text:
(Travel + Leisure) -- Portland, Oregon, doesn't lack for fashionable boutique hotels, but to the west, along the Pacific Ocean, the options have tended to be as primal as the shoreline. Recently, however, a group of properties has sprung up on the northern coast, aiming to seduce 21st-century travelers with designs steeped in post-World War II Modernism.

The Cannery Pier Hotel was built on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River.

Each stop on this easy three-night itinerary provides a stylish Oregon beach getaway -- along with postcard-worthy water views.

Day 1: Portland to Astoria

Follow the Columbia River Highway (U.S. 30) as it meanders along the waterway that led Lewis and Clark to the sea. (For more shore-hugging river views, cross the Oregon Way Bridge, just west of Rainier, and drive on Washington's Ocean Beach Highway -- but be sure to return to Route 30 by crossing back over at Cathlamet.)

Make your way to Astoria, the oldest American settlement west of the Rockies (founded in 1811), a revitalized former fishing town with Victorian architecture and a restored 1913 riverfront trolley.

Take in the town -- and the mouth of the Columbia River -- from the 125-foot Astoria Column, and for a dramatic close-up of the Astoria Bridge, which connects Oregon and Washington, check in to the Cannery Pier Hotel (doubles from $299).

Built on the site of a fish-packing facility on a pier that extends 600 feet into the river, the four-year-old hotel embraces a Pacific Northwest version of loft architecture, with exposed steel beams in the atrium-style lobby and hardwood floors in the 46 balconied rooms.

The best place to eat is just a short stroll down the pier at the Bridgewater Bistro (dinner for two $75; 503/ 325-6777). The restaurant offers exceptional views of the river and bridge, a tasting room for the Oregon Coast's Flying Dutchman Winery, and a small-plates menu featuring watermelon-and-feta salad and a savory cheesecake with Dungeness crab.

Day 2: Astoria to Arch Cape

The Oregon Coast Highway (U.S. 26) crosses Youngs Bay and snakes southward almost to Arch Cape, set in the lush green terrain of Oswald West State Park. It's a 30-mile trip that passes through the monied enclave of Gearhart, as well as Seaside, one of the first beach resorts in Oregon. Travel + Leisure: 45 best new hotels of 2009

Be sure to explore the Cannon Beach art colony, comprising 19 galleries and crafts studios; then hit the sand to behold Haystack Rock, a 235-foot-tall basalt formation that's the third-largest such ocean monolith in the world.

You might also want to scope out a spot for dinner in Cannon Beach -- locals love the French-Italian dishes such as pesto-and-prawn pasta at Newmans at 988 (dinner for two $110, 503/ 436-1151) -- or stock up on Oregon wine and Tillamook cheese before heading to Arch Cape, a tiny residential community with no restaurants.

It is here that Bruce Bessey transformed an old beach house into the Ocean Point Inn & Spa (doubles from $275). The three handsome suites, with mod furnishings, are perfect for curling up in when the rain lashes the wild surf.

In fair weather, guests mingle on the oceanfront deck to watch gray whales or gaze at the stars. In the morning, a hearty breakfast with fresh pastries provides fortification for beachcombing. Nestled between two state parks, the inn offers direct access to a nearly deserted Pacific stretch with sand dollar-filled tide pools.

Day 3: Arch Cape to Lincoln City

Lincoln City is a straight 79-mile shot down the 101, past open stretches of sand with more clumps of beach grass than sunbathers.

Along the way: Laneda Avenue, in Manzanita, is a charming shopping strip; the Picnic Basket (503/ 355-8500), in Rockaway Beach, has 97 flavors of salt-water taffy; Garibaldi Marina (503/ 322-3312) will hook you up for crab hunting and clam digging; and the Hawk Creek CafÃ© (503/ 392-3838), in Neskowin, serves fresh seafood and a popular wood-fired pizza.

Tillamook is the home of the famous cheddar, as well as ice creams made from local berries. Past Lincoln City, in Newport, is a worthwhile detour: the Yaquina Bay Lighthouse, dating from 1871.

The beachfront at Lincoln City is stacked with condo-by-the-sea complexes which makes the recent renovation of the 141-room Surftides (doubles from $134) that much more welcome.

Under the new management of the owners of the hip Farmer's Daughter hotel, in Los Angeles, the Surftides -- first opened in 1936 -- is now decorated with cork bulletin-board walls and jazzy striped daybeds.

The balconied guest rooms reference Midcentury Modern design with sleek built-ins and bold orange accents. You'd swear you were sleeping in an urban boutique hotel, except the roar outside your door is waves, not traffic.

Planning a beach getaway? Don't miss Travel + Leisure's guide to Affordable Beach Resorts.

text: Travel

text: Leisure

text: Portland

text: Oregon

text: does

text: n't

text: lack

text: for

text: fashionable

text: boutique

text: hotels

text: but

text: to

text: the

text: west

text: along

text: the

text: Pacific

text: Ocean

text: the

text: options

text: have

text: tended

text: to

text: be

text: as

text: primal

text: as

text: the

text: shoreline

text: Recently

text: however

text: a

text: group

text: of

text: properties

text: has

text: sprung

text: up

text: on

text: the

text: northern

text: coast

text: aiming

text: to

text: seduce

text: century

text: travelers

text: with

text: designs

text: steeped

text: in

text: post

text: World

text: War

text: II

text: Modernism

text: The

text: Cannery

text: Pier

text: Hotel

text: was

text: built

text: on

text: the

text: site

text: of

text: a

text: fish

text: packing

text: facility

text: on

text: the

text: Columbia

text: River

text: Each

text: stop

text: on

text: this

text: easy

text: three

text: night

text: itinerary

text: provides

text: a

text: stylish

text: Oregon

text: beach

text: getaway

text: along

text: with

text: postcard

text: worthy

text: water

text: views

text: Day

text: Portland

text: to

text: Astoria

text: Follow

text: the

text: Columbia

text: River

text: Highway

text: U.S.

text: as

text: it

text: meanders

text: along

text: the

text: waterway

text: that

text: led

text: Lewis

text: and

text: Clark

text: to

text: the

text: sea

text: For

text: more

text: shore

text: hugging

text: river

text: views

text: cross

text: the

text: Oregon

text: Way

text: Bridge

text: just

text: west

text: of

text: Rainier

text: and

text: drive

text: on

text: Washington

text: 's

text: Ocean

text: Beach

text: Highway

text: but

text: be

text: sure

text: to

text: return

text: to

text: Route

text: by

text: crossing

text: back

text: over

text: at

text: Cathlamet

text: Make

text: your

text: way

text: to

text: Astoria

text: the

text: oldest

text: American

text: settlement

text: west

text: of

text: the

text: Rockies

text: founded

text: in

text: a

text: revitalized

text: former

text: fishing

text: town

text: with

text: Victorian

text: architecture

text: and

text: a

text: restored

text: riverfront

text: trolley

text: Take

text: in

text: the

text: town

text: and

text: the

text: mouth

text: of

text: the

text: Columbia

text: River

text: from

text: the

text: Astoria

text: Column

text: and

text: for

text: a

text: dramatic

text: close

text: up

text: of

text: the

text: Astoria

text: Bridge

text: which

text: connects

text: Oregon

text: and

text: Washington

text: check

text: in

text: to

text: the

text: Cannery

text: Pier

text: Hotel

text: doubles

text: from

text: Built

text: on

text: the

text: site

text: of

text: a

text: fish

text: packing

text: facility

text: on

text: a

text: pier

text: that

text: extends

text: feet

text: into

text: the

text: river

text: the

text: four

text: year

text: old

text: hotel

text: embraces

text: a

text: Pacific

text: Northwest

text: version

text: of

text: loft

text: architecture

text: with

text: exposed

text: steel

text: beams

text: in

text: the

text: atrium

text: style

text: lobby

text: and

text: hardwood

text: floors

text: in

text: the

text: balconied

text: rooms

text: The

text: best

text: place

text: to

text: eat

text: is

text: just

text: a

text: short

text: stroll

text: down

text: the

text: pier

text: at

text: the

text: Bridgewater

text: Bistro

text: dinner

text: for

text: two

text: The

text: restaurant

text: offers

text: exceptional

text: views

text: of

text: the

text: river

text: and

text: bridge

text: a

text: tasting

text: room

text: for

text: the

text: Oregon

text: Coast

text: 's

text: Flying

text: Dutchman

text: Winery

text: and

text: a

text: small

text: plates

text: menu

text: featuring

text: watermelon

text: and

text: feta

text: salad

text: and

text: a

text: savory

text: cheesecake

text: with

text: Dungeness

text: crab

text: Day

text: Astoria

text: to

text: Arch

text: Cape

text: The

text: Oregon

text: Coast

text: Highway

text: U.S.

