Author: Andrew Rogers

A couple who recently moved to Arizona from North Dakota learned the hard way that their rural property lacked fire protection when a shed caught fire this week. The fire occurred on their Mingus Mountain property, northeast of Prescott, and caused significant damage. Yavapai County Sheriff’s deputies responded quickly, using fire extinguishers from patrol vehicles and shovels to contain hot spots around the burning shed. Kevin and Sue Hoerner said this was their first experience discovering their property falls outside any city or fire district coverage. “We’re aware of that now,” Kevin Hoerner said, laughing. He explained that their property…

Aaron Christian Peterson is one step closer to joining the federal bench in Alaska after the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee approved his nomination. In a party-line 14-8 vote on Thursday, the committee advanced Peterson’s nomination to the full Senate, which will hold the final confirmation vote later this year. Federal judges in the United States differ from state judges in their selection process. Unlike Alaska’s state system, where a nonpartisan panel nominates judges based on merit, federal judges are nominated by the president and must be confirmed by the Senate. This process is often highly political, though Peterson’s confirmation is…

Former U.S. Senator Doug Jones has officially launched his campaign for governor of Alabama, setting a clear message of unity, access, and inclusion. Speaking before more than 1,000 supporters in Birmingham, Jones marked the eighth anniversary of his 2017 Senate election victory by outlining what he called a future built around a “crowded table,” where every resident has a voice. Jones said his campaign is about bringing people together across differences. He described Alabama as strongest when no one is left out and when leaders listen to all communities. His message focused on shared values, fairness, and dignity for families…

Tennessee has quickly filled its defensive coordinator vacancy by hiring Jim Knowles from Penn State, less than a week after parting ways with Tim Banks. Knowles, who recently spent a season at Penn State following a national championship-winning year at Ohio State, will now join Tennessee for his third school in three seasons. The move comes in the wake of a coaching change at Penn State, where James Franklin was replaced by Matt Campbell. Knowles, originally brought in by Franklin, found himself seeking a new opportunity after the coaching transition. Tennessee moved decisively to hire him following a season in…

The Tennessee Supreme Court has upheld the state’s 2022 legislative redistricting maps, rejecting a lower court judgment that had found the state Senate map unconstitutional. The decision concluded that a voter in a misnumbered Davidson County Senate district did not have standing to challenge the map. The ruling also confirmed that the 2022 House redistricting plan is constitutional. The legal dispute over Tennessee’s legislative maps has spanned multiple courts since the state legislature approved the new districts following the 2020 U.S. Census. The challenge to the Senate map was brought by a Davidson County voter who argued that the four…

President Donald Trump pardoned a Washington D.C.-area businessman, Charles O. Scott, who had been convicted of securities fraud in connection with a Cleveland-area company. Scott had been sentenced to three and a half years in federal prison for conspiring to commit securities fraud related to U.S. Lighting Group, a Euclid, Ohio-based penny stock company. He served only two weeks before receiving the pardon in May. The pardon received minimal public attention but added Scott to a list of at least six convicted corporate fraudsters pardoned or granted commutations by Trump in his second term. White House officials described Scott as…

Ohio farmers are reacting to the announcement of a $12 billion federal aid package aimed at supporting those affected by tariffs and extreme weather. The program, announced by the Trump administration, is intended to offset financial pressures caused by trade disruptions, heavy rains, and drought conditions across the state. Shelby County farmer Chris Gibbs, who also serves as head of the Shelby County Democratic Party and the Ohio Democratic Party’s Rural Caucus, expressed skepticism. He said the subsidies, funded by taxpayers, are designed to suppress complaints about tariffs. Gibbs warned that the payments would likely be absorbed by large corporations…

A member of the West Virginia National Guard who died after being shot in Washington last month has been laid to rest in a private ceremony. The service honored her life, her service, and her commitment to her state and country. The funeral took place on Tuesday at the West Virginia National Cemetery in Grafton. State leaders said the ceremony showed the strong support of the community and the deep respect felt for her service. The service member, Spc. Sarah Beckstrom was remembered as a young woman who showed great promise and dedication. She completed high school in Webster County…

Small business owners in Northern Virginia say that tariff policies set by President Donald Trump have harmed their companies and increased financial pressure during an already difficult year. The concerns were shared at a public roundtable held on December 8 in Reston. The meeting was organized by Virginia Representative James Walkinshaw, who asked local entrepreneurs to describe the effects of rising costs and shifting trade rules on their daily operations. The event took place at a bookstore in Reston owned by Rachel Wood. She explained in reported form that many small shops in the region have struggled through one of…

A third-alarm fire early Wednesday destroyed a warehouse in Wyoming County, leaving the cause under investigation. The blaze erupted at Reisdorf Bros Inc., a family-owned feed mill and farm supply store on Perry Road in Sheldon. An employee spotted the fire around 3:30 a.m. while arriving at work. Bill Streicher, the county fire coordinator, said the worker immediately realized something was wrong when he saw flames rising into the sky. Crews from 14 fire departments responded to the scene. Firefighters found a factory building fully engulfed in flames. Kyle Meyer, first assistant chief of the North Java Fire Company, described…