Leftist throws Oakland County Republican Party ‘Nazi sign’ into traffic

Kendrew William Groff has been arrested for vandalizing a sign advertising gift shop merchandise outside of the Oakland County Republican Party headquarters.

Footage from the OCRP’s security cameras dated Feb. 2, obtained by The Midwesterner, shows a van pulling into the driveway and turning around, then parking before exiting the driveway. The driver is then shown exiting the vehicle, picking up the sign, and throwing it into the right lane on southbound Woodward Ave.

Law enforcement identified Groff as the person in the video after tracing the license plate to his mother, who identified him as the driver, according to the police report.

In his statements to the police admitting his actions, Groff referred to the sign as a “Nazi sign” and said that he threw the sign “because they’re Nazis,” referring to Republicans. Click here to read more.

 

MiLEAP’s child care program failed thousands of day care providers

Poor communication from the Michigan Department of Lifelong Education, Advancement, and Potential to child care providers in the Child Development and Care Program could be opening the door to fraud, according to a recent joint legislative hearing on a September audit.

MiLEAP’s call center had only four employees to respond to 124,000 phone calls from child care providers who served low-income families, according to testimony from Leah Decker, auditor at the Michigan Office of the Auditor General, who spoke at the Feb. 3 hearing.

Roughly 60% of those calls went unanswered, Decker said in testimony to the Joint Oversight Committee on State and Local Public Assistance Programs and Child Welfare System.

Decker blamed limited staffing levels. The call center was open to the public for approximately five hours per day each weekday. It was staffed by just two employees at a time. Click here to read more.

 

Mortgage rates drop again to a new three-year low

The Federal Reserve announced last month that it would hold its benchmark interest rate steady, as expected by industry experts. “Until there is further economic data to support another rate cut, they will keep the fed funds rate as is,” says Melissa Cohn of William Raveis Mortgage. Meanwhile, stronger-than-expected labor numbers released Feb. 11 have led to predictions that the Fed might not cut rates any time soon.

“We could see at least one rate cut during the first half of 2026 — but if job growth rebounds, it is harder to see a path toward multiple rate cuts this year,” says Lisa Sturtevant, chief economist at Bright MLS, a large listing service in the mid-Atlantic region.

The central bank doesn’t directly set mortgage rates, which are at levels not seen since 2022. “Even without a cut, mortgage rates are nearly a full percentage point lower than they were a year ago, when rates hovered around 6.9%,” says Bill Banfield of Rocket Mortgage. Click here to read more.

 

Largest ‘Precinct’: Why Some Mail Ballots Travel Across State Lines Before Counting Begins

The U.S. Postal Service system of handling and delivering mail ballots often leads to rejected or late ballots, election security advocates contend.

The Election Integrity Network issued two recent reports on the handling of mail ballots by postal employees and the use of regional mail processing centers across state lines. The reports claim that current practices could either result in delayed ballots or confusion over postmarks during an election.

In the 2022 election,. 549,000 mail ballots were rejected, about 1.5% of all absentee/mail-in ballots, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission found. Common reasons for rejected ballots include non-matching signatures and missed deadlines.

“From the outside, those are just ‘undeliverable’ or ‘missing’ ballots in a large system,” an Election Integrity Network report released Monday says. “For each voter, it is the loss of the one voice they have in their own government.” Click here to read more.

 

Florida House approves bill to phase out most local business taxes

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. — The Florida House of Representatives passed a bill Tuesday that would eliminate the authority of most local governments to levy business taxes, a move supporters say will remove unnecessary regulatory hurdles for small business owners.

In an 82-26 vote, lawmakers approved HB 103, which targets the annual fees commonly known as local business tax receipts or occupational licenses. Under the proposal, cities and counties would be broadly prohibited from charging businesses for the “privilege” of operating within their boundaries.

The bill’s sponsor, Republican Rep. Adam Botana, argued the repeal would provide approximately $200 million in cumulative relief to the state’s business community.

“Businesses should not have to pay local business tax just for the privilege of operating a business in a city or county,” Botana said on the House floor. “They are regulatory burdens on small businesses and hinder growth.” Click here to read more.

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N.J. sex offender picked up by ICE days after being released from prison

A convicted sex offender from India who recently spent more than six years in state prison in New Jersey has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Vodela Y. Kottapalli was released from the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in the Avenel section of Woodbridge on Feb. 6, a day after his 29th birthday, according to state department of corrections records.

ICE said on X (formerly Twitter) Monday night that Kottapalli has “pending criminal charges” for sexual assault of a child under 13, shoplifting and public disorder. ICE did not clarify whether the sex assault charge is new or the same offense for which he was convicted.

The federal agency added that he will be held in custody pending removal from the U.S.

Court records state Kottapalli sexually assaulted a child under 13 in Edison on Nov. 15, 2015. He had been held at the treatment center since Oct. 4, 2019 after being convicted. Click here to read more.

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Whitmer pitches $800M of new taxes in final budget plan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently pitched five tax hikes aimed at raising $800 million by taxing smokers and vapers, gamblers, and online advertisers in her 2027 budget proposal, her last as governor. Whitmer also wants to pull $400 million from the state’s rainy day fund to combat the state government’s higher Medicaid.

“Michigan is open for business and on the move, and this budget will deliver on the kitchen-table issues that make a real difference in people’s lives,” Whitmer said in a Feb. 11 press release. “My balanced budget proposal will build on our strong record of bipartisan success. It doubles down on shared, long-term priorities to create good-paying jobs, fix roads, save Michiganders money, and ensure every child can read, eat, and succeed.”

The governor said that her recommendation would provide targeted relief to seniors via an expanded tax credit. Families, she said, would benefit from a back-to-school sales tax holiday. Click here to read more.

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Illegal immigrant allegedly kills Georgia school teacher in car crash while fleeing ICE agents

A public school teacher was killed when an illegal immigrant fleeing ICE agents in Georgia crashed into her vehicle on Monday, according to authorities.

Oscar Vasquez Lopez, of Guatemala, has been charged with vehicular homicide in connection with the crash that unfolded shortly before 7:45 a.m. in Savannah, according to the Chatham Police Department.

ICE agents tried to apprehend Lopez, who was issued a final order of removal by a federal judge in 2024, during a traffic stop after seeing him enter a vehicle, the Department of Homeland Security said Lopez “initially complied” with agents but then allegedly fled the scene, made a “reckless U-turn,” and ran a red light — colliding into the vehicle of Dr. Linda Davis, a teacher at Herman W. Hesse K-8 School, according to the DHS and local school officials. Click here to read more.

 

First photos revealed of transgender mass shooter’s ex-wife — who cited ‘gender reassignment surgery’ as reason for divorce

The ex-wife gunned down by the crazed transgender father of her kids at a high school hockey game in Rhode Island had divorced him years earlier because of his “narcissistic + personality disorder traits,” court documents reveal.

Robert Dorgan’s ex, Rhonda Dorgan, filed for divorce back in 2020, citing his unhinged personality and his “gender reassignment surgery,” according to filings obtained by WPRI.

She later amended the reasoning for their split, which was finalized in 2021, blaming it on “irreconcilable differences which have caused the immediate breakdown of the marriage.”

Police haven’t yet released the victims’ names.

But the family confirmed in a GoFundMe page that the shooter’s ex-wife and the couple’s son, Aidan Dorgan, were those killed when he opened fire at the Pawtucket ice rink on Monday afternoon. Click here to read more.

 

Some States Preventing Schools from Leading Anti-ICE Walkout Protests

States are preventing teachers and school administrators from encouraging anti-ICE walkouts amid rising violence by emotional and uninformed children.

Just over a week ago, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott warned Texas school kids that there will be consequences if they skip school to attend anti-ICE riots.

Now, to follow up on that, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that three independent school districts are being investigated for “facilitating student protests against lawful immigration enforcement.”

“I will not allow Texas schools to become breeding grounds for the radical Left’s open borders agenda,” Paxton, who is running for the U.S. Senate from Texas, wrote in a post on X on Monday. Click here to read more.

