Fire Breaks Out at Historic Home in Old Town Alexandria
A fire sent smoke billowing out of a historic home in the Old Town neighborhood of Alexandria, Virginia, Wednesday afternoon.
One person was at the home in the 200 block of S. Fairfax Avenue when the blaze began about 12:30 p.m., and they got out unharmed, the fire department said.
A firefighter who responded to the scene suffered a minor injury, officials said.
Firefighters had mostly extinguished the fire as of 1:30 p.m., but were still working on some hotspots, the department said.
It’s unclear at this time what caused the fire or the extent of the damage done to the home, which has a historic marker.
No further information was immediately available.
Stay with News4 for updates to this developing story.
This story uses functionality that may not work in our app. Click here to open the story in your web browser.
As Reported by NBC4 Washington
19-Year-Old National Guard Soldier Dies Suddenly After Completing a Two-Mile Run Fitness Test
A junior soldier in the Oklahoma National Guard died earlier this month after a physical fitness test at the McAlester Army Ammunition Plant in McAlester, Oklahoma.
On March 4, Spc. Jaykob R. Pruitt, 19, from Bennington, Oklahoma, collapsed and died after completing the two-mile run portion of the Army Combat Fitness Test (ACFT).
“A 19-year-old Specialist assigned to the Army National Guard, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on Title 32 drill status died in an on-duty sports, recreation and physical training mishap 4 March 2023 in McAlester, Oklahoma, at 1045 local. After completing the 2-mile run portion of the Army Combat Fitness Test, the Soldier walked away from the track, fell to the ground and was found unresponsive,” according to a preliminary loss report published by the service.
CPR was performed, and the emergency medical services (EMS) were called. Pruitt was taken by ambulance to the hospital, where he was declared dead.
“Since 2018, the Army has lost an average of one Soldier a year to on-duty sports, recreation and physical training mishaps. This was the third on-duty sports, recreation and physical training mishap of FY23 and above the number of on-duty sports, recreation and physical training fatalities from this time last year,” the report added.
SPC Pruitt enlisted in the Oklahoma Army National Guard on October 21, 2020. He then joined B Troop as a Cavalry Scout after completing his training at Fort Benning, GA in October 2021, per Oklahoma National Guard Retirees.
Funeral services to honor Jaykob were held on Saturday, March 11, 2023, at 12:00 PM at the Bennington High School Gymnasium.
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Jaykob’s family, friends and our fellow Soldiers,” said Maj. Gen. Thomas H. Mancino, adjutant general for Oklahoma. “Together, we are mourning the devastating loss of a promising young man and Soldier.”
Tributes flood in following the news of Pruitt’s sudden passing.
The post 19-Year-Old National Guard Soldier Dies Suddenly After Completing a Two-Mile Run Fitness Test appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
As Reported by The Gateway Pundit
How to attract butterflies to your yard
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — March 14th is National Butterfly Day and Florida is home to 125 species of native butterflies! On top of that, over 200 species migrate through over area every year.
To attract and keep butterflies in your yard, it is important to have a host plant and a nectar plant. This will support the full life cycle of a butterfly and make it easier for them to stick around.
A host plant supports the caterpillar and chrysalis phase. The caterpillars eat the host plant and it’s also a good spot for them to form that chrysalis and hang. Native host plants include milkweed and elliot’s lovegrass.
Nectar plants provide a food source for the butterfly stage and they typically serve as a good spot for butterflies to lay their eggs as well.
“Monarchs specifically like larger landing pads because they don’t flutter while they drink nectar so something with a bigger landing pad like starry rosinweed is great, dixies are great, there’s a lot of really nice big flowers that they can use,” Anita Camacho, the President of the Tampa Bay Butterfly Foundation, said.
Other good nectar sources include tea bushes, Rockland lantanas, and morning glories, all of which have pretty flowers.
If you follow these tips, you’re sure to see those caterpillars and butterflies hanging around your garden or yard.
As Reported by WFLA
Townhall: When Winning Elections Means Actually Winning On Policy, We Celebrate
The post Townhall: When Winning Elections Means Actually Winning On Policy, We Celebrate appeared first on Daily Torch.
