Wildfire in California’s Sierra Nevada menaces 1,600 homes
LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Fire crews in California’s rugged Sierra Nevada battled to gain the upper hand on Wednesday against a blaze that threatened 1,600 homes and has displaced 2,100 residents as flames roared for a fifth day through dry timber and br…
Pennsylvania ambush suspect belongs to war role-play group: police
BLOOMING GROVE Pa. (Reuters) – A survivalist suspected of an ambush attack last week that killed a Pennsylvania trooper and seriously wounded another is a member of a Cold War re-enactment group, state police said on Wednesday.
Police chiefs pledge more transparency after Ferguson
CHICAGO (Reuters) – Dozens of police chiefs meeting in Chicago this week said a notorious fatal police shooting in Ferguson, Missouri in August had been a defining moment for law enforcement and pledged greater transparency over such incidents.
U.S. House votes to arm Syrian rebels, but questions remain
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives approved President Barack Obama’s plan on Wednesday to train and arm moderate Syrian rebels, but questions remain over whether it will give them the advanced weapons they say they need to defeat …
Florida city wants to ban medical marijuana smoking in public
ORLANDO Fla. (Reuters) – A southwest Florida city took steps Wednesday to ban medical marijuana users from lighting up a joint in public if an amendment legalizing the drug’s limited use statewide is approved by voters in November.
U.S. House passes bill to avert government shutdown, extend Export-Import bank
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday approved a stop-gap spending measure that averts an Oct. 1 government shutdown and extends the U.S. Export-Import Bank’s ability to operate for another nine months.
Pro-pot activists launch first U.S. ‘Consume Responsibly’ campaign
DENVER (Reuters) – Taking a cheeky jab at a New York Times columnist who had a bad experience with marijuana-infused candy on a visit to Colorado, pro-pot activists launched a campaign urging adults to “consume responsibly” in states where the drug is legal.
Oklahoma deputy sheriff accused of sexual assault resigns
OKLAHOMA CITY (Reuters) – A deputy sheriff in Oklahoma resigned on Wednesday after being arrested for allegedly assaulting two women at a Tulsa County home, the third law enforcement official in the state accused of sex crimes in the past few weeks.
Humana CEO: New competition curbs Obamacare plan prices
BOSTON (Reuters) – New competition between health insurers offering so-called Obamacare plans in 2015 is having an impact on the pricing of such coverage, based on a first look at proposed insurance premiums, the head of Humana Inc said on Wednesday.
Alaska residents to get $1,884 payout from oil royalty fund
JUNEAU Alaska (Reuters) – Nearly every Alaska resident will soon be $1,884 richer, thanks to an annual payout from an oil wealth trust fund that has been credited with keeping many low-income families out of poverty, state officials said on Wednesday.
