The road to the Little League World Series is supposed to be a celebration of youth baseball. Instead, one state’s path to Williamsport this year has descended into a scandal involving an ineligible player, disputed tournament administration, improper fees, missing eligibility paperwork, and demands for the removal of state and regional Little League officials.
The controversy centers on Tulsa National Little League, which <a href="https://www.espn.com/llws/story/_/id/49585682/judge-backs-little-league-baseball-decision-remove-tulsa">was disqualified</a> from the Southwest Region Tournament on Monday while representing Oklahoma after Little League International determined that one of its players was ineligible. A Texas judge briefly allowed the team to continue competing before vacating the order Tuesday, clearing the way for the tournament to proceed without the team from Oklahoma.
According to documents obtained by <a href="https://www.si.com/onsi/softball/news/new-evidence-shows-oklahoma-little-league-state-tournament-was-a-sham-2026">Sports Illustrated</a>, Tulsa National&#8217;s eligibility problems were not confined to one player or the Southwest Region Tournament. The evidence suggests that Oklahoma&#8217;s entire state tournament may have been improperly administered, with two of the three participating teams allegedly ineligible to compete for the state&#8217;s berth in the international tournament.
Tulsa National defeated Washington County and Oklahoma City Parks &amp; Recreation to win the Oklahoma state tournament and advance to Waco, Texas.
But Washington County had never registered players in the Little League Major Division, according to Little League data reviewed by Sports Illustrated. The league says it followed instructions from Oklahoma District Administrator Mindy Abbott and was told its team had been properly registered.
The documentation submitted by Tulsa National also contained basic procedural problems. The required Tournament Team Eligibility Affidavit was not signed by the Tulsa National Player Agent or manager Cole Abbott, while Mindy Abbott&#8217;s signature was not dated.
The more serious issue involved the <a href="https://www.si.com/onsi/softball/news/first-softball-now-baseball-tulsa-national-disqualified-from-southwest-region-2026">player whose eligibility</a> ultimately triggered the regional disqualification. <a href="https://www.littleleague.org/playing-rules/2025-regulation-2-update/">Little League&#8217;s rules</a> allow a player who lives outside a league&#8217;s geographic boundaries to establish eligibility through a sibling who is age seven or younger and participates in the league&#8217;s program. Court documents show that Tulsa National relied on that provision to establish the eligibility of a player identified as O.G.
But according to Little League officials, O.G.&#8217;s father had registered his younger daughter as being 7 years old when she was actually 10. Officials also determined that the girl never participated in Tulsa National&#8217;s program. 
Dan Velte, Little League&#8217;s vice president of operations and international tournament director, said in court documents that the age misrepresentation rendered the sibling ineligible under the under-8 open enrollment provision and therefore made O.G. ineligible as well. 
“O.G. participated in the Oklahoma State Tournament, which is part of the Little League International Tournament, while ineligible,” Velte wrote. “Under this rule, disqualification was mandatory.”
That meant the problem extended backward. Tulsa National had not merely brought an ineligible player to Waco. The player had already participated in the Oklahoma state tournament that sent the team there.
Little League International ultimately declared Tulsa National&#8217;s previous regional game a forfeit and removed the team from the Southwest Region Tournament. The decision came after three protests. Little League said the formal investigation determined that O.G. was ineligible, while court filings indicate that Tulsa National representatives initially attributed the player&#8217;s absence from the regional roster to a “falling out” between his family and the coaching staff rather than disclosing the underlying eligibility issue.
The parents of Tulsa National&#8217;s players subsequently blamed the adults responsible for administering the tournament. 
“To our own Oklahoma administration, the Southwest Regional administration, and Little League International: this one is on you,” the parents said in a <a href="https://x.com/Maren_Angus/status/2087308970746654990?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E2087308970746654990%7Ctwgr%5E0a51c2676a2073ac0eda6eb03f682379a94b910e%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&amp;ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.si.com%2Fonsi%2Fsoftball%2Fnews%2Fnew-evidence-shows-oklahoma-little-league-state-tournament-was-a-sham-2026">statement</a>.
But now, the controversy has grown beyond Tulsa National. New evidence also indicates that the Oklahoma state tournament <a href="https://www.si.com/onsi/softball/news/exclusive-oklahoma-little-league-controversy-raises-new-questions-over-profiteering-on-little-league-trademark-tulsa-national-2026">involved fees</a> that appear to violate Little League regulations. Oklahoma District Administrator Mindy Abbott instructed the three participating teams to pay a $100 tournament entry fee. When the teams arrived, they were directed to pay the money to Tulsa Area Youth Softball and Baseball, Inc., an entity associated with the Tulsa Little League organization.
There was also a $5 gate fee charged, despite Little League rules prohibiting mandatory admission fees for Major Division games. Little League permits voluntary donations but states that “no admission shall be charged” for Major Division games. The $100 entry fee was also separate from the $300 tournament fee paid to Little League International for eligible teams in certain divisions.
The organizational structure surrounding the tournament has only added to the confusion. Tulsa Area Youth Softball and Baseball, Inc., Tulsa Little League, Inc., Tulsa Little League Baseball, Inc., and Tulsa National Little League are separate entities, but they are all controlled or operated by Tulsa National President Stephen Skocik. Little League regulations prohibit local leagues from extending the Little League name and emblem to other organizations for unrelated purposes.
Now, more than 300 Oklahoma and Southwest Region Little League coaches, volunteers and parents are calling for the removal of Mindy Abbott and Southwest Region Director Blaine Whitmire, as well as the revocation of Tulsa National&#8217;s charter. 
“We have no confidence in Oklahoma District Administrator Mindy Abbott to administer Little League in this state with the integrity, consistency and fairness its families deserve,” the group said.
The letter also called for the vacating of Tulsa National&#8217;s 2025 and 2026 Oklahoma state and Southwest Region tournament titles. “The damage caused cannot be undone,” the statement said. “But Little League International can decide whether the failures that caused it will have consequences.”
Abbott has pushed back, telling the <a href="https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/2026/08/13/oklahoma-little-league-teams-call-for-leadership-purge-after-disqualification-scandals/91286870007/">Oklahoman</a> that the two leagues calling for her removal “are not in compliance with Little League regulations.” Whitmire has not publicly responded to the newspaper&#8217;s request for comment.
For the children involved, the consequences are obvious. The Tulsa players lost their opportunity to compete for a place in Williamsport despite advancing through the tournament on the field. Little League International says its tournament system depends on parents and volunteers adhering to its rules and ensuring a “fair and equitable experience” for every child.

