Screencapture of a few of Jim Carrey's hyperactive tweets. (Twitter.com)

Erin and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national, local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.:

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from The Insider) – In a new clip from Oprah Winfrey’s tell-all interview with Rielle Hunter, the ex mistress to John Edwards reveals when the former Senator came clean to his wife Elizabeth Edwards about having a child out of wedlock.Hunter tells Oprah that everyone who knew “the truth” advised Edwards against sitting down with Bob Woodruff of “Dateline” in August, 2008. It was in this interview that Edwards admitted to having an affair but denied being the father of Hunter’s baby. He later disclosed that he was in fact the biological father of the child.“Elizabeth really wanted him to do that interview,” Hunter recalls, saying that Edwards’ wife did not know the entire truth at the time. “He came clean with her after the interview.”

  Oprah says what was most surprising about her talk with Hunter was that “she doesn’t think of herself as a homewrecker.” The talk show host’s interview with Edwards’ ex mistress will air Thursday, April 29, on “The Oprah Winfrey Show.”

• (from Pop Eater) – Is Jim Carrey losing his mind? If you’ve been wondering what’s been on Jim Carrey’s mind since his recent split with Jenny McCarthy, the answer to that is “Boing.”Since April 24, Carrey has been tweeting the word up to 40 times day, using it to mean, well, just about anything. “I RRRefuse 2 define BOING!,” he wrote on Tuesday. “1 day when yu’ve given up your need 2 explain it and file it neatly away, ‘BOING’… you will understand! }=^P”

  The erratic tweets are a red flag for some fans of the actor, who is said to have battled depression and was the subject of a highly unflattering 2007 Radar magazine cover story about his behavior on the set of ‘Number 23.’ (Although as a hatchet job, the article falls short: Most of Carrey’s co-workers who are quoted seem to have a great deal of respect for him.)

  All in all, it’s been a bumpy month for the comic genius, who famously took to Twitter on April 6 to announce his break-up with longtime partner McCarthy. Adding to the confusion is the fate of his next feature film, ‘I Love You Phillip Morris,’ which was supposed to have been released this Friday.

  Earlier this month, it was shelved, seemingly permanently, only to be put back on the slate for July 30. The film, based on the true story of a con-man who turns away from his wife and Christianity to become a gay man with a partner (played by Ewan McGregor), whom he meets in prison, apparently spooked the studio with its controversial subject matter.

  Carrey has also stepped out in public recently with cameos on ‘American Idol Gives Back’ and Conan O’Brien’s Los Angeles live comedy show — where he sang a duet of Five For Fighting’s ‘Superman (It’s Not Easy)’ dressed as the caped Kryptonian.

  So what is the current mental state of the Canadian-born comic, and do we need to be worried? As Carrey himself would say: “Boing!”

(Image from FanPop.com)

Kirsten and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national,local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.:

Local/KSU news – from Kirsten

• The Kennesaw Cemetery Preservation Committee is hosting an event on Saturday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. called Decoration Day, dedicated to beautifying Kennesaw’s historic cemetery. The event will also feature free hamburgers, hotdogs and drinks compliments of the City of Kennesaw, as well as entertainment by Paul Porter, Jerry Davis and other musical guests. All are welcome to come and participate. Cleaning materials will be provided by the City.
• Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews will be conducting a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, April 29 at 6 pm in the Ben Robertson Community Center on 2753 Watts Drive to listen to constituent concerns and answer questions about programs, policies, safety and services. The Mayor will be joined by members of the City Council as well as the City Manager and his department heads. For more information, call 770-424-8274 or visit www.kennesaw-ga.gov.
• The KSU Stadium Opening ceremony will begin at 3pm on Sunday, May 2, with the ribbon-cutting to occur at 3:30pm. A shuttle (maybe two) will be available to transport students (and others) from campus to the stadium since parking there is limited. The shuttle will pick up students on the road between lots D and J (near the Bailey Performance Center) beginning at 2pm. There will be a live band performing. Fitz Johnson, owner of the Atlanta Beat, has secured a band called “Prime”. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 3:30pm and will include Dr. Papp, our very own Daniel Street, Fitz Johnson, and Norman Radow from the Foundation. Tours of the stadium will be available as well as free food and the concession stands will open as well.

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from The Huffington Post) – Justin Bieber insanity sends 8 people to hospital in Australia. Thousands of frenzied teenagers, who spent the night camped out by Sydney Harbour awaiting a concert by pop star Justin Bieber, surged toward the venue Monday morning, sending at least eight girls to the hospital and injuring several more.Police canceled the performance after the swarm, which may have begun when rumors spread that the 16-year-old Canadian heartthrob had arrived early. In the crush, at least 10 girls fainted, and paramedics had to pull them out of the crowd, according to Australia’s Network Seven. Of the eight sent to the hospital, one fractured her knee cap, though most had hyperventilated.“We were expecting this to be the biggest concert we ever had, but we just couldn’t have foreseen this scale,” said Grant Denyer, the weather presenter for Network Seven’s Sunrise program, which was planning to broadcast the open-air concert.Police said the station was well prepared, but that the frenzy of 5,000 fans got out of control. “They wouldn’t listen to our directions, so hence they left us with no option,” Deputy Commissioner Dave Owens told reporters, adding it was a concern that so many youngsters were out at night without their parents.

  Monica Caruana, 14, said the commotion started when the venue opened early. “The doors were meant to open at 5, but they opened at 3 for some reason and everyone bolted,” she said, adding that one of her friends was “knocked out” in the chaos. The singer was meant to take the stage just before 8 a.m.

  Jessica Whatmore said she feared she would be trampled in all the pushing and shoving. “I couldn’t wait to get out of there,” said the 13-year-old. After the cancellation, many of the girls went to Network Seven’s studios, where they caught a glimpse of Bieber through a window before he performed his hit “Baby” on the stage there.

• (from TMZ) – TMZ has obtained a letter that Melissa Smith — Jesse James mistress #2 — faxed to Sandra Bullock’s agent on Sunday, apologizing for her alleged affair with Jesse …
  

  Dear Sandra,
  I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m writing this letter to you. I felt I needed to reach out to you and tell you how deeply sorry I am for everything that you’ve been through. And I nothing nothing I can say in this letter i sgoing to make the pain of my actions go away. But I sincerely wanted to take a moment to personally apologize to you.

  I know that this message wills [sic] most likely go unanswered, but I want you to know that I am sorry for any hurt or pain that I have caused you. My actions of engaging with a married man are unforgiveable. I never meant you any harm. I compromised my beliefs on several occasions and as a result, will never forgive myself.

  I know that nothing I can say will take back the hurt that my actions caused. From the bottom of my heart, I hope you accept my sincere apology. Please contact me if you wish to discuss on the phone or in person.

  My deepest regrets,

  Melissa Smith

Don't get scared now. (Image from TheWB.com)

Erin and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national, local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.:

Politics – from Noah

• (from CNN) -The party in power often suffers in midterm elections, but a recent survey suggests that “epic” discontent has created an angry and energized electorate. And while things might look bleak for Democrats who control Congress, some Republicans tied to the establishment might also suffer the consequences. History has shown that Americans’ trust in government has declined during times of turmoil or when one party controls the White House and both chambers of Congress.
  With Congress showing no signs of bipartisanship and Americans not yet feeling economic relief, the midterm elections outcome for incumbents — especially Democrats — may be bleak.
  According to a Pew Research Center poll released this week, based on polling conducted in March and April, a growing segment of the American public holds intense anti-government views, with those surveyed describing themselves as angry with the federal government. The reason? A “perfect storm of conditions associated with distrust of government — a dismal economy, an unhappy public, bitter partisan-based backlash, and epic discontent with Congress and elected officials,” the report concluded. The poll showed that “Distrust of government soars when the public is unhappy with the way things are going in the country” and sad the recent downturn in trust began in the fall of 2008, “when public satisfaction plunged amid the financial crisis.” One of President Obama’s top aides said Monday that there are “legitimate” reasons for Americans’ anger. “When the middle class in this country has seen their incomes lost and their costs of living go up, and the sense of those who are at the top act with a sense of irresponsibility that led to the worst economic crisis … there’s a reason for that frustration, and it’s totally legit,” White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel told PBS’ Charlie Rose.

