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'The healthiest sick person they know'

When pushed hard enough, a person can reach a breaking point. But those who know Bruce Balch might wonder whether he has one. ...

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• Opinion by Greg Hansen : Local once swept floors, now cleans up as owner
  The back story to John Brooks' racing career is so fascinating that it could inspire a book or a movie. Maybe both.
• Coming Sunday: Immigration rhetoric
  Special report: You've heard it from pundits and read it online — "illegal immigrants are jamming our justice system." Is it true? We get to the facts behind the rhetoric.
• Arm in arm, U.S. golden yet again
  BEIJING — With their elbows locked, smiles iridescent and image makeover complete, the U.S. men's basketball players took their final step into Olympic lore in the most appropriate way — together.
• Clay as solid as a rock
  BEIJING — U.S. decathlete Bryan Clay was walking slowly next to the Olympic Stadium track on a victory lap, and he reached the top of the home stretch just about the time Usain Bolt did while finishing the third leg of Jamaica's 400-meter relay Friday.
• Best of Day 14
  Best of Day 14
• Day 14 highlights
  Stat of the day
• Redemption just one game away for U.S.
  BEIJING — "Does Spain stand a chance?" a reporter asked Argentine forward Luis Scola. He knew the answer. Everyone does.
• U.S. loses to Cuba, beats Japan for bronze
  BEIJING — The Americans celebrated modestly in the middle of the diamond with hugs, handshakes and high-fives.
• China asked to provide more age documentation
  BEIJING — China was asked to provide additional documents proving that five of the six members of its gold medal women's gymnastics team were old enough to compete in the Beijing Olympics.
• 'Diver boy,' 14, soaking in life as an Olympian
  BEIJING — Britain's Tom Daley, 14, is the youngest official competitor in the Olympics. He's a diver, and the British press has dubbed him "diver boy" because of his age.
• Short end of the stick
  BEIJING — They dropped the stick.
• Day 13 highlights
  Stat of the day
• Best of Day 13
  Best of Day 13
• Lloyd, Solo help U.S. win soccer gold
  BEIJING — The pass got to her foot, and Carli Lloyd had one thought: Keep it low.
• Happening today
  Don't miss this gold medal final
• Japan stuns Americans to win gold medal
  BEIJING — They walked around in a daze unsure of what to do next.
• 'Speed glue' puts table tennis in sticky situation
  BEIJING — In a narrow tent outside Peking University Gymnasium, table tennis players sit shoulder-to-shoulder, applying a performance-enhancer for the last time at an Olympics. Not steroids or human growth hormone; the substance of choice is "speed glue."
• Overcoming her fear, mother of 3 in China to cheer
  BEIJING — Of all the Lopez family's achievements in these Olympic Games, perhaps the most significant is this:
• Ja-makin' history
  BEIJING — U.S. track has opened its portion of the 2008 Summer Games in a slump.
• Phelps' great haul of China at 7
  Beijing Olympics
• Day 8 highlights
  Stat of the day
• Best of Day 8
  Best of Day 8
• Cuba tops U.S. in baseball after strange ending
  BEIJING — The baseball-adoring men who have governed these baseball-adoring nations, it is safe to say, will not be making congratulatory and consolatory phone calls to each other after another intense chapter in the U.S.-Cuba sporting rivalry played out Friday afternoon.
• Bolt reaches semis with amazing ease
  BEIJING — Far ahead halfway through his 100-meter Olympic quarterfinal, Usain Bolt casually swiveled his head to his right, to his left, then back to his right.
• Americans 'send a statement,' outscore two major rivals 15-0
  BEIJING — The U.S. softball team turned the toughest day of its weeklong preliminary schedule into just another display of the myriad ways that it dominates the sport.
• Women's shot put tonight
  Don't miss this gold medal final
• Here's the thing: It's Bay-jing, not Bay-zhing
  In the shadow of Olympic venues, Brian Williams has anchored NBC's "Nightly News" this week in a city he calls Bay-jing.
• Day 7 highlights
  Stat of the day
• Blake shocks Federer; Venus, Serena also fall
  BEIJING — Roger Federer directed an angry scream toward his feet. He swatted a stray ball in frustration. He slapped his thigh, hung his head and stomped behind the baseline.
