Month: October 2023

School districts across the country spent millions in federal relief funds on educational software intended to mitigate pandemic learning loss, but in many cases, much of the technology wasn’t used, according to The Associated Press.

Schools received billions in COVID-19 relief funds from Congress, and tech companies engaged in aggressive marketing to get districts to purchase their products. School districts used these federal funds to enter multi-million dollar contracts for software licenses that often went unused by students, the AP reported. Moreover, some products were found to not be particularly effective.

TSNN Featured: Haley Talking Tough in Iowa, Says U.S. Needs to Back Ukraine and Israel in Wars Brought by Thugs and Terrorists

October 10, 2023 Admin

Haley Talking Tough in Iowa, Says U.S. Needs to Back Ukraine and Israel in Wars Brought by Thugs and Terrorists

October 10, 2023 M.D. Kittle

Asserting the U.S. must do all it can to help Israel “eliminate” the Hamas-driven terrorism that rocked Israel over the weekend, GOP presidential candidate and former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley is striking an even more hawkish tone for U.S. involvement in two major theaters of war — Europe and the Middle East.

“I would tell Israel that whatever it is you need to, not just get your country back but to eliminate the terrorists, we should do because Hamas is saying, ‘Death to America,” and it is in our best interest to make sure that they are not doing anything that would harm Americans or harm our friends,” Haley told a smallish gathering of some 75 people Monday afternoon at a town hall event in Central Iowa.

Commentary: Unemployment Remains Unchanged at 3.8 Percent as Record 11.1 Million Seniors Still Working

Labor markets appeared buoyed by still-working Baby Boomers in September as the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8 percent, with 296,000 seniors finding jobs in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ household survey.

With more than 11.1 million seniors still working — a national record — peak employment still abounds, even as a massive 47.21 million seniors are no longer in the labor force — also a record — amid the Baby Boomer retirement wave that has seen those 65-years-old-and-older not in the labor force have increased about 19 million the past 25 years.

Commentary: State Senator Scott Surovell Should Resign After Blaming Israel for Hamas Terror Attack

by Shaun Kenney When Hamas fires rockets, they target Israeli citizens indiscriminately. When the IDF responds, they warn their targets, clear the buildings of civilians by contacting them via cell and warning others… and then fire their rockets. Over the next few weeks, this will be the very real…

Commentary: Reflections on Israel’s New Existential War

There have been plenty of terrorist attacks on Israel. A dozen or so conventional wars of various magnitude have been waged against the Jewish state. And more often there have been mixtures of both.

Yet never have hundreds of gangs of black-clad murderers carefully planned to swarm Israel, with an agenda to pull random Jews out of their homes and off the street, murder them, and toss their bodies in the street.

New York, California, and Illinois See Incomes Decline for First Time Since 2009

October 10, 2023 The Center Square

America’s three largest Democratic states, along with Rhode Island, Mississippi, Louisiana and the District of Columbia experienced income declines in the last year while the nation as a whole saw incomes rise by 2%. New York incomes suffered the worst, declining 1.6%, while California incomes declined the least, at just 0.2%.

These figures come from the Bureau of Economic Analysis’s revised numbers for 2022, which also reduced national growth from 2.1% to 1.9%, a cut in reported growth of roughly 10%.

Los Angeles Implements ‘Zero Bail’ System

The heavily-populated Los Angeles County implemented its own “zero bail” system this week, allowing for most criminals to be released from jail almost immediately after being arrested.

According to the Washington Free Beacon, the new policy replaces the previous one requiring defendants to post bail before they could be released, with the bail often set at a certain level depending on the severity of the crime committed. The Left has long advocated against the concept of bail, on the basis that it allegedly results in poorer criminals staying incarcerated.

Brown University to Start Interrogating Ph.D. Applicants on How They Will Advance ‘Diversity’

An Ivy League university will now be requiring doctoral applicants to submit a 300-word diversity statement, according to the Brown Daily Herald.

