By Morton Kondracke / Columnist Compassionate conservatism is back, as part of President Bush’s response to Hurricane Katrina. But his Thursday night speech ignored one group especially afflicted: children.The latest U.S. Census report shows that 12.5 percent of all Americans live below the poverty line, up for the fourth straight year, but that 18.4 percent…

By Cokie & Steven Roberts / Clumnists Senate Democrats face several tough choices regarding President Bush’s nominees for the Supreme Court. Should they vote against John Roberts for chief justice, even if he’s headed for an easy confirmation? And how should they handle the replacement for Sandra Day O’Connor, who could alter the direction of…

By James Clark / Columnist The case of the Waffle House spitter has been the talk of the town. Or I should say alleged spitter since we’re all innocent until proven guilty — even if we confess.In case you missed the story in Wednesday’s edition and haven’t heard anybody talking about it at work, at…

Birth Announcements Baby BoyBrayden Dwayne McLaughlin was born to Teresa Stoner and Brian McLaughlin on June 13. The infant weighed 7 pounds, 4 ounces and was 19 5/8 inches in length. He is welcomed by sister Shelby Cagle. Grandparents include Windell and Sarah Stoner and Clyde and Shirley Prater. Baby BoyHeidi and Jeffrey Boyd Vandagriff,…

WASHINGTON (AP) — About 3.1 million people have applied for the extra assistance the government will give poor people when Medicare’s prescription drug benefit kicks in Jan. 1, the agency said Thursday. Under the coming drug benefit, everyone on Medicare can get drug coverage through a private plan regardless of income or health status. While…

TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — A top federal official claimed Thursday that the Border Patrol during a recent crackdown has reduced illegal immigration along the well-traveled route from Mexico into Arizona. “We are making progress … in decreasing numbers and the flow of aliens across Arizona,” said Robert Bonner, commissioner for U.S. Customs and Border Protection.…

By DAVID GERMAIN / AP Movie Writer After the devastating emotional rawness of Roman Polanski’s Holocaust drama “The Pianist,” the director’s take on Charles Dickens’ “Oliver Twist” is an oddly distant and disappointing affair. Other than its rich, technically sumptuous production values and a wickedly gnarled performance by Ben Kingsley as den of thieves master…

By CHRISTY LEMIRE / AP Movie Critic There’s more stuff going on in the ’70s roller boogie comedy-drama-romance “Roll Bounce” than there are mirrored panels on a disco ball. Crammed with enough real-life traumas and feel-good turnarounds to fill a couple of after-school specials, the film from director Malcolm D. Lee (“The Best Man,” “Undercover…

By CHRISTY LEMIRE / AP Movie Critic “Daltry Calhoun” probably is not the movie that will finally force us to consider Johnny Knoxville as a serious actor — it’s too slight, too unfocused. But starring in the title role as a small-town Southern sod salesman who’s losing his business while gaining the daughter he hasn’t…

By DAVID GERMAIN / AP Movie Writer Julianne Moore once played Jodie Foster, taking Foster’s role as FBI agent Clarice Starling in “The Silence of the Lambs” followup “Hannibal.” Now Foster returns the favor with “Flightplan,” essentially playing the same maybe-crazy, maybe-not mom that Moore portrayed in last year’s horror hit “The Forgotten.” Moore played…