NEW YORK
Gov.-elect Cuomo opposes N.Y. trial
NEW YORK | New York Gov.-elect Andrew Cuomo says he’s against trying the professed mastermind of the Sept. 11 terror attacks in his state.
The Democrat addressed the matter for the first time in an interview with radio host John Gambling on Thursday, a day after Attorney General Eric H. Holder Jr. said the Obama administration was close to deciding where to prosecute Khalid Shaikh Mohammed.
Mr. Cuomo simply said “No” when asked for his opinion about whether Mohammed should be tried in New York. When asked if he would fight to keep the trial away, he said yes.
Mr. Cuomo refrained from weighing in on the issue during the governor’s race.
New York Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Charles E. Schumer, along with New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, also oppose a civilian trial in New York for Mohammed.
CALIFORNIA
City elects first female mayor
OAKLAND | Jean Quan has been elected Oakland’s next mayor, becoming the city’s first female mayor and the first Asian-American woman to lead a major U.S. city in what’s being considered an upset win over a heavily favored opponent.
The city councilwoman, 61, received 51 percent of the vote, compared with 49 percent for former state Sen. Don Perata, Alameda County elections officials said Wednesday. She replaces outgoing Mayor Ronald V. Dellums, who chose not to seek a second term.
“This is really a proud moment for Oakland’s grass-roots organizing,” Mrs. Quan said moments after learning she had won. “We’re very proud.”
The results followed a days-long process of tallying votes under a new “ranked-choice” system that allowed voters to list their first-, second- and third-place candidates.
Mr. Perata held a double-digit lead over Mrs. Quan when first-choice returns were counted last week.
“Having won over 11,000 more first-choice votes than his nearest rival, these numbers need to be scrutinized carefully, and spoken to carefully,” Perata spokesman Rhys Williams said on Wednesday. “No decision has been taken on next steps.”
Mrs. Quan captured the lead late last week when the third-place finisher, council member Rebecca Kaplan, was eliminated and votes cast for her were reapportioned to Mrs. Quan and Mr. Perata.
OHIO
Bush honors vets in Ohio
DAYTON | Former President George W. Bush refuses to criticize his successor and says he’s pleased to be away from politics.
Mr. Bush told an Ohio audience gathered for a Veterans Day tribute that he wishes President Obama well and doesn’t miss Washington politics and “name-calling.” But he told about 1,500 people, many of them veterans, at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force in Dayton that he does miss serving as commander in chief.
His memoir, “Decision Points,” was released this week, and Mr. Bush focused his speech on parts of the book dealing with the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the support and inspiration he drew from wounded warriors, families of those killed during his presidency, and the military.
He offered thanks to those who serve, “on behalf of a grateful nation.”
MISSISSIPPI
Secretary: Clearer labels coming soon
JACKSON | Making healthy choices at the supermarket may get a little easier next year.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Thursday during an obesity summit in Mississippi that the federal government had asked food makers to develop a labeling system that would put nutrient information on the front of packages.
Mrs. Sebelius said consumers could start seeing the new labels in the next six months. Putting the labels on the front of packages is a voluntary initiative by food makers and retailers.
The Grocery Manufacturers Association and the Food Marketing Institute say a $50 million education campaign in 2011 will raise consumer awareness about the new labels.
ARKANSAS
GOP Sen.-elect undecided on ban
LITTLE ROCK | Republican Sen.-elect John Boozman says he hasn’t decided whether to support a GOP moratorium on earmarks in the Senate even though he backed a similar ban as a congressman.
Mr. Boozman told Associated Press on Thursday that he’s looking forward to the discussion among Republican senators on a proposal to effectively bar any Republican from getting earmarks. Mr. Boozman said he wants to see what all the options are and also said some projects are worthwhile and deserve funding.
Sen. JIm DeMint, South Carolina Republican, is proposing the GOP ban.
Mr. Boozman, a congressman from northwestern Arkansas, defeated Democratic Sen. Blanche Lincoln in last week’s election. She criticized him for supporting a similar measure in the House.
WISCONSIN
Governor-elect wants retirees back
MADISON | Wisconsin’s next governor wants to lure out-of-state retirees and their money back to the state.
Gov.-elect Scott Walker told a symposium of start-up companies on Thursday that retirees are wonderful investors, and he wants them to put their money into Wisconsin projects.
Mr. Walker said he wants to phase out taxes on retirement accounts and hold “welcome back” parties for Wisconsin retirees in such places as Naples, Fla., and Sedona, Ariz., to persuade them to return to the state.
He may have a tough sell. The sagging economy and other factors have made it difficult to sell homes, and retirees would be trading sunshine and swimming pools for blizzards and ice.
Sandy Lantz, who moved from Wisconsin to Florida nearly five years ago, says the snow keeps her away.
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