National News - Page 129

DOJ defends 2 Texas teens in fight with school district over long locs

By Christina Carrega The Justice Department has stepped into a legal dispute on behalf of two Texas male students who say their school district discriminated against them when they were not allowed to attend classes because they refused to cut the length of their hair that they wore in locs. “The United States has a significant interest in ensuring that all students can participate in an educational environment free of unlawful discrimination and in the proper application of the Equal Protection Clause, Title IX, and Title VI,” according to the statement of interest that was filed on Friday. The parents of De’Andre Arnold

St. Louis reinstates indoor mask mandate to stem rise in cases despite state AG’s threat to sue

By Kay Jones The city of St. Louis and St. Louis County reinstated an indoor mask mandate on Monday to try to stop the spread of Covid-19, even as Missouri’s attorney general followed through on a threat to sue over the requirement. Beginning Monday, St. Louis required those ages 5 and older to wear masks in indoor public spaces and on public transportation. Attorney General Eric Schmitt filed a lawsuit against the mandate on the day it went into effect. The mandate, intended to cut down on further spread of the virus, applies to vaccinated and unvaccinated people. Exceptions would

Biden jumps into vaccine mandate debate as VA requires health workers to get vaccinated

By Kevin Liptak President Joe Biden’s administration for the first time Monday made vaccines mandatory for certain federal workers, a significant shift toward requiring shots as the country endures another surge in Covid-19 cases. At the same time, administration lawyers have prepared a legal opinion that could pave the way for further federal agencies or businesses to require vaccines among their employees — another indication that after months of struggle to vaccine hesitant Americans, the White House is looking to more aggressive steps to inoculate the country. Speaking from the Oval Office, Biden said physicians working for the Department of Veterans Affairs would be

Authorities in this community say they’re facing a gun violence ‘crisis.’ They’re asking residents for help

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By Christina Maxouris Saleemah Graham-Fleming had been told she wouldn’t be able to have children. That’s why she always called Sanaa Amenhotep, the oldest of her three daughters, a miracle. The two loved each other fiercely: they had frequent “cuddle time” sessions and dedicated Friday girls’ nights. The teen would often join her mom for errands, riding in the passenger seat and snapping photos for her social media accounts, which she always kept up to date. On April 5, Sanaa stepped out with her younger sister to take some pictures near their Columbia apartment, but she never came home, her

Minneapolis voters will decide whether to replace the police department with a public safety department

By Emma Tucker Minneapolis city officials voted Friday to approve the language of a ballot measure that will ask voters in November whether the city’s police department should be replaced with public safety department. The Minneapolis City Council approved the ballot question language, which will be presented to residents in the municipal general election on November 2, 2021. If approved, the Minneapolis Police Department would be eliminated, and a new Department of Public Safety would take its place. The public health department would take a “comprehensive public health approach to safety” and include “licensed peace officers,” according to the proposal.

Biden predicts restaurants and businesses will be ‘in a bind’ for some time due to labor shortages

By Maegan Vazquez and Kevin Liptak President Joe Biden conceded during a CNN town hall on Wednesday that certain businesses will remain “in a bind for a little while” with labor shortages, part of a major set of problems that’s unfurling as his six-month-old presidency reaches a critical juncture. Covid cases are rising, a testament to a vaccination effort that has stalled amid waves of disinformation and skepticism. Pent-up demand has caused an uptick in prices, leading to concerns over inflation. And Biden’s much-touted bipartisan infrastructure deal remains in a state of limbo as Republicans and Democrats rush to finalize

‘It’s not the critics that count.’ Chicago’s mayor remains optimistic after a turbulent two years

By Omar Jimenez Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been criticized as “racist” — even as a Black woman — and she’s been called “notoriously thin-skinned” but she remains determined to leave a legacy far beyond her time in office. Still navigating the Covid-19 pandemic and the record surge in violence that came with it, Lightfoot is past her halfway point as mayor, leading the nation’s third largest city. While some find her methods controversial, she finds them necessary. “It’s not the critics that count,” Lightfoot said as she walked with CNN through Chicago’s West Garfield Park neighborhood, one of the

Virginia Beach school board votes against making masks optional following heated hourslong meeting

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By Elizabeth Stuart, Mallory Simon and Christina Maxouris The Virginia Beach school board voted against a motion which would make mask-wearing in school optional for the upcoming school year, during a heated Tuesday night meeting that lasted more than four hours. The board voted 6-4 against the effort, keeping masks mandatory for the district’s 63,000 students and more than 4,000 teachers in September. But that can still change before school reopens. Parents and community members lined up to speak out against the policy. “You’re all hypocrites,” said Annie Palumbo, who was among the evening’s first speakers. “I’m here fighting with

Biden officials shift to an urgent tone as Covid-19 fight enters troubling new phase

By Kevin Liptak and Kaitlan Collins Biden administration officials acknowledged Thursday the pandemic that appeared to be waning a month ago has entered a new, troubling phase. Speaking from the White House, President Joe Biden said the two dozen members of his Covid team were examining the surge in cases and hospitalizations among the still-sizable portion of the country that remains unvaccinated, and determining whether new mask recommendations were necessary. “We follow the science. What’s happening now is all the major scientific operations in this country and the 25-person group that we put together are looking at all the possibilities

Toledo-raised performers headline African American Festival

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By Madison Hahamy Homegrown talent is a highlight of the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union’s African American Festival, which is back after a pandemic cancellation for its 16th year on Friday and Saturday. The festival includes a prayer breakfast, parade, and performances, most notably by singers Lyfe Jennings and Shirley Murdock, both native Toledoans who have not returned to the city in more than a year. Suzette Cowell, CEO of the Toledo Urban Federal Credit Union, said that the local ties that can be found throughout the two-day festival are intentional and ensure that the festival has “a hometown feeling.”

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