China tensions top ASEAN summit talks in Myanmar

NAYPYIDAW, Myanmar -- Concerns over China's aggressive behavior in the South China Sea were a key topic Sunday in the first regional summit hosted by Myanmar, which is hoping to demonstrate the progress it's made since emerging from a half-century of brutal military rule.

A standoff between Chinese and Vietnamese ships near the Paracel Islands put a fresh spotlight on long-standing and bitter maritime disputes.

The stakes are high — the South China Sea is one of the world's most important shipping lanes, rich in fish and believed to contain significant oil and gas reserves.

However, some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations are wary of upsetting their political and economic relationship with their giant neighbor and regional powerhouse. A draft of the closing statement to be read by host Myanmar, obtained by The Associated Press, made no direct mention of China.

While little was expected beyond a joint statement made by foreign ministers Saturday who expressed concern and called for self-restraint, Philippine President Benigno Aquino III made it clear before the leaders sat down Sunday that he wanted firmer action.

He said he would raise his country's own territorial dispute with Beijing, while calling for support to resolve its conflict through international arbitration.

"Let us uphold and follow the rule of law in resolving territorial disputes in order to give due recognition and respect to the rights of all nations," Aquino said in a statement . "We cannot rely just on dialogues between only two nations to settle issues that affect others in the region."

Vietnam has protested China's oil rig deployment close to its shores, and sent a flotilla to confront about 50 Chinese vessels protecting the facility.

Vietnam says the islands fall within its continental shelf and a 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone. China claims sovereignty over the area and most of the South China Sea — a position that has brought Beijing in conflict with other claimants, including the Philippines and Malaysia.

The United States has criticized China's latest action as provocative and unhelpful.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying responded by saying that the issue should not concern ASEAN and that Beijing was opposed to "one or two countries' attempts to use the South Sea issue to harm the overall friendship and cooperation between China and ASEAN," according to state-run Xinhua News Agency.

Leaders were also expected to discuss tensions on the Korean Peninsula — reiterating their commitment to a region "free of nuclear weapons and all other weapons of mass destruction," according to the draft final statement.

They discussed, too, the need to effectively tackle threats like cybercrime, human trafficking, climate change, as well as food and energy security, human rights issues and efforts to an ASEAN economic community.

This was the first time Myanmar was hosting a summit of Southeast Asian heads of state since it joined the 10-member bloc in 1997.

Previously, it was passed over because of its poor human rights record. Though much work needs to be done, it has implemented sweeping political and economic reforms since ruling generals handed over power to a quasi-civilian government in 2011.

ASEAN is comprised of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Associated Press writer Oliver Teves contributed to this report from Manila, Philippines.

Jackson man's wooden bicycle proves to be tough

JACKSON, Mich. -- In the early 1800s, the first bicycles, called dandy horses were invented in Mannheim, Germany and made almost entirely of wood.

Since then, bicycles have come a long way. Today, they are modern machines, built for travel, leisure and sport. Some people even use bicycles for everyday commuting.

Stephen Ziegenfuss, who builds his own bicycles, has reverted back to using wood as the main component. In his home wood shop, he builds modern mountain bikes — with frames made entirely of wood according to the Jackson Citizen Patriot (http://bit.ly/1o7c0uk ).

Starting with a large chunk of hickory or ash, he cuts the wood into strips, then presses them together to form a solid, yet light 5-pound frame. The projected cost for a frame is $800 to $1,100, he said, depending on the rider's specifications.

Ziegenfuss has one finished product and seven bikes in the works that will go to a group of local riders.

"I just love building anything with my hands," Said Ziegenfuss. "Building something that's functional, that you can use to do something you love to do."

An avid racer, Ziegenfuss started building wood-framed bikes because the traditional aluminum and steel frames weren't able to withstand his vigorous riding.

He built his first model two summers ago. It has since been through eight races, including the Iceman Challenge, Ore 2 Shore and the Barry-Roubaix.

"It's held up really well," he said. "There's only a few chips on the frame."

Riding across the country also is something Ziegenfuss is planning to do in the near future. With a few friends, he will ride from the east coast, most likely starting somewhere in Virginia, he said, all the way to Oregon — using bicycles he will make. The trip all together will average around 3,000 miles.

The group is planning to complete the cross-country trip in no more than 30 days, riding 100 miles or more each day.

"Part of the reason why I love riding so much is because it's one of the things I do to feel alive," Ziegenfuss said. "When you get out in the woods or even just get out on the dirt roads around town here, you can get away from it all. You can bear down, you can exercise and also enjoy what you're doing."

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Information from: Jackson Citizen Patriot, http://bit.ly/QtU3dG

This is an AP Member Exchange shared by the Jackson Citizen Patriot.

Hundreds may face layoffs after immigration audit

CASHMERE, Wash. -- Hundreds of workers at a central Washington apple packaging company could be facing layoffs after a federal immigration audit.

Crunch Pak notified its employees on Friday that they need to provide documents proving they can work in the United States legally after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement audit unveiled discrepancies in the payroll, The Wenatchee World reported Saturday (http://bit.ly/1uOgGtD ).

Company spokeswoman Amy Philpott confirmed the audit but did not say how many employees were affected. The audit began in August 2013, and workers under review were notified the next month, she said.

