Party! Pot, gay marriage to become legal in Wash.

By Isolde Raftery, NBC News SEATTLE – When the clock strikes midnight here on Thursday, gay couples will be lined up outside the county courthouse to obtain marriage licenses, and pot lovers will be gathered beneath the Space Needle to light up. That's because last month, on Nov. 6, Washington state voters approved marriage for same-sex couples and legalizing marijuana. Both laws go into effect at midnight. The King County Recorder's Office will open its doors to couples at 12:01 a.m. Eight couples have been selected as the first to receive their marriage licenses. Among them: Pete-e Peterson, 85, and Jane Abbott Lighty, 77, have been together for 35 years and co-founded the Seattle Women's Chorus. They will be getting married during a Seattle Men's Chorus concert on Sunday. (Under state law, couples must wait at least three days to get married after obtaining their licenses, which means they may marry on Sunday.) Peterson grew up in Alabama and was an Air Evacuation nurse during the Korean War. She adopted her sister's 3-year-old daughter and raised her. Lighty, who grew up mostly in the Bay Area, was also a nurse. Another couple, Amanda Beane and Anne Bryson-Beane, have been together for 15 years. They have adopted seven children who are between four and 12. (They will all be at the ceremony, some in their pajamas.)   Neil Hoyt, 52, and Donald Glenn Jenny, 64, have been together for 24 years and will also be getting married at the Seattle Men's Chorus concert on Sunday night. Hoyt is a computer technician and Jenny is a children's book illustrator who builds dollhouses for auctions and fundraisers. Said Hoyt in a statement: "After 23 years of being 'just roommates' according to the law, our relationship will be considered worthy by the state.  It will be exciting to be legal, finally, with the only man I've ever loved." According to UCLA's Williams Institute, same-sex marriage could pump $57 million to the state economy in the first year – resulting in $5 million of tax revenue. Across town, revelers prepared to roll a joint or lift a pipe – even though, it is illegal to smoke marijuana in public in Washington state. Not that smokers should be too worried. Sgt. Sean Whitcomb told The Associated Press that the Seattle Police Department does not expect to write many tickets – a 2003 law made marijuana the department's lowest priority. Related: For those hazy on pot law, Seattle police produces marijuana guide But Seattle City Attorney Pete Holmes discouraged celebrants from smoking in public, telling KUOW that they should smoke at home. "And be thankful that we're no longer arresting some 10,000 Washingtonians a year in the state of Washington and spending well over $100 million in law enforcement resources on that," he added. "And especially be grateful for lessening the racially disproportionate impact that these crazy drug laws have on our communities of color." Ahead of midnight, the U.S. Department of Justice issued several sobering statements, reminding revelers that pot remains illegal at the federal level, and that any amount of the substance may not be brought into federal buildings, national parks and forests and military installations. And according to one statement:  The Department of Justice is reviewing the legalization initiatives recently passed in Colorado and Washington State. The Department's responsibility to enforce the Controlled Substances Act remains unchanged. Neither States nor the Executive branch can nullify a statute passed by Congress. More content from NBCNews.com: In 911 call, Belcher's mom begs girlfriend not to die Bob Costas: We need to talk about America's gun culture Snow, cold missing across much of the US Conversion therapists: 'You can't say gay once, gay always' West Point cadet quits, cites 'criminal' behavior of officers Video: Photographer: 'No way' I could have saved subway victim Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

