Homebuilders less confident in housing market

Homebuilders are losing confidence in the housing market now that government incentives that spurred home sales have ended.

The National Association of Home Builders said Tuesday its housing market index fell to 17 in June, sinking five points after two straight months of increases. It was the lowest level since March.

Builders had been more optimistic earlier in the year when buyers could take advantage of tax credits of up to $8,000. Those incentives expired on April 30, although buyers with signed contracts have until June 30 to complete their purchases.

Thanks to the credits, sales of new homes rose nearly 15 percent in April. That followed a …

NASCAR concerned about racing's image

RICHMOND, Va. - NASCAR's new image ad campaign debuts this monthwith legends Fireball Roberts and Lee Petty competing in a hair-raising fantasy race against modern drivers like Dale Earnhardt Jr.and Jeff Gordon.

Call it a compromise, at least for NASCAR.

As this fast-growing sport goes mainstream, NASCAR is concernedabout eroding its loyal fan base while trying to reach new markets.

So the TV ads, which start airing Feb. 15 during the Daytona 500,aim to strike a delicate balance: pleasing the old NASCAR fan who canrattle off yesterday's names and numbers while cautiously reachingout to the newbie perhaps drawn by the simple thrill of …

Grizzlies-Trail Blazers, Box

…

MEMPHIS (98)

Stoudamire 0-5 1-1 1, Miller 3-12 3-4 9, Milicic 3-13 1-2 7, Gay 13-24 1-3 31, Gasol 8-10 3-4 19, Lowry 3-8 7-9 14, Conley Jr. 3-4 1-1 8, Swift 3-6 0-0 6, Jacobsen 0-2 0-0 0, Cardinal 1-2 0-0 3, Navarro 0-2 0-0 0, Kinsey 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 37-89 17-24 98.

PORTLAND (110)

Blake 3-6 0-0 7, Roy 9-19 4-5 22, Aldridge 12-20 6-7 30, Webster 5-10 4-4 17, Frye 3-5 0-0 6, Jack 7-11 5-6 21, Outlaw 2-6 1-2 5, Przybilla 0-2 0-0 0, Rodriguez 1-3 0-0 2. Totals 42-82 20-24 110.

Crowded House

Color Photo: Getty Images / Alex Rios will bring a big contract to the South Side, but …

Peace institute gets grant

School note

Winnipeg-A $120,000 three-year grant from the Winnipeg Foundation will allow the Canadian Mennonite University (CMU) Institute for Community Peacebuilding to work with newcomers to Winnipeg and address issues related to young offenders. For newcomers, the funds will enable the institute to help them in three areas where they experience conflict: within their communities, with the dominant culture they find themselves in, and between themselves and …

Fossett Search Chases Two New Tips

MINDEN, Nev. - After finding a half-dozen old airplane wrecks over 10 days, crews searching for missing aviator Steve Fossett focussed on new tips about planes flying in the area the day his disappeared.

A Blackhawk helicopter and several ground crews were dispatched late Wednesday afternoon to a spot in the Pinenut Mountains in western Nevada where two witnesses reported seeing a plane like Fossett's fly into a canyon but not fly out on Labor Day.

Search planes had flown the area several times, but the second sighting was reported to authorities Wednesday, so ground crews went in for a closer look, said Jeff Page, Lyon County's emergency manager. Searchers planned to …

Iranian Nobel Peace laureate urges EU sanctions

Iranian Nobel Peace laureate Shirin Ebadi called on European Union countries on Tuesday to impose diplomatic sanctions against Iran to press for an end to a crackdown on demonstrations.

Ebadi said she asked EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana and other EU officials "to express their protest at the Iranian government; the way it is killing and is arresting the people."

The Iranian activist, who has been in Europe since the protests started following the disputed June 12 presidential election, is calling for a rerun and said it should be monitored by international observers.

She said EU governments should consider political and …