Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds announced Friday that she’s requesting a federal disaster declaration, days after storms brought hurricane-force winds to the state. A line of severe storms ripped through the Midwest on Monday, leaving homes destroyed, over a million customers without power in Iowa and Illinois and millions of acres of farmland damaged, officials said.…… MORE
Jellyfish larvae commonly known as “sea lice” are invading south New Jersey beaches, all thanks to Tropical Storm Isaias. Environmental officials think that Isaias pushed larvae up from Florida, since stinging jellyfish don’t usually appear on New Jersey beaches until late summer, when the water gets warmer. The microscopic “sea lice” are known for causing…… MORE
Phoenix police are investigating the death of a man who struggled with officers before being detained on August 4, a statement from the police department said. Ramon Timothy Lopez, 28, was seen “looking into vehicles and making obscene gestures” in a Phoenix shopping center, police say. When the first officer responded around 10:20 a.m., Lopez…… MORE
A now-fired Minneapolis police officer told federal investigators looking into the death of George Floyd that a call for backup from one of the officers on the scene sounded “like it was urgent,” according to a video of the interview released Friday. Minneapolis police officer Tou Thao responded on May 25 to the scene where…… MORE
The University of Oregon is covering the controversial murals that have decorated the halls of its largest library after years of protest over the murals’ racist language and portrayal of Indigenous people. The university made the announcement Wednesday, saying the move was in part an acknowledgment of the larger conversations occurring about racism in the…… MORE
Two dormitories at Virginia Tech will now be named after prominent Black people associated with the school, according to a university news release. The school’s Board of Visitors unanimously voted to change the names of the dorms Thursday. The dorms — Lee Hall and Barringer Hall — were previously named after two men with racist…… MORE
R. Kelly’s former manager is facing another set of criminal charges, after federal prosecutors accused him on Friday of calling in a threat to a New York City theater to stop a screening of a docuseries that included allegations the singer sexually abused minor girls and adult women. Prosecutors with the US attorney’s office in…… MORE
Sports arenas want to be the new home field for voters in upcoming elections. As the Covid-19 pandemic renders many American sports stadiums underutilized, and amid concerns over voting safety, the nation’s four major sports leagues are teaming up to create “Election Super Centers.” LeBron, Dodger Stadium pitching in In Los Angeles, Lakers star LeBron…… MORE
The Chicago Bulls, who haven’t won an NBA title since the 1990s, fired head coach Jim Boylen on Friday after two losing seasons. “After doing a comprehensive evaluation and giving the process the time it deserved, I ultimately decided that a fresh approach and evolution in leadership was necessary,” said team Executive Vice President of…… MORE
There’s a renewed push for the removal of a controversial billboard in an Arkansas town near the headquarters of the Ku Klux Klan. The billboard, along a busy highway in Harrison, reads, “For the Family,” alongside a photo of two adults and two children holding an American flag and a sketch of a cross with…… MORE
