Georgia residents are now able to claim unborn babies as dependents on their state income taxes, the state’s department of revenue announced Monday.
Read the full storyMonth: August 2022
Connecticut General Assembly Conservatives Want to Know Why Democrats Are ‘Erasing’ Records of Violent Criminals
While the Connecticut General Assembly Conservative Caucus agrees, “Violent and threatening people should not possess firearms,” its members want to know why Governor Ned Lamont (D) and Democrat state lawmakers passed a law that is “automatically erasing many of the criminal convictions” that could now allow violent and threatening individuals to buy a gun.
In an op-ed published Friday at CT Examiner, the caucus members observed the hypocrisy of Connecticut Democrats crying out “something must be done” following the horrific shooting massacres that have recently plagued the nation, but then turning around to pass a law that automatically deletes many criminal convictions that would block a person from purchasing a gun.
Read the full storyJohnson Keeps Ohio Republican State Central Committee Seat; Reformers Win Victories Elsewhere
Ohio Republican Party (ORP) Treasurer Dave Johnson won his race for re-election on Tuesday to represent the Youngstown-area 33rd District in the GOP’s State Central Committee. However, conservatives and reformers won several ORP victories elsewhere.
Johnson defeated challenger Rick Barron, who ran on implementing rigorous and regular audits of committee finances, something many in the party believe Johnson has neglected. Alleged financial irregularities, including $3 million said to have “gone missing” from party financial records, have led several ORP members to sue Johnson and state-party Chair Bob Paduchik.
Read the full storyInvestigation Finds, Names the Maricopa County Elections Employee on Video Removing 2020 Election Files from Servers
The Arizona Senate-ordered independent Maricopa County ballot audit of the 2020 presidential election revealed questionable findings, including a Maricopa County Elections Department (MCED) employee captured on video deleting, or what officials stated later was merely archiving, hundreds of thousands of files from an election server the day before the server was to be turned over to the audit. Last weekend, investigative journalist Lara Logan and cyber expert Matt Van Bibber stated at an election security forum hosted by We the People AZ Alliance that the employee has been identified, along with a couple of his co-workers who allowed him access into the election server room.
Van Bibber, who discovered the information through viewing videos and matching what he saw against server room logs, said the employee was Brian Ramirez, a database administrator at MCED. Van Bibber said Ramirez did not have the required credentials to enter the server room where the computer was, so two other employees gave him access with their card keys. One was Kristi Passarelli, assistant elections director, and the other was an employee named Charles Cooley, who appears to be an Administrative/Operations Specialist.
Read the full storyBurt Jones Challenges Stacey Abrams on Music Midtown Cancellation
Burt Jones, Republican nominee for lieutenant governor of Georgia, took exception to the assertion by Stacey Abrams that Governor Kemp is more concerned with “protecting dangerous people” than the economy of the state by affirming the right for Peach State citizens to bear arms with the signing of the constitutional carry law.
“Music Midtown is the new All Star Game. It’s still illegal for criminals to carry guns, and Georgia continues to see record voter turnout. Notice a trend? Her name is Stacey Abrams–and she’s still being dishonest with Georgia voters,” Jones tweeted on Tuesday.
Read the full storyPennsylvania Supreme Court Upholds State’s No-Excuses Mail-In Ballot Law in Blow to GOP
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Tuesday the 2019 law expanding the state’s mail-in voting was constitutional, overruling Republicans who argued no-excuse absentee voting should be outlawed.
Read the full storyGov. Lee Says over 2,000 Families Have Signed Up for School Voucher Program
Governor Bill Lee said last week that more than 2,000 families in Shelby and Davidson counties have already signed up for school vouchers. According to the Tennessee Department of Education, up to 5,000 are available this upcoming school year.
In 2019, the Tennessee General Assembly passed and Governor Bill Lee signed Public Chapter 506, which created the Tennessee Education Savings Account (ESA) program. The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled in May that the school voucher program is constitutional.
