Associated Press stories, Page 1632
As covid-19 vaccine mandates rise, religious exemptions grow
An estimated 2,600 Los Angeles Police Department employees are citing religious objections to try to get out of the required covid-19 vaccination. In Washington state, thousands of state workers are seeking similar exemptions. And in Arkansas, a hospital has been swamped with so many such requests from employees that it...
ACC can improve performances against Power 5 teams this weekendVideo
ACC teams have some work to do when they step up in competition and play football programs from other Power Five leagues. Through two weeks of the season, some ACC teams have expectedly dominated lower division programs, but the ACC is just 2-6 against Power Five teams and Notre Dame....
Ravens secondary gearing up for clash with Patrick Mahomes
OWINGS MILLS, Md. — Fresh off a startling loss at Las Vegas, Baltimore’s shaky secondary will now focus on a familiar nemesis: Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. “The Chiefs have definitely had our number the past couple years,” cornerback Marlon Humphrey said. “I guess the way you go...
Search on for Florida woman missing from cross-country trip
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — A Florida woman who vanished while on a nomadic cross-country trip in a converted camper van with her boyfriend is the subject of a nationwide search while authorities labeled him Wednesday as a person of interest in her disappearance. Investigators say Gabrielle “Gabby” Petito, 22, was...
Police: Lawyer Murdaugh arranged own death but shot grazed
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A prominent South Carolina lawyer who found the bodies of his wife and son three months ago tried to arrange his own death earlier this month so his son would get a $10 million life insurance payment, but the planned fatal shot only grazed his head, state...
SpaceX launches 4 amateurs on private Earth-circling trip
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — SpaceX’s first private flight blasted off Wednesday night with two contest winners, a health care worker and their rich sponsor, the most ambitious leap yet in space tourism. It was the first time a rocket streaked toward orbit with an all-amateur crew — no professional astronauts....
Penn State finds challenges in prepping for AuburnVideo
STATE COLLEGE — Most of the intelligence No. 10 Penn State has on its upcoming opponent was compiled long ago by the team’s video production staff. How much it’s worth now is up for debate. Not only will No. 22 Auburn’s visit to Beaver Stadium provide the Nittany Lions (2-0)...
Search at Grand Canyon turns up remains of another person
FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. — Crews searching for a missing man at Grand Canyon National Park made an unexpected discovery this summer. They found the remains of another person, believed to be Scott Walsh, who was last seen stepping off a shuttle bus at the park’s South Rim in 2015. The clothing...
NASCAR adds Gateway, returns Homestead to playoffs for 2022
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Homestead-Miami Speedway will return to the playoff portion of the season in 2022, while St. Louis was awarded a Cup Series race and NASCAR will race on Easter Sunday for the first time in more than three decades in schedule changes released Wednesday. Homestead hosted the season...
Browns’ Odell Beckham not ready after surgery, 2021 debut delayed
BEREA, Ohio — Browns star wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. isn’t ready to play following knee surgery and won’t make his debut Sunday against Houston. Coach Kevin Stefanski ruled Beckham out Tuesday, saying he will practice on a limited basis this week but will sit out against the Texans (1-0)....
Texas abortion law strains clinics: ‘Exactly what we feared’
AUSTIN, Texas — One Texas woman traveled nearly 1,000 miles to Colorado for an abortion. Others are driving four hours to New Mexico. And in Houston, clinics that typically perform more than 100 abortions in a week are are down to a few a day. Two weeks after the nation’s...
2 Maine senators, both vaccinated, test positive for covid
PORTLAND, Maine — Two of the top ranking Democratic members of the Maine Senate have tested positive for covid-19 despite being fully vaccinated. Maine Senate President Troy Jackson tested positive for coronavirus, becoming the highest-ranking official in state government to contract the virus. Senate Major Leader Eloise Vitelli also said...
Baby girl born to widow of Marine killed in Kabul bombing
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — The widow of a U.S. Marine killed in a bombing in Afghanistan in August has given birth to a baby girl. Levi Rylee Rose McCollum was born early Monday at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif., according to a Facebook post by the baby’s grandmother, Jill...
