Author: The Associated Press

Wis. Gov. Tony Evers Scales Back Republican Tax Cut, Signs State Budget

(Steve Apps/Wisconsin State Journal via AP, File) MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers signed off on a two-year spending plan Wednesday after dramatically scaling back the size of a Republican income tax cut that would have moved the state closer to a flat rate. Evers, a Democrat, also used his partial veto power to increase funding for K-12…

Alleged Killer of 5 In Philadelphia Shooting Had No Connection With Victims

2-year-old and 13-year-old boys also wounded.

Associated Press PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A 40-year-old man with a rifle, a pistol, extra magazines, a police scanner and a bulletproof vest fatally shot four men in a Philadelphia neighborhood and chased and killed a fifth man inside a house, police said. A 2-year-old boy and a 13-year-old were also wounded in the Monday night violence that made the working-class…

Minnesota College Tuition Program Has North Dakota Worried

Concern is that Minnesota students may stay in home state.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — North Dakota higher education officials are deeply worried about losing students and revenue in 2024 when neighboring Minnesota makes public college and university tuition free for thousands of residents. Officials estimate around 15,000 to 20,000 Minnesota students a year will use the free North Star Promise program, and North Dakota education officials are projecting an $8.4…

Rain Fails To Quell Canadian Wildfires; More Smoky Haze On The Way

AP TORONTO (AP) — Canadian wildfires will send worsening smoky air across the country and neighboring United States in coming days after recent heavy rains failed to fall in areas of Quebec where the fires are most active, officials said Wednesday. Drifting smoke from the wildfires has lowered curtains of haze on broad swaths of Canada and the United States,…

The Titan Implosion Will Be Investigated By An International Group Of Agencies

(AP) — An international group of agencies is investigating what may have caused the Titan submersible to implode while carrying five people to the Titanic wreckage, and U.S. maritime officials say they’ll issue a report aimed at improving the safety of submersibles worldwide. Investigators from the U.S., Canada, France and the United Kingdom are working closely together on the probe of the June…

High-Speed Internet Is A Necessity, President Biden Says, Pledging All US Will Have Access By 2030

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden on Monday said that high-speed internet is no longer a luxury but an “absolute necessity,” as he pledged that every household in the nation would have access by 2030 using cables made in the U.S. “These investments will help all Americans,” he said. “We’re not going to leave anyone behind.” Biden announced that more…

Biden Will Sign An Order Seeking To Protect Birth Control Access A Year After Roe Was Overturned

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden is banking on reproductive rights to be a galvanizing issue for voters in the 2024 election as he collects three top-level endorsements, hosts a rally and issues an executive order seeking to bolster access to contraception as the nation marks a year since the Supreme Court decision overturning federal abortion protections. Biden and Vice President…

The Pilot And 4 Passengers Of The Titan Submersible Are Dead, US Coast Guard Says

(AP) — The U.S. Coast Guard says a missing submersible imploded near the wreckage of the Titanic, killing all five people on board. Coast Guard officials said during a news conference Thursday that they’ve notified the families of the crew of the Titan, which has been missing for several days. Debris found during the search for the vessel “is consistent…

Wisconsin Assembly To Vote On Allowing Pharmacists To Prescribe Birth Control

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — The Wisconsin Assembly on Wednesday is expected to pass a Republican-authored, bipartisan bill opposed by anti-abortion groups that would allow pharmacists to prescribe and dispense birth control. The GOP-controlled Assembly passed the measure with broad bipartisan support last session, but it died in the Senate. Its sponsor, Republican Rep. Joel Kitchens, has said he’s optimistic it…

Underwater Noises Heard In Desperate Search For Submersible Missing With 5 Aboard Near Titanic

(AP) — A Canadian military surveillance aircraft detected underwater noises as a massive operation searched early Wednesday in a remote part of the North Atlantic for a submersible that vanished while taking five people down to the wreck of the Titanic. A statement from the U.S. Coast Guard did not elaborate on what rescuers believed the noises could be, though it offered a…

In Race Against Clock, Expanding Fleet Of Ships Searches For Sub Lost Near Titanic Wreck

(AP) — In a race against the clock on the high seas, an expanding international armada of ships and airplanes searched Tuesday for a submersible that vanished in the North Atlantic while taking five people down to the wreck of the Titanic. U.S. Coast Guard officials said the search covered 10,000 square miles (26,000 square kilometers) but turned up no sign…

Hunter Biden Will Plead Guilty In A Deal That Likely Averts Time Behind Bars In A Tax And Gun Case

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden’s son Hunter will plead guilty to federal tax offenses but avoid prosecution on a separate gun charge in a deal with the Justice Department that likely spares him time behind bars. Hunter Biden, 53, will plead guilty to the misdemeanor tax offenses as part of an agreement made public Tuesday. The agreement will also avoid prosecution on…

A Search Is Underway For Missing Submarine That Takes People To See Titanic

(AP) — A rescue operation was underway deep in the waters of the Atlantic Ocean on Monday in search of a submersible vessel that carries people to view the wreckage of the Titanic. The Joint Rescue Coordination Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia said the vessel was reported overdue around 9:13 p.m. Sunday, about 435 miles (700 kilometres) south of St….

Americans Mark Juneteenth With Parties, Events And Quiet Reflection On The End Of Slavery

DETROIT (AP) — Americans across the country this weekend celebrated Juneteenth, marking the relatively new national holiday with cookouts, parades and other gatherings as they commemorated the end of slavery after the Civil War. While many have treated the long holiday weekend as a reason for a party, others urged quiet reflection on America’s often violent and oppressive treatment of its Black…

Justice Department Accuses Minneapolis Police Of Rights Violations After George Floyd’s Killing

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The Justice Department alleged Friday that Minneapolis police have systematically discriminated against Black and Native American people for years and often violated constitutional rights following a sweeping investigation that began after George Floyd was killed. The two-year probe found that Minneapolis officers used excessive force, including “unjustified deadly force,” and violated the rights of people engaged in…

Canadian Wildfire Smoke Gives Minnesota City The Worst Air In The US

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — St. Paul had the worst air quality in the United States on Wednesday as smoke from massive Canadian wildfires drifted across Minnesota a week after similar smoke blanketed the northeastern U.S. The smoke was “near the worst” on record for the Twin Cities, the Star-Tribune reported, citing Nick Witcraft, an air-quality meteorologist with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency….

Supreme Court Preserves Law That Aims To Keep Native American Children With Tribal Families

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday preserved the system that gives preference to Native American families in foster care and adoption proceedings of Native children, rejecting a broad attack from some Republican-led states and white families who argued it is based on race. The court left in place the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act, which was enacted to address concerns that Native…

Trump Pleads Not Guilty To Federal Charges

MIAMI (AP) — Former President Donald Trump, who is making his first court appearance Tuesday after being indicted on 37 charges related to the mishandling classified documents. The indictment marks the first time in U.S. history that a former president faces criminal charges by the federal government he once oversaw. ___ TRUMP PLEADS NOT GUILTY Former President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to federal…

US Halts Online Asylum Appointments At Texas Crossing After Extortion Warnings

LAREDO, Texas (AP) — The Biden administration has stopped taking mobile app appointments to admit asylum-seekers at a Texas border crossing that connects to a notoriously dangerous Mexican city after advocates warned U.S. authorities that migrants were being targeted there for extortion. U.S. Customs and Border Protection gave no explanation for its decision to stop scheduling new appointments via the…

Donald Trump Says He’s Been Indicted On Charges Of Mishandling Classified documents

MIAMI (AP) — Former President Donald Trump and his aides are bracing for a potential indictment in the classified documents investigation as prosecutors handling the probe were spotted Thursday at a Miami courthouse where a grand jury has been hearing from witnesses. The former president’s lawyers have been told he is a target of the investigation, the clearest indication yet…

Pence Opens Presidential Bid With Denunciation Of Trump Over Jan. 6 Insurrection And Abortion

ANKENY, Iowa (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence opened his bid for the Republican nomination for president Wednesday with a firm denunciation of former President Donald Trump, accusing his two-time running mate of abandoning conservative principles and being guilty of dereliction of duty on Jan. 6, 2021. Pence, launching his campaign in a suburb of Des Moines, became the first vice president in…

PGA Tour And European Tour Agree To Merge With Saudis And End LIV Golf Feud

(AP) — The PGA Tour ended its expensive fight with Saudi Arabia’s golf venture and now is joining forces with it, making a stunning announcement Tuesday of a merger that creates a commercial operation with the Public Investment Fund and the European tour. As part of the deal, the sides immediately are dropping all lawsuits involving LIV Golf. From the…

Former Vice President Pence Files Paperwork Launching 2024 Presidential Bid In Challenge To Trump

NEW YORK (AP) — Former Vice President Mike Pence filed paperwork on Monday declaring his campaign for president in 2024, setting up a challenge to his former boss, Donald Trump, just two years after their time in the White House ended with an insurrection at the U.S. Capitol and Pence fleeing for his life. Pence, the nation’s 48th vice president, will formally launch…

Three Bodies Recovered In Iowa Building Collapse; Lawsuit Accuses City And Owners Of Negligence

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The bodies of three men have been removed from the site of a collapsed six-story apartment building, the police chief in Davenport, Iowa, announced Monday. “We don’t have any other information at this time that there are any additional people missing,” Chief Jeff Bladel said. One of the residents injured in the collapse of an…

No Survivors Found After Plane That Flew Over DC And Led To Fighter Jet Scramble Crashes In Virginia

WASHINGTON (AP) — A wayward and unresponsive business plane that flew over the nation’s capital Sunday afternoon caused the military to scramble a fighter jet before the plane crashed in Virginia, officials said. The fighter jet caused a loud sonic boom that was heard across the capital region. Hours later, police said rescuers had reached the site of the plane…

People With Felony Convictions Can Now Vote In Minnesota; Secretary Of State Celebrates

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — At a celebration of Minnesota’s new law that restores voting rights to people who have left prison, Democratic Secretary of State Steve Simon registered newly eligible voters Thursday, when the law went into effect. “It is the largest single act of enfranchisement in over 50 years” for the state, Simon said at Arlington Hills Community Center in…

Man Pleads Guilty To Assaulting Rep. Angie Craig Of Minnesota In DC Apartment Building

WASHINGTON (AP) — A man pleaded guilty Thursday to assaulting Democratic Rep. Angie Craig of Minnesota in the elevator of her Washington apartment building in February, according to court records. Kendrid Khalil Hamlin, 26, pleaded guilty to charges of assaulting a member of Congress and assaulting law enforcement officers, according to the court docket. Hamlin was also accused of assaulting…

Biden Trips And Falls On Stage At Air Force Graduation; White House Says He’s ‘Fine’

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — President Joe Biden fell on stage at the U.S. Air Force Academy graduation Thursday and the White House said he was “fine” after tripping over a sandbag. Biden had been greeting the graduates in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the front of the stage with salutes and handshakes, and turned to jog back toward his seat when he…

Minnesota Plans Rewrite Of Rules For Copper-Nickel Mining Near Popular Wilderness

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Minnesota regulators have concluded that state rules governing where copper-nickel mines can be built are insufficient to protect the pristine Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from noise and light pollution, creating another potential obstacle to the proposed Twin Metals mine in northeastern Minnesota. But the Department of Natural Resources declined as part of that decision Wednesday to…

Changes To Food Aid In Debt Bill Would Cost Money, Far From Savings GOP Envisioned

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Republican attempt to expand work requirements for federal food aid in debt legislation moving through Congress would increase federal spending by $2.1 billion over 10 years — far from the cuts GOP lawmakers had promised. A compromise on the food aid requirements between House Republicans and President Joe Biden as the nation nears a disastrous government default may…

US Job Openings Hit 10.1 Million And Labor Market Still Strong Despite Fed Efforts To Cool Economy

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. job openings rose unexpectedly in April, illustrating the resilience of the American labor market and complicating Federal Reserve efforts to fight inflation. Employers posted 10.1 million job openings last month, up from 9.7 million in March and the most since January, the Labor Department said Wednesday. Economists had expected vacancies to slip below 9.5 million. “Demand for workers…

Debt Ceiling Deal: What’s In, What’s Out Of The Bill To Avert US Default

WASHINGTON (AP) — The details of the deal between President Joe Biden and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy were released Sunday in the form of a 99-page bill that would suspend the nation’s debt limit through 2025 to avoid a federal default while limiting government spending. The Democratic president and Republican speaker are trying to win over lawmakers to the plan in time…

Biden Marks Memorial Day Nearly 2 Years After Ending America’s Longest War, Lauds Troops’ Sacrifice

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden lauded the sacrifice of generations of U.S. troops who died fighting for their country as he marked Memorial Day with the traditional wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Biden was joined by first lady Jill Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and Harris’ husband, Douglas Emhoff, for the 155th National Memorial Day Observance. He had a moment…

Gov. Walz Vetoes Higher Pay For Lyft, Uber Drivers

(Associated Press) ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Gov. Tim Walz on Thursday vetoed a bill that would have mandated higher pay and job security for Lyft and Uber drivers in Minnesota, saying the legislation wasn’t ready to become law. “Rideshare drivers deserve fair wages and safe working conditions,” Walz said in a statement announcing his first veto ever in his…

George Floyd Death Anniversary: Reckoning With Police Violence In Limbo

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police, and the fervent protests that erupted around the world in response, looked to many observers like the catalyst needed for a nationwide reckoning on racism in policing. For more than nine minutes, a white officer pressed his knee to the neck of Floyd, a Black man, who gasped,…

Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of 94-Year-Old Woman Who Got Nothing When County Took Her Condo

WASHINGTON (AP) — A unanimous Supreme Court on Thursday gave a 94-year-old Minneapolis woman a new chance to recoup some money after the county kept the entire $40,000 when it sold her condominium over a small unpaid tax bill. The justices ruled that Hennepin County, Minnesota violated the constitutional rights of the woman, Geraldine Tyler, by taking her property without paying “just…

Tina Turner, Unstoppable Superstar Whose Hits Included ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It,’ Dead At 83

NEW YORK (AP) — Tina Turner, the unstoppable singer and stage performer who teamed with husband Ike Turner for a dynamic run of hit records and live shows in the 1960s and ’70s and survived her horrifying marriage to triumph in middle age with the chart-topping “What’s Love Got to Do With It,” has died at 83. Turner died Tuesday, after…

Target Becomes Latest Company To Suffer Backlash For LGBTQ+ Support, Pulls Some Pride Month Clothing

NEW YORK (AP) — Target is removing some items from its stores and making other changes to its LGBTQ+ merchandise nationwide ahead of Pride month after intense backlash from some customers who confronted workers and tipped over displays. “Since introducing this year’s collection, we’ve experienced threats impacting our team members’ sense of safety and well-being while at work,” Target said…

Minnesota Legislature Puts Final Touches On $72B Budget As Democrats Celebrate Successes

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — The Minnesota Legislature was putting the final touches on a $72 billion state budget Monday as Democrats celebrated enacting an ambitious agenda that ranged from protecting abortion rights, to providing more resources for education, to legalizing marijuana. The big tax bill of the session, which cleared its final test Sunday evening, included $3 billion in tax…

Judge Enters Not Guilty Pleas For Suspect In Stabbing Deaths Of 4 University Of Idaho Students

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A judge entered not guilty pleas Monday for a man charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, setting the stage for a trial in which he could potentially face the death penalty. The Nov. 13, 2022, killings stunned the rural community of Moscow, Idaho, and prompted many students to leave campus early, switching to remote learning…

More Than 30 Million US Drivers Don’t Know If They’re At Risk From A Rare But Dangerous Airbag Blast

DETROIT (AP) — More than 33 million people in the United States are driving vehicles that contain a potentially deadly threat: Airbag inflators that in rare cases can explode in a collision and spew shrapnel. Few of them know it. And because of a dispute between federal safety regulators and an airbag parts manufacturer, they aren’t likely to find out…

Supreme Court Sidesteps Challenge To Internet Companies’ Broad Protections From Lawsuits

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday sidestepped a case against Google that might have allowed more lawsuits against social media companies. The justices’ decision returns to a lower court the case of a family of an American college student who was killed in an Islamic State terrorist attack in Paris. The family wants to sue Google for YouTube videos they said helped attract IS recruits…

Grand Jury Indicts Man In 4 University Of Idaho Stabbing Deaths, Eliminating Need For Hearing

BOISE, Idaho (AP) — A grand jury has indicted a man who was already charged in the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students, allowing prosecutors to skip a planned week-long preliminary hearing that was set for late June. Bryan Kohberger was arrested late last year and charged with burglary and four counts of first-degree murder in connection with the Nov….

Prince Harry And Meghan Pursued In Their Car By Photographers In New York

NEW YORK (AP) — Prince Harry and his wife, Meghan, were pursued in their car by photographers after a charity event in New York, an incident that the mayor and the couple’s office described Wednesday as potentially dangerous and that instantly drew comparisons to the 1997 fatal car crash of Harry’s mother, Princess Diana. The NYPD did not provide immediate…

Authorities Say New Mexico Gunman Who Killed 3 Was Local High School Student; Still Seek Motive

FARMINGTON, N.M. (AP) — The gunman who killed three people and wounded six others while roaming through his northwestern New Mexico neighborhood and apparently firing at random targets was a local 18-year-old high school student, authorities said Tuesday, noting they were still trying to determine a motive for the attack. Beau Wilson lived in the Farmington neighborhood where he opened…

3M Fires Company Executive For Inappropriate Conduct Weeks After Promotion

WASHINGTON (AP) — 3M has fired prominent company executive Michael Vale due to “inappropriate personal conduct and violation of company policy,” the maker of Post-it notes, industrial coatings and ceramics announced on Monday. Vale was promoted to group president and chief business and country officer just last month. Vale worked at 3M for more than 30 years, according to an April 25…