It took me five seconds on AI to confirm what I already knew from living in the resort city for the past 42 years.

Going outside in the summer is like walking into a dog’s mouth.

So exactly what Mensa member designed the new Dome concert hall, with retractable hangar doors for extra outdoor seating, without realizing that from May until October those open doors would turn the entire venue into a tropical rain forest?

As usual the buffoons who run the city not only soaked taxpayers for $55 million to build the 3,500-seat Dome, but now they’re shaking their tin cup, begging for another $661,712, to build an “air wall” to keep the humidity out.

Here’s an idea: Keep the doors shut.

Problem solved.

That won’t happen. Later today, self-important city factotums will whip out their abacuses and demonstrate how the new air wall will “pay for itself” in five years. We’ve seen this movie before.

Let’s back up. The Dome is part of the 12-acre Atlantic Park that includes the surf park and retail space. When city honchos were trying to sell the project to a skeptical public, a glad-handing member of city council told me that public investment in the project would be small, about $54 million.

I laughed in his face and said it would be at least $100 million.

He assured me I was nuts.

I WAS nuts. Taxpayers ponied up $152 million.

If history is any predictor by the time the sun sets tonight the Virginia Beach Development Authority will merrily vote to build an air wall.

Oh, and the final cost? It’ll be at least a million.

Hang on to your wallets, Virginia Beach.

"Down Syndrome isn't a 'blessing,' it is objectively shitty from a health perspective. I didn't realize just how rough it is for the child, let alone the family...more often than not, they would be fully dependent on others for the rest of their life."

How rough is it for the child?

Here’s a thought, pal, why not ask someone with Down Syndrome if their challenges in life are “rougher” than being ripped from their mother’s womb?

He went on to justify this cold-hearted decision by saying 90% of children suspected of having Down Syndrome in the U.S. are aborted.

In other words, he and his wife are just doing what everyone else does!

It’s actually estimated that 67% of babies with that diagnosis are aborted. Whatever, it still shocks the conscience. At least the other couples who killed their babies had the decency to keep quiet about it.

Naturally, abortion enthusiasts supported the childless couple, demanding to know why the rest of us wanted to weigh in.

I had an answer:

It became our business when these two grifters put it on social media trying to monetize their depravity.

— kerry dougherty (@kerrydougherty) June 6, 2026

Millions joined the chorus of opposition. Including Meghan McCain and House Speaker Mike Johnson.

I’ve had a very difficult time just reading about the couple who aborted their Down’s syndrome child. It’s maybe the worst thing I’ve ever seen on social media - and that’s really saying something. It has made me feel physically sick for days now.

I prayed for that baby’s soul…

— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) June 6, 2026

In 29 days, we will celebrate the 250th birthday of our exceptional nation, which became the greatest of all because we were the first to declare the self-evident truth that all people are created equal by God.

Not “born equal.” We are “CREATED equal.”

Because God made us all… https://t.co/WmaYBcZA0f

— Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) June 5, 2026

Adding to the controversy were revelations that the childless YouTubers have been keeping their 6-year-old dog with kidney disease alive for more than a year through extraordinary - and no doubt hugely expensive - veterinary care.

Yet the thought of caring for a child who might have disabilities was too much for them.

The people who told you to stop eating lobsters because they might feel pain are super cool with killing a Down syndrome baby. Because ethics and whatnot.

— The Dank Knight 🦇 (@capeandcowell) June 6, 2026

The SPLC Secretly Paid F-37 More Than $300,000 in Donor’s Money

i. F-37 was not involved in an extremist organization before F-37 reached out to the SPLC seeking employment.

ii. While receiving payment by the SPLC, F-37 made multiple racist posts on social media accounts under the supervision of SPLC Employee-3.

iii. In 2017, F-37 was a member of the online leadership chat group that helped plan the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. SPLC Employee-3 directed F-37 to attend this event in which one woman and two law enforcement officers were tragically killed. F-37 assisted in arranging transportation for others involved in the movement to the event.

iv. The SPLC extensively covered the “Unite the Right” rally on its various media platforms, both at the time of the rally and in the following years. The “Unite the Right” rally led to a massive fundraising windfall for the SPLC with open-source media reporting that the SPLC more than doubled their previous year’s reported revenue from private and corporation donations following the “Unite the Right” rally. The SPLC did not disclose to its donors that it used donors’ money to pay F-37.

v. Between 2014 and 2023, the SPLC secretly paid F-37 over $300,000.00 in donors’ money. The majority of the money paid to F-37 flowed from the SPLC operating account, through the CIA account, to the Rare Books account, and finally onto two pay cards issued to F-37 under the false pretense that F-37 was a Rare Books employee. F-37 further received checks written from the CIA account at Bank-1 and ACH payments through the SPLC Operating Account Bank-1 under the monikers “RAREBOOKS050” and “IPRESEARCHCON050.”

You won’t read anything about this in the legacy Virginia media. But you can get the story in Tyler O’Neil’s coverage on X. O’Neil, an investigative reporter for the DailySignal, is author of “Making Hate Pay” and “the Woketopus.”

🚨READ IT

The Justice Department just secured a superseding indictment against the Southern Poverty Law Center, and it reveals some new bombshells

🧵1/20https://t.co/uRCbnWaBzr pic.twitter.com/AxORRKq7MC

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

Reminder: the SPLC raises money by claiming it exists to "dismantle white supremacy," but DOJ says the SPLC was actually propping up the hate it told donors it aimed to destroy. SPLC paid "field sources," whom SPLC says were merely informants.

🧵2/20 pic.twitter.com/vYSnvyzvFZ

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

The SPLC set up ficitious entities to fund these "field sources."

🧵4/20 pic.twitter.com/YF8mUs6DWl

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

2⃣NAZI-KKK LEADER

SPLC paid more than $70K to F-30, a NAZI, KKK, and Aryan Nations leader. F-30 asked SPLC to help him/her leave the movement. SPLC gave F-30 a salary to stay. F-30 used the $ to host extremist rallies, recruit members, publish material.

🧵6/20 pic.twitter.com/oallwNm05F

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

5⃣UNITE THE RIGHT

F-37, a member of the leadership chat for the Charlottesville rally in 2017, made racist posts under an SPLC employee's supervision and arranged transport for others to attend the rally. SPLC paid this person $300K.

🧵9/20 pic.twitter.com/judYfkBjyY

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

2⃣NAZI-KKK LEADER

SPLC paid more than $70K to F-30, a NAZI, KKK, and Aryan Nations leader. F-30 asked SPLC to help him/her leave the movement. SPLC gave F-30 a salary to stay. F-30 used the $ to host extremist rallies, recruit members, publish material.

🧵6/20 pic.twitter.com/oallwNm05F

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

3⃣KKK GETS COLD FEET

F-30 wasn't the only one. F-31 & F-32, KKK members, wanted out in 2010.

The SPLC bribed them to stay in the movement. These Fs used the $ to attend extremist rallies and to gain a leadership role.

SPLC reimbursed them for cross-burning materials.

🧵7/20 pic.twitter.com/1MSmnUbTnr

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

4⃣NEO-NAZI FEATURED

SPLC gave $155K+ to F-42, former chairman of the Neo-Nazi National Alliance. At the same time, SPLC featured this field source on its "Extremist File" webpage.

🧵8/20 pic.twitter.com/9caN460avP

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

5⃣UNITE THE RIGHT

F-37, a member of the leadership chat for the Charlottesville rally in 2017, made racist posts under an SPLC employee's supervision and arranged transport for others to attend the rally. SPLC paid this person $300K.

🧵9/20 pic.twitter.com/judYfkBjyY

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

7⃣AMERICAN FRONT

The SPLC paid F-43 $19K. This person was national president of American Front, and is a convicted felon for participating in a cross burning.

🧵11/20 pic.twitter.com/YacKaLGkGX

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

7⃣AMERICAN FRONT

The SPLC paid F-43 $19K. This person was national president of American Front, and is a convicted felon for participating in a cross burning.

🧵11/20 pic.twitter.com/YacKaLGkGX

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

8⃣UNITED KLANS OF AMERICA

The SPLC paid F-18, who led "a millennial reboot of what was once a serious domestic threat."

🧵12/20 pic.twitter.com/O6CVzDGXmg

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

WIRE FRAUD

The indictment mentions specific payments SPLC allegedly made under false pretenses. The indictment claims SPLC aimed "to obtain money via donations through materially false representations and omissions about what the donated funds would be used for."

🧵13/20 pic.twitter.com/7IIEPZdQB2

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

Finally, the indictment claims the SPLC conspired to commit concealement money laundering, aiming to conceal "the true nature, source, ownership, and control of fraudulently obtained donated money the SPLC paid to the Fs."

