Charleston Daily Mail back issues from December 2004:
Plea's fallout unclear: Hampshire officials have little to say about Mezzatesta's future
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL STAFF If Hampshire County educator Candy Canan has her way, formerlegislator Jerry Mezzatesta will be permanently out of a job in theschool system. Mezzatesta and his wife, Mary Lou, pleaded no contest this week toa misdemeanor charge in Kanawha Magistrate Court ...
Deputies ready to fight Tucker's fancy patches: Group may even hire lawyer if outgoing chief; won't back off order
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL STAFF Leaders of the Kanawha County Deputy Sheriffs Association hopethey can talk Sheriff Dave Tucker out of having deputies change tonew shoulder patches and hat shields that he has designed. If that doesn't work, they're prepared to consult an attorney ...
Dow to cut 70 jobs: Most of the technical center workers affected will be offered transfers
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL BUSINESS EDITOR When the latest round of job cuts at The Dow Chemical Co.'s WestVirginia operations are completed next year, the company will havefewer than 1,000 employees in the Mountain State. Dow on Tuesday announced a restructuring that will result in theloss ...
Pricey chopper to have bells, whistles: State Police say need great for $5 million craft that will take year to get
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL STAFF West Virginia State Police are eager to fly their new $5.1 millionhelicopter, a state-of the-art aircraft they say will be light yearsahead of the Vietnam-era ones they use now. "We'll finally get a helicopter we can do our job in," said Sgt.Steve Knotts, ...
Power outages widespread: Gusts of up to 52 mph disrupt service to 22,000
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL STAFF Strong wind gusts knocked down trees and caused power outages foran estimated 22,000 people across the region early today. About 9,000 of those without power were Kanawha County residents,said Phil Moye, a spokesman for American Electric Power. Crews ...
CASE NO. 5: Charleston Daily Mail Neediest Cases Appeal; Young mother losing hearing needs help
Dec 01, 2004 ... At just 23, this mother struggles with a situation that must makeher feel like an elderly woman sometimes. For years, she has slowly been losing her hearing because of amedical condition for which there is no cure. Doctors tell her sheeventually will be completely ...
Pricey chopper to have bells, whistles: State Police say need great for $5 million craft that will take year to get
Dec 01, 2004; ... Sgt. Steve Knotts, chief pilot and director of aviation for theState Police, has flown this OH-6 helicopter all over West ...
S.C. church offers free Christmas musical
Dec 01, 2004 ... "Four Tickets to Christmas," a dramatic musical, will be presentedthis weekend at Southridge Church, 100 Eagle Drive in SouthCharleston. Performances are free and open to the public. No offering will betaken. Childcare will be provided. Set in 1905, "Four Tickets to ...
County officials investigate missing memorial
Dec 01, 2004; ... FOR THE DAILY MAIL Putnam County commissioners have initiated a probe into the fateof a memorial and historic marker commemorating the Civil War Battleof Scary Creek. The disappearance of the historical marker was brought to thecommission's attention by Lee Casto of the ...
PUTNAM NEWS: COMMISSION: Putnam cracks down on delinquent taxpayers; New policy forbids county commission from doing business with companies owing taxes
Dec 01, 2004; ... FOR THE DAILY MAIL Putnam County commissioners adopted a policy that forbids thecommission and related offices from doing business with vendors whoare delinquent in their real or personal property taxes. County Attorney Jennifer Scragg, who drafted the new policy, wentover ...
N.C. officials ban deer import, export fearing chronic wasting disease
Dec 01, 2004; ... CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Poor Rudolph won't join in any reindeer games inNorth Carolina this holiday season. State wildlife officials worried about chronic-wasting disease -the deer-family equivalent of mad cow disease - have banned thetransportation of deer, elk, caribou and reindeer ...
Bodies of crash victims recovered
Dec 01, 2004; ... KABUL, Afghanistan - Search teams have recovered the bodies of sixAmericans who died when their plane crashed high in Afghanistan'ssnow-covered mountains, U.S. military officials said today. The plane went down Saturday, but search efforts were complicatedby bad weather and ...
Chinese boom carries lethal price for miners: Huge demand prompts coal operators to reopen closed mines, ignore safety regulations
Dec 01, 2004; ... SHANGHAI, China - A pair of accidents that killed more than 300miners has underscored the human price China pays for its boomingeconomy and ravenous appetite for coal, an industry that's seen morethan 4,500 workers killed on the job this year. In the country's most recent ...
