Free Republic

WASHINGTON, D.C. — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) today released the following statement upon the 6th Circuit’s stay on the “Waters of the United States” rule, which allows litigation over the legality of the rule to proceed before implementation:“The 6th Circuit’s order to halt implementation of the EPA’s new ‘Waters of the United States’ rule is a win for all Americans, but especially for farmers, ranchers, and landowners in the state of Texas. Today’s order is also an important step toward curbing the federal government’s relentless intrusion on the states—power grabs that have become standard practice for President Obama’s EPA....

An Oregon couple has been told they must destroy a 2-acre pond on their land — the property’s most attractive feature — because the government said so. Although Jon and Sabrina Carey purchased the 10-acre property near Butte Falls two and a half years ago, the pond has been in place for 40 years — but that fact doesn’t matter to the Jackson County Watermaster’s Office. “I basically bought a lemon,” said Jon, who became teary-eyed at the edge of the partially ice-covered body of water being targeted by government, in an interview with the Mail Tribune. “That’s how they...

There are people who definitely are a bit too attached to their smartphone, but this determined German schoolboy is in another league entirely. A boy enjoying a fishing trip with a group of friends accidentally dropped his iPhone over the side of the boat – so he decided to drain the entire pond. The 16-year-old took matters into his own hands after the angling club refused to let him use his diving suit to retrieve the device, sneaking back later that night armed with a powerful pump and two hoses. ‘I thought two pumps would drain enough of the water...

John Harrigan: ‘Reclaiming’ ponds is dirty word to some You’re fishing your favorite trout pond, one you’ve fished for 50 years, and suddenly something hits your fly trolling back there 70 feet or so, and you drift while you strip your line in. And there on the hook is not a trout, but a smallmouth bass, about as welcome in this scenario as a skunk at a picnic. There is a great dichotomy among people who love to fish. On one side are people who think warm-water species — pickerel, bass, perch — are the greatest thing since sliced bread....