I TUESDAY, Dec. 4, 2001 UNIVERSITY PARK FORECAST FOR TUESDAY, DEC. 4, 2001, Above average temperatures will continue through the middle of the week until an area of low pressure slides into the region from the west. While little precipitation is expected, this storm will open the door for some colder air by the weekend. Today o1: ::z. -.s. ii. ~.,,,? .;, ', :' ', vir... , 4.41 F l' " • $ = • ; The extended outlook Tomorrow night More clouds return. Low 46. Thursday: Cloudy with a chance of a afternoon shower. High 60, low 49. Friday: Chance of a morning shower; then sun returns. High 50, low 38 Saturday: Partly sunny. High 44, low 30. ALMANAC Today Normal high Record high Normal low Record low SIMU* Climate Summary (Data valid through 8 am yesterday) Dec. precipitation 0.00 inches Normal Dec. precip 2.67 inches Dec. temp. departure + 14.41 deg. Sun Data Sunset today . . . Sunrise tomorrow 40 deg. 64 deg. in 1998 25 deg. . 0 deg. in 1976 PEOPLE IN THE NEWS `Pearl Harbor' to hit video stores today LOS ANGELES (AP) Critics trashed Pearl Harbor, but the movie has become more relevant since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, said produc er Jerry Bruckheimer. Recounting the Japanese sneak attack that hurled the United States into World War 11, Pearl Harbor likely will resonate differ ently with audi ences when it :tdebuts on home video today, Bruck heimer said. "Absolutely and unfortunately," Bruckheimer said in a telephone inter view last week. Bruckheimer "There are echoes of a country unaware and unprepared jor,,,what's to come. the patriotism --talskrwl'iteie seeing a tot of that again. The military is looked at much differently" since Sept. 11. The VHS and DVD release this week coincides with the 60th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack on Dec. 7. Pearl Harbor, starring Ben Meek, Kate Beckinsale and Josh Hartnett, was an explosion-laden, three-hour epic that cost $l4O million. Critics gen erally hated it, and the film failed to live up to lofty box-office expectations some in Hollywood had predicted. The movie has grossed a bit less than $2OO million, and before its release, some analysts viewed it as the film to beat last summer. But three other summer-season movies Shrek, Rush Hour 2 and The Mummy Returns out-grossed Pearl Harbor, along with two fall films, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone and Mon sters, Inc. "Those were other people's expecta tions, not ours," Bruckheimer said. "Any studio would be happy to have a hit as big as Pearl Harbor." Cruise looks to religion for strength as actor NEW YORK (AP) Tom Cruise says being a Scientologist for the past 15 years has given him the strength to handle the negativity that can exist Hollywood. "Life pounds you —you know what I mean?" Cruise says in the January issue of Vanity Fair magazine, in which he also discusses his upcoming movie, Vanilla Sky. "You come across losses. All of a sudden something happens and now you feel like you cannot go forward or it invalidates you. People die. Things 'NEWS IN BRIEF Water main break closes intersection - There was a water main break that fteced the closure of Bigler Road between Curtin Road and Park Avenue yesterday afternoon between 3:28 and 4:15. The break sent water flooding out completely covering six inches of the street However, no buildings or vehi cles were damaged by the water, said University Police Services supervisor, Dvright Smith. The break affected faculty and staff who parked their vehicles in Lot Orange A and Lot 80. Those who want ed to exit the parking lots will need to use west exits to Shortlidge Road. OLICE LOG ■ Theft Compact discs, running shoes and $5O in cash were taken from a Penn State student's car Sunday at an unknown time on the 600 block of Early sun, followed by clouds High 59 BIG TEN FORECAST ADDITIONAL WEATHER University Illinois Michigan Michigan St Minnesota Northwestern Ohio State Purdue 4:44 pm .7:21 am Wisconsin happen in life that make it very difficult at times to be happy or to overcome cer tain pioblems. Sci entology has helped me be able to figure out tools to under stand exactly what a problem is, and how to overcome those problems." As for his divorce from Nicole Kidman this year after near ly a decade of marriage, the 39-year old actor has less to say "She knows why and I know why. She's the mother of my children, and I wish her well," he said. "I don't care if it piques people's interest. Honestly, people should mind their own damn business. And get a life of their own. ... My personal life isn't here to sell newspapers." Balw born taßraidon and hubby in Georgia ATLANTA (AP) Toni Braxton has given birth to 5-pound, 12-ounce boy at an Atlanta-area