The Los Angeles Times today issued an apology for a report last week that linked Sean “Diddy” Combs to an attack on rap singer Tupac Shakur in 1994. According to the story on the Times’ web site today:

The story first appeared March 17 on latimes.com under the headline “An Attack on Tupac Shakur Launched a Hip-Hop War.” The article described a Nov. 30, 1994, ambush at Quad Recording Studios in New York, where the rap singer was pistol-whipped and shot several times by three men. No one has been charged in the crime, but before his death two years later, Shakur…

The rules of the new Illinois law are still as foggy as our weather this week, but in just three short weeks, smokers in Illinois will be banned from lighting up in public places.

Gov. Rod Blagojevich signed in July the Smoke Free Illinois Act, which bans smoking in virtually all public places. But a state committee hasn’t adopted the specific rules that clarify the law.

Smoking on patios, for instance, is still uncertain. The law says smoking will be banned in all indoor public places or places of employment, and within 15 feet of an entrance, open window or ventilation intake.

“Our…

Hundreds of people were trapped in the Arch for hours on July 21. Remember the story? It made the front page and led evening newscasts. According to our story, “Mike Maris, deputy superintendent of the Gateway Arch, said the power went out at 8:45 p.m. He said one of nine cables on the south tram may have broken. There were 40 people in each tram, about 100 at the top.”

Indeed, it was a broken cable.

The story for Friday’s Post-Dispatch talks about the inspections that are done for the Gateway Arch trams. A brief excerpt from the story:

A review of tram inspection reports,…

We all know (or should know) that talking on a cell phone while driving a motor vehicle can be dangerous to yourself or to other motorists or pedestrians. Smoking also poses serious health risks too. So does driving in New Delhi.

Combining the two is deadly, according to a New Delhi judge.

According to an Associated Press story, New Delhi court: Don’t smoke and drive, two judges there have barred smoking at the wheel.

“Anything that distracts the attention of driver is dangerous. The human mind cannot do two things simultaneously,” said New Delhi’s traffic commissioner.

Those caught doing either while driving are assessed…

Any time new smoking restrictions are put into place, there’s sure to be a lot of heat. The rules that will go into effect this season at Busch Stadium are sure to be no exception.

As we reported this morning, beginning with the first game April 1 against the New York Mets, fans who smoke will have to exit the ballpark entirely to puff away in designated areas on the sidewalks outside Gates 2, 4 and 6. Last season, smokers could light up in designated areas inside the stadium. Smoking also will be banned in luxury boxes and inside the front offices.

Team…