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Vice President Kamala Harris Calls On Texans To Protect Reproductive And Voting Rights During Austin Visit https://digitalarizonanews.com/vice-president-kamala-harris-calls-on-texans-to-protect-reproductive-and-voting-rights-during-austin-visit/ Sign up for The Brief, our daily newsletter that keeps readers up to speed on the most essential Texas news. Vice President Kamala Harris on Saturday called Texas’ abortion ban “immoral” and urged Texans to protect reproductive rights when considering their choices in the upcoming November elections. “A democracy will be as strong as our willingness to fight for it,” she said during a discussion on reproductive rights at the LBJ Presidential Library on the University of Texas at Austin campus, part of a daylong trip that ended with an appearance at a downtown fundraiser for Texas Democrats. While Harris stressed the importance of voting not only for a governor and attorney general who support reproductive rights, she also noted local elections were also crucial, especially when it comes to choosing a prosecutor. District attorneys will now have to decide whether to prosecute Texas doctors and health care workers if they perform an abortion not meant to save the life of the pregnant patient. Performing an abortion in Texas is now a felony punishable by up to life in prison. The new state law, which has only narrow exceptions to save the life of a pregnant patient, went into effect in August, two months after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The law has forced Texans to seek abortions in other states. “It’s going to matter who your county prosecutor is if you live in a place where there’s a state law that has criminalized doctors and nurses and health care providers,” Harris said. Harris said that the U.S. Department of Justice is working with state attorneys general to ensure Americans have a right to travel but “not the one in Texas,” she said, referring to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton. At the fundraiser, Harris endorsed Beto O’Rourke for governor and highlighted for the audience some of the Biden administration’s achievements: distributing pandemic relief, passing the Inflation Reduction Act, which caps drug prices for Medicare recipients, along with passing a hefty infrastructure bill along and making historic strides to address the climate change crisis. But she also spent a lot of her address discussing the U.S. Supreme Court decision this summer in the Dobbs v. Jackson case, which overturned Roe v. Wade. “The United States Supreme Court just took a constitutional right that had been recognized from the people of America, from the women of America,” Harris said. “While extremists — so-called leaders — trumpet the rhetoric of freedom, they attack the very foundations of freedom.” She blamed Texas’ elected GOP leaders for removing women’s freedoms, calling them “the ones passing laws making it difficult for people in the states to vote.” Harris added: “One of those people is the governor of this very state.” Even before the Dobbs decision, she said, Gov. Greg Abbott and other leaders passed some of the “most radical, most anti-women laws in the country.” Harris warned that overturning Roe was just a first step for Republicans. “Where do we think this is heading?” Harris asked the crowd. “Justice Clarence Thomas said the quiet part out loud. Contraception is on the line. Marriage equality is on the line. With Republican party leaders in charge, health care is on the line.” One topic noticeably absent from her visit was any mention of immigration. Shortly after Biden took office, he assigned Harris the responsibility of immigration. In June 2021 Harris she traveled to Guatemala and Mexico, a trip she said was an effort to tackle the root causes of illegal immigration. A few weeks after that trip, she visited Border Patrol facilities in El Paso and met with migrant aid groups, but the vice president has not yet visited the Rio Grande Valley, where a large number of border apprehensions are happening. Predictably, Harris’ visit drew barbs from Texas Republicans, including Texas Sens. John Cornyn and Ted Cruz, who have criticized the federal government’s stance regarding the U.S.-Mexico border. “Texans have been forced to bear the consequences of this Administration’s failure to address the border crisis, including the historic number of illegal crossings as well as the tragic rise in migrant deaths, drug smuggling, fentanyl overdoses, and cartel violence,” Cornyn said in a statement on Friday. “Unfortunately, the Administration’s Border Czar hasn’t seen the epicenter of their self-inflicted crisis firsthand, which has overwhelmed our border communities and law enforcement.” Cornyn’s jab at Harris came after Cruz, put pressure on the Biden administration on immigration, threatening Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas with impeachment for “dereliction of duty” at the southern border in a letter to the department Thursday. Federal immigration agents have recorded 2.1 million encounters at the Southwest border — a record number — in the first 11 months of the fiscal year 2022, which ended on Sept. 30 That’s a 24% increase from the entire previous fiscal year 2021. Of those, more than half occurred at the Texas-Mexico border, where agents recorded 1.2 million encounters during the first 11 months of the fiscal year 2022. One caveat. Those numbers include repeat border crossings by individuals who made more than one attempt. And those repeat crossings have helped drive the number of encounters higher. In March 2020, the Trump administration invoked an emergency health order known as Title 42 which immigration agents have used to instantly turn away many people trying to cross the border, back to Mexico, including asylum seekers, without having to file charges and wait on the formal deportation process. Immigration agents record a person attempting to cross more than once during the same fiscal year as a new encounter. The latest recidivism rate available shows that it’s at 27%, the highest it’s been since the fiscal year 2015. Reporter Uriel Garcia contributed to this story. Disclosure: LBJ Presidential Library and University of Texas at Austin have been financial supporters of The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that is funded in part by donations from members, foundations and corporate sponsors. Financial supporters play no role in the Tribune’s journalism. Find a complete list of them here. Read More Here

The Geopolitics Of Voting At UNHRC On Resolution Against Sri Lanka – Analysis https://digitalarizonanews.com/the-geopolitics-of-voting-at-unhrc-on-resolution-against-sri-lanka-analysis/ The  stance on human rights appears to have been determined by the member’s geopolitical predilections and national interest Looking at the voting on the UN Human Rights Council’s resolution on Sri Lanka on October 6, it appears that the decisions taken by the 47 members were determined by their respective positions in geopolitics and their national interest.   The 20 members who voted for the resolution castigating Sri Lanka for alleged human rights violations, were Western nations and their political allies. Japan, which is a firm ally of the West, however, struck a different path. It abstained perhaps due to its national interest vis-à-vis Sri Lanka. Those who voted against the resolution had been at odds with the West geopolitically. And those who abstained either had mixed feelings about the West’s agendas or had other more important national interests at stake.      Among those who said “aye” were hardcore Western nations, such as the US, UK, France, Germany and the Netherlands. These were also votaries of the Western concept of human rights. Among others countries that said “aye” were those feeling threatened by the Russian invasion of Ukraine and had been flocking to the West and NATO. Many of these are new States that had emerged from the former Soviet Union but are now harboring fears of Russian expansionism. Ukraine, which voted for the resolution, is being aided by the West to fight Russia.  Countries like Armenia, the Czech Republic, Lithuania and Finland, also fear that they might be Russia’s next target and have flocked to the US camp. Poland remembers that the USSR had occupied it ahead of World War II. Montenegro, which had emerged from the ruins of Yugoslavia, had joined NATO in 2017 and was firmly in the Western camp. Paraguay, Argentina and Honduras in South America, and South Korea in Asia, had been firm allies of the US.  However, it is remarkable that there was only one African country, Malawi and one Asian country, South Korea, among the 20 that went along with the US-led Western alliance in the Council.       The Nays  Among the seven countries that voted against the resolution, there were none from Europe. All of them had serious differences with the US. The nays were Bolivia, China, Cuba, Pakistan, Eritrea, Uganda and Venezuela. In 2008, Bolivia had expelled the US Ambassador. Even now the US has been pressing Bolivia to improve its rights record.  US-Eritrea tensions were related to rights violations. In 2021, the US had imposed selective sanctions.  Uzbekistan is close to China as China is the largest trading partner. China has also been increasing its development loans to Uzbekistan as it regards Uzbekistan as a critical part of its Belt and Road Initiative. Uzbekistan’s voting against the resolution, with China, therefore, stood to reason. China’s hostility to the US needs no explanation. As for Pakistan, it has had a love-hate relationship with the US. It has also been a firm ally of Sri Lanka.  The US had broken off diplomatic relations with Venezuela in 2019, after accusing its authoritarian leader Maduro of electoral fraud. The Trump administration then tried to topple Maduro by sanctioning Venezuelan oil exports. Maduro responded by seeking economic and diplomatic help from Russia, as well as Iran and China.  Abstentions Among the abstaining 20 countries, there was only one pro-US country, namely, Japan. Japan has always taken a soft line on Sri Lanka trying to reform it by helping it economically rather than sanctioning or shaming it publicly. The other countries in the group either had problems with the West, or had a tendency to take independent postures (ex: Malaysia) or had geopolitical reasons to be neutral (ex: India). Under the Trump Presidency, US-Brazil relations were good, but not under Biden. Trump supported the right wing President Bolsonaro. But Bolsonaro is now being electorally challenged by the leftist Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva.  Cameroon’s relations with the US have been under strain over human rights abuses, in particular in the Anglophone Northwest and Southwest Regions of the country, and also over the pace of political and economic liberalization. In troubled Cote d’Ivoire, the US has been trying to help restore peace and support a democratic government whose legitimacy could be accepted by all the citizens of Cote d’Ivoire. In Gabon, China’s presence is manifest. In 2019 China was the buyer of 63% of the products sold by Gabon on the world market. 74.8% of the products sold during this reference year consisted of hydrocarbons.  Relations between the US and Gambia had not improved significantly due to the human rights and freedom of press shortcomings, which resulted in the suspension of Gambia’s compact with the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) in June 2006. The US is involved in Mauritania on a wide array of issues, including human rights and the rule of law. In Namibia, there is a marked Chinese presence. There are scores of Chinese official development projects, through grants, concessional loans and preferential export buyers’ credit running to millions of RMB. Namibia is amenable to Chinese influence.  Given persistent troubles in Somalia, the US Embassy there was closed from 1991 to 2018. Senegal remained neutral at the UNHRC voting though its relations with the US had been good. US Secretary of State Blinken would be visiting the country in November. The US has had problems with Sudan over terrorism. Although Sudan  publicly supported the international coalition actions against the al Qaida network and the Taliban in Afghanistan, it had criticized US air strikes in that country. In response to Sudan’s continued complicity in unabated violence in Darfur, President Bush had imposed economic sanctions on Sudan in May 2007. But in December 2020, Sudan’s designation as a State Sponsor of Terrorism was rescinded. The UAE irked the US in December 2018, when it reopened its embassy in Syria, reatoring ties with the government of anti-US, pro-Russian President Bashar al-Assad. In January 2019, the UAE hosted a Syrian trade delegation that was led by a businessman who had been on the U.S. Treasury sanctions list since 2011. As the UAE’s relations with China were intensifying, its alliance with the US began to face turbulence. Additionally, China has been the biggest buyer of crude oil from the Gulf region. China has been broadening its economic and political footprint across the Middle East, which has created tension in UAE-US relations. In November 2021, the US warned the UAE about a Chinese military presence in it. US intelligence had found that China was secretly building a military facility at a port in Abu Dhabi. Following several American meetings and visits by the US officials, the site construction was halted. Despite that, the US officials said that extensive Chinese presence in the UAE could endanger the planned US$ 23 billion deal of F-35 fighter jets, Reaper drones and other advanced munitions. China’s Gains in Africa The UNHRC voting shows Chinese gains in Africa and the relative weakness of the US in that continent. According to the National Bureau of Asian Research, “China appears to be seeking a loose, partial, and malleable hegemony over the global South, making the African continent a strategic priority for Beijing.” China has brought under the BRI umbrella, the Digital Silk Road, which is focused on improving information and communications technology and digital capabilities in Africa. Most importantly, unlike the US and the West, China does not promote its authoritarian model of governance. It is, in fact, indifferent or blind to the type of regime that exists in a client State. Local regimes find this to be very convenient. Local nationalisms detest preaching by outsiders especially former colonial powers or the new “imperialist” powers. These nationalistic feelings came to Sri Lanka’s aid at the time of voting in the UNHRC. Though the resolution was carried, Sri Lankan nationalists drew comfort from the fact that the majority of the UNHRC members (27 out of 47) either said “nay” or abstained. Read More Here

Tropical Storm Julia Strengthens Into Category 1 Hurricane https://digitalarizonanews.com/tropical-storm-julia-strengthens-into-category-1-hurricane/ MIDDLE AND LET HER HALF OF THE WORKWEEK ASKED WEEK. THE LATEST ON JULIA, IT IS NOW A HURRICANE AT THAT IS BECAUSE THERE ARE TWO PLANES IN THE SYSTEM RIGHT NOW. AS THEY WERE INVESTIGATED THIS STORM THEY DID FIND HURRICANE STRENGTH WINDS. IT WAS JUST ISSUED A SPECIAL ADVISORY AT 7:00. WINDS SUSTAINING AT 75 MILES PER HOUR. RIGHT NOW IT IS ABOUT 140 MILES OFF THE COAST OF NICARAGUA. THIS WILL MOVE WEST AND MAKE LANDFALL EARLY TOMORROW MORNING AS A CATEGORY ONE HURRICANE AND WEAKEN INTO A TROPICAL STORM AS IT MOVES INLAND. IT COULD ACTUALLY MOVE OUT TOWARDS THE PACIFIC OCEAN AND IT HAS A LOW CHANCE OF REDEVELOPING IN THE PACIFIC. WE WILL KEEP AN EYE ON THAT PART RIGHT NOW THE CHANCES LOOK FAIRLY LOW. IT IS EXPECTED TO BRING HEAVY RAIN ACROSS CENTRAL AMERICA. SOME AREAS WILL PICK UP OVER A FOOT OF RAINFALL AND THAT COULD CAUSE FLASH FLOODING. NO IMPACTS HERE AT HOME IN TERMS OF JULIA BUT LOOK AT OUR LOCAL FORECAST. FEBRUARY — FABULOUS FALL WEATHER STICKS AROUND AN BEAST OR TO SEE THE RAIN CHANCES INCREASE BY EARLY NEXT WEEK. Tropical Storm Julia strengthens into Category 1 hurricane Tropical Storm Julia strengthened into a hurricane on Saturday and is forecast to move toward Central America. As of Saturday night, the system was 10 miles south of San Andres Island, Colombia and 140 miles east of Bluefields, Nicaragua.Julia had winds of 75 mph, and the system was moving west at 17 mph.”On the forecast track, the center of Julia is expected to pass near or over San Andres and Providencia Islands later today and then move inland along the coast of Nicaragua early Sunday morning,” the National Hurricane Center said.This storm is not expected to impact Florida.SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:A hurricane warning is in effect for…* San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina Islands Colombia* Nicaragua from Bluefields to Puerto CabezasA hurricane watch is in effect for…* Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua borderA tropical storm warning is in effect for…* Nicaragua south of Bluefields to the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border* Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border* Pacific coast of Nicaragua* Pacific coast of HondurasA tropical storm watch is in effect for…* Honduras from the Nicaragua/Honduras border to Punta Patuca* Coast of El SalvadorKNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WATCH IS ISSUEDStay tuned to WESH 2 News, WESH.COM, or NOAA Weather Radio for storm updates.Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind.Understand hurricane forecast models and cones.Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use precut plywood.Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first-aid supplies, drinking water, and medications.The WESH 2 First Warning Weather Team recommends you have these items ready before the storm strikes.Bottled water: One gallon of water per person per dayCanned food and soup, such as beans and chiliCan opener for the cans without the easy-open lidsAssemble a first-aid kitTwo weeks’ worth of prescription medicationsBaby/children’s needs, such as formula and diapersFlashlight and batteriesBattery-operated weather radioWHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUEDListen to the advice of local officials. If you are advised to evacuate, leave.Complete preparation activities.If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows.Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows.HOW YOUR SMARTPHONE CAN HELP DURING A HURRICANEA smartphone can be your best friend in a hurricane — with the right websites and apps, you can turn it into a powerful tool for guiding you through a storm’s approach, arrival and aftermath.Download the WESH 2 News app for iOS | AndroidEnable emergency alerts — if you have an iPhone, select settings, then go into notifications. From there, look for government alerts and enable emergency alerts.If you have an Android phone, from the home page of the app, scroll to the right along the bottom and click on “settings.” On the settings menu, click on “severe weather alerts.” From the menu, select from most severe, moderate-severe, or all alerts.PET AND ANIMAL SAFETYYour pet should be a part of your family plan. If you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to evacuate them too. Leaving pets behind, even if you try to create a safe space for them, could result in injury or death.Contact hotels and motels outside of your immediate area to see if they take pets.Ask friends, relatives and others outside of the affected area whether they could shelter your animal. Tropical Storm Julia strengthened into a hurricane on Saturday and is forecast to move toward Central America. As of Saturday night, the system was 10 miles south of San Andres Island, Colombia and 140 miles east of Bluefields, Nicaragua. Julia had winds of 75 mph, and the system was moving west at 17 mph. This content is imported from Twitter. You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site. “On the forecast track, the center of Julia is expected to pass near or over San Andres and Providencia Islands later today and then move inland along the coast of Nicaragua early Sunday morning,” the National Hurricane Center said. This storm is not expected to impact Florida. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT: A hurricane warning is in effect for… * San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina Islands Colombia * Nicaragua from Bluefields to Puerto Cabezas A hurricane watch is in effect for… * Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border A tropical storm warning is in effect for… * Nicaragua south of Bluefields to the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border * Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border * Pacific coast of Nicaragua * Pacific coast of Honduras A tropical storm watch is in effect for… * Honduras from the Nicaragua/Honduras border to Punta Patuca * Coast of El Salvador KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WATCH IS ISSUED Stay tuned to WESH 2 News, WESH.COM, or NOAA Weather Radio for storm updates. Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind. Understand hurricane forecast models and cones. Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use precut plywood. Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first-aid supplies, drinking water, and medications. The WESH 2 First Warning Weather Team recommends you have these items ready before the storm strikes. Bottled water: One gallon of water per person per day Canned food and soup, such as beans and chili Can opener for the cans without the easy-open lids Assemble a first-aid kit Two weeks’ worth of prescription medications Baby/children’s needs, such as formula and diapers Flashlight and batteries Battery-operated weather radio WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUED Listen to the advice of local officials. If you are advised to evacuate, leave. Complete preparation activities. If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows. Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows. HOW YOUR SMARTPHONE CAN HELP DURING A HURRICANE A smartphone can be your best friend in a hurricane — with the right websites and apps, you can turn it into a powerful tool for guiding you through a storm’s approach, arrival and aftermath. Download the WESH 2 News app for iOS | Android Enable emergency alerts — if you have an iPhone, select settings, then go into notifications. From there, look for government alerts and enable emergency alerts. If you have an Android phone, from the home page of the app, scroll to the right along the bottom and click on “settings.” On the settings menu, click on “severe weather alerts.” From the menu, select from most severe, moderate-severe, or all alerts. PET AND ANIMAL SAFETY Your pet should be a part of your family plan. If you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to evacuate them too. Leaving pets behind, even if you try to create a safe space for them, could result in injury or death. Contact hotels and motels outside of your immediate area to see if they take pets. Ask friends, relatives and others outside of the affected area whether they could shelter your animal. Read More Here

