A Savannah woman who fought Effingham deputies attempting an arrest has been charged with drug and obstruction charges.

Jessica Marie Austin Smart, 25, fought with deputies at a safety check point Wednesday night.

Smart was stopped at the checkpoint at Blandford and McCall Roads.

“Deputies smelled the odor of marijuana coming from her vehicle,” Effingham County Sheriff’s Office spokesman David Ehsanipoor said.

When deputies then saw some marijuana in the vehicle and attempted to arrest Smart, she “violently” fought two deputies, Ehsanipoor said.

Deputies had to tase Smart twice in order to subdue her, deputies reported.

One deputy received minor injuries.

During a strip search at the jail over an ounce of marijuana was discovered hidden in two of her body cavities, Ehsanipoor said.

Smart has been charged with two counts of felony obstruction/hindering a law enforcement officer, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and crossing a guard line drugs.

Smart has an extensive criminal history, Ehsanipoor said.

Bond for Smart was denied Thursday morning in Effingham County Magistrate Court.

SSU to name football coach

Savannah State University director of athletics Sterling Steward Jr. will hold a news conference at 3 p.m. today in Tiger Arena to introduce the Tigers’ new head football coach.

The four finalists interviewed were John Hendrick, Earnest Wilson III, E.J. Junior and Mickey Joseph.

Some power outages across the Savannah area were reported Thursday night as Tropical Storm Andrea moved closer to the Coastal Empire.

Shortly after midnight, however, most of those outages had been resolved, according to Georgia Power’s website. The majority of the outages Thursday night had been reported in Pooler and Savannah's Metropolitan neighborhood. By 1:30 a.m., fewer than 15 customers were reported without power across the county.

Mark Bolton of Coastal EMC reports that there were a couple of minor power outages in south Bryan County. One was on Fort McAllister Road, the other in the Strathy Hall area.

The highest winds in Bryan County were expected to come between 2:30 and 6:30 Friday morning, he said.

Coastal EMC will have crews out all night and others on call if needed, Bolton added.

The Coastal Empire remains under a tropical storm warning until 4 a.m. Friday and a flash flood watch until noon.

Savannah didn’t see as much rain Thursday as it did Wednesday. National Weather Service meteorologist Vern Beaver said that as of about 10 p.m. Thursday, the total rainfall accumulated at the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport for the day was 1.52 inches.

Though several downed trees were reported, Beaver said he did not know of any significant flooding.

He said an additional inch of rain was possible overnight with winds up to 30 mph and gusts as high as 40 mph. Showers and thunderstorms were likely overnight, with scattered rain after 8 a.m. Friday. While heavy rain and some winds are still possible, Beaver expected conditions to improve throughout the day.

At 1:30 a.m., The National Weather Service in Charleston, S.C., reported via social media that the center of the storm was over McIntosh County. 

A 2 a.m. update from the National Hurricane Center showed Andrea picking up a little speed, moving northeast at 19 mph with a storm intensity of 45 mph.

TO REPORT A POWER OUTAGE

Georgia Power customers can call 888-891-0938 to report an outage.

Customers can also monitor outage status or report an outage online at www.georgiapower.com.

MIAMI — Forecasters say Tropical Storm Andrea is weakening slowly as it crosses over Florida toward Georgia and the Carolinas.

The first named storm of the Atlantic season hammered Florida with rain, heavy winds, and tornadoes Thursday as it moved over land toward the coast of Georgia and the Carolinas, promising sloppy commutes and waterlogged vacation getaways through the beginning of the weekend.

Andrea was not expected to strengthen into a hurricane but forecasters warned it could cause isolated flooding and storm surge before it loses steam over the next two days.

The National Hurricane Center in Miami said that as of 11 p.m. Thursday, Andrea was 40 miles west of Jacksonville, Fla., and had maximum sustained winds of 45 mph. It was moving northeast at 15 mph.

Forecasters have discontinued the tropical storm warning for the west coast of Florida.

A tropical storm warning remains in effect along the East Coast, from Flagler Beach, Fla., to Cape Charles Light, Va. A warning also covers the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds and the Lower Chesapeake Bay south of New Point Comfort.

