Free Republic

WINDSOR HEIGHTS, Iowa — When former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee walked into Walnut Creek Church here on Sunday night, fresh off his gleaming navy-blue bus, he was greeted by the crowd of suburban evangelicals as a visiting celebrity rather than a 2016 presidential candidate. Waiting in line to get their copies of the Republican’s latest book signed, a handful of the attendees shared recollections of Huckabee’s spunky 2008 bid for the White House, when he won the Iowa caucuses and seven more states before bowing out. But most of the conversations focused on Fox News, where Huckabee had been perched...

In the dramatic video from inside the New Hope, Minnesota city council chambers, one of the council members reacts to the sound of gunfire outside of the doors by drawing his own weapon and preparing to defend his colleagues.  Link to video: It is clear that the council member on the left of the screen has considered this sort of scenario, and is mentally prepared.   Immediately after the shots are fired, you hear a voice saying, "Get down!, Get down!".  As the video progresses, and shows the councilman with the handgun on the left, it is clear that he...

SIERRA VISTA — A recent study by a New York-based personal finance research firm has found that Sierra Vista residents pay the lowest homeowners insurance premiums in the state. With an average annual premium of $990, Sierra Vistans pay a full 23 percent less than the state average of $1,275 for a $200,000 house, according to the study by ValuePenguin.

An omnibus gun law reform bill has been introduced in North Dakota by Representative Roscoe Streyle, from Minot.  The bill, HB 1241(pdf), would bring into law many reforms that have proven popular in other states.   Among the reforms in the bill: 1. The restrictions on the use of legal gun mufflers and short barreled rifles for hunting would be removed.  These restrictions never made any sense, and are being eliminated all over the country.  35 states do not prevent the use of gun mufflers for hunting; no legislative purpose for the heavy handed restrictions on gun mufflers has been...

The Longview Police Department placed three officers on leave after a 17-year-old girl was shot and killed in the lobby of the station last week, the Marshall News Messenger reported. According to officials, Kristiana Coignard entered the Texas police station on Thursday evening brandishing a weapon. Police spokeswoman Kristie Brian said Coignard used a phone in the lobby to call police dispatch and asked to see an officer. When officers arrived in the lobby, she "came at the officers" with a weapon, according to Brian. Police did not confirm what type of weapon Coignard had, but Longview Mayor Jay Dean...

Just a regular day in Gaza, quiet, serene, peaceful, young folks going out and about, shopping, enjoying the sunshine, Hamas' headwear adorned by all the males as the latest fashion gear, their fully loaded RPGs or other weapon slung over their shoulders in a relaxed pose tells you life has returned to normal for Gaza.

SB 45 allows those who may legally own a gun to carry it concealed, without a permit.   The bill has 26 co-sponsors.  Only 21 senate votes are needed for passage. The bill changes a number of laws, but the primary effect is to reform the law by removing the requirement to have a concealed carry license in  order to legally carry a handgun concealed.  People in Kansas already have the right to carry handguns openly. From the text of the bill(pdf): (5) possession of a concealed handgun by an individual who islicensed by the attorney general to carry a...

Jenna Tosh New President/ CEO Santa Barbara Chapter of Planned Parenthood Jenna Tosh Talks about Protestors, Congress, and Her Plans for the Santa Barbara ChapterLast week, Jenna Tosh became the new leader for the tri-counties Planned Parenthood branch, replacing longtime president Cheryl Rollings, who retired last fall. With her, Tosh, 31, brings experience heading the Orlando affiliate, where she oversaw 69 staff and a $5 million budget. In charge of Santa Barbara, Ventura, and San Luis Obispo, Tosh — who holds a PhD in public policy, which she focused on teen pregnancy — will see her staff nearly double (120)...

Volunteers cleaning the streets of Raipur, India.In cities all over India, anonymous men and women are picking up trash, fixing potholes and painting dirty walls. They’re not paid to do this; in fact, they pay for their tools themselves. These citizens are part of a growing movement of “spot-fixers”, volunteers who use their free time to clean up ugly parts of their city, and then post before-and-after pictures on social media. While teams of volunteers like this have operated steadily in big cities like Bangalore and New Delhi for several years now, dozens more have sprung up over the past...

