AP-National

By MIKE CATALINI Associated Press TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey lawmakers voted  to advance a measure that could make it easier for government agencies to withhold documents under the state’s open records law, casting it as a modernizing bill that would cut back on profiteering businesses. Committees in the Democratic-led Senate and Assembly approved

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — A Texas judge has ruled in favor of a large migrant shelter on the U.S.-Mexico border that Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton is seeking to shut down over claims that the facility encourages migrants to enter the U.S. illegally. Monday’s decision by Judge Francisco X. Dominguez of El Paso shields

By RICK CALLAHAN Associated Press Authorities have released the names of seven Virginia residents who were killed when the van they were in collided with a semi-trailer in western Wisconsin, leaving a 2-year-old as the only survivor. The Clark County sheriff’s office said Monday the van’s driver, six other adults and a 6-month-old child died

By PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press NEW YORK (AP) — A union representing New York City firefighters is raising concerns about possible disciplinary action against its members after state Attorney General Letitia James was booed and a pro-Donald Trump chant broke out during a fire department ceremony last week. The Democrat, whose office won a $355

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Al Pacino says he was following the instructions of the Oscars producers when he omitted the names of the best picture nominees while announcing the winner of the show’s biggest category. The Oscar winner was Sunday night’s final presenter and announced “Oppenheimer” as the best picture winner without naming the full

By RANDALL CHASE Associated Press DOVER, Del. (AP) — Gun rights groups are urging a federal appeals court to overturn a judge’s refusal to halt enforcement of Delaware laws banning certain semiautomatic firearms and restricting the size of firearm magazines. The appeals court heard arguments Monday on laws enacted in 2022 banning the sale of

NORTH POWDER, Ore. (AP) — Officials say an avalanche forecaster died in an avalanche he triggered while skiing in eastern Oregon. The Northwest Avalanche Center says Nick Burks and a friend were backcountry skiing Wednesday on Gunsight Mountain near Anthony Lakes Mountain Resort, when he triggered an avalanche. The Baker County Sheriff’s Office says those

PERRY, Iowa (AP) — Tyson Foods will continue streamlining its operations by closing a pork plant in Iowa that employs 1,200 people and eliminating the largest employer in the town of Perry. The plant closure will be the second major blow to the town this year coming just two months after a 17-year-old student opened

By JOHN HANNA Associated Press TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas judge has ruled that the state isn’t violating transgender residents’ rights under the state constitution by refusing to change their driver’s licenses to reflect their gender identities. State District Judge Teresa Watson on Monday kept in place indefinitely an order she first issued in

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) — Police have identified a 20-year-old woman and a 24-year-old man as the victims of a shooting that occurred in Arkansas over the weekend. Jonesboro Police identified Amari Giles and Dwight Starks as the victims shot dead in the incident that occurred near the city’s downtown early Sunday morning. Police also identified

By The Associated Press LOS ANGELES (AP) — Messi the dog did attend the Oscars after all. The breakout star of Justine Triet’s “Anatomy of a Fall” was rumored to have been off the list, but just a few minutes into Jimmy Kimmel’s monologue Sunday night the camera cut to the seven-year-old border collie in

By DAVE CAMPBELL AP Pro Football Writer Kirk Cousins is leaving Minnesota for Atlanta, landing another big contract with a well-timed foray into free agency. Cousins agreed Monday to a four-year, $180 million deal with $100 million guaranteed with the Falcons, according to a person with knowledge of the terms, speaking on condition of anonymity

By HANNAH SCHOENBAUM Associated Press SALT LAKE CITY (AP) — The man accused of fatally shooting University of Utah football player Aaron Lowe has pleaded guilty to murder more than two years after police say he killed the cornerback outside a rowdy house party in Salt Lake City. Buk Mawut Buk pleaded guilty Monday to

By JULIE CARR SMYTH Associated Press COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Republican Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine has parted ways with Donald Trump to endorse state Sen. Matt Dolan over Trump-backed businessman Bernie Moreno in the three-way GOP primary for U.S. Senate. Ohio Secretary of State Frank LaRose is also running. DeWine and wife Fran on Monday

By MIKE SCHNEIDER Associated Press ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Students and teachers can discuss sexual orientation and gender identity in Florida classrooms, provided it’s not part of instruction, under a settlement reached Monday between Florida education officials and civil rights attorneys who had challenged a state law which critics dubbed “Don’t Say Gay.” The settlement

RUSHVILLE, Ill. (AP) — Five people, including three children, were killed in western Illinois when a school bus and semitruck collided on a highway Monday, authorities said. The bus was traveling eastbound when it crossed the center line on U.S. Route 24 into the westbound lanes “for an unknown reason” and into the path of

By PATRICK WHITTLE Associated Press As sharks go, LeeBeth is something like a long-haul trucker with gills and giant teeth. Swimmers at the beach might not be excited to see the 14-foot (4.3-meter) white shark, but scientists following LeeBeth’s movements are thrilled that the big fish’s epic journey could provide valuable clues to help the

By ISABELLA VOLMERT Associated Press INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — A judge has moved up the trial date for a small-town drugstore worker charged in the slaying of two teenage girls. Court records now show Richard Allen will stand trial starting May 13 in the killings of 13-year-old Abigail Williams and 14-year-old Liberty German. Allen has pleaded

By MARK THIESSEN Associated Press ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) — Two dogs died over the weekend during Alaska’s annual Iditarod sled dog race, marking the first deaths during the race in five years and renewing calls to end the 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) competition that sees mushers and their canine teams traverse mountain ranges, a frozen river and

By STEVE LeBLANC Associated Press BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) — A Massachusetts town that adopted an unusual ordinance banning the sale of tobacco to anyone born in the 21st century is being looked at as a possible model for other cities and towns hoping to further clamp down on cigarettes and tobacco products. The bylaw —