Smoking, growing and possessing marijuana becomes legal in America`s wildest state Tuesday, thanks to a voter initiative aimed at clearing away 40 years of conflicting laws and court rulings. Making Alaska the third state to legalize recreational marijuana was the goal of a coalition including libertarians, rugged individualists and small-government Republicans who prize the privacy rights enshrined in the state`s constitution. But when they voted 52% to 48% last November to legalize marijuana use by adults in private places, they left many of the details to lawmakers and regulators to sort out.
2. You`re less likely to get audited by the IRS
The number of IRS audits for individual taxpayers fell in the last five years, new data USA TODAY obtained from the nation`s tax agency shows. After rising steadily from fiscal years 2005-2010, the number of IRS audits for individual taxpayers fell 21.4% between 2010 and 2015. The audit declines coincide with recent drops in IRS funding and a steady falloff in revenue agents.
3. Rahm Emanuel fights to secure his re-election
Chicago`s mayor Rahm Emanuel finds himself scratching and clawing to win re-election after a difficult four years in office. The latest polls by the Chicago Tribune and Chicago Sun-Times show Emanuel is within striking distance of the 50%-plus-one vote he needs in Tuesday`s five-candidate primary to avoid a runoff election in April. Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Emanuel earned a reputation as one of Washington`s toughest political operators before returning to Chicago to launch his first successful bid for City Hall.
4. Report: Women embrace more effective birth control
The most effective methods of reversible birth control are rapidly gaining popularity among U.S. girls and women, a new report shows. More than 7% of girls and women ages 15 to 44 used intrauterine devices (IUDs) and hormone implants in 2011-2013, up from 1.5% in 2002, says the report from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While birth control pills remain the most popular option, used by 16%, the growth of so-called long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) "is a pretty significant change in the contraceptive world," says study co-author Amy Branum.
5. Grab your free Krispy Kreme doughnut on the way to work
You may want to make time for one extra-sweet stop on your way into work on Tuesday: Krispy Kreme. The indulgent doughnut chain has picked a very consumer-friendly way to celebrate the opening of its 1,000th store — free doughnuts. Specifically, one free, Original Glazed doughnut to the first 1,000 guests at every participating store. (The promotion is not available at Krispy Kreme grocery or wholesale locations.)
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