Madison
The City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to enact a ban on glass bottles at both possible dates for this year's Mifflin Street Block Party.
The vote initiated debate on the dates for which the ban would be enacted. Although May 7 is the official date for the annual revelry, many students plan to party one week earlier.
Ald. Mike Verveer, District 4, proposed to enact the ban both April 30 and May 7. He called the ban \very effective"" at improving safety at events like Mifflin and Halloween.
Washington, D.C.
Blockbuster Inc. reached a settlement Tuesday to compensate customers confused by its ""No Late Fees"" advertising campaign. Blockbuster, which is the nation's largest movie rental chain, will pay an additional $630,000 to cover legal fees incurred by states during investigations into consumer complaints. Forty-seven states and the District of Colombia were involved in the lawsuit, which took issue over the advertising campaign initiated Jan. 1. According to the policy in question, customers received no fees but instead had the total cost of the late DVD or videocassette billed to their credit card account after eight days. Customers could return the media to Blockbuster to receive a refund, minus a $1.25 restocking fee. Per the requirements of the settlement, Blockbuster will also alter its ad campaign to alleviate any further potential confusion.
Fort Worth, Texas
A former Boy Scouts administrator will appear before a federal judge today to enter a plea concerning the charge recently filed against him for receiving and distributing child pornography.
Douglas Smith Jr. worked with the Boy Scouts for 39 years before retiring. However, a Boy Scout spokesperson reported Smith was infrequently in contact with youth during his service as administrator. The organization placed him on leave when it learned Smith was under investigation. The investigation itself was conducted in conjuction with German authorities. The attorney's office expects Smith to plead guilty to the charge.