Little League World Series – Championship Game

An Illegal Player And A Sham Tournament: Scandal Rocks The Little League World Series

little league international

little league world series

oklahoma

sports

tulsa national little league

youth sports scandal

Three conservative states plan to carry out a rare triple execution Thursday involving men ages 42 to 70, two of whom are convicted of murdering women, and one is convicted of raping and murdering a 5-year-old girl.
For the first time in <a href="https://apnews.com/article/execution-death-penalty-tennessee-alabama-oklahoma-062c601ee0ff9a5f6d7b79045a0cc6b5">over a decade</a>, Alabama, Oklahoma, and Tennessee plan to execute three men by lethal injection on the same day, including a 66-year-old convicted of murdering a motel maid, a 70-year-old guilty of shooting his girlfriend, and a 42-year-old who confessed to the brutal slaying of a young girl he paid her mother to abuse. 
The United States has not executed three men on the same day since January 7, 2010, according to the <a href="https://apnews.com/article/execution-death-penalty-tennessee-alabama-oklahoma-062c601ee0ff9a5f6d7b79045a0cc6b5">Associated Press</a>. 
In Alabama, Jeremy Williams, 42, is scheduled to die Thursday evening for the 2021 rape and murder of 5-year-old Kamarie Holland, whose disappearance sparked a desperate search-and-rescue effort, <a href="https://www.wtvm.com/2026/08/13/jeremy-williams-set-execution-murder-5-year-old-kamarie-holland/">according to WTVM</a>. 
Phone records determined that Williams and the child&#8217;s mother, Kristy Siple, conspired the night before the 5-year-old was reported missing on December 13, 2021. Siple sold her daughter to Williams for $2,500 in exchange for one hour of oral sex. Police found the child’s strangled body dumped outside an abandoned home. 
A jury found Williams guilty on all capital murder charges, and a judge sentenced him to death. Williams later waived his appeals, allowing Republican Governor Kay Ivey to move up his execution date. The child’s mother is serving 20 years in prison for human sex trafficking charges, <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/08/06/alabama-execution-jeremy-williams-kamarie-holland/91191606007/">according to USA Today</a>. 
“This guy brought a tremendous amount of pain and hurt to several, several little girls, and he don’t deserve to breathe the air that you and I breathe,” Sheriff Heath Taylor told <a href="https://www.wjtv.com/news/regional-news/5-year-old-kamarie-holland-was-not-the-only-victim-brutalized-by-alabama-death-row-inmate-jeremy-williams/">WJTV</a>. “And that’s just the way I feel.”
In Tennessee, Anthony Darrell Hines, 66, was scheduled to be executed at 10 a.m. local time Thursday at a maximum-security prison in Nashville for the 1985 murder of motel maid Catherine Jean Jenkins, according to local outlet WZTV. A jury convicted Hines of first-degree felony murder after Jenkins was found naked, wrapped in a sheet, inside a motel room. Hines stabbed Jenkins multiple times in the chest and other areas of the body. 
Earlier this week, Republican Tennessee Governor Bill Lee refused to intervene to stop the execution.  
“After deliberate consideration of Anthony Darrell Hines’ request for clemency, and after a thorough review of the case, I am upholding the sentence of the State of Tennessee and do not plan to intervene,” he <a href="https://fox17.com/news/local/tennessee-governor-bill-lee-declines-clemency-darrell-hines-execution-august-13-tony-carruthers-physician-lethal-injection">said</a>. 
In Oklahoma, Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez, 70, is set to die by <a href="https://apnews.com/article/execution-nitrogen-methods-lethal-52d43ab3f7da0e4c05144328be656854">lethal injection</a> at the state’s penitentiary for killing his longtime girlfriend more than 20 years ago. Rodriguez shot Olimpia Fisher in the eye in 2003 at the couple’s Oklahoma City home in what police described as a “gruesome and chaotic” scene, <a href="https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-carlos-cuesta-rodriguez-execution/73423160">according to KOCO.</a> 
The Oklahoma Pardon and Parole Board voted 3-1 in July against clemency, which Cuesta-Rodriguez told members he did not want.
&#8220;Carlos Cuesta-Rodriguez violently assaulted and murdered an innocent mother,&#8221; Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond said in a statement to <a href="https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-carlos-cuesta-rodriguez-execution/73423160">KOCO</a>. &#8220;Olimpia’s family has endured heartbreak for 23 years. Justice will be served when the death penalty is carried out.&#8221;
In July, Florida became the first state in nearly a decade to conduct two executions in a single day as Republican Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration continues to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/red-state-set-to-carry-out-rare-double-executions-on-same-day">move on death penalty</a> cases at an unprecedented rate.
In April, President Donald Trump’s Department of Justice directed the Bureau of Prisons to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/biden-commuted-death-sentences-trumps-doj-is-bringing-back-the-firing-squad?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=undefined&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=Biden+Commuted+Death+Sentences.+Trump%E2%80%99s+DOJ+Is+Bringing+Back+The+Firing+Squad.">bring back the firing squad and lethal injection</a> for federal executions.

