This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
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It’s the lost heritage the patriot craves today: the traditional kind of small-town, Southern charm marked by porch swings, county fairs, and main streets. A place where the children are welcome in nearly every setting. Where stores close on Sundays. Where it is the norm to run into a familiar face. This America isn&#8217;t gone; it&#8217;s alive and well in Franklin, Tennessee.
At the town square, a teenage girl sings to an ambling crowd as they window shop for homegrown goods, and a young boy with a violin reminds the older generations of simpler times. There are Victorian-era storefronts, a nearly century-old theater, stylish boutiques, and a local “book lovers’ paradise” filled with Mark Twain, C.S. Lewis, and the like. A few miles down the road, the Amish sell yogurt and raw milk at the farmers market. A barbecue food truck sends the sweet, tangy smell of smoking brisket through the air into the lungs of suburban families attending their Saturday morning ritual. 
When summer nears, humidity plagues every night and day — a characteristic of life in the South. Around the same time, mosquitoes, cicadas, and lightning bugs emerge, reminding the townsfolk of the blossoming garden among them. August may be the most oppressive month, as the blazing sun, steamy air, and perpetual use of anti-itch cream hinder any kind of outside enjoyment. Then suddenly, a random September weekend alleviates the muggy blanket, and what begins is a near-perfect, brisk autumn day. 
Life is slow in Franklin, Tennessee. People linger. They smile and open the door and talk to strangers. Middle school boys ride their bikes to the Circle K down the street to cool down with Slurpees. Local coffee shops teem with first dates, older couples pay a visit while on their daily walks, remote workers escape the isolation of home, and mothers with young children revel in the sunshine with an iced drink, hoping the children entertain each other. One staple spot just south of the square is an old gas station-turned café trademarked with the logo, “Your Daily Pit Stop.”
This town is a perpetual return to its storied past. From the 19th-century Carnton plantation to a historic stove factory converted to a shopping mall, a tribute to its heritage is embedded into the groundwork of everyday life.
Even the darkest chapters.
In 1864, a German immigrant named Johann Albert Lotz found himself in the middle of one of the deadliest battles in the Civil War. When the Battle of Franklin broke out, the Lotz family fled across the street to the Carter House, where the Carter family cowered in their basement as gunfire and artillery exploded all around them. The family’s son, Tod Carter, was just outside in the heart of the war, fighting that very day when he was fatally wounded in battle. He was carried home, just up the road, where he died surrounded by his family.
The homes are now treasured today as local museums known as the Lotz House and the Carter House. The history of what once took place serves as an ongoing reminder of the bloodshed spilled 160 years ago. A legacy not meant to be solely decorative, but to be remembered.
Patches of cemeteries and gravesites and memorials are scattered around town. Small American flags line the streets for the Fourth of July. Red, white, and blue tablecloths appear on front lawns. Fathers stand at the grill cooking burgers while children run through the heat with sunglasses, face paint, and firecrackers.
This is where nostalgic, old-fashioned, and classic Americana values have stopped to rest. Elsewhere, spectators scrutinize the American mindset, the notion that one could possibly be proud of their country and the freedoms preserved for it. Those freedoms safeguard their places of worship, guarantee their defense, reprimand the corrupt, protect the motherland, and solicit dignity and honor for those grateful enough to inhabit it. It is a mindset now nearly foreign to this country.
Maybe this is why people are moving in droves to places like Franklin, Tennessee. Americans sense something fragile is at risk: not merely a political affiliation, but a shared affection for the place itself. The most devastating aspect of the collapse of a nation is the one that comes from within, when people forget what’s most important. In the words of Benjamin Franklin when asked what kind of government the founders had created, he replied: “A republic, if you can keep it.&#8221;
The search for Americana is more than a remembrance of the past. It is preserved in the small rituals: meeting and knowing the neighbors, strolling through a park and fishing at a local pond, spending more time outside in nature than on screens, inviting new friends over for a homemade dinner, and enjoying the God-given freedoms unique to this nation, and this nation alone. Perhaps Americans are starting to return to this. Perhaps we are starting to remember.

GettyImages-1276052685

Americans Are Moving Here In Droves. Spend A Day In Town And You’ll See Why.