Almanac
Dec 01, 2004 ... Yesterday's high 58 Record high 79, 1934 Normal high 51 Yesterday's low 38 Record low 6, 1929 Normal ...
Tonight
Dec 01, 2004 ... Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 20s. Thursday Mostly sunny. Highs around 50. Friday Mostly cloudy with a chance of flurries. Highs ...
Regional forecasts
Dec 01, 2004 ... Akron 42 28 PCldy Charlotte 59 33 Clr Cincinnati 46 28 PCldy Cleveland 42 30 PCldy Columbus,Ohio 43 29 PCldy Dayton 43 27 PCldy Daytona Beach 73 54 Cldy Greensboro,N.C. 57 31 Clr Lexington ...
National forecasts
Dec 01, 2004 ... Anchorage 36 28 Cldy Baltimore 51 36 PCldy Boston 48 37 PCldy Chicago 38 26 PCldy Dallas-Ft Worth 57 35 PCldy Denver 34 14 Clr Detroit 38 29 Cldy Honolulu 83 74 PCldy Houston 62 40 PCldy Indianapolis 45 29 PCldy Kansas ...
Suspected militants arrested in Iraq: Prime minister to meet with expatriates to build support for elections
Dec 01, 2004; ... BAGHDAD, Iraq - Multinational troops have arrested 210 suspectedmilitants in a weeklong crackdown against insurgents in an area southof Baghdad known as the "triangle of death," the U.S. militarycommand said today. The announcement of the arrests came as Prime Minister ...
Nation & world
Dec 01, 2004 ... Serbian leader survives assassination attempt BELGRADE, Serbia-Montenegro - Serbia's pro-Western President BorisTadic survived an apparent assassination attempt when a carrepeatedly tried to crash into his motorcade, his press office saidtoday. The incident occurred ...
Your views
Dec 01, 2004 ... The coalition consists of those who buy lies What will it take for the editors of the Daily Mail to understandthe true nature of the Bush invasion of Iraq? Even the bewilderedherd that elected him did so not because they liked his war butbecause they share with him a hatred ...
Our views: Tweaking fashion to the bitter end; Tucker uses pistol permit funds one last time before leaving
Dec 01, 2004; ... WHEN the Legislature eased the law on concealed weapons permits,lawmakers acknowledged that background checks would cause an increasein costs for law enforcement officials. So pistol permit funds werecreated Little did anyone realize the fun Kanawha County Sheriff DaveTucker ...
Our views: Regulation does impede teachers; But accountability is necessary, and is not going to go away
Dec 01, 2004; ... IF a corporation produces too many rejects, the enterprise fails.If public schools fail, children do. They can't win in society.Federal, state and county officials properly concern themselves withhow well students are succeeding. The public does not give schoolsystems billions of dollars ...
2004 yielded weird rhetorical excess: How 60 million voters lost their minds
Dec 01, 2004; ... It's time for the 2004 awards for over-the-top rhetoric. n CameronDiaz said that if you think rape should be legal, you should not voteon Nov. 2. * Alan Keyes, Republican Senate candidate in Illinois, saidCatholics who voted for his opponent, Barack Obama, would becommitting a ...
Transit agency loses ruling on marijuana ad refusal
Dec 01, 2004; ... BOSTON - A federal appeals court has ruled that Boston's mass-transit agency violated free-speech rights by refusing to displayadvertisements from a group that wants to legalize marijuana. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority rejected three adssubmitted by the group ...
Decking the halls, or at least the windows
Dec 01, 2004; ... Darrell Wilt, maintenance supervisor for the West Virginia Chamberof Commerce, connects some power cords for a light display at thechamber's building along Kanawha Boulevard. Wilt and Special ProjectsManager Betsie Dobbs were getting ready ...
Group issues final report on local government
Dec 01, 2004; ... A new report asks the Legislature to consider three differentbills to help municipalities and counties that are willing to shareservices or even combine to improve their future economic prospects. The proposals released Tuesday from the Commission on Governing inthe 21st Century ...
W.Va.'s small business growth rate among slowest in nation
Dec 01, 2004; ... The growth of small business in West Virginia was among theslowest in the nation in 2002, but increases in receipts among thosebusinesses were closer to the national average, according to datareleased by the U.S. Census Bureau. There were 84,185 businesses with one or more owners ...
