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Dangers of Solvents Abuse – Inhaling Butane and other gases

The Truth News — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 18:33:54 +0000

The substance primarily associated with solvent abuse in the UK today is butane gas. Over half of all solvent abuse deaths involve the inhalation of butane.

What products contain butane gas?

Many household products contain butane. For example, cigarette lighter refills contain butane. Butane and propane are also used as the propellant in aerosols such as deodorants, hairsprays and so on.
Many aerosols in the UK carry the Solvent Abuse Can Kill Instantly (SACKI) warning on the back.

What are the effects of inhaling butane?

Butane is a depressant and users report a range of highs, including euphoria and hallucinations. The effect is short-lived. Chronic users will often continue inhaling to prolong the effect.

Is it addictive?

Butane can lead to a psychological addiction but it is not physically addictive.

What are the health risks of inhaling butane?

Over half of all deaths associated with solvent abuse are due to butane.

Butane is highly flammable so there is a high risk of burns or explosions, particularly for smokers.
Some butane users report suffering from slurred speech and slower reactions while they are using, but find that these symptoms do not continue once they stop. Other people feel that butane abuse has contributed to longer-term physical or mental health issues.
Death from choking, suffocation, asphyxiation or a form of heart failure known as ‘sudden sniffing death syndrome’ (SSDS).

There is no ‘safe’ way to inhale butane gas that avoids the risk of SSDS.

Harm reduction

Any inhalation may lead to death

It doesn’t matter how often someone has used solvents; there is always the risk of death. There is no such thing as a ‘safe’ way to do it that will take away the risk of death from heart failure.

Re-Solv strives to support people toward eliminating harm from gas and solvent use, which can only be achieved through abstinence from use. However we understand that for some people this may take time, and the following practice may reduce some risks:

Don’t do it alone (have someone with you who can call an ambulance).
Avoid spraying directly into the mouth.
Never cover your face with a mask or plastic bag (covering your face with a mask or bag will increase the risk of suffocation).
Don’t smoke or light cigarettes – these gases are highly flammable.
Don’t mix with alcohol, any other drugs or prescribed medicines.

Don’t argue with, chase or excite someone who is high on gases/solvents. Raising their adrenaline levels may increase their risk of death.

See the Drugwise website for further information about the principle of Harm Reduction. Drugwise (external link)

There is more information on our page Symptoms and Risks of Solvent Abuse.

Other gases

Propane is associated with the same health implications and serious risk of death as butane.
Nitrous oxide – see our nitrous oxide page here. Nitrous oxide
Helium does not cause intoxication.

What is Butane Gas?

Butane is a highly flammable, colourless, odourless gas. Butane is a hydrocarbon, found in household and industrial products and is potentially intoxicating if deliberately inhaled.

How it’s misused

Butane is commonly misused by being inhaled directly through the mouth either from cigarette lighter refills, canisters or aerosol sprays.

Butane and the body

Butane is a central nervous system depressant which slows down the activity of the brain, affecting physical
and mental responses. When butane is inhaled the fumes are absorbed rapidly through the lungs into the
bloodstream. The chemicals are soluble in body fat and pass rapidly to the brain and organs, so they take
effect quickly. Although the initial high will last only a few minutes, the effects can continue for up to
40 minutes. Users may maintain the high by continuing to inhale the fumes.

Short-term effects

It is difficult to calculate the dosage of butane being consumed by users so effects can vary between
individuals. The immediate effects that users describe as desirable are a ‘drunk-like intoxication’ and a
‘euphoria’ or a ‘sense of well-being’.

Immediate side effects that may occur include:

Aggression
Sedation
Possible loss of consciousness
Loss of short term memory
Slurred speech,
Loss of coordination
Confusion
Convulsions & fits
Hallucinations
Blackouts

Long-term effects that may occur include:

Chronic headache
Sinusitis
Ataxia (lack of muscle coordination)
Dizziness
Shortness of breath
Nosebleeds
Chronic or frequent cough
Depression
Anxiety
Tinnitus (noise in ears or head)

Dependence

Dependence is usually psychological rather than physical. However physical withdrawal has been reported among some users. Tolerance to butane can develop quickly meaning that more of the substance is required to get the same effect. Chronic users may become addicted to butane and experience withdrawal symptoms or a hangover effect if they don’t use regularly. Withdrawal symptoms can continue for a number of days
when use ceases.

Withdrawal symptoms include:

Headache
Anxiety
Nausea
Vomiting
Fatigue
Tremor
Sleep disturbances
Depression
Delirium/ illusions
Mild abdominal pain
Sweating
Muscular cramps
Irritability
Loss of appetite
Slurred speech

Dangers

Deliberate inhalation of butane can instantly kill and there is no way to avoid this.

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome

Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome (SSDS) is a cardiac condition where the person experiences ‘cardiac arrhythmia’ where the heart starts beating irregularly. Most deaths attributed to butane use are caused by SSDS. If the person gets excited, startled or participates in any sudden physical activity after inhaling butane, the heart can fail to pump blood.

People who deliberately inhale butane are also at risk of death due to:

Choking on their own vomit
Suffocating
The back of their throat swelling, putting them at risk of choking
Fatal accidents and explosions if exposed to flames

Butane can also cause long-term health implications such as:

Chemical burns on the skin
Kidney damage
Liver damage
Brain damage
Seizures
Tremors
Visual impairment (may become permanent)

Treatment

Butane users should receive the same support as individuals using stimulants. Motivational Interviewing, Solution Focused Brief Therapy and Cognitive Behavioural Therapy are effective for this group. Psychosocial supports should be provided by key workers or counsellors. Butane users generally function well in stimulant support groups.

Harm reduction information

It’s is safest not to inhale butane, but if you are going to use it, please consider the following:

Do not use near busy roads or other hazardous environments
Do not use butane alone, in isolated locations or in conned spaces
Do not use plastic bags of masks to inhale butane
Keep the can upright and do not tilt the can
Do not use near a naked flame or lit cigarette
Do not mix with alcohol, prescription medications or illegal drugs
Do not sleep with a canister cropped against your nose or a blanket over your head
Secure a piece of gauze on top of the nozzle to ensure that if the can is titled the liquefied gas would hit the fabric and not the back of the throat

What should you do in an emergency if someone is unconscious?

Keep calm
Ensure the area immediately around the person is clear of unsafe objects, including volatile substances
Call an ambulance yourself or get someone else to
Check if the person is breathing, and check if they respond to gentle shaking or loud talking
If the person is breathing, put them in the recovery position and lift their chin to ensure their airway remains clear
If the person is not breathing, begin CPR if you know how
Don’t crowd the person or excite them
Try to find out what the person has used so you can tell the medics

Highlights

The recreational use of inhalants is a fairly widespread habit among adolescents.
Two cases of accidental death after sniffing of a mixture of propane and butane are presented.
The role of propane and butane in causing death was demonstrated with toxicological analyses.
The importance of correct sampling procedures and surveys was highlighted.

Abstract

The recreational use of inhalants is a fairly widespread habit among adolescents because of the ease of availability and methods of assumption. Their use is however not free of risks, both for direct toxicity on several target organs and for a mechanism of gas replacement with lack of oxygen. The first case concerns a 12-year-old boy who died suddenly after sniffing a mix of butane and propane contained in a can of air freshener. The second case concerns a 14-year-old boy who died by acute poisoning by the same mixture contained in a refill for lighters. High concentrations of the compounds were found in the tissues by analysis with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The compounds found in tissues and biological fluids were perfectly compatible with those contained in the containers used for the inhalation. The mechanisms of death were therefore assessed in a combination of the direct toxicity of the compound and oxygen replacement, thus highlighting the crucial help that toxicological analyses can provide in such cases.

Introduction

The recreational use of volatile compounds, the so-called “sniffing”, is determined by the inhalation of aerosols, usually contained in spray cans, for their intoxicating and disinhibiting effects.

It is a fairly widespread phenomenon among teenagers because of their easy availability and low costs, but it represents a part of addiction habits and therefore one of the major causes of mortality and morbidity among young people. The most common substances consist in glues and adhesives for plastics, lacquers, solvents for dyes, fuel (gasoline, naphtha, kerosene), fuel for lighters, aerosol propellants. The latter were composed until the end of the 70s by chlorofluorocarbons that were later banned because of their potential harmful effect toward ozone and thus replaced with aliphatic hydrocarbons such as propane, n-butane, isobutane, n-pentane: the products containing such hydrocarbons have a widespread use, low costs, its easy availability make them accessible as substances of abuse among young people and adults of all social classes [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]. Although these compounds are considered safe as aerosol propellants, harmful events may occur in an accidental or suicidal manner [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13], [14], [15], [16]. Inhalation may in fact be found especially among detained people to commit suicide [17]. Although the chemicals of inhalants may produce different pharmacological effects, most of them produce rapid euphoria resembling alcohol intoxication, with disinhibition, lightheadedness and agitation. With prolonged inhalations, a decrease of perceptual sensitivity and even unconsciousness may occur. A variety of additional effects may include aggression, apathy, cognitive impairment. The toxic effects on the organism are clearly determined by the asphyxiating effect in case of prolonged inhalation, but acute inhalation as well (especially with butane) can potentially lead to life-threatening effects. As chronic effect, an extensive and long-lasting damage to the whole nervous system may occur (similar to neurological diseases such as multiple sclerosis). Moreover, cognitive, motor, visual and auditory areas may undergo severe impairment. Other effects may involve coordination, spasticity and sensory loss of hearing and sight [18], [19], [20], [21], [22]. Moreover, chronic exposure can produce significant damage to the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys.

At the state of the art, several cases have been reported of fatal suicidal and accidental butane or propane intoxication. In case of sudden death following acute inhalation, it was attributed to suffocation, respiratory depression, cardiac arrhythmia or to a combination of such different mechanisms [23], [24], [25]. However, it is clear that since autopsy is usually completely unremarkable (as in many asphyxial deaths), the assessment of the cause and mechanism of death is mainly based upon circumstantial data or histological and toxicological analyses. The volatile substance abuse (VSA) among adolescents is a widespread phenomenon [26], [27], [28], [29]. In 2014, according to the “Behavioral health trends in the United States” [30] approximately 546.000 people aged 12 or older were current users of inhalants. Current use of inhalants in 2014 was more common among adolescents aged 12–17 than among people in other age groups. Percentages of people in different age groups who were current users of inhalants in 2014 were 0.6% in adolescents, 0.2% in young adults aged 18–25, and 0.2% in adults aged 26 or older. People who abuse of inhalants belong mostly to rural urban environments. In Europe, according to the survey performed by European School Survey Project on Alcohol and Other Drugs (ESPAD) [31], the highest prevalence of use of inhalants is observed in Cyprus, Greece, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Malta and Slovenia. The consumption of inhalants gradually increases with age, with prevalence of 4% among 15-year-old people and 11% in 19-year-old. This trend can be detected even for other substances such as amphetamines, ecstasy, hallucinogens and opiates. No significant differences between genders were detected.

In Italy, the survey Italian Population Survey on Alcohol and Drugs (IPSAD) [32] aimed at detecting the use of legal and illegal psychoactive substances in the resident population in Italy between the ages of 15 and 64. The survey showed higher prevalence among young people, as individuals below the age of 35 are those reporting more frequently the assumption of these drugs at least once in a lifetime, with prevalence rates between 3% and 4%. The consumption of inhalants in 2008 reached 1% in the age group 15–24 and decreased to 0.2% in other age groups (25–54), without significant differences between genders. The latest report of the Central Executive Anti-Drug Board [33] shows how the sniffing of substances like glues, gases, aerosols and solvents, is alarmingly growing among young people.

Thus, VSA developed in Italy since the early 90s, although it is still rarely observed when compared to other forms of substance abuse. Moreover, the crucial issue of VSA-related deaths among adolescents has never been thoroughly investigated. A previous review of the cases occurred at the Institute of Legal Medicine of Milan until 1985 recorded only two cases and not related to adolescents [34].

The authors report two cases of accidental death due to inhalation of a mixture of butane and propane, hence highlighting crucial aspects involved in a correct diagnosis within a forensic context, which must necessarily rely upon a correct and thorough integration of circumstantial data, clinical evidence, autopsy, histological analysis, and especially toxicological investigations. These cases are of particular interest since they are the only two described in Italian case studies and provide a contribution to this topic, showing how the causal role of the substance can be demonstrated even when a certain survival is present and significant concentrations may be found only in accumulation tissues (i.e. adipose tissue). Different mechanisms responsible for death are therefore discussed.

Section snippets

Case 1

The case concerns a 12-year-old male, found by his mother lying supine on the floor of the bedroom, unconscious and with a plastic bag placed around the face. White foam was dripping from the mouth. The mother immediately alerted the rescue who found him in cardio-circulatory arrest, tried to resuscitate and carry him to hospital but circulation and heartbeat never recovered and he was thus pronounced dead. At the survey of the scene, a can of air freshener was found on the desk of his bedroom,

Materials and methods

In both cases, during autopsy the following samples were taken for further toxicological analyses: cardiac (both cases) and femoral blood (only case 2), urine, bile, portions of tissues (brain, lungs, liver, kidneys) in order to establish the assumption of psychoactive substances. For the search of volatile substances, blood samples (1 ml) and fragments of liver, kidney, brain, lung, iliopsoas muscle and adipose tissue were sampled in vials of 10 ml, previously calibrated, sealed with a septum

Results

The analysis of the biological samples showed the presence of n-butane, isobutane and propane in blood samples and several organs, similar to the gaseous mixture contained in the material found at the decedent’s home (air freshener in the case 1 and cans for lighters recharge in case 2). Fig. 3 shows the gas chromatographic analysis of propane and butane detected in the blood sample of case 1, whilst Fig. 4 shows, in the sample of adipose tissue of case 2, the detection, by GC/MS analysis, of

Discussion

The present cases are very representative of how a correct and thorough forensic investigation should be performed in case of poisoning by butane and propane, especially in accidental cases among people who use to inhale substances for some sort of “trip” [1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7]. The assessment of the assumption of these substances (a mixture, in both cases) and their role in causing death is based on a thorough evaluation based on circumstances, crime scene investigation, autopsy,

References (40)

M.O. Howard et al. Inhalant use among incarcerated adolescents in the United States: prevalence, characteristics, and correlates of use Drug Alcohol Depend. (2008)
J.M. Nonnemaker et al. Inhalant use initiation among U.S. adolescents: evidence from the National Survey of Parents and Youth using discrete-time survival analysis Addict. Behav. (2011)
A. Sasao et al. Quantitative determination of n-butane metabolites in three cases of butane sniffing death Forensic Sci. Int. (2015)
M. Ago et al. A fatal case of n-butane poisoning after inhaling anti-perspiration aerosol deodorant Leg. Med. (Tokyo) (2002)
H. Tsoukali et al. Death during deliberate propane inhalation Forensic Sci. Int. (1998)
H. Sugie et al. Three cases of sudden death due to butane or propane gas inhalation: analysis of tissues for gas components Forensic Sci. Int. (2004)
M. Peyravi et al. Fatal outcome despite bilateral decompressive craniectomy for refractory intracranial pressure increase in butane intoxication Clin. Neurol. Neurosurg. (2012)
M.O. Howard et al. Inhalant use among antisocial youth: prevalence and correlates Addict. Behav. (1999)
C. Fuke et al. A fatal case considered to be due to cardiac arrhythmia associated with butane inhalation Leg. Med. (Tokyo) (2002)
K.E. Edwards et al. Successful resuscitation from recurrent ventricular fibrillation secondary to butane inhalation Br. J. Anaesth. (2000)
D.R. Williams et al. Ventricular fibrillation following butane gas inhalation Resuscitation (1998)
T. Fukunaga et al. Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) poisoning: report of two cases and review of the literature Forensic Sci. Int. (1996)
A. Esmail et al. Controlling deaths from volatile substance abuse in under 18s: the effects of legislation BMJ (1992)
A.C. Evans et al. Phenomenology of intoxication with toluene-based adhesives and butane gas Br. J. Psychiatry (1987)
M.E. Medina-Mora et al. Epidemiology of inhalant use Curr. Opin. Psychiatry (2008)
M.L. Muilenburg et al. Inhalant use and risky behavior correlates in a sample of rural middle school students Subst. Abus. (2006)
H. Pfeiffer et al. Sudden death after isobutane sniffing: a report of two forensic cases Int. J. Legal Med.(2006)
T.P. Rohrig Sudden death due to butane inhalation Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. (1997)
C.L. Winek et al. Accidental death due to inhalation of butane J. Anal. Toxicol. (1997)
C. Jackowski et al. Autoerotic accident by inhalation of propane–butane gas mixture Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. (2005)

There are more references available in the full text version of this article.

