The families of three Florida law enforcement officers killed in the line of duty last year were presented the first-ever &#8220;Medals of Sacrifice&#8221; by President Donald Trump in the Oval Office on Monday.
Trump handed out the medals to the loved ones of Cpl. Luis Paez, Jr., Deputy Sheriff Ralph Butch Waller, Jr., and Deputy Sheriff Ignacio Dan Diaz, all former officers with the Palm Beach County, Florida, Sheriff&#8217;s Office. The officers were killed after they were struck by an SUV on November 21, 2024.
&#8220;Today, we also remember three remarkable heroes who will become the medal&#8217;s first-ever recipients. It&#8217;s a big honor,&#8221; Trump said.
&#8220;This was a terrible tragedy, shook the entire Palm Beach community like very, very few events I&#8217;ve ever seen,&#8221; added Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago estate is in Palm Beach County. &#8220;All of Florida mourned their loss, and today, our entire nation joins in honoring these three incredible patriots taken from us. Much too soon, much, much too soon.&#8221;
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> announces three fallen Palm Beach County officers killed in the line of duty as the recipients of the first ever Medals of Sacrifice:
Cpl. Luis Paez, Jr. Deputy Sheriff Ralph Butch Waller, Jr. Deputy Sheriff Ignacio Dan Diaz.
RIP to these heroes. 🙏 <a href="https://t.co/5ZTc0gjxP4">pic.twitter.com/5ZTc0gjxP4</a>
&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1924574363925270850?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 19, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Paez, Waller, and Diaz were struck as they were on the side of the road attempting to start a broken-down patrol motorcycle following a traffic stop. The driver of the SUV attempted to pass a slower car but overcompensated and hit all three law enforcement officers on the side of the road. A fourth officer who was on his way to help his colleagues restart the motorcycle witnessed the fatal collision.
<a href="https://www.palmswestfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Luis-Paez-2/#!/Obituary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Paez</a>, 58, had served in law enforcement for 36 years and was described as a &#8220;devoted family man.&#8221; Fifty-one-year-old <a href="https://www.palmswestfuneralhome.com/obituaries/ignacio-dan-diaz/#!/Obituary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Diaz</a> had served for 20 years and received several awards recognizing his work over that time. He is &#8220;remembered as a caring and devoted father, partner, and lover of animals.&#8221; <a href="https://www.palmswestfuneralhome.com/obituaries/Ralph-Waller-2/#!/Obituary" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Waller</a>, 54, had served for 18 years and was known for his &#8220;charm, wit, and an infectious smile.&#8221; The president told the officers&#8217; loved ones in the Oval Office that the country is &#8220;eternally grateful for their sacrifice.&#8221;
&#8220;We&#8217;ll never forget their legacy, and we&#8217;ll never forget the debt we owe all of these great law enforcement heroes who have given their lives to keep our communities safe, and make America strong again,&#8221; the president added.

Donald Trump

Trump Presents First-Ever ‘Medals Of Sacrifice’ To Families Of Slain Law Enforcement Officers

Death

Executive

Florida

Law Enforcement

Oval Office

U.S.