Layoffs begin at Mayflower Vehicle Systems: Stamping plant had announced in August that 375 people would be let go
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL BUSINESS EDITOR Previously announced layoffs at Mayflower Vehicle System's SouthCharleston stamping plant have begun, the plant manager said today. Plant Manager Richard Fix announced in August that 375 of theSouth Charleston employees would be laid off, beginning ...
Mich. company recommended to build Yeager parking garage: Carl Walker Inc. bids nearly $6.5 million to construct new facility
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL STAFF Carl Walker Inc., which specializes in building parking buildings,will get to build a new parking garage at Yeager Airport, if theairport's board agrees today with the findings of its constructioncommittee. The committee determined Tuesday that Walker had ...
Major investor steps into Mylan-King deal
Dec 01, 2004; ... PITTSBURGH - Asset manager Richard Perry has acquired enoughshares of Mylan Laboratories Inc. to become its largest shareholder,outstripping billionaire investor Carl Icahn, who has mounted ahostile takeover to block the generic drug maker's $4 billionacquisition of King Pharmaceuticals ...
W.Va. tops in South in highway funding
Dec 01, 2004; ... West Virginia gets more federal highway money per person than anystate in the South, yet roads here are among the most dangerous inthe nation, according to a new report by the Southern LegislativeConference of the Council of State Governments. In 2002, West Virginia received $229 ...
Observers not glum about Dow future: S.C. breakfast crew taking a long-term view of job transfer decision
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL STAFF The Liars' Table, a breakfast club for people who want to discussworld and local events unburdened by the truth, busily digested thenews that Dow Chemical is planning to trim even more jobs. The usual gang sitting around the Farm Table restaurant in ...
Justice won't step aside in case: Starcher says his 'less than full respect' for a party won't affect his judgment in court
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL STAFF Supreme Court Justice Larry Starcher says comments he made aboutMassey Energy and its role in the recent election are no reason forhim to step aside in a case focusing on whether mining practicescontributed to widespread flooding in 2001. Attorneys for the ...
Five charged in theft of 'Robo-Deer': DNR uses mechanical creature to catch people who are hunting illegally
Dec 01, 2004; ... Robo-Deer was a victim instead of a hero in a recent crime. Five young Preston County men were charged with stealing aDivision of Natural Resources' mechanical deer popularly known asRobo-Deer. "We have several of those around the state, but it's the firstI've ever heard of ...
Huntington firefighter fired; another suspended
Dec 01, 2004; ... HUNTINGTON - A Huntington firefighter has been fired and anothersuspended in separate personnel decisions. Mayor David Felinton said Tuesday he has fired Michael D.Giannini, 28, who was arrested in April for misdemeanor possession ofcrack cocaine. Giannini had been suspended ...
State briefs
Dec 01, 2004 ... Agency stabilizing homes affected by mine subsidence SHINNSTON - The state Department of Environmental Protection istrying to stabilize about 25 homes in the Shinnston area damaged bymine subsidence. The homes have sunk, cracked and shifted off their foundationsduring the ...
MU professor wants to preserve Keith-Albee: Opening of Marquee Cinemas in Pullman Square poses threat to historic theater
Dec 01, 2004; ... HUNTINGTON - A Marshall University communications professor wholed an effort to put a 1927 organ in the historic Keith-Albee Theatrenow wants to make sure the theater is preserved. Robert Edmunds founded the Huntington Theatre Organ Project Inc.four years ago to purchase the ...
Charleston schedules street paving Thursday
Dec 01, 2004 ... West Virginia Paving is scheduled to pave several Charlestonstreets between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Thursday. They include: Violet Street from Chandler Drive to the end, DavisCircle from Violet Street to Rayhill Drive, Delta Drive from ChandlerDrive to the end, Del Ray Drive from ...
U.S., Iran agree to share library materials, offering first access since 1979
Dec 01, 2004; ... WASHINGTON - U.S. and Iranian officials have signed an agreementto share library materials, giving scholars in America their firstaccess to such items from Iran since Islamic militants took over theU.S. Embassy there in 1979. Librarian of Congress James Billington traveled to Iran ...
Bridge accident kills one worker, injures 3
Dec 01, 2004; ... NEW TOWN, N.D. - A section of a huge bridge under constructionover a Missouri River reservoir collapsed, killing one worker andinjuring three others, officials said. The 4,200-foot Four Bears Bridge is to be the longest in NorthDakota when it is finished, and at $55 million the ...
