U.S. News
Palin resigns as governor, leaves plans secret (AP)
AP - Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly announced Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, a shocking move that rattled the Republican party but left open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.
Serial killer has South Carolina residents on edge (AP)
AP - Terrified residents canceled Fourth of July plans and holed up in their homes Friday as investigators hunted a serial killer believed to have shot four people to death.
Communities bug out over cuts to mosquito control (AP)
AP - Millions of mosquito eggs laid across southern Texas after Hurricane Ike hit the coast last summer are waiting for the little bit of rain and hot summer days they need to hatch. That's got the man whose job it is to fight the bugs worried — he's already running out of money.
4 decades later, freedom rider returns to Miss. (AP)
AP - Corey Carter could hear snippets of music in his head — a calm and subtle melody that hadn't found its shape. The 19-year-old college student simply needed a hero to visualize before he could finish his composition for wind ensemble.
SC residents mixed over fate of cheating gov (AP)
AP - After a week that offered the world a glimpse into the conflicted mind of philandering South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford, his constituents differed Friday on whether he should leave office.
Pachyderms outdo people in cross-species chow bout (AP)
AP - In the fight of pachyderms vs. people — the pachyderms now have the upper trunk.
Job seekers seek solace with fellow faithful (AP)
AP - Her fellow job seekers offer knowing groans as Diane Castro recalls the day she was laid off: The fear of being summoned to the front office. The phones in nearby cubicles going off like grenades. Finally, a ring at her desk.
Abortion doc murder suspect advocates via mail (AP)
AP - A man charged with shooting a prominent Kansas doctor who performed late-term abortions has been advocating through mailings from his jail cell that such killings are justifiable and communicating with individuals on the fringes of the anti-abortion movement, weeks after suggesting others might be planning similar attacks.
Product pitchman Mays remembered as natural seller (AP)
AP - References to television pitchman Bill Mays' trademark image were everywhere at his funeral Friday near Pittsburgh.
NYC Muslims push to add holidays to school year (AP)
AP - Moneeb Hassan remembers having to choose between a final exam in American history or celebrating the Muslim holy day of Eid al-Adha. In the end, he chose both.
Much-needed tax refunds delayed from Ga. to Calif. (AP)
AP - Colin Daymude was out of work last year after his business failed and eagerly filed his taxes in mid-January, figuring he'd get his refund sooner. He was wrong.
Mom in MySpace case says it was properly dismissed (AP)
AP - A Missouri mother said she never should have been prosecuted for her role in a MySpace hoax directed at a 13-year-old girl who ended up committing suicide.
States set to ring in Independence Day sans budget (AP)
AP - Several states are facing the prospect of government shutdowns and program cuts as they enter the first weekend of the fiscal year and July Fourth holiday without a budget in place.
Powerful sedative found in Michael Jackson's home (AP)
AP - The powerful sedative Diprivan was found in Michael Jackson's home, a law enforcement official said Friday as the city planned for a massive crowd at the singer's memorial service.
IOUs spell uncertainty for Calif. small businesses (AP)
AP - Business consultant Katrina Kennedy has taken her young son out of preschool and put a family vacation on hold. Dairyman Mike O'Kelly is wondering whether he is going to have to let employees go.
SoCal-to-Vegas rail route wins federal designation (AP)
AP - The clogged tourist travel route between Southern California and Las Vegas has been designated a federal high-speed rail corridor, in a move that officials hope would signal increased cooperation between the regions on building speedier train travel.
Judge eyes quick action on Calif. gay marriage ban (AP)
AP - A federal judge in San Francisco said a lawsuit seeking to overturn California's same-sex marriage ban will likely one day reach the U.S. Supreme Court.
Powerful weapons found in Northwest drug raids (AP)
AP - Federal agents busted a drug-trafficking ring that distributed methamphetamine and cocaine from Mexico in Washington state and carried unusually powerful weaponry, injecting a dangerous new factor into drug crime in the region.
Plant disease hits eastern US veggies early, hard (AP)
AP - Tomato plants have been removed from stores in half a dozen states as a destructive and infectious plant disease makes its earliest and most widespread appearance ever in the eastern United States.
Firefighters battle big blaze at shuttered SC mill (AP)
AP - A shuttered mill in northwestern South Carolina has caught fire, spewing clouds of dense, black smoke visible for miles.