Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) in studio to dispel rumors of the Tennessee State Senate passing red flag laws.
Read the full storyDay: April 18, 2023
Aaron’s Analysis: Dispelling Tennessee Red Flag Law Rumors
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed all-star panelist Aaron Gulbransen in studio for another edition of Aaron’s Analysis.
Read the full storyTomi Lahren: We Need to Take Part in the Culture War and Lead with a Freedom First Message
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed conservative commentator Tomi Lahren to the newsmaker line to weigh in on corporate wokeism and waking up the under-30 TikTok crowd to freedom and conservatism.
Read the full storyState Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson Identifies Significant Legislative Accomplishments in This Session of the Tennessee General Assembly
Tuesday morning on The Tennessee Star Report, host Michael Patrick Leahy welcomed State Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) in studio to discuss recent legislation that has passed quickly in the Tennessee Legislature.
Read the full storyDominion, Fox News Reach Settlement in $1.6 Billion Defamation Suit
Fox News and Dominion Voting Systems reached a settlement Tuesday in a $1.6 billion defamation case against the cable news network, according to several news reports. The deal came on the first day of trial in the civil case in a Wilmington, Del., court.
Read the full storyReport: CVS ‘Gender Transition Guidelines’ Urge All Employees to Become Allies of Transgender Workers
CVS Health’s “gender transition guidelines” for employees shows the drugstore chain catering to transgender employees by allowing them to use whichever sex’s restroom they prefer, insisting all others use their preferred pronouns, and providing medical leave for their gender transition, a Fox Business report says.
Read the full storySouthwest Airlines Grounds Flights Due to ‘Technology Issues’
Southwest Airlines shut down on Tuesday due to what it says is “intermittent technology issues,” just months after the airline suffered from a major meltdown over the holiday season.
Read the full storyArkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders Vetoes $5 Million in Pandemic Expenses for State Agency: ‘COVID-19 Pandemic Is Over’
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued a line-item veto Friday for $5 million in pandemic expenses included in the Department of Corrections budget.
“During my first days in office, I terminated several existing Executive Orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic,” Sanders said in her veto letter. “I believe in freedom and personal responsibility – not COVID mandates or shutdowns. The COVID-19 pandemic is over.”
Read the full storyManhattan DA Bragg Scorched by Victims of Violent Crime During House Field Hearing in New York City
Victims of violent crime in Manhattan on Monday cast much of the blame on District Attorney Alvin Bragg and his policies, during a GOP-led House hearing in New York City on the matter.
“Repeat offenders are plaguing New York City,” said House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan. “Our plan this Congress, has been to include field hearings in some of our greatest cities to analyze and highlight how soft on crime policies hurt families, hurt communities, hurt small business owners. … What better place to start than New York City where videos of violent, senseless attacks appear almost daily.”
Read the full storyAmericans Less Concerned about Environment as Battle over Far-Reaching ‘Waters of the U.S.’ Hits Fever Pitch
As the battle over the controversial federal Waters of the United States environmental rule heats up, new polling shows that Americans are growing less concerned about the environment.
Newly released Gallup polling found a dip in environmental concerns, even though the Biden administration continues to push increasingly far-reaching policies.
Read the full storyFormer President Trump Announces 2024 Tennessee National Leadership Team, Picks Up Endorsements from Members of the State Delegation
Former President Donald Trump traveled to Nashville over the weekend to attend the Republican National Committee’s Spring Retreat where he met with Republican members of the Tennessee Congressional Delegation.
Following his meeting with members of the state’s delegation, Trump announced the creation of his 2024 Tennessee Federal Leadership Team.
Read the full storyJustice Department Announces Criminal Charges on China for Alleged Espionage Activities from New York City Outpost
The Justice Department on Monday announced three cases involving China’s threat to national security, based on operations in New York City.
Just two miles from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York’s office, the People’s Republic of China opened an undeclared station for the Chinese National Police, officials said.
Read the full storyRecord Pressing Company Announces $10.8 Million Expansion Project in Nashville
United Record Pressing officials recently announced that the company is investing $10.8 million to expand manufacturing operations at its headquarters in Nashville.
Read the full storyNew Jersey U.S. Rep. Chris Smith Rips Biden Administration for Canceling Franciscans’ Longstanding Contract to Provide Military Hospital Pastoral Care
A letter Friday from Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin condemned the Biden administration’s decision to end the contract for provision of pastoral care by a community of Franciscan clergy to service members and veterans at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
“I write today with grave concerns regarding the provision of Religious Services at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, specifically Catholic pastoral care, and request you immediately provide access for Catholic priests who seek to offer pastoral care to service members and Veterans who are in the hospital,” Smith wrote, noting the cease-and-desist letter issued by the medical center to the Franciscans at Holy Name College.