Rains and winds from the storm were forecast to sweep northward along the Southeastern U.S. coast through today. The storm was expected to lose steam by Saturday as it moves through the eastern United States, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center in Miami.

Forecasters say heavy rains continue well away from the storm’s center.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott said one of the biggest risks associated with the storm for Florida was the chance of tornadoes, eight of which had been confirmed Thursday across the state. Scott urged residents to remain vigilant.

“This one fortunately is a fast-moving storm,” he said. Slower-moving storms can pose a greater flood risk because they have more time to linger and dump rain.

In The Acreage, a part of Palm Beach County, Fla., pre-kindergarten teacher Maria Cristina Arias choked back tears and clutched valuable personal papers as she surveyed the damage done by a tornado to her five-bedroom home when she was away. Windows were smashed and a neighbor’s shed had crashed into her bedroom.

“It’s all destroyed,” she told The Palm Beach Post. “This is unbelievable. I don’t know what we’re going to do.”

Her 19-year-old son, Christian, was sleeping when he heard a loud noise.

“It was really scary,” said the teen, who wasn’t hurt. “It sounded like something exploded. I didn’t know what was going on.”

Another threat to Florida’s coast was storm surge, said Eric Blake, a specialist at the Hurricane Center. The center said coastal areas from Tampa Bay north to the Aucilla River could see storm surge of 2 to 4 feet, if the peak surge coincides with high tide.

Gulf Islands National Seashore closed its campgrounds and the road that runs through the popular beach-front park Wednesday. The national seashore abuts Pensacola Beach and the park road frequently floods during heavy rains.

Altogether, 30 state parks closed their campgrounds in Florida.

Meanwhile, south Georgia residents were bracing for high winds and heavy rains that could lead to flooding.

On Cumberland Island off the Georgia cost, the National Park Service was evacuating campers as the storm approached.

“My main concern is the winds,” said chief park ranger Bridget Bohnet. “We’re subject to trees falling and limbs breaking, and I don’t want anybody getting hurt.”

Forecasters were predicting the storm would pass through Georgia overnight, and the island would likely re-open to tourists Friday.

“It looks like it’s picking up speed and that’s a good thing because it won’t sit and rain on us so long,” said Jan Chamberlain, whose family runs the Blue Heron Inn Bed & Breakfast near the Sapelo Island Ferry station on Georgia’s coast.

In the Carolinas, Andrea’s biggest threat was heavy rain, with as much as 6 inches expected, the National Weather Service said.

Forecasters didn’t expect major problems, however, along the most vulnerable parts of the coast such as the Outer Banks, a popular tourist destination.

John Elardo, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Newport, N.C., said the storm would push major waves to the north and northeast, away from the Outer Banks, where a series of storms in the fall and winter wore away dunes and washed out portions of N.C. Highway 12, the only road connecting the barrier island to the mainland of North Carolina.

Andrea could bring up to a foot of flooding on the sound side of the Outer Banks, Elardo said.

The rain threatened to ruin a beach day Friday for Angela Hursh, 41, of Cincinnati, who had rented a house in Frisco, N.C. Hursh was planning to soak in the hot tub and watch movies with her 9-year-old and 13-year-old daughters.

“I think we’re just going to hunker down and eat junk food,” Hursh said.

Doug Brindley, who owns a vacation lodging rental service on the northern end of the Outer Banks near Virginia, said he expects all outdoor activities to be washed out Friday, driving tens of thousands of early-summer vacationers toward unexpected shopping sprees.

“We’re going to have rain and wind,” said Brindley, who owns Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales. “Retailers are going to love it.”

He expects new visitors streaming south from their homes across the Northeast to arrive tired and grumpy.

“They’re going to be driving through that mess,” Brindley said.

In Cuba, heavy rains associated with the storm system have soaked the western part of the island for the past several days, overflowing rivers and damaging crops. At least 30 towns were cut off by flooding, and more than 2,600 people sought refuge from the rising waters at relatives’ homes or state-run shelters, the Communist Party newspaper Granma reported Thursday.

