Is the Indiana Senate race close? McDermott and Young tied in new poll
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Is the Indiana Senate race close? McDermott and Young tied in new poll

A new poll of the Indiana Senate race shows a statistical tie between incumbent Todd Young and challenger Tom McDermott. The mayor of Hammond, Indiana appears to be giving Senator Todd Young – a first-term Republican from southern Indiana – a run for his money. According to a poll from ARW Strategies, Todd Young is…

Op-ed: Watergate scandal could have ended differently

Op-ed: Watergate scandal could have ended differently

Fifty years after Watergate, democracy faces serious threats in the United States and across the world. The events preceding and culminating in the insurrection on January 6 were unprecedented in American history. Authoritarian regimes have come to power in many countries. Now, more than ever, reflecting on what worked during Watergate – and which reforms are still…

Scholars warn that American democracy is at risk

Scholars warn that American democracy is at risk

In an open letter, dozens of scholars from prestigious universities warned that American democracy is at risk. “We, the undersigned, are scholars of democracy who have watched the recent deterioration of U.S. elections and liberal democracy with growing alarm. Specifically, we have watched with deep concern as Republican-led state legislatures across the country have in…

Report: Justice Amy Coney Barrett lists South Bend home for $899,900
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Report: Justice Amy Coney Barrett lists South Bend home for $899,900

Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett is in the process of selling her South Bend home for just shy of a million dollars, according to a report in the Chicago Tribune. The Supreme Court’s latest justice – who was confirmed in a controversial party-line Senate vote just days before Election Day – is a former…

Tax Day 2021: Here’s a friendly reminder that tax returns aren’t due until May 17
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Tax Day 2021: Here’s a friendly reminder that tax returns aren’t due until May 17

April 15 often fills taxpayers with dread. This year? Not so much. Earlier this year, the IRS extended the deadline for federal 2020 tax returns until May 17, 2021. The automatic extension gives filers more time during the pandemic. So if you were rushing to get your returns done before midnight, you can breathe a…

State Senator David Niezgodski to speak at Lunch with the League on April 9
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State Senator David Niezgodski to speak at Lunch with the League on April 9

The League of Women Voters of the South Bend Area is welcoming State Senator David Niezgodski to discuss Indiana’s 2021 legislative session. The event will take place virtually on Friday, April 9 at noon. Senator Niezgodski will talk about bills he is involved in that impact St. Joseph County. These include: SB 164 – which would increase hotel taxes by 2%…

Illinois set to make voting rights expansion permanent
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Illinois set to make voting rights expansion permanent

The Land of Lincoln is set to permanently expand voting rights in the state. All that’s needed is Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker’s signature, which he has promised. Illinois was one of several states that expanded voting rights last year amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Among other things, Illinois extended early voting hours, allowed curbside voting, and…

Jim Crow 2.0: Georgia outlaws giving water to voters waiting in hours-long lines
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Jim Crow 2.0: Georgia outlaws giving water to voters waiting in hours-long lines

Voting should be a quick and simple process. In many places, you can show up at a polling place, request a ballot, verify your identity, and fill out the ballot in 15 minutes. But states with a history of racial discrimination are often different. They may erect artificial barriers that are meant to deter –…

Can we please get rid of the abomination that is Daylight Savings Time?
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Can we please get rid of the abomination that is Daylight Savings Time?

It’s early Sunday morning. Our clocks “spring forward” an hour even as the position of the Earth relative to the sun barely changed. Thanks for nothing, Daylight Savings Time. Like millions of Americans, I wake up groggy. That grogginess (and grumpiness) spills into Monday and the rest of the week as our internal clocks have…