Associated Press stories, Page 627
Drag story hour at library canceled after suspicious package, threats
LANCASTER — A scheduled “Drag Queen Story Hour” at a Pennsylvania library that had drawn opposition was canceled Saturday after a suspicious package was found in the building and two blocks were evacuated after threats were reported, authorities said. Police evacuated Lancaster Public Library after the package was found. A...
New England battling a mix of wind, rain, sleet and heavy snow
BOSTON — It might officially be spring, but New England is battling a wintry weather combination across the region Saturday with more than a foot of snow expected in ski country, and rain, wind and possible flooding in southern areas and along the coast. In Maine, the National Weather Service...
Wyoming governor vetoes bill to allow concealed carry in public schools and meetings
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Wyoming Republican Gov. Mark Gordon has vetoed a bill that would have allowed people to carry concealed guns in public schools and government meetings. In his veto letter Friday night, Gordon said he had concerns the bill would exceed the separation of powers provision in the state...
Longtime Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos dies at 94
BALTIMORE — Peter Angelos, owner of a Baltimore Orioles team that endured long losing stretches and shrewd proprietor of a law firm that won high-profile cases against industry titans, died Saturday. He was 94. Angelos had been ill for several years. His family announced his death in a statement thanking...
Heavy rains kill at least 7 in Rio de Janeiro state, 4-year-old rescued after 16 hours under mud
PETROPOLIS, Brazil — Heavy rains in Rio de Janeiro state have killed at least seven people, authorities said Saturday, while a 4-year-old girl was rescued after more than 16 hours under mud. The girl was pulled out alive in the city of Petropolis, 43 miles north of Rio. Rescue teams...
Biden signs $1.2T funding package after Senate’s early morning passage ended shutdown threat
WILMINGTON, Del. — President Joe Biden on Saturday signed a $1.2 trillion package of spending bills after Congress had passed the long overdue legislation just hours earlier, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown. “This agreement represents a compromise, which means neither side got everything it wanted,” Biden said...
2 crew members die during ‘incident’ on Holland America cruise ship
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Two crew members on a Holland America cruise ship died during an “incident” in the ship’s engineering space, the cruise line said. The unidentified crew members died Friday while the Florida-based Nieuw Amsterdam was at Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas, Holland America said in a...
Arizona expects to be back at the center of election attacks. Its top officials are going on offense
PHOENIX — The room sits behind a chain-link fence, then black iron gates. Guards block the entrance, which requires a security badge to access. The glass surrounding it is shatterproof. What merits all these layers of protection is somewhat surprising: tabulating machines that count votes in Arizona’s Maricopa County. The...
Russia detains 11 in an attack on Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133
MOSCOW — Russian President Vladimir Putin said Saturday that authorities have detained 11 people in the attack on a suburban Moscow concert hall that killed at least 133 people and left the sprawling venue a smoldering ruin. In an address to the nation, Putin called it “a bloody, barbaric terrorist...
Russian Soyuz rocket with 3 astronauts blasts off to the International Space Station
MOSCOW — A Russian Soyuz rocket carrying three astronauts to the International Space Station blasted off Saturday, two days after its launch was aborted at the last minute. The spacecraft carrying NASA astronaut Tracy Dyson, Russian Oleg Novitsky and Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus launched smoothly from the Russian-leased Baikonur launch...
United Airlines says federal regulators will increase oversight of the company following issues
CHICAGO — Federal regulators are increasing their oversight of United Airlines, the company announced Friday, following a series of recent issues including a piece of the outer fuselage falling off one jet, an engine fire and a plane losing a tire during takeoff. United’s vice president of corporate safety, Sasha...
With all the recent headlines about panels and tires falling off planes, is flying safe?
DALLAS — It has been 15 years since the last fatal crash of a U.S. airliner, but you would never know that by reading about a torrent of flight problems in the last three months. There was a time when things like cracked windshields and minor engine problems didn’t turn...
Worldwide support pours in for Kate, the Princess of Wales, after shocking cancer reveal
LONDON — Support poured in from around the world Saturday for Kate, the Princess of Wales, after she revealed in a candid video message that she is undergoing chemotherapy for cancer following major abdominal surgery. The princess’s poignant video, in which she spoke about the “huge shock” and “incredibly tough...
