Author: Tom Pappert

Trump Cabinet Member Says Tennessee to Part of ‘Manhattan Project 2’ to Create Nuclear Energy, Power AI

Tom Pappert
Energy Sec Chris Wright

Trump administration Energy Secretary Chris Wright during a visit to Tennessee that the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) would become part of a successor to the Manhattan Project of World War 2, which led American scientists to split the atom ahead of Germany, allowing the creation of both nuclear weapons and nuclear power plants.

Joined by U.S. Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN) in Oak Ridge Tennessee last Friday, Wright first noted ORNL and Tennessee’s history supporting the American war effort during the 1940s, calling Tennessee “a leader” in the field that developed the innovative materials and processes necessary for scientists to split the atom.

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Tennessee Bill May See Taxpayers Bankroll DEI-Driven Communities in Schools Group

Tom Pappert
State Rep. Kirk Haston, State Sen. Richard Briggs

Tennessee lawmakers are considering legislation that could allow local education agencies (LEAs) to apply for grants that help “community partner” organizations develop a presence on school campuses in order to provide key services to students and their families, including healthcare, on school campuses.

House Bill (HB) 225 by Representative Kirk Haston (R-Lobelville) and Senate Bill (SB) 364 by Senator Richard Higgs (R-Knoxville), the Tennessee Full Service Schools Act, would establish a “full service community schools grant program,” funded by taxpayers through the General Assembly, that would be administered by the University of Tennessee (UT).

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Nashville Police Arrest Man for Alleged Plot to Bomb Federal Courthouse

Tom Pappert
Alexander Thompson

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) on Tuesday confirmed the arrest of a Brentwood man over an alleged plot to bomb a federal courthouse.

MNPD announced in a Tuesday press release that Alexander Thompson, 35, was arrested after he alleged made “numerous electronic threats involving plans to firebomb the Fred D. Thompson U.S. Courthouse and Federal Building.” 

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Man Who Allegedly Fled Nashville Police Twice During Street Race Is Illegal Immigrant Currently Detained by ICE

Tom Pappert
arrest

Public records maintained by the Davidson County Sheriff’s Office (DCSO) confirmed on Monday that the man who allegedly fled from police twice while driving recklessly through Nashville is an illegal immigrant.

Jail records from DCSO reveal 25-year-old Frank Eduardo Jose Reyes-Borrayo was arrested and booked into jail early on Sunday, when he was charged with reckless endangerment with a vehicle, evading arrest, illegally carrying a firearm, and driving without a valid driver’s license.

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Trump, Treasury Department Declare End of ‘Beneficial Ownership Report’ Mandate Threatening Business Owners with Fines, Prison

Tom Pappert
Small Business Owner

President Donald Trump and the U.S. Department of the Treasury on Sunday announced the end of the federal requirement under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) for millions of small business owners to provide “Beneficial Ownership Information Reports,” surrendering their personal information to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network under penalty of $250,000 fines and up to five years in prison.

The Treasury Department shared the news in a Sunday post to the social media platform X, writing that it “will not enforce any penalties or fines associated with the beneficial ownership information reporting rule under the existing regulatory deadlines,” and will “further not enforce any penalties or fines against U.S. citizens or domestic companies or their beneficial owners” in the future.

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Transgender Cyberstalker McKenzie McClure Convicted on 24 Counts for Targeting Christian School

Tom Pappert
McKenzie McClure

McKenzie McClure, a biological woman who identifies as a transgender man named Kalvin, was found guilty by a Middle Tennessee jury last week of 24 felony counts of cyberstalking officials and employees at Christ Presbyterian Academy (CPA), the Nashville elementary school she once attended, and was alleged to have made vague threats to Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) and Governor Bill Lee.

McClure was arrested last May after she filmed herself making obscene gestures at the CPA campus. During that time, security cameras captured her as she attempted to gain access to the school. McClure also called the school, leaving a “disconcerting” message for staff members.

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U.S. Border Patrol Arrests Cartel Scouts, Foot Guide as Trump Admin Touts Removal of 50,000 Illegal Immigrants Since January

Tom Pappert
Cartel Scouts, Foot Guide Arrested

The U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) announced the arrests of three illegal aliens it said were agents of a faction of the Sinaloa Cartel who served as scouts, as well as a foot guide, in a Friday news release and statement by Chief Patrol Agent Sean McGoffin of the Tucson Sector.

