Charleston Gazette

Most Gitmo Ex-Detainees Freed at Home

Pentagon officials called them "among the most dangerous, best- trained, vicious killers on the face of the earth," sweeping them up after Sept. 11 and hauling them in chains to a U.S. military prison in southeastern Cuba. Since then, more than 300 of them have been transferred from Guantanamo Bay to other countries, many of them for "continued detention."

Umw Hopes to Expand Tentative Consol Deal

kward@wvgazette.com The United Mine Workers union announced Friday that it has reached a tentative contract with the Bituminous Coal Operators Association.

Rumsfeld Honored for His Service

2007 City Elections: ; Who Filed, Who Didn't; Deadline to Enter Races Was Late Friday Night

amallory@wvgazette.com; daveg@wvgazette.com Charleston City Council will have at least four new faces after next year's election, but incumbents have no challengers in most wards.

Jeremy Bell Lawsuit Over: ; Fayette School Board Oks $2.2 Million Settlement for Dead Boy's Family

susanwilliams@wvgazette.com FAYETTEVILLE - Without admitting guilt, the Fayette County Board of Education agreed this week to a settlement of more than $2 million with the family of a boy who died in his principal's fishing cabin.

Hoops Classic Tourney

Vent Line

* Before they raise taxes on gas they should eliminate the waste at the DOH. Not just the old jokes about guys leaning on shovels and painting lines through potholes. Investigate the building of poorly designed roads and bridges. Millions of dollars were wasted building two defective bridges in Logan County. Somebody besides the taxpayers should be held responsible. * To the person asking about Tolsia High School: Tolsia High School is located near the border of West Virginia and Kentucky. Th...

Readers' Voice

* Thank you for the inspiring story about the Herbert Hoover student who released a Christian CD. The story really picked my spirits up this year. I picked her CD up and it is such a blessing. * Thank you, Yuletide in the Park, for an enjoyable evening on Monday, Dec. 11. The horse-drawn wagon ride and the jingle bell putt- putt were great. We missed you last year. Glad you are back this year. Thank you very much and Merry Christmas.

Bulletin Board

FUTURE EVENTS The Mountain State Charter Chapter of the American Business Women's Association will collect non-perishable food for the Mountain Mission at its Christmas meeting to be held 6 p.m. Tuesday in the meeting room at Harding's Family Restaurant, Interstate 79, Exit 1. Members are asked to bring a $5 gift along with their food donation. Games will be played and door prizes will be given. All members are urged to attend and bring a guest.

Things to Do Today

MUSIC * KANAWHA VALLEY RINGERS: 5 p.m. Free. Renaissance Center, Huntington. Call 766-8634.

Police Briefs

Man driving on 3 tires charged with DUI BECKLEY - David Woods' Oldsmobile obviously needed some work, the least of which was a fourth tire.

Ex-Magistrate's Re-Sentencing the Same

By Tom Searls tomsearls@wvgazette.com

Fla. Halts Executions: ; Calif. Method Ruled Unconstitutional

OCALA, Fla. - Gov. Jeb Bush suspended all executions in Florida after a medical examiner said Friday that prison officials botched the insertion of the needles when a convicted killer was put to death earlier this week. Separately, a federal judge in California extended a moratorium on executions in the nation's most populous state, declaring that the state's method of lethal injection violates the constitutional ban on cruel and unusual punishment.

Lawyer Claims Double Jeopardy in 20-Year-Old Murder Case

susanwilliams@wvgazette.com FAYETTEVILLE - A lawyer for a man accused of murdering his wife 20 years ago asked a judge to dismiss the case against him because he believes his client now faces double jeopardy.

Condolences to Charleston: ; City Now Ranked Second-Unhealthiest Town for Men

A year after Men's Health magazine rated Charleston the unhealthiest American city for men, the city's rating has improved for the magazine's 2006 list - to second to last. Charleston comes in at No. 99 on the magazine's sixth annual list of best and worst cities for men, which hits newsstands Dec. 26. Memphis, Tenn., placed last and San Jose, Calif., reigned atop the competition.

Wheeling-Pitt No Longer Csn Target

SAO PAULO, Brazil - Brazilian steelmaker CSN has officially dropped its attempt to merge with West Virginia-based Wheeling- Pittsburgh Corp., weeks after another company took over the board of directors. The decision, announced in a regulatory filing Thursday night, came as no surprise because Wheeling-Pitt shareholders voted last month for a hostile takeover attempt by Illinois steel supplier Esmark Inc.

Deficit Would Be Up 80 Percent in Private-Sector Accounting

WASHINGTON - The federal deficit for 2006 would have been 81 percent higher than the $247.7 billion that was reported two months ago if the government had to use the same accounting methods as private companies. That was the finding Friday when the administration released a 166-page "Financial Report of the United States Government" for the 2006 budget year that ended on Sept. 30.

Flu Shots

Fayette County Health Department will give flu shots to anyone 18 and older at the following locations next week: Monday - 10:30 to 11:30 a.m., Ansted Senior Center

World Weather

Amsterdam 53 50 PCldy Athens 57 48 PCldy

National Weather

Anchorage 16 1 Cldy Atlanta 72 45 Clr