Read the full storyHouse Speaker Pelosi Arrives in Taiwan, Despite Warnings from China
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s plane landed in Taipei on Tuesday, making her the highest-ranking U.S. official to visit Taiwan in 25 years amid heightened tensions in the region.
Read the full storyYour Middle Tennessee Fresh Forecast with Chief Meteorologist Daphne DeLoren for Monday Night and into Tuesday
Star News Network Chief Meteorologist Daphne DeLoren shares her Middle Tennessee Fresh Forecast for Monday Night and Tuesday.
Read the full storySchool Board Candidate Debbie Pace Discusses Woke Curriculum in Williamson County Schools
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, guest host Gulbransen welcomed Williamson County District Six School Board candidate Debbie Pace in studio to talk about why she is running, how the Wit and Wisdom curriculum got into the schools and the voting record of her opponent.
Read the full storyCongressman Mark Green Weighs In on the Death of Bin Laden’s Right Hand Man
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, guest host Gulbransen welcomed U.S. Rep. Mark Green (R-TN-07) to the newsmaker line to weigh in on the death of Bin Laden’s right-hand man, al-Zawahiri and the ideology that America is evil and must be brought down.
Read the full storyTennessee Voter Guide Creator Craig Huey Analyzes Top Judicial Picks for Retention Election
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, guest host Gulbransen welcomed California refugee and the creator of Tennvoterguide.com, Craig Huey, in-studio to give his recommendations for the Tennessee Judicial retention elections.
Read the full storyPoll Finds Election Day Voters Expect to Vote in Kari Lake’s Favor
While early voting remained a dead heat between gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and opponent Karrin Taylor Robson, a poll shows that election day voters are expected to vote for Lake in droves.
“Voting is already underway and Lake is dominating among voters who have yet to vote but plan to vote before Election Day (41.7% to 25.8%) and those who plan to vote on Election Day (46.7% to 20.5%),” said Creative Destruction Media. “Robson holds a statistically insignificant lead among those who have already cast a ballot, 42.5% to 41.9%.”
Read the full storyLake Campaign Disputes Validity of Emerson Poll
On primary election day in Arizona, gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake’s campaign is disputing a recent Emerson poll that shows her in a statistical tie with her main opponent, Karrin Taylor Robson.
The poll, which was conducted between July 28 and July 30 among 600 “very likely Republican primary voters and individuals who already voted,” shows Robson with a slight 47 percent to 46 percent edge over.
Read the full storyHealthcare Workers Win $10.3 Million Settlement in Class Action Lawsuit over COVID Vaccine Mandate
The nation’s first class action lawsuit for healthcare workers fighting COVID vaccine mandates has led to a $10.3 million settlement agreement, filed Friday, for the workers who were denied religious exemptions from the COVID shot mandate and terminated when they did not comply.
Liberty Counsel settled the lawsuit on behalf of more than 500 current and former healthcare workers from NorthShore University HealthSystem in Illinois who argued they were victims of religious discrimination.
Read the full storyBiden Taps ADL Regional Board Member as U.S. Attorney for Middle District of Tennessee
The Middle District of Tennessee, which includes Nashville, will likely be receiving a new U.S. Attorney after the Biden Administration tapped a new lawyer for the job.
“These individuals were chosen for their devotion to enforcing the law, their professionalism, their experience and credentials, their dedication to pursuing equal justice for all, and their commitment to the independence of the Department of Justice,” said the White House in naming Henry Leventis and two other U.S. Attorney nominees last week.
Read the full storyMarsha Blackburn and Colleagues Introduce Package to Bolster Violent Crime Laws
U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley (R-IA) and 21 of their Republican colleagues introduced introduced a broad legislative package to clarify and strengthen violent crime laws related to homicide, bank robbery, carjacking, kidnapping and other offenses according to a statement released on Friday.
“The Combating Violent and Dangerous Crime Act resolves discrepancies brought on by conflicting court decisions and clarifies congressional intent regarding crimes of violence and their respective penalties. Despite an ongoing crime wave, no Democrats have agreed to cosponsor the fixes,” said the statement.
Read the full storyGary Restaino Appoints a District Elections Officer for the Upcoming Primary Election in Arizona
U.S. Attorney Gary Restaino announced last week that Assistant U.S. Attorney Sean Lokey was appointed as the district election officer for Arizona in connection with the approaching Tuesday primary election.
“Election Day is an opportunity for Arizona’s citizens to make their voices heard,” Restaino said. “The Department of Justice has strong partnerships with the highly professional and dedicated election officials throughout the state. Together we can do our very best to ensure that every eligible voter who chooses to vote can do so easily and efficiently, without interference or discrimination.”
Read the full storyRubio Condemns Biden Administration over Colombia Visit
Florida Sen. Marco Rubio (R) penned an op-ed condemning the Biden Administration’s recent visit to Colombia to meet with the new Colombian president-elect Gustavo Petro. Petro is the first leftist to get elected to the post and previously served as a guerilla fighter in his younger years.
Read the full storyFlorida Democratic Gubernatorial Candidate Calls DeSantis ‘Creepy’
Florida Agriculture Commissioner Nikki Fried (D), who is running for governor in 2022 in the Democrat primary, called Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) and his fellow Florida Republicans “creepy” for opposing sexual content being taught in Florida’s public schools.
Read the full storyHistoric Plantations Abruptly End Wedding Event Hosting, Concerts
The Battle of Franklin Trust recently announced that it is putting an end to weddings and events at three historical plantation sites it manages in Williamson County – the Carnton home, Carter House, and Rippa Villa.
Read the full storyBiden Admin to Investigate Major University for Alleged ‘Hostile Environment of Anti-Semitism’
The U.S. Department of Education is investigating the University of Southern California in Los Angeles for allegedly creating a “hostile environment of anti-semitism” on campus, according to a press release.
The Louis D. Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law filed a complaint in November 2020 to the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) for Rose Ritch, a USC student who was forced to resign from her role as student body vice president after students allegedly harassed her for being a “Zionist” and excluded her because she is Jewish, according to the press release. The OCR notified the Brandeis Center that it will investigate the university on Tuesday, the center announced.
Read the full storyCommentary: The Real MAGA Movement Does Not Back Down
Everyone wants to be an America-First Republican these days. This includes a bevy of #NeverTrump types who have rebranded themselves as born-again MAGA Republicans.
While I am all for converts, I’m always skeptical of grifters. It should have been obvious that the GOP had gone off the rails prior to Trump. In the Bush years, the country lost its way fighting endless wars in the Middle East while abandoning all fiscal discipline. The fully Republican-controlled federal government presided over the continuing deindustrialization of America and did nothing to stop the disunifying policy of massive, sustained immigration. In 2008 and 2012, the Republican establishment ran sketchy neoconservatives for president, even though neoconservative policies had authored George W. Bush’s failures.
Read the full storyMusic Spotlight: Charly Reynolds
NASHVILLE, Tennessee -When I discovered Charly Reynolds on Instagram nearly two years ago via live stream, she had an infectious energy that made me want to learn more about her.
Now on the cusp of her newest release, “Rodeo,” I was able to learn more about this charismatic country artist.
Read the full storyPoll: Americans Reject Violent Protests, Protesting Outside Homes
Americans do not believe it is right to protest outside the home of Supreme Court justices or conduct protests that interfere with the justices’ personal lives, a new poll found.
Around 61% of Americans believe that protesters should not interfere in the private lives of Supreme Court justices, according to the Judicial Crisis Network (JCN) poll released Wednesday. The poll found that Americans were uncomfortable with protesters invading spaces such as restaurants or the neighborhoods of the Justices in order to voice their opinions.
Read the full storyDespite the Supreme Court’s Ruling on Gay Marriage, Almost Two-Thirds of States Define Marriage as Union of One Man, One Woman
The Supreme Court’s decision legalizing same-sex marriage across the nation is in the news again with the House’s passage last week of legislation codifying that 2015 ruling as part of U.S. law.
