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LANSING, Mich - Michigan Taxpayers would fund tampons and menstrual pads for Michigan student bathrooms under a new bill.

House Bill 6168, introduced by Rep. Mai Xiong, D-Warren on Nov. 26, aims to have the state reimburse school districts for feminine hygiene products in student bathrooms.

The bill would direct the state to reimburse school districts for at least 50% of the cost of providing tampons and menstrual pads. It says that any district seeking reimbursement must place the items in a “bathroom designated for use by females,” as well as a “bathroom designated for use by males or both males and females.”

One observer of public schools panned the idea. “This legislation represents yet another example of lawmakers directing taxpayer dollars to services that will have no impact on student learning outcomes,” said Molly Macek, education policy director at the Mackinac Center for Public Policy.

The bill was assigned to the House Appropriations Committee during the lame-duck session, when there is a rush to pass bills before the term expires. Click here to read more.

 

TAMPA, FLA - A woman in Florida was charged by police this week for allegedly threatening her health insurance company after they denied a claim.

The Lakeland Police Department was contacted by the FBI on Tuesday about the threat that 42-year-old Briana Boston allegedly made to BlueCross BlueShield after they denied a recent claim.

WFLA reported that at the end of the recorded phone call, Boston could allegedly be heard saying: “Delay, Deny, Depose. You people are next.”

“Delay, Deny, Depose,” were the same words that an assassin allegedly wrote on the shell casings of the three 9mm bullets that were used to murder UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson last week.

The arrest affidavit noted the words have quickly come to be widely recognized as a threat “directed against insurance companies.”

“She’s been in this world long enough that she certainly should know better that you can’t make threats like that in the current environment that we live in and think that we’re not going to follow up and put you in jail,” said Lakeland Police Chief Sam Taylor. Click here to read more.

 

LANSING, Mich - President Biden’s Department of Education has shelled out at least $1 billion on various diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives since 2021, according to a new report.

Researchers unearthed some $490 million on DEI hiring efforts, $343 million on DEI programming and $170 million on DEI-related mental health, according to a study from Parents Defending Education (PDE), a conservative organization that rallies against what it deems “harmful agendas” in the classroom.

Analysts at PDE combed through troves of public data detailing the grants doled out by the department, which sported a $238 billion budget in fiscal year 2024.

“The only people or groups to benefit from the enormous amount of grant funding are the universities, administrators, and DEI consultants, at the expense of children’s education,” PDE researcher Rhyen Staley told Fox News, which first covered the report.

“This needs to change by placing children’s learning at the forefront of education, instead of prioritizing race-based policies and DEI.” Click here to read more.

 

SAN ANTONIO, TX - One young woman in San Antonio, Texas, hasn't let her Down syndrome diagnosis stand in the way of her dream of owning a restaurant.

Leah Meyer, 24, will soon be launching her new gluten-free bakery and coffee shop, The Mermaid Café, with a touching slogan: Specialty coffee by special people. That's because Meyer, who has Down syndrome, has a goal that at least 70% of the staff she employs will have some sort of special needs.

"For years we have been talking about what the café would look like, what would be on the menu, and all of the people that would visit," the café's website says. "One thing we knew for sure is that we wanted it to be a place for people of all abilities to be able to work and make a valuable contribution to society. We want to positively change the perception that people have of those that may be different from themselves."

PDE cited a litany of examples in its report, including a $21.5 million grant to Montgomery County Schools featuring professional training for instructors on “equitable instructional and disciplinary practices to increase student achievement and decrease incidences of inequitable disciplinary practices.” Click here to read more.

 

NEW YORK, NY - The world is approaching a low-fertility future. Although by 2100 more than 97% of countries and territories will have fertility rates below what is necessary to sustain population size over time, comparatively high fertility rates in numerous low-income countries, predominantly in Western and Eastern sub-Saharan Africa, will continue to drive population increases in these locations throughout the century. This “demographically divided world” will have enormous consequences for economies and societies, according to a new study published in The Lancet.(link is external)

The research presents estimates from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2021—a global research effort led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington’s School of Medicine—for past, current, and future global, regional, and national trends in fertility and livebirths. In general, countries need to have a total fertility rate (TFR) of 2.1 children per person who could give birth, to sustain long-term generational replacement of the population. The TFR of a population is the average number of children that are born to a female over a lifetime, assuming childbearing at current fertility rates throughout the reproductive years. Click here to read more.

