Thursday marks Transgender Day of Remembrance, which honors transgender people who lost their lives due to anti-transgender violence. MPR News says dozens of people gathered at the Minnesota State Capitol rotunda to recognize the day. “LGBTQ+ people said the remembrance events carry a different weight this year as changes are introduced in other states and on the federal level designed to attack transgender rights.” How are Minnesota counties spending opioid settlement payouts? Minnesota Reformer reports municipalities are using the funding for treatment, education and addiction recovery support. “Some Minnesota counties spent the cash on law enforcement expenditures intended to weed out drug stashes and bolster criminal investigations: Three spent money on K-9 units, and at least two counties used the funds to pay the salaries of agents investigating drug-related crimes.” A new emergency shelter has opened in Stillwater to help residents experiencing homelessness, The Minnesota Star Tribune reports. They explain the new shelter “is the first of its kind in Washington County and could be a model for other suburbs where such facilities are rare.” You’ll soon notice more autonomous cars on Twin Cities roads. KARE 11 says Waymo is bringing its self-driving vehicles to Minneapolis. “Starting Thursday, a mixed fleet of its Jaguar I-PACE and Zeekr RT vehicles will be visible on Minnesota roads, already with an emphasis on safety as winter looms.”.
https://www.minnpost.com/glean/2025/11/how-minnesotans-are-honoring-transgender-day-of-remembrance/
Tag: investigations
Philadelphia man draws prison for role in southeast PA gun trafficking network
NORRISTOWN A Philadelphia man was sent to prison after he admitted to purchasing eight firearms for the ringleader of a multi-county gun trafficking network who illegally obtained and put nearly 100 guns on the streets. Malik Keyon Rowell-Jernigan, 26, of the 1900 block of East Pacific Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 5 to 10 years in a state correctional institution after he pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, making false written statements on federal firearms paperwork, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and conspiracy in connection with incidents that occurred between 2022 and 2023. Judge Steven T. O’Neill said gun violence is ravaging communities and that those who put guns in the hands of others who are prohibited from having them are helping to promulgate the violence. “We are in a society that lives in worship of guns. It is particularly troubling that the population gaining access to these guns is getting younger and younger and younger. They are killing members of our community,” said O’Neill, adding a state prison term was appropriate for Rowell-Jernigan. “Protection of the public has to start somewhere.” The five-year sentence was a mandatory term allowable under state law for one of the illegal gun transfers. The judge imposed concurrent five-year sentences for the other seven illegal gun purchases. Rowell-Jernigan did not address the judge before learning his fate and did not comment to a reporter as he was escorted from the courtroom in handcuffs to begin serving the sentence. Rowell-Jernigan was among eight people charged in 2023 with participating in the gun trafficking network led by Larry B. Williams of Philadelphia. Prosecutors said participants used straw purchase schemes to arm the organization. A straw purchase occurs when someone who is legally allowed to purchase a firearm purchases one and then gives it illegally to someone who is not permitted to purchase that firearm. With the charges, detectives specifically alleged Rowell-Jernigan purchased eight firearms “in furtherance of this gun trafficking organization.” The weapons included Taurus 9mm handguns, Glock . 40-caliber handguns and Glock 9mm handguns, according to court documents. “Those eight firearms were then handed over to Larry Williams as part of this overarching organization,” said Assistant District Attorney William Harry Highland III, who sought a mandatory sentence for Rowell-Jernigan. “The danger of these straw purchase cases is that individuals who cannot own or possess firearms are now able to get guns in their hands. “It presents a serious problem on the streets. When people are buying guns for those who cannot have them the ramifications of what could happen are endless,” said Highland, adding some of the illegal guns linked to the organization were used in other crimes. Some of the firearms were recovered during investigations of other crimes including in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and during an October 2021 gunpoint robbery in Wolcott, Conn., according to court documents. Members of the network allegedly purchased 94 firearms and attempted to purchase an additional 23 firearms in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, Philadelphia, Columbia, Northampton and York counties. Previous testimony revealed about 52 of the firearms are still on the streets. Authorities said about half of the illegal gun purchases and attempted purchases were completed at gun shows statewide, including at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks in Upper Providence Township. Seven of the eight firearms that were purchased by Rowell-Jernigan have been recovered by authorities. Defense lawyer Francis John Genovese was pleased the judge sentenced Rowell-Jernigan to only one five-year mandatory sentence. “He came in early on and admitted to what he had done, took responsibility for it. He was just hoping for the best sentence possible which is what the judge ultimately gave him, the 5 to 10 year mandatory sentences all running concurrently, so he was satisfied with that outcome,” Genovese said on behalf of Rowell-Jernigan. “When he initially got involved in this at the request of Mr. Williams he didn’t realize the consequences that came along with the straw purchases. He did it to make a couple of bucks