Headlines for the weekly programs are posted here prior to the broadcast. Use them as you prepare your class for viewing the current newscast. Each week's headlines remain so stories can be traced to the week they were first on air

Week of Thursday, May 11, 2006

• Many Americans are making plans for their summer vacations, but this year, the plan must include ways to save on gas as prices are still high.
• Some folks are reverting back to the old days to save on gas. Egon Settle rides his horse on his errands around Arlington, Texas.
• Bill Kennerly reconfigured his gas tank to run on used vegetable oil. He fills his tank for only 4 cents per gallon, although his truck does smell like French fries.
• President Clinton brokered a deal with the American Beverage Association to phase out the marketing of sugared pop in public schools.
• Steve Vaught has become famous as the “fat man” who has walked 2800 miles from California to New York, losing 100 pounds in the process.
• GPS systems are providing directions for more than drivers. Brian Charlson uses GPS on a laptop computer to help him find his way around town – in addition to his Seeing Eye dog.
• Cleveland’s Great Lakes Science Center has installed a wind turbine on its front lawn. The turbine should be operational and providing 7% of the center’s electricity in June.
• Four West Geauga Middle School students have invented a high-tech locker with a door that locks and unlocks by radio frequency.
• Local artist Viktor Schreckengost will turn 100 this summer, and 100 exhibitions across the country will showcase his work.
• NewsDepth cameras were rolling recently when author Marc Brown, the creator of “Arthur,” sat down with Dee Perry to discuss how the character came to be.
• Do you know where you are right now? That question might seem silly, but as Jeannie Moos shows us, less than 50 percent of Americans know how to find the Buckeye State on the map.

Week of Thursday, May 3, 2006

• In the United States, freedom of speech is one of our most valued rights – for citizens. In an effort to prove their importance to American life, immigrants – legal and illegal – rallied on Monday to have their “voices” heard.
• Some people are upset over a new version of an old song, the national anthem. U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee wants to introduce legislation that the Star Spangled Banner only be performed in English, after one company released a version of the song in Spanish.
• One way immigrants can come to this country legally is through a guest worker program. As an employer in Maryland tells us, it’s the only way he can get workers to get the jobs done.
• It’s like the Super Bowl of science. Hundreds of students gathered at the “FIRST” science/robotics competition in Atlanta last week to show off their engineering skills.
• A school district in Tennessee cancelled school this week to save money on gasoline. They used two unused snow days. Many parents and teachers feel the district should find another way to save money.
• Five greater Cleveland teenagers competed in “Brave New Voices,” a national youth poetry slam competition in New York City last week.
• A rare 1792 half dime was sold in Columbus for more than 1.3 million dollars.
• The Fels Longitudinal Study is the longest and largest study of human development and growth, celebrating its 75th year at the Boonshoft School of Medicine at Wright State University in Dayton.
• Sumi Das reports on a way that visually impaired people can experience works of art in a new way, through touch.
• One of the most famous buildings in the U.S. celebrates an anniversary this month. Carol Costello has a unique look at what was once the tallest building in the world when it was built 75 years ago – the Empire State Building.
• Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa presented the 27th most beautiful bulldog contest. Hannah, dressed as a cheerleader, won this year’s competition.
• This is the last week of NewsDepth for some of our viewers. We hope that you’ve enjoyed watching and writing, and that you’ll be back with us next year. For our viewers in the Cleveland, Toledo, and Cincinnati areas, next week will be our final program.

Week of Thursday, April 27, 2006

• Gas prices are back on the rise, and this has people and businesses wondering how they will survive the hike in prices. Some people are making adjustments in how far they drive or what vehicle they drive.
• One vehicle that beats high gas prices actually uses no gas at all. It runs on lithium batteries, the same kind that are found in cell phones. This tiny car costs $35,000.
• Earth Day was introduced in 1970 to promote awareness of our environment. Some people are making an effort to recycle items that most people don’t consider for recycling. Atlanta Recycling Solutions recycles all kinds of e-waste like computers, televisions and cell phones.
• Myles is a four-year-old with cerebral palsy, and his first words were not mom or dad but come and sit. Ohio WAGS provided him with a companion dog named AJ that has encouraged him to walk and talk.
• In an effort to cut production costs, Columbia Pictures turned the streets of Cleveland into the streets of New York City this month. The makers of Spiderman 3 shut down Euclid Avenue to shoot action scenes.
• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo welcomed the birth of Daniel, a new male baby Bornean orangutan, on April 11th, 2006.
• Seventy nine students in the University of Akron’s computer science department presented research projects, including robots, at last week’s Computer Science Day.
• How long could you go without watching TV? Millions of Americans are taking part in TV Turnoff Week.
• Would you stick your hand in a tank full of sharks and stingrays? Plenty of people are doing just that at the new Aquarium Touch Tank at the Henry Doorley Zoo in Omaha, Nebraska. The zoo invites people to get a “hands-on” experience.
• You’ve heard the phrase “raining cats and dogs,” but have you heard “raining baseballs and golf balls?” That’s what the residents of Wichita, Kansas were saying the weather was like earlier this week, after a shower of very large hail.

Week of Thursday, April 13, 2006

• The U.S. Senate went on vacation last week, leaving the question of how best to handle the millions of illegal immigrants already living in the U.S. – and how to handle future immigration requests – till they get back. Last Monday, Allen Chernoff attended one of the many demonstrations that went on across the country on the heated issue of immigration.
• Why does NASA want to purposely crash into the moon? They are hoping to create a crater in the south pole of the moon that will allow them to search for water. NASA hopes to place a base on the moon. The tool they plan to use, called a lunar impactor, will blast off in 2008.
• There is a new dinosaur in town – actually a very old dinosaur whose species has only now been discovered. Erika Edberg has the story of a dinosaur foot that was discovered recently in southern Utah.
• Many Americans don’t know a lot about the 54 nations in Africa, especially small countries like Uganda, which is in central Africa. Half of this nation’s 27 million people are under the age of 18, because many of their parents have died of war and disease. Last week, a group of Ugandan dancers and musicians came to Cleveland to teach all of us about their African culture, and to earn money to support the many children living in orphanages.
• The Toledo Zoo is playing a big part in saving a tiny toad from extinction. After the Spray Toad lost its natural habitat in Tanzania, hundreds were brought to zoos in the United States. The amphibians are flourishing at the Toledo Zoo.
• Dr. Tim Broderick, University of Cincinnati surgeon, is underwater right now with NEEMO 9, NASA’s Extreme Environment Mission Operations project. He is looking for ways for doctors to care for astronauts from earth as they are on their way to the moon or Mars.
• For the first time in its 80-year history, Goodyear launched a new blimp without an official name. Instead, the company unveiled the blimp wearing the world’s largest name tag, launching a nationwide contest to name the blimp.
• It’s no news that loud noise can damage your hearing, but with today’s technology and cool gadgets, is anyone listening? Brianna Keilar finds out about the dangers of living with earphones constantly in your ears.
• Inventor Peter Morris wanted to find a way to recycle the more than 1800 cell phones that are discarded every day in England, so he designed a cell phone cover that is not only recyclable – if you plant it in a pot, it will grow a sunflower!
• While students in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania couldn’t possibly give back the safety their crossing guard provided them over the years, they gave him something else to boost his spirits – love, smiles, and his own corner – “Charlie’s Corner.”

