Wire
Colombian hostages released
BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -- Colombia freed Ingrid Betancourt and three U.S. military contractors from leftist guerrillas on Wednesday, saying military spies tricked rebels into giving them up without a single shot fired. Betancourt, who was seized while campaigning for president six long years ago, appeared thin but healthy as she strode down the stairs of a military plane and held her mother in a long embrace. She called the operation that resc...
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Big Sur, Calif., evacuated for fire BIG SUR, Calif
Big Sur, Calif., evacuated for fire BIG SUR, Calif. -- Authorities ordered the remaining residents of this scenic coastal community to leave Wednesday because an out-of-control wildfire, one of hundreds in California, had jumped a fire line and was threatening more homes. Flames raged in the hills above and ash fell from orange skies as evacuees in packed cars streamed north along Highway 1, the only major road out of Big Sur. Sheriff's deput...
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Cabrera stymies Royals
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Daniel Cabrera pitched a seven-hitter Wednesday night to earn his first victory since May 20, Aubrey Huff homered and the Baltimore Orioles beat Gil Meche and the Kansas City Royals 5-2. Cabrera (6-4) retired 13 straight batters before David DeJesus singled with two out in the eighth inning. The right-hander struck out two and walked none in his second complete game of the season, both of which have come against the Royals. ...
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Beasley injured in first practice
MIAMI (AP) -- Welcome to the NBA, rookie. Michael Beasley's first official practice with the Miami Heat ended quickly. Beasley was struck in the chest by an inadvertent elbow during a defensive drill about 45 minutes into Miami's first summer-league workout session Wednesday, and the No. 2 overall pick in last week's NBA draft was taken to a doctor for observation. Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said the move was strictly precautionary and should ...
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Federer beats Ancic to reach semifinals
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- Five-time champion Roger Federer outclassed Mario Ancic -- the last man to beat him at Wimbledon -- in straight sets Wednesday to reach the semifinals and extend his grass-court winning streak to 64 matches on the first day of significant rain delays at the All England Club. Riding his dominant serve and punishing forehand, Federer put on a masterful performance to beat Ancic 6-1, 7-5, 6-4 and move another step clos...
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Payment shortage to cost firm
TOPEKA (AP) -- A home mortgage company that shorted Shawnee County on property tax payments by about $9.25 may end up paying about $9,000. County Treasurer Larry Wilson said Monday that Wells Fargo Home Mortgage has agreed to pay $9.75 for each transaction involving 925 properties. That will cover both delinquent taxes and costs the county incurred in pursuing them. The county said Wells Fargo shorted it by 1 cent each on property tax bill...
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D.A. clears Poison drummer
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) -- A rape charge against Rikki Rockett has been dropped after authorities determined that the Poison drummer was not in the state at the time of the alleged crime. Authorities say they are now looking for a man with a history of passing himself off as a rock musician to pick up women. Rockett was accused of raping a woman at a central Mississippi casino in September 2007 and arrested in March. The Neshoba County district a...
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Immigration tuition break stands
TOPEKA (AP) -- A law giving some illegal immigrants a tuition break at Kansas universities and colleges has withstood a legal challenge. The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to reinstate a lawsuit against the 2004 law filed by six parents and 18 out-of-state students attending Kansas institutions. The law allows illegal immigrants to qualify for the lower tuition rates reserved for legal Kansas residents. It has the support of Gov. Kathleen Seb...
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NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices today
NEW YORK (AP) -- Spot nonferrous metal prices today. Aluminum -$1.4330 per lb., N.Y. Merc spot today. Copper -$3.8920 Cathode full plate, U.S. destinations. Copper $3.9225 N.Y. Merc spot Tue. Lead - $1735.00 metric ton, London Metal Exch. Zinc - $0.8781 per lb., delivered. Gold - $937.50 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Gold - $942.50 troy oz., NY Merc spot Tue. Silver - $18.050 Handy & Harman (only daily quote). Silver - ...
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Royals 6, Orioles 5, 11 innings Kan
Monday's Late Game Royals 6, Orioles 5, 11 innings Kan. City ab r h bi Baltimore ab r h bi Aviles ss 6 1 2 1 BRoberts 2b 5 0 2 0 Grdzlnek 2b 4 0 1 0 Markakis rf 5 1 1 1 AGordon 3b 4 0 1 1 Huff dh 5 1 1 1 JGuillen lf 6 1 2 1 Millar 1b 4 0 1 1 Teahen rf 4 0 1 0 Scott lf 3 0 1 0 Olivo ph 1 1 1 1 Payton lf 1 0 0 0 EGerman lf 1 0 0 0 Mora 3b 4 0 0 0 Butler dh 5 0 3 0 RHernandz c 5 1 1 1 Gload 1b 4 1 1 0 AJones cf 5 1 1 0 JBuck c 5 1 2...
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High and low temperatures and precipitation for the 24 hours ending at 7 p
Kansas temperatures High and low temperatures and precipitation for the 24 hours ending at 7 p.m. Tuesday. Hi Lo Prec. Chanute 87 60 0.00 Coffeyville 88 61 0.00 Concordia 93 64 0.00 Dodge City 99 64 0.00 Elkhart 95 68 0.00 Emporia 88 60 0.00 Garden City 97 63 0.00 Goodland 99 55 0.00 Hays 100 64 0.00 Hill City 101 64 0.00 Hutchinson 95 65 0.00 Lawrence 90 56 0.00 Liberal 99 70 0.00 Manhattan 92 58 0.00 Medicine Lodge 97 65 0.00 Olathe 85 ...