Cited by (22)

Sudden death due to butane abuse – An overview 2024, Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine Characteristics and circumstances of volatile solvent misuse-related death in Australia, 2000–2021
2023, Clinical Toxicology A two-decade review of butane toxicity as a substance of abuse 2022, Basic and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology
Comprehensive comparison of industrial cannabinoid extraction techniques: Evaluation of the most relevant patents and studies at pilot scale 2022, Frontiers in Natural Products
Two deaths due to explosion of cylinders of liquid petroleum gas 2021, Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences
Electronic cigarettes and alternative methods of vaping 2021, Annals of the American Thoracic Society

Santa Clarita Is Using Your Tax Dollars to Silence a Reporter

The Truth News — Fri, 29 May 2026 22:47:51 +0000

Good Shepherd Media · Santa Clarita, California · Editorial

Opinion & Analysis

Santa Clarita Is Using Your Tax Dollars to Silence a Reporter

When a city government files a restraining order against a journalist for making phone calls to City Hall, something has gone very wrong in a place that calls itself a democracy.

Good Shepherd Media Editorial Board · Santa Clarita, CA
June 2026

The City of Santa Clarita recently took an extraordinary step: it filed a civil harassment restraining order against a local publisher — a journalist — for the act of calling City Hall to seek comment from the mayor on a matter of public concern. Let that sink in. A government entity, funded by you, the taxpayer, is using the civil courts to silence a member of the press.

This is not a hypothetical threat to press freedom. It is happening right now, in this community, under Case No. 26CHRO00913 at the Chatsworth Courthouse. The petitioners are the City of Santa Clarita and two named city officials. The target is a registered journalist operating a legitimate local news publication. The alleged offense? Approximately fifteen phone calls over ten days — not threats, not violence, not harassment in any meaningful sense of the word — but calls to a government office seeking access to elected and appointed officials.

“Calling your government is not harassment. Reporting on your government is not a crime. But suing a journalist for doing both is a profound abuse of power.”

What the City Did — and What It Cost You

Filing a restraining order is not a free act. City attorneys do not work for nothing. Every hour spent preparing petitions, appearing in court, and litigating this matter is billed to the public. Santa Clarita residents — who pay among the highest property tax rates in Los Angeles County — are footing the bill to suppress the very journalism that exists to hold their government accountable.

And what exactly did this journalist do to merit such a response? He called City Hall. He identified himself as a publisher. He sought comment on a matter of public concern. He announced his intent to report on a planned public assembly — a constitutionally protected activity — and took care to note explicitly that any gathering should not target private residences. That last detail is critical: far from inciting disorder, this journalist acted to prevent it.

The city’s response to this responsible journalism was not a press release, not a returned call, not a public statement. It was a lawsuit. It was a Temporary Restraining Order. It was an automatic firearms prohibition imposed under Penal Code § 29825 — a collateral consequence that strips a law-abiding citizen of a fundamental right without a trial, without a conviction, and without any finding of actual danger.

What the Restraining Order Actually Does

► Prohibits a journalist from contacting city officials — the very people he is constitutionally entitled to petition
► Triggers an automatic firearms prohibition under PC § 29825, even though no violence was alleged
► Chills newsgathering by any reporter who fears similar retaliation for persistent inquiry
► Diverts public funds from city services into litigation against a member of the press
► Creates a false public impression of domestic conflict where none exists

“A greedy incompetant mayor office and city council , a corrupt police officer, a trash company and a developer whose interests appear closely aligned with those in City Hall. The public deserves transparency, accountability, and government decisions made for the benefit of residents—not for the benefit of insiders.”

The First Amendment Is Not a Technicality

Courts have long recognized that petitioning the government for redress of grievances is not merely a right — it is the foundational act of democratic self-governance. The Supreme Court has held repeatedly that speech directed at public officials on matters of public concern occupies the highest rung of constitutional protection. Even speech that annoys, offends, or inconveniences those in power cannot be suppressed simply because the powerful find it uncomfortable.

California’s own legislature recognized the danger of powerful entities weaponizing litigation against speakers and reporters. It enacted the anti-SLAPP statute — Code of Civil Procedure § 425.16 — precisely to stop this kind of abuse. SLAPP stands for Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation. The law exists because governments and corporations have a long history of filing lawsuits not to win, but to exhaust, intimidate, and silence those who dare to speak. When the defendant in such a case prevails, the law mandates that the plaintiff — here, the city — pay the defendant’s attorneys’ fees.

An anti-SLAPP motion has been filed in this case. The city will have to explain, in open court, why phone calls to City Hall by a journalist constitute legally cognizable harassment rather than constitutionally protected newsgathering. That is a question Santa Clarita residents deserve to hear answered on the record.

“A government that sues journalists is a government that fears scrutiny. And a government that fears scrutiny has something to hide.”

The Chilling Effect Is the Point

Make no mistake: even if this city ultimately loses in court, the filing of this action has already accomplished something. Other local journalists, bloggers, and citizens watching this case now know what awaits anyone who calls City Hall too many times, asks too many questions, or publishes something officials prefer to suppress. That knowledge changes behavior. It makes people hesitant. It makes reporters pull punches. That hesitation — that self-censorship — is the chilling effect the First Amendment exists to prevent.

Local government accountability journalism is already endangered. Newsrooms have collapsed across Southern California. The reporters who once filled city council chambers, read through budgets, and pressed officials for answers are gone. What remains, in communities like Santa Clarita, are a handful of independent publishers operating on shoestring budgets, filing records requests, attending meetings, and making phone calls — doing the unglamorous work of democratic accountability. When a city files a restraining order against one of those publishers, it is not merely attacking an individual. It is attacking the institution of local press itself.

What Santa Clarita Residents Should Demand

The residents of Santa Clarita deserve answers. They deserve to know why city attorneys authorized this action. They deserve a full accounting of how much public money has been spent litigating against a local journalist. They deserve to know whether city officials were personally involved in the decision to file, and what communications preceded that decision.

They also deserve a city government that understands the difference between harassment and journalism — between a threat and a phone call — and that responds to press inquiries with transparency, not lawsuits.

Until those answers are given, and until this action is withdrawn or defeated in court, Santa Clarita’s city government stands credibly accused of weaponizing public resources against the free press, chilling constitutionally protected speech, and betraying the trust of the taxpayers it was elected to serve.

That is a story that will continue to be told — no restraining order notwithstanding.

City of Santa Clarita Uses Public Funds to Sue Its Own Local Journalist

When an Insurance Lawyer Prosecutes a Free Press Case: A Look at Keiko Kojima’s Handling of City of Santa Clarita v. Zullo

	Mayor Laurene Weste
	Mayor Pro Tem Patsy Ayala
	Councilmember Jason Gibbs
	Councilwoman Marsha McLean
	Councilmember Bill Miranda

https://goodshepherdmedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jennifer-Seetoo-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp3

Upcoming Public Hearing

Anti-SLAPP Special Motion to Strike
Case No. 26CHRO00913 · Los Angeles Superior Court, Chatsworth Courthouse
July 2, 2026 · This is a public proceeding. All residents are welcome to attend.

The city must show cause in open court why its action does not constitute a SLAPP — a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public

Participation — targeting constitutionally protected press activity.

City of Santa Clarita Uses Public Funds to Sue Its Own Local Journalist

The Truth News — Fri, 08 May 2026 22:48:59 +0000

Good Shepherd Media

GOODSHEPHERDMEDIA.NET

SANTA CLARITA, CALIFORNIA

SUNDAY, JUNE 7, 2026  ·  VOL. 1, NO. 1

“TRUTH SERVES THE COMMUNITY”

LOCAL GOVERNMENT  ·  FIRST AMENDMENT  ·  CIVIL RIGHTS  ·  TAXPAYER ACCOUNTABILITY

Exclusive Investigation

Government Overreach

City of Santa Clarita
Uses Public Funds to Sue
Its Own Local Journalist

A restraining order filed by two city officials and the municipality itself targets a news publisher for phone calls to City Hall and plans to report on a public assembly — raising urgent First Amendment questions at taxpayer expense.

By Philip ·  Publisher, Good Shepherd Media  ·  Case No. 26CHRO00913, Chatsworth Courthouse

The City of Santa Clarita, along with two of its named officials, has filed a Civil Harassment Restraining Order against this publication’s own publisher — a journalist — after he made approximately fifteen phone calls over ten days to city offices seeking comment from the mayor on a matter of public concern.

No threats were made. No private home was targeted. The calls were placed to City Hall’s publicly listed numbers. Yet taxpayer resources are now being marshaled through the Los Angeles Superior Court to silence a local news publisher, in what legal observers say bears the hallmarks of a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation — a SLAPP.

“The conduct at issue — calling a government office to seek comment and announcing intent to report on a public assembly — is constitutionally protected at its core.”

— Anti-SLAPP Motion to Strike, filed May 19, 2026

Among the most alarming collateral consequences of the temporary restraining order: an automatic firearms prohibition under California Penal Code § 29825 was imposed against the publisher — a sanction typically associated with domestic violence orders — despite no familial relationship of any kind between the parties and no allegation of violence.

The publisher had announced, in his capacity as a journalist, his intent to publish City Hall’s publicly available address in connection with a planned peaceful public assembly. Far from inciting any unlawful gathering, the announcement explicitly invoked Frisby v. Schultz warnings cautioning readers against approaching private residences — responsible journalism that legal experts say affirmatively reduces the very risks the city now claims to fear.

An Anti-SLAPP Special Motion to Strike under CCP § 425.16 was filed on May 19, 2026. A federal civil rights complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 has also been prepared, alleging retaliation against protected First Amendment activity by a government actor. Should the Anti-SLAPP motion succeed — as the legal framework strongly suggests it should — a SLAPPback action under CCP § 425.18 is anticipated, which would seek attorney’s fees and damages from the city directly.

Every dollar spent prosecuting this restraining order is a dollar of Santa Clarita taxpayer money spent suppressing local journalism. Residents deserve to know that.

What the Record Shows

The publisher placed calls to City Hall’s public line — not to any private residence or personal number. The two named petitioners were unknown to the publisher during the calls, undermining the legal requirement that harassing conduct be “directed at” a specific person.

Phone carrier records obtained by this publication contradict a screenshot exhibit submitted by petitioners purporting to show the publisher’s number — raising authentication questions under California Evidence Code §§ 1400–1402.

A lawfully made audio recording of a responding police officer, admissible under PC § 148(g) and Askins v. DHS, has been identified as impeachment evidence against petitioner testimony.

Key Legal Claims

► CCP § 425.16 Anti-SLAPP Motion (filed)
► 42 U.S.C. § 1983 — First Amendment retaliation
► California Bane Act, Civil Code § 52.1
► CCP § 425.18 SLAPPback (pending outcome)
► Second Amendment — unlawful arms prohibition

“A greedy incompetant mayor office and city council , a corrupt police officer, a trash company and a developer whose interests appear closely aligned with those in City Hall. The public deserves transparency, accountability, and government decisions made for the benefit of residents—not for the benefit of insiders.”

Analysis

Legal Precedent Cuts Against the City — And Its Lawyers Know It

A 2026 California Court of Appeal ruling, Ortiz v. Saenz, directly mirrors the facts here: a restraining order sought against a government critic. It was struck down.

Courts have repeatedly held that speech directed at government officials on public concern matters occupies the highest tier of First Amendment protection. US v. Popa established that even heated or repeated calls to public offices may not be criminalized when the subject is a public concern. The Santa Clarita restraining order tests that boundary directly — and at public expense.

The case echoes Lozman v. City of Riviera Beach (2018), in which the U.S. Supreme Court held that a city’s retaliatory lawsuit against a resident critic violated the First Amendment. The parallels are striking: a local government using its institutional weight and legal apparatus to burden the speech of a persistent critic rather than engage with the substance of his reporting.

The Anti-SLAPP statute was designed precisely for this scenario. If the motion succeeds, the city faces mandatory fee awards to the prevailing defendant. Every dollar spent prosecuting this restraining order is a dollar of Santa Clarita taxpayer money spent suppressing local journalism. Residents of the Santa Clarita Valley deserve to know exactly how their money is being used.

When an Insurance Lawyer Prosecutes a Free Press Case: A Look at Keiko Kojima’s Handling of City of Santa Clarita v. Zullo

Santa Clarita Is Using Your Tax Dollars to Silence a Reporter

Upcoming Public Hearing

Anti-SLAPP Special Motion to Strike
Case No. 26CHRO00913 · Los Angeles Superior Court, Chatsworth Courthouse
July 2, 2026 · This is a public proceeding. All residents are welcome to attend.

The city must show cause in open court why its action does not constitute a SLAPP — a Strategic Lawsuit Against Public

Participation — targeting constitutionally protected press activity.

	Mayor Laurene Weste
	Mayor Pro Tem Patsy Ayala
	Councilmember Jason Gibbs
	Councilwoman Marsha McLean
	Councilmember Bill Miranda

https://goodshepherdmedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/12/Jennifer-Seetoo-Made-with-Clipchamp.mp3

Good Shepherd Media LLC  ·  dba Good Shepherd Media  ·  goodshepherdmedia.net  ·  Santa Clarita, California

Case No. 26CHRO00913  ·  Los Angeles Superior Court, Chatsworth Courthouse  ·  Published May 8th, Updated June 4, 2026

Shooting at White House Correspondents’ Dinner – President Trump Rushed to Safety

The Truth News — Sun, 26 Apr 2026 08:43:47 +0000

Shooting at White House – President Trump Rushed to Safety

4/25/2026

Suspect in custody after shots fired at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

President Trump was rushed off the stage, and he and his Cabinet members are all safe.

https://goodshepherdmedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Shooting-at-White-House-President-Trump-Rushed-to-Safety.mp4

Here’s the latest

• President Donald Trump said a suspect “armed with multiple weapons” charged a security checkpoint before shots were fired at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, DC. Trump was rushed off stage, and he and his Cabinet members are all safe.

• The suspect — who is in custody — will be charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, US Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said. Authorities have identified the suspect as Cole Tomas Allen, a 31-year-old from California, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN.

• A US Secret Service officer was shot in their protective gear and hospitalized. The officer has since been released from the hospital, according to USSS Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi.

• CNN’s Wolf Blitzer was outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton when he saw a gunman opening fire just a few feet away. He was among the dozens of attendees who took cover as law enforcement swarmed.

What we know so far about gunman’s attack on the White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Armed commandos stand by as special guests are evacuated from the back of the Washington Hilton after shots were fired during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday.

Roberto Schmidt/AFP/Getty Images

A suspected gunman is in custody after storming a security checkpoint at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner –– forcing President Donald Trump, cabinet members and a ballroom full of guests to scramble to safety.

Authorities have identified the suspect as 31-year-old Cole Tomas Allen, a California native, three sources familiar with the matter told CNN. The suspect was armed with a shotgun, a handgun and multiple knives and “exchanged fire” with law enforcement officers when he was intercepted and taken into custody, interim Washington, DC, Police Chief Jeffery Carroll told reporters.

A motive has not been determined, and the suspect is expected to be arraigned in court on Monday. He faces two charges: using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon, US Attorney Jeanine Pirro said.

