AP
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) _ Virginia’s conservative activist attorney general, Ken Cuccinelli, has been nominated by acclamation for governor at a statewide Republican convention dominated for the first time by the tea party.
Cuccinelli was unopposed for the nomination. Several thousand delegates to the convention will also choose their nominees for lieutenant governor from seven candidates, and choose between Del. Rob Bell of Albemarle and state Sen. Mark Obenshain of Harrisonburg.
In remarks to the convention Saturday, Cuccinelli tacked to the center in a speech that stressed mainstream themes and fought back against Democratic attacks portraying him as a right-wing extremist.
He made scant mention of his support for abortion restrictions and instead noted his crackdowns on Internet predators and human traffickers, to exonerate the wrongly convicted and aid the intellectually disabled.
FARMVILLE, Va. (AP) _ A Mega Millions ticket sold in Farmville has matched all six numbers in the latest drawing and will split the estimated $190 million jackpot with the holder of another winning ticket bought in New Jersey.
Virginia Lottery officials said Saturday that one of the winning tickets from Friday night’s drawing was bought at the Farmville Food Lion. The winner has yet to claim the ticket, which is worth $95 million.
The numbers drawn were 11, 15, 35, 43, 49. The Mega Ball was 41.
The Virginia winner has 180 days to claim the prize and can choose to take the $95 million in 26 annual payments or a one-time cash option of $70.3 million before taxes.
It’s the eighth time there has been a Mega Millions jackpot winner in Virginia.
Gov. Bob McDonnell
Gov. Bob McDonnell says his administration has never given any special treatment to a dietary supplement company that is under investigation. McDonnell said on WTOP radio Tuesday he and first lady Maureen McDonnell have been friends with Star Scientific CEO Jonnie Williams for four or five years. The Republican governor says more than $100,000 in political contributions and thousands of dollars more in personal gifts have not won the company any state economic development incentives. McDonnell says Williams helped pay for his daughter Cailin’s wedding in 2011, giving her $15,000.
Star Scientific is facing a securities investigation. The FBI is looking at the relationship between McDonnell and Williams, according to two people who spoke on condition of anonymity because their roles preclude them from talking publicly.
WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) _ Boston Police say a 19-year-old college student wanted in the Boston Marathon bombings is in custody after a manhunt that left the city virtually paralyzed and his older brother and accomplice dead.
Police announced via Twitter that Dzhokhar Tsarnaev was in custody. His brother, 26-year-old Tamerlan, was killed Friday in a furious attempt to escape police.
The brothers are suspects in Monday’s marathon bombings, which killed three people and wounded more than 180 others. The men are also suspected of killing a Massachusetts Institute of Technology police officer in his vehicle late Thursday.
Authorities in Boston had suspended all mass transit and warned close to 1 million people in the entire city and some of its suburbs to stay indoors as the hunt for the remaining suspect went on.
WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) _ Boston’s police commissioner says all of Boston must stay in their homes as the search for the surviving suspect in the marathon bombings continues.
Boston Police Commissioner Ed Davis made the announcement Friday morning, after a long night of violence that left the other suspect dead. Continue reading
WATERTOWN, Mass. (AP) _ Police in Boston have released a new photo showing the man believed to be a suspect in the marathon bombings, shown in earlier footage in a white hat.
In the new photo, he’s wearing a gray hoodie sweatshirt pulled up on his head. The photo was taken at a 7-Eleven in Cambridge, just across the river from Boston. Continue reading
BOSTON (AP) _ The two bombs that went off at the Boston Marathon killed at least 3 people, including an 8-year-old boy who was waiting with his mother and sister for his father to cross the finish line. Hospitals say at least 144 people were wounded and 17 of the injuries are critical. Many people at the scene reported seeing some of injured with missing limbs.
Security tight across the world
LOS ANGELES (AP) _ Police in Los Angeles, New York City, London and other cities are increasing security following the bombings in Boston. The Los Angeles police department is urging officers to be extra vigilant around large crowds and stepped up security at the Dodgers game and other sporting events.
WASHINGTON (AP) _ The Secret Service says it has expanded its security perimeter around the White House following the explosions at the Boston marathon. Secret Service spokesman Brian Leary says the perimeter was expanded out of an abundance of caution, and it’s not unusual for the agency to expand or contract security perimeters. Metropolitan Police, meanwhile, say the department is on heightened security status, but did not provide any further information. And Metro Transit Police say they have ordered all day shift patrol officers to stay on duty through the evening rush. In Maryland, Prince George’s County Police say they have increased security at all critical infrastructure in the county. Baltimore officials also say public safety agencies have moved to a state of heightened awareness.
UPDATE: Authorities say at least two people have been killed and more than 20 are injured after two explosions during marathon.
BOSTON (AP) _ Two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon have resulted in injuries. Bloody spectators were being carried Monday to the medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners. Police wove through competitors as they ran back toward the course.
About three hours after the winners crossed the line, there was a loud explosion on the north side of Boylston Street, just before the photo bridge that marks the finish line. Another explosion could be heard a few seconds later.
Washington on alert
WASHINGTON (AP) _ Authorities in Washington say they are in a state of heightened secured following two explosions at the Boston marathon. Metropolitan Police spokeswoman Saray Leon says she did not immediately have any further information on the increase in security or what security measures police were taking in response to the explosions.
Metro Transit Police have ordered all day shift patrol officers to stay on duty through the evening rush on Monday. Police emphasized that there is no specific or credible threat against Metro and that the move is made out of an abundance of caution.
BOSTON (AP) _ Two explosions at the finish line of the Boston Marathon have resulted in injuries. Bloody spectators were being carried Monday to the medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners. Police wove through competitors as they ran back toward the course. Continue reading