Wolfe's News Highlights

Editor & Publisher, America's oldest journal covering the newspaper industry, reported the industry has expierenced the worst drop in advertising revenue in more than 50 years.

According to new data released by the Newspaper Association of America, total print advertising revenue in 2007 plunged 9.4% to $42 billion compared to 2006 -- the most severe percent decline since the association started measuring advertising expenditures in 1950. The article goes on to included the figures and how revenue is decreasing.

"Even with the near-term challenges posed to print media by a more fragmented information environment and the economic headwinds facing all advertising media, newspapers publishers are continuing to drive strong revenue growth from their increasingly robust Web platforms," the journal reported John Sturm, president and CEO of the NAA, said in a statement.

Posted by wolfe134 at 11:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Star Tribune reported Noth Dakota State University has become part of the ever-growing list of schools trying to dertermine how to deal with the issue of when a white student applies black paint in an attempt to imitate a person of color.

The paper reported a controversial skit was performed by male members of the Saddle and Sirloin Club as part of the Mr. NDSU contest sponsored by the Alpha Gamma Delta sorority, where a white student wearing blackface potrayed Barack Obama receiving a lap dance.

Member's of the co-ed group for students interested in agriculture and the sorority sponsoring the event have apologized and the school has condemned their actions..

The Star Tribune reported blackface was originally used in theater in the United States. Many blacks consider it racist and believe that it furthers racial stereotypes.

The entire article can be found here

Posted by wolfe134 at 11:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Associated Press reported Saturday that the tight Democratic nominee race could have negative results for the party when the nominee is decided and put against John McCain for president.

The article reports the chief worry is Hillary Rodham Clinton may continue to capitalize on her winning streak, leaving her with an unquestioned momentum but fewer pledged delegates than Barack Obabma. This would create a conflict for the Democratic party leaders because they would be forced to make a choice between the canidates and either decision could damage the chosen nominees chances of winning the 2008 election.

The party leaders two choices the AP reported: Steer the nomination to a fading Obama, even as signs suggested Clinton could be the stronger candidate in November; or go with the surging Clinton and risk infuriating Obama's supporters, especially blacks, the Democratic Party's most loyal base.

The article suggested some party leaders question Clinton's motives to continue in the race when Obama's nomination seems all but inevitable and the her continuation could undermine her party.

However, Pat Waak, chairwoman of the Democratic Party, thinks the worriers should relax.

"I actually think it's good for the party to get through this process," she told the AP. "It gives everybody a chance to be part of it," she said, noting that Democratic voter registration is soaring in many states.

To see the whole AP report on myway.com click here.

Posted by wolfe134 at 11:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Both the Star Tribune and Pioneer Press reported Jean Nouvel, the french architect who designed the Guthrie theater in Minneapolis, was awarded with his field's highest award Sunday.

The architect of the blue-clad complex in the Minneapolis mall district won the 2008 Pritzker Architecture Prize, an honor the Star Tribune likened the honor to winning the Nobel Prize.

The Star Tribune article focused first on the Guthrie Theater. Reporting that Victoria Newhouse, a judge for th honor said, "The building is theater in itself -- exciting, contextual and relates well to the city and to the [Mississippi] river."

The paper also reported that when reached by phone at his Paris office Nouvel declined to rank it or any of his other projects, but said the Guthrie was a "wonderful experience" and a "great adventure."

The Tribune article then went on to highlights Nouvel's career.

The Pioneer Press article took a different approach. The article focused on the facts of the award, including other recipients and when the formal cereminy will be.

The Pioneer Press reported Nouvel joins Frank Gehry, Tadao Ando and I.M. Pei in receiving the top honor in the field in recognition of his high-rises, museums and performance halls around the world and will receive the award in June in a ceremony at the LIbrary of Congress. His prize will be a bronze medallion and a $100,000 grant.

Nouvel told the Pioneer Press, also in a phone interview from France, the reason he believes he was chosen for the honor.

