Week #9

National News:

Judge orders renegotiation of 9/11 settlement

A federal judge on Friday rejected a legal settlement of more than a half-billion dollars for people sickened by ash and dust from the World Trade Center, saying the deal to compensate 10,000 police officers, firefighters and other laborers didn't contain enough money for the workers.  Full Story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100319/ap_on_bi_ge/us_attacks_health_trials;_ylt=Ai1_wLIDoQsLQ_QkvdQwl2pvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTJwa3VtN2h2BGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzE5L3VzX2F0dGFja3NfaGVhbHRoX3RyaWFscwRjcG9zAzEEcG9zAzMEc2VjA3luX3RvcF9zdG9yeQRzbGsDZnVsbG5ic3BzdG9y

This story holds the news values of currency, timeliness, impact, conflict and proximity.  In New York it was decided today by U.S. District Judge Alvin Hellerstein that the proposed legal settlement was unfair!  This entire situation has been ongoing since the 9/11 attacks occurred and the trails of the case do not officially start for another two months.  The final settlement will impact many lives and the ongoing conflict of not agreeing is making the impact that much more meaningful.

APNewsBreak: Calif. boosts sex offender tracking

California parole officials have ordered increased monitoring of all sex offenders after several recent high-profile lapses.  Full Story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100319/ap_on_re_us/us_parole_changes;_ylt=Ai4Qjj.EAN_FV_mGFCrsbvtvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTJtOXF0MmxxBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzE5L3VzX3Bhcm9sZV9jaGFuZ2VzBHBvcwM5BHNlYwN5bl9hcnRpY2xlX3N1bW1hcnlfbGlzdARzbGsDZnVsbG5ic3BzdG9y

This story holds the news values of timeliness, currency, conflict and impact.  In recent months it has been noted that parole officers have not been keeping up with sex-offenders as much as them should be.  For instance, agents were criticized for not learning convicted sex offender Phillip Garrido was allegedly keeping a young victim hidden at his Contra Costa County home for 18 years.  Also, corrections officials are reviewing whether they should have revoked the parole of John Gardner, charged with killing one San Diego County teen and suspected of killing another.  It is an ongoing problem and the policy is now changing so a better watch is kept on these sex-offenders.

Malcolm X assassin granted parole in New York

One of three men convicted of killing Malcolm X 45 years ago was granted release from weekends in prison in his 17th appearance before a state parole board.  Full Story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100319/ap_on_re_us/us_malcolm_x_killer_parole;_ylt=AoKkioeoDfz7mgSRW609izxvzwcF;_ylu=X3oDMTMwdjgydGQxBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzE5L3VzX21hbGNvbG1feF9raWxsZXJfcGFyb2xlBHBvcwMyMgRzZWMDeW5fYXJ0aWNsZV9zdW1tYXJ5X2xpc3QEc2xrA2Z1bGxuYnNwc3Rvcg--

This story holds the news values of currency, timeliness, proximity and impact.  Thomas Hagan was one of the three shooters that killed Malcolm X.  He has been in prison since April 1966 and he has finally been granted some form of release.  His release will be effective starting April 28, state Division of Parole spokeswoman Carole Weaver said.  Until then, he'll remain at the Lincoln Correctional Facility in New York City, where he has been locked up two days a week for 22 years. The other five days, he's been allowed to work and live with his family.

International News:

Pope's Irish letter faces critical Catholic world

Pope Benedict XVI addresses Ireland on Saturday in a letter apologizing for the sex abuse scandal here — a message being watched closely by Catholics from Boston to Berlin to see if it also acknowledges decades of Vatican-approved cover-ups.  Full Story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100319/ap_on_re_eu/eu_church_abuse_pope;_ylt=An4RBRrrcQOi7TSAruft2ZJvaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTJsZHBzamFyBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzE5L2V1X2NodXJjaF9hYnVzZV9wb3BlBGNwb3MDMQRwb3MDMwRzZWMDeW5fdG9wX3N0b3J5BHNsawNmdWxsbmJzcHN0b3I-

This story holds the news values of conflict, currency, timeliness and impact.  The issues of sexual abuse amongst the Catholic church has been ongoing for years and Pope Benedict XVI is finally coming to terms with the problems and came out with an apology last weekend.  The fact that he is finally recognizing the problems instead of shunning them is remarkable!