LANSING, MI — Michigan lawmakers are considering sweeping updates to the state’s Public Health Code and identification laws, which include provisions for gender marker changes on birth certificates, state identification cards, and driver’s licenses. The proposals have ignited debate, with supporters emphasizing inclusivity and detractors raising concerns about societal and administrative implications, particularly regarding the age at which such changes should be allowed.

Overview of the Proposal

The proposed legislation includes:

• Gender Marker Flexibility: Individuals may select "M," "F," or "X" as their gender on birth certificates, state IDs, and driver’s licenses without requiring additional medical or legal documentation, except for a court order in cases involving name changes.

• Streamlined Birth Certificate Updates: New certificates can be issued for changes in paternity, adoption, or gender identity.

• Privacy Protections: Victims of stalking, domestic violence, or human trafficking could request confidential records or name changes.

Support for the Legislation

Advocates argue the changes reflect a growing societal recognition of diverse gender identities. LGBTQ+ organizations and civil liberties groups say the proposed amendments simplify processes for individuals seeking to align their legal documents with their gender identity, fostering greater dignity and reducing bureaucratic barriers.

“This is about ensuring that all Michiganders, regardless of gender identity, can have documentation that accurately represents who they are,” said a representative from an LGBTQ+ advocacy group. “These changes bring Michigan’s laws in line with federal standards and practices in other progressive states.”

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Proponents also highlight the importance of privacy protections for victims of violence, saying that shielding sensitive information could save lives.

Michigan Rep. Brad Paquette posted the following on his X account:

“House Democrats would not let me speak in opposition to HB5300-5303, which allows children as young as 14 years old to change their sex on identifying documents like birth certificates... without even parent consent. They will also have the option to change it to an "X". Speaker Pro Temp Pohutsky took me aside and insinuated it was because @libsoftiktok saw my post covering the committee hearing on the bills. I was out of order for addressing the rest of the democrats and letting them know that we will allow appropriate dissent on every piece of legislation when we take the gavels back in January.”

 

 

Criticism of the Proposal

Critics, however, raise questions about the implications of allowing gender marker changes without medical or psychological evaluations, particularly for minors. Some argue that such decisions could have long-term consequences that young individuals might not fully understand.

“It’s one thing to respect an individual’s right to identify how they choose, but it’s another to allow these changes without sufficient checks and balances,” said a critic of the bill. “This legislation could have unintended effects, especially if minors are involved.”

The proposal does not specify a minimum age for requesting gender marker changes, which has sparked concerns from family advocates who believe that allowing such changes without parental consent or professional guidance could be problematic.

Click the bill number to read the legislation: Bill 5300, Bill 5301, Bill 5302, Bill 5303,

Broader Concerns

Business and administrative groups have also voiced concerns about potential implementation challenges. Adjusting systems to accommodate non-binary and changing gender markers could require significant investment and training, especially for smaller government offices.

Additionally, some question whether the legislation strikes the right balance between individual freedoms and broader societal norms. “While inclusivity is important, we need to consider the long-term effects of making these changes so easily accessible,” said a policy expert.

Impact on Michigan Families

The proposal has also drawn attention to questions about parental involvement. Critics argue that gender marker changes for minors, especially those under 18, should involve a higher degree of scrutiny, including medical or psychological evaluations and parental consent. Proponents counter that such restrictions could disproportionately harm young people struggling with gender dysphoria.

Next Steps

The bill is expected to undergo committee review and public hearings before it moves to a vote in the legislature. Both supporters and opponents plan to mobilize their efforts to influence the outcome.

“This is a conversation that requires thoughtful consideration of all perspectives,” said one lawmaker. “It’s about balancing individual rights with societal responsibilities.”

If passed, Michigan would join a growing number of states that allow flexible gender markers on legal documents, but the debate underscores the complex and deeply personal nature of these issues.

 

NEWARK, NJ - What in the world are these mysterious drones that have been flying over New Jersey the past couple weeks? Or, at least, we believe they’re drones. Nobody has really gone up there to confirm, and no one has brought one down to take a look at these things. Instead, for some bizarre reason, we’ve just been letting them fly around up there, causing a ruckus in the news and most government officials to simply shrug their shoulders. Are they new government technology, drones from a foreign adversary, a hobbyist project, or are they UFOs and UAPs?

