| Trump 'fear-mongering' fuels rise of U.S. hate groups to record: watchdog -  The SPLC, which has tracked hate groups since 1971, found there were 1,020 operating in the United States in 2018, breaking the 1,018 record set in 2011. The group blamed Trump, whose administration has focused on reducing illegal and legal immigration into the United States. "The words and imagery coming out of the Trump administration and from Trump himself are heightening these fears," Heidi Beirich, director of the SPLC's Intelligence Project, told reporters on a conference call.
Wed, 20 Feb 2019 14:24:37 -0500
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| Charter school battle extends West Virginia teacher strike -  Although the charter school bill was defeated on Tuesday in the state House of Delegates, the strike continued, closing most of the state's 700 schools in an effort to stop lawmakers from reviving the bill, union officials said. Union officials have complained that wealthy organizations from outside the state are pushing for charter schools, which are funded by taxpayers but operate independently of public school systems.
Wed, 20 Feb 2019 14:19:12 -0500
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| U.S. high court buttresses constitutional ban on 'excessive fines' -  The nine justices ruled unanimously in favor of an Indiana man named Tyson Timbs who argued that police violated his rights by seizing his $42,000 Land Rover vehicle after he was convicted as a heroin dealer. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, back on the bench for a second straight day after undergoing lung cancer surgery in December, wrote the court's opinion, which clarified the applicability of the "excessive fines" prohibition contained in the Constitution's Eighth Amendment. "For good reason, the protection against excessive fines has been a constant shield throughout Anglo-American history.
Wed, 20 Feb 2019 13:32:58 -0500
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| Consultant says unaware of fraud in U.S. House race in North Carolina -  The state probe into the disputed Nov. 6 election for the 9th Congressional District seat has uncovered a fraudulent absentee ballot scheme by an operative for Republican candidate Mark Harris, according to testimony at a State Board of Elections hearing in Raleigh that could prompt a new vote. The seat has remained vacant since state officials refused to certify Harris' apparent victory over Democratic rival Dan McCready by 905 votes out of 282,717 ballots cast.
Wed, 20 Feb 2019 12:25:34 -0500
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| Schools shut, flights canceled as storm sweeps U.S. Midwest, East Coast -  A winter storm swept across much of the U.S. Midwest and East Coast on Wednesday, hampering air travel and prompting officials to close federal offices in Washington and several large public school systems. The National Weather Service warned the storm could make travel very difficult, with snow, sleet and freezing rain potentially causing downed branches and power outages. The storm reached from northern Minnesota down through Missouri and east into the Mid-Atlantic region and could bring as much as 6 inches (15 cm) of snow along with sleet and freezing rain, the National Weather Service said in an advisory.
Wed, 20 Feb 2019 10:30:12 -0500
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