President Donald Trump invited the Dodgers to the White House. Many of their fans feared that the team, by accepting, would humiliate themselves and betray the team’s large Latino, Asian and African-American fan base. Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter, along with co-owner Magic Johnson, have proposed a solution. Trump has promised that if he can keep the championship trophy, the Commissioner’s Trophy, he will end all seizures and deportations of immigrants.   read more

Debra Harrell of North Augusta was arrested after police learned she was regularly leaving her nine-year-old daughter at a nearby park for hours at a time while she worked at McDonald’s. The child was given a cell phone in case of emergencies and reportedly not harmed while alone in Summerfield.   read more

The Department of Justice trumpeted reaching a $7 billion deal with Citigroup to settle charges of “egregious misconduct” in its sale of mortgage-backed securities. But critics of the deal are crying foul. “The $7 billion settlement...is meaningless without disclosure of...how many hundreds of billions of dollars Citigroup made, how many tens of billions investors lost, how many billions in bonuses were pocketed, [and] which executives were involved,” said Dennis Kelleher.   read more

It’s not just the Pentagon and other high profile U.S. agencies that have to worry about Chinese hackers. Even the little guys in Washington are coming under attack. Lower profile agencies with no secret data, like those overseeing personnel and printing, have now been infiltrated. Hackers may have just been curious to know what these offices do. “Along the way you’re going to shake a lot of doorknobs,” said Shawn Henry. “If the door is unlocked, why not look in?”   read more

American spying overseas has proven so worrisome that one U.S. ally is considering ditching email and using typewriters to communicate classified information that can’t be intercepted electronically. Germany, whose government officials and citizens were angered last year upon learning the NSA had spied on them, is thinking seriously about embracing pre-computer technology. Some people are so concerned that they meet in person over coffee to keep conversations private.   read more

The tamarisk beetle has been both a blessing and a curse in the American Southwest. The agricultural industry and state water officials in Arizona have welcomed the insect because of its appetite for the tamarisk tree, a non-native species that critics say uses too much water, up to 200 gallons a day. But ecologists argue the beetles will only cause other problems, demonstrating the complicated efforts by man to correct his interference with nature.   read more

Most medicines sold in the U.S. come with instructions that call for teaspoon- or tablespoon-sized amounts. The problem with this method is that it can lead to dangerous overdosing for children. About 10,000 people each year contact poison control centers because of confusion about medicine directions. That’s why some professional organizations are now advocating for American liquid medicines to be dispensed in milliliters, which produces fewer risks of overdosing kids.   read more

Tens of thousands of businesses have been caught polluting the air, water or soil, but rarely does the federal government prosecute the leaders of these lawbreakers. There are more than 64,000 facilities in federal databases with violations of U.S. environmental laws, but less than 0.5% result in prosecutions. That’s because the government has consistently preferred to take civil actions against corporate polluters, even though laws exist to charge executives criminally.   read more

The FDA has come under scrutiny for allegedly playing favorites when it comes to giving out grants. Complaints have surfaced within the scientific community about FDA funding for research being conducted by members of the agency’s Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee. In helping to support those efforts, the agency has chosen to reject “several projects deemed by an NIH panel to have greater scientific merit,” conducted by researchers not represented on the committee   read more

In the wake of congressional investigations into the agency’s work, the IRS now will only screen about 20% of all applicants requesting tax-exempt charitable status, even though concerns still exist about groups committing fraud and abusing the tax code for political purposes. The change will certainly make the workload easier at the IRS. An 80% reduction in reviews will translate into processing up to 50,000 fewer 501(c)(3) applications a year.   read more

“The court has gotten this exactly right,” said Reba Boyd Wooden, a humanist who was a plaintiff in the case. “Whether a person is atheist, agnostic, humanist, or simply doesn’t want a religious wedding, this decision means they can now have these wonderful occasions solemnized by a celebrant who shares their life-stance.” In having its law struck down, Indiana will join Florida, Maine and South Carolina as states that allow humanists to officiate at weddings.   read more

The world has developed a craving for almonds, which is good for California farmers, who produce 80% of its global supply. But it’s also bad news for the water supply of the state, particularly as it goes through its worst drought on record. Almonds are a highly water-intensive crop, with more than a gallon of water used to produce each one. Multiply that by 2 billion pounds—the amount of almonds California grows each year—and there's a serious downside for the state.   read more

Taking photos of public art or being a minority is enough to land an American on the federal government’s watch list for being suspicious, which is now being challenged in court. The plaintiffs contend the Suspicious Activity Reporting program is much too broad, resulting in innocent people being added to the database. The program also sweeps up details about individuals exercising their First Amendment rights. Others have done nothing except be a member of certain ethnic groups.   read more

Alabama voters can now carry firearms into polling places. Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange announced last week that guns are allowed in the voting booth, regardless of what a local county decides. The announcement came after a sheriffs group called on the state’s counties to prohibit unconcealed guns from polling places. The group felt that weapons might intimidate some voters from casting ballots. Chambers County asked Strange for a legal opinion.   read more

A European study says organic foods are higher in antioxidants than conventional crops, lending weight to the claims that natural farming methods produce healthier things to eat. “It shows very clearly how you grow your food has an impact,” said ecological agriculture professor Carlo Leifert. “If you buy organic fruits and vegetables, you can be sure you have, on average, a higher amount of antioxidants at the same calorie level.”   read more

For more than 70 years, Pennsylvania law has allowed major parties to intimidate other parties by suing them, claiming their qualifying signatures are invalid. Furthermore, the third parties are liable for legal costs of defending their petitions. That has caused third-party politicians to pull out of races. But a federal court has ruled that the Green Party and others like it don’t necessarily have to foot the bill the next time the “big boys” threaten a lawsuit.   read more

The first African-American woman to command a U.S. Navy ship and to hold a three-star rank among all the armed services, Michelle Howard was promoted last week to four-star admiral. The promotion made her the first woman, and first African American, to climb so high in the Navy. She now holds the second most important post in the Navy, as vice chief of naval operations. Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said it shows “how far we have come, and how far she has helped bring us.”   read more