When all else fails in Indiana, play basketball.

The basketball-crazy state got a taste of what it would be like to have a pretty good player in the White House. 

Barack Obama on the campaign trail strapped on his Air Jordans and with his Marines T-Shirt ready to go, embarked on an quickly organized three-on-three in Kokomo, Indiana, with local school kids and WNBA star Alison Bales.

The Illinois senator sunk a left-handed three pointer that sent the crowd into a whirl. With a WNBA star along side him, the man who said he likes to unwind by shooting hoops brought that side of him out for the public to see.

Obama had previously shot some baskets on the “Ellen Degeneres Show” where he also showed off a few dance moves.

While his former pastor, Rev. Wright, continues his cross country publicity tour further damaging Obama’s White House bid, it’s nice to see the candidate still finding the time to connect with the voters on a level both he and they are passionate about - the great game of basketball. 

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Country crooner Mindy McCready is embroiled in a sex scandal that is astoundingly connected to pitcher Roger Clemens and his recent appearance before Congress.

Allegations of the decade-long affair first arose as a part of a  current Clemens’ defamation lawsuit.

During the Boston Red Sox days as pitcher, Clemens was 28 when he met the 15 year-old McCready. Although the report says their relationship did not turn inappropriate at that point, the allegations imply that eventually it did and continued for almost 10 years.

When asked about the story late Monday, McGrady simply said, “I cannot refute anything in the story.”

Looks like Clemens’ hot water troubles are continuing. The likelihood that McCready will be called as a witness in the above mentioned suit is extremely likely.

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It was a surreal scene. A beach normally packed with swimmers and surfers was desolate. Friday morning, a local favorite, David Martin, 66, was training with the San Diego Triathlete Club in the waters off of Solana Beach. He died after being attacked by a Great White Shark.

After The Wire took to the air in the photo at right, it is easy to see how calm the area of the attack is after the beach has been cleared. The ocean was off-limits to swimmers and surfers over the weekend, but it didn’t stop those dedicated San Diego surfers who still waded into the water all weekend.

This is the first recorded shark attack in San Diego county since 1994 when a college student’s body was found off of Sunset Cliffs where the cause of death was deemed to be shark attack. Prior to that, the only documented shark attack in San Diego waters was back in 1959.

Anyone who frequents these waters is a little stunned this Monday. The questions of when, not if, are surrounding people’s thoughts about when to return to the Pacific. We all know that shark attacks are rare, but it doesn’t remove the thought that just because it’s rare, doesn’t mean it won’t happen again.

Taking to the air and by boat, officials scanned an eight-mile stretch of beach for three days searching for the Great White. There was no sign of the enormous creature that experts, after examining the victim’s wounds, said was easily a 17-foot long Great White Shark.

The scene in Solana Beach, a seaside community of only 13,000, was one of shock over the weekend. Whether in coffee shops or along the shoreline, the sentiment was one that it was a terrible tragedy, but in typical So Cal fashion, we all are taking comfort in the fact that Martin died doing what he loved.

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In the end, it was a foregone conclusion. Hillary Clinton won Pennsylvania Tuesday by almost 10 points with both sides spinning the primary for their own campaign needs.

Barack Obama took the loss in stride, addressing supporters in Indiana - the site of the next primary. Obama said that after being down 20-plus points in Pennsylvania, to cut Hillary’s lead in half is a milestone. What is worrisome to some Democrats is that Obama failed to win the white working-class vote in rural Pennsylvania. Obama’s camp insists that for every one of those votes that may go to John McCain in a general election, they win over Republicans yearning for change. It is a good argument.

Clinton was elated yesterday and immediately her campaign got a massive influx of cash. Much needed, Obama has enough money to outspend Clinton for the rest of the campaign almost four to one.

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Happy Birthday to Edna Parker who turned 115 in Shelbyville, IN, on April 20!

She was declared the oldest person in the world this past August by the Guinness Book of World Records. Edna is one of only 75 people alive in the world today who have made it past their 110th birthday.

Edna marked her birthday at the Heritage House Convalescent Center with cake, some roses and a few balloons for an outdoor party on a beautiful spring Midwest day.

Researchers in Boston are studying Edna to determine why she has lived so long. According to the birthday girl herself, a low stress life leads to longevity!

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The Indy race-car circuit is nothing if it’s known for being a man’s world. The old boys racing cars around circular tracks dates back to running Moonshine.

Now a female driver has made history. After enduring sexist remarks and even slander over her first 49 starts, Danica Patrick finished first over the weekend.

