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Obama Signs SCHIP Bill

2009-02-04T16:05:00.000-08:00

President Barack Obama signed the State Children's Health Insurance Program (SCHIP) bill into law this afternoon, expanding coverage to 4.1 million more kids and extending the program through 2013.

The House voted 290-135 earlier today to pass the bill and send it to the president.

This was the second time the chamber passed an SCHIP bill this month. But the Senate passed a slightly different version last week, and House leaders decided to ratify the Senate bill rather than delay the legislation further by sending it to a conference committee.

Notably absent from the final bill is a provision that would have blocked Medicare and Medicaid funds to new or expanded physician-owned hospitals.

That language was in the initial House version, but the Senate omitted the restriction in its bill.
Additionally, the legislation makes children of legal immigrants eligible for SCHIP as soon as their parents arrive in the U.S., instead of having to wait five years as was previously required.
Republican lawmakers tried but failed to maintain the five-year exclusion.

The expanded SCHIP will now cover an estimated total of 11 million children in working-poor families who don't quality for Medicaid.

The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the expanded coverage will add $32.8 billion to the cost of SCHIP from 2009 to 2013.

Part of the extra cost is to be covered by a 68-cent-per-pack increase in the cigarette tax.

Elisabeth Hasselbeck Pregnant

2009-01-29T11:40:00.000-08:00

The View co-host Elisabeth Hasselbeck just announced the news of her pregnancy on air this morning. She and former professional football star Tim Hasselbeck have two children, 3-year-old Grace and 15-month-old Taylor Thomas.

Hasselbeck is due in August.Known as being very outspoken about her Republican position on The View, Hasselbeck said that she chalked up her nausea and weariness on election night to the event itself."I was tired, I was nauseous, I thought I was worn out from the whole procedure.

No, I was knocked up and didn't realize it!"

Lynyrd Skynyrd Keyboardist Dead

2009-01-28T10:17:00.000-08:00

(AP) — A keyboardist for the southern rock bank Lynyrd Skynyrd has died at his northeast Florida home.

Orange Park Police Lt. Mark Cornett says 56-year-old keyboard player Billy Powell called 911 about 12:55 a.m. Wednesday saying he was having trouble breathing. Rescue crews performed CPR, but he was pronounced dead at 1:52 a.m.

Cornett says no foul play is suspected and an autopsy will not be performed.
He says Powell missed a Tuesday appointment with his doctor for a cardiac evaluation. A heart attack is suspected.

Powell was one of two surviving band members who were with the group before a 1977 plane crash that killed three of its members.

McCain, Boehner Oppose Obama Stimulus

2009-01-25T11:02:00.000-08:00

Republican leaders said Sunday they are unhappy with the political tactics the Democrats have taken in pushing the $825 billion economic stimulus plan and will vote against the bill if additional tax breaks are not added.

Senator John McCain Sunday, Arizona Republican and one of President Obamas closest links to the Republican Party, said he would vote against the stimulus bill in its current form.

"As it stands now, I would not vote for it," McCain said on "Fox News Sunday." "Republicans have not been brought in to the degree that we should be."

House Minority Leader John Boehner, Ohio Republican, said the plan must include more tax relief before House Republicans will support the plan. Republicans are proposing returning up $3,200 to tax filers, he said.

"I think a lot of Republicans will vote no because it's a lot of wasteful Washington spending, Mr. Boehner said on "Meet the Press" on Sunday.

Of the $825 billion included in Mr. Obama's stimulus plan, $275 billion would be paid out in tax relief, and $550 billion would go to new spending.

Republicans have said the stimulus plan, in combination with the round of economic bailouts approved late last year, would saddle future generations with $2 trillion in debt.
Republicans, in a large minority following the November elections, have split with Democrats in trying to maintain the tax cuts passed by the Bush administration, which Obama has promised to repeal.

Democratic senators have defended the process to fast-track the stimulus plan for Obama's approval by mid-February.

McCain, long considered a maverick in his own party, said he would continue to lead the "loyal opposition" to the Democratic majority.

George Anthony Hospitalized

2009-01-23T09:32:00.000-08:00

A despondent George Anthony, was found alive this morning in a Daytona Beach motel with what appeared to be a suicide note, after his family had reported him missing late Thursday. Anthony is the grandfather of slain toddler Caylee Anthony.

