Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) responded to a question about whether he thinks Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) would be confirmed by the Senate by pointing to "recess appointments."
The post Rep. Thomas Massie on Whether Gaetz Will Be Confirmed AG by Senate: ‘Recess Appointments’ appeared first on Breitbart.
On Wednesday’s broadcast of MSNBC’s “The ReidOut,” Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D) vowed to “do everything that I can to protect our undocumented immigrants.” But also stated that the state “had the problem of the very inhumane shipping of migrants”
The post Pritzker: I’ll Protect Illegal Immigrants, It Was a ‘Problem’ When Texas Sent Us Migrants appeared first on Breitbart.
Actor Josh Gad, who is set to reprise his role as Olaf in Disney's upcoming Frozen 3, has smeared the incoming Trump administration as Nazis -- naturally using a musical theater analogy involving "Springtime for Hitler" from The Producers.
The post Disney’s ‘Frozen 3’ Star Josh Gad Smears Incoming Trump Admin. as Nazis: ‘Springtime for Hitler and Germany’ appeared first on Breitbart.
A Los Angeles middle school teacher has been charged after allegedly grooming her 13-year-old student into a sexual relationship for over a year, with prosecutors saying she left her husband to be in "love" with the child.
The post Los Angeles D.A.: Teacher Left Husband to Be in ‘Love’ with Student, 13, That She Was Grooming appeared first on Breitbart.
The Ohio State Senate passed a bill on Wednesday that would bar transgender people from using women's bathrooms.
The post Ohio Senate Passes Bill Banning Transgender People from Women’s Bathrooms appeared first on Breitbart.
Pennsylvania's Senate race moved to a recount as Senator-elect Dave McCormick (R) continues to hold a lead over incumbent Sen. Bob Casey (D).
The post Pennsylvania Senate Race Moves to Recount as Republican Dave McCormick Holds Lead over Bob Casey appeared first on Breitbart.
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) has resigned from his congressional seat after President-elect Donald Trump nominated him to serve as Attorney General in his administration.
The post Matt Gaetz Resigns from Congress After Trump Nominates Him as Attorney General appeared first on Breitbart.
By Sophie Austin, Associated Press/Report For America
California voters have rejected a measure on the November ballot that would have amended the state constitution to ban forced prison labor.
The constitution already prohibits so-called involuntary servitude, but an exception allows it to be used as a punishment for crime.
That exemption became a target of criminal justice advocates concerned that prisoners are often paid less than $1 an hour for labor such as fighting fires, cleaning cells and doing landscaping work at cemeteries.
The failed Proposition 6 was included in a package of reparations proposals introduced by lawmakers this year as part of an effort to atone and offer redress for a history of discrimination against Black Californians.
Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law in the package in September to issue a formal apology for the state's legacy of racism against African Americans. But state lawmakers blocked a bill that would have created an agency to administer reparations programs, and Newsom vetoed a measure that would have helped Black families reclaim property taken unjustly by the government through eminent domain.
Abolish Slavery National Network co-founder Jamilia Land, who advocated for the initiative targeting forced prison labor, said the measure and similar ones in other states are about “dismantling the remnants of slavery” from the books.
“While the voters of California did not pass Proposition 6 this time, we have made significant progress,” she said in a statement. “We are proud of the movement we have built, and we will not rest until we see this issue resolved once and for all.”
George Eyles, a retired teacher in Brea who voted against Prop 6, said he found it confusing that the initiative aimed to ban slavery, which was outlawed in the U.S. in the 19th century. After finding out more about the measure, Eyles decided it likely would not be economically feasible since prison labor helps cut costs for upkeep, he said.
“I really couldn’t get any in-depth information about ... the thinking behind putting that whole Prop 6 forward, so that made me leery of it,” Eyles said. “If I really can’t understand something, then I’m usually going to shake my head, ‘No.’”
Multiple states — including Colorado, Tennessee, Alabama and Vermont — have voted to rid their constitutions of forced labor exemptions in recent years, and this week they were joined by Nevada, which passed its own measure.
In Colorado — the first state to get rid of an exception for slavery from its constitution in 2018 — incarcerated people alleged in a 2022 lawsuit filed against the corrections department that they were still being forced to work.
Proposition 6’s ballot language did not explicitly include the word “slavery” like measures elsewhere, because the California Constitution was amended in the 1970s to remove an exemption for slavery. But the exception for involuntary servitude as a punishment for crime remained on the books.
The 13th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution also bans slavery and involuntary servitude except as a punishment for crime.
Proposition 6 saw the second-least campaign spending among the 10 statewide initiatives on the ballot this year, about $1.9 million, according to the California Secretary of State’s office. It had no formal opposition.
