HoopGurlz At Phila. Front Page News

HoopGurlz At Phila. Front Page News

An overwhelming choice at No. 1 in the ESPN HoopGurlz Super 60, Breanna Stewart of North Syracuse, N.Y., pledged to Connecticut after watching the Huskies dismantle No. 3 Duke on Monday night.

Breanna Stewart had a moment of clarity in her recruitment, followed by another. The 6-foot-3 forward from North Syracuse, N.Y., was being overwhelmed by the options afforded the top-ranked junior in the country.

The first moment happened in October when Stewart announced that she had narrowed her list of schools to consider to 10. With the scope narrowed, she was able to zero in and cut the list even more during her junior season at Cicero-North Syracuse High School (North Syracuse, N.Y.).

When Stewart cut her list to her final three -- Connecticut, Duke and Penn State -- it opened the door for her to make an early commitment.

"That just made it a lot easier to think about each one individually," Stewart said.

The trip to the Storrs, Conn., campus was Stewart's third unofficial visit. And now there's no need to make any more. On Tuesday she announced her verbal commitment to the Huskies.

Stewart cited the proximity to her family's home in upstate New York as a factor in addition to the basketball-related considerations. And of her three finalists, she had the strongest bond with the Connecticut coaching staff and players.

With approximately 17 months before Stewart can officially step on campus as a Husky, several players from the current team will have graduated, starting with seniors Maya Moore and Lorin Dixon. Junior Tiffany Hayes will also have graduated and Caroline Doty, a redshirt junior, could be gone as well, depending on what she does with her redshirt season.

But for Stewart, her experience playing for USA Basketball has fostered relationships with two players that will be teammates during her tenure at UConn. Fellow junior Morgan Tuck, a 6-2 forward from Bolingbrook, Ill., joined Stewart on the U17 World Championship team that won FIBA gold this summer in France. At the time, Tuck, the No. 12 prospect in the 2012 class, was undecided, but committed to UConn in November after an unofficial visit.

Connecticut's latest commit, Breanna Stewart, was second in scoring and rebounding despite being fourth in minutes for the USA team that took gold at the FIBA U17 World Championships last summer.

Perhaps more significant was the relationship formed between USA teammate Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, the ESPN HoopGurlz No. 1 senior in the country, as she was one of two players on the U17 roster who had made a college decision.

Mosqueda-Lewis was very forward with her opinion of Stewart and her desire to be teammates again when she coined the nickname "Baby Husky" for Stewart.

"She gave me that nickname and everyone knew it," Stewart said.

Stewart said that the recruitment efforts of Mosqueda-Lewis and other players she's become friends with through her extensive summers of travel basketball didn't impact her ultimate decision.

"I just blew it off," Stewart said of Mosqueda-Lewis' tactic at the time.

Whether it was wishful thinking or clairvoyance remains to be seen, but what is crystal clear is that Geno Auriemma's program is well equipped for life after Moore.

Stewart gives the Huskies the top player in consecutive classes. If history is any lesson, looking back on the recruiting hauls of 2006 and 2007, when UConn landed Tina Charles and Maya Moore back-to-back, the program isn't going to suffer any real rebuilding years.

But Stewart is also well aware of the heightened expectations placed on top players going to top programs.

"Being a UConn commit, if I have a bad game I know I'll hear, 'She doesn't look that good,' " Stewart said. "I have to keep my stuff in check. I think I'm just going to play the way I play."

Stewart is very certain of her decision, despite the recent transfer of freshman forward Samarie Walker. Stewart said the transfer happened right as she was becoming sure of where she wanted to go.

"Samarie leaving, it made me consider things about my commitment and to the level I want to play," Stewart said.

There aren't a lot of maybes with Stewart. She is the best player in her class, has proven herself against the best players in the United States and abroad, and she is committed to reaching her potential as a player. She has Olympic aspirations, including trying out for the U19 national team this spring, and she is positive that Connecticut is the right setting to make her goals happen.

Two Former Philly Cops Admit Corruption

(Former Philadelphia Police Officers James Venziale (left) and Robert Snyder (right)

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Two former Philadelphia police officers have pleaded guilty to corruption charges, stunning crimes committed with a badge, a gun, and even a police wagon.

Defendants Robert Snyder and James Venziale have admitted they conspired with another cop and drug dealers to steal drugs from a drug dealer and then re-sell them on the street.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

21-Year-Old Woman Dies After Fight At Philadelphia Traffic Court

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - Authorities in Philadelphia are investigating the death of a 21-year-old pregnant woman following a brawl outside traffic court, according to police.

The incident happened on 8th and Spring Garden at about 2 p.m. Investigators are trying to determine what sparked the fight and who exactly was involved.

Police say about three people are being questioned about the incident, but no arrests have been made.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Ed Rendell Splits With Wife Of Nearly 40 Years

Outgoing Pa. Governor Ed Rendell speaks to reporters on Jan. 11, 2011.

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) – In an email sent to friends on Monday, former Pennsylvania Governor Edward G. Rendell announced that he and his wife, U.S. District Court Judge Marjorie Rendell, will be living separately now that they have left the governor’s mansion.

Sources say the split is friendly. Rendell, 67, and Midge, 64, celebrated their 39th wedding anniversary in July of 2010. However, the two have decided to live the next phase of their lives separately.

For full story go to:

http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Super Bowl ad sends shivers through Motor City

Super Bowl ad sends shivers through Motor City

The Monument to Joe Louis is seen in Detroit, Monday, Feb. 7, 2011. One of the most talked-about Super Bowl ads showed hip-hop star Eminem driving a sleek Chrysler through the city streets, proudly cruising by the city's landmarks and the hopeful faces of its people. A day after it aired, the ad sent shivers of pride through the battered city.

DETROIT (AP) -- To a pulsating beat, hip-hop star Eminem drives a sleek Chrysler through the streets of Detroit, proudly cruising by the city's landmarks, towering skyscrapers and the hopeful faces of its people. His journey ends with an unapologetic message: "This is the Motor City, and this is what we do."

A day after it aired, one of the most-talked about Super Bowl ads sent shivers of pride through the battered city, which hopes car buyers are willing to look past Chrysler's billion-dollar bailout and embrace the idea that if a vehicle is "Imported from Detroit," that's reason enough to buy it.

"It's like an anthem or rallying cry for Detroit," Aaron Morrison of Mason City, Iowa, told The Associated Press via Facebook. "It makes me want to buy my next car made in America."

Morrison, a photographer, said the ad even inspired him to consider moving to Detroit to work for Chrysler.

The two-minute ad was unusual for its length, airing during a broadcast in which a 30-second spot costs $3 million. And it framed the gritty urban images, including vacant factories, with an attitude that embraced the city's past and its survival instinct.

"What does this city know about luxury, huh?" the narrator asks. "What does a town that's been to hell and back know about the finer things in life? Well, I'll tell you - more than most. You see, it's the hottest fires that make the hardest steel."