Week of Thursday, April 6, 2006

• The first total solar eclipse in nearly three years occurred last week, beginning over Brazil, then moving northeast through Africa, India and into Mongolia. A total eclipse provides a rare opportunity for astronomers to study the sun's corona.
• The federal government wants car manufacturers to start doing their part when it comes to conserving natural resources. Big SUVs and trucks will be required to get better gas mileage in the years to come.
• Ninety four years ago, the people of Japan gave Americans the gift of 3,000 cherry trees. Every spring since then, in Washington DC where the trees were planted, a festival is held to celebrate their beautiful blossoms.
• Knowing how to swim is very important, even for babies. Elaine Falk shows us a swimming program that teaches babies how to survive in the water.
• Imagine being 14 and discovering something scientists spent 30 years researching. Rob Marciano tells us about high school student Serena Fassano who discovered that a protein in yogurt can be used to kill the very dangerous e coli bacteria.
• President Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch in Cincinnati as the Reds opened the baseball season against the Chicago Cubs.
• Ohio 's Statehouse is getting a touch-up for spring. The 120-foot-high dome in the rotunda is having seven layers of old, peeling paint removed, and a fresh coat put on to match the original style.
• LeBron James is the first player in history to be named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the third week in a row.
• We've heard about man's best friend saving our lives, but a young boy in Canada saved a dog's life and then waited patiently for someone to save his!

Week of Thursday, March 30, 2006

• America is a country built by immigrants, people from foreign lands who come to the United States hoping to find a better life. But there are rules that govern how someone can come to the U.S. legally. “If” and “how” we punish people who break immigration laws is at the center of debate in Congress.
• Some hurricane experts believed that storms after the 2005 season couldn't get worse. But now come predictions that the 2006 season could be more destructive than last year. Rob Marciano explains how these forecasts are made.
• A new survey says that only 20% of American kids are getting enough sleep at night. Experts say school age children need at least nine hours of sleep each night.
• Some experts say that kids are too “wired” for their own good – when they're online, instant-messaging, listening to music and talking on the cell phone, all at the same time.
• Schools in Idaho are replacing the junk food in their vending machines with healthy snacks and drinks.
• First Energy Corp. of Akron entered into a 23-year agreement to purchase 80 megawatts of wind power form the Allegheny Wind Farm in Pennsylvania .
• Clevelanders intent on saving a piece of Cleveland history held a community meeting last Saturday in an effort to save a house they believe was a station on the Underground Railroad. The Cozad-Bates House in University Circle was placed on the National Register of Historic Places but is being threatened today by the expansion of nearby University Hospitals.
• A deaf Lakewood woman was reunited with her dog Monday night, twelve hours after a man stole her pickup with the dog inside. DawnMarie Fucile relies on “Wilma” to alert her to noises like the ringing of the telephone.
• A Maryland couple purchased a historic house that was due to be demolished to make way for a new auto dealership. They paid $100,000 to move the nearly 200-year-old house to a new location – very slowly.
• One of the world's oldest creatures, a giant tortoise believed to be more than 250 years old, has died in the Calcutta Zoo. “Adwaity” was brought to India by British sailors from the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean in 1875.
• Arthur Winston deserves some time off. He just retired, after 72 years of continuous service with the Los Angeles Metropolitan Transit Authority, and celebrated his 100 th birthday.

Week of Thursday, March 23, 2006

• It's been three years since the U.S. went to war with Iraq , and President Bush is hoping Americans still support that decision. President Bush spoke in Cleveland on Monday, during his month-long trip to gain support for America 's continued involvement in Iraq .
• A category five cyclone, which is similar to a hurricane, struck the northeast portion of Australia last weekend, damaging homes and businesses, and ravaging crops.
• Spring has not sprung in the Buckeye State yet. Forecasters continue to issue heavy snow warnings for southwest and western Ohio .
• The World Baseball Classic final ended Monday in San Diego 's Petco Park . Sixteen countries participated and Japan took home the honor of being number one in the world. Japan beat Cuba for the title – a country where being a baseball fan truly means fanatic.
• Andrea Koppel tells us about some dispute over whether people elected to work for our country work hard enough, and may be enjoying too much vacation time. Members of Congress are scheduled to spend 97 days in session in 2006.
• Third, fourth and fifth graders in Minnesota are testing what classrooms of the future may be like – desk free classrooms.
• The Century Plant at the Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus has blossomed. The plant is an agave, native to the dry highlands of Mexico .
• The buzzards returned to Hinckley right on time last week. On Sunday, buzzard fans from all over the country celebrated the return of these famous residents.
• Ohio State University and Kent State University lost games and are out of the NCAA Men's basketball tournament.
• Red lights in the rear view mirror usually mean a ticket, but some drivers are actually happy to receive one in Austin , Texas , as a police officer gives rewards for good driving.
• By now the whole country knows J-Mac, and President Bush wanted to meet him, too. Jason McElwain, a highly functional autistic teen, touched the world's heart by scoring 20 points in his only game.
• Toss it, bake it, and slice it – a suburb in western Pennsylvania went for the world record in pizza, with a pie that measured 2,035 square inches.

Week of Thursday, March 16, 2006

• While Ohioans may have enjoyed some warm days last weekend, Texas had wildfires, Californians had snow, and the Midwest ran for cover from tornadoes. Wildfires in Texas are running rampant, destroying land equal to half the size of Rhode Island .
• Dorothy and Toto recovered from the twister that struck Auntie Em's house, but Missouri residents don't see a happy ending in the near future after last weekend's tornadoes.
• As many as 30,000 Sand Hill Cranes stopped in Monte Vista, Colorado during their migration north. The big birds stop to rest and socialize on their way from New Mexico to their summer home in Idaho .
• NASA's Cassini probe has made an exciting observation on its travels around Saturn – the possibility of water on one of Saturn's moons.
• Millions of poor people settle in the suburbs to find affordable housing, but as Ben Wedeman tells us, they're not the first to set foot there. Archaeologists in Egypt struggle to preserve history while respecting the rights of people today.
• 16-year-old Alexandria McGregor has campaigned for a national day to honor troops protecting our country. Congress has voted to designate March 26, 2006 as that day.
• Lakewood high school physics students learned about flotation – or the lack of it – last week at the fourth annual cardboard boat regatta.
• The results are in as Ohio bird watchers came out in flocks to support the Great Backyard Bird Count. Ohio was fifth in the country for bird watchers. Mentor and Cincinnati were third and fourth among communities.
• The men's NCAA basketball tournament – March Madness – begins this weekend with two Ohio teams ready for action: Ohio State University and Kent State University .
• Is recess a time for idle play or a valuable exercise break? With all the emphasis on testing, Kyung Lah tells us why this is one class period many people don't want to see cancelled.
• The Del Mar Kiwanis Club in southern California held its 11 th annual “Ugly Dog Contest” last Sunday. Man's best friend gathered to compete in categories like “Most Unusual Markings” and “Best Costume.”
• J.J. McCormick collects baseball cards for fun. One card made J.J. feel like he hit a home run, all the way to the bank, when it sold on eBay for $10,000.

