Woman who drove on sidewalk holds ‘idiot’ sign

CLEVELAND (AP) - A Cleveland woman puffed on a cigarette, wore headphones, and ignored passers-by and crowds of reporters as she stood for an hour Tuesday under a judge's order holding a sign that said, "Only an idiot would drive on the sidewalk to avoid a school bus."

Ryan: Shocked at loss, says Obama won fair and square

WASHINGTON (AP) - The polling and other data and all the smart people watching the election gave Rep. Paul Ryan an optimistic view on the night of last week's election. When Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney lost, his running mate felt "a bit of a shock."

Boat needed in one Minneapolis voting precinct

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - Not one voter cast a ballot in one Minneapolis precinct on Election Day. That's because the only living species in Ward 10, Precinct 3B, is of the aquatic variety.

Charter school enrollment now tops 2 million

WASHINGTON (AP) - Enrollment in charter schools increased by 200,000 students last year and now tops 2 million, according to a report being released Wednesday.

General demoted for lavish travel, spending

Scandal widens; General's emails 'flirtatious'

Oxford Dictionaries chooses omnishambles' as word of year

LONDON (AP) - Britain's media are in a meltdown and its government is gaffe-prone, so Oxford Dictionaries has chosen an apt Word of the Year: "omnishambles." <p class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: 18pt; margin: 0in 0in 10pt; background: white; ...

LatAm leaders call for review of US legal pot vote

Petraeus said to be shocked by girlfriend's emails that threatened another woman

Deficit talk test GOP focus on tax rates

Tulsa dad arrested after toddler found in cage

Many on NY's Long Island still dark after Sandy

Major hurdles remain to end veteran homelessness

CHULA VISTA (AP) - Arthur Lute's arduous journey from his days as a U.S. Marine to his nights sleeping on the streets illustrates the challenge for the Obama administration to fulfill its promise to end homelessness among veterans by 2015.

Nation pays tribute to sacrifices of veterans

LOS ANGELES (AP) - From sea to shining sea, the nation paid tribute to its members of the armed services Sunday, both with somber traditions such as a Virginia wreath-laying ceremony attended by President Barack Obama to honor those who didn't make it back from active duty, and more lighthearted perks including red-carpet treatment at Las Vegas casinos for those who did.

As days without power drag on, frustration simmers among those left in Sandy’s wake

NEW YORK (AP) - New Yorkers railed Sunday against a utility that has lagged behind others in restoring power two weeks after the superstorm that socked the region, criticizing its slow pace as well as a dearth of information.

SEC: Harrisburg, misled investors

Prosecutor weighs charges in soccer ref death

Study: Bill would cost $6.3 trillion

Woman accused of faking rape, fraud

Funeral director considers burial offers

Funeral director considers burial offers

ACT to start giving tests digitally

3 missing women found in Cleveland

Nation news briefs

2 DROWN IN SACRAMENTO COUNTY RIVER: SACRAMENTO (AP) - Two men drowned in a Sacramento County river over the weekend in separate incidents that officials are blaming on the cold water.

Man accused of lying seeks release

BOSTON (AP) - Lawyers for a man charged with lying to investigators after the Boston Marathon bombings are asking a federal judge to release him from jail, saying he had nothing to do with the deadly bombings and isn't a flight risk.

Uncle arranging suspect’s burial rites

WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) - The uncle of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Tamerlan Tsarnaev arrived in Massachusetts on Sunday to arrange for his burial, saying he understands that "no one wants to associate their names with such evil events."

Obama to grads: Reject cynical voices

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - A year to the day after kicking off his victorious re-election campaign on this college campus, President Barack Obama returned to Ohio State University and told graduates that only through vigorous participation in their democracy can they right an ill-functioning government and break through relentless cynicism about the nation's future.

Solar powered plane lands in Arizona

PHOENIX (AP) - Alone in the single-seat cockpit and high above the American Southwest, pilot Bertrand Piccard could hear only his plane's gear box and the quiet whine of four electric motors. No noisy jet engines.

Giffords receives Profile in Courage award

BOSTON (AP) - Former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords received the 2013 Profile in Courage award at the John F. Kennedy Library on Sunday in recognition of the political, personal, and physical courage she has demonstrated in her fearless public advocacy for policy reforms aimed at reducing gun violence.

Utah cabin had uninvited guests: 60,000 or so bees

SALT LAKE CITY (AP) - It was the biggest beehive that that Ogden beekeeper Vic Bachman has ever removed - a dozen feet long, packed inside the eaves of a cabin in Ogden Valley.

Gerbils strut their stuff at New England pageant

BEDFORD, Mass. (AP) - The American Gerbil Society's annual pageant brought dozens of rodents scurrying to New England this weekend for a chance to win "top gerbil."