Monday, June 21, 2004 Ryan releases divorce records
Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan pressured his wife, actress Jeri Lynn Ryan, to have sex in clubs while others watched, she charged in divorce documents released Monday.
Segal convicted on all counts
A federal jury convicted insurance mogul Michael Segal on charges of mail fraud, wire fraud, tax conspiracy and racketeering Monday.
$1.4 mil. paid to firm run by felon
Chicago taxpayers paid more than $1.4 million to a company in the city's Hired Truck Program run by a former city employee who also is a convicted felon, records show.
Daley privatizing O'Hare custodial jobs
The Daley administration plans to lay off 293 O'Hare Airport custodians and turn over their jobs to a private contractor under a controversial move aimed at saving millions and sprucing up grungy washrooms.
Rocket plane makes first private spaceflight
MOJAVE, Calif.-- A rocket plane soared above Earth's atmosphere Monday in the first privately financed manned spaceflight, then glided back to Earth for an unpowered landing.
Power of blue also comes in red, green and brown
Go ahead. Keep adding blue-berries to everything from your morning cereal to hamburgers to get a healthy dose of antioxidants.
Wis. lake deaths called homicides
DaVinci Amde's colorful drawing of a clown, an art project made with tissue paper, hangs outside the door of his family's Humboldt Park apartment, perhaps a final comfort to his grieving mother.
Blue light pinpoints location of L train emergency button
headline:Blue light pinpoints location of L train emergency button
'We celebrate a father who gave his own life'
The community of Antioch Missionary Baptist Church on Sunday wrapped its arms around the families of the four parishioners who died last week while at a religious convention in Texas.
Gov's borrowing plan ripped
SPRINGFIELD -- Gov. Blagojevich's budget director John Filan will be 88 by the time Illinois taxpayers finally quit paying for part of his salary and millions of dollars in other paychecks doled out to state workers this year.
Clinton gets 'visibly angry' in British TV interview
Bill Clinton lost his temper during a TV interview when he was quizzed about his affair with Monica Lewinsky.
Iowan claims recruiter tricked him
CLINTON, Iowa -- A recent high school graduate is accusing an Army recruiter of tricking him into enlisting once he changed his mind about joining the military.
Longtime CAPS volunteer outraged by police raid on home
Reginald Mitchell is a longtime volunteer in the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy in the Austin neighborhood.
Space buffs trek to Mojave for private manned rocket flight
headline:Space buffs trek to Mojave for private manned rocket flight
Woman sues station for showing her photo in abuse story
A woman charged with shaking a baby left in her care has filed a defamation lawsuit against a Chicago television station because she claims it aired her photo with a story about a different abuse case.
Donations rise by highest rate in 3 years
Helped by an improving economy, charitable giving in the United States last year rose by the highest rate in three years, according to a national survey.
New Orleans launches a T-shirt named 'Desire'
NEW ORLEANS -- ''Desire'' means a lot in this town -- from the streetcar in Tennessee Williams' play to the name of a recently razed public housing project.
Northwest flight lands at Air Force base
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- A Northwest Airlines flight that was headed to Rapid City, S.D., landed a few miles off course at Ellsworth Air Force Base, and passengers had to wait in the plane for more than three hours while their crew was interrogated.
Military kicked out 10,000 since 'don't ask, don't tell' started
headline:Military kicked out 10,000 since 'don't ask, don't tell' started
Grandmother's remark leads to fight for ranch
SARITA, Texas -- Shortly before Ray Fernandez's grandmother died, he says she made a startling statement that made him question his family history.
Hundreds mark 40th anniversary of Mississippi civil rights slayings
headline:Hundreds mark 40th anniversary of Mississippi civil rights slayings
India, Pakistan to set up nuke hot line
NEW DELHI -- India and Pakistan will establish a nuclear hot line to reduce the risk of war, and the longtime South Asian rivals Sunday reaffirmed their commitments to an atomic testing moratorium -- steps forward in efforts to normalize relations.
Laws make Japan heartless for transplant candidates
TOKYO -- Miki Taira's dreams of becoming a nurse were shattered when she was diagnosed with leukemia at 19. Years of chemotherapy left her with a critically weakened heart. Now her friends are trying to raise $800,000 to pay for a heart transplant in the United States.
Lightning strike injures 19 in Colo.
KREMMLING, Colo. -- Four men were struck by lightning and 15 others suffered minor injuries while playing golf atop a bluff in northwest Colorado, officials said.
Philippines' president wins
MANILA, Philippines -- President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo won another term in office, according to a final election count announced Sunday. But the opposition, which has warned of a possible ''people power'' revolt, said its claims of electoral fraud were ignored and vowed to keep fighting.
Venezuelan leader, arch foe get together with Carter
CARACAS, Venezuela -- Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said Sunday he met with former President Carter and a media magnate who Chavez says is involved in a plot to kill him.
Israeli jets attack Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon
JERUSALEM -- Israeli warplanes attacked a suspected Hezbollah outpost in southern Lebanon on Sunday after the guerrilla group fired anti-aircraft shells at an army base in northern Israel, the army said.
Columbus' bell back in hands of Spanish auctioneers
MADRID, Spain -- The bell that rang out from Christopher Columbus' flagship Santa Maria when the explorer spotted America has been returned to Spanish auctioneers after a tangled legal dispute with Portugal, the auction house said Sunday.
Metro briefs
A 24-year-old Chinese national was taken into custody in Lexington, Ky., after a Chicago woman he reported missing was found dead in Indiana, authorities said Sunday. Dong Xhang, also of Chicago, is charged with one count of tampering with physical evidence and one count of falsely reporting an incident, police said. He remained in custody at the Fayette County Jail in Lexington on Sunday afternoon. Xhang, who was charged Thursday, is accused of falsely reporting the 24-year-old woman, also a Chinese national, missing June 4. The unidentified woman's body was found Saturday near Indiana 11, according to the coroner's office in Jackson County, Ind. The FBI and Indiana State Police found the body in a shallow grave about a mile south of Interstate 65. FBI officials said it appeared the woman's body was buried about two weeks ago. Chicago Police Department investigators, who are working with authorities from Indiana and Kentucky, were awaiting autopsy results and positive identification of the body before determining how to proceed, Chicago Police spokesman Carlos Herrera said. An autopsy is scheduled for today in Indianapolis.
Nation and world briefs
A 5-year-old boy playing with matches triggered a New York City apartment building fire that injured 19 people Sunday afternoon, a fire department chief said. Ten firefighters and nine civilians suffered minor injuries in the fire, which began at 3:46 p.m. in a six-story multiple-family dwelling in Manhattan. Sunday, June 20, 2004 Whites cashing in on minority contracts
On paper, Benchmark Construction Co. is run by Michael Smith, an African-American man.
