Sen. Hutchison exploring run for Texas governor

December 5, 2008 at 12:00a.m.

WASHINGTON — Texas Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison on Thursday took the first step toward a run for governor, setting the stage for a contentious challenge in 2010 against fellow Republican Rick Perry, the longest-serving leader in state history.

Wasting no time, she cited Perry, who succeeded George W. Bush in December 2000 and won four-year terms in 2002 and 2006, as a chief reason for “too much bitterness, too much anger, too little trust, too little consensus and too much infighting” in Austin, the capital. “The tone comes from the top,” she said in a statement. “Texans are looking for leadership and results.”

Quickly responding, a Perry spokesman called the senator “Kay Bailout” — a reference to her vote for the $700 billion Wall Street rescue — and said she “has been talking about running for governor and passing legislation for years and neither has ever happened.”

Officials not sure about HIV outbreak at school

ST. LOUIS — Six weeks after someone with HIV said dozens of students at a St. Louis high school might have been exposed to the virus, it remains unclear whether an outbreak has occurred.

Missouri health authorities say preliminary October test results for St. Louis County show two new cases of HIV among people 24 and under.

It isn’t clear whether those cases are even connected to Normandy High School, where students were tested voluntarily in late October. An infected person told county health officials that as many as 50 teens might have been exposed to the virus that causes AIDS.

The county plans a second round of HIV testing in January. Antibodies to the virus can take three to six months to appear. A final assessment isn’t expected for at least six months.

Quick finish to recount in Minnesota appears unlikely

ST. PAUL, Minn. — A quick finish to Minnesota’s U.S. Senate race seemed unlikely Thursday when the city of Minneapolis was given an open-ended extension to locate ballots counted on Election Day that have since gone missing.

About 130 ballots were not included in a recount that was due to end today. To help shorten the length of review for 2.9 million votes, Republican Sen. Norm Coleman withdrew 650 ballot challenges Thursday, matching an earlier gesture by Democrat Al Franken.

The campaigns have challenged more than 6,500 ballots during the recount, but both sides have acknowledged that many of the challenges lack merit. Coleman’s step means both campaigns have started to cull challenges so the state’s Canvassing Board won’t waste time when it meets Dec. 16 to settle the recount.

Canadian prime minister suspends Parliament

OTTAWA — Prime Minister Stephen Harper suspended Parliament on Thursday to avoid almost certain defeat in a confidence vote — an unprecedented move allowing him to retain power and confront Canada’s flagging economy.

The Conservative leader won the approval of the unelected representative of the head of state for the power to shut down Parliament until Jan. 26, hoping to buy enough time to develop a stimulus package.

“Today’s decision will give us an opportunity — I’m talking about all the parties — to focus on the economy and work together,” Harper said.

Harper, whose party won re-election just two months ago, said a budget will be the first order of business when Parliament resumes.

Girls charged with abusing residents at nursing home

ALBERT LEA, Minn. — Two teenage girls who worked at a nursing home have been charged with abuse, accused of taunting, spitting on and groping residents who suffered from Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the criminal complaint, filed Monday, 19-year-old Brianna Broitzman and 18-year-old Ashton Larson laughed earlier this year as they spat in residents’ mouths, poked and groped their breasts and genitals, and at times mocked them until they screamed.

Broitzman and Larson, who worked as part-time aides at the home, have been charged as adults.

Larson’s father disputed the charges against his daughter in a statement issued to and read on NBC’s “Today” show Thursday.

“Not all of the charges are as they appear. Much of this has been distorted by the news media,” Michael Larson said in the statement.

Associated Press