US & World News, Tuesday 10/30

US & World Summary Fed Expected To Lower Interest Rates Again (Washington, DC) -- The Federal Reserve is expected to lower interest rates by one-quarter point after meeting today and tomorrow. If it happens, it would put the benchmark rate at four-and-one-half-percent. The expected move to lower interest rates comes as economic analysts continue to predict a slowdown in the nations economic growth. Earlier this month, Fed Governor Donald Cohn said the groups policy action wont be able to stave off all of the economic weakness that he thinks is still to come. That slowdown is predicted because of slow home and construction sales. --- Chicago Area Health Facilities Fight Staph Infection (Chicago, IL) -- Several Chicago area health facilities are taking a pro-active approach to fighting MRSA, the super staph infection. According to the "Chicago Tribune," some facilities began screening every patient for MRSA at the end of September, while other facilities will begin the screening in November. Meanwhile, the family of a Brooklyn boy who died from MRSA is suing the hospital that treated him. The 12-year-old died from MRSA after being treated and released from the hospital with just an over-the-counter anti-allergy drug. --- Murder Charges Delayed In Craigslist Murder (Shakopee, MN) -- Formal charges are expected to be filed today against the suspect in the so-called "Craigslist" murder. The unidentified 19-year-old man is suspected of killing Katherine Ann Olson. Shes the 24-year-old woman who had responded to an online ad for a nanny that was posted on the popular "Craigslist" site. Her body was found in the trunk of her car last Friday night. So far police say they dont have a motive in the killing. Funeral services for Olson will be held tomorrow. --- Controversy Surrounds Vice Presidents Hunting Stop (Union Vale, NY) -- Vice President Dick Cheneys hunting trip in upstate New York yesterday ended up with him attending a private hunting club displaying a Confederate flag. According to the "New York Daily News," the five-foot flag was found inside a garage at the Clove Valley Gun and Rod Club. A spokeswoman for the vice president says he didnt see or know about the flag hanging on the property. --- Dodgers Reportedly To Hire Joe Torre (New York, NY) -- Former New York Yankees manager Joe Torre 1/81/8 TORE-ee 3/83/8 may be heading west. Thats according to "Newsday," which reports the Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to fire skipper Grady Little and replace him with Torre. The report says Torre will likely bring bench coach Don Mattingly with him after Mattingly lost out to Joe Girardi on the Yankees job. L.A. finished a disappointing fourth in the National League West this past season under Little, after leading the division for some of the early season. --- Professor: Edwards Campaign Tried To Pull News Story (Chapel Hill, NC) -- The John Edwards presidential campaign apparently tried to pull the plug on some unfavorable news coverage. The campaign has come under fire after Edwards allegedly demanded a University of North Carolina student reporter pull her story about him off the Internet. UNC Journalism Professor Charlie Tuggle says members of the Edwards staff called three times urging him to pull Carla Babbs story from a student TV show. The story pointed out that Edwards campaign headquarters is located in affluent Chapel Hill, despite the candidates slogan of uniting poor and rich America. --- Ozzy Osbourne Auctioning Off ATV From 2003 Crash Ozzy Osbourne is getting rid of the four-wheeler that nearly killed him four years ago. According to MTV.com, the 350cc Banshee will be included in the heavy metal icons upcoming family auction. The bike is expected to bring in three-thousand-dollars. Osbourne was riding the off-road vehicle in December 2003 when he hit a divot in the ground. The machine flipped over and landed on top of him, fracturing his collarbone, eight ribs, and a neck vertebra. He had stopped breathing and had no pulse when a member of his security team found him. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-10-30-07 0841CDT