Votes short, Romney faces primary rival
WEST VALLEY CITY, Utah — Mitt Romney was forced Saturday into a Republican primary for a U.S. Senate seat in Utah as he looks to restart his political career by replacing long-serving Sen. Orrin Hatch.
Romney remains the heavy favorite overall to win the Senate seat in November. But if he had won the votes of 60 percent of the far-right leaning party delegates at the state GOP convention Saturday, he would have bypassed a primary altogether.
Instead, he was edged out by state lawmaker Mike Kennedy, who got 51 percent of the vote to Romney’s 49 percent.
Voters will decide between the two in a June 26 primary. Romney previously secured his spot on the ballot by gathering signatures.
Romney went up against 11 other candidates at the convention, mostly political newcomers who questioned Romney’s criticism of President Donald Trump and the depth of his ties to Utah.
CDC warns against all Yuma romaine
PHOENIX — U.S. officials have expanded their health warning for romaine lettuce, telling consumers to throw away any store-bought romaine they have in their kitchens and warning restaurants not to serve it during an E. coli outbreak that has sickened more than 50 people in several states.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday that information from new illnesses led it to caution against eating any forms of the lettuce that may have come from Yuma, Ariz. Officials have not found the origin of the contaminated vegetables.
Previously, CDC officials had only warned against chopped romaine sold by itself or as part of salads and salad mixes. But they are now extending the warning to include heads or hearts of romaine lettuce.
People at an Alaska correctional facility recently reported feeling ill after eating from whole heads of romaine lettuce harvested in the Yuma region, the CDC said.
As of Friday, the outbreak had infected 53 people in 16 states. At least 31 had been hospitalized, including five with kidney failure. No deaths have been reported.
Iranian demands ‘respectful dialogue’
WASHINGTON — Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif accused the U.S. government of arrogance and belligerence, saying in an interview with a U.S. news show that Washington needs to prove it can “engage in a respectful dialogue” before any meaningful negotiations over several U.S. citizens being held prisoner in Iran.
“It is important … for the [Donald Trump] administration to show the ability to engage in a respectful dialogue,” Zarif said. “The United States needs to learn how to treat other sovereign nations, particularly sovereign nations who do not depend on the United States for continued existence.”
Zarif spoke to CBS’ Face the Nation on Friday; portions of the transcript were made available before the full interview is broadcast today.
At least five Iranians, all dual-American citizens or greencard holders, have been sentenced to prison in Iran on espionage-related charges, as has Chinese-American Princeton graduate student Xiyue Wang.
Zarif said his government is open to talks on a prisoner release but the current American attitude makes such negotiations impossible.
Trump has expressed opposition to the 2015 nuclear agreement with Iran and has vowed to withdraw from it by May 12 unless negotiators can agree to fix what he sees as serious flaws.
Bail denied for Florida shooting suspect
OCALA, Fla. — A man accused of opening fire at a Florida high school was denied bail Saturday during his first court appearance.
The Ocala Star-Banner reported that Sky Bouche appeared before Judge Willard Pope via videoconference at the Marion County jail, with a public defender at his side.
Pope said Bouche was denied bail because of the nature of the charges against him, which include terrorism, aggravated assault with a firearm and carrying a concealed firearm. A second hearing for Bouche was set for May 22.
Bouche told detectives that he fired into a classroom door and the shrapnel hit a student in the ankle, authorities said. Bouche then dropped his weapon and surrendered to one of his former teachers, according to news reports.
Friday’s shooting at Forest High School in Ocala left one person injured as students barricaded classroom doors with desks and chairs. It happened on the day of national classroom walkout to protest gun violence.
A Section on 04/22/2018