A North Carolina woman is accused of hitting a police officer with her car — but she was released on a $3,000 bail just hours after her arrest.
Tanaezah Michelle Austin, 25, is facing charges of assault with a deadly weapon against a government official in connection with a street takeover early Sunday morning in northwest Charlotte, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/driver-accused-attempting-mow-down-cop-during-street-takeover-strolls-free-hours-later-3k-bond">reported</a>.
Officers responded to reports of cars doing donuts in a commercial parking lot at 3:25 a.m. on March 1, according to the outlet. One officer approached a black Kia Optima that was trying to leave. The driver stopped at first, but “began to accelerate rapidly” and struck the officer, who rolled over the hood.
The officer was in full uniform, giving verbal commands to stop and standing where the driver could clearly see him, Fox News said. He was taken to a hospital and treated for minor injuries.
Video of the incident posted to X shows the officer in front of the car before it accelerates toward him and drives away. The X post incorrectly identifies the driver as a man.
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🚨<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BREAKING?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BREAKING</a>: Horrifying video footage has emerged from Charlotte NC of a man attempting to RUN OVER A POLICE OFFICER WITH HIS GUN DRAWN, trying to avoid arrest.
WHAT IS HAPPENING IN CHARLOTTE?!!!!!!!! <a href="https://t.co/MQFt9gKKJQ">pic.twitter.com/MQFt9gKKJQ</a>
— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) <a href="https://twitter.com/mattvanswol/status/2028602510425075753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 2, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Austin was arrested March 2 and released early on March 3, with a probable cause hearing scheduled for March 24.
“These are among the worst of the worst incidents that we have to deal with in Charlotte,” Dan Redford, president of the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/charlotte-raleigh-piedmont">Charlotte Fraternal Order of Police</a>, told Fox News. “To see a $3,000 bond for an offender, regardless of whether she has a criminal history or not, when the intent to flee was clearly there, is pathetic.”
The $3,000 bond means Austin may have needed to pay just $300 to be released, Randy Sutton, a retired police lieutenant, told the outlet. Sutton founded The Wounded Blue, a nonprofit that supports injured and disabled law enforcement officers.
“When I hear about someone being released on a $3,000 bond for running over a police officer on video, it boggles my mind,” Sutton said. “She ran over a cop, and she walked out.”
Sutton said the incident wasn’t an accident.
“She saw him, he was communicating with her, and then she just gunned the car toward him,” Sutton said. “This could have been a fatal encounter.”
Austin faced misdemeanor marijuana and paraphernalia charges in 2025, but they were later dropped, Fox News reported.
U.S. Rep. Mark Harris criticized the bond decision.
“Running over a police officer is of the highest level of evil,” Harris said in a statement, according to Fox News. “It’s also a complete slap in the face for our brave law enforcement to see these kinds of criminals allowed right back on the streets. When is Charlotte going to end the crime cycle? When are magistrates going to keep bad guys behind bars? Enough is enough!”
The case comes as cities across the U.S. are seeing a rise in violent criminals being released with low or no bond.
Charlotte made headlines last year with the murder of Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska, whose alleged killer had been arrested and released 14 times, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/where-is-the-outrage-trump-rails-against-media-dem-crime-policies-after-brutal-train-murder?author=Virginia+Kruta&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=%E2%80%98Where+Is+The+Outrage%3F%E2%80%99%3A+Trump+Rails+Against+Media%2C+Dem+Crime+Policies+After+Brutal+Train+Murder">reported</a> at the time.
In Chicago, Illinois, a 50-year-old man, who had been arrested 72 times since he was 18, allegedly set a woman on fire in the subway in November. He had most recently been arrested three months earlier, when he was charged with aggravated battery, NBC News <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/woman-set-ablaze-chicago-transit-train-identified-rcna245669">reported</a>.
In a more recent incident in Brooklyn, a man was arrested after allegedly stalking and attacking an Orthodox Jewish family. He was freed on supervised release, despite being charged with assault and multiple counts of harassment as a hate crime and the district attorney’s request for a $50,000 cash bail, The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/judge-frees-accused-antisemitic-assailant-who-threatened-to-kill-brooklyn-family">reported</a> at the time.

Tanaezah Michelle Austin

‘Enough Is Enough’: Suspect Accused Of Hitting Cop With Car Walks Free On $3K Bond

Charlotte

Crime

Law Enforcement

North Carolina

U.S.

The IRS and the Department of Treasury released a series of rules regarding eligibility and procedures for Trump Accounts yesterday.
Under the Trump Accounts, which were part of the “Big, Beautiful Bill,” the federal government will mark the birth of U.S. citizens by depositing $1,000 into a deferred, low-cost index fund, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-announces-1000-newborn-baby-investments-in-big-beautiful-bill">reported</a>. While the accounts start at $1,000, families and others can contribute up to $5,000 total per year per child, including employer contributions.
Parents have until Dec. 31 of the calendar year in which their child turns 17 to open the initial account, the IRS said in a press release.
“Trump Accounts are a pro-family initiative that will help millions of Americans harness the strength of our economy to lift up this generation and generations to follow and unlock the American Dream,” IRS Chief Executive Officer Frank J. Bisignano said in the release. “Creating Trump Accounts was one of the most important provisions in President Trump’s historic One, Big, Beautiful Bill, and these regulations are an example of the hard work of Treasury and the IRS in developing the guidance needed to ensure that eligible families can take advantage of Trump Accounts.”
Parents can open the account with Form 4547 when filing taxes or through a separate <a href="https://form.trumpaccounts.gov/">online portal</a>, the IRS said. Instructions for opening an account can be found <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i4547.pdf">online</a>. The IRS said the person who opens the account will be responsible for it.
For a child to be eligible for the accounts, he must have been born between 2025–2028, be a U.S. citizen, and have a valid Social Security number.
Parents can choose to receive the initial $1,000 when they open the account. If they choose not to claim it then, individuals who can claim the pilot amount are, in order: a legal guardian, a parent, an adult sibling, and a grandparent.
“It is a trust fund, a piece of the American economy for every child that they will be able to take out when they are 18, or they could convert it to a more IRA-type program,” Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-secret-weapon-that-will-supercharge-the-trump-accounts-for-newborns">said</a> in December.
In February, Bessent said about two million forms for three million children have been filed for the Trump Accounts, <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2026/02/20/trump-accounts.html">according</a> to CNBC.
“They’ll be getting a big jump on life,” President Donald Trump said last year of the babies benefitting from the accounts.
The program will officially launch in July 2026.

