Tropical Storm Danny forms in the Atlantic

MIAMI (AP) - Tropical Storm Danny has formed in the open Atlantic off the Bahamas, and forecasters say it could get stronger as it moves toward the U.S.

The storm has top winds of 45 mph and is moving to the west-northwest at 18 mph. As of 11 a.m. EDT Wednesday, the storm's center was about 445 miles (715 kilometers) east of Nassau, Bahamas and about 775 miles (1,250 kilometers) south of Cape Hatteras, N.C.

SC winner of $260M Powerball prize coming forward

COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) - The world will soon find out who bought the winning ticket in last week's $260 million Powerball drawing.

South Carolina Education Lottery spokeswoman Stephanie Hemminghaus says the winner will be at a news conference Tuesday afternoon in Columbia.

The single winning ticket for the Aug. 19 drawing was sold at a gas station and convenience store next to a Wal-Mart in Columbia.

Gov't extends deadline for clunkers paperwork

WASHINGTON (AP) - Car dealers have a few more hours to get reimbursed for their Cash for Clunkers deals after the government extended the deadline for filing applications for the $3 billion government incentives into Tuesday evening.

All sales under the program ended Monday evening. But after already pushing back the deadline to submit records for the car rebate deals to noon Tuesday, the Transportation Department said the deadline would be extended to 8 p.m. EDT as the Web site set up to handle the program was taxed by dealers rushing to submit last minute claims.

AP Source: Coroner rules Jackson's death homicide

LOS ANGELES (AP) - A law enforcement official tells The Associated Press that the Los Angeles County coroner has ruled Michael Jackson's death a homicide.

The finding makes it more likely criminal charges will be filed against the doctor who was with the pop star when he died.

The official says the coroner determined a fatal combination of drugs was given to Jackson hours before he died in his rented Los Angeles mansion on June 25. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the findings have not been publicly released.

Competition lacking among private health insurers

WASHINGTON (AP) — One of the most widely accepted arguments against a government medical plan for the middle class is that it would quash competition - just what private insurers seem to be doing themselves in many parts of the U.S.

Several studies show that in lots of places, one or two companies dominate the market. Critics say monopolistic conditions drive up premiums paid by employers and individuals.

Americans have a big appetite for foods spiked with nutrients

MILWAUKEE (AP) — From heart-friendly margarines to sugary cereals that strengthen bones, once-demonized foods are being spiked with nutrients to give them a healthier glow — and consumers are biting, even on some that are little more than dressed-up junk food.

A report released Thursday finds that even in a weak economy, people will pay a premium for products seen as preventing a health problem or providing a good alternative to sodas and empty-calorie snacks. The report is from research firm Pricewaterhouse Coopers.

Lutherans to allow sexually active gays as clergy

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The nation's largest Lutheran denomination took openly gay clergy more fully into its fold Friday, as leaders of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America voted to lift a ban that prohibited sexually active gay and lesbian people from serving as ministers.

Under the new policy, individual ELCA congregations will be allowed to hire homosexuals as clergy as long as they are in a committed relationships. Until now, gays and lesbians had to remain celibate to serve as clergy.

DEA raids Beverly Hills pharmacy in Jackson probe

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) - Federal drug agents raided a Beverly Hills pharmacy Friday as part of the ongoing investigation into Michael Jackson's death.

Drug Enforcement Administration agents served a warrant at the Mickey Fine Pharmacy & Grill, seeking evidence of improper dispensing of controlled substances, agency spokesman Jose Martinez said.

Agents left with at least one box containing records after a search that lasted about five hours.

Public pays respects to electric guitar inventor

 

 

MILWAUKEE (AP) - Family members, longtime friends and music fans of all ages lined up Friday at a public visitation for Les Paul, the inventor whose creation of the first solid-body electric guitar helped pave the way for rock 'n' roll.

Adam Bollinger never got a chance to see Paul play live.

But the 15-year-old from Plainfield, Ill., knows how important Paul was to rock 'n' roll. That's why he and his mom, Coleen Bollinger, drove two and a half hours to be among the first in line.

Former migrant worker about to blast into space

 

 

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - He toiled in California's farm fields alongside his Mexican migrant worker parents and didn't learn English until he was 12. Now Jose Hernandez, NASA astronaut, is about to rocket into orbit.

His parents will be in Florida next week for space shuttle Discovery's launch, as will his two older brothers and sister, who also worked the cucumber, sugar beet and tomato fields back in the 1960s and 1970s.

