Suspect’s car spotted near fires
A car linked to a man charged with setting a wildfire that killed five firefighters was spotted near at least 10 other arsons, an official involved in the investigation said Friday.
Cameras secretly placed atop utility poles in remote areas captured details of a car registered to a man who said he had sold it to Raymond Lee Oyler months ago, said the official.
The official said detectives then began investigating Oyler for a string of arsons and found evidence linking him to last week’s deadly fire.
On Thursday, when Oyler was charged with murder and arson, prosecutors described the evidence against him as overwhelming, but they have not provided details.
Washington
Rep. Ney of Ohio resigns his seat
Rep. Bob Ney of Ohio, who pleaded guilty last month in the Jack Abramoff influence-peddling investigation, resigned from Congress on Friday.
The Ohio Republican, who had been pressed to quit by fellow lawmakers, sent a letter of resignation to House Speaker Dennis Hastert, according to Ney’s chief of staff, David Popp.
Ney pleaded guilty Oct. 13 to conspiracy and making false statements, acknowledging taking trips, tickets, meals and campaign donations from disgraced lobbyist Abramoff in return for official actions on behalf of Abramoff clients.
House Republicans had threatened to expel Ney if he didn’t quit by the time lawmakers returned to Washington after Tuesday’s elections.
Washington
Tomatoes blamed for salmonella
Contaminated fresh tomatoes served in restaurants were the cause of a recent salmonella outbreak that sickened dozens of people in 21 states, health officials said Friday.
The outbreak, now over, sickened at least 183 people, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There were no reports of deaths, although 22 people were hospitalized. Interviews with victims led investigators to suspect restaurant tomatoes.
“We have identified tomatoes eaten in restaurants as the cause of this outbreak. We don’t have any information that a name or a certain type of restaurant is involved. As far as we can tell, it’s across the board,” said Dr. Christopher Braden, a surveillance expert with the CDC.
The Food and Drug Administration has begun probing the source of the contaminated tomatoes.
Sarasota, Fla.
Rep. Harris plans to write book
Rep. Katherine Harris said Friday that she is writing a book about her tumultuous campaign for the U.S. Senate this year.
The Sarasota congresswoman, who grabbed the national spotlight during Florida’s disputed vote count in the 2000 election, is far behind Sen. Bill Nelson in the polls and has weathered a rocky and controversial campaign.
Harris wouldn’t talk details at a campaign appearance Friday, but she was quoted Friday in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune as saying it would be a “tell-all” book about the conspiracy to undermine her Senate bid.