A glance at today's top stories from around the nation.

The San Francisco Chronicle reports that many Black Californians are voting early, fearing problems at the polls on Election Day.


The Baltimore Sun reports that murder charges were dropped against a New York college student, the grandson of the city’s first female school superintendent.


The News and Observer (Charlotte, NC) reports that the North Carolina State Board of Elections is asking counties in the state to extend early voting by four hours on Saturday to accommodate large turnout.


The Christian Science Monitor reports on the emergence of the Black middle class during the 2008 presidential campaign.


The Christian Science Monitor reports that local South Africans have rejected a deal to build a movie studio on their ancestral land.


The Boston Globe reports that the Massachusetts State Senate has asked State Senator Diane Wilkerson to resign amid allegations she accepted $23,000 in bribes.


The Boston Globe reports that embattled Massachusetts State Senator Diane Wilkerson has vowed to seek reelection to her seat.


The Washington Post reports that Senator Barack Obama enjoys a 2-1 lead among Hispanic voters over Senator John McCain.


A Washington Post editorial ridicules Senator John McCain’s latest attempt to link Senator Barack Obama to terrorism.


The New York Times reports that Senator Obama’s infomercial scored higher ratings than the final game of the World Series and last year’s finale of American Idol.


The New York Times looks at a possible split within South Africa’s ruling African National Congress.


The Detroit Free Press reports on an honor bestowed upon retired Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu at the University of Michigan in Anne Arbor.


The Chicago Sun-Times reports that a New Hampshire Republican supporter of John McCain has switched sides and is now backing Senator Barack Obama.