Illinois health officials announced the second confirmed case of Coronavirus in the U.S. was located in Chicago.
Coronavirus in Chicago:
CDPH says patient did NOT take public transportation or come in close contact with anyone outside her home
They say patient was asymptomatic (not showing symptoms) during her travel, which they say = low risk for transmissions@cbschicago
— Marissa Parra (@MarParNews) January 24, 2020
According to the Illinois Department of Public Health, the patient is in her 60’s and traveled to Wuhan in late December. She flew back to Chicago on Jan. 13.
Officials said she did not exhibit symptoms when she arrived. The incubation period for some can be around 2 weeks.
Dr. Allison Arwady of the Chicago Department of Public Health said the woman took all correct precaution, including contacting her doctor before arriving at the office.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Friday, January 24, 2020
Pennsylvania mother facing multiple charges after 16-year-old weighs in at 26 pounds
CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. (WHTM) – Elizabet Estrada of Chambersburg is facing multiple charges after her 16-year-old son went to the doctor and weighed 26 pounds.
Court documents show the teen weighed 22 pounds when he was three years old, and just 26 pounds at age 16. Investigators say in all the years in between, the child had no doctor appointments or medical care.
“The family lives internally amongst each other,” said Det. Sgt. Jon Greenawalt of the Chambersburg Police Department. “The mother and four children … by the mother’s statements, they don’t have a lot of contact outside the home. They were schooled at home through the mother.”
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Court documents show the teen weighed 22 pounds when he was three years old, and just 26 pounds at age 16. Investigators say in all the years in between, the child had no doctor appointments or medical care.
“The family lives internally amongst each other,” said Det. Sgt. Jon Greenawalt of the Chambersburg Police Department. “The mother and four children … by the mother’s statements, they don’t have a lot of contact outside the home. They were schooled at home through the mother.”
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34 US troops diagnosed with concussions, TBIs from Iran missile strike, Pentagon says
A Pentagon spokesman on Friday confirmed that at least 34 U.S. troops were diagnosed with concussions or traumatic brain injuries from the Iran missile strike in Iraq.
Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman told reporters that of those diagnosed with concussions or TBIs:
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Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Rath Hoffman told reporters that of those diagnosed with concussions or TBIs:
- 8 were sent to Germany for treatment, then moved to the U.S. for additional care;
- 9 were sent to Germany and were still being treated there as of Friday;
- 1 was sent to Kuwait and then returned to Iraq;
- 16 were diagnosed in Iraq and returned to duty there.
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County Executive Announces Public Hearing on Proposed Operating Budget for Fiscal Year 2021
COUNTY EXECUTIVE ANNOUNCES PUBLIC HEARING ON
PROPOSED OPERATING BUDGET FOR FISCAL YEAR 2021
Salisbury, MD ... Wicomico County Executive Bob Culver invites all citizens to participate in a Public Hearing on the Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget, Capital Improvement Budget, Governmental and Enterprise Funds Budgets and the appropriation of all expenditures for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The meeting will be held on Monday, March 23, 2020, in the Flanders Room of the Wicomico Youth and Civic Center beginning at 6:00 PM.
The public is encouraged to present their comments and questions. County Executive Culver and his staff will consider the suggestions of the citizens when creating the Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget. Final decisions will be based on prioritization of need and available funding sources.
WHO: Wicomico County Residents
County Executive Culver and Staff
WHAT: Public Hearing Notice
Fiscal Year 2021 Operating Budget
WHEN: Monday, March 23, 2020, at 6:00 PM
WHERE: Wicomico Youth and Civic Center
500 Glen Avenue, Salisbury MD
Flanders Room
Trump Impeachment Theater a Farce to Protect the Federal Administrative State
The partisan farce that is President Donald Trump Impeachment Theater is a political puppet show, a diversion that covers a truly titanic battle obscured by the dancing marionettes.
The audience knows how the Democratic impeachment show ends, with likely acquittal by the Republican majority in the Senate.
Some must figure Trump's impeachment has been designed by Democrats to continue their delegitimization of the president. And, aided as they are by their liberal Beltway media handmaidens, they seek to weaken the Republican hold on the Senate.
But what this is really about is Democratic desperation to protect their true source of power. It's just off-stage, in the wings of the theater -- the magic weapon they need to continue remaking America in their own image:
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The audience knows how the Democratic impeachment show ends, with likely acquittal by the Republican majority in the Senate.
Some must figure Trump's impeachment has been designed by Democrats to continue their delegitimization of the president. And, aided as they are by their liberal Beltway media handmaidens, they seek to weaken the Republican hold on the Senate.
But what this is really about is Democratic desperation to protect their true source of power. It's just off-stage, in the wings of the theater -- the magic weapon they need to continue remaking America in their own image:
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Alleged al-Qaeda Jihadis Caught Trying to Enter U.S. with Fake Colombian Passports
American authorities identified and apprehended three Syrian nationals accused of belonging to al-Qaeda in Dallas, Texas, from Colombia, the Colombian news agency RCN reported on Thursday, publishing images of the three individuals’ fake passports.
According to RCN, American law enforcement identified the three individuals as Al Raefee, Tuameh Tuameh, and Al Harari Al Harari. The three are believed to be in U.S. custody, soon to be charged with membership in a terrorist organization. The men appear to have entered Colombia through Venezuela, where they acquired Colombian residency paperwork, a government identification card, and a Colombian passport through an illegal documentation network.
Journalist Luis Carlos Vélez reportedly stated that the U.S. embassy identified them as al-Qaeda terrorists when they attempted to procure U.S. visas, which does not align with the RCN report that police arrested them in Dallas. The RCN report does not note if Dallas authorities arrested them at the airport, which would suggest the men did receive U.S. visas and got on board a flight to the country, or if they arrived by other means.
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According to RCN, American law enforcement identified the three individuals as Al Raefee, Tuameh Tuameh, and Al Harari Al Harari. The three are believed to be in U.S. custody, soon to be charged with membership in a terrorist organization. The men appear to have entered Colombia through Venezuela, where they acquired Colombian residency paperwork, a government identification card, and a Colombian passport through an illegal documentation network.
Journalist Luis Carlos Vélez reportedly stated that the U.S. embassy identified them as al-Qaeda terrorists when they attempted to procure U.S. visas, which does not align with the RCN report that police arrested them in Dallas. The RCN report does not note if Dallas authorities arrested them at the airport, which would suggest the men did receive U.S. visas and got on board a flight to the country, or if they arrived by other means.
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Dementia Patient And Her Carer Sing Sinatra Classic And Hit Number 7 On The Charts
When 31-year-old carer Jamie Lee Morley first heard aged care resident Margaret Mackie sing, he automatically assumed that the beautiful voice he heard was coming from a nearby radio.
While it is certainly not uncommon for aged care staff and residents to develop strong bonds, nobody at the Northcare Suites Care Home in Glasgow, Scotland, could have imagined what would happen next.
The pair were recently thrust into the public spotlight as heartwarming footage of the young carer and the 83-year-old resident performing Frank Sinatra’s ‘My Way’ at the nursing home Christmas party became a viral internet sensation.
And if that wasn’t enough, this dynamic duo have now recorded the song professionally and it is soaring up the charts in the UK.
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Trump administration allows Texas to receive family planning funds while excluding Planned Parenthood
The Trump administration will allow Texas to receive federal family planning funds for a program that excludes Planned Parenthood.
Texas had given up Medicaid funding for its program, Healthy Texas Women, in 2013, after the Obama administration had disapproved of its plan to deny funding to organizations that perform abortions. On Wednesday, the Trump administration granted a waiver effectively reversing that decision and restoring funding.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that the decision meant that "Texas is once again in partnership with the federal government to provide family planning and health services through the Healthy Texas Women program while fostering a culture of life."