Morales loses freedom but little else in Mexican jail
MEXICO CITY -- Marco Morales digs a few pesos out of his pocket, lifts his finger and orders a young man to fetch him some bottled water.
Police identify bound bodies found on Lake Michigan shore
PLEASANT PRAIRIE, Wis.-- A father and two sons from Chicago who were reported missing in May were found dead on the shore of Lake Michigan, their bodies bound together with rope and tied to bags filled with sand, police said Sunday.
Americans snap up affordable wine imports
But not just any wine. The River North resident favors whites, preferably from Australia and New Zealand, that are easy on the wallet and meant to be drunk every day.
Home surrounded in Saudi militant search
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- Police cars and armored vehicles flooded the al-Malaz neighborhood in the Saudi capital Sunday as security forces surrounded a house where suspected militants were believed to have taken refuge after a shootout with police.
Iraq to focus on fighting terrorism
BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's interim prime minister announced a restructuring of the country's security forces on Sunday, saying all Iraqi resources would be directed toward fighting terrorism.
Pomp, despite circumstance
It's graduation season, and thousands of families across the Chicago area are celebrating. For those graduates who also overcame major obstacles -- serious illness, mothering a child, surviving neglect or holding down nearly a full-time job -- the victory is that much sweeter.
New CTU chief wants to return to three basics
The days of a reformist Chicago Teachers Union may be coming to an end.
Public loves Clinton's 'demons'
The former president explains what led to his dangerous liaison at the White House in his autobiography coming out Tuesday.
Bodies of man, 2 kids found in Wis.
Three bodies tied together with nylon rope were found Saturday after they washed ashore along the Lake Michigan shoreline in southern Wisconsin.
. . . and other fatherly advice
If you ever watched "The Brady Bunch" or "The Cosby Show," you know that "Father Knows Best."
Daley hits back at critical column
Mayor Daley on Saturday defended his staff's handling of allegations brought to the city in recent years concerning illegal dealings by a city contractor, and he lashed out at a Chicago Sun-Times columnist.
Group sees 'grand entrance' to park at Meigs site
Rotary International has offered to create a "grand entrance" to the area where Meigs Field used to be -- complete with a bronze globe, 100 trees and 535 paving stones -- to commemorate the 100th birthday of the world's first service club.
Governor willing to keep Vandalia prison open
Gov. Blagojevich showed a new willingness Friday to keep the Vandalia prison Downstate open after more than four hours of closed-door budget meetings with the General Assembly's leaders.
Will County judge OKs dowry pledged in Muslim law
An attorney for a Will County woman is optimistic that Jordan courts will uphold a rare legal victory granting her client the right to a deferred dowry under Muslim religious law.
Puerto Ricans put pride on parade in living color
Trumpets blared, salsa dancers danced, bongo drums banged, beauty queens waved, antique, chrome-laden convertibles gleamed and kids on bicycles tooted their horns as all of them marched in the Puerto Rican Day Parade downtown Saturday.
Five traveling to reunion killed in I-57 crash
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- A pickup truck traveling in the wrong lane slammed into a car traveling to a family reunion Saturday, killing five of the six people inside.
Hastert urged to push assault weapons ban
About 25 Chicago area activists, including mothers and fathers who've lost children to gun violence, picketed in front of U.S. House Speaker J. Dennis Hastert's Batavia office Saturday to urge extension of the federal assault weapons ban.
Ex-chairman of Enron may face charges soon
HOUSTON -- Kenneth Lay, Enron Corp.'s founder and former chairman, could be indicted on charges stemming from its 2001 collapse by the end of this month, sources close to the case said Saturday.
Stores offer free blue bags for city recycling
Walgreens and Dominick's stores in Chicago are now bagging customers' purchases in blue shopping bags that can be used to recycle materials at city homes.
Israel plans high-tech Gaza Strip sentinels
JERUSALEM -- The Israeli army hopes to spin a web of new, unmanned weapons technology around its Gaza Strip border following a planned withdrawal, using remote-controlled vehicles, drone planes the size of children's toys and guard posts filled with high-tech sensors and weapons instead of soldiers.
Cloning fight rages in state legislatures
BATON ROUGE, La. -- Denny Bass' 9-year-old daughter has diabetes. So does Darell Hicks' 5-year-old daughter. But the two men are on opposite sides of the issue of stem-cell research using cloned human embryos.
Web ad attacks Cheney's daughter for not opposing gay marriage ban
headline:Web ad attacks Cheney's daughter for not opposing gay marriage ban
Senate to take up gay amendment
WASHINGTON -- The Senate in mid-July will take up a constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, forcing lawmakers to cast a tough political vote just weeks before the Democratic presidential convention in Massachusetts.
Whistleblowers could get a cut of IRS recovered taxes
WASHINGTON -- Suspect your company's cheating the IRS out of millions in taxes?
Raids far from border worry illegal immigrants
ONTARIO, Calif. -- Elidia Celestina peered from behind a window shade before opening the door a crack to a stranger. She leaves her apartment, for a rushed, nerve-racking trip to the store.
Slain activists remembered
PHILADELPHIA, Miss. -- The last thing Jewel McDonald's parents saw, that night in 1964 when her mother was nearly beaten to death, were white Ku Klux Klan robes fluttering in the dark as Klansmen ran toward her church.
First private manned space flight set to blast off Monday
LOS ANGELES -- The stuff of science fiction and children's adventure books could become reality this week high over the Mojave Desert, when a rocket plane points its nose toward space.
'In over their heads' climbers rescued from Mt. Rainier
LONGMIRE, Wash. -- A helicopter rescued two stranded climbers from Mount Rainier on Saturday, two days after they called for help, but rangers held out little hope for a third man.
Friends reap $489,600 for art they bought for $3,200
DUBLIN, N.H. -- The friends pooled their money and paid $3,200 for a painting at a church auction. Five months later, they put it up for sale at Sotheby's in New York. The winning bid: $489,600, more than 150 times what they paid.
Feds haul passenger off cruise ship in cuffs for marshmallow incident
headline:Feds haul passenger off cruise ship in cuffs for marshmallow incident
It's ladies' night and it's legal, N.J. Assembly says
TRENTON, N.J. -- It's unanimous: Women deserve a cheap drink, at least in New Jersey bars and restaurants.
Conjoined twins separated successfully at D.C. hospital
WASHINGTON -- Four-month-old twin girls who were joined from their chests to their abdomens were successfully separated in a six-hour surgery with no complications, doctors at Children's National Medical Center in Washington, D.C., announced Saturday.
