News In Brief

THAT'S OK, MOM WILL DO IT

If you're the parent of a sturdy young son, you may want to hide this newspaper before he sees it. Why? Because a national medical group has just recommended that children younger than 12 should not be sent out to cut the grass. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, Ben or Jeff or Timmy might not yet display "appropriate levels of judgment, strength ... and maturity necessary for safe operation" of even unmechanized, push-type lawn mowers.

NOW, HOW DO I GET BACK?

That was a memorable ride through the Norwegian countryside that Kwi Hong went on Tuesday, although he can't say much for the view. The slight - and, happily for him, strong - mechanic was at work under a logging truck southwest of Oslo when it went into gear without warning. For 11 miles, Hong clung to wheel mounts and a hose as the vehicle jounced over rough roads, emerging shaken but not seriously hurt. No word on why the driver didn't realize he had a passenger.

States that are lining up for a chunk of your tax rebate

When residents in Iowa and seven other states receive rebate checks in the mail this summer under President Bush's $1.35 trillion tax cut, they may, in turn, have to give some of the money back to the government. Each of the eight has a law that subjects rebates to state income tax. In Iowa, for example, a taxpayer would owe $14.57 on the average federal rebate of $291. It is estimated that Iowans will get $404.9 million in rebates - meaning the state would reap a windfall of more than $20.2 million. States that stand to benefit from federal rebates, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators (Alabama dropped from the list under a change in its law last year):

Iowa

Louisiana

Missouri

Montana

North Dakota

Oklahoma

Oregon

Utah

- Associated Press

(c) Copyright 2001. The Christian Science Monitor