The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page A2

By JUBE SHIVER JR. Los Angeles Times WASHINGTON Over the objection of at least one regulator who sought harsher punishment, the Federal Communications Commission is set to impose a record $550,000 fine against CBS- owned stations for their airing of singer Janet naked right breast at the end of her halftime performance during the Feb. 1 Super Bowl. The fine, which has been under consideration for a month, is expected to be announced within two weeks, two FCC sources said yesterday. It signals a more pointed government effort to crack down on broadcasters amid mounting public criticism that television and radio stations have become too coarse and explicit.

The FCC sources said the agency had informally approved the fine but had delayed its announcement to allow commissioners time to iron out their differences and fine-tune their public statements. Agreement on the fine came over the objection of FCC Commissioner Jonathan S. Adelstein, a Democrat. He is said to be outraged that the FCC plans to fine the 20 TV stations owned by CBS and not include the approximately 200 affiliates that also aired the incident. The CBS-owned stations would each pay $27,500.

fine should be much one agency lawyer said. sends the wrong to the industry, the lawyer said. Neither CBS, which is owned by New York-based Viacom nor FCC spokesman David Fiske could be reached for comment yesterday. CBS, however, has said there was little it could have done to prevent the airing of breast because the Super Bowl was broadcast live. Thousands of Super Bowl viewers inundated the agency with calls, faxes and e-mails of criticism after Jackson bared her breast for two seconds at the end of her halftime duet with Justin Timberlake.

FCC Chairman Michael K. Powell responded by taking the unusual step of launching an investigation. The FCC, which has issued about $4 million in indecency fines since 1990, has intensified its scrutiny of broadcasters as lawmakers have pressed for stricter rules. The House has approved a bill to increase penalties for obscene, indecent and profane broadcasts. The measure is pending in the Senate.

Under the enforcement regulations, broadcasters fined for airing indecent material have 30 days to pay or appeal. If the fine is not paid within 30 days, collection is turned over to the Justice Department, which can file suits in federal court to recover the money. By MATTHEW PENNINGTON Associated Press ISLAMABAD, Pakistan The United States and its allies have moved closer to capturing Osama bin Laden in the past two months, a top U.S. counterterror- ism official said in a television interview broadcast yesterday. he has a watch, he should be looking at it because the clock is ticking.

He will be Joseph Cofer Black, the U.S. State Department coordinator for counterter- rorism, told private Geo television network. Asked if concrete progress had been made in the last two months when Pakistan has arrested dozens of terror suspects, including some key al-Qaida operatives he said, I would say Black said he could not predict when bin Laden and other top al- Qaida fugitives would be nabbed. I tell people, I would be surprised but not necessarily shocked if we wake up tomorrow and been caught along with all his lieutenants. That can happen because of the programs and infrastructure in he told Geo.

Bin Laden and his top associate, Ayman al-Zawahri, are believed to be hiding along the rugged border between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Officials have divulged no solid intelligence about bin precise whereabouts, and not clear if they have any. Pakistan is a key ally of the United States in its war on terror, and visit comes weeks after Pakistani security forces captured Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani, a Tanzanian wanted for the 1998 U.S. Embassy bombings in east Africa, and Mohammed Naeem Noor Khan, a Pakistani computer expert allegedly linked to al-Qaida operatives around the world. The arrests led to a terror warning in the United States and arrests in Britain and the United Arab Emirates.

Black attended a meeting of the Joint Working Group on Counterterrorism and Law Enforcement in Islamabad on Thursday and Friday. Pakistan asked U.S. officials for more helicopters, surveillance and communications equipment to help Pakistani forces guard border areas near Afghanistan a Pakistani official at the talks said, who spoke on condition of anonymity. got a positive response from the American CYANMAGYELBLK TennesseanBroadsheet Master TennesseanBroadsheet Master 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 5 TennesseanBroadsheet Master TennesseanBroadsheet Master 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 5 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 2A FROM PAGE ONE 2A Sunday, September 5, 2004 THE TENNESSEAN www.tennessean.com Dark gray vs. light gray Noise-barrier walls, those tall walls that help insulate nearby residents from road noise, are sometimes designed to resemble stone walls to better fit in with the landscape of an area.

The concrete comes in two shades of gray: dark to absorb sound, and light to deflect sound. Erin Radford of Goodlettsville is a front-desk clerk at Comfort Suites, located near the I-65 exit on Rivergate Parkway. get more complaints from the guests than I have, myself. They complain they get here. It bother me.

I just get on I-65, and I tell most of my guests how to get down the back John Beretta of Robertson County despises his commute through Nashville, along with the drive to visit his family in Antioch. feel like you take your life into your own hands. I have had two people go on me for going (the posted construction zone speed of) 45 miles an hour. I drove faster and I got a ticket this year. You feel like you are being held hostage.

no real alternative to going down Vincent Foster of Whites Creek commutes to his graphic design firm in Nashville. Two Saturdays ago, was taking my dogs to the veterinary clinic in Nashville. Coming back, there was a 10- car pileup on I-65 northbound. Traffic was backed up for miles and I was on the interstate for over 2 hours. What a nightmare.