Daytona Beach police took Anthony into custody under the Baker Act after finding him in a motel. The Baker Act allows authorities to hold someone at a mental-health facility for up to 72 hours while they are evaluated by physicians.

Anthony did not show up for a 4 p.m. meeting with his wife, Cindy, and their attorney Brad Conway. George Anthony sent several text messages to his family members suggesting that he wanted to end his life, Daytona Beach Police Chief Mike Chitwood said this morning.

Orange County detectives were able to use pings from George Anthony's cell phone to track him to Daytona Beach near Bethune Point, according to Daytona Beach police. Officers began searching for George Anthony's black vehicle and spotted it at the Hawaii Motel in the 1300 block of South Ridgewood Avenue.

"(Anthony) basically said to us, you know, I just need to get away. I need to think things through. That's why he was there," Chitwood said. "He just wanted to be alone."

But the chief explained to Anthony that because of the situation, they could not leave. Chitwood offered to drive Anthony in his unmarked car to the hospital, and Anthony agreed.

George Anthony’s daughter, Casey Anthony, is accused of killing 2-year-old Caylee last summer. George and Cindy Anthony have been outspoken in their defense of the young mother.

Earlier this week more information about the murder case was made public. Detectives reported that a heart shaped sticker was placed on the duct tape that was wrapped around the child's mouth.

George Anthony was the last person, other than his daughter, to see Caylee Marie alive. On June 16, Casey Anthony and her 2-year-old daughter left the family home around noon. Caylee was never seen alive again.

Cheney In Weelchair

2009-01-20T10:24:00.000-08:00

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President Dick Cheney has arrived at the U.S. Capitol in a wheelchair for the inauguration of Barack Obama.

Cheney was wheeled out behind President George W. Bush to take his place alongside dignitaries that included former Vice Presidents Al Gore, Dan Quayle and Walter Mondale.

The White House says Cheney pulled a muscle in his back while moving boxes. He and his wife are moving into a new home outside Washington in McLean, Va. His doctor recommended that he use a wheelchair for the next couple of days.

Peanut Butter Cracker Recall

2009-01-15T08:18:00.000-08:00

The following is an article from the WashingtonPost.com, written by By Steven Reinberg, HealthDay Reporter. Because of the importance of this subject, I wanted to get this information out to all of our readers.

Cereal giant Kellogg has asked stores to stop selling its popular Keebler and Austin brand peanut butter crackers, as health officials reported two more deaths in the nationwide salmonella outbreak that is linked to peanut butter.

Kellogg, of Battle Creek, Mich., said it hadn't received any complaints or discovered any problems with the crackers, but took the action as a "precautionary measure" after one of its peanut paste suppliers, Peanut Corp. of America, announced a nationwide recall of peanut butter made in a Georgia plant.

The company is "removing product from retail store shelves and encouraging customers and consumers to hold and not eat these products until regulatory officials complete their investigation of PCA," a news release on the Kellogg Co. Web site said late Wednesday.
"We are taking these voluntary actions out of an abundance of caution," CEO David Mackay said in the news release.

The crackers are Toasted Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwich Crackers, Cheese and Peanut Butter Sandwich Crackers, and Peanut Butter-Chocolate Sandwich Crackers.

Meanwhile, health officials in Minnesota and Idaho said Wednesday that one death in each state had been linked to the outbreak, which has now sickened at least 430 people in 43 states. Another death in Minnesota and two in Virginia were confirmed Tuesday, the Associated Press reported.

Although their causes of death haven't been determined, all five adults had salmonella infection when they died. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the salmonella outbreak may have contributed to their deaths, the news service said.

Peanut Corp. of America, based in Lynchburg, Va., issued a recall Tuesday of 21 lots of peanut butter for possible salmonella contamination. The product was made at a plant in Blakely, Ga., on or after July 1, 2008, and sold under the brand name Parnell's Pride and by the King Nut Company as King Nut, the AP said.

Peanut Corp., which also has plants in Virginia and Texas, makes the product for bulk distribution to institutions, food service industries and private label food companies.

The recall follows findings that bacteria in an open container of King Nut creamy peanut butter in Minnesota was a genetic match to the strain of salmonella that has struck across the country.
Peanut Corp. issued a statement from its owner and president, Stewart Parnell, according to the AP. "We deeply regret that this has happened," Parnell said. "Out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily withdrawing this produce and contacting our customers."

On Monday, Minnesota health officials reported that lab tests on a tainted five-pound tub of peanut butter collected from a long-term care facility produced the genetic match. The Minnesota report, issued on its Department of Health Web site, was a follow-up to initial tests done last week.

Officials from the Minnesota Departments of Health and Agriculture had issued a product warning Friday after preliminary testing indicated the presence of salmonella in the peanut butter.

Late Saturday, King Nut, of Solon, Ohio, announced it had issued a recall of King Nut peanut butter and Parnell's Pride peanut butter with the lot code "8." Both brands are manufactured by Peanut Corp.

On Sunday, Kanan told the AP that the recall involved 1,000 cases of peanut butter.
Reports of people sickened in the outbreak have occurred between Sept. 3 and Dec. 31, 2008, with most illnesses starting after Oct. 1. About 18 percent of those who fell ill were hospitalized.
The strain of salmonella has been identified as Salmonella Typhimurium, the most common of the more than 2,500 types of salmonella bacteria in the United States. It's often found in uncooked eggs and meats, said CDC officials.

The recall and the potential link to the multi-state outbreak come two years after ConAgra recalled its Peter Pan brand peanut butter, which had been linked to at least 625 salmonella cases in 47 states.

Tony Dungy Retires

2009-01-12T11:05:00.000-08:00

Tony Dungy reportedly will announce today that he is stepping down as coach of the Indianapolis Colts. The team has called a news conference for 2 p.m. PST.

Various media outlets, citing unnamed sources, say Dungy is ready to step down after three decades of coaching, in college and then the NFL. He has long indicated an interest in stepping away from the game at some point, in part to devote more time to his Christian ministry.

Dungy, 53, has been coach of the Colts for the last seven seasons. He was the first African American head coach to win a Super Bowl in 2006, with the Colts. He was the head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2007

Led by Dungy, the Colts won five consecutive AFC South titles from 2003 through 2007, and they set an NFL record with six straight seasons with 12 or more victories.

Dungy proved that nice guys don’t finish last.

USS George H.W. Bush Commissioned

2009-01-10T11:31:00.000-08:00

President George W. Bush landed Saturday on the USS George H.W. Bush, a new aircraft carrier named after his father, which is the ultimate honor for a decorated Navy pilot from World War II.

Foxnews.com reported that Bush and first lady Laura Bush joined his father, now 84 years old, and other Bush family members at Naval Station Norfolk in Virginia for the commissioning of the nuclear-powered carrier.

"Laura and I are thrilled to be here to help commission an awesome ship and to honor an awesome man," Bush said.

The steel-gray vessel is more than three football fields long, one in the Nimitz class of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers that are the largest warships on the world. Its price tag is $6.2 billion.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates, one of the first speakers, said there is no one more worthy than the former president to have the last ship of the Nimitz class to bear his name — "the last of the World War II generation to serve as commander in chief."

The president's daughters, Jenna Hager and Barbara Bush, and Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife, Lynne, were among the estimated 20,000 people who attended the event. Also on hand were Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Adm. Michael Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine.

A bronze statue on the hangar bay deck of the 1,092-foot warship depicts the former president as a youthful, smiling pilot in his flight suit. On an upper deck, a "tribute room" presents Bush's life from his days in the Navy to his four years in the White House.

Bush joined the Navy on June 12, 1942, his 18th birthday and six months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. During the war he flew torpedo bombers off the converted aircraft carrier USS San Jacinto. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and three Air Medals for his service.

On a mission over the Pacific in September 1944, Bush's plane crashed into the ocean after being hit by Japanese anti-aircraft fire. The future president parachuted into the sea and was rescued by a Navy submarine. He returned to combat and served until the end of the war.

Alyssa Milano Engaged

2009-01-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

Alyssa Milano has revealed that she is engaged to David Bugliari, an agent for Creative Artists Agency. Milano, 36, has been dating Bulgliari for one year and were engaged on December 18. A wedding date has not yet been set.

Milano was a child star, playing the role as Tony Danza’s daughter on "Who’s The Boss, and currently has a recurring role on "My Name Is Earl."

