Trump Mail-In-Voting Order. KSU Students Sue Over Takeover Threat. SCOTUS Tosses Death Sentence

Kentucky State University, an HBCU, is facing a lawsuit from alumni and students to prevent its conversion into a polytechnic institution. This move is seen as a deliberate attempt to dismantle the liberal arts college, driven by the state's long-standing underfunding, which totals over $172 million between 1987 and 2020. The proposed change would eliminate liberal arts programs, grant the university president unchecked power over faculty and student enrollment, and ultimately threaten the school's accreditation and existence.

Republican lawmakers in Kentucky voted to make KSU a polytechnic institution. The state owes KSU over $172 million in underfunding over a 23-year period. The new statute gives unfettered control to the president to terminate faculty/staff and control student enrollment. Enrollment for the fall is less than 200 students due to uncertainty.

A federal judge, a Trump appointee, permitted a Trump executive order limiting mail-in ballots to proceed. This decision, made shortly before midterm elections, rejected requests from Democrats and civil rights groups who argued the order was unconstitutional, as states and Congress, not the President, set election rules. The judge cited that it was 'too early' to block the order as it had not yet been fully implemented, despite the immediate impact on election preparations.

A federal judge is allowing Donald Trump's limitation on mail ballots to stand. Judge Nichols rejected requests by Democrats and civil rights groups, stating it was too early to block the order because it had not yet been implemented.

Apple is facing accusations of union discrimination after announcing the closure of its Towson, Maryland store, the first Apple retail location in the U.S. to unionize. While employees at two other non-unionized Apple stores slated for closure are being automatically transferred to other locations, Towson workers received termination letters and must re-apply for positions. This disparity, despite Apple's multi-trillion-dollar market cap, is viewed as a deliberate attempt to suppress unionization efforts.

Apple is closing three stores, but only employees at the unionized Towson store received termination letters, while staff at the other two closing stores are being automatically transferred. Apple's market cap is $4.59 trillion. The Towson store unionized in June 2022 and secured its first contract in 2024.

The Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled in favor of Terry Pitchford, a Black man on Mississippi's death row for 20 years, clearing the way for his possible release. The court found that the trial court improperly prevented Pitchford's lawyers from questioning racial bias in jury selection, where only one Black person was on a 12-member jury in a county with a 40% Black population. Justice Clarence Thomas dissented, aligning with the minority who argued against federal intervention in state court findings.

A 5-4 Supreme Court decision favored Terry Pitchford, who spent 20 years on Mississippi's death row. His jury included one Black person from a county with 40% Black population. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the majority, stating the trial court erroneously omitted a key part of the Batson inquiry. Clarence Thomas was part of the four dissenters.