"Because when it comes to luxury, it's as much about where it's from as who it's for. Now, we're from America, but this isn't New York City or the Windy City or Sin City, and we're certainly no one's Emerald City."

The Chrysler ad was "the big story of the night," according to NM Incite, a Nielsen/McKinsey Co. that tracks online buzz. Consumers repeated the "Imported from Detroit" slogan in online comments, the company said.

For Chrysler, which emerged from bankruptcy in June 2009, right before General Motors, the commercial kicked off an advertising campaign that it hopes draws buyers back to showrooms and revives the brand.

"Detroit's ascendancy mirrors Eminem's own struggles and accomplishments," Chrysler brand CEO and President Olivier Francois said in an e-mail to the AP. "This is not simply yet another celebrity in a TV spot. It has meaning. Like his music and story, the new Chrysler is `Imported from Detroit' with pride."

Of course, the tagline is not without some irony: Italian automaker Fiat Group SpA now owns 25 percent of Chrysler, and the ad was produced by Wieden + Kennedy, a Portland, Ore.-based agency known for its work with Nike. Chrysler switched after its previous advertising agency, a famous firm called BBDO, closed its Detroit office.

Still, Chrysler said, the entire commercial was shot in Detroit with a local cast and crew, and the voiceover work was done by Kevin Yon, who is from Michigan.

The out-of-state involvement did not bother Matt Clayson, 30, who is undertaking a Motor City turnaround of his own. In 2007, he and his wife bought a large but uninhabitable foreclosed home in Detroit's West Indian Village - a mix of stately older houses close to the Detroit River.

"It's interesting that it took an outside eye . . . to really kind of cut to some of the core basics of what is a city and what is a place," said Clayson, an attorney and director of the Detroit Creative Corridor, a nonprofit that aims to establish the city as a global center for creative innovation.

"They did something right, definitely. I'm not an expert, but I think they really summed up kind of where we've been and where we are as a city."

The stirring ad painted a picture that the outside world doesn't often see, said one retiree from suburban Detroit who was walking through downtown on Monday.

"It was very touching. It gave me goose bumps," said Mario Succurro, 64, from Plymouth. "People don't know the city of Detroit . . . And there's some problems over here, of course . . . Detroit is coming back. We're down because of autos, but it doesn't mean that we're dead."

While Fiat took over management of Chrysler, the automaker still owes around $7 billion to the U.S. and Canadian governments from its 2009 bailout. It intends to pay that money back through an initial public offering of shares, which could come by the end of this year.

But the government-led bailout has been a sore point for some critics of the auto industry, and the commercial served to renew the debate.

Rep. Dennis Ross, a Florida Republican, tweeted, "Imported from Detroit" . . . "borrowed from China."

In an e-mail Monday, Ross' chief of staff, Fredrick Piccolo Jr., described his boss' Twitter post as a "tongue in cheek commentary on the irony of Chrysler touting its `American made' ideal, with the reality that it survives because of money borrowed on the backs of the taxpayer, from China."

Ross "has consistently opposed the auto bailouts, TARP, and others, and would just stand by his past opposition to taxpayer-financed bailouts of any private industry," Piccolo said.

Ross is from Lakeland, Fla., longtime spring-training home of the Detroit Tigers. He's also a regular at preseason games and "knows there are many great things about Detroit, including automakers that did not take bailouts."

The real test of the ad will be whether it stirs consumers to reconsider Chrysler - and by extension the town that put the world on wheels.

"I think it is a defining moment for the auto industry. It really was good for all the carmakers," said Bob Kolt, an instructor at Michigan State University in the advertising, public relations and retailing department. Kolt and his colleagues have been tracking and rating Super Bowl ads for 14 years. The Chrysler ad drew high praise, although the top two rankings went to Volkswagen AG ads.

"Will it work? I don't know. We'll probably know soon," he said. "It really sort of tried to redefine Chrysler, and it did that effectively."

Brenda Harvill, 60, of Detroit, said the commercial gave her community "a new image as a comeback city."

"We were down for a while," she acknowledged. "But guess what? We're back."

Super Bowl sets record with 111M viewers in US

Super Bowl sets record with 111M viewers in US

Graphic shows number of viewers who watched the Super Bowl

NEW YORK (AP) -- For the second year in a row, the Super Bowl has set a record for American television viewing.

The Nielsen Co. said Monday that an estimated 111 million people watched the Green Bay Packers outlast the Pittsburgh Steelers in professional football's ultimate game. That tops the 106.5 million who watched the 2010 game between New Orleans and Indianapolis.

The series finale of "M-A-S-H" had held the title of the most-watched TV show in the United States for 27 years. It is now No. 3.

Fox had the advantage of a game between two of the National Football League's iconic franchises and, even though it looked like it could be a rout when the Packers took a 21-3 lead, it went down to the final minute and held viewers' interest.

In fact, the most-watched single play of the game was Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger's final incomplete pass to Mike Wallace with about a minute to go, according to measurements by TiVo Inc., the digital video recorder maker. When that pass hit the ground, it clinched the game for Green Bay.

The five most-watched events in U.S. TV history are now "M-A-S-H" (seen by just under 106 million people on Feb. 28, 1983) and the last four Super Bowls, Nielsen said.

Television ratings in general have been super for the NFL this year, with viewership up 13 percent over last year, Nielsen said. Games on CBS, Fox and NBC averaged 20 million viewers, more than twice what networks get for their prime-time programming.

"Super Bowl XLV caps what is arguably the most successful season that any sports league has ever had," said Pat McDonough, senior vice president for insight and analysis at the Nielsen Co. "The number of people watching NFL games has never been higher, with 24 percent more people watching the average NFL game this year than just five years ago. The Super Bowl continues to be in a category of its own."

Football has become the communal event that television, in a splintered competitive world of dozens of networks, rarely provides outside of "American Idol" or the Oscars. Compelling story lines for the games and the growth in high-definition television help make the games compelling for viewers. The games also tend to be DVR-proof, with viewers wanting to see them live.

Traditions that have built around the game itself make the Super Bowl compelling to non-sports fans. Christina Aguilera's goof on the National Anthem, the Black-Eyed Peas halftime show and the dozens of commercials that companies debut on TV's biggest stage were water-cooler discussion topics along with the game on Monday.

Fox's "Glee" took advantage of the time slot directly after the game, reaching 26.8 million viewers for its special episode. It was the most-watched scripted entertainment program on TV since Fox's "House" aired after the Super Bowl three years ago, Nielsen said.

TiVo also judged the Snickers commercial featuring Richard Lewis and Roseanne Barr to be the top-rated commercial of the telecast. The company determines that through a calculation that takes in viewership and how many times people rewind their DVRs to watch the ad.

Second place was Best Buy's ad with Justin Bieber and Ozzy Osbourne.