In the years before the high court ruled in the case known as Obergefell v. Hodges, 38 states defined marriage by law as an exclusive union between one man and one woman.
Read the full storyPoll: Most Americans Worried About War with Russia, See Conflict with China as ‘Likely’
A Rasmussen poll released Thursday found that roughly half of Americans are worried the U.S. will go to war with a major nuclear-armed power in the near future.
The Scott Rasmussen National Survey found that 58% of Americans felt “somewhat” or “very worried” the ongoing war in Ukraine could lead to a conflict between the U.S. and Russia, and exactly half of respondents said they thought it likely that the next decade could see war with China. Roughly a third of respondents said President Biden had done a “good” or “excellent” job at managing the situation in Russia and Ukraine, while 24% rated his performance as “fair.”
Read the full storyCommentary: Amid Recession Fears, Economically Free States Continue to Outperform
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis recently responded to questions about California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s ads airing in Florida, “It’s almost hard to drive people out of a place like California given all their natural advantages, and yet they are finding a way to do it.” He noted that California is hemorrhaging its population because of bad progressive economic policies so that they could be more free
Florida ranks third in the nation for economic freedom, according to the Fraser Institute. And California ranks second to last.
Read the full storyTennessee Suspends Grocery Tax Through the End of August
Tennesseans may notice their grocery bills are a little less this month, as Gov Bill Lee announced Monday that the long-awaited suspension of tax on groceries went into effect state-wide. The governor first proposed the idea in March.
“As Americans see their cost-of-living skyrocket amid historic inflation, suspending the grocery tax is the most effective way to provide direct relief to every Tennessean,” Lee said at the time.
Read the full storyTennessee Supreme Court Announces Public Hearings for Attorney General Applicants
The Tennessee Supreme Court announced public hearings for the six applicants for attorney general in a statement issued on Monday.
“The Tennessee Supreme Court will begin a public hearing on August 8, 2022, that will include formal interviews of the six applicants for Attorney General and Reporter. Under the state constitution, the Tennessee Attorney General and Reporter is appointed by the state Supreme Court and serves an eight-year term,” said the Court.
Read the full storyCommentary: The Democrats’ New Political Norms May Soon Come Back to Haunt Them
In the era of peak woke we are supposed to accept any radical departure from long-held custom and tradition as the new normal.
Perhaps. But if so, is the improved new code of behavior at least reciprocal? Will the radical Left really wish to live by its own novel normality when it loses power?
Read the full storyLaurie Cardoza Moore on Her Run for State House District 63: ‘I Am Not Controlled by Special Interest Groups or Big Money Donors’
On Monday, Laurie Cardoza Moore’s campaign shared a statement with The Tennessee Star that talks about why she is running for the Tennessee House of Representatives in the August 4 Republican primary and emphasizes her conservative credentials.
“As a concerned American and strong constitutionalist, I could simply not remain seated on the sidelines and watching the nation I love being destroyed, our rights and freedoms being threatened and our Judeo-Christian values being trampled underfoot by enemies, both internal and external. This is what propelled me to move forward in my run for the 63rd I am not controlled by special interest groups or big money donors,” she said.
Read the full storyFraternal Order of Police Endorses Beth Harwell in TN-5 Race
Former Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives Beth Harwell announced on Monday that the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) endorsed her candidacy for the U.S. House of Representatives.
James Smallwood, the President of the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police, said in a statement provided to The Tennessee Star, “As speaker, Beth Harwell always prioritized public safety in Tennessee and was attentive to the needs of law enforcement professionals as we worked to promote safer and stronger communities across the State. Now, more than ever, we need that same attention in Washington D.C. The members of the Nashville Fraternal Order of Police are proud to support Beth Harwell for Congress because we know she’s the right person for the job!”
Read the full storyKiggans Criticizes Luria for CHIPS and Science Act Vote While Holding NVIDIA Stock
State Senator Jen Kiggans (R-Virginia Beach) is criticizing her opponent for Congress Representative Elaine Luria (D-VA-02) for voting in favor of the CHIPS and Science Act while holding NVIDIA stock.
