NATION BRIEFS

ILLINOIS/2 charged in killings

Prosecutors say a suburban Chicago man encouraged a friend to kill the mother of his son and her family over a custody dispute. Johnny Borizov, 28, and Jacob Nodarse, 23, are charged with first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder in the shooting deaths of three members of the Kramer family at their home in Darien. Borizov faces additional charges of solicitation of murder. Prosecutors in DuPage County say Borizov wanted Nodarse to kill Angela Kramer, her parents and brother. Angela Kramer escaped injury. But her mother, Lori Kramer, 48, her father, Jeffrey Kramer, 50, and her brother, Michael Kramer, 20, were killed.

CONNECTICUT/Probe eyes tired workers

A federal agency investigating a power plant explosion that killed six workers last month says some workers were putting in long hours and they're looking into whether fatigue played a role. Authorities say the Feb. 7 explosion at the Kleen Energy Systems plant in Middletown happened as workers were using natural gas to clean out gas lines. U.S. Chemical Safety Board lead investigator Donald Homstrom says some workers were working 12-hour shifts, including some of those involved in cleaning the gas lines. Kleen Energy declined to comment. Erik Dobratz, whose father Ray Dobratz was killed in the blast, said last month his father had told him he was working 12 hours a day, seven days a week, for six months.

WISCONSIN/Bear bites woman

Police say a bear bit off a woman's fingers at a Wisconsin zoo after she ignored barriers and warning signs to try to feed the animal. The Lincoln Park Zoo in Manitowoc closed after the incident Friday morning. Police say the woman, 47, lost a thumb and a forefinger, and two other fingers were partially severed. The woman's boyfriend was bitten as he tried to pry the bear's mouth off her hand, but he didn't lose any fingers. Her granddaughter, 3, wasn't injured. A mayor's office statement says alcohol played a factor.