Farmers say salmonella scare has hurt tomato sales

Expect fewer slices of red, ripe tomatoes next to the grill this holiday weekend.

Auction house seeks to sell Rosa Parks collection

Arlan Ettinger will never forget the response he got when he took one of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks' hats to a meeting at the Apollo Theater in New York.

Guernsey's

NY researcher: `Yankee Doodle' turns 250 _ maybe

Wish "Yankee Doodle" a happy 250th birthday. Maybe.

Fort Crailo State Historic Site

Spitzer call girl drops Girls Gone Wild lawsuit

The call girl involved in a scandal that brought down New York's former governor has dropped a lawsuit claiming "Girls Gone Wild" founder Joe Francis exploited her image and name on the Internet.

US marks Independence Day with fireworks, revelry

Americans across the country mixed patriotism and plain old good fun to mark Independence Day on Friday, with solemn ceremony alternating with parades and hot-dog-eating hijinks.

How patriotic are you?

Croc Dundee to tax authorities: 'Come and get me'

"Crocodile Dundee" star Paul Hogan challenged Australian tax authorities Friday to track him down in the United States after a newspaper report that he was under investigation for tax evasion.

Reaction to the death of Jesse Helms

Reaction to the death of former North Carolina Sen. Jesse Helms, who died on the Fourth of July at age 86:

Former Republican NC Sen. Jesse Helms dies at 86

Former Sen. Jesse Helms, an unyielding champion of the conservative movement who spent three combative and sometimes caustic decades in Congress, where he relished his battles against liberals, Communists and occasionally a fellow Republican, died on the Fourth of July. He was 86.

Wind keeps California fires raging on 2 fronts

A pair of out-of-control wildfires roared along California's central coast Friday, chewing through opposite ends of a parched forest and threatening a total of more than 4,500 homes.

California wildfire coverage by the Sacramento Bee

Statue of Liberty's crown may reopen to public

The National Park Service is considering reopening Lady Liberty's crown for the first time since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, according to documents a congressman released on July Fourth.

How patriotic are you?

5 arrested in Rainbow Family clash with feds

About 400 members of the Rainbow Family threw rocks and sticks at 10 federal officers as they tried to arrest a member of the group, the U.S. Forest Service said Friday.

Epic NC politician's life ends on Fourth of July

At Fourth of July parades and barbecues around the Tar Heel state, Jesse Helms' supporters recalled this father of the conservative movement as the man who stood up for traditional values and the defeat of Communism - but still had time to help his constituents.

4 people dead in Milwaukee shooting; no arrests

At least one person fired a gun into a crowd in a street early Friday, killing four people and sending panicked revelers running for cover, police said.

Pal in case of Vermont girl regrets involvement

When Kevin Grosenheider received a call early Monday from his friend, Raymond Gagnon, asking him to dispose of a safe, he decided to help him out.

2 supervisors at raided meatpacking plant arrested

Two supervisors at an Iowa meatpacking plant that was raided by federal immigration agents in May were arrested and charged with encouraging people to live in the United States illegally.