North Carolina: Three workers killed when wall collapses

An 80,000-pound section of a concrete wall fell on a group of construction workers as they ate lunch Monday, killing three of them.

Fire Battalion Chief Douglas said the wall toppled when another crew had removed temporary braces from the 35-by-20-foot section, unaware the wall had not been permanently secured to the roof.

The accident happened at the site of a 110-000-square-foot Home Depot store under construction in Greensboro.

Nine people had been sitting along the wall eating lunch at the time of the accident.

Cleveland: Traficant transferred to federal prison

U.S. marshals transferred former Rep. James A. Traficant Jr. on Monday from an Ohio jail to a federal prison in Pennsylvania where he will serve eight years for bribery and racketeering.

Traficant had asked to be placed in an Ohio prison so he could run for re-election Nov. 5 from his Youngstown district. But the sentencing judge made no recommendation either way.

Both Traficant’s spokesman and state officials said they did not know if his assignment to a prison outside Ohio would affect his eligibility to run.

Florida: Judge strikes down school voucher program

Just weeks before the start of the school year, a judge struck down Florida’s voucher law Monday, saying the state constitution forbids the use of tax money to send youngsters to religious schools.

The decision could mean turmoil for the 46 students who are attending private school under the only statewide voucher program in the nation and might have to go back to public school. In addition, more than 650 other youngsters had hoped to use vouchers this school year.

Gov. Jeb Bush, who strongly backed the 1999 voucher law as one of the centerpiece accomplishments of his administration, said the state would appeal.

Pittsburgh: President meets with rescued miners

President Bush on Monday rejoiced in the against-all-hope rescue of nine miners, telling the men and their saviors their tenacity “really represents the best of our country.”

“Today we’re here to celebrate life, the value of life and most importantly the spirit of America,” the president said from the Green Tree firehouse after a 20-minute private huddle with the miners and their families.