AUGUSTA (AP) — A bill that would permanently prohibit the public release of information about individual concealed-weapons permit holders in Maine has been endorsed by a legislative panel. The Legislature’s Judiciary Committee on Wednesday voted 10-3 for an amended version of the measure, which would prohibit the release of permit holders’ names, addresses and birth […]

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has a book deal. She is working on a memoir and policy book about her years as secretary of state, Simon & Schuster told The Associated Press. The book has yet to be titled and is tentatively scheduled for June 2014. Financial terms were […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — Sharing a bit of budget pain, President Barack Obama will return 5 percent of his salary to the Treasury in a show of solidarity with federal workers smarting from government-wide spending cuts. Obama’s decision grew out of a desire to share in the sacrifice that government employees are making, a White House […]

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — At least some Asian carp probably have found their way into the Great Lakes, but there’s still time to stop the dreaded invaders from becoming established and unraveling food chains that support a $7 billion fishing industry and sensitive ecosystems, according to a scientific report released today. Written by experts […]

ATTLEBORO, Mass. (AP) — School officials say as many as 25 students at a Massachusetts school were denied lunch this week because they either could not pay or their pre-paid accounts did not contain enough money. Outraged parents say some students at Coelho Middle School in Attleboro cried when they were told by a worker […]

WESTFIELD, Mass. (AP) — Authorities say an 8-year-old Massachusetts boy is in danger of losing his arm after being bitten by the family dog. Police say the Westfield boy was taken to a Westfield hospital after being bitten Tuesday afternoon, then was transported to a Springfield hospital for additional surgery in an attempt to save […]

MESQUITE, Texas (AP) — Gov. Rick Perry and law enforcement officers from as far away as Britain are expected to attend a public memorial for a slain Texas prosecutor and his wife. Officials with The Honor Network say an overflow crowd is expected today in a suburban Dallas church for the ceremony to honor Kaufman […]

WASHINGTON (AP) — The number of Americans seeking unemployment aid rose to a four-month high last week, although the increase partly reflects seasonal distortions around the spring holidays. Weekly applications increased 28,000 to a seasonally adjusted 385,000, the Labor Department said today. It was the third straight weekly increase and the highest level since late […]