Political
Need information regarding current political news? Here we'll keep you updated on the latest political news, locally and nationally.
Grant County primary turnout slips from 2022 levels as officials look ahead to November election
EPHRATA — Grant County's voter turnout in the 2026 primary election finished at nearly 34%, a figure county electi…
Kentucky Gov. Beshear issues face mask mandate in public
FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) — Kentuckians will be required to wear face masks or coverings in public places beginning Friday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday.
Confirmed COVID-19 cases surpass 50,000 in South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina has now recorded more than 50,000 cases of COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic, state health officials reported Thursday.
CDC head sticking to school-opening guides Trump criticized
ATLANTA (AP) — Federal health officials won't revise their coronavirus guidelines for reopening schools despite criticism from President Donald Trump, the head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said…
Colorado unveils coronavirus modeling tool for public
DENVER (AP) — Colorado's Gov. Jared Polis on Thursday unveiled a coronavirus modeling tool that allows the public to input parameters such as age, a percentage of people wearing masks or social distancing to predic…
DC judge asks for full appeal review of Flynn dismissal
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. District Court judge who oversaw the criminal case of President Donald Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn has requested a full appeals court review after a three-judge…
Louisiana Democrats searching for new state party leader
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Louisiana Democrats will elect a new leader this summer, after state Sen. Karen Carter Peterson said Thursday that she won't seek reelection as chair of the state party.
Milley: Confederate names on Army bases divide the military
WASHINGTON (AP) — Confederate Army symbols within the military, including prominent Army bases named for rebel generals, are divisive and can be offensive to Black people in uniform, the nation's top officer said T…
Trump signs executive order as he courts Hispanic voters
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday that creates an advisory commission tasked with improving Hispanic Americans' access to economic and educational opportunities, a push tha…
Police: Black man's hanging death in California was suicide
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The death of a Black man found hanging from a tree in a Southern California city park last month was ruled a suicide Thursday following a police investigation prompted by outrage from the family …
Virus jump swells California lines for tests; shortages loom
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Before Brian Haag returned to work styling hair at a Los Angeles salon last month, he wanted to ensure his clients he was not infected with coronavirus, so he booked an appointment for a test and…
AP FACT CHECK: Trump team distortions on Biden and police
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's campaign team is misrepresenting Democratic rival Joe Biden's stance on improving police practices following George Floyd's death.
Pentagon: US will respond if Russia bounty reports are true
WASHINGTON (AP) — Top Pentagon leaders told Congress on Thursday that reports of Russia offering Taliban militants bounties for killing Americans were not corroborated by defense intelligence agencies, but said the…
Gov: Health workers must get bias training; issues mask plea
LANSING, Mich. (AP) — Michigan health workers must receive “implicit bias” training tied to their professional licensure under a directive issued Thursday by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, who said the mandate will help ad…
Alabama mayor diagnosed with COVID-19 dies as cases surge
CLANTON, Ala. (AP) — A longtime Alabama mayor diagnosed with the disease caused by the new coronavirus has died, city officials said Thursday as the illness continued surging in the state.
US Supreme Court asked to lift stay on Florida felon voting
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Voting rights advocates asked the U.S. Supreme Court to lift a stay on a federal judge's ruling that allowed Florida felons to regain the right to vote, regardless of unpaid fines and other…