Stories by Associated Press
Condition of Some US Dams Kept Secret in National Database
| Associated Press
For much of the past couple of decades, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers declined to reveal the conditions of dams in the National Inventory of Dams — which it maintains — citing security concerns stemming from the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks.
New Reparations Focus: Black Enclaves Lost to Development
| Associated Press
The approach builds off the blueprint in Evanston, a Chicago suburb that became the first in the nation to begin paying reparations last year with a program providing Black residents grants for mortgage payments and home repairs, in acknowledgement of the historic discrimination Black people endured when trying to buy homes.
COVID Coverage for All Dries up Even as Hospital Costs Rise
| Associated Press
Things are reverting to the way they were as federal money for COVID care of the uninsured dries up, creating a potential barrier to timely access. But the virus is not contained, even if it’s better controlled. And safety-net hospitals and clinics are seeing sharply higher costs for salaries and other basic operating expenses.
How Higher Fed Rates Stand to Affect Americans’ Finances
| Associated Press
The substantial half-point hike in its benchmark short-term rate that the Federal Reserve announced Wednesday won’t, by itself, have much immediate effect on most Americans’ finances. But additional large hikes are expected to be announced at the Fed’s next two meetings, in June and July, and economists and investors foresee the fastest pace of rate increases since 1989.
Boeing Will Move its Headquarters to DC Area From Chicago
| Associated Press
A move to Arlington, Virginia, would put Boeing executives close to officials for their key customer, the Pentagon, and the Federal Aviation Administration, which certifies Boeing passenger planes.
New Round of State Abortion Battles Winding up After Draft
| Associated Press
The potential to roll back established abortion rights already has emerged in states with divided political control, including Pennsylvania and Virginia. California and Colorado are pushing to protect abortion access in their constitutions, a stronger step than passing a law.
Biden Showcases Deficit Progress in Bid to Counter Critics
| Associated Press
President Joe Biden, embracing deficit reduction as a way to fight inflation, stressed that the dip in the national debt would be the first in six years, an achievement that eluded former President Donald Trump despite his promises to improve the federal balance sheet.
What’s Next For Abortion After Supreme Court Leak?
| Associated Press
It’s not surprising that the court, which has a strong conservative majority after former President Donald Trump appointed three justices during his single term in office, would seek to curb abortion rights. However, the breadth of the draft opinion startled advocates and sent shockwaves through American politics.
Even as COVID Cases Rise, Mask Mandates Stay Shelved
| Associated Press
For weeks, much of upstate New York has been in the high-alert orange zone, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention designation that reflects serious community spread. The CDC urges people to mask up in indoor public places, including schools, regardless of vaccination status. But few, if any, local jurisdictions in the region brought back a mask requirement despite rising case counts.
Lawmakers in 19 States Want Legal Refuge for Trans Youth
| Associated Press
The coordinated effort being announced Tuesday by the LGBTQ Victory Institute and other advocates comes in response to recent actions taken in conservative states. In Texas, for example, Gov. Gregg Abbott has directed state agencies to consider placing transgender children in foster care, though a judge has temporarily blocked such investigations.
Report: Supreme Court Draft Suggests Roe Could Be Overturned
| Associated Press
A decision to overrule Roe would lead to abortion bans in roughly half the states and could have huge ramifications for this year’s elections. But it’s unclear if the draft represents the court’s final word on the matter — opinions often change in ways big and small in the drafting process.
Push to Arm Ukraine Putting Strain on US Weapons Stockpile
| Associated Press
The U.S. already has provided about 7,000 Javelins, including some that were delivered during the Trump administration, about one-third of its stockpile, to Ukraine, according to an analysis by Mark Cancian, a senior adviser with the Center for Strategic and International Studies international security program.
Trump’s Bid to Shape GOP Faces Test with Voters in May Races
| Associated Press
Donald Trump’s post-presidency enters a new phase this month as voters across the U.S. begin weighing the candidates he elevated to pursue a vision of a Republican Party steeped in hardline populism, culture wars and denial of his loss in the 2020 campaign.
