Crowds count down to marijuana legalization in Oregon, then light up
PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) – Crowds counted down the minutes to midnight then lit up joints as smoking marijuana became legal in Oregon on Wednesday and the legalization movement spread to a fourth U.S. state.
Washington state Girl Scouts return donation over anti-transgender demand
SEATTLE (Reuters) – A Washington state Girl Scouts organization said on Wednesday it has returned a $100,000 gift after the donor told them the money could not be used to the benefit of any transgender participants in the scouts program.
TV Land pulls ‘Dukes of Hazzard’ amid Confederate flag debate
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – TV Land has pulled re-runs of the 1980s sitcom “Dukes of Hazzard,” the U.S. cable network said on Wednesday amid controversy over portrayals of the Confederate flag, which is notably featured on the show’s “General Lee” vehicle….
Ohio women sentenced to six years for contaminating son’s IV
(Reuters) – An Ohio mother pleaded guilty on Wednesday to child endangerment and was sentenced to six years in prison for injecting feces into her son’s intravenous bag at a Cincinnati hospital, prosecutors said.
NY prison escapee’s body, unclaimed by family, may be buried by county
NEW YORK (Reuters) – No members of prison escapee Richard Matt’s family have met a deadline to claim his body and he may now be buried by the New York county where he was gunned down by a federal agent after nearly three weeks on the run, officials sai…
Employer headaches over labor quality point to stronger U.S. wages
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – America’s employers say they are finding it harder to find high-quality workers, which could soon fuel a boost in wage growth and help convince the Federal Reserve to hike interest rates.
White House lifts 40-year-old ban on cameras during public tours
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The White House lifted a 40-year-old ban on taking photos during public tours of the executive mansion on Wednesday, delighting tourists who immediately began posting pictures on social media.
Visa joins MasterCard, AmEx in ending use for Backpage sex ads
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Visa Inc said on Wednesday it is joining MasterCard Inc and American Express Co in barring its credit cards from being used to pay for ads on Backpage.com following a request from a Chicago sheriff who said the site is used by sex t…
Fire investigated at South Carolina church, scene of earlier KKK arson
(Reuters) – Law enforcement authorities were investigating an overnight fire at an African-American church in South Carolina that 20 years ago was burned down by the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan, local officials said on Wednesday, adding that the cau…
Tennessee store owner posts sign telling gays to stay away
(Reuters) – A Tennessee hardware store owner who objects to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling permitting same-sex marriage across the country posted a “No Gays Allowed” sign at his store on Monday, according to a local media report.
