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Honda bringing back Insight nameplate for hybrid

Honda is bringing back the defunct Insight nameplate for a hybrid-only vehicle planned for the Japanese, European and North American markets early next year, as the automaker strives to play catch-up with rival Toyota in hybrids.

Toyota Motor Corp. has been wildly successful by promoting the Prius as a hybrid-only model _ a move often praised as effective in highlighting its commitment to ecological technology.

But the industry view is still divided on devoting a model to a hybrid.

Nissan Motor Co. of Japan, which now buys its hybrid system from Toyota but is developing its own gas-electric technology, is less bullish about hybrid-only models. It …

More on WVU's rout of Buckeyes

NEW Year's greetings, while hoping you'll be as "bowled" over asI am today (while realizing that when I started college, there wereonly eight bowl games):

Before getting to football, there's a mostly overlooked - andvery impressive - fact from last Saturday's West Virginia basketballthrottling of nationally ranked Ohio State.

WVU's 76-48 triumph provided the largest margin of victory forany non-conference visitor to Columbus in history. This is theBuckeyes' 110th season of men's basketball. They've played in 10Final Fours.

Only three teams have won at OSU by more than WVU's 28-pointmargin, all Big Ten foes - Indiana by 35 and 30, in 1928 and …

Dow Falls Another 200, Gains Most Back

NEW YORK - Wall Street tried to stage a comeback Thursday, with the Dow Jones industrials erasing much of an earlier 209-point drop after a stronger-than-expected reading of the Institute for Supply Management's assessment of manufacturing activity in February. In the first hour of trading, the Dow Jones industrial average was down 80.59, or 0.66 percent, at 12,188.04.

Broader stock indicators also fell. The Standard & Poor's 500 index was down 8.43, or 0.60 percent, at 1,398.39, and the Nasdaq composite index was down 22.11, or 0.92 percent, at 2,394.04.

Investors showed their relief about manufacturing by buying some of the stocks that were pummeled in Tuesday's …

Reality TV star Jade Goody dies after cancer fight

Jade Goody's family asks for "privacy at last" after the death at 27 of the brash former dental assistant who turned her tumultuous life and struggle with cervical cancer into a one-woman reality show.

Mocked as a slob, then celebrated as an everywoman, Goody lived one of the world's most public lives, with cameras capturing everything from her racial slurs to her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy. She died on Sunday.

Goody gained fame in 2002 at age 21 when she joined the British version of the reality television show "Big Brother," in which contestants live together for weeks and are constantly filmed. She became a highly divisive star …

Bureaucrats need dose of reality

We may no longer live in an era in which doctors make house callsand become friends of the family a la Marcus Welby. But it's stillreasonable to expect them to dedicate themselves to putting our bestinterests first, and that includes being candid with us in assessingour well-being and making recommendations for improving it.

Well, tell that to Dr. Terry Bennett of New Hampshire. After hetold one of his obese patients -- as he makes a point of telling allof them at a time when obesity is becoming a national epidemic --that their excessive weight was life-threatening and something theyshould work to get rid of, the patient filed a …

South Shore LL World Series set

It will be the Yankees battling the Cardinals in the first-ever South Shore Little League World Series.

The first game of the best-of-five series is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. at Russell Square Park, 3045 E. 83rd St.

The Yankees are the American Conference champs. They reached the World Series with a two-game sweep of the top-seeded Red Sox. The Cardinals defeated the Phillies two games to one for the National Conference title.

"This is our very first World Series, and we're really looking forward to it," said South Shore Little League president Daniel Anderson. "This has been an excellent second season for our organization, and we are looking forward to an …

Charlize Theron accepts Harvard's Hasty Pudding Woman of the Year award

Before Charlize Theron could pick up her Woman of the Year award, she had to prove she was worthy.

That meant dancing to disco music, striking modeling poses and wooing someone wearing an elephant suit and a pink sparkly bra _ all to delight of the cast members of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals at Harvard University, the nation's oldest undergraduate drama troupe. The South Africa-born actress' efforts landed her a gold-colored pudding pot.

