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Activists sue Johnson administration over DNC protests, say Chicago isn't ready

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CHICAGO — As protests surge across America just months before the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, activists representing LGBTQ+ and women’s reproductive rights say Mayor Brandon Johnson’s administration is violating their First Amendment rights and is unprepared for the onslaught of dissidents headed to the city this August.

...Read more

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After NYPD on-campus arrests, Columbia faculty group calls for no confidence vote on Shafik

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NEW YORK — A faculty group at Columbia University on Thursday called for a vote of no confidence in Minouche Shafik, the newly minted university president whose tenure has been marred by campus protests and criticism of her use of the New York Police Department.

The campus chapter of the American Association of University Professors, a ...Read more

Darin Oswald/Idaho Statesman/TNS

All aboard? Biden just nominated a former Boise City Council member for a national post

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BOISE, Idaho — When Boise City Council Member Elaine Clegg stepped down in November to join Valley Regional Transit as CEO, she told The Idaho Statesman that “rail is a big issue of mine” and would be a focus for her in the new role at the regional public transportation authority for Ada and Canyon counties.

“I think there’s a ...Read more

Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images North America/TNS

Second Boeing whistleblower dead within the past 3 months

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A 45-year-old former aircraft quality auditor has become the second Boeing-related whistleblower to die in the past three months, after allegedly suffering from a sudden bacterial infection.

Joshua “Josh” Dean, of Wichita, Kan., worked for Boeing supplier Spirit AeroSystems and was one of the first people to accuse Spirit of ignoring ...Read more

Spencer Platt/Getty Images North America/TNS

Rikers Island jail search uncovers large cache of contraband drugs, weapons

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A search in a Rikers Island jail uncovered a large cache of narcotics, including cocaine, K2 and marijuana in vacuum sealed bags, dozens of fentanyl-soaked papers, cigarettes, tobacco and ceramic blades, the Daily News has learned.

The major seizure Tuesday at the Otis Bantum Correctional Center, shown in a video obtained by The News, has ...Read more

News briefs

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DeSantis keeps waging culture wars, tries to make peace with Trump

ORLANDO, Fla. — Gov. Ron DeSantis has tried lately to shore up his relationship with former President Donald Trump and soften his much-maligned public image even as his culture war agenda continues.

He’s signed laws to allow chaplains in public schools, mandate teaching ...Read more

Michael B. Thomas/Getty Images North America/TNS

Hard-right Missouri senators end filibuster of crucial taxes as budget deadline looms

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Hard-right Missouri senators early Thursday morning ended their hours-long filibuster of a crucial series of taxes that fund Medicaid, failing to achieve any of their stated demands.

Members of the Missouri Freedom Caucus sat down just before 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning after blocking renewal of the taxes for roughly 41 ...Read more

Timothy A. Clary/Getty Images North America/TNS

NYC decision to move migrant families to sites with fewer services slammed by advocates

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NEW YORK — The city’s Department of Homeless Services forced at least six migrant families to move from city homeless shelters into hotels that offer fewer services to make way for an expected influx of native New Yorkers who could be seeking shelter beds in the coming months, The New York Daily News has learned.

The move has sparked ...Read more

Irfan Khan/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Captain gets 4-year sentence for Conception boat disaster

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SAN DIEGO — Jerry Boylan, the captain of the Conception dive boat where 34 people died amid smoke and flame over Labor Day weekend in 2019, was sentenced Thursday to four years in prison for negligence that contributed to the disaster.

U.S. District Judge George Wu said he found Boylan “incredibly remorseful” and that he had not “...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Alleged Sinaloa Cartel member accused in a Miami area murder headed to federal prison

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MIAMI — A woman accused of being a high-ranking member of the Sinaloa Cartel — and behind a murder near Miami International Airport in 2022 — was sentenced to nine years in federal prison Thursday in connection with a methamphetamine trafficking case.

After pleading guilty, Tsvia Kol, 36, will spend almost a decade locked up. Once ...Read more

Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/TNS

Former Nevada congressional candidate Daniel Rodimer tackled victim in Las Vegas Strip killing, witness testifies

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LAS VEGAS — The ex-congressional candidate was dressed as Ken from the “Barbie” movie. He was allegedly on top of Christopher Tapp, punching him.

