Briefs
Biden administration to create new gun violence prevention office
WASHINGTON — The White House Thursday announced the formation of an Office of Gun Violence Prevention that will help states and local governments as they implement a gun safety legislative package President Joe Biden signed into law last year. Lacking additional action in Congress to curb gun violence, “the Office of Gun Violence Prevention along […]
Michigan congresswoman pushes ‘Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights’
WASHINGTON — U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, a Michigan Democrat, re-introduced legislation Tuesday aimed at improving the lives of U.S. restaurant workers. The “Restaurant Workers Bill of Rights” would raise wages and improve work conditions for restaurant staff. Tlaib, who also pushed this legislation last year, held a press conference Tuesday alongside U.S. House colleagues and […]
Democrats push to extend child care grant program
WASHINGTON — Congressional Democrats introduced a bill Wednesday to extend funding for five years for a pandemic-era child care subsidy program set to expire at the end of the month. The legislation would extend the child care stabilization grant program, which Congress established in 2021 to help child care providers meet additional costs during the […]
Georgia governor suspends gas tax, declares state of emergency over inflation
Georgia motorists could soon be paying less at the pump thanks to a healthy state budget surplus, and analysts say they may get another surprise assist from the earth’s axial tilt. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp announced Tuesday he plans to suspend the state’s fuel tax, declaring a state of emergency due to high levels of […]
U.S. House Speaker McCarthy tells committees to launch Biden impeachment probe
WASHINGTON — U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy on Tuesday announced that he has directed several House committees to open a formal impeachment inquiry into unproven GOP allegations that President Joe Biden profited from his son’s business dealings when he was vice president in the Obama administration. “These allegations paint a picture, a picture of corruption,” […]
Food and Drug Administration approves COVID boosters for upcoming season
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the latest round of COVID-19 boosters, as public health officials brace for another cold and flu season. An advisory panel at the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is scheduled to vote on recommendations Tuesday, the final step in the process before people […]
Georgia lawmakers consider shrinking state’s dual enrollment options for high school students
About 45,000 Georgia students participated in dual enrollment last year, taking college-level classes for both college and high school credit. If those students were all packed into one district, they would be the eighth-largest district in the state, said Jennifer Phinney, dual enrollment program specialist at the Georgia Department of Education. “It’s a significant population […]
Judge rejects Meadows’ bid to move Georgia 2020 election racketeering case to federal court
Donald Trump’s former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows suffered a legal setback Friday afternoon when a federal judge ordered that his Fulton County election interference case remain in state court. U.S. District Court Steve Jones’ decision to reject Meadows’ attempt to thwart the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office sweeping racketeering and conspiracy case […]
Biden to nominate former FAA deputy to lead aviation agency
President Joe Biden chose a new nominee to lead the Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday, months after the U.S. Senate blocked his first choice. Biden intends to nominate Michael G. Whitaker, an executive at Supernal, a company working on an electric air vehicle, and a former deputy FAA administrator during President Barack Obama’s administration, according […]
Federal judge rules Georgia can resume enforcing ban on hormone treatment for transgender minors
Georgia can resume enforcing its new law banning hormone treatments for transgender children, a federal judge ruled Tuesday. Republican lawmakers passed the controversial law this year, preventing transgender children from receiving estrogen or testosterone treatments. LGBTQ advocates said that amounted to medical discrimination against transgender people, as doctors could still prescribe those hormones for other […]
Jill Biden tests positive for COVID-19; President, testing negative, maintains schedule
WASHINGTON — First Lady Jill Biden tested positive for COVID-19 Monday night, the White House said in a statement. Biden has mild symptoms and will spend the week at home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, the White House said. President Joe Biden tested negative Monday night and Tuesday. He will continue to be tested “at a […]
All 19 defendants in Fulton 2020 election racketeering case plead not guilty, request arraignment waiver
Former President Donald Trump and 18 co-defendants have entered not guilty pleas ahead of their scheduled arraignments on Wednesday in the 2020 Fulton County election inference case. However, it remains unclear whether some waivers allowing defendants to avoid appearing in court on Wednesday will be granted by the judge. On Wednesday, Superior Court Judge Scott […]