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Texas had given up Medicaid funding for its program, Healthy Texas Women, in 2013, after the Obama administration had disapproved of its plan to deny funding to organizations that perform abortions. On Wednesday, the Trump administration granted a waiver effectively reversing that decision and restoring funding.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said that the decision meant that "Texas is once again in partnership with the federal government to provide family planning and health services through the Healthy Texas Women program while fostering a culture of life."
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Republican senators demand DHS to explain why Pensacola shooter was granted a visa
Three Republican senators called on acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf to explain how the gunman from the shooting in Pensacola, Florida, was granted a visa.
Ahmed Mohammed al Shamrani, a 21-year-old Saudi national, opened fire and killed three at Navy air station in Pensacola, Florida. Saudi authorities reported that they believe Shamrani was radicalized in 2018 during an extended stay in the Middle East. He then returned to the United States to be trained at the Naval base before he turned his weapon on his peers in December.
In a letter to Wolf, Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott joined Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin in demanding more information on the department’s visa vetting system, given that Shamrani was allowed to return to the U.S. after being radicalized.
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Ahmed Mohammed al Shamrani, a 21-year-old Saudi national, opened fire and killed three at Navy air station in Pensacola, Florida. Saudi authorities reported that they believe Shamrani was radicalized in 2018 during an extended stay in the Middle East. He then returned to the United States to be trained at the Naval base before he turned his weapon on his peers in December.
In a letter to Wolf, Florida Sens. Marco Rubio and Rick Scott joined Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin in demanding more information on the department’s visa vetting system, given that Shamrani was allowed to return to the U.S. after being radicalized.
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Saudi 9/11 suspects were exonerated by Bush government before FBI could finish investigation: Agents shed new light on the investigation
An FBI agent who was one of the leads on the initial 9/11 investigation believes the evidence of possible Saudi links is significant and should be publicly released.
A team of FBI agents spent more than a decade secretly investigating the possible Saudi links - even after they were told to give up and high-level officials disregarded any connections.
The details regarding the FBI investigation - dubbed Operation Encore - has mostly been shrouded in secrecy since the terror attacks occurred in 2001.
A joint investigation by New York Times Magazine and ProPublica - that included interviews with over 50 current of ex-FBI agents - has uncovered several missed investigative opportunities.
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A team of FBI agents spent more than a decade secretly investigating the possible Saudi links - even after they were told to give up and high-level officials disregarded any connections.
The details regarding the FBI investigation - dubbed Operation Encore - has mostly been shrouded in secrecy since the terror attacks occurred in 2001.
A joint investigation by New York Times Magazine and ProPublica - that included interviews with over 50 current of ex-FBI agents - has uncovered several missed investigative opportunities.
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Trump administration rolls back Obama clean water rule
The Trump administration unveiled a rewrite of an Obama-era clean water rule Thursday, setting a narrower definition for which waters are covered under federal protections.
The new rule, which will replace the Obama administration waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, rule, is meant to fulfill one of President Trump’s major energy and environmental priorities. Trump, in recent remarks to the American Farm Bureau, called the WOTUS rule “one of the most ridiculous regulations of all,” saying it “gave bureaucrats virtually unlimited authority to regulate stock tanks, drainage ditches, and isolated ponds as navigable waterways and navigable water.”
Under the Trump administration’s regulation, issued Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, four types of waters are covered by federal protections: traditional navigable waters, such as seas and rivers; streams that flow into traditional navigable waters; wetlands right next to covered waters; and certain lakes, ponds, and impoundments.
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The new rule, which will replace the Obama administration waters of the U.S., or WOTUS, rule, is meant to fulfill one of President Trump’s major energy and environmental priorities. Trump, in recent remarks to the American Farm Bureau, called the WOTUS rule “one of the most ridiculous regulations of all,” saying it “gave bureaucrats virtually unlimited authority to regulate stock tanks, drainage ditches, and isolated ponds as navigable waterways and navigable water.”
Under the Trump administration’s regulation, issued Thursday by the Environmental Protection Agency and the Army Corps of Engineers, four types of waters are covered by federal protections: traditional navigable waters, such as seas and rivers; streams that flow into traditional navigable waters; wetlands right next to covered waters; and certain lakes, ponds, and impoundments.
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Libyan tied to Benghazi attack sentenced to 19 years in prison
A Libyan man who assisted an Islamist militia that stormed the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi in 2012 was sentenced to 19 1/2 years in prison.
Mustafa al Imam, 47, was convicted in June of conspiring to support terrorists and destroying government property. The jury was deadlocked on other charges, including murder charges related to the deaths of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
On Thursday, Judge Christopher Cooper said the Libyan man acted as the "eyes and ears" for the mastermind of the attack that night.
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Mustafa al Imam, 47, was convicted in June of conspiring to support terrorists and destroying government property. The jury was deadlocked on other charges, including murder charges related to the deaths of U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans.
On Thursday, Judge Christopher Cooper said the Libyan man acted as the "eyes and ears" for the mastermind of the attack that night.
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‘Blood money’: Iranian strategist suggests ransoming US hostages 'to solve the sanctions problem'
A top political strategist and Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps officer told supporters that Iran should kidnap hostages and ransom them back to the United States for "blood money."
"Here's how the IRGC generates funds. The IRGC detains a spy like Jason Rezaian," Hassan Abbasi can be heard saying in a video that surfaced on Wednesday. "The U.S. pleads for him to be released, and we ask them to pay for him. Our government gets paid $1.7 billion to hand over this spy. By detaining one spy, the IRGC earns the $1-2 billion, which it was supposed to receive from the government budget."
Rezaian is an Iranian American journalist who served as Tehran bureau chief for the Washington Post before he was arrested and convicted of espionage in a closed-door trial in Iran in 2015. He was released during President Barack Obama's tenure as part of a prisoner swap on Jan. 16, 2016, the same day that U.S. officials paid Iran $1.7 billion.
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"Here's how the IRGC generates funds. The IRGC detains a spy like Jason Rezaian," Hassan Abbasi can be heard saying in a video that surfaced on Wednesday. "The U.S. pleads for him to be released, and we ask them to pay for him. Our government gets paid $1.7 billion to hand over this spy. By detaining one spy, the IRGC earns the $1-2 billion, which it was supposed to receive from the government budget."
Rezaian is an Iranian American journalist who served as Tehran bureau chief for the Washington Post before he was arrested and convicted of espionage in a closed-door trial in Iran in 2015. He was released during President Barack Obama's tenure as part of a prisoner swap on Jan. 16, 2016, the same day that U.S. officials paid Iran $1.7 billion.
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Ex-Maryland cop accused of raping woman he pulled over in traffic stop is HIV positive: police
FAIRMOUNT HEIGHTS, Md. (FOX 5 DC) - A former Fairmount Heights police officer who faces an array of charges - including rape - is now accused of intentionally trying to pass on HIV.
The investigation into Martique Vanderpool of Capitol Heights began after he allegedly pulled over a victim and then raped her when they returned to the station.
According to Prince George’s County Police arrest documents, Vanderpool and another officer pulled the victim over in the Landover area shortly before midnight on Sept. 6, 2019.
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The investigation into Martique Vanderpool of Capitol Heights began after he allegedly pulled over a victim and then raped her when they returned to the station.
According to Prince George’s County Police arrest documents, Vanderpool and another officer pulled the victim over in the Landover area shortly before midnight on Sept. 6, 2019.
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'Dangerous historical precedent': Republican state attorneys general admonish impeachment in letter to Senate
Twenty-one Republican state attorneys general sent a letter to the Senate rebuking the impeachment of President Trump, claiming it would set a dangerous precedent moving forward.
The letter, which was sent on Wednesday morning, called for the Senate to dismiss the charges and end the trial, according to Fox News.
