| New Illinois law targets wheels of deadbeat parents
SPRINGFIELD — Illinois child-support scofflaws could already be prevented from leaving the country. Now they can be prevented from leaving the driveway.A new state law allows authorities to immobilize the cars and suspend the licenses of the worst offenders among deadbeat parents. That's in addition to the wide array of previously existing threats against them, including passport denial, tax-return garnishment, bank account seizure and even interception of lottery winnings.“More avenues to collect child support payments means more Illinois children can have the childhood they deserve," Gov. Rod Blagojevich said in a written statement after signing the measure into law last week. The measure went into effect immediately.The law makes it easier for the state to suspend the driver's licenses of non-custodial parents who are significantly behind in child support, doing it administratively instead of going through the courts.
$25,000 jackpot winner says she’s never won anything
SHELBY � A $7.50 meal turned out to be the richest food Candy Lawson ever ate. And the Shelby resident�s bank account is going to be $25,000 a year fatter for the remainder of her life after winning the grand prize in Schlotzsky�s Deli�s online contest. �I�ve never won anything, not even a cakewalk,� she told The Star in an interview. The price of the meal, which she purchased at the Scholtzsky�s in Gastonia, turned out to be the best investment she ever made and definitely one that will change her life. She�s already bought a new car. �I did get something nice � a new Nissan, transportation you can count on.� She has not quit her job as a sales representative for Sprint Nextel. Eventually, she does plan to move to Oregon with her boyfriend and son so they can all be with her extended family.
Fake Check Scam Uncovered
Carey Sonnier did not know what to think when she received a package containing $2,500 in traveler's checks last week.Sonnier's husband figured someone was repaying her for a loan.But Sonnier could not recall lending anyone any money, and she did not know anyone from Marysville, Wash., the return address on the package. "Right off the bat for me, it seemed kind of odd," said Sonnier, of New Iberia. "I would have loved for it to be real, but it wasn't."Sonnier later found out the checks were part of a fake check scam.Check scams usually entice the victim to deposit a check and send back a portion of the money to the sender to cover taxes or some other expenses, according to the Federal Trade Commission.Unfortunately, the checks are fake. The victim is responsible for the deposited check, along with any money they return to the sender.Sonnier said she received five Wells Fargo travelers checks, each for $500.
Business news in brief
BATESVILLE, Ind. Hillenbrand ups 2008 forecast Hillenbrand Industries Inc. said Thursday it expects higher revenue in fiscal 2008 and set a wide range for its earnings per share. The company expects profit between $2.99 and $3.27 per share on revenue between $2.1 billion and $2.17 billion. In fiscal 2007, the company earned $3.07 per share on revenue of $2.02 billion. Hillenbrand also said it expects Hill-Rom capital sales in the range of $99 million to just under $1 billion, Hill-Rom rental revenue between $435 million and $454 million, and Batesville Casket revenue between $677 and $694 million. Hillenbrand stock closed Thursday at $56.38, up 9 cents for the day. CINCINNATI New regional exec National City Corp. has named Rick Rokosz as the retail market executive in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
Treatment of terror trial lawyer 'is an attack on freedom of speech'
A HIGH-POWERED coalition of politicians, writers and lawyers last night joined forces to warn that the courts' treatment of human rights lawyer Aamer Anwar represented an "attack on freedom of speech". Iain Banks, the author, joined veteran Labour politician Tony Benn, Respect MP George Galloway, Bashir Mann, convener of the Muslim Council of Scotland and human rights lawyer Gareth Pierce, among others, to appeal to the courts to stop pursuing Mr Anwar. .
Man accidentally killed by friend on camping trip
Two longtime friends from Panama City Beach, on a weekend camping trip to Gulf County, accidentally set off a pistol Saturday, killing one and wounding the other. Jayson Decker, 31, died at the campsite. James Cook was treated and released from a local hospital. Gulf County Sheriff Joe Nugent said the men had set up camp on the bank of the White City Canal earlier in the day. At about sundown, Decker picked up a loaded 9 mm pistol and tossed it to Cook. Cook caught it, and the gun fired. A single bullet passed through his left hand and struck Decker in the head, killing him. Cook ran to a nearby boat ramp to call for help, Nugent said. Deputies called a crime scene unit from the Florida Department of Law Enforcement to examine the scene. The evidence matches Cook’s account of the shooting, Nugent said.
Crime reports
A $600 car stereo and other items were stolen from a vehicle on the first block of Philmont Avenue between 11:30 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 a.m. Monday. A garage was broken into and several tools, valued at $370, were stolen from the first block of Philmont Avenue between 11:30 p.m. Sunday and 6:30 a.m. Monday. .
Loonie loses ground following comments by Bank of Canada chief
OTTAWA - The Canadian dollar lost some ground Monday morning after Bank of Canada governor David Dodge raised the possibility that the central bank may cut interest rates to boost the economy. The currency declined 0.70 of a cent to 101.99 cents US, down from Friday's close of 102.69. The dollar has been declining since it hit a record high of just over 110 cents US earlier this month. Dodge, in South Africa during the weekend for a meeting of the Bank for International Settlements, said there is less optimism than there was a month ago "that the financial market problems would resolve themselves." .
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