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US/World News
Trump - One Year In
Trump marks anniversary with meandering press conference (NY Times)
‘He held court — airing old grievances, attacking perceived enemies, threatening allies — for roughly one hour 45 minutes.’
‘The meandering, sometimes rambling, remarks jumped from topic to topic, including a story about his prowess as a Little League player,’ threats to Greenland, complaints about the Nobel committee, gloating over firing federal prosecutors, and boasts about limiting border crossings.
‘“I think God is very proud of the job I’ve done,” Mr. Trump said as he neared the end of his remarks.’
Nationwide ‘Free America’ Walkout Held in Protest of Trump (Time)
‘People across the country walked out of school and work on Tuesday afternoon as part of a nationwide walkout to protest the Trump Administration.’
‘Dubbed the “Free America Walkout,” the protest took place on the anniversary of President Donald Trump’s second inauguration.’
Davos/Greenland/NATO
Trump Goes Wild In Unhinged Middle-Of-The-Night Posting Spree Over Greenland (Huffpost)
‘President Donald Trump went on a lengthy posting spree on his Truth Social website in the early hours of Tuesday that included insults aimed at U.S. allies and screenshots of what appeared to be private messages from’ French President Emmanuel Macron and NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte.
‘While his posts touched on everything from the Immigration and Customs Enforcement raids in Minnesota to Lisa Cook, the Federal Reserve governor he is trying to fire, most were about Greenland, the semiautonomous region of Denmark that he is threatening to seize for the United States.’
‘Trump’s messages, posted between 12:26 and 1:53 a.m. ET, included a couple of memes showing Greenland under his control.’
Canadian PM’s Davos Speech Is Unmissable in a Time of “Rupture” (Mother Jones)
‘Imploring an audience chock-full of European officials at the annual World Economic Forum to recognize that “nostalgia is not a strategy,” [Canadian Prime Minister Mark] Carney rallied middle powers—countries with economies similar to Canada’s—to bind together in the face of unilateral military and economic coercion by bigger powers. (Unspoken but clear among them: Trump’s America.) In doing so, Carney painted a stark view of a new world in which old rules have been torn up, and countries should stop pretending otherwise. “We are in the midst of a rupture,” he said, “not a transition.”
‘Carney’s speech, which received a standing ovation, is rooted in Carney’s personal experience after winning an election fought on protecting Canada’s sovereignty against economic attack from the United States in the form of tariffs and bellicose threats that Canada should be the 51st state of America. At Davos, Carney framed Trump’s attempts to “buy” Greenland as part of the same intimidation campaign: “Great powers began using economic integration as weapons,” he said. “Tariffs as leverage. Financial infrastructure as coercion. Supply chains as vulnerabilities to be exploited.”’
Trump takes aim at multiple targets in Davos speech (NY Times)
‘President Trump took aim at many familiar targets, and some new ones, in a lengthy speech at the World Economic Forum on Wednesday in which he alternately praised and threatened European allies and repeated his demands for ownership of Greenland.’
‘He pledged not to use force to seize the semiautonomous Danish territory, giving some measure of relief. But that slight comfort was likely undercut by the often mocking tone of a speech that underlined European leaders’ worries about the health of NATO and their relations with the United States.’
Trump lashed out at European allies, renewable energy, Somali immigrants, the Federal Reserve, and Carney, responding to the Prime Minister’s remarks the previous day, “Canada lives because of the United States. Remember that, Mark, the next time you make your statements.”
Carney bites back at Trump’s ‘Canada lives because of’ U.S. remarks at cabinet meeting (CBC)
‘At the end of a nearly 30-minute speech Thursday kicking off the Liberal cabinet meeting in Quebec City, Carney took on the president’s comments.’
‘His address kicked off two days of meetings with his front benches. The cabinet will be holed up behind the stone walls of the Citadelle, a storied military base and the Governor General’s secondary residence that looms over the Quebec capital.’