LOS ANGELES — Rookie Yasiel Puig hit his first career grand slam, Zack Greinke pitched four-hit ball over seven innings, and the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated Atlanta 5-0 on Thursday night, snapping the Braves’ five-game winning streak.

Clinging to a 1-0 lead, the Dodgers loaded the bases in the eighth after Cory Gearrin gave up one-out singles to Skip Schumaker and Luis Cruz, and then walked pinch-hitter Hanley Ramirez.

That set the stage for Puig, who had fans on their feet and clapping in expectation of more exploits from the 22-year-old Cuban defector. He was 5 for 8 with two homers and five RBIs in his first two games this week before going 0 for 4 on Wednesday.

Puig homered on the first pitch into the right field pavilion, extending the Dodgers’ lead to 5-0. He took his fourth curtain call of the week from the top of the dugout steps, raising both arms to acknowledge the cheers.

24-hour jail bookings for Savannah-Chatham County are now posted. Visit booked.savannahnow.com to view photos and information.

All information has been obtained from the Chatham County Sheriff’s Department.

All individuals posted have not been convicted of a crime and are innocent until proven guilty.

Savannah-Chatham Metro police will be operating radar hot spots along Johnny Mercer Blvd.

Police remind drivers there is zero tolerance for speeding in school zones. 

Traffic is delayed near White Bluff Road and Abercorn Street as crews work to restore traffic lights with no power. 

Check back with savannahnow.com for more updates as they become available. 

ATLANTA — A federal report shows that some of Georgia's youth detention centers are among the nation's worst for sexual assaults on inmates.

Four Georgia lockups were included in a list of the 13 facilities nationwide with the highest rates of sexual victimization based on surveys on inmates.

The four Georgia facilities are a regional youth detention center in Paulding County; the Eastman Youth Development Campus in Dodge County; the Augusta YDC in Richmond County; and the Sumter YDC in Americus.

The Paulding County facility led the nation with 32.1 percent of teenagers surveyed anonymously last year reporting they were victimized sexually by staff or other juveniles. That was more than three times the national rate of 9.5 percent.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported on details of the survey.

Savannah Wine Cellar held a wine tasting on Wednesday with the director of winemaking for The Hess Collection. The event also benefitted The Links Inc. 

Click here to view a slideshow of Spotted® photos

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — After bringing rains, heavy winds and even tornadoes to parts of Florida, Tropical Storm Andrea moved quickly across south Georgia and was leaving the Carolinas waterlogged on Friday while sparing the area any serious damage.

The first named storm of the Atlantic season lost some intensity after making landfall Thursday in Florida and its winds were down to 45 mph (75 kph) Friday.

Ben Nelson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, Fla., said Andrea (pronounced AN'-dree-ah) was "moving at a pretty brisk pace" and could lose its tropical characteristics Friday.

Authorities in Virginia blamed heavy rain from the storm's outer bands for a fatal accident on Interstate 77 in the state's western mountains. William Petty, 57, of Lexington, S.C., died when a car in which he was a passenger hydroplaned while passing a tractor-trailer. He survived the crash, only to be killed moments later when the car was struck by second tractor-trailer, authorities said.

During the morning rush hour in Charleston, S.C., there was little evidence the center of the storm was passing to the northwest beyond a few downed tree branches, gusty winds and some puddles in the street. The sun occasionally peeked through.

Derrec Becker with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division said the storm has brought only a severe thunderstorm. No injuries were reported, and there had been no reports of significant damage.

The storm was expected to be centered over North Carolina by midday.

The National Weather Service issued flood watches across much of both states, was well as tornado and flash flood watches in several counties.

Thousands of power outages were also reported.

Tropical storm warnings remained in effect for the East Coast from Georgia to Virginia, meaning tropical storm conditions are expected somewhere inside those areas within a day and a half.

Rains and winds from the storm were forecast to sweep northward along the Southeastern U.S. coast on Friday.

