9-21-10

IN LOCAL NEWS…

LAST YEAR CONCERNS ABOUT THE H1N1 FLU SPARKED INCREASED TURNOUTS FOR FLU SHOTS. THE MANHATTAN MERCURY REPORTS…YESTERDAY RILEY COUNTY HEALTH OFFICIALS BEGAN ADMINISTERING FLU SHOTS. FLU SHOTS ARE RECOMMENDED FOR PEOPLE AGES SIX MONTHS AND ABOVE. THIS YEAR’S FLU SHOT WILL HAVE A STRAIN OF THE H1N1 IN THIS YEAR’S VACCINE.

KANSAS STATE ENGLISH PROFESSOR PHILLIP NEL SAYS IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE TO SEE ADULTS READING CHILDREN’S LITERATURE. WITH THE SUCCESS OF CORALINE AND HARRY POTTER, CHILDREN’S LITERATURE SEEMS TO BE MORE COMMONPLACE, BUT NEL DISAGREES. ADULTS HAVE BEEN READING CHILDREN’S LITERATURE FOR QUITE SOME TIME NOW POINTING TO MARK TWAIN’S HUCK FINN AND TOM SAWYER NOVELS. NEL SAYS CHILDREN’S LITERATURE DOES NOT DUMB DOWN AMERICA AND SHOULD NOT BE LOOKED AT IT.

IN STATE NEWS…

THE TOPEKA CAPITOL JOURNAL REPORTS…LAWRENCE RESIDENT, RAYMOND COTTON, 43 WAS CONVICTED OF RAPING A YOUNG GIRL OVER A THREE YEAR PERIOD. THE TRIAL LASTED FIVE DAYS AND JURORS FOUND COTTON GUILTY OF THREE COUNTS OF RAPE OF A CHILD YOUNGER THAN 14. COTTON ALLEGEDLY RAPED THE GIRL BETWEEN THE AGES OF 11 AND 14. DOUGLAS COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY CHARLES BRANSON SAYS COTTON FACES A SENTENCE UP TO LIFE IN PRISON.

WAMGEO’S WEST ELEMENTARY WAS ONE OF SIX SCHOOLS HONORED IN THIS YEAR’S INTEL SCHOOL OF DISTINCTION CONTEST. THE AWARD IS GIVEN TO SCHOOLS THAT IMPLEMENT INNOVATIVE MATH AND SCIENCE PROGRAMS. WEST ELEMENTARY WON IN THE ELEMENTARY MATHEMATICS DIVISION AND WAS HONORED IN WASHINGTON DC A WEEK AGO. EACH SCHOOL RECEIVED 10,000 DOLLARS IN GRANT MONEY AND AN AWARD PACKAGE WORTH MORE THAN 150 THOUSAND DOLLARS.

IN NATIONAL NEWS…

ACCORDING TO CNN.COM A SMALL PLANE LANDED ON INTERSTATE 85 JUST NORTH OF ATLANTA. CONES WERE PLACED AROUND THE PLANE AND CARS MANEUVERED AROUND THE PLANE. SPOKESWOMAN FOR THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION SAID THAT THEY ARE UNSURE IF THE PLANE HAD TROUBLE DURING EITHER TAKE OFF OR LANDING. DISPATCH SUPERVISOR FOR DEKALB COUNTY TAMEKA MINTER SAID NO FIRE OR INJURIES WERE REPORTED.

IN ENTERTAINMENT NEWS…

THE NFL’S DENVER BRONCOS HAVE BEEN AN UNLUCKY FRANCHISE OFF THE FIELD RECENTLY. WITH THE DEATHS OF DARRENT WILLIAMS AND DAMIEN NASH SINCE 2007, THE BRONCOS RECEIVED AWFUL BUT FAMILIAR NEWS LAST NIGHT. 23-YEAR-OLD WIDE RECEIVER KENNY MCKINLEY DIED OF AN APPARENT SELF-INFLICTED GUN SHOT WOUND. MCKINLEY PLAYED COLLEGIATELY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AND WAS DRAFTED IN THE 5TH ROUND OF THE 2009 NFL DRAFT. BRONCOS PRESIDENT AND CEO PAT BOWLEN RELEASED A STATEMENT SAYING THAT HIS CONDOLENCES GO OUT TO THE MCKINLEY FAMILY.