When Drake Johnson, a black high school student from northern California, tweeted his excitement about being accepted into Harvard on April 20, he received thousands of congratulatory tweets.

But one former Texas education official gave what some viewed as a backhanded compliment that bewildered the student and his followers.

"Congrats. Were ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas -- The Texas-based YETI cooler company is known for putting the chill on things, and they've frozen their financial relationship with America's largest gun lobbying organization in the midst of the heated national debate about guns.

On April 22, YETI cut ties with the National Rifle Association, which came as a breath of fresh...Read more

Sometimes forgotten in the spiraling U.S. crisis of opiate abuse is a clinical fact about narcotic pain medications: addiction is basically an unwanted side effect of drugs that are highly effective at blunting pain.

Addiction, of course, is a particularly dangerous and disruptive side effect, since it hijacks a patient's brain and demands ...Read more

The U.S. startup visa, passed with much fanfare during the twilight of Barack Obama's presidency, was supposed to draw thousands of foreign entrepreneurs. Instead, just 10 people have applied.

A big reason for the shortfall is that the year-old program has been constantly under assault since the election of President Donald Trump, whose agenda ...Read more

ELGIN, Ill. -- District U46 school board member Traci O'Neal Ellis resigned from the school board Monday night, effective immediately.

The surprise announcement came at the end of Monday's board meeting. O'Neal Ellis, in the final year of a second four-year term, said the decision was "very difficult" but that she wanted to get more deeply ...Read more

SAN FRANCISCO -- Bruce Bochy tweaked a lineup that had produced no more than one run in 10 of the San Francisco Giants' first 21 games, and he got results on Monday night.

Buster Posey, moved from cleanup to the No. 3 spot, drove in the go-ahead run with a fifth-inning single and recent call-up Mac Williamson hit the Giants' longest home run of...Read more

The East Asian longhorned tick, previously unknown in the United States, is likely now an unwanted permanent resident of New Jersey that concerns federal, state and local officials.

The National Veterinary Services Laboratory confirmed last week that the arachnid, discovered in the state in the fall, has successfully made it through the harsh ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- November might seem far away, but the midterm elections' impact on spending bills is already on display, amplified by internal Republican jockeying for leadership positions in the House.

Election years tend to chill swift movement on appropriations bills -- especially when there's potential turnover in leadership of one or both ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- The brain drain from departing House Republicans with policy expertise had sparked worry among party insiders even before Speaker Paul D. Ryan announced his plans to retire.

Now, the extraordinary attrition, along with a potentially brutal upcoming midterm campaign, is enough to send the GOP into panic mode.

Ryan's exit won't ...Read more

WASHINGTON -- Dennis Bowden has raised chickens in the town of Waldoboro, Maine, nearly his whole life. For more than 40 years, he raised his chickens in cages. Then four years ago, when he turned 65, he cut down his flock and went cage-free.

The decision to switch was Bowden's alone, but around the country many politicians have firmly taken ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. -- Stevante Clark, whose brother Stephon was shot dead by police last month, was released from custody Monday after being formally charged in court with four criminal counts, including assault with a deadly weapon and making a death threat.

The Sacramento County District Attorney's Office downgraded those two counts to ...Read more

ST. LOUIS -- In two tense court hearings and a court filing Monday, lawyers for Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens unleashed a series of accusations against investigators and the ex-husband of the woman with whom Greitens had an affair.

After a former lead investigator of Greitens' invasion of privacy case, William Don Tisaby, failed to show for a ...Read more

LOS ANGELES -- Mayor Eric Garcetti said Monday he would "absolutely" consider extending rent restrictions in Los Angeles to cover newly built apartments if California voters repeal a state law that prohibits it.

Garcetti joined tenant and community activists at a news conference outside City Hall to back a proposed ballot initiative that would ...Read more

FORT WORTH, Texas -- As news spread Monday that Tarrant Justice of the Peace Russ Casey pleaded guilty to tampering with a government record -- in the wake of his signing off on fake signatures to secure a spot on the March 6 primary ballot -- one question arose for many: Why did this elected official receive probation when women found guilty of...Read more