Tuesday morning links: Smoking ban passes; Loughner laughs at hearing

Herald Staff

Check out the Herald’s morning links every day for the high points in yesterday’s news, both local and national. Follow on twitter (@wkuherald) for updates.

LOCAL

The Bowling Green City Commission voted 3-2 in favor of a smoking ban in most public places. The ban takes effect in 90 days.

The new Ransdell College of Education Building opened on campus yesterday. President Gary Ransdell talked about the building in his name.

The future of Bowling Green’s United States Postal Service distribution center is up in the air. A move to Evansville or Nashville would save the USPS a reported $3 million a year.

Hilda Legg, a former administrator of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Utilities Service, has filed to run for secretary of state against Bowling Green Mayor Elaine Walker.

NATIONAL

A judge entered a not-guilty plea for Jared Loughner on three counts of attempted murder, including that of U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, as Loughner “showed the same smirk as he had in his mug shot.”

After Rahm Emanuel was denied an attempt to run for mayor of Chicago, Emanuel’s camp said late on Monday that it will appeal the Illinois Appellate Court ruling that he does not meet the one-year residency requirement.

A day after he was accused by many of quitting on the Chicago Bears in Sunday’s NFL Title Game, quarterback Jay Cutler proved to have a knee injury.

Former Southern California football player Stafon Johnson filed a lawsuit against the university in Los Angeles County Superior Court Monday, alleging that USC showed negligence in his weight lifting accident in September 2009.