Ga. Governor Prays for Rain at Capitol

Georgia Gov. Sonny Perdue stepped up to a podium outside the state Capitol on Tuesday and led a solemn crowd of several hundred people in a prayer for rain on his drought-stricken state.

"We've come together here simply for one reason and one reason only: To very reverently and respectfully pray up a storm," Perdue said after a choir provided a hymn.

Georgia and its neighboring states are caught in a drought that threatens public water supplies. Perdue has ordered water restrictions, launched a legal battle against the release of water from federal reservoirs and appealed to President Bush.

"It's time to appeal to him who can and …

Baumgarten, Karl Friedrich

Baumgarten, Karl Friedrich, German organist, violinist, teacher, and composer; b. L�beck, c. 1740; d. London, 1824. He studied organ with J.P. Kunzen in L�beck. About 1758 he settled in London, where he was active as an organist, violinist, and teacher. He served as concertmaster of the Covent …

Kindling the Lights

The essence of the observance: igniting heart and mind

ON DECEMBER 25, 1932, in the heart of the depression, 25,000 Jews filled Chicago Stadium for what was labelled "the greatest Chanukah celebration in Chicago's history".

It was the second night of Hanukkah, and the event - under the overall sponsorship of the Zionist Organization of Chicago - did not …

After long delay, Bush administration submits nuclear dump license to US government agency

The Bush administration moved a step closer to building a U.S. nuclear waste dump at Yucca Mountain in the western state of Nevada on Tuesday, filing a formal application for a construction license.

The Energy Department sent the application to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, which will have three years to review it, and scheduled a news conference for later in the day on the application submission.

NRC spokesman Eliot Brenner said the application was received by the agency along with boxes of supporting documents. The application itself covers 17 volumes.

The NRC's primary job will be to determine whether the proposed repository's design will …

Khan gets into US Open

Thanks to Justin Rose winning the Memorial, Simon Khan of England gets to play in the U.S. Open.

The USGA said Wednesday that Khan accepted a spot in the 156-man field at Pebble Beach. That spot became available when the Memorial winner _ Rose, also of England _ was not exempt as a multiple PGA Tour winner over the last 12 months.

Khan was …

Channel 2 Adds Noon Newscast

In the first expansion of its weekday news programming since1986, WBBM-Channel 2 will launch a half-hour noon newscast on Aug.30.

The new show will reunite the anchor team of Joan Lovett andPenny Daniels, who joined Channel 2 earlier this year from WSVN-TV inMiami, where they attracted high ratings and enormous attention fortheir flashy style and casual rapport.

"We believe both women are very talented anchors who can mesh toproduce an innovative team," said Channel 2 general manager BobMcGann, who acknowledged that the noon newscast would specificallytarget female viewers.

To make room for the newscast, the CBS-owned station willshuffle its daytime …

2 inmates killed, 28 hurt in El Salvador jail row

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — The head of an El Salvador prison says two inmates were killed and another 27 inmates and one police officer were were injured in a jail fight.

Orlando Molina says the inmates tore down barriers inside the Apanteos penitentary in the west of the country Wednesday and went at one another with their fists and blunt objects.

A …