Read the full storyTennessee Air National Guardsman Charged in Hitman Plot
According to the Department of Justice (DOJ), a Tennessee National Guardsman has been charged in connection with a plot to become a hired hitman.
“Josiah Ernesto Garcia, 21, was charged yesterday in a criminal complaint with the use of interstate facilities in the commission of murder-for-hire,” according to the DOJ.
Read the full storyBill Requires Michigan Employees to Give Home Address, Phone Number to Unions
A Michigan Senate bill currently under consideration aims to require employers to share employees’ name, home address, cell phone number, work address location, and personal email address with labor representatives every 90 days.
Sen. John Cherry, D-Flint, sponsored Senate Bill 169.
Read the full storyOhio Ballot Board Certifies Amendment to Raise the State Minimum Wage
On Monday, The Ohio Ballot Board unanimously certified that the proposed constitutional amendment that would raise the state minimum wage to $15 an hour called “Raise the Wage Ohio Amendment” incorporates only one constitutional amendment and therefore advances.
The Committee to Represent the Petitioners including Prentiss Haney, Taneisha Latoya Head, Kandiss Bondurant, Mary Jo Ivan, Diane Morgan, and Andrew Ritterman must now gather over 413,000 signatures from registered voters in at least 44 counties, which equals 10 percent of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial election before July 5th. The number of signatures must equal at least 5 percent of the votes cast in the most recent gubernatorial race in each county.
Read the full storyGOP Presidential Candidate Vivek Ramaswamy Plans Four-Day Campaign Trip Through Iowa
Ohio Entrepreneur and Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy is planning a busy campaign trip through the Hawkeye State this weekend.
Ramaswamy’s four-day bus tour will take him to seven cities around eastern and central Iowa, where he’ll connect with veterans, a Republican women’s group and Iowa’s leading faith coalition.
Read the full storyGov. Lee Signs Bipartisan Transportation Modernization Act into Law
Tennessee’s governor Monday signed into law a bipartisan bill that will provide billions of taxpayer dollars to fix roads, address traffic congestion and help meet transportation needs for rural Tennesseeans.
The Transportation Modernization Act will “invest $3.3 billion to accommodate Tennessee’s record growth,” according to Gov. Bill Lee’s office.
Read the full storyGeorgia’s Tax Collections Wane in March
Georgia’s net tax collections for March decreased by 3 percent from a year ago, new state revenue figures show.
While collections for the month surpassed $2.6 billion, the total was more than $82.7 million less than net tax collections a year ago.
Read the full storyTrump Dominates Latest Georgia Poll of Republican Presidential Candidates
Former President Donald Trump only seems to be getting politically stronger since his arrest in Manhattan earlier this month — at least in the Republican Party presidential nomination chase.
The opening poll of the 2024 campaign season by the University of Georgia School of Public & International Affairs (SPIA) shows Trump with a huge double-digit lead over his nearest rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis (50.7% to 29.8%).
Read the full storyFlorida’s DeSantis Seeks New Legislation to Curb Disney Autonomy
Gov. Ron DeSantis wants the Florida Legislature to enact new legislation to ensure that Walt Disney World loses its self-governing status.
DeSantis held a news conference in Lake Buena Vista on Monday to give an update on the Reedy Creek Improvement District, which is home to Disney World.
Read the full storyGOP State Legislators Laud Bills Getting Signed into Law
While Gov. Katie Hobbs (D) has been on a veto streak with major bills from Republican Legislators, not every bill gets the axe. As such, legislators with bills now on the books have released statements of celebration, including Senator Frank Carroll (R-Sun City West) on Monday for his bill helping the trucking industry.
“A victory last week for Arizona commerce, after the Governor signed by bill, SB1097,” Carroll said in an update to constituents. “We’ve had issues in our state, specifically in the West Valley, where municipalities are adopting regulations on trucking in their communities in an effort to prevent the traffic associated with commerce. This is a major problem for not only our economy, but for economies of other states.”
Read the full storyPennsylvania Lawmaker Proposes Forcing Social Media to Police ‘Unwelcome’ Speech
A Pennsylvania legislator is asking her colleagues cosponsor a measure to police “unwelcome” speech on social-media platforms.
In a memorandum describing her emerging bill, state Representative Darisha Parker (D-Philadelphia) wrote that her policy “would require social media network companies to establish and maintain effective and transparent complaint procedures for reporting hate speech content.” She further stated the legislation would “mak[e] it clear that hate speech is unwelcome on social media in Pennsylvania.”