"Funny ads made it to the top," said Tara Maitra, TiVo's vice president and general manager for audience research and advertising sales.

The Black-Eyed Peas' halftime show, with guests Usher and Slash, held its own. TiVo said it had nearly identical viewer engagement numbers as shows with classic rockers over the past two years.

People were much less likely to stop the game to repeat the ads in the second half, when the football action was compelling, Maitra said. No beer ads made TiVo's top 10 rated ads for the game.

The average Super Bowl viewer with a DVR either paused, rewound or fast-forwarded 145 times during the game, TiVo said.

Obama to CEOs: Ask what you can do for America

Obama to CEOs: Ask what you can do for America

President Barack Obama speaks at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce in Washington, Monday, Feb. 7, 2011.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Echoing John F. Kennedy, President Barack Obama prodded business leaders Monday to "ask yourselves what you can do for America," not just for company bottom lines, even as he sought to smooth his uneasy relations with the nation's corporate executives.

Speaking to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the president urged the business community to help accelerate the slow economic recovery by increasing hiring and unleashing some of the $2 trillion piling up on their balance sheets.

"I want to encourage you to get in the game," Obama said.

He enumerated new efforts by his administration to improve the nation's business infrastructure, spend more to support entrepreneurs and foster greater innovation. He vowed to address "a burdensome corporate tax code," and go after "unnecessary and outdated regulations."

But to a polite, subdued audience of about 200 he also offered a stout defense of health care and financial regulation overhauls - two signature administration initiatives that caused some of the most rancorous disputes with the Chamber last year.

"I want to be clear: Even as we make America the best place on earth to do business, businesses also have a responsibility to America," Obama said.

"As we work with you to make America a better place to do business, ask yourselves what you can do for America. Ask yourselves what you can do to hire American workers, to support the American economy, and to invest in this nation."

President Kennedy, in his inaugural address 50 years ago, memorably declared, "Ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country."

Reacting, Bruce Josten, the Chamber's chief lobbyist, said, "Companies first, unlike a government, have to sustain their operation and that requires being able to pay your employees, vendors, suppliers and bondholders."

"Bottom line, the most patriotic thing a company can do is ensure it is in business and take steps to stay in business; otherwise everyone loses and more people lose their jobs," he said.

The U.S. Chamber mounted a vigorous lobbying campaign against the health care bill and the financial regulation overhaul, particularly a provision creating a consumer financial protection agency. It also spent at least $32 million in the 2010 elections, most of it in advertising campaigns against Democrats.

Still, the Chamber and the White House have mutual interests.

Obama needs the centrist cloak that the business community can offer, as he seeks to win independent voters for his re-election bid next year. The Chamber can benefit by softening the sharp edges it developed fighting the health care overhaul and tighter financial rules.

The Chamber can also act as Republican ballast against the influence of the conservative tea party movement.

Both the White House and the Chamber face Republican opposition from fiscal hawks within the GOP to increased spending on public works, from roads and bridges to wireless networks. The Chamber has called for such spending to be paid for with user fees, such as a higher gasoline tax. The White House has not embraced that approach, saying only that the administration wants to create an "infrastructure bank" to attract private capital.

The Chamber, which has long advocated changes in immigration law, also could help Obama by pushing Republicans reluctant to take up such a politically charged issue.

Obama is aiming to repair relations with corporate leaders even as he tries to persuade major businesses to spend their cash, expand hiring and promote economic growth. Obama said his appearance at the Chamber was in the interest of "being more neighborly." Indeed, the trade organization's headquarters are so close to the White House that Obama was able to walk across Lafayette Square to deliver his remarks.

Business leaders reacted cautiously to the overarching message of the speech, saying it addressed issues that have created uncertainty in the private sector - from taxes to regulation. Still, they said the address was short on details, and some noted that before businesses feel secure in risking shareholder value, the economy is going to have to show sustained growth

"It's an axiom of business that you're going to grow when you have demand," said Johanna Schneider, executive director for external relations at the Business Roundtable.

Obama offered some sympathy.

"I understand the challenges you face," he said. "I understand that you're under incredible pressure to cut costs and keep your margins up. I understand the significance of your obligations to your shareholders. I get it."

Obama and his aides, however, maintain that corporate investments now would have long term benefits and say the government is prepared to step in to make such commitments worthwhile by increasing its own spending in research and education and by easing red tape, including providing a more streamlined patent approval system.

The speech was highly anticipated by the business community. Chamber President Thomas Donohue introduced Obama, saying seats at the event were "one of the hottest tickets in town."

Donohue said American business had an "absolute commitment to working with you and your administration to advance our shared objectives."

He added: "Our focus is finding common ground to ensure America's greatness in the 21st century."

Some liberals bristled at Obama's outreach.

"While President Obama calls on businesses to invest in America, the only thing the U.S. Chamber's investing in is their own bottom line - lining the pockets of corporate CEOs while shipping the jobs of hard-working Americans overseas," said Christy Setzer, spokeswoman for U.S. Chamber Watch, a pro-labor group.

Obama cited a recently finalized trade pact with South Korea, which is awaiting ratification by Congress, as an example of the type of agreement he would like to pursue with Panama and Colombia. But the president did not specifically detail what adjustments were still needed in those negotiations to complete a deal.

Following Obama's speech, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell pressed for action, saying, "The time for delay on these two agreements is over."

"It won't be enough for Republicans and it shouldn't be enough for the business community to allow the administration's trade agenda to start and end with South Korea," he said. "We should be passing all pending trade agreements and inking new ones on a bipartisan basis - even when it requires the president bringing his own party along."

Schneider, of the Business Roundtable, commended Obama for doing "a very positive thing" with his speech.

She said his prescriptions for the business sector "were very broad, but nonetheless they addressed the question of uncertainty."

"The next steps are more specific proposals," she said.

History: Antoinette Cook Authorized Michael Jackson Look-alike Liaison by Van Stone vspfoundation@yahoo.com (215) 469-1902

History: Antoinette Cook Authorized Michael Jackson Look-alike Liaison by Van Stone vspfoundation@yahoo.com (215) 469-1902

Antoinette Cook. Gathered children
off the streets to reduce blight and poverty
in Philadelphia, PA.

Antoinette Cook is making quite a name for herself in Philadelphia and abroad covering the Michael Jackson-Performer industry. “Today, even now, the echoes of Michael Jackson impact many who are coping with his death and celebrating his life", says Cook.

Cook is a Philadelphia native who is the official contact for “Michael Jackson” Impersonators and Look-alikes. And she is the creator of a Tribute to Michael Jackson which express a brief biography of MJ.

When requested, impersonators dance and do photo opportunities like the real Jackson entertainer. He is also known as the King of Pop.. While Cook grew up studying the concerts of the phenomenal MJ and the amazing Jackson family, she is now using the same study to show the dance, music, and charity of real-life public personalities, such as Michael Jackson and the Jackson’s iconic musicians. And she makes sure that MJ and others alike dance accomplishments and style are emulated. Antoinette Cook is honored this week during Black History Month.

