The Democratic-controlled House on Friday approved a bill to decriminalize and tax marijuana at the federal level, reversing what supporters call a failed policy of criminalizing pot use and taking steps to address racial disparities in enforcement of federal drug laws.

Opponents, mostly Republicans, called the bill a hollow political gesture and mocked Democrats for bringing it up at a time when thousands of Americans are dying from the coronavirus pandemic.

“With all the challenges America has right now, (Republicans) think COVID relief should be on the floor, but instead, the Democrats put cats and cannabis” on the House floor, said House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif. “They’re picking weed over the workers. They’re picking marijuana over (providing) the much-needed money we need to go forward″ to address the pandemic.

McCarthy’s comment about cats referred to a separate bill approved by the House to ban private ownership of big cats such as lions and tigers, a measure boosted by the Netflix series “Tiger King.″ That bill, approved by the House on Thursday, would allow most private zoos to keep their tigers and other species but would prohibit most public contact with the animals.

Democrats said they can work on COVID-19 relief and marijuana reform at the same time and noted that the House passed a major pandemic relief bill in May that has languished in the Senate.

Supporters say the pot bill would help end the decades-long “war on drugs” by removing marijuana, or cannabis, from the list of federally controlled substances while allowing states to set their own rules on pot. The bill also would use money from a new excise tax on marijuana to address the needs of groups and communities harmed by the so-called drug war and provide for the expungement of federal marijuana convictions and arrests.

“For far too long, we have treated marijuana as a criminal justice problem instead of as a matter of personal choice and public health,″ said Rep. Jerry Nadler, D-N.Y., chairman of the House Judiciary Committee and a key sponsor of the bill. “Whatever one’s views are on the use of marijuana for recreational or medicinal use, the policy of arrests, prosecution and incarceration at the federal level has proven unwise and unjust.″

Drug reform advocates called the House vote historic, noting it is the first time comprehensive legislation to decriminalize marijuana has passed the full House or Senate.

“The criminalization of marijuana is a cornerstone of the racist war on drugs. Even after a decade of reform victories, one person was arrested nearly every minute last year for simply possessing marijuana,” said Maritza Perez, director of national affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, an advocacy group. “Today the House took the most powerful step forward to address that shameful legacy.”

The vote comes at a time when most Americans live in states where marijuana is legal in some form, and lawmakers from both parties agreed that national cannabis policy has lagged woefully behind changes at the state level. That divide has created a host of problems — loans and other banking services, for example, are hard to get for many marijuana companies because pot remains illegal at the federal level.

Four states, including New Jersey and Arizona, passed referenda allowing recreational cannabis this year. Voters made Oregon the first state in the nation to decriminalize possession of small amounts of cocaine, heroin and methamphetamine.

Rep. Barbara Lee, D-Calif., called the House bill an important racial justice measure. The bill “is a major step, mind you, a major step toward ending the unjust war on drugs and racial inequities that are central to these laws,″ said Lee, who is African American.

The bill, which passed 228-164, now goes to the Republican-controlled Senate, where it is unlikely to advance. A related bill that would give pot businesses access to traditional banking services has languished in the Senate after being approved by the House last year.

Five Republicans supported the bill: Reps. Matt Gaetz and Brian Mast of Florida; Tom McClintock of California, Denver Riggleman of Virginia and Don Young of Alaska.

Six Democrats opposed it: Reps. Cheri Bustos and Daniel Lipinski of Illinois; Collin Peterson of Minnesota; Chris Pappas of New Hampshire; Conor Lamb of Pennsylvania; and Henry Cuellar of Texas.

Louisiana Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2 House Republican, said GOP lawmakers have been pushing for weeks to bring up a bill that allows small businesses to receive another round of Paycheck Protection Program loans. Many small businesses are struggling or have closed as a result of the pandemic.

Instead of allowing a vote on the GOP bill, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., is “actually focused more on legalizing pot,” Scalise said. ”It’s just unbelievable how tone deaf (Democrats) are to these small businesses and the jobs, the families that are tied to them.”

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell also mocked the bill, saying in a floor speech that “the House of Representatives is spending this week on pressing issues like marijuana. You know, serious and important legislation befitting this national crisis.”

The Big Cat Public Safety Act also is unlikely to move forward in the Senate. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, said in a tweet that Democrats were moving to “Prosecute Tiger King” rather than address issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.

But Carole Baskin, whose animal rescue organization is featured in the Netflix series, said the legislation would culminate a decades-long effort to end abuse of tiger cubs and other big cats, and protect the public and first responders from injuries and death.

“None of these important goals are partisan in any way, and we hope the Senate will follow suit quickly to make it into law,″ said Baskin, CEO and founder of Florida-based Big Cat Rescue.

via: https://ktla.com/news/nationworld/house-votes-to-decriminalize-marijuana-at-federal-level/

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A Russian YouTuber has been arrested for allegedly livestreaming a horrifying video in which his near-naked, pregnant girlfriend died after his viewers paid to see her abused, according to a report.

Stas Reeflay, 30, forced Valentina “Valya” Grigoryeva, 28, who was wearing only underwear, into the subzero cold after a viewer paid him $1,000 to carry out the sickening act, East2West News reported, citing BAZA media.

The woman died of suspected hypothermia, according to the report.

Reeflay — whose real name is Stanislav Reshetnikov — continued recording even after he realized that his girlfriend was “half dead” on a balcony at his home in the village of Ivanovka, near Moscow, East2West reported.

“Valya, are you alive?” he was heard saying as he tried to revive her with the camera rolling. “My bunny, what’s up with you? Valya! Valya! Damn, you look like you are dead.

“Bunny, come on … tell me something. I’m worrying. Damn … I don’t feel her heartbeat,” he continued.

Reeflay then told his tens of thousands of followers: “Guys … No pulse … she’s pale. She is not breathing.”

He pleaded for Grigoryeva to wake up, telling her: “I love you!”

In a previous broadcast, the boyfriend from hell — who receives online donations for his sick stunts — showered her with pepper spray, according to the news outlet.

Feminist activist Liza Lazerson slammed YouTube for “prohibiting the spread of nipples but showing scenes of violence and cruelty against women without problems.

“The woman dies on air and the audience sends donations to the killer. This must stop,” she warned. “Such videos are calmly broadcast to the whole world, meaning something is broken. Until this is fixed, censorship is necessary.”

Reeflay faces up to two years in the slammer if forensic experts prove that the woman died of hypothermia, according to the Mirror, citing reports about law enforcement.

“Information will also be checked about possible unlawful actions against the deceased by the young man in whose house the body was found,” the Russian Investigative Committee said, the outlet reported.

A YouTube rep told the Mirror: “We’re shocked to learn of this tragic incident. This kind of graphic content is not acceptable on YouTube.

“Although the original livestream did not take place on YouTube, we quickly removed re-uploads and terminated the associated account,” she added.

via: https://nypost.com/2020/12/04/youtuber-arrested-after-pregnant-girlfriend-dies-in-livestream/

Photo Credit: YouTube

An associate pastor for a megachurch in San Bernardino County died of COVID-19 about a month after the facility reopened indoor services.

Bob Bryant of the Water of Life Community Church in Fontana tested positive for the coronavirus in November and soon developed an aggressive pneumonia in his lungs, according to a post on the church’s Facebook site. He then suffered a heart attack. He ultimately was placed on a ventilator and died Monday. He was 58.

Bryant was a pastor in the church’s benevolence department, which provides financial assistance for people in need, said Susan DePaola, executive assistant to the senior pastor.

Bryant became sick while on vacation and did not return to the church once he showed symptoms in November. DePaola said she was not sure when Bryant was last at the church. It can generally take up to 14 days after a person is exposed to the coronavirus to begin showing signs of illness.

A state health order does not permit churches to hold indoor services in counties in the state’s most restrictive, or purple, tier in its reopening framework, which includes San Bernardino County. Only outdoor services are permitted in those counties.

San Bernardino County has been among the hardest-hit regions in the state; in the last week, it has reported one of the highest rates of coronavirus infections among California’s 58 counties. The number of people hospitalized with COVID-19 in the county has quadrupled in the past month, from 217 on Oct. 26 to 883 on Tuesday.

Following California’s original stay-at-home order imposed in March, the state allowed houses of worship to reopen in late May with limited indoor capacity. But after a surge in cases in the late spring and early summer, state officials closed indoor operations of churches in mid-July in the hardest-hit counties. Water of Life Community Church defied that order, however, and reopened five weeks ago.

DePaola said county officials knew the church was holding services indoors. “The county is aware we are meeting inside,” she said. “We’re not trying to break rules. They know what we’re doing.”

David Wert, a spokesman for San Bernardino County, said the county received a complaint on Nov. 16 that the church was conducting indoor services in violation of the state order. The county sent the church a letter on Monday asking it to comply with the order.

