Rochester, Minn.
Passengers stranded: Forty-seven passengers and three crew members were trapped overnight in a smelly, cramped plane on the tarmac in Rochester, Minn. Continental Express Flight 2816 left Houston Friday evening, headed for Minneapolis–St. Paul. But the flight was diverted to Rochester, Minn., where passengers were inexplicably kept onboard for more than six hours, given no refreshments, and forced to endure the stench from the plane’s over-capacity toilet. “This was a sardine can,” said passenger Link Christin. “It was a nightmare.” Airline and airport officials traded blame for the foul-up. Congress is now considering legislation that would require airlines to let passengers off planes stuck on runways for three hours. Since 2007, about 200,000 passengers have been trapped on about 3,000 planes for three hours or more.
Denver
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Chinese beetles unleashed: Opening a new front in the battle to save water, Colorado officials have released more than 100,000 Chinese beetles along the Arkansas River, where they hope the insects will suppress a rapidly growing weed with a ravenous thirst. The tamarisk weed, which originated in Asia, consumes hundreds of billions of gallons of water a year in parched Western states; a single plant can suck up more than 200 gallons a day. The beetles, which are also from Asia, eat tamarisk leaves. But some environmentalists say the beetles could themselves pose a threat—to the endangered willow flycatcher, which uses the tamarisk for nesting. “Sometimes, there are conflicting interests,” said pest control official Dan Bean.
Columbia, S.C.
More trouble for Sanford: Pressure on South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford to resign mounted this week after press reports revealed that the Republican had used state aircraft for personal trips, including hair and dental appointments. Separately, State Sen. David Thomas, also a Republican, said Sanford had flouted the law by using $13,700 in state funds to pay for first-class and business-class seats on official travel. Sanford’s travel practices, Thomas said, could “constitute a case for possible impeachment.” Sanford has been on the defensive since he admitted to an extramarital affair in June, following his mysterious absence from the state. Sanford denied any official wrongdoing and said he intends to serve out his term.
New Orleans
Ex-congressman convicted: In a case made famous by the discovery of $90,000 in cash stashed in his freezer, former U.S. Rep. William Jefferson last week was convicted on 11 counts of public corruption. Jefferson, the first African-American elected to Congress from Louisiana since Reconstruction, faces up to 150 years in jail when he is sentenced Oct. 30. Jurors in federal district court in Alexandria, Va., determined that Jefferson, a 62-year-old Democrat who lost his re-election bid last year, received hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes in connection with business ventures in Africa. “He used his influence and his power to enrich himself and his family,” said U.S. Attorney Dana Boente. Jefferson plans to appeal.
New York City
Horror on the Hudson: Nine people were killed when a sightseeing helicopter ferrying Italian tourists collided with a single-engine plane over the Hudson River, in full view of thousands along the riverside. There were no survivors. “They were tangled up together,” said Charlie O’Donnell, who was kayaking at the time. “The helicopter dropped like a rock.” Planes over the Hudson River may fly anywhere they want, provided they remain below 1,100 feet. The cause of the collision has not been determined, but the family of chopper pilot Jeremy Clarke called for tougher rules governing flights over the Hudson. “It is the great hope of our family that, through this tragedy, lessons will be learned,” they said. More than 200 flights a day operate in that unregulated airspace.
Miami
Famed jewel thief jailed: Joseph Carbone, aka “Condo Joe,” a South Florida jewel thief renowned for his lock-picking skills, stylish dress, and jaunty manner, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for breaking into a condo. Carbone, 62, for years had been a target of Miami detectives. He was known to entrust his car to valets during break-ins and occasionally would send a friendly note to his trackers in the police department. At his sentencing, Carbone told the court he intended to switch professions—to fiction writing. Retired detective Mike Crowley appeared doubtful: “Ernest Hemingway, he’s not.”
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