Times Herald-Record
Wawayanda board meeting broils over
TOWN OF WAWAYANDA — The town planning board meeting to consider the proposed Marangi waste station on Dolsontown Road drew a raucous full house where residents often shouted and opposed the plans while invoking Wawayanda history, its rural, tranquil...
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2026 midterms target of record spending Crypto, AI, betting firms fuel campaign donations
NEW YORK – A handful of billionaires and companies are driving corporate spending in midterm elections this year, and they aren’t the usual power brokers who have sat atop the political food chain in Washington in previous decades. Crypto companies,...
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Officials call USPS ballot rule impossible
Current and former election officials said it would take something close to “an act of God” for their states and localities to comply with a new U.S. Postal Service mail-in ballot rule just weeks before the midterm elections. The rule, which the...
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Colleges confront decline in reading
Anyone who has spent time on a college campus lately has probably heard laments from faculty about their students’ reading habits, or rather nonreading habits. Such complaints are more than an unfounded nostalgia for a bygone age. Reading – not just...
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ICE agreement ban now in place in New York
Most of the formal cooperation agreements between local law enforcement agencies and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in New York were dissolved ahead of the state’s ban going into effect on Tuesday, Aug. 25, according to Gov. Kathy...
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Sheriff: Ex-fire chief shot wife, then himself
Two well-known Poughkeepsiearea community members were found dead Friday, Aug. 21. More information has now been released by the Ulster County Sheriff ’s Office, and the investigation has determined that James Brugger, 66, murdered his 54-year-old...
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Gov. Hochul urged to restore victim aid funds
Several Republican lawmakers in New York are pushing to restore funding for New York’s crime victim assistance centers as they’re expected to take a funding hit in the coming months. On Friday, Aug. 21, Senate Republicans sent a letter to Gov. Kathy...
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Embryo personhood debate gains notice
About 100,000 babies were born through in vitro fertilization in 2024, according to the most recent U.S. data. But IVF commonly involves trying to create multiple embryos, because success is never guaranteed. If unused, those embryos can be frozen,...
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Honoring ‘Backpack’ Jim
Murray Farm in Westtown is not a farm in the conventional sense. It is 84 acres of wooded land with a “secret shelter” for thru-hikers located at the border of New York’s Orange County and New Jersey. The property welcoming strangers belonged for...
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Iran vows ‘devastating’ response to threat
DUBAI – Iran said on Aug. 21 that its response to any new U.S. threats would be “devastating” after Washington pledged to impose the toughest financial penalties in history with the aim of toppling the Iranian leadership. Washington prepared for...
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TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is Aug. 21. On this date in: 1831: Believing that God had chosen him to lead his people to freedom, enslaved minister Nat Turner began the deadliest slave revolt in the United States. The rebellion killed 60 people and required a 3,000-man...
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Trump plan could hit science funding
Most Americans don’t read the rules that govern the federal grants funding science. Those rules, called the Uniform Guidance, shape how cancer research is funded, graduate students are trained, clinical trials are sustained, universities stock their...
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Prosecutions pursued more aggressively under Trump
Christian Garcia was charged by the U.S. government following an immigration protest, only to have all charges dropped.
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Trump orders S. Korea drill cuts
WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Aug. 16 instructed the Pentagon to “substantially reduce” joint military exercises with long-term Asian ally South Korea, citing the cost of the drills and Seoul’s refusal to take part in actions against...
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CONTROVERSIAL EXCHANGES
Will President Donald Trump say the words “fake news” during his next public appearance? Who will be the 2028 Republican or Democratic presidential nominee? How many tweets will Elon Musk post next week? On what date will the price of gas hit...
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Making a case for the midterms
Bruce Blakeman was fired up and sounding confident about his campaign as he laced into Gov. Kathy Hochul’s record and talked up his own feats as a county leader from Long Island. Blakeman, leading the charge for New York Republicans this fall as their...
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Mangione pleads guilty to stalking
NEW YORK – Luigi Mangione pleaded guilty to federal stalking charges in a surprise decision that allows the 28-year-old to avoid a federal trial and could affect a separate murder case against him in connection with the fatal shooting of a health care...
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3 kids hurt from power lines at camp in Fallsburg
Three children were injured Wednesday after high-voltage utility lines fell at a day camp in Sullivan County, according to county officials. The incident happened at about 1 p.m. Aug. 12 at Camp Shopron, also known as Machaneh Shopron, along Route 42...
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Al-Qaida, Islamic State group adopting AI
Artificial intelligence may not create a new kind of terrorism, but it makes existing tactics cheaper, faster and easier. That is the central argument of a July report from the U.S.-based think tank Center for Strategic and International Studies. h It...