TOPSHOT-US-VOTE-REPUBLICANS-TRUMP

Trump Accounts Move Forward: IRS Releases Rules For $1K Baby Investment Program

Children

Donald Trump

Economy

Trump Administration

New York City landlords are firing back at Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s director of Tenant Protection after comments calling property ownership “white supremacist.”
Cea Weaver, a high-ranking operative within the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA), has faced repeated criticism for past social media posts attacking homeownership.
“The reality is that for centuries, we have really treated property as an individualized good and not as a collective good,” Weaver said in one video from 2021. She added that the transition to “shared equity” would target “white families” and “some POC (people of color) families who are homeowners.”
In a social media post from 2019, she said “homeownership is a weapon of white supremacy masquerading as ‘wealth building’ public policy,” The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/marxism-in-the-metropolis-nycs-new-tenant-czar-has-targeted-white-homeowners-private-property">reported</a>.
In response to Weaver’s past comments, Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/nyc-landlords-fire-back-racist-mamdani-aides-claim-ties-homeownership-white-supremacy">told</a> Fox News: “Civil Rights Division of the DOJ is on high alert as to the radical agenda promised by Mayor Mamdani, much of which is at odds with our federal Constitutional and civil rights norms.”
Now, NYC landlords are accusing Weaver of racism for ignoring immigrant property owners in the city.
“I think that the true socialist views toward housing and taking housing away from people like myself is the racist element in this,” Jan Lee, a third-generation Chinatown property owner and board member of the Small Property Owners of New York (SPONY), told Fox News Digital. “I think when you start to lump all of us together and say that we’re all the bad thing that&#8217;s keeping people out of housing, that’s racist. We’re right out of the gate in this administration, starting off with extreme hostility for property owners.”
Ann Korchak, board president of SPONY, called Weaver’s comments “insulting.”
“To say that it’s racist to own property is an insult to every single immigrant who ever came here,” Korchak said.
Weaver would be “blown away by the diversity” of NYC property owners, Korchak said.
“New York has a rich tradition of immigrants kind of reaching the American dream through property ownership,” Korchak said. “So many of our members and others who don’t even know that we exist came to America because they didn’t have rights in wherever they came from.”
Weaver recently led the first of five planned “Rental Ripoff Hearings” intended to “uncover policy recommendations that will more effectively and systematically protect tenants in their homes,” The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/we-went-to-zohran-mamdanis-first-rental-ripoff-hearing-everyone-was-mad">reported</a>.
At the meeting, Weaver said the mayor’s office would use the feedback collected at the Rental Ripoff hearings to inform housing policy going forward.
Private landlords said the hearings are too one-sided.
“They should pull from a combination of tenants, landlords, financiers, developers, and economists,” New York real estate broker Adam Frisch told The Daily Wire. “Everybody looks at the situation with their own biases, and it’s the role of the mayor to sit down with tenants and landlords and say I know you’re both unhappy. Let’s see what we can do.”

NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani Interview

NYC Landlords Blast Mamdani Official Who Calls Property Ownership ‘Weapon Of White Supremacy’