Female Soldier Killed, Guard Badly Hurt In Shooting At East Jerusalem Checkpoint https://digitalarizonanews.com/female-soldier-killed-guard-badly-hurt-in-shooting-at-east-jerusalem-checkpoint/ A female soldier was killed in a shooting attack at the Shuafat checkpoint in East Jerusalem on Saturday night. A guard was also seriously hurt in the attack. The two were rushed to a hospital in Jerusalem for medical treatment after the attack, according to police and medics. The soldier’s death was declared at the hospital, the Israel Defense Forces said in a statement. The military announced her death around five hours after the attack, after her family had been notified. There were no further details about her identity. It wasn’t immediately clear if she had died immediately, or after receiving treatment at the hospital. The Palestinian gunman apparently arrived on foot and fired at security forces at the checkpoint around 9 p.m. before fleeing into the nearby refugee camp with the help of a car. Get The Times of Israel’s Daily Edition by email and never miss our top stories By signing up, you agree to the terms A third person was lightly hurt and treated at the scene, according to the Magen David Adom ambulance service. The Al-Aqsa Martyrs’ Brigades claimed responsibility for the attack. The brigades are a coalition of armed groups associated with the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas’s ruling Fatah party. The terror group has carried out joint attacks with Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the West Bank. “This is only the beginning in a series of terror attacks in response to the killings of our leaders and the desecration of the holy Al-Aqsa,” the group said in a statement. Jerusalem’s Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is the third-holiest shrine in Islam. It sits atop the Temple Mount, the site of the two ancient Jewish temples, the holiest place in Judaism. The site is a frequent flashpoint in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Officers were searching for suspects in the attack. Three members of the suspected shooter’s family were arrested in Shuafat, Army Radio reported. Police said two additional suspects had been detained. A man suspected of driving the shooter from the scene turned himself in to police. The driver claimed he was giving the shooter a ride to Modi’in when the attacker got out of the vehicle at the checkpoint and fired at least seven rounds, before his weapon jammed. Israeli security forces at the scene of a shooting attack at a checkpoint outside the Shuafat refugee camp in East Jerusalem, October 8, 2022 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90) Security forces raided the Shuafat refugee camp hours after the attack in search of the shooter and two other suspects. Special forces units and a helicopter took part in the manhunt. Jerusalem District Police Commander Doron Turgeman said the identity of three suspects was known to police. The Gaza-based Hamas terror group said it “blessed the heroic operation,” calling the shooting “a reaction to the incursions into al-Aqsa and the aggression by the occupation today against Jenin.” Earlier Saturday, two Palestinians were killed during an arrest operation by the IDF in Jenin, a city in the West Bank. “These operations carry a message that the revolt of our people is in progress and will not subside and that the operations, shootings, and gunfire of our youth in revolt will haunt the occupiers and herds of settlers everywhere in response to their crimes and their incursions into the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” Hamas said. Public Security Minister Omer Barlev, who arrived on the scene of the shooting alongside top police officials, said security forces “will lay their hands on the attacker, alive or dead.” Prime Minister Yair Lapid denounced the “grave” attack and his office said he was being briefed on the shooting. “The heart is with the wounded and their families. Terror will not defeat us — we are strong, even on this difficult evening,” Lapid said in a statement. The scene of a shooting attack at a checkpoint outside the Shuafat refugee camp in Jerusalem, October 8, 2022. (Flash90) Celebratory fireworks were reported in Shuafat after the shooting. The incident comes as military and police are on heightened alert in Jerusalem and the West Bank over the Jewish holiday season. The Prime Minister’s Office said that over Shabbat, Lapid held a security assessment ahead of the start of the Sukkot festival Sunday evening “with an emphasis on the deployment of forces in Jerusalem and the Temple Mount, as well as elsewhere across the country.” Tensions were already high due to an ongoing anti-terror campaign in the West Bank that has seen over 100 Palestinians killed and more than 2,000 arrested in nightly raids, during which Israeli troops have regularly been targeted by gunfire. Most of those killed were gunmen or participants in violent clashes, but some were unarmed civilians. The operation was launched after a series of attacks that killed 19 people between mid-March and the beginning of May. Read More Here

Donald Trump Jr. To Speak At Ronald Reagan Gala: Williamson County Dems Make Statement https://digitalarizonanews.com/donald-trump-jr-to-speak-at-ronald-reagan-gala-williamson-county-dems-make-statement/ MARION, IL (WSIL) — Donald Trump Jr. was invited by the Williamson County Republican Party to attend the Ronald Reagan Tribute Gala today. The former president’s son will be a keynote speaker at the ceremony. Chair of the Williamson County Democratic Party Brandi Bradley issued a statement on Trump Jr’s arrival to Marion, stating: “While the Williamson County Republicans have paid the Trump Family to visit Marion, Governor Pritzker and President Biden have invested millions into our communities in Williamson County.  With their commitment to Williamson County we now have the Walker’s Bluff Casino, $2.6 million in Creal Springs Sewer Upgrade to support the new meat processing facility, $10 million to SIH Cancer Institute Expansion, $4.2 million at JALC Career and Technical Education, $3.1 million to the Watermark Auto Group Foundation to renovate the Citadel Building, IDOT ITEP grant of $1.6 million to the Transportation enhancements around the square in the City of Marion, $1 million to City of Marion through a Community Development Block Grant to support ReaderLink, $4 million for the Crab Orchard Greenway, a new upgraded Lift Station in the City of Marion, over $67 million in the I57 Expansion, and many others. It’s these types of investments that help Williamson County grow and what attracts businesses to Southern Illinois. With the passage of Governor Pritzker’s Rebuild Illinois Bill and President Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, great things are happening in our Region. Thank you Governor Pritzker and President Biden on behalf of Williamson County for demonstrating your commitment to the people of our region.” Donald Trump Jr. will be speaking at 9 p.m. tonight, October 8 at the Marion Pavillion. Read More Here

SeepeopleS Unveil The https://digitalarizonanews.com/seepeoples-unveil-the/ Will Bradford is worried about the future. For 22 years, Bradford has toured the country as SeepeopleS’ bandleader, songwriter, and producer, bringing his defiant, politically-charged music to the masses, challenging audiences to question the world around them creating a community of misfits hellbent on speaking truth to power. Now, on SeepeopleS’ brilliant sixth LP, Field Guide For Survival In This Dying World, Bradford has created an empathetic, emotionally intelligent collection of songs that serve as both a documentation of personal struggle and a companion in a world that seems edging closer to collapse. “Everything I’ve written for SeepeopleS has been about how our world exists and breaks down around us,” says Bradford. “But if this world, our world, is ending, how do we survive it together?” SeepeopleS’ music has always been characterized by Bradford’s staunch refusal to abide by genre conventions, and Field Guide For Survival In This Dying World continues in that spirit, though Bradford’s talent and decades of experience have allowed him to blend 90s inspired electro, expressive indie-folk, and avant-garde pop into something musically diverse yet wholly cohesive. “It’s all about connection,” says Bradford. “I’ve always been making an effort to connect everything and everyone, that’s why there’s no genre for SeepeopleS. This is my one project that I’ll always have where I can incorporate everything I love and say whatever the hell I want.” Bradford started working on Field Guide For Survival In This Dying World in 2017 and was set to release the album and embark on a 20th anniversary tour in 2020 when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and suddenly the end of the world seemed closer than ever. With plans for the anniversary indefinitely sidelined, Bradford continued to work on the album and, in an effort to foster a sense of community in isolation, decided to make Field Guide For Survival In This Dying World a collaborative effort. Teaming up with his longtime recording partner Will Holland (Pixies, Dead Can Dance, New Pornographers), Bradford performed more than a handful of instruments on the album, and pulled in a variety of collaborators including saxophonist and bass clarinetist Dana Colley (Morphine, Vapors Of Morphine), drummers Nikki Glaspie (Beyoncé, The Nth Power, Maceo Parker), Jerome Deupree (Morphine), and Dan Capaldi (Sea Level), bassists Ian Riley (Cadaverette) and Nate Edgar (The Nth Power, John Brown’s Body), guitarist Tim Reynolds (Dave Matthews Band), pedal steel guitarist “Cowboy” Eddie Long (Taylor Swift, ZZ Top, The Allman Brothers, Hank Williams Jr.), bassoonist Jason Ward (Rustic Overtones), upright bassist David Yearwood (Forêt Endormie, Snap! Thee Asparagus, HX Kitten), cellist Devon Colella (QUAD) and a murderers’ row of backing vocalists including Brooke Binion (theWorst), Courtney Peare, Griffin Sherry (The Ghost of Paul Revere) Sparxsea, who also performed flute to several tracks on Field Guide. “One of the few good things about the pandemic was that it was really the first time, as musicians, that everyone had time off the road to reconnect with each other,” says Bradford. “I was so depressed at the time, having my friends come to the rescue and get me pumped about the record again was, creatively, exactly what I needed. Also, in some ways, the convenience of the world ending while we were already making an end of the world album, certainly helped motivate us to follow through on finishing this record, and ultimately, this statement” “This Dying World,” serves as an overture to the album, a dark experimental-pop meditation on social collapse and anxiety for the future laced with pulsing vocals and expressive strings, setting the stage for both the musical and thematic throughlines that propel Field Guide For Survival In This Dying World. The following track, “Blink,” serves as a counter to the anxiety and impending doom of “This Dying World,” instead offering reassurance that suffering is only temporary. Elsewhere, the shimmering indie-rock of “Path of Least Resistance” perhaps best encapsulates all that Field Guide For Survival In This Dying World stands for as Bradford explores the toll that navigating the pressure of modern life takes on us and while simply trying to find a way to live. Meanwhile, on the muted and shuffling bedroom-pop track “Shame,” Bradford examines the fear and pain of living in a country under constant threat of violence, where safety can not even be guaranteed in schools. “I started writing ‘Shame’ right after Sandy Hook, when my son described the mass shooter drills they do at school,” says Bradford. “It’s all about what it means to be innocent and young and afraid, and how vulnerable to violence we are.” Field Guide For Survival In This Dying World does not so much offer answers for the ills of modern life, as it provides reassurance that no one suffers alone. It is neither a bible nor a roadmap, but a present companion and a shoulder to lean on through trying times.   Tour Dates: 9/22 O’Briens – Boston, MA 9/23 Funk N’ Waffles – Syracuse, NY 10/19 Volcanic Theatre Pub – Bend, OR 10/20 Mission Theater – Portland, OR 10/21 Substation – Seattle, WA 10/22 John Henry’s – Eugene, OR 10/23 Local 31 – Ashland, OR 10/24 Sirensong – Eureka, CA 10/25 Bottom Of The Hill – San Francisco, CA 10/26 Frog & Peach – San Luis Obispo, CA 10/27 Winston’s – San Diego, CA 10/28 Harvelle’s – Santa Monica, CA 10/29 Cactus Jack’s – Phoenix, AZ 10/31 House Of Bards – Tucson, AZ 11/3 Ponyboy – Oklahoma CIty, OK 11/4 TBA 11/5 The Pershing (Private) – Austin, TX 11/7 Preservation Pub –  Knoxville, TN 12/9 Webster Hall – New York, NY 12/10 Deep Dive – Ithaca, NY 12/31 Bayside Bowl – Portland, ME Read More…

