National Roundup

Oregon
Classmates: Teen accused of plot mentioned bombs
ALBANY, Ore. (AP) — Classmates of an Oregon teenager accused of planning to blow up his high school say the 17-year-old discussed bomb-making in the weeks before his arrest, but did not speak of a plot to inflict damage.
Thomas Stone, who attends West Albany High School, told KATU-TV that Grant Acord discussed bomb-making materials with him in class a couple of weeks ago.
“You know, I didn’t think much of it ‘cause he’s kind of a strange kid,” Stone said. “So I wasn’t surprised he had some strange hobbies, you know?”
Acord was arrested Thursday night after police got a tip that the youth was making a bomb to blow up the school about 75 miles south of Portland.
On Saturday, Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said Acord will be charged as an adult with attempted aggravated murder. Acord’s relatives have not released any public statements, and it’s unknown if they have hired a lawyer to represent him or if he will be assigned a public defender at Tuesday’s arraignment.
The Associated Press normally doesn’t name minors accused of crimes but is doing so in this case because of the seriousness of the allegations and because Acord is being charged as an adult.
Benton County District Attorney John Haroldson said in an interview Saturday that the alleged plot was “forged and inspired” by the 1999 massacre at Columbine High School in Colorado. He said investigators found six bombs in a secret compartment under the floorboards of Acord’s bedroom, along with written plans, checklists and a diagram of the school.
Student Keagan Boggs said Acord had approached some of his friends to talk about bombs, though not the alleged plot.
No bombs were found during searches of the school.
Not much has been learned about Acord, who does not appear to have a strong presence on social media.

Washington
Court to see if Miss. lawsuit OK on global issue
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court will consider whether the state of Mississippi can bring a state-level lawsuit in a global LCD screen price-fixing conspiracy.
The justices on Tuesday agreed to hear an appeal from state officials in their lawsuit against AU Optronics Corp. A federal jury last year found the company guilty of price-fixing on its liquid crystal display screens. Mississippi also wanted to sue in state court.
But the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals refused to send that lawsuit back, instead allowing it to stay in federal courts. Four other states, however, have been allowed to bring state-level lawsuits against the Taiwan company.
Several companies from Japan, Korea and Taiwan were accused of fixing prices for thin film transistor LCD panels from 1999 to 2006.

New York
Kellogg reaches settlement over cereal claims
NEW YORK (AP) — Kellogg has agreed to pay $4 million to settle a class action lawsuit over the marketing claims it made for Frosted Mini-Wheats.
The company, which also makes Frosted Flakes, Eggo waffles and Pop Tarts, was sued for saying that the cereal improved children’s attentiveness, memory and other cognitive functions.
Kellogg says in a statement that the ad campaign in question ran about four years ago and that it has since adjusted its messaging.
If approved by the court, the law firm representing consumers says the settlement will result in cash refunds for up to three boxes of cereal purchased during the time of the advertising in question.

Washington
Court won’t hear challenge to copyright board
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court won’t hear a challenge to the authority of the board that sets royalty rates for musical works.
The high court on Tuesday refused to hear an appeal challenging the Copyright Royalty Board, a panel of three copyright judges appointed by the Librarian of Congress.
Intercollegiate Broadcast System, Inc. said the board should be appointed instead by the president and confirmed by the Senate. They want to have overturned a decision by the board that noncommercial educational webcasters pay an annual fee of $500 per channel for a license authorizing the webcasting of unlimited amounts of music.
The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit refused to hear their appeal, and the Supreme Court did as well.

Minnesota
Groups opposed to wolf hunt lose in appeals court
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — A pair of groups that challenged Minnesota rules for a state wolf hunting and trapping season has been dealt another blow in court.
Minnesota’s Court of Appeals on Tuesday dismissed a petition aiming to undo rules that allowed for a wolf hunting season, the first of which was held starting in November.
The appeals judges decided that the Center for Biological Diversity and Howling for Wolves lacked sufficient legal standing to challenge the Department of Natural Resources rules.
Minnesota resumed sport hunting and trapping after the region’s wolves came off the endangered list early last year. Hunters and trappers then killed 413 wolves during the state’s first wolf season, which ended in January.
A bill seeking to impose a five-year moratorium on wolf hunts stalled during the Legislature’s just-completed session.

Massachusetts
Prosecutors urge judge to reject limits on family
BOSTON (AP) — Federal prosecutors have urged a judge to reject a request from lawyers for James “Whitey” Bulger who want to limit testimony from family members of people he is accused of killing.
Prosecutors say in a response filed Tuesday that they have the right to call relatives of alleged victims to testify about their “firsthand knowledge,” including events surrounding the disappearance of their loved ones.
Bulger’s lawyers argued in a motion last week that testimony from family members would be “unduly prejudicial.” They asked that their testimony be limited to basic information.
Prosecutors said the judge should not prevent them from questioning family members about legitimate topics simply because they are grief-stricken.
Bulger is charged with participating in 19 murders. His trial is scheduled to begin next week.u