Florida Gov. Rick Scott had warned of the risk of tornadoes, and officials said that eight were confirmed across the state. Slower-moving storms can pose a greater flood risk because they have more time to linger and dump rain, though Andrea still could bring as much as 6 inches to parts of the Carolinas.

Forecasters didn't expect major problems, however, along the most vulnerable parts of the coast such as the Outer Banks, a popular tourist destination.

John Elardo, a meteorologist with the weather service in Newport, N.C., said the storm would push major waves to the north and northeast, away from the Outer Banks. Storms in the fall and winter wore away dunes and washed out portions of N.C. Highway 12, the only road connecting the barrier island to the mainland of North Carolina.

Andrea could bring up to a foot of flooding on the sound side of the Outer Banks, Elardo said.

David Tweedie, 41, of Ocracoke, said an early morning burst of rain and the forecast of another three hours or so of rain and wind on the Outer Banks island has done little to alter the day's routine for the roughly 1,000 year-round residents.

The Friday fish fry that kicks off the island's annual folk music and arts festival was moved indoors to the island's only public school, and a musical performance of the three-day event was moved to the community center. But the tropical system was otherwise forcing no changes to the Ocrafolk Festival that normally draws more than 2,000 visitors, Tweedie said.

"The weather is looking pretty good for blowing out and for us having a good day tomorrow," said Tweedie, the festival coordinator. "Right now it's sunny."

The rain threatened to ruin a beach day for Angela Hursh, 41, of Cincinnati, who had rented a house in Frisco, N.C. Hursh was planning Friday to soak in the hot tub and watch movies with her 9-year-old and 13-year-old daughters.

"I think we're just going to hunker down and eat junk food," Hursh said Thursday.

Doug Brindley, who owns a vacation lodging rental service on the northern end of the Outer Banks near Virginia, said Thursday he expects all outdoor activities to be washed out Friday, driving tens of thousands of early-summer vacationers toward unexpected shopping sprees.

"We're going to have rain and wind," said Brindley, who owns Brindley Beach Vacations and Sales. "Retailers are going to love it."

Farther east in Chapel Hill, heavy rains forced the forced the postponement of Friday's NCAA super regional baseball series opener between No. 1 seeded North Carolina and South Carolina. A second game between N.C. State and Rice in Raleigh has been delayed three hours to 7 p.m. due to the weather.

In Cuba, days of torrential rains associated with Andrea caused rivers to jump their banks in the western province of Pinar del Rio. More than 3,300 people evacuated endangered homes, and nearly 1,000 acres (4,000 hectares) of croplands suffered "serious damage," state-run newspaper Juventud Rebelde said Friday. Rain was forecast to continue falling on already waterlogged areas through Saturday.

___

Tropical Storm Andrea dropped about three inches of rain on Savannah but few issues were being reported locally as it moved up the East Coast.

Tybee Island’s Ocean Rescue reported no unusual issues with rip currents and said they’d not had to rescue any beachgoers Friday, said Ocean Rescue Capt. Mike Taylor.

While Andrea had moved Friday out of the area, there were still chances of isolated thunderstorms in Chatham County throughout the afternoon and evening, said National Weather Service meteorologist Julie Packett. Those chances, at about 20 percent, would continue throughout the the weekend, she added.

The Weather Service was still working Friday afternoon to finalize precipitation numbers in Andrea’s wake, but preliminary data showed about three inches fell at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. Most areas in Chatham County saw around 2.5 inches, Packett said.

So far, June has proved to be a very wet month. About five inches of rain have fallen in the first week of the month. The average for June’s first seven days is about three inches, Packett said.

Earnest Wilson III has been named the new head football coach at Savannah State.

Wilson’s hiring was announced at a press conference Friday afternoon.

Wilson was the offensive coordinator/quarterback coach at Hampton University. A former Texas Tech running back, Wilson has also worked as an assistant at Jackson State, New Mexico State and Benedict.

He replaces Steve Davenport, who was dismissed after spring practice/

Chatham Area Transit will offer free rides on June 20.