"I think they understand very well that I fight for specific architecture against generic architecture," he said. "Every project is an adventure."

Posted by wolfe134 at 10:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Dirth Pran, "Killing Field's Photographer, Dies at 65. Douglas Martin for the New York Times.

The lead: Dith Pran, a photojournalist for The New York Times whose gruesome ordeal in the killing fields of Cambodia was re-created in a 1984 movie that gave him an eminence he tenaciously used to press for his people’s rights, died on Sunday at a hospital in New Brunswick, N.J. He was 65 and lived in Woodbridge, N.J.

The cause was pancreatic cancer, which had spread, said his friend Sydney H. Schanberg.

This reporter uses a typical news lead. The lead first gives the name of the deceased, gives a notable description of him and what he meant to the community, and when and where he died. The second sentence gives his age. For this particular example the reporter chose to include his hometown, as well, which is not necessary in the lead.

The second sentence fits the standard format because it gives how he died and attrubutes the information to its source.

The obituary uses frieds, but mostly his collegues as sources to give perspective into his achievements and the ttype of man he was.

The obituary is different than a resume because it puts into perspective what he did for the community, not just the statistics of his life.

Posted by wolfe134 at 8:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Rueter's reported today Islam is now the largest single religious denomination in the world, pushing Roman Catholiicism from the top spot the Vatican said on Sunday.

Monsignor Vittorio Formenti, who compiled the Vatican's newly-released 2008 yearbook of statistics, said Muslims made up 19.2 percent of the world's population and Catholics 17.4 percent, making it the first time in history catholicism is not at the top.

According to the Vatican there are about 1.13 billion Catholics in the world Muslim's genrally are estimated to be around 1.3 billion, Rueters reported.

The number of Catholics in proportion to the world population is said by Formenti to be stable. However, Rueters repored he said the percentage of Muslims is groeing because of higher birth rates.

Posted by wolfe134 at 9:50 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Montana is the only state to permit double-proxy wedding, wherein the presence of heither the bride or groom is required and has had it on their books for several decades perhaps to accomodate soldiers during World War II reported the New York Times.

The article goes on to describe the indifferent proxies of the day, such as Sarah Knapton, 22, who is a college student and professional proxy.

The cost to the real bride and groom: $900, $50 apiece to the proxies, $100 to the judge, $150 to the lawyer (and witness); $53 for court fees; $14 for two certified copies of the marriage certificate; and the rest to a Pennsylvania couple who run a business facilitating proxy marriages the paper reported.

The Times article also goes on to discuss the couples taking advantage of the quick minute weddings (mostly for reasons of war) and the people behind the nuptials.

To see the article click here

Posted by wolfe134 at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A tornado hit directly at the commercial center of Downtown Atlanta Frisay night, causing major damage on the city and many of it's land marks, including the CNN Center, the Georgia Dome and the convention center, reported the New York Times.

The paper reported the tornado blew out dozen's of high-rise buildings, and tossed trees and cars, severely damaging buildings, but no fatalities have been reported as of saturday morning.

However, crews are reported to have been combing through a loft complex in a difficult and dangerous search and rescue effort in the southeastern part of the city and another wave of tornados and thunderstorms struck Saturday afternoon killing 2 people in nothwestern Georgia, state officials said.

The severity of the Atlanta storm surprised forecasters, the paper reported.

The twister brought what was supposed to be a busy Saturday to a near-standstill. The convention was canceled, as was the St. Patrick’s Day parade and the Atlanta Home Show. The Southeastern Conference basketball playoffs were moved from the Georgia Dome to a smaller stadium at Georgia Tech open only to players and their families reported the paper.

Posted by wolfe134 at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Pope Benedict XVI issued a strong appeal to end the violence in Iraq Sunday, days after the body of the kidnapped Chaldean Catholic archbishop, Paulos Faraj Rahho, was found near the northern city of Mosul reported Breitbart.com.
The pope issued an appeal for peace and denounced the 5-year-long Iraq war at the end of his Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square, saying it had provoked the complete breakup of Iraqi civilian life, reported the site in article by the Associated Press.

