The nation in brief

QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Everybody wanted a white Christmas - and they got it.”

Deputy Jesse Swenson

of central Iowa’s Guthrie County Article, 1A

Florida family wins white Christmas

SUMMERLAND KEY, Fla. - One Florida Keys family is getting a white Christmas, despite temperatures in the upper 70s.

Almost 20 tons of ice was crushed Friday and spread over the grounds of Howard Livingston’s oceanfront home with a high-pressure hose.

Livingston won The Weather Channel’s “Guaranteed White Christmas” contest. He was chosen from hundreds of contestants who submitted videos explaining why their families deserved a white Christmas.

Wearing shorts and flip-flops, Livingston’s neighbors romped in the snow piled under palm trees. His 6-yearold grandson helped build a snowman and pitched snowballs.

There has never been a real recorded snowfall in the Florida island chain since the National Weather Service began keeping records in 1870.

2 children die in Kentucky house fire

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Two children died in a Christmas morning fire that destroyed a house in Kentucky, fire officials said.

The children were 10 and 12, said Maj. Henry Ott of the Louisville Metro Arson Squad. Their grandparents were injured.

Three firefighters were also hurt battling the blaze, which was reported through an alarm system just after 4:30 a.m., said Chief Chris Aponte of the Harrods Creek Fire Department.

The children’s parents and grandparents had escaped and were trying to rescue the children when firefighters arrived, Aponte told The Courier-Journal.

The grandfather was in intensive care and the grandmother was being evaluated for cuts and smoke inhalation, Aponte said.

Virginia paid back for inaugural bus

RICHMOND, Va. - Virginia has been reimbursed nearly a half-million dollars for providing free bus service to President Barack Obama’s inauguration.

The Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation said the federal government reimbursed the state $421,708 for its Inauguration Day transit costs.

The state had agreed to pay eight northern Virginia public transit agencies to run 300 buses to help avoid traffic jams.

The state said the service carried an estimated 4 percent of those attending the inauguration.

The federal government has reimbursed $2.8 million of the $5.7 million that 51 of Virginia’s state and local agencies spent helping with security for the inauguration.

Body of missing 11-year-old found

SALISBURY, Md. - The body of a Maryland girl who authorities say was abducted by a registered sex offender was found Friday after thousands of volunteers fanned out to look for her.

Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis said that the body of 11-year-old Sarah Foxwell was discovered at about 4 p.m. near the Delaware state line. He offered few other details.

Thomas J. Leggs Jr., 30, has been charged in her kidnapping.

Leggs is a former boyfriend of the girl’s aunt, who is her legal guardian. A public defender representing him has not returned a phone call.

Thousands of volunteers gathered in Salisbury to help in the search Friday.

Sarah was last seen Tuesday night at her home on Maryland’s Eastern Shore, Lewis said. A relative discovered she was missing early Wednesday while checking on Sarah and her 6-year-old sister.

A charging document says Leggs was the last person seen with Sarah.

Front Section, Pages 4 on 12/26/2009

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