Associated Press stories, Page 2591
Hugs, tears mark taping of final ‘Big Bang Theory’ episode
BURBANK, Calif. — Hugs and tears punctuated the final taping of “The Big Bang Theory,” a lovefest for its stars, crew and audience alike. There were plenty of punchlines as well, as the true-to-form hit comedy about scientists and those who love them wrapped the two-part, hour-long finale that will...
Fed signals neither a rate hike nor a cut is likely soon
WASHINGTON — The Federal Reserve left its key interest rate unchanged Wednesday and signaled that it’s unlikely to either raise or cut rates in coming months amid signs of renewed economic health but unusually low inflation. The Fed left its benchmark rate — which influences many consumer and business loans...
Pirates snap 8-game skid with pair of 11th-inning HRs in TexasVideo
ARLINGTON, Texas — When Bryan Reynolds led off the 11th inning with his first career homer, everybody on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ bench erupted in celebration. They were all quiet by time the rookie rounded the bases and got back to the dugout. “We were all like so quick to hop...
Sergei Bobrovsky leads Blue Jackets to series lead against Bruins
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Sergei Bobrovsky kept up his impressive postseason play, making 36 saves as the Columbus Blue Jackets beat the Boston Bruins, 2-1, on Tuesday night to take a 2-1 lead in their Eastern Conference semifinal series. Boone Jenner and Matt Duchene scored for the Blue Jackets, who won...
Pirates’ Francisco Cervelli leaves after getting hit by pitch
ARLINGTON, Texas — Pittsburgh Pirates catcher Francisco Cervelli left Tuesday night’s game at Texas after being hit on his left wrist by a pitch. Cervelli was in obvious pain after being struck by the pitch from Adrian Sampson in the second inning. But Cervelli initially remained in the game, going...
Tiger Woods makes video for cancer victim on eve of Masters
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Harold Varner III worked up the courage to ask a favor of Tiger Woods for a close friend with colon cancer. The timing made it surreal. Woods made a videotaped message for Daniel Meggs on the Wednesday before the Masters, encouraging the former Wake Forest golfer to...
2 killed at UNC Charlotte, 4 others injured; suspect in custodyVideo
CHARLOTTE — A shooting on a North Carolina university campus left two people dead and four wounded Tuesday, prompting a lockdown and chaotic scene in the state’s largest city. UNC Charlotte issued a campus lockdown late Tuesday afternoon, saying shots had been fired. Later in the evening, the campus was...
Hall of Fame defensive lineman Gino Marchetti dies
BALTIMORE — Gino Marchetti, a Hall of Fame defensive end who helped the Baltimore Colts win consecutive NFL championships in the late 1950s, died. The Pro Football Hall of Fame said Marchetti was 93. He died Monday at Paoli Hospital in Paoli, Pa., hospital spokeswoman Mary Kate Coghlan said. Marchetti...
Judge throws out ex-Penn State president Graham Spanier’s conviction
HARRISBURG — A federal judge threw out former Penn State President Graham Spanier’s misdemeanor child-endangerment conviction on Tuesday, less than a day before he was due to turn himself in to begin serving a jail sentence. The decision by U.S. Magistrate Judge Karoline Mehalchick in Scranton gave state prosecutors three...
Minneapolis officer Mohamed Noor convicted of murder in 911 caller death
MINNEAPOLIS — A Minneapolis police officer was convicted of murder Tuesday in the fatal shooting of an unarmed woman who approached his squad car minutes after calling 911 to report a possible rape behind her home. Mohamed Noor was convicted of third-degree murder as well as manslaughter in the July...
College student says Trump backers recruited him for Pete Buttigieg smear
A Michigan college student says pro-Trump agitators recruited him to falsely claim he was raped by Democratic presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg, then published the smear without his permission. Hunter Kelly, a 21-year-old gay Trump supporter, said conservative activists Jacob Wohl and Jack Burkman sought to use him for the “despicable...
Early Kentucky Derby favorite Omaha Beach gets favorable draw
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Knowing their favored horses won’t start the Kentucky Derby on the rail left Richard Mandella and Bob Baffert more relieved than happy. What matters for the Hall of Fame trainers is turning workable starting spots into victory and a long-sought celebration for Mandella. Omaha Beach is the...