Week of Thursday, March 9, 2006

• Juvenile diabetes is a disease that more and more kids are getting. More than one million people in Ohio have some type of diabetes, and the number is growing. A new program teaching kids and teens about the disease just opened at Healthspace Cleveland, and Rick Jackson met an 11-year-old girl there who shows how you can still live a pretty normal life while battling a serious condition.
• Legislators in Maryland want to make a law that requires schools to measure the body fat of all their students. School officials say it is a measure of a child's health, while some critics say it opens kids up to ridicule.
• Two sixth grade students in Connecticut think their state should have its own official cookie. The girls and their class traveled to their state capital to testify in favor of a bill that would make oatmeal chocolate drop cookies with a dash of nutmeg the official state cookie.
• It's Girl Scout Cookie time again. Eric Wilkinson tells us about one Girl Scout who experienced a difficult lesson in crime when she was conned by a counterfeiter.
• In an effort to deter counterfeiting, the U.S. Department of the Treasury introduced a new $10 bill. Colors were added, as color is more difficult to counterfeit. Alexander Hamilton, the first Treasury Secretary of the United States , is still the face on the $10 bill.
• Goodyear is testing a new blimp that will be added to their fleet by the end of this month, replacing the “Stars & Stripes,” a blimp that was destroyed in a thunderstorm last June.
• A ten-month-old puppy alerted his police commander owner to car thieves in the neighborhood. Cleveland 6 th District Commander Wayne Drummond caught two teenage thieves red-handed.
• The Akron Zoo jaguar cubs have been given names that were voted on by the zoo-going public, Maya, Nayla, and Caipora.
• Last July, an Idaho wildfire destroyed 193,000 acres of clover that fed a herd of wild horses. Cowboys rounded up the horses to keep them safe and fed over the winter while the land recovered. A representative from the Bureau of Land Management tells us about the happy day when the horses were released back into the wild.
• Jason McElwain, the autistic high school basketball star, has received offers to tell his story from many movie executives. His family has hired a lawyer to handle all of the offers coming in. More good news – his team just won a sectional championship.
• Penguin residents of San Diego 's Sea World enjoyed a special screening of March of the Penguins last weekend. Several of the creatures gathered around to watch their buddies on the big screen. The popcorn and fish snacks were also a big hit.

Week of Thursday, March 2, 2006

• The good times were rolling but with a different feeling this year as New Orleans celebrated the famed Mardi Gras season for the first time since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the area. This year, residents had mixed feelings about whether to proceed with the festivities.
• When people think of Mardi Gras, they generally think of New Orleans, but historians say the tradition actually started in Mobile, Alabama.
• Nearly 200 port workers in Newark, New Jersey joined U.S. senators in protesting a bargain that allows a foreign company to control entrance into six major U.S. seaports. The White House brokered the deal that gives control to a business backed by the United Arab Emirates, a nation some say fosters terrorism against the United States. The deal will be reviewed during the next six weeks.
• Hurricane season is only three months away. Is the already devastated area of Louisiana and Mississippi ready? Miles O’Brien tells us about the race against time to replace the levees.
• For two sisters, this year’s Mardi Gras is bittersweet, emotionally and economically. Laura Guccione and her sister make masks that people wear, but their business has been hurt because fewer people live and work in New Orleans now.
• Governor Bob Taft met with President Bush this week at the U.S. governors’ annual winter meeting.
• Ohio’s first county-wide indoor smoking ban went into effect this week, but it may be short-lived. The new law is already being threatened by Summit County Council, the group that originally passed the smoking ban. The council is working on a new ordinance that would postpone the ban until 2007.
• Ohio State University shipped nine chimpanzees to “Primarily Primates,” a Texas animal sanctuary. Psychologist Sally Boysen has worked with the chimps for 23 years, teaching them simple reading and math. Dr. Boysen lost a court case this week in which she hoped to stop the move. The lab was closed due to lack of funding.
• After a mother orangutan failed to recognize her baby, zoo officials in Salt Lake City tried all sorts of things to help them bond, from fuzzy suits to tempting food. Their efforts were successful.
• Seventy two heroes of World War II were honored last week in Tuskegee, Alabama. Members of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen received honorary degrees in public service at the place where it all began so many years ago.
• Greece Athena High School in New York has a new celebrity, Jason McElwin, an autistic teenager who got his one chance to play and awed everyone.

Week of Thursday, February 22, 2006

• Winter of 2006 has been a wacky one, from wildfires in Texas to geysers in Oklahoma , spring-like temperatures and blizzards. Last week, Mother Nature threw another snowball at the U.S. , with high winds in the northeast, ice in Dallas , and snow in Las Vegas .
• NASA scientists say that the glaciers in Greenland are melting at a faster rate, possibly a sign of global warming. Other scientists say that temperatures were much higher in the 1920s, before it got much colder again, and that the earth is in another warming cycle.
• President Bush is interested in finding ways to reduce our energy consumption. He spent President's Day visiting energy plants.
• Gary Nurenberg tells us how expensive the hobby of ice skating can be – especially for athletes that are aiming for the Olympics.
• Mark Daly takes us to Riedell Skates to see the people who provide the skates for everyone from recreational skaters to champions.
• Eight-year-old Alexandra McDaniel of Kent has created an online business ( www.kidsroar.biz ), a business by kids for kids.
• The American Dairy Association & Dairy Council Mid East presented a grant of $11,000 to Strongsville City Schools last week for the school district to purchase refrigerated display cases for milk.
• LeBron James was named MVP at last weekend's NBA All-Star Game in Houston, the youngest player to be named MVP in an all-star game.
• Seven-year-old Jake Gould of the North Weddington basketball league broke the tie and won the game for his Clippers, shooting a 30-footer at the buzzer.
• When seventh grader Jasmine Roberts did her science experiment this year, she was hoping for an A. What she got was a lot of attention about – kind of a gross topic. She found that water in a toilet was cleaner than water found in some restaurant ice machines.
• Alessio Vinci introduces us to one fan who doesn't mind going up against incredible odds to catch the Olympic spirit. Giovanni Guzzi is blind, but that didn't discourage him from getting himself to the cross-country skiing venue to cheer on his team.

Week of Thursday, February 15, 2006

• Countries from around the world compete for gold, silver and bronze as the 2006 Winter Olympic Games began in Torino , Italy last week. Daniel Sieberg gives us a look at what he calls “the big picture” of the games.
• American speedskater Joey Cheek cruised to victory in the 500-meter long track sprint, and surprised everyone afterward when he announced he was donating his $25,000 Olympic bonus to help children in the war-torn region of Darfur in Sudan .
• Archaeologists have made the discovery of a lifetime in the Valley of the Kings in Egypt . They have found an undisturbed tomb near the tomb of King Tut.
• Deborah Hoffmann shows us the training and testing that dogs go through to become search and rescue dogs in our western ski areas and parks.
• Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports that the secret to winning in the Olympics might be the amount of sleep you're getting. Speed skater Apolo Ohno and snowboarder Gretchen Bleiler confirm that they need a good night's sleep to rest up from conditioning and competing.
• The U.S. women's snowboarding team took gold and silver medals in the women's halfpipe. Toledo native Gretchen Bleiler took the silver.
• An Erie County recycling program is taking used gym shoes and donating them to Nike who will use them to turn athletic shoes into playground surfaces, tennis courts, and running tracks.
• A man in Cincinnati has had a silicon chip implanted in his arm, allowing him instant access to high-security rooms.
• Teaching a pet the skills needed in an emergency can be expensive. It cost $9,000 to train Kevin Weaver's beagle to detect when he is going to have a seizure, and even how to call 911.
• Little Rock Arkansas resident Jonathan Farrar saved $1000 so he could travel to New York to see his favorite team, the Yankees, play. When the 12-year-old heard his school was in financial distress, he gave his money to his school. Yankees owner George Steinbrenner heard about his good deed, and sent him a personal invitation to a game.