CAT, the city of Savannah and the Savannah Bicycle Campaign will participate in the eighth annual “Dump the Pump Day, a nationwide campaign to raise awareness about the benefits of public transportation and other driving alternatives such as walking, bicycles, skateboards, scooters and carpooling.

Meanwhile, construction of CAT’s operations and maintenance facility at 900 East Gwinnett St. will close access to the ticket window beginning June 17, CAT announced.

Customers are asked to visit CAT Central at the Old Courthouse Building, 124 Bull St., to purchase bus passes/tickets. It will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Phone lines and faxes will remain operational at 900 East Gwinnett St. and schedules are available at www.catchacat.org, according to CAT.

One man has been transported to a hospital and another is in custody after a shooting Friday afternoon on Savannah's eastside.

Savannah-Chatham police officers responding to a shots fired call about 2:20 p.m. near the intersection of Ott and East Park streets found the man who had been shot, said Eunicia Baker, police spokeswoman.

Baker said a man was taken into police custody and his weapon was being logged into evidence. The victim was taken to Memorial University Medical Center. His condition was not immediately know.

Police remain on scene investigating the incident that Baker said appeared to start as an altercation when the victim and suspect came across each other in the street.

Streets and parking will be intermittently impacted downtown on Monday for the funeral services of the late Ben Tucker. 

* Parking on Wright Square will be reserved for funeral participants from 6 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Monday

* State Street heading west to Telfair Square will be subjected to a rolling closure for the funeral procession beginning about 1 p.m.

* Barnard Street from Congress to Bryan will be closed from 1:30 to 8 p.m. to accommodate a jazz tribute concert in Ellis Square. 

Angels draft

SSU’s McGowin

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — Savannah State pitcher Kyle McGowin was selected as the 157th pick in the fifth round of the Major League Baseball Draft by the Los Angeles Angels on Friday.

McGowin was the Angels’ fourth pick in the draft and third right-handed pitcher. The Angels also picked up 17-year-old southpaw Hunter Green out of Kentucky in the first round. L.A. grabbed RHP Keynan Middleton and RHP Elliot Morris prior to drafting McGowin.

The 6-foot-3, 180-pound, Sag Harbor, N.Y., native, pitched the Tigers to their first Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Championship in May, and the program’s first Division I NCAA Regional bid.

McGowin was named the MEAC Pitcher of the Year after ending the regular season with an 1.49 ERA in 96 1/3 innings pitched and a 12-1 record. He led the MEAC in strikeouts (111) and wins, and was ranked sixth nationally after the end of the regular season.

McGowin is the third SSU player to be drafted. In 2003, Jeff Urgelles was drafted by the Cincinnati Reds in the 26th round. Clay Cleveland was also picked up by the Reds in the 2003 draft, going in the 39th round.

Police arrest

UNC’s Hairston

DURHAM, N.C. — Officers seized a 9mm handgun and ammunition when North Carolina’s leading scorer, P.J. Hairston, was arrested on a marijuana possession charge, according to a police report released Friday.

Durham police stopped Hairston on Wednesday for a routine license check during which he was arrested. Police spokeswoman Kammie Michael says the pistol was found on the ground outside the rented 2013 GMC Yukon during the search. Also seized were three cigars and two plastic baggies containing more than 1 1/2 ounces of marijuana.

Hairston, 20, and his passengers — Miykael Lael Israel Faulcon, 20, and Carlos Devone Sanford, 23, both of Durham — were each charged with possession of less than one-half ounce and released on $1,000 unsecured bonds.

Faulcon is a basketball player at Elizabeth City State University.

No occupation was listed for Sanford.

on the police or arrest reports.

Michael said Hairston was also charged with driving without a license, though that charge wasn’t listed in records on file at the Durham County courthouse.

PSU officials lose appeals

HARRISBURG, Pa. — The state’s highest court on Friday turned down appeals by two of the three former Penn State administrators facing criminal charges alleging they covered up child abuse complaints against former football assistant coach Jerry Sandusky.

The state Supreme Court issued a pair of unsigned orders that denied petitions for review filed by former university vice president Gary Schultz and former athletic director Tim Curley.