New York

New York City

Property Rights

Racism

Zohran Mamdani

Democrat lawmakers are demanding a vote to limit President Donald Trump’s war powers following the United States’ strikes against Iran.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY) promised to compel a vote on the War Powers Resolution introduced by Rep. Ro Khanna (D-CA) and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY).
“The framers of the United States Constitution gave Congress the sole power to declare war as the branch of government closest to the American people,” Jeffries said in a statement. He added that Iran is a “bad actor” that must be “aggressively confronted for its human rights violations,” but said the Trump administration should have sought congressional approval.
The War Powers Resolution would prohibit U.S. hostilities in Iran without the approval of Congress.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) <a href="https://x.com/SenSchumer/status/2027765113617277225">said</a> in a statement on X that &#8220;Iran must never be allowed to attain a nuclear weapon but the American people do not want another endless and costly war in the Middle East when there are so many problems at home.&#8221;
The minority leader added that the administration must answer many questions about the scope of this operation, and said President Trump&#8217;s &#8220;fitful cycles of lashing out and risking wider conflict are not a viable strategy.&#8221;
&#8220;The Senate should quickly return to session and reassert its constitutional duty by passing our resolution to enforce the War Powers Act,&#8221; Schumer concluded.
Sen. Mark Warner (D-VA) said the administration is at risk of repeating “mistakes of the past.”
“Iran’s leadership has long supported terrorism across the region, undermined regional stability, continued to advance its nuclear ambitions, and brutally repressed its own people,” Warner said in a statement. “But acknowledging those realities does not relieve any president of the responsibility to act within the law, with a clear strategy, and with Congress.”
Sen. Ed Markey (D-MA) called the attack “illegal and unconstitutional” and pushed for a vote on a War Powers Resolution in the Senate.
“A diplomatic solution remains the best way to permanently and verifiably prevent Iran from acquiring a nuclear weapon,” Markey said. “No more war with Iran.”
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/live-updates-iranian-protests-intensify-as-citizens-demand-end-to-ayatollah-rule?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Daily+Wire&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=LIVE+UPDATES%3A+United+States+And+Israel+Strike+Iran+In+‘Operation+Epic+Fury’">Follow The Daily Wire&#8217;s live-blog coverage of the U.S. strikes on Iran.</a>
Sen. Tim Kaine (D-VA), who co-sponsored the Iran War Powers Resolution in the Senate, called the strikes “a colossal mistake.”
“The Senate should immediately return to session and vote on my War Powers Resolution to block the use of U.S. special forces in hostilities against Iran,” Kaine said in a statement.
Sen. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) agreed with Kaine.
“Strikes are underway and Congress hasn’t voted,” Gallego said. “No President gets to drag working-class Americans into another war without authorization. Bring the Senate back. Take the vote.”
Like the resolution in the House, Kaine’s Iran War Powers Resolution would prohibit any U.S. participation in hostilities against Iran unless authorized by Congress. A similar resolution was introduced and defeated last June after the Trump administration obliterated Iran&#8217;s nuclear facilities.
Democratic Socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani released a <a href="https://x.com/NYCMayor/status/2027799160574120418">statement</a>, calling the strikes a &#8220;catastrophic escalation in an illegal war of aggression.&#8221;
&#8220;Bombing cities. Killing civilians. Opening a new theater of war. Americans do not want this. They do not want another war in pursuit of regime change. They want relief from the affordability crisis. They want peace,&#8221; the mayor added.
In addition to various politicians coming out against the strikes, Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin released a statement condemning Trump&#8217;s actions.
&#8220;Overnight and without congressional approval, Donald Trump initiated major combat operations against Iran,&#8221; the statement begins. &#8220;Trump sold voters on a &#8216;pro-peace&#8217; vision of himself as an America First candidate, yet in under 13 months, he has ordered strikes on seven foreign nations and plunged our country into more open-ended conflict using taxpayer dollars.&#8221;
Martin added that while Iran sanctions terrorism and undermines human rights, &#8220;our nation deserves better than a government that shoots first and asks questions later.&#8221;
Some Democrats, like Sen. <a href="https://x.com/SenFettermanPA/status/2027674658091204808">Jon Fetterman</a> (D-PA), have broken with their party to praise the strikes.
“President Trump has been willing to do what’s right and necessary to produce real peace in the region,” Fetterman said in a post on X. “God bless the United States, our great military, and Israel.”

Chuck Schumer & Hakeem Jeffries

Capitol Clash: Democrats Push To Curb Trump’s War Authority After Iran Strikes

Congress

Democrats

Global Politics

Iran

U.S. Military

War Powers Resolution

World

Luigi Mangione, the man who is accused of gunning down former UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, will not face the death penalty after prosecutors decided not to appeal a Manhattan judge’s ruling.
The Department of Justice said in a <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/luigi-mangione-death-penalty-federal-prosecutors/">letter</a> Friday that it “will not seek interlocutory review” of the judge’s decision.
Last month, U.S. District Judge Margaret Garnett dismissed two of the four charges against Mangione, including use of a firearm to commit murder, which made him eligible for the death penalty.
Garnett said she dismissed the charges “solely to preclude the death penalty as an available punishment when the jury determines if the Defendant caused Brian Thompson’s death,” The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/federal-judge-says-prosecutors-cant-pursue-death-penalty-against-luigi-mangione">reported</a> at the time.
The federal charge against Mangione that made him eligible for the death penalty accused him of “using a firearm to commit murder in furtherance of a crime of violence.”
In her ruling, Garnett said the stalking offense did not constitute a “crime of violence,” and prosecutors would need to show Mangione killed Thompson while committing another “crime of violence,” NBC <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/luigi-mangione-death-penalty-rcna261080">reported</a>.
Mangione still faces two counts of interstate stalking. If convicted, he would face a maximum sentence of life in prison without parole.
Mangione has pleaded not guilty to all federal and state charges.
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi previously directed prosecutors to seek the death penalty last year after Mangione was arrested for the murder of Thompson.
“Luigi Mangione’s murder of Brian Thompson — an innocent man and father of two young children — was a premeditated, cold-blooded assassination that shocked America,” Bondi said at the time.
Thompson was gunned down from behind in Midtown Manhattan on December 4, 2024, as he was walking to a hotel during his company’s annual investor conference. Mangione’s fingerprints allegedly matched those found on shell casings at the murder scene.
Mangione was arrested at a McDonald’s in Altoona, Pennsylvania, following a five-day manhunt, and police found a firearm, suppressor, and what appeared to be a manifesto in the man’s backpack.
Opening arguments for the trial are scheduled to begin in October, with jury selection set for September 8.
In addition to the federal charges, Mangione faces nine counts, including second-degree murder, in a separate state case scheduled to begin June 8, NBC reported.

