Charleston Daily Mail

Police Arrest Charleston Man in Slaying of West Side Resident

A city man who allegedly shot a West Side resident to death was arrested early this morning by Charleston police. Robert Eric "Shorty" Haines, 35, of Hillcrest Drive was staying at a residence at 113 1/2 Garrison Ave. when police found him about 2:20 a.m., said Charleston Police Lt. Brad Rinehart.

Senior Center has Lots to Offer: ; Wyoming Facility has Hot Tub No One Seems to Use

ITMANN - The Wyoming County Council on Aging senior center has a hot tub, pool tables, an exercise room and new tiling and wood floors, according to visitors and an ex-employee of the center. The center, built in the skeleton of an old elementary school, provides lunch for seniors, recreational activities and rides to the center in one of six buses parked outside the facility.

Salary Confounds Board: ; Wyoming Members Unclear On Duties, but Defend Director

Study Reports Abuse by Priests in West Virginia

Fifteen people have accused 11 priests who have served in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston since 1950 of sexually abusing minors, according to a report released today by the diocese. The diocese has had 219 priests during that time.

Salary Confounds Board: ; Wyoming Members Unclear On Duties, but Defend Director

Several senior citizens on the board of directors for Wyoming County's Council on Aging say they had no idea they were paying their agency's director, Bob Graham, $302,000 a year. Many of them Thursday could not explain the agency's financial structure or their role in making decisions about senior programs in the county.

Jobs at Heart of Race: ; Democrat Hopefuls Lay Out Plans for Economic Growth

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Joe Manchin said he'd entice high-tech companies to locate in West Virginia by allowing them to forgo paying state taxes for 25 years. Decrying the "shotgun approach" to economic development, Manchin said he'd target tax incentives and government giveaways to certain industries that provide jobs with "livable wages and health benefits."

Potomac Fish Kill Remains a Mystery Two Years Later

Nearly two years after dead or diseased fish were found over an unusually large area of the South Branch of the Potomac River, state and federal regulators still don't know the reason. Anglers and residents began reporting dead fish shortly after the 2002 Memorial Day weekend.

Sunbear's Memory Lives On After Trial: ; Dog Owner Gets Six Months in Jail for Animal Cruelty

The life of Sunbear the dog was short, and his death was slow and miserable. But the 2-year-old chocolate Lab continues to live in the minds of animal lovers who were outraged when they learned that the dog had been left in a Cross Lanes apartment for about six weeks without food or water.

Charleston, Vienna Locations Among 26 Chi-Chi's Closings

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Chi-Chi's restaurant chain, beset by a hepatitis A outbreak and bankruptcy, has closed 26 restaurants, including one in Charleston, the company said. The locations were underperforming and had to be shut down as part of the company's bankruptcy reorganization, according to a statement from the Louisville-based Mexican restaurant chain. In addition to the Charleston location, the Chi-Chi's restaurant in Vienna will close.

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Most Serious Charge in Stewart Case Dropped

NEW YORK - A federal judge today threw out the most serious charge against homemaking mogul Martha Stewart, securities fraud, just before her trial goes to a jury. The charge accused Stewart of deceiving investors in her company, Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia, by lying about her sale of ImClone Systems Inc. stock.

Iraqis Scramble to Meet Constitutional Deadline

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqis drafting an interim constitution labored today to agree on the document a day before a long-set deadline, and some Governing Council members conceded that more time was needed. Elsewhere, U.S. soldiers arrested five Iraqis after a roadside bomb struck a U.S. convoy north of the capital. Two soldiers and two Iraqis were injured when a roadside bomb exploded in Saddam Hussein's hometown Tikrit.

Snow Blankets the South: ; North Carolina Hit Hardest by Late Winter Storm

RALEIGH, N.C. - Record snow piled up across parts of North Carolina today as the second round of a winter storm pushed accumulations to as much as 11/2 feet. Hundreds of drivers were stranded on an interstate blocked by truck wrecks. Two tractor-trailers jackknifed in separate accidents in the northbound lanes of Interstate 85 in Randolph County during the night, bringing traffic to a halt as the snow piled up.

Aristide Appeals for Peacekeepers: ; Powell Questions Haitian President's Ability to Lead

PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti - Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide appealed for foreign peacekeepers even as key nations rebuffed him and the leader of rebels who have overrun half the country said his forces were closing in on the capital. Hundreds of Aristide supporters, some armed with machetes and pistols, gathered Thursday outside the National Palace to protect the president. Teenagers driving bulldozers and forklifts built barricades of wrecked cars, telephone poles, chairs, garbage and b...

News Briefs

Cult leader to hang for subway attack

Uc University Forum: ; Uc Forum Covering State's Energy Future; Panel Discussion Focusing On How W.Va. Advances

Researchers, government officials and industry officials will sketch out their views of the energy market's future and a state senator will then tie those views to national security at the next University of Charleston forum. The forum is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday in the Erma Byrd Gallery. The forum's topic is, "West Virginia - Bridge to the Nation's Energy Future: Getting There from Here."

Value of Writing Exam Questioned: ; Ex-Harvard Educator Says Present Test Conditions 'Artificial'

Value of Writing Exam Questioned: ; Ex-Harvard Educator Says Present Test Conditions 'Artificial'

With so many high-priority exams to indicate academic progress, some suggest students nationwide are suffering from test fatigue. But the West Virginia writing assessment stands apart from the tedious bubble-filled quantitative evaluations.