Here’s what we know so far about the attack:

Carroll said the attacker appeared to be “a lone actor” and is believed to have stayed at the Washington Hilton, where the dinner took place. Police have secured the hotel room and are examining what’s inside.
A Secret Service officer who was shot during the attack has been released from the hospital. The officer’s ballistic vest “helped us avoid a potential tragedy,” a Secret Service spokesperson said.
Authorities said the suspect was not struck by gunfire but was taken to a hospital for evaluation.
According to public records, the suspect worked as a teacher and video game developer in Southern California. He studied engineering and is a graduate of the California Institute of Technology, according to materials shared with CNN.
Trump noted his security team was not aware of any threats prior to Saturday’s dinner.
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer was outside the ballroom at the Washington Hilton when he saw the gunman “clearly on the ground shooting” steps away from him. A police officer threw Blitzer to the ground after the assailant opened fire.
The attack has been condemned by lawmakers in the US and leaders across the world –– many expressing relief over Trump’s safety and praising the swift law enforcement response.

President Trump rushed from White House Correspondents’ Dinner after shots fired, suspect held

President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance, first lady Melania Trump and other top officials were evacuated from the head table in the ballroom of the Washington Hilton hotel at the annual event after apparent gunshots were heard at the venue Saturday night.

FBI secures alleged home of suspect in WHCD shooting, search warrant pending

The suspected home of the man accused in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting has been secured by the FBI and local law enforcement, Fox News has learned.

The suspect was identified as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, according to a law enforcement briefing to Fox News Digital.

A federal judge in the Central District of California is expected to sign a search warrant, the U.S. Attorney’s Office told Fox News.

Once the warrant is approved, the FBI will be able to search the suspect’s home. Obtaining the warrant could take several hours.

Torrance mayor responds after resident identified as suspect in WHCD shooting

The mayor of Torrance, California, issued a statement after a city resident was identified as the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting.

The suspected gunman was identified as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, according to a law enforcement briefing to Fox News Digital.

“Tonight, our community joins the nation in condemning the violent incident that occurred in Washington, D.C., during the White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” Mayor George Chen said in a statement.

“We are grateful to the federal law enforcement officers and first responders whose swift actions helped prevent further harm, and we wish the injured agent a full recovery,” he added. “We are aware of reports identifying the suspect as a resident of Torrance.”

Chen emphasized the suspect does not represent the city.

“While that connection is deeply troubling, one individual’s alleged actions do not define our city or the values of the more than 143,000 residents who call Torrance home,” he said. “Torrance is a community built on respect, diversity, hard work, and public safety.”

“The City of Torrance stands firmly against political violence, extremism and acts of hatred in any form,” Chen continued. “We reject attempts to sow fear or division, whether here at home or anywhere in our country.”

Chen said the city will continue working with law enforcement.

“In moments like this, we are reminded that our shared values are stronger than the actions of any one person,” he added.

Secret Service official says gunman ‘stopped at first contact’ after WHCD shooting

Secret Service Deputy Director Matthew Quinn praised law enforcement’s response after a California man allegedly opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, striking an agent.

The agent was shot in the vest after the gunman entered the Washington Hilton, rushed past a magnetometer and opened fire. The agent is OK.

“Tonight, a coward attempted to create a national tragedy,” Quinn said in a statement. “He underestimated the protective capabilities of the U.S. Secret Service, and was stopped at first contact.”

“The strength of our layered security posture was evident, with a myriad of countermeasures still ahead,” he added. “Grateful for the brave men and women of the Secret Service and our valued Law Enforcement partners.”

The suspected gunman was identified as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, according to a law enforcement briefing to Fox News Digital.

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Saturday the suspect is charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

FBI descends on suspect’s home as investigators race to build profile in WHCD shooting

Investigators are quickly building a profile of the suspect in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting as federal agents move in on his California home.

The suspected gunman was identified as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, according to a law enforcement briefing to Fox News Digital.

Jason Pack, a retired FBI supervisory special agent, said authorities can rapidly compile detailed information about the suspect.

“Right now, tonight, federal agents know his name,” Pack told Fox News. “That name is running through every database the government owns. Criminal history, military service, mental health flags, travel records, known associates, prior contacts with law enforcement.”

Pack said investigators can gather critical information within minutes.

“That process takes minutes, not days,” he said. “Within the hour, prosecutors were likely already on the phone with judges seeking warrants. Digital warrants for his phone, his email, his social media accounts, his search history. Physical warrants for every address associated with his name.”

FBI agents arrived outside the suspect’s home in Torrance early Sunday.

“Those residences are being secured right now,” Pack said. “Agents are establishing a perimeter, making sure nobody enters or leaves, and waiting for a warrant.”

He added that evidence inside the home could provide key insight into the suspect’s motive.

“What is inside that residence, whether it is a manifesto, weapons, materials, a journal, correspondence, will tell investigators more about motive than almost anything else,” Pack said. “The physical space a person lives in is a biography.”

Pack said investigators are already working to reconstruct the suspect’s movements leading up to the shooting.

“The timeline reconstruction has already started,” he said. “Agents are working backwards from the lobby of the Washington Hilton and they will not stop until they reach the moment this began in his mind.”

Suspect in WHCD shooting acted alone, had multiple weapons, DC police say

The man accused of opening fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday is believed to have acted alone and was found with multiple weapons, according to the Metropolitan Police Department in Washington, D.C.

The suspected gunman was identified as Cole Allen, 31, of Torrance, California, according to a law enforcement briefing to Fox News.

DC police said they recovered two firearms and multiple knives.

A Secret Service agent was shot in the vest and is being treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting renews spotlight on Trump ballroom push

The shooting inside the venue hosting the annual White House Correspondents’ Dinner has renewed attention on President Donald Trump’s push for a secure White House ballroom — an idea he argues could help reduce such risks.

Trump pointed to the incident to criticize the hotel as insufficiently secure, promoting a new ballroom with features like reinforced materials.

The proposal, however, faces legal and political hurdles. Courts are weighing whether the administration bypassed required approvals, while critics question the cost and potential impact on the historic complex.

The planned 90,000-square-foot space would seat about 650 guests and replace the East Wing, marking a major change to the White House footprint. Supporters frame it as a largely privately funded security upgrade, while opponents see it as an unnecessary overhaul.

While the White House has hosted countless ceremonial events, it has never had a dedicated ballroom. The new structure would fill that gap, replacing the historic East Wing with a space built to accommodate large-scale gatherings.

Secret Service chief praises response after gunman charges WHCD security checkpoint

U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran praised law enforcement’s response after a 31-year-old California man allegedly opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, striking a Secret Service agent.

An agent was shot in the vest after the gunman entered the Washington Hilton, rushed past a magnetometer and opened fire. The agent is OK.

“Tonight we saw exactly what our brave men and women do each and every day to protect our protectees,” Curran said in a statement. “It’s not easy, and I will tell you that they performed admirably. We got to see what they do. And that individual, when he charged a checkpoint, was apprehended.”

“It shows that our multi-layered protection works,”Curran continued. “And I’m grateful to our partners that help assist us with building these sites and protecting these sites.”

Homeland Security chief praises Trump’s leadership after WHCD shooting

Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin commended President Donald Trump for showing “incredible composure and leadership” following a shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.

“Thankfully, President Trump, the First Lady, all members of the Cabinet, the media, and guests are safe,” Mullin said in a post on X. “@POTUS has displayed incredible composure and leadership tonight.”

“I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service and law enforcement personnel for their quick and heroic actions,” he added. “An investigation is ongoing, and we will provide updates as they become available.”

Trump was escorted from the Washington Hilton after shots were reported near a security screening area. One suspect has been taken into custody.

Pelosi calls WHCD shooting a ‘terrifying act of violence,’ praises law enforcement

Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reacted to the shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, calling it a “terrifying act of violence.”

“It is a great relief that the President, First Lady and everyone in attendance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is safe following a terrifying act of violence inside the venue,” Pelosi said in a statement.

“The brave men and women of the United States Secret Service and local law enforcement are to be commended for their swift action to secure the scene and protect those present,” she added.

Pelosi also expressed concern for those affected.

“As someone whose family has suffered political violence, my prayers are with the injured officer and all those affected by the trauma of these horrible incidents,” she said.

Pelosi’s husband was attacked with a hammer at their San Francisco home in 2022.

Suspect identified in White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting

The suspected shooter involved in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner has been named, Fox News can confirm.

Cole Allen, 31, was identified via a law enforcement brief to Fox News. He is from Torrance, California.

Allen was potentially a guest at the Washington Hilton, according to law enforcement.

DC US attorney says suspect in WHCD incident faces federal charges, more possible

U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said Saturday that the individual who rushed toward the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is facing federal charges, with more likely to follow.

Pirro said the suspect, who has not been identified, is currently charged with using a firearm during a crime of violence and assault on a federal officer with a dangerous weapon.

“Right now, the defendant is being charged with two counts — 924(c), using a firearm during a crime of violence, and a second charge under 111, which is assault on a federal officer using a dangerous weapon,” Pirro said during a news conference.

She said the suspect is expected to be arraigned in federal district court Monday and could face additional charges.

“But make no mistake, there will be many more charges based upon the information that we are learning in this very fluid situation,” Pirro added.

Secret Service in line of fire at WHCA shooting still unpaid due to Dem-led shutdown

The shooting near President Trump and several Cabinet members at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner is intensifying scrutiny of the Democrats’ funding standoff in Congress, which has left the Department of Homeland Security — including the Secret Service — in a prolonged funding lapse.

The incident comes as the standoff stretches past 60 days, with Democrats blocking funding measures and rejecting multiple Republican-backed proposals to reopen the department. The dispute, centered on immigration enforcement policy, has raised concerns about resources for agencies including the Secret Service, FEMA and the Coast Guard, all of which fall under DHS.

The episode adds to a series of recent security threats involving Trump, underscoring the strain on federal protective services. The Secret Service, tasked with protecting the president, vice president, their families and other senior officials, has faced growing demands in recent years.

Last week, Secret Service Director Sean Curran warned lawmakers the agency is not adequately staffed to handle major upcoming events, including the FIFA World Cup, the 2028 Olympics and the next presidential cycle — highlighting mounting concerns about staffing and resources.

Trump praises law enforcement response after gunman rushes WHCD event

President Donald Trump praised law enforcement Saturday night after a gunman rushed toward the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“He charged from 50 yards away, so he was very far away from the room,” Trump said during a news conference from the White House.

“He was moving,” Trump added. “He was really moving.”

Trump commended the responding officers for their quick reaction.

“The reaction time was great,” he said. “Boy, those guys — they had their guns drawn. By the time he was there, they were shooting. I thought they were very impressive. And if I didn’t, I’d let you know.”

Acting AG says charges coming soon after shooting near WHCD

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said Saturday night that charges are expected to be filed soon following the shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

“This investigation is ongoing,” he said during the briefing at the White House. “I expect you will see charges filed shortly.”

“The charges should be self-evident given the conduct,” he continued. “But as you’ll hear, there will be multiple charges surrounding the shooting, around the possession of firearms and anything else that we can get on this guy.”

Trump delivers White House address after White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting incident

President Donald Trump delivered a statement from the White House briefing room following the shooting incident that led to the evacuation of the White House Correspondents’ Dinner earlier tonight.

“A man charged a security checkpoint armed with multiple weapons,” Trump said, praising Secret Service and law enforcement for acting “very quickly” to stop the suspect.

Trump was rushed from the Washington Hilton after shots were reported near the screening area, with law enforcement later confirming a suspect was taken into custody.

Trump confirmed the shooter was taken down and said one officer was shot at close range but saved by a bulletproof vest. “I just spoke to the officer… he’s in great shape,” Trump said.

Adding to the surreal scene, many members of the press in the briefing room arrived directly from the Hilton and were still dressed in black tie attire for the president’s remarks.

Trump posted photos and video of the suspect on Truth Social to accompany his remarks.

Trump also framed the moment as striking at the heart of the purpose of the event, saying, “this was an event dedicated to freedom of speech that was supposed to bring together members of both parties, with members of the press. And in a certain way, it did, because the fact that they just unified us to a room that was just totally unified, it was, in one way, very beautiful, a very beautiful thing to see.”

He said the surveillance video released on Truth Social was meant to show “the violence of this thug that attacked our Constitution,” but also “how quickly Secret Service and law enforcement acted on our country’s behalf.”

Trump went on to argue the incident showed a need for tighter security, saying the Washington Hilton is “not a particularly secure building” and tying that to his ballroom under construction at the White House, with “drone proof” protections and “bulletproof glass.”

He also linked the scare to a broader pattern of threats, saying, “this is not the first time in the past couple of years that our republic has been attacked by a would be assassin who sought to kill,” and urged Americans to “recommit with their hearts” to “resolving our differences peacefully.”

At several points, Trump returned to the idea that the dinner should not be canceled outright, saying, “we’re not going to let anybody take over our society,” and vowing the event would be held again “within the next 30 days,” “bigger and better and even nicer.”

The president added that he “fought like hell to stay,” but was ultimately told by security, “please, sir,” because agents still did not know of additional threats.

Speaker Johnson praises first responders after shooting outside WHCD

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., thanked first responders for quickly responding to the shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday.

Johnson was attending the event at the Washington Hilton hotel with his wife, Kelly.

“Kelly and I were at the event tonight, and we’re thankful no innocent people were harmed and everyone is now safe,” Johnson said in a post on X.

“We’re grateful as always for the law enforcement and first responders who acted so quickly to bring the situation under control,” he added. “Praying for our country tonight.”

Scalise reacts after shooting near WHCD, praises law enforcement response

Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La., who was shot in the hip by a gunman during a practice for the Congressional Baseball Game in 2017, reacted to the shooting outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday night.

“I’m incredibly grateful for the brave members of law enforcement who acted quickly to protect all of us attending tonight’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner,” he said in a statement.

“This is an event meant to bring people together,” he added. “Violence has NO place in our country.”

White House Correspondents’ Dinner venue ‘Hinckley Hilton’ known for Reagan shooting history

Locals indelicately call the location of the White House Correspondents Dinner — the Washington Hilton Hotel — the “Hinckley Hilton” because of the shooting of President Ronald Reagan on March 30, 1981, by a man named John Hinckley Jr., who fired six shots at Reagan in a matter of seconds.

One of the bullets ricocheted off the presidential limousine and struck Reagan in the chest, seriously wounding him. Three other people were also hit, including Press Secretary James Brady, a police officer and a Secret Service agent.

Secret Service agents pushed Reagan into the car and rushed him to George Washington University hospital, where he underwent surgery and survived.

Hinckley was arrested at the scene and was later found not guilty by reason of insanity.

Secret Service agent shot by gunman outside White House Correspondents’ Dinner, expected to be OK

A gunman entered the Washington Hilton hotel, rushed past a magnetometer and opened fire, striking a Secret Service agent in the vest, Fox News has learned. The agent is OK.

The suspect has been detained. The individual has not been identified.

Erika Kirk seen in tears backstage during White House Correspondents’ Dinner evacuation

An emotional moment unfolded backstage at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner as attendees awaited more information about the incident.

Erika Kirk was seen running through the backstage area in tears, saying, “I just want to go home,” according to a pool report.

Her late husband, Charlie Kirk, was murdered last year while touring for Turning Point USA on the Utah Valley University campus.

She was escorted out of the building through a rear exit as guests were being held and security assessed the situation.

Lawmakers react after incident at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Reactions from congressional lawmakers poured in Saturday night following a security scare at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Rep. Jared Moskowitz, D-Fla., said he was at the event and was pulled into a secure room by Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La.

“I am at the #WHCD,” Moskowitz wrote in a post on X. “I want to thank law enforcement, Capitol Police. I personally want to thank Steve Scalise, who grabbed me into a secure room.”

Scalise was shot in the hip by a gunman during a morning practice for the Congressional Baseball Game in Alexandria, Virginia, in 2017.

Trump says White House Correspondents’ Dinner to be rescheduled in 30 days, orders evacuation

President Donald Trump said law enforcement has requested all attendees leave the White House Correspondents’ Dinner venue following the earlier shooting incident.