Mezzatesta seeks pay for day in court
Dec 01, 2004; ... Former House Education Chairman Jerry Mezzatesta, who wassentenced to 90 days' probation and fined $500 after pleading nocontest to altering and destroying legislative computer records,wants the state to pay him for time spent cleaning out his desk andappearing in court ....
Four Brazilian sailors hurt in war games accident
Dec 01, 2004; ... RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - An Argentine warship mistakenly fired ona Brazilian frigate during joint naval exercises in the AtlanticOcean, injuring five people, officials said. Four Brazilian sailors and an Argentine officer were hurt duringlive-fire training late Monday night off ...
Police report
Dec 01, 2004 ... Shooting of city man under investigation City police today were investigating a report that a Charlestonman was shot in the arm when two men attempted to steal his jacket. Jeremy Carter, 22, told officers he was walking near theintersection of Summit and Amity drives ...
Companies now offer cats made to order: Cloned, hypoallergenic felines planned by firms
Dec 01, 2004; ... Hold the pickle, hold the lettuce, special orders don't upset us .. . That musty Burger King jingle might have some ironic resonanceamong cat owners, who these days find themselves hip-deep inopportunities to customize their kitties. First there are the cloned cats - three, ...
SpongeBob inflatables tempt thieves: Swiping Nickelodeon character from Burger King roofs has become a nationwide trend
Dec 01, 2004; ... WASHINGTON - SpongeBob SquarePants wasn't doing anyone any harm. A six-foot blow-up version of the Nickelodeon cartoon characterhad been perched on the roof of a Burger King in St. Mary's County,Md., for three days, his skinny legs dangling over the edge, hisfists triumphantly in ...
England due back in military court today: Three-day hearing is to prepare for Jan. 18 court-martial on charges of abusing prisoners
Dec 01, 2004; ... FORT BRAGG, N.C. - Pfc. Lynndie England is due back in a militarycourt today to prepare for her court-martial on charges of abusingprisoners at Iraq's Abu Ghraib prison. The Army Reservist from Fort Ashby, W.Va., is scheduled for trialJan. 18. She gave birth to a son Oct. 10, and ...
Center patents potential Alzheimer's treatments: Both found potentially to help with memory loss, use substances already approved for human use
Dec 01, 2004; ... MORGANTOWN - The Blanchette Rockefeller Neurosciences Institutehas patented two new potential treatments for Alzheimer's disease. One treatment uses bryostatin, a cancer treatment drug. Bryostatinactivates an enzyme, which jump-starts a chemical process thought toreduce the growth ...
Texas parole board recommends reprieve for woman on death row
Dec 01, 2004; ... HUNTSVILLE, Texas - The Texas parole board has recommendeddelaying the execution of a woman accused of killing her husband andtwo young children, leaving the chance for a reprieve in the hands ofthe governor. Gov. Rick Perry can agree with the board's 5-1 vote or allow ...
Obituaries: Obit
Dec 01, 2004 ... Marie Adams Marie Adams, 88, of Charleston died Nov. 29, 2004. Bartlett-Burdette-Cox Funeral Home, Charleston, is in charge of arrangements. Joseph David Arthur Joseph David Arthur, 27, of Kanawha City, passed away Nov. 29,2004, after a sudden illness. Surviving ...
Trial begins for financier tied to Keystone collapse: FDIC alleges that Norwegian fugitive made off with $27 million when bank failed
Dec 01, 2004; ... Prosecutors say a fugitive financier was responsible for a schemethat led to the spectacular collapse in 1999 of a small southern WestVirginia bank that became the most costly bank failure since theGreat Depression. Trial began Tuesday in a civil suit brought by the Federal ...
Kanawha County Head Start enrolling children
Dec 01, 2004 ... Kanawha County Schools' Head Start Office, 122 Third Ave. in SouthCharleston, has launched an enrollment blitz for children between theages of 3 and 4. Head Start is a federally funded program for families who meetfederal guidelines for enrollment. The central office in ...
FCA expects successful auction
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER Doing good deeds - and brushing up with people glad to help you dothem - is a rewarding job to have. Keith Tyler, the area's director of the Fellowship of ChristianAthletes, enjoys such experiences weekly. In preparing for Monday'sannual FCA auction, ...
