Peace / Public News Service

A joint fundraising committee like that set up for Rep. Rashid Tlaib, D-Mich. enables donors to contribute up to $13,200 during an election cycle, which can then be divided among multiple candidates. (Chad Davis/Wikimedia Commons)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Tlaib and 'Squad' rally $100 million defense against AIPAC backlash

In the midst of political tensions surrounding Israel's handling of the conflict with Hamas, Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., has voiced her support for …

A quarter of election officials reported being harassed or threatened in 2020. (richjem/Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Report: Election officials left positions at increasing rate since 2000

A new report dives into election official turnover during more than two decades. It says rates have increased steadily nationwide since 2000…

Nationally, turnover in election officials reached 38.7% in 2022. (richjem/Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Report: Election official turnover trend stretches two decades

A new report dives into election official turnover during more than two decades. It says rates have increased steadily nationwide since 2000…

Turnover of election officials has been lower in smaller jurisdictions over the past two decades. (MyPhotoBuddy/Adobe Stock)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Steady increase in election staff changes over past two decades, report finds

A new report dives into election official turnover during more than two decades. It says rates have increased steadily nationwide since 2000…

A joint fundraising committee enables donors to contribute up to $13,200 during an election cycle, which can then be divided among multiple candidates. The individual donation limit of $6,600 per candidate per election cycle remains unchanged. (Wikimedia Commons)

Monday, April 15, 2024

Bush joins 'Squad' in rally for $100 million defense against AIPAC backlash races

In the midst of political tensions surrounding Israel's handling of the conflict with Hamas, Rep. Cori Bush, D-Mo., is joining forces with …

Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo, D-Chatsworth, Crime Survivor for Safety and Justice leader Stephanie Hatten and senior staff attorney Katherine Wutchiett for Legal Aid at Work spoke Tuesday in Sacramento on behalf of a bill to allow family members of crime victims to take unpaid leave. (Assembly Democratic Communications Office)

Criminal justice package moves ahead in CA state Legislature

A package to improve public safety is moving ahead in the California state Legislature - with a floor vote in the State Assembly on the first bill exp…

Straw purchases for guns are already a felony under federal law, but Minnesota lawmakers are expressing the need to do the same under state law following the recent fatal shooting of three first responders in a Twin Cities suburb. (Adobe Stock)

Tragedy has MN lawmakers focused on straw purchases for guns

Minnesota lawmakers return this week following an Easter break. They're expected to resume talks on a gun-safety proposal seeing renewed urgency…

Congress gave final approval to the 2024 budget after a six-month delay. (doganmesut/Adobe Stock)

Missed opportunities in 2024 budget, peacekeeping groups say

Groups supporting peace around the globe say the budget approved by Congress is lacking crucial components. After a monthslong stalemate, Congress …

A survey of Jewish college students found 37% say they've had to

Silencing dissent: Where can students debate Israel-Palestinian conflict?

As the Israel-Hamas conflict continues, students find it hard to freely express opinions as universities shut down groups due to political tensions …

Data show Oak Ridge residents pay $2.67 million in taxes toward nuclear weapons programs. (fizkes/Adobe Stock)

Alliance: 'Skyrocketing' Y-12 facility costs affect TN taxpayers

A Knoxville-based environmental group is voicing concerns over what it sees as an increasing financial strain imposed on taxpayers by nuclear weapons …

In cities across the nation, local governments are hearing more feedback and discourse from residents about a range of matters during regular meetings. Those include broader issues, such as calls for ceasefire resolutions in light of the Israel-Hamas war. (Adobe Stock)

Possible public-comment overhaul stirs backlash in Fargo

Public comment has long been a staple of local government meetings. But in North Dakota and other parts of the country, this engagement tool faces a …

Missouri's Senate Bill 1314, similar to House Bill 2365, prohibits funds from being expended by any state department for interdepartmental programs, staffing or other initiatives associated with

New report reveals high economic risk of anti-DEI laws in Missouri

A new report finds some Missouri laws and prospective laws are perceived as discriminatory regardless of their actual intent - and it outlines some bi…

The Council on American-Islamic Relations estimates there are about 2.2 million American Muslim voters in the U.S., up from its previous estimate of almost 1.79 million. (pressmaster/Adobe Stock)

Primary results: Are Michigan Dems committed to 'uncommitted?'