White House

For the first time in history, there are more registered Republicans than Democrats in Florida&#8217;s Miami-Dade County.
Florida’s Voice <a href="https://flvoicenews.com/historic-first-miami-dade-county-flips-red-as-democrats-sink-further/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported </a>464,370 Republicans and 440,790 Democrats are now registered to vote in Miami-Dade County, one of Florida&#8217;s blue strongholds, as of Monday morning. That means a whopping 59 of 67 counties in Florida are now red.
“Miami-Dade County has completed its off-year voter roll maintenance, and this morning, it shed 172,747 voters from its active rolls,” Michael Pruser, Decision Desk HQ’s director of data science, stated. “The change netted Republicans more than 38,000 voters compared to Democrats, and the county has now flipped to Republican by registration. Today marks Republicans’ first-ever lead in voter registration in Miami-Dade.”
Florida’s remarkable change from an evenly divided state to a red one is largely attributed to the success of Florida&#8217;s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis. In 2021, a <a href="https://thecapitolist.com/desantis-posts-strong-approval-in-latest-florida-chamber-poll/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> conducted by the Florida Chamber of Commerce showed that the 14.5 million registered voters in Florida were almost exactly split between Republicans and Democrats. According to the <a href="https://dos.myflorida.com/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reportsxlsx/voter-registration-by-county-and-party/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Florida Department of State</a>, there were 5,290,465 registered Democrats, 5,185,744 Republicans, 3,832,070 independents with no party affiliation (NPAs), and 247,108 voters affiliated with another party.
By November 2021, fully one year before the reelection of DeSantis, who had narrowly won the governorship in 2018, <a href="https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2021/11/04/no-million-dollar-checks-democratic-governors-may-sit-out-florida-1392319">POLITICO</a> reported that the Democratic Governors Association would not give any significant financial aid to any Democrat opposing DeSantis’ re-election in 2022, choosing to focus on races it thought Democrats could win. On October 31, POLITICO <a href="https://www.politico.com/states/florida/story/2021/10/31/florida-democrats-anxious-as-desantis-seems-unbeatable-1392147" target="_blank" rel="noopener">admitted</a>, “Gov. Ron DeSantis appears unstoppable.” Indeed, he was, winning virtually 60% of the vote in November 2022 in a landslide.
President Donald Trump, who won the state narrowly in both 2016 and 2020, ran away with it in 2024, ultimately winning by double-digits. The Associated Press said it was comfortable calling the race when it saw that Trump was on track to win Miami-Dade County. Trump built on the success of DeSantis, who two years earlier became for first Republican to carry Miami-Dade in a statewide contest in two decades.
Last week, the Florida Department of State <a href="https://dos.fl.gov/elections/data-statistics/voter-registration-statistics/voter-registration-reports/voter-registration-by-party-affiliation/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> that there were now 5,578,457 registered GOP voters in Florida and 4,329,271 registered Democrats. That means that the GOP went from 50.5% of registered voters in 2021 to 56.3%, a massive 5.8 point shift in less than four years, with virtually all the time being during a Democratic presidential tenure.
In his tenure as governor, DeSantis has governed as a staunch conservative; he took massive heat for keeping the state open during the COVID pandemic, signed legislation requiring government employers and contractors to use E-Verify, terminated cooperation with a program to relocate illegal immigrants, advocated for more school choice, banned the teaching of Critical Race Theory in schools, banned China from buying land in the state, handled disasters such as Hurricanes Ian and Nicole with aplomb, for which he was widely praised, banned men from competing in women’s sports as far back as 2021, and introduced a $5,000 signing bonus for those wanting to be Florida police officers.

NASCAR Cup Series Daytona 500

Florida’s Miami-Dade County Flips Red In Voter Registration For First Time In History

General

GOP voters

Miami

Politics

Ron DeSantis

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is removing from the market prescription drug products for children that contain concentrated ingestible fluoride, the agency announced this past week.
The FDA cited studies that suggest a connection between ingested fluoride in children and lower IQ, weight gain, and thyroid issues.
&#8220;Unlike toothpaste with fluoride or fluoride rinses, these products are swallowed and ingested by infants and toddlers,&#8221; a press release from the agency said. &#8220;They have also never been approved by the FDA.&#8221;
&#8220;Ingested fluoride has been shown to alter the gut microbiome, which is of magnified concern given the early development of the gut microbiome in childhood,&#8221; the press release added. &#8220;Other studies have suggested an association between fluoride and thyroid disorders, weight gain and possibly decreased IQ.&#8221;
FDA Commissioner Marty Makary said it&#8217;s vital that the FDA &#8220;err on the side of safety&#8221; when it comes to our children.
&#8220;The best way to prevent cavities in children is by avoiding excessive sugar intake and good dental hygiene, not by altering a child’s microbiome. For the same reason that fluoride may kill bacteria on teeth, it may also kill intestinal bacteria important for a child’s health,” the commissioner said in a statement. “I am instructing our Center for Drug Evaluation and Research to evaluate the evidence regarding the risks of systemic fluoride exposure from FDA-regulated pediatric ingestible fluoride prescription drug products to better inform parents and the medical community on this emerging area. When it comes to children, we should err on the side of safety.&#8221;
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Today, the FDA is taking action to remove concentrated ingestible fluoride prescription drug products for children from the market. A growing body of research is demonstrating how ingested fluoride can alter the gut microbiome. This is especially concerning with young children… <a href="https://t.co/pKTtkGyV3J">pic.twitter.com/pKTtkGyV3J</a>
— Dr. Martin Makary (@DrMakaryFDA) <a href="https://twitter.com/DrMakaryFDA/status/1922412396766785898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 13, 2025</a></blockquote>
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. applauded Makary for the action.
&#8220;Thank you, [Dr. Marty Makary] for your leadership on this issue,&#8221; he posted to X on Saturday. &#8220;A recent systematic review published in JAMA Pediatrics, analyzing 74 high-quality studies, found a clear association between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ in children. This isn’t fringe science—this is mainstream, peer-reviewed data. Yes, when it comes to children, we should always err on the side of safety.&#8221;
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Thank you, <a href="https://twitter.com/DrMakaryFDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DrMakaryFDA</a> for your leadership on this issue. A recent systematic review published in JAMA Pediatrics, analyzing 74 high-quality studies, found a clear association between fluoride exposure and reduced IQ in children. This isn’t fringe science—this is mainstream,… <a href="https://t.co/zLpV90d628">https://t.co/zLpV90d628</a>
— Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1923742771581423787?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 17, 2025</a></blockquote>
Kennedy has been a long-time critic of the addition of fluoride to the public water supply. Since RFK Jr. took over as secretary of HHS, a number of states have taken steps to remove the chemical from public drinking water. So far, Utah and Florida have officially banned the chemical.
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/it-raises-larger-issues-desantis-bans-fluoride-in-florida-water" target="_blank" rel="noopener">‘It Raises Larger Issues’: DeSantis Bans Fluoride In Florida Water</a>

