3-22-10

THE HEALTH CARE BILL HAS BEEN PASSED BY HOUSE DEMOCRATS AND IS BIW AWAITING PRESIDENT OBAMA’S SIGNATURE. IT WAS PASSED LATE LAST NIGHT WITH A VOTE OF 219 TO 212. ACCORDING TO THE AP, THIS REFORM BILL WILL EXTEND COVERAGE TO THE 32 MILLION AMERICANS WHO ARE UNINSURED. THEY ALSO SAY IT IS DESIGNED TO REDUCE DEFICITS AND BAN INSURANCE COMPANY PRACTICES SUCH AS DENYING COVERAGE TO PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTING MEDICAL CONDITIONS. WITH NO REPUBLICANS VOTING FOR THIS, THEY SAY IT’S TOO EXPENSIVE AND ARE CALLING IT A GOVERNMENT TAKEOVER. OBAMA IS EXPECTED TO SIGN IT TOMORROW BUT THERE IS STILL WORK TO BE DONE WITH THIS.


US SENATOR SAM BROWNBACK MAY HAVE A COMPETITOR IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY FOR KANSAS GOVENOR. JOAN HEFFINGTON OF DERBY KANSAS HAS NEVER HELD ANY POLITICAL OFFICES SAYS SHE WILL BE RUNNING AGAINST BROWNBACK. HEFFINGTON SAYS “SHE BELIEVES THE NATION’S FAILURE TO PUT GOD FIRST IN ALL THINGS BREEDS CORRUPTION AND IS DIRECTLY TIED TO THE STATE’S ECONOMIC TROUBLES.” IN THE PAST SHE HAS FILED LAW SUITES AGAINST PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH AND THE US DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE. SHE HAS ALSO BEEN SUED BY THE STATE’S ATTORNEY GENERAL’S OFICE FOR ALLEGEDLY GIVING LEGAL ADVICE WITHOUT A LAW LICENSE.


A POLICE CHASE IN WICHITA LEAVES ONE MAN DEAD. POLICE SAY THEY WERE RESPONDING TO A DOMESTIC VIOLENCE CASE SUNDAY WHEN A MAN TOOK OFF. THE 33-YEAR OLD MAN’S TRUCK HIT AN ELECTTIC POLE NEAR NORTH HIGH SCHOOL LEAVING SOME RESIDENTS WITHOUT POWER. HIS NAME HAS NOT BEEN RELEASED.


SEDGWICK COUNTY IS LOOKING AT BUILDING A NEW ELEPHANT AND BREEDING FACILITY AT THE ZOO. THEY ALREADY HAVE TWO SOUTH AFRICAN BUSH ELEPHANTS, STEPHANIE AND CINDA AND THEIR EXHIBIT MEASURES 19-THOUSAND SQUARE FEET BUT THAT COULD EXPAND. THERE WILL ALSO BE 4.75 ACRES OF PUBLIC VIEWING SPACE AND CAN HOLD UP TO SIX AFRICAN ELEPHANT COWS WITH CALVES AND TWO BULLS. THE ZOO’S BOARD OF DIRECTORS WILL VOTE ON THIS IN JULY.


A 66-YEAR OLD MASSACHUSETTS WOMAN FOUGHT OFF A MAN TRYING TO ABDUCT HER BY BASHING HIM IN THE FACE WITH A ROCK. POLICE SAY SOMEONE WARNED HER OF A SUSPICIOUS VEHICLE NEAR A PARK YESTERDAY AFTERNOON AND THAT PROMPTED HER TO PICK UP A FIST SIZED ROCK. A FEW MINUTES LATER THE MAN GRABBED HER AND TRIED TO DRAG HER INTO HIS CAR. AFTER THE WOMAN FOUGHT HIM OFF THE MAN DROVE OFF. POLICE CHECKED AREA HOSPITALS TO SEE IF THE SUSPECT HAD BEEN THERE BUT HAVEN’T FOUND HIM. THIS IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION.


EARTHQUAKES HAVE BEEN HITTING ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THIS TIME ONE HIT WHERE MOST PEOPLE WOULDN’T EXPECT IT, NEBRASKA. A 2.7 MAGNITUDE QUAKE HIT FRIDAY EVENING NEAR AINSWORTH WHICH IS CLOSE TO THE SOUTH DAKOTA BORDER. NO INJURIES OR DAMAGE HAS BEEN REPORTED. THE LAST QUAKE TO HIT NEBRASKA WAS BACK IN 1877.


HAVE YOU EVER SEEN AN ASTRONAUT DANCE? WELL TONIGHTS YOUR CHANCE WITH A NEW SEASON OF DANCING WITH THE STARS BEGINNING. 80-YEAR OLD BUZZ ALRIN WILL BE COMPETING AGAINST OTHER CELEBRITIES LIKE PAM ANDERSON, KATE GOSSELIN, ERIN ANDREWS AND MORE. THE TWO HOUR SEASON PREMIERE BEGINS TONIGHT AT SEVEN ON ABC. AND WHO KNOWS, MAYBE BUZZ WILL BUST OUT HIS MOON WALK.