Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders took a big step toward protecting her state from the Chinese Communist Party and other nefarious foreign agents.
She signed a bill demanding representatives acting on behalf of hostile foreign adversaries such as the People&#8217;s Republic of China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea register publicly, disclose who bankrolls them, and spell out exactly what they are doing in Arkansas politics.
Although this foreign-agent registration is the first statute of its kind in the country, other legislatures should explore similar laws as a defense against hostile foreign actors and their agents covertly swaying policy or political activities at the state level.
Our country is facing a new kind of warfare waged through manipulation, money, and misinformation. Our adversaries are well-funded and coordinated, working relentlessly to sow division and destabilize our society. They’re attacking at the state and local level more and more, hiding behind layers of nonprofits and advocacy groups.
Take Students for Justice in Palestine, for example – a shadowy group that played a prominent role in riling up violent mobs on college campuses last year. This group and others like it (Within Our Lifetime, Jewish Voice for Peace, Palestinian Youth Movement, etc.) routinely accept secret money, raising concerns about potential support from hostile foreign actors.
Some of these organizations are not even registered as nonprofits, and alarmingly, many pro-Hamas groups have established local chapters on college campuses and receive funding from student activity fees.
The CCP perfected this playbook long ago. There are Confucius Institutes embedded on college campuses masquerading as language centers while disseminating the Party’s propaganda. Other groups such as Code Pink echo CCP talking points, attacking American energy policy and championing topics that align with China’s geopolitical objectives.
Research has shown that the CCP’s influence stretches far beyond college campuses. It targets state pension funds, critical infrastructure, farmland near military bases, and even municipal procurement of drones and surveillance tech. Every contract, endowment, or protest it bankrolls is another opportunity to steal American intellectual property, map supply chains, and erode public trust.
It’s no surprise the Federal Bureau of Investigation has labeled the Chinese Communist government a “grave threat to the economic well-being and democratic values of the United States,” and national security agencies from some of our top allies have warned the CCP is engaging in the most “sophisticated theft of intellectual property and expertise in human history.&#8221;
Arkansas has taken the first step in combating this foreign interference. The law will shine a spotlight on every foreign‑funded front group operating in the state. Agents who fail to register face stiff penalties; those tied to hostile nations risk even higher fines.
<div id="attachment_916433" style="width: 875px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-916433" class="size-large wp-image-916433" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-865x576.jpg" alt="DustyPixel. Getty Images." width="865" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-865x576.jpg 865w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-768x511.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1536x1022.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-2048x1363.jpg 2048w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1800x1200.jpg 1800w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/05/GettyImages-468385788-1200x800.jpg 1200w" sizes="(max-width: 865px) 100vw, 865px" />DustyPixel. Getty Images.</div>
The new law also strengthens campaign finance disclosure laws, exposing individuals and organizations seeking to undermine democratic values through covert influence operations. The law is singularly focused on hostile foreign actors; international businesses and lobbyists representing allied nations are unaffected.
It is encouraging that this effort is also a part of a larger “Communist China Defense” suite of bills from Governor Sanders, with proposals to divest state resources from China and ban land purchases near critical infrastructure.
These measures are a timely reminder that safeguarding our communities begins in the statehouse, not just in Washington. Other legislatures should move quickly to adopt similar protections and fortify America’s democracy and sovereignty against those determined to erode them.
 * * *
Joe Gebbia is the CEO and Founder of State Shield, an organization dedicated to educating state leaders and uniting state and federal efforts to combat the growing threat the Chinese Communist Party poses to America’s security, supply chains, and core values.
The views in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

Conservatives Gather For Annual CPAC Conference In Washington DC

Arkansas Strikes First Blow Against Foreign Influence In U.S. Politics

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At least forty people were killed as fierce winds and tornadoes ripped across the country over the weekend, slamming the Midwest and the South. 
Twenty-four of the deaths were attributed to tornadoes, while wind-fueled dust storms and fires resulted in another 16 deaths. At least 12 people <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/tornado-outbreak-live-updates-18-dead-dozens-injured/?id=119832914" target="_blank" rel="noopener">were</a> killed in Missouri, three in Alabama, eight in Kansas, six in Mississippi, four in Texas, three in Arkansas, and four in Oklahoma. 
Tens of thousands of customers are still out of power after the storms raced across the country up into Pennsylvania and New York. More than 25,000 customers are without electricity in Missouri, 56,000 in Pennsylvania, and 23,000 in New York, <a href="https://poweroutage.us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to PowerOutage.us. 
President Donald Trump said Sunday that he had activated the National Guard in response to the storms. 
“We are actively monitoring the severe tornadoes and storms that have impacted many States across the South and Midwest — 36 innocent lives have been lost, and many more devastated,” he <a href="https://truthsocial.com/@realDonaldTrump/posts/114174243289152293">posted</a> on Truth Social on Sunday. “The National Guard have been deployed to Arkansas, and my Administration is ready to assist State and Local Officials, as they help their communities to try and recover from the damage. Please join Melania and me in praying for everyone impacted by these terrible storms!”
<div id="attachment_892677" style="width: 1034px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-892677" class="size-full wp-image-892677" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205026292.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="1024" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205026292.jpg 1024w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205026292-300x300.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205026292-576x576.jpg 576w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205026292-150x150.jpg 150w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/03/GettyImages-2205026292-768x768.jpg 768w" sizes="(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px" />Credit: Photo by Mehmet Yaren Bozgun/Anadolu via Getty Images.</div>
In Kansas, a wind-fueled dust storm <a href="https://www.ksn.com/news/state-regional/dust-settles-on-71-vehicle-pileup-8-fatalities-near-goodland/">caused</a> a 70-car pileup on Interstate 70 that killed eight people near Goodland on Friday. 
“I’ve seen it before, but this is probably the worst I’ve ever seen,” Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Tod Hileman told KSNW. 
Missouri, Mississippi, Arkansas, and Alabama were all slammed by tornadoes, as at least 56 developed across 10 different states, <a href="https://www.foxweather.com/weather-news/severe-weather-tornadoes-dust-storm-blizzard-midwest-plains-southeast-east-coast" target="_blank" rel="noopener">according</a> to the Fox Forecast Center. Southeast Missouri was hit particularly hard after storms ripped through Wayne, Ozark, Butler, and Jefferson counties. 
Videos posted online also showed widespread tornado damage in Mississippi.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
FOX Weather exclusive video shows the extensive damages in Tylertown, Mississippi after a tornado ripped through the area this weekend. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Mississippi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Mississippi</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tornado?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tornado</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Farm?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Farm</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FoxWeather?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FoxWeather</a> <a href="https://t.co/bwwXZqbCM9">pic.twitter.com/bwwXZqbCM9</a>
— FOX Weather (@foxweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/foxweather/status/1901393041736228951?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 16, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Alabama Republican Governor Kay Ivey said on Sunday that most of her state had been impacted by the storms. 
“We have reports of damage in 52 of our 67 counties. Our damage assessment continues. The sun has risen in Alabama, though. We pray for those lives we lost, as well as those who were injured. And we pray for our first responders, emergency management officials and linemen who are doing incredible work on the ground right now,” she said.

