April 7, 2009, election

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- A Seattle teams has collected a $900,000 prize in a NASA-backed competition to develop the concept of an elevator to space - an idea spurred by science fiction novels....

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- The Missouri Tigers men's basketball team has defeated division II Truman State 96-33 in its first exhibition game at Mizzou Arena....

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) -- A 65-year-old Georgia man accused of killing a former University of Missouri student more than 30 years ago is a devoted father who "absolutely" didn't commit the crime, his attorney said....

CHICAGO (AP) -- Mark Teahen has a new team and a new city. Happily for him, he's got his old position back....

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A soldier formerly from the Kansas City area was shot and wounded during the attack at Fort Hood in Texas, but was doing well Friday, according to family members....

As word spread that a gunman had opened fire at Fort Hood leaving a trail of carnage, a chilling realization swept across the U.S. Muslim community: He has an Islamic name.

ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) -- Employees at an engineering firm recognized their former co-worker when he drew a handgun from under his shirt, police said, and shot his first victim dead in the reception area. He then walked into the office and unloaded several more rounds, wounding five other employees at the company that fired him two years ago.

PATCHOGUE, N.Y. (AP) -- The high school buddies who trolled the streets looking for Hispanics to attack called it "beaner hopping."

The 13 people killed when an Army psychiatrist allegedly opened fire on fellow soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, included a pregnant woman who was preparing to return home, a man who quit a furniture company job to join the military about a year ago, a newlywed who had served in Iraq and a woman who had vowed to take on Osama bin Laden after the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Here is a look at some of the victims.

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) -- A chaplain exhorted hundreds of mourners gathered at a candlelight vigil to not give up hope as Fort Hood and its surrounding community looked to each other for comfort after an Army psychiatrist allegedly went on a deadly shooting spree at the military base.

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- A young woman broke into the homes of Hollywood celebrities she admired, including Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton and Audrina Patridge, because she wanted to own their designer clothes and jewelry, an informant told police.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A tentative contract agreement has been reached that could end the public transit strike that has idled Philadelphia's subways, buses and trolleys for four days, Gov. Ed Rendell said late Friday.

FORT HOOD, Texas (AP) -- Pfc. Marquest Smith, on his way to Afghanistan in January, was completing routine paperwork about a bee-sting allergy when the sounds erupted.

GALVESTON, Texas (AP) -- Two years after the remains of a toddler who came to be known as "Baby Grace" were dumped in Galveston Bay, the child's stepfather was convicted of capital murder in her beating death.

NEW ORLEANS (AP) -- State investigators raided ACORN offices on Friday, taking away computer hard drives and documents as part of a probe into alleged embezzlement and tax fraud when the organization's national headquarters was based in New Orleans.