Charleston Daily Mail

The Final Frontier: ; Aspiring Astronaut Hopes for Trip to Space Camp

DAILY MAIL STAFF Adam Richardson, a sixth grader, wants to be the first person to walk on Mars.

Charleston in No Hurry to Fix Clock: ; City Hall Timepiece in Disrepair After Being Shut Down

DAILY MAIL STAFF If you rely on the clock at Charleston City Hall for the correct time, you might want to invest in a digital watch.

Direct Myrtle Beach Flights to Be Offered: ; Southern Skyways Offer Flights; Twice a Week Beginning March 2 Through Labor Day

DAILY MAIL BUSINESS EDITOR Direct flights between Charleston's Yeager Airport and Myrtle Beach, S.C., a favorite haven for vacationing West Virginians, will be available starting in March.

Charleston Daily Mail Neediest Cases Appeal: ; Grandfather Puts Toddler's Wants Before His, Needs Some Home Repair Help

This man has suffered an amazing 52 broken bones in his lifetime in various accidents, but he still manages to raise his 2-year-old granddaughter. He obtained physical custody of the child after his daughter, who is the mother of the child, was found to be neglectful.

Pakistan Test of Medium-Range Missile a Success

Target Seeks Millions From Developer

HUNTINGTON - Department store giant Target wants the developer of a Barboursville shopping center to pay $3.5 million for repairs to its store there. The nationwide chain alleges in a federal lawsuit that Thundering Herd Development LLC refused to repair land around the store when the ground started sinking and slipping in October 2002. The movement affected the store inside and out as walls cracked and trusses twisted, the company said.

Mother of Dui Suspect Was Killed by Drunk Driver: ; Man Was 4 Years Old When Woman As Killed

DAILY MAIL STAFF A Charleston man accused of drunkenly fleeing from South Charleston police and plowing over that city's Vietnam War memorial lost his mother to a drunken driver when he was 4 years old.

38,000 at Ford Take Buyouts

DETROIT - Ford Motor Co. said today that about 38,000 of its hourly production workers have accepted buyouts or early retirement offers so far this year. The figure includes approximately 30,000 buyouts during the open enrollment period that concluded late Monday, plus about 8,000 who took deals offered at limited plants earlier this year.

Currency Must Meet Needs of the Blind

WASHINGTON - Give blind people a way to tell a $20 bill from a single, says a judge who told the government to change the nation's paper money so it doesn't all feel the same. U.S. District Judge James Robertson on Tuesday ordered the Treasury Department to start working on the problem, leaving it up to government officials to determine the best solution. Possible changes include making bills of differing sizes or adding embossed dots or raised ink.

Ceramic Bowl From China Auctioned for $19.42 Million

HONG KONG - A Chinese ceramic bowl dating from the 18th century was sold for $19.42 million at an auction, breaking the record for Qing dynasty ceramics, Christie's auction house said. The famille rose (a pink-colored enamel) bowl, from the court of Emperor Qianlong, who reigned from 1736 to 1795, was also the most expensive work of art ever sold in any Asian auction, Christie's said.

Wiggles Singer May Quit Due to Illness

SYDNEY, Australia - The hugely popular children's group The Wiggles is expected this week to announce the departure of its lead singer because of a serious illness, media reports said today. The Australian supergroup has reportedly scheduled a press conference for Thursday in the western city of Perth to make a "major announcement relating to members of the group," according to the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Associated Press and the online edition of Sydney's The Daily Telegraph newspa...

Nation & World

Judge lets Katrina victims sue for insurance claims

Judge Nixes Bush On Terror: ; 2001 Order That Designated Groups As Terrorists Called Unconstitutional, Vague

LOS ANGELES - A federal judge struck down President Bush's authority to designate groups as terrorists, saying his post-Sept. 11 executive order was unconstitutional and vague. Some parts of the Sept. 24, 2001 order tagging 27 groups and individuals as "specially designated global terrorists" were too vague and could impinge on First Amendment rights of free association, U.S. District Judge Audrey Collins said.

Regional Weather

Hi Lo Otlk Akron 63 52 Rain

Forecasts

Tonight Mostly cloudy. A chance of showers. Lows in the lower 50s.

National Weather

Hi Lo Otlk Anchorage 27 14 Cldy

Chinese Court Secretly Executes 12, Lawyer Says

New Speaker to Shape Table Games Debate: ; Both Candidates Support Referendum for Voters in Four Counties That Have Racetracks

DAILY MAIL STAFF The next House of Delegates speaker is likely to inherit the lingering issue of whether to allow table games at the state's racetracks and casinos, and the new leader's stance on gambling could shape future debate about the controversial topic.

Blackhawk Helicopter Reportedly 'Lost' Near Fiji

CANBERRA, Australia - Australia's armed forces said an army Blackhawk helicopter had been "lost" today near Fiji, where navy ships have been positioned to evacuate Australians in the event of a coup. There were no immediate reports of casualties. In a brief statement, the Australian Defense Forces said there had been an incident involving an army helicopter aboard HMAS Kanimbla, and that commander Air Chief Marshal Angus Houston would reveal further details later today.

Government Agencies Seek Drug Testing

DAILY MAIL STAFF The rise in the use of methamphetamine and Oxycontin has spurred local government agencies to increasingly demand their employees be tested for drugs, says a local testing company official.