Free Republic

DeWayne Craddock, a former public utilities worker whose name frequently appeared on city notices, was named as the mass shooter who opened fire at the Virginia Beach Municipal Center, leaving behind multiple victims, 12 of whom have died, in the nation’s latest horrific active shooter event. The Wall Street Journal reported that Craddock was the shooter; Heavy also confirmed the name through police scanner audio. Officers named DeWayne Craddock as the shooter to dispatchers early on in their response. The scene inside Building 2 was a frightening one; police scanner traffic chronicled how officers rushed to rescue victims, including at...

Washington (CNN)The Justice Department on Friday released a more complete transcript of a voice mail from Donald Trump's attorney John Dowd to Rob Kelner, the lawyer for Trump's former national security adviser Michael Flynn, where he sought information about Flynn's discussions with the special counsel on the eve of his cooperation deal.

While mowing grass the other day I spotted a red plastic straw someone had dropped at the edge of our property. I wasn't sure if I should report the incident to the Environmental Protection Agency or the Department of Defense.

There are no official acts of remembrance for the events of 1989 in Beijing. But that statement, although factually correct, is far too neutral.In truth, what happened in Tiananmen Square is marked faithfully each year by a massive, national act of what might more properly be called "forgettance".In the weeks leading up to 4 June, the world's biggest censorship machine goes into overdrive as a huge dragnet of automated algorithms and tens of thousands of human expurgators cleanse the internet of any reference, however oblique.Those deemed to have been too provocative in their attempts to evade the controls can be...

The owner of two raccoon dogs is hoping for the safe return of his animals — which he argues aren't the menacing creatures some are making them out to be. One of the two escaped creatures was seen terrorizing residents and their pets in the U.K. village of Clarborough in Nottinghamshire earlier this week, SWNS reported. However, the owner of the raccoon dogs told the BBC he “just wants them back safe.” "They have escaped and that is my mistake but it's important people don't think these animals are especially dangerous," the owner, who wished to remain anonymous, told the...

Orange County Commissioner Mark Marcoplos told the INDY Thursday that he’ll ask his colleagues to raises taxes to fund projects aimed at mitigating the effects of climate change. The property tax hike he’s proposing for the county’s 2019–20 budget—which commissioners will vote on June 18—isn’t likely to cause sticker shock: It’s only a quarter-cent increase for every $100 in assessed value, or about $5 a year for a $200,000 property. (Orange County’s current millage rate, 85 cents per $100 of value, is higher than those of Durham and Wake Counties—78 cents and 65 cents, respectively—though that comparison does not include...

Our 'Greeneyes' has been FOUND, but she is STILL having computer issues, so I have been asked to keep the Weekly Garden Thread rolling until she returns. That said, I will be posting once a week, and I will TRY to stick to her schedule of a Friday Night/Saturday Morning Weekly Post, but it depends upon what is going on here at MY farm. (It's Spring; it's BUSY!) The Weekly Gardening Thread is a weekly gathering of folks that love soil, seeds and plants of all kinds. From complete newbies that are looking to start that first potted plant, to...

Nuncio's non-cooperation confirms Pope's lack of seriousness in tackling abuseLONDON (ChurchMilitant.com) - The Vatican's reluctance to release evidence on sex abuse cases could spark off a diplomatic row between Britain and the Holy See, the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has warned. At its preliminary hearing on Thursday, the inquiry said that it had so far received no evidence from the apostolic nuncio, Abp. Edward J. Adams, but would continue to pursue this matter with the Holy See with the assistance of Britain's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). The victims' solicitors for the investigation, which is examining the...

Self defense tips and self defense training isn't something to take lightly. Just because you have one tool, doesn't mean you are done. Consider integrating martial arts, security habits, security systems, situational awareness (and awareness in general) and many other great tips to create 3 solid layers of self defense for women and men. 10 minute videp

Maryland Democratic Rep. Elijah Cummings’ wife is breaking the law by not revealing financial disclosures about her nonprofit, an uninvolved legal expert told The Daily Caller News Foundation. Maya Rockeymoore Cummings runs a nonprofit called the Center for Global Policy Solutions that is closely intertwined with a for-profit consulting firm, Global Policy Solutions LLC. The nonprofit has received millions of dollars from groups with interests before the congressman’s committee, potentially buying them favorable treatment, according to a complaint filed with the IRS by the National Legal and Policy Center (NLPC). At least three different groups have requested the forms, and...

Several old towers and the wall of the famous Donskoy Monastery in Moscow will be restored, Mosocw mayor Sergei Sobyanin said after visiting the monastery and examining the architectural ensemble. Funds will be allocated from the city budget for the restoration of 8 towers and 14 sections of the wall, reports Interfax-Religion. “In Russia, there are not so many active monasteries that survived the Time of Troubles, the war with Napoleon, and the early Soviet years. One such historical monument is Donskoy Monastery. It is a pearl of Moscow. Our entire history is connected with,” the mayor said, reports...

    ***** Tunes For Our Troops ~ John Denver ~ ***** ~ Support The Artists ~   Support the artists you hear throughout the Canteen! Click on the links below! Keep the music going! ArtistDirect l  Internet Radio l  AOL Music l  Sonique (Lycos) l  Real Radio Live365 l  971TheRiver  l  GotRadio  l  Wherehouse  l  Target  l Shoutcast AFRTS l  VH1 l XM Radio l  BET l  audiophile l  Virgin Radio l  Soma (Alternative) Acaza l AudioRealm l VH1 l  Yahoo! Launch Music l  Radio Disney l  Live-Radio Net ITunes l Amazon l Salsa Radio l MTV l...

Des Moines, Iowa, May 29, 2019 / 04:10 pm (CNA).- Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) has said that she disputes Church teaching on the priesthood, sexuality, and abortion. The Democratic presidential candidate made the comments while discussing her own beliefs in an interview for Iowa Public Radio's NPR Politics Podcast on Wednesday. Gillibrand was raised in the Church and said she still “identifies” as a Catholic, even though she attends religious services at non-Catholic churches. The senator said she disagrees with Catholic teaching on “many things,” listing abortion, LGBT issues, and the all-male priesthood as points of dissent. “I think [the...

A Benton, Illinois, mother was shocked when she saw a kid’s shirt she had ordered for her three-year-old daughter from a Chinese retailer featured an iconic NWA lyric: "F*** the police." Kelsey Dawn Williamson, 23, told BuzzFeed News that while the shirt certainly doesn’t represent her daughter's view of police enforcement, she still can't stop laughing at the situation. Williamson believed that the order she placed through AliExpress would feature just the characters of the classic children's books, Frog and Toad by Arnold Lobel. The mother has ordered from the retailer before for her daughter, Salem, and has never experienced...

Fueled by tremendous creative output by groundbreaking artists and now more than 50 million paid subscriptions, the U.S. music industry experienced its third year of consecutive growth in 2018 with retail revenues up 12% to $9.8 billion. Streaming now comprises 75% of total industry revenues. Vinyl continues to be a bright spot for the physical market, up 8% to $419 million, the highest revenue level since 1988.

Pope Francis said Sweden is a model of good immigration policy and is “full of Latin Americans.”The issue of immigration is “a priority in the world today,” the pope said in an extensive interview released Tuesday by Vatican News, and in his mind Sweden is an example of immigration done right. “I always put forward the example of Sweden, which I know very well,” Francis said, since they took in many Latin Americans and Argentinians in the 1970s and later. “Sweden is full of Latin Americans,” he said. “They received them all; they had the organization and in two days...

If Congress doesn’t act, Americans’ taxes will automatically increase in the coming years. The 2017 tax cuts are temporary, and some of those taxes are scheduled to start increasing in three years’ time. Last year, American families of four saw their taxes cut by an average of $3,000. The typical taxpayers benefited from getting to keep about $1,400 more of their hard-earned money. One of the most important parts of the tax cuts, which support new business investments for workers and jobs, begins to expire after 2022. Three years after that, taxes increase on personal income. As deficits increase to...

ORLANDO, Fla. - President Donald Trump plans to officially announce that he's seeking re-election in 2020 at a rally at the Amway Center on June 18. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer's press secretary, Cassandra Lafser, confirmed to News 6 that the Trump campaign signed an agreement Friday afternoon with the Orlando Venues Department to rent the Amway Center for $145,000. The Amway Center can hold 20,000 people. "I will be announcing my Second Term Presidential Run with First Lady Melania, Vice President Mike Pence, and Second Lady Karen Pence on June 18th in Orlando, Florida, at the 20,000 seat Amway Center....

Lampedusa, Francis’ Great Symbol, Has Fallen The 6000 inhabitants of the Italian island of Lampedusa, between Malta and the Tunisia, have turned their back to Pope Francis. They overwhelmingly voted for the Catholic Matteo Salvini and his Lega which is fighting illegal immigration. The Lega received 45%, Salvini 410 personal votes, his leftwing opponent 250. Francis and his spin-machine have worked hard against the Lega, simultaneously promoting the pro-decadence ex-Communists who are pushed by the oligarchs. Since the early 2000s, Lampedusa, has become a prime destination for human traffickers Importing illegal immigrants from Africa, Arabia and Asia into Italy. In...

Aubrey Garcia, a 7-year-old girl from Plainville, Kansas, had a crowd of people in tears of joy as she pushed her way through her first-ever track race, a 50-meter dash, on May 14. Her mom, Chelsea Garcia, watched as Aubrey stumbled at one point, but kept going, her determined grit shining through as she pushed forward in her leg braces one step at a time. “I don’t even know how to describe how we felt to watch her accomplish something like this,” she told Runner’s World. “It was just breathtaking to see something happen that you never thought you would...