Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Soap Lake looking to seat salary commission
SOAP LAKE — The City of Soap Lake is seeking residents to serve on its newly reactivated Salary Commission, a citi…
Georgia Senate GOP push for end to no-excuse absentee voting
Atlanta (AP) — Republicans in Georgia’s state Senate are calling for an end to absentee voting without cause and want to ban ballot drop boxes, after an increase in mail voting helped propel Democrat Joe Biden to a…
Kansas lawmaker-to-be under order not to contact foe's aide
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A soon-to-be seated Kansas lawmaker has had a temporary anti-stalking order issued against him in court at the request of a former opponent's campaign manager, who said he sent her harassing mes…
Coronavirus deaths surpass 4,000 in Mississippi
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The number of people who have died of coronavirus complications in Mississippi surpassed 4,000 on Tuesday, and health officials warned that there will be more fatalities and hospitalizations i…
Maryland officials discuss COVID-19 vaccine roll out plans
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Maryland will focus its initial COVID-19 vaccinations on hospital-based health care workers, residents of nursing homes and first responders in the first phase expected to arrive as soon as ne…
Michigan House cancels more voting sessions due to virus
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — The Michigan House has canceled voting sessions scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday after a staffer tested positive for the coronavirus, complicating the Legislature's final days of business …
First Minnesotans could get COVID-19 vaccine Christmas week
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The first of 183,000 Minnesotans who will get the new coronavirus vaccine in the initial wave could get their shots as early as Christmas week, Gov. Tim Walz and state health officials announced …
Arizona sets daily record with over 12K more virus cases
PHOENIX (AP) — Arizona on Tuesday set a new daily record with over 12,300 additional known coronavirus cases as the number of hospitalized patients approached levels similar to the peak of last summer’s surge.
Hawaii certifies Biden's win of state's presidential vote
HONOLULU (AP) — Hawaii on Tuesday certified the results of its presidential vote after the state Supreme Court dismissed an elections complaint challenging the entirety of the Nov. 3 general election in the islands.
14 Fort Hood soldiers fired, suspended over violence at base
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Army on Tuesday said it has fired or suspended 14 officers and enlisted soldiers at Fort Hood, Texas, and ordered policy changes to address chronic failures of leadership that contributed to a…
Pandemic prompts cancelation of Alaskan holiday tradition
JUNEAU Alaska (AP) — The traditional holiday open house at the governor's mansion in Juneau won't be held this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, a spokesperson for Gov. Mike Dunleavy said Tuesday.
Los Angeles restaurants win court battle over closures
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles County's health director acted “arbitrarily” and didn't prove the danger to the public when she banned outdoor dining at restaurants as coronavirus cases surged last month, a judge ru…
Budget analysts caution legislators on film subsidy growth
SANTA FE, N.M. (AP) — The budget and accountability office of New Mexico's Legislature is cautioning that the cost of film tax credit payments to producers such as Netflix could grow quickly and unpredictably in co…
AP sources: Biden picks Fudge for housing, Vilsack for USDA
WASHINGTON (AP) — President-elect Joe Biden made two key domestic policy picks, selecting Ohio Rep. Marcia Fudge as his housing and urban development secretary and former Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack to repris…
High court rejects GOP bid to halt Biden's Pennsylvania win
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected Republicans' last-gasp bid to reverse Pennsylvania's certification of President-elect Joe Biden's victory in the electoral battleground.
9th Circuit sympathetic to Nevada churches in COVID-19 fight
RENO, Nev. (AP) — A three-member U.S. appeals court panel appeared sympathetic Tuesday to arguments by lawyers for two Nevada churches that say state COVID-19 restrictions treating churches differently than casinos…