Page 34 - Institutes News Today

The Luzerne County Board of Elections will choose a new chairperson this week — which might end the recent turnover among county election officials. The selection will follow public interviews of three citizens who applied for the chairperson position, at a special meeting of the board at 5 p.m. Wednesday. County council appoints four of the five members of the election board, which certifies the results of county elections. Council appoints two members from each of the major political par...

Longtime Nelson County Board of Supervisors member Tommy Harvey is seeking another term, running as an independent and hoping to hold onto the North District seat he has held since 1984. He’s being challenged by Afton resident and former Nelson County School Board member Mary Cunningham, who has announced her intention to run for supervisor as a Democrat. In an interview, Harvey said there was “no decision to it,” and he wants to see the North District do well. Harvey, said he an...

Shreveport, LA - KTBS continues to get calls and e-mails about problems surrounding unemployment payments in Louisiana. The Louisiana Workforce Commission says, basically, were doing the best we can. But, theres a lot of frustrated people who have been unemployed for months and have spent hours and hours on the phone trying to get answers from the commission. One local woman has even tried to get a job with the Workforce Commission and this was her experience. "Ive been on the Louisiana website...

Way to prove once again your total ineptitude on cigarette taxes. Indiana lawmakers are putting the finishing touches on a two-year budget and, as part of that ongoing negotiation, have stripped out a 50-cent-per-pack cigarette tax increase. Two weeks ago as I was writing my annual dead mom column, recounting the six years since she died at age 57 of lung cancer due to a lifetime of smoking, I called the 50-cent increase a "half-butt" effort (only because I figured I wouldnt be allowed to use a...

When the NFL decided not to punish players who kneeled during the pre-game national anthem, some fans reacted by refusing to attend games, buy league merchandise, or watch games on TV. It took several years for the NFL to win fans back and some -- like me -- broke the habit and never returned, in person, or on TV. Last season, some Major League Baseball (MLB) players also took a knee, but it did not appear to me to be as regular an occurrence as with the NFL. Perhaps it had something to do with...

McDONOUGH — Greg Cannon has been sworn in to represent District 3 on the Henry County Board of Commissioners. Cannon was appointed to the seat by board Chair Carlotta Harrell Monday morning following the signing of Senate Bill 306 Friday afternoon. The seat became vacant when Commissioner Gary Barham, a Republican, died on March 2. The bill, a follow up to Senate Bill 22, requires the board chair to appoint an interim successor from a list of nominees supplied by the former commissionerâ�...

When the Idaho Legislature reconvenes Tuesday following an abrupt 17-day recess brought on by a COVID-19 Statehouse outbreak, Idahoans will be able to follow the action without leaving their home or office. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Legislature and Idaho Public Television have offered live streaming video of all committee hearings and floor sessions in both the House and Senate all session via the Legislature’s website for the first time. Hollie Conde, the legislative and pub...

ATLANTA — Elections, pandemic recovery and the echoes of last summer’s protests against police in Georgia dominated a 2021 legislative session marked by bitter divisions between Georgia’s political parties. The session, which wrapped up Wednesday and will return next January, was the General Assembly’s first since the 2020 election cycle upended statewide politics as Democrats notched historic wins and Republicans moved to rewrite dozens of voting laws. Both sides put off di...

By Janelle Stecklein/ CNHI State Reporter Apr 5, 2021 Apr 5, 2021 OKLAHOMA CITY — Despite bipartisan support, a measure that would have reinstated a controversial child seat belt law stalled in a House committee. Up until 2016, Oklahoma had a law requiring children ages 8 and older to be buckled up while riding in the back seat, but supporters of the requirement said lawmakers repealed it and they have been pushing for five years to get it reinstated. Oklahoma is now the only s...

CHEYENNE — After four years of attempts, state lawmakers are close to passing legislation that would reduce Democratic representation on the powerful and traditionally nonpartisan legislative committee that sets the agendas, rules and protocols for the entire body. Sponsored by Rep. Dan Laursen, R-Powell, House Bill 36 – Management council membership would reduce the overall number of positions on the Legislature’s Management Council and effectively reduce the proportion of minor...