practice news story #6: SPEECH

The Gettysburg Address
Posted: 6:00 p.m. ET, November 19, 1863

GETTYSBURG, PA- Our President of this great nation spoke today. He dedicated a portion of the battlefield to all of the soldiers who have paid the ultimate price for our freedom. It was about 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 19, when he told the crowd of about 15,000 people that this is a “Final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live.”

In a post interview with the President, he said that this is a great turning point in this civil war. He said that if this advancement wasn’t stopped in Gettysburg the North would have been taken over.

In his speech he spoke of the living to “Be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced.” In the post interview he referred to the unfinished work as an ongoing battle for our liberties. He said, “There will be many more who die in protection of these liberties.”

He said also in his post interview that unity for this nation will be a long-term effort. He did not want to discuss militarily want will be happening next be he has hopes that this battle will be done within a year.

At the end of the interview he ended things by saying, “It’s a somber day today…there’s solemnity and hope, we can draw strength from those that paid the ultimate price.”

Please refer to the attached Gettysburg Address to review his speech.

Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal.

Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this.

But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate -- we can not consecrate -- we can not hallow -- this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

Source: Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln, edited by Roy P. Basler. The text above is from the so-called "Bliss Copy," one of several versions which Lincoln wrote, and believed to be the final version. For additional versions, you may search The Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln through the courtesy of the Abraham Lincoln Association.

Practice News Story #5: Obituary

Carlos Ray "Chuck" Norris
1940 ~ 2007

Chuck Will Be Missed

Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris, 66, passed away suddenly from a heart attack on February 13, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.

“Chuck” was born March 10, 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma.

He was an American martial artist, a Hollywood actor, an internet phenomenon and is best known for playing Cordell Walker on “Walker, Texas Ranger.” He was very proud of his Native American heritage, which he frequently referred to on the hit show “Walker, Texas Ranger.”

He married Diane Holechek soon after high school. They had two sons and a daughter: Mike, Dina and Eric. They were later divorced in 1988 and Norris got married again in 1998 to Gena O’Kelley. They had twins in 2001, a girl and a boy: Danilee Kelley Norris and Dakota Alan Norris. According to Wikipedia, Norris was always a very loving family man. Norris’s son Mike said of his father, “Dad never had a lot of love growing up, but he has given me and my brother all that he should have had in multiples.”

Norris was an outspoken Christian, and the author of several Christian books, such as The Justice Riders. He influenced many lives by promoting Bible study and prayer in public schools.

He created the martial art Chun Kuk Do. Throughout his karate career he earned several awards. On July 1, 2000 he was presented the Golden Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Karate Union Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his wife Gena O’Kelley and all of his children: Mike, Dina, Eric, Danilee, Dakota, and several extended family members.

Funeral services are pending, but condolences can be shared with the family at: http://www.inlovingmemoryof/chuck.com.

Practice News Story #5: Obituary

Carlos Ray Norris
1940 ~ 2007

Chuck Will Be Missed

Carlos Ray “Chuck” Norris, 66, passed away suddenly from a heart attack on February 13, 2007 in Los Angeles, California.

“Chuck” was born March 10, 1940 in Ryan, Oklahoma.

He was an American martial artist, a Hollywood actor, an internet phenomenon and is best known for playing Cordell Walker on “Walker, Texas Ranger.” He was very proud of his Native American heritage, which he frequently referred to on the hit show “Walker, Texas Ranger.”

He married Diane Holechek soon after high school. They had two sons and a daughter: Mike, Dina and Eric. They were later divorced in 1988 and Norris got married again in 1998 to Gena O’Kelley. They had twins in 2001, a girl and a boy: Danilee Kelley Norris and Dakota Alan Norris. According to Wikipedia, Norris was always a very loving family man. Norris’s son Mike said of his father, “Dad never had a lot of love growing up, but he has given me and my brother all that he should have had in multiples.”

Norris was an outspoken Christian, and the author of several Christian books, such as The Justice Riders. He influenced many lives by promoting Bible study and prayer in public schools.

He created the martial art Chun Kuk Do. Throughout his karate career he earned several awards. On July 1, 2000 he was presented the Golden Lifetime Achievement Award by the World Karate Union Hall of Fame.

He is survived by his wife Gena O’Kelley and all of his children: Mike, Dina, Eric, Danilee, Dakota, and several extended family members.

Funeral services are pending, but condolences can be shared with the family at: www.inlovingmemoryofchuck.com.

Practice News Story #4: Court

Two burglar suspects headed to court.
Posted: 10:02 a.m. MST, February 6, 2007

LOGAN, Utah- Two burglary suspects were apprehended and taken into custody in the afternoon of Saturday, Feb. 3rd. The prosecutor, district attorney, Noel Mayfield, told us that Jim Michaels and a juvenile have had a preliminary hearing from a burglary that occurred on Jan. 30, 2006 at an LDS church. She said that 35-year-old Jim Michaels, who is a resident of Logan is facing felony burglary. The trial date is set for Feb. 21, 2006. Mr. Micahels posted a $5,000 bond to be released until trial.

Robbie Cochran the defense attorney who was appointed to this case told us that his client feels that these charges are fallacious. He told us that his client, Mr. Michaels plans to enter a not guilty plea.

There is no information being released on the other suspect where he is a juvenile, but we were informed that they would be tried separately and his parents have asked for privacy.

Sheriff Deputy Geoffrey Hasty informed us that they found ample fingerprint evidence of the two suspects. He said that they are continuing the investigation and it is likely that Mr. Michaels will be charged with more.

extra practice news story #3: CRIME

Sometime between the hours of 11 p.m. and 2 a.m. on Jan. 30, a juvenille burgulary occured at a church on the east side of Logan. This church is owned and operated by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and is located on the corner of 1600 East and 900 North.

After speaking with Sherriff Deputy, Geoffrey Hasty, it appears that there are two suspects that they are investigating. He told us that one entered through an unlocked window and then came around and let the other one in. As Hasty walked through the building with the physical management manager, Robert Knotz, the only thing that they noticed to be missing were two computer processing units.

Robert Knotz was the first one to come upon the scene as he was doing a routine check on the building at about 6 a.m. He said that the first thing that led to any concern was the two monitors on the floor right by the entryway. He then called police and has been working with them. He seemed confident that they will get to the bottom of this problem when he said, "We have ample evidence, we'll figure this one out." The investigators have already started finger printing and have sent a canine unit through the building.

One of the Bishops that attends this building, Lawrence Shirk, told us that he feels horrible because he was the one that accidentally left the window open, which is against church policy. He said, "I'm just glad that nobody got hurt, it's just equipment, it can be replaced." Luckily for the church, the computers that were taken did not contain any confidential information.

Evelyn Breathwaite was one of the witnesses that said that she heard something that night. She lives right across the street from the church. Breathwaite said that she heard glass breaking, but they aren't sure if that was related to this incident or not.