Monroe County, New York

Ten immigrants took the oath of allegiance and became U.S. citizens in a naturalization ceremony held in Monroe County, New York. New York State Supreme Court Justice Bill Taylor presided over the event, telling the new citizens they were now "truly free" to choose their religion, profession, residence, and vote. Monroe County Clerk Jamie Romeo also spoke, praising the new citizens' journeys toward building "a more perfect union." Among those naturalized was Assumpta Onyekachi Nwaimo, originally from Nigeria, who completed the citizenship process after six years and urged other aspiring citizens to follow the rules and "do the right thing."

The Monroe County Legislature voted 26-0 Tuesday to approve the Monroe County Animal Abuse Registration Act, creating a centralized database to prevent people convicted of qualifying animal abuse offenses from obtaining pets through local shelters and pet dealers. The registry is intended to give shelters and dealers a quick reference tool instead of requiring manual searches through individual court records before placing an animal.

A sponsor of the bill called it a major win for animal welfare, noting more than half of New York's counties already have similar registries. Lawmakers questioned how many people would be listed and whether fish fall under the law's scope — officials confirmed fish are included, consistent with other counties' statutes. An effort to delay the vote for more data failed 4-22 before the measure passed unanimously. Details on when the registry will launch and how it will be accessed by shelters, dealers, and residents remain unresolved.

Teachers in San Jose spent Saturday canvassing neighborhoods to build support for Proposition 3, a California ballot measure set to appear before voters on Nov. 3, 2026. The measure would make permanent the higher state income-tax rates on high earners approved by voters in 2012, which are currently set to expire in 2031.

Organizers say the measure would help protect funding for public schools and other state programs, with the state estimating it would preserve between $5 billion and $15 billion in annual tax revenue. Not all proceeds go directly to education: of the education-designated funds, 89% would go to K-12 schools and 11% to community colleges, with local school boards deciding how the money is spent and administrative uses prohibited. Remaining revenue would support health care and budget reserves.

Teachers who joined the canvassing effort cited concerns about shrinking shares of school budgets going to instruction. Opponents argue California already has high taxes and costs of living, and say the state should address spending before locking in the higher rates permanently.

Springfield, Massachusetts, school officials approved more than $68 million in contracts and expenses, including a controversial $30 million busing contract with First Student, the district's longtime transportation provider. The vote came just days after students returned for the school year.

City Councilor Rosa Valentin raised concerns about renewing First Student's contract, citing parent complaints and reports of disrespectful staff conduct. District officials noted the company was fined more than $1 million last year for failing performance standards, largely tied to doubled-up routes when substitute drivers were unavailable. Officials said switching providers midyear was impractical, and First Student has been the only bidder on the busing contract since at least 2009, partly because few companies can supply the roughly 300 buses and drivers needed. The School Committee approved the contract 5-2. Other approved contracts included regional transit busing, transportation for homeless students, and services for students with medical needs and disabilities.