hospitaL The baby, born Sunday, was named Denim Cole Braxton Lewis and is the first child for Braxton and her hus band, Keri Lewis, of the Minneapolis based band Mint Condition. "Mom and baby are doing fine," said her spokesman, David Brokaw. The 33-year-old R&B singer, who won her sixth Grammy Award this year, met her husband, a 28-year-old keyboard player, four years ago. Mint Condition accompanied her when she opened for contemporary jazz saxo phonist Kenny G on a nationwide tour. `N Sync watches sold to raise funds for kids LAS VEGAS (AP) 'N Sync has teamed up with a Swiss watchmaker to raise money for children who were orphaned by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World made Center. Audemars Piguet has created 200 of the limited-edition watches that also will benefit needy children through "Challenge for the Children," 'N Sync's foundation. The 50 men's watches and 150 women's watches have been engraved with the signatures of the pop group's five members and will be priced at $8,500 and $5,900, respectively Westerly Parkway, the State College Police Department said. The value of the items totaled $l,BOO, police said. ■ Theft A Penn State staff member reported Friday that sometime overnight unknown persons had taken items from a locked locker at the Mateer Building, Penn State Police Services said. The estimated value of the items is $l,OOO, police said. ■ Theft A Penn State student report ed his wallet and contents were stolen from the Intramural Building on Sun day, sometime between 11:15 p.m. and 12 am., Penn State police said. The estimated value of the wallet and its contents is about ;860, police said. ■ Theft: Two speakers, a carpeted speaker box, two amplifiers and a gross-mar device mew taken from an unlocked vehicle NM block of Belair Avenue, State College police said The total value of the items is $550, police said. ToniOt Mainly cloudy, but dry Low 42 Today's Weather HI/Lo Coeddhow 62/52 Mostly Cloudy 63/50 Mostly Cloudy 50/39 Mostly Cloudy 57/49 Mostly Cloudy 57/48 Mostly Cloudy 46/25 Partly Sunny 58/48 Mostly Cloudy 63/48 Mostly Cloudy 63/51 Mostly Cloudy 51/38 Mostly Cloudy r 9 7 7 1 LOCAL & STATE Tomorrow Visit the Campus Weather Service at: http://cws.met.psu.edu Comments concerning the content of this page can be e-mailed to: cws@cws.metpsu.edu Forecasters: Jeff Porter, Joel Gratz, Jeff Mock Kalim A. BhaM, `ON MY HONOR, I WILL TRY . Connie Williams, D-Montgomery County, left, holds up her hand as her husband Sankey, daughters, Jenny, right, and Betsy, far right, hold the Bible during Williams' swearing in ceremony at the Capitol in Harrisburg, Pa. Williams was elected to the Pennsylvania senate in a special election. Mob boss to serve PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia's already decimated Mafia family took another blow yesterday when former boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino received a 14-year prison sentence for racketeering. Going back more than two decades, every single Philadelphia mob boss since Angelo Bruno has either been murdered or sent to prison, prosecu tors noted after Merlin was led away in handcuffs. "Other people have assumed leader ship positions," Assistant U.S. Attorney David E. Fritchey said outside court. "But with each one of these prosecu tions, they suffer blows of attrition. We're down to the fourth string." Merlino reacted with typical stoicism as U.S. District Judge Herbert Hutton delivered the sentence. Turning to face family members sitting in the gallery Merlino shrugged his shoulders and said: "Ain't bad. Nine's better thn the death penalty." Merlino has already spent more than two years behind bars, and with time off for good behavior he could be released in about nine years. Hutton also sentenced Merlin, 39, to three years of supervised release, resti tution of almost $338,000 and $25,000 in fines. The sentence was more lenient than what prosecutors had been asking for, Academic Assembly supports calendar By Etta Zarra COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER I emzll2@psu.edu The Undergraduate Student Govern ment Academic Assembly reaffirmed their resolution last night to oppose any calendar decision eliminating fall break, as they believe that it goes against the wishes of the student majority "I feel that this is a strong resolu tion," said Academic Assembly Vice President Robyn Ricketts said. "When we voted, we voted on behalf of the stu dents." The Joint Committee To Review The University Calendar's recent recom mendation combines fall break with Thanksgiving recess, leaving four days for final exams. A mix of sun and clouds High 62 REGIONAL FORECAST MAP How to interpret this map: Shades of gray