“Elaine Luria’s vote to provide billions of dollars in subsidies for an industry in which she owns up to $25 million in stocks would be unethical, self-serving, and the latest example of how she will put her bottom line ahead of her constituents’ well-being,” Kiggans said the day of the vote.
Read the full storyFlorida Gay Rights Group Seeks to Avoid Supreme Court Review of ‘Conversion Therapy’ Ordinance
After losing court battles over the legality of local ordinances that ban “conversion therapy”, a gay-rights group – the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council – is asking Palm Beach County and Boca Raton to repeal their bans on so-called “conversion therapy” for youths struggling with their sexuality.
The group is seeking the repeal not because they have had a change in policy preference, but rather the group do not want the Palm County ordinances to be the vehicle by which the U.S. Supreme can rule on the issue.
The issue comes as the Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo recently recommended that social, medical and surgical transitioning treatment for gender dysphoria not be provided to children and adolescents.
Rand Hoch, the founder the Palm Beach County Human Rights Council, said in a statement last week that he was asking for the county and the city to drop their litigation, because the plaintiffs’ attorneys “clearly want to have this issue heard by the U.S. Supreme Court as soon as possible.”
Read the full storyOhio Lawmakers Look Deeper into Sentencing Reform
Nonviolent offenders could find it easier to get out of prison and work their way back into society if bipartisan legislation introduced in the Ohio House becomes law.
At the same the Sentencing Fairness and Justice Act was introduced in the House, Democratic Gov. Mike DeWine released recommendations for control supervision based on recommendations from a group he commissioned in 2019.
Read the full storyAfter Record Funding, Michigan Schools Seek More Money
Despite boasts of record state school spending amid declining school populations, many of Michigan’s local ballots next week will feature school sinking funds, millage renewals, or millage increases.
Michigan’s more than 850 school districts received about $6 billion of federal COVID funds, but in many cases, it’s unclear how the districts spent or plan to spend the money.
Read the full storyLake Campaign ‘Highly Confident’ Heading into Primary Day
Kari Lake’s campaign for governor of Arizona says it is “highly confident” as it hurdles towards Tuesday’s primary election.
“We feel highly confident. Kari is working hard traveling to all corners of the state. We had a huge rally with over 1,000 people in Tucson last night. And last week 5 polls came out with Kari leading by double digits,” said Lake’s Chief Strategist Billy Grant. “Combined with Robson‘s private jet and state plane scandal, we couldn’t ask for a better last week of the campaign.”
Read the full storyWisconsin Counties Turn Attention to Fentanyl Crisis
Two communities in southeast Wisconsin are looking to do more about fentanyl.
Waukesha County on Monday declared a community health crisis over the spike in fentanyl deaths, while Washington County said it will ask voters to okay a new anti-crime task force to keep the drug out of schools.
Read the full storyVideo Shows Minnesota State Representative Candidate Using Insurance Course to Solicit Campaign Contributions
Video obtained by Alpha News appears to show Republican state House candidate Bob Loonan soliciting campaign donations through one of the continuing education courses he teaches.
Loonan, a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives looking to recapture his old seat, offers insurance and real estate courses through Loonan & Loonan’s Consulting. The courses fulfill credit requirements for continuing-education students.
Read the full storyPennsylvania Governor Promotes Abortion with Lawsuit and Executive Order
As the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania General Assembly advances a constitutional amendment to preserve its ability to restrict abortion, Governor Tom Wolf (D) is suing to defeat that amendment and taking executive action in favor of the practice.
Keystone State governors typically don’t play a role in the constitutional-amendment process. If both the state House of Representatives and the state Senate pass an amendment in two consecutive sessions, the commonwealth submits the measure as a ballot question for voters to accept or reject at the ballot box. If a majority agrees to it, the amendment becomes law, with or without gubernatorial blessing.
Read the full storyAtlanta Mayor Courts Democrats for 2024 DNC Convention
City of Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens and other Georgia Democrats welcomed DNC Chairman Jaime Harrison in a tour of State Farm Arena on Friday as part of their attempt to win the bid for Georgia’s capital to host the 2024 DNC National Convention.