Week of Thursday, February 9, 2006

• February is Black History Month, a time to reflect on the achievements of African Americans throughout history. We start this week by looking at the life of Dr. Carter G. Woodson, known as the father of Black History. Woodson was prominent in starting Black History Month, which began as a week honoring Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln in 1926.
• The country mourned the passing of Coretta Scott King, who became the first woman and first African American to lie in state under the rotunda of the Georgia Capitol.
• The Dance Theater of Harlem and its founder, Arthur Mitchell, were honored at the White House Monday night. Mitchell co-founded the school in 1969.
• President Bush sent his budget plan to Congress on Monday for its approval, a total of $2.77 trillion.
• A horse-drawn carriage ride in New York City is a popular tourist attraction. Animal activists say it's dangerous for the horses and want it to stop, while the horse owners say that their horses are well-cared for and safe.
• If someone saved your life, you'd want to return the favor, but how do you repay a gesture that big? Volunteer fireman Kevin Stephan was able to return the favor to nurse Penny Brown. Pete Kenworthy brings us the incredible story.
• Ohio Congressman John Boehner has been elected Majority Leader in the U.S. House of Representatives. Majority Leader is the second most powerful job in the House, after Speaker.
• Students and faculty members from the School of Visual Communication at Ohio University are repairing and reproducing ruined photographs for families affected by Hurricane Katrina.
• In Columbus last week, a rare event saved the lives of two babies in what is called a domino transplant.
• Harvey Bennett threw a bottle with a message into the Atlantic Ocean , hoping to get a friendly message from far away. The bottle eventually washed up on England 's coast on the English Channel five months later, but the response Harvey received was not what he expected.
• They say a friend in need is a friend indeed, and a puppy and a lion cub at the San Diego Zoo have found a friend in each other. Shawn Styles tells us how this unusual friendship began.

Week of Thursday, February 2, 2006

• Coretta Scott King, widow of Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr., died Monday night in California . Soledad O'Brien brings us a look at the remarkable woman, mother, wife and activist.
• After the tsumanis and hurricanes of the past year or so, cities around the world are trying to implement emergency plans in the event of severe weather.
• Jet pilots are learning a lot from rock bands. The U.S. military is testing special ear plugs that will save the hearing of jet fighter pilots.
• A group of parents and health advocates want companies to stop junk food commercials that are targeted at kids and air during children's programming. They are suing Nickelodeon Network and cereal-maker Kellogg Company, both of whom believe they have promoted healthy diets and lifestyles.
• Diabetes is a disease that has to do with the amount of sugar in the blood stream. Diabetics, who now take daily insulin injections, will be able to use a recently approved, inhalable form of insulin called “Exubera.”
• Dogs have a keen sense of hearing, and great smellers, too. Some researchers think that dogs are able to detect cancer in humans with their noses.
• Usually found only in museums, a drawing by Michelangelo, Renaissance artist and sculptor, will be auctioned off for millions of dollars to anyone who can afford to buy it.
• Paris , France has hosted the third annual convention of musical instrument inventors. A highlight of the show was a rare concert by a popular orchestra called “Orgabits,” whose members play instruments made of vegetables.

Week of Thursday, January 26, 2006

• From one wild extreme to another, many parts of the country have been experiencing some strange and terrible weather this winter. Rob Marciano takes a look at Mother Nature's strange spell.
• A new NASA spacecraft has headed off on a very long trip – 3 billion miles to be exact – to the very edge of the solar system. Launched last week, New Horizons will be the first spacecraft to visit Pluto and its moon, Charon.
• We all have goals and dreams, some big, some small. Elaine Falk met with a young lady a few weeks ago who decided to pursue her dream of flying, despite some major difficulties. Diagnosed with cancer and forbidden to pilot an airplane, Maria Weybrecht founded “Kids in Flight,” providing hope and fun for sick children.
• Ravenna families created a 48-square-foot mosaic of Rosa Parks, made of more than 5,000 gumballs. It will be on display at the King Kennedy Community Center in Ravenna through February, 2006.
• Cerealicious Café will open on High Street in Columbus next month, offering a wide selection of cereal and toppings to students and other people on the run.
• Wildlife biologists from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources asked residents to report any bald eagle activities as part of an annual mid-winter survey. Last year, 366 bald eagles were reported across Ohio .
• Gary Tuchman tells us about a unique reunion for some very special survivors of Hurricane Katrina. Sixteen dolphins have been moved to a new home together at the Paradise resort in the Bahama Islands .
• Quick-fingered competitors gathered in San Francisco recently to show off their skills with a Rubik's cube. The winner was a student form the California Institute of Technology who got all his squares lined up in 11.3 seconds. The previous record was 11.75 seconds

Week of Thursday, January 19, 2006

• The Stardust spacecraft was launched in 1999 and returned its capsule to earth on January 15, 2006. The spacecraft gathered dust and particles from the Wild 2 comet which scientists hope will lead to news about our galaxy.
• Americans celebrated the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. this week. His birthday was made a national holiday twenty years ago. At the time of this year's observance, family members were in a dispute as to how to best keep his legacy alive.
• President Bush observed the national Martin Luther King Jr. holiday by viewing the Emancipation Proclamation located at the National Archives in Washington , DC .
• For the first time, an African nation has elected a female president. Ellen Johnson Sirleaf will serve a six-year term as president of Liberia . In Chile , Michelle Bachelet was also elected as the first female president.
• Reporter Becky Diamond introduces us to a U.S. salesman who is peddling democracy while serving with the U.S. army in Afghanistan .
• Akron native Brock Kreitzburg has been named to the USA-1 Olympic bobsled team.
• A Toledo woman placed a baby monitor in the church next door and helped to catch a thief.
• A Century Plant is predicted to bloom in March in the Desert Biome of the Franklin Park Conservatory. The giant stalk of the plant has already reached a height of over ten feet.
• A new nickel was put into circulation last week, featuring a portrait of our third President, Thomas Jefferson. The new nickel will be minted in Philadelphia and Denver .
• Meet Dick Heibel, a man whose specialty is saving the dreams of others – repairing treasured snow globes.

Week of Thursday, January 12, 2006

• Senate confirmation hearings for Judge Samuel Alito began this week. If Judge Alito is approved by the Senate, new Chief Justice John Roberts will swear him as the newest member of the nine-member Supreme Court.
• More than four years after the September 11 th terrorist attacks, a group of employees who lost their friends in the tragedy are banding together to make a dream come true. They are starting a new restaurant with all staff as co-owners of the business.
• The popular musical “Phantom of the Opera” set a record as the longest running play in Broadway history on Monday night.
• Scientists say we can't blame all of our winter weight gain on holiday food. Christy Feig tells us why our scales go up when the temperature goes down.
• Police in Florida are on the lookout for a thief they've nicknamed the “Bubble Gum Bandit.” He sneaks into convenience stores and steals the bubble gum from gumball machines.
• A group of aquarium fans in Cleveland hope to raise $33 million for a new salt and freshwater aquarium. Cleveland 's previous aquarium closed in 1985.
• Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Carson Palmer was injured in Sunday's post-season game against the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Steelers went on to win the game, ending the season for the Bengals and their fans.
• The Cincinnati Zoo is premiering Penguin Days this month. Visitors will see penguins, polar bears and other animals enjoy the winter weather with a variety of enrichment activities. Zoo admission will be half price on these days (January 14-16 and February 18-20).
• Steffi, an ten-year-old Humboldt penguin, had surgery to remove eggs that were trapped inside her body. Although the eggs weren't hatchable, Steffi did fine and is back in the pool at the Roger Williams Park Zoo in Providence , Rhode Island .
• A twenty dollar bill was bought for $20 million dollars. The reason – it has a DelMonte sticker on it., somehow placed there during printing.
• Last Sunday, the price of a first class postage stamp increased by two cents to 39 cents. Jeanne Moos went out and caught many people who weren't aware of the postage hike.

