Connecticut

WASHINGTON — Imagine Superman promoting fresh fruits and vegetables instead of a cereal. Children are confronted with such a barrage of advertising for food and drink — much of it unhealthy — that the entertainment industry should take steps to tie popular TV and movie characters to more nutritional products, the Federal Trade Commission says. The recommendation was part of a report showing that the nation’s largest food and beverage companies spent about $1.6 billion in 2006 marketing their products — especially carbonated drinks — to children and adolescents. The report, to be released Tuesday, stems from lawmakers’ concern about growing obesity rates in children. (Read the full post about ‘Kids Target Of $1.6B In Food Ads, FTC Says’…)

TULSA, Okla. — Police in Oklahoma said a puppy has attacked and killed a 2-month-old boy who was left unattended in a swing. Slideshow: Most Aggressive Dog Breeds Officer Jason Willingham said Monday the baby was mauled by the Labrador at the boy’s home and died at the scene. He said the dog will most likely be destroyed. Authorities have not yet released the infant’s name.Willingham said the baby’s mother and grandmother were home, but nobody was in the room at the time. (Read the full post about ‘Labrador Puppy Attacks, Kills Okla. Infant’…)

NEW YORK — Compact cars such as the Honda Fit and Chevrolet Aveo are now expected to retain more of their value than trucks and sport utility vehicles once prized for the resale demand, according to a car value tracking firm.

Automotive Lease Guide Inc., which provides residual value forecasts, attributed the reversal to soaring gas prices and a weak economy that have steered consumers away from gas-guzzling SUVs and trucks and toward more fuel efficient cars.

“If you look at it from a dollars and cents perspective, it’s just going to be really expensive to drive a car that’s not fuel efficient and that is going to effect the values of those cars,” John Blair, ALG’s chief executive, said Monday.

Residual value forecasts for compact cars with high fuel efficiency, including hybrids, rose an average of 5 percentage points, while the outlook for full-size pickups and full-size and midsize SUVs fell an average of 8 points, ALG said. (Read the full post about ‘Residual Values Of Trucks, SUVs Fall’…)

WASHINGTON — President George W. Bush will be in Cleveland on Tuesday to talk up the economy, even as his advisers are predicting more economic gloom.

The president will tour a welding tool plant and note the economy’s still growing, despite the housing crunch and sky-high gasoline prices.

But the White House has now cut its growth forecast nearly in half.

Still, Bush’s head economist, Edward Lazear, said it could have been worse. He said the numbers reflect “the resilience of the American economy in the face of “significant shocks.”

However, unemployment is forecast to rise, and the White House is increasing its prediction for the deficit that the next president will face to a record $482 billion. (Read the full post about ‘Bush To Point Out Economic Positives’…)

ST. LOUIS — People are praying for lower gas prices — literally.

Two prayer services were held at St. Louis gas stations to thank God for lower fuel prices and to ask that they continue to drop.

Participants of the Pray at the Pump movement said they planned to buy gas, pray and then sing “We Shall Overcome” with a new verse that goes, “We’ll have lower gas prices.”

An activist from the Washington, D.C., area started the effort, saying if politicians couldn’t lower gas prices, it was time to ask God to intervene.

The group thinks the prayer is helping, since prices have started to fall below $4 per gallon.

Sean Sullivan has challenged Rep. Joe Courtney to a series of debates as the fall election approaches. From a press release:

Today Sean Sullivan, the Republican Party candidate for Connecticut’s Second Congressional District, said he is looking forward to debating Congressman Joe Courtney throughout eastern Connecticut.

Sullivan said, “I expect we will have at least twelve debates. There were about that many between the candidates in 2006. This district covers a large area. Having many debates gives voters in every part of the district an ample opportunity to hear the issues discussed.”

The Essex Library Association and Connecticut College have formally contacted the Sullivan campaign with offers to sponsor debates.

(Read the full post about ‘Sullivan Wants “At Least Twelve” Debates’…)

PARIS — It sounds like a scene from “Fight Club.”French police said camouflaged paparazzi who got on to the grounds of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s chateau in southern France fought with the Hollywood couple’s guards. Police spokeswoman Capt. Olivia Poupot said Friday the two photographers were wearing camouflage clothes. She said police officers took them and the two guards in for questioning after Thursday’s bust-up at the Jolie-Pitt family’s Miraval estate. The police captain said both sides filed legal complaints accusing the other of battery and causing injury. She said she believed the injuries were bruises and scratches and “nothing nasty.” Nevertheless, the guards got doctors’ notes giving them four days off work; the photographers did not, she said. (Read the full post about ‘Police: Paparazzi Brawl With Jolie Guards’…)

LOS ANGELES — Friends and family gathered Thursday at a private memorial service to say farewell to Estelle Getty.Getty’s son, Carl Gettleman, said despite his mother’s sitcom success with “The Golden Girls,” she always chose frugal over flashy.Gettleman said “the Great Depression left an indelible impression” on his mom. He recounted a time when her Toyota Tercel was towed out of her assigned parking space at “The Golden Girls” production lot because security thought someone else had parked there.Getty was best known for her role as wisecracking Sophia Petrillo on NBC’s “The Golden Girls,” which ran from 1985 to 1992. (Read the full post about ‘‘Golden Girl’ Remembered In Private Service’…)

WASHINGTON — Congress has passed a housing rescue bill aimed at sparing 400,000 struggling homeowners from foreclosure. President George W. Bush is expected to sign the measure quickly.

The Senate passed the legislation by a 72-13 vote in a rare Saturday session.

The measure lets homeowners who cannot afford their monthly payments to refinance into more affordable government-backed loans rather than losing their homes. The bill also offers a temporary financial lifeline to the troubled mortgage companies Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and tightens controls over them.

There would be higher limits on loans that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac can buy and the Federal Housing Administration can insure. (Read the full post about ‘Housing Bill Easily Passes Senate’…)

DAYTON, Ohio — A minor league pitcher remains in a Dayton jail Saturday, accused of throwing a ball that hit a fan in the forehead. Peoria Chiefs pitcher Julio Castillo was arraigned Friday on a charge of felonious assault and ordered held on $50,000 bond. The 21-year-old was arrested the night before following a fight at a game with the Dayton Dragons. Chris McCarthy, 44, was the fan who got hit. He was treated at a hospital and then released. Another fan, Tim Hawes, told NBC’s “Today” show that after the incident, people were really skittish even when a foul ball would go into the stands. The Single-A Chiefs and Dragons played again in Dayton Friday night — this time with no brawling. (Read the full post about ‘Pitcher Arraigned After Minor League Fight’…)