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April 30, 2012
Missouri Tent Collapse Raises Safety Questions
St. Louis officials are expected to more closely scrutinize the large tents commonly set up near downtown stadiums after one of the temporary structures collapsed in high winds Saturday, resulting in the death of an Illinois man and dozens of injuries after a baseball game.
April 30, 2012
Illinois Gov. Ryan's Corruption Appeal Sent Back to Lower Court
The Supreme Court wants a lower court to look again at the latest attempt by former Ill. Gov. George Ryan to overturn his corruption convictions.
April 30, 2012
Lawmakers Sue New York City over Occupy Wall Street Response
Four New York lawmakers sued the city Monday over its handling of the Occupy Wall Street protests, saying police conduct is so problematic that the department needs an outside monitor.
April 30, 2012
States Help People Pay for Tornado Shelters
Many families are adding tornado shelters to their homes. Some states are offering grants and other financial incentives to help pay for the added protection and peace of mind.
April 30, 2012
Ohio Officials to Return Exotic Animals to Widow
Ohio officials are planning to return animals that escaped from a Zanesville zoo to the deceased owner's widow.
April 30, 2012
Vermont House in Resolution: Thanks for the M&Ms
The Vermont House has passed a resolution thanking one of its members for the peanut M&Ms.
April 27, 2012
New Mexico Navajo Community Banks on Proposed Solar Array
TO'HAJIILEE, N.M. — This flat, dusty stretch of prairie in central New Mexico is where the leaders of a remote, sparsely populated American Indian community envision a sea of solar panels capable of producing enough electricity for more than 10,000 homes miles away from the reservation.
April 27, 2012
Nevada Taxable Sales Up 10.2 Percent in February
CARSON CITY, Nev. — Nevada's taxable sales in February jumped 10.2 percent from the same month last year as residents reached into their wallets to buy big-ticket items like vehicles and home furnishings, the Department of Taxation reported Thursday.
April 27, 2012
Texas Regulators Give Approval to Bury Nuclear Waste
State regulators have given final approval for a Dallas-based company to begin burying low-level radioactive waste at a West Texas site near the New Mexico border, according to a letter posted online Thursday.
April 27, 2012
House Cybersecurity Vote Sets Up Senate Showdown
The House's solid bipartisan vote for a cybersecurity bill sends a message to the Senate: Now it's your turn to act.
April 27, 2012
Supreme Court Moves to Center of Presidential Race
The Supreme Court, suddenly at the heart of presidential politics, is preparing what could be blockbuster rulings on health care and immigration shortly before the fall election.
April 26, 2012
Cash-Strapped Rhode Island City Backing Down in Cross Fight
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — The Wisconsin group challenging the constitutionality of a cross on a war memorial in Rhode Island says it expects to prevail without the type of long legal battle that unfolded over a prayer banner ordered removed this year from a public high school.
April 26, 2012
Vikings Players Hit State Capitol as Stadium Votes Near
Their goal finally in sight, the Minnesota Vikings summoned star power Wednesday to put extra pressure on state lawmakers nearing decisive votes on public financing for a new pro football stadium.
April 26, 2012
Michigan Emergency Manager Law Could Go To Ballot
Opponents of Michigan's sweeping emergency manager law have gathered enough signatures to put a repeal measure on the November ballot, state elections officials said Wednesday.
April 26, 2012
Newt Gingrich Faces Uncertain Future After Failed Run
As he winds down his presidential campaign, Newt Gingrich faces a new challenge: reinventing himself politically yet again.
April 26, 2012
Government Border Town Crackdowns on the Rise
State and federal agencies are cracking down on border town corruption as part of the larger effort to battle Mexican drug cartels.
April 25, 2012
Supreme Court Takes Up Arizona Immigration Law
WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court appears ready to allow Arizona to enforce a state law provision that requires police officers to check the immigration status of people they think are in the country illegally.
April 25, 2012
Ex-Mississippi Mayor Sentenced in Inmate Sex Case
JACKSON, Miss. — A former Mississippi mayor and prison warden was sentenced Tuesday to seven months behind bars for telling an inmate to lie to investigators about sex they had in a hotel room in 2009.
April 25, 2012
Obama Visit to Spotlight Iowa's High Student Debt
IOWA CITY, Iowa — President Barack Obama's visit to Iowa to talk about college costs is drawing attention to a surprising fact about a state known for education and frugality: its college students graduate with some of the highest debt in the nation.
April 25, 2012
Private Prison Closure Worries Rural Kentucky Town
After a sex scandal at a privately run prison in rural Kentucky, the state cut off the institution's funding and now it's shutting down — and that worries town officials in an impoverished Appalachian community where incarceration meant jobs and economic survival.
April 25, 2012
2 Veteran Democrats Ousted in Pennsylvania Primary
U.S. Rep. Tim Holden, Pennsylvania's longest-serving congressman, lost his re-election bid in the Democratic primary, while Rep. Mark Critz beat fellow Democratic incumbent Rep. Jason Altmire.
April 24, 2012
US Needs Top-Level Approval To Launch Cyberattacks
The United States would use cyber weapons against an adversary's computer networks only after officials at the highest levels of government approved of the operation because of the risks of collateral damage, a senior U.S. military official said Tuesday.
April 24, 2012
Google Investing $300M To Build Another Iowa Data Center
Google Inc. says it will invest $300 million to build another data center in western Iowa, bringing about 50 new jobs to Council Bluffs.
April 24, 2012
Sanford Police Chief in Trayvon Martin Case Remains Under Scrutiny
While George Zimmerman is free on bail, the police chief criticized for not charging him after Trayvon Martin's slaying remains under scrutiny, as city commissioners want to wait for the results of a federal investigation to decide if they will accept Chief Bill Lee's resignation.
April 24, 2012
Ohio's New Legislative Maps Go To Court
The fate of Ohio's newly drawn legislative map is in the balance Tuesday as lawyers spar before the Ohio Supreme Court over whether Republicans who controlled the process gerrymandered the lines for political gain outside of public view.
April 23, 2012
Out of Jail, George Zimmerman Fades from Sight
George Zimmerman, who slipped out of jail on $150,000 bail in the early morning darkness, went back into hiding Monday and likely fled to another state to avoid threats as he awaits his second-degree murder trial for the killing of Trayvon Martin.
April 23, 2012
Resignation of Sanford Chief Rejected by City Commission
The Sanford city commission rejected the resignation of the police chief harshly criticized for his handling of the Trayvon Martin case.
April 23, 2012
Hearing to Set Procedures in San Francisco Sheriff's Ethics Case
The city ethics commission plans to set the ground rules Monday for the misconduct case against Ross Mirkarimi, the sheriff who was suspended after being charged with domestic violence.
April 23, 2012
Social Security's Finances Worsened by Poor Economy
High energy prices and an economy that has been slow to rebound are worsening Social Security's finances, shortening the life of the trust funds that support program by three years, the government said Monday.
April 23, 2012
Vaccine Mandates Being Reconsidered in Vermont
For much of the legislative session, Vermont has been embroiled in a debate over whether to end parents' rights to refuse required immunizations for their kids.
April 23, 2012
2 Years On, Debate Continues Over Cruises from Charleston, S.C.
Two years after Charleston became a year-round cruise destination, the arguments over the liners and their impact on this historic city continues unabated. It's a debate that has led to a lawsuit, conflicting economic studies, dueling billboard messages and emotions that run high.
April 20, 2012
Jeb Bush Says He'd Consider Vice Presidency
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush says he'd consider running as vice president with Mitt Romney, but doubts he'll ever be asked.
April 20, 2012
2012 Campaign Commercials Give Hint of Ad War to Come
Get ready. The presidential ad campaign coming to a TV and radio near you is going to be nasty, expensive and heavily influenced by independent groups, particularly those that favor Republican Mitt Romney over Democrat Barack Obama.
April 20, 2012
New Electronic Campaign Filing Lauded in Virginia
The Virginia State Board of Elections says the first campaign finance reporting deadline using a new electronic filing application was a success.
April 20, 2012
Suspended San Francisco Sheriff Will Not Be Reinstated, Judge Says
SAN FRANCISCO — A San Francisco judge on Thursday indicated that he will not reinstate suspended San Francisco Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi or stop the city from pursuing its official misconduct case against him.
April 20, 2012
North Dakota Bridles at Minnesota Lawmaker's Capitol Insult
North Dakota's governor has bitten back at a Minnesota lawmaker who compared his state's Depression-era Capitol building to an insurance office, calling the critic ignorant of classic architecture.
April 20, 2012
Maryland Legislature First to OK Password Protection Bill
Maryland is poised to become the first state to ban employers from demanding applicants or workers hand over their log-in information for social media sites like Facebook. But it's unclear if Gov. Martin O'Malley will sign the bill into law.
April 20, 2012
Gov. Jindal's Retirement Proposals Cloud Louisiana Budget
Gov. Bobby Jindal's top budget adviser says he doesn't know how large a hole is left in next year's budget because of changes made to the governor's retirement proposals.
April 20, 2012
49ers Say Goodbye to San Fran, Hello to Santa Clara
So long, San Francisco. The 49ers CEO and Santa Clara leaders made history, touching off a confetti-filled and champagne-flowing celebration on the future 50-yard line that took parts of three decades to make happen.
April 20, 2012
Despite Gov. Perdue's Pressure, N.C. Democratic Chairman Won't Resign
The chairman of the North Carolina Democratic Party said he won't seek re-election next month after days of being pressured by party notables — including the governor — to step down in the fallout over sexual harassment allegations at party headquarters.
April 19, 2012
4 Prisoners, Including 1 Murderer, Escaped Kansas Jail
Four inmates escaped early Wednesday from a Kansas jail where they were transferred because of overcrowding at a state prison, and three of the men — including a convicted murderer — remained on the loose by late afternoon.
April 19, 2012
House Passes Highway Extension, Setting Up Conference With Senate
The House's latest 90-day extension is expected to be used as a vehicle to pass longer-term legislation.
April 19, 2012
Officials: U.S. Rep. Rivera Won't Face Charges in Florida
U.S. Rep David Rivera won't be charged with a state crime in Florida following a more than year-long investigation of the Republican's finances, law enforcement officials said Wednesday.
April 19, 2012
Jesse Jackson's Coalition Challenges Oklahoma Gun Laws
Civil rights leader Rev. Jesse Jackson says his Rainbow PUSH Coalition will organize to change gun laws in Oklahoma, where a shooting spree recently terrorized residents in a predominantly black section of Tulsa.
April 19, 2012
'Bridge to Work' Program Seeking State Participants
The Obama administration is looking for states that will experiment with unemployment insurance programs by letting people test a job while still receiving benefits.
April 18, 2012
Dixon, Illinois Comptroller Steals $30M from Tiny Town
Allegations that a finance officer for a small northern Illinois city was able to steal a staggering $30 million from government coffers to run a nationally renowned horse breeding business inspired calls for more rigorous oversight in small communities that typically face less scrutiny.
April 18, 2012
Hunters Get More Public Land Access under House Bill
A hunting bill passed by the House makes it harder to restrict hunting and fishing on public lands and ensures that the hunter's arsenal will continue to include lead bullets.
April 18, 2012
Texas Officials on Eliminating Federal Funds for Women's Health: We Need More Time
Texas officials have asked for more time to phase out federal funding for a women's health program after federal officials said it was illegal for the state to ban Planned Parenthood from participating in it.
April 18, 2012
Indianapolis Police Chief Quits Amid Car Crash Blunder
Indianapolis' police chief resigned and two other top officers were suspended Tuesday over the latest blunder in the case of a fatal crash involving a police officer authorities believe was drunk.
April 18, 2012
Minnesota Vikings Stadium Plan Suffers a Setback
Vikings fans have long been accustomed to the refrain "Just wait 'til next year," and they heard it again Tuesday amid the fallout from a House committee's vote against the team's long-sought public subsidy to build a new stadium.
April 18, 2012
Highway Bill Faces Veto over Pipeline Provision
The White House is threatening to veto transportation legislation that would extend money for highway construction projects through the end of September because it would mandate construction of a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline that President Barack Obama earlier blocked.
April 18, 2012
Jesse Kelly Wins Arizona GOP Primary to Replace Giffords
Voters in southern Arizona's 8th Congressional District chose Republican Jesse Kelly to face former Gabrielle Giffords aide Ron Barber in a special election to replace the wounded ex-congresswoman.
April 17, 2012
Supreme Court: Private Lawyers Have Same Protections as Public Employees
The Supreme Court has ruled unanimously that private individuals hired temporarily by local governments have the same protection against civil rights lawsuits as public employees.
April 17, 2012
Texas to Reject Federal Funding for Women's Health Program
Texas officials have proposed phasing-out federal funding for the women's health program through November after Washington said it was illegal to ban the participation of Planned Parenthood.
April 17, 2012
More Questions Set in Agency's $823K Vegas Parties
As Congress investigates an $823,000 General Services Administration conference at a Las Vegas resort, a fired GSA executive who threw a party there on the taxpayers' dime has been sent a letter by his former agency demanding $1,960 reimbursement for the party in his room.
April 17, 2012
Minnesota House Committee Puts Vikings Stadium Bill in Doubt
The Vikings have had no stronger booster at Minnesota's Capitol than Gov. Mark Dayton, who now faces the Herculean task of trying to keep the team's bid to build a taxpayer-subsidized new stadium alive in the waning days of the legislative session after the proposal failed a committee vote in the state House.
April 16, 2012
Sacramento Arena Deal Crumbles, Basketball Team's Future Shaky
The Kings' future in Sacramento is uncertain again.
April 16, 2012
Chris Christie's Tenure Marked By Town Halls
Like a performer waiting to take the stage, Chris Christie stands quietly alone behind the curtains and takes a moment to himself, and a few deep breaths.
April 16, 2012
Texas Version of Marco Rubio Brings Tea Party Spirit to Senate Race
Many Republicans view Ted Cruz as the Texas version of Marco Rubio, the Hispanic U.S. senator from Florida whose conservative philosophy and strong oratory skills helped make him a national tea party force seemingly overnight.
April 16, 2012
After Zimmerman Arrest, Activists Look to Gun Laws
The civil rights groups that turned outrage over Trayvon Martin's death into action say their work is far from over now that his killer has been charged with second-degree murder. Next, they hope to harness the activism to challenge Florida's "stand your ground" law and similar statutes in 24 other states.
April 16, 2012
Many Maine Voters Want a Female to Replace Snowe
Independent Senate candidate Angus King, the undisputed front-runner in the campaign to replace retiring Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe, has a woman problem. He's not one.
April 13, 2012
Detroit Sees Whole Foods as Proof of Progress
DETROIT — A city infamous for its unemployment, decay, crime and population loss would seem an odd place for an upscale natural and organic grocery chain to plant roots, but yuppie favorite Whole Foods is taking a gamble on the Motor City.
April 13, 2012
Texas Hopes to Learn Lessons From Searing Drought
AUSTIN, Texas — When Susan Combs was growing up on her family's West Texas ranch, conserving water was part of everyday life: If the windmill wasn't turning and the storage tank at least half full, the household plumbing was turned off — even the toilets.
April 13, 2012
Bingo Ban in Bald Knob, Arkansas Angers Seniors
Bald Knob has decided to ban the only bingo operation in town, a move that's the first of its kind since Arkansas legalized charitable gaming six years ago. The town's bingo ban comes at a time when states have been expanding or considering expanding gambling options amid tough budget times.
April 13, 2012
Ex-Missouri Gov. Wilson Pleads Guilty of Misusing Political Donations
Former Missouri Gov. Roger Wilson pleaded guilty to misusing money involved in an illegal political donation made years after he left office, and the longtime Democratic stalwart apologized for his misdeed.