As Reported by Daily Torch
Busload of Books tours lands in St. Louis
ST. LOUIS – The husband and wife illustrator/author/business team duo Matthew Swanson and Robbi Behr, are currently on their yearlong Busload of Books tours, visiting Title 1 schools in all 50 states giving away 25,000 books.
They will also be visiting a Native American reservation along the way. They’re halfway through their exciting 50+ date tour, which will end in Alaska this summer. The stories they have of meeting children and teachers will truly tug at your heartstrings.
They came to a Ferguson Central Primary School on March 14 and 15, and they’ve partnered with First Book and Build-A-Bear to give away an additional 125,000 books by more authors to Title 1 educators.
In order to do this, they raised an enormously successful GoFundMe campaign last year, which is helping to fund this tour.
The couple is traveling with their four kids and pets in their colorful book bus. The family heads to the Tulsa, Oklahoma area next. You can find out more information on Busload of Books tours here.
As Reported by FOX 2
Meet ‘Remarkable Woman’ Dr. Robin Moore
TAMPA (WFLA) – You may be familiar with the story of Doctor Dolittle, a fictitious naturalist who was able to speak with animals. But in Largo, there is a veterinarian who has a similar connection with her animal patients.
Dr. Robin Moore has a busy practice at East Bay Animal Hospital treating dogs, cats, and many exotic species, and in the process, she’s been able to accomplish some remarkable things.
Some of her colleagues believe Dr. Moore has a gift of being able to connect with all kinds of animals, and not just on a doctor-patient level. It may come from a place much more ‘supernatural.’
“So, people who like animals just connect with animals,” she says, “’it’s on kind of a spirit level. People who don’t like animals are standoffish.”
Dr. Moore says she’s always known animal care was her destiny. “I always tell people I was created in the womb to be a veterinarian. Even as a young kid I knew that was the path I was headed down.” She graduated from the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in 1996, and soon accepted an associate position at East Bay Animal Hospital. When the clinic’s owner, Dr. Alfred Marshall retired, Dr. Moore stepped in to assume the practice.
On a recent Thursday, which is surgery day, Dr. Moore had a full list of patients needing a variety of procedures, including a cat and a dog in need of dental care, including tooth extraction. Other days follow a more set routine.
“We usually start with appointments in the morning,” she explains, “Then we have some drop-offs that we get done in between appointments. It can be anything from your regular vaccine wellness visit all the way up to a pet that is very, very sick.”
So great is her devotion to her patients, Dr. Moore will sometimes take critically ill animals to her home ICU, where she can personally watch over them, to help them get through a crisis. She has even used her innovation skills to design and build wheel supports to assist pets with walking. And once she crafted a tiny micro tweezer out of paper clip to dislodge a stone from a gecko’s stomach.
Yet Dr. Moore strongly believes her care extends to her patients’ “human” family. “Veterinarians consider themselves the ‘other’ family doctor,” she reveals. “It is a tagline that we associate with because we truly are the doctor to a well-loved member of the family. “It’s probably closest to a pediatrician, in that we depend on the parents to tell us what’s going on.”
Volunteer work with Christian Veterinary Missions has taken Dr. Moore all over the world, including work in Kenya, treating all kinds of animals, from giraffes to camels, and teaching farmers how to vaccinate and care for their livestock. Here in the U.S., she takes part in similar missions at Native American reservations.
So what does the future hold for this remarkable woman? “In five years, I’ll probably still be here. We are hoping to grow the practice, just like any business wants to grow. So maybe we’ll have a couple more veterinarians on staff, maybe we’ll have more staff, but I’ll probably still be here until they kick me out.,” she says with a chuckle.
As Reported by WFLA
Democrats are on Dangerous Ground with Non-College Minorities Too
By Bill Wilson
The Democratic party’s issues appealing to working class white voters are well documented, but new analysis shows the radical left is isolating itself from working class minorities without a college education too.
There have been warning signs for years now that the disastrous economic and social agenda adopted by party elites lacks mass appeal, especially to working class voters concerned about inflation and the economy. The assumption that Democrats could make up for the departure of working-class whites with working-class minorities is proving to be harder than expected and may be outright false.
Recent elections indicate that as the globalist left becomes increasingly detached from the working class, it will become more difficult to attract middle class voters – white and non-white. This is a massive issue for the left, because despite rising educational attainment, Americans without a college degree still far outweigh those with one – and this is especially true with minorities and in swing states.
According to exit surveys, Americans without a college degree made up 59% of the total electorate in 2020. In the midterms last year, the electorate leaned slightly higher educated than in the General, but non-college voters still made up 57% of the midterm voter pool. This is not a group the left can afford to write off entirely, and evidence shows non-college voters are moving toward the right, regardless of race.
The last time Democrats won non-college voters was in 2012 when Obama won this block 51%-47%. However, by 2016 Clinton lost non-college voters 44-52%. In 2020, Biden did slightly better than Clinton but still lost non-college voters to Trump by a margin of 48-50%.
As for minority non-college voters, minorities still favor Democrats, but non-college-educated minorities are starting to drift toward the GOP just like whites. According to exit polls, the Democratic Party’s share of the non-college minority vote dropped 11 points between 2008 and 2020.
While Biden did win non-college minorities by 46 points in 2020, Trump increased his share of their vote by six points between 2016 and 2020. In 2016, Trump won 20% of the non-college minority vote and in 2020 he won 26%.
Non-college minorities also moved eight points to the right between the 2018 and 2022 midterm elections. In the 2018 midterms Democrats won minorities without a college degree by 76% to 22%. In the 2022 midterms Democrats won this block by 68% to 28%.
Of note is the fact that while education is growing among minorities, minorities without a college degree make up a substantial share of the electorate. In the 2022 midterms, minorities without a degree made up nearly a fifth of the electorate (18%) while those with one made up just 9%.
General elections historically attract a large proportion of non-college educated voters compared to mid-term elections, and 2020 was no exception. Minorities without a college degree made up a full quarter of the 2020 electorate, while college-educated minorities made up a tenth.
While Democrats have largely failed to recoup the white non-college vote in battleground states like Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Florida, they have also lost with non-college minority voters in these pivotal states. What is more, the pool of non-college minorities is far greater than the pool of college-educated minorities in battlegrounds.
In Pennsylvania in the midterms last fall, minorities without a degree made up twice as many votes as those with a degree (12% compared to 6%).
In Ohio, non-college minorities made up almost twice as many votes as those with a degree (11% compared to 6%).
Minorities without a college degree made up a full 22% of voters in Florida in 2022, while minorities with a degree made up 14%. Florida saw a massive swing in minority voters toward the GOP between 2018 and 2022, but the largest shift occurred among minorities without a college degree. The GOP won minorities without a degree by a whopping 18 percentage points more in 2022 than in 2018 going from 26% to 44%.
In the Virginia governor’s race in 2021, Americans for Limited Government Foundation showed how lower-income and minority voters played a pivotal role in the precincts that shifted away from the Democrat candidate between 2017 and 2021 and contributed to Glenn Youngkin’s victory. Precincts that became significantly less Democrat had higher Hispanic and Asian populations, and an average income nearly 50% lower than those which became more Democrat.
The ten precincts that shifted away from the Democrat candidate by the greatest margins had an average Hispanic population of 35.9%, an average Asian population of 24.9%, and an average household income of $1,042,961. The average Democrat shift in these precincts between 2017 and 2021 was -23.91%.
Recent also shows a steep decline in the share of Americans saying a college education is worth it, with less than half of Americans saying a college education is a good idea. Just 45% of Americans now say a college education is a smart investment, down from 55% in 2016. Among whites, the belief that a college education is a good investment has dropped 11-points, from 52% in 2016 to just 41% now. Blacks have seen an 8-point decline, from 56% in 2016 to 48% now, and Hispanics have seen a 14-point decline, from 68% in 2016 to 54% now.
The modern Democratic Party’s disastrous economic policies, refusal to stay out of foreign meddling, and unhinged social agenda are just a few reasons why this shift could be taking place. However, like the slow stream of non-college whites away from the left, these trends take years to fully manifest.
Minorities as a whole still favor Democrats by a significant margin, but what we are seeing continually is the division between the ivory tower elites and the working class. Race is on track to become less of an important distinction than the educational divide when it comes to partisanship, and this could be an issue for the left considering belief in the merits of the college industrial complex is plummeting.
