Ricin Letters Suspect: Hearing To Focus On Paul Kevin Curtis' Mental State

OXFORD, Miss. — Officials have cancelled the third day of a hearing for the Mississippi man accused of mailing poisoned letters to President Barack Obama, a U.S. senator and a local judge.

Christi McCoy, defense attorney for Paul Kevin Curtis, says that federal authorities and defense attorneys will speak to reporters at 5 p.m. CDT about the case.

The announcement came 90 minutes after the hearing was supposed to start in federal court. Lawyers spent that time conferring with the judge. Later, Curtis and family members were escorted into a meeting room with his lawyers, followed by a probation officer.

On Monday, an FBI agent said federal authorities didn't find any ricin in Curtis' Corinth, Miss., home or vehicle.

McCoy says the search results bolster Curtis' claims of innocence.

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. Check back soon for further information. AP's earlier story is below.

The third day of a hearing for the Mississippi man accused of mailing poisoned letters to President Barack Obama, a U.S. senator and a local judge was expected to include testimony on his mental state after authorities acknowledged they have found little physical evidence so far.

Christi McCoy, defense attorney for Paul Kevin Curtis, said Tuesday's hearing was expected to include testimony from David Daniels, a Tupelo, Miss., attorney who says Curtis threatened him after a rehearsal for an Elvis impersonators' show Daniels helped organize in 2002. Also, a law enforcement official was expected to testify about Curtis' suicide attempt in Chicago in 1991.

On Monday, FBI Agent Brandon Grant testified that Friday searches of Curtis' vehicle and house in Corinth, Miss., found no ricin, ingredients for the poison, or devices used to make it. A search of Curtis' computers found no evidence he researched making ricin.

"There was no apparent ricin, castor beans or any material there that could be used for the manufacturing, like a blender or something," Grant testified. He speculated that Curtis could have thrown away the processor. Grant said technicians are now doing a "deep dive" on the suspect's computers after initially finding no "dirty words" indicating Curtis had searched for information on ricin.

McCoy has insisted there is no physical evidence connecting Curtis to the mailings and that he may have been framed.

Through McCoy, Curtis has denied involvement in letters sent to Obama, Mississippi Republican Sen. Roger Wicker, and a Lee County, Miss., judge. The first of the letters was found April 15.

"The searches are concluded, not one single shred of evidence was found to indicate Kevin could have done this," McCoy told reporters after the hearing.

U.S. Magistrate Judge J. Allan Alexander ended the hearing after lunch Monday, citing a personal schedule conflict. After the hearing concluded, McCoy questioned why Curtis would have signed the letters "I am KC and I approve this message," a phrase he had used on his Facebook page.

McCoy said in court that someone may have framed Curtis, suggesting that a former business associate of Curtis' brother, a man with whom Curtis had an extended exchange of angry emails, may have set him up.

Still, Grant testified that authorities believe they have the right suspect.

"Given the right mindset and the Internet and the acquisition of material, other people could be involved. However, given information right now, we believe we have the right individual," he said.

Grant said lab analysis shows the poison in the letters was in a crude form that could have been created by grinding castor beans in a food processor or coffee grinder.

The detention and preliminary hearing began Friday in U.S. District Court in Oxford, Miss. More witnesses besides Grant were expected Tuesday.

Federal investigators believe the letters were mailed by Curtis, an Elvis impersonator who family members say suffers from bipolar disorder.

Grant testified Monday that processing codes printed on the letter indicated they had been mailed from Tupelo, Miss., and that investigators were still trying to figure out from the codes exactly where they had been mailed from.

Grant testified Friday that authorities tried to track down the sender of the letters by using a list of Wicker's constituents with the initials KC, the same initials in the letters. Grant said the list was whittled from thousands to about 100 when investigators isolated the ones who lived in an area that would have a Memphis, Tenn., postmark, which includes many places in north Mississippi. He said Wicker's staff recognized Curtis as someone who had written the senator before.

All the envelopes and stamps were self-adhesive, Grant said Monday, meaning they won't yield DNA evidence. He said thus far the envelopes and letters haven't yielded any fingerprints.

McCoy said the evidence linking the 45-year-old to the crime has hinged on his writings posted online, which were accessible to anyone.

___

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Mike Miller, Maryland State Senate President, 'Wouldn't Mind A Toke' Of Marijuana (VIDEO)

A mayor called "Sugardaddie," a $200,000 cheese heist, and a lawnmower DUI? Thats just the beginning of this week's local news roundup.