"This impeachment proceeding threatens all future elections and establishes a dangerous historical precedent," it read. "That new precedent will erode the separation of powers shared by the executive and legislative branches by subjugating future Presidents to the whims of the majority opposition party in the House of Representatives."
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The letter, which was sent on Wednesday morning, called for the Senate to dismiss the charges and end the trial, according to Fox News.
"This impeachment proceeding threatens all future elections and establishes a dangerous historical precedent," it read. "That new precedent will erode the separation of powers shared by the executive and legislative branches by subjugating future Presidents to the whims of the majority opposition party in the House of Representatives."
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Come To Caribbean Joe's This Weekend For The Pro Bowl
My Friday Night Special is marinated thick boneless pork chops with mashed potatoes, gravy and corn. Doors open at 4 PM.
Check Out These Sites/Links On Windmills
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The wind industry was built on lies and runs on subsidies. Spin doctors, practised in the fine art of deception, have been gainfully employed for almost 30 years in an effort to turn night into day…
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Russiagate Spy Paid $1 Million By Obama Was WaPo Deep Throat
Stephan Halper, the longtime CIA and FBI operative who conducted espionage on the 2016 Trump campaign, was feeding information to Washington Post reporter David Ignatius through his handler, according to The Federalist, which describes his actions as "more evidence that the intelligence community has co-opted the press to push anti-Trump conspiracy theories."
According to a court filing by Michael Flynn's defense team, Halper's 'handler' in the Office of Net Assessment (ONA), Col. James Baker, "regularly lunched with the Washington Post reporter."
(Also leaking to Ignatius was Christopher Steele)
As we noted in May of 2018, Halper was paid over $1 million by the Obama administration through the Office of Net Assessment - nearly half of which came during 'Russiagate' - in which he not only surveilled multiple Trump campaign aides, he was involved in an effort to tie General Flynn to a Russian academic, Svetlana Lokhova, as part of a smear campaign.
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According to a court filing by Michael Flynn's defense team, Halper's 'handler' in the Office of Net Assessment (ONA), Col. James Baker, "regularly lunched with the Washington Post reporter."
(Also leaking to Ignatius was Christopher Steele)
As we noted in May of 2018, Halper was paid over $1 million by the Obama administration through the Office of Net Assessment - nearly half of which came during 'Russiagate' - in which he not only surveilled multiple Trump campaign aides, he was involved in an effort to tie General Flynn to a Russian academic, Svetlana Lokhova, as part of a smear campaign.
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‘You should quit’: Rashida Tlaib blasts GOP senators for taking breaks from impeachment trial
Rep. Rashida Tlaib told Republican senators they "should quit" after nearly two dozen were spotted missing segments of President Trump's Senate impeachment trial.
"If you don't want to do your job Senators, then you should quit," the Michigan Democrat tweeted on Thursday morning.
The remark came in response to congressional reporter Michael McAuliff's report that more than 20 GOP senators were absent for Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff's presentation during the House impeachment managers' opening arguments. Meanwhile, there were two empty seats on the Democratic side.
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"If you don't want to do your job Senators, then you should quit," the Michigan Democrat tweeted on Thursday morning.
The remark came in response to congressional reporter Michael McAuliff's report that more than 20 GOP senators were absent for Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff's presentation during the House impeachment managers' opening arguments. Meanwhile, there were two empty seats on the Democratic side.
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Seattle residents voting in a county election will be the first to be able to cast a ballot on their smartphones
Today, King Conservation District officials announced that some 1.2 million residents in the Seattle area will be able to use their smartphones to vote in an upcoming election, a first in American history.
Eligible voters can access ballots for a board of supervisors election by using their name and birth date to log in to a customized web page designed for smartphone browsers
The mobile web page will record all of their votes and let them submit their completed ballots starting today and going through February 11th.
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Eligible voters can access ballots for a board of supervisors election by using their name and birth date to log in to a customized web page designed for smartphone browsers
The mobile web page will record all of their votes and let them submit their completed ballots starting today and going through February 11th.
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New York City votes to BAN cashless businesses because it is 'elitist' and 12% of residents don't have bank accounts
New York City has voted to ban cashless businesses because it is 'elitist' and 12 per cent of the city's residents don't have bank accounts.
The City Council passed a bill Thursday afternoon that will make cashless-only policies illegal across the city and hit businesses with hefty fines of $1,000 to $1,500 if they fail to accept cash payments from customers.
Lawmakers approved the legislation, first introduced by Council member Ritchie Torres in November 2018, by a 43-3 margin.
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The City Council passed a bill Thursday afternoon that will make cashless-only policies illegal across the city and hit businesses with hefty fines of $1,000 to $1,500 if they fail to accept cash payments from customers.
Lawmakers approved the legislation, first introduced by Council member Ritchie Torres in November 2018, by a 43-3 margin.
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'Show up to court with a toothbrush': ICE says sanctuary city officials should expect jail time if they ignore subpoenas
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is prepared to go to court with two "sanctuary cities," New York City, New York, and Denver, Colorado, if they fail to provide personal information on illegal immigrants with criminal records released in each city instead of being transferred to ICE.
“We expect them to comply" with subpoenas for the information, said acting ICE Director Matt Albence at a press conference in Washington on Thursday. "If they don’t comply, we’ll be working with DOJ to go to district court to force them to comply with the requirements,” Albence said, noting the rule in the U.S. Code that he said justified the move. “The individuals that fail to comply can be held in contempt," he said. "They can show up to court with a toothbrush because they might not be going home that night. Because they could be jailed for failure to comply with a lawful order from a judge. That’s the route we’re going.”
ICE looks at local arrests to see if a person is illegally in the country. If they appear to be an illegal immigrant, the officer can request that the local law enforcement agency notify ICE before they are released so that ICE can take custody and begin deportation proceedings. Sanctuary zones release illegal immigrants, including those with criminal convictions, after they make bail or serve time in jail without notifying ICE.
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“We expect them to comply" with subpoenas for the information, said acting ICE Director Matt Albence at a press conference in Washington on Thursday. "If they don’t comply, we’ll be working with DOJ to go to district court to force them to comply with the requirements,” Albence said, noting the rule in the U.S. Code that he said justified the move. “The individuals that fail to comply can be held in contempt," he said. "They can show up to court with a toothbrush because they might not be going home that night. Because they could be jailed for failure to comply with a lawful order from a judge. That’s the route we’re going.”
ICE looks at local arrests to see if a person is illegally in the country. If they appear to be an illegal immigrant, the officer can request that the local law enforcement agency notify ICE before they are released so that ICE can take custody and begin deportation proceedings. Sanctuary zones release illegal immigrants, including those with criminal convictions, after they make bail or serve time in jail without notifying ICE.
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‘Outlet challenge’ prompts safety warnings from fire investigators
Fire investigators in Massachusetts are hoping to help pull the plug on a new viral “challenge” that may be redefining the word “stupid.”
It’s called the “outlet challenge.” Participants insert the plug part of a phone-charger cord only part of the way in, then try to produce a spark by touching a penny to the exposed prongs.
The challenge has been linked to scorchings of outlets in Holden and Plymouth as well as a fire at Westford Academy, where one student is facing criminal charges, Boston’s WBZ-TV reported. Officials are also warning of the possibility of death by electrocution.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/outlet-challenge-prompts-safety-warnings-from-fire-investigators
It’s called the “outlet challenge.” Participants insert the plug part of a phone-charger cord only part of the way in, then try to produce a spark by touching a penny to the exposed prongs.