Brown University administrators announced changes to Brown University’s Ph.D. admissions process Tuesday in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling banning race-based admissions, as well as changes to their Title IX policies, according to the Brown Daily Herald. Brown’s new Ph. D. admissions process will now include a diversity statement that questions ways in which applicants will “advance diversity.”

Commentary: Turns Out The IRS Is After You, After All

When it was first revealed that the so-called “Inflation Reduction Act” provided funding for 87,000 new IRS agents, Biden administration officials told Americans not to worry. They promised at every turn that these agents would only be set upon those earning over $400,000 a year.

But the Act has done nothing to reduce inflation, so it’s hardly surprisingly to learn now that an army of IRS agents has the middle class in its crosshairs.

RFK Jr. Announces Presidential Run as Independent

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023 Admin

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who had been vying for the Democratic nomination for president, announced in Philadelphia on Monday he will now run as an independent. Kennedy first launched his presidential bid in April, and has been critical of the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC’s) rules for aiding President Joe Biden, and not hosting primary debates.

Commentary: State Senator Scott Surovell Should Resign After Blaming Israel for Hamas Terror Attack

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023 Admin

When Hamas fires rockets, they target Israeli citizens indiscriminately. When the IDF responds, they warn their targets, clear the buildings of civilians by contacting them via cell and warning others… and then fire their rockets. Over the next few weeks, this will be the very real distinction between the good guys and the bad guys in Gaza — and don’t ever forget it.

Virginia U.S. Rep. Bob Good Laments Pelosi-McCarthy Pact, Betrayal

October 9, 2023 Neil W. McCabe

The Virginia Republican congressman and House Freedom Caucus member, who was one of the eight House Republicans voting to oust Speaker Kevin O. McCarthy (R.-CA-20) Wednesday told radio show host John Fredericks McCarthy lost his gavel because he trusted Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-CA-11).

U.S. Dispatches Battle Carrier Group to Mideast, Sends Munitions to Israel

October 9, 2023 Just the News

The Biden administration on Sunday deployed a Navy aircraft carrier group and Air Force fighter jets to the Middle East and rushed munitions to Israel hoping the show of force will deter the Hamas conflict from escalating into a regional war.

UAW Workers Reject Proposal; Nearly 4,000 Go on Strike Against Mack Trucks

October 9, 2023 The Center Square

The United Auto Workers Union rejected a proposed contract by a 73% “no” vote and swore to strike Volvo-Group-owned Mack Trucks in three states beginning Monday morning. The UAW voted against ratification of a new five-year collective bargaining agreement covering about 3,900 employees in Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Florida.

Top Story: Trump Trending Ahead of Biden in Key Battleground States and Nationwide, Polls Find

October 9, 2023 Admin

Top Commentary: Commentary: State Senator Scott Surovell Should Resign After Blaming Israel for Hamas Terror Attack

October 9, 2023October 9, 2023 Admin

Inflation Continues to Hit America, Data Shows

October 9, 2023 The Center Square

Newly released inflation data breaks down how much prices have increased in each state.

The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis released new data Wednesday for how the Personal Consumption Expenditure, a key marker of inflation, rose in each state last year. According to the BEA, PCE is a measure of the prices Americans pay for goods and services.

Trump Trending Ahead of Biden in Key Battleground States and Nationwide, Polls Find

Former President Donald Trump is leading President Joe Biden in a series of recent battleground state polls and national surveys, indicating his continued political resilience despite a summer of criminal indictments as voters remain lukewarm on the current administration.

Trump is ahead of Biden in key swing states by anywhere from 1 point to 9 points, and the former president is leading from 1 point to 10 points nationally, according to numerous recent surveys. Polling analysts argued to the Daily Caller News Foundation that the surveys appear to be trending in Trump’s favor, with some cautioning that it is still too early in the election season to be predictive.

