January 2022 - Page 3 of 11 - The Virginia Star

Chinese Tech Firm Takes over, Shuts Down World Leader’s Personal Social Media Account

January 25, 2022January 24, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has had his personal account on Chinese-owned social messaging service WeChat taken over by a Chinese tech company and shut down Monday, Reuters reported.

Fuzhou 985 Technology, a China-based technology firm, managed to take control of Morrison’s WeChat account, which currently has 76,000 followers, several months ago, Reuters reported. Morrison reportedly used the account to communicate with Australians of Chinese origin.

Fuzhou rebranded the account as “Australian Chinese New Life” and redirected users visiting the account to Fuzhou’s website, according to a CNN translation.

‘1619 Project’ Author Nikole Hannah-Jones Brags About Tricking Audience into Thinking MLK Quotes Were Her Words

January 25, 2022January 24, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

The Union League Club of Chicago, a highly selective private civic and social club in the windy city, invited Nikole Hannah-Jones to give a keynote speech in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Jones, a professor at Howard University, is notable for having authored the New York Times’ 1619 Project, a long-form journalistic work that falsely argues America’s true foundation is in the institution of slavery.

Prior to Jones’ speech, a series of emails were leaked in which club members voiced their opposition to hosting Jones at their club. In one email Brian Daley, a Public Affairs Committee member for the club, pointed out that Jones’ 1619 Project had been criticized by historians and that the New York Times issued a “humiliating update” following widespread criticism of her work, according to reporting by Chicago City Wire.

Small Business Administration Spends $14.8 Million in Questionable Costs for Underutilized Small Business Portal

January 25, 2022January 24, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

This week’s Golden Horseshoe is awarded to the Small Business Administration for lax oversight of a $25 million grant for the creation of a COVID-19 relief small business portal that ran up $14.8 million in questionable costs for an underutilized hub, according to a report by the agency’s Office of Inspector General.

The SBA’s Office of Entrepreneurial Development (OED) received $25 million through the CARES Act to create a portal to help small businesses during the pandemic. An $18.6 million grant was awarded for the Resource Partner Training Portal program, but the intended results were not achieved. A combination of a failed marketing strategy to let small businesses know of the portal’s existence and unsupported or unallowable invoices led the inspector general to question $14.8 million in costs.

“SBA did not did not ensure the grant recipient developed and implemented an effective marketing and outreach strategy to ensure the hub successfully achieved the legislative purpose of the CARES Act,” Inspector General Hannibal “Mike” Ware stated in the report.

U.S. Suspends Over 40 International Flights from Chinese Airlines over COVID Concerns

January 25, 2022January 24, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that it would be suspending at least 44 flights bound for China and operated by Chinese airlines over the course of the next few months.

CNN reports that the ban will last from late January to the end of March. The airlines affected are Air China, China Eastern Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Xiamen Airlines. The ban is a response to a previous similar ban on flights from China by American airline companies. China’s Civil Aviation Administration justified this ban by claiming that such flights violated a newly-enacted “circuit breaker” rule which bans any flight for at least two weeks if five or more passengers on the plane test positive for the Chinese coronavirus.

The American companies affected by China’s ban include American Airlines, United Airlines, and Delta Airlines. Previous reporting has determined that it is nearly impossible to find any remaining flights between China and the United States due to the two governments’ back-and-forth bans.

U.N. Adopts Resolution Defining Holocaust Denial, Iran Disassociates from the Process

January 25, 2022January 24, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

The United Nations General Assembly has agreed on a definition of Holocaust denial, and moved to urge social media companies to “take active measures” to combat antisemitism.

“The General Assembly is sending a strong and unambiguous message against the denial or the distortion of these historical facts. Ignoring historical facts increases the risk that they will be repeated,” Germany’s U.N. Ambassador Antje Leendertse said Thursday.

Trump’s Entertainment Venture Outperforming All Similar Companies: REPORT

January 25, 2022January 24, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Former President Donald Trump’s entertainment venture is currently outperforming all other special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs), according to a recent market report.

Digital World Acquisition Corp (DWAC), the SPAC used to take Trump Media & Technology Group (TMTG) public, is outperforming all other SPACs, according to a market analysis by SPAC Research reported by Reuters. The company’s shares ended trading at $73.12 on Friday, giving the company a valuation of roughly $13 billion, according to Reuters.

