Wednesday News and Sports

A hearing is scheduled today in Raleigh, where a federal judge is expected to rule on a settlement of a lawsuit between environmentalists and the National Park Service over beach access inside Cape Hatteras National Seashore. In papers filed Tuesday, NPS Outer Banks Group Superintendent Mike Murray said that the settlement will significantly reduce the areas that off-road vehicles will be able to access in the summer.

233 days after a fire destroyed The Lost Colony’s costume shop and nearly all the outdoor drama’s costumes and props, a ribbon cutting and open house will be held this evening at the new Irene Smart Rains Costume Shop behind Waterside Theater. Donations poured in from all over the country to speed up rebuilding the shop, as well as to have costumes and props ready for the outdoor drama’s 71st season that begins May 30th.

Bertie County High School will be open to students today, after temporary repairs to a broken water main were completed. Students will have to make up the missed days over the next two Saturdays, with early release at 1pm.

An Elizabeth City man was sentenced to at least nine years ago in prison for a shooting in Edenton last April. The Daily Advance reports that Nathaniel Graham was found guilty on charges related to the wounding of an Edenton man. Graham still faces charges for two separate shootings in Elizabeth City that all happened in the same week as the Edenton shooting. The three victims of the shootings all survived their injuries.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse will be featured tonight on back-to-back episodes of “John Ratzenberger’s Made In America” on the Travel Channel. The shows will premiere at 9pm and 9:30pm.

COLLEGE BASKETBALL
Amid concern over a lack of NCAA Tournament at-large bids in two of the past three years, ACC athletic directors plan next month to discuss expanding the conference men's basketball schedule to 18 games.
The News and Observer reports that ACC athletic directors are expected to discuss the issue at the conference's spring meetings, May 11-14 at Amelia Island, Fla. A year ago, they considered expanding to 18 conference games but shelved the idea because of strong opposition from ACC coaches.
ACC teams have played a 16-game conference schedule since 1991-92, when Florida State was added to the league. The Big East, Big Ten and Pac-10 played 18 conference games last season.


For all his basketball skills, Barack Obama was out of his league. The Democratic presidential candidate played hoops with the University of North Carolina team today. But the Final Four squad cut the 46-year-old some slack. The 6-foot-2 Illinois senator decided to open his day with the Tar Heels, guarded by 6-foot-9 National Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough.

NBA Playoffs
Tuesday
Detroit Pistons 98 Philadelphia 76ers 81 Pistons lead series 3-2
New Orleans Hornets 99 Dallas Mavericks 94 Hornets win series 4-1
Houston Rockets 95 Utah Jazz 69 Jazz lead series 3-2
San Antonio Spurs 92 Suns 87 Spurs win series 4-1

Wednesday
Washington Wizards at Cleveland Cavaliers, Cavaliers lead series 3-1
Atlanta Hawks at Boston Celtics, Series tied 2-2
NHL PLAYOFFS
Tuesday
Pittsburgh Penguins 5 New York Rangers 3 Penguins lead series 3-0
Dallas Stars 2 San Jose Sharks 1, OT Stars lead series 3-0
Detroit Red Wings 4 Colorado Avalanche 3 Red Wings lead series 3-0

Wednesday
Montreal Canadiens at Philadelphia Flyers, 7 p.m. Flyers lead series 2-1
San Jose Sharks at Dallas Stars, 9 p.m. Stars lead series 3-0


BASEBALL
Tuesday
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Boston Red Sox 1 Toronto Blue Jays 0
Detroit Tigers 6 N.Y. Yankees 4
Seattle Mariners 7 Cleveland Indians 2
Baltimore Orioles 7 Tampa Bay Devil Rays 4
Kansas City Royals 9 Texas Rangers 5
Minnesota Twins 3 Chicago White Sox 1
Los Angeles Angels 2 Oakland Athletics 0

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Philadelphia Phillies 7 San Diego Padres 4
N.Y. Mets 5 Pittsburgh Pirates 4, 11 innings
Washington Nationals 6 Atlanta Braves 3
Los Angeles Dodgers 7 Florida Marlins 6
Milwaukee Brewers 10 Chicago Cubs 7
St. Louis Cardinals 7 Cincinnati Reds 2
Houston Astros 6 Arizona Diamondbacks 4
Colorado Rockies 3 San Francisco Giants 2

INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE
Charlotte 3 Norfolk 1
Final game of road trip today, Tides begin 8 game homestand Thursday