“This week, Atlanta welcomed Democratic National Convention officials to promote its bid to host the 2024 convention. Our city is clearly the place to be!” The City of Atlanta Government said in a Facebook post on Friday.
Read the full storyKatie Hobbs Sat on Board of Radical Far-Left, Soros-Funded Leadership Group
Disclosure forms submitted by Arizona Secretary of State and gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs (D) show that she sat on the board of a far-left leadership group at least until 2015, when she was a state senator.
Arizona Leading for Change is a progressive group that has compared police to Nazis during the Holocaust, and suggested that police officers are “white supremacists.”
Read the full storyMexican National Sentenced to 34 Years in Prison for Stalking, Blackmail of Arizona Teen Girls
On Tuesday, Ruben Oswaldo Yeverino Rosales, 27, of Mexico, was sentenced to 413 months in prison, followed by lifetime supervised release, after previously pleading guilty for producing child pornography and cyberstalking, the US Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona announced in a press release.
Read the full storyFormer Augusta Commissioner Faces Up to 20 Years in Prison After Conviction for Falsifying Records
The former Augusta District 4 Commissioner, Sammie Lee Sias, 67, of Hephzibah, faces up to 20 years in federal prison after he was found guilty by a U.S. District Court jury of record falsification and making a false statement to a U.S. agency by the Southern District of Georgia on Friday.
“Former Commissioner Sias knew his handling of sales tax funds was under investigation, and he deleted thousands of electronic files within hours of a federal order requiring him to provide those files,” U.S. Attorney David H. Estes said.
Read the full storyPaul Gosar Slams New Democrat Inflation Reduction Act as ‘More Wasteful Spending’
Arizona Representative Paul Gosar (R-AZ-04) last week blasted the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, a revival of President Joe Biden’s (D) “Build Back Better” (BBB) economic bill, saying the contents of the bill will not accomplish what the title promotes.
“Families can’t afford gas and groceries, yet democrats want to raise taxes and spends billions more of your hard-earned money. Instead of addressing the root cause of the recession: out-of-control government spending, Joe Biden and democrats are now doubling down on their Far-Left Socialist policies that put us into this inflationary death spiral,” Gosar said.
Three More States Are Poised to Ban Abortion Amid Court Battles
Idaho, Tennessee and Texas are moving to enact “trigger bans” restricting abortions after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade June 24, ending the precedent which had banned states from restricting abortion throughout the first six months of pregnancy.
The bans in these three states will take effect 30 days after the Supreme Court officially transmitted its ruling in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Association July 26, according to The Hill. Another 10 states had trigger bans go into effect after elected officials enacted them, and trigger abortion bans went into effect immediately after the court overturned Roe in three other states.
Read the full storyRepublicans Lead Congressional Ballot as Biden Dips Below Trump, Carter Approval Ratings
Republicans have a sizable edge over Democrats as the midterm elections draw closer, according to a new poll.
Updated CBS News’ Battleground Tracker data now projects 230 House seats for Republicans, compared to 205 for Democrats. Currently, Democrats have a slight majority in the House 221 to 214.
Read the full storyBritain’s National Health Service to Shut Down Gender Clinic Pushing Puberty Blockers
Britain’s Tavistock & Portman National Health Service (NHS) Clinic is shutting down following a review that found the clinic, which has led the way in prescribing puberty blockers for young children claiming to be transgender, is not a “safe or viable long-term option.”
The north London clinic “has been accused of rushing teenagers into life-altering treatment on hormone-blocking drugs,” The Times of London reported Friday, opening the way for potential lawsuits by patients with claims of mistreatment.
Read the full storyYour Middle Tennessee Fresh Forecast with Chief Meteorologist Daphne DeLoren for Monday Night and into Tuesday
Star News Network Chief Meteorologist Daphne DeLoren shares her Middle Tennessee Fresh Forecast for Monday Night and Tuesday.
Read the full story