The challenge has been linked to scorchings of outlets in Holden and Plymouth as well as a fire at Westford Academy, where one student is facing criminal charges, Boston’s WBZ-TV reported. Officials are also warning of the possibility of death by electrocution.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/outlet-challenge-prompts-safety-warnings-from-fire-investigators
House impeachment managers say Senate acquitting Trump would look 'rigged'
Three of the House impeachment managers presiding over the impeachment trial in the Senate claimed that if the Senate votes to acquit President Trump, it would lead to the belief that the process was "rigged."
Democratic Reps. Zoe Lofgren of California, Sylvia Garcia of Texas, and Val Demings of Florida said that if the Senate votes against removing the president from office, it would not completely exonerate him, in part because he was still impeached by the House, according to NBC News.
"It seems to me, if there's not a full, fair trial with witnesses, he may get an acquittal, but he's not going to get an exoneration," Lofgren said in the interview, in response to a question about whether an acquittal would be touted by the administration as a victory. "It's going to be seen for what it is, just a rubber stamp to get him off the hook."
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Democratic Reps. Zoe Lofgren of California, Sylvia Garcia of Texas, and Val Demings of Florida said that if the Senate votes against removing the president from office, it would not completely exonerate him, in part because he was still impeached by the House, according to NBC News.
"It seems to me, if there's not a full, fair trial with witnesses, he may get an acquittal, but he's not going to get an exoneration," Lofgren said in the interview, in response to a question about whether an acquittal would be touted by the administration as a victory. "It's going to be seen for what it is, just a rubber stamp to get him off the hook."
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CBP Enacts ‘Enhanced Health Screening’ as Chinese Coronavirus Comes to U.S.
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officials implemented “enhanced health screening” for travelers arriving at key U.S. airports from Wuhan, China. The action by CBP officials follows the first confirmed case of coronavirus in the United States on Tuesday.
“U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have implemented enhanced health screening for travelers entering the United States on direct or connecting flights from Wuhan, China due to an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV),” CBP officials said in a written statement on Tuesday afternoon. “This additional health screening is now in place at three U.S. airports—John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Chicago-O’Hare and Atlanta International Airports will add entry health screening later this week.”
The enhanced health screening by CBP officers, in coordination with CDC officials, began on Friday, CBP officials told Breitbart Texas.
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“U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have implemented enhanced health screening for travelers entering the United States on direct or connecting flights from Wuhan, China due to an outbreak of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV),” CBP officials said in a written statement on Tuesday afternoon. “This additional health screening is now in place at three U.S. airports—John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), San Francisco International Airport (SFO) and Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Chicago-O’Hare and Atlanta International Airports will add entry health screening later this week.”
The enhanced health screening by CBP officers, in coordination with CDC officials, began on Friday, CBP officials told Breitbart Texas.
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Thursday, January 23, 2020
Denver Post Columnist Fired After Arguing There Are Two Sexes
A Denver Post columnist says he was fired after disputing the idea that there are more than two sexes.
Jon Caldara, president of the libertarian Independence Institute, announced that he has been fired from the Post, chalking it up to "a difference in style" that his editors found "too insensitive."
"My column is not a soft voiced, sticky sweet NPR-styled piece which employs the language now mandated by the victim-centric, identity politics driven media," he said in a Facebook post. "What seemed to be the last straw for my column was my insistence that there are only two sexes and my frustration that to be inclusive of the transgendered (even that word isn’t allowed) we must lose our right to free speech."
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Jon Caldara, president of the libertarian Independence Institute, announced that he has been fired from the Post, chalking it up to "a difference in style" that his editors found "too insensitive."
"My column is not a soft voiced, sticky sweet NPR-styled piece which employs the language now mandated by the victim-centric, identity politics driven media," he said in a Facebook post. "What seemed to be the last straw for my column was my insistence that there are only two sexes and my frustration that to be inclusive of the transgendered (even that word isn’t allowed) we must lose our right to free speech."
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Harris Announces $500,000 Grant for Protection of the Chesapeake Bay
WASHINGTON, DC: Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) announced the award of a $500,000 federal grant to improve the protection of coastal communities and ecosystems associated with bays and estuaries, including the Chesapeake Bay. The funds were awarded by the National Science Foundation to the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Sciences in Cambridge, Dorchester County.
According to the National Science Foundation, “the goal is to translate research results into specific recommendations for developing coastal resiliency solutions and seek stakeholders’ feedback to orient academic research towards addressing pressing concerns faced by urban and rural communities living around the Nation’s estuaries and bays.” Specifically, use of the funding will include study of the impact of storms and sea level rise, and the effectiveness of marshes, oyster reefs, and sand dunes.
Rep. Andy Harris made the following statement:
“I applaud the investment of these federal funds to improve the protection of the Chesapeake Bay ecosystem and our rural communities on the Eastern Shore. This grant will help translate research into practical applications that benefit our rural communities. As a member of the Committee on Appropriations, I will continue to help protect the Bay and our rural way of life on the Eastern Shore.”
Harris Statement on New “Waters of the U.S.” Rule
WASHINGTON, DC: Rep. Andy Harris, M.D. (MD-01) announced his support of the new “Waters of the U.S.” (WOTUS) rule released today by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Under President Obama, the EPA had sought to change regulatory authority under the Clean Water Act to expand federal jurisdiction from navigable waters to include wetlands, farm watering ponds, and roadside and farm ditches that contain water only in response to rainfall.
President Trump repealed the Obama-era WOTUS rule, and today announced further changes to federal regulations. The new rule will establish that federal regulation does supersede state regulation of navigable waters, tributaries to those waters, certain lakes, and wetlands adjacent to navigable waters. However, the rule will establish that federal regulation does not supersede state regulation over areas that only contain water in direct response to rainfall, roadside and farm ditches, farm and stock watering ponds, and converted cropland.
Rep. Andy Harris made the following statement:
“I support President Trump’s efforts to balance protection of the environment with protection of our farms and rural economy. Under the new rule, rather than expanding the role of the federal government, states will retain regulatory authority over non-navigable waterways and ditches that fill only during rainfall. This common-sense approach will help protect our farms from regulations dictated by distant bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. The new rule will allow farmers and others to focus on providing the food and other products that our country needs, instead of facing the costs and uncertainty caused by EPA lawyers.”
Spy Court Admits FISA Warrants Against Carter Page Were ‘Not Valid’
Authority granted to the federal government to secretly wiretap and spy on former Trump affiliate Carter Page was “not valid,” the nation’s top spy court noted in a secret ruling penned earlier this month. The order from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), which was created and authorized by the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), was initially signed and issued on January 7, 2020, but was not declassified and released until Thursday afternoon.
Judge James Boasberg, the current federal judge presiding over the FISA court, wrote in his order that at least two of the four FISA applications against Carter Page were unlawfully authorized. Additionally, according his order, the Department of Justice similarly concluded following the release of a sprawling investigate report on the matter by the agency’s inspector general that the government did not have probable cause that Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power. The FISA law states that American citizens cannot be secretly spied on by the U.S. government absent probable cause, based on valid evidence, that an American is unlawfully acting as a foreign agent.
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Judge James Boasberg, the current federal judge presiding over the FISA court, wrote in his order that at least two of the four FISA applications against Carter Page were unlawfully authorized. Additionally, according his order, the Department of Justice similarly concluded following the release of a sprawling investigate report on the matter by the agency’s inspector general that the government did not have probable cause that Page was acting as an agent of a foreign power. The FISA law states that American citizens cannot be secretly spied on by the U.S. government absent probable cause, based on valid evidence, that an American is unlawfully acting as a foreign agent.
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Trump: Virginia Is ‘In Play’ During Next Election Over Gun Control Measures
President Donald Trump suggested Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat, is going to suffer backlash at the polls in 2020 after the Democratic-controlled legislature proposed a series of sweeping gun control measures that prompted thousands of people to turn out and demonstrate at the state Capitol earlier this week.