America 250

Patriotism

Tennessee

Upstream

A team of scientists in Italy is breaking the mold of a typical sourdough bread recipe … by using yeast from an ancient mummy as the key ingredient.
And apparently it’s “very, very good.”
Ötzi, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-026-02417-6?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&amp;_gl=1*1brjdqs*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwof_QBhCgARIsADaMzOc0ICHRdXWr9hJilaFLmkRpI1AbZ7Jjb8jyyxsFOicaU2f2TN1fzgUaAuk-EALw_wcB&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADu685OA3tnOrp_TE4oaWQH-CUvN3&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=CONR_BOOKS_ECOM_GL_PBOK_06YUE_GL_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&amp;utm_content=textlink&amp;utm_term=PID100093539&amp;CJEVENT=7e4029d660e511f1831101cb0a82b82a">the 5,300-year-old Iceman mummy</a>, was found in 1991 on the border of Italy and Austria, where he was likely killed by an arrow to the shoulder. His body was famously preserved in the glacial ice of the Ötztal Alps, becoming Europe&#8217;s oldest natural mummy. 
A new study of the Iceman mummy, published Wednesday in the journal <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40168-026-02417-6?cjdata=MXxOfDB8WXww&amp;_gl=1*1brjdqs*_up*MQ..*_gs*MQ..&amp;gclid=Cj0KCQjwof_QBhCgARIsADaMzOc0ICHRdXWr9hJilaFLmkRpI1AbZ7Jjb8jyyxsFOicaU2f2TN1fzgUaAuk-EALw_wcB&amp;gbraid=0AAAAADu685OA3tnOrp_TE4oaWQH-CUvN3&amp;utm_medium=affiliate&amp;utm_source=commission_junction&amp;utm_campaign=CONR_BOOKS_ECOM_GL_PBOK_06YUE_GL_ALWYS_DEEPLINK&amp;utm_content=textlink&amp;utm_term=PID100093539&amp;CJEVENT=7e4029d660e511f1831101cb0a82b82a">Microbiome,</a> reveals groundbreaking insights into the surprisingly active gut microbiome of the ancient mummy.
Most notable was the living yeast discovered in the mummy’s guts, skin, and a “brownish” water. So the next step, naturally, was to make bread.
&#8220;What we didn&#8217;t expect to find was yeast,&#8221; the lead author of the study, Mohamed Sarhan, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/04/world-news/scientists-turn-yeast-found-in-gut-of-ancient-mummy-into-very-good-sourdough-bread/">told</a> AFP. “If you tell anyone you have yeast, they immediately ask: Can we use it for bread?”
The task resulted in three months of trial and error, but the researchers eventually created a loaf they called “very, very good.”
&#8220;At first, the yeast hadn’t yet adapted to the flour environment, so nothing happened at all. We then continued over a longer period and refreshed it about every two weeks so that the yeast could slowly adapt. Eventually, we obtained a completely normal dough that rose within 24 hours — basically just like with ordinary yeast,&#8221; he <a href="https://www.eurac.edu/en/magazine/otzi-and-his-microbiome-a-detailed-picture-of-the-microbial-community-associated-with-otzi">said</a> in a statement.
The scientific accomplishment is just the beginning. Sarhan told <a href="https://www.reuters.com/science/scientists-reveal-tzi-icemans-dynamic-microbial-world-2026-06-03/">Reuters</a> the study shows the Iceman mummy as a &#8220;dynamic ecosystem” and there&#8217;s still much left to learn.
&#8220;His body hosts living, metabolically capable organisms that are ⁠actively responding to their environment,&#8221; Sarhan said. &#8220;The cold-adapted yeasts are growing. Certain bacteria have colonized and persisted across his tissues for decades.&#8221;
This isn&#8217;t the end of the borderline-cannibalistic endeavor. Get ready to crack open a cold one because mummy yeast <a href="https://www.eurac.edu/en/magazine/otzi-and-his-microbiome-a-detailed-picture-of-the-microbial-community-associated-with-otzi">beer</a> might be next on the list.