Penn State sends 6 to finals, clinches 11th NCAA wrestling title in 13 years
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Carter Starocci and Aaron Brooks will have a chance to make some wrestling history for Penn State. The two Nittany Lions passed their semifinal tests at the NCAA championships on Friday night, giving them a chance to join an exclusive club of four-time winners on Saturday...
James Madison pulls off 1st 12-5 upset by knocking off Wisconsin
NEW YORK — James Madison announced itself by beating a Big Ten team to start this season. When the Dukes did it again to start their NCAA Tournament, they made sure everybody knew: “It’s not an upset,” Xavier Brown yelled, popping his jersey in the middle of the celebration with...
Ivy League strikes again as No. 13 Yale takes down No. 4 Auburn
SPOKANE, Wash. — A year ago, Yale’s John Poulakidas and August Mahoney were stuck at home watching the Ivy League champion make a magical NCAA Tournament run. The two Bulldogs wanted a taste of what that was like. Given the opportunity on Friday, they helped Yale become the latest Ivy...
Cink at age 50 part of a five-way share of the lead at InnisbrookVideo
PALM HARBOR, Fla. — Stewart Cink made a great escape from the pine straw for an unlikely birdie and had a 4-under-par 67 that gave him a five-way share of the lead Friday in the Valspar Championship and a chance to entertain thoughts of winning for the second straight tournament....
White Sox release infielder Mike Moustakas, outfielder Kevin Pillar
GLENDALE, Ariz. — The Chicago White Sox released infielder Mike Moustakas and outfielder Kevin Pillar on Friday. Both were in camp on minor league deals. The moves increase the likelihood of Gavin Sheets making the team’s opening-day roster. The 35-year-old Moustakas hit .247 with 12 homers and 48 RBIs in...
Casey, McCormick to appear alone on Senate ballots in Pennsylvania after courts boot off challengers
HARRISBURG — Democratic U.S. Sen. Bob Casey and Republican David McCormick will be the only eligible names on ballots for the office in Pennsylvania’s April primary after a ruling Friday by the state’s highest court. The ruling completed the third of three successful court challenges to the paperwork of three...
MLB investigating gambling, theft allegations involving Shohei Ohtani and interpreter Ippei Mizuhara
NEW YORK — Major League Baseball has opened a formal investigation into illegal gambling and theft allegations involving Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani and his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara. Mizuhara was let go from the team Wednesday following reports from the Los Angeles Times and ESPN about his alleged ties...
Pennsylvania lawmakers push to find out causes of death for older adults in abuse or neglect cases
HARRISBURG — Republican state lawmakers are pushing Gov. Josh Shapiro’s administration to do more to investigate the deaths of older adults who are the subject of an abuse or neglect complaint after Pennsylvania recorded a steep increase in such deaths starting in 2019. Shapiro’s Department of Aging has balked at...
National Guard helicopters help battle West Virginia wildfires in steep terrain
CHARLESTON — The West Virginia National Guard joined in battling wildfires Friday that have scorched more than 4,000 acres in the state and destroyed several homes. Two Blackhawk helicopters dropped water from buckets on the fires in steep, wooded terrain in Hardy County, the National Guard said on social media....
Catherine, Princess of Wales, says she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy
LONDON — Catherine, the Princess of Wales, said Friday she has cancer and is undergoing chemotherapy. The video announcement came after weeks of speculation spread on social media about her whereabouts and health since she was hospitalized in January for unspecified abdominal surgery. Catherine, 42, hadn’t been seen publicly since...
Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene files motion to oust Speaker Mike Johnson
WASHINGTON — Speaker Mike Johnson is at risk of being ousted after hard-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor-Greene filed a “motion to vacate” on Friday in the middle of a House vote on a $1.2 trillion package to keep the government open. It’s the same political dynamic that removed the last Republican...
Trump’s social media company approved to go public, potentially netting former president billions
NEW YORK — Donald Trump is returning to the stock market, and the former president stands to reap a sizeable payout in the process. Shareholders of Digital World Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded shell company, approved a deal to merge with the Trump’s media business in a Friday vote. That...