According to the agency, the cartel scouts and food guide were arrested during three separate incidents, beginning with an encounter in an area south of the Maricopa Mountains last Monday.

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Nashville Man Claiming Cartel Ties Arrested After Allegedly Chasing Woman, Shooting at Her Vehicle

Tom Pappert
Joel Caspedes

An Alabama sheriff’s office confirmed the arrest of Joel Caspedes, who it described as a Nashville man who apparently claimed he was a member of the Sinaloa Cartel after he allegedly chased a woman and began shooting at her vehicle near the Tennessee-Alabama state line.

The Limestone County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO) on Friday said the arrest followed a “terrifying shooting incident” on I-65 the previous day, when a woman called police to report that Cespedes called her and was “threatening to kill her if she did not stop her vehicle.”

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Tennessee Bill Would Impose Criminal Penalties for School Shooting Threats, Doxxing

Tom Pappert
Tennessee State Sen Jack Johnson and Majority Leader William Lamberth

Legislation under consideration in the Tennessee General Assembly would impose criminal penalties to those responsible for threatening to shoot schools, as well as those who publish personal contact information about a private individual with the intent of causing them harm. 

House Bill (HB) 1314 by House Majority Leader William Lamberth (R-Portland) and Senate Bill (SB) 1296 by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) would amend Tennessee law to create a new offense, making it a felony to make threats that a reasonable person would expect will result in the serious injury of four or more people.

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Voter Suppression Concerns Mount Ahead of Williamson County Republican Party Reorganization

Tom Pappert
Williamson County Board Meeting

Voters and candidates have expressed concerns over potential voter suppression tactics ahead of the March 4, 2025 Williamson County Republican Party Reorganization Convention, with reports suggesting such tactics are targeting the Williamson County Conservatives slate of candidates. 

The candidates and voters in Williamson County have cited concerns about emails inaccurately informing voters they are not bona fide Republicans that were sent from the Williamson County Republican Party “Contests and Credentialing Committee,” which would make them ineligible to vote on Tuesday, with the Williamson County Conservatives slate noting their opponents appointed the committee. 

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Memphis Democrat Surrenders to FBI over Indictment Claiming He Profited from Federal Grant Money

Tom Pappert
Shelby County Board of Commissioners member Edmund Ford, Jr.

Shelby County Commissioner Edmund Ford Jr. on Friday voluntarily surrendered to the FBI after he was indicted with bribery and tax evasion over a 2019 scheme that allegedly involved the Democratic politician being paid to consult for three nonprofits that sought access to federal grant money distributed by Shelby County. 

Three instances of Ford engaging in such behavior are detailed in the federal indictment, the result of a grand jury which was made public Friday, claim that nonprofit organizations either paid Ford directly or through his businesses, E&J Computer Services and Repair and Precise Solutions and Consulting, to obtain access to federal money.

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‘Legacy Tokens’ Memo Suppressing Covenant Killer Manifesto Not DOJ Policy, but Guidance from Obscure Behavioral Analysis Unit

Tom Pappert
Nashville Police Chief John Drake

A review by The Tennessee Star of the original FBI materials containing the term “legacy tokens,” which the agency defined in 2018 as any item left by a mass killer to explain their actions, suggests the suppression of such materials is not a policy of the federal government, but instead is the informal guidance of one Behavioral Analysis Unit (BAU), one of a collection of groups nestled within the agency’s National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC), which itself is part of the Critical Incident Response Group (CIRG). 

So-called “legacy tokens” were the subject of the May 11, 2023 memo sent by the FBI’s CIRG to Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) Chief John Drake, “strongly” advising against the release of the writings left by Covenant School killer Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the biological female who identified as a transgender man when she killed six at the Christian school she once attended on March 27, 2023. 

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LaRock, Chase Join Virginia Gubernatorial Race as Youngkin Renews Support for Winsome Earle-Sears

Tom Pappert
Virginia Del. Dave LaRock

Two candidates joined Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears in the race to succeed Governor Glenn Youngkin on Wednesday, when both former State Senator Amanda Chase and former Delegate Dave LaRock made moves to enter the race.