California public health officials are dipping into state and federal stockpiles to equip up to 10,000 farmworkers with masks, gloves, goggles, and other safety gear as the state confirms at least 21 human cases of bird flu as of early November. It’s the latest reminder of the state’s struggle to remain prepared amid multibillion-dollar deficits.
Officials said they began distributing more than 2 million pieces of personal protective equipment in late May, four months before the first human case was confirmed in the state. They said they began ramping up coordination with local health officials in April after bird flu was first detected in cattle in the U.S. Bird flu has now been confirmed at more than 270 dairies in central California, and traces were recently detected at a wastewater sampling site in Los Angeles County. Bird flu was also recently detected in a flock of commercial turkeys in Sacramento County.
California is putting a number of lessons from the covid-19 pandemic to use, such as coordinating emergency response with local health officials and tracking infectious diseases through wastewater surveillance, as the state tries to limit the spread of bird flu to humans. It’s striving to maintain an adequate emergency stockpile to withstand the first wave of any new public health disaster without hemorrhaging the state budget.
“We are far better prepared to respond to a pandemic than we were in 2020,” said Amy Palmer, a spokesperson for the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.
For instance, before the coronavirus struck in 2020, the state’s emergency supplies stockpile was barely big enough to crowd two basketball courts.
By the time California ramped up its pandemic response, it had enough personal protective equipment and other disaster supplies to fill 52 football fields. California spent $15.6 billion on direct pandemic response during the covid crisis years, much of it provided by the federal government.
Today, the stockpile fits into about 12½ football fields, though it can seesaw from month to month.
According to the state, the current stockpile includes 101 million face masks, 26 million more than the 90-day supply recommended by the state’s pandemic preparedness guideline.
That includes 88 million N95 masks, more than the emergency services agency said was needed last year. The high-efficiency masks are considered crucial to protect against airborne viruses such as covid-19.
Although the state is building up its stockpile, Palmer could not say if the additional masks are related to fears of bird flu, only that planners are always working “to keep pace with the current risk environment.”
The state’s goal, Palmer said, is to have “an initial supply during emergencies to allow us the time to secure resources,” whether through the federal government or by buying more.
There is no indication of spread between humans in the recent California bird flu cases, and health officials say public risk remains low. Human transmission of bird flu is among several worst-case scenarios for a new pandemic, alongside the possibility of a resurgent mutant coronavirus; wider international spread of mpox, Marburg virus, or Ebola; or an entirely new virus for which there initially is no immunity or vaccine.
Yet, health officials nationwide have struggled to track bird flu transmission. And California has a history of swinging back and forth on preparedness.
Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger ordered an increase in California’s pandemic preparedness in 2006 in response to an earlier threat from bird flu. That included three mobile hospitals that could immediately be deployed during disasters.
Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, ended the program in 2011 as state finances went bust. By the time covid struck, the state released 21 million N95 masks, some so old they were past their expiration date.
Now hospitals are required to maintain their own three-month supply of masks, gowns, and other personal protective equipment under a state law passed in 2020. California’s aerosol transmissible disease standard also uniquely requires hospitals and other high-risk workplaces to follow precautions such as using negative pressure isolation rooms and the highest level of protective equipment until more is known about a new pathogen.
“It is difficult to overstate the level of unpreparedness exhibited by hospitals both in and outside of California in dealing with the 2020 outbreak of COVID-19,” according to a legislative analysis. “Harrowing images of nurses walking the corridors of hospitals in makeshift masks and garbage bags became commonplace.”
California Hospital Association spokesperson Jan Emerson-Shea said hospitals “continuously prepare to respond to all types of disasters, including outbreaks of transmissible viruses.”
In addition, Palmer said California has five mobile hospitals acquired from the federal government, though they got little use during the pandemic. She said they have to be maintained, such as making sure pulse oximeters have working batteries.
But, once again, the current deficit has the state trying to strike a balance.
While lawmakers rejected most of Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom’s $300 million proposed cut to public health funding, the state slashed funding for its stockpile of personal protective equipment by one-third a year ago after it determined that no additional covid-related purchases were necessary, according to the Department of Finance. California eliminated funding this year for eight 53-foot-long trailers that would have moved stockpiled items between warehouses. It’s also cutting nearly $40 million over the next four years from its $175 million disaster stockpile budget.
The state’s preparedness wasn’t good enough for Californians Against Pandemics, which gathered more than 1 million signatures to put a ballot measure before voters in November. The measure would have increased taxes on people with incomes over $5 million and used that money for pandemic prevention and response.
But that effort collapsed after one of its key financial supporters, former cryptocurrency executive Sam Bankman-Fried, was convicted of defrauding customers and investors. In exchange for initiative backers dropping the measure, state officials agreed to broaden the scope of the California Initiative to Advance Precision Medicine, which was created in 2015 to focus on developing new medicines and therapies, to include technologies for preventing another pandemic.
