Digital Arizona News

Arizona Senate Showdown: Democratic Sen. Kelly And GOP Challenger Masters Face-Off In Their Only Debate https://digitalarizonanews.com/arizona-senate-showdown-democratic-sen-kelly-and-gop-challenger-masters-face-off-in-their-only-debate/ With just over a month to go until November’s midterm elections, Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona and Republican nominee Blake Masters will share the same stage Thursday evening in their only debate in a crucial battleground state race that’s one of a handful which will likely determine if the GOP wins back the Senate majority. Kelly is a former astronaut who narrowly won election in 2020 to serve the final two years of the term of the late GOP Sen. John McCain, and Masters is a venture capitalist who’s heavily supported by former President Donald Trump. The two frontrunners will join Libertarian nominee Marc Victor for the debate, hosted by Arizona PBS and the Arizona Citizens Clean Elections Commission. Kelly has crushed Masters when it comes to fundraising and currently holds a 3.9 point advantage over his Republican challenger according to an average of the most recent public opinion polls compiled by Real Clear Politics. The most recent Fox News poll in the state, conducted Sept. 22-26, indicated Kelly with a six-point lead over Masters. Masters in August captured the GOP Senate nomination in a crowded and combustible primary, thanks to the support of Trump. Masters strongly backed Trump’s unproven claims that his 2020 election loss to President Biden was due to massive voter fraud. Arizona was one of the key swing states where Biden narrowly edged Trump two years ago. Also boosting Masters was the more than $15 million that his former boss, tech billionaire and PayPal founder Peter Thiel, poured into a super PAC backing Masters’ primary campaign.  WHAT THE LATEST FOX NEWS POLL IN BATTLEGROUND ARIZONA SHOWS File photos of Democratic Sen. Mark Kelly of Arizona (left) (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images for Breitling) and the state’s Republican Senate nominee Blake Masters (right) (Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images) (Dimitrios Kambouris/Brandon Bell) The race in Arizona is one of the most expensive in the nation, with the campaigns, party committees, and allied outside groups dishing out over $120 million on ads so far this election cycle. Chuck Coughlin, veteran Arizona based political consultant, told Fox News that Masters clearly has the most to gain from the debate.  THESE 11 SENATE RACES WILL DETERMINE WHICH PARTY CONTROLS THE MAJORITY “It’s a one-on-one opportunity with the incumbent U.S. Senator. Masters hasn’t had that before and there’s a need for him to put some runners on base,” Coughlin said. “Kelly’s campaign has been disciplined. It’s been running the narrative that it wants to run and I think that Masters has been responding to the narrative rather than leading his own. It will be an opportunity for Masters to potentially try and turn the tables and put Kelly on the defensive for the first time.” Former President Donald Trump (L) stands with Republican Senate candidate Blake Masters at a rally in support of Arizona GOP candidates on July 22, 2022 in Prescott Valley, Arizona. (Mario Tama/Getty Images) Coughlin said he expects Masters to go on the offensive on border security and immigration, which he said “are the biggest issues in Arizona,” and inflation. “Arizona has some of the worst inflation in the country,” he added. CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP And Coughlin noted he expects Kelly to argue “how can you believe what [Masters] says” after the GOP nominee has softened his position on banning abortion and on his support for Trump’s repeated re-litigation of the 2020 election. He also expects the senator to spotlight Masters comments criticizing America’s armed forces.  Paul Steinhauser is a politics reporter based in New Hampshire.  Read More Here

Donald Trump Confidant Roger Stone https://digitalarizonanews.com/donald-trump-confidant-roger-stone/ Synopsis In upcoming hearing, the House committee investigating the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol is likely to focus on the activities of long-time Donald Trump confidant Roger Stone. Agencies Roger Stone, architect of the “Stop the Steal” movement, claimed falsely that former US President Donald Trump won the 2020 election but that US President Joe Biden‘s supporters had stolen it from him. Stone also conversed with crucial Trump campaign and White House officials and members of two right-wing militia groups the committee says helped foment the January 6 attack, the Proud Boys and Oath Keepers. To prevent Congress from confirming Biden‘s electoral victory before the election, the committee will review documents and other information that raise new questions about Stone’s involvement in the Trump administration. The January 6 committee did not respond to requests for comment on its next public hearing. The hearing was not formally scheduled after Hurricane Ian cancelled the September 28 hearing. The laundry list of legal cases against Donald Trump ​The laundry list of legal cases against Donald Trump In a video obtained by the committee, Stone explains how the Trump team counts votes well in advance of the November 3, 2020, election and then uses force, if necessary, to challenge anyone who challenges them. Films taken by Danish filmmakers, who followed Stone on and off for several years, have been shown on CNN, and the committee plans to air them as well. Trump and his supporters would claim victory, challenge election officials with force if necessary, and then take the matter to court so he could get a victory from Trump-appointed judges. There has been no release date for the film “A Storm Foretold.” FAQ Was Stone part of the US Capitol riots of January 6? It is believed he was an accomplice, but further information isn’t present. Why was the September hearing canceled for the case? Due to Hurricane Ian. Disclaimer Statement: This content is authored by an external agency. The views expressed here are that of the respective authors/ entities and do not represent the views of Economic Times (ET). ET does not guarantee, vouch for or endorse any of its contents nor is responsible for them in any manner whatsoever. Please take all steps necessary to ascertain that any information and content provided is correct, updated, and verified. ET hereby disclaims any and all warranties, express or implied, relating to the report and any content therein. (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.) Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News. …moreless ETPrime stories of the day Read More Here

Judge Brent Harris Officially Celebrates His Appointment In Coconino County https://digitalarizonanews.com/judge-brent-harris-officially-celebrates-his-appointment-in-coconino-county/ Lifelong Arizonan Brent Harris has been practicing law for exactly 18 years. For most of that time, he thought of himself first as a rugby player — an ordinary guy who wanted to live in a more just world. “Some of my buddies from elementary school and high school reminded me that I wanted to be a judge way back when I was growing up in Mesa,” he said. “Largely that was because I had a really wide variety of friends and I felt like they got treated differently. I’m 6 1/2 feet tall, 300 pounds, a football player … so when we would have our desert parties … some of my friends would get in trouble and I would just get asked how the football season was going. It seemed like there was differential treatment going on. It sparked a lifelong interest in justice.” Three months ago, he quietly donned judge’s robes for the first time in Coconino County (likely with a bolo tie to match) and set to work fulfilling a dream. “I’ve been knocking on the door for a long time. I ran for judge in…I think it was 2014, back when you could still run and get elected as a judge, and I narrowly lost that election,” Harris said. He was appointed, at last, this summer. “I didn’t make much fanfare about it. I was trying to hide and find out how to do my job,” he said. “June 20th was my first day as a judge. It was kind of funny — they sent me to the judge’s conference the next day, so I’m with all these very experienced judges and they’re like, ‘How long have you been a judge?’ and I’m like, ‘Well…I kind of haven’t yet.’ It made for some interesting conversations.” Harris celebrated his investiture over the weekend, an official ceremony to mark his ascension to the highest seat in a courtroom. For him, the day had a lot of power. It was a chance to celebrate with family, friends and colleagues he’s known for decades. It was also an opportunity for Harris to make his debut in the community, and he hoped, start a dialogue. “It gives people a chance to meet me and ask me questions,” he said. “I’m really open to a give and flow of information. I can’t really talk about certain cases or specific cases, but I can talk about my judicial philosophy or what I think is important as a judge.” Harris doesn’t have his own courtroom, yet. He’s in an office nicknamed “The Dorm.” It comes with a mini-fridge, and space for him and his judicial assistant to tackle their tasks. When he described heading into a courtroom for a case, he conjured images of Superman headed off to don his cape — judge’s robes tossed over his shoulder, hurrying down the historic corridors of the courthouse. He’s not shy about gesturing to a seemingly never-ending stack of papers on his desk. He arrived at a busy time for the courts in Coconino County. “I really describe myself as a pressure-relief valve,” Harris said. He explained that COVID backlogs and a busy schedule might cause cases to pile up, but he understands delays aren’t great for anyone. He said they put pressure on the court, but also on families involved in civil cases. “That’s really my main goal is justice and fairness and swiftness. I’m trying to be swift while being fair and just.” On the issues, he’s not afraid to talk about what he believes in. For a time, Harris worked at the City of Flagstaff and played a role in championing alternative response programs — programs meant to divert people from the criminal justice system and provide treatment where there was only punishment in the past. “A thousand of my cases a year were dealing with what we call serial inebriates, just people with substance use issues who found their way into the justice system because we didn’t have another option for them. That’s just a waste of everybody’s time, criminalizing mental health, criminalizing substance use. Society is kind of turning the corner on that,” Harris said. Not long before he became a judge, Harris helped work on getting the CARE Unit off the ground, the EMT/Mental Health First Response teams that are on the streets today responding to “man down” calls. “One thing I liked about doing criminal defense all those years was that 98% of my clients were not bad people. They were people who made a bad choice. They did something stupid. Sometimes they would do a lot of something stupid over and over again, but they were not evil people,”  Harris said. “I’ve met a couple of evil people in my 18 years, and I can count them on one hand. They’ll stay with me for the rest of my life, probably. Everybody else? Really good people in bad situations, in tough situations, and thankfully I’m not doing criminal cases now.” In his current assignment, Harris presides mostly over divorce court and family law cases. He still likes to encourage litigants to reach resolutions outside the courtroom and refers them to alternative resources where needed. He’s been through a divorce, and that life experience has taught him still more empathy to elements of his judicial philosophy. “I wouldn’t wish a divorce on my worst enemy. It’s the worst thing that happened to me, and it’s the worst thing most people will go through in their lives. When there are kids involved, I really try to remind them to set their own interests aside and think about what’s going to be best for the kiddos in the short term and in the long term,” he said. “I give that lecture three or four times a day five days a week. I know you’re angry and this is really hard, but keep your kids front and center.” Caring about kids is also a core part of what defines Harris, and is perhaps one of the reasons he applied for the position now occupied by Angela Kircher, who works in the juvenile division, before landing his current job. “[As a lawyer] I did (child protective agency) cases where I would be appointed to represent either parents or kids that had been removed from the home, oftentimes in really tragic circumstances. That was really tough, being a 26- or 28-year-old guy who thought of himself as a rugby player representing these kids in just these awful circumstances,” Harris explained. “I did a lot of juvenile delinquency cases where a lot of my kiddos had one or both parents in prison. The only adult male role models they had were gang members … which got me into Big Brothers Big Sisters of Flagstaff. They had a program called the Step Up program at the juvenile hall. I would try to get my kids involved in that, get them involved in rugby, try to give them a positive outlook, something to do with all that energy.” Harris would become the president of the Boys and Girls Club chapter more than once. Even now, he still volunteers for events with the nonprofit, saying he believes strongly in the value of mentorship and appropriate adult relationships for kids in tough situations. One thing he has given up is rugby. “I had to quit playing rugby because I’d had too many injuries and it got kind of tough showing up to court with a black eye or broken fingers, so I switched over to Highland Games — less concussions. Still some exercise,” he said with a chuckle. He spent his 14-year rugby career with the local Landsharks. Now that journey, which began with a rather insistent suggestion from a former boss at a law firm (run by now-Rep. Ann Kirkpatrick) has ended. Harris can file his accomplishments in the sport alongside other highlights in his life and career prior to his investiture. Harris has been a realtor, a nonprofit leader and a lawyer. He racked up mile after mile on Arizona highways in a Toyota Camry, driving from court to court in northern Arizona as a defense attorney. He was the public defender for the City of Cottonwood and ran his own law firm where he specialized in guardianship, estate planning and conservatorships. After the birth of his daughter, he opted to try his hand as a prosecutor for a time. “After 11 years of doing criminal defense, I became a prosecutor. About a year after, they hired me to be the chief prosecutor — which I did for six or seven years all the way up until I took this job,” he said. A towering person, Harris said he couldn’t be happier about raising his kids in the shadow of towering ponderosa pines. Ultimately, he said, he hopes his judgeship marks the culmination of his career, and a chance to make his thoughts known to “wider circles,” effect policy change and live in a place he loves. “I call it wonderland all the time. We live in wonderland and fall in wonderland is just as good as spring and summer,” he said. “I am so grateful I get to raise my kids in the forest.” Sierra Ferguson can be reached at sierra.ferguson@lee.net.  Get local news delivered to your inbox! Subscribe to our Daily Headlines newsletter. Read More Here

