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MS: Federal judge intervenes in Mississippi mental health system
A federal judge will appoint an expert to oversee changes to Mississippi’s mental health system, saying that attorneys for the federal government have proved the state is doing too little to serve people outside the confinement of mental hospitals.
WI: Dairy nonprofit executives make millions as sales slide, farms close
In 2017, a year in which 503 dairy farms closed in Wisconsin, IRS records show 10 executives at Dairy Management Inc., who are paid from farmers’ milk checks, made an average of more than $800,000 each.
OH: Federal judge says Ohio voter purge can continue
U.S. District Judge James Graham chose not to delay Secretary of State Frank LaRose’s purge of 235,000 people on Ohio voter registration rolls planned for the end of this week.
NC: North Carolina’s wild horses ready to ride out storm
The majestic herds of wild horses that roam North Carolina’s Outer Banks will likely ride out Hurricane Dorian’s whipping winds and strong storm surge by huddling together with their “butts to the wind” — a stabilizing trick that’s worked well for more than five centuries.
TX: Texas House Democrats ask governor to call a special session after two mass shootings
Democrats in the Texas House are calling on Republican Gov. Greg Abbott to convene a special legislative session to address gun violence in the wake of two deadly mass shootings just weeks apart.
MN: Minnesota Supreme Court ruling limits criticism of public high school coaches
Parents who criticize or trash-talk their kids’ public high school coaches don’t have legal protection to do so, according to a ruling issued by the Minnesota Supreme Court. The court’s decision said that public high school coaches are not public officials under the First Amendment.
GA: Many cities stick with paper ballots as Georgia buys new machines
As the debate rages over whether Georgia’s new touchscreen-and-printed-ballot voting system is secure, voters in many cities across the state will continue to fill out their ballots with pens this November.
DC: D.C.’s growing low-cost housing gap
The Washington, D.C., region already has a severe shortage of affordable housing, and that deficit will widen over the next 10 years, according to a new report from the Urban Institute.
MD: Jared Kushner’s apartment company says it rejects deal with Maryland attorney general over rental practices
The apartment company owned by Jared Kushner, son-in-law and senior adviser to President Donald Trump, said it has rejected a settlement offer from the Maryland Attorney General’s Office after two years of negotiating over the New York real estate firm’s rental practices.
MA: Proposed anti-‘sanctuary state’ ballot question clears key hurdle in Massachusetts
The Massachusetts attorney general approved a ballot question that would give “new authority” to state and local law enforcement to detain immigrants — who would otherwise be freed from state custody — for up to 12 hours if they are considered a public safety threat.
IL: Illinois colleges ramp up pursuit of rural students
Diversity on college campuses in Illinois and elsewhere has long meant differences among races, ethnicity and religions. But Illinois colleges are now expanding efforts to attract students from rural areas.
VA: Virginia to curb prison visits in bid to control contraband
In a bid to curb drugs and other contraband from getting into prisons, starting Jan. 15, the Virginia Department of Corrections will limit inmate visitor lists to no more than 10 different people.
IA: Iowa expands organ, eye, tissue donor registration system
Iowa launched an expanded organ, eye and tissue donation registration system that will allow residents to sign up as donors when they’re getting a hunting, fishing or fur-harvesting license.
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