National Briefing

NEW JERSEY

Man held after wary clerk’s call

A call from a convenience store clerk about a suspicious person led to an arrest and a frightening discovery: The man was wearing a bulletproof vest and carrying a loaded assault rifle and four magazines of ammunition, police said.

Later, in the man’s motel room, authorities said they found a grenade launcher, more rifles, a night-vision scope and a map of the Ft. Drum Army base in upstate New York, about a five-hour drive from the motel.

Prosecutors have not said what Lloyd Woodson, 43, was allegedly doing with the arsenal. The FBI said he did not appear to have any connection to terrorist groups.

Mike Murphy of the Quick Chek convenience store chain said the clerk’s call “averted a possible problem at our store and certainly averted a problem somewhere else.”

He said prosecutors asked him not to say what raised the clerk’s suspicions.

Woodson was being held on a charge of possessing guns after having been convicted of a weapons offense. A New Jersey state judge set bail at $75,000.

CONNECTICUT

Not-guilty plea in lab killing

An animal research technician charged with killing a Yale University graduate student pleaded not guilty to both murder and felony murder in New Haven Superior Court.

Raymond Clark III, 24, is accused of strangling Annie Le, 24, of Placerville, Calif., in September in a lab building.

The felony murder charge was added; such a charge stems from a slaying that occurs during a felony or attempted felony. Details of what the alleged felony was weren’t released. Both crimes carry a sentence of 25 to 60 years.

FLORIDA

Cold takes record toll on manatees

More than 100 manatees have been found dead in state waters since the beginning of the year, mostly victims of a nearly two-week cold snap.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said the preliminary cause of death for 77 of the endangered animals was cold stress. They were found Jan. 1-23.

Officials say the number of manatee deaths from the cold is a record in a single year. The previous record, set last year, was 56.

WEST VIRGINIA

Case against lawmaker closed

Federal prosecutors closed an investigation of Rep. Alan B. Mollohan (D-W.Va.) nearly four years after it started.

Ben Friedman, a spokesman for the U.S. attorney’s office in Washington, confirmed that the office had ended its inquiry. The investigation appeared to focus on Mollohan’s financial disclosures and his role in securing funds for nonprofit groups he helped create.

Mollohan said the investigation was spurred by what he called right-wing attacks and a politically motivated assault on his character.

At least six Republicans have filed for a chance to challenge him in November.

FLORIDA

Company recalls medical needles

Federal health officials announced the recall of 2 million medical needles because of a risk they can push bits of silicone into patients’ bodies.

The FDA said Japan-based Nipro Medical Corp. had voluntarily recalled its Exel/Exelint Huber needles manufactured between January 2007 and August 2009.

The needles are used to access injection ports, which are devices implanted beneath the skin of patients. The ports connect to a vein and allow easy delivery of chemotherapy, antibiotics and other drugs.

NATIONWIDE

Baby boomers can hear you

Sweet news for baby boomers: Their generation appears to have better hearing than their parents did, despite all those warnings about loud rock music.

In fact, a study suggests that the rate of hearing problems at ages 45 to 75 has been dropping for years.

Scientists are working to find out why. Experts say part of it could be less exposure to noisy jobs, or better healthcare, or even a decline in smoking.

-- times wire reports