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We Cannot Allow China to Engage in a COVID Coverup

China is testing President Biden, but his party is still preoccupied with Donald Trump. Chinese authorities refused to provide World Health Organization investigators with raw data on early COVID-19 cases that could help them determine how and when the coronavirus spread in China. The stakes in learning as much as we can from this pandemic couldn’t be higher.  But it’s unclear if our new leaders are ready to confront China’s increasingly intransigent leaders, who are keen to promote unlikely theories on the origins of the virus that absolve them of culpability. 

Virginia lawmakers vote to abolish the death penalty

RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — State lawmakers gave final approval Monday to legislation that will end capital punishment in Virginia, a dramatic turnaround for a state that has executed more people in its long history than any other.

Philanthropists pledge $20M gift to HBCU in Maryland

Philanthropist Calvin Tyler Jr., and his wife, Tina, pledged $20 million Monday to his alma mater Morgan State University, which the university said is the largest gift to any HBCU ever made by one of its former students.

Divided Idaho House OKs fed child care aid

BOISE – The Idaho House voted 40-30 on Monday to accept $24 million in federal child care aid from the December COVID relief act, while an opponent argued the money wasn’t needed and the pandemic is “waning.”

Sheriff on Louisiana gun store shooting: 'I don't know why'

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — An ammunition customer showed no sign of anger or agitation before he launched a sudden shooting rampage at a New Orleans area gun store, the local sheriff said Monday, two days after the attack left three people, including the shooter, dead.

Horses die in south Bossier barn fire

BATON ROUGE, La. -- The deaths of seven horses in a barn fire in south Bossier Parish Saturday and the deaths of other animals across the state has the state fire marshal issuing a warning about the use of heat lamps to warm pets in the cold. 

Gun provocation reveals tensions in Michigan tourist haven

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. (AP) — Some 90 minutes into a routine meeting of the Grand Traverse County board, its agenda packed with mundane topics such as roads and libraries, came a surprising seven seconds that drew the kind of national attention no local government wants.

National Spelling Bee to return in mostly virtual format

The Scripps National Spelling Bee will return this year in a mostly virtual format, with the in-person competition limited to a dozen finalists who will gather on an ESPN campus at Walt Disney World in Florida, Scripps announced Monday.

Pennsylvania Doesn't Have a Friend in Tom Wolf

In New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo is under renewed scrutiny for his bungled nursing home policy and a subsequent coverup to avoid a Justice Department investigation. Questionable gubernatorial leadership, though, isn’t limited to the Empire State. Just look south to Pennsylvania, where Cuomo’s Democratic colleague, Tom Wolf, faces bipartisan concerns about his pandemic-era leadership.

School board asks high court to review transgender policy

GLOUCESTER, Va. (AP) — A school board in Virginia is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to review its transgender bathroom ban after rulings by lower courts that the policy is unconstitutional and had discriminated against former student Gavin Grimm.

Escape to these pet-friendly retreats that won't blow your budget

Many people who love to travel don’t do so as often as they’d like. They have a variety of reasons for staying put - lack of vacation time, a demanding job, difficulty scheduling around family commitments. But the concern that most often tops the list is money. The extra expense of boarding beloved pets or bringing them along can make planning trips even more daunting for would-be travelers.