Florida Sentinel Bulletin

BOSTON  — Two bombs exploded in the packed streets near the finish line of the Boston Marathon on Monday, killing three people and injuring more than 130 in a terrifying scene of shattered glass, bloodstained pavement and severed limbs at the world’s oldest and most prestigious marathon, authorities said.

A senior U.S. intelligence official said two other bombs were found near the end of the 26.2-mile course.

At the White House, President Barack Obama vowed that those responsible will “feel the full weight of justice.”

A White House official speaking on condition of anonymity because the investigation was still unfolding said the attack was being treated as an act of terrorism.

There was no word on the motive or who may have carried out the attack, and police said they had no suspects in custody. Authorities in Washington said there was no immediate claim of responsibility.

“They just started bringing people in with no limbs,” said runner Tim Davey, of Virginia. He said he and his wife, Lisa, tried to keep their children’s eyes shielded from the gruesome scene inside a medical tent that had been set up to care for fatigued runners, but “they saw a lot.”

“They just kept filling up with more and more casualties,” Lisa Davey said. “Most everybody was conscious. They were very dazed.”

Investigators ‘Zeroing In On Some People’ In Boston Bombings, Officials Say

Authorities investigating the Boston Marathon bombing said Wednesday they have developed “solid leads” and identified “a number of people” they want to talk to after viewing hundreds of hours of video, with one or two standing out.

Senior officials told NBC News that they were not prepared to characterize those individuals as suspects.

“We are zeroing in on some people,” an official said.

Investigators analyzing photos and video have found people carrying black backpacks and duffel bags and setting them down in the area where the bombs went off, officials said.

The investigators said they were focused on video taken in the area closest to the blasts, which killed three people and injured 176 near the finish line Monday. Senior officials in Boston also said the team of investigators on the ground is making “solid progress” and that forensics work on bomb parts continues.

Earlier in the day, doctors said they have pulled fragments as large as 2 inches, including pieces of wood, concrete and plastic, from the bodies of people wounded in the attack.

The injuries have been so severe that surgeons have operated a second time on some patients, even after amputations, to fight possible infection, said Dr. Peter Burke, the chief of trauma services at Boston Medical Center.

Investigators have said the two bombs were housed in metal containers — at least one a kitchen pressure cooker — and studded with metal, including fine nails or brads, to make the devices more lethal. Burke said that doctors are making the fragments available to police.

NBC News reported Wednesday evening that an arrest has been made in the case of ricin-laced letters being sent to the President Barack Obama and to Sen. Roger Wicker (R-Miss.). The suspect was identified as Kenneth Curtis of Tupelo, Miss.

According to the FBI, both letters contained a closing statement with the identical phrase, “to see a wrong and not expose it, is to become a silent partner to its continuance.” Both are also signed with the initials ‘KC.”

The Department of Justice released the following statement on the arrest, confirming the name of the suspect to be Paul Kevin Curtis, and not Kenneth Curtis. The FBI confirmed him to be 45 years old.

A high school freshman died after participating in a punching game with a friend last week.

Marquez Oliver, 15, had punched his friend in an apparent form of punching tag Wednesday. In response, the friend approached Oliver and punched him in his chest Thursday. Oliver immediately fell to the ground afterwards, according to witnesses. The incident happened during lunch hour at Normandy High School in Wellston, Mo.

“Apparently the victim from what we are hearing had punched the other student yesterday and he said ‘I will get you when I see you next time. I will get you!’ And apparently he just saw him standing in the hallway and ran up and hit him and I guess he wasn’t prepared for it,” said Wellston Police Chief G. Thomas Walker.

School officials attempted to resuscitate Oliver, but he was unresponsive. He was rushed to a local hospital, where doctors declared him dead around 6:30 p.m.

Authorities seem to be classifying the death as an accident. The school provided students with counseling Friday to help them deal with the loss.

WASHINGTON  — President Barack Obama made less in 2012 than in any other year since taking office, with about 40 percent of the nearly $609,000 in income that he and First Lady Michelle Obama reported coming from book sales.

Pres. Obama, who renewed his call for higher taxes on the wealthy in the budget he released Wednesday, paid $112,214 in taxes last year, putting his effective federal tax rate at 18.4 percent. The Obamas donated almost one-quarter of their income to charity, according to tax returns released by the White House.

