Speak up about downtown parking garage

Napa County is following the Boy Scouts' motto: Be prepared.

After months of being a single-lane road officiated by stoplights, a stretch of Monticello Road a few miles north of an intersection with Wooden Valley Road is back to two lanes -- but only at night.

Three years ago, a set of new playground equipment arrived in American Canyon. But no child has yet had a chance to climb on, through or around the stuff, as the city can't find someone to install it for what it considers a reasonable price.

An 18-year-old man was shot to death in west Napa Tuesday evening in an apartment complex parking lot. Napa Police did not immediately release the name of the victim.

BOSTON -- A federal judge awarded $3.1 million Tuesday to the family of a man who was killed by fugitive mobster James "Whitey" Bulger, ruling that the federal government is liable for the man's death because his identity was leaked to Bulger by a rogue FBI agent.

BAGHDAD, Iraq -- Iraq's parliament reopened Tuesday after a summer recess and voted to extend a state of emergency for a month because of unrelenting sectarian violence, while the president predicted bloodshed will be quelled by the end of next year.

TEHRAN, Iran -- Iran's hard-line president urged students Tuesday to push for a purge of liberal and secular university teachers, another sign of his determination to strengthen Islamic fundamentalism in the country.

MEXICO CITY -- Felipe Calderon was declared president-elect Tuesday after two months of uncertainty, but his ability to rule effectively remained in doubt with Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador vowing to lead a parallel leftist government from the streets.

TOKYO -- Japan's Princess Kiko gave birth to a boy early Wednesday, providing the centuries-old Chrysanthemum Throne with its first male heir in more than 40 years and defusing a looming succession crisis.