Bloglander

Around here

A bill in the Washington legislature requiring most insurance plans offering maternity benefits to also cover abortions is stalled. (SR) 

The WSU professor beaten over the weekend remains in the ICU at Sacred Heart. (KXLY)

Idaho lawmakers are still trying to figure out what to do about education funding in the state, keeping them in session longer than expected and costing taxpayers about $10,000 a day. (CdA Press)

Out there

The standoff with North Korea continues, as that country announced it will use all of its nuclear technology to expand its weapons arsenal. (NYT) 

Prosecutors will seek the death penalty against James Holmes, the man accused of gunning down 12 people in an Aurora, Colo. movie theater last summer. (Denver Post)

Organized labor and business groups have reached some agreement on immigration reform, but there are still major hurdles in front of Congress. (NPR) 

Two New York lawmakers were arrested for allegedly trying to illegally get one of them on the New York City mayor's race ballot. Investigators say a Democratic state senator who wanted to run for mayor as a Republican paid a Republican city councilman to help him meet with Republican leaders in the city. (NYT)

In case you missed it

A mind-blowing video of the oil spill that happened just northwest of Little Rock, Ark. over the weekend.