[U.S.] US stares down start of steep "automatic" budget cuts

US stares down start of steep "automatic" budget cuts
http://swampland.time.com/2013/02/27/obama-top-lawmakers-to-meet-friday-on-budget-cuts/
By Richard Cowan. WASHINGTON | Fri Mar 1, 2013 1:05am EST. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government hurtled on Friday toward making deep spending cuts that threaten to hinder the nation's economic recovery, after Republicans and Democrats ...

White House wants Prop. 8 overturned
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887323293704578332770841357016.html
President Obama joined the legal battle for same-sex marriage Thursday, telling the U.S. Supreme Court that a California law limiting marriage to male-female couples serves no legitimate purpose and is based on "impermissible prejudice.

GI pleads guilty in WikiLeaks case, faces 20 years
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-18563_162-57571941/manning-pleads-guilty-in-wikileaks-case/
FORT MEADE, Md.â€"Bradley Manning, the Army private arrested in the biggest leak of classified material in U.S. history, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that could send him to prison for 20 years, saying he was trying to expose the American military's ...

McDonnell gets road tax earful on invitation-only GOP call
http://hamptonroads.com/2013/02/mcdonnell-gets-road-tax-earful-invitationonly-gop-call
According to sources, conversation on the 50-minute call that began at 8:30 p.m. primarily focused on the transportation legislation and a provision in Virginia's amended two-year state budget pertaining to potential Medicaid expansion.

Trial date set for accused shooter at US Army base
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-201_162-57571911/fort-hood-shooting-subject-trial-set-for-may-29/
By Don Bolding and Jim Forsyth. FORT HOOD, Texas | Thu Feb 28, 2013 6:02pm EST. FORT HOOD, Texas (Reuters) - A military judge on Thursday set May 29 for the start of jury selection in the murder trial of U.S.

Officials hope Las Vegas shooting suspect's arrest sends message
http://abcnews.go.com/US/las-vegas-strip-shooting-woman-sought-person-interest/story?id=18606838
Ammar Harris Authorities said they hope the arrest of the suspect in the Las Vegas Strip car crash sends a message. The man was previously arrested on sexual assault and pandering, or pimping, charges, law enforcement sources said.

Stumbo backs Judd in potential race
http://dailycaller.com/2013/02/28/citing-baggage-kentucky-politicians-not-enthusiastic-about-ashley-judd-campaign/
FRANKFORT - Democratic state House Sen. Greg Stumbo said Thursday he thinks actress Ashley Judd will be “a formidable” opponent should she choose to run against Republican U.S.

Fraternity Helps Transgender Brother Pay for Sex-Change Surgery
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/college-fraternity-helps-transgender-brother-pay-sex-change/story?id=18611183
Donnie Collins never had to endure the hazing or the homophobia sometimes associated with all-male fraternities and Greek life. The brothers at Phi Alpha Tau at Emerson College in Boston not only embraced the 19-year-old transgender student when he ...

DNA test leads to arrest of St. Helens man in 1982 murder of Aloha teen
http://www.nwcn.com/news/oregon/194086891.html
A 49-year-old man has been arrested in the murder of a 17-year-old girl that occurred over 30-years-ago. The Washington County Sheriff's Office reports that detectives took Kenneth Lee Hicks into custody at about 4:15 a.m.

Woodward Is New Hero for the Right (Yes, Really)
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/right-cheers-bob-woodward-fact-check-88074.html
For nearly 40 years, Bob Woodward has been considered a near-saint by many journalists for helping break the Watergate scandal and a scourge by conservatives for doing the same.

House renews bill on domestic violence
http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020458945_vawapassesxml.html
The U.S. House on Thursday ended a 16-month standoff with the Senate to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. By Kyung M. Song.

Michigan Governor to Issue Decision on Detroit Emergency Manager
http://detroit.cbslocal.com/2013/02/28/state-takeover-snyder-to-announce-detroit-efm-decision-friday/
Michigan Governor Rick Snyder will announce today whether he'll appoint an emergency manager to run Detroit, which ran up a $326.6 million deficit in 2012 even after striking a deal with the state to control costs.

White House picks Edith Ramirez to lead FTC
http://www.politico.com/story/2013/02/edith-ramirez-to-lead-ftc-88225.html?hp=f2
President Barack Obama intends to designate Edith Ramirez as the next chairwoman of the Federal Trade Commission. Ramirez, who joined the FTC as a commissioner in 2010, will replace the agency's outgoing leader, Jon Leibowitz, a White House official ...

Jack Lew Confirmed As Treasury Secretary: Democrats Gave Him A Pass
http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/jack-lew-becomes-76th-us-treasury-secretary-336867
While Washington was obsessing Wednesday over whether or not the oh-so-intimidating Gene Sperling had threatened Bob Woodward over his deeply misguided take on the budget sequester, another veteran Democratic number-cruncher skated by: The ...

JURUPA VALLEY: Baby severely burned in house fire
http://www.pe.com/local-news/riverside-county/riverside/riverside-headlines-index/20130228-jurupa-valley-baby-severely-burned-in-house-fire.ece
February 28, 2013 04:01 PM PST February 28, 2013 09:51 PM PST JURUPA VALLEY: Baby severely burned in house fire. JURUPA VALLEY: Baby severely burned in house fire.

Transcript: Figoski family's impact statements
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504083_162-57571897-504083/peter-figoski-case-lamont-pride-gets-45-years-to-life-in-slaying-of-nypd-officer/
Below is a transcript of the impact statements read in court Thursday by the four daughters of NYPD Officer Peter Figoski of West Babylon at the sentencing of Lamont Pride, the man convicted of murdering their father.