Survey sees delay in FOIA requests

Although the Freedom of Information Act requires federal agencies to respond to requests within 20 days and to provide the documents in a timely manner, many requests have languished for years, according to a new survey. The oldest pending request uncovered in a survey of 87 agencies and departments has been awaiting a response for 20 years, and 16 other requests have been on hold more than 15 years. (New York Times News Service)

The homeland security chief yesterday scolded the Senate for failing to pass an immigration bill and said it will be difficult for the government to crack down on illegal workers. "It's going to be tough," Michael Chertoff said. "We don't really have the ability to enforce the law with respect to illegal work in this country in a way that's truly effective." The bill last week fell 14 votes short of the 60 needed to pass in the Senate. (AP)

UTAH

NEOLA -- A wildfire that has scorched about 46 square miles in northeastern Utah and killed three people has prompted the evacuation of hundreds of people from nearby towns and forced authorities to close a national forest. The fire started Friday north of Neola and was about 5 percent contained yesterday. In California, a wildfire that has blackened more than 700 acres in Santa Barbara County was about 50 percent contained. (AP)

NEW YORK

NEW YORK -- A fiery tractor-trailer crash closed the Tappan Zee Bridge yesterday, killing the truck driver and prompting state officials to check the span for possible structural problems. The trailer burst into flames when it collided with two passenger vehicles at around 7:20 p.m. An engineer was checking the bridge's structural integrity, and the span, which serves as a gateway to both New York City and New England from the Mid-Atlantic, remained closed late last night. (AP)

NEW JERSEY

HACKENSACK -- Deaths among teenage drivers have risen 16 percent in New Jersey since a 2001 law restricted when they can drive and how many passengers they can carry. The graduated driver's license law was intended to bring teens along slowly. But some officials say it has been undercut because schools have dropped almost 90 percent of behind-the-wheel classes. (AP)