US school district agrees to rehire fired teachers

A school district that gained the support of President Barack Obama for promoting accountability after it fired all its teachers from a struggling school announced Sunday it reached an agreement with the union to return all the current staffers to their jobs.

The two sides said a so-called transformation plan for Central Falls High School for the coming school year would allow the 87 teachers, guidance counselors, librarians and other staffers who were to lose their jobs at the end of this year to return without having to reapply. More than 700 people had already applied for the positions.

The agreement also imposes a longer school day, more after-school …

They can pick 'em in Pond Gap

MY picks have been pond scum in Pond Gap.

How else can I explain the fact that five Pond Gappers alreadyhave won coveted Daily Mail ballcaps in the "I Beat Chuck Landon"football predicting contest?

It takes four wins to earn a ballcap. Yet, Pond Gap's LizHuddleston, American Pride, Alicia Huddleston, Riverside Mania andRonny Keenan already have turned the trick.

At this rate, they might win three ballcaps. Which isn'tnecessarily a bad thing.

The Daily Mail hat might become the most popular ballcap in PondGap since "CAT."

But let me assure you chumps in Pond Gap of one thing. This cat inthe hat is striking back.

I compiled a sizzling 13-2 …

Boom in China's coal industry draws increasing interest from American investors and business

As China's appetite for coal is booming, American investors and businesses are cashing in.

American pension and mutual fund money is being invested in the Chinese coal industry, which is lucrative but has a poor record for pollution and worker safety.

Look no further than China Shenhua Energy Co., the Beijing giant that produces about 170 million tons of coal a year from 21 mines and builds power plants. While about 80 percent of the company's stock is owned by Shenhua Group in Beijing, the rest of its shareholders reads like a who's who of U.S. investors: Fidelity Investments, OppenheimerFunds, Merrill Lynch, even the Teachers Retirement System of …

Winner likely headed to Churchill

From Hawthorne Race Course to Churchill Downs, it's a dream-diminishing stretch run of about 300 miles.

The last seven winners of the Illinois Derby have made that trek. All saddle-pocketed the $300,000 first prize in Cicero/Stickney to jump into the starting gate of the Kentucky Derby.

One -- the controversy-shrouded War Emblem (2002) -- even traversed the Gallop from the Gulag at the old Sportsman's Park to win the fabled Run for the Roses in Louisville.

Saturday at Hawthorne, a field of 10 or 11 will answer the starter's call for the 52nd renewal of the $500,000 local classic. Once again, the winner's next stop likely will be America's most fabled …

Cocaine ring probers tell of new cash find

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) Federal authorities investigating a ringthey say imported 7 1/2 tons of cocaine since 1980 said yesterdaythey had seized $3.38 million more in cash and made another arrest.

That brought the total seized since Thursday to $7.6 million,said U.S. Attorney James West.

Customs agents Friday said they arrested Michael Phillippo athis North Tarrytown, N.Y., home and found $3.1 million in a hiddenpanel behind a wine rack. An additional $280,000 was seized bycustoms agents at a home in Grand Gorge, N.Y., West said.

Phillippo was arraigned in U.S. District Court in Manhattan oncharges of conspiracy to smuggle cocaine and was ordered held …

Bank of America 2Q Profit Up 5 Percent

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Bank of America Corp. recorded another profitable quarter Thursday, but gave investors reason to worry as it fattened its provisions for loan losses, an indication it sees lending risks growing.

Bank of America, the No. 2 U.S. bank by assets, reported a 5 percent rise in earnings from growth in capital markets activity and consumer fees, offsetting an increase in credit losses.

But its provision for credit losses ballooned 79.2 percent to $1.81 billion, up from $1.24 billion in the first quarter and $1.01 billion in the second quarter of 2006. Net charge-offs, or bad loans, rose to $1.5 billion, compared with $1.43 billion in the first quarter and $1.02 …

Japan's Nishikori pulls out of French Open

Kei Nishikori of Japan is withdrawing from the French Open because of an injured right elbow.

Nishikori has not played since losing in the first round at Indian Wells, California in March.

He was honored as the ATP's newcomer of the year for 2008, in part because …