text: crosses

text: Youngs

text: Bay

text: and

text: snakes

text: southward

text: almost

text: to

text: Arch

text: Cape

text: set

text: in

text: the

text: lush

text: green

text: terrain

text: of

text: Oswald

text: West

text: State

text: Park

text: It

text: 's

text: a

text: trip

text: that

text: passes

text: through

text: the

text: monied

text: enclave

text: of

text: Gearhart

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: Seaside

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: first

text: beach

text: resorts

text: in

text: Oregon

text: Travel

text: Leisure

text: best

text: new

text: hotels

text: of

text: Be

text: sure

text: to

text: explore

text: the

text: Cannon

text: Beach

text: art

text: colony

text: comprising

text: galleries

text: and

text: crafts

text: studios

text: then

text: hit

text: the

text: sand

text: to

text: behold

text: Haystack

text: Rock

text: a

text: tall

text: basalt

text: formation

text: that

text: 's

text: the

text: third

text: largest

text: such

text: ocean

text: monolith

text: in

text: the

text: world

text: You

text: might

text: also

text: want

text: to

text: scope

text: out

text: a

text: spot

text: for

text: dinner

text: in

text: Cannon

text: Beach

text: locals

text: love

text: the

text: French

text: Italian

text: dishes

text: such

text: as

text: pesto

text: and

text: prawn

text: pasta

text: at

text: Newmans

text: at

text: dinner

text: for

text: two

text: or

text: stock

text: up

text: on

text: Oregon

text: wine

text: and

text: Tillamook

text: cheese

text: before

text: heading

text: to

text: Arch

text: Cape

text: a

text: tiny

text: residential

text: community

text: with

text: no

text: restaurants

text: It

text: is

text: here

text: that

text: Bruce

text: Bessey

text: transformed

text: an

text: old

text: beach

text: house

text: into

text: the

text: Ocean

text: Point

text: Inn

text: Spa

text: doubles

text: from

text: The

text: three

text: handsome

text: suites

text: with

text: mod

text: furnishings

text: are

text: perfect

text: for

text: curling

text: up

text: in

text: when

text: the

text: rain

text: lashes

text: the

text: wild

text: surf

text: In

text: fair

text: weather

text: guests

text: mingle

text: on

text: the

text: oceanfront

text: deck

text: to

text: watch

text: gray

text: whales

text: or

text: gaze

text: at

text: the

text: stars

text: In

text: the

text: morning

text: a

text: hearty

text: breakfast

text: with

text: fresh

text: pastries

text: provides

text: fortification

text: for

text: beachcombing

text: Nestled

text: between

text: two

text: state

text: parks

text: the

text: inn

text: offers

text: direct

text: access

text: to

text: a

text: nearly

text: deserted

text: Pacific

text: stretch

text: with

text: sand

text: dollar

text: filled

text: tide

text: pools

text: Day

text: Arch

text: Cape

text: to

text: Lincoln

text: City

text: Lincoln

text: City

text: is

text: a

text: straight

text: shot

text: down

text: the

text: past

text: open

text: stretches

text: of

text: sand

text: with

text: more

text: clumps

text: of

text: beach

text: grass

text: than

text: sunbathers

text: Along

text: the

text: way

text: Laneda

text: Avenue

text: in

text: Manzanita

text: is

text: a

text: charming

text: shopping

text: strip

text: the

text: Picnic

text: Basket

text: in

text: Rockaway

text: Beach

text: has

text: flavors

text: of

text: salt

text: water

text: taffy

text: Garibaldi

text: Marina

text: will

text: hook

text: you

text: up

text: for

text: crab

text: hunting

text: and

text: clam

text: digging

text: and

text: the

text: Hawk

text: Creek

text: CafÃ

text: in

text: Neskowin

text: serves

text: fresh

text: seafood

text: and

text: a

text: popular

text: wood

text: fired

text: pizza

text: Tillamook

text: is

text: the

text: home

text: of

text: the

text: famous

text: cheddar

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: ice

text: creams

text: made

text: from

text: local

text: berries

text: Past

text: Lincoln

text: City

text: in

text: Newport

text: is

text: a

text: worthwhile

text: detour

text: the

text: Yaquina

text: Bay

text: Lighthouse

text: dating

text: from

text: The

text: beachfront

text: at

text: Lincoln

text: City

text: is

text: stacked

text: with

text: condo

text: by

text: the

text: sea

text: complexes

text: which

text: makes

text: the

text: recent

text: renovation

text: of

text: the

text: Surftides

text: doubles

text: from

text: that

text: much

text: more

text: welcome

text: Under

text: the

text: new

text: management

text: of

text: the

text: owners

text: of

text: the

text: hip

text: Farmer

text: 's

text: Daughter

text: hotel

text: in

text: Los

text: Angeles

text: the

text: Surftides

text: first

text: opened

text: in

text: is

text: now

text: decorated

text: with

text: cork

text: bulletin

text: board

text: walls

text: and

text: jazzy

text: striped

text: daybeds

text: The

text: balconied

text: guest

text: rooms

text: reference

text: Midcentury

text: Modern

text: design

text: with

text: sleek

text: built

text: ins

text: and

text: bold

text: orange

text: accents

text: You

text: 'd

text: swear

text: you

text: were

text: sleeping

text: in

text: an

text: urban

text: boutique

text: hotel

text: except

text: the

text: roar

text: outside

text: your

text: door

text: is

text: waves

text: not

text: traffic

text: Planning

text: a

text: beach

text: getaway

text: Do

text: n't

text: miss

text: Travel

text: Leisure

text: 's

text: guide

text: to

text: Affordable

text: Beach

text: Resorts

question: What are housed in a renovated beach house?

answer: The three handsome suites, with mod furnishings, are perfect for curling up in when the rain lashes the wild surf.

text: The three handsome suites, with mod furnishings, are perfect for curling up in when the rain lashes the wild surf.

question: Ocean Point Inn & Spa in Arch Cape is housed in?

answer: Oswald West State Park.

text: Oswald West State Park.

question: Where is Oregon?

answer: along the Pacific Ocean,

text: along the Pacific Ocean,

question: Cannery Pier Hotel location?

answer: on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River.

text: on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River.

question: Where does the Cannery Pier Hotel sit?

answer: was built on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River.

text: was built on the site of a fish-packing facility on the Columbia River.

question: What is Arch Cape?

answer: tiny residential community

text: tiny residential community

question: The Cannery Pier Hotel in Astoria sits on?

answer: the site of a fish-packing facility

text: the site of a fish-packing facility


text:
(CNN) -- Survivors of a deadly earthquake-triggered tsunami which hit the Samoan islands Tuesday have described how they watched the inrushing sea swallow up coastal towns and villages leaving devastation in its wake.

iReporter Alden Tagarino captured this image of the damage caused by the tsunami in Pago Pago.

At least 111 people are confirmed killed in Samoa, neighboring American Samoa and Tonga. But officials in the Polynesia region have expressed fears the toll will rise as rescue workers struggle to reach outlying villages submerged and flattened by the wave.

American Samoa resident Frances Faumatu told CNN she had fled to Aoloau, the highest village on the island, as the earthquake shook her house.

"All of a sudden we heard on the radio everybody had to run for safety," she said. "Right after the quake, the tsunami came."

Faumatu and others stayed on the mountain for two or three hours until the warning was lifted, watching as the sea swallowed Pago Pago, island's capital, and then receded.

At least 22 people are confirmed dead in the U.S. island territory. Cars, debris, and parts of buildings were randomly strewn over the landscape where the powerful waters dropped them. See iReporter images of the aftermath Â»

But in some cases, the sea left nothing behind. "Other villages were taken to the ocean," Faumatu said.

"I can't even compare the image. It's one thing to see a photo or footage, but just to be there in person is pretty dramatic," Maneafaiga T. Lagafuaina told CNN Wednesday. "American Samoa itself is experiencing a great loss."

The 8.0-magnitude quake hit the small cluster of Samoan islands in the South Pacific early Tuesday.

In Samoa, the death toll stands at 82, according to government minister Maulolo Tavita. But he said he feared the number of causalities would continue to rise.

Around 220,000 people live on the two main islands which make up the nation of Samoa. The population of American Samoa is about 66,000.  See a map of the affected region Â»

Salamo Laumoli, director of health services at the LBJ Tropical Medical Center in Pago Pago, said he feared more fatalities would turn up as rescue workers strived to access parts of the island severed by damaged infrastructure.

"I thought it was the end of the world," said Laumoli. "I have never felt an earthquake like that before."

Patients at the hospital were briefly moved to higher ground, but they were soon brought back and the hospital is operating, the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency said. The airport in the capital of Pago Pago was also operational and being used for emergency flights, FEMA said.

A U.S. Coast Guard C-130 cargo plane was scheduled to land Wednesday around noon Eastern time, which coincides with sunrise in the Pacific U.S. protectorate, said Craig Fugate, FEMA administrator. A second C-130 was scheduled to land around 5 p.m. ET.

"The wave came onshore and washed out people's homes," said Cinta Brown, an American Samoa homeland security official working at the island's emergency operations center.

The same happened on the hard-hit east and west sides of American Samoa, said Brown, who was standing in a parking lot when her sport utility vehicle began rocking left and right.

She said she could hear the rattling of metal of a large chain-link fence around the lot. "It shakes you because you know something else is coming," she said.

The British Foreign Office said one of the dead in American Samoa was a British national, but no other details were provided.

In Tonga, Lord Tuita, the acting prime minister, said at least seven people had been confirmed dead on the northern island of Niuatoputapu. Three others were missing and four people were being treated for serious injuries, he said.

"The hospital on the island is reported to have suffered major damage; telephone communications has been cut as a result of damage to equipment and facilities on the island; homes and government buildings have been destroyed; the airport runway has been severely damaged making it impossible for any fixed wing aircraft to land," a statement from the Tongan prime minister's office said.  Were you there? Send us your photos and video

A series of aftershocks reverberated through the region Tuesday as reports emerged of entire villages flattened or submerged by the tsunami. The walls of water were so strong that they twisted concrete beams and mangled cars.  See an explainer on tsunamis Â»

Laumoli said people in outlying villages on one end of the main American Samoa island had been cut off because the connecting bridge was washed away.  Listen to Laumoli speak about the impact of the quake and tsunami Â»

American Samoa Gov. Togiola Tulafono, speaking from Hawaii, said Tuesday's quake ranked "right up there with some of the worst" disasters on the island. He said he had spoken to the military about mobilizing reserve forces for assistance.

Tulafono was on his way back home from Hawaii on Tuesday night on one of two U.S. Coast Guard transport planes delivering aid. He told reporters Tuesday it had been hard being away from home as the disaster unfolded. It was a time, he said, for families to be together.  Watch American Samoa governor discuss tsunami Â»

President Obama declared American Samoa a major disaster area, ordering federal aid to supplement local efforts.

"We keep the many people who have been touched by this tragedy in our thoughts and in our prayers," he said.

A U.S. Defense Department official said 75 members of the Hawaii National Guard were ordered to American Samoa to begin assisting with medical relief, search and rescue and providing communications capabilities on the island. The unit will bring enough supplies to sustain themselves for 96 hours and its expected more aid from the military could begin flowing in, the official said.

The Coast Guard is transporting more than 20 officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to American Samoa, said John Hamill, external affairs officer for FEMA in Oakland, California.

The FEMA team will include a variety of debris experts, housing experts, members of the Corps of Engineers, and other disaster relief specialists, Hamill said.

The quake generated three separate tsunami waves, the largest measuring 5.1 feet from sea level height, said Vindell Hsu, a geophysicist with the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center. Preliminary data had originally reported a larger tsunami.

