Monster truck hits crowd

Monster truck hits crowd

DEKALB, Ill. — A monster truck performing stunts in front of an auto parts store plowed into a crowd of spectators Thursday, injuring at least nine people, officials said. All were in fair condition at hospitals, and one person was being evaluated for possible admission, said Sharon Emanuelson, a spokeswoman for Kishwaukee Community Hospital in DeKalb.

Another three people refused medical treatment, Fire Chief Lanny Russell told The Daily Chronicle of DeKalb.

As part of the demonstration in a monster truck tour sponsored by Napa Auto Parts, the truck drove over and crushed four cars.

“After its third or fourth attempt of rolling over the cars, and getting back down to the street, it appeared to have lost control and at that point careened off to the left into part of the crowd that was watching the event,” said City Manager Mark Biernacki.

Clinton’s comments
at odds with criticism

NEW YORK — Democrat Hillary Rodham Clinton, who chastised rival Barack Obama for ruling out the use of nuclear weapons in the war on terror, did just that when asked about Iran a year ago.

“I would certainly take nuclear weapons off the table,” she said in April 2006.

Her views expressed while she was gearing up for a presidential run stand in conflict with her comments this month regarding Obama, who faced heavy criticism from leaders of both parties, including Clinton, after saying it would be “a profound mistake” to deploy nuclear weapons in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

“There’s been no discussion of nuclear weapons. That’s not on the table,” he said.

Clinton, who has tried to cast her rival as too inexperienced for the job of commander in chief, said of Obama’s stance on Pakistan: “I don’t believe that any president should make any blanket statements with respect to the use or nonuse of nuclear weapons.”

Sheehan to oppose Pelosi

SAN FRANCISCO — A tearful Cindy Sheehan cited her son, killed in Iraq, as her inspiration as she announced her candidacy Thursday for the U.S. House against Rep. Nancy Pelosi.

Sheehan last month said she intended to run against Pelosi, the House speaker, if the San Francisco congresswoman didn’t move to impeach President Bush by July 23.

Sheehan said Thursday that Pelosi had “protected the status quo” of the corporate elite and had lost touch with people in her district, most of whom, she asserted, want American troops out of Iraq.

Nadeam Elshami, a spokesman for Pelosi, would not comment on Sheehan’s candidacy but said the speaker has always opposed the war in Iraq and has focused on bringing troops home “safely and soon.”

Foundation reimbursed
for funeral expenses

WASHINGTON — The government reimbursed the Gerald R. Ford Foundation about $230,000 for transportation costs and expenses related to the former president’s funeral last January, officials said Thursday.

The White House said in a memorandum to the Office of Management and Budget that the foundation would be reimbursed to defray expenses incurred for the funeral. The government made similar reimbursements for the funeral of President Reagan in 2004.

Ford died on Dec. 26 at his home in Rancho Mirage, Calif., at age 93. He was buried on Jan. 3 on the grounds of the his presidential museum in Grand Rapids, Mich.

Teacher helps inspect
shuttle for damage

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — Schoolteacher-turned-astronaut Barbara Morgan tended to the space shuttle on her first full day in space Thursday, helping to operate a 100-foot robot arm and extension boom as the crew inspected Endeavour for launch damage.

Working from Endeavour’s cockpit, Morgan and crewmate Tracy Caldwell slowly swept the laser and camera-tipped boom just above the shuttle’s nose cap. Engineers on the ground scrutinized the images, looking for any cracks or holes that might have occurred during liftoff from flying fuel-tank foam insulation or other debris.

Then Morgan was joined by Rick Mastracchio for a similar inspection of Endeavour’s left wing. The right wing was checked earlier in the day.

The meticulous survey has been standard procedure ever since a gashed wing led to Columbia’s catastrophic re-entry in 2003. The 50-foot boom, attached to the shuttle’s 50-foot robot arm, was created expressly for the job.

NASA said at least four or five pieces of debris broke off Endeavour’s external fuel tank shortly after liftoff Wednesday, but it was too late in the launch to pose any threat. One of the pieces appeared to originate from around one of the struts that attaches the shuttle to its external fuel tank, an area that was redesigned after the Columbia disaster.

Associated Press