WESTMORELAND, N.H. (AP) - A New Hampshire woman certified as the oldest person living in the United States has died.
Mary Josephine Ray died Sunday at a Westmoreland nursing home at age 114 years and 294 days old. The Gerontology Research Group says that until her death, Ray was the oldest person in the United States and the second oldest person in the world.
The title of oldest living American now goes to Neva Morris of Ames, Iowa, who is 114 years 216 days.
The oldest person in the world is Kama Chinen of Japan. She is 114 years 301 days.
Ray was born in Prince Edward Island, Canada. She moved to the United States at age 3. She lived for 60 years in Anson, Maine, and moved to Westmoreland in 2002 to be near her children. A funeral is set for Thursday in Madison, Maine.
JEFFERSON, Iowa (AP) - Authorities say a Union Pacific train loaded with coal derailed near Jefferson in west central Iowa.
Greene County Sheriff Tom Heater says about 37 cars of a 140-car Union Pacific train went off the tracks at a crossing about 9 p.m. on Sunday about 5 miles west of Jefferson.
Heater on Monday says the train was heading east when the middle of the train "lost it right at the crossing" for whatever reason.
The sheriff says the derailment happened in a rural area, and no injuries are reported. Heater says some coal was spilled, but other cars remained upright and are still loaded.
The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
SPENCER, Iowa (AP) - Fire officials say snow and ice falling off a roof caused a gas leak that sparked a fire at a business in Spencer over the weekend.
The fire broke out Saturday afternoon in a building housing Crescent Electric. Heavy smoke was pouring out of the building when firefighters arrived.
Officials say snow and ice falling from the roof caused a natural gas line to crack near a furnace, which ignited the gas. Fire crews were on the scene for about 10 hours. Damage could
exceed $2 million.
Officials say a roof collapsed and caused major damage at a vacant Mason City building, apparently due to heavy snow. No one was injured.
Mike Reindl Jr.'s family owns the building that once housed Hobby Lobby and is located at the Southport Center. He says he believes the gutters were full of ice and heavy snow
fall and Saturday's rainfall didn't help.
The leasing manager of the property, Lyle Holmgaard, says walker reported the collapse around 5:30 a.m. Sunday. Holmgaard says it appears to be a total loss.
- Officials say heavy snow and ice caused the roof of a vacant bowling alley to collapse in Hampton. No injuries were reported in the cave-in at the old Trico Lanes Sunday morning.
The current owner, Ted Vosburg, purchased the bowling alley as a vacant building about five years ago. He says all that was in it was some "old stuff" such as a few pieces of carpet.