“When the rose-blanketed casket of singer Michael Jackson was carried into his 2009 memorial service,“ says Cook, “it’s really important to the Jackson family that everyone who loved Michael understand the physical, musical, and charitable touch,” she said. Society’s handling of the pop icon's history continues to be a bearing a weighty history of the man and his sister,Janet Jackson, as well as the phenomenal Jackson brothers.

Antoinette is an entertainment friend of Tito Jackson and the Jackson family from the Philadelphia area for over ten years. Antoinette helped, develop a relationship with production firms and media groups after the images of Michael Jackson Off the Wall Album of 1983 got hot. Observing graffiti, blight, and youth violence in Philly, Antoinette used an impersonator’s dance life of MJ for her line of actors, poets, and illustrators that help make Philadelphia and elsewhere a better place.

She gained a reputation as an enthusiastic supporter who provided education and sports achievement parties for children gathered off the streets on Saturday afternoons.

Antoinette Cook is available to appear along with the impersonator as “Michel Jackson” for appearances & security at theme occasions. She can be reached on her MJ face book fan page, Email twosweet4u916@aol.com, or by phoning (267) 231-5126, (215) 469-1902.

The Legacy Live On: The King Of Pop Michael Jackson By Antoinette Cook twosweet4u916@aol.com (215) 469-1902

The Legacy Live On: The King Of Pop Michael Jackson By Antoinette Cook twosweet4u916@aol.com (215) 469-1902

Keeping the legacy alive and well in reference to the King of Pop Michael Jackson the Legacy, man and his music. The winner is: 1st Place Irene Eriksen.

THE BEST THING IN HISTORY

(Dedicated to Michael, written by Irene Eriksen)

I have been in Africa’s jungle

running with the Lion King

I have watched the snow melt

Enjoyed the rebirth of the spring

I have been in the Shara desert

walking with sand between my toes

I have felt how days can change

Learned that happiness comes and goes

I have been swimming among dolphins

in the depth of the green, green sea

I have met Indians

Who taught me how to set my spirit free

I have seen the Big Dipper

crystal clear late at night

I have felt the forces of nature

Thrilling me with such delight

I have read stories about pirates

fighting on the seven seas

I have heard about men

giving their life for peace

I have been to special places

Seen people with beautiful faces

I have seen hundreds of men with pretty smiles

For none of them I would walk a thousand miles

But for you Michael I have walked far and wide

Cause my love for you I could never hide

You cut and you bleed, you are just a man

But knowing you is like holding an angels hand

You have made my world a better place

Michael I love you beyond time and space

You accomplished dreams and made them real

You shared your heart and helped us heal

You make me dance on the floor in the round

Michael, in my heartbeats you are the beating sound

You are my joy, my inspiration, my light

The brightest Star that shines through the darkest night

You gave me feelings I didn't knew

so passionate though so pure and true

When you smile I simply melt

When you cry I feel the saddest I ever felt

Michael, I will pick you a Daisy flower

And with each petal you pull, you’ll discover:

She loves you, she loves you

She loves you

I have never found anything that can be compared to you

Nothing that ever can come close to you

Not even in my wildest fantasy -

cause YOU Michael, are the best thing in History!

With endless LOVE from Irene Eriksen, Norway

Rodgers, Packers win Super Bowl 31-25

Rodgers, Packers win Super Bowl 31-25

Green Bay Packers' Aaron Rodgers holds the Vince Lombardi Trophy while celebrating the Packers' 31-25 win against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the NFL football Super Bowl XLV game on Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, in Arlington, Texas.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Forget Lombardi on Broadway. Green Bay has the newest Super Bowl hit: Aaron Rodgers.

Capping one of the greatest postseasons for any quarterback, Rodgers led the Packers to their first NFL championship in 14 years Sunday with a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Packers reclaimed the Vince Lombardi Trophy, named for their legendary coach who is making his own star turn in New York these days in the play named after him.

Rodgers, the game's MVP, thrilled his legion of Cheesehead fans with a spectacular six-game string that should finally erase the bitterness of the Brett Favre separation in Green Bay. He's not equal with Favre in Super Bowl wins, yet he extended the Packers' record of NFL titles to 13, nine before the Super Bowl era.

The Packers QB threw for three touchdowns, two to Greg Jennings, and the Packers (14-6) overcame even more injuries, building a 21-3 lead, then hanging on to become the second No. 6 seed to win the championship. Coincidentally, the 2005 Steelers were the other.

Rodgers threw for 304 yards, including a 29-yard touchdown to Jordy Nelson, who had nine catches for 140 yards to make up for three big drops. Rodgers found Jennings, normally his favorite target, for 21- and 8-yard scores.

"Wow! It's a great day to be great, baby," Jennings said.

Then the Packers held on as Pittsburgh (14-5) stormed back.

"We've been a team that's overcome adversity all year," Jennings said. "Our head captain (Charles Woodson) goes down, emotional in the locker room. Our No. 1 receiver (Donald Driver) goes down, more emotions are going, flying in the locker room. But we find a way to bottle it up and exert it all out here on the field."

Few teams have been as resourceful as these Packers, who couldn't wait to touch the trophy honoring their coach - and their title. Several of them kissed it as Roger Staubach walked through a line of green and gold.

"Vince Lombardi is coming back to Green Bay," NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said as the silver prize was handed to the team.

Boondocks At Phila Front Page News

Boondocks At Phila Front Page News

Video: Christina Aguilera goofs up the national anthem

Video: Christina Aguilera goofs up the national anthem

Perhaps she was too concerned with breaking Patti LaBelle's record for turning single-syllable words into entire paragraphs during the signing of "The Star-Spangled Banner," but noted ex-teen queen Christina Aguilera botched the national anthem something fierce before the Super Bowl. Aguilera started out all right, but she had a problem with the ramparts -- specifically, the "O'er the ramparts we watched" line, which she left out altogether. ..

Aguilera tried to make up for it by combining two lines -- "What so proudly we watched," instead of "What so proudly we hailed", but let's just say that it was too late to reverse the error. Twitter blew up, and all Aguilera could do was to oversing every word from there on out, which she most certainly did.

It was a fitting tribute for a Super Bowl that has seen procedural errors all over the place, from the inability of the city of Dallas to deal with unusual weather to the last-minute news that 400 unlucky people would not get to sit in their paid-for seats.

Sixers Settle For Split With Knicks

NEW YORK (AP) — Amare Stoudemire matched his season high with 41 points, and the New York Knicks beat the Philadelphia 76ers 117-103 Sunday to split a home-and-home series.

Rookie Landry Fields added a career-high 25 points and grabbed 10 rebounds as the Knicks rebounded from a 100-98 loss Friday night in Philadelphia to snap a two-game losing streak and win for just the fourth time in 13 games.

