Fire destroys at least 40 structures in Calif.

SHASTA LAKE, Calif. -- A wildfire destroyed at least 40 structures Wednesday near Shasta Lake in northern California and forced evacuations from the resort area. The fire spread from 100 acres to 800 acres in less than four hours and was moving toward the Jones Valley resort. People were evacuating the area on the lake's eastern edge by boat, according to a California Department of Forestry spokeswoman. More than 700 firefighters worked to contain the blaze amid temperatures that climbed above 100 degrees. At least 300 other structures were threatened, authorities said.

Disney fined $6,300 for Pluto worker's death

ORLANDO, Fla. -- Walt Disney Entertainment has been fined $6,300 for the death of a worker dressed as Pluto who was run over and killed by a float as it entered a Magic Kingdom parade, officials said Wednesday. The right foot of Javier Cruz, 38, became caught between the second and third sections of a three-part float as it was about to enter the parade route from a backstage area for the afternoon "Share a Dream Come True" parade last February. He fell and was run over by the third section of the vehicle. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration categorized the citation "serious" because employees were exposed to the hazard of being struck by motorized vehicles, according to OSHA. The maximum penalty for such a citation is $7,000, although the agency issues citations as high as $70,000 for repeat violators or if the violation was considered willful.

Democrats, Republicans spar over intell overhaul

WASHINGTON -- Political jostling over the Sept. 11 commission's proposals intensified Wednesday as Democrats and Republicans differed over the idea of creating a new national intelligence director -- and how fast to do it. Republicans echoed concerns from Defense Department officials that a "czar" endowed with too much authority could hurt intelligence efforts, while several Democrats joined the leaders of the Sept. 11 commission to endorse speedy changes. In the subtext was the November election campaign, in which Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry has endorsed the commission's proposals. President Bush supports creating a national intelligence director, although not with the full budget power and authority the commission recommended.

Texas is latest state to sue vest maker

FARMERS BRANCH, Texas -- Texas on Wednesday became the seventh state to sue the nation's largest manufacturer of bulletproof vests, alleging the company sold vests that deteriorate over time and endanger police officers. The lawsuit filed in Dallas County accuses Michigan-based Second Chance Body Armor Inc. of failing to disclose that the quality of its lighter-weight vests degrades with exposure to fluorescent light, heat and humidity. More than 5,000 of the vests made of a material called Zylon have been sold in Texas since about 1998.

Largest charter school in California closes

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Nearly 10,000 California students must look for new schools after the state's largest charter school closed amid a government audit of its operations. The board of the California Charter Academy voted Wednesday to close its last two charter schools, which enrolled students in more than three dozen satellite campuses last year. The academy had a network of 60 satellite campuses before the board voted to close its two other charter schools last week.

-- From wire reports