Tornadoes Rip Through Missouri

At Least 40 Dead After Tornadoes, Dust Storms Ravage Several States

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A doctor was indicted by federal authorities this month for an alleged massive child porn ring, almost exactly three years after The Daily Wire exposed how high schools across the country were referring students to an apparent pervert who offered a “scholarship” and “grooming.”
Philip Taylor Sobash was arrested last Friday in Austin, Texas, according to an <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.tnmd.102213/gov.uscourts.tnmd.102213.3.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indictment</a> unsealed by the Middle District of Tennessee federal court December 13. The FBI concluded this year that Sobash was a notorious child pornographer called “DiscreetGent,” who was responsible for a “collection of sexually explicit images and videos of about 70 young women and girls.”
The Daily Wire reported on December 15, 2021, that a large number of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/exclusive-high-schools-steering-students-to-alleged-porn-producer-for-scholarship" target="_blank" rel="noopener">high schools were putting students directly in touch with Sobash,</a> despite his having been sued at least four times over his alleged sexual conduct and stripped of his medical license in Arkansas.
In October 2021, Sobash put out a press release saying he “decided to contribute to the next generation of doctors via an effective mentorship program,” that he wanted to “<a href="https://apnews.com/press-release/prcom/medical-schools-b7236c3bbf0a93a3b3803843f32edcd3" target="_blank" rel="noopener">groom</a> and encourage” students, and that “mentoring goes beyond what most medical students think about the medical field.” He also set up a website advertising a $1,000 “Dr. Philip Sobash Scholarship” to “give back to the future medical doctors of America.”
Fort Vancouver High School in Vancouver, Washington, instructed high schoolers “with an interest in becoming a medical doctor” to email Sobash their full name, bio, phone number, and address for a chance at $1,000. A sampling of the many other high schools promoting the scholarship include Pearl River High School in New York, the North Ridgeville City Schools in Ohio, the Prairie du Chien Area School District in Wisconsin,  the Starmont Community School District in Iowa, the Vinton County, Ohio schools, and Alfred Ely Beach High School in Savannah, Georgia.
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-847967" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/vancouver.png" alt="" width="924" height="908" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/vancouver.png 924w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/vancouver-300x295.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/vancouver-586x576.png 586w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/12/vancouver-768x755.png 768w" sizes="(max-width: 924px) 100vw, 924px" /></div>
At the time, red flags about Sobash were evident. His medical license was surrendered in Arkansas on October 7, 2021, and numerous lawsuits had been filed by women alleging that he exploited them into producing sexual material after luring them with promises of money, then sold it online without their consent. The Daily Wire described four lawsuits that were dropped after apparent cash settlements.
When Sobash practiced at the White River Health System in Batesville, Arkansas and the hospital posted about him online in 2020, numerous women took to the comments section to say he was a predator. One girl from Tennessee wrote that “he tried to fly me out to have sex with him at 16! had to get fbi involved bc he posted nude pics &amp; vids of me at 15!! bc i wouldn’t go see him. not to mention, with ALL my personal info. i’m 20 now &amp; still receive death threats, he’s ruined my life forever.”
That may have been the case that triggered federal charges. Prosecutors said between October 2018 and May 2019, while Sobash lived in Austin, he met a minor from Tennessee on a website that connects women with “sugar daddies.” She told him she was a minor and sent a photo of her driver&#8217;s license, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/texas-man-indicted-child-sexual-exploitation-charges" target="_blank" rel="noopener">prosecutors said</a>. Sobash allegedly sent her thousands of dollars and requested that she send him sexually explicit images of herself. She sent hundreds of such images, and although Sobash promised they would be private, he distributed them online; they were sold online with her first and last name, which led to others contacting her and attempting to blackmail her into producing more child sexual abuse material, they alleged.
Sobash is <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.tnmd.102213/gov.uscourts.tnmd.102213.3.1.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">charged</a> with sexual exploitation of a minor, coercion and enticement of a minor, and receipt of child pornography, facing a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years on the first charge, 10 years on the second, and five years on the third, in addition to a maximum $750,000 fine.
The <a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/victim-services/seeking-victim-information/seeking-victim-information-in-philip-sobash-discreet-gent-investigation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">FBI has asked</a> other victims of Sobash to come forward. “The FBI believes he primarily targeted females between the ages of 15 and 25 from January 2014 through his arrest in December 2024” and that “Numerous victims have reported that after sending sexually explicit images to Sobash, they would be threatened and coerced into producing more imagery,” it said. “The FBI has found dozens of victims&#8217; sexually explicit images for sale online. Sobash used various monikers online, including DiscreetGent, Discreet Gentleman, Discreet Spoiling, Sugar Daddy, Interesting Fun, Honest and Fun, and Excited Guy.”
“Numerous victims have settled civil lawsuits against Sobash and may be bound by non-disclosure agreements. Such agreements are likely unenforceable if designed to prevent victims from reporting crimes to law enforcement,” it said.
Some of the schools did not respond promptly when The Daily Wire notified them in 2021 that they were putting high schoolers in touch with an alleged abuser. Craig Daughtry, the principal of Alfred Ely Beach High School, and Kurt Hetager, communications director for the Savannah-Chatham County (Georgia) Public School System, did not respond to an email whose subject line was “Urgent media request – school website directing students to contact alleged pornographer,” and the school was still advertising the scholarship when the story ran.

