U.S./World category, Page 1176
California governor opposes increase in fracking permits
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Friday he wants to move the nation’s most populous state away from hydraulic fracturing, a day after he fired the state’s top oil and gas regulator for issuing twice as many fracking permits this year compared to last. “I don’t think anyone...
EPA restores broad use of pesticide opposed by beekeepers
WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency will allow farmers to resume broad use of a pesticide over objections from beekeepers, citing private chemical industry studies that the agency says show the product does only lower-level harm to bees and wildlife. Friday’s EPA announcement — coming after the agriculture industry accused...
Memories of 2016 flood haunt Baton Rouge ahead of Barry
BATON ROUGE, La. — Memories of an epic flood that caused billions of dollars in damage had Louisiana’s capital on edge Friday as Barry gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico more than 150 miles away. Storms that dumped more than 20 inches of rain across southeastern Louisiana three years...
Purl jam: Finland hosts heavy metal knitting championship
JOENSUU, Finland — Armed with needles and a yarn of wool, teams of avid knitters danced Thursday to the deafening sounds of drums beating and guitars slashing at the first-ever Heavy Metal Knitting World Championship in eastern Finland. With stage names such as Woolfumes, Bunny Bandit and 9” Needles, the...
Cannabis found in Vermont Statehouse flower beds
Vermont police say they found dozens of cannabis plants in the flower beds in front of the Statehouse. Police say they found a total of 34 plants this week among the cultivated flowers that line the walkway in front of the building in Montpelier. Capitol Police Chief Matthew Romei says...
Labor Secretary Acosta resigning amid Epstein deal scrutiny
WASHINGTON — Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta said Friday he is resigning following renewed scrutiny of his handling of a 2008 secret plea deal with wealthy financier Jeffrey Esptein , who is accused of sexually abusing dozens of underage girls. President Donald Trump, with Acosta at his side, made the announcement...
As Democrats debate busing, southern schools slowly desegregate
CLEVELAND, Miss. — This small Mississippi Delta town serves as a reminder that fierce debates over the integration of black and white students are not a thing of the past. Two rival high schools in Cleveland, one historically black and the other historically white, had to be merged just two...
Court: ‘Extreme bias’ in sending pregnant woman to prison
DETROIT — A woman who was sentenced to prison because a judge believed she would use drugs while pregnant has been released after the Michigan appeals court accused him of “extreme bias.” Samantha Hughes gave birth to a boy on July 2. The appeals court on Tuesday threw out a...
US growing largest crop of marijuana for research in 5 years
The U.S. government is growing the largest crop of research marijuana in five years, responding to interest in varieties with high levels of THC and CBD. The government is the only source of pot for nearly all research in the U.S., while it still considers it illegal and dangerous. Scientists...
AP Explains: How do immigration authorities make arrests?
After postponing an immigration-enforcement operation late last month, the Trump administration plans to go ahead with the raids as soon as this weekend. The sweep is expected to be similar to others that authorities have done regularly since 2003 and often netted hundreds of arrests. This one is different because...
Newer buildings show little damage after California quakes
LOS ANGELES — The two Southern California desert communities rocked by last week’s powerful earthquakes may have sustained as little damage as they did because they have no tall buildings and many of the homes in one are fairly new and were built to stricter earthquake standards. California’s Seismic Safety...
LA police chief aims to wipe out minor warrants for homeless
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Police Chief Michel Moore said he is working to eliminate thousands of homeless people’s old warrants for minor offenses in the coming weeks as part of a solution to help get people off the streets. “This is a humanitarian crisis of our generation,” Moore said...
Marijuana surplus poses problem in Oregon
Five years after it legalized recreational marijuana, Oregon has a new problem and it’s not the munchies. Stateline reports a large surplus of recreational weed in Oregon storehouses and processing plants has led to concerns that licensed growers may turn to the black market or look across state lines to...
Daughters rode in inflated pool as mom drove it home atop car, police say
A mother in Dixon, Ill., trying to transport an inflated pool from her friend’s house to her own Tuesday had her two juvenile daughters ride inside the pool as she drove with it atop her SUV, police said. Jennifer A. Janus Yeager, 49, has been charged with child endangerment and...
Rattlesnake, uranium, whiskey found during traffic stopVideo
GUTHRIE, Okla. — Police in Oklahoma say they found a rattlesnake, a canister of radioactive powdered uranium and an open bottle of Kentucky Deluxe whiskey during a traffic stop of a vehicle that had been reported stolen. The traffic stop happened June 26 in Guthrie, about 30 miles north of...
New Orleans braces for slow-moving possible weekend hurricane
NEW ORLEANS — Mandatory evacuations were ordered southeast of New Orleans on Thursday as the city and a surrounding stretch of the Gulf Coast braced for a possible hurricane over the weekend that could unload heavy rain and send water spilling over levees. All eyes were on a weather disturbance...
Democrats acknowledge questioning Robert Mueller ‘will not be easy’
WASHINGTON — Some are watching old video of his previous testimony. Others are closely re-reading his 448-page report. And almost all are worrying about how they’ll make the most of the short time they’ll have for questioning. Robert Mueller, the Democrats know, will be tough to crack. The stern, reticent...
Diplomats shaken by resignation of Britain’s ambassador to U.S.
WASHINGTON — The abrupt resignation of Britain’s ambassador to the United States over leaked cables critical of the Trump administration may have jolted official Washington, but it’s unlikely to have a lasting impact on the U.S.-British relationship or diplomatic practice. Current and former diplomats say the leak of Ambassador Kim...
Divisive telescope to restart building next week in Hawaii
HONOLULU — Construction on a giant telescope will start again next week after lengthy court battles and passionate protests from those who say building it on Hawaii’s tallest mountain will desecrate land sacred to some Native Hawaiians. State officials announced Wednesday that the road to the top of Mauna Kea...
Colorado settles suit by transgender inmate who alleged rape
DENVER — Colorado reached a $170,000 settlement with a transgender woman who sued the state and alleged being raped, assaulted and harassed while held in a men’s prison, state officials said Wednesday. Officials said the agreement does not force broad policy changes for transgender inmates in Colorado’s prisons, but the...
New holding center for migrant children opens in Texas
CARRIZO SPRINGS, Texas — A former oilfield worker camp off a dirt road in rural Texas has become the U.S. government’s newest holding center for detaining migrant children after they leave Border Patrol stations, where complaints of overcrowding and filthy conditions have sparked a worldwide outcry. Inside the wire fence...
Driver escapes injury when saguaro cactus pierces windshield
An Arizona driver avoided a prickly situation when a cactus came through their car windshield. A saguaro cactus smashed through the front glass and came to rest in the passenger area of the black Infinity sports car Wednesday morning, according to the Pima County Sheriff’s Department. ?Motor Vehicle Collision Involving...
Man survives unprotected plunge over Niagara Falls
A man has survived the drop over Niagara Falls without any protective gear. The Niagara Parks Police reported that a man “in crisis” was seen climbing over over a retaining wall into the river at around 4 a.m. on Tuesday. He was swept over the 188-foot-high Horseshoe Falls and later...
Officials confirm alligator living in Chicago lagoon, drawing curiosity seekers
Chicago officials confirmed an alligator is living in Humboldt Park Lagoon after several people reported seeing the animal there Tuesday morning and others shared photos of it. Chicago police were called to the 1400 block of North Humboldt Drive about 12:15 p.m. after someone called 911 “saying they saw a...
Police: Woman throws snake at driver in carjacking
GREENVILLE, S.C. — Police say a woman stole a vehicle after throwing a snake at the driver, then crashed through barricades set up for a pole-vaulting exhibition in South Carolina. In a statement, Greenville Police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Hilmary Moreno-Berrios. They she was hurt in Friday’s crash and...
