RAVENDEN, Ark. — In the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas, nearly an hour from the closest city, a small group of homesteaders is building an exclusive community from scratch. Applicants to the community are screened with an in-person interview, a criminal background check, a questionnaire about ancestral heritage and sometimes even...
Trump Escalates Attacks Against the Smithsonian Institution
President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he asked his attorneys to go through museums in Washington while suggesting he would pressure the Smithsonian Institution like he has attempted to pressure colleges and universities. "The Smithsonian is OUT OF CONTROL, where everything discussed is how horrible our Country is, how bad...
Yosemite Biologist Who Hung Trans Pride Flag From El Capitan Is Fired
The National Park Service has fired a wildlife biologist at Yosemite National Park who helped drape a large transgender pride flag from El Capitan in May, saying that the demonstration had taken place in a prohibited area and lacked the required permits. The former employee, Shannon Joslin, 35, who studies...
Maine Oysterman Launches Bid to Unseat Republican US Senator Susan Collins
A U.S. military veteran and oyster farmer on Tuesday launched a bid to unseat Republican U.S. Senator Susan Collins in Maine, as his party fights an uphill battle to try to recapture control of the chamber in next year's midterm elections. Democrat Graham Platner, a Marine and Army veteran, said...
California Republicans File Suit Seeking to Block Newsom Redistricting Plan
Republican lawmakers in California have filed a lawsuit asking the state Supreme Court to stop Democrats from moving ahead this week with a plan to redraw congressional districts. It was the latest move in an escalating national battle over redistricting that began this summer when President Donald Trump asked Texas...
California, Other State AGs Urge Trump EPA to Drop Plan to Kill Greenhouse Gas Rules
California Attorney General Rob Bonta and other Democratic state attorneys general on Tuesday urged the Trump administration to abandon its plan to rescind the long-standing finding that greenhouse gas emissions endanger human health, removing the legal foundation for all U.S. greenhouse gas regulations. If finalized, the Environmental Protection Agency repeal...
Kings County Sheriff Seeks Public’s Help in Finding at-Risk Missing Man
The Kings County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating a missing 20-year-old man last seen early Tuesday morning. Deputies said they responded around 4 a.m. after family members reported that William Ornellas had climbed out of a window. The family was alerted by their surveillance cameras....
Madera County Authorities Seek Help Finding Family of Deceased Man
The Madera County Sheriff’s Office is asking for the public’s help in locating the family of a 45-year-old man who died last month. Authorities said Fernando Cruz, also known as Fausto Cruz-Cuevas, of Madera, died on July 20. Despite efforts, investigators have been unable to identify or reach his next...
Revised Congressional Maps Target Valadao, Boost Gray in the Valley
As California Democrats try to counter expected events in Texas by redrawing congressional districts ahead of the 2026 midterms, a few conclusions can be drawn about the revised San Joaquin Valley seats. This is, of course, a theoretical exercise as California voters would have to approve the redrawn maps in...
US Threatens to Withhold Transit Funds Over New York Subway Safety Issues
The U.S. Transportation Department said Tuesday it may withhold up to 25% of federal transit funding for New York's Metropolitan Transportation Authority over safety risks for track maintenance workers if the agency does not improve. The department's Federal Transit Agency issued a directive in August 2024 to the MTA's New...