April 13, 2012
Sacramento Kings Deal is Final, Says Mayor
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson is ready to meet with Kings owners at the NBA Board of Governors' gathering under one stipulation: the city will not renegotiate the proposed arena deal.
April 13, 2012
Child Identity Theft Bill Clears Maryland Legislature
As more children are having their credit ratings damaged by identity theft, Maryland lawmakers have approved a first-of-its-kind measure to enable parents to protect their kids.
April 12, 2012
'Shoot First' Gun Laws Under Attack in Bloomberg's New Campaign
New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg launched a national campaign that aims to repeal or reform the laws that eliminated a person's duty to retreat when threatened with serious bodily harm or death. These laws have passed in 25 states.
April 12, 2012
Chicago Homicides Up 60 Percent in 3 Months
Homicides in Chicago spiked by 60 percent during the first three months of the year despite an increase in police resources in some of the city's most dangerous neighborhoods, according to new police crime statistics.
April 12, 2012
Justice Department: Evidence of Bias in Texas Voter ID Law
The U.S. Justice Department said Wednesday there is substantial evidence Texas' voter identification law will discriminate against minorities.
April 12, 2012
Alaska Lawmaker Who Refused Pat-Down to Run for U.S. House
An Alaska state representative who made national headlines last year for refusing an airport security pat-down plans to run for the state's lone U.S. House seat.
April 12, 2012
Connecticut to Repeal Death Penalty
State lawmakers have passed legislation that would make Connecticut the 17th state to abolish the death penalty. The bill awaits a signature from Gov. Dannel P. Malloy, who has said he would sign it.
April 11, 2012
Wisconsin Recall Potentially Risky for Unions
Unions are facing a make-or-break moment in their campaign to drive Wisconsin's Republican governor from office.
April 11, 2012
Alleged Murder Plot Targeted Arlington, Texas, Mayor
Officials say a Texas mayor and an attorney were targeted by an alleged murder-for-hire plot that federal authorities say was orchestrated by the owner of a topless club embroiled in a dispute with the city.
April 11, 2012
Eric Holder Vows Thorough Review in Trayvon Martin Case
Attorney General Eric Holder said Wednesday that the Justice Department will take appropriate action in the killing of Trayvon Martin if it finds evidence that a federal criminal civil rights crime has been committed.
April 11, 2012
Newt Gingrich: Supporters Still Support Campaign
Newt Gingrich said Wednesday that it's still possible for him to win the GOP presidential nomination.
April 11, 2012
Voter ID Sting Video Prompts Investigation
The District of Columbia Board of Elections opened an investigation after an undercover video posted online showed an activist against voter fraud going into a Washington polling station and beginning the process to vote under the name of U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder.
April 11, 2012
Tulsa Residents Want Death Penalty for Shooters
Within hours of shootings that terrified Tulsa's north side and left three people dead, leaders of the predominantly black community declared the spree a hate crime and warned of a possible vigilante response.
April 11, 2012
Seattle Trash Pickups May Be Reduced
Striving to reduce the trash it sends to landfills, Seattle has banned foam take-out containers and plastic bags, told residents they must recycle cardboard and compost food scraps, and set up a registry for people to opt-out of getting phonebooks. Some city officials think the city can do even more: they're now weighing whether to stop picking up garbage from homes every week.
April 10, 2012
Wisconsin Governor Kicks Off In-Person Campaigning
DANE, Wis. — Wisconsin's divisive governor officially hit the campaign trail for the first time Tuesday, kicking off a statewide tour by speaking at a farm in front of a tractor, as Democrats filed signatures needed to take him on in a recall election.
April 10, 2012
Study: Affordable Care Act Would Raise Deficit
Reigniting a debate about the bottom line for President Barack Obama's health care law, a leading conservative economist estimates in a study to be released Tuesday that the overhaul will add at least $340 billion to the deficit, not reduce it.
April 10, 2012
Fatal Philadelphia Warehouse Fire Preceded by Violations
City officials say a vacant warehouse had been cited for fire code violations several times and court action was in the offing when the building was hit by a massive blaze that led to the deaths of two firefighters in a collapse at an adjacent furniture store where the flames had spread.
April 10, 2012
NYC Must Release Review of 911 System, Judge Says
NEW YORK — New York City must release a consultant's review of the city's 911 system and emergency response times that Mayor Michael Bloomberg's administration has been fighting to keep private, a civil court judge decided Monday.
April 10, 2012
Former Maine Gov. King Critical of GOP in U.S. Senate Race
Angus King is keeping people guessing whether he would side with Democrats or Republicans as a U.S. senator.
April 9, 2012
Texting Offers Promise, Challenges to Campaigns
Text messaging is posing both new opportunities and dangers for America's political campaigns.
April 9, 2012
California Nuclear Plant to Get Tough Federal Review
The head of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission promised a tough review of suspect tubing at the troubled San Onofre nuclear plant, but he left open the possibility that one of the twin reactors could be restarted more quickly.
April 9, 2012
FEC to Deny Sen. Feinstein's Proposal in California Elections Fraud
A draft opinion that the Federal Election Commission issued indicates that it probably will reject a request from Democratic Sen. Dianne Feinstein's re-election campaign to allow her to replace millions of dollars in contributions embezzled by her treasurer with new donations from the original donors.
April 9, 2012
School Vouchers Spark Legal And Political Fights
Students like Delano Coffy are at the heart of brewing political fights and court battles over whether public dollars should go to school vouchers to help make private schools more affordable.
April 9, 2012
L.A. Streetcars Aim to Revive City's Mythic Past
Half a century after the last of the lost Pacific Electric Red Cars rumbled through Los Angeles, a move has begun to return streetcars to downtown LA.
April 9, 2012
California School Suspensions Seen as Caused by 'Defiance'
School suspensions were once reserved for serious offenses including fighting and bringing weapons or drugs on campus. But these days they're just as likely for talking back to a teacher, cursing, walking into class late or even student eye rolling.
April 6, 2012
Rick Santorum's Delegate Plan Hits Wall in North Dakota
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum's plan to use state conventions to pull support from Mitt Romney has stalled in North Dakota, where Romney has the largest group of backers among the state's delegates to the party's national convention.
April 6, 2012
Arizona Lawmakers Receive Knitted Uterus As Protest
Critics of an Arizona proposal to limit birth control coverage have given a personalized gift to more than a dozen state lawmakers — a fuzzy, knitted uterus with googly eyes.
April 6, 2012
Vikings Stadium Bill Presses On in Minnesota House
Efforts to build a new Minnesota Vikings stadium stayed alive at the Capitol on Thursday thanks to a House committee that salvaged the plan ahead of a 10-day legislative break. Still, it faces long odds.
April 6, 2012
Nevada Working to Curb Backroom Doctors, Dentists
Nevada state health officials are trying to cope more effectively with phony providers. A former Nevada state attorney general is heading a task force examining the issue, and the Latino Research Center at the University of Nevada, Reno, has been commissioned to document reports of unlicensed care in the state's Hispanic community.
April 6, 2012
Mississippi Passes Abortion Bill That Could Shut Only Clinic
The Mississippi Senate has given final passage to a bill that could close the state's only abortion clinic.
April 5, 2012
Eric Holder Assures Federal Judge of Administration's Respect
In a letter written at the request of a federal appellate judge, Attorney General Eric Holder on Thursday offered assurances that the Obama administration respects the authority of the courts.
April 5, 2012
Connecticut Senate Votes to Abolish Death Penalty
The state Senate voted Thursday to abolish the death penalty in Connecticut, a state that has executed only one prisoner in a half-century and is now on track to join a national trend away from capital punishment.
April 5, 2012
St. Louis Ordinance Aims to Make City More Bike-Friendly
A new bill signed by St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay aims to make the city a more bike-friendly place.
April 5, 2012
Arizona Bill Against Online 'Trolling' Gets A Change
Arizonans venturing online may have to think twice before leaving a comment on a website.
April 5, 2012
Detroit City Council Approves Consent Agreement
The Detroit City Council and the state of Michigan reached an agreement Wednesday to restructure the city's finances.
April 5, 2012
Hemp Supporters Say Support Growing in Kentucky
Hemp isn't legal in Kentucky yet, but the eclectic mix of people at a recent seminar in Lexington was evidence that support for the versatile plant may be taking root.
April 5, 2012
Nebraska Republicans Divided on Prenatal Care Debate
Two of the most explosive political issues in Nebraska — immigration and the health of unborn children — are colliding as lawmakers move forward with a bill to restore prenatal care for illegal immigrants.
April 4, 2012
South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley Would Say No to Romney Job Offer
COLUMBIA, S.C. — South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley says she would decline an offer to be Republican Mitt Romney's vice-presidential nominee or to serve initially in his administration should he be elected.
April 4, 2012
NYC Crane Collapse's Cause Under Investigation
Authorities on Wednesday were focusing on what caused a construction boom crane to crash to the ground at a Manhattan work site, killing one construction worker and seriously injuring another.
April 4, 2012
Anchorage Precincts Run Out of Ballots During Election
An Anchorage official says an "unprecedented number of voters" turned out for a municipal election and multiple precincts ran out of ballots.
April 4, 2012
Mitt Romney Pads Delegate Lead with DC, Maryland, Wisconsin Sweep
Mitt Romney added to his big lead in the race for convention delegates Tuesday by sweeping Republican presidential primaries in Maryland, Wisconsin and the District of Columbia.
April 3, 2012
Indiana Student's Profane Tweet Stirs Free-Speech Debate
INDIANAPOLIS — Austin Carroll was fighting insomnia when the Indiana teenager turned to Twitter for relief and casually dropped the F-word multiple times, apparently to demonstrate to his followers that the expletive would fit almost anywhere in a sentence.
April 3, 2012
Obama: Ronald Reagan Would Be Rejected by Today's GOP
President Barack Obama said Tuesday Republicans want to force a "radical vision" on the nation, accusing the opposition party of moving so far to the right that even one of its beloved figures, Ronald Reagan, could not win a GOP presidential primary.
April 3, 2012
Colorado Voters Hold Elections on Slew of Ballot Initiatives
More than a hundred municipalities across Colorado are holding elections this week on everything from tax increases and marijuana to plastic bags.
April 3, 2012
Maryland Senate Primary Has Two Crowded Fields
Maryland's Democratic and Republican Senate primaries are crowded this year with eight Democrats hoping to upset a popular and well-funded Democratic incumbent Tuesday.
April 3, 2012
Milwaukee Mayor Barrett Seeks Re-election, But Eyes Larger Prize
Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett expects to easily win re-election Tuesday to another four-year term, but his attention is already on a bigger prize.
April 3, 2012
Homeless Woman's Death Not Police's Fault, Says St. Louis Mayor
A homeless woman's death from blood clots hours after officers arrested her for trespassing at a suburban St. Louis hospital was a tragedy, but was not the fault of police, the town's mayor said.
April 3, 2012
Soaring Student Loan Debt Threatens Economic Recovery
Surging above $1 trillion, U.S. student loan debt has surpassed credit card and auto-loan debt. This debt explosion jeopardizes the fragile recovery, increases the burden on taxpayers and possibly sets the stage for a new economic crisis.
April 3, 2012
Supreme Court OKs Strip Searches for Minor Offenses
Jailers may perform invasive strip searches on people arrested even for minor offenses, an ideologically divided Supreme Court ruled.
April 3, 2012
Philadelphia 'Texting Lane' Highlights Serious Issue for Officials
The sidewalk lanes for the digitally distracted may be a joke, but officials in Philadelphia want the public to know the issue is no laughing matter.
April 3, 2012
Embattled Michigan Emergency Manager Law Threatened
Efforts to repeal a law that allows the state to take control of financially foundering local governments has placed the future of several cities and school districts in doubt.
April 2, 2012
Medical Pot School in California Raided by Feds
Federal agents raided a San Francisco Bay area medical marijuana training school at the heart of California's pot legalization movement.
April 2, 2012
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania's Financial Overseer Resigns
Gov. Tom Corbett will move swiftly to recommend another financial custodian to help restore stability to Pennsylvania's debt-laden capital after his first appointee said he was resigning.
April 2, 2012
Seattle Police Get Justice Dept.'s Reform Recommendations
A day after Seattle's mayor proposed nearly two dozen police reforms in response to a damning federal report, U.S. Justice Department representatives delivered their own list of proposed changes during a closed-door meeting with city officials.
April 2, 2012
Sacramento, Kings Fight over Funding for Stadium
The Sacramento Kings said they are still committed to building a new arena in California's capital city despite disagreements over part of the funding.
April 2, 2012
California Candidates Seek Restitution After Fraud Plea
A California campaign treasurer pleaded guilty Friday to defrauding at least $7 million from a high-profile roster of politicians in the largest embezzlement case of its kind.
March 30, 2012
Wisconsin Gov. Walker to Face Recall Election
Embattled first-term Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker will face a recall this spring after an election was ordered following the collection of more than 900,000 signatures in the wake of his push against union bargaining rights.
March 30, 2012
Animal Cruelty Law Advances in Idaho
The Idaho Legislature has approved a felony animal cruelty law. If the legislation is not vetoed, only the Dakotas would lack such a law.
March 30, 2012
$540M Mega Millions Jackpot has States Anticipating Tax Jackpot
People queuing up for Mega Millions tickets aren't the only ones salivating over the record $540 million jackpot that could be won Friday -- some state governments struggling through lean times know a hometown winner would bring a tax bonanza.
March 30, 2012
Supreme Court to Vote on Health Law Today
While the rest of us have to wait until June, the justices of the Supreme Court will know the likely outcome of the historic health care case Friday morning.
March 30, 2012
Bill to Keep Lottery Winners off Welfare Sent to Snyder
After twice finding out lottery winners continued to use food stamps after collecting the jackpot, Michigan lawmakers gave final approval to legislation aimed at making sure it doesn't happen again.
March 29, 2012
Oklahoma Ultrasound Abortion Law Ruled Unconstitutional
A judge in the state of Oklahoma struck down a state law requiring women seeking abortions to have an ultrasound image placed in front of them and to listen to a detailed description of the fetus before the procedure.
March 29, 2012
Nome, Alaska, Residents Roll Along With Higher Fuel Prices
The measure of how challenging it can be to live in Nome, Alaska, starts with a dollar sign.
March 29, 2012
New Mexico Mayor-Elect Seeks Court's Help to Take Office
The mayor-elect of a New Mexico border town is turning to the state Supreme Court to help get him into office.
March 29, 2012
Illinois Legislators' Scholarship Program on the Chopping Block
After the failure of repeated efforts to end llinois legislators' power to hand out a few scholarships every year without regard to students' needs or qualifications, opponents are making a new push to eliminate the waivers.
March 29, 2012
New Jersey Rep. Andrews Used Campaign Funds for California Trips
A New Jersey congressman has spent at least $97,000 in campaign money on at least 18 trips over the past five years to California.
March 28, 2012
Top Democrat Don Biven Drops Out of Race for Arizona's Senate Seat
Don Bivens, a top Democratic challenger in Arizona's U.S. Senate race, announced that he was ending his campaign because a competitive primary battle was draining resources the party needed to win in November.
March 28, 2012
Execution-Drug Imports Blocked by Judge
A federal judge blocked the importation of a drug used in executions on grounds the Food and Drug Administration ignored the law in allowing it into this country.
March 28, 2012
Idaho Abandons Abortion Bill Requiring Ultrasounds
Idaho's Republican-controlled Legislature is backing away from a bill requiring women seeking an abortion to get an ultrasound first, capping weeks of Capitol demonstrations, a live Senate ultrasound exhibition on pregnant women and threats against at least one lawmaker.
