Briefs

Smoke, oversight kill 10 race dogs

By wire services
Published June 3, 2005

BONITA SPRINGS - Ten of more than 60 greyhounds at the Naples-Fort Myers Greyhound Track died Wednesday after their kennel filled with smoke from an air conditioning unit fire.

Wayne Beckman, director of security for the track, said the fire burned unnoticed after a guard checked the wrong kennel twice after an alarm went off in the early morning hours.

Owners coming in just before 5 a.m. to prepare their dogs for the day's races discovered the animals in the smoke-filled kennel.

The track was closed Wednesday as emergency workers and volunteers labored for hours in pouring rain to resuscitate the dogs, providing oxygen and intravenous fluids. Fifty-six dogs were transported to area animal hospitals.

ASIAN GAMES: The South Korean port city of Incheon and the North Korean capital Pyongyang agreed on a joint bid to host the 2014 Asian Games.

Incheon Mayor Ahn Sang-soo announced the agreement Thursday after a visit to the North. To help win the joint bid, the South will assist the impoverished North to build or repair sports facilities, hotels and roads. The deadline for submitting the bid is the end of the month.

She also advanced to Saturday's finals in three individual events.

Lepennec scored 37.500 in the all-around qualifications.

USA BASKETBALL: Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Larry Brown are among the who's-who list of stars who agreed Thursday to help choose the men's Olympic basketball team for the United States.

USA Basketball, the sport's national governing body, wants to avoid the trouble that came in selecting the 2004 Olympic team, which finished third at the Athens Games.

[Last modified June 3, 2005, 01:17:06]