Wert said the county conducts an outbreak investigation when it learns of at least three cases linked to a facility within 14 days. Officials are not aware of other coronavirus cases linked to the church.

The church’s senior pastor, Dan Carroll, in a Times article in May said he hosted a forum among leaders of hundreds of churches who were determined to reopen in defiance of California’s health order at the time.

On its website, the church says its weekend attendance is about 7,000. It was unclear how much in-person attendance has changed since the church reopened for indoor services on Oct. 31, which it announced on its Facebook page.

“This weekend, Oct. 31st/Nov. 1st, we are moving our church services back to inside the Worship Center AND returning back to our traditional service times. Social distancing will be followed and face masks are required,” the post said. “We will still have seating available outside, as long as the weather permits, for those that are not comfortable with sitting inside.”

Bryant, known as Pastor Bob, had been with the church since he met the senior pastor about 18 years ago when he was a truck driver delivering furniture, DePaola said. He was hired as a youth pastor and later became the associate pastor in the benevolence department.

Bryant was able to help “thousands of people, by helping them financially and spiritually praying over them,” DePaola said.

“And Bob was a really big presence: He had the biggest heart of anyone you would ever meet. If you were in a room full of hundreds of people, he had the ability to make you feel like you were the most special person in the room,” she said. “He was an encourager and an uplifter and just always had a smile.”

Bryant is survived by his wife, Lori; children Missy, Jacob, Jordan and Josh; and several grandchildren.

A memorial service is scheduled for Monday both inside and outdoors. It will be livestreamed and open for in-person attendance.

“Please note, if you will be joining us in person, social distancing will be practiced and face masks are required at all times while on campus,” the church’s website said.

Funerals are permitted only outdoors in San Bernardino County, according to the state health order.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

via: https://currently.att.yahoo.com/att/cm/pastor-dies-covid-19-weeks-175638135.html

Photo Credit: Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times

Police in Northern California shot and killed a woman after she struck an officer with car, trapping him under a tire, authorities said Thursday.

Officers were called to the Discovery Village shopping center in Redding Wednesday evening, where a 62-year-old woman was yelling and cursing at patrons of a pizza parlor, a police statement said.

The woman finally left but continued to cause a disturbance in the parking lot for about 20 minutes before a security guard who had confronted her called police, the statement said.

Arriving officers found the woman in a car. In trying to leave, she nearly hit an officer, then backed up, hitting an officer with a front tire. He fell down and was pinned under the tire, police said.

To keep the car from moving, the other officer shot out a tire, then shot at the woman and fatally wounded her, police said.

She was from Yuba County but her name wasn’t immediately released.

The officer who was struck by her car was treated at a hospital. He was released and is expected to make a full recovery, police said.

via: https://ktla.com/news/california/redding-police-shoot-kill-woman-whose-struck-officer-with-her-car/

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An Alaskan teenager is being accused of shooting four relatives Monday — just a week after being released from jail on charges of family assault, according to a report.

Malachi Maxon is accused of first shooting his 18-year-old cousin, Cody Roehl, at home near Wasilla, Alaska, around 3 p.m. Authorities were tipped off when they received a call saying there was a suicide at the house and found an injured Roehl, reports Fox News.

Maxon then stole a Jeep Liberty and semi-automatic Glock pistol and traveled to his aunt’s house in Palmer.

He proceeded to break into the residence and shot his aunt, Kimora Buster, as well as his 7-year-old cousin Ellison and 10-year-old cousin Sienna Buster.

Both children were pronounced dead at the scene, while Kimora succumbed to her injuries at the hospital.

“The scene revealed spent cartridge casings outside the broken front window, and the number of bullets fired at each person appeared to be about the same,” according to police documents.

One child managed to survive the slaughter, a 6-year-old referred to in charging documents as “AB.” The child was sleeping in the same bed as Ellison when Maxon opened fire.

According to police, AB was spared due to defective bullets.

“In the bed where Ellison and AB were found, there were several more bullet defects than there were with the other bodies that indicated Maxon was likely trying to shoot AB, who was sleeping near the wall,” the document read.

Police managed to locate Maxon and the stolen vehicle through the court-ordered monitoring device that Maxon was required to wear.

After a brief scuffle with state troopers in which he attempted to escape, Maxon was subdued and arrested.

He faces four first-degree murder charges, attempted first-degree murder, second-degree theft, first-degree vehicle theft, third-degree assault and first-degree attempted escape.

via: https://nypost.com/2020/12/03/alaskan-teen-accused-of-slaughtering-family-after-jail-release/

Photo Credit: AP