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U.S. NEWS Saturday 18 January 2020
Virginia's highest court upholds

weapons ban at gun rally

flag law.
By DENISE LAVOIE rested six men who au- Gun-rights groups argued
Legal Affairs Writer thorities linked to a white the ban would violate their
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — supremacist group known Second Amendment right
Virginia's highest court on as The Base. At least three to bear arms and their First
Friday upheld a ban on of them were planning to Amendment freedom of
firearms at an upcoming attend the pro-gun rally on speech. But a Richmond
pro-gun rally in the state's Monday on the grounds of judge upheld the ban on
capital, an event that au- the state Capitol in Rich- Thursday, citing rulings from The Virginia state Capitol building is surrounded by fencing,
Thursday, Jan. 16, 2020 in Richmond, Va., in preparation for
thorities feared could erupt mond, according to an of- the U.S. Supreme Court and Monday's rally by gun rights advocates.
in violence at the hands of ficial who spoke to The As- other courts that the Sec- Associated Press
armed extremists. sociated Press on condition ond Amendment right to Northam's executive or- Herring argued Northam's
The Virginia Supreme of anonymity to discuss an bear arms is not unlimited. der "a carefully limited Ex- order would help prevent
Court's decision came a active investigation. Philip Van Cleave, presi- ecutive Order" that "does the kind of violence that
day after gun-rights groups Virginia has become dent of the Virginia Citizens not prevent anyone from erupted at a 2017 white
sued to overturn the ban Ground Zero in the nation's Defense League — the speaking, assembling, or nationalist rally in the city of
that Gov. Ralph Northam raging debate over gun group sponsoring the rally petitioning the govern- Charlottesville.
issued earlier this week, control, as a new Demo- — called that ruling "mind- ment." One woman was killed
citing credible threats cratic majority in the state boggling." The group did "Instead, it temporarily pre- and more than 30 others
of "armed militia groups legislature has promised to not respond immediately cludes private possession of were hurt when a white
storming our Capitol." pass an array of restrictions, to the Supreme Court rul- firearms in a sensitive public supremacist drove his car
The lawsuit and court rul- including universal back- ing. place during a specified into a crowd. No one was
ings came as the FBI ar- ground checks and a red- In his legal brief to the time to protect public safe- wounded by gunfire at the
high court, Herring called ty," the brief says. rally.q

A car speeds past the additional drainage pumps on
the Oktibbeha County Lake dam near Starkville, Miss.,
Wednesday afternoon, Jan. 15, 2020.
Associated Press
New sinkhole found

at endangered

Mississippi dam

STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) ficials feared that could
— An inspection found change with heavy
a new sinkhole at a Mis- rain predicted over the
sissippi lake where an weekend.
earthen dam could fail County engineer Clyde
because of high water Pritchard said the sur-
levels linked to heavy face area of the lake
rains, officials said Friday. already has doubled to
The sinkhole was dis- about 900 acres (360
covered at Oktibbeha hectares), and he esti-
County Lake on Thursday mated it could take as
after county supervisors long as 24 days to lower
approved a plan to drain the water level by just 5
the lake in an effort to feet (1.5 meters) using
keep it from breaching, pumps that move 25,000
the Starkville Daily News gallons (94,600 liters) of
reported. water a minute.
Measuring about 3 feet The lake is about 10 miles
(0.9 meters) deep and (16 kilometers) northwest
4 feet (1.2 meters) wide, of Starkville, the home of
the hole hadn't gotten Mississippi State Univer-
larger by Friday, but of- sity. q