Kari Lake Was Booted From Arizona Town Hall Audience Before Hobbs Took The Stage https://digitalarizonanews.com/kari-lake-was-booted-from-arizona-town-hall-audience-before-hobbs-took-the-stage/ Democrat Katie Hobbs won’t debate her opponent in Arizona’s race for governor, yet Republican Kari Lake tried to make it happen at a candidate town hall that organizers say she disrupted. Under the agreed-upon rules for the pre-recorded event, which was taped Monday and airs at 7 p.m. Saturday Arizona time, the candidates were not supposed to be onstage at the same time and Hobbs was supposed to go first. But a problem arose before Hobbs even took the stage: Lake was sitting in the front row, in a direct line of sight at where her opponent would sit. As a crowd of more than 200 watched, organizers said Lake was supposed to be in a hold room under the rules, a copy of which they refused to provide to NBC News. Lake protested, saying she was unaware of that rule and said Hobbs should come out and debate her. Hobbs didn’t. After several minutes, Lake complied, leaving behind her campaign surrogate, Mexican telenovela star Eduardo Verástegui. “Kari Lake brought along a Mexican telenovela star and she brought the drama. It was like a telenovela,” said Joe Garcia, an independent voter and the executive director of voter outreach for the group Chicanos Por La Causa Action Fund, which was a co-sponsor of the event along with the state and national Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. Garcia’s description of the scene matched the account of five eyewitnesses — including representatives from both campaigns — as well as video provided by Lake’s campaign that showed the Republican pleading her case with moderator León Krauze, a Univision News anchor, and event producer Mary Rabago. Garcia believes Lake’s actions were a stunt designed to rattle Hobbs, which he said appeared to work, because the Democrat gave an uneven performance in his view. Of Lake, Garcia said: “She rattled her opponent. She was big, brash, and very larger than life, Trump-esque. Anyone who thinks she was there to follow all the rules doesn’t know Kari Lake.” The scene was emblematic of the contrasting styles of Lake and Hobbs: Lake is a former local TV anchor, while Hobbs is the elected secretary of state in Arizona, one of the nation’s most competitive swing states. One observer of the town hall described the race as a clash between “an NPR Democrat and a Trump Republican.” Hobbs’ campaign said in September that debates were a no-go, pointing to Lake’s penchant for causing “chaos” and her embrace of false conspiracy theories of a stolen election. Lake has repeatedly called Hobbs a “coward” for her refusal to share the debate stage and points out that Hobbs also refused to debate Democratic primary rivals. Reached for comment about the incident, both campaigns issued statements to NBC News about the forum that echoed their candidates’ talking points about one another, with Lake questioning Hobbs’ courage and Hobbs denouncing Lake for causing chaos. TV viewers won’t be able to see the spectacle that unfolded at Monday’s forum. It was pre-recorded to give Univision time to translate the event into Spanish before it airs Saturday night. The English-language version is scheduled to be webcast online by Univision, which forbade audience members from recording the event on video. But Verástegui did uploaded video to social media of the pre-event back-and-forth between Lake, Krauze and Rabago, according to two sources who spoke on condition of anonymity because they weren’t authorized to discuss the matter on the record. The video was subsequently deleted from social media. Later, when Lake was onstage for her one-on-one with Krauze, an event staffer suspected the candidate’s husband was recording another video with her security volunteer, Scott Masino, a local sheriff’s deputy volunteering his time for the candidate who relayed the story to NBC News. Masino told NBC News they weren’t recording, but a Phoenix police officer was called over to make sure. “This is ridiculous,” Masino said. “She has a police officer watching a police officer to make sure that police officer doesn’t videotape when he’s not videotaping.” According to Masino, a different event staffer had told them that Lake couldn’t leave her green room until it was her turn to be on stage. Lake ignored the request and went to her seats in the front row ahead of the town hall’s start, which Masino said he picked because it was close to the aisle and an exit door — not because it put her potentially in Hobbs’ line of sight. But Garcia and another official from his group, Max Gonzales, both said the rules of the town hall were “absolutely clear” and that Lake wasn’t supposed to be in the audience while Hobbs was onstage. “I can understand why, perhaps, Hobbs is hesitant to appear on stage with Lake. This was staged. This was planned,” said Gonzales. The Lake campaign disputes the suggestion that the disruption was staged. Neither Gonzales or Garcia negotiated the town hall’s terms with the campaigns and referred related questions to the event’s cosponsors at the state and national Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. Those organizations declined to comment, as did Univision. Another person, who was not authorized to speak on the record about the event confirmed Garcia’s account of the incident. The Hobbs campaign provided a pre-event email from the organizers that said “each candidate will have their own separate green room to prep and hold prior to going onto the main stage.” The Lake campaign said it did not receive the email and that the language about the hold room read like an offered amenity, not a demand she remain sequestered. The show got off to an awkward start when Krauze gave his introduction and welcomed Hobbs to the stage, the eyewitnesses told NBC News. But Hobbs didn’t come out. Instead, they said, Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce President Monica Villalobos came onstage to talk. Krauze, after putting his finger to his ear piece that was connected by remote to the control room, then told Lake she was supposed to leave the room. Lake initially refused and another staffer soon shot video of her that was provided to NBC News. “I would love to be on the same stage actually. Is that possible?” Lake asked. Krauze responded: “I know it would [be something you would want to do]. And I’m going to ask [Hobbs] about that. Trust me.” Lake said she wanted “a real debate” and Krauze repeated that he would ask Hobbs about it. “Unfortunately, you’re not going to be able to share the stage with Miss Hobbs,” he said, reminding Lake that she would join him later onstage. “I cannot invite her to the stage if you are in the audience. This is not me. This is the … the campaign agreement.” Lake then stood and partly faced the audience as a few people clapped, saying, “I’m happy to be here. I don’t think I should be trapped in my room. I’d love to be part of this. We should be talking about the issues that affect everyone … I want the people here to know I’m willing to sit on stage with Miss Hobbs and talk about the important issues.” Rabago then walked on stage and asked Lake to “do us the honor to go to your designated area…This is a town hall. That was the agreement that we have. I really want to make sure that the audience … can hear you both. So if you don’t mind — continue with our agreement. I would really appreciate it so we can respect the time of everyone.” More people applauded, and Lake said she was complying at that moment. “You will have plenty of time, I promise,” Rabago said. “We designated the same amount of time for both of you guys. We’re going to have you onstage. This is the opportunity for you guys to share your platform, your ideals … your vision. But please respect that agreement that we have.” Once she departed, the forum began. CORRECTION (Oct. 8, 7:45 p.m. ET): A previous version of this article misspelled the last name of one of the officials with the voter outreach for the group Chicanos Por La Causa Action Fund. He is Max Gonzales, not Gonzalez This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Read More Here

Big Putts & Plenty Of Excitement: The Axel Monssoh Story https://digitalarizonanews.com/big-putts-plenty-of-excitement-the-axel-monssoh-story/ It’s a classic story kids tell themselves on practice greens. A final putt, however long, to win a particular tournament. For 10-year-old Axel Monssoh, that hypothetical became a reality as the 10-year-old stared down a must-make putt from 20 feet with plenty of break, following an hour and a half rain delay to qualify for the 2022 National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship. In that critical moment for Team Orlando, there wasn’t a morsel of fear for Monssoh. “I was pretty confident over the putt because I didn’t have any doubts on it,” Monssoh said, “So I was just telling myself that I couldn’t leave it short because I knew that the other team had already made their putt. So I had to go for it.” “So I just trusted the putt, and luckily, it just rolled in the hole.” Regional Champions and proud to represent Florida at National Car Rental PGA Junior League Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, AZ with my awesome teammates @marriottgolfacademy. It will be aired live on @espn and ESPN+ October 7-9 Thank you @PGAJrLeague pic.twitter.com/Uvf5ujJfdh — Axel Monssoh (@AxelMonssoh) October 3, 2022 Monssoh’s confidence comes from an impressive tournament track record at a young age. Over the summer, at the IMG World Championships in Southern California, Monssoh stood on the 16th tee, knowing he needed to go two under over his last three holes to get into a playoff. He proceeded to birdie the 16th and 17th and parred the 18th. While not winning the playoff, he maintains a healthy perspective on his accomplishment. “Though I did not win the playoff for winning the whole championship,” Monssoh said, “I made a really good comeback to even get into that playoff.” Axel with his jersey! Now he takes on a leadership role for Team Florida at the 2022 National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship. He encourages having fun, high-fiving teammates, and pumping each other up by giving compliments. It leads to more trust in each other and fuels confidence in the decisions they make on the course. Team practices often focus on strategies, emphasizing for each duo to focus on what they do best. Team Florida having fun during a practice round of the 2022 National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship at Grayhawk Golf Club on October 5, 2022 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Chris Coduto/PGA of America) Monssoh, whose teammate is older than him, will often hit into the fairway to allow his partner to take an aggressive tee shot or even go for the green. Then, if they’re chipping, his teammate will try to knock it close so Monssoh can try to chip it in. “We try to make the smartest decision possible,” Monssoh said, “and just try to do our best while making smart decisions because one mistake could cost us the whole match. So we try to stay in it.” Team Florida (Orlando) Now Monssoh gets the opportunity to participate in one of his favorite parts of the game: meeting new friends and playing new golf courses. With his close teammates and friends, he’s thrilled to participate in the 2022 National Car Rental PGA Jr. League Championship. “I heard a lot of great stories of going to Nationals,” Monssoh said, “and how they got there and the journey there. So it’s really amazing, and I’m really excited for the National Championship because I think I’m going to really enjoy it.” Read More Here

‘MyPillow Guy’ Mike Lindell Visit To Eureka Restaurant Prompts Controversy https://digitalarizonanews.com/mypillow-guy-mike-lindell-visit-to-eureka-restaurant-prompts-controversy/ Eureka restaurant Tres Chiles Picosos stirred political bickering within the Humboldt County community Thursday when the restaurant posted a photo to Facebook featuring controversial businessman and political figure Mike Lindell, also known as “MyPillow Guy.” “Thank you for supporting Local Buisnesses (sic) in Humboldt County!!! We hope you visit us again,” the caption read followed by three signature chile emojis. After the post, the restaurant seemed surprised by the backlash. The restaurant released a follow up statement on Facebook on Friday. The post highlighted the struggling local economy and the need for tourism as a boost to local restaurants and businesses. “This was not a political post,” The statement read in part. “To those inside and outside our community who provided negative comments, we are very disappointed.” The ranging statement also highlighted the particular experience regarding Lindell and his family as a customer of the restaurant. The section was emphatic regarding the conduct of Lindell as a patron. “This particular gentleman and his family were so very nice and respectful to our Hispanic staff,” read one part of the statement. “We saw firsthand the respect and gratitude he displayed towards our staff.” Lindell is an outspoken supporter of Donald Trump and has been at the center of election fraud claims from the right-wing camp. He is the target of two separate civil lawsuits by the Dominion and Smartmatic voting machine companies for defamation because of statements made about their machines relating to election fraud. Lindell was in the news as part of a separate criminal investigation when his phone was seized by the FBI outside of a Hardee’s restaurant in Minnesota. The investigation was relating to efforts by Tina Peters, a voting clerk in Colorado, to tamper with voting equipment and breach a voting security system. Tres Chiles Picosos stirred controversy with a photo of political figure Mike Lindell over Facebook on Thursday. (Image from Tres Chiles Picosos Facebook page/Contributed) Prior to his political efforts, Lindell had become a famous figure as the founder of MyPillow. Lindell was well known for his infomercials and outsized personality. It was this early fame and notoriety that was the only reference for Tres Chiles Picosos and one of their co-owners, Michelle Hill. “I didn’t know about the affiliation with Donald Trump,” said Hill, who has been a co-owner since 2016. “The staff didn’t even know who he was until he was leaving.” Hill went on to describe her confusion and frustration at the vitriol that had been directed at the restaurant since the experience. From the perspective of the restaurant, any notable celebrity bringing their business to the struggling local economy and businesses represents a positive. One person in the Facebook comments had asked why they didn’t have other famous figures being posted by the restaurant. Hill stated it was because there were none. “To my knowledge, we’ve never had anyone that people have recognized from TV come into our restaurant,” said Hill. “Small business owners, we’re struggling.” Hill went on to say that she was not there on the day Lindell visited the restaurant. But she happened to know that he was in town for a few days by interesting coincidence: Hill is a pilot and frequently flies into the Humboldt County airport in McKinleyville. On Tuesday, she’d noticed a big plane in her favorite usual spot. Then later on Thursday, she noticed it was still there and joked with the airport staff that she was frustrated. That was when the staff informed her the plane belonged to “The MyPillow Guy” and he was in town. “You should’ve asked him for a pillow!” Hill recalled joking to the staff. “All we talked about was that’s the MyPillow Guy.” Hill repeatedly stated that was her only point of reference and she was unaware of the politics. She was frustrated that it seemed her staff as well as the airport staff only knew him for his outsized personality in the pillow ads. Given that experience, she expressed frustration as to where the line of political posturing and boycotting ends. “If they knew he landed at Arcata airport,” she said. “Are they gonna boycott the airport?” For her part, she was steadfast in her belief that everyone should be welcomed at the restaurant. She reported nobody from the staff had complained about Lindell and no employees had requested the photo of him be removed the restaurant’s Facebook page. And although Hill’s common refrain was she was unaware of Lindell’s politics, she added that she wouldn’t have stopped the restaurant from posting the photo. “Even if I did know, I would’ve done the same,” Hill said. “If Joe Biden came in, we would’ve done the same. If Donald Trump came in, we would’ve done the same.” Hill also stated that when Lindell and his family were at the restaurant, there were no issues of discomfort among patrons or employees. She reiterated the philosophy at Tres Chiles Picosos is to welcome all customers who behave appropriately, adding that it includes unhoused community members that come in for a meal. “Everyone’s gonna get the same treatment,” she said. “As long as they’re respectful and pay their bill.” The messages of support alongside disdain has certainly had an effect on the restaurant. Hill states employees have received violent and threatening phone calls at the restaurant. But Hill believes her staff is on the same page regarding their approach to the restaurant’s welcome-to-all philosophy. “A couple of the employees were bothered by the negative response to the social media post,” said Hill, adding that if employees wanted action taken, she would take it. “None of my staff has asked to take it down.” Jake Matson can be reached at 77-441-0526. Read More Here

Is Saturday Night Live New Tonight? https://digitalarizonanews.com/is-saturday-night-live-new-tonight/ Saturday Night Live officially kicked off its 48th season of bringing laughs to American households last week and once again, tonight, Saturday, October 8th, there’s another new episode of SNL set to air in just a few hours. Harry Potter and Paddington star Brendan Gleeson is set to host tonight’s new episode of the series. The actor is on hand to promote his movie The Banshees of Inisherin,. Situations like this almost always result in SNL bringing in some surprise guests, and considering Gleeson co-stars in that movie with Colin Farrell it certainly seems like a possibility that The Batman star could make an appearance. Willow, daughter of Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, is set to appear as musical guest. Ahead of his episode tonight, Gleeson has already appeared in some hilarious promos for Saturday Night Live. Earlier this week a video was released online which saw Gleeson reveal his first true love, skateboarding, featuring a convincing body double and some camera tricks making it look like the 67-year-old Irish actor was totally shredding through stage 8H. Another featured Gleeson with Willow and Saturday Night Live cast member Chloe Fineman, including a reveal from Gleeson about what Paddington is really like. We theorized earlier this week that considering Gleeson previosuly played former president Donald Trump in the Showtime mini-series The Comey Rule that SNL may very well ask him to put on the blonde wig once again. Trump remains a frequent target for ridicule by SNL, even before he got into politics, but he’s lampooned even more now by the show. After Alec Baldwin stopped performing as Trump on the series, regular performer James Austin Johnson was given the gig, and has largely become the favorite for not only how he manages to nail Trump’s voice but also his manner of speaking. Dueling Trumps between Gleeson and Johnson seems to be a likely sketch at some point on the new episode A handful of newcomers to Saturday Night Live have been confirmed to appear with Marcello Hernandez, Molly Kearney, Michael Longfellow, and Devon Walker all announced as featured players for the new season of SNL. Colin Jost remains the head writer for the show and will continue to appear on Weekend Update alongside Michael Che. Other current favorites like Kennan Thompson, Cecily Strong, Austin Johnson, Bowen Yang, and Fineman all continue to appear as well.  0comments Saturday Night Live Season 48 is ongoing now with new episodes airing on both NBC and Peacock. All 47 seasons of Saturday Night Live are also now streaming on Peacock.   Read More Here

Trump Blames U.S. For “almost Forcing” Putin To Invade Ukraine https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-blames-u-s-for-almost-forcing-putin-to-invade-ukraine/ Former President Donald Trump blamed the United States for “almost forcing” Russian President Vladimir Putin to invade Ukraine. Trump’s remarks came as Russia continued to stall in their struggling “special military operation,” ordered by Russian President Vladimir Putin more than seven months earlier on February 24, 2022. The ex-president has been critical of how President Joe Biden, who he may run against in the 2024 presidential election, has handled diplomatic relations with Russia. But critics accuse Trump of taking positions seen as favorable to Putin. During an interview on Real America’s Voice, a right-wing network favorable to Trump, the former president criticized the Biden administration. He argued that their “rhetoric” in the months leading up to the Ukraine invasion contributed to Putin’s decision. “They actually taunted him, if you really look at it. Our country, and our so-called leadership, taunted Putin. I said, you know, they’re almost forcing him to go in with what they’re saying. The rhetoric was so dumb.” In this image, former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Youngstown, Ohio on September 17. Trump blamed the United States for “almost forcing” Russia into invading Ukraine. Jeff Swensen/Getty Images He claimed, without evidence, that the Ukraine invasion would have “never” happened if he were still president. He also did not provide any specific examples of how the U.S. “taunted” Putin into invading Ukraine. Trump also touted his working relationship with both Putin and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky when Real America’s Voice host Wayne Root suggested Biden could send Trump to negotiate a peace deal. “I got along very well with both Zelensky and Putin,” Trump said. “If you remember, Zelensky was very nice because when they asked him about the Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine hoax—that was the phone call—he looked at them and said ‘What was wrong with the call? He did nothing wrong.'” William Pomeranz, the Director of the Wilson Center’s Kennan Institute, cast doubt on Trump’s comments in an interview with Newsweek, pointing out that Biden said Ukraine would need to work on its corruption in order to gain entry to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) but that Putin’s given justification for the invasion was unrelated to NATO. “It’s something Putin has been thinking about for many years,” he said. “I think Putin basically launched this campaign to annex what was two territories—but is now four territories—to expand the Russian Federation. I think this was an example of imperial intent. He wanted to expand his territory and the Russian empire.” He said it will never be known if the invasion would have occurred if Trump won the 2020 election but that he did not believe Trump would have “stood up for Ukraine.” “Did Trump think that he had such a great relationship that he could dismay him from attacking, I just don’t think so,” he said. Trump Faced Criticism for Past Russia-Ukraine War Comments Trump has faced criticism for several comments about the Russia-Ukraine war. In the days leading up to the conflict, Trump said Putin was a “genius” for moving troops into Ukraine. “Here’s a guy that says, you know, ‘I’m gonna declare a big portion of Ukraine independent.’ He used the word ‘independent,’ ‘and we’re gonna go out and we’re gonna go in and we’re gonna help keep peace.’ You gotta say that’s pretty savvy,” Trump told Clay Travis and Buck Sexton in February. In March, he again renewed controversy after appearing to push Putin to release any information he has about Hunter Biden‘s alleged business dealings in Russia during a conversation on Real America’s Voice about an accusation that Biden’s company received $3.5 million from the widow of a former Moscow mayor. “She gave him three and half million dollars. So now I would think Putin would know the answer to that. I think he should release it. I think we should know that answer,” he said. Newsweek reached out to Trump’s office and the White House for comment. Read More Here