Hear Pom Pom Squad's New Single With Song Confessional, “River” https://digitalarizonanews.com/hear-pom-pom-squads-new-single-with-song-confessional-river/ Mobile confession booth, recording studio, and podcast Song Confessional collects recordings of people recounting their stories, and sends those recordings to artists to inspire original songs. Their latest collaboration is with Pom Pom Squad, whose leader Mia Berrin was inspired by an anonymous man’s story of the ending of his marriage, following the death of his father. We’re premiering the resulting track, “River,” and you can stream it below. “River” moves away from the grungy sounds of Pom Pom Squad’s 2021 debut LP, Death of a Cheerleader, for something more slowed-down and atmospheric. Berrin worked on the song with songwriter and producer Boyfriend and in-house Song Confessional producers Walker Lukens and Jim Eno (of Spoon), and she says, “Working on this project with Boyfriend, Walker, and Jim was certainly a learning experience for me. Pretty much everything about the Song Confessional process is antithetical to my writing process for PPS. For starters, more often than not, I write alone and I write slowly. Certain songs I’ve held onto for years – waiting until I deem myself, my work, my circumstances, good enough to release them. Having to conceptualize, write, and record a song for release in a day required me to rewire my brain in a way that was challenging and, initially, anxiety-inducing, but ultimately was incredibly valuable. It was also just a lot of fun to spend a scorching day in Texas messing around in the playground that is Jim Eno’s studio! I’m very grateful to have been a part of it.” “This session went down during SXSW ‘22 in between Mia and Jim’s show schedule,” Lukens says. “It’s hard enough to write and record a song based on someone else’s experience in a limited period of time. Then add in the fact that Mia and her band are running around playing twice a day and she’d never met or written with Boyfriend before. That’s a lot of variables. I can’t believe she was able to extract something so tender and universal out of this confession.” An episode of the Song Confessional podcast about “River,” featuring an interview with Mia, will be out next week, on October 13. Pom Pom Squad have North American shows supporting Bartees Strange coming up in November and December, including NYC dates on November 15 at Elsewhere and November 16 at Bowery Ballroom. See all dates below. Pom Pom Squad River loading… POM POM SQUAD: 2022 TOUR Oct 12 Wed Leeds Beckett Students’ Union Leeds, United Kingdom Oct 13 Thu O2 Ritz Manchester, United Kingdom Oct 14 Fri Roundhouse London, United Kingdom Oct 16 Sun SWG3 Glasgow, United Kingdom Oct 17 Mon The Academy, Middle Abbey Street Dublin, Ireland Oct 19 Wed Chalk Brighton, United Kingdom Oct 20 Thu SWX Bristol, United Kingdom Oct 21 Fri O2 Institute Birmingham, United Kingdom Oct 23 Sun Backstage By The Mill Paris, France Oct 24 Mon Ancienne Belgique Brussels, Belgium Oct 25 Tue Melkweg Amsterdam, Netherlands Oct 26 Wed Bürgerhaus Stollwerck Köln, Germany Oct 28 Fri SO36 Berlin, Germany Oct 29 Sat Klub Hybrydy Warsaw, Poland Oct 30 Sun Rock Café Prague, Czech Republic Nov 2 Wed Strom Munich, Germany Nov 3 Thu Gruenspan Hamburg, Germany Nov 7 Mon Turf Club St Paul, MN, United States * Nov 8 Tue Thalia Hall Chicago, IL, United States * Nov 9 Wed The Loving Touch Ferndale, MI, United States * Nov 11 Fri Horseshoe Tavern Toronto, ON, Canada * Nov 12 Sat Le Studio TD Montreal, QC, Canada * Nov 14 Mon The Sinclair Cambridge, MA, United States * Nov 15 Tue Elsewhere Brooklyn, NY, United States * Nov 16 Wed Bowery Ballroom New York, NY, United States * Nov 18 Fri The Fillmore Philadelphia Philadelphia, PA, United States * Nov 19 Sat 9:30 Club Washington, DC, United States * Nov 29 Tue Parish Austin, TX, United States * Nov 30 Wed Deep Ellum Art Company Dallas, TX, United States * Dec 3 Sat ZONA Music Festival Phoenix, AZ, United States Dec 5 Mon Music Box San Diego, CA, United States * Dec 6 Tue Regent Theater DTLA Los Angeles, CA, United States * Dec 7 Wed The Independent San Francisco, CA, United States * Dec 9 Fri Neumos Seattle, WA, United States * Dec 10 Sat Fox Cabaret Vancouver, BC, Canada * Dec 11 Sun Doug Fir Lounge Portland, OR, United States * Dec 13 Tue The Urban Lounge Salt Lake City, UT, United States * Dec 14 Wed Bluebird Theater Denver, CO, United States * Dec 15 Thu Slowdown Omaha, NE, United States * Dec 18 Sun Terminal West Atlanta, GA, United States * Dec 19 Mon The Basement East Nashville, TN, United States * * – supporting Bartees Strange Read More…

California Family, Including Baby, Found Dead After Armed Kidnapping https://digitalarizonanews.com/california-family-including-baby-found-dead-after-armed-kidnapping/ Four members of a California family, including a baby, were found dead two days after authorities said they were kidnapped at gunpoint in an incident that set off a manhunt. Law enforcement officials had been searching for 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, mother Jasleen Kaur, 27, father Jasdeep Singh, 36, and the baby’s uncle Amandeep Singh, 39, since they were reported missing on Monday. Surveillance footage captured outside the family’s business in Merced, a city of nearly 90,000 people east of San Jose, showed them being led out and driven away by an armed man. “Tonight, our worst fears have been confirmed,” Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke said Wednesday in a news conference. “We found the four people from the kidnapping, and they are in fact deceased.” Officers were called to an “extremely rural farm area” around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday by a farmhand who came across the victims’ bodies while at work, Warnke said. Deputies and detectives arrived at the scene and found the bodies of the victims “relatively close together,” he said. Authorities at a news conference played CCTV footage that showed an armed man walking into a building off South Highway 59 that was identified as the family’s trucking business. The man was then seen leaving with the family members, some of whom appeared to have their hands zip-tied behind their backs, and loading them into a vehicle before driving away. Earlier in the day, authorities said they took a person of interest in the kidnapping into custody. Identified as Jesus Manuel Salgado, 48, he tried to take his own life before he was apprehended and was taken to a hospital in critical condition, the sheriff’s office said. At a previous news conference, county law enforcement officials said Salgado was convicted of a robbery in 2005 and released on parole in 2015. Authorities said the motive behind the kidnapping was still unclear Wednesday. Investigators, including crime lab experts, were planning to work through the night to comb through the crime scene, Warnke said. “Now, our focus is on conviction,” he added. Merced County law enforcement on Oct. 5 detailed the kidnapping of a California family of four, including an 8-month-old. A suspect is in custody. (Video: Reuters) Family members of the victims were notified of their deaths Wednesday and connected with resources for “spiritual guidance,” Warnke said. “There are no words right now to describe the anger I feel and the senselessness of this incident,” Warnke said. Andrea Salcedo contributed to this report. Read More Here

Bank Of England Says Pension Funds Were Hours From Disaster Before It Intervened https://digitalarizonanews.com/bank-of-england-says-pension-funds-were-hours-from-disaster-before-it-intervened/ Buses pass in the City of London financial district outside the Royal Exchange near the Bank of England on 2nd July 2021 in London, United Kingdom. Mike Kemp | In Pictures | Getty Images Many LDIs are owned by final salary pension schemes, workplace pension plans popular in the U.K. that provide a guaranteed annual income for life upon retirement, based on the worker’s final or average salary. The LDIs needed to liquidate substantial portions of their long-term gilt positions as the values of the bonds fell early last week, and could have done so in an orderly fashion providing gilt prices did not deteriorate too rapidly. In a letter Wednesday to Conservative Party lawmaker Mel Stride, chairman of the Treasury Select Committee, Bank of England Deputy Governor Jon Cunliffe revealed that LDIs issued dire warnings on the evening of Sep. 27, as 30-year gilt yields rose by 67 basis points from their position that morning. Yields move inversely to prices. “The Bank was informed by a number of LDI fund managers that, at the prevailing yields, multiple LDI funds were likely to fall into negative net asset value. As a result, it was likely that these funds would have to begin the process of winding up the following morning,” Cunliffe explained. “In that eventuality, a large quantity of gilts, held as collateral by banks that had lent to these LDI funds, was likely to be sold on the market, driving a potentially self-reinforcing spiral and threatening severe disruption of core funding markets and consequent widespread financial instability.” Bank of England staff worked through the night on Tuesday, Sep. 27 to come up with an intervention that would avert this potential crisis, in “close communication” with the U.K. Treasury, which agreed the next morning to indemnify the Bank’s rescue operation. The 30-year gilt yield fell more than 100 basis points after the Bank announced its emergency package on Wednesday Sep. 28, offering markets a much-needed reprieve. Cunliffe noted that the scale of the moves in gilt yields during this period was “unprecedented,” with two daily increases of more than 35 basis points in 30-year yields. “Measured over a four day period, the increase in 30 year gilt yields was more than twice as large as the largest move since 2000, which occurred during the ‘dash for cash’ in 2020,” he said. “It was more than three times larger than any other historical move. Gilt market functioning was severely stretched, particularly at the long end of the curve.” Read More Here

Trump Wants CNN To ‘prove The Big Lie’ In $475 Million Defamation Case Against Network https://digitalarizonanews.com/trump-wants-cnn-to-prove-the-big-lie-in-475-million-defamation-case-against-network/ Former President Donald Trump says his defamation case against CNN for nearly half a billion dollars is about trying to force the media company to “prove the Big Lie,” a term its anchors and reporters frequently use to describe claims that the 2020 presidential election was illegitimate. Mr. Trump hit the network with a $475 million lawsuit on Monday over accusations that it used its “massive influence” to repeatedly air falsehoods about him. “They talk about the ‘Big Lie.’ I said, well, prove the ‘Big Lie.’ The ‘Big Lie’ is not a big lie at all. It’s the opposite. The ‘Big Lie’ is the opposite. All the stats — we have everything,” the former president told Real America’s Voice network’s “Just The News No Noise” on Wednesday. “Unfortunately, we haven’t had judges that want to look at it. They don’t want to change elections, etc. But you show us it’s a ‘Big Lie,’ they will never be able to do that. So, we sued CNN for a lot of money.” There is no evidence of widespread voter fraud, and lawsuits brought by Mr. Trump and others in the wake of the election were rejected by federal judges. Still, Mr. Trump has a long-running feud with CNN. He vowed to bring legal action against the outlet earlier this year, but he’ll face high legal hurdles to prove his case because of his status as a public figure and First Amendment protections afforded to journalists. The lawsuit name-checked several CNN anchors, on-air personalities and pundits, including hosts John King, Jake Tapper, Brianna Keilar and Don Lemon. Mr. Trump’s lawyers asserted that the use of the phrase “Big Lie” was meant to associate him with Adolf Hitler, who was mentioned 53 times. Read More Here

Opinion | Villainizing Opposing Political Party Endangers Society https://digitalarizonanews.com/opinion-villainizing-opposing-political-party-endangers-society/ “Too much of what is happening in our country is not normal.”  President Joe Biden made this statement on Sept. 1, 2022, while addressing the nation about dangers to democracy that former president Donald Trump’s followers — or “MAGA Republicans,” in line with Trump’s slogan to “Make America Great Again” — pose. He continued: “Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundation of our republic.” Whether you agree with this statement or not, it’s undoubtedly a public attack toward a certain demographic. Throughout the speech, Biden talks of unity while simultaneously slandering the opposition, doing the exact opposite of the speech’s supposed intention. Animosity between opposing parties is inevitable — their beliefs don’t align. Though, the events that have occured within the previous two presidencies, such as threats against bureaucrats, plotting to kidnap the governor of Michigan and the attack on the U.S. Capitol — all mentioned by the Journal of Democracy as part of increased political violence — should raise alarm to American society. The leaders of the country are currently influencing hateful behavior, and it isn’t just causing verbal dispute between the parties: It’s riots, vandalism, death threats and actual deaths.  It was clear when Trump campaigned in 2016 that the divide between the two parties expanded. Throughout his presidency, this issue only progressed, with each party making hateful remarks about the other. While Trump had the authority to minimize this hate as a figure of influence, he only exacerbated it by making outrageous remarks about the Democratic party and its members. An example of this, according to The Washington Post, was in 2019 when he claimed that four Democrat lawmakers, all of whom were people of color, should leave the country. He said they should “go back” to “the crime infested places from which they came,” according to The Post. The article continues: He then backed up this claim by stating he doesn’t care if what he said was offensive because people agreed with him. Comments like this continued throughout Trump’s presidency as he took advantage of his social media platforms to spread negativity. This perpetuated the hate within his following and the Democratic party. Once elections came about again in 2020, the tension only heightened between the parties and within society, as demonstrated by the Capitol attack Jan. 6, 2021.  For our generation, this polarization is terrifying and needs to be acknowledged. Politics are relevant in students’ lives and it’s important for students to be able to debate with each other about their stances without feeling hatred toward the other party or fearing that sharing their beliefs will cause backlash.  Jack Levy, a junior at JMU, said he’s often afraid to share his right-wing views as he’s received criticism from both students and teachers at the university.  “I don’t feel comfortable speaking up as I have experienced a few teachers making comments towards my opinion and students coming at me saying stuff over social media,” Levy said. “Once I shared my opinion with a teacher and they stated that they respected my opinion but that it is wrong.” This polarization is everywhere, and U.S. leaders are setting an awful precedent for young and impressionable minds that it’s OK to judge someone based on their political stance.  Junior Rachel Gordon said she’s a Democrat now, but she grew up with conservative and religious perspectives. She said the ability to see different points of view is beneficial.  “I think it’s important to understand both sides, and I think it’s a problem that people are so stuck in their ways,” Gordon said. “It’s frustrating having a conversation when the other person knows that they won’t change their viewpoint or even listen to the opposing side.” The ability to communicate civilly is something our society has lost. According to CNN, on Sept. 18, a man was charged with felony vehicular homicide after saying he hit someone with his car because of a political dispute. He claimed he felt threatened because the person was “part of a Republican extremist group,” according to the article from CNN. What could’ve been a sophisticated conversation instead ended in a tragic death. In the grand scheme of things, the leaders of the U.S. have the most responsibility in maintaining democracy. They should refrain from perpetuating negative dialogues and encourage the country to come together. Sadly, most are neglecting this power, so responsibility falls to the citizens to try and establish civility. Gordon shared various ways students and young adults can refute this negativity.  “I think it’s important for people to view both sides, be aware how the algorithm is catering to each side, see politicians for who they are, watch out for fake news and most importantly, listen to both sides,” Gordon said. Contact Oriana Lukas at lukasok@dukes.jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and Twitter @Breeze_Opinion. Read More Here

Boutique Law Firm In Miami Joins Trump’s Legal Fight After Others Steer Clear https://digitalarizonanews.com/boutique-law-firm-in-miami-joins-trumps-legal-fight-after-others-steer-clear/ Big law firms didn’t want Donald Trump as a client. Now a boutique Miami-area firm is elevating its profile by representing the former president. In an announcement first shared with NBC News, the president’s newly hired lawyer, Chris Kise, has joined Continental. The firm has a stable of Trump loyalists with deep Florida GOP ties and attorneys who describe their mission as a legal antidote to “woke cancel culture” that they say has taken over “Big Law.” Kise, a former solicitor general for Florida who also was attorney for the gubernatorial transition teams of both Govs. Ron DeSantis and Rick Scott, who’s now a U.S. senator, said Continental has “exceptional firepower” to represent Trump and other clients, including conservative figures and causes. As a South Florida-based firm, Continental is well-positioned for the court fight — and possible criminal charges — related to the trove of highly sensitive records the FBI says it seized Aug. 8 from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. Trump petitioned the Supreme Court on Tuesday in connection with a special master’s review of the documents. Joining Kise and other Trump lawyers on the filing was one of Continental’s attorneys, Lazaro P. Fields, a former assistant U.S. attorney in the Northern District of Florida. Continental’s other attorneys include Carlos Trujillo, Trump’s former ambassador to the Organization of American States, who served in the Florida House; Richard Corcoran, DeSantis’ former state education commissioner and a past state House speaker; Paul Hawkes, a former Florida First District Court of Appeal judge in Tallahassee; and Jesus M. Suarez, a former chair of the Republican National Lawyers Association and a DeSantis appointee on a judicial nominating commission. Suarez said the firm was happy to fill the void left by firms that wouldn’t represent Trump or others like him. “We’re absolutely thrilled to represent conservatives who were shunned by Big Law,” he said. “The fact that there’s a segment of the legal establishment that won’t represent a former president of the United States because they disagree with his political views is antithetical to the practice of law.” NBC News legal analyst Joyce White Vance, a former federal prosecutor, said representing Trump isn’t easy. “It’s not surprising that lawyers who would typically be delighted to take on representation of a former president have hesitated here,” she said, “because of the reputational damage suffered by so many of the lawyers who have represented the former president, including, in its most extreme forms, disbarment and prosecution.” Michael Cohen, a former Trump attorney who pleaded guilty to a campaign finance scheme tied to Trump, said he’s the worst of clients. “The big firms are electing not to represent Trump for two reasons: First, Trump doesn’t listen to his lawyers’ advice. In this respect, Trump’s biggest issue is himself. Secondly, his history of stiffing law firms is notorious,” Cohen said. Trump’s orbit is also notorious for its backstabbing and internal discord, which Kise experienced last month when anonymous sources told CNN he had been “sidelined” from the Mar-a-Lago case. Kise said it was untrue, and, supporting what he said, he was listed as counsel of record on the Supreme Court brief filed Tuesday with some of the other attorneys in the case. Kise declined to discuss the internal dynamics of Trump’s legal team. “I’m excited to work on a team with such exceptional legal firepower, and it gives me the privilege to work with good longtime friends,” he said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Read More Here

Pouring Scorn On 'annexations,' Ukraine Reclaims More Territory In The South And East; 'You've Already Lost' Kyiv Tells Moscow https://digitalarizonanews.com/pouring-scorn-on-annexations-ukraine-reclaims-more-territory-in-the-south-and-east-youve-already-lost-kyiv-tells-moscow/ Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy told Russia’s leadership that it cannot win the war as Kyiv counts more gains on the battlefield, both in the south around Kherson and in the east, with Ukrainian troops pushing from Donetsk into Luhansk. “You have already lost. Lost because even now, on the 224th day of the full-scale war, you are forced to explain to your people the purpose of all this — this war, deceitful mobilization, self-destruction of your nation’s every prospect.” Ukrainian soldiers on a personnel armored carrier on a road in the Donetsk region on Oct. 5, 2022, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Anatolii Stepanov | Afp | Getty Images Zelenskyy thanked Ukrainian troops for their successes in reclaiming dozens of settlements in the south of Ukraine, in the Kherson region, and said “there will be more” gains to come. “Ukrainians know what they fight for. And more and more Russian citizens realize that they must die simply because one single man does not want to stop the war,” he said, speaking in Russian. The renewed push in Ukraine’s counteroffensives comes after Russia announced last week that it was “annexing” four regions of Ukraine. Kyiv’s successes on the battlefield are showing Moscow that its self-proclaimed “hold” on those regions is fragile. Sweden says investigation into Russian pipeline leaks strengthens suspicion of ‘gross sabotage’ Sweden’s national security service on Thursday said a crime scene investigation into the gas leaks from two underwater pipelines connecting Russia to Germany “strengthened the suspicions of gross sabotage.” Sweden’s Security Police said the investigation found there had been detonations at the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in the Swedish exclusive economic zone, which caused “extensive damage” to the pipelines.   It added that “certain seizures have been made,” without offering further details, adding that these would now be reviewed and analyzed. Read more on the story here — Sam Meredith Ukraine has liberated more than 154 square miles of territory in Kherson Ukraine’s armed forces have liberated more than 400 square kilometers (154 square miles) of territory in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine, and “are advancing further,” according to a military spokeswoman. “Our successes are quite convincing. We do not name the directions, but more than 400 square kilometers of Kherson region have already been liberated from the occupiers. And we are moving forward,” Natalia Humeniuk, spokeswoman for Ukraine’s southern command unit said on Thursday, according to comments reported by news agency Ukrinform. Humeniuk’s comments come after President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and other Ukrainian officials have hailed Ukraine’s advances in Kherson, one of four regions that Russia claimed to have “annexed” last week. — Holly Ellyatt Kremlin says Russia will not be invited to join pipeline investigation Russia said it has been informed that there are no plans to invite it to join an investigation into the recent Nord Stream gas leaks, Reuters reported Thursday. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters that Russia considers it impossible to conduct an investigation without Moscow’s participation. Russia and Europe’s energy ties have deteriorated over the summer, with gas supplies via the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline (the only one in use) stopping and starting over the summer. The pipelines were physically damaged last month, with leaks at both the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines occurring under suspicious circumstances. The damage prompted an international outcry with the EU vowing a “robust” response to attacks on its energy infrastructure. Russia denied it had sabotaged the pipelines. Climate scientists described the shocking images of gas spewing to the surface of the Baltic Sea as a “reckless release” of greenhouse gas emissions that, if deliberate, “amounts to an environmental crime.” Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images On Thursday, Sweden’s Security Police said its own preliminary investigation had “strengthened the suspicions of gross sabotage” to the pipelines, which they said showed “extensive damage.” — Holly Ellyatt Russian forces shell Zaporizhzhia twice, residents told to shelter Ukrainian firefighters push out a fire after a strike in Zaporizhzhia on October 6, 2022. Marina Moiseyenko | Afp | Getty Images Russian forces have shelled the southern city of Zaporizhzhia several times today with residential buildings being hit in the early hours of the morning. Oleksandr Starukh, the head of the Zaporizhzhia regional military administration, said on Telegram this morning that residential buildings had been struck with two people killed in the attacks and others wounded and trapped under the rubble. Ukrainian firefighters clear debris after a strike on Zaporizhzhia on October 6, 2022. Marina Moiseyenko | Afp | Getty Images Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian president’s office, slammed the attacks, calling the Russian forces “crazy cowards” for launching rocket attacks on apartment buildings. “Russian terrorists are able to fight only with civilians,” he wrote on Telegram. Both officials posted footage and images of the destruction following the rocket attacks showing the same buildings as the Getty images above. — Holly Ellyatt Russia has few ‘high quality forces’ available to stabilize Kherson front, UK says A damaged car, which was carjacked by Russian soldiers, pictured in front of a damaged hospital building on Sept. 27, 2022, in Vysokopillia, Ukraine. Global Images Ukraine | Getty Images News | Getty Images Russia has “few additional, high quality rapidly deployable forces available” to stabilize the front in Kherson in southern Ukraine, according to Britain’s Ministry of Defense, and Moscow likely aims to deploy mobilized reservists to the sector. Reflecting on Ukraine’s push to reclaim territory in Kherson, the ministry said that Ukrainian units have advanced southward, pushing the front line forward by up to an additional 12.5 miles and “primarily making gains along the east bank of the Inhulets [river] and west bank of the Dnipro [river], but not yet threatening the main Russian defensive positions.” Russian forces have typically broken contact and withdrawn, the ministry noted, adding that Russian commanders are likely to see the growing threat to the Nova Kakhovka area (a town on the south bank of the Dnipro river) as “one of their most pressing concerns” given that the damaged river crossing there remains one of the few routes available for them to resupply forces in Kherson. The U.K. ministry said Russia faces a dilemma given the fact that the “withdrawal of combat forces across the Dnipro makes defence of the rest of Kherson Oblast more tenable; but the political imperative will be to remain and defend.” — Holly Ellyatt More settlements liberated in ‘annexed’ region Luhansk Ukraine’s armed forces are making progress in liberating settlements in Luhansk, an eastern region that Russia claims to have “annexed.” After announcing that the “de-occupation of Luhansk” had begun Wednesday, the Ukrainian head of the Luhansk regional military administration Serhiy Haidai said Wednesday evening on Telegram that Ukrainian troops had “begun to liberate the occupied settlements of Luhansk region: six small settlements have been liberated as of now, but there may be more by the morning.” Haidai refrained from naming the settlements that had been liberated. “We are not naming the villages yet, because the Russians then out of malice start shelling them powerfully,” he noted, adding: “the de-occupation continues … there should be good news every day.” Ukrainian forces have made swift and significant progress after recapturing the strategically important town of Lyman, which was used by occupying Russian forces as a logistics hub, in Donetsk before pushing toward neighboring Luhansk. A Ukrainian army press officer shows the debris of Russian air strike aircraft Su-34 at a collection point of destroyed Russian armored vehicles at an animal feed plant in the recently retaken town of Lyman in the Donetsk region, on Oct. 5, 2022. Yasuyoshi Chiba | AFP | Getty Images Ukraine’s gains in both eastern regions which make up the larger Donbas (which contains two pro-Russian, separatist “people’s republics” of Luhansk and Donetsk), come after Russia announced last week that it had “annexed” Luhansk and Donetsk, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south. There has been renewed vigor in Ukraine’s counteroffensives in the east and south since the “annexations,” which Ukraine and its allies call illegal and illegitimate, and its forces have made gains around Kherson too. Kyiv has vowed to fight until it reclaims all its lost territory. — Holly Ellyatt ‘You’ve already lost’ the war, Zelenskyy tells Russia Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy poses for a pictures with Ukrainian servicemen as he visits the town of Izium, recently liberated by Ukraine’s armed forces, in the Kharkiv region of Ukraine on Sept. 14, 2022. Gleb Garanich | Reuters Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has told Russia’s leadership that it cannot win the war. “You’ve already lost. Lost because even now, on the 224th day of the full-scale war, you are forced to explain to your people the purpose of all this — this war, deceitful mobilization, self-destruction of your nation’s every prospect,” he said in Russian in his nightly address. Zelenskyy thanked Ukrainian troops for their successes in reclaiming dozens of settlements in the Kherson region in southern Ukraine and said “there will be more” gains to come. “Ukrainians know what they fight fo...

Forecasters Track Disturbance, Depression https://digitalarizonanews.com/forecasters-track-disturbance-depression/ SHORT. THIS MORNING, WE ARE ONCE AGAIN TREKKING THE TROPICS. SHELDON: WE METEOROLOGIST KELLIANNE KLASS HAS BEEN MONITORING THAT SYSTEM IN THE CARIBBEAN. WHERE IS IT HEADED? KELLIANNE: THERE ARE TWO THAT WE ARE WATCHING. WE HAVE TROPICAL DEPRESSION 12 AND INVEST 91-L THAT IS EXPECTED TO MOVE WESTWARD. HAPPY TO SAY, NONE OF THESE SYSTEMS ARE GOING TO IMPACT CENTRAL FLORIDA. IT IS JUST A GOOD REMINDER THAT WE ARE NOT DONE WITH HURRICANE SEASON JUST YET. TROPICAL DEPRESSION 12 IN THE EASTERN ATLANTIC IS EXPECTED TO BECOME A REMNANT LOW LATER ON TODAY, NOT LOOKING LIKELY THAT IT WILL BE NAMED. THEN, WE HAVE INVEST 91. IT COULD BE OUR NEXT TROPICAL DEPRESSION IN THE NEXT DAY OR SO, AS IT CONTINUES THAT WESTWARD TREK. IT LOOKS LIKE IT WILL CLIP THE NORTHERN PORTIONS OF SOUTH AMERICA AND CONTINUE ON ITS WESTWARD JOURNEY THROUGH THE CARIBBEAN AND INTO CENTRAL AMERICA. IT GETS NAMED, IT WOULD BE JULIA, BUT IT HAS TO BECOME A TROPICAL STORM OR HIGHER TO GET A NAME. BACK AT HOME, WE WI Forecasters track disturbance, depression As Florida still reels from Hurricane Ian, forecasters are keeping an eye on two activity spots in the Atlantic Ocean.As of Thursday morning, Tropical Depression 12 was about 635 miles west of the Cabo Verde islands. The storm had winds of 35 mph and was moving west-northwest at 13 mph.”Slow weakening is forecast, and the depression is expected to become a remnant low on Thursday,” the National Hurricane Center said.A second disturbance is brewing over the far southeastern Caribbean Sea, and the NHC gives the system an 80% chance of formation in 48 hours and a 90% chance of formation in five days.”While land interaction with the northern coast of South America may hinder significant development during the next day or so, environmental conditions are expected to be mostly conducive for development as the system moves generally westward, and a tropical depression is likely to form in the next couple of days by the time the system enters the south-central Caribbean Sea,” the NHC said.Neither of these systems are expected to impact Florida.KNOW 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. — As Florida still reels from Hurricane Ian, forecasters are keeping an eye on two activity spots in the Atlantic Ocean. As of Thursday morning, Tropical Depression 12 was about 635 miles west of the Cabo Verde islands. The storm had winds of 35 mph and was moving west-northwest at 13 mph. “Slow weakening is forecast, and the depression is expected to become a remnant low on Thursday,” the National Hurricane Center said. A second disturbance is brewing over the far southeastern Caribbean Sea, and the NHC gives the system an 80% chance of formation in 48 hours and a 90% chance of formation in five days. “While land interaction with the northern coast of South America may hinder significant development during the next day or so, environmental conditions are expected to be mostly conducive for development as the system moves generally westward, and a tropical depression is likely to form in the next couple of days by the time the system enters the south-central Caribbean Sea,” the NHC said. Neither of these systems are expected to impact Florida. 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. 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

5 Things To Know For October 6: Mar-A-Lago, Ukraine, Gas Prices, Covid-19, Thailand – ABC17NEWS https://digitalarizonanews.com/5-things-to-know-for-october-6-mar-a-lago-ukraine-gas-prices-covid-19-thailand-abc17news/ By Alexandra Meeks, CNN Hundreds of companies are testing out a four-day work week to determine if employees can maintain the same level of productivity despite the reduction in work time. So far, the experience has been positive, and some experts say the results could shift the perspective of remote work in the near future. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On With Your Day. Here’s what else you need to know to Get Up to Speed and On with Your Day. (You can get “5 Things You Need to Know Today” delivered to your inbox daily. Sign up here.) 1. Mar-a-Lago A new court filing has revealed new details about what the FBI seized from former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence during its search this summer. Among the items seized were clemency requests, health care documents, IRS forms and paperwork that appears to be related to the 2020 election, according to a Justice Department list made public this week. The collection also included apparent communications about Trump’s various business connections. Full details of the documents aren’t available, but taken together, experts say the list offers a glimpse into a handful of the thousands of documents Trump was keeping at his Florida resort after his presidency. 2. Ukraine The US intelligence community believes that the car bombing that killed Darya Dugina, the daughter of prominent Russian political figure Alexander Dugin, was authorized by elements within the Ukrainian government, sources briefed on the intelligence told CNN. Russia had accused Ukrainian nationals of being responsible for the attack, which Ukraine had strongly denied in the aftermath of the explosion. In response to the latest reports, Ukrainian defense officials told CNN that Ukraine had nothing to do with Dugina’s death. Meanwhile, Russian forces today fired several missiles on the city of Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, officials said. Zaporizhzhia is one of four areas of Ukraine that Russia claims to have annexed — in violation of international law and despite the protests of Western governments. 3. Gas Prices Gas prices in the US are starting to rise again and some industry analysts say more increases are likely on the way. Prices increased nearly 3 cents a gallon in AAA’s daily reading on Wednesday to an average of $3.83 a gallon — the biggest one-day hike in nearly four months. This comes after OPEC+ said Wednesday it will slash oil production by about 2 million barrels a day. The Biden administration criticized the decision by the group of major oil producers, which includes Saudi Arabia and Russia, calling it “shortsighted” and saying that it will hurt low- and middle-income countries already struggling with elevated energy prices the most. 4. Covid-19 Covid-19 boosters could prevent about 90,000 US deaths this winter, but only if more people get the shots, a new analysis suggests. The study, published Wednesday by The Commonwealth Fund, said if booster vaccinations continue at their current pace, the nation could see a peak of more than 1,000 Covid-19 deaths per day this winter. On average, there are now more than 400 daily Covid-19 deaths in the US, data shows. About two-thirds of the US population is fully vaccinated with at least their initial series, according to the CDC. But only about a third of the population has received a booster dose. 5. Thailand At least 22 children were among 34 people killed in a mass shooting at a child care center in northeastern Thailand today, officials in the country said. Authorities had immediately launched a manhunt for the suspected shooter, who was later identified as a 34-year-old former policeman who had been involved in an ongoing court case for allegedly selling drugs. Investigators later confirmed the suspect had killed his wife and child before taking his own life. The mass shooting took place at the Child Development Center in Nong Bua Lamphu province, according to the prime minister’s office. While gun ownership in Thailand is relatively high compared with other countries in Southeast Asia, mass shootings in the country are rare. BREAKFAST BROWSE Classical statue of Hercules nearly 2,000 years old found in Greece Archaeologists unearthed a stunning artifact after digging on a main street in Greece. Take a look at the classical statue here. How a 12-foot skeleton became the hottest Halloween decoration around Halloween enthusiasts are racing to Home Depot to get their hands on this massive yard decoration affectionately known as “Skelly.” Fat Bear Week 2022: It’s time to vote The annual Fat Bear Week has arrived at Katmai National Park & Preserve — and they want you to decide which bears should be crowned chubby champions of 2022. Hilary Swank is pregnant and expecting twins Actress Hilary Swank is going to be a mom — of two! The rise of sleep tourism Soundproof walls. Pillow menus. Bedtime teas. A growing number of sleep-focused rooms are popping up in hotels and resorts across the world. IN MEMORIAM Kim Jung Gi, an acclaimed comic book artist, died suddenly this week, his US agent told CNN. He was 47. The influential South Korean artist crafted sprawling, intricately detailed scenes with unbelievable speed, often before a live audience. Kim was in Paris for an exhibition of his work when he experienced chest pains. He was transported to a hospital where he died, according to a statement shared on his verified social media accounts. TODAY’S NUMBER 15,000 That’s how many rainbow-colored fentanyl pills were recently found in a Lego box as part of a drug trafficking scheme in New York City. It is the largest seizure of the drug in the city’s history, US Drug Enforcement Administration authorities said, adding that a 48-year-old woman has been charged with possession of the controlled substance. According to Special Narcotics Prosecutor Bridget G. Brennan, fentanyl is involved in more than 80% of overdose deaths in New York City. TODAY’S QUOTE “We’re absolutely concerned about rebuilding. This could happen again, and it will happen again. However, we will be prepared. We will rebuild, and we will rebuild stronger and better than we were before.” — Richard Johnson, vice mayor of Florida’s Sanibel Island, on communities working to rebuild in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian. Every home on Sanibel Island was damaged in one way or another, and people have lost everything in some cases, Johnson said. At least 125 people died as a result of the storm, officials said — 120 of them in Florida and five in North Carolina. TODAY’S WEATHER Check your local forecast here AND FINALLY The beauty of deep-sea creatures Watch this short video to see some of the otherworldly creatures that emerge from the deep ocean at night. (Click here to view) The-CNN-Wire & © 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. Read More Here

House GOP Amps Up Talk About Impeaching Biden's Border Chief, Posing A Test For McCarthy – KVIA https://digitalarizonanews.com/house-gop-amps-up-talk-about-impeaching-bidens-border-chief-posing-a-test-for-mccarthy-kvia/ By Melanie Zanona and Manu Raju, CNN House GOP Leader Kevin McCarthy will be swiftly confronted in a Republican majority with a politically dicey proposition gaining steam within his conference: Launching impeachment proceedings against President Joe Biden’s top official in charge of the southern border. Senior Republicans and a number of McCarthy allies are signaling little appetite — for now — in immediately impeaching Biden himself, despite the push among a handful of far-right Republicans seeking to remove the sitting President from office if their party takes the House in next month’s midterms. But more than a dozen of former President Donald Trump’s top congressional allies — and several Republicans close to the leadership — told CNN that the focus instead should be on targeting Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, and that a new GOP majority should hold impeachment proceedings over the problems at the border. Senior GOP sources close to leadership say it’s a matter of when — not if — House Republicans initiate an impeachment inquiry and that Mayorkas has become their No. 1 target, with their base itching for revenge after Trump’s two impeachments. Impeaching a Cabinet official has only happened once in US history, and the issue would become moot if Mayorkas were to resign. But talk of impeaching Mayorkas already has prompted internal pushback among some veteran Republicans who are skeptical that their policy disputes with the Cabinet secretary meet the bar of charging him with committing “high crimes and misdemeanors.” Yet as they have railed over the migrant crisis in their push to regain the House, a number of leading Republicans fully endorse the idea and acknowledge it’s one that McCarthy will have to deal with if he wins the speakership following the midterms. “Mayorkas deserves (impeachment) for sure, because we no longer have a border,” said Republican Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, a McCarthy ally who is in line to chair the powerful House Judiciary Committee, which oversees impeachment proceedings. But while Jordan personally supports the idea, he believes it will be “a conference decision,” saying, “I think we’ll all sit down. Kevin is open to sitting down and figuring out what we do.” Added Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado, a freshman GOP firebrand who has already endorsed impeachment articles for both Biden and Mayorkas: “Secretary Mayorkas should be a priority. Joe Biden’s his own demise.” Yet McCarthy must also contend with a larger yet less vocal group of moderate and mainstream Republicans, who are wary of the potential political blowback over such a move and warning their colleagues not to weaponize the most powerful oversight tool at their disposal. GOP Rep. Steve Womack of Arkansas said Republicans “should focus on policy” and “leave some of the other more emotional topics for another day.” “The risk is if people lose faith in the ability of Congress to even do its basic function,” Womack said of voter blowback for impeaching Mayorkas. “The people that I talk to from all stripes tell me they want a Congress that works — not a Congress that is preoccupied with kind of revenge-type agendas. Because then a lot of other things (that) need to happen don’t get to happen. And then that hurts the country.” So far, McCarthy has carefully sidestepped impeachment questions, insisting Republicans are not going to pre-determine the outcome but are willing to go wherever the facts and the law lead them. Yet McCarthy has not shut the door on the idea either, particularly when it comes to Mayorkas. And when pressed by CNN on whether Mayorkas is vulnerable to impeachment in a GOP-led House, he replied: “What happens at the border is above everything else.” Democrats argue the talk is politically motivated and have instead called for Republicans to revisit immigration legislation that they say would alleviate the influx at the border. Biden’s Homeland Security Department has strongly defended its handling of the migrant crisis at the border, and said Mayorkas is solely focused on his mission at the agency — and has no intention of stepping down. “Secretary Mayorkas is proud to advance the noble mission of this Department, support its extraordinary workforce, and serve our country,” a DHS spokesman said in a statement. “He has no plan to resign.” Inside the strategy shift How McCarthy handles the impeachment drive from his right flank will be a defining moment of his potential speakership. Those calls — while doomed in the Senate — may be difficult, if not impossible, to resist if McCarthy is working with narrow margins in the House, and those demands are only going to grow louder in the immediate aftermath of a potential GOP takeover next month. Some lawmakers think McCarthy may be more amenable to impeaching Mayorkas than Biden, describing it as a release valve for the inevitable pressure from his right. Going after Mayorkas, even if it’s a fruitless endeavor that would almost certainly fail in the Senate, would also force more attention on immigration and the border, two issues that rile up the GOP base and that Republicans are eager to keep in the spotlight. Indeed, part of the reason for the shift in strategy: These Republicans believe they’ll have an easier time convincing McCarthy and their GOP colleagues to go along with impeaching a Biden political appointee versus a President who was elected to his position, a more politically tenable move that still would throw red meat to the base, according to GOP sources familiar with their thinking. And of all the various impeachment articles already filed by House Republicans, the resolution calling for Mayorkas to be removed from his post has by far the most cosponsors, with 31 GOP lawmakers backing the effort thus far — including Rep. Yvette Herrell of New Mexico, who is in a competitive reelection race, and Rep. Kevin Hern of Oklahoma, who is poised to take over the conservative Republican Study Committee next year. “There is a greater appetite among Republicans to impeach Mayorkas,” said conservative Rep. Bob Good of Virginia, a member of the hardline House Freedom Caucus. “The reason is, in my opinion, some don’t have the stomach for impeaching Biden or are fearful of the political impact of impeaching Biden. So, (the thinking is) here’s a consolation prize.” Republicans say there’s ground to impeach Mayorkas over allegedly failing to maintain operational control of the border, which they argue caused an influx of fentanyl and illegal immigration, while accusing him of standing in the way of more stringent border controls like constructing Trump’s border wall. One GOP congressman, Rep. Chip Roy of Texas, accused Mayorkas of lying to him under oath. The DHS has begun staffing up and taking other steps to prepare for potential investigations and impeachment proceedings in a GOP-led House, according to sources familiar with the situation. But the agency has defended how it has handled the situation at the border, while arguing they’re dealing with a broken immigration system. The Biden administration is still implementing a Trump-era pandemic emergency rule, known as Title 42, that allows authorities to turn away migrants at the US-Mexico border following a court order earlier this year. But that authority has limits, and border officials have been overwhelmed by shifting demographics — many of the migrants are now from Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua. The department maintains that the border is secure, but the change in people arriving at the US southern border has posed a steep challenge given in part frosty relations that largely bar the US from removing those nationalities. DHS has also noted that more individuals encountered at the border will be removed or expelled this year than any previous year, while the agency has stopped over 10,000 pounds of fentanyl from coming into the country during the first six months of this year, though the majority of fentanyl drug smuggling attempts occur at ports of entry. If Mayorkas were to be impeached, he would join the ranks of William Belknap, the secretary of war, who was the only Cabinet official ever to be impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors by the House before being acquitted by the Senate in 1876, according to congressional records. Some Republicans don’t think it would be the right move to have Mayorkas meet the same fate. “I don’t think it’d be a very wise decision, and I don’t think (premature impeachment talk) would be appropriate to engage in,” said veteran Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahoma, who is the ranking member of the House Rules Committee. “Even talking about that impeachment right now is irresponsible, because it’s a very serious thing. And it’s gotta be handled seriously.” said moderate Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, who sits on the House Intelligence Committee. “I felt the same way about the previous attempts as well. We have to restore it to what it was always intended to be, which is a last resort.” Republicans setting stage for impeachment inquiry Regardless of whether Republicans end up going the impeachment route, there will be aggressive oversight of Mayorkas in a GOP-led House, as well as fierce funding fights over border security. Of the more than 500 preservation letters that House Republicans have sent to the Biden administration, a substantial chunk of them have been focused on the border, according to sources familiar with all the requests. Republicans are seeking more information from the Department of Homeland Security about who is coming across the border; the status of the border wall; the administration’s plan to stem the flow of fentanyl and other drugs coming across the border; an...

My Generation Needs To Tell Biden And Trump They’re Too Old | Mulshine https://digitalarizonanews.com/my-generation-needs-to-tell-biden-and-trump-theyre-too-old-mulshine/ It was one of those moments that made the long drive to New Hampshire worthwhile. The occasion was a rally for Bernie Sanders in the run-up to the 2020 Democratic presidential primary. Warming up the crowd for Sanders was a band from New York called Sunflower Bean. The band was fronted by Julia Cumming, a blonde, part-time model who looked like the very image of youthful enthusiasm – which isn’t hard to do when you’re just 24 years old. I didn’t know most of the songs until Cumming played that catchy bass line that leads into the Who’s “My Generation.” The crowd went crazy. No one seemed to notice the line that goes “I hope I die before I get old.” Peter Townshend was just 20 when he wrote that line. Sanders was 78 at the time of that rally. That didn’t seem to register with the crowd of college kids – or with the Democratic primary voters across the state. They gave the win to Bernie. Technically he’s not even a Democrat, however. So the party leaders chose to unite around Joe Biden, then a mere youngster at 76. Now they’re stuck with him – just as the GOP is stuck with Donald Trump. It’s an open question which one is showing the most age-related impairment. At a recent anti-hunger event in the White House, Biden called out for a congresswoman who had died in a car crash the month before. His press secretary was forced to issue an explanation that didn’t explain anything – something she does on a regular basis. Meanwhile Trump has become one of those crazy old coots who spews out wacky ideas to anyone who will listen. Unfortunately, his lawyers have to listen. So when he came up with the idea of suing CNN on the grounds that their unflattering coverage cost him the 2020 election, no one could tell him that’s insane. Every election hinges on press coverage. Don’t miss the best in editorials, opinion columns and commentary from NJ.com writers. Add your email here: Similarly, when Biden recently said about a 2024 re-election bid, “I’m going to do it again,” there was no one to tell him, “No, you’re not. You’re already too old.” Both these guys would profit from listening to the guy who wrote that song, Peter Townshend. Townshend was 20 when he wrote it in 1965. As he got older, interviewers would ask him about it. When he was 61, Townshend gave this response to one such interviewer: “I hope I die while I still feel this alive, this young, this healthy, this happy, and this fulfilled. But that may not happen. I may get creaky, cranky, and get cancer, and die in some hospice with a massive resentment against everyone I leave behind.” Pete’s now made it to 77 without getting creaky or cranky. But then he’s not president. Biden is – both president and creaky. As for Trump, he may not be as creaky but he’s certainly more cranky. In a recent online rant against the National Archives, he declared “I want my documents back!” – even though they’re not his documents. Then there was his Truth Social rant against Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell in which he asked if McConnell’s support of spending bills meant he has a “DEATH WISH.” Trump put those words and lots of others in capital letters. That’s the sort of thing you get from a distant relative – often not distant enough. In this case it’s not merely cranky; it’s close to criminal. In an editorial, The Wall Street Journal wrote that “A left-wing follower of Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders opened fire on Republican Members of Congress in 2017 and came close to killing Rep. Steve Scalise.” The editorial went on to state that “Many supporters took Mr. Trump’s rhetoric about former Vice President Mike Pence all too seriously on Jan. 6.” My sailing buddy, a former airline pilot, tells me that at a certain age “the airline tells you that you have to go.” Unfortunately we’d need to amend the Constitution to implement an age limit. But there is nothing stopping the leaders of the two major parties from making a deal: We’ll get rid of our old crank if you get rid of yours. I doubt such a deal is forthcoming, But the party that dumps its crank first will have a big advantage in 2024. As it happens, we baby-boomers were the ones who put Trump over the top in 2016, by a margin of 53 percent. The Donald likes to play rock tunes before his rallies. Someone needs to tell him to add “My Generation” to the list. More: Recent Paul Mulshine columns Paul Mulshine may be reached at pmulshine@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @Mulshine. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook and on Twitter. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Read More Here

Broadcast Veteran, Station Owner, Programming Guru Todd Wallace Passes Away At 75 https://digitalarizonanews.com/broadcast-veteran-station-owner-programming-guru-todd-wallace-passes-away-at-75/ by Roy Trakin October 6, 2022 at 1:20 AM (PT) Todd Wallace (ne Mueller) TODD MUELLER, who owned KZKZ/FLAGSTAFF, AZ, and was Director Of AM Operations for AM/FM BROADCASTING (which merged with CLEAR CHANNEL), passed away at 75 at his residence in MESA, AZ. Under his radio name TODD WALLACE, he also founded and owned the leading consultancy and research company RADIO INDEX. MUELLER was born on APRIL 18th, 1947 in WICHITA, KS. He began his broadcasting career as a DJ at the age of 15 in his hometown as TODD WALLACE III (aka TW THE 3RD). He spent the next seven years at KLIF/DALLAS, KIMN/DENVER, KILT/HOUSTON, CKLW/DETROIT-WINDSOR, ON and KEZY/LOS ANGELES before joining KRUX/PHOENIX as the morning man in 1970. Within six months, he was promoted to PD, beginning his celebrated programming career.  In 1972, he was recruited to become the PD to turn around the ratings at KTSA/SAN ANTONIO, which he achieved in four months. GARY STEVENS convinced him to return to PHOENIX as the morning on-air personality and PD of KRIZ. In late 1974, he was called to fix the ratings for KLIF/DALLAS-FORT WORTH, receiving national attention in the broadcasting community.  This led to return to PHOENIX as VP/Programming for KUPD. In 1976, he partnered with renowned sales consultant KEN GREENWOOD in launching his research company, RADIO INDEX, also launching TODD WALLACE/ASSOCIATES, which went on to consult over 100 radio stations worldwide.  In 1983, he owned KZKZ/FLATSTAFF, AZ, for three years before joining KTAR and KLITE as Operating Manager and PD. He was later recruited to become the Director/AM operations for AM/FM BROADCASTING (which merged with CLEAR CHANNEL). He retired from broadcasting in 2013 while continuing his RADIO INDEX research company. In 2014, after 51 years of mastering his craft in the radio and broadcasting business, THOMAS ARTHUR MUELLER was inducted into the ARIZONA BROADCASTERS ASSOCIATION HALL OF FAME under his professional radio name, TODD WALLACE.  He is survived by his brother (RICK MUELLER), his children (CHERISH FORBES, NOEL KHAN, ANTHONY MUELLER, BRANDON MUELLER and DIEGO FLAVIO LAMAS MEDINA) and five grandchIldren.  TODD adored the cats he had throughout his lifetime. In lieu of flowers, the family encourages a donation to your local HUMANE SOCIETY  A CELEBRATION OF LIFE service will be held SATURDAY, OCTOBER 22nd from 11a-2p (PT) at the DOBSON RANCH LA CASITA RECREATION CENTER in MESA, AZ. « see more Net News Read More Here

Fed Rate Hikes: What Will And Won https://digitalarizonanews.com/fed-rate-hikes-what-will-and-won/ Fed rate hikes have triggered a stock sell-off and heightened the risk of recession. But they also aim to stop rising prices. Which prices could the hikes lower and which prices won’t be affected? The Federal Reserve’s aggressive interest rate hikes this year have triggered a massive stock market sell-off and significantly increased the risk of recession all in the name of bringing down soaring inflation.  But will it work?  Rising rates increase consumer and business borrowing costs, which reduces demand for products and services broadly, leading suppliers to cut prices or stop raising them. But the immediate effect varies significantly across individual goods and services. “When consumers start to feel those higher interest rates hitting wallets… and when their desire or ability to buy is diminished, you’ll start to see demand ease,” says Katie Thomas, who leads the Kearney Consumer Institute, a think tank that studies consumer behavior.  For instance, some prices, like food, continue to go up, in part, because demand is so strong, said John Cochrane, a senior fellow at the Hoover Institution. “People are paying those higher prices. If people weren’t paying those higher prices, the prices would go down.”  Hikes and your wallet:: Fed raises interest rates by 0.75% again: Here’s how it will hit your wallet and portfolio What happens when the Fed raises interest rates? Traditionally, higher interest rates have had the most profound effect on big-ticket purchases like houses, cars and appliances that rely heavily on consumer financing, says Laura Veldkamp, a professor of economics and finance at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Business.  Where higher interest rates may help lower prices:   Appliances, furniture  The Fed’s actions should help lower the prices of appliances and furniture. Low and middle-income shoppers frequently finance purchases of living room sets or appliances with in-store financing at rates that can range from zero to upward of 30%.  As rates rise, some shoppers are likely to turn to less expensive models or forgo purchases altogether, Veldkamp says.  That softer demand should, at least on the margins, help nudge prices lower. But such impacts can take about two years to play out, Veldkamp says.  Homes  Home prices should continue to decline as a result of the hikes. The housing market already has significantly weakened because of the Fed’s hiking campaign. The average 30-year mortgage rate has shot up to more than 6% from 3.2% in January. That increases the monthly payment on a typical $312,000 mortgage by nearly $500.  A homebuyer’s market?: Home prices decline at rates seen close to a decade ago Inflation Reduction Act of 2022: Answering your common questions about the legislation. Existing home sales are down 20% from a year ago as of August and median home prices are down 6% since reaching a record high in June, according to the National Association of Realtors.  Rent  Rent should go down as the central bank raises borrowing costs. Wages are up almost 7% compared with a year ago, according to the Atlanta Fed’s Wage Growth Tracker. That’s the fastest rise in more than 20 years. That’s allowing producers to pass on more price increases to consumers.   To get inflation under control the Fed needs to slow wage growth, said Omair Sharif, founder of research firm Inflation Insights. The Fed can accomplish that by raising interest rates to a point where it causes employers to slow hiring or lay off workers. That’s already happening in the tech sector.   When hiring demand slows, the wages employers are willing to pay for workers go down and raises are harder to get. Landlords typically base rental rates off renters’ incomes, which is often a requirement to disclose in a rental application. Last year when applicants’ incomes were higher than those in the prior year, landlords knew they could hike rent, Sharif said.   “If they see income going up 4%, they’re not going to raise rent by 6%,” he added.  Also, lower home prices should spur more renters to buy, easing demand and prices in the rental market, said Kathy Bostjancic, U.S. chief economist at Oxford Economics.  For the first time since December 2020, rents across the country fell by 0.1% in August, according to a report from property data company CoStar Group.  Airfares and hotels  Airfares and hotels should go down as rates go up. Since these purchases are discretionary, higher credit card rates, along with higher prices, should prompt many consumers to put off expensive trips until rates and borrowing costs come down, Channel and Thomas say.  Where higher interest rates may not help lower prices:   For the most part, the increase or decrease in supplies of goods is outside the Fed’s control. Yet they’re playing a significant part in boosting prices. For instance, nationwide outbreaks of avian flu, which began in February and continue to spread, are causing farmers to kill flocks of chicken. As a result, a carton of eggs is costing consumers nearly 40% more than a year ago.   Here the Fed’s primary tool, raising interest rates, isn’t going to help.  In Cochrane’s view, lawmakers bear a significant amount of blame for the inflation we’re experiencing as a result of doling out $5 trillion in stimulus aid during the pandemic. The aid, which included stimulus checks and enhanced unemployment benefits, successfully gave consumers an appetite to spend money. But because of supply side problems, producers couldn’t accommodate the spike in demand leading to persistently higher prices, Cochrane argued.   “Congress put the gas pedal on the floor and now they’re asking monetary policy to pull on the parking brake. That’s an imperfect way to run the economy.”  Cars  Fed rate hikes aren’t likely to help lower the price of cars just yet. New vehicle prices were up 10.1% annually in August, according to the consumer price index. Meanwhile, interest rates on auto loans are the highest in 12 years, according to Bankrate.   But that isn’t deterring consumers from buying cars. Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers rose by 2.8% in August on a monthly basis, according to retail sales data figures published by the Census Bureau.  Hate car shopping?: Here’s how to navigate the current seller’s market Brace yourself: Winter bills will send shivers up your spine with energy prices set to rise Historically, rate hikes have helped bring down car prices because so many consumers need to borrow money to buy a car, said Jacob Channel, senior economist at LendingTree.    But they’ve had a minimal impact on car prices lately since they’ve been overpowered by the effect of ongoing computer chip shortages which have constrained production and resulted in lower vehicle supplies and higher prices, he said..   Food  Fed rate hikes should have a minimal effect on food prices. Those prices, up 11.4% annually, largely have been propelled higher by supply chain bottlenecks, higher cost of labor, ingredients and fuel, unfavorable weather and Russia’s war in Ukraine, said William Snell, an agriculture economist at the University of Kentucky.  Consumers have already changed their buying habits as a result of high prices, opting for generic brands and fewer organic produce and meat alternatives, Snell said. But these switches aren’t significant enough to bring down prices, he added.  ‘Most expensive crop in decades’: Farmers face higher stakes than ever with inflation Cutting costs wherever possible: How farmers are managing sky-rocketing inflation Many consumers, of course, do pay for groceries by credit card, whose rates are directly affected by Fed rate moves. Yet since food is a necessity, shoppers are unlikely to stop buying bread or milk because their credit card rate rises, Channel says.   Gas  Gas prices won’t be very responsive to Fed hikes. Gasoline prices are mostly determined by oil prices, which are set on a global market, Veldkamp says. Still, Americans have driven less since U.S. gas prices peaked at about $5 in June, helping lower pump prices by about 20%.  Like food, even though consumers often pay for gas with a credit card, rate increases aren’t likely to cause them to cut back on gas, Veldkamp says.  Read More Here

Missing Merced Family Of 4 Found Dead Following Kidnapping: Sheriff https://digitalarizonanews.com/missing-merced-family-of-4-found-dead-following-kidnapping-sheriff/ A baby girl, her parents and uncle who were kidnapped at gunpoint from their central California business two days ago were found dead Wednesday, the sheriff of Merced County said. “Our worst fears have been confirmed,” Sheriff Vern Warnke told reporters Wednesday night. A farmworker found the bodies close together in a Merced County orchard, he said. The announcement came after authorities released surveillance video of a man kidnapping 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri; her mother Jasleen Kaur, 27; father Jasdeep Singh, 36; and uncle Amandeep Singh, 39, on Monday. The Merced County Sheriff’s Office holds a press conference to update the community about the kidnapped family found dead Wednesday. Authorities said they were taken by a convicted robber who tried to kill himself a day after the kidnappings. “There’s no words right now to describe the anger I feel and the senselessness of this incident,” Warnke said. “I said it earlier: There’s a special place in hell for this guy.” Investigators, including crime lab technicians from the California Department of Justice, would be processing the crime scene through the night, Warnke said. He didn’t immediately supply other details. The family members were taken from their business in Merced, a city of 86,000 people about 125 miles (200 kilometers) southeast of San Francisco in the San Joaquin Valley, California’s agricultural heartland. Relatives of Jesus Salgado, 48, contacted authorities reporting that he had admitted to them he was involved with the kidnapping, Warnke told a local station on Tuesday. Salgado tried to take his own life before police arrived at a home in nearby Atwater, and he has since been hospitalized. Efforts to reach Salgado’s family were unsuccessful Wednesday. The video released earlier Wednesday showed the suspect first walking by the property before talking to one of the men. Later, it shows him leading the men, who had their hands zip-tied behind their backs, into the back seat of Amandeep Singh’s pickup truck. The suspect then went back to the trailer that served as the business office and led Jasdeep Singh, who was carrying her baby in her arms, out and into the truck before the suspect then drove away. Family members said nothing was stolen from the trucking company but that their relatives were all wearing jewelry. Warnke had said that after the kidnappings, an ATM card belonging to one of the victims was used in Atwater, about 9 miles (14 kilometers) north of Merced. Warnke said the kidnapper made no ransom demands in what he believes was a financially motivated crime. Relatives of the victims had earlier asked anyone who owns a convenience store or gas station in the area to check their surveillance cameras for images of the suspect or the family. They said they were worried the baby wasn’t being fed because the family didn’t have any baby food with them at the time of the kidnapping. “Please help us out, come forward, so my family comes home safe,” Sukhdeep Singh, a brother of the victims, said, his voice breaking. The Merced County Sheriff’s Office released footage of the kidnapping of four family members at gunpoint in Merced, California. At the earlier news conference, Warnke said detectives had not been able to speak to Salgado, who has been under medical sedation in the hospital, but they were hoping to do so Wednesday with the help of doctors. “I can tell you that every time he has even come near consciousness he has been violent,” Warnke said. Salgado was previously convicted of first-degree robbery with the use of a firearm in Merced County, as well as attempted false imprisonment and an attempt to prevent or dissuade a victim or witness. He was sentenced to 11 years in state prison in that case, according to the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. He was released from prison in 2015 and discharged from parole three years later. He also has a conviction for possession of a controlled substance, the corrections agency said. Investigators have not found a link between Salgado and the family to show they knew each other before the kidnapping. “As of right now, we believe it was random,” Deputy Alexandra Britton said. “We don’t have evidence to prove otherwise.” Family members told a Sacramento TV station that the office for Unison Trucking Inc., the family’s business, had only opened about a week earlier. “My husband is very peaceful and calm person. We don’t have any clue why they kidnapped them,” said Jaspreet Caur, wife of the kidnapped uncle. The sheriff said detectives believe the kidnapper destroyed unspecified evidence in an attempt to cover his tracks. The sheriff’s office said that firefighters on Monday found Amandeep Singh’s truck on fire. Merced Police Department officers went to Amandeep Singh’s home, where a family member tried to reach him and the couple. When they were not able to reach their family members, they called the Merced County Sheriff’s office to report them missing, the office said. Merced County Undersheriff Corey Gibson said a farmer found a phone belonging to one of the victims on a street in Dos Palos, a town 30 miles (48 kilometers) southwest of Merced, and answered it when the family called it. Warnke said that while detectives have not established any motive or determined whether Salgado worked with any accomplices, he believes the suspect was driven by money and colluded with someone else. Stefanie Dazio reported from Los Angeles. News Researcher Jennifer Farrar in New York also contributed to this report. Read More Here