“I think Virginia is crazy where they want to take away guns,” Trump told Fox News on Wednesday. He added: “Virginia is very much in play. I think we are going to win [the] state of Virginia. They want to take everyone’s gun away in Virginia. You can’t do it. You can’t do it. People need that for safety. They need it for hunting and … but many people need it for safety, they need it for safety.”
Trump added that should Democrats win more elections: “They’re saying it quietly, but if they win these elections, they’re going to try to get rid of the Second Amendment. It will never happen as long as I’m here.”
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“I think Virginia is crazy where they want to take away guns,” Trump told Fox News on Wednesday. He added: “Virginia is very much in play. I think we are going to win [the] state of Virginia. They want to take everyone’s gun away in Virginia. You can’t do it. You can’t do it. People need that for safety. They need it for hunting and … but many people need it for safety, they need it for safety.”
Trump added that should Democrats win more elections: “They’re saying it quietly, but if they win these elections, they’re going to try to get rid of the Second Amendment. It will never happen as long as I’m here.”
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2020’s Most & Least Educated States in America
For a growing number of Americans, a good education is the ticket to a better future. College opens doors to more career opportunities, higher earnings and new social connections, among other benefits. But how much schooling one receives also matters to some extent. Generally, the higher the level of education one completes, the higher their income potential and the lower their chances of unemployment become.
In this study, WalletHub examined the key factors of a well-educated population: educational attainment, school quality and achievement gaps between genders and races. We compared all 50 states across 18 total metrics grouped into two categories. The data set ranges from share of adults aged 25 years and older with at least a high school diploma to average university quality to gender gap in educational attainment.
Read on for our findings, commentary from a panel of experts and a full description of our methodology. A separate WalletHub analysis identifies the Most & Least Educated Cities.
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In this study, WalletHub examined the key factors of a well-educated population: educational attainment, school quality and achievement gaps between genders and races. We compared all 50 states across 18 total metrics grouped into two categories. The data set ranges from share of adults aged 25 years and older with at least a high school diploma to average university quality to gender gap in educational attainment.
Read on for our findings, commentary from a panel of experts and a full description of our methodology. A separate WalletHub analysis identifies the Most & Least Educated Cities.
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Former Md. Del. Cheryl Glenn pleads guilty to federal wire services, bribery charges
BALTIMORE —Former Maryland Del. Cheryl Glenn pleaded guilty Wednesday to wire fraud and bribery charges.
Prosecutors said she accepted thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for voting on certain bills.
While Glenn said nothing as she was led out of the courthouse; inside, she admitted to the judge that she did commit wire fraud and bribery.
The former delegate remained tight lipped as she left the U.S. district courthouse downtown.
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Prosecutors said she accepted thousands of dollars in bribes in exchange for voting on certain bills.
While Glenn said nothing as she was led out of the courthouse; inside, she admitted to the judge that she did commit wire fraud and bribery.
The former delegate remained tight lipped as she left the U.S. district courthouse downtown.
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DOT Issues Proposal Defining Dogs as Service Animals on Aircraft
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is seeking public comment on a proposal issued Wednesday defining what can and cannot be labeled a service animal on an aircraft.
The DOT explicitly defined a service animal as as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”
Because of this definition, airlines have greater choice in whether to allow a dog to stay in the cabin with its owner. The DOT said the definition was restricted to dogs because other animals, such as miniature horses, “are not flexible” on an aircraft.
The agency also put additional limits on 'emotional support' animals, saying that while these animals can be recognized as service animals, “airlines do not have to recognize them.”
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The DOT explicitly defined a service animal as as “a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.”
Because of this definition, airlines have greater choice in whether to allow a dog to stay in the cabin with its owner. The DOT said the definition was restricted to dogs because other animals, such as miniature horses, “are not flexible” on an aircraft.
The agency also put additional limits on 'emotional support' animals, saying that while these animals can be recognized as service animals, “airlines do not have to recognize them.”
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Crazed protester shouts 'Schumer is the devil' from Senate during impeachment trial - as senators are given cards telling them to tell demonstrators: 'Don't touch me.'
President Trump's Senate impeachment trial got another jolt of energy Wednesday evening when a protester was ejected after yelling out in the chamber – then ranted about Sen. Charles Schumer and the devil in a Senate corridor.
The man was booted from the chamber at about 6:20 evening, shortly before senators were going to take a dinner break while hearing the case for impeachment by House managers.
After yelling what one source heard to be about Jesus Christ, the man was quickly removed by U.S. Capitol Police, who have been out in force for impeachment.
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The man was booted from the chamber at about 6:20 evening, shortly before senators were going to take a dinner break while hearing the case for impeachment by House managers.
After yelling what one source heard to be about Jesus Christ, the man was quickly removed by U.S. Capitol Police, who have been out in force for impeachment.
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Illinois officials say more than 500 noncitizens registered to vote and 19 voted in 2018
Election board officials in Illinois said that more than 500 noncitizens were able to register to vote, and at least 19 of them did so in the 2018 election.
“The State Board of Elections says out of the 547 non-citizens, 19 of them voted in 2018. Working now to confirm their exact location. Macon County Sheriff's race was decided by just one vote in 2018. 7 of the 547 non-citizens were registered in Macon County,” Mark Maxwell, a reporter for WCIA, tweeted Tuesday.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s office admitted fault for the incident but referred to it as “isolated” and insisted that the “error” had been fixed, according to WCIA.
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“The State Board of Elections says out of the 547 non-citizens, 19 of them voted in 2018. Working now to confirm their exact location. Macon County Sheriff's race was decided by just one vote in 2018. 7 of the 547 non-citizens were registered in Macon County,” Mark Maxwell, a reporter for WCIA, tweeted Tuesday.
Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White’s office admitted fault for the incident but referred to it as “isolated” and insisted that the “error” had been fixed, according to WCIA.
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MDOT SHA SHIFTS TRAFFIC ON THE US 50 HARRY KELLEY MEMORIAL BRIDGE IN OCEAN CITY
Crews are closing the eastbound lanes around the drawbridge, shifting traffic to the westbound side where one lane will run in each direction through early March. This will provide workers the time and space needed to safely perform electrical, mechanical and steel repairs in the machine room, install new underwater electrical cables and renovate the bridge tender's house.
Drawbridge openings will not be permitted for boaters during this time and occasional channel restrictions will be necessary as well. Official marine restriction information is available in the U.S. Coast Guard Local Notice to Mariners at https://www.navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm05032020.pdf.
MDOT SHA has been working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard and local officials in establishing this mid-winter work schedule to minimize impacts to marine and vehicle traffic and the town of Ocean City. As always, we're asking the public to slow down and stay alert when traveling through the work zone.
To help ensure public safety the eastbound sidewalk also will be closed during this work. Pedestrians and cyclists should use the westbound sidewalk.
MDOT SHA will restore two-lane, two-way traffic on the bridge when this work phase is completed in early March. Bridge repairs will continue into 2021 with minimal public impacts during the peak tourist season. Crews have been performing concrete spall repairs underneath the bridge and steel "retrofits" in the drawbridge machine rooms for the past two years. These repairs are designed to extend the expected service life of the bridge by 30 years.
Judge: Hunter Biden Must Appear in Court After Violating Order to Turn Over Financial Docs
Hunter Biden, the youngest son of former Vice President and 2020 Democrat Joe Biden, must appear in court after violating court orders to turn over financial documents as part of a paternity case, an Arkansas judge said.
On Monday, Independence County Circuit Judge Holly Meyer approved an “Order to Appear and Show Cause,” which was filed into the court record on Tuesday due to the state’s courts being closed on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “The one-sentence order was prepared by Clinton and Jennifer Lancaster, attorneys for Lunden Alexis Roberts, the mother of Biden’s 16-month-old child,” notes the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
In May, Roberts, a 28-year-old stripper, filed a lawsuit against Biden, alleging that he is the father of her 16-month-old baby — a fact since confirmed by DNA testing and affirmed by the judge in the case — and requested that he pay child support. Further, Roberts has asked him to cover her lawyer fees.