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Louisville vs. Wichita State Final Four Preview Capsule: Predict The Winner

The last No. 1 seed standing will take on the lone Cinderella team still hanging around in one national semifinal. No 1 Louisville will face No. 9 Wichita State in Atlanta, Ga. on Saturday.

The top overall seed in the tournament, the Cardinals steamrolled through their first two games by a combined margin of 57 points. After defeating No. 12 Oregon by eight in the Sweet 16, Louisville blew out Duke in the Midwest Regional Final.

After eliminating No. 8 Pittsburgh, the Shockers upset No. 1 Gonzaga in the third round and then No. 2 Ohio State in the Elite Eight to reach the Final Four for the second time in school history. Wichita State advanced to the Final Four in 1965 and was eliminated by UCLA.

''It's been a while, so to be able to go to the Final Four and represent all of us and try to win a championship, who knows?'' Wichita State coach Gregg Marshall said the win over Ohio State, via the Associated Press. ''We've had a lot of people support us along the way in Wichita and at the university and in our community. They're the best fans in the world.''

Take a look at these capsule glances at the teams' 2012-2013 seasons and let us know who you predict will reach the national championship game.

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Louisville

Regular Season Record: 27-5

Conference Record: 14-4 (Big East)

Conference Tournament Results: Won Big East championship vs. Syracuse

Top Player: Russ Smith (Guard)

Top 25 Wins: Missouri (#13), Marquette (#25), Syracuse (#12), Notre Dame (#24)

Worst Losses: Villanova (73-64)

RPI Ranking: 3

Wichita State

Regular Season Record: 26-8

Conference Record: 12-6 (Missouri Valley)

Conference Tournament Results: Lost to Creighton in MVC Title Game

Top Player: Cleanthony Early (Forward)

Top 25 Wins: Creighton (#12)

Worst Losses: Indiana State (68-55), Southern Illinois (64-62)

RPI Ranking: 37

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Final Four Schedule: Times, Location, TV Info For Louisville vs. Wichita State, Syracuse vs. Michigan

The 2013 Final Four is locked in. In another mad March, only a single No. 1 seed is heading to the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the national semifinals on April 6, 2013,

Top overall seed Louisville will take on No. 9 Wichita State Shockers with a spot in the national championship on the line. Who had that in their bracket?

A pair of No. 4 seeds face off for the other spot in the title game. The Michigan Wolverines will take on the 2-3 zone of Syracuse. Can they succeed where No. 1 Indiana and No. 3 Marquette failed?

Here is the Final Four schedule.

Saturday, April 6

GAME 1

No. 1 Louisville vs. No. 9 Wichita State
Time: 6:09 PM EST
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Network: CBS

GAME 2

No. 4 Syracuse vs. No. 4 Michigan
Time: 40 Minutes After Game 1 Ends
Location: Atlanta, Ga.
Network: CBS

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Kansas Legislators Accidentally Vote For Open Carry Of Guns In State Capitol

The Kansas State Capitol in Topeka would allow the open cary of guns, if a measure accidentally approved by the state House passes the Senate.

Mistakes in the text of a legislative amendment caused Kansas lawmakers to vote Wednesday to allow for the open carry of guns in the state Capitol, instead of what they thought was a vote to approve the concealed carry of guns in the statehouse.

Because of poor wording, an amendment to a bill seeking to add the state Capitol to a list of public buildings where the concealed carry of weapons is allowed actually removed the ban on the open carry of guns there.

State Rep. John Wilson (D-Lawrence), the sponsor of the amendment, said that in the rush to have it drafted, an attorney in the Revisor of Statutes office removed the open-carry provision instead of adding the Capitol to the concealed-carry list. Wilson said he was told about the mistake Wednesday evening following the House vote and then informed his colleagues on Thursday, prior the final confirmation of the bill.

"The intent of my amendment was to allow concealed carry in the Capitol, and only the Capitol and only concealed," Wilson told The Huffington Post. "That's what the amendment I drafted did -- or so I thought."

Wilson, who in fact opposes weapons in public buildings, drafted the amendment to draw attention to what he considered the hypocrisy of legislators who wanted to allow the concealed carry of weapons in other public buildings, including schools and mental health centers, but not in their own workplace.

The bill now goes to the state Senate, which would have the option of removing the open carry provision.

State Rep. J.R. Claeys (R-Salina) said that while some Republican lawmakers enjoyed hearing of Wilson's mistake, he believes the Republican-controlled Senate will likely remove the provision. He said Wilson should have done more in advance to prevent the accident.

