Cross Country
And the Mystery Lives On
'After a thorough and comprehensive search," said FBI agent Judy Chilen, "no remains of Mr. Hoffa have been located." And so the two-week search of the Hidden Dreams Farm in Milford Township, Mich., will no doubt become one more tantalizing morsel of Jimmy Hoffa lore, like the exotic rumors that the former Teamsters boss was buried at Giants Stadium in the New Jersey Meadowlands or disposed of at a mob-owned sanitation company in Hamtramck, Mich. The public still can't get enough of the mystery of what happened to Hoffa after he went to meet two underworld figures at the Machus Red Fox restaurant on July 30, 1975--and then vanished. G-men suspect he was killed by the mob to prevent him from reclaiming presidency of the Teamsters. The latest search, which involved not only agents but archaeologists as well, was said to be prompted by what seemed to be the best lead in years. But "absent ... new information," said agent Chilen, "our work here has concluded."
Signs of Hope on the Waters
There were hints of optimism last week for two famous American rivers once given up for dead. State officials want to build Manhattan's first beach, along New York's Hudson River near the swanky meatpacking district. Plans are also underway for a 1-mile swimming race on Boston's long-filthy Charles River.
The Hudson has a reputation as a place where you're more likely to find someone sleeping with the fishes than swimming with them. But environmentalists say both rivers, much maligned for oil slicks and toxic waste, are cleaner than they've been in years. Even so, don't pull out the swimsuit yet. The proposed Hudson River beach is now a garbage truck depot. And the Charles probably won't be safe for general swimming for at least 10 years.
Jazzing It Up in the Big Easy
Like much of New Orleans, the neighborhood surrounding the Superdome remains in the same sorry shape since stewing in 4 feet of water after Hurricane Katrina. The moribund New Orleans Shopping Centre is closed, as is the once glass- (now plywood-) enclosed Hyatt Regency New Orleans. All that could change thanks to a new $715 million redevelopment plan to transform a 20-acre swath into a showpiece anchored by a six-block-long "National Jazz Center" performing arts and park complex, along with a new city hall. Called the state's "biggest capital project ever" by Mayor Ray Nagin, the construction would be bankrolled, in part, by the Hyatt's owners and would also include a revitalized hotel and shopping center. Saints football fans--who've long complained of a lack of tail-gating space--won't be left out, either. Part of a multi-level outdoor park would be set aside for them to cook up their red beans and rice.
Some Texas-Size Handouts
There haven't been too many tougher tickets to land in recent years than those for University of Texas football. The Longhorns have sported a gaudy record of 56-8 over the past five seasons, capping it off with a national championship last season. But according to the Austin American-Statesman, tickets to Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium haven't been a problem at all for one group: lawmakers. The newspaper reported that a total of 140 state and federal legislators received 1,962 free or discounted tickets to football games over the past five seasons. Several state legislators told the American-Statesmanthey saw nothing wrong; one said she often discusses education with lawmakers and university officials while attending games. A spokesman for the university said there were no plans to review the practice.
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