?Homeless' students on the rise
Another sign of the depressed economic times: The number of homeless children attending schools in Monroe has increased substantially. Officials with Monroe Public Schools reported that 100 students are without permanent homes, which is an increase of about 43 percent from last January.

Volunteers help the homeless mend - Where can indigent patients recover after medical treatment?
01/08/2009: Transitional Food and Shelter, a nonprofit volunteer organization based in Paso Robles, arranges temporary private shelter for seriously ill and disabled people upon their release from hospitals. ...

Wanting a piece of the old S-curve pie
Laurel Mayor Melvin Mack, Jones County Board of Supervisors president Andy Dial and South Central Regional Medical Center executive director Doug Higginbotham were scheduled to meet Friday at 10 a.m. to discuss their interests in acquiring I-59 S-curve property once the highway project is completed this spring.

Local militia plans February border watch
Jonathon Shacat/Wick Communications BISBEE - Cochise County Militia, a local group, will hold a border watch event in February that is open to the members of the group as well as members of the public.

Belt tightens in Branson
Recent efforts to trim the budget in Branson have been successful, according to city officials. During the month of October, the city brought in a lot more money than it paid out.

Plenty on their bikes as rail trail use rises
International visitors and excellent accommodation have combined to make this season a great one so far for Otago Central Rail Trail operators.

Making Best of It
ABBEVILLE ? In Room 104 of the Budget Inn here, a large blue and gold macaw named Love sulks in its cage most days uttering expletives about the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Cooped up in a motel room for weeks, the bird has lost patience with just about everything, its owner says.

Massachusetts Officer Uses GPS to Find Missing Girl
The officer used the street view option on the Internet search engine site Google to find the girl and her grandmother in Virginia.

Patrick wants housing agencies revamped
The Patrick administration is looking to reorganize the state's housing bureaucracy to improve services to homeless individuals and families even in the environment of the shrinking state budget.

State aims to put housing agency in charge of homeless shelters
With the housing crisis forcing more families into shelters and state-funded motels, the Patrick administration wants the state's housing agency to take over the emergency...

Recession hurts state's lodging industry
The recession is costing the state's tourism industry millions and may get worse in 2009. The past two months have been some of the worst in recent history for New Mexico hotels, with more and more empty rooms.

Festivals are major tourist draws
UNL Journalism Student WAYNE - When John Agler went on the "Tonight Show" with Johnny Carson in 1986, it wasn't because he was an actor, musician or even comedian, it was because of his skillful impersonation - of a chicken

Former softball complex is going to the dogs
SADSBURY TOWNSHIP ? Big dogs, little dogs, dogs who play well with others and even those who don?t will all have a new place to roam this spring.

Last chance to register for FEMA aid
Ike victims who wish to apply for FEMA aid have just a few days left before they lose the opportunity.

Briefly in Tompkins
The Ithaca Journal is assembling a list of inaugural events in the area. If your organization is hosting one that is open to the public, please e-mail kwilliams@ithacajournal.com or call Kathie Williams at 274-9248 with the details.

Palatka notes its 156th;
commission addresses zoning of properties in downtown area

Witness Brenda Brown answers sharp questions during sex trial
FAIRVIEW ? Defense attorney Steve Huddleston peppered state witness Brenda Brown with nearly four hours of cross-examination Thursday, aggressively and at times flippantly questioning her testimony alleging sexual abuse by former Custer County Sheriff Mike Burgess. Brown stood firm."I don?t know what you?re trying to get me to say, but I know what happened to me,? Brown said. "This is why things ...

If you go ...
GETTING THERE: To reach the park's north entrance, take Interstate 90 to Livingston, then south through the Paradise Valley to Gardiner. From the north entrance, the 44-mile road to Cooke City is open to autos. Snow tires are required; be prepared for winter driving conditions. The park's east, west and south entrances also are open, but only to tracked over-snow vehicles with a commercially ...

Is BRAC puttin' on the Ritz?
A developer wants to construct what would be Fayetteville?s most luxurious hotel and conference center in anticipation of the military buildup.

Blagojevich impeached
He blames 'struggle with the House' | One voted no Blagojevich: Impeachment "part of the process that has been the dynamic in Illinois." (Phil Velasquez / Tribune) Court rebuffs Burris on Senate signature Durbin: Burris won't be seated without White's signature Governor: He jogs during the vote Legal: Objections to prosecutors Graphic : Case against the governor Chapman : The road to impeachment ...