HHS Secretary Kennedy Holds News Conference On Synthetic Dyes In Food Supply

FDA Makes Big Announcement On Fluoride

Health

Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Utah

Florida GOP Governor Ron DeSantis made Florida the second state to <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/florida-becomes-second-state-ban-fluoride-public-water-rcna205127">ban fluoride</a> in public water, following Utah, which banned it earlier this month.
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed <a href="https://flsenate.gov/Session/Bill/2025/700/?Tab=BillHistory">SB 700</a>, which prohibits “the use of certain additives in a water system which do not meet specified requirements.” The law goes into effect July 1.
“There&#8217;s risks associated for pregnant women, for young people, for kids,” DeSantis <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NM_PLtZJ08I">said</a> as he signed the bill. “Yes, use fluoride for your teeth, that&#8217;s fine, but forcing it into the water supply is basically forced medication on people. They don&#8217;t have a choice; you&#8217;re taking that away from them.”
“It raises a larger issue,” he continued. “I think we saw a lot of this with COVID, that we had to fight back against. They had certain views: you should wear a mask when you&#8217;re outside in 95-degree temperatures, (no, thank you) but that&#8217;s what they were saying, that kids should get a COVID mRNA shot even though we still don&#8217;t have data to this day to justify doing that.”
“They tried to push a lot of policies on people,” he recalled. “I think some of these people think that they know better for you than you do for yourself. They think because they have medical training or they have this that they should just be able to decree how we live our lives. That proved disastrous during COVID. A lot of the things they were advocating not only didn&#8217;t work, they caused a lot of harm.  &#8230; When we made sure that the schools were open, I got sued by the teachers’ union, saying ‘close the schools’ &#8230; Fauci was saying, ‘This is irresponsible.’ &#8230; They had these kids locked out for a year to a year-and-a-half &#8230; so we fought back against it.”
“I think fluoride is a good example because what they&#8217;re basically saying is that they&#8217;re ignoring any studies that have shown that there could be issues,” he contended. “They say. ‘Well, it&#8217;s good for your teeth so we should just force it.’”
“And you shouldn&#8217;t have a choice in that?” he asked incredulously. “We certainly now in our society in 2025 have the ability to deliver fluoride through toothpaste and all these other things. You don&#8217;t get to force it and take away people&#8217;s choices. The whole crux of the issue is you should be able to make decisions on the basis of informed consent.”
A previous version of this article incorrectly stated that Utah banned fluoride in public water in 2023. Utah banned it in May of 2025.

Governor DeSantis And ICE Announce Largest Joint Immigration Enforcement Operation In Florida History