‘It was fortified in the 19th century in an effort to secure the city against a potential American attack’
UK PM, others outraged at Trump’s comments downplaying NATO allies’ role during Afghanistan war (ABC)
‘In an interview with Fox News on Thursday in Davos, Switzerland -- amid this week’s tensions with NATO over his efforts to acquire Greenland -- Trump said [of allies who participated in military operations in Afghanistan after 9/11], “We never needed them.”’
‘”We have never really asked anything of them,” he said.’
‘”They’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front lines,” Trump added.’
UK Prime Minister Kier Starmer, Afghan War veteran Prince Harry, and Polish PM Donald Tusk blasted these comments.
‘While Americans took the heaviest hit, other countries suffered similar losses in terms of per capita.’
‘Britain, whose population is about one-fifth the size of the U.S., says it lost more than 457 troops in the conflict while Denmark, whose population is 2% of the U.S., said 44 of its soldiers were killed.’
Pentagon moves to cut U.S. participation in some NATO advisory groups (WaPo)
‘The Pentagon plans to cut its participation in a range of NATO advisory groups, the latest sign of the Trump administration’s drive to scale back the U.S. military presence in Europe, according to multiple officials familiar with the matter.’
“Board of Peace”
Brazil’s Lula says Trump is attempting to ‘create a new UN’ (Al Jazeera)
‘Brazilian President Luiz Inacio “Lula” da Silva has accused his United States counterpart Donald Trump of wanting to create “a new UN”, days after the US president launched his new “Board of Peace” initiative in Switzerland.’
‘“Instead of fixing” the United Nations, “what’s happening? President Trump is proposing to create a new UN where only he is the owner,” Lula said in a speech on Friday.’
‘Trump launched the board with a signing ceremony in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, during the annual summit of the World Economic Forum, another international body that has increasingly presented itself as an alternative to the UN system.’
‘The US originally said that the “Board of Peace” would oversee the rebuilding of Gaza after more than two years of Israel’s genocidal war on the besieged enclave, but the board’s 11-page charter does not mention Gaza, suggesting its interests may have expanded in scope.’
‘Members of the board include Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court and whose forces have killed more than 300 staff members from the UN agency for Palestinian refugees, UNRWA, in Gaza.’
Trump’s Board of Peace is dividing countries in Europe and the Middle East (AP)
‘Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he’s agreed to join the board — a departure from an earlier stance when his office criticized the makeup of another committee tasked with overseeing Gaza.’
‘Norway and Sweden said they won’t accept their invitations, after France also said no, while a bloc of Muslim-majority nations — Egypt, Indonesia, Jordan, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — said in a joint statement that their leaders would join.’
‘Trump defended his choice of invitees, including some leaders considered to be autocratic. “I have some controversial people,” he said. “But these are people that get the job done. These are people that have tremendous influence.”’
Israeli fire strikes journalists and children on one of Gaza’s deadliest days since ceasefire (NBC)
‘Israeli forces on Wednesday killed at least 11 Palestinians in Gaza, including two 13-year-old boys, three journalists and a woman, hospitals said, on one of the war-battered enclave’s deadliest days since the ceasefire between Hamas and Israel took effect in October.’
‘More than 470 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since the ceasefire took effect on Oct. 10, according to Gaza’s health ministry.’
Israel bulldozes UNRWA headquarters in East Jerusalem (Guardian)
‘Israeli crews have started bulldozing the headquarters of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees in occupied East Jerusalem and fired teargas at a UN vocational school in Qalandia, in the West Bank.’
‘Israel accuses the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (Unwra) of collaborating with Hamas – a charge the agency denies – and last year banned it from operating on its territory. The demolition marks Israel’s latest step against UNRWA, which provides aid to millions of Palestinian refugees.’
Minnesota/ICE
ICE says its officers can forcibly enter homes during immigration operations without judicial warrants: 2025 memo (NBC)
‘An internal Immigration and Customs Enforcement document in May shows that ICE told officers and agents they can forcibly enter homes of people subject to deportation without warrants signed by judges.’
‘It says ICE agents are allowed to forcibly enter a person’s home using an administrative warrant if a judge has issued a “final order of removal.” Administrative warrants permit officers and agents to make arrests and are different from judicial warrants, which judges or magistrates sign allowing entry into homes.’