Kamarie-Holland-Kristy-Siple-Jeremy-Williams-tout-3b47578fe6da473d8f2a55805332201b

Red States Set To Carry Out Rare Same-Day Triple Execution

alabama

death penalty

lethal injection

tennessee

A 15-year-old Oklahoma girl is in intensive care after downing Benadryl for a viral, re-emerging TikTok challenge.
Leah Presson participated in the “Benadryl Challenge,” which encourages teens to film themselves while downing toxic amounts of the allergy medication to <a href="https://drugfree.org/article/what-is-the-benadryl-challenge/">induce</a> hallucinations and delirium. After drinking the Benadryl, Presson experienced seizures and cardiac arrest, and after multiple tests at the hospital, she was found to have “no brain activity.” She remains in an intensive care unit at Integris Health Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City.
“I tell her to keep fighting and stay strong. You got this. You’re a fighter,” Leah’s father, Richard Presson, <a href="https://kfor.com/news/enid-father-warns-parents-of-social-media-challenge-after-daughter-is-hospitalized/">told</a> KFOR. 
Richard Presson initially believed his daughter’s seizures were from her history of asthma, but her symptoms were very similar to those caused by the “Benadryl Challenge.” He said she had participated in the dangerous trend before. 
“I don’t even want to think about a funeral because I feel like there’s still hope and everybody’s like, giving up too soon,” her father said. “I believe in miracles, that she’s definitely a miracle baby.”
Benadryl is an antihistamine used to temporarily relieve cold or allergy symptoms, such as runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, hives, skin rash, and itching. An overdose of this medicine can be fatal or cause severe side effects. Diphenhydramine is the generic name for the antihistamine sold under the brand name Benadryl, meaning the two terms refer to the same medication.
Presson is not the first girl from Oklahoma to end the challenge with a devastating consequence. Earlier this year, 11-year-old Molly Miller died from a diphenhydramine-related overdose that was linked to the &#8220;Benadryl Challenge.&#8221; Three Connecticut children also died from Benadryl overdoses in recent months, The Daily Wire previously <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/the-deadly-online-trend-parents-thought-was-gone-is-back?author=Jacob+Wheeler&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=19&amp;row=0&amp;rowType=Vertical+List&amp;title=The+Deadly+Online+Trend+Parents+Thought+Was+Gone+Is+Back">reported</a>. 
After the deaths of the three Connecticut children, the Connecticut Office of the Child Advocate <a href="https://portal.ct.gov/oca/-/media/oca/oca-recent-publications/oca-statement-diphenhydramine-and-safe-storage-2026-06-10.pdf?rev=1feb34995f34436cbb121d417264c506">warned</a> parents that the medication “is potentially dangerous to children of all ages.”
&#8220;We strongly encourage parents to store all medications safely, to ensure they are not easily accessible to children,&#8221; the office added. &#8220;We also want parents to know that resources are available if their children are experiencing mental health needs.&#8221;
The FDA <a href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-warns-about-serious-problems-high-doses-allergy-medicine-diphenhydramine-benadryl">issued</a> a statement during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, when the challenge first emerged, warning the public about the dangers of overdosing on Benadryl and informing parents and health care professionals. 
“We are aware of news reports of teenagers ending up in emergency rooms or dying after participating in the ‘Benadryl Challenge’ encouraged in videos posted on the social media application TikTok,” the FDA said.
Now, searches for “Benadryl Challenge” or “Benadryl” on TikTok lead to a drug and alcohol warning. 
“I just want everybody to be aware of where they can educate their kids, but these challenges are just silly, and they need to be educated so it doesn’t happen again,” Presson’s father said.