N.Y. police: Man confesses in 3 killings

Police investigating a 1993 murder went to a suspect's home The suspect was not there, but police found the body of a 41-year-old woman The man was arrested Police said he told them he had killed three women -- two in 1993, and one this week New York (CNN) -- A New York man was arraigned Wednesday after police say he told them he killed three women -- two of them nearly 20 years ago and the third this week. The arrest of Lucius Crawford of Mount Vernon, New York, on Tuesday prompted the NYPD to notify authorities on Long Island, where investigators continue to search for a possible serial killer in the deaths of 10 women whose remains were found along beach areas in recent years. But amid extensive media coverage on the possibility of a link, the Suffolk County Police Department said Wednesday there did not appear to be any reason to suspect that the 60-year-old Crawford had "any involvement with the homicides that occurred" in that oceanfront county. "Homicide detectives will conduct a further investigation to rule Crawford out as a possible suspect," the statement added. Crawford was arrested on Tuesday, after officers found the body of 41-year old Tanya Simmons in his bed, according to Mount Vernon Police Commissioner Carl Bell. The suspect was not home at the time officers discovered Simmons. Officers from several police departments went to Crawford's apartment initially to question him about the October 1993 murder of a Bronx woman and the September 1993 murder of a Yonkers woman. Crawford was not home, but police entered the apartment and found the woman's body, authorities said. Once in custody, Crawford admitted to stabbing and killing Simmons in his apartment, as well as the 1993 murders, according to NYPD Deputy Commissioner Paul Browne. Detectives also discovered that Crawford's parole tracking bracelet had been removed and was in his apartment. "We're glad to have this man off the streets," Bell, of the Mount Vernon police, said. "He's harmed so many people over the years, and now it's finally over." Detectives had recently re-activated the Bronx woman's case after DNA evidence linked Crawford to the murder, the NYPD said in a statement. Crawford was already a suspect in the Yonkers cold case, police said. Crawford was charged with second-degree murder in Simmons' death and was being held without bail . It could not be determined whether Crawford was being represented by an attorney. He will be charged separately for the 1993 killings, authorities said. Crawford has an extensive history of violence against women, according to a statement from the NYPD. He was on parole at the time of his arrest after spending 13 years in prison, from 1995 until 2008, for the stabbing of a Westchester woman, the statement said. The statement added that Crawford had also been incarcerated from 1977 until 1991 for stabbing as many as five females, aged 14 to 28, over a five-day period in Charleston, South Carolina.

Theater shooting emails reveal suspect's romance

AFP - Getty Images file James Eagan Holmes is accused of opening fire July 20 on a crowded theater at a showing of "Batman: The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo., killing 12 people. By Kari Huus, NBC News Aurora shooting suspect James Eagan Holmes was briefly in a romantic relationship with a fellow graduate student, but she was out of the country when the theater massacre took place, according to records released Wednesday by the University of Colorado. The university released more than 1,500 emails from Holmes' accounts, and another 2,300 emails in its system that that referenced Holmes — a response to Freedom of Information requests from KUSA, an NBC affiliate in Denver, and other news outlets. About 1,000 of the emails that mention James Holmes were redacted, the Denver Post noted, and at least 1,200 emails written by Holmes were not released because the university deemed them private student records, and thus not subject to disclosure Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act, KUSA reported. The messages provide some new details about Holmes and the university's response to the tragedy, in which the former neuroscience student is accused of opening fire on a crowd at the July 20 premiere of "Batman: The Dark Knight Rises" in Aurora, Colo., killing 12 people and wounding 58. Watch US News crime videos on NBCNews.com Among the revelations contained in the newly released documents was that Holmes had been romantically involved with another student in his graduate program, referenced in an email apparently written by an instructor or another student. "Yeah, he was a grad student here, and, it turns out, had a brief romantic relationship with one of the grad students in my program last fall," the mail reads. "She, fortunately, it turns out is in India right now. She knows, and is pretty freaked out." In an email, Holmes asks to participate in an fMRI study — which stands for "functional magnetic resonance imaging." In another he expresses interest in a family-medicine residency position. Some of the email is the missives that flew back and forth as the details of the Aurora shooting emerged, with writers expressing horror and dismay. "[Holmes] could have done this on campus instead of the movies," wrote one research assistant. Once the university realized Holmes was a student of theirs, they instructed staff and students to not post on Facebook or Twitter about him. Prosecutors pursue two-track strategy against James Holmes in Colorado massacre What is not included in the emails are those that deal with Holmes' mental health history, the crime and any personal communication involving Holmes. KUSA continues to review the emails. Many of the pages have the phrase "Privilege — Redacted in Full." Holmes was arrested in the parking lot of the Century Aurora 16 theater shortly after the shootings and told officers his apartment contained explosives, police said. That information prompted evacuation of Holmes' apartment building and those surrounding it until law enforcement teams could disarm the jumble of wires and explosive devices set to detonate by trip wires. He is facing two sets of first-degree murder charges for each of the of 12 deaths. He is also charged with 116 counts of attempted murder, as well as one count of illegal possession of explosives, according to court documents. NBC News' M. Alex Johnson contributed to this report. File - Ted S. Warren / AP A memorial to the theater shooting victims went up July 24 in Aurora, Colo. More content from NBCNews.com: Chilling details released in Alaska barista's killing Conversion therapists: 'You can't say gay once, gay always' West Point cadet quits, cites 'criminal' behavior of officers Video: Photographer: 'No way' I could have saved subway victim Disability-compensation claims for veterans lag as 'VA backlog' worsens Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook

North Sea collision spurs rescue effort

The Baltic Ace and its crew of 24 began sinking immediately after the collision 13 people have been rescued; the rescue operation is continuing (CNN) -- Rescue operations were under way in the North Sea after a container vessel collided Wednesday night with a car carrier, which had 24 people aboard when it started sinking, a spokesman for the Netherlands Coast Guard said Thursday. The carrier Baltic Ace began sinking immediately after it collided with the container vessel at 7:15 p.m. (1:15 p.m. ET), 60 kilometers (32 miles) west of Rotterdam, said Coast Guard P.R. Manager Peter Verburg. Thirteen crew members were rescued. Four were taken to Rotterdam Hospital, seven to the Koksijde Air Base near Ostend, Belgium, and two were still aboard another vessel, he said. Those rescued were suffering from hypothermia and minor injuries, he said. The nationality of the crew was not immediately known. Various fishing boats, merchant vessels and at least three helicopters were searching for more survivors. The Baltic Ace had been en route from Zeebrugge, Belgium, to Kotka, Finland; the container vessel was en route from Grangemouth, Britain, to Antwerp, Belgium.

Hunters may have found missing Iowa cousins

Two bodies have been found in Iowa near where two girls disappeared in July The bodies are being taken to the state medical examiner for identification "It's looking like the outcome was not the one that we wanted," sheriff's police say (CNN) -- An Iowa family that's been hoping for good news since two young cousins disappeared in July now has to prepare for the worst. Hunters discovered two bodies in a wooded area Wednesday afternoon, Black Hawk County sheriff's Capt. Rick Abben said. He said the family of Lyric Cook, 10, and her cousin Elizabeth Collins, 8, has been notified, although the bodies have not yet been positively identified. The bodies were being taken to the state medical examiner's office. "Right now, it's looking like the outcome was not the one that we wanted," Abben said at a news conference in Evansdale, Iowa. The girls were last seen by their grandmother on July 13 when they left for a bike ride. The girls' bicycles and a purse were found near Meyers Lake hours after they were reported missing. A search of the 25-acre lake in July turned up nothing, and authorities said they believed the cousins were abducted. "Cooperation with law enforcement is the key factor in discovering the whereabouts of Lyric and Elizabeth," FBI spokeswoman Sandy Breault said in July. "Unfortunately, in this case, law enforcement has not received total cooperation from all family and close friends." she said.