‘It Raises Larger Issues’: DeSantis Bans Fluoride In Florida Water

Drinking Water

Fluoride

Social Issues

A few years ago, the Walt Disney Company threw a tantrum over Florida&#8217;s inaccurately nicknamed &#8220;Don&#8217;t Say Gay&#8221; law that bolstered parental rights in education.
Now, the entertainment behemoth is building its first new theme park in 15 years in — wait for it — Abu Dhabi, a city where homosexuality is illegal.
Turns out the bottom line matters!
Disney&#8217;s theme parks are performing well — the company <a href="https://www.marketwatch.com/story/disneys-stock-jumps-after-big-earnings-beat-raised-outlook-3329fd61#" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> they brought in $8.9 billion in the second quarter, but Disney shares have traded down 17.2% so far this year.
Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates, where sexual activity between two men or two women is <a href="https://www.humandignitytrust.org/country-profile/united-arab-emirates/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">punishable</a> by up to 14 years in prison.
Also, trans-identifying people or a &#8220;male disguising as a female&#8221; can be criminally prosecuted and face up to a year in prison and fines.
The country&#8217;s laws reportedly originate with Sharia law.
&#8220;The Walt Disney Company and Miral, Abu Dhabi’s leading creator of immersive destinations and experiences, announced an agreement to create a landmark Disney theme park resort in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates,&#8221; Disney <a href="https://thewaltdisneycompany.com/disney-announces-abu-dhabi-theme-park/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in an announcement Wednesday.
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This new theme park resort in Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati &#8211; combing Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture. ✨ <a href="https://t.co/M1GHeYgr4H">https://t.co/M1GHeYgr4H</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/YasIsland?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#YasIsland</a>… <a href="https://t.co/IyjODlj9ar">pic.twitter.com/IyjODlj9ar</a>
— Disney Parks (@DisneyParks) <a href="https://twitter.com/DisneyParks/status/1920094616356892673?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 7, 2025</a></blockquote>
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&#8220;This seventh Disney theme park resort will combine Disney’s iconic stories, characters and attractions with Abu Dhabi’s vibrant culture, stunning shorelines, and breathtaking architecture,&#8221; Disney said.
Disney CEO Robert Iger called it a &#8220;thrilling moment for our company.&#8221;
Abu Dhabi&#8217;s &#8220;culture is rich with an appreciation of the arts and creativity,&#8221; Iger said, and &#8220;Disneyland Abu Dhabi will be authentically Disney and distinctly Emirati.&#8221;
Disney also included a statement from Abu Dhabi&#8217;s chairman of its Department of Culture and Tourism, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, who said the city is a place &#8220;where we preserve our past while designing the future.&#8221;
Back in 2022, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed the state&#8217;s parental rights bill prohibiting classroom instruction on sexual orientation or gender identity in kindergarten through third grade.
In response, Disney came out swinging against the law.
Disney&#8217;s CEO at the time, Bob Chapek, <a href="https://www.npr.org/2022/03/08/1085130633/disney-response-florida-bill-dont-say-gay" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> DeSantis &#8220;to express our disappointment and concern that if the legislation becomes law, it could be used to unfairly target gay, lesbian, non-binary and transgender kids and families.&#8221;
Disney&#8217;s unusual decision to publicly oppose the law kicked off a years-long fight with Florida officials.
DeSantis went after Disney&#8217;s special tax district in Florida, which had allowed Disney to govern semi-independently since 1967.
Meanwhile, Disney has come under fire from parents in recent years for inserting LGBT themes in children&#8217;s movies, such as a gay kiss in the 2022 “Lightyear” film, which flopped at the box office.

Walt Disney World

Disney Threw A Fit Over ‘Don’t Say Gay’ In Florida. It’s Building A Park Where Being Gay Is Illegal.

Disney Threw A Fit Over 'Don't Say Gay' In Florida. Now It's Building A Park In Abu Dhabi

Disney

Disney World

LGBT

LGBTQ

Red states throughout the country are considering employment verification legislation that experts say could be one of the most effective ways to encourage illegal alien self-deportations.
The states are considering bills that would mandate that employers use E-Verify, a system run by the Department of Homeland Security that ensures workers are in the country legally and eligible for employment.
Ira Mehlman, the media director for the Federation for American Immigration Reform (FAIR), previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-one-simple-trick-that-could-lead-illegal-immigrants-to-self-deport?author=Spencer+Lindquist&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=23&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+One+Simple+Trick+That+Could+Lead+Illegal+Immigrants+To+Self-Deport">told</a> The Daily Wire that E-Verify mandates eliminate the “biggest incentive” for illegal aliens to enter or stay in the United States.
“If employers were mandated to use E-Verify and the government demonstrated the resolve to hold employers accountable, that would go a long way toward drying up the supply of jobs for illegal aliens, thereby eliminating the biggest incentive to come or remain here illegally,” Mehlman explained.
A recent estimate from FAIR found that there are <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/illegal-alien-population-surges-to-record-high-bombshell-study-finds">18.6 million illegal aliens</a> currently present in the United States, with experts like Mehlman and Center for Immigration Studies Executive Director Mark Krikorian saying that self-deportations are key to reducing America’s illegal alien population.
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.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpencerLndqst?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpencerLndqst</a> on the latest logistical issue the Trump administration is facing:
&#8220;There are 18.6 million illegal aliens present in the US currently. If they had their own state, not only would it always go to the Democrats, it would also be the fifth largest in the country.&#8221; <a href="https://t.co/qyvTkyOO4P">pic.twitter.com/qyvTkyOO4P</a>
— Daily Wire (@realDailyWire) <a href="https://twitter.com/realDailyWire/status/1915060538348130408?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 23, 2025</a></blockquote>
Now, states across the country are considering legislation to implement or expand E-Verify mandates. Idaho’s House of Representatives is <a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2025/02/14/idaho-legislature-introduces-new-bill-requiring-employers-e-verify-all-new-employees/">considering</a> an E-Verify proposal that would require all businesses in the state to verify the employment status of new employees. Republican Representative Jordan Redman, the sponsor of the legislation, says that the bill “adds to Idaho employment law to prohibit employment of illegal aliens and require employers to use E-Verify for each new hire to verify legal employment status as a condition of their employment.”
The effort has faced opposition from Rep. Stephanie Mickelsen, a Republican from Idaho Falls and a potato farmer, as well as from the Idaho Dairyman’s Association, which cited labor shortage concerns.
Montana is currently <a href="https://legiscan.com/MT/bill/HB226/2025">considering legislation</a> that would require employers to use E-Verify or the I-9 employment verification form and maintain eligibility documentation for workers. Companies that fail to abide by the law could face civil penalties, including fines and even the revocation of business licenses after multiple violations. The bill was sent to the governor after passing through the state House and Senate.
“By leveraging verification systems already in place, we can promote lawful employment practices while protecting the integrity of our labor market,” said Rep. Courtenay Sprunger, the House bill’s sponsor.
The Florida State House <a href="https://floridaphoenix.com/2025/04/23/florida-house-passes-e-verify-measure-but-bill-looks-dead-in-the-senate/">just passed</a> legislation that would expand the state’s current E-Verify laws and require all businesses to use the system. But even though the bill was passed with unanimous support from Republicans and garnered support from seven Democrats, the corresponding effort hasn’t gained any traction in the Senate and has not been assigned to a committee.
Texas is also considering legislation to expand its existing E-Verify mandate, which currently only applies to government workers. The <a href="https://capitol.texas.gov/BillLookup/History.aspx?LegSess=89R&amp;Bill=SB324">new legislation</a> would require all employers in the state to use E-Verify, which Sen. Lois Kolkhurst <a href="https://texasscorecard.com/state/senate-committee-advances-legislation-requiring-use-of-e-verify/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">called</a> “the most functional and cost-effective method the state of Texas can implement to stem the flow of illegal immigration.”
The America First Policy Institute (AFPI) has <a href="https://americafirstpolicy.com/issues/ensuring-a-legal-workforce-in-texas">endorsed</a> the Texas bill, asserting that it could help unemployed Americans in the Lone Star state get back into the workforce while disincentivizing illegal immigration. “The largest pull factor for illegal aliens is the ability to make money in the U.S.,” AFPI explained. “Mandatory use of E-Verify would significantly reduce the ability of illegal aliens to work, and over time, this action will help reduce the pull factor of employment for those who enter the country unlawfully.”

