July 1, 2020 3:55 am
NEW YORK (AP) – New York City lawmakers have approved a plan to shift $1 billion from policing to education and social services in the coming year. The spending plan passed by the City Council early Wednesday came as lawmakers struggled to deal with the fallout of the coronavirus pandemic, which has sapped the city of billions of dollars in revenue. The cut to police spending fell short of what activists sought. Mayor Bill de Blasio supports the $88.2 billion spending plan. Council Speaker Corey Johnson called the budget a disappointment, saying he wished he was able to negotiate a bigger police budget cut.
July 1, 2020 3:54 am
MOSCOW (AP) – Russian President Vladimir Putin is wrapping up his main political project of the year. That’s the constitutional vote that would allow him to extend his rule until 2036. The nationwide balloting on the amendments that would reset the clock on Putin’s tenure and enable him to serve two more six-year terms enters its final day Wednesday. For the first time in Russia, the polls were open for a week to help reduce crowds on election day and to bolster turnout amid the coronavirus pandemic. Putin is all but guaranteed to get the result he wants following a massive campaign to get Russia’s voters to say “yes” to the changes.
July 1, 2020 3:52 am
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Pennsylvania’s high court has ruled against an effort by Republican state lawmakers to end Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf’s shutdown orders. A divided court ruled Wednesday that a resolution passed with mostly GOP votes was a “legal nullity” because it was not sent to Wolf to sign or veto. The resolution would have ended Wolf’s emergency disaster declaration that led to the closure of “non-life-sustaining” businesses, bans on large gatherings and orders for people to isolate at home.
June 30, 2020 10:14 am
NEW YORK (AP) – Carl Reiner, the ingenious and versatile comedy writer, actor and director, has died, according to reports. Reiner’s assistant Judy Nagy says he died Monday night of natural causes his home in Beverly Hills, California at 98 of natural causes. Reiner, the father of actor-director Rob Reiner, broke through as a “second banana” to Sid Caesar and rose to comedy’s front ranks as creator of “The Dick Van Dyke Show” and straight man to Mel Brooks’ “2000 Year Old Man.” One of show business’ best liked men, the tall, bald Reiner was a welcome face on the small and silver screens.
June 30, 2020 7:36 am
The Washington County Coroner’s office has identified the man who died in a structure fire Tuesday morning in North Franklin Township. 85 year old Gary Bigler was pronounced dead just after 7 a.m. The fire broke out just before 6 a.m. at his home along McElree Road. Reportedly, it involved an apartment above a garage. Heavy smoke was reported inside when first responders arrived on the scene. A cause and manner of death are pending. The State Police Fire Marshall is investigating.
June 30, 2020 4:03 am
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – A former police officer who terrorized California as a serial burglar and rapist and killed more than a dozen people has pleaded guilty to murders attributed to the Golden State Killer. Joseph James DeAngelo Jr. had remained almost silent in court since his 2018 arrest until he repeatedly uttered the word “guilty” Monday. He pleaded guilty to 13 murders and admitted to dozens of rapes. The plea agreement spares him the death penalty for a life sentence with no chance of parole. Prosecutors say DeAngelo muttered to himself after being arrested about an inner personality that had forced him to commit the crimes.
June 30, 2020 4:02 am
BALTIMORE (AP) – The NAACP is working with the District of Columbia to move its headquarters from Baltimore to Washington. The civil rights organization said in a news release Monday it has signed a letter of intent to move its national headquarters within the future redevelopment of the Frank D. Reeves Center of Municipal Affairs. District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the city looks forward to welcoming the organization to Washington. NAACP President and CEO Derrick Johnson says the move will enable the organization to amplify the voices of Black people as it fights for crucial policy changes and economic empowerment needed in communities across the country.
June 30, 2020 4:01 am
ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. (AP) – Florida and other states across the Sunbelt are thinning out the deck chairs, turning over the barstools and rushing to line up more hospital beds as they head into the height of the summer season amid a startling surge in confirmed cases of the coronavirus. With newly reported infections running about 40,000 a day in the United States, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious-disease expert, warned on Tuesday that the number could rocket to 100,000 if Americans don’t start following public health recommendations.
June 30, 2020 3:59 am
WASHINGTON (AP) – President Donald Trump is coming under growing pressure from lawmakers to respond to allegations that Russia offered bounties for killing American troops in Afghanistan. Democrats are accusing Trump of bowing to Russian President Vladimir Putin and are demanding more answers about U.S. intelligence Trump had said he never saw. Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Tuesday the president now has indeed been briefed. House Democrats returning from their own briefing at the White House said they learned nothing new about assessments that suggested Russia was making overtures to militants as the U.S. and the Taliban held talks to end the war in Afghanistan. Republicans largely defended the president, arguing along with the White House that the intelligence was unverified.
June 30, 2020 3:58 am
ATLANTA (AP) – A judge says the former Atlanta police officer who fatally shot Rayshard Brooks can be free on bond while his case is pending. A judge on Tuesday set a bond of $500,000 for Garrett Rolfe, who faces charges including felony murder in the killing of the 27-year-old Black man. Rolfe fatally shot Brooks in the back when Brooks fired a Taser in his direction while running away after a struggle on June 12. Rolfe is white. Felony murder convictions are punishable by a minimum sentence of life in prison. The shooting happened against the backdrop of demonstrations nationwide over police brutality.