Untitled design

This Sourdough Starter Is 5,300 Years Old — And It Came From A Mummy’s Gut

Italy

Mummy

research

Hundreds of professors across the University of California system are pleading with school regents to restore standardized admission tests, warning that students are arriving so underprepared that instructors are being forced to reteach middle-school mathematics.
The two-page letter, signed by more than 1,100 math and science professors, argues that students are entering college without the proper groundwork and training needed to succeed in rigorous STEM courses, according to the <a href="https://www.wsj.com/us-news/education/university-california-sat-requirement-reinstate-c3e32712?mod=hp_lead_pos10">Wall Street Journal.</a>
“We now observe preparation gaps so severe that instructors must reteach middle-school mathematics while simultaneously teaching the material students need for sciences, engineering, economics, and other quantitatively demanding fields,” the letter states. “UC has finite resources and can help only so many students.”
WATCH FROM TODAY&#8217;S EPISODE OF MORNING WIRE:
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The letter also noted that nearly one-third of students in a first-semester calculus course at UC Berkeley “displayed severe preparation deficits,” according to the Journal.
Faculty members pointed to several “warning signs,” including increased time spent teaching prerequisite material, a lack of readiness for advanced coursework, and &#8220;growing pressure to dilute quantitative rigor.&#8221;
“Left unaddressed, these trends will lead to declining graduation rates, longer time to degree, and reduced completion of STEM majors, with consequences for California’s highly skilled STEM workforce,” the letter warns.
The University of California, along with many other universities, axed its SAT and ACT requirement in 2020, joining a broader movement among colleges and universities away from standardized admissions testing. 
Supporters of the change argued that standardized tests were poor predictors of college success. The move also coincided with widespread disruptions caused by the COVID pandemic. 
But UC, in particular, went further than many institutions. In 2021, it adopted a &#8220;<a href="https://dailybruin.com/2020/11/06/uc-to-use-test-blind-admissions-for-fall-2021-following-court-decision">test blind</a>&#8221; admissions policy, meaning SAT and ACT scores would not be considered at all during the admissions process.
Following the letter from faculty, UC Academic Senate Chair Ahmet Palazoglu said the university is examining its policies and requirements, according to the Journal.

Close up. mid-section of young Asian woman reading book and making notes at home, concentrates on her studies. Further education concept

The Anti-SAT Experiment Isn’t Going As Planned

California

Education

University of California

Matt Brown, 42, the eldest brother of the &#8220;Alaskan Bush People&#8221; family, was found dead over the weekend in a Washington state river.
His brother Bear, 38, confirmed the loss in an emotional video on Saturday, sharing that the youngest brother, 33-year-old Noah, helped pull Matt out of the water and identified the body as his older brother. 
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&#8220;I would&#8217;ve never suspected he would&#8217;ve hurt himself,&#8221; Bear said in the video. &#8220;It does look as though the injury is self-inflicted.&#8221; The family is still waiting on the coroner&#8217;s report to confirm the cause of death.
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Matt&#8217;s body was discovered after a search that lasted several days.
Last week, the Okanogan County Sheriff&#8217;s Office <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=1422965179869181&amp;set=a.227153996116978">posted</a> a press release that detailed a 911 call describing a man sitting in the shallow water of the Okanogan River. When the caller turned away, he heard a noise, and after turning back around, he saw that the man was face down in the water, drifting down the current. First responders were unable to locate the man, though a firearm was recovered where he was last seen.
In another <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DZBxxxVAuzD/?hl=en">post</a>, Bear shared a tribute on behalf of the whole family: &#8220;It is with broken hearts that we share the loss of our beloved son, brother, uncle, and friend, Matthew Brown. To millions of viewers, Matt was known as one of the original stars of Alaskan Bush People.&#8221;
&#8220;When we think of Matt, we will remember the young man who loved the wilderness, could navigate rough waters, draw for hours, lose himself in learning, make us laugh unexpectedly, and dream bigger than most people ever dared. He was imperfect. He was human. He was deeply loved. And he will be missed beyond words.&#8221;
The Discovery Channel&#8217;s “Alaskan Bush People,” which ran from 2014 to 2022, featured the Brown family and their unique lives off the grid in remote Alaska. 
Matt had reportedly grown estranged from the family in recent years and struggled with drug and alcohol addiction. <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DY0WjdBJnhc/?hl=en">According to Bear</a>, he &#8220;didn’t want anything to do with the family.&#8221;
The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is a free hotline for individuals in crisis or distress or for those looking to help someone else. It is available 24/7 by dialing 988.

