(1) 03042021 - GOP state lawmakers seek to nullify federal gun limits
With Democrats controlling the presidency and Congress, Republican state lawmakers concerned about the possibility of new federal gun control laws aren’t waiting to react. Legislation in at least a dozen states seeks to nullify any new restrictions, such as ammunition limits or a ban on certain types of weapons. Some bills would make it a crime for local police officers to enforce federal gun laws. That can create confusion for officers who often work with federal law enforcement, said Daniel Isom, a former chief of the St. Louis Police Department who is now a senior advisor for Everytown for Gun Safety. Federal law plays a big role in some areas, such as keeping guns away from domestic violence offenders. Putting local officers in a position to decide which laws to enforce is the last thing police need at a time when cities such as St. Louis are experiencing a rise in violent crime, Isom said.
* nullify = (합의, 명령 등을) 무효화하다; 효력 없게[무가치하게/무효로] 만들다/ keep sb/sth away (from sth) = ~에게 (~에) 가지 못하게 하다
(2) 03082021 - Spring-break partying falls victim to COVID-19 crisis
Goodbye, sunshine. Hello, study sessions. Colleges around the U.S. are scaling back spring break or canceling it entirely to discourage partying that could spread the virus and raise infection rates back on campus. Texas A&M University opted for a three-day weekend instead of a whole week off. The University of Alabama and the University of Wisconsin-Madison also did away with spring break but are giving students a day off later in the semester. Even some students who have the time to get away aren’t in the mood. Michigan Tech’s weeklong break began Friday, but 21-year-old Justin Martin decided to visit family in Michigan instead of making that epic senior-year trip to Florida he once envisioned.
* scale back[down] = (크기, 규모를) 축소하다[줄이다]/ envision = (특히 앞으로 바라는 일을) 마음속에 그리다[상상하다]