| President Seeks New Legal Protections for Religious Charities Seeking ...
In his State of the Union address tonight, President Bush asked Congress to pass legislation that would "permanently extend" steps that his administration has taken to allow religious charities to compete more easily for federal funds. Mr. Bush said that, over the past seven years of his time in office, "Americans have volunteered in record numbers. Charitable donations are higher than ever. Faith-based groups are bringing hope to pockets of despair, with new-found support from the federal government. And to help guarantee equal treatment for faith-based organizations when they compete for federal funds, I ask you to permanently extend charitable choice." In January 2001, immediately after taking office, Mr. Bush signed an executive order that required the federal government to loosen restraints on religious charities.
City presses for upkeep of foreclosed properties
A house on Chesterfield Street in Hyde Park was foreclosed in June 2006. It has been vacant since. But the pool out back was full of water until the city recently paid to drain it. On Buckingham Street, one block away, the city spent $1,737 in September to board up another vacant, foreclosed home, according to a lien filed against the former owner. In December, after calls from neighbors, city employees returned to clear the property of almost a full dumpster of trash. Both homes remain empty, plastered with plywood boards and warning signs. Glenn Preston, who lives nearby, said he and his wife tried to sell their home this fall, but the condition of the vacant home and its trashed yard made it difficult to attract a buyer. "We'd have an open house and people would drive down our street and they would just keep on driving," he said.
New Hampshire Primary Coverage - Tuesday, January 8, 6:00 p.m. - 1:00 ...
MITCHELL: I would not rule anything out, Chris, depending on how big their defeat is tonight, if they do turn out, losing as they expect to do. They are clearly going to Nevada for our debate on the 15th, and they know that the culinary workers are likely to endorse Obama tomorrow. That‘s a big deal. Edwards has some support in Nevada among union people, but so does Hillary Clinton. They‘ve been well organized there. But, you know, that‘s also a state where Bill Richardson wants to stay in until Nevada, because it‘s a neighboring state to New Mexico, and that would take—drain some support, potentially, from Hillary Clinton. So they‘ve got problems in Nevada, too. And I would not be surprised if they bypassed everything and went directly to Florida, California and New York. But that‘s still beyond tonight‘s returns.
Double wins put Crist in control
Gov. Charlie Crist addresses members of the Florida Association of Realtors along with Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp, who holds his son Jackson, Tuesday night at the Renaissance Vinoy Resort in St. Petersburg. He then flew to Miami to join victor John McCain. Slideshow: Election photos .
Recalling a snowy L.A.
That white stuff on the mountains is a product of one of the longest, coldest, stormiest stretches of weather the Southland has seen in a long time. "The colder elevations - where it drops to 35 to 37 degrees - you need that as a temperature to turn rain into snow," said National Weather Service meteorologist Stuart Seto. "On the beaches - they're mostly at low elevations - they get a lot of wind from the ocean, from the warmer ocean temperatures. That's why it snows in the mountains, but not in the valleys and not at the beaches. "But that doesn't mean it never happens." Which is why, when snow falls anywhere but the mountains, people run outside and try to catch the white flakes on their tongue. Many also grab cameras to record the unusual occurrence. Historically, it's snowed at least a few flakes on the lowlands every 20 years or so.
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