Hoffman Bust: Three men and a woman were arrested in New York yesterday in connection with the heroin death of actor Philip Seymour Hoffman. Police confiscated 350 bags of heroin, but none were marked similar to the bags found in Hoffman’s apartment. Police have not said whether they believe these four sold the fatal heroin to Hoffman.

No Drugstore for Cowboys: The CVS pharmacy chain announced that starting in October it will no longer sell cigarettes and tobacco products in its stores. Despite losing $2 billion in sales, the chain said tobacco just doesn’t belong in a health care setting.

Snowdown: A winter storm is dumping snow today from Indiana to Massachusetts, with a foot or more expected to accumulate in some areas. Nearly 2,700 flights have been cancelled.

Nation: The US deficit hit $514 billion, the lowest during President Obama’s five years in office.

>The Senate yesterday ended a two-year partisan fight and passed the $1 trillion farm bill. The farm bill, which comes around every five years, reauthorizes programs for agriculture, dairy production, conservation, nutrition, and food aid. This bill, nearly twice the price of the last one, cuts about $8 billion from food stamps over the next 10 years, affecting 1.7 million people.

>Obamacare could cost the economy the equivalent of 2.3 million jobs by 2024, according to the Congressional Budget Office. Republicans jumped on it as proof that Obamacare is a job killer. But reading a little closer, what the report says is that more people might choose not to work, or work fewer hours, because they don’t have to work full time to get employer-based healthcare.

Politics: Sandra Fluke, who was a student when she was called a “slut” by Rush Limbaugh for demanding insured birth control, announced she’s running for state Senate in California. Fluke, 32, is now a lawyer.

>Rob Andrews, a New Jersey Democrat and 23-year veteran of Congress, is resigning one step of an ethics investigation into whether he used campaign money for personal expenses. Among flings, Andrews spent $97,000 on 18 trips to California, which is not part of New Jersey.

World: Libya claims that it destroyed its entire chemical arsenal as of Jan. 26^th, according the country’s foreign minister. Don’t confuse this with Syria, which is dragging its feet to get rid of chemical weapons as agreed.

>Scotland has become the 17^th country to approve same-sex marriage.

Hair Trigger: Eight Los Angeles cops who mistakenly shot up a pickup truck during a manhunt last year were found to have violated department policy. While searching for a large, dark-skinned, bald-headed suspect, LAPD officers fired 100 rounds at a newspaper delivery pickup that was the wrong make, model, and color, carrying two women. Police Chief Charlie Beck will have to determine what discipline the officers receive. See this from The Rooney Report: When Cops Are A Danger.

It’s Fundamental: Bill Nye “The Science Guy” argued last night that children must be taught evolution to understand their world in a debate with creationist Ken Ham at the Creation Museum in Kentucky. Ham believes the Earth is 6,000 years old. Nye pointed out that measurement of light prove there are stars more than 6,000 light years away … millions of light years. But Ham said he has a book that explains it all and it starts with, “In the beginning …”

Eviction Notice: Google has been ordered to move the mysterious barge it built and parked at Treasure Island between San Francisco and Oakland. The state says the company doesn’t have the right permits. Google will have to type in “Search” for a new location.

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