Rex Ballard

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, electricians,...

Photo Credit: shastaunfiltered.com As the United States marks the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, we remember the foundational truth of our founding: true liberty flows from our Creator. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” The founders pledged their lives, fortunes, and sacred honor to secure a...

Shasta County’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) isn’t just another department. It accounts for more than half of the county’s roughly $600–650 million annual budget — approximately $300 million under its control — and employs around 1,000 people across roughly 100 programs. Much of that money flows from state and federal sources to fund mandated services such as social services, behavioral health, public assistance, and public health. When the bulk of your funding comes from...

Luna Opens Hearing on Restoring Public Trust Through UAP Transparency - United States House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform - Credit: oversight.house.gov In a development that should concern every American who values personal liberty and government transparency, a former CIA officer delivered a stark warning during last week’s congressional hearing on the agency’s notorious MKUltra program. “I don’t believe that the research stopped.” Those words, uttered during the June 30,...

Parolees are Being Housed in Redding Motels: Redding has become an unexpected hub for transitional housing of state parolees, including registered sex offenders and arsonists, through nonprofit programs operating out of local motels. While framed as standard reentry support, Redding Police Chief Brian Barner and residents have raised alarms over out-of-area placements, public safety risks, and transparency. The issue gained widespread attention in September 2025 when Chief Barner revealed...

Hundreds of synchronized drones replaced traditional fireworks in a stunning patriotic display over Shasta Lake on July 3, drawing thousands to the iconic dam for Shasta County’s debut aerial spectacle. Shasta County marked America’s 250th anniversary with a modern twist on Independence Day celebrations. On Friday evening, July 3, approximately 200 drones took to the skies above Shasta Lake near Shasta Dam in the region’s first-ever drone light show. The roughly 15- to 20-minute performance,...

This report summarizes notable incidents, arrests, and enforcement activities reported by the Redding Police Department (RPD), Anderson Police Department (APD), Shasta County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO), and California Highway Patrol (CHP) Northern Division for the period June 1–30, 2026. Data is compiled from publicly available sources, including official agency media releases, press reports (KRCR, Action News Now, Redding Record Searchlight), social media updates, and daily arrest logs. A...

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 end the era of easy ce

In back-to-back rulings at the end of its term, the U.S. Supreme Court addressed two hot-button issues: mail-in voting deadlines and birthright citizenship. The decisions carry national weight and are directly relevant to California voters concerned with election integrity and immigration enforcement.

Major Cases Span California, Arizona, Texas, Florida, and Beyond In one of the largest coordinated healthcare fraud enforcement actions in U.S. history, the Department of Justice announced on June 23, 2026, criminal charges against 455 defendants, including approximately 90 doctors, nurse practitioners, and other licensed medical professionals. The cases involve over $6.5 billion in alleged false claims submitted to Medicare, Medicaid (including California’s Medi-Cal), and other programs,...

Continuing turmoil from prior year’s findings; Sheriff calls probe “one-sided,” “politically charged,” and vows legal challenge A newly released civil grand jury report delivers a sweeping critique of leadership and workplace culture inside the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office, accusing Sheriff Dave Kain of a pattern of intimidation, harassment, bullying, and retaliation that has created a toxic environment, damaged morale, increased turnover, deterred recruitment, and impaired county...

A Korean Brother's Grateful Reminder of America's Gospel Legacy and the Bond of Christian Brotherhood In a time when ingratitude and division often dominate headlines, a simple, heartfelt letter from a husband and father of three in Seoul, South Korea, cuts straight to the heart of what really matters. Shared recently through Dr. Douglas Frank, the letter was read aloud by a man named John. It is not a political statement or a demand. It is a testimony of salvation, sacrifice, and sincere...

U.S. Supreme Court - Credit nhregister.com In a 6-3 ruling handed down today, the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way for the Trump administration to terminate Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for hundreds of thousands of Haitian and Syrian nationals. The decision strikes down lower court injunctions that had blocked the Department of Homeland Security from acting, affirming that federal courts generally lack authority to second-guess the Secretary’s determinations under the TPS statute. The...

An opinion piece published in The Epoch Times on June 15, 2026, titled “The Most Important AI Experiment You’ve Never Heard Of” by contributor Kay Rubacek, draws attention to a striking simulation conducted by Emergence AI. The research placed leading AI models in control of identical virtual towns and observed what happened when they were left largely to their own devices for 15 days. The experiment, detailed in Emergence AI’s May 14, 2026 blog post on their “Emergence World” platform,...

In a dramatic display of the Democratic Party’s accelerating march toward democratic socialism, three candidates heavily backed by New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani — himself a proud member of the Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) — secured decisive victories in Tuesday’s New York congressional primaries. The results represent a “clean sweep” for the far-left wing of the party and a clear warning sign for those who value limited government, secure borders, and traditional American...

A horrific act of violence unfolded Monday evening at the Butte County Library’s Chico branch on Sherman Avenue, leaving two adults dead and a juvenile injured in what police describe as an apparent attempt to carry out a “Columbine High School massacre type of shooting.” The shooting began around 5:12 p.m. on June 22, 2026, when multiple 911 calls reported gunshots and screams inside the library. An open line allowed dispatchers to hear the chaos unfolding. Chico Police officers responded...

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, authored by...

In a swift international operation that underscores the current administration’s aggressive push against government waste and fraud, federal authorities have captured Herbert Leon Kimble, the 60-year-old mastermind behind one of the largest Medicare fraud schemes in U.S. history. Kimble, who had been on the run for nearly two years after pleading guilty, was arrested in the Philippines and returned to the United States to face sentencing. The case involves more than $1.2 billion in fraudulent...

Cazenovia, New York — A high-profile school board official who also performed as a drag queen and founded a local Pride organization has been arrested on serious allegations of child sex crimes. Travis Longo, performing as “Anita Buffem,” faces state and federal charges involving explicit communications with a child under 12 and possession of child pornography- Credit: localsyr.com On June 18, 2026, New York State Police arrested Travis J. Longo (also known as Travis Barr-Longo or Travis...

CHP Calls Deaths “Medically Related”; Extreme Heat Suspected as Factor; Shasta County Coroner Autopsy Pending Judith Wyler Sheldon and Wylie Sheldon (center/right in similar public appearances) were longtime San Francisco arts patrons and philanthropists - Credit: Yahoo.com Redding, CA – June 21, 2026 — A prominent San Francisco couple was found dead inside their running vehicle on the shoulder of Interstate 5 in Shasta County on Monday evening, June 15. California Highway Patrol officers...

Official photo of MP Rupert Lowe - Credit: members.parliament.uk A crowdfunded, independent inquiry into one of Britain’s darkest scandals has dropped a 219-page bombshell report — and the fallout is shaking the UK political establishment. On June 16, 2026, MP Rupert Lowe (Great Yarmouth, leader of Restore Britain) released The Rape Gang Inquiry Report. The document details the systematic sexual exploitation of vulnerable children — overwhelmingly white British girls — by organized networks,...

In the winter of 1782, inside a modest Paris apartment, three American commissioners sat across from their British counterparts to negotiate the end of the Revolutionary War. John Jay, the tall, serious New Yorker, refused to accept terms that would leave the new nation weak or dependent. While others were willing to compromise, Jay insisted on full recognition of American independence, secure borders, and vital fishing rights off Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. His firmness helped secure one...

In the jungles of Vietnam, a Marine leader named Major James Capers faced an impossible moment during a desperate evacuation. His team had been ambushed. He was gravely wounded—shot and struck by shrapnel, with a broken leg—yet he had fought and led his men to the helicopter landing zone. When the overloaded chopper struggled to lift off under enemy fire and with no fuel remaining, Major Capers did something extraordinary: he tried to step off the aircraft. He was willing to stay behind, to...

Additional reporting confirms that Abraham Hermosillo Alvarez, the 31-year-old Omaha, Nebraska man described by federal authorities as a key ringleader (or “Shepherd”) in the foiled assassination plot targeting the UFC Freedom 250 event, entered the United States illegally. Alleged ringleader Abraham Alvarez - Fair Use Credit: whsv.com This revelation adds a critical layer to the already alarming story of homegrown radicalization mixed with failures in immigration enforcement. Alvarez...