Luigi Mangione

DOJ Drops Fight For Death Penalty In Luigi Mangione Assassination Case

Courts

Murder

Pam Bondi

The British government is considering removing former Prince Andrew from the line of succession following his recent arrest.
The legislation would prevent Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor from ever becoming king, the BBC reported.
Mountbatten-Windsor was stripped of his titles last year, but is still eighth in line to the throne. He would only be next in line following the deaths of Prince William, William’s three children, Prince Harry, and Harry’s two children.
Removing Mountbatten-Windsor from succession would be the “right thing to do,” Defence Minister Luke Pollard told the BBC.
The government would not take steps to remove Mountbatten-Windsor until after the police investigation concludes, Pollard said. He added that he hoped the move would “enjoy cross-party support.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has indicated support for such legislation, The Times <a href="https://www.thetimes.com/uk/royal-family/article/will-andrew-be-removed-from-line-of-succession-ksgdd3jhx?gaa_at=eafs&amp;gaa_n=AWEtsqdNWa15Dk7Exka6IcXf8U20YrZrUc5VGCDfw81RF_a47qLSP6R9Y8Nw&amp;gaa_ts=6999e484&amp;gaa_sig=dX5zcawzbCxM4QsAaSTq_4CYPGVdFBY18JBbpurubugbk9GtepHlSMJ0iVJhVtB6rJeNOdGpzD8jnpZOkNZ-DA%3D%3D">reported</a>. Buckingham Palace has said it will not interfere should Parliament proceed.
Still, James Murray, chief secretary to the Treasury, told the BBC that “any questions in that sphere would be quite complicated.”
Thames Valley Police arrested Mountbatten-Windsor on his 66th birthday on Thursday, The Daily Wire previously reported. He was held on suspicion of misconduct in public office but released later that day, according to the BBC.
His was the first arrest of a member of the British royal family since Charles I was arrested almost 400 years ago.
Law enforcement said Mountbatten-Windsor was being investigated over concerns that he shared “confidential material,” reportedly including trade documents, with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Mountbatten-Windsor could face life in prison if convicted.
“Following a thorough assessment, we have now opened an investigation into this allegation of misconduct in public office,” Assistant Chief Constable Oliver Wright said at the time.
The Metropolitan Police expanded the investigation Friday and is contacting all of Andrew’s former protection officers, The Times reported.
King Charles III called for a fair investigation into Mountbatten-Windsor.
“What now follows is the full, fair and proper process by which this issue is investigated in the appropriate manner and by the appropriate authorities,” he said in a statement following Mountbatten-Windsor’s arrest. “In this, as I have said before, they have our full and wholehearted support and co-operation.”
Epstein accuser Virginia Giuffre, who died by apparent suicide last year, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/former-prince-andrew-arrested-over-epstein-files-faces-life-in-prison">alleged</a> that Mountbatten-Windsor sexually abused her when she was 17. He previously <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-60667111">settled</a> a civil lawsuit brought by Giuffre in 2022 without admitting wrongdoing.
“He knows what he’s done and he can attest to that,” Giuffre said in 2019. “He knows exactly what he’s done and I hope he comes clean about it.”
Giuffre&#8217;s family welcomed the arrest.
&#8220;Today, our broken hearts have been lifted at the news that no one is above the law, not even royalty,&#8221; they said. &#8220;He was never a prince.&#8221;
&#8220;For survivors everywhere, Virginia did this for you,” they added.
Leif Le Mahieu contributed to this report.

Former Prince Andrew

Arrest Of Former Prince Andrew Prompts Potential Succession Shake-Up

Epstein Files

Jeffrey Epstein

Keir Starmer

Prince Andrew

Royal Family

U.K.