Week of Thursday, January 5, 2006

• Florida teen Farris Hassan upset his parents and the U.S. military when he secretly traveled to Baghdad over the winter break to experience “immersion journalism.” He was safely returned to his home in Florida .
• While the heavy rains that are producing severe flooding in California and the high winds and hot, dry air that are causing wild fires in Oklahoma and Texas are causing very different problems, the meteorological source of those problems is the same.
• After the hurricanes of 2005 devastated areas of Louisiana and Mississippi , residents there are seeing surprising new growth – what they are calling Katrina melons.
• Officials at the Cajundome in Louisiana needed to be sure the pipes were in good shape after 17,000 evacuees sought refuge there last fall. Seventy volunteers helped to flush all the toilets and run all the sinks at the same time in a major flush-off.
• You've heard of gaining an extra day every four years for Leap Year. This year at midnight we gained an extra second to make sure we stay on time.
• Officials at the Metro Zoo in Miami made sure the chimpanzees and gorillas had a happy holiday. Crowds watched as the animals tore open their presents which included edible treats and even some tee-shirts. The chimps seemed to enjoy the boxes and wrapping paper more than the gifts.
• Cleveland Metroparks Zoo received an early gift when a female Masai giraffe was born at the zoo on December 7 th . Jhasmin joined two other giraffe babies born since August.
• The Ohio State Buckeyes defeated Notre Dame at the Fiesta Bowl Monday night. Quarterback Troy Smith was named MVP, and his former teammate from Cleveland's Glenville High School, Ted Ginn Jr., caught eight of Smith's passes and scored two touchdowns.
• The bands of Central and North High Schools in Pickerington made their third trip to Pasadena , California for a joint performance in the Tournament of Roses parade.
• Most communities recycle Christmas trees. A company in St. Catharine's, Ontario uses Christmas trees to extract an important ingredient in a medicine used to treat the flu.
• Two hundred children and their parents constructed a sixteen-foot-tall menorah made of Legos in Baltimore , Maryland last week.
• A Columbus , Ohio cat called 911 to rescue his owner who had fallen out of his wheelchair and needed help getting up.

Week of Thursday, December 15, 2005

1. Iraq will hold elections this Thursday to choose 275 members of a new parliament, or council of representatives. 25% of the elected representatives must be women.
2. Thousands of people lost homes in the wake of this year's hurricanes, but Habitat for Humanity is making sure that some families will be home for the holidays.
3. Representatives from 149 nations gathered in Hong Kong this week at a meeting of the World Trade Organization.
4. The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, based on the book by C.S. Lewis, opened last weekend and grossed $67.1 million.
5. Residents of Kingfisher County in Oklahoma are scratching their heads at some unusual activity coming from the ground. Bubbles of natural gas are bursting up through the ground and creeks, creating geysers of water and mud.
6. The Ashtabula River will get a $50 million clean-up. Contaminated sludge that's been building up in the river since the 1940s will get pumped out and placed in a safe landfill.
7. With one second left to play, the Cincinnati Bengals managed to break a tie to beat the Cleveland Browns with a field goal.
8. The Federal Reserve Bank of Cleveland has dedicated a new Learning Center and Money Museum . Tours will begin on January 3, 2006. For more information visit www.clevelandfed.org/learningcenter.
9. Over 20 million people in the U.S. – 7% of the population – suffer from diabetes, a disease where one's body doesn't properly handle insulin. Shelby Baker tells us about a woman who needs a pancreas transplant, and the middle school students who are trying to help her.
10. Carolers in Wausau , Wisconsin sang their hearts out last weekend as they tried to break a record for the biggest group of Christmas carolers.
11. The first King Kong movie debuted in 1933. Five movies and one Saturday morning cartoon later, the newest version hits theaters this weekend. Jeanne Moos gave a special audience, gorillas at the Bronx Zoo, a preview.

Week of Thursday, December 8, 2005

1. On trial for acts against humanity, Saddam Hussein did not attend the fifth day of his trial in the Iraqi High Tribunal after many outbursts from the former leader of Iraq the previous day.
2. Vice President Dick Cheney visited troops at Fort Drum , New York , to thank them for their dedication and sacrifices.
3. Although he says this winter will be “average,” Rob Marciano tells us why snow days are probably in the forecast.
4. President Hugo Chavez of Venezuela plans to help residents of the South Bronx in New York City .
5. Four out of ten Ohio high school graduates need to take remedial classes when they get to college. The state Board of Education is thinking of ways to encourage students to take harder courses that would prepare them for college.
6. Reuben Droughns became the first Browns running back to rush for more than 1,000 yards in twenty years.
7. The Summit County Sheriff's Office has decided to change the way they issue snow warnings, dropping the terms Level One, Level Two, and Level Three, and using normal descriptions of road conditions instead.
8. Only 2 percent of American children meet the recommendations for dietary health. Christy Feig tells us more about why we must eat our vegetables.
9. University of Arkansas students filled a world-record-breaking stocking with toys for needy children.
10. During the holiday season, over 20 billion pieces of mail will be delivered by the U.S. Postal Service. Hundreds of troops will receive an extra special holiday greeting, and not by the usual mail route.
11. Hopefully, your dog has made you laugh. But researchers now tell us our dogs may be laughing along with us.

Week of Thursday, December 1, 2005

1. From tornadoes in Arkansas to blizzard-like conditions in Kansas and Colorado , the weather's been downright brutal for the folks living in the western half of the U.S.
2. The Dutch have built one of the world's most advanced levee systems in the world, and now engineers from the Netherlands are in Louisiana seeing if they can help bayou residents protect themselves from future flooding.
3. Some parts of New Orleans have come back to life, but for others living in the city known as “The Big Easy,” life these days is anything but easy.
4. What are the hottest gifts this year? Christopher King asked a well-known expert.
5. President Bush outlined his plan for bringing American troops home from Iraq earlier this week. While he didn't say exactly when it would happen, he said progress is being made.
6. A year ago, Army Specialist Carl Covington was badly hurt while serving in Iraq . One year later he is up and around, and studying to be an architect.
7. More than 100 camera crews and reporters packed the National Zoo in Washington , DC Tuesday to see Tai Shan make his media debut. Although Tai Shan was born in the U.S. , he'll have to be returned to China by the time he is two years old.
8. Daimler Chrysler AG will spend $600 million to add a new SUV to its Jeep Assembly Plant in Toledo . The 2007 Dodge Nitro will be built alongside the Jeep Liberty.
9. Students in the Hospitality Management Program at Kent State University have built a gingerbread village in the KSU University Center.
10. The Akron Zoo has announced the birth of three endangered Jaguar cubs.
11. Technology has brought us a lot of really cool stuff in recent years. A Hong Kong company has invented high tech clothing that is pretty smart, and they hope they can make it “cool.”
12. More than 500 essays were received in the NewsDepth Essay Contest. To read the winning essays, go to www.wviz.org/newsdepth and click on Contest.
13. Can people and animals coexist? In the war torn nation of Rwanda , people are starting new lives in a national park that is also home to nearly 100 elephants. It's a situation that renowned zoologist and wild life expert Jack Hanna wanted to learn more about.