"I hope you all know I'm a high school dropout. I just thought I'd be clean with you guys," Theron said Thursday.

Actor Christopher Walken is to receive the Hasty Pudding Man of the Year Award on Feb. …

DUI charge upgraded in 2 deaths

A Far South Side woman has been charged with felony driving under the influence after a car crash that claimed the lives of a mother and son last winter.

Lavashia Penn, 36, and son Damari McCaster, 13, had just attended the funeral of Damari's paternal grandmother when they were killed in the Roseland accident on Nov. 19, Penn's father said Wednesday.

Nancy Spencer was behind the wheel of the 1997 Oldsmobile Achieva — and Penn and McCaster were in the back seat — when the crash happened at 544 W. 111th St., police said. Spencer drove past a stop sign at Wallace at a high rate of speed without stopping, police said. The car then went around another vehicle and into the …

John Waters

JOHN WATERS IS A RLM DIRECTOR, AUTHOR, ACTOR, AND PHOTOGRAPHER WHO LIVES IN BALTIMORE AND NEW YORK. HIS MOST RECENT BOOK, ROLE MODELS, WAS PUBLISHED BY FARRAR, STRAUS AND GIROUX EARLIER THIS YEAR.

1 Domain (Patrie Chiha) My favorite movie of the year. A forty-year-old alcoholic aunt (played by B�atrice Dalle- "Betty Blue" herself!) and her gayish teenage nephew form a perversely close relationship by taking walks together. Lots of walks! So many walks you'll be left breathless by the sheer elegance of this astonishing little workout.

2 Enter the Void (Gaspar No�) The best film ever about taking hallucinogenic drugs. Seizure-inducing title credits, cinematography that looks …

Votto spoils no-no, Volquez lifts Reds past Phils

Joey Votto's two-out RBI double in the seventh inning spoiled Brett Myers' bid for a no-hitter, and the Cincinnati Reds beat the Philadelphia Phillies 2-0 on Wednesday night behind another impressive start by Edinson Volquez.

A sellout crowd hoping to see Ken Griffey Jr. hit his 600th homer saw an old-fashioned pitcher's duel in the rarest of places _ hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park.

Junior wasn't in the Reds' lineup for the third consecutive game because of general soreness, including a sore left knee. For the second straight game, he walked as a pinch hitter in the eighth and pitcher Bronson Arroyo ran for him.

Volquez …

Galleries

AMDUR GALLERY OF CONTEMPORARY ART. 2071 Tower, Glenview. ToSeptember: "All-Israeli." Tue-Fri, 10 am-7 pm; Sat, 10 am-5 pm; Sun,noon-5 pm. (847) 998-0777.

AROUND THE COYOTE. Flat Iron Arts Building, 1935-1/2 W. North. ToAug. 31: "Direct Currency Exchange featuring Brandon Alvendia,Richard Birkett, Juliette Blightman, Sebastian Craig, Caleb Lyons,Darren Norman." Mon-Fri, 10 am-6 pm; Sat, noon-6 pm.www.aroundthecoyote.org.

BELL STUDIO. 3428 N. Southport. To Oct. 1: "Four Seasons,photogaraphs by Vivian van Blerk." Tue-Fri, noon-7 pm; Sat, noon-5pm. (773) 281-2172.

BLACK WALNUT GALLERY. 2135 W. Division. To Aug. 31: "Made InPeoria." Wed-Fri, noon-7 pm; Sat, …

The Business Life of Emmett Jay Scott

Emmett Jay Scott was private secretary to Booker T. Washington and later became secretary treasurer of Howard University. He was involved in numerous business activities, ranging from the establishment of the National Negro Business League to the founding of an investment clearinghouse, an insurance company, and an overseas trading firm. Scott also promoted the black township of Mound Bayou and backed African American entertainment enterprises. His business activities were largely unheralded, and the frustrations he encountered illustrate both the obstacles and the opportunities for black entrepreneurs in the first half of the twentieth century.

