Vicious wildfires spread to tourist centers

COLORADO SPRINGS (AP) - Wildfires moved in on some of Colorado's most popular summer tourist destinations over the weekend, destroying nearly two dozen homes near Rocky Mountain National Park and emptying hotels and campgrounds at the base of Pikes Peak.

Memorial to honor 2011 Reno air race crash victims

RENO, Nev. (AP) - Organizers of the Reno National Championship Air Races are pursuing plans to build a permanent memorial for victims of last year's mass-casualty crash in Nevada.

Banana truck crash destroys 1745 Mass. building

SEEKONK, Mass. (AP) - An out-of-control tractor-trailer carrying bananas crashed into a natural gas main and ignited an explosion on Sunday morning, setting fire to an 18th-century building that housed a tavern and destroying it.

Odd news briefs

• DUCT TAPE PROM DRESS COULD WIN KANSAS TEEN $5,000: SOLOMON, Kan. (AP) - A Kansas teen has earned a spot as a finalist in a national design competition with a prom dress made entirely from duct tape.

Video of bus monitor’s misery posted on YouTube strikes a nerve worldwide

GREECE, NY (AP) - The pebble was tossed when a middle-school student in upstate New York posted a 10-minute video on his Facebook page.

Financially-strapped North Las Vegas municipality declares financial disaster

NORTH LAS VEGAS, Nev. (AP) - There are no signs of rioters, wind-damaged homes or flooding. The brand new City Hall features gleaming marble floors and the public recreation centers offer Zumba, karate and Pilates classes.

Former principal charged in fatal stabbings

Nation news briefs

FIRE SPARKED BY SHOOTING EVACUATES HOMES IN UTAH: SARATOGA SPRINGS, Utah (AP) - Residents of at least 2,300 homes in northern Utah were being evacuated Friday after high winds kicked up a fire started by target shooters.

Ex-Penn St. assistant Sandusky convicted of sexual abuse of boys

Nation news briefs

AT LEAST $380K RAISED FOR BULLIED NY BUS MONITOR: NEW YORK (AP) - A video of a 68-year-old school bus monitor being mercilessly taunted by seventh-graders became a rallying point against bullies Thursday, with a fund for the New York state grandmother raising at least $380,000 and a deluge of people demanding harsh punishment for the boys.

Penn State child sex abuse case goes to jury; adopted son said Sandusky molested him

Couple reunites wedding ring with owner's widow

AUBURN (AP) - Thomas King lost his wedding ring years ago. He and his wife had given up on finding the white gold band with the five diamond flecks. "We thought it was a lost cause," said Darlene King, 78. "I told him it probably went down the drain or something." The couple had married on April 29, ...

Court throws out FCC cursing, nudity penalties

Temperature records broken on first day of summer throughout Northeast

Alaska man climbs tree, but gets stuck upside down

FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) - An Alaska man had to be rescued after he climbed a tree for exercise but got stuck upside down by one leg. Fairbanks firefighters had to use a ladder truck to reach the 53-year-old man, who was dangling nearly 30 feet off the ground. He was uninjured. Assistant Fire Chief Ernie Misewicz told The ...

Food, skin allergies increasing in children

FBI: Backpack from Boston suspect's room

Nation news briefs

FROSTY START FOR UPSTATE NY ICE CREAM TRUCK SEASON: GLOVERSVILLE, N.Y. (AP) - The chilly relationship between rival upstate New York ice cream truck operators got out of hand this season, with Sno Cone Joe trying to chase Mr. Ding-A-Ling out of the market, authorities said Wednesday.

'American Idol' is now 3rd-rated competition show

Kansas school apologies to Airman in prom dispute

Kansas school apologies to Airman in prom dispute

Morning-after pill OK for ages 15 and up

Maria Shriver is coming back to NBC News

Worker dies in blender at Oregon meat plant

Utah referee critically hurt by soccer game punch

Tests link deadly ricin to Obama letter suspect

Obama defends counterterrorism effort

Nation news briefs

NYC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL ADOPTS ALL-VEGETARIAN MENU: NEW YORK (AP) - A New York City elementary school has adopted an all-vegetarian menu, serving kids tofu wraps and veggie chili.

Legal tiff settled over Chicago parking meters

US assessing reported Syrian chemical use

Army amputee completes air assault school