Teen Left With ‘No Brain Activity’ After Participating In Dangerous TikTok Challenge

Benadryl

TikTok Trend

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The search for a missing Oklahoma state Senate candidate came to a tragic conclusion Thursday after authorities <a href="https://www.koco.com/article/barry-christian-missing-state-senate-candidate-erick-oklahoma/71179582">discovered the body</a> of 54-year-old Barry Christian in a remote wildlife management area.
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Christian, a Republican candidate for Senate District 38, had been the subject of an intensive search after failing to appear for a scheduled meeting on Tuesday. According to the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation (OSBI), Christian was last seen in Sayre, Oklahoma, driving a 2024 charcoal gray Ram pickup truck.
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BREAKING: Oklahoma State Senate candidate Barry Christian (R) found dead in his car after being reported missing <a href="https://t.co/Ps6JEbD2O6">pic.twitter.com/Ps6JEbD2O6</a>
&mdash; Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) <a href="https://twitter.com/libsoftiktok/status/2049995455723938059?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 30, 2026</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
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The breakthrough in the case came Thursday morning when a deputy from the Beckham County Sheriff’s Office, patrolling the Sandy Sanders Wildlife Management Area, was flagged down by a hunter. The witness reported seeing a vehicle that had crashed off a high ridge overlooking Fish Creek. Upon reaching the scene, investigators confirmed the vehicle belonged to Christian and discovered his body inside.
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The OSBI has since taken over the investigation, and Christian’s remains have been transported to the medical examiner’s Office to determine the official cause and manner of death.
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Christian, a staunch conservative who launched his bid for the state Senate last year, had built his platform on traditional values, including border security, energy independence, and the protection of constitutional freedoms. His campaign gained attention through his apparent friendship with musician Kid Rock, who appeared in an <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DWzH8FFCV-v/">Instagram</a> video on Christian&#8217;s page, calling him a candidate with &#8220;common sense and a voice for the people.&#8221; Only days before his disappearance, Christian was reportedly <a href="https://x.com/collinrugg/status/2049981227009196380?s=46&amp;t=5nB3R1hthzMlYMrXjZyN8Q">seen</a> at the Mangum Rattlesnake Derby.
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In a heartbreaking statement released to KOCO, Christian’s daughter, Brooklyn, expressed the family’s shock and grief. &#8220;Our world is upside down right now,&#8221; she said. &#8220;We are still not sure of everything that happened, so please act with grace and treat my dad&#8217;s legacy with dignity.&#8221; She also expressed gratitude to the volunteers and media outlets that assisted in the search.
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<div>
His youngest daughter also shared a tribute via <a href="https://www.news9.com/oklahoma-city-news/barry-christian-oklahoma-senate-candidate-found-dead">News 9</a>, describing her father as a man who &#8220;lived only for his kids&#8221; and &#8220;wanted nothing more than to provide and protect his family.&#8221;
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<div>
As the investigation continues, the tight-knit community of Erick and the broader Oklahoma political landscape are left mourning a candidate whose life and campaign were cut short. Authorities have not yet indicated whether foul play is suspected.
</div>

Barry Christian

Missing Oklahoma State Senate Candidate Found Dead

death

Elections

politics

republican party

Tornadoes tore through parts of Oklahoma on Thursday, injuring at least 10 people and causing serious property damage, according to <a href="https://www.koco.com/article/tornado-enid-braman-oklahoma-damage-video/71116783" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KOCO News 5</a>.
No fatalities were reported from the severe weather, which primarily hit the northern part of the state.
One of the hardest-hit communities was Enid, where roughly 40 homes were damaged, <a href="https://ktul.com/news/local/officials-40-homes-damaged-in-enid-garfield-county" target="_blank" rel="noopener">KTUL</a> reported. The city is home to Vance Air Force Base, and a dramatic video from the area showed a massive tornado moving near it.
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Dramatic video captured a powerful tornado near Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma, on Thursday evening. <a href="https://t.co/zqzebLRoDl">pic.twitter.com/zqzebLRoDl</a>
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) <a href="https://twitter.com/accuweather/status/2047657770514837972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt urged prayers for those affected.
“Please join me in praying for the Enid community, which has been severely impacted by tonight’s tornado,” Gov. Kevin Stitt (R-OK) posted to X last Thursday night.
“I have spoken with Enid’s local leaders and will continue working with them as they assess the damage and identify needs. My prayers are with everyone on Vance Air Force Base and the surrounding neighborhood, and I am asking God to bring healing and comfort in the days ahead.”
Stitt warned that storms will “continue to move across Oklahoma tonight.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Mother Nature’s wrath on full display..Daylight pictures of Gray Ridge neighborhood in Enid after last nights violent tornado..Some houses are slabbed..Best news..NO FATALITIES thanks to advanced warnings and people taking the info seriously <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PrayersForEnid?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PrayersForEnid</a> 
📸 <a href="https://twitter.com/koconews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@koconews</a> <a href="https://t.co/ztfbQX6VcR">pic.twitter.com/ztfbQX6VcR</a>
— Todd Miller (@PlayByPlayGuy1) <a href="https://twitter.com/PlayByPlayGuy1/status/2047706394804023450?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 24, 2026</a></blockquote>
The National Weather Service issued a tornado watch in 14 Oklahoma counties until 9 p.m. Friday, including parts of east-central and southeastern parts of the state.
The Oklahoma Department of Emergency Management is asking people to report storm damage.
“Damage assessments are ongoing today,&#8221; the department posted.
&#8220;Reporting damage helps authorities understand the impact of damages and can help connect you to recovery resources,” the post continued.
Other officials expressed an outpouring of support for the community, which has just over 50,000 people and is just over 100 miles north of Oklahoma City.
&#8220;Our prayers are with the people of Northern Oklahoma as they recover from the damage caused by tornadoes. My office stands ready to protect the interests of these individuals against those seeking to take advantage of them during this vulnerable time,&#8221; Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond <a href="https://x.com/Okla_OAG/status/2047691039948075240?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">posted</a>.

