October 16, 2002

Article on changes in ticket buying habits for concerts, operas and ballets; more seats are being sold overall to classical music concerts, for example, but for shorter series and on shorter notice, often through Internet; decline in sales of season subscriptions may have enormous impact on what is presented, who attends and how performing arts groups manage their budgets; photo (M)

Comment on Mexican food being prepared by immigrants from Mexico working in kitchens of New York City restaurants for their own staff meals; recipes for roast chicken and salsa verde, prepared by kitchen workers at Artie's Delicatessen on Upper West Side; photos (M)

Series of unprecedented clemency hearings begin, Chicago, for nearly all prisoners on Illinois Death Row; nine hearings are scheduled for 142 convicts pleading that executions be replaced by life sentences or, in handful of cases, that they be pardoned because DNA evidence has led to exoneration of others; are forcing some parents of murder victims to argue cases all over again, and turning theoretical national argument over capital punishment into vivid real-life drama; halt to executions by Gov George Ryan in January 2000 after 13 condemned men were exonerated by DNA evidence discussed; photo (M)

Law enforcement officials engaged in sweeping manhunt for Washington-area sniper say fatal shooting of 11th victim at shopping mall on October 14 yielded more clues than earlier attacks; say more immediate witnesses to nighttime shooting of 47-year-old FBI analyst Linda Franklin in parking lot of Home Depot in Falls Church, Va, provided more information, including license plate data as attacker fled in light-colored van reported in last three killings; confirm ballistic tests link Franklin to attacker; say witnesses offered enough partial glimpses of sniper to allow police artists to try drawing composite sketch; scene of attack described; police officials and some witnesses comment; photos; map (M)

ThunderStix, loud fan giveaways brought to national spotlight by Anaheim Angels fans who bang them together at home games, are proving to be more than mere distraction, prompting some athletic conferences to outlaw props at games; photos (M)