Wilds of New England may hold lost treasure from French-Indian War
headline:Wilds of New England may hold lost treasure from French-Indian War
Metro briefs
Chicago Police were searching Saturday for a man who stabbed to death a woman in the Back of the Yards neighborhood earlier in the day. A witness heard the unidentified woman and the man arguing on the street in the 4900 block of South Racine around 1:30 a.m. The woman, thought to be between 25 and 30 years old, was later found slain on the street, the victim of multiple stab wounds, police said. Saturday, June 19, 2004 American beheaded by terrorists
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia-- An al-Qaida cell fulfilled its threat to kill an American hostage, beheading him and showing the grisly photos on the Internet. Saudi officials claimed they later gunned down four militants including the cell leader who allegedly masterminded Paul M. Johnson's kidnapping.
Cubs pitch new expansion plan
City-owned land next to Wrigley Field now used for players parking would be transformed into a Fenway Park-style pedestrian promenade bustling with shops and restaurants, under a refined stadium expansion plan that includes 1,980 more bleacher seats.
Chicago's murder, shooting rates drop
A Chicago Police Department study of violence in the city shows there have been fewer murders and shootings in the past year since new programs to target crime were initiated.
Morales may rat out city officials
Corrupt Chicago contractor Marco Morales says he would drop his efforts to fight extradition to the United States and talk to authorities about City Hall corruption if federal prosecutors are willing to strike a deal.
Arlington to improve dorms for track workers
Under fire for the condition of its backstretch housing, Arlington International Racecourse unveiled plans Friday to spend about $3 million to build two modern dorms for track workers and their families.
Clinton: I slept on couch after confession to Hillary
NEW YORK -- Bill Clinton says in his new autobiography that his wife looked as if he had punched her in the gut when he finally confessed to his affair with Monica Lewinsky, and he slept on the couch for at least two months after that.
Good samaritan died doing what came naturally
Tracy Gaucher knew something was wrong when her fiance was not at their Will County home Thursday morning.
'Focus now is walking that last walk with them'
The Dukes and the Deadmons were raised in the church, and Sunday, the church will wrap them with the only thing they know to do in a time like this, facing the loss of almost one entire family and another family's child: prayer.
Burke denies changing his position on Wal-Mart
Chicago's most powerful alderman said Friday he did labor leaders a favor when he kept alive a zoning change for a South Side Wal-Mart by giving them a chance to attach conditions such as the living wage and union neutrality to a redevelopment agreement.
Driving out of state? Roadwork jams traffic north, east, west
headline:Driving out of state? Roadwork jams traffic north, east, west
'Breakthrough' reported on state budget talks
Gov. Blagojevich showed a new willingness Friday to keep the Vandalia prison Downstate open after more than four hours of closed-door budget meetings with the General Assembly's leaders.
Iran scolded for lack of cooperation on nukes
VIENNA, Austria -- The International Atomic Energy Agency rebuked Iran on Friday for past cover-ups in its nuclear program and warned the Islamic republic it has little time left to disprove it has a nuclear weapons program.
EU constitution finally gets backing of leaders
BRUSSELS, Belgium -- European Union leaders agreed Friday on the first constitution for the reunited continent, spelling out the voting system and nations' rights for the bloc's 25 members but keeping out any reference to God, officials said.
Metro briefs
About 20,000 CTA customers were affected Friday when service along part of the Blue Line subway in the Loop was shut down during the afternoon rush hour when a train hit a man. Witnesses reported seeing a man take a running jump into the path of a train about 3:15 p.m., authorities said. Initially, power to the line was shut off northbound, while southbound trains continued on the line but did not stop at the closed Dearborn and Washington station. Southbound trains eventually were stopped at that point as well. Customers were shuttled by buses to open stations. Service was restored about 5:30.
Nation and world briefs
Before cheering troops at Fort Lewis in Washington state, President Bush got a strong endorsement on Iraq and a boost for his re-election campaign Friday from Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican courted by Democrat John Kerry to be his running mate. Friday, June 18, 2004 Captors behead U.S. hostage
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia-- An al-Qaida cell beheaded American engineer Paul M. Johnson Jr., and in a swift retaliation Saudi security forces tracked down and killed the leader of the terrorist group in a shoot-out Friday.
9/11 panel cites communication woes
WASHINGTON -- Blindsided by terrorists and beset by poor communications, officials were so slow to react on Sept. 11 that the last of four hijacked planes had crashed by the time Vice President Dick Cheney ordered hostile aircraft shot down, a bipartisan commission reported Thursday.
Samaritan killed crossing highway
A good samaritan rescued an alleged drunken driver from a burning wreck early Thursday on Interstate 55 in Will County.
Wrigley expansion proposed
The Cubs gave the city of Chicago a renovation proposal Friday that includes a 1,980-seat expansion of the bleachers, renovation of the exterior outfield walls and a new multipurpose building on the west side of the ballpark that would include a restaurant, parking garage and underground batting cages and pitchers' mounds.
Putin: Moscow warned U.S. about Iraqi terror plans
ASTANA, Kazakhstan-- Russia gave the Bush administration intelligence after the September 11 attacks that suggested Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq was preparing attacks in the United States, President Vladimir Putin said Friday.
Ryan won't fight release of divorce papers
Senate candidate Jack Ryan decided Friday not to appeal a California court's order unsealing potentially embarrassing child-custody records stemming from his 1995 divorce from television actress Jeri Lynn Ryan.
Fox vows to support Mexicans here
The last day of Mexican President Vicente Fox's Chicago visit was spent listening.
United's bailout bid turned down again
WASHINGTON -- United Airlines lost its bid for $1.6 billion in federal loan guarantees Thursday, a blow to the nation's second-largest airline as it tries to emerge from bankruptcy.
Hero dad died trying to save kids
First the 8-year-old girl slipped into the swirling pool. Then an 11-year-old friend reached down to help. Then her 13-year old brother struggled to save them both. And finally her father went under four times to find them all and never surfaced again.
Cop will pay back $25,000 he owes city
A Chicago police detective who cashed a retroactive paycheck two years ago -- and never said a word that it was $25,000 too high -- will not face disciplinary action because he has agreed to pay back the money, officials said Thursday.
Couple has goodnight kiss, but no tongue
ST. PAUL. Minn. -- A goodnight kiss turned into a man's nightmare when his girlfriend bit off part of his tongue.
Man allegedly raped teen while her mom was home
With his victim's mother asleep in another room, Dock Goodwin stole into a Chicago home and, brandishing a knife, pounced on a 14-year-old girl and raped her, Cook County prosecutors said Thursday.