Stoudemire, outplayed by Elton Brand on Friday, shot 17 of 21 from the field in his 17th career 40-point game. Raymond Felton had 13 points and 13 assists as the Knicks shot a season-best 59.7 percent.

Stoudemire scored 21 on Friday, but shot only 7 of 19 and was one of several Knicks who couldn’t contain Brand.

Brand scored 28 points for Philadelphia, which could have moved within a game of New York for sixth place in the Eastern Conference. But there was no late run, two nights after the Sixers rallied with a 15-0 burst in the fourth quarter.

This time, Fields hit three of the Knicks’ five 3-pointers that helped them stay well ahead in the final period.

Brand shot 10 of 14, two nights after finishing with a season-high 33 points and 16 rebounds in his best performance since the 2006-07 season. Lou Williams scored 19 points and fellow reserve Thaddeus Young had 16, but the Sixers had their three-game winning streak snapped and lost for just the second time in eight games.

The Knicks quickly extended a four-point halftime lead to double digits in the third quarter, opening a 15-point advantage midway through the period. Philadelphia cut it to three by the end, but the Knicks were up 86-80 after hitting 63 percent of their shots in the third.

Three-pointers by Wilson Chandler and Toney Douglas pushed it to 92-80 early in the fourth, and the Sixers never could put much of a dent in New York’s lead.

The Knicks seemed to be in control of the No. 6 seed — which could mean avoiding a first-round matchup with Boston or Miami — after their strong December, but the Sixers put together a 20-13 stretch with a young team that coach Doug Collins said “can be good for a long, long time” despite starting the season 3-13.

“We have some talent. That’s what I said when I took over this team,” Collins said. “We have some good young pieces and I didn’t know how long it was going to take for them to grow, but we’ve got a nice future.”

The Knicks shot 59 percent in the first quarter, with Stoudemire scoring 10 points for a 31-24 lead. He had nine more in the second, including a three-point play with 32 seconds left as New York led 55-51 going to halftime.

Notes: Knicks president Donnie Walsh, hoping to work out a deal for Carmelo Anthony before the trading deadline, doesn’t believe any deals are close but thinks he’s getting a better idea of what could be available. “I don’t think we have anything going, but at least we’re getting a feeling of possibilities, let’s put it that way,” he said. Walsh added he wasn’t any more confident of a deal, but “we have a better feeling for what’s going to happen.” … Danilo Gallinari missed a free throw while trying to convert a three-point play early in the second quarter, ending his streak of 37 consecutive makes. He had a streak of 43 in a row earlier this season and now owns the second and fourth-longest streaks in team history. Chris Duhon made 44 in a row in 2008 and Latrell Sprewell made 41 consecutive attempts in the 2001-02 season. … The Knicks are 10-5 on Super Bowl Sunday.

Local Non-Profit Hosts Conference For Women At Moore College Of Art

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – A Women and Influence conference got underway at Moore College of Art and Design.

The conference was organized by Women’s Way. “Women’s Way is an advocacy organization that provides funding to women’s organizations in the Philadelphia region,” said Lucy Edwards (photo, left), an intern with the organization.”

She explains the Women and Influence conference was the 8th annual conference of its kind. “So we brought women in, about 200 women from all over the city, and taught them how to advocate for causes that they care about.”

They touched on a variety of topics, adds Edwards:

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Local Gardeners Team Up To Create More Green Space In Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – It may be winter, but there are groups already hard at work helping to connect local seniors with community gardens.

Starting more neighborhood gardens and getting older Philadelphians involved; that’s one of the projects of Gen Philly, a network linking young professionals with older Philadelphians.

The group sponsored a City Hall workshop last week, where organizations talked about how to get more gardens going. Tara Schwartzendruber-Landis of the Nationalities Senior program says gardening helps the body and soul.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Son Arrested After Allegedly Shooting Father To Death In Willingboro

WILLINGBORO, N.J. (CBS) - Police in Burlington County have arrested and charged a 23-year-old man with fatally shooting his father Saturday night.

According to police, Christopher Hunter of Willingboro is suspected of shooting his father, Roderick Hunter, multiple times with a .38 caliber handgun.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Reagan celebrated by Nancy, Beach Boys on 100th

Reagan celebrated by Nancy, Beach Boys on 100th

Former first lady Nancy Reagan is helped on stage by Frederick J. Ryan Jr., center, Reagan Foundation Chairman, as Marine Lt. Gen. George J. Flynn looks on after a wreath laying ceremony at the memorial of her husband former U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the centennial birthday celebration at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library, Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, in Simi Valley, Calif.

SIMI VALLEY, Calif. (AP) -- Former first lady Nancy Reagan praised her late husband Sunday, laying a wreath on his grave and singing "Happy Birthday" with the Beach Boys as actors, musicians, former advisers and friends paid tribute to Ronald Reagan on the 100th anniversary of his birth.

Nancy Reagan greeted the crowd of about 1,500 invited dignitaries under a tent on the east lawn of the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on in Simi Valley.

"I know that Ronnie would be thrilled," the 89-year-old said, looking skyward, "and is thrilled, to have all of you share in his 100th birthday. It doesn't seem possible, but that's what it is."

After a crowd including son Ron Reagan and former Vice President Dick Cheney rose to its feet in applause, she shouted "Happy Birthday Ronnie!"

Nancy Reagan has made frequent appearances at the library but rarely speaks.

Former Cabinet secretary and close Reagan friend James Baker III and actor Gary Sinise were among many spoke in praise of the Gipper.

"The Reagan Revolution did not end when he left office 22 years ago, or when he left Nancy and all of us on June the 5th, 2004," said Baker. "Yes, the revolution was about a man, but it was really much more. The lessons Ronald Reagan taught us about freedom, and common sense and self-reliance remain every bit as true today as they were then."

Lee Greenwood sang his signature version of "God Bless the USA," a Reagan favorite, and several others, including country artists including Lonestar and Amy Grant, also performed.

A group of FA-18 fighter jets based on the USS Ronald Reagan flew over the crowd.

Reagan, the nation's 40th chief executive, was 93 when he died after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease.

The event was the culmination of a week of tributes to the former president at and around his presidential library, including speeches from former Vice President Dick Cheney and Sarah Palin.

In Illinois, where Reagan was born and spent the first two decades of his life, hundreds celebrated at a birthday party at the Tampico Historical Society, eating cake with a picture of the president and touring the nearby restored apartment where he was born in 1911.

Reagan spent his first 21 years in Illinois. He grew up in Dixon, Monmouth, spent some time in Chicago and attended college in Eureka.

A special church service was dedicated to him at First Christian Church in Dixon, where Reagan was baptized.

