County budget options include permanently closing a 40‑year‑old Hernando library, threatening programs and services in Brooksville and Spring Hill.

California now posts the nation’s priciest gas; Bay Area averages sit in the high‑$5s as crude and local supply strains push pump prices up.

A Lockport foster parent says an estranged brother’s alias landed him on the Illinois Sex Offender Registry — costing him his license, pay and housing before state review reversed course.

Registered nurses at Adventist Health St. Helena voted to join the California Nurses Association in an NLRB election, moving the unit toward formal bargaining.

Neighbors in Seaford report daytime rat sightings and dozens trapped, and county health inspectors say they will investigate while town crews prepare pest control visits.

University of Minnesota‑linked MyGender Dolls, designed for ages 4–10, are heading toward a 2026 rollout that has sparked questions about funding and classroom use.

San Antonio’s municipal shelter has waived adoption fees through Sunday as kennels top 550 animals. Adoptions include spay/neuter surgery, vaccinations and microchipping.

Portland will run a summer pilot to inspect curbside recycling for hazardous and damaging items. City officials say checks are safety‑focused and non‑punitive.

A new analysis finds Metro Denver saw a small inflation‑adjusted pay bump from 2020–2025, but local housing costs and big occupational gaps leave many workers still squeezed.

A 10-foot pet boa named Linguini slipped out of a Plymouth home; animal control says it’s not believed to be a threat as the owner asks neighbors for help.

Inmates and family members say cells at High Desert State Prison have been sweltering as evaporative 'swamp' coolers struggle during a Southern Nevada heat wave.

A Gastonia woman who bought her first scratch-off won $100,000 and will take home roughly $71,000 after taxes.

A Quincy trust claimed the final $10M Bonanza scratch-off after the winning ticket was sold at a Mobil in Lowell. The trust took a $6.5M lump-sum and the station gets $50K.