Category: Uncategorized

11-30-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 11-29-25

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Politics

National Guard Shooting

We begin in Washington DC where two uniformed national guardsmen were shot on Wednesday. 20 year old Sarah Beckstrom and 24 year old Andrew Wolf were part of the West Virginia National Guard deployment to the Capital. The two were sworn in less than 24 hours before the attack. Jeanine Pirro spoke on Thanksgiving day alongside FBI director Kash Patel and Mayor Muriel Bowser. She revealed that the shooter drove across the country from his home in Bellingham, Washington. Using a .357 revolver he attacked the guardsmen on the street before being subdued and taken into custody. He entered the United States from Afghanistan in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, following Biden’s Afghan withdrawal. Kash Patel indicated that the shooter is confirmed to have a relationship with partner forces in Afghanistan. He was initially charged with three counts of assault with intent to kill while armed and possession of a firearm during a crime of violence. However, on Friday, Sarah Beckstrom succumbed to her wounds and the shooter is now charged with first degree murder. The president has signaled intent to pause immigration from third world countries and to “denaturalize immigrants who undermine domestic tranquility”. MS NOW Correspondent Ken Dilanian drew criticism for statements that some Americans are unhappy that people in uniforms are walking around American cities. Andrew Wild is still listed in critical condition.

Jeanine Pirro Press Conference

Trump Initial Response (Truth Social)

Trump Announces Death of Sarah Beckstrom

Kash Patel Statement

Dan Crenshaw Criticism of MS NOW

Initial News Coverage

Video of Attack

“Seditious Six”

We reported last week on Elizabeth Slotkin and 5 other democrats who published a video imploring military to refuse illegal orders. The Department of War released a response this week. They noted that retired Naval Captain Mark Kelly is still subject to the uniform code of military justice. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth referred to the group as the “seditious six” and said that their words put soldiers at risk. Slotkin herself has admitted that she is unaware of any illegal orders being issued. She expressed fear that we are going to see law enforcement and military shooting civilians

Department of War Statement

JD Vance Statement on Illegal Orders

Ron Desantis Statement on Congressional Video

Slotkin Nervous Military Will Shoot Civilians

Slotkin Admits No Illegal Orders

Marjorie Taylor Green Retires

A story I missed last week, republican representative Marjorie Taylor Green released an 11 minute video to X last weekend. Citing congressional gridlock, attacks and lack of loyalty from Trump, she also complained of rising debt and increasing influence of big businesses and foreign governments on American politics. Her resignation from congress will take effect January 5, 2026 and will leave the seat vacant.

MTG Retirement Video

MTG Retirement Written Statement

Florida Puppy Protection Act

Florida Governor Ron Desantis spoke Tuesday to announce an initiative intended to combat what he calls unethical puppy mills. The Puppy Protection Act will require pet stores to assist in the adoption of shelter animals before taking those from puppy mills. It also establishes a hotline to report abusive breeders. Florida already has strict animal abuse laws such as Troopers law and Dexter’s law.

Governor’s statement on Puppy Protection Act

Trooper’s Law

Dexter’s Law

World News

Russia / Ukraine

It was widely reported early in the week that the United States had brokered a peace deal between Ukraine and Russia. The United States proposed a 28 point framework during discussions in Geneva last week. The White House released a joint statement voicing optimism and Ukrainian president Zelenskyy released his own statement outlining the ongoing work. Ukrainian representatives will meet in DC this week to continue negotiations.

White House Joint Statement

Zelenskyy Statement

UN / Gaza / Israel

We reported last week that the UN had adopted a US backed resolution on Israel and Gaza. The resolution adopts the 20 point plan proposed by the White House and accepted by Israel several weeks ago. While the framework includes agreements that all hostages be returned by October 3, two remain in Gaza as of today.

UN Resolution

Netanyahu Response

Markets

Markets climbed over Thanksgiving weekend. The Dow added 1472 points while NASDAQ climbed 1092 points.

The S&P 500 had more modest gains, adding 247 to close at 6849. Gold followed the trend, adding $139.

Sports

NBA

Cooper Flagg surpassed LeBron James to become the youngest player in NBA history to score 35 points in one game. He did it against the clippers in a 114-110 win Saturday night. A day earlier he became the only 18 year old in the history of the league to record 11 assists in a single game.

NCAAM

In men’s college basketball, TCU got the best of 10th ranked Florida on Thanksgiving Day before beating Wisconsin Friday to win the Rady Children’s Invitational.

Florida beat Providence in the losers bracket and heads to Duke before facing UConn later this week.

Vanderbilt beat VCU and Saint Mary’s to win the battle 4 Atlantis and first ranked Purdue rolled Eastern Illinois 109-62.

F1 Qatari Grand Prix

In Qatar Friday, Oscar Piastri took pole for the sprint race. Norris qualified third with Verstappen only able to manage 6th. In the sprint race Saturday, Verstappen was able to climb to 4th, with Norris finishing third behind George Russel. Piastri won the sprint before taking pole for today’s feature race. Norris followed in second with Verstappen third and Russel completing the second row of the grid.

NCAA Football

Thanksgiving weekend is rivalry week in college football.

Friday, sixteenth ranked Texas took down undefeated Texas A&M 27-17. 4th ranked Georgia beat Georgia tech 16-9. Second ranked Indiana stayed perfect with a 56-3 win against Purdue.
Saturday, Ohio state beat Michigan in the snow. The final of that game was 27-9.

Alabama beat Auburn in the Iron bowl, 27-20 and will face Georgia in the SEC championship game. Ohio State will see Indiana in the big 10 championship. The ACC championship game will feature Duke and Virginia after 21st ranked SMU lost to unranked Cal 38-35 yesterday.

The Florida Gators closed out a dismal season with a 41-20 home win over Florida state. Jaden Baugh ran for 266 yards and two touchdowns. The once mighty pair of in-state rivals finish the season a combined 9-15 and neither will visit a bowl game this year.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

11-22-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 11-22-25

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Politics

Epstein Files Transparency Act

Tuesday, the house passed S.2557, known as the Epstein Files Transparency Act. Introduced in July of this year congress voted 427-1 with Clay Higgins the lone dissenting vote. The Senate approved the measure by unanimous consent, sending the bill to President Trump’s desk where it was signed on Wednesday. The Department of Justice now has 30 days to make all files related to Jeffrey Epstein, his associates, investigations, and please available. They must be publicly available in a searchable and downloadable format. Higgins stated that the bill did not provide proper protections for witnesses and other people not accused of wrongdoing.

Full Text of S.2557

Clay Higgins Statement

Texas Redistricting Update

A 3 judge panel in the 5th US court of appeals ruled against redrawn Texas congressional district maps this week. The court cited a dilution of minority voting power, saying that while partisan advantage is permissible, race was the predominant factor in the drawing of districts. This was determined to be unconstitutional and the court ordered an injunction against the maps. The court ruled 2-3 with a Trump appointed judge being one of the votes against the map. The dissent came from Judge Jerry Smith, a Reagan appointee. Governor Abbott has signaled he will appeal.

Court Opinion

Dissent

Governor Abbot Response

Judge Jeff Brown

Judge David C. Guaderrama

Judge Jerry Smith

Democrats Message To Military Members

A half dozen democrats released a video this week, urging active duty military to refuse illegal orders. Senator Elizabeth Slotkin accused President Trump of attempting to send the 82nd airborne to DC in 202 with orders to “Shoot them in the legs”. The president characterized their statements as seditious and suggested they should be tried. Hakeem Jeffries released a statement condemning the presidents “disgusting and dangerous death threats against members of congress”.

