The land battle over Sumner County’s “The Meadows,” proposed to be a 1,115-unit housing development under consideration by the Sumner County Board of Commissioners on Monday, August 17, has a history that goes back more than a decade and includes allegations of bribery by a former Gallatin councilman.
Read the full storyDay: August 17, 2020
Commentary: Trump’s Huge Middle East Win
Even The Washington Post’s David Ignatius had to admit President Trump hit a home run with the deal he helped negotiate for Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalize diplomatic relations.
“This was, as he tweeted, a ‘HUGE’ achievement,” Ignatius wrote. It is viewed as an “’icebreaker” that could open the door to other countries, such as Bahrain, Omar and Morocco, opening diplomatic relations with Israel.
Read the full storyAnalysis: Republican Crossover Voting for Democrats in August 6 Primary Election in Knox County
Analysis of the Knox County voting data for the August 6 primary and general election reveals difference-making Republican crossover votes for Democrat candidates.
At the same time there was the primary election for state and federal level offices, there was also a county general election race. In a combined primary/general election, voters can pull a Republican, Democrat, or general election only ballot.
Read the full storyTrump Orders Chinese Owner of TikTok to Sell U.S. Assets
President Donald Trump on Friday gave the Chinese company ByteDance 90 days to divest itself of any assets used to support the popular TikTok app in the United States.
Trump’s executive order said there is “credible evidence that leads me to believe that ByteDance … might take action that threatens to impair the national security of the United States.”
Read the full storyWhite House Adviser Navarro: ‘No Question’ China Wants Biden to Beat Trump
A senior White House adviser said he agreed with an assessment by the U.S. Office of the Director of National Intelligence that China prefers that President Trump lose re-election in November.
“Well, there’s no question that’s true,” Peter Navarro, White House Trade and Manufacturing Policy advisor, told Just the News in an interview. “Donald J. Trump is the toughest – only president -he’s the toughest and only president to stand up to China since Nixon and Kissinger went to China back in the 70s. I mean, every president since then, has allowed in some way, to let the Chinese Communist Party have their way with the United States economy, and also our defense sector.”
Read the full storySchool District Closes Schools, Charges Students $140 per Week to Attend ‘Learning Centers’
Shortly after announcing that the fall semester would begin online, the board of education of the Durham, North Carolina public school department said it will charge families $140 per week to send their children to “learning centers” at various local schools.
The school board, which last month said it planned to activate its “Plan C” and start school in the fall with virtual learning, this week “authorized the opening of six learning centers to provide support for students who need supervision” while schools remain online, according to the school district’s website.
Read the full storyTexas Test Rate Drops as Schools Reopen, Prepare for Football
by Paul J. Weber AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Anyone can get a coronavirus test at the CentroMed clinic in San Antonio, but on a recent day, the drive-thru was empty. Finally two masked people in a maroon SUV pulled straight on through with no wait. With hundreds of deaths reported each day, students returning to class and football teams charging ahead with plans to play, Texas leaders who grappled with testing shortages for much of the pandemic are now facing the opposite problem: not enough takers. “We’re not having enough people step forward,” Republican Gov. Greg Abbott said. The number of coronavirus tests being done each day in Texas has dropped by the thousands in August, mirroring nationwide trends that has seen daily testing averages in the U.S. fall nearly 9% since the end of July, according to The COVID Tracking Project. The problem is dwindling demand: Testing centers like CentroMed are no longer inundated by long lines that stretch for blocks, or closing hours early because tests run out. The dropoff comes as the U.S. has surpassed 5 million confirmed coronavirus cases and is closing in on 170,000 deaths. It threatens to put the U.S. even further behind other countries…
Read the full storyState Senator Joe Morrissey Commentary: Violent Protesters Have Gone Too Far
I condemn, in the strongest manner possible, the horrific violence that occurred in Richmond this past Saturday, July 25, 2020. Setting fire to a $75,000 city utility vehicle, smashing scores of windows on the VCU campus and destroying the private property of innocent citizens on Monument Avenue and vicinity is despicable. This type of behavior is not legitimate protest. Rather, it is indefensible mayhem that should be prosecuted.