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from BBC) – Rock star Courtney Love has decided to stop using her stage name, claiming “Courtney Love is dead.”“We’ve all decided we don’t like her any more,” the Hole singer told The NME magazine. “We love her when she goes onstage, but I don’t need her in the rest of my life,” she added.Asked how she would prefer to be addressed in the future, the star replied: “Courtney Michelle. The name Courtney Love is a way to oppress me.”The singer and actress was born Courtney Michelle Harrison.The 45-year-old is back on the road with her band, Hole, who release a new album, Nobody’s Daughter, later this month.

  Note from Leah: Is she not talking like Gollum? “We likes it. We likes Courtney Love when she’s on stage, but we puts her away after, and then we brings out Courtney Michelle…”

• (from TMZ) - Lindsay Lohan is 0 for 2 in the deposition department. TMZ has learned Lindsay was a no-show again … in what is looking like a futile attempt to find out what really happened during her 2007 wild ride.Three passengers in Lindsay’s car — along with the passenger in the car she was chasing — are suing her, claiming she endangered their lives in a drunken chase down Pacific Coast Highway.The passengers were scheduled to take Lindsay’s depo yesterday at 10 AM but her lawyer, Ed McPherson, tells TMZ she couldn’t get a ride until 11 AM — she’s not allowed to drive as a condition of her probation.Lindsay bailed on her depo earlier this month because of a schedule conflict.
• (from Us Weekly) - So nice, they’re doing it thrice! Mariah Carey and Nick Cannon will be tying the knot for the third time on April 30, which is their two-year wedding anniversary. Expect a similar blowout in 2011, 2012 … and beyond, as long as they’re together.“We get married every year! That’s our thing,” Cannon explained to UsMagazine.com at Monday’s PepsiCo Feed America Volunteer Day event in NYC.“So it’s going to be our third wedding this year. That’s what we’ll be doing on the actual [anniversary]…We’ll do something…A party or event, just to celebrate.”

  The Grammy-winning singer is definitely getting more bling from her spouse. Cannon confirmed to Us that he’ll be getting his wife another diamond ring for the occasion.

  “That’s totally right,” he said. “This is the third ring I have to buy…It’ll be something different. Something good.”

  Carey’s engagement ring from Jacob & Co. Jewelers reportedly cost $2.5 million. After dating for just six weeks in early 2008, Cannon, 29 and Carey, 40, wed on the singer’s private island in The Bahamas in a surprise bash.

  “It’s nice,” Cannon gushed. “We like being married every year.”

• (from Entertainment Weekly) – Nadya Suleman went on “The Oprah Winfrey Show” to offer an inside look into her life as a single mother of 14 children, calling her decision to have so many kids “selfish.” “I was caught up in my own selfish desires. … I feel as though I wasn’t thinking,” Nadya tells Oprah of her decision to get in vitro fertilization, thus impregnating her with eight babies. “I believe that perhaps I’ve always coveted that connection to another person. … You can’t regret children.”

  She says of learning she was pregnant with octuplets, “I never could have conceptualized something like this would happen. … I would never have done this on purpose.”

  The octuplet mom says she just works to keep her family afloat, saying they’re in the “midst of survival.” She tells Oprah that she can never give her children enough attention. “I have a tremendous amount of guilt. … They have all have different unique needs. … I live in guilt.”

  When asked if she’s ever considered putting some of her kids up for adoption, she says firmly, “I will do anything in my power to, without exploiting my children, create revenue. … I know that sounds selfish but I breathe for my children.”

  It was also asked if Nadya will ever reveal the father of her kids, of which she replied, “That’s not my place.” As for dating, Nadya says that is out of the question for now. “How could I even fathom taking an ounce of energy from them and giving it to a stranger?”

  She says if she had to do it all over, knowing what she knows now, she might have transferred in less embryos. “I never wanted more than six, seven children total.”

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.:

Local/KSU News – from Kirsten

• Last year, the Student Government Association established the Midnight Watch owl sculpture as a way to remember students, faculty, and staff who have passed away while at Kennesaw State University. The KSU Student Government Association and the Department of Student Life are collaborating on the ceremony to pay tribute to those we have lost this year. Please join them at the Midnight Watch sculpture Thursday, April 22 at 3:00 p.m. for a memorial observance. The sculpture is located on the north side of the Campus Green near the flagpoles. Dr. Papp will give a few words, the names of those who have passed will be called, and a moment of silence will be observed.




• Come learn how to expand your creative thinking skills and knowledge of your creativity to reach higher levels of innovation at work, school or in life in general.The 2010 Atlanta Creativity Exchange will be a three-day (Thursday, Friday and Saturday) experiential series of programs for professional, educational and personal creativity — a collection of 90-minute concurrent sessions presented by the best creativity leaders from North America and around the world.The Atlanta Creativity Exchange exposes you to a wide range of perspectives on the research and practice of deliberate creativity. You will learn how to build value through innovation in your business or your school. And on top of our scheduled programs, there are evening discussions, dialog sessions, music, dancing, and just plain fun.The Atlanta Creativity Exchange is focused on 3 tracks:
  
  * Creativity in the Workplace
  
  * Creativity in the Classroom
  
  * Creativity in your Life
• (from the Marietta Daily Journal) – A one-vehicle wreck that occurred early Sunday morning involving four female Kennesaw State University students has resulted in the death of one and vehicular homicide charges for another. The wreck was reported at 2:39 a.m. eastbound on Barrett Parkway, between Stilesboro Road and Old U.S. Highway 41 in Kennesaw. According to Cobb police, the driver of a beige 2002 Chevrolet Trailblazer lost control of the sport utility vehicle.As a result, the SUV left the right side of the roadway and struck several trees and a manhole cover before coming to rest on its left side, investigators said.Kimberly Johnson, 21, of Macon, a rear-seat passenger, was rushed to WellStar Kennestone Hospital in Marietta, where she was pronounced dead from her injuries, police reported.The driver, Shaneisa Danette Newsome, 21, of Roswell, was subsequently charged by Cobb police with first-degree vehicular homicide, driving under the influence of alcohol, failure to maintain lane, no tag and no seat belts.She was taken into custody at the Cobb County Jail, after being treated and then arrested at WellStar Kennestone Hospital.A front-seat passenger, identified as Michelle Jackson, 21, of Waverly Hall, was sent to WellStar Kennestone Hospital along with a rear-seat passenger, Lauren Prewitt, 22, of Kennesaw. Police said both women complained of injuries.None of the occupants of the vehicle were wearing seat belts at the time of the crash, police said.

World News – from Mark

• (from DemocracyNow.org) – In Afghanistan, new figures show the number of civilians killed by US-led NATO troops has more than doubled this year. NATO forces killed seventy-two civilians in the first three months of 2010, compared to twenty-nine during the same period in 2009.