Democrat Video

Trump Response

Dem Response to Trump Response

Mamdani Visits Oval Office

New York City Mayor Elect Zohran Mamdani met with President Trump in the oval office Friday. The president congratulated Mamdani and expressed his intention to help the Mayor and the city. While they admitted to differences of viewpoints, both agreed that they want to see the city flourish. Both stated willingness to work together to make NYC safer and more affordable.

Full Remarks (Video)

Mamdani Statement

Trump Statement

Dick Cheney Funeral

The funeral for former Vice President Dick Cheney was held Thursday at Washington National Cathedral. Former Vice Presidents, Pence, Harris, Biden and Gore were all in attendance as well as George W Bush who delivered a eulogy. The White House lowered flags to half staff as required by statute, but neither Trump nor Vance were in attendance. Neither the Clintons, nor the Obamas attended either.

Full Funeral Video

Current Events

Indian River County Deputy Shooting

Friday, while serving an eviction notice, three Indian River County Sheriff’s deputies were shot at by the evictee. 47 year old Terri Mashkow did not survive her wounds. Both the shooter and a locksmith who was there to change the locks were struck and listed in critical condition Friday night. FBI Director Kash Patel, Governor Ron Desantis, FDLE and others expressed grief and support online.

Press Conference 1 (Video)

Press Conference 2 (Video)

Desantis Comments

Kash Patel Comments

ICE Operation Charlotte’s Web

This week ICE launched operation Charlotte’s Web. Over 3 day, they affected 44 arrests of undocumented aliens. Included were individuals previously convicted of DUI, Aggravated Assault, hit and run, and assault of a police officer. Known members of MS-13 and the 18th street gang were also among those arrested. City officials published a joint statement condemning the operation, asserting that “our diversity makes us stronger”. They said that ICE operations caused unnecessary fear and uncertainty.

DHS Initial Press Release

DHS Follow-Up Press Release

City Statement

NTSB Preliminary Report On UPS Crash

On November 4, 2025, a McDonnell-Douglas MD-11F operated by UPS crashed shortly after takeoff from Louisville when its left engine and pylon separated from the wing. The NTSB’s preliminary findings identify fatigue cracks and overstress failure in the pylon mount structure as key factors. The aircraft never climbed more than about 30 feet before impacting a warehouse and industrial site, killing the three crew members and 11 people on the ground.

NTSB Preliminary Report

Ryan Wedding Indictment

Olympic snowboarder turned drug trafficker Ryan Wedding is on the FBI most wanted list. 10 arrests were made this week as part of operation “Giant Slalom”. Wedding is a Canadian national, is involved in drug trafficking and is affiliated with the Sinaloa Cartel. He is accused of witness intimidation tactics up to and including murder and there is now a $15M reward for information leading to his arrest.

DOJ Press Conference

Indictment Announcement

Treasury Sanctions

Denver Fentanyl Seizure

DEA Officials in Denver announced a record Fentanyl Seizure Monday. 198 kilograms, made up of 1.7M counterfeit Fentanyl pills and 12 kilograms of powder. The largest ever seizure in Colorado and the 6th largest in the US. Deputies (November 11) went to a storage unit that had been purchased legally at auction. They realized the unit was full of illegal drugs and called the police. Officials indicated that the person who rented the storage space has been in custody for some time.

Press Conference (Not complete – unavailable)

Colorado State Police Statement

DEA Statement

World

Israel Gaza

In World News, Israel said Monday that Hamas has continued to violate the ceasefire almost every day. Spokeswoman Shosh Bedrozian said those who are recognizing a Palestinian state while hostages remain in captivity in Gaza are rewarding terrorism with a huge prize. Israel has asserted that it will not allow a “launching pad for terror to be next to…the only Jewish state in the world” with the goal to annihilate Jews and the state of Israel.

IDF X Post

UN Gaza

The United Nations security council adopted a US sponsored resolution on Gaza. While UN ambassador Mike Waltz urged that people read the full text of the resolution, it is not publicly available from the UN or the US government, so I can’t tell you what’s in it. The president and other US officials celebrated the resolution.

Mike Waltz Statement

Donald Trump Statement

Full Text (Maybe – NOT official Source)

Nicki Minaj Speaks at the United Nations

Tuesday, the US Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz spoke and introduced Nicki Minaj. She expressed support for president Trump, and her thankfulness for living in a country where we are free to practice religion as we believe. Her speech to the UN centered on violence against Christians in Nigeria. She urged unity and tolerance ahead of a panel discussion led by Harris Faulkner.

Mike Waltz Statement

Nicki Minaj Full Statement

Finance

Jobs Report

In Financial News, The Bureau of Labor Statistics published a jobs report this week. Because of the federal shutdown, data for October was not fully collected and the November report that will be published in December will be the next full report. That said, nonfarm payroll employment rose by 119,000 in September. Unemployment held at 4.4%. Average hourly earnings rose by 0.2% for the month, coming to 3.8% over the past year. Health care and food services saw job gains while transportation, warehousing and the federal government experienced losses.

Jobs Report

Markets

Markets were down across the board this week. The Dow Jones industrial average dropped 902 points. Nasdaq closed 627 below last week. The s&p 500 lost 132 points and even gold is down $5 from the end of last week.

Sports

Formula 1

At the Formula 1 Las Vegas Grand Prix, Friday night Lando Norris took pole in a wet qualifying session. Max Verstappen joined him on the front row with the Williams of Carlos Sainz starting in third. Max got a slightly better start than Lando last night, forced a mistake and took the lead into the first turn. He went on to win the race by almost 21 seconds. With both McLaren cars disqualified for illegal plank wear, Russel was promoted to second with his rookie teammate Antonelli being promoted from 5th to 3rd. With two races remaining, Verstappen and Piastri are now tied and trail Norris by 24 points in the drivers championship.

Telemetry Data

Telemetry Analysis (4:30 for Start Data)

NCAA Football

In college football yesterday, 22nd ranked Missouri kept number 8 Oklahoma honest, but lost 17-6. Alabama blanked Eastern Illinois 56-0. Texas A&M shut out Samford 48-0. Fourth ranked Georgia allowed Charlotte a field goal in a 35-3 victory. Ohio State gave up 9 points to Rutgers in a 42-9 win. Unranked Pitt took down 16th ranked Georgia Tech 42-28 on the road. Next weekend is rivalry week.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

11-16-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 11-15-25

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Politics

Government Reopens After 43 Days

Late Wednesday night, President Trump signed into law a bill to reopen the government. After 43 days, the Senate passed a bill to fund the government until January 30, 2026. The bill also provides a full fiscal year of funding to the legislative branch, the VA and USDA. While that covers SNAP through September 30, 2026, it does not extend the ACA health insurance premium tax credits that Democrats pressed for. The bill passed by a 60-40 margin in the Senate and 222-209 in the House.

Trump Signs to Reopen Government (video)

Appropriations Bill

Senate Bill

Epstein Documents

Immediately following the reopening of the government, Democrats released a trio of Epstein emails. They are accusing President Trump and his administration of attempting to cover up the Epstein files. Mike Johnson has pointed out that the Department of Justice has released 43,000 pages. HR 4405, introduced by representative Ro Khanna of California would require the DOG to publish all unclassified records related to Jeffrey Epstein. That bill is one of several that have been submitted. Speaker of the House Mike Johnson has indicated that the house will vote on this issue soon.

HB. 4405 To Force Release Of Epstein Files

House Oversight Email Release

House Oversight Statement

Mike Johnson on Vote (video)

Greg Abbot To Seek Relection

Sunday, Texas Governor Greg Abbot announced his intention to run for reelection. He spoke in Houston behind a sign saying ‘Let’s Roll’. Abbot suffered a spinal injury in 1984 when a tree fell on him while jogging and he uses a wheelchair. In addition to the recent constitutional amendments passed to limit taxation in Texas, Abbot is proposing changes to further lower taxation. He will attempt to require local governments to halt unnecessary spending. He wants all property tax increases to be approved by a 2/3 majority in referendum votes. Additionally he wants to give citizens the ability to roll back property tax rates and limit the frequency of appraisals and cap increases at 3% per year.

