California fires nearly contained
After gaining ground over the weekend on most of the wildfires raging through Southern California, crews circling the seven remaining blazes hope to contain them while the weather remains on their side.
A light rain Saturday combined with calmer winds helped firefighters fully contain 16 of the 23 wildfires. And the seven that remained active Sunday are all at least 50 percent contained.
“We’re feeling confident that we’re going to get these fires contained within the week,” said Sam Gonzales of CAL FIRE, the state’s department in charge of forests.
Many of the 500,000 people who evacuated at the height of the wildfires were allowed home for the first time. About 2,000 homes were destroyed.
Des Moines, Iowa
Iowa Democrats switch caucus date
Iowa Democrats voted Sunday to move their leadoff precinct caucuses to Jan. 3, the same date Republicans picked earlier this month, letting both parties continue the tradition of meeting on the same night.
The state’s precinct caucuses had been scheduled for Jan. 14, but the parties decided to move them up under pressure from other states rushing to the beginning of the primary calendar. The move means the major remaining question about the calendar is the New Hampshire primary, originally scheduled for Jan. 22.
New Hampshire Secretary of State Bill Gardner has said only that he would schedule that primary no later than Jan. 8.
Reno, Nev.
Halloween party turns bloody; 3 dead
A shoving match that began over dancers colliding at a Halloween party escalated into gunfire early Sunday, killing three men and sending costumed revelers fleeing from the house, police said.
Shots were fired inside and outside the home in a quiet, upscale Reno neighborhood shortly after 1 a.m., Lt. Robert McDonald said.
About 75 young people, some wearing costumes, were at the party, investigators said.
The suspects fled in a vehicle tracked down by police. Two 19-year-old Reno men were arrested on suspicion of robbery, assault with a deadly weapon and brandishing a firearm.
Wadsworth, Ill.
Draft horses killed in semitrailer crash
The driver of a semitrailer truck carrying nearly 60 horses ran a red light and collided with a pickup, killing at least nine of the animals, officials said.
Rescuers struggled to cut through the overturned semi to reach the horses, many of which were injured, said Lake County Sheriff’s Sgt. Curt Gregory. It took five hours to free the animals, more of which may have died, he said.
“The scene was chaotic,” Gregory said.
Neither driver was seriously injured in Saturday evening’s accident in suburban Chicago.
The semi driver was cited for running a red light and failing to reduce speed to avoid an accident, Gregory said.
The nine killed were Belgian draft horses. The truck was carting the animals from Indiana to Minnesota.
Seattle Times news services