NEW YORK — Matthew Howard Sr. was just leaving a New York amusement park Saturday evening when he heard someone screaming. He looked up to see a young girl dangling about 25 feet off the ground from a slow-moving gondola ride. Her little brother sat next to her in the green two-person pod, crying hysterically for help, saying he couldn't hold on. Howard, 47, and his 21-year-old daughter, Leeann Winchell, positioned themselves under the girl as the ride stopped and security came running. A crowd of onlookers gathered, many filming, others calling for help. "I said: 'It's 'OK! It's OK to … [Read more...]

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (AP) - The Latest on the 14-year-old girl who fell from an amusement park ride. (all times local): 12:55 p.m. A father and his 21-year-old daughter had caught the teenage girl who fell 25 feet (7.6 meters) to the ground from an amusement park ride. Matthew Howard Sr. and his daughter, Leeann Winchell, say they were about to leave Six Flags Great Escape near Albany, New York on Saturday when they saw the 14-year-old dangling from the “Sky Ride” gondola. The girl’s little brother was sitting beside her and screamed for help. Howard says he stood under the girl and promised he’d catch her. She lost her grip and she fell on top of him. Winchell says she caught the girl’s head and they all tumbled to the ground. Howard was treated and released for a back injury. The girl remained hospitalized Sunday. Her brother was uninjured. ___ 1:47 a.m. Officials say a teenager fell from a stopped gondola ride at an upstate New York … [Read more...]

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A forest fire in southern Spain forced the evacuation of at least 1,000 people and is threatening a national park famous for its biodiversity and endangered species, authorities said Sunday.The flames advancing east have reached the Donana Nature Reserve, one of Spain's most important wildlife sanctuaries and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994."The fire has entered in the limits of the reserve, and that is where we are focusing our efforts," Jose Gregorio Fiscal Lopez from the regional Andalusian authority in charge of the environment told Spanish national television.The reserve protects over 107,000 hectares (264,403 acres) considered of extreme ecological value for their mix of ecosystems, including wetlands, dunes and woods. It is a key stop for migratory birds home to a variety of animals, … [Read more...]

By JOSEPH WILSON / The Associated Press BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — A forest fire in southern Spain forced the evacuation of 1,000 people and is threatening a national park famous for its biodiversity, authorities said Sunday. The flames have advanced eastward and have entered Donana National Park, one of Spain's most important nature reserves and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1994. The park, which has over 50,000 hectares (123,550 acres) of wetlands and woods, is an important stop for migratory birds from Africa and Europe and is home to a variety of animals, including the highly endangered Iberian lynx and the Iberian imperial eagle. "The fire has entered in the limits of the reserve, and that is where we are focusing our efforts," Jose Gregorio Fiscal Lopez from the regional Andalusian authority in charge of the environment told Spanish national television. Susana Diaz, the regional president of Andalusia, … [Read more...]

VANCOUVER, Wash. (AP) - Mikah Meyer’s tally as of last Friday: 185 parks down and 232 to go. Of course, that could change if President Donald Trump creates a new national park in the next couple of years. Meyer is trying to become the first person to visit all 417 national parks on one long road trip. At 31, he also is trying to become the youngest person to complete the national park sweep. Last Friday, he crossed Fort Vancouver National Historic Site off his list. More precisely, he stamped it in his park passport book. Meyer is about 14 months into a three-year itinerary. By another yardstick, he’s logged 27,000 miles in a cargo van that is his home away from home as well as his cross-country ride. Unfortunately, several of the stops on Meyer’s route are not van accessible. Some are in the middle of the Pacific Ocean: “Island parks in Hawaii, Guam and American Samoa,” Meyer said. “I keep praying that an airline or cruise … [Read more...]

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (AP) — A teenager fell about 25 feet (about 8 meters) from a stopped gondola ride at an upstate New York amusement park Saturday night, tumbling into a crowd of park guests and employees gathered below to catch her before she hit the ground. The unidentified 14-year-old girl from Greenwood, Delaware, was taken to Albany Medical Center in stable condition with no serious injuries, the Warren County Sheriff's Office said. The accident happened on the "Sky Ride" at Six Flags Amusement Park, about 55 miles (88.51 kilometers) north of Albany, New York. The sheriff's office said in a statement that the girl was riding the attraction with a child relative, and fell from a stationary two-person car. The ride was stopped by an operator after getting word of a rider in distress, officials said. Authorities say the girl fell from the car and struck a tree before landing in the crowd. She was treated by park … [Read more...]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court is expected to decide within days whether the Trump administration can enforce a ban on visitors to the U.S. from six mostly Muslim countries.The high-stakes legal fight has been going on since President Donald Trump rolled out a travel ban just a week after his inauguration. He casts it as critical to deterring terror attacks in the United States.Trump seeks to halt visits from residents of Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen for 90 days so his administration can review the screening procedures for visa applicants from those countries.Opponents argue that the ban targets Muslims in violation of federal law and the Constitution, and that it stems from Trump's campaign pledge to halt the entry of all Muslims into the U.S.Lower federal courts have so far agreed and blocked the travel ban. One court also has blocked a 120-day halt on refugee arrivals in the United States.A look at several … [Read more...]