“Law Enforcement has requested that we leave the premises, consistent with protocol, which we will do, immediately,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump said he will deliver a press conference from the White House briefing room in about 30 minutes and confirmed that the first lady, vice president and all Cabinet members are “in perfect condition.”

The president also said the event will be rescheduled within 30 days.

Trump to deliver statement after White House Correspondents’ Dinner shooting incident

President Donald Trump is expected to deliver a statement in the White House briefing room following the shooting incident that disrupted the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt announced the update on X as Secret Service continues to assess the situation.

The president’s remarks are expected in approximately 30 minutes, or 10:15 p.m. Eastern Time.

Posted by Jasmine Baehr

Breaking News4 hours ago

Secret Service confirms suspect in custody after shooting near Correspondents’ Dinner screening area

The U.S. Secret Service, in coordination with the Metropolitan Police Department, is investigating a shooting incident near the main screening area at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, officials said.

“The president and the first lady are safe along with all protectees,” Secret Service Chief of Communications Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.

One individual is in custody, according to officials.

The condition of those involved is not yet known, and law enforcement is continuing to investigate.

Trump praises Secret Service, says ‘shooter has been apprehended’ after Correspondents’ Dinner scare

President Donald Trump said the suspect involved in the White House Correspondents’ Dinner security scare has been apprehended, praising Secret Service and law enforcement for their response.

“Quite an evening in D.C. Secret Service and Law Enforcement did a fantastic job. They acted quickly and bravely,” Trump posted on Truth Social.

“The shooter has been apprehended, and I have recommended that we ‘LET THE SHOW GO ON,’ but will entirely be guided by Law Enforcement,” he added.

Trump said a final decision on whether the event will fully resume is expected shortly.

Trump expected to return to White House Correspondents’ Dinner after shooting suspect neutralized

President Donald Trump never left the White House Correspondents’ Dinner venue and remained nearby following the security scare that briefly disrupted the event, Fox News can confirm.

Trump was moved to a secure holding area as a precaution and “wants the show to go on,” according to Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich.

Sources familiar with the situation told Fox News an individual attempted to get through security screening with a gun but was stopped by Secret Service before entering the ballroom. The suspect has since been taken offsite.

Attendees from the head table were moved down the hall as agents worked to determine whether there were any additional threats. Officials have since indicated there are no ongoing threats, and the building is not being evacuated.

Staff are now working to reset the head table as the dinner prepares to resume.

Head table evacuated as Trump, First Lady escorted out of White House Correspondent’s Dinner

Chaos erupted at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner when gunshots were heard and President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were rushed out of the Washington Hilton ballroom Saturday night.

Video from inside the event showed attendees diving under tables and taking cover as panic spread through the room.

Fox News’ John Roberts reported from the ballroom that shots were fired and that he had heard the suspected shooter was engaged by Secret Service.

Fox News anchor Bret Baier said he also heard shots fired, but noted they did not appear to originate from inside the ballroom.

Sources told Fox News the individual never made it inside the ballroom, was taken into custody and removed from the scene.

President Trump was seen being quickly escorted out of the room by security and White House officials tell Fox News Digital both he, the First Lady and Karoline Leavitt are safe at this time.

It remains unclear what prompted the incident.

President Trump, First Lady arrive at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were announced at the Washington Hilton on Saturday night, making a long-anticipated entrance at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

Vice President JD Vance is also in attendance and was announced before the Trumps made their entrance.

The night’s program is getting underway as guests settle in for speeches, roasts and what’s expected to be a closely watched appearance.

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrives at White House Correspondents’ Dinner with wife Jeanette

Secretary of State Marco Rubio arrived at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night alongside his wife, Jeanette Christina Dousdebes Rubio, as red carpet arrivals continued at the Washington Hilton.

Rubio, dressed in a black tuxedo, appeared composed as he entered the venue, while his wife drew attention in an elegant strapless gown.

The appearance comes as Rubio remains at the center of ongoing foreign policy tensions, including developments related to Iran, as top administration officials gather for the annual event.

Bret Baier, wife Amy arrive at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Fox News chief political anchor Bret Baier arrived at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night alongside his wife, Amy Baier, as red carpet arrivals wrapped up at the Washington Hilton.

Baier, host of “Special Report,” wore a classic black tuxedo, while Amy stood out in a strapless metallic floral gown paired with a statement necklace.

Trump departs White House for Correspondents’ Dinner

President Donald Trump departed the White House Saturday evening en route to the Washington Hilton for the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where he is set to attend for the first time as commander in chief.

Trump’s appearance marks a notable shift after skipping the event during his first term, with the president expected to join journalists, lawmakers and celebrities for the annual gathering.

The dinner, a longstanding Washington tradition, is known for its mix of speeches, glamour and comedic roasts.

Taylor Lorenz spotted wearing mask years after pandemic at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

“Independent” journalist Taylor Lorenz was seen arriving at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night wearing a black face mask, drawing attention on the red carpet years after pandemic-era restrictions were lifted.

Lorenz, a controversial media figure, has previously faced criticism after a 2024 post referred to former President Joe Biden as a “war criminal.”

She joined other journalists, lawmakers and high-profile guests at the Washington Hilton for the annual event, where President Donald Trump is expected to attend later in the evening.

Karoline Leavitt attends White House Correspondents’ Dinner ahead of maternity leave

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt arrived at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night, appearing on the red carpet just a day after wrapping her final workday before maternity leave.

Leavitt, who is expecting her second child, a baby girl, wore a long-sleeved, sheer black shimmering gown as she joined administration officials, journalists and other guests at the Washington Hilton.

Leavitt, the youngest press secretary in American history, is also already a mother to son Nicholas or “Niko,” born in July of 2024.

Protesters rally outside White House Correspondents’ Dinner over Iran war

Dozens of protesters gathered outside the Washington Hilton on Saturday night as the White House Correspondents’ Dinner got underway, with demonstrators holding signs reading “No war on Iran.”

Roughly 75 protesters were seen outside the venue, voicing opposition to the war in Iran as journalists, lawmakers and high-profile guests arrived for the annual event.

The demonstration unfolded just steps away from the red carpet, adding a note of political tension to the evening as President Donald Trump is set to attend the dinner for the first time as commander in chief.

The United States launched Operation Epic Fury against the Iranian regime on Feb. 28.

Corke shares White House Correspondents’ Dinner ‘bingo card’ predictions on ‘The Big Weekend Show’

Fox News correspondent Kevin Corke previewed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner with a tongue-in-cheek “bingo card” on The Big Weekend Show, sharing moments he expects could play out during the night.

The card included potential references to “fake news,” jabs at the media, a possible teleprompter glitch and even a “Hilton chicken roast,” a nod to the dinner’s long-running traditions.

The other panelists also shared their picks for the night during the segment.

This will be the first time President Donald Trump has attended the storied annual event as commander in chief.

Trump Education Secretary Linda McMahon arrives at correspondents’ dinner in leopard print gown

U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon arrived at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Saturday night wearing a leopard print gown as guests continued to make their way down the red carpet at the Washington Hilton in Washington, D.C.

McMahon was among a number of administration officials and media figures attending the annual event, which brings together journalists, lawmakers and high-profile guests for an evening of speeches and roasts.

FLASHBACK: Obama tried to make Trump a punchline at 2011 dinner before rise stunned Washington

President Donald Trump will attend the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday, marking his first appearance at the annual event as commander in chief after skipping it throughout his first term.

The decision puts Trump back at a Washington ritual long tied to his fraught relationship with the press and political establishment.

His return also revives memories of the 2011 dinner, when President Barack Obama and comedian Seth Meyers mocked Trump from the dais in a moment that later became a widely discussed part of Trump’s political story.

“Donald Trump is here tonight,” Obama said at the 2011 dinner. “Now, I know he’s taken some flak lately, but no one is happier, no one is prouder to put this birth certificate matter to rest than The Donald.

“And that’s because he can finally get back to focusing on the issues that matter — like, did we fake the moon landing? What really happened in Roswell? And where are Biggie and Tupac?” he continued.

Trump had publicly called for the release of Obama’s birth certificate, which the State of Hawaii did release that year.

The exchange underscored longstanding tensions between Trump and the Washington establishment that predated his entry into politics. Speculation mounted that the jabs helped fuel Trump’s eventual decision to launch a presidential run, culminating in a stunning upset victory in 2016.

Trump denied that Obama’s 2011 jokes prompted his candidacy, telling The Washington Post in 2016 that “there are many reasons I’m running, but that’s not one of them.”

“Donald Trump has been saying that he will run for president as a Republican, which is surprising since I just assumed he’d be running as a joke,” comedian Seth Meyers added when he took the podium that night.

Trump told Fox News’ “The Five” earlier this year he was treated “rudely and crudely” during the dinner, which he said influenced his decision not to attend while he was first in office.

“The press was so nasty, I just – so I didn’t do it,” said Trump.

He once again denied it was the 2011 dinner that sparked his interest in running for office.

“There is this theory: I was there while Barack Hussein Obama was speaking, and he was hitting me a little bit. Actually, it was very nice, and I was actually – I loved it. I really loved it,” said Trump.

This is an excerpt of an article by Fox News Digital’s Ashley DiMella.

Jacqui Heinrich arrives at White House Correspondents’ Dinner with fiancé Brian Fitzpatrick

Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich arrived on the red carpet Saturday night alongside her fiancé, Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., as guests began filing into the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, D.C.

Heinrich was among the early arrivals at the Washington Hilton, where journalists, lawmakers and celebrities gathered for the annual event.

President Donald Trump is expected to attend the dinner later in the evening, marking his first appearance at the event as commander in chief after skipping it during his first term.

Heinrich and Fitzpatrick were engaged last summer after the Pennsylvania congressman proposed in Provence, France.

Trump to headline 2026 White House Correspondents’ Dinner for the first time as president

President Trump is attending the White House Correspondents’ Dinner Saturday for the first time as commander in chief after boycotting the annual event last year and each year during his first term.

The dinner will take place Saturday, April 25, at the Washington Hilton.

“The White House Correspondents Association has asked me, very nicely, to be the Honoree at this year’s Dinner, a long and storied tradition since it began in 1924, under then President Calvin Coolidge,” Trump posted on his Truth Social last month, adding that it would be his “Honor to accept their invitation.”

The White House Correspondents’ Association’s president, Weijia Jiang, said the organization was “happy” with the president’s decision to attend.

“For more than 100 years, the journalists of the White House Correspondents’ Association have enjoyed an evening with the president,” Jiang said in a statement last month. “We’re happy the president has accepted our invitation and look forward to hosting him.”

The president had skipped the event in years past, saying that decision was due to the press being “extraordinarily bad” to him.

source 1, 2

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson dies aged 84

The Truth News — Wed, 18 Feb 2026 03:06:36 +0000

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson dies aged 84

US civil rights leader Jesse Jackson died aged 84 on Tuesday morning surrounded by relatives, according to a statement released by his family.

“It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Civil Rights leader and founder of the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, the Honorable Reverend Jesse Louis Jackson, Sr,” the family said, adding that he died “peacefully”.

The cause of his death has not been released, but Jackson had been diagnosed with progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) and was in hospital late last year.

Tributes poured in for the prominent activist, who twice ran to be the Democratic presidential nominee, including from the first black US president, Barack Obama.

Jackson is survived by his wife Jacqueline and their children: Santita, Jesse Jr, Jonathan, Yusef, Jacqueline and Ashley.

Jackson’s family said in their statement that his “unwavering commitment to justice, equality and human rights helped shape a global movement for freedom and dignity”.

“A tireless change agent, he elevated the voices of the voiceless from his presidential campaigns in the 1980s to mobilising millions to register to vote – leaving an indelible mark on history,” they added.

Alongside working with Martin Luther King Jr and running for president in 1984 and 1988, Jackson is remembered as the founder of a non-profit organisation focused on social justice and civil rights, the Rainbow PUSH coalition.

Calling Jackson a “true giant”, Obama said in a statement that Jackson’s “two historic runs for president” had “laid the foundation for my own campaign to the highest office of the land”.

Obama added that his wife Michelle “got her first glimpse of political organising at the Jacksons’ kitchen table when she was a teenager”.

“For more than 60 years, Reverend Jackson helped lead some of the most significant movements for change in human history,” the Obamas also said.

“From organising boycotts and sit-ins, to registering millions of voters, to advocating for freedom and democracy around the world, he was relentless in his belief that we are all children of God, deserving of dignity and respect.”

Jackson was admitted to hospital last November, and doctors said he had been diagnosed with a rare degenerative condition called PSP in April 2025, revising an earlier diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease that Jackson had said was made in 2015.

Both diseases affect the brain, nervous system and muscle control. Many people with PSP are initially diagnosed with Parkinson’s because a number of the symptoms overlap, according to the American Parkinson Disease Association and the group CurePSP.

Born in 1941 in Greenville, South Carolina, Jackson became involved in politics at an early age. He rose to prominence in the 1960s as a leader in Martin Luther King Jr’s Southern Christian Leadership Conference and was with King when he was assassinated in Memphis, Tennessee in 1968.

Over the course of his career, Jackson built a movement to bring America’s increasingly diverse population together, with a message that centred on poor and working-class Americans.

After his presidential runs, Jackson later positioned himself as an elder statesman within the Democratic Party.

His son Jesse Jackson Jr is a former US congressman.

Getty Images

Jackson was remembered by politicians and friends as an agent of change and a transformative leader

Shortly after his death was announced, politicians and other public figures took to social media to mourn the loss of Jackson.

US President Donald Trump said he knew Jackson “long before becoming president”.

“He was a good man, with lots of personality, grit, and ‘street smarts,'” Trump said. “He was very gregarious – Someone who truly loved people!”

Former US President Bill Clinton and his wife Hillary, a former secretary of state, also shared tributes, saying they were friends with Jackson for “almost 50 years”.

“Reverend Jackson championed human dignity and helped create opportunities for countless people to live better lives,” they said.

House of Representatives Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries wrote on X that Jackson “was a legendary voice for the voiceless”.

The Democrat added: “For decades, while labouring in the vineyards of the community, he inspired us to keep hope alive in the struggle for liberty and justice for all.”

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said the civil rights leader “never stopped demanding that America live up to its promise”.

“He marched, he ran, he organised and he preached justice without apology,” Mamdani said.

King’s daughter Bernice said Jackson had “devoted his life to lifting people in poverty, the marginalised, and those pushed to society’s edges”.

Civil rights leader Reverend Al Sharpton, who worked closely with Jackson during the civil rights movement, said Jackson was a “consequential and transformative leader who changed this nation and the world”.

“He told us we were somebody and made us believe. I will always cherish him taking me under his wing, and I will forever try to do my part to keep hope alive,” Sharpton said.

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Jesse Louis Jackson Sr. (1941-2026)

Jesse Jackson speaking during an interview in July 1

Courtesy Library of Congress (LC-DIG-ppmsc-01277)

Long before he became a minister, head of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference’s Operation Breadbasket, Operation PUSH (People United to Save Humanity), and founder of the Rainbow Coalition, Jesse Louis Jackson impressed his family and close friends as a person destined for greatness. Born Jesse Burns in Greenville, South Carolina, on October 8, 1941, to Helen Burns, a 17-year-old unwed high school student, and Noah Robinson, her older married neighbor, young Jesse took the surname Jackson from his adopted father, Charles Jackson, who later married Burns. Insecure because of the circumstances of his birth, Jackson decided to become a father figure and a leader of his people.

Tall and imposing at 6’4”, Jackson became a star high school quarterback and earned a football scholarship at the University of Illinois in 1959. After one year at Illinois, he transferred to North Carolina Agricultural and Technical (A&T) University in Greensboro, North Carolina, partly because he was not allowed to play quarterback. At A&T, Jackson used his oratorical skills and charismatic personality to become the student body president. Encouraged to test his leadership skills, Jackson led his first march to downtown Greensboro in 1962. Jackson pledged Omega Psi Phi Fraternity while at A&T. Under the guidance of A&T President, Dr. Samuel Proctor, Jackson enrolled at the Chicago Theological Seminary to train for the ministry. Jackson was ordained a Baptist minister in 1968, although he left the Seminary two years earlier to work full-time in the civil rights movement.