Super Bowl begins, Steelers receive opening kick

Super Bowl begins, Steelers receive opening kick

Lea Michele of the hit show "Glee" sings "God Bless America" before the start of the NFL Super Bowl XLV football game between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Green Bay Packers Sunday, Feb. 6, 2011, in Arlington, Texas.

ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) -- Ben Roethlisberger and the Pittsburgh Steelers have one first down and have punted twice on their first two possessions in the 2011 Super Bowl against the Green Bay Packers.

The Packers got 23-yard pass from Aaron Rodgers to Donald Driver on their first possession, but that was their only first down before punting.

The championship game puts the focus back on the field after a long, cold week in North Texas that included two wintry storms with snow and ice. There were no weather woes inside $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium, and it wasn't bad outside either on game day.

The game comes 3 1/2 weeks before the current collective bargain agreement expires. If the NFL and the players' union can't reach a new labor pact, there could be a lockout.

Deion Sanders, one of seven former players elected to the Hall of Fame this weekend, tossed the coin. The Packers won the toss, and deferred their choice to the start of the second half.

The 45th Super Bowl, the NFL's signature event, pitted two of its storied franchises and capped a season that saw the league reach new heights of popularity despite a string of off-field incidents and that potential lockout with the current CBA expiring next month.

The Steelers came in looking for their seventh Vince Lombardi Trophy. Green Bay has three, taking the first two Super Bowls under Lombardi's guidance and winning another in 1997.

The Packers also won six NFL championship games before there was a Super Bowl. In an age of tweeting players and 24/7 Super Bowl week coverage, these teams would probably look familiar to the Steelers and Packers of 1933, the first year both franchises were in the league.

Each has a dynamic defense led by the top two vote-getters for Defensive Player of the Year, Steelers safety Troy Polamalu and Packers linebacker Clay Matthews, the runner-up. Both have playmaking quarterbacks who have risen to elite status, Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger and Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers.

Pittsburgh won the AFC North, earning the second seed, while the Packers got into the playoffs as a wild-card and beat three division champions on the road to reach the Super Bowl.

If it comes down to the quarterbacks, each team will be fine with that. Rodgers has been unstoppable in the last five games, all must wins. Roethlisberger was hoping to join Tom Brady and Troy Aikman with three Super Bowl rings, and he's only in his seventh pro season.

Even as Super Bowl events came off on schedule, the wintery weather this week disrupted travel and celebrations all week. Falling ice injured several people outside Cowboys Stadium two days before the game.

There were hassles on game day. A section of temporary seats high up in the western end of cavernous Cowboys Stadium were not ready in time and the NFL said anyone not "accommodated with seats inside the stadium" will receive three times face value of the ticket.

HoopGurlz At Phila. Front Page News

HoopGurlz At Phila. Front Page News

Hello from beautiful Seattle! Where has time gone? I cannot believe it is already February and halfway through our conference season! I hope you all have had a wonderful first month of 2011 and are looking forward to a great February!

Washington guard Kristi Kingma (10) drives around Washington State's April Cook in the first half of the Apple Cup.

As the season goes along, conference season just gets shorter and shorter. Every game in conference play is intense and always a battle but there is always one week in particular that I circle on my calendar ahead of time: Rivalry Week!

At this point in the season, there are so many demands on myself as a student-athlete that being able to manage my time and commitments wisely allows my body to stay healthy and my mind to stay focused. This is especially important during Rivalry Week, when the stakes are high and the pressure is higher than ever before. Rivalry Week is the one week during the season where all bets are off and it is up to the players to get themselves prepared and pumped up for the big game.

Since I play for the University of Washington, our rivals are the Washington State Cougars. We battle for state bragging rights in the coveted "Apple Cup," which never ceases to be without drama. I grew up dreaming of one day playing for the Huskies in the basketball version of the Apple Cup and it truly is everything I dreamed it would be. And more. Without getting all sappy, I have to say that I still have very vivid memories of my parents taking me to Apple Cup games as a middle school kid, and biting my nails when the games got close.

This year we were scheduled to play the Cougars on Sunday afternoon so we had seven full days between games. The extra days allowed me to get extra rest for my legs but more importantly, it allowed me extra time to refine some of my skills.

There are different approaches that can be taken when given a few days off. Some of my teammates with injuries choose to take days off to get extra rehab done, ice bath and relax. Since I was coming off a weekend in which I was not particularly happy with my play, I decided to hit the gym. On two of the three off days, I got myself into the gym with an assistant coach and flat-out worked hard. I would have been in the gym all three days had my coach not required me to take a day off.

On those two days I worked on coming off screens, step-backs and curl shots. As much as my legs were screaming, "Take today off!" my mind was telling my body to keep working. Ever since I was a little girl my dad has always reminded me of the quote that says, "Whenever you are not in the gym, someone else is and chances are they are getting better than you." I still refer to this quote whenever I have to decide whether or not to take time off or get in the gym. I am not the most athletic player in the Pac-10, which means I have to rely more on moves and smart decisions to get my shot off. For this reason, I was in our arena on Monday and Wednesday collecting (creating?) sweat pools on our auxiliary gym floor.

Another fun aspect of Rivalry Week is all the hype that builds up throughout the week. The media always wants bulletin-board material and our coaches are always quick to remind us to keep our emotions in check. Students on campus are always asking, "So, who is going to win?" I always find that question funny. Is the correct response to say, "We are, of course!" Or should I respond with the polite, "Well, both teams are good so it should be a great game?"

Anyway, it is always fun when students in my classes get excited about the game and spend a lot of class time discussing it with me. I literally spend the whole week preparing for the game. There is no need for a motivational speech from my coach; no need to read quotes from opposing players and no need to turn my iPod up and dance (which is not a pretty sight). Rivalry Week speaks for itself: It's raw, it's intense and it's a battle.

After a long week of practice, extra shooting and ice baths, game day finally comes. As much as I try to pretend that it is just another game, the goose bumps on my arms tell me otherwise. I keep composed and definitely stay loose. But Rivalry Week is just fun. Everything about it is fun: the large and rowdy crowd that pours into the arena; the band playing "Hey Baby;" and pregame introductions keep my adrenaline on full throttle. The fans can feel it, the coaches can feel it and the players can feel it for sure. When it comes time to play ball, I fall back on the multiple repetitions of shooting I got in over the week and detailed scouting report my coaches put together. And then it's game time and this, my friends, is when all the magic happens.

Egyptian Protests Draw Attention Locally

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — The calls for change in Tahrir Square went unanswered for another day, as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak refused to give up the position of power he has held for nearly 3 decades.

“Mubarak has not in his mind accepted the situation,” said Dr. Morad Abou-Sabe, an Egyptian native and President of the Arab-American League of Voters of New Jersey.

Hundreds of thousands of protestors have joined the international community, demanding Mubarak’s resignation and the end of his authoritarian regime. Last week, authorities cut off internet and cell phone service

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Mother Of Two Killed In Cheltenham Hit-Run Crash

CHELTENHAM TWP. (CBS) - As police search for a hit and run driver, Eyewitness News heard from the family and a co-worker of a woman killed in Cheltenham Township.