because he really wasn’t working at that point in time. He made a couple of bucks but obviously it wasn’t worth the ultimate penalty he just paid with a 5- to 10-year prison sentence,” Genovese added. Authorities said Williams was prohibited from buying, owning or possessing firearms because of previous felony convictions for drug crimes, so he recruited other people who lived in Philadelphia to buy firearms for him. The investigation found that oftentimes Williams accompanied the straw purchasers to gun stores and helped choose the weapons or he directed the purchases from afar using text or phone conversations. “Law enforcement identified multiple members of this gun trafficking organization with different roles and responsibilities,” detectives wrote in a criminal complaint. “We know through our training and experience individuals involved in this illegal activity operate in attempt to conceal the true identity of the ultimate possessor of the firearm.” For each purchase made on behalf of the organization the purchasers indicated on the record of sale paperwork that they purchased the firearms for themselves and not another individual, detectives said. “The purpose of this corrupt organization was to illegally obtain and distribute firearms to others,” detectives alleged. In April, Williams, 42, of Jasper Street in Philadelphia, was sentenced to 22½ to 45 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, making materially false written statements or illegal transfer of firearms, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and conspiracy. In June 2022, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau initiated an investigation into illegal activities associated with the gun trafficking organization. Members of the county’s Violent Crime Unit followed the multiple purchases of firearms by the defendants through the state’s Electronic Record of Sale (EROS) system and through hard copies of ATF and Pennsylvania State Police forms at gun stores. Detectives used surveillance, interviews, information from law enforcement agencies, call detail records and cellphone downloads, social media analysis, records of cash transfers, inspection of forms used in purchasing firearms and other methods of investigation. Collaboration between law enforcement agencies and increased data sharing through initiatives like Track and Trace aided in uncovering the scale of the widespread operation. The following law enforcement organizations participated in the investigation: the Office of Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force; Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Violent Crime Unit; Bucks County District Attorney’s Drug Strike Force; U. S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Pennsylvania State Police; Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole; FBI Bucks Montgomery Safe Streets Task Force; U. S. Marshal’s Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force; New York State Police and multiple police departments including Abington Township Police, Philadelphia Police, Middletown Township Police, Wolcott, Conn., Police, Darby Police, New York City Police and the Pittsburgh Police.
https://www.pottsmerc.com/2025/11/20/philadelphia-man-draws-prison-for-role-in-southeast-pa-gun-trafficking-network/
Michelle Obama is the First Lady of Complaints
Former First Lady Michelle Obama is in the news again with another grievance. In an interview to promote her new book, The Look, Mrs. Obama is complaining again. When asked about running for President, Obama claimed that Americans “aren’t ready for a woman President” and have “a lot of growing up to do.” Last year, Michelle Obama campaigned for Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris. During a speech in Michigan, Obama called Harris “extraordinary,” and wondered “why on earth is this race even close?” She also asked whether “as a country, are we ready for this moment?” These are absurd comments since two of the last three Democratic Party presidential nominees have been women. The stage is certainly set for the right female candidate to become President. This victorious female candidate who will make history will never be Michelle Obama. There are several reasons for this prediction, but, primarily, she has refused to display any appreciation for this great country or all the many benefits she received for being married to Barack Obama. Incredibly, Michelle Obama offers a steady stream of complaints about the American people and how she has been treated in her life. As First Lady, Obama said she was under a “particularly white-hot glare,” and grumbled that her family “didn’t get the grace that I think some other families have gotten.” Of course, that complaint is ludicrous because Barack and Michelle Obama were treated as royalty in America. They received fawning media coverage from the very beginning. Those who pushed too hard and asked tough questions were labeled “racists.” Yet, Michelle Obama claimed that the “we were all too aware that as a first Black couple, we couldn’t afford any missteps.” The Barack Obama presidency was nothing but a series of “missteps,” but he not only won reelection, but he also completed his two terms without any impeachment hearings. Barack Obama could have been impeached over any number of scandals in his presidency, such as the disastrous Benghazi attack on our consulate, or the “Fast and Furious” gun running operation or the Internal Revenue Service improperly targeting Tea Party organizations. Instead of impeachment, Barack Obama received a pass from Republicans in Congress, who were too timid to push for thorough investigations and feared being called “racists.” In contrast, President Donald Trump was impeached for a “perfect” phone call to Ukrainian President Zelensky and for a speech on January 6, 2021, in which he called for his supporters to “peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard” at the U. S. Capitol. Trump was not responsible for the