Aerial photograph of alaskan river

‘Alaskan Bush People’ Star Found Dead In A River

Alaska

Death

The albino buffalo nicknamed &#8220;Donald Trump,&#8221; who was supposed to be slaughtered this week as part of the Muslim festival Eid al-Adha, was spared Wednesday after internet backlash drew security concerns.
Just a few hours before the scheduled sacrifice, Bangladesh Home Minister ​Salahuddin Ahmed ordered the animal to be pardoned and was then relocated to the national zoo in Dhaka, according to <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/viral-fame-spares-donald-trump-buffalo-eid-sacrifice-bangladesh-2026-05-27/">Reuters</a>. A ministry official said the decision came “at the last moment &#8230; due to security concerns and the unusual level of public interest.”
Ziauddin Mridha, the farm owner ​who purchased the buffalo 10 months ago, sold the animal to a person who was preparing for the festival. The government ordered Mridha to refund the buyer.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
The Viral albino buffalo “Donald Trump” moved to Bangladesh National Zoo for public display in Dhaka. <a href="https://t.co/1rC4rqYVw6">pic.twitter.com/1rC4rqYVw6</a>
— Aditya Raj Kaul (@AdityaRajKaul) <a href="https://x.com/AdityaRajKaul/status/2059978033361305754?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 28, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.x.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
The rare animal became a local celebrity in the city of Narayanganj and a viral sensation because of its uncanny resemblance to Trump, namely its blond combover, as The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/this-trump-looking-buffalo-is-taking-over-the-internet?row=0&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;rowType=Web+Search+Overlay">reported</a>. Crowds flocked to the farm to catch a glimpse of the buffalo, with videos and photos flooding social media, eventually making international headlines.
Mridha admitted he didn’t notice the resemblance at first. “My younger brother jokingly named it Donald Trump after seeing the hair on its head,” he told <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/rare-buffalo-steals-spotlight-in-bangladesh-for-looking-exactly-like-donald-trump-11510390" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NDTV</a>. “It is very calm in nature. Albino buffaloes are generally peaceful and do not become aggressive unless provoked.&#8221;
Fans around the world took to social media to share the good news.
&#8220;Even a buffalo named Donald Trump survives assassination attempts &#8230;&#8221; one user <a href="https://x.com/_NafayFarooq/status/2059978876428960094">posted</a> on X.
&#8220;Life is really funny sometimes. At this point, the buffalo needs security and its own social media page,&#8221; another <a href="https://x.com/Kingkosec/status/2059969268251234521">said</a>.
&#8220;Viral fame hits different when it literally spares your life,&#8221; another X user <a href="https://x.com/BinBillionaire/status/2059932693102575894">quipped</a>.
From feeding troughs to worldwide recognition, it sure pays to look like Trump.

BANGLADESH-US-POLITICS-BUFFALO

Government Intervenes To Spare Sacrificial ‘Donald Trump’ Buffalo

Animals

Donald Trump

World

Donald Trump has once again taken over the internet. 
No, not the president of the United States. The albino buffalo from Bangladesh.
Nicknamed after the commander-in-chief, this rare animal has become a local celebrity in the city of Narayanganj and a viral sensation online because of its uncanny resemblance to Trump, particularly its blond combover.
Crowds have flocked to the farm to catch a glimpse of the unique buffalo, with videos and photos flooding social media.
Ziauddin Mridha, the farm owner who purchased the animal from a cattle market ten months ago, said he didn&#8217;t notice the resemblance at first. 
&#8220;My younger brother jokingly named it Donald Trump after seeing the hair on its head,&#8221; Mridha told <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/rare-buffalo-steals-spotlight-in-bangladesh-for-looking-exactly-like-donald-trump-11510390">NDTV</a>.
&#8220;It is very calm in nature. Albino buffaloes are generally peaceful and do not become aggressive unless provoked,&#8221; Mridha added.
Depending on who you ask, the same could probably be said for the real Trump.
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🇧🇩 ☪️ 🐃 Bangladesh&#8217;s &#8216;Donald Trump&#8217; buffalo attracts fans
Crowds in Bangladesh are flocking to snap photos with an unlikely social media star &#8212; a rare albino buffalo with flowing blond locks nicknamed &#8220;Donald Trump&#8221; which is due to be sacrificed within days as part of an… <a href="https://t.co/AxSmyzW5p2">pic.twitter.com/AxSmyzW5p2</a>
— AFP News Agency (@AFP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AFP/status/2057464612933582906?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Mridha <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DYlYtaLFUJs/?hl=en">said</a> crowds have visited throughout May, many watching as handlers poured water over the buffalo&#8217;s hair before combing it behind its horns into the perfect Trump-do.
One resident named Mim was skeptical of the comparisons she&#8217;d seen online and felt they were exaggerated until seeing the animal in person.
&#8220;It actually looks like Trump. The name suits it well,&#8221; she <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/offbeat/rare-buffalo-steals-spotlight-in-bangladesh-for-looking-exactly-like-donald-trump-11510390">said.</a>
Another visitor agreed, saying the buffalo&#8217;s &#8220;facial structure&#8221; and hair strongly resembled the president.
<div id="attachment_1100879" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1100879" class="wp-image-1100879 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2276758738-865x576.jpg" alt="" width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2276758738-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2276758738-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2276758738-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/05/GettyImages-2276758738.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />Salahuddin AHMED / AFP via Getty Images</div>
Unfortunately, to the internet&#8217;s dismay, the beloved buffalo, along with 12,000 other livestock, is expected to be slaughtered within the coming days for Eid al-Adha, the Muslim festival called the &#8220;Feast of the Sacrifice.&#8221;
Maybe if notified, the real Trump could step in to save the day.