CNN's Barbara Starr, Augie Martin, Mariano Castillo, Moni Basu, Tess Eastment, Jim Kavanagh, Mike Ahlers, Hank Bishop and Nick Valencia contributed to this report.

text: CNN

text: Survivors

text: of

text: a

text: deadly

text: earthquake

text: triggered

text: tsunami

text: which

text: hit

text: the

text: Samoan

text: islands

text: Tuesday

text: have

text: described

text: how

text: they

text: watched

text: the

text: inrushing

text: sea

text: swallow

text: up

text: coastal

text: towns

text: and

text: villages

text: leaving

text: devastation

text: in

text: its

text: wake

text: iReporter

text: Alden

text: Tagarino

text: captured

text: this

text: image

text: of

text: the

text: damage

text: caused

text: by

text: the

text: tsunami

text: in

text: Pago

text: Pago

text: At

text: least

text: people

text: are

text: confirmed

text: killed

text: in

text: Samoa

text: neighboring

text: American

text: Samoa

text: and

text: Tonga

text: But

text: officials

text: in

text: the

text: Polynesia

text: region

text: have

text: expressed

text: fears

text: the

text: toll

text: will

text: rise

text: as

text: rescue

text: workers

text: struggle

text: to

text: reach

text: outlying

text: villages

text: submerged

text: and

text: flattened

text: by

text: the

text: wave

text: American

text: Samoa

text: resident

text: Frances

text: Faumatu

text: told

text: CNN

text: she

text: had

text: fled

text: to

text: Aoloau

text: the

text: highest

text: village

text: on

text: the

text: island

text: as

text: the

text: earthquake

text: shook

text: her

text: house

text: All

text: of

text: a

text: sudden

text: we

text: heard

text: on

text: the

text: radio

text: everybody

text: had

text: to

text: run

text: for

text: safety

text: she

text: said

text: Right

text: after

text: the

text: quake

text: the

text: tsunami

text: came

text: Faumatu

text: and

text: others

text: stayed

text: on

text: the

text: mountain

text: for

text: two

text: or

text: three

text: hours

text: until

text: the

text: warning

text: was

text: lifted

text: watching

text: as

text: the

text: sea

text: swallowed

text: Pago

text: Pago

text: island

text: 's

text: capital

text: and

text: then

text: receded

text: At

text: least

text: people

text: are

text: confirmed

text: dead

text: in

text: the

text: U.S.

text: island

text: territory

text: Cars

text: debris

text: and

text: parts

text: of

text: buildings

text: were

text: randomly

text: strewn

text: over

text: the

text: landscape

text: where

text: the

text: powerful

text: waters

text: dropped

text: them

text: See

text: iReporter

text: images

text: of

text: the

text: aftermath

text: Â

text: But

text: in

text: some

text: cases

text: the

text: sea

text: left

text: nothing

text: behind

text: Other

text: villages

text: were

text: taken

text: to

text: the

text: ocean

text: Faumatu

text: said

text: I

text: ca

text: n't

text: even

text: compare

text: the

text: image

text: It

text: 's

text: one

text: thing

text: to

text: see

text: a

text: photo

text: or

text: footage

text: but

text: just

text: to

text: be

text: there

text: in

text: person

text: is

text: pretty

text: dramatic

text: Maneafaiga

text: T.

text: Lagafuaina

text: told

text: CNN

text: Wednesday

text: American

text: Samoa

text: itself

text: is

text: experiencing

text: a

text: great

text: loss

text: The

text: quake

text: hit

text: the

text: small

text: cluster

text: of

text: Samoan

text: islands

text: in

text: the

text: South

text: Pacific

text: early

text: Tuesday

text: In

text: Samoa

text: the

text: death

text: toll

text: stands

text: at

text: according

text: to

text: government

text: minister

text: Maulolo

text: Tavita

text: But

text: he

text: said

text: he

text: feared

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: causalities

text: would

text: continue

text: to

text: rise

text: Around

text: people

text: live

text: on

text: the

text: two

text: main

text: islands

text: which

text: make

text: up

text: the

text: nation

text: of

text: Samoa

text: The

text: population

text: of

text: American

text: Samoa

text: is

text: about

text: See

text: a

text: map

text: of

text: the

text: affected

text: region

text: Â

text: Salamo

text: Laumoli

text: director

text: of

text: health

text: services

text: at

text: the

text: LBJ

text: Tropical

text: Medical

text: Center

text: in

text: Pago

text: Pago

text: said

text: he

text: feared

text: more

text: fatalities

text: would

text: turn

text: up

text: as

text: rescue

text: workers

text: strived

text: to

text: access

text: parts

text: of

text: the

text: island

text: severed

text: by

text: damaged

text: infrastructure

text: I

text: thought

text: it

text: was

text: the

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: world

text: said

text: Laumoli

text: I

text: have

text: never

text: felt

text: an

text: earthquake

text: like

text: that

text: before

text: Patients

text: at

text: the

text: hospital

text: were

text: briefly

text: moved

text: to

text: higher

text: ground

text: but

text: they

text: were

text: soon

text: brought

text: back

text: and

text: the

text: hospital

text: is

text: operating

text: the

text: U.S.

text: Federal

text: Emergency

text: Management

text: Agency

text: said

text: The

text: airport

text: in

text: the

text: capital

text: of

text: Pago

text: Pago

text: was

text: also

text: operational

text: and

text: being

text: used

text: for

text: emergency

text: flights

text: FEMA

text: said

text: A

text: U.S.

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: cargo

text: plane

text: was

text: scheduled

text: to

text: land

text: Wednesday

text: around

text: noon

text: Eastern

text: time

text: which

text: coincides

text: with

text: sunrise

text: in

text: the

text: Pacific

text: U.S.

text: protectorate

text: said

text: Craig

text: Fugate

text: FEMA

text: administrator

text: A

text: second

text: was

text: scheduled

text: to

text: land

text: around

text: p.m.

text: ET

text: The

text: wave

text: came

text: onshore

text: and

text: washed

text: out

text: people

text: 's

text: homes

text: said

text: Cinta

text: Brown

text: an

text: American

text: Samoa

text: homeland

text: security

text: official

text: working

text: at

text: the

text: island

text: 's

text: emergency

text: operations

text: center

text: The

text: same

text: happened

text: on

text: the

text: hard

text: hit

text: east

text: and

text: west

text: sides

text: of

text: American

text: Samoa

text: said

text: Brown

text: who

text: was

text: standing

text: in

text: a

text: parking

text: lot

text: when

text: her

text: sport

text: utility

text: vehicle

text: began

text: rocking

text: left

text: and

text: right

text: She

text: said

text: she

text: could

text: hear

text: the

text: rattling

text: of

text: metal

text: of

text: a

text: large

text: chain

text: link

text: fence

text: around

text: the

text: lot

text: It

text: shakes

text: you

text: because

text: you

text: know

text: something

text: else

text: is

text: coming

text: she

text: said

text: The

text: British

text: Foreign

text: Office

text: said

text: one

text: of

text: the

text: dead

text: in

text: American

text: Samoa

text: was

text: a

text: British

text: national

text: but

text: no

text: other

text: details

text: were

text: provided

text: In

text: Tonga

text: Lord

text: Tuita

text: the

text: acting

text: prime

text: minister

text: said

text: at

text: least

text: seven

text: people

text: had

text: been

text: confirmed

text: dead

text: on

text: the

text: northern

text: island

text: of

text: Niuatoputapu

text: Three

text: others

text: were

text: missing

text: and

text: four

text: people

text: were

text: being

text: treated

text: for

text: serious

text: injuries

text: he

text: said

text: The

text: hospital

text: on

text: the

text: island

text: is

text: reported

text: to

text: have

text: suffered

text: major

text: damage

text: telephone

text: communications

text: has

text: been

text: cut

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: damage

text: to

text: equipment

text: and

text: facilities

text: on

text: the

text: island

text: homes

text: and

text: government

text: buildings

text: have

text: been

text: destroyed

text: the

text: airport

text: runway

text: has

text: been

text: severely

text: damaged

text: making

text: it

text: impossible

text: for

text: any

text: fixed

text: wing

text: aircraft

text: to

text: land

text: a

text: statement

text: from

text: the

text: Tongan

text: prime

text: minister

text: 's

text: office

text: said

text: Were

text: you

text: there

text: Send

text: us

text: your

text: photos

text: and

text: video

text: A

text: series

text: of

text: aftershocks

text: reverberated

text: through

text: the

text: region

text: Tuesday

text: as

text: reports

text: emerged

text: of

text: entire

text: villages

text: flattened

text: or

text: submerged

text: by

text: the

text: tsunami

text: The

text: walls

text: of

text: water

text: were

text: so

text: strong

text: that

text: they

text: twisted

text: concrete

text: beams

text: and

text: mangled

text: cars

text: See

text: an

text: explainer

text: on

text: tsunamis

text: Â

text: Laumoli

text: said

text: people

text: in

text: outlying

text: villages

text: on

text: one

text: end

text: of

text: the

text: main

text: American

text: Samoa

text: island

text: had

text: been

text: cut

text: off

text: because

text: the

text: connecting

text: bridge

text: was

text: washed

text: away

text: Listen

text: to

text: Laumoli

text: speak

text: about

text: the

text: impact

text: of

text: the

text: quake

text: and

text: tsunami

text: Â

text: American

text: Samoa

text: Gov.

text: Togiola

text: Tulafono

text: speaking

text: from

text: Hawaii

text: said

text: Tuesday

text: 's

text: quake

text: ranked

text: right

text: up

text: there

text: with

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: worst

text: disasters

text: on

text: the

text: island

text: He

text: said

text: he

text: had

text: spoken

text: to

text: the

text: military

text: about

text: mobilizing

text: reserve

text: forces

text: for

text: assistance

text: Tulafono

text: was

text: on

text: his

text: way

text: back

text: home

text: from

text: Hawaii

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: night

text: on

text: one

text: of

text: two

text: U.S.

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: transport

text: planes

text: delivering

text: aid

text: He

text: told

text: reporters

text: Tuesday

text: it

text: had

text: been

text: hard

text: being

text: away

text: from

text: home

text: as

text: the

text: disaster

text: unfolded

text: It

text: was

text: a

text: time

text: he

text: said

text: for

text: families

text: to

text: be

text: together

text: Watch

text: American

text: Samoa

text: governor

text: discuss

text: tsunami

text: Â

text: President

text: Obama

text: declared

text: American

text: Samoa

text: a

text: major

text: disaster

text: area

text: ordering

text: federal

text: aid

text: to

text: supplement

text: local

text: efforts

text: We

text: keep

text: the

text: many

text: people

text: who

text: have

text: been

text: touched

text: by

text: this

text: tragedy

text: in

text: our

text: thoughts

text: and

text: in

text: our

text: prayers

text: he

text: said

text: A

text: U.S.

text: Defense

text: Department

text: official

text: said

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Hawaii

text: National

text: Guard

text: were

text: ordered

text: to

text: American

text: Samoa

text: to

text: begin

text: assisting

text: with

text: medical

text: relief

text: search

text: and

text: rescue

text: and

text: providing

text: communications

text: capabilities

text: on

text: the

text: island

text: The

text: unit

text: will

text: bring

text: enough

text: supplies

text: to

text: sustain

text: themselves

text: for

text: hours

text: and

text: its

text: expected

text: more

text: aid

text: from

text: the

text: military

text: could

text: begin

text: flowing

text: in

text: the

text: official

text: said

text: The

text: Coast

text: Guard

text: is

text: transporting

text: more

text: than

text: officials

text: from

text: the

text: Federal

text: Emergency

text: Management

text: Agency

text: to

text: American

text: Samoa

text: said

text: John

text: Hamill

text: external

text: affairs

text: officer

text: for

text: FEMA

text: in

text: Oakland

text: California

text: The

text: FEMA

text: team

text: will

text: include

text: a

text: variety

text: of

text: debris

text: experts

text: housing

text: experts

text: members

text: of

text: the

text: Corps

text: of

text: Engineers

text: and

text: other

text: disaster

text: relief

text: specialists

text: Hamill

text: said

text: The

text: quake

text: generated

text: three

text: separate

text: tsunami

text: waves

text: the

text: largest

text: measuring

text: feet

text: from

text: sea

text: level

text: height

text: said

text: Vindell

text: Hsu

text: a

text: geophysicist

text: with

text: the

text: Pacific

text: Tsunami

text: Warning

text: Center

text: Preliminary

text: data

text: had

text: originally

text: reported

text: a

text: larger

text: tsunami

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Barbara

text: Starr

text: Augie

text: Martin

text: Mariano

text: Castillo

text: Moni

text: Basu

text: Tess

text: Eastment

text: Jim

text: Kavanagh

text: Mike

text: Ahlers

text: Hank

text: Bishop

text: and

text: Nick

text: Valencia

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: How many are dead in Samoan islands?

answer: At least 111 people

text: At least 111 people

question: What do officials fear?

answer: the toll will rise

text: the toll will rise

question: What was the magnitude of the quake that struck early Tuesday?

answer: 8.0-magnitude

question: How many dead in Samoan islands after Pacific tsunami?

answer: At least 111 people are confirmed killed in Samoa,

text: At least 111 people are confirmed killed in Samoa,


text:
WASHINGTON (CNN)  -- Former Republican Sen. Ted Stevens of Alaska has been "cleared" by the Justice Department's request to dismiss his federal corruption convictions and drop all charges against him, his lawyer said Wednesday.

