‘QAnon Shaman’ says he stormed Capitol to ‘bring God back into the Senate’Video
The man known as the “QAnon Shaman” said he was only trying to spread good vibes and the word of God when he broke into the Capitol — and even stopped a brazen thief from swiping muffins from the break room. Jacob Chansley, 33, who made national headlines for donning...
Police: Ex-chief targeted foes in string of Maryland arsons
LAUREL, Md. — A former Maryland police chief is accused of setting fires to multiple structures that belonged to his adversaries, authorities said. Former Laurel Police Chief David Crawford, 69, was arrested Wednesday and is charged with over 50 felonies, including first-degree arson and first-degree attempted murder, in connection to...
Body believed to be Kentucky man found inside Grand Canyon
GRAND CANYON NATIONAL PARK, Ariz. — A body believed to be that of a Kentucky man previously reported missing at Grand Canyon National Park was found along with a motorcycle inside the canyon, park officials said Thursday. Searchers on Wednesday found the body believed to be that of John Pennington,...
Senate begins considering Democrats’ $1.9T coronavirus relief billVideo
WASHINGTON — The Senate voted by the slimmest of margins Thursday to begin debating a $1.9 trillion covid-19 relief bill, after Democrats made eleventh-hour changes aimed at ensuring they could pull President Joe Biden’s top legislative priority through the precariously divided chamber. Democrats were hoping for Senate approval of the...
West Virginia sales tax would top U.S. states under income tax cut planVideo
West Virginia’s consumer sales tax rate would increase from 6% to 7.9% under a proposal submitted Thursday to the Legislature to eliminate the state’s personal income tax. The sales tax increase would give West Virginia the highest rate among all U.S. states. Puerto Rico has a double-digit sales tax. Republican...
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivers 1st opinion
WASHINGTON — Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett delivered her first opinion Thursday, ruling against an environmental group that had sought access to government records. President Donald Trump’s third nominee wrote for a 7-2 court that certain draft documents do not have to be disclosed under the federal Freedom of...
CBO expects federal debt to double over next 30 years
The Congressional Budget Office estimated Thursday that persistent budget deficits will cause the federal debt to double in size over the next 30 years. Following the 2008 financial crisis and the pandemic, the government has depended heavily on borrowing and low interest rates to help an ailing economy. But as...
Autopsy shows man killed by officer in Cleveland was shot in the back
CLEVELAND — The family of a 19-year-old Black man killed by a white housing authority police officer in Cleveland continues to seek answers after learning from an autopsy released Thursday that he was shot in the back. Arthur Keith was shot Nov. 13 by Cuyahoga Metropolitan Housing Authority officer James...
California to give 40% of vaccine doses to vulnerable areas
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California will begin setting aside 40% of all vaccine doses for people who live in the most vulnerable neighborhoods in an effort to inoculate people most at risk from the coronavirus and get the state’s economy open more quickly. The doses will be spread among 400 ZIP...
Police: Dallas officer charged with 2 counts of capital murderVideo
DALLAS — A Dallas police officer was arrested Thursday on two counts of capital murder in two unconnected 2017 killings that weren’t related to his police work, authorities said. Bryan Riser, a 13-year veteran of the force, was taken into custody Thursday morning and taken to the Dallas County Jail...
Senate energy panel backs Deb Haaland for interior secretary
WASHINGTON — A key Senate committee on Thursday approved the nomination of New Mexico Rep. Deb Haaland to be interior secretary, clearing the way for a Senate vote that is likely to make her the first Native American to lead a Cabinet agency. The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee...
How vaccine clinics will work for Pa. teachers
At least one vaccination site in each of Pennsylvania’s educational regions will be available to teachers and school staff, state officials said Thursday. The clinics could be up and running as early as next week. Child care workers who are not associated with one of the state’s 29 Intermediate Units...
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis faces growing claims of vaccine favoritismVideo
MIAMI — Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and state health officials came under deeper scrutiny amid revelations that seniors in a wealthy enclave in Key Largo received hundreds of life-saving vaccinations as early as mid -January, giving ammunition to critics who say the Republican governor is favoring wealthy constituents over ordinary...
