News

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. (AP) — Officials say fire crews made significant progress overnight against a wildfire burning for nearly a week in Southern California coastal mountains. More than 1,600 firefighters battling the blaze in the Santa Ynez Mountains west of Santa Barbara on land and by air were able to stop its forward growth. Federal

FORT SMITH, Ark. (AP) — Authorities say two people in Arkansas died from stab wounds on Sunday and a third person was shot and killed by an officer whose neck was slashed after he found a man beating one of the stabbing victims with a rock. Fort Smith Police Chief Danny Baker says an officer

U.S. Interior Secretary Deb Haaland’s mother, longtime civil servant Mary Toya, has died. Officials with the Interior Department confirmed Toya’s passing Saturday but didn’t immediately release her age or cause of death. Interior spokeswoman Melissa Schwartz said in a statement the department is celebrating Toya’s long life and is grateful for her “25 years of

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — Police in Alabama have arrested a 19 year old in a shooting that wounded five people near a stadium where a high school football game was being played. News outlets say Mobile police identify him as Jai Scott of Semmes, Alabama. He was charged Saturday with five counts of attempted murder.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ronnie Tutt, a legendary drummer who spent years playing alongside Elvis Presley and teamed up with other superstars ranging from Johnny Cash to Stevie Nicks, has died. He was 83. In a Facebook post early Sunday, Terie Tutt wrote that her father died at home surrounded by his family. Elvis Presley

SUNRISE, Fla. (AP) — Police have charged a convicted murderer with the slaying of a South Florida woman whose body was found in a canal after being missing for three weeks. Eric Pierson was charged Saturday with first-degree murder for the slaying of 33-year-old Erika Verdecia. Her stabbed body was found in a suburban Fort

PRISTINA, Kosovo (AP) — Center-right opposition parties in Kosovo are leading in municipal elections held Sunday in the small Balkan nation but early results suggest that runoffs will still be needed to decide half of the winners. About 1.9 million voters were eligible to cast ballots for mayors for 38 municipalities and 1,000 town hall

By TOUSSAINT N’GOTTA Associated Press ABIDJAN, Ivory Coast (AP) — Former Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo says he plans to be involved in politics until the day he dies. His speech Sunday marks his most detailed comments on his political ambitions since he was acquitted of war crimes charges at the International Criminal Court. The 76-year-old