Framing herself as the candidate most closely aligned with President Donald Trump, Chase announced her candidacy on Wednesday morning, claiming she determined to run for office after hearing rumors about the Earle-Sears campaign that would purportedly lead to a loss against former Representative Abigail Spanberger, who is likely to become the Democratic nominee.

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Tennessee Star Presses FBI for Answers on Agency’s ‘Legacy Tokens’ Memo Suppressing Trans Covenant Killer’s Manifesto

Tom Pappert
FBI Files with "Legacy Token" memo

The Tennessee Star on Thursday filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requesting the FBI provide all of its internal records regarding “legacy tokens,” including those related to the May 2023 memo that “strongly” advised the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) not to release documents like the manifesto left by Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the biological woman who identified as a transgender man when she killed six at the Covenant School on March 27, 2023.

Obtained by The Star last June, the May 11, 2023 memo was addressed to MNPD Chief John Drake and sent from the FBI Behavioral Analysis Unit, part of the agency’s Critical Incident Response Group, from an address in Quantico, Virginia.

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White House Confirms WHCA No Longer Decides Which Reporters Access Trump After Question from John Fredericks

Tom Pappert
White House Press

On the heels of obtaining confirmation the Trump administration will cease to allow the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) to manage the White House press pool, The Virginia Star publisher John Fredericks said the decision would destroy a “monopolistic, power-hungry cartel” that effectively managed media coverage of the president for more than “ten decades.”

In response to a question from Fredericks, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt confirmed the administration will be taking control over the rotating schedule for the White House press pool, giving new media outlets the opportunity to travel with the president on Air Force One, enter the East Room of the White House, and ask President Donald Trump questions during special events.

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Top DOGE Administrator Revealed by New York Times to be Nashville Woman

Tom Pappert
Amy Gleason

The top administrator at the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) was revealed on Tuesday by The New York Times to be Amy Gleason, a Nashville woman who seems to have previously worked as a Senior Advisor to the U.S. Digital Service (USDS), which was renamed DOGE after Elon Musk was made a special government employee.

According to The Times, a White House official confirmed Gleason’s identity as legacy media outlets sought answers about DOGE’s leadership in response to the Trump administration confirming Musk does not lead the government agency. The outlet described Gleason as “the temporary leader of what is formally known as the U.S. DOGE Service.”

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Vivek Ramaswamy Nets Early Endorsements from Trump, Musk After Analyst Says President’s Support Leads to Easy Victory

Tom Pappert
Vivek Ramaswamy

Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy received early endorsements from President Donald Trump and Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) leader Elon Musk shortly after his Monday announcement, receiving key support an Ohio political pundit recently said would prove pivotal in the primary contest.

Trump endorsed Ramaswamy in a Monday night post to Truth Social, where he described the former businessman and presidential candidate as “Young, Strong, and Smart!”

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ICE Arrests in Virginia Include Egyptian Man Who Entered U.S. Illegally Through Mexico, Was Released from Jail by Biden DOJ

Tom Pappert
ICE police

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently announced the arrest of an illegal immigrant who is citizens of both Turkey and Egypt, but nonetheless entered the United States illegally from Mexico, and is now alleged to have violated the terms of his release into the country by moving to Virginia without informing authorities.

A Friday press release from ICE stated that Noareleslam Abdelrahman was first arrested by the U.S. Border Patrol in June 2023, after he illegally crossed the southern border near Yuma, Arizona, when they served him with a notice to appear before a Department of Justice judge to determine whether he would be allowed in the United States.

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Rep. Tim Burchett Urges Congress to Pass ‘No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act’ and End Government Payments to Taliban

Tom Pappert
Rep Tim Burchett on The Shawn Ryan Show

U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) on Tuesday urged the U.S. Congress to pass HR 260, the No Tax Dollars for Terrorists Act, which the Tennessee Republican said would strip tax dollars currently being funneled to the Taliban in Afghanistan.

