Tourists safe after boat sunk in lakeZEPHYR COVE, Nev. — Firefighters say a group of tourists whose speedboat sunk in Lake Tahoe at night lived to tell about it after clinging to an ice cooler and a seat cushion.Eric Guevin of the Tahoe Douglas Fire Protection District says the four men from California’s Bay Area rented a boat that started to take on water late Saturday night.Guevin says the men were about three miles from the shore and in the dark with only partial moonlight as they were yelling for help.He says it was oddly quiet enough that people on shore heard their cries and called authorities.Rescuers picked up one group member who tried to swim to shore, then found the other three.They were warmed up with blankets and hot tea and are otherwise OK.

Mother charged in children’s murdersHOUSTON — Two children were found dead under a neighbor’s house Sunday after their mother matter-of-factly told someone helping her move that she had drowned them in a bathtub, authorities said.Sheborah Thomas, 30, was charged with capital murder and “all indications are she is the one who acted alone” in the deaths of her 7-year-old son and 5-year-old daughter, Houston police spokesman Kese Smith told The Associated Press. Authorities have not yet confirmed a cause of death but said the woman allegedly told an acquaintance that she had drowned the children.Smith said investigators were still interviewing the woman and had not determined a motive. She was turned in to police by the acquaintance, who came upon her throwing away trash in a field, where she allegedly told him she needed help moving right away.When the man asked about her kids, she calmly said she had killed them, Smith said.

Monument closes after elevator stopsWASHINGTON — The Washington Monument is closed again due to problems with its elevator.The National Park Service says in a statement the monument opened briefly Sunday morning before the elevator got stuck at the 490 feet level. One National Park Service employee who was in the elevator was able to get out.The park service says it was caused by a tripped breaker.