SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Gov. Rod Blagojevich presided yesterday over a tense swearing-in of the state Senate that must ultimately decide whether to oust him, telling the lawmakers he hopes they will "find the truth and sort things out."

The Democratic governor mostly stuck to the formalities of overseeing the ceremony during the hour or so he presided over the chamber.

Blagojevich is accused of trying to sell President-elect Barack Obama's U.S. Senate seat. The Illinois House impeached Blagojevich last week, more than a month after his arrest on federal corruption charges.

ALASKA TO FIGHT WHALE LISTING

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The state will sue over increased federal protections for beluga whales in Cook Inlet, officials announced yesterday.

The white whales were listed last year as endangered under the Endangered Species Act. The listing requires the designation of critical habitat for the whales, a recovery plan and a review of all federally funded or permitted activities.

Gov. Sarah Palin opposed the listing because of the impact it could have on major Alaska projects, including oil and gas development and expanding the Anchorage port.

USDA WORKER TIED TO SEX RING

ST. LOUIS — A former federal worker in Kansas City used her computer at the Department of Agriculture to run prostitution businesses in the St. Louis area, according to an indictment announced yesterday.

Laurie Lynn McConnell, 26, was a statistician for the department's risk management agency from August 2003 to April 2008, authorities said, when she and John O. Miller operated a prostitution ring.

According to the indictment, the pair ran two online prostitution businesses, Darc Phoenix and USA Honies, from McConnell's USDA computer.

ADULTERY LANDS MARINE IN BRIG

SAN DIEGO — A married Marine sergeant was sentenced Tuesday to 90 days in the brig after pleading guilty to committing adultery with the widow of a Marine killed three weeks earlier in Afghanistan.

Gunnery Sgt. Stephen Kuehler, a recruiter in St. Louis, admitted to having sex with the widow of Pvt. Michael Patton. Kuehler had recruited Patton into the Marine Corps. After Patton, 19, was killed in June by a roadside bomb, Kuehler attended his funeral in Fenton, Mo., and befriended his widow.

Along with confinement, Kuehler was ordered reduced in rank to staff sergeant and will not be allowed to re-enlist.