Author: Andrew Rogers

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…

Myriad Uranium has increased its stake in a Wyoming uranium project to 75% after investing more than $5.5 million. The Vancouver-based company earned the interest under its property option agreement with Rush Rare Metals, which retains a 25% share. Both stakes remain subject to certain NSR royalties. The project, known as Copper Mountain, recently received a new permit allowing Myriad to expand drilling activities. The site has a long history, with a previous owner spending $25 million in the late 1970s—equivalent to about $100 million today—before uranium prices fell following the Three Mile Island incident. Earlier studies, including one by…

The Federal Reserve’s expected rate cuts may not automatically lower the interest rates that matter for consumers and businesses. Bond markets are showing unusual behavior, even as the Fed continues to ease monetary policy. Since last September, the Fed has gradually reduced rates by a total of 1.5 percentage points, pausing through much of 2025. Analysts expect the central bank to cut rates by another quarter point soon, with two more reductions anticipated in 2026. Typically, rate cuts push Treasury yields lower, which in turn reduces mortgage and loan rates. But this time, yields have been rising. As of Tuesday,…

The Oregon Government Ethics Commission has voted unanimously to extend its investigation into Greg Smith’s salary increases at the Columbia Development Authority (CDA) by up to 30 days. The decision was made during a special open session on Tuesday, December 9, allowing investigator Casey Fenstermaker additional time to collect final materials and interviews for the board. The investigation, which opened in June, initially reached its 180-day deadline. Fenstermaker provided a summary of her draft report to commissioners, focusing on a 2024 federal grant. She had conducted interviews with Smith and CDA board member JD Tovey on December 8, but was…

A winter storm sweeping across Western Oregon and Southwest Washington has triggered flood warnings and power outages, as officials warn of rising rivers and hazardous conditions. The storm is expected to bring heavy rain through Wednesday, with waterways continuing to rise into Thursday. The National Weather Service issued several flood watches and warnings for the coast and other flood-prone areas. Rivers, creeks, and streams draining from the Coast Range, Willapa Hills, and Cascades are at risk of overflowing. Local authorities have urged residents in low-lying areas to prepare for potential flooding. Clackamas County officials highlighted Johnson Creek, which is forecast…

A man shot by an Oklahoma City police officer in September has died from his injuries, the police department confirmed Monday. The victim, 45-year-old Jason Redshirt, was shot by Sgt. Christopher Skinner after an incident in southwest Oklahoma City. Police reports say the incident occurred around 3:10 a.m. on September 24. Skinner responded to a call about a disturbance in a residential neighborhood. When he arrived, officers found Redshirt outside a home. According to the department, Redshirt allegedly used racial slurs and shouted at Skinner. The officer initially attempted to deescalate the situation. When Redshirt approached aggressively, Skinner used pepper…

Rep. John Waldron of Tulsa is stepping down as chair of the Oklahoma Democratic Party, just six months after taking the position. Waldron announced his resignation in a social media post, saying he had been pushing himself too hard and needed to focus on personal reasons. He will continue serving in the state legislature and is up for re-election in 2026. Waldron has balanced multiple roles, including being an educator in Tulsa, serving as an elected representative, leading the party, and being a father. The combination of these responsibilities ultimately became too demanding. He took the top party position in…

An Indiana appeals court has ruled that detailed records about abortions must stay private. The panel said the forms that doctors file after each procedure are private medical records. The decision marks a major point in the growing Indiana Abortion Privacy debate, which has been active since the state began limiting access to abortion in recent years. The ruling supports an earlier order made by a judge in Marion County. That judge blocked the release of the reports after two doctors filed a lawsuit. The forms are known as terminated pregnancy reports. They include details about each procedure. Doctors across…

Indiana prosecutors are working to stop a proposed constitutional amendment they say could weaken fair decision-making across the state. The move has sparked a broad Indiana Prosecutor Debate, as lawmakers and prosecutors share very different views on how to handle misconduct and public safety. The pushback grew this week when the state’s leading prosecutors released their own ideas for new laws. They say these steps would support public safety without adding political pressure to the criminal justice system. Wabash County Prosecutor Bill Hartley said the work of a prosecutor is not about party labels. He said that when prosecutors meet,…