Sebelius new HHS chief

Sebelius new HHS chief

WASHINGTON — Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius won Senate confirmation Tuesday as the nation’s health and human services secretary, thrusting her into the middle of a public health emergency with the swine flu sickening dozens of Americans.

The 65-31 confirmation vote came after Democrats urged quick action so that Sebelius could get to work leading the federal response to the flu outbreak.

Sebelius resigned as Kansas governor after winning the confirmation.

The Democrat’s resignation late Tuesday afternoon automatically elevated Lt. Gov. Mark Parkinson to governor. Parkinson is a former Kansas Republican Party chairman who switched parties in 2006 to be Sebelius’ running mate.

Plane crash near Cleveland

MAYFIELD, Ohio — A single-engine plane crashed Tuesday afternoon just after taking off from a suburban Cleveland airport, killing one person, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

The Buffalo, N.Y.-bound plane went down just after 4 p.m. in Mayfield Village, about three miles east of Cuyahoga County Airport, FAA spokeswoman Elizabeth Isham Cory said.

There was no word on how many people were on board. Police and firefighters at the scene were not immediately available to comment.

4 die in Calif. bus crash

SOLEDAD, Calif. — A tour bus overturned on a central California highway overpass Tuesday afternoon, killing at least four people and injuring dozens, authorities said.

The crash happened about 3:30 p.m. on U.S. 101 in Soledad, about 70 miles southeast of San Jose.

CHP spokeswoman Fran Clader said there were at least four confirmed deaths by early evening, but she had no details. Five hospitals were treating the victims.

Clader said authorities believe 36 people were on the vehicle, but they had not yet received a passenger manifest to confirm that.

Iran, Venezuela talk to develop defense ties

CARACAS, Venezuela — Iran’s defense minister has held talks with officials in Venezuela seeking to strengthen military ties.

Iran’s official IRNA news agency reported Tuesday that Defense Minister Mostafa Mohammed Najjar met with Venezuelan Vice President Ramon Carrizalez, who is also the acting defense minister.

Najjar was quoted as saying defense ties are being developed as part of “a long-term plan” and that cooperation with Venezuela “has experienced a leap that we’re seeking to accelerate in this visit.”

IRNA said Najjar arrived Monday leading an Iranian delegation for three-day visit. President Hugo Chavez’s government did not immediately comment on the talks.

Palin accepts most of stimulus funds after all

ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will sign bills accepting most of the federal stimulus funds available to the state, her spokeswoman said Tuesday.

Palin initially said she would accept only about two-thirds of the $930 million available to Alaska.

Palin spokeswoman Sharon Leighow said the governor changed her mind after the public weighed in during legislative hearings prior to lawmakers’ passing bills to seek almost all of the funding.

Palin had warned about the state’s having to finance projects created by the stimulus funds after the federal money runs out. She earlier called the stimulus package “an unsustainable, debt-ridden package of funds.”

2009 Teacher of the Year

HARTFORD, Conn. — A special-education teacher and former police officer was honored by President Barack Obama at the White House on Tuesday as the 2009 National Teacher of the Year.

Anthony Mullen, an educator at the ARCH School in Greenwich, was chosen for the honor by the Council of Chief State School Officers, which cited his nearly 30-year career in public service. Mullen, 49, retired from his job as a New York Police Department narcotics detective eight years ago to become a teacher.

“As a police officer, so many of the kids, you get involved with them when it’s too late,” Mullen said. “With teaching, you get to spend a lot more time with these at-risk students and prevent them from either going to jail or harming other people, turning into something productive instead of destructive.”

Mullen oversees an after-school program providing academic support for expelled students, and he has advocated for more resources to address the problems of school dropouts.

Associated Press