Michigan pays $125M in electric school bus grants
The Michigan Department of Education has paid $125 million for school buses powered by electricity and propane to replace diesel-powered fleets.
In the final round of grants announced Feb. 27, the department awarded $44 million to 27 school districts for the purchase of 99 electric school buses and 10 propane school buses, completing a total $125 million expenditure for the Clean Bus Energy Grant program.
“I’m proud of the work we’ve done to provide 100 school districts with 376 clean buses,” Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a press release. “In Michigan, we also passed a historic energy law to create jobs, lower energy costs, and grow clean, renewable energy across our state. Let’s keep working together to protect our air, land, and water for future generations.” Click here to read more.
‘We Could Be Heroes’ Senate Republicans Set to Bring SAVE America Act to the Floor
The Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE AMERICA) ACT has rightly become one of the most closely watched bills in recent memory. Designed to safeguard America’s elections from illegal voting, the legislation requires that voters present a valid I.D. and proof of citizenship to participate in federal elections. White House officials have called it “the most popular election reform in decades,” citing at least 81% support across all parties nationwide.
After passing in the House of Representatives, the bill moved to the U.S. Senate, where its prospects for approval—despite overwhelming bipartisan support from the public—looked somewhat uncertain. Click here to learn more about the SAVE Act.
US intel hid Chinese 2020 election meddling from Trump because they opposed his policies, memo says
Analysts inside the U.S. intelligence community sought to conceal evidence of Chinese influence efforts from President Donald Trump during the 2020 election, with analysts saying they didn’t want their intel used by “that vulgarian in the Oval Office” to pursue policies toward China they personally disagreed with.
The revelation is found within a January 2021 report written by — and never before reported upon comments by — analytic ombudsman Barry Zulauf, who conducted a review of the spy community’s handling of Russian versus Chinese meddling efforts during the 2020 election. Among his conclusions was that intelligence analysts downplayed China’s actions because they had disdain for the “vulgarian” Trump and did not want to support the policies and priorities of the Trump administration toward China with which they “personally disagree.” Click here to read more.
Robot Goes Berserk in California Restaurant, Dragged Away by Staff After Smashing Tableware
Humanoid robots are rapidly gaining hype, from battlefields to the factory floor.
But there are clear growing pains when it comes to sharing spaces with our new automaton friends. Just this month, a video circulated online showing a robot being escorted away by cops after startling an old lady.
Now, a different robot appears to have gotten carried away while performing a dance routine at a hot pot restaurant in San Jose, California.
A video on social media shows the dancing robot knocking over tableware, smashing plates, and sending chopsticks flying. An orange apron the robot is wearing reads “I’m good” in big letters across the front, perfectly adding to the chaotic scene.
Staffers at the restaurant were forced to intervene. One employee can be seen holding the robot by the scruff of its neck while navigating her phone, presumably searching the bot’s app for controls. Click here to read more.
Immigrant Restaurant Owners Targeted After Serving Free Meals to Law Enforcement
When “ICE out” protests spread across Arizona in recent months, one restaurant found itself at the center of the ICE storm. At Sammy’s Mexican Grill, owners Jorge and Betty Rivas—immigrants who have lived the American dream—chose to stay open and continue their five-year tradition of serving free meals to all law enforcement officers.
The Rivas’ story reached The Daily Signal through Mark Hurley, senior adviser to the president for donor relations at The Heritage Foundation. Hurley stopped for lunch at Sammy’s Mexican Grill during a trip to Arizona, and was struck by the family’s resilience, calling their story “impressive” and inspiring to see people “standing up for what they believe in.”
During “ICE Out” protests in Tucson, Arizona, organizers called for a day of demonstration against Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Many businesses and restaurants closed to show their support for the protest and posted signs on their doors. Click here to read more.