Emmett Jay Scott, Booker T. …

What's in a name?

Delphine Richards takes a fun look into how local places gottheir names.

The Goose and Cuckoo MOST of the names that have appeared in thiscolumn have been old, historic names.

However, this week it is a very old established public house/restaurant but with a 'new' name.

The previous name of the Goose and Cuckoo in Llangadog was TheCarpenter's Arms, but about five years ago, following new ownershipand management, it undertook something of a makeover, as well as anew identity.

The name 'Goose and Cuckoo' is not entirely original as there isa public house of the same name near Abergavenny.

That particular property was part of the Llanover Estate and wasrun by two women who were extremely different in character and eachcalled after the relevant bird she resembled!

This was during the early part of the 1800s and at the time thatthe Temperance movement was at its heyday.

Temperance By an unhappy coincidence, Lady Llanover was a leadinglight in the Temperance Society and ordered the closing down of alllicensed premises on her estate.

But the Goose and Cuckoo, somehow avoided detection and closureand remains to this day.

Which brings us to the Llangadog 'Goose and Cuckoo' and itsconnection with its namesake.

The proprietors, Paul Williams and Luke Jones, had a fascinationfor the tale of the original G & C and thought it was particularlyappropriate for their restaurant.

However, it was not because they have two goose-like and cuckoo-like women working in the background!

Profound Instead, there is a far more profound explanation.

The location of the Goose and Cuckoo is at the fork in the roadin Llangadog village. One road takes the traveller towardsLlandovery while the other route goes in the direction of BrynammanMountain.

A feature of the Brynamman road is the quirkily named 'Tro'rGwcw' (Cuckoo Bend - a name covered in this column in the past).Llandovery (also covered in this column recently) was well known forits droving history -- the cattle being herded and guarded by geesewhile they travelled.

This makes 'our' Goose and Cuckoo well named enough to feature inthe history books of the future.

My thanks to Paul and Luke for their helpful information.

Teixeira Powers Braves Past Mets 13-5

NEW YORK - Mark Teixeira hit a three-run homer and the Atlanta Braves roughed up a rusty Orlando Hernandez in a 13-5 victory over the New York Mets on Tuesday night.

Yunel Escobar also went deep for Atlanta, which played without Chipper Jones for the second straight night but still managed 13 hits. Willie Harris drove in three runs, and Jeff Francoeur was 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

The Braves, clinging to their slim playoff hopes with 17 games left, pulled within 8 1/2 of NL East-leading New York. They began the day five back of San Diego in the wild-card race.

Paul Lo Duca hit a two-run homer and speedy Jose Reyes had a career-high three doubles for the Mets, who had won four straight and nine of 10. They remained six games ahead of the Phillies, who lost to Colorado.

The teams observed a pregame moment of silence to mark the sixth anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks. The Mets also wore hats from eight New York City departments who sustained losses that day, and a firefighter sang the national anthem.

Hernandez, sporting an FDNY hat, struggled in his first start since he gave up five runs and six hits over three innings at Philadelphia on Aug. 30. He traveled back to New York after that shaky outing and got a cortisone shot in his sore right foot.

El Duque retired the Braves in order in the first but forced home a run with a bases-loaded walk to Harris in the second and gave up Escobar's two-run homer in the third.

Atlanta chased the right-hander during a six-run fourth, batting around to take a 9-0 lead. The first five hitters reached against Hernandez (9-5), who yielded run-scoring singles to pitcher Buddy Carlyle and Kelly Johnson before he was replaced by Aaron Sele.

Hernandez was charged with six hits and a season-high eight runs over three-plus innings, his first loss since July 4 at Colorado. New York was 9-1 in his previous 10 starts.

Sele got two quick outs before Teixeira connected for his 12th homer with the Braves. The slugger, who was acquired from Texas in a trade deadline deal, went 3-for-5 and scored two runs.

Carlyle gave up six hits and three runs in 4 1-3 innings for Braves, who have won four of six. Pete Moylan (5-3) threw 1 2-3 scoreless innings to earn the win, and three other relievers combined to finish it.