"Enough with the slaughters. Enough with the violence. Enough with the hatred in Iraq!" Benedict was reported to have said.

Benedict praised Raho's loyalty to Christ and called his death an "inhuman act of violence" they reported.

Benedict was reported to have also said Rahho's dedication to the Catholic Church and his death compelled him to "raise a strong and sorrowful cry" to denounce the violence in Iraq spawned by the war that began five years ago this week.

In his homily, Benedict urged the faithful to follow God with the innocence and purity of a child's heart the web sited reported.

"To recognize God, we must abandon the pride that dazzles us, that seeks to push us away from God," he said. To find God, Benedict was repoted to have said, "we must learn to see with a young heart, one which isn't blocked by prejudice and dazzled by interests."

Posted by wolfe134 at 10:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A masked gunman robbed a St. Louis Park TCF Bank Thursday morning for perhaps the second time and is suspected by authorities to have robbed other local banks as well.

The police are on the lookout for the man they believe is also responsible for the Feb. 1 robbery at the same bank, along with two robberies of the TCF Bank in St. Anthony, reported the Star Tribune.

The suspect is described as a black or Hispanic male between the ages of 25-35 years old. He is believed to be about 5-foot-10 to 6 feet tall, between 180-200 punds, and wearing a black nylon mask, gray sweatchirt, brown down jacket, black running pants, tennis shoes and black gloves.

Anyone with information can contact the Minneapolis FBI at (612) 376-3200.

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The Star Tribune reported a young woman was killed in a car crash early Thursday morning, almost 13 years after she survived a car accident that left her in a coma.

Nikki Anderson was killed at about 1 a.m. after she hit a light pole and then a tree, causing her 2003 Chevy Impala to catch fire.

Police and rescue workers attempted to estinguish the fire and pull Anderson from vehicle, however the fire was too intense and they were rescuers were forced to back away.

A 12-year-old Anderson suffered head injuries in a car accident near Fargo, N.D. causing her to be left in a deep coma for nine weeks. The avid horse rider became somewhat of a local celebrity after when she recovered after several visits from the St. Paul mounted patrol.

Posted by wolfe134 at 9:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Analysis entry on event coverage Find a news report that advances some event – an exhibit, a movie opening, a festival. What are the sources used in the story? What is the angle of the story? How has the reporter crafted something more than a listing?

On Friday, The Minnesota Daily advanced the Gopher hockey games vs. the Duluth Bulldogs (The series occured this past weekend) in their article "Minnesota seniors looking for win No. 102."

The article uses the fact the gopher seniors on the team have won 100 games, but would like to make the number 102 because sweeping the series would give Minnesota a chance at home ice in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs.

The sources used in the article are the coach, Don Lucia, and two senior players, Tom Pohl and Ben Gordon. They are used to advance the what they want to accomplish this weekend, a reflection of their season, and the competition tghey are up against.

This article is more than a listing because it gives the more new worthy elements of the even, what would winning over the weekend mean to the team, as well as students at the U. The sporting event, is used as a base for information an the Gophers attitudes, overall season, and the upcoming Frozen Four. Hockey is big in Minnesota and students at the U want to know the news behind the stats and action.

Posted by wolfe134 at 6:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The gunman responsible for the for the killing of eight students at a prominent Jewish seminary in Jerusalem Thursday night was identified as Ala Abu Dhaim, reported the New York Times.

Abu, who is believed to have acted alone, once worked as a driver at the seminary said his family in Arab East Jerusalem. However, Rueters reported, the director of the seminary said on israeli radio that he did not know Abu and the seminary did not employ Arab drivers.