Milano was previously engaged to actor Scott Wolf in 1993 and had an 11-month marriage to singer-songwriter Cinjun Tate in 1999. She has also dated Justin Timberlake, Corey Haim, Eric Dane, and several sports stars, including Carl Pavano, Barry Zito and Brad Penny.

Mike Huckabee Launches Huck PAC

2009-01-04T19:28:00.000-08:00

Former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee announced the launch of Huck-Pac, a grassroots organization that aims to support conservative candidates throughout the United States.

Huckabee says the goal is to identify volunteers nationwide, organize into local groups in every U.S. county and then assist Huck Pac endorsed candidates. Huck PAC will be "begin recruiting leadership in every state and county, with a goal to have at least one Huck PAC group leader in every county in the nation by the end of 2009."

Huckabee says that the group is aiming to help locally because America "needs conservative leadership now more than ever. Important issues are at stake: tax reform, controlling spending, the 2nd Amendment, sanctity of life, traditional marriage and much more."

Volunteers will set up events, organize phone banks, knock on doors and much more. Huckabee volunteers previously assisted in the re-election of Senator Saxby Chambliss in the Georgia run-off election.

Bill Parcells Staying In Miami

2009-01-04T14:37:00.000-08:00

According to the South Florida Sun-Sentinel, Bill Parcells will return to Miami next season instead of exercising an escape clause in his contract.

"Bill's going to stay," owner H. Wayne Huizenga said, according to the newspaper. "He told me (Friday) he's going to stay. He said he likes it here."

Parcells' contract allows him to leave if Huizenga sells the team, and he would still receive the remainder of his $12 million contract. Several teams would be interested in Parcells if he opted out of his contract with Miami.

Earlier this year, Huizenga agreed to sell 95 percent of the Dolphins to New York developer and team part-owner Stephen Ross. Parcells would have 30 days after the sale to opt out and still collect the $9 million remaining on his contract.

Parcells turned around the Dolphins in only one season. He took over a team that finished 1-15 last season and guided the Dolphins to an 11-5 record and an AFC East title. Miami was eliminated from the playoffs on Sunday by the Baltimore Ravens 27-9.

Actor Pat Hingle Dies

2009-01-04T13:37:00.000-08:00

Pat Hingle, a veteran actor whose career included a recurring role as Commissioner Gordon in several Batman movies in the 1990s, has died. He was 84.

Hingle had battled multiple health problems over the last several years. His career in movies and television spanned six decades, and he was also nominated for a Tony Award in 1958. Hingle's last movie was "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby," which was released in 2006.

Vikings and Cardinals Trying to Avoid Blackout

2009-01-02T11:44:00.000-08:00

The Minnesota Vikings and the Arizona Cardinals are still trying to sell out their stadiums for this weekend’s wild-card games. If they fail, the games will not be shown on local television.

The Vikings host the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, and the Cardinals host the Atlanta Falcons on Saturday.

As of Thursday night, the Vikings were 8,000 tickets short of a sellout, and the Cardinals were 3,700 short. Normally, a team must register a sellout 72 hours before kickoff to have its game broadcast locally, but the league has granted extensions to both teams.

Greg Aiello, an N.F.L. spokesman, said wild-card weekend games are always “the most challenging” sales of the playoffs, primarily because of the late scheduling. Traditionally, Aiello said, if they are close enough to a sellout, the teams work with their sponsors to buy the remaining tickets.

The Vikings and Cardinals seemed confident that they would meet the requirements.
Minnesota has a streak of 114 consecutive sellouts since 1998, which includes their last home playoff game eight years ago.

The Cardinals have sold out each of their 30 games since moving to University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz.

The last playoff blackout was in 2002, when wild-card games between the Baltimore and Miami and the Jets and Raiders were blacked out in their local markets.

Peyton Manning wins AP's NFL MVP Award

2009-01-02T11:20:00.000-08:00

Peyton Manning was named the 2008 MVP of the National Football League by the Associated Press on Friday.

Manning has joined Brett Favre as the only three-time winners. Manning also won the award in 2003 (shared with Steve McNair) and 2004. Favre won the MVP award in 1995, 1996, and shared the award with Barry Sanders in 1997.