Moises Alou singled in the fourth to extend his hitting streak to 16 games for New York and added his 12th homer in the eighth.

Jones was a late scratch before Monday night's 3-2 loss to the Mets after he hurt himself during batting practice. The team said he is day to day.

The Braves did get Andruw Jones back after he missed the series opener with the flu. He went 0-for-3 and scored a run.

Notes:@ Atlanta purchased the contract of catcher Clint Sammons from Double-A Mississippi. ... Reyes also tied the franchise record for doubles in a game, last accomplished by Carlos Beltran on Aug. 8, 2006, against San Diego.

Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans will not let government default

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell says Republicans will not let government default

Willis Gets Hollywood Walk of Fame Star

LOS ANGELES - Surrounded by family, friends and fellow A-listers, Bruce Willis received a star on the Walk of Fame Monday as scores of fans looked on.

Ex-wife Demi Moore and her new husband Ashton Kutcher were on hand, as were Ben Affleck, Kevin Costner, Sylvester Stallone, Don Johnson and Billy Bob Thornton. The Emmy-winning actor's children also attended the dedication ceremony.

"I used to come down here and look at these stars and I could never quite figure out what you were supposed to do to get one," Willis said. "Time has passed and now here I am doing this, and I'm still excited. I'm still excited to be an actor."

The Willis star, the 2,321st implanted on the Walk of Fame, was unveiled on Hollywood Boulevard in front of Grauman's Chinese Theatre on the eve of the DVD release of "Over the Hedge." Willis was the voice of RJ the raccoon in the animated film.

Willis, who won an Emmy for his role in the 1985-1989 ABC-TV series "Moonlighting," may be best known for his portrayal of Detective John McClane in the "Die Hard" movies. Another sequel, "Live Free or Die Hard," will be released June 29.

His other film credits include "The Sixth Sense," "Pulp Fiction," "Twelve Monkeys" and "The Jackal." Willis' latest film, "Fast Food Nation," in which he plays an unscrupulous farmer, is scheduled for release Nov. 17.

Blake wins opening match, Gremelmayr upsets Querrey in San Jose 1st round

Second-seeded James Blake easily won his opening match at the SAP Open on Tuesday, beating Sam Warburg 6-3, 6-1 to shake off the memory of a stunning upset loss two days earlier.

Blake, the world's ninth-ranked player and a perennial fan favorite in San Jose, needed just 55 minutes to dispatch fellow American Warburg.

After losing to 18-year-old Kei Nishikori of Japan in Sunday's International Tennis Championship final of at Delray Beach, Blake bounced back to move Warburg around the court with sharp serves and groundstrokes in almost every game. He finished the match with consecutive aces.

"Everything was working pretty well out there," Blake said. "I'm feeling good, and it's always good to be in this tournament. I've been coming here for several years, and even when I wasn't exactly healthy, I was playing here."

Warburg clearly was outclassed in his third match on the ATP Tour, following a second-round loss at the Australian Open to finalist Jo-Wilfried Tsonga. Even a substantial cheering section of friends and relatives at HP Pavilion didn't help.

"I was always kind of scrambling," Warburg said. "I didn't feel very comfortable with my feet. I felt like my serve went off a little bit because of all the pressure he put on me. He was just getting the ball real early and taking really wide swings. I felt like he was on the baseline and I was behind the baseline. I felt like I was running and he was in control."

Earlier, German qualifier Denis Gremelmayr upset seventh-seeded Sam Querrey 5-7, 7-6 (1), 6-3 in the first round.

Querrey reached the semifinals at Delray Beach, but couldn't finish off the second set against Gremelmayr, who earned only his second win on the main tour in 12 months.

Another German, Benjamin Becker, ended a three-match losing streak by beating Marcos Daniel 6-1, 3-0 when the Brazilian retired with a groin injury.