The gunman enetered the seminary Thursday night while the students paryed, and immediately killed a 15-year-old and 26-year-old at the enterance of the Mercaz Harvav yeshiva. He then enterd the first-florr library and opened fire using a Kalahnikov rifle, the New York Times reported the Israeli police said. In addition, to the eight students killed, at least nine others were injured, at least 3 seriously, the paper reported.

The families of the slain students mourned their deaths Friday, first by bringing the bodies to the seminary in the morning and then at noon buring them at locations inside and outside of Jerusalem, as the Israeli government tightened security around the city, the New York Times reported.

The New York Times reported the attack came at a time of increased Israeli-Palenstine tension, and the radical Islamic movement Hamas in Gaza did not take credit for the attack but did praise it.

"We bless the operation. It will not be the last," said Hamas in a text message the paper reported.

Mark Regev, a spokesman for Jerusalem's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, admitted the responsibility for the killings is still unclear.

The kiilngs have been condemned by the United Nations and President Bush extended his condolences and condemnation to the attack as well.

The killings will likely put increased pressure on Olmert to respond somehow with force reported the paper. However, before actions can be taken it must be certain who is behind the slaining of the students, said Regev.

"We will act to protect our people," he said.

Posted by wolfe134 at 4:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"It's really sort of ironic that my image would be used to advocate for Hillary when I myself do not," -Casey Knowles, the young girl featured sleeping in a Clinton campaign

Oregon's newstation King5 reported Saturday, the young girl sleeping in Hillary Clinton's "red-phone ad, " which asked voters who they would want to see answering a late night emergency phone call to the white house, is a "fierce supporter" of Clinton's rival.

The ad which helped turn the tide for Clinton leading up to her big win in Ohio features stock footage of Casey Knowles, who will be 18-years-old in April, long before the elections, and hopes to be casting her vote for Barack Obama.

"It's really sort of ironic that my image would be used to advocate for Hillary when I myself do not," said Casey to the news station.

The Knowles' family was watching the John Stewart Show Thursday, in their hometown Booney Lake, Wash. when they first saw the ad and realized it featuring the unwilling star. Although they find the footage amusing and acknowledge they have no control over the images uses they said they were midly annoyed.

Although Casey, is currently under-age it hasn't stopped her from supporting her favorite canidate, attending his rallies and serving as a pecinct captain at the cacauses a few months ago said the station.

"I think it would be really wonderful if me and Barack Obama could get together and make a nice counter ad," she said to the station.

Obama's campaign manager, David Plouffe accepted the endorsemnt Saturday afternoon.

"We think that the young actress in that stock footage who's now supporting us has got sound judgment as to who the strongest commander in chief would be," Plouffe said.

The KIng5 website has an and interview with Casey. To see it click here.

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The Star Tribune tells the story of Meta Miller, a hospice and nursing home patient with dementia who was given antipsychotic drugs to deal with her illness, which made her to screaming and her personality change worse.

To cope, with the hysterics patients with dementia may have, thousands of nursing homes nationwide are doing the same thing Miller's care did: using powerful antipsychotic drugs to quiet them, a step that at times is easier than taking staff time to fix the problem and Medicaid officials are alrmed by the practice.

Medicaid, which regulates and pays for most nursing home care, has ordered Minnesota nursing homes to crack down on the issue. In 2007 38 percent of the state's 398 nursing homes were using dangerous antipsychotic drugs inappropriately, a rate 27 percent higher than in 2006. said the Star Tribune.

Often the drugs that have become the No. 1 paid for drug by Medicaid perscribed to about 30 percent of all nursing home patients, is perscribed whether the patient is psychotic or not the paper said.

In Minnesota the paper reported the drugs are given routinely to 32 percent of state nursing home residents with behavior problems, such as dementia, but up to 15 percent of residents who don't have that daignosis are treated as well, the state Department of Health reported.

The behavior of patients with dementia can be the most difficult situations for both nursing homes and families to deal with, and after aid has been attacked by a patient it is easy to understand why they might want them drugged, but Dr. Robert Sonntag, an aging specialist with HealthPartners' division of geriatric services said sometimes the drug treatments don't help and makes the patients worse.

