Shoppers check selves out // New high-tech registers use customers as grocery clerks

MORROW, Ga. Shoppers wheel their carts up slowly and eye the newcheck-out lane in the Kroger Food Store with a good deal ofsuspicion.

There is nobody to ring up the groceries. Nobody to say, "Pricecheck register six." Nobody to say, "Have a nice day."

It is the shopper and a video screen. One-on-one. This isself-service check-out.

Welcome to high-tech grocery shopping.

It's a little like going to the video arcade for a can of peas.

"One older lady came in and had a ball with it," said Pete Wenz,an engineer with CheckRobot, the Florida company that designed thedo-it-yourself check-out system.

The new system, called Expressit, made …

A Gutsy Russian Effort at Worlds

STUTTGART, Germany - Limping slowly on a severely wounded knee, Nikolai Kryukov dragged himself up the stairs, stopped when he reached the top and raised his hand to salute the judges on the floor exercise.

All that work to get a 0.0.

A disabling injury to one of Russia's best gymnasts, along with a similarly bad break for teammate Anton Golotsutskov, left the Russians without a complete team in qualifying Monday and in danger of missing team finals at the world gymnastics championships.

"No good," said Maxim Deviatovski, one of the few Russians to make it through unscathed.

Russia finished the first day with 362.175 points, in third place and a full …

Dollar gains on support from Russian official

The dollar mostly rose Monday after the Russian finance minister voiced his support for the currency, even as the U.S. government said foreigners' dollar-denominated holdings fell in April. Sliding stock markets also fueled dollar buyers.

The 16-nation euro dropped to 1.3841 from 1.4010 late Friday, while the British pound slipped to $1.6342 from $1.6450.

However, the dollar slipped to 97.98 Japanese yen from 98.24 yen.

Russian Finance Minister Kudrin said over the weekend it was too early to think of a reserve- currency alternative to the dollar, said UBS analysts, and he said the greenback was in good shape before the start of a meeting of …

The Game Goes On!

What strike?

The dreams of the Alsip Dodgers and the Alsip Braves havenothing to do with arbitration or free agency. Team members are moreinterested in baseball caps than salary caps. They love the game.

The Alsip …

Belarus freezes plan to give up uranium stockpile

MINSK, Belarus (AP) — Belarus has suspended an effort to fully give up its Soviet-era stockpile of highly enriched uranium with U.S. assistance in response to new American sanctions, the government said Friday.

Belarus will make sure the material is stored securely in line with its international commitments, the Foreign Ministry said.

The U.S. has conducted a longtime effort to secure nuclear materials in former Soviet nations to prevent them from falling into the wrong hands.

"We are disappointed with Belarus' announcement," U.S. State Department spokeswoman Heide Bronke Fulton said in Washington. "We hope that Belarus intends to meet its stated objective of the …

Fed cuts key rate by quarter-point and says economic activity remains weak

The Federal Reserve cut a key interest rate by a quarter-point, a smaller move than the aggressive easing it undertook earlier this year.

The Fed action, announced Wednesday after a two-day regular meeting, pushed the federal funds rate down to 2 percent, its lowest level since late 2004. It marked the seventh consecutive rate cut by the central bank since it began easing credit conditions last September to combat the growing …

Bread making not so difficult, after all

"That's so difficult and time-consuming," people say when I givethem a loaf of homemade bread.

Not so. Bread-making stymies many a cook, but in truth, there isnothing to fear.

Probably the most common cause of bread failure is one simplemistake, killing the yeast with too-hot water. Better to err on theside of water that is too cool - though the bread won't rise as fastas it would have with lukewarm water. Remember the old saw aboutflicking a drop of liquid onto the wrist to see if a baby's bottleis warm enough? That's the temperature you want for bread. If it istoo hot for your wrist, or for a baby, it is too hot for bread.

Another good way to make bread is …

One Girl Babylon

One Girl Babylon by Ruth Ellen Kocher New Issues Poetry & Prose, Western Michigan University, November 2003 $14.00, ISBN 1-930-97433-7

Kocher delivers concentrated doses of unadorned reality-not necessarily harsh and brutal but hardly always pretty, cither. Her poems play out in short bursts of writing that are intense, clean and sparing, creating an uneasy jazz. They hit notes that test readers, yet draw us in deeper. "Song of Evelyn, Upstairs" weaves two voices-a sassy subject and an introspective speaker: "Evelyn of voices/ of men/ I have plenty/ one with a big long car that's white/ and I look good in/ I will say that twice/ because I do look good/ in that car/.../ madonna …

McCain campaign calls Palin affair 'vicious lie'

John McCain's campaign is denying a tabloid report that vice president candidate Sarah Palin had an extramarital affair. "It's a vicious lie," spokesman Steve Schmidt said.

The campaign is considering legal action, the senior adviser added.

The National Enquirer wrote in its edition dated Sept. 15 that Palin had an affair with a business associate of her husband, Todd Palin. He …

Masjor Leagues

mets 9, pirates 8

10 innings

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Soldier Testifies Killings Were Planned

FORT CAMPBELL, Ky. - A staff sergeant gave soldiers the option of taking part in the shooting of three Iraqi detainees before the killings took place, a soldier testified Wednesday.

Staff Sgt. Ray Girouard, 24, called members of his squad into a meeting near Samarra, Iraq, in May and said the three men were going to be shot after they were freed, Pfc. Juston Graber testified. Girouard said Spc. William Hunsaker and Pfc. Corey Clagett were going to shoot the men, but other soldiers had the option to take part or leave, Graber said.

Girouard, 24, who is charged with murder, is the last and most senior soldier from the 101st Airborne Division to face trial in the killings …

German minister: US shares Opel bailout concerns

The U.S. and German governments share the same concerns over the possible bailout of Detroit automaker General Motors Corp. and its European subsidiary Adam Opel GmbH, German Economy Minister Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg said.

Speaking after meetings late Tuesday with U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner in Washington, Guttenberg said "we're now marching together" in looking at a bailout plan.

German leaders are worried that the crisis for American carmakers could bring …

Lightning-Capitals Sums

Tampa Bay 1 2 0_3
Washington 1 0 1_2
First Period_1, Washington, Fleischmann 20 (Ovechkin, Knuble), 16:54 (pp). 2, Tampa Bay, Bochenski 2 (Fedoruk, Lundin), 19:11. Penalties_Bradley, Was (slashing), 8:38	Szczechura, TB (holding), 16:05.
Second Period_3, Tampa Bay, M.Walker 2 (Veilleux, Thompson), 11:30. 4, Tampa Bay, Lecavalier 19 (M.Walker, Purcell), 15:12. Penalties_Purcell, TB (hooking), 2:09	Foster, TB (tripping), 6:16.
Third Period_5, Washington, Laich 21 (Green, Ovechkin), 11:09 (pp). Penalties_M.Walker, TB (slashing), 10:40.
Shots on Goal_Tampa Bay 7-10-10_27. Washington 8-14-8_30.
Power-play opportunities_Tampa Bay 0 of 1	Washington 2 of 4.
Goalies_Tampa Bay, Niittymaki 18-12-5 (30 shots-28 saves). Washington, Varlamov 13-3-3 (27-24).
A_18,277 (18,277). T_2:19.
Referees_Dan O'Rourke, Kelly Sutherland. Linesmen_Derek Nansen, Vaughan Rody.

Prosecutors put Abramoff associate on trial again

WASHINGTON (AP) — Kevin Ring, the only lobbyist from the ill-reputed Jack Abramoff team still facing prosecution, is once again putting his fate before a jury tasked with considering whether his practice of cultivating relationships in fancy restaurants and arena box seats amounted to a crime.

Ring's retrial is the last unresolved case against an associate of Abramoff, a prominent Republican lobbyist in Washington who was convicted of corruption charges along with a congressman and a dozen other government officials his group tried to influence.

While Abramoff and four other members of his lobbying team have pleaded guilty to federal crimes in agreements with prosecutors, Ring is the only member trying to beat the charges in court.

The first trial ended a year ago with a jury that couldn't reach a unanimous decision on his guilt or innocence on eight counts alleging Ring showered expensive meals and event tickets on federal officials in return for favors for Team Abramoff's clients. The prosecutors' job has not gotten any easier with the loss of a key witness from Capitol Hill and a recent Supreme Court decision that could make such corruption cases harder to prove.