An Edgewood man died Monday night from an apparent heart attack while trying to rob the Aldi grocery store in Edgewood, police said. Investigators also said the same man is also connected to two other recent robberies in Edgewood. Around 8:50 p.m. Monday, a man later identified as Wayne Clark, 52, of Meadowood Court, walked into the Aldi in the 1300 block of Business Center Way, according to Cristie Kahler, spokesperson for the Harford County Sheriff's Office. Deputies responded to the store where Clark was lying face down, appearing to be suffering from cardiac arrest, she said. A witness told...

It's happening all across the country! Young People Marching for Life! #MarchforLife pic.twitter.com/G9f4FTGZeg — Markeece Young (@YoungBLKRepub) January 22, 2015 Every Life is a Gift. #marchforlife — Pope Francis (@Pontifex) January 22, 2015 Why my oldest daughter, Elizabeth, marches: "Because Pro-Life is Pro-Woman." #WhyWeMarch#ProLife#MarchforLifepic.twitter.com/Uabcqa1B2H — Rick Santorum (@RickSantorum) January 22, 2015 House Votes to End Taxpayer-Funded Abortions to Mark March for Life Rally Let us continue to march forward to shine the light on the work that still needs to be done. #MarchForLife https://t.co/wLtbzKf1i5 — Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) January 22, 2015 The House voted Thursday to permanently end taxpayer-funded abortions,...

Bills have been filed in the Florida House (HB4005) and in the Senate (SB176) to reform the Florida concealed carry law to remove the restriction in the law that prevents people with concealed carry licenses to carry on Florida public colleges or Universities.   The bill passed the House Criminal Justice Subcommittee on an 8-4 vote with one representative not voting.  From myfloridahouse.gov, as shown in the screenshot above. The opening statement of the bill seems a bit confusing, in that it  A bill to be entitled2 An act relating to licenses to carry concealed weapons3 or firearms; amending s....

Mass defiance of the new permit process is another monkey wrench tossed in the works.A New York lawman is winning plaudits from gun owners over his stance on firearm regulation—he wants less of it. Fulton County Sheriff Thomas J. Lorey is already known as a supporter of the Second Amendment and a member of the Oath Keepers, an organization of military personnel and police officers who vow to refuse unconstitutional orders. Despite the Empire State's fame as a jurisdiction unfriendly to private gun ownership—or, really, any activity beyind the reach of government officials—Lorey isn't alone in his views. The New...

There was a gun turn in event, 'no questions asked' in Newport, Oregon last Saturday, the 17th of January.   A number of second amendment supporters planned for the event, and attended.    From centaloregoncoastnow.com: Fred Meyer Gift Cards will be available for working order guns (limit 3 gift cards per person, but more than 3 guns will be accepted). All firearms must be unloaded and transported in the trunk of your car or comparably secured in your pickup truck. No questions asked. $175 Assault or assault-like rifle $125 Handgun $ 75 Long guns, such as rifles or shotguns $ 25...

As more and more people are legally carrying guns, there are more justifiable shootings and the crime rate drops.  A significant synergistic factor is the ubiquity of surveillance cameras and personal recording devices, such as cell phones and dashcams. This shooting in Georgia illustrates one of the reasons why.  The event itself is fairly clear.  A robbery suspect, who is accompanied by three other people, pulls a gun on a victim.  The victim is armed, draws his own weapon, and shoots the suspect, who drops his gun.  From myfoxal.com: There were three other people with the suspect at the...

Image from spokesman.com A couple of days ago, on the 16th of January, 2015, Washington State Lt. Governor Brad Owen (D) publicly announced that the open carry of firearms is a form of free speech, protected by the first amendment of the Constitution.  He did it as a way to crack down on and destroy that speech, but he did it none the less, and what he said is true.  The Democrats objected to the open carry of firearms in the Senate chamber's gallery.   From seattletimes.com:  "We're just noting that open carry is a form of demonstration and it's...