53-year old Michelle Powell was hit on Cheltenham Avenue between Mt Airy Avenue and Easton Road.

Powell, by all accounts, was a loving and devoted wife and mother of two grown children. Her family is now pleading with the public for answers.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Ron Reagan: Palin has nothing in common with dad

Ron Reagan: Palin has nothing in common with dad

FILE - This July 27, 2004 file photo shows Ron Reagan, son former President Ronald Reagan, addressing delegates at the Democratic National Convention in Boston. As the Feb. 6 centennial of Reagan's birth approaches, and a generation after he exited the White House, the nation's 40th president is enjoying a level of popularity that mostly eluded him while in office.

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Sarah Palin is honoring one Reagan and offending another with the same speech. The former Alaska governor is scheduled to speak in Santa Barbara, Calif., on Friday at a tribute to former President Ronald Reagan - just one of the celebrations marking the centennial of the 40th president's birth on Feb. 6.

But his son, Ron Reagan, tells The Associated Press he doesn't see anything in common between his dad and the 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate, who was invited to speak by the event's sponsor, the conservative Young America's Foundation.

"Sarah Palin is a soap opera, basically. She's doing mostly what she does to make money and keep her name in the news," Reagan says.

"She is not a serious candidate for president and never has been," said Reagan, a political independent whose politics lean left.

But former Reagan speechwriter Kenneth Khachigian praised the choice of Palin to discuss Reagan's legacy.

Palin was a teenager when Reagan took office in 1981 and like many young people "their lives and philosophy and political fortunes were shaped by the Reagan era. She can reflect on that as well as anyone could," Khachigian says.

Palin is expected to talk about Reagan's 1964 speech, "A Time for Choosing," which he gave on behalf of then-Republican presidential candidate Barry Goldwater. In it, he touches on themes he would revisit for years to come, including the dangers of high taxes and encroaching big government.

Palin's political committee did not immediately respond to an e-mail Thursday seeking comment.

Palin was introduced to the nation at the Republican National Convention in 2008, and her folksy, wisecracking style sometimes earned her comparisons to Reagan, who was known for his wit and appeal beyond the traditional Republican base, especially with blue-collar Democrats. She frequently referred to Reagan on the campaign trail, and in her debate with Vice President Joe Biden reprised Reagan's famous rejoinder from his 1980 debate with Jimmy Carter, "There you go again."

But Palin, now closely aligned with the tea party movement, has become for some a polarizing political figure.

Tea partiers rail against soaring public debt and sprawling government programs like Social Security and Medicare, but public debt roughly tripled on Reagan's watch and he did not attempt to dismantle Social Security or Medicare during his term, says Reagan biographer Lou Cannon.

"He was no tea partier," Cannon says.

The Young America's Foundation was founded in the 1960s to promote conservative ideas on college campuses, and it purchased Reagan's former ranch in 1998. The foundation is not connected with the Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley.

US warns about night driving in major Mexican city

US warns about night driving in major Mexican city

A Guadalajara state policeman stands next to a burnt-out bus on the outskirts of the city of Guadalajara, Mexico, Tuesday Feb. 1, 2011. Police are reporting gunmen set up at least 4 roadblocks and launched 2 grenade attacks in the metropolitan area of Guadalajara. No fatalities have been reported.

MEXICO CITY (AP) -- Officials are warning U.S. citizens not to drive at night in parts of the western Mexican city of Guadalajara after suspected drug-gang members burned vehicles and blocked streets. A separate U.S. alert Friday said the northern city of Monterrey has seen a significant increase in armed robberies at restaurants and convenience stores.

Some of the blockades in Guadalajara took place on a highway leading to the city's airport and to Lake Chapala, a popular retirement and vacation spot for U.S. and Canadian citizens.

Hotel managers on Lake Chapala said Friday the warning has not significantly affected business.

The U.S. consulate in Guadalajara, Mexico's second-largest city, posted a message on its website Thursday saying that it had prohibited U.S. diplomatic personnel from traveling the highway to the airport at night, and that it "recommends that U.S. citizens consider similar precautions."

On Tuesday, assailants hurled grenades, burned vehicles and blocked several Guadalajara streets and highways in seven near-simultaneous attacks that injured a policeman and two transportation workers. Such tactics have been used by cartels in the past to aid their escapes from police.

The attacks were staged by drug gangs, possibly in retaliation for the arrests of their members, said Fernando Guzman Perez, interior secretary of Jalisco state, where Guadalajara is located.

Such alerts have been issued in the past for highways in northern and western Mexico, but are uncommon for Guadalajara, which is not considered one of the focal points of an drug war that has claimed more than 34,600 lives since 2006.

Chapala, a shimmering, mountain-ringed lake, has been popular among U.S. and Canadian citizens for decades.

Ricardo Soto, manager of the lakeside Quinta San Carlos hotel, said the drug gangs' actions this week had affected business "a little."

He said some customers almost didn't show up because they did not know there were other routes to get to the hotel.

"Once you explain it to them, the people come," said Soto, who noted that the hotel was nearly booked Friday. "This is a wonderful place, and all the problems with drug trafficking haven't really affected us, because it is all more over toward the airport."

Ricardo Hernandez, who manages the Casa Mis Amores hotel in the nearby lakeside town of Ajijic, said of the problems, "It hasn't affected us up to now."

The consulate's message advised motorists encountering roadblocks to get off the highway immediately and take shelter in a shopping mall, hotel or any other business they could find nearby.

It also included some creative driving tips.

"If you are presented with an imminent threat on the road, do not hesitate to run over any median (or similar obstacle) to make an emergency U-turn to get out of harm's way," the message said.

The advisory issued Friday by the U.S. consulate in Monterrey warned of an increase in armed robberies at restaurants, cafes and convenience stores in that city, Mexico's third largest.

The robberies have been carried out by a small armed group that guards the entrance and takes purses, wallets, phones and other valuables from customers inside, the consulate said. None of the robberies has resulted in violence or kidnapping, the advisory said.

Monterrey has been affected in recent years by growing drug violence, attributed to a dispute between rival cartels. The consulate's message didn't say whether the recent robberies were related to organized crime.

Eagles Name Juan Castillo Defensive Coordinator

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles searched far and wide for a new defensive coordinator. In the end, they found a familiar face right in their own backyard.

Juan Castillo, who spent 13 seasons as an Eagles offensive line coach and has been with the organization for 16 years, will switch over to the defensive side of the ball, and replace Sean McDermott, who was fired on Jan. 15. The team, which also added Howard Mudd as the new offensive line coach to replace Castillo, made the announcement on Wednesday.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Eagles Name Juan Castillo Defensive Coordinator

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia Eagles searched far and wide for a new defensive coordinator. In the end, they found a familiar face right in their own backyard.