Bill Wilson is the former President of Americans for Limited Government.
The post Democrats are on Dangerous Ground with Non-College Minorities Too appeared first on Daily Torch.
As Reported by Daily Torch
Stacey Abrams Takes Job With Environmental Group Trying to Eliminate Gas Stoves
Several weeks ago, the left started talking about banning gas stoves. Then the public noticed and objected and we were all told that this was just another supposed conspiracy theory.
No one is coming for your gas stoves, they said with a sneer.
Yet now, liberal darling and two-time failed governor candidate Stacey Abrams has just taken a job with an environmental group which is trying to (drumroll please) ban gas stoves! How odd.
Is this still just a conspiracy theory?
FOX News reports:
Stacey Abrams gets a new job after election loss, joins environmental group trying to eliminate gas stoves
Failed Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams has announced she will be joining an environmental advocacy dark money group that is pushing to regulate and ban natural gas-powered stoves.
Rewiring America, the nonprofit group Abrams will join as senior counsel, is a self-described “leading electrification nonprofit, focused on electrifying our homes, businesses, and communities.”
Through her role, Abrams will “launch and scale a national awareness campaign and a network of large and small communities working to help Americans go electric,” according to the group.
“She will also guide the organization as it builds the tools and capacity to connect Americans and their communities to machines, installers, Inflation Reduction Act incentives, and jobs in the clean energy transition,” the group added of Abrams.
“Growing up on the Gulf Coast, not far from a significant concentration of the petrochemical industry, I’ve seen the environmental and health injustices that visit communities isolated from political power and economic opportunity,” Abrams said in a statement. “We are at an inflection point, where families in the South and across the country live too close to the economic edge, and every dollar saved now changes their future. But few understand how much money they can save with a little help to upgrade their homes and vehicles.”
No one is coming for your gas stove. Also, Stacey Abrams is working to take away your gas stove.
AMAZING
Stacey Abrams joins a left wing dark money group that is trying to take your stoves!
https://t.co/UoHiFwg3BH #FoxNews
— Comfortably Smug (@ComfortablySmug) March 14, 2023
Failed Democratic gubernatorial candidate @StaceyAbrams has landed an attorney gig at a left-wing dark money group behind efforts to crack down on gas stoves.
"I’m excited to join @rewiringamerica to share the benefits of electrification," Abrams said.https://t.co/ZatDLTlVgK
— Washington Examiner (@dcexaminer) March 15, 2023
Is that a gas stove in the photo with her?
This you @staceyabrams? https://t.co/cUmcqDw7r0 pic.twitter.com/pgjlLbqWAb
— Senate Commerce Republicans (@SenateCommerce) March 14, 2023
This is progressive 101. Do as I say, not as I do.
The post Stacey Abrams Takes Job With Environmental Group Trying to Eliminate Gas Stoves appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
As Reported by The Gateway Pundit
Video: Lindsey Graham Says U.S. Should “Start Shooting Russian Planes Down”
In an appearance on Hannity Tuesday night, Senator Lindsey Graham floated the idea of starting world war three, before accusing the Biden Administration of doing exactly that.
Reacting to the apparent downing of an unmanned U.S. drone over the Black Sea by two Russian Su-27 aircraft, Graham suggested firing down any Russian aircraft that approaches an American asset over international waters.
“Well, we should hold them accountable and say that, ‘If you ever get near another U.S. asset flying in international waters, your airplane will be shot down,’” Graham proclaimed.
“What would Ronald Reagan do right now? He would start shooting Russian planes down if they were threatening our assets,” he added.
Watch:
Not sure Reagan would be doing that right now, actually Lindsey.
“All I can tell you is that on multiple fronts, we’re in a dangerous situation,” he continued, adding “Weakness creates provocation. They know they can get away with it.”
Graham then accused Joe Biden of acting like “a deer in the headlights,” before stating to Biden “if you don’t change your game and up your game, we’re going to have World War III.”
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As Reported by Summit News
March Madness in DC: Where to Watch the NCAA Tournament With Food and Drink Specials
It’s bracket time!