Philip Sobash / Instagram

Doctor Who Got High Schools To Send Him Students For ‘Scholarship’ Indicted For Sexual Exploitation

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The University of Arkansas School of Law promoted a free &#8220;name and gender correction&#8221; pro bono session on Thursday that involved law students helping out.
The law school said the event would provide &#8220;free legal assistance&#8221; to people who wanted to change their legal name and gender designation.
Trans-identifying people often legally change their name and gender on their government documents — a man who identifies as a woman might change his gender to &#8220;female&#8221; and his name to &#8220;Sarah,&#8221; which would show up on his driver&#8217;s license, for example.
The event was scheduled for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Thursday at the Fayetteville Public Library and was hosted by Legal Aid of Arkansas, a nonprofit that provides free legal aid to low-income people.
&#8220;Volunteer law students and local attorneys will provide free legal assistance to those seeking name or gender marker changes. This event is open to the public,&#8221; the school <a href="https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=1456625425284725&amp;id=100028118456460&amp;rdid=arPdSghpy9CEewTj" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a> on Facebook.
<div id="attachment_818379" style="width: 369px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-818379" class=" wp-image-818379" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/464108656_1456624725284795_4805314509689803066_n-232x300.jpg" alt="" width="359" height="464" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/464108656_1456624725284795_4805314509689803066_n-232x300.jpg 232w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/464108656_1456624725284795_4805314509689803066_n-445x576.jpg 445w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/464108656_1456624725284795_4805314509689803066_n-768x994.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/10/464108656_1456624725284795_4805314509689803066_n.jpg 1080w" sizes="(max-width: 359px) 100vw, 359px" />(Facebook)</div>
In the comments of the post, people expressed interest in taking advantage of the free legal services.
&#8220;What all is required for a name or gender change? I would love to come and change my name,&#8221; someone commented.
&#8220;I was wondering the same thing,&#8221; wrote someone else.
The law school said the event was part of &#8220;Pro Bono Week.&#8221;
Law students often offer their services for free to people who cannot afford representation because it gives the students real-world experience practicing law.
The University of Arkansas School of Law celebrates students who do many hours of pro bono work.
On Wednesday, students who had completed the most pro bono hours were treated to “Dessert with the Dean&#8221; to &#8220;celebrate their contributions to the law school and the community,&#8221; the school posted on Facebook.
Arkansas is one of the country&#8217;s <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/religious-landscape-study/database/compare/political-ideology/by/state/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">more</a> conservative states — about 42% of adults identify as conservative, according to Pew Research.
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1729077615157000&amp;usg=AOvVaw17Kprl74oE9DYOLREdiBPU">MATT WALSH’S ‘AM I RACIST?’ COMING TO DAILYWIRE+ OCT. 28</a>
The University of Arkansas is the state&#8217;s flagship school, and it <a href="https://financial-affairs.uark.edu/PDFs/2022annualrept.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">receives</a> hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars in state and federal funding every year.
Tuition is nearly $40,000 a year for an out-of-state student and nearly $18,000 a year for an Arkansas resident.
Gender ideology exploded as a controversial issue several years ago and it has continued to loom large this election cycle.
Conservatives have pushed back on medicalizing children with gender dysphoria with drugs like puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones or surgeries like double mastectomies and genital surgeries.
At least 24 states, including Arkansas, have <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/articles/2023-03-30/what-is-gender-affirming-care-and-which-states-have-restricted-it-in-2023" target="_blank" rel="noopener">banned</a> these treatments for minors. Arkansas&#8217; ban on gender procedures for minors was struck down by a federal judge last year.

Image lawyer businessman sitting at the office with a woman customer explaining the agreement of advice.

University Of Arkansas Law School Promoted ‘Name And Gender Change’ Pro Bono Session

University Of Arkansas Law School Promoted 'Name And Gender Change' Pro Bono Session

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Donations for an <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/arkansas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arkansas</a> man named Aaron Spencer, 36, poured in online this week, after Spencer was arrested for killing 67-year-old Michael Fosler, whom Spencer found with his missing 14-year-old daughter.
According to a Facebook <a href="https://www.facebook.com/heathernmalachi/posts/10160398652855418?ref=embed_post" target="_blank" rel="noopener">post</a> from Spencer&#8217;s wife, the family had a no-contact order out against Fosler for allegedly stalking their daughter over the summer. Back in July, Fosler was <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/10/11/arkansas-father-aaron-spencer-shoots-man-found-with-daughter/75627489007/?fbclid=IwY2xjawF-UN9leHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHSv2S56AMWrsGfdqHDy_PX9uP9iUnkgEhg8eFYs0LGXRdDT9cZHhms37AA_aem_rIc6ZLLpz1nOCI7IkhCUjg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reportedly</a> arrested by another agency for internet stalking of a child and sexual assault.
&#8220;This man had a no contact order for stalking/graping (sic) our child,&#8221; Heather Spencer said in the Facebook post. &#8220;We absolutely called 911 during the entire event. We had no idea this man was in contact with our child again.&#8221;
&#8220;He was looking at the rest of his pathetic life in jail, and our daughter was the only witness,&#8221; the post continued. &#8220;We 100% in the moment thought he had taken her to kill her.&#8221;
Spencer, who&#8217;s been released since posting bond, was arrested on a preliminary charge of first-degree murder, which is a Class Y felony, and booked into Lonoke County Detention Center, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/arkansas-dad-accused-killing-man-he-found-with-daughter-14-could-use-heat-passion-defense-attorney" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> this week.
Defense lawyers told Fox they suspect Spencer will see his charges reduced based on the circumstances of the incident.
When the public heard about Spencer&#8217;s arrest, more than $100,000 in donations reportedly poured in through a <a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-a-hero-legal-fees-for-a-brave-father?attribution_id=sl:87fcfe5f-8ec3-4026-bdbf-7b0c13838bf1&amp;utm_campaign=man_sharesheet_dash_ai&amp;utm_content=amp8_t4&amp;utm_medium=customer&amp;utm_source=copy_link" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GoFundMe</a> account for legal expenses. However, the platform reportedly pulled the fundraiser without explanation.
&#8220;Our GoFundMe me was removed and people are being issued refunds,&#8221; Heather Spencer said. &#8220;If you donated I apologize I have no idea why this is happening.&#8221;
A <a href="https://www.givesendgo.com/GDGSG?utm_source=sharelink&amp;utm_medium=copy_link&amp;utm_campaign=GDGSG" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GiveSendGo</a> account was then created for Spencer. Currently, the account is closed, but offers the following message:
<blockquote>Words cannot express how deeply appreciative we are for the support coming in all over the world. We have reached far beyond our goal in less than a week. The rest of our fundraising will be done through Gun Owners of Arkansas and will be pinned across all socials. Update will follow soon. Please continue to share our story far and wide. Thank you and God bless you all.</blockquote>
<a href="https://gunownersarkansas.org/defense-fund/?fbclid=IwY2xjawF-VXdleHRuA2FlbQIxMAABHWhMXSggCqlcKObUoTL5kuMTQX6qwrHWiUldvtYvc-rra5MHs_rxOf6yYQ_aem_bggXQ9Wl-eUw8sQ_Z03row" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gun Owners of Arkansas</a>, a nonprofit, now has a fundraiser for Spencer, but it&#8217;s unclear how much has been raised.
&#8220;After conducting research and reviewing the circumstances surrounding the incident involving Mr. Aaron Spencer, Gun Owners of Arkansas has concluded that he was justified in his actions under Arkansas Self Defense Law, despite being preliminarily charged with first-degree murder,&#8221; the group said. &#8220;We have mobilized our Defense Fund Account to support a fellow gun owner.&#8221;
Heather Spencer said online that her daughter is a &#8220;victim&#8221; and &#8220;prayers&#8221; are holding her family together.
&#8220;At the end of the day, our daughter is a victim and we have a long road of recovery for everyone,&#8221; she wrote. &#8220;We are so thankful for all the calls, messages and prayers. Despite the legal stuff, our family has been through something we don’t wish on anyone. Please keep us in your prayers, if you can donate, great, but prayers are holding us together right now.&#8221;

