Associated Press stories, Page 2596
Lawyers: New York City inmates stuck in freezing cells
NEW YORK — Hundreds of inmates at a federal jail in New York City have spent days in cold, dark cells amid frigid weather and without access to visitors or email, attorneys for the inmates said Friday. Lawyers from the Federal Defenders office said there’s been limited electricity, heat and...
Punxsutawney Phil doesn’t see his shadow, predicting early spring
PUNXSUTAWNEY, Pa. — Members of Punxsutawney Phil’s inner circle revealed spring is coming early.Handlers for Pennsylvania’s most famous prognosticating groundhog say he didn’t see his shadow when the sun rose Saturday. The festivities have their origin in a German legend that says if a furry rodent casts a shadow on...
Jeff Gordon’s influence on NASCAR honored at Hall of FameVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Jeff Gordon’s immense influence on NASCAR was highlighted during a star-packed Hall of Fame induction ceremony befitting a driver who changed the trajectory of an entire sport. Gordon was the top vote-getter in the 10th class of the Hall of Fame, which included the late drivers Davey...
Cardi B declined Super Bowl halftime with ‘mixed feelings’
ATLANTA — Cardi B said she received an offer to perform at the Super Bowl, but struggled with the decision to turn down the lucrative opportunity in support of ex-NFL player Colin Kaepernick. The Grammy-nominated rapper told The Associated Press on Friday evening that she had “mixed feelings” after she...
Seinfeld sued over sale of Porsche alleged to be fake
NEW YORK — Jerry Seinfeld was sued Friday by a company claiming it bought the comedian’s 1958 Porsche for $1.5 million only to discover it was a fake. Fica Frio Limited’s lawsuit was filed in Manhattan federal court against a comic known for his love of vintage cars. Seinfeld mixes...
Lawyer: Suspect in 5 killings wanted to say ‘I’m sorry’
WARSAW, Va. — A man charged with killing his parents and three others in Louisiana drove to Virginia to try to hug and kiss two aunts and a grandmother goodbye, his court-appointed attorney in Virginia said Friday. Dakota Theriot declined to fight extradition back to Louisiana, and authorities flew him...
Country singer Charley Pride focus of 2 PBS projects
PASADENA, Calif. — Paging Terrence Howard. Charley Pride still wants the actor to play him in a movie of the country music star’s life. The project has been discussed for about 10 years. Pride told a TV critics’ meeting on Friday that it remains a goal to have it made...
NASCAR needs new stars, and Kyle Larson may save the sportVideo
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — NASCAR’s biggest stars all have moved on. Jeff Gordon and Dale Earnhardt Jr. are television analysts, and Tony Stewart is racing sprint cars again. Danica Patrick traded her firesuit for athleisure-wear, and Carl Edwards just kind of disappeared. America’s top motorsports series is in need of a...
Rickie Fowler closes with 4 straight birdies to lead Phoenix Open
COTTSDALE, Ariz. — After the opening round of the Phoenix Open, Rickie Fowler lamented a missed putt that would have given him the outright lead and household bragging rights. Following an impressive string of birdies to close out his second round, Fowler will get his chance to trash-talk Justin Thomas,...
With government open again, Trump heads for Florida
PALM BEACH, Fla. — With the government open again, President Donald Trump at last headed Friday for a weekend at his happy place: his Mar-a-Lago private club on Florida’s southeastern coast. Trump typically spends many winter weekends at the Palm Beach estate, golfing at another nearby private club he owns...
Big storm sets sights on California, evacuations ordered
SAN FRANCISCO — A powerful storm bearing down on California on Friday was expected to produce heavy rainfall, damaging winds, localized stream flooding and heavy snow in the Sierra Nevada, forecasters said. Evacuations were ordered or recommended in advance for residents of some of the many areas stripped bare by...
Steelers fan among 3 with perfect attendance for Super Bowl
ATLANTA — Don Crisman knows precisely when the streak began: Jan. 15, 1967. The ticket price for the Super Bowl at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum was $12. “Good seats,” Crisman, 82, said. “You could buy $6 tickets, and $10. There were three prices.” On Sunday, Crisman, Pittsburgh Steelers fan...
