Archive By Section - Signal AP
Lawmakers abandon Calif. teacher evaluation bill
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - State lawmakers failed to revive a controversial measure that would rewrite state rules on teacher evaluations, but supporters vowed to bring it up again in the next legislative session.
Songwriter Hal David dies at 91
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Hal David, who along with partner Burt Bacharach penned dozens of timeless songs for movies, television and a variety of recording artists in the 1960s and beyond, has died. He was 91.
Calif. students face rocky path to graduation
LOS ANGELES (AP) - With state budget cuts forcing California's public universities to shrink their course offerings, earning a bachelor's degree in four years is becoming even more difficult for many students. "One winter quarter, there were so few classes, I could only get three out of five offered," said David Allison, a senior at California State University San Bernardino. "CSU is no longer a four-year institution. It's more like a five- or six-year ...
Ale to the chief: White House releases beer recipe
WASHINGTON (AP) - Beer lovers, the secret is out. The White House has made public the recipe for two homemade beers that have become an object of fascination for beer drinkers everywhere. White House Honey Brown Ale, believed to be the first beer brewed on the White House grounds, includes light malt extract, amber crystal malt, honey, gypsum, yeast and corn sugar. The recipe was released Saturday while President Barack Obama was campaigning in ...
Author Richard Bach injured in Wash. plane crash
SEATTLE (AP) - Richard Bach, the author of the 1970s best-selling novella "Jonathan Livingston Seagull" among other spiritually oriented writings often rooted in themes of flight, was in serious condition Saturday after his small plane crashed in Washington state. His son, James Bach, told The Associated Press that his father was on his way to visit a friend on San Juan Island on Friday when his amphibian plane clipped a power line during ...
Mendocino County fire continues to spread
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - A wildfire in a rugged and remote area of Mendocino County continues to spread into a wilderness area, though firefighters are making progress in surrounding the blaze. Fire officials say the North Pass Fire, burning northeast of Covelo, is 48 percent contained after consuming nearly 62 square miles. Five homes and seven outbuildings have been destroyed by the fire, while 23 homes and five commercial properties remained threatened. Meanwhile, ...
Boomers retiring to rural areas won't find doctors
GRANTS PASS, Ore. (AP) - As record numbers of baby boomers retire, many are considering moving to rural areas. But if they choose small towns like Grants Pass, Ore., they could have a hard time finding a family doctor who takes Medicare. At the Mid-Rogue Independent Physician Association, medical director Dr. Lyle Jackson says they have a hard time recruiting new primary care doctors as others retire or move away. Experts say rural ...
Forceful arrests inflame sentiment toward LAPD
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A spate of incidents in which Los Angeles police officers are accused of using excessive force is threatening to unravel the Police Department's efforts to bolster community relations.
Calif. woman, 93, finds prize pumpkins smashed
PASADENA (AP) - A 93-year-old prize-winning grower awoke to find that five giant pumpkins from her Pasadena front yard had been smashed including a 300-pounder she'd planned to enter in an annual weigh-off.
Decision not to charge Ariz. sheriff isn't the end
PHOENIX (AP) - The federal abuse-of-power investigation into America's self-proclaimed toughest sheriff may have been closed without criminal charges but Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio's legal troubles are far from over.
Southern California cleans up after flash floods
CATHEDRAL CITY (AP) - Southern California foothill and desert communities are cleaning up after fast and furious storms sent mud and water flooding into homes.
Calif. legislature OKs pension changes
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The state Legislature on Friday approved a package of changes to California's public employee pension system that is expected to save taxpayers billions of dollars, even as Republican lawmakers said much more needs to be done to fix a system with massive liabilities.
Waters recede in Louisiana, leaving sopping mess
BELLE CHASE, La. (AP) - Floodwaters from Isaac receded, power came on and businesses opened Friday ahead of the holiday weekend, the beginning of what is certain to be a slow recovery for Louisiana.