Vicky Castro of East Wenatchee estimated that 90 percent of the people she works with received notifications.

Crunch Pak, which packages apple slices, employs about 900 people in Cashmere. The layoffs could begin May 19.

"What the company wants is for every employee to have the chance to correct their information or amend their paperwork," Philpott said.

Under an I-9 audit, employees are given 10 days to correct any discrepancies. The affected employees received their paychecks Friday attached to a notification letter and a blank immigration-information form that they could use to correct, if possible, any errors in their records.

The number of audits under President Barack Obama's administration has grown to thousands, and ICE promotes them to deter companies from hiring workers in the country illegally. Companies face fines and, in some cases, criminal charges for hiring people not allowed to work in the country.

Immigrant advocates say the audits have pushed workers further underground by causing mass layoffs and disrupted business practices.

An ICE spokesman in Seattle said the company does not confirm pending audits.

On Friday, around 50 workers organized a walkout to protest the looming layoffs. Most of those who walked out to the sidewalk, still wearing hardhats and hairnets, received the notices. Several said they had worked at Crunch Pak for a dozen years, and most said they were supporting children, either alone or with a spouse.

"They promised us when we started working here . they said, 'Help us build the company now and we'll all share the benefits,'" Maria Rosas, an employee of 14 years, said Friday. "I've been working five years without even a 5 cent pay increase, working day and night, as long as 16-hour days. Fourteen years making apples and not a single time have I ever been asked for documents."

Maria Maldonado, a longtime employee of the company that opened in 2001, agreed.

"All these years with the company only to find out they're throwing us out," she said.

Several workers complained that the company exploited their lack of legal status to assign long hours, with no paid vacation time, pay raises or health benefits.

St. Louis Rams pick Michael Sam in NFL draft

By RALPH D. RUSSO The Associated Press

NEW YORK -- Michael Sam was picked by the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the NFL draft Saturday, becoming the first openly gay player drafted by a pro football team.

Sam played at Missouri, and came out as gay in media interviews earlier this year. His team and coaches knew his secret and kept it for his final college season. He went on to have the best season of his career: He was the Southeastern Conference defensive player of the year.

"Thank you to the St. Louis Rams and the whole city of St. Louis. I'm using every once of this to achieve greatness!!" Sam tweeted moments after he was picked, with a picture of himself wearing a Rams cap and a pink polo shirt.

The pick came after several rounds of suspense. The first round of the day came and went, no Sam. Then the second, and the third, and finally, the day was down to just a handful of picks.

When Mike Kensil, the NFL's vice president of game operations, walked to the podium at Radio City Music Hall in the draft's final minutes to announce the Rams' second-to-last pick, the crowd got a sense something was up. Very few of the last day picks were announced at the podium. Twitter lit up with suggestions the Rams were about to make news.

When Kensil said: "The St. Louis Rams select ... Michael Sam..." the fans gave a hearty cheer, chanting "Yes! Yes! Yes!" and "Michael Sam!"

Sam was in San Diego watching with friends and family at the home of his agent, Joe Barkett of Empire Athletes. ESPN and the NFL Network had cameras there and showed Sam's reaction.

Sam was on the phone bending over, with his boyfriend hugging him and rubbing his left bicep. When Sam got off the phone, the tears started. He gave his boyfriend a big kiss and a long hug as he cried and his eyes reddened. After, they shared cake — and another kiss.

Sam will start his professional career not far from the place where he played his college ball, with three former Missouri teammates.

The 6-foot-2, 255-pound Sam was considered a mid-to-late round pick, far from a sure thing to be drafted. He played defensive end in college, but he's short for that position in the NFL and slower than most outside linebackers, the position he'll need to transition to at the professional level.

He was taken with the 249th overall pick out of 256. Players from Marist, Maine and McGill University in Canada were slected before Sam.

"In the world of diversity we live in now, I'm honored to be a part of this," Rams coach Jeff Fisher said during an interview on ESPN.

The impact of Sam's selection goes far beyond football. At a time when gay marriage is gaining acceptance among Americans, Sam's entry into the NFL is a huge step toward the integration of gay men into professional team sports. Pro sports have in many ways lagged behind the rest of society in acceptance.

Publicly, most people in and related to the NFL have been supportive of Sam. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell has said Sam would be welcome in the league and judged solely on his ability to play. A few wondered whether teams would be reluctant to draft Sam because of all the media attention that would come with it.

Fair or not, the NFL — coming off a season in which a bullying scandal involving players on the Miami Dolphins was one of the biggest stories in sports — was looking at a possible public relations hit if Sam was not drafted. He would likely have been signed as a free agent and given a chance to make a team in training camp, but to many it would have looked as if he was being rejected.

Now that he's there, it could be seen as an opportunity for the NFL to show that crass locker room culture is not as prevalent as it might have looked to those who followed the embarrassing Dolphins scandal.

Joining Forces This Mother's Day

Today, I had the pleasure of addressing the Mother's Day brunch for military moms and families hosted by the Association of the United States Army. My comments were about Joining Forces and our efforts to support veteran and military families. In addition to being a Commander in the United States Navy, I am also a military spouse and a military mom to three wonderful, and rather rambunctious, small children.