A SPAC is a company that acquires private companies and lists them publicly on a stock exchange without the private company engaging in an initial public offering (IPO). In this case, Trump used DWAC to take his company public in order to raise funding for his social media venture, TRUTH Social, which he has billed as an alternative to major tech platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin Keeps Promises, Encourages Parents to Trust the Legal Process on Mask Mandate Pushback in Fredericks Interview

January 25, 2022 Julie Carr

Live from Virginia Monday morning on The John Fredericks Show – weekdays on WNTW AM 820/ FM 92.7 – Richmond, WJFN FM 100.5 – Central Virginia, WMPH AM 1010 / FM 100.1 / FM 96.9 (7-9 PM) Hampton Roads, WBRG AM 1050 / FM 105.1 – Lynchburg/Roanoke and Weekdays 6-10 am and 24/7 Stream – host Fredericks welcomed Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin to the show to weigh in on the progress of overturning mask mandates for school children and encouraging parents to trust the legal process.

Loudoun County Schools Respond After Students Refuse to Wear Masks

January 25, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

After a large group of students at Woodgrove High School, part of Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS), decided to defy the school’s mask mandate Monday, LCPS has responded.

“This morning 30 Woodgrove students (out of a student body of 1,585) refused to wear a mask. They were asked to move to the auditorium where they could use the Schoology platform to continue their studies,” Wayde B. Byard, LCPS’ Public Information Officer, told The Virginia Star by email. “Teachers dropped periodically in to help students with their work. A lunch period and bathroom breaks were arranged. Several students opted to go home and were allowed to do so.”

Seven School Boards Sue Over Youngkin Mask-Optional Order; Sen. Petersen Threatens Legislative Action if Schools Don’t Find Mandate Off-Ramp

January 25, 2022January 24, 2022 Eric Burk

Seven school districts are suing Governor Glenn Youngkin over Executive Order Two, which requires schools to allow parents to opt children out of mask mandates. The lawsuit challenges Youngkin’s authority over school boards and his ability to override Senate Bill 1303, which requires schools to follow CDC guidelines.

“At issue is whether locally-elected school boards have the exclusive authority and responsibility conferred upon them by Article VIII, Section 7 of the Constitution of Virginia over supervision of the public schools in their respective communities, or whether an executive order can unilaterally override that constitutional authority. Also at issue is whether a governor can, through executive order, without legislative action by the Virginia General Assembly, reverse a lawfully-adopted statute,” Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) said in a Monday press release.

Supreme Court Will Consider Landmark Challenge to Harvard, University of North Carolina Affirmative Action Policies

January 24, 2022January 24, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

The Supreme Court announced Monday it will reconsider race-based affirmative action in college admissions, a decision that could eliminate a practice that in recent years primarily benefitted black and Hispanic applicants.

The high court says it will hear challenges to policies at Harvard and the University of North Carolina that use students’ race as one criteria to decide who should gain admission.

In the case against Harvard, challengers say the same practices that have for close to four decades helped black and Hispanic students — not necessarily applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds — gain admissions have hurt Asian-American applicants.

Amid Legal Doubt over Youngkin Mask Opt-Out Order, Virginia Departments of Health and Education Emphasize Parents, Officials Share Responsibility for COVID-19 Mitigation

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Eric Burk

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) and Department of Education (VDOE) updated their guidelines to reflect Governor Glenn Youngkin’s mask-mandate opt-out order. The new guidance downplays masks and says COVID-19 risk reduction is a shared responsibility between parents and officials.

“These three core principles found in Executive Order 2 reaffirm: 1. Parents are in charge of their children’s health, wellbeing and education, 2. Schools must be open five days a week for in-person learning, and 3. The Commonwealth and school divisions must provide a safe and healthy school environment,” the new guidance states.

Commentary: Trump Supporters Swarm Pennsylvania GOP Senate, Gubernatorial Debate

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

The event?

The Lawrence County Republican Party of Pennsylvania holding not one but two debates last week. The first for candidates running for an open U.S. Senate seat, the second for GOP candidates for governor of Pennsylvania, the latter an open seat as well in 2022.

Music SpotlIght: Noah Guthrie

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Bethany Bowman

Even though Noah Guthrie played Roderick on Season 6 of Glee in 2015, making music has always been his aspiration. As a very young child, the South Carolina native grew up going to recording studios with his dad and step-mom who were both background singers.