"I think when people propose amendments they should be more descriptive about what they want to do," Claeys said. "This one had a large loophole in it."

Claeys said that if open carry does go through, he will still support the bill, adding that he does not believe open carry would make the Capitol unsafe. He said seeing people advocate for legislation while carrying a gun would not sway him.

"I think there is something to be said for growing up around people who have weapons," Claeys said. "It is not as foreign to most of us as it is to people who grew up in more urban areas and have far less history with firearms."

Wilson questioned why his Republican colleagues did not offer more debate on the concealed carry of guns in the Capitol in the first place. He noted that the Kansas House devoted "hours" to debate over whether or not concealed carry should be allowed in schools and mental health centers but only minutes to permitting the practice in the Capitol.

"When I brought this up, there was only one question and it was to clarify something," Wilson said. "No one asked about the safety of the front-line security or the safety of our staff. No one asked about the safety of the junior-high pages. That was troubling and frustrating to me. The body was so quick to allow guns in this place."

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On State Of The Union Voting Commission Proposal, State Lawmakers Divide Along Party Lines

State lawmakers' reactions to President Barack Obama's announcement Tuesday night of a new bipartisan voting commission split along party lines.

The announcement of the election commission during the State of the Union address was greeted positively by Democratic state lawmakers, who see the panel as a way to generate ideas to improve state and local election administration. However, Republicans said the panel violates the 10th Amendment, noting that elections are a function of state government and not a place for federal officials.

Obama announced that the commission, to be co-chaired by top attorneys from his and Mitt Romney's 2012 campaigns, would develop "common-sense, non-partisan solutions" to reduce wait times and improve voting experiences.

"I commend the president for convening a nonpartisan commission to review our election procedures," North Dakota Assistant House Minority Leader Corey Mock (D-Grand Forks) told The Huffington Post. "It is a fine use of time and resources. That is something that all Americans should be proud of."

But Wyoming state Rep. Dan Zwonitzer (R-Cheyenne) told HuffPost that there's no need for such a commission. Standing by the federalism argument, he said the federal government has "enough of their own problems to worry about" and that election policy is a state-level issue.

"Each state is responsible for their voting procedures, and I don't believe a national commission is needed to make recommendations to states," he said.

Zwonitzer noted that each state knows its history of election administration and what works in its environment. Elections in Wyoming have worked well and would not need recommendations from a federal commission, he said. At the same time, states that have had long lines and other problems could develop solutions, he said.

Kansas state Rep. J.R. Claeys (R-Salina) agrees with Zwonitzer on the need for solutions at the state level. Claeys, who unsuccessfully ran for Kansas secretary of state in 2010, noted that he would like to see states share best practices on election administration, but not through an Obama-appointed panel.

"There are a number of ways we can improve voting processes without a blanket solution around the country," Claeys told HuffPost. "There are some states that prefer voter ID and some don't see it as an issue. Personally, I think in Kansas we have a great voter ID law and voter ID did not impede the process. Voter ID makes the process more transparent and free of human error."

Mock and Montana state Rep. Bryce Bennett (D-Missoula) disagree, saying that there are too many stories of people standing in line for hours to vote. Bennett, who led his party's election policy efforts, stressed that there is a role for the federal government in election administration. Obama's commission could help gather ideas from state and county officials nationally in order to develop ideas and help end "voter suppression," he said.

"I would see this as an opportunity for folks at the federal level to work with state leaders and get information from the folks on the ground, including county clerks," Bennett told HuffPost. "We need to take input from everywhere. We need to do something. There are too many roadblocks for people to vote. This is a pressing issue. This is the core of everything we do as a democracy."

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California School Districts Misspent Millions Of Cafeteria Money, State Senate Report Finds

SAN FRANCISCO -- California school districts have misspent tens of millions of dollars intended to provide subsidized meals to low-income students, according to a state Senate report released Wednesday.

The California Department of Education recently ordered eight districts to repay about $170 million to programs that offer free and reduced-price lunches and breakfasts, according to the investigation by the Senate Office of Oversight and Outcomes.

In most cases, the cash-strapped districts used the misappropriated funds to pay for other expenses, such as salaries and equipment, according to the report, titled "Food Fight: Small team of state examiners no match for schools that divert student meal funds."

The cafeteria fund diversions have led to cost-cutting measures, such as shorter lunch periods, inadequate staffing and serving processed foods instead of fresh fruits and vegetables, the report said.

