California Controller warns that economic downturn may be near
SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) – California’s state tax collections in April fell short of expectations, a sign that the state may be headed toward an economic downturn, State Controller Betty Yee warned on Wednesday.
Trump claims absolute immunity from D.C. wine bar’s lawsuit
(Reuters) – Lawyers for Donald Trump on Wednesday said the U.S. president has “absolute immunity” from a lawsuit by owners of the Cork Wine Bar in Washington, D.C., who claim that his ownership of a nearby hotel constitutes unfair competition.
Chicago mayor weighs options to fill widening gap in school budget
CHICAGO (Reuters) – A gap in Chicago’s public school system budget is likely to grow more than 4-1/2 times beyond a previous estimate and Mayor Rahm Emanuel is considering a property tax increase or additional borrowing among options to close it, a cit…
Trial starts of Oklahoma officer charged with manslaughter
TULSA, Okla. (Reuters) – Prosecutors opened the manslaughter trial on Wednesday of a white Tulsa police officer by recounting the events of a day when she shot an unarmed black motorist, seeking a conviction in a case that fanned concerns of possible r…
West Virginia reporter jailed after questioning U.S. health secretary
(Reuters) – A West Virginia journalist was arrested and jailed after following U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price down a hallway in the state’s capitol building and peppering him with questions about healthcare policy, the reporter said…
Four U.S. states sue Interior Department over coal leases on public lands
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Four U.S. states have sued Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke, the Interior Department and the U.S. Bureau of Land Management to block new leases of public lands for coal mining, according to papers filed on Tuesday in Montana federal c…
Video shows Southwest passengers fight aboard California flight
NEW YORK (Reuters) – Video of brawling U.S. airline passengers emerged on Wednesday for the second day in a row, this time showing two men going at it on a Southwest Airlines flight that had just landed on Sunday in Burbank, California.
Former West Virginia police officer sues, says he was fired for not shooting suspect
(Reuters) – A former police officer sued a West Virginia city on Wednesday, saying he was fired for endangering colleagues after he chose not to shoot and kill a man who was brandishing a gun during a domestic incident.
Oregon moves toward allowing third gender option on drivers’ licenses
PORTLAND, Ore. (Reuters) – Oregonians may soon be able to identify themselves as neither male nor female as Oregon works toward becoming the first U.S. state to allow a third gender option on its drivers’ licenses and state identification cards.
Graduates at Florida university turn backs in protest of DeVos speech
(Reuters) – Graduating seniors at Bethune-Cookman University in Florida turned their backs in protest of U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos at the start of her commencement speech on Wednesday at the historically black institution.
