Photo credit: WhiteHouse.gov President Donald Trump visited General Motors’ historic Milford Proving Ground in Michigan on Monday, marking the first presidential stop at the storied testing facility. Speaking to auto workers, executives, and local officials, Trump framed his administration’s tariffs, deregulation, and manufacturing policies as the driving force behind a resurgence in American auto production, while sharply criticizing prior Democratic leadership and outlining

Lake Mead and Lake Powell, the twin pillars of the Colorado River system, are once again near historic lows in July 2026. Lake Mead sits around 1,041–1,042 feet elevation—roughly 27 percent of capacity—hovering near previous record lows. Lake Powell is near 3,523 feet, about 23 percent full. Releases from Glen Canyon Dam have been reduced to 6.0 million acre-feet for the current water year to protect infrastructure and power generation. The Lower Basin is in a Tier 1 shortage

Threat to North State Agriculture, Economy, and Food Security. The Glassy-winged sharpshooter, an invasive pest that threatens the wine industry. - 'Credit winespectator.com Shasta County and Northern California residents who purchased grapevines or certain other plants from Costco this spring and early summer have received an urgent agricultural alert. On June 5, 2026, a confirmed glassy-winged sharpshooter (GWSS) was found on a grape plant bought at the Redding Costco locat

In an era when California taxpayers are asked to shoulder some of the highest burdens in the nation while often left in the dark about where their hard-earned dollars actually go, one candidate is doing more than talking about accountability—he’s building the tools to deliver it. Herb Morgan, the Republican candidate for California State Controller, has launched California Radical Transparency (CRT 2.0), a powerful, citizen-focused web platform that transforms complex state s

California cases among the worst: SoCal officials looted $20 million for luxury homes, BMWs, designer bags and Disney cruises while kids lost thousands per student Education Secretary Linda McMahon dropped a bombshell this week: the Trump Administration has already stopped more than $2 billion in fraudulent federal student aid (mostly FAFSA “ghost students” and bot-driven scams) — and is now turning the full force of the Department of Education’s fraud-fighting machinery on K

Everyone wants the wealthy to pay their fair share of taxes. By and large, that is how the U.S. and most state tax tables are designed to work. Despite this, “Tax the rich” remains the favorite slogan of progressive politicians from Albany to Sacramento. It sounds simple, moral, and painless — make the wealthy pay “their fair share” so everyone else can have more free services. Reality is less romantic. Two coastal experiments — one already underway in New York and one about

While Shasta County residents still enjoy one of the lowest combined sales tax rates in California at 7.25%, parts of the Golden State have quietly crossed into double-digit territory that would make even high-tax East Coast states blush. Lancaster and Palmdale — two Antelope Valley cities in Los Angeles County — now charge a combined sales tax of 11.25%. Santa Fe Springs sits at 11.00%. Dozens of other Los Angeles County cities and several Bay Area jurisdictions hover betwee

Historic private gift fuels new children’s investment program launched on America’s 250th anniversary. In a major act of personal philanthropy, Gwynne Shotwell — President and Chief Operating Officer of SpaceX — and her husband announced they are donating approximately 2 million shares of their personal SpaceX stock to fund Trump Accounts for more than 2 million American children. The gift, valued at roughly $320–325 million depending on recent share pricing, targets children

Mike Rowe launches Build Freedom Initiative - Credit: militaryspot.com There’s something deeply encouraging happening right now that feels like a return to common sense and real opportunity. On July 2, 2026, at the Pentagon, skilled-trades champion Mike Rowe stood with Department of War leaders as they presented him with a $10 million check to launch the Build Freedom Initiative — a national effort to close America’s skills gap by training the next generation of welders, elec

As the newly confirmed Federal Reserve Chair, Kevin Warsh has made shrinking the central bank’s massive balance sheet the centerpiece of his agenda. While headlines sometimes frame this as a bold plan to tackle America’s runaway federal deficits, the reality is more nuanced—and far less magical. Warsh is not proposing to directly “fix” the deficit. That job belongs to Congress and the White House through spending and tax decisions. Instead, his monetary strategy aims to en

Chris and Brittany Ghidirelli have 3 kids. They also own 3 Shastas Towing and Recovery, with 3 locations, two in Redding and one in Weaverville, with all 3 offering: 1.-Vehicle towing primarily in Shasta, Tehama, Siskiyou and Trinity counties, although they’re not averse to offer service from Sacramento, northward to Redding, and even all the way up to Oregon; 2.-Vehicle removal (no title, no problem!); 3.-Property clean ups and 4.-Property towing. Here’s more: 5.-Towing r

SACRAMENTO — California state agencies are preparing to implement Governor Gavin Newsom’s directive requiring most telework-eligible employees to work in the office at least four days per week beginning July 1, 2026. In response, unions representing tens of thousands of state workers are rallying behind Assembly Bill 1729, a measure that would not outright block the policy but would require agencies to justify in writing why specific roles need in-person attendance. The bill,

Private equity (PE) manages trillions and reshapes industries from retail to healthcare. Jeffrey A. Tucker’s recent Epoch Times piece, “Has Private Equity Ruined Capitalism?”, questions whether PE distorts true free enterprise. In Shasta County, the effects are visible on Main Street and in local healthcare. PE assets under management exploded from under $1 trillion in the early 2000s to over $4 trillion. - Credit: informaconnect.com Tucker’s Arguments Tucker highlights how h

Shasta County shoppers have lost another familiar retail option. The Eddie Bauer Outlet at Shasta Gateway Outlets in Anderson has closed its doors for good. Shasta Gateway Outlets loses another anchor store - Eddie Bauer closes permanently. Credit: tripadvisor.com The store, located at the Shasta Gateway Outlets (also known as Shasta Outlets) along Highway 273 in Anderson, was part of the national retailer’s full retreat from physical stores in the United States and Canada.

Carole & Dennis Bartels, founders of Bartels Giant Burger - Redding, Anderson & Corning fixtures. Their newest location is in Red Bluff Update - June 19, 2026 On Thursday, June 18, Shasta Unfiltered's very own man-about-town, Jerry Sanchez proudly presented the original portrait that famed forensic artist, Robert Exner prepared of Carole and Dennis Bartels. Original Article: Do you remember that mid ‘70s Rod Stewart song, with the following, very apropos, lyric: “Young hear

All these empty office spaces belong to someone. - Credit: nytimes.com As Margaret Thatcher famously observed, “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.” In 2026, New York City and Seattle provide textbook examples. Decades of progressive policies—sky-high taxes, heavy regulations, and expansive social spending—have strained budgets, prompting more tax hikes on businesses and high earners. The result? Major employers, founders, and wo