Washington, DC, USA. Criticism of the Washington state Democratic Party for an attack ad that linked an Italian-American politician to fictional organized crime. The Pennsylvania Senate ponders expansion of bathroom access to people with bowel disorders. North Carolina's motor vehicle department embarrassed by a sample license plate on its Web site.

In case you missed those stories this week, Worth Noting fills you in.

The Washington state Democratic Party has had to literally change its tune. The party was criticized for an attack ad on Republican gubernatorial candidate and Italian-American Dino Rossi that played the theme song to “The Sopranos,” the hit show about an Italian-American mafia family (sidebar). The Italian Club of Seattle called the ad “racist” and “beyond offensive,” The Seattle Times reports. The party apologized and re-released the ad to different music (sidebar).

Call it especially urgent legislation. The Patriot-News (Harrisburg) reports that the Pennsylvania Senate is considering a bill to require retail stores to open their bathrooms, even if they’re not for public use, to people with bowel disorders, including Crohn’

Washington, DC, USA. Finally, the last primary votes have been cast, and Barack Obama and John McCain are jousting with each other.

Obama has double-digit leads in two national polls, but the election poises for decision in a half-dozen toss-up states.

So much has happened in the presidential race over the past three months that voters can be forgiven if they feel dazed. But despite all the political and media frenzy — and despite Democrat Barack Obama’s double-digit leads in two recent national polls — the outcome of the 2008 election is still likely to hinge on a half-dozen hotly contested battleground states, according to Out There’s third analysis of the “purple” swing states that are neither safely Republican (“red”) nor Democratic (“blue”).

Out There currently posits that Obama can claim 242 electoral votes as either safe or leaning in his direction, while Republican John McCain can claim 221 electoral votes in the same way for himself. Reaching the magical 270 to win the White House will depend on winning some of the following toss-up states: Colorado, Michigan, Missouri, New Mexico, Ohio and Virginia, which cumulatively are worth

Washington, DC, USA. Alabama state Rep. Ken Guin’s (D) nutrition bill was dead from the start.

So dead, in fact, that he won the Legislature’s “shroud” award, a gag honor that for three decades has marked the end of the session for lawmakers in Montgomery.

Alabama and many other states conclude their sessions with traditions that are funny, bizarre and even poignant. With half of state legislatures concluding in the past two months, and several more to adjourn within a few weeks, the celebrations are in full swing.

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Lawmakers mark adjournment of their legislative sessions with a circus of ceremonies, from handing out tomato plants and heaving paper skyward, to singing state songs and awarding senator superlatives.