Donations Explode For Dad Accused Of Killing Alleged Sex Predator Found With Daughter

Donations Explode For Dad Accused Of Killing Young Daughter’s Stalker

Crime

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Hundreds of thousands of people were left without power after Hurricane Francine made landfall in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/louisiana" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Louisiana</a> on Wednesday, bringing torrential winds and rain. 
As of Thursday morning, Francine had been <a href="https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/text/refresh/MIATCPAT1+shtml/121142.shtml" target="_blank" rel="noopener">downgraded</a> to a tropical storm, and there were an <a href="https://poweroutage.us" target="_blank" rel="noopener">estimated</a> 391,159 customers without power in Louisiana and 64,247 without power in Mississippi. The storm system is expected to move through Louisiana on Thursday and impact other southern states. 
Francine made landfall as a category 2 hurricane at 5:00 p.m. local time in the southern Louisiana Parish of Terrebonne on Wednesday. Its maximum winds were up to 100 miles per hour, according to the National Hurricane Center, and hit Morgan City hard with rain and wind. 
&#8220;It&#8217;s a little bit worse than what I expected to be honest with you,&#8221; <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/hurricane-francine-louisiana-power-outages-wind-rain-flooding/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> Morgan City Sheriff Alvin Cockerham, according to CBS. &#8220;I pulled all my trucks back to the station; it&#8217;s too dangerous to be out there in this.”
In New Orleans, Miles Crawford <a href="https://www.wdsu.com/article/live-tv-rescue-hurricane-francine-new-orleans/62165066" target="_blank" rel="noopener">helped</a> save a man stuck in a truck submerged in water. He used a hammer to break open the vehicle&#8217;s window and helped pull the man out of the truck after going into the flooded street. 
A flash flood emergency was declared Wednesday in New Orleans as it was hit with six to eight inches of rain. 
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724361346607000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1ZhyOQfEkxcMH_D1Ago3CQ">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday morning that Francine will turn north in the next day or so and start slowing down. 
“On the forecast track, the center of Francine will move over central and northern portions of Mississippi through early Friday,” it said in an update. “Maximum sustained winds have decreased to near 35 mph (55 km/h)  with higher gusts. Continued weakening is forecast, and Francine is expected to become a post-tropical cyclone later today.”
The storm is also expected to bring heavy rain to Mississippi, Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. 
“Francine is expected to bring storm total rainfall of 3 to 6 inches across portions of Mississippi, eastern Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, and the Florida Panhandle. Localized amounts up to 10 inches are possible within rain bands over portions of central and northern Alabama and over the Florida Panhandle. This rainfall could lead to locally considerable flash and urban flooding,” NOAA said. 
President Joe Biden <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/presidential-actions/2024/09/10/president-joseph-r-biden-jr-approves-louisiana-emergency-declaration-5/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">approved</a> an emergency declaration from Louisiana to mobilize federal assistance for storm response.

Louisiana Residents Prepare As Hurricane Francine Heads Towards Coastline

Thousands Left Without Power After Hurricane Francine Makes Landfall In Louisiana

Florida

Hurricane

Louisiana

New Orleans

The <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/arkansas" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Arkansas</a> Supreme Court rejected a last ditch effort from a leftist group seeking to get an abortion amendment added to the November ballot that would roll back pro-life protections.
On Thursday, the court ruled 4-3 against a challenge from the pro-abortion Arkansans for Limited Government (AFLG) to Secretary of State John Thurston’s decision to reject their amendment liberalizing the state’s abortion laws from the ballot. Thurston rejected the ballot initiative last month, saying that the group failed to disclose who it had paid to gather 14,143 of the signatures it collected in support of ballot placement.
“This court is being asked to order another constitutional officer, the Arkansas Secretary of State, to ignore a mandatory statutory provision that he has enforced,” the majority wrote. “That is not the proper role of the court.”
“We find that the secretary correctly refused to count the signatures collected by paid canvassers because the sponsor failed to file the paid canvasser training certification,” the majority added.
The ballot <a href="https://ag-opinions.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2024-004.pdf">initiative</a> would have added exceptions to existing Arkansas abortion law for rape, incest, and fetal anomaly, as well as instituting a right to an abortion up to 18 weeks after conception. At <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-development/art-20046151">18 weeks</a>, an unborn baby’s digestive system begins working and they can hear sounds.
Dissenting Justices Karen Baker and Courtney Rae Hudson <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2024/08/22/arkansas-supreme-court-blocks-abortion-measure-00175823" target="_blank" rel="noopener">claimed</a> that Thurston had manufactured a reason to reject the proposed amendment.
“This requirement was made up out of whole cloth,” they wrote. “Regnat Populus — The People Rule — is the motto of Arkansas. Today’s decision strips every Arkansan of this power.”
Thurston said that his office was only following the law when it rejected the amendment.
“During the electoral process, my staff maintained the highest professional standards and did not allow partisan politics or misinformation to deter them from their duty to comply with the law,” he said in a <a href="https://www.newsnationnow.com/us-news/mid-south/arkansas-abortion-amendment-reaction/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>. “I am dedicated to my calling to serve Arkansans and will continue to do so.”
<a href="https://www.amiracist.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.amiracist.com/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1724211156439000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2-L2DitSaIUj5wz8v0bgxx">Tickets for “Am I Racist?” are on sale NOW! Buy here for a theater near you.</a>
The court’s ruling was praised by GOP Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
“Proud I helped build the first conservative Supreme Court majority in the history of Arkansas and today that court upheld the rule of law, and with it, the right to life,” she <a href="https://x.com/SarahHuckabee/status/1826675980246949938" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a post on X.
Other red states like Florida and South Dakota will have abortion rights on the ballot in 2024, while abortion measures are pending in other conservative states like Missouri and Montana.