Ring's attorney Andrew Wise of the firm Miller & Chevalier said jurors told him after the first trial that the closest they came to convicting Ring was eight out of 12 votes on some counts.

The jurors who wanted to acquit "just didn't see a link between the gifts and the acts and they saw this as traditional lobbying," said Wise.

Prosecutors argued Ring, who turns 40 on Tuesday and was a former aide to California Republican Rep. John Doolittle, had a long-term scheme to give gifts to public officials until eventually they would pay him back with favors for his clients. Their evidence included Ring's boastful e-mails with other team members, jokingly describing their team as playing "sugar daddy" or "bullies" toward public officials.

One of the prosecution's leading witnesses was John Albaugh, former chief of staff to former Rep. Ernest Istook, R-Okla., who testified he would help Ring's clients get funding on transportation projects after Ring treated him to meals out and tickets to performances like George Strait, Tim McGraw and Disney on Ice.

But this time prosecutors don't plan to put Albaugh on the witness stand because he recently told them he had an "ah-ha" moment and realized that he wasn't giving favors to Abramoff clients because of the gifts. He said he did the favors because Abramoff's firm was raising tens of thousands of dollars for Ishtook's campaign fund.

Most of the felony counts that Ring is facing are for honest services fraud, a charge used frequently in corruption cases against politicians and corporate executives. The law was designed to criminalize various techniques that might be used to deprive the public of the "honest services" of a government official.

But the honest services law was weakened by a Supreme Court decision in June. Reviewing a conviction of former Enron CEO Jeffrey Skilling, the high court ruled that prosecutors must prove defendants accepted bribes or kickbacks to get a conviction.

Justice Department officials declined to comment about the impending retrial. But prosecutors have argued in court that the Skilling decision will not affect their case because Ring's gifts of meals and tickets were bribes.

U.S. District Judge Ellen Segal Huvelle declined to dismiss the honest services charges against Ring after the Skilling decision, but said the case "is filled with challenges" and will be difficult for the jury.

Check out builder's background before you sign

Selecting a home builder? Then you might be able to spareyourself a peck of problems by thoroughly researching the builder'sbackground before you commit.

"There's no such thing as a consumer who is too cautious inselecting a home contractor. Getting the wrong one can be theequivalent of falling into a pit full of snakes," said DouglasBregman, author of books on real estate.

If the builder's workmanship is poor, your home could haveserious structural problems. If he's unreliable, the job could takefar longer than planned.

At the very least that could inconvenience you. A delay couldalso force you to make expensive temporary housing plans while youwait for your new home.

"There's a lot of room for precaution," said Jay Lenrow, a realestate attorney.

Regrettably, the recession-era downturn in home constructionmeans more reasons for sweaty palms, real estate specialists say. Anumber of builders are on the brink of bankruptcy, and some alreadyhave gone under.

What would happen if, midway through the construction process,your builder failed? Then either the home's ultimate completion orthe return of your deposit money could be called into question.

Of course, you always can take your builder to court. Buttrying to win a court case against a financially ruined builder iscertainly no fun. Better to find a good builder from the outset thanto wrangle with a bad one later.

Screening builders can be a difficult process, said William C.Young, head of consumer affairs for the National Association of HomeBuilders.

Furthermore, trying to check on a builder through a localgovernment consumer affairs office or Better Business Bureau oftenyields little information of value.

"All they can tell you is the official opinion. They have to bevery careful. They can't tell you anything that's not on therecord," he said.

While you'll never be able to gain perfect knowledge of abuilder and his finances, real estate experts suggest these ways oflearning what you can:

Create a short list of builders worthy of consideration.

Friends and associates who've had a good experience with aparticular builder are your best bet for recommendations.

Local architects often know which builders are good.

Seek references for builders on your short list.

The idea here is not to let the builder pick and choose thenames. A hand-picked list probably will exclude those who might havebeen unhappy with the builder's work. Rather, request from acustom-home builder a complete list of homes he's finished in a givenperiod.

Be prepared for resistance from some builders in your quest fora complete list. Young said builders are sometimes reluctant to giveout customers' names on the grounds that the customers wouldn't wanttheir privacy violated. They might want to call ahead to getcustomers' permission.

Visit any subdivisions already done by a builder who doessubdivision work.

It's best to make such a visit on a Saturday or some other timewhen people probably will be out in their yards or readily accessiblefor conversations.

Don't be afraid to question those living in the developmentabout their experiences with the builder.

Ask open-ended questions: "Did the builder do a good job?" "Wasthe house well-designed?" "Did it meet your needs?" "Were there anysurprises?" "If you had it to do over again, what would you dodifferently?"

Ask for a financial statement from the builder.

"One of the ways builders get in trouble in times of economicdownturn is by taking money from a current customer to pay bills foranother job," Lenrow said.

It's naive to think most builders - who operate privately heldcompanies - will be pleased to provide such reports, Young said.

Look to public records to learn about your builder's background.

Go to the local courthouse and find out if lawsuits are pendingagainst the builder or whether judgments have been brought, Bregmansaid.

Educate yourself on home building.

One paperback that could prove valuable is Dreams to Beams: AGuide To Building the Home You've Always Wanted. Published inconnection with the National Association of Home Builders, this121-page paperback discusses selection of a home contractor as wellas other related topics.

The book can be obtained for $9.95 plus $3 shipping and handlingby writing Home Builder Bookstore, 15th & M Street, N.W.; Washington,D.C. 20005. Or call (800) 368-5242.

Apartments add telecom services

Two Harrisburg-area apartment complexes have contracted

with a company to lower and consolidate their tenants'

telecommunication bills in mid-2001.

And, in a sign of a growing trend in apartments, a representative of the Apartment Association of Greater Philadelphia said it has recently signed two similar deals that could benefit up to 105,000 units statewide by spring.

If the Harrisburg-area program succeeds, four more apartment communities will be next, according to the senior property manager.

Twin Lakes Manor Apartments at 4405-A Union Deposit Road, Lower Paxton Township, and Camelot Village Apartments at 2161 Camelot Drive, Susquehanna Township, are scheduled for the improvements, according to Duane Drozdowski, senior property manager of Property Management Inc., Lemoyne.

The firm manages about 750 apartment units in the two properties, combined. Drozdowski said the telecommunication package will help him retain and attract residents.

"We want people to say, 'Yeah, look at all the neat stuff PMI is offering!' " Drozdowski said.

Many apartment complex owners and property managers have been looking to improve their telecommunication services over the past six months, explained Pamela Bennett, executive director of the Apartment Association of Greater Philadelphia. But, because the owners and managers negotiate individually, their bargaining power is limited, Bennett said.

Enter the Apartment Association of Greater Philadelphia.

According to Bennett, the association finalized two separate contracts with telecommunication providers in the past six weeks. The deals struck with Philadelphiabased Comcast Cable Corp. and Baltimorebased One Point Communications (now part of Verizon Inc.) will enable the association's members - 107 owners and property managers representing 90,000 apartment units - to offer their tenants improved telecommunication services.

These tenants can participate now in the Comcast deal, but One Point won't have its service up and running until spring 2001, Bennett said. The goal is to offer the services to the Apartment Association of Central Pennsylvania - the state's other local apartment association - by spring.

The Apartment Association of Central Pennsylvania represents about 15,000 units, Bennett said. PMI is a member, Drozdowski confirmed.

"Apartments want to provide these services to their tenants because they want to stay on the cutting edge," Bennett explained. For the younger tenants who are just out of college, this technology is an expectation."

Baltimore-based Ntegrity Telecontent Inc. will be providing the "neat stuff' for Twin Lakes and Camelot Village.

The company signed a multiyear agreement with PMI this summer to provide "telecontent solutions" in the apartment communities.

Kevin Sampson, vice president of marketing for Ntegrity, said the company can save tenants 10 percent to 40 percent on their cable television, Internet access and local and long distance telephone bills.

Sampson described Ntegrity's services:

* Cable: direct broadcast satellite is installed. Television signals are fed along existing cable lines. Costs $35.95 a month, and includes a couple of premium channels.

* Internet: high-speed access through an asymmetrical digital subscriber line (DSL). Quicker than dial-up access. Costs about $19.95 a month.

* Long distance telephone: 7-cent per minute flat rate, anywhere in the United States. No monthly service fee.

