NY Times: “Dennis Willingham knew when he took the job as superintendent in Walker County, Ala., that money for schools would always be tight. That is the nature of public education in a rural area with few wealthy residents to tax and a student body that is nearly 70 percent lower income. But since the…
“‘Weak, Woke and Whiny’ No More”
NY Times: “As political origin stories go, Abigail Spanberger, a former House member from Virginia who is now the Democratic nominee for governor, has an enticing one. It hits the sweet spot of making her seem simultaneously exceptional and relatable. In 2014, Ms. Spanberger, then working for the C.I.A., was brainstorming with her husband and…
“New trial ordered for Memphis officers convicted in Tyre Nichols case”
WaPo: “A judge on [August 28] ordered a new trial for three former Memphis police officers convicted on federal charges brought over the death of Tyre Nichols after he was beaten following a traffic stop in January 2023. U.S. District Judge Sheryl H. Lipman ordered the new trial after hearing arguments from defense lawyers, who said…
Crazed Gunman Opens Fire on CDC Headquarters, Reportedly Due to COVID Vaccine Misinformation
NY Times: “A shooting at the Atlanta headquarters of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention killed a police officer and rattled the community of public health workers, who said the attack was a manifestation of rampant misinformation surrounding vaccines. A 30-year-old man who believed the Covid-19 vaccine had made him ill opened fire at…
“The Death of the Fourth American Republic”
NY Times: “Last Friday, the Supreme Court all but announced how it would rule on the future of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. The case in question, Louisiana v. Callais, which was heard for the first time in March, is a dispute over the drawing of the state’s six congressional districts. Nearly one-third of Louisianans are…
“Marsha Blackburn mounts a run for governor”
Politico: “Staunch MAGA Republican Sen. Marsha Blackburn announced a campaign for Tennessee governor Wednesday. “In his first six months, President Trump has made historic strides in Making America Great Again, but as he sends power back to the states, he’s going to need strong conservative governors who can bring that revolution home,” Blackburn said in…
TX Republicans Increase Threats In Redistricting Power Grab
Abbott: Texas can ‘eliminate’ 10 Democratic districts in response to California “Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) warned that Texas could get rid of as many as 10 Democratic districts if California moves ahead with its plan to redraw its House map and neutralize the expected GOP gains in the Lone Star State. “Listen, all those big blue states, they’ve…
“Federal court says Alabama must use map that creates 2nd Black majority district”
Politico: “Alabama must use independently drawn congressional maps that created a second Black-majority district more favorable to Democrats in the state for the rest of the decade, a federal court said Thursday. A three-judge panel of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Alabama ruled unanimously that the state must use the map…
Alligator Alcatraz Conditions Reported to be Inhumane as Environmental Lawsuit Halts Construction
‘Alligator Alcatraz’ Worker Describes ‘Inhumane’ Conditions “A former corrections officer at “Alligator Alcatraz” in Florida told NBC Miami she saw hundreds of migrants held in cages with no sunlight, backed up toilets and little access to showers.” Judge orders temporary halt to new construction at Alligator Alcatraz “A federal judge in Miami on Thursday ordered construction to…
“Restraining Order Filed Against GOP Lawmaker”
Political Wire: “Florida Republican state committeewoman Lindsey Langston — who is also the reigning Miss United States — has filed a restraining order against Rep. Cory Mills (R-FL) “after reporting him to local and state law enforcement for harassment, threatening to release sexual videos, and to harm future boyfriends,” Drop Site News reports.”