More than 100,000 people voted "uncommitted" in Michigan's presidential primary. What happens next will be, at least in part, up to President Joe …

Automotive manufacturer Ford estimates it will create 2,500 new American jobs through its EV production plant in Marshall. (sofirinaja/Adobe Stock)

Trump attempts appeal to Michigan's waning Biden support

Early voting for primaries in Michigan began this weekend. Rep. Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich., in a change from Democratic support, urged voters to block …

Nearly 700 Kentuckians died by gun violence in 2019, an average of nearly two people every day. Suicides made up 65% of gun deaths, according to the Kentucky Educational Fund to Stop Gun Violence.(Adobe Stock)<br />

KY crisis aversion bill would help decrease gun violence, advocates say

New legislation under consideration by Kentucky lawmakers would allow police to confiscate guns from people whose family members are concerned about t…

The group Everytown For Gun Safety ranks Missouri as the seventh-highest state for all gun-related deaths. (JJ Gouin/Adobe Stock)

Deadly shooting after Chiefs' victory parade renews calls for reform

Wednesday's Kansas City Chiefs' victory parade turned fatal, prompting gun-law activists to call for reform. One person died and three people are in …

More than half of Dearborn's nearly 110,000 residents are of Middle Eastern or north African origin.(munir/Adobe Stock)

Many Dearborn residents reconsider voting for Biden in upcoming election

Biden administration officials traveled to Dearborn on Thursday to meet Muslim and Arab-American community leaders, in an effort to repair relations …

By some estimates, roughly 70 U.S. cities, including small to medium-sized municipalities, have endorsed non-binding resolutions calling for a ceasefire related to the war in Gaza. (Adobe Stock)

Smaller governments find voice in Gaza ceasefire resolutions

Dozens of U.S. municipalities have adopted resolutions calling for a ceasefire in Gaza. Recent action by a smaller Minnesota city showed governments …

The Jan. 6 Committee's final report revealed members of the Oath Keepers and other Trump allies stockpiled weapons near Washington, D.C., as they waited for the former president to invoke the Insurrection Act and deploy the military for domestic law enforcement. (spidey888/Adobe Stock)<br />

Democracy challenged by social media 'networked incitement'

The use of social media to organize the Jan. 6 insurrection marked a turning point in American political protest, according to a leading media and …

Candice Bailey is the founder of the Colorado Police Oversight Commission, and has worked to improve laws surrounding law enforcement and community engagement. (Michael Ensminger/Motus Theater)

Theater group works to inspire action in alignment with MLK

Boulder's Motus Theater is hosting an event today for anyone curious about continuing the work of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. -- including addressing …

Martin Luther King Jr. Day was first celebrated as a federal holiday in 1986, but since the mid-1990s, it has been recognized as a day of service. (Adobe Stock)

Service opportunities remain at heart of MLK Day

Today, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Minnesota residents are reminded to seek out service opportunities to make their communities a better place to …

Social media's 'networked incitement' the latest challenge to democracy

The use of social media to organize the Jan. 6 insurrection marked a turning point in American political protest, according to a leading media and …

In her 2024 State of the State address, Gov. Kathy Hochul proposed allocating $20 million for district attorneys to gather evidence to prosecute abusers and have any firearms they own taken away. (Adobe Stock)

Report: NYC intimate-partner violence reaches new high

A new report finds New York City intimate-partner violence increased almost 30% between 2022 and 2023. The city's Domestic Violence Fatality Review …

Azka Mahmood, executive director of CAIR-Georgia, said in an online statement,

GA family calls for changes following threats to Muslim student

The Georgia chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations-Georgia and the family of a Warner Robins Middle School student are calling for polic…

In Oregon's largest counties, there is an average of one election staff worker for about 47,000 voters. (MyPhotoBuddy/Adobe Stock)

Study: OR election staff leaving as 2024 vote looms

Going into a big election year, staffing at elections offices in Oregon is an issue, according to a study. Staff-to-voter ratios vary widely …

On the heels of last year's legislative session, Minnesota is implementing a range of new laws in 2024, including the expansion of earned sick time and access to free menstrual products in schools. (Adobe Stock)

New MN laws cover renters, extreme-risk protections involving gun owners

With 2024 now underway, a flurry of new Minnesota laws are in effect. Renters facing obstacles with their landlords have new protections, and there …

In a statement, Edward Mitchell, CAIR's national deputy director, said

Hawley criticized for heated questioning of Muslim American judicial nominee

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., has drawn fire for his questioning of the first Muslim American judicial nominee. Hawley, along with Sen. Tom Cotton…

There were 45 book challenges in Massachusetts in 2022 affecting 57 titles, however no books have been banned in the state, according to the American Library Association. (Adobe Stock)<br /><br />

Legislation aims to classify book bans as federal civil rights violations

New federal legislation would classify discriminatory book bans as violations of federal civil rights law. The Books Save Lives Act would ensure …