The cases mentioned in the report may only represent a fraction of misappropriated meal money in California because the state doesn't have the resources to monitor how its nearly 3,000 school districts spend their cafeteria funds, the report said. Most of the investigations were prompted by whistleblowers.

Chief Deputy Superintendent Richard Zeiger said Wednesday that the Department of Education plans to hire and train more staff members to monitor district meal programs and conduct more frequent reviews later this year.

"Our goal is to be sure every dollar set aside to feed California's children is spent for that purpose, and that purpose alone," Zeiger said in a statement. "From my point of view, they are literally taking food out of the mouths of kids."

The department ordered the Los Angeles Unified School District to repay $158 million to its cafeteria fund after state officials found misappropriations and unallowable charges, according to the report.

The Los Angeles district, the nation's second largest, said in a statement Wednesday that it has been working with state education officials to "ensure full compliance to federal and state guidelines. All disputed costs for the years in question have been adjusted accordingly."

The Department of Education also ordered repayments, ranging from $369,000 to $5.6 million, from the Baldwin Park, Centinela Valley, Compton, Oxnard, San Diego, San Francisco and Santa Ana districts. Another six districts were ordered to repay smaller amounts.

The San Diego and Santa Ana districts are challenging the department's findings.

California school districts provide 2.4 million free and reduced-price meals every day. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides more than $2 billion a year in meal subsidies to California, which provides an additional $145 million.

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Gun Violence Victims To Attend State Of The Union With Lawmakers

WASHINGTON -- In an effort to keep up pressure for new gun safety laws, nearly a dozen House Democrats are planning to bring victims of gun violence as their guests to the State of the Union later this month.

Members of Congress are each allowed to bring one guest to sit with them in the House gallery during President Barack Obama's address to the nation on Feb. 12. In a letter to Democratic colleagues last month, five House Democrats urged lawmakers to use the occasion to highlight the need for action on gun violence.

"In December, President Obama declared that addressing gun-related violence would be a 'central issue' as he opens his second term. In an effort to continue the discussion and engage our constituents in this important debate, we ask you to join us in inviting a person who has been impacted by gun violence to be your guest at the President's State of the Union address on February 12th," the letter reads. "It is our hope that their presence in the House Gallery will send a strong message that it is long past time to act."

The letter is signed by Democratic Reps. Jim Langevin (R.I.), Carolyn McCarthy (N.Y.), Keith Ellison (Minn.), Rosa DeLauro (Conn.) and David Cicilline (R.I.). All five are part of the Gun Violence Prevention Task Force formed by House Democrats.

At least 10 House Democrats are planning to participate in the effort, with another five to 10 lawmakers considering it, according to a Langevin spokesman. In addition to the five lawmakers pushing the effort, those confirmed to participate include Democratic Reps. Elizabeth Esty (Conn.), Janice Hahn (Calif.), Mike Thompson (Calif.), Ed Perlmutter (Colo.) and Jim Himes (Conn.).

Notably, Esty represents Newtown, Conn., the site of the December shooting massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"We know all too well that difficult political obstacles continue to threaten the chances of enacting responsible legislation that would better protect our communities and especially our children. However, the vast majority of Americans want us to strengthen gun safety laws," Langevin said in a statement Tuesday. "For our effort to be successful in Congress, it is critical that our elected officials hear their outcry and particularly the stories of those who have been affected by gun violence. They can most powerfully send the message that the status quo is unacceptable."

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Egypt State Of Emergency Declared In 3 Provinces

CAIRO -- Egypt's president declared a state of emergency and curfew in three Suez Canal provinces hit hardest by a weekend wave of unrest that left more than 50 dead, using tactics of the ousted regime to get a grip on discontent over his Islamist policies and the slow pace of change.

Angry and almost screaming, Mohammed Morsi vowed in a televised address on Sunday night that he would not hesitate to take even more action to stem the latest eruption of violence across much of the country. But at the same time, he sought to reassure Egyptians that his latest moves would not plunge the country back into authoritarianism.

"There is no going back on freedom, democracy and the supremacy of the law," he said.

The worst violence this weekend was in the Mediterranean coastal city of Port Said, where seven people were killed on Sunday, pushing the toll for two days of clashes to at least 44. The unrest was sparked on Saturday by a court conviction and death sentence for 21 defendants involved in a mass soccer riot in the city's main stadium on Feb. 1, 2012 that left 74 dead.

