Author: Mandy Matthews

House Democrats attacked Virginia GOP Rep. Jen Kiggans after she agreed with a radio host who told House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries to get his “cotton-picking hands off of Virginia.” The backlash landed quickly, predictable and loud from the Democratic side, but the moment was simple: a radio host used a blunt phrase and Rep. Jen Kiggans signaled agreement. Democrats seized the line as evidence of insensitivity, and the media amplified the dispute into a bigger story than the words alone might justify. For Republicans, the episode highlights inconsistent outrage and a growing tendency to weaponize language in political fights.…

Republican senators released records Monday that they said showed the Biden Justice Department had a “double standard” in its handling of allegations of tax evasion and potential human trafficking. Republican lawmakers made those records public to press a simple point: equal justice under law should not bend for political friends. They argue the documents show inconsistent application of standards and selective enforcement when cases involve powerful, well-connected figures. That claim has become the focal point of GOP criticism aimed squarely at the Justice Department and the Biden administration. The release on Monday pushed the debate from closed-door briefings into the…

This piece examines how a local school system is relying on artificial intelligence tools that carry biased patterns, what that means for students and families, and the practical concerns that arise when public education adopts technology without enough scrutiny. The school district ignores the anti-white biases of many AI tools. That reality sits at the center of a wider problem: schools are adopting automated systems for grading, counseling, screening and administrative decisions without fully understanding how those systems weigh race, language and background. When decision-making is outsourced to opaque algorithms, the people who face the consequences are families and children…

A quick look at how small, everyday rituals stitch families together and build lasting bonds. Those small gestures, like a handwritten Mother’s Day card tucked into a bouquet of flowers, a favorite family recipe passed down through generations, or simply gathering around the dinner table together, do more than mark moments. They act as repeating signals that say who belongs, what matters, and how people are loved. Rituals create a predictable rhythm in lives that are often messy and unpredictable, and that predictability gives kids and adults alike something reliable to hold on to. When a family keeps coming back…

An 18-year-old social media influencer in Sarasota County was arrested on 15 counts of possessing child sexual abuse material after his girlfriend found the images on his phone, and the case raises questions about platform use, audience reach, and prosecution. An 18-year-old influencer with roughly 350,000 TikTok followers was taken into custody in Sarasota County, Florida, after material depicting the sexual abuse of children was discovered on his phone. Authorities say the discovery came about on April 30 when his then-girlfriend went through his Telegram messages while he was asleep. The investigation has led to 15 felony counts tied to…

The Trump administration has moved into a more aggressive deportation phase, signaling a broad push to remove noncitizens with final orders and expand interior enforcement under what officials are calling “phase II” deportations. The shift is meant to target people who have already been ordered removed as well as those deemed high priority for public-safety reasons. Officials describe this as an escalation beyond border expulsions, aiming to use existing immigration law and enforcement tools more assertively. That posture reflects a desire to restore strict consequence-based immigration policy. Operationally, the campaign relies on stepped-up work by ICE and Customs and Border…

Brian Glenn, long a fixture in conservative coverage, is leaving his role as White House correspondent for Real America’s Voice, closing a decades-long television career while leaving questions about his next steps and the network’s plan to replace him. Brian Glenn announced his exit from Real America’s Voice after nearly two years as the network’s chief White House correspondent, ending a TV career that began in 1989. He shared a farewell on X without offering a reason, and network leadership confirmed the departure with praise and well wishes. The news comes as Glenn is engaged to former Georgia Republican Rep.…

The United Arab Emirates reported active intercepts of Iranian missiles and drones amid a sharp regional escalation, with U.S. and Iranian forces exchanging fire in the nearby waters, raising urgent questions about defense, deterrence, and protecting commercial traffic through the Strait of Hormuz. The United Arab Emirates said Friday its air defense systems were actively intercepting Iranian ballistic missiles and drones, one day after the U.S. and Iranian forces traded fire in the Strait of Ho. UAE officials presented their action as a defensive measure to protect populated areas and key infrastructure. Local military spokespeople emphasized readiness and coordination with…

The U.S. added 115,000 jobs in April, the government said, a report that far exceeded forecasts and marked the second straight month of large gains. This April jobs number landed stronger than many expected and deserves attention from anyone who cares about the economy. It shows hiring is still happening at a pace that surprised forecasters, and it gives policymakers and business leaders fresh data to chew on. The details matter less than the direction: employers are still adding workers, and that changes choices across the board. From a Republican perspective, this kind of report underscores the power of private-sector…

Ted Turner died Wednesday at his home near Tallahassee at the age of eighty-seven after a long battle with Lewy body dementia, leaving a complicated legacy as a builder, conservationist, and loud-voiced billionaire. Ted Turner was a builder at industrial scale, the kind of American entrepreneur who made whole industries and cities bend around his choices. He worked across cable television, professional sports, film preservation, and ranching with the same impatient energy, and he stayed rooted in Atlanta while doing it. That mix of creation and stubborn local loyalty is what set him apart from the more recent tech-focused billionaire…