Also, Robby Ginepri beat Jesse Witten 6-2, 5-7, 6-4 and Mardy Fish finished cruised past Tim Smyczek 6-3, 6-4 in all-American matches, while Lu Yen-hsun of Taiwan beat Belarus' Max Mirnyi 7-6 (4), 5-7, 6-2 in Tuesday's final match, which stretched well past midnight.

NZ vs. Zimbabwe

NAPIER, New Zealand (AP) — Scores at stumps Friday on the second day of the one-off cricket test between New Zealand and Zimbabwe at McLean Park (rain stopped play):

New Zealand 1st Innings: 392-5 (Ross Taylor 122 ret. hurt, Brendon McCullum 83, B.J. Watling 52 not out, Martin Guptill 51; Hamilton Masakadza 1-45).

Justin Gatlin arrives at worlds with frostbite

DAEGU, South Korea (AP) — Blistered and scarred, American sprinter Justin Gatlin arrived at the world championships with frostbite on both feet.

The 2004 Olympic champion, who last year made his return to competition after serving a four-year doping ban, said Wednesday he got frostbite about two weeks ago after going into a cryogenic chamber with wet socks. He didn't lose any toes and will still run in Daegu, but his wounds are not completely healed.

"You wake up at 9 o'clock in the morning in Orlando and it's already 90 degrees (32 C)," said the 29-year-old Gatlin, who lives and trains in Florida. "So we're already hot, drenched with sweat. Get in the booth, socks were wet, socks froze to me instantly.

"Before I even came here it was like walking on fiery pins and needles," Gatlin added in an interview with The Associated Press.

Athletes use cryogenic chambers to cool their muscles after a hard workout. Instead of ice packs, the chamber works faster and covers the entire body.

But instead of being worried about his ailment ahead of a possible showdown with world-record holder Usain Bolt in the 100 meters, Gatlin is using the setback as inspiration.

"Honestly, it's just the universe telling me, 'How much do you really want this?'" Gatlin said. "'If you really want this then I'm going to put these obstacles in your way and see how man enough you're going to be to overcome them.'"

Gatlin said the pain from the frostbite has subsided and the injury hasn't affected his stride. But it is still bothersome because the wounds on his heels are near the level where his socks sit and where the back of his running spikes touch.

"It's better than it was. It was all pussed up and blistered. It bubbled up and it stayed bubbled up for a good four or five days," Gatlin said, lifting up his sweat pants to reveal the scabby scars that resemble big blisters. "This is the best it's looked, the best it's felt.

"The confidence in me is rising. I'm getting ready to get out there and burn the track."

He's going to need confidence coming up against Bolt and Asafa Powell. They're the three favorites to medal in the 100, and Powell has the fastest time this year at 9.78. Bolt holds the world record at 9.58 but hasn't been at his best since a back injury last year. Gatlin ran 9.95 to finish second at the U.S. Championships.

Before Bolt first broke the 100-meter world record in 2008, the sprint world was all about Gatlin and Powell. Gatlin won the 100 at the 2003 indoor worlds, and followed that with an Olympic gold at the 2004 Athens Games.

At the athletics worlds in Helsinki a year later, he won both the 100 and 200. And in 2007, he equaled the then-world record of 9.77 seconds set by Powell.

"It almost came to a screeching halt," said Gatlin, who maintains his positive doping test from 2006 was the result of some testosterone-like cream that was massaged into his legs. "It was night and day for me. Now I'm trying to get back to where I need to get to, which is being successful on the track."

His first chance to get back there will start Saturday in Daegu in the 100 heats. The final is set for Sunday.

But instead of talking big about being able to beat Bolt, Gatlin is setting his sights on at least giving himself the chance to beat Bolt by reaching the final.

"I wouldn't say he's a goal. He's more of a competition standard," Gatlin said. "He has a lot to lose, while everyone else has a lot to gain.

"I have the visual of running him to the line."

Gingrich derides Obama speech as "shallow" in Fla.

BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich is deriding President Barack Obama's State of the Union address as "shallow and lacking in seriousness."