Let’s start with what might probably be the easiest explanation. Most officials who have looked into the matter have stated these drones are not a hobbyist project. Given the scale of these objects, the numbers of them, and the sophistication of the technology they seem to display, if this were to be some sort of side project by a drone enthusiast, then this particular person (or group) would have to be wealthy or, at least, very well-funded. Sure, I could purchase a good-quality commercial drone for a few hundred dollars, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. These particular drones appear to be about six feet in diameter and contain a technology that eludes radar detection and is making it difficult for officials to track. The couple times police helicopters have gone up to take a look, the drones have turned off their lights and have seemingly disappeared into the night sky. However, to this point, these craft have only been witnessed over New Jersey which indicates a local point of origin. Could this be a billionaire’s practical joke? Click here to read more.

 

LANSING, Mich - Democrats in Lansing on Wednesday rammed a raft of anti-gun measures through two separate House committees.

Collectively, House Bills 6183, 6184 and 6185 would eliminate the firearm industry’s civil liability protections. It would also allow civil actions against firearm industry members for “contributing to a public nuisance” by manufacturing and distributing products or failing to implement “reasonable controls.”

On Wednesday, the Michigan House Committee on Judiciary voted 8-5 along party lines in favor of the three measures. The measures are part of a series of anti-gun bills Lansing Democrats filed in their last days holding majorities in the House and Senate.

State Rep. Andrew Fink, R-Adams Township, and other Republicans opposed the push as an attack on the firearm industry and a way to hinder lawful gun ownership.

“This legislation effectively suggests that a manufacturer of a product that Michigan citizens have a constitutional right to use, keep, and own could be held liable for the proper functioning of said product,” Fink said in a statement. “This would be like a car manufacturer being sued for a vehicle being used to intentionally harm another individual. The driver should be responsible for that crime, not the manufacturer. In this case, if a firearm is used for the purpose of committing a crime, it appears to me that this legislation would allow the attorney general or citizen to file an injunction against the manufacturer.” Click here to read more.

 

DEL RIO, TX - The Biden administration is using its final weeks to haul a massive amount of border wall materials away from the southern border to be sold off in a government auction, an apparent effort to hinder President-elect Donald Trump’s effort to secure the border, The Daily Wire has learned.

Videos obtained exclusively by The Daily Wire from a U.S. Customs and Border Patrol agent show unused sections of the wall being hauled away on the back of flatbed trucks from a section of the border just south of Tucson, a hotspot for illegal crossings during the Biden administration. The agent estimates that up to half a mile per day of unused border wall is being moved.

“They are taking it from three stations: Nogales, Tucson, and Three Points,” the border patrol agent, who was granted anonymity to speak freely, told The Daily Wire. “The goal is to move all of it off the border before Christmas.” Click here to read more.

 

WASHINGTON D.C. - Twenty-six confidential human sources (CHS) cooperating with the FBI were in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6, 2021, in connection to the Capitol riot, a report from the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) revealed Thursday.

The CHSs, who were not undercover employees, provided information to FBI “handling agents,” the report states. FBI field offices tasked three of the sources to “report on domestic terrorism subjects” in Washington, D.C. on Jan. 6.

The OIG noted that none of the CHSs were authorized to enter restricted areas — including the U.S. Capitol — or violate the law. Four sources, however, were inside the Capitol during the riot, and 13 entered a security perimeter around the building.

“None of the CHSs who entered the Capitol or a restricted area has been prosecuted to date,” the report states.

One CHS was reimbursed for travel on Jan. 6 and the inauguration, according to the report. The CHS was not tasked with attending the electoral certification, the OIG noted. Click here to read more.

 

OLYMPIA, Wash. — Washington state's governing body for high school athletics announced Tuesday it is considering forming a separate division for transgender athletes to compete in.

The Washington Interscholastic Activities Association (WIAA) currently allows high schoolers in the state to compete in sports based on gender identity. However, a proposed policy amendment would require athletic programs to be offered separately for a boys' division, a girls' division and an "open" division.

Any athletes who wish to compete based on their gender identity would be required to participate in the "open" division, according to the proposal. Eligibility for the "open" division would also include athletes "in the process of transition that have undertaken medical changes," the proposal says.

A separate proposed amendment would also require participation in girls' sports to be limited to students whose biological sex is female. The amendment, modeled after guidance in Alaska, acknowledges such a move may spark legal challenges due to some interpreting the policy as "discriminatory."

However, the language asserts the proposed change "emphasizes inclusivity" and still encourages transgender students to participate in athletics. Click here to read more.