Supreme Court Hears Mississippi Abortion Case

Arkansas Supreme Court Rejects Effort From Leftist Group To Put Abortion On November Ballot

Abortion

Courts

Pro-Life Movement

While the gender theorists fumble around trying to answer the “What is a Woman?” question, Sarah Huckabee Sanders answered it with a clarion call at the Republican National Convention. Her words were beautifully woven with the purpose of femininity.
First, she honored Trump. Second, she lifted the name of God. And third, she emphasized her greatest role as a mother. 
Dressed in a cherry red dress and exuding pride in her country, Sanders praised Trump as an example of courage under fire while reminding us he is a father of five and grandfather of ten. With confidence and dignity, she modeled wisdom for younger women, which is what mothers are supposed to do. Not only is Sanders America’s youngest governor and the first female to lead “the great state of Arkansas,” but she is also the first mother to have served as White House Press Secretary, where she fielded attacks from the Left with unflinching grace.
“America was safer under Donald Trump,” she announced at the RNC, reminding the world what is top-of-mind for women: our safety and security. “The Left doesn’t care about empowering women,” she stated plainly, “Biden and Harris can’t even tell you what a woman is.” That is the God-honest truth.
While researching the creation of woman over the past few years, I discovered that not only is being a “man” an action — laying down one’s life to lift the woman at his side — but being a woman is an action too. It is the exact action Huckabee took in May of this year when she signed biological sex into law, defying Biden’s rewriting of Title IX to advance radical gender ideology. The action of womanhood is to speak on behalf of the vulnerable and to course-correct mankind when we are headed in the wrong direction.
<h4><a href="https://www.dailywire.com/videos/what-is-a-woman" target="_blank" rel="noopener">WATCH: Matt Walsh&#8217;s documentary &#8220;What is a Woman?&#8221; on DailyWire+</a></h4>
The word male in biblical Hebrew, zakar, means to remember who God is, what He says, and live it out. Men are responsible to carry the human family on their shoulders. Part of our purpose as women is to help them walk in that identity. While men lift us, women lift the home and family and stabilize mankind. Together, we pass on the ways of God to the next generation.
In her Executive Order to Protect Women and Girls, Huckabee achieved this purpose by revisiting the original meaning of Title IX: to protect women, not harm them. When Title IX was passed into law in 1972, it was a succinct 37 words. Biden’s unilateral rewriting of Title IX resulted in 459,804 nonsensical words that divorce human beings from biological reality and put women at risk. Sanders unapologetically declared, it “turns back the clock on women’s opportunities, erodes student privacy, threatens women’s sports, and erases women,” which we can’t ignore. 
With unflinching accuracy, she called Biden on the carpet, saying it is “plainly ridiculous” for men to compete in women’s sports, receive access to women’s and girls’ locker rooms and private spaces, and snap away our scholarships. She lambasted this administration for rejecting reality and appeasing their Left-wing base over student’s safety. 
“The government should celebrate, not erase, sex differences by providing proper protections for them,” she said, plain and simple–while making it illegal in Arkansas to force the use of inaccurate pronouns. She re-established “male and female” as the one and only definition of sex in her state. It’s refreshing and simple. The result of her measure? Girls in Arkansas don’t have to compete against boys. Their sports are safe; their locker rooms are safe; and their scholarships are safe. In Arkansas, political ideology doesn’t define sex; God does. Boom. That’s a woman for you.
<div id="attachment_767531" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-767531" class="size-large wp-image-767531" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-2161733599-864x576.jpg" alt="Sarah Huckabee Sanders, governor of Arkansas, speaks during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Tuesday, July 16, 2024. Former President Donald Trump tapped JD Vance as his running mate, elevating to the Republican presidential ticket a venture capitalist-turned-senator whose embrace of populist politics garnered national attention and made him a rising star in the party. Photographer: Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-2161733599-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-2161733599-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-2161733599-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2024/07/GettyImages-2161733599.jpg 1024w" sizes="(max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images</div>
Real women know we are worthy of protection. Real women honor God, men, and children. And real women speak up when it matters.
The question remains why every Right-thinking governor in the United States hasn’t followed her wise example. What would happen if strong mothers and fathers stood united as a dividing wall between children and gender ideology? What would happen? Our daughters would be safe; our sons’ bodies and minds would be preserved; and children would know they are our first priority.
In her speech to the RNC, Sanders lived up to the timeless definition of womanhood exhibited in Proverbs 8:2: “At the crossroads, she [wisdom] takes her stand.”
“Ladies and gentlemen, we are not called to stand still in the face of great danger. You and I were put on this earth at a moment in time to charge boldly ahead,” Sanders said. I hope all women will follow her example. If they do, Matthew Arnold’s words will be fulfilled: “If there ever comes a time when the women of the world come together purely and simply for the benefit of mankind, it will be a force such as the world has never known.”
What is a woman? We are daughters, wives, mothers, sisters, and grandmothers. We value strong, sacrificial fathers and raise warrior sons. We protect our daughters no matter the cost. And when the world is headed in the wrong direction, we stand up — maybe even wearing a beautiful red dress — and embrace the power of the feminine voice.
Let’s not forget that in the Book of Proverbs, Wisdom is a She.
* * *
Jennifer Strickland is former international model, TEDx speaker, host of the I AM A WOMAN podcast, and an eight-time author, including titles such as Girl Perfect, Beautiful Lies, and her most recent release, <a href="http://iamawoman.us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">I Am a Woman: Taking Back Our Name</a>. She has worked with women of all ages for over 20 years through her ministry, U R More, and passionately aims to educate women, girls, men, and boys about the biblical truth of our identity.
The views expressed in this piece are those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Daily Wire.