ChatGPT Image May 22, 2026, 04_13_08 PM

This Trump-Looking Buffalo Is Taking Over The Internet

Social Media

What began as a weeks-long luxury polar cruise has turned into a deadly outbreak, with three passengers dead, and a rare rodent-borne virus might be to blame.
The MV Hondius was sailing from Argentina to Cape Verde — after completing visits to Antarctica earlier in its voyage — when a 69-year-old Dutch man died last month from the suspected hantavirus. Days later, his wife also died. On April 27, a British passenger was evacuated and tested positive for the virus. The third death, involving a German national, was reported Saturday.
Following the latest fatality, the cruise line reached out to local authorities for additional support.
Hantavirus, which is transmitted through contact with infected rodent droppings, urine, or saliva, typically begins with flu-like symptoms such as fever, chills, and body aches, before potentially progressing to breathing problems and possible lung or heart failure.
Roughly 150 people remain on board as authorities assess the situation. The ship has reportedly sought assistance after being denied permission to dock in the West African island nation of Cape Verde, according to the <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/05/04/world-news/mv-hondius-cruise-ship-at-center-of-suspected-deadly-hantavirus-outbreak-refused-permission-to-dock/">New York Post</a>.
One of the passengers, Jake Rosmarin, took to social media to express the gravity of the situation, saying the outbreak is not just a news report, it&#8217;s their lived reality.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
Cruise passenger sobs about being stuck on cruise ship where 3 have died in hantavirus outbreak <a href="https://t.co/btzN1Fg8la">https://t.co/btzN1Fg8la</a> <a href="https://t.co/pe6GMQvkoe">pic.twitter.com/pe6GMQvkoe</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2051365409979265120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;I&#8217;m currently onboard the MV Hondius, and what&#8217;s happening right now is very real for all of us right now,&#8221; he said. &#8220;We&#8217;re not just a story. We&#8217;re not just headlines. We&#8217;re people. People with families, with lives, with people waiting for us at home. There&#8217;s a lot of uncertainty, and that&#8217;s the hardest part.&#8221;
He continued, &#8220;All we want right now is to feel safe, to have clarity, and to get home. So if you are seeing coverage about this, just remember that there are real people behind it, and that this isn&#8217;t something happening far away. It&#8217;s happening to us, right now.&#8221;
Medics are working to evacuate two additional passengers showing hantavirus symptoms.

Cruise ship on the ocean. Luxury liner at sea. Miami Beach with cruise ship. Sea water and cruise liner. Tourist cruise ship near coast. Ocean waves and vessel boat. Summer dream vacation. Boat trip.

Mystery Illness Eyed In Deaths Aboard Luxury Cruise

Travel

Virus

Less than a year after a devastating flood in Texas killed 25 young campers and two counselors, Camp Mystic has abandoned plans to reopen this summer after backlash and ongoing investigations.
The camp had initially aimed for a May 30 reopening, but faced intense scrutiny from Texas lawmakers, law enforcement, and victims&#8217; families. A recent state health agency review also found the camp failed to meet key safety and emergency requirements.
In a <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/30/us/camp-mystic-texas-floods-closure.html">statement</a> released Thursday, Camp Mystic said it would not reopen and is “withdrawing its application for a summer 2026 camp license.”
“No administrative process or summer season should move forward while families continue to grieve, while investigations continue and while so many Texans still carry the pain of last July’s tragedy,” the statement read.
The camp said it did not want to &#8220;remove any doubt&#8221; that it had heard concerns from grieving families, state lawmakers, and the public, though it noted that “over 800 girls want to return” this summer.
The announcement follows contentious hearings this week at the Texas State Capitol, where the Eastland family, which owns and operates Camp Mystic, faced hours of questioning from lawmakers.
“If y’all are left as an operator in any form or fashion, what deterrent does that send to another operator that I can have kids die on my watch and still be an operator?” State Senator Charles Perry said.
State Sen. Lois Kolkhorst also questioned whether the camp was prepared to resume operations.
“Do you really think you’re ready to take on 500 children plus?” she asked.
The Eastlands defended their response to the disaster.
“This flood, we did not see coming,” said Edward Eastland, the camp&#8217;s director. “Our concept of high ground has now changed forever.”
Edward Eastland&#8217;s father, Dick Eastland, a former director of the camp, was among those who died in the flood.
Mary Liz Eastland, who also helps run the camp, said the family is willing to step back if necessary.
“We’re willing to take a step back, if camp can go on,” she said.
The camp is also facing multiple lawsuits from victims&#8217; families.

Death Toll Rises After Flash Floods In Texas Hill Country

Under Fire, Camp Mystic Pulls Back On Summer Plans

Texas

Tragedy

A federal grand jury has indicted the family involved in the assault on a Turning Point USA reporter at an anti-ICE protest earlier this month. 
The incident revolved around Savanah Hernandez, a TPUSA reporter who was allegedly attacked by the Ostroushko family while filming the protest in Minneapolis outside of a local ICE field office, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/feds-to-investigate-family-accused-of-attacking-conservative-reporter-during-anti-ice-protests">reported</a>. Federal sources told Fox News the individuals were indicted Tuesday, and their names were officially released Wednesday afternoon.
Todd Blanche, the acting attorney general, <a href="https://x.com/DAGToddBlanche/status/2049578866176393378">announced</a> the federal charges on X, stating, &#8220;Today, Christopher, Deyanna, and Paige Ostrouchko were indicted by a grand jury for allegedly assaulting journalist and Turning Point USA contributor Savannah Hernandez, while she was lawfully reporting on anti-ICE protests outside a federal building in St. Paul.&#8221;
&#8220;Hernandez was allegedly surrounded, physically assaulted, and shoved to the ground — simply because she was identified by the defendants as a conservative journalist. That is NOT &#8216;peaceful protest,'&#8221; he added. &#8220;These deplorable actions as charged in the indictment will not be tolerated in America, and this Department of Justice will always punish unhinged acts of political violence.&#8221;
FBI Director Kash Patel <a href="https://x.com/FBIDirectorKash/status/2049587089331618006">echoed</a> Blanche&#8217;s warning: &#8220;Let this be a message to others who may try something similar &#8211; this FBI will find you.&#8221;
Three individuals were arrested at the time, including Chris Ostroushko, his daughter Paige, and Paige’s boyfriend, Lorenzo Garcia, 20, the Hennepin County Sheriff’s Office told The Daily Caller. The indictments, however, included the mother, Deyanna, but not Garcia.
Hernandez caught several of the attacks on <a href="https://x.com/Savsays/status/2043088956351189051">video</a>, where she could clearly be seen being harassed and shoved by the protesters. In one of the videos, Chris could be seen pushing Hernandez to the ground.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">
I&#8217;m waking up with a headache and stiff neck this morning due to how violently anti-ICE activist, Chris Ostroushko, shoved me down yesterday.
A second angle shows that he had to be held back by 5 men as he continued to charge at me.
I didn&#8217;t speak a word to him all day yet he… <a href="https://t.co/LjDx1GMLnF">pic.twitter.com/LjDx1GMLnF</a>
— Savanah Hernandez (@Savsays) <a href="https://twitter.com/Savsays/status/2043336993514373245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 12, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Another <a href="https://x.com/Savsays/status/2043893070517633258">video</a> shows the Ostroushko family discussing the attack beforehand, in which Chris can be heard telling his daughter to &#8220;Blow the whistle right in her f*cking ear.”
“I’m scared to report, Laura,” Hernandez <a href="https://x.com/Savsays/status/2043851758749819063">told</a> Fox News’ Laura Ingraham at the time. “This is my job. It’s what I’ve been doing for the last six years.”
“I can&#8217;t even interview people properly on the street because I get brutally assaulted and pushed to the ground by a 250-pound man for simply going and reporting on anti-ICE activities,” she added.
Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon <a href="https://x.com/AAGDhillon/status/2044018262812303729">confirmed</a> days after the incident that the Department of Justice and the FBI would investigate. Just two weeks later, the indictments followed.
Hernandez praised the indictments in an X <a href="https://x.com/Savsays/status/2049519249782116468">post:</a> &#8220;Cannot express how grateful I am at how swiftly the DOJ and FBI handled this. They’ve been doing an incredible job for the American people lately and I could not be more appreciative.&#8221;
***
Editor&#8217;s Note: This story was updated with the names of those indicted after more information was revealed Wednesday afternoon.