[Connecticut Senator Richard] ‘Blumenthal said in a statement that the memo was “allegedly not widely distributed” despite being labeled “all-hands.” A copy of the memo shared with Congress is addressed to “All ICE Personnel.”’
‘“Instead, the disclosure claims that the memo was rolled out in a secretive manner in which some agents were verbally briefed while others were allowed to view it but not keep a copy,” Blumenthal said. “It was reportedly clear that anyone who openly spoke out against this new directive would be fired.”’
Autopsy finds Cuban immigrant in ICE custody died of homicide due to asphyxia (AP)
‘A Cuban migrant held in solitary confinement at an immigration detention facility in Texas died after guards held him down and he stopped breathing, according to an autopsy report released Wednesday that ruled the death a homicide.’
‘Geraldo Lunas Campos died Jan. 3 following an altercation with guards. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the 55-year-old father of four was attempting suicide and the staff tried to save him.;
‘But a witness told The Associated Press last week that Lunas Campos was handcuffed as at least five guards held him down and one put an arm around his neck and squeezed until he was unconscious.’
DOJ serves subpoenas to Walz, Frey and other Minnesota officials amid immigration crackdown (NBC)
‘The Justice Department has sent subpoenas to Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and other state leaders, escalating its investigation into whether state officials conspired to impede law enforcement during the Trump administration’s immigration operations, according to a document reviewed by NBC News and a person familiar with the investigation.’
‘The subpoenas were also sent to Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison, the office of St. Paul Mayor Kaohly Her and two counties, according to the document and the person familiar with the probe.’
Off-duty Twin Cities officers among those “targeted” by ICE agents looking for proof of U.S. citizenship, chief says (CBS)
‘Off-duty police officers in the Twin Cities have been “targeted” by federal agents looking for proof of U.S. citizenship, Brooklyn Park Police Chief Mark Bruley said Tuesday.’
‘”I wish I could tell you that this was an isolated incident. In fact, many of the chiefs standing behind me have similar incidents with their off-duty officers,” Bruley said. “This isn’t just important because it happened to off-duty officers, but what it did do is we know that our officers know what the Constitution is, they know what right and wrong is, and they know when people are being targeted. And that’s what they were.”’
ICE detains 5-year-old Minnesota boy; school leader says agents used him as ‘bait’ (MPR)
‘The Columbia Heights Public School district says federal agents have detained four of its students in four separate incidents over the last two weeks. One child is a 5-year-old boy who attends a district elementary school and was used as “bait” to draw family members out of their home.’
‘According to [Superintendent Zena] Stenvik, masked agents apprehended 5-year-old Liam Conejo Ramos in his driveway on Tuesday as he returned home from school with his father [...] took the child out of the still-running car, led him to the door and directed him to knock on the door asking to be let in in order to see if anyone else was home, essentially using a 5-year-old as bait.”’
‘Agents later took the father and child away in a vehicle and sent them to Texas.’
‘Stenvik said Liam’s family has an “active asylum case” with no deportation orders.’
Minnesotans strike in protest against ICE surge (Guardian)
‘Tens of thousands of Minnesotans marched in Minneapolis and otherwise participated in an economic blackout on Friday to protest against the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) surge in the state.’
‘About 100 clergy members were arrested by police during the action, video footage showed.’
‘Beside faith leaders, the “no work, no school, no shopping” day of protest was kicked off by community leaders and labor unions – and included actions around the state, plus business closures in solidarity.’
‘Hundreds of local businesses in Minnesota announced closures in solidarity. Thousands of people took the day off from their jobs to join the action, while others participated by not shopping on Friday. The Minneapolis city council endorsed the day of action and the general strike.’
‘The state’s cultural institutions – including the Walker Art Center, the Minneapolis Institute of Art, the Science Museum of Minnesota and the Minnesota Children’s Museum – closed on Friday as well.’
Another person in Minneapolis shot and killed by feds (KMSP)
Federal agents shot and killed 37-year old ICU nurse Alex Pretti Saturday morning.
