Duke looking to pull off upset against Notre Dame

NORFOLK, Va. | The best phrase Duke coach Joanne P. McCallie to describe doing the unexpected is "the tingle."

PHIL WIELAND: We're not the happiest, but it could be worse

If you think of the region as something less than paradise on Earth, apparently you are not alone or even in the minority.

Indiana stays No. 1 in AP Top 25, Gonzaga No. 2

Indiana is No. 1 in The Associated Press' Top 25 for the fourth straight week, while Gonzaga moved to No. 2 for the first time in school history.

Suspect in at least 17 bank robberies caught

MERRILLVILLE | A Carol Stream, Ill., man believed responsible for a string of at least 17 bank robberies, including ones in Hammond, has been arrested by Elgin, Ill., police in connection with his latest heist, the FBI announced.

Judge deciding if stores must post tobacco apology

A federal judge will soon decide whether your next tank of gas or bottle of soda comes with a free apology from the Marlboro man and Joe Camel.

Backyard vintners do it for fun, profit, lifestyle

Growing gapes can be a rewarding pursuit. They're appealing to the eye, pleasing to the palate, a profitable sideline, and a reason for parties and neighborhood togetherness. Small wonder so many vineyards are cropping up in people's yards.

Holiday events: Trees, lighting displays and more

From elaborately decorated trees to drive-through lighting displays to boat parades and train shows, a variety of holiday spectacles are being staged through the end of December and into early January around the country. Here are a few of them.

BRIAN HOWEY: Positives, negatives of campaign 2012

On Election Day, as I headed to my office to watch the returns, I stopped to pick up some Chinese carryout.

History is alive and waiting for more visitors in Virginia

We've just returned from a very ambitious (euphemism for unbelievable amount of driving) vacation in Virginia. We had never been there, but we knew it was a state full of Revolutionary and Civil War history, as well as plantations and early settlements, so it was right up our alley.

Virginia A. Caine, M.D. speaks at a collaboration discussion of One Region and The Northwest Indiana Health Disparities

Dr. Virginia A. Caine, left, talks with Franciscan St. Margaret Health President Tom Gryzbek at a collaboration discussion of One Region and The Northwest Indiana Health Disparities on Thursday in Hobart.

Virginia A. Caine, M.D. speaks at a collaboration discussion of One Region and The Northwest Indiana Health Disparities

Dr. Virginia A. Caine speaks Thursday in Hobart at a collaboration discussion of One Region and The Northwest Indiana Health Disparities.

OFFBEAT: Edgar Allan Poe meets cupid's arrow for First Folio stage story

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Syracuse remains on top of Top 25

Syracuse is on top of The Associated Press' college basketball poll for a second week and UNLV and Virginia are newcomers to the Top 25.

On Trial

ON TRIAL - - Grace Sherwood, an accused witch who made history during the colonial days of Williamsburg, Va., is shown in an artist sketch during her trial in the late 1700s.

The White Idea

Actress Betty White, 88, is shown on Oct. 18, 2010 during her visit to Colonial Williamsburg, Va. attending an animal charity event. (Photo courtesy of Colonial Williamsburg Foundation / NOT for sale via The Times or NWI.com)

OFFBEAT: President John Tyler's plantation remains rare historical highlight

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Gunman kills 33 at Virginia Tech shooting before being killed

Injured occupants are carried out of Norris Hall at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Va., Monday, April 16, 2007. Shootings in a dorm and classroom at Virginia Tech resulted in multiple fatalities, police say. (AP Photo/The Roanoke Times, Alan Kim)