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Mark your calendars: A “tax-free weekend” is coming soon to many states. But not all states, and not all types of purchases, are included in this temporary reprieve from state sales taxes. Nationwide, 17 states are taking part in some sort of state sales tax holiday this year, according to the Federation of Tax Administrators (FTA) which works with tax-collection agencies in all 50 states. In fact, eight of those states have set aside more than one weekend as “tax-free weekends” this year, with each covering different types of seasonal purchases....

When choosing where to live or work, public safety is a top concern. That’s why it may be a smart move to consider a city with more police officers and firefighters per capita. With many cities facing budget cuts, some local police and fire departments have been reduced in size. Still, many jurisdictions have managed to make funding for first responders a priority. The website NerdWallet compiled a list of the Top 10 cities that it claims “invest the most resources in public safety” (though it only looked at cops and firefighters per capita, and not other types of “investment” in safety, such as paying for training or equipment)....

If you’re one of the many, many drivers recently charged with a marijuana DUI, you may be wondering if there is any way to challenge it. Maybe you thought cops were just looking for drunken drivers, and you could sneak by undetected by just smoking a little weed. Or maybe you were like Steelers running back Le’Veon Bell and didn’t even know you could even get a “DUI for being high....

A San Francisco bicyclist who struck and killed a 71-year-old pedestrian in a crosswalk last year has pleaded guilty to felony vehicular manslaughter. San Francisco prosecutors call the conviction the first of its kind, but District Attorney George Gascón said the conviction of Chris Bucchere, 37, of Marin County, California, sends the proper message, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. The case is a cautionary tale to bicyclists across the nation to slow down and respect pedestrians....

Remember that sheriff’s deputy who got his Burger King Whopper with extra loogie? He sued just over a year ago for emotional distress. His original case was thrown out by a federal court because his lawsuit was about mental distress without physical harm. The court claimed that wasn’t allowed under the laws of Washington state, where the case took place. But the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed, and said it should be up to Washington’s Supreme Court to decide what is and isn’t allowed under Washington state law....

Gun control advocates have long sought to close the so-called gun show loophole that allows people to buy firearms without submitting to the same background check requirements imposed on licensed dealers. But congressional attempts at passing such legislation have thus far been fruitless. So President Barack Obama may decide to take matters into his own hands. The Los Angeles Times is reporting that the Obama administration is considering the use of an executive order to expand background checks on gun sales....

A few days ago, UK tabloid The Sun “revealed” that Will Smith’s son, Jaden, wanted to be emancipated for his 15th birthday. But apparently, parents reporters just don’t understand. “Here’s the thing I need to explain,” Jaden later clarified on “Ellen.” “I’m not going anywhere.” He then playfully proclaimed that he’d like to live with his parents and freeload for the next 20 to 30 years. While both Smiths were on the same page, chalking up the emancipation talk as a product of the rumor (or miscommunication) mill, the question still remains: Can soon-to-be 15-year-old Jaden Smith pursue emancipation if he actually wanted to?...

A manufacturer of Infants’ and Children’s Tylenol and Children’s Motrin has pleaded guilty to selling liquid medicine tainted by metal particles. McNeil Consumer Healthcare admitted some batches of over-the-counter medicine contained nickel, iron, and chromium particles. While both prosecutors and the company said no one was injured by the contaminated medicine, McNeil will nonetheless pay $25 million as part of the plea agreement. Bad Product Prosecutors allege that McNeil knew about the problem at its Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, plant for nearly a year but failed to make immediate changes....

Champagne wishes and caviar dreams, indeed. How about Mississippi paddle fish plans? That’s what some unsuspecting consumers got instead of the elegant fish eggs from Russia they thought they had purchased. In hard times, sometimes we look for a little affordable luxury – just beware of that organic clover honey cut with corn syrup. According to The Washington Post, fake foods are on the rise. For instance, the paper reports last year, a Fairfax, Va....