U. of I. puts off decision on Illiniwek as protesters howl
As Chief Illiniwek protesters screamed their disapproval, the University of Illinois Board of Trustees again chose not to decide the controversial mascot's fate, opting to instead seek a "consensus'' on what to do about him.
Gov says budget may hinge on malpractice reform
byline:BY , LESLIE GRIFFY AND Staff Reporters
5 from Wheaton North accused of cutting trees
Five former Wheaton North High School students were charged Thursday in a Memorial Day weekend tree-cutting spree.
Murder charged after man killed in fight over parking spot
An argument over a parking spot at a late-night restaurant erupted into violence that left an Addison man dead, his older brother seriously injured and a Chicago futures trader facing murder charges, DuPage County authorities said Thursday.
Prosecutors tell jury to have no pity for 'robber baron' Segal
headline:Prosecutors tell jury to have no pity for 'robber baron' Segal
Death Row inmate freed by Ryan racks up 2nd arrest
Pardoned Death Row inmate Leroy Orange was charged this week with his second felony in the last five months.
Chicagoan held in fatal shooting after quarrel with man over relationship
headline:Chicagoan held in fatal shooting after quarrel with man over relationship
Students warned to beware scholarship scams
As college-bound students and their parents look for ways to pay the high price of tuition, Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine warned Thursday about con artists who charge fees to find scholarships and financial aid.
3 cops shot to death in Birmingham, Ala.
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- Three police officers were shot to death at a Birmingham house Thursday, and the sheriff said a suspect was taken into custody.
Burge unit had torture device, ex-cop hints
A former Area 2 Chicago Police detective said during his time with the department he saw a shocking device he believed was used to torture suspects, and that he heard "loud and unusual noises" coming out of the area's robbery office.
Fraud plagues effort to link poor schools to Net
WASHINGTON -- Beset by poor design and oversight, the federal program that connects schools and libraries to the Internet is a target for fraud and abuse, an independent review shows.
Officer shot twice in head during carjacking
An off-duty Chicago Police officer was shot in the head Thursday night during an attempted carjacking on the South Side and managed to drive to a nearby police station for help, officials said.
U.S. vows to shorten delays for immigrants
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration pledged Thursday to eliminate long application processing delays for millions of immigrants seeking work visas, legal residency or citizenship in the United States.
Great America mechanic dies
A ride mechanic at Six Flags Great America died in a roller coaster accident at the Gurnee amusement park.
All you need is credit card to get narcotics on Web
WASHINGTON -- Narcotics are easily bought without a prescription from online U.S. pharmacies, say congressional investigators who sometimes found stricter standards from Internet outlets in Canada.
Woman left for dead speaks out on abuse
MILWAUKEE -- A woman whose former husband has been accused of beating her and leaving her for dead says she wants to help other women avoid or get out of the type of abusive relationship she says she was in.
Belgian guilty of raping, killing girls
ARLON, Belgium -- A sensational trial into a series of abductions, rapes and murders of young girls that rocked Belgium's legal system ended Thursday with guilty verdicts against a convicted pedophile who was out on parole at the start of the spree.
High school smoking plunges, CDC says
ATLANTA -- Smoking among U.S. high school students has fallen to about one in five -- the lowest level in at least a generation -- in a drop-off the government attributes to anti-smoking campaigns and higher cigarette taxes.
Senate, House remain far apart on corporate tax bill
WASHINGTON-- Corporate tax bills passed in the Senate and in the House are widely divergent, starting with their most essential ingredients and extending into the many extras that hopped on for a ride.
Woman aims at squirrel but shoots herself
A 78-year-old Indiana woman tired of squirrels raiding her bird feeder got out her shotgun to kill the critter, but instead accidentally shot and injured herself.
Israelis want trench at Gaza border
JERUSALEM -- Israel published a bid Thursday for an 80-foot-deep, 2-1/2-mile-long trench between Egypt and Gaza aimed at blocking arms smuggling once Israel withdraws from the coastal strip next year.
Agency believes it's spotted new Iranian nuclear cover-up
VIENNA, Austria -- The U.N. atomic watchdog agency has information Iran may be engaging in a new nuclear cover-up near a military facility outside Tehran, diplomats familiar with the agency's work said Thursday as it prepared to rebuke Iran for hindering an international probe.
Camera-toting spaceship gets 150 miles from comet
WASHINGTON -- When scientists sent a spacecraft to get a close look at a comet, they thought they knew what they'd see. They were wrong.
Competitive eaters ready to take bite of Chicago
In the world of competitive eating, oysters, shrimp and even chili slide down one's throat with relative ease.
Missing 2-year-old boy found OK at gas station
COLUMBUS, Ga. -- A 2-year-old boy who was reported kidnapped in a carjacking and held for a $100,000 ransom was found safe Thursday outside a gas station in his hometown, authorities said.
Passion for privacy could thwart national cell phone directory
headline:Passion for privacy could thwart national cell phone directory
Metro briefs
A man already serving a 13-year sentence in Illinois for hiding bottles of cyanide in Chicago train tunnels was sentenced in Wisconsin Thursday to nearly 21 years for vandalizing utility equipment and causing dozens of power outages there. U.S. District Judge Lynn Adelman sentenced Joseph Konopka, 27, formerly of Hobart in Brown County, for six federal crimes, including arson, software piracy, destruction of property and vandalism. Konopka, a former computer systems administrator who went by the online name ''Dr. Chaos,'' pleaded guilty to the charges in December 2002. He is to serve the first nearly 11 years of the new sentence at the same time he finishes his 13-year prison term from Illinois. In all, he is to serve about 23 years in prison along with five years of supervised release in Illinois. The Wisconsin charges stem from a crime spree in which power substations, radio transmitters and utility facilities were damaged.
Nation and world briefs
An aunt and a store clerk testified Thursday in Redwood City, Calif., about Laci Peterson's recent jewelry inheritance as prosecutors appeared to be trying to establish a monetary motive for Scott Peterson to want his pregnant wife dead. A jewelry store clerk, Mary Anna Felix, said she remembered Laci Peterson bringing in items to be appraised and saying her husband wanted to know how much the jewelry was worth. Thursday, June 17, 2004 Bin Laden cut 10 hijackings to 4
WASHINGTON -- Rebuffing Bush administration claims, the independent commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks said Wednesday no evidence exists that al-Qaida had strong ties to Saddam Hussein.
Panel: Missteps stalled 9/11 response
WASHINGTON-- The terror strikes of Sept. 11, 2001 overwhelmed all immediate efforts at response or even full comprehension, a bipartisan commission reported Thursday, and the strikes spread such confusion that Vice President Dick Cheney mistakenly thought U.S. warplanes had shot down two aircraft.
