Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
AP executive editor: Never seen anything like Justice Department snooping
Journalists of all stripes — along with politicians, analysts and scores of others — are hammering the Obama administration for its admitted collection of Associated Press telephone records. Published May 14, 2013
Holder to answer on Wednesday for Justice Dept. snooping on Associated Press reporters
Angry Republicans won't have to wait long for their chance to question Attorney General Eric Holder about his role in the Justice Department's snooping on Associated Press journalists. Published May 14, 2013
Indiana hits ‘pause button’ on Common Core education push
Former Indiana Gov. Mitch Daniels was one of the staunchest defenders of the K-12 academic standards known as Common Core. But Indiana is now ground zero in the fight against those very standards, and it may lead the way for other states to consider pulling out of the system. Published May 13, 2013
Castro brothers: Ariel is a ‘monster’; Cleveland kidnapping suspect should ‘rot’ in prison
The Cleveland man who held three women captive for a decade is a "monster," his two brothers told CNN in an interview that aired Monday morning. Published May 13, 2013
Support for same-sex marriage now firmly above 50 percent, poll says
For the third time in the past year, more than 50 percent of Americans say they support same-sex marriage, a new Gallup poll released Monday states. Published May 13, 2013
Wife keeps promise to memorialize Vietnam veteran at wall
Ray Thompson came home from Vietnam in 1969 badly wounded, having lost four ribs, a kidney and his spleen. It wouldn't have been in his nature, said widow Patty Thompson, to grapple with the federal government just to see his name etched into the black granite of the memorial wall. But it's most certainly in hers. Published May 12, 2013
Switch to digital for ACT admissions exam is bumpy
The ACT college admissions exam is going digital in 2015, and its creators fully expect some bumps along the way. Just as the company earlier this week announced its new 21st-century testing method, schools in Kentucky were reverting to the classic pencil-and-paper approach after ACT's online assessment system crashed. Published May 9, 2013
Republicans boycott vote for EPA nominee Gina McCarthy
Gina McCarthy's already bumpy road to becoming Environmental Protection Agency administrator took another detour Thursday morning when Senate Republicans boycotted a committee vote on her nomination, blocking it for now. Published May 9, 2013
No charges against two Castro brothers: Prosecutor
In a surprising development, a Cleveland prosecutor now says there will be no charges filed against brothers Onil and Pedro Castro in connection with the decade-long captivity of three young women. Published May 8, 2013
Cleveland police say there’s no proof they ignored calls to kidnapping house
A number of Cleveland residents said Tuesday that they had called police after seeing or hearing strange things at the Castro home, where three women allegedly were held hostage for a decade. But city police, while not accusing anyone of lying, are pushing back against accusations they didn't do their job. Published May 8, 2013
Charles Ramsey, who helped rescue captive Cleveland women, now a media sensation
It's been a whirlwind two days for Cleveland's Charles Ramsey, who helped free three women from a decade of captivity on Monday night. Published May 8, 2013
Cleveland 911 dispatcher’s handling of Berry phone call under review
When Amanda Berry escaped from a decade of captivity on Monday night, her first act was to call 911 and beg for help from authorities. But the actions of the 911 call-taker, who hung up on Ms. Berry before police arrived, are now under investigation. Published May 8, 2013
Amanda Berry, Gina DeJesus return to Cleveland homes after years in captivity
As Amanda Berry and Gina DeJesus made triumphant returns home Wednesday, authorities in Cleveland charged their captor with multiple counts of kidnapping and rape for putting the women — along with a third, Michelle Knight — through a decadelong hell of sexual abuse and complete disconnect from the outside world. Published May 8, 2013
Keystone XL would reduce long-haul truck traffic, thus less emissions
Opponents of the Keystone XL pipeline contend that it would lead to dramatic increases in greenhouse gas emissions, but a supporter of the $7 billion oil sands project says approval would help cut harmful emissions and make the transport of American oil much more efficient.. Published May 7, 2013
Funding for La. Gov. Jindal’s voucher program struck down by court
In a setback for Gov. Bobby Jindal's drive to overhaul the state's education system, the Louisiana Supreme Court on Tuesday said the state can't fund its landmark voucher initiative with money meant for public schools. Published May 7, 2013
States push new privacy blueprint for drones
A coalition of state officials is drawing up a uniform blueprint for drone privacy laws in an effort to head off a patchwork of conflicting rules and regulations being adopted across the country. The model legislation could, theoretically, be used by lawmakers everywhere to put in place a uniform system, as opposed to the state-by-state approach unfolding now. Published May 7, 2013
State school systems rethink Common Core standards
The growing backlash against the nationwide K-12 school standards known as Common Core, bubbling to the surface in Indiana, Michigan and elsewhere, has become the hottest story in education. Published May 6, 2013
Embrace of massive online courses rising
Massive open online courses are sweeping the globe, but some higher education leaders argue that the classes, better known as MOOCs, need to be embraced cautiously. Published May 6, 2013
Ruling favors local control of fracking
With its ruling on Thursday, a New York appeals court delivered a key victory to environmentalists in their fight to keep fracking out of the state. Published May 2, 2013
N.Y. court: Towns can ban fracking
The state's governor hasn't decided whether to allow fracking, but a New York appeals court on Thursday ruled that local governments have the right to ban the controversial practice. Published May 2, 2013
