Click Here for the Latest News Digest – December 13, 2025
- Elisa Ballard
- Dec 13, 2025
- 6 min read
National News
Supreme Court Takes Up Birthright Citizenship Challenge: The U.S. Supreme Court agreed, on December 5, to review the legality of President Trump's executive directive aiming to limit birthright citizenship under the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, a move lower courts have deemed unconstitutional. Oral arguments are expected to take place in the spring of 2026. The 14th Amendment reads in part: “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.” Arguments will likely center on the definition of the phrase “subject to the jurisdiction thereof”.– constitutioncenter.org; yahoo.com
$12 Billion Aid Package for Farmers Amid Trade Tensions: President Trump signed a $12 billion emergency aid package on December 9 for American farmers battered by global trade disruptions and tariffs. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins stated “President Trump will not let our farmers be left behind, so he directed our team to build a bridge program to see quick relief while the President’s dozens of new trade deals and new market access take effect.The plan we are announcing today ensures American farmers can continue to plan for the next crop year.” – usda.gov
Head Start Programs Face Banned Words in Funding Requests: Court documents unsealed on December 11 exposed a Trump administration list of nearly 200 prohibited words and phrases—such as "diversity," "inclusion," and "climate change"—that early childhood Head Start programs must avoid in grant applications to secure federal funding, sparking accusations of ideological censorship from educators and Democrats who vow to challenge the policy in court. – npr.org
ICE Crackdowns Spark Nationwide Fears: Renewed Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids intensified on December 5, targeting undocumented immigrants in major cities and leading to over 1,000 detentions, as fears spread among communities; the operations, dubbed part of a broader deportation push, have drawn protests and lawsuits alleging racial profiling, with the administration promising more such actions to fulfill campaign pledges. – pbs.org
Congress Rejects Obamacare Premium Stabilization Proposals: On December 11, the U.S. Senate voted down two competing bills by Republicans and Democrats aimed at curbing rising Affordable Care Act premiums, leaving millions of enrollees facing potential double-digit hikes in 2026. The Republican bill would have sent up to $1,500 to individuals earning less than 700% of the federal poverty level which is about $110,000 for an individual or $225,00 for a family of four in 2025. The Democratic proposal would have extended COVID-era subsidies for three years to keep insurance premiums from potentially doubling. Sixty votes were needed to pass either bill. Currently, there are 53 Republican Senators and 47 Democratic Senators. In the U.S. House of Representatives, Republican Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania is putting forth a bill to extend the subsidy through 2027 to give lawmakers more time to deal with this crisis and provide an immediate but temporary bi-partisan solution. – reuters.com
U.S. Seizes Venezuelan Oil Tanker in Escalating Dispute: U.S. forces, led by the Coast Guard, raided and seized an oil tanker off Venezuela's coast on December 10, with Attorney General, Pam Bondi announcing plans for additional seizures to pressure the Maduro regime over sanctions violations. Karoline Leavitt, White House press secretary, told reporters that “The United States does intend to seize the oil. However, there is a legal process for the seizure of that oil, and that legal process will be followed.” CBSNews.com
Trump Signs Executive Order on Artificial Intelligence: President Trump issued an executive order on December 11 promoting U.S. leadership in AI through deregulation and federal investments, flanked by tech advisors and lawmakers like Sen. Ted Cruz; the directive aims to counter Chinese advancements but raises concerns from ethicists about insufficient safeguards on data privacy and job displacement in the rapidly evolving field. The White House press release stated that state-by-state regulation thwarts the ability of the U.S. to gain worldwide superiority in AI by creating cumbersome patchwork regulations and could impinge on interstate commerce. - whitehouse.gov
Arkansas Becomes First State to Defund PBS: On December 12, Arkansas officially severed ties with the Public Broadcasting Service, citing $2.5 million in annual costs and the loss of federal funding after Congress defunded the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, marking the first such state-level exit. The station will rebrand as "Arkansas TV" with a local focus, prompting PBS to lament the blow to educational programming like "Sesame Street" for rural viewers. Arkansas TV will continue providing educational support for K-12 schools and shift its focus toward expanding locally produced programming. – swtimes.com
Wounded Guardsman, Andrew Wolfe, Leaves Hospital After D.C. Ambush: On November 26th, Staff Sgt. Andrew Wolfe and Spc. Sarah Beckstrom were patrolling near the White House when 29-year old Afghan national, Rahmanullah Lakanwal, ambushed them, shooting both of the National Guardsmen in the head. Beckstrom died from her injuries while Wolfe remained in critical condition for days in MedStar Washington Hospital Center. Miraculously, Wolfe was released from the hospital Friday and will receive inpatient rehabilitation at an undisclosed facility. Dr. Jeffrey Mai, a neurosurgeon providing care, said Wolfe is now breathing on his own and can stand with assistance. He has not been able to speak but is able to acknowledge that he understands what others are saying. Wolfe’s family asks for continued prayers as Andrew recovers. – nypost.com
Mike Lindell Announces Run for Governor of Minnesota: Mike Lindell, CEO of MyPillow and a supporter of President Donald Trump, officially launched his campaign for governor of Minnesota. Lindell made the announcement at his MyPillow factory in Shakopee, a Minneapolis suburb. Right after the announcement, he was interviewed live by Steven Bannon on his “War Room” podcast. Lindell hopes to secure the Republican nomination against incumbent Democratic Governor Tim Walz. – apnews.com
California News
California’s Last Nuclear Power Plant Receives Approval to Remain Open for at Least Five Years: Diablo Canyon Power Plant, located along the San Luis Obispo shoreline and owned by Pacific Gas & Electric Company (PG&E), was given approval by the California Coastal Commission to continue operating for at least five years. The approval was conditioned on a plan that would require PG&E to conserve about 4,000 acres of land on its property to prevent it from ever being developed for commercial or residential use. Critics of the plant for the last 40 years have voiced concerns about the damage to marine life near the plant. The plant generates around 18 billion kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity annually, based on high capacity factors (often 90%+). This output represents roughly 6–9% of California's total electricity supply and is enough to power approximately 3 million households. – calmatters.org; https://www.pge.com/en/about/pge-systems/nuclear-power.html
Explosion at Home in Hayward Neighborhood Injures Six and Causes Damage to Surrounding Homes: Six people were injured in a gas line explosion and fire on Thursday morning, December 11th, as one home was completely leveled in Hayward, CA. Three residents were listed in serious condition but have since been upgraded to stable. The explosion occurred as a non-PG&E construction crew working on Alameda County’s road work expansion project hit a PG&E gas line. PG&E crews were immediately sent to fix two areas that were leaking. One gas release was stopped at 8:18 a.m. and the second release was stopped at 9:25 a.m. The explosion happened 10 minutes later. Residents in the neighborhood are reporting cracks in the walls of their homes that have appeared as a result of the explosion. - ABC7News.com
Major Illegal Cannabis Eradication Operations: State officials reported on December 5 the success of three large-scale enforcement actions in November that uprooted 58,358 illegal cannabis plants and seized nearly three tons of processed product valued at $56.5 million, targeting black-market grows in remote areas; authorities emphasized the crackdown's role in protecting legal markets and public health from contaminated supplies. – gov.ca.gov
LA City Council Expands Office-to-Housing Conversions: On December 10th, the Los Angeles City Council broadened its adaptive reuse ordinance, streamlining permits to convert vacant commercial buildings into thousands of affordable housing units to combat the homelessness crisis; the policy targets post-pandemic empty offices in downtown areas, with developers hailing it as a win for urban revitalization. – dailynews.com
Santa Monica Father Stabbing Shocks Community: Micah Sykes, 31, was arrested on December 11 for allegedly stabbing his father, Jubilant Skyes, a Grammy nominated opera singer, age 71, to death in their Santa Monica home during a domestic dispute. Officers responded to a report of an assault at a home in the 1700 block of Delaware Avenue on Monday night, December 8th. Forensic specialist were at the scene Tuesday morning, processing evidence. It is not known what led to the incident, but according to reports, the suspect has a history of mental health struggles. – ABC7News.com
UCLA Hires Bob Chesney as New Football Coach: UCLA athletics announced on December 9 the hiring of Bob Chesney from James Madison University as head football coach, following a dismal 3-9 season capped by a rivalry loss to USC. Chesney, credited with transforming JMU into a playoff contender, signed a five-year deal aimed at restoring the Bruins' competitiveness in the Big Ten. – apnews.com
Christmas Tree Lane Returns After Devastating Fire: Altadena's iconic Christmas Tree Lane reopened on December 6th for its first holiday season since surviving the January 2025 Eaton Fire, with residents adorning trees with thousands of lights and ornaments; the tradition, dating back to 1920, drew crowds celebrating community resilience, though organizers noted ongoing recovery efforts from fire damage. A planned moment of silence was held for the 19 victims of the fire, lasting a minute and 19 seconds, with the crowd holding phone flash lights above their heads instead of candles. – ABC7.com
