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Weathered, not withered: Erika Kirk shares Charlie’s blueprint for suffering, living well
One week before the first anniversary of her late husband Charlie Kirk’s murder, Erika Kirk visited Christian school students in St. Joseph, Missouri, giving them a blueprint on how to suffer well and live out their God-given lives. The Turning Point USA CEO took the stage with a light joke about the long walk to the podium before somberly reflecting on the long week she had at the trial of Charlie’s accused assassin, Tyler Robinson.
‘Dark moment for America’: Charlie Kirk ‘assassinated’ at university event
Conservative commentator Charlie Kirk, 31, has died after being shot at an event on Wednesday at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. President Donald Trump called it a “heinous assassination.” Video circulating on X appears to show Kirk get shot in the neck while seated and speaking on the topic of gang violence. Kirk appears to slump to the side after being struck. He was rushed to the hospital and did not survive.
In religious liberty win, Herzog Foundation granted injunction in case over Biden-era pregnancy rule
A Christian nonprofit does not have to follow a federal rule that would mandate abortion accommodations, a federal court ruled in a preliminary injunction on Tuesday.
Pro-family panel warns of ideological dangers to American children, families - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — The greatest threats facing children today are the spread of radical ideologies through social media and the cultural apathy that enables their influence. That is according to a panel of trailblazing experts assembled at the International Christian Media Convention, dubbed NRB 2025, to discuss “Protecting Foundations of the Family.” Moderated by Chris Stigall, host of the Lion Week in Review, the panelists emphasized the particularly heinous nature of radical gender ideology.
Ohio State beats Notre Dame in National Championship; both QBs praise Jesus
Only one team got to take home the College Football Playoff National Championship Trophy Monday night, but both quarterbacks reflected on the game’s result by drawing on their faith. “First and foremost, I’ve got to give the glory and praise to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I wouldn’t be here without him,” said quarterback Will Howard of the Ohio State Buckeyes, in an on-field interview just after his team’s win.
From dressing room to living room: Harrison Butker wants to elevate men through tailored excellence
It’s no coincidence the NFL’s sharpest kicker has launched a made-to-measure menswear company. “I’ve always been drawn to dressing well,” says the Kansas City Chiefs’ Harrison Butker, who approaches his wardrobe with the same discipline as a game-winning kick, believing excellence will follow. It’s working.
Republicans elect Sen. John Thune as next Senate majority leader - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Senator John Thune, R-South Dakota, was elected to be the next Senate majority leader on Wednesday, eight days after Republicans won a 53-seat majority in the Senate. Thune, the current Senate minority whip, will replace Mitch McConnell, R-Kentucky, who is the “longest serving Senate party leader,” the Associate Press reports. “I am extremely honored to have earned the support of my colleagues,” Thune said in a statement, according to the AP.
How did Sen. Hawley help secure funding for Missouri’s Fort Leonard Wood? - The Heartlander
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Missouri, pushed top Army brass over two years, publicly and privately, to fund new military housing at Fort Leonard Wood (FLW) in the heart of Missouri’s Ozarks. So why is St. Louis NBC affiliate KSDK claiming Hawley’s campaign boast to have secured the funding is false?
'Maria' Role Lands Angelina Jolie In Oscar Race
Angelina Jolie is well-regarded in the film industry. In 2000, she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Girl, Interrupted. Her roles in the action films Wanted and Mr. and Mrs. Smith made her a household name. In 2009, she was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her lead performance in Changeling. She’s once again in Oscar contention with her latest role as opera singer Maria Callas in the biopic Maria.
'Maria' Role Lands Angelina Jolie In Oscar Race
Angelina Jolie is well-regarded in the film industry. In 2000, she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Girl, Interrupted. Her roles in the action films Wanted and Mr. and Mrs. Smith made her a household name. In 2009, she was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar for her lead performance in Changeling. She’s once again in Oscar contention with her latest role as opera singer Maria Callas in the biopic Maria.