Manning received 32 out of 50 votes, easily beating Miami quarterback Chad Pennington and Atlanta running back Michael Turner. Votes are cast by a nationwide panel of sports writers and broadcasters who cover the NFL.

Dick Clark Still Bringing In The New Year

2008-12-31T07:49:00.000-08:00

Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve, hosted mainly by Ryan Seacrest returns to ABC tonight, according to USA Today. Though it's unclear how much airtime Clark, 79, will have, he's scheduled to appear for the fourth straight year and the 36th of 37 shows since it premiered in 1972.

"Dick will do the countdown and bring the ball in, and we'll do a bunch of (short segments) with him," says longtime show producer Larry Klein.

Clark, who has made limited appearances since his stroke in 2004 — often speaking haltingly and using a walker or wheelchair — told the Associated Press in an e-mail interview, "I am one of the fortunate ones who survived and have been minimally impaired, so I'm just thankful I'm still able to enjoy this once-a-year treat of bringing in the New Year."

Says Seacrest, 34: "I saw him recently, and he was in a fantastic mood. I know he loves this show and loves being in Times Square. What's great about Dick is he doesn't need much of a plan."

ABC's 31/2 hours of programming begins at 10 ET (tape delay PT). Seacrest will host live performances from Times Square, where Idol finalist Kellie Pickler will serve as a roving on-air "correspondent." After a break for local news, ABC will air performances from Hollywood and Times Square, plus the traditional countdown, until after 2 a.m.

Lionel Ritchie, Taylor Swift and the Jonas Brothers will perform from New York. Natasha Bedingfield, Fall Out Boy, Jesse McCartney, Ne-Yo, Solange and Robin Thicke will perform during the Hollywood segments, hosted by singer Fergie. Her Black Eyed Peas bandmate, will.i.am, also is scheduled to play.

Zune Frozen

2008-12-31T07:12:00.000-08:00

Last night at approximately 2 AM, every 30GB Zune model on crashed at the exact same time. The Zunes reset, powered up, then froze on the loading bar screen, and no conventional method of resetting them appears to work. People are calling the situation Y2K9.

This whole debacle is presumed to be some sort of software malfunction, as the devices aren’t connected to the internet which might land them a rampant virus like this.

What hasn't been determined is why these devices are failing. The evidence seems to point to a software glitch, but simple resets aren't providing any relief. Some reports indicate that only Zunes with the latest firmware are affected, but this hasn't yet been confirmed.

NFL Playoff Schedule

2008-12-29T10:27:00.000-08:00

The NFL playoff schedule if finally set.

Wild Card Weekend
Saturday, Jan. 3, 2009.

AFC Wild Card Game : 8:00 pm EST (NBC) No. 5 Indianapolis Colts at No. 4 San Diego Chargers

NFC Wild Card Game : 4:30 pm EST (NBC) No. 5 Atlanta Falcons at No. 4 Arizona Cardinals

Sunday, Jan. 4, 2009.

AFC Wild Card Game : 1:00 pm EST (CBS) No. 6 Baltimore Ravens at No. 3 Miami Dolphins

NFC Wild Card Game : 4:30 pm EST (FOX) No. 6 Philadelphia Eagles at No. 3 Minnesota Vikings

Divisional Playoffs :
Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009.

AFC Divisional Playoff Game : 4:30 pm EST (CBS) TBD at No. 1 Tennessee Titans

NFC Divisional Playoff Game : 8:15 pm EST (FOX) TBD at No. 2 Carolina Panthers

Sunday, Jan. 11, 2009.

AFC Divisional Playoff Game : 4:45 pm (CBS) TBD at No. 2 Pittsburgh Steelers

NFC Divisional Playoff Game : 1:00 pm EST(FOX) TBD at No. 1 New York Giants

Conference Championships :
Sunday, Jan. 18, 2009.

AFC Championship Game : 6:30 pm EST (CBS) TBD at TBD

NFC Championship Game : 3:00 pm EST (FOX) TBD at TBD

Super Bowl XLIII
Sunday, Feb. 1, 2009 - Raymond James Stadium, Tampa Bay, Florida

AFC Champion vs. NFC Champion (NBC)

AFC-NFC Pro Bowl
Sunday, Feb. 8, 2009 - Aloha Stadium, Honolulu, Hawaii

Detroit Lions 0-16

2008-12-28T15:51:00.000-08:00

The Detroit Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers 31-21 today to become the first team in National Football League history to finish a season with a 0-16 record.