* Local telephone: Package of unlimited local calling, caller ID, call waiting, voice mail, automatic call back, three-way calling and speed dialing. Costs about $40 a month.

If the program succeeds, Drozdowski said the services will be available in its four other Hanisburg-area apartment complexes - The Brambles at 1776 Louisa Lane, Hampden Township, Mountain View Village Apartments at 4175 Mountain View Road, Hampden Township, Wesley Park Townhouses at 135 Wesley Drive, Lower Allen Township, and Delbrook Manor Apartments at 520 Breezewood Court, Hampden Township.

But, Drozdowski said things aren't moving as swiftly as he expected.

Donna Fields, vice president of sales for Ntegrity, said "things are happening." She promised the new services will be up and running before mid-2001.

While Drozdowski said he is hopeful Ntegrity will meet its contractual obligations, he pointed out he can participate in the local association's deal, if need be.

Tenants can pick and choose which telecommunication services they wish to receive from Ntegrity. Or they can stay with their existing carriers.

Ntegrity has contracted with more than 50,000 apartment units in Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey, Michigan, New York and Massachusetts. PMI is the company's primary client in Central Pennsylvania, Fields said.

Ntegrity is privately held, and serves only the apartment community. It was created in 1998.

Mining fatalities steady in state: ; Comparison of states shows Wyoming safest

DAILY MAIL STAFF

West Virginia's rate of fatal mining accidents is steadier thanKentucky's, but both states record more deaths than Wyoming, wherealmost all coal is produced in surface rather than deep mining. West Virginia had nine fatalities in both 1999 and 2000. There weresix in 1997 and six in 1998.

Terry Farley, chief accident investigator for West Virginia'sOffice of Miners' Health Safety and Training, said it's good thatfatalities have reached an industry low but even one death is toomany.

"We'd like to think we do something right," Farley said. "Butsuccess in this field is hard to measure.

"We've leveled off at an area where, regardless of what we do,what we try, we're stuck. I don't know how we'll get to the nextlevel. We have the same mining conditions we've always had.Obviously, they don't improve."

In contrast to West Virginia's consistent figures, Kentuckyreported five mining deaths in 1997, 10 in 1998, five in 1999 and 12in 2000.

In Wyoming, inspectors reported two fatal accidents each in 1998,1999 and 2000. There were none in 1997.

Farley said those numbers are not a fair comparison of miningoperations in each state, though.

In Wyoming, where nearly all coal is mined in surface operations,conditions are different than in West Virginia, the leadingunderground coal-producing state, he said.

"Here, we move more stuff," Farley said. "They move some dirt; wemay move 100 feet of earth and stone."

Also, Wyoming's terrain is not as extreme. "They don't have themountainous terrain," he said. "Here, coal trucks are ascending anddescending much higher grades."

Looking at Kentucky, Farley said it's more like West Virginia inthe eastern part of the state. "Appalachia is Appalachia," he said."But even in Kentucky, with a lot of surface mining in the westernpart of the state, the mountains are probably more gentle than WestVirginia terrain."

Though mining conditions have remained the same, training andmechanization have made the work safer over the years.

"Until a few years ago, we'd have two or three fatalities a yearinvolving coal haulers," he said. "We provided training and did alot of things there, improving haul roads, building escape ramps andstraddle berms," reducing the frequency of the associated accidents.

Bob Phalen, president of the United Mine Workers of America,District 17, agreed with Farley that one fatality is one more thanhe's willing to accept.

"What you have to look at today is West Virginia has about 18,000working coal miners and you take just 10 years ago when there wereabout 50,000 miners," Phalen said. "Per capita, the number of fatalaccidents that we're having today has not decreased that much whenyou have nine fatalities out of 18,000 miners."

He said economics sometimes gets in the way of safety.

Some companies "seem to force people to violate law on a regularbasis," demanding "'Do it this way or you don't have a job,'" Phalensaid.

"Everybody has to strive so that we rid industry of fatalitiestotally," he said. "I'm a firm believer that safety is an attainablegoal and anything less is not good enough."

Farley said, "A lot of folks have come to realize that any fatalaccident is not only morally and ethically wrong, but it's not goodbusiness. It's going to have a significant impact on your bottomline."

Writer Keith Arnold can be reached at 348-7939 or by e-mail atkeith@dailymail.com.

George Lucas Donates $175 Million to USC

LOS ANGELES - "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, who honed his skills as a young film student at USC, is giving a little something back to his alma mater - $175 million.

The gift from the Lucasfilm Foundation is the largest in the school's history, USC officials announced Tuesday. His donation topped the previous school record of $120 million, made in 1993 by Walter Annenberg.

Lucas, 62, graduated from USC in 1966.

The foundation is giving $75 million for the construction of a 137,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art home for the university's acclaimed cinema school. The remaining $100 million is to be used to endow the school.

"I discovered my passion for film and making movies when I was a student at USC in the 1960s, and my experiences there shaped the rest of my career," Lucas said in a statement.

"I'm also an ardent advocate for education at all levels and encouraging young people to pursue their ambitions by learning. I'm very fortunate to be in a position to combine my two passions and to be able to help USC continue molding the futures of the moviemakers of tomorrow."

A groundbreaking ceremony for the school's new building is scheduled for Oct. 4.

Lucas' gift was announced just hours after the Tournament of Roses in Pasadena said he would be the grand marshal of next year's Rose Parade.

---

On the Net:

Lucasfilm Ltd: http://www.lucasfilm.com/

Tournament of Roses:

http://www.tournamentofroses.com

Fact Check: Romney and the Crime Issue

As governor of Massachusetts, Mitt Romney issued no pardons, limited lobbying by would-be judges and sought to create a judicial nominating process based solely on merit.

Despite his best efforts, the Republican presidential hopeful finds himself enmeshed in just the kind of "law and order" controversy he had hoped to avoid. A judge he appointed in 2006 freed a convicted killer who is now charged with murdering a newlywed couple last week.

Romney has defended his decision to appoint Kathe Tuttman to the Superior Court while calling on her to step down, saying she showed poor judgment in freeing Daniel Tavares Jr.

THE SPIN:

A major rival, Rudy Giuliani, is using the Tavares case to argue that Romney not only showed poor judgment himself in nominating Tuttman but is soft on crime.

"He had an increase in murder and violent crime while he was governor," Giuliani said. "So it's not so much the isolated situation which he and the judge will have to explain."

THE FACT CHECK:

When Romney took office he made a series of decisions _ some public, some private _ to reform a judicial nominating process that critics said was rife with cronyism, while insulating himself from charges of being soft on crime.

He tightened rules for political donations and put limits on personal lobbying efforts for those hoping to be named judges.

He also created a 21-member Judicial Nominating Committee and established a "blind" review process during which the names of candidates would be removed from their applications.

But two years into his term, Romney found himself under fire for not nominating enough women and minorities to the bench. Of the 19 nominations made by Romney by early 2005, 17 were men and only two were minorities.

Romney blamed his own nomination commission for taking too long to recommend candidates.

The friction between Romney and the commission intensified that year after he sidestepped a key provision of one of his own executive orders when trying to fill a juvenile court vacancy.

The provision would have required the candidate to have been approved by the Judicial Nominating Commission during the prior 18 months. The nomination was later withdrawn.

In his last year, Romney nominated four women to the bench, including Tuttman, saying they had "the capability, the qualifications and the experience to be fair and balanced jurists."

The administration noted the four would bring to 36 the percentage of women Romney nominated to judicial office.

Privately, Romney also had decided to issue no pardons or commutations as governor. Romney spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Romney didn't want to overturn the decision of juries.

One of those denied a pardon was Anthony Circosta, a decorated Iraq war veteran who pleaded guilty at 13 to shooting another boy in the arm with a BB gun. Circosta, who needs a gun license to become a police officer, was twice recommended for a pardon by the state Board of Pardons. He was twice denied one by Romney.

Two decades early the presidential hopes of another Massachusetts governor, Democrat Michael Dukakis, were scuttled in part over the case of Willie Horton, a felon serving a life term for murder who raped a woman after escaping from a weekend furlough program.

While the Horton incident looms large, the case is very different.

While Dukakis oversaw the state Department of Correction, which ran the furlough program, Romney only appointed Tuttman as judge and had no role in her decision to free Tavares.