County cop suspected of ties to gang-bangers
A Cook County sheriff's police officer is under investigation for running the license plates of federal agents conducting surveillance in a major sting on the Black Disciples street gang, sources said.
Documents to be unsealed in Ryan divorce case
LOS ANGELES -- A judge ruled Thursday that potentially embarrassing documents related to a custody battle involving Illinois Republican Senate candidate Jack Ryan and his ex-wife, actress Jeri Ryan, will be unsealed.
Panel rejects United loan guarantee request
WASHINGTON -- United Airlines lost its bid for $1.6 billion in federal loan guarantees Thursday, a blow to the nation's second-largest airline as it tries to emerge from bankruptcy.
CIA contractor charged in beating death of detainee
WASHINGTON-- A contractor working for the CIA was indicted Thursday in connection with the beating death of a prisoner in Afghanistan-- the first civilian to face criminal charges related to U.S. treatment of prisoners in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Fox delivers on promise: new Mexican consulate
Three years ago, Mexican President Vicente Fox promised Chicago's Mexican community they would have a dignified place to do business, vowing to build a new consulate general office that would replace the dirty, cramped North Michigan offices.
4 Chicagoans drown at Texas water park
A Chicago man and his two children, attending a National Baptist Sunday School convention in Fort Worth, Texas, died Wednesday along with another child after they were pulled from the bottom of a deep pool at a water park.
Settlement to pay $400 million in corn sweetener suit
Archer Daniels Midland Co. announced Thursday it will pay $400 million to settle a federal antitrust lawsuit that claimed the company conspired to fix the price of high fructose corn syrup, a sweetener used in products ranging from soft drinks to pasta sauces.
Trucking firm's status under fire
byline:BY , , AND Staff Reporters
'Our case is a great case,' feds say
A key figure in the racketeering case against Chicago insurance executive Michael Segal wasn't called to the witness stand because the prosecution's case is so strong it didn't need him, a prosecutor said Wednesday.
U. of I. dodges yes-or-no vote on Illiniwek
The University of Illinois board of trustees ducked taking a yes-or-no vote on retiring its divisive Chief Illiniwek on Thursday and instead called on supporters and opponents of the Native American mascot to bring the issue to a "consensus conclusion."
Millennium Park bean a little underdone
Chicago's "Bean'' won't be quite cooked by Millennium Park's grand opening next month.
Businessman accused of minority contract fraud
A Country Club Hills window installer thought he was living a dream when his boss helped him start his own company.
Colorado prez says slur can be 'term of endearment'
DENVER -- The University of Colorado president began to cry during an interview after the release of a transcript that showed her refusing to condemn a football player's alleged use of a vulgar anatomical term to describe a female teammate.
U. of I. eyes Illiniwek alternatives
Or he could move beyond football games and become an ambassador for the University of Illinois.
Cops: Man admits strangling teen girlfriend
A man accused of strangling his pregnant 14-year-old girlfriend nearly four years ago on the South Side has confessed to the crime after the Chicago Police Cold Case Squad hunted him down in Texas, officials say.
Cowboys' language was as dirty as their boots
On the critically acclaimed HBO Western "Deadwood,'' the 19th century characters rarely get three words out of their mouths without one of them being an expletive.
Family sues county over drowning death
Nine months after an Oak Park man drowned in a south suburban lake while trying to free up a remote-controlled boat, his family is suing the Cook County Forest Preserve District for negligence.
Natarus reverses on late licenses
In January 1993, Ald. Burton F. Natarus (42nd) told a federal court that he pressured City Hall to push through a 4 a.m. liquor license for a Division Street bar "at all costs" as a favor to 1st Ward power brokers.
Suspect says victim was alive when he left her
A suburban man charged with kidnapping and fatally beating his girlfriend's mother told investigators Linda Duchaine was still alive when he dumped her in an abandoned Kane County farmhouse, officials said Wednesday.
Child-welfare providers decry DCFS budget cuts
Gov. Blagojevich has repeatedly said his state budget would help schoolkids and struggling families, but the latest version of his spending plan cuts $101.7 million from the Department of Children and Family Services.
Hopes dashed for budget solution
byline:BY , AND LESLIE GRIFFY Staff Reporters
Arts majors more in touch with spirituality
Mention the words "existential angst" or "spiritual quest" to this group of Northwestern University fine arts majors and they burst into laughter -- and groans.
Daley, Fox exchange goodwill gifts of box, tile
When a foreign dignitary visits Chicago he brings a gift, and the mayor usually gives a gift in return.
Accused mom enters rehab
A Crystal Lake mother charged earlier this year in the death of her emaciated, disabled son has entered a rehab program for alcohol abuse, her attorney said Wednesday.
State stem cell research bill renamed for Reagan
Hoping to capitalize on the outpouring of affection for Ronald Reagan, state legislators have attached the late president's name to a controversial stem cell research bill.
Hastert's assets make him pauper compared with rival
WASHINGTON -- There's more than one way to please a congressman with gifts. Donors contributed to Majority Leader Tom DeLay's legal defense fund. Wedding guests gave presents when Majority Whip Roy Blunt married a lobbyist. And, strange as it may seem, a London casino provided a ''gift'' to the lawmaker in charge of House operations.
Jehovah's Witnesses banned in Moscow
MOSCOW -- Reflecting increased pressure on religious minorities in a country dominated by the Russian Orthodox Church, a Moscow court Wednesday upheld a ban on activities by the Jehovah's Witnesses in the capital.
U. of C. program named after scholar
A world-renowned Latin American history scholar rubbed shoulders with history in the flesh Wednesday -- and got a good review of his book.
Blind driver cruises city in golf cart
PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. -- A blind man was charged with reckless conduct after he drove a golf cart through the city with help from an inebriated friend.
9 million bees buzz driver after truck carrying hives overturns
headline:9 million bees buzz driver after truck carrying hives overturns
'Lost Boys' refugees of N.D. cope with rape case
FARGO, N.D. -- Chol Deng Chol fled civil war in Sudan with dreams of getting an American education and one day returning home to help repair his country.
Clinton: I cheated for worst reason
NEW YORK -- Former President Bill Clinton called his marital infidelity a "terrible moral error'' whose disclosure to his wife put him "in the doghouse,'' during an interview scheduled for this Sunday's "60 Minutes.''
Europe blasts Iran over nukes
VIENNA, Austria -- Europe's three major powers shrugged off Iranian threats of retaliation Wednesday and put the final touches on a tough resolution rebuking Tehran for continued nuclear cover-ups.
Firm to pay $50,000 in gas-leak suit
The former owner of Illinois service stations Attorney General Lisa Madigan said leaked gasoline into soil and groundwater has agreed to pay $50,000 to settle a lawsuit.
