Charleston Daily Mail

Bouts with Surgery, Cancer Have Only Brought V-100 Djs Closer: ; Dj Couple Shares Story

DAILY MAIL STAFF It's a few minutes before 3 p.m., changeover time at WVAF-FM, when Jeanne K hands off the microphone to Ric Cochran for his evening shift.

State Expects Shortfall: ; in Tobacco Payment; Manchin May Ask

DAILY MAIL STAFF State budget officials expect major tobacco companies will come up $16.8 million short this year on their annual payment of the state's $1.9 billion legal settlement with the tobacco industry.

Man Killed When Car Collides with Truck On U.S. 60: ; Female Passenger Injured in Crash

DAILY MAIL STAFF A Greenbrier County man was killed and another person seriously injured when their car crashed head on into a coal truck along U.S. 60 in eastern Kanawha County shortly after midnight today.

Mollohan Says He Never Doubted He Would Win Election

Despite several months of scrutiny from watchdog groups and Republicans, Congressman Alan Mollohan said he knew constituents would re-elect him to a 13th consecutive term. Mollohan, D-W.Va., easily defeated Republican Chris Wakim for the 1st Congressional District seat covering Morgantown, Wheeling, Fairmont, Clarksburg and Parkersburg.

Christian Radio Station May Change Hands

Second Defendant Charged in 20-Year-Old Murder

Second Defendant Charged in 20-Year-Old Murder

FAYETTEVILLE - A Fayette County magistrate found probable cause to send the case against an alleged accomplice in a 20-year-old murder to the January grand jury. Following the testimony of one witness and more than 30 minutes of arguments from assistant prosecutor Brian Parsons and defense attorney Clint Smith at a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Magistrate Danita Young determined there was enough reason to charge Eddie Gene Queen, 59, of Cross Lanes with first-degree murder and first-degree s...

Iraqis Cheer Rumsfeld Departure

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraqis on today cheered the resignation of U.S. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, blaming him for policy failures and scandals they say helped spawn the daily sectarian carnage wracking their nation. "Rumsfeld's resignation shows the scale of the mess the U.S. has made in Iraq," said Ibrahim Ali, 44, who works at the Oil Ministry. "The efforts by American politicians to hide their failure are no longer working."

Weather Almanac

Yesterday's high 57 Record high 81, 1975

Forecasts

Tonight Areas of dense fog after 4 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 49.

Regional Weather

Hi Lo Otlk Akron 62 47 PCldy

National Weather

Hi Lo Otlk Anchorage 25 6 PCldy

Federline Seeks Spousal Support, Children's Custody

LOS ANGELES - A day after Britney Spears filed divorce papers, Kevin Federline counter-filed court papers seeking sole custody of the couple's two children. The former backup dancer and aspiring rapper is also seeking spousal support. He says the couple's community assets are "uncertain," though Spears said in her divorce papers there were none to speak of, suggesting the two had a prenuptial agreement in place.

Nation & World

Manufacturer recalls millions of pain relief pills

Tillman Death Probe Disturbing: ; Among Findings, All Four Shooters of Fellow Soldier Failed to Identify Target Before Firing

In a remote and dangerous corner of Afghanistan, under the protective roar of Apache attack helicopters and B-52 bombers, special agents and investigators did their work. They walked the landscape with surviving witnesses. They found a rock stained with the blood of the victim. They re-enacted the killings - here the U.S. Army Rangers swept through the canyon in their Humvee, blasting away; here the doomed man waved his arms, pleading for recognition as a friend, not an enemy.

For Pelosi, Grandchild's Birth Trumps Politics: ; Prospective House Leader Spends Busy Day After Election at Media Events and Awaiting Baby

WASHINGTON - House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi - soon to be Madam Speaker - says she had something other than politics on her mind when her phone rang early Wednesday morning. "I thought it might have been Alexandra calling with some news," Pelosi said, talking about her daughter and the impending arrival of a sixth grandchild. "I picked up the phone and said, 'Do we have a baby coming?'"

Huntington Rejects Levies for Street Paving, Park Projects

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS HUNTINGTON - Huntington voters have overwhelmingly rejected user fees to pay for park improvements and street paving.

Dog Breeder Wants Bigger Slice of Fund

A greyhound breeder has accused the West Virginia Racing Commission of sitting on a surplus of about $3.9 million that should be distributed to breeders across the state. Sam R. Burdette, a Kanawha County breeder, filed a lawsuit on Monday asking the Kanawha County Circuit Court to force the commission to distribute all the money in the state's Greyhound Breeding Development Fund. Burdette contends that state law requires the commission to distribute all the money.

Ex-S.C. Firefighter Pleads Guilty to Embezzling Department Funds

DAILY MAIL STAFF A paralyzed former South Charleston fireman pleaded guilty in Kanawha Circuit Court to embezzling $32,000 in fire department equipment by altering city purchase orders.

Obituaries: ; Obit

Toye Mae Abbott Toye Mae Phillips Abbott, 90, of Clendenin died at home after a short illness.