National news briefs

Space junk could threaten astronauts

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A massive piece of space junk drifted toward the shuttle-station complex and its 13 astronauts Wednesday, though NASA officials said the threat would not delay an upcoming spacewalk.

Mission Control kept close tabs on the piece of European rocket because there was a chance, however unlikely, it could come too close or even hit the linked space shuttle Discovery and international space station if their path is not altered.

As of Wednesday night, the debris was expected to pass within two miles of the outpost Friday, said John McCullough, chief of NASA's flight director office.

That's five miles closer than earlier projections, but it's still "looking very positive" that the shuttle and station will not have to dodge the junk.

Shooting injures young man at California college

SAN BRUNO, Calif. (AP) — Police on Wednesday were searching for three suspects who fled a college campus after a shooting that left an 18-year-old wounded.

The shooting happened about 1 p.m. when two groups of teenage boys got into an argument in a parking lot at Skyline Community College in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno, Police Cmdr. Marc Catalano said.

Police do not believe any other students or faculty were targets in the shooting.

"Our initial investigation shows that there was an isolated incident between subjects involved in the conflict," Catalano said

Maine gay marriage in hands of voters

AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — The governor of Maine has signed a formal proclamation putting the state's gay marriage law up for a vote in November.

Gov. John Baldacci signed the measure Wednesday after election officials verified that gay marriage foes had reached the threshold of petitions necessary to put the law on the ballot.

The gay marriage law was supposed to go into effect this month, but it was put on hold while the secretary of state's office validated the number of petitions.

Gay marriage opponents needed the signatures of at least 55,087 registered voters for the so-called People's Veto, and they turned in nearly 100,000 signatures.

Stranger accused of slapping toddler

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (AP) — Police say a 61-year-old man annoyed with a crying 2-year-old girl at a suburban Atlanta Walmart slapped the child several times after warning the toddler's mother to keep her quiet.