Week of Thursday, November 17, 2005:

1.People in the Midwest haven't enjoyed the same mild late-autumn we have. Blizzard conditions shut down I-70 between Denver and Vail Colorado on Monday. The storm dropped more than 12 inches of snow on the state. The cold temperatures will arrive in Ohio this week.
2. Families who usually gear up to make holiday purchases at this time of year are instead watching their budget and hoping to weather the storm of paying for higher heating bills.
3. More than 15% of children are over weight, and what you eat can have an impact on how well you do in school. Elizabeth Cohen met one elementary school principal who was so determined to help her students eat right, she declared the school a "sugar-free zone."
4. More than 2,000 soldiers have lost their lives fighting the war in Iraq, and while not as many Americans support the war as they did this time a year ago, many still support our troops. Dan Lothian tells us what one Massachusetts hockey player (Peter Trovato) is doing to show his support for our military men and women and their families.
5. Roshini Rajkumar introduces us to a young man who has taken on more than the usual responsibility for most 18-year-olds. This high school senior has been elected mayor of his small town in Michigan.
6. Firefighters battled a forest fire last weekend in Shawnee State Forest.
7. Garfield Elementary School in Mentor adopted Barr Elementary in Jackson, Mississippi, and sent them a truck full of school supplies, books, clothing, and more this week.
8. The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo's popular Dr. Doolittle's Wild Animal Show is visiting schools, teaching the need for checkups for people and animals.
9. Ever wonder if there are treasures buried in your backyard? Theresa Freed tells us about an unusual find on one man's property - a very large meteorite!
10. What happens to the left-over pumpkins after Halloween? At the National Zoo they give them to the elephants for toys.
11. The National Toy Hall of Fame has some new inductees - including the board game Candyland, the Jack-in-the-Box, and most surprisingly, the cardboard box.
12. We'll be celebrating Thanksgiving next week and before you know it, it will be time to put up the Christmas tree. As we learn from Jeanne Moos, some people will be putting the tree upside-down!

Week of Thursday, November 10, 2005:

1. Ohio voters said yes to road repair and jobs but no to proposed changes in our election laws. Voter turnout was light across the state as Ohioans turned out to decide on changes to the state constitution and, in some cities, choose new mayors.
2. Health officials say that Avian flu is caused by a virus carried by birds. In 1997, a case was found in a human in Asia, and since then, it has affected dozens of people on that continent. Scientists are concerned because influenza viruses have the ability to change. There are no reported cases of Avian, or bird flu in the United States, but the President has unveiled a plan to prepare Americans in the case of an outbreak.
3. Residents of northwest Kentucky and southern Indiana are cleaning up after a monster tornado ripped through their towns early Sunday morning.
4. You've seen all the damage caused by the hurricanes in the southern U.S., and how those affected have coped and tried to recover. Jonathan Freed tells about the controversy that's going on about the mess outside New Orleans.
5. An American astronaut and a Russian cosmonaut took a five hour space walk outside the International Space Station on Monday, installing a new camera.
6. Computer technology has made Dorothy's yellow brick road much brighter in a new DVD set of the Wizard of Oz.
7. Two electric companies are proposing to build power plants in Meigs County, bringing a possible 275 jobs to southeastern Ohio.
8. The NBA season started last week, and the Cleveland Cavaliers won their first road game on Monday night.
9. Last Sunday, 39 police dogs had free checkups with Cincinnati veterinarians at the Canine Corps Health Fair.
10. This Thanksgiving Day, Macy's is welcoming some new members to their annual parade and Kimberly Richardson gets a sneak peak.
11. A restaurant in Grand Rapids, Michigan made a record-breaking pumpkin pie, using 300 pounds of pie filling, 600 eggs, and forklift to get it in the oven.
12. Three weeks ago, we introduced viewers to Tai-Shan, the new baby Panda at the National Zoo. The little guy is getting around now, and Sumi Das tells us about his first appearance before the public.
13. Students are invited to enter the NewsDepth Essay Contest. Entries can be either prose or poetry, no less than 50 words and no more than 100 words. All essays should be submitted by a teacher. Be sure to tell us your name, teacher's name, grade, and full school address. Entries are due by 11/16 and winners will be announced on 12/1. All winning entries will appear on the NewsDepth web site, and winning writers will receive a NewsDepth cap. More information can be found at wviz.org/newsdepth on the contest page. Students may answer one of the following questions:

How do you know if a person is really your friend?
What do you enjoy the most - or least - about fall?
What is the best thing about your family?
How can young people help to make our community or our world a better place?

Week of Thursday, November 3, 2005:

1. Almost fifty years after she refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama bus, Americans mourn the death of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks. Since she passed away last week, Rosa Parks received yet another tribute, something that fifty years ago would have been unheard of. She became the first woman to lie in honor in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.
2. President Bush has nominated a third candidate to replace Sandra Day O'Connor for the U.S. Supreme Court, after Harriet Miers withdrew her name last week. On Monday, President Bush nominated Judge Samuel Alito, who currently serves on the third U.S. Court of Appeals.
3. You've heard that you are what you eat? With over 30% of adult Americans obese, companies are starting to try and do their part to educate the public about their health. MacDonald's is joining in by putting nutritional information on all of their food packaging next year.
4. Could an elevator to the moon be in our future? NASA Ames sponsored a science fair for grownups to find ways to make an elevator to outer space a reality. The elevator, or ribbon, would be attached to the earth near the equator, and extend 62,000 miles into space.
5. A Cincinnati Bengals fan made a very bad choice on Sunday when he ran onto the field past guards and police, stole the ball from Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, and ran sixty yards before he was tackled by security officers. The man faces charges of resisting arrest and trespassing.
6. Cedar Point hopes to boost attendance at the park this summer by reducing the admission price by five dollars.
7. On Halloween, students and staff at Hilltop Elementary in Beachwood walked 1,056, the number of miles between Beachwood and New Orleans, to raise money for the victims of the Gulf Coast hurricanes. The students received pledges for $5,800.
8. In South Africa, they want to make sure that young people are aware of leaders, namely Nelson Mandela, who made a strong impact on their country. They hope comic books will interest children in learning more about their history, and in reading good books.
9. Eleven-year-old Elizabeth Mule has a unique hobby. She's a tarantula expert. Elizabeth was recently elected to the National Kids Hall of Fame.
10. Gibson is a seven-foot-tall Great Dane who has just been named the world's tallest dog by the Guinness Book of World Records.
11. Students are invited to enter the NewsDepth Essay Contest. Entries can be either prose or poetry, no less than 50 words and no more than 100 words. All essays should be submitted by a teacher. Be sure to tell us your name, teacher's name, grade, and full school address. Entries are due by 11/16 and winners will be announced on 11/24. All winning entries will appear on the NewsDepth web site, and winning writers will receive a NewsDepth cap. More information can be found at wviz.org/newsdepth on the contest page. Students may answer one of the following questions:
12. How do you know if a person is really your friend?
13. What do you enjoy the most - or least - about fall?
14. What is the best thing about your family?
15. How can young people help to make our community or our world a better place?