The potential 2012 Republican presidential candidate said during a visit Thursday to Bethesda Memorial Hospital that he didn't find humor in Obama's joke about federal salmon laws illustrating the massive government bureaucracy.

Gingrich says the federal government's size is "not a joke...It's too big."

Gingrich is fresh off a trip this week to early presidential caucus-state Iowa where he met with lawmakers. He says he'll decide on a presidential run in late February. He and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush argued in an op-ed column published Thursday in The Los Angeles Times that cash-strapped states should be allowed to declare bankruptcy.

Amish School Draws Gawkers, Well-Wishers

NICKEL MINES, Pa. - Curiosity seekers left flowers and messages of sympathy Sunday near the one-room Amish schoolhouse where a quiet milkman killed five young girls and wounded five more.

Along the road leading to the West Nickel Mines Amish School, authorities posted dozens of "No parking or standing" signs to encourage people to keep moving.

Survivors of the shooting will probably receive lessons at home for the rest of the school year, and the schoolhouse will be torn or burned down and rebuilt elsewhere, according to Daniel Esh, who said he learned of the plans from a nephew who attended a meeting on the matter.

"It would just be asking too much of them to go back," said Esh, whose three grandnephews were inside the school when the rampage began.

Ken Urbany, 57, a prison guard from Philadelphia, had hoped to stop at the school Sunday to offer a prayer for the victims but kept driving because of the restrictions. He said, "It doesn't matter. The Lord will hear my prayer in my hotel room."

But visitors also stole up to the grave of gunman Charles Carl Roberts IV, 32, who killed himself in the rampage and was buried Saturday in his wife's family plot a few miles from the school. They also drove past the house of his widow, Marie, and their three children.

Randy Fischer, 51, a Roberts family friend, stood at the end of their driveway, trying to keep people away. He declined to say whether Marie Roberts was staying at the home but offered: "All things considered, they are doing very well."

Roberts stormed the school last Monday, releasing 15 boys and four adults before tying up and shooting the 10 girls, killing five of them. Roberts had come armed with a shotgun, a handgun and a stun gun.

Roberts' suicide notes and last calls with his wife reveal a man tormented by memories - as yet unsubstantiated - of molesting two young relatives 20 years ago. He said he was also angry at God for the Nov. 14, 1997, death of the couple's first child, a girl named Elise Victoria who lived for just 20 minutes.

The funerals for the five slain girls - Anna Mae Stoltzfus, 12; Marian Fisher, 13; Naomi Rose Ebersol, 7; and sisters Mary Liz Miller, 8, and Lena Miller, 7 - were held Thursday and Friday.

County Coroner G. Gary Kirchner said one of the survivors, whose parents took her home to die late last week, was returned to Penn State Children's Hospital in Hershey. He said her prognosis remained extremely poor.

"People want to latch onto this 'improving' business, and it is just not so," said Kirchner, referring to speculation that the girl's condition had gotten better.

"My guess is that if she's survived this long, she will continue to be in this state with a mortal head wound," he said. "It is horrible because it will remind (her parents) every minute of the day of this whole God-awful mess."

Churches throughout Lancaster County were asked to ring their bells in remembrance of the victims on Monday at 10:45 a.m., the same time the siege began.

At Georgetown United Methodist Church, in whose cemetery Roberts was buried, the Rev. Michael Remel prayed Sunday for "less violence, less hatred, less evil in the world" - and asked God to "let the world learn the lesson of forgiveness that came from our friends, the Amish."

The church's youth pastor, Tom Erb, who attended the viewing for Anna Mae Stoltzfus last week, told the congregation that her father showed extraordinary grace.

"He said he was so blessed to have Anna Mae for 12 years," said Erb, his voice breaking. "I'm very thankful for the strength of the Amish, the forgiveness they have."

Albania opposition protest on late vote results

TIRANA, Albania (AP) — Hundreds of Albanian opposition supporters have gathered outside the election commission to protest the delay in the release of results from local elections held nearly two weeks ago.