• (from DemocracyNow.org) - In other news from Afghanistan, three Italian aid workers have been released one week after their arrest by Afghan forces. The three work with the charity Emergency, which runs a series of hospitals in Afghanistan. They were detained on suspicion of involvement in a plot to kill a provincial governor, but the Afghan government says an investigation has since proven their innocence.




• (from DemocracyNow.org) – Most of Europe’s major airports remain closed for a fifth consecutive day due to a volcanic eruption emitting a cloud of ash from Iceland. Thousands of flights have been canceled since last week, stranding passengers making their way to and from Europe. Major airlines are pressuring European officials to drop the flight restrictions as the ash clears. But aviation officials in countries including Britain, France, Germany and the Netherlands say their airspace will remain closed at least through today. President Obama was among those whose travels plans were disrupted by the volcanic ash. The White House canceled Obama’s scheduled trip to Poland on Sunday for the funeral of Polish president Lech Kaczynski.

Politics – from Noah

• On Monday, President Barack Obama went to California to campaign for Senator Barbara Boxer (CA-D), a long-time senator now facing one of the toughest campaigns in her career. President Obama campaigned for Senator Boxer and two back-to-back fundraisers Monday evening, in an attempt to lend some of his “star power” to the embattled legislator. Though President Obama’s national approval ratings are sinking, he still garners wide levels of support in California, and could make a decisive impact on the state’s congressional election in November. The latest Rasmussen Reports poll showed 36 percent of California voters view Senator Boxer unfavorably. While the senator polled above her possible Republican opponents, she was projected to win no more than 43 percent of the vote against any of them. The closest challenger was former Representative Tom Campbell, with 41 percent. Senator Boxer urged Democrats to show energy and support for her in the coming election, saying that a vote for a Republican in November would be a vote to “go back to the policies that got us into this mess. We want to forget those eight years that the last administration left us.” Especially important in the upcoming campaign is the California economy, which has been languishing due to the recession.

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from Coming Soon) – 007 producers, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli of EON Productions, today announced they have suspended development on the next James Bond film previously scheduled for release 2011/2012. “Due to the continuing uncertainty surrounding the future of MGM and the failure to close a sale of the studio, we have suspended development on ‘Bond 23′ indefinitely. We do not know when development will resume and do not have a date for the release of ‘Bond 23,’” stated Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli jointly.EON Productions have produced twenty two James Bond films since 1962. In 1995, Michael G Wilson and Barbara Broccoli took over the 007 franchise from Albert R ‘Cubby’ Broccoli and are responsible for producing some of the most successful James Bond films ever, including Casino Royale and more recently Quantum of Solace. The James Bond franchise is the longest running in film history. EON Productions and Danjaq LLC are affiliate companies and control all worldwide merchandising for James Bond.




• (from Us Weekly) – Eddie Cibrian and LeAnn Rimes laughed their way through the orange carpet at Sunday’s Academy of Country Music Awards. But it was hardly a laughing matter when he hit the stage. When Cibrian, 36, presented an award to Lady Antebellum, people in the press room yelled, “Cheater!” A year ago, Us Weekly broke the news that Rimes, 27, and Cibrian had an affair while shooting a Lifetime movie. A short time later, they announced that their respective marriages – hers to Dean Sheremet; his to Brandi Glanville – were over.




• (from TMZ) – TMZ has learned a new reality show is in the works that would be hosted by Michelle “Bombshell” McGee and Jamie Jungers — and according to the creator, it’s all about celebrities who cheat on their loved ones. Jesse James’ alleged mistress #1 and Tiger Woods’ #we-lost-count would front a show called “Celebrity Cheaters,” which is currently being shopped around town. The show was created by Bobby Goldstein, who created the original “Cheaters” — and would, according to the pitch, try and “catch celebrity cheaters with their pants down.”

  Ironically, we’re told McGee once applied to be on “Cheaters” to try to trap an ex. She was denied.

  The show hasn’t found a home yet — but Goldstein says McGee and Jungers have both agreed to do it, though nothing has been signed yet.

(image from People.com)

Erin and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national, local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.:

Local/KSU news – from Kirsten

• Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews will be conducting a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, April 29 at 6 pm in the Ben Robertson Community Center on 2753 Watts Drive to listen to constituent concerns and answer questions about programs, policies, safety and services. The Mayor will be joined by members of the City Council as well as the City Manager and his department heads.For more information, call 770-424-8274 or visit www.kennesaw-ga.gov
• The annual Kennesaw Farmers Market will open for business this year on Tuesday, May 4 from 7am to 1 pm at 2753 Watts Drive (Adams Park Soccer Field Parking Lot). The Market will then be in operation every Tuesday through the end of October. For more information on the Farmers Market, or to obtain information about being a vendor, please call 770-499-0874 or 770-794-7075.

Politics – from Noah

• According to a new national poll, one in every ten Americans says they have actively supported the Tea Party movement. These activists tend to be older, more conservative, and more religious than the general population. In a survey released on Wednesday by CNN/Opinion Research Corp., seven out of every ten Tea Party activists called themselves conservatives. Nearly eight out of ten would vote for a Republican candidate for Congress if the midterm elections were held today. Six in ten are male. Despite the seeming prevalence of the Tea Party movement, it is fairly unknown among American citizens, with 45 percent saying they do not know enough about the movement to either support or oppose it. The movement also seems to be quite divisive. 27 percent of those familiar with the Tea Party movement support it, while 27 percent of those familiar oppose it. Tea Party activists are set for protests and gatherings today (April 15), the day taxes are due. They mean to protest recent decisions by the federal government that they see as infringing on the financial freedoms and security of private citizens, such as the recently passed health care reform bill. This survey shows that while details about the Tea Party movement are still relatively unknown, the organization is very devisive and continues to gain public recognition and supporters.

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from People Magazine) Tiger Woods’ wife Elin Nordegren skipped the golf star’s big comeback at the Masters and was described as disgusted and outraged by his Nike commercial featuring a voiceover by his late father. After Woods finished the tournament, coming in fourth, Nordegren flew out of Florida without her husband and their two children – they were left with nannies – for a destination unknown, friends say.“Elin was violently angry over this commercial and thought it was a cheesy thing to do,” one friend tells PEOPLE. “She wouldn’t have gone near the Masters under any condition, but that just made her madder. She is over Tiger. I wouldn’t be surprised if she files for divorce sometime soon.”So far, though, it’s only been talk among friends. No legal papers have been filed, and it hasn’t even been confirmed that she’s retained a divorce attorney.Still, another friend says Nordegren has run out of patience with Woods, taking offense with his return to golf – she had been led to believe he was going to take more time off. (On Wednesday morning it was reported that Woods has sent his entry to the U.S. Open, to be held June 17-20 at Pebble Beach, Calif.)At home in Florida while Woods competed in Georgia, Nordegren didn’t watch a broadcast of the tournament, using the TV instead for movies and videos for the children.

  “She’s so far beyond hurt now. If she were angry or if she hated him, they might still have a chance to work it out. But she’s beyond that. She’s numb. She just doesn’t care anymore. She’s like, ‘Whatever.’ Elin’s not the type to get all weepy or have pity parties for herself. She mourned the loss of this marriage, and now she’s moving on. It’s the only thing she can do.”

• (from The National Enquirer) Mel Gibson dumped his Russian lover Oksana Grigorieva after a blowout fight during which she accused him of cheating and lashed out at him for not keeping his promise to marry her, The ENQUIRER has learned exclusively.Oksana – who gave birth to Mel’s daughter, Lucia, in October – had been pushing to tie the knot with the Oscar winner after the collapse of his 29-year marriage, but she blew up at him recently over his apparent indifference toward her and their baby, according to an insider.And that’s when Mel finally decided to pull the plug on the floundering romance!