The last time an NFL team lost every game in a season was an expansion team, the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, in their first year in the league. The Lions have played in Detroit for over 70 years.

Since the end of World War II, the only other NFL team that has not won a game in a full season has been the 1960 Dallas Cowboys, who were 0-11-1 in their first year. In 1982, the Baltimore Colts went 0-8-1 during a strike- shortened season.

Stolen 850-Pound Emerald Recovered

2008-12-28T11:23:00.000-08:00

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department has recovered the stolen Bahia Emerald. The 850-pound emerald’s estimated worth is $379 million.

The gem was stolen from a secured vault in South El Monte in September and later warehoused in Las Vegas, said Lt. Thomas Grubb of the Major Crimes Bureau. "The way it was stolen was through falsification of paperwork," Grubb said. "They flimflammed some papers and were able to get it released from the vault."

When the suspects learned that deputies were hot on their trail, they agreed to hand over the gem. On Dec. 19, sheriff's investigators arrived in Las Vegas with a court order and took possession of the stone. No arrests were made.

The emerald has since been returned to L.A. County and will remain in the custody of the Sheriff's Department until ownership is resolved." A judge is going to have to rule on who the rightful owner is," Grubb said. "We got one side telling us it belongs to them, and another side saying no, it belongs to us. "The Bahia Emerald, was originally unearthed in Brazil and is believed to be the second-largest stone of its kind.

Palin Calendar Is Best Seller

2008-12-26T10:47:00.000-08:00

A 2009 calendar of the former Republican vice-presidential candidate is currently the top item on Amazon.com's list of “Office Products and Supplies.”

The calendar is the product of former Wasilla deputy mayor and Palin friend Judy Patrick, an Anchorage based photographer who went through her professional and personal photos of the governor and her family to create the calendar.

Patrick’s was hoping to sell enough of the $15.95 calendars to put a down payment on a new home.

According to a Gallup Poll released today, Palin is the second most admired woman in America, behind New York Sen. Hillary Clinton and ahead of talk show host Oprah Winfrey.

Paul Rhoads Hired As ISU Football Coach

2008-12-20T08:03:00.000-08:00

Paul Rhoads was hired as Iowa State’s football coach to a five-year deal worth $5.75 million. His contract also includes incentives that could increase his salary.

"Paul Rhoads is an outstanding and intelligent football coach, a highly successful national recruiter and has nearly 10 years of experience as a BCS coordinator," Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard said in a statement on Saturday. "He was the one candidate that clearly demonstrated both extensive experience and an extreme passion for and familiarity with our institution.

"In addition, and most importantly, he also has a comprehensive plan for how to be successful at Iowa State."

"In my two face-to-face meetings with Paul this week, it was obvious that his enthusiasm, energy and warm personality would be well-received by our players, fans and university community," Pollard said. "He has a presence with a 'look-you-in-the-eye' style that makes you feel comfortable."

Brittany Zimmerman killed while waiting for 911 response

2008-12-16T12:38:00.000-08:00

A slain 21 year old student, Brittany Zimmerman, who was being attacked by a stranger called 911, but no one came in time to her rescue, according to reports. Questions have been raised about whether a prompt response might have saved Zimmerman's life

The dispatcher who took the April 2 call from Brittany Zimmermann's phone shortly before she was murdered told investigators that she either didn't hear a scream or that "it didn't register as a scream."

The length of delay between the mishandled 911 call and when police were sent to her apartment to find her brutally murdered haven't been made known to the public, but the Wisconsin State Journal reported that the delay time was 48 minutes.

Police are still looking for her killer, and they believe Zimmerman was attacked by a stranger. Her apartment door showed signs of forced entry.

Macaulay Culkin’s Sister Killed

2008-12-11T11:25:00.000-08:00

Dakota Culkin, the sister of “Home Alone” star Macaulay Culkin, died Wednesday after being hit by a car.

Dakota Culkin was walking in Los Angeles on Tuesday and was hit by a car when she stepped off a curb. The 29-year-old Culkin was taken to the UCLA Medical Center, where she died of her injuries Wednesday afternoon.

