National news briefs

Pot initiative may not qualify for ballot

SEATTLE — Organizers of an initiative to legalize marijuana for adults in Washington state say it will not qualify for the fall ballot.

One of the campaign's leaders, Douglas Hiatt, tells The Associated Press that the effort to get Initiative 1068 on the ballot has fallen short by about 40,000-50,000 signatures. About 241,000 are required.

Initiative 1068 would have removed all state penalties for marijuana possession, cultivation, use and sale. It was one of the most sweeping marijuana reform efforts playing out around the country this year, and polls have suggested it could pass — if it made the ballot.

Hiatt says the campaign will be back again next year.

Parishioners leave sit-in at Ohio church

CLEVELAND — Carrying U.S. and Hungarian flags, parishioners ended a 16-hour sit-in at a Cleveland-area Catholic church that is closing after police told them they would be trespassing if they did not leave.

The protesters staged a vigil at midnight Wednesday at the 106-year-old St. Emeric Church near downtown Cleveland, then remained through about 4 p.m. Thursday.

The historic Hungarian church is the last of 50 parishes to be closed by the local diocese.

House ethics probe clears Richardson

WASHINGTON — The House ethics committee has cleared Democratic Rep. Laura Richardson of California of wrongdoing in the foreclosure of her Sacramento property.

The panel concluded a seven-month investigation into whether Richardson received preferential treatment from a lender, Washington Mutual Bank.

The committee also cleared Richardson of ethics violations regarding her financial disclosure forms. The panel had been investigating whether Richardson failed to disclose property, income and liabilities on the forms.

Producer Kastner dies at age 80

LONDON — Elliott Kastner, the American producer of Hollywood films including "Where Eagles Dare" and "A Little Night Music," has died of cancer. He was 80.

Kastner's stepson, actor Cary Elwes, says Kastner died Wednesday in London.

The producer based his work at London's Pinewood Studios for years. Some of his best-known movies include his big screen adaptations of the Raymond Chandler novels "The Long Goodbye" in 1971 and "The Big Sleep" in 1978.