Wildfire near California’s wine country threatens homes
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – In the midst of a statewide drought, a wildfire has consumed 3,200 acres (1,295 hectares) near Northern California’s Napa Valley wine country, threatening nearly 400 homes and prompting evacuations, officials said Wednesday.
New York construction companies accused of safety scam
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Two New York City construction companies and seven people have been accused of leaving 40 Manhattan construction sites unsupervised, conducting fraudulent inspections and falsifying records, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
U.S. investigators will not reopen TWA Flight 800 crash probe
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. National Transportation Safety Board said on Wednesday it will not reconsider its finding that the 1996 crash of TWA Flight 800 was caused by a fuel tank explosion.
Victim in New Orleans Bourbon Street shootout dies
NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) – A 21-year-old woman caught in the crossfire of a weekend shootout on New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street has died, police said on Wednesday.
GMO labeling initiative moves a step closer to Oregon ballot
PORTLAND Ore. (Reuters) – An initiative requiring mandatory labeling of genetically modified foods in Oregon moved one step closer to the November ballot on Wednesday after advocates said they submitted more than enough qualifying signatures to the state. 
Mississippi U.S. Senate candidate vows to fight defeat
(Reuters) – Chris McDaniel, who lost Mississippi’s Republican U.S. Senate primary last week, on Wednesday blamed his defeat on illegal voting by Democrats and asked supporters for money to mount a legal challenge to the runoff election results.
Arthur almost a hurricane, warnings issued in North Carolina: NHC
(Reuters) – Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named storm of the 2014 Atlantic hurricane season, has almost strengthened into a hurricane, the U.S. National Hurricane Center said in its latest advisory on Wednesday.
Ship crew returns home to Florida after 52 days in Honduras jail
TAMPA Fla. (Reuters) – Crew members of a Florida-based salvage ship who had been jailed for 52 days in Honduras on gun smuggling charges were welcomed back to their home port on Wednesday after a Honduran court dismissed the case against them.
Chinese woman charged in plot to steal U.S. corn technology
(Reuters) – A Chinese woman has been arrested and charged with trying to steal patented U.S. seed technology as part of a plot to smuggle types of specialized corn from farm fields in the U.S. Midwest for use in China, authorities said on Wednesday.
Harvard creates office to handle sex assault, harassment claims
BOSTON (Reuters) – Harvard University said on Wednesday it had created an office to investigate all claims of sexual harassment or sex assault, a move that comes as campus sex crimes are receiving greater scrutiny across the United States.