Jackson’s introduction to the Movement came in 1965 when he traveled to Selma, Alabama, to join in the campaign for voting rights. While there, Jackson met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., the man who would launch his career as a national civil rights leader. Through King’s influence, Jackson quickly established himself prominently within King’s organization, the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. When SCLC launched its first northern campaign in Chicago in 1966, Jackson was put in charge of its Operation Breadbasket, which used boycotts and selective buying campaigns to win contracts for Black businesses and jobs for Black workers. During the years Jackson headed Operation Breadbasket (1966 to 1971), the campaign generated over three thousand jobs for Southside Chicago residents and increased the area’s income by $22 million. Despite its success, Jackson and Rev. Ralph Abernathy, Dr. Martin Luther King’s successor at SCLC, clashed. In 1971, Jackson left the organization and founded Operation PUSH, where he continued his campaign of economic empowerment.

By the early 1980s, Jackson had acquired a national reputation as a racial justice activist. That reputation was enhanced when, in 1983, he traveled to Syria and made a dramatic personal appeal to Syrian President Hafez al-Assad to secure the release of a captured American pilot, Navy Lt. Robert Goodman, who had been shot down over Lebanon. In June 1984, Jackson traveled to Havana to meet with Cuban President Fidel Castro to negotiate the release of 22 Americans being held by Castro’s government.

In 1984, following the success of his Syrian mission, Jesse Jackson mounted the second major effort by an African American (after Shirley Chisholm in 1972) to seek the Democratic nomination for President of the United States. He and his followers adopted the term “Rainbow Coalition” to describe the broad coalition of groups of color, working poor, gays and lesbians, and white progressives that Jackson hoped would propel him to the nomination and eventually the White House. Despite controversial anti-Semitic remarks made during the campaign, Jackson ran a surprisingly strong race, winning primaries in five states, including Michigan. Jackson garnered 21% of the primary vote but gained only 8% of the delegates and ultimately lost the nomination to former Vice President Walter Mondale.

Jackson mounted a second effort in 1988, this time winning more than seven million primary votes across the nation in another failed attempt to win the nomination. After winning the South Carolina primary, finishing second in the Illinois primary, and winning the Democratic caucus in Michigan, Jackson briefly emerged as a leading contender. Massachusetts Governor Michael Dukakis recaptured the lead with wins in the Colorado and Wisconsin primaries, forcing Jackson to drop out of the race.

Jesse Jackson did not make another bid for the presidential nomination and, since 1992, has functioned as a power broker within the Democratic Party. In 1990, he won the largely ceremonial position of District of Columbia’s statehood senator, a platform from which he argued for statehood for the nation’s capital. In 1997, Jackson launched the Wall Street Project, which encouraged African Americans to become stockholders to use their leverage to force changes in corporate culture and behavior. Two years later, Jackson engaged in personal diplomacy once again when, during the Kosovo War, he traveled to Belgrade to meet with Yugoslav (now Serbian) president Slobodan Milosevic, where he secured the release of three U.S. prisoners of war. In 1999, he brokered a cease-fire in war-ravaged Sierra Leone.

Both his supporters and critics described Jackson as bold, defiant, and controversial. He has received praise for inspiring the poor with speeches punctuated by catchphrases such as “I am somebody” and “keep hope alive.” Critics, however, blamed Jackson for mounting blatantly self-promoting campaigns that exploited racial grievances and inflamed racial outrage. The revelation that Jackson, married since 1962, fathered a child in 2001 with Rainbow Coalition staffer Karin Stanford, sullied his well-crafted public image as a moral leader. Nevertheless, Jesse Jackson remained enormously popular both in the United States and abroad. Rev. Jesse Jackson died on February 17, 2026, at the age of 84, closing a career that reshaped modern civil rights activism and Black political life.

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Charlie Kirks Shooter CAUGHT in the Charlie Kirk Assassination

The Truth News — Fri, 12 Sep 2025 14:52:47 +0000

Charlie Kirks Shooter CAUGHT in the Charlie Kirk Assassination

The suspect in Charlie Kirk’s shooting death has been identified as 22-year-old Tyler Robinson.
During a Friday news conference, Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox said Robinson indicated to a family friend that he was connected to the shooting.
President Donald Trump initially made the announcement about Robinson being in custody during an interview on FOX & Friends.

Charlie Kirk’s killer was arrested overnight in Utah, officials announced Friday morning. Tyler Robinson, 22, is in custody with the help of a family member and will face charges for murdering the conservative political activist earlier this week.

WE AS CHRISTIANS & AMERICANS SHALL FEAR NO MAN, JUSTICE WILL COME ONE WAY OR ANOTHER FROM GOD’S SOVEREIGN HANDS

Here are the latest updates for Friday, Sept. 12, 2025:

Robinson was engineering major, university says

12 p.m. ET: Utah State University announced Friday that Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old suspect arrested in the killing of Charlie Kirk, “briefly attended” classes there for one semester in 2021.

Robinson was a pre-engineering major and took classes consistent with that major for his one semester, Fox News Digital learned.

New details emerge about Tyler Robinson

11:30 a.m. ET: The Associated Press reported that Tyler James Robinson was admitted to Utah State University on an academic scholarship, according to a video of him reading his acceptance letter posted to a family member’s social media account. A university spokesperson told the AP he attended the school for only one semester in 2021.

Utah state records state Robinson was registered as a voter but not affiliated with either political party.

Mug shot of Tyler Robinson released

10:55 a.m. ET: Officials released a mugshot of Tyler Robinson, the shooting suspect in Charlie Kirk’s death.

Booking photos of Tyler Robinson (Fox News)

Utah governor says Kirk assassination suspect is believed to have acted alone

10:45 a.m. ET: Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox says shooting suspect Tyler Robinson is believed to have acted alone, and the Charlie Kirk investigation is ongoing despite Robinson’s arrest.

FBI Director Kash Patel shares timeline of investigation

10:30 a.m. ET: The first FBI agents arrived on the scene at Utah Valley University some 16 minutes after Kirk was shot on Wednesday, FBI Director Kash Patel said at the news conference.

The bureau released the first photos of the suspect on Thursday morning, followed by the announcement of a cash reward and then the release of video of the suspect climbing down from the roof of a campus building and running away.

“Just last night, the suspect was taken into custody at 10 p.m. local time,” Patel announced.

Utah governor says Kirk’s assassination ‘is an attack on all of us’

10:26 a.m. ET: Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox said some people have asked why there have been so many resources dedicated to investigating Kirk’s killing when there’s violence around the country, but the governor said it is “much bigger than an attack on an individual. It is an attack on all of us.”

The Republican said Kirk’s killing is “an attack on the American experiment” and values, and “cuts to the very foundation of who we are.”

Details of messages on bullet casings revealed

10:25 a.m. ET: Bullet casings discovered by authorities had several inscriptions engraved on them, Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox said. The casing that had been fired read: “notices bulges OwO what’s this?”

Cox said there were three unfired casings:
One read, “hey fascist! catch!” with an up arrow symbol, right arrow symbol, and three down arrow symbols.
Another one read: “oh bella ciao bella ciao bella ciao ciao ciao,” Cox said.
The third fired casing read: “if you read this you are gay lmao.”

Kirk assassination suspect indicated to a family friend that he was connected to the shooting

10:15 a.m. ET: Utah Gov. Spencer J. Cox opened the news conference on the latest developments in Charlie Kirk’s assassination with the statement, “We got him.”

Cox told reporters that Kirk assassination suspect Tyler Robinson indicated to a family friend that he was connected to the shooting.

The president talked about learning the news of Kirk’s assassination

9:50 a.m. ET: Near the end of his Fox News interview, President Donald Trump said he’d been holding a meeting about building the new White House ballroom when his aides interrupted.

“They came in and they said, ‘Charlie Kirk is dead.’ I didn’t know what they meant. I said, ‘What do you mean, dead?’” Trump said.

“‘Charlie Kirk was shot.’ And they thought it was dead because it was so horrific.”

Trump said he swiftly ended his meeting. “I just told these people, “Get out, you gotta go.”

Suspect in custody in connection with Charlie Kirk shooting is 22-year-old from Utah, AP source says

9:25 a.m. ET: The suspect in custody in connection with the assassination of Charlie Kirk is a 22-year-old from Utah, a law enforcement official told The Associated Press.

Authorities have identified the suspect as Tyler Robinson, said the official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the ongoing investigation.

A news conference is scheduled with the latest on Charlie Kirk investigation

9 a.m. ET: State and federal officials in Utah are planning to hold a news conference on the investigation.

Utah Gov. Spencer Cox and Public Safety Commissioner Beau Mason, FBI Director Kash Patel and FBI Special Agent in Charge Robert Bohls are expected to attend.

Suspect Tyler Robinson, left, and Charlie Kirk.

Trump says Charlie Kirk shooting suspect in custody

8:15 a.m. ET: Trump confirmed the news during a Friday morning interview with FOX & Friends.

“I think, with a high degree of certainty, we have him in custody, right in custody. Everyone did a great job,” Trump said.

“I just heard about it five minutes before I walked in. As I’m walking in, they said, ‘Looking real good.’ They have the person that they wanted.”

On FOX & Friends, President Trump broke the news of an arrest in the murder of conservative activist Charlie Kirk.

Sources told FOX News Friday that the suspected shooter was taken into custody in Southern Utah.

Federal investigators and state officials on Thursday had released photos and a video of the person they believe is responsible. Kirk was shot as he spoke to a crowd gathered in a courtyard at Utah Valley University in Orem.

More than 7,000 leads and tips had poured in, officials said. Authorities have yet to publicly name the suspect or cite a motive in the killing, the latest act of political violence to convulse the United States.

Video shows alleged gunman fleeing the scene

Dig deeper:

Law enforcement showed new video during a news conference on Thursday evening showing the alleged gunman fleeing from the scene after Kirk was shot.

In the video, a person wearing dark clothing is seen running across a rooftop and then climbing down the side. He is then seen running away from the scene.

Who was Charlie Kirk?

The backstory:

Kirk was the founder and executive director of Turning Point USA. Turning Point was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a tea party activist, to proselytize on college campuses for low taxes and limited government.

Kirk appeared alongside Trump on stage at political events, and was also a frequent commentator on Fox News, CNBC, and FOX Business News. He was the youngest speaker at the 2016 Republican National Convention.

Kirk played a major role in Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. He was credited with turning out the younger vote for Trump.

The Source: Information for this story was provided by LIVENOW, and the Associated Press. This story was reported from Washington, D.C

Tyler Robinson named suspect in Charlie Kirk shooting, how he was caught

Robinson was identified by his father in photographs released by auhtorities.

Tyler Robinson, 22 – Charlie Kirk’s Killer – The True Beta Male Soy Boy Cuk Murderer Type

Authorities have taken into custody the person they suspect of shooting and killing conservative activist Charlie Kirk on Wednesday at a Utah university campus event.

Tyler Robinson, 22, was taken into custody in St. George, Utah, on Friday, authorities and sources told ABC News.

Robinson’s father recognized him as the person being sought by police after authorities distributed photographs.

The father initially told Robinson to turn himself in. Robinson initially said no, but later changed his mind, officials said.

The father then called a youth pastor, who is also a U.S. Marshals task force officer. The officer advised the father to have Robinson stay in place.

At a press conference on Friday, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said Robinson had become more political in recent years, and engaged in a conversation with a family member about Kirk’s visit to the Utah Valley University campus the night before.

Cox also described what was engraved on the casings found on the scene.

The first casing, according to Cox, said “Notices Bulge OWO what’s this??”

The other three unfired casing said: “Hey fascist! CATCH!” with an arrow symbol pointing up, then to the right, and then three arrows pointing down, “O Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Bella ciao, Ciao, ciao!,” and “If you read this, you are GAY Lmao.”

When law enforcement identified Robinson, they also interviewed Robinson’s roommate who showed them a message between Robinson and his roommate.

“The content of these messages included messages affiliated with the contact Tyler, stating a need to retrieve a rifle from a drop point, leaving the rifle in a bush,” Cox said. “Messages related to a to visually watching the area where a rifle was left, and a message referring to having left the rifle wrapped in a towel. The messages also referred to engraving bullets and a mention of a scope and the rifle being unique. Messages from the contact Tyler also mentioned that he had changed outfits.”

Cox said Robinson arrived on campus driving a gray Dodge Challenger, which matched his vehicle he arrived in on campus.

He also thanked Robinson’s family, “who did the right thing.”

FBI Director Kash Patel said that law enforcement caught Robinson within 33 hours of the shooting and was on scene within 16 minutes.

“This is a very much an ongoing investigation, as the governor said, and we will continue to work with state and local authorities to develop the investigation to provide them the evidence they need for their ongoing prosecutions,” Patel said.

Authorities and a former FBI agent previously said they believed the subject to be a college-aged individual with an apparent proficiency in handling a high-powered rifle and likely knew the layout of the university where the homicide occurred.

President Donald Trump initially announced the arrest, stating on “Fox and Friends” on Friday morning, “I think with high degree of certainty, we have him in custody.”

During a news conference on Thursday evening, state and federal officials released video of the person of interest jumping down from the roof of a building on the campus.

Beau Mason, commissioner of the Utah Department of Public Safety, said the suspect was wearing “distinct clothing” that could help in his identification, including Converse sneakers.

He said the person seen in the video jumping from the roof left shoe impressions and a palm print.

A still from a video released by the FBI of the suspected gunman in the fatal shooting of Charlie Kirk.

FBI

“We are investing everything we have into this and we will catch this individual,” Mason said at the news conference.

Authorities had received more than 7,000 tips and leads and completed some 200 interviews, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox said.

During a news conference on Thursday morning, Robert Bohls, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Salt Lake City field office, said investigators believe they have recovered the weapon used in what the governor of Utah on Wednesday called a “political assassination.”

Bohls said the weapon, a high-powered bolt-action rifle, was found discarded in a wooded area near Utah Valley University (UVU) in Orem, and is being analyzed at an FBI laboratory for any clues that can identify the gunman.

The FBI released images of a person of interest sought in connection with the deadly shooting of Charlie Kirk.

FBI Salt Lake City

More specifically, multiple law enforcement sources with knowledge of the investigation told ABC News that the weapon is an older model imported Mauser .30-06 caliber bolt-action rifle that was found wrapped in a towel in a wooded area near the school. The sources said a spent cartridge was discovered in the chamber of the gun.

The gun and cartridges recovered are to be flown to the FBI’s main laboratory in Quantico, Virginia, for the most technologically advanced forensic analysis, law enforcement sources told ABC News. The focus is to look for any latent fingerprints and DNA, the sources said.

Investigators also collected a footwear impression, a palm print and forearm prints for analysis, Bohls said.

Mason said that investigators are also studying “good video footage” of the shooter that they have used to track his movements before and after the shooting.

The FBI released images of a person of interest sought in connection with the deadly shooting of Charlie Kirk.

FBI Salt Lake City

Following Thursday’s news conference, the FBI in Salt Lake City released surveillance images of the person of interest wanted in connection with the shooting. The images show a person who appears to be a white male, wearing all dark clothing, including a dark long-sleeved collarless top with what appears to be an image on the front that includes an American flag. The man in the images is also wearing a dark ball cap and sunglasses.

The FBI announced a $100,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the capture of the suspect.

MORE: Manhunt for shooter continues after Charlie Kirk killed in ‘political assassination’

Mason said investigators believe the suspect arrived at the UVU campus at 11:52 a.m. local time, about 28 minutes before Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative grass roots organization Turning Point USA, was shot. He said the deadly shot was fired from a building a substantial distance from where Kirk was speaking to a crowd, authorities estimate was about 3,000 people. He did not disclose which building the shooter fired from.

