Names In The News

NASCAR Chair BILL FRANCE reportedly "was alert and recovering [yesterday] from two surgeries, one for coronary bypass and the other to repair a broken hip." ISC President JIM FRANCE: "I have spoken with my brother, and he is alert and in good spirits. The doctors say to expect a full recovery" (Ed Hinton, ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/30)....USA TODAY's Vicki Michaelis reports that the IOC Exec Board "postponed until November a decision on whether to cut baseball and other sports from the Summer Games." The report "outlines three reasons for excluding baseball" — lack of global popularity; costly Olympic venues; and lack of best athletes (USA TODAY, 8/30)....In Boston, Fee & Raposa write that the "on-again, off-again romance" between NBC's KATIE COURIC and Red Sox Owner TOM WERNER "apparently is on again," as Couric was "in the owners' box at Fenway Park the other night." Couric and Werner then "came down downstairs and sat in the owners' seats near the Red Sox dugout" with Red Sox CEO LARRY LUCCHINO (BOSTON HERALD, 8/30)....USA TODAY's Richard Weiner writes that "after a stunning reversal" by MUTUAL OF OMAHA regarding coverage for San Jose State Univ. DB NEIL PARRY, he was "back on the practice field" yesterday. Parry is "attempting to play again despite having part of his leg amputated following a game-related injury two years ago." After "being pushed, Mutual of Omaha gained NCAA approval and modified the package to ensure Parry's lifetime coverage" (USA TODAY, 8/30)....Over the past two seasons, JAY AHUJA traveled to racetracks in the U.S. to write his new book, "SPEED DREAMS: A GUIDE TO ALL 23 NASCAR TRACKS." The book is published by KENSINGTON BOOKS (THE DAILY)....In N.Y., Christopher Marquis reported that the Saudi royal family has "considered presenting" WAR EMBLEM as a "gift to the victims' families" from September 11 (N.Y. TIMES, 8/29).