National News

Supreme Court rules Manhattan DA can obtain Trump taxes

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court has upheld a prosecutor’s demand for President Donald Trump’s tax returns as part of a criminal investigation into hush-money payments to women who claim they had affairs with Trump. The court ruled Thursday in a case in which it heard arguments by telephone in May because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The records are held…

Mississippi Could Drop Jim Crow-Era Statewide Voting Process

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) – Mississippi has just retired its Confederate-themed state flag and now the state’s voting process is under consideration of also being retired. The state’s voters will decide in November whether to dump an election process that dates to the Jim Crow era. The state is facing pressure from a lawsuit and possible action from a federal judge….

One Confederate Monument’s Size Might Prevent It From Removal

STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. (AP) – As statues of figures from America’s slave-owning past come down across the nation, the largest Confederate monument ever crafted may outlast them all. Georgia’s Stone Mountain features supersized carvings of Gen. Robert E. Lee, Confederate President Jefferson David, and Gen. Thomas J. “Stonewall” Jackson standing 90 feet tall. Stone Mountain’s sheer size makes changes difficult….

3 men indicted on murder charges in killing of Ahmaud Arbery

ATLANTA (AP) – A prosecutor has announced that three men have been indicted on murder charges in the killing of a black man in coastal Georgia, Ahmaud Arbery. Prosecutor Joyette Holmes said Wednesday that a Glynn County grand jury has indicted Travis McMichael, Greg McMichael and William “Roddie” Bryan Jr. on malice and felony murder charges in Arbery’s death. Arbery…

FBI: No Charges Planned in Noose Incident at Talladega Superspeedway

The noose found hanging in NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace’s garage stall at Talladega Superspeedway had been there since at least last October, according to investigators. Federal authorities say no charges are planned. Wallace, a native of Mobile, is the only Black driver at NASCAR’s top level. He successfully pushed the stock car series to ban the Confederate flag at its…

SEC Considering Banning League Championship Events in Mississippi Until Its State Flag Is Changed

The Southeastern Conference is considering barring league championship events in Mississippi until the state changes its Confederate-based flag. SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey released a statement Thursday, saying it’s past time for Mississippi to change its flag. He says students deserve an opportunity to learn and compete “inclusive and welcoming” environments. The NCAA already said it would not schedule postseason events…

Trump Signs Executive Order on Police Reform

President Donald Trump signs the coronavirus stimulus relief package, in the Oval Office at the White House, Friday, March 27, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci) President Donald Trump has signed an executive order on policing following weeks of national protests after the death of George Floyd by a police officer in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The order is aimed at encouraging…

Justices rule LGBT people protected from job discrimination

WASHINGTON (AP) – The Supreme Court is ruling that a landmark civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment, a resounding victory for LGBT rights from a conservative court. The court decided by a 6-3 vote Monday that a key provision of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 known as Title VII that bars job…

Daughter of Hank Williams, Jr. Killed in Tennessee Crash

(AP Photo/Mark Humphrey) The 27-year-old daughter of country singer Hank Williams Jr. was killed in a wreck near Paris, Tennessee, police said. Katherine Williams-Dunning of Springville was the driver of an SUV that was towing a boat when it crossed the median and rolled over Saturday night on U.S. Route 79 northeast of Paris, said Tennessee Highway Patrol spokesman Lt….

NASCAR Bans Confederate Flag from Events and Properties

NASCAR has banned the Confederate flag from all events and properties. NASCAR says the Confederate flag “runs contrary to our commitment to providing a welcoming and inclusive environment for all fans, our competitors and our industry.” Former chairman Brian France in 2015 tried to ban the flying of Confederate flags at race tracks, a proposal too broad to enforce and…