indicate the expected high temperatures for today. Today's fore casted high and tomorrow morning's low are also shown for selected cities. Legend: SU(Sunny), MS(Mostly Sunny), PS(Partly Sunny), MC(Mostly Cloudy), CY(Cloudy), RN(Rain), RS(Rain/Snow), SH(Showers), SN(Snow), SF(Snow Flurries), MX (Mix), TS(Thunderstorms), WY(Windy), E (Freezing Rain/Sleet). By Michael Rubinkam ASSOCIATED PRESS WRITER but fell within federal sentencing guide lines. While a jury acquitted Merlino of murder, attempted murder and drug trafficking last July, he and six other defendants were convicted of a series of racketeering offenses including extor tion, illegal gambling and unlawful col lection of debts. Merlino's co-defen dants will be sentenced by Hutton over the next several days. Federal prosecutors had asked Hut ton to go beyond the guidelines and send Merlino to prison for up to 24 years. The guidelines called for a sen tence of 11 to 14 years, according to the U.S. Probation Department. Merlino's trial lawyer, Edwin Jacobs Jr., contested both versions as being too high. He argued the applicable sentenc ing guidelines were much lower, per haps in the four- to five-year range. "We're OK with the sentence," said Jacobs, who still planned an appeal that he said could knock off another 1 1 / 2 years. "Compared to where we were one year ago facing life in prison or the death penalty this is not so bad." Merlino and his co-defendants were convicted after a four-month racketeer ing trial that featured testimony from several top mob informants, including admitted mob boss and one-time Merli no ally Ralph Natale. Natale was the only American Mafia boss to ever turn government inform ant. In 14 days on the witness stand, he testified he set loose Merlin() and other It also proposes 72 instructional days for each semester. The assembly said that in addition to keeping fall break where it is, they would also like the Monday and Tues day before finals week to be designated for study and review, not for lecture. "We discussed some of the weak nesses of our resolution so if asked to back it up, we will be prepared," said Academic Assembly President Paul Ricciardi. The assembly has three of its mem bers on the !Jndergraduate Education Committee and one on the University Planning Committee. These two groups will meet separate ly today to discuss both the Joint Com mittee's recommendation and assem bly's esolution. They will then meet THE DAILY COLLEGIAN 14 years defendants to commit murder and may hem in Philadelphia and New Jersey. But his story didn't always jibe with the accounts by three other confessed Mobsters, and the jury acquitted Merli no of three murders, two attempted murders and murder conspiracy. Pros ecutors said Merlin succeeded Natale as boss of the Philadelphia-South Jer sey mob after Natale was jailed in 1998. During a two-hour sentencing hear ing, Jacobs assailed the "desperation of the government trying to salvage a win . ning sentence from a losing case." But Fritchey mocked the short, slen der Merlin as a physical weakling who needed the Mafia to transform him into a respected underworld figure. "Merlino is not a particularly impos ing physical specimen. He might be in the 35th percentile of healthy American males living in the city of Philadelphia," Fritchey said. "But he is a feared figure because he is a mob leader." Fritchey predicted a "100 percent" chance that Merlin will re-enter mob life once he's released from prison. But at that point, Merlino will be "at the bot tom of the totem pole" because other imprisoned mobsters will have already been released, Fritchey said. The trial was the government's third major assault on the Philadelphia mob in 13 years. A 1988 case led to the down fall of Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo and 15 associates, while a 1994 indict ment put mob boss John Stanfa away for five consecutive life sentences. together and have a final discussion on the two proposals before bringing their findings before the University Faculty Senate at its meeting this afternoon. However, the calendar is not set to be voted on until the group's January meeting. Ricketts said that although she is not sure how assembly's opinion will influ ence the final decision, she is confident that even if fall break is moved her group will still have a strong voice on campus and not be discouraged. Senator for the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences and member of the Undergraduate Education Committee, Terry Shirley said that his group will take assembly's resolution seriously "I know that they will listen to all of the key points," Shirley said. f
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers