Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Ballots due today; officials urge voters to use drop boxes or hand-cancel mailed ballots
EPHRATA — Today is the final day for residents to return their ballots for the 2026 General Election, and election…
California uses ZIP codes, outreach to boost vaccine equity
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hing Yiu Chung lives in a racially diverse San Francisco neighborhood hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic. While vaccines have been difficult to come by, the 69-year-old got one by showing pro…
What to watch as Trump's 2nd impeachment trial kicks off
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s second impeachment trial begins on Tuesday, a solemn proceeding that will force lawmakers to relive the violent events of Jan. 6 as House Democrats prosecute their …
Georgia election officials investigate Trump call
ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia's secretary of state's office on Monday opened an investigation into a phone call between Donald Trump and the state's top elections official in which the then-president said he wanted to “fi…
Man charged in US Capitol riot worked for FBI, lawyer says
WASHINGTON (AP) — A man who authorities say is a leader of the far-right Oath Keepers militia group and helped to organize a ring of other extremists and led them in the
Boise, Idaho, reaches settlement over homeless camping
BOISE, Idaho (AP) — Homeless people sleeping in public in Boise, Idaho, will not be cited or arrested when no shelter is available under a settlement that ends a dozen years of litigation over the issue.
Dems propose $1,400 payments as part of Biden virus relief
WASHINGTON (AP) — House Democrats on Monday proposed an additional $1,400 in direct payments to individuals as Congress began piecing together a $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package that tracks President Joe Biden…
Trump's trial starting: 'Grievous crime' or just 'theater'?
WASHINGTON (AP) — Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment trial in the Senate is an undertaking like no other in U.S. history, the defeated former president charged by the House with inciting the
Analysis: Child poverty a hidden focus of virus relief plan
BALTIMORE (AP) — Tucked inside President Joe Biden’s $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief plan is a seemingly radical notion that children should not grow up in poverty.
UN chief: Polluters must join 'net zero' club for climate
BERLIN (AP) — Polluters must step up their commitments to cutting greenhouse gas emissions before a crucial climate summit in November, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said Monday.
EXPLAINER: What's ahead as Trump impeachment trial begins
WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump’s historic second impeachment trial begins Tuesday, forcing the Senate to decide whether to convict him of incitement of insurrection after a violent mob of his suppo…
Budget office: $15 wage would reduce poverty, increase debt
WASHINGTON (AP) — Increasing the minimum wage to $15 an hour would reduce the number of Americans living in poverty and boost wages for millions of Americans while adding to the federal debt and joblessness, a new …
Washington governor signs bill to help workers, businesses
OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) — A bill that increases the minimum weekly benefit for unemployed workers during the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and prevents a dramatic increase in unemployment taxes paid by businesses was si…
UN: 'Concerning news' vaccines may not work against variants
GENEVA (AP) — The head of the World Health Organization said Monday the emergence of new COVID-19 variants has raised questions about whether or not existing vaccines will work, calling it “concerning news” that th…
EU countries expel Russian diplomats in Navalny dispute
BERLIN (AP) — Germany, Poland and Sweden on Monday each declared a Russian diplomat in their country “persona non grata,” retaliating in kind to last week’s decision by Moscow to expel diplomats from the three Euro…
Iowa governor auctioned off access for pork barons' charity
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds auctioned off an afternoon of her time to raise money for the namesake charity of a couple who own one of the nation's largest pork producers and have contributed nearl…