Valerie Richardson

Joe Biden blasted over vow to shutter economy if scientists advised it in pandemic

Former Vice President Joseph R. Biden drew a rash of criticism over his declaration Sunday that he would defer to scientists on whether to lock down the economy to control the novel coronavirus.

August 24, 2020

Seizures of illegal drugs in Indian County double in administration’s anti-opioid push

The Trump administration announced Monday that seizures of illegal narcotics in Indian Country doubled last year as part of the administration's effort to combat the opioid crisis.

August 24, 2020

Conservatives urge Trump to fight effort to kill Alaska mine

Pebble Partnership ad praises the president for keeping politics out of the review process.

August 23, 2020

Suspect in brutal Portland beating arrested, charged with assault, riot

The man caught on viral video beating and kicking another man during recent Portland unrest turned himself in Thursday to law enforcement.

August 21, 2020

Chicago police union endorses Patrick O’Brien, Kim Foxx opponent

The Chicago Fraternal Order of Police threw its support Thursday behind Patrick O'Brien, the Republican candidate running to unseat embattled Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx.

August 20, 2020

Schools opening for paid childcare but not teaching faces backlash

Under California Gov. Gavin Newsom's emergency order, the novel coronavirus threat has been deemed to make it too dangerous for many school districts to reopen for instruction.

August 20, 2020

Judge rejects Los Angeles County’s effort to hold Grace Community Church in contempt

A judge rebuffed Thursday efforts to Los Angeles County to hold in contempt and sanction Grace Community Church over its defiance of novel coronavirus restrictions.

August 20, 2020

Anti-poverty billboards urging people to get a job, finish school removed after backlash

A series of anti-poverty billboards sponsored by a Black conservative group urges young people to finish school, get a job, get married and save money, but apparently that advice was too inflammatory for Milwaukee.

August 20, 2020

Los Angeles County seeks to punish church for indoor reopening with $20,000 in sanctions

Los Angeles County has asked a court to hold Grace Community Church in contempt for holding indoor services on Sunday, seeking more than $20,000 in damages for violating public health orders on the novel coronavirus.

August 20, 2020

Biden team disavows Linda Sarsour, BDS activist, after she speaks at DNC delegate meeting

The Biden camp moved to distance itself from Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour after she spoke at a Tuesday meeting of Democratic National Convention delegates, saying she had "no role in the campaign whatsoever."

August 19, 2020

Bill Clinton mocked for lecturing Trump amid photo of him getting massage from Epstein accuser

President Bill Clinton used his Democratic National Convention speech Tuesday to lecture President Trump on decorum, drawing charges of hypocrisy even before a photo of the former Democratic president with an Epstein accuser went viral.

August 19, 2020

Linda Sarsour DNC appearance draws GOP ire

Republicans erupted Tuesday after Palestinian-American activist Linda Sarsour, who has been accused of anti-Semitism, spoke at a meeting of the Democratic National Convention.

August 18, 2020

California rolling blackouts caused by green energy plan, heat wave

California's electricity grid picked an inconvenient moment to stumble, at least for Democrats seeking to drum up support this week for Joseph R. Biden's $2 trillion green-energy plan at the Democratic National Convention.

August 18, 2020

Denver city council rejects proposal to replace police department with ‘peace force’

The Denver City Council voted down a proposal to replace the police department with a largely unarmed "peace force" at its Monday night meeting after the mayor denounced the concept as "reckless and irresponsible."

August 18, 2020

Arizona school district forced to close classrooms again as teacher ‘sickout’ continues

The J.O. Combs Unified School District was forced to shutter classrooms for another two days as teachers refused again to return to school for in-person learning.

August 18, 2020

Report clears Kim Foxx of crimes, finds ‘abuses of discretion’ in Jussie Smollett case

A special prosecutor's investigation into the Jussie Smollett case released Monday found Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx badly botched the investigations Mr. Smollett, but that the mishandling of the sensation case did not rise to the level of criminal wrongdoing.

August 17, 2020

Interior approves oil-and-gas leasing program for Arctic National Wildlife Refuge

The Interior Department issued its final order Monday for a commercial leasing program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, moving to unlock a potential oil-and-gas gusher in the Alaska wilderness and underscoring the Trump administration's energy independence push.

August 17, 2020

Kim Foxx, Mike Schmidt accused of fueling riots in Chicago, Portland

The rioters, vandals and looters taking over the streets in Chicago and Portland often act if they know they will never be held accountable for their wrongdoing and, in many cases, they are right.

August 16, 2020

Grace Community Church pastor John MacArthur holds service in defiance of Los Angeles order

Grace Community Church held indoor services Sunday in defiance of a Los Angeles County public-health order, hours after an appeals court blocked a ruling that would have allowed the evangelical megachurch to reopen.

August 16, 2020

Arizona school district cancels Monday’s reopening after teachers stage ‘sickout’

An Arizona school district was forced to cancel its planned Monday reopening after more than 100 teachers called in sick over novel coronavirus fears.

August 15, 2020