Illegal alien sign

Red States Consider Bills To Push Illegals To Self-Deport

E-Verify

Idaho

Illegal Immigration

Montana

Texas

Hundreds of passengers were forced to evacuate a Delta jet through the emergency slide after an engine caught fire at Orlando International Airport on Monday.
Delta Air Lines Flight 1213, an Airbus 330, was preparing for departure at around 11:15 a.m. for a quick flight to Atlanta and had just pushed back from the gate when one of the engines burst into flames, CBS News <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/delta-plane-engine-fire-orlando-airport-passengers-evacuate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. There were 282 passengers, 10 flight attendants, and two pilots onboard, according to the airline.
A <a href="https://x.com/ExxAlerts/status/1914351671611978217" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> on social media showed a large flame shooting out from an engine on the right side of the plane as passengers slid down the emergency slide. According to Delta, the plane&#8217;s crew evacuated the Airbus after they noticed a fire in the tailpipe of one of its two main engines.
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Passengers had to evacuate on emergency slides after a Delta plane caught fire on the tarmac at Orlando International Airport on Monday, the FAA said.
Delta Air Lines Flight 1213, bound for Atlanta, was pushing back from the gate for departure around 11:15 a.m. when an engine… <a href="https://t.co/kLJ1LR7DeF">pic.twitter.com/kLJ1LR7DeF</a>
&mdash; CBS News (@CBSNews) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1914378120058073479?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 21, 2025</a></blockquote>
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No one was injured, according to initial reports, and the passengers were taken back to the terminal, where they will board another aircraft to take them to Atlanta, according to Delta. The flames were contained by fire crews at the airport.
The cause of the fire was not initially known, and the Federal Aviation Administration said it is investigating the incident.
&#8220;Nothing is more important than safety and Delta teams will work to get our customers to their final destinations as soon as possible,&#8221; Delta said in a statement.
In February, 18 people were injured when a Delta plane flipped upside down after landing at the Toronto Pearson International Airport in Canada. A preliminary report from the Transportation Safety Board of Canada on the crash landing found that the pilot of the Delta passenger jet, which took off from Minneapolis, was descending at twice the speed that qualifies as a &#8220;hard landing,&#8221; The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/world/canada/delta-plane-crash-toronto-report.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.