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Before dating apps, there was the Catskills
Before dating apps, social media, and swiping right, there was the Catskills. For much of the 20th century, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers escaped to the mountains each summer looking for fresh air, great entertainment, and time with family. But...
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Military bases delay toxic PFAS cleanup
It’s been almost five years since Brandi and Brad Hyatt found out the well at their home next to an Army base in Washington is contaminated with “forever chemicals.” h They started using bottled water for everything from making coffee to rinsing off...
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10 Local bars we wish made the USA TODAY Bars of the Year STILL AMAZING SPOTS
Goodnight Kenny, the City of Poughkeepsie bar that just about every local will point to as a good choice for a night out, was honored as one of USA TODAY’s 2026 Bars of the Year. To get this, USA TODAY Network food journalists across the country named...
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HOW NEW YORK’S ROUTE TO A RENEWABLE ENERGY FUTURE WENT OFF COURSE
In summer, Bill Leonard looks out his front door onto a lush green hillside bordered by cornfields and hay bales. Eagles, owls, deer, coyote, even a moose. Leonard’s seen them all during the 32 years he and his wife Patricia have lived in the Cape...
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Reports: U.S. missile supply badly depleted
The war on Iran has severely depleted key U.S. missile stockpiles and left the nation and its allies in a vulnerable position for potentially years to come, several experts and reports say. U.S. missile stockpiles were low before President Donald...
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A debt of gratitude
A community member is raising funds after a fire at Coldenham FireRescue injured five firefighters and caused significant damage to the facility building and equipment in the Town of Montgomery. The fire was discovered in the garage bays in the early...
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Gunshot detection tech ignites controversy
When gunshots ring out on America’s streets, bystanders face an instant, high-stakes dilemma. h Do I call the cops? Were those even gunshots? Maybe it was just fireworks. h Every moment of hesitation risks a delay in medical treatment or gives a...
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‘THE DECLINE IS SIGNIFICANT’
When Ashton Reed voted for President Donald Trump in 2024, he was drawn by Trump’s vow to recharge the economy and curb the inflation that many around his hometown of Jackson, Missouri, blamed on then-President Joe Biden. Reed, 22, who has worked at...
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Petition wants Mamdani to skip 9/11 event
Some relatives of victims of the Sept. 11 attacks are urging New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani not to attend this year’s 25th anniversary remembrance ceremony, arguing that his presence would detract from what they say should remain a solemn day...
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Support grows for ‘Death Gamble’ bills
GOSHEN — Touting a bipartisan, unanimous collaboration, lawmakers joined law enforcement officials at the Orange County Correctional Facility on July 30 to announce the passage of two “Death Gamble” bills. Held outside the county facility on 110 Wells...
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The Teflon Officer
TOP TWO: Portions of Marlborough Police Department documents show supervisory concerns about Joseph DeAngelis’ conduct while employed at the department as a dispatcher. When officer Joseph DeAngelis interviewed for a job at the Poughkeepsie Police...
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Attack sparks fears wars could merge
WASHINGTON – Ukraine’s ambassador to the United States insisted that leaders in Kyiv are not playing “a game of chess” with their recent drone strike on an Iranian ship and have no interest in leveraging their conflict with Russia into a wider, global...
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Hudson Valley creator turns ruins into award-winning storytelling
This local podcast is redefining the format. It is not about listening to people who sit around a table and talk to each other. It is in a strange realm between real and fantasy, somewhere between a documentary and fictionalized radio drama....
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How ban on addictive social media will work
Additional social media protections are on the way for young New Yorkers as the state is placing limits on what they can access on certain online platforms. h The Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, signed by Gov. Kathy Hochul in...
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ICE agents turning up in the Hudson Valley
A social media alert went out early on July 21 about immigration agents on Cottage Street in Middletown. The next morning, two similar bulletins were posted for Monroe and White Plains. The next day there was one in Kingston. From across the Lower...
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TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is July 28. On this date in: 1750: Prolific German composer and musician Johann Sebastian Bach, known for his orchestral compositions such as the “Brandenburg Concertos,” died at age 65. 1868: The 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was...
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Trash not treasured in Wawayanda
“Should the next (Wawayanda) tapestry be a garbage dump?” asked an impassioned resident, Mary Dennis, on the microphone during the public comment section at the town’s planning board meeting on July 22. The evening meeting at 80 Ridgebury Hill Road in...
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TODAY IN HISTORY
Today is July 26. On this date in: 1775: The Post Office Department, predecessor of the U.S. Postal Service, was established by the Second Continental Congress, which appointed Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general. 1788: New York became...