Recruiting can be lonely venture. The process sometimes calls for long drives around Alabama and across state lines with nothing but music and the sounds of the road to keep a coach company.That’s not always the case, though. Auburn’s assistant coaches will often pair off and take trips together. They’ll also travel with head coach Gus Malzahn, visiting schools around the state and recruits around the Southeast part of the country. Those are the trips to take advantage of, running backs coach Tim Horton said.“When you’re traveling with Coach,” Horton said this spring, “that’s where you try to inject some of your ideas.”Horton has been on plenty of those trips. He’s been on Malzahn’s staff all five years he’s been the head coach at Auburn. And what Horton has seen during those experiences is a man who is quite focused on the task at … [Read more...]

MADRID (AP) — A forest fire in southern Spain has forced the evacuation of 1,000 people and is threatening a national park famous for its biodiversity, authorities said Sunday.The flames have advanced westward and have entered Donana National Park, one of Spain's most important nature reserves. Its over 50,000 hectares (123,550 acres) of wetlands and woods are an important stop for migratory birds from Africa and Europe and home to a variety of animals, including the highly endangered Iberian lynx and the Iberian imperial eagle."The fire has entered in the limits of the reserve, and that is where we are focusing our efforts," Jose Gregorio Fiscal Lopez from the regional Andalusian authority in charge of the environment told Spanish national television.Susana Diaz, the regional president of Andalusia, said "there's no risk to the population" after a 1,000 people were evacuated from campsites and houses near the town of Moguer on … [Read more...]

QUEENSBURY, N.Y. (AP) — A teenager fell from a stopped gondola ride at an upstate New York amusement park Saturday night, tumbling into a crowd of park guests and employees gathered below in an effort to catch the victim before she hit the ground.; The Warren County Sheriff's Office said late Saturday the unidentified 14-year-old girl from Greenwood, Delaware, is at Albany Medical Center in stable condition with no serious injuries. The accident happened on the "Sky Ride" at Six Flags Amusement Park, about 55 miles (88.51 kilometers) north of Albany, New York, just after 8 p.m. Saturday. The sheriff's office said in a statement that the girl was riding the attraction with a child relative, and fell about 25 feet from a stationary two-person car. The ride was stopped by an operator after word was received that there was a rider in distress, officials said. Authorities say the girl fell from the car and struck a tree before landing in the crowd. She was treated by park emergency … [Read more...]

The total solar eclipse crossing the continental United States on Aug. 21 will first be visible from Oregon.. The town of Madras and Jefferson County are expected to be some of the best viewing locations because of their high-desert location. (June 23) MADRAS, Ore. (AP) — Just before sunrise, there's typically nothing atop Round Butte but the whistle of the wind and a panoramic view of Oregon's second-highest peak glowing pink in the faint light. But on Aug. 21, local officials expect this lookout point just outside the small town of Madras to be crammed with people from around the world, all hoping for the first glimpse of the moon's shadow as it crosses Mount Jefferson's snow fields. Then, a solar eclipse will throw the entire region into complete darkness for two minutes. The first coast-to-coast total solar eclipse to cross the continental United States in 99 years will first be visible in Oregon, and Madras is predicted to be among the country's best viewing spots because … [Read more...]

Caption Close PHILADELPHIA (AP) — On the menu, the flavor profiles seemed incongruous: Chinese dumplings, Italian-style roast pork and a Mexican chicken dish featuring an edible weed. But when dinner was served, the guests seated and plates bearing foods of three different cultures shared, it all made sense. The meal was part of "Breaking Bread; Breaking Barriers," a yearlong program that brings people of different backgrounds together for a meal featuring their cultural favorites, bridging differences one plate at a time. "People cooking and eating together happens every day, but it doesn't often happen across our social boundaries," said Anuj Gupta, general manager of Reading Terminal Market, the historic and sprawling indoor market and home to the program. "It's an incredibly powerful tool to cut through whatever social barriers you want to erect." Jews and Muslims have shared Jewish apple cake and baklava as part of the program. Members of the African-American and Korean … [Read more...]

WARSAW, Poland (AP) — Hundreds marched in Warsaw on Saturday to protest widespread logging in Europe's last primeval forest, a project undertaken by Poland's conservative government.The ruling Law and Justice party has allowed increased logging in the Bialowieza Forest, a vast woodland that straddles Poland and Belarus, alarming environmentalists who say it threatens a natural treasure. The forest has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage site.The government says it has increased logging to fight an outbreak of bark beetle, which has infected many spruce trees. But ecologists see that as a pretext to increase timber production for profit, saying authorities have been felling not only infected trees but also healthy ones, some 100 years old. Young trees are to be planted in their place.Speakers at the rally organized by Greenpeace and other groups said they want the entire forest to be declared a national park to ensure its … [Read more...]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) - At 9:06 p.m. on Thursday, dozens of Muslims completed the fourth prayer of the day at the American-Turkish Friendship Association. The prayer lasted for about 15 minutes after sunset, and attendees moved to the next room to join others for their second meal of the day. Muslims across the globe are celebrating the holy month of Ramadan. Part of that celebration includes Iftar, or the nightly meal Muslims eat to break their fast. Mirac Ozkir is a math teacher in Louisville. He’s also a board member of the association. One lesson he’s learned from Ramadan is how to cope with change. “We all have routines in our life, routines are making our lives easier,” he says. “But all of a sudden, Ramadan starts and God says you know what you need to stop. This is your new routine for one month.” He also sees the evening meal as a way to connect Muslims and non-Muslims in the city. Although the ritual of Iftar is consistent, Ozkir has … [Read more...]