Full Greg Abbot Press Conference

Florida on Operation Dirtbag (FDLE / ICE)

Florida officials spoke Thursday alongside federal law enforcement. They announced operation dirtbag, an effort to combat violence against children. In the first 10 days, 230 ICE arrests have been made in Florida. This included 54 sexual predators, 164 sex offenders and two convicted murderers. Ron Desantis touted the operational success on X, reiterating his support for the President’s immigration agenda.

Joint Press Conference with FDLE and ICE (video)

Kristi Noem Statement

Ron Desantis Statement

Current Events

California Car Chase

Tuesday, a California woman led police on a high speed chase that covered over 170 miles. After stealing a minivan, Alyssa Wilson ran from California Highway Patrol. She is charged with felony evading and reckless disregard for public safety and felony unlawful taking of a vehicle.

Full Chase Video

Sheriff’s Arrest Notice

Lakeland FL Cold Case Arrest

Police in Lakeland, FL held a press conference Wednesday to discuss a cold case murder from July 3 of 2018. Cold case investigators re-interviewed witnesses and sifted through more than 70,000 pieces of digital evidence. The 14 year old victim was murdered by his older brother during a fight. Currently being held in Georgia on unrelated charges, Rex Honors III now faces second degree murder charges in Florida.

Full Press Conference (video)

Kilauea Erupts Again

The US Geological Survey announced the eruption of Hawaii’s Mt. Kileaua on Sunday. Images and video showed a dramatic plume of lava launched high in the air. USGS indicated that the eruption reached 1200 feet into the air and expelled 8M cubic meters of lava. They expect additional eruptions later in November.

USGS Notice

Video taken by the public (x post)

Second Video taken by the public

Hawaii Volcanos NPS (x)

Hawaii Volcanos NPS Update

Finance

US Mint Strikes Last Penny

On Wednesday, November 12, 2025, the United States Mint struck the last one-cent coin to be circulated. After 232 years, the cost to produce the penny has risen to 3.69 cents each. The penny remains legal tender and there is a large surplus of them in circulation. According to US Coin book, a 1943-D Lincoln Wheat Cent penny is the most valuable to collectors. At over $2.4M, it is worth more than twice the next most valuable version.

US Mint Official Statement

Video of the Last Penny Strike

Penny Values

Markets

Markets were mixed this week. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 160 points while the S&P500 gained 6. The NASDAQ lost 104 points and Gold gained 75 dollars per ounce.

Sports

MLB Indictments

Moving to Sports, Sunday, the department of justice announced the indictment of Emmanuel Clase and Leandro Ortiz. The pair of Cleveland Guardian pitchers are accused of throwing predetermined pitches at specific times in specific games. This allowed bettors with this knowledge to win over $400,000 on rigged bets. This occurred as recently as June 27. Charges include wire fraud conspiracy, conspiracy to influence sporting contests by bribery and money laundering conspiracy. If convicted, the players could face as much as 65 years in prison.

Aaron Judge Is THE MVP.

Staying with baseball, the MLB awards were handed out this week. Fernando Tatis Jr won his second Platinum Glove Award. Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes won the AL and NL Cy Young awards respectively. Without surprise, Shohei Ohtani won the NL MVP, Hank Aaron and Silver Slugger Awards. In the AL, Aaron Judge claimed his own Hank Aaron and Silver Slugger award. While the media wanted to paint the race between Aaron Judge and Cal Raleigh for the AL MVP as close, they were objectively wrong. While Raleigh had a great season, hitting 60 home runs with 125 RBI’s his batting average of .247, and 97 walks against 188 strikeouts didn’t match Judge. Aaron Judge managed 53 Home runs with a batting average of .331, which led all of the majors. He played 7 fewer games, was walked 27 more times and struck out 18 fewer.

Formula 1 Sau Paulo Grand Prix

In Sau Paulo Sunday, Lando Norris led from Pole. Max Verstappen took a new power unit and started from the pit lane. A twitchy restart saw Piastri, Antonelli and Leclerc make contact. Leclerc lost a tire, ending his day. His teammate Hamilton retired on lap 37. A combination of strategy and skill brought Verstappen to the lead of the race briefly. Ultimately Norris prevailed, with Antonelli in second, his best F1 finish. Verstappen completed the podium in third. Norris now holds a 24 point lead over his teammate with Max another 24 points behind Piastri.

ESPN / YouTubeTV Deal

Friday, ESPN and YouTubeTV announced that they reached an agreement to return Disney owned channels like ABC, ESPN and FX to subscribers of the streaming TV service. College football fans breathed a collective sigh of relief on social media.

YouTubeTv Statement

ESPN Statement

NCAA Football

Undefeated number 3 Texas A&M trailed 30-3 at half time before scoring 28 unanswered second half points to beat South Carolina 31-30. A&M sits on top of the SEC at 10-0. Indiana leads the Big ten at 11-0 after yesterday’s 31-7 win over Wisconsin. Ohio State is the only other undefeated team in the FBS. Unranked Navy took down South Florida 41-38 yesterday, and number 4 Alabama fell to 11th ranked Oklahoma 23-21. Fifth ranked Georgia handled Arch Manning and Texas, winning 35-10.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

11-9-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending 11-8-25

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Today is the 40th day of the federal government shutdown.

Current Events

FAA Flight Reductions

The FAA has announced a 10% reduction in flight volume at 40 airports across the country. Air traffic control staff are missing paychecks and secretary of transportation Sean Duffy fears fatigue and burnout. The reduction will take place over the course of several days, winding down 2% at a time. If your flight is cancelled, you are entitled to a full refund.

Department of Transportation Statement

Sean Duffy X Statement

Department of Transportation X Statement

Traveler’s Rights for Refunds

UPS Cargo Plane Crash

Unrelated to the shutdown or Air Traffic Control issues, At approx. 5:14PM Tuesday UPS flight 2976 from Louisville to Honolulu was involved in a catastrophic crash. Originally a McDonald Douglas 2, the plane was later modified to be an MD11F, handled by the Boeing Corporation. Loaded with approximately 37,000 gallons of fuel, the plane reached 475 feet of altitude, traveling at 210 miles per hour. During takeoff, the left wing was on fire. The left engine detached from the aircraft, causing the plane to lose altitude. Video shows the plane impacting buildings near the airport and causing large fires. Officials say the fires stretched for a half mile. As of Saturday, fourteen people were confirmed deceased, including the plane’s crew of 3.

Initial Press Conference

NTSB Follow-Up

Latest Mayor Updates

First Hand Video From X 1

First Hand Video From X 2

First Hand Video From X 3

FlightRadar details on the aircraft

Abby Zwerner v. Newport News School Board

Thursday, a Virginia jury awarded Abby Zwerner $10M in her lawsuit against the Newport News school board. On January 6, 2023, Zwerner was shot by a 6 year old student in her class. Other students had warned staff that the boy had a gun in his backpack. The school ignored warnings and failed to search the boy or his backpack. The student obtained the 9mm firearm from his mother who possessed it illegally and did not store it securely. She pled guilty to unlawful possession of a firearm and faces up to 25 years in prison. The vice principal Ebony Parker was informed of the threat and neglected to act. She was charged with 8 counts of child abuse and disregard for life. Her case is pending.

Jury Award Video

Grand Jury Report of Incident

Mother’s Guilty Plea

Plea in Bar

Vice Principal Endictment

Election Day 2025

Tuesday, Americans went to the polls to decide state and local elections. We made a video about the results that you can watch for more details.