March Madness is upon us. This NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament has been played since 1939.
The Howard Bison men’s basketball team will play in the March Madness tournament for the first time in 31 years after winning against Norfolk State University on Sunday. The team will face off against the reigning champions, Kansas, in the first round on Thursday at 2 p.m.
While D.C. is buzzing about HU’s return to the Big Dance, Maryland and Virginia have teams to root for, too.
The University of Maryland, the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University men’s teams are also in the running. Watch the first round on Thursday and Friday.
In the women’s tournament, Maryland, Virginia Tech and James Madison are vying to move forward. Virginia Tech is the No. 1 seed in the Seattle Regional 3. The first round kicks off Friday,
Each single-elimination tournament is made up of 68 teams that compete in seven rounds for the national championship. Here’s a state-by-state guide to every team in the tournament.
Make the most of March Madness by cheering your team on at a watch party, dunking food and drink deals, competing in bracket pools and more.
Bars and Restaurants Showing March Madness
The Admiral (Dupont): The Admiral is opening early for daytime games displayed on their indoor or outdoor big-screen TVs. Specials include $9 margaritas, $18 Michelob Ultra pitchers and $9 chicken bites.
Atlas Half Street (Navy Yard): During games every Thursday and Friday of the tournament, pick up two slices of pizza and a pint for $10. You can get another pint for $5. The deal won’t be offered during Nationals home games.
The Big Stick (Southeast D.C.): Head to this Southeast D.C. sports bar at 1:30 p.m. Thursday (March 16) to watch Howard face Kansas at a party hosted by H.U. Bison Express.
Caddies (Bethesda, Maryland): You don’t have to choose between St. Patrick’s Day and basketball here. Caddies says it has food and drink specials planned March 17 to 19, including brunch with $20 bottomless mimosas and bloody marys (Stick around for live music at 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday).
Dacha Beer Garden (Shaw & Navy Yard): Visit either location through March 16 to enter their bracket pool and potentially win prizes. Participants will have a chance to win prizes throughout the tournament.
Duffy’s Irish Pub (Dupont): This Packers bar plans on showing all NCAA games in 2023. Watch while enjoying an array of craft beers, cocktails and hot wings.
Franklin Hall (Northwest D.C.): The large beer hall on Florida Avenue NW will open at 11:30 a.m. for first and second-round games. Specials include $4 Miller Lite pints and $17 pitchers, plus $5 Goose Island pints. Every purchase of a Miller Lite or Goose Island gets an entry to a raffle for beer brand swag.
Hook Hall (Park View): Book a table for your basketball-loving group of six to eight people and get a bucket of beers for $20 (per table). The beer garden will be airing all the games throughout March.
Le Fantome (Riverdale): The food hall says it will offer a special discounted menu on Mondays and Wednesdays during March Madness games.
metrobar (Brentwood): The outdoor bar is set to open early from noon to 11 p.m. Thursday to Sunday for March Madness. Enjoy $4 drafts and $18 buckets at their outdoor or inside bar.
Mission Navy Yard: The two-level Mexican bar will be open early for daytime games, offering food and drink specials like $4 sliders, $10 nachos and $18 Michelob Ultra pitchers. Don’t miss any games on their 22 big-screen TVs.
Quincy Hall (Arlington): The bar known for pizza and pints will open at 11 a.m. Thursday (March 16) and Friday (March 17) so you can watch the games. Keep an eye on their Instagram for specials.
Sports & Social (North Bethesda): The 18-foot media wall promises a good view of the madness at the North Bethesda outpost of this nationwide chain that also serves bar and arcade games alongside food, cocktails and beers.
Want to know what’s up for your weekend? Sign up for The Weekend Scene, our newsletter about events, experiences and adventures for you and for your family around the DMV.
As Reported by NBC4 Washington
US Issues Travel Alert for Spring Breakers in Mexico
The U.S. State Department issued a travel alert Wednesday for Americans planning to spend Spring break in Mexico.
The alert warns travelers to “exercise increased caution” especially after dark at Caribbean beach resorts like Cancun, Playa del Carmen and Tulum, which have been plagued by drug gang violence in the past.
