In brief: Pentagon may ease enlistment criteria

WASHINGTON – Defense Secretary Ash Carter is considering easing some military enlistment standards as part of a broader set of initiatives to better attract and keep quality service members and civilians across the Defense Department.

While there are few details yet, Carter is exploring whether to adjust some of the requirements for certain military jobs, such as those involving cyber or high-tech expertise.

The idea, which is largely in line with many civilian sectors, upends the military’s more rigid mindset that puts a high value on standards. And it reignites a persistent debate about how the services approve waivers for recruits who have committed lesser crimes, behaved badly, are older than current regulations allow or have other physical issues that prevent them from joining the military.

The Pentagon released documents laying out some of Carter’s plan, saying the secretary sees recruitment and retention as major challenges to a military coming out of two wars and facing turmoil around the world.

Specifically, the Pentagon pointed to cyber jobs as an area where standards – such as age or minor drug offenses – could be relaxed. Military leaders have long complained that it is difficult to attract and keep cyber professionals in the services because they can make far more money in private industry.

Carter also is considering other changes including programs to pay off student debt, improvements to the retirement, promotion and evaluation systems and doing more to allow sabbaticals for service members.

O’Malley criticizes Bushes, Clintons

WASHINGTON – Potential Democratic presidential candidate Martin O’Malley said Sunday that the country needs fresh perspectives for confronting its problems and criticized the prospects of the Clinton and Bush families yet again seeking the White House.

“The presidency of the United States is not some crown to be passed between two families,” the former Maryland governor told ABC’s “This Week.”

O’Malley said he will decide whether to run for president this spring.

City debates more spring break rules

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. – A house party that dissolved into a hail of gunfire and left seven young people hurt has officials on the Florida Panhandle pondering what to do with a spring break season they say has gotten out of control.

The raucous parties in the spring break capital of Panama City Beach have had politicians, police and businesses tussling for years over how much to crack down on a key economic force.

That debate was revived again when a packed gathering of 20-somethings turned into a sprawling crime scene early Saturday.

The city council held an emergency meeting Saturday to address spring break, allocating up to $200,000 in additional spending for increased police patrols. But motions introduced by Councilman Keith Curry to ban alcohol on the beach and to roll back the last-call on alcohol sales two hours earlier to midnight failed.

“We have blood on our hands,” Curry told his fellow council members.

David Jamichael Daniels, 22, of Mobile, Alabama, has been charged with seven counts of attempted murder in the shooting and remained at the Bay County Jail. Bond was set on Sunday at $575,000, a spokeswoman for the sheriff’s office said.

Officials gave no update Sunday on the condition of the victims, three of whom were listed as critical a day earlier, and three who were stable. The condition of a seventh victim was not released.

Fiorina likely to run for president

WASHINGTON – Former technology executive Carly Fiorina said she is more than 90 percent likely to seek the Republican presidential nomination. And she is questioning the confidence people can have in likely Democratic contender Hillary Rodham Clinton.

On “Fox News Sunday,” Fiorina challenged several Clinton comments, including saying she used a personal email account for State Department work because it would be easier to carry one device than two.

She said such statements raise a confidence issue about the former secretary of state, senator and first lady. Fiorina also said Clinton is not candid. She said that “suggests her character is flawed.”

Fiorina, who has attacked Clinton before, is a former CEO of the Hewlett-Packard Co. She lost a 2010 California race for the U.S. Senate.