The 2024 Republican National Convention

How Sarah Huckabee Sanders Defined The Word Woman At The RNC

Bible

gender ideology

Readers Pass

Republican National Convention

Republicans

Title IX

Women

Women's sports

Arkansas Secretary of State John Thurston on Wednesday rejected an effort from pro-abortion activists to place an initiative on the November ballot to amend the state Constitution to roll back pro-life protections.  
In a <a href="https://x.com/lbengilmore/status/1811119926066958457" target="_blank" rel="noopener">letter</a> to the pro-abortion group Arkansans for Limited Government (AFLG), Thurston said that the group failed to comply with state requirements to qualify for ballot placement. 
Thurston said that the group did not disclose who it paid to gather 14,143 of the signatures it collected in support of ballot placement and invalidated those signatures, meaning the group would be 3,322 signatures short of the required 90,704 needed to qualify. 
“The first part of our review is to ensure that the sponsor has complied with all statutory requirements for submitting a petition,”  Thurston said. “Because you failed at this first step, it is my duty to reject your submission.”
The ballot <a href="https://ag-opinions.s3.amazonaws.com/uploads/2024-004.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">initiative</a> would have added exceptions to existing Arkansas abortion law for rape, incest, and fetal anomaly, as well as instituting a right to an abortion up to 18 weeks after conception. At <a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/pregnancy-week-by-week/in-depth/fetal-development/art-20046151" target="_blank" rel="noopener">18 weeks</a>, an unborn baby’s digestive system begins working and they can hear sounds. 
AFLG <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/07/10/us/politics/arkansas-abortion-amendment.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that it would review the letter and fight Thurston’s decision. 
“As I have long said, changing the Arkansas Constitution involves a rigorous process, as it should, and it requires sponsors to adhere to all applicable laws and rules,” Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin <a href="https://www.kark.com/news/politics/lawmakers-respond-to-arkansas-secretary-of-state-john-thurston-rejecting-abortion-ballot-petitions/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “In this instance, the sponsors failed to follow the law, specifically a simple and straightforward affidavit requirement that other ballot committees followed.”
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Pro-life Republicans in the state celebrated the news of the rejection. 
“Today the far left pro-abortion crowd in Arkansas showed they are both immoral and incompetent,” Arkansas Republican Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders said. 
“This is a great day for all Arkansans. Our unborn babies will continue to be protected and the next generation will receive the educational freedom they deserve,&#8221; Senate Majority Leader Blake Johnson said. 
After the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, pro-abortion activists have moved to implement abortion rights into state constitutions through ballot initiatives. They have done so in multiple states, including Republican-dominated Ohio. Red states like Florida and South Dakota will have abortion rights on the ballot in 2024, while abortion measures are pending in other conservative states like Missouri and Montana.

Arkansas State Capitol building Little Rock

Arkansas Rejects Bid From Leftist Activists To Put Abortion On 2024 Ballot

2024 Election

Elections

Politics

Roe v. Wade's Long And Brutal Legacy

Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders rolled out a proposal on Tuesday to incentivize schools in the state to ban cell phones from the classroom, according to a letter sent to schools across the state obtained by The Daily Wire.
The idea is to improve students&#8217; mental health by separating them from their phones, temporarily removing any anxiety their phones cause, encouraging in-person social interaction with friends, and fostering a better learning environment. &#8220;The program will address the symptoms of youth mental illness as well as one of its largest causes: screen addiction and social media,&#8221; Sanders said.
The grant program will cover the cost of putting a cell phone ban into place, providing schools with secure pouches for students to store their phones during the school day. All Arkansas school districts are invited to join the pilot program, the governor and Arkansas Secretary of Education Jacob Oliva wrote in a letter to school superintendents.
&#8220;We have made this a priority in our Administration, and we are committing state resources to help with this crisis,&#8221; Sanders and Olive said. &#8220;To that end, we are excited to announce a pilot program focused on two key priorities: restricting in-school phone use and mental healthcare. We invite your district to join this statewide effort.&#8221; 
Sanders notes that youth depression, anxiety, and isolation have risen across the country, and that the average American teen now spends nearly five hours a day on social media, often while in school. Meanwhile, the teen suicide rate has spiked since smartphones became widespread, as has self-harm among girls especially. Teen math, reading, and science scores have dropped across the country.
&#8220;That&#8217;s five hours a day not with friends, not outside, and not learning,&#8221; Sanders said in a video announcing the program. &#8220;The facts are grim, but there are things we can do to help.&#8221;
&#8220;Big Tech created an addicting product and marketed it to the most impressionable population out there, our kids,&#8221; she said.
Sanders has <a href="https://freebeacon.com/politics/how-sarah-sanders-put-arkansas-on-republicans-radar/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">emphasized</a> education during her administration, saying she hopes to be known as the &#8220;Education Governor.&#8221; She successfully pushed Arkansas&#8217; legislature to pass a universal school choice bill that also removed obscene sexual materials and critical race theory from classrooms, established new education standards, and raised teacher pay.
Sanders also led Arkansas in passing a law requiring minors to get parental permission to sign up for a social media account, although that law was blocked by a federal judge.
Public schools that participate in Arkansas&#8217; new program will be rewarded with additional funding, including extra funding for telehealth mental health services. They will also get extra support in navigating mental and behavioral health care, substance abuse care, and social services for students, families, and school employees, as well as help with navigating insurance.
Last month, Sanders and the state education secretary met with several Arkansas superintendents and took their recommendations into account when crafting the program, the governor&#8217;s office said. The grant program will be available for schools next academic year.