States See Revenue Surge from Income Tax, Federal Aid

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Woman with $100 bills spread open in hands

Numerous states have seen their state revenue surge in 2021 fueled by a robust stock market, growing income, federal aid, and increased tax revenue, The Wall Street Journal reported.

States’ revenue soared 24% between April and November from 2020 to 2021, according to a survey conducted by the Urban Institute think tank, the WSJ reported. Thirty-two states said the revenue collected in the fiscal year ending in 2022 was ahead of expectations, according to data from the National Association of State Budget Officers obtained by the WSJ.

Exclusive: Archbishop Reacts to ‘Catholics for Choice’ Projecting Pro-Abortion Messages Upon National Shrine as He Celebrated Pro-Life Mass

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Neil W. McCabe

Baltimore’s archbishop, who Thursday celebrated Annual Pro-life Vigil Mass at Washington’s National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, while Catholics for Choice projecting pro-abortion messages upon the church’s façade, gave his reaction to The Star News Network. “Well, the real action was what was going inside the basilica,” said Archbishop…

Virginia Small Businesses Request Tax Relief, Lower Regulations

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 The Center Square

With Virginia’s 2022 legislative session underway, a small business association is asking lawmakers to consider tax relief, lower regulation and other policies to help the commonwealth’s business community.

The National Federation of Independent Business announced its Small Business Recovery Plan, which includes four legislation principles they hope lawmakers consider during the session. The NFIB plan includes lower taxes, repealing some regulations, financial assistance and unemployment insurance reform, which the group believes will help businesses that are still struggling from their pandemic-era losses, a labor shortage and skyrocketing inflation rates.

“Virginia’s small businesses have had a rough couple of years, starting with the pandemic and continuing with the labor shortage and disruptions to the supply chain,” NFIB State Director Julia Hammond said in a statement. “Our ‘Small Business Recovery Plan’ is a set of legislative principles that outlines the issues of greatest concern to Virginia’s small businesses. Legislators should keep these principles in mind while crafting bills during this year’s session of the General Assembly.”

Commentary: The Coming Dethronement of Joe Biden

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

It’s not often that I agree with Joe Biden, but he said something in his nasty, brutish, and long press conference last week with which, if properly understood, I agree.

Don’t get me wrong. The press conference as a whole was a “total disaster.” Notwithstanding the sycophantic performance of the court eunuchs in the regime media, everybody understands this. (But speaking of “court eunuchs,” what’s the female equivalent? It was Jennifer Rubin, who actually gave Biden an “A-” for the presser, that prompts this vital question and I hope some enterprising savant will contribute the answer.)

Orange Juice Prices Expected to Soar After Worst Harvest Since 1945

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Orange juice prices are expected to soar in 2022 after inclement weather and citrus disease constrained the supply of oranges in the U.S. while demand surged during the pandemic, CNN Business reported.

Frozen orange juice futures climbed over 50% during the COVID-19 pandemic and reached a two-year high in January, according to CNN Business.

California Law Would Let Kids 12 and Older Be Vaccinated Without Parental Consent

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

California state senators have introduced a bill to allow children 12 and older to receive vaccinations against diseases like COVID-19 without parental consent.

State Sens. Scott Wiener and Richard Pan on Thursday introduced SB 866, which clarifies eligible vaccines as those that are “approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration” and meet “the recommendations of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) of the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.”

Famous M&M Characters to be Redesigned as More ‘Inclusive’

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

On Thursday, the food company Mars Incorporated announced in a press release that it will soon be redesigning the iconic animated mascots of the candy M&M’s, as part of a “global commitment to creating a world where everyone feels they belong, and society is inclusive.”

As reported by The Daily Caller, all six of the animated characters will be redesigned in order to represent a “more dynamic, more progressive world,” the press release continued. The characters will feature “different shapes and sizes of M&M’S lentils across all touchpoints to prove that all together, we’re more fun.” The characters will also have “more nuanced personalities to underscore the importance of self-expression and power of community through storytelling.”

Farms Fail as Fertilizer Prices Soar

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Blue tractor in a field, fertilizing the land

Soaring fertilizer prices across the globe have impacted farmers making it more expensive to produce food and forcing them to cut back on production, The Wall Street Journal reported.

Diammonium phosphate, or DAP, a common component of fertilizer, cost $745 per metric ton in December 2021, more than double its average 2020 price, the WSJ reported.

Higher fertilizer costs could translate into increased food prices in the next year, worsening global hunger after the pandemic caused massive job losses and further growing inflation, the WSJ reported.

Statue of Theodore Roosevelt Removed from New York Museum Will Be Placed in North Dakota

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

The iconic statue of U.S. President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt has been removed from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where it has stood for over 80 years.

CNN reports that demands for the statue to be removed began over a year and a half ago, with some falsely claiming that the statue was racist. The monument depicts the 26th president riding triumphantly on horseback, with an American Indian on one side of him and an African man on the other side. The process of removing the statue itself began on Tuesday and was completed by Thursday.

Commentary: Criminal ‘Catch and Release’ Is Plaguing Our Country

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

“Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do? Whatcha gonna, whatcha gonna do when they come for you?”

That song and those words used to open the show Cops along with scenes of the police chasing down and arresting the “bad boys.” Viewers assume those apprehended would be spending some time in the slammer.

Andrew Yang Predicts Biden May Not Win 2024 Democratic Nomination

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Former Democratic presidential contender and failed New York City mayoral candidate Andrew Yang says he’s unsure whether President Biden will be their party’s nominee in 2024.

In a post to his website this week, Yang wrote, “for a while” he has been predicting that former President Trump will once again be the GOP candidate for the presidency and that he will once again face off against Biden.

Dartmouth Cancels Conservative Group’s Event after Alleged Antifa Threats

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

A conservative group at an Ivy League college was reportedly forced to take a planned event virtual after reported threats tied to a left-wing protest group, according to journalist Andy Ngo.

The Dartmouth College chapter of Turning Point USA (TPUSA) was hosting Ngo and Gabriel Nadales, a former member of the left-wing group, to discuss Antifa at a Thursday night event before the college canceled it due to concerns about security, the Post Millennial reported.

“In light of concerning information from Hanover police regarding safety issues shared late in the afternoon, similar concerns expressed by the College Republican leadership, and challenges with the student organization’s ability to staff a large public event and communicate effectively (including dissemination of the visitor policy and a prohibition on bags in the building), the College requested that the Extremism in America panel be moved online,” Diana Lawrence, a spokeswoman for Dartmouth, told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

‘If There Is Risk, There Must Be Choice’: Dr. Robert Malone Stirs Defeat Mandates Rally in DC

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Protesters opposed to COVID-19 vaccine mandates marched on Washington, D.C. on Sunday, embarking on a mile-long march before convening at a rally outside the Lincoln Memorial.

Organizers with Children’s Health Defense predicted 20,000 people would attend the event, Defeat the Mandates.

Speakers included Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., virologist and immunologist Dr. Robert Malone, investigative journalist Lara Logan, and doctors and other experts.

University of North Dakota Scraps ‘Gender Inclusion’ Policy Proposal After Catholic Organization Warns Parents

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Earlier this week, Campus Reform reported on the North Dakota Catholic Conference’s (NDCC) concerns surrounding the University of North Dakota’s (UND) ‘Gender Inclusion’ policy proposal.

Today, UND President Andrew Armacost reportedly announced it would “cease its work” on the policy and “will not implement it,” according to a statement provided to Campus Reform by NDCC’s Executive Director Christopher Dodson.

“The recent public discussion about a draft gender inclusion policy at the University of North Dakota highlighted concerns both about freedom of speech and religious exercise and expression and about protections for transgender students, faculty, and staff members,” Armacost’s statement reads.

Missouri AG Sues 36 School Districts with Mask Requirements, But Not His Own District

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 The Center Square

Missouri Republican Attorney General Eric Schmitt completed on Friday a promise made earlier this week by filing lawsuits against 36 public school districts for requiring masks.

“Mask mandates in schools are illegal, they simply don’t work, and they contribute to alarming and negative psychological impacts on our children,” Schmitt, a candidate for the seat of retiring Republican U.S. Senator Roy Blunt, said in a statement announcing the lawsuits. “My Office has been on the frontlines of the fight to end the forced masking of children all day in school, and today we took concrete legal action toward that end. Parents and families, not bureaucrats, should have the power to decide what’s best for their children. With this litigation, we’re seeking to return that power back to parents and families, where it belongs.”

