US News - News April 8, 2011

See US News Weather

Budget Standoff on 'Government Shutdown 2011' Hinges on Planned Parenthood Funding (huliq)
Reports coming out of Washington, D.C. via radio on Friday morning indicate that the White House and the GOP have come to a deal on the budget, which would bring an end to the concerns of a government shutdown in 2011, except for one sticking point: $300 million in federal funding for Planned Parenthood.

150 years after the Civil War, race still haunts us (sacbee)
One hundred and fifty years ago, on April 12, 1861, the first shots of the Civil War were fired. A century and a half later, the issue of race still haunts us. Back then, most everyone understood that America's bloodiest war - more than 623,000 dead - had its roots in race. But race is not a subject Americans like to think about anymore.

Time's up: Obama and GOP scramble to halt shutdown (Central Jersey)
Uncomfortably close to a deadline, President Barack Obama and top congressional leaders have only hours to avert a Friday midnight government shutdown that all sides say would inconvenience millions of people and damage a still fragile economy.

$50 Gift Certificate, Your Price $20

7015 Huntington Ave
Newport News, VA

Long Island Serial Killer: Cops Have A Suspect (huffingtonpost)
Police said they're narrowing in on a suspect they believe is the "Long Island Ripper." A source with knowledge of the investigation told the New York Post that cops are "looking at somebody." The source did not go into further detail.

Cops investigate possible link between Long Island serial killer and New Jersey murders (channel6newsonline)
Possible link between the Long Island murders and the murders of four prostitutes in Atlantic City Authorities are now investigating whether the discovery of four dead prostitutes in New Jersey in 2006 is possibly related to the Long Island serial killer, who is believed to have killed up to 8 prostitutes since 2007 and dumped their bodies along a remote beach in New York.

What do the Republicans really believe? (irontontribune)
What do the items on the following list all have in common? Medicare. Medicaid. Social Security. Tax increases on the top 2 percent of earners. The post office. Food stamps. Family planning. Environmental protection. NPR. These are all programs that Americans support in poll after poll. These programs are also all programs Republicans dislike and would cut, amend or end. Conversely, Republicans would not only prefer to make the Bush tax cuts all permanent, but lower corporate taxes and reduce the top tax rate to 25 percent, granting a significant tax cut to the top 2 percent of earners. A majority of Americans disagree with these plans by Republicans.

Ryan's Star Power Gets a Boost After Budget Plan (foxnews)
He's a rising star on the right and a growing target on the left. Washington is buzzing about Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan's take-no-prisoners approach to budget cuts -- manifested in his budget proposal that would slash federal spending by $6.2 trillion over 10 years and overhaul health programs for the elderly and poor.

Ryan's Budget Blunders On Medicare (npr)
As an opening salvo from Republicans in the 2012 budget debate, the plan offered by Wisconsin's Paul Ryan — supposedly a model of "seriousness" and "courage" next to overzealous Tea Partiers and Democrats silly enough to want to keep the government minimally functional — is remarkable mostly for its cynicism.

ProtectOurElections.org Calls for Department of Justice Investigation (uspolitics.einnews)
Vote Count Irregularities in Waukesha County, WisconsinIn a stunning development Thursday, 14,315 votes in Tuesday's election for Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice were added to the vote total for Waukesha County, the largest Republican-dominated county in Wisconsin, netting 7,582 additional votes for incumbent Justice David Prosser. The additional votes give Prosser the victory in the heated race for the high court. As of Tuesday, challenger JoAnne Kloppenburg had been ahead in the race, according to totals compiled by the Associated Press. These new votes will reverse the election result and add new financial burdens for any recount...

No Deal Overnight on Federal Budget as Abortion Remains Sticking Point (nytimes)
Congressional budget negotiations broke up before dawn on Friday without an agreement, putting the government on a path to a shutdown when financing for federal agencies runs out at midnight.

Hoyer faults GOP for government shutdown threat (Athens Banner-Herald)
The No. 2 Democrat in the House says lawmakers trying to avert a government shutdown have come "70 percent of the way on the numbers" in budget talks, but are still fighting over social policies such as abortion and the environment.

Congress doesn't shut down during a shutdown (Kansas City Star)
Senators would have to push their own elevator buttons. House members would go without their free gym.

Gov't shutdown could hit federal workers in wallet (Kansas City Star)
Last time there was a government shutdown, furloughed federal workers were able to recover their lost pay.

Deal to avert shutdown still elusive (KFVS12)
The shutdown led to furloughs of several hundred thousand federal employees and a reduction of non-essential government activities that affected numerous sectors of the U.S. economy.

Judge: Gay Rights Group Can Canvass Outside Target (WCCO)
A judge ruled Thursday that a San Diego pro-gay marriage group can continue canvassing outside of Target stores in California, but the group's volunteers must stay 30 feet away from store entrances and canvass at just one entrance at a time.