"The governor does not have any authority over judicial appointments after they are made," said Daniel Winslow, a former judge and Romney's legal counsel for his first two years.

As to Giuliani's claim that Romney "had an increase in murder and violent crime while he was governor" _ statistics compiled by the FBI paint a more complex picture.

While the number of murders in Massachusetts climbed from 142 in 2003, Romney's first year in office, to 186 in 2006, his last _ an increase of 31 percent _ overall violent crime dropped nearly 5 percent during Romney's tenure.

Much of that decline is based on a drop in aggravated assault, which fell 7 percent. Rapes also fell 3 percent. Robberies rose less than 1 percent.

Paul & Paula Hit the Heartland

Q. Although they only had a few popular records, I became a fanof the '60s duo known as Paul & Paula. I still love playing myscratchy old 45s of "Hey Paula," "Young Lovers" and First Quarrel."

What happened to Paul & Paula? Is there any chance you couldget their address so I could write them and tell them how happy theirmusic made me, both as a teenager and beyond?

A. Paul (Ray Hildebrand) & Paula (Jill Jackson) were not easyto locate, and when I did catch up with them, it surprised me thatthey are far from the usual East or West Coast entertainment hotbeds.Paul & Paula are still active in the entertainment business,and welcome your letters. You may write them in care of: SpeckleMusic, P.O. Box 9358, Shawnee Mission, Kan. 66201.Q. My mom and dad have been searching for a song for manyyears. All they can remember about it is that it is about a "JonesBoy," and is sung by a vocal group. Please tell me the name andwhere I can find this song.A. The title is pretty much as they recall, "The Jones Boy," aTop 20 hit from early 1954 by the Mills Brothers (Decca 28945).This track is available on the CD "The Mills Brothers: theBest of their Decca Years" (Decca-MCA MCAD-31348).Q. In recent months in Florida, the Good Humor ice creamcompany has been running TV ads using a song that I think was a hitduring my childhood.The song begins with "It's (unknown word) time." Then, aswith many records of the time, it continues with a big band-typearrangement.Not long ago I saw a movie on TV that contained this song, butI got no help identifying it since the station didn't run any filmcredits at the end.A. Having never seen that Good Humor commercial puts me at adisadvantage, but I'll take a crack at the answer. From your smalldescription, it sounds like "Twine Time," a Top 15 hit in early 1965for Alvin Cash & the Crawlers (Mar-V-Lus 6002).I don't believe the spot in question runs in my area, althoughI could have missed it since my habit is to mute TV commercials.Perhaps another of our Florida readers will confirm that the tune is"Twine Time" or supply the correct answer.Q. As for collectibility, your column focuses mostly on vinyl.Is there any value in collecting compact discs? For example: limitededitions, promotional issues, discs with tracks not on LPs, imports,ones that are out of print, and small-label releases.A. Yes to all those examples, though it is true that we rarelyget questions about collectible CDs. You may want to track down abook we did a couple of years ago, The Official Price to CompactDiscs (Ballantine-House of Collectibles Books, 800-733-3000).Jerry Osborne is a syndicated columnist. Write to him at theChicago Sun-Times, 401 N. Wabash, Chicago 60611. Values quoted inthis column are for near-mint condition.

Michigan St. player pleads in fight, is suspended

Michigan State freshman running back and kick returner Glenn Winston has been suspended indefinitely from the team after pleading guilty to two misdemeanor charges in a brawl last year that left a Spartans hockey player seriously injured.

Winston pleaded guilty this week in East Lansing's 54B District Court to one count of aggravated assault and one count of assault and battery.

Coach Mark Dantonio said in a statement Winston has been suspended "immediately and indefinitely" from all football-related activities.

Winston, from Detroit, faces fines and up to a year in jail when he is sentenced on April 29.

Michigan State hockey player A.J. Sturges suffered a severe head injury in the Oct. 19 fight.

An abridgement of rights

An abridgement of rights

Contact with the police in London is usually a pleasant experience. The police are extraordinarily civil and courteous. They have a long standing tradition of being public servants, and they behave appropriately. Not so the police in America. The American culture is influenced by a different tradition - the wild, wild West. The police in London are not even armed unless there is a special situation. But of course guns are not as readily available to the British public as they are to American citizens.

Unfortunately, the American culture has become much too violent to hope that the British tradition of police civility could cross the ocean. Unarmed police officers would be sitting ducks in this gun-crazed country. Nonetheless, it is reasonable to expect that the police in the United States will not contribute, by their conduct, to the tenor of violence.

Sociologists have consistently asserted that pent up anger is a major cause of the violent conduct that lands many young black men afoul of the law. They become aware at an early age that they are disrespected by society. Unnecessarily abusive confrontations by the police only intensify this sense of alienation. Young men in the black community are constantly forced to submit to unconstitutional searches because they fear even more violent treatment if they are arrested on a bogus charge.

Imagine what might happen if the black youth all had tape recorders, and would say to the inquiring police, "please be advised that this conversation will be recorded." There would undoubtedly be a major rush for repairs to smashed tape recorders. As bizarre as it seems, that is precisely what the Supreme Court has ruled the citizen must do before recording the police.

Every state except Vermont has some form of wiretapping or eavesdropping statute. According to a majority of the Court, a citizen has no right to record surreptitiously an interaction with police. The case arose when a motorist who believed he was being picked on by the police, recorded an encounter during a traffic stop. He then used the tape when he filed a complaint of police abuse with the Abington police.

In a strange turn of events, the police then filed a complaint against the motorist for violation of the wiretapping statute. The highest court in the state upheld the validity of the complaint. However, Chief Justice Margaret Marshall disagreed with the opinion of the Court in a brilliant dissent.

She pointed out that under the Court's ruling George Holliday, who videotaped the Rodney King beating, would have committed a criminal offense. The majority responded to this point with the lame argument that the sound portion of the King tape was not clearly audible. That is pathetic. Most video recordings also record sound, and if the event is close enough the sound will be quite clear. Furthermore, the sound on the King tape could be digitally enhanced to become quite audible.

The language of the wiretapping statute is sufficiently vague that it can be understood only by reference to the history of hearings and reports to illuminate the intention of the Legislature. Chief Justice Marshall finds no language in the legislative history to support the conclusion of the majority.

To deny the public the right to record in secret the public conduct of the police is so oppressive, the language of the law would have to be explicit and unambiguous. Fortunately, Chief Justice Marshall's experience with police abuse in South Africa has made her an ardent protector of the rights of the public. It is now up to the Legislature to remedy what the Court has undone.

RI art dealer to answer fraud charges

Whether it's impressionist paintings by Monet, athletic headgear or medical tubing, federal investigators claim Rocco DeSimone can turn it into a scam worth millions of dollars.

On the eve of his release from prison _ a stay interrupted by a brief escape and manhunt _ the 55-year-old art dealer faces a new indictment, this time accusing him of duping an inventor and others by claiming he had access to deep-pocketed business connections. He pleaded not guilty Friday to mail fraud and money laundering charges during a hearing in U.S. District Court.

The U.S. Attorney's office wants DeSimone held in prison until trial even though his sentence on tax evasion charges expires Saturday. A judged ordered DeSimone jailed until a hearing on the issue next week.

Prosecutors argue the latest indictment is another progression in a criminal career that already includes impersonating a federal agent, an insurance fraud case and allegations DeSimone peddled a machine he claimed could turn rocks into rubies.

"He is an unrepentant, habitual con-man who moves from one fraudulent scheme to the next," Assistant U.S. Attorney Lee Vilker said recently in court documents.

DeSimone intends to fight the charges, said his attorney, Richard Corley.

"He is proclaiming that he is absolutely innocent of any wrongdoing, and he's presumed innocent by the court," Corley said. "No one should rush to judgment."

In 2005, DeSimone was convicted of tax evasion for claiming he owned the painting "Canal at Zandaam" by Monet for more than a year before selling it, a lie that saved him roughly $420,000 in taxes. But a jury acquitted DeSimone of charges that he cheated an elderly New York City art dealer of almost $2 million in the sale.

He was sentenced to more than two years in prison.

Even while free on bail to appeal his conviction, the art dealer continued running scams, according to prosecutors.

The indictment returned earlier this month suggests DeSimone fooled a doctor with relative ease. Prosecutors said DeSimone conned an inventor, Dr. Robert McKittrick, into giving him a one-third ownership stake in a device called the Drink Stik, which allows athletes to drink without removing their protective headgear.

