Former Illinois Gov. Ryan gets 6 1/2 years behind bars
Chicago – Former Gov. George Ryan, who was acclaimed by capital punishment foes for suspending executions in Illinois and emptying out death row, was sentenced Wednesday to 6 1/2 years behind bars in the corruption scandal that ruined his political career.
“People of this state expected better, and I let them down,” the 72-year-old Ryan said in court before hearing his sentence.
Federal prosecutors had asked for eight to 10 years in prison.
Defense attorneys argued that even 2 1/2 years would deprive Ryan of the last healthy years of his life.
“Government leaders have an obligation to stand as the example. Mr. Ryan failed to meet that standard,” U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer said.
Ryan was convicted in April of racketeering conspiracy, fraud and other offenses for taking payoffs from political insiders in exchange for state business while he was Illinois’ secretary of state from 1991 to 1999 and governor for four years after that. The verdict capped Illinois’ biggest political corruption trial in decades.
Prosecutors said that Ryan doled out big-money contracts and leases to his longtime friend, businessman-lobbyist Larry Warner, and other insiders and received such things as Caribbean vacations and a golf bag in return. Ryan also used state money and state workers for his campaigns, the government alleged.
BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan
U.S. Air Force officer disappears from store
A female U.S. Air Force officer stationed at the air base near Bishkek disappeared while shopping in the Kyrgyz capital, the U.S. military said Wednesday.
Maj. Jill Metzger of the 376th Air Expeditionary Wing was separated from a group of servicemen while visiting a department store on Tuesday afternoon and has not been seen since, officials at the Manas air base said in a statement.
Bishkek’s police chief, Moldomusa Kongantiyev, said that according to footage from the store’s security cameras, Metzger spent only 10 minutes inside the store. She later made two calls from her cellphone to a number in Bishkek, and turned off her phone at 9 p.m., he said.
NEW DELHI
Rickshaws banned to ease old city’s jams
Bicycle rickshaws will be banned to clear traffic congestion in the heart of New Delhi’s old city, authorities said Wednesday.
Electric buses will provide alternate transportation in the city’s famed Chandi Chowk market, the city told a New Delhi court that had ordered the ban. The ban goes into effect Sept. 18.
The multitude of the slow moving cycles together with wagons hauling goods, beggars lining the roads, vending carts selling drinks and tobacco and thousands of pedestrians have made the roads virtually impassable for other vehicles.
SUFFERN, N.Y.
Pooches invade pools in annual fundraiser
The dog paddle will be the stroke of the day Sunday, when the town pools in Ramapo, N.Y., will be opened to the four- legged set.
Canine swim day is an end-of- summer tradition in the town northwest of New York City.
A dip in the pool will cost resident pooches $5. Out-of-town dogs – or their owners – will have to pay $10.
The K-9 Pool Party benefits the local Humane Society. Last year, nearly 200 dogs got their paws wet. Local officials say retrievers seem to enjoy it the most and are always the first dogs in the pool.
ATLANTA
Flu vaccine plentiful for upcoming season
About 75 million doses of flu vaccine should be in most doctor’s offices and clinics by the end of October – a near record amount that should prevent flu shot rationing this year, health officials said Wednesday.
Overall, more than 100 million doses are expected over the next several months, beating the 95 million manufactured in 2002.
“There may still be some lines, but we really think this is promising,” said Dr. Anne Schuchat, who heads immunization programs for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla.
NASA looks at Friday for shuttle liftoff
NASA managers on Wednesday left open the possibility that space shuttle Atlantis would blast off this week on a mission to resume construction of the international space station.
NASA managers ruled out a launch attempt for today but said Friday still was a possibility. The decision followed a lengthy meeting over what to do with a problem in the shuttle’s electrical power system that forced a scrub on Wednesday.
Friday is the last day the U.S. space agency can get Atlantis off the ground before interfering with the planned launch of a Russian Soyuz vehicle on a trip to the space station later in the month.
