Obama asks Americans to step up, volunteer

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Continuing to press the themes of values, faith and patriotism, Sen. Barack Obama exhorted Americans on Wednesday to volunteer for public service, pledging to dramatically expand opportunities for those accepting his challenge.

On a campaign swing that included visits to military bases, the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee sought to emphasize his own love of country.

"Loving your country shouldn't just mean watching fireworks on the Fourth of July," he told a small audience at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. "Loving your country must mean accepting your responsibility to do your part to change it."

Throughout the week, Obama has been striving to win over voters in Republican areas, defending his patriotism in Independence, Mo., on Monday and pledging to expand federal aid to religious social-service groups in rural Ohio on Tuesday. He will speak about veterans in Fargo, N.D., today, then will highlight the theme of family Friday as he celebrates Independence Day in Butte, Mont., with his wife and two daughters.

In Colombia, McCain

touts free trade

CARTAGENA, Colombia — Sen. John McCain hailed the economic benefits of free trade to Colombians on Wednesday, raising the possibility of an eventual hemisphericwide agreement even though a weak economy at home has soured many U.S. voters on trade agreements.

The GOP presidential nominee-in-waiting also toured Colombia's largest port by speedboat to review the country's U.S.-backed drug-interdiction programs, a day after he praised President Álvaro Uribe for Colombia's anti-drug efforts but pressed him to improve the government's record on human rights.

McCain then headed to Mexico for a Latin American swing he insisted was not intended to be political.

Debt issue resolved

on McCain property

SAN DIEGO — Cindy McCain's debts with the county tax collector appear to be settled.

Earlier this week, officials said a trust controlled by the multimillionaire wife of Republican presidential hopeful John McCain had initiated payment on $1,743 owed in property taxes on a condominium in the tony La Jolla Shores area. The payment, due in April, was to have defaulted Tuesday.

"You can reasonably assume that it is paid," San Diego County Treasurer-Tax Collector Dan McAllister said Monday. Additional bills totaling $6,744 for the years 2004 through 2007 were paid by the trust Friday after Newsweek magazine questioned why the trust had fallen into arrears on the two-bedroom, two-bath oceanfront property, he said.

Jeff Olson, division chief of assessment services for San Diego County, said the Postal Service returned tax statements for those years sent to an incorrect mailing address in Phoenix, where Cindy McCain's trusts are registered.

Heiress to a large Arizona beer distributorship, Cindy McCain's worth has been estimated at more than $100 million.

Also

Authorities say a Colorado Springs, Colo., police officer in presidential candidate Barack Obama's motorcade suffered minor injuries when he lost control of his motorcycle near an onramp of Interstate 25 on Wednesday night. Secret Service spokesman Eric Zahren said no other vehicles were involved, and Secret Service personnel in the motorcade provided first aid to the officer.

Seattle Times news services