(Image from BBC) Poland has declared a week of national mourning following Saturday’s plane crash that killed its president and dozens of top political and military leaders in Russia.

Kirsten and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national, local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.:

Local/KSU news – from Kirsten

• ExPLORE the emerging market of “green” careers!
  Gayle Oliver-Plath, founder and CEO of CareerEco, will identify some of the trends, resources and “green” opportunities with Georgia companies, non-profit organizations, and government agenies on Thursday, April 22 from 12:30 – 1:45pm, University Rooms A-E.
  Pre-registration is required at http://careerctr.kennesaw.edu (under the “Calendar of Events” section). Lunch will be provided.
• Also, if you are looking for a summer or full-time position, you should plan to attend the GACE College-to-Career Fair on Tuesday, April 13 at Cobb Galleria Centre-Atlanta. The fair is from 11:00am – 3:00pm. Attendees may also attend a pre-fair job search workshop from 10:00am – 10:45am. Note, professional business attire and your KSU student ID are required for admission into the fair.




• The KSU Stadium Opening ceremony will begin at 3pm on Sunday, May 2, with the ribbon-cutting to occur at 3:30pm. A shuttle (maybe two) will be available to transport students (and others) from campus to the stadium since parking there is limited. The shuttle will pick up students on the road between lots D and J (near the Bailey Performance Center) beginning at 2pm.There will be a live band performing. Fitz Johnson, owner of the Atlanta Beat, has secured a band called “Prime”. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will take place at 3:30pm and will include Dr. Papp, our very own Daniel Street, Fitz Johnson, and Norman Radow from the Foundation.Tours of the stadium will be available as well as free food and the concession stands will open as well.




• On April 6, 2010, Woodstock Police detectives arrested 28-year old Christopher James, III. of Woodstock, GA and charged him with aggravated child molestation, child molestation, and enticing a child for indecent purposes. The charges stem from an assault that occurred at Life Time Fitness, a fitness center located at 14200 Highway 92, Woodstock, GA, on April 5, 2010. James is accused of entering the child’s shower stall and sexually assaulting him.
  Woodstock Police detectives discovered that James is a member of the fitness center. The detectives are pursuing the possibility that the 13-year old child might not be the only victim. Anyone who believes that their child may have been assaulted by James or anyone else at the fitness center is encouraged to contact the Woodstock Police Department at (770) 592-6030.

World News – from Mark

• (from DemocracyNow.org) Poland has declared a week of national mourning following Saturday’s plane crash that killed its president and dozens of top political and military leaders in Russia. President Lech Kaczynski was heading a delegation to Russia to commemorate the 1940 massacre of over 20,000 Poles by the Soviet Union secret police. The ceremony had been seen as a sign of growing reconciliation between Poland and Russia. At least ninety-six people died in the crash.




• (from DemocracyNow.org) In Thailand, public funerals are being held today for protesters killed in clashes on Saturday in Bangkok. At least seventeen civilians were killed and hundreds more wounded when police fired live ammunition into a crowd of thousands of so-called “Red Shirt” protesters in Bangkok’s old quarter. Four police officers were also killed in the ensuing unrest. It was Thailand’s worst political violence in nearly two decades. The Red Shirts have led a series of protests calling for the Thai parliament to be dissolved.




• (from DemocracyNow.org) The Obama administration has confirmed it’s denying climate aid to at least two countries that refused to sign on to last year’s Copenhagen environmental accord. The State Department has canceled funding of $3 million to Bolivia and $2.5 million for Ecuador. Bolivia vocally opposed the accord, while Ecuador has issued its tacit rejection by refusing to sign on so far. A coalition of southern, island and developing countries opposed the non-binding accord largely over its exclusion of mandatory and robust emissions cuts at the levels recognized as necessary to avert devastating climate change. There are fears the funding cuts could signify the Obama administration will attempt to punish nations financially for defying the US stance on climate agreements.

Politics – from Noah

• On Friday, Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens announced his retirement from the Court after 40 years on the bench. The announcement came as a surprise to leaders in Washington, many of whom expect a long fight ahead to nominate and confirm a replacement for Stevens. Diane Amann, a former law clerk for Stevens, stated that the Justice is “undoubtedly a leader on the court,” adding that President Obama is likely to replace the liberal Stevens with another liberal, “and although the vote change [on a 5-4 conservative majority] may not alter very much in the short run, the absence of Justice Stevens’ leadership, his ability to build coalitions along people with very different ideas about things, will be something that will be hard to replace in the short term.” Progressives are arguing that since this might be the last time Obama might get a high court pick, he needs to select a strong candidate from the left. Nan Aron, president of Alliance for Justice, a self-described national organization dedicated to advancing justice and democracy, said: “The president now has an opportunity to name a worthy successor who will stand up for equal justice for all, not just the wealthy or powerful.” The Republicans are trying to decide how they will approach the confirmation process, especially with the midterm elections fast approaching. The GOP seems to want to avoid discussing social issues such as abortion and gun control before the election, so it is unclear what their strategy will be. In any case, it will most likely be a reaction to the Obama administration’s strategy and will depend on the nominee chosen.

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from Us Weekly) He’s baaack! Conan O’Brien, 46, is returning to nighttime TV on TBS, he confirmed to TVGuide.com Monday afternoon.He’ll go head-to-head against Jay Leno and David Letterman. O’Brien’s show will air at 11 p.m., and George Lopez’s Lopez Tonight will bump to midnight to accommodate him.“I’ve gone from network television to Twitter to performing live in theaters, and now I’m headed to basic cable. My plan is working perfectly,” O’Brien said in a statement, which ended speculation he’d go to Fox.

  O’Brien stepped down in January after NBC revealed they would push his Tonight Show to 12:05 a.m. so Leno could return to the coveted 11:35 p.m. slot. The formal announcement about O’Brien’s show, which will premiere this November, will be made Monday afternoon.

(image from People.com)

Kirsten and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national, local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.:

Local/KSU News – from Kirsten

• If you are looking for a summer or full-time position, you should plan to attend the GACE College-to-Career Fair on Tuesday, April 13 at Cobb Galleria Centre-Atlanta. The fair is from 11:00am – 3:00pm. Attendees may also attend a pre-fair job search workshop from 10:00am – 10:45am. Note, professional business attire and your KSU student ID are required for admission into the fair.
• The annual Kennesaw Farmers Market will open for business this year on Tuesday, May 4 from 7am to 1 pm at 2753 Watts Drive (Adams Park Soccer Field Parking Lot). The Market will then be in operation every Tuesday through the end of October.The Farmers Market will feature a variety of vegetables, fruits, herbs and plants grown by local farmers, as well as baked goods, jams and jellies and other locally produced items. For more information on the Farmers Market, or to obtain information about being a vendor, please call 770-499-0874 or 770-794-7075.
• The Kennesaw Cemetery Preservation Committee is hosting an event on Saturday, May 1 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. called Decoration Day, dedicated to beautifying Kennesaw’s historic cemetery. The event will also feature free hamburgers, hotdogs and drinks compliments of the City of Kennesaw, as well as entertainment by Paul Porter, Jerry Davis and other musical guests. All are welcome to come and participate. Cleaning materials will be provided by the City.
• Kennesaw Mayor Mark Mathews will be conducting a Town Hall meeting on Thursday, April 29 at 6 pm in the Ben Robertson Community Center on 2753 Watts Drive to listen to constituent concerns and answer questions about programs, policies, safety and services. The Mayor will be joined by members of the City Council as well as the City Manager and his department heads.For more information, call 770-424-8274 or visit www.kennesaw-ga.gov.
• A College Park man wanted for the Easter morning shooting death of his roommate was denied bond Tuesday. Robert Lynn Smith, 23, was charged with murder in the death of Raymond E. Brewer, also 23.  Smith turned himself in Sunday afternoon. Smith and Brewer were initially reported to be brothers, but College Park police spokesman Reed Pollard said Monday morning that the two are not biological brothers. The shooting happened about 6 a.m. Sunday at an apartment complex in the 3100 block of Godby Road. According to witnesses, Smith was drinking alcohol and using drugs through the night. “He became upset with Brewer and they began to argue verbally.” Pollard said the argument “was over past experiences they have had between each other.” Reed will return to court on April 20 at 9 a.m., said Tracy Flanagan with the Fulton County Sheriff’s Office.