'Only Murders In The Building’ Redefines Murder Mystery
Hulu may have stuck gold when they took a shot on Only Murders in the Building. Actually, there is no “may”; they did strike gold with this show. The show completely redefined what a murder mystery is. While a typical murder mystery TV show is tense and suspenseful, Only Murders in the Building is fun, whimsical, and zany. Despite the tone change, the show maintains the common tropes that many mystery fans know and love.
Inside Out 2 Reaches $1 Billion In The Overseas Box Office
The Walt Disney Company has a way with film. In 1937, Walt released the first feature-length animated film. Almost 100 years later, they are still paving the way by having the first animated film to reach the $1 billion mark at the international box office. Although there are 12 other films for which Disney has totaled over $1 billion, it’s been done with the addition of domestic box office totals. Inside Out 2, did it without the domestic total added in.
Inside Out 2 Reaches $1 Billion In The Overseas Box Office
The Walt Disney Company has a way with film. In 1937, Walt released the first feature-length animated film. Almost 100 years later, they are still paving the way by having the first animated film to reach the $1 billion mark at the international box office. Although there are 12 other films for which Disney has totaled over $1 billion, it’s been done with the addition of domestic box office totals. Inside Out 2, did it without the domestic total added in.
RFK suspends campaign, supports Trump for president, says Dems ‘abandoned democracy’ - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced Friday he is suspending his presidential campaign and supporting Republican nominee Donald Trump for president. The independent candidate made his announcement in a speech in Phoenix, Arizona, hours before Trump will hold a rally in Glendale with a “special guest” widely rumored to be Kennedy himself.
Francis Ford Coppola's Epic Utopian Future Film
One of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Francis Ford Coppola, takes on what might be his most ambitious project. Having the idea begun in the 1980s, Coppola takes a swing at his magnum opus to critique modern society and offer a potentially new route for humanity to take. But genius doesn’t come without its critiques, as hinted at in the ‘Megalopolis’ trailer. Let’s look at what to expect and the controversy it brought.
'Memento' 2000 Critical Reception And Important Themes
It’s been 24 years since the Christopher Nolan film ‘Memento’ hit theaters. The big question now is: what was the critical reception, and what are the important themes? Overall, the film was widely regarded as incredible when it was released, but does that opinion hold up? The themes of memories and what constitutes reality for people are still being looked at to this day. A lot of concern comes from how relevant they are today.
Exclusive: Gavin Newsom campaigned for Biden 2 miles from Trump shooter Crooks’ home the day before Crooks snapped - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Trump shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks began focusing on the former president and his upcoming Butler, Pennsylvania rally around July 6, FBI Director Christopher Wray told the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday. But the day before that pivotal moment, on July 5, California Gov. Gavin Newsom stumped for President Joe Biden just two miles from Crooks’ home – using apocalyptic terms to warn a small crowd about the alleged dangers of a Trump presidency.
‘By the grace of Almighty God’: Could this be Trump’s 1981 Reagan moment? - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — “Getting shot hurts,” wrote President Ronald Reagan in his White House diary entry for March 31, 1981, a day after an assassin’s bullet pierced his flesh, breaking a rib and puncturing the lung where it became lodged. As the president lay in the emergency room, drawing breaths but “getting less and less air,” he had a spiritual awakening of sorts, and he made a vow to serve God from that day forward.
Supreme Court strikes down injunction against government censorship via big tech, citing plaintiffs’ standing - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — In a 6-3 ruling Wednesday, the Supreme Court of the United States ruled in favor of the Biden administration in a lawsuit brought by two state attorneys general and five social media users, who the majority argued lacked the standing to sue over government-coerced censorship of conservatives online. The lawsuit in the case, known as Murthy v.
Missouri State hires DEI champion as next president - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Red states tend to take one step forward and two steps back on inclusivity, asserted the next president of Missouri State University, Richard Williams. The former high school athletic trainer, who goes by “Biff” and has been a university president for 10 years, made the remarks during an open forum on Feb. 15, when he was one of three finalists for the Missouri State job.
As 2024 nears, DeSantis, Haley remain opening acts to Trump
The 2024 election cycle kicks off in one month with presidential nominating contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. On Jan. 15, Iowa will hold its caucus, which has long marked the beginning of the presidential election season. And then the following week, New Hampshire will have the nation's first presidential primary on Jan. 23. With President Biden running as an incumbent, the action in the early nominating states is largely on the Republican side. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, Florida Gov.
