Round 2: Blizzard warnings in New York, Mid-Atlantic as winter storms hound snowbound region
WASHINGTON (AP) -- Snow, wind and slush hounded eastern commuters early Wednesday as blizzard warnings from Baltimore to New York City heralded the second major storm in a region already largely blanketed by weekend snowfall....

California storm sputters but evacuations continue for hundreds of LA foothill homes
LA CANADA FLINTRIDGE, Calif. (AP) -- Evacuations are still in effect for more than 500 foothill homes in Southern California even though the storm that spawned them is petering out....

Space shuttle Endeavour arrives at space station for weeklong stay, delivers new room, windows
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) -- Shuttle Endeavour arrived to a warm welcome at the International Space Station early Wednesday, delivering a new room and observation deck that will come close to completing construction 200 miles above Earth....

Ex-Illinois governor headed to federal court to answer revised corruption charges
CHICAGO (AP) -- Former Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich heads to court Wednesday to answer a revised batch of charges that he schemed to sell or trade President Barack Obama's old Senate seat and swap official favors for campaign money....

Extraordinary hearing in murder case against ex-Ill. cop turns into dress rehearsal for trial
JOLIET, Ill. (AP) -- Family members, investigators, clergy and even a psychic have spent weeks testifying in a northern Illinois courtroom - and Drew Peterson's murder trial hasn't even started....

NY senator convicted of misdemeanor assault vows to fight 53-8 vote to expel him
ALBANY, N.Y (AP) -- A Democratic state senator who betrayed his colleagues by joining Republicans in a brief coup and was convicted of a misdemeanor assault charge for dragging his girlfriend around during an argument at his apartment says he'll go back to court to fight his expulsion from the Senate....

History, politics suggest trouble for administration plan to cut subsidies for wealthy farmers
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- If history and the political lineup are any guides, President Barack Obama's latest effort to cut subsidies for wealthy farmers likely will fare no better than his first try - or his predecessor's attempt....

Small quake hits north of Chicago, reports of shaky ground span 4 states; no damage, injuries
CHICAGO (AP) -- A small pre-dawn earthquake has hit northern Illinois, startling residents as far away as Michigan and Iowa, but no damage or injuries were immediately reported....

A politically vulnerable NY Gov. Paterson says he'll step aside only 'in a box'
ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- New York Gov. David Paterson, defying calls from even fellow Democrats to drop out of the race for a full term, said Tuesday that he would leave only if the voters turned him out through the ballot box, or he's carried out "in a box."...

Obama, state regulator criticize Anthem Blue Cross plans to hike rates in California
LOS ANGELES (AP) -- In his push to move stalled health care reform, President Barack Obama is appealing to American pocketbooks by calling one health insurer's major rate hike in California a harbinger of rising premiums....