Juan Castillo, who spent 13 seasons as an Eagles offensive line coach and has been with the organization for 16 years, will switch over to the defensive side of the ball, and replace Sean McDermott, who was fired on Jan. 15. The team, which also added Howard Mudd as the new offensive line coach to replace Castillo, made the announcement on Wednesday.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Williams, Holiday Pace 76ers Over Nets 106-92

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) – Avery Johnson could handle the Philadelphia 76ers having their way with the New Jersey Nets again.

When the officials did it, the mild-mannered Johnson lost it and got tossed for the first time as the Nets’ coach. It turned out to be the most memorable moment of the 76ers’ 106-92 victory on Wednesday night that also featured Jrue Holiday’s first career triple-double.

Johnson, who had not gotten a technical all season, picked up two in a matter of seconds after the officiating crew of Tom Washington, Brent Barnaky and John Goble failed to call a foul after Nets point guard Devin Harris was stopped cold by Philadelphia power forward Elton Brand near the foul line on a drive to the basket.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

Archdiocese Sets Up Fund To Bury Alleged Victims Of Abortion Doctor

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has set up a fund to bury the seven babies allegedly killed by West Philadelphia abortion doctor Kermit Gosnell.

The Archdiocesan Infant Memorial Fund has been set up according to Auxiliary Bishop John McIntyre.

For full story go to: http://philadelphia.cbslocal.com/

House Republicans move to slash domestic programs

House Republicans move to slash domestic programs

Budget Director Jacob Lew gets on an elevator on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Feb. 3, 2011.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Republicans now controlling the House promised Thursday to slash domestic agencies' budgets by almost 20 percent for the coming year, the first salvo in what's sure to be a bruising battle over their drive to cut spending to where it was before President Barack Obama took office.

"Washington's spending spree is over," declared Paul Ryan, the House Budget Committee chairman who announced the plan. "The spending limits will restore sanity to a broken budget process," he said, returning "to pre-stimulus, pre-bailout levels."

Republicans won't get everything they want. Democrats are in charge of the White House and the Senate, and even House Republicans may have second thoughts when the magnitude of the cuts sinks in.

The White House says the GOP effort could cause widespread furloughs of federal employees, force vulnerable people off subsidized housing, reduce services in national parks and mean less aid to schools and police and fire departments.

House Republicans are seeking to keep their campaign promise to cut $100 billion from domestic programs. The initial cuts would win approval over the coming weeks as Congress wraps up the long-overdue 2011 budget. The second stage would come as the House GOP advances a fresh round of spending bills for the 2012 budget year, which begins Oct. 1.

The hardest hit agencies would include the Food and Drug Administration, the Internal Revenue Service and the departments of Commerce, Housing and Urban Development and Agriculture, according to partial details released by the House Appropriations Committee. Foreign aid on an annualized basis would take a 6 percent cut. Congress' own budget would be barely touched.

Conservative Republicans want even greater cuts, and they'll be given the chance to impose them in a freewheeling floor debate scheduled for the week of Feb. 14.

In Thursday's plan:

- The Department of Homeland Security would face a budget freeze instead of the 3 percent increase proposed by Obama.

- Rapidly growing spending on veterans' health care appears likely to be largely untouched.

- Republicans would scale back Obama's proposed 4 percent, $23 billion increase for the Pentagon. Instead, the military budget would grow by just $10 billion.

- Popular programs such as health research and federal aid to school districts appear likely to take a hit when lawmakers write the spending bill for the departments of Education, Labor and Health and Human Services. Republicans promise not to cut the minimum $5,550 Pell Grant for low-income college students.

Republicans made a campaign promise to cut $100 billion from Obama's request for domestic agencies such as the Department of Education, for the budget year that began last October. But that year is under way, and they're so far falling short, just $58 billion under the plan released Thursday. They promise to try to fully impose the dramatic cuts during what is sure to be a contentious debate.

The $100 billion in reductions was an inflated promise because it was measured against Obama's budget request for this year. The actual savings would be less because Obama's budget increases weren't approved, and the government is operating at 2010 levels. Instead, the savings from domestic programs in making the switch from 2010 to 2008 - if carried out over a full year - would be about $86 billion, imposing cuts on domestic agencies of 19 percent on average.

Republicans acknowledge they can achieve, at best, $35 billion in overall savings by the Sept. 30, the end of the budget year, after the Pentagon receives its small boost.

A stopgap spending bill passed in December expires March 4. Enacting a full-year bill promises to be a difficult test of the new balance of power in Washington. Republicans control only the House, but Democrats acknowledge that - with the deficit on pace to hit $1.5 trillion this year - some spending cuts will have to be made.

"We're not burying our heads on the sand. We recognize that we have to do something," said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., Obama's most powerful ally on Capitol Hill.

Chris Van Hollen, ranking Democrat on the House Budget Committee, agreed, but added: "The immediate spending cuts proposed today by House Republicans will harm the economy and put more people out of work."

Ryan's numbers illustrate that cutting the discretionary portion of the government passed by Congress each year won't do hardly enough to dent trillion-dollar-plus deficits. But both parties are wary about tacking rapidly-spiraling benefit programs like Medicare, Social Security and the Medicaid health programs for the poor and disabled.

Republicans say some agencies such as the FBI, the Indian Health Service and NASA are unlikely to be cut all the way back to pre-Obama levels. But that means other agencies, like the Environmental Protection Agency, would have to absorb even bigger cuts.

Returning to 2008 levels would produce dramatic reductions for many agencies: a 41 percent cut for EPA clean water grants; an 8 percent cut to NASA, a 16 percent cut for the FBI and a 13 percent cut in the operating budget of the national parks.

The hard-charging GOP freshman class - especially newcomers from Minnesota, Wisconsin, New York and New Hampshire - may have some second thoughts when confronted with big cuts to the program that provides home heating subsidies to the poor.

Republicans in Texas, Florida and Alabama - where NASA facilities mean thousands of jobs - are sure to fight against cuts to the space agency. NASA could have to abandon the International Space Station, the White House warns.

Lawmakers in both parties from rural districts are likely to resist cuts to a program that subsidizes service by smaller airlines to isolated cities and towns like Scottsbluff, Neb., and Burlington, Iowa. Smaller subsidies or tighter rules would probably mean some communities would lose service.

It's unclear so far how Republicans will treat particularly sensitive programs such as the Women, Infants and Children program, which provides food for low-income pregnant women, mothers and young children.

Separately, White House budget chief Jacob Lew met with Senate Democrats about the budget, hearing pleas from deficit hawks like Budget panel chair Kent Conrad of North Dakota to be aggressive in taking on the government's geyser of red ink.

"We we're having a good conversation about how to think about the challenges of the budget and fiscal policy going forward and that conversation will continue," Lew told reporters.