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Board: Ex-Pa. school officials traded racist texts

COATESVILLE - Two top administrators of a large southeastern Pennsylvania school district traded a series of racist and sexist text messages on their district phones, the school board confirmed Monday, seeking to contain the fallout by mandating sensitivity training for all district employees. Coatesville Area School District Superintendent Richard Como and the high school's athletic director, Jim Donato, resigned on Aug. 29 after they learned of the board's intent to fire them over the "highly offensive" messages, according to a statement released by the district's lawyer.

Snake on a plane: Jet grounded for reptile

CANBERRA, Australia (AP) -- A tiny Asian snake was found on a Qantas Boeing 747 airliner in Australia, leading to 370 passengers being grounded overnight. Staff found the 20-centimeter (8-inch) Mandarin rat snake in the passenger cabin near the door late Sunday before passengers were due to board the flight bound for Tokyo from Sydney International Airport, Qantas said in a statement Monday.

Moose roaming Colorado city is tranquilized

BROOMFIELD, Colo. (AP) -- State wildlife officials have tranquilized a moose on the loose in suburban Denver. Colorado Parks and Wildlife officers were called on Monday to capture the animal, which had been wandering the streets of Broomfield for weeks before it became a problem for residents. The agency estimates the male moose is 3 years old and weighs about 1,000 pounds. KMGH-TV reports the animal was spotted wandering through residential neighborhoods and in and out of people's yards.

PE Sneak Peek: Sept. 23

Here's a look at the stories that are keeping our reporters busy Monday: * The Bloomsburg Fair says even a baby needs a ticket for the night show. A breast-feeding mother reacts. * People are packing: Fair security finds a few guns during searches at the gates. But the fairgoers have permits. * Meanwhile, it's a good year at the fair's NRA booth. Find out how many new members have signed up.

Apple says it has sold 9M new iPhones over first weekend

NEW YORK (AP) -- Apple says shoppers snapped up 9 million of its newest iPhones since the devices were launched Friday, and that demand is exceeding supply. Apple says the two new models gave it its strongest iPhone launch ever. The company began selling the low-cost 5C and top-of-the-line 5S on Friday. The company says demand for iPhone 5s has exceeded the initial supply, and many online orders are scheduled to be shipped in the coming weeks. Wall Street hadn't been enthusiastic about the new models, which were unveiled earlier this month.

PSU student sues police over Paterno riot arrest

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) -- A Penn State student arrested during rioting the night iconic football coach Joe Paterno was fired is suing State College police, saying he was roughed up and wrongly charged. Police Chief Tom King tells the Centre Daily Times he can't comment because the borough has yet to be served with the federal lawsuit filed Friday in Williamsport by Matthew Maser.

Obama says fight for gun laws 'ought to obsess us'

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama on Sunday memorialized the victims of the Washington Navy Yard shooting by urging Americans not to give up on a transformation in gun laws that he argued are to blame for an epidemic of violence. "There is nothing inevitable about it -- it comes about because of decisions we make or fail to make," Obama said.

Suicide attack on Pakistani Christian church kills 78

PESHAWAR, Pakistan (AP) -- A pair of suicide bombers blew themselves up amid hundreds of worshippers at a historic church in northwestern Pakistan on Sunday, killing 78 people in the deadliest-ever attack against the country's Christian minority. A wing of the Pakistani Taliban claimed responsibility for the bombing, raising new questions about the government's push to strike a peace deal with the militants to end a decade-long insurgency that has killed thousands of people.

Pa. school principal charged in student sex case

HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) -- An assistant principal at a central Pennsylvania public high school was charged with having a sexual relationship with an underage student. WHTM-TV in Harrisburg reported that Shawn Sharkey, 45, turned himself in Saturday. Sharkey had worked at Susquehanna Township High School since Jan. 22 and previously worked for the Philadelphia School District as a dean of ninth-grade students.

How can red flags be missed like Navy shooter's?

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The government's sprawling system of background checks and security clearances is so unreliable it's virtually impossible to adequately investigate the nearly 5 million Americans who have them and make sure they can be trusted with access to military and sensitive civilian buildings, an Associated Press review found.