(Continued from page 19)

• The last CDC study to look at childhood obesity data this way found very different results. From 2003 to 2008, significant declines in preschooler obesity were seen in only nine states and increases were seen in 24 states.
• "We're seeing great progress," said the CDC's Ashleigh May, lead author of the new study.
• The report didn't answer why some states improved while most others held steady, and Davis said there's a pressing need to do more research and understand how some states were able to scale back.
• CDC officials said a change in WIC policies probably played a major role. The changes -- instituted in 2009 -- eliminated juice from infant food packages, provided less saturated fat, and made it easier to buy fruits and vegetables. Breast-feeding rates have been increasing, and kid's raised on mother's milk tend to have lower obesity rates, experts said.
• Childhood obesity has been a focus of the Obama White House, with first lady Michelle Obama leading a campaign called "Let's Move!" Kass, the program's chief administrator, said thousands of preschools and day care centers across the country have pledged to increase physical playtime and serve healthier foods.
• "While this announcement reflects important progress, we also know that there is tremendous work still to be done to support healthy futures for all our children," Michelle Obama said in a statement.
•

• RAPID CITY, S.D. (AP) -- Jurors convicted a man Tuesday afternoon of shooting another man to death in a Rapid City motel parking lot, rejecting an argument from his attorney that he was defending himself.
• KOTA-TV (http://www.kotatv.com ) reports that after two days of deliberations, the jury found Charles Birdshead, 30, guilty of manslaughter in the Jan. 7 killing of Eustacio Maruffo, 33, at the South Dakota Rose Inn. Birdshead was also convicted of commission of a felony with a firearm and possession of a controlled weapon.
• Maruffo died of a shotgun blast to the chest.
• Jurors deliberated for more than six hours Monday before leaving for the night about 10:30 p.m. They reconvened Tuesday morning and reached a verdict by late afternoon.
• During her closing arguments to the jury on Monday, defense attorney Jamy Patterson said Birdshead was lured to the motel for a beating and acted in self-defense.

(Continued on page 21)