EAST

N.Y. TOWN REJECTS EMINENT DOMAIN TO REVIVE STRUGGLING MALL

MASSENA, N.Y. – Growing public opposition has persuaded town officials to drop a plan to use eminent domain to ensure the construction of a Wal-Mart Supercenter at a local mall. “The public is not in favor of that, and we’re listening,” said Town of Massena Supervisor Gary Edwards. Conversations with residents led town officials to abandon using eminent domain as an option Monday, just two days before a scheduled public hearing. Mr. Edwards estimated residents opposed the idea by a three-to-one margin. Eminent domain is the power of a government body to take private property for public use.The owner must be paid fair market value for the property. Town officials considered seizing property at the St. Lawrence Centre mall where there is an empty anchor store, formerly an Ames department store. Mall owner Carlyle Development Group of White Plains has been trying for more than a year to sell the land to Wal-Mart so it could build a supercenter, which Carlyle hoped would add foot traffic to the mall that has struggled with 50% occupancy.

– Associated Press

WEST

TRIAL OF FATHER, SON ARRESTED IN CALIFORNIA TERROR PROBE SET TO BEGIN

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – Jury selection started yesterday for the trial of an ice cream vendor and his son who are charged in a federal terrorism investigation. Umer Hayat, 47, and Hamid Hayat, 23, are among five members of the region’s Pakistani community arrested last summer after a nearly three-year terrorism investigation. The others, two local imams and a son of one of the religious leaders, have since been deported to Pakistan on immigration violations.

– Associated Press

HEALTH

WHAT’S YOUR RISK OF DEATH IN NEXT 4 YEARS? CHICAGO – If you’re over 50, this test developed by researchers at the San Francisco Veterans Affairs Medical Center attempts to calculate your risk of death within four years. Of course, it’s not foolproof, but the researchers say it can give you a rough idea of your survival chances. The test appears in Wednesday’s Journal of the American Medical Association: 1. Age: 60-64 years old 1 point; 65-69 2 points; 70-74 3 points; 75-79 4 points; 80-84 5 points; 85 and older 7 points. 2. Male or Female: Male 2 points. 3. Body-Mass Index: Less than 25 (normal weight or less) 1 point. (Calculate by multiplying height in inches times height in inches; then divide weight in pounds by that total; then multiply the total by 703.) 4. Diabetes: 2 points. 5. Cancer (excluding minor skin cancers): 2 points. 6. Chronic lung disease that limits activities or requires oxygen use at home: 2 points. 7. Congestive heart failure: 2 points. 8. Cigarette smoking in the past week: 2 points. 9.Difficulty bathing/showering because of a health or memory problem: 2 points. 10. Difficulty managing money, paying bills, keeping track of expenses because of a health or memory problem: 2 points. 11. Difficulty walking several blocks because of a health problem: 2 points. 12. Difficulty pushing or pulling large objects like a living room chair because of a health problem: 1 point. Score: 0 to 5 points less than a 4% risk of dying; 6-9 points 15% risk; 10-13 points 42% risk; 14 or more points 64% risk. Note: Researchers say the 1-point penalty for having a body-mass index under 25 (normal weight or less) is based on findings that being underweight is a health risk for elderly people.

– Associated Press

ENTERTAINMENT

CONAN O’BRIEN MEETS FINNISH ‘LOOKALIKE’

HELSINKI, Finland – Conan O’Brien finally met his match.

The ‘Late Night’ jokester, who ran a mock ad campaign endorsing the re-election of Finnish President Tarja Halonen – because of her strong resemblance to him, red hair and all – had a face-to-similar-face meeting with her yesterday at the presidential palace in downtown Helsinki.

Mr. O’Brien handed the Nordic country’s first female president a box of chocolates in the shape of a red heart as they posed for photographers before their 15-minute meeting. Ms. Halonen gave him Finnish troll dolls to take home. Last year, Mr. O’Brien caused a political stir when, based on their resemblance, he endorsed the 62-year-old Ms. Halonen for a second six-year term – which she won last month. His mock ads not only backed Ms. Halonen but also attacked her opponents.

– Associated Press