Week of Thursday, October 27, 2005:

1. Hurricane Wilma bullied her way around the Atlantic Ocean, leaving destruction and torn spirits in her path. Florida's east coast suffered a more severe blow than many people expected. Homes and businesses were destroyed by Wilma's 125-mile-per-hour winds. Nearly six million people were left without electricity, and at least seven people were killed. The President declared Florida a major disaster area, releasing federal aid dollars for hurricane victims.
2. Florida's neighbors were also hit hard. Lucia Newman shows us just how badly Cuba fared.
3. Civil rights activist Rosa Parks died Monday. In 1955, she refused to give up her seat on the bus to a white man. Her actions led to the Montgomery bus boycott, and the strengthening of the civil rights movement.
4. Do you pick out your clothes in the morning? Maybe your school has a dress code? Now the NBA does, too. Dan Kerman tells us about the players' mixed reactions.
5. In Iraq this week, election officials announced the country's new draft constitution has been approved. Passage leads the way for forming a new government.
6. Monday was the 60th anniversary of the United Nations. On October 24th, 1945, the U.N. was formally established as the five permanent members of the Security Council ratified the U.N. charter.
7. Cincinnati Democrat Paul Hackett has announced that he will start campaigning for the U.S. Senate seat currently occupied by Mike Dewine. Hackett will compete against northeast Ohio Congressman Sherrod Brown to be the Democratic Party's candidate in 2006.
8. "Beans," the dog that stole the hearts of Ohio Marines in Iraq, worked her magic again during a visit to Ford Middle School in Brook Park.
9. Last week, we saw pumpkins big enough to sail in. As the weather gets colder and a new set of holidays is around the corner, we see that one house has already picked out their holiday tree - the White House.
10. Kim Rouggie introduces us to a boy who wanted a pet German Shepherd more than anything in the world…until he saw the suffering that Hurricane Katrina victims were going through. Then, this young man decided his money should go to help those victims. When his local community leaders found out about this gracious six-year-old, they decided he needed to be recognized. But instead of a certificate, Joe Aubuchon received a new puppy.
11. Students are invited to enter the NewsDepth Essay Contest. Entries can be either prose or poetry, no less than 50 words and no more than 100 words. All essays should be submitted by a teacher. Be sure to tell us your name, teacher's name, grade, and full school address. Entries are due by 11/16 and winners will be announced on 11/24. All winning entries will appear on the NewsDepth web site, and winning writers will receive a NewsDepth cap. More information can be found at wviz.org/newsdepth on the contest page. Students may answer one of the following questions:
12. How do you know if a person is really your friend?
13. What do you enjoy the most - or least - about fall?
14. What is the best thing about your family? 15. How can young people help to make our community or our world a better place?

Week of Thursday, October 20, 2005:

1. People in Pakistan and surrounding areas affected by the earthquake are welcoming aid from other countries. Rescue workers are still trying their best to provide aid, but many in the more desolate areas say "It's not enough and it's not coming fast enough." Ram Ramgopal shows us a special military unit that is being pressed into service to get the job done - with mules.
2. This has been the most active hurricane season in decades. Officials are now tracking a new storm, Wilma, which is the 21st storm this year. 1933 was the last year when 21 hurricanes were recorded. Wilma is gaining strength in the Caribbean and may touch the coast of Florida.
3. Gary Tuchman tells us how a closed school in Houston, Texas has provided an opportunity for hope and for school for many young hurricane survivors. The school has been reopened as "New Orleans West."
4. The federal government is expecting heating costs to rise 50 percent more than last winter, and Rachel Lee has an update.
5. For the first time ever, Iraqis have taken steps to set up their own political process by approving a constitutional draft. The final vote count on the constitutional referendum is expected next week.
6. Columbus city council gave the green light to cameras at stop lights this week. In the meantime, the Ohio General Assembly is voting this week on this very issue, and Ohio cities may have to find other ways to make dangerous intersections safer.
7. 98 science students from Little Miami Junior High School in Morrow built catapults to see who could fling a pumpkin the farthest, part of a really cool math, physics and problem-solving project.
8. Some of Ohio's giant pumpkin growers challenged each other in a giant pumpkin regatta this past Sunday in Jackson Township.
9. Many of us are still doing fun things outside, taking advantage of the beautiful leaves, but before the snow keeps us indoors, the fall weather can be something many allergy sufferers dread.
10. Students are invited to enter the NewsDepth Essay Contest. Entries can be either prose or poetry, no less than 50 words and no more than 100 words. All essays should be submitted by a teacher. Be sure to tell us your name, teacher's name, grade, and full school address. Entries are due by 11/16 and winners will be announced on 11/24. All winning entries will appear on the NewsDepth web site, and winning writers will receive a NewsDepth cap. More information can be found at wviz.org/newsdepth on the contest page. Students may answer one of the following questions:
11. How do you know if a person is really your friend?
12. What do you enjoy the most - or least - about fall?
13. What is the best thing about your family?
14. How can young people help to make our community or our world a better place?
15. Rachel Lee introduces us to Tai Shen, a three month-old panda at the National Zoo, whose name was selected by a vote of 200,000 people. It is Chinese tradition to name a panda on the 100th day of its life.

Week of Thursday, October 13, 2005:

1. Last Saturday, a 7.6 magnitude earthquake shook northern Pakistan and surrounding areas. Nearly half of the area's population is children, and rescue workers are doing everything they can to help survivors find their families and care for the injured. People organizing the rescue efforts have estimated that more than 40,000 might have died in this earthquake. Many countries are helping in the rescue efforts, and the U.S. has already started flying supplies in by helicopter.
2. How do you prepare for a disaster like a hurricane, flood or earthquake? While they are difficult to predict, Kathleen Koch tells us how one city doesn't want to wait until disaster strikes to act.
3. Five robot (unmanned) racers finished a challenging course in the $2 million DARPA Grand Challenge last Saturday, a 132 mile drive through the Mojave Desert. Stanley, the entry from Stanford University, finished first without a scratch in just under 7 hours. The goal of the challenge was creating autonomous vehicles that will save lives on the battlefield, and advance technology in other areas in the future. (www.grandchallenge.org)
4. One thing we can almost guarantee you'll hear this winter will be your parents complaining about their gas bills. The federal government has warned households and businesses to prepare for soaring fuel bills. Alina Cho introduces us to some clever people who figured out how using science and the sun pays off, literally, by using solar panels to power their homes.
5. The University of Akron soccer team was ranked number one in the country this week by the College Soccer News poll. Coached by Ken Lolla, the Zips are the first Akron team ever ranked number one in team history.
6. After five years of planning, the Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage opened in Beachwood on Tuesday. The museum features films and displays about the holocaust, tells the story of immigrants coming to a new country, and includes displays of Jewish art and antiquities. The museum will provide a backdrop for educational programs. http://www.maltzjewishmuseum.org/
7. Fifty furry victims of Hurricane Katrina climbed on a bus and made their way to new lives in Ohio. 28 of the dogs found shelter in Columbus, and the rest traveled on to Cleveland.
8. Nine-year-old Johnny Wilson raised a lot of money for hurricane relief, and at the same time set a record. He became the youngest person to swim from Alcatraz to San Francisco.
9. Wouldn't it be cool if it were against the law for your parents to ground you? Do you wish brussel sprouts were illegal? Jeanne Moos shares some ideas like those with us, and how some of them are actually becoming laws.
10. Skin cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer in the United States, and it's considered one of the easiest to cure - for humans, that is. It's a different story if you are a giraffe. Brian Todd introduces us to Jafari, who's getting a lot of love and care, as he is the first giraffe to be diagnosed with the disease.
11. The winner of this year's Safeway World Championship Pumpkin Weigh-Off weighed in at a record-tying 1229 pounds.

