WHKW, 1220 AM The Word in Cleveland will once again serve as the flagship station of the Viking Basketball Radio Network for the 2009-10 season as part of an agreement between Cleveland State and Salem Communications. The announcement was made on Friday by CSU Director of Athletics Lee Reed.

In addition, the Vikings will get additional exposure under the agreement as WHKZ, 1440 AM The Word in Warren will also broadcast the games.

"The Cleveland State athletic department is happy to continue our partnership with Salem Communications and have WHKW and WHKZ serve as our primary broadcast outlets this year for Viking basketball," Reed said. "This partnership ensures that Viking fans have a high quality, regular radio destination for CSU Basketball."

Salem Communications General Manager Mark Jaycox noted, "We are excited to be teaming up again with such a great institution and we look forward to another great season of Viking basketball on board The Word 1220 AM."

Under the agreement, every game during the 2009-10 season will be aired live on both stations and streamed live on the internet via whkwradio.com. The broadcasts will include a 30-minute pre-game show.

Photo: Richard Heene's mug shot.

The Heene family pulled on the heartstrings of American last month when it was reported that their young son had climbed into a homemade hotair balloon that became untethered and floated over the skies of Colorado. After hours of news coverage and worrying, it turned out the whole thing was a ruse. The boy was found in the attic of the family's home, and later let it slip on TV that the whole thing was a stunt. Naturally, the law enforcement officials, rescue teams, and TV viewing audience who were caught up in the whole stunt wanted the Heene family to pay for their mistake.

Father Richard Heene turned himself in Thursday and was released on $5,000 bond. His lawyer claims that he will plead guilty to felony charges. His wife, Mayumi Hene will plead guilty to false reporting to authorities, which is a misdemeanor.

Charges were officially filed against the Heenes on Thursday, which is why Richard turned himself in.

Michael Lohan, father of troubled actress Lindsay Lohan, is not only a scumbag, but also an idiot. In recent weeks he has begun releasing secret recordings of his family's phone conversations which in itself is dispicable. But here comes the stupid part - his ex-wife Dina Lohan has had a protective order since 2005 which bans Michael from communicating with her by email or phone through 2011.

One of the leaked phone calls is reportedly from 2008, which means Michael violated the order and handed over the proof. If convicted, Michael will get a stay in prison.

Attorneys for Dina Lohan have already contacted teh Nassau County District Attorne in connection with the leaked audio tapes.

Lindsay, however, doesn't have much to help her in this instance. She was granted just a one-year protective order against her father in 2004. It's long since expired and there aren't any laws against having a moron for a father.

The economy is down and money is tight for a lot of families, and Cleveland State University understands the hardships that students are facing. In light of this, CSU has announced a new $3,000 scholarship available to incoming freshman that's renewable up to $12,000 over four years.

The new scholarship, called the Freshman Scholars Program is awarded to new full-time freshmen entering beginning in Fall 2010 with a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and an ACT score of 23 or a combined SAT score of 1060. The last day to apply for the Freshman Scholars Program is February 1, 2010, and incoming freshman can apply online at www.engagecsu.com.

The $3,000 scholarship is renewable by maintaining a 3.0 cumulative GPA for full-time students. CSU tuition is about $8,000 per year, and this scholarship can reduce annual tuition by 36%.

An attorney for the Army psychiatrist accused of gunning down fellow soldiers at Fort Hood last week says that doctors have informed him that he may be paralyzed from the waist down. On Friday, attorney John Galligan said that Major Nidal Malik Hasan told him that he has no feeling in his legs and doctors believe the condition may be permanent.

Galligan also said that Hasan told him that he had extreme pain in his hands.

Hasan was shot by civilian police responding to the shootings at the Fort Hood military installation. Galligan was able to speak with him on Thursday in the intensive care unity at the Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas.

Hasan is charged with 13 counts of premeditated murder in the attack that also left 29 people wounded.

When the Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Miami Heat on their home turf recently, Michael Jordan was in the stands and apparently inspired LeBron James to give up his number, No. 23. Instead, James will sport the No. 6 next season, which was his number on Team USA, on whatever team he plays for.

James wishes that the league would take honoring Jordan even further, and believes every player in the NBA should give up the No. 23 out of respect for Jordan. He stated:

"I just think what Michael Jordan has done for the game has to be recognized some way soon. There would be no LeBron James, no Kobe Bryant(notes), no Dwyane Wade(notes) if there wasn't Michael Jordan first."

Is LeBron really that concerned with honoring one of his predacessors? He's never shown an interest before, and with his contract in Cleveland nearing an end speculation is high that he will be looking to move to a bigger, more profitable market. Perhaps the number switch is merely a sign that James is looking for a fresh start - a new number AND a new team.

WJW Fox 8 has stepped up and purchased the remaining tickets to the Cleveland Browns game on Monday Night Football against the Baltimore Ravens. The station is televising the game that would have been blacked out in the Cleveland area if it hadn't sold out. While Browns fans are out of the woods this week, chances are that a home game will not be seen on television this year. Of the four remaining games this season, only one is currently sold out.

Clevelanders over the years have taken over the Yankees, the Knicks, the Nets, the Rangers, Madison Square Garden. If sports, why not the book industry. Well, not quite that ambitious but Bill Gunlocke who gave Cleveland the alternative paper The Edition, has started a blog and wonders if New York City is really a Book City.

Bill, who also ran a book store in The Arcade when was The Arcade, questions whether it’s true that N. Y. C. is the Book City. Maybe it’s Cleveland, he wonders.

Anyway, Bill has always had the ability to bring maybe a quirky, but wise and different view. It is what he brought to Cleveland with The Edition and I wish he was still here and not in New York.

His love of school kids comes through. It’s a passion that keeps him looking for a new way to inspire and provoke.

Take a look at his first blog entry here. You won’t be disappointed:

http://acityreader.blogspot.com/

The Cleveland State Vikings have signed two high school players in the early signing period. Joining Gary Waters and CO are Ludovic Ndaye & Devon Long.

"The addition of Devon and Ludovic have assured that the Cleveland State Basketball program will continue to be successful," Waters said. "They will both help to provide us with stability on the interior along with rebounding and scoring. More importantly, they continue the progression of building size within the program.

"I am excited to have these two young men in the Viking Basketball program because they will help us to continue the tradition that we have established," Waters added.

Ndaye is a from Montreal currently playing prep basketball in Arizona. He stands 6-9 with a 220 pound frame and averaged 12.1 point and 6.2 rebounds a game at Westwind Prep in Phoenix.

On the incoming freshman from Canada, Waters stated:

"Ludovic is a big, strong post player who will fit into our defensive scheme because of his ability to score both inside and on the perimeter, rebound and be a stopper inside. He is another athletic performer who will help us elevate our post game."