newspoem 3 march 1996

On February 14 1996 the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette ran a small article deep in the business section about the Illinois Department of Labor's debate as to whether or not to repeal Illinois' "One Day Rest in Seven Act" which guarantees workers a daily meal break and one day off a week. [continued B2]

newspoem 4 march 1996

On February 15 1996 the Champaign-Urbana News-Gazette ran a small article deep in the business section (the same part of the same page in fact) about New Jersey commuter train engineer John J. DeCurtis who killed himself and two others in a collision February 9th when he ran a red light. [continued B3]

newspoem 5 march 1996

I heard there were bombings in Israel and I worried about Josh, who is in Jerusalem and is easily injured. I wanted to tell Danielle about the news but she had just left to go on tour and there was no way to phone or e-mail her. The news was reported to me by Doug and Jenny at their apart- ment in [continued B4]

newspoem 6 march 1996

TRUCK JACKKNIVES

AP LeRoy -- What looked like a mild sprinkling was actually a deadly ice storm. A truck I was following on I74 jackknifed slowly and gracefully, plowing across the shoulder into a wire fence. The driver was unhurt. His name was Jerry. This reporter escorted [continued B1]

him in the NewsPoetry Mobile Cow, which runs on paperback novels. [continued C2]

Illinois companies can apply for waivers to the law and every company is [continued C3]

DeCurtis had been on duty for 14.5 hours after working an overnight shift. [continued C4]

Normal. I had gone over their to talk about music with Doug. he played [continued C1]

a song for me. Afterwards I found an article in the Illinois State [continued D2]

I suggested that jackknifing was an excellent word for it. I asked [continued D3]

granted up to eight waivers in a calendar year without question [continued D4]

Since then, the New Jersey Transit commuter railroad has eliminated the shift [continued D1]

"It's not an acknowledgment that split shifts are dangerous" said New Jersey Transit Spokesperson Jeff Marlin.

University Vidette which said: "Tel Aviv", "killing at least 13", "wounding 109", "children", and "47 people died in the three previous attacks."

him if he had ever jackknifed before. He replied: "oh sure, 22 years on the road, yeah, it's happened to me before." I couldn't think of anything else to say.

"This law was set up to protect workers, but it may now be protection the workers don't want" said Illinois Department of Labor spokesperson Silver Katskee.