New Ordeal: His experiences as a hostage...

New Ordeal: His experiences as a hostage in Lebanon behind him, Alann Steen returned to the classroom at Albion College in Michigan and told journalism students what he and his fellow captives missed most: “I think our biggest problem was not knowing what was going on in the real world.” And what is his greatest trial now? “Adapting to a Michigan winter.”

Old Memories: Former hostage Thomas Sutherland read a lesson Sunday at the 12th-Century church in Edinburgh, Scotland, which he dreamed of while in captivity in Lebanon. The Scots-born Sutherland, who worshiped at the church in his youth, thanked the faithful for their prayers. “I felt great solace thinking about this church. I had no idea of what was going on on my behalf.”

Wrong Again: He’s been called Wrong Way Corrigan for more than half a century, and now he might be called Wrong Day Corrigan. The 85th birthday of Douglas Corrigan, the Galveston, Tex., native who flew across the Atlantic in 1938 and called it all a big mistake, will be commemorated by the Galveston City Council Jan. 23--one day late. But Corrigan shrugged: “Well, that’s nice of them. I don’t mind if they’re a day off.” Fifty-four years ago the aviator was cleared to fly cross-continent to California. But 28 hours after leaving New York, he touched down in Ireland. He blamed faulty compasses and became an instant celebrity.

Grave Mistake: In the face of a dare, two men stole remains from the Lansing, Mich., family mausoleum of the man who founded the Oldsmobile company. Richard Kindy and Patrick Wyse stole five stainless steel boxes and urns from the R. E. Olds family monument but then “got worried. What if they got stopped and police (saw) the urns in the back seat?” said police. So the men drove around for an hour, then dumped the containers in a river, where police discovered them. Now the two face charges that could get them 10 years.