Paul Kantner, a founding member of the Jefferson Airplane who stayed with the seminal San Francisco band through its transformation from 1960s hippies to 1970s hit makers as the eventual leader of successor group Jefferson Starship, has died at age 74. Kantner, who drew upon his passion for politics and… Read More

As families of the lost Challenger astronauts gather with NASA to mark the space shuttle accident’s 30th anniversary, there’s a new voice to address the crowd. June Scobee Rodgers — widow of Challenger commander Dick Scobee and longtime spokeswoman for the group — is passing the torch to daughter Kathie… Read More

Construction workers have unearthed the bones of a mammoth and other ice age mammals on the Oregon State University football field. The Oregonian reports crews working on an expansion around Reser Stadium found a femur from one of the ancient elephants and bones from a bison and camel, all dating… Read More

An Indianapolis elementary school principal was seen pushing several students out of the way of an oncoming bus before the vehicle struck and killed her, authorities said. Susan Jordan, the principal of Amy Beverland Elementary School on the city’s far northeast side, was killed and two 10-year-old children were hospitalized… Read More

A professional ballroom dancer who lost a leg in the Boston Marathon bombings says she’s training to run this year’s race: all 26.2 miles of it. Adrianne Haslet-Davis said Wednesday she’ll run to help raise money and awareness for Limbs for Life, an Oklahoma City-based organization that provides prostheses to… Read More

A Texas father who was accused of theft after he confiscated his 12-year-old daughter’s cellphone over an inappropriate text has been acquitted of the misdemeanor charge. A judge in Dallas found Ronald Jackson not guilty Tuesday, citing insufficient evidence. Grand Prairie police arrested Jackson a few hours after he commandeered… Read More

A book has been returned to a library in western Michigan — 49 years later. The borrower told the library that he was a college student in 1967 when he checked out a book about World War II from the Herrick library in Holland. He wrote in a letter that… Read More

A convent in suburban Chicago plans to move forward with an effort to close a neighboring strip club even after a legal setback. Cook County Circuit Judge Peter Flynn on Tuesday told the Missionary Sisters of St. Charles Borromeo to rework their lawsuit against Club Allure in Stone Park alleging… Read More

The NFL says it is conducting a comprehensive review of allegations that Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning had human growth hormone delivered to his house. There’s no timetable to complete the investigation, but it’s not expected before Denver plays Carolina in the Super Bowl on Feb. 7. League spokesman Brian McCarthy… Read More

Character actor Abe Vigoda, whose leathery, sad-eyed face made him ideal for playing the over-the-hill detective Phil Fish in the 1970s TV series “Barney Miller” and the doomed Mafia soldier in “The Godfather,” died Tuesday at age 94. Vigoda’s daughter, Carol Vigoda Fuchs, told The Associated Press that Vigoda died… Read More