Charleston Daily Mail

View of State Voters Unflattering: ; Polls Revealed That One in Five White W.Va. Voters Said Race Was an Important Factor in Vote

Hillary Clinton's decisive 41-point win in West Virginia has convinced many political pundits that Barack Obama faces an uphill battle here in November, but it also has led to more than a few unflattering characterizations of Mountain State voters. A political blogger on the Web site Capitol Hill Blue wrote about Clinton's West Virginia win: "Hillary was in her element, pantsuit deep in old, uneducated, white people - the kind of people who hate blacks and change, and will vote for anyone as ...

Weekend Bike Rally to Raise Money for Reading Center

Without any roaring engines, booming announcers or death- defying, mid-air pirouettes, the "Rally to Read," a fundraiser to support the education of struggling readers, will be markedly different from most other rallies. It's no motorcycle rally. All the bikes at this event will be pedal power only.

Young Voters' Fashion Sense Leads the Polls: ; Sales of Garb Fluctuate Based On Candidate's Popularity

WASHINGTON - While the nation watches who's ahead in the Democratic race, Marc Cowlin is keeping an eye on which candidate is ahead in online sales of boxer shorts and T-shirts. Cowlin is a spokesman for CafePress.com, one of the many online companies selling campaign garb. (For the record, Hillary Rodham Clinton is leading in sales of men's boxer shorts at CafePress, while Barack Obama has the lead in thong sales.)

Oil Firms Brace for Battle Over Bruins: ; Polar Bears Are Listed As Threatened Species; Companies May Go to Court to Protect Rights

JUNEAU, Alaska - The lawyers aren't clearing their calendars just yet, but the oil industry is bracing for some courtroom battles to maintain its stake in Alaska's oil-rich fields now that the Interior Department has listed polar bears as a threatened species. About 15 percent of the nation's oil is being produced in Alaska, and soaring prices for the commodity are pushing companies to look farther and farther offshore to the floors of the Beaufort and Chukchi seas, which are frozen much of t...

Girl Scout Sells 17,328 Boxes of Cookies: ; Jennifer Sharpe, Troop Plan to Go On Trip to Europe with Proceeds

DETROIT - A Girl Scout sold 17,328 boxes of the group's signature cookies this year by setting up shop on a street corner, shattering her troop's old mark and probably setting a national record. Jennifer Sharpe, a 15-year-old from Dearborn, plans to travel to Europe with her troop with the proceeds from her feat.

Edwards Endorses Obama: ; Candidate Welcomes Support Though It Would Have Helped More Earlier

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - It would have meant more in February or March, but John Edwards' endorsement of Barack Obama for the Democratic presidential nomination was welcomed nonetheless by a politician eager to turn the page. Edwards' surprise appearance at a rally Wednesday steered some of the attention away from Hillary Rodham Clinton's landslide win over Obama in Tuesday's West Virginia primary. Despite the victory, the former first lady faces long odds in trying to deny Obama the presidentia...

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Nation & World

Obama apologizes for 'sweetie' remark

Kessler Hopeful Candidacy Was a Force for Change: ; Gubernatorial Challenger Says He Ran Only to Prompt Change in Workers' Comp Program

Mel Kessler fell woefully shy of upsetting Gov. Joe Manchin in Tuesday's gubernatorial primary, but he feels his campaign accomplished two things. In the traditional phone call to a losing candidate, Manchin promised an unspecified "shakeup" in the privatized workers' compensation system - an issue that inspired the freshman House member to run in the first place.

Man Sentenced for Post Threatening Police

MIAMI - A reputed street gang leader was sentenced to more than six years in prison after posting an Internet video threatening police with guns and taunting them to arrest him. Rudy Villanueva, 31, was sentenced Wednesday. He denied that he was a co-founder of the "Bird Road Boys" and insisted that he was only kidding around with friends when the video was made late last year. It was posted Jan. 3 on YouTube and immediately got the attention of Miami police, who took Villanueva up on his off...

State Briefs

Residents oppose shale quarry plan

Wvu Faculty Again Rejects Garrison

MORGANTOWN - West Virginia University's faculty demanded that embattled President Mike Garrison quit over a master's degree scandal involving the governor's daughter, the second call for his resignation in 10 days. The nonbinding resolution, approved 565-39 Wednesday with 11 abstentions, came during a rare special meeting open to all faculty.

Tony Blair to Address Yale University Grads

NEW HAVEN, Conn. - Yale University says former British Prime Minister Tony Blair will be its Class Day speaker this year. Yale's senior class officers announced Wednesday that Blair will appear May 25.

Police and Courts

Crash occurs near Tornado

Timing of Maynard's Recusal Killed Campaign

Political observers believe that state Supreme Court Justice Elliott "Spike" Maynard's chances for re-election ended before he even filed his candidacy papers. Maynard was soundly defeated in Tuesday's primary election. He placed a distant third, coming up 38,122 votes short of the second- place finisher, a relatively unknown Huntington lawyer named Menis Ketchum.

Power Manager Says Captains 'Up There at the Top': ; Lake County Earns 5-0 Victory Over Power

The Lake County Captains did what they do best Wednesday night: Play solid, fundamental baseball in all aspects of the game. The result was a 5-0 victory over the host West Virginia Power in a South Atlantic League game between Northern Division teams.

This Revs Him Up for Work: ; Auto Dealer Happy to Offer Exotic Cars in State Again

Utility Profits to Get Scrutiny

Clay Center's 2008-09 Lineup Includes Rimes, Mclean

Legendary songwriter Don McLean, country singer LeAnn Rimes and Ballet Hispanico all will be visiting the Clay Center during the 2008-09 performance season. The center announced its lineup Tuesday, touting nine performances and two special events.