Bernanke: Wall St. execs should have gone to jail

Bernanke: Wall St. execs should have gone to jail

WASHINGTON

Former Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke says some Wall Street executives should have gone to jail for their roles in the financial crisis that gripped the country in 2008 and triggered the Great Recession.

Billions of dollars in fines have been levied against major banks and brokerage firms in the wake of the economic meltdown that was in large part triggered by reckless lending and shady securities dealings that blew up a housing bubble.

But in an interview with USA Today published Sunday, Bernanke says he thinks that in addition to the corporations, individuals should have been held more accountable.

Surfer, 14, bitten by shark in Florida

NEW SMYRNA BEACH, Fla.

Authorities say a teenage surfer has been hospitalized after being bitten on the left hand by a shark off Florida’s coast.

The Volusia County Beach Patrol says the 14-year-old boy from Vero Beach was with four other surfers in Atlantic waters off New Smyrna Beach when he was bitten Sunday morning.

Capt. Aaron Jenkins, a patrol spokesman, told the Orlando Sentinel the boy suffered “significant lacerations” from what was described as a 4- or 5-foot blacktip shark. He says the boy punched the shark before returning to shore, where he was given aid by a beach safety officer before being taken to a hospital.

He says the attack occurred about 100 yards offshore. There was no further information on the boy’s identity or condition.

Natural cigarette maker is sued

SANTA FE, N.M.

The company behind a line of cigarettes touted as natural is being targeted in a class-action lawsuit.

The Santa Fe New Mexican reports a Florida law firm filed the lawsuit this week against the maker of American Spirit cigarettes, Santa Fe Natural Tobacco Co., and its parent company, Reynolds American Inc.

The plaintiffs say the cigarette maker’s marketing deliberately tries to mislead smokers into believing their products are healthier than other tobacco products.

According to documents, the lawsuit cites a Food and Drug Administration warning that the use of words such as “natural” or “additive free” in their advertising violates federal law.

Santa Fe Natural Tobacoo Co. spokesman Seth Moskowitz said Friday that he could not comment on the lawsuit because of company policy. However, the company has asked to meet with the FDA about its marketing.

Hundreds gather at museum for Berra memorial event

LITTLE FALLS, N.J

Several hundred fans of late New York Yankees Hall of Fame catcher Yogi Berra have gathered in northern New Jersey to pay tribute to him.

The Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center in Little Falls staged a memorial event on Sunday. Among those attending was Berra’s son, Larry Berra, who shared stories about him and his life.

Berra was a longtime New Jersey resident. He died Sept. 22 at age 90.

His namesake museum offers children’s educational programs that focus on sportsmanship and social justice along with baseball exhibits and memorabilia.

Associated Press