My message was clear to the families in the audience:

Overwhelmingly our nation recognizes that our service members and our veterans have made many sacrifices through their service, but so have their families. Every military spouse and every military child, each of you has served our country too. You have made sacrifices and you have endured uncertainty in your own lives in order for our military to be able to do its job ensuring the freedom of every person in this great Nation. Your sacrifices and your service are the reason that the First Lady and Dr. Biden created Joining Forces.

Joining Forces was launched three years ago to ensure that all of our veterans and military families get the benefits, support and respect that they have earned and that they deserve. Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden have called upon all sectors of society to step up and support veterans and military families. Across our Nation, public, private and nonprofit organizations are answering that call in the areas of employment, education, wellness, and beyond.

In August of 2011, President Obama challenged businesses to hire or train 100,000 veterans or their spouses by the end of 2013. Companies across the country answered that call, quickly reaching and surpassing that goal. Just weeks ago down at Fort Campbell in Kentucky, Mrs. Obama announced that companies answering that call have now hired more than 540,000 veterans and military spouses. In just 3 years, that is more than half a million veterans and military spouses hired. At Fort Campbell, Mrs. Obama also announced the launch of a comprehensive new employment center online tool hosted on the ebenefits.va.gov website. This tool will allow you to find companies that have made commitments to hire veterans and military spouses and it will also alloy you to post your resume for those companies to see.

Two years ago, Mrs. Obama and Dr. Biden challenged governors to pass legislation in all states that supports military spouse professional license portability…As of today 44 states have passed some sort of legislation supporting license portability for military spouses.

Education is another pillar of Joining Forces where we have seen results:

Veterans and military families are using the GI Bill to go to school and to train for new careers; we recently celebrated the one-millionth GI Bill beneficiary. Just last week, Dr. Biden spoke about the National Math and Science Initiative, or NMSI, which is improving the caliber of science, technology, engineering and mathematics at our military-serving schools. Since its inception in 2010, it has expanded from just four schools in two states to over seventy schools today in eighteen states.

Last month, the First Lady and Dr. Biden also made several announcements:

• The Department of Defense is creating in-person caregiver peer forums at every military installation that serves wounded warriors and their caregivers around the world, as well as creating online connection tools for caregivers who aren't able to attend in-person.


• In addition to government support for military caregivers, private organizations such as the Elizabeth Dole Foundation and the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, among others, have committed to train 10,000 caregiving peer mentors nationwide.

So today I want to say thank you to each one for your service to our country, especially you military moms. Happy Mother's Day!

Commander Cara LaPointe, U.S. Navy, is a White House Fellow in the Office of the First Lady.

Tax bill would publicize delinquent taxpayers

MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Vermont lawmakers have sent a wide-ranging tax bill to the governor calling for publicizing the names of the state's biggest delinquent taxpayers and increasing the cigarette tax by 13 cents per pack from its current $2.62.

The 100 businesses and the 100 residents with the biggest tax delinquencies would be given a chance to pay up before having their names made public.

The measure also sets statewide school property tax rates, which are one part of a formula that for primary homes also reflects local spending and taxing decisions. The statewide portion of the tax will be 98 cents per $100 of value for a primary home and $1.51 and a half cents per hundred for non-residential properties.

New Orleans hopes to redevelop incinerator site

NEW ORLEANS -- After sitting vacant for nearly 40 years, a city-owned incinerator site may find new life as a commercial development.

New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu said the city is working with the Louisiana Land Trust to demolish the former incinerator property in the Algiers section.

New Orleans CityBusiness reported (http://bit.ly/1sapgil) business groups believe the tract at Hendee Street and General de Gaulle Drive can be redeveloped.

Landrieu spokesman Tyler Gamble said the city and Louisiana Land Trust are splitting a Community Development Block Grant to finance demolition of the metal incinerator. The work is expected to cost about $300,000 and should begin by summer.

Gamble said that once the structure is demolished, the city plans to issue a request for proposals for private development at the site of roughly 5.5 acres.

City officials expect to sell the site at fair market value and recoup demolition costs and other expenses in the process.

The city has partnered with the New Orleans Redevelopment Authority and the New Orleans Business Alliance to lead redevelopment of the property and help craft the request for proposals, which could be issued by early fall, redevelopment authority executive director Jeff Hebert said.

The authority and the New Orleans Business Alliance have been working since January on an analysis of the site to determine its best use, Hebert said.

Alliance CEO Rodrick Miller said the incinerator site's location near residential neighborhoods makes it a good candidate for a strip mall that could include a grocery store, restaurant or retail businesses.

"It's right on a major commuter route, and lots of people pass it daily," Miller said.

The site is also just across the parish line from a proposed $50 million hotel development in Jefferson Parish's Gretna community.

Hebert said seeing that project move forward helped advance plans for the incinerator site.

The incinerator closed in 1975. In recent years, it has been the target of scrap metal thieves.

Information from: New Orleans CityBusiness, http://bit.ly/1gDTMhn

Florida firm denies link to UPMC data breach

PITTSBURGH -- A University of Pittsburgh Medical Center employee has sued the hospital network for credit restoration services and identity theft insurance in the wake of a data breach that has seen hackers use the personal information of hundreds of employees to file bogus federal income tax returns.