DeSimone allegedly gained McKittrick's trust by claiming to have sold a painting on behalf of one of the doctor's friends. DeSimone promised he could market the Drink Stik and that Fidelity Investments CEO Edward Johnson III had offered to pay millions of dollars for it.

In fact, DeSimone did not know Johnson, prosecutors said.

When Raytheon Co. turned down the invention, DeSimone continued telling investors it was a "done deal," according to the indictment.

DeSimone convinced investors to give him $1.2 million in cash and $4.9 million in forgiven debts and property, including artwork and Japanese artifacts.

The FBI probe apparently prompted DeSimone's escape from prison, prosecutors said.

Alerted when federal agents searched his home on March 13, DeSimone fled three days later from a minimum security prison in Fairton, N.J., with the help of his wife and a family friend. He surrendered to authorities in Providence after four days on the loose.

'Martha Stewart of the Midwest'

ABBY MANDEL MEYER

Abby Mandel Meyer, a noted chef, cookbook author, food columnist and founder of Chicago's Green City Market, died of cancer Wednesday. She was 75.

Ms. Meyer wrote a food column titled "Turned On Kitchen" for the Sun-Times starting in the 1970s.

Fans of the city's 10-year-old sustainable and organic farmers' market in Lincoln Park extolled Ms. Meyer for her dedication and her foresight in giving Chicago a "green" and fast-growing resource of fresh fruits and vegetables.

"From the alley to the park, [Ms. Meyer] would skitter from stand to stand, pears to peaches to crepes to corn, inspecting, marveling and then luring the consumer into an understanding of this market's mission," wrote John C. Berghoff Jr., an executive director on the Green City Market Board in a note to the "market family."

STARTED COOKING AT 7

The market features 40 sustainable and organic farmers, educational programs and a volunteer network.

Ms. Meyer's daughter Holly Sherr of Scarsdale, N.Y., said of her mother, "She was the most incredible person -- so compassionate, so driven, so independent, and so gracious and elegant.

"She was the best mother ever. And she was incredible as a grandmother."

Ms. Meyer was known as the "Martha Stewart of the Midwest" for her entertaining skills and attention to detail, Sherr said.

"She not only made the meal, which she always did herself and loved every minute, but the linens and the flowers. It was the whole package. She loved every detail of entertaining," Sherr said.

Ms. Meyer, a native of Holyoke, Mass., started cooking at age 7 after her father died.

She majored in sociology at Smith College in Northampton, Mass., and earned a master's degree in social work at Wayne State University in Detroit.

SAW JULIA CHILD DEMO

But her love of food and cooking were enlivened in the 1970s when she saw famed chef Julia Child give a demonstration at a Chicago benefit for Smith College.

Ms. Meyer then discovered a Cuisinart -- the first model called the Magimix -- and started a relationship that included testing the Cuisinart models and serving as a spokeswoman.

Ms. Meyer's other survivors include son John Mandel of Highland Park, and six grandchildren. She was preceded in death by two husbands.

Ms. Meyer's funeral will be at 1 p.m. Friday at North Shore Congregation Israel in Glencoe. Burial will be private.

Obituary of Abby Mandel Meyer.

Photo: Abby Mandel Meyer started the Green City Market in Lincoln Park 10 years ago and was active in its operation. ;

Arizona's Olson Has Prize in Budinger

TUCSON, Ariz. - Coach Lute Olson knows what a prize he has in Chase Budinger. That's why he told the freshman to take charge of the Arizona offense.

Message received.

He scored 32 points in his first Arizona home game and the 15th-ranked Wildcats used a big second-half run to beat Northern Arizona 101-79 Wednesday night.

"I talked to Chase in the locker room before the game," Olson said. "I said, 'You're our Sean Elliott. You can't worry about whether you're outscoring the sophomores, juniors or seniors. You have to be a key guy for us.'"

The super freshman from Encinitas, Calif., scored 23 in the first half on 9-for-12 shooting, including 4-of-4 from 3-point range.

"Our defense was not bad in the first half except for Budinger," Northern Arizona's Stephen Sir said. "He was allowed to shoot and shoot and shoot and shoot. It got kind of annoying after a while."

Budinger fired away while the student section chanted "Chase, Chase!" and finished 11-of-15 from the field.

"It always feels good when you start knocking down shots," Budinger said. "Every time I hit a shot the crowd would go wild. It's a great feeling."

Olson has compared Budinger to Elliott from the start.

"They're so similar in that they can both score but they're great passers. They have great body control," the coach said.

Northern Arizona coach Mike Adras said Budinger "is everything they talked about."

"He kept answering," Adras said. "He could score inside or outside. He's a heck of a player. We will probably see him playing basketball for many years to come."

The Wildcats (1-1) led from the early minutes but were up only 48-40 at halftime.

Coming off a season-opening 93-90 loss at Virginia on Sunday, Arizona turned the game into a blowout with a 28-5 outburst over a 6 1/2-minute span in the second half.

Mustafa Shakur had 20 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds for Arizona. He scored 12 in the run, including a pair of three-point plays. He was motivated by his poor performance at Virginia, where he was 0-for-5 shooting with five points.

"Sometimes I think Mustafa puts too much pressure on himself," Olson said. "In the first half he was trying to do too much. The second half he really did a good job of just playing within himself."

Jawann McClellan, who scored 13, capped the surge with a layup that put the Wildcats ahead 82-51 with 10:36 to go.

Sir led Northern Arizona (1-2) with 17 points, including 5-of-6 on 3s.

The Lumberjacks scored 14 consecutive points against the Wildcats' reserves to cut the lead to 92-77 with four minutes to play. Olson put Shakur and Ivan Radenovic back into the game to stem the rally. Radenovic, who played only six minutes in the first half because of foul trouble, scored 10.

Budinger sank a 3-pointer, Shakur had a three-point play and Marcus Williams stuffed on a lob from Budinger in an 8-0 spurt that put Arizona up 19-7 with 15:02 to play in the half.

Budinger made his first six shots, including a jumper and baseline driving stuff to start a 7-0 surge that gave Arizona its biggest first-half lead at 33-18 with 8:45 left before the halftime.

But the pesky Lumberjacks stayed close, despite foul trouble. Deverik Taylor's 3-pointer cut the lead to 40-34 with 3:55 to go in the half. Budinger followed with a 3 and the Wildcats led 48-40 at the break.

Tyrone Bazy made two free throws with 18:15 to play to slice Arizona's lead to 54-46, then freshman Jordan Hill scored inside to begin the Wildcats' decisive run.

The Wildcats announced before the game that senior center Kirk Walters would be sidelined indefinitely with mononucleosis.

Although the crowd was noisy and the student section boisterous, there were many empty student seats. The crowd of 13,511 was the smallest since March 11, 1988, before McKale Center's seating was expanded.

Wozniacki reaches 3rd round at Wimbledon

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) — Top-seeded Caroline Wozniacki moved into the third round at Wimbledon by beating Virginie Razzano of France 6-1, 6-3.

Wozniacki has never won a Grand Slam title, losing in her only final appearance at the 2009 U.S. Open. At Wimbledon, Wozniacki's best result was reaching the fourth round the last two years.

The top-ranked Dane, who had only one unforced error, will face Jarmila Gajdosova at the All England Club.

In the first round at Wimbledon on Tuesday, the 96th-ranked Razzano won for the first time since the death of her fiance and longtime coach from a brain tumor.

Bush Agrees to Eavesdropping Court Review

WASHINGTON - President Bush has agreed conditionally to a court review of his antiterror eavesdropping operations under a deal that, for the first time, would open an important part of his once-secret surveillance to a constitutional test.

The disclosure of the agreement on Thursday came as the White House sought to end an impasse over a six-month-old dispute with Congress on the National Security Agency's program. It monitors the international calls and e-mails of Americans when terrorism is suspected.

Breaking with historic norms, the president had authorized the monitoring without a court warrant.

Under a deal with the Senate Judiciary Committee chairman, Bush has agreed to support a bill that could submit the program to the secretive Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court for a constitutional review.

"You have here a recognition by the president that he does not have a blank check," said Sen. Arlen Specter, R-Pa. As a leading critic of the program, he had broken ranks with his party.

