By FENIT NIRAPPIL and SCOTT SMITH SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) _ California farmers who hold some of the state’s strongest water rights avoided the threat of …

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) _ Purdue University is stressing its commitment to free speech with a new policy modeled on one approved by the University …

By ED WHITE VAN BUREN TOWNSHIP, Mich. (AP) _ Lisa Smith says her son’s behavior was dangerous: hair pulling, kicks, punches, all related to a …

By DAN GELSTON AP Sports Writer INDIANAPOLIS (AP) _ Pippa Mann rattled off the list of body parts still aching after a brutal crash at …

By JONATHAN MATTISE CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) _ Appalachian coal mining suffered a double blow Friday, as Murray Energy announced plans to lay off more than …

By RICARDO ALONSO-ZALDIVAR WASHINGTON (AP) _ A different health care issue has emerged for Democrats, in sync with the party’s pitch to workers and middle-class …

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Basketball Writer GREENBURGH, N.Y. (AP) _ Isiah Thomas said he hasn’t spoken with New York Knicks President Phil Jackson since joining …

By YURI KAGEYAMA TOKYO (AP) _ Japan pledged Saturday 55 billion yen ($450 million) in aid to Pacific island nations that are battling rising sea …

By SCHUYLER DIXON AP Sports Writer IRVING, Texas (AP) _ Cornerback Orlando Scandrick has the raise he sought by skipping the first two weeks of …

By JASON DEAREN ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. (AP) _ A Florida children’s dentist accused of running a “house of horrors” that included performing surgical procedures without …