U.S. families of Lockerbie victims plan next move

 

 

NEWARK, N.J. (AP) - Relatives of Americans killed when Pan Am Flight 103 was blown up over Lockerbie, Scotland, plan to converge on New York City in September to protest Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi's speech at the United Nations.

Family members are furious that convicted Libyan bomber Abdel Baset al-Megrahi was released from a Scottish prison Thursday and was greeted in Libya by cheering crowds.

Son: Sen. Kennedy 'frustrated' by absence from D.C.

 

 

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) - Rep. Patrick Kennedy said Friday that his father, Massachusetts Sen. Edward Kennedy, has been "very frustrated" to be absent from Washington during the debate over health care reform.

Kennedy, a Rhode Island Democrat, told The Associated Press that his father, who has made health care a core issue during his 47 years in the Senate, has a unique ability to read his colleagues and negotiate compromises.

Snowe: Challenge to break through 'chatter'

 

 

WASHINGTON (AP) - Bipartisan health care negotiators are aiming to cut the costs of their bill after getting an earful from voters, d a participant in the closed-door talks said Friday.

Sen. Olympia Snowe, R-Maine, a moderate whose support could be crucial if President Barack Obama is to realize his goal of a comprehensive health care overhaul, said contact with constituents "sharpened our focus on issues such as affordability and cost."

Biden: U.S. closer than ever to health care reform

CHICAGO (AP) — Vice President Joe Biden said Thursday the nation has never been closer to substantial health care overhaul despite "all the shouting and all the political turmoil" of recent weeks.

Biden said restraining costs and insuring more people should unite fiscal conservatives and advocates for the poor behind the Obama administration's efforts to fix what Biden called a broken system.

Ex-reporter Jayson Blair now working as life coach

 

 

McLEAN, Va. (AP) - Jayson Blair knows his new profession - life coach - smacks some people in the face like a bad punchline.

"People say, 'Wait a minute. You're a life coach?' That makes no sense,'" says Blair, the ex-journalist best known for foisting plagiarism and fabrications into the pages of The New York Times. "Then they think about my life experiences and what I've been through and they say 'Wait a minute. It does make sense.'"

EPA: Dig planned for NY site of old fort beams

 

 

FORT EDWARD, N.Y. (AP) - Archaeologists plan to excavate a Hudson River site where crews dredging PCB-contaminated sediment last week mistakenly ripped out the remains of what was once Britain's largest fort in colonial America.

John Vetter, the Environmental Protection Agency's national archaeologist, said Thursday that plans for the dig were worked out during a meeting with local leaders, General Electric officials and Neal Orsini, owner of the riverside property where the beams were located.

On defense, Obama woos right, left on health care

WASHINGTON (AP) — With control of the health care debate slipping from his grasp, President Barack Obama pitched his ambitious plan to both conservative talk radio and his own liberal supporters Thursday — and denied a challenge from one backer that he was "bucklin' a little bit" under Republican criticism.

Veterans start over as colleges ignore experience

 

 

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) - Twelve years of military service left Donald Spradling highly trained in satellite imagery, nuclear engineering and foreign intelligence analysis. None of that made a difference to the University of Missouri.

When the fall semester begins next week, the 33-year-old father of five will be taking largely introductory courses with the rest of the school's freshmen.

"I'm going to be studying things I already learned all over again," the Navy veteran said.

Public option' and its role in the health care debate

Public option' and its role in the health care debate

PHILADELPHIA — So what is the "public option"?

And why has it become such a threat to an overall health care overhaul that on Sunday, the administration suggested President Barack Obama would settle for a compromise — nonprofit insurance cooperatives?

The public option would be a government-run insurance plan, and co-ops in theory would be owned and operated by millions of policyholders.

But first, a little perspective.

Bermuda, US coast warned as Bill stays offshore

Burglar robs police station just to see if he can

NORTH BEND, Ore. (AP) — A brazen burglar picked the wrong place to target: a police station.

Police Chief Steve Scibelli said it was pretty embarrassing to have a thief hit his downtown station last week, stealing a radio, two stun guns and a Crown Victoria patrol car. The one saving grace is that police made a quick arrest.

"I'm so upset about it, I can't even find any humor in it," Scibelli told The Register-Guard newspaper. "It's pretty embarrassing."

Hurricane Bill Looms in Atlantic, category 4