Day: January 3, 2019

Shelby County Official: New State Law on Illegal Aliens Does Not Apply to Us

Chris Butler

Shelby County officials seem to say they won’t cooperate with a new Tennessee law that helps federal officials detain and deport illegal aliens. The state law took effect Jan. 1, according to The Associated Press. The law, The AP went on to say, “threatens local governments with the loss of future state economic and community development money” if they have sanctuary policies. Federal immigration officials have the power to deport illegal aliens arrested on other charges. But some local laws have kept those local law enforcement officers from cooperating with the feds. The new law bans those local policies, according to The AP. “That includes barring local policies that require federal officials to obtain a warrant or show probable cause beforehand,” The AP said. As The Tennessee Star reported last fall, county officials, specifically the folks at the county attorney’s office, tell their law enforcement officers to ignore the feds, especially Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Shelby County Sheriff’s spokesman Anthony Buckner said Wednesday that members of his office already know how they will respond to the new state law. “The Shelby County Attorney has advised the Sheriff’s Office that the new Tennessee laws governing sanctuary cities/policies do not apply to…

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OFF THE RECORD: Bill Lee Names Six Additional Commissioners as He Works Toward Completing His Cabinet

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Governor-elect Bill Lee will be inaugurated on Saturday January 19. As that date approaches he and his team are working feverishly to complete the selection of his Cabinet and fill many of the top deputy positions in key departments of state government. Thursday afternoon, Lee announced six new commissioners: David Gerregano has served as Governor Bill Haslam’s Commissioner of Revenue the past two years, and helped shepherd the Haslam tax increase (including adding $300 million per year in higher gas taxes) through the Legislature last year. He will continue to serve in that capacity for Lee. Bob Rolfe was appointed in March 2017 by Haslam to fill the slot of Commissioner of Economic and Community Development that Randy Boyd vacated when he left to run for Governor. Rolfe is being retained by Lee in that same position. Gabe Roberts is presently serving as Deputy Director at TennCare and will be elevated to the top slot by Governor Lee. As Deputy Director at TennCare Roberts was actively involved in Governor Haslam’s efforts to expand Medicaid/Obamacare which was derailed by the Legislature in special session in 2015 and again in the regular Session. And during Roberts tenure at TennCare the department apparently paid…

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The Tennessee Star Names Nashville Sports Journalist Scott Wallace as Sports Editor

Jason M. Reynolds

Veteran Nashville sports reporter Scott Wallace has been named Sports Editor of The Tennessee Star. Tennessee Star CEO and Editor-in-chief Michael Patrick Leahy praised Wallace for his credentials in sports journalism and his commitment to covering local high school and college athletes. “We are thrilled to announce that Scott Wallace has accepted our offer to serve as Sports Editor of The Tennessee Star. Since our launch almost two years ago in February 2016, we’ve been looking for the right person to fill this important position for us. Scott is the right man at the right time,” Leahy said. “Our team at The Tennessee Star has followed Scott’s career in local sports journalism for some time. We look forward to the in-depth coverage and inside details of the sports scene here in Tennessee Scott will be providing our readers,” he added. Wallace tweeted the news Tuesday, saying, “New year new opportunity Blessed & honored 2 b named sports editor for @TheTNStar Another way 2 get local athletes recognized nationally Here is a link to my 1st story https://tennesseestar.com/2018/12/22/atlanta-suburb-honors-hometown-hero-injured-tennessee-state-football-player-christion-abercrombie/ … Thanks @GillReport and @michaelpleahy for the opportunity #ItsOn.” New year new opportunity Blessed & honored 2 b named sports editor for @TheTNStar Another…

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Marsha Blackburn Says Voters Sent Her To DC To Secure The Border

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by Nick Givas   Republican Sen.-elect Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee said voters sent her to Washington to help secure the U.S. southern border, on “America’s Newsroom” Wednesday. “Let me tell you something. There is an acronym for the word team. My mom used it with me growing up. Together everyone achieves more. And what Tennesseans are looking at is a president who has delivered on turning the economy around, promise kept,” Blackburn said on Fox News. “He has delivered on moving the embassy to Jerusalem and he has delivered when it comes to working, defeating ISIS, dealing with China, dealing with trade, getting us back on the road to economic prosperity and Tennesseans want to see more of that action,” she continued. “And I’ll tell you something else they want to see is that border secured.” Blackburn said she has spoken to various constituents and is planning to focus on polices that help maintain America’s sovereignty while promoting faith and family. Watch the latest video at foxnews.com “I say as an elected official and as someone Tennesseans have sent to Washington, D.C., to represent them, they are saying look, Marsha, do everything that you possibly can do to help keep this nation free…

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Rep. Steve Cohen Announces Re-election Bids for 2020, 2022

Jason M. Reynolds

U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN-09) said he is planning to run for re-election in 2020 and 2022. Cohen made the announcement at a New Year’s Day prayer breakfast Tuesday, WMC said. WMC’s Kendall Downing also tweeted the news, saying, “Congressman Steve Cohen @RepCohen told reporters he’s running for re-election in 2020 and 2022… moments before he told the crowd at the Lowery prayer breakfast. Some pundits had speculated he would step aside in elections to come. Cohen says that’s not the case. @WMCActionNews5.” Congressman Steve Cohen @RepCohen told reporters he’s running for re-election in 2020 and 2022… moments before he told the crowd at the Lowery prayer breakfast. Some pundits had speculated he would step aside in elections to come. Cohen says that’s not the case. @WMCActionNews5 pic.twitter.com/MYvl80XJAI — Kendall Downing (@kendall_downing) January 1, 2019 In response, Cohen tweeted, “Always good to put false rumors aside. Republicans who haven’t been able to  beat me started rumor I would retire due to health concerns. No such luck!” https://twitter.com/RepCohen/status/1080222044871163906 Cohen is not the first Tennessee Democratic representative to announce future re-election plans before even being sworn in for his 2019-2020 term that starts today. U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-TN-05) announced his re-election bid…

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David Fowler Commentary: Is This the Beginning of the End for Public Schools?

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by David Fowler   Have public schools run their course? Just asking that question will irritate a lot of people, Christians included. But I think we have to ask the question, given an announcement last week by the Nashville Chamber of Commerce relative to what it wants from public education. Those who don’t ask and answer the question may not like what becomes of their children as adults. Last week the headline to a front-page story in The Tennessean said the Nashville Chamber of Commerce “wants to focus on social emotional learning.” Of course, the Haslam administration has been dabbling in developing content for social emotional learning for the last few years in-between toothless barks from some legislators. But what is it? Here’s how The Tennessean described it and the Nashville Chamber’s push for it: Framed by the question of what students need to be successful in the classroom, the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce in its annual education report card is throwing its collective influence behind a growing push for schools to provide students with social emotional learning. SEL, as it is known, is a method to teach students the skills to regulate emotions and to provide them with…

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Ninth Circuit Finally Hands Trump a Big Win Against Youth’s Global Warming Lawsuit

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by Michael Bastasch   The Trump administration’s battle against a global warming lawsuit brought by 21 youths will continue into 2019 after a federal court handed the government a big win over the holiday season. The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the Department of Justice (DOJ) in a Dec. 26 ruling largely missed by major media outlets. The court granted DOJ’s petition for interlocutory appeal that decreases the chances of the climate lawsuit going to trial anytime soon. The three-judge Ninth Circuit panel is the very same one that in March 2018 ruled against Trump administration petitions for a writ of mandamus, which allows a higher court to overrule a lower court before a case is decided. Environmentalists handling the case on behalf of youth activists immediately filed a petition asking the District Court of Oregon to restart trial proceedings in light of the appeals court ruling. “The bottom line is, this case is ready for trial, and should not be held up by further appeals,” said Julia Olson, chief legal counsel and executive director of Our Children’s Trust, the activist group handling the climate lawsuit. “The government has used the power of their office and the depth…

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Elizabeth Warren Compares Scrutiny of Native American Heritage Claim to Obama Birtherism

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by Peter Hasson   Democratic Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s website for her presidential exploratory committee attempts to link questions about her claims of Native American heritage to people who questioned whether former President Barack Obama was born in the United States. Warren launched the committee Monday, including a website with a “fact squad” meant to push back against criticisms of the senator. Warren’s website blames “the right-wing machine” for scrutiny of her heritage claims. “They have called Elizabeth ‘Pocahontas’ and used racist depictions of Native American history, culture, and people to make Elizabeth the butt of a joke,” the website states. “These actions not only dishonor Native people and their many contributions to this country, but perpetuate harmful stereotypes that Native communities continue to fight against.” “Show us your papers. Release your birth certificate. It’s all part of the right’s disgusting effort to use race-baiting and fear-mongering to distract our country and divide our people while they rig the system for the rich and powerful,” Warren’s site claims. It also displays a photoshopped image of Obama behind Warren that reads: “Don’t worry Liz, I think we fooled them.” Warren’s campaign didn’t return a request for comment on the comparison between…