House votes to allow contract for Accenture
WASHINGTON -- A drive to block a massive federal contract awarded to Accenture LLP for tracking visiting foreigners was all but scuttled Wednesday by the House, despite arguments that the company should be punished for avoiding some U.S. taxes.
Jenna Bush's bodyguards stop thieves in Spain
MADRID, Spain -- Bodyguards for President Bush's daughter were entangled in a fist fight with two men trying to steal a cell phone in southern Spain, a U.S. Embassy official said Tuesday.
Russia's richest man starts trial weighted with politics
MOSCOW -- Caged together in a small, stuffy courtroom, two billionaires went on trial Wednesday in a politically charged case that will send signals to investors about the Kremlin's power over the economy.
U.S. family time off trails other nations'
BOSTON -- U.S. workers have fewer legal rights to time off for family matters than workers in most other countries, and rank near the bottom in pregnancy and sick leave, a Harvard School of Public Health study found.
Saudi women heard but not seen at conference
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia -- One woman criticized rules that keep Saudi women from teaching boys. Another said working women should be allowed to do more than teach. Still others called for more rights for divorced women.
101-year-old skydives into record books
CAIRNS, Australia -- A 101-year-old man is believed to be the world's oldest skydiver after he accepted a dare from friends and jumped out of an airplane Wednesday at nearly 10,000 feet.
Metro briefs
A Chicago man accused of hiring a hit man to kill his common law wife apparently picked the wrong friend to help him: a police informant. Bill Conroy, 41, appeared in Cook County Criminal Court Wednesday on a charge of solicitation of murder for hire. Judge Neil Linehan set Conroy's bail at $500,000. Prosecutors said Conroy was upset with his common-law wife and his brother-in-law, believing both were responsible for his losing his job. Conroy allegedly approached the informant some time before June 9. The informant then went to police, who set Conroy up with a police officer posing as a hit man, prosecutors said. Conroy met with the officer Tuesday in Chicago, and Conroy allegedly asked the officer to kill his common law wife and to make it look like a drive-by shooting, prosecutors said. Conroy offered to give the hit man a box of guns he had stored in Wisconsin, prosecutors said. Conroy also allegedly said he planned to kill the brother-in-law, prosecutors said. The meeting between Conroy and the undercover officer was captured on videotape, prosecutors said.
Nation and world briefs
Israel's opposition Labor Party backed Prime Minister Ariel Sharon in a crucial vote Wednesday. It boosted Sharon's plan to pull out of the Gaza Strip.
Protest, praise mark Fox's visit
Trying to drown each other out with chants for and against President Vicente Fox, a group of about 150 Mexicans weathered a humid Wednesday afternoon outside the new Mexican consular offices for a glimpse of the man of the hour. Wednesday, June 16, 2004 9/11 panel: No Iraq-Bin Laden alliance
WASHINGTON-- Bluntly contradicting the Bush administration, the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks reported Wednesday there was "no credible evidence" that Saddam Hussein had ties with al-Qaida.
Saboteurs stage new attack on oil pipeline
BAGHDAD, Iraq-- Saboteurs blasted a key southern pipeline for the second time in as many days Wednesday, shutting down Iraq's oil exports, and gunmen killed a security chief for the state-run Northern Oil Co.
Neighbors protest new bank
byline:BY CHERYL V. JACKSON, AND TAMMY CHASE Staff Reporters
Segal attorneys say a lot missing from case
Defense attorneys for Chicago insurance executive Michael Segal and his insurance brokerage pounded the prosecution's case on Tuesday, less for what was in the case, than what was missing.
Four people drown at Fort Worth water attraction
FORT WORTH, Texas-- A man and three children attending a National Baptist Sunday School convention died Wednesday after they were pulled from the bottom of a deep pool at a downtown water park.
Sun-Times inflated circulation numbers
For years, executives at the Chicago Sun-Times inflated the newspaper's circulation figures, its parent company revealed Tuesday.
Chicago officials travel to Mexico in bribes probe
MEXICO CITY -- Officials from the Chicago inspector general's office will make an unprecedented trip out of the country Friday to question corrupt city contractor Marco Morales about bribes he's admitted paying City Hall officials.
Mexican leader rose from rural roots to heights of power
After all, it had been more than 70 years since a party other than the ruling PRI had won the presidency. And Fox didn't have the pedigree that had been required. He grew up on the ranches of Guanajuato and worked on a delivery truck for Coca-Cola.
Administration vetoes do-not-spam registry
WASHINGTON -- The Bush administration said Tuesday it will not create a national do-not-spam registry to discourage unwanted e-mail, fearing it could backfire and become a target list for new victims.
Museum of Science and Industry fights for its future
Aiming to update itself, the Museum of Science and Industry is in the planning stages of a multimillion-dollar improvement campaign.
AMA supports adoption rights for gay partners
Boston medical student Jana Montgomery was working in the emergency room when a five-year-old car accident victim was brought in.
Kirk asks feds to probe beach closings
Science is being summoned to the growing debate over whether that's really "cheesehead" E. coli fouling our beaches, or if that allegation even holds water.
Stroger ordered lobbying against bill county backed
Lobbyists hired by Cook County to promote an affordable housing bill ended up actually lobbying against it, commissioners learned Tuesday.
Ink expert in Stewart case pleads not guilty
NEW YORK-- A Secret Service ink expert pleaded not guilty Wednesday to charges that he lied repeatedly while testifying for the prosecution at the Martha Stewart trial.
Schakowsky wants action against toys with lead
Following a Sun-Times story showing dangerous levels of lead in toys sold in gumball machines, Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.) Tuesday asked the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to take immediate action to eliminate the threat of lead in such toys.
Apes in new exhibit waste no time showing off
The $25.7 million ape house at Lincoln Park Zoo won't be open for two weeks, but the apes are already putting on a show.
Teacher travels 7,000 miles for students' graduation
Among the yellow-and-purple graduation robes, math teacher Launder Carter's tan desert fatigues stood out at an Englewood elementary school Tuesday.
Panel probing Loop blaze interviews former fire chief
A Cook County commission investigating a deadly Loop high-rise fire has interviewed retired Fire Commissioner James Joyce and is now seeking to question the Illinois State Police crime lab chemist who found traces of gasoline in fire debris.
Man charged in sex case that raised library privacy issues
A man was arrested Tuesday on charges that he fondled himself while looking at pornography in a Naperville public library -- a month after the police investigation raised issues about the privacy of library patrons.