Earlier this week, leaders of two Missouri public school district collaboratives told The Center Square that attorneys for many school boards believe two Missouri statutes require districts to create and enforce policies to ensure the health and safety of students. Schmitt stated a November Cole County Circuit Court ruling, now being appealed by St. Louis and Jackson Counties at the Missouri Court of Appeals, prevents school districts from enforcing any public health orders. Schmitt set up an email box through his office in December and received 11,000 messages and photographs from people witnessing mask requirements in public schools.

Commentary: Make Congress Great Again

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

House Democrats can subpoena President Trump or they can yield back the balance of their time to Speaker Trump. They can carry on about January 6, 2021, until the midterms on November 8, 2022, or they can hold out until January 3, 2023, when the 117th Congress ends. If they choose humiliation over honor, they may lose twice on Election Day: first, at the polls; then, with the election of Donald Trump as speaker of the House.

To be second in the presidential line of succession, and sit next to Vice President Harris while Joe Biden stands (unassisted) and speaks before Congress; to preside while Biden stammers and wince as the president struggles to speak; to watch Biden lose face while refusing to cover his own; to do these things would be a coup for Trump and a win for the Republican Party.

Virginia Lawmaker Introduces ‘Pain-Capable’ Abortion Ban

January 24, 2022January 23, 2022 Eric Burk

Delegate Nick Freitas (R-Culpeper) has introduced a bill to ban abortions after 20 weeks in most circumstances, a threshold based on when the unborn are believed to feel pain.

“We’re actually making sure that it’s understood that this is about the capability to feel pain, it’s not about an arbitrary 20-week schedule,” Freitas told The Virginia Star.

‘Defeat the Mandate March’ in DC Joins Protests in over 180 Cities Worldwide to Rally for Freedom

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Live feeds of the Defeat the Mandates rally in Washington DC are available here or here.

On Sunday, demonstrators will gather in more than 180 cities around the globe—including several U.S. cities—to protest vaccine mandates and passports in the “Worldwide Rally For Freedom.”

CDC Report Finds Natural Immunity Worked Better Than Vaccine Against COVID’s Delta-Variant Wave

January 23, 2022January 22, 2022 Admin

Anew CDC report states a prior case of COVID-19 protected people from infection better than vaccinations did during the delta wave last summer and fall.

The findings were published Wednesday in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report and is based on new research from the agency and health officials in California and New York that appears to contradict public health messaging that pushed for vaccinations.

Still, experts say the vaccination shots remain the safest way to protect against the worse side effects of contracting COVID, according to NBC News. During the height of the virus’s delta-variant surge last summer, essentially all hospitalized COVID patients were not vaccinated.

Commentary: The Plot to Sabotage Trump

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Admin

This was the CNN headline as written by Jake Tapper: “Former Trump administration officials hold call to strategize against former boss’ efforts in 2022 and 2024”

This was the headline from London’s Daily Mail: “More than 30 former Trump officials hold secret call aimed at working against the former president’s efforts to sway 2022 midterms and 2024 presidential election”

Republicans Push for Greater Access to COVID Therapeutics

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 The Center Square

Republicans are pushing for greater access to monoclonal antibody treatments for COVID-19 after the federal government took over the distribution of such drugs last year.

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, filed Senate Bill 3440 to prohibit the federal government from limiting state access to monoclonal antibody treatments.

Colorado Elementary School Teachers Begin ‘Rainbow Fridays’ to Promote LGBT Content to Kids

January 23, 2022January 22, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Two teachers at an elementary school in Lakewood, Colorado have started what they call “Rainbow Fridays” to push LGBT content on children.

According to Denver-based KMGH, Slater Elementary School Social Worker Davanta Greer and Physical Education teacher Karen Schroeder “dress in rainbow gear at the end of each week to perform these dance numbers on social media.”

Biden’s Fed Nominee Lisa Cook Criticized for Being Unqualified, Embellishing Resume

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Admin

President Joe Biden’s latest high-profile Fed nominee is in danger of being struck down in the Senate because she is widely seen by her peers as a left-wing activist rather than a serious monetary economist, several economists told the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Biden appointed Lisa Cook, a professor of international relations and economics at Michigan State University and former Obama White House staffer, on Jan. 13 to serve on the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve, which regulates the banking industry.

Commentary: Doctors Report Rare Cases of Swallowed Toothbrushes

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 RealClearWire

Toothbrushing is a mindless activity that most of us have on autopilot, but in infinitesimally rare circumstances, it can result in a medical emergency.

