NATIONAL NEWS

Pope undergoes Tracheotomy Italian news agencies reported that doctors in Rome performed a tracheotomy on Pope John Paul II Thursday. The Pope had been experiencing breathing problems as a complication of recurring flu. It was the second time in a month that the 84-year-old Head of the Roman Catholic Church was rushed to the hospital. Authorities say that the surgery means that the Pope will not be able to speak for a while and will spend a considerable amount of time in the hospital this time. They didn’t ask, or tell, they just left The military has discharged nearly 9,500 troops from 1994 through 2003 because of the “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy. According to a Congressional report released Thursday, it is costing nearly $200 million to replace the highly skilled troops, many of whom are translators. The figure is based on how much the Pentagon and each branch of the service spends on recruitment and training. Three shot at Tyler, Texas courthouse Two people are confirmed dead in a shooting just outside the Smith County Courthouse Thursday afternoon. The shooting occurred shortly before 1:30 p.m. when the alleged killer, David Hernandez Arroyo, opened fire from the street towards the courthouse. Law enforcement returned the fire. The shoot out lasted several minutes, then Arroyo ran North. The police caught up with and fatally wounded the suspect on Highway 271 North. Dead is Arroyo’s estrasted wife, Maribel Estrada. The two were undergoing a nasty divorce according to reports. Also deceased is Mark Wilson, a citizen who was licensed to carry a concealed weapon, and who shot back at the gunman several times before being fatally wounded himself. Three other people who were wounded in the attack included a Tyler Police Detective, a Smith County Deputy and one unnamed citizen. Fire heats up morning ride An elevated transit train in Chicago, commonly called the “el”, caught on fire Thursday while filled with morning commuters. A conductor noticed smoke and stopped the vehicle, but because it was unable to go into reverse, he had to proceed to the next station. Meanwhile two cars in the middle burned with several passengers still on board. It caused the blackening one car and gutting the other. Authorities did not know at press time what had caused the fire. No injuries were reported.