Patrick won the Japan 300 over the weekend becoming the first female to win an Indy car event ever. The 26-year-old driver who was discovered by David Letterman has made waves since her debut on the circuit just years ago.

Filled with promise, she raced with the big boys on some of the world’s most famous tracks. By winning the Japan 300, she has now joined an elite group of racers who have reached the checkered flag first.

“Dreams really do come true,” she said to reporters after her win. “You just have to be persistent enough. This was a long time coming. I can only say that I’m just glad it’s over.”

It’s great to see her pull past the Anna Kournikova’s of the world who win in their sport while posing in bikinis for Sports Illustrated.

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Over the weekend, both Democratic candidates for president crossed Pennsylvania trying to convince voters they were the best choice to lead the country into the future.

With the Pennsylvania primary tomorrow, Obama and Clinton were frantic over the last 72 hours hitting every local bar and factory trying to win votes. The first primary contest in almost a month has been a heated one to say the least.

Jabs were tossed back and forth from both candidates as the Rebpulican nominee was completely out of the news cycle all weekend. After their tenuous debate last week, it appears the Clinton-Obama fracas shows no signs of slowing. Regardless of the results in tomorrow’s contest, the Clinton campaign has vowed to continue until every last primary voter has cast their ballot.

When is that you ask? Why, it’s in June.

Obama supporters, with their candidate in the lead with popular votes and electoral votes, have been quietly to loudly encouraging Clinton to leave the race. Only if the Pennsylvania results are a blowout for Obama could it even be considered that Clinton would drop out.

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Pope Benedict XVI closed out his first trip to America with an emotionally charged day in the Big Apple.

After visiting a Jewish synagogue on Friday for Sabbath services, then speaking to the United Nations on Saturday, the pontiff visited Ground Zero and prayed for the thousands who died on that sacred space Sunday morning.

It was especially touching for the hundreds of families whose loved ones’ remains were never found and where Ground Zero serves as their final resting place.

The pope then headed over to Yankee Stadium in the Bronx to lead a Mass for a crowd exceeding 60,000 people.

Overall, the pope had truly won over America’s hearts. After visiting with President Bush and world leaders, the pontiff took the time to meet with victims of the far-reaching abuse scandal in his church. No church official of his holiness’ nature had even acknowledged the church’s problems. By dealing with the issue head on and using the words “ashamed,” this pope managed to bring the Vatican back into the favor of the U.S. citizenry with out jam-packed visit.

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Populations across the Midwest are accustomed to tornadoes, but earthquakes?

Hours ago on this Friday morning, residents awoke to the tremors of a 5.2 magnitude earthquake that shook the country’s heartland at 4:37 a.m. Houses swayed, Chicago skyscrapers rattled and buildings shook across downtown Columbus.

The epicenter of the quake was in West Salem, Illinois, and shook the ground all the way to Atlanta.

Interesting to note, although it sounds strange, this isn’t the rarest of phenomenons. The area was struck by a 5.0 quake in 2002. Thankfully, no one was hurt and only minor property damage was reported across the 400-mile region Friday.

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The argument that Barack Obama is not one of the people has been flying around since he made Saturday remarks in San Francisco. His opponents have described those comments to voters as a ‘middle-Americans love of God and guns as a product of failing economic times’ attitude that puts Obama out of touch with the rest of the country.

Obama has since tried to explain his comments and now he has an ally in a singer who knows a thing or two about making statements and working-class voters.

Bruce Springsteen was watching the verbal volley lobbed at Obama since Saturday and decided he had enough. He posted the following statement on his website:

“Like most of you, I’ve been following the campaign and I have now seen and heard enough to know where I stand. Senator Obama, in my view, is head and shoulders above the rest,” the rocker wrote.

“He speaks to the America I’ve envisioned in my music for the past 35 years, a generous nation with a citizenry willing to tackle nuanced and complex problems. At the moment, critics have tried to diminish Senator Obama through the exaggeration of certain of his comments and relationships. While these matters are worthy of some discussion, they have been ripped out of the context and fabric of the man’s life and vision … often in order to distract us from discussing the real issues: war and peace, the fight for economic and racial justice, reaffirming our constitution, and the protection and enhancement of our environment.”

As an unofficial spokesperson of the working-class heroes of America, Springsteen carries a lot of clout in defending Obama against attacks he is out of touch with the masses. The fact that Obama was born in Kansas, raised in Illinois and represents Midwestern issues in the Senate has been completely lost during this debate.

To have Springsteen bring his level-headed passion to this debate is certainly welcomed.

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