New Hampshire is expected to set a primary date that will buck Biden's preference
At a press conference later today, New Hampshire's top election official is expected to announce that his state will hold its 2024 presidential primary in January, defying the Democratic National Committee, which had urged the state to hold its primary after South Carolina. "I don't think it's a secret that we're going to be going ahead of South Carolina, which puts us into January," New Hampshire Secretary of State David Scanlan said to reporters in September.
Christian Teacher of the Year: Joseph Cox takes his students to ‘court’ to put their faith on trial, preparing them for college and life
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the linchpin of the Christian faith. So how do you teach Christian school students to believe and defend it? Put the belief on trial. That’s exactly what theology and English teacher Joseph Cox has his students do at Lutheran High School South in Saint Louis, Missouri each year as part of the capstone project of Apologetics, a class about presenting and defending the faith.
Three school district officials signed off on grant for ‘gender-affirming closet’ in Kansas City-area district months before belated rejection - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Despite Kansas City-area Liberty Public Schools’ previous statement denying it applied for a grant for a “gender-affirming closet,” documents obtained by The Lion reveal three high-level district officials signed off on the application. In addition, the application itself states that district staff even helped shape the project. “Our district did not apply for the grant,” a spokesman for the district told The Lion Aug. 7, in response to an inquiry.
Criticism over lawmaker’s flip-flop on open enrollment continues as Missouri Senate has two weeks to act on House bill - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — As the fate of a House-passed open enrollment bill is with the Senate, one Missouri lawmaker remains in hot water over his reversal on the issue. Missouri Rep. Chris Lonsdale, R-Liberty, took heat in March for voting against HB 253 – a bill that would allow public school students to enroll in schools outside of their residential districts – after promising during his election campaign to support it and other school choice measures.
Missouri school board member took heat for telling the truth and asking questions, then was stripped of VP title weeks before election - The Heartlander
When Springfield, Missouri residents cast their votes Tuesday in the local school board race, they will decide two of seven seats which control the district and its employed administrators. “The board has full legislative authority and control of the district as provided for in state law,” the SPS website states plainly. It may come as a surprise, then, that one apparently inquisitive board member, Dr. Maryam Mohammadkhani, may have lost her VP role in a 4-3 vote Feb.
‘He flip-flopped': Missouri legislator one of three in hot water over about-face on school choice - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Missouri Rep. Chris Lonsdale, R-Liberty, is taking heat for voting against an open enrollment bill last week after promising during his election campaign to support it and other school choice measures. The conflict was apparent on Twitter Wednesday, where screenshots of Lonsdale’s pledge to support specific school choice measures, including open enrollment, were shared.
1 in every 5 Missouri schools is at risk of losing full accreditation after latest test scores plummet 25% statewide - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Missouri assessment test results from 2021-22 were released Tuesday, revealing breathtaking performance drops leaving more than 100 school districts short of the full accreditation mark.
Two school choice bills pass committee, head to Missouri Senate floor - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Two bills to expand school choice in Missouri passed out of the Senate Committee on Education and Workforce Development on Tuesday. SB 360, sponsored by Sen. Koenig, R-District 15, would expand the state’s MOScholars program, which currently funds scholarships worth just over $6,000 per student for families to use on qualifying educational expenses, including private school tuition.
Nearly 40% of Missouri’s $10B education dept. budget reflects ‘mission creep’ and ‘bureaucratic bloat,' says lawmaker - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Of the $10 billion allotted to K-12 education in Missouri’s current budget, $4 billion may never make it to the classroom. If that staggering amount of money alarms taxpayers and school parents, they’re not alone. It’s a big concern for Rep. Doug Richey, R-District 39, who chairs the Joint Committee on Education in the Missouri Assembly.
