Jocelyn Benson’s husband Ryan Friedrichs is an advisor steering hundreds of millions in tax dollars for Rx Kids ‘free’ cash program

Ryan Friedrichs, husband to Michigan Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson, is helping distribute hundreds of millions in tax dollars to expectant mothers in Michigan through a program proven to increase voter turnout.

Benson, who is overseeing her own election for governor as the Democratic frontrunner, could directly benefit from the program as it scrambles to expand to reliably Democratic areas of the state in the lead-up to the 2026 midterms.

Friedrichs is among 29 members serving on the Rx Kids Advisory Circle that’s helping to helm the nonprofit’s “leadership on fund development, program design, state and national policy, communications, and dissemination,” according to the program’s website.

Others in the circle of trust have strong ties to and close relationships with liberal activist groups promoting universal basic income, Democratic get-out-the-vote efforts, benefits for illegal immigrants, labor unions, pro-Palestinian protests, and other left-wing causes. Click here to read more.

 

Bill creating ‘Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday’ passed Alabama House

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A tax-free weekend for guns and ammunition passed on Alabama’s House floor Tuesday afternoon.

Nearly every state republican House member is sponsoring the bill.

House Bill 360 would make ammunition, firearms and hunting supply purchases exempt from state sales tax annually from the last Friday in August to the following Sunday.

The legislature estimates that this could take away around $386 thousand from the state’s Education Trust Fund every year, and if local governments opt in to the program, about $500 thousand from county and municipal funds. Click here to read more.

 

Citizen journalists, citizen sleuths helping to unravel the tangle of Epstein documents

When sifting through the seemingly endless collection of documents in the Epstein files gets to be too much and Ellie Leonard needs a break, she takes a walk outside. Then it’s back to the computer.

The New Jersey mother of four is among hundreds of citizen-journalists, or sleuths, absorbed by the material connected to the late Jeffrey Epstein. She’s determined to learn the stories behind his illicit sex ring and relationships with some of the world’s most powerful people, and publish what she finds on Substack.

“I like a good puzzle,” Leonard said. “I like an investigation. I like things that we have to solve and looking for clues.” Click here to read more.

 

AGs from AZ and CA sue feds over childhood vaccine overhaul

he attorneys general of California and Arizona on Tuesday announced Democrats’ multi-state lawsuit to block the Trump administration’s overhaul of the childhood vaccine schedule.

Democratic officials are calling the federal action unlawful.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes said the suit names the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as defendants.

The suit goes after “HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and the CDC over their needless, confusing, scientifically unfound and unlawful revision of America’s immunization schedule,” said Mayes during a virtual press conference with California Attorney General Rob Bonta. Click here to read more.

 

Three Mexican Citizens charged with trafficking agricultural workers into servitude on farms in Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Three Mexican citizens have been indicted on federal charges for allegedly running a human trafficking ring that lured agricultural workers from Mexico into forced labor on farms across Virginia, North Carolina, and Florida.

A 35-count indictment, unsealed Friday, alleges that Martha Zeferino Jose, 42; her son, Jeremy Zeferino Jose, 23; and her partner, Jose Rodriguez Munoz, used a farm labor contracting company to exploit the H-2A visa program for financial gain, according to the Department of Justice, or DOJ. Click here to read more.

 

 

MEA calls $34k-per-student district ‘woefully underfunded’

Benton Harbor Area Schools, which receives more money on a per-student basis than almost every other district in Michigan, is hiring virtual teachers to fill teaching vacancies — a move the Michigan Education Association cites as evidence of inadequate funding.

Bridge Michigan reported in December that the Benton Harbor district has turned to virtual teachers, paired with an adult in the classroom, to fill some vacancies. The state teachers union blames lack of spending. ”This is clearly an example of a district that is woefully underfunded,” said MEA spokesman Thomas Morgan.

Only a handful of districts in the state get more money per student than Benton Harbor. The district received $34,116 from all sources for each student in the 2023-24 academic year, according to the Michigan Department of Education’s annual 1014 Bulletin. Click here to read more.

Help support my independent journalism by becoming a paid subscriber for less than $1 per week. I can’t continue doing the work without you. Click button below.

Subscribe now

 

US Intel Funded Projects Riddled With Chinese Government linked Researchers

The U.S. Intelligence Community has awarded more than a dozen sensitive defense grants to researchers affiliated with institutions connected to the Chinese government and its military, according to a report exclusively obtained by the Daily Caller News Foundation.

Since 2017, at least 14 U.S. defense research projects supported by the Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) — which is tasked by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) with investing in “high-risk, high-payoff research programs” — have included investigators simultaneously affiliated with Chinese national laboratories, state surveillance entities, military units and nuclear weapons development institutions, according to the report published by Parallaz Advanced Research, a nonprofit funded by U.S. federal, state and municipal governments. Click here to read more.

I love my Rapid Radios. They are great for family and friends. Click here to learn more and get an extra 10% off.

 

 

Man accused of trying to kidnap 13-year-old girl walking to school

LAS VEGAS - Police arrested a 47-year-old man after he allegedly tried to lure a 13-year-old girl to his car as she walked to school Tuesday morning in Las Vegas.

Kendrick Weatherspoon was taken into custody on attempted kidnapping and luring charges following the incident near Nellis Boulevard and Stewart Avenue.