“We have tracked his movements onto the campus, through stairwells, up to the roof, across the roof to the shooting location,” Mason said. “After the shooting, we were able to track his movements as he moved to the other side of the building, jumped off of the building, and fled off of the campus into a neighborhood.”

A drone view shows the reported location of the shooter on a rooftop, at the scene where U.S. right-wing activist, commentator, Charlie Kirk was fatally shot during an event at Utah Valley University, in Orem, Utah, September 11, 2025.

Cheney Orr/Reuters

He said investigators combed the neighborhood for the suspect and contacted residents with doorbell cameras to analyze.

“The individual appears to be of college age,” said Mason, adding that the person of interest “blended in well with the college institution.”

Brad Garrett, a retired FBI agent and an ABC News contributor, said the evidence investigators have shared so far paints a picture of a suspect who planned the shooting down to the last detail, including discarding the possible murder weapon along his escape path.

“He probably did that [because] he didn’t want to be seen carrying a weapon, running through a neighborhood, or walking through a neighborhood,” Garrett said.

Right-wing activist and commentator Charlie Kirk throws hats to the crowd shortly before he was shot at a Utah Valley University speaking event in Orem, Utah, Sept. 10, 2025.

Trent Nelson/The Salt Lake Tribune via Reuters

Garrett said the discovery of the weapon is a major clue that will give investigators additional leads to track down.

“Where did it come from? It could very well be registered or purchased by this shooter. We’ll have to see,” Garrett said. “Was it stolen? Whatever it might be, the ATF [the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives] will help them immediately, and they probably already know what that is.”

Garrett said the discovery of the killer’s palm print can also be helpful.

“If he’s ever had a full set of prints, where you print the entire hand, let’s say he’d been in the military or some aspect of the government or a contractor, they may have those,” Garrett said. “That’s a long shot, but they may have those.”

Garrett said the distance from where the shot was fired could also shed light on the identity of the gunman.

“My guess is … a scope and a tripod would have helped him a lot for steadiness, but the real key is if he was able, and sadly did, fire one shot that killed Charlie Kirk, that’s showing some proficiency because it’s very difficult to have the breathing and the concentration to pull off one shot like that and that’s what killed the person,” Garrett said. “Does that suggest prior training? Maybe. It certainly suggests somebody who’s been practicing a lot with this weapon or some weapons just like this.”

Garrett said investigators are likely going to every gun range and gun shop in the area to determine if the gunman had visited them.

“The concern obviously as time goes on … did he leave the area? If he’s smart, then he did,” Garrett said. “But many times, these kinds of shooters don’t do that.” source

WE HERE AT GOOD SHEPHERD NEWS MEDIA BELIEVE ITS IS OUR OPINION BASED ON THE VIDEO BELOW THAT THE KILLER HAD PARTNERS ON THE INSIDE

https://goodshepherdmedia.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Charlie-Kirk-Assassin-Call-Signs-FULL.mp4

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dies after being shot at Utah college event

The Truth News — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 21:19:39 +0000

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dies after being shot at Utah college event

Its with our deepest regrets to reports such a heinous evil crime, our Christian Brother CHARLIE KIRK has PASSED, Our prayers go out to our heavenly father to take Charlie Kirk into heaven, to forgive him of any transgressions he may have done so that he may be in heaven with you father, IN JESUS MIGHTY NAME, AMEN

Charlie Kirk, a conservative activist and close ally of President Donald Trump, was shot and killed Wednesday at a Utah college event in an act that drew renewed attention to the threat of political violence across the United States.

The death was announced on social media by Trump, who praised the 31-year-old Kirk, the co-founder and CEO of the youth organization Turning Point USA, as “Great, and even Legendary.”

“No one understood or had the Heart of the Youth in the United States of America better than Charlie,” Trump posted on his Truth Social account.

People were seen exiting a building on Utah Valley University after Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot Wednesday at an event on campus.

The suspected shooter has not been arrested, Orem, Utah, Mayor David Young said. A person who was taken into custody by law enforcement at the university where Kirk was speaking was not the suspect, according to a person familiar with the investigation who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Videos posted to social media from Utah Valley University show Kirk speaking into a handheld microphone while sitting under a white tent emblazoned with the slogans “The American Comeback” and “Prove Me Wrong.” A single shot rings out and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away. The AP was able to confirm the videos were taken at Sorensen Center courtyard on the Utah Valley University campus.

“We are confirming that he was shot and we are praying for Charlie,” said Aubrey Laitsch, public relations manager for Turning Point USA.

The crowd reacts after Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, is shot at the Utah Valley University Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)

Kirk was speaking at a debate hosted by his nonprofit political organization. Immediately before the shooting, Kirk was taking questions for an audience member about mass shootings and gun violence.

“Do you know how many transgender Americans have been mass shooters over the last 10 years?” an audience members asked. Kirk responded: “Too many.”

The questioner followed up: “Do you know how many mass shooters there have been in America over the last 10 years?”

“Counting or not counting gang violence?” Kirk asked.

Then a single shot rang out.

The event had been met with divided opinions on campus. An online petition calling for university administrators to bar Kirk from appearing received nearly 1,000 signatures. The university issued a statement last week citing First Amendment rights and affirming its “commitment to free speech, intellectual inquiry, and constructive dialogue.”

Last week, Kirk posted on X images of news clips showing his visit to Utah colleges was sparking controversy. He wrote, “What’s going on in Utah?”

Trump and a host of Republican and Democratic elected officials decried the shooting and offered prayers for Kirk on social media.

“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!” Trump posted on Truth Social.

Law enforcement tapes off an area after Charlie Kirk, the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA, was shot at the Utah Valley University, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, in Orem, Utah. (Tess Croewley/The Deseret News via AP)

The shooting comes amid a spike in political violence in the United States across all parts of the ideological spectrum. The attacks include the assassination of a Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband at their house in June, the firebombing of a Colorado parade to demand Hamas release hostages, and a fire set at the house of Pennsylvania’s governor, who is Jewish, in April. The most notorious of these events is the shooting of Trump during a campaign rally last year.

Former Utah congressman Jason Chaffetz, a Republican who was at the event, said in an interview on Fox News Channel that he heard one shot and saw Kirk go back.

“It seemed like it was a close shot,” Chaffetz said, who seemed shaken as he spoke.

He said there was a light police presence at the event and Kirk had some security but not enough.

“Utah is one of the safest places on the planet,” he said. “And so we just don’t have these types of things.”

Turning Point was founded in suburban Chicago in 2012 by Kirk, then 18, and William Montgomery, a tea party activist, to proselytize on college campuses for low taxes and limited government. It was not an immediate success.

But Kirk’s zeal for confronting liberals in academia eventually won over an influential set of conservative financiers.

Charlie Kirk hands out hats before speaking at Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah, Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025. (Tess Crowley/The Deseret News via AP)

Despite early misgivings, Turning Point enthusiastically backed Trump after he clinched the GOP nomination in 2016. Kirk served as a personal aide to Donald Trump Jr., the president’s eldest son, during the general election campaign.

Soon, Kirk was a regular presence on cable TV, where he leaned into the culture wars and heaped praise on the then-president. Trump and his son were equally effusive and often spoke at Turning Point conferences.

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Charlie Kirk Shot at Utah University Multiple Times – PRAYERS for CHARLIE KIRK

Charlie Kirk Shot at Utah University Multiple Times – PRAYERS for CHARLIE KIRK

The Truth News — Wed, 10 Sep 2025 19:40:22 +0000

Charlie Kirk Shot at Utah University Multiple Times – PRAYERS for CHARLIE KIRK

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk shot at Utah Valley University

CAUTINON THE VIDEO BELOW IS THE REAL VIDEO, ITS DISTURBING AND VIEWER DISCRETION IS ADVISED. DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN SEE THIS VIDEO

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Charlie Kirk, a well-known right-wing political activist, was reportedly shot in the neck at an event at Utah Valley University on Wednesday.

The university confirmed the shooting in a post on X, writing:

“Today at about 12:10 a shot was fired at the visiting speaker, Charlie Kirk. He was hit and taken from the location by his security. Campus police is investigating, a suspect is in custody.”

Bystanders told the Deseret News that Kirk was shot during a Q&A with students.

His condition was not immediately known.

Kirk is the CEO and co-founder of the conservative youth organization Turning Point USA. The organization also confirmed he was shot, according to the Associated Press.

A single shot rings out, and Kirk can be seen reaching up with his right hand as a large volume of blood gushes from the left side of his neck. Stunned spectators are heard gasping and screaming before people start to run away.

A spokesperson for the university told the New York Times that Kirk was struck by a suspect who had fired from the Losee Center, a building about 200 yards away. The suspect had been taken into custody, she said, and was not a student.

President Donald Trump responded to the shooting, writing in a post on Truth Social:

“We must all pray for Charlie Kirk, who has been shot. A great guy from top to bottom. GOD BLESS HIM!”

At a Turning Point USA event in 2023, Kirk said gun deaths were “unfortunately” worth it to defend the Second Amendment.

According to Newsweek, he said:

“You will never live in a society when you have an armed citizenry and you won’t have a single gun death … I think it’s worth to have a cost of, unfortunately, some gun deaths every single year so that we can have the Second Amendment to protect our other God-given rights. That is a prudent deal. It is rational.”

Lawmakers quickly sounded off after conservative activist Charlie Kirk was shot during an event on his “American Comeback Tour” at Utah Valley University on Wednesday afternoon.

Prayers for Kirk’s recovery as well as condemnation of political violence poured in from both Democrats and Republicans minutes after the news broke.

“This is a good time to pray,” Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, said on X, adding that he was monitoring the situation.

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk speaks during the Turning Point Action’s The Believers Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida on July 26, 2024. (REUTERS/Marco Bello)

Rep. Eugene Vindman, D-Va., a first-term Democrat, wrote online, “Political violence has NO place in our society. I am closely monitoring the events in Utah.”

“The attack on Charlie Kirk today is a horrific act of political violence. Praying for his safety and for his family in this trying time. We must reject and condemn political violence in all its forms,” Rep. Mike Lawler, R-N.Y., said in a statement.

The top Democrat in the House, Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries of New York similarly condemned the violence.

“Political violence is NEVER acceptable. My thoughts and prayers are with Charlie Kirk and his family,” Jeffries wrote in a statement.

The top Democrat and Republican in the Senate both sounded off with similar sentiments in the minutes after Kirk was shot.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., speaks with reporters at the Capitol in Washington on June 2, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

“There is no place in our country for political violence. Period, full stop. Please join me in praying for Charlie Kirk,” Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., wrote on X.

Kirk also got support from former Rep. Gabby Giffords, D-Ariz., who left Congress after she was shot and nearly killed in a political assassination attempt in 2011.

“I’m horrified to hear that Charlie Kirk was shot at an event in Utah. Democratic societies will always have political disagreements, but we must never allow America to become a country that confronts those disagreements with violence,” Giffords wrote.

She added that she and her husband, Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., are praying for Kirk’s recovery.

Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., condemned gun violence after the shooting on Wednesday.

Former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., also wished Kirk well after the shooting. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

“The horrific shooting today at Utah Valley University is reprehensible. Political violence has absolutely no place in our nation. All Americans should pray for Charlie Kirk’s recovery and hold the entire UVU community in our hearts as they endure the trauma of this gun violence,” Pelosi wrote in a statement.

Ellen Treanor, Associate Vice President of Strategic Communications Management at Utah Valley University, told Fox News that a suspect was in custody after Kirk’s shooting.

OUR DEEPEST CONDOLENCES TO THE FAMILY, CHARLIE HAS PASSED
OF CHARLIE KIRK OUR PRAYERS AND THOUGHTS OUR WITH YOU, YOUR FAMILY AND HIM AND HIS CHILDREN

Conservative activist Charlie Kirk dies after being shot at Utah college event

How Phones are Destroying our Relationships and Communication

The Truth News — Sat, 06 Sep 2025 22:51:27 +0000

How Phones are Destroying our Relationships and Communication

Phones are damaging relationships by causing technoference, which is the constant distraction and interruption of face-to-face interactions, leading to reduced feelings of closeness, trust, and satisfaction. This behavior, known as “phubbing,” communicates a lack of interest or importance, causing partners to feel unheard and ignored. Excessive phone use can also fuel jealousy and insecurity, potentially leading to more serious issues like emotional or physical infidelity and even divorce.

How Phones are Destroying our Relationships and Communication

Smartphones destroy communication and relationships by distracting users from in-person conversations, fueling misunderstandings via text, and creating an isolating state of “alone togetherness”. This can lead to serious consequences, including relationship dissatisfaction, decreased emotional connection, and depression.

Distraction and disconnection

“Phubbing” lowers relationship quality. Phubbing, or phone-snubbing, is the habit of ignoring someone in a social setting in favor of your mobile phone. A study found that when a mobile device is present during a meaningful conversation, people rate their experience as less fulfilling and their partner as less empathetic. Research also reveals that being phubbed triggers feelings of exclusion and reduced self-worth, which decreases relationship satisfaction.
Lost nonverbal cues. In-person conversations are richer because they include nonverbal signals like facial expressions, body language, and eye contact. These are often lost or overlooked when a person is distracted by their phone, which makes it harder to understand emotions and build connection.
Presence is compromised. Just having a phone visible during a face-to-face conversation, even if not in use, can interfere with a sense of connection and closeness. When attention is divided, the opportunity for true, authentic connection is lost.

Miscommunication and conflict

Texting leads to misinterpretation. Communication through text messages lacks tone, inflection, and other cues, making it easy to misinterpret meaning and cause misunderstandings or conflict.
“Technoference” causes arguments. The interference of technology in relationships, termed “technoference,” can cause frequent conflict. Partners often fight over excessive phone usage, leading to feelings of neglect when a conversation is interrupted by a text or notification.

Effects on romance and family life

Creates “alone togetherness.” This term describes when two people are physically together but mentally absorbed in their phones, leading to shallow and less meaningful interactions. A study found that 62% of couples reported technology interfering with their daily time together.
Parents distracted from their children. Parents who are preoccupied with their phones speak to their children less and are slower to respond to their needs. A study on playgrounds found that a majority of parents on their phones did not respond to their children’s calls for attention. This can cause children to feel neglected and can interfere with their developmental milestones like communication and socialization skills.
Causes jealousy and comparison. Social media creates a platform for comparing one’s relationship to the “highlight reels” of others, which can lead to jealousy, insecurity, and dissatisfaction. This can lead to a feedback loop of mistrust, as partners monitor each other’s online activity.

The cycle of dependency

Reinforces addictive behavior. The constant checking of phones is reinforced by small “dopamine hits” from notifications and social media engagement. This can lead to a compulsive habit where individuals prioritize online interactions over real-life connections.
Increases loneliness. Paradoxically, constant online connection can make people feel more lonely. A Facebook study showed that passive viewing of other people’s posts decreases happiness, while other studies have linked social media to increased loneliness and depression.

How phones disrupt relationships

Reduced Communication and Connection:Studies show that the mere presence of a phone during a conversation decreases the quality of communication and connection, even without conscious awareness.
Phubbing and Lack of Attention:When people prioritize their phones over their partners, it’s perceived as “phubbing,” which makes the other person feel unimportant and unacknowledged.
Increased Conflict and Insecurity:Constant phone interruptions can lead to arguments and feelings of insecurity about the relationship and one’s own worth.
Decreased Satisfaction and Well-being:Research indicates that phone-related distractions can lower relationship satisfaction and overall well-being.
Erosion of Intimacy:Fragmented communication and lack of attention can weaken emotional bonds and inhibit true intimacy between partners.

Consequences of excessive phone use

Infidelity and Divorce:Excessive smartphone use has been linked to an increase in emotional and physical affairs, which can destabilize marriages and contribute to divorce.
Lower Trust and Confidence:A partner’s over-reliance on their phone can erode trust and confidence in the relationship, as they may feel their partner is more invested in their device.
Jealousy and Envy:Comparing one’s relationship to the curated lives of others on social media can create envy and negatively impact a relationship.

How to improve your relationship

Create Boundaries:Establish clear rules for phone use, such as designated “phone-free” times or zones, especially during meals or important conversations.
Prioritize In-Person Interaction:Make a conscious effort to put phones away and give your partner your undivided attention to foster closeness and authentic connection.
Communicate Your Needs: Speak with your partner about how phone use affects you and work together to find solutions that respect both of your needs.
Practice Mindful Phone Use: Be more aware of the implicit messages you send when you’re distracted by your phone and the negative impact it can have on your relationships.

A phone becomes a “key partner” when its role in a relationship shifts from a useful tool to a central, often problematic, presence that can detract from in-person interaction and satisfaction. Excessive phone use, known as “partner phubbing” (phone snubbing), can lead to feelings of neglect, conflict, and decreased intimacy. However, phones can also be a valuable partner by facilitating communication, providing support, and helping couples connect through shared activities and text-based exchanges, if used mindfully and in balance with face-to-face time.

The Negative Side: When the Phone Is a “Rival”

The term “technoference” describes how technology interferes with relationships, with phubbing – ignoring your partner to focus on your phone – causing feelings of exclusion, reduced responsiveness, and jealousy.
Decreased Relationship Satisfaction:Studies show that excessive phone use can decrease marital and relationship satisfaction, leading to feelings of neglect, rejection, and loneliness for the partner who feels ignored.
Conflict and Anxiety:Constant phone use can create tension and arguments within a relationship, and the anxiety-inducing nature of constant checking can erode the quality of time spent together.

Americans check their smartphones approximately an average of 205 times a day. It seems that almost everyone is dependent on their smartphone. According to one survey, 76% of U.S. adults get nervous if they can’t find theirs, and 44% say they couldn’t go one day without it.

Smartphone dependency and smartphone addiction are taking a toll on relationships everywhere, and some would even pick their device over the relationship if forced to choose between the two. A recent study found that one-third of individuals would rather give up sex than their smartphones.

This dependency is so widespread, partly because very few people have the choice to “opt out” of internet life and all the accompanying devices. Our work, social, and family lives depend upon email, texts, and internet access, and we are expected to be able to connect to these things at all times through our smartphones. This means we carry our addiction triggers with us everywhere we go—we have to.

In some ways, smartphones can enhance relationships. The ease of staying in touch with a partner through texts, calls, and FaceTime can strengthen relationship bonds by maintaining intimacy through busy days and long distances. On the other hand, people have difficulty truly connecting face to face when one or both partners are distracted by the constant urge to check their phone.

People today use their smartphones all the time, everywhere. The survey found they’re spending an average of five hours and 16 minutes per day staring into a screen.

Naturally, this degree of smartphone obsession gets in the way of intimacy.

Seven Ways That Smartphone Addiction is Getting in the Way of Your Relationship

1. Phubbing

This mashup term derived from “phone-snubbing,” refers to times when you become distracted by your phone, and your partner feels snubbed or rejected. It has become one of the major sources of relationship conflict in recent years.

2. Miscommunication

When you are constantly distracted by your phone, you’re more likely to miss what your partner is saying. This will not only show thoughtlessness towards your partner, it can lead to misunderstandings and miscommunications that can cause all kinds of problems—from failing to show up to an event your partner thought you’d agreed to come to, to failing to recognize when your partner is trying to tell you something important, and responding inappropriately or not at all.

3. Time and energy drain

Smartphone overuse can be a major drain on time and energy that you could be spending on your partner. It can result in a pattern of consistent neglect that drives a wedge between you.

4. Less sex, and/or worse sex

Many people report not wanting to stop what they’re doing on their smartphone to have sex with their partners, and one in five people actually checks their phone during sex.

5. More insecurity and less satisfaction

Individuals with smartphone-dependent or addicted partners could be less happy in their relationships. The higher the level of smartphone dependency within a couple, the higher the level of relationship uncertainty, and the lower the level of relationship satisfaction.

6. Self-centeredness

Spending a lot of time on social media can encourage self-absorption and narcissism. Getting caught up in displaying yourself in a certain way online, chasing acknowledgement from others, competing to get more followers, or to win online arguments, etc., can lead to an unhealthy level of self-centeredness.

7. Distance from your partner

Constant smartphone usage and distraction isolate people from their partners, making them feel like they have to compete with technology for attention, or that they can’t compete, so why even stay in the relationship?

It isn’t smartphone use itself that negatively impacts relationships, but rather the psychological reliance that people have on these devices. In other words, regularly using your smartphone won’t get in the way of your love life, but smartphone dependency and smartphone addiction will.

Signs of Smartphone Addiction

Just like alcohol or drugs, smartphones can stimulate the release of dopamine, a neurotransmitter associated with pleasure, emotions, motivation, and movement. Dopamine makes us feel good, and our brains reward us with it to reinforce life-sustaining activities such as eating food and taking care of ourselves.

Some activities release extra amounts of dopamine through over-stimulation (like the constantly changing forms of distraction accessible through a smartphone), causing the user to develop a tolerance that drives them to increase the amount of time spent on the activity just to experience the same degree of pleasure.

Tolerance is a sign of smartphone addiction, as is compulsively checking your phone, and experiencing withdrawal symptoms when you attempt to cut down or quit. These symptoms may also appear when you are simply without wi-fi, or in an area without cell service.

Withdrawal symptoms include: panic, anxiety, restlessness, hostility, irritability, anger, depression, difficulty concentrating, and intense cravings for device usage.

Other signs of smartphone addiction include:

Using your phone in situations where you know you shouldn’t, such as while driving, attending an important event, or having sex
Spending so much time on your phone that you neglect relationships, family responsibilities, work, school, or any other activity or hobby that is important to you
Prioritizing online relationships and social media feedback over face-to-face interactions
Hiding and lying about smartphone use
Getting cranky when your smartphone time is interrupted
Getting hostile when someone brings up how much time or energy you devote to your smartphone
Feeling panicky at the idea of missing out on news, texts, social media happenings or anything else your phone can connect you to
Getting up at night to check your phone
Feeling phantom phone vibrations—imagining that you are getting a notification, text, email or call when you actually aren’t

The Cost of Smartphone Addiction

Many people use their phones to cope with or escape from deeper problems such as loneliness, depression, anxiety, or stress, but smartphone addiction can also exacerbate or even cause such emotional problems.

For example, you may tweet something funny, hoping to get enough responses, likes, and retweets to make you feel better about yourself, then wind up feeling worse if your tweet is ignored, or causes a negative backlash. You may also use your phone to hide during events due to social anxiety, but hiding behind your phone will only cut you off from others and cause you to miss out on opportunities to practice social skills, so that you feel even less capable and more anxious in future social situations.

Studies have also shown that just having smartphones around can increase anxiety. Your phone can keep you from concentrating at work. At home, it can cause work pressures to bleed into your personal life.

Smartphones can also interfere with your ability to concentrate. The ever-changing types of stimulation that phones provide can prevent deep thoughts or creative ideas, and get you acclimated to shifting to something new every few minutes. It can also diminish your problem-solving ability by never allowing you a quiet moment to really work through an issue.

Nine Strategies to Reduce Smartphone Dependency and Smartphone Addiction

Whether you are fully addicted to your smartphone or merely dependent upon it, your quality of life will improve if you find ways to cut down on the time you spend glued to your device.

1. Minimize unnecessary smartphone usage

Try to figure out how much of your smartphone use is necessary—for work, for communicating with loved ones, for keeping up with caregiving duties, or for using apps to help with driving or checking movie times—and how much of it is unnecessary habit, like checking Facebook or reposting on Tumblr. Remember that in the early days of your recovery from smartphone addiction, all smartphone habits will FEEL necessary to you emotionally. This attachment will improve over time.

2. Allocate data-free time during the day

Designate a certain amount of data-free time every day. Silence your phone (no fair using vibrate), or turn it all the way off, between certain hours of the day at work or school, or whenever you’re working out or on a date. Putting it somewhere out of sight will help put it out of your mind—or at least cut down on how distracted you’ll be from the activity at hand.

3. Silence your phone when driving

Smartphone addicts should especially silence their phones while driving. The distraction of hearing a notification or the temptation to check email could have dangerous, even deadly consequences.

4. Find other interests for your free time

Develop new interests or hobbies to fill up the time you used to spend on your device.

5. Use an old-fashioned alarm clock

Avoid using your phone as an alarm—it’s too easy to shift from turning it off to checking email and browsing Instagram.

6. Remove excess apps

You’re much better off deleting apps that connect you to Twitter, Facebook, Tumblr, and other social media distractions from your phone. Having to set aside time to go to your computer to participate instead of being constantly connected to it 24/7 will free up your time, and prove that you aren’t missing out on as much as you fear you are.

7. Minimize app notifications

If you can’t bring yourself to ditch the apps yet, at least turn off the notifications, and if you can’t bring yourself to turn them all off, at least limit notifications to the most important apps, like the one connected to your child’s school. Today, you can also find apps specifically designed to block your access to other, more distracting apps during peak times of productivity, so you can focus better.

You also might want to consider setting special ringtones or vibrations for the most important people in your life, so you can know if it’s your best friend calling about your dinner plans without having to check, which may tempt you into other activities on your phone.

8. Stop checking your email before work

If there is an emergency, you will get a phone call. Otherwise, any message sent by email can safely wait for another hour or two. Also, consider shutting off your email entirely over the weekend. People might send you work emails on Saturday or Sunday, but you are not obligated to respond to them. In most cases, the sender doesn’t even expect you to—they were simply checking something off their to-do list when they had the time to do it.

9. Leave your phone out of the bedroom

This last strategy will not only help you sleep better by reducing distractions and eliminating the screen light that can contribute to insomnia, but it will also improve intimacy with your partner, even on nights when you don’t have sex.

Smartphone addiction doesn’t have to get in the way of a healthy, fulfilling relationship. By following the tips above, you can reclaim your connection with your partner and discover new and exciting ways to bond that don’t involve a screen. If you or someone you love is struggling with smartphone addiction and needs professional treatment to overcome it, rehab programs are avaiable. source

Researchers quietly planned a test to dim sunlight. They wanted to ‘avoid scaring’ the public.

The Truth News — Sun, 31 Aug 2025 21:03:42 +0000

Researchers quietly planned a test to dim sunlight. They wanted to ‘avoid scaring’ the public.

Hundreds of documents show how researchers failed to notify officials in California about a test of technology to block the sun’s rays — while they planned a much huger sequel.

The west coast of North America is one area the Marine Cloud Brightening Program has considered for a 3,900-square-mile solar geoengineering test. A boat is seen off the coast of Costa Rica. | Yuri Cortez/AFP via Getty Images

A team of researchers in California drew notoriety last year with an aborted experiment on a retired aircraft carrier that sought to test a machine for creating clouds.

But behind the scenes, they were planning a much larger and potentially riskier study of salt-water-spraying equipment that could eventually be used to dim the sun’s rays — a multimillion-dollar project aimed at producing clouds over a stretch of ocean larger than Puerto Rico.

The details outlined in funding requests, emails, texts and other records obtained by POLITICO’s E&E News raise new questions about a secretive billionaire-backed initiative that oversaw last year’s brief solar geoengineering experiment on the San Francisco Bay.

They also offer a rare glimpse into the vast scope of research aimed at finding ways to counter the Earth’s warming, work that has often occurred outside public view. Such research is drawing increased interest at a time when efforts to address the root cause of climate change — burning fossil fuels — are facing setbacks in the U.S. and Europe. But the notion of human tinkering with the weather and climate has drawn a political backlash and generated conspiracy theories, adding to the challenges of mounting even small-scale tests.

Last year’s experiment, led by the University of Washington and intended to run for months, lasted about 20 minutes before being shut down by Alameda city officials who objected that nobody had told them about it beforehand.

That initial test was only meant to be a prequel. Even before it began, the researchers were talking with donors and consultants about conducting a 3,900-square-mile cloud-creation test off the west coasts of North America, Chile or south-central Africa, according to more than 400 internal documents obtained by E&E News through an open records request to the University of Washington.

“At such scales, meaningful changes in clouds will be readily detectable from space,” said a 2023 research plan from the university’s Marine Cloud Brightening Program. The massive experiment would have been contingent upon the successful completion of the thwarted pilot test on the carrier deck in Alameda, according to the plan. The records offer no indication of whether the researchers or their billionaire backers have since abandoned the larger project.

Before the setback in Alameda, the team had received some federal funding and hoped to gain access to government ships and planes, the documents show.

The university and its partners — a solar geoengineering research advocacy group called SilverLining and the scientific nonprofit SRI International — didn’t respond to detailed questions about the status of the larger cloud experiment. But SilverLining’s executive director, Kelly Wanser, said in an email that the Marine Cloud Brightening Program aimed to “fill gaps in the information” needed to determine if the technologies are safe and effective.

“Alameda was a stepping stone to something much larger, and there wasn’t any engagement with local communities,” said Sikina Jinnah, an environmental studies professor at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “That’s a serious misstep.”

In response to questions, University of Washington officials downplayed the magnitude of the proposed experiment and its potential to change weather patterns. Instead, they focused on the program’s goal of showing that the instruments for making clouds could work in a real-world setting. They also pushed back on critics’ assertions that they were operating secretively, noting that team members had previously disclosed the potential for open-ocean testing in scientific papers.

The program does not “recommend, support or develop plans for the use of marine cloud brightening to alter weather or climate,” Sarah Doherty, an atmospheric and climate science professor at the university who leads the program, said in a statement to E&E News. She emphasized that the program remains focused on researching the technology, not deploying it. There are no “plans for conducting large-scale studies that would alter weather or climate,” she added.

Growing calls for regulation

Solar geoengineering encompasses a suite of hypothetical technologies and processes for reducing global warming by reflecting sunlight away from the Earth that are largely unregulated at the federal level. The two most researched approaches include releasing sulfate particles in the stratosphere or spraying saltwater aerosols over the ocean.

But critics of the technologies warn that they could also disrupt weather patterns — potentially affecting farm yields, wildlife and people. Even if they succeed in cooling the climate, temperatures could spike upward if the processes are abruptly shut down before countries have transitioned away from burning planet-warming fossil fuels, an outcome described by experts as “termination shock.”

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) has erroneously suggested that geoengineering is responsible for the deadly July 4 flood in Texas and introduced a bill to criminalize the technology. Retired Lt. Gen. Mike Flynn, a former national security adviser to President Donald Trump, has embraced similar untruths.

Meanwhile, more than 575 scientists have called for a ban on geoengineering development because it “cannot be governed globally in a fair, inclusive, and effective manner.” And in Florida, Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a law last month that bans the injection or release of chemicals into the atmosphere “for the express purpose of affecting the temperature, weather, climate, or intensity of sunlight.”

Conspiracy theories involving the weather have reached enough of a pitch that EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin released a tranche of information this month debunking the decades-old claim that jet planes intentionally release dangerous chemicals in their exhaust to alter the weather or control people’s minds.

The Alameda officials’ sharp reaction echoed responses to past blunders by other geoengineering researchers. An experiment in Sweden’s Arctic region that sought to release reflective particles in the stratosphere was canceled in 2021 after Indigenous people and environmentalists accused Harvard University of sidelining them. The entire program, known as SCoPEx, was terminated last year.

“It’s absolutely imperative to engage with both local communities and broader publics around not just the work that is being proposed or is being planned, but also the broader implications of that work,” said Jinnah, the UC Santa Cruz professor, who served on the advisory board for SCoPEx.

“If we really were serious about the idea that to do any controversial topic needs some kind of large-scale consensus before we can research the topic, I think that means we don’t research topics,” David Keith, a geophysical sciences professor at the University of Chicago, said at a think tank discussion last month. Keith previously helped lead the canceled Harvard experiment.

Team sought U.S. ships, planes and funding

The trove of documents shows that officials with the Marine Cloud Brightening Program were in contact with officials from NOAA and the consulting firm Accenture as the researchers prepared for the much larger ocean test — even before the small field test had begun on the retired aircraft carrier USS Hornet. They had hoped to gain access to U.S. government ships, planes and research funding for the major experiment at sea. (NOAA did not respond to a request for comment.)