Week of Thursday, October 6, 2005:

1. Chief Justice Roberts has been confirmed, and President Bush has nominated a new candidate to replace the retiring Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor. Harriet Miers is the third woman to be nominated since the first full court convened in 1790.
2. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has rolled out a special food pyramid for kids and a computer game to encourage children to eat right and exercise.
3. The recent hurricanes caused a monumental amount of damage, and while the chore of cleaning your room might seem overwhelming, imagine cleaning up an entire city! One of the major problems of cleaning up a big mess is where to put the trash.
4. In Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, the superintendent, the teachers, and the neighbors were out in force, cleaning up the school grounds so children could go back to school.
5. Bobby Martin plays football for the Colonel White Cougars in Dayton, despite the fact that he was born with no legs. Bobby was discouraged when a referee told him he couldn't play, but this week Bobby is the most celebrated high school player in the country. Referees welcomed Bobby to his game in Cincinnati Saturday night, which his team won 27-22. Bobby made a big tackle on kick-off.
6. BGSU student Erin Vader has shipped several thousands of pairs of shoes to Sgt. Gilbert Zepeda, who is distributing them to children in Iraq.
7. A losing streak last week ended playoff hopes for the Cleveland Indians. The Cincinnati Bengals, who are undefeated after four games, are off to a great start.
8. Across the world, where the average monthly salary is what some Americans spend on a night at the movies, women in Gaza are supporting their families with an eye for beauty and beautiful embroidery.
9. We meet a dog who bit off more than she could chew - literally. Doctors removed a thirteen inch kitchen knife from her stomach without any damage.
10. Jeanne Moos introduces us to Jack, Judge Roberts' four-year-old son who is also making headlines, but with wiggles, waves, and a few dance steps.

Week of Thursday, September 29, 2005:

1. Last week, as the threat of another hurricane - Rita - began to mount, those in her path prepared for the worst. And while her winds slowed as she neared the coast, imagine a storm larger than the size of Ohio nearing your home!
2. John Zarella tells us that getting back home after Rita was a slow process that required gas stations and motorists to pull together.
3. Thanks to today's technology, tracking storms and targeting their path allows for preparation. We look at how technology can save lives when it comes to hurricanes.
4. The Red Cross placed a giant order with sandwich shops in southern Florida. The $2 million dollars worth of lunches were delivered to Katrina evacuees in Texas.
5. First Lady Laura Bush hosted the 2005 National Book Festival in Washington DC on Saturday. Sponsored by the Library of Congress, the festival featured 80 authors.
6. Dayton, Ohio senior Bobby Martin has been an athlete since middle school. While that may not sound like a major accomplishment to some, it is when you overcome a major disability to do it. When Bobby suffered a setback that seemed unfair to some, his friends and school rallied around him to provide support.
7. 1200 Ohio National Guard troops are off to provide security and support following Hurricane Rita like they did for Katrina.
8. The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden has turned 130 and celebrated with a birthday bash. Opening to the public in 1875, the Cincinnati Zoo is the second oldest zoo in the country.
9. The Steamship William G. Mather was built in 1925 as the flagship for Cleveland-Cliffs Iron Company and sailed the Great Lakes hauling iron ore and coal. Now a floating museum, the ship moved to a new dock in Cleveland with the help of two tugboats. Information at the William G. Mather Museum web site: wgmather.nhlink.net.
10. Judge John Roberts may be Supreme Court Chief Justice by the end of this week. A vote by the full Senate is expected to take place before Friday.
11. A lot of kids from the areas affected by the hurricanes are dealing with their feelings and making new friends using some interesting techniques. Therapists encourage role playing with puppets, and art helps children to express their feelings.
12. Dick Reese of Gallatin Texas is in the mule business. When the New Orleans levees broke, the city's carriage mules needed refuge, and thirty animals are making a temporary home on his farm.

Week of Thursday, September 22, 2005:

1. Although crews have been working hard to clean up areas hit by Hurricane Katrina, getting things back to normal isn't so easy. The mayor of New Orleans had hoped to open the driest parts of the city this week, but federal officials say it wouldn't be wise, since emergency services aren't working yet, and now Hurricane Rita is moving through the Gulf of Mexico, probably heading for Texas.
2. If it seems like we're in a hurricane frenzy lately, after Katrina, Ophelia, and now Rita, it might be that we are. Daniel Sieberg gives us some reasons that might explain why we are seeing more powerful storms these days.
3. The Senate will vote on John Roberts next week, President Bush's choice for Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Judge Roberts would replace Chief Justice William A. Rehnquist who died earlier this month. President Bush will also appoint a judge to replace Associate Justice Sandra Day O'Connor who will retire.
4. IBM is trying to help get more good teachers into math and science classrooms.
5. Kids in some of Cleveland's elementary schools have been treated to a visit from the dentist. Through the Healthy Smiles program, dental students from Case Western Reserve University perform free checkups, and then apply a sealant to the children's teeth.
6. NASA has rolled out a plan for the future, including a timeline for returning astronauts to the moon by 2018. The NASA Glenn Research Center in Brook Park will probably help develop a new spacecraft's power and propulsion systems.
7. The Capital Area Humane Society in Hilliard partnered with pawsinneed.org and four central Ohio pet stores to collect supplies for animals affected by the hurricane.
8. Some very caring animal lovers have come to the rescue of pets abandoned in New Orleans, sending 100 dogs and cats to safety in Los Angeles on a Continental airliner.
9. While it might be cool to have the latest and best-looking backpack, Christy Feig shows us how children need to buy the right backpack and wear it properly to prevent neck, shoulder and back pain.
10. Even a category five hurricane can't stop one Mississippi mailman from his appointed rounds. The Gulfport post office is open for business, but Joel Saucier couldn't deliver much of his mail, as most homes on his route were destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

Week of Thursday, September 15, 2005:

1. Amid the mud and broken lives, there are signs that things are beginning to return to normal along the Gulf Coast. While flood waters are receding, some places hit hardest by Hurricane Katrina remain underwater. Hurricane Katrina, a category 5 storm, hit the Gulf Coast two weeks ago.
2. Jason Carroll talks with students who have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina, and are starting at new schools far away from home.
3. While not all of the animals survived Hurricane Katrina, many did, including 19 penguins at New Orleans' aquarium. The New Orleans Zoo has been searching for good homes for their 1400 surviving animals until they can get up and running again.
4. The Ohio National Guard has sent 6000 soldiers and airmen to aid in the relief effort.
5. Fifty one firefighters from Cincinnati have volunteered for duty in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, where the local fire department was stretched to the limit.
6. The Browns and Bengals kicked off the football season last Sunday at Browns Stadium. Browns fans had high hopes, but the Bengals beat the Browns 27-13.
7. Julie Humphrey introduces us to a young man who is already doing what he wants to be when he grows up - a chef.
8. Dan Lothian tells us about occupational therapist Debby Kanzer, who devotes her life to helping disabled children with her horses.
9. The Kantor sisters have spearheaded a drive to collect backpacks filled with necessary, and fun, items for children who have lost their belongings to Hurricane Katrina.