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LANSING, Mich - A new Michigan Supreme Court decision means that controversial pandemic-era emergency policies may never face a proper judicial review, and that government officials who issued them will escape accountability.

The court on Nov. 1 dismissed two important cases about the government’s use of emergency powers in response to Covid-19. The majority on the court declared these cases moot because the mandates in question — making children wear masks at school and forcing restaurants to close — are no longer in effect.

The rationale for dismissing these cases is weak. The court notes in its order that a case with “public significance that is likely to recur” should not be considered moot. It’s hard to imagine a public policy more significant to the public than these pandemic mandates. Many of them directly affected the daily lives of the entire state population.

But the Michigan Supreme Court thinks these orders are not likely to be issued again. Here’s hoping they’re correct, but predicting the future is hard. It is important to remember that there is nothing preventing government officials, if they wanted to, from issuing these exact orders tomorrow. There are virtually no restrictions in state law on when these emergency powers may be used. Click here to read more.

 

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Biden administration was roasted on Sunday after the Department of Health and Human Services celebrated “Pansexual and Panromantic Pride Day” in a social media post.

Republicans ripped into the agency for the post, saying that President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration could not come soon enough. Trump has promised to bring sweeping reform to the federal government and eliminate politically motivated bureaucrats.

“Today on Pansexual and Panromantic Pride Day, everyone deserves to feel seen, respected and supported—no matter who they love,” the HHS posted on X. “Create a world where everyone feels proud to be themselves!” Click here to read more.

 

DEL RIO, TX - In June, Victor Martinez-Hernandez was charged with the murder of Rachel Morin, a mother of five in Maryland. Police in Oklahoma tracked the accused repeat offender down with a sample of his DNA recovered from a Los Angeles home invasion in which a nine-year-old girl and her mother were assaulted. Police say he came to the U.S. illegally to escape prosecution for at least one other murder in his native El Salvador in December 2022.

“That should never have been allowed to happen,” said Sheriff Jeffrey Gahler, referring to the numerous missed red flags the case presented. His office apprehended Hernandez in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Like the member of the Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua sentenced to life in prison last week for the murder of Laken Riley in Georgia, Hernandez’s case is shining a light on the federal government’s failure to properly vet and keep track of lawless migrants.

These gaps have led to broad claims that illegal immigrants have less involvement with the criminal justice system than native-born Americans. A review of the available data, however, shows that the criminal records of millions of migrants – the ones President-elect Trump vows to prioritize for deportation – remain unknown due to illegal crossings, lax enforcement, and lax data collection by federal and “sanctuary” jurisdictions. Click here to read more.

 

WASHINGTON D.C. - An ongoing war in Syria has suddenly ended with the overturning of the long-standing Syrian government, creating national security and humanitarian concerns but also threatening global oil markets.

“Russian oil and gas companies have operated in Syria for years adding to the world’s supply. The future of those operations is now in jeopardy,” Daniel Turner, executive director of the energy workers advocacy group, Power the Future, told The Center Square. “This could be a strategic blow for Putin, but these are global commodities, and we are not immune from the price fluctuations.”

So far, gas prices have remained relatively stable, however instability in the Middle East can cause price spikes. However, that instability may already be baked in given the ongoing Israel-Hamas war and Iran’s involvement via proxy terrorist groups.

The average price for a gallon of regular gas is about $3.00, according to AAA, much lower than the spike to $5 per gallon earlier in President Joe Biden’s term. AAA reported last week taht gas prices hit the lowest point in 3 years.

“The national average is tantalizingly close to falling below $3 a gallon, and it could happen in a few days,” Andrew Gross, AAA spokesperson, said in a statement. “But 32 states already have an average below or well below $3. Hockley County, Texas, appears to have the lowest county average, at $2.30. Click here to read more.

 

CHICAGO, IL - Illinois saw the third-highest rate of residents moving out in 2024 based on a survey by Atlas Van Lines. Jobs and taxes are among the top reasons people leave Illinois, which is also third in the nation for highest unemployment rate.

New numbers show more Illinoisans packed their bags for good in 2024.

Illinois is third in the nation for residents leaving by percentage, according to a survey by moving company Atlas Van Lines. Illinoisans packing up and finding a new state were 57% of total migration, the third-highest percentage behind California and Louisiana.

IRS data shows 56% of Illinoisans moving out make more than $100,000, the people with the greatest capacity to leave. And they also took $8.8 billion in income with them, too, usually to lower-tax states. A lot of the outmigration comes from Chicago, which is at its lowest population since 1920.

Illinoisans leaving the state don’t have to go far for lower-tax destinations. More than 20,000 of the residents migrating out of Illinois went to another midwest state, so they must be leaving for reasons besides the weather.

Illinois is also third in the nation for highest unemployment rate and total population loss. Illinois’ population shrunk by 87,311 people in 2022 based on the most recent IRS data. New data is expected this month for 2023.

Illinois also has the second-highest property tax rate, corporate income tax rate and gas tax rate on top of gloomy population patterns. Click here to read more.

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WASHINGTON D.C. - Congress will ban the use of taxpayer funds for gender transition surgeries for children who get their medical care through the military’s health care program, according to the text of legislation posted on Saturday evening.

This year’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) includes language that prohibits coverage under Tricare of transgender procedures that could “result in sterilization” of children. Section 708 of the NDAA states: “Medical interventions for the treatment of gender dysphoria that could result in sterilization may not be provided to a child under the age of 18,” according to a copy of the NDAA viewed by The Daily Wire.

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson told The Daily Wire on Saturday that this is a “critical and necessary step” in the fight against “radical gender ideology.”