• Best of Day 7
  Best of Day 7
• Phelps wins 200 IM, makes it 6 for 6
  BEIJING — Michael Phelps hung on the lane rope in a familiar pose, admiring another world record while his rivals gasped for breath. Make it 6 for 6 at the Beijing Games.
• Hamstring 'feels good' as Gay cruises in 1st round of 100 meters
  BEIJING — This looked more like a workout than a true test. Either way, Tyson Gay easily made it through the first round of the Olympic 100-meter dash Friday.
• 50-meter men's free is tonight
  Don't miss this gold medal final:
• Card signed by Phelps selling for up to $500 as much as $500
  Chalk up another remarkable feat for Michael Phelps: somehow making swimming trading cards popular.
• USA's golden boy
  BEIJING — For Michael Phelps, it's not enough to just set a new standard. He has to demolish the old one.
• Opening-game domination
  BEIJING — Four years later, Olympic softball remains lopsided.
• Chinese men fulfill promise in gymnastics
  BEIJING — The roar began as soon as Chen Yibing's feet hit the mat, a primal scream that was four pressure-packed years in the making.
• Day 4 highlights
  Stat of the day
• After 2 snubs by China, U.S. player on verge of Olympic dream
  BEIJING — For the Opening Ceremony of these Olympic Games, she planned to sport the official look of the American team — from the jaunty white cap to the Ralph Lauren blue blazer — but with one exception.
• Olympics: Best of Day 4
  Best of Day 4
• Gay 100 percent as finals near in 'hottest' 100
  BEIJING — Tyson Gay, the fastest man in America, celebrated his 26th birthday with the dramatic lighting of the Olympic cauldron at the Bird's Nest at about 12:01 a.m. Saturday.
• Local athlete schedule
  Local Athlete schedule
• Phelps' hunt for gold reaches 3, while local Grevers grabs silver
  BEIJING — Michael Phelps etched his name with Mark Spitz and Carl Lewis among the winningest Olympians ever Tuesday. With three gold medals and three world records, he has no equal in China.
• U.S. aims to beat back nerves, win gold
  BEIJING — The U.S. women gymnasts came into the Olympics as world champions, but they probably have to be better in tonight's team finals than they were in Sunday's qualification round to claim the most important gold medal in their sport.
• A touch of gold
  BEIJING — By a fingertip, Michael Phelps is still on course for eight gold medals. He can thank Jason Lezak for getting him No. 2.
• Best of Day 2
• Coach's call inspires U.S. after tragedy
  BEIJING — The volleyball players huddled, had a moment of silence, and then set out on their mission — to do what little they could to ease the pain of their grieving coach and his shattered family.
• Local athlete schedule
• Countries wage war, but event unites athletes
  BEIJING — Their countries on the verge of full-scale war, Natalia Paderina of Russia and Nino Salukvadze of the former Soviet republic of Georgia squared off with pistols at the Olympics and made peace.
• More than gold at stake for Americans
  BEIJING — They are articulate. They are diplomatic. And they are absolutely devastated.
• U.S. battles for medal in men's gymnastics
  Don't miss this gold medal final
• Phelps off to golden start earns first gold
  BEIJING — Michael Phelps got one of his toughest races out of the way, and it couldn't have been any easier.
• U.S. women form great fence of China
  BEIJING — Mariel Zagunis stood proudly atop the podium, the first American to do so at these Olympics.
• China wants gold, but still loves Kobe
  BEIJING — China is renowned as a pingpong powerhouse, but Jiang Pan cannot name a single Chinese contender in this year's games.
• As smog fades, hot conditions pester cyclists
  BEIJING — After all the worries about Beijing's pollution, in the end, withering heat and humidity took a greater toll on Olympic athletes.
• Tucson's South African connection goes for 2nd gold
  Don't miss this final
• Can he attain gr-eight-ness?
  BEIJING — Head on over to the futuristic-looking Water Cube and wriggle into your high-tech suit Michael Phelps, it's time to hit the pool.
• TV guide to watching athletes with a Tucson connection
  We claim 32 athletes with a Tucson connection at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. These athletes either played here, train here or grew up here. We have broken down their sport, connection to Tucson, events, date of the event finals and when that event final could appear on TV (CABLE AND OVER THE AIR ONLY). Athletes must compete in early rounds to advance to the finals. Athletes will compete for the United States unless otherwise noted. This list is accurate as of the week leading into the Games, which begin Friday and end Aug. 24.
