Digital Arizona News

Winning Numbers Drawn In https://digitalarizonanews.com/winning-numbers-drawn-in/ By The Associated Press Sep 17, 2022 1 hr ago 0 PHOENIX (AP) _ The winning numbers in Saturday evening’s drawing of the Arizona Lottery’s “Pick 3” game were: 1-7-9 (one, seven, nine) ¶ Ticket-holders with all three winning numbers in the order given win the top prize of $500. ¶ Lesser amounts ranging from $330 to $40 are awarded to ticket-holders with other varying combinations of the winning numbers. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Get local news delivered to your inbox! MEXICALI — When Gilbert Quintana, a farmer in the Mexicali Valley, learned he would soon lose 15% of his water supply, he did what he’s done b… A group of Tucson veterans fired back at Blake Masters’ incendiary comments on the military this week, saying he isn’t a fit representative for the more than half a million veterans in the state.  “A man like Blake Masters, who has no respect for our service – he has no business representing us anywhere, let […] The post Tucson vets slam U.S. Senate candidate Blake Masters appeared first on Arizona Mirror. PHOENIX (AP) _ The winning numbers in Monday evening’s drawing of the Arizona Lottery’s “The Pick” game were: In Arizona, water officials are concerned, though not panicking, about getting water in the future from the Colorado River as its levels decline and the federal government talks about the need for states in the Colorado River Basin to reduce use. Tucson, Goodyear and Scottsdale are the most dependent of Arizona cities on river water delivered through the Central Arizona Project, a $4 billion, 336-mile-long canal system running from the river to the Phoenix and Tucson areas. While all these cities have backup supplies, led by groundwater, to cushion them in the short- to medium-term in the event of river water cuts, their long-term picture is more uncertain. A Utah lawmaker and prominent attorney for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints advised a church bishop not to report a confession of child sex abuse to authorities, a decision that allowed the abuse to continue for years, according to records filed in a lawsuit. The two pages of records from a log of calls fielded by a law firm representing the church and the deposition of a church official show that Utah Republican State Rep. Merrill F. Nelson took the initial call from a bishop reporting that church member Paul Adams had sexually abused his daughters. The records show that Nelson also had multiple conversations over a two-year span with two bishops who knew of the abuse. Arizona’s newly drawn congressional and legislative maps are officially in use this election cycle and are still a cause of concern for advocates because they could dilute the voting power of Indigenous people in the 2022 midterm election. “The map doesn’t reflect the reality of what voters want,” said Navajo County Democrats Board Chair Missa […] The post Native voters worried they won’t have a say in the midterm election appeared first on Arizona Mirror. Democrat Katie Hobbs’ campaign for Arizona governor has ended negotiations with the state commission overseeing candidate debates to come to an agreement that would see her face off with Republican Kari Lake. The decision means the public will not see the two on the same stage as they battle for the Arizona governor’s office. Sunday’s announcement came after more than a week of efforts by Hobbs, currently secretary of state, to change the debate into separate half-hour interviews with the moderator. The Citizens Clean Elections Commission flatly rejected that proposal and gave Hobbs a week to negotiate minor changes to the planned Oct. 12 face-off. Lake had already agreed to the debate and has criticized Hobbs for backing out. Democratic candidate for governor Katie Hobbs is being hammered by her opponent’s campaign, after she for the second time declined to participate in a televised debate with Republican Kari Lake. While the Lake campaign called Hobbs a “chicken” for opting out of the debate, some Democrats said that declining the debate was a smart move.  […] The post Katie Hobbs is a ‘chicken’ for ducking a debate, Kari Lake’s campaign claims appeared first on Arizona Mirror. Federal prosecutors say a New York woman has been sentenced to four months in prison for interfering with crew members aboard a flight from Dallas to Los Angeles in February 2021 that had to be diverted to Phoenix. They say Kelly Pichardo and another first-class passenger engaged in intimidating behavior on the flight and both women had to be removed from the plane after it landed at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. Authorities say the women each assaulted a passenger during the flight and used racial slurs when a male passenger asked them to stop. Pichardo also allegedly spit at the man when he tried to record the altercation. Prosecutors say the 32-year-old Pichardo, of the Bronx, must pay nearly $9,200 restitution to American Airlines. This summer has been especially lethal for migrants crossing the US-Mexican border illegally. In Arizona, migrants who get sick or injured while walking dozens of miles of essentially uninhabited desert washes and mountains in torrid heat are often abandoned by their smugglers. Forensic experts estimate 80% of those who die are never found, identified or recovered. But one Pentecostal pastor in Tucson and his small group of volunteers is trying to bring comfort to missing migrants’ families by going on grueling desert hikes to find traces of their relatives. Óscar Andrade has received more than 400 calls from distressed families since March alone – and found nearly 50 remains since last year. Read More…

China Values UN Relationship Despite Human Rights Criticism https://digitalarizonanews.com/china-values-un-relationship-despite-human-rights-criticism/ BEIJING (AP) — As world leaders gather in New York at the annual U.N. General Assembly, rising superpower China is also focusing on another United Nations body that is meeting across the Atlantic Ocean in Geneva. Chinese diplomats are speaking out and lobbying others at an ongoing session of the Human Rights Council to thwart a possible call for further scrutiny of what it calls its anti-extremism campaign in Xinjiang, following a U.N. report on abuses against Uyghurs and other largely Muslim ethnic groups in the western China border region. The concurrent meetings, on opposite sides of the Atlantic, illustrate China’s divided approach to the United Nations and its growing global influence. Beijing looks to the U.N., where it can count on support from countries it has befriended and in many cases assisted financially, as a counterweight to U.S.-led blocs such as the Group of Seven, which have grown increasingly hostile toward China. “China sees the U.N. as an important forum that it can use to further its strategic interests and goals, and to reform the global order,” said Helena Legarda from the Mercator Institute for China Studies in Berlin. While holding up the United Nations as a model of multilateralism, China rejects criticism or decisions that the ruling Communist Party sees as counter to its interests. Its diplomats struck back at the report published last month by the U.N. human rights office raising concerns about possible “crimes against humanity” in Xinjiang — vowing to suspend cooperation with the office and blasting what it described as a Western plot to undermine China’s rise. FILE – China’s President Xi Jinping remotely addresses the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in a pre-recorded message, Tuesday Sept. 21, 2021, at UN headquarters. As world leaders gather in New York at the annual U.N. General Assembly, rising superpower China is also focusing on another United Nations body that is meeting across the Atlantic Ocean in Geneva. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer, Pool, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Mary Altaffer FILE – The symbol of the United Nations is displayed outside the Secretariat Building during an emergency meeting of the U.N. General Assembly, Monday, Feb. 28, 2022, at the United Nations Headquarters, in New York. As world leaders gather in New York at the annual U.N. General Assembly, rising superpower China is also focusing on another United Nations body that is meeting across the Atlantic Ocean in Geneva. (AP Photo/John Minchillo, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/John Minchillo FILE – Zbigniew Rau, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Poland addresses the Human Rights Council at the United Nations in Geneva, Switzerland, March 2, 2022. As world leaders gather in New York at the annual U.N. General Assembly, rising superpower China is also focusing on another United Nations body that is meeting across the Atlantic Ocean in Geneva. (Denis Balibouse/Pool via AP, File) Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS/Denis Balibouse PreviousNext China had pushed hard to block the report on Xinjiang, delaying its release for more than a year. In the end, the information did come out — but just minutes before embattled U.N. human rights chief Michelle Bachelet left office. Like the United States, China feels a certain freedom to ignore U.N. institutions when it wants: The Trump administration pulled the U.S. out of the Human Rights Council in 2018, accusing it of anti-Israel bias. The Biden administration jumped back in this year, and has made a priority of defending Israel in the 47-member-state body. Also like the United States, China leverages its influence to get its way — effectively stymieing an investigation by the U.N.’s World Health Organization into whether China was the birthplace of the coronavirus pandemic. Ken Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch, said Chinese President Xi Jinping is trying to redefine what human rights are, in part by casting economic development as a key criterion. China, Roth said, “more than any government in the past, is trying to undermine the U.N. human rights system” — by pressuring U.N. officials, retaliating against witnesses and trying to bribe governments. “One of their top priorities right now — maybe after Taiwan — is to avoid condemnation by the Human Rights Council,” Roth said. The self-governing island of Taiwan is claimed by China as its sovereign territory, an issue that the Beijing government is vociferous about internationally. Shi Yinhong, an international relations expert at Renmin University in China, said advocating for the U.N.’s role in maintaining the international order doesn’t mean that China agrees with every U.N. body, citing the COVID-19 origins study and the recent Xinjiang report. “When the U.N high commissioner for human rights issues such a report, in the eyes of China, it is the same as all organizations in the world, no matter official or private, that defames China,” Shi said. But China doesn’t want its pique toward the rights office, which falls under U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, to spill over to its deepening relationship with other parts of the world body that deal with refugees, climate, the internet, satellites, world hunger, atomic weapons, energy and much more. China wields power as one of the five veto-holding members of the Security Council, helping it build relationships with the United States and others who needed China’s support for past resolutions on Iran and North Korea. That influence has diminished somewhat with the overall deterioration of U.S.-China ties, Shi said. Subsequently, both China and Russia vetoed a U.S.-backed resolution in May to impose new sanctions on North Korea. Under Xi, who came to power 10 years ago, China has expanded its U.N. involvement from primarily international development early on to political, peace and security issues, Legarda said. She noted how China has had its concepts and language worked into U.N. resolutions and used the U.N. system to promote a “Global Development Initiative” proposed by Xi in a video address to last year’s General Assembly. “This is a reflection of China’s more assertive and ambitious foreign policy under Xi,” Legarda said. China has stepped into a diplomatic void created by a lack of U.S. leadership, said Daniel Warner, a Geneva-based political analyst. Former President Donald Trump shunned many international institutions, Warner said, and successor Joe Biden has been preoccupied with domestic issues. Chinese hold the top jobs at three of the U.N.’s 18 specialized agencies: the Food and Agricultural Organization, the Industrial Development Organization and the International Telecommunications Union, where the United States has put up a candidate to succeed outgoing chief Houlin Zhao. A Chinese official headed the International Civil Aviation Organization until last year. For China, it’s a matter of prestige as well as influence, Warner said. “The United States and the Western countries were very much involved in the initial United Nations,” he said. “China doesn’t want to have that kind of leadership. They’re not talking about liberal values, but they want to make sure that their interests are defended in the U.N. system.” Chinese diplomats spearheaded a joint statement — which it said was backed by 30 countries including Russia, North Korea, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela — that blasted “disinformation” behind the U.N. report on Xinjiang and the “erroneous conclusions” drawn in it. And China’s ambassador in Geneva said Beijing could no longer cooperate with the human rights office — without specifying how. Sarah Brooks, a China expert at the International Society for Human Rights advocacy group in Geneva, said China could hold up its funding for the office – which lately has come in at $800,000 a year, far less than Western countries that give tens of millions. Still, Brooks said it would be a “huge blow” if funding from China were to stop, in part because many countries appreciate and support the causes that Beijing helps pay for. “The optics of it are really damaging,” she said. “You have a country that says, ‘Hi, I want to be responsible, but I’m so thin-skinned … I’m still going to lash out at the organization that drafted it.’” ___ Keaten reported from Geneva. Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed to this report. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Read More Here

NH Secretary Of State: Effort To Force Hand Count Of Primary Ballots Slowed Results https://digitalarizonanews.com/nh-secretary-of-state-effort-to-force-hand-count-of-primary-ballots-slowed-results/ Published: 9/17/2022 11:15:21 PM Modified: 9/17/2022 11:14:40 PM An organized effort to force a hand count of ballots slowed the tabulation of results in Tuesday’s primary election by hours in some places, New Hampshire Secretary of State Dave Scanlan said Friday. Groups opposed to voting machines urged people to write in the names of the candidates they support, even when those names were already printed on the ballot. This forced election officials to count those ballots by hand. “It’s disruptive to the process,” Scanlan said in an interview. “It’s a current concern. It really stresses the system when you have poll workers who have been at it for 12 to 16 hours now having to count all these ballots at the end of the night. It probably increases the chances for errors.” Scanlan didn’t have an estimate for how many ballots were cast this way but said the activity occurred at some of the state’s larger polling places and was seen in Londonderry, Windham, Merrimack and elsewhere. Full election results are usually seen in New Hampshire around 11 p.m., but on Tuesday, the full tabulation was not reached in some races until hours later — 3 a.m. in one case, Scanlan said. Scanlan said he will reach out to groups backing the write-in effort and try to gain a better idea of their concerns. He said he doesn’t want to dissuade write-in votes on a general basis but does want to explain this is unnecessary when the name already appears on the ballot. Terese Grinnell, 48, of Loudon, who lost by a landslide in a Republican primary race to Executive Councilor Ted Gatsas, of Manchester, said a pro-liberty group she is involved in, We The People, encouraged people who doubt the accuracy of voting machines to write in the names of their preferred candidates, even if those names were already on the ballots. She said the intent was to encourage people to vote who were so disenchanted with the process that they otherwise might not do so. “We can’t have them shut down. So we said, ‘If you don’t want to vote in the traditional way, here’s another option,’ ” said Grinnell, one of nine people arrested on allegations of being disruptive at an Executive Council meeting in October. She said a graphic was posted online showing that if voters filled in the oval next to the “write-in” line on the ballot, and then put the candidate’s name on that line, the ballot would be counted by hand. This would be done instead of filling in the oval next to the candidate’s printed name. Ballots that have the write-in oval filled in are routed to a bin separate from the other ballots. Election workers check the bin at the end of the night and hand-count those ballots. Former President Donald Trump’s false claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him led to and inflamed conspiracy theories that voting machines were rigged and boosted efforts in some states to require that all votes be counted by hand. Former Trump-appointed U.S. Attorney General William Barr has said there was no widespread election fraud. Numerous courts have also rejected claims of fraud. In New Hampshire, Scanlan and Republican Gov. Chris Sununu say the state’s election system is accurate and trustworthy. More than 80% of the ballots in the state are counted by AccuVote optical scan machines that are not connected to the internet. The others are counted by hand, typically in small communities. Legislation that was rejected unanimously by a House committee in August sought to ban all voting machines in the state and force a hand count of all ballots. More than 800,000 ballots were cast in New Hampshire during the 2020 presidential election. A bill approved this past legislative session required an audit of the performance of voting machines. Primary ballots cast in Hopkinton and Laconia’s Ward 1 were sent through a high-speed scanner in the State Archives building in Concord on Thursday to compare the results to those rendered by the AccuVote machines. The two sets of results were identical in Laconia’s Ward 1. Out of 1,360 ballots cast in Hopkinton, there was a three-vote discrepancy on the Republican side and a one-vote difference on the Democratic side, which the auditing team thinks may be attributable to a reported jam in an election machine. Scanlan said the audit affirmed the accuracy of the AccuVote devices. Further audits will be done after the general election. These articles are being shared by partners in The Granite State News Collaborative. For more information visit collaborativenh.org. Read More Here

Rep. Gaetz Sought Trump Pardon, Former White House Aide Testifies To Jan 6 Committee – Local News 8 https://digitalarizonanews.com/rep-gaetz-sought-trump-pardon-former-white-house-aide-testifies-to-jan-6-committee-local-news-8/ By Annie Grayer, CNN An aide to former President Donald Trump testified to the House Select Committee investigating January 6 that GOP Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida sought a preemptive presidential pardon relating to a Justice Department investigation examining whether Gaetz violated federal sex trafficking laws, a source familiar with the aide’s testimony tells CNN. John McEntee, who served as director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office in the Trump Administration, told the committee that Gaetz spoke with him about his process for seeking a pardon relating to the DOJ’s investigation in a short meeting. McEntee told the committee he could not remember if his brief meeting with Gaetz was before or after the attack on the Capitol. Gaetz has not been charged with any crimes, and the investigation is ongoing. An associate of Gaetz, former Florida tax collector Joel Greenberg, pleaded guilty to federal charges including a count of sex trafficking of a child, after striking a plea deal with federal prosecutors for a reduced criminal case after agreeing to give “substantial assistance” to the sprawling investigation. The assistance included an agreement to testify at trials or in federal grand juries if needed and to turn over all documents that could help the federal inquiry. Gaetz has claimed the allegations stemmed from an extortion plot against him and his family, saying in a statement to CNN in 2021 that “no part of the allegations against me are true.” His spokesman also said that Gaetz has never paid for sex, nor has he had sex with a 17-year-old as an adult.​ The new information McEntee told the select committee provides more context into Gaetz’s concern about the investigation and provides fresh insight into the specific kind of pardon Gaetz was seeking. The Justice Department has been investigating Gaetz since early 2021 over allegations involving sex trafficking and prostitution, including whether Gaetz had a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old girl. McEntee relayed to the committee that Gaetz said at the time “they are launching an investigation into him or that there’s an investigation into him,” without mentioning the Justice Department as the entity investigating him explicitly. But when committee investigators asked McEntee if he interpreted Gaetz’s request for a pardon to be in the context of the DOJ investigation, McEntee said “I think that was the context, yes.” McEntee also testified that Gaetz told him that “he did not do anything wrong but they are trying to make his life hell, and you know, if the president could give him a pardon, that would be great.” The details of McEntee’s testimony were first reported by The Washington Post. McEntee also told the committee that Gaetz shared he had asked Trump’s former chief of staff Mark Meadows for a pardon, which the panel has already revealed in previous testimony. A spokesperson for Meadows did not immediately respond to a request for comment. A spokesperson for Gaetz told CNN, “Congressman Matt Gaetz discussed pardons for many other people publicly and privately at the end of President Donald Trump’s first term. As for himself, President Trump addressed this malicious rumor more than a year ago stating, ‘Congressman Matt Gaetz has never asked me for a pardon.’ Rep. Gaetz continues to stand by President Trump’s statement.” The panel had already revealed some of McEntee’s testimony in one of its June hearings. McEntee testified to the committee that Gaetz said he asked Meadows explicitly for a pardon, though it was not clear at the time what the pardon request was for. CNN reached out to a phone number and an email address believed to belong to McEntee for comment but has not received a response. When an investigator asked McEntee how he knew Gaetz had asked Meadows for a pardon, McEntee replied, “he told me he had asked Meadows for a pardon.” The committee also revealed testimony from McEntee where he said he was aware of conversations about the possibility of a blanket pardon relating to January 6. The committee had also previously revealed that a group of Republican lawmakers, including Gaetz, had sought preemptive presidential pardons. A spokesperson for the House select committee declined to comment. During a June hearing, the panel revealed an email sent from GOP Rep. Mo Brooks of Alabama to the White House “pursuant to a request from Matt Gaetz,” requesting a pardon for Gaetz, himself, and others who were unnamed. Former Meadows aide Cassidy Hutchinson also testified to the committee that “Mr. Gaetz was personally pushing for a pardon, and he was doing so since early December, I’m not sure why. Mr. Gaetz had reached out to me to ask if he could have a meeting with Mr. Meadows about receiving a presidential pardon.” Hutchinson said that Gaetz was not the only GOP member to contact her about a blanket presidential pardon. She said GOP Reps. Brooks, Andy Biggs of Arizona, Louie Gohmert of Texas, and Scott Perry of Pennsylvania all contacted her about receiving pardons. She testified that she heard GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, “had asked White House Counsel’s Office for a pardon from Mr. Philbin, but I didn’t frequently communicate with Ms. Green.” She said GOP Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio “talked about congressional pardons, but he never asked me for one.” Former Trump White House lawyer Eric Herschmann testified to the committee, “I believe so” when asked if Gaetz sought a presidential pardon. “The general tone was we may get prosecuted because we were defensive of the president’s positions on these things. The pardon that he was discussing, requesting was as broad as you could describe. From beginning — I remember he said, from the beginning of time up until today for any and all things. He had mentioned Nixon, and I said Nixon’s pardon was never nearly that broad,” Herschmann testified, which the committee revealed during its hearing. None of the lawmakers ever received pardons from Trump. 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Puerto Rico Girds For Possible Hurricane As Tropical Storm Fiona Nears https://digitalarizonanews.com/puerto-rico-girds-for-possible-hurricane-as-tropical-storm-fiona-nears/ HAVANA — Tropical Storm Fiona headed for Puerto Rico on Saturday, with forecasters warning it likely would grow into a hurricane before hitting on Sunday with extremely heavy rains with the potential to cause landslides, severe flooding and power outages. The storm already lashed several eastern Caribbean islands, with one death reported in the French territory of Guadeloupe. Regional prefect Alexandre Rochatte said the body was found on a roadside after a home washed away in the capital of Basse-Terre. More than 20 other people were rescued amid heavy wind and rain that left 13,000 customers without power, with the storm tearing up roads, downing trees and destroying at least one bridge. Fiona was centered 75 miles (120 kilometers) south of St. Croix on Saturday evening with maximum sustained winds of 60 mph (95 kph). It was moving west at 8 mph (13 kph) on a path forecast to pass near or over Puerto Rico on Sunday night. Fiona was expected to become a hurricane before reaching Puerto Rico’s southern coast. “We are already starting to feel its effects,” Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said at a news conference in which the lights briefly went out as he spoke, prompting groans and laughs across the island. “We should not underestimate this storm.” Officials said the heavy rains anticipated would be dangerous because the island’s soil is already saturated. “We’re not saying that the winds aren’t dangerous, but we are preparing for a historic event in terms of rain,” said Ernesto Morales, a forecaster with the National Weather Service in San Juan. Many Puerto Ricans worried about serious power outages since the reconstruction of the island’s power grid razed by Hurricane Maria in 2017 only recently began. The grid remains fragile and power outages occur daily. Luma, the company that operates the transmission and distribution of power on the island, said it flew in an extra 100 lineworkers ahead of the storm but warned of “significant” outages over the weekend. Fiona was forecast to swipe past the Dominican Republic on Monday as a potential hurricane and then Haiti and the Turks and Caicos Islands with the threat of extreme rain. Forecaster posted a hurricane watch for the U.S. Virgin Islands as well as the southern coast of the Dominican Republic from Cabo Engaño westward to Cabo Caucedo and for the northern coast from Cabo Engaño westward to Puerto Plata. In Puerto Rico, authorities opened shelters and closed public beaches, casinos, theaters and museums as they urged people to remain indoors. Officials also transferred hundreds of endangered Puerto Rican parrots to their shelter. “It’s time to activate your emergency plan and contact and help your relatives, especially elderly adults who live alone,” said Dr. Gloria Amador, who runs a nonprofit health organization in central Puerto Rico. The governor said an elderly man died shortly after arriving at a shelter in the tiny island of Culebra that lies just east of Puerto Rico. He said that the man was living in squalid conditions and that the mayor had been trying to relocate him, calling it “quite an unfortunate incident.” Pierluisi said $550 million in emergency funds were available to deal with the storm’s aftermath along with enough food to feed 200,000 people for 20 days three times a day. At least one cruise ship visit and several flights to the island were canceled, while authorities in the eastern Caribbean islands canceled school and prohibited people from practicing aquatic sports as Fiona battered the region. On Guadeloupe, authorities said they recorded wind gusts of up to 74 mph (120 kph). They also said 9 inches (23 centimeters) of rain fell in three hours in the Gros Morne area. Fiona, which is the Atlantic hurricane season’s sixth named storm, was predicted to bring 5 to 10 inches (13 to 25 centimeters) of rain in eastern and southern Puerto Rico, with as much as 20 inches (51 centimeters) in isolated spots. Rains of 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters) were forecast for the Dominican Republic, with up to 12 inches (30 centimeters) in places. Life-threatening surf also was possible from Fiona’s winds, forecasters said. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Lester in the eastern Pacific dissipated Saturday afternoon after making landfall to the south of Acapulco on Mexico’s southwestern coast. The hurricane center said Lester’s remnants could still drop from 8 to 12 inches (20 to 31 centimeters) of rain on the coasts of upper Guerrero state and Michoacan state, with isolated areas getting 16 inches (41 centimeters). Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Madeline formed deeper in the Pacific, but forecasters predicted it would not pose any threat to land as it moved farther out to sea. Copyright © 2022 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. Read More Here

