Charleston Daily Mail

Tree Man, 79, Not Scared Into Retirement by Big Fall

Eathel Southall has lost count of the number of trees he has climbed, cut, trimmed or diagnosed for assorted ailments. "Thousands," says the 79-year-old Jackson County man. "It's a fascinating job. You're always doing something different. It's challenging. If you make it through the day, you know you've done a good job."

Court's Focus Shifting

Chamber report says justices now rule more often on side of business The state Supreme Court became more business-friendly this spring when Republican Justice Brent Benjamin took the seat formerly occupied by Democrat Warren McGraw, according to Court Watch, the West Virginia Chamber of Commerce's annual report card on business- related decisions by the high court.

Pay Hike Paltry, Workers Say

Officials say a proposed pay raise for the state's teachers will do little to increase West Virginia's rankings nationwide and won't solve the state's problem of attracting new teachers. Legislators have spent the past several days in Charleston debating how to increase pay for nearly 35,000 state workers, including teachers.

Pay Hike Paltry, Workers Say

State employees are put off by the Legislature's proposal to raise workers' salaries by $900. Workers said the raise, the first one they've had in three years, is meager when paired with an anticipated increase in employee health insurance premiums and the rising cost of living in West Virginia.

93-Year-Old Woman Taking Classes at Calif. University

ARCATA, Calif. - Marion Koffords is joining throngs of students starting classes at Humboldt State University. But at age 93, Koffords stands out a bit on campus. The oldest student at Humboldt has enrolled in two weekend seminars as part of the university's "Over 60" program.

Lexington Man Charged in Murder of W.Va. Truck Driver

A Lexington man has been charged with the 2003 murder of a West Virginia truck driver. Marc Anthony Buchanan, 22, also faces charges of first-degree robbery and tampering with physical evidence. Detectives arrested Buchanan in the Fayette County Detention Center, where he was in custody for a parole violation related to a robbery conviction. Bail has not been set.

Manchin Drops Table Games From Agenda

Measure will be taken up in regular session Gov. Joe Manchin has closed the door to adding casino table games to the agenda of the special legislative session, following a last- ditch appeal from Northern Panhandle lawmakers.

Special Session Is Hardly Cheap

At $40,000 a day, the total cost so far this year will be at least $280,000 It's enough to pay the entire first-year salary for the average teacher in West Virginia. It would cover the cost of $4,000 scholarships for 10 college students. And it would pay a month of health insurance premiums for 400 state employees.

Federal Officials Weigh Response

One suggestion is that federal troops act as law enforcement during big disasters WASHINGTON - Federal officials concerned about the slow response to Hurricane Katrina are looking at new ways to organize front-line emergency workers during catastrophes, including possibly using federal troops for law enforcement.

Police to Clear City by Force

Between 5,000 and 10,000 residents remain; grim task of retrieving corpses continues NEW ORLEANS - Authorities said their sweep of this deluged city for the last voluntary evacuees was nearly complete, with officers ready to carry out the mayor's order to forcibly remove the thousands who remain in their homes.

Fire Department Finds Alligator in Channel, Still On the Lookout for Another

LOS ANGELES - One urban alligator down, one to go. A 3-foot-long gator dubbed Little Reggie was caught Thursday night in a Harbor City flood control channel, but its wily, much bigger namesake remained on the loose.

Weather, Tonight

Tonight Slight chance of rain with temperatures dropping to mid-60s.

Weather,: ; Temps

Hi Lo Otlk Akron 78 54 Clr

Weather,: ; Temps

Hi Lo Otlk Anchorage 58 47 PCldy

Nation & World

Large earthquake strikes near Papua New Guinea SYDNEY, Australia - A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck today off the northeast coast of the Pacific island nation of Papua New Guinea, the U.S. Geological Survey said. There were no immediate reports of damage, and officials said there was no danger of a tsunami.

Public Health Warnings Lacking in Mississippi

Residents, cut off from emergency workers, drink contaminated water, do without medical treatment BILOXI, Miss. - The neighborhood called Point Cadet at the east end of Biloxi has no clean running water and a foul stench - the residents are certain it's human decay - pervades the air, burning the throat when the wind blows right.

Putnam County Ranks 21st in Mercury Report

Power plants in West Virginia emitted 3,948 pounds of mercury in 2003, the seventh-highest amount in the nation, a nonprofit advocacy group said. Putnam County, home to American Electric Power's John Amos plant, was ranked 21st among the nation's counties with 902 pounds of mercury emitted, the Public Interest Research Group said in a report called "Made in the USA: Power Plants and Mercury Pollution Across the Country."

Kanawha Officials Don't Agree On Voting Machines

Kanawha County Clerk Vera McCormick says touch-screen voting machines are the best choice for upcoming elections. But Commissioners Dave Hardy and Kent Carper made the case for optical scan machines instead during a meeting Thursday evening.

Kanawha Sheriff's Deputy Says Job Is Like Guarding Fort Knox

Officers volunteering in La. guard a warehouse that is getting supplies from ships on Mississippi After arriving in the flood-ravaged area of Gretna, La., Lt. Sean Crosier of the Kanawha County Sheriff's Department was expecting seas of muddy water encompassing a vast area.

Jury Indicts Logan Resident, Three N.C. Men in Drug Cases

A federal grand jury indicted three North Carolina men on charges they tried to sell methamphetamine. Also Wednesday, a Logan man was indicted on charges of selling crack cocaine.