National briefs

Shuttle makes nighttime landing

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - Space shuttle Endeavour and its six astronauts are back on Earth.

The shuttle landed at Kennedy Space Center in Florida late Sunday, wrapping up a successful two-week mission. During their visit to the International Space Station, commander George Zamka and his crew installed a new room and big bay window. The addition marked the virtual completion of the orbiting outpost.

Authorities charge 2 men in church fire

TYLER, Texas - Two men who once attended church together were charged Sunday with intentionally burning down a church in east Texas and are suspected in a string of similar blazes, authorities said.

Jason Robert Bourque, 19, and 21-year-old Daniel George McAllister face one count of felony arson for a church fire in rural Smith County near Tyler, about 90 miles east of Dallas, said Tom Crowley, spokesman for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

Bond is set at $10 million apiece.

Man killed, 3 hurt

in home explosion

CASPER, Wyo. - An investigation is under way into an explosion that leveled a Wyoming home, leaving an apparently suicidal man dead and three police officers injured.

Police received a call Saturday morning about a suicidal person in a house who had disconnected the gas lines.

The blast occurred just after noon. Michael Lesher, 44, died a few hours later at a hospital.

Police Lt. Mark Trimble said three officers were treated at the hospital for abrasions and bruises.

The Associated Press

04:00 - 1969-Dec-31 - post comment