“U.S. citizens should exercise increased caution in the downtown areas of popular spring break locations including Cancun, Playa Del Carmen, and Tulum, especially after dark,” according to the alert.
The State Department also noted that U.S. citizens “have become seriously ill or died in Mexico after using synthetic drugs or adulterated prescription pills.”
That warning followed reports that some pharmacies in Mexico freely offer sedatives and other drugs that can only be sold with prescriptions in the United States. The Mexican pills are often counterfeit and contain the deadly synthetic opioid fentanyl.
The alert also noted that “unregulated alcohol may be contaminated, and U.S. citizens have reported losing consciousness or becoming injured after consuming alcohol that was possibly tainted.”
There have been a series of brazen acts of violence along the Caribbean coast, the crown jewel of Mexico’s tourism industry.
In 2022, two Canadians were killed in Playa del Carmen, apparently because of debts between international drug and weapons trafficking gangs.
In 2021, farther south in the laid-back destination of Tulum, two tourists — one a California travel blogger born in India and the other German — were caught in the apparent crossfire of rival drug dealers and killed.
As Reported by NBC Los Angeles
J6 Political Prisoner Matthew Webler: The FBI Raided His Home After He Walked into the US Capitol with a Flag – Then Feds Came Back and Took His Son
Matthew Jay Webler walked inside the US Capitol, the People’s House, on January 6, 2021.
He was carrying a flag. He committed no violence. He immediately left when he was asked to leave. The FBI later raided his home for walking inside the US Capitol. They searched his home and found a gun they have for protection. The FBI arrested Matthew because he had a felony on his record from 10 years ago. They held him without bond and later a court sentenced him to 45-days for parading and picketing in the Capital and an addition 57-months (nearly 5 years) for having an unregistered short barrel rifle when they searched his home.
Matthew’s maximum release date is February 2, 2025. He may get out in August 2024 thanks to President Trump’s First Step Act. He is currently serving time at FCI Edgefield, a medium-security prison.
The FBI raided his home and forced his wife on the ground at 6 AM in the morning. And then weeks later the government took his son.
** You can donate to Matthew Webler here.
Matthew Webler wrote this letter months ago on his story. We are posting several paragraphs from the letter here. The full letter is linked below on Scribd.
On December 3, 2021, at approximately 6 am, I was assaulted in my driveway while I was leaving for work by approximately 30 FBI, Homeland security and many other law enforcement agency officers and placed under arrest. I say assaulted because they flew out of their cars like armed robbers with guns drawn. While they were cuffing me, my wife came onto the carport boldly shouting: “Excuse Me, Excuse Me. We have a 2-month old child in the house!” They promptly responded by shoving guns in her face, forcing her to the ground and handcuffing her too. Then then entered the house and treated my brother who was living with us the same.
This is a huge deal to me because if we are to do as Trump said a few days ago RESTORE EQUAL JUSTICE IN AMERICA, then the law must be applied equally to everyone, especially to those that are enforcing our laws. If when I point a gun at on unarmed person it is aggravated assault then when they do it should be the same thing. Living by a different set of rules because you’re a member of some special club is elitism not equality and there is no provision for Elitism in the constitution the last time I checked.
My father confronted my arresting agent about this after my sentencing and she told him they behave that way for their own safety because they “JUST DON’T KNOW” how people are going to act. Just don’t know,… Just don’t know….. Well, Special Agent A.C. (I don’t want to target you so I will withhold that your name but I do sincerely hope that you read my words) that is exactly why we have a Constitution that you swore to uphold and defend, that specifically protects our right to due process and to be considered innocent until proven guilty. The second you point ANY weapon at an unarmed or non-threatening citizen, you have unilaterally made the decision without proof that they are a danger to you. You have declared them guilty. You have denied them of their due process and violated your oath. Also, you are a member of the Domestic Terrorist Task Force yet the moment you point a gun at an unarmed citizen you become the very terrorist you are attempting to fight.
NO ONE IS ALLOWED TO POINT A GUN AT AN UNARMED PERSON PERIOD!!!
Then about 2-weeks into my being kidnapped on a Saturday morning, I received a hysterical call from my wife informing me that at 2 am. The police and DFACS (Department of Family and Children Services) came with a removal order and took our newborn Zayne from us. The removal order claimed “neglect”.