This is what a woman alleged she saw at a Halloween party at an exclusive Resorts World suite — an ill-fated gathering that authorities said would lead to the Nov. 5 death of Tapp, 47, an ...Read more

Dreamstime/Dreamstime/TNS

Catholic diocese that covers California's San Luis Obispo County considers bankruptcy amid child sex abuse lawsuits

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SAN LUIS OBISPO, Calif. — The Catholic bishop of Monterey, whose district includes San Luis Obispo County, said his diocese could go bankrupt amid a flood of lawsuits alleging childhood sexual abuse.

In a letter to parishioners April 18, the Most Rev. Daniel E. Garcia said after the state reopened the statute of limitations for childhood ...Read more

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Days before violence, UCLA sought extra police but then canceled requests, according to documents, union says

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LOS ANGELES — Five days before pro-Israeli counterprotesters attacked a pro-Palestinian camp at UCLA, the university police department asked other campuses for additional police, according to the head of the UC police officers union.

But the requests — which would have provided UCLA with more police officers as they dealt with the camp and ...Read more

Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office/Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office/TNS

'Killer nurse' Heather Pressdee pleads guilty in deaths of 17 Western Pa. nursing home patients

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PITTSBURGH — One after another, family members aimed their grief and anguish at Heather Pressdee, who sat quietly on the other side of the Butler County courtroom.

Some called her the devil. One woman told her to burn in hell. They told she was not God, that she was no longer in control.

"I hope you live to 100," Jack Rogers' niece told her....Read more

Arvin Temkar/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

Feds investigating Emory for discrimination of students

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ATLANTA — The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is investigating alleged discrimination against Arab, Muslim and Palestinian students at Emory University this year.

The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-Georgia) and Palestine Legal filed a federal civil rights complaint against the ...Read more

Tracy Glantz/The State/TNS

Woman who fled South Carolina for abortion wants court to increase state's abortion limit to 9 weeks

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — Taylor Shelton, a South Carolina woman in her mid-to-late 20s, wasn’t planning to get pregnant. She took precautions, including having an intrauterine device.

But it wasn’t foolproof, and she discovered she was pregnant at the four-week mark.

Shelton went to a crisis pregnancy center in Charlotte, North Carolina, which...Read more

Antonio Perez/Chicago Tribune/TNS

Suspect arrested in fatal shooting of Chicago Officer Luis Huesca

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CHICAGO — The suspect wanted in connection with last month’s fatal shooting of off-duty Chicago police Officer Luis Huesca was taken into custody in the west suburbs late Wednesday, according to CPD.

A Cook County judge last week issued an arrest warrant charging Xavier Tate, 22, with murder in the April 21 killing of Huesca, 30, near ...Read more

Fletcher Page/The Atlanta Journal-Constitution/TNS

Georgia universities navigate protests at commencement ceremonies

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ATLANTA — In the midst of ongoing demonstrations concerning the Israel-Hamas war on college campuses, school officials are now grappling with how to manage graduates who decide to protest during commencement ceremonies.

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported Wednesday that one student at a Georgia State University graduation tried to walk ...Read more

Mandel Ngan/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

President Joe Biden visits with North Carolina families of officers killed in Charlotte shooting

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. — President Joe Biden traveled to Charlotte Thursday to honor the law enforcement officers killed in a mass shooting.

The president’s daily schedule announced he’d be at Charlotte Douglas International Airport around midday to “pay his respects to the brave law enforcement officers killed and wounded in the line of duty ...Read more

Joshua Boucher/The State/TNS

South Carolina teacher shortage could get relief as House passes back-door measure ahead of deadline

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COLUMBIA, S.C. — State lawmakers took action on Thursday to get legislation that would provide teachers more flexibility and help tackle the teacher shortage signed into law before a legislative deadline.

The S.C. House of Representatives unanimously approved two bills that now include measures to give teachers more freedom to change jobs ...Read more