Kansas City-area school district quietly removes alarming ‘designer baby’ assignment with eugenic overtones after mom's concerns - The Heartlander
(The Lion) — Students in a Missouri middle school were given a genetics assignment suggesting traits such as “skinny,” blond hair and gray or blue eyes are the most valuable. If that sounds frighteningly similar to eugenics, the monstrous and discredited view of racial improvement that motivated the likes of Hitler, you’re in good company: So thinks the mother who discovered the assignment and immediately contacted the district, Liberty Public Schools in Liberty, Missouri, a Kansas City suburb.
Third KC teacher in 2 weeks charged with sex crimes involving students and minors - The Heartlander
Does the public school system have a serious child sex abuse problem? Some experts and lawmakers say yes. In Kansas City alone, three area teachers have been charged with serious sex crimes in just the last two weeks. They join a shockingly long list of this year’s misbehaving teachers, arrested at a one-per-day clip.
Biden’s DOJ sicced the FBI on pro-life father, arrested in front of his children in guns-drawn morning raid - The Heartlander
A pro-life volunteer and father of seven was arrested on questionable charges by the FBI in a SWAT raid involving around 20 federal agents with guns drawn, even as his wife and children, some of whom were screaming, looked on. Mark Houck regularly spends his Wednesdays offering “sidewalk counsel” at two abortion centers in Philadelphia, according to Life News. He also runs a Catholic ministry for men, encouraging them to live out Christian values.
Missouri school district walks back controversial transgender policy after backlash - The Heartlander
A Missouri school board voted unanimously on Tuesday to rescind its controversial transgender policy after a published letter raised suspicions about how it got passed in the first place. The Blair Oaks schools district near Jefferson City, Missouri, had unanimously approved a transgender policy in Nov. 2020.
Missouri’s Park Hill School District refuses to answer questions about teacher who was investigated for solicitation and may have quietly resigned - The Heartlander
A large Missouri public school district refuses to answer questions about its investigation of a teacher accused of soliciting a minor, and a quiet resignation may put other kids at risk.
Tuesday is the final day for primary contests before November. Here's what to watch
The 2022 primary season comes to a close Tuesday. While nominees in other states have hit the campaign trail gearing up for November, voters in Delaware, New Hampshire and Rhode Island will decide on their picks with fewer than two months to go until the general election. Perhaps the most-watched state is New Hampshire, where the stakes are high in the five-way Republican Senate primary. The winner of that race will take on incumbent Democratic Sen.
Herzog Foundation catapults 215 students into over 40 Missouri schools with ESA scholarships in just two months - The Heartlander
If the Herzog Foundation is an aircraft carrier, its ESA program is a 30-ton aircraft launched into flight with just 300 feet of runway. Since July 1, when Missouri’s Empowerment Scholarship Accounts Program began accepting applications, the Herzog Tomorrow Foundation has awarded $1.37 million in scholarships to 215 students attending over 40 schools. And the program has recipient families soaring.
As Gunstock turmoil continues, mountain's future remains cloudy
Gunstock Area Commission Chairman Peter Ness resigned Friday, the latest development in the long-running feud over control of the Belknap-County owned Gunstock Mountain Resort. Ness, of Belmont, had an antagonistic relationship with the top Gunstock Mountain Resort managers who resigned en masse last week, complaining of improper micromanagement by the commission that oversees operations at the mountain and by the lawmakers who appoint the commission.
Smith hopes blend of conservative activism, government work finds support in GOP Senate primary
When Kevin Smith launched his campaign for U.S. Senate earlier this year, he stressed pocketbook issues and emphasized how he would represent a changing of the political guard. “What Republican voters, what independent voters are looking for is that new generation of conservative leadership, which is what I represent,” Smith told reporters after filing his candidate papers at the State House in June.
Gunstock board members face fresh calls to resign; County asks AG to watch resort bank accounts
The Belknap County Commission is calling for two members of the independent board that oversees the county-owned Gunstock Resort to resign, following the mass resignation of the resort’s senior management amid claims of political meddling by the board.
N.H. sues chain pharmacies over opioid dispensing
The state of New Hampshire is suing the nation’s largest pharmacy chains — including CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens — alleging the companies failed to stop “a flood of prescription opioids” that fueled the addiction epidemic of the past decade. The suit, filed in Merrimack County Superior Court Tuesday, says the pharmacies failed to create systems to identify, investigate and report suspicious orders of prescription opioids, and fraudulently concealed that failure.