• Flying torchbearer lights up spectacular opening ceremony
  BEIJING — China didn't just walk onto the world stage. It soared over it.
• Ward loses her way, then finds it in fencing
  BEIJING — Getting lost helped land Rebecca Ward in the Olympics.
• Olympic Outlook
  Olympic Outlook
• Secret ceremony to be unveiled today
  BEIJING — Olympic organizers have kept a veil of secrecy over the opening ceremony, saying only that the three-and-a-half-hour show will highlight China's 5,000-year-history.
• Opinion by Greg Hansen : Best locals will have tough roads to medals
  Unless you are Frank Busch or Lacey Nymeyer, you almost certainly have not heard the following two words: Masayuki Kishida.
• USA men beat Japan in soccer opener
  TIANJIN, China — Stuart Holden ended the United States' three-game scoring drought with a goal in the second half, giving the Americans a 1-0 victory over Japan on Thursday in the Olympic opener for both.
• U.S. men's soccer team having trouble scoring
  TIANJIN, China — Adding Brian McBride should have improved the U.S. Olympic team's scoring.
• U.S. to focus on sportsmanship
  BEIJING — A few hours after marathoner Meb Keflezighi won a silver medal for the United States in the final event of the 2004 Olympics, Clay Stanley woke up in an Athens jail with no memory of what had put him there.
• NBC has 3,600 hours of coverage planned
  It is the type of Olympic coverage that couch potatoes have trained for, for their entire lives.
• Tests finding drug cheaters before games
  BEIJING — There's one good way of avoiding a rash of damaging doping scandals at the Olympics: Catch the drug cheats before they get there.
• American gymnast Memmel hurts ankle in training session
  BEIJING — American gymnast Chellsie Memmel hurt her right ankle while training on the floor exercise Sunday but is still expected to compete in Olympic team competition next weekend.
• Going, going, gone
  The Last Great Softball Team spent the past six months pinballing across the country in a bus.
• Hamm doesn't heal quickly enough, will not compete
  Paul Hamm won't be going to the Beijing Olympics, after all.
• Mexico: Our tomatoes are salmonella-free
  MEXICO CITY — Mexico's Agriculture Department says its tests found no salmonella in Mexican tomatoes.
• UA student reporters gauge Argentina eco-priorities
  It's a dilemma that gets trickier daily.
• On the fast track: Lagat wins again
  EUGENE, Ore. — In winning the 1,500 meters at the U.S. Olympic track and field trials, Tucsonan Bernard Lagat joined two others who also wanted to represent their adopted country at the Olympics.
• Busch to coach on USA staff
  UA head swimming coach Frank Busch was one of three men selected Sunday night as assistant coaches on the USA Olympic men's team.
• Phelps, Hoff, Torres set to star in Beijing
  OMAHA, Neb. — The U.S. Olympic trials ended with Michael Phelps cheering from the stands after another dominating meet, Katie Hoff savoring her emergence as a potentially huge star in China, and Dara Torres scoring another win for middle-aged moms everywhere.
• UA's Jackson takes 3rd, just missing China
  When UA junior Lara Jackson completed her first preliminary race in the 100 freestyle on Thursday, she was greeted by a single reporter in the media zone at Qwest Center.
• Best in USA … briefly
  Three weeks ago at the Swim Invitational in Omaha, Neb., a rehearsal meet for the U.S. Olympic trials, Arizona Wildcats junior Lara Jackson won the 50 meter freestyle with an stunning time of 25.14 seconds, the eighth-fastest time in American history.
• First throw sends Camarena to Olympics
  EUGENE, Ore. — Jill Camarena stepped into the shot put ring, took three steps forward, hoisted an 8.8-pound shot to her right earlobe and spun nearly three times before heaving it into the air.
• Flying to Beijing: Victory for Abdi
  EUGENE, Ore. — On his 31st birthday, Abdi Abdirahman resolved to run again.
• Nymeyer, Olympian
  OMAHA, Neb.
• One-throw day in qualifying gives Camarena big boost for today's final
  EUGENE, Ore. — As she entered the shot-put ring on Thursday night, Jill Camarena said she could hear her family screaming from the Hayward Field stands.
• Phelps breaks record; Torres on team again
  OMAHA, Neb. — Michael Phelps set another world record. No surprise there.