TSNN Featured: Members of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation Send Letter to President Biden amid Hamas’ Attack on Israel

October 9, 2023 Admin

New Federal Rule Could Add Costly Burden to Retirement Plans

October 9, 2023 The Center Square

A new U.S. Department of Labor regulatory effort could impact retirement plans by requiring them to monitor whether plan members access electronic communications, a cost that may be passed on to consumers.

Chair of the Education and the Workforce Committee, U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., sent a letter Thursday to the Employee Benefits Security Administration raising concerns about the federal agency’s Request for Information, a document suggesting the agency will add more regulatory burden onto retirement accounts.

More regulations could mean more fees and higher costs for some Americans with retirement plans.

Elite Private Schools in New York City Are Owned by ‘Chinese Communist Party Boss’

A group of four high-class private schools in New York City is owned by a company that is run by a man identified as a senior member of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).

According to the New York Post, the Basis Independent Schools (BIS) district has two campuses in Manhattan and another two in Brooklyn. The district charges as much as $44,500 a year in tuition, and promotes itself as a district that produces graduates who “gain entry into some of the world’s most prestigious colleges.”

Trump Looking to Increase His Lead in Iowa with 100 Days Until the Caucuses

October 9, 2023 Just the News

Former President Donald Trump is looking to increase his lead in the GOP presidential primary with only 100 days until the Iowa caucuses.

Trump held a rally in Waterloo, Iowa, on Saturday where he addressed a crowd of his supporters. During the rally, he commented on the recent attack on Israel by Hamas.

UAW Strike Costs Billions in Losses with No End in Sight

The United Auto Workers (UAW) strike has caused billions in economic damage and could further harm supply chains and local economies as the union and automakers fail to reach a deal.

The UAW has been undergoing a partial strike against the Big Three automakers — Ford, General Motors and Stellantis — which most recently expanded to a total of 43 locations after negotiations failed to reach a contract by the Sept. 14 deadline, already causing $3.95 billion in economic losses as of Tuesday, according to the Anderson Economic Group. The strike could be devastating to the Big Three’s market position, and stoppages could have greater effects downstream as supply chains are unable to move and local economies suffer, according to experts who spoke with the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Commentary: Democrats Are Finally Changing Their Tune on Biden’s Border Disaster

“Close the border.” That was the demand Sunday evening. It came not from former President Donald Trump, or any of his Republican allies, but from Ingrid Lewis-Martin, chief advisor to New York City Mayor Eric Adams.

“The federal government needs to do its job,” she said in a TV interview when asked about New York City’s right-to-shelter policy. “We need the federal government, the Congress members, the Senate, and the president to do its job: Close the borders.”

Commentary: Remembering the Courage of Christopher Columbus

October 9, 2023 Admin

Today we remember the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus, who in October 1492 landed in the Bahamas and became the first Western European to discover what the Europeans would call the New World.

School District Paid Thousands to Organization Linked to Merrick Garland for Surveys Asking Kids Their Feelings About Race

Colorado Springs School District 11 (CSSD) paid tens of thousands of dollars for surveys asking students how often they think about the “experiences” of someone of a different race or ethnicity, according to a public records request obtained by Parents Defending Education (PDE), a parental rights group.

The district paid Panorama Education, an education software company founded by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland’s son-in-law, Xan Tanner, a total of $64,573 for the surveys, an annual membership fee and a professional development workshop for the 2023-2024 school year, according to documents obtained by PDE and shared with the Daily Caller News Foundation. The survey goes over a number of topics about school climate, including a section titled “Feelings About School,” which has students answer how often their teacher pushes them to think about race and ethnicity, ranging from “almost never” to “almost always.”

Commentary: Things Are Much Worse That They Seen as ‘Digital McCarthyism’ Is On the Move

On September 14, 2001, George W. Bush, exercising “the power vested in [him] as President of the Untied States,” issued Proclamation 7463, a “Declaration of National Emergency by Reason of Certain Terrorist Attacks.” That got the ball rolling on the construction of the surveillance state.