The opposition claims their leader, Edi Rama, won re-election as mayor of the capital, Tirana in the May 8 polls. They object to the election commission considering a recount of the votes, arguing the move threatens political stability.

The commission was meeting later Wednesday morning to decide on whether to order the recount on grounds that some ballots were cast in the wrong ballot boxes.

The seven-member commission is dominated by members from the governing Democrat party. Three-time mayor Rama was running against the Democrats' candidate, former Interior Minister Lulzim Basha.

Beatification: TV schedule

tv schedule

The Catholic cable network EWTN will provide extensive coverage:

● Today, 12:30 p.m.: Live from the Circus Maximus, a vigil organized by the diocese of Rome

● Sunday, 1:30 a.m.: Coverage of mass: Beatification of Pope John Paul II

● Monday, 3:30 a.m.: Mass of thanksgiving in honor of the Beatification of Pope John Paul II

Cable news neworks plan to start live coverage of the Sunday mass at 3 a.m.

Hot Taft storms by St. Gregory

Taft (12-1) spruced up one of the area's best records Friday witha 7-0 non-conference victory over St. Gregory as Dan Bauer, ErikTryggestad and Mike Alwin combined for a one-hitter.

Joe Garza (two-run double) and Mike Warren (two-run homer)supplied the punch for the Eagles, a challenger to No. 8 Schurz inthe Public League Northwest.

Thornwood 11, Thornton 1: Ken Howes (two-run triple), SamAntkiewicz (two RBI) and Cliff Floyd each went 2-for-3 for top-ratedThornwood (9-2, 1-1) in the SICA East. Jim Thormeyer (3-0) allowedone hit in five innings.

Driscoll 8, De La Salle 1: Joe Coglianese and John Mika eachwent 2-for-3 with two RBI for Driscoll (13-3), top-ranked in Class A.Mike Burzawa (1-0) allowed two hits in five innings.

Fenwick 12, Kelvyn Park 1: Catcher Bob Lisanti had two doublesand five RBI, Joe Ignatius three hits and three RBI and MarkPasqualini a pair of two-run doubles for No. 4 Fenwick (11-2). JohnMartin (1-0) struck out seven for the Friars.

Rolling Meadows 5, Wheeling 2: Brian Schmack (1-0) pitched acomplete game and Don Spaniak (2-for-3) had an RBI for No. 6 RollingMeadows (6-2).

SOFTBALL: Amy Elza (three-hitter) struck out six, hit a two-runhomer and triple and scored two runs as No. 18 Downers Grove South(6-3, 3-0) scored a 6-0 victory over No. 5 Morton (8-3, 1-1) in theWest Suburban Gold.

Hinsdale South 5, Addison Trail 2: Trailing 2-0, No. 9 HinsdaleSouth (11-2, 1-1) rallied on RBI singles by Brenda Wegrzyn and JennyMcCollum in the fourth and a two-run double by Jenny Vicha and an RBIsingle by Wegrzyn in the fifth. Keri Christopher (7-2) got thevictory.

Aurora Central 6, Lemont 4: Kristy Long struck out eight, walkedone and was 3-for-3 at the plate for Aurora (10-3), ranked No. 3 inClass A.

Lockport 5, Joliet West 1: Missy Porzel (4-0) fired a two-hitterand fanned eight for No. 1 Lockport (10-1, 2-0).

IHM 3, Mother McAuley 0: Katie Clifford (5-3) pitched her thirdno-hitter for Immaculate Heart of Mary (7-5).

New police superintendent will face tough tests

If the Chicago City Council follows preliminary indications and approves Mayor Richard M. Daley's choice of J.D. (Jody) Weis as the new superintendent of police, it will be a good news/bad news situation for the FBI agent.

The good news for Weis is his $300,000-plus annual salary tops Vice President Dick Cheney's by more than $100,000.

Weis will be in charge of 17,000 cops and civilians and Cheney is a heartbeat away from being the leader of the free world. So much for salary being commensurate with responsibility.

