Posted: 03 Apr 2010 05:01 PM PDT

Baseball's history has given its fans thrills, heroes — and volumes of great writing. A few new books about the Grand Old Game look to crack the literary lineup.

"ROGER MARIS: Baseball's Reluctant Hero," by Tom Clavin and Danny Peary, Touchstone, 422 pages, $26.99 (nf)

With the dark clouds of steroid scandals hanging over the heads of recent major league home run virtuosos Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa and Barry Bonds, two authors have revisited the life and career of the player who once broke the single-season MLB home run record without any artificial help.

"Roger Maris: Baseball's Reluctant Hero" is a sympathetic biography of a man who may not have received a fair shake in the public eye during his major league playing days. Authors Tom Clavin and Danny Peary, through interviews with scores of Maris' family members, friends, fans, former teammates and others who knew him best, look to vindicate the slugger who was often portrayed by media as just another arrogant star.

The Roger Maris the authors find is revealed to be an affable teammate, a faithful Catholic, a devoted family man and a humble player who didn't crave the spotlight.

Roger Maras was born in Hibbing, Minn., in 1934 — not Fargo, N.D., which is widely said to be his hometown. There was much strife in the extended Maras family, and it's possible that Roger's immediate family changed its surname to Maris in order to distance themselves from the Marases. The authors also suggest this as a reason for Roger disavowing his birthplace.

Family struggles also directly plagued the Maris home, as Roger's parents' marriage became rocky. Roger and his brother, Rudy Jr., both sought solace in different sports at a young age — and both excelled.

When the Maris boys headlined the starting backfield Bishop Shanley High School in Fargo, the seeds of Roger being a team player begin to take root. Roger was shy, and he was especially self-conscious about being a better athlete than his older brother. During one game when Rudy was a senior and Roger was a junior, the younger brother was outshining the elder on the field. Roger already had two touchdowns and was headed for a third when he decided to lateral the ball to his older sibling, who took it to the end zone.

Roger's future, however, was on the diamond, and he signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians not long after high school.

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Story County candidate biographies - Nevada Iowa Journal

Posted: 01 Apr 2010 09:25 AM PDT

Wednesday was the deadline for partisan candidates for county offices to file nomination papers with the Story County auditor to participate in the June 8 primary election. The following individuals filed as candidates for Story County attorney, recorder and treasurer, and two open seats on the county board of supervisors.

Supervisor

Name: James Cooper

Age: 59

Address: 16024 Pleasant Valley Road, Story City

Party: Democratic

Occupation: Owner of Ideal Truck and Trailer, Nevada

Education: Gilbert High School; attended college

Previous public/community service: Unsuccessful bid 10 years ago for Story County supervisor

Immediate family: Four adult children: Joa, Jenni, Josh and John; six grandchildren; and one great-grandson

E-mail: IdealTNT@yahoo.com

Name: Lucy Martin

Age: 42

Address: 506 25th St., Ames

Party: Democratic

Occupation: Deputy auditor for real estate, Story County, since September 2004

Education: Bachelor's degree in history and English, Rice University, 1990; master's degree in public administration, Columbia University, 1996

Previous public service/community service: Worked for the Office of Management and Budget, New York City, six years; served on Ames Zoning Board of Adjustment; campaign chairperson for Rep. Beth Wessel-Kroeschell, D-Ames, from 2004 to 2009

Immediate family: Husband: David Hollander; children: Sylvia, 9

Web site: www.martin4supervisor.org

E-mail: martin4supervisor@gmail.com

Name: Rick Sanders

Age: 43

Address: 3133 Sycamore Road, Ames

Party: Republican

Occupation: Commissioner of Midwest Collegiate Conference

Education: Bachelor's degree in communications from University of Alabama-Birmingham, 1989

Previous public/community service: Ran in 2008 for Story County Board of Supervisors; Red Cross board of directors, Story Theater Company Board of Directors, Story County Crime Stoppers Board of Directors and other volunteer work

Professional organizations: Chair of Commissioners Association and Championships Committee, member of executive committee for National Administrative Council; and on National Advisory Board for National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators

Immediate family: Wife: Calli; children: Theisen, 17, Jack, 16, Molly, 13

E-mail: rick@electsanders.com

Web site: www.ElectSanders.com

Name: James Strohman

Age: 49

Address: 2710 White Oak Circle, Ames

Party: Democratic

Occupation: County supervisor; part-time political science instructor and graduate faculty at Iowa State University

Education: Master's degree in public administration, ISU, 1986; bachelor's degree in environmental studies, ISU, 1985; bachelor's degree in political science, ISU, 1984; Internship at American University, Washington, D.C., 1983

Previous public/community service: Worked for Iowa Department of Justice, 19 years; member of St. Cecilia's Catholic Church

Professional organizations: Iowa General Assembly's Commission on Energy Efficiency; State of Iowa Criminal Justice Information System Board; Iowa Department of Corrections Second Judicial District Board; Aging Resources of Central Iowa Board; Aging Resources of Central Iowa Foundation Board; Ames Economic Development Commission; Story County Farm Bureau

