President Donald Trump gleefully announced that, under his direction, U.S. military troops had swooped down on the Governor’s Mansion in Sacramento and kidnapped California Governor Gavin Newsom. “We’re charging Newscum with fraud.” When a reporter asked for specifics about the fraud charges, Trump pointed to Attorney General Pam Bondi. Bondi, clearly taken by surprise, said, “We’re looking into it and will let you know the details as soon as we’ve created them.”   read more

With an estimated 74.9 million baby boomers, the biggest market opportunity for startups is older Americans rather than hip millennials. As members of the generation that defined rock ‘n’ roll grow older, they are adding a wide range of goods and services to their lifestyles. New business ideas that cater to boomers are nearly endless, and include chefs, online dating sites and yoga instructors for people with health issues.   read more

Some 5,000 U.S. Marines are slated to be relocated from Okinawa and train on the Mariana Islands using artillery, mortars, rockets, amphibious assaults, attack warplanes and naval bombardment. The complaint claims the Navy acknowledges this would destroy native wildlife, forests and reefs. Families who aspired to return to Pagan island, evacuated during volcanic eruptions, "would be forever banished from returning to their home island, which would be turned into a militarized wasteland."   read more

The complaint describes the experiences of individual plaintiffs who were each found incompetent to stand trial. Joseph Ward was found incompetent to stand trial and ordered committed to a mental health facility to attain competency. But the department did not allow the county to transfer Ward to a state mental health facility, so he remained in the county jail. Ward has been waiting to be transferred to a mental health facility for competency treatment for over 22 weeks, the complaint says.   read more

The microphones — in a sprinkler, planter and a backpack — recorded 214 hours of audio. Judge Breyer ruled that federal authorities "utterly failed to justify the warrantless electronic surveillance program that recorded private conversations spoken in hushed tones by judges, attorneys, and court staff entering and exiting the courthouse." Also captured were private conversations of two women "discussing details of their personal lives that ranged from the private to the salacious."   read more

The CDC has repeatedly expressed concern that use of antibiotics in animal husbandry is contributing to the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. CDC's Dr. Robert Tauxe said that research had demonstrated that antibiotic use in animals that produce food has a negative impact on public health. Five large U.S. poultry producers are reducing their reliance on antibiotics. But not Sanderson, which calls its competitors’ efforts a “marketing gimmick” aimed at charging higher prices.   read more

The call for paid family leave on the Democratic party platform is the most ambitious attempt by a major party in years to reverse the U.S.'s status as the only industrialized nation without any standard for paid time off for new parents. But recently a handful of states and industries have been increasing this benefit. "It's taken on an inevitability," said Ellen Bravo. Some states and several competitive industries have slowly been bolstering paid parental leave laws and policies.   read more

The proposal is controversial within the biking community and opposed by conservationists who say bikes would erode trails and upset the five-decade notion of wilderness as primitive spaces. While mountain biking wasn't a popular sport when the law was passed, they will alter the character of those spaces and are tough on trails, said Alan Rowsome of The Wilderness Society. Rowsome said that only about 10 to 12% of all U.S. public lands are protected under the Wilderness Act.   read more

Like other voter-ID laws that have been challenged, the North Dakota statute was passed by a Republican-led legislature that asserted stronger measures were needed to curb voter fraud. Democratic legislators said it was intended solely to suppress voting among traditionally Democratic constituencies. “The record is replete with concrete evidence of significant burdens imposed on Native American voters attempting to exercise their right to vote,” Hovland wrote.   read more

Rudo's boss, state public health director Dr. Randall Williams, in March reversed earlier warnings that had told hundreds of affected residents not to drink their water. The water is contaminated with cancer-causing hexavalent chromium at levels many times higher than Rudo had determined is safe. "The state health director's job is to protect public health," testified Rudo. "He knowingly told people that their water was safe when we knew it wasn't."   read more

The plight of today's refugees is so politically contentious that after days of intense negotiations, the nations of the world have come up with virtually no concrete commitments to make their journeys any better or safer. Western European countries, along with Russia, resisted a pledge to resettle 10% of all the people fleeing war and persecution. And the U.S. balked at language that would have committed all countries to not detaining unauthorized children who arrive at their borders.   read more

"The Wisconsin experience demonstrates that a preoccupation with mostly phantom election fraud leads to real incidents of disenfranchisement, which undermine rather than enhance confidence in elections, particularly in minority communities," Judge Peterson said. "To put it bluntly, Wisconsin's strict version of voter ID law is a cure worse than the disease." The judge said the law's restriction for absentee voting discriminates on the basis of race.   read more

"Fraudulently altering engineering reports undermines the integrity of the entire FEMA claims process, which homeowners and families rely upon in a time of crisis," said Schneiderman. "Today's charges reveal a flagrant disregard for the well-being and safety of New Yorkers, and my office will not tolerate it." Pappalardo posted bail of $20,000 cash over a $40,000 bond. The 38-year-old faces up to seven years in prison if convicted on all charges.   read more

The VA does not offer Agent Orange benefits to vets who served on ships offshore or never set foot on Vietnamese soil. Instead, these vets must prove exposure on a case-by-case basis. The vets noted that the presence of Agent Orange in the waters off the coast of Vietnam was unmistakable. After churning up Agent Orange while traversing and anchoring offshore, unsophisticated methods of turning saltwater into potable water intensified the chemical, furthering their exposure, the veterans said.   read more

In 2014, NTSB urged FAA Administrator Michael Huerta to make balloon operators subject to FAA safety inspections. "The potential for a high number of fatalities in a single air tour balloon accident is of particular concern if air tour balloon operators continue to conduct operations under less stringent regulations and oversight," NTSB wrote. Huerta said it was unnecessary because the risks were too low. A hot air balloon carrying 16 people crashed Saturday in Central Texas, killing all aboard.   read more

"With surgical precision, North Carolina tried to eliminate voting practices disproportionately used by African-Americans. This ruling is a stinging rebuke of the state's attempt to undermine African-American voter participation, which had surged over the last decade," Ho said. Added attorney Riggs: "We applaud the appeals court for recognizing the discriminatory intent behind and effect wrought by the 2013 monster law." Attorney General Loretta Lynch said she was pleased with the ruling.   read more

A farmer discovered 22 plants in an unplanted field, and the wheat was developed to be resistant to the herbicide known as Roundup, created by seed giant Monsanto. Federal officials said they were working with the farmer to ensure that none of the modified wheat is sold. South Korea said Friday that it will inspect U.S. wheat imports for genetically modified wheat. The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said it has asked the USDA for information on the unapproved wheat and inspection methods.   read more