Burchett said the legislation is the product of two years of efforts to magnify the issue, which he said was accomplished with the help of podcaster and veteran Shawn Ryan, who first discussed the payments to the Taliban with Burchett during a 2023 interview.

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Tennessee Man Allegedly Bought Supplies to Bomb xAI Data Center over Political Disagreements with Elon Musk, President Trump

Tom Pappert
Ethan Early, data center

The Ashland City Police Department (ACPD) confirmed to The Tennessee Star on Tuesday that it arrested Ethan Paul Early, who is reportedly accused of plotting to bomb the Elon Musk’s xAI facility in Memphis over political disagreements with President Donald Trump and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). 

An ACPD spokesman told The Star on Tuesday that Early remained in the Cheatham County Jail after his February 19 arrest, which WKRN reported occurred after the law enforcement apparently received tips of “concerning statements” made by the suspect, citing the ACPD affidavit that led to the arrest.

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Virginia U.S. Rep. John McGuire Says House Republicans Working in ‘Record Time’ to Pass ‘One Beautiful Bill’ with Trump’s Priorities

Tom Pappert
Rep. John McGuire, John Fredericks

U.S. Representative John McGuire (R-VA-05) on Monday said that House Republicans are close to presenting one piece of legislation that would accomplish much of the agenda outlined by President Donald Trump on the campaign trail.

McGuire said Monday during an appearance on “The John Fredericks Show” that Republicans in the House could have their bill ready as early as Tuesday, which he told The Virginia Star publisher John Fredericks would be an historic pace.

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Tennessee Supreme Court Sides with A.G. Jonathan Skrmetti over Death Row Inmate, Shelby County D.A. Steve Mulroy on Capital Punishment

Tom Pappert
DA Steve Mulroy, AG Jonathon Skrmetti

The Tennessee Supreme Court on Friday ruled the state law mandating only the Tennessee Attorney General can handle post-conviction death row cases is constitutional, dealing a blow to Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy, who joined a legal effort by a death row inmate that sought to disqualify Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti from his case.

Mulroy became involved in the legal effort after Larry McKay, who was convicted of murder in 1982, asked for a new trial in 2023, when lawmakers changed Tennessee Code Annotated (TCA) 40-30-114(c) to mandate that Skrmetti’s would office “has exclusive control” over the case, as well as all other death row appeals. 

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Rep. Mark Green Says CCP ‘Waiting in the Wings’ to Buy U.S. Land as Bill Would Ban Biden-Era Scheme for Foreigners

Tom Pappert
Rep. Mark Green

U.S. Representative Mark Green on Monday said his legislation seeking to permanently prohibit a Biden-era scheme between the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) to create a new class of company that would allow foreigners to buy American land for the sole purpose of discontinuing all economic activity.

Green earlier this month introduced the Protect America’s Lands Act, which would specifically prohibit the establishment of Natural Asset Companies (NACs). The concept, under the Biden administration policy proposed between the SEC and NYSE, would have allowed the foreign purchase of American land for the purpose of returning it to its natural state.

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Constitutional Change to Tennessee Bail Could Keep Thousands of Criminals Off Streets Before Trial

Tom Pappert
Tennessee Speaker Cam Sexton, Police arrest

The Tennessee State Senate on Tuesday will consider a resolution that would begin the process of amending the Tennessee Constitution to allow judges the discretion to refuse bail to defendants facing a greater variety of charges, potentially resulting in thousands of additional criminals kept off the street while awaiting trial.

Senate Joint Resolution (SJR) 25 would modify Article 1, Section 15 of the Constitution of Tennessee to allow judges to refuse bail to defendants accused of capital offenses, acts of terrorism, second degree murder, aggravated rape of a child, aggravated, rape, and grave torture, as well as those who face charges for which the defendant, “could not be released prior to the expiration of at least eighty-five percent of the entire sentence imposed.”

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Tennessee Lawmakers Consider Bill That ‘Deletes All References’ to World Health Organization in State Law

Tom Pappert
Tennessee Representative Justin Lafferty and State Senator Brent Taylor

Lawmakers in the Tennessee General Assembly this week will consider legislation that “deletes all references” to the World Health Organization (WHO) from the Volunteer State’s laws, especially those governing how a pandemic is declared.