Read the full storyTennessee Revenues for July Exceed Budget Estimate by $667.1 Million
Tennessee tax revenues for the month of July exceeded the budgeted estimate by $667.1 million, Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration Commissioner Butch Eley announced Thursday.
Overall revenues of $1.86 billion in July were $689.4 million more than state revenues in July 2019.
The higher-than-expected revenues for July has the state finishing the 2019-2020 fiscal year in a surplus position of $369.2 million against the budgeted estimate and 2.42 percent above last year, despite the impacts of the COVID-19 economic slowdown.
Read the full storyFOX Nation Host Tomi Lahren calls Nashville Mayor John Cooper ‘A Little Tyrant’
FOX Nation host Tomi Lahren tore apart Nashville Mayor John Cooper late last week during her Final Thoughts segment and called him “a little tyrant” for how he has managed the city during the COVID-19 outbreak.
Lahren, who recently moved to Nashville, compared the city to her former home of Los Angeles.
Read the full storyOhio Public Health Advisory System – New Cases Per Capita
This is the second story in an eight-part series on the Ohio Public Health Advisory System
Early in the battle with COVID Ohioans were implored to heed recommended measures from Republican Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Department of Health Director Amy Acton to “flatten the curve and ramp hospital capacity.”
Experts displayed epidemiological curves showing as many as 62,000 new cases a day, while county and local health departments received epidemiological reports highlighting the projected death toll on each age group within the locale or county.
Read the full storyIn New Jersey, Rep. Van Drew’s Democrat Challenger – Wife of Patrick Kennedy – Raises Money to Bail out Rapists and Defendants Charged with Terrorism, Kidnapping, Murder
The leftwing Democrat running against Rep. Jefferson H. “Jeff” Van Drew (R.-N.J.) has put her money where her mouth is , and is raising money to bail out rapists and at least one defendant facing terror terrorism charges at the same time she is challenging the one-time Democrat, who switched parties after voting against impeaching President Donald Trump.
Read the full storySt. Paul Primary Winner John Thompson Leads BLM Protest to Police Union Leader’s Neighborhood, Calls for Violence
Over the weekend, Democratic candidate John Thompson spoke at a Black Lives Matter protest by the home of police union leader Lt. Bob Kroll. Thompson recently won the Democratic primary for District 62A in St. Paul, Minnesota.
Multiple video coverages of Thompson’s seven-minute speech show him calling for violence against the “racists” of Hugo, Minnesota.
Read the full storyVirginia Citizens Defense League Lobbies Virginia Localities to Become Gun ‘Sanctuaries’
Gun-rights activist group the Virginia Citizens Defense League is lobbying 193 local jurisdictions to declare they will not ban guns. The proposed Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions vary, but contain language stating that a jurisdiction “shall not exercise any authority granted to it … to regulate or prohibit the otherwise legal purchase, possession, or transfer of firearms or ammunition.”
Read the full storyAs Richmond Burns, Mayor Stoney’s Top Priority Is to Let People Get Stoned
Even as rioting damages large sections of Richmond and the Virginia General Assembly convenes in a special session, Mayor Levar Stoney wants lawmakers to take action — not on fighting lawlessness, but to help people get stoned.
Stoney used his bully pulpit to call for the Assembly to legalize marijuana.
Read the full storyCOVID-19-Era Public School Models Are Driving Increased Interest in Homeschooling
Virginia parents are increasingly interested in homeschooling due to fear of COVID-19 and frustration over new public school models. Organizations ranging from the state-level Home Educators Association of Virginia to local Facebook groups are providing advice, resources and counseling.
Read the full storyPrivate Schools Offer In-Person Solution to Public Schools’ Online-Only Problem
While many public schools across Virginia will keep their doors closed in lieu of virtual classrooms this fall, a private school may be the in-person educational option parents and students are looking for.
Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) (7-12, male-only) is one such option. The boarding military school is known for its “One Subject Plan.” Students are enrolled in one subject at a time, allowing them to focus on one specific area of study for 7 weeks at a time. FUMA will offer in-person classes and athletics programs during the fall while taking necessary precautions for the health of its students and staff.
Read the full storyExpanded Unemployment Would Cost Virginia $45M a Week, but Fund Is Almost Dry
If Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam opts to expand unemployment benefits by $100 a week per person, it would cost the state an additional $45 million a week, but the unemployment insurance fund already is set to run out of money in September, state officials said.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order to extend federal unemployment benefits by $300 a week, but states would have to supply an additional $100 a week, increasing the benefit to $400 a week.
Read the full storyMichigan Senate Approves Return to School Plan
The Michigan Senate Saturday passed a three-bill package aiming to provide clarity to kids, educators, and parents for the fall school year.
House Bills 5911, 5912, and 5913, don’t require in-person learning for any grade and let local districts decide whether to hold classes in-person or online.
The package requires two student assessments; one within nine weeks of beginning the school year and another by the end of the year for districts to receive funding.
Read the full storyJohn Fredericks Commentary: Welcome to The Virginia Star!
Welcome to The Virginia Star!
Thank you for taking the time today to read our inaugural edition of The Virginia Star! We hope you will find us to be a valuable resource for news and information in Commonwealth!
We are very excited about this new venture: real news in real time.
Read the full storyDeWine, Timken, Householder Learn the Art of Funneling Donations Through Ohio Republican Party
The Dayton Daily News in January 2014 reported on allegations of pay-to-play in Attorney General DeWine’s office concerning an advisory panel.
His calendar shows he met frequently with (now deceased) Alex Arshinkoff, a lobbyist and the chairman of Summit County Republican Party who represented four companies doing business with DeWine’s office.
DeWine was not the only Ohio Republican engaging in pay-to-play. Indeed, previous news reports and public records show the Ohio Republican Party funneled money to DeWine and now disgraced former House Speaker Larry Householder from such donors as FirstEnergy.
Read the full storyThe John Fredericks Show: Mayor Levar Stoney Responds to Richmond Riots and Looting by Demanding to Legalize Pot
Live from Virginia Friday 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 was dumbfounded by the recent letter written to the Governor of Virginia by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney which revealed his top priority was marijuana legalization in the wake of Richmond’s violence.
Read the full storyMobile Sports Betting Is Coming to Virginia in 2021
Mobile sports betting will be launching in Virginia by January 2021 at the earliest.
Since legislation was passed by the Virginia General Assembly and became effective July 1st, the Virginia lottery, who has been tasked with regulation and oversight, has been working to turn mobile sports betting for Virginians into a reality.
Read the full storyRich Anderson Is the New Chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia
Rich Anderson is the new chairman of the Republican Party of Virginia. On Saturday, August 15, delegates from around Virginia voted in an unassembled election using a drive-through format. The ranked-choice results saw Anderson win round one with 48.80 percent of the votes, where incumbent Jack Wilson was eliminated. In round two, Anderson took 62.28 percent of the votes, defeating Mike Schoelwer.
Read the full storyCommentary: Is Free Speech at Stake in November?
The phenomenon of “cancel culture” is a real and growing threat to free speech in America. This rapidly rising threat has caught many Americans off guard.
Since the rise of the nation-state, almost all the serious threats to freedom of speech have come from government or government sponsored agencies. However, this current threat is not from the government – at least not yet.
Read the full storyViolence in Memphis Intensifies Over the Weekend
The Memphis Police Department this weekend reported shootings that injured six people as well as additional shootings that killed four people.
On top of that, Memphis Police also reported that one person in the city used his vehicle to intentionally run over and kill another person.
Read the full story