Tuesday News: “The President Acts on Gun Violence;” “Terror on Federal Land”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Tuesday, January 5.

• White House outlines new gun restrictions, bypassing Congress (“The 10-provision package will require more gun sellers to be licensed and would force them to conduct background checks on potential buyers, and all federally licensed dealers will have to report any lost or stolen firearms to the authorities.”)
• The President Acts on Gun Violence (“In the hope of combating America’s intolerable levels of gun violence, with Congress refusing to pass hugely popular gun-safety measures, President Obama is issuing a modest, limited set of executive actions on guns.”)
• The Oregon standoff and America’s double standards on race and religion (“GOP presidential candidates aren’t condemning the takeover of federal property by zealots. That’s wrong.”)
• From Kim Davis to Oregon, the GOP’s love affair with lawbreakers (“Flirting with extremists helps Republicans tap into the electorate’s anger.”)
• Donald Trump dominates first national poll of 2016
• The occupation in Oregon is lawless — and pointless (“The federal wildlife refuge already belongs to the people.”)
• Editorial: Terror on federal land (“The local sheriff accused Bundy & Co. of “claiming to be part of militia groups supporting local ranchers, when in reality these men had alternative motives to attempt to overthrow the county and federal government in hopes to spark a movement across the United States.” There’s another word for that: Terrorism.”)
• How the Leader of the Oregon Armed Protest Benefited From a Federal Loan Program (“Ammon Bundy decries federal ‘tyranny,’ but he sought aid from the government to help his company.”)
• This Huge Loophole Helps the Meat Industry Hide Its Pollution (Charming, but not surprising coming from one of the most polluting, yet heavily subsidized for some crazy reason, industries in America.)
• Here’s What Happened When Black People Tried Armed Occupation
• They created our Bundy/Trump hellscape: Fox News’ angry white audience will destroy us yet (“47 percent of Fox viewers get all their news there. They are horribly misinformed. And we wonder why Trump leads?”)
• More proof that Donald Trump is poison to the GOP: His first-ever campaign ad (Fearmongering, demagoguery, racism, violence…yep, it’s the GOP in a nutshell.)
• Va. firearm sales spike in December, jump 9 percent overall in 2015
• Bill would prevent governor from withholding records on appointees
• Quiet change to state law allows government attorneys to give their bosses immunity (“A little-noticed tweak to the State and Local Government Conflict of Interests Act makes it more difficult for prosecutors to charge government officials who break the law. State prosecutors say the change actually creates a conflict of interest problem that must be undone.”)
• In Cuba, Gov. McAuliffe touts his state’s pork, wine — and seaport
• Virginia and Cuba to sign port agreement, look to expand trade
• Virginia’s weak laws allow structured settlements for pennies on the dollar
• For small-city mayor, 2015 was ‘a terrible year’ (“Fairfax City Mayor R. Scott Silverthorne was diagnosed with skin cancer after losing his job and house.”)
• General Assembly considering education funding, career readiness
• Sen. Bill Stanley says he will not seek 5th Congressional District seat
• Signer chosen as Charlottesville mayor amid public dissension
• Former state Senate candidate Loser charged with assaulting officer during traffic stop
• Three more candidates in the Portsmouth mayoral and council race
• Norfolk schools’ new “equity policy” could have significant impact
• For some, Hampton-Newport News Criminal Justice Agency an alternative to jail while awaiting trial
• Hokies shock No. 4 Cavs 70-68
• D.C. area forecast: Biting cold eases after today, warmer and wetter by the weekend