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S.D. senator exits hospital, heads to rehab

By TIMES WIRES
Published February 21, 2007

WASHINGTON

More than two months after suffering a brain hemorrhage, South Dakota Sen. Tim Johnson has left a Washington hospital and entered a private rehabilitation facility, his office said Tuesday. A spokeswoman declined to say whether the senator remained in Washington or was moved to a facility in South Dakota, citing family concerns about media scrutiny. The Democrat's Dec. 13 brain hemorrhage and subsequent surgery taxed his party's tenuous one-seat advantage in the Senate.

SACRAMENTO, CALIF.

Court rejects inmate transfers

A judge threw out California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's plan to transfer thousands of inmates to other states to relieve prison overcrowding. Schwarzenegger said he would appeal, saying dangerous convicts might otherwise have to be released early. The governor invoked emergency powers in October when he ordered the Corrections Department to send thousands of inmates to private prisons in other states. Two employee unions, including the one representing guards, filed lawsuits alleging the order violated state law. Superior Court Judge Gail Ohanesian agreed.

NEW ORLEANS

Fat Tuesday brings a needed break

Thousands of hurricane-weary residents joined with rowdy visitors for Fat Tuesday, taking a break from rebuilding New Orleans to celebrate the second Mardi Gras since Katrina. "We never needed it more," said John Ferguson, who is still rebuilding his house almost 18 months after the storm. Many spectators spent the day along the parade routes or in the French Quarter, where the first Mardi Gras parade of the day was staged by the 1,250-member Zulu Social Aid and Pleasure Club. Earlier in the day, Mayor Ray Nagin rode a horse down St. Charles Avenue. "We're going to rebuild this city," he told the crowd at Gallier Hall. The crowds appeared larger than last year, when an estimated 700,000 people were in the city for the final weekend and Mardi Gras.

Elsewhere

COLUMBUS, OHIO: The country is not getting its money's worth out of the international space station, John Glenn said Tuesday, the 45th anniversary of his pioneer Earth orbit. Diverting money from the outpost to President Bush's goal of sending astronauts back to the moon and eventually on to Mars is preventing some scientific experiments on the space station, he said.

[Last modified February 21, 2007, 00:56:02]