A rush to perscribe drugs is not the answer, usually the person is simply trying to communicate something and when it is figured out what you can deal with the real problem, said John Brose, a Minneapolis psychologist who consults at more than 100 nursing homes.

To read Miller's story and more facts about the treatment of patients with dementia click here to see the Star Tribune's article "People with dementia getting drugged rather than helped."

Posted by wolfe134 at 3:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Caribou Coffee in Minnesota is thriving, beating out Starbucks in earnings for the state, but unfortunetly Caribou's stock values tell a different story of success nationally.

The Star Tribune's Sunday article "Caribou stock: Half full or half empty" Caribou remains largely a Minnesota" reported that the coffeehouse remaind largely a Minnesotan phenomenom and accorrding to stocks failing to outmuscle Starbucks in any state but it's own. In fact, caribou hasn't turned a profit since 2002.

However, the paper questions whether Caribou is really doing as poorly as the numbers suggest. The stock originated at $14 a share when the company went public in September of 2005, but on Friday closed at a amount far off from it's strting value: $2.61. It is rare for a compny to trade below book value.

Caribou still has 51 cents of cash value per share, meaning buyers must pay just over $2 for the stock once that cash value is subtracted and owning equity with book value $3.06 per share.

The Star Tribune goes on to ask if this is a classic deep-value play, or yet another trap in a free-faliing market.

The paper reported the answer seems unclear because Caribou has been reluctant to provide guidance and have only said a long-term plan is being created in recent month. In addition two top executives resigned during this time.

Their is alot of uncertainty around the company's business model and long term prospects and Caribou needs to pick a leader and move ahead, in addition to their recent liscensing and franchise deals and increased sales through commercial customers, said David E. Tarantino, an analyst with Robert W Baird & Co. Inc., an international firm based in Milwaukee.

Caribou is hoping to improve business by focusing on their stores that are successful and closing the weaker links. The company has closed 28 stores in the last year and a similiar number of closures are planned for this year, said the Star Tribune.

"We're going to have a healthier store base," said the investor relations spokeswoman Kathleen Heaney to the Star Tribune. "We want to focus on the states we're already in."

This pan is expected to eventually help limit Caribou's losses the paper reported. In 2007 the comapny had an estimated loss of 71 cents per share, but it is expected to be narrowed down to 37 cents per share in 2009.

Alfred Marcus, a professor of strategic management at the Carlson School of Management at the Univerisity of Minnesota told the paper Caribou is not doomed just because it is a smaller competitor up against the giant, Starbucks and that dominating a regional can be a very power position, but Caribou must strive to differentiate themselves from Starbucks.

Posted by wolfe134 at 2:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Health Department officials issued an ultimatum Wednesday for Minnesota bar owners attempting to get around the smoking ban by holding "theater nights."

The Star Tribune reported officials said the practice of declaring bar patrons actors and hanging up a blaybill, does not constitute a theatrical production, which is exempt from the smoking ban, and there will consequence according to state officials.

The "performances" have been successful in learning back customers who were lossed after the ban and has revived bar business, the paper said.

State Health Commissioner Sanne Magnan told the paper the theatrical exemption was never intended be used for the benefit of smokers and the state can fine violators up to $10,000.

But bar owners doubt the consequences, one of them claiming they held "theater nights" after health officials warnings and have not been penalized reported the Star Tribune.

There is some confusion over who will be enforcing the law. State health officials told the paper they will work with local agencies to bring the bars into compliance, while other local health officials said it will be left up to the state.

the issue may go to court, said Rob Fulton, director of St. Paul-Ramsey County Public Health.

The Star Tribune reported some bar owners hope that the popularity of "theater nights will cause legislatures to comproise the ban, but Sen. Kathy Sheran, DFL-Mankato, one of the ban's leading proponents, said there will be no compromise.