Most of the $608,611 that the Obamas reported in adjusted gross income came from the president’s salary, as he reported $394,840 in wages. An additional $258,772 came from royalties from his books, including his 1995 memoir “Dreams From My Father,” his 2006 political book, “The Audacity of Hope,” and a 2010 children’s book, “Of Thee I Sing: A Letter to My Daughters.”

Income from Obama’s books has fallen off since 2009, when his books sales surged after his inauguration. The Obamas made $5.5 million that year — his first year in office — but the figure dropped precipitously the next year to $1.73 million. In 2011, the Obamas reported about $790,000 in income.

CHICAGO – A widening federal investigation into the alleged misuse of a $1.25 million state grant led Wednesday to the indictment of the daughter of Rev. Jeremiah Wright, the contentious former pastor of President Barack Obama.

A grand jury sitting in Springfield returned three indictments, including one that claims Jeri L. Wright, of Hazel Crest, took $28,000 in state money, purporting to do work related to the grant’s purpose, but deposited about $20,000 into bank accounts controlled by Regina and Ronald Evans, of Country Club Hills.

NEWARK, NJ  — Police have made an arrest in the mugging of the former mayor of New Jersey’s largest city.

Alhafeez Williams has been charged with robbery, police said.

Williams, 20, has several prior arrests and felony convictions, police said.

Police said James was approached from behind by Williams, who put him in a choke hold and grabbed a gold chain from around his neck before taking off. James was not injured in the attack.

Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman says the suspect approached police in New York City early Friday and asked to ride the PATH commuter train for free to meet his parole officer.

Coleman says police learned the man was wanted and turned him over to Newark police.

Coleman says the suspect’s girlfriend had James’ necklace.

James was mayor from the mid-1980s until 2006. He later was convicted in a federal corruption trial and sentenced to more than two years in prison.

McCraig Warren and Miles Warren are suing U. S. Airways for asking them to change out of their hoodies, jeans and baseball caps into slacks and a button-up shirt before boarding a first-class fight.

In a discrimination lawsuit filed Wednesday, the Warrens claim that an employee informed them of the dress-code when they tried to claim first-class tickets at the counter. Sharing their fears with fellow passenger Michael Heffernan that they might miss their flight, they eventually boarded the plane to discover Heffernan and a friend sitting in first class wearing the same casual attire they had been wearing before being asked to change.

McCraig and Miles Warren are Black; Michael Heffernan is White.

A ticket counter employee repeatedly told the Warrens, who are both Black, that their jeans, hooded sweatshirts and baseball caps violated an alleged first-class dress code. As the complaint states:

Doe employee informed plaintiffs that it was U. S. Airways policy that everyone in first class is required to wear slacks, button up shirts and no baseball caps. Doe employee demanded plaintiffs to change from jeans into slacks, a button-up shirt and told plaintiffs to remove their baseball caps.

The Warrens reportedly headed to the restroom where Miles conferred to a white passenger, Michael Heffernan, that he was worried he’d miss his flight because of his apparent dress-code violation. So, imagine Miles’ surprise when he saw Heffernan and a friend sitting in first-class, wearing almost the exact same outfits that barred the Warrens from sitting in their seats—jeans and hoodies

WASHINGTON — Two key senators have reached a bipartisan deal on expanding background checks to more gun buyers, a Senate aide and lobbyist said Wednesday, an agreement that could build support for President Barack Obama’s drive to curb firearms violence in the wake of the elementary school shootings in Connecticut.

Sens. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., and Patrick Toomey, R-Pa., planned to announce their compromise later Wednesday morning. Subjecting more firearms purchases to federal background checks has been the chief goal of Pres. Obama and gun control supporters, who promote the system as a way to prevent criminals and other potentially dangerous people from getting the weapons.

Nelson Mandela was released from a South African hospital Sunday after nearly two weeks of treatment.  Mandela was hospitalized for a lung infection, later revealed to be pneumonia.

South African President Jacob Zuma asked the world to pray for Mandela who, at 94 years old, has run into reoccurring health issues.

According to a statement from Zuma’s office, Mandela’s condition has improved, but he will  require further treatment. “The former President will now receive home-based care,” the statement said.