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Justin Jones pumped his fist and declared "power to the people" as he returned to the state House of Representatives after being restored by the Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County. His colleague Justin Pearson, the other young Black legislator who was expelled, could get a similar vote for reinstatement on Wednesday when the Shelby County Board of Commissioners will consider reappointing him to his Memphis district. The conflict has captured national attention and served as a rallying cry for Democrats over the issues of democracy, gun violence and racial inequality. Republican lawmakers have remained largely silent since voting to oust Jones and Pearson. Reporting by Sandra Stojanovic and Omar Younis; Additional reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Simon Cameron-MooreOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 10 (Reuters) - Tennessee state Representative Justin Jones returned to the state House on Monday, pumping his fist and declaring "power to the people" as a Nashville-area council restored him to office following his expulsion over a gun protest. The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County voted 36-0 on Monday to make Jones, 27, the interim representative. REUTERS/Cheney Orr 1 2 3 4 5"I want to welcome the people back to the people's house," Jones said in brief remarks upon being reseated. Addressing supporters before the vote, Jones accused the Republicans of operating "plantation politics" and abuse of power. Before the vote, the spokesperson said the House would seat whomever the county legislatures appoint "as the constitution requires."

☆ Nashville board reinstates Black lawmaker expelled from Tennessee House
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Omar Younis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

NASHVILLE, Tennessee, April 10 (Reuters) - A Nashville-area county council on Monday voted to reinstate Representative Justin Jones to the Tennessee House of Representatives, reversing Republican lawmakers who ousted Jones and another young, Black legislator last week for staging a gun control protest on the House floor. The Metropolitan Council of Nashville and Davidson County voted 36-0 to make Jones, 27, the interim representative. Before the vote, the spokesperson said the House would seat whomever the county legislatures appoint "as the constitution requires." Jones and Pearson, 28, have both said they hoped to be reappointed and that they would run again in special elections. Republicans also targeted Gloria Johnson, who is white, for expulsion, as she joined Jones and Pearson in the floor protest.

☆ Nashville-area board may return lawmaker expelled from Republican-controlled statehouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

April 10 (Reuters) - A Nashville-area county council meeting on Monday may vote to return to the statehouse one of two Democratic Tennessee lawmakers who were expelled from the chamber last week after participating in a gun control protest. Returning Jones would send a pointed message to the Republicans who expelled him. A Memphis-area board of commissioners plans on Wednesday to consider reappointing Pearson on an interim basis to the seat from which he was removed. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Nashville on Friday to support the three Tennessee lawmakers targeted for expulsion. Jones, 27, was elected to Tennessee's House of Representatives last year.

☆ Nashville-area board may return Democratic lawmaker who was expelled from Republican-controlled statehouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Cheney OrrApril 10 (Reuters) - A Nashville-area county council may return to the statehouse one of two Democratic Tennessee lawmakers who were expelled from the chamber last week over a gun control protest when it meets on Monday to fill the vacant seat. On Wednesday, a Memphis-area board of commissioners will consider reappointing Pearson to the seat from which he was removed. Jones and Pearson both said on Sunday they hoped to be reappointed and that they would run again in special elections. Republicans also targeted Johnson but came up one vote short of the two-thirds majority needed to oust her. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Nashville on Friday to support the three Tennessee lawmakers targeted for expulsion.

☆ Nashville-area board may send expelled Tennessee lawmaker back to statehouse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

REUTERS/Cheney OrrApril 10 (Reuters) - A Nashville-area county council may return to the statehouse one of two Democratic Tennessee lawmakers who were expelled from the chamber last week over a gun control protest when it meets on Monday to fill the vacant seat. Returning Jones would send a pointed message to the Republicans who accused him of violating decorum. On Wednesday, a Memphis-area board of commissioners will consider reappointing Pearson to the seat he was removed from. Jones and Pearson both said on Sunday they hoped to be reappointed and that they would run again in special elections. U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris flew to Nashville on Friday to support the three Tennessee lawmakers targeted for expulsion.

☆ Harris backs expelled Tennessee lawmakers, chides Republicans for ousting them
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Cheney Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

Republicans who control the Tennessee House of Representatives on Thursday expelled two young Black lawmakers who last week led protesters into the well of the House floor, while a resolution to remove a white representative came up one vote short. The Republicans ousted Justin Pearson, 28, of Memphis, and Justin Jones, 27, from the Nashville area. They staged the protest for gun reforms following the March 27 shooting at a Nashville school that killed three 9-year-old students and three adults. With a 75-23 advantage over Democrats in the House, Tennessee Republicans took the extraordinary measure to expel their Democratic colleagues, citing their disruption of orderly House business. Just two state lawmakers had previously been expelled since the U.S. Civil War.

☆ Harris visits Tennessee after lawmakers expelled over gun protests
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Cheney Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

[1/7] U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an address after the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to expel two Democratic members, representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, for their roles in a gun control demonstration at the Tennessee State Capitol, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., April 7, 2023. Just two state lawmakers had previously been expelled since the U.S. Civil War. Tennessee Representative Yusuf Hakeem, a Democrat, said Harris' visit showed "the White House is very interested and concerned in a meaningful way," adding that he does not expect protests to fade. Nearly 50 organizations, led by gun safety advocacy group the Newtown Action Alliance, called for nationwide student walkouts in solidarity with those in Tennessee. Members of the Tennessee General Assembly's Black Caucus at a news conference on Friday said Republicans had sunk to new lows.

☆ Harris chides Tennessee Republicans for ousting state lawmakers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Cheney Orr | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The Republicans ousted Justin Pearson, 28, of Memphis, and Justin Jones, 27, from the Nashville area. They staged the protest for gun reforms following the March 27 shooting at a Nashville school that killed three 9-year-old students and three adults. [1/7] U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris speaks during an address after the Tennessee House of Representatives voted to expel two Democratic members, representatives Justin Pearson and Justin Jones, for their roles in a gun control demonstration at the Tennessee State Capitol, in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S., April 7, 2023. With a 75-23 advantage over Democrats in the House, Tennessee Republicans took the extraordinary measure to expel their Democratic colleagues, citing their disruption of orderly House business. Just two state lawmakers had previously been expelled since the U.S. Civil War.

April 4 (Reuters) - Wisconsin voters on Tuesday elected liberal Janet Protasiewicz to the state Supreme Court, flipping control to a liberal majority ahead of rulings on an abortion ban and other matters that could play a role in the 2024 presidential election. But it was abortion that dominated the campaign, with the court expected in the coming months to decide whether to uphold the state's 1849 abortion ban. Protasiewicz put abortion at the center of her campaign, saying in one advertisement that she supports "a woman's freedom to make her own decision on abortion." [1/9] Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Janet Protasiewicz celebrates after the race was called for her during her election night watch party in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., April 4, 2023. In addition, the court may revisit the state's congressional and legislative maps, which Republicans have drawn to maximize their political advantage.

April 4 (Reuters) - Wisconsin voters on Tuesday elected liberal Janet Protasiewicz to the state Supreme Court, flipping control to a liberal majority ahead of rulings on an abortion ban and other matters that could play a role in the 2024 presidential election. But it was abortion that dominated the campaign, with the court expected in the coming months to decide whether to uphold the state's 1849 abortion ban. That law took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court's decision last year to eliminate a nationwide right to abortion. [1/7] Wisconsin Supreme Court candidate Janet Protasiewicz celebrates after the race was called for her during her election night watch party in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., April 4, 2023. Republicans portrayed Protasiewicz as soft on crime and said she would use the court to advance a liberal agenda, regardless of the law.

April 5 (Reuters) - Five people were killed in a predawn tornado that ripped through southeastern Missouri on Wednesday, shearing off roofs, splintering trees and taking down power lines in devastated Bollinger County, officials said. First responders from multiple agencies combed through destroyed homes and businesses in the rural area that Missouri Governor Mike Parson said faces "a long journey ahead" toward recovery. Five people were also injured and 87 structures damaged with 12 of those buildings destroyed, said Eric Olson, superintendent of the Missouri State Highway Patrol. "It's just heartbreaking to see people's homes missing roofs and their homes gone," Missouri State Patrol Highway Sergeant Clark Parrott told Reuters said after surveying the damage. A week before, a tornado devastated the Mississippi Delta town of Rolling Fork, killing 26 people.

