Caterpillar starts issuing layoff notices in Decatur

DECATUR, Ill. (AP) – Caterpillar Inc. has started laying off Decatur workers. Company spokeswoman Rachel Potts confirmed the employee notifications to The (Decatur) Herald & Review (http://bit.ly/1MAvd7T ), but says the company won’t be releasing the total number by location. In September, the Peoria-based manufacturer announced that it’s planning another round of job cuts that…

Texas case mulls if home-school kids have to learn something

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A much-watched case headed to the Texas Supreme Court could have broad implications on the nation’s booming home-school ranks. At issue: Where do religious liberty and parental rights to educate one’s own children stop and obligations to ensure home-schooled students actually learn something begin? An El Paso family, the McIntyres, is…