Growing fire outside Yosemite National Park destroys 12 homes, forces evacuations

An out-of-control wildfire burning near an entrance to Yosemite National Park has destroyed 12 homes and threatened thousands more as flames forced authorities to cut power to the park.

The blaze has charred more than 18,000 acres (7,285 hectares) since Friday as wooded slopes ignited amid hot, dry conditions that have plagued California for months. The fire was completely uncontained Sunday.

"There's no fire history in the past 100 hundred years. That's one of the reasons this fire's been able to burn so erratically," said Daniel Berlant, spokesman for the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

In Southern California, …

AARON

Donald L. Aaron

Donald L. Aaron, 73, of Charleston died Saturday, Jan. 30, 1999,in Thomas Memorial Hospital after a long illness.

He was the retired vice president and secretary of Aaron TheatersInc., which included West Theater, Kearse Theater, Capital Theater,Village Theater, State Theater, Trail Drive Theater and ElkviewDrive-in Theater. He attended Morris Memorial United MethodistChurch, was a former member of Elks Lodge, past president ofNationalTheater Association, an Army veteran of World War II, and was alifelong resident of Charleston. He attended Morris Harvey College,the University of Florida, was a graduate of Florida MilitaryAcademyand a member of …

A NEW YEAR'S TOP 10 LIST FOR THE LEFT: 2005 was a year in which we lefties made encouraging gains

As a die-hard socialist living in pretty capitalistic times, I take a good shot of left-wing Prozac with my orange juice every morning. God knows, some days I need two-just to restore my gumption for challenging the rich and powerful.

The year that passed, however, offered lefties like me a considerable quotient of natural anti-depressants. Because it seems to me that we actually won a few battles last year. Here's my Top 10 list of the greatest things to happen to the left in 2005:

1. Minority government: Minority government makes for great drama. It also makes for good policy. This minority government lasted just 17 months, but brought more new social spending than any …

NZ beats India by 7 wickets in 1st Twenty20

Brendon McCullum made 56 not out and shared an unbroken 60-run partnership with Jacob Oram to lead New Zealand to a seven-wicket win over India on Wednesday in the first of two Twenty20 cricket internationals.

McCullum fashioned a restrained half century from 48 balls with three sixes and two fours to steer New Zealand past India's total of 162 for eight with seven balls to spare. New Zealand was 166 for three in the 19th over when Oram (29 not out) struck the game's 41st six to clinch the win.

India's innings, highlighted by an unbeaten 61 by Suresh Raina, included 13 sixes, one fewer than the record for a single innings in a Twenty20 international. When …

Peregrine falcons make comeback in Chicago Move from cliffs to building ledges, go off danger list

A growing number of peregrine falcons are finding homes amid thesmokestacks, skyscrapers and subdivisions that occupy the birds'traditional habitat in northern Illinois.

The graceful, fast-flying raptor -- Chicago's official bird -- hasincreased its numbers enough since the early 1990s that stateofficials have removed the falcon from the state's list of endangeredspecies. Instead, the peregrine falcon has been reclassified as"threatened," a less ominous ranking that indicates the bird'snumbers are rising in the state, officials say.

"The population is definitely on the road to recovery," said JamesHerkert, a member of the Illinois Endangered Species ProtectionBoard, …

Magic Island bathroom damaged

Vandals targeted the bathrooms at Magic Island this weekend. About8 p.m. Saturday, someone took a yellow safety chain and …

Rockets-Wizards, Box

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HOUSTON (92)

Battier 3-7 2-2 9, Hayes 3-3 0-0 6, Yao 7-16 7-7 21, Alston 7-15 0-0 15, Head 8-13 4-4 24, Mutombo 0-0 2-2 2, Brooks 1-5 0-0 3, Wells 2-6 4-6 8, Scola 2-4 0-2 4. Totals 33-69 19-23 92.

WASHINGTON (84)

Butler 5-16 2-2 12, Jamison 4-13 4-5 14, Haywood 5-7 3-6 13, Daniels 0-2 2-2 2, Stevenson 4-7 3-4 12, Mason 3-9 4-4 12, Blatche 1-5 0-0 2, Songaila 2-3 0-0 4, Young 6-11 0-0 13, McGuire 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 30-73 18-23 84.