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

Oklahoma

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.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
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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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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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.
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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.
<iframe loading="lazy" title="Pauls Valley principal crowned prom king after stopping potential school shooting" width="422" height="750" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/JN_-vFrqHes?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe>
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.

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;
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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

Tennessee

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

Department of Justice

Fraud

A 25-year-old former member of the National Guard is accused of attempting to provide 3D-printed weapons to someone he believed was a member of al-Qaeda, according to a criminal complaint unsealed on Wednesday. 
While serving in the National Guard, Andrew Hastings of Tulsa, Oklahoma, <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/man-arrested-and-charged-attempting-provide-al-qaida-weapons">allegedly</a> shipped more than one hundred parts for weapons to an undercover agent with the intent of assisting the radical Islamic terrorist group. He is charged with attempting to provide material support or resources to a designated foreign terrorist organization and illegal possession or transfer of a machine gun.
Hastings first came under FBI scrutiny in June 2024 after he was found to be “discussing committing acts of violence against U.S. civilians in furtherance of global jihad” on a social media app, according to the Justice Department. At the time, he worked as an aircraft powertrain repairer and held a national security clearance.
On social media, Hastings allegedly encouraged others in a group chat discussing acts of terrorism to develop cyberspace skills and start physical training. He allegedly offered to provide Army manuals related to tactics and the manufacture of weapons and expressed interest in creating a nuclear weapon. 
According to the complaint, Hastings then began conversing with an undercover agent who claimed to have ties to al-Qaeda. Surveillance footage cited in court documents reportedly shows Hastings dropping off boxes at a post office to ship 3D printed machine gun conversion switches, two 3D printed lower receivers for a handgun, a handgun slide, and other handgun parts for “al-Qaida for use in terrorist attacks.”
Investigators also stated that he took an overseas trip without reporting it to his superiors as required. Hastings voluntarily left the National Guard on June 6, 2025, as the investigation was ongoing. 
The FBI, the Army, the ATF, and the Tulsa Police Department investigated the case. 
“The successful arrest of this Soldier is a testament to the strong partnership between Army Counterintelligence Command and the FBI,” said Brig. Gen. Sean Stinchon, the commanding general of Army Counterintelligence Command, adding that the Army remained committed to ensuring that “individuals who support terrorist organizations are held accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

Trump Increases Federal Law Enforcement Presence, Deploys National Guard In Nation’s Capital