Just before 7 a.m. Tuesday, the 13-year-old girl was walking to school when she passed a bar where Weatherspoon was sitting in his car, according to police. He then allegedly tried to get the girl to come to his car and opened the door. Click here to read more

 

Missouri launches manhunt after deputy found slain, suspect’s vehicle spotted moving toward Arkansas

he Missouri State Highway Patrol launched a manhunt Monday after a Christian County deputy was shot and killed that afternoon.

No suspect has been identified so far, but authorities have described the suspect’s vehicle as a white 2001 Chevrolet Silverado extended cab pickup truck with Missouri license plate 9MGX36.

Authorities told Fox News that the truck was seen in the area of the shooting and was last reported traveling southbound on U.S. Route 160 from Route HH in Christian County, which eventually crosses south into north-central Arkansas.

“This is a devastating loss in Christian County,” Missouri Republican Sen. Eric Schmitt said on X. “As local law enforcement works to bring the suspect to justice, my prayers are with the deputy’s loved ones and those who served shoulder to shoulder with him to keep Missouri safe.”

The identity of the deceased deputy has not been revealed, but the incident occurred just before 4 p.m. local time. Click here to read more.

 

‘Educated, not indoctrinated’: Kamoutsas targets Florida Education Association over school protests

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — Florida Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas is escalating his criticism of the state’s largest teachers union, accusing the organization of using students as “political pawns” to fuel a wave of anti-law enforcement protests during school hours.

In a recent appearance on OAN, Kamoutsas targeted the Florida Education Association, or FEA, following a Feb. 5 press conference where a speaker reportedly described student-led disruptions as “rational,” “reasonable,” and “required.” Kamoutsas argued the union is prioritizing an ideological agenda over student achievement. Click here to read more.

Welcome to all of my new subscribers. Glad to have you here. Every M thru F you will get this email that shows you the top five stories the media is ignoring.

 

 

Michigan Prosecutor Wants to Prosecute ICE officers

Michigan’s Oakland County Prosecutor has committed to prosecuting Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers after the agency leased office space in Southfield, though the space will be used only for administrative purposes.

Karen McDonald released a statement on Feb. 18, saying she would prosecute federal law enforcement officers, in an Instagram post.

“I am committed to working with Oakland County’s local law enforcement to ensure everyone’s rights are protected and that allegations of lawlessness—including by federal officers—are fully and transparently investigated by independent authorities,” said McDonald. “As Oakland County Prosecutor, I will hold anyone who breaks the law accountable, no matter who they are. No one is above the law.” Click here to read more.

 

Trans Lawmaker Wants You to Believe Porn Sites Are ‘Educational’ for ‘Queer Kids

Democratic Minnesota state Rep. Leigh Finke claimed during a Thursday hearing that pornography could be “educational” for “queer” children while arguing against a law requiring age verification to access adult web sites.

The legislation HF 1434, would require age verification for sites deemed “harmful to minors,” with sites failing to do so being subject to civil action from the state attorney general and private citizens. Finke, a biological male who identifies as a transgender woman, claimed current sex education was not being provided for LGBT youth.

“The AGs in many states are, are very clear about that they’re almost jubilant about being able to use these laws to ban young people from accessing content that could be educational if they are queer,” Finke claimed during the Thursday hearing. “And you’re a principal, you have LGBT students in your school, and we also know that they’re not receiving sex education for queer kids. Click here to read more.

h

 

New York High School Teacher Ousted After Helping Students Launch Turning Point USA Chapter

Jennifer Fasulo, a Spanish teacher at the high school in a suburb outside of Syracuse was placed on a paid leave of absence in late January, just weeks after she agreed to help students establish a Club America chapter, her supporters say, according to a report by the New York Post.

“The District can confirm that a staff member has been placed on paid administrative leave while a matter is under review,” the Baldwinsville Central School District told parents and staff in a February 10 letter, after receiving “a number of media inquiries.”

“We are following established administrative and legal procedures, and we are unable to comment further or share additional details at this time,” the school district added.

The Baldwinsville Central School District went on to say that while it “cannot discuss or comment on specific personnel or student matters, we want to assure our community that the wellbeing of our students, staff and families remains our highest priority.” Click here to read more.

 

Louisiana begins restricting food stamp purchases

Louisiana residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program can no longer use their benefits to buy soft drinks, energy drinks or candy starting Wednesday, as the state launches a two-year pilot it says is aimed at nudging families toward healthier groceries.

The Louisiana Department of Health announced the policy as was approved by the U.S. Department of Agriculture last year. The federal approval letter says the state requested permission to change the program’s definition of eligible “food” to exclude those items, with the federal government evaluating how the restrictions affect participants and retailers.

A retailer notice from the federal government says Louisiana stores are required to block purchases for the restricted products and warns that retailers who do not comply risk losing authorization to accept food stamp benefits. Click here to read more.

 

Not guilty verdict for South Dakota man who claims he killed pedophile

A South Dakota man accused of killing a neighbor whom he had allegedly been told sexually abused a child was found not guilty of murder Friday.

Dylan Farmer was charged with first and second-degree murder in the 2024 fatal shooting of Casey Shaffer in Sioux Falls.

After his arrest in 2024, Farmer told police he was contacted by a woman to remove Shaffer from her home after she accused Shaffer of sexually assaulting her son.

Prosecutors told the jury Farmer had gone to the Minnehaha County Jail and claimed to have witnessed a murder. In court filings, Farmer accused Shaffer of being a pedophile, allegedly saying, “I’ve heard he touched a kid, so I shot him.” Click here to read more.