According to the summary submitted for the legislation, House Bill (HB) 1226 by State Representative Justin Lafferty (R-Knoxville) and Senate Bill (SB) 669 by State Representative Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) completely “delets all references to the World Health Organization,” and would instead require the declaration of a pandemic to be made “by the federal Centers for Disease and Prevention Control (CDC), rather than the World Health Organization.”

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Tennessee Senate Resolution Urges Teachers to Use ‘Gulf of America,’ ‘Mount McKinley’ After Trump Renamed Them

Tom Pappert

Tennessee State Senator Bo Watson (R-Hixson) on Thursday filed a resolution in the General Assembly that would encourage teachers in the Volunteer State to educate pupils about the Gulf of America and Mount McKinley, which were renamed by President Donald Trump through an executive order late last month.

Formerly the Gulf of Mexico and Mount Denali, the names were changed to Gulf of Mexico and Mount McKinley through Trump’s “Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness” executive order on January 28. Google, the major GPS mapping provider, quickly updated its services to reflect Trump’s changes. 

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Trump Mocks ‘Broken Down Loser’ James Carville After Ex-Clinton Strategist Claims Democrats Likely to Win Virginia in 2025

Tom Pappert
Donald Trump and James Carville

President Donald Trump derided longtime Democratic political strategist James Carville after the former Clinton campaign strategist suggested Democrats should “play opossum” while the inevitable “collapse” of the Trump administration unfolds, fueled in part by a potential loss by Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, who is running to succeed Governor Glenn Youngkin this November.

“I’m telling the Democrats, just sit there, play possum. Let them go, let them go, let them go,” said Carville during a Thursday appearance on Fox News. Claiming without evidence that the administration’s poll numbers are declining, he advised Democrats, “Just let the ball come to you. We don’t need to be aggressive now.”

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Tennessee Star Urges New FBI Director Kash Patel to Order Release of Entire Covenant Killer Manifesto

Tom Pappert
FBI Diri. Kash Patel, Covenant Killer 'Manifesto'

The Tennessee Star on Friday sent a letter urging newly-confirmed FBI Director Kash Patel drop the agency’s opposition to the release of the full manifesto left by Audrey Elizabeth Hale, the biological woman who identified as a transgender man when she killed six at the Covenant School in Nashville on March 27, 2023.

Both Star News Digital Media Inc. (SNDM), which owns and operates The Star, and Michael Patrick Leahy, the editor-in-chief of The Star, are plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit that seeks to compel the FBI to release Hale’s full writings. Hale reportedly left about 1,000 pages in journals that police recovered from the residence where the 28-year-old lived with her parents.

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Sen. Marsha Blackburn Says Trump Admin, Kash Patel Will End ‘Two Tiers of Justice,’ ‘Political Weaponization’ of FBI

Tom Pappert
Kash Patel and Senator Marsha Blackburn

Senator Marsha Blackburn (R-TN) predicted on Thursday that President Donald Trump and Kash Patel, who was confirmed the same day as the new FBI Director, will end the “two tiers of justice” and “political weaponization” of the FBI.

Hours before she would vote to confirm Patel, the senator told Newsmax TV’s “Wake Up America” that the public is “thrilled” to see the Senate confirming those nominated to cabinet positions by President Donald Trump.

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Ecuadorian Man on Most Wanted List Arrested by ICE in Ohio After Spending Six Years Fleeing Murder Charge

Tom Pappert
Luis Naula-Candelario

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed Wednesday that its agents were involved in the arrest of an alleged murder and Ecuadorian national who was evading a warrant from his home country while living in a suburb of Columbus, Ohio.

An ICE press release confirmed the February 12 arrest of Luis Naula-Candelario in conjunction with the U.S. Marshals Service, with the agency describing Naula-Candelario as “a criminal alien from Ecuador who is wanted in his home country for murder.”

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Arlington Schools Will Now Check Sex Offender Database for Pool Entry After Alleged Flashing by Transgender Felon

Tom Pappert
swimming pools

Arlington Public Schools (APS) announced a change to its public pool policy last week, with members of the public now required to undergo screening against a sexual offender database, following the arrest of Richard Cox, a registered sex offender who allegedly exposed himself to women and children in women’s facilities after claiming to identify as a transgender woman.

