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Massachusetts at 8:20 p.m.
The breaking news staffer is Sylvia Lee Wingfield. The New England news editor is Cara Rubinsky. To reach the AP bureau in Boston, call 617-357-8100 or 1-800-882-1407. To reach the photo department, call 617-357-8106. AP stories, along with the photos that accompany them, can also be obtained from http://www.apexchange.com. Reruns also are available from customer support at 877-836-9477.
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Please note the Boston Marathon Bombing Advisory moving separately with The Associated Press plans for cross-format coverage for the April 15 anniversary of the attacks and in advance of the 2014 marathon, which is scheduled for April 21:
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Adds CASINO REPEAL ARGUMENTS, VOLKSWAGEN-UNION, DIABETES COMPLICATIONS, MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR-BERWICK, DRUG RING CRACKDOWN, as briefs PAINKILLER BAN-LAWSUIT, AUTISM BILL, MASSACHUSETTS TRANSPORTATION
Updates AID WORKER-NICARAGUA; for sports HKN--BRUINS-BERGERON
TOP STORIES:
BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING
BOSTON— The arrest of a man with a rice cooker in his backpack near the Boston Marathon finish line led police to step up patrols Wednesday, while organizers sought to assure the city and runners of a safe race next week. The actions of the man, whose mother said he had a mental disorder, rattled nerves as Boston prepared for the annual race, but authorities said they did not consider it a security breach. Officials also expressed confidence in heightened security measures for Monday's event while acknowledging the challenge of protecting an estimated 1 million spectators and 36,000 runners across 26.2 miles and eight Massachusetts communities. By Bob Salsberg. SENT: 680 words, photos, video.
With:
BOSTON MARATHON BOMBING-SUSPECT
BOSTON — Lawyers for Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev said Wednesday that understanding Tsarnaevs family is key to their case, offering a glimpse of the defense strategy as they prepare to defend him against charges that carry the possibility of the death penalty. By Legal Affairs Writer Denise Lavoie. SENT: 488 words, photo.
BOSTON MARATHON ANNIVERSARY-BACKPACKS
BOSTON — The man arrested near the Boston Marathon finish line carrying a backpack containing a rice cooker on the anniversary of the bombings was sent to a state psychiatric facility for an evaluation Wednesday following his initial court appearance on charges of threatening battery, possession of a hoax explosive device, threats to commit a crime, disturbing the peace, disturbing a public assembly and disorderly conduct. By Paige Sutherland. SENT: 400 words, photos.
MASSACHUSETTS CONGRESS-FUNDRAISING
Two challengers hoping to unseat incumbent Democrat Congressman John Tierney have been raising hefty sums of money during the first three months of the year as they look ahead to the fall elections. In another closely watched contest, incumbent Democratic U.S. Rep. William Keating is trying to maintain a fundraising edge over two Republican challengers — Daniel Shores and John Chapman. By Steve LeBlanc. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 450 words by 4 p.m.
CASINO REPEAL ARGUMENTS
BOSTON — Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley is defending her decision to exclude from the November ballot a voter referendum calling for repeal of the state's 2011 gambling law. Coakley's office filed a 111-page brief Wednesday afternoon in the state Supreme Judicial Court saying the proposed referendum would violate the state constitution. The office argues that the state already has an "implied contract" with casino license seekers, which include Wynn and MGM. By Philip Marcelo. SENT: 130 words. UPCOMING: 300 words by 9 p.m.
VOLKSWAGEN-UNION
WASHINGTON — Two House Democrats, George Miller of California and John Tierney of Massachusetts, said Wednesday they are beginning their own inquiry into whether Tennessee state officials may have violated "or otherwise run afoul of" federal law by their alleged conduct ahead of a vote by workers at a Volkswagen factory in Chattanooga, Tenn., that rejected a bid to be represented by the United Auto Workers union. Miller is the senior Democrat on the GOP-led House Education and the Workforce Committee. Tierney is the senior Democrat on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions subcommittee of that committee. By Tom Raum. SENT: 380 words.
MED--DIABETES COMPLICATIONS
NEW YORK — In the midst of the diabetes epidemic, a glimmer of good news: Heart attacks, strokes and other complications from the disease are plummeting. Over the last two decades, the rates of heart attacks and strokes among diabetics fell by more than 60 percent, a new federal study shows. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention research is reported in Thursday's New England Journal of Medicine. By Medical Writer Mike Stobbe. SENT: 600 words, photo.
ALSO:
MASSACHUSETTS GOVERNOR-BERWICK
BOSTON — Democratic candidate for governor Don Berwick is calling for a "fully accountable, single health care payment system" for Massachusetts. Berwick, who served for 17 months as head of the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, praised President Obama's health care law and the 2006 Massachusetts law that helped inspire it. SENT: 220 words.