• Olympic dream ends suddenly for Glenn
  EUGENE, Ore. — Beneath her yellow sunglasses, a single tear fell down Brianna Glenn's right cheek.
• Greg Hansen: Party on: Amanda's back
  OMAHA, Neb. - Judgment Day at the Olympic swimming trials has arrived for Caitlin Leverenz, and of all people getting in the way it is ancient Amanda Beard, who on Thursday joked that Leverenz is "still just a baby.''
• Nymeyer blazes into 100 freestyle final with a personal best
  OMAHA, Neb. — On the fastest day of her swimming career, Tucsonan Lacey Nymeyer burst into the finals of the 100-meter freestyle, one race from making the USA Olympic team.
• 4th of July special for Abdirahman
  EUGENE, Ore. — Today is a "big day" for Tucsonan Abdi Abdirahman.
• In Argentina's grape-growing region, hail-control efforts raise doubts
• Wines are changing along with the climate
  MENDOZA, ARGENTINA — Its bold, aromatic tones balance perfectly with its fruity highlights, rich texture, and royal hues, creating a sense that it's alive with flavor. But the chemistry that gives Malbec, Argentina's staple wine grape, its distinct characteristics is starting to be affected by climate change, along with other wine varieties across the globe.
• About the writers
  Mia Mitchell is an honors senior majoring in Spanish literature with a minor in Latin American Studies. She plans to teach English abroad after graduation.
• Factory fishing threatens Argentina's fragile waters
  PUNTA NORTE, ARGENTINA — High tide is receding from the scalloped beach of Punta Norte on Argentina's Patagonian coast. Suddenly a shiny, 22-foot-long black and white beast hurtles onto the shore and snatches a baby sea lion from the surf's edge. As the orca wriggles back into the water, it tosses the cub into the air, catches it and disappears with its afternoon snack. A few hundred feet back, 50 tourists from four continents cheer and embrace, overwhelmed at their luck to witness this rather bloody marvel of nature.
• Cruise-line tourism leaves tons of garbage in its wake
  USHUAIA, TIERRA DEL FUEGO, ARGENTINA — At the 3,200-foot summit of Cerro Guanaco, west of the world's southernmost town, Ushuaia, Argentina, hikers are rewarded by spectacular views of glacier-capped peaks, frosty blue green lakes and red peat bogs. Unless, that is, they turn south. Just short of the frigid Beagle Channel that separates Tierra del Fuego from the archipelago of tiny islands that ends at Cape Horn, a new mountain is rising. Unlike the surrounding scenery, this one is made of garbage.
• Hard reality: Overfishing may explain decline in crab harvest
  USHUAIA, TIERRA DEL FUEGO, ARGENTINA — Patricio Bogan, owner of Beagle Fisheries in Ushuaia arrives at his plant at dawn and smiles to see his fishermen unloading 10 live red, spiky crustaceans, each fully three feet across.
• Massive glacier defies the melting trend
  SANTA CRUZ, ARGENTINA — Dawn at Los Glaciares National Park in Santa Cruz province, at the southwestern end of Argentina.
• Tucsonan takes charge at fifth Olympic trials
  The air was thick at Centennial Olympic Stadium in Atlanta.
• Threatened berry helps give Argentine town its distinct flavor
  EL CALAFATE, SANTA CRUZ, ARGENTINA — The sweet calafate, or Magellan barberry, similar in size and color to a blueberry, grows on a thorny evergreen shrub native to the flat plains of southern Argentina and Chile. Because of its resistance to strong winds, droughts and extreme temperatures, the calafate became the symbol and name of this Patagonian town.
• Quest for Beijing Games trip begins today for UA coach, 3 shot-putters
  Arizona throws coach Craig Carter will be a busy man over the next 10 days. He will scramble between practices, and the shot and discus rings at Hayward Field in Eugene, Ore., site of the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials.
• It's called the toughest meet for a reason
  EUGENE, Ore. — For some, such as Allyson Felix, the U.S. Olympic track and field trials are all about finishing in the top three in a given event to secure a spot on the team that will go to Beijing.
• From beef to beans on Argentina's famed pampas
  SANTA FE PROVINCE, Argentina — Standing on his patio overlooking an endless sea of green, Jorge Lagger struggles to imagine these lands as they were just one year ago.
• Ex-Tucson rider finds new prodigy in life after Dan
  Kim Severson misses her old teammate, Dan.