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - A nonprofit trying to start an Armed Forces Heritage Museum on the joint military base in Burlington County has changed its plan to educate the public about the state’s military history. Instead of the public coming to a building, the museum will go to the public. The Courier-Post of Cherry Hill (http://on.cpsj.com/2tZZsxC ) reports the museum board recently unveiled its mobile museum at an exhibit-building company in Burlington Township that converted a tractor trailer into static and video displays set on a 32-foot long retractable wall the length of the trailer. For nearly seven years the museum board tried to get the federal government to approve a new museum on Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, which has been closed to the public for heightened security reasons since 9/11, but its effort was unsuccessful. “This is the culmination of years of work to preserve, interpret and exhibit the importance of more than 200 years of New Jersey military … [Read more...]

HAMPTON, Va. (AP) - Hampton native Khyle Dixon grew up lounging on the beach and playing basketball around Fort Monroe. At the fort Dixon ditched the basketball for a hammer. He, along with four other crew members, began repairing the exterior of a building on Bernard Road near the Casemate Museum. The work is part of HOPE (Hands-On Preservation Experience), a national program that connects young people from across the country by having them preserve and restore structures on public land. “When I found out about this being in Fort Monroe, I got excited because I go here like every single day,” Dixon said. “I thought it was a good option to give back to what I like because I utilize Fort Monroe all the time.” The other members of the team include Lorenzo Bright, a Florida State University graduate; Terrance Jernigan, an Old Dominion University student; Linwood Johnson, a Virginia State University student; and Ann Rogers, an employee at William & … [Read more...]

Vacations are an investment — of your money, of vacation days — so they better be worth it. U.S. News & World Report recently released its annual rankings of the best vacation destinations, including the best places to travel around the world, in the U.S., and in the Caribbean. To compile the list, U.S. News considered several factors, including sights, culture, food, shopping and nightlife. The rankings took into account both editors' opinions and votes from readers. You can read the full methodology here. Read on to see the U.S. News' top-rated global destinations, where your hard-earned money will be well-spent. 30. St. … [Read more...]

Caption Close BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) — The Trump administration opposes a bid to use unclaimed money from a legal settlement over the government's infamous Tuskegee syphilis study to fund a museum honoring victims of the research project. The Justice Department argued in court documents recently that providing the money to the Tuskegee Human and Civil Rights Multicultural Center would violate an agreement reached in 1975 to settle a class-action lawsuit. For the study, hundreds of black men suffering from the sexually transmitted disease were allowed to go untreated for decades so doctors could analyze the progression of the illness. The government said that it "does not intend in any way to justify, condone, or defend the Tuskegee Syphilis Study," but allowing remaining money from a $9 million settlement to be used for the museum would violate the settlement's original provision that any left over money go back to the government. Fred Gray, a civil rights attorney who represented … [Read more...]

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Anya Sellsted had scaled scary snow-covered passes and forded frightening rivers during her solo hike from Mexico to Canada when the hazards of California's gargantuan winter finally caught up to her.While crossing a partly submerged log in Yosemite National Park, Sellsted was sucked under the tree and down the rushing creek. She gasped for air as the weight of her 55-pound (25-kilogram) backpack pushed her under the frigid water.No one was within miles as she was battered and scraped on rocks before grasping branches and saving herself."I couldn't stop screaming and shaking and crying," said Sellsted, who swigged whiskey to calm her nerves.Sellsted is one of several hikers who reported harrowing incidents tackling the 2,650-mile (4,265-kilometer) Pacific Crest Trail across this year's massive snowpack, … [Read more...]

MADISON, Wis. — Paul Broadhurst shot a 3-under 69 in windy conditions Saturday at University Ridge to maintain a two-stroke lead in the PGA Tour Champions’ American Family Insurance Open. Broadhurst followed birdies on the par-5 16th and par-3 17th with a bogey on the par-4 18th to finish at 12-under 132. “It was a tougher day today with the wind,” Broadhurst said. “I kept plugging away, really. ... I hit a poor driver on 18. There’s plenty of room right and I toed over underneath the trunk and it cost me a bogey. I’m still two ahead, so got to be happy.” The 51-year-old Englishman opened with a 63. He won the Senior British Open and PURE Insurance Championship last year. “There’s no magic to think about,” Broadhurst said. “It’s just try and get some rest if you can and come out and hope the game’s in good shape tomorrow. ... The rhythm went a little bit with the wind. It always does. I find it … [Read more...]