Election Day Post

Election Day Video

Dick Cheney Death

Monday, Robert B. Cheney, the 46th vice president of the united states, died in Virginia. After serving for 4 years as the secretary of defense under George H. W. Bush, Cheney was VP under George W Bush from 2001-2009. Cheney famously shot Harry Whittington by accident during a quail hunting trip in 2006. He also served as CEO of Halliburton from 1995-2000. Dick Cheney was 84 years old.

Death Announcement on X

Dick Cheney on Wikipedia

Politics

Chicago Ice Day Care Incident

Wednesday, Representative Mike Quigley of Illinois’ fifth house district held a press conference about an ICE operation in Chicago. He asserted that ICE officers targeted a day care and arrested a teacher in front of children in the school. DHS responded, saying that they had attempted a traffic stop on a vehicle registered to Diana Patricia Santillana Galeano. Galeano entered the United States illegally in 2023, was released to the interior and given a work authorization. DHS says that the male driver fled, entered the parking lot of the day care and both Galeano and the driver entered the facility. ICE then arrested both parties.

Mike Quigley X Post (Video)

DHS X Response

DHS Official Statement

TrumpRx Wegovy, Ozempic, Emgality etc.

On Wednesday, President Trump announced another deal to lower drug prices for Americans. This round involves Eli Lilly and Novo Nordisk and reduces prices on weight loss drugs through TrumpRx. Ozempic and Wegovy will fall from 1000 and 1300 respectively to a standardized $350 on the portal. The migrane treatment Emgality will be available at a 60% discount. Popular Insulin pens will be available for $35.

White House Announcement Video

White House Press Release

Nancy Pelosi Retirement Announcement

85 year old congresswoman Nancy Pelosi announced her retirement Thursday. After 20 terms and 37 years in office, she will not seek reelection in 2026. She was the 52nd speaker of the house and led the Democrats in the House of Representatives for 20 years.

Nancy Pelosi Thank You San Francisco Video

Nancy Pelosi Wikipedia

Finance & Markets

Markets slumped this week. The Dow fell 575 points. Nasdaq fell even more, losing 720 points. The S&P500 lost 112 points, with all three indexes erasing last week’s gains. Gold climbed back to 4009 per ounce, gaining only $13 this week.

Sports

NFL Field Goal Record

Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little set an NFL record on Sunday against the LAs Vegas Raiders. As time expired in the first half, he hit a 68 yard field goal, breaking the NFL record by 2 yards. The Jaguars went on to win that game 30-29 in overtime.

Formula 1 Sao Paulo Brazilian Grand Prix

Moving to sports we begin with formula 1. In Brazil, Lando Norris took pole in the sprint qualifying Friday. He became the first driver to win a Sao Paulo sprint from pole. In qualifying Saturday, neither Red Bull managed to escape Q1. Norris qualified in first with the rookie Mercedes of Kimi Antonelli joining him on the front row. Leclerc qualified third and Piastri fourth. We will bring you the results of today’s race next week.

NCAA Football

In college football, millions of angry college football fans scrambled with free trials and subscription changes for a second week in a row. YouTubeTV has lost ESPN, ABC and all other Disney owned programming in a contract dispute.

YouTubeTv Official Statement

Disney Official Statement

Top ranked Ohio state beat Purdue 34-10, Number 8 Texas Tech beat Seventh ranked BYU 29-7.

Fifth ranked Georgia went to Starkville Mississippi and walked away with a 41-21 win. Vanderbilt came back from a 10 point halftime deficit to force overtime and beat auburn 45-38. Indiana beat Pen State 27-24 to remain unbeaten at 10-0. Ninth ranked Oregon held off Iowa for an 18-16 win. And finally the Florida gators traveled to Lexington Kentucky where they lost 38-7 in a game that saw a combined 4 turnovers in the last 7 plays of the first half.

Like it or not, that’s what happened

Rich Stephens

The cold take.

11-6-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Today is the 37th day of the federal government shutdown.

On Tuesday, Americans went to the polls to vote on state and local races. Democrats won each of the nationally covered races.

Virginia

In Virginia, Democratic candidate Abigail Spanberger became the first woman governor of the state. Jay Jones will take over as attorney general after a close race with Republican incumbent Jason Miyares.

State Elections Results Website

New Jersey

New Jersey’s new governor will be Democrat Mikie Sherrill who will vacate her seat in Congress.

New York City

New York City elected democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani as their next mayor. The Democratic Socialist ran on a platform of lowering costs in the city by freezing rent for some apartments, making busses free and launching government owned and run grocery stores.

Mamdani Platform

California

California voters passed proposition 50 by a wide margin. The referendum allows the state legislature to bypass the non-partisan redistricting commission until 2031. The text of the law references 2025 Texas redistricting as justification, and calls on the United States Congress to require independent, nonpartisan redistricting commissions nationwide.

Prop 50 Full Text

New York Elections Results Website

In Maine, voters rejected a proposal to require ID when voting, but approved an Extreme Risk Protection Order law.

Texans approved all 17 measures on the ballot. These included a requirement for judges to deny bail for certain felony charges and several state tax prohibition bills.

Texas Amendments

And for once, Florida didn’t do anything strange or outlandish.

10-26-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending November 1, 2025.

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Current Events

Mississippi Monkeys

We begin in Mississippi, where earlier this week on I59, a truck carrying research monkeys crashed and the primates escaped. Initial reports indicated that the monkeys were aggressive and infected with Hepatitis, Covid and Herpes. All but three were found and euthanized the same day. Later, Tulane university released a statement asserting that the monkeys had not been exposed to any pathogens and were being transported for research. Three monkeys remain at large in Jasper County Mississippi.

Initial Report Video

Tulane Statement

Motorcycle Chase

Monday, a San Bernardino County Sheriff’s deputy was shot while responding to a domestic dispute. The suspect fled on a motorcycle and initiated a high speed chase that ended in a shocking crash. While the suspect suffered minor injuries, the deputy succumbed to his wounds that day.

Sheriff’s Initial Statement

Sheriff’s Update

Full Chase Video

Charlie Kirk Assassin Trial

The man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk in September had a virtual hearing on Tuesday. Several motions were before the court.  The court ruled that the defendant may appear in civilian clothing to preserve the presumption of innocence.  However, given the potential of life in prison or death as an outcome of this case, the judge denied the request to appear without restraints. He ordered the sheriff’s department to use the least restrictive restraints to maintain safety.  He further prohibited the media from filming or photographing the defendant’s restraints, or while he is entering or exiting the court room or standing while restrained.  His next appearance is not until January.

Full Tyler Robinson Hearing

Politics

Federal Government Shutdown: Snap Funding Expires

Today is the 33rd day of the federal government shutdown. In addition to the expiration of the Affordable Care Act policy premium subsidies that have expired, three food assistance programs ran out of money Friday.

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP provides food benefits to eligible families. The program aids purchases of healthy foods like fruit, vegetables, meat and poultry. As of May, 2025, nearly 42 million Americans receive these benefits. Eligibility varies by state and is determined at the state level.

SNAP also includes a special program for Women, Infants and Children. Wic is available for women who are pregnant or postpartum up to one year and children up to 5 years old. Applicants must have a family income at or below 185% of the poverty level and be at nutritional risk. The program provides nutrition education, breastfeeding support and free, healthy foods. May 2025 data shows nearly 6.9M participants.

The third impacted program is the National School Lunch Program. This program provides free or reduced price meals to nearly 30 million students.

Congressional funding is required for these programs and expired on September 30. The USDA was able to utilize shutdown contingency plans, carry-over balances and unspent funds to extend benefits through October. Democrats have sued the USDA, saying that additional congressional contingency funds are available and should be utilized to further extend the programs. However, the USDA asserts that those funds are not legally available. According to the agency, contingency funds are not available to support fiscal year 2026 regular benefits. This is because without an appropriations bill from Congress, those benefits no longer exist.

Thursday, President Trump urged Senate Republicans to end the filibuster. Republican members of both the house and the senate have pushed back, saying that the rule is critical to forge consensus and compromise in the government.

Friday, two federal judges issued rulings directing USDA to fund the programs. In response to the rulings, the president said he has instructed government attorneys to get clarity from the court about exactly how to fund SNAP legally.

WIC Program Details

WIC Participation Numbers

School Lunch Details

School Lunch Participation Numbers

SNAP Details

SNAP Participation By State

SNAP Participation By Year

CalFresh Eligibility

Florida SNAP Eligibility

Mass v. USDA Docket

Mass v. USDA Filing

Mass v. USDA Ruling

Trump Urges Filibuster Removal

Tom Cotton on Filibuster

Trump Statement on Court Ruling

USDOT VS. California

The Department of Transportation withheld $40M from California for failing to comply with English Language Proficiency standards. This comes after several high profile cases involving non-citizens with commercial licenses causing fatal highway accidents. Secretary Sean Duffy signaled this week that after continued non-compliance, he will withhold an additional $160M from California. Gavin Newsome maintains that the state does not determine commercial driver license eligibility. He has noted that states must confirm all application information through federal databases.

DOT Report

DOT Statement

Sec. Duffy X Statement

Gavin Newsom X Response

Trump Asia Trip

President Trump spent most of the week in Asia. In Kuala Lumpur last weekend, he facilitated a peace deal between Malaysia and Cambodia. While there, he also secured trade agreements with Malaysia, Cambodia, Vietnam and Thailand. These deals aim to diversify supply of minerals and add resilience to the global supply chain. In Japan, a Technology Prosperity Deal to collaborate on AI, 6G, space exploration and fusion technology. Trump wrapped up in South Korea where he struck a similar deal with that government. South Korea then facilitated a meeting between Xi Jinping of China and the American President. Tariffs will be reduced or removed between the United States and each of these countries.

Malaysia Cambodia Details

Japan Korea Deal

Trump Xi Meeting

Trump Statement From Air Force 1

World

Israel Gaza Conflict

In Israel, an IDF soldier was killed Tuesday by Hamas. Qatar confirmed this to be a breach of the cease fire agreement. Israel then conducted air strikes on Hamas cites in Gaza. Video circulated showing Hamas burying bodies to later pretend to find them, before returning them to Israel. Israel and the Red Cross strongly condemned this as deception Israel maintains that Hamas knows where all of the bodies are and is simply choosing to violate the cease fire agreement and withhold the hostages.

IDF Statement on Hamas Attack

IDF On Hamas Fake Finding Bodies

Israel Foreign Ministry on Body Finding Hoax

Israel Government Official Statement

Israel Government Official Statement 2

Finance

Interest Rates / Fed Statement

In Finance, Jerome Powell spoke Wednesday, following the Fed meeting. Relying on private sector data for this month’s report, he stated that the labor market is gradually cooling and inflation is somewhat elevated. They lowered interest by a quarter of a point during Wednesday’s meeting. He noted that housing remains weak, but consumer and business spending is stronger.

Fed Full Remarks

Markets

Markets rose for the third consecutive week.  The Dow gained a modest 355 points.  The NASDAQ added 520 points and the S&P500 rose just 49 points on the week.  Gold fell to a 4 week low, closing at 3996 per ounce.

Sports

F1

Moving to sports, Sunday, Lando Norris led the Mexican Grand Prix after a 4 wide contest for turn one. He never relinquished that lead, winning the race and passing his teammate for first place in the drivers championship. Charles Leclerc finished second with max Verstappen completing the podium.

NCAA Football

In College Football, unranked, 3 and 6 West Virginia defeated 22nd ranked Houston 45-35. 9th ranked Vanderbilt fell to Texas 34-31 after scoring 21 unanswered 4th quarter points, and nearly recovering an onside kick with seconds remaining in the game. Bill Belichick got his first ACC win with UNC against Syracuse Friday night. His squad won that game 27-10. Miami played their first out-of-state game of the season yesterday. The 10th ranked Hurricanes traveled to Texas where the Mustangs of SMU kicked a field goal to tie the game with 25 seconds remaining. After intercepting a pass in overtime, SMU scored to defeat Miami 26-20. Fifth ranked Georgia escaped the Florida Gators at world’s largest outdoor cocktail party in Jacksonville. The 24-20 final score could have been 31-20 but bulldog quarterback Gunner Stockton knelt at the 1 to keep the ball and run out the clock. Georgia was a 7.5 point favorite and did not cover the spread. In the later games, undefeated number 8 Georgia tech lost 36-48 to unranked nc state. Eighteenth ranked Oklahoma went to Knoxville and beat Tennessee 33-27.

MLB World Series

Finally in the MLB, Game 3 of the world series Monday night was an 18 inning marathon that saw Shohei Ohtani step to the plate 9 times. He hit two home runs, had 3 RBI’s and was walked 5 times. The Dodgers won 6-5. The Jays bounced back Tuesday, winning 6-2 to tie the series. In Game 5 Wednesday, Toronto needed only one pitch to take a 1-0 lead. Two pitches later they went yard again for a 2-0 lead in a game they won 6-1. The Dodgers punched back Friday night with a 3-1 win to force game 7. Shohei Ohtani started Saturday night against Max Scherzer. Despite scoring 3 runs in the bottom of the first, Toronto let the lead slip away late, ending the 9th inning tied at 4. Will Smith hit a solo home run in the top of the 11th making it 5-4. Yamamoto closed the frame to secure a second consecutive World Series win for the Dodgers. Ohtani is a minus fifty thousand favorite for the NL MVP.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

10-26-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending October 25, 2025.

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

World News

Theft at the Louvre Museum

We begin in Paris, France where Sunday, thieves used a mechanical ladder truck to enter the Louvre museum. They targeted royal jewels which all hold historic significance to France including a Tiara, necklace and earring belonging to Queen Marie-Amelie and Queen Hortense. Swift response by museum security and local police prevented further damage, but the perpetrators are still at large.

GPT Translation (I do not speak French):

MINISTRY OF CULTURE
Liberty – Equality – Fraternity

PRESS RELEASE
Paris, October 19, 2025

Information regarding the burglary that occurred this Sunday, October 19, at the Louvre Museum

This Sunday, October 19, the Louvre Museum experienced a break-in in the Galerie d’Apollon, which houses the royal collection of gemstones and the Crown diamonds. Two high-security display cases were targeted, and eight items of inestimable heritage value were stolen, including:
• Tiara from the jewelry set of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense;
• Necklace from the sapphire jewelry set of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense;
• Earring (single) from the sapphire jewelry set of Queen Marie-Amélie and Queen Hortense;
• Emerald necklace from Empress Marie-Louise’s jewelry set;
• Pair of emerald earrings from Empress Marie-Louise’s jewelry set;
• Relic brooch;
• Diadem of Empress Eugénie;
• Large corsage bow brooch of Empress Eugénie (brooch).

The alarms located at the exterior window of the Galerie d’Apollon, as well as those of the two affected display cases, were triggered. At the moment of the break-in—which was particularly swift and forceful—the five museum security officers present in and around the area immediately intervened according to the security protocol: contacting law enforcement and prioritizing the protection of people.

Thanks to the professionalism and quick action of the Louvre staff, the burglars fled the scene, leaving behind part of their equipment and several stolen items, including Empress Eugénie’s diadem, which is currently being examined. One of the getaway vehicles used by the perpetrators was intercepted through the intervention of a Louvre agent; the driver escaped on foot.

No injuries were reported among the public or staff.

The Minister of Culture wishes to thank the Louvre staff for their responsiveness and professionalism.