‘The man had a legal permit to carry, is a U.S. citizen and lives in Minneapolis, according to Minneapolis Police Chief Brian O’Hara.’
The incident was caught on video from multiple angles and shared widely on social media.
CBP Commander Greg Bovino shamelessly blamed the victim, saying he “approached US Border Patrol officers with a 9 mm semi-automatic handgun,” the post says. “The officers attempted to disarm the suspect but the armed suspect violently resisted. Fearing for his life and the lives and safety of fellow officers, an agent fired defensive shots.”
This plainly contradicts what is shown on video
Protestors descended on the area, where they were disparaged as “rioters” and met with chemical irritants.
Minnesota officials demanded an end to ICE operations in the area
Walz activates MN National Guard to help MPD and support Hennepin Co. Sheriff at Whipple Federal Building (ICE HQ).
Again, feds cut local and state police out of investigation.
Trump blames ICE shooting of ICU nurse on Minnesota officials, ‘massive Monetary Fraud’ (AL.com)
Part of Trump’s statement on Truth Social: ‘where are the Tens of Billions of Dollars that have been stolen from the once Great State of Minnesota? We are there because of massive Monetary Fraud, with Billions of Dollars missing, and Illegal Criminals that were allowed to infiltrate the State through the Democrats’ Open Border Policy. We want the money back, and we want it back, NOW. Those Fraudsters who stole the money are going to jail, where they belong! This is no different than a really big Bank Robbery. Much of what you’re witnessing is a COVER UP for this Theft and Fraud.’
Relayed by a friend of the show:
I talked to a like minded person who lives in Minneapolis tonight. Here were his observations and insights. 🤯🌻✊🏼
HOPE. He has so much hope because everyone is doing something to stand up and push back against ICE. He said it’s so much bigger than what you see on social media.
MUTUAL AID. He said his family is taking kids to school whose parents are afraid to go outside. Other parents are taking food and running errands for immigrant families. Parents are standing guard outside all the schools during pickup and drop off. He said it just organically fell into place from necessity. Across all locations. The schools and the faith communities have been the best networks for mutual aid.
INFLECTION POINT. He said what ICE is doing is massively unpopular with people in both the city and suburbs. He said they are doing things that are blatantly wrong and even unconstitutional. The majority wants ICE to leave, and he hasn’t seen any counter protestors. He said he thinks this is an inflection point.
LEGAL. He is more concerned about what happens when ICE stops acting for show and starts quietly carrying out their business of deporting immigrants and denaturalizing citizens. What then?
INVASION. The community feels invaded by an outside paramilitary force. He said there are significantly more ICE agents in Minneapolis as there are police. *He had some numbers. I’m sure we could find them.*
SOLIDARITY. The community is standing in solidarity against ICE. He said it’s like a movie. It feels unreal. You see this everywhere—every church, every school, every community. Everywhere. In solidarity. And the community is in solidarity with the people force. The community understands that they need the police to be on their side. The community really feels that. He said the police aren’t working with ICE. ✊🏼🌻
REFORM. “We have to stop living in the lie.” Our immigration system is a manufactured crisis created for the purpose of enabling MAGA Republicans to scapegoat vulnerable immigrant populations to win elections and control the masses. The system needs to be reformed in good faith, but that will take a long time. In the mean time, we must minimize harm.
POWER TO THE PEOPLE. It is so obvious that the regime would need significantly more manpower to control the masses. They aren’t able to do it. The resistance is winning. This is massive social proof of the power in our numbers
Law
Trump’s pardons forgive financial crimes that came with hundreds of millions in punishments (NBC)
‘Over half of Trump’s 88 individual pardons are for white-collar offenses, with money laundering, bank fraud and wire fraud among the most frequent crimes the president has wiped clean.’
‘Additionally, about half of the pardon recipients are either business executives or politicians. Included in the latest round of pardons, issued Thursday and Friday, were a former health care CEO, the former governor of Puerto Rico and a pair of siblings who were convicted on fraud charges — one of whom Trump previously freed for a different crime.’