DOJ WHCA Shooting Presser

From Protest to Prosecution: Family Indicted In Attack On TPUSA Reporter

anti-ICE protests

Indictment

TPUSA

A pair of giant pandas will make their way to America as part of a ten-year agreement with the China Wildlife Conservation Association, according to a statement from China on Friday. The male, Ping Ping, and the female, Fu Shuang, will relocate to Zoo Atlanta, becoming the third zoo in the United States to currently house the animals.
The announcement comes just weeks before President Donald Trump is set to visit Beijing, where he will meet with China’s President Xi Jinping.
Specific departure dates have not yet been given, but the zoo is currently working on facility upgrades and preparation work for the pandas&#8217; arrival, per the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-us-pandas-zoo-atlanta-743549119313ddeea6b1d838f76fe8b3">statement</a>.
Zoo Atlanta <a href="https://zooatlanta.org/two-new-giant-pandas-are-expected-to-arrive-at-zoo-atlanta/">said</a> Thursday that it was delighted and honored to be trusted to take care of the pandas. “We can’t wait to meet Ping Ping and Fu Shuang and to welcome our members, guests, city, and community back to the wonder and joy of giant pandas,” said the zoo’s president, Raymond B. King. 
The zoo cited a previous panda agreement with the association from 1999 to 2024, which &#8220;resulted in a highly productive 25 years of partnership,&#8221; where pandas Lun Lun and Yang Yang gave birth to seven cubs. They returned to China once the partnership concluded.
America was briefly &#8220;panda-less&#8221; in 2024 when several agreements ended, marking the first time without pandas in fifty years since the first pair arrived in 1972.
Pandas have long been a broader symbol of China&#8217;s ties to foreign nations, where the country loans them to strengthen its relationships; the animals are typically sent back when the agreement ends. &#8220;Panda diplomacy,&#8221; as it&#8217;s commonly called, has been a practice since the People&#8217;s Republic of China&#8217;s founding in 1949 and can conversely be used to show the nation&#8217;s negative feelings toward another country.
In 2010, China <a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/china/what-is-chinas-panda-diplomacy-how-does-it-work-2024-06-18/#:~:text=Former%20Chinese%20leader%20Mao%20Zedong,opens%20new%20tab%20Read%20more">recalled</a> two pandas from Zoo Atlanta after warnings from the nation of a meeting between then-President Barack Obama and the Dalai Lama. Though there was no formal statement on the matter, some speculated the timing reflected Beijing&#8217;s displeasure with Washington.
The San Diego Zoo and the Smithsonian’s National Zoo are the other two locations in the U.S. with pandas.

A Chinese Panda on a Tree

‘Panda Diplomacy’ Is Back And An American Zoo Just Hit The Jackpot

Atlanta

China

Communist China

General

Panda

U.S.

Would you steal from Whole Foods to make a statement?
Some Democrats answer that question with a resounding yes, but it leads one to wonder what happens to a society when the most basic forms of morality are at stake.
In a recent <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2026/04/22/opinion/shoplifting-political-protest-microlooting-whole-foods.html">episode</a> of The New York Times podcast “The Opinions,” leftist streamer Hasan Piker and New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino joined Times opinion editor Nadja Spiegelman to discuss a new kind of public expression — “Why petty theft might be the new political protest.”
The conversation began with a quick exercise on their moral code, in which Spiegelman asked questions such as “Would you dine and dash from your local diner?” and “Would you steal a book from the library?”
To these, Piker and Tolentino both responded “No.”
When asked, “Would you steal from the Louvre?” Piker said he thinks it&#8217;s &#8220;cool,&#8221; and that &#8220;we’ve got to get back to cool crimes like that: bank robberies, stealing priceless artifacts, things of that nature.”
From there, the conversation pivoted to the kind of growing socialist rhetoric where actions that used to be widely considered wrong are now justifiable: &#8220;Because the rich don’t play by the rules, so why should I?&#8221;
When Spiegelman asked, “Would you steal from Whole Foods?” the duo was almost gleeful in declaring that they had no reservations about doing so.
Tolentino proudly said she would, and admitted she regularly had, “I think that stealing from a big-box store — I’ll just state my platform — it’s neither very significant as a moral wrong, &#8230; But I didn’t feel bad about it at all,” she added. This is the same Tolentino who <a href="https://x.com/Daily_MailUS/status/2047050858055995511">owns</a> a $2 million house in Brooklyn.
Piker agreed, declaring he is “pro stealing from big corporations, because they steal quite a bit more from their own workers.” His defense is that stores already inflate prices with inevitable robbery in mind and still &#8220;end up having increased profit margins.&#8221;
The anti-capitalist who praises Hamas and believes America deserved 9/11 is also a millionaire who owns a nearly $3 million house in Los Angeles.
Though Piker admitted he himself does not steal, he added, “if someone needs the food, they should absolutely steal it.”
But when pressed whether the same mindset would apply to a Zohran Mamdani-run, city-owned grocery store with lower prices, apparently, the sentiment is markedly different.
&#8220;No, I would not, because I feel like that’s taxpayer-funded, it’s union labor, and the prices are also adjusted regardless,&#8221; Piker admitted.
Spiegelman further questioned the root of the new protest — anger at the wealthy. &#8220;What I’m seeing on TikTok and social media is people saying that they’re stealing from Whole Foods not just for the thrill of it, but out of a feeling of anger and moral justification.&#8221;
&#8220;I feel part of what I’m seeing around me is that people feel like the laws are immoral. The rich don’t play by the rules. We live in a society where there are billionaires; where the top 1% holds 32% of the net worth and the bottom 50% holds 2.5%.&#8221;
&#8220;So, at some point, if the laws don’t feel moral, do you start to question your own sense of having to abide by them?&#8221; Spiegelman asked.
To which Tolentino responded, &#8220;Of course.&#8221;

