L.A. mayor wants to reconstruct fire zone 'in a more equitable and environmentally sustainable way'

L.A. mayor wants to reconstruct fire zone 'in a more equitable and environmentally sustainable way'

Bob Unruh

High school sports team cannot be for boys or girls, under the leftist ideologies demanded by Joe Biden while he was in office, ideas that President Donald Trump now is purging from the government. They had to be "equitable."

So had to be hiring practices even for jobs that demand extraordinary skills, such as military positions.

Federal grants, likewise. Literally everything had to be "equitable."

So with Los Angeles facing a massive rebuilding program after wildfires destroyed an estimated 12,000 buildings, mostly homes, the mayor's priority is to be "equitable."

"The owners of Palisades better get those recall petitions ready," explained one social media post about the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of mega-fancy homes and properties, as Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a longtime leftist, "plans to hire an outside consultant to rebuild Palisades 'in a more equitable and environmentally sustainable way.'"

LA Mayor Karen Bass is hiring an ‘outside consultant’ to rebuild the Pacific Palisades in a more equitable and environmentally sustainable way. She intends to award the contract without authorization from the property owners.

Others cited evidence of her mismanagement.

A report from the Independent Sentinel noted she's made her decision "without any consultant with the residents."

It explained, "The firm will represent the city's interests in the wildfire recovery process, including performing damage assessments, monitoring air and water quality, interacting with various federal agencies, and ensuring that the city gets as much federal reimbursement as possible, according to chief recovery officer Steve Soboroff."

Soboroff also hinted that the city would control any federal money allocated, the report said.

President Donald Trump recently, visiting the stricken zones, said people needed to be allowed to get to their properties and start work as they wish, more or less immediately.

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Jolani Declares Himself President Of Syria After Canceling Elections & Constitution

Jolani Declares Himself President Of Syria After Canceling Elections & Constitution

TYLER DURDEN

Last month the de facto leader of Syria, Abu Mohammad al-Jolani (aka Ahmad al-Sharaa), told Al Arabiya TV that it would take up to four years in hold new elections after Assad was ousted and fled the country on Dec. 8. This obviously undemocratic pronouncement was met with silence among Western leaders, who had long supported the anti-Assad 'revolution' and regime change efforts.

In a 'victory' speech given Wednesday night, Jolani declared himself president of Syria, claiming that this would be for an unspecified transitional period. "We announce the appointment of Commander Ahmad al-Sharaa as head of state during the transitional period. He will assume the duties of the president of the Syrian Arab Republic and represent the country in international forums," a statement said.

"The president is authorized to form a temporary legislative council for the transitional phase, which will carry out its duties until a permanent constitution is enacted and put into effect," the announcement added.

The statement further confirmed the cancellation of Syria's 2012 constitution and the dissolution of the former government's parliament, the army, as well as security agencies, state SANA noted. Additionally all armed factions which previously fought Assad and the Syrian army have been declared dissolved and will be integrated into state institutions.

Western mainstream media spent years whitewashing the hardline Islamist-led regime change war, as it was also backed by US intelligence, NATO allies, and the Gulf states. Al-Qaeda linked militants were presented all along as somehow being enlightened Jeffersonian Democrats. 

Yet CNN admits that Jolani/Sharaa himself - Syria's new self-appointed president - is a foreign fighter with clear past links to ISIS:

Al-Sharaa became a Syrian “foreign fighter” in his early 20s, crossing into Iraq to fight the Americans when they invaded the country in the spring of 2003. That eventually landed him in the notorious US-run Iraqi prison, Camp Bucca, which became a key recruiting ground for terrorist groups, including what would become ISIS.

Freed from Camp Bucca, he crossed back into Syria and started fighting against the Baathist Assad regime, doing so with the backing of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, who would later become the founder of ISIS.

In Syria, he founded a militant group known as Jabhat al-Nusra (“the Victory Front” in English), which pledged allegiance to al Qaeda, but in 2016, he broke away from the terror group, according to the US Center for Naval Analyses.

As we've documented previously, this solidifies Islamist hold over Damascus for the long term, or what is essentially rule by al-Qaeda in suits. Even Washington still considers Jolani's Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group a foreign terror organization, according to current law and designations.

This means sanctions on Syria are still in place, which has only made the common population's suffering more acute, as there's hardly any electricity or fuel, and medicine and food remains an immense difficulty. As for Syria's new unelected autocrat, he's expected to soon travel to Saudi Arabia in his first official trip abroad.

