Jobless claims fall more than expected to 502K

New claims for unemployment insurance fell more than expected last week, evidence the job market is slowly healing as the economy recovers.

Still, many analysts worry the nation could be in for a "jobless recovery" as the unemployment rate rises despite some overall economic growth.

The Labor Department said Thursday that first-time claims for jobless benefits dropped to a seasonally adjusted 502,000 from an upwardly revised 514,000 the previous week. That's the fewest claims since the week ending Jan. 3, and below economists' estimates.

The four-week average, which smooths fluctuations, dropped to 519,750, the lowest in almost a year. It …

Whistleblower Nets $1 Million as Firm Settles Fraud Suit

A Long Grove man reaped a $1 million windfall Thursday forblowing the whistle on his former employer, a Mundelein health careproducts company charged with bilking the Department of VeteransAffairs out of millions of dollars.

Ralph Rybacki, 64, had served as vice president forinternational sales at Medline Industries and brought the caseagainst his former employer under the False Claims Act.

Medline agreed to pay the federal government $6.4 million tosettle the suit, which accused the firm of presenting thousands offalse invoices.The law allows a private citizen to sue for fraud on behalf ofthe United States and receive a portion of any settlement."I am very …

Jets hire Tony Sparano as offensive coordinator

NEW YORK (AP) — The New York Jets have hired Tony Sparano as their offensive coordinator to replace Brian Schottenheimer.

The former Miami Dolphins coach takes over an offense that struggled mightily this season.

The team announced the hiring of Sparano on Wednesday, just over 12 hours after announcing that Schottenheimer told the Jets he wouldn't return next season despite having two years left on his contract. …

Wind, waves from hurricane dock oil skimming boats

Most days, a huge fleet of boats would be skimming oil from the Gulf of Mexico and ferrying workers and supplies. But Hurricane Alex churning in the Gulf has turned many people fighting the massive 11-week-old spill into spectators. And they will be for days.

On Tuesday, dozens of small skiffs, huge shrimp boats and even a swamp tour boat were tied to docks, winds whipping their flags and waves rocking them even in the sheltered marina on Grand Isle.

"Yesterday we had redcaps instead of white caps," said Jesse Alling, a marine science technician with the Coast Guard.

Officials scrambled to reposition boom to protect the coast, and had to …

No hits for Nomar vs. Braves

Fred McGriff homered twice but Nomar Garciaparra didn't get a hitat all as the Atlanta Braves beat the Red Sox 15-2 Saturday inBoston.

Garciaparra's hitting streak ended at 30 - a record for ALrookies and tied for the longest in the majors this year - but shortof Benito Santiago's major-league rookie record of 34.

Atlanta's Kevin Millwood (3-3) got Garciaparra to hit three flyballs, one of them a sacrifice fly, and reliever Mike Cather got himon a line drive to left in his last at-bat, in the eighth.McGriff was 4-for-5 with five RBI to improve his career averageat Fenway Park to .431 (47-for-109).Expos 7, Yankees 2: Pedro Martinez pitched a five-hitter …

Healed Without Scars

Healed Without Scars by David G. Evans Whitaker House. August 2004 $12.99, ISBN 0-883-68542-6

Bishop Evans uses his own personal experience, accounts from persons he has counseled and biblical characters to illustrate ways to heal from various painful and emotionally scarring situations, such as death, divorce and sexual abuse. The experiences vary but the message is the same: let God make you completely whole.

The author reminds us that "the problem comes when the pain of …

Judges reject joint trial for Karadzic

UN war crimes judges have rejected the former Bosnian Serb police chief's request to be tried together with his one-time boss, Radovan Karadzic.

Stojan Zupljanin argued that combining the cases would save the Yugoslav war crimes tribunal time and prevent witnesses from testifying twice.

Zupljanin has pleaded not guilty to 12 charges of murder, torture and …