Oklahoma Town Of Barnsdall Hit By Deadly Tornado

Tornado Ravages Through Community Near Air Force Base: ‘Vulnerable Time’

Kevin Stitt

Tornado

Weather

U.S. authorities arrested a Chinese national at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York City earlier this month who is accused of traveling to Nebraska and taking pictures of military aircraft near Offutt Air Force Base.
Tianrui Liang also allegedly planned to travel to Oklahoma to photograph more military aircraft at Tinker Air Force Base, Fox News <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/chinese-national-arrested-jfk-after-allegedly-photographing-us-military-aircraft-nebraska-base?lid=zeskeho3ui7f">reported</a>. The 21-year-old Chinese national is charged with violating U.S. law prohibiting people from photographing or sketching defense installations, according to court documents.
Authorities were first alerted to suspicious activity near Offutt Air Force Base after a person witnessed &#8220;a male holding a camera with a telescopic lens&#8221; near the military installation, according to an FBI affidavit.
Offutt Air Force Base is one of the most sensitive military installations in the United States and is the home of U.S. Strategic Command, which is <a href="https://www.stratcom.mil/About/#:~:text=Air%20Force%20Global%20Strike%20Command,United%20States%20and%20Combatant%20Commanders.">responsible</a> for nuclear defense and global strike operations. The base also hosts some of the U.S. military&#8217;s most powerful reconnaissance aircraft, including the E-4B &#8220;Nightwatch,&#8221; or &#8220;doomsday plane,&#8221; which is designed for military leaders or the president to use in the case of a nuclear war.
Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City is home to the Air Force Sustainment Center, which focuses on maintaining the Air Force&#8217;s &#8220;Weapons System Readiness.&#8221;
Liang was charged in Nebraska on April 3 and was arrested at JFK International Airport four days later. Liang was taken into custody just before he boarded a plane for Frankfurt, Germany, after which he planned to fly to Glasgow, Scotland, according to court documents. The Chinese national was in the United States on a non-immigrant B1/B2 visa, which authorizes temporary travel to America for foreign tourists or people on business trips or visiting family.
Liang told authorities at the airport that he had been previously questioned by law enforcement over the allegations, according to court documents.
Multiple Chinese nationals have been arrested in recent years for taking pictures near U.S. military bases. In August 2023, five Chinese nationals who were former students at the University of Michigan were <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/5-chinese-nationals-accused-of-photographing-michigan-military-facility">caught</a> taking pictures of military equipment during joint training exercises between the National Guard and the Taiwanese military at Camp Grayling in northern Michigan, according to authorities.
Last December, a Chinese national was arrested for taking videos of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers at Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri. He also took numerous photos of military equipment and the base&#8217;s perimeter fencing, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/pr/chinese-national-charged-unlawfully-photographing-air-force-base-and-vital-military">according</a> to the Justice Department.

Chinese man photography

A Chinese Man Was Just Caught Photographing The U.S. Military’s ‘Doomsday’ Plane

china

Communist China

crime

espionage

nebraska

U.S.

U.S. Air Force

U.S. Military

The brave high school principal who tackled a would-be school shooter was crowned prom king by his grateful students over the weekend.
Principal Kirk Moore is the man in charge at Pauls Valley High School in Oklahoma. Video footage of Moore being honored on Friday night has been getting rave reviews on social media. This was after the principal was captured on surveillance footage charging at a man with a gun on the high school campus April 7. Moore was shot in the leg as he disarmed the attacker, who was then arrested.
No students were harmed.
“Ladies and gentlemen, our king,” an announcer can be heard saying at the Pauls Valley high school prom as students began cheering and giving him high fives. The DJ played the Nickelback song “Hero,” which was featured in the live action version of “Spider-Man” (2002).
The song’s chorus, “And they say that a hero can save us / I’m not going to stand here and wait,” played as Moore’s crown was placed on his head.
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On April 7, former Pauls Valley High School student Victor Hawkins, 20, pointed a gun at a student in the entryway and pulled the trigger, but his firearm malfunctioned and he ducked behind a nearby vending machine in order to clear it. When he stepped out again, he fired at another student and missed.
Upon hearing the commotion and the gunfire, Principal Moore came out of his office as Hawkins fired again. Moore confronted the shooter directly and wrestled the firearm away, which is when he was shot in the leg. He and his assistant principal restrained Hawkins by lying on top of him, keeping him that way until law enforcement arrived.
Hawkins later stated that he had intended to kill Principal Moore specifically, and that he’d “wanted to conduct his own school shooting like the Columbine shooters did.”
“It doesn’t surprise me the actions that he took, but it is amazing, the actions that he took,” Don May, Pauls Valley’s police department chief, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/oklahoma-high-school-principal-saved-kids-lives-tackling-gunman-shot-rcna331866">told</a> NBC News. “There’s not a doubt in my mind that he saved kids’ lives.”
Moore told NBC in a statement that he appreciated the “outpouring of love and support” he received following the event.
“Like so many educators around the country, we prepare for these events through training and careful assessment of the threats,” Moore told the outlet. “I am grateful that my instincts and training, as well as God’s hand, were available to me.”
Virginia Kruta contributed to this report.

