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Show Celebs&Peopte Today'slssue Today is Friday, Nov. 30, 2007. Today's issue of The Utah Statesman is published especially for Joshua Sessions, a sophomore from Preston, Idaho, majoring in premed. ClarifyCorrect The policy of The Utah Statesman is to correct any error made as soon as possible. If you find something you would like clarified or find unfair, please contact the editor at 797-1762 or TSC 105. Nat'lBriefs" Dinosaur tracks are found in Southern Utah KANAB, Utah (AP) - Tracks from half a dozen species of dinosaurs turned up in a southern Utah area popular with ATV riders. An area the size of a football field was closed to protect thousands oi three-toed and other tracks, according to the Bureau of Land Management, which manages the property about 5 miles southwest of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park in Kane County. "Some people knew the tracks were out there, but we didn't," BLM spokesman Larry Crutchfield told The Salt Lake Tribune for a story posted online Thursday. "But most people didn't even know they were riding over dinosaur tracks." The prints in the sandstone are at least 100 million older than the fossils being extracted in neighboring Grand StaircaseEscalante National Monument, said paleontologist Andrew Milner, curator at the Johnson Farm track site in nearby St. George. O'Brien pays nonstriking staffers to prevent layoffs NEW YORK (AP) - With his nonstriking "Late Night" staffers facing layoffs after Friday, Conan O'Brien has promised to cover their salaries next week, an NBC spokeswoman said Thursday. "He's paying the staffers' salaries out of his own pocket," NBC spokeswoman Rebecca Marks said. She said O'Brien had informed his staffers earlier in the day. The nonwriting staff numbers about 75. Production of "Late Night" has been suspended since the writers strike began Nov. 5. Through this week, NBC had been covering the salaries of its nonwriting staffers, along with those of "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno" and "Last Call with Carson Daly," which are also in reruns. But the network thus far has not said whether it intends to continue paying employees of any show on hiatus. All three programs are owned by Universal Media Studios, which, like NBC, is owned by General Electric. Two weeks ago, before NBC made its initial arrangement, O'Brien had pledged to pay his staffers should the need arise. O'Brien is a member of the striking Writers Guild of America, as are fellow hosts Leno, ABC's Jimmy Kimmcl and CBS's David Letterman. OPPOSITION MEMBERS WAVE POSTERS that reads in Spanish, "No like this," during a rally against a referendum on changes to the constitution, proposed by Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, scheduled for Dec. 2, 2007, in Caracas, Nov. 29,. AP photo Venezuelans oppose Chavez's proposed constitutional changes CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) - Hundreds of thousands of people flooded the streets of the capital Thursday to oppose a referendum that would eliminate term limits for President Hugo Chavez and help him establish a socialist state in Venezuela. Blowing whistles, waving placards and shouting "Not like this!" the marchers carried Venezuelan flags and dressed in blue — the chosen color of the opposition — as they streamed along Bolivar Avenue. "This is a movement by those of us who oppose a change to this country's way of life, because what (the referendum) aims to do is impose totalitarianism," said former lawmaker Elias Matta. "There can't be a communist Venezuela, and that's why our society is reacting this way." The rally marked the close of the opposition's campaign against the proposed constitutional changes, which will be submitted to a vote Sunday. Chavez plans to lead rallies in favor of the reforms Friday. Venezuelans will vote on 69 proposed changes to nation's 1999 constitution that would, among other things, eliminate presidential term limits, create forms of communal property and give greater power to the presidency. Chavez denies that the proposals are a bid to seize unchecked power, saying the constitutional overhaul is necessary to give more of a voice to the people through community-based councils. Rallies for and against the amendments have surged across this South American country in the run-up to the vote, occasionally leading to clashes. There were no immediate reports of violence Thursday. Thursday's rally was by far the largest related to the referendum, with several hundreds of thousands of protesters taking to the streets. There were no immediate reports of violence Thursday. Chavez's ex-wife, a critic of his administration, said the political strife in Venezuela has turned it in to "timebomb," given the polarization and the amount of guns on the streets. "The gun powder is spread, and all it needs is a