Author: Andrew Rogers

Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn., compared White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller’s comments on migrants to the way Nazis described Jewish people. She made the remarks during an interview on Sunday. CBS host Margaret Brennan asked Omar to respond to Miller’s social media post, which read: “No magic transformation occurs when failed states cross borders. At scale, migrants and their descendants recreate the conditions, and terrors, of their broken homelands.” Omar described the comments as “White supremacist rhetoric” and said they echoed historical language used to dehumanize groups. “It reminds me of the way the Nazis described Jewish people…

The University of Oklahoma drew national attention after a student filed a complaint over receiving a zero on an essay. Junior Samantha Fulnecky claimed religious discrimination because her assignment referenced the Bible. The graduate instructor who graded the essay has been placed on administrative leave. Oklahoma Chronicle host Evan Onstot discussed the reactions to the complaint and its wider implications for free speech and religious expression on campus. Onstot also spoke with Oklahoma City Mayor David Holt about open primaries for state elections. Holt supports an initiative petition that could appear on voters’ ballots as State Question 836. If passed,…

Louisiana Congressman Cleo Fields was fined $2,500 on Friday by the state Board of Ethics for not submitting a report on leftover funds and debts from his 2004 Public Service Commission campaign. Fields, a Baton Rouge Democrat elected to Congress in 2024, did not comment on the fine when contacted. The report, due in February, would have documented any spending or debt forgiveness in 2024 related to that old campaign. Fields lost the District 3 public service commissioner race to Lambert Boissiere in a 2004 runoff. For years, officials have been required to file reports for old election accounts if…

The University of Kentucky has received a $150 million gift from the Bill Gatton Foundation to build a new arts district in Lexington. This is the largest donation in the university’s history and will support major arts construction projects. The gift will support the relocation and construction of a new College of Fine Arts Building next to the Gray Design Building. It will also fund a large theater for dance, music, and theatrical performances, as well as a pavilion with a park that connects several blocks near the existing School of Arts and Visual Studies Building. Bill Gatton, a UK…

Lawmakers in New Mexico are proposing stricter regulations for firearms dealers, triggering a debate between state officials and gun store owners. The move comes amid concerns over guns used in crimes and the safety of communities across the state. Keith Bledsoe, co-owner of Rose’s Guns and More, LLC, in Moriarty, said the new proposals could burden small business owners. He noted that existing laws already give authorities the tools to catch illegal activity. “It just puts a big stranglehold on us,” Bledsoe said, referencing regulations already in place. He described an incident involving a customer attempting multiple purchases. “I only…

Jersey is introducing its first island-wide remote health monitoring system to track the health of vulnerable residents in their homes and communities. The landmark project has been awarded to Graphnet Health, which will provide the technology solution to Family Nursing & Home Care (FNHC). The initiative is backed by an £800,000 CareTech Challenge grant aimed at helping older residents live independently while receiving continuous health support. Rosemarie Finley, chief executive of FNHC, described the project as a “powerful way” to monitor the wellbeing of residents at home. She highlighted the challenges faced by frail patients and those managing long-term conditions…

Former US senator Bob Menendez has been permanently banned from seeking or holding public office in New Jersey after being convicted of federal corruption charges, officials said. A New Jersey superior court order on Friday, issued by Judge Robert Lougy, prohibits Menendez from holding “any position of honor, trust, or profit in state or local government.” State Attorney General Matt Platkin said Menendez would face a fourth-degree contempt charge if he attempts to run for or accept public office in violation of the ruling. “Critical to preserving the public’s faith and trust in government institutions is ensuring that elected officials…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth defended US military strikes on suspected drug cartel boats in the Caribbean, asserting that President Donald Trump has the authority to take military action “as he sees fit.” He spoke Saturday at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in Simi Valley, California, amid growing scrutiny over the legality of the strikes and his leadership at the Pentagon. Hegseth argued the strikes, which have killed more than 80 people since September, were necessary to protect Americans. He compared suspected drug traffickers to al-Qaida terrorists, saying, “If you’re working for a designated terrorist organization and you bring drugs to…

Three Georgia lawmakers are calling for a state audit of the Department of Human Services to review its handling of federal benefits. The request comes amid concerns over rising administrative costs and errors in SNAP payments. State Representatives Marvin Lim, Karen Lumpton, and David Wilkerson sent a letter urging state auditors to examine DHS operations. They cited reporting that revealed the department may need an additional $47 million to cover administrative costs for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, due to federal funding cuts. The lawmakers highlighted that many Georgians already struggle to navigate DHS systems. New federal rules,…

A garbage truck from All American Waste overturned on Long Hill Avenue in Shelton on Thursday but was successfully righted by two cranes. The incident caused a temporary disruption, but authorities confirmed there were no injuries, and the truck sustained little to no damage. Police have not immediately released information on the cause of the accident. However, video footage from the scene shows two large cranes carefully lifting the truck back onto its wheels. The operation required coordination between crane operators and local emergency personnel to ensure safety and prevent further incidents. Local fire crews were on site while the…