Winter Storm Hernando will cover the Northeast with more than a foot of snow, starting Sunday.
Blizzard conditions are expected for coastal Connecticut, Delaware, Jersey Shore, Long Island, and New York City, according to Weather Channel meteorologist Chris Bruin.
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Full fledge Blizzard expected in NYC, Long Island, Coastal Connecticut, Delaware and the Jersey Shore. <a href="https://twitter.com/weatherchannel?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@weatherchannel</a> <a href="https://t.co/24NrdLDCGp">pic.twitter.com/24NrdLDCGp</a>
— Chris Bruin (@ChrisBruinTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChrisBruinTV/status/2025214812641165324?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The Winter Storm Severity Index is <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/wwd/wssi/wssi.php">reporting</a> “major impacts” along the Northeast coast, from Delaware up to Massachusetts. The storm is expected to last from Sunday morning through Monday evening, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2026/02/21/weather/blizzard-snowstorm-new-york-northeast-climate">reported</a>.
In addition to cold weather, strong winds could cause coastal flooding from Delaware to Long Island, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
The National Weather Service also <a href="https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/discussions/hpcdiscussions.php?disc=pmdspd">noted</a> that “travel will be extremely dangerous” and warned of “likely” power outages. Monday commutes will likely be disrupted, as the Weather Channel <a href="https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/2026-02-18-east-coast-storm-noreaster-forecast">recommends</a> people stay off the roads.
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An approaching storm will bring rain and high elevation snow to Pacific Northwest through the weekend. Isolated severe thunderstorms are possible across parts of the Southeast today into this evening. An impactful winter storm is forecast to bring heavy snow and high winds to the… <a href="https://t.co/zWDLF1qLOe">pic.twitter.com/zWDLF1qLOe</a>
— National Weather Service (@NWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/2025222415119233056?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 21, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Meteorologist Jim Cantore <a href="http://x.com/jimcantore/status/2025199478693613855?s=46">said</a> on X the storm is “long overdue.”
“It’s been years since I’ve seen this kind of blizzard warning for the Northeast,” he said.
The storm will turn into a bomb cyclone — a term for a storm with rapidly decreasing pressure — by Sunday, targeting cities such as Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia.
New York City is expecting thirteen to eighteen inches of snow and wind speeds up to 55 mph, <a href="https://www.nbcnewyork.com/weather/weather-stories/blizard-warning-nyc-nj-meaning-how-much-snow/6466190/">according</a> to NBC New York. It has been nine years since the city was under a blizzard warning, the Weather Channel <a href="https://weather.com/storms/winter/news/2026-02-18-east-coast-storm-noreaster-forecast">reported</a>. The city has seen more than twenty-two inches of snow this year, compared to almost thirteen inches last year.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has resumed homeless encampment sweeps to get people inside before the storm hits, the outlet reported. Cold temperatures are expected to be less severe with this storm.
Mamdani faced criticism earlier this month when nineteen homeless people died from cold weather after Mamdani ended the encampment sweeps, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-yorks-winter-death-toll-rises-to-19-curtis-sliwa-faults-sanctuary-city-policies">reported</a>.
The mayor is expected to brief the city on the storm later today.
The storm comes on the heels of a catastrophic cold weather event that slammed the South in late January, causing hazardous travel conditions, thousands of cancelled flights, and leaving <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/nashville-reaches-5th-day-of-historic-power-outages-over-100k-still-have-no-electricity">hundreds of thousands</a> without power.
Nashville, Tennessee, was hit especially hard, as The Daily Wire <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/pictures-ice-wreaks-havoc-on-nashville-leaving-thousands-without-power">previously documented</a>, with major, long-lasting power outages, frozen roads, and downed trees.

Snow

Northeast Under Blizzard Warning, Braces For Over A Foot Of Snow

Pennsylvania

Severe Weather

A man with a years-long criminal record allegedly pushed one woman onto the subway tracks in New York City before punching another woman in the face on Saturday.
Curtis Signal, 25, was arrested at a nearby homeless shelter and charged with assault, harassment, and reckless endangerment, the New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/02/14/us-news/women-pushed-onto-nyc-subway-tracks-punched-in-face/">reported</a>.
The first woman, 51, suffered broken ribs after being pushed. The second woman, 43, suffered a busted lip. The attack took place on the R subway line in Brooklyn.
Signal is on probation until June 2027, the Post reported. In 2023, he allegedly punched a 67-year-old woman in the face, and punched a police officer one week later. Before that, he allegedly attacked a 31-year-old woman at a doctor’s office, and he was charged with assault after hitting his 13-year-old sister.
Al Rivera, who heard about the subway attack from a friend of one of the victims, told the Post that Signal would probably be released.
“He did wrong to those people and he is not going to stop until someone sends him to the cemetery,” Rivera said. “He’s not going to stay in jail. It’s a rotating door.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
A maniac pushed a woman onto the subway tracks and punched another lady in the face in Brooklyn Saturday — and was later arrested at a nearby shelter, police and sources said. <a href="https://t.co/RtLPRIYOK2">pic.twitter.com/RtLPRIYOK2</a>
— New York Post (@nypost) <a href="https://twitter.com/nypost/status/2022789337201475703?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 14, 2026</a></blockquote>
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Despite New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s <a href="https://www.nyc.gov/mayors-office/news/2026/01/mayor-zohran-mamdani-inaugural-address">promise</a> to “deliver an agenda of safety, affordability, and abundance,” crime on New York City&#8217;s transit system has increased 17% since last year, the Post reported.
That number included a 9% increase in assaults, with 71 this year compared to 65 last year, and robberies have seen a 58% increase. A man was killed at a Bronx subway station on Tuesday, the first subway murder of the year.
One woman, Yolene Martinez, told the Post that these attacks make her afraid to take the train into Manhattan for work.
“Every time I hear something like this, I get more fearful,” Martinez said. “It’s happening too often — someone gets pushed on the tracks, someone gets slashed, someone gets shot.”
Mamdani recently received criticism for saying that a mentally ill man who attacked police officers with a knife should receive mental health treatment instead of being prosecuted. Police had shot the alleged attacker after he charged them with a large kitchen knife, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/nyc-mayor-mamdani-under-fire-defending-knife-wielding-suspect-over-police-officers">reported</a>.
In addition to rising crime, Mamdani has been criticized for a rising homeless death toll, as severe winter weather saw nineteen people dead as of Thursday, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/new-yorks-winter-death-toll-rises-to-19-curtis-sliwa-faults-sanctuary-city-policies?author=Brecca+Stoll&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=1&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Curtis+Sliwa+Has+Thoughts+On+How+Mamdani+Is+Handling+His+First+Emergency">reported</a>.
Curtis Sliwa, former New York City mayoral candidate and long-time New Yorker, said part of the problem lies in the city’s sanctuary status — diverting resources to illegal aliens instead of the homeless — but he added that Mamdani is still partially to blame.
“I don’t see any of the homeless outreach workers that the mayor keeps talking about,” he said.

NYC Subway

WARMTH OF COLLECTIVISM: Repeat Offender Pushes Woman Onto NYC Subway Tracks

Subway

San Francisco residents are suing the city over a Reparations Fund established solely for black residents, two months after the fund’s initial creation sparked controversy.
One plaintiff, Richie Greenberg, said the fund is “dividing the city rather than trying to unite.”
“What we really need is to be focusing on how to uplift everybody rather than focusing on one group giving everything to that one group,” Greenberg <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/san-francisco-residents-band-together-shut-down-reparations-fund-claiming-its-dividing-city">told</a> Fox News Digital.
The original bill, signed right before Christmas, established a dedicated reparations fund, creating a legal framework to address what the city deems to be historical systemic harms against its black community, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/san-francisco-mayor-sparks-outrage-with-christmas-eve-signing-of-reparations-bill">reported</a>. It included a proposal that could eventually grant eligible residents lump-sum payments of $5 million.
“San Francisco is engaged in a sordid and unconstitutional enterprise — it is administering funding and wielding public authority to distribute government benefits explicitly based on race and ancestry,” the lawsuit says.
The plaintiffs argue San Francisco is violating the Constitution by distributing money on the basis of race, through the city’s Human Rights Commission.
“By directing an agency funded almost entirely by taxpayer dollars to administer funding solely dedicated to implement race-exclusive benefits, the City is using public money, public employees, and public authority to carry out an unconstitutional racial spoils system that allocates benefits and opportunities based on race and ancestry,” the lawsuit says.
The Californians for Equal Rights Foundation (CFER) is one of the plaintiffs in the case. Greenberg and fellow plaintiff Arthur Ritchie are members of CFER. In 2023, CFER sued San Francisco over allegedly racially discriminatory guaranteed income programs, The Daily Wire previously reported.
Additional benefits for eligible black residents include debt forgiveness for a variety of loans, exemption of property taxes, and priority status for employment opportunities, according to the lawsuit.
San Francisco Mayor Daniel Lurie said in December that the plan would not require taxpayer dollars, instead setting up a “structure” for future city or private funding. The city’s $1 billion budget deficit prevents immediate funding, but the plan signals a shift in city policy.
“We need to stop this because it is a tremendous, tremendous amount of funding that would, eventually, basically kill the city,” Greenberg said. “It would destroy the city of San Francisco, and it would set up an unworkable situation of who within the city gets preference as opposed to everyone else that would not.”

Close up on man’s hand holding twenty dollar bill, US currency, cash

Lawsuit Targets San Francisco Reparations Plan: ‘Unconstitutional Racial Spoils System’

Lawsuit

Reparations

San Francisco

Colorado Democrats have introduced a bill that would make the Centennial State the first to fully legalize prostitution.
<a href="https://leg.colorado.gov/bills/sb26-097">Senate Bill 97</a>, sponsored by Democrat Senate Majority Whip Nick Hinrichsen, would repeal penalties for prostitution, currently a petty offense under Colorado law. It would also allow for “soliciting for prostitution, keeping a place of prostitution, patronizing a prostitute, and prostitute making display.”
Michael Allen, district attorney for Colorado’s 4th Judicial District and the top Republican candidate for state attorney general, called the bill “disgraceful.”
“Coloradans are leaving this state in record numbers because crime is rising and the cost of living is out of control — yet radical Democrats in the legislature are focused on legalizing prostitution,” Allen said in a statement.
Colorado <a href="https://www.thecentersquare.com/colorado/article_12d02ddb-6814-494e-996c-e67711def869.html">ranked</a> 13th in the nation with 88 human trafficking cases in 2024. Preliminary data show the state had 110 cases in 2025, surpassing its previous record of 107 in 2023, according to Center Square.
“Human trafficking is inseparable from violent crime, drug activity, and organized criminal networks,” Allen said. “Legalizing prostitution will only fuel these dangers and further victimize the most vulnerable among us.”
Prostitution is legal in certain Nevada counties, while Maine legalized prostitution, but criminalized paying for sex.
The legislation also legalizes advertising prostitution and escort services and removes language classifying buildings used for prostitution as public nuisances. If passed, it would not allow for any local laws prohibiting prostitution.
“Criminalizing prostitution endangers adults who engage in consensual sexual activity,” the bill reads. “Sex workers deserve clarity and certainty that they can safely conduct business within the state, regardless of the local governing authority.”
The bill does not allow paying for sex with children or pimping.
Co-sponsors of the bill include Democrat Senate Assistant Majority Leader Lisa Cutter and Democrat representatives Lorena García and Rebekah Stewart.
The ACLU of Colorado supports the bill, but a few towns, including Fountain, Monument, and Woodland Park, are opposing it, <a href="https://www.westword.com/news/colorado-could-legalize-prostituion-sex-work-new-bill-40843835/">according</a> to Westword.
The bill has been assigned to the Judiciary Committee, which includes Hinrichsen, but a hearing date has not been set. Democrats have a 5-2 majority on the committee. If passed, the bill would take effect immediately.
“The Democrats running for attorney general must join me in condemning this legislation and the most extreme elements of their party — immediately,” Allen said. “Colorado deserves better.”