Kirk Moore

Hero Principal Who Risked It All To Stop Shooter Gets Moment He’ll Never Forget

High School

school shooting

Oklahoma Republican Governor Kevin Stitt announced on Tuesday that longtime energy executive Alan Armstrong will replace Markwayne Mullin in the Senate following Mullin&#8217;s confirmation as Homeland Security Secretary.
Armstrong is a political outsider who has spent his career at Williams Companies, a major oil and gas company based in Tulsa. After introducing Armstrong at a <a href="https://x.com/i/broadcasts/1mxPaLjkLQYKN">press conference</a>, Stitt said that Oklahoma&#8217;s new senator &#8220;is strongly aligned with President Trump on energy policy,&#8221; adding that &#8220;few people have done more to champion [the] America First agenda to keep Oklahoma at the center of domestic production.&#8221;
The Tulsa oil and gas executive will only serve in the Senate for the remainder of Mullin&#8217;s term, which ends in January 2027. Oklahoma law requires Senate appointees to sign an affidavit vowing not to run for a full term, and Trump has endorsed Congressman Kevin Hern to run for the seat in November.
Armstrong said he is entering the Senate at a &#8220;critical&#8221; time in American history, especially regarding energy and infrastructure.
&#8220;You travel around the world these days and you realize we are falling behind on being the leaders in infrastructure,&#8221; Armstrong said, adding, &#8220;The truth is, it&#8217;s gotten very, very hard to build large-scale infrastructure, and it is so critical to our country&#8217;s competitiveness in the long-term.&#8221;
Armstrong <a href="https://www.constellationenergy.com/about/leadership/alan-armstrong.html">began</a> working at Williams Companies nearly 40 years ago as an engineer and worked his way to the top, becoming the energy company&#8217;s president and CEO in 2011. He retired from the CEO role in 2025 and became the executive chairman of the board of directors at Williams Companies.
Armstrong&#8217;s decades of expertise leading one of America&#8217;s largest oil and gas companies and focus on U.S. energy independence fits neatly with President Trump&#8217;s goals to rejuvenate the country&#8217;s energy sector. The oil and gas executive said the issue he wants to address the most in the Senate is permitting reform.
&#8220;What&#8217;s caught my attention is it&#8217;s hard for any kind of infrastructure to get built, and that really is holding our country back,&#8221; he said. &#8220;And I really want to make sure that we really have meaningful permitting reform.&#8221;
Along with focusing on energy, Armstrong told reporters that &#8220;there are a lot of important policy issues&#8221; in the Republican Party agenda and vowed that he &#8220;will be there to support that.&#8221; Armstrong recently met with Trump and said the president showed support for his appointment to the Senate. Armstrong has also worked on energy issues with Energy Secretary Chris Wright and Interior Secretary Doug Burgum, which he said &#8220;was pretty important&#8221; in gaining Trump&#8217;s support.
Oklahoma has been one of the most pro-Trump states in the country and was the only state where Trump won every county in the 2024 election. Trump, however, recently expressed frustration with Stitt, the chair of the National Governors Association, over a dispute about whether Democratic governors would be invited to the National Governors Association gathering at the White House in February.
Stitt suggested that Trump would be excluding Democratic governors from the meeting, but Trump shot back, calling Stitt a &#8220;RINO&#8221; and a &#8220;wise guy&#8221; who &#8220;incorrectly stated my position&#8221; on which governors were invited to the White House. The Oklahoma governor <a href="https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/13/stitt-and-trump-patch-things-up-00828775">reportedly</a> met with Trump earlier this month and cleared the air over the dispute.

Alan Armstrong/Markwayne Mullin

Red State Governor Reveals Key Senate Replacement After DHS Shakeup

Oklahoma Governor Reveals Senate Replacement For DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin

markwayne mullin

senate

With Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-OK) being President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the Department of Homeland Security, Mullin’s seat will presumably be vacated soon.
Oklahoma Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt will have the opportunity to appoint a replacement until the November general election, since Mullin was already up for reelection this year.
“Markwayne Mullin has been a fighter for Oklahoma and will fight to keep our nation secure. There isn’t a better choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security,” Stitt said in a statement on Thursday. Mullin&#8217;s nomination was triggered by DHS Secretary Kristi Noem being moved to a special envoy role, as the secretary is currently facing several controversies, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-fires-dhs-secretary-kristi-noem-announces-replacement?topStoryPosition=undefined&amp;author=Jennie+Taer&amp;category=News&amp;elementPosition=0&amp;row=1&amp;rowHeadline=Top+Stories&amp;rowType=Top+Stories&amp;title=Trump+Fires+DHS+Secretary+Kristi+Noem%2C+Announces+Replacement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Wire</a> reported.
“Oklahoma has been an example to the nation for smart immigration enforcement, and Markwayne will bring that common sense to DHS. I will be looking to appoint a strong, small government conservative voice to support President Trump and protect Oklahomans’ way of life,” he continued.
No shortlist of names has emerged as of late Thursday afternoon.
Those who want to run for a full six-year term cannot be considered for the appointment, as appointees are legally unable to run for the seat due to state law, <a href="https://x.com/reesejgorman/status/2029631710950736153?s=20" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NOTUS</a> reported. Reps. Stephanie Bice and Kevin Hern are reportedly considering campaigning for the seat, according to the <a href="https://www.notus.org/2026-election/oklahoma-republicans-markwayne-mullin-senate-seat" target="_blank" rel="noopener">outlet</a>.
Oklahoma is a deep red state with all five congressional seats held by Republicans, including Reps. Josh Brecheen, Frank Lucas, and Tom Cole.
The state government is also dominated by Republicans in the top offices, including Lt. Gov Matt Pinnell, Secretary of State Josh Cockroft, and Attorney General Gentner Drummond.
As for the general election for the seat, it is currently rated as “Solid Republican” by the Cook Political Report. Trump won the 2024 presidential election in Oklahoma with over 66% of the vote. Trump recently took aim at the Oklahoma governor over a disagreement about a National Governors Association event at the White House, as Stitt chairs the group.
When it comes to Mullin, Trump said that he “will work tirelessly to Keep our Border Secure, Stop Migrant Crime, Murderers, and other Criminals from illegally entering our Country, End the Scourge of Illegal Drugs and, MAKE AMERICA SAFE AGAIN.”
Many Republicans spoke out in support of the DHS shuffle, including Trump-critic Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who said in a post that the Oklahoma senator will “restore competence” to the department that’s currently facing a lapse in funding. Sen. John Fetterman (D-PA) also indicated that he will support Mullin’s confirmation.

