| Teens forge stronger bonds after ill-fated voyage
If you'd ducked into the trendy mall shops with loud music and tattooed clerks, you might have seen them on Saturday. They seemed like typical teens, flitting like fireflies among the racks of T-shirts and shorts, applying lip gloss and musing about which jeans fit best. You wouldn't know what they've lost. Or what they've gained. .
Firm hired for Downtown Plaza remodel
SACRAMENTO -- The owner of Downtown Plaza has hired one of the country's largest architectural firms to help redesign the aging mall. Seattle-based Callison will be charged with designing a mall "more vibrant, friendly and attractive for our shoppers and retailers," Larry Green, senior vice president for Westfield Corp., said in a news release. Callison, with a reputation for working in downtown urban centers, has worked on Ala Moana Shopping Center in Honolulu, Harrods White Hall in London, and Skymart at Chek Lap Kok in Hong Kong, according to Westfield. .
PC Home to offer 24-hour notebook computer delivery
With more consumers getting comfortable with online shopping, computer makers are now betting on the cyberspace mall to boost their product sales. "The shopping behavior of local consumers has changed over the years. As Internet portals begin to offer enhanced security, we are seeing more buyers making online purchases," said Scott Lin (L㭦), Acer Inc president for Taiwan operations. Lin made the remarks yesterday at a press conference, where PC Home Online Inc (ax), one of the nation's leading portals, announced a tie-up with major computer brands to guarantee 24-hour delivery on notebook computer orders. When PC Home started offering e-commerce activities, including online shopping, in 2000, Acer -- the second-largest notebook computer brand in Taiwan -- was not convinced it was a viable channel as the market was still under developed with issues such as money scams and personal information theft looming in the background.
Rescue teams need rescuing after storms
DALLAS - Thunderstorms hammered parts of Texas early Saturday, blacking out about 66,000 energy customers in the Houston area and spinning out tornadoes. The same group of storms sent a twister through a small town west of Waco late Friday, and about 40 people had to be evacuated from their homes in Haltom City because of flooding. Some Haltom City rescuers had to be rescued themselves. Three of them were trying to reach a handicapped woman when strong current swamped their boat and they had to cling to trees, said Deputy Chief Wes Rhodes. A backup team sent to their aid had to climb on top of cars, and finally teams from Fort Worth and Hurst came in with hovercraft and rescued the rescuers, he said. Three people shot in robbery attempt ATLANTA - Three people were shot during an attempted robbery at a shopping mall Saturday, police said.
Chron: Freeway gunbattle ends in death
One man was killed and at least two were wounded when rival immigrant smuggling gangs engaged in a noontime gunbattle that started on the Southwest Freeway and ended on the feeder road, police said. Authorities suspect one gang was trying to steal a load of immigrants from the other. "It's unknown if it was a 'coyote' operation or a rip of some sort," Sgt. C.E. Elliott of the Houston Police Department's homicide division said. " ... We're still looking at that." Police worked into the evening in an attempt to sort out what happened at the "chaotic" scene, which also ensnared an innocent bystander, left at least one other person critically injured and tied up traffic for hours. It was hardly the city's first smuggling-related violence.
Will wonders never cease? Here are seven for Missouri
The tourism folks across the river are running a "Seven Wonders of Illinois" promotion, asking residents to vote for contenders from seven geographic regions of the state.
The results will be announced April 30 and, so far, a couple of my favorites — Wrigley Field and the Great Rivers Scenic Byway — are finalists.
There was a mini-controversy when a month of online voting drew to a close and the finalists changed in the Southwest region, which covers St. Clair and Madison counties. Seems the scenic byway shot ahead with thousands of votes in the final minutes to edge out the Centralia carillon and join Cahokia Mounds as the two finalists in that region.
The rules said there could be only one vote per person per day, causing some shouts of computer stuffing.
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