Police Conduct Major Prostitution Sting

‘Disgraceful’: Colorado Bill Would Legalize Prostitution

Colorado

Nevada

Prostitution

Social Issues

NASHVILLE — Banana Taffy, Dragon Drink, Hawaiian Fruit Punch. Those aren’t smoothies or soft drinks. Those are a sampling of the variety of vapes that continue to enter the United States illegally from China in 2025.
Cases of the brightly-colored devices lined the booths at this year’s Alternative Products Expo in Nashville, Tennessee. Some vape devices featured LED screens. Some were stackable, allowing up to three flavors, enabling the user to concoct their own mixture of candy-like vape flavors. Other vapes were stylized as designer purses. One wholesaler employee pitched a pastel vape device that doubled as a fidget toy.
And as of 2020, all of them were illegal.
<div id="attachment_966933" style="width: 453px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-966933" class="wp-image-966933 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-443x576.jpg" alt="" width="443" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-443x576.jpg 443w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-231x300.jpg 231w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-768x999.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6-1181x1536.jpg 1181w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_6.jpg 1516w" sizes=" (max-width: 443px) 100vw, 443px" />A promotional flyer for the Alternative Products Expo in Nashville, Tennessee.</div>
While American manufacturers like JUUL only sell vapes in menthol and tobacco flavors — the only legal flavors in the United States — wholesalers skirt Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulations by importing vape products from China. These unregulated Chinese vapes are flooding the United States, despite warning letters and threats of seizure by the FDA. At the Alternative Products Expo, wholesalers promoted their illegal, Chinese vape products completely out in the open.
The Chinese company <a href="https://www.kangvapecig.com/">Kangvape</a> prominently displayed its TC8000 vape. The booth stocked the flavors Cool Mint, Miami Mint, Pineapple Coconut, Vintage, Virginia Tobacco, and Watermelon Ice. A flyer advertised an additional 23 flavors, including Rainbow Paradise.
Kangvape also sold its Speedy Beast vape in 20 flavors — none of which included tobacco or menthol. Instead, the Speedy Beast boasted the exotic-sounding Blue Laffi Taffi, Ruby Delight, and Tropical Starburst.
These are being openly hawked with no concern for past threats of action. The FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nfv-llc-dba-nfdvapes-and-nic-fix-doctor-673307-12122023">cited</a> the Rainbow Paradise flavor of the TC8000 in a warning letter from December 2023. Another FDA warning letter from April 2024 <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/highfi-vape-682420-04302024">noted</a> the illegal Kangvape Onee Stick. 
<div id="attachment_966947" style="width: 429px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-966947" class="wp-image-966947 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-419x576.jpg" alt="" width="419" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-419x576.jpg 419w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-218x300.jpg 218w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-768x1055.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-1118x1536.jpg 1118w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4-1490x2048.jpg 1490w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_4.jpg 1496w" sizes=" (max-width: 419px) 100vw, 419px" />ZColors by ZLAB is another Chinese vape company that sells its products in the United States.</div>
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said cracking down on illegal vapes is a “top priority” for the agency, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/top-priority-fda-to-crack-down-on-illegal-chinese-vapes">reported</a>.
“Eighty-five percent of the vaping products sold in the vape stores are illegal according to the FDA’s list,” Makary said. “We don’t even know what’s in some of these vaping products.”
There are only 39 vape products that have been authorized by the FDA.
An FDA spokesman says a federal task force is facilitating actions against illegal products.
“FDA has taken numerous actions against unauthorized new tobacco products from international firms, including e-cigarettes that are most popular with youth,” the spokesman told The Daily Wire.
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The FDA reports that it has seized millions of dollars’ worth of illegal products. In January, the agency seized $7 million worth of vape products, including the brand Geek Bar, which an FDA press release <a href="https://www.fda.gov/tobacco-products/ctp-newsroom/more-7-million-worth-illegal-e-cigarettes-seized-federal-operation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a> “may appeal to youth.”
The seizures haven’t scared Kangvape. The company sold dozens of boxes of Geek Bar vapes at the Expo, featuring flavors ranging from Banana Taffy Freeze to Blue Razz Ice.
Federal action appears to have had little impact on Chinese vapes in general. The Expo featured wholesalers that have received FDA warning letters and seemingly ignored them.
One such wholesaler, Safa Goods, was a sponsor of the Expo. Its name appeared on Expo nametags, as did advertisements for two other illegal vape brands, Beri Crush and Raz LTX.
The warning letter to Safa, <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/safa-goods-llc-665079-10052023">sent</a> in October 2023, cited the illegal vape product EB Design BC5000 Blue Razz Ice. Safa’s booth didn’t advertise the EB vapes. But it did sell the illegal vape Raz LTX 25K, which was <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/vapejuicecom-709722-05302025">cited</a> in an FDA warning letter from May 2025.
The Raz LTX 25K is a <a href="https://mipod.com/blogs/mipodblog/what-happened-to-raz-dc25000-vapes?srsltid=AfmBOor8Y9qvgdp0D6RivbJ6vGd7lvXcRpp2AeXAOV_R7DvF28cbEUfl">rebrand</a> of the Raz DC25000, which has also been cited in multiple FDA warning letters. Safa’s Expo booth sold the flavor Mango Loco, which was <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/thesmokeplugcom-709720-05302025">named</a> in an FDA warning letter from May 2025.
<div id="attachment_967009" style="width: 452px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-967009" class="wp-image-967009 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-442x576.jpg" alt="" width="442" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-442x576.jpg 442w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-230x300.jpg 230w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-768x1000.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-1179x1536.jpg 1179w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7-1572x2048.jpg 1572w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/08/Vape-Flyers_7.jpg 1612w" sizes=" (max-width: 442px) 100vw, 442px" />Safa Goods, a U.S. company that distributes Chinese vape products, was a sponsor of the Alternative Products Expo in Nashville.</div>
Safa also sold dozens of flavors aside from menthol and tobacco in additional brands.
The company is the subject of a New York lawsuit <a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2025/attorney-general-james-sues-nations-largest-vape-distributors-fueling-youth">suing</a> multiple vape distributors “for illegally distributing, marketing, and selling flavored disposable vapes.”
A primary concern with these vapes, with flavors more fit for a candy store than a tobacco shop, is that they appeal to children. Illegal e-cigarettes often attract children and teens through bright colors and fruit- and candy-based flavors, according to Makary.
The FDA spokesman said the agency works with “federal partners to combat these attempted illegal imports and enhance enforcement activities,” especially against vape products “that may be appealing to youth.”
An FDA seizure in 2023 included the illegal brand Lost Mary. Expo wholesaler Strictly E-Cig’s 2025 product catalog advertised 30 flavors of Lost Mary vapes, with names such as Dragon Drink, Rocket Popsicle, and Scary Berry. The Lost Mary products are available for purchase online.
Another wholesaler, Sol Trading, leaned into pastel colors and “cutie, fruity flavors” to market its UT Bar vape, which one employee pitched as both a vape and a fidget toy.
The UT Bar combines two flavors into one vape. The flavor combinations included B-Pop and Watermelon, Citrus Ice and Sour Fab, Cool Mint and Icy Mint, and Raspberry and White Peach.
Multiple sellers advertised flavor combinations at the Expo. Chinese-based company Ziip Lab sold its Z-Land vape, which allows the user to stack up to three vape pods for more than 125,000 flavor combinations, according to a handout from the booth.
The flyer advertised stacking flavors such as Berry Mix and Guava, as well as Blueberry, Green Apple, and Orange. Z-Land comes in a total of 51 flavors, including Milk, Rainbow Rain, and Skittle Ice Fruits.
Another wholesaler, Unishow, sold GeakNexx vapes at the Expo. Unishow <a href="https://www.fda.gov/media/128992/download?attachment">received</a> an FDA warning letter in 2019 for selling illegal products. The GeakNexx vapes came in about a dozen illicit flavors, including Blue Oat Donut, Frozen Fcuking Fab, and Strawberry Banana.
The Alternative Products Expo, Kangvape, Safa Goods, Strictly E-Cig, Unishow, and Ziip Lab did not respond to requests for comment.
The illegal vapes didn’t stop with the wholesalers. The Alternative Products Expo itself advertised a giveaway of $50,000 worth of illegal vape products, including the disposable Geek Bar Pulse and the Raz DC25000, and the Raz TN9000. The <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/denverelectroniccigarettescom-708988-05162025">Geek Bar Pulse</a>, Raz DC25000, and <a href="https://www.fda.gov/inspections-compliance-enforcement-and-criminal-investigations/warning-letters/nepa-wholesale-inc-710957-06262025">Raz TN9000</a> have been cited in FDA warning letters.
The Expo promoted the illegal vapes giveaway with a large sign and a locked case of vapes just inside the entrance to the convention center. It also marketed the giveaway online and in the official show book.
The advertised flavors included Blue Razz Ice, Fire and Ice, and Miami Mint. An additional flavor, Strawberry Burst, did not contain nicotine.
The Expo was not only for vapes, but also “the full spectrum of alternative products,” including CBD-based products, mushrooms, and Kratom, another drug that’s become dangerously popular with America’s teenagers.
Many of these vapes are smuggled into the United States. A previous Daily Wire investigation <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/china-is-flooding-america-with-illegal-vapes-and-more-than-90-fly-under-the-radar">found</a> that over 90% of imported Chinese vape products in 2024 were not included in U.S. import data. The companies often disguise their products by labeling them as battery chargers and flashlights.
“[What] we have been doing is laughable,” Makary said. “We’re going to start confiscating and seizing. We’re going to take this seriously.”