☆ Top US, Philippine officials to meet after expanding defense pact
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 5 (Reuters) - The top foreign and defense officials of the United States and the Philippines will meet in Washington next week, the U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday, just as the two countries have expanded their defense cooperation agreement. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin will receive Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Enrique Manalo and defense chief Carlito Galvez on Tuesday. The near doubling of EDCA sites was achieved at a time of growing concern over China's conduct in the South China Sea and tension over self-ruled Taiwan. The locations are significant, with Isabela and Cagayan facing north towards Taiwan, while Palawan is near the disputed Spratly Islands in the South China Sea, where China has built artificial islands equipped with runways and missile systems. Reporting by Daniel Trotta, editing by Donna Bryson & Shri NavaratnamOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Aide to former Maryland governor killed as FBI closed in for arrest
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

April 3 (Reuters) - A fugitive and former top aide to former Maryland Governor Larry Hogan was killed in Tennessee after a confrontation with the FBI, the Washington Post reported, citing the former aide's lawyer. The Baltimore Sun said he was shot but it was uncertain whether it was self-inflicted or by the FBI. The FBI said in a statement it was reviewing an agent-involved shooting, the Post reported. The FBI takes all shooting incidents involving our agents or task force members seriously," the FBI statement said. Hogan said in a statement he and his wife, Yumi Hogan, were saddened by the "tragic situation," the Baltimore Sun reported.

☆ Authorities search for more victims after tornado pummels Arkansas
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( Liliana Salgado | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas, April 1 (Reuters) - Arkansas first responders on Saturday will sift through debris for more possible victims after a fierce tornado sliced through the Little Rock area and northeastern part of the state, killing at least two people and injuring dozens of others. Two fatalities in Arkansas were reported in Wynne, about 100 miles (160 km) east of Little Rock, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said on Friday night. One person was killed and more than 50 people hospitalized in North Little Rock, Pulaski County spokeswoman Madeline Roberts told the Washington Post. Although more than 30 people were taken to hospital in the Little Rock area, none had died as of Friday night, said Little Rock Mayor Frank Scott Jr., who added that the count remained imprecise. [1/9] A view of destroyed buildings following the tornado in Little Rock, Arkansas, U.S., March 31, 2023 in this picture obtained from social media.

☆ Footage shows police killing Nashville school shooter as investigators seek motive
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sandra Stojanovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +6 min

The Metropolitan Nashville Police Department began receiving calls about a shooter at 10:13 a.m., police spokesperson Don Aaron told reporters. Investigators were examining a "manifesto" written by the 28-year-old former student at the Covenant School, hoping to learn what motivated the latest U.S. mass shooting. Monday's violence marked the 90th school shooting – defined as any incident in which a gun is discharged on school property – in the United States this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, a website founded by researcher David Riedman. He said the Covenant School was singled out for attack but that the individual victims were targeted at random. Also shot dead were Mike Hill, 61, a school custodian; Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher; and Katherine Koonce, 60, listed on the Covenant website as "head of school."

☆ Former Christian school student kills 3 children, 3 staff in Nashville shooting
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Sandra Stojanovic | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

He said the Covenant School was singled out for attack but that the individual victims were targeted at random. [1/5] A still image from surveillance video shows what the Metropolitan Nashville Police Department describe as mass shooting suspect Audrey Elizabeth Hale, 28, entering The Covenant School carrying weapons in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. March 27, 2023. Also shot dead were staffers Mike Hill, 61, a school custodian, Cynthia Peak, 61, a substitute teacher, and Katherine Koonce, 60, listed on the Covenant website as "head of school." "We have to do more to stop gun violence," Biden said at the White House. Monday's violence in Nashville marked the 90th school shooting – defined as any incident in which a gun is discharged on school property – in the U.S. so far this year, according to the K-12 School Shooting Database, a website founded by researcher David Riedman.

☆ 'Lets go': Body camera video shows Nashville officers rushing school shooter
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

"Let's go," Engelbert directed others, as police quickly closed in on the shooter who had killed three 9-year-old school children and three adults at the Covenant School. Their actions contrasted with those of police in Uvalde, Texas, who during a school shooting last May waited more than an hour before storming the assailant. [1/2] Metropolitan Nashville Police Department officers search for the mass shooting suspect in The Covenenant School, in a still image from body camera video in Nashville, Tennessee, U.S. March 27, 2023. Engelbert's body camera video shows police converge on the shooter. In Collazo's body camera video, he runs through a hallway with other officers toward the gunfire.