AID WORKER-NICARAGUA
MANAGUA, Nicaragua — A man who confessed to robbing and killing a Wyoming woman found dead this week near a beach in northern Nicaragua has been arrested, authorities said Wednesday. National Police official Glenda Zavala said Fernando Aburto Reyes told investigators he strangled 37-year-old Karen Colclough, originally from Lynnfield, Mass., and stole her camera. She was in Nicaragua with her church group, according to Agros International, a Seattle-based nonprofit organization that the church group was working with to help families in villages in the Matagalpa region SENT: 250 words.
DEATH SETTLEMENT
BOSTON — Two Massachusetts General Hospital doctors have agreed to pay $4.5 million to settle a malpractice lawsuit brought by the family of a Plymouth woman who died at the hospital. SENT: 220 words.
DRUG RING CRACKDOWN
NEW YORK — Three men who authorities say stored $12 million worth of heroin and $500,000 in crystal meth inside hidden compartments within two New York City apartments have been arrested and charged, officials said Wednesday. The drugs were intended for distribution in New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and other locations, according to authorities. SENT: 200 words.
IN BRIEF:
PAINKILLER BAN-LAWSUIT
BOSTON — Gov. Deval Patrick is leaning against any further court action on the state's bid to ban the powerful new painkiller Zohydro in Massachusetts. A federal judge has issued an injunction against the ban, which Patrick ordered after declaring a public health emergency in light of a surge of drug overdoses.
AUTISM BILL
BOSTON — The Massachusetts House is backing a bill that offers strategies for addressing the needs of the growing number of children diagnosed with autism.
MASSACHUSETTS TRANSPORTATION
BOSTON — The Massachusetts House has approved a bill authorizing the state to borrow nearly $13 billion to jumpstart major transportation projects around the state.
PEOPLE-LEONARD NIMOY
BOSTON — The Boston native who lived long and prospered as Spock in the "Star Trek" television show and movies is being honored by his hometown chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. Leonard Nimoy is scheduled to receive the Governors' Award at the Boston/New England Emmy Awards ceremony on June 7.
DRUG SALES-CHILD
SPRINGFIELD — A Holyoke man is facing charges for allegedly selling heroin out of his car with his 6-year-old son unrestrained in the rear seat.
MASS PIKE-FATAL
FRAMINGHAM — State police say two people have died in a crash on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Framingham. Police say it appears as if an eastbound minivan spun out at about 5 a.m. Wednesday and was struck by a tractor-trailer hauling lumber.
CHILD RAPE CONVICTION
SALEM — A 75-year-old Lynnfield man has been sentenced to up to 10 years in prison for raping a teenage relative, a case the victim said tore the family apart.
CHURCH FIRE
BARNSTABLE — A Brewster man with a history of mental illness and substance abuse problems has been sentenced to 2 ½ years in prison for burning down a Cape Cod church.
ORANGE SHOOTING
GREENFIELD — A Turners Falls man has been cleared of all charges in the 2012 shooting of his girlfriend's nephew.
SPORTS:
ATH--BOSTON MARATHON-UNFINISHED BUSINESS
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Just one tiny misstep at mile 15 of the Boston Marathon last spring ruined any chance of amputee runner Jeff Glasbrenner breaking four hours. He stumbled over a pothole, opening a cut where his running blade attached below his right knee. Glasbrenner cursed his luck as he stopped every mile to clean the wound. By Pat Graham and Alex Sanz. SENT: 1,000 words, photos.
BBA--RED SOX-WHITE SOX
CHICAGO — Clay Buchholz seeks his first win as the Boston Red Sox continue their series against the Chicago White Sox. Buchholz pitched better in his most recent start but took the loss against the New York Yankees after getting knocked around by Milwaukee in his first outing. John Danks starts for Chicago. UPCOMING: 650 words, photos. Game starts at 8:10 p.m. CT.
— With: Hometown lead
HKN--BRUINS-BERGERON
WILMINGTON — For Boston Bruins center Patrice Bergeron, the 2014 Olympics were about more than winning a second gold medal with Canada. The Sochi Games were a confidence boost that he harnessed when he returned to perhaps the best of his 10 NHL seasons. The top-seeded Bruins need Bergeron to maintain his outstanding play when they face the eighth-seeded Detroit Red Wings in their first-round playoff series beginning Friday night. SENT: 630 words, photos.
BKN--WIZARDS-CELTICS
BOSTON — The Boston Celtics wind up a disappointing season when they face the playoff-bound Washington Wizards. UPCOMING: 700 words, photos. Game starts at 8 p.m.
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