NH Weighs 'Communism,' aka Seat-Belt Law

(NEWSER) - Supreme Court Justice David Souter thinks the worth of a jurist is “not in the great moments, but in being part of the great stream,” he said in an emotional farewell today to appeals-court judges. Souter said he didn’t intend that news of his retirement be leaked but was glad that it “gives me the chance to say some of the things on my mind," the Washington Post reports. Judges' value comes not from perfect decisions or trials but from being "members of a great guild," he said. More»

From minimum wage hikes to approval for kangaroo-hide shoes

(NEWSER) - Anyone planning to import shoes made of kangaroo hide into California can legally begin this year—but they'd better not try to sell any foreign-made US flags in Minnesota. Both states are among 31 that launched a host of new laws beginning New Year's Day, some of them rather unusual, USA Today reports. More»

WWII vet argued for Steve Vaillancourt's expulsion

(NEWSER) - State police were ordered to remove a Republican lawmaker from New Hampshire's House of Representatives after he shouted "Sieg Heil" and appeared to give a Nazi salute. Rep. Steve Vaillancourt said he was responding to actions of "tyrannical" House Speaker Bill O'Brien, whom he felt had restricted a Democratic lawmaker's remarks during a debate on voter identification, reports the Concord Monitor . More»

Drug bust goes wrong, leads to shootout

(NEWSER) - Michael Maloney was only a week from retirement when he was shot and killed last night in a drug raid gone horribly wrong. The police chief of Greenland, New Hampshire, and a drug task force attempted to execute a search warrant on the home of Cullen Mutrie at around 6pm, the AP reports, but Mutrie allegedly opened fire, killing Maloney and wounding four detectives. "In those final days, he sacrificed his life in public service as a law enforcement officer in New Hampshire," says a police spokesman. More»

Norman Priebatsch slips from icy trail on White Mountains

(NEWSER) - Rescuers have called off a dangerous mission to save a 67-year-old Boston entrepreneur who slipped from an icy trail into a White Mountain crevasse while hiking with his son in New Hampshire. A snow ranger was lowered 50 feet into the chasm, but couldn't get any further into the narrowing opening to reach Norman Priebatsch. Efforts were called off yesterday due to increasing treacherous conditions, and rescuers believe it's now too late to help. “We are presuming it to be a recovery mission at this point,” the ranger told local ABC affiliate WMUR. Priebatsch founded biochemical company Adeptrix and helped launch a project to determine if an iPhone app could help with tinnitus. His son, Seth, founded social game system SCVNGR. More»