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Senate police reform bill, Charleston anniversary, Royal Ascot: 5 things to know Wednesday


Senate bill seeks police reforms – but won't tackle qualified immunity

Senate Republicans are planning to introduce a bill Wednesday to address policing reforms that hundreds of thousands of protesters across the nation are demanding. South Carolina Republican Tim Scott said the bill will include requirements for police departments to provide more data to the Justice Department on serious injuries and deaths; call for increased training for officers; and reduce funding for agencies that do not have a ban against chokeholds. The bill will not address qualified immunity, the protection that shields police and other public officials from lawsuits if accused of misconduct. The issue has been one of the key changes sought by Democrats, making it a potential hurdle for passage of the bill.

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Pain lingers: The Charleston church shooting, 5 years later

On June 17, 2015 at 8:16 p.m. in Charleston, South Carolina, Dylann Roof, a 21-year-old a self-proclaimed white supremacist entered Emanuel AME Church, a storied African American house of worship, and killed nine people assembled for Bible study before being apprehended by authorities the next day. But as many pause to remember the Emanuel 9, Black Americans say the anniversary merely spotlights their weariness with the nation's 401-year-old legacy of slavery. "When I speak with the members of Mother Emanuel, we call it a season of extended lament," says the Rev. Eric S.C. Manning, who leads the city's Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church. On Wednesday evening, a video tribute to the victims from family members and survivors will appear on the church's Facebook page and YouTube channel. A march for justice will take place Sunday and a prayer vigil will follow on June 24.

PG&E back in court after pleading guilty to 84 counts of manslaughter

The country’s largest utility will reconvene in court on Wednesday after pleading guilty to 84 felony counts of involuntary manslaughter stemming from the deadliest and most destructive fire in California history. Pacific Gas & Electric, long accused of putting profits before customer safety, has acknowledged its neglected equipment set off the fire that destroyed most of the Northern California town of Paradise in 2018. The Camp Fire claimed the lives of 85 people and burned more than 153,000 acres. The proceedings will continue Wednesday when surviving family members of those who died in the wildfire will be allowed to make statements. More than 20 of the family members plan to appear in court while others have sent in statements that will be read aloud. 

Queen Elizabeth misses Royal Ascot racing meet for first time in reign

Queen Elizabeth II, the world's most famous horse-racing fan, is missing out on her favorite meet, Royal Ascot, for the first time in her 68-year reign amid the coronavirus pandemic. But you can be sure the 94-year-old queen will be watching the races on TV on Wednesday when two of her own horses are competing. Royal Ascot, one of the country's most high-profile horse racing events, began on Tuesday but the stands were empty and only the horses and jockeys were there. In her longest-in-British-history reign, nothing has kept the queen away from the five days of races — not pregnancy, a speech to Parliament or even an outbreak of foot-and-mouth disease. 

Dollywood set to reopen – with changes to prevent COVID-19

Dollywood theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, reopens to the general public on Wednesday with more than 700 operational changes designed to protect against COVID-19. Parkgoers will undergo health screenings and temperature checks as they arrive. Visitors over the age of 3 will be expected to wear masks, with some exceptions. (Guests can remove masks in special "relaxation zones" around the park.) There will not be any indoor shows during the first phase of Dollywood's reopening, but visitors can still enjoy outdoor music with spaced seating. Hand sanitizer stations will be available throughout the park.