News of the Day From Across the Nation, March 17

1 Pipe bombs: A Florida man charged with sending pipe bombs to prominent critics of President Trump is expected to plead guilty this week. A notice entered in the case of Cesar Sayoc indicates a hearing has been scheduled Thursday at the federal court in Manhattan for him to change his plea. Without a plea deal, Sayoc, 56, faced charges carrying a potential penalty of mandatory life in prison. He was set to go on trial in July on charges he sent 16 explosive devices to victims across the country. None exploded. Authorities say he targeted numerous Democrats, heightening tensions before midterm elections.

2 Trooper wounded: A Montana Highway Patrol trooper who was investigating a shooting was himself shot and critically injured after finding the suspect’s vehicle, officials said. Another trooper found Wade Palmer, 35, wounded in his patrol car Friday in the small town of Evaro, officials said. The shooter had fled. Hours later, officers arrested Johnathan Bertsch, 29, who is being held as a suspect in both Palmer’s shooting and the earlier shooting about 10 miles away in Missoula, where two men and a woman sitting in a car were wounded, said prosecutor Jason Marks.

3 Casino shooting: A shootout outside the Bellagio hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip left a robbery suspect critically wounded while an officer who was shot in his bulletproof vest escaped serious injury. Police said the suspect robbed the packed casino Friday night and was confronted by officers as he tried to carjack a vehicle in the valet lot. The suspect fired at least one shot before being shot by a second officer.

4 Girl killed: A body found in Minnesota matches the description of a 2-year-old girl whose father is accused of killing her mother in Milwaukee last week, a spokesman for the...