Since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel, more than 16,000 Palestinians have been killed, with more than 40% of them children. Nearly 2 million people have been displaced from their homes, according to the American Friends Service Committee. (Adobe Stock)

NH activists pressure congressional delegation on Gaza ceasefire

Community members will hold a silent vigil outside the Dover office of Rep. Chris Pappas, D-N.H., today in recognition of the people killed in the …

Multiple victims following a shooting incident on UNLV campus

There are at least three victims after a shooting incident that happened at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas campus on Wednesday. By afternoon…

A recent survey by the Anti-Defamation League found nearly three in four Jewish students in the U.S. have experienced or witnessed antisemitism this school year. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights has also opened investigations into alleged Islamophobic incidents at least a half-dozen colleges and universities. (Adobe Stock)

University presidents testify on rise of antisemitism on college campuses

College presidents testified before a congressional committee Tuesday on the rise of antisemitism on college campuses since the Oct. 7 Hamas-led …

The call for a fast in solidarity with Palestinians is on Nov. 23, which is Thanksgiving Day. (Solidarityfast.com)

Call for global fast in solidarity with Gazans on Thanksgiving

Organizations are asking people to join them in a fast on Thanksgiving in solidarity with people suffering from war conditions in Gaza. Groups …

University of New Hampshire students and community members gathered last week to protest the Israeli war in Gaza and demand the Biden Administration call for an immediate ceasefire to prevent further civilian casualties. (Ahsan)

NH college students call for ceasefire as support for Dems erodes

Students at the University of New Hampshire are joining college students nationwide in demanding the Biden Administration call for an immediate Israel…

It's estimated that about 420 children are killed or injured every day in the Gaza Strip, according to the World Health Organization. (Adobe Stock)

Arizonans protest to stop funding Israeli violence against Palestinians

On Monday, Arizonans gathered at the State Capitol to honor the dead in the war between Israel and Hamas, and demand a halt to the killing. Liz …

More than 30,000 labor activists have signed a letter calling on top U.S. union leaders to

Postal Workers become largest union to demand ceasefire in Gaza

One of the nation's largest labor unions has become the latest organization to demand a ceasefire in Gaza as Israel's war with Hamas plays out…

Maine has few foundational gun safety laws, including background checks for all gun sales, an Extreme Risk law, or waiting periods, according to Everytown for Gun Safety. (Adobe Stock)

Maine lawmakers, gun safety groups call for assault weapons ban

Advocates in Maine for stronger gun safety laws are calling for a complete ban on assault weapons following last week's mass shooting in Lewiston…

Most Republicans prefer a candidate who can preserve American culture (58%), while most Democrats and Independents prefer a candidate who can manage the economy, according to the survey. (Adobe Stock)

Survey on 'political violence,' future of US democracy

A federal judge recently dismissed a lawsuit challenging Nevada's Election Worker Protection Law. Senate Bill 406 created new safeguards to protect …

At the federal level, hate crime laws include crimes committed on the basis of the victim's perceived or actual race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. (Argus/Adobe Stock)

Kansas City reassures residents after MO spike in religion-based hate crimes

Some Missourians fear an increase in hate crimes in the wake of a six-year-old's murder in Illinois this week - an incident authorities say was motiva…

Israeli bombs take out a large building in Gaza City in retaliation for an attack by Hamas that left more than 1,000 people dead. (Flickr)

Jewish groups protest at U.S. Capitol, demand Gaza cease-fire

Thousands of American Jews from Illinois and across the country protested at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., this week, calling for a cease-…

Jewish Americans hold up signs, including

MI advocates of Palestinian-Israeli peace march in DC today

In the wake of a significant protest by Jewish people supporting Palestinian rights last week, thousands are set to assemble on Capitol Hill today…

Jewish Americans hold up signs in support of Palestine at a New York rally. (Zachary Schulman/JVP)

MO groups in DC for today's Palestinian-Israeli peace march

In the wake of a significant protest by Jewish people supporting Palestinian rights last week, thousands are set to assemble on Capitol Hill today…

At a recent demonstration in Brooklyn, New York, the group Jewish Voice for Peace Action reported more than 50 arrests, including that of an 81-year-old peace advocate. (Jewish Voice for Peace Action)

Jewish groups protest at U.S. Capitol, demand Gaza ceasefire

In Washington, D.C., today, American Jews from Pennsylvania and across the country are converging on the U.S. Capitol to call for an end to the war …

The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence reports one in three women in the United States has experienced some form of physical violence by an intimate partner. (Adobe Stock)