She also recalls that, as part of the Louvre – New Renaissance project announced by the President of the Republic last January, a new security plan is currently being implemented, which includes:
• Enhanced security measures with the deployment of next-generation cameras;
• Perimeter detection systems;
• A new security control center.

An investigation into organized theft and conspiracy to commit a crime has been opened and assigned to the Paris Brigade de répression du banditisme (BRB), under the authority of the Paris Prosecutor’s Office.

Details on Background

X Post where I got the image

Israel / Gaza

Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled to Israel this week. Hamas has repeatedly violated the ceasefire agreement reached last week. Sunday, an anti-tank missile was fired at IDF soldiers, killing two and wounding several others. Israel responded with air strikes, and claims to have destroyed around 6 kilometers of tunnel network. The US State department also reported attacks on Gazan civilians by Hamas. American and Israeli representatives continued working to bring home the bodies of October 7th hostages and establish a new governing structure in Gaza.

JD Vance Speech

Donald Trump Statement to Hamas

Israel Foreign Ministry Statement

IDF Statement

IDF Video

IDF Statement 2

US State Department Statement

Glock Discontinues Models After Ban

In late September, we reported on California Assembly Bill 1127. The law bans the sale or transfer of any “semi-automatic, machine gun convertible pistol”, effectively banning modern Glock pistols. This week, the Austrian firearms manufacturer announced that it will discontinue production of all double stack magazine models.

Glock Discontinuance Statement / List

NYC Mayoral Race

Andrew Cuomo, Curtis Sliwa and Zohran Mamdani participated in a 3-candidate debate on Wednesday night ahead of the New York City Mayoral Election on November 4. The 90 minute debate was largely combative. Candidates discussed the cost of living in New York City, education standards, and which candidate is most favored by president Donald Trump.

Full Debate Video

Pentagon Press Credentials

Pete Hegseth has directed the Pentagon to require members of the media to wear visible press badges when present.  The Pentagon has asked journalists to sign a new agreement, stating that they will not be in certain areas without an escort, and that they will not solicit unauthorized access to information from Pentagon staff.  Many members of the press refused to sign, turned in their credentials and left, alleging this to be a violation of the first amendment rights of the press.  Hegseth pointed out that the Pentagon is an active military base.  The Pentagon is an active military base and access by the press or the general public may be granted by the military but is not a right.

Pentagon Memo

Memo To Media

Pete Hegseth X Post

Pete Hegseth with Trump Video

Sean Parnell on New Media

CBS Statement

Florida Auto Insurance Refunds / Credits

Wednesday, Florida Governor Ron Desantis announced that drivers in the state will receive rebates on their auto insurance. Auto rates in the state are dropping due to legislative and policy reforms that have reduced litigation and strengthened the market. The top five carriers have averaged a 6% drop in rates in 2025 and Progressive is poised to offer nearly one billion dollars in credits to their customers. The governor expects other carriers to follow suit. After rates increased by more than 30% in 2023, Florida enacted legislation that bars carriers from holding excess profits on auto policies.

Desantis Press Conference

Desantis Press Release

Markets

Markets rose to all time highs this week. The Dow gained nearly 1000 points to close at 47,202. Nasdaq closed at 23,204, and the s&p 500 finished at 6791. All closed at their highest week-end value ever. Gold slid for the first time since mid-August, and sits at 4113 per ounce.

Sports

Formula 1

Moving to sports, Sunday in Austin Texas, Max Verstappen led into turn one from pole position and never looked back. Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc swapped positions early but Norris passed Leclerc late to finish second. Championship leader Piastri came home in fifth. The Mexican Grand Prix will be in progress when this video goes live. The McLaren of Lando Norris starts from pole, ahead of Charles Leclerc in the Ferrari. Hamilton, Russel and Verstappen round out the top five. Championship leading Piastri qualified 8th but will start 7the after a grid penalty for Carlos Sainz.

MLB Playoffs / World Series

The Toronto Blue Jays won game 7 of the ALCS Monday night to advance to the world series where they face the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Dodgers handled Milwaukee in 4 games and have had several more days’ rest. The first two games of the World Series were lopsided losses. Game one featured a 9 runs 6th inning for the blue jays who won 11-4. In game two the dodgers hit back with a 5-1 win. Game 3 is Monday night at dodgers stadium.

NBA

The NBA season kicked off Tuesday, but the big news out of the league came Thursday. FBI director Kash Patel announced the indictment and arrest of Portland Trail Blazers head coach Chauncey Billups and Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier. The arrests were part of two separate but related cases involving sports bet rigging, money laundering, and rigging of illegal, high stakes poker games. Other defendants include members of the Bonanno, Gambino, and Genovese organized crime families. In all, 34 people were indicted and arrested across 11 states.

FBI NBA Press Conference

Poker Indictment

NBA Betting Indictment

NCAA Football

In college football, Ohio State and Georgia had bye weeks and the rest of the top 10 handled their business. Number 4 Alabama won a close game at South Carolina 29-22. Eighth ranked ole miss beat number 13 Oklahoma. The Tar Heels of Bill Belichick looked better in a 17-16 overtime loss to 17th ranked UVA and Mizzu lost out to Vanderbilt by 7 points and only about 4 inches on a last second Hail Mary. The pass was caught, but just short of the goal line. Vanderbilt is now 7-1, their best start since 1941.

Florida Gators

Sunday, The University of Florida announced the firing of head coach and play caller Billy Napier. With an overall record of 22-23 and an SEC record of 12-16, he leaves with a worse record than Will Muschamp, Jim McElwain and even Ron Zook. The last head coach to complete a season with a worse winning percentage at Florida was Raymond Wolf in the 1940’s.

UF Press Release

Billy Napier Profile

All UF Coaches History

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

10-19-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending October 18, 2025.

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Politics

Are Minnesota Elections Secure?

We begin in Minnesota, the Driver’s License for all initiative allows anyone to obtain a state issued, photo ID, regardless of their immigration status. The Minnesota House Fraud Prevention and State Agency oversight policy committee met Tuesday. The question was raised whether a non-citizen could potentially vote in Minnesota elections. Election officials stated that absent a social security number, voter registration would be listed as incomplete. Some lawmakers suggested that non-citizens could vote in Minnesota elections, but election officials insisted that these instances are extremely rare. The full hearing is below, but the details of this story start around minute 29.

Driver’s License For All Program

Full House Hearing

Cody Balmer Guilty Plea

Also Tuesday, Cody Balmer pled guilty to 49 counts related to his firebombing of Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro’s home last April. The charges range from reckless endangerment and arson to terrorism and he will serve 25-50 years. The governor and his family were home at the time, but no one was injured.

Video of Incident

Court Complaint Docs

Docket Sheet

Sentencing Document

NYC Mayoral Race

With just over two weeks remaining before New York City votes to elect their next mayor, democratic candidate Zohran Mamdani spoke with Fox News Wednesday. He declined to give the president credit for the recent peace deal between Israel and Gaza. He also stated that given the warrants issued by the International Criminal Court, he would exhaust all legal options to arrest Netanyahu, or Putin for that matter, if they visit NYC. The latest Quinnipiac Poll from October 9th has Mamdani leading Cuomo 13 points.

Video of Mamdani Rally

Fox News Mamdani Interview

Quinnipiac Poll Data

Charlie Kirk Medal of Freedom

Tuesday, President Trump posthumously awarded Charlie Kirk the Presidential Medal of Freedom, America’s highest civilian honor. October fourteenth would have been Charlie’s 32nd birthday, and his wife Erika accepted the award on his behalf.

Video of Award Ceremony

TrumpRx EMD Serono Lowering IVF Costs

Donald Trump then spoke Thursday, announcing an agreement with a third pharmaceutical company to give US patients Most Favored Nation status. This deal aims to lower the cost of IVF treatments. The manufacturer, EMD Serono will offer their treatments on TrumpRx.gov and has also agreed to move some of their manufacturing to the US for the first time.

White House Fact Sheet

Announcement Video

CalRx California To Manufacture Cheaper Insulin

The same day, in California, Gavin Newsom announced that insulin pens will soon be available to Californians for just $11. CalRx was created to allow the state to develop, produce and distribute generic pharmaceuticals. The goal is to lower prescription costs and insulin will be the first drug manufactured under this program.

Governor Newsom Press Release

CalRx Details

World

Israel Gaza Ongoing Conflict

In World News, Israel Defense Forces announced Tuesday that they had fired on Gazans who were attempting to cross the yellow line. US Central command urged Hamas to suspend violence against Gazan civilians. Recovery efforts for bodies of remaining hostages are ongoing, but Israel says that at least one returned body was not a match to any hostage.

IDF On Yellow Line Shooting

IDF On Unknown Body

US Centcom On Conflict

US Centcom On Ongoing Violence

Current Events

Firearms Now Legal in the Post Office?

Back to the US, a court ruling that I missed from September 30th came across my desk this week. A Fort Worth Texas judge ruled that the government’s prohibition on firearms in an ordinary post office is a violation of the second amendment. Further, he issued a permanent injunction against the federal government.

Judge’s Ruling

Operation Summer Heat

The FBI released the results of an operation dubbed ‘Summer Heat’ this week. The national effort to reduce violent crime resulted in over 8600 arrests. They also seized 2200 weapons, 44 thousand kilograms of cocaine, and over 400 kilograms of fentanyl. The FBI arrested 4 of their top 10 most wanted and identified or located over 1000 child victims.

FBI Press Release

President / FBI Joint Statement

Milwaukee Officer Involved Shooting

An off-duty police officer in Milwaukee was involved in a shooting last week. Another driver, 26 year old Elijah Wilks cut off the officer, causing a minor collision. Both drivers stopped and after a brief exchange of words, Wilks pulled a gun and hit the officer with it. The officer pulled his own firearm and shot Wilks, who was pronounced dead at the scene. After viewing the dash camera footage, the attorney for the Wilks family acknowledged that the officer’s actions were justified.

Dash Camera Video

MPD Press Release

Family Attorney Statement (part 1)

Family Attorney Statement (part 2)

Kilauea Eruption

The US Geological Survey issued an orange watch Thursday for Kilauea in Hawaii. Cameras caught video of the lava flows and eruption Friday morning. 

US Geological Survey Notice

Video 1

Video 2

Ace Frehley

American singer, songwriter and guitarist Paul Daniel “Ace” Frehley died this week. Frehley played lead guitar for KISS from 1973 until 1982 when he embarked on a solo career. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll hall of fame in 2014 with the other three founding members of KISS. Ace Frehley was 74 years old.

Rock & Roll Hall of Fame

DOJ Seizes $15B in Bitcoin

In Finance the Department of Justice announced the civil forfeiture of more than 127,000 bitcoin valued at over fifteen billion dollars on Tuesday. This action was part of the indictment of Prince Group CEO Chen Zhi. He could face up to 40 years in prison for running forced labor camps and phone farms in Cambodia, targeting victims in the United States and abroad. He ran various scams and used crypto currency to launder the proceeds for nearly a decade.

Justice Department Release

Markets

The Dow Jones recovered partially from last week’s losses, adding 770 points to close at 46,249. That’s two points north of the last Friday in September. Nasdaq posted modest gains, ending the week at 22,679. The S&P 500 followed the Dow, closing at 6664. Gold continues to climb, ending the week at 4213.

Sports

MLB

In Major League Baseball, the dodgers swept the brewers to advance to the World Series and attempt a repeat world championship. Shohei ohtani pitched 6 innings Friday night, striking out 10 while hitting three home runs in the 5-1 win. Seattle will try to close out the blue jays tonight. They head into game 6 of the 7 game set with a 3-2 lead.

Formula 1

In Austin, the Formula 1 American Grand Prix saw max Verstappen take pole for the sprint race and never relinquish the lead. A turn 1 incident took out both McLaren cars and George Russel finished second, ahead of Carlos Sainz in the Williams. Verstappen will start on pole again for Sunday’s main event, with Lando Norris and Charles Leclerc following.

NCAA Football

Finally, in college football, number 9 Georgia held off undefeated, number 5 ole miss in a 43-35 home victory. Number 17 Vanderbilt knocked off number 10 LSU. Number 2 Miami was exposed in a home loss to conference rival Louisville. Number 13 notre dame beat number 20 USC 34-24 and 6th ranked Alabama defeated number 11 Tennessee 37-20. 21st ranked Texas needed overtime to get past Kentucky in a 16-13 game and 16th ranked Missouri needed two overtime’s to get the best of Auburn. The Florida Gators illustrious duo of Billy Napier and DJ Lagway did all they could to lose but were bailed out by a late interception and handed Mississippi state their 15th consecutive SEC loss.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

10-18-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

Video Explaining the Federal Government Shutdown

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

We are now nearly three weeks into a shutdown of the federal government.  People I have spoken to don’t know what that means, don’t know why it’s happening, and my own mother didn’t even know that it IS happening.  So tonight we are going to try to bring you some clarity. For nineteen days, Democrats and Republicans have held daily press conferences to place the blame squarely on their opponents.

In our video we parodied legislators on both sides. At the bottom of this article, there are links to some of the real press conferences we used to make these composite characters. Democrats say that Republicans have created a healthcare crisis. Republicans say that Democrats are trying to add a trillion dollars in spending. As they like to say, let me be clear: They are both being deceptive. Democrats passed the Affordable Care Act, the American Rescue Plan and the Inflation Reduction Act. They passed the laws that created the subsidies and the expiration dates are in those laws. So Republicans didn’t create a crisis. But the subsidies are being allowed to expire and not being extended. So Democrats are asking to extend current spending, not add new spending. Following?

Like it or not, that’s what happened.  That’s the foundation of our philosophy of journalism here at The Cold Take. Our goal is to report what happened, as it happened. We try to check our feelings and opinions at the door.  But as you can see, what happened isn’t always the full story.  Republicans control the White House and both chambers of the legislature.  However, while a simple majority is enough for the House to pass a budget bill, the Senate requires 60 votes.  The Continuing Resolution in question, or CR, already passed the house of representatives but Republicans have failed to get more than 55 votes to pass it in the Senate. 

At the heart of the disagreement, the trillion dollars that Democrats say have been eviscerated from the budget and Republicans say is additional spending.  Under the Affordable Care Act, passed in 2010, there is something called the Premium Tax Credit.  This allows households who earn between 100 and 400 percent of the poverty level to sign up for ACA health care plans.  The Federal Government will give them a tax credit in the amount of the benchmark plan in their specific geographic area. 

The government pays this amount directly to the insurance company, who then bills the insured party any additional amount owed.  During Covid, Congress expanded eligibility by removing the 400 percent cap.  That’s right.  They didn’t make it 600% or 800%.  They just removed it. 

The American Rescue Plan was passed by a Democratic majority in the house.  Vice President Kamala Harris broke a 50-50 tie in the senate and President Joe Biden signed it into law. 

The Inflation Reduction Act  of 2022 extended the expansion through 2025, with an expiration date of December 31.  What is expiring is only the removal of the 400% cap on subsidies for ACA plan premiums.

So while Republicans aren’t slashing anything, passing a clean CR without extending this subsidy allows it to expire and excludes anyone earning more than 400% of the poverty level from receiving that benefit.  For a single person in the contiguous states, that’s an annual income of $62,600 and for a family of 4 it is $128,600.

On the other hand, Democrats insist that costs are going up, when what is actually happening is that the government is no longer paying a portion directly to the insurance company.  To the insured, this will look like being charged more for the same thing.

