Free Republic

PAYSON, Utah (ABC4) — Several students and adults participated in an hours-long walkout from Utah’s Mt. Nebo Middle School on Wednesday. The reason for the protest? Furries. A petition was started online on Sunday with an initial target of 500 signatures — a number of signatures that was reached by Wednesday, prompting the goal to increase to 1,000 signatures. The reason for the protest? Furries. A petition was started online on Sunday with an initial target of 500 signatures — a number of signatures that was reached by Wednesday, prompting the goal to increase to 1,000 signatures. The description for...

In an unprecedented achievement, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force, has announced that through its “ACE” program the X-62A “VISTA” has become the first autonomous fighter jet in the world to successfully engage in aerial dogfighting maneuvers against a manned F-16. This historic event marks a significant milestone in applying artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in combat scenarios, highlighting a radical advancement in military aviation technology. “The X-62A Team demonstrated that cutting-edge machine learning-based autonomy could be safely used to fly dynamic combat maneuvers,” Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall...

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - On Thursday, the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission announced a lawsuit against Sheetz, alleging the convenience store and gas chain of denying employment to a class of job application due to their race. The U.S. EEOC alleges that Sheetz has a practice of screening all applicants for records of criminal conviction and then denying them employment based on said record. The EEOC's charge claims that Sheetz disproportionally screened out applicants who are black, Native American, and multiracial.

A Pennsylvania Democrat providing a critical vote for his party in the state House is on the lam after allegedly violating a protective order related to abuse, authorities told The Post. Philadelphia police issued a warrant for state Rep. Kevin Boyle on Tuesday after the 44-year-old Democrat, who has struggled with mental health issues but is still on the ballot for a primary election next week, broke the Protection From Abuse Order, a department spokeswoman confirmed Wednesday afternoon. Democrats control the Pennsylvania House of Representatives by a razor-thin 102-101 majority, meaning his votes in absentia allow the party to pass...

After the social-media blowback that greeted the “Good Times” trailer, Netflix opted to premiere the show without making it available to critics. But the animated series that dropped April 12 merely underscores the pitfalls of leveraging a familiar title without a clear reason for doing so, yielding an edgy comedy that likely would have come and gone with scant notice without the weight of that name. In addition to the late Norman Lear – who fared considerably better with a “One Day at a Time” reboot – the roster of producers here includes Seth MacFarlane (“Ted,” “Family Guy”) and...

Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) : COVID, Ukraine, and Government Spying.

Heritage Auctions Executive Vice President Joe Maddalena (L) and Eugene “Rod” Roddenberry Jr., son of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry, shake hands in front of the starship Enterprise model used in the original series' opening credits. Photo by Josh David/Heritage Auctions April 18 (UPI) -- The original model of the starship Enterprise has returned to the family of Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry. Heritage Auctions last week returned the long-lost model, featured in the original Star Trek series' opening credits, to Eugene "Rod" Roddenberry Jr., CEO of Roddenberry Entertainment and son of the late Gene Roddenberry, the company announced...

Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg’s prosecutors on Thursday claimed Trump violated the court’s gag order ‘seven more times.’ Bragg’s office on Monday asked the court to impose a $1,000 sanction for each of the 3 prior Truth Social posts, order Trump to take them down, and warn him that further violations would result in jail time. The DA’s office was referring to was related to a New York Post article bashing Michael Cohen as a “serial perjurer.” On Thursday, prosecutors claimed Trump violated the gag order seven more times since Monday when he quoted Fox News host Jesse Watters. Trump posted...

HIALEAH GARDENS, FL—On the 63rd anniversary of the tragic Bay of Pigs invasion, Governor Ron DeSantis signed a bill into law requiring school instruction on the history and evils of communism beginning in the 2026-2027 school year. "We're gonna tell the truth about communism in the state of Florida. We're gonna tell the truth about the evils of communism," DeSantis said at a Wednesday morning press conference. "We're gonna tell the truth about the unprecedented death toll of the 20th century at the hands of communist tyranny—100 million killed at the hands of communist regimes spreading from China to the...

@RonWyden As the longest serving member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, I can say with confidence that this bill is the biggest expansion of the government's warrantless surveillance power since the PATRIOT Act. I'm still doing everything in my power to stop it passing the Senate.

