Tennessee

Civil War historian Shelby Foote dies

Novelist and Civil War historian Shelby Foote, who became a national celebrity explaining the war to America on Ken Burns’ 1990 PBS documentary “The Civil War,” has died at 88.

Foote died Monday night, said his widow, Gwyn.

The Mississippi native and longtime Memphis resident wrote a stirring, three-volume, 3,000-page history of the Civil War, as well as six novels.

“He had a gift for presenting vivid portraits of personalities, from privates in the ranks to generals and politicians. And he had a gift for character, for the apt quotation, for the dramatic event, for the story behind the story,” said James M. McPherson, a Pulitzer Prize-winning Civil War historian.

Washington, D.C.

NASA chief says he’s confident of July launch

The schedule to send U.S. astronauts blasting back into space stands at 15 days and counting, the head of NASA said Tuesday, despite a new review questioning the safety of the mission.

NASA administrator Michael Griffin offered an optimistic assessment of the agency’s preparations for the launch of shuttle Discovery as early as July 13. It would be the first mission since Columbia broke apart during re-entry on Feb. 1, 2003, killing all seven astronauts aboard.

“We look like we’re in pretty good shape,” Griffin told the House Science Committee. “Based on what I know now, we’re ready to go.”

Washington, D.C.

Senate to add $1.5B for veterans health care

With an unexpected number of wounded troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, Senate Republicans hurried Tuesday to cover what could be a politically damaging $1 billion miscalculation in money needed for veterans health care.

They prepared to add roughly $1.5 billion to veterans programs as Democrats, who had tried to add billions to the veterans budget this spring, chided the White House and Republican leaders.

“This is not news to this side of the aisle,” said Rep. Alcee Hastings, D-Fla. “We’ve known all along the funding was woefully inadequate.”

Washington, D.C.

$28M in aid planned for base closing changes

The Labor Department is providing more than $28 million to 35 states, the District of Columbia and Guam to help civilian workers and communities affected by a massive restructuring of military bases.

Illinois, which stands to lose 737 civilian jobs, and Indiana, which could gain more than 2,600 civilian jobs, each get $1.5 million, topping the list of grant recipients announced Tuesday.

The Pentagon has proposed shutting 33 large bases and scores of smaller ones to save $48 billion over 20 years. An independent commission, which is reviewing the proposal and can make changes, is expected to send a final report to the president and Congress this fall.

Kansas could receive $850,000, according to the report.

Philadelphia

Panel: Chemical coating ‘likely’ causes cancer

A mysterious chemical linked to the coatings on takeout food cartons and raincoats is “likely” to cause cancer in humans, according to a draft report by a panel of an independent advisory board to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Scientists are not sure how the chemical – perfluorooctanoic acid – is getting into humans, but it is found widely in human blood throughout the United States. Some researchers believe the source is the deterioration of water- and grease-repellent coatings used on carpets, raincoats and takeout food boxes.

The “likely” finding represents a significant step up from the agency’s own preliminary determination, in January, that the chemical was a “potential” cause of cancer. If the agency accepts the new label, it is expected to conduct a full-scale risk assessment to determine whether the chemical is dangerous at current levels in humans.

Milwaukee

Mom gives birth to 13-pound girl

Weighing in at 13 pounds, 12 ounces, Delaney Jessica Buzzell isn’t your average newborn. Her parents have even dubbed her the “Big Enchilada.”

The baby headed home Tuesday after being delivered by Caesarean section on June 23 – a surprising three weeks early.

Her family isn’t quite sure what to make of her weight. The father is 6-foot-2 and the mother is 5-foot-7.

“We’re pretty normal,” 34-year-old Paul Buzzell said.

Nurse Judy Nadolski said carrying the baby in her arms was like holding a 4- or 5-month-old infant. The diapers and baby T-shirts also were a little on the snug side.

“It was ready for a steak,” the nurse said. “It had quite an appetite.”

This isn’t the first supersized baby for Paul and Robin Buzzell, from suburban Mequon.

Their now-4-year-old daughter, Cameron, was born weighing 11 pounds, 8 ounces, and their second child, Alexis, now 2, weighed in at 10 pounds, 8 ounces when she was born.