Texas: Gunman who threatened high school charged

The 18-year-old man who went to a rural high school with a shotgun and a can of gasoline was charged Saturday with aggravated assault, attempted arson and carrying a weapon illegally.

Tony Cipriano’s bond was set at $1.6 million during his arraignment.

Faculty and students at Scurry-Rosser High School, about 30 miles southeast of Dallas, worked together to subdue the 300-pound Cipriano, who school officials say was once expelled for stealing a teacher’s car.

Sheriff David Byrnes said investigators had not determined what motivated Cipriano.

Maryland: Rescuers search for 1 after garage collapse

Rescue crews gingerly lifted away concrete slabs Saturday in Rockville as they searched for a construction worker missing after a deadly parking garage collapse.

Two other workers were killed when the floors of the unfinished garaged crashed down on them Friday afternoon, and another was hospitalized in critical condition.

Tom Carr, assistant fire chief in Montgomery County, said officials still hoped to find the missing worker alive but feared the worst. Crews had searched in the rain but had found no signs of life.

The cause of the collapse was still unclear Saturday.

California: Suit says AOL part of Homestore scandal

A shareholder lawsuit against the nation’s largest online provider of real estate listings now alleges that AOL Time Warner Inc. and Cendant Corp. were involved in a complex web of shady deals that contributed to Homestore Inc.’s financial woes.

A complaint filed Friday by the California State Teachers’ Retirement System greatly expands an earlier lawsuit against Homestore.

It alleges that Homestore bought goods and services it didn’t need from vendors, with the unwritten provision they would buy advertising on AOL. AOL then forwarded most of the funds to Homestore through profit sharing and advertising deals, according to the lawsuit.

Shareholders lost more than $1 billion, including $9 million by the State Teachers’ Retirement System.

New York: Pastor gives up ministry after abuse allegations

A respected Presbyterian pastor who was removed from his duties because of allegations of sexual misconduct has resigned as a minister.

The Rev. Jack Miller explained the decision in a letter to parishioners at Mount Kisco Presbyterian Church. The minister, long a leading advocate for gay rights, also told his congregation that he was homosexual.

Miller added that he still denies the specifics of the misconduct allegations.

Florida: Endeavour’s launch delayed until next week

Space shuttle Endeavour’s flight to the international space station has been put off until late next week, at the earliest, so NASA can evaluate the ship’s bruised robot arm and check for more worn hoses.

Shuttle program manager Ron Dittemore said Friday night that Endeavour will lift off no earlier than Nov. 22. The postponement could last considerably longer if the robot arm needs to be removed from the shuttle payload bay in Cape Canaveral.

Endeavour was scheduled to blast off this past Monday, but the countdown was halted with just two hours remaining because of a leak in the astronauts’ oxygen supply. It is supposed to deliver a fresh three-man crew to the space station, as replacements for the one American and two Russians who have been on board since early June.