World News – from Mark

• (from DemocracyNow.org) – In Afghanistan, US-led forces have admitted to killing two pregnant Afghan women and a teenage girl during a nighttime raid on February 12. Afghan investigators told the Times of London US Special Forces soldiers tried to cover up the killings. US forces reportedly dug bullets out of their victims’ bodies, then washed the wounds with alcohol before lying to their superiors about what happened. One of the women killed was a pregnant mother of ten, and another was a pregnant mother of six. Initially NATO military officials suggested that the women were stabbed to death, or had died by some other means, hours before the raid. In other news from Afghanistan, German troops accidentally killed six Afghan soldiers on Saturday.
• (from DemocracyNow.org) – The killings occur as tension mounts between Afghan President Hamid Karzai and Western leaders. Last week Karzai issued a harsh rebuke of Western and United Nations involvement in Afghanistan, criticizing what he called “massive interference from foreigners.” On Saturday, he reportedly told a group of lawmakers, “If you and the international community pressure me more, I swear that I am going to join the Taliban.”
• (from DemocracyNow.org) – A new report says Africa has lost over $1.8 trillion in illegal capital flights over the last forty years. The US-based research firm Global Financial Integrity, or GFI, says commercial tax evasion, drug trafficking, racketeering and counterfeiting account for the bulk of the outflows, with most of the money flowing to Western financial institutions. Using what it calls conservative estimates, GFI says the outflows have cost the average African nearly $1,000 since 1970.
• (from DemocracyNow.org) – And in China, 115 miners have been rescued after being trapped in a flooded coal pit for more than a week. Rescuers are still working on reaching the thirty-eight still-trapped miners. In 2009, over 2,600 workers died in mining accidents in China.

Politics – from Noah

• California law enforcement officials have said that a northern California man has been arrested for making obscene and harassing phone calls to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). A federal official has said the man will be charged with breaking a federal law against making calls “to annoy, abuse, threaten, or harass any person at the called number or who receives the communications.” The charge carries a maximum two-year sentence. One official said: “The calls were so numerous, the decision was made that something had to be done.” The Associated Press added, “Several federal officials say the man made dozens of calls to Pelosi’s homes in California and Washington, as well as to her husband’s business office, reciting her home address and saying if she wanted to see it again, she would not support the health care overhaul bill that was recently enacted. One official said the man is believed to have spoken directly with Pelosi at least once.” This story comes out after a series of cases of harassment and threats of violence against Democratic congressmen after the passage of the health care reform bill.

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from Deadline.com) – Director of “Dreamgirls” Bill Condon has emerged as the number one choice to direct the final two installments of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn. Summit Entertainment hasn’t signed him, but after several strong meetings, they are negotiating. Condon was among a list of A-list directors approved by Summit and Twilight author Stephenie Meyer. That list included Gus Van Sant, Sofia Coppola and Fernando Meirelles. Shooting will begin in the fall, and the plan is to shoot two films back to back. That was just what my colleague Nikki Finke reported. She also wrote that Summit was looking for a big director and Dreamgirls and Gods and Monsters director Condon certainly fits that bill.
• (from People Magazine) – It’s been quite a few weeks for Justin Bieber: While most kids his age relaxed on spring break, the 16-year-old chatted with Jay Leno and David Letterman, visited American Idol, rocked the White House Easter Egg Roll and – oh yeah – landed at No. 1 with his album My World 2.0.“What I have is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Bieber tells the upcoming issue of PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday. “And I’m having a blast.”The singer opens up about his rise from YouTube sensation to pop star and admits that having such a busy schedule hasn’t been good for his dating life: “Right now, it’s difficult ’cause I’m traveling so much,” says the single singer.

  Even with Bieber Fever spreading across the globe (”It’s like Beatlemania,” says the singer’s road manager and stylist Ryan Good. “Mass hysteria. Loud screaming, crying, passing out. It’s amazing.”), the pop star remains grounded.

  “I still feel regular,” he says. “You know, sometimes it’s weird that I go places and I have thousands of people waiting for me, but I always think, ‘I’m Justin.’”

• (from People Magazine) – Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy have ended their five-year relationship, both actors announced on their Twitter accounts. “Jenny and I have just ended our 5yr relationship,” Carrey Tweeted on Tuesday afternoon. “I’m grateful 4 the many blessings we’ve shared and I wish her the very best! S’okay!”McCarthy echoed the sentiments on her own Twitter account, posting, “Im so grateful for the years Jim and I had together. I will stay committed to Jane and will always keep Jim as a leading man in my heart.” Carrey’s rep also confirmed the split to Entertainment Tonight.

(President Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan Sunday. Image from the SAN FRANCISCO SENTINEL)

Erin and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national, local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.:

Local/KSU News – from Kirsten

• On Wednesday, March 31st, the Owls will host the 2nd ranked Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at 6 p.m. This game is always a sell out so if you would like to make sure you have your tickets you can purchase them online at http://ksuowls.first-sports.com. Ticket prices for adults are $10 and children (8th grade and under) are $5. KSU Faculty, Staff and Students all receive FREE admission for all home athletic events. Seating at Stillwell Stadium is General Admission so come early to select the seat of your choice.Also, members of the Atlanta Beat will be on hand to sign autographs from 5:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the main entrance of Stillwell Stadium. Some members of the Beat will also be throwing out the first pitch prior to the KSU-Georgia Tech game.
• Your Owls Baseball team will host their first home Atlantic Sun Conference series of the season this Thursday at 6 p.m. against the Belmont Bruins. The series will conclude with a doubleheader on Friday with first pitch scheduled for 3 p.m.
• This Saturday, the Owls host Atlantic Sun Conference Rival Mercer in a doubleheader. First pitch is scheduled for 1 p.m. Any fan who wears their “Beat Mercer” T-Shirt will receive a prize!All home softball games are played at Bailey Park and are free to KSU faculty, staff and students.
• Your Owls Men’s and Women’s Tennis teams will host a pair of Atlantic Sun Conference Matches this weekend with the first match on Friday against Lipscomb starting at 1 p.m. On Saturday, the Owls host the Belmont Bruins with the women starting at 10 a.m. and the men scheduled for 1 p.m. All matches are played at the KSU Tennis Complex and are FREE to all fans.
• Kennesaw State will head to Georgia Tech this weekend for the Tech Easter Spring Fling. The Owls begin play at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday against Georgia Tech at O’Keefe Gym. The tournament field includes Georgia Tech, Auburn, Georgia, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia State, South Alabama and Troy. Matches will be played at O’Keefe Gym, the Freshman Gym at the Alexander Memorial Coliseum as well as at Georgia State.
• You are invited to attend the “Take Back the Night” March and Rally on April 6th between 6:30-8:30 p.m. at the Campus Green as part of Sexual Assault Awareness month. The Taskforce on Interpersonal Violence (TIV) at KSU is group of individuals from the Kennesaw community and the University community who is committed to providing comprehensive services for students, faculty, and staff who have been victims of sexual assault, domestic/dating violence, stalking, harassment, and all other forms of interpersonal violence, and to preventing further violence from occurring.

