| Patriots' backup quarterback is happy playing himself
What's Tom like?" they ask. "Is he as good-looking as they say he is?" "How's his ankle? Is he playing Sunday?" On and on it goes, a broken record playing the soundtrack of Cassel's life. "It's easy for me to talk about Tom," he said. "Because there are nothing but good things to say about him." Through all of Brady mania, through a sports lifetime spent as a backup quarterback, Cassel remains remarkably his own man. He led a California youth baseball team to the Little League World Series. He starred at Chatsworth High School in California in football and baseball. He played one season of baseball at USC, and the Oakland A's picked him in the 36th round of the 2004 draft. "Matt's a goofball," fullback Heath Evans said.
Weather fueling Texas fires to improve
It's starting to seem like, 'Here we go again,'" said Texas Forest Service spokeswoman Carrie Smith. The National Weather Service said the most severe wildfire risk was expected to move further south on Thursday to areas including Austin, San Antonio and parts of South Texas. Friday the threat will be greatest in parts of West Texas. .
Friday Updates
The Coast Guard has just given us an update on last night's incident at the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge in which an fuel barge called the "Cascade" hit one of the protective barriers of the bridge near Red Rock Island. They say -- so far -- all 10 crewmembers aboard the two tugboats that were escorting the Cascade out of Rodeo, have been cooperating and so far, tests for alcohol and drugs have come back negative. We're also told that visibility in last night's somewhat foggy weather was about one to two miles, a distance one of the tugboat company owners calls "adequate." The Coast Guard also reports the waters were relatively calm, though with no obvious mechanical problems, the cause is still under investigation. You'll hear from the Coast Guard, along with the company that owns both one of tugboats and the barge itself, and see a view of the damage from the water, tonight at 5 p.m.
Greater Good Festival returns this weekend
Atmore area residents will have many festivities to choose from this weekend at the second annual Greater Good Music, Art and Children's Festival in Davisville, Fla. The festival will be held Friday, Saturday and Sunday and will have art, food, vendor booths, children's activities and an onsite tent where camping will be available. According to Mark Casson with Greater Good, Inc., and owner of the land where the festival is held, the event is for the enjoyment of young and old. "The intention is to put together an event that is very child and family friendly that would bring together a lot of different people," he said. "Something that truly enhances our community." This year the festival is held to honor Escambia Westgate School/Snoezelen Complex in Pensacola, Fla.
Hit the road
For years, many Illinois schools have been shortchanging tens of thousands of young drivers. Instead of the state-required six hours of behind-the-wheel practice, the Tribune reported in 2006, many kids were getting as little as 1 hour 40 minutes to 3 hours of street driving. The rest of the time was spent on indoor simulators and converted parking lots. As anyone who has driven with an inexperienced teen knows, the more supervised time behind the wheel, the better.
Illinois fixed that shortsighted practice and greatly strengthened its teen driving laws last year. As of July 1, every driver's ed student must complete six hours of teacher-supervised street instruction.
But now, even before that part of the law takes effect, schools are lining up to be excused.
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