The city commission in Winter Haven, Florida voted this week to stop adding fluoride to the drinking water, citing President-elect Donald Trump's nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be the Secretary of "H-something-something" as one of the reasons. On Thursday, the former-and-future president announced his intention to nominate Kennedy as Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, a controversial decision due to Kennedy's long history of promoting conspiracy theories and misinformation about vaccines and other health topics, including water fluoridation. According to a report by local NBC affiliate WFLA, the Winter Haven commissioners "voted 3-2 to remove the fluoride by January 1, or on a date as soon as reasonably practical thereafter,'" at a commission meeting that included "a lengthy public comment period where residents shared health concerns."
President-elect Donald Trump's defense secretary pick, Pete Hegseth, paid a woman who accused him of sexual assault in a settlement agreement that included a confidentiality clause, according to Hegseth's attorney. Attorney Timothy Parlatore said Hegseth denies assaulting the woman and has characterized the October 2017 incident in Monterey, California as a "consensual sexual encounter." Monterey city officials last week confirmed that local police had investigated "an alleged sexual assault" involving Hegseth. The city declined to release information about the victim and said it would not release the full police report or comment further on the investigation, citing state public records law.
President-elect Donald Trump's transition team is planning to kill the $7,500 consumer tax credit for electric-vehicle purchases as part of broader tax-reform legislation, two sources with direct knowledge of the matter told Reuters.
Ending the tax credit could have grave implications for an already stalling U.S. EV transition. And yet representatives of Tesla (TSLA.O), opens new tab - by far the nation's biggest EV maker - have told a Trump-transition committee they support ending the subsidy, said the two sources, speaking on condition of anonymity.
The Trump transition team is compiling a list of senior current and former U.S. military officers who were directly involved in the withdrawal from Afghanistan and exploring whether they could be court-martialed for their involvement, according to a U.S. official and a person familiar with the plan. Read more
Donald Trump's allies have been told to stop saying the quiet part out loud. Rolling Stone reports that MAGA associates have been asked to stop using the word "camps" to describe potential facilities that would be used to house people rounded up in a massive deportation operation.
With Republicans sweeping to a red trifecta in last week's elections, stunningly capturing the White House and majorities in the House and Senate, Sen. Majority Leader Chuck Schumer is cutting a different tone, compared to his pre-election hype where he posited a Democrat win in the Senate and then potentially getting rid of the filibuster, among other radical proposals. Ending the filibuster rule " which requires 60 votes to pass bills " would have made it easier for Democrats to supercharge their agenda and essentially railroad any Republican opposition. Schumer and the Democrats tried to kill the filibuster in 2022 when they had 50 votes " the vice president could have broken the tie " but Senators Joe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema refused to toe the Democratic party line. They eventually became Independents.
Trump's defense secretary pick was flagged by a security manager as a potential insider threat' "
Days ahead of Joe Biden's 2021 inauguration, National Guard Master Sgt. DeRicko Gaither received what he describes as a disturbing email about then-Maj. Pete Hegseth, who was about to help provide security at the event. Read more
The Chicago City Council on Thursday unanimously rejected Mayor Brandon Johnson's proposed $300 million property tax hike, forcing the mayor and his budget team to go back to the drawing board to balance the city budget for 2025. Aldermen scheduled a special meeting for Thursday to vote on Johnson's tax hike plan, and voted unanimously to reject it without debate. "It's a devastating loss for Mayor Johnson," Ald. Scott Waguespack (32nd) said after Thursday's vote. "I've been here going on 17 years. I've never seen this kind of vote take place, and I think in many of our lifetimes, we've never seen this. So it sends a message that that massive property tax increase he was looking for is not going to happen." "We needed to send a message today that weren't going to balance this budget on property taxes, working families," said Ald. Bill Conway (34th).
Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said Saturday he will no longer attend the funeral for fallen CPD Officer Enrique Martinez at his family's request. Johnson released statement on Saturday afternoon, saying, "I heard from the family and am honoring their request and will no longer plan to attend the honors funeral services. This has been an emotional two weeks for the loved ones of Officer Martinez, the Chicago Police Department, and the city of Chicago. We all want to do right by Officer Martinez and give his family and the CPD family space to grieve. The focus must remain on Officer Martinez, his loved ones, and the CPD as our city continues to honor his ultimate sacrifice and legacy of service." Read more
Y'all be careful out there. Don't be getting trolled by cute little Tweets
The 15th class of America's Best Young Farmers and Ranchers was announced Thursday, Nov. 14, by DTN/Progressive Farmer. The annual award recognizes five farmers and ranchers who best represent the pioneering promises of American agriculture -- farmers and ranchers who are innovative and imaginative and who work to improve their communities.
Donald Trump's former vice president called the nomination of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services "deeply concerning to millions of Pro-Life Americans."
The Public Health Agency of Canada confirmed earlier this week that a British Columbia teen has been hospitalized marking the nation's first domestically acquired human case of H5N1 avian influenza, otherwise known as the bird flu.
The New York Post editorial board slammed President-elect Donald Trump's choice of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, calling the secretary-designate "nuts on a lot of fronts." Read more