Alice Patrick, who works at UPMC McKeesport hospital, filed her lawsuit against UPMC and Ultimate Software Group Inc., of Weston, Florida, on Friday in U.S. District Court. UPMC isn't commenting, but an executive with a Florida payroll processing firm is denying the company has anything to do with the data breach affecting as many as 27,000 UPMC employees.

Mitchell Dauerman, the company's executive vice president, said he doesn't believe UPMC or any of its subsidiaries are clients of Ultimate Software, and may have been sued by mistake.

The hospital has confirmed the data breach may have compromised the personal information of 27,000 of its 62,000 employees — including nearly 800 who've had bogus tax returns filed using their personal information.

Patrick's lawsuit is unusual because she's not seeking monetary damages, but rather identity theft protection going forward, according to David Thaw, a professor of law an information sciences at the University of Pittsburgh.

Thaw told the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, which first reported the lawsuit, this is the first major lawsuit he's seen in which the plaintiff doesn't seek monetary damages. Rather, Patrick and her attorneys — who are seeking class-action status on behalf of all similarly affected employees — want the defendants to pay for 25 years of credit and bank monitoring, identity theft insurance and services to help affected employees restore their good credit.

Credit monitoring services typically cost $10 or more per month, but multiplied by the thousands of employees potentially affected over 25 years would cost millions.

Thaw said it was unusual in his experience for a plaintiff to seek 25 years' worth of credit monitoring. Most cases he's reviewed call for such remedies to last from six months to five years.

Federal prosecutors and Internal Revenue Service agents in Pittsburgh have been investigating the data breach. Nobody has been charged or named as a suspect so far.

Bujak acquitted again, this time in federal court

BOISE, Idaho -- A former Idaho prosecutor and current gubernatorial candidate has been acquitted of bankruptcy fraud charges in federal court.

A Boise jury deliberated about four hours Friday before acquitting John Bujak. The Idaho Statesman reported Saturday (http://bit.ly/1hEslSL) that the verdict followed four days of testimony on charges that Bujak concealed a high-priced Rolex watch from creditors and lied about it during a personal bankruptcy case.

It was the fifth trial in recent years for Bujak, a former Canyon County prosecutor who is running as a Libertarian candidate for governor.

In the previous trials, all in state court, two juries acquitted Bujak, and two couldn't reach verdicts. Three of those trials related to allegations that Bujak took several hundred thousand dollars in public funds while serving as Canyon County's prosecutor in 2009 and 2010. The other concerned an unrelated theft charge involving an estate.

"I've been through a lot of trials, and I can't help but believe it's been vetting me for something bigger," Bujak said Friday. "I'm thinking the governor's race is it."

Bujak was charged with bankruptcy fraud, concealment of assets, making a false statement under oath, money laundering and obstruction of justice. The charges carry penalties of five to 10 years each.

Prosecutors alleged that Bujak hid his then-wife's Rolex watch when the couple filed for bankruptcy in late 2010.

Bujak, representing himself, said his former wife told him that she'd given the watch to her mother years earlier, and that's why he didn't include it when filing bankruptcy papers.

Bujak said he bought the watch for his then-wife, Pepper, in 2006 for about $50,000. He said it wasn't among the couple's possessions when they prepared bankruptcy documents, so he asked Pepper about it. He said that she told him that "years ago" she'd given the watch to her mother.

In closing arguments, Assistant U.S. Attorney Kim Lindquist told jurors that Bujak's defense defied "common sense, defies reality and because of that he stands guilty."

Bujak countered that the case against him was motivated by his ex-wife and her family after he admitted having an affair, later filed for divorce, and refused to agree to a hefty settlement.

St. Louis area hotspot for 'underwater' mortgages

ST. LOUIS -- Several St. Louis-area ZIP code areas rank among the nation's worst for "underwater" mortgages, according to a new study, and the problem is especially bad in north St. Louis County.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch (http://bit.ly/QmhzJz ) reports that half or more of homeowners with mortgages who owe more than their homes are worth are in 11 ZIP codes in St. Louis County, including the towns of Bellefontaine Neighbors, Spanish Lake, Berkeley and Jennings. The study by the Haas Institute in Berkeley, California, finds that the same also is true in three ZIP codes in the city of St. Louis.

Those who owe more than their homes are worth face big obstacles in selling their homes. They are roughly twice as likely as others to default on their mortgages, leading to foreclosure.

Eric Repke bought a home near Hazelwood Central High School for $146,000 in 2006. He still owes $110,000. He recently took a job in St. Charles County and moved the family to be closer to his work. He put the home on the market in March.

"The highest offer we got was for $70,000," Repke said. Now paying for two homes, he's hoping to persuade Bank of America to accept less than it is owed on the Hazelwood property — a so-called short sale.

The Haas Institute used estimates on underwater homeowners and home values from Zillow, the real estate website.

Zillow reports 24 percent of homes with mortgages in the St. Louis area were underwater as of December. CoreLogic, a private real estate data firm, estimates it's at 12 percent. Based on Zillow figures, the St. Louis area ranked 13th in underwater mortgages among all metro areas with more than 1 million people.