Legal limbo for pot smokers in 2 states

Despite the fact that Washington state legalized possession of an ounce of marijuana by adults legal questions still remain. Growing, selling marijuana will still be prosecuted as a felony, King County prosecutor says "Stumble across some on the street or it falls from the sky, then you can have it," he says Until the state takes over, the black market will thrive as it meets consumer demands, he says A federal challenge of state pot legalization could take years to resolve, he says (CNN) -- A legal haze descends on Washington state pot smokers Thursday as possession of an ounce of marijuana by adults becomes legal, but growing and selling it remains a crime. Initiative 502, passed last month by Washington voters, legalized recreational marijuana use starting December 6, but it will take a year before there are rules for growing and selling it. "It begs the question, if they can't buy it through a medical marijuana shop, which only people with a prescription and medical marijuana license can, how do they get it?" Washington State Liquor Control Board spokesman Brian Smith said Wednesday. Growing and selling marijuana will still be prosecuted as a felony, King County Prosecutor Dan Satterberg told CNN. Read more: Marijuana advocates hope to rise from 'prohibition' "So I'm not sure where you're suppose to get it," Satterberg said. "If you stumble across some on the street or it falls from the sky, then you can have it. Otherwise, you are part of a criminal chain of distribution." Until the state takes over managing marijuana sales, the black market will thrive as it meets consumer demands, Satterberg said. Pot smokers in Colorado could have faster access to legal recreational marijuana thanks to that state's "sophisticated and pretty elaborate" medical marijuana system already in place, Smith said. Gov. John Hickenlooper has up to a month to sign Colorado's pot decriminalization initiative into law after its passage is officially certified Thursday. Trafficking in marijuana is still a federal crime, but the governors of Washington and Colorado have appealed to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to clarify how the Justice Department will view recreational pot sales in their states. "We don't want to go and spend serious resources only to have it stopped by the federal government," Smith said. "It would sure help Washington State if they weighed in and made clear their expectations." The response so far from the Justice Department is that it is reviewing the new state laws, he said. Twenty Colorado business groups appealed to Holder to enforce federal pot laws, because of their questions about how to deal with workers who are high. "There is uncertainty about our ability to terminate employees if they come to the job impaired," said Sandra Hagen Solin of the Northern Colorado Legislative Alliance. "There are obligations that we have under the drug-free workplace. There are a lot of questions that have arisen." Satterberg predicted the Justice Department will intervene with a lawsuit, which could take several years before the U.S. Supreme Court settles. "I cannot see the federal government just standing by and letting this happen in Washington," he said. Read more: Is medical marijuana safe for children? Seattle police offered answers for citizens with a guidebook explaining what is legal and what it not under Washington's new law. People over 21 can have up to ounce of marijuana -- or 16 ounces of solid marijuana-infused product, like cookies, or 72 ounces of infused liquid, like oil -- for personal use, the guide said. "Please note that the initiative says it 'is unlawful to open a package containing marijuana... in view of the general public,' so there's that," it said. "Also, you probably shouldn't bring pot with you to the federal courthouse (or any other federal property)." "The Seattle Police Department will continue to enforce laws against unlicensed sale or production of marijuana, and regulations against driving under the influence of marijuana, which remain illegal," the book said. Growing marijuana at home and selling to friends and family is still against the law, the guide said. "In the future, under state law, you may be able to get a license to grow or sell marijuana." Smoking pot in public, just like having an open beer, "could result in a civil infraction -- like a ticket -- but not arrest," it said. "You can certainly use marijuana in the privacy of your own home," the police guide said. "Additionally, if smoking a cigarette isn't allowed where you are (say, inside an apartment building or flammable chemical factory), smoking marijuana isn't allowed there either." What if an officer suspects a motorist is under the influence of pot? "If an officer believes you're driving under the influence of anything, they will conduct a field sobriety test and may consult with a drug recognition expert," it said. "If officers establish probable cause, they will bring you to a precinct and ask your permission to draw your blood for testing. If officers have reason to believe you're under the influence of something, they can get a warrant for a blood draw from a judge. If you're in a serious accident, then a blood draw will be mandatory." No longer will the smell of marijuana coming from a car lead to a search unless the officer has "information that you're trafficking, producing or delivering marijuana in violation of state law," it said. Until now, Seattle would not hire police officers who have used marijuana in the previous three years, but the department is consulting its lawyers "to see if and how that standard may be revised." Pot use and possession by anyone under 21 is still a violation of state law. "It may be referred to prosecutors, just like if you were a minor in possession of alcohol," the police guide said. Another thing for younger users to consider: Universities and colleges ban smoking pot on campus, a prohibition that is not expected to change. U.S. should honor states' new pot laws

Bodies found in Iowa believed to be missing girls

Black Hawk County Sheriff Elizabeth Collins, left, and Lyric Cook went missing in Evansdale, Iowa, last July. By NBC News staff and wire reports Updated at 7:15 p.m. ET: Two bodies found Wednesday appear to be the remains of cousins who disappeared last July in Evansdale, Iowa, police said Wednesday. Elizabeth Collins and Lyric Cook disappeared on July 13 shortly after they left their grandmother's house. Collins was 8 years old and Cook was 10 at the time of their disappearance. Hunters found the bodies in a wooded area, Capt. Rick Abben of the Black Hawk County Sheriff's office said at a Wednesday afternoon news conference. The girls' families had been notified, he said, but positive identification of the bodies will be determined by the state medical examiner. "It's definitely not the outcome that we wanted, obviously," Abben told reporters, according to The Associated Press. "This is a difficult thing for us to go through. It's a difficult thing for the community." Abben did not say if police had a suspect in the case, but said another news conference would be held Thursday. The girls' bikes and a purse were initially found near Lake Meyer, prompting investigators to send in divers with sonar. When no signs of the girls were found at the lake, officials reclassified the case as an abduction. "Now that it's an abduction, everyone's a suspect," Abben said at the time, adding that investigators had recovered some evidence and sent it to the Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation for analysis. He declined to say what the evidence was or where it was found. Police had offered a $50,000 reward for information to help find the girls. Last week, an anonymous donor also pledged a $100,000 reward for information, the AP reported. Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report. More content from NBCNews.com: In 911 call, Belcher's mom begs girlfriend not to die Bob Costas: We need to talk about America's gun culture Snow, cold missing across much of the US Conversion therapists: 'You can't say gay once, gay always' West Point cadet quits, cites 'criminal' behavior of officers Video: Photographer: 'No way' I could have saved subway victim Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook