NEWS OF THE DAY
From Across the Nation
_1 Voting rules: The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to determine whether a Minnesota statute that prohibits wearing political apparel in polling places is unconstitutional. Several groups sued just before the 2010 election to try to ensure officials would not bar them from wearing Tea Party apparel to the polls, including buttons that read, “Please I.D. Me.” They referred to legislation that would have required voters to show identification at the polls. Lower courts upheld Minnesota’s law barring political apparel at voting places, saying it’s reasonable and applies equally to all political material regardless of viewpoint.
_2 Plane crash: Four people were killed in a plane crash in southcentral Kentucky. State Police said 41-year-old Kyle Stewart, 40-year-old Quinton Whitaker, 41-year-old Scott Foster and his son, 15-year-old Noah Foster were killed Sunday when the small plane went down in Barren County. The cause of the crash is under investigation.
_3 Hunting age: As of Monday, children of any age can hunt in Wisconsin after Gov. Scott Walker signed a bill that eliminates the state’s minimum age. A Wisconsin resident must be at least 12 years old to purchase a hunting license or hunt with a gun. However, until now children as young as 10 could participate in a mentored hunt. That program allows the child to hunt with a mentor who is at least 18 and has gone through a hunter safety course or had military training. The mentor and student could only have one gun between them, and they had to stay within arm’s reach of one another. The new law allows children of any age to participate in a mentored hunt and allows mentor and student to carry their own weapon. The proposal generated fierce opposition from minority Democrats and child safety advocates.
_4 Mall stabbing: A stabbing at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn., left two people injured and shocked shoppers who were waiting to see Santa Claus. The incident happened Sunday evening in the dressing room area of Macy’s. Police said one victim was stabbed after confronting a man attempting to steal his belongings from the dressing room. The second victim was stabbed after intervening. A 20year-old man is in custody. The victims were hospitalized with nonlife threatening injuries. Macy’s closed early but the rest of the mall stayed open. _5 Senator assaulted: Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said Monday he is returning to Washington following an attack in his yard in Bowling Green that left him with six broken ribs. Paul was attacked Nov. 3 while mowing his lawn, authorities said. Robert Porter, Paul’s close friend, said the senator was tackled from behind. Police charged Rene Boucher with misdemeanor assault. Boucher pleaded not guilty last week. Boucher and Paul have been neighbors for 17 years. Boucher’s attorney said the attack was not motivated by politics, but “by a dispute most people would find trivial.” He has not elaborated. Some have speculated the attack was prompted by a long-simmering lawn care dispute.