Ice Storm Leavis 1 Millions Without Power

From Main to Pennsylvania a storm wrecking havoc left sparkling, ice-covered landscape that was too destructive for many to find beautiful. The storm left 1.25 million homes and businesses in seven states without power as it forced schools to close.

At least one death was related to the storm: a 49-year-old Danville man who lived in a camper died of carbon monoxide poisoning after turning on his generator when his power went out Thursday night.

In Hampstead, N.H., Mark Cegelis, 36, said things were hectic at his neighborhood gas station, which was jammed with people trying to get gas for home generators.

Go Skyhawks!!

Went to the men's basketball tournament this weekend and the Skyhawks wooped butt!

Friday's game, against St. Edwards, was a complete win with the end score being 85-52. Star player Jordan Brooks made an incredible "drunk" in the first half of the game. Saturday's game, against Westminister, was a close with the end score being 83-73.

Our men's basketball team is doing a really good job this year. Let's get 'em boys!!

Banned Books

After a presentation in class which talked about Dr. Seuss books that had been banned, i decided to look up other banned books. I was not only surprised with what i found but also with the reasons why they were banned.

Did you know that Black Beauty was banned in South Africa in 1955 for having the word "black" in the title. How about As I Lay Dying, a novel by William Faulkner, was banned in Kentucky for language and being anti-Christian.

I think the US has tried to do away with banning books being that the last book they banned was in 1963, the John Cleland novel, Fanny Hill. Banned for obscenity.

Craig Westberg Case

Craig Westberg is the DA for Archuleta, La Plata and San Juan counties.

Westberg was arrested Oct. 10 on suspicion of careless driving and driving under the influence of a drug. He said he took a single Ambien sleeping pill because he was feeling ill and had not slept in two days. He then drove to the store for Vitamin C and began feeling the effects of the drug.

Two witnesses reported a driver in a black Honda Civic failing to stay in a single lane, with one saying the driver struck a gas pipeline vent without stopping.

Westberg was sentenced Wednesday to 18 months probation, 60 hours of public service, 10 days of electronic home monitoring and costs and fees of $4,015.47. He also loses his driver’s license for a year and must attend alcohol education classes.

“It’s a real slap in the face if we all want to believe that everyone is equal under the law, but what this shows is that’s not the case,” Champagne said. “It’s a travesty of justice.”

Durango public defenders Christian Champagne and Tom Williamson criticized the sentence and said any regular person would have gotten 30 to 90 days of jail and no deferred judgment on the DUI charge. They stressed that they were expressing their own opinions and not those of the public defender’s office.