🧵15/20 pic.twitter.com/bj7eZzTZEN

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

The indictment states that, upon conviction of the wire fraud counts, the SPLC "shall forfeit to the United States... any property, real or personal, which represents or istraceable to the gross receipts obtained" in violation of the law.

🧵16/20 pic.twitter.com/FWUMh7Bq1k

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

Upon conviction of the conspiracy to conceal money laundering charge, the SPLC shall also forfeit any property involved in that offense.

🧵17/20 pic.twitter.com/MQAiUxbjpu

— Tyler O'Neil (@Tyler2ONeil) June 3, 2026

Republished with permission from Bacon’s Rebellion.

At an explosive staff meeting on Monday, Mr. Pelley told Mr. Bilton (Nick Bilton, “60 Minutes” producer) that he had “slender qualifications for this job” and accused Ms. Weiss of “murdering ‘60 Minutes.’”

At the meeting, which Ms. Weiss did not attend, Mr. Pelley said that the editor in chief had been “brought in to kill” the program, and that “she’s been doing exactly that.”

The next day, CBS News fired Mr. Pelley. In a letter to Mr. Pelley, which was obtained by The Times, Mr. Bilton expressed his frustration with the correspondent’s remarks. “You hijacked my first meeting with staff to disparage me, my qualifications and my intentions with remarkable incivility and contempt,” he wrote.

With that one act of profound stupidity, Pelley lost his reportedly $7 million a year gig as a “60 Minutes” correspondent. He was reportedly paid that fat salary to produce an estimated 10 to 12 pieces a year that aired for about 15 minutes each.

That works out to about $39,000 per minute of airtime. Who else makes that kind of dough?

Maybe Pelley believed he was standing on principle. Maybe he really believed he had to speak out. Maybe he was so delusional that he thought he was so valuable the boss wouldn’t dare to sack him.

Well, he was wrong.

Pelley should stop whining about being fired. This is what happens when you bash the boss.

Even the kid flipping burgers as McDonald’s knows that.

Bored, too.

Especially with the tedious, fear-inducing fluff pieces that news outlets sprinkle throughout the year as their reporters obediently attend press conferences and act as stenographers for bureaucrats.

You know, the stories with ridiculous “safety precautions” published year after year at Halloween that turn trick or treating into a weird evening of parents hovering around kids and forbidding them to eat at single M&M until Mommy and Daddy can examine their sugary booty. (You do know that there’s never been a verified case of a razor blade in apple, right? Yet this single urban legend is trotted out annually.)

Every July we get the usual warnings about the dangers of backyard fireworks for Independence Day. Apparently, somewhere out there, someone still needs to be told not to look down the business end of a bottle rocket.

Every August we get the same self-evident tips on surviving a heat wave: dress in light-colored clothing, drink water, stay out of the sun. 

Yep, somewhere in America there must be idiots who dress in black, march around at noon and refuse to drink water when the temperatures are in triple digits.

And this, being the first week in June, means state officials will issue stern warnings about hurricane season, which technically started on Monday and lasts until November 30, even though we rarely see a major storm before August.

Right on cue, state honchos - including the governor - convened yesterday in the capitol for the exact same hurricane preparedness briefings the executive got last year and the year before and the year before that.

Afterwards, Abigail Spanberger and the crew cautioned us to have a plan in place, build hurricane kits and review evacuation plans.

Now!

In June? Sure, Jan.

Spanberger encouraged Virginians to begin by developing emergency plans for their households. That includes identifying evacuation routes, choosing meeting locations if family members become separated and signing up for wireless emergency alerts, reports the Virginia Mercury.

“The first thing that we can all do to get prepared is to just make a plan,” she said. “If you need to evacuate this hurricane season, you can get your family to safety faster if you have already thought about what to do. Where would you go? How will you get there? And figure out how to reconnect with family if you’re not together at the time that a storm hits.”

Where will we go? Seriously? Has Spanberger BEEN to Tidewater? Has she ever driven through the tunnel?

You can’t get to Williamsburg on a Friday afternoon in the summer without allowing an extra four hours for traffic. 

With a Cat 5 hurricane bearing down on us? Traffic on I-64 would be gothic. 

No one down here in the land of congested tubes can evacuate unless they leave a week in advance. Employers frown on that sort of thing.

We all know that in the event of a major hurricane most of us will stay put, wear lifejackets and write our social security numbers on our forearms in Sharpie. Better to be home than riding out the storm in a colossal Tidewater traffic jam.

“Preparedness starts long before a storm appears on the forecast map,” said Lauren Opett, acting state coordinator of emergency management.

“The best time to gather supplies, review evacuation plans, and discuss emergency procedures with your household is now.” 

Opett means well, she’s saying what factotums are supposed to say this time each year. 

Truth is, most of us won’t fill our hurricane boxes until Jim Cantore is lashed to a light pole on the boardwalk. 

If we’re honest, the supplies in that box mostly involve ice and cork screws. Oh, and candles, which the “experts” don’t want us to use when the power goes out because we can’t be trusted with matches.

Go ahead and do what the governor says. Be prepared. 

Me, I’ll be at Taylor’s Do-It Center when Cantore gets to town.

by Victoria Manning

What if a program with ties to terrorist organizations like Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood trained your child's teacher using taxpayer resources? That's not hypothetical. It's been happening for years at Virginia's Shenandoah University—largely operating under the radar.

The Center for Islam in the Contemporary World (CICW) at Virginia's Shenandoah University has ties to multiple terrorist organizations, including the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. CICW founder, M. Yaqub Mirza, was formerly a leader of the SAAR Foundation, a fundraising operation linked to Hamas, Hezbollah, and Al Qaeda. Mirza died in 2025, but the current chairman has his own extremist ties.

Antisemitic Rants, Support for Terror

Anti-Jewish Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim is the CICW chairman. The day after the October 7th, 2023, terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas, Ibrahim sided with Hamas terrorists saying, "The confiscation of Palestinian land and property is done relentlessly by the Zionists. As a result of this injustice, hundreds of innocent lives were sacrificed. Malaysia remains in solidarity with the struggle of the Palestinian people." Just weeks later Ibrahim led a large "Malaysia Stands with Palestine" rally and called Hamas "freedom fighters." He urged media outlets not to call Hamas "terrorists."

In December 2023, Ibrahim banned Israeli flagged ships or companies from using Malaysian ports. In November 2024, he said, "Israel no longer belongs within the civilized community of nations."

Just one year after Hamas terrorists killed over 1,200 Israelis, Ibrahim claimed Israel perpetrated genocide on the people of Palestine. In 2025, he said flying the Israeli flag or displaying stickers with Hebrew writing contradict national policy and is "completely unacceptable." He called it treason and told the Malaysian police to take appropriate action as a warning to others.

On March 25, 2026, Ibrahim said Malaysia supports Iran's right to defend its sovereignty. The next day Iran began allowing Malaysian ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. On May 26, 2026 on his social media, Ibrahim praised the Iranian regime, calling them his friends "who continue to uphold the values of knowledge, brotherhood, and the universal struggle for humanity." This is the same regime that slaughters its own people by the tens of thousands.

Ties to Terror

Firas Barzinji is a trustee and general counsel of the CICW and is alleged to be involved with Muslim Brotherhood-founded groups, serving as their attorney Barzinji's deceased father, Jamal, was deeply involved with the Muslim Brotherhood—deemed a terrorist group by the U.S. government. Jamal Barzinji was a founding member of the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT). In 2002, the FBI raided the headquarters of IIIT over its funding of the terrorist group Palestinian Islamic Jihad. According to a U.S. Treasury Department official, Tarik Hamdi, an IIIT employee, had a close connection to Osama bin Laden. Hamdi even personally delivered satellite phone batteries to bin Laden in Afghanistan—the same phone bin Laden used to coordinate his terrorist attacks. Hamdi was never convicted for any terrorism related crimes.

While Shenandoah University is a private institution, 76 percent of all students have their education funded with public dollars through federal financial aid, grants, and loans. In 2024, CICW took in $1 million of tax-free income—including $440,000 from the Sterling Charitable Gift Fund. This same Sterling Fund has alleged ties to Hamas-linked terrorism. Firas Barzinji is their attorney. A U.S. government report indicates the Sterling Charitable Gift Fund was once used as a conduit for money laundering and support for terrorist organizations.

Why are foreign terrorist sympathizers permitted to lead a U.S. educational institution? Why are federal funds through student loans, grants, and non-profit tax subsidies permitted to flow through Shenandoah University?

Divisive Islamist Teacher Training in K-12 Schools

The CICW program not only instructs its own college students, but it also offers teacher training programs for public K-12 schools. The Virginia Department of Education once promoted CICW propaganda.

The CICW website advertises "Teacher training workshops–to train teachers in Islamic schools and those teaching social studies in K-12, to equip them with appropriate pedagogical tools and instructional materials in order to enrich their educational outcomes."

