IT WAS the King's birthday when I went to Bangkok. But I did not see him or even have a glimpse of any of the Thai royalty. Anyway, that was not my purpose.

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LUTZ - Mark Prue stood shoulder-deep in the Gulf of Mexico, his waterproof metal detector beeping like crazy. Digging under the water, he pulled up four scoops of wet sand and plucked out what looked to be a lump of charcoal.

NEWTON - It was time for a change, said Stan Winstead, board member of the Downtown Newton Development Association. With the departure of DNDA President Tim Elliott on Jan. 8, the board decided to move in a new direction and return to the Main Street Program roots and mission.

The state Division of Medicaid has been awarded a $49 million federal grant to create home- and community-based alternatives for children institutionaliz ed for serious emotional disturbances.

NANTICOKE Police are warning elderly residents of a possible phone scam involving the updating of Medicare cards.

Deputies arrested two Porterville residents after finding methamphetamine while conducting a parole search, according to a sheriff's report.