Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Kriete, Gregg weigh continuity vs. change in final Q&A
EPHRATA — After four rounds of questions on leadership, public safety, accountability and the future of the Grant …
Costs of the Afghanistan war, in lives and dollars
At just short of 20 years, the now-ending U.S. combat mission in Afghanistan was America's longest war. Ordinary Americans tended to forget about it, and it received measurably less oversight from Congress than the…
Gusty winds bring new worries to California fire lines
QUINCY, Calif. (AP) — Firefighters battling flames in Northern California forests girded Monday for new bouts of windy weather, and a utility warned thousands of customers it might cut their electricity to prevent …
Texas governor tests positive for COVID-19, in 'good health'
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott tested positive for COVID-19 on Tuesday, according to his office, who said the Republican is in good health and experiencing no symptoms.
Fueled by winds, largest wildfire moves near California city
GRIZZLY FLATS, Calif. (AP) — A wildfire raged through a small Northern California forest town Tuesday, burning dozens of homes as dangerously dry and windy weather also continued to fuel other massive blazes and pr…
EXPLAINER: Western states face first federal water cuts
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. officials on Monday declared the first-ever water shortage from a river that serves 40 million people in the West, triggering cuts to some Arizona farmers next year amid a gripping drought.
AP FACT CHECK: Biden skirts US failures in Afghan mayhem
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden ignored his own administration's failures when he tried to explain why desperate civilians in Afghanistan's capital
Democrats unveil plan to update landmark voting law
ATLANTA (AP) — House Democrats on Tuesday put forward a new proposal to update the landmark Voting Rights Act, seeking against long odds to revive the civil rights-era legislation that once served as a barrier agai…
Judge rejects charges for Hawaii officers in teen's killing
HONOLULU (AP) — A Hawaii judge on Wednesday rejected murder and attempted murder charges against three Honolulu police officers in the fatal shooting of a teenager, preventing the case from going to trial.
UK's Johnson accused of complacency over Afghanistan retreat
LONDON (AP) — In a packed, emotional session of Parliament, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson faced accusations Wednesday from lawmakers across the political spectrum of needlessly abandoning Afghanistan to the …
As COVID-19 surges, 93% of Oregon's hospital beds are full
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — As Oregon's health system continues to be clobbered by the state's worst COVID-19 surge, officials reported on Tuesday that 93% of the state's hospital beds for adults and 90% of the intensive…
Billions spent on Afghan army ultimately benefited Taliban
WASHINGTON (AP) — Built and trained at a two-decade cost of $83 billion, Afghan security forces collapsed so quickly and completely — in some cases without a shot fired — that the ultimate beneficiary of the Americ…
Amid new virus surge, Florida skeptics reconsider vaccines
CALLAHAN, Fla. (AP) — In a rural stretch of northeastern Florida where barely half the people have gotten a coronavirus shot, Roger West had no problem telling others he was “adamantly anti-vaccination.”
Biden: Afghan chaos 'gut-wrenching' but stands by withdrawal
WASHINGTON (AP) — A defiant President Joe Biden rejected blame Monday for chaotic scenes of Afghans clinging to U.S. military planes in Kabul in a desperate bid to flee their home country after the Taliban's easy v…
Analysis: Defiant Biden is face of chaotic Afghan evacuation
Four presidents share responsibility for the missteps in Afghanistan that accumulated over two decades. But only President Joe Biden will be the face of the war's chaotic, violent conclusion.
Misread warnings helped lead to chaotic Afghan evacuation
WASHINGTON (AP) — The warnings were clear: The Afghan government would likely fall once U.S. troops pulled out. But intelligence agencies and ultimately President Joe Biden missed how quickly it would happen, losin…