Site-seeing Web inventor finally takes a bow
HELSINKI, Finland -- Tim Berners-Lee, who received a $1.2 million cash prize Tuesday for creating the World Wide Web, says he would never have succeeded if he had charged money for his inventions.
Web site finds speakers of the not-so-foreign languages in U.S.
headline:Web site finds speakers of the not-so-foreign languages in U.S.
Clearing of Sharon could speed Gaza withdrawal
JERUSALEM -- Israel's attorney general dropped a corruption case against Ariel Sharon on Tuesday, ending months of uncertainty over the prime minister's political future and boosting prospects for an Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip in 2005.
Falling gas prices 'turning a corner'?
WASHINGTON -- Gasoline prices, which dipped under $2 a gallon for the first time in weeks, ''may be turning a corner'' and should continue declining this summer, though motorists shouldn't expect dramatic decreases, the Energy Department said Tuesday.
New Social Security cards too easy: critics
WASHINGTON -- People who lose their Social Security cards could get a new one every week if they wanted, a threshold that members of Congress and privacy advocates say should be limited substantially.
USDA labels french fries as veggie
WASHINGTON -- Batter-coated french fries are a fresh vegetable, according to the Agriculture Department, which has a federal judge's ruling to back it up.
Scott was quick to offer alibi evidence, officer says
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- As police swarmed about his house after his pregnant wife vanished, Scott Peterson quickly produced evidence for an alibi -- but authorities were suspicious and immediately began checking his story.
Road debris blamed for 25,000 crashes a year
WASHINGTON -- A hunk of tread off a tire. A bag of garbage. A chunk of scrap metal.
City Hall pleads ignorance about bribe accusations
A federal grand jury issued a subpoena two years ago for city records about a contractor now claiming to have paid $50,000 a year in payoffs to former Deputy Transportation Commissioner Tony Pucillo, City Hall acknowledged Tuesday.
Civil War widow comes forward with claim
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. -- News reports that the last widow of a Civil War soldier had died last month in Alabama prompted relatives of an Arkansas woman to verify her claims, kept private for decades, that her late husband also was a veteran of that conflict.
Fitzgerald buys property in Virginia
WASHINGTON -- Retiring Sen. Peter Fitzgerald last year made more than $5 million in capital gains and dividends from the sale of bank stock and paid as much as $5 million for a possible home site in Virginia, his financial disclosure forms show.
Frequent fliers to Britain getting fast-tracked
LONDON -- Regular foreign travelers to Britain will be able to gain fast-track entry next year by opting into a new biometric identification system.
Hog neighbors win case after raising stink
LINCOLN, Neb. -- The owner of farms housing thousands of hogs must pay damages to 11 neighbors who said the stench forced them indoors, the state Court of Appeals said Tuesday.
Lloyd's offers chest hair insurance
LONDON -- Forget (if you can) Jennifer Lopez's bottom and Betty Grable's legs. Underwriters at Lloyd's of London have come up with the ultimate celebrity cover: chest hair insurance.
N. Korea halts DMZ broadcasts with one last salvo at U.S.
SEOUL, South Korea -- With warm words for South Korea, North Korean loudspeakers blared a final propaganda message that reverberated across the demilitarized zone just before midnight: ''We, from one blood and using one language, can no longer live separated.''
U.N. nuclear agency likely to censure Iran
VIENNA, Austria -- Diplomats said they were near agreement Tuesday on a toughly worded draft resolution to censure Iran rather than punish it for its lack of cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Union kills French premier's power
PARIS -- Electricity workers cut power to the French prime minister's house, occupied electric plants and marched in cities nationwide on Tuesday to protest the conservative government's plans to partially privatize public utilities.
White House says Cheney wasn't told of Halliburton pact
WASHINGTON -- Vice President Dick Cheney's chief of staff was told in 2002 that Cheney's former company would receive no-bid work to secretly plan restoration of Iraq's oil facilities, but the information wasn't given to the vice president, a White House official said Tuesday.
Doctor who faked epidemic honored
The American Medical Association is honoring a doctor who faked an epidemic -- to save lives.
Metro briefs
Some evidence that investigators hope will help them solve the slaying of a 3-year-old Will County girl has been shipped to an FBI lab in Quantico, Va., for analysis, a law enforcement source says. Riley Fox vanished from her Wilmington home early June 6. Her body was found hours later in a creek about three miles from the home she shared with her father, mother and 7-year-old brother. An autopsy indicated that she was drowned, and authorities concluded her death was a homicide. Since her death, investigators have conducted several searches of Forked Creek, where her body was found, as well the surrounding Forsythe Woods Forest Preserve. Also on Tuesday, officials said the discovery of a body in a drainage ditch a few miles from Wilmington in unincorporated Grundy County doesn't appear to be connected to the little girl's slaying. An autopsy found no signs of trauma on the body of the 26-year-old Braidwood man, who disappeared in March.
Nation and world briefs
The fund set up to compensate Sept. 11 victims will end up paying about $6.9 billion to more than 5,500 people, officials announced Tuesday. About 97 percent of the families of the nearly 3,000 people killed signed on with the fund, giving up the chance to sue airlines and security companies for alleged negligence. The average payment for a death is about $2.1 million. Tuesday, June 15, 2004 Daley: 'I'll uncover any bad apple'
Mayor vows to investigate from the top down allegations of widespread bribery -->
High levels of lead in children's trinkets
They're hard for children to resist, those 25- and 50-cent trinkets that beckon as kids wait with Mom or Dad at the checkout lines of grocery and discount stores. But many of those kiddie rings, bracelets and necklaces sold in gumball-type machines contain potentially toxic levels of lead, laboratory tests done for the Chicago Sun-Times show.
Prosecution calls Segal liar, thief
Chicago insurance executive Michael Segal, contending he didn't know the truth behind a huge deficit in a key company account, is like a piano player in a whorehouse pretending he doesn't know what's going on upstairs, a federal prosecutor argued Monday in closing arguments in Segal's trial.
U.S. declines to create do-not-spam list
WASHINGTON-- The Bush administration said Tuesday it will not create a national do-not-spam registry to discourage unwanted e-mail, fearing it could backfire and become a target list for new victims.
Companies that sell high-tech body scans draw AMA's scrutiny
headline:Companies that sell high-tech body scans draw AMA's scrutiny
'Under God' kept in Pledge by justices
WASHINGTON-- The Supreme Court on Monday allowed millions of schoolchildren to keep affirming loyalty to one nation "under God" but dodged the underlying question of whether the Pledge of Allegiance is an unconstitutional blending of church and state.
Beach closings blamed on Wisconsin
Mayor Daley blamed the city of Milwaukee on Monday for weekend Chicago beach closings.