The public school system, which allows its pools, restrooms, and locker rooms to be used by the public when school is not in session, announced new policies that took effect on Saturday. These include requirements for visitors to have their photo taken, present identification, and consent to be scanned against a national database of sex offenders, among other requirements.

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Trans Zizian Cult Members Went to Elite Private School Attended by Bill Gates, Including Woman Charged with Murder of Border Patrol Agent

Tom Pappert
Youngblut and Snyder

Teresa “Milo” Consuelo Youngblut and Maximilian Snyder, two reportedly transgender members of the alleged Zizian cult, who are facing charges in unrelated murders in Vermont and California, both attended the Lakeside School in Seattle, Washington that was famously attended by Microsoft founders Bill Gates and Paul Allen.

Youngblut, 21, is the Zizian member who stands accused of fatally shooting U.S. Border Patrol Agent David Maland in Vermont last month, when the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) stated the biological woman fired a handgun without warning when she was stopped by a uniformed agent on January 20. 

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Tennessee Senators Prepare to Consider Plan to Ban Judges from Offering Bail to Alleged Terrorists, Murderers, and Child Sex Offenders

Tom Pappert
Arrest

A Tennessee State Senate resolution took its next step toward changing the Tennessee Constitution, as on Wednesday, SJR 25 was placed on the calendar for the Senate Judiciary Committee to consider next week.

Filed by Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson (R-Franklin) last month, a description of the resolution explains that it would modify Article 1, Section 15 of the Constitution of Tennessee to make those likely to be convicted of certain offenses ineligible for bail or other forms of pretrial release.

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Ohio Catholic School Says ‘Unhinged’ Email to Libs of TikTok over DEI Homework Assignment Under Internal Investigation

Tom Pappert
Walsh Jesuit High School

Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio confirmed the authenticity of in a Saturday email to members of its community that a letter sent to Libs of TikTok, a pro-parental rights group who called the message “unhinged,” and that it was internally investigating the source of the email.

Libs of TikTok posted the correspondence in a post to the social media platform X, revealing a journalist for the organization sought comment from Walsh Jesuit regarding an alleged homework assignment which required students to criticize President Donald Trump’s executive order to end Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs within the federal government.

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Virginia Republican Says ‘Rumblings’ from Youngkin Administration ‘Causing Issues’ with Trump-Inspired Criminal Justice Reform

Tom Pappert
Del. Wren Williams, John Fredericks

Virginia House Delegate Wren Williams (R-Patrick) confirmed on Tuesday that members of Governor Glenn Youngkin’s administration are opposed to the House Bill (HB) 2252, the legislation he proposed that would allow those released from prison with probational conditions to end their probation period early, following the completion certain conditions that promote reintegration to society.

Williams made the statement on his Tuesday appearance on “The John Fredericks Show,” when he confirmed the reporting by The Virginia Star John Fredericks indicating members of Youngkin’s political team have expressed concerns his support for the legislation would complicate a future presidential campaign.

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Rep. Tim Burchett Predicts DOGE Investigations Will Lead to ‘Red Faces in Congress’ Before CNN Cuts Interview

Tom Pappert
Rep. Tim Burchett CNN interview

U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) predicted that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) investigations into waste, fraud, and abuse in the government’s finances will result in “red faces in Congress” during a testy Tuesday interview with CNN.

Burchett made the remarks after he was repeatedly questioned by CNN’s Pam Brown regarding the data provided to members of DOGE, the presidential commission run by Elon Musk and ordered by President Donald Trump to find and help eliminate government waste and fraudulent spending.

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Virginia Lt. Gov. Candidate John Reid: 2020 Riots, COVID-19 Response Show Need for Republicans Who ‘Step Up’ in 2025

Tom Pappert
John Reid

John Reid, the former Richmond radio host who is now seeking the Republican nomination to serve as Virginia’s next lieutenant governor, said on Monday that Governor Glenn Youngkin paved the road for Republicans to “step up” and prevent Democrats from taking back control in 2025.