Florida State coach says Rix will start at QB
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER One balloon of controversy that could have been one of the GatorBowl's primary storylines has quickly lost air. Florida State Coach Bobby Bowden said Tuesday that senior ChrisRix would start at quarterback ahead of sophomore Wyatt Sexton whenthe ...
Going to a bowl is 'gravy' for MU: Boston College was bowl's first choice, but Herd isn't complaining
Dec 01, 2004; ... DAILY MAIL SPORTSWRITER Marshall was not the first choice of the PlainsCapital Fort WorthBowl. "You didn't hear it from me," said one bowl official, "but BostonCollege was our first choice." That was a poorly kept secret. It was a well-known fact behind thescenes ...
Florida State impresses ex-WVU coach
Dec 01, 2004; ... Despite four seasons away, it seems odd to talk to Steve Dunlapabout playing West Virginia University instead of just about WVUfootball. The defensive coordinator for very late-bloomer Syracuse, Dunlapfaced in the regular season both teams that will play in the Jan. 1Gator Bowl, ...
Wheeling officials not enamored with rotation idea: If Super Six is rotated, why not rotate all W.Va. championships, they ask
Dec 01, 2004; ... Although some of the West Virginia high school championships arerotated, like soccer, some have found a home in Charleston. Here is alist of the major sports championships and how long they have beenheld in Charleston. n Girls basketball: Every year since 1980. nBoys basketball: Every ...
Top of the 2nd
Dec 01, 2004 ... UC men, women basketball teams on the road The University of Charleston's men's and women's basketball teamsplay West Virginia Conference games tonight on the road. The UC men (2-0), coming off victories over Pitt-Johnstown andLock Haven, travel to Buckhannon to play winless ...
National scoreboard
Dec 01, 2004 ... Odds NCAA Football Favorite Open Today Underdog Thursday Mid-American Conference Championship At Detroit Miami (Ohio) 11/2 2 Toledo Saturday at Miami 61/2 7 Virginia Tech Navy-x 111/2 13 Army Southern Cal 201/2 22 ...
Local scoreboard
Dec 01, 2004 ... Schedule The week's sports schedule for West Virginia, Marshall,Charleston, West Virginia State and WVU Tech: Swimming Thursday-Saturday - West Virginia at Notre Dame Invitational, TBA Friday-Sunday - Marshall at Miami (Ohio) Invitational, ...
Redick leads Blue Devils
Dec 01, 2004; ... J.J. Redick handled the scoring for Duke in the first half againstMichigan State. Daniel Ewing took over in the second half and theBlue Devils held on to remain perfect in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. Both guards had 29 points and both made five 3-pointers as No. 10Duke beat the ...
Van Gundy apologizes for Rockets' continued struggles
Dec 01, 2004; ... The Houston Rockets were finishing up one of their worstperformances of the season when a chant rang out from behind thebench. "Fire Gundy" the fans said in unison, prompting coach Jeff VanGundy to turn and nod in their direction. "I think it starts with me," Van Gundy said ...
More than Willingham era is over at Notre Dame
Dec 01, 2004 ... Every fading dynasty gets more desperate the further the memoriesrecede, and it turns out Notre Dame is no different. So Ty Willingham was informed Tuesday, with three years left onthe biggest contract in school history and three less-than-satisfying seasons behind him, that he ...
Reds extend Wilson contract
Dec 01, 2004; ... CINCINNATI - The Reds accomplished one of their top offseasonpriorities by agreeing to an $8.2 million, two-year contract withright-hander Paul Wilson. Wilson, 31, was the most dependable starter on the worst pitchingstaff in franchise history. The Reds set club records for ...
Browns' owner surprised by Davis resignation
Dec 01, 2004; ... BEREA, Ohio - As coach Butch Davis pulled out of the driveway at76 Lou Groza Blvd. for the final time, he might have caught a glimpseof a brown-and-orange colored hearse across the street fromCleveland's team offices. The vehicle was parked. Davis was the one moving ...
2004 Bowl schedule
Dec 01, 2004; ... 2004 Bowl schedule Tuesday, Dec. 14 New Orleans Bowl Payout: $750,000 North Texas (7-4) vs. So. Mississippi (6-4), 7:30 p.m. (ESPN) Tuesday, Dec. 21 Champs Sports Bowl At Orlando, Fla. Payout: $850,000 Georgia Tech ...