Jackson quitting as presidential doctor
WASHINGTON — Ronny Jackson, a Navy rear admiral whom President Donald Trump unsuccessfully nominated to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, will not return to his previous role as the president’s personal physician, a White House official said Sunday.
Jackson, who withdrew as Trump’s VA pick last week, will remain on as part of the White House medical unit, the official added. Sean Conley, a Navy veteran who took over Jackson’s responsibilities after his nomination, will remain as Trump’s personal doctor.
Jackson, a former combat physician who faced criticism almost immediately that he was not qualified to oversee VA, withdrew his nomination Thursday, after the office of Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., released allegations against Jackson that he drank on the job, overprescribed medication and presided over a toxic work environment.
Jackson has denied the allegations against him, which have proved difficult to verify or disprove.
Georgia school district OKs gun policy
DUBLIN, Ga. — A Georgia school system has decided to allow its employees to carry guns.
The Laurens County school board has approved a policy allowing select staff to carry guns on school property, in vehicles and at school functions, The Telegraph reported.
Laurens County Schools is believed to be the state’s only district to go forward with such a policy, said Justin Pauly of the Georgia School Boards Association.
Teachers and staff who carry guns will do so on a voluntary basis and receive intensive training, Laurens County Schools Superintendent Dan Brigman said. He says the policy will be developed with the county sheriff’s office.
Brigman said the district is not arming all teachers, “nor will we have teachers or any other staff members ‘openly’ carrying firearms during the school day. The processes to support this approved policy will be developed in a very careful and confidential manner in partnership with the Laurens County Sheriff’s Department.”
Teachers union leader to visit Arizona
PHOENIX — The president of the American Federation of Teachers is headed to Phoenix today to support striking Arizona teachers as they continue rallies for more funding.
Randi Weingarten will speak at a rally and hold a news conference next to the state Capitol, which is where members of the #RedforEd movement will congregate. Organizers say the teachers also plan to spend part of the day meeting with legislators.
Arizona teachers’ walkout over pay and education funding appears headed into a third day as major school districts in Phoenix and across the state including in Tucson and Flagstaff say schools will remain closed today.
The unprecedented statewide job action began Thursday, resulting in closures of schools that educate the vast majority of Arizona’s 1.1 million public school students.
Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and GOP legislative leaders said Friday that they had reached a budget agreement to boost teacher pay by 20 percent by 2020.
Leaders of teacher groups said Saturday that the announced agreement at this point is only a press release and that their other concerns remain unaddressed.
Bus carrying students crashes in S.C.
COLLETON COUNTY, S.C. — Authorities say 17 people were hurt, two seriously, when a charter bus carrying a high school chorus team crashed in South Carolina.
Colleton County Fire-Rescue Chief Barry McRoy told WCIV-TV the crash happened early Sunday on Interstate 95 in the state’s southeast. He said the bus was carrying about 30 students and adult chaperones back to North Carolina. The chorus is from Beddingfield High School in Wilson.
McRoy said the bus heading northbound ran off the left side, crossed southbound lanes and went down an embankment.
McRoy said two people suffered serious injuries, including the driver. Nine others were taken to the hospital by paramedics, and six more arrived later for treatment.
The Beddingfield Chorus Facebook account said all students and chaperones treated at the hospital “should be fine.”
A Section on 04/30/2018