Astronauts, family mourn Neil Armstrong
CINCINNATI (AP) - Neil Armstrong was a humble hero who saw himself as a team player and never capitalized on his celebrity as the first man to walk on the moon, mourners said Friday outside a private service attended by fellow space pioneers, including his two crewmates on the historic Apollo 11 mission.
Can an honor code prevent cheating at Harvard?
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Harvard University, whose motto "Veritas" means "truth," has never had a student honor code in its nearly 400-year history - as far as it knows. But allegations against 125 students for improperly collaborating on a take-home final in the spring are leading to renewed consideration of the idea.
Articles by Section - Signal AP
Stocks close higher despite looming budget cuts
NEW YORK (AP) - An encouraging manufacturing report nudged the stock market higher Friday, giving it a slight gain for the week, even as a deadline for avoiding sweeping government spending cuts loomed.
SpaceX company fixes Dragon capsule problem
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) - A commercial craft carrying a ton of supplies for the International Space Station ran into thruster trouble shortly after liftoff Friday. Flight controllers managed to gain control, but were forced to delay its arrival at the orbiting lab.
US auto sales power ahead in February
DETROIT (AP) - Americans want new cars and trucks, and they're not letting higher gas prices or political dysfunction stand in their way.
Chad's president: Al-Qaida chief killed in Mali
N'DJAMENA, Chad (AP) - Chadian President Idriss Deby announced Friday that Chadian troops fighting to dislodge an al-Qaida affiliate in northern Mali killed one of the group's leading commanders, Abou Zeid.
Mayor reveals plan to keep Kings in Sacramento
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) - The wealthy investors that are partnering on a plan to keep the Sacramento Kings from moving to Seattle have finally been revealed, and they're the two almost everybody expected - with a twist.
Autopsy reveals little about lottery winner death
CHICAGO (AP) - An autopsy on the exhumed body of a Chicago lottery winner poisoned with cyanide yielded no significant new clues about his death, the Cook County medical examiner said Friday.
Workers anxious as cuts set to take effect
KITTERY, Maine (AP) - They don't care which side caused Washington's latest crisis.
Governor denies parole to ex-Manson follower
LOS ANGELES (AP) - Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday reversed a parole board and denied the release of a former Charles Manson follower who has served more than 40 years in prison.
Suicide note found in Calif shooting rampage
TUSTIN, Calif. (AP) - A Southern California college student who fatally shot three people last month before turning the gun on himself wrote a suicide note on his computer indicating the violence was premeditated, authorities said Friday.
Saint Mary's penalized for recruiting violations
MORAGA, Calif. (AP) - The NCAA has placed Saint Mary's on four years of probation for a "failure to monitor its men's basketball program," reducing scholarships after it says the perennial mid-major power committed several recruiting violations.
Taco Bell, Icelandic pies drawn into European meat scandal
LONDON (AP) - Taco Bell is the latest restaurant chain to acknowledge that its food has been adulterated with horse meat, yanking a variety of ground beef products from its three British outlets and issuing an apology to its patrons Friday.
Mushers, dogs line up for Alaska's Iditarod race
ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - The world's most famous sled dog race kicks off Saturday with an 11-mile-long trot through Alaska's largest city.
Florida man swallowed by sinkhole under bedroom
SEFFNER, Fla. (AP) - A huge sinkhole opened up under a man's bedroom and swallowed him as he screamed for help. He was missing and feared dead Friday.
Documents: US released more than 2,000 immigrants
WASHINGTON (AP) - The Associated Press has learned that the Homeland Security Department released more than 2,000 illegal immigrants facing deportation from immigration jails in recent weeks because of looming budget cuts. It also planned to release 3,000 more during March.
Vegas fugitive arrested at Los Angeles apartment
LOS ANGELES (AP) - A weeklong multi-state manhunt for the suspected gunman in a Las Vegas Strip shooting and crash that killed three people ended when he surrendered in Los Angeles while apparently going about life as usual.
