McChrystal apologizes for NATO airstrike

General Stanley McChrystal apologized to Afghan president Hamid Karzai Monday for the NATO airstrike that killed 27 civilians and left 14 others wounded. The airstike occurred Sunday in the central Daikondi Providence of Afghanistan.  

The Afghan cabinet called the strike "unjustifiable," and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) ordered an immediate investigation of the incident. According to the Afghan government and ISAF, ground forces found women and children among the casualties.  

McChrystal told Karzai "We are extremely saddened by the loss of innocent lives."  McChrystal also said he would double efforts to regain the trust of the Afghan people.

According to a senior U.S. military official, commanders ordered the airstrike after they received intelligence that a group of Taliban were in vehicles heading for coalition forces. See the full story at CNN.

LeMoyne sports teams will remain division II

Le Moyne University's sports teams will remain Division II with the exception of men's baseball and women's lacrosse, which will compete at the Division I level.  The decision comes after more than three years of examining the impact on the university of playing at the Division I level.  School officials say the decision comes after considering a multitude of factors including higher costs and a reduced focus on the development of the "whole" student.  

Matt Bassett, Le Moyne's assistant vice president and director of athletics said, "Remaining Division II provides a platform for us to focus on the development of athletic excellence, academic excellence, community service, and leadership initiatives with all our student athletes."

College officials found that moving up to Division II status could increase costs by as much as $3.5 million a year, while a private consulting firm found the cost could be as much as $ 6 million.

The board of trustees said Saturday that they would back the recommendation made by Le Moyne President Fred Postello to continue competing at Division II level.  See the full story here.

Olympic bobsledder Bill Schuffenhauer started out homeless

Olympic bobsledder Bill Schuffenhauer of Salt Lake City, Utah, said growing up he only dreamed of surviving.  The 36-year-old father of two grew up in a household where both parents were drug addicts and his mother was frequently beaten by his father.  Shuffenhauer said he stole and ate garbage just to survive until his maternal grandmother took him in and gave him guidance and stability.

Even though track and field was Shuffenhauer's first passion, an ankle injury forced him to give up his olympic running aspirations shortly after he won the junior nationals while attending Weber State University in 1992.  

It was through his injury that he decided to try pushing for an Olympic bobsledding team that was training for the 2002 Winter Olympics.  After one of the four-members of the team tested positive for steroid, Schuffenhauer became an established member of the group which went on to win a Silver Medal at the Salt Lake games. See the full story here.