WASHINGTON (AP) — Some labor unions that enthusiastically backed President Barack Obama's health care overhaul are now frustrated and angry, fearful that it will jeopardize benefits for millions of their members. More »Some unions now angry about health care overhaul
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — Dan Sligh and his wife were in their pickup truck on Interstate 5 heading to a camping trip when a bridge before them disappeared in a "big puff of dust." More »I-5 bridge collapse survivor: 'You hold on'
GRAPEVINE, Texas (AP) — After lengthy and wrenching debate, local leaders of the Boy Scouts of America have voted to open their ranks to openly gay boys for the first time, but heated reactions from the left and right made clear that the BSA's controversies are far from over. More »Boy Scouts approve plan to accept openly gay boys
By Tim Gaynor and David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) - Arizona lawman Joe Arpaio violated the constitutional rights of Latino drivers in his crackdown on illegal immigration, a federal judge found on Friday, and ordered him to stop using race as a factor in law enforcement decisions. The ruling against the Maricopa County sheriff came in response to a class-action lawsuit brought by Hispanic drivers that tested whether police can target illegal immigrants without racially profiling U.S. citizens and legal residents of Hispanic origin. U.S. ... More »Judge rules against 'America's toughest sheriff' in racial profiling lawsuit
By Steve Neavling DETROIT (Reuters) - As part of his efforts to solve Detroit's financial crisis, the city's emergency manager Kevyn Orr has asked for an appraisal of the collection at the Detroit Institute of Arts, sparking fears in artistic and philanthropic circles that he means to auction off the city's artistic jewels. Orr was appointed in March by Michigan's Republican Governor Rick Snyder to tackle the shrinking city's long-term debt problem, which the emergency manager estimated at $15 billion in a recent report on the state of Detroit. ... More »Fear of art sale sparked by Detroit emergency manager asking for appraisal
The Boy Scouts of America will get no reprieve from controversy after a contentious vote to accept openly gay boys as Scouts. More »After vote on gay youth, Scouts face more turmoil
PHOENIX (AP) — As jurors in Jodi Arias' murder trial filed one by one from the courtroom after a dramatic five months of gut-wrenching testimony and gruesome photographs, three women on the panel cried and one looked to the victim's family, mouthing the word, "Sorry." More »Jury foreman says Arias testimony didn't help her
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — Federal officials were searching the country for a possible temporary replacement for a bridge that collapsed along the crucial Interstate 5 corridor, but Washington Gov. Jay Inslee cautioned Friday that major disruptions will last for weeks, if not months. More »Feds look for temporary fix after I-5 collapse
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. (AP) — A truck hauling an oversized load struck an overhead bridge girder on the major interstate between Seattle and Canada, sending a section of the span and two vehicles into the Skagit River below. All three occupants suffered only minor injuries. More »Wash. I-5 bridge collapse caused by oversize load
By Marice Richter GRAPEVINE, Texas (Reuters) - The Boy Scouts of America voted on Thursday to lift a century-old ban on openly gay scouts in a major victory for gay rights activists, but the decision means a sea of change for an organization that depends heavily on faith-based groups. More than 60 percent of the group's National Council, comprised of some 1,400 delegates, voted in favor of ending the ban, effective January 1, 2014, the group said in a statement. A prohibition on openly gay adult leaders remains in place. ... More »Boy Scouts of America votes to end century-old ban on gay scouts
Health officials investigating a cluster of mysterious illnesses in Alabama closed their investigation Thursday after determining the illnesses were unrelated and no new bacteria or viruses were involved. ... More »Alabama mystery illness solved: it's common flu
MOORE, Okla. (AP) — After living nearly 20 years in their one-story brick home, Sherry and Larry Wells finally won the lottery — for a state rebate on a home storm shelter, that is. A contractor finished installing the concrete bunker beneath the slab of their garage in early May. About three weeks later, the shelter saved their lives when a tornado that killed 24 people tore through their neighborhood. More »Safe room mandates remain rare in tornado states
PHOENIX (Reuters) - A federal judge on Friday found hardline Arizona lawman Joe Arpaio had violated the constitutional rights of Latino drivers in his crackdown on illegal immigration, and ordered him to stop using race as a factor in law enforcement decisions. The ruling against the Maricopa County sheriff came in response to a class-action lawsuit brought by Hispanic drivers that tested whether police can target illegal immigrants without racially profiling Hispanic citizens and legal residents. U.S. ... More »Judge rules against Arizona sheriff in racial profiling suit
PHOENIX (AP) — As jurors in Jodi Arias' murder trial filed one by one from the courtroom after a dramatic five months of gut-wrenching testimony and gruesome photographs, three women on the panel cried and one looked to the victim's family, mouthing the word, "Sorry." More »Jury in Arias case gives up after no consensus
PHOENIX (AP) — A federal judge ruled Friday that the office of America's self-proclaimed toughest sheriff systematically singled out Latinos in its trademark immigration patrols, marking the first finding by a court that the agency racially profiles people. More »Judge: Ariz. sheriff's office profiles Latinos
A police officer from Edison, N. J., was arrested Thursday on five counts of attempted murder and one count of aggravated arson in connection with the firebombing of another officer's house, NJ.com reports. Michael A. Dotro was taken into custody after a massive search, and he has been suspended from the force with pay. Bail [...] More »Cop arrested on suspicion of firebombing police captain’s house
By Elaine Porterfield MOUNT VERNON, Washington (Reuters) - A bridge collapse that sent cars and drivers plunging into the frigid Skagit River in Washington state, raising concerns about the safety of the nation's aging infrastructure, was caused when a truck crashed into at least one girder, officials said on Friday. The truck, after the accident, rumbled across the bridge safely before a portion of the structure collapsed, sending two vehicles and a mass of concrete and steel into the river on Thursday evening. Three people had to be rescued, officials said. ... More »Truck crash caused Washington state bridge collapse: officials
CLEVELAND (AP) — The man who famously put aside his Big Mac to help rescue three women held captive in a Cleveland house said Friday that he's not endorsing a group of restaurants that are offering him free burgers for life and wants his name kept out of it. More »Ohio kidnap case hero not endorsing free burgers
From William Ray Fullmer: "My nephew, Sgt. Derek Tillman Roberts, spilled his blood on the sands of Iraq to extend the right to live free to the people of the Middle East. On June 14, 2007, Derek was killed by a roadside bomb in Kirkuk, placed by those too cowardly to face him on the [...] More »On Memorial Day, remembering friends, family with ‘a heavy but grateful heart’
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona's bitter debate over a signature part of President Barack Obama's health care overhaul has sparked an investigation into lawmakers' safety after at least nine legislators received a threatening email over Gov. Jan Brewer's push to expand Medicaid access. More »Arizona investigating angry email sent lawmakers