March 28, 2012
Amazon to Build New Distribution Center in Indiana
Amazon.com Inc. announced plans for a $150 million warehouse and distribution center in southern Indiana after state officials gave the online retailer two more years before it has to start collecting sales taxes from customers.
March 28, 2012
Fraud Scheme Earned California Campaign Treasurer Durkee $7M
Democratic campaign treasurer Kinde Durkee defrauded at least 50 candidates, officeholders and political organizations out of $7 million in a scheme that dates back more than a decade, according to a court filing by federal prosecutors.
March 28, 2012
Bloomberg: Next New York City Mayor Shouldn't Live in Mansion
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg says his successor shouldn't live in the mansion that has long been the official mayoral residence because it would reduce the number of official events that can be held there and would burden the city with unnecessary rental costs.
March 27, 2012
Power-Plant Pollution Limits Set for First Time
The Obama administration forged ahead on Tuesday with the first-ever limits on heat-trapping pollution from new power plants, ignoring protests from industry and from Republicans who have said the regulation will raise electricity prices and kill off coal, the dominant U.S. energy source.
March 27, 2012
Joe the Plumber's Lawsuit Rejected by Federal Judge
Federal appeals judges rejected a lawsuit by "Joe the Plumber" that claimed his rights were violated by a state records search after he voiced public concern over taxes to then-candidate Barack Obama.
March 27, 2012
Vote on Highway, Transportation Bill Delayed in U.S. House
With a potential shutdown of federal highway and transit programs looming, House Republican leaders abruptly canceled a vote Monday on three-month extension bill aimed at keeping aid flowing to states while Congress debates an overhaul of transportation policy.
March 27, 2012
U.S. Rep. Rangel to Pay Fine for Campaigning from an Apartment
Congressman Charles Rangel and his campaign have agreed to pay $23,000 stemming from his use of a rent-stabilized apartment in New York City as a campaign office.
March 27, 2012
Nuclear Blast Wouldn't Destroy District of Columbia, Study Finds
A U.S. government study analyzed the likely effects from terrorists setting off a 10-kiloton nuclear device a few blocks north of the White House. It predicted terrible devastation for roughly one-half mile in every direction, but outside that blast zone, the study concluded, even such a nuclear explosion would be pretty survivable.
March 27, 2012
Sen. Orie's 14 Convictions May Force Her Removal from Pennsylvania Senate
Republican state Sen. Jane Orie was convicted on 14 counts of theft of services, conflict of interest and forgery and likely will be forced from the Senate.
March 27, 2012
Activists Demand Federal Probe of Albuquerque Police
New Mexico activists have ramped up their call for a Justice Department probe into Albuquerque police after officers shot and killed two men last week, bringing the total of such shootings to 18 in just over two years.
March 26, 2012
Rick Snyder: Progress Made on Detroit Finances Deal
State and city leaders are making progress in their negotiations about how best to rescue cash-strapped Detroit and could have a deal in place later this week, Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said Monday.
March 26, 2012
Rick Santorum Makes His Case on Health Care Outside Supreme Court
Republican presidential candidate Rick Santorum appeared outside the Supreme Court on Monday as the justices heard arguments over whether President Barack Obama's overhaul of the nation's health care system is constitutional.
March 26, 2012
Was the Health Care Case Raised Prematurely? Justices Questioning Briskly
Eight of nine justices fired two dozen questions in less than half hour regarding the question if the health care case was brought to the Supreme Court prematurely.
March 26, 2012
Hatch Act Changes Would Allow State Employees in Elections
Bills in both houses would update the Hatch Act to end federal prohibitions on state and local government employees seeking elected office.
March 26, 2012
Ban on Illegal Immigrant Renters Trying to Survive in Texas Town
A Dallas suburb has spent five years and nearly $5 million trying to ban illegal immigrants from renting apartments within city limits, but court challenges have kept the law from taking effect. Still, city officials say they're likely to press on.
March 26, 2012
The 9 Supreme Court Justice's Courtroom Styles
The few people that get to see arguments over the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act this week will see a wide range of style, personality and temperament among the nine justices.
March 26, 2012
State Maritime Laws Pitted Against Federal Ones in U.S. Supreme Court Case
A long-running dispute over exactly what an "unnamed gray, two-story vessel approximately 57 feet in length" was has landed before the U.S. Supreme Court. The outcome will determine whether federal maritime or state laws apply to structures that are moored, more or less permanently, in one place.
March 26, 2012
Justice Dept. May Charge Zimmerman with Hate Crime for Shooting Florida Teen
The U.S. Justice Department could bring a hate crime charge against the shooter in the killing of a black Florida teenager if there is sufficient evidence the slaying was motivated by racial bias and not simply a fight that spiraled out of control, legal experts and former prosecutors say.
March 26, 2012
The History of Health-Care Reform in America
The three days of arguments beginning before the Supreme Court on Monday may mark a turning point in a century of debate over what role the government should play in helping all Americans afford medical care.
March 26, 2012
The 3 Lawyers Arguging Health-Care Reform in Front of SCOTUS
The Associated Press profiles the three lawyers arguing health-care reform in front of the Supreme Court.
March 23, 2012
Public-Lands Bill Giving Utah Control to Become Law
Gov. Gary Herbert will sign a bill that demands the federal government relinquish control of public lands in Utah by 2014, setting the table for a potential legal battle over millions of acres in the state.
March 23, 2012
Insurers Spending Millions to Comply with Health Care Law
The nation's big insurers are spending millions to carry out President Barack Obama's health care overhaul even though there's a chance the wide-reaching law won't survive Supreme Court scrutiny.
March 23, 2012
Hiring Bias Rears Its Head For U.S. Long-Unemployed
As high unemployment persists more than four years after the start of the Great Recession, many in the U.S. who have struggled for years without work say they face discrimination.
March 23, 2012
Audit: Gas Lines Tied to Fracking Lack Oversight
Government auditors say federal officials know nothing about thousands of miles of pipelines that carry natural gas released through the drilling method known as fracking, and need to step up oversight to make sure they are running safely.
March 23, 2012
Illinois Bill on Facebook Password Requests Hits Snag
Legislation that would prohibit employers from seeking job applicants' social network passwords is on hold in the Illinois House.
March 22, 2012
Sanford, Florida Police Chief Temporarily Steps Down
Sanford Police Chief Bill Lee announced that he is stepping down temporarily at a news conference Thursday.
March 22, 2012
North Carolina, South Carolina State Line Could Be Moved
Relatively small errors by surveyors using stakes, hatchets and mental arithmetic 240 years ago could have big influences on residents who live near the border separating North and South Carolina.
March 22, 2012
Boy Scouts to Get $900K from Philadelphia for City's Attempt to Evict Them
The city of Philadelphia must pay nearly $900,000 after a failed effort to evict the Boy Scouts of America because of the group's ban on gays, a federal judge ruled.
March 22, 2012
Bob Kerrey Allowed on Nebraska Primary Ballot, Judge Rules
A judge has ruled that former U.S. Sen. Bob Kerrey will appear on Nebraska's Democratic primary ballot in May.
March 22, 2012
James King Drops Out of Mass. Senate Race, Supports Warren
Another Democrat is dropping out of the race for U.S. Senate in Massachusetts, leaving Elizabeth Warren with an even clearer path to her party's nomination.
March 22, 2012
Ban on Texas Immigrant Housing Law Upheld by Court
A federal appeals court Wednesday upheld a lower court ruling that stopped a Dallas suburb's ban on illegal immigrants seeking housing.
March 22, 2012
Panel: Detroit in 'Severe Financial Emergency'
A review team appointed by Gov. Rick Snyder to examine Detroit's troubled finances determined Wednesday that a "severe financial emergency" exists in the city, a finding that could lead to the appointment of an emergency manager should state and city leaders fail to agree on an alternative solution in time.
March 22, 2012
Abortion Foes Perform Live Ultrasounds in Idaho Capitol
The Idaho Capitol was part medical clinic, part reality TV show and all cultural battlefield on Wednesday, as an anti-abortion advocate secured a basement meeting room to conduct live ultrasound procedures on six women before a mostly female audience of 150.
March 22, 2012
Home Beer Brewers Seek Changes to Alcohol Laws
An explosion of interest in home beer brewing is forcing lawmakers across the country to review long-forgotten alcohol laws, some of which date back to Prohibition.
March 22, 2012
Florida 'Stand Your Ground Law' at Center of Trayvon Martin Shooting
Florida is among 21 U.S. states with a "Stand Your Ground Law," which gives people wide latitude to use deadly force rather than retreat during a fight. The self-defense law helps explain why a neighborhood watch captain has not been arrested in the shooting death of an unarmed black teenager — a case that has caused widespread outrage.
March 21, 2012
Justice Dept.: Young Inmates Abused at Private Missssippi Prison
The Justice Department says juveniles were subjected to sexual misconduct and other abuses at a privately run Mississippi prison, though the report comes three weeks after plans were revealed to move youth to another facility.
March 21, 2012
Emergency Manager Law Dealt a Blow in Flint, Mich.
A Michigan judge restored power to Flint's mayor and City Council, the latest legal setback for Gov. Rick Snyder and a state law giving state-appointed emergency managers sweeping powers to help struggling cities and schools fix their finances.
March 21, 2012
Convicted New York Rep. Rangel to Run for Congress Again
Congressman Charles Rangel says he'll run for a 22nd term despite his conviction on House ethics charges.
March 21, 2012
Senate Small Business Bill Bogged Down
WASHINGTON — A small business investment bill that had appeared to enjoy wide bipartisan support was in danger of collapsing Tuesday after Senate Democrats and Republicans split over two attempts to amend it.
March 21, 2012
San Francisco Mayor Suspends Sheriff, Seeks Removal
The San Francisco mayor says he's suspending the city's embattled sheriff and intends to permanently remove him from office following a domestic violence conviction involving the law enforcement official's wife.
March 21, 2012
Trayvon Martin Shooting Probed by Feds and Florida
An unarmed black teenager shot to death by a neighborhood watch captain told his girlfriend moments before he was killed that he was being followed, a lawyer said Tuesday as federal and state prosecutors announced they would investigate.
March 21, 2012
Idaho Lawmaker's Abortion Comments Spark Anger
A Republican Idaho lawmaker's suggestion on the Senate floor that a doctor should ask a woman who says she was raped if the pregnancy could have been "caused by normal relations in a marriage" brought a rebuke from another legislator who said it's insensitive and suggests women may lie to get an abortion.
March 21, 2012
New Hampshire House to Weigh Gay Marriage Repeal Vote
New Hampshire lawmakers are considering whether to take the first step toward making their state legislature the first one to repeal a gay marriage law, even as the governor threatens a veto.
March 20, 2012
U.S. Schools Failing to Prepare Students for National Security Jobs
The nation's security and economic prosperity are at risk if America's schools don't improve, warns a task force led by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Joel Klein, the former chancellor of New York City's school system.
March 20, 2012
Arkansas Airport Could Be Renamed for Clintons
Passengers flying into Little Rock, Ark. could soon be arriving at the Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport.
March 20, 2012
Connecticut Storm Response Bill on Legislature's List
Connecticut lawmakers will be discussing Gov. Dannel P. Malloy's proposal to impose minimum standards for electric and gas utilities for emergency preparation and restoring services to customers in an emergency.
March 20, 2012
Arizona Birth Control Bill Stalls in Senate
A bill that would let more Arizona employers drop coverage for birth control drugs stalled in the state Senate because of increasing opposition from women who feared they would have to reveal private health information to employers.
March 20, 2012
Sentenced San Francisco Sheriff Talks to Mayor About Future
San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee and Sheriff Ross Mirkarimi met for a little more than 30 minutes to discuss the law enforcement official's future after his guilty plea to a domestic violence charge.
March 20, 2012
States Protected from Sick Leave Lawsuits, Court Rules
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that states cannot be sued for refusing to give an employee time off to recover from an illness.
March 19, 2012
Louisiana Loses Congressional Seat to Census, Supreme Court Rules
The Supreme Court has turned down Louisiana's bid to recover the congressional seat taken from the state as a result of the 2010 Census.
March 19, 2012
4 GOP-appointed Supreme Court Justices Control Affordable Care Act's Fate
The Obama administration and the health care law's challengers believe they can attract four Republican-appointed Supreme Court justices to their side.
March 19, 2012
Hate Crime Laws Debated After Rutgers Webcam Ruling
There was a verdict in the wrenching Rutgers webcam spying case, but no resolution to a broader question that hovered over it: To what extent are hate crime laws a help or a hindrance in the pursuit of justice?
March 19, 2012
Iowa Legislators Likely to Focus on Budget Bills
Iowa lawmakers are planning to focus on budget bills and legislative leaders' priorities as the session enters what could be its last month.
March 19, 2012
Stoned Driving: How Can Officials Tell?
States that allow medical marijuana have grappled with determining impairment levels for years.
March 19, 2012
Texas Ex-Inmate Fights for $2M Under Wrongful Conviction Compensation Law
Billy Frederick Allen spent more than 25 years in prison before an appeals court overturned his convictions in two murders. Three years after winning his freedom, Allen is fighting the state again — this time for the $2 million he says he's owed for wrongful imprisonment.
March 16, 2012
Gas Drilling Did Not Contaminate Water in Pennsylvania Town, EPA Finds
Federal environmental regulators said that well water testing at 11 homes in a northeastern Pennsylvania village where a gas driller was accused of polluting the aquifer failed to show elevated levels of contamination.
March 16, 2012
Local Supervisor Carvin Drops Out of New York Senate Race
Republican Rye Town supervisor Joe Carvin has dropped out of the race to challenge New York's Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
March 16, 2012
Mitch Daniels Can Choose New Elections Chief, Indiana Supreme Court Rules
Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels will be able to choose a replacement for Indiana's ousted top elections official following a state Supreme Court ruling that found Democrats waited too long to challenge the GOP official's candidacy in 2010.
March 16, 2012
Newark Councilman Ron C. Rice to Run for Congress
Newark City Councilman Ron C. Rice is running for Congress in the 10th District. He's hoping to succeed Congressman Donald Payne, who died of cancer March 6.
March 16, 2012
Former Buffalo Bills Player to Enter Minnesota Senate Race
Former Buffalo Bills defensive lineman Phil Hansen is entering a new career — in Minnesota politics.
March 16, 2012
Is Facebook a Digital Asset?
Two states are considering bills that would make social network accounts part of a person's digital estate, giving their loved ones access when they die.
March 16, 2012
'Fighting Sioux' Case Considered by North Dakota Supreme Court
North Dakota's Supreme Court grilled the state Board of Higher Education's lawyer Thursday about the board's tardiness in challenging a law that requires the University of North Dakota's sports teams to carry the Fighting Sioux nickname.
March 15, 2012
British PM David Cameron Visits with Cory Booker
British Prime Minister David Cameron met Thursday with the mayor of Newark to learn about education reforms and other programs in the impoverished city before concluding his trip to the United States with a planned visit to New York City and the 9/11 memorial.
March 15, 2012
Detroit Mayor, Governor Wrangle over Consent Agreement
The debate over how best to help Detroit avoid going broke escalated into a war of words Wednesday as Gov. Rick Snyder urged the city to get over a "cultural challenge" by accepting his plan for reviving its finances, and local officials snapped back that they're up to the job.
March 15, 2012
Giant California Pension Fund Expects Lower Investment Return
The nation's largest public pension fund lowered its forecast Wednesday for investment returns and asked the state of California, school districts and local governments to increase contributions — a move that could siphon more money from basic services.
March 15, 2012
Idaho May No Longer Be Among Few States without Animal Cruelty Laws
The Idaho House passed a measure that toughens penalties for animal torture and gamecock fighting. Idaho is one of only three only states without a felony animal cruelty law.