Magnan said the law was created to protect Minnesotans from the effects of second hand smoke and all establishments are expected to comply. The paper reported she said her department iddued the statement on Wednesday to make it clear "theater nights" would not be tolerated.

Posted by wolfe134 at 11:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a press conference Wendesday Governor Tim Pawlenty named Robert Bly as Minnesota's first poet laureate. The AP reported this story and I found the article on KSTP website.

The press release for the announcement, released by the Governor was rather detailed and gave information about Robert Bly's history and importance, as well as detail about what the honor means, qualifications required and a brief history.

The article was less detailed than the press release but both mentioned his play "Peer Gynt," being shown at the Guthrie Theator in Minneapolis. In fact, all the information from the article seemed to have been taken directly from the news release.

However, the reporter chose to narrow the information to what was most likely considered the news worthy elements. It is a very straight forward report.

In my opinion, the piece would have greater benefits if the reporter had taken the information from the press release and extended on the information given about Blye. A angle that gave personality to the poet would have been a better read.

Posted by wolfe134 at 9:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Anorexia is an ongoing issue popping up on Web sites, blogs, on television and in newspaper article. The medical disorder has spawned many subcategories and buzzwords including- manorexia, orthorexia, and bing eating dosorder, claims the article "Starving Themselves, Cocktail in Hand."

The New York Times reported Sunday the newest buzzword to be linked to food related ills is drunkorexia. They reported the term, which is not an official medical term, is shorthand for the disturbing blend of behaviors, which combines self-imposed starvation or pingeing and purging with alcohol abuse.

Although the NY Times reported anorexics usually avoid alchohol and its heavy calories, some drink to cam down before eating or use alcohol as their only sustenance.

College-age binge drinkers, typically women, are among those described as drunkorexic because they have a tendency to starve themselves all day to offset the calories in alcohol they consume, the NY Times said.

"There are women who are afraid to put a grape in their mouth but have no problem drinking a beer, said Douglas Bunnell, the director of outpatient clinical services for the Renfrew Center, based in Philadelphia.

Bunnell also told the NY Times said the obsession with being skinny and social acceptance of drinking and using drugs contribute to the problem because they glorify and reinforce the behaviors.

To see the entire article on drunkorexia, including nformation related to other anorexic buzzwords click here.

Posted by wolfe134 at 8:35 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Hillary Rodham Clinton gave a cameo peformance over the weekend on "Saturday Night Live," satirically protesting the treatment she has recieved from the news media The New York Times reported.

James Downey, a writer on the show was a bit suprised to see Clinton on the show, the NY Times reported. In Clinton's cameo she agreed with the prior skits Downey had written in which debate moderators gave her a tough grilling whil fawning over other Democratic president hopeful, Barack Obama, they reported.

Previous to her performance, Clinton had cited one of the sketches during a debate in which she complained that she had been recieving harder questions than Obama.

"If anybody saw 'Saturday Night Live,' Clinton said at the the Tuesday debate, "you know, maybe we should ask Barack if he's comfortable and needs another pillow."

The political acknowledgement of the skits and several congratualatory phone calls forced Downey to admit his skits have struck a chord with the issue and have lasting value, despite his and most comedy writers loath to admit that their work does, the NY Times reported.

Although Downey appreciated the 'shout-out' he said the parodies were not intended as a lifeline to Clinton's campaign and he prefers Obama to Clinton, the NY Times reported. However, it was reported he does believe Clinton has faced harsher criticism in the press.

To see the entire article, including more information on Downey's history of political sketches, click here.

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An attempt to keep Prince Harry's presence in Afghanistan out of the British press for the protection of the prince and his fellow soldiers, was undone when Matt Drudge plastered the secret Thursday in an oversize font on his popular website, The Drudge Report, The New York Times reported.

Bob Satchwell, who had brokered the top secret agreement, was informed by a collegue and knew the press blackout would not hold any longer, meaning immediate action had to be taken, the paper reported.