Reid made the remarks while appearing as the guest host on the Monday broadcast of “The John Fredericks Show,” when he first explained his decision to enter politics began with the riots, election protests and COVID-19 policies pursued by Democrats in 2020 and 2021.

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Rep. Andy Biggs Asks DNI Tulsi Gabbard to Reconsider Intelligence Ties with UK over Demand for Backdoor Access to Apple Products

Tom Pappert
Andy Biggs and Tulsi Gabbard

U.S. Representative Andy Biggs (R-AZ-05), who is currently seeking signatures for a possible bid to become Arizona’s next governor, last week urged Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard to reconsider the intelligence sharing agreements between the United States and the United Kingdom after a British court ordered Apple to provide backdoor access to encrypted information.

Biggs authored the bipartisan letter last Thursday with Senator Ron Wyden (D-OR) after the UK Home Office cited the country’s Investigatory Powers Act to demand access to encrypted data stored digitally by Apple users, with the federal lawmakers urging Gabbard to introduce “serious consequences” to the British government, as the demand could allow foreign intelligence agencies to spy on American citizens.

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Lead Detective on Covenant Killer Case Among 76 Officers Who Left MNPD in 2024 as Police Remain 100 Short of Staffing Goal

Tom Pappert
Metro Nashville Police Department

The Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) is reportedly more than 100 officers short of its staffing goal, and while the department has increased its numbers in recent years, its efforts were hampered by 76 individuals who either resigned or retired from the police force over the course of 2024.

According to a Thursday report by Nashville Banner, the city’s budget for MNPD authorizes 1,658 officers, but the department is still 104 members short of its maximum police force. It additionally reported that while the department has 52 prospective officers completing the MNPD training academy.

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In-N-Out Denies Ditching California, but Confirms Employees Have ‘Option to Relocate’ to Tennessee

Tom Pappert
In-n-Out Burger

In-N-Out Burger clarified in a post to the social media platform X on Saturday that the company is not relocating its corporate headquarters from California to Tennessee, as previously reported, but instead is building a second headquarters for the eastern United States in Tennessee. Its California employees will additionally have the opportunity to relocate to the Volunteer State.

The company issued the statement amid claims on social media that burger chain would leave California for Tennessee, while In-N-Out’s headquarters is actually moving within California.

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Tennessee Democrats Pitch Red Flag Laws, $20 Minimum Wage, Universal Basic Income in 2025

Tom Pappert
Tennessee Democratic Party

Legislation filed by Tennessee Democrats near the start of the legislative session in the General Assembly includes a number of progressive policy positions, including red flag laws, a minimum wage hike, and a plan to provide a universal basic income to Tennesseans.

One bill aimed at restricting gun ownership, HB 1390 and SB 1350, was filed State Representative Justin Pearson (D-Memphis) and State Senate Minority Leader Raumesh Akbari (D-Memphis), and seeks to establish red flag laws in Tennessee, allowing courts to issue extreme risk protection orders that would require gun owners to surrender their firearms.

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Sen. Brent Taylor Invites Shelby County DA Steve Mulroy to Answer Disqualification Charges After Board Clears ‘Narrow’ Complaint

Tom Pappert
Steve Mulroy

State Senator Brent Taylor (R-Memphis) invited Shelby County District Attorney Steve Mulroy to answer the disqualification charges levied against him in the Tennessee General Assembly after the Board of Professional Responsibility cleared the controversial prosecutor in a complaint filed by the senator.

Mulroy wrote in a post to Faceboook on February 6 that the complaint was dismissed, claiming that the complaint required him to correct “false statements regarding and employee and former employee of our office,” and stated that the lawmaker’s “criticism is misleading and dismissive of prosecutors.”

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Brother of Nashville Superintendent Reportedly Counseled Students at Antioch High School Despite 2018 Dismissal After Alleged Fight

Tom Pappert
Carlton Battle

Two sources have confirmed to The Tennessee Star that Carlton Battle, the brother of Metro Nashville Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Adrienne Battle, was working at Antioch High School on January 22, the day 17-year-old Solomon Henderson killed a classmate before taking his own life at the school.