violence on that day. Instead, he wanted more National Guard troops for protection, and his requests were denied. The President’s wonderful wife, First Lady Melania Trump, has also been mistreated. Despite her history as a world-renowned fashion model and being internationally recognized for her beauty and accomplishments, Mrs. Trump was never invited to be photographed for the cover of Vogue magazine. However, the perpetual complainer, Michelle Obama, graced the cover of Vogue three times. Not bad for someone who whined that she did not “get the grace” that other First Ladies received. Michelle Obama has been criticizing her country for years. In February 2008, as her husband was on the path to the presidency, she said that “for the first time in my adult lifetime I am really proud of my country.” Thus, she was only proud of America because her husband was succeeding politically. In 2019, at a leadership conference for the Obama Foundation in Malaysia, she said that the United States was “still not where we need to be. when it comes to race.” Even though her husband had been elected twice as President, Michelle Obama said, “People thought electing Barack Obama would end racism. That’s four hundred years of stuff that was going to be eliminated because of eight years of this kid from Hawaii. Are you kidding me?” The “kid from Hawaii” is a particular source of Michelle Obama’s complaints on her podcast that she hosts with her brother. She is often denigrating or ridiculing her husband on the show. This seems disrespectful for no one in America would know anything about Michelle Obama if not for the “kid from Hawaii.” Even though she is ungrateful, Barack Obama has been taking care of his wife for many years. After his political stock soared in his home state, then Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich said he was asked to make phone calls to the University of Chicago Medical Center on behalf of Michelle Obama. She eventually was hired in 2002 and served in several roles, including Vice President for Community and External Affairs. In that position, she was paid $317,000 before taking a leave of absence to campaign for her husband. Among her responsibilities was “neighborhood outreach,” remarkably similar to her husband’s famous position as “community organizer.” Michelle Obama was paid very well for “neighborhood outreach,” and, despite her many complaints, has been treated very well by the country she seems to despise. Jeff Crouere is a native New Orleanian and is a political columnist, the author of America’s Last Chance, and provides regular commentaries on the Jeff Crouere YouTube channel and at Crouere. net. For more information, email him at jcrouere@gmail. com.
https://www.evangelinetoday.com/editorial-columns/michelle-obama-first-lady-complaints
Porterville teen one of 28 charged nationwide in connection with extremist group ‘764’
A Porterville teen is one of 28 people recently charged by the Department of Justice for his alleged connection to an online extremist group.
https://abc30.com/post/porterville-teen-28-charged-nationwide-connection-extremist-group-764/18171350/
Are American workers being replaced? Inside the H-1B visa controversy
**Understanding the Controversy Surrounding H-1B Visas**
Following months of controversy, President Donald Trump issued a proclamation in September decrying the systemic abuse of the H-1B visa program. He argued that the program is fueling the “large-scale replacement of American workers” and has “undermined both our economic and national security.”
To address this, Trump instituted a $100,000 fee for companies seeking to obtain an H-1B visa, a move that has been widely criticized by business leaders, especially in the tech industry. The debate over the program has split both the American public and the GOP, with one side asserting that visa holders are poaching American jobs, while the other emphasizes the program’s importance to U.S. competitiveness.
So, what exactly are H-1B visas, and why have they become such a political flashpoint?
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### What is an H-1B Visa?
An H-1B visa is a non-immigrant work visa that allows U.S. companies to hire highly-skilled foreign workers in specialty occupations. These visas are issued for an initial period of three years and can be extended up to six years.
According to the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the visas are meant for individuals of “exceptional merit and ability.” To qualify, candidates must have at least a bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
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### Which Industries Use H-1B Visas Most?
By far, the tech industry is the largest user of H-1B visas, accounting for roughly 60 to 70 percent of all new applications in recent years. Other prominent sectors include consulting and professional services, engineering and manufacturing, healthcare and medical research, and higher education.
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### How Many Foreign Workers Hold These Visas?
There is no official figure for the number of people currently holding H-1B visas. However, there is a yearly cap of 65,000 visas, with an additional 20,000 reserved for individuals holding master’s degrees or higher.
Most universities and non-profit research organizations are exempt from this cap, which further increases the number of people approved each year. The Pew Research Center estimated that about 400,000 H-1B visa applications were approved last year under the Biden administration.
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### Where Do Visa Holders Come From?
Nearly three out of every four — 73 percent — of H-1B visa holders come from India, according to Pew. China ranks second, with 12 percent, while the remaining 15 percent come from various other countries, none exceeding a 2 percent share.
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### Who Is Against H-1B Visas?
Criticism of the H-1B visa program comes from both sides of the political aisle, including former President Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.).
Critics contend that the program has strayed from its original purpose — attracting top global talent — and is now being exploited by employers to import cheaper foreign labor, suppress wages, and displace American workers.
In response, Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) and Senate Judiciary Chair Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) reintroduced bipartisan legislation in September aimed at reforming the program, closing loopholes, protecting American workers, and preventing outsourcing of jobs.
On the state level, Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis issued guidelines in October to combat what he called a university loophole. He directed the Florida Board of Governors to require universities to prioritize American graduates and curb the practice of “importing foreign workers on H-1B visas instead of hiring Americans.”
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### Who Supports H-1B Visas?
On the other side, many prominent figures argue that the program is essential for maintaining U.S. competitiveness. Elon Musk, for example, has publicly supported the H-1B program, stating, “The reason I’m in America along with so many critical people who built SpaceX, Tesla, and hundreds of other companies that made America strong is because of H1B.”
Musk also acknowledged that “the program is broken and needs major reform,” proposing to raise the minimum salary threshold and introduce yearly costs for maintaining H-1B status to make overseas hiring more expensive compared to domestic hiring.
Business leaders assert that the H-1B program is crucial for competing with countries like China, which recently launched its own talent visa program called the K-visa. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce also supports the H-1B program.
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### Are Visa Holders Taking American Jobs?
On September 19, President Trump issued a proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers,” claiming that the H-1B visa program is being “deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, lower-skilled labor.”
He argued that this abuse artificially suppresses wages, disadvantages American workers in the labor market, and complicates efforts to attract and retain the highest-skilled subset of temporary workers — with the most significant impact in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields.
Trump stated that the large-scale replacement of American workers through systemic abuse of the program has undermined both economic and national security.
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### New Rules and Fees
To curb abuses, Trump imposed a $100,000 fee on companies applying for H-1B visas, effective September 21, 2025, with the restriction set to expire one year later. His administration has also been directed to initiate rulemaking prioritizing high-skilled and high-paid applicants.
Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) plans to narrow the definition of “specialty occupation,” increase worksite compliance inspections, and require employers to submit applications directly, aiming to prevent companies from contracting out H-1B workers to other firms.
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### What’s Next?
The debate over H-1B visas is far from over. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration’s new $100,000 fee, arguing that it would make the program prohibitively expensive for many U.S. employers, particularly small and midsize businesses.
The lawsuit claims the fee is unlawful as it overrides provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act, which require visa-related fees to be based on the government’s costs to process them.
As the political and economic battles continue, the future of the H-1B visa program remains uncertain, but its impact on the American workforce and technological innovation will continue to be a critical issue.
—
*Stay tuned for further updates on the evolving H-1B visa policy.*
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/american-workers-being-replaced-inside-h-1b-visa-controversy
Jack Smith calls Republicans’ bluff with request to testify — on one condition
Former special counsel Jack Smith is calling Republicans’ bluff, turning the tables Thursday by requesting to testify publicly in open hearings before the House and Senate Judiciary Committees. Smith’s attorneys made the request this week in a letter to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA).
“As described by various Senators, the toll data collection was narrowly tailored and limited to the four days from January 4, 2021 to January 7, 2021, with a focus on telephonic activity during the period immediately surrounding the January 6 riots at the U.S. Capitol,” Smith’s lawyers wrote.
Grassley has accused Smith of improperly spying on Republican lawmakers during the Department of Justice investigation and prosecution of President Donald Trump.
“I think it’s important that he’s speaking up in a way to kind of demystify what has been grossly misrepresented to the American people by the senators,” former FBI Deputy Director and CNN senior law enforcement analyst Andrew McCabe said Thursday on CNN’s *The Arena* with anchor Kasie Hunt.
In that testimony from a few weeks ago, McCabe explained, “Toll records are a very rudimentary kind of first step investigative technique in many, many, many, almost all investigations. And it’s typically done early in an investigation when you have an allegation and you’re trying to determine — you’re trying to vet an allegation to even see if there’s something worth investigating.”
He added, “So if someone comes to you, let’s say a situation like this, if someone makes an allegation that they have information that the president contacted a particular senator in the process of trying to stall the Congress’s work on certifying the election, one way to vet that information would be to get toll records, to see if there was actually telephonic contact between those people.”
Smith’s public testimony could shed light and clarify what happened in the investigation and the methods behind it, McCabe said.
“And after you’ve proved that if there’s no contact, then you know not to go down that investigative avenue. If there is contact, then there are, of course, more techniques that you can use to get to the bottom of it,” he added.
“I should also say that it takes a grand jury subpoena to acquire those records. This is not something that a prosecutor or an FBI agent just dreams up off the top of their heads and, you know, calls up the phone company and says, ‘Hey, send us everything you have.’ There is a process. These records are accessed lawfully under the purview of the grand jury. So as I said, I think it was grossly misrepresented in that hearing.”
https://www.rawstory.com/jack-smith-2674227924/
Miami Heat’s Terry Rozier arrested in federal gambling-related investigation
Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier and Chauncey Billups, a former NBA star and head coach of the Portland Trail Blazers, were arrested on Thursday in connection with a federal gambling-related investigation, two senior law enforcement officials told NBC News.
Rozier, who joined the Heat in 2024 after being traded from the Charlotte Hornets, was arrested Thursday morning in Orlando, Florida. It is not immediately clear where Billups was taken into custody, but the Trail Blazers played a game in Portland last night.
Alongside Rozier and Billups, members and associates of organized crime groups are also among the couple dozen individuals expected to face criminal charges in two separate illegal gambling-related cases. The FBI and other officials are scheduled to announce these charges later Thursday morning, according to sources.
A native of Ohio and a 10-year NBA veteran, Rozier was selected 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2015 NBA Draft after playing college basketball for the Louisville Cardinals. Details about which specific case Rozier is allegedly involved in have not yet been released.
In recent years, investigations into gambling-related activities have increasingly extended to active NBA players. For example, Toronto Raptors forward Jontay Porter pleaded guilty in federal court and was banned by the NBA for life in 2024 for violating the league’s sports gambling rules. According to the NBA, Porter placed bets on NBA games and disclosed confidential information about his own participation to bettors. He is scheduled to be sentenced in December.
Stay tuned for more updates as the investigation develops and additional information becomes available.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/miami-heats-terry-rozier-arrested-federal-gambling-related-investigati-rcna239306
Aぇ! Group’s Kusama Released From Custody After Public Indecency Arrest
When asked by reporters for a message to fans, Kusama once again bowed, tears in his eyes, saying, “I am truly sorry.”
Kusama, 29, was arrested early in the morning on October 4th on suspicion of public indecency after allegedly exposing his lower body near the entrance of a building in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward. A witness reported the incident to the police, and officers who arrived at the scene took him into custody. It is believed that he was intoxicated at the time.
The incident occurred about a year and a half after A! Group made their CD debut, during a period when Kusama had been active as both a singer and actor. His management company released a statement on October 4th saying, “We take this matter very seriously given its social impact and have decided to suspend Kusama’s activities.”
Two days after the arrest that shocked fans nationwide, police transferred Kusama to the prosecutors’ office on the morning of October 6th. As prosecutors did not file a request for detention, he was released the same afternoon. Authorities stated that investigations will continue while Kusama remains under non-custodial status.
Previously: A! Group Member Arrested for Indecent Exposure in Tokyo.
https://newsonjapan.com/article/147171.php
Universal to reopen Stardust Racers ride two weeks after man’s death
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Universal Orlando Resort plans to reopen its Stardust Racers ride at Epic Universe more than two weeks after a 32-year-old man died of blunt force injuries following a ride on the high-speed roller coaster.
Signs will be updated to reinforce existing warnings and eligibility requirements to help visitors decide if they should go on the dual-launch coaster, which reaches speeds of up to 62 mph (100 kph), Karen Irwin, president and chief operating officer at Universal Orlando Resort, said Friday in a memo to workers. The ride is scheduled to reopen on Saturday.
The family of Kevin Rodriguez Zavala had publicly urged Universal not to reopen the ride until all investigations were finished and they had a better understanding of how he died. The medical examiner for the Orlando area ruled the cause of death as multiple blunt impact injuries and said the manner of death was an accident. The full autopsy report has not been made public.
Zavala had a spinal disability from birth and used a wheelchair, but his family’s attorneys stated that his disability did not cause his death on September 17.
Irwin said the ride at Universal’s newest theme park had undergone an extensive operational and technical review that confirmed the ride systems had functioned properly and that Universal workers had followed proper procedures. The ride systems manufacturer and an independent roller coaster engineering expert also conducted on-site testing, supporting Universal’s findings.
Separately, a woman sued Universal Orlando Resort last week, claiming she was injured on the ride. She stated the ride shook her violently and slammed her head into her seat’s headrest.
Attorneys for Zavala’s family said this week that others have reached out to them with similar stories about the ride, which officially opened in May with the debut of the new theme park.
https://wtop.com/national/2025/10/universal-to-reopen-stardust-racers-ride-two-weeks-after-mans-death/