by Christine Armario AP Education Writer MIAMI (AP) — Jessica Kornfeld sat down with her son and daughter after school on Friday and shared with them the unthinkable, horrific news out of Connecticut: Someone had stormed into an elementary school and killed children nearly their same age. "They're just babies," her 10-year-old son said. "What could they have done?" A COMMUNITY GRIEVES--Johnny Nhatavong, center, of New Haven, Conn., embraces his wife, Melennie Rizek, right, and their 11-month-old son Kenzo Jung while stopping at a makeshift memorial near the place where a day earlier a gunman opened fire inside of an elementary school, Dec. 15, in Newtown, Conn. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) Kornfeld assured him the victims had done nothing wrong, and that the shootings didn't make sense to anybody. She reminded her children that they were with her, and safe.
DETROIT (AP) — The finance chair for the Republican National Committee told a Michigan tea party gathering this summer that Detroit's plummeting population and lack of a mayoral machine to get voters "to stop playing pool and drinking beer in the pool hall" has decreased its influence in elections. Ronald Weiser, Republican National Committee Ron Weiser's comments were secretly videotaped Aug. 9 by a Democrat shadowing a Republican congressional candidate. The Detroit Free Press obtained the video from the Michigan Democratic Party and reported (https://on.freep.com/ZaRArP) on it Sunday.
by Tim Reynolds AP Sports Writer MIAMI (AP) — When the Miami Heat players and coaches showed up for work Saturday morning, basketball was secondary. Newtown was the focus. FAMILY IS NO. 1--Miami Heat's LeBron James stands with his children LeBron, Jr., and Bryce, foreground, during a minute of silence of the mass shooting in Newtown, Conn.,before an NBA basketball game against the Washington Wizards in Miami, Dec 15. (AP Photo/Alan Diaz) Friday's massacre at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., was the primary topic of discussion among the Heat, even though they were gathered to finish prepping for a Saturday night game against Washington. It's rare for anything to overshadow basketball on the Heat practice court, but clearly, this was not going to be a typical day.
by Hope YenAssociated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — White people will no longer make up a majority of Americans by 2043, according to new census projections. That's part of a historic shift that already is reshaping the nation's schools, workforce and electorate, and is redefining long-held notions of race.
by Marc LevyAssociated Press Writer HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — Pennsylvania will not set up its own health care exchange under the federal Affordable Care Act, at least not for now, Gov. Tom Corbett said Wednesday, putting the state on a course to join others led by Republicans that will let President Barack Obama's administration run its exchange. GOV. TOM CORBETT (AP Photo/File)
by Jon GambrellAssociated Press Writer JOHANNESBURG (AP) — South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela is "doing very, very well" while undergoing unspecified medical tests at a military hospital, the nation's defense minister said Monday. The office of the presidency said the anti-apartheid icon was being kept in the hospital for a third day for more tests. COUNTRY WORRIES--A newspaper vendor sells Sunday newspapers reporting on former South African President, Nelson Mandela, in Johannesburg Sunday Dec. 9, 2012. (AP Photo/Denis Farrell)