Mike Huckabee And Sarah Huckabee Sanders Visits “The Story With Martha MacCallum”

EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Sanders Launches Push For Cell Phone-Free Schools In Arkansas

Sarah Sanders Announces New Phone Free Schools Program For Arkansas

Children

Mental Health

Public Schools

Social Media

Technology

At least 19 people are dead as severe storms and tornadoes swept across Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Kentucky over the weekend, and more than 100 million people are at risk of severe weather on the East Coast on Monday.
The deadliest storms were in Arkansas, where eight people have been confirmed dead, and Texas, where seven people have died, CNN <a href="https://www.cnn.com/weather/live-news/oklahoma-texas-arkansas-tornado-storms-05-27-24-intl-hnk/h_474a6566637f3d58ffba8a2a66d7df59" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Two people have been confirmed dead in Oklahoma following the storms and another two people were killed in Kentucky when the severe weather ripped through most of the Bluegrass State on Sunday night.
Cooke County, Texas — near the Oklahoma border — took the brunt of the storms, which killed seven people, including two children on Saturday night. The seven deaths were reported after a tornado swept through a rural area near a mobile home park, according to Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott, the Associated Press <a href="https://apnews.com/article/tornadoes-weather-texas-oklahoma-arkansas-kentucky-91b0ff5c06f9bdc8b8ca68f36afbafa2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Two of the seven killed were a 2-year-old and a 5-year-old. Three others killed in the north Texas storm were a mother and her two children, ages 15 and 9, according to NBC DFW.
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LATEST: Emergency officials say about 250 homes were completely destroyed in last night’s North Texas tornado across Montague, Cooke, Denton and Collin counties.
The breadth of the damage from this storm is massive, whole neighborhoods blown away in under a minute.<a href="https://twitter.com/NBCDFW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCDFW</a> <a href="https://t.co/huz6Jo2UX9">pic.twitter.com/huz6Jo2UX9</a>
— Keenan Willard (@KeenanNBC5) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeenanNBC5/status/1794845786838372532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Family tells <a href="https://twitter.com/NBCDFW?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NBCDFW</a> that Laura Esparza, her children 15-year-old Miranda Esparza and 9-year-old Marco Esparza died in last night’s North Texas tornado.
Their mobile home near Valley View was destroyed. Miranda and Marco were thrown across the street under these trucks where… <a href="https://t.co/Yyk407t9Yb">pic.twitter.com/Yyk407t9Yb</a>
— Keenan Willard (@KeenanNBC5) <a href="https://twitter.com/KeenanNBC5/status/1794833381865226294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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The storms continued east through Arkansas, where the city of Rogers was hit hard by a tornado early Sunday morning. Aerial footage of the town showed numerous homes and buildings that were leveled by the storm.
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Northwest Arkansas was hit hard by tornadoes early this morning with downtown Rogers being one of the hard hit areas. Aerial footage shows some of the destructions Shortly after it hit and then after daylight. <a href="https://twitter.com/weatherdan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@weatherdan</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/4029Darby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@4029Darby</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/ToddYakoubian?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ToddYakoubian</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/arwx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#arwx</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/tornado?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#tornado</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/arkansas?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#arkansas</a> <a href="https://t.co/AFnhthnkwW">pic.twitter.com/AFnhthnkwW</a>
— Charles Peek (@CharlesPeekWX) <a href="https://twitter.com/CharlesPeekWX/status/1794770205195006364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;It was horrible. It was so loud and we were so scared,&#8221; one Rogers, Arkansas, resident said through tears.
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&#8220;We were in the hallway. That&#8217;s all we had to go into was the hallway,&#8221; the woman added.
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&#8220;It was so loud&#8230; and we were so scared.&#8221;
People in Northwest Arkansas awoke to tornado sirens in the middle of the night. Daylight Sunday revealed destruction in Rogers, that took a direct hit. <a href="https://t.co/D4hY3a7YUP">pic.twitter.com/D4hY3a7YUP</a>
— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) <a href="https://twitter.com/WeatherNation/status/1794722656069226875?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 26, 2024</a></blockquote>
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More footage posted on social media Monday morning showed the destruction caused by a tornado that touched down in Dawson Springs, Kentucky, about 160 miles southwest of Louisville.
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*** Dawson Springs, KY Significant TOR DMG! *** 
First viewing of the Dawson Springs, <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Kentucky?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Kentucky</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Tornado?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Tornado</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/damage?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#damage</a> this morning. This video describes the full-on destruction across the area. I saw boats tossed into the trees, cars thrown, houses wiped down to the foundation, and… <a href="https://t.co/B76185isac">pic.twitter.com/B76185isac</a>
— Chicago &amp; Midwest Storm Chasers (@ChicagoMWeather) <a href="https://twitter.com/ChicagoMWeather/status/1795049461019807809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 27, 2024</a></blockquote>
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Forecasters said that storms are likely to move through states from Alabama to as far east as New York on Monday. New York City; Philadelphia; Washington, D.C.; Richmond, Virginia; and Raleigh, North Carolina are all under a moderate risk for severe thunderstorms throughout Memorial Day, and isolated tornadoes are possible, The Weather Channel <a href="https://weather.com/storms/severe/video/severe-storms-for-east-coast-today" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.

