Category: State Watch
Gunman who killed 23 in racist shooting at El Paso Walmart agrees to pay $5M to victims, families
The gunman who opened fire and killed 23 people in a racist shooting at an El Paso, Texas, Walmart in 2019 agreed Monday to pay more than $5 million to the victims and families. Patrick Crusius was given 90 consecutive life sentences in July over the shooting that left 23 dead and another 23 injured. He laid out his intentions for the shooting in a 2,300-word manifesto…
Kemp declares state of emergency over inflation in Georgia
Newsbreak 2 weeks ago in Administration, Around The World, Bidenomics, Economy, fuel taxes, Georgia, Georgia General Assembly, Inflation, News, Policy, state of emergency, State Watch 0 Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp (R) declared a state of emergency for the Peach State over inflation rates Tuesday “From runaway federal spending to policies that hamstring domestic energy production, all Bidenomics has done is take more money out of the pockets of the middle class,” Kemp said in a press release. “While high prices continue to hit family budgets, hardworking Georgians deserve real relief, and…
World is releasing greenhouse gases at level unprecedented in geologic history, scientist says
Human civilization came to be thanks to the comparatively stable climate of the past 10,000 years. But the unchecked burning of fossil fuels is undermining that foundation, according to a leading climate scientist. “There is no analog in the past for the rapid warming” we are seeing today, Penn State climate scientist Michael Mann argued. In a speech on Thursday at the “The Good, The Bad…
Former White House official rails against DeSantis’s ‘small and petty’ decision not to meet Biden
Newsbreak 4 weeks ago in Administration, Around The World, Florida, Florida's Big Bend, hurricane idalia, Media, News, State Watch 0 Former White House communications director Kate Bedingfield on Friday called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis’s decision to forego a meeting with President Biden during his trip to the Sunshine State “small and petty.” “It is a really unfortunate time for Ron DeSantis to choose to be small and petty,” Bedingfield said on CNN. “This is a moment where people are hurting, they want to see their…
Little Rock Nine criticize Arkansas’s AP African American Studies course restrictions
Some surviving members of the Little Rock Nine are pushing back against the Arkansas Department of Education’s decision to drop the Advanced Placement (AP) African American studies course from its schools. Earlier this week, the department said the course would not count for credit toward high school graduation, claiming it is still in a pilot stage and cannot be accepted until revisions are finalized. “The AP African…
FEMA director describes Maui wildfire as ‘scene from an apocalyptic movie’
Deanne Criswell, the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), described wildfires devastating the island of Maui as a “scene from an apocalyptic movie.” Criswell described the aftermath of the Maui wildfires that has left at least 93 people dead as of Sunday morning to CBS reporter Jonathan Vigliotti. The wildfire devastated the historic town of Lahaina last week, leaving hundreds of structures destroyed and many…
Ohio Democrats celebrate rejection of Issue 1 seen as threat to abortion rights effort
Newsbreak 2 months ago in abortion rights, Around The World, Ballot Box, Democrats, Health Care, Issue 1, News, Ohio special election, Republicans, State Watch 0 Ohio Democrats celebrated the results of Tuesday’s special election, in which voters rejected a ballot measure that would have made it harder to amend the state constitution – a major win for Democrats and reproductive rights advocates. The resolution, known as Issue 1, attempted to raise the voting threshold to pass a constitutional amendment up from a simple majority to at least 60 percent. This…
DeSantis asks Florida officials to review AB InBev assets following Bud Light scandal
Newsbreak 2 months ago in Around The World, Bud Light, DeSantis, Dylan Mulvaney, LGBTQ, News, State Watch 0 Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Fla.) sent a letter Thursday to the current head of Florida’s State Board of Administration (SBA) asking to “initiate a review” into its holdings with Bud Light’s parent company, AB InBev. In the letter, DeSantis told Lamar Taylor, the interim executive director of the SBA, that it appeared to him that AB InBev “may have breached legal duties owed to its shareholders”…
School bus collides with tanker in South Carolina, video shows
GILBERT, South Carolina (WJW) – More than a dozen children are recovering after their school bus collided with a tanker in Gilbert, South Carolina, on Thursday. The accident sent 18 people, 17 of them children, to the hospital, according to local news outlet WIS-TV. Footage captured by a nearby surveillance camera shows the bus coming to a stop at an intersection while the tanker approaches…
California task force votes in favor of reparation proposals for Black residents
Newsbreak 5 months ago in Around The World, California, California Reparations Task Force, News, Reparations, State Watch 0 The California Reparations Task Force voted on Saturday to recommend a series of proposals that could see Black residents in the state receive billions of dollars in reparations, according to The Associated Press. If approved by the California legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), the proposals would provide eligible Black residents with varying payments for the state’s discriminatory policies, including mass incarceration and over policing, housing discrimination,…
At least 9 dead, multiple injured in mall shooting near Dallas: police
Newsbreak 5 months ago in Around The World, dallas, Greg Abbott, Joe Biden, Keith Self, mall shooting, Mass Shooting, News, State Watch, Texas 0 At least nine people have died, including the gunman, and several others were injured in a shooting at a mall outside of Dallas, Texas, according to local police. The Allen Fire Department transported nine people to area hospitals, Allen Fire Department Chief Jonathan Boyd said. Seven people died on scene at the Allen Premium Outlets and two others were pronounced dead at the hospital, Boyd…
SpaceX plans test flight for Starship rocket that could take people to moon, Mars
Newsbreak 6 months ago in Around The World, News, Space, SpaceX, Starbase, Starship, State Watch, test flight 0 SpaceX is planning a test flight of its Starship rocket early next week that could eventually take civilians to the moon and Mars. The company said in a post on its website that it is planning Monday for the first test launch of its “fully integrated Starship and Super Heavy rocket” from its Starbase in Texas. “Starship is a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry…
Trump answered questions for more than 7 hours in New York fraud lawsuit
Newsbreak 6 months ago in Around The World, Court Battles, Fraud investigation, Letitia James, State Watch, Trump, trump fraud, trump investigation, Trump Organization 0 Former President Trump on Thursday was back in a New York City courtroom, facing questions under oath for “nearly seven hours” in a business fraud case brought by the state of New York, according to his lawyer. Trump was arrested and charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records earlier this month in New York on an unrelated investigation, one of the multiple legal entanglements…
Mother of 6-year-old Virginia student who shot teacher charged with neglect
NEWPORT NEWS, Va. (WAVY) – A Virginia grand jury has indicted the mother of the 6-year-old who shot his first-grade teacher earlier this year. Teacher Abby Zwerner was shot in the hand and chest in January at Richneck Elementary School in Newport News as she sat at a reading table in her classroom. The 25-year-old teacher spent nearly two weeks in the hospital and required…
Idaho AG walks back opinion on prohibiting referrals for out-of-state abortions
Newsbreak 6 months ago in Around The World, Idaho abortion laws, News, planned parenthood, Raul Labrador, State Watch 0 Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador (R) rescinded a legal opinion that prohibited referrals for out-of-state abortions, CNN reported Friday. Labrador reportedly said in a letter to state Rep. Brent Crane (R) that the opinion was “mischaracterized as law enforcement guidance sent out publicly to local prosecutors and others.” “It was not a guidance document, nor was it ever published by the Office of the Attorney…
Newsom creates political organization to oppose GOP policies in red states
Newsbreak 6 months ago in Around The World, Campaign, Campaign for Democracy, Gavin Newsom, News, red states, State Watch 0 California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has launched an organization to oppose GOP policies in strongly Republican states to push back against policies that those states have implemented. Newsom said in a video he tweeted on Thursday that he is creating a group called Campaign for Democracy to oppose “authoritarian leaders” who are “directly attacking our freedoms in state after state.” The video shows clips of Republican…
Biden administration approves California’s electric truck mandate
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) approved California’s authority to set its own regulations requiring manufacturers to speed up the sales of electric trucks in the state. California has said that it will require an increasing percentage of trucks sold in the state to be electric from 2024 through 2035. New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Oregon, Washington and Vermont have also adopted California’s truck standards. A…
Man stops traffic to help teacher, children escape Nashville school shooting
Newsbreak 6 months ago in Around The World, Healthcare, Nashville, News, school shooting, State Watch, Tennessee 0 NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — There are many unsung heroes from Monday’s school shooting that left seven dead (six victims and the shooter), including teachers that ushered kids to safety. Some headed through the wood line seeking shelter at the fire department, while others crossed Hillsboro Road, gathering at an apartment until given the clear. Jason Hoffman was driving down Hillsboro Road when he heard gunfire….
What comes next for Mississippi’s Jackson court bill
Newsbreak 7 months ago in Around The World, Jackson bill, Jackson courts, Jim Crow, News, State Watch 0 The Mississippi legislation that critics have slammed as a “Jim Crow” bill has taken a turn after the state Senate passed it Tuesday with a couple of amendments that would both expand its scope and maintain a level of city government jurisdiction over Jackson. City leaders and Democrats serving in the state legislature have fumed recently as the state House last month passed House Bill…
Kentucky Senate advances bill to limit drag performances
Newsbreak 7 months ago in Around The World, drag performances, drag show ban, Kentucky, News, State Watch 0 The Kentucky Senate passed a bill that would ban drag performances on public property or in front of children, sending the legislation to the state House. The bill passed the Senate by a 26-6 vote along party lines with one senator abstaining. Both the state Senate and House have Republican supermajorities. The legislation would prohibit any individual in the state from engaging in an “adult…
Youngkin defends transgender policies, executive order on ‘critical race theory’ at CNN town hall
Newsbreak 7 months ago in Around The World, Campaign, Critical race theory, CRT, Glenn Youngkin, State Watch, transgender youth, Virginia 0 Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin (R) defended his “model policies” on transgender students and his executive order banning “critical race theory” from public school education at a CNN town hall on Thursday. Youngkin, who has fueled rumors of a potential 2024 presidential bid, has continued to emphasize education and “parents’ rights” during his first two years in the governor’s mansion after the issues helped boost him…
Republican NY lawmakers introduce legislation to prevent House members from profiting off fraud
WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – A group of Republican lawmakers wants to prohibit fellow members in the House of Representatives who are found guilty of financial or campaign finance fraud from profiting off their fabrications. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito (R-N.Y.) introduced legislation, taking aim at Rep. George Santos (R-N.Y.). “This legislation is about ensuring that elected officials who break the public’s trust are held accountable for their wrongdoings,”…
Florida street named after Ketanji Brown Jackson: ‘This is where I got my start’
Newsbreak 7 months ago in Around The World, Florida, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Miami, State Watch, Supreme Court 0 Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson spoke at a ceremony Monday celebrating the renaming of a street in her home of Miami-Dade County in her honor, according to multiple reports. During the Monday ceremony, Brown reflected on the road she took to becoming the first Black woman on the nation’s highest court. “I hope that this street naming will also serve as a testament to…
Nevada Democrats oust incumbent, elect ‘unity’ candidate as party chair
Newsbreak 7 months ago in Around The World, Campaign, Daniele Monroe-Moreno, Harry Reid, Judith Whitmer, Nevada, Nevada Democratic Party, News, Reid machine, State Watch 0 Nevada Democrats ousted incumbent party chair Judith Whitmer in favor of moderate state assemblywoman Daniele Monroe-Moreno on Saturday, following several years of turmoil within the state party. Monroe-Moreno was elected as the first black female chair of the Nevada Democratic Party in a 314-99 vote, along with her slate of fellow “unity” candidates, according to The Nevada Independent. “Thank you, Nevada Democrats! This victory belongs to all of…
As EPA begins work on East Palestine cleanup, some states feel blindsided by waste disposal
Newsbreak 7 months ago in Around The World, East Palestine, EGLE, Energy & Environment, Environment, EPA, News, Ohio, Ohio train derailment, State Watch, vinyl chloride, waste disposal 0 One month after the derailment of a train carrying hazardous chemicals in East Palestine, Ohio, the Environmental Protection Agency-led cleanup is underway — but officials in other states have questioned the waste disposal plans. A number of hazardous chemicals were spilled in the derailment, most notably vinyl chloride, a carcinogenic compound used in production of plastics. The EPA announced on Feb. 21 it would take…
Alex Murdaugh found guilty in the killing of wife, son
Newsbreak 7 months ago in alex murdaugh, Around The World, Court Battles, Maggie Murdaugh, Paul Murdaugh, Regulation, State Watch 0 A jury found Alex Murdaugh guilty of killing his wife and son on Thursday after just a few hours of deliberation. Murdaugh was a prominent attorney who hailed from a historic, well-known South Carolina family with multiple members working in the law, but he has fallen from grace in recent years following allegations that he killed his wife and son and committed financial crimes against…
Union rep: Employees reporting illness after working on cleanup for East Palestine derailment
Newsbreak 7 months ago in Around The World, East Palestine, News, Norfolk Southern, State Watch, train derailment, Union 0 Workers that aided in the cleanup of the train derailment in Ohio have experienced lingering migraines and nausea, according to a union representative for workers that build and maintain railways for Norfolk Southern. Jonathan Long, a union representative for the Brotherhood of Maintenance of Way Employees Division of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said in a Wednesday letter to Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) that…
Nevada Democratic Party chair was convicted on a felony theft charge in the 1990s
LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The chair of the Nevada State Democratic Party is a felon convicted of grand theft in the 1990s who was once ordered not to handle money at work without a probation officer’s approval, according to documents obtained by KLAS. Judith Whitmer was elected party chair in 2021. In 1996, authorities in Seminole County, Florida, charged Whitmer, then 40 years old and…
House holds moment of silence to honor victims of Michigan State shooting
House lawmakers held a moment of silence in the chamber on Monday to honor the victims of this month’s shooting at Michigan State University. Three students were killed and five others were injured when a gunman opened fire at two locations on the Michigan State campus in East Lansing on Feb. 13. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.), whose district includes the university’s campus, led Monday’s moment…
3 killed, including child and journalist, in Florida shootings; suspect in custody
Newsbreak 7 months ago in Around The World, Florida, Florida shooting, Mass Shooting, News, State Watch 0 A string of shootings in central Florida on Wednesday left three people useless, including a 9-year-old lady and a journalist, in accordance with police, who say they have arrested a suspect. The shootings in Orange County, Fla., occurred over the course of plenty of hours on Wednesday. The first capturing, which occurred round 11 a.m., killed a lady in her 20s after she was allegedly…