(Tuesday, 24 March 2009)  One of two men accused in the shooting which paralyzed a renowned scientist pleads guilty before his jury is seated; those who eat red meat every day are likely to die earlier; AIG executives are giving back bonuses.  More information is on today's KISS News Now!

• A surprise plea deal in the trial of the men accused of paralyzing a primatologist with a stray bullet in a drug deal gone bad.  Kendall Bolton copped a plea and agreed to testify against his co-defendant, Elliott Mitchell; a jury has now been picked.  Opening statements are set for this morning.
  
  
• President Obama calls a primetime press conference at the White House tonight.  It's his second in six weeks; a press secretary says he wants to talk directly to Americans about the budget and economic concerns.
  
  
• Wall Street liked the news of the administration's plan to buy bad bank loans; the Dow skyrocketed Monday to close up nearly 500 points--and had its biggest percentage gain since October.
  
  
• We've learned that 15 AIG executives who got some of the largest bonuses have agreed to return all the money--which equals about $50 million of the $165 million handed out.  New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo says he hopes more will follow suit, and that they'll get nearly half of the cash back.  Some 53% of the money, though, went to foreigners. 
  
  
• Is this the new "N" word?  Tammy  Bruce, who bills herself as an openly-gay, pro-choice feminist, was sitting in to host a conservative radio show when she talked about Michelle Obama's trip to a school last week, and said, "That's what he's married to...You know what we've got? We've got trash in the White House.  Trash is a thing that is color blind, it can cross all eco-socionomic...categories. You can work on Wall Street, or you can work at the Wal-Mart..."
  
  
• In KISS news about your health:  If you eat red meat every day, you may want to start changing up your menu.  The first large study to examine daily red meat consumption followed a half-million middle-aged and elderly Americans for 10 years and concluded eating red meat every day increases the chances of early death.  The study found that those who consumed about 4 ounces of red meat a day--the equivalent of a small hamburger--were 30% more likely to die, mostly of heart disease or cancer.  Sausage, cold cuts and other processed meat also up the risk of early death.  Fish and poultry can reverse that risk.  The findings appear in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
  
  
• It's not an idea which gets a warm reception in Georgia's General Assembly, but Connecticut is now considering becoming the first New England state to apologize for slavery.  Only six other states have done so.  The resolution would also highlight Connecticut's efforts to become a leading abolitionist state.
  
  
• Atlanta attorney Danny Meachum has signed back on with Michael Vick's legal team, with an exclusive three-year contract.  He says he wants to surround Vick with positive people like Tony Dungy, Julius Erving and Bishop T. D. Jakes.  There's also word Vick is shopping around a book he's written during his time in prison.
  
  
• The NFL announces the Super Bowl champion Steelers will open the 2009 season in Pittsburgh on September 10 against the Tennessee Titans.  The first Sunday game will be September 13: Chicago at Green Bay; and the first Monday matchups will be September 14: Buffalo at New England at 7:00 and San Diego at Oakland at 10:15.
  
  
• Schools ban kids fromsmoking cigarettes...but what about smoking Smarties?  YouTube is full of how-to videos of children crushing up the little cylindrical candies, opening both ends of the plastic and puffing out the candy dust like they're smoking real cigarettes.  They're not getting high--just mimicking adult behavior. An Alabama school is just one school now handing out detention for kids caught "smoking" Smarties.
  
  
• The KISS 104.1 weather forecast: increasing cloudiness, sprinkles possible but unlikely, high of 71, low of 54.  Wednesday, cloudy with an 80% chance of showers, high of 62.  Thursday, showers and thunderstorms 80% likely, high of 66.