After latest goodbye, Rams’ Aqib Talib says hello to another Super Bowl
ATLANTA — It might seem as though Aqib Talib says “goodbye” as often as the flight attendant standing at the front of the plane. And yet, he keeps resurfacing on good teams — and at the Super Bowl. The colorful cornerback brought his necklaces, his personality and, yes, even defensive...
Patriots right where they want to be entering Super Bowl
ATLANTA — The Super Bowls have become a yearly ritual for the New England Patriots under Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. They’re back for the third straight year and the ninth time overall despite a taxing season that seemed doomed after Julian Edelman’s four-game suspension for performance-enhancers, a 1-2 start...
Rams really ready to knock off Patriots in Super Bowl
ATLANTA — The Los Angeles Rams aren’t ready to beat the Patriots, according to much of the conventional wisdom around the Super Bowl. Only four members of the upstart NFC champions have played in a Super Bowl. Even though the Rams are coming off a 13-3 regular season and two...
Trump’s State of the Union to focus on ‘choosing greatness’
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is ready to deliver his State of the Union speech following a roller-coaster will-it-or-won’t-it-happen ride. His topic is to be “choosing greatness.” White House officials say Trump is not expected to dwell on the government shutdown or on the looming Feb. 15 deadline for a...
A deluge of drones fly over Super Bowl stadium, despite ban
ATLANTA — The sky above the stadium that will host Sunday’s Super Bowl is being “inundated” with an alarming number of drones, raising the specter of injuries to tourists or others — or a possible collision with aircraft, the FBI said Friday. That’s despite an ongoing restriction that bans the...
Judge in Roger Stone case says she’s considering gag order
WASHINGTON — A federal judge on Friday cautioned longtime Donald Trump confidant Roger Stone not to treat the charges against him like a public relations campaign or book tour, and said she may issue a gag order in the case. U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson said she had already...
Trump suspends arms treaty to focus on China, Russia threats
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is pulling the plug on a decades-old nuclear arms treaty with Russia, lifting what it sees as unreasonable constraints on competing with a resurgent Russia and a more assertive China. The move announced Friday sets the stage for delicate talks with U.S. allies over potential...
Stocks eke out gains after a bumpy day
NEW YORK — Stocks held on to tiny gains at the end of an up-and-down day of trading on Wall Street. Major indexes were higher for much of the morning as investors applauded the latest burst of hiring by U.S. employers. The enthusiasm was tempered, however, by a disappointing revenue...
‘Empire’ actor says account of attack has been consistent
CHICAGO — “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett said Friday that he has been “consistent on every level” with the police during their investigation into what he says was a racist and homophobic attack on him in downtown Chicago earlier this week. In his first public comments since he says two masked...
Man gets 48-year sentence after fatal argument over popcorn
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A man who got in an argument with his cousin over popcorn and struck him in the head with a baseball bat has been sentenced to 48 years in prison for manslaughter. The Montgomery Advertiser reports 29-year-old Richard Wilson was sentenced Thursday in Johnny Waits’ 2016 death....
Lawsuit: Pennsylvania officer coerced 2 women into sex to avoid arrest
ASHLEY — Two women who say they were coerced into sex with a Pennsylvania police officer have filed a federal lawsuit alleging he violated their constitutional rights. The Citizens’ Voice reports 29-year-old Mark Icker, of Dickson City, is facing sexual assault, official oppression and related charges alleging he pressured the...
Trump health chief asks Congress to pass drug discount plan
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration’s top health official asked Congress on Friday to pass its new prescription drug discount plan and provide it to all patients, not just those covered by government programs like Medicare. The plan would take now-hidden rebates among industry players like drug companies and insurers and...
Palestinians, Israeli troops clash in West Bank, Gaza
JERUSALEM — Palestinian protesters and Israeli troops skirmished Friday as hundreds demonstrated against violence by Jewish settlers in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and thousands more against a crippling Israeli-Egyptian blockade in the militant Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip. In Gaza, mass demonstrations along the perimeter fence with Israel have been a weekly...