The court orders say the justices were not preventing the two men from raising the same issue during their criminal prosecution.

Curley and Schultz filed the sealed appeals after the grand jury supervisory judge ruled in April that he did not have jurisdiction to consider their request to have charges thrown out. At issue was the role played in their prosecution by Penn State’s then-general counsel, Cynthia Baldwin, who accompanied them to grand jury appearances.

Precisely what they argued is unclear, however, because all of the documents in the Supreme Court appeal were sealed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — More Americans hunted for jobs in May, and more companies filled them — signs of confidence and resilience for the slow-healing U.S. economy.

The 175,000 jobs employers added last month were the latest evidence that the economy could be poised for stronger growth in coming months despite tax increases and government spending cuts.

The unemployment rate rose to 7.6 percent from 7.5 percent in April, the Labor Department said Friday. But that increase was only because more people began looking for work, a healthy sign. About three-quarters of them found jobs.

Investors seemed pleased that the report hit a sweet spot: The job growth showed the U.S. economy's sturdiness. Yet the gain was modest enough that many analysts think the Federal Reserve will continue making bond purchases intended to stimulate growth for at least several more months. The purchases have eased long-term loan rates and lifted stock prices.

The Dow Jones industrial average surged more than 200 points.

"Job growth is still a bit weaker than desired," said Russell Price, an economist at Ameriprise Financial. But the steadiness of the job gains "is a testament to the economy's much improved underlying fundamentals."

The housing market is strengthening, auto sales are up and consumer confidence has reached a five-year peak. Stock prices are near record highs, and the budget deficit has shrunk.

The American economy's relative strength contrasts with Europe, which is gripped by recession, and Asia, where once-explosive economies are now struggling.

U.S. employers have added an average of 155,000 jobs in the past three months. But the May gain almost exactly matched the average increase of the previous 12 months: 172,000.

Reflecting a recent trend, many of the jobs added in May were lower-paying ones, which aren't likely to fuel as much consumer spending and economic growth as higher-paying jobs that have disappeared.

Yet many Americans appear more optimistic about their job prospects: 420,000 people started looking for work in May. As a result, the percentage of Americans 16 and older either working or looking for work rose to 63.4 percent from a 34-year low of 63.3 percent in April.

This is called the labor force participation rate. Higher participation can raise the unemployment rate. That's because once people without a job start looking for one, they're counted as unemployed.

Labor force participation has been falling since peaking at 67.3 percent in 2000. That's partly the result of baby boomers retiring and dropping out of the workforce.

Joseph LaVorgna, chief U.S. economist at Deutsche Bank Securities, thinks an improving job market will lead more Americans to seek jobs. He predicts that the participation rate will level off around 63.5 percent.

The unemployment rate is derived from a survey of households, which found that more people started looking for work in May. Because some didn't find jobs right away, the number of unemployed rose 101,000 to 11.7 million.

The job gain for the month is calculated from a separate survey of employers.

Some signs in the report suggested that the federal government's deep spending cuts in domestic and defense programs and scant growth in much of the rest of the world are weighing on the U.S. job market. Weakness overseas has slowed demand for U.S. exports.

Manufacturers cut 8,000 jobs. The federal government shed 14,000. Both were the third straight month of cuts for those industries. Over the past three months, the federal government has cut 45,000 jobs.

The number of temporary jobs rose by about 26,000. The economy has added temporary jobs for eight straight months, suggesting that employers are responding to more demand but aren't confident enough to hire permanent workers.

Industries that rely directly on consumer spending hired at a healthy pace — a sign of confidence that consumers will keep spending. Retailers added 28,000 jobs. Restaurants added 38,000.

Those categories include many lower-paying occupations. By contrast, the recession sharply cut jobs in higher-paying industries such as manufacturing, construction and finance, which have yet to recover.

Mark Vitner, an economist at Wells Fargo, calculated that about 60 percent of the jobs created in May were in lower-paying fields. Even in a professional field such as health care, one of the biggest job creators was home health care services, where care providers earn about $10 an hour, according to government data, he said.