☆ At least two dead, more injured in Texas train incident
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

March 24 (Reuters) - At least two people were killed and multiple others, including suspected undocumented immigrants, were injured on Friday in some type of incident involving a train in south Texas, officials said. Police in the city of Uvalde reported on Twitter that U.S. Highway 90 would be closed for several hours "due to numerous undocumented immigrants injured inside of a train." Two people were dead, five helicopters had evacuated patients from the scene, and numerous ambulances responded, an Uvalde spokesperson said, citing Mayor Don McLaughlin. The Uvalde News-Leader newspaper, citing Uvalde County sheriff Ruben Nolasco, reported 12 migrants were discovered on a train east of Uvalde near the town of Knippa, and that two of the migrants were dead. The Uvalde County Sheriff's Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

[1/3] Don Cameron stands next to one of his flood capture projects on his Terranova Ranch in Helm, California, U.S., January 25, 2023. Today, California water experts see Cameron as a pioneer. Terra Nova's basins are filled with 1.5 to 3.5 feet of water, Cameron said Wednesday. California Governor Gavin Newsom signed an executive order on March 10 making it easier for farmers to divert floodwaters onto their lands until June. "We're at the beginning of a lot of momentum for groundwater recharge programs," said Gosselin, of the state groundwater office.

☆ Los Angeles schools to reopen after three-day workers' strike
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Jorge Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LOS ANGELES, March 23 (Reuters) - School will be back in session on Friday for 420,000 Los Angeles students after a three-day strike by education workers disrupted classes and social services in the second-largest school district in the United States. ... We look forward to seeing our students and employees back in classrooms," the school district said on Twitter on Thursday. "We're three days in and I'm willing to do some more (strike) days if we have to," said Tiffany Barba, a special education assistant and one of thousands who attended a closing rally on Thursday at Los Angeles State Historic Park. The union was demanding a 30% salary increase plus an additional $2 per hour for the lowest-paid workers, the Los Angeles Times reported. Reporting by Jorge Garcia in Los Angeles and Daniel Trotta in Carlsbad, Calif.; Editing by Lincoln Feast.

☆ Los Angeles education strike cancels school for 420,000 students
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Alan Devall | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/9] Los Angeles school workers protest in front of LAUSD headquarters during the first day of a walkout over contract negotiations that closes the country’s second largest school system in Los Angeles, California, U.S., March 21, 2023. REUTERS/Aude GuerrucciLOS ANGELES, March 21 (Reuters) - Some 30,000 education workers backed by the teachers' union walked off the job for a three-day strike in Los Angeles on Tuesday, canceling school for nearly half a million students in the second-largest school district in the United States. Thousands of protesters gathered for a rally outside the Los Angeles Unified School District headquarters, vowing to continue their pickets for another two days under the banner, "United for L.A. The service workers are backed by the 35,000 members of the teachers' union United Teachers Los Angeles, which refused to cross their picket line. Dozens of meal and safe-place sites were opened across the city on Tuesday, with school district employees and volunteers distributing more than 124,000 meals, the district said.

March 14 (Reuters) - The special prosecutor handling the case against actor Alec Baldwin in the 2021 "Rust" movie set shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins announced on Tuesday she is stepping down, as Baldwin's lawyers had sought. The decision by special prosecutor Andrea Reeb came a month after Baldwin's attorney filed a motion to remove her because she is also a representative in the state legislature. The Baldwin team argued it violates the state constitution for a legislator to serve in another branch of government. "I will not allow questions about my serving as a legislator and prosecutor to cloud the real issue at hand." Gutierrez-Reed has blamed the shooting on potential sabotage, Baldwin's lack of firearms training, and a failure by Halls and Baldwin to call her onto set for extra firearm checks.

REUTERS/Bing GuanMarch 14 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden will announce an executive order on Tuesday that reinforces background checks for gun buyers in what the White House is promoting as the most comprehensive policy the president can enact without Congress. In a country with more than 40,000 gun deaths per year, Biden is betting that voters will embrace more proactive gun control. The Biden administration is pointing to public opinion polls that show a majority of Americans support background checks. A Reuters/Ipsos poll last year found 84% of respondents supported background checks for all firearms sales and 70% backed red flag laws. Some gun rights advocates oppose background checks, saying they infringe on constitutional rights to possess arms while failing to stop criminals from getting them.

☆ Memphis approves police reforms after beating death of Tyre Nichols
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-08 | by ( Daniel Trotta | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

March 7 (Reuters) - The Memphis City Council on Tuesday approved a series of police reforms in the wake of the death of Tyre Nichols following his beating by police during a Jan. 7 traffic stop, with more far-reaching measures under consideration. The death of Nichols, 29, an unarmed Black man, prompted outrage and calls for change. In the Nichols case, five officers, all Black, have been charged with second-degree murder. Some officers in the Nichols case drove unmarked cars and formed part of a special unit that has since been disbanded. A more far-reaching reform named the "Tyre Nichols Justice in Policing Ordinance" passed a first reading but needs to be heard by the council two more times to get approved.

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