Most of those sentenced to death were local soccer fans from Port Said, deepening a sense of persecution that Port Said's residents have felt since the stadium disaster, the worst soccer violence ever in Egypt.

At least another 11 died on Friday elsewhere in the country during rallies marking the second anniversary of the anti-Mubarak uprising. Protesters used the occasion to renounce Morsi and his Islamic fundamentalist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, which emerged as the country's most dominant political force after Mubarak's ouster.

The curfew and state of emergency, both in force for 30 days, affect the provinces of Port Said, Ismailiya and Suez. The curfew takes effect Monday from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day.

Morsi, in office since June, also invited the nation's political forces to a dialogue starting Monday to resolve the country's latest crisis. A statement issued later by his office said that among those invited were the country's top reform leader, Nobel peace Laureate Mohammed ElBaradei, former Arab League chief Amr Moussa and Hamdeen Sabahi, a leftist politician who finished third in last year's presidential race.

The three are leaders of the National Salvation Front, an umbrella for the main opposition parties.

Khaled Dawoud, the Front's spokesman, said Morsi's invitation was meaningless unless he clearly states what is on the agenda. That, he added, must include amending a disputed constitution hurriedly drafted by the president's Islamist allies and rejected by the opposition.

He also faulted the president for not acknowledging his political responsibility for the latest bout of political violence.

"It is all too little too late," he told The Associated Press.

In many ways, Morsi's decree and his call for a dialogue betrayed his despair in the face of wave after wave of political unrest, violence and man-made disasters that, at times, made the country look like it was about to come unglued.

A relative unknown until his Muslim Brotherhood nominated him to run for president last year, Morsi is widely criticized for having offered no vision for the country's future after nearly 30 years of dictatorship under Mubarak and no coherent policy to tackle seemingly endless problems, from a free falling economy and deeply entrenched social injustices to surging crime and chaos on the streets.

Reform of the judiciary and the police, hated under the old regime for brutality, are also key demands of Morsi's critics.

Morsi did not say what he plans to do to stem the violence in other parts of the country outside those three provinces, but he did say he had instructed the police to deal "firmly and forcefully" with individuals attacking state institutions, using firearms to "terrorize" citizens or blocking roads and railway lines.

There were also clashes Sunday in Cairo and several cities in the Nile Delta region, including the industrial city of Mahallah.

Egypt's current crisis is the second to hit the country since November, when Morsi issued decrees, since rescinded, that gave him nearly unlimited powers and placed him above any oversight, including by the judiciary.

The latest eruption of political violence has deepened the malaise as Morsi struggles to get a grip on enormous social and economic problems and the increasingly dangerous fault lines that divide this nation of 85 million.

In an ominous sign, a one-time jihadist group on Sunday blamed the secular opposition for the violence and threatened to set up vigilante militias to defend the government it supports.

Addressing a news conference, Tareq el-Zomr of the once-jihadist Gamaa Islamiya, said:

"If security forces don't achieve security, it will be the right of the Egyptian people and we at the forefront to set up popular committees to protect private and public property and counter the aggression on innocent citizens."

His threat was accompanied by his charge that the opposition was responsible for the deadly violence of the past few days, setting the stage for possible bloody clashes between protesters and Islamist militiamen. The opposition denies the charge.

In Port Said on Sunday, tens of thousands of mourners poured into the streets for a mass funeral for most of the 37 people who died on Saturday. They chanted slogans against Morsi.

"We are now dead against Morsi," said Port Said activist Amira Alfy. "We will not rest now until he goes and we will not take part in the next parliamentary elections. Port Said has risen and will not allow even a semblance of normalcy to come back," she said.

The violence flared only a month after a prolonged crisis – punctuated by deadly violence – over the new constitution. Ten died in that round of unrest and hundreds were injured.

In Port Said, mourners chanted "There is no God but Allah," and "Morsi is God's enemy" as the funeral procession made its way through the city after prayers for the dead at the city's Mariam Mosque. Women clad in black led the chants, which were quickly picked up by the rest of the mourners.

There were no police or army troops in sight. But the funeral procession briefly halted after gunfire rang out. Security officials said the gunfire came from several mourners who opened fire at the Police Club next to the cemetery. Activists, however, said the gunfire first came from inside the army club, which is also close to the cemetery. Some of the mourners returned fire, which drew more shots as well as tear gas, according to witnesses. They, together with the officials, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation in the city on the Mediterranean at the northern tip of the Suez Canal.

