3 dead, 2 wounded in Florida shootings

3 dead, 2 wounded in Florida shootings

LAKE BUTLER, Fla.

A longtime employee of a Florida trucking company drove around Saturday shooting former co-workers and his onetime boss, killing two and wounding two, authorities said. The gunman then killed himself.

Hubert Allen Jr., 72, shot the men at several locations around Union County, including the headquarters for Pritchett Trucking Inc., according to a Union County Sheriff’s Office news release.

NJ man claims share of Powerball prize

TRENTON, N.J.

Lottery officials say a New Jersey man has claimed the final share of this month’s $448 million Powerball jackpot.

Mario Scarnici held one of the three winning tickets sold for the Aug. 7 drawing. Lottery officials say the South Brunswick man chose the cash option and will get about $62 million after taxes.

Scarnici bought his winning ticket at a South Brunswick supermarket.

Lottery officials said Scarnici recently claimed his prize, but further details were not disclosed. A telephone number for Scarnici could not be located Saturday afternoon.

Another winning ticket for the drawing was held by a group of 16 Ocean County vehicle- maintenance employees, while the third was held by a suburban Minneapolis man.

Egypt shortens curfew

CAIRO

Egypt’s government Saturday shortened a widely imposed evening curfew, signaling that authorities sense turmoil is waning after unrest in the wake of the president’s ouster threatened to destabilize the country this month.

The Cabinet’s decision to cut the curfew by two hours came as Egypt’s interim prime minister vowed that his government’s priority is restoring security.

Egypt experienced one of the deadliest bouts of violence in recent days since its Arab Spring began in 2011. Nationwide clashes and attacks killed more than 1,000 people after the security forces cleared two Cairo sit-ins belonging to supporters of toppled President Mohammed Morsi, overthrown in a popularly supported July 3 military coup.

Actress Julie Harris dies

NEW YORK

Julie Harris, one of Broadway’s most honored performers, whose roles ranged from the flamboyant Sally Bowles in “I Am a Camera” to the reclusive Emily Dickinson in “The Belle of Amherst,” died Saturday. She was 87.

Harris died at her West Chatham, Mass., home of congestive heart failure, actress and family friend Francesca James said.

Harris won a record five Tony Awards for best actress in a play, displaying a virtuosity that enabled her to portray an astonishing gallery of women during a theater career that spanned almost 60 years and included such plays as “The Member of the Wedding” (1950), “The Lark” (1955), “Forty Carats” (1968) and “The Last of Mrs. Lincoln” (1972).

Protecting sequoias

GROVELAND, Calif.

As a wildfire rages along the remote northwest edge of Yosemite National Park, officials cleared brush and set sprinklers to protect two groves of giant sequoias.

The iconic trees can resist fire, but dry conditions and heavy brush are forcing park officials to take extra precautions in the Tuolumne and Merced groves. About three dozen of the giant trees are affected.

“All of the plants and trees in Yosemite are important, but the giant sequoias are incredibly important both for what they are and as symbols of the National Park System,” said spokesman Scott Gediman.

Associated Press