Delta Airlines Airbus

Passengers Forced To Evacuate After Delta Jet Bursts Into Flames

Air and Space

Airplane

Delta Airlines

Authorities identified the man accused of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/shooting-reported-at-florida-state-university-at-least-4-people-wounded?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Zach+Jewell&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=At+Least+2+Dead%2C+Multiple+Wounded+In+Shooting+At+Florida+State" target="_blank" rel="noopener">opening fire</a> at Florida State University on Thursday as the son of a Leon County, Florida, Sheriff&#8217;s Department deputy.
At least two people were killed and six more were wounded in the shooting that took place just before noon ET. Leon County Sheriff Walter A. McNeil identified the shooter, whom The Daily Wire will not name per company policy, as a 20-year-old male student at FSU, who is the son of a sheriff&#8217;s deputy who has been with the Leon County Sheriff&#8217;s Department for over 18 years.
&#8220;Her service to this community has been exceptional,&#8221; Sheriff McNeil said of the deputy. &#8220;Unfortunately, her son had access to one of her weapons, and that was one of the weapons that was found at the scene.&#8221;
The weapon found at the scene was not the firearm that the deputy was currently using on the force, but rather one that she had been issued previously by her department.
&#8220;A lot of times — many agencies, mine included — when we transition to a new handgun, the officers are allowed to purchase the handgun they used prior. &#8230; I believe that&#8217;s the case here,&#8221; Tallahassee Police Chief Lawrence E. Revell said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
The 20-year-old suspect was also a &#8220;longstanding member of the Leon County Sheriff&#8217;s Office Youth Advisory Council,&#8221; McNeil added. &#8220;So he has been steeped in the Leon County Sheriff&#8217;s Office family, engaged in a number of training programs that we have, so it&#8217;s not a surprise to us that he had access to weapons.&#8221;
The shooter was neutralized &#8220;immediately&#8221; by Florida State University Police, and he has been transported to a local hospital. Neither of the victims who were killed were Florida State students, and their identities have not yet been released, Interim FSU Police Chief Justin Maloy said at the press conference.
FSU President Richard McCullough called the first responders &#8220;absolute heroes.&#8221;
&#8220;The call went out, and immediately they responded to the scene and immediately neutralized the suspect and prevented this from being a bigger tragedy,&#8221; McCullough said.
Florida State canceled classes and all athletic events on campus for the rest of the week.
President Donald Trump addressed the shooting from the Oval Office during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, adding that he has been “fully briefed as to where we are right now.”
“It’s a shame. It’s a horrible thing, horrible that things like this take place,” Trump added. “And we’ll have more to say about it later.”

Florida State University shooting

FSU Shooter Identified As Son Of Sheriff’s Deputy Whose Weapon Was Found At The Scene

Crime

Florida State University

Guns

School Shooting

At least two people were killed and five people were wounded in a mass shooting on Thursday at Florida State University in Tallahassee.
The university <a href="https://manager.everbridge.net/pub/1987265798990010" target="_blank" rel="noopener">issued an alert</a> at 12:01 p.m. ET, telling students to &#8220;seek shelter and await further instructions&#8221; as an active shooter was &#8220;reported in the area of Student Union.&#8221; Florida State University Police responded to the shooting &#8220;immediately,&#8221; neutralizing the suspect and taking him into custody. The shooter is an FSU student, and neither of the victims who were killed attended the university, Interim FSU Police Chief Justin Maloy said at a press conference Thursday afternoon.
A suspect is in custody, and police are making sure there are no additional shooters, ABC News reported. At 1:04 p.m. ET, FSU sent another <a href="https://alerts.fsu.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">alert</a> to students, instructing them to &#8220;continue to shelter in place,&#8221; adding that &#8220;law enforcement is actively clearing rooms on the main campus.&#8221;
Tallahassee Memorial Healthcare said it is &#8220;receiving and caring for patients&#8221; from the shooting, with at least four people being treated for unspecified injuries, NBC News reported. The hospital later updated that number to six people, with one person in critical condition and five people in serious condition. A senior law enforcement official told NBC News that at least one person had died in the shooting. It wasn&#8217;t immediately clear if the fatality was a victim or the shooter.
&#8220;At this time, details are still unfolding, and we do not yet have specific information to share,&#8221; the hospital said in a statement. &#8220;However, we want to assure the community that our teams are fully mobilized and prepared to provide the highest level of care and support to all those affected.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_909263" style="width: 778px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-909263" class="wp-image-909263 size-large" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210086213-1-768x576.jpg" alt="Florida State University shooting" width="768" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210086213-1-768x576.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210086213-1-300x225.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210086213-1-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/04/GettyImages-2210086213-1-2048x1536.jpg 2048w" sizes="(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px" />Students at Florida State University wait as law enforcement clears campus following a shooting on April 17, 2025 (Ana Ceballos/Miami Herald/Tribune News Service via Getty Images).</div>
President Donald Trump addressed the shooting from the Oval Office during a meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, adding that he has been &#8220;fully briefed as to where we are right now.&#8221;
&#8220;It&#8217;s a shame. It&#8217;s a horrible thing, horrible that things like this take place,&#8221; Trump added. &#8220;And we&#8217;ll have more to say about it later.&#8221;
U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi <a href="https://x.com/AGPamBondi/status/1912917643452883057" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> that the FBI is on the scene in Tallahassee.
&#8220;Our priority is the safety of everyone involved,&#8221; Bondi added. &#8220;We will keep updating as we learn more. Praying for all.&#8221;
Rep. Neal Dunn (R-FL) said in a <a href="https://x.com/DrNealDunnFL2/status/1912915598859739544" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>, &#8220;It’s too early to understand the extent of the violence, but early reports are very disturbing.&#8221;
A <a href="https://x.com/WeatherGarrett/status/1912899723431641595?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1912899723431641595%7Ctwgr%5E90fa3d39c43207a788113c279e0edf4dc6cc6df1%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fiframe.nbcnews.com%2FrQpwjQI%3F_showcaption%3Dtrueapp%3D1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">video</a> taken on FSU&#8217;s campus showed some people running across a road as sirens blared. The university canceled classes for the remainder of the day and told people not already at the school to &#8220;avoid coming to the Tallahassee main campus.&#8221;
This is a developing story; refresh the page for updates.