Thailand Shooting: Children Among At Least 34 Killed At Child Care Center, Officials Say | CNN https://digitalarizonanews.com/thailand-shooting-children-among-at-least-34-killed-at-child-care-center-officials-say-cnn/ Bangkok, Thailand CNN  —  At least 22 children were among 34 people killed in a mass shooting at a child care center in northeastern Thailand on Thursday, officials in the country said. Authorities immediately launched a manhunt for the suspected shooter, later identified by Thailand’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) as a 34-year-old former policeman who had been involved in an ongoing court case for allegedly selling drugs. The suspect had appeared in court in Nong Bua Lamphu province hours before “opening fire while the kids were sleeping,” according to Maj. Gen. Jirapob Puridet of the CIB. Investigators later confirmed the suspect had killed his wife and child before taking his own life. It is unclear if the shooter and his family are included in the current death toll. The mass shooting took place at the Child Development Center in Nong Bua Lamphu province’s Uthaisawan Na Klang district, according to a statement from the prime minister’s office. “The prime minister has expressed his condolences on the shooting incident,” the statement read. Puridet told CNN the former officer was dismissed from duty and “charged with selling narcotics” last year. Gun ownership in Thailand is relatively high compared with other countries in Southeast Asia. Mass shootings in the country are rare but a 2020 incident saw a soldier kill 29 people in a shooting spree that began at a military site and then sent shoppers hunting for cover after the gunman entered a mall. Read More Here

Two Arizona Marijuana Dispensaries Acquired https://digitalarizonanews.com/two-arizona-marijuana-dispensaries-acquired/ Dan Kingston 3 hours ago Cannabis News A leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis, Curaleaf, announced the completion of its previously announced acquisition of Tryke Companies (“Tryke”) (dba as Reef Dispensaries), a privately held vertically integrated, multi-state cannabis operator. With the close of the transaction, Curaleaf’s national footprint has reached 29 cultivation sites and 144 dispensaries nationwide. Matt Darin, CEO of Curaleaf, said, “As we continue to unite the strength of our brands, products and cultivation channels to lead the industry, we’re excited to join forces with Tryke to deliver additional value for our customers and retailers in Arizona, Nevada and Utah. This deal represents a significant opportunity with strong long-term growth potential, and we are now strategically positioned us to accelerate our growth in the West.” Tryke Companies Highlights: Four recreational and medical dispensaries: two in Nevada and two in  two in Arizona. Expansive product offering including a wide variety of in-house and third-party flower, concentrates, vape cartridges, edibles, topicals and CBD products. Extensive portfolio of processing licenses with 30,000 square feet of cultivation; capacity to expand to 80,000 square feet over the next three years. Curaleaf is opening a new dispensary in North Scottsdale this month. Stay tuned to AZmarijuana.com for news about the grand opening dates and celebration. About Curaleaf Holdings Curaleaf Holdings, Inc. (CSE: CURA) (OTCQX: CURLF) (“Curaleaf”) is a leading international provider of consumer products in cannabis with a mission to improve lives by providing clarity around cannabis and confidence around consumption. As a high-growth cannabis company known for quality, expertise and reliability, the Company and its brands, including Curaleaf, Select, and Grassroots provide industry-leading service, product selection and accessibility across the medical and adult-use markets. In the United States, Curaleaf currently operates in 21 states with 144 dispensaries, 29 cultivation sites, and employs over 6,000 team members. Curaleaf International is the largest vertically integrated cannabis company in Europe with a unique supply and distribution network throughout the European market, bringing together pioneering science and research with cutting-edge cultivation, extraction and production. Curaleaf is listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange under the symbol CURA and trades on the OTCQX market under the symbol CURLF. View AZ cannabis deals View AZ dispensaries Arizona Cannabis News and Info AZ Cannabis Updates Read More Here

Court Screwup Reveals Mar-A-Lago Judge’s Latest Absurdity https://digitalarizonanews.com/court-screwup-reveals-mar-a-lago-judges-latest-absurdity/ First, she stopped FBI special agents from even glancing at the classified documents they recovered from Mar-a-Lago. Then she appointed a special court referee that former President Donald Trump wanted to slow down the investigation over his mishandling of classified documents. But now, it’s clear District Court Judge Aileen Cannon already knew the Department of Justice was ready to hand Trump back a ton of personal records six days before she claimed the former president was suffering “a real harm” by being “deprived of potentially significant personal documents.” The “medical records” she worried the feds might leak to the press—what she called a “risk of irreparable injury” to the former president—were actually a doctor’s note Trump himself made public when running for the White House in 2016 as part of a publicity stunt. A description in court records indicates the feds were trying to return an addendum to the infamous, eye-rolling letter that a Manhattan doctor quickly typed up emphatically declaring, “If elected, Mr. Trump, I can state unequivocally, will be the healthiest individual ever elected to the presidency.” Those details were made public when the court screwed up Tuesday night and posted a sealed DOJ filing on the public docket, which was quickly caught by Bloomberg reporter Zoe Tillmann. The Aug. 30 letter to the judge, which is marked “sealed,” lays out the abundantly cautious way the DOJ treated its raid on Mar-a-Lago earlier that month. The FBI had a “privilege review team” of agents and lawyers conduct an initial sweep and sort through evidence to put aside anything that could taint an eventual prosecution of the former president—such as confidential letters between him and any of his 35 different lawyers. In the letter, a DOJ lawyer representing that “taint team” explained that three weeks after the seizure of goods at the oceanside Florida estate, the team was ready to return 43 items that had nothing to do with the investigation: legal documents ranging from his confidential settlement with the Professional Golfers’ Association to invoices from his attorney Alina Habba. The revelation makes even more obvious how far Cannon went to appease the president who gave her a lifetime appointment to the federal bench. And it’s only adding to what’s become a resounding consensus from legal scholars that Cannon is squarely on Trump’s side. Trump lawyers, who’ve gone judge-shopping for her in the past, seemed to do it again when they filed this lawsuit to freeze the FBI investigation. Avoiding the South Florida magistrate judge who initially approved the search warrant and was already overseeing the matter, Trump’s lawyers marked the case as unrelated to other pending litigation—diverting this over to another judge and ending up with Cannon. At the very first court hearing, Cannon signaled deep distrust of the DOJ and journalists. She expressed a belief that the FBI’s investigation of Trump for mishandling “top secret” records was somehow distinct from the federal government’s damage assessment over whether the nation’s secrets were put at risk. Legal analysts Teri Kanefield, Harry Litman, and others agonized over Cannon’s bizarre legal reasoning. At every turn since, she has granted Trump’s lawyers exactly what their client wants most: time to burn. “She’s just giving him the delay that he’s asked for,” said Peter M. Shane, a legal scholar at New York University’s law school. “She has obvious sympathy for Trump’s contention that, as a former president, he deserves super-consideration.” Trump’s lawyers wanted to hit the brakes on the FBI investigation. Cannon forbade the agents from reviewing the classified documents. They wanted to appoint a “special master” to micromanage the DOJ and review whether any seized document could be considered a privileged presidential record or attorney-client communication. Cannon didn’t just appoint one—she picked the semi-retired judge they wanted. Then, when Raymond Dearie turned out to be a no-nonsense arbiter who wanted to speed this process along—dangerously cornering Trump’s lawyers by telling them to formally explain whether Trump actually declassified these records—Cannon came swooping in out of nowhere to dial him back. “This is how a judge would behave… if her motivation was simply to be helpful to Trump,” Shane told The Daily Beast. The DOJ has already been moderately successful at appealing her decisions. The Eleventh Circuit, despite its conservative leaning, restored the FBI’s ability to keep reviewing the classified government records taken from Mar-a-Lago. And on Wednesday, the federal appellate court in Atlanta granted the DOJ’s pleas and agreed to expedite the appeal that could scrap the entire “special master” ordeal. But while the case makes its way through that process, legal scholars worry Cannon will continue to micromanage her chosen micromanager. “She seems to be cooperating quite well with the former president,” said Carl Tobias, a law school professor at the University of Richmond. Dearie was once the top federal prosecutor in Brooklyn and went on to become a federal judge, including a seven-year stint on the coveted and hyper-secret Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court, which is where the feds ask for judicial approval to conduct some kinds of spying on foreigners. His role in this case could keep it moving forward fairly, although some legal scholars are starting to worry whether he’ll stick around. “This is a person who spent 38 years building his enormous reputation. If I were a judge for 38 years… I wouldn’t want to be ordered around by someone who’s a lackey to Trump,” Tobias said. But her potential to harm the FBI’s investigation is far from over. Dearie’s role is merely to be a temporary referee to shepherd the potentially privileged document review process. His decision’s aren’t even final. Any conclusion he makes will still be submitted for approval to Cannon, who’s 37 years his junior and was a newborn in Colombia when he was already leading the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of New York while the crime rate was soaring. Tobias stressed that every day the case remains with Cannon is a step in the wrong direction, noting that she should have done the right thing: recognized that this case was already an extension of the Mar-a-Lago search and transferred it back to Bruce Reinhart, the magistrate judge who approved the search warrant. “I just don’t think she ever had jurisdiction,” Tobias said. “She could have kicked this back to the magistrate. To the extent this case had any validity, it belonged there—rather than have this. They forum-shopped to get her. It raises all kinds of issues.” Read More Here

Tucker Carlson: Dems Likely To Pick ‘senile’ Biden For 2024 https://digitalarizonanews.com/tucker-carlson-dems-likely-to-pick-senile-biden-for-2024/ Fox News Primetime Host Tucker Carlson has claimed the Democratic establishment has “benefitted greatly” from a “senile” Joe Biden and is likely to push the President to run for re-election in 2024. The 79-year-old President has continued to dismiss speculation on re-election as he stares down the November mid-terms which could see a Democratic Party wipe-out in Congress. Current opinion polls have Joe Biden marginally up from his mid-year trough and recording a 42 per cent approval rating. The President is even behind his predecessor Donald Trump at same stage of their terms leading many to speculate whether he will seek re-election. In an exclusive interview with Sky News Australia host Peta Credlin, Carlson said despite the disastrous polls, the Democratic Party establishment would likely throw its support behind the incumbent come 2024. Stream more US news live and on demand with Flash. 25+ news channels in 1 place. New to Flash? Try 1 month free. Offer ends 31 October, 2022 Carlson said Mr Biden had “worked pretty well” for the Democrats and the party was “not going to run” his Vice President Kamala Harris. “Joe Biden is senile and the down side is he’s not capable of organising your daughter’s birthday party much less running a government but the upside is he seems very non-threatening,” Carlson said. “Voters are not afraid of Joe Biden and of course he’s merely a proxy for the people who are actually running the US government – the faceless, diabolical figures who are driving us into the abyss. “So they’ve benefited greatly from having a senile president and the more I think about it, the more I imagine – why wouldn’t they run him again?” The President recently addressed the issue on the US 60 Minutes program where Mr Biden said it was “much too early” to make a call. Mr Biden said he would continue to do his job and delay the decision until a “timeframe that makes sense after this next election cycle here”. “My intention as I said to begin with is that I would run again. But it’s just an intention. But is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen,” Mr Biden said in September. As speculation continues to grow around re-election, the spectre of his predecessor, President Trump, continues to loom large in American politics. The former president has played a significant role in the Republicans’ campaign to win back control of the House and the Senate in the upcoming mid-terms. Mr Trump preached to Hispanic voters in Florida on Wednesday but he himself has not declared whether he will run for his party’s nomination in 2024. Carlson said while he was unsure about the former president’s intentions for the 2024 election, Mr Trump had played a significant contribution in altering American politics which “no one in America ever mentions”. “I would say his lasting contribution, and no one in America ever mentions this, is changing the fastest growing demographic in the US which is Hispanic voters,” Carlson said. “He was famously ‘anti-Hispanic’, he wanted to build a wall to keep the Mexicans out for reasons that no one discusses or maybe understands, (but) Donald trump is extremely popular with Hispanic voters, they seem to agree with him. “And because of Donald Trump, Hispanic voters who have traditionally voted Democrat are now voting, the majority of them, for Republicans. “That’s a huge change, it’s an unprecedented change, it’s a change no one expected and it’s a change that’s very much going to hurt the Democratic Party.” Read More Here

Public Interest In Having A Third Major Party Dips To 56% https://digitalarizonanews.com/public-interest-in-having-a-third-major-party-dips-to-56/ Story Highlights Support for having a third major party is down from high in 2021 At 56%, current desire for third party is near the long-term average Independents’ third-party support is steady near their all-time high WASHINGTON, D.C. — After reaching a high of 62% at the start of 2021, the percentage of Americans believing the existing political parties “do such a poor job that a third major party is needed” has returned to a more typical 56%. At the same time, four in 10 Americans do not see the need for a third party, agreeing that “the Republican and Democratic parties do an adequate job of representing the American people.” ###Embeddable### The 56% of Americans who currently believe the country would benefit from a third major party roughly matches the average 55% holding this view across Gallup’s trend, since 2003. Support was much lower in that initial measure (at 40%) than it has been in most years since. The perceived need for a third major party has also tended to be slightly lower in presidential and midterm election years (averaging 54% since 2006) than in nonelection years (57%). The election effect was especially pronounced in 2008 and 2012, when third-party support dropped nine or 10 percentage points from the year prior, into the mid-40s, although the reason for that is not clear. Since then, the dampening of third-party demand during election years has seemingly persisted, with support for a third party being two to four points lower in 2014, 2016, 2018 and 2022 than in the immediately preceding years. Independents Maintain Above-Average Third-Party Preference Desire for a third major party has always been much higher among political independents than either Democrats or Republicans, and that continues in 2022. However, after varying between 2003 and 2012, independents’ support has been consistently high over the past decade, not falling below 70% since 2013. And it has been especially high, near 75%, since September 2021. Republicans and Democrats have expressed relatively similar levels of support for third parties over the years. However, in two periods when Republican presidents were in power, Democrats’ support for a third party was significantly higher than Republicans’. These 12-point or greater party gaps — the result of depressed Republican interest in a third party and heightened Democratic interest — occurred between 2003 and 2007 during George W. Bush’s presidency and again in 2018 and 2020 during Donald Trump’s. The reverse pattern, with Republicans significantly more eager than Democrats for a third party during Democratic presidencies, was seen in 2011, 2016 and early 2021. ###Embeddable### Independents who lean toward either the Republican or Democratic Party show a desire for a third party that hews closer to their independent party identification than to their party leaning. According to combined 2021-2022 data, 76% of independents who lean toward the Republican Party and 76% of independents who lean toward the Democratic Party would like there to be a third major party in the U.S. Moderate/Liberal Republicans Increasingly Favor a Third Party Further differences in support for a third party are seen when combining respondents’ party preference and their political ideology. According to combined 2021-2022 data that span Biden’s term thus far, large majorities of independents (74%) and moderate/liberal Republicans (60%) are in favor of having a third major party. Support falls to a bare majority of liberal Democrats (51%), followed by less than half of conservative Republicans (45%) and barely a third of moderate/conservative Democrats (35%). These findings could reveal differences in each group’s contentment with their own party’s political players, as well as dissatisfaction with the opposing party. Moderate/Liberal Republicans’ broad support for a third major party is especially notable because it is sharply higher than the last time a Democrat (Obama) was in power, as well as 24 points higher than in Gallup’s earliest data, from 2003-2008, during the Bush era. Dissatisfaction with former President Trump could be a factor in this group’s elevated interest in having a third party. By contrast, conservative Republicans’ current desire for a third party roughly matches the level seen under Obama and is just eight points higher than under Bush. Regardless of their ideology, Democrats’ interest in a third party is generally consistent with Gallup findings during the Obama presidency and shows little change when compared with the 2003-2008 Bush-era readings. ###Embeddable### Bottom Line People’s belief that the two major parties do such a poor job that a third major political party is needed may stem from dissatisfaction with one or both parties, especially when one’s own party does not occupy the White House. It may also reflect people’s basic support for the core democratic values of pluralism, participation and freedom. However, it is one thing to want to see a third major party emerge and quite another for people to back such a party in the voting booth. If nothing else, structural barriers in election laws work against third parties’ succeeding. Still, Gallup’s third-party data show there is demand across the political spectrum for better leadership that well-conceived third parties may be able to tap into. With moderate/liberal Republicans more supportive of having a third party than they’ve been historically and second only to independents in this sentiment, third parties with a center-right focus might find the most traction right now. Of course, that insight could quickly become obsolete should a Republican win the presidency in the next election. To stay up to date with the latest Gallup News insights and updates, follow us on Twitter. Learn more about how the Gallup Poll Social Series works. View complete question responses and trends (PDF download). Read More Here

Petalfast Accelerates The Sale And Distribution Of Cannabis Brands In AZ https://digitalarizonanews.com/petalfast-accelerates-the-sale-and-distribution-of-cannabis-brands-in-az/ CEO of Petalfast, Jason Vegotsky expands Petalfast into Arizona, marketing cannabis brands to dispensaries throughout the state including Tucson and Phoenix.   (Courtesy/Petalfast)” href=”https://media2.fdncms.com/tucsonweekly/imager/u/original/33095651/jason_vegotsky.jpg” (Courtesy/Petalfast) CEO of Petalfast, Jason Vegotsky expands Petalfast into Arizona, marketing cannabis brands to dispensaries throughout the state including Tucson and Phoenix. Cannabis brands immersed in the Petalfast platform, such as Space Coyote, Emerald Sky, Bloom Brands and Yada Yada, now have a new way to expand their products into the Tucson dispensary market. Petalfast is the first-of-its-kind route-through-market platform for the thriving cannabis market in Arizona. “Petalfast is a selling organization with field marketing,” Petalfast CEO Jason Vegotsky explained. “Most of Arizona is vertically integrated and there’s very few specialists. We specialize in selling to integrated markets.” Petalfast helps cannabis brands thrive via its go-to-market accelerator program in California and  its full spectrum of agency services available to brands nationally.  Vegotsky said Petalfast will have a seven-person full-time team built in Arizona and 25 to 50 part-time brand ambassadors, all focused on selling brands into stores and selling them out of stores with trade marketing activity.  “Our partner is already licensed here, Consensus Holdings,” Vegotsky said. “And we will be taking their brands and looking for other brands to bring into our portfolio.” Petalfast helps the cannabis brands expand their marketing and products into dispensaries, such as setting up demos, budtender training, brand displays and getting products on the shelf. Petalfast, through its incubator program Pilot by Petalfast, also provides new and recently launched brands with direct access to leading retailers and opportunities to gain first-hand market analysis while also offering select retailers the opportunity to see future brands before they formally hit the market. “Consensus Holding (home to Feel Sublime) is who our distributor is in Arizona,” Vegotsky said. “And we will represent their brands as well.” Petalfast will be available to all the dispensaries in Tucson and across Arizona.  “We help the brands expand their marketing into the dispensaries,” he said. “We like to say we service brands better than everybody else.” Jason Vegotsky, chief executive officer of Petalfast, has an extensive background in sales and business development. He leads Petalfast with a team of professionals in sales, marketing and brand management on a mission to revolutionize the go-to-market for cannabis brands. “We are here and actively hiring our team,” Vegotsky said.  Prior to Petalfast, Vegotsky was the co-founder of Summit Innovations, Inc. and the driver of the company’s business development. Here, he expanded the business to over 600+ customers and 25 employees in its first year of operations. The company eventually sold to Kush Co Holdings where he was president and instrumental in the company’s growth. Read More Here

Gas Prices Today, October 6, 2022: Check The Cheapest Gas Stations Today https://digitalarizonanews.com/gas-prices-today-october-6-2022-check-the-cheapest-gas-stations-today/ There is concern among consumers in the United States of America, who are shocked to see gas prices rising once again, reaching a national average of 3.83 dollars per gallon. The situation is worst in California, but prices are also rising in other states too. With this in mind, it makes sense to look for the best price before filling up, no matter where you live. That’s why we’ve put together this guide to the cheapest gas stations in the major US cities. What state has the highest gas prices? California is once again the state with the highest overall average gas prices, as has predominantly been the case for many months. It has climbed back up, currently at 6.43 dollars per gallon. What state has the lowest gas prices? The cheapest price tends to alternate more frequently around the southern states but right now the cheapest average is in Mississippi where it is 3.09 dollars per gallon. States such as Louisiana, Texas, and Georgia are all not much more expensive. Where are the cheapest gas stations in the US? When it comes to finding the cheapest gas stations in the USA, these are the lowest-priced places to get gas in the top 10 most populated cities in the country: New York, New York (3.29 dollars): Shell, 1285 Bedford Ave Brooklyn, NY. Los Angeles, California (6.22 dollars): Speedway, 1205 S Alvarado St Los Angeles, CA. Chicago, Illinois (4.55 dollars): Costco, 1430S Ashland Ave Chicago, IL. Houston, Texas (3.05 dollars): Shell, 1605 Houston Ave Houston, TX. Phoenix, Arizona (4.69 dollars): Circle K, 1440 W Bell Rd Phoenix, AZ. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (3.39 dollars): Speedway, 1801 W Hunting Park Ave Philadelphia, PA. San Antonio, Texas (2.89 dollars): Sams Club, 3150 Sw Military Dr San Antonio, TX. San Diego, California (5.58 dollars): Shell, 2484 F St San Diego, CA. Dallas, Texas (2.95 dollars): Zang Food Mart, 1005 S Zang Blvd Dallas, TX. San Jose, California (5.99 dollars): Safeway, 1433 Berryessa Rd San Jose, CA. Read More…

Bodies Of Kidnapped Merced County Family Found. ‘Our Worst Fears Have Been Confirmed’ https://digitalarizonanews.com/bodies-of-kidnapped-merced-county-family-found-our-worst-fears-have-been-confirmed/ READ MORE Merced County family kidnapping Click the arrow below for more coverage of the kidnapping of a Merced County family. Expand All Merced County Sheriff Vern Warnke confirmed on Wednesday night that the bodies of four kidnapped family members were found. “Our worst fears have been confirmed,” Warnke told media gathered in a rural part of the county, northeast of Dos Palos. “There’s no words right now to describe the anger I feel and the senselessness of this incident.” The four family members were 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri, her parents Jasleen Kaur, 27, and Jasdeep Singh, 36, and her uncle Amandeep Singh, 39. Warnke said the bodies were located in an “extremely remote” area near the intersection of Indiana and Hutchins roads. He said a farm worker made the gruesome discovery and authorities were notified at around 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday. Warnke said the bodies were “relatively close together.” The four family members were kidnapped at gunpoint from a business they operated just south of Merced off South Highway 59, Gateway Parking. A 48-year-old suspect, Jesus Manuel Salgado, is in custody in connection with the kidnapping. “I said it earlier, there is a special place in hell for this guy,” Warnke said Wednesday. Warnke said the family members of the victims were notified after the bodies were found. “Now that we have the whereabouts of our victims, now we have to do the criminal investigation, gather up all the evidence and tie everything together,” Warnke said. Warnke said Salgado had tried to take his own life prior to being taken into custody, and as a result had to receive medical care. Although Salgado had been sedated, Warnke said the suspect has since began talking with investigators. “The suspect has been talking off and on, based upon his condition. And we still have investigators with the suspect and we are gleaning information from that,” Warnke said. “This investigation is now gearing towards putting this rotten son of a gun in prison.” Video footage of the kidnapping Sheriff Warnke said detectives are still working at piecing together a motive in the crime. Salgado, the suspect in the case, has a previous criminal history and was in prison as recently as seven years ago. He served time for witness intimidation and a residential robbery with gun enhancements. Salgado was convicted on Dec. 19, 2005, and released on parole from prison on June 21, 2015, according to the Merced County District Attorney’s Office. Earlier Wednesday, the Merced County Sheriff’s Office released video footage of the robbery that took place Monday morning at the victims’ business. The video shows a masked man who’s armed and walks onto the business premises. The robber then led Jasdeep Singh (father of 8-month-old) and Amandeep Singh (the baby’s uncle) at gunpoint into Amandeep’s black Dodge Ram pickup truck. Both men were restrained with their hands tied behind their backs with zip ties, the video shows. A few minutes later, the video shows Jasleen exit the building while holding her baby and escorted by the suspect, who was still holding the firearm. Jasleen and Aroohi were put in the vehicle and the pickup truck went southbound on Highway 59. The chilling surveillance footage appears to be the last time the victims were seen alive. Revelations about the crime began to come to light Monday afternoon. Firefighters with Cal Fire’s Madera-Mariposa-Merced unit were dispatched to Buhach Road and Oakdale Road in Winton after a black 2020 Dodge Ram truck was reported on fire. Investigators learned the truck’s registered owner was Amandeep Singh, who was later discovered to be one of the victims. Merced County Sheriff deputies then arrived at the victims’ Gateway Parking business. Deputies determined the business was a crime scene and the kidnapping investigation was initiated. Victims’ cell phones found During Wednesday’s morning press conference, Undersheriff Corey Gibson told reporters that while deputies were conducting their investigation at Gateway Parking, family members had called cell phone belonging to the victims. Gibson said a farmer found the cell phones in the middle of the road near Dos Palos and picked up when they were ringing. Warnke, the Merced County Sheriff, said those phones were not too far from the area where the bodies were ultimately discovered. Deputies are asking for anyone with information about the kidnapping to call 209-385-7547. Tips are confidential and you can remain anonymous. On the left, 8-month-old Aroohi Dheri is shown with her parents Jasleen Kaur, 27, and Jasdeep Singh, 36. At right is uncle Amandeep Singh, 39. Merced County Sheriff Aroohi Dheri, 8 months Merced County Sheriff Jesus Manuel Salgado Merced County Sheriff This story was originally published October 5, 2022 8:25 PM. Read More Here

