The Record, Bergen County, NJ

A Party with Skill for Lavish Partying ; Bergen Democrats' Tab Nearly $300,000

Bergen County's Democratic leaders have shown they're among the best in New Jersey at winning elections. They've also shown they know how to party.

State Enlists School Officers

Police Detective John Calabrese has patrolled the hallways of West Milford High School since September, counseling students and working to prevent bullying and fistfights. But soon, Calabrese and New Jersey's 700 other school resource officers will add terrorism preparedness to their jobs.

People in the News

'The Sopranos' sold A&E won a bidding war this week for the rights to broadcast edited versions of "The Sopranos," with the $2.5 million-per- episode price tag believed to be the biggest ever for a series offered in syndication.

Codey Taps Ally for Blue Cross Board ; Weighs Taking Agency Public

Acting Governor Codey announced Tuesday the nomination of a close ally to the board of Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Jersey. Phillip Thigpen, chairman of the Essex County Democratic Committee and one of Codey's staunch supporters during a recent intraparty contest concerning the governor's race, was included in a list of nominations released late Tuesday. He would receive a $15,000 a year stipend and $1,500 for every meeting he attends.

With Codey Out, the Real Corzine Must Show Himself

Democratic Party bosses are relieved they won't have to deal with a civil war in the form of a primary between acting Governor Codey and U.S. Sen. Jon S. Corzine. But will they regret backing Corzine over Codey in the long run?

Iraqi President Points to Scarcity of Ballots ; Says Thousands Were Kept From Casting Their Votes

BAGHDAD, Iraq - Iraq's interim president said Tuesday that tens of thousands of people may have been unable to vote in the country's historic weekend election because some polling places - including those in Sunni Arab areas - ran out of ballots. As clerks entered vote-count tallies into computers to compile final results, President Ghazi al-Yawer also said chaos and a power vacuum in Iraq mean U.S. forces need to stay for now, even though a new government will be formed after the results are...

Outrage Over Wtc Remarks Forces Cancellation of Forum ; Professor Compared 9/11 Victims to Nazis

SYRACUSE, N.Y. - Citing death threats, an upstate New York college on Tuesday canceled a panel discussion featuring a professor who compared the World Trade Center victims to Nazis. Hamilton College spokesman Michael DeBraggio said multiple death threats were made against college officials and guest speaker Ward Churchill, who resigned Monday as chairman of the ethnic studies department at the University of Colorado.

Bush Energized, Confident ; State of Union to Push Social Security Plan

WASHINGTON - President Bush will stand at the apex of his power tonight when he delivers the first State of the Union address of his second term to a joint session of Congress. He will lay out an ambitious agenda for change, especially for Social Security, the biggest and most popular federal program in history. Bush will stride into the House of Representatives brimming with confidence and enhanced political strength stemming from his solid reelection victory in November and Sunday's stunnin...

Education Secretary Defends Disapproval of Pbs Kids' Show ; Sexuality Not for Children's Tv, She Says

WASHINGTON - Education Secretary Margaret Spellings on Tuesday defended her reprimand of a children's television show featuring same-sex parents, saying issues of sexuality and lifestyle should be introduced by parents. "When people turn on the Public Broadcasting System, they expect to get something that is very straight down the line that is educationally oriented," Spellings said. "And I think that particular topic, of sexuality and lifestyles, are things that need to be introduced by pare...

Punching of Detainees Cited ; Guantanamo Report Focuses On Riot Squad Tactics

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico - Videotapes of riot squads subduing troublesome terror suspects at the U.S. prison camp at Guantanamo Bay show the guards punching some detainees, tying one to a gurney for questioning and forcing a dozen to strip from the waist down, according to a secret report. One squad was all-female, traumatizing some Muslim prisoners. Investigators from U.S. Southern Command in Miami, which oversees the camp in Cuba, wrote the report that was obtained by The Associated Press afte...