On Friday the defense Ministry announced the third-in-line to the British throne would be returning home, despite the expectation for him to stay for a few more weeks with his Household Calvary Regiment Battlegroup unit because it was too risky for him to stay there, the NY Times reported.

Despite the media perception that newspapers and broadcasts as cutthroat, sensationalistic and anti-authoritarian, the NY Times brough to attention that hundreds of British journalist kep the deployment secret for close to three months.

However, in a stark contrast to the responsible attitude U.K journalist adopted, foreign websites did not the paper reported Gen. Sir Richard Dannat, chief of the General staff of the British Army said. Dannat said he was dissapointed in the foreign websites that printed prince Harry's wherebouts without permission.

Although Matt Drudge was not the first to report the news- Bild, a German newspaper ran a brief story on Jan. 7- he labeled the story a "world exclusive" and labeled the prince, "Harry the Hero," the NY Times said. Drudge teased his readers at Thursday morning with an all-capitialized alert: "Dramatic moment in war from UK," which he changed to "Prince Harry Fights On Frontlines In Afghanistan; 3 Month Tour," about 30 minutes later, they also reported.

British journalists have now unleashed into the public domain all the material they had been saving for later, including interviews and video scenes of Prince Harry discussing his deployment, wearing fatigues and firing his machine gun, said the NY Times.

Posted by wolfe134 at 7:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Court records show a persisiting problem in Minnesota is illegal drivers staying on the roads even after repeated convictions, fines, jail stays and court orders not to drive, despite attempts to confront and reform such drivers.

In Minnesota 14,091 people have been cited for five or more times because the either do not have a liscense or have had it withdrawn and more than 500 have been cited 14 or more times, according to the Star Tribune analysis of state traffic records..

Police often catch people who are driving without a liscense, however the penalty is the same in most cases, no matter what number offense it is and the repeat offenders are difficult to keep off the road, the paper reported.

In some cases, iot appears the only time offenders are not driving is when they are locked up said police, court officials and others.

James Monroe Crumble is part of the problem and does not belong behind the wheel of a car yet that is where police contunually find him, said the Star Tribune. Last Sunday, he was cited in North Minneapolis for the 68 time the paper reported.

"They are coming in over and over again, said John Choi, a St. Paul attorney whose office has repeatedly prosecuted Crumble, to The Star Tribune.

Many of the offenders seem to get into a vicious cycle they cannot get out of and ignore what the courts say, since they see their own need as "paramount," said Gregory Pye, senior commander for traffic enforcement in the St. Paul Police Department.

Often offenders don't have much money, so the fines, reinstatement fees and insurance problems multiply, even people who want to become legal drivers may find it hard to get out of the cycle, Moi said.

To see the Star Tribune's entire article on the problem click here.

Posted by wolfe134 at 6:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A Monticello high school basketball player who suffered a heart attack, awoke Sunday afternoon at North Memorial Medical Center from an induced coma and his first question was whether his team had won the Friday game he collapsed during, reported the Star Tribune.

Adam Thielen awoke and was able speak to his family and friends after his body was rewarmed to a normal 98.6 degrees and the coma-inducing drugs were removed, the paper reported.

The Tribunes original article reported starting center Adam Thielen, came off the court as part of the normal player roation, five minutes after the game against Rogers had started according to the Monticello basketball coach, Bruce Blader-Lanoue. two minutes later, he collapsed from the bench and "then he just sprawled onto the court," he said.

A fireman and paramedic attending the game used the schools portable definrillator twice to restart his heart, school officials said.

A ambulance crew repeated the treatment on the way to the hospital, Thielen said.

The Friday game was the annual senior night had honored Thielen as the only senior on the team. Thielen who is known by his friend's as "A.T." collapsed during the game declared "A.T. Night."

The Tribune reported the Thielen family gave thanks for the prayers and support on the www.caringbridge.org
website and under the request asked for no vistors so Thielen could rest and prepare for tests in the next few days.

Posted by wolfe134 at 5:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)