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin Reverses Protections For Transgender Students https://digitalarizonanews.com/virginia-gov-glenn-youngkin-reverses-protections-for-transgender-students/ Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin’s new policy states minors must be called by the names and pronouns listed on their official records — unless a parent OKs the change. The Washington Post via Getty Im Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin is reversing course on how the state deals with transgender students — issuing a requirement that they use bathrooms and locker rooms based on their biological sex. The Republican rolled back changes made by his predecessor, which affected everything from bathroom usage to pronouns. The rewritten rules, which will go into effect after a 30-day public comment period, also say that minors must be called by the names and pronouns listed on their official records — unless a parent give the OK for something else. The “2022 Model Policies on the Privacy, Dignity, and Respect for all Students and Parents in Virginia’s Public Schools” was posted online Friday by the Virginia Department of Education. The changes are “an outright violation of Virginians’ civil rights,” Senate Democrats said in a joint statement. UCG/Universal Images Group via G The new policies stand in contrast to changes which took effect last year that allowed kids to use names, pronouns and bathrooms that aligned with their gender identity and urging schools to decide on a “case-by-case” basis whether to share information about student gender identity with their parents. Critics slammed the Youngkin policy shift, with Democratic delegate Mike Mullin tweeting that the new rule “calls for the misgendering and outing of children in schools where they’re supposed to be safe. Absolutely shameful.” The changes are “an outright violation of Virginians’ civil rights,” Senate Democrats said in a joint statement. The new policy also urges educators to “respect” students. “School division policies shall therefore implement the requirements of the Act in a manner that ensures no student is discriminated against or harassed on the basis of his or her sex. To this end, local school division policies shall implement the requirements of the Act in a manner that demonstrates respect for each student,” according to the document. With Post wires Read More Here

Obituary: Jean Claire Kurtz Gordon https://digitalarizonanews.com/obituary-jean-claire-kurtz-gordon/ Jean Claire Kurtz Gordon. (Courtesy) Originally Published: September 17, 2022 7:37 p.m. Jean Claire Kurtz Gordon, 94, of Prescott, Arizona, passed away on September 14, 2022. Jean was born on December 27, 1927 to Frank and Addie Kurtz in Phoenix, Arizona. The family moved to Dewey, Arizona when Jean was ten years old. The family lived on a farm during Jean’s growing up years. She had two older sisters, Betty and Kathryn. A baby brother, Steve, was born when Jean was fourteen. After graduating from Prescott High School in 1945, she went on to earn a degree in education from Arizona State University. Jean met her first husband, Tom, while at ASU. They were married in 1948 and were parents of two daughters, Kathryn and Gwendolyn. Jean taught school for many years and was loved by her students and coworkers. She was devoted to this profession, but was most devoted to her family. Her daughters, and later her grandchildren were her first priority. She was a dearly loved mom and grandma. After a divorce in 1982, Jean later married Robert Gordon in 1995. Jean and Bob traveled the world together. Jean also loved traveling with her sister, Kathryn. She remained active during her retirement years doting on grandchildren, reading, crafting, painting, traveling, and doing some tutoring. Jean was preceded in death by her parents, Frank and Addie Kurtz, her sisters, Betty Richardson and Kathryn McCallus, son-in-law, Phillip Larson, and her husband, Robert Gordon. She is survived by her daughters, Kathryn Pendleton and Gwendolyn Doty, her brother, Steve Kurtz, son-in-law, Brian Pendleton, grandchildren, Sheri King (Mike), Jennifer Parish (Tommy), Karla Aragon-Joyce (Russ), Scott Larson, Matthew Larson, and Rosie Soza (Trevor). She is also survived by 14 great-grandchildren, as well as step-children and step-grandchildren. A celebration of life is being planned to honor Jean in November. Please visit www.heritagemortuary.com to sign Jean’s online guest book. Arrangements entrusted to Heritage Memory Mortuary. Information provided by the funeral home. Read More…

Trump Attorneys Given Until Tuesday For Response To DOJ Motion On Classified Docs https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-attorneys-given-until-tuesday-for-response-to-doj-motion-on-classified-docs-2/ An appeals court is giving former President Donald Trump’s attorneys until Tuesday afternoon to respond to a Department of Justice request to continue to use classified documents seized from Mar-a-Lago. The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals announced on Saturday evening it gave Trump’s attorneys until noon on Tuesday to offer a response to the DOJ’s Friday evening filing. Tuesday is also the day Trump’s attorneys and the DOJ were called to New York to appear before special master Raymond Dearie. DOJ ASKS 11TH CIRCUIT FOR PARTIAL STAY, ALLOWING ATTORNEYS TO USE CLASSIFIED DOCS DURING SPECIAL MASTER REVIEW DOJ attorneys on Friday evening petitioned the court for a partial stay, allowing them to continue to use documents seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in a raid last month. Prosecutors are currently blocked from using them to continue to conduct a criminal investigation into the former president while Dearie begins reviewing the classified documents. Dearie has until Nov. 30 to finish reviewing the documents. The DOJ objected to Judge Aileen Cannon appointing a special master to review the documents. Trump and DOJ attorneys are set to meet with Dearie on Tuesday at 2 p.m. Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report. Read More Here

The Surprising History Of Sentosa, Singapore's Staycation Island – KESQ https://digitalarizonanews.com/the-surprising-history-of-sentosa-singapores-staycation-island-kesq/ By Lilit Marcus, CNN It used to be known as Pulau Blakang Mati. Some translate the name politely as “the island of woe,” but the most cited translation is “the island behind which lies death.” Now, it’s called Sentosa, from the Malay word for “peace and tranquility.” Filled with theme parks, beaches, luxury resorts and other amusements, it’s Singapore’s primary island for staycations and is one of the city’s most popular destinations for international tourists. But how did it all begin? Fifty years ago this September, the nascent country of Singapore formed the Sentosa Development Corporation (SDC), which — as its name indicates — was designed to transform a then rural, mostly uninhabited island into an urban playground. A Malay island The 500-hectare island is shaped like the large end of a smoking pipe, curving around the southern side of what is now Singapore. Its shape and position made it a perfect spot for traders traveling to and from Malaysia — and a regular hideout for the pirates who raided these ships. There were four primary kampongs (villages). Residents of the island were a mix of Chinese, Malay and Bugis (from Indonesia’s Sulawesi island). Then, in 1819, Sir Stamford Raffles arrived in what would become the Lion City. The British statesman left an indelible stamp not only on Singapore but on much of East Asia, which he explored and wrote about during his diplomatic posts there. During the second half of the 19th century, the British began building fortifications around Singapore. On Sentosa, there were five of these — Fort Serapong (near the center of the island), Fort Connaught, Berhala Reping, the Imbiah Battery and Fort Siloso (on the far northwest tip). While Singapore was controlled by the British, soldiers lived on Pulau Blakang Mati. Malay, Chinese and Indian laborers did laundry, steered sampan boats and cleared land for the White military members. Although Sentosa’s moniker was changed in 1970, history buffs will still recognize the names of many of the places dotted around the island. Fort Siloso — noa a National Monument — is still there, but a beach, elevated walkway through the jungle and a tram station all bear the Siloso name too. The onetime Imbiah Battery is now a lookout spot for hikers, while the abandoned buildings of Fort Serapong are popular for fans of urban exploration and “ruin porn.” Meanwhile, the elegant The Barracks Hotel Sentosa was, as its name indicates, once the home to British artillerymen. While the accommodations are significantly more comfy these days, guests can still sun themselves on the former parade grounds. A Singaporean island Much of Sentosa’s history parallels the history of the country of Singapore. In 1965, Singapore officially declared independence from Malaysia and began to figure out what kind of a nation it wanted to be. As commerce and industry grew on Singapore, Sentosa remained mostly rural and uninhabited. Most of the residents trickled away in the 1970s and resettled on Singapore. Changes came quickly and dramatically. In the 1970s, visitors to the island could take a cable car, but within a decade there was also an above-ground tram that made it easy to get from place to place. Then, in 1992, the Sentosa Causeway, linking the two islands, was unveiled. Tourist attractions came and went as popular trends changed. Underwater World, at the time the largest oceanarium in Asia, was due to open in 1989 but didn’t open until 1991. Visitor numbers fluctuated over the years, and Underwater World eventually closed in 2016. Another relic of the past was The Asian Village. This attraction was similar to Disney World’s Epcot, with different “villages” representing Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and other Asian countries, plus some rides. It shut down in 2000. The Apollo Hotel was the first tourist accommodation on the island. It opened in 1978 and closed in 1986. Meanwhile, the first beach resort on the island was Shangri-La’s Rasa Sentosa Resort, which welcomed its inaugural guests in 1993. It took a decade, but eventually other big luxury brands catering to international vacationers followed — the Capella Singapore in 2009, the W Singapore — Sentosa Cove in 2012 and Sofitel Singapore Sentosa Resort & Spa in 2015. Still, not every attraction had staying power. Sentosa’s Merlion, a sibling to the famous one across the water in Singapore, no longer holds court. “As tourism goes on, expectations are higher (and we have to) make way for something new,” Christopher Khoo, managing director of international tourism consultancy MasterCounsult, told Channel News Asia. “The renewal process means giving way.” These days, he says, tourists are more interested in experiences than in landmarks. The city’s constant heat and humidity have also created a market for nighttime activities. Digital creations and light shows are on the list of possible additions. So much of what exists on Sentosa is new and shiny that it’s understandable why the common “it was a manmade island” misconception keeps going around. Land reclamation may be the source of the confusion. Pulau Blakang Mati was about 280 hectares in size, and since 1972 Sentosa has grown to about 500 hectares. Despite all the bustle, it’s possible to find that peacefulness that Sentosa’s name promises, especially when staying at one of the island’s hotels. The Capella Singapore is surrounded by greenery and is a popular spot for sunset cocktails. Though the military days are long gone, Sentosa made a surprising reappearance on the world’s political radar in 2018 when then-U.S. president Donald Trump met with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the Capella, where a small plaque records the property’s place in history. One major change was bringing back full-time residents to the island. However, the modern residents of Sentosa bear almost zero resemblance to the communities who lived on Pulau Blakang Mati. Sentosa Cove, on the island’s eastern coast, is the only gated luxury community in Singapore. In a place where many people live in cramped quarters, this quickly became some of the most sought-after real estate in the country. These days, homes in Sentosa Cove can sell for as much as $23 million Singaporean ($16 million USD). Most of them have swimming pools, rooftop gardens, multi-car garages and other upscale luxuries. What comes next Singapore, always on the lookout for new development opportunities, is already thinking beyond Sentosa. The new Sentosa is likely to be Palau Brani, a trapezoidal land mass and former Navy base between Singapore and Sentosa. These days, most visitors simply notice Brani out of the corner of their eye as they drive from one island to the other, but the ambitious Sentosa-Brani Master Plan will develop both islands into one large tourism offering. Like nearly every other big infrastructure project on the planet, this one was held up by the coronavirus pandemic but has restarted as Singapore has dropped restrictions and adopted a “living with the virus” strategy. The plan sees the two islands divided into five sections — waterfront, island heart, beachfront, vibrant cluster (think thrill attractions, event space, and the like) and ridgefront. Aside from new attractions, the Sentosa-Brani Master Plan will also expand nature and heritage trails and give beaches a makeover. The first major initiative, a two-tiered “sensory walkway” through Sentosa that connects the northern and southern parts of the island, is due to open next year. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

Trump Rallies For Vance — And Himself — In Ohio https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-rallies-for-vance-and-himself-in-ohio/ Vance faces Democratic Rep. Tim Ryan to fill the seat vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Rob Portman. A USA TODAY Network Ohio/Suffolk University poll released Monday showed Vance and Ryan virtually tied. With Ryan increasingly focused on independent voters, Trump branded the candidate an “anti-energy extremist,” tying him to New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and the “Green New Deal.” Speaking for nearly 2 hours in Youngstown’s Covelli Centre, Trump was in turns bombastic and measured in his delivery, targeting transgender students in sports and calling for the death penalty for drug dealers and human traffickers while contrasting his vision of America with Democrats’ on immigration, crime and abortion. Trump also talked at length about the ongoing investigations into his own conduct since leaving office, notably the seizure of classified documents from his Mar-a-Lago residence. Referencing the “Washington swamp,” and “the unprecedented weaponization of the Justice Department,” he said, “The people behind these savage witch hunts have no shame or morals, no conscience, and absolutely no respect for the citizens of our country.” He further referred to an “unhinged persecution of me and my staff” that he called “political repression.” “I hope you’re going to do something about it, J.D.,” Trump repeatedly said throughout the rally. Hailing the MAGA elements of the boisterous crowd, Trump lauded political allies Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who were both in attendance. Trump stressed that Vance has the support of MAGA-allied Fox News hosts Tucker Carlson and Sean Hannity alongside Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley and Trump’s two sons, Eric and Don Jr. Vance is “going to clinch the Senate for Republicans,” Trump said, despite recent polls suggesting the Senate could be slipping from the GOP’s grasp and with the party at a significant cash disadvantage to the Democrats. Since the May primary, Ryan has spent $12 million — a significant sum that dwarfs Vance’s $300,000. (Vance and the National Republican Senatorial Committee have run $1.7 million in coordinated ads.) Vance this week joined Republican senatorial candidates including Pennsylvania’s Dr. Mehmet Oz on a fundraising run through Florida accompanied by NRSC’s Florida Sen. Rick Scott and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio. In a brief speech after being invited to the podium by Trump, Vance assailed Ryan while urging a return to the policies from the former president’s administration he said “made Ohio free and prosperous and secure.” Trump recently stumped in Pennsylvania for Oz, seeking to convince his MAGA supporters the celebrity TV doctor is one of them. But in Youngstown, Trump often seemed much more focused on his own electoral fortunes than Vance’s, repeatedly teasing the possibility of his own run. “Stay tuned, everybody. Stay tuned,” he implored the eager crowd. Read More Here