I appreciate all of you!

 

 

N.J. sex offender picked up by ICE days after being released from prison

A convicted sex offender from India who recently spent more than six years in state prison in New Jersey has been arrested by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

Vodela Y. Kottapalli was released from the Adult Diagnostic and Treatment Center in the Avenel section of Woodbridge on Feb. 6, a day after his 29th birthday, according to state department of corrections records.

ICE said on X (formerly Twitter) Monday night that Kottapalli has “pending criminal charges” for sexual assault of a child under 13, shoplifting and public disorder. ICE did not clarify whether the sex assault charge is new or the same offense for which he was convicted.

The federal agency added that he will be held in custody pending removal from the U.S.

Court records state Kottapalli sexually assaulted a child under 13 in Edison on Nov. 15, 2015. He had been held at the treatment center since Oct. 4, 2019 after being convicted. Click here to read more.

I walked away from my high paying job in the mainstream to go independent. I can’t keep doing this work without your support. Consider becoming a paid subscriber for less than $ 1 per week. Click the button below.

Subscribe now

 

Whitmer pitches $800M of new taxes in final budget plan

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer recently pitched five tax hikes aimed at raising $800 million by taxing smokers and vapers, gamblers, and online advertisers in her 2027 budget proposal, her last as governor. Whitmer also wants to pull $400 million from the state’s rainy day fund to combat the state government’s higher Medicaid.

“Michigan is open for business and on the move, and this budget will deliver on the kitchen-table issues that make a real difference in people’s lives,” Whitmer said in a Feb. 11 press release. “My balanced budget proposal will build on our strong record of bipartisan success. It doubles down on shared, long-term priorities to create good-paying jobs, fix roads, save Michiganders money, and ensure every child can read, eat, and succeed.”

The governor said that her recommendation would provide targeted relief to seniors via an expanded tax credit. Families, she said, would benefit from a back-to-school sales tax holiday. Click here to read more.

 

Illegal immigrant allegedly kills Georgia school teacher in car crash while fleeing ICE agents

A public school teacher was killed when an illegal immigrant fleeing ICE agents in Georgia crashed into her vehicle on Monday, according to authorities.

Oscar Vasquez Lopez, of Guatemala, has been charged with vehicular homicide in connection with the crash that unfolded shortly before 7:45 a.m. in Savannah, according to the Chatham Police Department.

ICE agents tried to apprehend Lopez, who was issued a final order of removal by a federal judge in 2024, during a traffic stop after seeing him enter a vehicle, the Department of Homeland Security said Lopez “initially complied” with agents but then allegedly fled the scene, made a “reckless U-turn,” and ran a red light — colliding into the vehicle of Dr. Linda Davis, a teacher at Herman W. Hesse K-8 School, according to the DHS and local school officials. Click here to read more.

 

First photos revealed of transgender mass shooter’s ex-wife — who cited ‘gender reassignment surgery’ as reason for divorce

The ex-wife gunned down by the crazed transgender father of her kids at a high school hockey game in Rhode Island had divorced him years earlier because of his “narcissistic + personality disorder traits,” court documents reveal.

Robert Dorgan’s ex, Rhonda Dorgan, filed for divorce back in 2020, citing his unhinged personality and his “gender reassignment surgery,” according to filings obtained by WPRI.

She later amended the reasoning for their split, which was finalized in 2021, blaming it on “irreconcilable differences which have caused the immediate breakdown of the marriage.”

Police haven’t yet released the victims’ names.

But the family confirmed in a GoFundMe page that the shooter’s ex-wife and the couple’s son, Aidan Dorgan, were those killed when he opened fire at the Pawtucket ice rink on Monday afternoon. Click here to read more.

 

Some States Preventing Schools from Leading Anti-ICE Walkout Protests

States are preventing teachers and school administrators from encouraging anti-ICE walkouts amid rising violence by emotional and uninformed children.

Just over a week ago, Texas Republican Governor Greg Abbott warned Texas school kids that there will be consequences if they skip school to attend anti-ICE riots.

Now, to follow up on that, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has announced that three independent school districts are being investigated for “facilitating student protests against lawful immigration enforcement.”

“I will not allow Texas schools to become breeding grounds for the radical Left’s open borders agenda,” Paxton, who is running for the U.S. Senate from Texas, wrote in a post on X on Monday. Click here to read more.

Thank you for being here!!

 

 

Kansas governor vetoes anti-trans bathroom bill, citing ‘numerous and significant consequences’

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed a controversial bill that forces transgender people to use bathrooms that match their biological sex at birth, saying the poorly drafted legislation would have far-reaching consequences.

The Democratic governor now hands House Substitute for Senate Bill 244 back to a Legislature that has enough Republican votes to override her veto and put the bill into law.

The bill requires government entities to police bathrooms and other private spaces in their buildings, and levies fines against the governing body for failing to comply. It also sets up escalating penalties for individuals who use a bathroom that doesn’t match their sex at birth.

In a statement Friday, Kelly cited multiple situations that would be affected by HB 244.

Kelly said she vetoed the bill because of those “numerous and significant consequences.” Click here to read more.https://kansasreflector.com/2026/02/13/kansas-governor-vetoes-anti-trans-bathroom-bill-citing-numerous-and-significant-consequences/

 

Neighbors claim they haven’t seen missing Enterprise girl for weeks

ENTERPRISE, Ala. (WTVY) -There is a growing mystery surrounding a 3-year-old Enterprise girl who was reported missing early this morning.

Neighbors said they have not seen Genises Nova Reid for several weeks, and, according to multiple sources, police are leery that the child disappeared mysteriously from her bedroom as her mother claimed.

Neighbors who gathered to witness a massive law enforcement search for the girl in the Apache Drive are told News4’s Jacklynn Lambert they did not recall seeing Genises since early January.

Enterprise police posted a flyer saying a parent discovered her missing and a door to the home was open. Click here to read more.

 

Voters can lower their own property taxes under Michigan rules

Michigan lawmakers want to do something about high property taxes. They should note that voters already get to decide whether property taxes are worth it when they vote on new local millages. But the deck is often stacked against taxpayers, and legislators should give them a fairer shot.

The Headlee Amendment in the state Constitution subjects property taxes to voter approval. This ensures that taxes have direct popular support. People can reject new millages and let old authorizations expire to lower their property taxes.

This requirement shouldn’t have been necessary, but it was. Elected officials are supposed to represent the interest of local residents, so the taxes they propose ought to be supported by voters. Click here to read more.

 

Waste of the Day: Principal Bought Lobster with School Funds

Most New York public school lunches consist of room temperature chicken nuggets or reheated pizza. But at Wyandanch Memorial High School on Long Island, principal Paul Sibblies dined on steak and lobster at taxpayers’ expense.

Sibblies reimbursed himself a total of $35,519 from 2021 to 2024 using cash meant for a school club, without approval or supervision from anyone besides his own secretary, according to an audit obtained by Newsday.

Key facts: Sibblies paid himself 41 times using money from the high school’s Kappa League club, a leadership program affiliated with the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

The most concerning was the steak and lobster Sibblies and an unidentified person ate at a restaurant in Delaware. Sibblies reimbursed himself $126 for the bill, which also included alcohol. He logged the transaction as “EOY Academic Success.”

Click here to read more.

 

Is Legacy Media Becoming Irrelevant?

The American people’s confidence in mass media appears to be continuing its spiral downward, according to the results of a new Pew Research Center survey. The poll found that 57% of the public has little or no confidence “in journalists to act in the best interests of the public.”

Some conservatives are pointing to dwindling public trust and legacy media layoffs as the last gasp of a dying empire, but analysts say, “Not so fast.”

The Pew poll results, released Wednesday, revealed that just 6% of Americans have “a great deal of confidence” that journalists have the public’s best interest in mind, with 37% having “a fair amount of confidence” (the total of 43% who say they have confidence in journalism is down from 47% in last year’s Pew survey). Click here to read more.

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