Valerie Richardson
Articles by Valerie Richardson
Black Americans want police to have same or bigger presence in their neighborhoods: Gallup
Black Lives Matter wants to defund the police, but most Black Americans like their law-enforcement presence the way it is. Published August 5, 2020
Court rules Dakota Access Pipeline won’t have to be drained
A federal court ruled Wednesday that the Dakota Access Pipeline won't have to be drained of oil, as a lower court had ordered, but the three-year-old pipeline may still have to undertake an environmental review to stay in operation. Published August 5, 2020
Pence declares ‘life is winning’ after becoming first veep to visit pro-life pregnancy clinic
He was the first sitting vice president to speak at the March for Life, and Mike Pence marked another milestone Wednesday by becoming the first to visit a pro-life pregnancy clinic as he joined the Susan B. Anthony List to kick off a multi-state tour called "Life Wins!" Published August 5, 2020
Keystone XL puts Biden on hot seat by striking deal with four labor unions
Keystone XL has struck a deal with four leading unions to build the Alberta-to-Nebraska oil pipeline, creating a potential headache for former Vice President Joseph R. Biden, who has vowed to kill the project even as he woos the labor vote. Published August 5, 2020
Steve Daines, Cory Gardner cheer Trump Great American Outdoors Act
The Senate Republicans stood Tuesday near President Trump in the East Room of the White House as he signed the Great American Outdoors Act, sending nearly $10 billion over five years to address the historically underfunded backlog of deferred maintenance work on the national parks and public lands. Published August 4, 2020
Martinez, California couple in painting over “Black Lives Matter” mural plead in hate-crime charge
A couple accused of painting over a "Black Lives Matter" mural on a street in Martinez, California, pleaded not guilty Tuesday to hate-crime charges that were described by their attorney as "outrageous." Published August 4, 2020
George Floyd shown resisting officers in leaked police body-cam footage
Nobody believes George Floyd deserved to die with an officer's knee on his neck, but newly posted police body-camera footage has complicated the narrative by showing that he resisted police throughout the ill-fated arrest in Minneapolis. Published August 4, 2020
Teachers unions use anti-reopening rallies, safety strike warnings to test resolve
With the fall semester just a few weeks away, teachers' unions in many communities are setting up a major test for President Trump as he pushes for schools to reopen, holding anti-reopening rallies and warning that school districts that opt for in-person learning could be hit by "safety strikes." Published August 3, 2020
Larry Hogan bans on blanket school closings in Maryland
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan overrode Monday the public-health order issued Friday by Montgomery County health officer Dr. Travis Gayles, which had required all non-public schools to close for in-person instruction until Oct. 1. Published August 3, 2020
Republicans Trump, Daines lead in latest Montana poll
A poll released Monday found Sen. Steve Daines, Montana Republican, leading in his 2020 reelection bid, a race that was declared a toss-up after the entry of Democratic Gov. Steve Bullock. Published August 3, 2020
Kamala Harris, Val Demings, Karen Bass vie to be Biden running mate
Democratic vice-presidential hopefuls sprinted for the finish Sunday as the 2020 veepstakes entered the home stretch in what could be the most crucial running-mate selection since World War II. Published August 2, 2020
Raul Grijalva blasts unmasked Republicans after getting coronavirus
Rep. Raul Grijalva, Arizona Democrats, was quick to point the finger at unmasked Republican lawmakers after testing positive for the novel coronavirus. Published August 2, 2020
Mark Meadows ‘not optimistic’ on coronavirus relief deal any time soon
Both Democrats and Republicans want to pass another coronavirus relief package, but neither side is optimistic about it happening any time soon. Published August 2, 2020
Karen Bass walks back Fidel Castro praise: ‘I don’t consider myself a Castro sympathizer’
Rep. Karen Bass disavowed Sunday her 2016 praise of Cuban strongman Fidel Castro, a comment that now jeopardizes her prospects as former Vice President Joseph R. Biden's running mate, saying she "wouldn't do that again. Published August 2, 2020
Mnuchin: ‘No question’ some people being paid more to stay home than work
Treasury Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin said Sunday that "there's no question" that some Americans have been paid more money to stay home than to work as the stalemate on the novel coronavirus relief package entered another week. Published August 2, 2020
Pelosi: ‘I don’t have confidence’ in White House coronavirus coordinator Dr. Birx
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Sunday that she lacks confidence in Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus task force coordinator and world-renowned public-health authority, because she was appointed by President Trump. Published August 2, 2020
Huckabee: ‘Joe’s got to show up’ for debates as Democrats lay groundwork for Biden exit
The groundwork is being laid on the left for former Vice President Joseph R. Biden to skip the presidential debates, but former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee said Sunday that the presumptive 2020 Democratic nominee needs to take the stage. Published August 2, 2020
Police stop pro-lifers from painting on street ‘Black Preborn Lives Matter,’ arrest two
Police stopped pro-life groups Saturday from painting "Black Preborn Lives Matter" on the street in front of a Washington, D.C., Planned Parenthood clinic and arrested two of them for subsequently writing the message in chalk on a sidewalk, even though the activists said they had the District government's permission for the street painting. Published August 1, 2020
Pro-lifers win permission to paint ‘Black Preborn Lives Matter’ on D.C. street
Soon "Black Lives Matter" and "Defund the Police" won't be the only messages painted in bold yellow letters on the streets of Washington, D.C. Published July 31, 2020
Slidewaters Waterpark fights Jay Inslee shutdown order that opens lakes
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee's coronavirus shutdown order has yet to deter fun-seekers from flocking to the public shoreline on Lake Chelan or protesters from descending on Seattle, but if Robert Bordner reopens his water park, he could go to jail. Published July 30, 2020