March 15, 2012
Tech Firm to Pay New York City Nearly $500M over Payroll Scandal
A technology giant and federal contractor in charge of the city's scandal-plagued CityTime payroll project agreed to pay more than $500 million in restitution and penalties to avoid prosecution.
March 15, 2012
Dyersville, Iowa Neighbors Fret About Plan for 'Field of Dreams'
Should we build it, and would they come? Those are the questions being debated in the Iowa town where the "Field of Dreams" movie was filmed as it considers a $38 million proposal to turn the farmland around the famous cornfield diamond into one of America's largest youth baseball tournament and training complexes.
March 15, 2012
Barbers, Beauticians Take Conflict Over Striped Poles to State Legislatures
Steeped in history and symbolism, red, white and blue poles spinning in front of storefronts are an increasing source of friction between barbers and beauticians. Minnesota and Michigan are the latest fronts in a spreading legislative campaign to reserve the swirling poles for barbers.
March 15, 2012
GOP Primary Turns to Puerto Rico
The U.S. territory doesn't vote for the president in the general election, but this Sunday it will select its choice for who should challenge President Barack Obama.
March 14, 2012
Senate Passes Highway, Transit Programs Overhaul Bill
The Senate has passed an overhaul of transportation programs that's intended to keep aid flowing to thousands of construction projects while also strengthening highway and auto safety.
March 14, 2012
Oil Taxes on Alaska Senate's Radar for Weeks
This means the House will be working under a tight schedule if it expects to fully vet and pass out a bill before the 90 day session ends April 15.
March 14, 2012
Power Partly Restored in Boston After Transformer Fire
Sections of Boston that lost power because of a smoky electrical transformer fire slowly recovered Wednesday but problems were expected to persist for most of the day.
March 14, 2012
Former Maine Governor Baldacci Not Running for U.S. Senate
Former Gov. John Baldacci said that he's not running for the U.S. Senate, saying he and his family don't want to leave Maine to move to Washington, where he previously served eight years in the U.S. House.
March 14, 2012
Toilet Paper Dispute in Trenton, N.J., Resolved
The state's capital will move forward with an emergency purchase of toilet paper and paper towels. Supplies of both dwindled in city buildings while the administration and City Council quarreled over a contract to resupply city government.
March 14, 2012
State Plan for Detroit Finances Would Shift Power
State officials aiming to put cash-strapped Detroit on a strict financial diet delivered an ultimatum Tuesday with a plan to shift political power, consolidate public utilities and shrink city staff and salaries.
March 14, 2012
Some States Allow Lawmakers to Switch Votes on Previous Legislation
Lawmakers in California's Assembly will hit the campaign trail this year, touting their votes on all manner of bills. Can we believe them? What they say may not be a true reflection of the stand they took when the bill was being debated.
March 14, 2012
Kansas House Squashes Bid to Make Toto Breed State Dog
A Kansas House committee squashed a bid Monday to make the cairn terrier, a breed perhaps best known as that of Dorothy's canine sidekick in "The Wizard of Oz," the state's official dog.
March 14, 2012
Rhode Island Senate to Vote on Tanning Bed Rules for Teens
Minors looking for a tan in Rhode Island may have to bronze the old fashioned way if state lawmakers vote to prohibit those under 18 from using tanning booths.
March 13, 2012
New York Rep. Turner Enters Senate Race
US. Rep. Bob Turner, facing possible elimination of his New York City congressional district, said he will enter the already crowded field of Republicans seeking to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand.
March 13, 2012
Transportation Overhaul Bill Set to Pass Senate
The Senate is poised to pass an overhaul of highway and transit programs that gives states greater flexibility over how they spend federal aid, streamlines environmental regulations to get projects built faster and seeks to generate greater private investment in transportation projects.
March 13, 2012
Gingrich Banks on Wins in Alabama and Mississippi
Republican Newt Gingrich says he plans to campaign for president until the party's nominating convention in August, but his candidacy largely rests on the results of Tuesday's primaries in Alabama and Mississippi.
March 13, 2012
Mixed Reviews on Feds' Health Insurance Exchange Blueprint for States
Do it your way, but get it done. That's what the Obama administration is telling the states when it comes to carrying out the new health overhaul law that will eventually cover most of America's 50 million uninsured people.
March 13, 2012
Plastic OK'd for Part of Coney Island Boardwalk
A New York City commission has approved a plan to replace part of Coney Island's wooden boardwalk with a combination of plastic and concrete.
March 13, 2012
2 Arrested in New Mexico Town Plagued by Blackmail Plot
Two officials of a New Mexico border town wracked by allegations of extortion and voting fraud were arrested Monday.
March 13, 2012
Poll: Voters Approve of NYPD's Treatment of Muslims
Most city voters think the New York Police Department has acted appropriately in its dealing with Muslims, according to a new poll following a series of stories about the NYPD's surveillance of Muslims after 9/11.
March 12, 2012
Idaho House: Private Insurers Should Set Up Exchange
House members voted 49-13 to encourage private insurers to establish their own health insurance exchange, rather than having federal or state governments set one up as envisioned by the 2010 federal health care overhaul.
March 12, 2012
Florida Senate Race Rival Attacks Rep. Mack's Past
A former U.S. senator is zeroing in on decades-old altercations involving U.S Rep. Connie Mack IV to make the case that Mack shouldn't become the Republican party nominee in this year's Florida Senate contest.
March 12, 2012
Senators Come Back to Congress After Years Away
Republican Sen. Dan Coats of Indiana and Democratic Sen. Frank Lautenberg of New Jersey served years in the Senate, bowed out because of a term-limits promise or the frustration of endless fundraising and then discovered they couldn't quit the place.
March 12, 2012
Connecticut Lawmakers to Hold Hearing on Pharmacy Bill
Connecticut lawmakers will be considering legislation that could eventually direct state employee business back to independent pharmacies.
March 12, 2012
'America's Got Talent' Winner Running for Missouri House Seat
Neal Boyd of Sikeston, the one-time winner of the NBC show "America's Got Talent", will seek election as a Republican in the newly drawn 149th Missouri House District.
March 12, 2012
NYPD's Monitoring of Muslims Puts Counterterrorism at Risk, Say Police and Mayors
Police investigators, prosecutors and mayors in cities nationwide say the New York Police Department's secret spying is a misguided approach that will hinder the department's efforts to uncover potential attacks for years, if not decades.
March 12, 2012
Government Can't Keep Up with FOIA Requests
The Obama administration couldn't keep pace with the increasing number of people making FOIA requests, according to a new analysis of the latest federal data by The Associated Press.
March 12, 2012
Texas' Voter ID Law Rejected by Justice Dept.
It's only the second voter ID law the department has rejected in nearly 20 years. South Carolina's was struck down in December.
March 12, 2012
In Stockton, Calif., Slow Fall Off Financial Cliff
A red, white and blue sign declaring Stockton an "All-America City" still adorns City Hall, but the building's crumbling facade tells the real story of the community's recent fortunes.
March 12, 2012
Republicans Weigh Returning Orrin Hatch for 7th Term
Disgruntled conservatives planted the seeds for Sen. Robert Bennett's defeat long before delegates at the Utah Republican Convention made it official two years ago. Now, some of them hope to replicate their success against six-term Sen. Orrin Hatch Thursday in Utah's Republican caucuses.
March 9, 2012
Florida Law First to Randomly Drug-Test State Workers
Florida lawmakers have passed the nation's first law allowing state agencies to randomly drug test employees. Gov. Rick Scott is expected to sign the law approved by the state Senate on Friday. It already passed the House.
March 9, 2012
Bill to Regulate Exotic Animal Ownership Introduced in Ohio
An Ohio lawmaker is proposing that owners of exotic animals be subjected to background checks and required to fence their property — measures supporters say might have saved dozens of lions, tigers, and other wild creatures that were shot by authorities months ago after their suicidal owner let them loose.
March 9, 2012
Two Michigan Lottery Winners Received Food Stamps
Michigan lawmakers last year vowed to crack down when they heard an $850,000 lottery winner was buying groceries with food stamps. Now comes news of another lucky player getting food on the public dime
March 9, 2012
Florida Gov. Rick Scott Gets Bill Prompted by Caylee Anthony Death
Missing child legislation in Florida that was prompted by the death of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony is headed to the desk of Gov. Rick Scott.
March 9, 2012
Ohio Statehouse Visitors Now Require Shoes, Panel Decides
Visitors to the Ohio Statehouse must now wear shoes, declared a legislative panel.
March 8, 2012
Obama, GOP Governors Share Many Views on Education
A funny thing is happening between President Barack Obama and many Republican governors when it comes to improving America's schools: They are mostly getting along.
March 8, 2012
Marijuana Training Considered in Colorado Senate
Colorado senators have delayed action on a proposal to increase training for medical marijuana workers in Colorado.
March 8, 2012
Senate Leaders Reach Deal on Transportation Bill
Democratic and Republicans leaders reached a deal that clears the way for a Senate vote on passage of a $109 billion bill to overhaul federal highway and transit programs.
March 8, 2012
Kansas OKs Bill to Reinstate Happy Hour
Kansas House members have approved a bill that would reinstate happy hour at bars, restaurants, and clubs across the state.
March 8, 2012
Case Would Let Thousands of California Criminals Vote
The nonpartisan League of Women Voters and two prisoners' rights groups sued California elections officials on Wednesday, claiming that tens of thousands of criminals shifted to county jails and community supervision should be eligible to vote.
March 8, 2012
Illinois Lawmakers Set $33.7 Billion Budget Limit
Illinois lawmakers have agreed on how much money will be available for next year's budget. Now they have to decide how much they'll actually spend on services.
March 8, 2012
In Quest to Create Jobs, Some States Get Creative
In the quest to create jobs, some states are getting creative: Nevada may hold contests to encourage entrepreneurs. Ohio is giving control of its liquor profits to a group of business leaders. And Washington and Alabama are "selling" income they don't even have yet.
March 7, 2012
Maine Rep. Pingree Decides Against Senate Bid
Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree decided against running for the U.S. Senate seat vacated by Republican Olympia Snowe, choosing instead to defend her seat in the House.
March 7, 2012
New Mexico Man Who Can't Enter City Hall Wins Mayoral Race
Unofficial results show that a New Mexico mayoral candidate who's barred from city hall in the troubled border city because of extortion charges has been elected mayor.
March 7, 2012
Arkansas House Speaker Race Will Be Historic
Arkansas legislators will make history Friday, regardless of who they vote for as Speaker of the House. If elected, Rep. Darrin Williams, D-Little Rock, would become the state's first black speaker.. And Rep. Terry Rice, R-Waldron, would be the first Republican to hold the position since Reconstruction.
March 7, 2012
Bloomberg Links Drop in Food Poisoning to Restaurant Grades
Giving letter grades to the thousands of restaurants in New York City — from humble delis to celebrity chef-powered eateries — has been a boon to business and has led to a decline in the number of cases of salmonella food poisoning, the mayor and health officials said.
March 7, 2012
Clovis, N.M., Elects Mayor Who Called Obama Evil
Unofficial results show that a former New Mexico mayor who called President Barack Obama "the carnal manifestation of evil" and said Obama's election was part of a CIA conspiracy has been elected to his former job.
March 7, 2012
Sacramento Approves Arena Plan to Keep Kings
A year after almost being wiped off the NBA map, Sacramento cleared the most critical political hurdle when the City Council approved a plan to help finance an estimated $391 million arena.
March 7, 2012
Poor Oklahoma Showing Could Cost Obama a Delegate
President Barack Obama's victory in Oklahoma's Democratic primary was far less emphatic than typical for an incumbent president, and his poor showing in more than a dozen of the state's counties threatened to cost him a unanimous re-nomination.
March 7, 2012
Wisconsin Assembly Approves Limiting Recall Reasons
MADISON, Wis. — In the face of an expected recall election targeting Gov. Scott Walker and four Republican state senators, the Wisconsin state Assembly voted Tuesday to amend the state constitution to make it more difficult to toss an official from office.
March 7, 2012
Lawmakers Pick Fight With Feds Over Public Lands
SALT LAKE CITY — Some Western lawmakers are pushing for a showdown with Washington over federally-controlled land, picking a fight on an issue that they say puts an economic stranglehold on their states.
March 7, 2012
Ohio State Treasurer Wins GOP Senate Nomination
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel has easily won the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate.
March 6, 2012
Ex-Wrestling Exec Running for Connecticut Senate Seat
Former wrestling executive Linda McMahon is counting heavily on supporters from affluent Greenwich in her Senate bid, collecting more than 40 percent of itemized campaign contributions from donors with ties to her adopted Connecticut hometown.
March 6, 2012
Fracking Divides GOP Party
When it comes to the controversial gas drilling technique known as hydraulic fracturing, the Republican Party itself appears fractured — especially in the critical swing state of Ohio.
March 6, 2012
Ex-Governor Announces Run for Maine's U.S. Senate Seat
Popular former independent Maine Gov. Angus King says he's going to run for the U.S. Senate seat left open by Republican Olympia Snowe's surprise decision not to seek a fourth term.
March 6, 2012
Wyoming Lawmakers Reject Welfare Drug Testing
CHEYENNE, Wyo. — Wyoming lawmakers have killed a bill that would have required drug testing for welfare recipients.
March 6, 2012
On Health Care, Oregon Picks Up Where Obama Left Off
SALEM, Ore. — Pregnant with her seventh child and desperate to kick a meth addiction, Madeline Hutchinson turned to a program from the local Medicaid provider that connected her with a mentor and other support that she said helped her get off drugs.
March 6, 2012
Alabama House Resolution Jokes Money to Grow on Trees
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — A Democrat has introduced a resolution in Alabama's House that apparently mocks Republican job-creation efforts by joking that scientists will soon grow money on trees.
March 6, 2012
What's So Super About Tuesday?
What's at stake, what's it mean and what might happen?
March 5, 2012
Obama Shifts G-8 from Chicago to Camp David
The White House abruptly announced Monday that it had scuttled plans to hold the upcoming G-8 economic summit in Chicago, and would instead host world leaders at the presidential retreat at Camp David in Maryland.
March 5, 2012
Tornado Damage May Spell the End of Tiny Towns
Marysville, Ind., a tiny farm town, has no mayor, no school and no shopping center. And after last week's deadly tornadoes, it has virtually nowhere left to live.
March 5, 2012
States Finding Tough Climate for Gas Tax Proposals
As if gas prices weren't high enough, several states across the U.S. are looking to raise fuel taxes they say are needed to pay for roads and bridges that are outdated, congested and in some cases, dangerous.
March 5, 2012
Condoms Now Required for Los Angeles Porn Actors
Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa signed an ordinance in January requiring that actors in adult movies in the city must use condoms in order for producers to get a filming permit, and the rule took effect Monday.
March 5, 2012
Ohio Becomes a Romney-Santorum Dead Heat
Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum scrambled for any advantage they could find Monday in Ohio, the most-watched contest in the 10-state extravaganza stretching from Alaska to the southeast.
March 5, 2012
Justice Dept. Wants Trial on Florida Voting Law Changes
The Justice Department is opposing changes in Florida voting procedures and says it wants a trial in the dispute, a move that could impact the state's August primary elections.
March 5, 2012
Job Creation Driving Highway Bills in Congress
Do the highway bills really create more jobs? The answer from a lot of economists is not really.
March 5, 2012
Judge: Illinois Eavesdropping Law Unconstitutional
An Illinois law against recording conversations was ruled unconstitutional Friday, the second time in the past year a judge has struck it down.
March 5, 2012
Same-Sex Custody Battle Could Change Florida Law
A custody battle in Florida between two lesbians could fuel the growing national debate over the definition of motherhood.