IMG_6982

From Banana Taffy To Dragon Drink: The Illegal Chinese Vapes Flooding The U.S. Market

Drugs

Investigation

Nashville

News

Vape

More than 30,000 wireless power banks have been <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/ESR-HaloLock-Wireless-Power-Banks-Recalled-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Distributed-by-Waymeet">recalled</a> over risk of fire and explosions.
The recall involves ESR HaloLock Wireless Power Banks with model numbers 2G520, 2G505B and 2G512B, according to the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC). The power banks have &#8220;ESR&#8221; printed on the back and the model number on the side. They also have &#8220;five circular LED display lights&#8221; on the side.
&#8220;The lithium-ion battery in the recalled power banks can overheat and ignite, posing fire and burn hazards to consumers,&#8221; the CPSC said.
The CSPC added that consumers should stop using the power banks immediately and contact Waymeet for a refund.
There have been nine reports of the power banks catching fire and exploding, the agency said. There have been no reported injures, but the malfunctions caused about $20,000 in property damage.
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About 24,000 power banks were sold in the United States and about 10,000 in Canada between September 2023 and July 2025.
Consumers can email support@erstech.com with a photo of the recalled power bank with the model number and &#8220;recalled&#8221; written on the device in permanent marker.
The CPSC said consumers should dispose of the devices according to state and local guidelines. Lithium batteries pose a greater risk of fire than normal batteries and cannot be disposed in normal garbage or recycling bins.
More than one million Anker power banks were <a href="https://www.cpsc.gov/Recalls/2025/More-than-One-Million-Anker-Power-Banks-Recalled-Due-to-Fire-and-Burn-Hazards-Manufactured-by-Anker-Innovations">recalled</a> in June for a similar problem, according to the agency.

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Catherine Maxwell