A total of 630 people were injured, some of them with gunshot wounds, said Abdel-Rahman Farag, director of the city's hospitals.

Also Sunday, army troops backed by armored vehicles staked out positions at key government facilities to protect state interests and try to restore order.

There was also a funeral in Cairo for two policemen killed in the Port Said violence a day earlier. Several policemen grieving for their colleagues heckled Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim, who is in charge of the force, when he arrived for their funeral, according to witnesses.

The angry officers screamed at the minister that he was only at the funeral for the TV cameras – a highly unusual show of dissent in Egypt, where the police force maintains military-like discipline.

Ibrahim hurriedly left and the funeral proceeded without him, a sign that the prestige of the state and its top executives were diminishing.

In Cairo, clashes broke out for the fourth straight day on Sunday, with protesters and police outside two landmark, Nile-side hotels near central Tahrir Square, birthplace of the 2011 uprising. Police fired tear gas while protesters pelted them with rocks.

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Jerry Brown State Of The State Address Touts Calls For Both Reform And Restraint

Capping off a year of stunning legislative and electoral success, California Governor Jerry Brown struck a hopeful but resolute tone at his annual State of the State address in Sacramento on Thursday morning.

"The message this year is clear: California has once again confounded our critics," he said, opening his approximately 15-minute speech. "We have brought, in just two years, a solid and enduring budget and, by God, we're going to keep it that way for years to come."

The governor commended the state's legislature (now with Democratic super-majorities in both houses) for making the "courageous" choices to cut back on spending that, along with a tax increase passed by voters last November, is credited with putting California's budget into the black for the first time in over a decade.

Even so, Brown urged restraint. "We have promises to keep and the most important one is the one we made to the people if Proposition 30 passed--that we would guard jealously the money temporarily made available," he continued. "Which means living within our means and not spending what we don’t have."

In his typically erudite, free-flowing style, Brown's speech referenced Judge Oliver Wendell Holmes, Joseph (as in Technicolor Dreamcoat), Donald Rumsfeld's "known unknowns/unknown unknowns," Irish poet William Butler Yeats, Franklin Roosevelt, the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Spanish colonial officer Jose de Galvez, the concept of "subsidiarity," land-grant colleges, the People's Republic of China, San Diego-based wireless technology firm Qualcomm, French Renaissance author Michel de Montaigne and The Little Engine The Could.

The Governor spoke about the need to strive for clarity in creating regulations, especially when it comes to education. "Lay the Ten Commandments next to the education code," Brown said over a sudden outburst of laughter and catcalls, "and you'll see how far we diverged in approach and content from that which forms the basis of our legal system."

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"Thanks to the actions of the Governor, the Legislature, and the people of California, our state is clearly heading in the right direction. Jobs are being created and our economy has significantly improved. While we should not go on a spending spree, we should begin to restore critical services that were decimated in the past several budgets. I am extremely pleased to see the Governor's commitment to our public universities and his declaration that tuition hikes are off the table." -State Senator Leland Yee (D-San Francisco)

"Governor Brown's tunnels plan is not the answer to our water crisis. We need to pursue less expensive alternatives that supply southern communities with quality water without devastating Delta farmers and families. Also, while our economy is showing some signs of recovery and there are stories to celebrate, California still has the third highest unemployment rate in the nation and Central Valley families suffer even more. I wish the Governor gave a more detailed plan for spurring job creation, but I'm pleased that he at least wants to reform CEQA and provide more certainty to businesses." - Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen (R-Modesto)

"I join the Governor in his call for fiscal restraint, but neither can we be afraid to be bold in our vision for California. We cannot spend money that we don't have, and we won't. As the economy grows, we will develop smart strategies to pay down debt, to build-up our reserves, and also to begin restoring what's been lost when the opportunity is there to do so." -State Senate Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento)

"It's clear that the Legislature must do more on the issue of job creation. Republicans have long been the lone voices in Sacramento urging lawmakers to make private sector job creation a priority again. While it has been encouraging to see the Governor and the majority party talk about how overregulation is hurting jobs, now is the time for us to finally begin moving in the right direction. I am hopeful that we can work across party lines this year to pass reforms to make our state more competitive for jobs and get people back to work." - Assembly Republican Leader Connie Conway (R-Tulare)

