New Home Financing

A ban on texting while driving that would apply to all motorists received first-round approval Tuesday from the Nebraska Legislature.

The Vermont Department of Education says the state has been chosen to be part of a pilot program that will provide supper for some children participating in after school programs.

The University of the District of Columbia 's new community college, which has a lease in place for a new NoMa campus , also may be the recipient of $5 million extra in the federal budget.

Same-sex marriage/domestic partnerships

Of all the issues states have taken up, this probably draws the most national attention. Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa, Vermont, and New Hampshire issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

California recognizes marriages performed before last Novembera s passage of Proposition 8, which limits marriage to one man and one woman. Rhode Island, New York, and the District of Columbia recognize same-sex marriages from other states.

New Jersey, California, Oregon, and Nevada allow domestic partnerships, providing some or all state-level spousal rights to same-sex couples. New Mexico sought to pass a domestic partnership bill, but it was delayed in February, effectively killing it for this year.

Prosecutors in Washington are trying to convince a jury that a woman who went missing nearly 11 years ago was killed by her boyfriend, though her body has never been found.

The District of Columbia's first same-sex weddings will be held Tuesday, marking a new day for gay and lesbian couples in the nation's capitol.

The National Association of Realtors urged Congress and the administration to move cautiously before making changes to the Federal Housing Administration program that has served the needs of millions of American families for more than 75 years without needing a federal appropriation.

Kentucky construction employment fell nearly 19 percent from January 2009 to January 2010, the Associated General Contractors of America reported Wednesday.

A federal district judge ruled today that there was no intentional misconduct on the Clinton administration's part in its acqusition of hundreds of FBI background files on former White House staffers and dismissed the last two "Filegate" cases.

The superintendent of the Archdiocese of Washington's schools says she is leaving the post for a position at Boston College.

As same-sex couples continue to the the knot in the District of Columbia, the fact remains local religious leaders played a critical role in the effort to allow gays and lesbians to marry in the city.

Major League Soccer players overwhelmingly voted to strike if a new collective bargaining agreement isn't reached with the league by the season opener on March 25, according to a report in The Washington Post.

Thirty-one states and the District of Columbia posted net gains in employment in January, the Labor Department reported Wednesday, providing further evidence that the economy is slowly gaining momentum.

A helicopter from a suburban Washington police department made an emergency landing near a District of Columbia school, forcing its evacuation.

Mexico City Mayor Marcelo Ebrard was officiating five same-sex marriages in one day, despite harsh criticism from the Roman Catholic Church and a campaign against the measure launched by President Felipe Calderon's conservative National Action Party.

In January, nonfarm payroll employment increased in 31 states and the District of Columbia, decreased in 18 states, and remained unchanged in 1 state.

There are many financial benefits that pertain to married and common-law couples.

TALLAHASSEE - Here's a new reason to keep your thumbs on the wheel and your eyes on the road: Action to outlaw texting while driving is off to a speedy start in the Legislature.

Angelisa Young and Sinjoyla Townsend hold hands as Rev. David North speaks during their wedding on the first day same-sex couples are legal to wed under a new law March 9, 2010 in Washington, DC.

Financially battered states get about 20 percent of their money from federal funds, so they're paying special attention to the Census this month.