Same-Sex Marriage Bill Debated in Canada ; Conservatives, Catholics Vow Fight

TORONTO - The Canadian government introduced its contentious same- sex marriage bill in Parliament on Tuesday, seeking to legalize gay marriage nationwide over the objections of the Roman Catholic Church and other conservative clergy. Justice Minister Irwin Cotler, upon introducing the bill, said the legislation reflected the spirit of Canadian rights and freedoms protected under the constitution.

Pontiff, Battling Flu, Is Rushed to the Hospital ; Vatican: Decision Was 'Precaution'

ROME - Pope John Paul II was rushed to the hospital Tuesday night with breathing difficulties and an inflamed throat while battling the flu during an icy spell that has swept Italy, the Vatican said. Anxiety has been running high over the 84-year-old pope's Parkinson's disease and other ailments, but Vatican spokesman Joaquin Navarro-Valls said the decision to hospitalize him was "mainly a precaution."

Nepal's King Dismisses Government, Declares Crisis ; Civil Liberties Curtailed; Britain, India Critical

KATMANDU, Nepal - King Gyanendra dismissed Nepal's government Tuesday and declared a state of emergency, closing off his Himalayan nation from the rest of the world as telephone and Internet lines were cut, flights diverted and civil liberties severely curtailed. Britain and India both expressed concern, saying the king's actions undermined democracy.

Israel Wants to Withdraw Troops Slowly

JERUSALEM - Israeli and Palestinian leaders argued on Tuesday over a planned troop pullback from the West Bank, with a wary Israel saying it wants to hand over one town at a time and Palestinians insisting on a large-scale withdrawal. Israel decided to slow the planned pullout from five West Bank towns after a day of violence Monday strained an informal cease- fire. Israeli security officials threatened to stop the process altogether if Palestinians don't halt all attacks on Israeli targets.

Police Kill Distraught Fire Retiree in Standoff ; Five-Hour Effort to Disarm Him Fails

NORTH BERGEN - He was known around town as "Butchy," a colorful firefighter admired by the young sons of cops, town employees and fellow members of North Bergen's bravest. Two township police officers, Sgt. Carmine Pellechio Jr. and John Martin, were among the youngsters whose dads palled around with John "Butchy" DiTursi.

Chertoff's Wife Quits Lobbying Job

TRENTON - The wife of Michael Chertoff, President Bush's nominee to be Homeland Security secretary, has resigned from her job at a well-known New Jersey lobbying firm. Meryl Chertoff's last day at Nancy H. Becker Associates was Monday, the firm's president and founder, Nancy H. Becker, said Tuesday. Chertoff had worked as a vice president and legislative counsel for about a year.

N.J. Lawmakers Try to Eliminate Pay-to-Play Conflict

Several members of New Jersey's congressional delegation introduced a bill in Congress on Tuesday to eliminate a conflict with the state's "pay-to-play" law banning contractors on federally funded highway projects from making political contributions. Amending federal law will help New Jersey curtail the practice of awarding government contracts to the politically connected, according to both of the state's U.S. senators and two senior congressman sponsoring the bill.

N.J. Soldier Pleads Guilty to Abuse of Iraqi Prisoners ; Deal Could Spare Him a Long Sentence

FORT HOOD, Texas - A New Jersey soldier pleaded guilty Tuesday to battery and two other charges in the Iraqi prison abuse scandal in a deal that could spare him a long prison sentence. . Sgt. Javal Davis, 27, of Roselle had been a guard at the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq, where numerous events of abuse were reported.

Corrections

An article Sunday about an effort to oust the Lodi borough manager misspelled his name. It is Stephen Lo-Iacono. * * *

Military Officials Urge Bush to Expand War Death Benefits ; Say Geography Isn't Only Factor

WASHINGTON - Lawmakers and military officials said Tuesday that President Bush's proposal to boost government payments to families of U.S. troops killed in Iraq, Afghanistan and other war zones was a good start but too narrow. Republicans suggested that those who die while training for combat missions also should be eligible for the increased death benefits. Democrats argued that the benefits should extend to all military personnel who die while on active duty.