New York

Former CBS chief Tisch dies at 80

Laurence A. Tisch, who took control of CBS news in the face of a hostile takeover but whose tenure was marked by accusations that he had tarnished the network’s reputation, died Saturday. He was 80.

Tisch, a self-made billionaire who also helped found Loews Corp., was suffering from cancer, said Candace Leeds, a Loews spokeswoman.

From 1986 to 1995, Tisch served as chief executive officer and chairman of the board of CBS Inc., a period when the network saw its newscast fall to third place and lost NFL football to the upstart Fox Network.

Milwaukee

Postal workers find live alligator in carton

A four-foot alligator chewed its way out of a shipping carton before a postal worker tossed it into a hamper and called animal control officers.

Employees were sorting mail Friday when they noticed the alligator chewing its way out of an Express Mail box, said JoAnne Blackburn, a Postal Service spokeswoman.

Workers tried to tape the box closed, but the alligator bit it open.

“The nose … was sticking out with its teeth hanging out,” said postal employee Jennifer Hejdak.

The alligator will remain at a shelter for a week before being shipped to an Illinois sanctuary, said Len Selkurt, executive director of the Milwaukee Area Domestic Animal Control.

Florida

Court issues new stay in feeding tube case

An appeals court has stepped in to at least temporarily block a man’s challenge to a law that restored his brain-damaged wife’s feeding tube in a contentious right-to-die case.

Florida Gov. Jeb Bush had faced a Monday deadline to justify the constitutionality of the law, which was passed specifically to allow the governor to intervene in the case of Terri Schiavo. The 2nd District Court of Appeal issued an indefinite stay late Friday, hours after a lower judge lifted another stay.

Michael Schiavo now must explain to the state appeals court by Tuesday why his challenge should be on a fast track.

Schiavo had his wife’s feeding tube removed last month after years of legal battles with her parents, but the governor ordered the tube reinserted six days later under a quickly passed state law.

California

Schwarzenegger vows to boost Silicon Valley

Gov.-elect Arnold Schwarzenegger promised Silicon Valley business leaders that he would reform workers’ compensation policies and return the region to its previous luster.

The high-tech region known for its prominence in the 1990s during the Internet boom has been significantly hurt during the economic downturn.

“The most important thing we need to do is bring the economy back,” Schwarzenegger said.

Schwarzenegger is to be inaugurated Monday.

Rhode Island

Workers fight remnants of wind-blown mill blaze

A total of 17 homes were destroyed or damaged by a wind-propelled fire that tore through an old mill complex Friday, forcing hundreds to flee.

Firefighters were still dousing hot spots Saturday from the fire that broke out at the former Greenhalgh Mills complex Friday afternoon. Winds gusting up to 45 mph spread burning embers to nearby homes.

On Saturday, city and state officials were unsure how many people were still displaced.

About 17 firefighters suffered smoke inhalation or minor injuries, and a total of 24 people were evaluated at nearby hospitals.