Edwards, McCain get endorsements

Democrat John Edwards and Republican John McCain picked up separate endorsements Sunday from two national environmental groups that highlighted their commitment to ending global warming.

Edwards won the backing of Friends of the Earth Action, the San Francisco-based political arm of Friends of the Earth. Republicans for Environmental Protection endorsed McCain for the second time. The group also backed his 2000 campaign.

In endorsing Edwards, the president of Friends of the Earth Action said he was particularly impressed by how early in the campaign Edwards laid out proposals to reduce carbon emissions by 80 percent by 2050, push for a global climate change treaty and create 1 million new jobs by investing in clean, renewable energy.

In Concord, the president of Republicans for Environmental Protection toured the New Hampshire Audubon Society with McCain before announcing the endorsement. Martha Marks said the Arizona senator was the only Republican candidate who understands the connection between conservative values and environmental stewardship.

ROCHELLE, Ill.

Scores of animals seized from house

More than 230 dogs, cats and birds, some in cars and many dehydrated and malnourished, were seized by authorities at a rural house, police said. Their owner was charged with animal cruelty.

Several carcasses were also found on the property Saturday, animal welfare officials said.

“From the animals we’ve seen, they appear to have been given minimal” care, said Regina Harris of the Tails Human Society. “Many appear to have been forgotten.”

Barbara C. Munroe, 65, of Rochelle, was in the Lee County jail Sunday after being charged Friday with several misdemeanor counts of animal cruelty and failure of owner’s duty. She was being held in lieu of $35,000 bond.

Many of the dogs are purebreds, including bloodhounds, huskies and basset hounds, said prosecutor Andrew Bollman, who estimated the animals were worth $100,000.

DESTIN, Fla.

Florida anglers pull in a whopper

Six friends went to a fishing tournament looking to catch some grouper. They caught an 844-pound shark instead.

Adlee Bruner and friends first noticed the big mako in the Gulf of Mexico on Saturday because it kept eating grouper and scamp they had hooked.

After a long fight, the shark was gaffed and eventually gave up after its tail was roped.

But even then, the men could not get the big shark in the boat. They tied it to the stern with three ropes and made the four-hour trip back to land.

After it was gutted, the mako still weighed 638 pounds, breaking the tournament’s previous shark division record by 338 pounds.