News In Brief

OH, GO AHEAD, IF YOU MUST

New England is known for the bright colors that many residents paint their houses: barn red ... lemon yellow ... basic black. Black? Well, yes, in the case of Lynn and George Kemmerle. They daubed that hue on their Stonington, Conn., dwelling as a protest last October when it appeared they would be denied the zoning board's OK for such renovations as a new addition and raising the roof line. Neighbors argued that this would spoil the view of the town's historic lighthouse museum. But now the work is going forward. Presumably, it also includes a new paint job.

MAYBE THIS WILL SATISFY THEM

In Kuwait, where efforts to give females the right to vote and seek elective office have been thwarted over and over again in recent years, the government is proposing an alternative "serious step" to help them "exercise their desired role to achieve national goals." If it passes the all-male parliament, the measure would allow women to join the police force.

What 'rush hour?' New study finds term no longer applies

The average American spent 36 hours in traffic in 1999 - three times as long as he or she would have 20 years ago, a new Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) report says (Editorial, page 10.). Part of the problem is that roads weren't built to keep pace with business and population growth. The institute ranked 68 cities according to a "travel rate index," which measures the difference between peak and nonpeak driving times based on traffic volume and not counting delays due to accidents or other factors. The average for all 68 cities: 1:32. TTI's ranking of the 10 worst and the index for each:

1. Los Angeles 1.55

2. San Francisco-Oakland 1.45

3. Seattle 1.44

4. Washington 1.42

5. Chicago 1.40

6. San Diego 1.40

7. Boston 1.37

8. Portland, Ore. 1.36

9. Atlanta 1.35

10. Las Vegas 1.35

- Associated Press

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