Flash floods damage more than 30 homes

Flash floods damage more than 30 homes

MOUNT BALDY, Calif.

When the skies opened up with a vengeance, Michael Honer had a front-row seat to the powerful forces of Mother Nature.

In a house overlooking Bear Creek in the tiny town of Mount Baldy, he watched the stream flow for the first time in two years. At first, it carried only leaves. By the time the rain stopped an hour later, the flow had carried away logs, rocks and even cars, sweeping a driver to his death.

Flash floods in the Southern California mountains Sunday afternoon stranded thousands of people, destroyed several cars and damaged about 30 homes, including a dozen that were uninhabitable in the tiny communities of Mount Baldy and Forest Falls.

Arias to represent herself in trial

PHOENIX

A judge ruled Monday that Jodi Arias can represent herself in the upcoming penalty phase of her murder trial, where jurors will decide whether she is put to death for killing her ex-boyfriend.

Arias, 34, was convicted of first-degree murder last year in the 2008 killing of Travis Alexander, but jurors couldn’t reach a decision on sentencing. Under Arizona law, while Arias’ murder conviction stands, prosecutors have the option of putting on a second penalty phase with a new jury in an effort to secure the death penalty.

Arias, who has long clashed with her defense lawyers and tried to fire them previously, asked Judge Sherry Stephens to let her serve as her own lawyer during the second penalty phase set for Sept. 8. Judge Stephens granted the request but said there would be no delays.

Death toll rises in S. Caucasus conflict

BAKU, Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan and Armenia on Monday both reported more losses in a sharp escalation of fighting over the South Caucasus region Nagorno-Karabakh, with 18 soldiers now confirmed dead.

The Azerbaijani region and some adjacent territory have been under the control of Armenian soldiers and ethnic Armenian local troops since the end of a six-year separatist war in 1994. Both sides report frequent shootings and attempted incursions along the cease-fire line, but the latest outbreak of fighting has been the worst in many years.

Russia, the United States, the European Union and the U.N. secretary-general have all expressed concern and urged both sides to respect the cease-fire.

Ex-Va. governor’s confidant testifies

RICHMOND, Va.

One of former Virginia Gov. Bob McDonnell’s closest confidants made it clear in testimony Monday that he doesn’t have much regard for McDonnell’s wife or the wealthy businessman who, according to prosecutors, bought their influence to benefit the nutritional supplements company he headed.

Bob and Maureen McDonnell are charged in a 14-count indictment with accepting more than $165,000 in gifts and loans from Jonnie Williams, the former CEO of Star Scientific Inc., in exchange for their help promoting his company’s products. Williams testified under immunity that he was not friends with the McDonnells and only plied them with designer clothes, vacations and secret loans so they would help him.

Phil Cox, who managed McDonnell’s 2009 campaign and later ran his political action committee, testified that he aired his concerns after he noticed Williams frequently hanging around the McDonnells.

Associated Press