March 5, 2012
Massachusetts Senate Hopefuls Tapping Diverse Donor Bases
For what could be the most expensive Senate election in Massachusetts history, Republican U.S. Sen. Scott Brown is relying heavily on donations from the financial services and health care sectors while his chief Democratic rival, Elizabeth Warren, is tapping the wallets of lawyers, fellow academics, union members and filmmakers.
March 2, 2012
Kings Look Set to Stay in Sacramento
A full financing plan that estimates the final price tag for the arena at $391 million set the stage for next week's City Council vote that will decide whether the NBA team stays put.
March 2, 2012
Extend or End It? GOP Voters Torn over Best Route
Interviews with voters across the country find that the segment of the GOP electorate that hasn't yet weighed in on the race is torn over wanting the race to end and wanting to have a say in choosing the eventual nominee.
March 2, 2012
2 Maine Pols Bow Out of Race for Snowe's U.S. Senate Seat
Democratic U.S. Rep. Mike Michaud and GOP state Senate President Kevin Raye are bowing out of the race to fill the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Olympia Snowe.
March 2, 2012
Florida Mulls Outlawing Shariah, Other Foreign Law
A measure to ban the use of foreign laws in domestic courtrooms is progressing in Florida's statehouse, one of dozens of similar efforts across the country that critics call an unwarranted campaign driven by fear of Muslims.
March 2, 2012
USPS Closures Concern Election Officials, Voters
Elections officials in several states are concerned that the closing of mail-processing centers and post offices could disrupt vote-by-mail balloting this year, leading some politicians to call for a delay until after the elections.
March 1, 2012
Plan Would Put New Vikings Stadium Near Metrodome
Gov. Mark Dayton, political leaders and the Minnesota Vikings unveiled a proposal Thursday to build a $975 million stadium for the team in downtown Minneapolis and called for quick action on the plan before the Legislature adjourns this spring.
March 1, 2012
Gingrich Stakes His Campaign on Old Georgia Home
Newt Gingrich's political career is coming full circle: The state that nourished his rise to House speaker could strike a fatal blow to his presidential ambitions — even by his own admission.
March 1, 2012
Debate Intensifies over Iowa Animal Undercover Filming Bill
Animal welfare groups reacted with outrage Wednesday after the Iowa Legislature made the state the first to approve a bill making it a crime to surreptitiously get into a farming operation to record video of animal abuse.
March 1, 2012
NYC Comptroller Still Eyeing Office Run in 2013
New York City's comptroller says he's moving ahead with plans to run for office in 2013, in spite of the recent arrest of his campaign treasurer.
March 1, 2012
Iowa House Approves Two Gun Bills After Dem Walkout
The Iowa House approved two gun-rights measures Wednesday night that sparked Democrats to stage a walkout earlier in the day, stalling action for six hours.
February 29, 2012
Syracuse Accusers Push for New N.Y. Sex Abuse Laws
The two former ball boys who accuse a fired Syracuse University assistant basketball coach of molesting them decades ago lobbied Tuesday for a New York state law that would give victims more time to report sex abuse.
February 29, 2012
Sen. Snowe's Retirement Causes Maine Scramble
With Republican Sen. Olympia Snowe's announcement that she won't seek a fourth term, a number of Maine Republicans and Democrats are considering jumping into the Senate race, setting off a scramble with just two weeks before a deadline to get on the June primary ballot.
February 29, 2012
Federal Court Issues New Texas Political Maps
Clearing the way for the twice-delayed Texas primaries to finally land in May, a federal court on Tuesday handed the state new voting maps for the 2012 elections that satisfied Republicans who flexed their majority but soured Democrats who wanted more seats.
February 28, 2012
Are Santorum's Comments on Higher Education Out of Step?
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — When Republican presidential hopeful Rick Santorum calls President Barack Obama "a snob" for wanting all Americans to attend college, he may be out of step with the public's overall view of higher education.
February 28, 2012
Colorado Voters to Decide on Recreational Pot Plan
DENVER — Colorado voters will decide this fall whether to legalize marijuana for recreational use when the state becomes the second in the nation to put such a proposal on ballots this year.
February 28, 2012
AP Source: Obama Sets Up Trade Crackdown Office
President Barack Obama plans to announce Tuesday the creation of a new enforcement office to challenge what the White House calls unfair trade practices worldwide.
February 27, 2012
Obama Urges Governors to Boost Education Funding
President Barack Obama Monday urged the nation's governors to invest more state resources in education, saying a highly skilled workforce is crucial for the U.S. to remain competitive with other countries.
February 27, 2012
Washington May Be First State to Require Abortion Coverage
At a time when many states are making it harder for women to get abortions, Washington state appears headed in the opposite direction.
February 27, 2012
Supreme Court Rejects Great Lakes States' Carp Case
The high court refused to hear an appeal from Great Lakes states, who have been trying for immediate shutdown of the shipping locks on Chicago-area waterways to prevent Asian carp from invading the Great Lakes.
February 27, 2012
Former GOP Head: Nomination Could Go to Convention
Former Republican Party chairman Haley Barbour says the fight for the GOP presidential nomination could go all the way to the convention.
February 27, 2012
Democrats on Defense in 2012 Governors' Races
Democrats are playing defense in governors' races in 2012, protecting eight seats while Republicans are safeguarding just four.
February 27, 2012
GOP Governors Concerned about Long Primary Race
Republican governors insist President Barack Obama is vulnerable, but they say they are concerned the prolonged primary race has alienated independent voters and may have badly damaged the eventual nominee.
February 27, 2012
Federal Warning Ends County Truce with California Pot-Growers
This month, a one-of-a-kind permitting system became the most striking casualty of the crackdown on medical marijuana cultivation and distribution by California's federal prosecutors.
February 27, 2012
Governors Headed to White House Meeting Monday
The nation's governors are going to the White House on Monday to discuss ways to bolster job growth and improve their partnerships with the federal government.
February 27, 2012
Plans to Drug Test Welfare Recipients Get Momentum
Driving the change is the unfounded perception that people misuse public assistance and that cutting off welfare benefits would save states money.
February 24, 2012
House GOP Leaders Weigh Scaling Back Highway Bill
Facing a revolt in their ranks, House Republicans leaders are considering significantly downsizing a bill that was supposed to provide a long-term blueprint for federal highway, transit and other transportation programs.
February 24, 2012
Vikings Stadium to Cost Minnesota Taxpayers Less Under GOP Plan
A group of Republican state lawmakers proposed a new Vikings stadium plan that would drastically reduce the size of the taxpayer contribution, arguing it was the only way the team's stadium push could make it through the Legislature.
February 24, 2012
Palin Before Resigning as Governor: I Can't Take It Anymore
Nearly 3 1/2 years after citizens and news organizations first requested Sarah Palin's emails, state officials have released more than 17,000 records from Palin's final 10 months in office. They illustrate that the intense scrutiny of her family and work was a financial and emotional drain that forced her to step down as governor.
February 24, 2012
N.M. Mayoral Candidate Says Rival Sent Topless Dancer
Scandals and dirty politics have long defined this dusty border town. So when a woman started dancing topless in mayoral candidate Gerardo Hernandez's office, he says it crossed his mind it could be a setup.
February 24, 2012
Appeals Court Tosses California Armenian Payments Law
A federal appeals court on Thursday struck down a controversial California law that allowed descendants of 1.5 million Armenians who perished in Turkey nearly a century ago to file claims against life insurance companies accused of reneging on policies.
February 23, 2012
Newark Mayor Seeks Probe of NYPD Muslim Spying
In Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Cory Booker said he was offended by the NYPD's secret surveillance of his city's Muslims.
February 23, 2012
Minnesota Committee Advances Voter ID Ballot Measure
Although the governor and secretary of state are against requiring voters to have photo IDs, Republicans want to let the voters decide.
February 23, 2012
Pennsylvania Elections Will Likely Be Based on Existing Map
The Republican leader of the Pennsylvania Senate said Wednesday this year's primary election would likely be conducted using the existing General Assembly district lines.
February 23, 2012
Wisconsin Redistricting Lawsuit Headed to Federal Court
Republican lawmakers on Wednesday declined to re-evaluate the state's contentious electoral maps, meaning a federal trial will begin to determine whether the maps were drawn in compliance with legal restrictions.
February 23, 2012
Detroit's Public Transit System Gets New Leader
Detroit's problematic public transportation system has gotten a new leader and some new buses.
February 23, 2012
Feds to Spend $50M to Help Great Lakes Fight Asian Carp
The Obama administration will spend about $50 million this year to shield the Great Lakes from greedy Asian carp.
February 23, 2012
Supreme Court Returns California Medicaid Case to Lower Court
By a 5-4 vote, the court sent the case back to the federal appeals court in San Francisco to consider whether private parties or only the federal government can object to Medicaid reductions.
February 23, 2012
Idaho GOP State Sen. McGee Resigns Amid Scandal
An Idaho Republican state senator who had been seen as a political riser has stepped down amid sexual harassment allegations.
February 23, 2012
'Caylee' Legislation Stalls in Iowa, Other States
Lawmakers under pressure from constituents in the months after the Casey Anthony trial have found it's not easy to toughen penalties for parents who don't immediately report missing children.
February 23, 2012
Michigan Bill to Block Graduate Student Unions Advances
The Republican-led Michigan Senate has approved a bill that would block unionization efforts by graduate student research assistants at public universities.
February 23, 2012
States May Tap Mortgage Settlement for Budget Gaps
A $25 billion settlement with the nation's top mortgage lenders could provide a tempting and timely pot of new money for state lawmakers and governors looking to fill multi-million-dollar budget gaps.
February 22, 2012
Unemployment Discrimination Bill Rejected in Colorado
Job postings that state unemployed applicants need not apply will remain legal in Colorado as a Republican state House committee rejected a discrimination measure.
February 22, 2012
Gingrich To Air Energy Infomercial in Key States
Republican Newt Gingrich is taking his campaign's recent focus on reducing energy costs and boosting domestic production to the airwaves with a 30-minute infomercial-style address.
February 22, 2012
Indiana Lawmaker Says Girl Scouts Promote Abortion
Undaunted by ridicule from the leader of his own party, an Indiana lawmaker is standing by his allegations that the Girl Scouts is a radical organization that promotes abortions and homosexuality.
February 22, 2012
Arizona Gets GOP Candidates' Attention
Rick Santorum is looking for another upset or two, while Mitt Romney is hoping to keep his leading rival at bay in the run-up to the 20th debate of the race for the Republican presidential nomination.
February 22, 2012
Ariz. AG to Look into Sheriff Misconduct Claims
An embattled Arizona sheriff said that the state's top prosecutor has agreed to conduct a comprehensive independent investigation into allegations made against him and his office.
February 22, 2012
Unions Gearing Up to Spend Big in 2012 Election
Unions say they are gearing up to spend more than $400 million to help re-elect President Barack Obama and lift Democrats this election year in a fight for labor's survival.
February 22, 2012
Court: NYC Can't Implement New Homeless Policy for Singles
NEW YORK — The city cannot go forward with a new policy requiring single people to prove they have no other options before they enter homeless shelters, a court ruled Tuesday.
February 21, 2012
Flexibility Puts Community Colleges Front and Center
Community colleges still don't get the dollars of their four-year counterparts, but they're standing very much in the spotlight these days due to their flexibility that allows them train students for fast-growing job sectors.
February 21, 2012
Court: Miranda Rights Don't Have To Be Read to Prisoners
The Supreme Court says the police don't have to read Miranda rights to prison inmates every time they interrogate them about crimes unrelated to their current incarceration.
February 21, 2012
GOP 'Super PACs' Overtaking Campaigns' Fundraising
An unmistakable dynamic is playing out in the money game among Republican presidential candidates: New "super" political action committees are growing more powerful than the campaigns they support.
February 21, 2012
Final Arguments Set in Arizona Bombing Trial
Attorneys are expected to give their final arguments Tuesday in the trial of two white supremacist brothers accused of bombing a city official in Arizona because he is black.
February 21, 2012
Jerry Brown Pins Legacy to California High-Speed Rail Plans
Critics have called it the train to nowhere and a $98 billion boondoggle. As concerns mount over the practicality and affordability of California's plan to build a high-speed rail system, even many former supporters are beginning to sound skeptical.
February 21, 2012
NYPD Monitored Muslim Students All Over Northeast
A report, along with other documents obtained by The Associated Press, reveals how the NYPD's intelligence division focused far beyond New York City as part of a surveillance program targeting Muslims.
February 21, 2012
High Court To Take New Look at Affirmative Action
The Supreme Court will once again confront the issue of race in university admissions in a case brought by a white student denied a spot at the flagship campus of the University of Texas.
February 17, 2012
New Jersey Assembly Passes Gay Marriage Bill
The assembly of the U.S. state of New Jersey on Thursday passed a bill legalizing same-sex marriages, setting the stage for an expected veto by Republican Gov. Chris Christie. Christie and most state Republican lawmakers want gay marriage put to a popular vote.
February 17, 2012
Seattle Announces Plans for New Sports Arena
Christopher Hansen is making a $290 million proposal to his hometown that could be the impetus for a new sports arena that could bring the NBA and NHL to Seattle. All he needs is city and county approval equaling $200 million and the two franchises to make it a reality.
February 17, 2012
Appalachian Trail Hikers' New Hampshire Post Office to Close
A post office described as a lifeline for residents of a tiny village and hikers traveling the Appalachian Trail is expected to close in May as part of the U.S. Postal Service's attempt to avoid bankruptcy.
February 17, 2012
Connecticut Lawmaker Would Be First Chinese-American in U.S. Senate
As a U.S. Senate candidate from Connecticut, William Tong doesn't have major, statewide name recognition like his two main rivals for the Democratic nomination. But the son of Chinese immigrants has picked up supporters from across the country as the only Asian-American candidate for Senate this year in the continental U.S.
February 16, 2012
No Cussing in Class for Teachers, Ariz. Lawmaker Says
A teacher's role may be to expand a student's vocabulary, but one Arizona lawmaker wants to make sure that doesn't include four-letter words.
February 16, 2012
Feds Add Charge to Former Detroit Mayor Corruption Case
DETROIT — Federal prosecutors have added a charge to the corruption case against former Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick.
February 16, 2012
Colorado Civil Union Bill Advances Toward Showdown
Gay couples waiting for rights similar to those afforded to married couples got closer on Wednesday to a legislative showdown with Colorado Republicans after a Senate committee approved civil unions legislation after hours of emotional testimony.
February 15, 2012
L.A. Mayor's Race Fundraising Exceeds $3.7 Million
Campaign fundraising in the 2013 Los Angeles mayor's race has already exceeded $3.7 million, with the election still more than a year away, according to the Los Angelas Times.
February 15, 2012
Spending Cuts Trump Farm Subsidies for Many Voters
Promoting farm subsidies was once a no-brainer for rural members of Congress seeking re-election. This year, it's a bit trickier.
February 15, 2012
Banking for Pot Shops Rejected by Colorado Lawmakers
DENVER — Medical marijuana is legal in 17 U.S. states, but the industry has a decidedly black-market aspect — it's mostly cash-only.
February 15, 2012
Unsettled Texas Primary Could Slip Into May or Later
Once set to rule Super Tuesday, the Texas primaries may now slide into May and out of relevance in the Republican presidential race because of disputed redistricting maps that now has a panel of federal judges demanding compromise.
February 15, 2012
Hawaiian Culture-Based Wellness Center Proposed
The former Kulani correctional facility has been identified as a possible site for the first culture-based wellness center for incarcerated Native Hawaiians.
February 15, 2012
Christie Vows Swift Veto of N.J. Gay-Marriage Bill
TRENTON, N.J. — New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is promising "very swift action" on gay-marriage legislation he opposes if it makes it to his desk.