Clayton, N.C. — Hospira, a manufacturer of injectable and other drug products as well as medical devices, is closing its plant in Clayton which employs some 250 people. Hospira says the facility will close in the second half of this year. “After a thorough evaluation of the site and the various products produced at this facility, we had to make this difficult decision,” said Matt Stober, senior vice president for operations, in a statement. The firm operates a major plant in Rocky Mount as well. In 2012, it decided to add 200 works at that operation. Hospira (NYSE: HSP) disclosed...

(VIDEO-AT-LINK)SALISBURY, Md. - A shocking turn of events on Wednesday, as aeronautical company Labinal Power Systems announced it will soon be closing its doors. This means over 600 employees -- about 94% from Wicomico County -- may be out of a job. According to Labinal, up to 160 of those employees could possibly be transferred to their Texas facility. As for the rest, local leaders say there are resources in town. Those resources may come in the form of "re-training". According to Wor-Wic Community College president Ray Hoy, these workers have valuable skills but they might not translate to another...

On 15 January, Police Chief Louis Ross was loaned a bullet resistant vest before he and other officers broke into a home in Sentinel, Oklahoma.  Ross was shot three times in the chest, and once in the arm.  Three of the bullets were stopped by the vest.  The police had no warrant for the raid.  The homeowner, Dallas Horton, was not hurt and has not been charged, and it seems unlikely that he will be.   He and his wife Esther Marie, were both interviewed. There are many things about this case that have not been widely reported. First, Police...

It's 2015 and the masses still haven't forgot about Michael Brown, Darren Wilson's non-indictment and the fact that #BlackLivesMatter, which is great. Public figures are still seeking answers, requesting justice and encouraging their fans to get involved. Fabolous is the latest celeb to make his way down to Ferguson, Missouri and show solidarity for the cause. Brother Shaheed, Myself, & Michael Brown Sr. Coming to St. Louis it was important to me as a Brother, as a Man & as a Father to go to Ferguson & see it for myself & to also meet Michael Brown Sr. His strength...

Terry Turner, an African-American woman, is dealing with intense acts of racism in her community in Limestone, Alabama. According to WHNT 19-News, one of her white neighbors hurled large rocks into her home, breaking several of her windows. And most disturbing, the hooligans viciously scrawled racist graffiti on her beautiful home with spray paint, including the N-word. As of this date, the case has received very little media attention nationally. The incident happened on the night of New Year’s Eve, while Terry Turner was enjoying a night of celebration with her granddaughter. What should have been a celebratory experience...

A proposal in the Kentucky legislature would require that transgender students avoid school restrooms, locker rooms and showers that don’t correspond with their sex assigned at birth. The Kentucky Student Privacy Act, sponsored by Republican state Sen. C.B. Embry, is also designed to punish school administrators who give transgender students access to school facilities designated for the opposite sex. “Parents have a reasonable expectation that schools will not allow minor children to be viewed in various states of undress by members of the opposite biological sex, nor allow minor children to view members of the opposite sex in various states...

“We are not heading for an eternal void and an eternal silence but we are on our way to an encounter, an encounter with Him who created us and loves us more than mother and father.” (Fr. Raniero Cantalamessa, see here). Only a delusional mind could advance such a hypothesis. At a time when children are being slaughtered in the womb, governments are promoting sodomy and so-called "gay marriage," terrorism and other forms of violence are on the rise, there is general immorality with people engaging in and condoning various mortal sins, and the Churches are emptying, we are supposed...

Jerry Pierson, burglary and assault suspect Guns are built to take punishment.  Pistols are most often dense and hard, with a convenient handle.   They make fairly good improvised impact weapons. That is what happened in Oklahoma recently.   A home invader who is a suspect in several other burglaries in the Ardmore area, was caught in the act by James Collins and his father-in-law. The suspect, Pierson, had a knife, and had already used it to stab the father-in-law when Collins arrived on the scene.  From kxii.com: "I didn't know he'd been stabbed when I came out. So my first...