Former National Guardsman Accused Of 3D-Printing Weapons For Al-Qaeda

Al Qaeda

National Guard

Radical Islamic Terror

Terrorism

U.S. Army

A coronavirus-era housing bailout program spent $10 billion paying Americans&#8217; mortgages and homeowner association dues. But explicit racial preferences steered nearly half of the funds to black Americans, who make up just 12% of the population, a Daily Wire analysis found.
The <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/policy-issues/coronavirus/assistance-for-state-local-and-tribal-governments/homeowner-assistance-fund" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Homeowner Assistance Fund</a> is one of the largest race-based government wealth transfers in history. It has largely escaped scrutiny since it launched amid a global pandemic and a stream of other federal bailouts. But now, white residents in several states have filed lawsuits alleging that they were illegally discriminated against.
The lawsuits target Republican-led states that the plaintiffs say went along with the program in Joe Biden&#8217;s American Rescue Plan, even though it was up to each state to implement its own rules, and the Biden administration offered racial criteria only as non-binding suggestions.
In Georgia, for example, 82% of the funds — made up of payments for up to $50,000 — went to blacks. Only 13% went to whites, and 4% went to Hispanics. The lawsuit argues that this can&#8217;t be due to income disparities alone, given the high rate of poverty among white people in the state.
&#8220;This dramatic difference cannot be explained by income disparities or other race-independent reasons,&#8221; a <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gasd.107818/gov.uscourts.gasd.107818.1.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lawsuit</a> filed in January says. &#8220;For example, comparing census and poverty rate data, about 50.5% of Georgia citizens below the poverty line are black and 45.6% are white.&#8221;
The lawsuit is against the state&#8217;s Department of Community Affairs, whose leaders are appointed by Governor Brian Kemp, a Republican who has led the state since 2019. It alleges that the $354 million plan submitted by Georgia, and approved in January 2022, to use the funds included plans for a public awareness campaign that would send text messages to residents in &#8220;30 out of Georgia’s 152 counties&#8221; that were selected based on, among other things, “minority population.”
The state also &#8220;approved applications from applicants of its preferred racial and ethnic groups at a higher rate than those from white applicants. Out of all non-white applicants, about 20.04% of applicants were approved while out of all white applicants, about 12.74% of applicants were approved,&#8221; the suit says.
The federal program <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAF-Guidance.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">required</a> that each state allocate at least 60% of the funds to homeowners with incomes below the median. People with higher-than-average incomes could get the remaining money, but that portion &#8220;must be prioritized for assistance to socially disadvantaged individuals, with funds remaining after such prioritization being made available for other eligible homeowners.&#8221;
In other words, poor people of all races could always qualify for the grant, but certain other groups could also get it because they&#8217;re &#8220;disadvantaged,&#8221; even though they actually had more money than most.
The lawsuit stated that Congress had not defined &#8220;socially disadvantaged individuals.&#8221; But in April 2021, the Biden administration &#8220;provided a recommended definition&#8221; that said &#8220;Socially disadvantaged individuals are those who have been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias &#8230; There is a rebuttable presumption that the following individuals are socially disadvantaged: Black Americans, Hispanic Americans, Native Americans, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.&#8221;
Georgia, Missouri, and Oklahoma are being sued after the deep-red states chose to adopt that definition, even though it was optional, unlike other states. Deep-blue California, for example, administered the housing-cost bailout by <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAFP-0108-California-Salesforce-Submission.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">defining</a> socially disadvantaged as residents who live in Census tracts where the <a href="https://knowledge.luskin.ucla.edu/ca-covid-19-owner-vulnerability/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">ratio</a> of housing costs to available income has historically made residents most vulnerable to foreclosure. <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAFP-0096-Texas-SalesforceSubmission.pdf">Texas</a> defined it as people who &#8220;reside in a Persistent Poverty County.&#8221;
<div class="image"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" class="aligncenter wp-image-968057 size-full" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/haf-race.png" alt="" width="1113" height="1636" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/haf-race.png 1113w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/haf-race-204x300.png 204w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/haf-race-392x576.png 392w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/haf-race-768x1129.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2025/09/haf-race-1045x1536.png 1045w" sizes=" (max-width: 1113px) 100vw, 1113px" /></div>
Kemp spokesman Carter Chapman declined to discuss why Georgia adopted the race-based definition, instead saying he has a record of &#8220;fighting DEI in our state,&#8221; including signing bills restricting childhood gender transitions. The state&#8217;s Department of Community Affairs did not return a request for comment.
Georgia Attorney General Christopher M. Carr is seeking to have the lawsuit dismissed, filing a motion in June that stated the state&#8217;s use of race was &#8220;entirely consistent with the Treasury’s definitions.&#8221;
&#8220;The Treasury’s and DCA’s definition of socially disadvantaged individuals included, but was not limited to, people who had been subject to racial prejudice, and it also included those who have been subject to cultural bias, which is not a racial classification,&#8221; Carr says.
&#8220;The program allowed white applicants to be considered socially disadvantaged merely by submitting an affidavit stating that they &#8216;identify as a Socially Disadvantaged Individual,'&#8221; he wrote.
Carr is a Republican who has held his position since 2016 and has criticized DEI policies elsewhere, including at Costco and the American Bar Association. Carr spokeswoman Kara Murray told The Daily Wire that &#8220;Attorney General Carr had no involvement in the implementation of this program in Georgia. Once the lawsuit was filed, our office’s role was to defend the State in court, and that’s what we have done.&#8221;
In Missouri, the program was implemented by the Missouri Housing Development Commission, a <a href="https://mhdc.com/about-us/commissioners/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">10-person board</a> that includes the state&#8217;s governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, and attorney general — all of whom are Republicans.
