Woman's Doorstop Is 450 Million Years Old
Betty LeMaster took her 10-pound rock to Middle Tennessee State University to have it checked out. According to the Daily News Journal, testing revealed her doorstop is fossilized coral.
Around the Nation
Witnesses To Take The Stand In BP Trial
A federal judge will hear testimony Tuesday in a civil suit over who is to blame and who should be financially liable for the 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. On Monday, the court in New Orleans heard more than eight hours of opening statements from lawyers for the government and several defendants.
Whistling Man Is A Nuisance In Portland, Maine
Residents of Portland, Maine, said they found Robert Smith a little too cheerful. He had a habit of whistling while standing outside of homes and businesses. A city ordinance lists whistling as disorderly behavior with a fine of up to $500. The Portland Press-Herald reports Smith has agreed to whistle only while in motion.
Governors' D.C. Summit Dominated By Medicaid And The Sequester
Since the governors last met in July, some have shifted their views on the federal health care law. A few Republicans have even changed their minds about the potential benefits of the president's plan to expand Medicaid.
The Media Frenzy Surrounding Oscar Pistorius
South African Olympian Oscar Pistorius is accused of murdering his girlfriend, Reeva Steenkamp, in their Pretoria home. The trial has set off a media frenzy and the coverage varies widely around the globe and in sports publications.
Is The Voting Rights Act Relevant In 2013?
The Supreme Court will begin hearing arguments on Wednesday on the relevance and constitutionality of the 1965 Voting Rights Act. The court is tasked with determining whether states with a history of discrimination still need to get federal approval before changing election procedures.
Whitey Bulger Bio Profiles Boston's Most Notorious Gangster
Reporters Kevin Cullen and Shelley Murphy, who covered Bulger for years for The Boston Globe, have a new book out about the career criminal. Bulger was wanted for 19 murders when he was captured by the FBI in 2011. He faces trial in June.
Fugitive Ex-LAPD Officer Apparently Barracaded In Cabin
Kirk Siegler talks to Melissa Block for an update on the search for former Los Angeles Police Department officer Christopher Dorner. A man that authorities identified as Dorner was holed up in a cabin near Big Bear Lake, Calif., on Tuesday evening. Hundreds of officers surrounded the home. Dorner is wanted for questioning in three murders and one attempted murder.
What Will Happen To All The Letters People Sent to Newtown?
In the weeks following the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School, more than a quarter-million cards, letters and gifts have arrived in Newtown, Conn. The town is trying to decide what to do with a collection that quickly outgrew its storage at the municipal building and now fills a warehouse.
Oakland To Issue IDs That Double As Debit Cards
Oakland, Calif., is issuing municipal ID cards to anyone who can prove residency. It doubles as a debit card. Supporters say it will help residents who are poor, without a bank or undocumented. Immigration control advocates say the city is abetting illegal immigration.