‘These are aside from the group of roughly 1,500 convicted Jan. 6 rioters he pardoned on his first day back in office and additional symbolic pardons for those involved in efforts to overturn the 2020 election.’
Fmr. Special Counsel Jack Smith testifies before House committee (AP)
‘It was Smith’s first public hearing since he left the department last year, and the nearly five-hour session at the House Judiciary Committee delved into far-flung details — from former White House aide Cassidy Hutchinson’s blockbuster testimony before the Jan. 6 committee to the gag order slapped on Trump during the investigation over his efforts to intimidate witnesses.’
Epstein
House Oversight holds Clintons in contempt of Congress in Epstein probe (Axios)
‘The former president and former secretary of state failed to appear for depositions last week, prompting Oversight Republicans to pursue contempt proceedings.’
House panel to depose Ghislaine Maxwell on Feb. 9, Comer says (The Hill)
Nearly all Epstein files still unreleased a month after Congress deadline (Guardian)
‘One month after [the December 19] deadline mandated by Congress’s Epstein Files Transparency Act [...] Trump’s justice department has not complied with this law, prompting questions about when – and whether – authorities will ever release investigative documents about the late sex offender.’
FBI can’t examine devices it took from Washington Post reporter, judge rules (NBC)
Lindsey Halligan leaving US attorney’s office, Bondi says (ABC)
Fed Governor Lisa Cook seems safe from Trump firing after Supreme Court arguments (CNBC)
Misc
DOGE shared Social Security data to unauthorized server, according to court filing (CNN)
Second lady Usha Vance announces she’s pregnant with her fourth child (CNN)
South Korea’s former leader jailed for 23 years in martial law case (CNN)
New York’s congressional map must be redrawn, state judge rules (ABC)
Virginia Democrats aim for April 21 redistricting ballot (VPM)
Indiana News
MAGA Threatens “moderate” Republicans
‘We’re after you Bray’: Trump targets Indiana GOP leader as Virginia Democrats advance redistricting (WFYI)
‘President Donald Trump targeted Indiana Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray on Saturday for last month’s rejected congressional redistricting plan that would have favored the GOP.’
‘Trump, on the Truth Social platform, said Bray “betrayed the Republican Party, the President of the United States, and everyone else who wants to, MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! We’re after you Bray, like no one has ever come after you before!”’
‘The renewed criticism follows Friday’s vote in Virginia, where the Democratic-controlled legislature passed a constitutional amendment to redraw its own congressional maps before the November midterms. If voters approve the measure in a special ballot referendum, Democrats could be in position to gain as many as four House seats.’
Trump posts backing of possible challenger to a top Indiana senator over redistricting defeat (ICC)
‘President Donald Trump has taken direct aim at a high-ranking Indiana state senator who voted against the congressional redistricting plan by endorsing a potential Republican primary challenger.’
‘A social media post from Trump Thursday night blasted Sen. Travis Holdman as a RINO — Republican in name only — “who, for whatever reason, voted against Redistricting in Indiana, in a District that I won by 39 points, which puts the United States Congress in jeopardy.”’
‘Trump’s post said he would give “my Complete and Total Endorsement” to Blake Fiechter, a Bluffton City Council member whom the post called “a True America First Patriot.”’
Tippecanoe County Judge and wife shot in their home (USA Today)
‘Lafayette Police responded to a report of a shooting in a residential area about 60 miles northwest of Indianapolis on Sunday, Jan. 18, at 2:17 p.m. local time. Police found Tippecanoe Superior Court Judge Steven Meyer and his wife, Kimberly Meyer, had been shot.’
‘The judge sustained an injury to his arm, and his wife suffered an injury to her hip.’
Court Docs: Lafayette Judge shooting tied to gang members’ jury trial (RTV6)
‘Raylen Ferguson, Thomas Moss, Blake Smith, Amanda Milsap and Zenada Greer face felony charges, including conspiracy to commit murder, attempted murder and intimidation in connection with the shooting’
‘Judge Steven Meyer and his wife Kimberly, were shot on Jan.18 by Ferguson, who fired multiple rounds through their front door while pretending to look for a lost dog, a probable cause affidavit states.’
‘The shooting occurred two days before Thomas Moss, an alleged member of the Phantom Motorcycle Club, was scheduled to begin a jury trial in Meyer’s courtroom.’
Bills Moving Through Statehouse
Wages/Affordability
Senate committee adopts state tax cut for overtime and tips (ICC)
‘A key finance panel on Tuesday inserted a one-year state income tax break on overtime and tips for Hoosier workers.’
‘The amendment would cost the state $251 million in tax revenue and that loss would be covered by the growing state surplus, said Sen. Travis Holdman.’
‘The amendment would couple Indiana’s tax code to federal tax code with regard to no tax on tips, no tax on overtime and no tax on loan interest for American-made vehicles passed in the One Big Beautiful Bill that President Donald Trump pushed through Congress last summer.’
Why Applebee’s gets more from Indiana’s tax cuts than you do (IndyStar)
‘Last year’s SEA 1 was a modest short-term tax cut for households that own homes, maybe $300 a year for those with a $375,000 house and no other exemptions.’
‘Over the long term, it is almost certainly a tax increase. Local governments will have to raise income taxes to levels that are almost certain to offset all the household property tax cuts. Meanwhile, SEA 1 was among the largest state-level business tax cuts in U.S. history.’
Affordable electricity bill moves to House floor after spate of edits (ICC)
‘Indiana lawmakers on Tuesday revised their ambitious electricity bill relief and performance-based ratemaking plan — with more changes likely.’
‘House Bill 1002, a House Republican priority proposal, would reshape utility providers’ low-income customer assistance programs, block service shut-offs to those customers over dangerously hot months, put all ratepayers on predictable billing plans and refashion ratemaking into three-year plans featuring performance-based incentives.’
Indiana lawmakers axe a proposal to eliminate data center tax exemptions (IndyStar)
‘Lawmakers abruptly stripped bill language that would have eliminated state sales tax exemptions for data centers as the battle over Indiana’s data center boom rages on.’
‘Bill author Rep. Kendell Culp, R-Rensselaer, voted with his Republican colleagues to pass an amendment that deleted an entire page and several dozen additional lines from the 15-page bill.’
‘But the amendment would require data center companies to provide at least 1% of their sales tax savings to local governments, something Culp called a “pretty good compromise.”’
Culture Wars
Indiana Lawmakers Escalate Abortion Ban with Dangerous Pregnancy Policing Bill (Planned Parenthood Action)
‘SB 236 puts a bounty on providers, pharmacists, manufacturers, or even private citizens who possess or distribute abortion medications. This invites neighbors, unsupportive family members, and even abusive partners to bring suit if they believe someone is seeking an abortion, with the promise of a bounty of hundreds of thousands of dollars. The bill also empowers the Attorney General and the Inspector General to investigate Hoosiers’ pregnancy outcomes and potentially have access to private medical information.’
Firing squad, gas execution methods move out of House committee (ICC)
‘After an attempt to add firing squads to Indiana law stalled in the Senate, a House panel on Wednesday passed a bill expanding the state’s execution methods.’
‘Firing squad and nitrogen hypoxia would be allowed alongside lethal injection to carry about Indiana’s death penalty under a bill that passed 8-5 out of the House Courts and Criminal Code Committee.’
‘House Bill 1119 was amended and now moves to the full chamber.’
Indiana bail amendment advances toward November ballot (ICC)
‘A proposal to amend Indiana’s Constitution to allow judges to deny bail for certain “dangerous” defendants moved one step closer to the ballot Thursday after getting bipartisan support from the Senate.’
‘Lawmakers approved Senate Joint Resolution 1 in a 43–2 vote, sending the legislation to the House. If greenlit by that chamber, too, the proposed constitutional change will appear on the November ballot for final consideration by Hoosier voters. Democrat Sens. Lonnie Randolph, of East Chicago, and Greg Taylor, of Indianapolis, cast the only “no” votes.’
‘Supporters say the change would give courts flexibility to prevent violent crime, but critics have warned it could open the door to bias and abuse in Indiana courts before a person is convicted.’
Schools
School bathroom rules added to birth certificate gender bill (Axios)
‘A Senate committee advanced a bill Wednesday that would prohibit transgender Hoosiers from changing the sex on their birth certificates.’
‘Why it matters: The bill would codify an executive order from Gov. Mike Braun that a federal district court upheld last fall. LGBTQ+ advocates say it would cause more violence, harassment and discrimination toward an already vulnerable population.’
‘Driving the news: Senate Bill 182 would set the definitions of “sex,” “gender,” “female” and “male” throughout the state code; prohibit birth certificate changes to the sex originally recorded; and require the Department of Correction to place incarcerated individuals in facilities based on their sex assigned at birth.’
NAACP calls for changes to bill that shifts power from elected IPS board (WFYI)
‘The Greater Indianapolis NAACP is urging state lawmakers to add “safeguards” to legislation that would transfer significant financial and operational control of Indianapolis Public Schools to a new mayoral-appointed body.’
‘The organization said House Bill 1423 shifts too much authority away from the nine-member elected IPS board without adequate protections for voters and taxpayers.’
‘The bill, which is scheduled for a vote Wednesday in the House Education Committee, would create the Indianapolis Public Education Corporation’
Indiana Just Voted NO on Feeding Hungry Students (MADVoters)
‘Indiana Just Voted NO on Feeding Hungry Students SB1 Amendment 2’
‘The amendment would have allowed Indiana to participate in the SUN Bucks program, a federal initiative providing summer SNAP benefits to eligible children. These funds are a lifeline for food security when school is out of session.’
The Fiscal Reality:
This isn’t ‘new’ debt. This is federal money already funded by your tax dollars. Because Indiana declined to participate, that $76M will now be redistributed to help children in other states. Hoosier taxes are feeding kids, just not Hoosier kids.
Braun opts into new federal school choice program (ICC)
‘Gov. Mike Braun announced Thursday that Indiana will opt into a new initiative allowing Hoosiers to collect federal tax savings for investments made in K-12 scholarships.’
‘The new federal tax credit was established under President Donald Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill and applies to charitable contributions made to scholarship-granting organizations that serve eligible K-12 students.’
STRAIGHT TICKET STUMBLES: Bipartisan push to reform voting is meeting familiar resistance (Indiana Citizen)
‘A bipartisan group of Indiana lawmakers are trying again this year to shift the state away from straight-ticket voting – but say they are running into familiar roadblocks that are likely to stymie their hopes of changing how Hoosiers cast their ballots in time for this year’s midterm elections.’
‘Reps. Ed Clere, R-New Albany, and Cory Criswell, R-Middletown, both proposed bills that would eliminate straight-ticket voting, which allows voters to back a party’s entire slate of candidates by marking one box on their ballots.’
‘But so far in the General Assembly’s 2026 legislative session, the only bill related to straight-ticket voting to advance in committee is one authored by Rep. Zach Payne, R-Charlestown – and it moves in the opposite direction. Payne’s bill would allow party-line votes to count in some local at-large races, where voters currently are required to select candidates individually. It would undo a change lawmakers made to the state’s voting laws a decade ago’
Rural homelessness growing faster than cities (ICC)
‘Rural areas saw a 16.6% increase in people experiencing homelessness between 2023 and 2025, according to Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority data. During that same time period, urban areas saw a 9.4% increase.’
‘Those figures don’t tell the full story – “homelessness in rural areas is more complex and often harder to see,” said Brandi Pirtle, housing director for Jeffersonville-based New Hope Services.’
‘Rural homelessness, Pirtle noted is “frequently undercounted,” because it doesn’t neatly fit Housing and Urban Development categories.’
‘Another reason PIT data doesn’t provide a complete picture is that it only covers one day. Pirtle said many families are “doubled-up” – they share a living space but it isn’t permanent or stable. Those families get missed by PIT counts.’
‘“You don’t find the couch surfers, folks that are hidden in the woods or that pop in and out of a friend’s home,” via PIT counts, Jason Hayes, executive director of the men’s residence center at the Evansville Rescue Mission, said.’
