The nation in brief

— QUOTE OF THE DAY

“This bill represents significant reform. It cuts subsidies, it cuts the deficit, and it creates jobs.”

Sen. Debbie Stabenow,

D-Mich., head of the Senate Agriculture Committee, on the farm bill that passed the Senate Article, 1AHeat breaks records in Northeast

BOSTON - Record-breaking heat scorched sections of the Northeast for the second-straight day Thursday.

The National Weather Service said Thursday’s heat broke at least eight temperature records across the country and tied three others.

In Vermont, temperatures soared to 97 degrees in Burlington, and reached 77 degrees atop Mount Mansfield, the state’s highest point at more than 4,300 feet.

Temperatures in Georgetown, Del., and John F. Kennedy Airport in New York reached a record-breaking 97 degrees, while the mercury climbed to a record-breaking 96 degrees at Boston’s Logan Airport.

However, relief is on the way to the scorched Northeast, said Dave Unger, a forecaster for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. He said the East Coast will get a break from the extreme heat from a low pressure system and possible coastal storms that are expected to lower temperatures heading into the weekend.

Cars drive into flood-dug ravine; 3 die

WILLARD, Wis. - Heavy rainfall washed away a 50-foot stretch of highway in central Wisconsin and three people were killed when their vehicles plunged into the resulting ravine and the raging water below, authorities said Thursday.

The crashes occurred in Willard, about 50 miles southeast of Eau Claire. A motorist discovered the vehicles Thursday about 1:30 a.m., Clark County Chief Deputy Jim Backus said.

The vehicles fell 12 to 15 feet, ending up partially submerged in a river below that swelled as high as 10 feet in places, Backus said.

A pickup carrying Thomas Jurceka, 56, and Susan Jurceka, 57, both of Milwaukee, crashed first. A second vehicle driven by Mary Malinowski, 24, of Thorp followed some time later and landed on top of the truck. All three were pronounced dead at the scene.

The National Weather Service said the area had received 1 to 3 inches of rain Wednesday night, but meteorologist Todd Shea added that the area had been saturated from heavy rain in previous days.

Catholics start 2 weeks of vigils, rallies

NEW YORK - Roman Catholic groups embarked Thursday on a two-week campaign of prayer vigils, rallies and other events to draw attention to what they consider government attacks on religious freedom.

The “Fortnight for Freedom” schedule kicked off Thursday night with a Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Assumption in Baltimore, celebrated by Baltimore Archbishop William Lori. Local activities are planned across the country leading up to Independence Day.

The bishops’ immediate target is the mandate President Barack Obama announced in January that most employers must provide health insurance that covers birth control.

The Obama mandate on contraception coverage included a religious exemption that generally allowed houses of worship to opt out, but not religiously affiliated hospitals, charities, universities and social-service agencies.

After religious groups protested, the president said he would require insurance companies to cover the cost instead of religious groups. Many religious groups have called the compromise inadequate.

Last month, Catholic dioceses, charities and schools filed a dozen lawsuits against the administration over the mandate.

Oracle CEO buying Hawaiian island

LOS ANGELES - Oracle Corp. Chief Executive Officer Larry Ellison has agreed to buy 98 percent of the Hawaiian island of Lanai, according to the current landowner and the state’s governor.

“It is my understanding that Mr. Ellison has had a long standing interest in Lanai,” Gov. Neil Abercrombie said in a statement.

Lanai, Hawaii’s sixth-largest island with an area of 141 square miles, is owned and developed by billionaire David Murdock’s Castle & Cooke Inc. since 1985. In the 1920s, the island was owned by the founder of Dole Foods Co.

The sale includes two resort hotels, two championship golf courses and clubhouses, more than 88,000 acres, including a 600-acre residential development, a solar farm, parks and utilities, according to an application filed by Castle & Cooke with Hawaii’s Public Utilities Commission requesting interim approval for the sale by Tuesday so it can close the transaction Wednesday.

No price was disclosed. The transaction is valued in the “hundreds of millions of dollars,” according to the application to the commission.

Front Section, Pages 4 on 06/22/2012

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