Carlton Battle was previously a basketball coach at Whites Creek High School, where a lawsuit filed by former administrative staff and MNPS employees claims he “beat up” the parent of a student who complained that his child did not play after a basketball game.

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Republican Senators File Bill Delaying ‘Beneficial Ownership Reports’ That Could Land 33 Small Million Business Owners in Jail to 2026

Tom Pappert
business woman

A group of Republican U.S. senators, including Senator Bill Hagerty (R-TN), filed legislation on Wednesday that would delay the new requirement for 33 million small business owners to provide beneficial ownership reports to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) or face possible penalties, including six-figure fines and years in prison.

Led by Senator Tim Scott (R-SC), the senators on Wednesday introduced the Protect Small Business from Excessive Paperwork Act of 2025. According to a press release by the Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs committee, this bill would extend the deadline for small business owners to report their private information to FinCEN until 2026.

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Penny Schwinn Listed Among University of Florida Admin Allegedly Hired for Unreasonable Salaries by Anti-Trump Ben Sasse

Tom Pappert
Penny Schwinn

Former Tennessee Education Commissioner Penny Schwinn, whom President Donald Trump controversially nominated to serve as the Deputy Secretary of Education for his second administration, was among those listed in a report issued by the Florida Auditor General who were hired under the questionable practices employed by the anti-Trump former Senator Ben Sasse when he served as the President of the University of Florida (UF).

Sasse hired Schwinn to serve as the Vice President for PK-12 and the Pre-Bachelors Program at UF in September 2023, just months after he began leading the university following his departure from the U.S. Senate and appointment by Governor Ron DeSantis.

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Virginia Del. Wren Williams Says Bill Creating Incentives to End Probation Early Builds on Trump’s First Step Act

Tom Pappert
Virginia Delegate Wren Williams, Trump rally

Virginia Delegate Wren Williams (R-Patrick) said on Thursday that House Bill (HB) 2252, his legislation to create an incentive structure that would allow those released from prison with probational conditions to end their probation period earlier if they complete certain conditions set by the commonwealth.

Williams said the legislation, which passed both the House of Delegates and State Senate with bipartisan support, would streamline Virginia’s probation system while encouraging those released from prison to readjust to society, during an appearance on “The John Fredericks Show.”

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ICE Says Memphis Food Truck Arrests Linked to Possible ‘Labor Trafficking,’ Detainees Previously Convicted of Immigration Violations

Tom Pappert
TACOnganas Memphis

A spokesman for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) confirmed to The Tennessee Star on Thursday that ICE agents were responsible for the arrests of three Mexican nationals at TACOnganas, a fast food truck in Memphis, after security camera showing the arrests was published earlier this week.

After Memphis Mayor Paul Young said in a statement that Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) was involved in the arrests, ICE told The Star that the three men who were arrested are illegal immigrants from Mexico, and that two of those who were arrested were previously convicted of offenses related to their immigration status.

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U.S. Rep. Tim Burchett Files Bill Empowering Trump to Enlist ‘Privately Armed and Equipped Actors’ to Confront Cartels

Tom Pappert
Rep. Tim Burchett

U.S. Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN-02) on Thursday filed legislation that would empower President Donald Trump to issue letters of marque and reprisal, allowing privately armed and equipped individuals and organizations to confront criminal cartels.

According to a press release from Burchett’s office, the Cartel Marque and Reprisal Reauthorization Act of 2025 would give the Trump administration authority, “to commission privately armed and equipped actors to seize the persons and property of any cartel, cartel member, or cartel-linked organizations,” in a move the representative said offers a new opportunity to confront crime at the southern border.

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Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears Says Trump Won Her Support with Response to Butler Shooting: ‘What I Was Looking for as a Christian’

Tom Pappert
Winsome Earle Sears

Virginia Lieutenant Governor Winsome Earle-Sears, who last year announced her candidacy to succeed Governor Glenn Youngkin, said on Wednesday that President Donald Trump won her support for the second time with his response to the assassination attempt he survived in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Earle-Sears made the remarks during an appearance on “The John Fredericks Show,” telling The Virginia Star publisher John Fredericks that even though she urged Republicans to move past Trump following the president’s contest of the 2020 election results, she was moved by his profession of faith following the assassination attempt.

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