WASILLA, Alaska (AP) — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says she will resign from office July 26.

Her spokesman wouldn't say why Palin decided to step down, but the announcement stirred speculation that she would focus on a 2012 bid for the Republican nomination for president.

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — Battling leaders of New York's Senate who met with Gov. David Paterson say there is no power-sharing agreement to end a standoff over control of the chamber.

After Friday's one-hour, closed door meeting the Senate remains gridlocked after a June 8 coup by a Republican-dominated coalition over the Democratic conference.

The Senate is now evenly split after one of the dissidents defected back to the Democratic conference. Action on critical bills has been stymied for weeks.

Senators from both sides expect to meet again in the next few days, but none say a deal is imminent.

ADAMS — A village man is accused of harassment with a bag of potato chips.

Leon E. Petrie, 46, of 9243 Grove St., was charged Thursday night by state police with second-degree harassment in connection with a domestic fight that occurred early the morning of June 28. Troopers alleged that he threw a plastic table tray, and struck Raphael L. Felicia, 34, same address, on her head with the bag of chips.

A woman is summoned to town of Watertown Court because she allowed her teenage daughter to miss 31 days of school without a legal excuse, according to the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department.

Christine L. Weed, 50, of 25595 County Route 160, is charged with endangering the welfare of a child. The absences from school occurred sporadically between Sept. 9 and March 6, a deputy charged.

Mrs. Weed is also facing city police charges of second-degree criminal contempt, petit larceny and fourth-degree criminal mischief, filed June 2 in connection with a domestic situation.

The roughly 50 employees at the Venus Manufacturing Corp. plant in Dexter, have some promising news to hang their hat on this weekend. German clothing retailer Bon Prix is interested in purchasing the swimwear manufacturer, the Forida Times-Union is reporting.

The sale is expected to save most of the 240 jobs at the company’s plant in Jacksonville, Fla.

“No date is set (for the contract to be finalized) but as soon as humanly possible, and hopefully no later than next week,” court appointed receiver Jack Meeks told the newspaper. “The judge still has to sign off on the takeover of the assets.”

Messages left Friday at both the Jacksonville headquarters and the Dexter plant were not returned.

The Dexter facility sent layoff warnings to its employees in May after American Capital Bank pulled its financing from the parent company. Last month, the Venus Manufacturing was put up for sale.

The deal between Venus and Bon Prix includes the inventory, intellectual property and operating assets. Venus will keep its existing debt obligations, retail stores and its inventory, according to the newspaper.

Venus Manufacturing is owned by Venus Holdings, which was bought in 2006 by the investment firm Golden Gate Capital, San Francisco, Calif.

Venus Manufacturing opened its Dexter facility in 2001, and moved into a newly-build 7,200-square-foot structure owned by Frontier Housing of Dexter.

A Florida man visiting in Watertown was jailed briefly Friday morning on allegations that he had sexual relations with a 15-year-old girl.

Julian Velez III, 23, Jacksonville, Fla., was arrested by city police on charges of third-degree criminal sex act and sexual misconduct. He was released from the Metro-Jefferson Public Safety Building on $750 bail, set by town of Watertown Justice James P. McClusky.

According to documents filed with the court, Mr. Velez and the girl were introduced by a mutual friend, and they became acquainted through text messaging. The alleged activity occurred Wednesday at the girl’s home, the documents indicate.

State police allege that a Gouverneur man helped himself to $1,000 in cash while house-sitting for a Fort Drum woman.

Christopher A. Miller, 27, of 31 Edith St., was arrested Thursday on a charge of second-degree burglary. He was released on $1,000 bail by town of Watertown Justice James P. McClusky.

Documents filed with the court allege that on June 7 he was tending to the home of Heather Zrnich, Mifflin Road, Fort Drum, and that he found and pocketed the cash. He awaits grand jury action.

He was charged in January by Gouverneur police with third-degree grand larceny for allegedly bouncing five checks for a total of $5,066.

Over a period of about a month, an Adams Center man stole items from the basement of the building where he lives, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Department has charged.

Andrew J. Pierce, 22, of 12719 Route 11, is summoned to town of Adams Court to face six counts of petit larceny.

The thefts, occurring between March 3 and April 3, involved two saws, an air conditioner and a set of golf clubs belonging to Matthew F. Bondellio of that address, and a wooden glider and an upholstered chair owned by Mary Norfolk, same address, according to the sheriff’s office.

Mr. Pierce is also awaiting grand jury action on a fourth-degree grand larceny charge lodged June 1 by state police for the alleged theft and use of a credit card belonging to David M. Plante, a veterinarian in the town of Hounsfield.

A Gouverneur man is accused of running from village officers when he was stopped early Friday morning.

James C. Howell, 39, of 498 Spragueville Road, was charged with driving while intoxicated, resisting arrest, failure to keep right, having no driver’s license and an unregistered van, village police said.

Mr. Howell was driving a van when he was stopped on William Street. While being interviewed, he bolted from police who gave chase.

He was found a short time later at the Nice-N-Easy gas station and convenience store on West Main Street, police said.

Mr. Howell was arraigned in Town Court and sent to St. Lawrence County jail, Canton, on $500 cash bail. He registered a 0.12 percent blood alcohol content.