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MPS recall group threatens class action lawsuit
(The Center Square) – The group driving the Milwaukee school board recall is now looking to file a class-action lawsuit. The MPS School Board Recall Collaborative said it has filed formal complaints against the city’s school board with the Wisconsin Board of Ethics, the Milwaukee County District Attorney’s Office, and the U.S. Department of Education against Milwaukee’s elected school board members. The group is alleging “malfeasance, illegal and unethical activities that cannot be denied by any of the Board members.” ...
More than 205,000 illegal border crossers in June, 2.5 million in fiscal 2024
(The Center Square) – There were more than 205,000 illegal border crossers apprehended in June, according to new U.S. Customs and Border Protection data released on Monday. June’s numbers bring the total number of illegal border crossers this fiscal year to more than 2.4 million. The majority of illegal border crossers were apprehended at the southwest border last month, totaling more than 130,000. Fiscal year to date, more than 1.82...
Aftermath of attempted Trump assassination impacts political rhetoric in Illinois
(The Center Square) – Politics continue in the aftermath of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump with both sides in Illinois taking stock of the temperature of the rhetoric this election cycle. In Pennsylvania Saturday, a Trump rally attendee was shot and killed and Trump was injured after a would-be assassin opened fire minutes into the former president’s speech to a crowd in an open air field. The assailant was shot and killed by law enforcement. ...
Emotional Trump, running mate Vance welcomed to convention
(The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump made his first appearance at the Republican National Convention on Monday evening, just two days after an assassination attempt. Trump was joined by his running mate announced just hours earlier, U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio. Trump's entrance for the final hour was greeted with thunderous applause, emotion, and nearly brought the nation's 45th president to tears. The crowd begged for Trump to...
Two days after being shot, Trump in gallery during RNC primetime
(The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump made his first public appearance Monday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee since he was grazed in the ear by a would-be assassin's bullet at a campaign rally Saturday in Pennsylvania. Wearing a bandage on his right ear, Trump was greeted with thunderous applause by delegates and other supporters inside the convention hall Monday night. He was shown on live feeds listening to the convention's first-day primetime speakers, often standing and clapping in support. ...
Greene: Embrace the spirit of hope, even after assassination attempt
(The Center Square) – America should embrace the spirit of hope, even after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump over the weekend, Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene said Monday night. Greene was on stage early for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., just hours after Trump announced Ohio's J.D. Vance as his running mate. This is “a somber moment for our nation . . . I thank...
Robinson encourages delegates to join 'the brave heart of our time'
(The Center Square) – No lightning bolts, just solid campaign stumping on party values was spoken by North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson on Monday evening at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis. Calling party presidential nominee the “brave heart” the country needs, Robinson shared the shortened version of his tragic family upbringing with an alcoholic and abusive father. He told of a chance gas station meeting with a man facing bankruptcy he recently encountered on the campaign trail; his shot at history as...
Poll: Two thirds of American voters say country is heading in wrong direction
(The Center Square) – A new poll of voters finds two thirds of Americans believe the country is headed in the wrong direction, with Democrats equally divided on the question. The Center Square Voters' Voice poll found 65% of voters said the country is headed in the wrong direction, 24% said the country is headed in the right direction and 11% were unsure. When voters were asked the same question...
'Drug Equipment Violations' in Spokane rose 288% last year despite only one arrest
(The Center Square) – While crime rates remained relatively the same throughout Spokane County from 2022 to 2023, some municipalities saw major increases in drug-related offenses and other serious crimes. The Washington Association of Sheriffs and Police Chiefs released its annual Crime in Washington 2023 report last week, detailing shifts from 2022 to 2023. Some Spokane County municipalities saw an overall increase of about 7%, while others experienced decreases as high as 12%, but crime was down 3.4% overall. ...
WA GOP Chair Walsh reacts to Trump assassination attempt, talks RNC security
(The Center Square) – Washington State Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh said the way former President Donald Trump responded to Saturday's assassination attempt secured his re-election. Walsh, who is also a state representative from Aberdeen, told The Center Square he was in Milwaukee, Wis., at a Brewers gamer, with other early arriving delegates to the Republican National Convention when he learned of the shooting at Trump rally in Butler, Pa. ...
FBI: Search of shooter's home, car finished, but phone and laptop search ongoing
(The Center Square) — The FBI has finished searching the home and car of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the shooter who tried to assassinate former President Donald Trump on Saturday, the agency said Monday. In a news update Monday afternoon, the agency noted it’s still investigating the shooting as an assassination attempt and as potential domestic terrorism. They gained access to the shooter’s phone and “continue to analyze his electronic devices,” which includes a laptop. His family, according to Fox News, is cooperating with investigators. ...
Pierce County Council frustrated with lack of progress on homeless site
(The Center Square) – Frustrations are growing among Pierce County councilmembers after Pierce County Executive Bruce Dammeier’s office requested a shift of funding for a proposed $2.5 million homeless stability site. The county has struggled to find a low-barrier homeless stability site outside the City of Tacoma to increase homeless services to other parts of Pierce County. The site would provide emergency shelter with an emphasis on providing private space for guests. ...
Ohio reactions mixed to Trump's selection of Vance
(The Center Square) – Former President Donald Trump's pick of Ohio's freshman U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate elicited a mix of reactions from the state's leaders. "Ohio is swelling with pride today with the historic announcement that Sen. J.D. Vance will be the next vice president of the United States," Ohio Republican Party Chairman Alex M. Triantafilou said in a statement. "Sen. Vance understands the devastating impact that Joe Biden's policies have had on working Americans. With inflation crushing the middle class,...
Disconnected nine years ago, St. Louis seeks proposals for new red-light cameras
(The Center Square) – Approximately nine years after the City of St. Louis discontinued using cameras to catch drivers running red lights, it’s accepting proposals for more advanced technology. Board Bill 105, known as the “Automated Camera Enforcement Act,” was signed into law by Democrat Mayor Tishaura Jones in April. It authorized contracts for installation of automated camera enforcement systems. The new technology systems, along with upgrades to main roads in the city, will be paid for with approximately $48 million in funds from the...
Atlanta region sees 1.2% growth between 2023 and 2024
(The Center Square) — The Atlanta region grew by 1.2% between April 2023 and April 2024 and now has 5.2 million residents, according to new population estimates the Atlanta Regional Commission released. The estimates show the 11-county region added 62,700 residents. However, its growth slowed slightly from 2022-23, when it added 66,730 people. Fulton and Gwinnett counties have more than a million residents, and Gwinnett County's population has topped one million residents for the first time. ...
Lawmakers propose federal dollars for Atlanta water
(The Center Square) — Federal lawmakers from Georgia announced legislation they said would help pay for Atlanta's water infrastructure upgrades. U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff and Raphael Warnock, both D-Georgia, introduced the City of Atlanta Water Infrastructure Enhancement Act. U.S. Rep. Nikema Williams, D-Georgia, introduced a companion piece in the U.S. House. The measure adds $25 million to the Water Resources Development Act of 1992 for Atlanta water projects, increasing the...
Court shoots down border ballot measure lawsuit
(The Center Square) – The 'Secure the Border Act' will make it onto the November ballot for Arizonans after the Maricopa County Superior Court shot down a lawsuit from activist groups challenging its legality. The proposition would make it a state crime to cross into Arizona through an illegal point of entry, as well as other provisions to crack down on the high levels of migrant crossings and the fentanyl crisis. ...
Illinois quick hits: Earthquake shakes Illinois; researchers look into cicada damage; sinkhole grows in Alton
Earthquake shakes northern Illinois Parts of northern Illinois shook Monday as a 3.4 magnitude earthquake struck in the early morning hours. The earthquake was centered northwest of the DeKalb County village of Somonauk. According to the United States Geological Survey, the trembler had an estimated depth of about 6 miles. The earthquake could be felt as far as Joliet. Researchers look into cicada damage ...
Reynolds says new disaster relief housing grant programs are ready
(The Center Square) - Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds said Monday two new housing programs to help victims of Iowa's recent storms are now open to applicants. The State Disaster Recovery New Housing Grant Program gives developers up to $1 million in grants to develop residential units for sale or rent in disaster-stricken areas, according to a news release from the governor. The Iowa Economic Development Authority oversees the program, which is only open in counties with a federal disaster declaration. ...
Independent presidential candidate Kennedy to receive Secret Service protection
(The Center Square) – Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. will receive Secret Service protection after the attempted assassination Saturday of former President and Republican nominee Donald Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said during a Monday press briefing that President Joe Biden directed him to offer Secret Service protection to Kennedy. Biden had previously declined to provide the protection. Kennedy Jr. took to X, formerly known as Twitter, thank Biden for offering protection to him. “Thank you to President Biden for granting me Secret Service protection. And I am so grateful to Gavin deBecker & Associates for the last 15 months of my Presidential campaign,” Kennedy Jr. said in a post on X. Earlier Monday, Trump called for Kennedy to be provided the protection.
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