Texas rocked by two earthquakes in less than 24 hours with up to 4.5 magnitude

Texas rocked by two earthquakes in less than 24 hours with up to 4.5 magnitude

ELLYN LAPOINTE 

A magnitude 4.5 earthquake rocked southern Texas Wednesday night, striking nearly 45 miles southwest of the city of San Antonio.

The US Geological Survey (USGS) detected the seismic event at 9:26pm CT near Falls City, measuring it at a depth of about 2.3 miles.  

The quake ranks as the third-strongest earthquake ever to hit South Texas, following a magnitude 4.8 quake in 2011 and a 4.7 quake in February 2024 that also hit near Falls City.

Wednesday's earthquake was followed by a magnitude 2.6 aftershock that struck 10.5 miles south-southeast of Stockdale, Texas around 1:17am Thursday. 

No damages or injuries have been reported from either of the quakes. 

But could be more tremors to come. The USGS predicted a 36 percent chance of magnitude 3 aftershocks following the main quake.  

The USGS 'Did You Feel It' system, which logs reports of ground shaking felt throughout the US, has received 679 reports from people who say they felt the Falls City quake.

Most of these reports came from the area immediately around the epicenter and east of San Antonio, but some say they felt shaking as far north as the town of Whitney, Texas, which lies 200 miles away.

The Urgent Call to “Return to Base” & The Chopper’s Strange Movements Make No Sense (VIDEO)

The Urgent Call to “Return to Base” & The Chopper’s Strange Movements Make No Sense (VIDEO)

Grant Stinchfield

Investigators are going to have to look at every possible reason a military Black Hawk Helicopter could crash into an American Airlines passenger jet landing at Reagan Airport in D.C.

The calls from air traffic controllers for the helicopter to “return to base” raise serious concerns over what may have caused this crash.

We even pulled the altitude and flight tracking data that revealed sharp zig-zags and a sudden drop in altitude moments before the crash.  Here are the possible reasons behind the disaster:

Mechanical Failure

Air Traffic Control Failure

Human Error

Nefarious Action

Pilot Suicide

Computer Hack

We have the audio of that “return to base” call, as well as the altitude data you have to see and hear to believe.

More, video

Initial FAA Report Indicates Staffing at DCA Air Traffic Control Tower Was “Not Normal” at Time of Chopper-Plane Collision

Mysterious Wildfires Breakout Near North Carolina Towns Destroyed by Hurricane Helene

Mysterious Wildfires Breakout Near North Carolina Towns Destroyed by Hurricane Helene

Anthony Scott

Three wildfires have erupted near North Carolina towns that were severely impacted by Hurricane Helene last year.

The first wildfire, called the Crooked Creek Fire, started in McDowell County on Wednesday. It burned nearly 250 acres and was only 55% contained.

A second wildfire, the North Fork Fire, started hours after the Crooked Creek Fire burned 60 acres and is 0% contained.

The McDowell County Emergency Services stated, “Local fire departments are on scene and working in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service to provide structure protection and monitor fire behavior.”

“Emergency personnel will continue to remain on-site throughout the day to monitor the situation and ensure further containment of the fire,” added fire officials.

There have been no fatalities or injuries from teh wildfires as of Thursday morning.

A second wildfire has erupted in western North Carolina’s McDowell County, an area that was ravaged by Hurricane Helene just four months ago, nearly to the day, officials said. The fire, dubbed the North Fork Fire, comes a day after the Crooked Creek Fire suddenly arose in the county’s town of Old Fort, a town of just 800 people.

McDowell County Emergency Services said Thursday morning that they are actively monitoring the North Fork Fire, which has so far grown to 60 acres and is 0% contained. At this time, the department said, “there is no imminent threat to structures.”

“Local fire departments are on scene and working in coordination with the U.S. Forest Service to provide structure protection and monitor fire behavior,” the department said. “Crews will continue containment efforts throughout the day.”

The North Fork Fire, which is in the town of Marion, arose just hours after the Crooked Creek Fire developed in Old Fort. Originally, McDowell emergency officials described Crooked Creek as “out of control.” In their latest update just before 7 a.m. local time on Thursday, they said that the fire had grown to an estimated 250 acres and was 55% contained and that “significant progress” had been made overnight.

“Winds diminished and relative humidity increased leading to lower fire activity,” officials said, adding that the progress meant that evacuation orders for affected areas would be lifted at 8 a.m. local time. “Emergency personnel will continue to remain on-site throughout the day to monitor the situation and ensure further containment of the fire.”

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