Michigan

Spectator killed at snowmobile race

A snowmobile in a race Saturday in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula veered off track and hit three spectators, killing one, police said.

The snowmobile in the International 500 Snowmobile Race had just come out of a turn on the milelong track when the driver lost control, said Capt. Tony Lightfoot of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Department.

The sled went over the bank and hit the spectators, Lightfoot said in a news release.

Alynn Burke, 24, of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, was pronounced dead at War Memorial Hospital. The other spectators struck were treated for injuries that were not life-threatening.

Los Angeles

New anti-piracy ad to debut on Grammys

The organization best known for bestowing accolades on the music industry at its Grammy Awards will begin airing ads discouraging online music piracy with the awards show’s broadcast today.

The Recording Academy hopes the TV and radio spots will drive viewers to a Web site that features artists discussing the impact they say online piracy has on their business.

The downloading and sharing of songs via the Internet is blamed for declines in music sales that have reduced profits for record companies and royalties for artists.

Washington, D.C.

Bush stresses economy’s positives

President Bush, facing a loss of public confidence in his handling of the economy, is highlighting positive economic news he says is evidence of jobs growth, a key issue in the presidential election.

The nation’s unemployment rate dipped to 5.6 percent in January, the lowest level in more than two years, Bush noted Saturday in his weekly radio address.

“The past few weeks have confirmed that America’s economy is strong, and growing stronger,” he said. “Overall, the nation has added 366,000 jobs in the past five months.”