Free Republic

Officials said there is no threat of an explosion or chemical leak.All evacuation orders tied to a failing chemical tank in Southern California that sparked fears of a catastrophic explosion have been lifted, local authorities announced Tuesday evening.The Orange County Fire Authority said in a social media post that officials have determined there is no threat of an explosion, fire or chemical leak and no risk to the public.On Monday, officials announced the evacuation zone was shrinking after the "worst-case scenario" of a catastrophic explosion had been averted. But about 16,000 people remained under evacuation orders.Earlier Tuesday, officials said the...

SACRAMENTO, California — Gavin Newsom vowed Wednesday to tax any payouts that California residents receive from a $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund that Donald Trump secured in a settlement with his own Justice Department, as Democratic lawmakers in states across the country ramp up efforts to counter the president on the measure.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said Wednesday that his administration will seek to impose a 100 percent tax on any California residents who receive money from President Donald Trump’s newly created $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization” fund. Speaking to reporters, Newsom denounced the fund as a “slush fund” and pledged to block Californians from financially benefiting from it. “Anyone from California that receives any of those funds, we want to tax 100 percent of those proceeds,” Newsom said during a press conference. “He pardoned all of those folks that were beating up cops and absolved them, providing them 1.776 billion dollars,” Newsom said....

This video discusses reality TV personality Spencer Pratt's appearance on the daytime talk show The View and his campaign for mayor of Los Angeles. The host of the video argues that Pratt successfully shifted the conversation from celebrity gossip to the stark reality of urban decline in Los Angeles. Key takeaways from the interview: Critique of LA Leadership: Pratt focuses on the observable deterioration of Los Angeles streets, citing issues like homelessness, drug addiction, and public safety concerns, while criticizing officials like Karen Bass and Gavin Newsom for what he describes as failed, performative leadership (0:28-0:43, 6:13-7:17). Authenticity vs. Politics:...

The risk of a catastrophic explosion at a damaged chemical tank in Southern California has been eliminated following a close overnight inspection that confirmed a crack in the tank relieved pressure and cooled the chemical, authorities said Monday. Officials said crews conducted tank temperature checks at night to reduce risks to firefighters, avoiding daytime operations when heat from the tank made conditions around it most dangerous. The overnight mission allowed crews to verify the crack and confirm temperatures were falling, Orange County Fire Authority division chief Craig Covey said Monday morning. Covey said the results of overnight evaluation of the...

Gavin Newsom has pleaded with Donald Trump for help in containing the Orange County chemical plant as officials warned there was still a risk of catastrophe. The California governor asked the president to issue a federal emergency declaration to bring in more support as the Garden Grove disaster continued into a fifth day. It comes as officials on Sunday revealed they had found a crack in the container that could be easing pressure in what they described as a “critically positive” moment. Meanwhile around 50,000 people have had their lives upended amid a mandatory evacuation zone in the immediate area,...