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On Monday, Independence County Circuit Judge Holly Meyer approved an “Order to Appear and Show Cause,” which was filed into the court record on Tuesday due to the state’s courts being closed on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. “The one-sentence order was prepared by Clinton and Jennifer Lancaster, attorneys for Lunden Alexis Roberts, the mother of Biden’s 16-month-old child,” notes the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
In May, Roberts, a 28-year-old stripper, filed a lawsuit against Biden, alleging that he is the father of her 16-month-old baby — a fact since confirmed by DNA testing and affirmed by the judge in the case — and requested that he pay child support. Further, Roberts has asked him to cover her lawyer fees.
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The Progressive Left Is Anti-Woman
Progressives claim to work for the advancement of women, yet any objective observation shows their efforts have little to do with advancing women and everything to do with increasing the power of political leftists.
Several recent stories bear this out.
On Sunday, The New York Times made its 2020 presidential endorsement. Well, two, actually: Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Justifying the dual endorsement, the Times wrote, “The events of the past few years have shaken the confidence of even the most committed institutionalists. We are not veering away from the values we espouse, but we are rattled by the weakness of the institutions that we trusted to under-gird those values.”
One wonders whether the NYT editors were looking in a mirror when they wrote that line.
The Times called Warren, the radical, a “gifted storyteller,” which is a hilariously diplomatic way of saying she is a pathological liar.
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Several recent stories bear this out.
On Sunday, The New York Times made its 2020 presidential endorsement. Well, two, actually: Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Justifying the dual endorsement, the Times wrote, “The events of the past few years have shaken the confidence of even the most committed institutionalists. We are not veering away from the values we espouse, but we are rattled by the weakness of the institutions that we trusted to under-gird those values.”
One wonders whether the NYT editors were looking in a mirror when they wrote that line.
The Times called Warren, the radical, a “gifted storyteller,” which is a hilariously diplomatic way of saying she is a pathological liar.
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RACCOON TESTS POSITIVE FOR RABIES IN WICOMICO COUNTY
(January 23, 2020, Salisbury, MD) On January 23, 2020, a raccoon tested positive for rabies in the area of Catchpenny Road, south of Nanticoke in Quantico, Maryland. The Wicomico County Health Department is advising all residents to be aware of their surroundings and avoid contact with all wild or stray animals.
Rabies is a preventable viral disease that exists in the saliva of mammals and is transmitted from animal to animal or from animal to human by biting and/or scratching. The virus can also be spread by licking, when infected saliva makes contact with open cuts or wounds, and with the mouth, eyes, and nose. If left untreated in humans and animals, rabies is fatal.
· Please keep the following tips in mind to protect your family and your pets:
· Keep pets confined
· Avoid all contact with wild or stray animals
· Teach children to leave unfamiliar animals alone
· Vaccinate pets - Maryland law requires that all dogs, cats, and ferrets, 4 months of age and older have a current rabies vaccination.
· Avoid feeding or watering pets outside
· Secure outside garbage lids
To report human or animal contact, such as bites or scratches, call the Wicomico County Health Department at (410) 546-4446. For more information on rabies or rabies vaccination clinics, visit our website at www.wicomicohealth.org, or follow us on Facebook, Instagram (WicomicoHealth), or Twitter (@WicomicoHealth).
Possible Case of Chinese Coronavirus Reaches Mexican Border City
Mexico’s president said Wednesday that public health officials near the Texas border are closely monitoring a possible case of Coronavirus in Tamaulipas.
During his daily press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador revealed that health officials looked at two cases but already ruled one out.
According to a statement from the Tamaulipas Health Secretariat, a level three health protocol was triggered after a college professor was identified as a possible carrier of Coronavirus. The individual is described as a 57-year-old Asian residing in Reynosa who traveled to China between December 25 and January 10. The professor’s itinerary included stops in Tijuana and Beijing before arriving in Wuhan, according to authorities.
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During his daily press conference, Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador revealed that health officials looked at two cases but already ruled one out.
According to a statement from the Tamaulipas Health Secretariat, a level three health protocol was triggered after a college professor was identified as a possible carrier of Coronavirus. The individual is described as a 57-year-old Asian residing in Reynosa who traveled to China between December 25 and January 10. The professor’s itinerary included stops in Tijuana and Beijing before arriving in Wuhan, according to authorities.
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Chick-fil-A airport ban cost San Antonio more than $300,000
The San Antonio City Council's decision to ban Chick-fil-A from its airport has cost the city hundreds of thousands of dollars.
KENS5 reported that the city has so far been forced to pay at least $315,000 in legal fees. The city has been under federal investigation, and two lawsuits have been filed against it since banning Chick-fil-A back in March.
The ban came a day after a report showed Chick-fil-A had donated almost $2 million to organizations with traditional views on marriage and sexuality. Since the ban, the company announced it would be discontinuing donations to groups that oppose gay and transgender rights.
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KENS5 reported that the city has so far been forced to pay at least $315,000 in legal fees. The city has been under federal investigation, and two lawsuits have been filed against it since banning Chick-fil-A back in March.
The ban came a day after a report showed Chick-fil-A had donated almost $2 million to organizations with traditional views on marriage and sexuality. Since the ban, the company announced it would be discontinuing donations to groups that oppose gay and transgender rights.
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AOC-linked group demands Hillary Clinton back Sanders if he is nominated
The liberal political action committee that backed Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for Congress called on Hillary Clinton to back the eventual 2020 Democratic Party nominee after the former secretary of state refused to say if she would support Bernie Sanders.
Clinton, 72, would not commit on Tuesday to backing Sanders, her rival for the 2016 nomination, in a general election should he become the 2020 nominee.
In a statement, Justice Democrats Executive Director Alexandra Rojas, 24, said Clinton's remarks were "unacceptable, out-of-touch, and dangerous," calling on her to "immediately say that she'll do everything she can" to support the eventual nominee. "We must keep our eye on the prize."
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Clinton, 72, would not commit on Tuesday to backing Sanders, her rival for the 2016 nomination, in a general election should he become the 2020 nominee.
In a statement, Justice Democrats Executive Director Alexandra Rojas, 24, said Clinton's remarks were "unacceptable, out-of-touch, and dangerous," calling on her to "immediately say that she'll do everything she can" to support the eventual nominee. "We must keep our eye on the prize."
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Schiff Admits In Senate Trial That Impeachment About Stopping Trump Re-Election
House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-CA), who is serving as a Democrat impeachment manager during President Donald Trump’s Senate impeachment trial, admitted on Wednesday that Democrats’ partisan impeachment was about stopping the president from being re-elected.
“The House did not take this extraordinary step lightly,” Schiff began. “As we will discuss, impeachment exists for cases in which the conduct of the president rises beyond mere policies, disputes to be decided otherwise, and without urgency at the ballot box.”
“Instead, we are here today to consider a much more grave matter and that is an attempt to use the powers of the presidency to cheat in an election,” Schiff continued. “For precisely this reason, the president’s misconduct cannot be decided at the ballot box, for we cannot be assured that the vote will be fairly won.”
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“The House did not take this extraordinary step lightly,” Schiff began. “As we will discuss, impeachment exists for cases in which the conduct of the president rises beyond mere policies, disputes to be decided otherwise, and without urgency at the ballot box.”
“Instead, we are here today to consider a much more grave matter and that is an attempt to use the powers of the presidency to cheat in an election,” Schiff continued. “For precisely this reason, the president’s misconduct cannot be decided at the ballot box, for we cannot be assured that the vote will be fairly won.”
