President Donald Trump invited the Dodgers to the White House. Many of their fans feared that the team, by accepting, would humiliate themselves and betray the team’s large Latino, Asian and African-American fan base. Dodgers controlling owner Mark Walter, along with co-owner Magic Johnson, have proposed a solution. Trump has promised that if he can keep the championship trophy, the Commissioner’s Trophy, he will end all seizures and deportations of immigrants.   read more

The smaller deficit, estimated at $583 billion, was caused by slower defense spending, less-than-anticipated spending on Hurricane Sandy rebuilding and smaller-than-expected costs of Affordable Care Act (ACA) insurance subsidies. During the depths of the recession, the deficit reached $1.4 trillion. Budget cuts since have meant the government is spending less, but that has also slowed job growth, so tax receipts have not increased as much as they might have.   read more

When the tipped minimum was last raised, it was set at half the regular minimum of $4.25 an hour. But while the regular minimum has increased somewhat regularly, the tipped wage has not, thanks to efforts by the National Restaurant Association, a lobbying group for restaurant owners. Now tipped workers’ wage is only 29.4% of the regular minimum. If it had been raised to account for inflation alone, the tipped minimum would now be $3.72.   read more

Under this law, a U.S. government employee attempting to enforce federal regulations for firearms, accessories and ammunition that were manufactured and sold in Kansas could be charged with a felony. The law also allows those who would be prohibited by federal law from owning firearms to own such “Kansas-only” weapons, allows guns to be manufactured without serial numbers and permits the manufacture of guns designed to fool metal detectors.   read more

Earlier drafts of the rule proposed a 40% cut in USDA inspectors and a 20% increase in line speeds. Some of the government inspectors would be replaced by those working for the processing company. Those changes drew protests, both from the standpoint of food safety and that of workers’ rights. The USDA refuses to release the new rule to the public and has won’t say if those concerns have been addressed in the final proposal.   read more

On June 2, 2014, President Barack Obama nominated Shaun Donovan, who had served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) since the start of the administration, to be its director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He was confirmed by the Senate on July 10 by a vote of 75-22.   read more

The Dutch study looked at the population of 15 types of birds and found a consistent decline in the population where Imidacloprid was present in surface water. Researchers believe the chemical kills off the insects that the birds eat, but they’re still unsure of the reason for the population decline. Other research has fingered neonicotinoids for the recent die-off of honeybees.   read more

Judge Terry P. Lewis noted that in employing political operatives to craft Republican-friendly boundaries, the GOP had violated a state law intended to make the election process more balanced and fair. He even quoted George Washington in warning of the use of “cunning, ambitious and unprincipled men.”   read more

Mallory Loyola gave birth July 6 to a baby girl at the University of Tennessee Medical Center. She was arrested two days later when it was found that there was methamphetamine in her system while she was pregnant, and Loyola admitted to smoking meth a few days before giving birth. Methamphetamine, while an addictive drug, is not classified as a narcotic. Furthermore, there’s no evidence that Loyola’s baby was born addicted to drugs or harmed by Loyola’s drug use.   read more

Mensah joined the Ford Foundation’s economic development unit in 1989. In 1996, she became deputy director of economic development, remaining in that job for six years. She directed the foundation’s efforts to expand microcredit and women’s economic development. In 2002, Mensah moved to The Aspen Institute to become executive director of its Initiative on Financial Security (IFA). The IFA works to encourage savings and wealth-building for working-poor families in the United States.   read more

Jadotte moved away from public service in 2005, becoming vice president for public affairs and multicultural development for NASCAR. Jadotte spent much of his time with NASCAR leading diversity programs for the organization, working to bring in minority drivers, pit crew and other team members. He did continue to dabble in politics, acting as an advisor to Organizing for America, the 2012 Obama campaign.   read more

A probe initiated by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) discovered many disturbing facts in the world of higher education and its approach to handling rapes and other sexual assaults. One that jumps right off the page: More than 40% of colleges and universities, including many private for-profit schools, haven’t investigated a single sexual assault case on their campuses over the past five years.   read more

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) this week sued the company for not providing parental consent barriers to keep kids from acquiring games, as well as digital coins, clothing, clues and other goods related to games purchased through Amazon’s app store.   read more

Tariq Khdeir of Tampa, Florida, was in Jerusalem outside the home of his slain cousin, Mohammed Tariq Khdeir of Tampa, Florida, was in Jerusalem outside the home of his slain cousin, Mohammed Abu Khdeir, who was bludgeoned and burned alive by assailants on July 2. Six Israelis have been arrested in connection with the brutal murder.. During the protest over Mohammed Abu Khdeir’s death, Israeli police apprehended Tariq Khdeir and hit him repeatedly until he fell unconscious.   read more

Adams remained at Colby College for 14 years, with one of his achievements being a $376 million capital campaign for the college. Adams was also a director of Maine Public Broadcasting from 2002 to 2012. One of Adams’ biggest challenges will be to keep the NEH in business. Congress has slashed its funding and the latest budget proposal from Rep. Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) would kill it altogether.   read more

While at CPSC, Kaye has done extensive work to minimize brain and head injuries resulting from youth football. Another project of Kaye’s was warning about the risks of coin, or button, batteries. These batteries are often swallowed by children, resulting in severe chemical burns.   read more

Efforts in Washington to reduce the amount of federal tax dollars being improperly paid out is now down to only $100 billion annually, or so that’s how the Obama administration sees it. Officials are insisting the news is good, considering the total of improper payments has been going down since 2010, when they peaked at $121 billion. Such payments can consist of unemployment checks (to the employed), medical payments for elective procedures or tax breaks to those unqualified.   read more