Late last week, Drs. Gary G. Ghahremani and Katherine M. Richman, both radiologists at the University of California-San Diego Medical Center, published a paper in the journal Emergency Radiology detailing eight different accounts of adults ingesting toothbrushes. These cases join about fifty others previously reported in the medical literature.

All of the instances Ghahremani and Richman describe occurred at the UC-San Diego Medical Center between 2002 and 2015. Five of the patients, all of them with psychological disorders, intentionally swallowed toothbrushes, while the other three patients accidentally did so. In two of the accidental instances, the toothbrush’s head snapped off as a result of overly vigorous brushing.

Tony Podesta Has Now Earned $1 Million Lobbying Biden White House for Blacklisted Chinese Tech Giant

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Admin

Democratic lobbyist Tony Podesta has earned at least $1 million to lobby the White House on behalf of Huawei, a Chinese technology and telecommunications company blacklisted under the Trump administration.

Podesta, brother of Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign chairman John Podesta, received $500,000 from Huawei to lobby the Executive Office of the President between October and December of 2021, according to lobbying disclosures filed late Thursday. Huawei first hired Podesta in July 2021 and paid the long-time Democrat operative $500,000 to lobby the White House from July to September 2021.

Podesta lobbied on “issues related to telecommunication services and impacted trade issues,” according to disclosure forms.

Commentary: Truth Leaks Out

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Admin

The quest for truth-in-COVID did pick up some steam in late spring 2021.

Not about the vaccine, though.

About the origins of the virus.

From the first days of the epidemic, strong circumstantial evidence suggested Sars-CoV-2 had leaked from a Chinese lab. Both the virus itself and the facts around its emergence pointed to human intervention.

States Across the Country Could See Marijuana on the Ballot in 2022

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 The Center Square

Ballotpedia is tracking 20 citizen-initiated measures in nine states related to marijuana that could appear before voters in 2022. As of 2022, recreational marijuana is legal in 18 states and Washington, D.C., and medical marijuana is legal in 36 states and D.C.

In Ohio, sponsors of an initiative to legalize recreational marijuana submitted an additional 29,918 signatures on January 13, after the secretary of state verified their initial petition contained 119,825 valid signatures–13,062 less than the number required. If enough of the additional signatures are found to be valid, the initiative will go before the state legislature. If the state legislature does not enact it outright, sponsors will have to collect a second round of 132,887 signatures to place it on the 2022 ballot. In 2015, Ohio voters defeated Issue 3 with a margin of 63.65% to 36.35%.

In Arkansas, voters could decide on two marijuana initiatives. One initiative would decriminalize marijuana, give limited immunity to cannabis businesses, and create regulations on the cannabis industry. The other would legalize marijuana use for individuals 21 years of age and older regardless of residency. Both campaigns have until July 8, 2022, to collect 89,151 valid signatures.

Callista Gingrich Commentary: Protecting America’s First Freedom

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Admin

On January 15, during a Sabbath service at the Congregation Beth Israel synagogue in Colleyville, Texas, four worshipers were taken hostage by Malik Faisal Akram. Thankfully, all four hostages were freed, but that does not erase the evil and hate surrounding this terrorist attack.

Using Jewish worshippers as hostages to force the release of an imprisoned convicted terrorist was the explicit motive of Akram, as made clear by his statements during the attack. The Washington Post reported, “Akram chose this place, according to people who heard him on the live stream, because it appeared to be the closest assemblage of Jews to a federal facility in Fort Worth where an American-educated Pakistani convicted terrorist is serving an 86-year sentence for shooting at U.S. soldiers and FBI agents.”

Ironically, the day after this horrific attack, the United States observed National Religious Freedom Day, which commemorates the passage of the Virginia Statute for Religious Freedom in 1786. This law later inspired and shaped the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

IRS Will Soon Require Face-Scans to Access Certain Online Tax Features

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Admin

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) will soon require taxpayers to submit a scan of their face in order to access certain features and tax records.

The change, first reported on by Krebs on Security, will force users to sign into the IRS website through an account with third-party firm ID.me, and provide a government identification document with their photo alongside a selfie to verify their identity, according to the IRS website.

Amazon and Facebook Spent More Money Than Ever Lobbying in 2021

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Admin

Amazon and Facebook parent company Meta spent more money in 2021 lobbying lawmakers and officials than any year before, according to lobbying disclosure filings.

