The 2008 Amgen Tour of California will boast the most comprehensive anti-doping protocol in competitive cycling, organizers proclaimed on Tuesday.

Joining Messick in the announcement were Steve Johnson and Sean Petty of USA Cycling; Bob Stapleton, owner of Team High Road, Mari Holden, former world time-trial gold medalist; and Anthony Butch, director of UCLA's Olympic Analytical Laboratory.

Bow a beacon of rediscovery

Winter storms pounding the North Spit continue to whittle away at the foredune that once encased the remains of a mysterious wooden ship. As of Wednesday afternoon, the dune behind the ship revealed that only the bow section and a wooden mast are all that remain on the beach about half way between the wreck of the New Carissa and Coos Bay's north jetty.-World Photo by Lou Sennick .

Jupiter-Saturn-like Planets Discovered In Faraway Solar System Like ...

Most theorists think that the biggest planet in our solar system formed at Jupiter's location because that is the closest to the sun that ice can form. Saturn is the next biggest because it is in the next location further away, where there is less primordial material available to form planets."

Previously, astronomers had found four planets using microlensing; two of those were found by the Ohio State University-based MicroFUN group.

Mayor has plan for tourism center in old Millbottom area

Mayor John Landwehr laid out his vision for a new tourism center for Jefferson City, asking his fellow council members for help in realizing the project.

Three council members - Jane Smith, Richard Koon and Ron Medin - volunteered to serve on a ad-hoc committee to see if they could bring the idea to life."It's an intricate project and it would be wonderful it if occurred," said Landwehr. "But there's no certainty in it."As conceived by Landwehr, the former AmerenUE site - located west of the Capitol in the former Millbottom - would be the site of the city's Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and perhaps the state's Division of Tourism.Landwehr lamented Jefferson City doesn't have a place where passers-by can learn about the community's amenities. And he noted the state's tourism office is located on the fifth floor of the Truman Office Building - not exactly accessible."Even the Capitol doesn't have a place for strangers to park and find out what's available," he said.The mayor noted the city first acquired the land several years ago when city officials needed land to install a sewer pump station.

Michael Pointer: Purdue Q&A

Question: When will the Purdue quarterback actually look off his primary receiver and go through his progressions? From what I saw Saturday, come-heck-or-high-water, Curtis Painter is going to throw to his primary, even if there is a crowd. And, on two of those interceptions, no Boiler receiver was in the area. I haven't seen anyone say that a receiver zigged when he should have zagged. Were those interceptions all on Painter? Quotes from coaches and Painter seem to suggest so. (Mike from Kokomo)

Answer: Mike, I have covered four quarterbacks since I've been on the Purdue beat: Brandon Hance, Kyle Orton, Brandon Kirsch and Painter. (I missed having the pleasure of covering Drew Brees.) I heard that complaint about everyone of them, including Orton, who had 31 touchdown passes and just five interceptions as a starter.

Suit challenges Arnold's red-light camera tickets

If the owner denies it, he or she must fill out a form or otherwise identify the true driver.

The ordinance forces you to come forward and "basically declare your innocence," says Washington University law school professor Peter Joy, who reviewed the suit at the request of the Post-Dispatch.

"In essence, it sort of compels you to finger your wife or child or someone else you loaned the car to," he said.

But Joy said that red-light camera ordinances have been upheld in most parts of the country, in much the same way as prosecutors can argue that drivers who refuse a Breathalyzer test during a drunken-driving investigation can be presumed to be under the influence.

"It's a privilege to be able to drive ... it's not an absolute right," Joy said.

I'm nobody's tween, but I dig Hannah Montana's scene

I'm not an 11-year-old girl, but I still had a good time at the Hannah Montana-Miley Cyrus "Best of Both Worlds Tour on Monday at Amway Arena.

Weird.

My favorite moment of the night: When opening act Everlife did its "love to song God." The Almighty got a big ovation, but not as big as the one for Hannah Montana. Does that mean she's bigger than Jesus? Be careful, girl, you saw what that idea did to John Lennon and the Beatles.

Barista firing: 3 youths in net

The Special Crime Investigation Cell of the Chandigarh Police today arrested three youngsters, who allegedly fired shots at Barista, a coffee bar at Sector 35 during the night of December 22.

DSP (CID) Satbir Singh told TNS that the accused, Harkirat Singh alias Badal of Phase X, Mohali, Rahul Dev of Ekta Vihar, Baltana and Gurpreet Singh Chahal of Baryali village in Mohali district, were arrested from near Barista in Sector 11 following information. They are in their early twenties. The police also impounded the Hyundai Accent car (PB-65-D-4588), which they were driving when nabbed.

Satbir Singh said the trio during their preliminary interrogation disclosed that they were nine persons and they fired four shots from Chahals .32 bore licensed revolver in the coffee bar. Police teams had been dispatched to arrest the remaining accused, who had been identified.