Charleston Daily Mail

Ky. Class Seeks to Help Kids Drop the Drawl

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS PIKEVILLE, Ky. - A new class that seeks to teach youngsters how to lose their Appalachian accents has set off an age-old phonetic debate: Should mountain natives drop the drawl or hold tightly to their twang?

Pittsburgh Also Looks at City-County Merger, Experiences in Other Locales Will Come Up at Saturday Public Forum

DAILY MAIL STAFF There's little doubt in Court Gould's mind that the city of Pittsburgh will form a merger with Allegheny County.

Manchin Role As 'Ceo' Gets Closer Look,: ; Some Lawmakers Say Reorganization Bill Gives

DAILY MAIL STAFF Lawmakers are likely to give Gov. Joe Manchin most of what he wants in his bill to reorganize state government, but many of them remain uneasy about the power they could be turning over to him and future governors.

Missing Boy, 4, Fought to Save His Pet, but 'Skippy' Had to Be Euthanized After Being Attacked by Other Dogs Near Surface Drive

DAILY MAIL STAFF Wearing mismatched shoes on the wrong feet and an upside down red windbreaker, 4-year-old Jordan Andrew Taylor walked out the door of his mother's Surface Drive home and into the middle of a pack of stray dogs.

Teacher in an Unexpected Place, Political Newcomer Took On Mezzatesta After Learning She Had Cancer and Losing Grandchild

DAILY MAIL STAFF Ruth Rowan arrived at the state Capitol for this week's special session after pulling off a huge upset in the general election Nov. 2.

Searchers Recover Two Bodies in Mass. Crane Collapse

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BRAINTREE, Mass. - Searchers recovered the bodies of two workers killed when enormous steel beams came crashing down on a building at a former shipyard.

Ex-Logan Court Bailiff Accused of Lying to Fbi

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS A former Logan County court bailiff who helped former Magistrate Danny Ray Wells take bribes has again been accused of lying to the FBI.

Recent Weather Hasnt Hurt Area Salt Stockpiles, Generally Mild Season has Kept Supply and Budgets in Good Shape

FOR THE DAILY MAIL Motorists who saw highways crews out working overtime recently to clear icy roadways do not have to fear - the salt supply is not at the bottom of the barrel.

Train Wreck Suspect Going to Court, Mangled Cars Will Be Removed From Tracks Now That Recovery Efforts Have Ended

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS GLENDALE, Calif. - Investigators picked through the wreckage of two commuter trains, searching for evidence to build a murder case against the suicidal man who triggered the crash by leaving his SUV on the tracks. Eleven people died and nearly 200 were injured.

Girl's Body Found at School; Father Charged in Her Death

HIGHLAND FALLS, N.Y. - A man has been charged with second-degree murder in the slaying of his 7-year-old daughter who was found stabbed to death at a parochial school. Chris Rhodes, 27, was arrested Thursday night and was being held without bail, the Times Herald-Record of Middletown reported today.

Mardi Gras Tradition Ducks Financial Threat

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW ORLEANS - A prized Mardi Gras tradition of passing elaborately decorated coconuts to paradegoers survived an insurance crisis, at least for this year.

Weather

Almanac Yesterday's high 30

Weather

Tonight Partly cloudy. Lows around 20.

Weather

Regional forecasts Akron 31 11 PCldy

Weather

National forecasts Anchorage 22 10 Cldy

Capture of Two Top Insurgents Reported, Men Called Close Associates of Al-Zarqawi; Voters Outside Iraq Have Begun Going to Polls

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BAGHDAD, Iraq - The government today announced the arrests of two close associates of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, including the chief of the terror mastermind's Baghdad operation. The announcement came two days before historic elections that extremists have vowed to subvert.

Nation &World

Israelis, Palestinians take more steps toward peace KHAN YOUNIS, Gaza Strip - Hundreds of Palestinian police deployed in the central and southern Gaza Strip today, a day after the new Palestinian leadership banned civilians from carrying weapons and Israel's prime minister said conditions were ripe for a "historic" breakthrough toward peace.

Fire Still Burning in Wash. Building That Stored Farm Chemicals

GRANDVIEW, Wash. - About 100 homes and businesses remained evacuated as a chemical fire continued to burn in south-central Washington, sending potentially harmful smoke into the air. State and federal authorities were monitoring air quality Thursday near the Wilbur-Ellis Co., an agricultural chemical and fertilizer retail operation where the fire broke out Wednesday afternoon.

State Police to Hold Sobriety Checkpoint This Weekend

Charleston Ballet Plans a Beauty of a Fund-Raiser

The Charleston Ballet is sponsoring a fund-raiser in conjunction with its upcoming performance of "Sleeping Beauty." "Kiss and Wake Up," includes a chance for a package of prizes valued at more than $1,000.