Former Sen. Ted Stevens, 85, of Alaska lost his re-election bid in November.

Prosecutors accused Stevens of failing to disclose hundreds of thousands of dollars of "freebies" from an oilfield services company on Senate ethics forms. But in December, an unnamed FBI whistle-blower accused prosecutors of withholding evidence from the defense, and the Justice Department asked a judge to dismiss the charges against Stevens on Wednesday.

"His name is cleared," Stevens' lawyer, Brendan Sullivan, told reporters. "He is innocent of the charges, as if they'd never been brought."

Stevens, 85, lost his bid for a seventh full term in November after his conviction on seven counts of lying on Senate ethics forms. Sullivan said the Justice Department was forced to request the dismissal because of "extraordinary evidence of government corruption."  Watch more on the dismissal of the case Â»

"Not only did the government fail to provide evidence to the defense that the law requires them to provide, but they created false testimony that they gave us and actually presented false testimony in the courtroom," he said.

And one of Stevens' longtime friends, Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch, said Wednesday that Stevens was "screwed by our own Justice Department."

In a statement issued Wednesday morning, Stevens thanked the Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder for requesting that the charges be dropped.

"I always knew that there would be a day when the cloud that surrounded me would be removed," Stevens said. "That day has finally come."

U.S. District Judge Emmet Sullivan has set a Tuesday hearing on the Justice Department's request to dismiss the case.

Sullivan, who is not related to Stevens' lawyer, excoriated prosecutors during the trial and held the prosecution in contempt at one point. In December, two months after the guilty verdicts, the FBI whistle-blower accused prosecutors of withholding evidence from the defense and reported that someone with the government had had an inappropriate relationship with Bill Allen, an oil industry executive who was the government's key witness.

In the motion it filed Wednesday, the Justice Department acknowledged that Stevens was not given access to notes taken by prosecutors during an April 2008 interview with Allen, the former chairman of an oilfield services company at the center of a corruption probe in Alaska. The notes show that responses by Allen, the prosecution's star witness, were inconsistent with testimony he gave against Stevens, and that information from the interview could have benefited Stevens at trial, the motion says.

"In light of this conclusion, and in consideration of the totality of the circumstances of this particular case, I have determined that it is in the interest of justice to dismiss the indictment and not proceed with a new trial," Holder said in a written statement.

Hatch, a senior Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he called Stevens in Alaska on Wednesday and the former senator sounded "elated, as anyone would."

"Here's a guy who gave better than 60 years' service to the country and was screwed -- screwed by our own Justice Department," Hatch said. But he praised Holder for "standing up and fixing this foul situation."

"I think he's more than shown integrity and decency in this matter, and it's not an easy thing for him to do that," Hatch said. "He has, in looking at it, realized now what people like myself have been saying is 100 percent right."

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nevada, also commented on the Justice Department's request, saying, "Ted Stevens is 85 years old. He's already been punished enough. I'm satisfied."

And in a statement Wednesday, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said that Stevens "deserves to be very happy today. What a horrible thing he has endured. The blatant attempts by adversaries to destroy one's reputation, career and finances are an abuse of our well-guarded process and violate our God-given rights afforded in the Constitution.

"It is a frightening thing to contemplate what we may be witnessing here -- the undermining of the political process through unscrupulous ploys and professional misconduct. Senator Stevens ... never gave up hope. It is unfortunate that, as a result of the questionable proceedings which led to Senator Stevens' conviction days before the election, Alaskans lost an esteemed statesman on Capitol Hill. His presence is missed."

The Justice Department's Office of Professional Responsibility will review the prosecution team's conduct in Stevens' case, Holder said. Asked whether the prosecutors should be charged themselves, Sullivan told reporters, "That is not my job. I'm a defense lawyer."

During the trial, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Friedrich said Stevens hid "hundreds of thousands of dollars of freebies" he received from Allen's company, VECO, and from Allen himself. Many of the allegedly free services were given as part of the renovation of Stevens' Alaska home, prosecutors said.

CNN's Terry Frieden, Paul Courson, Ted Barrett and Deb Krajnak contributed to this report.

text: WASHINGTON

text: CNN

text: Former

text: Republican

text: Sen.

text: Ted

text: Stevens

text: of

text: Alaska

text: has

text: been

text: cleared

text: by

text: the

text: Justice

text: Department

text: 's

text: request

text: to

text: dismiss

text: his

text: federal

text: corruption

text: convictions

text: and

text: drop

text: all

text: charges

text: against

text: him

text: his

text: lawyer

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: Former

text: Sen.

text: Ted

text: Stevens

text: of

text: Alaska

text: lost

text: his

text: re

text: election

text: bid

text: in

text: November

text: Prosecutors

text: accused

text: Stevens

text: of

text: failing

text: to

text: disclose

text: hundreds

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: dollars

text: of

text: freebies

text: from

text: an

text: oilfield

text: services

text: company

text: on

text: Senate

text: ethics

text: forms

text: But

text: in

text: December

text: an

text: unnamed

text: FBI

text: whistle

text: blower

text: accused

text: prosecutors

text: of

text: withholding

text: evidence

text: from

text: the

text: defense

text: and

text: the

text: Justice

text: Department

text: asked

text: a

text: judge

text: to

text: dismiss

text: the

text: charges

text: against

text: Stevens

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: His

text: name

text: is

text: cleared

text: Stevens

text: lawyer

text: Brendan

text: Sullivan

text: told

text: reporters

text: He

text: is

text: innocent

text: of

text: the

text: charges

text: as

text: if

text: they

text: 'd

text: never

text: been

text: brought

text: Stevens

text: lost

text: his

text: bid

text: for

text: a

text: seventh

text: full

text: term

text: in

text: November

text: after

text: his

text: conviction

text: on

text: seven

text: counts

text: of

text: lying

text: on

text: Senate

text: ethics

text: forms

text: Sullivan

text: said

text: the

text: Justice

text: Department

text: was

text: forced

text: to

text: request

text: the

text: dismissal

text: because

text: of

text: extraordinary

text: evidence

text: of

text: government

text: corruption

text: Watch

text: more

text: on

text: the

text: dismissal

text: of

text: the

text: case

text: Â

text: Not

text: only

text: did

text: the

text: government

text: fail

text: to

text: provide

text: evidence

text: to

text: the

text: defense

text: that

text: the

text: law

text: requires

text: them

text: to

text: provide

text: but

text: they

text: created

text: false

text: testimony

text: that

text: they

text: gave

text: us

text: and

text: actually

text: presented

text: false

text: testimony

text: in

text: the

text: courtroom

text: he

text: said

text: And

text: one

text: of

text: Stevens

text: longtime

text: friends

text: Utah

text: Sen.

text: Orrin

text: Hatch

text: said

text: Wednesday

text: that

text: Stevens

text: was

text: screwed

text: by

text: our

text: own

text: Justice

text: Department

text: In

text: a

text: statement

text: issued

text: Wednesday

text: morning

text: Stevens

text: thanked

text: the

text: Justice

text: Department

text: and

text: Attorney

text: General

text: Eric

text: Holder

text: for

text: requesting

text: that

text: the

text: charges

text: be

text: dropped

text: I

text: always

text: knew

text: that

text: there

text: would

text: be

text: a

text: day

text: when

text: the

text: cloud

text: that

text: surrounded

text: me

text: would

text: be

text: removed

text: Stevens

text: said

text: That

text: day

text: has

text: finally

text: come

text: U.S.

text: District

text: Judge

text: Emmet

text: Sullivan

text: has

text: set

text: a

text: Tuesday

text: hearing

text: on

text: the

text: Justice

text: Department

text: 's

text: request

text: to

text: dismiss

text: the

text: case

text: Sullivan

text: who

text: is

text: not

text: related

text: to

text: Stevens

text: lawyer

text: excoriated

text: prosecutors

text: during

text: the

text: trial

text: and

text: held

text: the

text: prosecution

text: in

text: contempt

text: at

text: one

text: point

text: In

text: December

text: two

text: months

text: after

text: the

text: guilty

text: verdicts

text: the

text: FBI

text: whistle

text: blower

text: accused

text: prosecutors

text: of

text: withholding

text: evidence

text: from

text: the

text: defense

text: and

text: reported

text: that

text: someone

text: with

text: the

text: government

text: had

text: had

text: an

text: inappropriate

text: relationship

text: with

text: Bill

text: Allen

text: an

text: oil

text: industry

text: executive

text: who

text: was

text: the

text: government

text: 's

text: key

text: witness

text: In

text: the

text: motion

text: it

text: filed

text: Wednesday

text: the

text: Justice

text: Department

text: acknowledged

text: that

text: Stevens

text: was

text: not

text: given

text: access

text: to

text: notes

text: taken

text: by

text: prosecutors

text: during

text: an

text: April

text: interview

text: with

text: Allen

text: the

text: former

text: chairman

text: of

text: an

text: oilfield

text: services

text: company

text: at

text: the

text: center

text: of

text: a

text: corruption

text: probe

text: in

text: Alaska

text: The

text: notes

text: show

text: that

text: responses

text: by

text: Allen

text: the

text: prosecution

text: 's

text: star

text: witness

text: were

text: inconsistent

text: with

text: testimony

text: he

text: gave

text: against

text: Stevens

text: and

text: that

text: information

text: from

text: the

text: interview

text: could

text: have

text: benefited

text: Stevens

text: at

text: trial

text: the

text: motion

text: says

text: In

text: light

text: of

text: this

text: conclusion

text: and

text: in

text: consideration

text: of

text: the

text: totality

text: of

text: the

text: circumstances

text: of

text: this

text: particular

text: case

text: I

text: have

text: determined

text: that

text: it

text: is

text: in

text: the

text: interest

text: of

text: justice

text: to

text: dismiss

text: the

text: indictment

text: and

text: not

text: proceed

text: with

text: a

text: new

text: trial

text: Holder

text: said

text: in

text: a

text: written

text: statement

text: Hatch

text: a

text: senior

text: Republican

text: on

text: the

text: Senate

text: Judiciary

text: Committee

text: said

text: he

text: called

text: Stevens

text: in

text: Alaska

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: and

text: the

text: former

text: senator

text: sounded

text: elated

text: as

text: anyone

text: would

text: Here

text: 's

text: a

text: guy

text: who

text: gave

text: better

text: than

text: years

text: service

text: to

text: the

text: country

text: and

text: was

text: screwed

text: screwed

text: by

text: our

text: own

text: Justice

text: Department

text: Hatch

text: said

text: But

text: he

text: praised

text: Holder

text: for

text: standing

text: up

text: and

text: fixing

text: this

text: foul

text: situation

text: I

text: think

text: he

text: 's

text: more

text: than

text: shown

text: integrity

text: and

text: decency

text: in

text: this

text: matter

text: and

text: it

text: 's

text: not

text: an

text: easy

text: thing

text: for

text: him

text: to

text: do

text: that

text: Hatch

text: said

text: He

text: has

text: in

text: looking

text: at

text: it

text: realized

text: now

text: what

text: people

text: like

text: myself

text: have

text: been

text: saying

text: is

text: percent

text: right

text: Senate

text: Majority

text: Leader

text: Harry

text: Reid

text: D

text: Nevada

text: also

text: commented

text: on

text: the

text: Justice

text: Department

text: 's

text: request

text: saying

text: Ted

text: Stevens

text: is

text: years

text: old

text: He

text: 's

text: already

text: been

text: punished

text: enough

text: I

text: 'm

text: satisfied

text: And

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: Wednesday

text: Alaska

text: Gov.

