Tickets printed to inauguration

Washington, D.C.

The Joint Congressional Committee on Inaugural Ceremonies has printed about 250,000 tickets to the Jan. 20 swearing-in ceremony at the west front of the U.S. Capitol.

The tickets are free and will be given to members of Congress and to President-elect Barack Obama's presidential-inaugural committee, once that is established. Those who want to attend the ceremony should contact their local member of Congress to request tickets. The viewing area will stretch from the Capitol along the Mall. Some more distant parts of the viewing area will not require tickets and probably will be served by huge video screens.

Congressional staffers said Friday that there were reports of advertisements on the Internet selling inaugural tickets for hundreds of dollars each. They said any such ticket would be false and of no value.

Springfield, Mass.

Church fire intentionally set

Investigators say a fire that destroyed a church being constructed for a predominantly black congregation was intentionally set.

The findings were announced Saturday at a news conference by local, state and federal safety officials, including state Fire Marshal Stephen Coan.

The fire Wednesday destroyed the Macedonia Church of God in Christ building, which was scheduled to open in a few months. Damage was estimated at $2 million.

Chicago

Man suspected in deaths may be freed

The felon suspected in the killings of the mother, brother and nephew of singer Jennifer Hudson has a parole hearing Monday and could be released if an administrative officer finds no reason to hold him.

No one has been charged in the shootings, but authorities have called 27-year-old William Balfour a "person of interest."

Balfour is in custody on a parole violation. He is the estranged husband of Julia Hudson, sister of the singer and actress. Chairman of the Illinois Prisoner Review Board, Jorge Montes, says that if an administrative officer finds cause to continue holding Balfour, the case would go to a review board for a hearing.

Detroit

Judge says reporter required to testify

A federal judge won't block the deposition of a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter about unnamed sources in a 2004 story about the ethics investigation of a terrorism prosecutor.

U.S. District Judge Robert Cleland on Friday denied a request from the Detroit Free Press that a judge in Washington, D.C., decide the matter. Cleland ruled in August that there is no reporter's privilege because a lawsuit is involved.

Reporter David Ashenfelter skipped a deposition last month. Free Press Editor Paul Anger plans to fight the deposition. Former federal prosecutor Richard Convertino handled the first major terrorism trial after 9/11, only to have the convictions thrown out at the government's request because evidence was withheld. He resigned in 2005.

Seattle Times news services