Arcadia Finds Its Stride In Its Second Race This Season At Ojo Rojo Invitational https://digitalarizonanews.com/arcadia-finds-its-stride-in-its-second-race-this-season-at-ojo-rojo-invitational/ (Henry Domine photo/AZPreps365) Henry Domine is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism student assigned to cover Arcadia High School for AZPreps365.com Arcadia placed 33rd and 16th in the boys and girls varsity races during the Ojo Rojo Invitational on Saturday. Mountain View (Mesa) won both the boys and girls varsity races at the 5K event hosted by Chandler High School in Tumbleweed Park. The Titans’ top boys runner, senior Scott Gurley, individually placed 150th had the Titans’ boys and girls teams’ best time 18 minutes, 55 seconds, his personal record. Kate Marinick timed in at 22:22.1 was 79th, the highest placement for Arcadia. Gurley’s time was a great improvement from his first race of the year at the Peaks Invitational on Sept. 3. When he spoke about his mindset entering Saturday’s race, he said, “I wasn’t feeling too confident because I didn’t get much sleep last night and didn’t eat well.” However, Gurley “started feeling pretty well” once the race started. Another Arcadia senior Leonardo Montoya spoke about team goals for the end of the season. “Our goal is to make state, but we also need to inspire our teammates,” Montoya said. He finished at 20:38 and placed 213th. “We have a very relaxed mindset, but when we need to get going, we will get very serious,” Montoya said about his team’s philosophy. Arcadia is poised to enter the nationally renowned Desert Twilight Festival in Mesa on September 30. Gurley hyperfocuses at a very large race he enters “Every race I go into it not comparing myself to anyone else and I just try to beat my personal record and improve myself,” Gurley said. Arcadia senior Xavier Ortiz said he’s excited to enter the Twilight meet. Ortiz also gave spoke about competing his first cross country season.. “I like how the team pushes me and the camaraderie,” Ortiz said. “I going to keep on improving, but being out there and pushing myself is intense.” Arcadia head coach Sarah Boustila praised her team after the Titans’ second meet of the season. “Everyone ran awesome. Everyone usually feels great after this race, because we do Flagstaff first and then they come here and realize they can run pretty fast,” Boustila said. She also mentioned that there were many of her boys and girls runners who achieved PRs on the course at Tumbleweed Park, and looked forward to Desert Twilight for them to do the same. Last year they all got personal records at Twilight and I expect the same this year, they have trained a lot since last year.” As for the training philosophy of the Arcadia cross country team, Boustila said that they use “both high mileage and interval training.” Read More Here

Aggie Memorial Stadium Hosts New Mexico Regional Bands Of America Marching Band Championship – KVIA https://digitalarizonanews.com/aggie-memorial-stadium-hosts-new-mexico-regional-bands-of-america-marching-band-championship-kvia/ LAS CRUCES, New Mexico — High school students from New Mexico, Texas, and Arizona piled into Aggie Memorial Stadium Saturday to compete in the New Mexico Regional Bands of America Championship. Bands of America describe their events as “the premier marching bands in the nation.” High school marching bands from all over the state, including from Albuquerque, Clovis, Valencia, and Alamogordo, along with bands traveling from as far east as the Dallas-Fort Worth area, made the trek to the City of Crosses Saturday. Cienega High School, which is outside of Tucson, AZ, also made the trip. El Paso-area high school bands marched as well, including Eastwood, Eastlake, Bel Air, Del Valle, and Canutillo. ABC-7 spoke with some members of the Canutillo marching band, and they that their hard work is finally paying off. A mother of one of the members told us that she’s proud of all the work her daughter has put in, and even refers to the rest of the band as “her children.” A number of bands from the Borderland ended up making the finals Saturday night, including Eastwood, Eastlake, Bel Air, Del Valle, Organ Mountain, Las Cruces, and Alamogordo. Read More Here

Watch Live: Motion Picture Academy Apologizes To Sacheen Littlefeather At Celebration Of Native American Culture https://digitalarizonanews.com/watch-live-motion-picture-academy-apologizes-to-sacheen-littlefeather-at-celebration-of-native-american-culture/ Nearly 50 years ago, Marlon Brando refused to attend the Academy Awards ceremony where he was up for top acting honors for his role in The Godfather. Instead, he sent Sacheen Littlefeather to the ceremony with instructions to refuse the Oscar, should his name be called. On Saturday, in a celebration of Native American culture at the Museum of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Academy apologized formally for what happened next in that 1973 ceremony. Littlefeather, at the sold-out event, asked that everyone remember the importance of representation, long after she is no longer with us. She was also presented with a blanket and joked about how they knew she would be cold. The evening featured performances from the All Nation Singers and Dancers, Steve Bohay (Kiowa/OK) and the Sooner Nation Singers and Dancers, and the White Mountain Apache Crown Dancers (Apache/AZ). Watch The Live Event Marlon Brando’s Request To voice his anger over Hollywood’s habitually racist depictions of indigenous people and to draw attention to the American Indian Movement’s occupation of the South Dakota town of Wounded Knee, Brando sent Littlefeather, an activist, actress and model, to the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion stage to decline his best actor trophy. Read more: Sacheen Littlefeather Talks About What Really Happened Before, During And After Rejecting Marlon Brando’s Oscar “The reasons for this being are the treatment of American Indians today by the film industry and on television in movie reruns, and also with recent happenings at Wounded Knee,” said Littlefeather, whose father was from the White Mountain Apache and Yaqui tribes of Arizona. “I beg at this time that I have not intruded upon this evening, and that we will in the future, our hearts and our understandings, will meet with love and generosity. Thank you on behalf of Marlon Brando.” The Reaction In 1973 Some in the audience booed, others mocked her with tomahawk chops and John Wayne, according to Littlefeather and the ceremony’s director and producer, had to be restrained from trying to rush the stage and accost her. [Note: While reporting a previous story on this recollection, Ethan Wayne, John Wayne’s son, issued a statement to us, saying in part, “…it’s hard for me to imagine this telling of events, because the man I knew believed in and defended everyone’s right to freedom of speech right up until his death in 1979.”] Littlefeather subsequently struggled to find work, was harassed and targeted in tasteless smears like this from Dennis Miller, talking about Sen. Elizabeth Warren: “She’s about as much Indian as that stripper chick Brando sent to pick up his Oscar for The Godfather.” In June this year, Littlefeather talked extensively about her experience on LAist Studio’s Academy museum podcast “And The Oscar Goes To….” Listen To Her Account 1973: “Marlon Brando Cannot Accept This Very Generous Award” Soon after the release of that podcast, which is co-produced with the Academy Museum, then-Academy president David Rubin, wrote a letter to Littlefeather: “The abuse you endured…was unwarranted and unjustified. The emotional burden you have lived through and the cost to your own career in our industry are irreparable. For too long the courage you showed has been unacknowledged. For this, we offer both our deepest apologies and our sincere admiration.” A Formal Apology On Saturday, the academy will honor and formally apologize to Littlefeather in person during an evening ceremony at its new museum. The academy says the event is dedicated to “conversation, reflection, healing, and celebration.” The program includes a land acknowledgement, a reading of the Academy’s letter of apology and a conversation between Littlefeather and Bird Runningwater, who co-chairs the academy’s Indigenous Alliance. Among the performers are the San Manuel Bird Singers, Michael Bellanger, the All Nation Singers and Dancers and the Sooner Nation Singers and Dancers. While the event is sold out, it can be live-streamed here. Littlefeather, now 75, plans to be in attendance. Read More Here

Trump Was Invited To A Ceremony In Honor Of Queen Elizabeth To Be Held In Washington https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-was-invited-to-a-ceremony-in-honor-of-queen-elizabeth-to-be-held-in-washington/ Former President Donald Trump was invited by the British government to the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II, which will be held in Washington, DC after the funeral in London was left out of the guest list. The invitation to the event describes it as a “celebration of thanksgiving for the life of her late Queen Elizabeth II”. Wire, On Thursday, invitations were sent to Trump and other living former presidents, including Barack Obama, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton, and their spouses. The ceremony will take place on Wednesday at the Washington National Cathedral. The complex has previously hosted state funerals for four former US presidents: Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, Gerald Ford and George HW Bush, as well as several funeral ceremonies. It has a capacity of around 1,700 people and is expected to be a full house for the event. The report said Prime Minister Liz Truss is unlikely to attend the ceremony at the cathedral in Washington. Hosted by the British Embassy in Washington, the ceremony is expected to be attended by senior members of the US Congress as well as dignitaries including all foreign ambassadors. A few days ago, President Joe Biden accepted an invitation to the Queen’s funeral in London. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said the invitation was transmitted in the form of a diplomatic note from the UK’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office of Protocol Directorate on Saturday, and Biden accepted it a day later. “The invitation was given only to the President and the First Lady to the United States Government,” he explained. Following the announcement of the Queen’s death, Trump, who was invited on a state visit to the UK in 2019, praised her on his truth social platform. “Melania and I are deeply saddened to learn of the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. Together with our family and fellow Americans, we send our deepest condolences to the Royal Family and the people of the United Kingdom during this time of grief and sorrow. ,” they wrote. “Melania and I will always cherish our time with the Queen, and we will never forget the Queen’s generous friendship, great wisdom and amazing sense of humour. What a great and beautiful woman she was, there was no one like her!” World Nation News Deskhttps://worldnationnews.com/ World Nation News is a digital news portal website. Which provides important and latest breaking news updates to our audience in an effective and efficient ways, like world’s top stories, entertainment, sports, technology and much more news. Read More Here

Column | The Queen And I https://digitalarizonanews.com/column-the-queen-and-i/ Michael Reagan, Syndicated Columnist Originally Published: September 17, 2022 5:32 p.m. Some people over here in the former Colonies are complaining about all the heavy media coverage of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. Not me. I like watching history in real time, even if it’s coming by satellite from half a world away. I also enjoy seeing all the official pomp and ceremony surrounding the long and loving goodbye that the Queen is getting from 99.9 percent of her British subjects. I’m a devout small-r republican, not a monarchist. But whether you love the British form of government or hate it for being a relic of a primitive political age, Queen Elizabeth deserves her gigantic send-off and every second of the media attention she’ll get until her state funeral on Monday. She was a major historical figure of our time – an essentially symbolic but politically important leader of her country and its shrinking commonwealth. Everyone but a few leftist cranks agrees she did her job with great wisdom, dignity and grace for seven decades. As former Prime Minister Boris Johnson said, “… We understand the vital role she played, selflessly and calmly embodying the continuity and unity of our country.” It’s really shocking when you realize just how long Queen Elizabeth was a superstar on the world stage. When she began her reign in 1952, historic tough guys like Churchill, Stalin and Truman were still in charge. She lived for 96 years and ruled for 70 in a monarchy more than 1,000 years old; our country is only 256 years old. Thanks to my lucky life, I met Queen Elizabeth in LA in 1983 when she attended a dinner at 20th Century Fox studios. Watching her funeral on BBC was a great way to escape the non-stop politics of stupidity and division that Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats are practicing every day here at home. They have been calling Republicans and conservatives “racists, murderers, misogynists” and “domestic terrorists” for almost two years. Now, as they conduct their dirty campaign to use the DOJ and the FBI to prevent Donald Trump from running in 2024, they’ve added the word “fascists” to describe “MAGA Republicans.” Hopefully, come November the Democrats will be thrown out of the House and Senate and the country will be spared any further damage from their bad ideas and evil actions. Meanwhile, Biden and his hapless vice president can’t get out of their own clumsy way. Last weekend Kamala Harris was on TV insisting with a straight face that the southern border – which is a high-speed drug highway into America and is being crossed by about 2 million illegal immigrants a year from around the world – is “secure.” On Tuesday – as the stock market was falling 1,200 points on news that August’s inflation rate went up – Biden threw a party on the White House lawn to celebrate the passage of the fraudulently named Inflation Reduction Act of 2022. James Taylor was even hauled out of the basement of the Rock ‘n’ Roll Old Folks Home to sing “Fire and Rain,” a 1970 song about a friend’s suicide and his own heroin addiction. It was not such a smart idea to book Taylor, considering thousands of Americans are dying each year by overdosing on the fentanyl flowing in from Mexico across our secure border. But the entire inflation party was so tone-deaf it makes you wonder which of the Three Stooges is running the White House for Joe Biden. Lucky for us and the rest of the world, presidents like Biden only “rule” for eight years at most and their power is checked by Congress and the courts – at least in theory. We don’t have a royal family like the Brits that produces great leaders like Queen Elizabeth who hold “office” for life. It’s a good thing for America, too. Try to imagine the national suicide rate if we got stuck with a Queen Hillary or a Queen Nancy for 70 years. Read More Here