Memorial Day Weekend Storms Rip Through Multiple States, Kill At Least 19 People

Kentucky

Arkansas Governor Sarah Sanders (R) is ordering her state to follow state law over the Biden administration&#8217;s new interpretation of Title IX, prohibiting men from competing in women&#8217;s sports.
In an executive order obtained by The Daily Wire that Sanders will unveil on Thursday afternoon, the governor slams the Biden administration for its attempt &#8220;to unilaterally rewrite federal law to advance its radical gender ideology against women and girls.&#8221; Sanders calls it a &#8220;plainly ridiculous change&#8221; and says it will lead to biological males &#8220;unfairly competing&#8221; against females and violating their bathroom privacy.
Earlier this month, Biden&#8217;s Education Department unveiled new Title IX regulations blocking schools from enforcing blanket bans on transgender-identifying males in girls’ sports. Title IX is the 1972 federal civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination at schools that receive federal funding. The new rules are set to take effect in August.
In her order, Sanders said female students must not be denied equal athletic opportunities or forced to risk their safety by playing with biological males. The order also says Arkansas public schools must not force students to shower or undress with members of the opposite sex, and should abide by state law that guarantees their privacy, the order says.
Arkansas policy is that &#8220;sex is an immutable characteristic of the human body, rooted in biology and the created order,&#8221; and &#8220;the government should celebrate, not erase, sex differences by providing proper protections for them,&#8221; the order says.
The order also says students and public school employees may not be forced to use &#8220;false pronouns,&#8221; citing the First Amendment.
Sanders ordered the Arkansas education department to provide &#8220;specific guidance&#8221; on how to enforce Arkansans&#8217; rights &#8220;despite&#8221; Biden&#8217;s &#8220;unlawful&#8221; new Title IX rules.
&#8220;At no point should Arkansas law be ignored,&#8221; the order reads.
&#8220;The Biden administration’s facially absurd redefinition of sex in Title IX turns back the clock on women’s opportunities, erodes student privacy, threatens women’s sports, and erases women,&#8221; Sanders&#8217; order reads. &#8220;The Biden administration redefines &#8216;sex&#8217; to fit its own absurd political ideology — not science — and imposes it on women, girls, and children.&#8221;
The administration has &#8220;rejected reality and chosen to appease their left-wing base over students’ safety and best interests,&#8221; the order says.
Riley Gaines, former NCAA championship swimmer, will speak at the executive order&#8217;s announcement. Gaines is a vocal advocate for women’s sports who argues that trans-identifying males should not be allowed to compete alongside women and girls.
Sanders also warned that Arkansas is prepared to sue the Biden administration if schools lose any funding due to the new regulations. At least nine states have already <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/more-states-file-flurry-of-lawsuits-against-biden-admin-over-transgender-title-ix-rules" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> lawsuits over the new rules.
The full text of the order obtained by The Daily Wire can be read below:
<blockquote>
E.O. 24-06:       EXECUTIVE ORDER TO PROTECT ARKANSAS STUDENTS, WOMEN, AND GIRLS
WHEREAS:   Title IX was signed into law in 1972 and contained a succinct 37 words;
WHEREAS:    Title IX was passed to protect women, not harm them;
WHEREAS:    The Biden administration is attempting to unilaterally rewrite federal law to advance its radical gender ideology against women and girls;
WHEREAS:    On April 19, 2024, the U.S. Department of Education released its final rule, in a document with a staggering 459,804 words, “reinterpreting” Title IX;
=WHEREAS:    The new Title IX rule will unilaterally expand the long-standing prohibition based on “sex” discrimination to include “gender identity”;
WHEREAS:    The Biden administration redefines “sex” to fit its own absurd political ideology—not science—and imposes it on women, girls, and children;
WHEREAS:    The Government should celebrate sex differences between men and women – not erase them. See Executive Order 23-30 to Eliminate Woke, Anti-Women Words from State Government and Respect Women, signed October 19, 2023;
WHEREAS:    The Biden administration’s facially absurd redefinition of sex in Title IX turns back the clock on women’s opportunities, erodes student privacy, threatens women’s sports, and erases women;
WHEREAS:    The Biden administration’s rewriting of Title IX discrimination on the basis of “sex” to include discrimination on the basis of “gender identity” is a plainly ridiculous change that will lead to males unfairly competing in women’s sports; receiving access to women’s and girls’ locker rooms, bathrooms, and private spaces; and competing for women’s scholarships;
WHEREAS:   The Biden administration has rejected reality and chosen to appease their left-wing base over students’ safety and best interests;
WHEREAS:    “Sex” has long been understood as binary biological characteristics – male (an individual who has, will, or would but for a medical abnormality produce the male reproductive gamete) or female (an individual who has, will, or would but for a medical abnormality produce the female reproductive gamete);
WHEREAS:    The Arkansas legislature has defined sex in Act 317 of 2023, on the basis of biology;
WHEREAS:    The Arkansas legislature has enacted law, Act 317 of 2023, ensuring that public schools designate restrooms based on sex;
WHEREAS:    Act 317 of 2023 further ensures that students share sleeping quarters with students of the same sex or are provided with single-occupancy sleeping quarters;
WHEREAS:    The Arkansas legislature enacted law in Act 461 of 2021, Fairness in Women’s Sports Act, that mandates that when schools choose to make a designation, they must do so based on biological sex – male or female;
WHEREAS:    The Arkansas legislature enacted law in Act 542 of 2023, the “Given Name Act,” which makes clear that employees of public schools and state-supported institutions of higher education do not shed their constitutional rights to freedom of speech or expression at work;
WHEREAS:   The State of Arkansas will pursue legal action, to the extent available by law, from the Biden Administration for any financial loss, including loss of funding, incurred by the state due to the passage of the Biden administration’s unscientific agendas;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, acting under the authority vested in me as the Governor of the State of Arkansas, do hereby proclaim:
<ol>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">It is declared to be the policy of this state that sex is an immutable characteristic of the human body, rooted in biology and the created order. The government should celebrate, not erase, sex differences by providing proper protections for them.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">The educational institutions of Arkansas will continue to enforce state law guaranteeing the right of students to maintain their privacy. Students must not be forced to shower or undress with members of the opposite sex.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Female students must not be denied equal athletic opportunities or forced to risk their safety by having biological males placed into female-designated sports leagues.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">Students and employees of Arkansas’ educational institutions may not be forced to use false pronouns. The right to refuse to speak a lie is guaranteed in the First Amendment. My administration will continue to protect this fundamental right.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">All accused individuals must be given robust, traditional due process rights if they are accused of harassment under the Biden Title IX Amendment.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;">The Arkansas Department of Education is ordered to provide specific guidance on how to enforce the rights of Arkansans to equal opportunity, free speech, due process, and privacy under the U.S. Constitution, Title IX, and state law, despite the Biden administration’s unlawful administrative rule. At no point should Arkansas law be ignored.</li>
</ol>
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and cause the Great Seal of the State of Arkansas to be affixed this 2nd day of May, in the year of our Lord 2024.
</blockquote>

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EXCLUSIVE: Sarah Sanders Orders Arkansas To Follow State Law Over Biden’s ‘Plainly Ridiculous’ Title IX Rules

Sarah Sanders Orders Arkansas To Follow State Law Over Biden's New Title IX Rules: 'Plainly Ridiculous Change'

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