TACOMA, Wash. (AP) - Though she has been an active advocate for the environment, Briana Waters insists she would never condone arson as a means to a political end."It's very dangerous to human lives," she testified Wednesday in federal court. "I've always been someone who feels very strongly about not hurting people in any way."The 32-year-old violin teacher is accused of serving as a lookout while her friends planted a devastating fire bomb at the University of Washington in 2001.The fire is one of the most notorious in a string of arsons that investigators say were perpetrated from the mid-1990s to 2001 by members of the Earth Liberation Front, a loosely organized collection of radical environmentalists.Waters was one of five people indicted in the arson at the university. She faces a minimum of 35 years in prison if convicted of conspiracy, possessing an unregistered destructive device, arson and use of a destructive device during a crime of violence.No one was hurt in the arson at UW, but its Center for Urban Horticulture was destroyed and rebuilt at a cost of $7 million.

WORLD SPORTS at 1330 GMT

MANCHESTER, England _ A week is a long time in soccer. Last Sunday, a flat Man United side was run ragged by Manchester City. But on Saturday, United thrashed Arsenal 4-0 in the FA Cup, handing the Red Devils the psychological advantage as they attempt to reduce the Gunners' five-point advantage atop the Premier League. BC-EU-SPT-SOC--MAN UNITED'S MISSION. Has moved. By Rob Harris. SPANISH ROUNDUP: Villarreal plays Racing Santander; Atletico Madrid faces Athletic Bilbao MADRID, Spain _ Third-place Villarreal plays No. 7 Racing Santander in the Spanish league with fourth-place Atletico Madrid looking to stretch its lead in the final Champions League spot when it faces Athletic Bilbao. BC-EU-SPT-SOC--SPANISH ROUNDUP. Expected by 1830 GMT. By Paul Logothetis. WITH _ MADRID, Spain _ BC-EU-SPT-SOC--REAL MADRID-DI STEFANO.

Former Mountain States Nurse Says She Was Fired After Supporting ...

How could you fire me on something I might do, when I hadn't done any of that?" Smith said. "I guess I should have realized that it went through the company email…(Management) said that I have a bad attitude and that I'm not a team player." Mountain States would not comment on camera about Smith's firing, but the company did release a statement. "It's an internal matter that we can't discuss, but she was a disgruntled employee as is evident in the letter," the company said. At one point in the email, Smith says Mountain States is financing a massive smear campaign against Wellmont. "Aren't I entitled to an opinion?" she asked. It seems yes and no. Kingsport Attorney Bruce Shine specializes in employment law. "Employees do not enjoy the constitutional rights in the workplace that they enjoy in the public place," Shine said.

By: North County Times -

You may remember my letter last year about the slow-moving construction process of Escondido's three new fire stations that the voters passed in a ballot some years ago, better known as Proposition P.Well, I am writing to inform you, the reader, about the progress that is taking place. First, I have driven by three of the sites, where there is always something the workers are doing to make it look like a genuine city fire station. The station on Ash Street just before you get to El Norte Parkway is coming along in an orderly fashion as the wood and hundreds of pieces of lumber are screwed in and the foundation cemented in place and they are working on phase two of the project, which is building the inside of the station's locker rooms where the firefighters will hang their street clothes.The other station on Nutmeg Street behind the shopping center is coming along day by day.

The Real Reformer

We started during the Clinton administration to transition the VA system to a paperless system. .  .  . The VA is leading the way in reducing medical errors, improving patient safety, and delivering high quality care; now this is a lesson about what can be done when we have a plan. A plan that is evidence-based, a plan that uses what we know works, and a system that we can actually get to respond to that evidence-based planning.

Last year, Obama introduced legislation requiring the VA to treat each returning vet in 30 days. Yet, the VA already had such a requirement, and, according to internal VA audits, 25 percent of all vets wait more than 30 days for their first exam.

2008 Dodge Challenger SRT8 Prototype Test Drive: 425-hp Hemi Muscle ...

FORT WORTH, Texas — True to its name, our first drive of the new Dodge Challenger prototype went down under extremely challenging conditions. Days of rain had left Dodge's rental track soaked and slippery, and the weather didn't look promising. It was hardly the perfect day to test a brawny new entry into the musclecar world—a model with the look and the sound of power in plentiful quantities.

Even the ear buds we were wearing under our helmet to maintain radio contact with the pits couldn't muffle the baritone exhaust note from the big, 6.1-liter Hemi whenever we put our boot on the pedal. You should understand that we were toeing the accelerator extremely delicately, picking our way around a slippery, 3.1-mile track at a rain-sodden private track here. On the few occasions we could let the new coupe extend itself, the 425-hp Hemi gave voice in a way that brought a smile to everyone in range.

Hillary Stuns--Four Theories

I'm not worried that this scandal will surface in August after the convention. I think the scandal will surface in a matter of days or weeks should Edwards win in Iowa. Right now the MSM is giving him a pass because--hey, why bring it up and hurt his wife if he's going to lose anyway.

(I admit, I also think he'd be a terrible president. He can give an effective, heart-tugging closing argument. If governing were a trial, he'd be a good bet--though he did manage to lose a debate with Dick Cheney in 2004.