Trump Attorneys Given Until Tuesday For Response To DOJ Motion On Classified Docs https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-attorneys-given-until-tuesday-for-response-to-doj-motion-on-classified-docs/ NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles! An appeals court is giving former President Donald Trump’s attorneys until Tuesday afternoon to respond to a Department of Justice request to continue to use classified documents seized from Mar-a-Lago.  The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals announced on Saturday evening it gave Trump’s attorneys until noon on Tuesday to offer a response to the DOJ’s Friday evening filing. Tuesday is also the day Trump’s attorneys and the DOJ were called to New York to appear before special master Raymond Dearie.  FILE – In this Dec. 12, 2020, file photo, President Donald Trump walks on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington before boarding Marine One. (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky, File) (AP Photo/Patrick Semansky) DOJ ASKS 11TH CIRCUIT FOR PARTIAL STAY, ALLOWING ATTORNEYS TO USE CLASSIFIED DOCS DURING SPECIAL MASTER REVIEW DOJ attorneys on Friday evening petitioned the court for a partial stay, allowing them to continue to use documents seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago property in a raid last month. Prosecutors are currently blocked from using them to continue to conduct a criminal investigation into the former president while Dearie begins reviewing the classified documents.  Dearie has until Nov. 30 to finish reviewing the documents.  This image contained in a court filing by the Department of Justice on Aug. 30, 2022, and redacted by in part by the FBI, shows a photo of documents seized during the Aug. 8 search by the FBI of former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida. On Thursday, a federal judge appointed a special master to review the documents.  (Department of Justice via AP) The DOJ objected to Judge Aileen Cannon appointing a special master to review the documents.  CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Trump and DOJ attorneys are set to meet with Dearie on Tuesday at 2 p.m.  Fox News’ Adam Sabes contributed to this report. Max Thornberry is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. You can reach him at Max.Thornberry@fox.com and on Twitter @Max_Thornberry  Read More Here

Camilla To Pay Tribute To Queen In TV Broadcast https://digitalarizonanews.com/camilla-to-pay-tribute-to-queen-in-tv-broadcast/ The Queen Consort is to pay a televised tribute to the Queen on Sunday, praising her for carving out her own role for many years while being in the “difficult position” of being a “solitary woman” in a male-dominated world. In prerecorded words, she will also recall the late monarch’s “wonderful blue eyes” and say: “I will always remember her smile.” The Queen Consort’s tribute to her mother-in-law is to be broadcast shortly before the national minute’s silence at 8pm. Camilla will say: “She’s been part of our lives for ever. I’m 75 now and I can’t remember anyone except the Queen being there. It must have been so difficult for her being a solitary woman. “There weren’t women prime ministers or presidents. She was the only one so I think she carved her own role.” Remembering the late monarch, Camilla will add: “She’s got those wonderful blue eyes, that when she smiles they light up her whole face. I will always remember her smile. That smile is unforgettable.” Two of the Queen’s granddaughters, Beatrice and Eugenie, also paid their own tribute to their grandmother prior to participating in a vigil ceremony with her six other grandchildren, keeping watch over her coffin in Westminster Hall. The sisters, who are the daughters of Prince Andrew and Sarah Ferguson, said there had been “tears and laughter, silences and chatter, hugs and loneliness, and a collective loss for you, our beloved Queen and our beloved grannie”. Their statement said: “We’ve not been able to put much into words since you left us all. We, like many, thought you’d be here for ever. And we all miss you terribly. “You were our matriarch, our guide, our loving hand on our backs leading us through this world. You taught us so much and we will cherish those lessons and memories for ever. “For now dear grannie, all we want to say is thank you.” Agencies contributed to this report Read More Here

Arizona Won’t Defend Filming Law https://digitalarizonanews.com/arizona-wont-defend-filming-law/ BOB CHRISTIE, Associated Press Originally Published: September 17, 2022 4:53 p.m. PHOENIX – The Republican leaders of the Arizona Legislature will not try to defend a new law limiting up-close filming of police that has been blocked by a federal judge, a decision that essentially ends the fight over the contentious proposal. Senate President Karen Fann and House Speaker Rusty Bowers both said they would not intervene in the case by the Friday deadline set by the federal judge when he temporarily blocked the new law from taking effect last week on First Amendment grounds. And the bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. John Kavanagh, said Friday that he has been unable to find an outside group to defend the law, which was challenged by news media organizations and the American Civil Liberties Union. The groups will now ask that the law, which was set to take effect next week, be permanently blocked. Kavanagh said he will review U.S. District Judge John J. Tuchi’s ruling and see if he can craft a law that passes constitutional muster. He said the law is needed to keep people from distracting police while they are trying to make an arrest, but Tuchi agreed with the challengers that it runs afoul of precedents that say the public and press have a right to film police doing their jobs. Tuchi noted that there are already Arizona laws barring interfering with police, and that singling out people for taking videos appears to be unconstitutional on its face. And he wrote in his ruling that barring someone from using a phone or news video camera to record — without banning other actions — is a content-based restriction that is illegal. “If the goal of HB2319 is to prevent interference with law enforcement activities, the Court fails to see how the presence of a person recording a video near an officer interferes with the officer’s activities,” Tuchi wrote. The law makes it illegal to knowingly film police officers 8 feet (2.5 meters) or closer if the officer tells the person to stop. And on private property, an officer who decides someone is interfering or the area is unsafe can order the person to stop filming even if the recording is being made with the owner’s permission. Bystander cellphone videos are largely credited with revealing police misconduct — such as with the 2020 killing of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis officers — and reshaping the conversation around police transparency. But Republican Arizona lawmakers say the legislation was needed to limit people with cameras who deliberately impede officers. Kavanagh and the Legislature were warned repeatedly by the ACLU and the National Press Photographers Association that the proposal would violate the First Amendment, but it passed anyway with only Republican support. The NPPA, on behalf of itself and more than two dozen press groups and media companies including The Associated Press, also wrote to Republican Gov. Doug Ducey after the measure was passed, telling him as well that it was unconstitutional and urging a veto. Ducey signed the bill anyway. Mickey H. Osterreicher, the general counsel for the photographers association, called the law “an unconstitutional solution in search of a non-existent problem.” “It’s always a lot easier to write a letter than it is to have to file a lawsuit,” he said. “But some people like to do it the easy way and other people are forced to do it the hard way.” Once a coalition of media groups and the ACLU sued, Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich refused to defend the law, as did the prosecutor and sheriff’s office in Maricopa County, home to Phoenix. Bowers said he and fellow Republicans disregarded opponents who said the bill was unconstitutional and essentially said “let’s just try and see what happens.” “But when you get right down to where you to have to start spending money, no,” Bowers said. “We’ll just wait till next year.” Read More…

John Fetterman, Facing Health Questions, Boosts Public Schedule In Pennsylvania Senate Bid https://digitalarizonanews.com/john-fetterman-facing-health-questions-boosts-public-schedule-in-pennsylvania-senate-bid/ Republicans contend the Democrat, who is recovering from a stroke, has been trying to hide his condition from voters Pennsylvania Lt. Gov. and U.S. Senate candidate John Fetterman greeted supporters Sunday in Blue Bell, Pa. Photo: kriston jae bethel/Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Updated Sept. 17, 2022 6:53 pm ET SCRANTON, Pa.—Four months after a life-threatening stroke took him off the campaign trail, John Fetterman, the lieutenant governor of Pennsylvania and Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate, is presenting himself more often to voters as he tries to show that he retains the ability to serve effectively. His Republican opponent, the celebrity doctor Mehmet Oz, says that Mr. Fetterman is shielding his health status from voters, by declining to hold news conferences and by agreeing to appear at only one debate. That debate is scheduled for Oct. 25, two weeks before Election Day and more than a month after Pennsylvania counties are allowed to start early voting. Read More Here

Cactus Earns First Win Of Season As Boncore, Galvan Shine https://digitalarizonanews.com/cactus-earns-first-win-of-season-as-boncore-galvan-shine/ A balanced offensive attack and a stout defense performance produced a convincing home win for the Cobras on Friday. (Jordy Fee-Platt photo/AZPreps365) Jordy Fee-Platt is an ASU Cronkite School of Journalism Student assigned to cover Cactus High School for AZPreps365.com. The Cactus Cobras secured their first win of the season Friday in a 5A non-section matchup against the Mesquite Wildcats, dominating in all three phases en route to a 47-6 victory.  Junior quarterback Braiden Lagafuaina threw for 315 yards and four TDs and sophomore Nikko Boncore had six catches for 142 yards and two scores.  After struggling offensively during their first two games, the Cobras made a change to their offensive game plan that immediately reaped benefits. Wide receiver Will Galvan was lined up in the backfield on numerous occasions, taking both direct snaps and handoffs.  On its first drive, Cactus was faced with third-and-goal from the 11-yard line. Galvan took the direct snap, sprinted down the right sideline, and snuck inside the pylon to give his team an early 7-0 lead.  The former West Valley Region Player of the Year has transitioned from quarterback to wide receiver this season, and has seen his touches drop. Cactus coach Brian Belles made it a point of emphasis to get the ball in Galvan’s hands more often. “It was a coach’s decision,” Belles said. “We just felt like we needed to give our tailback a break, and Will [Galvan] can do everything.” Later in the quarter, Galvan further displayed that versatility, adding a receiving TD to his tally and giving the Cobras a 14-0 advantage. Galvan’s early scores helped ignite an offense that had only scored 12 points combined in its first two games. The Cobras registered 546 total yards in the game and 21 total first downs. For most of the first half, however, Cactus was not taking advantage of its offensive success, with two drives stalling inside the Mesquite 5-yard line.  Momentum could have shifted on both occasions, but the Cactus defense ensured this did not happen. The unit forced safeties on both drives, pushing the team’s lead to 18-0 at halftime. Following the break, the Cobras really found their stride offensively, consistently converting red zone trips into touchdowns. The emergence of a deep passing attack that had been absent the first two weeks played a major role. Belles credited the offensive line for giving Lagafuaina the time to wait for the deeper routes to develop.   “We had been missing that piece the last couple of weeks, and they came out and did a lot of good things,” Belles said. With time to throw, Lagafuaina was able to connect with open receivers for chunk plays, particularly Boncore, who had four receptions of 20-plus yards and two touchdowns. The wideout pointed to the chemistry he has built with Lagafuaina during seven-on-seven drills that is now paying off in games.  “I love my quarterback. This connection we have, it’s been developing, and tonight we showed it,” Boncore said. “We are going to have this connection for next year, too, so hopefully we get more big plays like that.”  While the Cobras were flourishing offensively, Mesquite could never seem to get into a rhythm. Coach Vance Miller attributed his team’s struggles to inexperience. “Out of our 35 guys that are dressed, we have three that have played varsity football before,” Miller said. “So we’re just young and we’re learning. We’re making that transition from being athletic and relying on our own athleticism to learning the game of football, and you know that’s going to come in time.”  Mesquite quarterback Pj Jones finished with 102 passing yards, but easily could have had more with multiple deep throws narrowly missing receivers.  In the end, the visitors simply could not keep pace with Cactus’ balanced attack on offense. In addition to success through the air, the aforementioned success of the offensive line also opened up running lanes for Cactus tailback Damian Jiles, who rushed for 164 yards on 15 carries.  The Cobras (1-2) will now turn their attention to a road game against Snowflake on Friday (3-0), while Mesquite (1-2) will face Gilbert (2-1) at home.  Read More Here

Democrats Doubt Biden Will Run For Reelection In 2024 https://digitalarizonanews.com/democrats-doubt-biden-will-run-for-reelection-in-2024/ US President Joe Biden, who was the oldest individual to be inaugurated when he was sworn in January 2021, is telling everyone he plans to run for reelection in 2024, but most Democrats aren’t sure he will follow through on that plan. Biden, who has suffered a dip in his job approval ratings in recent months, has been telling advisers and staff he plans to run again in 2024. Biden would be 82 at the start of his second term if reelected. Cedric Richmond, the former Democratic lawmaker and Biden White House official, said definitively the plan is on when it comes to Biden and 2024. “He’s running and we’re building an infrastructure for him to run and win,” Richmond told NBC this week. “Right now, it’s all an early investment in 2024 while we’re helping 2022.” However, a number of Democrats have cast their doubts. If Democrats lose the House but keep the Senate majority, will Biden decide to stick with his stated plans and be the party’s nominee? Democrats are talking behind the scenes, and talking about the possibilities, debating the pros and cons of a Biden run. “I think a lot of the mystery is we’re all beholden to the never-ending political news cycle, and Trump announced for reelection like three minutes after taking office, but it’s not unusual for a president to be waiting until after the midterms to announce,” said Democratic strategist Eddie Vale, urging Democrats to stay calm. “I think a lot of people who were speculating about him not running were bed wetting because of insanely far out poll numbers and/or have a different preferred candidate, but every indication seems to me he’s running,” he said. Biden said in June he “would not be disappointed” to face Trump in a rematch. Last week, Vice President Harris also reiterated that view. “The president has been very clear that he intends to run again,” she told Chuck Todd on NBC’s “Meet the Press.” “And if he does, I will be running with him proudly.” A majority of Democratic voters say Biden should not run for the White House in 2024, according to a new poll. A USA Today-Ipsos poll found that 56 percent of Democratic voters oppose Biden’s reelection bid.  The online survey was conducted Aug 18-22. Sixty percent of Democrats said they believe Biden can gain a victory if he does contest the election in 2024. Whereas, 59 percent think former President Donald Trump “deserves reelection” and should be the Republican nominee. An incredible 82 percent of Republican voters think Trump could win the 2024 election. Biden has been under attack for his advanced age from Republicans. Former US Ambassador to the United Nations and Republican Governor of South Carolina Nikki Haley has even suggested that aged politicians in the American government should undergo a “cognitive test.” According to another recent poll, Biden is the least popular US president in decades with 59 percent of Americans believing his performance has been poor and 45 percent “strongly disapproving” of the Democratic president’s leadership in the past two years. Biden and his team have been denying official reports indicating that the US economy is in a state of recession. Read More Here

Castelli Emphasizes Moderate Views In Fulton County – The Daily Gazette https://digitalarizonanews.com/castelli-emphasizes-moderate-views-in-fulton-county-the-daily-gazette/ Saturday, September 17, 2022 When credibility matters Fulton County BROADALBIN — Matt Castelli, the Democratic and Moderate Party candidate for New York’s 21st Congressional District, put his commitment to bipartisanship and defending abortion rights in states like New York from a proposed federal ban front-and-center during his speech at the Fulton County Democratic Party picnic Saturday. “Folks are tired of the divisiveness, they’re tired of the extremes and they’re looking for a moderate — they’re looking for somebody who’s going to bring us together to get stuff done,” Castelli said. “So, we’re really focused on making sure we’re in a position to fight to reduce costs for working families and seniors and improve our economy. We’re focused on defending our personal freedoms, like a woman’s right to choose, as well as the 2nd Amendment. We’re focused on making sure we’re in a position to ensure the safety and the security of every single American by full funding our law enforcement, making sure we’re securing our borders, making sure we’re supporting our military and our veterans.” Castelli’s points of emphasis echo the Moderate Party platform he released this past Monday that emphasized “Safety & Security” issues like funding for law enforcement and border security, issues usually emphasized by Republicans. His speech in heavily-Republican Fulton County came four days after U.S. Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-Saratoga, was one of 86 members of the House of Representatives who signed on as cosponsors of the House version of U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham’s proposed 15-week nationwide abortion ban, dubbed the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act. In a news release, Castelli blasted Stefanik’s endorsement of the bill. “Elise Stefanik has sold out women by supporting this vast government overreach, and is completely out of step with the voters of NY-21 who don’t want the government in our bedrooms or our medical exam rooms,” he said in the release. “These politicians need to stay the hell out of where they don’t belong and stop regulating women’s bodies.” Stefanik, who is also running on the Conservative Party line for the November election, became Chair of the House Republican Conference in 2021, the third-ranking GOP congressional rep after former conference chair Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyoming, lost support among the House GOP for her unwillingness to defend former President Donald Trump’s actions leading up to the Jan. 6, 2021 riot and insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Since then, Stefanik’s role in the House has coincided with more overtly partisan rhetoric like her embrace of the “ultra-MAGA” label President Joe Biden has applied to the most extreme Republican supporters of Trump. Castelli, a former independent who served in the CIA and as a Director of Counterterrorism under both President Barack Obama and Trump, has sought to emphasis his willingness to support the rule of law and federal law enforcement officials like FBI agents against what he’s characterized as the increasingly dangerous radicalism of “ultra-MAGA” Republicans, including Trump himself. and his willingness to take possession of Top secret documents that can place at risk the lives of people who helped obtain that information for the U.S. as well as his post social media posts criticizing specific FBI agents by name. Stefanik, in previous congresses ,scored high on the Lugar Center’s ranking of congressional members bipartisanship. The Lugar score is based on having cosponsored legislation with members of the opposing party. For the 116th Congress, serving from 2019 to 2020, Stefanik ranked 13th out of all 435 representatives in the House for bipartisanship, higher than her rankings in the prior two congressional terms, when she was 19th and 14th respectively. The Fulton County Democratic Party picnic was an almost bipartisan event itself, with speeches given by Republicans Sheriff Richard Giardino, Acting District Attorney Amanda Nellis, GOP candidate for district attorney and Johnstown City Attorney Michael Poulin, Gloversville City Court Judge Traci DiMezza and her challenger former Gloversville City Attorney John Clo. Many elections in Republican-dominated Fulton County — typically those for sheriff, district attorney and many judge races — feature no Democratic Party candidate, paradoxically putting the Democratic vote in play during general elections between GOP-endorsed candidates and registered Republican candidates running on independent lines. Giardino, who rankled many Democrats and moderates for his strong stance against social gathering mandates from former Gov. Andrew Cuomo during the holiday season in 2020, struck a bipartisan tone during his speech emphasizing how political parties must play no role in how laws are enforced, prosecuted or in how court cases are judged in the judicial system. He praised Democratic state Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli’s nonpartisan approach to his job after DiNapoli spoke at the picnic. “In my capacity as a sheriff we frequently reach out to his office to get support for our investigative units and council’s office and they never say ‘Well, are you a Republican sheriff or a Democratic sheriff?’, and I think that that’s something to emulate, and I try to do the same with our office,” Giardino said. “I come every year [to the Democratic Party picnic] because I feel very strongly that because I’ve been given the opportunity to serve by the people of this community to serve as district attorney, judge and sheriff — no one lese in New York has ever done all three — and obviously I couldn’t do all of that with just one party, and I feel it’s important with every job I’ve had to serve everyone in this community.” More from The Daily Gazette: Categories: Fulton Montgomery Schoharie, News, News Read More Here

Josh Shapiro Plays An Away Game, Politically Speaking; Brings Gubernatorial Campaign To Mastriano Country https://digitalarizonanews.com/josh-shapiro-plays-an-away-game-politically-speaking-brings-gubernatorial-campaign-to-mastriano-country/ CHAMBERSBURG – Josh Shapiro, the Democratic nominee for governor of Pennsylvania, knows he doesn’t have to carry most Central Pennsylvania counties to win this year’s election. But he also knows, from the Democrats’ experience of 2016 when Donald J. Trump won the state, that he can’t totally write-off its overwhelmingly Republican counties either, at the risk of seeing the Trump-era formula of Republican super-majorities in small county after small county adding up to just enough votes to tip statewide races to the GOP. So Shapiro, a lifelong resident of Montgomery County in the Philadelphia suburbs, spent Saturday playing a political away game, if you will, touring through four Democrat-minority counties to thank his loyalists for their support, and to embolden them to put campaign signs on their lawns and engage neighbors and friends in quiet talks about the importance of the race. “This is real power,” Shapiro said during a stop at the Franklin County Democratic headquarters office in Chambersburg, hoisting up a Shapiro for Governor yard sign. “Because listen, I know it’s not real easy to put one of these up in your yard around here.” Franklin is Republican nominee Doug Mastriano’s home county, and the Republican Party has a current 5-to-2 edge over Democrats among residents registered with one of the major political parties. Shapiro, in his two winning races for Attorney General in 2016 and 2020, has never polled more than 28.3 percent of the vote here. But Shapiro implored his supporters in Chambersburg to have the courage to know that “when you put that on your yard, you’re sending a message to that person who lives quietly in your neighborhood and kind of feels the way we do, but didn’t realize they had company. Show people they have company.” Shapiro, who has served as Pennsylvania’s Attorney General since 2017, left no doubt that the stakes of this election are worth it. About half of his stump speech was devoted to his belief that Mastriano – who has heavily messaged the idea that he is running to re-create a Pennsylvania where residents are free to “walk as free people” – is not just a political opponent, but someone who will literally roll back individual liberties for all in the name of the personal freedoms of those he counts among his supporters. “Look, my name may on the ballot. But it’s your rights and your future and our freedom that’s on the line,” Shapiro said Saturday. He pointed to Mastriano’s willingness to court supporters on Gab, a social media site that critics say has become a haven for hate speech and white supremacists; Mastriano’s stated support for roll backs of existing abortion rights in Pennsylvania; and his enthusiastic participation in former President Donald J. Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election results. Shapiro, walking through a litany of issues. asked voters to consider who’s really fighting for freedom in this race. “Let me tell you something,” he said. “Where I come from, freedom isn’t telling women what they’re allowed to do with their bodies. “Freedom isn’t telling our children what books they are allowed to read,” Shapiro continued, in a reference to Mastriano’s proposal to guarantee parents more information on and a more direct say in classroom curriculum and teaching materials. Shapiro, by contrast, has vowed to increase parental representation on the state Board of Education. “Freedom isn’t telling someone you can go ahead and work a 40-hour work week, but you can’t do it as a member of a union,” Shapiro continued, in a reference to so-called “right-to-work” laws that would give workers at unionized workplaces the ability to opt out of union membership and / or requirements to pay union dues. Shapiro has vowed to oppose right-to work laws; Mastriano has said he would sign right-to-work legislation. And finally, Shapiro argued, “freedom isn’t telling someone, yeah, I know you love that person but you’re not allowed to marry them here,” in arguing that he would be the candidate who fight hardest to protect and preserve gay rights. Shapiro closed his case Saturday by arguing that the debate playing out in Pennsylvania and around the nation this year is really like many other points in American history where there has been tension between moving society forward, and the pushback from those who are uncomfortable or maybe even feel they will be harmed because of the changes. But this is a vital round to win, he added, arguing that after the events of 2020-21, he doesn’t want to run the risk of giving Mastriano control – through the Department of State -over the administration of state elections. “The stakes could not be higher. The contrast (between the candidates) could not be clearer.” Power-starved Democrats at Shapiro’s stops in Gettysburg and Chambersburg packed party offices and cheered lustily for their candidate. Outside the Adams County Democratic headquarters earlier in the day, a line of sign-waving supporters awaited the candidate’s arrival in Gettysburg. Two women among them said they were encouraged by the positive reactions they were getting from most of the passers-by on Chambersburg Street. “I haven’t heard any profanity. I haven’t heard any chants of ‘Let’s Go, Brandon,’ which I find very encouraging,” said Kathleen Bringardner, a retired school nurse from Cumberland Township. She was carrying a sign that played on Mastriano’s campaign motto and the abortion issue, stating: ‘Women Should Also Walk More Freely.’” Almost on cue, a shout of “Shapiro sucks” wafted on the breeze. No one realistically believes that Shapiro can carry these counties that form the heart of Mastriano’s senatorial district – many Republican voters here have said they are just as fired up about the chance to elect their senator to the governorship. But Democrats do know it’s in their interest to try: Just shaving a two or three percentage points off of the Republican margin of victory, as President Joe Biden’s campaign was able to do in both Adams and Franklin counties in 2020, can make the difference between a Republican or Democratic win statewide. “I’ve made very clear, we’re going to compete everywhere. Look everybody in the eye and ask them for their vote,” Shapiro said after the Chambersburg rally. “And I’m here in this community to say that I’ll be a governor for all Pennsylvanians. Not just some of them.” Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. Read More Here

Trump's Rhetoric Prompts Warnings Of Real Violence https://digitalarizonanews.com/trumps-rhetoric-prompts-warnings-of-real-violence/ WASHINGTON (AP) – A man armed with an AR-15 rifle was killed in a shootout after trying to break into FBI offices in Cincinnati, police said. A Pennsylvania man was arrested after posting death threats against officers on social media. In cyberspace, calls for armed rebellion and civil war are growing louder. This may be just the beginning, federal officials and private observers of extremism have warned. A growing number of ardent Donald Trump supporters appear ready to attack the FBI or others they say are going too far in the investigation of the former president. Law enforcement agencies across the country are alerting and warning of increased threats and the potential for violent attacks on federal agents or buildings in the wake of the FBI raid on Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate. Experts who study online radicalization and misinformation – such as false claims about Trump’s stolen election – say the surge was sparked by the recent break-in at Trump’s home in Florida. But what happens in the event of an arrest or a charge? “When messages reach a certain pitch, things start happening in the real world,” said former New Jersey Attorney General John Farmer. “And when those in positions of power and public trust begin to echo extremist rhetoric, we are even more likely to see real-world consequences.” Amplified by right-wing mainstream media, Trump and his allies’ angry claims about the raid are fueling the fires of distrust of his supporters of the federal government in general and the FBI in particular — albeit one conducted by an individual. Who was appointed by Trump_. And at least some of Trump’s supporters are now dealing with their anger. Last week, a man in armored tactical clothing and armed with a rifle and a nail gun attempted to break into an FBI office in Cincinnati. He was later shot dead by the police after exchanging bullets with the officers. Officials said they believe the man posted stern messages on Trump’s online platform, Truth Social, saying federal agents should be executed. Another man rammed his car into the US Capitol barricades on Sunday and opened fire in the air before shooting himself. On Monday, the Justice Department announced the arrest of a Pennsylvania man who repeatedly threatened the lives of FBI agents on a platform gab popular with Trump supporters. “They have declared war on us and now it is hunting season against you,” he wrote in a post shared by the authorities. A joint intelligence bulletin from the FBI and the Department of Homeland Security warned of an increase in violent online threats against federal officials and government facilities. According to a copy of the document obtained by the Associated Press, there are calls for “civil war” and “rebellion” as well as “the threat of planting an alleged pipe bomb in front of FBI headquarters”. According to an analysis by the social network’s content analysis company Jignal Labs, mentions of “civil war” on platforms such as Facebook and Twitter increased 10x in the hours immediately following last week’s Mar-a-Lago record. Several of the posts contained unsubstantiated claims that President Joe Biden ordered the FBI to search Trump’s home, or that the FBI had put up evidence to convict Trump. “That Biden sent the FBI to search the home of former President Donald Trump is a declaration of war against him and his supporters,” one person wrote on Telegram. The intelligence bulletin also noted that federal law enforcement officials have identified a number of threats against government officials who participated in the Mar-a-Lago search, including calls to kill the trial judge who conducted the search. The warrant was signed. According to intelligence documents, the names and addresses of FBI agents and other officers have been posted online, as well as references to relatives who may be other targets. The threats are similar to the online rhetoric that preceded the January 6, 2021, uprising in the US Capitol, said Rep. Benny Thompson, a Democrat who chairs the House committee investigating the Capitol storm and the National Security Commission. “These threats of violence and even civil war – coming primarily from right-wing extremists online – are not only un-American, they are a threat to our democracy and the rule of law,” Thompson said. The search of Trump’s residence was carried out based on a legally obtained warrant signed by a judge. But this is not in the interest of Trump and his allies. “This is an attack on a political opponent at a level never before seen in our country,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday. “third World!” Republican Representative Paul Goser compared the investigation to “torture,” tweeting, “We must destroy the FBI.” Another Republican congressman, Andy Biggs, tried partly to place the blame on the individual agents who made the discovery. “It looked like something you’d see in the former Soviet Union,” Biggs said this week. “Why did all those agents volunteer for it?” Republican Senator John Thune told reporters in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, on Tuesday that while the Justice Department has shown it followed legal protocol in obtaining search warrants, his reservations about the Trump investigation have helped people for law enforcement purposes. question has been raised. Thune said, “There are a lot of unanswered questions that have been left unanswered that raise a lot of suspicion among the American people, and the one thing you don’t want is people don’t trust law enforcement.” “ Other Republicans have tried to downplay the rhetoric, as Arkansas Governor Asa Hutchinson did during a weekend appearance on CNN. “We have to stop judging them,” Hutchinson said of the officers. “The FBI is simply performing its responsibilities under the law.” But many in the conservative media ignored that advice. “The break-in at Mar-a-Lago was not law enforcement, it was the opposite,” Tucker Carlson said on his Fox News show Monday night. “It was an attack on the rule of law.” Fox also shared a manipulated photo that showed the judge falsely signed an order to receive a foot massage from Ghislaine Maxwell. Maxwell was sentenced in June to 20 years in prison for helping her boyfriend, Jeffrey Epstein, sexually abuse minors. The original photo was not of the judge, but of Epstein, who committed suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial. Fox News’ Brian Kilmeade later said that the manipulated photo was shared as a joke. The roots of Republican anger at the FBI go back to the 2016 election and investigation into the Trump campaign’s alleged ties to Russia and Hillary Clinton’s handling of classified material in a private email account. The fury is focused only on Trump as new investigations, his efforts to quash the 2020 election, and his handling of classified material have since left office. The unsubstantiated claims that the FBI secretly implicated Trump supporters for their violent actions on January 6 also sparked outrage from conservative social media users. “Okay guys, you’ve started this civil war,” wrote one user on Gab, “and others are going to end it for you.” , Associated Press writers Michael Balsamo and Stephen Groves contributed to this report. Read More Here

Marion McKeone: Ravenous Republicans Eyeing House Majority With Slew Of Extremist Candidates https://digitalarizonanews.com/marion-mckeone-ravenous-republicans-eyeing-house-majority-with-slew-of-extremist-candidates/ US The primaries have ended with hardliners winning out over moderates, setting the scene for bitterly contested midterms in November As the US midterm primary skirmishes end and the fog of warfare lifts, Republicans and Democrats are assessing their losses, their liabilities and the likelihood of further carnage in November and beyond. The volatility of the 2022 primaries has underscored the notion that in this midterm season, anything can happen. But one certainty has emerged: for now, at least, Donald Trump remains the dominating force in the Republican Party. Some 96 per cent of the … Read More Here

Gaetz Sought Pardon From Trump Over DOJ Probe Into Sex Trafficking Allegations: Report https://digitalarizonanews.com/gaetz-sought-pardon-from-trump-over-doj-probe-into-sex-trafficking-allegations-report/ Julia Shapero Posted: Sep 17, 2022 / 05:24 PM CDT | Updated: Sep 17, 2022 / 05:24 PM CDT Representative Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) Saturday, Feb. 26, 2022, in Orlando, (AP Photo/John Raoux) A former White House aide told the House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack that Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) sought a pardon from former President Trump over the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) investigation into sex trafficking allegations against him, The Washington Post reported on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the testimony. Former Trump aide Johnny McEntee said Gaetz told him he had asked former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows for a preemptive pardon, the Post reported. McEntee told the committee that he understood the pardon to be in connection with the DOJ probe. The Justice Department is investigating allegations that Gaetz paid for sex, paid for women to travel across state lines to have sex and had a sexual relationship with a minor. Gaetz denies the allegations. The committee previously showed McEntee saying in a videotaped deposition that Gaetz told him he asked Meadows for a pardon during a June hearing. It also presented testimony from other former Trump aides naming Gaetz as one of several Republican lawmakers who sought pardons from Trump. Gaetz and Rep. Mo Brooks (R-Ala.) advocated for a “blanket pardon” for lawmakers who participated in a December 2020 meeting where efforts to overturn the election were discussed, former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson testified. When asked by the committee if Gaetz was seeking a pardon, Eric Herschmann, a former Trump White House attorney, responded in a taped deposition that he believed so and that Gaetz’s pardon request was “for any and all things.” Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.), a member of the committee, also presented an email from Brooks in which the Alabama congressman requested presidential pardons for himself, Gaetz, and lawmakers who objected to the Electoral College vote for Arizona and Pennsylvania. However, McEntee’s testimony as reported by the Post is the first to indicate that Gaetz sought a pardon in connection with the Justice Department’s investigation into the sex trafficking allegations, though there has been speculation. The New York Times reported in April 2021 that Gaetz had sought a blanket pardon from Trump in the last weeks of his presidency, noting this came as the congressman was being investigated by the DOJ for allegedly violating sex trafficking laws. Trump denied the allegations that Gaetz had directly asked for a blanket pardon.  “Congressman Matt Gaetz discussed pardons for many other people publicly and privately at the end of President Donald Trump’s first term,” a spokesperson for Gaetz said in a statement. “As for himself, President Trump addressed this malicious rumor more than a year ago stating, ‘Congressman Matt Gaetz has never asked me for a pardon.’ Rep. Gaetz continues to stand by President Trump’s statement.” The Jan. 6 committee and Trump’s team did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Read More Here

Last-Minute Game Information For Arizona Football Vs NDSU https://digitalarizonanews.com/last-minute-game-information-for-arizona-football-vs-ndsu/ Sep 10, 2022; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Jayden de Laura (7) against the Mississippi State Bulldogs at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports TUCSON, AZ – Arizona Football (1-1) is set for a tough home matchup against the North Dakota State Bison (2-0), and we bring the last-minute game information and notes. We are finally into week three of the 2022 Arizona Football season, as the year is quickly rolling along. This week, the Wildcats continue their home stand as they conclude their non-conference schedule by taking on FCS powerhouse North Dakota State Bison. Coming in, the Wildcats should be in store for an intriguing matchup. The Bison are the reigning, FCS National Champions and they bring a lot of talent and physicality. Beyond that, Arizona looks to recover after losing a tough matchup against SEC’s Mississippi State last weekend, in which the Cats were outmuscled to a 39-17 loss. And with the Wildcats likely to face an offensive slugfest against the Bison, here is how you can watch and follow Arizona Football. Arizona Football / North Dakota State game information and details: Date: Saturday, Sep. 17, 2022 Time: 8:00 p.m. MST Television: FS1 Radio: 107.5 FM (Tucson) | Arizona IMG Sports Network Location: Arizona Stadium, Tucson, Ariz. The Temperature at Kickoff: 86° Line: Arizona +3.0 (Don’t forget to use WynnBet to enhance your overall betting experience) Arizona Game Preview: Arizona enters this game fresh off of a tough loss to a good Mississippi State team, and even though the Wildcats are playing an FCS opponent, North Dakota State is a great FCS program that has made it a habit of beating FBS teams the past few years. The Wildcats will look to get back their winning ways when they welcome the Bison to Tucson, as well as hopefully pick up their second victory of the season. Arizona will need a huge performance with Jayden de Laura at quarterback, as well as the rest of the offense. The Wildcats will have to match the physicality of the Bison if they are going to come away with the win! Don’t forget to follow us at @ZonaZealots on Twitter and like our fan page on Facebook for continued coverage of Arizona news, opinions, and recruiting updates! Read More Here

‘Look, These Are Our Boys’: Ukrainian Troops Drive Russian Tanks On New Front Line https://digitalarizonanews.com/look-these-are-our-boys-ukrainian-troops-drive-russian-tanks-on-new-front-line/ September 17, 2022 at 4:28 p.m. EDT Vehicles are seen on and around a damaged bridge in Kupyansk. (Heidi Levine for The Washington Post) KUPIANSK, Ukraine – The front line is now a river, the Oskil, that runs through the middle of the eastern Ukrainian town of Kupiansk. On one side are the charging Ukrainian forces who have pushed their Russian enemies almost entirely out of the northeastern Kharkiv region during a sweeping counteroffensive this month. From her bedroom window, Liza Udovik, 26, has a view of the other side, to where the Russians have retreated. The sound of outgoing fire from the Ukrainians rocked her apartment these past few days, when the Ukrainian military moved into Kupiansk and the town became a battleground. Russian tanks and armored vehicles still patrol the streets, but it’s the Ukrainians driving them, using the Russians’ own abandoned weapons against them. Udovik started counting the seconds between hearing the deafening boom of artillery launched and the appearance of smoke in the distance. From just Tuesday to Wednesday, the gap got longer, stretching from 9 seconds to 13. “They’re getting pushed back,” she said with a smile. The Oskil became a shield for the Russians on Sept. 9. As the Ukrainians closed in, the invading forces crossed the bridge and blew it up behind them to slow Kyiv’s advance. And Kupiansk was suddenly cut off from its second half. The next morning, 55-year-old Lena Danilova stared in confusion at the Ukrainian vehicles driving down the town’s streets. A man next to her tugged on her sleeve, pointing out the different uniforms on the soldiers now patrolling the area. “Look, these are our boys,” he whispered to her. Danilova said she wiped away tears of joy. “Finally,” she said. But then she had a sick realization. Two of her children were stuck on the other side of the river. They had gone to attend a school there just days before. Now it’s the line where the Russians are desperate to stop Ukraine’s hard-charging advance further south, into the occupied Donetsk and Luhansk regions. After Kupiansk was captured without a fight just three days into the war, the town was at least spared Russian bombardment. Now people here are confronting some of the horrors of war that other Ukrainians lived through months ago. They waited and hoped for Ukrainian liberation, many said, but they didn’t imagine it would be like this: the threat of Russian shelling, no power in the city and no way to get basic medicines. Locals packed their most essential belongings quickly and evacuated in a rush with volunteers this week, evoking images of the first days of the war. Valya, 58, left behind her cats. Bowls of water lined the floor of her apartment, and she left a key with her friend to feed them. With only Russian state television channels, a Kremlin propaganda tool, available in Kupiansk for the past six months, people were cut off from independent news about what was happening in Ukraine. The Russian government prohibits media from even naming this a war, preferring to call it a “special military operation,” and information is tightly controlled. While evacuating with her mother, Udovik was asked if she knew about the atrocities Russian soldiers committed against civilians in Bucha, including torture and killings – what had been major international news in April. Udovik shook her head. “Bucha?” Udovik said. “I think I heard something about it, but I’m not sure.” The Russian channels she sometimes watched focused instead on how Europe might be facing an energy crisis this winter with Russian natural gas flows cut, she said. People spoke in hushed voices about what transpired during occupation because they say a portion of the population is sympathetic to Moscow, and if the Russian soldiers return, then neighbors could inform on neighbors. Udovik’s own family was torn apart by it. Her grandmother stopped speaking to her sister after she hung a Russian flag outside her home. On Feb. 27, just three days after Russia launched its unprovoked full-scale invasion, Kupiansk’s mayor, Gennady Matsegora, posted a video on Facebook admitting that he surrendered the city over to the Russian military. Matsegora was a member of Ukraine’s pro-Russian party. “Today at 7:30 a.m. the commander of a Russian battalion called to propose negotiations,” he said. “If declined, the city would be stormed ‘with all the consequences.’ I decided to take part in the talks to avoid casualties and destruction in the city.” Udovik, who considers herself a Ukrainian patriot, acknowledged that Matsegora will almost certainly be considered a traitor. But her own feelings are complicated. “For citizens of course, that decision probably did save lives,” she said. “We didn’t hear these explosions we hear now. In the beginning it was quiet, but we knew that eventually, this would all start.” The Russians used Kupiansk as the seat of their occupation government. A propaganda radio station, called “Kharkiv-Z” – the letter “Z” has become a symbol of the Russian military – blared through local shops. Residents could only make calls to Russia. Even without formal annexation, the town became so integrated into Russia that Udovik even had a relative visit from Vladivostok, the Far East Russian city near the North Korean border. The Moscow-established authorities advertised that people could receive Russian passports. Danilova said she was forced to send her children to school, even though she knew Russian curriculum would be taught. People were threatened that if they didn’t, their parental rights could be revoked. Others said they feared the strict 8 p.m. curfew because there were rumors of people disappearing if they were caught outside past time. The Russians had used Kupiansk as a transport hub, moving hundreds of tanks and armored personnel vehicles through it and toward what was then the front line. Some of those same vehicles are back – trophies of the Ukrainian military using the equipment Russians left behind during their retreat. On Thursday, as the sounds of outgoing fire reverberated through the town, shells crashing on the liberated side of the river were scarcely heard – a sign that Russians’ ammunition depots could be depleted after Ukrainian strikes and a quick withdrawal that forced them to abandon or destroy much of it. On the road into Kupiansk, the Ukrainians were transporting pontoon bridges, preparing to cross the river and continue their advance. The sign announcing the town, painted white, red and blue — the colors of the Russian flag — was torn down and in ruins. War in Ukraine: What you need to know The latest: Grain shipments from Ukraine are gathering pace under the agreement hammered out by Ukraine, Russia, Turkey and the United Nations in July. Russia’s blockade of Ukrainian Black Sea ports had sent food prices soaring and raised fears of more hunger in the Middle East and Africa. At least 18 ships, including loads of wheat, corn and sunflower oil, have departed. The fight: The conflict on the ground grinds on as Russia uses its advantage in heavy artillery to pummel Ukrainian forces, which have sometimes been able to put up stiff resistance. In the south, Ukrainian hopes rest on liberating the Russia-occupied Kherson region, and ultimately Crimea, seized by Russia in 2014. Fears of a disaster at the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Station remain as both sides accuse each other of shelling it. The weapons: Western supplies of weapons are helping Ukraine slow Russian advances. U.S.-supplied High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) allow Ukrainian forces to strike farther behind Russian lines against Russian artillery. Russia has used an array of weapons against Ukraine, some of which have drawn the attention and concern of analysts. Photos: Washington Post photographers have been on the ground from the very beginning of the war — here’s some of their most powerful work. How you can help: Here are ways those in the U.S. can help support the Ukrainian people as well as what people around the world have been donating. Read our full coverage of the Russia-Ukraine crisis. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for updates and exclusive video. Read More Here

Woman Rescued From Hiking Trail In Scottsdale With Help Of Drone https://digitalarizonanews.com/woman-rescued-from-hiking-trail-in-scottsdale-with-help-of-drone/ SCOTTSDALE, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) – A woman was rescued off of a hiking trail near Scottsdale on Saturday. Scottsdale and Phoenix Fire rescue crews were able to rescue a woman in her 60s off of Ringtail Trail in northeastern Scottsdale early Saturday morning. Officials said she called 911, saying that she was having heat exhaustion symptoms and needed help. A Scottsdale Fire Department drone was able to locate her and assist crews in finding her location. Scottsdale and Phoenix fire officials used a drone to find a 60-year-old woman who was stranded on a hiking trail in northeastern Scottsdale.(Arizona’s Family) “The biggest thing is it’s about safety for the citizens and safety for our firefighters,” said a Scottsdale fire official. The department has six drones, all of which can fly 400 feet and 5 miles away from the drone pilot. Because of the live stream capabilities of the drones and its ability to transmit exact coordinates to firefighters, drones could mean the difference between life and death for someone in danger. Water bottles, life vests, helmets, speakers, and flashlights can also be attached to the drone. Scottsdale Fire Department encourages everyone to practice the following safe hiking practices, especially in high temperatures. Hydrate, hydrate, hydrate. Wear light, loose, sweat-wicking clothes, and avoid cotton. Wear a hat & sunscreen. Start your hike early. Plan your hike for shade and water. Know the danger signs for heat stroke. Be prepared. Copyright 2022 KTVK/KPHO. All rights reserved. Read More…

As Massive Storm Batters Alaska Coastal Towns, Residents Are Evacuated, Widespread Flooding Reported https://digitalarizonanews.com/as-massive-storm-batters-alaska-coastal-towns-residents-are-evacuated-widespread-flooding-reported/ Alaska braces for strongest storm in years Alaska braces for strongest storm in years 00:15 A massive, potentially record-breaking storm brought major flooding and damage to coastal towns in Alaska Saturday, and some residents were evacuated. Gov. Mike Dunleavy said he “verbally declared” a disaster for communities impacted by the storm. The governor said on Twitter there have been no reported injuries. “We will continue to monitor the storm and update Alaskans as much as possible,” he tweeted. Flooding is seen in Golovin, Alaska, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Heidi Varga In the town of Golovin, major flooding was reported early Saturday, according to the National Weather Service, and forecasters warned it would only get worse. The town could see an additional 1 to 2 feet of water by the day’s end. “Water is surrounding the school, homes and structures are flooded, at least a couple homes floating off the foundation, some older fuel tanks are tilted over,” the weather service’s office in Fairbanks tweeted. Photos from the weather service showed the high water levels there. Major flooding in Golovin this morning. Water is still expected to rise 1-2 feet by this afternoon Our thoughts are with the community. (photos courtesy C. Lewis) #akwx pic.twitter.com/BO63uN8dGL — NWS Fairbanks (@NWSFairbanks) September 17, 2022 Another town, Shaktoolik, reported coastal flooding, with water “entering the community and getting close to some homes,” according to the weather service. Residents there were evacuated to a school and clinic. Shaktoolik was also expected to see the worst of the storm later in the day. According to the NWS, the water level in Nome rose above 10 feet Saturday, and is expected to continue to rise. A very angry sea in Nome this morning. Waves and storm surge are pushing into the community, including along Front Street. Water levels are expected to peak this afternoon. Here is an image from the Port of Nome (courtesy of Alaska Ocean Observing System). pic.twitter.com/oX5XZPHIti — NWS Fairbanks (@NWSFairbanks) September 17, 2022 The weather service also shared footage from a webcam in Unalakleet, comparing an average day in the town against the scene there Saturday morning. Images from the FAA airport webcam in Unalakleet. One image shows a normal day, the other shows water inundating the area around the airport as of 8am this morning. Water levels will continue to rise another foot by this afternoon. #akwx pic.twitter.com/0tVjXy3dLv — NWS Fairbanks (@NWSFairbanks) September 17, 2022 As of Saturday afternoon, large swaths of the state’s western coast were under coastal flooding and high wind warnings. The weather service said flood warnings would remain in effect for several areas through Sunday night, while the wind warnings were expected to expire by Saturday night.  The weather service said the Yukon–Kuskokwim Delta would see a “smaller surge” during high tide in the afternoon and evening hours Saturday. The “highest water levels are expected from Kipnuk north to Newtok,” the NWS tweeted. A coastal flood warning was extended for that region through 10 p.m. Saturday.   A massive storm hits Gambell, Alaska. Sept. 16, 2022.  Clarence Irrigoo Jr. Other portions of the state are under gale warnings, according to the weather service. The weather service shared peak reported wind gusts as of 8 a.m. local time — the highest recorded was 91 mph in Cape Romanzof. Several other towns, including Golovin, saw winds topping 60 mph. The center of the storm was located just south of the Bering Strait on Saturday morning, the weather service said. Here’s a view of the Bering Sea storm lit by moonlight just prior to sunrise (brightening on the right). It’s centered just south of the Bering Strait at this time. It was just over a half moon last night. Thankfully tides weren’t as high as they could have been. pic.twitter.com/sKoVAWOaBc — NWS Alaska Region (@NWSAlaska) September 17, 2022 The storm is the remnants of Typhoon Merbok, and forecasters predicted this week it could bring “potentially historical” flooding, with some coastal areas seeing water levels up to 11 feet higher than the normal high tide. In: Storm Flooding Alaska Sophie Reardon Sophie Reardon is a News Editor at CBS News. Reach her at sophie.reardon@viacomcbs.com Thanks for reading CBS NEWS. Create your free account or log in for more features. Please enter email address to continue Please enter valid email address to continue Read More Here