Prices in the metro area are still 15 percent below their 2007 peak, according to Zillow.

Information from: St. Louis Post-Dispatch, http://bit.ly/1kFiuie

Nintendo apologizes for lack of virtual equality

By DERRIK J. LANG The Associated Press

Nintendo is apologizing and pledging to be more inclusive after being criticized for not recognizing same-sex relationships in English editions of a life-simulator video game. But the publisher said it was too late to change the game.

Nintendo came under fire from fans and gay rights organizations this past week after refusing to add same-sex relationship options to the game "Tomodachi Life."

The game was originally released in Japan last year and features a cast of Mii characters — Nintendo's personalized avatars of real players — living on a virtual island. Gamers can do things like shop, play games, go on dates and get married.

Already a hit in Japan, "Tomodachi Life" is set for release June 6 in North America and Europe.

States target bad faith over patent claims

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Companies accused of abusing patent claims to seek fees and settlements are themselves becoming a target as states across the U.S. take aim against what some call "patent trolls."

Missouri lawmakers approved legislation this past week that would prohibit bad-faith assertions for patent infringement in demand letters and allow lawsuits from those who have been targeted. The state attorney general also could take action.

Laws are on the books in nine states, and legislation has been considered this year in about two dozen states.

Banks, restaurants, hotels and others have received claims of patent infringement for their use of technology such as scanners, Wi-Fi networks and ATMs. The American Intellectual Property Law Association has reported that average costs for litigating a patent can range from $650,000 up to $5 million.

Easy On The Ears: GOP Ads Adapt To Reach Women Voters

It's only April, but it looks and sounds like October. More than $80 million has been spent on political advertising in only about a dozen Senate battleground states.

About half that amount is targeted at women.

She Votes

GOP Softens Its Edge In An Attempt To Appeal To Women

Many ads aimed at women take the most obvious approach: Republicans putting their female candidates front and center; Democrats attacking Republicans for waging a war on women.

But there's more to it than that, says Republican ad-maker Ashley O'Connor.

"Women process information differently than men," O'Connor says. "So much of political advertising focuses on conflict, and facts and figures, and I think that we're already starting to see, when reaching women voters, there's just new techniques need to be used, and a different tone, and more storytelling."

O'Connor singles out an ad aired by Monica Wehby, a pediatric neurosurgeon seeking the Republican nomination for Senate in Oregon. In the ad, a woman tells the story of Webby operating on her daughter.

"Dr. Wehby was going to open her back and reconstruct my daughter's entire lower spine," the woman says. "She just hugged me and kissed my forehead, and she said, 'It's going to be OK, sweetheart. I've got her, and I am going to see you in a couple of hours.' "

"This is a 60-second ad and it's not particularly issue-driven," O'Connor says of the spot. "It sort of goes to this point that when talking to women, I don't think you necessarily have to be delivering factual information to move them. I think connecting with their heart and really trying to build emotion is more effective."

That may sound a little sexist, but appealing to emotions is what all effective advertising does. And the fact that Republicans are trying to do it is the biggest new development in political ads aimed at women.

Aiming For Tough, But Not Harsh

In a typical Republican superPAC ad from 2012, for instance, a man intones a list of Democrats' alleged failings over a soundtrack of ominous music: "Family incomes down, 40 percent living paycheck to paycheck, and Obamacare's new tax on middle-class families."

This year, the GOP has ditched the baritone narrator, the scary music and the facts and figures. Instead, the party is doing what Democrats have been doing for many years: using softer voices and more personal stories.

It's All Politics

She's A Doctor, Mom, and Republican - But Conservative Enough?

A Republican superPAC ad running this year features a woman who narrates in a conversational tone: "People don't like political ads. I don't like them either. But health care isn't about politics. It's about people. It's not about a website that doesn't work ... It's about people, and millions of people have lost their health insurance. ... Obamacare doesn't work."

Elizabeth Wilner, senior vice president with Kantar Media, praises the ad.

"It's a very clean ad," Wilner says. "The tone of the ad, her tone, is very sympathetic and very easy on the ears. It's a new kind of attack ad, and it is not a harsh ad in any way, but the message itself is very tough."

Endorsed By Wives, Moms And Daughters

There are other trends this year that both parties hope will appeal to women. Family members are everywhere in ads, especially moms and daughters.

In a Florida special election to fill the seat vacated by Republican Rep. Trey Radel, candidate Curt Clawson's mother appears in an ad to endorse her son. In the same race, Paige Kreegel's wife criticizes "nasty" campaign ads.

She Votes

All The Single Ladies: 5 Takeaways About Unmarried Female Voters

In Iowa, the children of Monica Vernon, also running for Congress, promise their mom "will never stop working for the middle class."

Not only is the content of the ads changing, but so are the places in which they appear. Jim Margolis, a veteran Democratic ad-maker, says it's no longer enough to air an ad on daytime TV, or even the nightly news, to reach women.

"We are using data and analytics to try to determine what are the actual programs that women are watching, Margolis says. "And to try to determine, as well, what are those issues, for that particular group, that are going to be the most resonant, that they're going to find the most compelling."

Wherever women are digitally, Margolis says, political ads will find them. A woman who is a Democratic target voter in a Senate battleground state might see campaign ads all day online.

