Jessica Chasmar

Michigan 6th-grader brings $20,000 cash to school in backpack

Michigan police are investigating an incident where a 6th-grade girl brought $20,000 in cash to school with her in a backpack. Published March 13, 2013

D.C. gets $1.8m Obamacare grant to promote healthy living for minorities

Washington D.C. has been awarded a $1.8 million grant "to design and implement community-level programs that prevent chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease." Published March 13, 2013

NYC transit system to begin sterilizing subway rats

New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority announced a pilot program Monday that would aim to curb the growing subway rat problem by sterilizing the animals so they can't reproduce. Published March 13, 2013

GOP lawmaker introduces bill suspending Obama’s pay until budget is submitted

Rep. Larry Bucshon, Indiana Republican, introduced legislation Wednesday that would suspend the president's pay if his budget late. Published March 13, 2013

Beware of Obamacare: Veterinarian shifts costs to customers

A dog owner was surprised after her veterinarian posted a notice to her Facebook page warning customers of the rising costs they will encounter due to Obamacare, CBS Miami reports. Published March 13, 2013

Chris Matthews: ‘Waterboard Cheney’ and he’ll admit lies about Iraq war

MSNBC's "Hardball" host Chris Matthews sneered at a guest's argument Tuesday night that conservatives are coming around to the idea that the Iraq war was "mismanaged." Published March 13, 2013

Donald Trump tweets, then deletes: Ashley Judd a ‘great’ candidate

Billionaire Donald Trump tweeted Tuesday that actress Ashley Judd would make a "great" candidate for Sen. Mitch McConnell's seat, only to delete the comment after being confronted by the media. Published March 13, 2013

Obama names black education czar to reduce ‘resegregation’

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has announced the appointment of David J. Johns as executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans. Published March 12, 2013

Gun scare at Massachusetts school from ‘neon-colored’ water pistol

Police recovered a 'neon-colored' water pistol from Malden High School in Massachusetts after a teacher reported a gun sighting. Published March 12, 2013

Lance Armstrong: People will forgive me like they did Bill Clinton

Disgraced Lance Armstrong said in an interview that the public will soon forget about him being the biggest dope cheat in cycling's history, just like they did former president Bill Clinton for his affair with an intern. Published March 12, 2013

Koch brothers mulling bid for the Los Angeles Times?

A spokesperson for conservative tycoons Charles and David Koch addressed growing speculation Tuesday of the the brothers making a bid for the Los Angeles Times. Published March 12, 2013

CBC slams Obama on lack of diversity among advisers

Congressional Black Caucus Chairwoman Marcia L. Fudge issued a letter Monday that slams the first black president for a lack of diversity among his closest advisers, Roll Call reports. Published March 12, 2013

Mississippi lawmakers propose ‘Anti-Bloomberg Bill’

Mississippi lawmakers have proposed an "Anti-Bloomberg Bill" that would prohibit local governments from posing rules that would require food nutrition labeling. Published March 12, 2013

Chicago: 6-month-old baby dies after being shot 5 times in gang-related attack

A 6-month-old Chicago girl died Tuesday after being shot five times while her father was changing her diaper. Published March 12, 2013

Md. woman ticketed after driving 2 mph under speed limit

A Maryland woman says she was stunned after receiving a traffic ticket Friday for driving in the left lane at 63 mph in a 65 mph zone. Published March 12, 2013

Michelle Obama to appear on cover of Vogue

First lady Michelle Obama will appear on the cover of Vogue magazine's April edition, which is set to hit the stands in the next week or two. Published March 12, 2013

Feds spend $1.5m to study lesbian obesity

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) is spending $1.5 million to study the "high public-health significance" of why 75 percent of lesbian women are obese and gay men are not, CNS News reports. Published March 12, 2013

Dad outraged after Mich. school removes plastic soldiers from son’s birthday cupcakes

A Michigan third-grader who brought cupcakes topped with plastic army soldiers into class for his birthday was told they were "insensitive" and needed to be removed. Published March 11, 2013

Judge dismisses NYC ban on large sugary drinks

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg vowed to appeal a city judge's dismissal of an "arbitrary and capricious" ban on large sugary drinks. Published March 11, 2013

N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg: Cola ban will help the poor ‘take care of themselves’

New York Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg believes his ban on large sugary drinks — set to go into effect Tuesday — will mostly benefit the poor, since they "don't have the ability to take care of themselves as well" as the wealthy. Published March 11, 2013