GOP Lawmaker Accuses NCAA Team Buses of Being ‘Illegal Invaders’

Facebook/Matt Maddock

March Madness took a hard right turn into out-and-out irrationality Wednesday evening, when a Republican member of the Michigan statehouse baselessly claimed three buses filled with college athletes were in fact “illegal invaders” descending on Detroit from the southern border.

“Happening right now,” state Rep. Matt Maddock posted on X , tagging Michigan GOP chair Pete Hoekstra. “Three busses [sic] just loaded up with illegal invaders at Detroit Metro. Anyone have any idea where they’re headed with their police escort?”

Maddock, an “ultra MAGA” Trump supporter whose wife was criminally charged as a so-called fake elector in the former president’s scheme to steal the 2020 election, attached two photographs as “proof,” showing a trio of charter buses on the tarmac at the Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport, next to a chartered Allegiant Air A320-214.

Read more at The Daily Beast.

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Missouri man pinned to death by semitruck in Alsip

A Missouri man died Tuesday after being pinned by a semitruck in Alsip, the Cook County medical examiner’s office reported..

The office identified the man as John D. Horn, 58, of Chillicothe, Missouri.

Alsip police officers responded to a call of a man pinned by a vehicle in a loading dock at a business in the 5700 block of 118th Street, according to a news release from the Police Department.

Officers found the man on the ground and began emergency medical treatment while waiting for paramedics to arrive, police said. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

Witnesses on the scene said Horn removed the wheel chocks from the wheels and the truck and trailer rolled backward, pinning him between the trailer and the dock, police said.

An autopsy Wednesday ruled his death an accident, according to the medical examiner.

akukulka@chicagotribune.com

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Lee Greenwood Dismisses Backlash to Trump Hawking His Bible: ‘I Don’t Even Believe People on the Left Hate Religion’

Lee Greenwood dismissed backlash to Donald Trump promoting his God Bless the U.S.A. Bible as just from the “Trump haters.”

The God Bless the U.S.A. musician joined Newsmax’s Bianca de la Garza on Thursday to discuss the Trump-endorsed Bible, which immediately received backlash after Trump posted a three-minute video pitching the $60 Bible to his followers on Truth Social.

“We’ve lost religion in our country. All Americans need a Bible in their home and I have many, it’s my favorite book, it’s a lot of people’s favorite book. This Bible is a reminder that the biggest thing we have to bring back America and to make America great again is our religion,” Trump said in the video.

Asked where the backlash comes from, Greenwood dismissed criticism, noting this specific Bible has been in circulation for years now.

“Oh, I think it’s just from the Trump haters. I don’t even believe people on the left hate religion. It’s just the Trump haters is all,” Greenwood said. “And we’ve been promoting this Bible for over three years so because the president has also asked the nation to pray and use that particular Bible — I mean, he could have used any Bible at all but because it has the documents of our Founding Fathers, I think that makes it unique.”

Greenwood showed off his copy of the God Bless the U.S.A. Bible signed by Trump, who regularly plays Greenwood’s signature tune at rallies. The musician declared he’s “proud” of the president for endorsing his bible.

“I’m so proud of the president for stepping forward and saying that he believes in God, he’s a Christian, and this nation still should be praying for our country,” Greenwood said.

Watch above via Newsmax .

The post Lee Greenwood Dismisses Backlash to Trump Hawking His Bible: ‘I Don’t Even Believe People on the Left Hate Religion’ first appeared on Mediaite .

Kansas lawmakers send bill banning gender-affirming care for minors to governor’s desk

Kansas could become the latest state to ban gender-affirming health care for minors after its Republican-dominated legislature sent a bill prohibiting transgender youth from accessing treatments such as puberty blockers and hormones to the governor’s desk.

The bill, which passed both the state House and Senate on Wednesday, is expected to be rejected by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who vetoed a similar measure  last year. Republicans, who hold supermajorities in both chambers, failed to override Kelly’s veto of that bill and another measure to ban transgender women and girls from female school sports teams after several GOP moderates voted against overriding the governor.

The state Senate on Wednesday passed this year’s bill, Senate Bill 233, with a veto-proof majority, while the House, which advanced the measure in a 82-39 party-line vote, fell slightly short. Two House Republicans that were absent for Wednesday’s vote — Reps. Michael Houser and Samantha Poetter Parshall — have previously voted in favor of the legislation and would give the House the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto.

If Republicans succeed in overriding a likely veto from Kelly, Kansas will be the 25th state to ban gender-affirming care for minors, and the third to do so this year. Laws restricting access to care in at least four states are not currently being enforced because they are tied up in the courts.

Legal challenges brought against state-level bans on gender-affirming care have been met with mixed results, however, and federal appeals courts have split on whether such bans are constitutional. Advocates and opponents have called for the Supreme Court to weigh in.

Kansas Republicans on Wednesday said a ban on gender-affirming care for minors is needed in the Sunflower State — surrounded on all but one side by states that have adopted similar restrictions — to protect children from making medical decisions they may later regret.

“Today, the Senate took a firm stand in support of helping and not harming children by making it clear that radical transgender ideology and the mutilation of minors is not legal nor welcome in Kansas,” state Senate President Ty Masterson, a Republican, said in a statement that followed Wednesday’s Senate vote.

Ahead of the vote, Kansas Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes (D) called on Republicans in the upper chamber to “show some humanity and kindness” by voting against the bill.

“Families of trans kids are beside themselves. They’re scared, they’re tired and they’re worried that we will lose more loved ones if this bill passes,” Sykes said Wednesday.

“To our beloved Kansans who are listening to this debate on this bill, I hope that you know there are people in this room that are listening to you,” she said. “We know that you’re getting the care that you need so that you can live your life fully. We understand what this law will do to you and your families if it passes.”

Gender-affirming health care for transgender minors and adults is considered medically necessary  and often life-saving by professional organizations including the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics. The AMA in December reaffirmed its opposition to laws that “criminalize, prohibit or otherwise impede” the provision of evidence-based gender-affirming medical care.

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After getting a late start, Lincoln-Way West’s Josh Veldman commits to Northwestern. ‘It escalated into a passion.’

Lincoln-Way West’s Josh Veldman wasn’t too into sports as a young kid. After playing baseball in first and second grade, he gave that up and did not compete on any teams until seventh grade.

That’s when Veldman decided to give football a shot. It was the sport that stuck.

“Some friends got me interested in it and kind of talked me into trying football,” Veldman said. “Then it escalated into a passion.

“It’s the team, the physicality of it, the mental toughness. I can’t really explain it, but there’s just something about it.”

Veldman, a junior linebacker, will be able to continue to pursue his passion in college. He recently committed to Northwestern.

“There’s obviously a lot of things I love about it,” Veldman said. “It’s a great education. The people there — the hospitality when I got there was amazing, and just listening to all the coaches talk and seeing them practice opens up your eyes.

“Hearing coach (David) Braun speak, I just want to play for him.”

Veldman’s decision wrapped up a whirlwind few months. His recruitment had gone a bit slowly until things took off in January and February. He had offers from eight Division I schools, including Cincinnati and Iowa State, but was hearing from plenty of others before deciding on the Wildcats.

Lincoln-Way West coach Luke Lokanc told Veldman to be prepared for things to pick up in the new year, following the transfer portal window and bowl season, but nothing could quite get him ready for the onslaught of interest he suddenly received.

“I was trying to be patient and then things got hectic, but I’m not going to complain about it,” Veldman said. “I liked taking it all in. It was a fun experience, and I’m glad it happened.

“It’s been a dream of mine since I’ve been playing football to go Division I and play at the highest level. To be successful making that happen and seeing all the hard work pay off, it’s a blessing.”

Lokanc saw it coming.

“We all kind of had an idea just from being around the kid the last two years and seeing him develop day by day and seeing how his body was developing,” Lokanc said. “We were kind of like, ‘After his junior season, this kid’s recruiting is going to blow up.’”

Lincoln-Way West's Joshua Veldman (4) goes after a Lincoln-Way Central ball carrier during a football game on September 15, 2023. (John Smierciak for the Daily Southtown)
Lincoln-Way West’s Josh Veldman (4) goes in for the tackle against Lincoln-Way Central during a SouthWest Suburban Red game in New Lenox on Friday, Sept. 15, 2023. (John Smierciak / Daily Southtown)

Veldman seems to just be scratching the surface of his potential. In addition to not playing until seventh grade, he’s just 16 years old. He’s always been one of the youngest people in his class.

“When I was a sophomore and got called up to varsity, I was 14 years old playing in varsity games,” he said. “That really opened up my eyes that I could go somewhere with this, and it made me work harder.”

From a coach’s perspective, Lokanc believes Veldman is just getting started.

“His best days are still ahead of him, that’s for sure,” Lokanc said. “I think that’s something everyone at Northwestern sees in him. This kid’s potential is through the room.

“Even for next year with us, it’s going to be awesome to see how he changes from his junior year to his senior year. He’s going to be a totally different guy out there and it’s exciting.”

Northwestern was surrounded by controversy last year as a hazing scandal resulted in the firing of longtime coach Pat Fitzgerald, a Sandburg graduate.

Braun took over and led the Wildcats to an 8-5 season, capped by a win over Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Veldman was impressed by the turnaround.

“We got invited to a game and I was telling my mom about the adversity they went through and how they’re getting through that and coming out on top,” Veldman said. “I thought it was really cool.

“They have things going in the right direction. I’m excited to go in and contribute to that.”

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