"When you log on in the morning to check the weather, there's a pretty good chance that somebody is going to be talking to you right there," he says.

Your browsing history can say a lot about you, Margolis says, including your gender, interests and issues that matter to you.

The Shoot-'Em-Up Approach

These new ways of targeting women voters, with content tailored to women's concerns, are becoming common. But there's always an exception to the rule. Take the much-imitated ad in which a male politician attacks — literally — the IRS code or a piece of legislation passed by President Obama.

This week, that macho format was adopted by Republican Joni Ernst, a pistol-packing mama running for Senate in Iowa. Ernst already earned attention for an ad about her experience castrating hogs. In the new ad, Ernst rides a Harley to a gun range, and fires off six shots at a target.

"Joni Ernst will take aim at wasteful spending," the narrator says. "And once she sets her sights on Obamacare, Joni's gonna unload."

It seems that even the shoot-'em-up TV ad has achieved gender equality, for better or worse.

No decision yet on 2 Dallas Love Field gates

DALLAS -- The Dallas Love Field two-gate debate lives on.

The Dallas city manager, A.C. Gonzalez, at week's end delayed his decision on which carrier will get two gates at Love Field being surrendered by American Airlines after its 2013 merger with US Airways.

Gonzalez on Wednesday said his decision would come Friday as Virgin America and Dallas-based Southwest Airlines Co. seek to operate those gates at close-to-downtown Love Field.

But a city statement Friday night said Gonzalez continues to review the Love Field gate leases issues.

"The city manager in consultation with the city attorney continues to review and consider all the relevant information regarding the Love Field gate leases," the statement said.

Virgin America has said the U.S. Department of Justice already decided it should get the gates to increase competition at Love Field.

Richard Branson, the celebrity British billionaire, jetted into Dallas for a rally and YouTube video that were part of California-based Virgin's cheeky, high-profile bid for the gates. Branson's Virgin Group is a minority owner of the airline.

Southwest Airlines, was once known for clever marketing stunts, has played it straight this time. Southwest lobbied behind the scenes, telling city officials in its hometown that it would add more flights to more places than Virgin.

Delta Air Lines Inc. also wanted the gates but faded from the picture after the Justice Department dismissed it as one of the giant airlines responsible for declining competition in the air-travel business.

American and U.S. Airways merged in December to create the world's biggest airline.

To settle a Justice Department lawsuit, American agreed to give up two gates each at airports in Dallas, Los Angeles, Chicago, Boston and Miami and surrender some of its prized takeoff and landing slots at New York's LaGuardia and Washington's Reagan National airports.

A 1980 federal law, known as the Wright Amendment, restricted flights from Love Field to protect nearby Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. Those federal limits expired in mid-October, clearing the way for long-haul direct flights from Love Field.

FedEx moving Peoria airport hub to Bloomington

CHICAGO -- FedEx is pulling its central Illinois hub out of Peoria's airport and moving it to the airport in Bloomington.

FedEx spokesman Scott Fiedler says the switch will allow the company to upgrade its overnight service to more than 100 zip codes.

He tells the (Peoria) Journal Star (http://bit.ly/1gm6E9Q ) the company will also be able to offer some customers later drop off times.

No timeline was announced for the move to Bloomington's Central Illinois Regional Airport.

It will strike a blow to cargo business at Peoria's airport. FedEx and UPS are its main cargo carriers.

Fiedler says all employees at the Peoria hub will be able to keep their jobs at the new location.

The Bloomington-Normal Airport Authority recently agreed to invest $5 million for the FedEx hub there.

Under Armour's second chance

BALTIMORE -- As Olympians packed their bags to leave Sochi, Under Armour was recovering from the U.S. speedskating team's disappointing performance.

After the company's new, high-tech suits were initially blamed for the skaters' abysmal results, a shift to the team's old uniforms failed to turn around the Olympians' fortunes. Still, while that silenced some critics and softened the public relations bruising for Under Armour, the company's marketing strategists had aspired to so much more — the image of American medalists standing on the podium with the company's familiar logo on their chests for millions to see.

The Baltimore-born brand had little time to dwell on what happened on the ice. It's already warming up for its next Olympic competition: gymnastics.

In February 2013, Under Armour signed an eight-year agreement with USA Gymnastics to outfit the national team through the 2020 Olympics. It was the biggest apparel deal yet for USA Gymnastics, and the first time Under Armour would sponsor a national governing body for the summer games. And not just any sport. Gymnastics is traditionally one of the show-stopping competitions of the Summer Olympics.

The U.S. team has been wearing the brand since then. It will embark on its "Road to Rio" this fall, following the P&G Gymnastics Championships.

Under Armour's gymnastics journey has been a short one, beginning in 2011 when Alicia Sacramone signed with the brand and helped design a custom leotard. But in two short years that journey will hit the international stage.

For Under Armour, Rio is a second chance.

2013 was a big year for Under Armour's gymnastics presence. It signed with USA Gymnastics in February, then the University of Maryland and University of Utah announced separately that their gymnasts would begin wearing Under Armour exclusively.

Both teams offered the opportunity for maximum exposure in the college gymnastics world. Maryland has made it to NCAA Regionals for six straight years, including the most recent season.