“By harnessing the power of precision medicine, California is moving to the forefront of pandemic preparedness and prevention,” Newsom said at the time.
Rodger Butler, a spokesperson for the state Health and Human Services Agency, said it’s unclear if the precision medicine initiative will receive additional funding.
By Megan Myscofski
Governor Gavin Newsom went to Washington, D.C. this week to meet with California’s Congressional Delegation and the Biden Administration and advocate for federal funding to the state before President-elect Donald Trump takes office in January.
Newsom told a Spectrum News reporter in the capital that he has concerns the state will lose some federal funding — which Trump threatened while campaigning.
“I guess that's what people voted for, but I got to tell you, a lot of folks will be hurt if we don't push back,” he said.
Newsom said he’s advocated for funds related to the environment, disaster relief and health care.
That includes two Medicaid waivers — one to put more funds towards behavioral health treatment, and another to renew the state’s MCO tax, which California voters just approved through Proposition 35.
The governor also pushed for more federal land protections, clean air and water support, and approval on several waiver requests to support the state’s climate and emissions rules.
Lindsey Churchill works with the Rebuild Paradise Foundation, which supports survivors of the 2018 Camp Fire.
She said federal funds are already challenging to work with because of how slow they tend to roll out.
“When you’re trying to provide programs in a timely manner after a disaster, you don’t necessarily have time to wait a year or longer for that kind of funding,” she said.
She added that she’s also concerned about the Trump administration withholding funding, especially as natural disasters become more frequent and costly.
This is the time of the year when bills thrive or die.
We’ll have Capitol Bureau Chief Ben Adler with us to tell us where things stand.
Gov. Gavin Newsom and the two houses of the State Legislature spend the winter and spring finalizing a budget, ahead of the key deadline, which is June 15 of every year. California’s fiscal year is July 1 to June 30, so the end of the 2018-19 fiscal year is rapidly coming to a close. Ben will be with us to discuss the budget crunch from the Assembly chamber.
Find another name for your mass deportation agenda, Mr. President, because Aurora, Colorado, is a safe haven for immigrants who are prospering in a community that has embraced their culture, heritage, and sometimes their tenuous legal status.
The NBA Cup is here, and people are wearing captain hats in Golden State! How about those courts? Terrible or just plain awful?
County Court Judge Corinne Magid found prosecutors missed discovery deadlines multiple times and did not tell defense attorneys about a witness’ exculpatory testimony until the day before a jury trial was set to begin.
A Colorado State Patrol trooper was airlifted to the hospital Wednesday after his patrol car was hit by a suspected drunken driver while the trooper was investigating a crash.
Neither governor directly tied the new effort "to shape policy and plans that truly protect the rule of law" to former President Donald Trump's return to power.
Featuring Colin Edwin, Pat Mastelotto, Lorenzo Esposito Fornasari, and Carmelo Pipitone.
The Nuggets will likely be hard-pressed to acquire a rotation-worthy big man before the trade deadline.
Upsets happen all the time in prep football. But in regards to these matchups, we’ll go with “highly unlikely” the underdog wins.
No team has bumped, set, and spiked in recent years with more authority than Class 1A Merino.
"After a few very awkward family holiday dinners, my son started to stay away if she was going to be there."
Prosecutors plan to re-try Douglas Harroun on the second-degree assault charge, a lower-level felony, and a new jury trial has been set for Jan. 21, said Eric Ross, spokesman for the 18th Judicial District Attorney's Office.
Singer/songwriter David Nail has released the music video for his heartfelt rendition of 'I'll Be Home for Christmas.'
Jason Owen returns with his country rock version of the classic just in time for your Christmas playlists
Country superstar Blake Shelton is set to release his new single, 'Texas,' on November 15
As I Lay Dying may be down to just vocalist Tim Lambesis, but the band is moving forward with the release of their new album
Metallica have announced that Alice In Chains star Jerry Cantrell is the special featured guest on this week's episode
When Deion Sanders and his CU Buffs host Utah, Folsom Field will welcome an old friend home.
Broncos return home Sunday after two straight tough losses on the road against the Atlanta Falcons.
