House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy derided President Joe Biden on Thursday, condemning him for a slew of proposals and first-day executive orders that, among other things, took steps to derail the Keystone XL pipeline, rejoin the World Health Organization and offer citizenship to millions of illegal aliens. “I was disappointed to see within hours of…… MORE
Powerball Jackpot Winner Worth $731M Sold in Maryland
LONACONING, Md. (AP) – A single winning ticket for the $731.1 million Powerball jackpot was sold by a store in Lonaconing, Maryland. The Maryland Lottery says it was sold at Coney Market. The Allegany County store will receive a $100,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. This was the fifth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever. The…… MORE
Jobless Claims Slip to Still-High 900,000
WASHINGTON (AP) – The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits fell slightly last week to 900,000, still a historically high level that points to ongoing job cuts in a raging pandemic. The Labor Department’s report underscores that President Joe Biden has inherited an economy that faltered this winter as virus cases spiked, cold weather restricted…… MORE
Panasonic Working on Special Vaccine Storage Boxes
UNDATED (AP) – Japanese electronics maker Panasonic Corp. says it is using its refrigerator technology to develop special boxes for storing the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine, which must be kept at ultracold temperatures. The company says that samples will be ready in March, with a product to follow a month or two later. The box will…… MORE
Biden’s US Revives Support for WHO, Reversing Trump Retreat
GENEVA (AP) – President Joe Biden’s top adviser on the pandemic says the United States will again fund the World Health Organization and join its consortium aimed at sharing coronavirus vaccines fairly around the globe. Dr. Anthony Fauci’s quick commitment to the WHO marks a dramatic and vocal shift toward a more cooperative approach to…… MORE
Amazon Offers to Assist with COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution
SEATTLE (AP) – Amazon is offering its colossal operations network and advanced technologies to assist President Joe Biden in his vow to get 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations to Americans in his first 100 days in office. The CEO of Amazon’s Worldwide Consumer division, Dave Clark, said in a letter to Biden that the company has…… MORE
NRA Fights for Its Future in Texas, New York Courts
NEW YORK (AP) – The National Rifle Association is in a double-barreled legal battle for its future, moving forward with its bankruptcy case while fighting accusations it only sought Chapter 11 protection to avoid a potentially crippling lawsuit. Lawyers for the influential advocacy group told a federal judge Wednesday that the organization’s decision to declare…… MORE
CA Murder Suspect Who Escaped Jail Surrenders
SALINAS, Calif. (AP) – A murder suspect who escaped from Monterey County Jail earlier this week turned himself in to police Wednesday. The Monterey Herald reported that 23-year-old Luis Armando Sarabia went to the King City Police Department and surrendered himself to authorities. Chief Deputy John Thornburg of the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office says Sarabia…… MORE
FBI Locates Military Humvee Stolen in Calif.
LOS ANGELES (AP) – The FBI says a military Humvee stolen from a National Guard facility in a Los Angeles suburb has been found. A search continues for the person or persons who stole the armored vehicle last week from the National Guard Armory in the city of Bell. The four-door vehicle painted a green…… MORE
After Losses, Republicans in CA State Senate Elect New Leader
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) – Republicans in the California state Senate have picked a new legislative leader. They voted unanimously Wednesday to replace Sen. Shannon Grove of Bakersfield with Sen. Scott Wilk of Santa Clarita. The change came after two incumbent Republican senators lost their seats in the November election. Alex Vassar, an unofficial legislative historian…… MORE