Amazon spent $20.3 million on lobbying while Meta spent $20.1 million in 2021, according to a review of lobbying disclosure filings by MarketWatch. The figures are record totals for both tech companies, who spent $18.9 million and $19.7 million on lobbying in 2020, respectively.

Google’s lobbying spend for 2021 clocked in at $11.5 million, while Microsoft spent $10.3 million and Apple spent $6.5 million, according to MarketWatch’s review.

Jobless Claims Soar Past Economists’ Projections

January 23, 2022January 23, 2022 Admin

The number of Americans who filed new unemployment claims increased to 286,000 in the week ending Jan. 15, as the labor market continues to recover after surging COVID-19 cases.

The Labor Department figure shows a 55,000 claim increase compared to the week ending Jan. 8 when claims increased to 231,000. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected claims would decrease to 225,000, MarketWatch reported.

Virginia Withdraws from Lawsuit over Mississippi Abortion Law

January 23, 2022January 22, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

Virginia’s new Attorney General has withdrawn the state from a landmark lawsuit that could determine the legality of abortion nationwide.

“Following the change in Administration on January 15, 2022, the Attorney General has reconsidered Virginia’s position in this case,” Attorney General Jason Miyares’ office said in a letter addressed to the Supreme Court. “The purpose of this letter is to notify the Court that Virginia no longer adheres to the arguments contained in its previously filed brief. Virginia is now of the view that the Constitution is silent on question of abortion, and that it is therefore up to the people in the several States to determine the legal status and regulatory treatment of abortion.”

John Fredericks NFL Picks Divisional Weekend: Home Sweet Home

January 22, 2022January 22, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

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Prince William School Board Chairman Defends Ignoring Father’s Concern About Sex Abuse During Meeting

January 22, 2022January 21, 2022 Peter D'Abrosca

The Prince William County School Board (PWCSB) member is defending himself against claims that he ignored the concern of a father who said at a Thursday school board meeting that his daughter had been sexually assaulted in one of the county’s schools.

“During our School Board meeting on January 19, a concerned father addressed the School Board during Citizen Comment time with questions about the way a situation had been handled by the School Division,” Dr. Babur Lateef, Chairman of PWCSB told The Virginia Star in a statement. “Citizen Comment time is not structured to allow for the School Board to address a citizen’s questions immediately.”

Gopher State’s ‘The Bible in a Year’ Host Father Mike Headlines 49th March for Life

January 22, 2022January 21, 2022 Neil W. McCabe

The Minnesota priest, who hosts the No. 1 podcast in the country “The Bible in a Year,” headlined the 49th March for Life rally Friday joined by tens of thousands of abortion opponents gathered at Washington’s National Mall, along with religious leaders, members of Congress and performers braving the…

After Senate Committee Kills Sen. Chase’s Ivermectin Bill, Capitol Police Direct Upset Supporters to Leave

January 22, 2022January 21, 2022 Eric Burk

Virginia Capitol Police directed upset members of the public out of a Senate Education and Health Committee meeting after the committee killed Senator Amanda Chase’s bill aimed at protecting medical providers who prescribe ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine for COVID-19.

“This bill is about a patient’s right to life. A patient has a right to life and should not be prohibited from potential life-saving medication by a hospital, a pharmacy, or other administrative agency. Patients should be able to make decisions about their care and treatment in conjunction with the knowledge and expertise of their treating physician,” Chase told the committee on Thursday morning.

Commentary: The Pathetic and Political Sedition Case Against the Oath Keepers

January 22, 2022January 23, 2022 Virginia Star Staff

Facing intensifying criticism from Democratic lawmakers, journalists, and even some federal judges for not seeking harsher punishment against January 6 protesters, Attorney General Merrick Garland finally produced charges to appease his detractors. Last week, more than a year after the so-called insurrection, Garland charged 11 members of the Oath Keepers with seditious conspiracy.

The star of the new indictment, handed down by a grand jury on January 12, is Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the alleged militia group. (His co-defendants were charged with several other offenses months ago.)

Rhodes, described only as “person one” for nearly a year in numerous criminal indictments related to his organization, has been a free man since January 6, 2021, raising plausible suspicions that he may have been a government informant at the time. After all, the FBI has a longstanding pattern of infiltrating fringe groups such as the Oath Keepers and moving them to commit indictable crimes.