Bucking GOP trend, Alabama governor extends mask order
MONTGOMERY, Ala. — Breaking from other Southern GOP governors, Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey extended her state’s mask order for another month Thursday but said the requirement will end for good in April. Following the recommendations of medical officials, Ivey said she will keep the mask order that was set to...
Another Trump on the ballot? Lara Trump eyes Senate seat
RALEIGH, North Carolina — A Trump may be on the ballot next year — but not Donald Trump. The former president’s daughter-in-law, Lara Trump, is eyeing the North Carolina Senate seat being vacated by Republican Richard Burr. While many in the state are skeptical she will move forward, an entrance...
Pennsylvania reports 50 covid deaths, cases rise, hospitalizations fall
Pennsylvania Department of Health on Thursday reported 50 new coronavirus deaths, 3,028 additional coronavirus cases and 1,628 people hospitalized for the virus. Of the deaths newly reported Thursday, 10 are from this month, 37 are from February, one is from January and two are from December. The total number of...
GOP state lawmakers seek to nullify federal gun limits
SALT LAKE CITY — With Democrats controlling the presidency and Congress, Republican state lawmakers concerned about the possibility of new federal gun control laws aren’t waiting to react. Legislation in at least a dozen states seeks to nullify any new restrictions, such as ammunition limits or a ban on certain...
Law enforcement on alert after plot warning at U.S. Capitol
WASHINGTON — Law enforcement was on high alert Thursday around the U.S. Capitol after intelligence uncovered a “possible plot” by a militia group to storm the iconic building yet again, two months after a mob of Donald Trump supporters smashed through windows and doors to try to stop Congress from...
Covid cases up 9% in Europe in significant shift
GENEVA — Covid-19 cases rose 9% last week over a 53-country region of Europe, snapping a six-week run of declines, the World Health Organization said Thursday as its European chief insisted that countries need to get “back to the basics.” Dr. Hans Kluge says more than 1 million cases were...
Bystander’s baby critically hurt in Houston police shooting
HOUSTON — A shooting by a police officer in Houston critically wounded a baby and killed a man who was driving a car linked to several robberies, authorities said. Officers tried to pull over a black Mercedes about 11:30 p.m. Wednesday because the car had been connected to several aggravated...
Hong Kong court denies bail to 32 democracy activists
HONG KONG — A Hong Kong court on Thursday denied bail to 32 out of 47 pro-democracy activists charged under a Beijing-imposed national security law, ending a four-day marathon court hearing. The group of activists was charged with conspiracy to commit subversion under the law and detained on Sunday over...
House passes sweeping voting rights bill over GOP opposition
WASHINGTON — House Democrats passed sweeping voting and ethics legislation Wednesday over unanimous Republican opposition, advancing to the Senate what would be the largest overhaul of the U.S. election law in at least a generation. House Resolution 1, which touches on virtually every aspect of the electoral process, was approved...
Biden blasts Abbott for ‘big mistake’ and ‘Neanderthal thinking’ in lifting Texas’ covid-19 restrictions
WASHINGTON — A day after Gov. Greg Abbott announced an end to all pandemic-related precautions in Texas, President Joe Biden slammed him Wednesday for putting lives at risk by clinging to “Neanderthal thinking” rather than heeding advice from the nation’s top scientists. “I think it’s a big mistake,” Biden told...
Pennsylvania hauled to court over blocking plastic bag bans
PHILADELPHIA — Philadelphia and three other municipalities in Pennsylvania sued the state Wednesday over what they say was a covert abuse of legislative power to block local bans or taxes on plastic bags that retailers give out to customers and, they say, end up as pollution and litter. The lawsuit...
West Virginia lowers general age limit for virus vaccine
CHARLESTON, W.Va. — West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice said Wednesday the state has lowered the age limit for covid-19 vaccinations to all residents 50 and older. Justice said at a news conference that education workers who are at least age 40 can now receive the vaccine. The previous limit for...