February 14, 2012
Caylee Anthony Bill Moving Forward in Florida
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — A bill inspired by the death of 2-year-old Caylee Anthony is moving closer to passage in the Florida Legislature.
February 14, 2012
Former Colorado Lawmaker Gets Jail, Probation for Tax Evasion
The father of Colorado's Taxpayers' Bill of Rights was sentenced Monday to 180 days in jail and six years of probation for evading state taxes.
February 14, 2012
Connecticut Lawmakers Push Anew for Death Penalty Repeal
HARTFORD, Conn. — Some state lawmakers are reviving a push to end Connecticut's death penalty, hoping for an easier road this year following the conclusion of two widely publicized trials for a brutal 2007 triple slaying.
February 14, 2012
Interim Police Chief Named for Troubled Connecticut Town
The mayor of a Connecticut town embroiled by allegations of Latino bias by police on Monday announced the appointment of an interim police chief to lead a department tainted by charges of false arrests and other forms of harassment.
February 14, 2012
Colorado Considers Banking for Marijuana Shops
Medical marijuana is legal in 17 U.S. states, but the industry has a decidedly black-market aspect: It's mostly cash only.
February 13, 2012
Spiker Elected New Iowa Republican Chairman
A.J. Spiker has been elected the new chairman of the Iowa Republican Party. Spiker, a former Story County GOP chairman, was elected Saturday by the Iowa GOP's Central Committee.
February 13, 2012
Obama Sends $3.8 Trillion Budget To Congress
President Barack Obama sent Congress a new budget that seeks to achieve $4 trillion in deficit reduction over the next decade while increasing spending on areas aimed at giving the economy a quick boost.
February 12, 2012
Romney Backed Earmarks as Governor
Mitt Romney takes a hard line against congressional earmarks, but the GOP presidential front-runner had a more favorable view of federal pork-barrel spending when he was governor of Massachusetts, reports the Associated Press.
February 10, 2012
Social Issues Overtake U.S. Politics
All of a sudden, abortion, contraception and gay marriage are at the center of American political discourse, with the struggling — though improving — economy pushed to the background.
February 10, 2012
Judge Slams Critics of Texas School Prayer Ruling
A federal judge who was vilified by Republican presidential hopefuls for banning prayer at a Texas high school graduation delivered a scathing and unusually personal response Thursday, saying those who used the case to further political goals "should be ashamed."
February 10, 2012
Group Sues Arizona Town for Blocking Grand Canyon Development
An Italian real estate group is suing to keep residents of a tiny town south of the Grand Canyon from putting a stop to its plans for major development that include hotels, 3 million square feet (0.28 million square meters) of commercial space and hundreds of homes.
February 9, 2012
Gov. Snyder's Budget Ties Michigan School Funding to Scores
Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder is tying lots of strings to the extra cash he's offering public schools, universities and communities in next year's budget.
February 9, 2012
Report Shows Lax Federal Oversight of Gas Drilling
Federal policing of oil and natural gas drilling on public lands is lax and inconsistent, with only 6 percent of violations resulting in monetary fines over 13 years, House Democrats said in a new report.
February 9, 2012
Municipalities Need $300B in Sewer, Water Work
A federal study shows municipalities nationwide need more than $300 billion worth of essential upgrades to long overlooked water and sewer systems over the next 20 years.
February 9, 2012
Salt Lake Considers '22 Olympic Bid
Ten years after the Salt Lake City Olympics, Utah officials have formed an exploratory committee to consider whether the state should bid for the 2022 Winter Games. At least two other U.S. states -- Colorado and Nevada -- have also expressed interest.
February 9, 2012
10 States Get No Child Left Behind Waivers
President Obama freed nearly every state that's applied for waivers from the strict requirements of the decade-old education law.
February 8, 2012
Connecticut Legislative Session Opens; Schools Top Issue
Gov. Dannel P. Malloy called on state lawmakers Wednesday to help him create an economic revival in Connecticut, creating more jobs and overhauling the state's public school system, including teacher tenure.
February 8, 2012
San Francisco Expands Plastic Bag Ban
Shoppers in San Francisco will have to pay 10 cents per bag and more retailers are now banned from handing out plastic bags under a proposal approved Tuesday by the city's Board of Supervisors.
February 8, 2012
Texas Primary Likely Delayed as Court Redraws District Maps
Last-ditch negotiations to save the April 3 Texas primary appeared dead Tuesday, throwing the state's messy redistricting battle back to a federal court that must now sort through a widely panned partial deal and pick a new primary date.
February 8, 2012
Senate Struggles to Pay for Highway Programs
The U.S. Senate was scheduled to take up a bill to extend federal highway and transit programs later this week even though Democrats were still struggling Tuesday to find a way to pay for the programs.
February 8, 2012
Pennsylvania Gas Drilling Fee Bill Debate Ends Without Vote
Pennsylvania, the only major gas-producing state that does not tax the taking of natural gas from its soil, moved closer Tuesday to imposing a fee on the drilling in the vast Marcellus Shale reserves that have transformed the state in recent years.
February 8, 2012
Pittsburgh City Council Wants to Pay $75K in Teen Beating Claim
The Pittsburgh City Council is considering a bill that would pay $75,000 to a former performing arts student who says in a civil rights lawsuit against the city that he was wrongly beaten by three undercover officers.
February 7, 2012
South Carolina Sues Feds for Blocking Voter ID Law
The U.S. Justice Department was wrong to block South Carolina from requiring voters to show government-issued photo identification to vote, the state's top prosecutor argued in a lawsuit filed Tuesday.
February 7, 2012
New State Voting Laws Focus of Civil Rights March
Civil rights, labor and immigration activists say they are returning to Selma, Ala. next month to protest state laws they say will largely prevent black and Latino voters, the poor, students and the elderly from voting.
February 7, 2012
Official: Bankruptcy Possible for Harrisburg
HARRISBURG, Pa. — The state official in charge of figuring out how to fix an enormous financial shortfall in Pennsylvania's capital city said in a proposed recovery plan released Monday that "significant and difficult" steps lie ahead, and Harrisburg may end up seeking bankruptcy protection.
February 7, 2012
Gov. Perry Returns to Texas Public Eye
Making his first speech in his home state since abandoning his foundering presidential run nearly three weeks ago in South Carolina, the governor invoked his alma matter, Texas A&M, saying "all Aggies have a really interesting way of admitting defeat. You know, we've never been outscored, we just ran out of time.
February 7, 2012
DHS Appoints Public Advocate for Immigration Enforcement
The Homeland Security Department has appointed a public advocate to handle complaints and questions about its immigration enforcement policies.
February 6, 2012
Defense Cuts Test Lawmakers' Resolve on Deficits
President Barack Obama's call to shrink the military, shut bases and cancel weapons to meet the demand for budget cuts tests the resolve of lawmakers who came to Washington determined to slash the deficit.
February 6, 2012
GOP Race Turns to Colorado, Minnesota
Republican presidential front-runner Mitt Romney is looking toward the next states that hold GOP nominating contests as main rival Newt Gingrich brushes aside any talk of abandoning his White House bid -- all but ensuring the battle will stretch into the spring if not beyond.
February 4, 2012
AP Analysis: Border Patrol OT Up As Arrests Drop
Border Patrol agents have racked up daily overtime at a cost of about $1.4 billion in the past six years while the number of arrests of illegal border crossers has fallen to the lowest level in nearly 40 years, an Associated Press analysis of agency records finds.
February 3, 2012
Nevada Governor Staying Out of GOP Endorsement Game
Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval is staying out of the nomination fight despite his rising stature in the GOP — or perhaps because of it.
February 3, 2012
Ron Paul: States Should Resolve Land Management Issues
Republican Rep. Ron Paul railed against the federal government during campaign stops in Nevada on Thursday, saying states are in the best position to resolve conflicts over the management of wild horses and roads on public lands.
February 2, 2012
Obama Pushes for Veterans Jobs Programs
In an effort to cut the unemployment rate among veterans, President Barack Obama is calling for a new conservation program that would put veterans to work rebuilding trails, roads and levees on public lands.
February 2, 2012
Providence Mayor Warns of Possible Bankruptcy
PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Mayor Angel Taveras painted a bleak picture Thursday of the city's finances, saying Providence faces "devastation" and could go bankrupt if retiree benefits aren't cut and tax-exempt institutions like Brown University don't pay more in lieu of taxes.
February 2, 2012
Governors' Speeches Reflect States' Cautious Mood
Glimmers of economic optimism. Deep concerns about jobs and health care costs. These are among the recurring themes as governors across the nation deliver their annual State of the State addresses. And the speeches have this in common, too: a striking absence of grand and costly proposals.
February 2, 2012
Report Proposes Dividing Great Lakes, Mississippi
Groups representing states and cities in the Great Lakes region on Tuesday proposed spending up to $9.5 billion on a massive engineering project to separate the lakes from the Mississippi River watershed in the Chicago area, describing it as the only sure way to protect both aquatic systems from invasions by destructive species such as Asian carp.
February 2, 2012
Washington State Senate Approves Gay Marriage
The Washington state Senate passed a bill that would legalize same-sex marriage, setting the stage for the state to become the seventh to allow gay and lesbian couples to wed. The measure now heads to the House, which is expected to approve it.
February 2, 2012
Romney Using Nevada as Springboard for February Contests
Mitt Romney expects Nevada's caucuses to kick off a month of primary and caucus contests to keep momentum on his side in the race for the GOP presidential nomination.
February 1, 2012
Indiana Joins Right-to-Work Ranks as Governor Signs Bill
Indiana is the first Rust Belt state to enact the contentious right-to-work labor law prohibiting labor contracts that require workers to pay union representation fees, after Republican Gov. Mitch Daniels signed the bill Wednesday afternoon.
February 1, 2012
R.I. Governor Seeks $400K More for Central Falls Receiver
The cost of the state-appointed receiver and legal fees related to bankruptcy proceedings in the Rhode Island city of Central Falls is nearly $400,000 more this fiscal year than budgeted, and the total spent on the receivership is expected to reach $2.26 million by July.
February 1, 2012
Key Gay Marriage Vote Today in Washington State
The Washington state Senate is set to take a crucial vote on a proposal to legalize same-sex marriage. The bill has narrow support in the Senate, but is expected to pass because supporters have secured the minimum required for approval.
February 1, 2012
Oregon Democrat Wins Special Congressional Election
Democrat Suzanne Bonamici has won the Oregon congressional seat left vacant when David Wu resigned in a sex scandal.
February 1, 2012
Romney Wins Big in Florida Primary
Mitt Romney routed Newt Gingrich in the Florida primary Tuesday night, rebounding smartly from an earlier defeat and taking a major step toward the Republican presidential nomination. Gingrich vowed to press on despite the one-sided setback.
January 31, 2012
House Transportation Bill Would Spend about $260B
House Republicans are proposing to spend about $260 billion over the next 4 1/2 years on transportation programs, as well as substantially increase the size of trucks permitted on highways, according to a draft bill being introduced this week.
January 31, 2012
Pennsylvania Councilman Charged in 30-Year-Old Murder
A borough councilman has been charged with strangling his lover more than 30 years ago in a cold case that was brought back with advances in DNA technology.
January 31, 2012
New Jersey Governor Fires a Zinger in Feud over Gay Marriage
The verbal feud over gay marriage in New Jersey got more personal Monday with Gov. Chris Christie firing a slang term at a lawmaker, and a hero of the Civil Rights movement chastising the governor for a separate remark.
January 31, 2012
Texas Town Relying on Tanker Trucks for Water
Tanker trucks loaded with water have become the lifeline for a Texas lakefront village that came precariously close to becoming the state's first community to run out of drinking water during a historic drought.
January 31, 2012
Florida Broke Primary Rules to Gain Influence on Nomination
As it did in 2008, Florida went against the national parties this year and set the last Tuesday in January as its primary date. In response, officials in New Hampshire, Iowa and South Carolina moved up their dates too.
January 30, 2012
Democrats Spend Big in Oregon Special Election
Determined not to lose another friendly congressional district because of a sex scandal, Democrats and their allies have pumped more than $1 million into an Oregon special election race that has turned into a vicious exchange of attacks over the airwaves.
January 30, 2012
Arizona City Council Candidate Barred for English Deficit Vows Appeal
A city council candidate in Arizona who was barred from running because she doesn't speak English proficiently is vowing to appeal the judge's ruling.
January 30, 2012
East Haven, Conn., Police Chief Retires Amid Scandal
A police chief under fire for his handling of anti-Latino abuse allegations that led to the arrests of four officers last week is retiring from office.
January 27, 2012
Activists Send Hundreds of Tacos to Conn. Mayor
The office of East Haven's mayor was blasted with prank phone calls and a delivery of hundreds of tacos Thursday after his now-famous quip that he would address accusations of anti-Latino bias by eating tacos, a remark that left emotions raw in the town's large Hispanic community.
January 27, 2012
Hispanics In Focus as GOP Race Intensifies in Florida
More than a million Hispanic voters are the prize as Republican presidential rivals Mitt Romney and Newt Gingrich campaign hard in Florida after a feisty, final debate that served to heighten political tensions with the state's GOP primary just days away.
January 26, 2012
CIA to Remove Officer from NYPD After Internal Probe
A CIA operative's unusual assignment inside the New York Police Department is being cut short after an internal investigation probed how the NYPD, working in close collaboration with the CIA, set up spying operations that put Muslim communities under scrutiny.
January 26, 2012
Defamation Suit Filed Against Pen-Named Utah Mayor
A Utah mayor who wrote news stories under a false identify is being sued for defamation.
January 26, 2012
Maine Poised for 2nd Public Vote on Gay Marriage
Gay rights activists in Maine, the only New England state that doesn't allow gay marriage or civil unions, said Thursday that they are forging ahead with plans to put the marriage question up to a second statewide vote.
January 26, 2012
Obama Turns Attention to Energy in Key States
By highlighting the natural gas refueling station and the sale of energy leases on the Gulf, President Obama is drawing attention to two aspects of his energy policy: greater domestic energy production and investment in cleaner energy sources.
January 26, 2012
Term 'States' Rights' Heard Anew in Election Cycle
As the Republican presidential campaign has turned south, into the region that seceded from the Union 150 years ago, old debates about state and federal authority echo anew in phrases used by candidates, their supporters and the news media.
January 26, 2012
Oakland Police Could Face Federal Takeover
Mayor Jean Quan vowed to quickly reform the scandal-plagued Oakland Police Department after a frustrated judge threatened a federal takeover if it fails to quickly make good on changes agreed to nine years ago.
January 25, 2012
First Lady, Agriculture Secretary Unveil New School-Lunch Rules
While the new rules aren't as aggressive as the Obama administration had hoped, they mean most meals will come with less sodium and more whole grains, with a wider selection of fruits and vegetables on the side.
January 25, 2012
Minnesota Vikings Must Build on Metrodome Site for State Funding
Gov. Mark Dayton and a key lawmaker said Tuesday that the team must build on the site of the Metrodome -- its least-favorite option -- or state funding help for the multimillion-dollar project won't happen this year.
January 25, 2012
States Weakening Teacher-Tenure Protections
America's public school teachers are seeing their generations-old tenure protections weakened as states seek flexibility to fire teachers who aren't performing. A few states have essentially nullified tenure protections altogether.
January 25, 2012
Tornado Creates Worries in Bankrupt Alabama County
After months of hearing how Jefferson County, which filed the largest municipal bankruptcy in U.S. history in November, is broke, residents are curious about how much local assistance is available to help them recover from recent tornadoes that killed two and wiped out scores of homes and businesses.
January 24, 2012
Wisconsin Governor Fights Recall with Out-of-State Cash
Wisconsin's polarizing governor is fighting attempts to recall him with money from out-of-state donors, who helped him bring in more than $12 million since last year.
