger Man and for the next few days at a series of sites around …

New Orleans to scale back French Quarter cleanups

A multimillion-dollar budget hole is forcing New Orleans to scale back rigorous cleaning in the city's famed French Quarter.

Before Hurricane Katrina, it wasn't unusual for French Quarter streets to be littered and foul-smelling after a night's partying. But the scrubbing begun after Katrina has helped entice visitors to the crucial tourism area.

Mayor Ray Nagin said Monday the …