Markwayne Mullin

Homeland Security Shakeup Creates Major Opening For Deep-Red Senate Seat

2026 election

congress

homeland security

Republicans

Some 9,000 flights set for this weekend have already been canceled in anticipation of Winter Storm Ferm.
The storm, which meteorologists say could cause as much damage as a hurricane, will likely knock out power and impede travel both in the sky and on the roads for millions.
Currently, there are about 140 million Americans under a winter storm warning, ranging from New Mexico to New England.
The Weather Channel, though, <a href="https://weather.com/news/weather/news/2026-01-24-live-updates-winter-storm-fern-january-24?cm_ven=dnt_social_twitter">says</a> that ultimately 230 million people could be affected by Winter Storm Fern. More than a dozen states have already issued states of emergency, it noted.
&#8220;Take this storm seriously, folks,&#8221; the National Weather Service posted to X on Saturday. &#8220;Moderate to major impacts are expected from the Central US through to the Northeast today through the weekend.&#8221;
The NWS said to expect &#8220;hazardous to impossible driving conditions&#8221; and urged folks in affected areas to &#8220;avoid travel if at all possible.&#8221;
&#8220;Widespread closures and disruption to infrastructure may also occur,&#8221; it added. &#8220;Stay weather aware.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Take this storm seriously, folks.
Moderate to major impacts are expected from the Central US through to the Northeast today through the weekend. 
&#8211; Hazardous to impossible driving conditions are expected. Avoid travel if at all possible. 
&#8211; Widespread closures and disruption to… <a href="https://t.co/bR76NpsrEy">pic.twitter.com/bR76NpsrEy</a>
— National Weather Service (@NWS) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWS/status/2014828034075803679?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 23, 2026</a></blockquote>
The Weather Channel’s Jim Cantore told <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americas-favorite-meteorologist-breaks-down-this-weekends-wild-weather-forecast">The Daily Wire</a> on Friday that much of the country will experience three different types of precipitation from the storm: snow, sleet, and freezing rain.
“In Dallas, they’re gonna have multiple precipitation types,&#8221; he said. &#8220;They’re going to start to snow, maybe go to freezing rain, and then end with the snow again. Nashville starts to snow, sleet, freezing rain, then ends as snow or freezing drizzle. Washington, D.C., starts to snow, heavy snow, goes to sleet, then freezing rain, maybe even a little rain just east of D.C., and then back to cold behind this cold front.”
Ice, though, could be the most dangerous form of precipitation.
“You can have power loss with a 1/4 inch of ice,&#8221; Cantore explained. &#8220;You can get more extensive power loss with a 0.5-inch [of ice]. Severe widespread power loss with 3/4 of an inch, and once you get over one inch of ice, now you’re talking about bringing the lines down and trees down.&#8221;
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/americas-favorite-meteorologist-breaks-down-this-weekends-wild-weather-forecast">America’s Favorite Meteorologist Breaks Down This Weekend’s Wild Weather Forecast</a>