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New York Rings in New Year by Offering Gender Neutral Birth Certificates

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by Grace Carr   New York City residents may now change their birth certificates to reflect a neutral gender identity after an October bill took effect after the new year. The New York City Council first passed the bill in September allowing any adult living in the city to change his or her gender to “X” on their birth certificate. The bill also permits parents to choose “X” on their newborn babies’ birth certificates. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio signed the measure into law on Oct. 9, 2018, according to Reuters. “You be you. Live your truth. And know that New York City will have your back,” de Blasio said after signing, Reuters reported. The law took effect Tuesday. Effective today! People born in NYC can now change the gender marker on their birth certificates to “X.” The third category makes birth certificates more inclusive to all gender identities. Here's what you need to know: https://t.co/QyaSSVK7sE pic.twitter.com/38BcxCppzs — nychealthy (@nycHealthy) January 1, 2019 Prior to the bill, New Yorkers had to undergo gender confirmation surgery in order to change the designations on their birth certificates. “Transgender and gender non-binary New Yorkers will no longer need a letter from a…

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Tops on House Democrats’ To-Do List: Try to End Shutdown

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House Democrats are sweeping into power this week on a campaign promise of improving government for ordinary Americans. But first, they’ll have to get government reopened from the partial shutdown. As the Congress gavels in for the 116th session the early votes will be the usual ones — establishing the House rules and electing the House speaker, presumably California Democrat Nancy Pelosi. But the new majority will quickly pivot Thursday to a pair of bills to fund the parts of the government that have been shuttered in the dispute over money for President Donald Trump’s border wall with Mexico. It’s a cold opening for the new majority, setting up an early confrontation with the Republican-led Senate and the White House and testing the House Democrats’ ability to make good on their campaign pledge to focus on kitchen-table issues in the new era of divided government. “Our first order of business will be to end the reckless Trump shutdown and reopen the government,” Rep. Hakeem Jeffries of New York, the incoming caucus chairman, said in an interview. Then, he said, “we will turn our attention to bringing our democracy to life and returning our government to the people.” So far, House…

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Commentary: Democrats Killed California Police Corporal Ron Singh

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This past Saturday a courageous California law enforcement officer, Corporal Ronil “Ron” Singh, died at the hands of California Governor Jerry Brown, Representative Nancy Pelosi and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra and Senators Dianne Feinstein and Kamala Harris. Oh, they will tell you that it was not them, but an illegal alien named Gustavo Arriaga who pulled the trigger and those who were taken into custody for aiding and abetting: Bernabe Madrigal Castaneda; Erasmo Villegas; Maria Luisa Moreno, plus Arriaga’s brothers Adrian and Conrado Virgen Mendoza, girlfriend Ana Leyde Cervantes and coworker Erik Quiroz who were also arrested for helping him dodge police. The suspect’s brother, 25-year-old Adrian Virgen, and a co-worker, 32-year-old Erik Razo Quiroz, were arrested on “accessory after the fact” charges for attempting to protect Arriaga. Authorities say both men are also in the country illegally. Update: Multiple media reports now allege that all seven of those charged in the death of Corporal Ron Singh are illegal aliens. Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson says that Arriaga was a member of the Sureños street gang and had been arrested twice before on charges of driving under the influence of alcohol. And Sheriff Christianson got it right when he…

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Trump’s Hard Line with China Crushes Bill Gates’ Energy Dreams

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by Jason Hopkins   The Trump administration’s hardening stance with China is affecting Bill Gates’s ambitions to develop a cheaper, safer nuclear reactor that could prove to be a game changer for the U.S. energy industry. Gates — the founder of Microsoft who has since embarked on a number of philanthropic endeavors — has taken on the cause of reducing the world’s greenhouse gas emissions. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is currently directing efforts at adapting the world to climate change, and the business magnate has joined a coalition of other billionaires who are actively investing in green energy technologies. Unlike other environmental advocates, Gates recognizes the limitations of wind and solar technology. In a year-end blog post on Saturday, he openly doubted that more affordable renewable energy would lead to breakthroughs in reducing carbon emissions, noting that they are “intermittent sources of energy” that only work when the sun is shining and the wind is blowing. Instead, the 63-year-old businessman has heavily invested in nuclear energy innovation. “Next year I will speak out more about how the U.S. needs to regain its leading role in nuclear power research,” Gates wrote Saturday. “Nuclear is ideal for dealing with climate…

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Popular Pro-Abortion Group Plans to Release Children’s Book, Says Abortion is Part of ‘God’s Plan’

Anthony Gockowski

Amelia Bonow, co-founder of the popular pro-choice “Shout Your Abortion” organization, recently released a video of her discussing her abortion with children, and said she plans to release a children’s book on abortion in 2020. “I let a bunch of kids grill me about my abortion and it was great. Shout Your Abortion will be releasing a children’s book about abortion in 2020,” Bonow tweeted December 28, linking to a video of her defending abortion in conversations with children. I let a bunch of kids grill me about my abortion and it was great. #ShoutYourAbortion will be releasing a children’s book about abortion in 2020! https://t.co/1LSxdyf9f8 — Amelia Bonow (@ameliabonow) December 29, 2018 Bonow goes into detail about how she got pregnant, noting that her partner “wasn’t wearing a condom,” and describes in her own terms how an abortion works. “You go to the doctor and they put this little straw inside of your cervix and then inside of your uterus, and then they just suck the pregnancy out. It was like a crappy dentist appointment or something. It was just like this is like a body thing that’s kind of uncomfortable, but then it was over, and I felt…

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North Carolina Mayor Threatens Legal Action If Group Fails to Remove Confederate Statue

Anthony Gockowski

A North Carolina mayor is threatening legal action unless a women’s historical society removes a statue of a Confederate soldier that it owns in downtown Winston-Salem. During a Tuesday event, Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines announced that City Attorney Angela Carmon sent a letter to the Daughters of the Confederacy organization asking that it relocate its statue. According to the Winston-Salem Journal, the city is asking the group to move the statue from its current downtown location to Salem Cemetery, where 36 Confederate soldiers are buried. Joines and Carmon are citing vandalism of the statue as reason for its removal, saying that the city cannot provide sufficient security. The statue was vandalized twice in 2018, most recently on Christmas Day when vandals spray-painted “cowards and traitors” on the base of the statue. “We’ve already had two instances of vandalism and, with the potential for violence, it is [Carmon’s] belief that the statue does create a public nuisance and therefore we are directing the Daughters of the Confederacy to remove it, and if they don’t, we’re prepared to file legal action to achieve that removal,” Joines told the Journal Tuesday. The Daughters of the Confederacy previously declined to remove the statue, but Joines…

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With Legal Marijuana Sales Imminent in Ohio, Demand Skyrockets

Andrew Shirley

In as early as the coming days, the first legal marijuana dispensary will open for business in Ohio. Fifty-six sites have received approval for sale and several others are only waiting to receive the product before beginning distribution. However, many Ohioans are concerned that, even with legal certification, they won’t be able to obtain marijuana anytime soon. An estimated 3.5 million Ohioans have medical conditions that would permit the use of the controversial drug. In addition, more than 350 doctors are now qualified to approve marijuana prescriptions across the state. There a plethora of conditions that qualify for marijuana use ranging from chronic pain and PTSD to AIDS and most forms of cancer. In spite of this, only a fraction will be able to obtain marijuana following the first sales. In a recent interview Ohio Department of Commerce Senior Policy Advisor Mark Hamlin revealed that, though there will be product available soon, “we know the initial product will be very small.” In addition, he conceded that supply will absolutely not reach initial demand. The 56 dispensaries that have been approved are not equally distributed throughout the state. Some Ohioans will have to drive as much as three and a half hours just to reach…

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Ilhan Omar’s Daughter Leading Protest to Ask Walz for Executive Order on Climate Change

Anthony Gockowski

Rep.-elect Ilhan Omar’s (D-MN-05) daughter helped organize an upcoming rally at the Minnesota Capitol to urge the incoming governor to “issue an executive order limiting greenhouse gas emissions.” In a recent tweet, Isra Hirsi announced that “young people from across the state” will protest on January 9 to ask Gov.-elect Tim Walz (D-MN) to support their climate proposals and “demonstrate to us that protecting our futures will be a top priority for his admin.” On Jan 9th at 4pm inside the MN capitol, young people from across the state will ask Gov. @Tim_Walz to issue an executive order limiting greenhouse gas emissions, & demonstrate to us that protecting our futures will be a top priority for his admin. This event is 100% youth led! pic.twitter.com/tbHdJGWt0x — isra hirsi (@israhirsi) December 31, 2018 Hirsi, Omar’s daughter, claims that the “event is 100 percent youth led,” and is sponsored by the MN Can’t Wait climate-change organization, a self-described “movement of youth activists from all over Minnesota pushing for bold, necessary changes in our state to protect our futures from the climate crisis.” According to an event description for next week’s protest, student protesters will “be going to Gov. Walz’s office to send…

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