Florida State

At Least 2 Dead, Multiple Wounded In Shooting At Florida State

Shooting

A Florida teacher has been fired for using a student&#8217;s preferred name without the consent of the student&#8217;s parents.
Melissa Calhoun, a teacher at Satellite High School near Cape Canaveral, will not have her contract renewed for next school year after she called a student by a preferred name without getting a form signed by the parents, the district said.
Calhoun is thought to be the first teacher fired over Florida&#8217;s new law requiring teachers to obtain parental consent before referring to students by a different name than their legal one. This is the second school year the law has been in effect.
The student&#8217;s parent reportedly alerted Brevard Public Schools that Calhoun was calling the student by a different name.
Members of the community said this case was related to the student&#8217;s transgender-identifying identity.
&#8220;BPS supports parents’ rights to be the primary decision-makers in their children’s lives, and Florida law affirms their right to be informed,&#8221; Brevard Public Schools Spokesperson Janet Murnaghan <a href="https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2025/04/10/florida-high-school-teacher-calls-student-by-preferred-name-loses-job/83008163007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement.
&#8220;At BPS our focus is on education — teachers are here to teach and support students academically,&#8221; Murnaghan said. &#8220;Our job is to work in partnership with parents and guardians to ensure student success.&#8221;
Calhoun allegedly said she &#8220;knowingly did not comply with state statute.&#8221;
The district issued her a letter of reprimand and ultimately decided not to renew her contract for the fall because the state would be reviewing her teaching credentials since she had violated state law. Calhoun will finish out the school year, and then her contract expires in May.
The situation has sparked a strong response in the community, with some community members protesting the teacher&#8217;s firing at a school board meeting on Tuesday.
Calhoun has worked for the district for over a decade, since 2013, and she taught AP Literature, her LinkedIn <a href="https://www.floridatoday.com/story/news/2025/04/10/florida-high-school-teacher-calls-student-by-preferred-name-loses-job/83008163007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">indicated</a>.
The federal government has taken a similar stand to Florida on gender ideology in public schools.
Shortly after he took office, President Donald Trump issued an executive order threatening to pull federal funding from public school districts that promote gender ideology.
Gender ideology became a hot button issue during the presidential election last year. Parents across the country sounded the alarm on children going by different names and pronouns in school behind families&#8217; backs, supported by teachers and school staff.
A 2023 poll <a href="https://defendinged.org/press-releases/parents-defending-education-poll-71-of-voters-support-legislation-requiring-schools-to-inform-parents-if-their-child-wants-to-change-their-gender-identity/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">showed</a> that 71% of voters supported schools being legally required to inform parents when a student wants to change their gender identity.