text: Sarah

text: Palin

text: said

text: that

text: Stevens

text: deserves

text: to

text: be

text: very

text: happy

text: today

text: What

text: a

text: horrible

text: thing

text: he

text: has

text: endured

text: The

text: blatant

text: attempts

text: by

text: adversaries

text: to

text: destroy

text: one

text: 's

text: reputation

text: career

text: and

text: finances

text: are

text: an

text: abuse

text: of

text: our

text: well

text: guarded

text: process

text: and

text: violate

text: our

text: God

text: given

text: rights

text: afforded

text: in

text: the

text: Constitution

text: It

text: is

text: a

text: frightening

text: thing

text: to

text: contemplate

text: what

text: we

text: may

text: be

text: witnessing

text: here

text: the

text: undermining

text: of

text: the

text: political

text: process

text: through

text: unscrupulous

text: ploys

text: and

text: professional

text: misconduct

text: Senator

text: Stevens

text: never

text: gave

text: up

text: hope

text: It

text: is

text: unfortunate

text: that

text: as

text: a

text: result

text: of

text: the

text: questionable

text: proceedings

text: which

text: led

text: to

text: Senator

text: Stevens

text: conviction

text: days

text: before

text: the

text: election

text: Alaskans

text: lost

text: an

text: esteemed

text: statesman

text: on

text: Capitol

text: Hill

text: His

text: presence

text: is

text: missed

text: The

text: Justice

text: Department

text: 's

text: Office

text: of

text: Professional

text: Responsibility

text: will

text: review

text: the

text: prosecution

text: team

text: 's

text: conduct

text: in

text: Stevens

text: case

text: Holder

text: said

text: Asked

text: whether

text: the

text: prosecutors

text: should

text: be

text: charged

text: themselves

text: Sullivan

text: told

text: reporters

text: That

text: is

text: not

text: my

text: job

text: I

text: 'm

text: a

text: defense

text: lawyer

text: During

text: the

text: trial

text: Assistant

text: Attorney

text: General

text: Matthew

text: Friedrich

text: said

text: Stevens

text: hid

text: hundreds

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: dollars

text: of

text: freebies

text: he

text: received

text: from

text: Allen

text: 's

text: company

text: VECO

text: and

text: from

text: Allen

text: himself

text: Many

text: of

text: the

text: allegedly

text: free

text: services

text: were

text: given

text: as

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: renovation

text: of

text: Stevens

text: Alaska

text: home

text: prosecutors

text: said

text: CNN

text: 's

text: Terry

text: Frieden

text: Paul

text: Courson

text: Ted

text: Barrett

text: and

text: Deb

text: Krajnak

text: contributed

text: to

text: this

text: report

question: who is alaska governor?

answer: Sarah Palin

text: Sarah Palin

question: What did the defense attorney say?

answer: "His name is cleared,"

text: "His name is cleared,"

question: Who is the Utah Senator?

answer: Orrin Hatch,

text: Orrin Hatch,

question: who is ted stevens?

answer: Former Republican Sen.

text: Former Republican Sen.

question: Who does he praise?

answer: Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder

text: Justice Department and Attorney General Eric Holder

question: What did Stevens say?

answer: "That day has finally come."

text: "That day has finally come."

question: What does the defense attorney cite?

answer: "His name is cleared,"

text: "His name is cleared,"

question: what is the name of attorney general?

answer: Eric Holder

text: Eric Holder

question: What state's governor backs action?

answer: Alaska

text: Alaska


text:
(CNN) -- The owner of a North Carolina beach house where seven college students died in a weekend fire said Monday that his family's "lives were just changed forever" by the tragedy.

Chip Auman said his 18-year-old daughter survived the fire but was hospitalized and in stable condition because of complications from smoke inhalation.

"The thought of losing a child is unimaginable to me, and as a father my heart goes out to the families that lost a loved one in this situation," he said.

Auman said the situation was "hard to fathom."

"There's just no words to describe what we've been going through," he said, asking for prayers for survivors and the families of those who died. "We're numb, we're confused, we're heartbroken."

Two college campuses mourned Monday.

Six University of South Carolina students and a Clemson University student died in the fire early Sunday morning in Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina.

Six other South Carolina students were able to get out of the house in time. The six were treated and released from nearby Brunswick Community Hospital, but Auman's daughter was hospitalized again in Hartsville, South Carolina.

Authorities from the state Bureau of Investigation and the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives are leading the investigation into the cause of the fire.

Ocean Isle Beach Mayor Debbie Smith said the house was "engulfed" in flames when the fire department arrived on the scene, about five minutes after being notified. The flames shot into the sky and ultimately left little more than portions of the framing.

Fire officials do not believe foul play was involved.  Watch a neighbor's video, fears of fast-burning fire Â»

Dennis A. Pruitt, the vice president for student affairs for the University of South Carolina, said investigators have said it would be Tuesday or Wednesday before the identities of the victims are confirmed publicly.

It could be as much as a month until investigators know the cause of the fire, Pruitt said.

The university did not cancel classes on Monday, but Pruitt said arrangements had been made for those who need to go home or stay out of class at the 28,000-student campus.

Pruitt said meetings had been held Sunday with members of Delta Delta Delta sorority and Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. The South Carolina students were affiliated with those houses, he said, although he stressed that the weekend was not an official Greek function.

He also said counselors and ministers were available to help students deal with the loss of their classmates.

The university president, Dr. Andrew Sorenson, contacted the families of those who died in the fire to express the condolences and support of the university community.

Jay Laura, student president of the USC chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon, said the campus would pull together after the tragedy.

"If any place can come together to help in the healing process and the aftermath of an event like this, it is South Carolina," Laura said at a Monday afternoon press conference.

Fire survivor Tripp Wylie, a 20-year-old South Carolina sophomore, said he jumped out of a third-story window into a canal to escape the flames and was unable to get back in to help his friends.

"I could see a buddy of mine off to the left who had gotten out. He was just yelling at me to jump and stuff," Wylie told CNN affiliate WYFF.

"The smoke was pouring out, couldn't really breathe, so I had to make a quick decision. [I] just kind of leaned out the window and luckily I jumped far enough to make it into the canal."

Neighbors flocked to see the fire as firefighters battled and ultimately got the blaze under control.  See the scenes of devastation Â»

George Smith, who lives across the street from the house, said he heard sirens between 6:30 and 7 a.m. and went outside to see "the whole sky lit up."

"The whole house was completely engulfed in flames, up to about 20 feet," he said. "I have never seen [a fire] move so fast."

George Smith said the house's occupants were "partying in there yesterday and into the night." After about 10:30 p.m. Saturday they quieted down, he said.

Linda Sing said she was walking her dog when she saw the fiery destruction. She noted that firefighters had saved an adjacent house by spraying it down with water.

"We knew there were people in there, but we hoped and prayed they'd gotten out," Sing said. "This is the worst thing I've ever seen. We've had hurricanes, but this is worse."

Ocean Isle Beach is a popular resort destination along North Carolina's southern coast. The year-round population of the 7-mile-long island is about 425, but it swells to about 25,000 during the summer season, according to the town's Web site. E-mail to a friend

text: CNN

text: The

text: owner

text: of

text: a

text: North

text: Carolina

text: beach

text: house

text: where

text: seven

text: college

text: students

text: died

text: in

text: a

text: weekend

text: fire

text: said

text: Monday

text: that

text: his

text: family

text: 's

text: lives

text: were

text: just

text: changed

text: forever

text: by

text: the

text: tragedy

text: Chip

text: Auman

text: said

text: his

text: old

text: daughter

text: survived

text: the

text: fire

text: but

text: was

text: hospitalized

text: and

text: in

text: stable

text: condition

text: because

text: of

text: complications

text: from

text: smoke

text: inhalation

text: The

text: thought

text: of

text: losing

text: a

text: child

text: is

text: unimaginable

text: to

text: me

text: and

text: as

text: a

text: father

text: my

text: heart

text: goes

text: out

text: to

text: the

text: families

text: that

text: lost

text: a

text: loved

text: one

text: in

text: this

text: situation

text: he

text: said

text: Auman

text: said

text: the

text: situation

text: was

text: hard

text: to

text: fathom

text: There

text: 's

text: just

text: no

text: words

text: to

text: describe

text: what

text: we

text: 've

text: been

text: going

text: through

text: he

text: said

text: asking

text: for

text: prayers

text: for

text: survivors

text: and

text: the

text: families

text: of

text: those

text: who

text: died

text: We

text: 're

text: numb

text: we

text: 're

text: confused

text: we

text: 're

text: heartbroken

text: Two

text: college

text: campuses

text: mourned

text: Monday

text: Six

text: University

text: of

text: South

text: Carolina

text: students

text: and

text: a

text: Clemson

text: University

text: student

text: died

text: in

text: the

text: fire

text: early

text: Sunday

text: morning

text: in

text: Ocean

text: Isle

text: Beach

text: North

text: Carolina

text: Six

text: other

text: South

text: Carolina

text: students

text: were

text: able

text: to

text: get

text: out

text: of

text: the

text: house

text: in

text: time

text: The

text: six

text: were

text: treated

text: and

text: released

text: from

text: nearby

text: Brunswick

text: Community

text: Hospital

text: but

text: Auman

text: 's

text: daughter

text: was

text: hospitalized

text: again

text: in

text: Hartsville

text: South

text: Carolina

text: Authorities

text: from

text: the

text: state

text: Bureau

text: of

text: Investigation

text: and

text: the

text: federal

text: Bureau

text: of

text: Alcohol

text: Tobacco

text: Firearms

text: and

text: Explosives

text: are

text: leading

text: the

text: investigation

text: into

text: the

text: cause

text: of

text: the

text: fire

text: Ocean

text: Isle

text: Beach

text: Mayor

text: Debbie

text: Smith

text: said

text: the

text: house

text: was

text: engulfed

text: in

text: flames

text: when

text: the

text: fire

text: department

text: arrived

text: on

text: the

text: scene

text: about

text: five

text: minutes

text: after

text: being

text: notified

text: The

text: flames

text: shot

text: into

text: the

text: sky

text: and

text: ultimately

text: left

text: little

text: more

text: than

text: portions

text: of

text: the

text: framing

text: Fire

text: officials

text: do

text: not

text: believe

text: foul

text: play

text: was

text: involved

text: Watch

text: a

text: neighbor

text: 's

text: video

text: fears

text: of

text: fast

text: burning

text: fire

text: Â

text: Dennis

text: A.