• Making Olympic team is 'strange' for Hamm
  PHILADELPHIA — Paul Hamm is going to his third Olympics, and he never had to do a routine.
• Refuge in a sea of soy
  By Andrea Goodrich
• Pulp friction: 2 nations at odds over huge riverside plant
  GUALEGUAYCHÚ, ARGENTINA — Three hours north of Buenos Aires, the shallow Río Uruguay meanders past the towns of Fray Bentos, Uruguay and Gualeguaychú, Argentina.
• She's on the beam
  PHILADELPHIA — Start looking for the passports and the big suitcases. Shawn Johnson and Nastia Liukin have their trips to the Beijing Olympics all but locked up.
• Forests of eucalyptus shadowed by questions
  FRAY BENTOS, URUGUAY — They line up in uniformly measured rows along the sides of roads, their bone-white bark and silvery-sage leaves standing tall against the crystalline blue sky. These groves of Australian eucalyptus are now a common sight in western Uruguay, just across the border from Argentina.
• Horton, Artemev take lead in bid for tumbler 'locks'
  PHILADELPHIA — Paul Hamm isn't the only American gymnast with skills.
• Archery, salad keep Olympian in Tucson
  Jennifer Nichols has given Robin Hood himself an archery lesson.
• Ariz. officials to scrutinize Amphi on records denial
  The one school district that refused to turn over complete records to the Arizona Daily Star as part of a 10-month investigation into student achievement is facing increased scrutiny for its denial, including possible intervention by the state.
• Early intervention strategies can help students succeed
  Twenty-nine Pascua Yaqui students at Hohokam Middle School should have repeated eighth grade last year.
• The people behind the series
  Jack Gillum is a business reporter and database specialist. His work has been honored by the Society of American Business Editors and Writers and the Arizona Press Club.
• Businesses see skilled grads as critical to area's future
  Tucson business leaders these days worry about another issue amid a slumping economy and a cooling housing market: the quality of Southern Arizona schools.
• Summer program helped her move to high school, but she still struggles
  Last year, Gabriela Galaz ended eighth grade with two surprises: She made the cheerleading squad at Sunnyside High School, but she was failing at Sierra Middle School and would have to repeat.
• Star reporters answer readers' questions
  When the Star began its series on student achievement Sunday, we asked readers to submit questions about the project. Below are some answers.
• Grade inflation adds to woes, especially in middle schools
  More than a quarter of middle and high schools in the Tucson area's largest districts are awarding passing grades students may not be earning, an Arizona Daily Star investigation found.
• Teacher makes it his mission to put halt to social promotion
  From his desk at Valencia Middle School, Bob Aguilar has had a front-row seat to social promotion.
• Ditching class has become habit during his 1st year in high school
  Khalid Ray says he enjoys going to school, but his grades don't reflect his attitude.
• Schools try varied ways to keep kids on course
  More than 18,000 Tucson-area students were promoted last year despite failing at least one core course in math, English, science or social studies.
• Schools promote students despite widespread failure
  Thousands of Tucson-area middle and high school students who fail key subjects continue to progress through Pima County's largest school districts every year toward graduation, a 10-month investigation by the Arizona Daily Star has found.
• English learners a small part of overall failures
  The Star's investigation of social promotion found that students in English-language learner classes account for a relatively small portion of the failures in eight Tucson-area school districts.
• Links to our experts
  Arizona Daily Star reporters contacted numerous education experts and academics during the course of their 10-month analysis.
• Links to local, state and national documents
  A 10-month investigation by the Arizona Daily Star revealed widespread evidence of social promotion in Tucson-area school districts, as well as evidence of grade inflation. The investigation relied on experts, public agencies and documents. Here are links to some of them in case readers want to learn more.
• 'I did want to be held back, but I also wanted to move on with my friends'
  Richard Llamas questions whether he should have been promoted to high school after he failed a class in eighth grade.
• The Star analyzed millions of records
  Ten months ago, Star reporters began filing a series of public-records requests, hoping to assess the performance of Tucson-area students.
• Glossary of terms
  Social promotion
• Arizona fails to protect nursing home residents
  Anita McEvoy put her 92-year-old mother in a Tucson nursing home because she feared she would get hurt as Alzheimer's disease took its toll. Instead, her mother shivered in bed while nursing aides took no notice. She died of hypothermia complications.