5 things to know today - that aren't about the virus

Your daily look at late-breaking news, upcoming events and the stories that will be talked about today: 1. ‘THIS IS THE RIGHT CALL’ Four officers were fired a day after George Floyd’s death, a stunning and swift move by the Minneapolis chief with the mayor’s full backing. 2. PROTESTERS...

Protesters mass in Hong Kong as anthem law is debated

HONG KONG (AP) — Thousands of protesters shouted pro-democracy slogans and insults at police in Hong Kong on Wednesday as lawmakers debated a bill criminalizing abuse of the Chinese national anthem in the semi-autonomous city. Police massed outside the legislative building ahead of the session and warned...

Bars could serve outdoors in bill clearing N.C. Senate panel

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina bars — their doors still shuttered by executive order — could serve patrons outdoors during the pandemic in legislation that cleared a Senate committee on Tuesday. One approved measure attempts to increase the customer base for restaurants and breweries...

Kansas governor vetoes limits on her power but loosens rules

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Tuesday vetoed a sweeping Republican coronavirus measure that would have limited her power to direct the state's pandemic response but then ceded to local officials the authority to keep restrictions on businesses. Gov. Laura Kelly not only killed a bill...

Arizona Senate adjourns without taking up coronavirus bills

PHOENIX (AP) — The Arizona Senate abruptly adjourned for the year Tuesday, leaving for an expected special session legislation protecting businesses from liability lawsuits if their employees or patrons contract the coronavirus. The liability proposal passed by the House last week had faced an uphill...

LGBT rights ballot drive sues to cut signature requirement

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — A group organizing a ballot drive to add LGBT anti-discrimination protections to Michigan’s civil rights law sued the state Tuesday, saying coronavirus restrictions made it impossible to collect the required 340,000 valid voter signatures. Fair and Equal Michigan and two...

Anti-transgender bill advances as lawmakers return to work

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Tennessee lawmakers marked their return to legislative offices Tuesday by advancing an anti-transgender proposal after abruptly recessing three months ago because of the coronavirus outbreak. In March, lawmakers scrambled to approve a newly designed 2020-21 fiscal year budget back...

$30B-plus Louisiana operating budget receives House support

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — The Louisiana House on Tuesday backed a $30 billion-plus spending plan for next year that uses federal coronavirus aid to keep programs and services on an even keel despite the pandemic. The package of budget bills — approved in a quick afternoon of House votes rather than...

Kansas’ Democratic governor vetoes GOP bill that would have limited her emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ Democratic governor vetoes GOP bill that would have limited her emergency powers during the coronavirus pandemic.

Recent Missouri editorials

The Kansas City, May 21 In roughly 90 days, nearly 20 million students will begin classes on college campuses across the nation, including dozens of schools in Kansas and Missouri. Will it be safe? That isn’t clear. Will coronavirus tests be given? How often? Can students be quarantined? Can professors and...