There was no place to pull over or an exit to get off on. I look forward to the day this gets Reginald Hickman of Whites Creek plans his trips to River- Gate Mall according to the construction schedules. the news reports say they will be working on it at a certain time, I will wait to come out this way. been needing this construction, as far as making more lanes, because this town is QUICK FACTS ABOUT I-65 PROJECT Traffic information online Want to avoid construction traffic delays? TDOT advises motorists to consult newspaper, radio and TV updates, watch the interstate message boards, or for current SmartWay camera views of interstate traffic, visit www.tennessean.com or www.tdot.state.tn.us. Concrete barriers are stacked up awaiting placement.

read? Slow down Why are the exit signs along the I-65 construction areas so small? Because they are designed for vehicles traveling the posted speed limit of 45 and many motorists are traveling 6070 mph. The state Department of advice is to slow down. Millions and millions Cost estimates for the three sections of the I-65 project include: $8.1 million for land rights of way and $3 million for engineering. Construction for the section from south of Dickerson Pike to Old Hickory Boulevard is $52.1 million. The section from Old Hickory Boulevard to Vietnam Veterans Boulevard is $39.6 million.

Construction for the third section from Trinity Lane has been put on hold for roughly three years and construction estimates are not available. Project boasts own concrete plant A temporary concrete plant is set up at Old Hickory Boulevard Bridge and I-65 to produce the roadway concrete for the project. The on-site plant cuts delivery and wait times from plants 10 or more minutes away. The on-site conveniences have allowed contractor to pave as much as 2,300 cubic yards of road with concrete in just one day. The on-site concrete plant reduces delivery times.

Weighty matters One 20-foot segment of road barrier weighs nine tons. Each is placed along the roadside by a crane. New traffic cameras, message boards The projects include two new SmartWay traffic cameras on I-65: one between Briley Parkway and Old Hickory Boulevard, the other between Old Hickory Boulevard and Rivergate Parkway. Three new electronic message boards will be added, two south of Old Hickory Boulevard and one between Old Hickory Boulevard and Rivergate Parkway. SOURCE: TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION I-65: Emergency lanes, added exit lane in the works JAE S.

LEE STAFF Commuters heading north toward home along Interstate 65 near the Old Hickory Boulevard exit can easily get that fenced-in feeling, surrounded by concrete barriers on either side. Soon, at least have emergency lanes to use while work continues. think (motorists) get frustrated because they have been driving between the barriers for so long and shifting lanes crowded, I said Doug Hagar, construction supervisor with the state Department of Transportation for the section of the project south of Dickerson Pike to Old Hickory Boulevard. When finished, road officials say, it will make for less congestion on the interstates and some exits. rush hour the interstate really backs up before the Vietnam Veterans exit.

Since there will be two lanes dedicated to the Vietnam Veterans exit, it should help people get out of in the afternoons, said Jeff Glass, senior project inspector for Florence Hutcheson which is working on the northernmost section of the I-65 project. It also will mean smoother driving north of Nashville on concrete roads. roads have a longer life than said Amy Fiscor, TDOT construction supervisor for the section of the project from Old Hickory Boulevard to Vietnam Veterans Boulevard. ahead for motorists who drive that section of I-65. Since space is now available on the construction route, emergency pull-off areas will be open within a few weeks on the northbound section of I-65 from Old Hickory Boulevard to Vietnam Veterans Boulevard.

Southbound emergency lanes are expected to open in early fall. think one of the things that has concerned people said Kim Keelor, TDOT spokeswoman. She said most I-65 motorists complain about the construction delays and the lack of emergency lanes. Within a few weeks, the Briley Parkway Bridge at the southbound ramp from west on Briley to southbound I-65 will open. Within about two months at Vietnam Veterans Boulevard, two exit lanes will be open instead of just the one that has been open since April of 2002.

This fall, the south side of Old Hickory Bridge will be torn down, similar to the weekend project tearing down the north side that occurred in April. Traffic will be shifted to finish the rebuilding. Kelli Hewett Taylor can be reached at or 7265938. FROM PAGE 1A Get your state-by-state lottery results online at www.tennessean.com 6-1-1 Powerball 3-15-28-31-32-35 Lotto South Prize: up to $500 www.tnlottery.com Estimated jackpot: $45 million Estimated jackpot: $3 million Tennessee Cash 3 Power Play number: 2 35-3-13-4-20 Lotto 5 Allies, U.S. are making progress in capturing bin Laden, official says Sources: CBS stations to be fined for incident BIN LADEN FCC plans record penalty for exposure AP FILE Janet Jackson covers her breast after a during the halftime performance with Justin Timberlake at the Super Bowl..