Over a year ago James Andrew Smith was charged with attempted murder of the mother of his daughter.  He was found not guilty on Tuesday, 13 January, by a jury. They must have found his self defense story plausible.  From 2014 mlive.com: FLINT, MI -- A jury has found an East Lansing man not guilty after he was accused of shooting the mother of his then-2-year-old daughter during a child custody exchange at a vacant Vienna Township gas station. He did not dispute that he had shot Ginger Don, the mother.  His attorney is quoted:  Smith's attorney, Mary Chartier-Mittendorf,...

In a rare moment of confusion, the usually well informed Rush Limbaugh talked about something he seems not to understand. In a few months there will be a special election to fill the now vacated seat in the 11th Congressional District which is largely on Staten Island. The seat was held by a Republican who has taken a plea and awaits sentencing for an income tax related crime. For most of America, especially liberal America, Staten Island in a mysterious place that used to have the largest garbage dump in the world and is filled with Right Wing Republicans. Unfortunately...

On Dec 4, 2014, the Black Student Union of UC Berkeley held the first of three protests. Students occupied The Golden Bear Cafe for 4.5 hours, the amount of time Michael Brown’s body lay in the street in Ferguson, Mo.Over the last month, the Black Student Union at UC Berkeley has organized three separate events to protest police killings of unarmed black men. Students have marched on the streets, through local businesses, and sat in at cafés. The demonstrations have allowed students to grieve, heal, and show solidarity with protesters in Ferguson and Staten Island. But they have also been...

The conservative support that brought Diane Douglas to the Nov. 6, Arizona Superintendent of Public Instruction victory was based on her steadfast opposition to the Common Core curriculum. (SNIP) In a statement released following her meeting with Sanchez, Douglas hit a low note with this conclusion, “It is important to correct the misunderstanding that the Arizona Department of Education is opposed to ethnic studies. If any child educated in Arizona is not exposed to the suffering, trials and triumphs of all ethnic groups who have contributed to our state’s rich cultural mix, then we are failing to teach accurate history.”...

Many people do not think much about the use of cover in self defense.  This is a mistake.   Much of the time, if and when you have to defend yourself, cover will be available and should be used.  Cover protects you from bullets and other weapons, or from access by the aggressor.   As the objective is to escape unharmed, rather than to damage or kill the aggressor, taking cover is usually a higher priority than shooting back.  In this gunfight video out of Cleveland, Ohio, on 6 January, 2015, the store owner, Fares Naser, makes good use of cover. ...

Women's fashion discount retailer Deb Shops is closing all of its stores in Michigan and nationwide. After more than 80 years in business, the Philadelphia-based retailer, which specializes in junior- and plus-size apparel, filed for Chapter 11 protection on Dec. 4, according to a news release. On Jan. 7, the bankruptcy court awarded Gordon Brothers Group and Hilco Merchant Resources the store closing process for all locations. Officials with Gordon Brothers Group and Hilco Merchant Resources began going-out-of-business sales at approximately 287 Deb Shops retail locations Friday, Jan. 9, the release states. The company's website gob.debshops.com now is simply an...

Wednesday, January 14, 2015 Flagstaff Officer Tyler Stewart Shot to Death While Wearing Police Body Camera (VIDEO) Well, it's definitely up close and personal. At the Arizona Republic, "Flagstaff police officer's body camera captures fatal shooting": EDITOR'S NOTE: The video below is graphic and may not be something you want to see. It was released by Flagstaff Police honoring a public records request by media, including azcentral, The Arizona Republic and 12 News. The video will be part of the ongoing discussion about safety for officers and for the people they encounter, which is why we think it is newsworthy....

DOWNEY — The building that housed the world’s first Taco Bell is under “imminent threat of demolition,” according to the Downey Conservancy, a Downey-based preservation group. Although Downey is more famously recognized as the site of the oldest operating location for the world’s largest hamburger chain, it is Taco Bell that built its very first location within the city. The building, located at 7112 Firestone Blvd, was opened by founder Glen Bell in March 1962.

The Daily Mail is reporting that, "Street children as young as five are being caged in brutal detention centres alongside adult criminals in a cynical drive to smarten up the Philippines capital ahead of a visit by Pope Francis this week. Hundreds of boys and girls have been rounded up from doorways and roadsides by police and officials and put behind bars in recent weeks to make the poverty-racked city more presentable when Pope Francis arrives tomorrow, a MailOnline investigation has found. In a blatant abuse of the country's own child protection laws, the terrified children are locked up in...

On Sunday, millions of French citizens peacefully marched through the streets of Paris in solidarity with Charlie Hebdo, the satirical magazine attacked by Islamic extremists last week, in what French officials have described as the largest demonstration in the country's history. But this was far from the only response to the days of terror that rocked France. In the first 48 hours after the Charlie Hebdo attack, there were nearly 15 anti-Muslim attacks across France, according to British anti-Islamophobia group Tell MAMA UK.The majority of the attacks targeted mosques and other Islamic prayer centers throughout France, including: — Three blank...

Florida State Senator Bandes aims to restore a portion of second amendment rights in the state.   A quirk in the State law prevents people from taking their firearms with them during emergencies, including mandated emergency evacuations.  Here is the stated purpose of SB 290.From flsenate.gov: 1 A bill to be entitled 2 An act relating to carrying a concealed weapon or a 3 concealed firearm; amending s. 790.01, F.S.; providing 4 an exemption from criminal penalties for carrying a 5 concealed weapon or a concealed firearm when 6 evacuating pursuant to a mandatory evacuation order 7 during a declared...

There’s been little heat so far in Kentucky over hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, a technique of drilling for oil and natural gas that has caused division elsewhere in the country, but now the controversy has gushed up here. The potential to develop a vast underground shale layer that curves from the northeastern part of the state through Central Kentucky has sparked increased interest among oil and gas companies within the last 18 months. Companies signed hundreds of additional oil and gas leases with landowners in 2014, according to local officials. Much of the interest has been in Lawrence, Johnson and...

Jaqueline Kegan, the woman in the love triangle. In New York, a defense of self and others shooting case has been resolved after nearly two and a half years.   Jaqueline Kegan had a son with, and apparently had been living with Paul J. Wells for a considerable time.  The son was 18 years old.  She became romantically involved with Ralph C. Runnalls and they were married a week before the shooting.   Jaqueline was 43, Wells was 55, and Runnalls was 67.  The son convinced Kegan to return home.  The father, Wells, became concerned and borrowed two pistols, a .22...

It is important not to lie to the Sheriff, or to other peace officers.  Remember, you have the right to keep silent.  It is far better to keep silent, or to say "I want to cooperate with the Sheriff, but my lawyer has told me not to make a statement until I talk to him. In this incident, in Sedgwick County, Kansas, many people were skeptical about the story originally told by the home owner.   From kwch.com: Moments later, the resident told authorities he heard gunshots. When he looked out his window, he said he saw the man lying...

While things have obviously not returned entirely to normal in and around Ferguson, Missouri, people have to eventually get back to the normal business of day to day life. This includes the police, apparently, who had a lot of loose ends to tie up following all of the lawlessness and mayhem. Rod Kackley at PJ Media caught wind of some recent efforts by the St. Louis County PD to catch up with some of the looters via social media. But while the drama between legal minds plays out, St. Louis County, Mo., police officers enlisted the aid of the department’s...

Since August, when unarmed teenager Michael Brown was killed by police officer Darren Wilson in Ferguson, Mo., young people have rallied in the streets of Ferguson, New York, Oakland, Los Angeles and other cities across the nation and the world. In Long Beach, young people recently began organizing around the slogan #BlackLivesMatter, a campaign born in 2012 after Trayvon Martin’s killer, George Zimmerman, was acquitted of murder charges. Throughout, music has been an undeniable part of the protests, the latest reminder that when used the right way, music can inspire social change. “Music can be considered the heartbeat of social...

The $1.5 billion CityLine development, which will begin opening this year, will bring more dining, shopping and entertainment options to Richardson, but officials say it’s also the kind of project that will bring long-term economic benefits to the city. By September, the mixed-use project, which will be anchored by State Farm Insurance and Raytheon Co., will have a daytime population of 10,000 people, according to KDC, developer of the project on the southeast corner of Central Expressway and the Bush Turnpike. This month, workers will start moving into the first of State Farm’s four office towers. Several restaurants, including Coal...

Dallas-Fort Worth and three other Texas metro areas continued to outperform the nation in job growth in November. The Dallas-Fort Worth and Houston areas continued to see the nation’s fastest growing employment among metropolitan areas for the 12 months through November, according to data released today by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The Houston area added 125,300 jobs in that time frame, followed by Dallas-Fort Worth (111,500 jobs) and the New York area (107,900 jobs). Midland (6.2 percent) and Odessa (+4.7 percent) saw the largest year-over-year percentage gains in employment in November. Overall, November employment increased in the last...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two members of the Tuskegee Airmen — the famed all-black squadron that flew in World War II — died on the same day. The men, lifelong friends who enlisted together, were 91 Clarence E. Huntley Jr. and Joseph Shambrey died on Jan. 5 in their Los Angeles homes, relatives said Sunday. Read more: http://www.kfiam640.com/onair/sunday-morning-news-53724/2-tuskegee-airmen-die-in-los-13137991/#ixzz3OZePjlqO

Betar militants gear up for action as Paris closes Jewish market after hostage situation in kosher supermarket. Jewish activists in Paris, part of the 90-year-old youth Zionist movement called Betar, are preparing themselves for action, as Jewish communities eye unfolding events in Paris cautiously. The 4iéme district in Paris, home to the Rue des Rosier, demanded on Friday that shops in the well-known Jewish market pull down their shutters. The action came as suspected Islamic militants held a number of people hostage in a suburban kosher supermarket to the east of Paris, with other militants holding people hostage in a...

Montana officer Grant Morrison was found not culpable for shooting Richard Ramirez to death during a traffic stop last April, claiming he feared for his life because he thought Ramirez' hand was reaching for a nonexistent weapon. After much testimony from police officers about what a bad guy Ramirez was and how he was high on meth, despite video evidence (below) that provides no evidence for Morrison's assertion other than that he was aggressive and high strung and hostile, but does show him continuing to shout bullying orders after opening fire and taking nearly a minute to call for medical...

In the basement of a Portland hotel Friday, a room full of members of the American Name Society gathered for their big annual event: voting on the name of the year for 2014. They nominated and spoke for and against the names of people, places and things that mattered last year before a decisive vote. By a 15-vote margin over the other finalists, “Ferguson” became their name of the year. Ferguson, of course, is the name the St. Louis suburb where a police officer shot and killed teenager Michael Brown last year, setting off weeks of racially charged unrest around...

3 years ago, Jared Bretherick was cruising in a car with his family close to Orlando when another vehicle, steered by Derek Dunning, nearly sideswiped their car. A brief confrontation ensued, during which Bretherick’s father dialed 911 and unveiled a holstered weapon. Dunning got back inside his car and began backing it up toward the Brethericks. When officers arrived at the scene, Bretherick was aiming his father’s gun at Dunning’s vehicle. He was detained, arrested and charged with aggravated assault. In Bretherick’s first court hearing, he pursued legal immunity under Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law. The statute, which attracted national...

Jeff Preach, above, is 63.  He believed that his days as a high school football center were long gone.   He has been a pillar of his community, town council member, a Lions Club president, president of the Chamber of Commerce, member of the Violin Canyon Corporation.  He lives in a large house on a dirt road in the country near Castaic, California.   Confused motorists have often stopped and asked for directions, according to a commenter who claimed to be related.   It was about 10:30 on Sunday night when he answered the door.    From abc7.com: "I opened the...

Sen. Ted Cruz's father, Rafael Cruz, has joined the effort to repeal LGBT protections in Plano, Texas. The elder Cruz, who lives in nearby Carrollton, spoke Wednesday at a press conference in Plano (above) organized by the Texas Pastor Council, the shadowy Houston-based group that's leading a petition drive to overturn Plano's recently passed Equal Rights Ordinance. From The Dallas Morning News' report on the press conference: "This is an attack on Judeo-Christian beliefs in America," Cruz told a Plano crowd. "It's time people of faith become involved in the political arena." ... Mike Buster, executive pastor of Prestonwood Baptist...