South Carolina

Three soldiers killed in Black Hawk crash

An Army helicopter that vanished during a training flight was found Tuesday night on a river bank after it was spotted by a trucker, and searchers recovered the bodies of three soldiers who were aboard, Army officials said.

The wreckage of the UH-60 Black Hawk was found near a bridge off Interstate 95, about 100 miles northeast of Columbia, said Maj. Rich Patterson, a Fort Bragg spokesman at the command post here.

The helicopter was reported missing Monday night during a flight from Fort Bragg, N.C., to Florence, S.C., that involved training with night vision goggles.

“The unit has spoken with the families, however, we are waiting for the official casualty notification procedures before we release the names,” Patterson said.

New York

Homeless student given campus housing

A New York University sophomore who spent eight months sleeping in a library basement has been moved to a free dormitory room, school officials said.

Steve Stanzak, 20, said he began spending six hours a night in the sub-basement of Bobst Library at the beginning of the academic year after he was unable to pay a $1,000 housing deposit.

He slept on four library chairs and carried vital belongings in his backpack. He kept other items, like toiletries and clothing, in storage lockers. He washed in the library’s bathroom and took showers when he visited friends.

University officials discovered an online journal Stanzak kept about his experiences and relocated him last week to a free dorm room. Because of the journal, he had become a campus celebrity.

Miami

Coast Guard returns intercepted Haitians

The United States sent 651 Haitians back to their troubled Caribbean homeland Tuesday, days after they were intercepted in overloaded sailing vessels off the coast of Haiti.

Coast Guard officials said none of the immigrants were injured and most were in good condition Friday and Saturday when they were picked up at sea. The three vessels that carried them were destroyed.

A total of 1,948 Haitians have been interdicted and returned so far in 2004, Coast Guard officials said, compared with 1,490 in 2003 and 1,287 in 2002.

“Our stepped-up presence off the coast of Haiti continues for the purpose of saving lives, by rescuing those already on the water in boats, and by deterring those who may be considering migration by sea,” Capt. Wayne Justice said.

Pennsylvania

Narcotic lollipops abuse on the rise, state says

A narcotic painkiller that looks like a lollipop — designed to speed relief to cancer patients — is starting to show up in illegal sales with the nickname “perc-a-pop.” The drug’s ease of use and sweet taste have law enforcement officials worried about the potential for abuse.

Actiq, a berry-flavored lozenge on a stick, contains the synthetic opioid fentanyl. The active ingredient is absorbed by rubbing the lozenge against the inside of the cheek.

“We’re starting to see it emerge as a drug that is, as we call it, ‘diverted,’ which is a legally prescribed drug being used illegally,” said Kevin Harley, spokesman for state Atty. Gen. Jerry Pappert.

Actiq lozenge retails for $9.10, Harley said. The street value of a perc-a-pop is $20.

Chicago

Study: Dyslexia more prevalent in boys

New research suggests that boys are at least twice as likely than girls to have dyslexia.

The studies authors led by Dr. Michael Rutter of King’s College in London say that it contradicts previous dyslexia studies. Those studies suggest that boys are simply more likely to be diagnosed with the problem because they tend to act up in class when they get frustrated.

Rutter bases his findings on four large studies, involving more than 10,000 children who were given standard reading tests in New Zealand and Britain. Children took the tests various times in each study, between ages 7 and 15.

Dyslexia was found in 18 percent to about 22 percent of the boys, compared with 8 percent to 13 percent of the girls. It is a learning disability that involves trouble with reading.