"It's hard to get meaningful income growth with these types of jobs," Vitner said.

Rob McGahen, 29, has felt the trend personally. After receiving his master's in business administration in 2007, McGahen worked for Boeing in St. Louis, buying parts for military planes.

Last year, after moving with his wife to Pensacola, Fla., McGahen sought work for about nine months. He settled for a part-time job in the produce section of Publix, a supermarket chain.

"It's certainly not a long-term plan," McGahen said. "But it keeps me busy. It keeps my skills from atrophying."

Stock markets have gyrated in the past two weeks on speculation that the Fed would soon start to taper its $85 billion-a-month in bond buying — a step that could raise rates and cause stock prices to fall.

"I think the Fed will stay on hold," said Nariman Behravesh, chief economist at IHS Global Insight. "They want to see numbers above 200,000 on payroll jobs on a consistent basis before they start to taper off."

Behravesh said he thinks the Fed will maintain its pace of bond buying through this year before scaling it back in 2014.

"Today's report is perhaps the perfect number for nervous investors," said James Marple, Senior Economist at TD Economics. "It is strong enough to point to continued economic recovery but not so strong as to bring forward expectations of Fed tapering."

Other analysts who have predicted that the Fed would start trimming its bond purchases later this year said they didn't think Friday's jobs report would change that timetable.

The Fed has been buying bonds to keep loan rates near record lows to encourage consumers and companies to buy and spend. Other central banks, notably the Bank of Japan, have also been acting aggressively to keep borrowing costs low to try to rejuvenate economic growth.

Low rates make investments that pay interest unattractive. As result, many investors have bought stocks instead. Money pouring into stocks drove the Dow to a record high last month. Stocks have since slipped from their peaks but are still up more than 20 percent since November.

The economy grew at a solid annual rate of 2.4 percent in the first three months of the year. Consumer spending rose at the fastest pace in more than two years. But economists worry that the federal spending cuts and higher Social Security taxes, which started Jan. 1, might be slowing growth in the April-June quarter to an annual rate of 2 percent or less.

Jeff Platts, CEO of Sky Zone, a Los Angeles-based company that runs indoor trampoline parks, said consumers appear more willing to spend than they did a couple of years ago. He's more confident about expanding and hiring.

Sky Zone plans to add 18 locations this year to its 38 existing sites. That will create about 70 full-time and more than 1,000 part-time jobs.

"In most markets we're in, parents are back to spending on their kids," Platts said.

___

AP Economics Writer Martin Crutsinger contributed to this report.

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (AP) -- A fire official in Santa Monica, Calif., says two men have been found dead in a burned home near a shooting scene outside a college.

Jeff Furrows of the Santa Monica Fire Department says there was extensive fire damage inside the home, which isn't far from a chaotic scene at Santa Monica College.

Furrows says a woman also was found with a gunshot wound in a car outside the burned home.

Witnesses at the college describe hearing numerous gunshots, students scrambling to safety and a man dressed in black being taken into custody.   

An area hospital reports receiving three victims, two in critical condition and one in serious condition.
 
Someone fired gunshots near the campus of Santa Monica College shortly before noon Friday, police said, and several people were reported to be wounded.

Police Sgt. Rudy Flores said the wounded included the shooter, who was also reported to be in custody. He did not elaborate on the extent of the wounds.

Flores said numerous witnesses called to report that the shooting began with a man on a street corner near the college firing shots at vehicles, including a bus.

California Highway Patrol Officer Vince Ramirez said his agency began receiving 911 calls just minutes before noon.

"We understand one shooter was taken into custody shortly after we arrived," he said.

Ramirez said officers were searching the 38-acre campus after witness said there may have been a second shooter who fled onto the campus. He emphasized that those reports were unconfirmed.

Santa Monica College is a two-year college with about 34,000 students in an area of both residences and strip malls, a little more than a mile from the coastal city's beaches and pier. It is also about 3 miles from where President Barack Obama was attending a fundraiser Friday afternoon.

Secret Service spokesman Max Milien said the agency was aware of the shooting but it had no impact on the president's event..