NEWS OF THE DAY

From Across the Nation

_1 Ponzi scheme: Victims of imprisoned financier Bernard Madoff ’s mammoth Ponzi scheme will be allowed to express their views on whether he should be released early from prison. The U.S. attorney’s office in Manhattan said those who suffered losses in the scheme may submit emails to Judge Denny Chin through the prosecutor’s office. Chin is weighing whether to grant Madoff ’s compassionate relief request to be allowed out early from his 150year prison sentence because of medical issues. Madoff, 81, requested early release on grounds that he has terminal kidney disease and less than 18 months to live. _2 Fatal fire: A mother and her six children were killed in a house fire early Saturday in central Mississippi, authorities said. The fire erupted around 12:30 a.m. in Clinton, Fire Chief

Jeff Blackledge said. The children ranged in age from 1 to about 15. The mother was 33. The father, who survived, tried to rescue the family, said Mark Jones, communications director for the city of Clinton. He suffered burns, smoke inhalation, cuts and bruises and was hospitalized, Jones said. The state Fire Marshal’s Office is investigating the cause of the fire, Jones said.

_3 Lottery promotion: A state legislator wants an audit of the California Lottery to look into a whistleblower complaint about more than $212,000 worth of Scratchers tickets that were given to Ellen DeGeneres’ TV show for audience gifts. The lottery viewed the move as a publicity boon, but the complaint filed by some lottery employees contends the giveaway was a “misuse of funds,” the Los Angeles Times reported. The giveaway occurred on the Dec. 3 episode of the program. The controversy has arisen just weeks before the release of a lottery audit requested last year by California Sen. Ling Ling Chang after allegations of wasteful spending, improper gifts and nepotism. _4 School shooting: A 16yearold student who told the authorities that he was bullied because he was transgender pleaded guilty Friday to firstdegree murder in a school shooting outside Denver last year that killed one student and injured eight. Alec McKinney also pleaded guilty to 16 other counts in the attack, which prosecutors say he carried out with another student, Devon Erickson, 19, at the STEM School Highlands Ranch on May 7. The shooting killed Kendrick Castillo, 18, who classmates said lunged to try to stop the attack. McKinney is to be sentenced May 18. McKinney lost a bid to be tried as a juvenile. Erickson has pleaded not guilty to 48 charges in connection with the attack. _5 Trump lawsuit: An appeals court in Washington has dismissed one of several lawsuits charging that President Trump has illegally profited off the presidency. The case was filed by Democratic members of Congress. The court did not rule on whether Trump violated the law. It ruled Friday only that the members of Congress lack the ability to sue. The lawsuit had charged that the president violated the U.S. Constitution’s emoluments clause by accepting benefits to his businesses from foreign governments without congressional approval.