Stealing

Socialists Have Made A New Crime Into A Form Of ‘Protest’

Hasan Piker

Robbery

The New York Times

A newly introduced California bill meant to &#8220;protect&#8221; immigration support services is instead raising concerns that it could hinder independent journalism. In an era of citizen-driven accountability and viral exposés, some worry the measure could shield companies accused of fraud from public scrutiny.
Nicknamed by critics as the “Stop Nick Shirley Act,” Assembly <a href="https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB2624/id/3371241">Bill</a> 2624, introduced by Democratic Assemblywoman Mia Bonta, the wife of California Attorney General Rob Bonta, would establish a confidentiality program for immigration service providers who face &#8220;threats of violence or harassment from the public.&#8221; 
The bill would also &#8220;prohibit a person from posting on the internet or social media &#8230; the personal information or image of a designated immigration support services provider, employee, volunteer, or patient, or other individuals residing at the same home address.&#8221; Violations could result in fines up to $10,000 or up to one year in jail.
Critics, including Republican Assembly member Carl DeMaio, believe the bill could be leveraged to block investigative reporting and “silence citizen journalists exposing fraud and abuse of taxpayer dollars.&#8221;
&#8220;Instead of fixing the fraud problems being uncovered, Sacramento politicians are trying to shut down the people exposing them,&#8221; DeMaio <a href="https://ad75.asmrc.org/2026/04/13/ca-democrats-advance-stop-nick-shirley-act-to-criminalize-investigative-journalism/">said</a>.
&#8220;AB 2624 would allow activists and taxpayer-funded organizations to demand the removal of video evidence — even if it captures misconduct in plain view — and threatens journalists with massive financial penalties,&#8221; he added. &#8220;That’s not about public safety — it’s about protecting powerful interests.&#8221;
Nick Shirley, an independent journalist known for viral videos exposing alleged Somali daycare fraud in Minnesota, recently continued his work in <a href="https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2033708929398845886">California</a>, igniting an online <a href="https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2042411675307971061">feud</a> with Democratic Governor Gavin Newsom.
In response to the bill, Shirley <a href="https://x.com/nickshirleyy/status/2043756610955423782">posted</a> to X, &#8220;Under AB 2624, government-funded entities like the Somali “Learing” Daycare centers would be protected from being exposed if they operated inside California.&#8221;
&#8220;The enemy truly is within. When our politicians would rather protect fraudsters and illegal migrants, it’s time for us to stand up or face mass oppression from the traitors who &#8216;rule&#8217; over us,&#8221; he added.
Bonta, however, rejected claims that the bill targets journalism. In a recent <a href="https://x.com/AsmMiaBonta/status/2044229820968796573">video</a>, she said, “People who work to help immigrant communities should not have to fear being doxxed for doing so.”
She said the bill is designed to shield workers from having their personal information publicly exposed and to provide legal tools to prevent and respond to targeted harassment.
“If MAGA can’t tell the difference between journalism and doxxing, that’s on them, because on my bill, there are no provisions related to journalism or fraud. This bill does not infringe on the First Amendment,” she said.

Activists Demonstrate Against ICE In New York City

California Bill Could Criminalize Fraud Reporting, Republicans Warn

Fraud

Journalism

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Andie Valdes