January 24, 2012
Romney Favors 'Self-Deportation'
Mitt Romney said in Monday's GOP debate that he favors what he calls "self-deportation" over policies that require the federal government to round up illegal immigrants and return them to their home countries.
January 24, 2012
Job Bias Claims at Record Level
Federal job discrimination complaints rose to an all-time high last year, led by an increase in bias charges based on religion and national origin.
January 24, 2012
Murder Charge for Suspect in Shooting of Kentucky Mayor
A 30-year-old man who grew up in a small town in western Kentucky came to the police station in the middle of the night with chilling news: He told officers that he had just shot the mayor.
January 23, 2012
Washington Legislature Has Enough Votes to Legalize Gay Marriage
Washington's Legislature has enough votes to legalize gay marriage with a statement from Democratic Sen. Mary Margaret Haugen Monday who said she will support the measure, becoming the 25th vote needed to pass the bill out of the Senate. The House already has enough support, and Gov. Chris Gregoire has endorsed the plan.
January 23, 2012
Giffords Meets with Shooting Survivors in Tucson
In one of her last acts in office, Rep. Gabrielle Giffords met with other survivors more than a year after gunfire interrupted a meet-and-greet with constituents outside a grocery store.
January 23, 2012
Small-Town Kentucky Mayor Shot Dead
The mayor of a small western Kentucky town has been shot and killed in his home, and a suspect turned himself in shortly afterward.
January 23, 2012
Obama to 'Hang Out' in Live Video Chat Room
President Barack Obama plans to "hang out" in a video chat room to answer questions about his State of the Union address, part of a White House effort to test new social networking tools and the latest evidence of the growing intersection of social media and politics.
January 23, 2012
Newt Gingrich Says He Can 'Shake Up' Nation's Capital
Fresh off a big win in South Carolina, Republican Newt Gingrich found himself on defense Monday as the volatile GOP presidential contest shifted to Florida.
January 23, 2012
Obama's Health Overhaul Lags in Many States
Three out of four uninsured Americans live in states that have yet to figure out how to deliver on the president's promise of affordable medical care.
January 23, 2012
Mixed Record for Obama's State of the Union Goals
As President Barack Obama prepares to deliver his annual address to Congress, many goals he outlined in previous State of the Union speeches remain unfulfilled. From reforming immigration laws to meeting monthly with congressional leaders of both parties, the promises fell victim to congressional opposition or faded in face of other priorities as the unruly realities of governing set in.
January 20, 2012
Multi-State Personhood Push Kindles Abortion Debate
In poll after poll, Americans say the economy is the paramount issue facing the nation, with hot-button social issues trailing far behind. Nonetheless, abortion will likely be in the election-year spotlight in a slew of states facing possible votes on sweeping abortion bans.
January 20, 2012
Mayors Unite to Support Gay Marriage
Mayors of more than 70 cities are joining forces to support gay marriage.
January 20, 2012
Pennsylvania House Leader Working on Run for Congress
Pennsylvania's state House majority leader is telling top Republican Party officials that he plans to run for a U.S. House seat.
January 20, 2012
U.S. Chinatowns Wane as Asians Head to Suburbs
America's historic Chinatowns, home for a century to immigrants seeking social support and refuge from racism, are fading as rising living costs, jobs elsewhere and a desire for wider spaces lure Asian-Americans more than ever to the suburbs.
January 20, 2012
Protesters to Occupy Outside U.S. Courthouses
Protesters plan to "occupy" courthouses in more than 100 cities across the U.S. on Friday to protest a landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision that removed most limits on corporate and labor spending in federal elections.
January 20, 2012
More Than 1,600 Deportation Cases Set to Close
The Obama administration has recommended canceling deportation proceedings for more than 1,600 illegal immigrants in Denver and Baltimore not considered a national security or public threat.
January 20, 2012
Authority for NYPD-CIA Collaboration Questioned
The CIA's top lawyer never approved sending a veteran agency officer to New York, where he helped set up police spying programs, The Associated Press has learned. Such approval would have been required under the presidential order that Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said authorized the unusual assignment.
January 19, 2012
Perry Drops Out of Race, Endorses Gingrich
Texas Gov. Rick Perry dropped out of the race for the Republican presidential nomination and endorsed Newt Gingrich, adding a fresh layer of unpredictability to the campaign just days before the South Carolina primary.
January 19, 2012
GOP N.J. Sen. Kyrillos to Run for US Senate
New Jersey Sen. Joseph Kyrillos will seek the Republican nomination for U.S. Senate to run against Sen. Bob Menendez in November.
January 19, 2012
Santorum Edges Romney in Final Iowa GOP Count
Rick Santorum edged front-runner Mitt Romney by 34 votes in a surprise flip to the final results of the Iowa caucuses, Republican officials said Thursday, but no winner was declared because some votes remain missing in the event's closest finish ever.
January 18, 2012
Obama: No on Keystone XL Pipeline, More Review Needed
President Barack Obama says he's denying an application for a Canada-to-Texas oil pipeline because a GOP-mandated deadline didn't allow time for a full review.
January 18, 2012
Utah AG's Office Asks Judge to Dismiss Hospitality Industry's Case Against Liquor Laws
Utah has authority to prevent beer taverns and liquor clubs from offering happy-hour discounts, state attorneys said in a court filing defending peculiar regulations governing liquor in a state dominated by teetotaling Mormons.
January 18, 2012
Police Chiefs Meet at White House to Discuss Terror Fight
The Obama administration is providing senior state and local police officials with its analysis of homegrown terrorism incidents, including common signs law enforcement can use to identify violent extremists.
January 18, 2012
Porn Industry Could Leave LA if Condoms Required
Some of the most prominent purveyors of erotic films say they'll start packing up their sex toys and abandoning the U.S. porn capital if authorities carry through with an effort to police film sets and order that every actor be outfitted with a condom.
January 18, 2012
Several Hundred Occupy Protesters Rally at Capitol
Organizers had touted the rally, known as Occupy Congress, as the largest national gathering of Occupy protesters to date and secured a permit that would have allowed up to 10,000 people to participate. By mid-afternoon, the protest appeared to have fallen far short of those goals.
January 17, 2012
Recession Put Pre-K Expansion on Hold
The expansion in public prekindergarten programs has slowed and even been reversed in some states as school districts cope with shrinking budgets. As a result, many 3- and 4-year-olds aren't going to preschool.
January 17, 2012
Perry Defends States' Rights
In a Republican debate in South Carolina Monday night, the Texas governor said the state "is at war with this federal government and this administration."
January 16, 2012
Anti-Immigration Tone Alienating Hispanics
The Republican Party is beefing up its minority outreach nationwide and preparing to put its rising Latino stars on the campaign trail amid concerns that tough immigration rhetoric in the presidential primary is taking on an increasingly anti-Hispanic tone.
January 16, 2012
Perry Appeals Judge's Ruling on Va. Primary Ballot
Texas Gov. Rick Perry on Sunday appealed a federal judge's refusal to add him and three other candidates to Virginia's Republican presidential primary ballot.
January 16, 2012
Renewed Push for Community Radio Stations
Mild-mannered community activist Albert Knighten found himself in handcuffs last month when police and federal agents raided his home and shut down a pirate radio station he operated out of a spare bedroom. Supporters say his bare-bones operation filled an important niche in a predominantly black section of Fort Myers, a community whose residents often feel overlooked and underserved by commercial radio.
January 16, 2012
Troubled R.I. City in Receivership Loses Democracy
When the state stepped in to take over financially struggling Central Falls in 2010, Rhode Island's smallest city lost something fundamental: its democratic government.
January 16, 2012
S.C. State Lawmaker Endorses Paul
State Sen. Tom Davis, who served as chief of staff to former Republican Gov. Mark Sanford and is considered a vocal fiscal conservative, announced his support for the Texas congressman Sunday.
January 16, 2012
A Difficult Start for New San Francisco Sheriff
Ross Mirkarimi, San Francisco's first new sheriff in more than three decades, was charged Friday with battering his wife, booked by the very sheriff's deputies he now commands.
January 13, 2012
Mo. Governor Candidate Changes College Biography
Missouri gubernatorial candidate Dave Spence has a degree in home economics, but the biography on his campaign website originally omitted the word "home."
January 13, 2012
GOP Candidates Fail to Get on Some Primary Ballots
Rick Santorum, Newt Gingrich, Rick Perry and Jon Huntsman have all failed to qualify for the ballot in at least one upcoming GOP primary.
January 13, 2012
Chicago Grants 1st Protest Permit Ahead of G-8, NATO
CHICAGO — Chicago officials said Thursday they approved the first parade permit to protesters ahead of meetings set for May of the leading industrial nations and sought to quell critics' concerns that proposed changes to city laws will step on demonstrators' First Amendment rights.
January 12, 2012
Detroit Imposes Business Hours at Police Precincts
DETROIT -- Fighting crime is a 24-hour job, but Detroit police stations will be sticking to business hours.
January 12, 2012
South Carolina TV Already Awash in GOP Attack Ads
COLUMBIA, S.C. — Mitt Romney is "a Massachusetts moderate" who "can't be trusted" on abortion and other core Republican values. Newt Gingrich has questionable judgment for "teaming up with Nancy Pelosi," the Democratic lawmaker the GOP loves to malign. Rick Santorum is a "serial hypocrite" with "a record of betrayal."
January 12, 2012
Another GOP Lawmaker from California to Retire
WASHINGTON — Rep. Jerry Lewis of California became the latest Republican to announce his retirement from Congress after new boundaries drawn through redistricting promised to make the road to re-election more difficult.
January 12, 2012
Report: Shortchanging IRS Budget Hurts Taxpayers
WASHINGTON — Congress is damaging the Internal Revenue Service by shortchanging its budget, making it harder for the agency to help taxpayers, detect fraud and bolster revenue collection even as budget deficits surge, a government watchdog said Wednesday.
January 12, 2012
Woman, Pet Kangaroo Moving over City Spat
TULSA, Oklahoma — A woman who keeps a partially paralyzed kangaroo as a therapy pet said Wednesday that she is moving to another city over a spat with local officials, even though they insist they haven't told her to go or threatened to seize the animal.
January 11, 2012
Late Entry Into Vikings Stadium Siting Contest
SHAKOPEE, Minn. - An unexpected late bid by a suburban Minnesota city to host the new Vikings stadium is unlikely to significantly change a debate on the issue in the Capitol Wednesday, a team spokesman said.
January 11, 2012
Brown Winter Means More Green for Many U.S. Cities
The warm, brown winter that has disappointed snow lovers in much of the U.S. has put more green in the pockets of state and local governments.
January 11, 2012
LA Council Tentatively OKs Porn Condom Ordinance
LOS ANGELES — An ordinance that would require porn actors to wear condoms during film shoots was tentatively approved by the Los Angeles City Council on Tuesday.
January 11, 2012
Romney Sweeps New Hampshire to Cement Top Status; Paul Second
CONCORD, N.H. — Mitt Romney cruised to a solid victory in the New Hampshire primary Tuesday night, picking up steam from his first-place finish in the lead-off Iowa caucuses and firmly establishing himself as the man to beat for the Republican presidential nomination.
January 11, 2012
Reviewers: Detroit Can Avoid Emergency Manager
LANSING, Mich. — The city of Detroit has time to avoid having a state-appointed emergency manager put in place, but city and union officials had better move quickly to avoid significant state intervention, state officials said Tuesday.
January 10, 2012
In Dixville Notch, It's a Romney-Huntsman Tie
DIXVILLE NOTCH, N.H. — Voters in the tiny New Hampshire village famed for casting the first ballots in the nation's first presidential primary found themselves in a tie Tuesday between Republicans Mitt Romney and Jon Huntsman.
January 10, 2012
Many U.S. Communities Are Blocking Medical Marijuana
More and more states are saying yes to medical marijuana. But local governments are increasingly using their laws to just say no, not in our backyard.
January 10, 2012
America Hits the Brakes on Health-Care Spending
Health spending stabilized as a share of the nation's economy in 2010 after two back-to-back years of historically low growth.
January 9, 2012
Indiana Dems Ending Boycott, Won't Promise Labor Vote
INDIANAPOLIS -- Indiana House Democrats on Monday ended a three-day boycott of the Legislature over a contentious labor bill but are not promising to stay long enough to allow a final vote on the divisive measure.
January 9, 2012
Hollywood High-Rise Plan Has Some Up in Arms
Hollywood, that mythic land where movie drama was invented, suddenly finds itself caught up in its own real-life drama, one involving high-priced real estate and people taking on City Hall.
January 9, 2012
Supreme Court Takes on Texas Redistricting Maps
The case might determine the balance of power in the U.S. House, with Republicans in a stronger position if the court allows Texas to use electoral districts drawn by the GOP-dominated Legislature.
January 6, 2012
NYC's New 911 Call Center Adopts Sept. 11 Changes
The city's 911 operators are now able to give callers details about emergency events, reversing what the Sept. 11 Commission determined were flaws in a system that a decade ago denied people inside the burning World Trade Center potentially lifesaving information, officials said Thursday.
January 6, 2012
Mayor: Detroit Won't Run Out of Cash by April
Detroit is no longer at risk of running out of cash by April because cost-cutting and other measures are taking effect, Mayor Dave Bing said Thursday, but the city council president and others do not share Bing's optimism.
January 5, 2012
Alaska Village Votes Yes on School Relocation
Voters in a tiny Native village increasingly eroded by storms on Alaska's northwest coast have overwhelmingly said yes to building a new school 7 miles away, a step some hope will eventually lead to the seemingly impossible task of relocating the remote community.
January 5, 2012
Pennsylvania Teen Enters Guilty Pleas, Sworn in as Councilman
A teenager elected to a Pennsylvania borough council seat took office a few hours after pleading guilty to stalking and escape charges.
January 5, 2012
N.Y. Governor Sets Aggressive Second-Year Agenda
While outlining an aggressive agenda to boost New York's economy during his second year in office, Gov. Andrew Cuomo advocated several measures to help homeowners, the poor and disabled adults.
January 4, 2012
Most Democrats Absent from Indiana House Opening
Most Indiana House Democrats were no-shows on the floor Wednesday when the Republican speaker tried to start the new session, a possible sign that lawmakers were walking out for the second straight year to oppose a "right-to-work" bill.
January 4, 2012
Iowa Picks Romney
Mitt Romney wins Iowa Caucus by 8 votes, with Rick Santorum a close second.
January 4, 2012
Public Official of the Year Dan Liljenquist Enters U.S. Senate Race in Utah
Former Republican Utah legislator Dan Liljenquist, a 2011 Governing Public Official of the Year, has announced that he's going to run for the U.S. Senate in Utah and will challenge six-term Sen. Orrin Hatch.
January 4, 2012
Obama Bucks GOP, OKs Consumer Watchdog
Senior administration officials tell The Associated Press that President Barack Obama will use a recess appointment to name Richard Cordray as the nation's chief consumer watchdog despite strong Republican opposition.
January 4, 2012
Rick Perry Reassessing Bid After Iowa Caucuses
Texas Gov. Rick Perry said Tuesday that he would head home "to determine whether there is a path forward" for his White House bid after he finished a distant fifth in the Iowa caucuses.
January 3, 2012
Ind. House Speaker Plans Fast Start for Labor Bill
Indiana's Republican House leader said Tuesday that lawmakers will almost immediately take up labor legislation that's likely to dominate much of the state's 2012 session after it spurred a Democratic walkout last year.
January 2, 2012
Obama, Congress Begin 2012 in Oil Pipeline Dispute
President Barack Obama and Congress are starting the election year locked in a tussle over a proposed 1,700-mile oil pipeline from Canada to Texas that will force the White House to make a politically risky choice between two key Democratic constituencies.