'Lawyer' for US missionaries in Haiti is arrested

A fugitive who once acted as the lawyer for a group of U.S. Baptist missionaries accused of kidnapping 33 Haitian children was arrested on human-trafficking charges, authorities said Friday.  Full Story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100319/ap_on_re_la_am_ca/cb_dominican_haiti_americans;_ylt=AiyD2RDoMujBRzp08NWz5NJvaA8F;_ylu=X3oDMTMxcTE4bW4yBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzE5L2NiX2RvbWluaWNhbl9oYWl0aV9hbWVyaWNhbnMEcG9zAzQEc2VjA3luX2FydGljbGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNsYXd5ZXJmb3J1c20-

This story holds the news values of timeliness, currency, impact and conflict.  The disaster in Haiti continues with rebuilding the the constant kidnapping of Haitian children now.  Some U.S. Baptist missionaries have been in and out of the news constantly within the last couple of months due to their attempts of human-trafficking.  Their "lawyer" was even in on the bad doing.  This man, Jorge Puello is already wanted in multiple states for similar bad doings as well as in Canada for the illegal smuggling of immigrants.

Clinton says agreement with Russia near on nukes

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said Friday that American and Russian negotiators are "on the brink" of agreement on a nuclear arms reduction treaty.  Full Story

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20100319/ap_on_re_eu/eu_clinton_russia;_ylt=AvjAsHjeycbddrOGlfFlk.4Qr7sF;_ylu=X3oDMTJvY241Y3VjBGFzc2V0A2FwLzIwMTAwMzE5L2V1X2NsaW50b25fcnVzc2lhBHBvcwMxMARzZWMDeW5fcGFnaW5hdGVfc3VtbWFyeV9saXN0BHNsawNjbGludG9uc2F5c2E-

This story holds the news values of timeliness, currency and impact.  Recently American and Russian negotiators are on the brink of an agreement to a nuclear arms reduction treaty.  This entire situation has been a problem in the past, yet lately it appears as though the two countries have smoothed over their relationship and are coming to terms with each other.

Local News:

Obama won't reverse 2005 decision to close fort

President Barack Obama will not reverse the 2005 decision to close Fort Monmouth and move most of its mission to Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.  Full Story

http://www.app.com/article/20100319/NEWS/3190341/1004/NEWS01&source=rss

This story holds the news values of impact, timeliness, currency, conflict and proximity.  The closing of Fort Monmouth is ruffling feathers!  Due to the closing there will be a shortage in personnel and even more money will be spent to constitute transfers and so on.  It is looking more and more like an unhappy mess.

Some N.J. Residents Left With Nothing After Storm

Nearly a week after the big nor'easter, floodwaters are finally receding in parts of New Jersey. Willowbrook Mall in Wayne reopened Friday afternoon. Businesses were shut down for three days due to flooding, which left parking lots and nearby Route 23 looking more like lakes. Other parts of Passaic County are feeling a bit less waterlogged Friday.  Full Story

http://wcbstv.com/local/little.falls.new.2.1575318.html

This story holds the news values of impact, timeliness, currency and proximity.  The storm last weekend shook up parts of New Jersey.  Parts of northern Jersey such as Wayne are just getting power and life back on track today.  Other parts are still swimming in water due to the excess amounts of water brought by the storm.  Traffic flow is restricted in Little Falls due to the flooding and with another storm possibly coming in this weekend flood watch is still on for New Jerseyans.

Uproar In NYC Over Controversial Mural

A highly visible and highly controversial piece of artwork is causing outrage in Times Square Friday. With bright lipstick, long fingernails, lots of attitude and hardly any clothes, the highly visible mural depicting black and Latina women puts broad stereotypes on display.  Full Story

http://wcbstv.com/local/mural.jay.dow.2.1576203.html

Photo Caption: A mural depicting black and Latina women in Times Square is causing controversy across New York City.

Photo Credit: CBS

This story holds the news values of impact, conflict, timeliness, currency and proximity.  The mural is depicting black and Latina women, but its stereotyping is causing all the rage!  The artist, Sofia Maldonado, says her piece is simply misunderstood, describing it as "real New York." And yet its been the subject of protests – with one scheduled for Friday evening, with critics saying the mural negatively depicts black and Latina women as scantily clad prostitutes.

Other News:

NCAA March Madness On Demand Achieves Record Breaking Traffic

CBSSports.com, in partnership with CBS Sports and the NCAA, today released traffic statistics for NCAA March Madness on Demand (mmod.ncaa.com) for the first day of the first round of the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Championship. In total, there were 3.4 million hours of live streaming video and audio consumed, over 20% growth versus 2009 figures, by 3 million unique visitors to the NCAA March Madness on Demand video players. Both figures represent the largest single day of traffic for a live sport event on the Internet.  Full Story

http://www.ncaa.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/031910aac.html

This story holds the news values of timeliness, currency and impact.  It's that time of the year again when college hoops is nothing but madness!  CBS and NCAA released the number of hours of live streaming video and more in regards to the website mmod.ncaa.com and it appears as though new records have been reached.  This site has gotten so many views since March Madness began only a day ago; March 18.