Tropical Storm Julia Forms, Expected To Become Hurricane https://digitalarizonanews.com/tropical-storm-julia-forms-expected-to-become-hurricane/ INTERCOASTAL WATERWAYS. LOOK AT TROPICAL STORM JULIA. THIS LOOKS LIKE A HURRICANE. WE HAVE TO SEE WHAT RECON SAYS. IT IS NOT MOVING TOWARDS US. IT WILL MOVE INTO CENTRAL AMERICA, WEAKEN, CROSS TO THE PACIFIC WAR MOVE UP TO MEXICO. THERE’S A LOT OF WINDSHEAR. WERE NOT ANTICIPATING DEVELOPMENT. WE ARE GOING TO WATCH IT JUST TO BE ON THE SAFE SIDE. A GREAT STRETCH OF WEATHER THROUGH MONDAY. WEDNESDAY, THURSDAY AND FRIDAY RAIN CHANCES DRAMATICALLY INCREASE. IT IS NOT SUMMER WEATHER BUT IT IS RISING RAIN. Tropical Storm Julia forms, expected to become hurricane Tropical Depression 13 strengthened into Tropical Storm Julia on Friday. It’s headed toward Central America and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane.As of Saturday afternoon, the system was 55 miles south of Isla de Providencia, Colombia and 175 miles east-northeast of Bluefields, Nicaragua.Julia had winds of 70 mph, and the system was moving west at 17 mph.”On the forecast track, the center of Julia is expected to reach the coast of Nicaragua overnight, move across Nicaragua on Sunday, and then move near or along the Pacific coasts of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala through Monday,” the National Hurricane Center said. “Some additional strengthening is forecast this evening and tonight, and Julia could become a hurricane while passing near San Andres and Providencia Islands this evening.”This storm is not expected to impact Florida. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT:A hurricane warning is in effect for…* San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina Islands Colombia* Nicaragua from Bluefields to Puerto CabezasA hurricane watch is in effect for…* Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua borderA tropical storm warning is in effect for…* Nicaragua south of Bluefields to the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border* Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border* Pacific coast of Nicaragua* Pacific coast of Honduras* Coast of El SalvadorA tropical storm watch is in effect for…* Honduras from the Nicaragua/Honduras border to Punta PatucaKNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WATCH IS ISSUEDStay tuned to WESH 2 News, WESH.COM, or NOAA Weather Radio for storm updates.Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind.Understand hurricane forecast models and cones.Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use precut plywood.Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first-aid supplies, drinking water, and medications.The WESH 2 First Warning Weather Team recommends you have these items ready before the storm strikes.Bottled water: One gallon of water per person per dayCanned food and soup, such as beans and chiliCan opener for the cans without the easy-open lidsAssemble a first-aid kitTwo weeks’ worth of prescription medicationsBaby/children’s needs, such as formula and diapersFlashlight and batteriesBattery-operated weather radioWHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUEDListen to the advice of local officials. If you are advised to evacuate, leave.Complete preparation activities.If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows.Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows.HOW YOUR SMARTPHONE CAN HELP DURING A HURRICANEA smartphone can be your best friend in a hurricane — with the right websites and apps, you can turn it into a powerful tool for guiding you through a storm’s approach, arrival and aftermath.Download the WESH 2 News app for iOS | AndroidEnable emergency alerts — if you have an iPhone, select settings, then go into notifications. From there, look for government alerts and enable emergency alerts.If you have an Android phone, from the home page of the app, scroll to the right along the bottom and click on “settings.” On the settings menu, click on “severe weather alerts.” From the menu, select from most severe, moderate-severe, or all alerts.PET AND ANIMAL SAFETYYour pet should be a part of your family plan. If you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to evacuate them too. Leaving pets behind, even if you try to create a safe space for them, could result in injury or death.Contact hotels and motels outside of your immediate area to see if they take pets.Ask friends, relatives and others outside of the affected area whether they could shelter your animal. ORLANDO, Fla. — Tropical Depression 13 strengthened into Tropical Storm Julia on Friday. It’s headed toward Central America and is expected to strengthen into a hurricane. As of Saturday afternoon, the system was 55 miles south of Isla de Providencia, Colombia and 175 miles east-northeast of Bluefields, Nicaragua. Julia had winds of 70 mph, and the system was moving west at 17 mph. “On the forecast track, the center of Julia is expected to reach the coast of Nicaragua overnight, move across Nicaragua on Sunday, and then move near or along the Pacific coasts of Honduras, El Salvador, and Guatemala through Monday,” the National Hurricane Center said. “Some additional strengthening is forecast this evening and tonight, and Julia could become a hurricane while passing near San Andres and Providencia Islands this evening.” This storm is not expected to impact Florida. SUMMARY OF WATCHES AND WARNINGS IN EFFECT: A hurricane warning is in effect for… * San Andres, Providencia, and Santa Catalina Islands Colombia * Nicaragua from Bluefields to Puerto Cabezas A hurricane watch is in effect for… * Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border A tropical storm warning is in effect for… * Nicaragua south of Bluefields to the Nicaragua/Costa Rica border * Nicaragua north of Puerto Cabezas to the Honduras/Nicaragua border * Pacific coast of Nicaragua * Pacific coast of Honduras * Coast of El Salvador A tropical storm watch is in effect for… * Honduras from the Nicaragua/Honduras border to Punta Patuca KNOW WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WATCH IS ISSUED Stay tuned to WESH 2 News, WESH.COM, or NOAA Weather Radio for storm updates. Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind. Understand hurricane forecast models and cones. Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use precut plywood. Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first-aid supplies, drinking water, and medications. The WESH 2 First Warning Weather Team recommends you have these items ready before the storm strikes. Bottled water: One gallon of water per person per day Canned food and soup, such as beans and chili Can opener for the cans without the easy-open lids Assemble a first-aid kit Two weeks’ worth of prescription medications Baby/children’s needs, such as formula and diapers Flashlight and batteries Battery-operated weather radio WHAT TO DO WHEN A HURRICANE WARNING IS ISSUED Listen to the advice of local officials. If you are advised to evacuate, leave. Complete preparation activities. If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows. Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows. HOW YOUR SMARTPHONE CAN HELP DURING A HURRICANE A smartphone can be your best friend in a hurricane — with the right websites and apps, you can turn it into a powerful tool for guiding you through a storm’s approach, arrival and aftermath. Download the WESH 2 News app for iOS | Android Enable emergency alerts — if you have an iPhone, select settings, then go into notifications. From there, look for government alerts and enable emergency alerts. If you have an Android phone, from the home page of the app, scroll to the right along the bottom and click on “settings.” On the settings menu, click on “severe weather alerts.” From the menu, select from most severe, moderate-severe, or all alerts. PET AND ANIMAL SAFETY Your pet should be a part of your family plan. If you must evacuate, the most important thing you can do to protect your pets is to evacuate them too. Leaving pets behind, even if you try to create a safe space for them, could result in injury or death. Contact hotels and motels outside of your immediate area to see if they take pets. Ask friends, relatives and others outside of the affected area whether they could shelter your animal. Read More Here

Death Of Pima County Inmate In Cell Under Investigation https://digitalarizonanews.com/death-of-pima-county-inmate-in-cell-under-investigation/ TUCSON, AZ (AP) – The Pima County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of a 41-year-old inmate who was found unresponsive in his jail cell where he was being held on a drug charge. A corrections officer called for medical assistance when he found Benjamin Willhite in his cell at about 5:10 p.m. Thursday, the sheriff’s office said in a statement Friday. Staff started administering emergency life-saving measures before Tucson Fire Department personnel arrived and pronounced him dead. Detectives from the Criminal Investigations Division who responded to the incident found no signs of trauma or suspicious circumstances but an investigation is continuing, the sheriff’s office said. Willhite had been in custody since he was jailed Wednesday afternoon on a felony drug warrant. No other details have been released. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. Read More Here

US Forecast https://digitalarizonanews.com/us-forecast-35/ City/Town, State;Yesterday’s High Temp (F);Yesterday’s Low Temp (F);Today’s High Temp (F);Today’s Low Temp (F);Weather Condition;Wind Direction;Wind Speed (MPH);Humidity (%);Chance of Precip. (%);UV Index Albany, NY;56;37;61;41;Clouds and sun;S;9;57%;6%;4 Albuquerque, NM;61;52;67;52;A stray t-shower;SE;7;61%;57%;2 Anchorage, AK;55;43;48;31;Rain tapering off;SW;7;86%;98%;0 Asheville, NC;64;39;65;41;Mostly sunny;NNW;5;64%;8%;5 Atlanta, GA;74;46;73;46;Sunny and pleasant;NW;6;48%;9%;5 Atlantic City, NJ;61;45;65;47;Sunny and breezy;W;14;47%;3%;4 Austin, TX;89;63;88;64;Mostly sunny;SSE;5;47%;5%;6 Baltimore, MD;61;44;66;47;Plenty of sunshine;W;8;44%;6%;4 Baton Rouge, LA;87;57;84;56;Sunny and pleasant;NE;7;49%;8%;6 Billings, MT;70;46;75;46;Partly sunny, warm;NE;7;43%;0%;4 Birmingham, AL;73;43;74;45;Sunny and pleasant;N;8;38%;5%;5 Bismarck, ND;71;39;66;39;Mostly sunny;SE;6;55%;2%;3 Boise, ID;80;50;80;49;Sunny and very warm;NE;7;31%;0%;4 Boston, MA;61;44;64;46;Mostly sunny;WSW;11;44%;2%;4 Bridgeport, CT;60;41;63;44;Plenty of sunshine;W;9;49%;4%;4 Buffalo, NY;52;45;61;45;Windy with a shower;SW;18;50%;78%;4 Burlington, VT;51;40;55;37;A couple of showers;N;11;58%;86%;1 Caribou, ME;49;35;50;28;A shower;W;10;64%;83%;2 Casper, WY;67;37;74;39;Mostly sunny, warm;WSW;9;31%;0%;4 Charleston, SC;76;61;76;62;Nice with sunshine;ENE;9;75%;29%;4 Charleston, WV;59;34;64;38;Mostly sunny;SSE;5;57%;2%;4 Charlotte, NC;71;47;67;50;Lots of sun, nice;N;6;57%;25%;4 Cheyenne, WY;63;37;70;41;Sunshine, pleasant;SW;6;31%;0%;4 Chicago, IL;57;43;66;51;Partly sunny, milder;N;11;40%;2%;4 Cleveland, OH;54;44;62;48;Breezy and warmer;SSW;15;48%;56%;4 Columbia, SC;78;54;74;59;Sunshine and nice;NNE;6;68%;59%;4 Columbus, OH;57;35;63;41;Plenty of sunshine;SSW;9;46%;4%;4 Concord, NH;60;33;61;37;Partly sunny;W;10;55%;5%;4 Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX;77;59;82;64;Mostly sunny;SE;5;50%;24%;5 Denver, CO;66;44;73;46;Sunshine, pleasant;SSW;6;36%;2%;4 Des Moines, IA;61;42;73;46;Mostly sunny, warmer;ENE;9;45%;5%;4 Detroit, MI;56;40;63;46;Partly sunny, warmer;WSW;8;46%;81%;3 Dodge City, KS;61;44;77;49;Mostly sunny, warmer;E;6;53%;1%;5 Duluth, MN;63;41;55;39;Partly sunny;E;8;65%;7%;2 El Paso, TX;73;59;74;59;Some sun, a t-storm;SSE;8;57%;88%;4 Fairbanks, AK;49;38;44;27;Snow and rain;WSW;7;82%;96%;0 Fargo, ND;67;41;63;40;Partly sunny;ESE;8;64%;7%;3 Grand Junction, CO;75;49;75;48;Partly sunny;E;8;38%;3%;5 Grand Rapids, MI;54;41;64;40;Warmer with some sun;NNW;9;50%;33%;4 Hartford, CT;60;38;63;43;Mostly sunny;WSW;8;52%;3%;4 Helena, MT;69;40;71;45;Mostly sunny;SSW;4;48%;0%;3 Honolulu, HI;88;71;85;71;Clouds and sunshine;SSE;6;64%;39%;8 Houston, TX;89;65;87;64;Mostly sunny;S;7;49%;7%;6 Indianapolis, IN;58;38;67;45;Mostly sunny;SSW;9;46%;3%;4 Jackson, MS;80;50;79;53;Sunny and delightful;ESE;6;47%;3%;5 Jacksonville, FL;89;64;84;65;Mostly sunny, nice;NNE;8;64%;8%;6 Juneau, AK;53;53;57;45;Breezy with rain;SSW;14;90%;100%;0 Kansas City, MO;63;48;77;50;Warmer with some sun;ESE;8;47%;0%;4 Knoxville, TN;66;38;68;39;Brilliant sunshine;NE;5;51%;7%;5 Las Vegas, NV;91;65;90;66;Partly sunny;NNW;6;32%;1%;5 Lexington, KY;59;35;65;40;Mostly sunny;SSW;7;50%;0%;4 Little Rock, AR;76;49;79;57;Mostly sunny;SSW;6;52%;13%;5 Long Beach, CA;80;66;79;65;Clouds breaking;SSW;6;68%;2%;5 Los Angeles, CA;83;63;82;63;Clouds breaking;S;6;69%;1%;5 Louisville, KY;61;39;68;44;Mostly sunny;S;7;47%;0%;4 Madison, WI;57;37;66;38;Partly sunny, milder;N;6;44%;10%;4 Memphis, TN;69;49;77;56;Sunny and nice;SSE;5;42%;5%;5 Miami, FL;83;78;85;78;Humid with a t-storm;ENE;11;80%;98%;3 Milwaukee, WI;57;41;65;47;Partly sunny, milder;NNE;8;43%;30%;4 Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN;62;41;64;42;Sun and some clouds;ESE;7;54%;27%;3 Mobile, AL;85;55;81;56;Sunny and pleasant;N;9;41%;5%;5 Montgomery, AL;80;46;77;47;Sunny and nice;N;7;39%;5%;5 Mt. Washington, NH;27;21;28;20;Very windy, cold;WNW;48;95%;31%;2 Nashville, TN;65;36;70;43;Sunny and nice;S;5;46%;1%;5 New Orleans, LA;86;65;81;64;Sunny and pleasant;NE;9;46%;6%;6 New York, NY;60;46;63;48;Plenty of sunshine;WSW;10;41%;3%;4 Newark, NJ;60;42;64;44;Plenty of sunshine;WSW;9;44%;4%;4 Norfolk, VA;63;46;68;49;Plenty of sunshine;S;6;53%;2%;4 Oklahoma City, OK;68;53;76;59;Clouds and sun;SSW;10;64%;26%;3 Olympia, WA;77;47;78;46;Mostly sunny;NNE;6;68%;5%;3 Omaha, NE;65;42;76;44;Sunny and warmer;ENE;7;46%;5%;4 Orlando, FL;85;67;86;70;Sunshine and nice;NNE;9;63%;13%;6 Philadelphia, PA;61;43;64;45;Plenty of sun;SW;9;43%;4%;4 Phoenix, AZ;86;71;90;71;A t-storm around;E;7;36%;64%;5 Pittsburgh, PA;57;38;61;42;Brilliant sunshine;SSW;9;44%;2%;4 Portland, ME;58;38;61;40;Sun and some clouds;NW;12;54%;6%;3 Portland, OR;83;54;84;53;Mostly sunny;N;6;51%;5%;3 Providence, RI;61;37;63;42;Mostly sunny;W;8;47%;3%;4 Raleigh, NC;67;43;69;51;Mostly sunny;SE;4;57%;16%;5 Reno, NV;83;47;81;47;Lots of sun, warm;W;4;27%;31%;4 Richmond, VA;64;39;69;43;Plenty of sun;SE;6;54%;3%;4 Roswell, NM;67;55;70;55;A stray t-shower;S;6;63%;75%;2 Sacramento, CA;93;57;90;56;Partly sunny, warm;S;5;44%;4%;4 Salt Lake City, UT;79;53;78;52;Partly sunny, warm;ESE;7;34%;0%;4 San Antonio, TX;88;64;88;65;Clouds and sun;SSE;8;55%;10%;6 San Diego, CA;75;67;77;65;Humid;SW;7;74%;6%;4 San Francisco, CA;65;55;65;54;Partly sunny;WSW;10;75%;2%;3 Savannah, GA;86;61;80;60;Partly sunny;NNE;8;77%;19%;5 Seattle-Tacoma, WA;78;56;77;55;Mostly sunny;NNE;8;57%;4%;3 Sioux Falls, SD;64;37;71;39;Nice with sunshine;ESE;7;48%;4%;4 Spokane, WA;78;46;78;48;Mostly sunny;SSE;4;51%;1%;3 Springfield, IL;60;37;72;43;Mostly sunny, warmer;SW;9;45%;2%;4 St. Louis, MO;62;38;74;47;Warmer;SSW;7;44%;2%;4 Tampa, FL;90;65;89;70;Mostly sunny, nice;NE;8;64%;12%;6 Toledo, OH;57;38;63;42;Partly sunny;SW;8;47%;88%;4 Tucson, AZ;82;63;82;62;A t-storm around;ESE;8;48%;64%;5 Tulsa, OK;71;51;80;58;Cloudy;SSW;7;59%;13%;2 Vero Beach, FL;84;74;85;75;A stray t-shower;NE;12;72%;91%;3 Washington, DC;61;43;65;45;Plenty of sunshine;SW;7;48%;2%;4 Wichita, KS;66;50;79;52;Warmer;ENE;7;56%;3%;4 Wilmington, DE;61;40;65;42;Plenty of sunshine;SW;10;45%;3%;4 _____ Copyright 2022 AccuWeather Read More…