“Taxpayer dollars should never be used to support procedures and treatments that could permanently harm and sterilize young people,” Johnson told The Daily Wire. “In this year’s NDAA, we’re taking a critical and necessary step to protect the children of American service members from radical gender ideology and experimental drugs.” Click here to read more.

 

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NEW YORK, NY - The average American household credit card balance as of the third quarter of 2024 was about $10,757 after adjusting for inflation, according to a new study.

The personal-finance website WalletHub onFriday released its new Credit Card Debt Study, which found that consumers added $21 billion in debt during the third quarter of 2024.

Early results for the fourth quarter of the year show preliminary data for October at a new record high for credit card debt in the month, in absolute terms.

WalletHub editor John Kiernan wrote, “Even though that third-quarter increase was 31% smaller than last year’s and total debt is just 3% above where it was last year after adjusting for inflation, we are still in fairly dangerous territory,” said Kiernan.

WalletHub writer & analyst Chip Lupo responded via email to follow up questions from The Center Square. Click here to read more.

 

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (Michigan News Source) — The University of Michigan announced on December 5 that it will no longer require diversity statements in decisions regarding “faculty hiring, promotion, and tenure.”

The move marks a shift for the university, which has spent over $250 million on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives since 2016, according to Bridge Michigan. Provost Laurie McCauley cited concerns raised by a faculty working group that such statements could restrict freedom of expression and diversity of thought on campus.

“Diversity, equity, and inclusion are three of our core values at the university,” McCauley said in The University Record article. “Our collective efforts in this area have produced important strides in opening opportunities for all people. As we pursue this challenging and complex work, we will continuously refine our approach.” Click here to read more.

 

COLLEGE STATION, Texas (WKRC) - Scientists found that deceased dolphins near the coast of the United States had traces of fentanyl and other drugs in their system.

Researchers with Texas A&M's marine biology program found a dead dolphin in the Gulf of Mexico in September of 2020 and decided to tow it back to their campus to use in future studies. It remained undisturbed until years later when graduate student Makayla Guinn was interested in studying dolphin tissue samples.

Guinn was attempting to research dolphin hormones by using an untargeted analysis, which looks for all chemical compounds in a sample of tissue, which is helpful when scientists don't know exactly what they're looking for.

This broad approach gave the researchers a surprising result. Among the thousands of hormonal compounds was an extremely unexpected substance: fentanyl.

Undergraduate Anya Ocampos furthered this discovery by testing samples from 89 different dolphins, 83 of which were still alive in Laguna Madre, which is just off the coast of Texas. Click here to read more.

 

PORT ST. LUCIE, FLA - Police arrested a Florida teacher after he was allegedly found naked in an elementary school classroom on Thanksgiving Day.

Port St. Lucie Police Department (PSLPD) officers responded Nov. 28 to a call at Windmill Point Elementary School after an alarm was triggered, indicating a burglary, according to WPBF 25 News. Responders left the scene after finding no signs of a break-in but were later called back to the scene after the sheriff’s deputy, who lives on campus, called for help. Joe Urias, a teacher at Somerset College Preparatory Academy, was allegedly found naked inside the school, the outlet reported.

Police said they discovered multiple items in the classroom where Urias was allegedly found, including a laptop, food, clothes, marijuana and sex toys. Police photos published by the outlet appear to show a makeshift bed inside the classroom.

“The deputy later saw a male, a nude male inside through the window inside the school,” PSLPD Police Chief Leo Niemczyk told the outlet. “The male saw a deputy, quickly got dressed and exited the school. The deputy tried to apprehend him, and at that point, the now clothed, formerly nude male committed battery on that deputy.” Click here to read more.

Proposed Michigan Legislation Introduces Mandatory History Curriculum on Marginalized Groups

Democrat Rep. Ranjeev Puri has introduced a bill that mandates age-appropriate history instruction on several marginalized groups, beginning with the 2027-2028 school year. The proposed changes require school districts, intermediate school districts, and public school academies to incorporate lessons on African American, Indigenous People, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Latin American, Arab American, North African, Chaldean American, and Jewish American history into their curricula.

Key Provisions of the Legislation

1. Inclusive Historical Instruction:

   • Schools must include a minimum of one instructional unit for each group, focusing on contributions in government, arts, sciences, and civil rights movements, as well as historical discriminatory policies.

2. Instructional Materials:

   • The superintendent of public instruction will develop and distribute instructional guidelines in collaboration with cultural centers, scholars, and community members to ensure accuracy and relevance.

3. Flexibility in Implementation:

   • Schools can incorporate these units into pre-existing lesson plans and offer virtual or online courses to meet the requirements.

4. Compliance Monitoring:

   • Superintendents and administrators are tasked with ensuring adherence to the new curriculum guidelines.

5. Core Academic Curriculum Standards:

   • The state board must include topics such as institutional discrimination, oppression, and historical genocides, including the Holocaust and the Armenian Genocide, in the core academic curriculum.

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Addressing Marginalized Histories

The legislation aims to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the historical and cultural contributions of marginalized groups, addressing gaps in current social studies curricula. This move seeks to foster inclusivity and awareness of societal issues such as racism, antisemitism, xenophobia, and other forms of discrimination.

Implications for Schools

School boards are encouraged to consult educators and administrators to integrate these new topics effectively while maintaining flexibility to tailor the lessons to their local communities. Virtual instruction options offer further adaptability for districts.

Broader Educational Goals

The bill emphasizes high academic standards and seeks to prepare students with knowledge and critical thinking skills necessary for informed citizenship. The inclusion of marginalized histories reflects a commitment to equity and a comprehensive educational approach.