US & World News, Monday 1/14

US & World Summary --- Early Voting To Get Underway Today In Florida, Illinois (Ft. Lauderdale, FL) -- Early voting for the January 29th Florida and Illinois primaries begins today. Registered voters are expected to head to voting booths to cast their ballots rather than waiting in line at a designated precinct on Election Day. Winners in each state will get a big boost heading into February 5ths Super Tuesday primaries when more than 20 states vote. Both the Illinois and Florida primaries are closed, meaning only registered Republicans and Democrats will be able to vote in their partys presidential primaries. --- Search For Continues For Marine Suspected Of Murder (Jacksonville, NC) -- A nationwide search continues for a Marine charged with brutally murdering a pregnant colleague. Twenty-one-year-old Marine Corporal Cesar Laurean is charged in connection with the death of 20-year-old Marine Lance Corporal Maria Lauterbach. Authorities found what they believe are the charred remains of a woman and a small fetus in a shallow grave in Laureans back yard. Lauterbach, who was stationed at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina, disappeared last month. She was about eight months pregnant at the time. --- Snow Storm Taking Its Toll On Parts Of Northeast (Boston, MA) -- Winter has returned to much of the Northeast. Snow is falling across much of the region as the area braces for a Nor-easter. Weather forecasters are predicting up to a foot of snow in some areas of Massachusetts, New York and New Hampshire. Some schools are already closed, and the winter weather is also affecting air travel. Airports in New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, DC are already reporting delays and some cancellations. --- "Atonement" Wins Best Picture, HBO Wins Six Awards (Beverly Hills, CA) -- The romance drama "Atonement" and HBO were the big winners last night at the 65th Annual Golden Globe Awards. "Atonement" took the coveted Best Motion Picture Drama award and captured the win for Best Original Score. Daniel Day Lewis was named Best Actor-Drama for his work in "There Will Be Blood," and Julie Christie won the award Actress for Best Actress for "Away From Her." HBO won six awards in the television category, while NBC "30 Rock" star Tina Fey was the lone network winner, getting Best Actress for her role on the comedy series. --- Entertainers Listed In Steroid Trafficking Investigation There are new allegations about steroid use, but this time its entertainers and not athletes that are accused of using. According to the "Times Union" of Albany, New York, the names of singer Mary J. Blige, music producers Timbaland and Wyclef Jean, award-winning playwright Tyler Perry and rapper 50 Cent have surfaced in a steroid trafficking investigation. Citing confidential sources, the paper claims that the names of the entertainers have shown up on a list of thousands of people suspected of receiving or using prescription steroids or human growth hormones. --- Gas Prices Rise Due To Crude Oil Prices (New York, NY) -- As crude oil prices rise, gas prices are going up as well. According to the nationwide Lundberg survey regular unleaded gas averaged three-dollars-seven-cents a gallon last week, up about ten-cents over the last two weeks. Surveys editor Trilby Lundberg says more increases arent likely because demand for gasoline is low right now. San Francisco has the highest prices in the country at 3-39 a gallon, while drivers in Cheyenne, Wyoming, are getting the best deal, paying just 2-77. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-01-14-08 0739CST