Only Heiress Paris Hilton would have her that’s like totally “not my bag” alibi derailed by her own TwitPic of the purse. The purse that started it all, a black and gold Channel clutch, was tweeted by the heiress in mid-July with the incriminating caption, “Love my new Chanel purse I got today,” according to TodayShow.com. Hilton originally claimed that the purse carrying the cocaine was borrowed from a friend....

Court records show hip-hop stars Jay-Z and Kanye West have settled a sampling lawsuit brought by Syl Johnson. In October, the soul musician accused the pair of illegally sampling his song in a track entitled “The Joy,” which appears on their joint album Watch the Throne. The duo had denied the claims in December, arguing that the sample was not protected by copyright law. But they appear to have had a change of heart....

Pop star Katy Perry had millions of reasons to celebrate “Last Friday Night,” to quote one of her songs – after she signed off on a divorce filing that revealed a settlement with soon-to-be ex-spouse Russell Brand. Katy Perry is apparently so happy with the settlement, she added a smiley face to her signature on the divorce papers. (You can see Perry’s signature doodle at the website Radar Online.) Perry’s Feb....

Mindy McCready’s sons may be too young to understand exactly what happened to their mother. But news of McCready’s apparent suicide will certainly cause some turmoil in her sons’ lives. McCready was found dead at her home in Arkansas on Sunday after an apparent self-inflicted gun wound. Her children, ages 6 and 10 months, have been in foster care for almost a month since McCready entered a court-ordered rehab clinic....

NBCUniversal has agreed to settle claims brought by former interns who claimed they were required to work without pay on shows such as “Saturday Night Live” in violation of labor laws. If approved, the $6.4 million settlement will pay the lead plaintiff, former “Saturday Night Live” intern Monet Eliastam, $10,000, according to The Hollywood Reporter. Thousands of other former NBC interns covered by the settlement will be paid an estimated $505 if they decide to opt for the settlement instead of pursuing their own claims against the company....

The average citizen might not be too familiar with the Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, but we’re guessing that weird word will become more commonplace in American diction in the near future. Legally speaking, an emolument is a payment, advantage, or profit gained from a person’s possession of elected office. And the reason for its recent prominence in headlines is the new possessor of the highest office in the land....

The moment Rihanna heard that President Trump was blaring her hit song “Don’t Stop The Music” at a rally at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, she immediately tweeted she and her people were opposed and would put a stop to it. Indeed, they followed up the tweet with a cease and desist letter. One would think that in this day and age of protected intellectual property rights, an owner telling someone they don’t have the right to play their music at a rally should be enough to stop the music....

Miami has had its fair share of famous fictional law enforcement officers, like Don Johnson as Sonny Crockett in “Miami Vice” and David Caruso as Horatio Caine on “CSI: Miami” But Miami’s latest primetime lawman is all too real. Former NBA star Shaquille O’Neal is looking to launch a new career as a reserve police officer in the Miami suburb of Doral, reports the Miami Herald. The 7-foot-1 former center for the Miami Heat applied for the position last week, meeting with the police chief and posing for pictures with members of the City Council....

“The Situation” has gotten himself into a situation. Sued by his ex managers for $1 million, the new “The Situation” lawsuit claims that the Jersey Shore star wrongfully fired them. The Situation, also known as Mike Sorrentino, was represented by Gotham NYC Entertainment, reports The Star-Ledger. Gotham had represented the Situation since December 2009, but their manager/agent relationship ended in May of this year due to “lack of performance,” The Star-Ledger reports....

Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are seeking a divorce after almost six years of marriage. It looks like there won’t be a happy ending for TomKat and it looks like Holmes is the one who wants out. She filed for divorce on Thursday, June 28. The couple has quite a few assets to split, including a huge house in Beverly Hills, and they both have sizable incomes from their acting careers....

The criminal justice system generally breaks offenses into categories based on the seriousness of the crime – drinking in public is a misdemeanor, while arson is a felony. But sometimes those distinctions are based not on the crime itself, but aggravating factors within the same crime. So how are misdemeanors and felonies different? And how do courts distinguish between the two? 1. Differences Between Felony and Misdemeanor? The possibility of higher fines and longer jail sentences is just the start....