$(document).ready(function(){
	//remove empty footer div from news list
	$('.Home #group #footer').remove();
	//hide news items on load 
	$('.Home div.link-item').css('display', 'none');
	//set the intervals for displaying items
	var speed = 700;
	var pause = 5000;
	var newsItem = $('.Home div.link-item:first');
	$(newsItem).css('display', 'block');
	function newsTicker(newsItem){	
		$(newsItem).animate({opacity: 1}, speed).fadeIn('slow');
	};

	function removeItem() {
		$(newsItem).animate({opacity: 0}, speed).fadeOut('slow');
		$('.Home #group').append(newsItem);
		newsItem = $('.Home div.link-item:first');
		newsTicker(newsItem);
	};

	newsTicker();
	interval = setInterval(removeItem, pause);
});