Houston Chronicle – by Sergio Chapa

A bipartisan group of Texas lawmakers is seeking to strengthen the ties of the U.S. energy sector to Mexico even as the political battle over the border wall partially shut down the federal government.

U.S. Rep. Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo, has filed House Resolution 132, which seeks to boost U.S. funding for the North American Development Bank, or NADBank, and give the binational financial institution authority to fund cross-border natural gas pipelines and natural gas-fired power plants.   Continue reading “Bipartisan group aims to boost natural gas exports to Mexico”

The Hill

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) signed a bill on Thursday that will require gun dealers and shops to be regulated and certified by the state.

The bill bans retailers from selling guns without certification and allows the state to gather information on private sales and illegal gun transfers.   Continue reading “Illinois governor signs gun dealer licensing bill”

Yahoo News

DENVER (AP) — An off-duty sheriff’s deputy who was shot by a police officer in Colorado following a car chase died Friday.

Deputy Jesse Jenson, 41, was removed from life support after he was shot by a LaSalle police officer late Wednesday night, according to the Adams County Sheriff’s Office.   Continue reading “Off-duty deputy shot by Colorado officer after chase dies”

The Washington Examiner – by Naomi Lim

Former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Texas, questioned the relevancy of the U.S. Constitution and the American experiment which began more than two centuries ago during a recent interview.

During an interview with the Washington Post, the potential 2020 contender was pressed on whether he believed the U.S. could reinvent how it approached divisive issues that have contributed to current political paralysis or whether he thought it was impossible for the country to introduce any reforms.   Continue reading “Beto O’Rourke asks: Are the ‘principles’ of the US Constitution still relevant?”

Fox News

A massive data leak has been discovered at the Oklahoma Securities Commission, in which millions of records — including files related to sensitive FBI investigations over the last seven years, emails dating back 17 years and thousands of Social Security numbers — have been exposed.

The breach was uncovered last month by Greg Pollock, a cybersecurity researcher at UpGuard, who claims the millions of files were publicly available on an online server and didn’t require any password to access them.   Continue reading “FBI records, emails, Social Security numbers exposed in massive data leak, security experts say”

The Telegraph

Hundreds of Honduran migrants began the long trek north on Monday, part of new US-bound caravan that hopes to succeed even as a previous wave of Central Americans were unable to quickly enter the United States.

Central American migrant caravans have become a flashpoint in the debate over US immigration policy, as President Donald Trump has remained adamant that the migrants will be barred from crossing the border. Continue reading “New migrant caravan leaves Honduras as US extends border troop deployment until September”

Fox News

A North Carolina State Highway Patrol trooper was shot in the face while conducting a routine traffic stop Monday night, prompting an hours-long interagency manhunt that led to the arrest of the alleged gunman and two other suspects, WRAL reported.   Continue reading “North Carolina state trooper shot in face, prompting manhunt for suspect: police”

ABC News

LOGAN TWP., N.J. (WPVI) — Multiple police agencies and the FBI are responding to an active shooter situation at a UPS facility in Gloucester County, New Jersey.

The incident was reported around 9 a.m. Monday on Birchcreek Road in Logan Township.

Police officers could be seen ducking behind police vehicles outside a loading ramp.   Continue reading “Active shooter situation at UPS facility in Gloucester County, New Jersey”

New York Times

Pacific Gas and Electric Company, which has been struggling with a financial crisis stemming from California’s historic wildfires, intends to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection by the end of the month, according to a regulatory filing.

The company, which is the largest investor-owned utility in California, said it faced an estimated $30 billion liability for damages from the 2017 and 2018 wildfires that killed scores in Northern California, a sum that would exceed its insurance and assets.   Continue reading “PG&E Plans Bankruptcy Filing Over Deadly California Fires”

Yahoo News

Across some of the biggest U.S. cities, rent prices are continuing to rise for lower-income Americans. Meanwhile, an estimated 553,000 people experienced homelessness in 2018, according to Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) data.

And a recent Zillow study — which estimated the number of homeless people in America to be closer to 661,000 — found a specific correlation between rent affordability and the rate of homelessness at a certain threshold: “Communities where people spend more than 32 percent of their income on rent can expect a more rapid increase in homelessness.”  Continue reading “Research details the ‘rapid increase in homelessness’ in certain U.S. cities”

ABC News

Two police officers were shot and one — a sergeant who in 2016 helped rescue two little girls buried under a collapsed roof — was killed Sunday when they confronted an armed suspect while working on a car-burglary sting operation in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, officials said.

Gunfire erupted at 1:59 a.m. when the officers, one working undercover, approached two suspects they spotted allegedly trying to break into a car, Birmingham Police Chief Patrick Smith said at an early morning news conference.   Continue reading “2 police officers shot, 1 killed while working a car-burglary sting in Alabama”

ABC News 

One person is dead and a dozen others were rushed to the hospital after an apparent mass fentanyl overdose in Chico, California, on Saturday morning.

Four of those taken to the hospital are in critical condition, according to authorities. Police called the 13 people “friends and acquaintances,” but did not provide exact relationships to the homeowner. The victims ranged in age from 19 to “about 30,” police said.   Continue reading “1 dead, 12 hospitalized in mass fentanyl overdose in California”

Yahoo News

DAVIS, Calif. (AP) — Natalie Corona was a rising star in her police department with a sparkling smile and a huge heart who had followed in her father’s footsteps and became an officer, fulfilling a lifelong dream just a few months ago when her dad pinned the badge on her uniform.

On Friday, her father and a stunned community mourned the 22-year-old who was shot and killed on duty while responding to a multi-vehicle crash in the small college town of Davis, California. Investigators believe she was ambushed by a gunman on a bicycle, but they haven’t a determined the motive for his actions.   Continue reading “Rookie cop in Northern California ‘ambushed’ at crash scene”

ABC News

Six families of victims killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School won a legal victory Friday in their fight against controversial radio and internet personality Alex Jones.

A judge in Connecticut has granted the families’ discovery requests, allowing them access to, among other things, Infowars’ internal marketing and financial documents.

The judge has scheduled a hearing next week to decide whether to allow the plaintiffs’ attorneys to depose Jones.   Continue reading “Families of Sandy Hook shooting victims win legal victory in lawsuit against InfoWars, Alex Jones”

Zero Hedge – by Tyler Durden

Contrary to assurances from Trump’s National Security Advisor, neocon John Bolton, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who suggested earlier this week that US troops would remain in Syria for at least a little while longer, the Associated Press reported on Friday that the US has begun the process of removing the 2,000 soldiers based in northeastern Syria.   Continue reading ““We Don’t Take Orders From Bolton”: US Withdrawal From Syria Begins”

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

Five Republican House members have joined the Democrat push to criminalize private gun sales.

The five are Reps. Peter King (R-NY), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Fred Upton (R-Mich.), Chris Smith (R-NJ), and Brian Mast (R-FL).  Continue reading “Five Republicans Join Democrat Push to Criminalize Private Gun Sales”

Breitbart – by AWR Hawkins

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is pushing a ban on commonly owned semiautomatic rifles and “high capacity” magazines.

She announced the push via Twitter where she wrote: “Americans across the nation are asking Congress to reinstate the federal ban on military-style assault weapons and high-capacity magazines. If we’re going to put a stop to mass shootings and protect our children, we need to get these weapons of war off our streets.”   Continue reading “Dianne Feinstein Pushes Ban on Commonly Owned Semiautomatics, ‘High Capacity’ Mags”

Fox News

A police officer in North Carolina was shot in the face Wednesday night while responding to a call about a suspicious vehicle — and two people were in custody in connection with the case, reports said.

The officer was not identified but was reportedly shot multiple times, Raleigh’s WTVD-TV reported. The officer was responding to the call in southwest Raleigh. The condition of the officer was not immediately known.   Continue reading “Raleigh police officer shot in face responding to suspicious-car call”