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October 24, 2025
BREAKING: Charges Dropped Against Michigan Duck Rescue Founders After DNR Case Collapses

The legal battle between the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and the Michigan Duck Rescue and Sanctuary has come to an end. with all charges dismissed against the couple who run the operation.

Matthew and Teresa Lyson, founders of the Salem Township sanctuary, had faced six criminal charges each after state officials accused them of keeping and caring for waterfowl without proper permits. This week, the Washtenaw County Prosecutor’s Office dismissed the cases in their entirety, following months of public scrutiny and growing political pressure.

“This is great news,” Lyson told Keeping It Real. “All charges against me and Teresa are 100 percent gone. It’s a done deal, and we get to start new.”

Background of the Case

The Michigan Duck Rescue and Sanctuary has operated for nearly two decades, caring for injured or abandoned ducks, geese, and other waterfowl — many of which suffer from “angel wing,” a deformity often caused by people feeding them improper food. The Lysons say their work was motivated by compassion and necessity, helping birds that had been hit by cars, tangled in fishing line, or left unable to fly.

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The DNR claimed the Lysons were rehabbing wild birds without a license and ordered that some of the birds on the property be euthanized. The Lysons maintained that no crime was committed and that their only intent was to provide care for animals with no other options.

“We always contended that we did absolutely nothing criminally wrong from the onset,” Lyson said in a written update following the dismissal. “All of our actions were in good faith in assisting people who came across injured waterfowl with nowhere else to go.”

Legal and Legislative Support

Lyson credited a network of animal advocates and attorneys who stepped up to help. His first call was to animal law attorney Bee Friedlander, who connected him with attorney Celeste Dunn and Kelley LaBonty of Detroit Animal Welfare Group. They, in turn, found young Denver-based attorney Steffen Seitz, who took the case pro bono.

Former federal prosecutor Rick Convertino and former Washtenaw County prosecutor Lenore Ferber later joined as additional counsel, also volunteering their time.

Lyson said the case gained major traction after Keeping It Real first reported on it, which helped draw attention from lawmakers including Rep. Ken Borton and Rep. Angela Rigas. Both legislators have been investigating alleged overreach by the DNR and are pushing for reforms to how the agency handles wildlife rehabilitation.

“They were instrumental,” Lyson said. “Representative Borton told me he’d make calls to every key player, and he did. He and Rep. Rigas have been working hard to expose DNR malfeasance and push for accountability.”

Media and Public Response

The story quickly spread across Michigan media outlets, including WXYZ-TV, WWJ Radio, and the Detroit Free Press. National attention grew after musician and activist Ted Nugent shared the story online.

Since that coverage, a groundswell of support has followed. Thousands of residents have shared the Lysons’ story on social media, signed petitions, and contacted lawmakers demanding changes to state rehabilitation rules.

“The support was absolutely overwhelming and heartwarming,” Lyson said. “Every post, every share made a difference.”

What Comes Next

Despite the victory, Lyson said the work is not over. He plans to continue working with legislators to reform wildlife policies and to improve communication and cooperation with the DNR.

“Our new mission is nowhere near complete,” he said. “We will be working with the Michigan Legislature at every turn to enshrine these needed policies into law and to find common ground with the DNR. Changing decades of mismanagement won’t be easy, but it’s possible.”

Lyson said the goal now is to ensure no one else has to endure what he and his wife went through. “This isn’t just about us,” he said. “It’s about compassion, common sense, and protecting Michigan’s wildlife.”

00:12:25
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News they don't want you to see
Thursday April 9, 2026

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Minneapolis Might Bring Back Bathhouses As Spaces for Sex and Queer Community

The Minneapolis City Council is considering a proposal to bring back bathhouses where people can have sex. And it’s provoking a wider conversation around stigma, criminalization, and community.

The proposal involves four related measures, introduced on March 26. They include plans to amend regulations for places “where sexual activity between consenting adults may be facilitated” and to update “provisions pertaining to indecent conduct and disorderly houses, adding exceptions for licensed establishments where sexual activity between consenting adults may be facilitated.”

“The council is expected to take up the ordinance discussion again on Thursday,” part KSTP TV, a local ABC affiliate. Click here to read more.


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Government-Funded Censor Told State Dept. Its Testing Wouldn’t Focus On U.S. Audiences — It Then Targeted The Blaze

Staff with the Global Engagement Center (“GEC”) told a State Department official that its testbed platform “will NOT focus on US audiences,” but then proceeded to fund a trial targeting The Blaze — a Texas-based media outlet. The Federalist uncovered this detail during discovery in its lawsuit against the State Department and the GEC, which the plaintiffs settled last week after the Defendants agreed to detailed prophylactic measures to prevent similar violations of Americans’ First Amendment rights.

The Federalist, along with The Daily Wire, sued the State Department and GEC in December of 2023, after learning that the defendants had funded the testing, development, and promotion of censorship technologies that demonetized, denigrated, and limited the reach of the media plaintiffs’ speech. The complaint alleged both a First Amendment claim and a claim that the defendants exceeded their statutory authority, which was limited to managing foreign affairs.

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Mamdani’s plan for free buses in NYC hits pothole, told by Albany ‘just not financially feasible’

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani is not pushing for free buses in the city this year.

Mamdani’s three campaign promises were freeze the rent, universal daycare, and fast, free buses. As city and state budgets are tight, and disagreement among Democrats blocks Mamdani’s plan, he does not appear to be pushing for free buses to be implemented this year, Politico reported.

Mamdani told the news outlet on Tuesday that he is “absolutely committed to making buses fast and free.”

He has touted a universal daycare pilot as a win.

Meanwhile, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul support an expansion of a discount program for low-income subway and bus riders called Fair Fares.

While Mamdani has supported expanding the program, in 2024, he singled out Fair Fares as a “means-tested program [that] will never reach everyone they’re meant to.” Click here to read more.

 

USC Bans Men from Parts of Gyms to Make Women, Non-Binary Students Feel Comfortable

A California college has banned men from using certain areas in its gyms to make non-binary students and women more comfortable.

The University of Southern California has adopted a policy suggested by a radical LGBTQ+ activist group to institute the ban, according to the New York Post.

The activist group Student Assembly for Gender Empowerment (SAGE) demanded the new rule for the school’s Lyon Center. SAGE describes itself as a “programming assembly and intersectional feminist organization under the student government, committed to uplifting all voices oppressed by the patriarchy.”

Student Mengze Wu praised the move to ban men from certain workout areas on Mondays and Wednesdays as a way to stop the facility from being too “male-dominated.” Click here to read more.

 

Suspect attacks, repeatedly stabs Calif. sheriff’s office K-9 after slow pursuit

SOLANO COUNTY, Calif. — A high-risk pursuit along Interstate 80 from Dixon to Fairfield early Tuesday escalated into a violent confrontation that left a Solano County Sheriff’s K-9 seriously wounded and a suspect in custody, authorities said.

According to the Solano County Sheriff’s Office, the incident began when deputies spotted a vehicle moving at an unusually slow speed on the freeway in Dixon, which they said was creating a dangerous situation for surrounding drivers during the morning commute. When a K-9 sheriff’s deputy attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the driver failed to yield, triggering a pursuit that stretched along the busy corridor.

The chase continued until officers, working alongside the California Highway Patrol, brought it to a controlled end. A spike strip was deployed, disabling the vehicle near Interstate 80 and Travis Boulevard in Fairfield. Even after the vehicle came to a stop, though, officials said the situation remained tense and unpredictable. Click here to read more.

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News they don't want you to see
Wednesday April 8, 2026
Read full Article
News they don't want you to see
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Michigan school, streets might change names after New York Times report on Cesar E. Chavez

The names of some Michigan streets and a school might change after a recent New York Times story alleged that Cesar E. Chavez abused young girls.

Five streets and a school in Michigan are named after the American labor union and political activist who co-founded United Farm Workers in 1962. Chavez died in 1993, but a March 18 news article named two women and alluded to several others who have come forward to allege he sexually abused them.

The city of Lansing is having conversations about renaming its street in Old Town, Scott Bean, director of communications and senior advisor to Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, told Michigan Capitol Confidential in an email that outlined Lansing’s street-naming policy. Click here to read more.


 

14-year-old girl with ‘lengthy’ criminal history strikes police vehicle in stolen vehicle

BALTIMORE — A stolen car slammed into a Baltimore police patrol vehicle during a chase in West Baltimore around 1 a.m. on April Fool’s Day, then crashed again at a dead end as officers tried to stop it.

Audio from the scene captured an officer describing the initial impact: “That vehicle did sideswipe the front of my vehicle when I saw it.”

Police said the stolen car didn’t get far before ending at a dead end and hitting the patrol vehicle again. One suspect got away, with an officer reporting, “The passenger ran on foot going northbound on Ashburton.” Click here to read more.

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Michigan Attorney General calls for action as Consumers Energy seeks another rate increase

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel is continuing to question Michigan’s energy companies, as Consumers Energy, one of the largest utilities in the state, seeks yet another increase to its electrical rates.

The Department of Attorney General released a statement on Monday, reaffirming Nessel’s commitment to intervening in all major rate cases before state energy regulators, slamming Consumers Energy for filing a new rate case within seven days of the Michigan Public Service Commission approving its last increase.

“The rate hike just approved by the MPSC hasn’t even taken effect yet, and Consumers Energy is already gearing up to reach back into the pockets of Michigan families,” Nessel said. “Ratepayers don’t have a choice in who they buy their energy from, yet our utility companies still choose to make these relentless and unsustainable rate hike demands year after year. Announcing plans to file what we expect to be a new multi-hundred-million-dollar request just seven days after securing a nearly $280 million hike proves how truly broken this system has become.” Click here to read more.

 

Services Demand Surges to Three-Year High Despite Rising Energy Costs

New orders for services rose to their highest level in more than three years in March, the Institute for Supply Management reported Monday, as strong demand across the economy proved resilient to the spike in energy prices driven by the U.S.-Israel military campaign against Iran.

The ISM index for the services sector registered 54 percent, down from 56.1 percent in February but still comfortably in expansion territory for the 21st consecutive month. The slight pullback in the headline number masked what was arguably the most important signal in the report: the barometer of new order surged to its highest reading since February 2023. Click here to read more.

 

Mom accused of faking 3-year-old’s illnesses, leading to unnecessary medical treatments

GLEN ROSE, Texas - A Texas mother accused of child medical abuse is facing multiple charges.

In an 18-page arrest affidavit, Tarrant County investigators said 31-year-old Kaitlyn Laura subjected her 3-year-old son to severe and ongoing medical abuse.

Detectives said for months, Laura claimed her son had serious conditions, such as stomach issues, trouble walking and even cerebral palsy.

For years, he was fed through a tube and kept in a wheelchair, but doctors never diagnosed any of it.

Investigators said, at one point, the child was on 17 different medications, eating less than 1,000 calories a day and consuming dog food. Click here to read more.

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