text: Pruitt

text: the

text: vice

text: president

text: for

text: student

text: affairs

text: for

text: the

text: University

text: of

text: South

text: Carolina

text: said

text: investigators

text: have

text: said

text: it

text: would

text: be

text: Tuesday

text: or

text: Wednesday

text: before

text: the

text: identities

text: of

text: the

text: victims

text: are

text: confirmed

text: publicly

text: It

text: could

text: be

text: as

text: much

text: as

text: a

text: month

text: until

text: investigators

text: know

text: the

text: cause

text: of

text: the

text: fire

text: Pruitt

text: said

text: The

text: university

text: did

text: not

text: cancel

text: classes

text: on

text: Monday

text: but

text: Pruitt

text: said

text: arrangements

text: had

text: been

text: made

text: for

text: those

text: who

text: need

text: to

text: go

text: home

text: or

text: stay

text: out

text: of

text: class

text: at

text: the

text: campus

text: Pruitt

text: said

text: meetings

text: had

text: been

text: held

text: Sunday

text: with

text: members

text: of

text: Delta

text: Delta

text: Delta

text: sorority

text: and

text: Sigma

text: Alpha

text: Epsilon

text: fraternity

text: The

text: South

text: Carolina

text: students

text: were

text: affiliated

text: with

text: those

text: houses

text: he

text: said

text: although

text: he

text: stressed

text: that

text: the

text: weekend

text: was

text: not

text: an

text: official

text: Greek

text: function

text: He

text: also

text: said

text: counselors

text: and

text: ministers

text: were

text: available

text: to

text: help

text: students

text: deal

text: with

text: the

text: loss

text: of

text: their

text: classmates

text: The

text: university

text: president

text: Dr.

text: Andrew

text: Sorenson

text: contacted

text: the

text: families

text: of

text: those

text: who

text: died

text: in

text: the

text: fire

text: to

text: express

text: the

text: condolences

text: and

text: support

text: of

text: the

text: university

text: community

text: Jay

text: Laura

text: student

text: president

text: of

text: the

text: USC

text: chapter

text: of

text: Sigma

text: Alpha

text: Epsilon

text: said

text: the

text: campus

text: would

text: pull

text: together

text: after

text: the

text: tragedy

text: If

text: any

text: place

text: can

text: come

text: together

text: to

text: help

text: in

text: the

text: healing

text: process

text: and

text: the

text: aftermath

text: of

text: an

text: event

text: like

text: this

text: it

text: is

text: South

text: Carolina

text: Laura

text: said

text: at

text: a

text: Monday

text: afternoon

text: press

text: conference

text: Fire

text: survivor

text: Tripp

text: Wylie

text: a

text: old

text: South

text: Carolina

text: sophomore

text: said

text: he

text: jumped

text: out

text: of

text: a

text: third

text: story

text: window

text: into

text: a

text: canal

text: to

text: escape

text: the

text: flames

text: and

text: was

text: unable

text: to

text: get

text: back

text: in

text: to

text: help

text: his

text: friends

text: I

text: could

text: see

text: a

text: buddy

text: of

text: mine

text: off

text: to

text: the

text: left

text: who

text: had

text: gotten

text: out

text: He

text: was

text: just

text: yelling

text: at

text: me

text: to

text: jump

text: and

text: stuff

text: Wylie

text: told

text: CNN

text: affiliate

text: WYFF

text: The

text: smoke

text: was

text: pouring

text: out

text: could

text: n't

text: really

text: breathe

text: so

text: I

text: had

text: to

text: make

text: a

text: quick

text: decision

text: I

text: just

text: kind

text: of

text: leaned

text: out

text: the

text: window

text: and

text: luckily

text: I

text: jumped

text: far

text: enough

text: to

text: make

text: it

text: into

text: the

text: canal

text: Neighbors

text: flocked

text: to

text: see

text: the

text: fire

text: as

text: firefighters

text: battled

text: and

text: ultimately

text: got

text: the

text: blaze

text: under

text: control

text: See

text: the

text: scenes

text: of

text: devastation

text: Â

text: George

text: Smith

text: who

text: lives

text: across

text: the

text: street

text: from

text: the

text: house

text: said

text: he

text: heard

text: sirens

text: between

text: and

text: a.m.

text: and

text: went

text: outside

text: to

text: see

text: the

text: whole

text: sky

text: lit

text: up

text: The

text: whole

text: house

text: was

text: completely

text: engulfed

text: in

text: flames

text: up

text: to

text: about

text: feet

text: he

text: said

text: I

text: have

text: never

text: seen

text: a

text: fire

text: move

text: so

text: fast

text: George

text: Smith

text: said

text: the

text: house

text: 's

text: occupants

text: were

text: partying

text: in

text: there

text: yesterday

text: and

text: into

text: the

text: night

text: After

text: about

text: p.m.

text: Saturday

text: they

text: quieted

text: down

text: he

text: said

text: Linda

text: Sing

text: said

text: she

text: was

text: walking

text: her

text: dog

text: when

text: she

text: saw

text: the

text: fiery

text: destruction

text: She

text: noted

text: that

text: firefighters

text: had

text: saved

text: an

text: adjacent

text: house

text: by

text: spraying

text: it

text: down

text: with

text: water

text: We

text: knew

text: there

text: were

text: people

text: in

text: there

text: but

text: we

text: hoped

text: and

text: prayed

text: they

text: 'd

text: gotten

text: out

text: Sing

text: said

text: This

text: is

text: the

text: worst

text: thing

text: I

text: 've

text: ever

text: seen

text: We

text: 've

text: had

text: hurricanes

text: but

text: this

text: is

text: worse

text: Ocean

text: Isle

text: Beach

text: is

text: a

text: popular

text: resort

text: destination

text: along

text: North

text: Carolina

text: 's

text: southern

text: coast

text: The

text: year

text: round

text: population

text: of

text: the

text: long

text: island

text: is

text: about

text: but

text: it

text: swells

text: to

text: about

text: during

text: the

text: summer

text: season

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: town

text: 's

text: Web

text: site

text: E

text: mail

text: to

text: a

text: friend

question: Where did one survivor jump to?

answer: into a canal

text: into a canal

question: What was the number of survivors hospitalized?

answer: six

text: six

question: Who  among six survivors hospitalized?

answer: Chip Auman said his 18-year-old daughter

text: Chip Auman said his 18-year-old daughter

question: Who jumped in a canal?

answer: Tripp Wylie,

text: Tripp Wylie,

question: Who  jumped out of a third-story window into a canal to escape?

answer: Tripp Wylie,

text: Tripp Wylie,

question: Where did the survivor land when escaping?

answer: into the canal."

text: into the canal."

question: where they are hospitalized survivors?

answer: Hartsville, South Carolina.

text: Hartsville, South Carolina.

question: Where did the man jump into?

answer: a canal

text: a canal

question: which university mourns deaths of six students?

answer: of South Carolina

text: of South Carolina

question: What number of survivors were hospitalized?

answer: The six

text: The six

question: What school did the students go to?

answer: University of South Carolina

text: University of South Carolina

question: What was the house owner's daughter?

answer: 18-year-old

question: What did the University mourn?

answer: seven college students

text: seven college students

question: who jum p imto a canal to escape?

answer: Tripp Wylie,

text: Tripp Wylie,

question: which was the cause of death of the 6 students?

answer: fire

text: fire

question: Who mourned the deaths?

answer: Two college campuses

text: Two college campuses

question: what was the amount of suvivors?

answer: Six

text: Six

question: What story did the survivor jump from?

answer: third-story

text: third-story

question: Whose daughter was hospitalized?

answer: Chip Auman

text: Chip Auman

question: From which university were the six dead students?

answer: of South Carolina

text: of South Carolina

question: What happened to the house owner's daughter?

answer: survived the fire but was hospitalized

text: survived the fire but was hospitalized

question: Who mourns deaths of six students?

answer: Two college campuses

text: Two college campuses


text:
(CNN) -- The death of a Canadian soldier in battle-scarred Afghanistan on Thursday brings this month's toll of international military fatalities in the war to 47, the highest monthly tally so far, a CNN count of official statistics shows.

Lt. Col Thorneloe was  one of 15 British troops killed in action in Afghanistan this month.

The Canadian soldier was killed while he was conducting operations in the Panjwayi District in Kandahar province, the Canadian military said.

The previous monthly record was 46, a mark reached twice last year, in June and August.

The growing death toll, which only accounts for the first half of July, comes amid an uptick in fighting across Afghanistan, where international forces and Afghan troops have been battling the Taliban.

The push, called Operation Khanjar, targets militants in Helmand province, a Taliban stronghold and poppy-growing region. The forces are trying to gain and hold ground in the perilous region ahead of national elections this August.

Some of the deaths resulted from nonhostile incidents such as accidents, but most have occurred during hostilities.

According to a CNN count of figures from various governments, the U.S.-led coalition and NATO's International Security Assistance Force, the deaths in July have included 23 Americans, 15 Britons, five Canadians, two Turks, an Italian and a NATO-led soldier whose nationality has not yet been disclosed.

The news coincides with another grim milestone for the British military, which has seen the number of troops killed in Afghanistan surpass the death toll in the Iraq War.

An especially bloody 10 days in Afghanistan's Helmand province, the staging ground for several major recent offensives, claimed the lives of 15 British soldiers in July, putting the number of the country's dead in Afghanistan at 184, the Defense Ministry said.

The British military has lost 179 soldiers in Iraq.

The 15 deaths in July also put the British military on track to be the deadliest month yet for British troops supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.

Britain's deadliest month in Afghanistan so far has been September 2006, when 19 died -- 14 in a single incident, the crash of a Royal Air Force plane near Kandahar.