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Netflix Misses U.S. Subscriber Target for 3rd Straight Quarter After Mocking Christians, Abortion Activism
Netflix disappointed investors when the streaming entertainment giant reported domestic subscriber growth that missed forecasts for the third straight quarter, signaling continued weakness at home as the company supports leftist politics and faces increasing competition from Disney, Apple, and other studios.
Shares of Netflix fell in after-hours trading Tuesday before recovering the losses. In early Wednesday trading, the stock was down more than 3 percent.
While Netflix blamed the miss on growing competition, it has also been courting controversy in recent months, alienating large numbers of consumers. The company launched a new comedy show in December that portrayed Jesus Christ as a gay man, prompting an international boycott petition that has so far received more than 2 million signatures.
Last year, Netflix threatened to pull production from Georgia following the state’s passage of the so-called “fetal heartbeat” bill on abortion.
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Shares of Netflix fell in after-hours trading Tuesday before recovering the losses. In early Wednesday trading, the stock was down more than 3 percent.
While Netflix blamed the miss on growing competition, it has also been courting controversy in recent months, alienating large numbers of consumers. The company launched a new comedy show in December that portrayed Jesus Christ as a gay man, prompting an international boycott petition that has so far received more than 2 million signatures.
Last year, Netflix threatened to pull production from Georgia following the state’s passage of the so-called “fetal heartbeat” bill on abortion.
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5 Key Exchanges From the Supreme Court in Religious School Case
The Supreme Court heard oral argument Wednesday in an important case involving a Montana tax credit scholarship program that provided scholarships for underprivileged kids to use at private schools.
Initially, families could use scholarship funds at qualified religious schools, but the Montana Department of Revenue later implemented an administrative rule excluding religious schools, citing a provision in the state constitution that bars state funds from aiding religious organizations.
Parents who relied on the scholarship funds to send their kids to religious schools challenged the administrative rule for violating the religion clauses of the U.S. Constitution as well as the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.
The state’s highest court struck down the program in its entirety for violating the “no aid” provision in the state constitution. Almost 40 states have similar provisions (sometimes called Blaine Amendments) that prohibit money from supporting “sectarian” schools.
As Justice Clarence Thomas explained in Mitchell v. Helms (2000), “[I]t was an open secret that ‘sectarian’ was code for ‘Catholic.’”
Now, the Supreme Court has heard oral arguments in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue.
Here are five key exchanges from the argument.
Initially, families could use scholarship funds at qualified religious schools, but the Montana Department of Revenue later implemented an administrative rule excluding religious schools, citing a provision in the state constitution that bars state funds from aiding religious organizations.
Parents who relied on the scholarship funds to send their kids to religious schools challenged the administrative rule for violating the religion clauses of the U.S. Constitution as well as the 14th Amendment’s equal protection clause.
The state’s highest court struck down the program in its entirety for violating the “no aid” provision in the state constitution. Almost 40 states have similar provisions (sometimes called Blaine Amendments) that prohibit money from supporting “sectarian” schools.
As Justice Clarence Thomas explained in Mitchell v. Helms (2000), “[I]t was an open secret that ‘sectarian’ was code for ‘Catholic.’”
Now, the Supreme Court has heard oral arguments in Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue.
Here are five key exchanges from the argument.
President Trump’s got Davos cheering the US economy, Hillary beating up a socialist heading the Dem polls, and an Impeachment farce heading towards another big win for him. No wonder he’s laughing his way back to the White House
‘Nobody likes him,’ rages Hillary Clinton in a new documentary film. ‘Nobody wants to work with him. He gets nothing done.’
She expanded on her vicious personal attack in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter: ‘It’s not only him, it’s the culture around him. It’s his leadership team. It’s his prominent supporters….and their relentless attacks on lots of his competitors, particularly the women.’
She concluded: ‘I think people need to pay attention because we want, hopefully, to elect a president who’s going to try to bring us together and not either turn a blind eye, or actually reward the kind of insulting, attacking, degrading behavior that we’ve seen… it’s all just baloney and I feel so bad that people got sucked into it.’
Wow.
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She expanded on her vicious personal attack in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter: ‘It’s not only him, it’s the culture around him. It’s his leadership team. It’s his prominent supporters….and their relentless attacks on lots of his competitors, particularly the women.’
She concluded: ‘I think people need to pay attention because we want, hopefully, to elect a president who’s going to try to bring us together and not either turn a blind eye, or actually reward the kind of insulting, attacking, degrading behavior that we’ve seen… it’s all just baloney and I feel so bad that people got sucked into it.’
Wow.
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Adam Schiff: Case against Trump 'cannot be decided at the ballot box'
House Judiciary Chairman Adam Schiff said that President Trump’s alleged misconduct can’t be proven at the ballot box but only through his impeachment.
The California Democrat is one of the House’s impeachment managers and made the remarks during his opening statement on Wednesday.
“If not remedied by his conviction in the Senate and removal from office, President Trump’s abuse of his office and obstruction of Congress will permanently alter the balance of power among the branches of government,” the 59-year-old congressman said.
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The California Democrat is one of the House’s impeachment managers and made the remarks during his opening statement on Wednesday.
“If not remedied by his conviction in the Senate and removal from office, President Trump’s abuse of his office and obstruction of Congress will permanently alter the balance of power among the branches of government,” the 59-year-old congressman said.
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James Biden’s Firm Got $1.5 Billion in Government Contracts Despite Zero Experience
A firm employing James Biden, the younger brother of former Vice President Joe Biden, received more than $1.5 billion in government-backed contracts during the Obama administration.
The dovetailing of James Biden’s professional life with his brother’s political influence is extensively detailed in Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America’s Progressive Elite—a new book by Peter Schweizer, senior contributor at Breitbart News and president of the Government Accountability Institute (GAI).
In 2010, shortly after a disastrous attempt at running a hedge fund with his nephew Hunter, James Biden entered the construction and international development industry. Even though he lacked background in either, James secured a position as executive vice president at the newly formed HillStone International, LLC. The firm, which was a subsidiary of the long struggling Hill International, was unique for a multitude of reasons.
“The president of HillStone International was Kevin Justice, who grew up in Delaware and was a longtime Biden family friend,” Schweizer writes in his book. “He was friends with lots of Bidens, especially Joe’s sons Hunter and Beau.”
Under Justice’s leadership, the company was setting out to pursue technology and construction projects in the Middle East.
More here
The dovetailing of James Biden’s professional life with his brother’s political influence is extensively detailed in Profiles in Corruption: Abuse of Power by America’s Progressive Elite—a new book by Peter Schweizer, senior contributor at Breitbart News and president of the Government Accountability Institute (GAI).
In 2010, shortly after a disastrous attempt at running a hedge fund with his nephew Hunter, James Biden entered the construction and international development industry. Even though he lacked background in either, James secured a position as executive vice president at the newly formed HillStone International, LLC. The firm, which was a subsidiary of the long struggling Hill International, was unique for a multitude of reasons.
“The president of HillStone International was Kevin Justice, who grew up in Delaware and was a longtime Biden family friend,” Schweizer writes in his book. “He was friends with lots of Bidens, especially Joe’s sons Hunter and Beau.”
Under Justice’s leadership, the company was setting out to pursue technology and construction projects in the Middle East.
More here
Democrats Use Unlawful Phone Records to Argue Need for More Documents
House impeachment manager Rep. Val Demings (D-FL) used controversial phone records that were likely obtained unlawfully by the House Intelligence Committee to argue the Senate should subpoena State Department documents.
Demings was arguing on the Senate floor during the first day of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, supporting an amendment introduced by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to a procedural resolution.
She referred to phone records that were first revealed to the public in the Intelligence Committee’s impeachment report, and which purport to show calls involving Ranking Member Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), presidential lawyer Rudy Giuliani, journalist John Solomon, indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, the White House, and others.