The bad news is there is no "fresh start" which the mayor seems to be looking for by bringing in the first non-Chicago cop in 47 years to head the department. If, as planned on Jan. 16, Weis is sitting in the big chair at 3500 S. Michigan Ave., he will have the blood of Aaron Harrison, the late 19-year-old West Sider, on his hands, as well as that of slain 10-year-old Arthur Jones.

Young Jones died from a thug's bullet intended for another thug across the street. Harrison, a young brother who had more than his share of conversations with police officers, died after he was shot running from police officers.

Wels will not be able to absolve himself of those shootings or the nearly five dozen others that claimed the lives of young Black Chicagoans. There will be no "that was before my arrival excuses.

Weis has inherited a mess that none of his predecessors opted to clean up. The rogue cop behavior, the shootings of reportedly unarmed civilians, cops plotting to kill other cops and a mentally ill man dying after being buzzed with some cops' Tasers are all horrendous events that got sound-bite responses from police brass, but nothing of substance.

Even when the upper echelon of the department would wander into the community for some sort of scripted forum, they did a great job of listening; but the follow-up left a lot to be desired. The departmental leaders didn't publicly explain that cops were allowed to kill unarmed West Siders or South Siders. So, family and friends are still seeking answers - months after incidents.

Of course Weis won't come in with the answers, but the wisest thing he can do is immediately promise to get them, and share them in quick fashion.

Maybe the mayor recognized but didn't want to remind us that Weis' coming to Chicago is much like a player being traded from a Detroit team to one of ours. Whatever that player did there was fine, but he still must prove himself here.

The new superintendent will need to prove he's more than a suit by getting into the community, personally, and not relying on any secondhand accounts of how "things" are. Even if he's got a squad of cops in tow, Weis walking along 16th Street and Pulaski Avenue or 47th Street and King Drive, getting residents' perceptions about the cops will be a gargantuan step toward restoring some confidence in the department.

Neither Weis nor Daley should expect that restoration to happen anytime soon. It is just not feasible or even reasonable for cops to kill members of the community and expect that community to say, "oh it's cool. He's a new guy."

Much of Chicago's Black community is like a burn victim and the removal of the dead skin has to be done carefully, timely and on some sort of schedule.

Weis' presence and a genuine pledge to improve things before the families of Johnnie Goodwin and other youngsters who are no longer with us can be an unprecedented salve.

A tragic mistake for the 49-year-old uber cop will be to try to ignore the past, and come into the job as if there are no ill feelings and raw nerves out there.

In a year or so, we might be able to look back and say the new guy made a difference; but in the meantime, if Weis makes a dent in crime and improves the relationship between cops and the community, it will be shocking.

While he is dealing with the community, Weis' dealings inside the department could be testy at times. Interim Supt. Dana Starks' move to a civilian post leaves an opening for a second in command. The smart money says Weis will import another FBI-type to have his back.

It might be understandable, but certainly will be a slap in the face of the men and women who have labored through the departmental ranks and have earned a hard look and promotion into the second top spot.

Weis simply will be spinning his wheels toward building community trust if the community is looking at Chicago Police Department leadership that is neither homegrown nor of color.

He might not like it, and Daley might think it is a non-starter, but it is simply how things work here.

[Author Affiliation]

Glenn Reedus is the managing editor of the Chicago Defender.

NH artist protests halt to Bigfoot project

A New Hampshire artist and videographer who dressed as Bigfoot in a state park says his rights were trampled by big government.

Jonathan Doyle, of Keene, has complained in a letter to the state parks department that a Mount Monadnock park ranger halted his performance art project in the fall because he didn't have a permit.

Doyle is arguing through the New Hampshire Civil Liberties Union Foundation that his free-speech rights were violated when he was expelled from the state park in Jaffrey. He says he and others with him, some also in costume, were on a lesser-used trail and weren't bothering other park visitors.

Doyle says the state hasn't responded to his letter. The Division of Parks and Recreation says it has been forwarded to the state attorney general's office.

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Information from: The Keene Sentinel, http://www.keenesentinel.com