California: Six killed, 31 injured in interstate crash

A van carrying 27 illegal immigrants smashed head-on into two other vehicles as it went the wrong way on an interstate with its headlights off, apparently in an attempt by the driver to avoid an immigration checkpoint, law enforcement officials said.

Six people were killed and 31 injured.

Loaded with immigrants from Mexico and Brazil, the Dodge van sideswiped two cars and then collided with a Ford Explorer Monday night about 15 miles north of the Mexican border, the California Highway patrol said.

The Explorer flew over a guardrail and down an embankment, killing driver Larry S. Baca, 50, of Albuquerque, N.M. The van then crashed head-on with a Toyota van.

The driver of the Dodge van and four passengers were killed, the Highway Patrol said. Their identities were not known since most people in the van did not have identification, Officer Steve Lopez said.

New Jersey: Birthday party blamed for wildfire

Three teenagers holding a beer party in the woods touched off a forest fire June 2 that charred 1,300 acres, forced hundreds of evacuations and shut down one of the busiest highways in the Northeast, prosecutors charged Tuesday.

Authorities said the three caused the blaze by building an illegal campfire while celebrating a birthday at Double Trouble State Park in the Pinelands forest of central New Jersey.

Christopher Walters, 19, James Marshall, 18, and a 17-year-old, all of Beachwood, were charged with starting an illegal fire, damaging state property and disrupting public transportation.

The 17-year-old the guest of honor, whose name was not released because of his age was also charged with threatening a girl he believed was cooperating with investigators.

Texas: Church guidelines bar candidates’ appearances

The Roman Catholic diocese where Democratic gubernatorial candidate Tony Sanchez was raised has reiterated that it bans Catholics who support abortion rights from speaking at its churches.

The ban applies to Sanchez and John Sharp, the Democratic candidate for lieutenant governor. Both are Catholics who say they personally oppose abortion but support a woman’s right to terminate a pregnancy.

Under guidelines in effect in the south Texas diocese since 1999, Catholics who declare themselves in support of abortion rights cannot hold church positions or speak at any Catholic institutions in the region.

The Democratic nominee will face GOP Gov. Rick Perry, who says he believes abortion should be legal only in cases of rape or incest, or when a pregnancy threatens the woman’s life.

Washington, D.C.: Legislation would fund Peace Corps expansion

Former Peace Corps volunteer Sen. Christopher Dodd on Tuesday elicited a promise from director Gaddi Vasquez that the agency will remain independent of politics and grow into a larger and more effective organization.

“Now more than ever, Peace Corps volunteers play a pivotal role in helping us achieve a greater understanding of America abroad, especially in predominately Muslim nations,” Dodd, D-Conn., said at a hearing on the corps.

Dodd has introduced a bill to provide enough money to more than double the number of volunteers from 7,000 to 15,000, to increase the stipend volunteers get when they complete their service and to require the director to consult with an advisory council before starting a new program.