detonator," said Maria Isabel Rodriguez in comments to Colombia's Caracol Radio, who worried that any "nonsense" by the opposition or the government could set off a wave of violence. On Wednesday, hundreds of stonethrowing students clashed with police and the Venezuelan national guard in a protest against the constitutional overhaul. Security forces responded with water cannons and tear gas. Opposition leaders appeared confident Thursday that they have enough votes to defeat the referendum. Henrique Capriles, mayor of the Caracas borough of Baruta, said even some people who support Chavez are against the constitutional changes. "If there is transparency, whatever the result, we will recognize it," Capriles said. But he warned, "We won't put up with a fraudulent process." Children in sheltersfor too long SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - Utah's foster-care system forces too many children into shelters, says a courtappointed monitor. Utah's two emergency Christmas Box House shelters, in Salt Lake City and Ogden, are intended to serve as temporary havens for children who are taken into protective custody late at night or have nowhere else to go. But kids are staying too long: an average stay of 16 days at the Salt Lake shelter and 27 days at the Ogden facility, between January and Sept. 24, said Paul Vincent, director of the Alabamabased Child Welfare Policy & Practice Group. The longest recorded stay at the Salt Lake shelter was 83 days. A federal law requires adoptive and foster families, including relatives, to undergo lengthy background checks. Utah interprets the law to mean that the screens must be completed before placing a child. A backlog of children at shelters has lawmakers considering legislation to make it easier to place children with relatives. "I hope you ... will look closely at alternatives to congregate shelter settings for all children," Vincent said in a letter to state officials. The director of Utah's Division of Child and Family Services has assigned a 15-member committee to explore ways to reduce shelter use. "All options are on the table," Duane Betournay said. Utah's two shelters were designed to look like cozy cottages. Children pick a gift and a blanket and are treated to hot meals and free health care. "These places are not good for kids, no matter how nice they are," said Carole Shauffer of the Youth Law Center. "They don't meet children's basic need for stability and attachment because there are too many caregivers and kids coming in and out." Kelsey Lewis, a recruiter for the Foster Care Foundation, said finding foster families around Salt Lake City and Ogden has been tough. But not in Utah County. "We can't respond fast enough to families there who want to foster," Lewis said. LOS ANGELES (AP) -Jennifer Love Hewitt is engaged to her boyfriend, Scottish actor Ross McCall, Hewitt, star of the CBS drama "Ghost Whisperer," | became engaged last week, her publicist, Sarah Fuller, told The Associatedl Press on Thursday. Fuller said she had no details on the couple's wed- HEWITT ding plans. The engagement was reported Wednesday on Us Weekly's Web site. Hewitt, 28, also starred in the TV series "Party of Five" and "Time of Your Life." Her film credits include "I Know What You Did Last Summer" and "The Tuxedo." McCall has appeared in the TV miniseries "Band of Brothers," "CSLNY" and "Ghost Whisperer." BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - America Ferrera has won another honor for her portrayal of the title character on ABC's "Ugly Betty." She won the best actress award at the ninth Family Television Awards for her role as the sartorially challenged Betty Suarez trying to make it in the tough New York fashion world. The series won best comedy. Ferrera, 23, has earned Emmy, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild awards for playing Betty. Zac Efron, 20, won the best actor award for his role as teen idol Troy Bolton in Disney's "High School Musical 2," which won the best movie musical award. Best new series went to ABC's "Pushing Daisies." The awards, presented Wednesday night, are given by the Family Friendly Programming Forum and recognize what it decides is outstanding programming for family viewing. ABC and the Disney Channel are owned by The Walt Disney Co. LateNiteHumor Top 10 Questions to ask yourself before b^ng egg nogfrom Dec. 19,2003 — 10: "Am I feeling sufficiently noggy today?" 9: "What's the best egg-to-nog ratio?" 8: "I have high cholesterol-is there egg white nog?" 7: "What other disgusting egg-based beverages could I try?" 6: "Has this egg nog been approved by the Nogmaster General?" 5: "Is egg my best choice of nog?" 4: "Which one's the egg nog that all the rappers drink?" 3: "Do I really feel like drinking this crap?" 2: "What would Jesus drink?" 1: "How long will this stuff keep in my spider hole?" SUV All ,,«, LT235/85R16/E |