Yet when the federal government asked Missouri how it would define &#8220;socially disadvantaged individual,&#8221; it <a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/HAFP-0080-Missouri-SalesforceSubmission.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> it would adopt &#8220;Treasury’s definition of socially disadvantaged individuals,&#8221; and use software that would flag people as disadvantaged in part based on which box they checked when asked about race and ethnicity.
A lawsuit said that &#8220;In marketing and advertising its program to inform Missouri citizens about the availability of funds and how to apply, MHDC targeted outreach to racial minorities,&#8221; including partnering with the Black Chamber of Commerce and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Forty-four percent of the loan money went to black residents, who make up less than 12% of the population.
Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe was a member of the housing commission during the program&#8217;s inception, serving in his then-role as lieutenant governor. Kehoe spokeswoman Gabby Picard said &#8220;As this is pending litigation, we are not able to comment on the specifics of this case,&#8221; but that &#8220;Kehoe has been a strong advocate for removing DEI within state government,&#8221; signing an executive order &#8220;directing all Missouri state agencies to eliminate Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives and ensure compliance with the constitutional principle of equal protection under the law.&#8221;
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey, a Republican, was not a member of the housing commission when the state decided how to implement the federal program because he took office in 2023. But Bailey responded to the lawsuit in court papers in May, <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.moed.213696/gov.uscourts.moed.213696.64.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">writing</a> that &#8220;Defendants were merely administering a federal program in accordance with federal mandates, rules, guidelines, regulations, and/or applicable laws &#8230; The Defendants applied neutral criteria when administering the program. Defendants acted in good faith reliance on Treasury and federal guidance, and had no reason to believe the program would have a discriminatory impact.&#8221;
Bailey joined the Trump administration last month as co-deputy director of the FBI. A spokeswoman for his old office, Abigail Bergmann, told The Daily Wire that &#8220;the Biden Administration applied pressure to states to adopt these policies, and Missouri’s program was established before Attorney General Bailey was elected to office. As Attorney General, it is his statutory duty to represent MHDC in court. But thanks to his leadership, MHDC today has been stripped of the Biden-era racist policies that Missourians should never have been subjected to in the first place.”
In Oklahoma, five white residents who did not receive housing assistance, including a massage therapist who lost her job due to the pandemic and her disabled-veteran husband, <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.okwd.129299/gov.uscourts.okwd.129299.1.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sued</a> the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency. &#8220;On the front page of its Oklahoma Homeowner Assistance Fund program website, OHFA stated that a homeowner is a socially disadvantaged individual if the homeowner is a “[m]ember of a group that has been subjected to racial or ethnic prejudice or cultural bias within American Society: African American, Hispanic/Latino, Native American, LGBTQ+,” the suit said.
That <a href="https://perma.cc/Y6VR-EQ4C" target="_blank" rel="noopener">website</a> says residents of &#8220;minority-majority census tracts&#8221; are also among the &#8220;socially disadvantaged&#8221; who &#8220;are eligible to receive a one-time grant award up to a maximum of $35,000.&#8221; It states that applications were accepted until March 2024. The state allocated $87 million, and 26% of it went to black residents, despite their making up only 7% of the state&#8217;s population.
The lawsuit said &#8220;Because of this race-based classification, a white or Asian homeowner with household size of 3 in Oklahoma County, Oklahoma, could not apply for relief in 2023 if the homeowner’s income was greater than $96,200 (100% AMI) unless he or she could otherwise qualify as socially disadvantaged, but a black or Latino homeowner with the same household size could apply with an income of up to $116,110 (150% AMI). This is just one of many ways in which OHFA’s race-based program discriminated against white and Asian homeowners.&#8221;
<div id="attachment_542577" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-542577" class="size-large wp-image-542577" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/GettyImages-1242358048-864x576.jpg" alt="DALLAS, TEXAS, UNITED STATES - 2022/08/05: Governor of Oklahoma Kevin Stitt speaks during CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) Texas 2022 conference at Hilton Anatole in Dallas." width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/GettyImages-1242358048-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/GettyImages-1242358048-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/GettyImages-1242358048-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2023/05/GettyImages-1242358048.jpg 1024w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt speaks during CPAC (Photo by Lev Radin/Pacific Press/LightRocket via Getty Images)</div>
It said OHFA worked with the African Methodist Episcopal Church to market the program.
&#8220;OHFA specifically informed socially disadvantaged individuals about the program and assisted those individuals through the application process but did not do the same for white or Asian homeowners. This made it more likely that individuals deemed socially disadvantaged based on race would receive funding at the expense of white and Asian homeowners who were eligible to receive funding but to whom OHFA did not provide the same information or assistance,&#8221; the suit said.
&#8220;OHFA could have administered its program in a race-neutral way. Instead, it discriminated against white and Asian homeowners in favor of homeowners from preferred racial groups. But COVID-19 did not discriminate. Oklahoma homeowners of all races needed assistance. OHFA’s racial discrimination is plainly unlawful,&#8221; it said.
All of Oklahoma&#8217;s top officials are Republican, and a board appointed by the governor runs the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency. The housing board&#8217;s chair, Michael Buehl, was appointed in 2019 to a five-year term by Governor Kevin Stitt. Stitt then re-appointed him in 2024, after Buehl oversaw the race-based program. Stitt did not return a request for comment.
The housing agency is currently vigorously defending the program, hiring private lawyers who <a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.okwd.129299/gov.uscourts.okwd.129299.41.0.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">filed</a> a motion to dismiss the lawsuit in March. The motion said that according to the Attorney General, OHFA is classified as a &#8220;state beneficiary public trust&#8221; that is &#8220;separate and distinct from&#8221; the state.
A spokesman for Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond, who has publicly opposed DEI and stated in 2023 that one of his priorities was investigating the misuse of COVID funds, did not respond to questions.

Republican Candidate For Governor Brian Kemp Attends Election Night Event In Athens, Georgia

How A Biden Housing Bailout Steered Billions Based On Race — With Red State Help

Coronavirus

Georgia

Missouri

Red States

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