Round 2: Snow slams Mid-Atlantic, points north
WASHINGTON (AP) — Blizzard warnings spanned the Mid-Atlantic early Wednesday as the second major snowstorm in less than a week barreled into the region, leaving more than 10 inches of new snow in northern Maryland before dawn and threatening a similar whiteout for New York City. Plows have been rolling around the clock for days in the nation's capital, Philadelphia and Baltimore after nearly 3 feet of snow fell in some areas — and they won't be stopping anytime soon.
NY governor says he'll step aside only 'in a box'
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — New York Gov. David Paterson, defying calls from even fellow Democrats to drop out of the race for a full term, said Tuesday that he would leave only if the voters turned him out through the ballot box, or he's carried out "in a box." Paterson spoke to reporters after several days of rumors sweeping the state Capitol about carousing in the governor's mansion, all of which Paterson strongly denied.
Storm dumps rain, hail, snow in S. California
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif. (AP) — The latest Pacific storm that brought heavy rain, hail and snow to Southern California is heading east, but the mudslide threat is not over for communities below wildfire-scarred mountains. More than 500 homes in La Canada Flintridge, La Crescenta, Acton and two canyons in the Angeles National Forest were under evacuation orders for the second time in a week Tuesday, only three days after a sudden downpour took them by surprise and sent mud and boulders slamming into homes and cars. The evacuations are expected to remain in place through at least Wednesday morning, Los Angeles County fire Inspector Matt Lavesque said. The weather also kept several roads in the San Gabriel Mountains area closed or restricted early Wednesday.
Ex-Ill. gov. to answer revised corruption charges
CHICAGO (AP) — Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich heads to court Wednesday to answer a revised batch of charges that he schemed to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat and swap official favors for campaign money. Federal marshals blocked off the courthouse sidewalk to give Blagojevich a clear path to and from his car and avoid the swirling media frenzy that swallowed him up last time he appeared in court several months ago.
Space shuttle Endeavour pulls in at space station
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Shuttle Endeavour arrived to a warm welcome at the International Space Station early Wednesday, delivering a new room and observation deck that will come close to completing construction 200 miles above Earth. The midnight rendezvous occurred as the two spacecraft sailed over the Atlantic, just west of Portugal. It took longer than normal to lock the shuttle and station together because of the relative motion between the two. The space station's five residents filled the time, before their guests came aboard, by trying out camera angles and interviewing one another.
Anthem asked to justify rate hike in California
LOS ANGELES (AP) — In his push to move stalled health care reform, President Barack Obama is appealing to American pocketbooks by calling one health insurer's major rate hike in California a harbinger of rising premiums. Anthem Blue Cross' 30 to 39 percent rate hike in California will affect an unknown number of its 800,000 individual policyholders — the insurer has declined giving specifics. But Obama said the rate hike is a sign of what will happen to many Americans without reform.
NY senator who dragged girlfriend fights expulsion
ALBANY, N.Y (AP) — A Democratic state senator who betrayed his colleagues by joining Republicans in a brief coup and was convicted of a misdemeanor assault charge for dragging his girlfriend around during an argument at his apartment says he'll go back to court to fight his expulsion from the Senate. The New York Senate voted 53-8 on Tuesday night to oust Sen. Hiram Monserrate, a move the lawmaker called an injustice to the people who elected him.
Latest plan to cut farm subsidies likely dead
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — If history and the political lineup are any guides, President Barack Obama's latest effort to cut subsidies for wealthy farmers likely will fare no better than his first try — or his predecessor's attempt. Congress twice overrode President George W. Bush's veto of the 2008 Farm Bill. When Obama tried reforming the system last year, his proposal was dead on arrival on Capitol Hill, where farm state lawmakers largely control the agriculture committees.
Teen arrested in killing of LA anti-gang counselor
LOS ANGELES (AP) — When Ronald "Loony" Barron urged a young graffiti tagger to put away his paint cans, he was doing what he viewed as his mission — steering kids away from crime — but he paid for it with his life. Los Angeles police arrested a 16-year-old boy on Tuesday, saying he would be charged with murder for shooting Barron to death Sunday night after Barron confronted him.
Target pulls Valentine's toys over lead concerns
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — Target Corp. said Tuesday it was pulling its Valentine's Day "Message Bears" from store shelves after California's attorney general raised concerns that the toys have illegal levels of lead. The response comes a day after a letter sent by Attorney General Jerry Brown said testing of the holiday toys revealed lead levels that violate federal law.