Municipal plow truck plowing snow off roadways in Laconia, New Hampshire USA

Winter Storm Fern: Thousands Of Flights Canceled, Millions Under Alert

Air Travel

Severe Weather

Snow

texas

Winter storm

Heavy snow was falling over Northwest Texas and Oklahoma City on Friday morning as a major winter storm began moving east across the U.S., bringing deadly cold and the threat of power outages and treacherously icy roads to almost half the nation&#8217;s population and prompting more than a dozen governors to declare states of emergency.
More than 150 million Americans were under some form of weather emergency notices from the National Weather Service.
Driven by a massive blast of Arctic air from Canada, the storm will move across the nation from the southern Rockies to the East Coast through early Monday, and cover much of the eastern U.S. through the weekend, forecasters said.
At least 14 U.S. states and the District of Columbia had declared states of emergency as of Friday morning, activating resources and mobilizing crews to mitigate the storm&#8217;s impact by salting roads, preparing to respond to power outages, and more.
Brandon Buckingham, a meteorologist with private forecasting company AccuWeather, said snow and sleet had started to fall Thursday evening in portions of the Central Plains, and warned that there was a danger of ice accumulating on roads, trees and power lines.
&#8220;Dallas could see a half-inch of ice,&#8221; Buckingham said. &#8220;This is going to become treacherous very quickly.&#8221;
He said residents should prepare for &#8220;power outages lasting at least several days&#8221; in areas where ice accumulates, even though the storm is expected to dissipate by early Monday.
In Oklahoma City, which could see up to 12 inches of snow and a glaze of ice before the weekend is over, supervisor Morgan Mayo of the cafe Not Your Average Joe said customers were packing in on Friday morning to get out of the frigid temperatures: a low of 8 degrees Fahrenheit on Friday.
&#8220;We&#8217;re going to do our darnedest to stay open&#8221; even on Saturday when the high is expected to be just 10 degrees, Mayo said. &#8220;We have several employees who live in walking distance and are willing to brave the storm.&#8221;
In Texas, the potentially catastrophic storm recalls a 2021 ice storm that cut power to nearly 40 percent of the state&#8217;s power grid and left more than 2.7 million people without electricity for days. The storm was blamed for more than 200 deaths, most related to cold temperatures.
The state’s largest electrical grid operator, the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT), said it is ready for this weekend&#8217;s storm and expects “sufficient generation to meet demand this winter.”
As the storm heads east on Saturday and Sunday, upwards of a quarter-inch of ice could accumulate in Atlanta and Charlotte and Raleigh, North Carolina this weekend.
On Sunday, between 4 and 8 inches of snow will fall on Washington D.C., Baltimore, New York City and Boston, although snow exceeding 12 inches is likely to fall in parts of the Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic.
In the nation&#8217;s capital, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser on Friday declared a state of emergency and a snow emergency to remain in effect from Saturday through Tuesday. Bowser asked the National Guard to provide high-ground-clearance vehicles to ensure first responders could effectively move through the District.
The storm represents the first major test for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who took office just weeks ago. He told local news station NY1 on Friday that the city&#8217;s sanitation workforce would transform &#8220;into the nation’s largest snow-fighting operation&#8221; in advance of the heavy snowfall expected on Sunday, but that the city&#8217;s schools would be open on Monday for either in-person or remote learning.
(Reporting by Rich McKay in Atlanta and Julia Harte in New York; editing by Donna Bryson and David Gregorio)

Empty Shelves

Snow Starts Falling In Texas, Oklahoma As Eastern U.S. Braces For Winter Storm

The executive director of a Black Lives Matter chapter in Oklahoma has been accused of using donor funds to go toward expensive vacations and purchasing rental properties. 
The Justice Department <a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdok/pr/executive-director-black-lives-matter-okc-charged-wire-fraud-and-money-laundering">filed charges</a> against Black Lives Matter Oklahoma City executive director Tashella Sheri Amore Dickerson last week for wire fraud and money laundering, an unsealed indictment revealed on Thursday. According to the indictment, Dickerson embezzled at least $3.15 million in donor funds for her personal benefit.  
The indictment alleges that Dickerson “knowingly devised, intended to devise, and executed a scheme and artifice to defraud [Black Lives Matter OKC] and its donors in a material manner and to obtain money from [Black Lives Matter OKC] and its donors by means of materially false and fraudulent pretenses, representations, and promises.”
Dickerson allegedly used donations given to her organization to purchase a 2021 Hyundai Palisade, multiple rental properties, food and grocery deliveries, and fund international vacations. 
The vacations include trips for her and associates to the Dominican Republic in July 2021, and to Jamaica in December 2021 and January 2022, the indictment says. She also allegedly spent tens of thousands of dollars shopping at Nordstrom Rack, Macy&#8217;s, Amazon, Best Buy, and Bob Mills Furniture. Additionally, she allegedly spent at least $50,000 on food and grocery deliveries (including DoorDash and Instacart) for herself and her children.
The alleged fraud took place between June 2020 and up until October 2025, the Justice Department said. 
Much of the donations to Black Lives Matter OKC came through the Alliance for Global Justice, a leftist nonprofit based in Arizona. They routed funds from other groups like the Community Justice Exchange, Massachusetts Bail Fund, and Minnesota Freedom Fund to Black Lives Matter OKC, according to the Justice Department. 
The funds were supposed to go toward the pretrial bail for individuals arrested in the riots that took place after the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Dickerson allegedly submitted false reports to the Alliance for Global Justice about how the money was being used and covered up how she was using them. 
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She faces 20 counts of wire fraud and five counts of money laundering. If convicted, she could face decades in prison and hundreds of thousands in fines. The case was investigated by the FBI Oklahoma City Field Office and IRS-Criminal Investigation.
Black Lives Matter OKC <a href="https://www.blmokc.com">describes</a> itself as an &#8220;extension&#8221; of the &#8220;global BLM movement&#8221; and says that it exists to &#8220;eradicate white supremacy and build local power to intervene against violence inflicted on Black communities.&#8221;

US-POLITICS-POLICE-JUSTICE-RACISM

BLM Leader Accused Of Stealing Millions In Donor Funds To Spend On Vacations And Shopping Sprees

Local BLM Leader Accused Of Using Donor Funds On Shopping Spree, International Trips

black lives matter

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