Charleston Daily Mail

Leaders Hope Mezzatesta's Empty Position Filled Soon: ; Education Officials Praise Delegate's Work but Are Glad Committee Can Focus On Students

DAILY MAIL CAPITOL REPORTER The departure of Delegate Jerry Mezzatesta as House education chairman has other state education leaders hoping a potential change in leadership will happen quickly and smoothly.

A Monopoly On the State: ; State Park-Themed Version of Game to Be Used As Sales Tool, Official Says

DAILY MAIL CAPITOL REPORTER Ever thought of buying Kanawha State Forest for $150? How about trading Cass Scenic Railroad for Blackwater Falls? Blennerhassett Island could be yours for only $75.

Elk River Town Center Inn Closes: ; Mayor Says Closing of City Lodging Facility Comes As No Surprise

DAILY MAIL STAFF The Elk River Town Center Inn has closed.

Medical Examiner Wants State to Buy Office Building

DAILY MAIL BUSINESS EDITOR The state Medical Examiner's Office has moved its headquarters to a building on the West Side and now it wants to purchase the property, a state Department of Administration spokesman said.

'Now I'm Playing for Two People': ; Webster High Football Team Mourns Players' Deaths, Finds Inspiration

DAILY MAIL STAFF COWEN - Chris Wilson and Corey Bragg were always together.

Lincoln's Briefcase Donated to Presidential Library

Mutual Plan has Been Insuring Doctors at the Rate of One a Day: ; Most Applicants Meet Approval, Official Says

DAILY MAIL HEALTH REPORTER West Virginia may have attracted as many as 30 new physicians recently because of the opportunity for medical malpractice insurance available through the new state-sanctioned plan.

Capito to Return for 9/11 Commission Hearings: ; Opponent Wells Says Congress Too Slow to Respond to Findings

DAILY MAIL STAFF Shelley Moore Capito is heading back to Congress early for hearings about the Sept. 11 Commission's report, but her opponent in the upcoming election says she and her colleagues should have gotten to work much sooner.

Scholarship Board Considering Medical Leave Policy

The Promise Board is considering a proposed policy that would allow students to keep their scholarships if medical emergencies force them to miss a semester. "The way the Promise legislation is written, if a student enters the fall term, there is an assumption they would have 30 credits by the next fall," Lisa Defrank-Cole, executive director of Promise, said Tuesday. "But if a student is in a car accident or has surgery, there's no way they could make up 15 credits over the summer at their o...

Men Accused in Terror Plot Appear in Court

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS LONDON - Eight men accused of plotting to commit murder and cause mayhem with radioactive materials, toxic gases, chemicals or explosives appeared in court today in a case linked to a U.S. terror alert this month.

Iraqi Delegates Fed Up with Cleric: ; Official Says Second Delegation Will Not Be Sent to Negotiate Peace; Minister Threatens Raid

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's National Conference refused today to send a second delegation to the holy city of Najaf to negotiate an end to fighting between U.S. troops and loyalists of radical cleric Muqtada al-Sadr, a day after he rebuffed their demand for a meeting. Iraq's defense minister threatened today to force militants from the city's revered Imam Ali shrine.

Analysis: ; Each Party Does About-Face; Bush Administration Plan to Bring Troops Home Prompts Democrats, Gop to Switch Their Positions

LOS ANGELES TIMES WASHINGTON - The initial skirmishing over President Bush's proposal to bring home thousands of U.S. troops based in Europe and Asia spotlights the continued reshaping of the foreign policy debate provoked by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and the administration's response to them.

Almanac

Yesterday's high 81 Record high 101, 1988

Forecasts

Tonight Partly cloudy with a chance of showers and storms. Lows in the mid-60s..

Regional Forecasts

Akron 74 65 Cldy Charlotte 90 69 PCldy

National Forecasts

Anchorage 72 53 PCldy Baltimore 87 67 PCldy

'Now I'm Playing for Two People': ; Webster High Football Team Mourns Players' Deaths, Finds Inspiration

Nation & World

Cease fire holds between militias in Afghanistan

Airline's Troubles Won't Hurt Service, Yeager's Chief Says: ; Atkinson Predicts Other Airlines Would Boost Their Flights If Us Airways Goes

DAILY MAIL STAFF US Airways has been cutting flights in and out of Pittsburgh and trying to reschedule pension contributions, while some observers have suggested it could go back into bankruptcy as early as next month.

John Edwards Schedules Nitro Visit: ; Center Director Tells of Visit by Vice Presidential Hopeful at Council Meeting

FOR THE DAILY MAIL Democratic vice presidential candidate John Edwards will make a campaign stop in Nitro this weekend.