Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Trump decision keeps Pebble Mine project alive, backers say
The tangled history of a proposed major gold mine on Alaska's Bristol Bay took another unexpected turn Monday, as the Trump administration defied expectations that it was ready to kill the planned Pebble Mine and instead gave the project's backers until after November's elections a chance to keep the project alive. Published August 24, 2020
Alaska Pebble Mine demise reports prove premature as project stays on track
Predictions that the White House would block the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska's Bristol Bay failed to materialize Monday when the project was instead given 90 days to submit its environmental mitigation plan, pushing the issue past the November election. Published August 24, 2020
Jerry Falwell Jr. resigns as Liberty University president: Report
The status of Jerry Falwell Jr. was in flux Monday after a spate of articles said he had resigned from his leadership post, only to be contradicted by at least one news outlet that quoted him calling the resignation reports "completely false." Published August 24, 2020
Project Veritas sues to overturn Oregon law preventing undercover journalism
Project Veritas filed a lawsuit Monday challenging Oregon's law barring recording without first obtaining the permission of all parties, accusing the state of "punishing the gathering and publication of truthful news in the name of privacy." Published August 24, 2020
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. Published 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. Published 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. Published 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. Published 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. Published 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. Published 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. Published 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. Published 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. Published 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." Published 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. Published 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. Published 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. Published 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." Published 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. Published 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. Published August 17, 2020
