Author: Alex Trent

A new recall for Tesla’s “Cybertruck” pickup truck model was announced in documents by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration(NHTSA), which will affect over 11,000 trucks. According to the documents, a cosmetic sail applique attached with adhesive located on the trunk’s bed trim can fall off and become a road hazard. This is now the fourth recall for Tesla’s Cybertruck which only began shipping to customers in late 2023. Cybertruck Defect Source: Tesla/X The NHTSA lays out a description of the defect that effects Model Year 2024 Cybertrucks. “The Cybertruck is equipped with a cosmetic applique along the exterior of…

On Monday, civil liberty groups banned together to filed a lawsuit that attempts to block a new Louisana law that would require displays of the Ten Commandments in every state public classroom. The lawsuit argues that this law violates the United States First Amendment of the Constitution regarding the government making establishments of religion and the separation of church and state. Lawsuit Promise Source: wirestock/freepik The Lousiana ACLU previously announced an intent to file a lawsuit following the passage of HB 71 earlier this month. “The American Civil Liberties Union, the American Civil Liberties Union of Louisiana, Americans United for…

Julian Assange, the founder of Wikileaks, was set free from a five-year stay in a British prison this week. This release follows an earlier request from the Australian parliament this year that called on both the US and the UK to allow Assange to return home to his native country. It’s unclear what the exact details were that led to his release, but as part of the release, Assange has agreed to plead guilty in a US court for violating the Espionage Act. Plea Deal Source: Sora Shimazaki/Pexels The story of Assange’s plea deal is still developing, and the guilty…

On Monday, The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from the Biden administration which is trying to stop states from passing bans on gender-affirming care for transgender minors. The battle for gender-affirming care has become a national political flashpoint, as divisive the discussion becomes spotlighted ahead of the upcoming general election. Request for Review Source: Gage Skidmore/Wikimedia Commons Last year, The Biden administration, through the Department of Justice, asked the Supreme Court to review the state of Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors and whether it “violates the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment.”  “This case is…

A recent political backlash against diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs spearheaded by Florida is spreading to more states as DEI opponents rack up legislative wins. Recently, Utah signed an anti-DEI bill into law that will soon go into effect on July 1, joining at least 22 states where DEI measures have been put into place either banning or rolling back the practice. Focus on Identity Source: Vote Katy Hall/ Facebook Opponents of DEI feel that the idea behind its initiatives puts too much of a focus on a person’s identity, and these critics want a return to meritocracy in…

Heavy rain and overflowing rivers caused extreme devastation across parts of Iowa over the weekend resulting in widespread damage and evacuations. In several areas, there were disaster declarations and one town was completely cut off from the rest of Iowa for hours due to historic flood water levels. Rain and Flooding Source: NOAA/Unsplash Roger Vachalek, meteorologist for the National Weather Service told NBC News that a combination of factors was responsible for the historic flooding events. According to Vachalek, direct rain was the impetus for the flooding, but there was also an overflowing of rivers that left their containers and…

The latest casualty from the effects of California’s new $20 minimum wage increase for fast food workers is a longstanding McDonald’s franchise that had been in operation for over 30 years. In an interview with ABC, franchise owner Scott Rodrick described the decision to close his restaurant as “gut-wrenching.” Closing Statement Source: Brett Jordan/Unsplash In a statement, Rodrick confirmed the decision to close down the McDonald’s at Stonestown Galleria shopping mall in San Francisco. “It has never been as challenging in my 30 years of owning a franchise in California as it is today,” Rodrick said. Two Factors Source: JP…

Sylvia Gonzalez, a 76-year-old grandmother and an ex-Texas councilwoman won big in a lawsuit allowance ruling by the US Supreme Court on Thursday after serving jail time that she alleges was a result of political retaliation. Gonzalez in 2019 organized a petition to remove the city manager of Castle Hills, Texas from office. Afterward, she was jailed for mishandling a government document, charges that were eventually dropped, and ones she claims were levied in retaliation to her political actions. Gonzalez Lawsuit Source: Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash Gonzalez and her representatives from the nonprofit group Institute for Justice sued the Mayor…

A new ruling by the California Supreme Court has stripped a provision that would have been on the ballot this November. With this decision, the court has sided in the legal fight with Governor Gavin Newsom and California Democrats against business groups and taxpayer advocates. The ballot measure, which would have needed to be approved by voters, would have changed the current system and required new tax hikes in the state to get voter approval before they could become law. California Supreme Court Decision Source: Tingey Injury Law Firm/Unsplash On Thursday, the California Supreme Court ruled on questions regarding the…

California Governor Gavin Newsom went on a rant on the social media platform X in response to efforts by Senate Republicans to block a bill that would have outlawed bump stocks, a gun accessory that critics argue causes unnecessary harm. Recently, the Supreme Court struck down a previous ban on bump stocks issued via federal regulations under former President Donald Trump. Supreme Court Decision Source: Claire Anderson/Unsplash Last week, the Supreme Court in a 6-3 decision overturned a Trump-era ban on bump stocks, a gun accessory that allows you to effectively increase the firing rate of certain guns. In the…