Market edges higher...US crude rises...Texas hands Blue Bell potential $850K fine

NEW YORK (AP) — Investors remain cautious and the market ended only slightly higher on Friday. It was helped by better-than-expected quarterly results from Google's parent Alphabet and retailer Amazon and a modest recovery in oil prices. The Dow closed down 24 points on Friday to 18,432. But the S&P 500 rose 3 1/2 points to 2,173 and the Nasdaq increased seven points to 5,162.

NEW YORK (AP) — In energy trading Friday, benchmark U.S. crude reversed earlier losses and was up 46 cents to close at $41.60 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Brent crude, used to price international oils, fell 24 cents to $42.46 a barrel in London.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas is fining Blue Bell Creameries for a listeria contamination last year that was linked to the death of three people, but the ice cream maker could wind up paying just a fraction of the $850,000 penalty. The agreement announced Friday, requires Blue Bell to pay the state $175,000 over the outbreak that triggered a national recall. Texas will forgive the rest of the fine if Blue Bell complies with food safeguards for 18 months.

MIAMI (AP) — Florida Sen. Marco Rubio is warning of an economic crisis in his state if tourists begin staying away because of the Zika virus, which health officials say may now be carried by Florida mosquitoes. If so, it would be the first mainland spread of the virus through mosquito bites. Officials in Miami and Orlando caution against panic, and federal authorities say there are no plans for travel restrictions.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — A developer with plans to refurbish and privatize a pavilion at Indiana Dunes State Park says an order by the National Park Service to stop work on the project is temporary and shouldn't delay its opening next May. The project by Pavilion Partners to bring restaurants, a rooftop bar and a banquet center to the site along Lake Michigan is being fought by a group that opposes alcohol at the park. Indiana and National Park Service officials say the issue stopping the work is how the pavilion will be classified.

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