Month: April 2021

The Senate passed an anti-Asian hate crimes bill introduced amid a spate of violence spurred by the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act passed the chamber with a 94-1 vote on Thursday. Sen. Maize Hirono, D-Hawaii, introduced the bill last month along with Sen. Tammy Duckworth, D-Ill., and Rep. Grace Meng, D-N.Y.

Hirono said in a statement: “Today’s historic, bipartisan vote on the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act sends a powerful message of solidarity to the [Asian American and Pacific Islander] community — that the United States Senate rejects anti-Asian hate. Now, I urge the House to swiftly pass this legislation so the bill can go to President [Joe] Biden to sign into law.”

The legislation seeks to combat a surge in incidents of physical, verbal and online attacks. The bill also directs state and local law enforcement to establish a method for hate crimes and incidents to be reported online in multiple languages, expand public education campaigns and have the secretary of Health and Human Services issue best-practice guidance to mitigate racially discriminatory language in describing the COVID-19 pandemic.

Senate passes hate crime bill responding to wave of violence against Asian Americans

Via www.nbcnews.com

The House Judiciary Committee, meanwhile, considered a similar version of the bill introduced by…

04/22/2021 3:24 PM

 

On Thursday, Senate Republicans unveiled a $568 billion infrastructure package. The proposal focuses on roads and bridges, public transportation, railways, drinking water, wastewater, safety, waterways, airports, water storage, and broadband Internet. 

The Republican proposal would cost $568 billion over five years, the bulk of which would go toward the Federal Highway Administration for roads and bridges. The Federal Transit Administration would receive $61 billion for public transit; rail would receive $20 billion; the Environmental Protection Agency would get $35 billion for drinking water and wastewater; $13 billion would go toward safety; $17 billion for ports and inland waterways; $44 billion to the Federal Aviation Administration for airports; and $65 billion for broadband infrastructure.

Meanwhile the Biden administration proposed raising the corporate tax rate from 21% to 28% to pay for its $2.2 trillion infrastructure package. The White House said the tax hike would fund the infrastructure plan within 15 years and would be combined with plans to discourage firms from listing tax havens as their address and offshoring profits. Biden indicated the 28% tax rate isn’t a hard figure and he’s willing to compromise to win approval for his overall infrastructure plan.

Republicans unveil $568 billion counteroffer to Biden’s infrastructure plan

Via abcnews.go.com

Republicans unveiled a $568 billion infrastructure framework Thursday — their answer to…

04/22/2021 2:46 PM

 

Of Mice & Men have released a brand new single called “Bloom,” the title track to the band’s forthcoming EP set to be released on May 28th.

The “Bloom” EP follows the band’s “Timeless” EP, which was first in a series of EP released that will ultimately make up the band’s next full length studio album. Check out the song at the link – here.

LISTEN: Of Mice & Men’s Brutally Textured New Track ‘Bloom’

Via www.rocksound.tv

Hot on the heels of their ‘Timeless’ EP, released a couple of months ago, Of Mice & Men are…

04/21/2021 5:30 AM

 

Editorial credit: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.com

Columbus police release additional body cam footage, details in shooting death of 16-year-old girl

Via www.nbcnews.com

The fatal encounter in Columbus, Ohio happened within an hour of Derek Chauvin’s conviction in…

04/21/2021 5:29 PM

 

Editorial credit: Eric Glenn / Shutterstock.com

Reports of coronavirus ‘breakthrough’ infections, occuring when fully vaccinated individuals get the illness, suggest that the vaccines still offer strong protection against severe disease even in the face of variants.

Two cases in the New England Journal of Medicine on Wednesday show just two women out of more than 400 fully vaccinated study participants, who were tested for Covid-19 weekly, developed mild cases of the disease and recovered quickly.  Last Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said it had received reports of around 5,800 breakthrough infections out of more that 77 million fully vaccinated people.

CDC officials are gathering more data on breakthrough cases to determine if any patterns exist among patients. Among the questions the agency is asking is whether certain variants are more likely to play a role in breakthrough cases. Because the report included just two cases, it’s too early to draw any conclusions about which variants are most likely to lead to breakthrough infections.ed and one individual died.

CDC: Limited, mild COVID-19 cases seen among vaccinated people

Via www.upi.com

Twenty-two residents and staff members at 15 Chicago-area skilled nursing facilities developed…

04/21/2021 12:05 PM

 

Nassau County, NY police have apprehended the alleged gunman in a shooting at a Long Island grocery store on Tuesday which killed one and injured two others. The shooting happened inside a Stop & Shop supermarket in West Hempstead, N.Y., police said. Authorities locked down the store and surrounding areas in search of the gunman. “The Nassau County Police Department can confirm that the subject has been apprehended and taken into custody,” the department said on Facebook.

Stop & Shop issued a statement saying: “Our hearts go out to the families of the victims, our associates, customers and the first responders who have responded heroically to this tragic situation. At this time, we are cooperating fully with local law enforcement on the investigation. The store will remain closed until further notice, and we appreciate the Long Island community’s support during this difficult time.”

Gabriel Dewitt Wilson was identified as the suspect in the shooting in West Hempstead, a suburb about 27 miles east of New York City. The person killed is a 49-year-old man, while the two other victims were taken to nearby hospitals. Their names and conditions were not immediately released by authorities. The shooting occurred in an upstairs manager’s office at the supermarket, police said.

1 dead, 2 wounded in Long Island grocery store shooting; suspect apprehended

Via www.nbcnews.com

The shooting occurred at a Stop & Shop supermarket in West Hempstead, New York, authorities…

04/20/2021 3:34 PM

 

Editorial credit: Leonard Zhukovsky / Shutterstock.com