At the time, the extreme measure seemed justified. Three days earlier, the United States had suffered its most devastating terrorist attack in history.

Rep. Jim Jordan Racks up Endorsements for House Speaker Following Trump Support

House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan (R-Oh.) has had multiple colleagues endorse him to be the next House Speaker, following the endorsement of former President Donald Trump.

“The next Speaker of the House must be someone who can unite our conference,” Rep. Ben Cline (R-Va.) posted on X Friday. “@Jim_Jordan is that person. He is a strong leader, principled, respected, and a champion of conservative values. That’s why I fully support him as the next Speaker of the House.”

From Trump to Congress, Hamas Attacks on Israel Boomerang on Biden and His Iran Policy

President Joe Biden’s decision to reward Iran with $6 billion in unfrozen assets is coming under withering criticism after Tehran-backed Hamas militants unleashed an unprovoked deadly attack on Israel that generated condemnation worldwide.

The political peril for the 46th president, who has banked his foreign policy in part on an effort to woo Iran into a new nuclear deal, was apparent from the campaign trail to the marble halls of Congress within hours of Saturday’s unprovoked and unprecedented attack on Israel.

Brandeis Professor’s Daughter and Son-in-law Killed in Israel While Protecting Son from Hamas Gunmen

A professor at Brandeis University’s daughter and son-in-law were killed after they guarded their teenage son with their bodies after Hamas terrorists invaded their home in Israel. Ilan Troen is an Israeli scholar who recently retired from his role at Brandeis University, located in Massachusetts.

Sec. of State Blinken: Trying to Confirm Reports of Multiple Americans Dead in Israel

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken told CNN on Sunday that he is working to verify reports that multiple Americans have died and are missing in Israel following the Hamas attack.

VA Top Story: Virginia Women’s College Swim Team Calls for Policies That ‘Protect Women’

October 8, 2023 Admin

TC: Americans Demand Citizens First Immigration Policy

October 8, 2023 Admin

Virginia Women’s College Swim Team Calls for Policies That ‘Protect Women’

October 8, 2023October 7, 2023 The Center Square

Virginia’s Roanoke College women’s swimming team held a press conference on Thursday to call upon the NCAA, USA Swimming and state lawmakers to develop policies that organize competitive sports according to biological sex, after a transgender student temporarily joined the swim team this season.

Ten team members spoke at the conference, along with women’s sports activists, former college swimmers Riley Gaines and Paula Scanlan, several women’s organizations and the girls’ parents.

TSNN Featured: Shipping Containers Once Used for Arizona Wall Up for Auction

October 8, 2023 Admin

Hillary Clinton: ‘There Needs to Be a Formal Deprogramming’ of MAGA ‘Cult Members’

October 8, 2023October 7, 2023 Virginia Star Staff

During an interview on CNN Thursday, failed 2016 presidential candidate Hillary Clinton called for the “formal deprogramming” of Trump supporters, labeling them as “MAGA extremists” and “cult members.”

“We had very strong partisans in both parties in the past, and we had very bitter battles over all kinds of things—gun control and climate change and the economy and taxes—but there wasn’t this little tail of extremism, waving, you know, wagging the dog of the Republican Party as it is today,” Clinton, 75, told host Christiane Amanpour.

Heart Disease Risk Skyrockets in Trans People Taking Hormones, Study Finds

October 8, 2023 Virginia Star Staff

The risk of heart disease spikes significantly when taking cross-sex hormones, according to a Danish study published in August.

The study, published in the European Journal of Endocrinology, looked at 2,671 transgender male and female individuals in their early to mid-twenties, who were taking cross-sex hormones and based in Denmark, over a five-year period, according to The Telegraph. The results of the research revealed that both transgender men and women developed a “significantly increased risk” of developing high blood pressure and high cholesterol and were more likely to have heart attacks and strokes.

McCarthy Denies Reports That He Will Resign, Says He Plans to Run for Re-Election