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Kan. City ab r h bi Baltimore ab r h bi Aviles ss 5 0 0 0 BRoberts 2b 3 2 1 1 Grdzlnek 2b 4 0 1 2 Markakis rf 4 1 1 0 AGordon 3b 5 2 2 1 Huff 1b 4 0 2 1 JGuillen lf 4 0 0 0 Millar dh 3 0 0 0 Teahen rf 3 1 1 2 Scott lf 4 1 0 0 Butler dh 3 0 1 0 Mora 3b 3 1 0 0 Gload 1b 3 1 1 0 RHernandz c 4 1 2 2 Olivo c 4 0 2 0 AJones cf 3 1 1 2 Gathright cf 3 1 2 0 Fahey ss 3 0 1 1 Totals 34 5 10 5 Totals 31 7 8 7 Kansas City 100 011 002 -- 5 10 0 Baltimore 114 000 10x -- 7 8 0 DP--Kansas City 2, Baltimore 2
Orioles 7, Royals 5 Kan. City ab r h bi Baltimore ab r h bi Aviles ss 5 0 0 0 BRoberts 2b 3 2 1 1 Grdzlnek 2b 4 0 1 2 Markakis rf 4 1 1 0 AGordon 3b 5 2 2 1 Huff 1b 4 0 2 1 JGuillen lf 4 0 0 0 Millar dh 3 0 0 0 Teahen rf 3 1 1 2 Scott lf 4 1 0 0 Butler dh 3 0 1 0 Mora 3b 3 1 0 0 Gload 1b 3 1 1 0 RHernandz c 4 1 2 2 Olivo c 4 0 2 0 AJones cf 3 1 1 2 Gathright cf 3 1 2 0 Fahey ss 3 0 1 1 Totals 34 5 10 5 Totals 31 7 8 7 ...
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K.C. comeback falls just short
BALTIMORE (AP) -- Brian Roberts homered, Ramon Hernandez and Adam Jones had two RBI apiece, and the Baltimore Orioles defeated the Kansas City Royals 7-5 on Tuesday night. Aubrey Huff had two hits and drove in a run for the Orioles. Baltimore led 6-1 after three innings, then let the margin slip to three runs before Roberts hit a solo shot in the seventh off reliever Jimmy Gobble. Gordon and Mark Teahen homered for the Royals, whose six-game ...
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Road rage leads to homicide WICHITA -- Wichita police say the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old Arkansas girl may have stemmed from a road rage incident
Road rage leads to homicide WICHITA -- Wichita police say the fatal shooting of a 17-year-old Arkansas girl may have stemmed from a road rage incident. Homicide Lt. Ken Landwehr said Tuesday that two young women were driving behind a white Pontiac Grand Am Monday night when the Grand Am stopped abruptly in the middle of the street. The 18-year-old woman driving the second car honked her horn and then drove around the Pontiac and parked down t...
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Jury clears burglar shooter HOUSTON -- Ever since he fatally shot two men he suspected of burglarizing his next-door neighbor's home, 62-year-old Joe Horn has been both praised and vilified for his actions
Jury clears burglar shooter HOUSTON -- Ever since he fatally shot two men he suspected of burglarizing his next-door neighbor's home, 62-year-old Joe Horn has been both praised and vilified for his actions. Horn called 911 and told the dispatcher he had a shotgun and was going to kill the intruders. The dispatcher pleaded with him not to go outside, but a defiant Horn confronted the men with a 12-gauge shotgun and shot both in the back. Some ...
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Kansas taxes short of expectations in June
By The Associated Press TOPEKA -- State government collected $61 million less than anticipated in taxes during its recently ended 2008 fiscal year, a 1 percent shortfall that could create budget headaches. Officials see the preliminary figures from the Department of Revenue as evidence that the state's economy, like the nation's, has softened. One significant signal was lower-than-expected individual income tax collections. The state ended it...
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SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt -- African efforts to encourage a deal between Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and his opponents showed no results Tuesday, while Mugabe's spokesman defiantly said his boss has no plans to step down and told Western critics they can "go hang
Hopes fade for deal SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt -- African efforts to encourage a deal between Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and his opponents showed no results Tuesday, while Mugabe's spokesman defiantly said his boss has no plans to step down and told Western critics they can "go hang." Zimbabwe's opposition also dampened hopes a coalition government might be negotiated, saying Mugabe had shut the door on talks by going ahead with last week's ...
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Williamssisters on collision course
WIMBLEDON, England (AP) -- One prematch glance Tuesday at the data displayed on those fancy, new digital scoreboards at staid, old Wimbledon provided a pretty persuasive case for why Venus Williams might be considered the woman to beat. The entry under career record at the grass-court Grand Slam: "55-7." The listing of her best result: "WINNER 2007, 2005, 2001, 2000." Yet another reason to like the American's chances: The way she served du...
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Big money raised, spent in Senate race By The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Sen
Big money raised, spent in Senate race By The Associated Press WASHINGTON -- Sen. Pat Roberts raised more than $850,000 for his re-election in the last three months, keeping a wide financial lead over his main Democratic rival in the U.S. Senate race. The Kansas Republican now has over $3.1 million in the bank to spend on his campaign against former Democratic Rep. Jim Slattery, campaign spokeswoman Molly Haase said Monday. Slattery raised...
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Pittsburg State gets $10M gift PITTSBURG -- A donor has given Pittsburg State University $10 million for the construction of a new fine and performing arts center
Pittsburg State gets $10M gift PITTSBURG -- A donor has given Pittsburg State University $10 million for the construction of a new fine and performing arts center. The donation is the largest ever for the southeast Kansas university. Officials announced the gift Monday, saying it will help complete a large portion of Pittsburg State's $120 million capital campaign. A Pittsburg businessman and co-chairman of the campaign, Gene Bicknell, sa...
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