Read the full storyConnecticut Seeks to Replace ‘Unstable’ Voting Machines
Connecticut Secretary of State Stephanie Thomas wants to borrow $25 million to update the state’s “unreliable” voting machines ahead of the 2024 presidential elections.
In recent testimony before the Legislature’s Committee on Finance, Revenue and Bonding, Thomas said her office is seeking authorization to purchase new ballot tabulators for cities and towns across the state. She said the machines have become “unreliable and unserviceable” with the company that produced them no longer in business.
Read the full storyNew Legislation Seeks to Ban Government-Backed Guaranteed Income Programs in Wisconsin
Republican lawmakers at the Wisconsin Capitol want to stop local governments from paying people just because.
A plan at the Capitol, AB 146, would ban local governments across Wisconsin from using public dollars to pay for a guaranteed income program.
Read the full storyCourt: Virginia Parents’ Lawsuit Can Continue Against Loudoun Schools over Bias Incident Reporting Form
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit reversed the dismissal of a lawsuit made by Loudoun County, Virginia, parents against their public school system over a bias reporting system, which they argue could chill their children’s freedom of speech.
The appeals court overturned a lower court decision to dismiss the lawsuit Friday, saying that the case against Loudoun County Public Schools’ based on student’s First Amendment rights could continue in federal court.
Read the full storyBowling Green Pregnancy Center Vandalized by Abortion Extremist Group
An abortion activist extremist group vandalized a free reproductive healthcare facility in Bowling Green, Ohio on April 15th threatening that “if abortions aren’t safe, you’re not either.”
This vandalism comes at a time when Ohio Pro-life advocates are working tirelessly to stop a proposed constitutional amendment that would legalize abortion throughout the state
Read the full storyCommentary: Biden Still Sagging with Democrats While Kennedy Bumps Up to 10 Percent, Poll Shows
Could Robert Kennedy, Jr. shock President Joe Biden in the New Hampshire primary? Stranger things have happened in American politics.
Don’t look now, but President Biden is still sagging in Democratic Party primary polls, only garnering an average of 35.5 percent in the average of national polls taken compiled by RealClearPolitics.com, as Biden’s official decision to run in 2024 still looms.
Read the full storyPennsylvania Launches Drug Recovery Hubs
As thousands die every year from a drug overdose in Pennsylvania, the state will spend more money to get people into recovery.
On Wednesday, the governor’s administration announced the creation of six regional recovery hubs – and $4 million to boost efforts for those struggling with drug addiction.
Read the full storyArizona Supreme Court Reinstates Death Penalty for Murderer Beau Greene
The Arizona Supreme Court released an opinion Friday reinstating the death penalty for Beau Greene, who murdered University of Arizona (UOA) music professor Roy Johnson in 1995.
“The conduct Greene engaged in, aside from his motive to murder, remains subject to a sentence of death and his actions in murdering Johnson continue to fall within that narrow category of the most serious crimes. Therefore, the retributive purpose served by his sentence in 1996 is still reflected in and served by Arizona law today,” wrote Justus William Montgomery in the opinion.
Read the full storyCommentary: What to Do About American’s Decline
Twenty-first-century America was on a trajectory of gradual decline — until it began to implode.
Was the accelerant the COVID-19 pandemic and unhinged lockdowns? Or was the catalyst the woke revolution fueled by the 2020 summer of exempted rioting, looting, arson, and violence? Or was it perhaps the deranged fixation on removing Donald Trump from the presidency and destroying the rule of law in the process? Or all that and more?
Read the full storyBiden’s ‘Green Manufacturing’ Plan Is Running into Serious Real Estate Problem: Report
President Joe Biden’s push to boost “green” U.S. manufacturing is facing headwinds from a lack of available real estate, Reuters reported Thursday, citing development experts and local government officials.
Roughly half of all megasite projects — typically defined as large factories spanning more than 1,000 acres — announced since 2004 were announced in the past five years, Reuters reported. While the U.S. has a significant amount of available land, most of it is not ready for the large multibillion dollar projects companies are looking to develop before tax credits under Biden’s signature climate law, the Inflation Reduction Act, begin to phase out at the end of the decade.
Read the full storyBiden’s AI Czar Wants to Crack Down on ‘Misinformation,’ Prevent ‘Discriminatory Outcomes’
The Biden administration is moving toward artificial intelligence (AI) regulation that would mandate government reviews to ensure reliable and unbiased results, according to Assistant Commerce Secretary for Communications and Information Alan Davidson’s remarks at the University of Pittsburgh on Tuesday.
This may include evaluations of whether AI is spreading misinformation and disinformation, said Davidson, who leads the National Telecommunication and Information Administration (NTIA). He suggested government audits may help establish trust in this rapidly advancing technology, comparing it to the financial industry.
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