Since the United States launched Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan in 2001, 652 U.S. troops have died in hostile and nonhostile activities throughout the country.

text: CNN

text: The

text: death

text: of

text: a

text: Canadian

text: soldier

text: in

text: battle

text: scarred

text: Afghanistan

text: on

text: Thursday

text: brings

text: this

text: month

text: 's

text: toll

text: of

text: international

text: military

text: fatalities

text: in

text: the

text: war

text: to

text: the

text: highest

text: monthly

text: tally

text: so

text: far

text: a

text: CNN

text: count

text: of

text: official

text: statistics

text: shows

text: Lt

text: Col

text: Thorneloe

text: was

text: one

text: of

text: British

text: troops

text: killed

text: in

text: action

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: this

text: month

text: The

text: Canadian

text: soldier

text: was

text: killed

text: while

text: he

text: was

text: conducting

text: operations

text: in

text: the

text: Panjwayi

text: District

text: in

text: Kandahar

text: province

text: the

text: Canadian

text: military

text: said

text: The

text: previous

text: monthly

text: record

text: was

text: a

text: mark

text: reached

text: twice

text: last

text: year

text: in

text: June

text: and

text: August

text: The

text: growing

text: death

text: toll

text: which

text: only

text: accounts

text: for

text: the

text: first

text: half

text: of

text: July

text: comes

text: amid

text: an

text: uptick

text: in

text: fighting

text: across

text: Afghanistan

text: where

text: international

text: forces

text: and

text: Afghan

text: troops

text: have

text: been

text: battling

text: the

text: Taliban

text: The

text: push

text: called

text: Operation

text: Khanjar

text: targets

text: militants

text: in

text: Helmand

text: province

text: a

text: Taliban

text: stronghold

text: and

text: poppy

text: growing

text: region

text: The

text: forces

text: are

text: trying

text: to

text: gain

text: and

text: hold

text: ground

text: in

text: the

text: perilous

text: region

text: ahead

text: of

text: national

text: elections

text: this

text: August

text: Some

text: of

text: the

text: deaths

text: resulted

text: from

text: nonhostile

text: incidents

text: such

text: as

text: accidents

text: but

text: most

text: have

text: occurred

text: during

text: hostilities

text: According

text: to

text: a

text: CNN

text: count

text: of

text: figures

text: from

text: various

text: governments

text: the

text: U.S

text: led

text: coalition

text: and

text: NATO

text: 's

text: International

text: Security

text: Assistance

text: Force

text: the

text: deaths

text: in

text: July

text: have

text: included

text: Americans

text: Britons

text: five

text: Canadians

text: two

text: Turks

text: an

text: Italian

text: and

text: a

text: NATO

text: led

text: soldier

text: whose

text: nationality

text: has

text: not

text: yet

text: been

text: disclosed

text: The

text: news

text: coincides

text: with

text: another

text: grim

text: milestone

text: for

text: the

text: British

text: military

text: which

text: has

text: seen

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: troops

text: killed

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: surpass

text: the

text: death

text: toll

text: in

text: the

text: Iraq

text: War

text: An

text: especially

text: bloody

text: days

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: 's

text: Helmand

text: province

text: the

text: staging

text: ground

text: for

text: several

text: major

text: recent

text: offensives

text: claimed

text: the

text: lives

text: of

text: British

text: soldiers

text: in

text: July

text: putting

text: the

text: number

text: of

text: the

text: country

text: 's

text: dead

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: at

text: the

text: Defense

text: Ministry

text: said

text: The

text: British

text: military

text: has

text: lost

text: soldiers

text: in

text: Iraq

text: The

text: deaths

text: in

text: July

text: also

text: put

text: the

text: British

text: military

text: on

text: track

text: to

text: be

text: the

text: deadliest

text: month

text: yet

text: for

text: British

text: troops

text: supporting

text: Operation

text: Enduring

text: Freedom

text: Britain

text: 's

text: deadliest

text: month

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: so

text: far

text: has

text: been

text: September

text: when

text: died

text: in

text: a

text: single

text: incident

text: the

text: crash

text: of

text: a

text: Royal

text: Air

text: Force

text: plane

text: near

text: Kandahar

text: Since

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: launched

text: Operation

text: Enduring

text: Freedom

text: in

text: Afghanistan

text: in

text: U.S.

text: troops

text: have

text: died

text: in

text: hostile

text: and

text: nonhostile

text: activities

text: throughout

text: the

text: country

question: Where is the Taliban stringhold?

answer: Helmand province,

text: Helmand province,

question: What was the previous record for the number of deaths?

answer: 46,

question: Who die in Kandahar?

answer: The Canadian soldier was killed

text: The Canadian soldier was killed

question: What was the monthly record for coalition forces?

answer: 47,

question: What happened in Helmand province?

answer: several major recent offensives, claimed

text: several major recent offensives, claimed

question: What is the number of dead this month?

answer: fatalities in the war to 47,

text: fatalities in the war to 47,

question: Where did the soldier die?

answer: Panjwayi District in Kandahar province,

text: Panjwayi District in Kandahar province,


text:
(CNN)  -- Almost 33,000 acres of the Everglades National Park were burning Sunday, fire officials said, the latest in a series of wildfires that have scorched parts of Florida in May.

Smoke obscures the flames Sunday in the Everglades National Park.

The smoke cast a haze over parts of South Florida, including Miami, prompting a dense smoke advisory from the National Weather Service.

The fire, which threatened private property as well as an endangered bird, started Friday, the  Southern Area InterAgency Management Blue Team said.

By Sunday morning it was 20 percent contained, and fire crews were working to restrict it to the park while protecting the Cape Sable seaside sparrow, a federally protected species whose only habitat is in the Everglades.  Watch the Everglades fire spread ÃÂ»

Windy conditions Sunday morning pushed the fire into the corner of the park closest to Miami, fire officials said.

About 200 personnel battled the blaze in southern Florida Saturday night, but more crews were expected to join them Sunday.

It is the latest wildfire to scorch Florida. More than 12,000 acres burned in the "Brevard Complex" fire near Palm Bay, on Florida's Atlantic Coast just south of Daytona Beach. That series of fires is about 75 percent contained and is expected to be fully contained on Tuesday, the National Interagency Fire Center said Sunday.  Learn how wildfires spread ÃÂ»

Last week, Florida authorities charged a suspect, Brian Crowder, with arson in connection with some of the fires in Palm Bay.   Watch the suspect's 'perp walk' ÃÂ»

The Brevard County fires have destroyed about 22 homes and structures, and damaged another 160 homes. Damage totals more than $9 million, officials  said.

A 19,000-acre fire near Clewiston, Florida, on the south end of Lake Okeechobee, is about 50 percent contained, the fire center said Sunday.

And a 1,300-acre fire north of Apalachicola in the Florida Panhandle was 80 percent contained by Sunday, it said.

Last week, U.S. Navy officials said a Navy jet sparked a 257-acre forest fire in the Ocala National Forest in the north-central part of the state. The jet had missed a target on a practice bombing run, the officials said.

text: CNN

text: Almost

text: acres

text: of

text: the

text: Everglades

text: National

text: Park

text: were

text: burning

text: Sunday

text: fire

text: officials

text: said

text: the

text: latest

text: in

text: a

text: series

text: of

text: wildfires

text: that

text: have

text: scorched

text: parts

text: of

text: Florida

text: in

text: May.

text: Smoke

text: obscures

text: the

text: flames

text: Sunday

text: in

text: the

text: Everglades

text: National

text: Park

text: The

text: smoke

text: cast

text: a

text: haze

text: over

text: parts

text: of

text: South

text: Florida

text: including

text: Miami

text: prompting

text: a

text: dense

text: smoke

text: advisory

text: from

text: the

text: National

text: Weather

text: Service

text: The

text: fire

text: which

text: threatened

text: private

text: property

text: as

text: well

text: as

text: an

text: endangered

text: bird

text: started

text: Friday

text: the

text: Southern

text: Area

text: InterAgency

text: Management

text: Blue

text: Team

text: said

text: By

text: Sunday

text: morning

text: it

text: was

text: percent

text: contained

text: and

text: fire

text: crews

text: were

text: working

text: to

text: restrict

text: it

text: to

text: the

text: park

text: while

text: protecting

text: the

text: Cape

text: Sable

text: seaside

text: sparrow

text: a

text: federally

text: protected

text: species

text: whose

text: only

text: habitat

text: is

text: in

text: the

text: Everglades

text: Watch

text: the

text: Everglades

text: fire

text: spread

text: ÃÂ

text: Windy

text: conditions

text: Sunday

text: morning

text: pushed

text: the

text: fire

text: into

text: the

text: corner

text: of

text: the

text: park

text: closest

text: to

text: Miami

text: fire

text: officials

text: said

text: About

text: personnel

text: battled

text: the

text: blaze

text: in

text: southern

text: Florida

text: Saturday

text: night

text: but

text: more

text: crews

text: were

text: expected

text: to

text: join

text: them

text: Sunday

text: It

text: is

text: the

text: latest

text: wildfire

text: to

text: scorch

text: Florida

text: More

text: than

text: acres

text: burned

text: in

text: the

text: Brevard

text: Complex

text: fire

text: near

text: Palm

text: Bay

text: on

text: Florida

text: 's

text: Atlantic

text: Coast

text: just

text: south

text: of

text: Daytona

text: Beach

text: That

text: series

text: of

text: fires

text: is

text: about

text: percent

text: contained

text: and

text: is

text: expected

text: to

text: be

text: fully

text: contained

text: on

text: Tuesday

text: the

text: National

text: Interagency

text: Fire

text: Center

text: said

text: Sunday

text: Learn

text: how

text: wildfires

text: spread

text: ÃÂ

text: Last

text: week

text: Florida

text: authorities

text: charged

text: a

text: suspect

text: Brian

text: Crowder

text: with

text: arson

text: in

text: connection

text: with

text: some

text: of

text: the

text: fires

text: in

text: Palm

text: Bay

text: Watch

text: the

text: suspect

text: 's

text: perp

text: walk

text: ÃÂ

text: The

text: Brevard

text: County

text: fires

text: have

text: destroyed

text: about

text: homes

text: and

text: structures

text: and

text: damaged

text: another

text: homes

text: Damage

text: totals

text: more

text: than

text: million

text: officials

text: said

text: A

text: fire

text: near

text: Clewiston

text: Florida

text: on

text: the

text: south

text: end

text: of

text: Lake

text: Okeechobee

text: is

text: about

text: percent

text: contained

text: the

text: fire

text: center

text: said

text: Sunday

text: And

text: a

text: fire

text: north

text: of

text: Apalachicola

text: in

text: the

text: Florida

text: Panhandle

text: was

text: percent

text: contained

text: by

text: Sunday

text: it

text: said

text: Last

text: week

text: U.S.

text: Navy

text: officials

text: said

text: a

text: Navy

text: jet

text: sparked

text: a

text: forest

text: fire

text: in

text: the

text: Ocala

text: National

text: Forest

text: in

text: the

text: north

text: central

text: part

text: of

text: the

text: state

text: The

text: jet

text: had

text: missed

text: a

text: target

text: on

text: a

text: practice

text: bombing

text: run

text: the

text: officials

text: said

question: What animal does the fire threaten?

answer: Cape Sable seaside sparrow,

text: Cape Sable seaside sparrow,

question: What was issued for South Florida?

answer: dense smoke advisory

text: dense smoke advisory

question: What threatens the bird?

answer: The fire,

text: The fire,

question: A dense smoke advisory is in affect for what region?

answer: parts of South Florida,

text: parts of South Florida,

question: Who was accused of setting fires?

answer: ct, Brian Crowd

text: ct, Brian Crowd

question: What kind of advisory did the National Weather Service involve itself in?

answer: dense smoke

text: dense smoke

question: The fire threatens where?

answer: South Florida,

text: South Florida,

question: Where does the Cape Sable seaside sparrow live?

answer: Everglades.

text: Everglades.

question: Who issued the smoke advisory?

answer: National Weather Service.

text: National Weather Service.


text:
(CNN) -- An animal rescue group on Sunday picked up a U.S. soldier's adopted dog from Iraq, ending the soldier's weeks-long struggle to send the animal to her Minnesota home.