January 2, 2012
Romney Looks to Fend Off Santorum, Paul
The Iowa race remarkably fluid, Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney faces a suddenly surging Rick Santorum, an unpredictable Ron Paul factor and the challenge of winning over undecided conservatives in a state that spurned him four years ago.
January 2, 2012
Va. AG Backs Off Call for GOP Primary Rule Changes
Virginia Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli is no longer pushing for a change in rules that kept two candidates off the state's March 6 Republican presidential primary ballot.
January 2, 2012
2012 Medicare Debate Is All About the Baby Boomers
Medicare is headed for big changes no matter who wins the White House in 2012.
January 2, 2012
High Court to Hear Environmental Case from Idaho
The Supreme Court is considering a case regarding how and when people can challenge orders from the Environmental Protection Agency. The EPA issues nearly 3,000 administrative compliance orders a year that call on alleged violators of environmental laws to stop what they're doing and repair the harm they've caused.
December 29, 2011
Iowa Voters Hold Sway Over How President Is Chosen
All across Iowa next Tuesday, tens of thousands of Republican voters will travel through a chilly Midwestern night to the warmth of a local church or gymnasium for caucus meetings to select presidential candidates, the first voting in the 2012 election campaign.
December 28, 2011
Stamford, Conn. Firefighters Offered Counseling After Deadly Fire
A Christmas morning fire that killed a couple and three of their grandchildren was devastating to firefighters who rushed into the engulfed home twice before they were beaten back by the flames. Stamford officials were offering counseling to the firefighters.
December 27, 2011
State Cuts to Medicaid Affect Patients, Providers
Just as Medicaid prepares for a vast expansion under the federal health care overhaul, the 47-year-old entitlement program for the poor is under increasing pressure as deficit-burdened states chip away at benefits and cut payments to doctors.
December 23, 2011
NY Police Spying Programs Produced Mixed Results
According to a review of public documents, materials obtained by the AP and interviews with dozens of city and federal officials, the most controversial New York Police Department spying programs produced mixed results.
December 23, 2011
Civil Disobedience Possible to Fight Emergency Law in Detroit
The Rev. Jesse Jackson and U.S. Rep. John Conyers joined religious and civil rights leaders Thursday to promise protests and possible civil disobedience against Michigan's new emergency manager law that could lead to a takeover of Detroit government.
December 22, 2011
New EPA Rules Force Shut Down of 32 Coal-Fire Plants
More than 32 mostly coal-fired power plants in a dozen states will be forced to shut down and an additional 36 might have to close because of new federal air pollution regulations.
December 22, 2011
Education Department Chides Hawaii for Use of Grant Dollars
An Education Department official on Wednesday admonished Hawaii for its "unsatisfactory" performance under a $75 million federal grant the state won last year in a high profile competition and said it was placing it under "high risk" status. That means the state is in danger of losing the money if it doesn't make improvements.
December 22, 2011
State Finds 'Probable Financial Stress' in Detroit
State officials said Wednesday that they've found "probable financial stress" in Detroit, moving the state's largest city one step closer to the possible appointment of an emergency manager.
December 22, 2011
Texas Rejects Valero Tax Break Bid
The Texas environmental agency has rejected a request by oil giant Valero to get a large tax break at six refineries, exemptions that could have triggered refunds of up to $92 million that would have come out of the budgets of cash-strapped school districts and municipalities.
December 22, 2011
Oakland Council Rejects Port Disruption Measure
Oakland officials have rejected a measure that called on city leaders to use more aggressive policing to prevent disruptions at the port, following an anti-Wall Street demonstration earlier this month that blocked longshoremen from reporting to work.
December 21, 2011
NYC Reaches Goal of 50 Million Tourists
Mayor Michael Bloomberg has proclaimed victory in his longstanding effort to attract more visitors — and their money — to New York City.
December 21, 2011
Houston Man Paying $1 Parking Ticket 58 Years Late
A Houston man says he wants to clear his own conscience and pay a $1 parking ticket he got 58 years ago, even though the city's traffic violation records have been purged.
December 21, 2011
Washington, D.C., Tops States as Fastest Growing
New 2011 census estimates show the District of Columbia's population climbed by 2.7 percent from April 2010 to July of this year. It was the first time the District led states in growth since the early 1940s.
December 20, 2011
New Haven, Conn., Mayor Seeks To Let Illegal Immigrants Vote
New Haven is tightening its embrace of newcomers as its mayor seeks to extend voting rights to illegal immigrants and other noncitizens, a policy challenge that comes shortly after attacks on "sanctuary cities" by Republican presidential candidates.
December 20, 2011
Dry Northern Plains Helps Spring Runoff Prep
Thanks to a dry fall across the northern Plains, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is months ahead of schedule in releasing water from reservoirs on the upper Missouri River to guard against another spring of record-setting flooding.
December 20, 2011
Power Plant Closures to Cost U.S. Towns Jobs, Taxes
More than 32 mostly coal-fired power plants in a dozen states will be forced to close because of new, more stringent federal air pollution regulations.
December 19, 2011
New EPA Rules Threaten Older Power Plants
More than 32 mostly coal-fired power plants in a dozen states will be forced to shut down and an additional 36 might have to close because of new federal air pollution regulations.
December 19, 2011
Operative Gets Prison for Bilking NYC Mayor
A political operative convicted of bamboozling Mayor Michael Bloomberg out of hundreds of thousands of dollars was sentenced to prison Monday in a case that brought the billionaire politician to the witness stand.
December 19, 2011
Supreme Court Schedules Week of Health Care Arguments in March
The Supreme Court announced Monday that it will use an unprecedented week's worth of argument time in late March to decide the constitutionality of President Barack Obama's historic health care overhaul.
December 19, 2011
Cornell Wins NYC Science-Campus Competition
Cornell University and the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology will partner to build an applied sciences campus in New York City that officials hope will transform the metropolis into a center for entrepreneurship and technology innovation to rival Silicon Valley.
December 19, 2011
Iowa GOP Worried by Hacker Threat to Caucus Vote
Republican Party officials in Iowa are taking new steps to secure their vote counting systems after an anonymous threat suggested computer hackers could attempt to disrupt next month's caucuses.
December 16, 2011
Texas Gov. Rick Perry Double Dips State Salary and Pension
A personal financial disclosure form that presidential candidates are required to file shows that Texas Gov. Rick Perry is collecting his $7,700 monthly state pension.
December 16, 2011
Capitol Hill Talks Yield $1T Spending Measure
Lawmakers seal agreement Thursday evening on $1 trillion-plus year-end spending package in time avert a possible government shutdown.
December 15, 2011
Wis. Group Nears Mark for Forcing Recall Election
Organizers of an effort to recall Wisconsin Republican Gov. Scott Walker from office say they have collected nearly enough signatures to force an election.
December 15, 2011
Wall St. Seeks Dismissal of Alabama Record Bankruptcy
Wall Street creditors asked a judge Thursday to throw out the record bankruptcy filed by Alabama's largest county over more than $4 billion in debt, arguing state law doesn't allow it.
December 15, 2011
Census Shows 1 in 2 People Are Poor or Low-Income
Squeezed by rising living costs, a record number of Americans -- nearly 1 in 2 -- have fallen into poverty or are scraping by on earnings that classify them as low income.
December 15, 2011
Federal Plan Would Lift Wages of Home Care Workers
The Obama administration is seeking to extend minimum wage and overtime protections to cover home health care workers.
December 14, 2011
National Guard Presence at Border to be Reduced
When the number of National Guard troops stationed at the Mexican border is reduced next year, their duties are expected to shift from being on the border to flying above it.
December 13, 2011
Governors Are More Powerful Than Ever
Over the last decade, however, scandal has consumed a depressingly long list of governors, exposing a sordid mix of ego and greed.
December 13, 2011
Police Remove Occupy Baltimore Protesters
Occupy Baltimore demonstrators who spent 10 weeks protesting economic disparity were removed peacefully from a downtown plaza during a pre-dawn raid Tuesday.
December 13, 2011
NTSB Focuses on Driver Texting in Missouri Crash
A texting pickup truck driver who caused a deadly highway pileup in Missouri last year has federal accident investigators taking a hard look at the use of distracting devices behind the wheel.
December 12, 2011
Harrisburg City Council Again Seeks Bankruptcy
The Harrisburg City Council has appealed a judge's decision to throw out the bankruptcy petition of Pennsylvania's debt-choked capital city, its attorney said.
December 12, 2011
High Court Could Look at State Immigration Laws
The Obama administration is waging a furious legal fight against a patchwork of state laws targeting illegal immigrants, and on Monday the Supreme Court has its first chance to jump into the fray.
December 7, 2011
U.S. Supreme Court to Hear Case on States' River Rights
The Supreme Court justices are being asked to clarify the definition of a navigable river, a decision that could also affect the rights to lands beneath the streams and rivers all over the U.S.
December 7, 2011
Indiana Offers $300K to Stage Collapse Victims
INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - The state is offering at least $300,000 to families of each of the seven people who died after a stage collapsed at the Indiana State Fair, with more available for those whose loved ones spent days hospitalized before their deaths, Attorney General Greg Zoeller said Tuesday.
December 6, 2011
Texas Towns Find Fast Solutions to Water Problems
Imperiled towns around Texas are finding short-term solutions to water supply problems brought on by the drought, some just in time to avert a crisis.
December 5, 2011
Food Safety Executive Mulls 2014 Ark. Governor Bid
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Curtis Coleman, the founder of a food safety company and an unsuccessful candidate for the U.S. Senate last year, says he's considering a run for the Republican gubernatorial nomination in Arkansas in 2014.
December 1, 2011
Minnesota Expects $876 Million Surplus
Minnesota budget officials estimated a surprise $876 million surplus for the rest of the state's two-year budget on Thursday, easing fears of another bruising political fight just months after partisan deadlock over how to close the last budget deficit led to a partial shutdown of state government.
December 1, 2011
AP Sources: House GOP Bill Renews Jobless Benefit
Legislation being drafted by House Republican would renew an expiring unemployment benefits program and extend the Social Security payroll tax cut.
December 1, 2011
Ex-Wis. Gov. Thompson Launches GOP Bid for Senate
Former Wisconsin governor and U.S. Cabinet secretary Tommy Thompson was set to formally launch his Senate bid with a rally Thursday, 13 years since he last appeared on a ballot.
November 28, 2011
Rep. Barney Frank Announces Retirement
Democratic Rep. Barney Frank of Massachusetts is expected to announce Monday that he is retiring from Congress, closing out a career of more than three decades capped by passage last year of legislation imposing new regulations on Wall Street.
November 22, 2011
At DC DMV: Driver's License, Tag Renewal, HIV Test
At one Department of Motor Vehicles' office in the nation's capital, motorists can get a driver's license, temporary tags and something wholly unrelated to the road: a free HIV test. In a city with one of the highest percentages of residents living with HIV or AIDS, health officials have now test-driven the in-DMV testing and are finding that it works.
November 21, 2011
Co-Chairs Say Debt Panel Failed to Reach Deal
The bipartisan leadership of a special congressional deficit super committee has officially announced that the panel has failed to reach an agreement.
November 21, 2011
Passive Occupy Protesters Take Pepper Spray Blast
University of California, Davis college students took a face full of pepper spray at close range from an officer in riot gear Saturday in an incident that was captured on video and spread virally across the Internet.
November 17, 2011
House Passes Concealed Weapons Permit Bill
A bill that passed the U.S. House would ensure that a state permit to carry a concealed weapon would be valid in almost every other state in the country.
November 17, 2011
Bargainers Agree to Raise Size of FHA-Backed Loans
The U.S. House and Senate have agreed to a deal that would increase the size of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration.
November 17, 2011
Congress About To Kill High-Speed Train Program
Congress is on the verge of killing funding for President Barack Obama's signature high-speed rail program, but it may have some life in it still. Republican lawmakers are claiming credit for killing the program. But billions of dollars still in the pipeline will ensure work will continue on some projects. And it's still possible money from another transportation grant program can be steered to high-speed trains.
November 16, 2011
Mayors, Police Chiefs Talk Strategy on Protests
As concerns over safety and sanitation grew at Occupy Wall Street encampments over the last month, officials from nearly 40 cities turned to each other on conference calls, sharing what worked and what hasn't as they grappled with the leaderless movement.
November 15, 2011
Police Bust NY 'Occupy' Protest in Nighttime Sweep
Hundreds of police officers in riot gear raided the Occupy Wall Street encampment in New York City Tuesday morning, evicting hundreds of demonstrators and demolishing the tent city. A New York judge upheld the city's dismantling of the encampment.
November 10, 2011
NC School Board Race had National Implications
Intense national political forces were focused on a local school board runoff this week in North Carolina's capital as voters replaced tea party conservatives in a race that capped an acrimonious dispute over student busing and diversity in one of the country's largest school districts.
November 9, 2011
Senate Committee Advances Highway and Transit Bill
Proponents say highway and transit legislation gives states more flexibility this time.
November 8, 2011
Safety Risks Seen in Computerized Medical Records
The nation's transition to electronic medical records, now in full swing, risks overlooking potential patient safety problems, independent advisers warned the Obama administration in a report Tuesday.
November 8, 2011
Federal Court Rejects Texas Redistricting Maps
A Washington-based federal court rejected Texas' request to approve new political districts without a trial. In a brief ruling, the court agreed with the U.S. Department of Justice that the GOP-led Legislature used an improper standard for determining whether the new districts discriminate against minorities. The order clears the way for a trial.
November 7, 2011
Thousands in Conn. Enter 2nd Week Without Power
In Connecticut, about 50,000 residents remained without electricity by Monday morning, nine days after a snow storm hit the East Coast.
November 7, 2011
W.Va. Aiming to Protect LGBT Students from Bullies
A proposed anti-bullying policy for West Virginia schools acknowledges that sexual orientation and gender identity are common reasons for harassment.
November 7, 2011
Atlanta Police Arrest 5 People Following Protest
Atlanta protesters aren't going quietly, despite warnings from police and the mayor. In the latest act of defiance, five people were arrested early Monday at or near a downtown park that has been an off-and-on site of Wall Street protests.
November 4, 2011
Ex-Owner of Pa. Youth Lockups Gets 18 Months
The former owner of two for-profit juvenile detention facilities was sentenced Friday to 18 months in prison for his role in a kickback scheme that led the state Supreme Court to vacate the convictions of thousands of juveniles who appeared before a now-jailed Pennsylvania judge.
November 4, 2011
Texas Delays Action on Stem Cell Therapy Rules
The Texas state medical board is delaying until at least April a final vote on new stem cell therapy rules that could restrict or even block procedures like the one Gov. Rick Perry recently had on his aching back.
November 4, 2011
US Added 80k Jobs in October; Jobless Rate Dips to 9%
The American economy added 80,000 jobs in October. The unemployment rate dropped to 9 percent from 9.1 percent, the first time it has fallen since July and the lowest rate since April, the government said Friday.
November 4, 2011
Emotions Run High after Occupy Protests in Oakland
Emotions ran high as Occupy Wall Street supporters and public officials dealt with the aftermath of protests that shutdown the nation's fifth-busiest port before spiraling into chaos near the movement's downtown encampment.
November 3, 2011
Senate GOP Blocks Obama's Infrastructure Plan
Senate Republicans dealt President Barack Obama the third in a string of defeats on his jobs agenda, blocking a $60 billion bill for building and repairing infrastructure.
March 29, 2011
Health Care Law's Fate May Lie with 2 Justices
After three days of Supreme Court arguments, the questions justices asked the lawyers have led to the belief that the fate of the health care law could lie with two justices: Anthony Kennedy' and Chief Justice John Roberts.