US & World News, Tuesday 12/4

US & World Summary: --- Writers -- Producers Back To The Table (Hollywood, CA) -- Hollywood writers and producers are scheduled to try and hammer out some kind of agreement, again today. Writers walked out five weeks ago, bringing to a halt production on late night talk shows and dozens of sitcoms. Last week, they turned thumbs down on a 130-million-dollar offer by studios. They are demanding more money for Internet and DVD programming, among other things. --- Phoenix Reconsiders Illegal Immigration Policy (Phoenix, AZ) -- The mayor of Phoenix is taking a new look at an old immigration policy. The "Arizona Republic" reports he has put together a panel to review changes to a policy that prohibits city cops from asking suspects about their immigration status. The mayor and police chief have been staunch defenders of the santuary-type approach. However, the recent shooting death of a Phoenix police officer at the hands of an illegal immigrant has poured fuel on the fiery debate. Study: Drug Sentencing Racially Biased A new study suggests blacks are 53 times more likely than whites to go to prison for drug offenses. A recent report by the Justice Policy Institute says 97-percent of U.S. counties with large black populations were found to have serious racial disparities when it comes to race and drug admission rates. The study entitled "The Vortex: The Concentrated Racial Impact of Drug Imprisonment and the Characteristics of Punitive Counties" found that out of the one-point-five-million drug arrests made in 2002, 176-thousand of those offenders were sent to state prisons, and of those 61-percent were black. --- Michigan Family Suing Amtrak (Grandville, MI) -- A Michigan family is suing Amtrak in the wake of last weeks train collision in Chicago. The train plowed into a parked freight train, injuring dozens. An attorney for the Hamstra family says several members were hurt and they are seeking 700-thousand-dollars in damages. --- Sperm Donor Sued For Child Support 18-Years Later A New York physician has been hit with a child support order 18-years after donating his sperm to a co-worker. The man, who is identified in court papers simply as S.K., allegedly donated his sperm to help his female colleague get pregnant and even went so far as to put his name on the childs birth certificate to "give the boy an identity." The "New York Post" reports the man kept in contact with the boy, sending presents, money and cards signed "Dad" or "Daddy", until the woman and her female companion moved across the country to Oregon when the child was four-years-old. From there, the two spoke periodically over the phone and briefly met once about three-years. --- Patriots Remain Unbeaten (Baltimore, MD) -- The New England Patriots are still unbeaten. The team was behind for most of the game Monday night in Baltimore, but was able to come away with a win in the final seconds. The Patriots took the lead in the fourth quarter with only 44 seconds left in the game on a Tom Brady touchdown pass to Jabar Gaffney. They survived a Hail Mary pass from the Ravens Kyle Boller that fell two yards short as time expired. Brady ended up with two touchdowns and one interception on 257 yards passing. For the Ravens, Boller got the start after the team put quarterback Steve McNair on the injured reserve. The final score was 27-24. --- Chanukkah Begins Tonight The eight-day Jewish holiday of Chanukkah begins at sunset today this year. Itll last until sunset December12th. The festival is observed in Jewish homes by the lighting of candles in a Chanukkah Menorah each night: one on the first night, two on the second night, and so on. Chanukkah, from the Hebrew word for "dedication" or "consecration" marks the re-dedication of the Temple in Jerusalem and commemorates the "miracle of the container of oil" that burned for eight days. (Copyright 2007 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-12-04-07 0741CST