In the latest episode of The Convex Conversion, Olympic Gold medalist Dame Flora Duffy discussed her challenging journey to the Paris 2024 start line after a severe knee injury. The episode description says, “When reigning Olympic Gold triathlete Dame Flora Duffy takes her place on the pontoon on the Seine in Paris in three weeks’ […]
The Splash n Dash event was held yesterday evening at Cambridge Beaches. A spokesperson said, “There was a great turnout at the Splash n Dash event yesterday evening at Cambridge Beaches – the event was followed by food and drinks courtesy of Cambridge Beaches – a big “Thank You” to Cambridge Beaches for generously hosting […]
Dame Flora Duffy said she is determined to “fight for every position” as she gears up for the Lake Las Vegas T100 Triathlon World Tour professional women’s race on Saturday [October 19]. The five-time Olympian competed in her first race of the series in Ibiza, Spain, last month and finished in ninth place. Vegas marks […]
Dame Flora Duffy achieved a breakthrough performance with her best finish in the T100 Triathlon World Tour after placing third in Lake Las Vegas today [October 19]. Duffy demonstrated her rapid improvement at the longer distance [2-kilometre swim, 80km bike, 18km run], having finished ninth in her first race of the series in Ibiza, Spain, […]
Thursday, November 14 is expected to see sunny breaks with 1 or 2 showers likely, with the high to be near 20°C/68°F and the low to be near 17°C/62°F, according to the Bermuda Weather Service. Winds are expected to be NNW. The relative humidity is expected to be near 66%. Sunrise will be at 6.48am […]
Vanessa James and Eric Radford were involved in a crash with another figure skating couple during a practice session at the 2022 Winter Olympics in China, according to the NBC Olympics website. The story said, “Sports can be dangerous, ice can be slippery, and not much good can come from four elite athletes heading toward […]
[Written by Stephen Wright] Bermudian-born ice hockey player Willy James has made the most of his opportunities since signing for the Saskatoon Blades in the Western Hockey League [WHL] – the top major junior league in Canada. Rookie James, who signed a WHL Scholarship and Development agreement in March last year, spent the first eight […]
The Bermuda Power Boat Association [BPBA] held its Annual General Meeting yesterday evening [Jan 18]. A spokesperson said, “The following were voted back in as Executive Committee Robert Cardwell – Commodore [returned] David Selley – Deputy Commodore [returned] Andrew Cottingham – Rear Commodore [returned] Janae Nesbitt – Secretary [returned] Richard Davidge – Treasurer [returned] “The […]
The Bermuda Power Boat Association has released their 2024 Season Schedule. The season is scheduled to get underway on May 25th with junior races at Ferry Reach, while the senior race season will get underway the next day. The National Championship Series will get underway on June 9th, the Bermuda Charge will take place in […]
The 2024 Bermuda Power Boat Association’s race season got underway at Ferry Reach for the first race of the season. The Devil’s Isles racing team showed up strong with a fleet of 4 boats to compete. In race 1, Andrew Cottingham and Henry Talbot compete in S22 to start the season off and take top […]
The Bermuda Motocross Association [BMA] will host its season opener on Sunday, October 20th at the Southside Motocross Track. The event will feature races in various classes, with riders competing for the top spot on the podium. Gates open at 12 PM, with races starting shortly after. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids […]
[Opinion column written by OBA candidate Malachi Symonds] We live in a world where, at times, convenience comes with a high cost. Single-use plastics have emerged as a major contributor to both environmental degradation and public health crises. A recent study revealed that plastics were responsible for producing 5.3% of greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 […]
The Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute [BUEI] said they are “thrilled to be a part of this year’s ‘Cash Trash Bash’ fundraiser.” A spokesperson said, “In its seventh year, this annual marine clean, led by Karen Plianthos and her family, raises awareness for ocean conservation and has removed close to 15,000 pounds of trash from our […]
The Argus Group has released its third annual Sustainability Report, “charting meaningful progress in addressing challenges including climate change and social equity.” A spokesperson said, “The focus is on how Argus is living its purpose to be “a powerful force for sustainable wellbeing” by embedding enterprise-wide, material changes that benefit their people and the planet. “Featured […]
Taylor Carrick’s campaign at the Men’s White Oaks Squash Cup 2024 concluded in the first round following a hard-fought encounter with England’s Robert Downer, the ninth seed. Held at the prestigious White Oaks Resort and Spa in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, the match saw Downer assert his dominance early on, taking the first two games with scores […]
Connor Hupman, Noah Maranzana, and Katherine Wheddon contributed to a successful start to the 2024-25 varsity season for the Baylor School swim team, as they secured victories over Concord Christian School [CCS] and Montgomery Bell Academy [MBA] at the Baylor School Natatorium. The Baylor men’s team dominated both opponents, defeating MBA 145-35 and CCS 146-29. […]
[Written by Stephen Wright] Karting driver Scott Barnes is aiming for a return to the podium in the Shifter Masters class at the Skusa SuperNationals in Las Vegas, which gets underway today [November 13]. Barnes claimed podium finishes in 2021 and 2022 before suffering misfortune last year, placing fourteenth after disqualification in the final qualifying […]
The Comet Class Winter Series continued in Sy George’s Harbour, with Allan Frith and his crew Sarah Frith claiming victory. Maxwell Curtis and Wesley Tucker secured second place with six points, and Gladwin Lambert and Greg Proctor claimed third place with seven points. Comet Class Winter Series Race Day Two 05 Allan Frith & Sarah Frith 06 […]