Republicans are firm on allowing these subsidies to expire.  Democrats are firm on extending these subsidies.  Neither side is being honest about what’s in the existing laws, how the subsidies work or who they really impact.  That makes it impossible for me to draw conclusions about motive.

Hakeem Jeffries (D) on the Shutdown

Mike Johnson (R) on the Shutdown

Chuck Schumer (D) on the Shutdown

John Thun (R) on the Shutdown

Affordable Care Act

American Rescue Plan

Inflation Reduction Act

Enhanced Premium Tax Credit Expiration

Premium Tax Credit Portion 1

Premium Tax Credit Portion 2

Federal Poverty Guidelines

Federal Poverty FAQ

Today is day 19 of the Federal Government Shutdown

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take

10-12-25

From the desk of Rich Stephens

News for the week ending October 11, 2025.

Below find the expanded text from tonight’s broadcast. For corrections or additions, contact Rich directly.

Politics

Maine Election Missing Ballot Questions

Maine Secretary of State Shenna Bellows spoke Monday, announcing that absentee voting had begun, 30 days prior to Election Day, asserting that elections in her state are safe and secure.

After describing the process of printing, packaging and shipping of absentee ballots, she insisted that even if the chain of custody is broken, Maine elections are still secure. She then announced that 250 blank absentee ballots were allegedly delivered to a Maine resident in an amazon shipment with other items. Maine law enforcement is working with the FBI to investigate the claims.

She noted that one town was missing 250 ballots when their shipment arrived, and that the elections division was notified by a private organization from out of state that they believed they were in possession of absentee ballot envelopes.

While admitting that it appears that there may have been attempts to interfere with elections, she was insistent that the election cannot and will not be tampered with.

Shenna Bellows Full Remarks

Chicago Ice Free Zones

Also Monday, Chicago Mayor Johnson signed the “Ice Free Zone” order. It requires all city property to display a sign stating that the property may not be used for ‘civil immigration enforcement, including as a staging area, processing location, or operations base’. He asserted that ICE agents are violating the constitutional rights of Chicago residents and that this order aims to protects residents and immigrants.

The White House called the order a “disgusting betrayal of every law-abiding citizen” with President Trump saying on Truth Social that the mayor should be in jail for failing to protect ICE agents.

Mayor’s Press Office X Post

Mayor’s X Post

Mayor’s Press Conference X video

City of Chicago Official Statement

White House Statement

Trump Truth Social Post

NYC Mayoral Race Event

Wednesday, New York City mayoral candidates participated in a town hall event where each was able to give brief remarks before taking questions. Zohran Mamdani, Curtis Sliwa and Andrew Cuomo took questions about crime, budgets, housing and education. The election will be held on November 4th, just over three weeks from now.

Full video of the event

Letitia James Indictment

New York Attorney General Letitia James was indicted by a federal grand jury in Virginia Thursday on one count of bank fraud and one count of false statements to a financial institution. James made repeated comments about his presidency being illegitimate and vowed to sue him and cause him problems. She did sue Donald Trump in civil court in 2024 during his third presidential campaign and obtained a judgement against him for $500M. A court later upheld his wrongdoing but overturned the judgement. Letitia James has said that her indictment violates selective prosecution protections, accusing the president of weaponizing the justice system. 

Leticia James Indictment

Leticia James Campaign Statements (video 1)

Leticia James Campaign Statements (video 2)

Leticia James X Post ‘no one is above the law’

Leticia James Response to Indictment

Leticia James Trump Lawsuit Judgement

NY Appellate Court Decision

Columbus Day

And Friday, Donald Trump signed a Presidential Proclamation, officially recognizing October 13 as Columbus day.  He expressed gratitude to Italian immigrants and their contribution to the United States and also noted our close national relationship to Italy.

Presidential Proclamation on Columbus Day

Government Shutdown

We have not yet mentioned that this was the first full week of the ongoing government shutdown that began at midnight on Tuesday September 30th.  Today is the twelfth day of the shutdown and we plan to bring you a special edition of the cold take later this week to explain exactly what is happening.  Subscribe on YouTube, Instagram or TikTok to be notified when this video is available.

Current Events

Palisades Fire Suspect Arrested

Wednesday, US Attorney for the central district of California announced the arrest of Johnathon Rinderknecht for starting the fire that ultimately burned down the Palisades, killing 12 people, destroying 6800 structures and damaging 1000 more. He was arrested Tuesday in Florida on the felony charge of destruction of property by means of fire. The suspect allegedly used ChatGPT to generate images of people running from wildfire months before. The US Attorney indicated that the fire was started with an open flame, was initially ‘suppressed’ but moved underground before being reignited by wind a week later. He could face up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Palisades Fire Suspect Arrest Press Conference

Ghislaine Maxwell Appeal Denied

Ghislaine Maxwell, serving a sentence of 27.5 to 55 years for her role in Jeffrey Epstein’s abuse and exploitation network, had appealed her sentence to the Supreme Court. Her attorneys argued that her prosecution violated a non-prosecution agreement between Epstein and the US Attorney, that the statute of limitations had expired and that her sixth amendment right to a fair trial had been violated. The Supreme Court rejected her request on Wednesday.

Maxwell Sentencing Document

Maxwell Appeals Documents

Supreme Court Denial of Maxwell Case

Tennessee Munitions Facility Explosion

Friday morning, a facility in Hickman County Tennessee that processed ammunition and explosives suffered a catastrophic explosion. Initially authorities believed nineteen people missing or deceased. As of last night, three had been determined to not have been present, but sixteen are now presumed dead and their families have been notified. Due to the volatility of the scene, ATF, FBI and local law enforcement are investigating slowly and carefully. The cause is not yet known.

Initial Coverage

Press Conference 1

Press Conference 2

Diane Keaton

Diane Keaton passed away this week. She appeared in all three godfather films and won the Oscar for best actress in 1978 for her performance in Annie Hall. Diane Keaton was 79 years old.

(No real attribution for this. Her agent spoke to People magazine and they sent it out to everyone else)

Finance

IRS 2026 Tax Brackets and Inflation Adjustments

The IRS Released the tax inflation adjustments for 2026 this week. The standard deduction increased minimally, and the individual tax bracket earning amounts were all increased as well. Estate tax credit amounts went up by $1.5M.

2025 IRS Adjustments

2026 IRS Adjustments

Markets

In Markets, the Dow Jones Industrial Average erased four weeks of gains with a sharp decline Friday to close at 45,479.  The Nasdaq suffered similar losses, closing at 22,204.  The S&P500 dropped to 6552.  Gold meanwhile hit an all time high and closed at 4018 per ounce.  Silver is over $50 for the first time ever.  The previous high was 47.91 in March of 2011.

Sports

MLB Postseason

The MLB divisional playoff round wrapped up Friday night with the brewers taking game 5 from the cubs and moving on to the ALCS where they will face Toronto, who beat the Yankees in 4 games. In the national league, the dodgers will face the Mariners. Seattle needed 15 innings to win game 5 against the tigers on Thursday night.

Mark Sanchez Felony Charges

Former NFL quarterback Mark Sanchez was charged with felony battery resulting in serious bodily injury this week. The charging document alleges that Sanchez was intoxicated, became involved in a dispute over a parking space, and injured the other driver. He could face as much as 6 years in prison if convicted.

Mark Sanchez Original Charging Document

PC Affidavit

Amended Charges

Amended Charge Press Conference

College Football

In college football, number 7 Indiana beat number 3 Oregon 30-20. Number 6 Oklahoma lost the Red River Rivalry with Texas in a 23-6 game. The rest of the top 10 survived with Ohio State beating Illinois, Ole Miss escaping Washington State and number 5 Texas A&M beating Billy Napier’s flailing Gators 34-17.

Rich Stephens

The Cold Take