Second anchoring rod in San Francisco Bay Bridge fails key test
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – California transit officials have determined that a second high-strength steel anchoring rod for the eastern span of the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge failed a key seismic “pull” test, and officials were due to meet on Thur…
University of Washington frat told to halt parties after rape report
(Reuters) – A University of Washington fraternity has been ordered to suspend social activities at its off-campus house in Seattle after a female student reported she was raped there during an unauthorized party in which alcoholic beverages were served…
California man suspected of killing neighbor holes up with family
CHULA VISTA, Calif. (Reuters) – A Southern California man is believed to have fatally shot a neighbor on Thursday before barricading himself in his apartment with his wife and two young children, police said.
Man charged with arson in massive downtown Los Angeles apartment fire
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – A 56-year-old man was charged on Thursday with setting a massive fire that destroyed much of a multimillion-dollar apartment complex under construction in downtown Los Angeles and damaged three nearby buildings.
Hundreds seek safety from Texas floods, severe weather kills 16
AUSTIN, Texas (Reuters) – Hundreds of people fled areas near Texas rivers that overflowed their banks on Thursday as the state reeled from severe storms this week that killed at least 16 people, flooded cities and set a record for the wettest month.
Obama visits Miami shrine in nod to Cuban Americans
MIAMI (Reuters) – President Barack Obama toured a Catholic shrine beloved by Cuban Americans on Thursday, a nod to his pledge to end more than 50 years of hostilities with Cuba and restore diplomatic relations and commercial ties.
Washington subway bans ‘issue’ ads after request to run Mohammad cartoon
(Reuters) – The Washington transit system on Thursday suspended all “issue-oriented” advertising after being asked to run a subway ad featuring a cartoon depiction of the Prophet Mohammad.
New York socialite sentenced to 18 years in poisoning autistic son
NEW YORK (Reuters) – A wealthy New York socialite was sentenced to 18 years in prison on Thursday after being convicted of killing her young autistic son at a luxury Manhattan hotel room in 2010.
Colorado movie gunman sane at time of mass shooting: psychiatrist
CENTENNIAL, Colo. (Reuters) – James Holmes was sane when he opened fire inside a crowded Colorado movie theater in 2012, killing 12 and wounding dozens more, a court-appointed psychiatrist testified on Thursday in the 27-year-old gunman’s murder trial….
Former Massachusetts governor urges Harvard grads to be ‘uneasy’ about social ills
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (Reuters) – Two-time Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick encouraged Harvard University graduates on Thursday to be “uneasy” enough about social ills that they are compelled to find solutions. 