My wife and I had been married a little more than 4 ½ years at this point. We had been together for nearly 12. My wife has physical issues that prevent her from ever getting pregnant. We had resigned ourselves to being a childless couple. Adoption wasn’t an option we considered because we never thought we had the means…
…Then a miracle…
…My wife and I stayed at the hotel with a couple of midwives all day waiting on our attorney to arrive so that we could do paperwork and take legal custody. Once we had custody of him, we immediately went to the hospital and he as admitted healthy, but “the worst NAS Baby” they had ever seen. He was found to have heroin, cocaine, benzos, meth, and marijuana in his system. Despite this he recovered quickly and 2 short weeks later he was released from the NICU and we brought him home. My wife and I were on cloud 9. We were in absolute heaven; Zayne was a miracle that we never even dreamed was possible. Churches, family and friends donated so much stuff we had to give some away. In-laws on both sides were at our house constantly. We took Zayne to the Dr. on schedule and my wife even had a notebook to document all his feeding, bowel movements, crying, everything. If anything, we were guilty of too much but never in a million years was he neglected. We had a DFCS caseworker that visited the house twice and documented that he was well cared for.
The FBI had a child welfare officer present at my arrest and reported to DFCS that Zayne was obviously well taken care of. Despite all of this our DFCS case worker’s supervisor went above her head and went to a judge to get a falsified removal order signed. The only explanation for this is political persecution. There was a hearing, be we couldn’t afford an attorney for it and my wife couldn’t handle it alone. She was an emotional basket case.
That phone call was the absolute lowest point of my life. I had to stand there and listen to her screaming that they took her son, and it was all my fault. I couldn’t say or do anything I could only listen. I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and assure her that it would all be okay, but I couldn’t. I was helpless. A few months later she filed for divorce. My entire world had been decimated in a few short months. I was completely defeated.
This is not the America we knew just a few years ago. These are actions by an brutal police force in a wicked regime.
** You can donate to Matthew Webler here.
Here is Matthew’s full letter.
Hat tip to Lydia
J6 Political Prisoner Matth… by Jim Hoft
The post J6 Political Prisoner Matthew Webler: The FBI Raided His Home After He Walked into the US Capitol with a Flag – Then Feds Came Back and Took His Son appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.
As Reported by The Gateway Pundit
Abortion pill challenge goes before judge in Texas
By SEAN MURPHY and MATTHEW PERRONE (Associated Press)
AMARILLO, Texas (AP) — A federal judge will hear arguments Wednesday in a high-stakes court case that could threaten access to medication abortion and blunt the authority of U.S. drug regulators.
Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk of Texas is weighing a lawsuit from Christian conservatives aimed at overturning the Food and Drug Administration’s more than 2-decade-old approval of the abortion pill mifepristone. The drug, when used with a second pill, has become the most common method of abortion in the U.S.
There is essentially no precedent for a lone judge overruling the scientific decisions of the FDA. And legal experts have warned of far-reaching consequences if judges begin second-guessing FDA decisions on drug safety and effectiveness.
Wednesday’s hearing is the first in the case, which is being intensely tracked by groups on both sides of the abortion issue after last year’s reversal of Roe v. Wade. However, there was little advance notice of the high-profile session, which only appeared on the public online docket late Monday after news reports raised concerns about a lack of transparency in the proceedings.
Kacsmaryk told attorneys in the case Friday that he would delay the filing to minimize threats and possible protests, a development first reported by The Washington Post. He also asked the lawyers not to disclose the date of the hearing, according to a transcript of the meeting released Tuesday.
Such actions by a judge are highly unusual because court proceedings are almost always open to the public and transparency is an underlying assumption of the American judicial system.
Kacsmaryk, appointed by President Donald Trump, formerly worked as an attorney for a Christian legal group and has written critically of laws allowing abortion. Supporters of abortion rights say conservatives are steering cases to his courtroom because they believe he will rule in their favor.
On Wednesday, Kacsmaryk will hear arguments in Amarillo from the Alliance for Defending Freedom — which filed its lawsuit on behalf of several anti-abortion groups and physicians — as well as federal attorneys representing the FDA. The drug’s manufacturer, Danco Laboratories, is also a party in the case and set to argue for keeping its pill available.