World News – from Mark

• (from DemocracyNow.org) – In Russia, at least thirty-seven people have died after two female suicide bombers attacked a pair of subway stations in Moscow at the peak of the morning rush hour. More than seventy people were injured. One of the blasts occurred at a station underneath the main offices of the Federal Security Service, the main successor to the KGB. No group has yet claimed responsibility, but Russian officials suspect it was carried out by rebels fighting for independence in Chechnya. Last month a Chechen rebel leader said, “the zone of military operations will be extended to the territory of Russia… the war is coming to their cities.”
• (from DemocracyNow.org) – President Obama made a surprise visit to Afghanistan on Sunday, his first since taking office. Due to security concerns, Obama secretly flew into Kabul at night. He left six hours later, while it was still dark. The trip came four months after President Obama ordered 30,000 more troops to Afghanistan in a major escalation of the war.
• (from DemocracyNow.org) – In Iraq, Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is challenging the results of the recent elections that were narrowly won by former interim prime minister Ayad Allawi. On Friday, the United Nations and the Independent High Electoral Commission announced Allawi’s Iraqiya Party won ninety-one parliamentary seats, Maliki’s State of Law party won eighty-nine seats. Allawi won after receiving the backing of many Sunni parties. The New York Times reports Maliki has taken a number of steps to overturn the election results. On Thursday, a day before the results were announced, he quietly persuaded the Iraqi supreme court to issue a ruling that potentially allows him to choose the new government instead of awarding that right to the winner of the election. Meanwhile, officials in charge of purging the government of former members of Saddam Hussein’s Baath Party have said that they expect to disqualify more than fifty political candidates, many of them members of Allawi’s Iraqiya Party. That could strip Allawi of his victory. Prime Minister Maliki is also clamoring for a recount and is considering filing a legal appeal. While Ayad Allawi’s party won the most seats, the party fell far short of a majority. He will need to form a coalition government in the coming weeks.
• (from DemocracyNow.org) – And here in the U.S., the FBI-led Joint Terrorism Task Force raided properties in Michigan, Ohio, Indiana and Illinois over the weekend and arrested members of a self-described Christian militia called the Hutaree. At least seven people were arrested. Charges will be unsealed today. Officials have said little about the arrests, but members of other militias in Michigan said they had heard the FBI targeted the Hutaree after its members made threats of violence against Islamic organizations. Video posted on YouTube shows armed members of the military conducting military-like training exercises. Part of the group’s website reads, “Jesus wanted us to be ready to defend ourselves using the sword.” A recent report by the Southern Poverty Law Center found the number of right-wing militias tripled last year from forty-two to 127.

Politics – from Noah

• After the news broke Monday that a Republican National Committee aide authorized a payment of nearly $2,000 to take donors to a bondage-themed nightclub in West Hollywood, many Republicans were outraged. However, this anger seems not to have been entirely directed at the obvious target, RNC Chairman Michael Steele. Steele, despite having had a bumpy year in 2009, has had no high-ranking GOP officials call for his resignation or removal from his position, and looks to have emerged from the scandal with his career intact. Some prominent Republicans have criticized the chairman for the incident, such as former Senator Rick Santorum (R-PN) and Representative John Shadegg (R-AZ). All those offering such criticism have, however, stopped short of calling for Steele’s resignation. In an interview with MSNBC on Wednesday morning, Shadegg stated: “At this point I’m not calling for his resignation, but I think there has been excessive spending, and I don’t think it’s defensible.” Katon Dawson, a South Carolina Republican and former challenger to Steele for the RNC chairmanship, was quoted as saying: “It will be up to the 160 members of the Republican National Committee to make sure those expenditures are appropriate. The wind is at the back of the Republican Party right now, with Washington out of control with spending, and we certainly don’t want any committee or organization getting in the way of that.” She additionally stated that while the Voyeur expenditure was clearly inappropriate, there is nothing to indicate that there was poor spending beyond the isolated incident. Shawn Steel, a GOP committeeman in California, said the Voyeur expenditure was clearly a mistake. “It was an unfortunate and embarrassing incident that was immediately corrected by the RNC,” Steel said. “Nobody in authority knew about it or approved of it, and the whole thing is just plain silly.”

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from The National Enquirer) – After more than a hundred operations in the past 25 years, Hollywood icon Liz Taylor has had enough! The superstar, 78, has reportedly told friends and family she won’t go under the knife any more no matter how much pain she’s in. Taylor who’s been in poor health most of her life after falling off a horse in National Velvet has already been rushed to a hospital 3 times this year. Liz’s long list of surgery included having both hips replaced and five operations on her back. Medical problems for the Suddenly Last Summer star have also included a brain tumor, skin cancer, diabetes, pneumonia, seizures and a stroke.

  Last October, Liz had a heart procedure to treat congestive heart failure – a progressive condition in which the heart is too weak to pump sufficient blood around the body. And pals say she is still suffering excruciating neck pain as a result of her lifelong battle with scoliosis, or curvature of the spine.

  Despite the searing daily pain, Liz is reputed to have said NO to docs’ demands to conduct corrective surgery before it’s too late. Now, virtually confined to a wheel chair, the indomitable Taylor still quips about the numerous predictions of her “demise”. “I enter hospitals as often as others enter taxi cabs,” Liz said in an interview. “But as I said before …I AM a survivor.”

• (from Hollyscoop) – This one’s a little hard to swallow. According to reports, Tiger Woods’ wifey Elin Nordegren is pregnant. Yes, pregnant!The National Enquirer is reporting Elin is approximately four months along and is really starting to have a hard time hiding her growing belly. And before you knock the National Enquirer down, remember they were the ones who first reported on Tiger’s cheating scandal.

  “Elin’s staying quiet about it, but she’s showing every sign of being pregnant,” a source told the National Enquirer.

  “Her tummy’s a dead giveaway and so is her behavior. Her moods are all over the place and she’s been eating constantly, which is not like Elin since she’s always so concerned about her figure.

  The source added, “She’s also dropping other little hints, like rubbing her tummy constantly, and cutting back on her exercise routine. Her appetite changes, too. She gets nauseous a lot of the time and sometimes doesn’t eat a thing. If she’s pregnant, this could be the real reason she hasn’t sent Tiger packing for good.”

  It’s a little hard to believe Elin is pregnant, but if she is, it makes sense as to why she didn’t leave Tiger after 15 mistresses came forward. What do you guys think? Could she be preggers?

• (from Entertainment Weekly) – According to sources close to ‘30 Rock,’ the current plan is for Matt Damon to be a love interest for Tina Fey! That’s right, first Liz Lemon hooks up with Jon Hamm, then James Franco, then James Franco’s pillow and now this.

  Though 30 Rock’s producers are still hammering out all the details, sources tell me NBC is hoping to get Matt on for multiple episodes. However, Matt is shooting another project this spring, so it all depends on Matt’s schedule and whether 30 Rock can be squeezed in. So at this point only one Damon-Lemon episode is guaranteed, but there may be more.

  One thing is certain: Sarah Silverman is gonna be pissed.According to sources close to the show, the current plan is for Matt to be a love interest for Tina Fey!

  That’s right, first Liz Lemon hooks up with Jon Hamm, then James Franco, then James Franco’s pillow and now this.

  Though 30 Rock’s producers are still hammering out all the details, sources tell me NBC is hoping to get Matt on for multiple episodes. However, Matt is shooting another project this spring, so it all depends on Matt’s schedule and whether 30 Rock can be squeezed in. So at this point only one Damon-Lemon episode is guaranteed, but there may be more.

  One thing is certain: Sarah Silverman is gonna be pissed.

Madeleine L'Engle's 'A Wrinkle In Time' to be adapted for the big screen

Kirsten and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national, local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 10 a.m. – 11 a.m.:

Local/KSUnews – from Kirsten

• The City of Kennesaw is is hosting a military appreciation night as part of the Big Shanty Festival on Saturday, April 17th at Kennesaw Mountain High School at 7:30 pm. The admission is free and Veterans and Active Duty service members will be recognized and saluted. The program will include the the U.S. Marines Corps Silent Drill platoon precision drill exhibition.
• The City of Kennesaw is now accepting cooking team entries for a Kansas City Barbecue Society sanctioned Professional Contest to be held Friday and Saturday, August 20-21, during the City of Kennesaw’s 2010 Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival. A Backyard BBQ, Anything Butt and Peach Dessert Contest will also take place. The festival will take place at Adams Park and the Ben Robertson Community Center, 2753 Watts Drive in Kennesaw. Over $14,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded.The Professional Contest is also recognized as a 2010 Georgia BBQ Championship. For contest rules and to download entry forms, visit www.pigsandpeaches.com. The deadline to submit entry forms is August 1. A limited number of entries will be accepted. For more information, call the City of Kennesaw Parks & Recreation Department at (770) 422-9714.
• Students! Come be a part of the Atlanta Creativity Exchange! This event will be the weekend of May 6th – 8th and will include a series of 90 minute sessions on Creativity from leaders in the field. The subjects will focus on Creativity in the workplace, in the classroom and in your daily life. The fee is only $25 for students and includes admission to all of the sessions. Learn more about the conference and how to register at http://www.atlantacreativity.org, or listen to OWL Radio News for further updates and discussion.
• The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office Traffic Enforcement Unit is investigating a Hit and Run accident that occurred during rush hour traffic Friday March 26th at approximately 5:30pm on Interstate 575 northbound, just south of Towne Lake Parkway. The suspect was driving a white 4 door Buick and was merging from the right lane to the left lane. The Buick struck a Gray Ford Escape on the right rear bumper causing the Escape to lose control and strike a guardrail. The suspect left the scene of the accident.
  The suspect vehicle should have damage to the driver-side front bumper. Anyone with any information about the accident or the suspect vehicle is urged to contact the Traffic Enforcement Unit at 770-720-7079.

World News – from Mark

• In India, a government panel has recommended a $47 million fine against the Indian subsidiary of the soft-drink giant Coca-Cola for environmental damage. The panel found a Coca-Cola bottling plant polluted the water and soil around the village of Plachimada by discharging toxins including cadmium and lead. The plant was shut down in 2004 after local residents successfully won a campaign for its closure. Coca-Cola has denied responsibility for the environmental damage and says it rejects the panel’s recommendation.
• Former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton visited Haiti on Monday in their roles as co-chairs of the US relief effort there. Dozens of Haitians took part in a protest in the capital Port-au-Prince to denounce the former presidents’ policies toward Haiti while in office. Bush cut off desperately needed aid to Haiti and backed the overthrow of Haitian President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Bush’s father, former President George H.W. Bush, supported the first coup against Aristide in 1991. Clinton, meanwhile, helped restore Aristide, but only on condition that he accept harsh neoliberal reforms. Protester Elizabeth Pierre singled out Bush, who was making his first-ever visit to Haiti saying, “I hear that former President George Bush is here. I am asking President Clinton to excuse himself so I can talk to George Bush, because George Bush is President Aristide’s kidnapper.”
• The United Nations marked World Water Day with a warning that unsafe water kills more people than wars and all other forms of violence combined. According to the World Health Organization, 1.5 million people under the age of five die every year from water-related diseases. Also marking World Water Day, Bolivian President Evo Morales called on the UN to declare access to safe water a universal human right.
• Yesterday marks the thirtieth anniversary of the assassination of the Salvadoran Catholic Archbishop Oscar Arnulfo Romero. Known as the “voice of the voiceless,” Romero was a prominent advocate for the poor and a leading critic of the US-backed Salvadoran military government. He was killed while delivering mass at a hospital chapel, reportedly on the orders of the US-backed death squad leader Roberto D’Aubuisson(DE-AH BEW-SAHN) Earlier this month, Romero was one of the historical figures deleted from Texas’s social studies curriculum as part of the sweeping changes approved by the state’s Republican-dominated board of education. The board voted to omit Romero from history lessons after deeming him to be “insignificant.” This year marks the first time the El Salvador government is commemorating Romero’s murder. President Mauricio Funes is expected to issue a formal apology today on behalf of the Salvadoran government.

Politics – from Noah

• As the Florida Senate primaries rage on, the Republican candidates are participating in a particularly brutal fight against one another. As the Republicans combat each other, the most likely Democratic candidate, Congressman Kendrick Meek, is biding his time, waiting for someone to emerge the victor and thus his opponent in the general election. Since he announced his candidacy, Meek has been heavily campaigning, but hasn’t gained much national attention. Most of that attention has been going to his Republican counterparts, Florida House Speaker Marco Rubio and Governor Charlie Crist, due to the intensity of their campaign against each other, which is due in large part to their battle being characterized as moderate versus conservative. During the Republican debate on “Fox News Sunday,” Crist and Rubio sparred for 40 minutes without mentioning Meek once. In an interview with Fox News, Meek said: “I saw the debate. I thought it had very little to do on the issues that people are facing in Florida and a lot about one another, but I am looking forward to hopefully being a part of the debate in the future. I’m committed to the voters of the state of Florida, not national groups that gave endorsements to the governor’s campaign and the speaker’s campaign. I’m working on issues today that will get more attention tomorrow.” Meek could prove to be a potent candidate, as he is the first candidate in Florida history to get on the ballot by receiving 145,000 signatures. When asked which Republican he’d rather faced, he said “Put it this way: Whoever comes out of the Republican primary, we are ready to face. I feel that I’m better than both of the candidates that are running, and we will continue to prepare ourselves for that.”

Entertainment – from Leah

• (from Paste Magazine) – Classic young-adult sci-fi novel “A Wrinkle in Time” is being adapted for the big screen, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Bedrock Studios is behind the project that will turn the space-and-time-traveling story, by author Madeleine L’Engle, into a movie.Jeff Stockwell has signed on to write the script for the Wrinkle movie. Stockwell is no novice when it comes to book-to-film adaptations: he co-wrote screenplay adaptations for both “Bridge to Terabithia” and “The Dangerous Lives of Altar Boys.”

  This won’t be the first time the beloved novel has made it to the screen: Both the BBC and ABC have aired their own cinematic takes on the book. Bedrock is working with Disney on this latest adaptation. There’s no other news yet on who could direct or star in the A Wrinkle in Time, and the studio has not stated an expected release date.

  Who would you cast in the major roles?