N.H. sues chain pharmacies over opioid dispensing
The state of New Hampshire is suing the nation’s largest pharmacy chains — including CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens — alleging the companies failed to stop “a flood of prescription opioids” that fueled the addiction epidemic of the past decade. The suit, filed in Merrimack County Superior Court Tuesday, says the pharmacies failed to create systems to identify, investigate and report suspicious orders of prescription opioids, and fraudulently concealed that failure.
AG clears House candidate for satirical web post inviting Massachusetts voters to cast ballots in N.H.
The state Department of Justice has cleared a candidate running for the New Hampshire House for posting a satirical video to TikTok in which she invited people living in Massachusetts to board New Hampshire-bound buses and cast ballots in the state. The candidate, Democrat Kathleen Cavalaro of Rochester, says the video was a joke meant to highlight false claims of voter fraud made by Republicans in recent years. "You can actually vote for me.
Long a force inside State House, Morse seeks traction on the outside in Senate run
When he filed his campaign papers in the Republican primary for U.S. Senate last month, state Senate President Chuck Morse told reporters that while he’s now seeking a higher office, his bottom line remains the same: “I’m going to do what’s right for the state of New Hampshire,” Morse said. “I’ve done that in New Hampshire and I will do that in Washington. And I’m not changing.” Morse, 61, entered the race for U.S. Senate this year as a known quantity to the state’s Republican establishment.
Council approves Veterans Campus, temporary staffing at N.H. Veterans home
New Hampshire’s Executive Council has unanimously approved spending more than $30 million to benefit local veterans. The bulk of money, nearly $23 million in federal funding, is earmarked for a Veterans Housing and Retreat Center in Franklin. The 15-acre site will include permanent and transitional housing. It will be managed by Easterseals New Hampshire, which – until last year – ran its Farnum North addiction treatment campus there.
Sununu predicts limited political effect from Dobbs ruling; faults GOP response to Jan 6th hearings
Gov. Chris Sununu says he’s not convinced last week’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling revoking a constitutional right to abortion or the ongoing hearings of the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6th insurrection are likely to swing elections in New Hampshire.
As N.H. GOP candidates jockey for Senate nomination, name recognition proves elusive
When Don Bolduc worked the room inside the Windham library last week, it didn’t take long to shake hands. After all, just 12 people turned out. But Bolduc didn’t seem to mind. The 62-year-old retired U.S. Army brigadier general, flanked by his service dog Victor, spoke and took questions for close to two hours. “I’m telling you, across the state, it’s an unbelievable groundswell,” Bolduc said.
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Where does that leave abortion access in N.H.?
The conservative majority on the U.S. Supreme Court has overturned Roe v. Wade, effectively ending the constitutional right to an abortion in the United States. The ruling effectively puts abortion policy in the hands of the states. At this time, abortion remains legal up to 24 weeks in New Hampshire. NHPR's Health and Equity Reporter Alli Fam and Senior Political Reporter Josh Rogers have been following the potential local effects of this decision.
Sununu, Sherman enter Governor's race on near equal financial footing
The year’s first campaign finance filings show Gov. Chris Sununu and Democrat Tom Sherman on relatively equal footing. Sununu’s campaign committee raised about $814,000 from 457 donors this year, according to records posted to the New Hampshire Secretary of State’s website. The three-term incumbent is entering primary season with about $715,000 in his campaign account. Rye state Sen. Tom Sherman, the lone Democrat running for governor, collected more than $821,000 from more than 6,000 donors.
Loaded pistols now allowed on ATVs, snowmobiles in N.H.
A new law signed by Gov. Chris Sununu will allow people to carry a loaded pistol or revolver while operating a snowmobile or ATV. The measure was championed by 2nd Amendment advocates as a way to ensure that gun rights extend to operators of off-road vehicles. Sununu vetoed a similar bill last year because that proposal also included a provision that would have eliminated the state's gun background check system.
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