US-POLITICS-WYOMING-LGBTQ-DISCRIMINATION

Florida Teacher Fired For Using Student’s Preferred Name Behind Parents’ Backs

Education

Gender

Public Schools

Transgender

Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth will travel next week to Panama, where President Donald Trump has made headlines with his calls to take control of the famed Panama Canal, the Defense Department announced on Friday.
Hegseth will leave the United States early next week for a trip to Panama City, Panama to participate in the 2025 Central American Security Conference.
&#8220;The Secretary will meet with partner-nation senior civilian, military, and security leadership in a series of bilateral meetings that will drive ongoing efforts to strengthen our partnerships with Panama and other Central American nations toward our shared vision for a peaceful and secure Western Hemisphere,&#8221; chief spokesman Sean Parnell said.
After the Panama segment of the trip, the Defense Secretary will head to Eglin Air Force Base in the western Florida panhandle &#8220;to visit service members and command leadership at 7th Special Forces Group.&#8221;
The visit comes after President Donald Trump said in his joint address to Congress that he plans to reclaim the Panama Canal. &#8220;We didn’t give it to China; we gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back,&#8221; the president said in early March.
This was not the first time the president had articulated interest in Panama Canal. In December, he expressed frustration about the fees Panama charges the U.S. to use the canal, saying in a Truth Social post: “The fees being charged by Panama are ridiculous, especially knowing the extraordinary generosity that has been bestowed to Panama by the U.S. This complete ‘rip-off’ of our Country will immediately stop.”
Panama&#8217;s President José Raúl Mulino responded to Trump&#8217;s March remarks by accusing Trump of lying, writing in an &#8220;X&#8221; post: &#8220;Once again, President Trump is lying. The Panama Canal is not in the process of being restored, and this is certainly not the task that was even discussed in our conversations with Secretary Rubio or anyone else.&#8221;
&#8220;I reject, on behalf of Panama and all Panamanians, this new affront to the truth and to our dignity as a nation,&#8221; he wrote. &#8220;Cooperation between our governments requires clear understandings on issues of mutual interest, as has been done. It has nothing to do with the &#8216;recovery of the Canal&#8217; or with tarnishing our national sovereignty. The Canal is Panamanian and will continue to be Panamanian!&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Nuevamente miente el Presidente Trump. El Canal de Panamá no está en proceso de recuperación y mucho menos es la tarea que en nuestras conversaciones con el Secretario Rubio ni ningún otro se haya ni siquiera conversado. Rechazo a nombre de Panamá y de todos los panameños esta…
— José Raúl Mulino (@JoseRaulMulino) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoseRaulMulino/status/1897268186191450454?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 5, 2025</a></blockquote>

(Photo by Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

Hegseth Heads To Panama Following Trump Vow To Take Back Panama Canal

Panama

Pete Hegseth

CNN anchor Jake Tapper was quick to spin the margin of victory for Florida&#8217;s former Chief Financial Officer Jim Patronis, who won the seat vacated by former Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL) on Tuesday.
Gaetz, who was initially tapped by President Donald Trump to serve as Attorney General, withdrew his nomination for the post — but not before he resigned his seat in the House of Representatives. But when Patronis was projected to win the seat on Tuesday, CNN&#8217;s Tapper was quick to point out that his margin of victory would not come close to Gaetz&#8217;s 37-point margin in November of 2024.
WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
You know things are bad for the Democrats when they&#39;re celebrating double digit losses in Congressional races.
&quot;He is going to win, we&#39;re projecting a win for him [Patronis]. But Dana, it&#39;s not a 35 point win.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/xWhxjltMVU">pic.twitter.com/xWhxjltMVU</a>
&mdash; Thomas Hern (@ThomasMHern) <a href="https://twitter.com/ThomasMHern/status/1907228175953780971?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
&#8220;Patronis is a strong candidate,&#8221; Tapper said, before adding, &#8220;And he is — he&#8217;s going to win, we&#8217;re projecting a win for him — but Dana, it&#8217;s not a 35-point win that it should be in ruby red panhandle Florida.&#8221;
&#8220;You&#8217;re exactly right,&#8221; fellow anchor Dana Bash agreed. &#8220;And it is the whole question of the margins, Jake, that is what Democrats have been looking at all night.&#8221;
Critics pointed out that Tapper was trying to spin a double-digit loss as some kind of a win for Democrats.
&#8220;CNN is always funny to watch on election night when Republican are winning!&#8221; Brigitte Gabriel posted.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
CNN is always funny to watch on election night when Republican are winning!
&mdash; Brigitte Gabriel (@ACTBrigitte) <a href="https://twitter.com/ACTBrigitte/status/1907229180602847323?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2025</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Others pointed out that Patronis&#8217; race — and the other Florida race to fill the seat vacated by National Security Adviser Mike Waltz — were special elections held alongside municipal elections and, therefore, required a different calculus when looking at what the margins of victory might mean.
Special elections often see much lower turnout — and that can lead to slimmer margins of victory and even upsets in the final results.
In 2017, a very <a href="https://www.cbsnews.com/news/special-house-elections-trump-era-opposing-party/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">similar scene</a> played out in Kansas after President Donald Trump nominated then-Congressman Mike Pompeo to serve as his CIA Director. Despite Pompeo winning his seat the previous November by a comfortable 31 points, his replacement Ron Estes was only able to eke out a six-point victory. In 2020, Estes won the same seat by 27 points. He won by 27 points again in 2022, and by 30 points in 2024.

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