Greyhound Racing Nearing its End in the US After Long Slide
| Associated Press
It’s been a long slide for greyhound racing, which reached its peak in the 1980s when there were more than 50 tracks across 19 states. Since then, increased concerns about how the dogs are treated along with an explosion of gambling options have nearly killed a sport that gained widespread appeal about a century ago.
Evidence Mounts of GOP Involvement in Trump Election Schemes
| Associated Press
A review of the evidence finds new details about how, long before the attack on the Capitol unfolded, several GOP lawmakers were participating directly in Trump’s campaign to reverse the results of a free and fair election.
Combat Death Puts Spotlight on Americans Fighting in Ukraine
| Associated Press
An undetermined number of other Americans — many with military backgrounds — are thought to be in the country battling Russian forces beside both Ukrainians and volunteers from other countries even though U.S. forces aren’t directly involved in fighting aside from sending military materiel, humanitarian aid and money.
Back With the Banned: Do Twitter’s Exiles Return Under Musk?
| Associated Press
While Musk hasn’t offered specifics about how he would run the platform, his musings are prompting celebrations from some of those muzzled by Twitter, even as they alarm internet safety experts who predict a rise in harassment, hate speech and misinformation about topics like vaccines and elections.
Redfin Settles Lawsuit Alleging Housing Discrimination
| Associated Press
The agreed upon changes will increase access to Redfin’s real estate services across the country and help counter redlining and residential segregation that NFHA and the other plaintiffs alleged Redfin’s policies perpetuated.
FDA Sets June Meetings on COVID Vaccines for Youngest Kids
| Associated Press
The meeting announcement follows months of frustration from families impatient for a chance to vaccinate their little children, along with complaints from politicians bemoaning the slow pace of the process.
FDA Issues Plan to Ban Menthol in Cigarettes, Cigars
| Associated Press
Menthol accounts for more than a third of cigarettes sold in the U.S, and the mint flavor is favored by Black smokers and young people. Menthol’s cooling effect has been shown to mask the throat harshness of smoking, making it easier to start and harder to quit.
Survivors Unite to Deliver Message on Holocaust Remembrance
| Associated Press
Holocaust survivors across the world have united to deliver a message on the dangers of unchecked hate and the importance of remembrance at a time of rising global antisemitism.
16 States, Including Illinois, That Want to Electrify USPS Fleet File Lawsuits
| Associated Press
Three separate lawsuits, filed by the states and environmental groups Thursday ask judges to order a more thorough environmental review before the Postal Service moves forward with the next-generation delivery vehicle program.
One-Fifth of Reptiles Worldwide Face Risk of Extinction
| Associated Press
More than 1 in 5 species of reptiles worldwide are threatened with extinction, according to a comprehensive new assessment of thousands of species published Wednesday in the journal Nature. Work on the reptile study – which involved nearly 1,000 scientists and 52 co-authors – started in 2005.
Probe of Amazon Warehouse Collapse in Edwardsville Finds Worker Safety Risks
| Associated Press
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration on Tuesday sent a “Hazard Alert Letter” to the Seattle-based e-commerce giant on Tuesday following the agency’s investigation into the deadly collapse of a company warehouse in Edwardsville, Illinois in December. Six people died and another was critically injured in the tornado strike.
Fauci: ‘Pandemic Phase’ Over for US, but COVID-19 Still Here
| Associated Press
Dr. Anthony Fauci has given an upbeat assessment of the current state of the coronavirus in the United States, saying the country is “out of the pandemic phase” when it comes to new infections, hospitalizations and deaths, but that it appears to be making a transition to COVID-19 becoming an endemic disease — occurring regularly in certain areas.
Biden Pardons Former Secret Service Agent From Chicago and 2 Others
| Associated Press
The Democratic president also commuted the sentences of 75 others for nonviolent, drug-related convictions. The White House announced the clemencies Tuesday as it launched a series of job training and reentry programs for those in prison or recently released.
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