U.S. Briefs: Minnesota gives DIY a boost

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau and World Atlas

Minnesota

On May 24, Gov. Tim Walz signed the country’s most stringent right-to-repair law. It forces many manufacturers to share parts and information with equipment owners and independent shops to help them more easily fix devices like phones, laptops, and appliances. It includes exemptions for video game consoles, medical gear, farm or construction equipment, digital security tools, cars, and equipment used in critical infrastructure or cybersecurity. Farmers lobbied to include farm equipment in the bill, but in January, manufacturer John Deere and the American Farm Bureau Federation signed a memorandum of understanding allowing farmers access to parts and services to repair equipment themselves, with some exceptions. Minnesota tinkerers praised the new law, saying it will save consumers money. Colorado and New York recently enacted similar legislation. A 2020 Massachusetts law covers only vehicles. Legislators in 29 other states introduced right-to-repair laws this year. —Sharon Dierberger

Idaho

Kellogg High School barred a senior from its June 3 commencement ceremony after he publicly declared that there are only two genders. School administrators invited 18-year-old Travis Lohr, along with other seniors, to share pre-­approved advice with underclassmen during a school assembly. When it was his turn, Lohr said: “Guys are guys and girls are girls. There is no in-­between.” Lohr said he didn’t intend to offend but admitted he chose to go off-script. To ­protest the ban, Lohr and about 30 other students staged a rally outside the school the day before graduation. Dozens of parents and a school bus driver joined them. The school fired the bus driver and moved the ceremony to a different time, without Lohr. —Elizabeth Russell

Oklahoma

A state board approved plans for the nation’s first religious charter school on June 5. Two Roman Catholic dioceses applied earlier this year to open St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School, but the Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board unanimously rejected the application in April over ­concerns about support for students with disabilities and rural internet access. The dioceses reapplied after addressing those concerns. Supporters say the school will help Catholic students in rural areas access religious instruction. Critics worry the school could discriminate against certain ­students and say it won’t withstand a legal challenge. The ACLU quickly announced its plans to sue. —Lauren Dunn

Ken Paxton Andrew Harrer/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Texas

The Legislature voted on May 27 to impeach the attorney ­general—the first time in state history it has done so. House lawmakers voted 121-23 to approve 20 articles of impeachment against Ken Paxton, who has held the post since 2015. Paxton is accused of using his office to conceal an extramarital affair, doing favors for a friend, and taking bribes as compensation. He’s also accused of ­retaliating against staffers who reported his misconduct. He is now suspended until the state Senate can hold a trial. The House vote revealed divisions among Texas Republicans, who have held every state office and control of the Legislature since 2003. During his time in office, Paxton focused on national issues, filing multiple lawsuits against both the Obama and Biden administrations. He is one of former President Donald Trump’s closest allies in Texas and sued to overturn the 2020 presidential election results in four states. If two-thirds of the Senate votes to convict him, Paxton also will be barred from holding office in the future. —Leigh Jones

Nellis Air Force Base Nellis Air Force Base

Nevada

Defense Department officials canceled a drag queen event scheduled for June 1 at Nellis Air Force Base. It was advertised as a “family-friendly show” to recognize Pride Month. Commanders also called off another drag event at the Ramstein Air Base in Germany after Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Mark Milley said the shows violated Pentagon policy and must be canceled or held elsewhere. Hosting drag shows is “inconsistent with regulations regarding the use of resources,” Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said in a June 1 statement. Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., who questioned Pentagon officials earlier this year about the drag shows, tweeted that the Nellis cancellation was a “HUGE VICTORY.” Nellis hosted two other drag shows in recent years, and Air Force leaders approved this year’s event before Pentagon officials stepped in. —Mary Jackson

District of Columbia

A 45-year-old man held at gunpoint on May 21 says he easily shoved his lightweight assailant and got away. That’s because the armed robber was an 11-­year-old boy—perhaps the youngest ever to be arrested by District of Columbia Police for armed robbery. The boy’s arrest comes as the district grapples with an uptick in violent crime perpetrated by youth. Last year, police arrested 97 juveniles as first-time violent offenders, a rise over recent years. Police in other states have arrested ­children as young as 12 for ­robberies and even murder. In California, nine children between the ages of 12 and 17 were arrested on May 15 for a series of strong-arm robberies. In Florida, a 12-year-old is among three juveniles charged with first-degree murder in a triple homicide in April. But adults still overwhelmingly account for the violent crimes in the United States. Just 8 ­percent of suspects in robbery, assault, or murder cases in 2020 were under 18. —Juliana Chan Erikson