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

In brief: Prosecutor to seek death penalty in Oklahoma beheading case

From Wire Reports

NORMAN, Okla. – An Oklahoma prosecutor said Wednesday he will seek the execution of a man accused of beheading a co-worker in a fit of rage after being suspended from his job at a food processing plant.

Alton Nolen, 30, was ordered held without bond during a video arraignment Wednesday from the Cleveland County jail. He’s been charged with first-degree murder in the death of Colleen Hufford, 54, and with two counts of assault. Prosecutors said Nolen was stabbing a second employee when he was shot by a plant manager who stopped the attack last Thursday at the Vaughan Foods plant in the Oklahoma City suburb of Moore.

After Nolen’s arraignment, Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn told the Associated Press he made the decision to seek the death penalty after meeting with the victim’s family.

Crews searching for missing Marine

SAN DIEGO – A search was underway in the Persian Gulf for a Marine who was forced to bail out of an MV-22 Osprey that was in danger of crashing, the Department of Defense said Wednesday.

A second Marine who also bailed out of the aircraft was recovered. The search for the missing Marine was being conducted by Navy ships, aircraft and boats.

The Osprey was attempting to land on the amphibious assault ship Makin Island when it lost power and appeared on the verge of crashing.

The pilot, however, was able to regain control and land aboard the Makin Island.

The Makin Island is part of the Camp Pendleton-based 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit now on a routine mission in the U.S. Central Command area.

Federal contractor workers get raise

WASHINGTON – Labor Secretary Thomas Perez issued a final rule on Wednesday raising the minimum wage for employees of federal contractors to $10.10 an hour.

The Labor Department said nearly 200,000 American workers will benefit from the new minimum, which takes effect Jan 1.

The minimum federal wage is now $7.25 an hour.

Babies exposed to tuberculosis

EL PASO, Texas – Authorities say more than 850 infants have been exposed to tuberculosis in an El Paso hospital by a nursing assistant who was diagnosed with the illness.

Although cases of TB are at an all-time low in the U.S., the virus can be fatal if untreated, and is especially dangerous for small children and babies.

Of about 200 babies tested so far, only five have come back positive for latent TB and none with the active form of the disease. Four of the five had been previously vaccinated, which could lead to false positives. Experts say that constant and prolonged contact with someone infected with TB is often necessary for transmission.

Treatment is being offered to all exposed children 6 months old or younger.