DNA may not help convicted men, prosecution says
DNA evidence a defense attorney hopes will help clear two men convicted in a 1990 South Side sexual assault and murder is "troubling," but may not mean much, the Cook County state's attorney's office said Monday.
Union boss calls Burke's flip-flop on Wal-Mart 'betrayal'
Chicago's most powerful labor leader is accusing the City Council's most powerful alderman of "betrayal" for championing, then abandoning the fight to keep Wal-Mart out of Chicago and singlehandedly keeping alive a South Side zoning change.
Lettuce restaurants to open in Minn. groceries -- then maybe here
headline:Lettuce restaurants to open in Minn. groceries -- then maybe here
Army redesigns camouflage with pale 'digital' look
WASHINGTON -- The Army revealed on Monday a redesigned combat uniform with a digital camouflage pattern that looks strikingly different from soldiers' current battle dress uniforms.
Boy injured while rescuing young friend dies
A 6-year-old boy who was found under water after he managed to rescue a young friend from a swimming pool has died, according to authorities.
Huge American Indian literature collection lands at UIC
Potawatomi Chief Simon Pokagon's father, Leopold, sold what is now Chicago to the U.S. government for 3 cents an acre in 1833.
After 40 years on the beat -- hope
As a child, William Freeman played in the dirt that would later be tilled into the Henry Horner Homes.
Long wait for diploma well worth it for graduates of school for blind
headline:Long wait for diploma well worth it for graduates of school for blind
Maryville says goodbye to its last state ward
The last state ward in the residential treatment program at Maryville Academy's Des Plaines campus left Monday, leaving virtually empty the well-known facility that's treated abused and troubled children since 1883.
U.S. funds planes to fight Colombian drug war
The United States will finance three planes worth almost $17 million to help Colombia eradicate opium poppies, Rep. Henry J. Hyde said Monday.
Former agent sues ATF, wants job back
A former federal employee filed a lawsuit Monday alleging that he suffered from retaliation on his job after he helped uncover his supervisor's financial wrongdoing.
Parents hold out hope on woman missing 13 months
Not a day goes by that Juanita and Stuart McLees of Downers Grove don't think of their daughter, Martha McLees.
Bush paints a glowing portrait of the Clintons
WASHINGTON -- With old political grudges left unmentioned, former President Bill Clinton returned to the White House for the first time Monday and listened with delight as President Bush praised him for his knowledge, compassion and ''the forward-looking spirit that Americans like in a president.''
Ex-coach gets to appeal Title IX case
*Agreed to hear an appeal from a former girls' basketball coach who says federal law gives him a right to sue on claims he was unjustly fired after complaining that his players received inferior facilities and equipment than the boys' teams.
Iran likely to get reprimand -- not sanctions -- for nukes
VIENNA, Austria -- A key meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency moved Monday toward a sharp rebuke of Iran for delaying a probe into its suspect nuclear activities. Delegates said Tehran would likely get off with a reprimand instead of sanctions.
Police say Petersons' was 'model home'
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. -- Two of the first officers to search Scott Peterson's house in the hours after his wife vanished described a ''model home'' with little out of place. One of them said his fishing story didn't quite add up.
Ryan admits shadowing opponent was disrespectful
SPRINGFIELD -- Having a staffer film Senate candidate Barack Obama's every public move was disrespectful, GOP rival Jack Ryan admitted Monday after a leading Republican belittled the tactic and accused him of running a "bonehead campaign."
Billboards urge avoiding sex with underage girls
RICHMOND, Va. -- The state is posting billboards with messages such as ''Isn't she a little young?'' as part of a campaign to dissuade men from having sex with underage girls.
300 line up to visit Reagan tomb
SIMI VALLEY, Calif. -- President Ronald Reagan's hilltop library reopened Monday, admitting hundreds of admirers who solemnly stopped at his tomb in a Flag Day pilgrimage.
Baker battered by Atkins fights back with 'Da Vinci Diet'
PORTLAND, Maine -- A baker who lost nearly half his customers to the low-carb craze has tapped Dan Brown's best-selling novel for an Atkins alternative called the ''Da Vinci Diet'' that he hopes will bring people back to bread.
GOP, Democratic senators united by money
WASHINGTON -- Senators' financial disclosure reports showed anew Monday how wealthy most of them are, with nuggets like a $1,059.75 Taurus and the gift of a sled dog buried amid trust funds, blind trusts and real estate holdings.
Israel kills militant, extends wall
JERUSALEM -- An Israeli air strike in the West Bank late Monday killed two Palestinian militants, including a local leader, as Israel started building the most controversial section of its separation barrier, confiscating Palestinian land.
Mars funding solution: Find corporate cash
WASHINGTON -- A White House panel of space experts, wrestling with questions about how to pay for expeditions to the moon and Mars, wants NASA to give private companies a broader role and a greater share of the financial burden.
Population soars toward 300 million
WASHINGTON -- Explosive growth among Hispanics and Asian Americans fueled a surge in the U.S. population between 2000 and 2003 as the national count pushed closer to 300 million.
Solve for x and let the laughs begin
LONDON -- Scientists have developed what they claim is the mathematical formula for the perfect joke. The equation they have formulated, x = (fl + no) / p, takes into account the length of the joke's build-up, the comedic value of the punch line and the groan-inducing qualities of puns.
White House firm on stem cells
WASHINGTON -- The White House rejected calls Monday from Ronald Reagan's family, Sen. John Kerry and 57 other senators to relax President Bush's restrictions on stem-cell research in pursuit of potential cures for illnesses.
Orange you glad this cauliflower isn't white?
ALBANY, N.Y. -- Do not adjust your set. That cauliflower on your plate really is orange.
Slaying prompts calls for more oversight of magazine solicitors
headline:Slaying prompts calls for more oversight of magazine solicitors
Metro briefs
Chicago taxicab fares would rise by 13.9 percent -- the first increase in four years -- under a proposal unveiled Monday by struggling cabdrivers. After submitting the signatures they need to petition the City Council, cabbies made a formal proposal. They want to increase the cost of entering a cab, known as the "flag-pull," from $1.90 to $2.50 and raise the charge-per-mile from $1.60 to $1.80. The charge for each additional passenger would double -- from 50 cents to $1. Even with the 13.9 percent increase, the average cab fare in Chicago would remain behind six other cities, drivers contend. After verifying the signatures, Chicago aldermen will have 60 days to open hearings.
Nation and world briefs
The Honduran ringleader in the nation's deadliest immigrant-smuggling scheme pleaded guilty Monday in connection with the May 2003 deaths of 19 people abandoned in a sweltering truck trailer. Karla Patricia Chavez, 26, could get up to life in prison without parole at sentencing Sept. 13.
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