IN domestic violence rates remain at troubling levels

October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month. The most recent study from the Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence cites a 181% …

Idaho law enforcement received nearly 6,000 reported incidents of intimate partner violence in 2022. (nito/Adobe Stock)

Domestic violence awareness month: struggles for pregnant, indigenous people

October is domestic violence awareness month. The issue remains prevalent across the nation and in Idaho. Nearly one in three women experience …

The Environmental Protection Agency uses RadNet monitors to track fluctuations in gamma radiation emitted from airborne radioactive particles in Tennessee. (hamara/Adobe Stock)

TN group takes up nuclear weapons prohibition at UN meeting

A Knoxville group of concerned citizens will head next month to an international meeting at United Nations headquarters in New York. Their focus is …

House Bill 4945 and House Bill 4946, sponsored by state Sen. Stephanie Chang, D-Detroit, were voted out of the Michigan Senate Judiciary Committee last week. (Adobe Stock)

MI lawmakers debate tougher gun laws for domestic violence convictions

Michigan state lawmakers are moving closer to restricting gun ownership for more people who have been convicted of domestic violence. The House …

The Alternatives to Violence Project has been offered in schools across the country. (Wikimedia Commons)

WA group brings 'Alternatives to Violence' to secondary students

Skills for reducing violence are becoming essential in schools. At the beginning of the school year, students at a Washington state high school …

The 78th session of the U.N. General Assembly included a speech from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who spoke of peace with Saudi Arabia. The annual meeting's focus was the global warming crisis. (RawBeautyPixels/Adobe Stock)

Why Israeli politics matter in NYC

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to the United Nations General Assembly sparked major demonstrations in New York City on Friday…

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Peace/Non-Violence

Tlaib and 'Squad' rally $100 million defense against AIPAC backlash

Report: Election officials left positions at increasing rate since 2000

Report: Election official turnover trend stretches two decades

Steady increase in election staff changes over past two decades, report finds

Bush joins 'Squad' in rally for $100 million defense against AIPAC backlash races

Criminal justice package moves ahead in CA state Legislature

Tragedy has MN lawmakers focused on straw purchases for guns

Missed opportunities in 2024 budget, peacekeeping groups say

Silencing dissent: Where can students debate Israel-Palestinian conflict?

Alliance: 'Skyrocketing' Y-12 facility costs affect TN taxpayers

Possible public-comment overhaul stirs backlash in Fargo

New report reveals high economic risk of anti-DEI laws in Missouri

Primary results: Are Michigan Dems committed to 'uncommitted?'

Trump attempts appeal to Michigan's waning Biden support

KY crisis aversion bill would help decrease gun violence, advocates say

Deadly shooting after Chiefs' victory parade renews calls for reform

Many Dearborn residents reconsider voting for Biden in upcoming election

Smaller governments find voice in Gaza ceasefire resolutions

Democracy challenged by social media 'networked incitement'

Theater group works to inspire action in alignment with MLK

Service opportunities remain at heart of MLK Day

Social media's 'networked incitement' the latest challenge to democracy

Report: NYC intimate-partner violence reaches new high

GA family calls for changes following threats to Muslim student

Study: OR election staff leaving as 2024 vote looms

New MN laws cover renters, extreme-risk protections involving gun owners

Hawley criticized for heated questioning of Muslim American judicial nominee

Legislation aims to classify book bans as federal civil rights violations

NH activists pressure congressional delegation on Gaza ceasefire

Multiple victims following a shooting incident on UNLV campus

University presidents testify on rise of antisemitism on college campuses

Call for global fast in solidarity with Gazans on Thanksgiving

NH college students call for ceasefire as support for Dems erodes

Arizonans protest to stop funding Israeli violence against Palestinians

Postal Workers become largest union to demand ceasefire in Gaza

Maine lawmakers, gun safety groups call for assault weapons ban

Survey on 'political violence,' future of US democracy

Kansas City reassures residents after MO spike in religion-based hate crimes

Jewish groups protest at U.S. Capitol, demand Gaza cease-fire

MI advocates of Palestinian-Israeli peace march in DC today

MO groups in DC for today's Palestinian-Israeli peace march

Jewish groups protest at U.S. Capitol, demand Gaza ceasefire

IN domestic violence rates remain at troubling levels

Domestic violence awareness month: struggles for pregnant, indigenous people

TN group takes up nuclear weapons prohibition at UN meeting

MI lawmakers debate tougher gun laws for domestic violence convictions

WA group brings 'Alternatives to Violence' to secondary students

Why Israeli politics matter in NYC