• Ricky Martin is out of the closet:(from Ricky Martin’s website) – “A few months ago I decided to write my memoirs, a project I knew was going to bring me closer to an amazing turning point in my life. From the moment I wrote the first phrase I was sure the book was the tool that was going to help me free myself from things I was carrying within me for a long time. Things that were too heavy for me to keep inside. Writing this account of my life, I got very close to my truth. And this is something worth celebrating.For many years, there has been only one place where I am in touch with my emotions fearlessly and that’s the stage. Being on stage fills my soul in many ways, almost completely. It’s my vice. The music the lights and the roar of the audience are elements that make me feel capable of anything. This rush of adrenaline is incredibly addictive. I don’t ever want to stop feeling these emotions. But it is serenity that brings me to where I’m at right now. An amazing emotional place of comprehension, reflection and enlightenment. At this moment I’m feeling the same freedom I usually feel only on stage, without a doubt, I need to share.

  Many people told me: “Ricky it’s not important”, “it’s not worth it”, “all the years you’ve worked and everything you’ve built will collapse”, “many people in the world are not ready to accept your truth, your reality, your nature”. Because all this advice came from people who I love dearly, I decided to move on with my life not sharing with the world my entire truth. Allowing myself to be seduced by fear and insecurity became a self-fulfilling prophecy of sabotage. Today I take full responsibility for my decisions and my actions.

  If someone asked me today, “Ricky, what are you afraid of?” I would answer “the blood that runs through the streets of countries at war…child slavery, terrorism…the cynicism of some people in positions of power, the misinterpretation of faith.” But fear of my truth? Not at all! On the contrary, It fills me with strength and courage. This is just what I need especially now that I am the father of two beautiful boys that are so full of light and who with their outlook teach me new things every day. To keep living as I did up until today would be to indirectly diminish the glow that my kids where born with. Enough is enough. This has to change. This was not supposed to happen 5 or 10 years ago, it is supposed to happen now. Today is my day, this is my time, and this is my moment.

  These years in silence and reflection made me stronger and reminded me that acceptance has to come from within and that this kind of truth gives me the power to conquer emotions I didn’t even know existed.

  What will happen from now on? It doesn’t matter. I can only focus on what’s happening to me in this moment. The word “happiness” takes on a new meaning for me as of today. It has been a very intense process. Every word that I write in this letter is born out of love, acceptance, detachment and real contentment. Writing this is a solid step towards my inner peace and vital part of my evolution.

  I am proud to say that I am a fortunate homosexual man. I am very blessed to be who I am.”

Dr. Conrad Murray. (Photo from The New York Daily News)

Erin and the other ORN reporters will give you the low-down on national, local and KSU headlines – as well as other fascinating stories in the realms of international news, politics, sports, health/science, and entertainment!

Leave us your thoughts on these stories by commenting below – we just might read them on the air!

Just a hint of what you’ll hear on the show today from 12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Local News – from Kirsten

• ATTN: Cobb Veterans of Foreign War post will hold fundraiser to recoup stolen funds
• The next blood drive will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, April 6 and 7, from 9:00 am – 5:00 pm in University Rooms A and B. To schedule an appointment, please visit www.givelife.org and enter the sponsor code “KSU.” Information about blood donation is also at this site.You may also call the Volunteer Kennesaw (VKSU) office at x6700 to schedule an appointment, or you can email me a date and time window. Walk-ins are accepted at the blood drives; however, appointments receive first priority.
• The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office is enlisting the assistance of the public in locating a suspect wanted for Child Exploitation. Investigators with the sheriff’s office received an anonymous tip that Patrick Ange Molesti, 56 years old of Woodstock, had been attempting to purchase a 5 year old child online. Investigators went to Molesti’s Woodstock home on March 18th and executed a search warrant. Molesti was not home at the time. His computer that was seized had child pornography on it.
  Molesti, a French National, is 6’ 1” and 200 pounds. He has brown hair and brown eyes. He is possibly driving a 2002 white Chevrolet van and likely armed with a handgun. He is believed to still be in the Metro Atlanta area. Anyone with any information about Molesti’s whereabouts is urged to call Cherokee 911 or detectives at 770-928-0239.
• Atlanta police are asking for the public’s help to find a missing 15-year-old boy who suffers from mental illness. Keith Bailey was last seen leaving The Hillside Hospital, 690 Courtenay Drive NE, around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. Anyone with information on Bailey’s whereabouts should contact Atlanta police, or the hospital at 404-875-5059 or 404-564-0685.

Politics – from Noah

• Since the passage of the health care bill on Sunday, Democrats have reported a rise in death threats against them. According to House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, “a significant number, meaning over 10,” Democratic House members have reported threats, vandalism, and other incidents. Capital police have begun to instruct House Democrats on how to report threatening and dangerous behavior and are making sure the congressmen know how to avoid “subjecting themselves or their families to physical harm,” said Hoyer.

Entertainment – from Leah

• Conrad Murray stopped CPR on Jackson to get rid of evidence (from TMZ) – According to bodyguard Alberto Alvarez (right), Dr. Murray stopped CPR and handed Alvarez drug vials and told him to put the vials in a bag. Alvarez told investigators when he went into the room he saw an IV attached to Jackson’s leg. Also Jackson’s mouth and eyes were wide open and there was no sign of life.According to the AP, Michael Jackson’s kids, Prince and Paris, entered the room and cried as they watched Dr. Murray administer mouth-to-mouth. According to Alvarez, Dr. Murray took several vials and told Alvarez to put them in a plastic bag, then told Alvarez to put the plastic bag in a canvas bag. Alvarez also says Dr. Murray told him to remove the IV that contained a white milky substance (Propofol has this quality) in another canvas bag. Alvarez didn’t say where the bags went.The report says, after Jackson was pronounced dead at UCLA Medical Center, Murray said he needed to go back to the mansion to get cream Jackson had “so the world wouldn’t find out about it.” The statement did not get more specific.
• (from The Hollywood Reporter) – Having scored a hit with “Alice in Wonderland,” Disney and screenwriter Linda Woolverton are teaming to bring to the big screen “Maleficent,” a live-action take on the evil queen in the 1959 animated classic “Sleeping Beauty.”"Maleficent” might reunite Woolverton with Tim Burton; it’s one of a handful of projects the filmmaker is circling. His interest in the character was piqued in the summer when he was in post on “Alice,” and the studio and Burton’s camp have been trying to keep a lid on the project, though the Web site Ain’t It Cool News mentioned Burton’s interest in January.No deal has been made with Burton, and the hiring of Woolverton is the first concrete step forward in its development.In “Beauty,” Maleficent is a tall green-skinned woman with horns who can morph into several forms, including a terrifying black and purple dragon. The character, who has appeared in many Disney books and TV shows and is a popular Halloween costume, is also the most serious character in Disney’s villain stable, featuring a darkness not found in other Disney characters.Woolverton’s “Maleficent” movie would tell the classic fairy tale from the point of view of the self-proclaimed “Mistress of All Evil,” offering a new take on a classic tale as she did with Lewis Carrol’s “Alice.”
• (from In Touch) – Last week, In Touch Weekly was the first to reveal the shocking news that Sandra Bullock’s husband Jesse James cheated on her with tattoo model Michelle “Bombshell” McGee. While Sandra copes with that information, even more astounding details have emerged about the man she once believed was her soulmate.In an exclusive interview with In Touch, Jesse’s ex-wife Janine Lindemulder describes, in her opinion, an immature, selfish man who has never been faithful to any woman he’s been with — including Sandra. “He’s a chronic cheater,” Janine claims to In Touch. “I feel sorry for Sandra because she was so in love with Jesse that she was blind and gullible. She once said, ‘I finally have a man who has my back.’ And all I could think was, ‘No. You have this man who does it behind your back.’”