Accused California Gunman Sued By Dead Ex-wife's Family

LOS ANGELES - A man accused of murdering his ex-wife and seven others in an October shooting rampage at a California hair salon was sued on Friday by his former spouse's parents.

Halliburton Sued Over Cold War Missile Casing Site

Halliburton Co faces lawsuits over groundwater pollution near a now-closed facility in Oklahoma that cleaned missile casings for the U.S. Defense Department during the Cold War, the company said on Friday.

Washington State Government Cuts Cell Phones, Car Fleets

- Washington state Governor Christine Gregoire told state agencies on Friday to reduce their use of cellular phones and the number of cars in their vehicle fleets to help cut the state's expenses.

Iowa Farmers Feel Ripples Of MF Global Bankruptcy

- MF Global Holdings Ltd's bankruptcy has sent shockwaves through a little Iowa town, where a local broker said he felt a moral obligation to guarantee more than $1 million in funds he placed for farmers at the futures brokerage.

Accuser: Cain Made "unwanted Advances"

WASHINGTON - A woman who accused Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain of sexual harassment suffered "very specific" instances of unwanted advances despite Cain's denials, her lawyer said on Friday.

Former South Dakota Governor Janklow Facing Terminal Cancer

SIOUX FALLS, South Dakota - Former four-term South Dakota Governor Bill Janklow said on Friday he was dying from a "very far advanced" brain cancer and doctors have told him he does not have long to live.

Power Outages Linger As New England Braces For Cold Blast

BOSTON - Hundreds of thousands of homes from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire remained in the dark on Friday, nearly a week after a monster October snowstorm swept through the Northeast and knocked out power to more than 3 million customers.

Agitators Blamed For Oakland Unrest That Injured 8

OAKLAND, Calif - Police arrested more than 100 demonstrators early on Thursday in clashes that activists and Oakland city officials alike blamed on agitators who provoked unrest following a day of mostly peaceful rallies against economic inequality.

Army Veteran Injured In Oakland Clashes With Police

SAN FRANCISCO - A former U.S. Army Ranger and Occupy Oakland protester was in intensive care on Friday after a veterans' group said he was beaten by police during clashes with anti-Wall Street demonstrators this week.

Bail Denied For Girlfriend Of Crime Boss "Whitey" Bulger

BOSTON - Catherine Greig, charged with aiding her fugitive boyfriend, notorious mob boss James "Whitey" Bulger, was denied bail on Friday by a federal judge who ruled she was a serious flight risk.

Idaho Requires Two Online Courses For High School Graduation

SALMON, Idaho - Idaho became on Thursday the first U.S. state to require two online courses for high school graduation when state officials approved the requirement.

Wisconsin Senate Advances Sex-ed Abstinence Proposal

MILWAUKEE - Wisconsin could join 26 U.S. states in requiring sex education in public schools to stress abstinence under legislation that has cleared the state Senate and may be taken up by representatives early next year.

Detroit In "extremely Serious" Fiscal Shape: Mayor

- Detroit is in "extremely serious financial condition," as it is projected to run out of cash next year and must take action to avoid a state takeover, Mayor Dave Bing said on Thursday.

Alabama Blogger Derides Alleged Deadly Plot By Georgia Men

BIRMINGHAM, Ala - An Alabama blogger whose online novel was cited as inspiration for four Georgia men's alleged plot to kill federal employees said on Thursday he had no connection to them and doubted they posed any real threat to the public.

Three Ohio Cities Rank In Top 10 For Poverty Rate Increase

CLEVELAND, Ohio - At Toledo Catholic Charities' family shelter, there hasn't been an open spot in three years -- a sign of chronic problems in the Ohio city which placed first in the nation for rising poverty rates.

Mayor Lashes Out At Occupy Wall Street Protesters

NEW YORK - New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg lashed out at anti-greed Occupy Wall Street activists on Thursday after reports of self-policing, his patience seeming to wear thin with the seven-week old movement.

Army Whistleblower Recalls Sergeant's Chilling Threat

TACOMA, Wash - A U.S. Army sergeant accused of murdering three unarmed Afghan civilians also led several troops in beating up a fellow soldier for informing on their drug use, then threatened to kill him unless he "shut up," the soldier testified on Thursday.

Pennsylvania Unveils Plan For Distressed Capital City

HARRISBURG, Pa - The state of Pennsylvania on Thursday released a plan for keeping essential services running and obligations met in financially embattled Harrisburg, as the city tries to get out from under a $300 million debt.

Power Outages Plague Northeast Residents

CONWAY, Mass - Three-quarters of a million people from Pennsylvania to New Hampshire remained without power on Thursday after a deadly October snowstorm pummeled the Northeast and caused widespread outages.

Agitators Blamed For Oakland Unrest That Injured 8

OAKLAND, Calif - Police arrested more than 100 demonstrators early on Thursday in clashes that activists and Oakland city officials alike blamed on agitators who provoked unrest following a day of mostly peaceful rallies against economic inequality.