"Today, the Governor wasn't so much kicking the can down the road as he was hiding the can entirely. And while we're glad he embraced a number of key Republican proposals, there's still no plan to create jobs. If you're unemployed, you want action, not rhetoric. His bold proclamations of an economic turnaround conveniently ignored the facts: our cities are going bankrupt because they can't pay off pension obligations, 4.4 million taxpayers have left the state since 1998 while job creators are fleeing the worst business climate in the nation, and continuing government waste and abuse undermines any promise of fiscal restraint. It's time for a reality check." - California Republican Party chair Tom Del Beccaro

Everyone loves a good comeback story and California certainly has a good story to tell. Governor Brown has stoked renewed excitement in California's future, while keeping us grounded on the many challenges we still face - from simplifying our onerous regulatory environment to restoring the luster of our K-12 and higher education systems to maintaining strong fiscal discipline. Economic growth and job creation must be among our top priorities and Governor Brown acknowledged that we can sometimes be our own worst enemy when it comes to providing a strong climate for business success. We are excited to be partnering with Gov. Brown to reopen California's trade offices in China this spring and we are eager to - as the Governor said - to continue confounding the critics of California's capacity for renewal, innovation and progress. -Jim Wunderman, CEO of the Bay Area Council

"We commend Governor Brown for the principles laid out today in his State of the State address. Governor Brown's speech focused on his highest priority which is to put the state on sound fiscal footing and to continue to live within our means. The Governor highlighted education, economic development, international trade, CEQA reform, and transportation financing all of which, along with a balanced budget, will help create needed certainty for California employers and should be an incentive for growing companies to look to California as a place to expand. California's businesses look forward to working together with Governor Brown to move our state forward." - California Chamber of Commerce

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Penn State Sanctions Prompt Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett To Sue NCAA

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Gov. Tom Corbett said Tuesday he plans to sue the NCAA in federal court over stiff sanctions imposed against Penn State University in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child sexual abuse scandal.

The Republican governor scheduled a Wednesday news conference on the Penn State campus in State College to announce the filing in U.S. District Court in Harrisburg.

A person associated with the university and knowledgeable about the matter, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the lawsuit had not been filed, told The Associated Press that it is an antitrust action.

The NCAA sanctions, which were agreed to by the university in July, included a $60 million fine that would be used nationally to finance child abuse prevention grants. The sanctions also included a four-year bowl game ban for the university's marquee football program, reduced football scholarships and the forfeiture of 112 wins but didn't include a suspension of the football program, the so-called death penalty.

The governor's office announced the news conference late Tuesday afternoon. His spokesman did not respond to repeated calls and emails seeking to confirm a Sports Illustrated story that cited anonymous sources saying a lawsuit was imminent.

Corbett's brief statement did not indicate whether his office coordinated its legal strategy with state Attorney General-elect Kathleen Kane, who is scheduled to be sworn in Jan. 15.

Kane, a Democrat, ran on a vow to investigate why it took state prosecutors nearly three years to charge Sandusky, an assistant under former football coach Joe Paterno. Corbett was the attorney general when that office took over the case in early 2009 and until he became governor in January 2011.

State and congressional lawmakers from Pennsylvania have objected to using the Penn State fine to finance activities in other states. Penn State has already made the first $12 million payment, and an NCAA task force is deciding how it should be spent.

The NCAA, which declined to comment Tuesday on the planned lawsuit, has said at least a quarter of the money would be spent in Pennsylvania.

Republican U.S. Rep. Charlie Dent called that an "unacceptable and unsatisfactory" response by the NCAA to a request from the state's U.S. House delegation that the whole $60 million be distributed to causes within the state.

Last week, state Sen. Jake Corman, a Republican whose district includes Penn State's main campus, said he plans to seek court action barring any of the first $12 million from being released to groups outside the state.

Sandusky, 68, was convicted in June on charges he sexually abused 10 boys, some on Penn State's campus. He's serving a 30- to 60-year state prison term.

Eight young men testified against him, describing a range of abuse they said went from grooming and manipulation to fondling, oral sex and anal rape when they were boys.

Sandusky did not testify at his trial but has maintained his innocence, acknowledging he showered with boys but insisting he never molested them.

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Heart of Dallas Bowl 2013: Oklahoma State Routs Purdue 58-14

Oklahoma State wide receiver Charlie Moore makes a catch in front of Purdue cornerback Antoine Lewis (26) during the second half during the Heart of Dallas Bowl NCAA college football game, Tuesday, Jan. 1, 2013, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Matt Strasen)

DALLAS — So much for the idea that Oklahoma State didn't care about playing in the Heart of Dallas Bowl.

