Author: a1obm

California lawmakers reacted to President Donald Trump’s suggestion that he would reopen Alcatraz with laughter, mockery and, for Democrats, indignation. “I won’t suggest who should go there first,” Rep. Sam Liccardo said. Trump posted on Sunday evening that he was ordering the refurbishment of Alcatraz, the island prison-turned historic landmark and tourist site off of San Francisco, to again incarcerate “the dregs of society.” “REBUILD, AND OPEN ALCATRAZ!” Trump said online, casting the move as both a workaround from judges that ruled against his deportation efforts and as a “symbol of Law, Order, and JUSTICE.” The Bureau of Prisons is now pursuing…

Chevron, Colorado’s largest oil and gas producer, plans to lay off about 125 employees in its Denver office starting July 1 as part of an effort to cut costs companywide. The company said in a letter to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment that the job cuts would be permanent and that the employees aren’t members of a union. The announcement comes as oil prices hit a four-year low, hovering at around $60 a barrel Tuesday. “Chevron will try to redeploy employees to other Chevron locations, which may reduce the number of layoffs at this location,” the company said…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth used the encrypted app Signal to discuss Pentagon operations significantly more than previously known, including for information about military strikes and daily planning, according to a Wall Street Journal exclusive report. He reportedly managed at least a dozen Signal chats and once directed aides to notify foreign governments of a U.S. operation through the app. Hegseth sometimes sent these messages from an unsecured Pentagon line or personal device. The Journal reported Marine Col. Ricky Buria, Hegseth’s military aide, posted operational details ahead of U.S. strikes in Yemen in a Signal chat that included Hegseth’s family members.…

A Gaston County preschool is teaching toddlers to be engineers – well, sort of! BELMONT, N.C. — The Learning Experience in Belmont is using special techniques to teach young kids problem-solving skills through its Little Engineer program. The Little Engineer program runs for 17 weeks and is now in its second year. The teachers say they see a difference in the kids now that they’re using these special kits. “It gives them the ability to problem solve and get really creative while also learning science and math skills,” Sarah Ballard, the center’s manager, said, adding it helps kids gets hands-on learning…

The City-County Council approved Andrew Merkley’s nomination as director of the Office of Public Health and Safety on May 5.The approval came despite concerns from some homelessness advocates about Merkley’s role in the recent winter contingency plan for people experiencing homelessness.Service providers were still scrambling two weeks before winter contingency was supposed to start. On the city’s side, that responsibility largely fell on Merkley, who was the director of homelessness policy and eviction prevention since 2021.But even some advocates who criticized Merkley acknowledged during a recent council committee meeting that blame couldn’t fall on one person.“It’s not just Andrew,” said…

The former town clerk of a tiny metro Denver municipality was sentenced to three years probation for her part in an embezzlement scheme involving buying and flipping police cars for profit, according to the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Brenda Renee Hamilton, 52, pleaded guilty in March to one count of embezzlement of public property, a felony, and agreed to pay $26,088 back to the town of Lakeside. Hamilton and her father, Lakeside’s former mayor, police and fire chief Robert Joel Gordanier, were indicted by a grand jury in July on charges of embezzlement, theft and misconduct after a CBS…

The former town clerk of a tiny metro Denver municipality was sentenced to three years probation for her part in an embezzlement scheme involving buying and flipping police cars for profit, according to the First Judicial District Attorney’s Office. Brenda Renee Hamilton, 52, pleaded guilty in March to one count of embezzlement of public property, a felony, and agreed to pay $26,088 back to the town of Lakeside. Hamilton and her father, Lakeside’s former mayor, police and fire chief Robert Joel Gordanier, were indicted by a grand jury in July on charges of embezzlement, theft and misconduct after a CBS…

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth wants the U.S. military to reduce the number of officials attaining the highest ranks. In a Monday, May 5, memo to senior Pentagon officials, Hegseth said the reduction is part of “ensuring lethality of U.S. Military Forces.” “To accomplish this mission, we must cultivate exceptional senior leaders who drive innovation and operational excellence, unencumbered by unnecessary bureaucratic layers that hinder their growth and effectiveness,” he said.  The “Less generals, more G.I.s” order, as Hegseth referred to it in a post to X, reductions listed were a minimum 20% reduction of four-star generals across the Active Component, a…

Before high school seniors hit the dance floor for their unforgettable prom night, the search for the perfect dress, shoes, and accessories can be daunting—and expensive. But thanks to the efforts of Madelyn Patterson from Gone Mad Productions and Archette Royster, founder of GeNell’s Prom Closet, students can achieve their prom glam without breaking the bank.Madelyn Patterson explained why Gone Mad Productions decided to support GeNell’s Prom Closet. “There is a gift in giving. It does something to your spirit and your soul and it’s just a good feeling,” Patterson said. “We want to make sure we get this out…

Before high school seniors hit the dance floor for their unforgettable prom night, the search for the perfect dress, shoes, and accessories can be daunting—and expensive. But thanks to the efforts of Madelyn Patterson from Gone Mad Productions and Archette Royster, founder of GeNell’s Prom Closet, students can achieve their prom glam without breaking the bank.Madelyn Patterson explained why Gone Mad Productions decided to support GeNell’s Prom Closet. “There is a gift in giving. It does something to your spirit and your soul and it’s just a good feeling,” Patterson said. “We want to make sure we get this out…