Utah Gymnastics has won nine NCAA championships and earned second place as recently as 2008. It made the "Super Six" in the gymnastics championship bracket for 13 straight years, the last time in 2012.

Both universities already had Under Armour contracts, and the gymnastics teams had been wearing the brand for everything other than leotards and warm-up suits. Maryland, the alma mater of Under Armour founder and CEO Kevin Plank, had even worked with the outfitter several times before to create special edition leotards.

"We're not a mainstream sport, but they agreed to dabble with it a little bit," said Maryland coach Brett Nelligan, whose wife happens to work for Under Armour, in digital sports testing. "I just had no doubt that Under Armour would be able to produce . great leos."

Utah coach Greg Marsden took a little more convincing.

"To be perfectly honest, I was reluctant in the beginning," he said. "I had worked with another company for 25 years."

The other company, Alpha Factor, had a much longer history in the gymnastics world. But Under Armour promised that its quality and service would be unmatched, and it offered to replace the school's entire inventory.

Under Armour wasn't totally alone, either, by the time Utah signed on. As a part of the USA deal, Under Armour partnered with GK Elite to manufacture leotards.

That expertise can be valuable. A reliable gymnastics leotard not only maximizes confidence and minimizes distraction, it can directly affect scores. Athletes can face point deductions for minor wardrobe malfunctions or for adjusting their uniforms during competition.

"GK has had a long, very positive image in the gymnastics community," said Marsden. "What they gave Under Armour the ability to do is provide their customers instantly a high-quality product with imaginative designs."

Along with GK, the gymnasts themselves can lend expertise to their new outfitter. Nelligan said that his athletes at Maryland have already provided feedback on the leotards.

That's typical strategy for Under Armour, said Auburn Bell, vice president of corporate marketing at Legg Mason Inc., and affiliate marketing professor at Loyola University Maryland. He expects the company is doing the same with the elite gymnasts on the "Road to Rio."

"It's more than just the typical sponsorship of striking a deal to put their logo on the uniform," he said. "They really focus more on getting in the trenches with the athletes and working with them to understand from the bottom up what their needs are."

Officials with Under Armour and USA Gymnastics declined to be interviewed for this story.

While its college contracts have covered all kinds of sports, including the mainstream crowd pleasers like football, Under Armour's Olympics approach has been more niche.

In addition to speedskating, the company outfitted bobsledding, skeleton and Canadian snowboarding in the Winter Olympics.

Gymnastics, while popular during the Olympics, yields lackluster ratings otherwise. The 2013 P&G Championships had about 2.7 million viewers, according to "TV by the Numbers." But prime-time coverage of the 2012 Olympic gymnastics finals had 38.7 million, according to Nielsen.

Niche sports provide the opportunity to innovate without the threat of competition from larger rivals like Nike and Adidas, which have focused on different areas. Then, by the time the Olympics come around, said Bell, the product is refined for the global stage.

"What Under Armour can do with these more narrow and niche type of verticals . it gives them the opportunity on this big stage, with a lot less risk and potentially great reward," said Bell.

Sometimes that doesn't work out, as with speedskating, he said. But the impact at Sochi was mitigated by the specificity of the sport and the presence of other complicating factors.

And if the next Summer Olympics is anything like the last one, the gymnastics reward could far outweigh the risk.

"You've got these opportunities like the Olympics that sort of instantly give you, or a company, or a brand worldwide and global kind of recognition and promotion," said Bell. "That's an incredible opportunity for that company."

White House to focus on road, bridge repair

WASHINGTON -- With time running out, a White House official says the Obama administration will intensify its efforts to get Congress to pass legislation that pays for roads and bridge repair.

The Highway Transportation Fund is set to run out of money in August unless lawmakers act to renew it. The money comes from a tax on gasoline sales.

President Barack Obama unveiled a funding proposal earlier this year. A bipartisan group of senators is also preparing a proposal of its own.

The infrastructure push includes Obama speaking Wednesday in front of New York's Tappan Zee Bridge to call on Congress to act.

The official was not authorized to discuss the plans by name and spoke on condition of anonymity.

AgCenter chooses international programs director

BATON ROUGE, La. -- David Picha has been named director of international programs at the LSU AgCenter.

He is professor of horticulture in the School of Plant, Environmental and Soil Sciences.

Picha is expected to supervise expansion of AgCenter's international activities.

He has been with the AgCenter for more than 30 years.

Anthem makes decision on health plan renewals

CONCORD, N.H. -- About 10,000 New Hampshire residents whose individual insurance policies don't comply with President Barack Obama's health care overhaul law will get a chance to renew them for another year.

The Obama administration announced a two-year extension in March for noncompliant policies if states and insurance companies allow it.

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield of New Hampshire recently decided to allow the extension, but a company spokesman tells The Associated Press that the extension will be for only year. It will be available for anyone whose policies are due to expire between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1, which includes 4,600 who took advantage of an earlier one-year reprieve.

About 22,000 Anthem policyholders in New Hampshire were told last fall that their policies didn't meet the law's requirements.

Mandeville seeks speed-up on highway widening

MANDEVILLE, La. -- The Mandeville City Council has approved a resolution asking the state to amend its contract with the company that is widening of U.S. Highway 190 to speed up the project.