Norwin graduate JJ Matijevic suspended 50 games by minor league baseball
Houston Astros prospect JJ Matijevic has been suspended 50 games under baseball’s minor league drug program following a second positive test for a drug of abuse. Selected by Houston with the 75th overall pick in the second round of the 2017 amateur draft, the 23-year-old Norwin graduate was hitting .240...
Doug Ferguson: New schedule leaves little time to prep for majors
The Masters in his rearview mirror, Justin Rose is excited about what he calls the next stage of the golf year. Except in this case, objects might be closer than they appear. Because while the next major is in two weeks, the first one ended only two weeks ago. Still...
EPA reaffirms weed killer safe for users as court cases grow
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency reaffirmed Tuesday that a popular weed killer is safe for people, as legal claims mount from Americans who blame the herbicide for their cancer. The EPA’s draft conclusion Tuesday came in a periodic review of glyphosate, the active ingredient in Roundup. The agency found...
Apple’s fiscal 2Q revenue, profit sag amid iPhone slump
SAN FRANCISCO — Apple’s sales are still shrinking amid weakening iPhone demand, despite the company’s effort to emphasize services designed to bring in a steady flow of money from the 1.4 billion of its devices still in use. Revenue for the January-March quarter fell 5% from the same time in...
Police: Franklin County man took 4-year-old, bound her, stuffed her in trunkVideo
WAYNESBORO — A 20-year-old man entered a home’s unlocked front door, snatched a 4-year-old girl from her bed and bound and stuffed her into a wooden trunk at his grandparents’ house, telling police he’d been scoping out children who he thought lived in “deplorable conditions,” according to a criminal complaint....
U.S. sales OK’d for cigarette alternative that heats tobacco
WASHINGTON — U.S. health officials on Tuesday said Philip Morris can sell a cigarette alternative that heats tobacco without burning it, a key decision in the tobacco industry’s shift toward newer products. The Food and Drug Administration has not yet decided whether to allow the device, IQOS (EYE-kose), to be...
New York judge sparks outrage for no jail time in rape sentence
WATERTOWN, N.Y. — An upstate New York judge who stoked social media outrage for sentencing a former school bus driver to probation in the rape of a 14-year-old is getting “numerous vitriolic” phone calls, court officials said Tuesday. Jefferson County Supreme Court Judge James McClusky last week sentenced Shane Piche...
Space rock left big crater on moon during full lunar eclipse
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — A space rock left a massive crater on the moon during January’s total lunar eclipse. Spanish scientists reported Tuesday the meteoroid hit the moon at 38,000 mph, carving out a crater nearly 50 miles across. It was the first impact flash ever observed during a lunar...
Arizona woman attacked by bees after hive falls on her head
TEMPE, Ariz. — An Arizona woman is recovering from more than 20 bee stings after heavy winds blew a hive off a tree and it landed on her head. Firefighters in the Phoenix suburb of Tempe say it happened Monday afternoon as the woman picked up her child from daycare....
Obamas unveil slate of series, documentaries for Netflix
NEW YORK — Barack and Michelle Obama have unveiled a slate of projects in development for Netflix, a year after the former president and first lady signed a deal with the streaming platform. The Obamas’ production company, Higher Ground Productions, on Tuesday announced a total of seven films and series...
Lawsuit says man from Somalia’s been detained over 2 years
CONCORD, N.H. — A federal lawsuit in New Hampshire says an asylum seeker from Somalia has been detained for 2½ years without a bond hearing and should be released. Acting on behalf of Mahamed Ahmed-Cali, the ACLU on Friday sued the heads of the departments of Justice, Homeland Security, Immigrations...
Grandma pushing stroller also charged in hit-and-run death
FLORENCE, S.C. — South Carolina authorities say they have charged both the hit-and-run driver who struck and killed a 4-year-old girl and the grandmother who was pushing the girl across a highway in a stroller. Investigators say Emily Hall was killed Friday night as she was being pushed across state...
22 face conspiracy, cruelty counts after Philadelphia cockfight raid
PHILADELPHIA — Authorities say nearly two dozen people are facing charges following last week’s raid on a north Philadelphia home where police said a cockfight was being held. Officials said roughly 40 roosters and chickens, some of them dead, were found in the home late Friday night. Authorities say officers...