So far, no arrests have been made in the case, which is under investigation by the LAPD.

Yankees Close To Signing Sabathia

2008-12-10T09:17:00.000-08:00

C. C. Sabathia is close to signing a deal with the New York Yankees. The Yankees started negotiations last month with a contract offer that was the richest for any pitcher in baseball history, and now they have topped it.

ESPN's Buster Olney said that in order for the deal to happen, the Yanks "added a seventh year to their original six-year, $140-million offer, bringing the total package to seven years and $160 million -- by far the biggest contract for any pitcher in history."

There are still contract details to be worked out before he can be scheduled for a physical, but there are no doubts within the organization that the Yankees have their man. There are now no major obstacles remaining for a deal.

The Yankees’ opening offer had been for six years and $140 million, a bit more than the previous record for a pitcher, Johan Santana’s six-year, $137.5 million deal with the Mets. In adding a seventh season, the Yankees committed themselves to Sabathia through 2015, when he will turn 35.

The team’s general manager, Brian Cashman, flew to San Francisco to meet in person with Sabathia for the third day in a row. In two previous meetings the Yankees had talked mainly about lifestyle concerns with Sabathia, a native of Vallejo, Calif., who ideally wanted to pitch close to home.

Sabathia won the American League Cy Young Award in 2007, while pitching for Cleveland. He was 11-2 with a 1.65 earned run average last year for the Milwaukee Brewers, after acquiring him from Cleveland in a trade in July. Sabathia has a career record of 117-73 in his eight year major league career. The Brewers offered Sabathia $100 million to keep him.

Ron Santo

2008-12-08T12:51:00.000-08:00

Ron Santo was again denied entrance into the Hall of Fame on Monday, by voting of the Veterans Committee.

Candidates must receive 75 percent of the vote for induction. Joe Gordon, a nine-time All-Star second baseman for the New York Yankees and Cleveland Indians, was the only player elected. Gordon received 10 votes from the 12-person committee selecting candidates from 1942 or earlier.

With 64 living Hall of Famers voting in the post-1942 portion of the ballot, candidates needed 48 votes. Santo came the closest with 39, followed by Jim Kaat (28), Tony Oliva (33), Gil Hodges (28), Joe Torre (19), Maury Wills (15), Luis Tiant (13), Vada Pinson (12), Al Oliver (9) and Dick Allen (7).

Santo was a nine-time All-Star and won five Gold Gloves, while hitting .277, with 342 home runs and 1,331 runs batted in, during his 15-year career

During regular balloting of sportswriters, Santo never came close to receiving the necessary 75 percent, climbing to just 43 percent in 1998, his final year of eligibility. Now, it is up to the veteran’s committee, which votes every two years.

"To me, two years, because of what I have with the diabetes and [getting] older, it's like eternity," he said. "If I do get in, I'd like to enjoy it."

Santo received the most votes on the 2007 ballot with 57 of 82 votes cast, but he was still five votes short of 75 percent, when for the third straight time, no player was elected by the Veterans Committee.

Santo is worried he won’t be around long enough to experience the thrill of getting in, especially after having both legs amputated below the knee in 2001 and '02. When the Cubs retired his jersey number 10 in a ceremony at Wrigley Field in 2003, an emotional Santo said to the crowd, "This is my Hall of Fame."

Santo was distraught about the result in '07. He referred to the process as "torture."

"I'll be honest," he said. "Maybe it's just not in the cards [for me]."

Donovan McNabb Twins

2008-12-07T14:01:00.000-08:00

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb’s wife, Roxie, gave birth to twins (a boy and a girl) early Tuesday. The McNabbs also have a 4-year-old daughter.

McNabb talked about his family at a news conference on Wednesday. "People talk about how family is the most important thing in your life and it is," McNabb said. "No matter what happens out on the football field, you always know that you go home to the loving individuals who just truly love you for who you are, not what you do."

BCS Selection Show

2008-12-07T12:10:00.000-08:00

The big question will be answered tonight when FOX airs the BCS Selection Show at 8 p.m. EST.

Florida and Oklahoma seem to have the inside track to play for the title with big victories this week. The big controversy happened last week when Oklahoma jumped ahead of Texas in the rankings. Watch tonight to see the pairings for all the BCS games.