Biles: FBI turned ‘blind eye’ to reports of gymnasts’ abuse
WASHINGTON — Olympic gold medalist Simone Biles told Congress in forceful testimony Wednesday that federal law enforcement and gymnastics officials turned a “blind eye” to USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar’s sexual abuse of her and hundreds of other women. Biles told the Senate Judiciary Committee that “enough is enough”...
Pope questions vaccine skeptics, including cardinals
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Pope Francis said Wednesday he didn’t understand why people refuse to take covid-19 vaccines, saying “humanity has a history of friendship with vaccines,” and that serene discussion about the shots was necessary to help them. “Even in the College of Cardinals, there are some negationists,”...
Cabbage Patch Kids, piñatas, sand lead Toy Hall of Fame finalists
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — Cabbage Patch Kids, the rosy-cheeked dolls that left store shelves picked clean during the first big holiday toy craze, are up for a spot in the National Toy Hall of Fame, part of a finalist group announced Wednesday that also includes garden-variety sand and the toy fire...
Dire warning from Newsom helped turn California recall tide
LOS ANGELES — An ominous four-word message issued by California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s campaign on the morning of Aug. 5 served as the shock Democrats needed to take seriously a recall election that could remove him from office: “This recall is close.” Newsom’s warning in a fundraising email came just...
Biden, CEOs, biz leaders meet on covid vaccine mandates
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden was meeting Wednesday with the CEOs of Walt Disney and Columbia Sportswear, and other business executives and leaders leaders to discuss his recently announced vaccine requirement for companies that employ at least 100 people. The White House meeting comes less than a week after Biden...
Surfside land swap for Florida condo collapse site rejected
SURFSIDE, Fla. — Commissioners in Surfside, Fla., have rejected a proposal to trade public beachfront to the eventual buyer of the condominium collapse site so that a memorial to the 98 victims could be built there. The decision followed an emotional meeting Tuesday as family members of those who died...
Texas company to pay nearly $3M for Clean Air Act violations
POINT COMFORT, Texas — A Texas plastics company has agreed to pay nearly $3 million in civil penalties for violating the Clean Air Act, the U.S. Department of Justice announced. Formosa Plastics Corp. also agreed to improve its risk management program at its petrochemical plant in Point Comfort. The U.S....
Biden: Nearly 3M get health coverage during covid sign-up
WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden announced Wednesday that 2.8 million consumers took advantage of a special six-month period to sign up for private health insurance coverage made more affordable by his covid-19 relief law. He called the number encouraging and urged Congress to help lower health care costs. “That’s 2.8...
California Gov. Gavin Newsom beats back GOP-led recall
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Tuesday emphatically defeated a recall aimed at kicking him out of office early, a contest the Democrat framed as part of a national battle for his party’s values in the face of the coronavirus pandemic and continued threats from “Trumpism.” Newsom bolted...
Buffalo Bills to require proof of vaccination from fansVideo
BUFFALO, N.Y. — The Buffalo Bills joined the Las Vegas Raiders on Tuesday as the only NFL teams to require proof of vaccination against covid-19 for all fans over the age of 12. The rules will be the same for Buffalo Sabres games at the KeyBank Center when the NHL...
Young WVU QB Garrett Greene thrives, but status unknown vs. No. 15 Virginia TechVideo
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — West Virginia coach Neal Brown is making no promises to fans clamoring for more from dual-threat backup quarterback Garrett Greene. Greene had an impressive 2021 debut, giving a needed boost to the Mountaineers’ running game against a Championship Subdivision opponent. But whether he sees action Saturday when...
O’Brien, Carrey, Dole praise ‘comedy genius’ Norm Macdonald
NEW YORK — Reactions to the death of Norm Macdonald, who died of cancer Tuesday at age 61. “I am absolutely devastated about Norm Macdonald. Norm had the most unique comedic voice I have ever encountered and he was so relentlessly and uncompromisingly funny. I will never laugh that hard...