The Alliance is seeking an injunction that would force the FDA to revoke its approval of mifepristone. But it’s unclear how quickly that could happen or what the process would entail. The FDA has its own procedures for revoking drug approvals that involve public hearings and scientific deliberations, which can take months or years.
If Kacsmaryk rules against the FDA, federal attorneys are expected to swiftly appeal the decision and seek an emergency stay to stop it from taking effect while the case proceeds.
Mifepristone is part of a two-drug regimen that has been the standard for medication abortion in the U.S since 2000. If mifepristone is sidelined, clinics and doctors that prescribe the combination say they plan to switch to using only the second drug, misoprostol. That single-drug approach is slightly less effective at ending pregnancies, although it is widely used in countries where mifepristone is illegal or unavailable.
The Texas lawsuit alleges that the FDA’s approval of mifepristone in 2000 was flawed for several reasons, including an inadequate review of the pill’s safety risks. The suit also challenges several later FDA decisions that loosened restrictions on the pill, including eliminating a requirement that women pick it up in person.
Lawyers for the FDA have pointed out that serious side effects with mifepristone are rare and the agency has repeatedly affirmed the drug’s safety by reviewing subsequent studies and data. Pulling the drug more than 20 years after approval would be “extraordinary and unprecedented,” the government stated in its legal response.
Typically, the FDA’s authority to regulate prescription drugs has gone unchallenged. But more than a dozen states now have laws restricting abortion broadly — and the pills specifically — following last year’s Supreme Court decision overturning Roe v. Wade.
Lawsuits challenging state restrictions, including those in North Carolina and West Virginia, are progressing separately and are expected to continue for years.
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Perrone reported from Washington.
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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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As Reported by Marin Independent Journal
Something in the Water: Pharrell, Lil Wayne, Kid Cudi Performing at 2023 Festival
There’s a Something in the Water lineup, but it’s not swimming in the Potomac River like Lorde.
The lineup for its 2023 return to Virginia Beach was released Wednesday on social media. Pharrell’s Phriends, Mumford & Sons, Lil Wayne and more are set to perform at the festival running April 28 to 30.
Check out the full Something in the Water 2023 lineup here:
The lineup includes several music genres, like country star Maren Morris, EDM DJ Skrillex, indie pop singer Remi Wolf and genre-bending Grace Jones. D.C.’s Wale will also be performing.
The festival is presented by Walmart. Details on stages and their locations have yet to be released. Photos from the 2019 festival in Virginia Beach show performances at the beach.
Tickets are currently on sale. General admission starts at $399.
The 2022 festival was held Juneteenth weekend on Independence Avenue in D.C. Pharrell announced the festival was returning to Virginia Beach in November but did not give a reason.
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As Reported by NBC4 Washington
Have You Seen This Truck? Police Release New Video, Images in Deadly Hit & Run Investigation
Police in Rhome have released new video of a truck they say was involved in a deadly hit-and-run crash that left a Decatur man dead last Friday.
Police say the driver of a pickup truck hauling a trailer forced Jerry Newton and his 2014 Harley Davidson motorcycle off US Highway 287 between Pioneer Road and State Highway 114 and fled the scene. Newton, 55, did not survive his injuries.
Rhome police say the pickup driver fled west on SH 114 and turned north on Derting Road in Aurora.
The pickup and trailer were caught on surveillance video providing police with much clearer images.
The vehicle is a newer model Ford four-door truck, possibly F250 or F350, with an aftermarket front bumper and hood scoop with marker lights beneath the hood line. It has dark grey or black wheels.
The truck was pulling a black gooseneck trailer with mismatched wheels. The front trailer wheel on the driver’s side is white and the rear wheel is grey. On the passenger side, the front wheel is grey and the back wheel is white.
The trailer was carrying a white and black asphalt roller, or similar equipment, with a high bar behind the seat.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Rhome Police Department at 817-636-2400 or the Wise County Sheriff’s Office dispatch at 940-627-5971.
The Rhome Police Department along with the Texas Department of Public Safety and Texas Rangers continue to investigate.
As Reported by News – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth