National Budget for 9.20.07
GateHouse News Service National Budget For 9/20/07 editions
Here are the top national stories coming today from GateHouse News Service. Stories are available at http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/. Please submit stories below no later than 6 pm local time, unless you have breaking news that is changing significantly.
Contacts: Jean Hodges, (630) 348-3350, (630) 956-8834, jhodges@gatehousemedia.com
Michael Toeset, (630) 348-3356, (630) 835-8870, mtoeset@gatehousemedia.com
News
VIDEO SHOWS 4-YEAR-OLD BEING TOLD TO SHOPLIFT: Videos reportedly show the women, who have outstanding warrants for their arrest, selecting items off the shelves and a 4-year-old girl placing those items, as well as some others, in the stroller they had with them. Somerville Journal, Guha, 8 inches, on wire now
FIRE VOLUNTEERS: (Good one to localize) Most fire departments across the Rock River Valley are experiencing what their brethren nationwide are; A shortage of volunteers to staff departments. Volunteers have to meet increasing standards and regulations which has resulted in an 8 percent decrease nationwide in the number of volunteer firefighters. ROCKFORD/moving later this evening/Illinois News
ART: pics
NOTIFICATION THROUGH TECHNOLOGY: (Another one to localize) Some parents were upset that they weren't notified during bomb threats at West Middle School and likewise when riots broke out at Jefferson High School this week. What technology options are available? Texting? Computerized dialing? What do experts say? ROCKFORD @8/Illinois News
POPULAR VOTE: Group of advocates for legislation that would support a national movement to elect the president by a popular vote, instead of the electoral college, speak at State House Wednesday. MetroWest Daily News, Parietti, 15 inches, 6 p.m.
With explainer about which states have supported this so far
Business
MINORITIES TRADES: A first class of 14 students started a seven-week training program at Lincoln Land Community College this week intended to increase the number of minorities and women in building and construction trades. The program coordinator said nearly three times that number applied. A $300,000 state grant announced Tuesday also makes it possible for the students to complete the program free. SPRINGFIELD
BREAKOUT: w/want more info
ART: yes
BASKETBALL SNEAKER SALES - Reebok is bringing some of its basketball athletes together in Canton for an event today. We take the angle of how the downturn in b-ball shoe sales is affecting Reebok. Patriot Ledger, Adams, 15 inches, 6 p.m.
ART: With photos
Sports
PORTER COLUMN: Todd Porter will write a column from the Indians-Tigers. Chris Beaven has a Cavs story from the opening of the team's new training center. CANTON / coming tonight / ohio sports
ART: column mug
PATRIOTS vs. BILLS: Patriots fourth-round draft pick Kareem Brown was a suitemate of Kevin Everett, the severely injured tight end of the Bills, when they were students at the University of Miami (Glen Farley, The Enterprise)
NOTES Patriots notebook will lead with the fact Buffalo's special teams are really special (but the rest of the team stinks!) (Glen Farley, The Enterprise)
NDAME BOOK BOY: Taft will do a story on local lawyer Frank Maggio, who wrote a book about Notre Dame and football history. JAY TAFT/ROCKFORD REGISTER STAR, words 600 @ 6/Illinois Sports
Opinions
ELIZABETH DAVIES COLUMN: The breast option: As breast-feeding becomes a more popular option for mothers across the country, society needs to learn some tolerance. This isn't about sexuality - heck, teen girls wandering the mall tend to show more skin than a nursing mother - and it's not about indecency. ROCKFORD / in / Opinions - Elizabeth Davies
ART: column mug
Deb Gauthier column: Bush and Cheney's next target is Iran. MetroWest Daily News, 6 p.m.
ART: column mug
BRITT CARTOON: Commenting on American students failing civics classes <http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/opinions/x1649541445> . SPRINGFIELD / in / Opinions
GRANLUND CARTOON: Dave Granlund on kids lamenting the loss of soda in school. METROWEST / in / opinions / cartoons
Lifestyles (Thursday is Home & Garden)
COFFEE TABLE BOOKS: Rather than taking up an obscure residence on the shelf, crowded by all those other books with a thick layer of dust, there are tomes that earn a coveted spot - right in the middle of the coffee table. Listy look at what to look for. SUBURBAN CHICAGO in / Home & garden
JIM HILLIBISH: GREENSPACE: Ah, the sweet smell of compost. CANTON/ in / Home & garden
ART: column mug
MILLION DOLLARY JANITOR: Janitor to keep working despite $1M lottery jackpot: Janitor David Alves wears a scruffy look - jeans and a navy "Milford Schools" crew neck sweatshirt - and a million-dollar smile. Milford Daily News, Ameden, 15 inches, on wire now
ART: With photo
REVIEW: THE HUNTING PARTY: Movie misses the mark. ALEXANDER / Patriot Ledger / In / movie reviews
REVIEW: THE JANE AUSTEN BOOK CLUB: This chick flick's one that's a little too saccharine. LONG / Patriot Ledger / In / movie reviews
REVIEW: GOOD LUCK CHUCK: Good Luck Chuck shocks with overly explicit sex scenes but doesnít deliver with enough laughs. Raunchy and lewd, itís best to avoid. LONG / Patriot Ledger / In / movie reviews
Coming tomorrow (Friday is Religion)
RELIGIOUS SCHOOLS: Religious schools worth the sacrifice, families say <http://www.gatehousenewsservice.com/lifestyle/religion/x428361558> . ROCKFORD / in / Religion
Coming for the weekend
DEATH TO DIAMOND. CHICAGO - Billie Tucker's husband, Kenneth, died suddenly in August 2006, but a part of him is always with her - literally. The 64-year-old widow from Hoffman Estates had a small portion of her spouse's ashes turned into a blue-colored diamond. A private Chicago-area company, LifeGem, handled the transformation for a little more than $6,000, Tucker said. RAMSEY w/sidebar on other options, plus ART