WICHITA, Kan. (KWCH) - Congressman Jake LaTurner, who represents Kansas’ second district in the U.S. House, said he will not run for re-election. The Republican lawmaker released the following statement on Thursday: “I will proudly serve the remainder of the 118th Congress, but after much prayer and consideration, I will not seek reelection this Fall. The people of Kansas who elected me to serve in the United States House of Representatives have given me the professional honor of my life, but it is time to pursue other opportunities and have the benefit of spending more time with my family. Suzanne...

A second seated juror was dismissed on Thursday after they were sworn in by the judge presiding over the Stormy Daniels ‘hush money’ trial. One juror on Thursday was already excused from service after she admitted to concerns about her impartiality upon being officially sworn in by Judge Juan Merchan. “Yesterday alone, I had friends and family push things to me,” the first dismissed juror stated. “I don’t think at this point that I can be fair and unbiased.” A second juror was dismissed over his past arrest. Details of juror number 4’s criminal past were not disclosed. NBC News...

Police are searching for a man who violently attacked a woman and stole her purse as she was walking home in San Fernando earlier this week after buying flowers for her mother. The incident occurred at around 3 p.m. Monday in the 200 block of Park Avenue, according to Lt. Walter Dominguez, of the San Fernando Police Department. Juliana Murillo said she was walking to her apartment after buying flowers for her mother's birthday when she was suddenly pushed to the ground. “I was getting home and when I was about to go in, I got attacked by a man,”...

BIDEN: "Are you ready to choose freedom over democracy? Because that's America!"

In his first speech as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Mike Johnson sounded like a preacher in a pulpit: “I believe that Scripture, the Bible, is very clear that God is the one who raises up those in authority,” he began. “He raised up each of you, all of us. And I believe that God has ordained and allowed each one of us to be brought here for this specific moment and this time.” It was the kind of public piety and Baptist Bible-speak that folks in Johnson’s scarlet-red Louisiana district like to hear from those they send...

Newly released emails between a top colleague of Dr. Anthony Fauci and the president of a non-governmental organization being funded to conduct coronavirus research in Wuhan, China, said the group had over 700 identified but un-sequenced coronaviruses in its lab when its government grant was first pulled in 2020. On Tuesday, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., highlighted a series of email exchanges between Fauci's top adviser, Dr. David Morens, and EcoHealth Alliance President Dr. Peter Daszak that showed Daszak feared permanently losing government funding. An April 2020 email from Morens alleged that Fauci was "fully aware" and "involved in some sort...

As it stands, liberal Arizona voting laws have paved the way for non-citizens, whether they are legal or not, to register for and cast a ballot in the 2024 presidential election. U.S. Air Force master sergeant Nick Kupper, who is one of several state legislature candidates vying for a seat in the Arizona House of Representatives’ District 25. While the voting laws do not affect his run for office, he is gravely concerned about the upcoming presidential race. “In Arizona,” Kupper said, “even if the state can’t verify whether you’re a citizen, people can still assert that they are citizens.”...

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed a bill Thursday that will allow universities in the state to pay athletes directly for NIL endorsements. Before putting his signature on the bill, Youngkin said HB 1505, which won't take effect until July 1, helps Virginia schools be competitive in athletics and provides a level of added oversight: ESPN's Dan Murphy noted it's the first piece of legislation by a state that would nullify the NCAA's rules regarding how athletes are compensated for NIL deals. Rather than schools paying student-athletes NIL money directly, they've often leaned on independent collectives in which major boosters and...

@elonmusk Given the relentless attacks on free speech, I am going to fund a national signature campaign in support of the First Amendment

Allman Brothers guitarist Dickey Betts dies aged 80: Musician best known for group's hit song Ramblin' Man passed away 'peacefully' at Florida home. Guitarist Dickey Betts died at the age of 80 in his Florida home on Thursday. Betts wrote some of the bands most famous songs including Ramblin' Man. Betts is known for writing some of The Allman Brothers most famous songs including 'In Memory of Elizabeth Reed,' 'Blue Sky,' and their only Top Ten hit, 'Ramblin' Man.'