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U.S. strikes shipping point on Red Sea
DUBAI – U.S. missiles struck targets across Iran, reaching as far as its Caspian coast, on July 24 after President Donald Trump vowed “major military punishment” for Tehran and its Houthi allies in Yemen for extending the war to a second major shipping...
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Newburgh tenants get over $400K restitution
New York Attorney General Letitia James secured a $400,000 settlement with Newburgh’s Kenney Apartments to immediately address repairs and code violations in the housing complex and to refund rents. Kenney Apartments at 55 Walsh Road, housing more...
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10 people hurt in bus rollover on Thruway
New York State Police confirmed 10 of the approximately 23 passengers aboard a bus that rolled over on the Thruway July 21 were injured. Troopers said those injuries were not considered life threatening. Those passengers were transported to area...
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Five mid-Hudson events to see this summer
you have to do during the warm weather months. These summer can’t-miss events are traditions for some, but if you haven’t given them a shot yet, here’s your curated reminder. Whether it’s getting outdoors, trying new foods or dressing up in costume...
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Quartz countertops driving health crisis
If you walk into a Costco, Home Depot or Lowe’s and order a countertop for your kitchen renovation, the store will likely contract with a local fabrication shop, instructing them to make one from a material called engineered stone. h Often marketed as...
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CHESTNUTS
The American chestnut tree was once the giant of the forest in the eastern United States – taking root in early American life and lore before being nearly wiped out by a blight. Now, scientists say they’ve found a way to resurrect the storied species....
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Follow the river and find the fun
The 70-mile Upper Delaware Scenic Byway along state Route 97 takes motorists through the rolling hills, hamlets and small towns of Orange, Sullivan and Delaware counties. According to the Upper Delaware Scenic Byway website, the purpose of the byway...
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Trump revisits election claims
President Donald Trump in a July 16 prime-time address sought to further sow distrust in U.S. elections, claiming broad vulnerabilities with voting systems and potential for interference from other nations. Trump specifically pointed to China,...
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Social media shaping kids’ career dreams
A second grader in Norway drew a YouTube logo when my colleagues and I asked what they wanted to be when they grow up. When we asked why, the child explained that YouTubers are famous and make lots of money. When we asked second graders in Wisconsin...
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NY reports hundreds of ‘explosive diarrhea’ parasite cases
Health officials are tracking a rise in cyclosporiasis cases in New York and across the United States as investigators work to identify possible sources of exposure linked to the foodborne parasite. As of July 10, preliminary data from New York state...
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Hochul orders one-year ban on data centers in NY
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul planned to sign an executive order banning new hyperscale data center development for one year on Tuesday, July 14. Through the moratorium, state environmental permits for data centers that can use 50 or more megawatts of...
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Heat waves turn homes dangerous for all ages
Most people know that heat waves can be dangerous. What they may not realize is that the heat indoors can be much worse than outdoors. When the power goes out and air conditioning stops, a house starts to function like a greenhouse. Heat enters...
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Population paradox
New York’s overall population has grown over the last decade, but many of the state’s regions are experiencing persistent population declines and have a higher share of older residents than younger ones. Data from the newly released Citizens Budget...
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Trump picks hold near perfect record
With five months left until the 2026 elections, President Donald Trump holds a near perfect record when it comes to endorsing winning Republican primary candidates. In only a few cases has his preferred candidate lost this year, demonstrating that even...
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Ceasefire falls apart as Iran buries slain leader
The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran appeared to have fallen apart over continued strife over the Strait of Hormuz as Iranians buried their supreme leader, killed by U.S.-Israel forces at the outset of the war. There were no new...
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‘NOT NOW, NOT EVER’
Under an occasional faint drizzle, about 300 Hudson Valley residents and elected officials gathered in Algonquin Park on the evening of July 7 for a “No ICE in Newburgh” rally. With a long line of vehicles parked along the grass perimeter, the...
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Report: Systemic oversight failures plague NY prisons
A deep dive into several Department of Corrections and Community Supervision facilities across New York revealed oversight, discipline and accountability issues in the state’s prisons, prompting calls for an overhaul of the system. Following the death...
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Safety issues beset Silicon Valley defense startup
Ayear ago, Ryan Tseng, the head of U.S. defense tech startup Shield AI, announced his company had turned a new page. h After a gory incident that partially severed a U.S. Navy official’s fingers during a test of its V-BAT drone, Shield AI had addressed...
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Feds halt funds for Medicaid fraud probes
The Trump administration has opened a new skirmish with New York over Medicaid fraud by cutting off funds for the state unit that investigates such cases and accusing it of slacking on prosecutions. A federal official notified state Attorney General...
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SHIP LANTERN’S LIGHT FINALLY DIMS
The century-old Ship Lantern Inn, a mid-Hudson Valley signature restaurant, had its last day of service on June 28. It’s an end of an era, said Mike Foglia, who represents the third generation of the Foglia family that led the fine dining restaurant...
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Searching for a lost Revolutionary War site
ERIE, PA – More than a decade ago, a group of historians, archaeologists and wilderness conservation advocates set out on an ambitious expedition to determine the precise location of the only Revolutionary War battle fought in northwestern...
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Nature has better solutions to algae
When the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool turned green with algae just days after a $15 million renovation, the U.S. government scrambled for chemicals and expensive technical solutions to fix the iconic landmark. Trying to kill algae with chemicals...
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HELP ON HOLD
New York’s domestic violence hotline has “significant issues,” an audit released by the state Comptroller’s Office on July 1 revealed. The review, which examined the state’s Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence (OPDV) from January 2019...
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THE MEANING OF REVOLUTION
Like Americans today, the people living in the United States in 1826 were preparing to celebrate a milestone for their country. July Fourth of that year marked the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. As what was known as the “Jubilee”...
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High court upholds birthright citizenship
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on June 30 rejected President Donald Trump’s attempt to redefine who is an American, striking down the limits on birthright citizenship that were a centerpiece of his hard-line approach to immigration. The ruling landed...
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What NY’s legal battle means for ICE detainees
As the mask ban on most law enforcement officers and other provisions related to immigrant detainment went into effect on June 26, the status of detainees held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Orange County Jail remains precarious. On...
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Trump, Hochul trade lawsuits
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul and the Trump administration have filed dueling lawsuits in the governor’s fight to enact Immigration and Customs Enforcement restrictions in the state. Late last month, the state Legislature passed and Hochul signed a...
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Fight for America
In a letter to George Washington in January 1776, John Adams declared that New York “is the Nexus of the Northern and Southern colonies, a Kind of Key to the whole Continent, as it is a Passage to Canada, to the Great Lakes and to all the Indian...
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Trump sees wins on immigration, guns
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court handed President Donald Trump victories in two immigration cases June 25. In the divide between gun rights and gun violence, the justices struck down another state law, this one in Hawaii, aimed at curbing guns in public...
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Nuclear future comes into focus
The last time a nuclear reactor was built in New York was 1975 when the state was faced with surging demands for electricity. The 842-megawatt James A. FitzPatrick Clean Energy Center in Oswego County is still chugging along, churning out enough...
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Rest and revitalization
Sullivan County will have a new $16 million destination spa with a focus on health, relaxation, tourism growth and new jobs for area residents and vendors. The Eldred Preserve in conjunction with the Sullivan County Partnership for Economic...
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Trump: Iran agreed to nuke inspections
DUBAI – President Donald Trump said on June 23 that Iran had agreed to nuclear inspections into “infinity,” despite Tehran’s denials, and that unfrozen Iranian assets would be used to buy humanitarian supplies from the United States. Washington agreed...
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Fresh, local produce is not far away
Whatever your reason for visiting farmers markets – freshly cut flowers, nutritious greens and vegetables, zesty pickles, aromatic herbs and candles, scones, cooking demos, links to local farming communities – the mid-Hudson Valley has plenty to choose...
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HISTORY HITS THE ROAD
New York State is issuing a special commemorative license plate to mark the 250th anniversary of the nation’s founding. And it can be ordered at your local Department of Motor Vehicles office, as well as online. Ulster County Clerk Taylor Bruck,...
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RED, WHITE AND 250
This Fourth of July is the nation’s 250th anniversary, a semi-quincentennial, and celebrations are abundant across the mid-Hudson Valley. To honor the occasion, local mid-Hudson Valley municipalities are going all out, from the classic fireworks...
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Next round of Iran peace talks on hold
Israel and Hezbollah agreed to a ceasefire June 19 after escalating violence between Israel and Lebanon complicated President Donald Trump’s efforts to reach a final peace agreement with Iran. Still, negotiations to end the war appeared to be delayed,...
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LOWER CRIME RATES AT RISK
The United States is experiencing one of the steepest declines in violent crime in modern history, including a murder rate at its lowest point in more than a century. Homicides across 35 major American cities fell 21% in 2025, amounting to 922 fewer...
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Trump’s legacy rests in U.S. federal courts
President Donald Trump is pursuing his objectives with unbridled ambition – but whether those policies will go into effect is largely still in question. Though the legislative branch of government has shown little appetite to restrain him, the...
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