DV Students Walk Out To Protest New School Laws https://digitalarizonanews.com/dv-students-walk-out-to-protest-new-school-laws/ Students at Desert Vista and five other Arizona high schools, including two in Chandler, walked out of their classrooms on Sept. 29 afternoon to protest what they call anti-gay and anti-trans laws passed earlier this year by the Republican-controlled state Legislature. The six schools all have chapters of the student-led Support Equality AZ Schools and their leaders urged members and other students to walk out at Chandler High, Hamilton High, South Pointe in Phoenix, Cactus Shadows in Cave Creek and Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy. An estimated 150-to-200 students appeared to walk out of Chandler High, which was about double what organizers hoped for. At least several dozen Desert Vista students also walked out. The protests echoed condemnations by members of various school boards, including Kyrene and Chandler Unified, of some of the state mandates they and their counterparts across the Valley must adopt. For example, one policy forbids transgender boys from playing on girls teams while other laws expand parental access to their child’s school library as well as to a list of books their children check out. The Kyrene Governing Board postponed adoption of the transgender sports ban to give district counsel time to craft wording that would distance itself from any language suggesting it endorses its spirit. Board members said the mandate runs afoul of the district’s commitment to treat all students equally and create a welcoming environment for students no matter what their race, gender or other differences. At the Chandler Unified Governing Board meeting, Sept. 28, board member Lindsay Love voted against most of the new requirements, condemning them as an unwarranted interference by the Legislature in local policy matters and “rooted in transphobia, homophobia, racism, and a general disregard for the mental health and wellness of our students.” “When we simply ignore and stay quiet about obvious contradictions between our stated values and our votes and actions, why should a parent or voter trust us?” Love said. “They shouldn’t because it’s plainly hypocritical.” Tempe Union Governing Board has yet to be presented with the policies for formal adoption but it’s only a matter of time, since districts that disobey the new laws would lose thousands of dollars in state reimbursement. The day before the walkout, Hamilton High School junior Dawn Shim, one of the organizers, told the Chandler Unified board, “When you allow school [administration] to divulge information about students to their parents, that can be incredibly harmful, especially for LGBTQ students who are in an unsafe environment.” The laws that the Legislature passed last spring that organizers are calling anti-gay and anti-trans include giving parents the right to inspect any document about their child that is at school. So, if a student confided to a counselor they were questioning their sexual orientation, and that was written down, a parent could demand to see it. The students also protested laws forcing transgender athletes to compete according to their biological sex and a near ban on gay publications in school libraries. “It only takes one affirming adult in the lives of an LGBTQ youth to reduce the risk of suicide and I refuse to be a part of taking that away from our students,” Chandler Unified board member Lindsay Love said after voting no on the state-mandated policy changes. “When LGBTQ youth are outed to parents who are not affirming, they face the threat of violence and are often kicked out of the home and forced into homelessness. LGBTQ youth represent only 8% of the youth population, but make up around 40 to 45% of the homeless population in Maricopa County, placing them at disproportionate risk of being sex trafficked.” Kanix Gallo, is a Chandler High sophomore who helped lead the walkout at that school, said the biggest problem is the restriction on library materials. “They’re calling all these bills, parental rights bills, and so they don’t sound too harmful,” she said. “But when you look into the bill, they do sound a lot more harmful.” Hayden Nguyen, a senior at Gilbert Classical Academy, is part of the statewide leadership of Support Equality AZ Schools, said, “It’s going to be almost impossible for people to talk to their school counselors in order to, you know, enter their preferred pronouns and gender … without being outed to their parents.” The organizers at the Chandler High walkout said they were happy with how many students participated. “Everyone really came through,” sophomore Oliver Milicoliver. “It really shows the solidarity that a lot of people have in the schools.” “The more the numbers, the more it shows how much we care,” said sophomore Salem Babington. “And I think that’s really important. And we’re very grateful for all the people coming out here and showing their support for our cause.” There have been similar walkouts in New York, Virginia and Texas. “We’re really surprised because we had no idea they were coordinating these things,” Kanix said. “But the bill that is forcing teachers to out trans students is popping up everywhere right now. And all the students around this shows that we all see how bad it is. “We are actually currently talking to some of those organizations that did walkouts in different states to talk to them and be like, ‘Hey, do you want to coordinate a nationwide walkout?’” Dawn, the Hamilton High student who helped organize the walkouts, said she’s gotten positive feedback from elected leaders, but little action. “We met with a lot of legislators,” she said. “And we realized that this treatment option that we’re receiving from our school boards right now is across the line for all of the boards that we see across Arizona and across our state is the lack of action. “Or even if there is action, they tell us, we’re very brave, and they appreciate what we’re saying,” Dawn added. “But they don’t take positive action. That actually is measurable and has goals. “That is what we want to see. And the reason why we’re walking out is to tell other organizers across Arizona, as well as our legislators, that we’re here, we know what’s going on, and we’re going to do something.” AFN Executive Editor Paul Maryniak contributed to this report. Read More Here

Baseballism Launches Free Baseball Camps 2022 https://digitalarizonanews.com/baseballism-launches-free-baseball-camps-2022/ Baseballism gives back to its customers and the baseball community by sponsoring four free camps in the Seattle and SoCal areas. The one-day camps will provide elite baseball instruction given by the former college and professional baseball players in premier facilities. Read below for registration details. Who is Running the Camp? The camp will be run by Baseballism partners, EL1 Sports and the Los Angeles Dodgers Training Academy. About EL1 Sports: EL1 is a national sports training company created by athletes, coaches and educators who believe in the transformative power of sport to make a difference in people’s lives both on and off the field. We provide expert instruction and a full suite of administrative solutions in the service of athletes, teams, organizations, tournaments, and events – primarily in baseball and softball. Registration begins on Wednesday, September 21st at 6pm PST. First come first serve. Limit one camp per player. Find your camp below: 2022 Baseballism Free Camp Baseballism Locations: 1. Baseballism Irvine – address: 862 Spectrum Center Dr. Irvine, CA 92618 2. Baseballism Scottsdale – address: 3961 North Brown Avenue, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 3. Baseballism Texas – address: 1650 E Randol Mill Rd. STE 125 Arlington, TX 76011 4. Baseballism Chicago – address: 1027 W Addison St. Suite A107 Chicago, IL 60613 5. Baseballism St. Louis – address 761 Clark Ave, St. Louis, MO 63102 Media Contact Company Name: Baseballism Texas Contact Person: Media Relations Email: Send Email Phone: 9712639844 Address:1650 E Randol Mill Rd #125 City: Arlington State: Texas 76011 Country: United States Website: www.baseballism.com/collections/baseballism-x-major-league-base Press Release Distributed by ABNewswire.com To view the original version on ABNewswire visit: Baseballism Launches Free Baseball Camps 2022 You just read: EIN Presswire’s priority is source transparency. We do not allow opaque clients, and our editors try to be careful about weeding out false and misleading content. As a user, if you see something we have missed, please do bring it to our attention. Your help is welcome. EIN Presswire, Everyone’s Internet News Presswire, tries to define some of the boundaries that are reasonable in today’s world. Please see our Editorial Guidelines for more information. Submit your press release Read More Here

Gas Prices Are Starting To Take Off Again. More Increases Are On The Way | CNN Business https://digitalarizonanews.com/gas-prices-are-starting-to-take-off-again-more-increases-are-on-the-way-cnn-business/ New York CNN Business  —  Even before Wednesday’s action by OPEC+ to cut oil production, US gas prices were on their way up. More price increases at the pump likely lay ahead. Gas prices rose nearly 3 cents a gallon in AAA’s daily reading Wednesday, to $3.83 a gallon, the biggest one-day hike in nearly four months. The 99-day streak of price declines from mid-June to September 20 may become a distant memory, even as today’s prices are still far below the June record of just over $5.03 a gallon. Gas prices have increased every day but one day since then, and are now up by 16 cents a gallon, or 4%, since they bottomed out two weeks ago at $3.67 a gallon. For the most part the price increases have been slow and incremental, but that might be about to change. OPEC+, which includes not only nations in the oil cartel but other major oil producers such as Russia, agreed Wednesday to slash oil production by about 2 million barrels a day. Oil futures rose about 2% on the news and gasoline futures were also slightly higher on the OPEC move. Gasoline futures are up about 20 cents a gallon since the slide in gasoline prices ended last month, pointing to possible higher prices ahead. Oil and gasoline futures had been falling since mid-June due to growing concerns about a possible recession cutting demand for gasoline and oil, among other factors. The recent increases have been caused by the unusually high number of US refineries that are shut down for maintenance work, said Tom Kloza, global head of energy analysis for OPIS, which tracks gasoline prices for AAA. He said nearly 18% of the nation’s refining capacity is now offline. “A lot of it was put off in spring because they were making so much money,” he said. “The margin of error in US refining capacity is so slim right now that you can’t lose any capacity without affecting prices.” This is normally the time of year that gas prices drop as regulations requiring cleaner but pricier gas to fight smog come to an end in most of the country. The end of the summer driving season also reduces demand, which in turn pushes prices downward. Unfortunately, the refinery capacity squeeze “means gas prices are not going to go down like I had thought,” said veteran oil analyst Andy Lipow. “In fact, they might drift upwards.” One other factor that helped to reduce prices in recent months: the release of about 1 million barrels of oil a day from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve, which is set to end November 1. “Nobody really knows what happens when SPR sales end,” said Kloza. One thing that could reduce prices: California, which typically keeps its rules requiring the summer of blend of gasoline in place until November, lifted the requirement early last week. That could lower the national average price, even if it only affects gasoline in California. The state accounts for about 9% of US gasoline consumption, so the change can affect the national average even if prices don’t move elsewhere. The average price there is $5.52 a gallon, by far the highest in the nation. “I don’t think we’ll see major moves in national prices. even if we see California prices come back to the pack,” Kloza said. The decline in gasoline prices has been an important control on rising overall prices, as well as a support for consumer spending, as it means more money goes in consumers’ pockets. The typical US household buys about 90 gallons of gas a month, so the fall from $5.03 a gallon to a low of $3.67 a gallon late last month represented a savings of about $120 a month. By contrast, the 16-cent rise from that low point was costing about $14 a household. The concern by the Biden administration is that rising gas prices bring renewed focus in voters’ mind. For that reason, members of the Biden administration pushed hard to convince OPEC nations not to cut production and possibly send prices higher ahead of a midterm vote. Those efforts were unsuccessful. – CNN’s Alex Marquardt, Natasha Bertrand and Phil Mattingly contributed to this report Read More Here

'Dreamers' Immigration Program Under Review, Nipping Dreams In The Bud https://digitalarizonanews.com/dreamers-immigration-program-under-review-nipping-dreams-in-the-bud/ Daca will be reviewed at the US supreme court for the third time, further putting the fate of immigrants on the line. A demonstration in support of DACA outside US District Court in Houston on July 19, 2021 (Getty Images) A US appeals court found unconstitutional a program on Wednesday that protects migrants brought to the nation as youngsters but allowed it to continue for current recipients. The result upholds a federal judge’s order to limit the program in July 2021. The judgment on Wednesday permits approximately 600,000 current enrollees to keep their status but continues to unjustly bar new applicants. The policy of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is now being reviewed by a lower court. DACA recipients are referred to as “Dreamers”. Read next: Dozens of migrant children reported missing in Houston: Reuters US President Joe Biden expressed his disappointment with the ruling, which he said means “the lives of Dreamers remain in limbo.” “Today’s decision is the result of continued efforts by Republican state officials to strip DACA recipients of the protections and work authorization that many have now held for over a decade,” he said in a statement. “It is long past time for Congress to pass permanent protections for Dreamers, including a pathway to citizenship.” In a statement, Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said he is reviewing the ruling and would work with the Department of Justice on a legal response. DACA, established by then-President Barack Obama in 2012, covers around 700,000 people, granting them legal status, as well as the opportunity to work.  Read next: Biden Pledges to Appeal Ruling against DACA Immigration Program In 2017, then-President Donald Trump attempted to repeal DACA, claiming that Obama had exceeded his constitutional authority. DACA recipients were granted a temporary respite in June 2020 when the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that the Trump administration had failed to give a sufficient rationale for its efforts to stop the program. It was obvious that it was ruling primarily on procedural matters, and it left the door open for additional challenges. DACA was later reinstated, and Biden has worked to expand the program, as well as pursue broader immigration reform since taking office. Read next: Trump’s border wall construction back on track under Joe Biden However, in July 2021, Texas-based Judge Andrew Hanen ruled that Obama overstepped his jurisdiction by instituting DACA via administrative order. He described the directive as “illegal”. The ruling was appealed by the Biden administration. In addition, in August, the Department of Homeland Security adopted a final rule to codify the program and shield it from legal challenges. In its judgment on Wednesday, the appeals court stated that it lacked sufficient information to rule on the August regulation, which is slated to go into force on October 31. “The legal questions that DACA presents are serious, both to the parties and to the public,” the three-judge panel wrote in the ruling. “In our view, the defendants have not shown that there is a likelihood that they will succeed on the merits.” Democrats in Congress have also campaigned for legislation to permanently resolve the status of young arrivals, but immigration laws have long been blocked due to Republican resistance. ‘Political pawns’ White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on September 15 that Republican governors sending migrants to northern cities such as New York, Washington, and Chicago, are using migrants as “political pawns”. “Republican governors interfering in that [US immigration] process and using migrants as political pawns is shameful, is reckless, and just plain wrong,” Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing. “It is indeed a political play,” she said. “It is endangering people’s lives and it is inhumane. It is taking away people’s dignity.” “It’s shameful and we should call it out,” she said. In April, Texas Governor Greg Abbott launched a program that is part of the governor’s Operation Lone Star initiative, intended to slow the number of migrants crossing the border. Since then, more than 10,000 undocumented migrants from Texas and Arizona have been relocated by bus for free to cities such as New York, Washington, and Chicago. Read next: 46 migrants found dead in tractor-trailer in Texas Read More Here

Interest In North Korea Remains At A Record Low In Biden’s Washington | NK News https://digitalarizonanews.com/interest-in-north-korea-remains-at-a-record-low-in-bidens-washington-nk-news/ Beltway insiders see nuclear negotiations with DPRK as a no-win situation A hand-painted propaganda poser in Pyongyang, Dec. 2017 | Image: NK News During a recent trip to a hot and humid Washington, D.C., I could not miss an opportunity to talk to my local contacts — those academics, diplomats, analysts and journalists focusing on the peculiar society in North Korea. This gave a good snapshot on the latest thoughts inside the Beltway about North Korea and related issues. The single most important takeaway is that interest in North Korea is at a record low. In the days of Donald Trump’s presidency, North Korea briefly rose to the top of the White House agenda, but these days are gone. Read More Here