hTexas braces for storm

hTexas braces for storm

HOUSTON — Tropical Storm Humberto formed off the Texas coast Wednesday, promising to bring more rain and possibly flooding to a state coming off one of the wettest summers in more than 50 years. Wilson Hardin, 3, above, of Abilene, reacted to high winds while being held by his grandmother, Debra Hanes of Hamilton. Forecasters warned residents along a 270-mile stretch of coastline extending into southwestern Louisiana to brace for the storm, which was expected to slosh ashore south of Houston overnight Wednesday.

Mentally ill mother guilty
of stabbing 2 daughters

MOUNT CLEMENS, Mich. — A woman who told police she was hearing the devil’s voice was found guilty Wednesday of fatally stabbing her two young daughters. The jury also determined Jennifer Kukla was mentally ill. Police discovered the bodies of Alexandra, 8, and Ashley, 5, at their home in February, along with those of three dogs and a pet mouse.

No hate crime charges
planned in torture case

BIG CREEK, W.Va. — Authorities decided Wednesday not to pursue hate crime charges in the kidnapping and weeklong torture of a black woman, instead going after the suspects, who are white, on state charges that carry stiffer penalties. While federal civil rights or state hate crime charges remain an option, a state kidnapping count that carries a sentence of up to life in prison will provide the best chance for successful prosecution, officials said. Six people face charges, including kidnapping, sexual assault and lying to police in the torture of Megan Williams, 20, at a remote hillside home in Big Creek.

Priest guilty in theft scam

NEW HAVEN, Conn.— A former priest pleaded guilty Wednesday to stealing hundreds of thousands of dollars from his church by setting up secret bank accounts to pay for a life of luxury, including traveling around the world and buying a condominium. The Rev. Michael Jude Fay, who resigned last year as pastor of St. John Roman Catholic Church, pleaded guilty to interstate transportation of money obtained by fraud. He faces up to 10 years in prison, a $250,000 fine and must pay restitution. Prosecutors said Fay took between $1 million and $2.5 million over seven years, but the priest has disputed that. He admitted taking between $400,000 and $1 million.

No action on spinach rules

SALINAS, Calif. — Government regulators never acted on calls for stepped-up inspections of leafy greens after last year’s deadly E. coli spinach outbreak, leaving the safety of America’s salads to a patchwork of largely unenforceable rules and the industry itself, an Associated Press investigation has found. The regulations governing farms in this central California region known as the nation’s “Salad Bowl” remain much as they were when bacteria from a cattle ranch infected spinach that killed three people and sickened more than 200. AP’s review of data obtained through the Freedom of Information Act found that federal officials inspect companies growing and processing salad greens an average of just once every 3.9 years. Some proposals in Congress would require such inspections at least four times a year.

2nd quake hits Indonesia

JAKARTA, Indonesia — A powerful earthquake shook western Indonesia for the second straight day today and triggered a tsunami alert. The latest tremor was also felt in neighboring Singapore, causing tall buildings to sway. On Wednesday, a strong earthquake shook Southeast Asia, collapsing buildings, killing at least five people and injuring dozens in Indonesia.

Putin fires prime minister

MOSCOW — President Vladimir Putin chose a little-known government official to become Russia’s new prime minister Wednesday, a surprise move that set off fevered speculation over whether loyal technocrat Viktor Zubkov was being groomed to replace Putin next spring. The move came a few hours after Putin dissolved the Cabinet of his long-serving prime minister, Mikhail Fradkov, saying he needed to appoint a government better suited to the election campaign and to “prepare the country” for life after the elections.

Associated Press