Your Friday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News
Top CNS stories for today including word that the U.S. House of Representatives will hold a vote on a balanced budget amendment when it returns from recess next week; chemical makers claim in court the Marine Fisheries Service relied on faulty science when it concluded their products “jeopardize the continued existence” of 38 marine species; Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy nominates the first African-American to lead the state's highest court; incumbent Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-San Pedro, is the last Democrat standing in the race to represent her Congressional district; a new test can help people determine the critical question of whether food products are safe to eat or must be thrown out; a new survey shows the social and political viewpoints of residents of Orange County, historically southern California’s base of conservative politics, have recently shifted to more progressive positions, and more.
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National
2.) Following the defeat of his first chief justice pick, who is openly gay, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy on Thursday nominated another judge who would be the first African-American to hold the judicial branch’s top job.
4.) The U.S. House of Representatives will hold a vote on a balanced budget amendment when it returns from recess next week, though critics and proponents alike acknowledge the measure is highly likely to fail.
Regional
5.) The mayor of Compton and a conservative actress-turned-commentator both announced in the last week that they are dropping out of the race for Congress, leaving incumbent Rep. Nanette Barragan, D-San Pedro, the only Democrat on the ballot.
6.) The U.S. Congressional delegation from Hawaii urged the military to take over missile alerts at a hearing in Hawaii today on the false ballistic missile alert that sent Hawaii residents scrambling for 38 minutes on Jan. 13.
Science
8.) Unsure if the bacon that’s been sitting in your refrigerator is still good? A new test can help people determine the critical question of whether food products are safe to eat or must be thrown out.
Research & Polls
9.) The social and political viewpoints of residents of Orange County, historically southern California’s base of conservative politics, have recently shifted to more progressive positions including support for gun control and rent control, according to details of a survey released Thursday.
International
10.) A U.S. prison guard faced the other side of the bars on Thursday, as prosecutors in a federal bribery complaint say he accepted $45,000 to smuggle contraband to the star witness in a multibillion-dollar laundering scheme.
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