Clint Chelf threw three of his team's five touchdown passes and the Cowboys shook off a tough Big 12 finish by rolling up 524 yards and forcing five Purdue turnovers in a dominating 58-14 victory on Tuesday.

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy didn't hide the disappointment of sliding down the bowl priority list with an overtime loss to Oklahoma when the rival Sooners scored in the final seconds of regulation, followed by another narrow defeat at Baylor to finish the regular season.

The Cowboys (8-5), a year removed from finishing the best season in school history with a win in the Fiesta Bowl, sure didn't seem to lack motivation. They put together the biggest bowl win for Oklahoma State since Gundy was the quarterback in a 62-14 rout of Wyoming in the 1988 Holiday Bowl.

"Some of the seniors, those guys, would like to have been in a better bowl," said Chelf, who was 17 of 22 for 197 yards with no interceptions. "We're a highly motivated group. I think everybody wanted to go out there and prove people wrong, show them we could win a game like this."

With former Purdue quarterbacks Drew Brees and Kyle Orton watching, Robert Marve didn't get to 100 yards passing until Oklahoma State led 45-0 as the Boilermakers (6-7) fell to 0-4 on New Year's Day.

The Boilermakers gave the Cowboys short fields on their first two scores after a long punt return from Josh Stewart and the first of Marve's two interceptions. Various mistakes with the game still close in the first half – a missed field goal, a drop with a receiver behind the defense, and failing to hold on to an easy interception – ended any hope for Purdue.

"When you turn the ball over five times, you don't take advantage of your opportunities, the game can turn out like this," said interim Purdue coach Patrick Higgins, who had fired coach Danny Hope visit the team in the locker room. New coach Darrell Hazell, hired from Kent State, also attended the game.

Leading 28-0 at halftime, Oklahoma State erased any lingering doubt three plays into the second half when Justin Gilbert stripped Purdue receiver O.J. Ross on a short completion. The loose ball shot straight to Daytawion Lowe, who ran 37 yards down the sideline in front of the Purdue bench for a 35-0 lead.

Lowe's score was the third fumble return for a touchdown at historic Cotton Bowl Stadium dating to the namesake bowl game that started in 1937 and moved to Cowboys Stadium in 2009.

Oklahoma State's 58 points were the most in a bowl game at the Fair Park stadium, topping the 55 scored by Keyshawn Johnson and Southern California against Texas Tech in 1995.

The Cowboys pushed the lead to 45-0 on Chelf's third touchdown pass, a leaping 37-yard grab in the end zone by Isaiah Anderson, who had 78 yards receiving.

Higgins might have unintentionally awakened the Cowboys soon after the late-morning kickoff on a cold, overcast day when he called for a fake punt from Purdue's 13 on its first possession.

The Boilermakers got a first down when punter Cody Webster ran 16 yards, but he ended up punting anyway five plays later, and Josh Stewart returned it 64 yards to the Purdue 19 to set up Oklahoma State's first score on a 4-yard pass from Chelf to Charlie Moore. Marve threw his first interception on the next possession, and a 26-yard drive ended with Chelf's 7-yard pass to Blake Jackson.

"When they faked that punt on their own 13, they certainly got our attention they'd be willing to do anything," Gundy said.

J.W. Walsh had two touchdown passes for Oklahoma State after replacing Chelf in the third quarter, and freshman Wes Lunt, who won the quarterback job in summer workouts before getting hurt during the season, played the last half of the fourth.

Purdue finally scored late in the third quarter when Marve found a wide open Brandon Cottom for a 32-yard touchdown. Marve finished 21 of 34 for 212 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions, but was just 11 of 20 for 80 yards before the first scoring drive.

Down 14-0, the Boilermakers had their best chance to score in the first quarter when Akeem Shavers, who had 93 yards rushing, ran 24 yards to the Oklahoma State 23. Shamiel Gary, who earlier intercepted Marve on a tipped pass, made a strong tackle in the open field on third down, and Sam McCartney missed a 34-yard field goal.

The Cowboys then went 80 yards the other way, sparked by a 26-yard completion to Jackson. Oklahoma State scored on fourth-and-1 when Walsh, the short-yardage specialist, replaced Chelf and threw a 16-yard scoring pass to Jeremy Seaton.

Trailing 21-0, the Boilermakers were in scoring range again when Marve threw high on fourth-and-2 to an open Kurt Freytag, who got a hand on the ball but couldn't make a juggling catch.

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