It is not clear what authority Schiff had to obtain the records from AT&T. The Wall Street Journal‘s Kim Strassel wrote last month that Schiff had likely violated federal law, and Nunes told radio host Mark Levin that his rights had been violated and he was preserving all legal options to use in possible future court actions against Schiff.
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Demings was arguing on the Senate floor during the first day of the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, supporting an amendment introduced by Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to a procedural resolution.
She referred to phone records that were first revealed to the public in the Intelligence Committee’s impeachment report, and which purport to show calls involving Ranking Member Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA), presidential lawyer Rudy Giuliani, journalist John Solomon, indicted Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, the White House, and others.
It is not clear what authority Schiff had to obtain the records from AT&T. The Wall Street Journal‘s Kim Strassel wrote last month that Schiff had likely violated federal law, and Nunes told radio host Mark Levin that his rights had been violated and he was preserving all legal options to use in possible future court actions against Schiff.
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'You would be all over us': Graham slams press over impeachment coverage
Sen. Lindsey Graham slammed the Capitol Hill press corps for what he said is a double standard when media outlets cover impeachment of a Democratic president as opposed to a Republican.
“Nobody would be saying this about a Democratic president," Graham said during a press briefing Wednesday. "If a Republican House had done this, you wouldn't even ask me that question. All of you would be in our face, saying that there's a Democratic president and you're denying that person, he or she, a chance to go to court and litigate these matters — gosh, you hate them so much."
Graham criticized reporters for not asking tougher questions of Democrats who have been seeking to subpoena additional witnesses and testimony.
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“Nobody would be saying this about a Democratic president," Graham said during a press briefing Wednesday. "If a Republican House had done this, you wouldn't even ask me that question. All of you would be in our face, saying that there's a Democratic president and you're denying that person, he or she, a chance to go to court and litigate these matters — gosh, you hate them so much."
Graham criticized reporters for not asking tougher questions of Democrats who have been seeking to subpoena additional witnesses and testimony.
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Tom Cotton Urges Trump Administration to Consider Banning Travel from China over Coronavirus
Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AR) is urging President Donald Trump’s administration to consider implementing a ban on travelers from China to the United States over the Chinese Communist Party’s mishandling of the coronavirus outbreak that has left more than a dozen people dead.
In a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar obtained exclusively by Breitbart News ahead of its public release, Cotton raises serious public health concerns over the coronavirus and in particular the disease making its way to America’s shores through weak screening that could cause an outbreak here.
“I write to you today about the continued spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, which has now arrived on American soil,” Cotton wrote in the Wednesday letter, which came after the first U.S. case of coronavirus was confirmed in Washington state earlier this week. “Once again, a deadly virus is emanating from the People’s Republic of China. The Wuhan coronavirus has infected hundreds of people in China, killing at least seventeen individuals so far. The disease has now spread to Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. At least one case has been confirmed in the United States. I’m confident that the United States Government is undertaking all possible measures to contain the spread of the disease, but I’m deeply concerned that waging an efficient and successful campaign against this virus depends on the trustworthiness and transparency of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), an organization with a horrendous history in these matters.”
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In a letter to Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex Azar obtained exclusively by Breitbart News ahead of its public release, Cotton raises serious public health concerns over the coronavirus and in particular the disease making its way to America’s shores through weak screening that could cause an outbreak here.
“I write to you today about the continued spread of the Wuhan coronavirus, which has now arrived on American soil,” Cotton wrote in the Wednesday letter, which came after the first U.S. case of coronavirus was confirmed in Washington state earlier this week. “Once again, a deadly virus is emanating from the People’s Republic of China. The Wuhan coronavirus has infected hundreds of people in China, killing at least seventeen individuals so far. The disease has now spread to Taiwan, Japan, Thailand, and South Korea. At least one case has been confirmed in the United States. I’m confident that the United States Government is undertaking all possible measures to contain the spread of the disease, but I’m deeply concerned that waging an efficient and successful campaign against this virus depends on the trustworthiness and transparency of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), an organization with a horrendous history in these matters.”
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574 Non-Citizens in Illinois Kept on Voter Rolls for More Than 500 Days
Hundreds of non-citizens were kept on Illinois voter rolls for more than 500 days before being reported to the Board of Elections by Democrat Secretary of State Jesse White’s office.
As Breitbart News reported, the Illinois Board of Elections confirmed this week that 574 non-citizens were improperly registered to vote, and 19 of those actually voted in the 2018 elections.
White’s office did not inform officials with the Board of Elections until December 18, 2019 — indicating that non-citizens were kept on voter rolls for more than 500 days or over 17 months.
Now, Illinois lawmakers are demanding state election officials testify before them to explain what went wrong, issuing this statement:
"As highlighted in that [December 18, 2019] letter, 574 individuals attested to the Secretary of State they were non-citizens of the United States, yet [the Secretary of State] forwarded their information to the State Board of Elections and eventually local election authorities to be registered to vote as part of the automated voter registration program."
More here
As Breitbart News reported, the Illinois Board of Elections confirmed this week that 574 non-citizens were improperly registered to vote, and 19 of those actually voted in the 2018 elections.
White’s office did not inform officials with the Board of Elections until December 18, 2019 — indicating that non-citizens were kept on voter rolls for more than 500 days or over 17 months.
Now, Illinois lawmakers are demanding state election officials testify before them to explain what went wrong, issuing this statement:
"As highlighted in that [December 18, 2019] letter, 574 individuals attested to the Secretary of State they were non-citizens of the United States, yet [the Secretary of State] forwarded their information to the State Board of Elections and eventually local election authorities to be registered to vote as part of the automated voter registration program."
More here
The Virginia Model for a Constitutional Confederation of States
“The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.” —Tenth Amendment (1791)
Unless you’ve been sequestered on the dark side of the Moon, you’re undoubtedly aware of the massive race riots and murderous gunfights that took place outside Virginia’s state capitol on Monday. At least that’s what the state’s governor, Ralph “Blackface” Northam, and his Leftmedia echo chamber were hoping would happen at Monday’s Second Amendment rally.
Declaring a state of emergency ahead of the annual Virginia Citizens Defense League gathering in Richmond, Northam claimed, “State intelligence analysts have identified threats and violent rhetoric similar to what has been seen before other major events such as Charlottesville.”
For the record, the victim in the Charlottesville unrest was run over by a car — caught in the middle of a battle between thugs from the fascist “antifa” movement and thugs from the so-called alt-right. Northam should have instead issued a diktat banning all vehicles from the capitol grounds.
Taking Northam’s bait, media outlets were breathless in their warnings.
Read more here
Unless you’ve been sequestered on the dark side of the Moon, you’re undoubtedly aware of the massive race riots and murderous gunfights that took place outside Virginia’s state capitol on Monday. At least that’s what the state’s governor, Ralph “Blackface” Northam, and his Leftmedia echo chamber were hoping would happen at Monday’s Second Amendment rally.
Declaring a state of emergency ahead of the annual Virginia Citizens Defense League gathering in Richmond, Northam claimed, “State intelligence analysts have identified threats and violent rhetoric similar to what has been seen before other major events such as Charlottesville.”
For the record, the victim in the Charlottesville unrest was run over by a car — caught in the middle of a battle between thugs from the fascist “antifa” movement and thugs from the so-called alt-right. Northam should have instead issued a diktat banning all vehicles from the capitol grounds.
Taking Northam’s bait, media outlets were breathless in their warnings.
Read more here
A Viewer Writes....Waste of Delmar Taxpayers Money
Part 2. There is a BIG story here if you are interested. The Town is trying to subvert the will of the voters. The Town Manager and council are disregarding the LAW. They are wasting tax payers money to pay for legal fees to fight what the voters expressly voted for.
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