TheRepublic.com - Local governments News

Extremists claim responsibility for Niger attacks

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:20:29 -0400

NIAMEY, Niger - Suicide bombers in Niger detonated two car bombs simultaneously, one inside a military camp in the city of Agadez and another in the remote town of Arlit at a French-operated uranium mine, killing 26 people and injuring 30, according to officials in Niger and France. A surviving attacker took a group of soldiers hostage, and authorities were attempting to negotiate their release.

Weiner gets started stumping in NYC mayoral race

Thu, 23 May 2013 22:06:18 -0400

NEW YORK - Anthony Weiner set out to reintroduce himself to voters Thursday as he embarked on a mayoral bid after leaving Congress in a sexting scandal. He found a much more supportive reception in his first day of campaigning than he did from the state's top Democrat, who bluntly criticized his candidacy a day earlier.

Wyden zeros in on plan to boost logging revenue

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:52:11 -0400

GRANTS PASS, Oregon - Sen. Ron Wyden is zeroing in on his plan for boosting logging on federal lands in Western Oregon and helping rural counties beset by money problems.

Bloomberg adds 2 Hamptons properties, info shows

Thu, 23 May 2013 21:02:27 -0400

NEW YORK - Mayor Michael Bloomberg has added to his roster of high-end real estate, buying a house and a vacant parcel last year next to a 35-acre estate he already owns in tony Southampton, according to information released Thursday by City Hall.

Feds to release money to Oregon timber counties

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:53:24 -0400

GRANTS PASS, Oregon - Federal timber payments held up by the mandatory budget cuts known as sequestration will start showing up in Oregon timber county accounts next week.

Mormon church on board with Boy Scouts rule change

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:53:17 -0400

SALT LAKE CITY - The Mormon church said Thursday it will continue its long-time association with the Boy Scouts of America, even after the organization voted to lifts its ban on openly gay youth.

Kwame Kilpatrick's lawyer is off corruption case

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:26:47 -0400

DETROIT - An attorney who has represented Kwame Kilpatrick through years of scandal was dismissed Thursday after the former Detroit mayor said their relationship had deteriorated long before a six-month corruption trial that ended with a conviction in March.

Synthetic drug ordinances proposed in Duluth

Thu, 23 May 2013 20:01:08 -0400

DULUTH, Minnesota - A Duluth City Council member is proposing ordinances to regulate businesses that sell synthetic drugs and punish people who use them.

Clinton considers ordinance on nuisance buildings

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:55:19 -0400

CLINTON, Iowa - Officials are assessing the number of nuisance buildings in the eastern Iowa community of Clinton as they consider an ordinance that would help track vacant properties and stop them from sitting empty for a long period of time.

Wis. committee cuts roadwork to close budget gap

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:54:12 -0400

MADISON, Wisconsin - The Legislature's budget-writing committee voted unanimously Thursday to delay some freeway projects and cut funding for others, as part of an effort to close a $54 million deficit in Wisconsin's roads fund that was prompted by a drop in gas-tax revenue.

Health Dept. releases Medicaid expansion report

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:45:14 -0400

SALT LAKE CITY - A new report shows Medicaid will cost Utah more money whether or not Gov. Gary Herbert chooses to expand the program, but those costs could be offset by savings in other places for the state and local governments.

Casino petition calls for Iowa mayor to resign

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:30:15 -0400

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - An online petition is demanding that the mayor of Sioux City resign over his role in replacing the Argosy riverboat casino with a Hard Rock-branded facility.

Correction: Oklahoma Tornado story

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:24:29 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - In some early versions of a story May 22 about damage estimates from the tornado in Moore, Oklahoma, The Associated Press misspelled the name of the city's mayor. He is Glenn Lewis, not Glen.

Okla. tornado home damage estimated from photos

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:22:16 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - Officials in Oklahoma City say an estimate of the number of homes damaged or destroyed by this week's tornado is based in part on an analysis of before-and-after aerial photos.

Lawmakers ask Obama to aid flood-impacted areas

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:21:34 -0400

CHICAGO - The Illinois congressional delegation is asking President Barack Obama to make federal aid available to local governments in 25 counties impacted by floods earlier this month.

Judge won't let Orleans out of police reform pact

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:19:16 -0400

NEW ORLEANS - A federal judge Thursday refused to let the city of New Orleans out of a potentially expensive agreement to reform its troubled police department.

Wilmington mayor vetoes City Council budget

Thu, 23 May 2013 19:03:18 -0400

WILMINGTON, Delaware - Wilmington Mayor Dennis Williams has vetoed the 2014 budget passed by the City Council last week.

Kids, teachers from devastated school reunite

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:48:21 -0400

MOORE, Oklahoma - Students from a suburban Oklahoma City elementary school destroyed by this week's tornado reunited with their teachers Thursday and collected whatever could be salvaged from the ruins.

Indiana lawmakers to review ISTEP test troubles

Thu, 23 May 2013 17:07:39 -0400

INDIANAPOLIS - Indiana lawmakers said Thursday they will spend the coming months reviewing computer troubles with a statewide standardized test, the use of land banks to sell vacant property and other problems uncovered around the state.

County sheriff's pot busts draw ire in Columbia

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:18:57 -0400

COLUMBIA, Missouri - A local ordinance that in some cases treats marijuana possession as a minor municipal violation isn't being followed by Boone County sheriff's deputies who have stepped up patrols within Columbia's city limits, an attorney says.

Defense: Ex-Pa. judge cooperating in coke case

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:18:08 -0400

PITTSBURGH - A western Pennsylvania judge who abruptly resigned last year was charged Thursday with stealing cocaine from evidence in cases before him, and his attorney said the former jurist is cooperating with the investigation.

Embattled Toronto mayor fires chief of staff

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:13:55 -0400

TORONTO - Toronto Mayor Rob Ford, caught up in a scandal over a video purportedly showing him smoking crack cocaine, fired his chief of staff on Thursday.

Detroit voting board rejects residency challenge

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:09:50 -0400

DETROIT - A Detroit election board has rejected a challenge to mayoral candidate Mike Duggan over whether he's been a city resident long enough.

Cuomo: Weiner NYC mayoral win would be a 'shame'

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:08:41 -0400

SYRACUSE, New York - New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo says it would be a "shame" if Anthony Weiner was elected mayor of New York City.

DeSoto Co. agrees to salary survey

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:04:25 -0400

HERNANDO, Mississippi - DeSoto County will pay $12,400 for a study on salaries of local employees.