Safeway picketed after 'hero' clerk suspended

DEL REY OAKS (AP) - The Safeway supermarket chain is defending its decision to suspend a meat clerk at one of its Monterey County stores after he struck a man who had been kicking his pregnant girlfriend. The Monterey Herald reports that customers angered by Safeway's actions on Sunday picketed the store in Del Rey Oaks where employee Ryan Young stepped between ...

Man dressed as dead mom sentenced for fraud

Nation news briefs

GRANDMOTHER SHOT GRANDSON 8 TIMES: BLOOMFIELD TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) - A 74-year-old Michigan woman has been charged with murder in the shooting death of her 17-year-old grandson.

Catholic dioceses, colleges sue over Obama mandate on birth control coverage

Ex-Rutgers student gets 30 days in webcam case

National News Briefs

MS PRISON GUARD DIES, OTHERS HURT IN 'DISTURBANCE': NATCHEZ, Miss. (AP) - A guard at a southwest Mississippi prison died Sunday and several other employees were injured during a disturbance involving hundreds of inmates that continued into the evening, authorities and the prison's operator said.

13-year-old rescued from foot wide ledge at falls in Washington

SEATTLE (AP) - Swept down one waterfall and about to plunge over a much larger one, a 13-year-old boy managed to climb onto a 1-foot-wide rock shelf in a gushing Washington state river - and then stayed there for eight and a half hours until rescuers finally saved him early Sunday, sheriff's officials said.

Will Smith slaps journalist who tries to kiss him

MOSCOW (AP) - Hollywood star Will Smith slapped a male television reporter who he said tried to kiss him on the lips as he walked down the red carpet for the Moscow premiere of "Men in Black III."

Millions look skyward as eclipse crosses US

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) - Millions in Asia and the western United States watched as a rare "ring of fire" eclipse crossed their skies early Monday.

Transgender Miss Universe Canada contestant loses

TORONTO (AP) - The first-ever transgender contestant to compete in the Miss Universe Canada pageant strutted the runway Saturday night, making it to the penultimate round before losing her bid to win the title.

Video depicts alleged abuse at school

Loretta Lynn married at 15, not 13

Nation news briefs

PROSECUTOR: PAIR SOLVED CRIME WITHOUT POLICE: FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - A prosecutor said a Kentucky couple solved the mystery of who tried to steal their generator using Facebook and other sources of information - but not the police.

Obama stance adds fuel in marriage battlegrounds

Stabbed woman hits child with car, both dead

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Early snow kills thousands of cattle in SD

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) - A record-breaking storm that dumped 4 feet of snow in parts of western South Dakota left ranchers dealing with heavy losses, in some cases perhaps up to half their herds, as they assess how many of their cattle died during the unseasonably early blizzard.

Social Security judge accused of disability scheme in 1,800 cases

Government's work stacking up after a week

Government's work stacking up after a week

Elizabeth Smart details kidnapping as 14 year-old in her new memoir

Debt limit overtaking shutdown as crisis focus for United States

WASHINGTON (AP) - A possible national default loomed closer on Monday as the partial government shutdown lingered, rattling markets in the U.S. and overseas. A gridlocked Congress betrayed little or no urgency toward resolving either of the threats.

News from around the nation

Boston bombing victims learning to run again

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) - Celeste Corcoran, in her yellow "Boston Strong" hat, navigated her way across the artificial turf on her artificial legs, a volunteer on each arm to keep her upright.

Boy boards plane at Minn. airport without ticket

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - A 9-year-old runaway went through security, boarded a plane at the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport without a ticket and flew to Las Vegas, an airport spokesman said Sunday.

DA: Motorcyclist had key role in NYC SUV brawl

NEW YORK (AP) - A motorcyclist accused of smashing a window and catalyzing a bloody encounter between a group of bikers and an SUV driver was arraigned Sunday on gang assault and other major charges, which his lawyer said were overblown.

Shutdown ruins vacations, hurts towns

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) - Stop at a cafe in the remote stretches of northern Arizona and southern Utah in the fall, and you're likely to hear a mix of languages as tourists from around the world step into the iconic western landscape, marked by breathtaking canyons and massive rock formations.