Nola.comThe Times-Picayune reports (http://bit.ly/1ihLOfO) the move is designed to help businesses that say their trade has suffered because the project is taking so long to complete.

The council's action drew criticism from a restaurant owner who bristled at the suggestion the contractor on the $11.3 million project could be given more money to complete the project sooner.

But Councilman Ernest Burguieres says the intention is not to reward the construction company, but to get the work done sooner.

Beckham presses forward with Miami stadium bid

MIAMI -- Two months have passed since David Beckham announced his plans to start a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami. The plan, and Beckham, have been almost universally accepted by every sector of the city.

What his international fame has not been able to attract: Agreement on where to put the stadium.

"Until a few weeks ago, it was very smooth," Beckham said. "And nothing that wants to be — in my eyes, has to be — successful, was ever going to be that smooth."

Beckham and his team have set their sights on the Port of Miami, 520 acres (210 hectares) known as the "Cruise Ship Capital of the World" and the "Cargo Gateway to the Americas." Nearly every portion of the port has been developed, with one notable exception: The southwest corner with a spectacular Miami skyline view.

The plan's chief opponent is the Miami Seaport Alliance, a coalition of business and political leaders including Royal Caribbean Cruises, one of the world's largest cruise operators. Its offices are next to the proposed site.

The alliance contends the stadium would threaten cruise and cargo operations, creating increased traffic and security risks — concerns Beckham's partners insist are unfounded. The coalition also argues a stadium would ultimately endanger the 207,000 jobs the port supports, while creating less-lucrative positions like concession stand employees.

"A soccer stadium at Port Miami is downright nutty," declares an ad the coalition printed in several newspapers.

There is much at stake for the port: The county is spending more than $2 billion on capital improvements to make Miami a global logistics hub. The port is being deepened to accommodate the larger ships that will traverse the expanded Panama Canal, set to open in 2015. The port is about $1 billion in debt, making it one of the nation's most indebted. Moody's recently cut its credit rating.

"We're talking about huge economic input or huge economic loss," said John Fox, the alliance's president and a former Royal Caribbean executive.

One option mentioned to improve the port's finances: Commercial development of the port's southwest corner. The port's master plan notes commercial real estate income generates revenue for other ports, but opponents say Beckham's plan won't provide that.

"The port and tourism are the two engine drivers of Miami," said Norman Braman, a billionaire car dealer and former Philadelphia Eagles owner supporting the Miami Seaport Alliance. He unsuccessfully opposed the Miami Marlins baseball stadium, but then led the successful 2011 recall of the county mayor who pushed it through without holding an election. "And a stadium and commercial development that's been proposed just doesn't belong there."

Beckham's consultant, John Alschuler, a real estate adviser who has led waterfront development projects in New York City, Hong Kong and other metropolises, said development of a stadium and other commercial property would likely generate $6 million to $10 million in annual revenue.

He said fewer than 100 jobs would be created directly by the franchise, but thousands more would result indirectly at restaurants and nearby businesses. Alschuler also denied traffic congestion would worsen, noting fans wouldn't arrive until around 6:30 p.m., hours after the cruise ships have sailed.

"It's sheer, deliberate, willful misinformation," Alschuler said of the alliance's claims.

South Florida's last football team, the Miami Fusion, played 30 miles (50 kilometers) north of the port and lasted only three years until 2001 because of low attendance.

That history, perhaps, led Beckham and associates to two conclusions: The stadium must be downtown, and the team must win.

The decision ultimately rests with the mayor and county commission. Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez has asked Beckham to consider an alternative site near the NBA Heat's arena. But he said he could potentially support a Port of Miami stadium.

Beckham, for his part, came back to Miami on Tuesday, holding private meetings with commissioners and weighing Gimenez's suggested site.

"We want to be a positive for people," Beckham said. "This part of America has not had a soccer team for quite a few years, and they deserve one."

Beckham presses forward with Miami stadium bid

MIAMI -- Two months have passed since David Beckham announced his plans to start a Major League Soccer franchise in Miami. The plan has been almost universally accepted by every sector of the city.

What Beckham's star power has not been able to attract: agreement on where to put the stadium.

Beckham and his team have set their sights on the Port of Miami. Nearly every portion of the island has been developed, with one notable exception: The southwest corner with a spectacular Miami skyline view.

The chief opposition to the plan is the Miami Seaport Alliance, a coalition of business and political leaders including Royal Caribbean Cruises. The alliance contends a stadium will pose a threat to cruise and cargo operations — concerns Beckham's partners insist are unfounded.

View from the Shard can surprise hotel guests

LONDON -- The new hotel at one London's skyscrapers offers rooms with a view — but it isn't always what guests expect.

The Shangri-La Hotel — located on the upper floors of The Shard — has a design quirk that means glass panels protruding from the skyscraper can act as mirrors once internal lights are switched on at night. That means that in some rooms, it is possible to get a glimpse of neighboring guests.

Darren Gearing, the executive vice president and hotel general manager, says in statement Saturday that blinds are available for privacy. Guests will be advised when they check in.

The Renzo Piano-designed 72-story building is unique in that it features entire walls that are windows. The hotel in the 310-meter (1,017-foot) tower opened last week.