Free Republic

James Levine, the guiding maestro of the Metropolitan Opera for more than 40 years and one of the world’s most influential and admired conductors until allegations of sexual abuse and harassment ended his career, died on March 9 in Palm Springs, Calif. He was 77. His death was confirmed on Wednesday morning by Dr. Len Horovitz, his physician. He did not specify the cause, and it was unclear why the death had not been announced earlier. Mr. Levine had been living in Palm Springs. After investigating accounts of sexual improprieties by Mr. Levine with younger men stretching over decades, the...

The United Auto Workers union has informed workers at the Avon Lake Ford plant that it plans to move a major project slated for 2023 from Northeast Ohio to its plant in Mexico. The letter, dated Friday, March 12, stated that Ford is going back on its agreement to build a “next-generation vehicle” at the Avon Lake plant in 2023. In 2019, the UAW says Ford promised to invest $900 million in a new project at the Avon Lake plant, that was set to begin production in 2023. The agreement also included a “complete revitalization” of the facility.

With the announcement that churches will be allowed 75 percent capacity, Bishop Thomas Tobin called for Catholics to come back to church. PROVIDENCE, RI — With Rhode Island's churches set to increase to 75 percent capacity next week, the bishop of the Diocese of Providence called for Catholics to return to weekly services. Bishop Thomas Tobin pointed out that the timing of the lifted restrictions — March 19 — coincides with St. Joseph's Day. "Our churches have been safe places to gather, and they are still," Tobin tweeted. "Our churches are open; it's time to come back, time to come...

Preliminary data suggest that states closed out calendar year 2020 with only $1.7 billion less revenue than they generated in 2019 (a decline of less than 0.2 percent), not counting federal assistance, while municipal governments actually experienced substantial revenue growth due to rising property values. Yet the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) sets aside $350 billion in additional state and local aid. Increasingly, federal proposals to provide a cash infusion for state and local governments has become a solution in search of a problem. Forty-three states and the District of Columbia have now published revenue data for all 12 months...

Belgian bishop lashes out at Vatican over gay unions decreeA Belgian bishop has lashed out at the Vatican over its decree that the Catholic Church won’t bless same-sex unionsBRUSSELS -- A Belgian bishop has lashed out at the Vatican over its decree that the Catholic Church won’t bless same-sex unions since God “cannot bless sin.”Antwerp Bishop Johan Bonny wrote in an opinion piece Wednesday that he feels “shame for my Church” and “intellectual and moral incomprehension” after Pope Francis approved the “negative” response to a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless same-sex unions. The official response...

S&P Futures 3,982.75 +8.75(+0.22%) Dow Futures 33,101.00 +84.00(+0.25%) Nasdaq Futures 13,234.00 +32.50(+0.25%) Russell 2000 Futures 2,339.00 +4.60(+0.20%)

If U.S. Customs and Border Protection personnel are intercepting more than 100,000 migrants a month as they try to illegally cross the southern border, how many more are able to make it through undetected? In recent days, there has been a whole bunch of news stories about the nightmarish border crisis that we are currently facing. Now that President Trump is out of the White House, vast numbers of migrants have been flooding toward our southern border over the past couple of months. They are desperate for a better life, and the perception that Joe Biden is implementing “open border...

MESA, AZ (3TV/CBS 5) -- Mesa police say a woman they arrested for refusing to pull over during a traffic stop told officers she did it because she "felt like it was the right thing to do." Mesa police say Hannah Clevenger was driving more than 70 miles per hour, weaving in and out of her lane, and splitting the lane line of two lanes with her car near Alma School Road and University Drive at about 2 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon. An officer pulled up behind her with his lights on. Mesa police say the officer watched as Clevenger...

With record gun sales this last year as police have been ordered to stand down and massive numbers of inmates have been released from jails and prisons, the importation of guns in 2020 also surged by about 60% over the previous year. With an estimated 22.8 million firearms sold last year, 6.4 million, or 28%, of those guns were likely imported. Given the Biden is very likely to impose a ban on the importation of modern sporting rifles, the already tight supply will likely get much worse.

Nikki Goeser, the CPRC’s Executive Director, was present for final passage of a bill that she inspired to create a lifetime order of protection. The order can be issued to a victim of certain felony offenses to prohibit the offender from coming about or communicating with the victim. The bill passed the House unanimously and had already passed the Senate unanimously. The bill now goes to Governor Bill Lee’s desk for signature. Once signed, the law will go into effect on July 1st.

Cumulus Media and Westwood One have agreed to terms with conservative commentator Dan Bongino to host a daily three-hour show from 12-3pm eastern. Bongino currently hosts a daily podcast for Westwood One that since March 2020 has been repurposed into a one-hour syndicated show on over 100 stations including 790 KABC Los Angeles and 560 KSFO San Francisco. The new show would air live in the timeslot currently held by Limbaugh on many if not all Cumulus owned Conservative Talk and News Talk stations. Bongino is a former NYPD officer and Secret Service agent turned conservative pundit and investor in...

On Thursday, March 11th, 2021, the House of Representatives passed two background check bills: Universal Background Checks (HR 8) and Closing the “Charleston Loophole” (HR 1446). Despite Democrats claims to the contrary, HR 1446 wouldn’t have stopped the Charleston church shooting (June 17, 2015). Congressman Thomas Massie (R-KY), the co-chair of the House Second Amendment Caucus, discusses how the background checks discriminate against poor minorities. How exceptions are made only for cases of “imminent” danger. HR 8 is the same as other bills that Michael Bloomberg’s gun control groups have pushed, and the concerns that we raised regarding this legislation...

Eighteen months ago, liberals attempted to link the spike in anti-Semitic hate crimes to white supremacist actions. New York City mayor Bill de Blasio and the ADL highlighted the activities of white supremacist groups in upstate New York, despite all of the assaults being in the New York City metropolitan area, overwhelmingly perpetrated by black men. This culminated with black men killing Jews in Jersey City and Monsey, New York. Attempts were then made to rationalize them away rather than focusing on the anti-Semitic beliefs of black-nationalist groups, including the Nation of Islam. The same dynamics seems to be unfolding...

Rosie O’Donnell is having some trouble selling her $6 million Saddle River mansion. The New Jersey property has been on the market for the past five years — and still can’t find a buyer, The Post can report. O’Donnell, 58, who is currently filming the new season of Showtime’s "The L Word," first bought the home in 2013 for $6.3 million. According to New Jersey property records, she decided to list the home two years later, in July 2015 for nearly $7 million. But with no offers, the former co-host of "The View" relisted the home at what would be...

With House Democrats passing two major gun control bills, the push for gun control moves to the Senate. With all the Senate Democrats and some Republicans supporting more gun control, whether gun control passes Congress depends on if the Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV) keeps his promise to maintain the filibuster. But Manchin is wobbling on that promise. While he previously said that he would “never” undo the filibuster, he apparently is willing to change the rules on what constitutes a filibuster.

More television bias against guns. You won’t see an entertainment television show that has a victim successfully using a gun defensively, and the latest episode of Blue Bloods is no different (Season 11, Episode 8, March 5, 2021). In that episode, a jewelry store owner tries to use a gun to stop a gang from robbing his store, and one of the robbers fatally shoots the store owner. The store owner doesn’t even get a shot off. If you watched entertainment television these days, you would never know that people use guns defensively some 2 million times a year. If...

Fit and trim President Trump with Georgia’s Vernon Jones today at Mar-a-Lago

The Tennessee State Senate unanimously passed the Lifetime Order of Protection Bill this week. The final vote will take place on Monday, March 15th on the House Floor. This bill is to help prevent victims of violent crimes from being re-victimized. My situation is only one example of why this legislation is needed here in TN. Unfortunately, there are other victims of horrific crimes in our state who need help also. On April 2, 2009, my life was turned upside down. Completely Shattered. My husband Ben was murdered in front of me by a man who was stalking me. This...

....In Ohio, we have the first legislature in the country to finally pass a meaningful limitation on emergency health powers through both chambers, with margins likely large enough to override a gubernatorial veto. Gov. Mike DeWine is irate that legislators think they have the power to check him in his capricious edicts governing the most intimate facets of human life and commerce. Yet despite his promise to veto the bill, every legislator in his own party will likely override his veto. Last week, the Ohio House and Senate passed the final version of SB 22, which would limit the scope...

With a number of states adopting Constitutional Carry laws, one of the issues that is coming up is what should the age limit be for those who carry. Of the 18 Constitutional Carry states, twelve allow people to carry guns at 18 years of age. One other state allows carrying at age 19. We have previously done research showing that 18 to 20 year olds are just as responsible at carrying as those who are 21 and older, though we can’t tell whether the results are similar for those who aren’t required to get a permit. If you count New...