Sgt. Gwen Beberg adopted Ratchet after soldiers rescued him from a burning pile of trash in May.

Operation Baghdad Pups, which said the U.S. military prevented its first attempt to take Ratchet the dog on October 1, picked up the animal in Baghdad with military clearance and flew it to Kuwait on Sunday.

The dog is expected to be flown to Washington on Monday, and if a veterinarian determines it is healthy, sent to Sgt. Gwen Beberg's home state on Wednesday, Baghdad Pups publicist Larry Garrison said.

Beberg, who adopted the dog after soldiers rescued it from a burning trash pile in May, tried to have the group fly Ratchet to the United States on October 1 as her deployment neared an end.

But the military, which prohibits soldiers from adopting pets abroad and bringing them to the United States, confiscated the animal after Beberg put it on a convoy bound for Baghdad Airport, according to the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, which runs OBP.

Ratchet and Beberg, 28, drew the attention of thousands of people who signed two online petitions -- linked through the SPCA's Web site -- urging the military to let Ratchet go to the United States.

The military cleared OBP to take Ratchet on Wednesday, but not in time for the group's flight from Baghdad that day, the SPCA said.

On Sunday, private security contractors took Ratchet from a base to the airport, where OBP -- which works with soldiers to help them bring adopted animals home -- put Ratchet on the charter flight to Kuwait, Garrison said.

Northwest Airlines will donate the flights from Kuwait to Minnesota, Garrison said.

The SPCA said Ratchet helped Beberg deal with her Iraq deployment, which started in September 2007 and is scheduled to end in November.

"She was absolutely miserable in the war and was really struggling to keep going every day. Ratchet turned it around for her," SPCA spokeswoman Stephanie Scroggs said last week.

Beberg's mother, Patricia Beberg, in a statement released by the SPCA, said Ratchet "was the savior of her [daughter's] sanity" in Iraq.

SPCA representatives said the military euthanizes some animals that it confiscates, and that Gwen Beberg worried that Ratchet would be killed.

Beberg was thrilled to hear last week that the military would let OBP take Ratchet, the SPCA said.

"Your persistence and amazing work has astonished me throughout this whole thing," Gwen Beberg said in an e-mail to the SPCA, according to the society.

Scroggs said one of Beberg's friends helped spread the news about Ratchet through blogs. One of the petitions, which had more than 65,000 signatures as of Sunday night, was started by a blogger, Scroggs said.

The SPCA says although active-duty soldiers aren't allowed to adopt animals in the Middle East, many soldiers befriend animals in the course of their service there.

Garrison said the program relies on donations, saying it generally costs $3,000 to $4,000 to bring a servicemember's animal to the United States.

"This isn't a one-time story This is a program making a difference for our soldiers," Garrison said.

text: CNN

text: An

text: animal

text: rescue

text: group

text: on

text: Sunday

text: picked

text: up

text: a

text: U.S.

text: soldier

text: 's

text: adopted

text: dog

text: from

text: Iraq

text: ending

text: the

text: soldier

text: 's

text: weeks

text: long

text: struggle

text: to

text: send

text: the

text: animal

text: to

text: her

text: Minnesota

text: home

text: Sgt

text: Gwen

text: Beberg

text: adopted

text: Ratchet

text: after

text: soldiers

text: rescued

text: him

text: from

text: a

text: burning

text: pile

text: of

text: trash

text: in

text: May.

text: Operation

text: Baghdad

text: Pups

text: which

text: said

text: the

text: U.S.

text: military

text: prevented

text: its

text: first

text: attempt

text: to

text: take

text: Ratchet

text: the

text: dog

text: on

text: October

text: picked

text: up

text: the

text: animal

text: in

text: Baghdad

text: with

text: military

text: clearance

text: and

text: flew

text: it

text: to

text: Kuwait

text: on

text: Sunday

text: The

text: dog

text: is

text: expected

text: to

text: be

text: flown

text: to

text: Washington

text: on

text: Monday

text: and

text: if

text: a

text: veterinarian

text: determines

text: it

text: is

text: healthy

text: sent

text: to

text: Sgt

text: Gwen

text: Beberg

text: 's

text: home

text: state

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: Baghdad

text: Pups

text: publicist

text: Larry

text: Garrison

text: said

text: Beberg

text: who

text: adopted

text: the

text: dog

text: after

text: soldiers

text: rescued

text: it

text: from

text: a

text: burning

text: trash

text: pile

text: in

text: May

text: tried

text: to

text: have

text: the

text: group

text: fly

text: Ratchet

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: on

text: October

text: as

text: her

text: deployment

text: neared

text: an

text: end

text: But

text: the

text: military

text: which

text: prohibits

text: soldiers

text: from

text: adopting

text: pets

text: abroad

text: and

text: bringing

text: them

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: confiscated

text: the

text: animal

text: after

text: Beberg

text: put

text: it

text: on

text: a

text: convoy

text: bound

text: for

text: Baghdad

text: Airport

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: Society

text: for

text: the

text: Prevention

text: of

text: Cruelty

text: to

text: Animals

text: which

text: runs

text: OBP

text: Ratchet

text: and

text: Beberg

text: drew

text: the

text: attention

text: of

text: thousands

text: of

text: people

text: who

text: signed

text: two

text: online

text: petitions

text: linked

text: through

text: the

text: SPCA

text: 's

text: Web

text: site

text: urging

text: the

text: military

text: to

text: let

text: Ratchet

text: go

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: The

text: military

text: cleared

text: OBP

text: to

text: take

text: Ratchet

text: on

text: Wednesday

text: but

text: not

text: in

text: time

text: for

text: the

text: group

text: 's

text: flight

text: from

text: Baghdad

text: that

text: day

text: the

text: SPCA

text: said

text: On

text: Sunday

text: private

text: security

text: contractors

text: took

text: Ratchet

text: from

text: a

text: base

text: to

text: the

text: airport

text: where

text: OBP

text: which

text: works

text: with

text: soldiers

text: to

text: help

text: them

text: bring

text: adopted

text: animals

text: home

text: put

text: Ratchet

text: on

text: the

text: charter

text: flight

text: to

text: Kuwait

text: Garrison

text: said

text: Northwest

text: Airlines

text: will

text: donate

text: the

text: flights

text: from

text: Kuwait

text: to

text: Minnesota

text: Garrison

text: said

text: The

text: SPCA

text: said

text: Ratchet

text: helped

text: Beberg

text: deal

text: with

text: her

text: Iraq

text: deployment

text: which

text: started

text: in

text: September

text: and

text: is

text: scheduled

text: to

text: end

text: in

text: November

text: She

text: was

text: absolutely

text: miserable

text: in

text: the

text: war

text: and

text: was

text: really

text: struggling

text: to

text: keep

text: going

text: every

text: day

text: Ratchet

text: turned

text: it

text: around

text: for

text: her

text: SPCA

text: spokeswoman

text: Stephanie

text: Scroggs

text: said

text: last

text: week

text: Beberg

text: 's

text: mother

text: Patricia

text: Beberg

text: in

text: a

text: statement

text: released

text: by

text: the

text: SPCA

text: said

text: Ratchet

text: was

text: the

text: savior

text: of

text: her

text: daughter

text: 's

text: sanity

text: in

text: Iraq

text: SPCA

text: representatives

text: said

text: the

text: military

text: euthanizes

text: some

text: animals

text: that

text: it

text: confiscates

text: and

text: that

text: Gwen

text: Beberg

text: worried

text: that

text: Ratchet

text: would

text: be

text: killed

text: Beberg

text: was

text: thrilled

text: to

text: hear

text: last

text: week

text: that

text: the

text: military

text: would

text: let

text: OBP

text: take

text: Ratchet

text: the

text: SPCA

text: said

text: Your

text: persistence

text: and

text: amazing

text: work

text: has

text: astonished

text: me

text: throughout

text: this

text: whole

text: thing

text: Gwen

text: Beberg

text: said

text: in

text: an

text: e

text: mail

text: to

text: the

text: SPCA

text: according

text: to

text: the

text: society

text: Scroggs

text: said

text: one

text: of

text: Beberg

text: 's

text: friends

text: helped

text: spread

text: the

text: news

text: about

text: Ratchet

text: through

text: blogs

text: One

text: of

text: the

text: petitions

text: which

text: had

text: more

text: than

text: signatures

text: as

text: of

text: Sunday

text: night

text: was

text: started

text: by

text: a

text: blogger

text: Scroggs

text: said

text: The

text: SPCA

text: says

text: although

text: active

text: duty

text: soldiers

text: are

text: n't

text: allowed

text: to

text: adopt

text: animals

text: in

text: the

text: Middle

text: East

text: many

text: soldiers

text: befriend

text: animals

text: in

text: the

text: course

text: of

text: their

text: service

text: there

text: Garrison

text: said

text: the

text: program

text: relies

text: on

text: donations

text: saying

text: it

text: generally

text: costs

text: to

text: to

text: bring

text: a

text: servicemember

text: 's

text: animal

text: to

text: the

text: United

text: States

text: This

text: is

text: n't

text: a

text: one

text: time

text: story

text: This

text: is

text: a

text: program

text: making

text: a

text: difference

text: for

text: our

text: soldiers

text: Garrison

text: said

question: Who adopted a dog?

answer: Sgt. Gwen Beberg

text: Sgt. Gwen Beberg

question: where was the dog adopted?

answer: Iraq,

text: Iraq,

question: when will the dog arrive?

answer: October 1,

text: October 1,

question: What did the military prohibit?

answer: prevented its first attempt to take Ratchet the dog

text: prevented its first attempt to take Ratchet the dog

question: Where could the animal be by Wednesday?

answer: Sgt. Gwen Beberg's home state

text: Sgt. Gwen Beberg's home state

question: When did the military take the dog?

answer: October 1,

text: October 1,

question: the Dog helped soldier cope with what?

answer: her Iraq deployment,

text: her Iraq deployment,

question: Who took the dog?

answer: Sgt. Gwen Beberg

text: Sgt. Gwen Beberg

question: What did the dog help the soldier cope with?

answer: her Iraq deployment,

text: her Iraq deployment,