After local backlash doomed the Alameda test, the team acknowledged that those federal resources were likely out of reach. The prospect of U.S. backing became more distant with the reelection of Trump, who opposes federal support for measures to limit global warming. (The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment.)

The program’s donors include cryptocurrency billionaire Chris Larsen, the philanthropist Rachel Pritzker and Chris Sacca, a venture capitalist who has appeared on Shark Tank and other TV shows. (Pritzker and Sacca didn’t respond to requests for comment.)

Larsen said research of marine cloud brightening is needed due to questions about the effectiveness and impacts of the technology. “At a time when scientists are facing political attacks and drastic funding cuts, we need to complement a rapid energy transition with more research into a broad range of potential climate solutions,” he wrote in an email to E&E News.

The 2023 research plan shows that the experiments in Alameda and at sea would have cost between $10 million and $20 million, with “large uncertainties” due to operational or government funding challenges and the potential to expand the “field studies to multiple geographic locations.”

They would require “significant cash at the outset” and continued support over several years, the plan said. It was submitted as part of a funding request to the Quadrature Climate Foundation, a charity associated with the London-based hedge fund Quadrature Capital.

The Quadrature foundation told E&E News it had given nearly $11.9 million to SilverLining and $5 million to the University of Washington for research on solar geoengineering, which is also known as solar radiation management, or SRM.

“Public and philanthropic institutions have a role in developing the knowledge needed to assess approaches like SRM,” Greg De Temmerman, the foundation’s chief science officer, said in a statement. The goal is to ensure that decisions about the potential use of the technologies “are made responsibly, transparently, and in the public interest.”

‘Avoid scaring them’

For more than a dozen years, the University of Washington has been studying marine cloud brightening to see if the potential cooling effects are worth the risks, the research team told Quadrature.

“The MCB Program was formed in 2012 and operated as a largely unfunded collaboration until 2019, when modest philanthropic funding supported the commencement of dedicated effort,” the plan said.

The source of the program’s initial financial support isn’t named in the document. But the timing coincides with the establishment of SilverLining, which is six years old.

SilverLining reported more than $3.6 million in revenues in 2023, the most recent year for which its tax filings are publicly available. The group does not disclose its full list of donors, although charities linked to former Democratic New York Gov. Eliot Spitzer and the late Gordon Moore, a co-founder of the chipmaker Intel, have reported six-figure contributions to the group.  (The Bernard and Anne Spitzer Charitable Trust didn’t respond to a request for comment.)

“The Moore Foundation is not involved in the Marine Cloud Brightening Program,” said Holly Potter, a spokesperson for the charity, adding that “solar geoengineering research in not a focus of the foundation’s work.”

The program pitched Quadrature and other donors on the idea that its need for private philanthropy was only temporary. Public support would eventually arrive for solar geoengineering research, the team argued.

In a 2021 update for supporters, the team said it had received $1 million over two years from NOAA and the Department of Energy for modeling studies and had begun work on the modified snow-making machine that the researchers would later test in Alameda. That technology is also being used in a field trial along the Great Barrier Reef that’s funded in part by the Australian government.

At the same time, the donor report acknowledged the potential for “public perception challenges” like those that would later short-circuit the Alameda field test. “The MCB Program is well-positioned both in terms of its government ties, scientific analogues and careful positioning to move forward successfully, but this remains a risk.”

The plan for Alameda included elements to engage the public. The deck of the USS Hornet, which is now a naval museum, remained open to visitors.

But the team relied on museum staff to manage relations with Alameda leaders and carefully controlled the information it provided to the public, according to the documents provided by the University of Washington that included communications among the program leaders.

“We think it’s safest to get air quality review help and are pursuing that in advance of engaging, but I’d avoid scaring them overly,” said an Aug. 23, 2023, text message before a meeting with Hornet officials. “We want them to work largely on the assumption that things are a go.” No names were attached to the messages.

Then in November 2023, a climate solutions reporter from National Public Radio was planning to visit the headquarters of SRI for a story about the importance of aerosols research. A communications strategist who worked for SilverLining at the time emailed the team a clear directive: “There will be no mention of the study taking place in Alameda,” wrote Jesus Chavez, the founder of the public relations firm Singularity Media, in bold, underlined text. (Chavez didn’t respond to a request for comment.)

At the same time, the program was closely coordinating with government scientists, documents show.

The head of NOAA’s chemical sciences division was one of three “VIPs” who were scheduled to visit the headquarters of SRI for a demonstration of a cloud-making machine, according to a December 2023 email from Wanser of SilverLining. Other guests included a dean from the University of Washington and an official from the private investment office of billionaire philanthropist Bill Gates, a longtime supporter of geoengineering research. (Gates Ventures didn’t respond to a request for comment.)

“The focus of this event is on the spray technology and the science driving its requirements, validation and possible uses,” Wanser wrote to the team.

The same month, the program detailed its progress toward the Alameda experiment in another donor report.

“The science plan for the study has been shared with our colleagues at NOAA and DOE,” said a draft of the report.

A Department of Energy spokesperson acknowledged funding University of Washington “research on how ambient aerosols affect clouds,” but said the agency hadn’t supported “deliberate field deployment of aerosols into the environment.”

Mayor wondered ‘where it’s leading to’

On April 1, 2024, the day before the Alameda experiment was launched, the program and its consultants appeared to be laying the groundwork for additional geoengineering tests, which an adviser said would likely need the support of federal officials.

Leaders from SilverLining, SRI and Accenture were invited to attend the discussion “to kick off the next phase of our work together” in the consulting firm’s 33rd floor offices in Salesforce Tower, the tallest building in San Francisco, a calendar invitation shows. Officials from the University of Washington and NOAA were also given the option to join. That evening, the calendar notifications show, everyone was invited to a happy hour and dinner.

Accenture, SRI, the University of Washington and NOAA didn’t directly respond to questions about the events. Wanser of SilverLining said in an email that the San Francisco meeting “was completely separate” from the cloud brightening program, even though it included many of the same researchers.

The following afternoon, team members and Accenture executives planned to give a sprayer demonstration to Pritzker, an heir to the Hyatt Hotels fortune and board chair of the think tanks Third Way and the Breakthrough Institute, and Michael Brune, a former executive director of the Sierra Club, according to another scheduling document.

It was an important moment for the team. The same technology that was being tested on the aircraft carrier’s deck would also be deployed in the much larger open-ocean experiment, the research plan shows.

“I was impressed with the team that was putting it together,” Brune said in an interview. He attended the demo as an adviser to Larson, the crypto entrepreneur who has donated to SilverLining via the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

Brune, who lives in Alameda, said he wasn’t aware of the larger experiment until E&E News contacted him. “The engagement with leaders here in Alameda was subpar, and the controversy was pretty predictable,” he added.

In May 2024, city officials halted the experiment after complaining about the secrecy surrounding it. They also accused the organizers of violating the Hornet’s lease, which was only intended to allow museum-related activities. (The Hornet didn’t respond to a request for comment.)

At a City Council meeting the following month, Mayor Ashcraft said she wanted “a deeper understanding of the unintended consequences … not just of this small-scale experiment, but of the science, of this technology [and] where it’s leading to.” Then she and the other four council members voted unanimously to block the program from resuming its experiment.

Using federal aircraft ‘isn’t going to happen’

Between April 2024 and the City Council’s vote that June, the research team scrambled to limit public backlash against the test. By then, the controversy had attracted national and local media attention.

The information request from E&E News sought roughly 14 months of text messages from or to Doherty and Robert Wood, another University of Washington researcher, that included or mentioned their collaborators at SilverLining or SRI. Some of the text messages that were shared by the university did not specify the sender, and Doherty and Wood did not respond to questions about them.

The sender added, “for risk management and the project [it’s] an easy call, and we can cover it.”

But an unidentified second person responded that “the community could actually find it additionally problematic that the project kept the Hornet shut down.”

The team members sent each other letters from people who supported the program, including one from science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson, whose 2020 novel “Ministry of the Future” featured a rogue nation that unilaterally implemented planetary-scale solar geoengineering.

“The truth is that in the coming decades we are going to have to cope with climate change in many ways involving both technologies and social decisions,” he wrote to the City Council on May 29, 2024. The Alameda experiment “has the advantage of exploring a mitigation method that is potentially very significant, while also being localized, modular, and reversible. These are qualities that aren’t often attributed to geoengineering.”

After the council vote, SilverLining hired a new public relations firm, Berlin Rosen, to handle the media attention. It also discussed organizing local events to recruit potential allies, emails show.

Wanser, SilverLining’s executive director, wrote in a June 6, 2024, email to the research team that the program was considering “another run at a proposal to the city post-election, with, hopefully, a build up of local support and education in the interim.”

Ashcraft, the mayor, said in an email to E&E News that she is “not aware of any additional outreach with the community” by the researchers, adding that they hadn’t engaged with her or city staff since the vote.

Meanwhile, even before Trump returned to office, the team had begun acknowledging that its mistakes in Alameda had decreased the likelihood of gaining government support for solar geoengineering research. Access to federal aircraft “isn’t going to happen any time soon,” Doherty, the program director, wrote to Wanser and other team members on June 14, 2024.

The studies that the program is pursuing are scientifically sound and would be unlikely to alter weather patterns — even for the Puerto Rico-sized test, said Daniele Visioni, a professor of atmospheric sciences at Cornell University. Nearly 30 percent of the planet is already covered by clouds, he noted.

That doesn’t mean the team was wise to closely guard its plans, said Visioni, who last year helped author ethical guidelines for solar geoengineering research.

“There’s a difference between what they should have been required to do and what it would have been smart for them to do, from a transparent perspective, to gain the public’s trust,” he said. source

Elizabeth Lopatto A crypto tycoon and a VC funded an experiment to literally block sunlight in California.

A University of Washington experiment with “a machine to create clouds” was shut down by the city of Alameda — because the scientists didn’t bother to tell the locals what they were up to, Politico writes. They were 20 minutes into the test when city officials ended the experiment.

Donors to the Marine Cloud Brightening Program include “cryptocurrency billionaire Chris Larsen, the philanthropist Rachel Pritzker and Chris Sacca, a venture capitalist.” Can’t wait to find out what new conspiracy theories this spawns!

CA Test To Dim Sunlight Planned Quietly To Avoid Public Panic: Report

Researchers attempted to test a geoengineering technology that would’ve created clouds to block the sun’s rays.

Last year, a group of California researchers made headlines after they scrapped a secretive plan to test a cloud-making machine on a retired aircraft carrier on the San Francisco Bay. It was the nation’s first outdoor experiment to limit global warming by altering cloud behavior.

However, they were actually plotting something much bigger — a multi-million-dollar effort to spray saltwater into the sky and cool the planet by creating clouds over an area larger than Puerto Rico, Politico reported.

Politico uncovered details about the Marine Cloud Brightening Program in funding requests, emails, texts and other records. The details of the billionaire-backed solar geoengineering experiment were largely kept under wraps by researchers at the University of Washington.

The experiment was intended to run for months aboard the decommissioned USS Hornet in the Alameda area before city officials effectively shut it down, arguing that no one had told them about it beforehand.

The goal of the test was to limit global warming by spraying salt into the air to brighten clouds so that they reflect the sun’s rays away from Earth as they enter the atmosphere.

Internal documents show the researchers were already in talks with donors and consultants about a much larger 3,900-square-mile cloud-making experiment off the coasts of North America, Chile or southern Africa — well before the initial trial even began. The details come from more than 400 internal records obtained by E&E News through a public records request to the University of Washington.

Many of these plans were drawn up quietly, Politico reported.

The team behind the program relied on museum staff at the USS Hornet to manage relations with Alameda leaders and carefully controlled the information it provided to the public, according to the documents obtained by Politico.

“We think it’s safest to get air quality review help and are pursuing that in advance of engaging, but I’d avoid scaring them overly,” according to an Aug. 23, 2023, text message before a meeting with Hornet staff. “We want them to work largely on the assumption that things are a go.”

The strategy backfired.

When word got out about secretive experiment, locals were so rattled that the Alameda City Council voted to cancel it two months after it began.

Interest in this kind of climate intervention is growing — especially as efforts to cut fossil fuel emissions stall in the U.S. and Europe. But the idea of humans manipulating the weather has sparked political pushback and fueled conspiracy theories, making even small-scale experiments tough to pull off. source

Scientists Secretly Working on Plan to Test Blocking Sun From Huge Area of Earth

Scientists are racing to find potential ways to slow down global warming, going far as to investigate ways to dim the Sun.

The concept, known as solar geoengineering, has proven incredibly controversial in the past, with critics arguing that we simply don’t know enough about the risks, including the environmental and societal impacts of tinkering with the climate. Proponents don’t necessarily disagree, but they say the situation is already so bad that we need to consider drastic action, even if there is the potential for immense risk.

In that charged environment, the sometimes secretive ways scientists have been going about early geoengineering experiments are leaving the door wide open for mounting backlash and even conspiracy theories.

Last year, blindsided city officials in Alameda, California, ordered scientists from the University of Washington to halt an unannounced experiment using a device that would inject cloud-brightening particles into the atmosphere, citing fears of unintended consequences.

And now, according to extensive records obtained by Politico, it turns out the aborted experiment was meant to set the stage for a much larger-scale program that would have covered a 3,900-square-mile area — about the size of Puerto Rico — off the coast of North America, Chile, or south-central Africa.

“At such scales, meaningful changes in clouds will be readily detectable from space,” one 2023 report obtained by the publication reads.

But as experts told Politico, the University of Washington and its private partners, geoengineering firm SilverLining and nonprofit SRI International, didn’t exactly set themselves up for success.

“Alameda was a stepping stone to something much larger, and there wasn’t any engagement with local communities,” University of California, Santa Cruz, environmental studies professor Sikina Jinnah told the outlet. “That’s a serious misstep.”

However, university officials maintained that the program never aimed to “alter weather or climate,” and that there weren’t any “plans for conducting large-scale studies,” either.

Geoengineering has proven incredibly divisive, quickly turning into a hot-button political subject. Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who has a long track record of furthering unsubstantiated conspiracy theories, mistakenly blamed the deadly flood in Texas in early July on geoengineering, without providing any evidence. Later this month, she introduced “weather modification” legislation based on the conspiracy theory.

Discussions have even filtered to the top, with EPA administrator Lee Zeldin entertaining legislation motivated by long-debunked conspiracy theories surrounding “chemtrails.”

Even huge swathes of the scientific community aren’t convinced that dimming the Sun is the answer, citing unknown knock-on risks that could make the cure worse than the disease.

They also often argue that geoengineering could serve as a band-aid fix, allowing world leaders to ignore the immediate causes of climate change, including the burning of fossil fuels and other sources of greenhouse gas emissions.

Those in support of efforts to dim the Sun argue we need to leave no stone unturned in our efforts to battle a growing climate crisis.

“At a time when scientists are facing political attacks and drastic funding cuts, we need to complement a rapid energy transition with more research into a broad range of potential climate solutions,” cryptocurrency billionaire Chris Larsen, who donated to the University of Washington’s program, told Politico.

Where all of this leaves the university and its private partner’s early experiments to seed clouds remains to be seen. Despite billions in funding from some notable donors, including the cofounder of Intel, the political opposition and public backlash could make it difficult for the project to get off the ground.

However, similar geoengineering projects outside of the United States could continue where the program left off. Earlier this year, the UK’s Advanced Research and Invention Agency announced it would invest $60 million in five small climate-cooling research projects, including “marine cloud brightening” to make them reflect more sunlight, refreezing the Arctic by pumping seawater from below the ice to the surface, and investigating the idea of injecting natural mineral dust into the stratosphere.

But getting the public on their side, particularly given how little even experts understand about the potential environmental impacts, could end up being a steep hill to climb. source

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Harm reduction

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Butane and the body

Short-term effects

Immediate side effects that may occur include:

Long-term effects that may occur include:

Dependence

Withdrawal symptoms include:

Dangers

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Sudden Sniffing Death Syndrome

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