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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

In brief: Another man killed by subway shove

From Wire Reports

NEW YORK – A mumbling woman pushed a man to his death in front of a subway train on Thursday night, the second time this month someone has been killed in such nightmarish fashion, police said.

The man, who wasn’t immediately identified, was standing on the elevated platform of a 7 train in Queens at about 8 p.m. when he was shoved by the woman, who witnesses said had been following him closely and mumbling to herself, New York Police Department chief spokesman Paul Browne said.

The woman fled, and police were searching for her.

It was unclear if the man and the woman knew each other or if anyone tried to help the man up before he was struck by the train and killed.

Woman sleeping on bench set ablaze

LOS ANGELES – Los Angeles police have identified a man arrested for allegedly setting a 67-year-old woman on fire as she was sleeping on a bus bench.

Dennis Petillo was arrested early Thursday and booked for investigation of attempted murder. The 24-year-old is being held on $500,000 bail.

Police say the attack occurred shortly after 1 a.m. outside a drug store.

The woman was taken to a hospital and listed in critical condition.

Last week, a 55-year-old man was set on fire as he slept outside a doughnut shop in southern Los Angeles County. No one has been arrested.

Attorney: Hobby Lobby to defy law

WASHINGTON – An attorney for Hobby Lobby Stores said Thursday that the arts and crafts chain plans to defy a federal mandate requiring it to offer employees health coverage that includes access to the morning-after pill, despite risking potential fines of up to $1.3 million per day.

Hobby Lobby and religious bookseller Mardel Inc., which are owned by the same conservative Christian family, are suing to block part of the federal health care law that requires employee health care plans to provide insurance coverage for the morning-after pill and similar emergency contraception pills.

The companies claim the mandate violates the owners’ religious beliefs.

L.A. gun buyback nets 2,037 firearms

LOS ANGELES – A one-day gun buyback program in Los Angeles brought in 2,037 firearms.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa’s office says the weapons collected Wednesday included 901 handguns, 698 rifles, 363 shotguns and 75 assault weapons.

Long lines of cars and people showed up at two locations to exchange their weapons for supermarket gift cards.