U.S. Top News: California declares emergency as wildfire advances on town

	Click to View in Browser 08/23/2012 California declares emergency as wildfire advances on town RED BLUFF, California (Reuters) - California Governor Jerry Brown declared a state of emergency in three Northern California counties on Wednesday after a wildfire that has already destroyed 64 homes advanced with 75-foot flames on a tiny community at the doorstep of a national park. Storm Isaac weakens off Puerto Rico but still a threat MIAMI (Reuters) - Tropical Storm Isaac weakened slightly as it dumped heavy rain off Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands on Thursday but it was expected to strengthen into a hurricane before tearing across the Dominican Republic and Haiti, U.S. forecasters said. Two charged with murder in killings of Louisiana officers NEW ORLEANS (Reuters) - Louisiana State Police brought first-degree murder charges on Wednesday against two men held in connection with a pair of shootings including an ambush near New Orleans that killed two police officers, police said. Kansas wheat may get water; all eyes on Tropical Storm Isaac CHICAGO (Reuters) - Portions of the wheat-growing areas in the Plains and the southwestern Midwest region are expected to receive crop-friendly rainfall soon, but it will come too late to help drought-stricken corn or soybeans. U.S. says surprised by Navy SEAL's book on bin Laden raid WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. government was surprised by the news that a Navy SEAL who participated in the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound in Pakistan has written a book about the operation in which the al Qaeda leader was killed, U.S. officials said on Wednesday. Man indicted in shooting at conservative group's office in Washington (Reuters) - A Virginia man was indicted on federal and local charges for last week's shooting of an unarmed security guard at a Christian lobbying group in Washington, federal authorities said on Wednesday. California town settles dispute that prompted bankruptcy SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Mammoth Lakes, one of three communities in California to recently declare bankruptcy, said on Wednesday it reached a tentative agreement to settle the legal dispute that threatened to swamp the town's finances. L.A. police accused of targeting, beating black skateboarder LOS ANGELES (Reuters) - Supporters of a black college student who says he was severely beaten by Los Angeles police who stopped him for skateboarding in traffic rallied on Wednesday at the scene of his arrest to protest what they called excessive force and racial profiling. New York's MTA payroll tax unconstitutional: judge (Reuters) - New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority could lose $1.5 billion of revenue a year after a state court ruled on Wednesday that a payroll tax was unconstitutional, partly because it applies to only 12 counties in the state. Man accused of threatening Obama appears in Seattle court SEATTLE (Reuters) - A Seattle-area man appeared in federal court on Wednesday on charges of threatening to assassinate President Barack Obama in a taunting email to the FBI and assaulting a federal agent sent to arrest him. Related Video U.S. Morning Call: HP sees mega-loss after writedown Market Pulse: FOMC steer to drive core yields towards 1% Great Debate A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend