\MILE MARKER 420 BECOMES 419.99 TO THWART THIEVES

DENVER (AP) — Colorado officials think a difference of one-hundredth of a mile will be enough to stop thieves from stealing the mile marker 420 sign along Interstate 70.

Amy Ford of the Colorado Department of Transportation says the "MILE 420" sign near Stratton was stolen for the last time sometime in the last year, and officials replaced it with a sign that says "MILE 419.99."

Ford says it's the only "420" sign to be replaced in the state that recently legalized recreational marijuana. Most highways aren't long enough to need one.

The number "420" has long been associated with marijuana, though its origins as a shorthand for pot are murky.

Mile 419.99, about 25 miles from the Kansas border, isn't the only place in Colorado with a fractional mile marker. Cameron Pass in Larimer County has a "MILE 68.5" sign after frequent thefts of the "MILE 69" sign.

MAYOR GETS PIECE OF NYC'S MIND ON PIZZA ETIQUETTE

NEW YORK (AP) — New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio got his pizza with smoked mozzarella, sausage and a dash of scandal.

The newly installed mayor unintentionally spiced up a political meeting at a Staten Island pizza joint Friday by digging into his slice with a knife and fork.

That's a no-no for many New Yorkers, who believe pizza should be folded and eaten with their hands.

Photos of a utensil-wielding de Blasio spread across Twitter and prompted mock outrage, some even calling for his impeachment. It was reminiscent of a "Seinfeld" episode in which characters make a stir by eating a candy bar with flatware.

De Blasio, who prides himself on his Italian-American heritage, later explained that he eats pizza the way they do in Italy. He starts with a knife and fork, then uses his hands.

TEASURY: VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTERS EXEMPT UNDER ACA: AUGUSTA, Maine (AP) — Fire departments won't have to provide coverage to volunteer firefighters under the federal health care law, the U.S. Department of Treasury said Friday, easing concerns that the overhaul would force departments to slash volunteer hours or benefits.

Volunteer firefighters and other emergency responders won't be counted as full-time employees under the Affordable Care Act when the department releases its final regulations shortly, Mark Mazur, assistant secretary for Tax Policy, wrote in a blog post on the department's website.