Highest court to clarify government’s role in urban redevelopment, says land use law expert

At issue in the Kelo v. City of New London case before the Supreme Court is a redevelopment project in the downtown and waterfront areas of this economically distressed Connecticut city. Private property must be taken by condemnation in eminent domain and turned over to the developer to carry out the project. “In Kelo v. City of New London, the Supreme Court has taken a major case that will test the ability of municipalities to carry out redevelopment projects to improve their downtowns and city neighborhoods,” says Daniel Mandelker, the Howard A. Stamper Professor of Law at Washington University in St. Louis and one of the country’s leading scholars and teachers in land use law. Mandelker believes the Connecticut court properly upheld the use of eminent domain in this case, but that abuses can occur in other cases where there is no clear redevelopment objective.

Great American Smokeout can be kick-off to quitting, suggests behavior modification expert

Tips for kicking the butts.The Great American Smokeout — the day each November the American Cancer Society encourages smokers to say “no thanks” to cigarettes for 24 hours — helps many people recognize how dangerous smoking is and how much they really want to quit, says a psychologist at Washington University in St. Louis who is an expert on helping people gain control of personal habits.

DHEA may help fight off fat, diabetes

Abdominal fat reduction with DHEA useIn a six-month study of elderly people, researchers at the School of Medicine found that the hormone dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) significantly reduced abdominal fat and improved insulin action. This finding suggests that DHEA may be able to counter the increase in abdominal fat and accompanying increased risk for diabetes that very often occurs as we grow older.

Keith Boykin, president of the National Black Justice Coalition, to speak about race, sexuality and politics Nov. 13

Keith Boykin, president of the National Black Justice Coalition, will present a lecture on race, sexuality and politics 1 p.m. Nov. 13 in Brown Hall, Room 100. Boykin, a prominent author and speaker, was a special assistant to the President and director of specialty media during President Bill Clinton’s administration.

John Ferren, senior judge on the D.C. Court of Appeals, to discuss his new book on Justice Wiley Rutledge Nov. 10 at the School of Law

John M. Ferren, senior judge on the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, will discuss his new book, “Salt of the Earth, Conscience of the Court: The Story of Justice Wiley Rutledge,” 11 a.m. November 10 in the Bryan Cave Moot Courtroom of Anheuser-Busch Hall. Ferren’s book, published by University of North Carolina Press, examines the life of Supreme Court Justice Wiley B. Rutledge, former faculty member and dean of the Washington University School of law.

Poet Carl Phillips is finalist for National Book Award

PhillipsPoet Carl Phillips, professor of English and of African and Afro-American Studies, both in Arts & Sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, has been selected — for the second time in a relatively short literary career — as a finalist for the 2004 National Book Award in poetry. Phillips was nominated for his seventh collection of poetry, “The Rest of Love: Poems,” published in February by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. The National Book Awards are considered one of the most prestigious prizes in American literature.
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