NC Senate Nominees Parry Over Abortion, Inflation In Debate – Salisbury Post https://digitalarizonanews.com/nc-senate-nominees-parry-over-abortion-inflation-in-debate-salisbury-post/ Published 4:35 pm Saturday, October 8, 2022 By GARY D. ROBERTSON Associated Press RALEIGH — The major-party candidates to succeed retiring North Carolina Republican Sen. Richard Burr parried over inflation, abortion and election integrity on Friday night in their only expected debate. Democratic nominee Cheri Beasley and Republican U.S. Rep. Ted Budd met at a Raleigh cable television studio for nearly an hour of questions. This election outcome in North Carolina, where statewide elections are usually evenly divided but where Democrats haven’t won a Senate race since 2008, could decide which party takes a majority in the current 50-50 Senate. Mail-in absentee voting started last month, and early in-person voting begins Oct. 20. Democratic hopes this time are in Beasley, a former chief justice of the state Supreme Court who would be the state’s first Black senator if elected. Budd, a gun shop and range owner first elected to Congress in 2016, relied heavily on President Donald Trump’s endorsement and on outside spending to win the Republican primary in May. Trump rallied with Budd two weeks ago in North Carolina. Beasley, who went on offense early in the debate, said Trump “represents the most extremist policies and ideology … the reality is Congressman Budd has aligned himself with somebody who is truly extremist in this race, and that’s a reflection on him.” Budd defended Trump’s help, pointing to the low unemployment and low inflation during the former president’s term and Trump’s victories in North Carolina in 2016 and 2020 — compared with higher inflation today. Trump “had a lot of wins here in this state, including for our economy,” Budd said. In turn, Budd said Beasley was running from President Joe Biden and would be a rubber stamp for his policies. “Joe Biden is on the ballot on Nov. 8 and he goes by the name this year of Cheri Beasley,” Budd said. Beasley didn’t directly answer the moderator’s question about whether she would appear with Biden if he agreed to campaign for him: “President Biden is certainly welcome … We want him to know and meet folks and hear from folks here in the state.” Beasley also criticized Budd for voting in the House in early 2021 to attempt to delay the 2020 presidential election certification. He stood by that, saying “the core of that vote … was to inspire more debate because I think debate is healthy for democracy.” Budd also said he would accept the results of next month’s election. Beasley said it was “outrageous” that Budd has tried to compare the 2020 presidential election challenge to her 2020 campaign for chief justice, which questioned the counting or rejection of many specific absentee ballots. Beasley ended up losing by 401 votes from 5.4 million ballots cast. Beasley said she requested “a free and fair recount and legal recount to make sure that every single vote was counted.” Beasley also pounded Budd’s opposition to abortion, an issue greatly elevated by the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down Roe v. Wade. Budd co-sponsored a recent measure to ban abortion nationally after 15 weeks of pregnancy, with some exceptions. He previously backed a bill that would ban abortions after cardiac activity is detected, usually around six weeks of fertilization. “The bottom line is Congressman Budd wants to be in between a woman and her doctor, and there is no place in the exam room for Congressman Budd,” she said. When asked what his ideal abortion bill would look like, he responded: “I’ve always been about protecting the life of the mother. I want to save as many unborn lives as possible.” Budd accused Beasley of being extreme on abortion for supporting a federal bill that would codify the previous Supreme Court standard. While Beasley’s campaign has outraised Budd entering the summer, national Senate Republican groups have neutralized that advantage already spending over $26 million against her, according to campaign reports. National Democrats, in turn, have spent a small fraction of that amount for Beasley or against Budd. Beasley’s supporters hoped her debate performance Friday would attract more outside help. Beasley said Budd has repeatedly voted against the needs of North Carolina residents, including opposing bills that would have capped the cost of insulin for seniors and letting the federal government to negotiate lower drug prices for Medicare. On inflation, Beasley was willing to criticize Biden, but not solely. “I certainly believe that the president and Congress can work a whole lot harder to make sure that prices are being lowered,” she said, but with Budd in Congress for six years, “he’s partly to blame as well.” Budd and Beasley have tried to portray themselves as allies of law enforcement. Budd has received key endorsements from groups representing troopers, police officers and border patrol agents. Budd declined to participate in any of the four GOP primary debates. In the Democratic primary, the field had been cleared of Beasley’s leading competitors during the campaign’s final months. The Libertarian and Green party Senate candidates didn’t participate in Friday’s debate. Read More Here

Biden Admin Says It Has Reunited 500 Migrant Families Separated At US Border During Trump-Era https://digitalarizonanews.com/biden-admin-says-it-has-reunited-500-migrant-families-separated-at-us-border-during-trump-era/ The Biden administration says that it has reunified 500 migrant families who were separated during the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy that aimed to stop illegal immigration into the U.S. “This is a significant milestone that reflects the tireless dedication of the many public servants in the Department of Homeland Security and across the federal government, including those in the Departments of Health and Human Services, State, and Justice,” Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas said in a statement.  “It is a milestone that we could not have achieved without the partnership and critical work of several incredibly committed non-governmental organizations,” he said. Mayorkas said that nearly 200 minors are in the process of being united with their parents.  NYC MAYOR ADAMS SAYS MIGRANT INFLUX WILL COST CITY OVER $1 BILLION THIS YEAR U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas testifies before the Senate. ((Photo by Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)) The Trump administration implemented the “zero tolerance” policy in 2018 to counteract a surge in illegal immigration at the border, prosecuting all illegal entries. However, accompanying children who came as part of a family unit could not be housed in adult detention centers with their accompanying adults. The Trump administration’s response was to separate the minors from their accompanying adults, placing them in Health and Human Services (HHS) care and allowing for detention and deportation of the adults. It was intended to dissuade migrant families from making the journey north in the first place. After outrage over the separations, President Donald Trump ended the policy. When the Biden administration took over, it pledged to make sure that any illegal immigrant who had been separated from their child is brought into the U.S. and reunited. To ensure this happens, it launched the Family Reunification Task Force. Those identified as eligible are brought in via a process called humanitarian parole. Travel is paid for, they can bring relatives and also live and work in the U.S. for three years on a renewable status. BIDEN PARDON FOR SIMPLE MARIJUANA POSSESSION WON’T APPLY TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS  In his statement, Mayorkas pledged that the Family Reunification Task Force’s work would continue. “The Task Force, through its partners, also continues to identify and engage families who were separated to ensure they are aware of the reunification process and the support the Task Force has arranged,” he said. “This support includes critically needed behavioral health services to assist the families in addressing the trauma they have suffered.” CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP Meanwhile, a lawsuit is still ongoing as illegal immigrants who were separated sue the U.S. over the policy. A prior settlement, which would have dished out up to $450,000 per person, was abandoned after it was leaked and caused outraged from Republicans. Adam Shaw is a politics reporter for Fox News Digital, primarily covering immigration and border security. He can be reached at adam.shaw2@fox.com or on Twitter. Read More Here

Warnock Says Walker 'has Trouble With The Truth' But Does Not Comment On Abortion Allegations – KRDO https://digitalarizonanews.com/warnock-says-walker-has-trouble-with-the-truth-but-does-not-comment-on-abortion-allegations-krdo/ By Michael Warren, CNN Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia said Saturday that his Republican rival Herschel Walker “has trouble with the truth” but did not directly address the recent allegation that Walker once paid for a woman to have an abortion. “It’s up to Georgia voters. It’s not up to him, it’s not up to me,” Warnock told reporters after a rally here. “We do know that my opponent has trouble with the truth. And we’ll see how all this plays out, but I am focused squarely on the health care needs of my constituents, including reproductive health care.” The Georgia Senate race has been rocked by an allegation first reported by The Daily Beast that the GOP nominee paid for a woman’s abortion in 2009. The woman told The New York Times that Walker asked her to terminate a second pregnancy two years later but she refused the request and their relationship ended. CNN has not independently confirmed the woman’s allegation about the abortion or that Walker urged her to terminate a second pregnancy. CNN has reached out to the Walker campaign for comment. Walker, who said in May he supports a full ban on abortions, with no exceptions, has denied the earlier report from The Daily Beast, calling the allegation a “flat-out lie.” Pressed by CNN on Saturday whether he believes Walker’s denial, Warnock declined to say. “What I believe is irrelevant because the people of Georgia will decide,” he said. Warnock has avoided directly commenting on the allegations since the Daily Beast story broke. At his rallies and in front of reporters, the Georgia Democrat avoids mentioning Walker’s name, referring to him instead as “my opponent.” The Senate contest between Walker and Warnock, who is seeking a full six-year term, is among the most competitive of the 2022 midterm elections and could be instrumental in deciding control of the evenly divided chamber. Republican groups have vowed not to abandon Walker, even as the scandal sent his campaign scrambling. Campaign manager Scott Paradise, addressing staff earlier this week, acknowledged that the initial Daily Beast report was a setback, but pointed to Trump’s victory in 2016 — despite the initial backlash to the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape in which he spoke crudely about groping women — as evidence that Walker remained a viable candidate. Earlier Friday, Walker’s campaign split from its political director, Taylor Crowe, over suspicions that he was leaking information to the media, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. Crowe did not respond to multiple requests for comment from CNN. It is unclear if there were other factors at play or if the move had any connection to the abortion allegations. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. CNN’s Gregory Krieg and Shania Shelton contributed to this report. Read More Here

Trump Reportedly Pitched Trading Classified Files For Documents Proving Russia Probe Was A Hoax https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-reportedly-pitched-trading-classified-files-for-documents-proving-russia-probe-was-a-hoax/ Instead of returning the classified materials he’d taken to Mar-a-Lago from the White House, Donald Trump allegedly wanted to trade them for documents showing the FBI investigated his 2016 campaign ties to Russia, according to reporting from The New York Times. For more than a year, National Archives officials hounded the former president’s aides and attorneys to return the boxes. Trump insisted they contained nothing important, some just had dirty laundry. But after more pushing from his team, Trump pitched a deal: give the government back its files in exchange for proof that the FBI’s Russia investigation was a “hoax,” the Times reported. His aides knew the idea would be a “non-starter” and never acted on it. After one of Trump’s attorneys warned him he could face serious consequences if he did not return the classified documents, the former president, who kept insisting the “boxes were ‘mine,’” began going through them last December, the Times said. The news is the latest in the ongoing saga, which has sparked a Justice Department investigation into Trump’s handling of the classified material. Federal investigators still believe he is withholding government documents, the Times reported earlier this week. Read it at The New York Times Read More Here

Warnock Says Walker 'has Trouble With The Truth' But Does Not Comment On Abortion Allegations – KVIA https://digitalarizonanews.com/warnock-says-walker-has-trouble-with-the-truth-but-does-not-comment-on-abortion-allegations-kvia/ By Michael Warren, CNN Democratic Sen. Raphael Warnock of Georgia said Saturday that his Republican rival Herschel Walker “has trouble with the truth” but did not directly address the recent allegation that Walker once paid for a woman to have an abortion. “It’s up to Georgia voters. It’s not up to him, it’s not up to me,” Warnock told reporters after a rally here. “We do know that my opponent has trouble with the truth. And we’ll see how all this plays out, but I am focused squarely on the health care needs of my constituents, including reproductive health care.” The Georgia Senate race has been rocked by an allegation first reported by The Daily Beast that the GOP nominee paid for a woman’s abortion in 2009. The woman told The New York Times that Walker asked her to terminate a second pregnancy two years later but she refused the request and their relationship ended. CNN has not independently confirmed the woman’s allegation about the abortion or that Walker urged her to terminate a second pregnancy. CNN has reached out to the Walker campaign for comment. Walker, who said in May he supports a full ban on abortions, with no exceptions, has denied the earlier report from The Daily Beast, calling the allegation a “flat-out lie.” Pressed by CNN on Saturday whether he believes Walker’s denial, Warnock declined to say. “What I believe is irrelevant because the people of Georgia will decide,” he said. Warnock has avoided directly commenting on the allegations since the Daily Beast story broke. At his rallies and in front of reporters, the Georgia Democrat avoids mentioning Walker’s name, referring to him instead as “my opponent.” The Senate contest between Walker and Warnock, who is seeking a full six-year term, is among the most competitive of the 2022 midterm elections and could be instrumental in deciding control of the evenly divided chamber. Republican groups have vowed not to abandon Walker, even as the scandal sent his campaign scrambling. Campaign manager Scott Paradise, addressing staff earlier this week, acknowledged that the initial Daily Beast report was a setback, but pointed to Trump’s victory in 2016 — despite the initial backlash to the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape in which he spoke crudely about groping women — as evidence that Walker remained a viable candidate. Earlier Friday, Walker’s campaign split from its political director, Taylor Crowe, over suspicions that he was leaking information to the media, two people familiar with the matter told CNN. Crowe did not respond to multiple requests for comment from CNN. It is unclear if there were other factors at play or if the move had any connection to the abortion allegations. The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. CNN’s Gregory Krieg and Shania Shelton contributed to this report. Read More Here

Tom Henderson: The Errors Of Our Ways https://digitalarizonanews.com/tom-henderson-the-errors-of-our-ways/ ‘The newspaper regrets the error.” Newspaper corrections traditionally end with words to that effect, and I like that phrase. Some people see corrections and apologies from a newspaper as a sign of incompetence. These days, when so few of our elected children admit their many mistakes, let alone regret them, I see newspaper corrections instead a sign of maturity. Grown-ups admit their mistakes. They own up to them. They apologize for them because they know mistakes have consequences. People who work for newspapers know that mistakes can be like toxic bacteria in the drinking water — microbes of misinformation spread rapidly, imperiling the health of the entire community. So they feel compelled to acknowledge those mistakes, no matter how embarrassing. Henrik Ibsen understood that point in 1882 when he wrote a play about a physician who discovers toxic bacteria in the drinking water. In the play, self-serving politicians, unwilling to admit their mistakes, whip up public hysteria against him for simply trying to provide accurate information to his community. The play is titled, “An Enemy of the People.” Does that sound familiar? When Donald Trump uses those same words to describe the press, he merely parrots every malignant scoundrel out there to vilify the mirror of his own grotesque reflection. Journalists spend a great deal of time defending their craft against Trump and his cultists. We promote ourselves as the champions of truth and justice, but you know what? We actually do owe you several apologies. Reporters too often eat what they’re fed, taking dictation rather than asking questions. They talk about people rather than talking to them. They focus on conflict rather than common ground. Critics say Americans deserve better journalism but, in fact, Americans are getting precisely the journalism they deserve. What journalists need to apologize for is giving it to them. National Newspaper Week is Oct. 2-9 this year, so this is the perfect time to issue an apology. Let me start by apologizing for the state of journalism education. Advertising and public relations have been incorporated into college journalism curriculum since journalism was first recognized as a legitimate academic discipline in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. However, the journalism schools of old were largely dedicated to the pursuit of, well, journalism — the detection and disposal of (politely put) effluvia. Now many journalism schools seem equally interested in the production and distribution of effluvia. Consider my alma mater — the University of Oregon, which increasingly seems like a wholly owned subsidiary of Nike, Inc. My old journalism school now invites students to focus their academic attention on video gaming, along with “advertising and brand responsibility.” Where students once learned how to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable, they now learn how to best promote their masters’ brands. And, of course, everything is geared toward the digital. Some people will tell you there is nary a difference between digital and print journalism. All that’s changing is the delivery system. Treat these people gently. The poor dears have been asleep for the past 25 years. Not to brag, but I saw the dangers of the digital age back in 1980 as a 17-year-old high school student. Back then, clusters of computer geeks created bulletin boards where they could post and share written material. One such bulletin board was called Micro-Text and operated out of an electronics store in Salem. Chuck, the store’s owner, asked me to write weekly movie reviews for Micro-Text for $10 a week. I like to tell people I was the world’s first online movie critic, but I know that Chuck was not the first computer nerd to operate a bulletin board. He certainly wasn’t the first person to predict the coming of the World Wide Web either. There were books at the time about the coming “Videotext” revolution. What made Chuck particularly prescient is the spirited conversations he and I had about what form that revolution would take. He said the day was coming when every newspaper would have its own bulletin board — i.e., website. He rightly predicted that it would soon be hard to tell if the newspaper had a website or the website had a newspaper. The glory of all this, Chuck said, is that editors and publishers could tell exactly which stories people were reading and calibrate the news product to give readers what they wanted. Are readers apoplectic about the skin color of cartoon-character mermaids? Very well. Scrap the story on the destruction of the world’s coral reefs. Our readers’ wish is our command. Chuck saw all this coming. He eerily predicted the rise of clickbait and what is nowadays known euphemistically as “audience-driven journalism,”  though I still call it pandering. For Burger King, “Have it your way” is a swell bit of what the kids call brand ideation. But not for news outlets. Many critics, especially in this age of alternative facts, would argue otherwise. They see newspapers, and other elements of so-called “legacy media,” as outrageously arrogant for rubbing against the grain of their communities. The customer is always right, after all. The newspaper business is still a business, and as the people who count the beans like to say, you have to be a business before you can be a mission. I wish I had a bean for every time I heard that line, though the logic behind it is inescapable. I would simply argue that you have to be a mission, else there’s little point to being a newspaper business in the first place. There’s certainly more money to be made selling hamburgers than newspapers. However, a newspaper shouldn’t be a burger joint where you can order as much unhealthy food as you want. It should be like your family doctor who tells you all those burgers are clogging your arteries. Professionals like doctors, lawyers, scientists and journalists shouldn’t tell you what you want to hear. They should tell you what you need to hear. That attitude is a terrific business plan, the prevailing ethos contends — for bankruptcy. They ask, how does a business stay in business by giving consumers exactly what they don’t want to buy? For confirmation, they point to the number of people abandoning legacy media. I suspect the exodus has more to do with pandering than it does giving customers what they want. When you try to be all things to all people, you end up being nothing to no one. Many courageous newspapers and media outlets continue to uphold the best traditions of journalism and earn the respect of their readers without pandering, however. And present company is included. Who knows? The critics may be right. Maybe responsible journalism no longer sells. Maybe people want ginned-up stories about the gender of Potato Head dolls, the shoes worn by cartoon M&Ms and Karens clutching their pearls over the teaching of actual history in history class. After all, you spread enough of this effluvia into the air, and you eventually have a genuine odor problem to report. All this sounds like I’m excoriating readers for their stupidity — and I am, to an extent. Our society as a whole is dumb and getting exponentially dumber. In that sense, people truly do get the journalism they deserve. They wanted it. They clicked on it. They got more of it. Joseph Pulitzer, the 19th-century newspaper mogul who himself had a lot of things to apologize for, had the right idea when he wrote: “Every issue of the paper presents an opportunity and a duty to say something courageous and true; to rise above the mediocre and conventional; to say something that will command the respect of the intelligent, the educated, the independent part of the community; to rise above fear of partisanship and fear of popular prejudice.” We have so often fallen short of that mark in favor of giving readers what they want instead of what they need. For that, and for all our other failings, we should apologize — and pledge to do better. Guest writer Tom Henderson, now making his home in Independence, has served as a newspaper reporter, newspaper editor and journalism educator for more than 40 years. He worked at the News-Register from 2014 to 2020. He has since been working as an independent journalist, producing stories for a number of publications, including The Oregonian. A former adjunct professor, he has also been assisting with the journalism program at Ida B. Wells-Barnett High School in Portland. Read More Here

Remembering The Life Of Jody Nelson 1957 – 2022 https://digitalarizonanews.com/remembering-the-life-of-jody-nelson-1957-2022/ Jody was born on February 10, 1957, to James and Lillian Mitchell. She was a beloved daughter, wife, mother, aunt, and grandmother. She went to be with her Lord and Savior Thursday, October 6, 2022, at her home while surrounded by family as they sang hymns of praise. As a young girl she accepted Christ as her Lord and Savior. Her faith and family were always centermost. This was the foundation in which she faithfully lived her entire life. She loved deeply and sincerely which was evident in everything she did. She met Blain J. Nelson at Waseca Senior High School and after dating four years, and attending Mankato State University they were married on October 7, 1978. God blessed Jody with exceptional talents, and she used those talents for His glory. Interior and exterior design was where those talents shined. She began designing at Mitchell Furniture (family business) located in the center of Waseca. Jody’s designing touch was witnessed throughout the community in homes, gardens, churches, holiday decorating and special events. FoJor the past 40 years she, along with her husband Blain, were the original house flippers turning houses (too numerous to count) into homes. She loved her gardens. The exterior of her houses were always adorned with the most beautiful flowers and plants. She would spend every chance she had in her garden planting, pruning, and arranging. She loved sitting on her patio watching the birds and enjoying the environment she had created. Her love of sewing and fashion design led her to open White Lace & Promises (bridal shop) with Robin Nelson (sister-in-law). Jody would sit with her customers as they described their dream wedding dress and then sketch the most beautiful representation of their dress. The brides would remark “That’s exactly what I want!” Those sketches have been used in bridal magazines and pattern books. A note from Lillian Mitchell, Jody’s mother: These last 5-months we have spent in Waseca with Jody and Blain made us realize what an incredible family they created, and that Jody married into. To see the tender care of Blain, their three children, and Irene Edgett (life-long friend), and the whole Nelson clan and friends has been a huge blessing. Jody was loved by so many. Blain and Jody’s marriage was a living testament of what wedding vows truly mean; to love, to cherish, for better, for worse, in sickness and in health, till death do us part. Jody is survived by her Husband of 44 years: Blain J. Nelson of Waseca, MN. Children: Lyric (Jon) Butler and Brock (Karissa) Nelson of Waseca, MN, and Bayli (Michael) Baker of Burnsville, MN. Grandchildren: Braxton Nelson (12), Brayden Butler (11), Kinsley Nelson (9), Easton Baker (7), Brooks Butler (6), Brolin Nelson (6), Payton Baker (5), Lofton Baker (3-mo). Parents: James and Lillian Mitchell of Hollister, MO. Siblings: Jaymie Mitchell (sister) of Hollister, MO, and Cameron (DiAnna) Mitchell (brother) of Fort Smith, AR; Brothers-in-law: Blair (Deanne) Nelson and Blake (Robin) Nelson of Waseca, MN; As close as a sister, care provider and life-long friend Irene (Steve) Edgett of Scottsdale, AZ. Aunt: Sharon Schwartz of Waseca, MN. Numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins. A Gathering of Family and Friends will be from 4:00 – 8:00 PM on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 at the State Street Chapel of Dennis-Steffel-Omtvedt Funeral and Cremation Service in Waseca. Visitation will continue for one hour prior to the service at the church on Wednesday. Celebration of Jody’s Life will be 11:00 AM on Wednesday, October 12, 2022, at Christ Community Church in Waseca. Interment will be in Woodville Cemetery. DennisFuneralHomes.com ~ Waseca, Minnesota Published on October 8, 2022 Send Flowers: When Is the Ordering Deadline? Next-Day Delivery ANY DAY OF THE WEEK Order any time up till the day before Same-Day Delivery MON-FRI Order by 2:00PM SAT & SUN Order by noon Morning Delivery TUES-SAT Order by 3:00PM The day before SAT & SUN Order by Saturday Note: These are general guidelines; some florists may not be able to operate within these timelines. During peak periods such as Valentine’s Day, Memorial Day and most holidays, florists are not always able to keep up to demand. Tribute will contact you if there are any issues. Read More Here

Crimea Bridge Explosion Disrupts Crucial Supply Route For Russian Forces https://digitalarizonanews.com/crimea-bridge-explosion-disrupts-crucial-supply-route-for-russian-forces/ Security footage shows a blast on the bridge connecting Crimea to Russia, a symbol of Moscow’s occupation of the peninsula. Russian officials blamed Kyiv, while Ukrainian officials welcomed the explosion but didn’t take responsibility. Photo: Alyona Popova/Zuma Press Updated Oct. 8, 2022 3:07 pm ET A major explosion on Saturday severely damaged the bridge connecting Russia’s mainland to the occupied Crimean Peninsula, disrupting traffic on a crucial artery for the supply of fuel, military equipment and food to Russian troops fighting to hold ground in southern Ukraine. The bridge, opened by President Vladimir Putin to great fanfare in 2018, was meant to symbolize the might of the Russian state and the permanence of Russia’s annexation of the peninsula four years earlier. Russia even released a feature movie about its construction. Read More Here

Letter: So You Think It Could Never Happen Here https://digitalarizonanews.com/letter-so-you-think-it-could-never-happen-here/ The series on PBS “The U.S. and the Holocaust” shows the deep fear of Jews and Immigrants in the U.S. The fear, hatred and lies about those who are not “like us” has come back to America in the form of many groups. Southern Poverty Law Center identified 733 hate groups in 2021. Wikipedia says there are 38,000 Oath Keepers. NBC reported QAnon groups have millions of members including AZ politicians. The AZMIRROR lists; Mary Ann Mendoza, Lis Harris, David Farnsworth, and Justine Wadsack as sharing the QAnon slogan on social media. ABC News reports Republican Secretary of State candidate Mark Finchem “continues to espouse the ‘big Lie’”, and won’t say if he will accept the vote count of an election. Rep. Finchem appeared on a number of QAnon talk shows and spoke at their conferences. Kari Lake appeared on the “InTheMatrix” QAnon show. Please watch the series. Ray Omdahl Green Valley Disclaimer: As submitted to the Arizona Daily Star. Catch the latest in Opinion Get opinion pieces, letters and editorials sent directly to your inbox weekly! Read More Here

Obituaries In Springfield, IL | The State Journal-Register https://digitalarizonanews.com/obituaries-in-springfield-il-the-state-journal-register/ J. Michael “Mike” Zimmers 1949 – 2022 Springfield, IL—J. Michael “Mike” Zimmers, age 72, passed away in his sleep at home, on Wednesday, October 5, 2022. He is survived by his wife, Nancy Severa Zimmers (originally from Cedar Rapids, IA), and daughter, Layne A. Zimmers, both of Springfield. Mike was born on Oct. 15, 1949, in Chicago, IL, the son of William F. Zimmers of Vienna, IL, and Dorothy L. (Meeks) Zimmers, originally of Rosiclare, IL. He moved back to his hometown, Vienna, IL, where he attended Vienna High School (Class of 1967). Mike met his wife, Nancy, on a blind date in Chicago. They were married the following year, on August 3, 1974, at St. Wenceslaus Church in Cedar Rapids. He was preceded in death by his parents, and brother, Eric S. Zimmers. Other survivors include cousins, David A. Allbritten of Belknap, IL, Trina Kozer of Clearwater, FL, and Michael Accomondo and Lisa (Accomondo) Keller of Longwood, FL; extended family, including Nancy’s sisters and their spouses – Sidney and Larry Lutz and Sara and Duane Tack, both of Swisher, IA, and Stacy the late Dave Martin of Cedar Rapids; and nieces and nephews and their children. Another family member is Lori Smith, Layne’s partner. Mike earned a master’s in educational administration at University of Illinois- Springfield (1991) and a bachelor’s at MacMurray College (1971), where he was MVP and basketball captain his senior year. In 2014, he was named to MacMurray’s Athletic Hall of Fame, having held the all-time single season rebound record. He had 37 years of experience in public school education as a teacher, coach, principal and administrator, 34 years in Springfield. Mike began his teaching career as a behavior disorders (BD) middle school teacher in Park Ridge, IL (1974-77). He moved to Springfield, working as BD middle school teacher for 13 years at Washington/Feitshans and Grant Middle Schools, and coaching girls’ and boys’ basketball and track. Mike began his administrative career as an assistant principal and athletic director at Washington and Jefferson Middle Schools for 15 years (1990-2005). Mike was named principal at Jefferson (2005-08), where he started the first gender-based education program in Springfield and introduced the nationally recognized Behavior Intervention Support Team (BIST), a program still used in Springfield Schools. In 2009, he was recruited to work as a managing principal for 3 years. Mike retired in 2011. He ran for Springfield School Board in 2013, with a theme “I’m in it for our kids because our kids come first!” and went on to serve 9.5 years as a member of the Springfield #186 school board, serving residents of Sub-District 4, including 3 as Board President and 3 as Vice President. Mike was active on the Facilities Planning Committee and the city-wide Keep Kids in School effort every fall, to encourage immunizations. He also served on the One Sangamon Schools group, which organized a countywide school tax referendum that successfully passed a sales tax increase in 2018, benefitting 9 county school districts. He was particularly pleased to be concluding his service on the board, as the first major renovation projects for Springfield Schools from that referendum were being completed this year, and so many more were underway. In April 2022, Mike was presented with the Bob Goldman Friend of Education award by the Springfield Education Association. In accepting the award, he said it meant so much because it was an award from teachers, and he was blessed to have worked with so many talented and dedicated teachers and administrators in Springfield. Mike loved visiting schools, listening to administrators, going into classrooms, talking with teachers, interacting with students (being called a giant by one kindergartner), helping with parent requests, serving as head timer for track meets, cheering at City Tournament, and many other activities. He loved it all. His professional affiliations include the Council for Exceptional Children, Springfield Principals Association (past president), and the Springfield Education Association/Illinois Education Association/National Education Association. Mike’s community activities include service as a classroom volunteer at Enos Elementary School, reader for Real Men Read, and long-time member of the Interview Committee for the Physician Pipeline Preparatory Program, a joint program with SIU School of Medicine. He also volunteered for United Way Education Vision Team, Rotary International-Sunrise Chapter (past president), Cherry Hills Homeowners Association (past president), MacMurray College Alumni Board (past president), Race Unity Council, and Central Illinois Food Bank. A lifelong Cubs fan, Mike enjoyed games at Wrigley Field and Sloan Park in Mesa, AZ, and got his “just once in my lifetime” wish when they won the World Series in 2016. He enjoyed working out at (and supporting) the Springfield Y, gardening and keeping his many bird feeders filled, and walking the family’s Westie and his best buddy, Duffy. A long-time supporter of the Springfield Public Schools Foundation (SPSF), Mike was in the process of establishing a new fund to support local Springfield School teachers, called the “Mike Zimmers Teacher Professional Development Fund”, or the “Mike Z Teacher Fund”, for short. His plan was for SPS teachers who wish to attend professional development meetings or conferences that require financial support (not available through Springfield Schools or personal means), to apply for support from this new fund. Mike’s family will continue his work on the fund, which is to be supported by a major personal gift at the time of his death. Visitation and Funeral Ceremony: Family will receive friends from 2:00 – 4:45 p.m. on Saturday, October 15, 2022, at Springfield Southeast High School Auditorium, 2350 E. Ash St., Springfield. Funeral will follow at 5:00 p.m., with Celebrant Judy Woerner officiating and accompanied by various speakers. A private family ceremony for burial will be held at a later date, at St. John’s Cemetery in Cedar Rapids, IA. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be mailed to Springfield Schools Foundation, Attn: Julie Hammers, 1900 W. Monroe St, Springfield, IL 62704, with a notation that the gift is for his fund. To make a PayPal donation to the fund, go to the District’s SPSF website and scroll down to the Memorial Donations area of the page- https://www.sps186.org/page/springfield-public-schools-foundation. The family is being served by Butler Funeral Home – Springfield, 900 S. 6th St., Springfield. Please visit www.butlerfuneralhomes.com, to offer your condolences. Posted online on October 08, 2022 Published in The State Journal-Register Read More Here

Democrats Were Already Struggling In Florida. Then Came Hurricane Ian. | CNN Politics https://digitalarizonanews.com/democrats-were-already-struggling-in-florida-then-came-hurricane-ian-cnn-politics/ CNN  —  Charlie Crist, whose career as a Republican ended with a hug from a Democratic president, may have seen his political fate sealed by another Democratic president complimenting his Republican rival. That’s the sentiment rolling through Democratic circles in Florida after President Joe Biden’s tour of the state’s storm-ravaged Gulf Coast, where he praised Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis, Crist’s opponent, for his handling of Hurricane Ian. Biden called DeSantis’ response “pretty remarkable” after a congenial joint event with his sometime nemesis. Hurricane Ian’s arrival a month before the election has pushed politics to the back burner as state and local leaders continue to deal with the fallout of the deadliest storm to hit Florida in generations. It has been a challenge for Democratic candidates to turn the attention back to the campaign trail with so much focus on the recovery and so many residents in southwest Florida homeless. At the time of Biden’s remarks, Crist, the Democratic nominee for governor, and his allies were ramping up criticism of DeSantis tied to the hurricane – highlighting the former GOP congressman’s past votes against storm aid and climate change legislation and raising questions about the timing of evacuations in Lee County and the lack of urgency to address a crumbling property insurance market. Earlier in the week, Crist and the state Democratic Party promoted a story from a local television station featuring Floridians who said they were blocked from delivering storm supplies so DeSantis could survey the damage. Biden “closed the door to that,” one veteran Democratic strategist told CNN, asking not to be named to speak openly about the race. “The dynamics of the race needed to shift, and this was an opportunity for it to shift,” the strategist said. “The President complimenting the governor takes that whole issue off the table.” Democrats were already facing an uphill climb in a state trending red prior to Ian making landfall. The Republican voter registration edge in Florida, a recent phenomenon, grew to 270,000 in September, according to the state’s Division of Elections. A recent survey of likely voters conducted by Siena College before the storm gave DeSantis an 8-point advantage over Crist. And DeSantis still hasn’t fully unleashed his colossal fundraising advantage – $106 million on hand to Crist’s $5 million at the end of last month. In the race for US Senate, Republican Sen. Marco Rubio similarly led Rep. Val Demings, an Orlando Democrat, by 7 points in the Siena poll. And Rubio, though outraised for most of this cycle, has nearly twice as much cash for the closing weeks as Demings, who spent aggressively over the summer to introduce herself to voters unfamiliar with her background as a former Orlando police chief and three-term congresswoman. Just as Floridians live under constant threat of hurricanes this time of year, campaigns here, too, are often forced to navigate the politics of storms. The disruption Ian has caused to the electoral calendar, while not remotely a concern for those bearing personal loss from the destruction, nevertheless remains a delicate test for candidates. Demings has reengaged with the campaign by focusing on Rubio’s past votes related to disaster relief. On Thursday, Demings told MSNBC that Rubio “should pay a price” for skipping a vote on a stopgap bill to fund the government through the end of the year that included $18.8 million for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist states, including Florida, with natural disasters. “If there’s any time we should lay politics aside, it dag gone should be during a natural disaster,” she said. Rubio’s campaign accused Demings of supporting a Hurricane Ian relief bill full of “pork” for projects unrelated to the storm. The senator has said he would vote against such a bill. “We shouldn’t have that in there because it undermines the ability to come back and do this in the future,” Rubio said. As Ian arrived, Crist pulled his ads off the air in most of the state’s media markets. This week, he redirected his campaign bus to assist with the relief efforts. The only scheduled debate between Crist and DeSantis, slated for next week, is now delayed, and the host station has not announced a new date. Amid his financing crunch, Crist canceled a fundraiser scheduled for this week in Sanibel Island, one of the barrier island communities that bore the brunt of the storm surge brought on by Ian. Another fundraiser scheduled with Biden was postponed as well. Meanwhile, DeSantis, who continued to air campaign commercials throughout the storm, has commanded Florida’s response from ground zero, holding regular briefings in which he updates reporters on the state’s recovery efforts. In recent days, these news conferences have been joined by supporters of the governor, who cheer him on as he announces new developments in the push to get Lee and Charlotte counties up and running. At DeSantis’ joint appearance with Biden in Fort Myers Beach on Wednesday, absent was the Republican’s aggressively partisan approach to governing that has fueled his fast rise to 2024 presidential hopeful. Instead, he commended the White House for its collaboration in helping Floridians, while Biden returned the favor, telling reporters that DeSantis has done “a good job” managing the recovery. “We have very different political philosophies, but we worked hand in glove,” Biden said. “On things related to dealing with this crisis, we’ve been completely lockstep. There’s been no difference.” Democrats expected Biden and DeSantis to play nice during their brief time together, but the compliments the President offered the governor caught some by surprise. Sean Shaw, a former state representative who remains active with the state party, said his phone was full of text messages from Democrats noting how bad Biden’s remarks would be for Crist. “But I mean, what else is Biden gonna say?” Shaw said in a text message to CNN. Crist has seen his political fortunes upended by presidential visits before. As a Republican governor in 2009, Crist drew criticism from his party for hugging President Barack Obama at a Florida event to sell the White House’s financial recovery plan. The fallout from that moment kickstarted Crist’s eventual exit from the GOP. Now, as the Democratic candidate for governor, Crist has emphasized his hug with Obama to engage with Black voters and he has embraced Biden like few in his party have. The day after winning the Democratic primary for governor of Florida, Crist called Biden a “great man” and “the best I’ve ever met” and he welcomed the President to join him on the campaign trail. “Thank god for Joe Biden,” Crist said in the interview. It’s a line featured – twice – in a Republican ad airing against Crist. Reggie Cardozo, who previously served as Obama’s political director in Florida, said he believes there is still an opportunity for Crist to make a case against DeSantis despite Biden’s remarks. “The White House wanted this to be as apolitical as possible. So I’m not surprised that there was a kumbaya moment. As it should be,” Cardozo said. “Crist can credit the governor for doing his best to make sure the recovery is going smoothly while making sure people don’t forget this is a man who voted against this and believes that.” Democrats would also like to shift the conversation back to issues on which they believe they have the upper hand, including the future of abortion access in the state and the soaring cost of living in Florida. In an appearance Thursday night on MSNBC, Crist attempted to link DeSantis’ about-face on hurricane aid to the Republican push to restriction abortion. “It sure would be nice to be kind of consistent about what you believe versus what you think is an emergency situation,” Crist said. “He just seems to be inconsistent on so many things. He talks about freedom, for example. Yet he wants to attack a woman’s right to choose. I mean, it’s consistent all the way.” Read More Here

Racial Equity In Marijuana Pardons Requires States’ Action https://digitalarizonanews.com/racial-equity-in-marijuana-pardons-requires-states-action/ By pardoning Americans with federal convictions for marijuana possession, President Joe Biden said he aimed to partially redress decades of anti-drug laws that disproportionately harmed Black and Latino communities. While Biden’s executive action will benefit thousands of people by making it easier for them to find housing, get a job or apply to college, it does nothing to help the hundreds of thousands of mostly Black and Hispanic Americans still burdened by state convictions for marijuana-related offenses, not to mention the millions more with other drug offenses on their records. Advocates for overhauling the nation’s drug laws are hopeful that Biden’s pardons lead state lawmakers to pardon and expunge minor drug offenses from people’s records. After all, they say, dozens of states have already decriminalized cannabis and legalized it for a multibillion-dollar recreational and medicinal use industry that is predominantly white-owned. “We know that this is really the tip of the iceberg when it comes to people who are suffering the effects of (past) marijuana prohibition,” said Maritza Perez, director of federal affairs at the Drug Policy Alliance, a nonprofit organization pushing for decriminalization and safe drug use policies. The decades-long “war on drugs,” a sweeping federal legislative agenda that Biden championed as a U.S. senator and that was mirrored by state lawmakers, brought about mass-criminalization and an explosion of the prison population. An estimated tens of millions of people have had a marijuana-related arrest on their record since 1965, the vast majority of them stemming from enforcement by local police and state prosecutors. But as many law enforcement officials like to point out, the majority of people who serve long sentences for marijuana-related offenses were convicted of more serious charges than possession, such as a weapons count or the intent to sell or traffic the drug on a larger scale. Such factors are typically how a case moves into federal territory versus state prosecution. Still, reform advocates counter that many of them aren’t violent drug kingpins. A 2021 Associated Press review of federal and state incarceration data showed that between 1975 and 2019, the U.S. prison population jumped from 240,593 to 1.43 million people. Of them, about 1 in 5 were incarcerated with a drug offense listed as their most serious crime. The passage of stiffer penalties for crack cocaine, marijuana and other drugs in the 1990s helped to triple the Black and Hispanic incarceration rates by the year 2000. The white incarceration rate only doubled. And despite state legalization or decriminalization of possession up to certain amounts, local law enforcement agencies continue to make more arrests for drug possession, including marijuana, than any other criminal offense, according to FBI crime data. The president’s pardon of more than 6,500 Americans with federal marijuana possession convictions, as well as thousands more with convictions in the majority-Black city of Washington, captures only a sliver of those with records nationwide. That’s likely why he has called on state governors to take similar steps for people with state marijuana possession convictions. “While white and Black and brown people use marijuana at similar rates, Black and brown people have been arrested, prosecuted and convicted at disproportionate rates,” Biden said Thursday. “Just as no one should be in a federal prison solely due to the possession of marijuana, no one should be in a local jail or state prison for that reason, either.” With the president’s unambiguous acknowledgement of racial inequity in marijuana enforcement, drug law reform advocates and those with convictions now see an opening to push for far more remedies to the harms of the war on drugs. Weldon Angelos, whose 2003 federal case for selling $300 worth of marijuana to a confidential informant in Utah got him sentenced to 55 years in prison, said he knows many people who will benefit from the president’s pardon. But there are also many more who will not, he said. “I feel like this is a first step of (Biden) doing something bigger,” said Angelos who, after serving 13 years in prison, received presidential clemency and a pardon during the Obama and Trump administrations. He is now a drug law reform activist. Felony cannabis cases like his also deserve consideration, Weldon said. Biden’s pardon does not cover convictions for possessing marijuana with an intent to distribute, which could further widen the scope of people receiving relief by tens of thousands. Enacting a law that clears a person’s federal drug record, similar to what has been offered in nearly two dozen states where marijuana has been decriminalized or legalized recreationally, would make the conviction invisible to companies and landlords doing criminal background checks, he said. Even with the federal pardon, Weldon’s record is still visible, he said. “There’s a lot more that needs to be done here, if we really want to unwind the effects, and the racist effects, of the war on cannabis,” Weldon said. Some advocates believe the country should consider clearing more than just marijuana records. In the 1990s, Marlon Chamberlain was a college student in Iowa when he learned that his then-girlfriend was pregnant with his eldest son. He began using cannabis to cope with the anxiety of becoming a young father and, soon after, started selling the drug. “My thought was that I would try to make enough money and have the means to take care of my son,” said Chamberlain, a 46-year-old Chicago native. “But I got addicted to the lifestyle and I graduated from selling weed to selling cocaine.” Chamberlain said he had a slew of state charges for marijuana possession between the ages of 19 and 25. But it was a federal case for crack cocaine, in which authorities used his prior marijuana arrests to enhance the seriousness of their case, that upended his life. Chamberlain was sentenced to 20 years in prison before the punishment was reduced to 14 years under the Fair Sentencing Act that narrowed the sentencing disparity between crack and powder forms of cocaine. He was freed after 10 years. Even though he will not benefit from Biden’s marijuana pardon, Chamberlain sees it as an opportunity to advocate for the elimination of what he calls the “permanent punishments,” such as the difficulties in finding a job or housing that come with having a past drug offense. “What Biden is initiating is a process of righting the wrongs” of the drug war, he said. Colorado and Washington were the first states to legalize the recreational use of cannabis in 2012, although medical use had already been legal in several states. According to the National Organization for the Reform of Marijuana Laws, 37 states, the District of Columbia and four U.S. territories now permit the medical use of cannabis. Nineteen states, D.C. and two territories have legalized its recreational use. And during next month’s midterm elections, voters in Arkansas, Maryland, Missouri, North Dakota and South Dakota will decide whether to permit recreational adult use of cannabis. That is reason enough for every state to look into mass-pardons and expungements, civil rights leaders say. “How fair is it that you will legalize marijuana now, tax it to use those state taxes to fund government, but forget all the people who are sitting in jails or were incarcerated when it was illegal?” NAACP President Derrick Johnson told the AP. “All those individuals who have been charged with marijuana crimes need to be pardoned, particularly those in states that have legalized marijuana.” Richard Wallace, executive director of Equity and Transformation, a social and economic justice advocacy group in Chicago, said state pardons must also come with some form of restitution to those who suffered economically under the racially discriminatory drug war. “We need to be thinking about building out durable reparations campaigns centered around cannabis legalization,” he said. “I think oftentimes we end up just fighting for the pardons and the expungements, and we leave out the economic component.” ——— Aaron Morrison is a New York City-based member of AP’s Race and Ethnicity team. Follow him on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/aaronlmorrison. Read More Here

As Mar-A-Lago Case Advances, Trump’s Initial Success Could Fade https://digitalarizonanews.com/as-mar-a-lago-case-advances-trumps-initial-success-could-fade/ Former President Trump’s battle against the Justice Department investigation into the mishandling of government records at Mar-a-Lago has now reached the highest court, but legal experts say he may not fare as well as his case is pushed before new judges.  Trump scored an initial victory before a federal district court judge in Florida, who granted his request to appoint a special master to review the more than 10,000 government documents seized at his home to determine whether any might be protected by executive or attorney-client privileges.  But as the case works its way through the court system, other judges seem more hesitant to grant Trump’s requests.  The 11th Circuit Court of Appeals served the Department of Justice (DOJ) an initial victory in the case, siphoning off the more than 100 classified records from special master review and later agreeing to an expedited schedule to review DOJ’s challenge to Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision to approve the special master process.  But Trump’s emergency appeal to the Supreme Court wasn’t treated like an urgent matter — Justice Clarence Thomas gave DOJ a week to respond.   “All indications are that the appellate litigation continues to move in the government’s direction,” Brad Moss, a national security law expert, told The Hill.  “The 11th Circuit is expediting the appeal of the special master appointment, and the Supreme Court is conversely taking its sweet time considering Mr. Trump’s appeal of the lifting of Judge Cannon’s injunction. If nothing else, the appellate judges are making clear how serious they take the government’s national security concerns and how little credence they place in Mr. Trump’s legal theories.”  Trump’s appeal to the Supreme Court to intervene in the case was the latest step from a legal team that’s taken an aggressive posture in its battle with the Justice Department.  But the filing itself was actually quite narrow.  The request from Trump asks that the classified records in question are returned to the pool of documents included under the special master review, opting not to ask the court to exclude those documents from being used by the Justice Department as they continue their investigation — something Cannon had included in her original order.  “This is a very specific and narrow request by Trump, the merits of which turn on a technical jurisdictional question, but which runs into fatal procedural obstacles long before that. It’s not laughable, but only because it’s small,” Steve Vladeck, a professor at the University of Texas School of Law specializing in federal courts and national security law, wrote on Twitter.   “This is what good lawyers who are stuck do to appease bad clients….It’s a way of filing *something* in the Supreme Court without going all the way to crazytown and/or acting unethically,” Vladeck added.  Trump’s lawyers argued that the federal appeals court erred by allowing the Department of Justice to appeal a move that was procedural in nature.  They argued the appeal “impairs substantially the ongoing, time-sensitive work of the special master” and said the 11th Circuit’s intervention “effectively compromis[es] the integrity of the well-established policy against piecemeal appellate review.”  Trump’s team also recycled legal arguments from earlier briefs insinuating that he could have declassified the records in his home but stopped short of doing so. It’s a statement that generated skepticism from the special master, who initially asked the legal team to back the claim before Cannon stepped in and said Trump did not need to comply with the request.  Even if Trump convinced the court, the DOJ would still be able to use the documents in its investigation even as the special master reviewed them.  Moss, likewise, suspected the filing is likely to accomplish little for Trump.  “The appeal to the Supreme Court by the Trump legal team was done for one reason: Mr. Trump no doubt demanded something be filed. The narrowness of the appeal reflects the efforts by his lawyers to craft something — anything — they could justify as non-frivolous. Even if it succeeds, it would likely come too late in the special master process anyway to matter,” he said.  Brian Greer, a former attorney for the CIA, sees one potential upside for Trump — but only if the Department of Justice decides to prosecute him.  “Even if Trump is granted the relief they’re seeking, it’s not clear how helpful it’s going to be to them other than getting early access to those classified records,” he told The Hill.   “To me, the only real end game with the Supreme Court litigation, other than delay, is getting access to those records prior to an indictment so that they can start building their defense.”  The 11th Circuit agreement to an expedited review for the Justice Department’s case could also prove helpful for the government.  In its initial ruling, a three-judge panel for the court suggested Cannon erred by appointing the special master, a sign it may be convinced Trump has little claim as a former executive to any of the documents.  But as a practical matter it also aids their investigation.  “The Justice Department is correct in asserting that being unable to use the unclassified documents currently before the special master could hinder its ongoing investigation into the classified records,” Greer said.  “That’s because, as the Justice Department asserted, they may want to explore how those unclassified documents were commingled with the classified records, whether there are fingerprints on those documents, and to ask witnesses about those documents, all of which might be relevant to investigating the classified records,” he continued.  But the victories for the Department of Justice still delay the ultimate determination on the records.  The process before the 11th Circuit and Supreme Court could take months, and a ruling from the appeals court would likely come in December at the earliest.  “The timing is still not great for DOJ as they would likely want to complete any investigation involving the relevance of the unclassified records prior to bringing charges on the classified records,” Greer said.  Read More Here

Sen. Lindsey Graham Threatened To End A Meeting With The Mother Of A Slain Capitol Police Officer If She Didn't Stop Criticizing Trump, New Book Claims https://digitalarizonanews.com/sen-lindsey-graham-threatened-to-end-a-meeting-with-the-mother-of-a-slain-capitol-police-officer-if-she-didnt-stop-criticizing-trump-new-book-claims/ Sen. Lindsey Graham reportedly told the mother of Brian Sicknick, the officer who died following the Jan 6 riot, that he would end a meeting with her if she kept talking bad about  Trump.  Sen. Lindsey Graham snapped at late Capitol officer Brian Sicknick’s mother about criticizing Trump, Politico reported.  The moment is detailed in ex-DC  Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Falcon’s new book, according to Politico. The book reportedly claims that Graham threatened to end a meeting if she made remarks about the former president.  The alleged interaction was recounted by ex-DC  Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Falcon in his new book, “Hold the Line: The Insurrection and One Cop’s Battle for America’s Soul,” Politico reported. According to the report, Graham a staunch Trump ally told Gladys Sicknick, “we’re going to end the meeting” if she made ill remarks against the former president.  A medical examiner determined that her son, Officer Sicknick, suffered two strokes and passed away on January 7, a day after fighting back pro-Trump. The rioters stormed the Capitol building while Congress certified the 2020 election results for now-President Joe Biden.  In an interview with CNN during the summer, Sicknick’s brother, Ken, blamed Trump for the attack, saying that “he’s really at fault for riling up the crowds and getting his sycophants following whatever word he said.” Two men, identified as Julian Elie Khater and  George Pierre Tanios, were indicted in connection to Sicknick’s death. Khater, accused of using pepper spray on Sicknick and two other officers, pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting, resisting, or impeding officers with a dangerous weapon, the Department of Justice announced last month. His co-defendant, Tainos, pleaded guilty in July to entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds, per the DOJ.  FOLLOW BUSINESS INSIDER AFRICA Our newsletter gives you access to a curated selection of the most important stories daily. Thanks for signing up for our daily insight on the African economy. We bring you daily editor picks from the best Business Insider news content so you can stay updated on the latest topics and conversations on the African market, leaders, careers and lifestyle. Also join us across all of our other channels – we love to be connected! Unblock notifications in browser settings. Read More Here

October Surprise: Las Cruces Democrat Hit With Fundraising Allegations Ahead Of Election https://digitalarizonanews.com/october-surprise-las-cruces-democrat-hit-with-fundraising-allegations-ahead-of-election/ Rep. Nathan Small decries ‘ridiculous political stunt’ LAS CRUCES ‒ Southern New Mexico’s former congresswoman and her husband, a state lawmaker seeking reelection on Nov. 8, were both hit with accusations of improper fundraising by Republicans this week, although the evidence made publicly available is scant. The allegations erupted in the final month of Las Cruces Democrat Nathan Small’s run for a fourth term in the state legislature. Xochitl Torres Small, a Democrat who represented New Mexico’s 2nd congressional district for a single term and currently serves as an undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, was the subject of a Sept. 30 complaint from U.S. Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the ranking member on the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. Torres Small’s successor in Congress, Republican Yvette Herrell, also sits on the oversight committee. Comer wrote to the Office of the Special Counsel on Sept. 30 requesting an investigation into Torres Small’s fundraising activity for Democrats, citing her role in founding Shield PAC, a political action committee supporting moderate Democrats in the House of Representatives, before her appointment to the USDA. Comer suggested Torres Small may have violated the Hatch Act, which restricts political activities among federal employees depending on their position. The law would bar her from campaign fundraising and from political activity while on duty or using the imprimatur of her federal post. Since 2021, Torres Small has served as Undersecretary for Rural Development at the agency, which offers loans, grants and technical assistance for a range of needs in rural communities, including economic development, housing, infrastructure and emergency services. “Committee Republicans are concerned (Torres Small) continues to fundraise for Democrats while she serves as a political appointee in the USDA,” Comer wrote in his letter. “Additionally, information obtained by Committee Republicans appears to show that she may be using her official position to raise money for her spouse, NathanSmall’s, reelection campaign to the New Mexico House of Representatives.” Comer’s letter cites Torres Small’s past activity as a paid consultant to the PAC, which she agreed in writing last year to terminate upon her confirmation to the federal post. When asked for evidence that Torres Small had violated the Hatch Act, Comer’s office declined on grounds of protecting its sources. In a statement, Comer’s office wrote, “Republican Committee staff received credible information about a possible Hatch Act violation from a whistleblower and provided that to (the Special Counsel) for an investigation. Ensuring the protection of whistleblowers remains a top priority and we will have no further comment at this time.” The Special Counsel’s office confirmed receipt of Comer’s letter, but did not comment on it further. The office explained that Hatch Act investigations may take weeks to several months to complete, and that its findings “are typically provided to only the complainant and the subject of the complaint.” Small: ‘Ridiculous political stunt’ In New Mexico, state House Republican leader James Townsend of Artesia swiftly issued a letter to Nathan Small on Oct. 3 calling on him to return “every dollar your campaign has collected as a result of your wife’s potentially improper fundraising activities.” Small is not a federal employee subject to the Hatch Act. Comer’s letter insinuates, however, that Torres Small may have conducted fundraising on his behalf in violation of the law. When asked if Townsend had reviewed evidence of any improper fundraising on Small’s behalf, Republican caucus spokesperson Matthew Garcia-Sierra referred a reporter to Comer’s letter requesting an investigation into Torres Small’s activities and did not comment further. Small called the letters “a ridiculous political stunt without merit” in a statement, pushing back against Townsend and Comer as well as his challenger, Kimberly Skaggs, who is the state Republican Party’s executive director. The statement makes reference to recent political mailers paid for by the state party in which a figure depicted in a stock photo was darkened. “Representative Townsend and my opponent … oversaw the racist mailings with doctored images sent out last week against Democrats (in) the state,” he wrote. “And Congressman Comer has repeatedly defended Donald Trump’s big lie about the 2020 elections. Much like Trump, they make accusations without any factual basis for their own partisan benefit.” Comer has raised questions about the integrity of the 2020 elections but did not join Republicans, like Herrell, who objected to counting any of the electoral votes that secured the presidency for Joe Biden on Jan. 6, 2021. Algernon D’Ammassa can be reached at 575-541-5451, adammassa@lcsun-news.com or @AlgernonWrites on Twitter. Read More Here

‘Black Holes’ And ‘reparations’: Remembering The Times Don Lemon Spread Misinformation On CNN Primetime https://digitalarizonanews.com/black-holes-and-reparations-remembering-the-times-don-lemon-spread-misinformation-on-cnn-primetime/ CNN anchor Don Lemon bid farewell to his nightly audience on Friday evening during his last CNN primetime broadcast.  It marks the end of a CNN era filled with the host’s sensational, out-of-context, and flat-out untrue statements, sometimes uttered to attack conservatives or advance a liberal agenda. During his final show, Lemon aired highlights of his nearly-decade long primetime run. He noted the challenges that came with the job, some of which he admitted he did not rise to meet as well as he could. “I was not always perfect, because no one is perfect. There are immense pressures that come with this job and in particular this time slot at, 10:00 o’clock, when people are going to bed,” he said.  COMMENTATOR CORRECTS DON LEMON’S REPARATION CLAIMS | FOX NEWS VIDEO Don Lemon insists CNN didn’t demote him. (Photo by Jesse Grant/Getty Images for THR) The liberal host has spent years on the primetime slot bashing conservative lawmakers, Republican voters, Trump supporters, coronavirus vaccine shirkers and climate change skeptics as conspiracy-peddlers and purveyors of misinformation. Despite trying to appear as a proponent of truth and journalistic integrity, the anchor has contributed his own fair share of questionable information to the air waves.  Here are five times Lemon was caught spreading misinformation of his own.  Lemon ‘lied’ about Joe Rogan using ‘horse dewormer’ to treat COVID-19 Last fall, the anchor embroiled himself and his network in controversy after claiming that podcast host Joe Rogan was taking a horse “deworming drug” to treat his case of COVID-19.  Rogan, who had mentioned on his podcast that he was taking Ivermectin for his bout with the virus, was accused by Lemon on air of taking a “horse dewormer,” as it has been used to treat horses dealing with parasites. During a guest panel on his show, Lemon claimed Rogan “took the deworming drug Ivermectin that’s been touted by fringe right-wing groups.” CNN chyrons during Lemon’s coverage of the subject also claimed, “Joe Rogan announces he has COVID, is taking horse dewormer Ivermectin,” and “Joe Rogan, controversial podcast host, says he has COVID, taking unproven de-worming drug.” (Don Lemon accused podcast host Joe Rogan of taking a “horse dewormer” to treat COVID-19 as if he were some “fringe right-wing” person. ) It was clear Lemon’s point was to smear Rogan as a “fringe right-wing” figure, though even CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta was forced to admit that Ivermectin has human applications – though unproven for COVID treatment – and that CNN was not honest about Rogan. Speaking to him on his podcast, Rogan asked Gupta, “Does it bother you that the network you work for out and out lied, just outright lied about me taking horse dewormer?” He responded, “They shouldn’t have said that.” Substack journalist Glenn Greenwald torched Lemon and CNN for the incident at the time, tweeting, “They told viewers he took horse dewormer: a 100% lie. He took the human version of ivermectin prescribed by his medical doctor. But as I said, lying is not frowned upon at CNN: it’s encouraged.” Lemon tried and failed to get British Royal Family commentator to admit U.K. owes indigenous people reparations During CNN’s “Don Lemon Tonight” coverage in the wake of Queen Elizabeth II’s death in September, Lemon was stunned into silence by British Royals expert Hilary Fordwich after she pushed back on his narrative that the British crown owes descendants of the people it colonized reparations. Lemon addressed Fordwich, saying, “you have those who are asking for reparations for colonialism, and they’re wondering, you know, ‘$100 billion, $24 billion here and there, $500 million there.’” He added, “Some people want to be paid back and members of the public are wondering, ‘Why are we suffering when you are, you have all this vast wealth?’ Those are legitimate concerns.” Though Fordwich wasn’t buying the narrative. She turned it back on Lemon, saying there are plenty of Africans who sold their own people into slavery that owe descendants reparations, if paying reparations becomes a policy. She said, “Well I think you’re right about reparations in terms of – if people want it though, what they need to do is, you always need to go back to the beginning of the supply chain. Where was the beginning of the supply chain?” British culture Hilary Fordwich schools Don Lemon on reparations.  She continued, “That was in Africa. Across the entire world, when slavery was taking place, which was the first nation in the world that abolished slavery?” It was “the British,” Fordwich said, adding, “In Great Britain they abolished slavery. 2,000 naval men died on the high seas trying to stop slavery. Why? Because the African kings were rounding up their own people. They had them [in] cages, waiting in the beaches.” Summing it up, Fordwich said, “I think you’re totally right. If reparations need to be paid, we need to go right back to the beginning of that supply chain and say, ‘Who was rounding up their own people and having them handcuffed in cages. Absolutely, that’s where they should start.” DON LEMON CLAIMS ‘I WAS NOT DEMOTED’ AFTER NEWS HE’S LEAVING CNN PRIMETIME FOR MORNINGS | FOX NEWS VIDEO National Hurricane Center director throws cold water on Lemon’s claim that Hurricane Ian’s size is due to climate change Last month, Jamie Rhome, the acting director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Hurricane Center, refuted Lemon’s insistence that the intensity and large size of Hurricane Ian was caused by climate change.  At the time, the Florida-bound hurricane had been intensifying to near Category 5 levels. The anchor spoke to Rhome about the “period of rapid intensification” and specifically asked if “climate change” was causing this. Though Rhome was not interested in pinning the phenomena on climate change. He told Lemon, “We can come back and talk about climate change at a later time. I want to focus on the here and now. We think the rapid intensification is probably almost done. There could be a little bit more intensification as it’s still over the warm waters of the eastern Gulf of Mexico, but I don’t think we’re going to get any more rapid intensification.” Though Lemon was undeterred. He said, “Listen, I’m just trying to get, you said you want to talk about climate change. But what effect does climate change have on this phenomenon that is happening now? Because it seems these storms are intensifying. That’s the question.”  Rhome dismissed the climate change idea in regard to Ian, saying, “I don’t think you can link climate change to any one event. On the whole, on the cumulative, climate change may be making storms worse. But to link it to any one event, I would caution against that.” Still Lemon would not dispose with the climate change angle. He asked whether the populated and developed areas on Florida’s coastline were contributing to bigger storms. “Florida’s coastline has been massively developed. Is this impending storm a warning about that, given the strength of the storms that we are now seeing, as I said before, much bigger in intensity than in my 50-something years on this earth growing up on the Gulf Coast?” Don Lemon blasted for claiming Biden ‘lying’ about Georgia voting law was just him ‘misspeaking’ The CNN anchor was slammed last year for claiming that President Joe Biden misspoke when he made false statements that a major Georgia voting law ends voting on election day hours earlier than before. Though the Washington Post gave Biden’s claims “four Pinocchios” – its rating for the most egregious misinformation – and CNN fact-checker Daniel Dale admitted Biden wasn’t being truthful, Lemon insisted that Biden had accidentally said the wrong thing and that conservatives were making a big deal of the remark.  Dale explained Biden’s error, writing, “First, the new law does not change Georgia’s Election Day voting hours, which still end at 7 p.m. Second, while the law does set a default end time of 5 p.m. for early voting on weekdays and on Saturdays, counties were already allowed to end early voting at 5 p.m. under the previous law. The new law gives counties the option to offer early voting as late as 7 p.m. if they want to.” While covering the story on his show however, Lemon defended Biden’s patently false assertions.  He stated, “Get this, Republicans have a new talking point, trying to turn Trump’s big lie onto Joe Biden, saying Joe Biden is lying about what’s in Georgia’s new voting law that restricts ballot access.”  A corresponding chyron stated, “New GOP talking point: Trying to turn Trump’s ‘Big Lie’ on to Biden for misspeaking about Georgia’s voting law.” DON LEMON REJECTS ‘NARRATIVE’ NEW CNN BOSS WANTS TO SHIFT NETWORK TO POLITICAL CENTER WITH CHARLAMAGNE THA GOD On air, Lemon wonders if Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 disappeared into ‘black hole’ in Indian Ocean Near the beginning of his primetime CNN career, Lemon may have uttered his most fantastical and devoid-of-facts claim ever. In 2014, the anchor wondered on air if the infamous disappearance of the Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 happened because of a “black hole” in the Indian Ocean. During a CNN panel in March 2014, Lemon earnestly asked his guests whether it was “preposterous” that a black hole could have absorbed the commercial aircraft. The segment even featured a chyron stating, “The theory of black holes.”  In 2014, Lemon once asked a serious question to the panel on his primetime show whether it was “preposterous” to think a black hole swallowed Malaysian Airlines Flight 370.  (Paul Marotta/Getty Images) During the bit, Lemon read from a series of tweets theorizing...