WWII Medal of Honor veteran battles Va. homeowners group to keep front-yard flagpole

WWII vet fights homeowners group over Va. flagpole

WWII Medal of Honor veteran battles homeowners group to keep front-yard flagpole

WWII vet gains supporters in flagpole battle

Oklahoma’s Langston University receives $800,000 fed grant for economic development, outreach

Okla.’s Langston Univ. receives $800,000 fed grant

State investigators seize computers, records while searching ACORN offices in New Orleans

Computers, records seized at ACORN offices in La.

To accurately count immigrants, Census 2010 will include outreach in more languages

SAN FRANCISCO — With the launch of the 2010 census less than six months away, the U.S. Census Bureau is preparing its most targeted and far-reaching language outreach yet to more accurately count the country’s immigrants.

Recession forces more people to rely on community clinics; centers have key role in reform

SAN JOAQUIN, Calif. — Francisco Lupercio has insurance for his house, his truck and the store he runs with his wife. But he can’t afford health insurance, so he joined dozens of other people lining up for exams at a community clinic.

Republicans use ACORN’s problems to fight law on bank investment in poor areas

WASHINGTON — Conservative Republicans are capitalizing on the troubles of community activist group ACORN — ranging from charges of voter registration fraud to embarrassing videos of its employees — to revive their long-standing fight against a federal law that grades banks on their investments in poor and minority neighborhoods.

With 2,200 broadband applications, competition for billions in stimulus dollars is intense

Tough choices for feds giving out broadband money

Police chiefs urge nationwide community watch, say it could have helped in major terror case

DENVER — A store clerk’s curiosity about why Najibullah Zazi was buying large quantities of beauty supply products indicated that something about the transaction wasn’t quite right — and it’s an example of the kind of citizen vigilance that can combat terror, a police commander said Saturday.

Anti-terror community watch program backed by police tells public what to be on alert for

DENVER — A store clerk’s curiosity about why Najibullah Zazi was buying large quantities of beauty supply products indicated that something about the transaction wasn’t quite right — and it’s an example of the kind of citizen vigilance that can combat terror, a police commander said Saturday.

Big city police departments back anti-terror community watch, tell public what to watch for

WASHINGTON — The nation’s big city police chiefs are backing an anti-terrorism community watch program to educate people about what behavior is truly suspicious and ought to be reported to police.

Senator’s staff questions ACORN use of donations

WASHINGTON — The embattled community activist group ACORN appears to be collecting charitable contributions through affiliate organizations that it then uses for impermissible lobbying and political activity, says the Republican staff of the Senate Finance Committee.

Lost documents, long wait times for mortgage servicers could derail help on mortgages

PHILADELPHIA — It all comes down to details: The success of the federal government’s attempts to keep homeowners from defaulting on their mortgages appears to hinge on small things such as a servicer not losing a customer’s documentation.

Lost documents, long wait times for mortgage servicers could derail TARP help on mortgages

PHILADELPHIA — It all comes down to details: The success of the federal government’s attempts to keep homeowners from defaulting on their mortgages appears to hinge on small things such as a lender not losing a customer’s documentation.

Treasury IG responds to request for ACORN probe by examining oversight of tax-exempt groups

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department’s inspector general is looking into the government’s oversight of tax-exempt organizations like ACORN when they engage in political activities.

Oral history recorders launch StoryCorpsHistorias to collect Latinos’ tales of life in US

WASHINGTON — Gus Hernandez and his family spent two nights sleeping in their car before Siddiqi Hansoti gave them three weeks’ stay in his motel and then, even better, a job.

How conservative links helped ACORN ‘pimp and hooker’ undercover videos became big news

LOS ANGELES — Much of America discovered James O’Keefe III and Hannah Giles through their hidden-camera, make-believe pimp and prostitute videos of ACORN employees giving advice about establishing a brothel with underage hookers.

ACORN scandal offers a fat target for some state politicians, but actual contracts are few

ST. PAUL, Minn. — As support for the community activist group ACORN withered in Congress in the wake of a hidden-camera scandal, Republican governors and other state officials moved swiftly to sever ties. It turns out the group often commanded little — if any — state business.

Mayweather agrees to pay $5.6M back taxes to IRS, avoids having it taken from fight purse

LAS VEGAS — Boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr. agreed to pay $5.6 million in back taxes before the Internal Revenue Service was poised to take the money from his purse after his Saturday comeback fight against Juan Manuel Marquez.

ACORN names former Mass AG Harshbarger to investigate housing program

WASHINGTON — The community activist group ACORN said Tuesday it has selected a former Massachusetts attorney general to investigate its housing program and other public service projects after employees were caught on video giving advice to a couple posing as a prostitute and pimp and Congress moved to cut off its federal funding.

Obama: ACORN video ‘inappropriate,” favors investigation into community group’s activities

WASHINGTON — President Barack Obama says there should be an investigation into the hidden-camera video involving employees at the activist group ACORN and a couple posing as a prostitute and her pimp. The two ACORN workers are seen apparently advising the couple to lie about her profession and launder her earnings to get housing aid.

ACORN grew from local charity to national conglomerate with radio stations, schools

WASHINGTON — Activist group ACORN started in 1970 to help poor people in Arkansas and by decade’s end went national, expanding into a multimillion-dollar conglomerate with a mission so far-flung that schools now bear its name, two radio stations are affiliates and a man its political arm endorsed is the president. Oh yeah — and it’s the unwilling star of a hot Internet video featuring a couple dressed as a hooker and her pimp.

Park(ing) Day a growing movement: Activists transform curbside parking space into urban oases

LOS ANGELES — Activists across the nation parked themselves curbside Friday, taking up spaces reserved for cars and transforming them into mini parks with sod, potted plants, lawn chairs and even barbecues to raise awareness about how the auto has won the battle over public space in big cities.

House votes to deny all federal funds for ACORN in GOP-led strike on embattled group

WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday to deny all federal funds for ACORN in a GOP-led strike against the scandal-tainted community organizing group that comes just three days after the Senate took similar action. “ACORN has violated serious federal laws, and today the House voted to ensure that taxpayer dollars would no longer be used to fund this corrupt organization,” said second-ranked House Republican Eric Cantor of Virginia.

House votes to cut off all federal funds to ACORN

WASHINGTON — The House voted Thursday to deny all federal funds for ACORN in a GOP-led strike against the scandal-tainted community organizing group that comes just three days after the Senate took similar action.

Movie stars among those entertained at NM gov’s mansion, costing state $139,000

SANTA FE, N.M. — Gov. Bill Richardson spent almost $139,000 for dinners and receptions at the governor’s mansion last year, entertaining thousands of guests including movie stars George Clooney and Robert Duvall.

Nebraska GOP Sen. Johanns calls for Justice probe of ACORN

WASHINGTON — A Republican lawmaker on Tuesday urged the Justice Department to investigate ACORN, a community organization under fire for several voter-registration fraud cases.

In wake of hidden camera scandal, Senate votes to deny funds to ACORN

WASHINGTON — The Senate voted Monday to block the Housing and Urban Development Department from giving grants to ACORN, a community organization under fire in several voter-registration fraud cases.