When the program was disclosed in December, it outraged Democrats and civil libertarians who said Bush overstepped his authority. On Thursday, advocacy groups dismissed the prospect of a judicial review as a sham.

"This new bill would codify the notion that the president is not bound by the laws passed by Congress or the Constitution," said Anthony Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Congress must approve the bill. Yet lawmakers have written at least a half dozen competing proposals and more are coming.

Rep. Heather Wilson, R-N.M., who heads the House intelligence subcommittee that oversees the NSA, is introducing a measure next week aimed at modernizing the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act of 1978. Bush's program allowed the agency to avoid that law.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said the administration supports Specter's bill, which would allow the government to continue to collect information intended to protect the country. "My understanding from the president is that the legislation could be very helpful," Gonzales said.

The administration initially resisted efforts to write a new law, contending that no legal changes were needed. But after months of pressure, officials have grown more open to legislation.

White House spokeswoman Dana Perino said the agreement with Specter recognizes the president's constitutional authorities and updates the 1978 law to meet current threats.

"What is happening today is that the president and Congress are coming together to codify the capacity for future presidents to take action to protect our country," she said.

Gonzales said the bill gives Bush the option of submitting the NSA program to the intelligence court, rather than requiring the review.

An administration official said Bush will submit to the review as long the bill is not changed in ways that he sees as undermining security. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the deliberations are internal, said the bill would preserve the right of future presidents to skip that court review.

Gonzales said the legislation would allow him to consolidate legal challenges to the eavesdropping program at the intelligence court, which he described as a one-time test of the program's constitutionality.

More than 100 lawsuits have been filed in courts across the country.

Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy, the Judiciary Committee's top Democrat, said Bush could submit the program to the court right now, if he wished. He called the potential legislation "an interesting bargain."

"He's saying, if you do every single thing I tell you to do, I'll do what I should have done anyway," Leahy said.

The legislation also would:

-Require the attorney general to provide the court with information on the program's legal basis, the government's efforts to protect Americans' identities and the process used to determine that the intercepted communications involve terrorism. Must certify that the information cannot be obtained through other investigative means.

-Expand the time for emergency warrants secured under the law from three days to seven days.

-Increase the criminal penalties for officials who knowingly misuse foreign intelligence information.

-Require the attorney general to inform Congress' intelligence committees on the program's activities every six months.

-At the NSA's request, clarify that international calls that merely pass through terminals in the United States are not subject to the judicial process established under the law.

In an interview, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., said Specter's agreement raises the "thorny question" about whether the content of conversations should be subject to individual warrants. But Feinstein, one of a few lawmakers fully briefed on the NSA program, said she wants to see the bill before passing judgment.

Kate Martin, director of the Center for National Security Studies, which advocates for civil liberties, said Congress is legislating in the dark because so many lawmakers are not privy to the complete briefing.

2010 Ryder Cup Points

At The Celtic Manor Resort
Newport, Wales
Oct. 1-3, 2010
United States
Final
x-clinched berth
1. x-Phil Mickelson	6,095.06300
2. x-Hunter Mahan	4,095.62080
3. x-Bubba Watson	3,894.31884
4. x-Jim Furyk	3,763.64283
5. x-Steve Stricker	3,697.97509
6. x-Dustin Johnson	3,573.80511
7. x-Jeff Overton	3,533.14783
8. x-Matt Kuchar	3,415.85287
9. Anthony Kim	3,274.68428
10. Lucas Glover	3,052.87453
11. Zach Johnson	3,051.89647
12. Tiger Woods	2,902.58100
13. Bo Van Pelt	2,662.23400
14. Stewart Cink	2,644.83281
15. Ben Crane	2,629.79637

Europe
Through Aug. 15
World Points
1. Lee Westwood (Eng)	422.01
2. Rory McIlroy (NIr)	316.95
3. Martin Kaymer (Ger)	285.42
4. Graeme McDowell (NIr)	249.35
5. Luke Donald (Eng)	231.16
6. Edoardo Molinari (Ita)	218.41
7. Ian Poulter (Eng)	211.24
8. Padraig Harrington (Irl)	204.97
9. Justin Rose (Eng)	195.74
10. Francesco Molinari (Ita)	172.51
European Points
1. Lee Westwood (Eng)	3,446,137.87
2. Martin Kaymer (Ger)	2,638,282.58
3. Rory McIlroy (NIr)	2,368,205.11
4. Graeme McDowell (NIr)	2,307,041.47
5. Ian Poulter (Eng)	2,238,874.06
6. Ross Fisher (Eng)	1,708,614.67
7. Francesco Molinari (Ita)	1,612,747.78
8. Miguel Angel Jimenez (Esp)	1,499,775.38
9. Paul Casey (Eng)	1,487,776.86
10. Padraig Harrington (Irl)	1,486,529.63

Analysis: Bush Proposals a Hard Sell

WASHINGTON - President Bush faces long odds in trying to make headway in this divided-government town with his latest batch of domestic initiatives - even though many appear tailored to address longtime Democratic concerns.

Democrats, now the majority party in Congress, reacted coolly to Bush's effort to regain control of the agenda with a handful of new and recycled State of the Union proposals on health care, energy, education and immigration.

Beyond fresh calls for bipartisanship from both sides, Bush faced skeptical lawmakers and a nation mired in an unpopular war, with the 2008 elections increasingly becoming a complicating factor.

In his address, he congratulated the new Democratic majority, singled out House Speaker Nancy Pelosi for praise and called for bipartisanship. "Like many before us, we can work through our differences," he said.

Many of the goals he outlined were "the kinds of things Democrats would generally support," said Stephen Wayne, a professor of government at Georgetown University.

But for Bush, it's likely to be a hard sell.

Polls suggest he failed to shift public opinion earlier this month when he outlined his plan to increase troop strengths in Iraq. And Democrats on Tuesday sought to keep attention on Iraq.

"We go into this process with no illusions about the atmosphere in which we're operating in," said White House counselor Dan Bartlett.

Perhaps Bush's best shot at success is immigration overhaul. But then his proposal for a guest-worker program and a path to citizenship always had more support among Democrats than among fellow Republicans. Noting that "convictions run deep" on immigration, Bush urged a "serious, civil and conclusive debate" on the issue.

Bush also proposed reducing gasoline consumption in the U.S. by 20 percent over the next 10 years through tougher fuel economy standards and mandatory production of more ethanol and other alternate fuels. It was welcomed by some environmentalists, but they said it didn't go far enough to combat global warming without a mandatory cap on carbon production.

Bush also pushed a tax plan to pay for health care costs, but that had already been received skeptically by Democrats, who suggested it wouldn't do enough to help the poorest of the uninsured and could encourage some younger and healthier workers to drop out of workplace plans.

Polls show that rising health care costs are now the major economic concern of Americans. And Bush called for extending and expanding the No Child Left Behind education law, which expires this year.

But critics suggested his plan didn't go far enough to fully fund the program.

Bush's State of the Union agenda was clearly an effort to try to change the subject away from Iraq.

Bush wanted "to get the public to see him and his last two years as not exclusively about Iraq," said Bruce Buchanan, a University of Texas political science professor. Ross Baker, a political scientist at Rutgers, said that while Bush's State of Union was an attempt "to breathe life into this administration," it mainly offered just a "large collection of nonstarters."

Bush achieved early successes in striking bipartisan agreements with Democrats in Texas when he was governor and in the early days of his presidency, such as the No Child Left Behind law. But the dynamics are now different and the parties more polarized.

In theory, the thin margins of Democratic control should present an opening for working toward bipartisan solutions to pressing long-term domestic problems, such as shoring up Social Security and Medicare, both of which are headed for serious financial difficulties.

"This is, kind of, the third rail. No one wants to touch it," said Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.

Much rancor and mistrust remain on both sides of the aisle. Bitter tastes linger from Bush's all-out efforts in 2005 to overhaul Social Security with a plan that included personal investment accounts. He did not promote that specific plan in his address but vowed to work with Congress to try to guarantee the solvency of Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid.

The new Congress is moving quickly to set its own agenda. Bush's State of the Union initiatives were an effort to reassert his relevance.

Even so, "he's going to be viewed through the lens of the Iraq war no matter what," said GOP strategist Scott Reed. Reed said that the State of the Union gave Bush "an opportunity to jazz up a domestic agenda and try to get some things accomplished with the Congress."

Of Iraq, Bush lamented, "Every one of us wishes that this war were over and won." He urged Congress to support his new plan to add troops. "Let us find our resolve and turn events toward victory," he said.

Tuesday's address was Bush's sixth State of the Union address - and his first one delivered to a Congress fully under Democratic control.

The president's approval rating is hovering in the mid-30s.

---

EDITOR'S NOTE - Tom Raum has covered national and international affairs for The Associated Press since 1973.

Peak wanted to be in Tech's plan now

Ex-Pulaski County football star Nubian Peak knew that VirginiaTech had a plan for him. However, there are plans and then thereare long-range plans.

Peak didn't have much interest in the latter.

"It's nothing against Virginia Tech personally and they knowthat," Peak said Wednesday. "I was slated to start on kickoffreturns this year, but I was looking further down the road in termsof me playing the flanker position.

"With Danny Coale still there, I didn't figure to be classifiedas a starter till my redshirt junior year. In my opinion, thatwould be a wasted two years. It's a business and you've got to makethe best business decision."

Peak said he could make a decision on his next school within aweek but declined to identify any of his suitors. Because he onlyrecently received a release from Virginia Tech, he will not be ableto practice with his new team until the start of classes, althoughhe would be eligible to play this year for a program at theDivision I-AA level or lower.

Peak, who played tailback at Pulaski County, will look closely ata school's depth chart before making his decision.

"That's a key thing," Peak said. "I don't think I really examinedthat when I decided to commit to Virginia Tech because I was a fanof theirs and figured they would find a way to put me in a positionwhere I could best help the team.

"But, after being there a year, I could see that the systemdidn't quite fit me."

Peak's competition at running back would have included a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, Darren Evans and Ryan Williams, as well as thestate's No. 1-rated recruit in the same year Peak came out of highschool, Danville's David Wilson.

Peak thinks of himself in the Reggie Bush mold -- more of a third-down back who doubles as a threat in the receiving game.

"If you've got a guy who runs a 4.2 [for 40 yards], a guy whotied Michael Vick's record when he got to camp, why wouldn't youhave him out there on the field?" Peak asked. "I feel, with myability, I shouldn't have to wait."

- Peak indicated that it is unlikely he will join his youngerbrother, Tahrick Peak, a 2010 Tech signee whom the Hokies did notadmit. Tahrick Peak already is going through summer conditioning athis new school, Texas Tech, but Nubian was redshirted by Tech lastyear and would lose another year of eligibility if he transferredto another Division I-A school.

Recruiting

Tim Scott, a 6-foot, 180-pound cornerback from Colonial ForgeHigh School in Stafford, has given North Carolina its thirdfootball commitment from a player who played in Virginia in 2009.

Scott is rated the No. 12 prospect in Virginia by rivals.com. TheTar Heels also have commitments from the Nos. 3 and 15 players onthat list, offensive lineman Landon Turner from Harrisonburg HighSchool and outside linebacker Daquan Romero from Phoebus inHampton. Romero has moved to New York since making his commitment.

Scott, who picked the Tar Heels over Tennessee and West Virginia,is the 22nd rising senior from Virginia to make an oral commitmentto a Division I-A program. Twelve have given pledges to UVa.

- The No. 23 player on the rivals.com rating of the topVirginians, offensive lineman Grant Jones from Liberty ChristianAcademy in Lynchburg, is crossing the street to go to LibertyUniversity. Jones had five I-A offers.

Spurlock to UCF

The University of Central Florida has announced formally theaddition of Tristan Spurlock, a transfer from Virginia who pickedthe Knights' Conference USA program after considering three BigEast schools, he said in a text message.

Spurlock, a 6-foot-7 forward from Springfield, Va., was named Mr.Basketball in Virginia by The Roanoke Times after his senior year atWord of Life Christian in 2009, but he appeared in only 13 games asa UVa freshman and averaged fewer than five minutes.

Spurlock is one of three underclassmen who have left the UVaprogram since the end of the 2009-2010 season, along with leadingscorer Sylven Landesberg, who signed this week with a pro team inIsrael, and Jeff Jones, who transferred to Rider.

"Tristan is a really talented player and we are excited about hisaddition to our team," said new UCF coach Donnie Jones, whopreviously was at Marshall. "He brings great versatility andlength. I think he will really fit in with our up-tempo style ofplay."

Record-breakers

Roanoke-bred collegians Lauren Hines from the University ofRichmond, Kelsey Holmgaard from George Mason and Keri Sink fromVirginia Tech joined rising William Byrd High School junior KacyEdsall to break the state record in the 200-meter medley relay bynearly two seconds at the Virginia Swimming Long-Course SeniorChampionships this past weekend in Christiansburg.

They are Marlins teammates, a year-around program at the CarterAthletic Center.

Peak wanted to be in Tech's plan now

Ex-Pulaski County football star Nubian Peak knew that VirginiaTech had a plan for him. However, there are plans and then thereare long-range plans.

Peak didn't have much interest in the latter.

"It's nothing against Virginia Tech personally and they knowthat," Peak said Wednesday. "I was slated to start on kickoffreturns this year, but I was looking further down the road in termsof me playing the flanker position.

"With Danny Coale still there, I didn't figure to be classifiedas a starter till my redshirt junior year. In my opinion, thatwould be a wasted two years. It's a business and you've got to makethe best business decision."

Peak said he could make a decision on his next school within aweek but declined to identify any of his suitors. Because he onlyrecently received a release from Virginia Tech, he will not be ableto practice with his new team until the start of classes, althoughhe would be eligible to play this year for a program at theDivision I-AA level or lower.

Peak, who played tailback at Pulaski County, will look closely ata school's depth chart before making his decision.

"That's a key thing," Peak said. "I don't think I really examinedthat when I decided to commit to Virginia Tech because I was a fanof theirs and figured they would find a way to put me in a positionwhere I could best help the team.

"But, after being there a year, I could see that the systemdidn't quite fit me."

Peak's competition at running back would have included a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, Darren Evans and Ryan Williams, as well as thestate's No. 1-rated recruit in the same year Peak came out of highschool, Danville's David Wilson.

Peak thinks of himself in the Reggie Bush mold -- more of a third-down back who doubles as a threat in the receiving game.

"If you've got a guy who runs a 4.2 [for 40 yards], a guy whotied Michael Vick's record when he got to camp, why wouldn't youhave him out there on the field?" Peak asked. "I feel, with myability, I shouldn't have to wait."

- Peak indicated that it is unlikely he will join his youngerbrother, Tahrick Peak, a 2010 Tech signee whom the Hokies did notadmit. Tahrick Peak already is going through summer conditioning athis new school, Texas Tech, but Nubian was redshirted by Tech lastyear and would lose another year of eligibility if he transferredto another Division I-A school.

Recruiting

Tim Scott, a 6-foot, 180-pound cornerback from Colonial ForgeHigh School in Stafford, has given North Carolina its thirdfootball commitment from a player who played in Virginia in 2009.

Scott is rated the No. 12 prospect in Virginia by rivals.com. TheTar Heels also have commitments from the Nos. 3 and 15 players onthat list, offensive lineman Landon Turner from Harrisonburg HighSchool and outside linebacker Daquan Romero from Phoebus inHampton. Romero has moved to New York since making his commitment.

Scott, who picked the Tar Heels over Tennessee and West Virginia,is the 22nd rising senior from Virginia to make an oral commitmentto a Division I-A program. Twelve have given pledges to UVa.

- The No. 23 player on the rivals.com rating of the topVirginians, offensive lineman Grant Jones from Liberty ChristianAcademy in Lynchburg, is crossing the street to go to LibertyUniversity. Jones had five I-A offers.

Spurlock to UCF

The University of Central Florida has announced formally theaddition of Tristan Spurlock, a transfer from Virginia who pickedthe Knights' Conference USA program after considering three BigEast schools, he said in a text message.

Spurlock, a 6-foot-7 forward from Springfield, Va., was named Mr.Basketball in Virginia by The Roanoke Times after his senior year atWord of Life Christian in 2009, but he appeared in only 13 games asa UVa freshman and averaged fewer than five minutes.

Spurlock is one of three underclassmen who have left the UVaprogram since the end of the 2009-2010 season, along with leadingscorer Sylven Landesberg, who signed this week with a pro team inIsrael, and Jeff Jones, who transferred to Rider.

"Tristan is a really talented player and we are excited about hisaddition to our team," said new UCF coach Donnie Jones, whopreviously was at Marshall. "He brings great versatility andlength. I think he will really fit in with our up-tempo style ofplay."

Record-breakers

Roanoke-bred collegians Lauren Hines from the University ofRichmond, Kelsey Holmgaard from George Mason and Keri Sink fromVirginia Tech joined rising William Byrd High School junior KacyEdsall to break the state record in the 200-meter medley relay bynearly two seconds at the Virginia Swimming Long-Course SeniorChampionships this past weekend in Christiansburg.

They are Marlins teammates, a year-around program at the CarterAthletic Center.

Peak wanted to be in Tech's plan now

Ex-Pulaski County football star Nubian Peak knew that VirginiaTech had a plan for him. However, there are plans and then thereare long-range plans.

Peak didn't have much interest in the latter.

"It's nothing against Virginia Tech personally and they knowthat," Peak said Wednesday. "I was slated to start on kickoffreturns this year, but I was looking further down the road in termsof me playing the flanker position.

"With Danny Coale still there, I didn't figure to be classifiedas a starter till my redshirt junior year. In my opinion, thatwould be a wasted two years. It's a business and you've got to makethe best business decision."

Peak said he could make a decision on his next school within aweek but declined to identify any of his suitors. Because he onlyrecently received a release from Virginia Tech, he will not be ableto practice with his new team until the start of classes, althoughhe would be eligible to play this year for a program at theDivision I-AA level or lower.

Peak, who played tailback at Pulaski County, will look closely ata school's depth chart before making his decision.

"That's a key thing," Peak said. "I don't think I really examinedthat when I decided to commit to Virginia Tech because I was a fanof theirs and figured they would find a way to put me in a positionwhere I could best help the team.

"But, after being there a year, I could see that the systemdidn't quite fit me."

Peak's competition at running back would have included a pair of 1,000-yard rushers, Darren Evans and Ryan Williams, as well as thestate's No. 1-rated recruit in the same year Peak came out of highschool, Danville's David Wilson.

Peak thinks of himself in the Reggie Bush mold -- more of a third-down back who doubles as a threat in the receiving game.

"If you've got a guy who runs a 4.2 [for 40 yards], a guy whotied Michael Vick's record when he got to camp, why wouldn't youhave him out there on the field?" Peak asked. "I feel, with myability, I shouldn't have to wait."

- Peak indicated that it is unlikely he will join his youngerbrother, Tahrick Peak, a 2010 Tech signee whom the Hokies did notadmit. Tahrick Peak already is going through summer conditioning athis new school, Texas Tech, but Nubian was redshirted by Tech lastyear and would lose another year of eligibility if he transferredto another Division I-A school.

Recruiting

Tim Scott, a 6-foot, 180-pound cornerback from Colonial ForgeHigh School in Stafford, has given North Carolina its thirdfootball commitment from a player who played in Virginia in 2009.

Scott is rated the No. 12 prospect in Virginia by rivals.com. TheTar Heels also have commitments from the Nos. 3 and 15 players onthat list, offensive lineman Landon Turner from Harrisonburg HighSchool and outside linebacker Daquan Romero from Phoebus inHampton. Romero has moved to New York since making his commitment.

Scott, who picked the Tar Heels over Tennessee and West Virginia,is the 22nd rising senior from Virginia to make an oral commitmentto a Division I-A program. Twelve have given pledges to UVa.

- The No. 23 player on the rivals.com rating of the topVirginians, offensive lineman Grant Jones from Liberty ChristianAcademy in Lynchburg, is crossing the street to go to LibertyUniversity. Jones had five I-A offers.

Spurlock to UCF

The University of Central Florida has announced formally theaddition of Tristan Spurlock, a transfer from Virginia who pickedthe Knights' Conference USA program after considering three BigEast schools, he said in a text message.

Spurlock, a 6-foot-7 forward from Springfield, Va., was named Mr.Basketball in Virginia by The Roanoke Times after his senior year atWord of Life Christian in 2009, but he appeared in only 13 games asa UVa freshman and averaged fewer than five minutes.

Spurlock is one of three underclassmen who have left the UVaprogram since the end of the 2009-2010 season, along with leadingscorer Sylven Landesberg, who signed this week with a pro team inIsrael, and Jeff Jones, who transferred to Rider.

"Tristan is a really talented player and we are excited about hisaddition to our team," said new UCF coach Donnie Jones, whopreviously was at Marshall. "He brings great versatility andlength. I think he will really fit in with our up-tempo style ofplay."

Record-breakers

Roanoke-bred collegians Lauren Hines from the University ofRichmond, Kelsey Holmgaard from George Mason and Keri Sink fromVirginia Tech joined rising William Byrd High School junior KacyEdsall to break the state record in the 200-meter medley relay bynearly two seconds at the Virginia Swimming Long-Course SeniorChampionships this past weekend in Christiansburg.

They are Marlins teammates, a year-around program at the CarterAthletic Center.

Former Bush Adviser to Say No to Senate

WASHINGTON - President Bush's former political director says she intends to follow his directive and not answer questions about her role in the administration's firing of federal prosecutors - unless a court directs her to defy her former boss.

"While I may be unable to answer certain questions today, I will answer those questions if the courts rule that this committee's need for the information outweighs the president's assertion of executive privilege," Sara M. Taylor, who left her White House job two months ago, said in remarks prepared for presentation to the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday.

"Thanks for understanding," she added in the statement, made available in advance of the midmorning hearing.

Democrats insist that there are plenty about the firings that Taylor can discuss - and is compelled to reveal under a subpoena - that are not covered by Bush's executive privilege claim.

Her lawyer was expected to advise her as the hearing progressed on which questions she could or could not answer under the president's directive.

The same goes for a second former Bush aide, one-time White House counsel Harriet Miers, Democrats say. Miers, subpoenaed to appear before the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday, said through her lawyer this week that she "cannot provide the documents and testimony that the committee seeks."

"Ms. Miers is thus subject to conflicting commands, with Congress demanding the production of information that the counsel to the president has informed her she is prohibited from disclosing," Miers' lawyer, George Manning, wrote to House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers of Michigan and ranking Republican Lamar Smith of Texas.

The two former aides are now private citizens, and some congressional officials have argued that it is not clear Bush's executive privilege claim covers them even though White House Counsel Fred Fielding told lawyers for Miers and Taylor that the president was directing them not to answer questions or provide any information about the firings.

"Ms. Miers has no choice other than to comply with the direction given her by counsel to the president in his letters," Manning wrote.

Taylor's message was much the same. "I intend to follow the president's instruction," she said in her statement.

A court fight could take years, dragging on even after Bush leaves office.

So opens the latest round in the dispute over the administration's firing last winter of eight federal prosecutors. The congressional probe, now in its seventh month, has morphed into a broader standoff over what information the president may keep private and what details Congress is entitled to receive as part of its oversight of the executive branch.

The Taylor and Miers appearances this week are as much about Congress pushing back against Bush's executive privilege claim on subpoenaed documents and testimony as they are about the firings.

Claims for executive privilege are based upon the separation of powers set forth in the Constitution. As a separate but equal branch of government, it is argued, the executive can resist efforts by the legislative and judicial branches to encroach on its authority. Presidents have argued against releasing some documents to Congress and against forcing administration officials to testify about private discussions, contending that such disclosures could damage the executive branch's ability to function independently.

Most presidents have also added a practical argument: They say they won't be able to get unvarnished advice from advisers who worry that their words will be made public later.

Also looming over the proceedings is the fate of Attorney General Alberto Gonzales. Democrats have widely called for his resignation and a few Republicans have joined them. But Bush remains supportive of his longtime friend, and Gonzales shows no signs of stepping down.

Taylor and Miers were among Bush's closest aides during the period the firings were planned. E-mails released by the Justice Department up to, including and in the aftermath of the firings show Taylor and Miers were participants in the exchanges. At one point, the White House has said, Miers proposed firing all 93 of the nation's prosecutors, but Gonzales rejected that suggestion.

Democrats want to know if the prosecutors were fired at the White House's direction, perhaps to make room for Bush loyalists. Bush and Gonzales have denied that there were improper political motives behind the firings. The White House has pointed out that federal prosecutors are political appointees, and the president can hire and fire them for almost any reason.