Barbara Boxer to lobby for desalination plant in Huntington Beach

Two prominent former California Democratic lawmakers who oversaw environmental legislation, U.S. Sen. Barbara Boxer and state Assembly Speaker Fabian Nunez, have signed on to lobby for a controversial desalination plant in Huntington Beach. For nearly two decades, the plant proposed for a Pacific Coast Highway site next to an existing Huntington Beach power generating facility has faced strong opposition from community and environmental groups.

New CDC Director questioned about financial conflicts

A U.S. Senator is criticizing the director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for an apparent financial conflict of interest that the senator says may prevent the director from doing her job. Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald became director of the Atlanta-based CDC in July, and was required to sell a range of stocks she owned, including beer and soda companies, the tobacco company Philip Morris International, and a number of health care companies such as vaccine manufacturers and health-care companies.

Known for political temperance, Iowa moves sharply right

After decades as the crossroads of prairie populists and checkbook conservatives, Iowa has suddenly become solidly Republican like many of its Midwestern neighbors. It was one of four states - along with Kentucky, Missouri and New Hampshire - that flipped to complete GOP control in the November election, but Iowa's rush of new legislation has been the most intense.

AP sources: Gingrich, Christie being vetted for Trump VP

The New York billionaire is considering former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie , among what he previously described as a short list of possible running mates. Their inclusion was confirmed by people with direct knowledge of the vetting process who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the situation publicly.

Fool’s errand or heroic stand? GOP on Ted Cruz, Mike Lee

The bipartisan compromise on Wednesday to avoid a financial default and end a 16-day partial government shutdown cast a spotlight on Republican Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Mike Lee of Utah, who had precipitated the crises with their demand that President Barack Obama gut his 3-year-old health care law. Other Republicans who repeatedly had warned the two about their quixotic move took little pleasure in saying "I-told-you-so."

Higher Ed Community Has Mixed Reviews on SOTU, College Scorecard

At Tuesday's State of the Union address, President Barack Obama discussed the importance of education at all levels and after putting emphasis on early education and job training for high schoolers, he asked colleges and universities to work to make higher education more affordable for students. "Through tax credits, grants, and better loans, we have made college more affordable for millions of students and families over the last few years," Obama said.

Spanish football sees major drop in doping tests

Hundreds of schools have been closed and most flights have been canceled in and out of New Hampshire as the latest storm to hit the area has dumped over a foot of snow in some places. A federal judge in Washington is hearing arguments on whether to stop work on the $3.8 billion Dakota Access oil pipeline until a legal battle with American Indian tribes is resolved.

Former Obama aide calls Trump a ‘psychopath’

A former top adviser to President Barack Obama on Sunday labeled Donald Trump a "psychopath", saying the Republican presidential nominee met the clinical definition of the personality disorder. With a little more than two months to go before the Nov. 8 U.S. election, the comments by David Plouffe, a former senior adviser to President Barack Obama and manager of his 2008 presidential campaign, mark another escalation in a series of blows exchanged between Trump's camp and that of his Democrat rival Hillary Clinton.