CARTERVILLE - Janine Samples of Marion was one of nearly 1,000 people who lost their job when the Maytag factory in Herrin closed down and one of 13 former workers who picked up their diplomas from John A. Logan Friday.

MAKANDA - Southern Illinois Community Foundation board chair Pat Bauer praised outgoing executive director Maggie Flanagan Friday during Flanagan's retirement celebration at Blue Sky Vineyard.

CARBONDALE - Evansville gave Southern Illinois University's baseball team one more out in the seventh inning Friday, and the Salukis quickly took advantage.

CARBONDALE - The local priest thought the email invitation he received from the White House to greet the Pope was a joke.

HARRISBURG - This Mother's Day, David Hilliard will find himself surrounded with buckets full of white, pink and red peonies.

My eyes searched the field fruitlessly.

SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt - President Bush pivoted to the Arab side of the Mideast peace dispute on Saturday, and got a far less glowing reception from his Egyptian host _ a key player in the long-running fight _ than he did in Israel earlier this week.

ST. LOUIS - The St. Louis Cardinals put struggling closer Jason Isringhausen, who has an 8.00 ERA and six blown saves, on the 15-day disabled list on Friday because of a cut on his pitching hand.