The invitation to attend the execution came out of the blue about a week and a half ago -- but the call from Virginia correctional officials wasn't exactly a surprise to Marion Lewis. The Mountain Home man has waited seven years to see the man behind the killing of his 25-year-old daughter, Lori Lewis Rivera, pay the price for his murderous 23-day crime spree, which left 10 people in Maryland, Virginia and the District of Columbia dead and three others seriously injured. Time has not given Lewis distance from his pain."There is no distance in losing a child. Children are not supposed to go before their parents," he said. The Nov. 10 execution of John Allen Muhammad, 48 - dubbed the "D.C. sniper" in 2002 - is justice for the victims and their families, Lewis said/Katy Moeller, Idaho Statesman. More here.

• TGIF Poll: 42 of 74 (57%) of the respondents said that Habitat for Humanity hurt itself in the long run, especially in terms of fund-raising, with its handling of executive Jim Brannon's ouster.