Immediate family: Wife: Kristin Peyton; children: Isaac, 18, Ambrose, 16, Stella Maris, 13, Endylion, 12

Name: Paul Toot

Age: 51

Address: 23433 667th Ave, Nevada

Party: Democratic

Occupation: Retired deputy sheriff, Story County; works seasonally with the Nevada parks department

Education: Nevada High School, 1977; studied criminal justice at Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny

Previous public/community service: Story County deputy sheriff, 30 years

Professional organizations: Former member of the National Sheriff's Association, Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies Association and National Association of Field Training Officers; past service on board of directors Public Professional and Maintenance Employees, Local 2003

Immediate family: Wife: Molly; children: twins Margaret and Sarah, 14, Benjamin, 11

E-mail: TootForSupervisor@gmail.com

Attorney

Name: Stephen Holmes

Age: 56

Address: 27112 560th Ave., Ames

Party: Democratic

Occupation: County attorney, serving 12th year

Education: Undergraduate degree from University of Iowa, 1980; law degree from Drake University, 1986

Previous public/community service: Assistant Story County attorney, 1989-1998; Izaak Walton League, current chapter secretary and board member and former state treasurer; Youth and Shelter Services, former board member

Professional organizations: State Empowerment Board for Story County, member since inception; Center for Creative Justice, board member for 20 years; Youth and Shelter Services, former advisory board member; Story County Conservation Board, former legal advisor; Sheriff's Citizens Academy, teaches annual class on laws of arrest, use of force and Fourth Amendment; Iowa State University, taught forensic evidence class for high school students.

Immediate family: Wife: Deborah; children: Karine, 10, Alexander, 5, Wyatt, 2

Recorder

Name: Sue Vande Kamp

Age: 60

Address: 812 Seventh St., Nevada

Party: Republican

Occupation: Story County recorder since 1979

Education: Bachelor of Science degree in French, minors in Spanish and Education, Iowa State University; Nevada Community Schools, 1968

Professional organizations: Past president and current legislative representative, Iowa County Recorder's Association; member of County Administration and Organization Steering Committee and vice-chair of Electronic Services Systems Coordinating Committee, Iowa Department of Public Health county user group

Treasurer

Name: Amber Corrieri

Age: 29

Address: 2804 Aspen Road, Ames

Party: Democratic

Occupation: Business banking officer,

Ames Community Bank

Education: Attended Iowa State University

Previous public/community service: Ames Human Relations Commission, four years; Breaking Down the Barriers, co-chair; Boys and Girls Club, board of directors; Iowa Diversity Conference, five years and chaired 2008 and upcoming 2010 conferences; Ames Jaycees, member and board of directors in 2008; United Ames board of directors, United Way Day of Caring, co-chair in 2007 and 2008; Ames Chamber of Commerce; Home Builders Association, Parade of Homes Committee

Immediate family: Husband: Damien; children: Jordan, 7, Isabella, 3

E-mail: Amber.Corrieri@gmail.com

Web site: www.ambercorrieri.com

Name: Renee Twedt

Address: 12447 George Washington Carver Ave., Story City

Party: Republican

Occupation: Accountant, Allan L. Kockler Co., Nevada

Education: Active enrolled agent, licensed with the Internal Revenue Service, May 2010

Previous public/community service: Coaches youth baseball for Story City parks department and treasurer of North Story County Little League; board of directors for Paws for Life Foundation

Professional organizations: Treasurer of American Society of Women Accountants; member of Accountants Association of Iowa and National Association of Enrolled Agents

Immediate family: Husband: Seth; children: Trenton, Justin and Zachary

E-mail: rmtwedt@kockler.com.

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Keeping Saints Alive - CBS News

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 06:30 AM PDT

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Mike Binkley - WCCO

Posted: 04 Apr 2010 02:55 AM PDT

Anchors

Mike Binkley

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Mike Binkley has spent more than two decades covering news in the Twin Cities. When he joined the WCCO team in 2008, Mike reunited with a long-time friend and former co-anchor. He and Angela Davis had anchored weekends, and later mornings together, at KSTP-TV. They now anchor WCCO 4 News This Morning and WCCO 4 News at Noon.

During his 20 years at KSTP, Mike was sent to the scene of many significant news events, ranging from the tragic (two school shootings in Minnesota, hunting murders in Wisconsin, flooding in Grand Forks, N.D.) to the triumphant (Twins World Series victories in 1987 and 1991, Minnesotans at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary).

As an anchor, Mike has three regional Emmy awards for Best Morning Newscast. Before arriving in the Twin Cities in 1986, he worked at WCPO-TV in Cincinnati and WIBW-TV in Topeka, Kansas.

In 2007, Mike formed the video company "What's Your Story?" creating personal legacy videos for senior citizens and others. Through interviews, photos and music, Mike shot and produced mini-biographies that became instant treasures for the families who hired him.

Mike and his wife, Mary, are avid bicyclists who love to explore Minnesota's bike trails. They have also gone on biking/hiking adventures in Hawaii, Costa Rica and the Swiss Alps.

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