Courses and workshops focus on "Prophetic Pedagogies: methods, techniques and style of instruction that are drawn from the life practices of the Prophet Muhammad."

History tells us that Muhammad married a six-year-old girl and had sex with her when she was nine.

In 2021, in response to the 20th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, the CICW published "culturally responsive 9/11" teaching resources that claimed the attacks had nothing to do with Islam. The instructor, Amaarah DeCuir, said teachers shouldn't discuss or name the attackers because it isn't relevant. The Virginia Department of Education hosted and publicized DeCuir's webinar for teachers across the state. DeCuir proclaimed that "teaching is a political act" and said anti-Muslim racism is present in American policies. DeCuir is an executive board member of the CICW and a faculty member at American University in the School of Education.

Americans of all political persuasions should unite on a shared principle of not allowing terrorist regimes and those who want to destroy our nation to influence the education of our children. American taxpayers deserve an investigation into institutions with close ties to foreign terrorism and extremist ideology. The Department of Education and Congress should act immediately to audit federal funding to Shenandoah University and CICW's foreign leadership ties.

Victoria Manning is a Senior Investigative Researcher for Restoration News specializing in education freedom, immigration, and military issues. She is the author of Behind the Wall of Government Schools. Victoria served 8 years as an elected school board member and has a master’s degree in law. She also brings the perspective of a military spouse to her reporting.

Republished with permission from Restoration News.

We’re told that the man driving the bus from New York City to Charlotte was 48-year-old Jing S. Dong, a Chinese native who is a naturalized American living on Staten Island.

Here’s the “worse” part of the story. According to WJLA, Dong is due in a Maryland courtroom TODAY on speeding charges. He was recently stopped doing 72 in a 50 zone.

There are so many questions about this tragedy.

First, why was Dong allowed to continue driving a commercial vehicle while reckless driving charges were pending?

Oh, there’s more.

Dong reportedly doesn’t speak or understand English. Yet he obtained a commercial driver’s license from New York in 2024. New York, California and several other states are notorious for passing out CDLs to immigrants with no grasp of the language or of traffic rules.

"Unacceptable. This is exactly why we are holding states accountable, enforcing the rules of the road, and cracking down on drivers who can’t speak English," Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy wrote on X. "If you can’t be properly trained, read our road signs, or communicate with law enforcement, you have no business driving a bus."

Amen.

The Trump administration has reportedly subpoenaed New York for Dong’s CDL records. The Hochul administration is so far not cooperating with investigators.

There are other, serious questions raised about this tragic case. How is it possible for a Chinese man with no proficiency in English to become an American citizen? I checked the government website and it states clearly that a rudimentary grasp of English is required to obtain citizenship. Yes, there are exceptions, mostly for older immigrants. Or people with significant impairments. Dong, at 48, is too young to get a pass on the language tests. Then again, the tests appear to be a joke. Applicants need only sputter out a sentence in English and muddle their way through extremely small passages of written English.

In addition to a thorough investigation about how Dong got a CDL, there needs to be a search of his citizenship records to see if he bypassed the language requirement. If indeed, he actually is a citizen.

We don’t need naturalized Americans who can’t speak or read English. And we definitely don’t want any drivers on the road with little or no comprehension of English.

This is just the latest - and most deadly case - in a rash of accidents caused by foreigners with CDLs. According to the federal Department of Transportation and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, in 2025 there were 17 separate fatal accidents caused by “non-domiciled’ drivers, who killed 30 people.

Thirty people dead.

Duffy announced that he is withholding $73 million from New York over its lax CDL program.

Do more, Mr. Secretary. Close it all down.

Madam, you’ll have to do better than that. Rocovich is not going down without a fight. On Friday, he announced that he was not resigning and would stay in his position, although his name has been removed from the Tech Board of Visitor’s website.

In a four-page letter to the secretary of the Commonwealth, Rocovich was defiant. 

According to Rocovich, Spanberger had the secretary of the commonwealth phone to ask for his resignation. When he didn’t resign, Spanberger sent her snotty three-sentence missive  sacking him.

Our governor is a coward. 

If she wanted Rocovich’s resignation, why didn’t SHE demand it? Why have an intermediary make the phone call?

“I found that call (from the Secretary’s office) and the subsequent letter deeply offensive, legally unsupported, and wholly inconsistent with the Governor’s own publicly-stated principles regarding the proper relationship between the executive branch and the governance of Virginia’s public universities.” 

“I never have served for personal gain, for partisan advantage, or for any purpose other than the betterment of Virginia Tech and the students it educates. I challenge anyone to identify a single action I have taken on this Board that was inconsistent with the university’s mission or the interests of the Commonwealth.”

Please read Rocovich’s letter in its entirety. The man has spent his entire adult life in service to Virginia and his alma mater.

It’s worth noting that Rocovich contributed $32,500 to the Winsome Sears for Governor campaign. Perhaps that ticked off our highly partisan governor. Oh, and Rocovich’s daughter is married to GOP Rep.Ben Cline. 

Spanberger is attempting to replace Rocovich with Edward Baine, executive vice president of Dominion Power, who contributed $5,000 to HER campaign.

If the unpopular governor didn’t have her hands full feuding with Democrat leaders in Richmond, she’s now taking on Hokie Nation.

My money’s on the Hokies.

Letter from Ousted VT Rector Rocovich in Response to Being Ousted by Governor by Pat Thomas

An investigation by Restoration News has led to direct accountability for elected officials. When Essex School Board member Garlyn Bundy failed to produce documents requested by Restoration News under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA), we took her to court and won. Now a grand jury has issued indictments against Bundy for destruction of public records and embezzlement. Former school employees, including the past superintendent and director of finance, have also been indicted.

Potentially Years in Prison on Felony Charges

Essex County Commonwealth's Attorney James Sitton confirmed with Restoration News that Essex School Board member Garlyn Bundy has been indicted on charges of embezzlement of government funds. These charges under code 18.2-112 are a class 4 felony punishable by "imprisonment of not less than two years nor more than 10 years."

Sitton also confirmed that former Essex Schools Superintendent Dr. Harry Thomas and former director of finance Elizabeth Franklin were also indicted for embezzlement of government funds. Franklin has an additional indictment of concealing a felony under code 18.2-462.

Authorities served the trio on May 27 and will appear for arraignment on June 3.

During the FOIA hearing against Bundy in April, Restoration News Attorney Tim Anderson questioned her about why she didn't produce the requested documents. She ultimately admitted that she had destroyed the documents.

As part of the indictment, Bundy also faces charges of destruction of public records related to our FOIA case. If convicted, the law requires that she forfeit her school board seat and will be "forever incapable of holding any office of honor, profit or trust under the Constitution of Virginia."

In August 2025, Restoration News reported about potential financial mismanagement by Essex Schools. At that time, Bundy stepped down as chair of the school board under pressure, and board member Scott Croxton took over that role.

Croxton previously told Restoration News that when they discovered financial irregularities, the board, along with assistance from the Essex County Board of Supervisors, immediately initiated a Virginia State Police investigation necessitating a forensic audit. Croxton said that they "centralized their financial services under the direction of our county for improved fiscal oversight and stewardship of taxpayer dollars."

Details of the Indictment

The embezzlement indictments are the result of a yearlong investigation into financial irregularities in Essex County Public Schools after the school board requested the County of Essex take over their financial management. During the county's initial review, they found irregularities and missing documentation.

Dr. Harry Thomas received a payment of over $22,000 for "unused leave" that the school board never discussed or authorized. In a letter from Bundy to Franklin in March 2024, Bundy unilaterally authorized the payment as "a request from the board"—but the board had granted no such authority.

When Bundy was confronted about the payment a year later, she initially denied that she authorized it but recanted when she was shown her letter to Franklin. Bundy later wrote a memo requesting repayment of the "unauthorized" payment. Thomas never made that repayment.

The school board terminated Elizabeth Franklin in January 2025, but the administration allowed her to keep access to her office, computer, and documentation. She returned to the building unaccompanied and cleaned out her office. She made multiple trips to her car with stacks of papers. Later it was discovered that her computer had been erased.

Then a stack of documents reappeared in her desk drawer.

As Restoration News reported in August 2025, the school board put Harry Thomas on administrative leave before he ultimately retired. In a letter to the community, Thomas acknowledged a "litany of mistakes, miscues, and missteps along the way."

Essex County is a beautiful coastal community in Virginia's Middle Peninsula region, but it's not filled with wealthy citizens who can afford to subsidize the school division's financial wrongdoings. The average household income hovers around $56,000. Embezzlement of taxpayer funds from the limited resources in the county could have lasting impacts.

Across the country, elected school board members too often underestimate the weight of the office they hold. They aren't simply figureheads; they are legally accountable for how public money is spent. Misuse of those funds carry severe legal consequences.

For the hardworking families of Essex County, these indictments are a reminder that the people elected to steward public funds and educate their children must be chosen carefully and watched closely. Restoration News will continue to hold those in power accountable.

Victoria Manning is a Senior Investigative Researcher for Restoration News specializing in education freedom, immigration, and military issues. She is the author of Behind the Wall of Government Schools. Victoria served 8 years as an elected school board member and has a master’s degree in law. She also brings the perspective of a military spouse to her reporting.

Republished with permission from Restoration News.

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS) Superintendent Aaron Spence has been summoned to speak before the Congressional Committee on Education and Workforce on June 10. The topic is "Superintendents Breaking Trust in America's Schools."

I know first-hand that Congress picked the perfect person to question on the topic.

As an elected member of the Virginia Beach School Board for eight years—more than six of them during Aaron Spence's tenure as our district's superintendent—I witnessed his leadership up close. I sat in the minority on the board the entire time, which meant I had little sway over decisions. I was outvoted but refused to be silenced. I spoke up to expose what was really happening inside the district.

Spence was the reason I ran for office in 2016 after he implemented regulations I found harmful for my children. After he refused to meet with me as a parent to hear my concerns, it solidified my determination to run for school board and make a positive impact. I detailed my experiences with Spence during my two terms on the school board in my book Behind the Wall of Government Schools. He left for LCPS during my second term in office where he continues to be embroiled in controversy.

Questions for Spence

The congressional committee will be questioning Spence regarding "Attacks on Parental Rights, Inappropriate Content, and Legal Abuses in America's Schools."

One of the questions Congress should press Spence about is the use of taxpayer-funded communications staff to shape public perception. Buried in the Virginia Beach Public Schools' communication department's job description was a telling phrase: "controlling the division narrative." Congress should ask Spence what that narrative control looks like. In my book, I document misleading and false narratives provided to the media by the communication's department. The mainstream media largely reported what they were given by the school division without scrutiny—leaving parents and taxpayers in the dark about what was really going on.

Spence's highly compensated Chief Communications Officer, Natalie Allen, along with several other bureaucrats, followed Spence from Virginia Beach City Public Schools (VBCPS) to LCPS where they continue to control the narrative.

Government institutions should be transparent to the community they serve, not deceiving taxpayers with a "narrative." Spence wanted to have full control, but I was a thorn in his side because I put a spotlight on issues happening behind the scenes.

For example, in 2020, when the Virginia governor was planning a phased re-opening of schools during COVID, Spence sent a letter to the state superintendent, upset that parents were being given the ability to "lobby their school board" to get their kids back into school. Spence didn't want parents to have that control, and I was pushing hard as a school board member to get students back into the classroom. That was one of the many battles I had with Aaron Spence.

Congress should ask him why he and other superintendents don't want parents to have a voice in decision-making.

Inappropriate Content

Congress should also question Spence about why he supports explicit materials being used in schools. In 2022, I learned about dozens of sexually explicit books in school libraries throughout our district—including in my child's school. When I brought the graphic novel series Saga to the attention of the school principal, he was shocked that it was in the library and immediately removed it. It had graphic images of orgies and sexual slavery. I got a different response when I called for Spence to remove such books district-wide—he refused.

When I challenged Spence at a school board meeting over pornographic books I found in the schools, he lost his temper and yelled at me, apparently forgetting that he worked for the elected school board and not the other way around. He objected to my use of the word "pornographic," insisting the books were merely "explicit." The difference in the terms was simply semantics—books that depicted sex acts have no place in the hands of minors. By refusing to remove them, Spence made his position clear.

One book I brought to Spence's attention was called Gender Queer—a graphic novel picturing people having oral sex. In a memo to me, Spence's Chief Academic Officer admitted they had "concerns about some of the graphic depictions in the book" but ultimately recommended keeping the book in school libraries. The book was too graphic for even the left-leaning school board, which ultimately agreed with me and removed the book—overriding Spence's decision to keep it.

The issue of sexually explicit books in schools was not only about protecting children but also parental rights. Most parents, including me (a school board member), had no idea these books were available to their children at school. Spence's argument was that parents could simply opt-out their children from reading these books. How can parents opt out of something they don't know exists?

Racist Propaganda 

Another topic the congressional committee should question Spence about is divisive teacher trainings pushed in school divisions.

Spence participated in a webinar in 2022 titled "Why a Racial Equity Lens is Essential." In it, he admitted racial identity and what he considered injustices were being addressed in the curriculum.

These divisive topics were also pushed in teacher training programs in the district.

When I was on the Virginia Beach School Board, a distraught teacher called me with concerns over training sessions in her school. She and at least twenty-six other teachers were pushed into participating in a book study titled The Racial Healing Handbook. Not only did the book promote the demeaning notion of white privilege, but it also belittled Christians. It claimed Christian privilege "is a hallmark of religious/spiritual privilege" and instructed teachers how to reduce their religious privilege. The book study also decried "adultism," defining it as "the oppression of children, adolescents, and those who are perceived as young in society. Adultism manifests in the idea that children and adolescents must be controlled and don't have agency over their own bodies and decisions." In other words, teachers were taught that children should have the freedom to make their own decisions without adult interference.

When I shared my concerns with Spence about the book study, he simply said it was "put on pause" after I made it public.

The Racial Healing Handbook wasn't the only racist training in the division. Another one brought to my attention by a teacher called "Advancing Equity Through Continuous Reflection," was mandatory for all literacy coaches. The training centered around controversial author Ibram X. Kendi and pushed the narrative that teachers should reflect on their inherent racism and admit their guilt. One video session instructed teachers that "our society speaks racism; it has spoken racism since we were born; of course you are racist."

Another trip down memory lane when I was on the School Board, the full topic is also addressed in my book. A required teacher training in 2021 that told teachers "of course you are racist." This is the type of divisiveness that pushed teachers out of the profession! pic.twitter.com/az37llbLHD

— Victoria Manning (@HoneyBadger_USA) May 26, 2026

The training was supported by Spence's first-ever diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) director, LaQuiche Parrott, who publicly proclaimed the propaganda of white privilege. During a school board meeting Parrott said, "we have to come to a place in Virginia Beach where our teachers, and our leaders, and our school board, and our viewing public understand that when we talk about privilege . . . it's about acknowledging what it is, what is privilege, the rights you have solely because of the color of your skin."

Spence raised no objections to these remarks made in the public meeting.

A flashback from my School Board days. The DEI Director LaQuiche Parrott telling the school board about our white privilege. She says privilege is about "the rights you have solely because of the color of your skin." pic.twitter.com/4WuwQ2X4Ru

— Victoria Manning (@HoneyBadger_USA) May 26, 2026

My book, Behind the Wall of Government Schools, details more about these trainings and inappropriate content pushed in the school division. It also shines a light on outside employment Spence had without the knowledge or approval of the full school board.

Since Aaron Spence left VBCPS, he has faced serious scrutiny on a multitude of issues. These include failing to properly notify parents about student drug overdoses and punishing boys who raised concerns when a girl who identified as a boy was allowed in the male locker room.

The June 10 hearing is about more than Aaron Spence—he's just one example of how administrators across the nation treat parental rights as an obstacle rather than a foundation. Parents have the right to know and control what their children read and are taught. Citizens have the right to expect honesty and transparency, not misleading narratives, from institutions funded by their tax dollars. Congress should make clear that America's schools belong to the families they serve, not to the bureaucrats who run them.

Victoria Manning is a Senior Investigative Researcher for Restoration News specializing in education freedom, immigration, and military issues. She is the author of Behind the Wall of Government Schools. Victoria served 8 years as an elected school board member and has a master’s degree in law. She also brings the perspective of a military spouse to her reporting.

Republished with permission from Restoration News.

by Shaun Kenney

Virginia still doesn’t have a budget.

Instead of working on a budget, Senate Democratic leadership is now openly threatening a government shutdown unless they get what they want. Governor Abigail Spanberger (D-VA) is unapologetic on the vetoes — even going so far as to claim that the leadership of the Democratic-controlled General Assembly simply isn’t used to female leadership, per Dwayne Yancey over at Cardinal News:

Just as she repeated the phrase “the devil’s in the details” later in our interview, the governor’s power to propose amendments — and her intention to use it — was a theme Spanberger returned to several times during our interview. She also said that some legislators have told her privately that some of the conflict between the General Assembly and the new governor could be due to resentment on the part of some legislators at having to deal with a woman in the role of chief executive for the first time.

Interesting to me is that Yancey’s conversation seemed to be more confessional than homily, so we should be looking forward to a real glimpse of just where Spanberger is after bankrupting her political capital in pursuit of unconstitutional gerrymandering. If there is a centrist in Spanberger, now is the time to lay down a marker.

In the meantime, Senate Democrats don’t appear to be in any rush to compromise. Neither do House Democrats, where Speaker Don Scott, D-Portsmouth, is playing a similar game with a more reasonable approach.

Then there is Governor Spanberger’s perspective, which to date has either not been considered by the General Assembly or she simply hasn’t shared her thoughts (or been invited to share them).

Ali Ahmad over at the Jefferson Forum writes about the impact that 11th hour thinking has on not just the state budget, but public services:

In the dead of night that the “11th hour” brings, House and Senate Democrats may also force the Governor’s hand, again, on the legislative priorities they have been tussling about since March. Governor Spanberger has made several high-profile vetoes against priorities of key legislators. Skill game legalization, the Tysons casino, banning ICE from making arrests in courthouses, collective bargaining, the prescription drug affordability board, trial-lawyer benefitting class action lawsuits, and retail marijuana are all out. But the General Assembly can put them back in as additional enactments tucked in the back of the budget.

If a budget bill is dropped on her desk on June 22nd, she will be limited in her ability to offer amendments without becoming the “trigger” of the government shutdown. When the budget is amended, it does not go into effect but goes back to the General Assembly for consideration.

She will have one other option. While not nearly as nimble, the Governor can “item veto” whole budget items and the spending they authorize. The power has been successfully used, most recently by Governor Youngkin, to veto out additional enactments tucked into the back of the budget.

If the legislature presses the issue, this sets up the once-sleepy Supreme Court of Virginia for yet another set of monumental rulings. While the “Capitol Square Shutdown Showdown” is certainly fun to watch, it’s not good for Virginia.

Fixing the problem is one thing. Yet as of this moment, Democrats seem far more intent on fixing the blame when they can’t get what they want. This works perfectly well when Republicans are in power thanks to a sympathetic press, but now that Democrats hold both houses of the General Assembly and the Executive Mansion, there should be no excuse for not being able to run the government.

Instead, there is a very expensive game of chicken being played where running Virginia into the ground somehow seems like a grand idea to the Democrats. When teachers aren’t being paid and deputies are working for free come July 1st, we will get to test how that theory will work.

Or won’t.

Shaun Kenney is senior editor of The Republican Standard. This column is republished with permission from The Republican Standard and Bacon’s Rebellion.

Someone recently asked why I’m so fond of including Tweets, er Xes, in my posts.

That’s easy. There’s no better way to figure out what’s going on in the devious hearts of politicians than to read their Tweets.

In the days after her businesses were raided by the FBI State Sen. Louise Lucas, who liked to pepper her posts with obscenities few octogenarians use, was quiet.

Frankly, we missed the foul-mouthed Democrat political boss.

Now she’s back. And instead of insulting Republicans and bragging about how she’s loading her bong with Republican tears, she’s going after the governor. A fellow Democrat.

It’s an old fashioned cat fight. And I’m here for it.

Here’s yesterday’s offerings as Lucas struck back at Abigail Spanberger who is blaming her for the budget impasse.

Democratic Senator Louise Lucas is blasting Gov. Abigail Spanberger. https://t.co/Dq7Un9qtNp pic.twitter.com/cnKHBazSw9

— Nick Minock (@NickMinock) May 27, 2026

Make no mistake, there is an epic power struggle underway in Richmond. Lucas, head of the powerful Senate Finance and Appropriations committee, is holding up the state budget, demanding increased taxes on data centers.

Spanberger, who already killed Lucas’ baby - the cannabis bill - refuses to go along.

The standoff means that if a budget isn’t finalized by June 30th there will be a state government shutdown.

While a federal shutdown impacts few day-to-day operations for average Americans, a state shutdown might mean state parks, beaches, campgrounds and public historical sites and museums would close.

The Department of Motor Vehicles would be shuttered and - sitting down? - ABC stores. Another argument for private liquor sales, but I digress.

Spanberger merrily signed legislation that comes with a big price tag but put the brakes on some revenue creators.

Shoot, even Ben Tribbett, the man behind Lucas’ curtain, is getting in on the action. He correctly points out that Abigail Spanberger’s policies are incoherent.

Here’s the video of Ben Tribbett, Louise Lucas’s top advisor, admitting that Democrats’ “paid leave” scam is just a tax increase.

Dems can hardly go a day without accidentally revealing how much they’re hurting everyday Virginians. pic.twitter.com/ayVQI8u23j

— ROOZ (@ROOZVA) May 26, 2026

The beauty of what’s happening in Richmond is that Spanberger is twisting in the sweet Virginia breeze all by herself.

She’s managed to tick off both sides of the aisle, but especially Democrats.

Spanberger infuriated Lucas and company with her veto of the retail cannabis bill. She enraged organized labor and government workers with her veto of bills that would expand collective bargaining rights to public-sector employees, including teachers. She’s alienated the open borders crowd by vetoing legislation that curbed ICE activity at courthouses. She also turned her back on Dem stalwarts like Creigh Deeds, who sponsored legislation to establish a set Prescription Drug Affordability Board.

Oh, and she also annoyed the leftist loons who wanted to add menopause and perimenopause accommodations to the Virginia Human Rights Act to prevent discrimination in the workplace.

Democrats really ARE crazy. What’s next, free period pads?

Naturally, a cornucopia of Spanberger initiatives outraged the GOP. Most recently, she signed draconian gun control legislation that criminalizes the sale of AR-15s and limits magazines to 15 rounds. Her energy policies, which include rejoining the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, is going to hit Virginia ratepayers in the wallet. Referendums to enshrine abortion and same-sex marriage rights in the Virginia Constitution are not endearing her to conservatives. And her executive orders that ended state cooperation with federal immigration agents turned Virginia in to a sanctuary state.

After just four months in office both sides are accusing Spanberger of deception and dissembling.

Not good. For her, anyway.

As it happens, this is a source of endless bemusement for those of us who knew she lying about being a centrist during the campaign.

In office, Spanberger has shown herself to be an unskilled politician incapable of forming the alliances needed to successfully govern. In an interview, she hinted that perhaps the good old boys weren’t used to working with a woman. Yep, she’s a victim now.

Nonsense. 

Lucas has been running Richmond for years and the General Assembly is loaded with females. Lucas’ sex has never been a problem. Clearly, power sharing is not a strong suit for either Lucas or Spanberger.

Democrats are definitely in disarray. Meanwhile, the two most powerful females are pulling hair and scratching each other’s eyes out.

Pass the popcorn.

Seems the same lefties who are unbothered by Fairfax County’s Soros-backed commonwealth’s attorney reluctance to prosecute illegal aliens or turn them over to ICE are having hissy fits over prosecutors who announced that they won’t enforce Virginia’s new - likely unconstitutional - gun law.

Maybe some law-abiding citizens wouldn’t feel the need to arm themselves if criminals weren’t being turned loose on the public by soft-on-crime prosecutors.

Earlier this month Gov. Abigail Spanberger signed into law a sweeping prohibition on certain types of semi-automatic firearms and high-capacity magazines. This includes of course, America’s favorite rifle, the AR-15. It’s estimated that 20 to 25 million ARs are already in the hands of civilians in the U.S.

After July 1, it will be a crime to sell, manufacture, import or transfer such a weapon in Virginia. Those who already own ARs will be grandfathered under the statute.

Lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the law have been filed in state and federal court and the U.S. Supreme Court seems likely to hear a case from another jurisdiction that addresses a similar ban.

Hopefully, this Virginia law could be short-lived.

In the meantime, commonwealth’s attorneys in at least four jurisdictions have already signaled that they will not be enforcing the new gun restrictions. As constitutional officers, they are sworn to uphold the constitution and are answerable to the voters, not the governor. 

First to stand up and be counted was Spotsylvania’s top prosecutor Ryan Mehaffey. He’s been joined by Powhatan’s Commonwealth’s Attorney, Robert Cerullo, Smyth County’s CA, Phillip “Bucky” Blevins and Pulaski County’s top cop, Justin Griffith.

“Please be advised that it is my opinion that significant parts of House Bill 217 – specifically, bans of so called assault firearms, large capacity ammunition feeding devices and the carrying of these items in public – are facially unconstitutional,” wrote Powhatan Commonwealth’s Attorney Robert Cerullo in a letter to Powhatan Sheriff Bradford Nunnally.

Blevins issued a statement from his office.

“After careful review of the legislation and existing Supreme Court precedent, I find the assault weapon ban signed by the Governor on May 15, 2026 unconstitutional – and as a result, unenforceable,” Blevins said in a statement. “My office will not support criminal charges resulting solely from technical violations of the unconstitutional assault weapon ban.”

WRIC reports the following:

“Firearms that are in common use are gonna be permitted under the Second Amendment. Under Bruen, any restrictions have to be consistent with the historical tradition of the nation, and in Virginia, the historical tradition was not only to permit people to have AR-15s or basic infantry weapons, but it required them to do so in Virginia’s historical tradition,” said Mehaffey.

Meanwhile, Pulaski County Commonwealth’s Attorney Justin Griffith said in a letter, in part, “enforcement of criminal laws is at the discretion of the Commonwealth’s Attorney of each locality.” Griffith added, “I am not going to take law-abiding citizens as of June 30, 2026 and criminalize that same behavior on July 1, 2026 solely on the basis of this new law.”

There are unconfirmed reports that Warren County Commonwealth’s Attorney, John Bell, is also signaling his unwillingness to prosecute this unconstitutional law passed by radical leftists in Virginia. These bold prosecutors are likely to be joined by others who believe that the 2nd Amendment protects the rights of Americans to possess these popular rifles.

Virginia Attorney General Jay Jones said this week that he expects prosecutors to enforce the law.

Good luck with that. Doubtful that Virginia’s level-headed commonwealth’s attorneys will take their marching orders from a man who dreamed of putting two bullets in the head of a political opponents and wishing that man’s children would die.

Industry data from April shows that Virginia ranked second for long gun sales nationwide last month in anticipation of Spanberger’s signature on the bill, which came on May 14.

Sales-related background checks jumped by nearly 79% year-over-year, with residents clearing out local store inventories, according to some news reports.

Looks like Virginia’s far-left politicians ginned up sales of the precise firearms they long to ban.

NOW: New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart introduces President Trump before his speech in New York. pic.twitter.com/3yBEppRAWr

— Fox News (@FoxNews) May 22, 2026

Yep, that’s Jaxson Dart, New York Giants quarterback, introducing the President of the United States at an event at Rockland Community College in Suffern, N.Y. On Dart’s own time and not in a Giants uniform.

Still, it set another Giants player, edge rusher Abdul Carter, straight to X.

thought this sh!t was AI, what we doing man https://t.co/ePR3b4MZEv

— Abdul Carter (@1NCRDB1) May 23, 2026

Wouldn’t a real man go directly to his teammate?

By nightfall, after Carter was badly ratioed on social media, he posted that he and Dart were “good.”

But Carter’s knee-jerk reaction got lots of attention. Here’s “The Athletic”:

When’s the last time we’ve seen one NFL teammate confront another in such an open way? Let alone, a teammate feeling emboldened enough to call out the quarterback? Better yet — the franchise quarterback?  This episode with Carter and Dart is giving 2020, when New Orleans Saints safety Malcolm Jenkins went public with his disappointment in quarterback Drew Brees’s stance on players kneeling during the national anthem.

Well, Drew Brees was dead right about the importance of showing respect during the National Anthem and the kneelers have thankfully all but disappeared from NFL games.

And Dart was perfectly within his rights to introduce the president. In fact, it may have been a smart move.

Social media lit up. While many Giants fans were threatening to cheer for the Eagles and others were cursing Dart, the QB was getting lots of attaboys.

Jaxson Dart introduced the president of the United States at an event (that's literally it) and is getting more shit than players who have r*ped, assaulted, and killed people.

Make it make sense. pic.twitter.com/55866Sqq3B

— BakerMuse (@MuseBaker) May 23, 2026

Nobody is actually surprised that Jaxson Dart-- a Latter-Day Saint from Utah and former QB at Ole Miss-- supports President Trump.

What they hate is that the left no longer has an iron grip on America's culture.

During the first Trump admin, athletes and celebrities who… https://t.co/xBGQJsvBCi

— Theo Wold (@RealTheoWold) May 23, 2026

Guess who else endorsed Trump?

The greatest player in Giants history.

Future is bright for Jaxson Dart. 📈

pic.twitter.com/4NtnrHlFI0

— evin (@EvinKnowsBall) May 23, 2026

Ironically, Carter, who had four tackles last season, reportedly wanted to wear Lawrence Taylor’s retired number 56 when he got to the Giants. He reached out to LT who politely declined.

It’s being reported that 277,000 Jaxson Dart jerseys were sold in the 24 hours after Carter attacked him. If true, that broke the record for most jerseys sold in a one-day period.

What many don’t understand about NFL fans is that, despite the league’s efforts to sell the sport in Europe and to appeal to woke Americans with half-time shows like Bad Bunny, many - if not most - football fans are conservative.

Trust me on this.

And some of us were Jaxson Dart fans before being one was cool or we knew his politics. Dart arrived at Ole Miss in 2022, after transferring from USC. This Utah native, who grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was embraced by the Rebel fan base as he led the team to back-to-back 10 win seasons.

He was a first-round draft pick for the Giants in 2025 and turned heads with his colorful (some would say reckless) play. Dart replaced Russell Wilson as starting QB in September, but a season-ending injury to running back Cam Scattebo halted what looked like a surprisingly good season for the team.

The Giants organization made protecting their franchise quarterback a priority this year, using their first pick in the draft to grab Francis Mauigoa, a massive 6 foot 5, 329 pound offensive tackle out of Miami. They took another lineman in the 6th round.

You don’t have to be a Giants fan to cheer for Jaxson Dart. You just have to believe that Americans ought to be able to show support for their president without risking ugly backlash from TDS sufferers and the cancel culture.

Jaxson Dart, America's quarterback. pic.twitter.com/5WahWe3Us1

— Gridiron Media (@Gridiron_Media_) May 24, 2026

But then again, every day is Memorial Day when you stand on those beaches at Normandy. It was a glorious spring morning on the coast of France. The sky was the deepest shade of blue. A gentle wind made the American flags flutter. And I was there with 52 Irish boys. Bad boys.

I'm getting ahead of myself.

Forty-four years ago, I lived in Dublin, where I attempted to eke out a living as a freelance writer in the dingy offices of the now-defunct Irish Press. While back home, American newsrooms were swapping their IBM Selectrics for computers, this one was stuck in another era. Manual typewriters created a chattering cacophony, cigarette smoke turned the air blue, greasy chip wrappers littered the floors. Everyone was known by their last name.

Except me. I was The Yank.

I was toiling away on some forgettable story, dutifully reminding myself to spell gray as "grey" and harbor as "harbour," when I overheard two of my editors talking.

"Ask the Yank," Muldowney said. "She'll go anywhere."

"Hey, Yank," O'Kane shouted. "How'd you like to go to France for the weekend?"

"Yes, please," I begged.

I'd never been to France. I was weary of the endless Irish gloom. The unexpected offer of a weekend in sunny France was so seductive I never asked if there was a catch.

There was, of course.

All I had to do, O'Kane said, was accompany a group of schoolboys on a trip to Normandy. Great fun, he grinned.

What O'Kane neglected to tell me was that these boys were 10- to 13-year-olds from Ballyfermot. Everyone in the newsroom knew what that meant. Except me. Dublin toughs. O'Kane also omitted details of my role on the trip. Not only would I write a happy feature about the boys and the beaches, but I also was to be a chaperone. The teacher sponsoring the trip had found himself at the last minute with more than 50 boys and no other adult willing to make the journey. A trip that would begin and end by chartered bus, with two overnight ferry trips between Rosslare and Cherbourg.

By the time I learned the truth, it was too late. I was packed.

We gathered on a Friday morning in the parking lot of Mary Queen of Angels School. Everywhere I looked were boys, bigger than me. Standing nearby were their mothers. Weatherbeaten women. Teary-eyed, too. Sipping sherry from paper cups.

"A toast to your trip," one mom said, proffering some of the amber liquid.

"Thanks, but no," I said, gesturing toward the boys.

"Ah, but you'll be needing it," she said knowingly.

Ah, would I ever.

The boys were in high spirits as we pulled away. I expected them to be as enchanted by the Irish countryside as I was. These underprivileged, urban urchins had seen little of their tiny country. But a lively poker game in the back of the bus immediately captured their attention.

At our first stop, less than an hour out of Dublin, I realized to my horror that I was traveling in the company of young kleptomaniacs.

The boys swarmed into a shop where they purchased candy and pilfered more costly items, leaving the teacher and me to bark at them until the booty was returned.

Once we boarded the ferry, the boys were assigned to bunk rooms, while I, the lone female, had a small stateroom of my own. Not that I'd spend any time in it.

The ferry was late departing. To make up for lost time, the crew pulled in the stabilizers. An hour or so into the trip, passengers were retching from the motion. Our boys were especially queasy. They'd smuggled along a stash of cigars. Those smokes went well with the cocktails they manufactured from the dregs of drinks they'd collected in the bar.

Disgusting, but clever, their teacher and I agreed.

By midnight, we were busy. Holding the heads of sick boys and praying that we'd make it to France. Soon.

As we pulled into the little harbor at Cherbourg on Saturday morning, we counted heads and found all of our hung-over charges unsteadily on deck.

So far the trip was a success.

"How's your French?" the teacher asked.

"Awful,"  I confessed.

"Here," he said, handing out printed cards to the boys, "You'll need one of these too."

Je suis Irlandais. Je suis perdu. Veuillez me diriger vers le bateau, Saint Killian II.

I am Irish. I am lost. Please direct me back to the ship, Saint Killian II.

The indignity of it all.

As we set out toward Normandy, the teacher stood in the front of the French tour bus and reminded the boys of D-Day in June of 1944. We passed German bunkers. We stopped at Utah Beach. And Omaha.

Then we went to the American Cemetery.

Pausing a moment, the teacher somberly reminded the boys of the more than 9,000 American soldiers who were buried there. He told them that there were more than 1,500 graves they wouldn't see. Those of the men who died that day and whose bodies were never recovered.

"Silence and respect," he cautioned as the boys disembarked.

No need.

When they caught sight of the rows of thousands of snowy crosses, our 52 boys fell silent. So did I.

I'd like to tell you that the boys were changed after their visit. Perhaps they were, but changes weren't immediately evident. The trip back to Dublin was much like the trip away.

A couple weeks later, a letter arrived for me in the newsroom. It was a brief thank you from the teacher, who had enclosed a couple of notes from the boys.

One said he'd always remember his trip to Normandy. He especially liked seeing the Yank cemetery and it had made a big impression on him.

I knew just what he meant.

It made a big impression on me, too. Because, there, every day is Memorial Day.

I first wrote about this Normandy trip for The Irish Press in 1982 and have published revised versions several times since. My apologies if it seems familiar. kd

by James A. Bacon

Amsterdammers love their bicycles. They ride their two-wheelers in the sun, in the drizzle and in the rain. They bedeck them in flowers and deck them out with baskets. Like the Inuit who have words to distinguish between different types of snow, the Dutch have an elaborate vocabulary to describe bicycle accessories, such as kinderzitje (child seats), fietskar (bike trailers), and bakfiets (large boxes mounted in front of the rider that carry groceries, children, or anything else that fits).

According to CoPilot AI, there are about 800,000 bicycles in Amsterdam, a city of roughly one million inhabitants, compared to maybe 400,000 automobiles. The city is a dream come true for smart growthers. In the city’s historic district, bicycles exceed cars in the streets at any given time by prodigious numbers, and both are outnumbered by the swarm of pedestrians.

A pedestrian/bicycle-centric society is a desideratum of the green, zero-carbon future. Amsterdam, Copenhagen and some smaller European cities are held up as models to be emulated in the United States. Whether Amsterdam’s bike-centric model could be replicated in Virginia, however, is doubtful. Whether anyone in an American city would even want such a transportation system is questionable.

A bicycle-centric transportation network is not traffic nirvana. CoPilot notes that there were more than 5,000 traffic accidents in Amsterdam in 2022, about half of which involved bicycles. I know about that from personal experience. (More on that in a bit).

Then there’s a factor that no one ever talks about: bicycles trash up the landscape. Those 800,000 bicycles have to be stored somewhere. Usually outdoors. The city has endless, long racks of them. And they are ugly…. as in uuuuugly. Amsterdam would be a much more beautiful city without them.

Don’t get me wrong. Amsterdam is a marvelous city, blessed by a rich history, memorable architecture, and scenic canals. Indeed, it is more than marvelous — it is an engineering marvel built on swamp, some of it under sea level. The city relies upon pumps to keep out the ever-intrusive water. Dutch ingenuity has cobbled together an urban fabric in Amsterdam’s city center that provides inhabitants the transportation options of mass transit (buses and electrified street cars are ubiquitous), cars, two-wheelers, pedestrians and canal boats. It is an extraordinary achievement, and I don’t want to belittle it.

However, one must acknowledge that the Dutch have been at this business for a very long time. I remember bicycling through Europe as a teenager more than 50 years ago and gaining a keen appreciation for the network of bicycle paths that allowed our little band to travel off the roads even then. I can’t say how long it has taken Amsterdammers to build their remarkable urban network, but surely they have been working on it for decades, if not centuries. Bike lanes are integrated into almost every street and alleyway. Outside of a few limited-access motorways, no street or road is off limits. The expense and disruption to retrofit Virginia cities similarly would be incalculable.

Bicyclists rule in Amsterdam’s city center, a district that contains between 80,000 and 90,000 inhabitants (and many thousands of tourists). There are plenty of cars — you see them parked in every available spot — but they creep along like snails, yielding the right-of-way to pedestrians and bikes. Bicycles (and other two-wheelers like motorcycles and electric bikes) dominate. Cars and pedestrians alike yield to them. Visitors quickly become acclimated to the briiing-briiing sound of the bicycle bells from hell. Bicyclists don’t slow down. They ring their bells and plow through a crowd, expecting the footbound to jump out of the way.

To say that bicyclists feel entitled is an understatement.

(It’s only fair to note that pedestrians feel somewhat entitled as well. Sidewalks have little meaning to them. They drift between sidewalks, bike lanes and traffic lanes at will. But Amsterdammers have developed a sixth sense that keeps them out of the way of bicycles — most of the time.)

I learned the hard way last week while on vacation as I made my way from the Tulip Museum to the Ann Frank House. There was a four-way intersection, jammed with Amsterdammers and tourists. I was attentive to the bikes, but not attentive enough. A young man came flying over the canal bridge and clipped me, knocking me over. I stumbled, broke my fall with my hands, and did a back roll, so no body parts were damaged. A passerby lent me a hand to help me to my feet. The young man who clipped me stopped to ask if I was OK. I said I was. He (or someone — everything happened so fast it’s a bit blurry) asked if I’d hit my head. I said no. Then seeing his bike on the ground, I asked if he was OK. He said he was. And off he went.

I’m confident that my incident was never reported, which means it never made it into the city statistics. Official accident statistics are probably understated. I talked to two different Uber drivers who had personally witnessed numerous bicycle accidents and had tales of their own encounters with crazed cyclists. Uber drivers in Amsterdam are not bicycle fans.

Speed limits apply only to automobiles. In theory, they apply to bicyclists, too, but the Uber drivers complained that the limits are never enforced. Bicycles fly along the urban streets faster than anyone else, and that includes cars. The problem has gotten worse in recent years, apparently, as more people drive electric bikes. And innovation being what it is, people are inventing new types of bicycles. A recent novelty is heavy bikes with fat tires — the Humvee version of bikes — which are all the more intimidating to people on foot.

At the end of the day, bicycles are less likely to lead to fatal accidents than cars. But let no one pretend that they are entirely safe.

Now, let’s balance the marginal gains to safety against other considerations, starting with aesthetics. While a few bicycles resemble the flower-decorated vehicle atop this page, most are beaters. Amsterdammers apparently don’t have room in their small dwellings to store the bikes, so they park them outside. You can see them everywhere, on every street and in every alleyway, chained to bike racks, canal rails, street signs, and anything else stationary.

The photo below is not atypical. Bicycle clutter is omnipresent. Admittedlly, one can store far more bikes than cars in the same square footage, which does eliminate a different kind of eyesore seen so often in America — vast parking lots — but let’s not pretend there’s anything visually appealing about it.

There is one other consideration, and I gained little tangible information about it during my two-day stay in the city, but it seems relevant to any discussion: comfort and convenience.

Hardy Amsterdammers don’t let a little rain deter them. It rains a lot in the Netherlands — Amsterdam sees about 120 rainy days a year. The Dutch just bundle up and deal with it. I’m not so sure how sanguine Virginians would be about peddling to work in inclement weather.

Perhaps more relevant to any discussion of transplanting Dutch ways to Virginia cities is the matter of convenience. I think about all the stuff — groceries, retail purchases, junk to the landfill — that I lug around in my car. I can’t imagine doing that on a bicycle. I don’t know how the Dutch, even with their fietskar and bakfiets, manage it. Any change would be all the more traumatic for Virginians given the longer distances (and time spent peddling) in our sprawling, low-density metropolitan areas. Amsterdam’s population per square mile is almost three times that of, say, Richmond. That means far more destinations are within cycling distance there than here.

The Amsterdam experience makes it clear that different human settlement patterns from those to which Virginians are accustomed can be made to work. Some Dutch may grumble about the downside but they appear devoted to their way of life. I just don’t see how that way of life can be replicated in Virginia, and I can’t imagine that any but a tiny minority of Virginians would have any desire to replicate it.

State and local governments in Virginia still are devoting millions of dollars on creating more bike-friendly streets and byways, but here in Richmond I don’t see more cyclists on the roads. Until we densify our cities to Amsterdam levels and make massive streetscape investments to do so, I don’t see that changing.

Republished with permission from Bacon’s Rebellion.

Then this happened:

“On Thursday night, Dan Helmer received a shipment of boxes with 1,000 yard signs that read: “Dan Helmer for Congress.”

By late Friday morning, Mr. Helmer no longer had a seat to run for,” The New York Times, May 10.

The signs were delivered, the day before the Virginia Supreme Court ruled that the redistricting referendum had violated the Virginia Constitution.

Poor Danny. He’s apparently been fuming ever since.

His next move? He attacked the Virginia Supreme Court Justices who upheld the state constitution.

They were unelected “Republicans” he hissed.

Virginians were loud and clear at the ballot box - and it’s shocking to see unelected Republican judges override the will of the voters.

But we’re not backing down. We’ll keep fighting and hold extreme politicians accountable this November. pic.twitter.com/Z9YmPkFmnK

— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 13, 2026

They were partisan, he griped.

Virginia voters made their choice - and it’s deeply disappointing to see partisan judges override that decision to give Donald Trump what he wanted. pic.twitter.com/OjMUnbEeVb

— Dan Helmer (@HelmerVA) May 11, 2026

On Wednesday, in an interview with the Virginia Scope, Helmer reportedly went further.

He vowed revenge.

Not on the party leaders who violated the Virginia law to stage a hasty referendum. Helmer wants revenge on the Supreme Court Justices who issued a ruling with which he disagreed. Specifically, Justice Arthur Kelsey, a well-respected jurist who was appointed to the Court by then-Gov. Mark Warner in 2002 and who is up for reappointment next year.

“We will make sure that Justice Kelsey does not serve anymore come this January.” - @DelDanHelmer

That is a threat of retaliation against a Supreme Court justice for his ruling on the redistricting amendment.

Justice D. Arthur Kelsey was appointed to the Court of Appeals of… https://t.co/vuiSRr1QDO pic.twitter.com/YGWiUr0WPv

— Wren Williams (@WrenWilliamsVA) May 21, 2026

Let’s be clear, Del. Dan Helmer is threatening the future of a Virginia Supreme Court Justice. This is not how the separation of powers is supposed to work.

An independent judiciary is critical to the survival of our Republic. Dan Helmer, with his fancy education and multiple degrees doesn’t get that.

No wonder the voters of the 10th Congressional District have kicked sand in his face every time he made a bid for higher office.

Helmer’s not only ignorant of the Virginia Constitution. His views on the judiciary are dangerous.

Impossibly accurate.

So I decided to give it a try.

I asked ChatGPT to produce a “roast” of Virginia Beach. The prompts I gave only mentioned that all of the ocean views are obscured by hotels, that the sun sets at 3 p.m. on the resort strip beach as it slips behind the buildings and that the beachy atmosphere is a little dicey after dark.

In under one minute, this is what our friendly bot created:

Virginia Beach is what happens when a city looks at a gorgeous stretch of Atlantic coastline and says, “You know what this needs? More timeshare architecture.” Somewhere along the way, local planners decided the best use of priceless oceanfront property was to line it with towering concrete hotel blocks that resemble a mid-budget casino district fleeing inland from Atlantic City. The result is a beach where the ocean is technically visible, provided you are standing at a precise 14-degree angle between a Marriott parking garage and a frozen daiquiri stand.

The city’s zoning philosophy appears to have been developed by a committee whose only guiding principle was: “What if absolutely everything cast a shadow?” By mid-afternoon, the resort strip darkens like an eclipse simulation at a science museum. The sun doesn’t so much set in Virginia Beach as file a noise complaint and leave early. Families arrive expecting golden coastal sunsets and instead spend half their vacation wrapped in damp towels beneath the looming silhouette of twelve stories of discounted balcony suites and an abandoned surf shop called something like “Gnarly Pete’s.”

And then there’s the nightlife — or more accurately, the survival challenge. Virginia Beach officials spend years marketing the oceanfront as a carefree tourist paradise, only for visitors to discover that after dark the resort area can feel like a social experiment testing the limits of municipal denial. Every summer weekend brings the familiar local tradition of hearing police sirens blend harmoniously with bass rattling from rented Dodge Chargers. The city’s solution is always some variation of adding another curfew, another “enhanced police presence,” and another press conference assuring everyone that this latest shooting was “an isolated incident,” despite the fact that there are now enough isolated incidents to form their own neighborhood.

The boardwalk itself has the energy of a place permanently trapped between spring break and a misdemeanor hearing. Half the people are pushing strollers, the other half appear to be auditioning for a reality show called Probation Island. Somewhere nearby, a man in wraparound Oakleys is revving a motorcycle while a cover band massacres “Sweet Caroline” for the seventh consecutive hour. The air smells like sunscreen, vape clouds, stale beer, and poor decisions. There is no peace. There is only humidity.

And yet Virginia Beach remains deeply committed to insisting it is a “world-class resort city,” despite all evidence suggesting it is really just Myrtle Beach with a larger military presence and slightly better municipal branding. It’s a place where nature and commerce entered into a bitter custody battle and commerce won full custody, visitation rights, and naming sponsorships. The ocean is still beautiful, of course — you just have to locate it behind seventeen floors of stucco and a neon sign advertising all-you-can-eat crab legs.

Scary isn’t it?

My work here is done.

Meanwhile in deep blue Norfolk, Virginia

Hopefully the DOJ steps in and stops these teen takeovers terrorizing communities as Democrat-run cities do nothing pic.twitter.com/23OjdzESQI

— Libs of TikTok (@libsoftiktok) May 19, 2026

Worse, they’re erupting around the country.

Let’s call them what they are: Rioters. The barbarians involved should be cuffed and booked. If they really ARE teens, their parents should be hauled into court along with them and charged with child neglect.

That most certainly didn’t happen Sunday night in West Ghent when a mob of uncivilized people descended on an intersection. They were driving like maniacs and setting off fireworks. One of these “teens” brought out a flamethrower and set the street on fire.

The list of laws this crowd broke are as long as Leviticus.

How many of these excitable “teens” were arrested?

Zero.

The soporific Norfolk police response guaranteed that they’d go free. As soon as the melee broke out, calls poured into 911. Norfolk sent a single officer to the scene, but reportedly diverted him before he got there. Another cruiser was sent and when the mob heard the sirens they fled, leaving behind scorched earth and tire tracks.

After disgruntled Ghent residents pointed fingers at the police, the chief vowed to find and arrest the miscreants, according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Speaking to reporters Tuesday afternoon, Police Chief Mark Talbot called the behavior by those at the scene “reprehensible” and said the next step is to “track down everybody involved.”
“It wasn’t just kids having fun, it was people engaging in life-threatening behavior,” Talbot said. “I have no idea what kind of ethical misfire occurs inside somebody’s head that causes them to bring a flamethrower to a neighborhood but it’s certainly the kind of person that I’m sure the public will help us identify.”

The time to arrest the rioters is when they’re rioting. But that would involve quick action by the police. Not tough talk two days later.

Here’s a peek of what’s happening in other places:

🚨WHAT ON EARTH?!!!

An ABSOLUTELY MASSIVE "teen takeover" in downtown Detroit forced businesses to close early last night.

Teens were seen BREAKING INTO CARS, PUNCHING and KICKING each other, shoving kids into the STREET, and JUMPING ON CARS...

WHERE. ARE. THE. PARENTS?!!!!! pic.twitter.com/TR4xUXRRLF

— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) May 17, 2026

🇺🇸 Teens were fighting and throwing chairs inside a DC Chipotle just hours after DC prosecutor Jeanine Pirro warned parents of teens involved in “teen takeovers” could face fines or jail.

straight chaos.pic.twitter.com/dE0Yybu0dw

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) May 18, 2026

🚨#BREAKING: A metro Atlanta city has launched, "OPERATION GO HOME" after multiple recent "teen takeovers" have led to dozens of arrests and firearms seized from kids.

Officials say if kids are caught out after 11PM at night, the PARENTS could be arrested... with their child!!! pic.twitter.com/guwDjAA3gp

— Matt Van Swol (@mattvanswol) April 10, 2026

🚨 BOOM: National Guardsmen SURGED into a "teen" and "youth" brawl in New Orleans to quell the violence

This BS has to stop. Total DEGENERACY.

Our National Guard are heroes putting up with it pic.twitter.com/jga217Eio9

— QUANTUM GUARD ™️ (@QuantumGuard17) May 19, 2026

New Orleans has the right idea. They sent in the National Guard to quell these disturbances.

The U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, Jeanine Pirro, is vowing to not only prosecute the perps, but also their parents.

About damn time… 🙌

🚨 U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro announces PARENTS will now Prosecute PARENTS who let their children take part in teen takeovers that have been causing chaos throughout Washington, D.C.

"If the evidence shows the parent knew or should have known or permitted… pic.twitter.com/ltfvWfZCsJ

— MJTruthUltra (@MJTruthUltra) May 15, 2026

We’re unlikely to get a response like that from Norfolk’s Commonwealth’s Attorney, Ramin Fatehi. George Soros wouldn’t approve.

Elections have consequences, Norfolk. It’s going to be a long, hot summer if authorities don’t crack down on these “teen takeovers.”

A good start is to stop with the silly euphemisms.