June 18, 2020 4:06 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump has released a long-awaited national plan to address the high number of veteran suicides. He’s proposing initiatives including firearm safety and wellness programs at workplaces to new barriers near railroads and bridges. According to the 66-page plan, the $53 million, two-year effort will include a public messaging campaign to raise awareness about suicide at a time of increased social distancing and isolation during a pandemic. Still, it remains unclear how much of the plan could result in immediate concrete action. Much of the effort will need congressional action, as well as cooperation from governors and local groups.
June 18, 2020 4:04 am
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) – Black community leaders in Tulsa said they fear a large rally by President Donald Trump in the city this weekend could spark violence. Meanwhile, the state’s governor asked Trump not to visit the site of a race massacre where up to 300 black residents were killed by white mobs in 1921. Tens of thousands of Trump supporters are expected in Tulsa Saturday for the first of a series of rallies across the country. The rally at the 19,000-seat BOK Center would overlap a two-day local celebration of Juneteenth, which marks the end of slavery in the country.
June 18, 2020 4:02 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – Facebook has removed a campaign ad by President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence that featured an upside-down red triangle. That symbol was once used by Nazis to designate political prisoners, communists and others in concentration camps. Nathaniel Gleicher, the company’s head of security policy, confirmed at a House Intelligence Committee hearing Thursday that the ad had been removed. He says Facebook does not permit symbols of hateful ideology “unless they’re put up with context or condemnation.”
June 18, 2020 3:56 am
The Ringgold School Board held a Committee of the Whole meeting to discuss items pertaining to budget and scheduling. No votes were taken, the regular board meeting will be held on June 24. Discussions surrounding the repairs and improvements to the swimming pool and natatorium acknowledged that none of those improvements will be considered this budget year. Numbers are running from $1 million for simple repairs to over $5 million for a complete overhaul. This year’s $46 million budget calls for a .4% increase in taxes. Some massaging of numbers will be necessary as nearly $130,000 expected from the state will not be received. Funds from the Cares Act for costs associated with the coronavirus pandemic will be used to fill that gap. The first day of school is currently scheduled for August 24, but in efforts to be flexible with possible interruptions in scheduling due to the coronavirus a survey is being conducted to allow families to voice their opinions on two alternate start dates. The survey may be accessed on the school district webpage.
June 18, 2020 3:25 am
PITTSBURGH (AP) – A federal agent was shot and wounded while taking part in a raid in a Pittsburgh neighborhood. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives confirmed one of its agents was shot around 6 a.m. and he was treated at the scene by ATF medics. But the agent’s name and further information about his condition were not disclosed. A suspect was taken into custody at the scene. Authorities said the wounded agent was taking part in a raid that involved several law enforcement agencies.
June 18, 2020 2:45 am
The Main Street Farmer’s Market in downtown Washington opened for the season on Thursday. The market, which began its 17th season, is held at the community pavilion on South Main Street across from the Observer Reporter building. It will be held on Thursdays from 3:00 to 6:00 p.m. through October. Market organizers say they found it necessary to be proactive in keeping with the CDC guidelines that have been instituted for the safety of vendors and community members so there were some changes that visitors noticed. Organizers say the market this year truly exemplifies the statement that “We are ALL in this Together.” They say their goal is to see farmers and local small businesses thrive along with offering the community access to the freshest local products and welcoming SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) customers to shop with added savings. Despite fewer vendors and no live entertainment, the first socially-distanced market of the year saw a decent crowd. Face coverings were evident and entrances and exits were well marked.
June 17, 2020 4:14 pm
(WPXI) – The Pittsburgh Bureau of Police is looking for a man who allegedly assaulted a Children Youth and Family Services worker when she arrived at a home in Pittsburgh’s Manchester neighborhood on Wednesday morning. She and a 7-year-old child got out safely, then called 911 and the SWAT team arrived along North West Avenue. Officers believed the man was barricaded inside the home with a woman and a 2-year-old child, but when they searched the house, the man was gone.
June 17, 2020 1:54 pm
(AP) – The Atlanta officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks in the back after the fleeing man pointed a stun gun in his direction is facing eleven charges, including felony murder. Fulton County District Attorney Paul Howard made the announcement about Garrett Rolfe (pictured left) during a news conference Wednesday. Rolfe had already been fired after he fatally shot the 27-year-old Brooks on Friday night. The shooting had sparked new demonstrations in Georgia’s capital against police brutality. Atlanta Police Chief Erika Shields resigned less than 24 hours after Brooks died.
June 17, 2020 4:13 am
ATLANTA (AP) – A widely available drug is showing promise of treating the most seriously ill coronavirus patients. It’s a welcome bit of hope as countries grapple with spikes in contagion as they loosen restrictions and reopen their economies. Researchers say the steroid, called dexamethasone, reduced deaths by 35% in patients who needed breathing machines and by 20% among those using supplemental oxygen. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the drug was the “biggest breakthrough yet” in treating the virus. Top U.S. infectious disease expert Dr. Anthony Fauci called it “a significant improvement in the available therapeutic options that we have.”
June 17, 2020 4:11 am
BEIJING (AP) – Chinese media say more than 60% of commercial flights in and out of Beijing have been canceled as the city raises alert level amid a new coronavirus outbreak. The website of the Communist Party’s Global Times said that as of 9 a.m. Wednesday, a total of 1,255 flights to and from the capital’s two major airports have been scrapped. Beijing has enacted a number of measures to limit travel in and out of the city, especially among those coming from districts where new cases have been detected. Beijing had essentially eradicated cases of local transmission but in recent days has added a total of 137 new cases with no new deaths.
