US & World News, Thursday 1/24

US & World Summary: --- Negotiations Continue On Economic Stimulus Package (Washington, DC) -- Lawmakers continue working on an economic stimulus package. According to the "New York Times," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has had several meetings with Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson Jr. and House Republican leader John Boehner over the proposed 145-billion-dollar deal. Pelosi says the group has made tremendous progress toward passing the package, which they hope to have finished by mid-February. The deal is expected to contain a tax rebate that could total more than 96-billion-dollars. --- Winter Storm Dumps Record Rainfall, Closes L-A Roads (Los Angeles, CA) -- A portion of Interstate-5 north of Los Angeles is closed because of ice and snow. Hundreds-of-drivers have been stranded on the stretch known as the Grapevine by the winter storm. Many of the stranded vehicles have been there since last night and theres no word on when they may be able to get moving again. According to the "Los Angeles Times," Santa Barbara recorded a record rainfall of four-point-14 inches during a 24-hour period and many areas are under flash-flood warnings. --- Va Tech Survivor Wants "Gun Show Loophole" Closed (Richmond, VA) -- One of the shooting victims of last Aprils shootings at Virginia Tech is disappointed that the state legislature has failed to close a so-called "gun show loophole." Derek ODell still bears the scars on his right arm as permanent reminders of the campus massacre that killed 33 people, including the gunmen. ODell says hes disappointed that a Virginia Senate committee yesterday failed to pass a bill that would have required background checks on anyone trying to buy a firearm at a gun show. --- Entire Staff At Ohio Elementary School Fired (Cincinnati, OH) -- A Cincinnati elementary school is replacing its entire staff. The move comes after several years of failing to meet federal standards. The Cincinnati Public School system decided to replace the entire staff at Taft Elementary because the school isnt living up to the "No Child Left Behind Act" and they say students continue to test well below others in the district. CPS officials say the current staff will stay on through the end of this year and some could eventually be rehired. --- Air Force Changes Story On UFO Reports (Fort Worth, TX) -- The Air Force is changing its story about what happened the night a UFO was allegedly seen over Stephenville, Texas. The 301st Air Force Reserve wing stationed at the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base at Fort Worth initially said it didnt have any planes in the air over the county that night, but now the commander says there were in fact ten F-16s flying over Stephens County. But some of the UFO witnesses dont buy it. They say they only saw two F-16s, but not until after the so-called UFO had sped off. --- Lil Wayne Arrested In Arizona (Phoenix, AZ) -- Rapper Lil Wayne is free on bail after his arrest on drug possession charges. The rapper posted ten-thousand-dollars bail yesterday, after being arrested Tuesday night near Yuma, Arizona. Lil Wayne and two other men were busted by DEA agents after their tour bus was stopped at a Border Patrol checkpoint. Authorities reportedly found drugs, including cocaine, more than 22-thousand-dollars in cash and three firearms. The rap singer has a court hearing scheduled for tomorrow on the charges. (Copyright 2008 by Newsroom Solutions) RNS-01-24-08 0840CST