RFK Jr. Resurrects Decades-Old Vaccine Safety Task Force
It's a full-circle moment for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who claimed after the 2016 election that President Donald Trump had asked him to chair a 'commission on vaccine safety and scientific integrity' after a meeting at Trump Tower. During Trump's first term, that promise fell by the wayside and the panel didn't come to fruition.
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Yahoo
19 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Terry Cole, chosen to take over DC's police force, has spent 22 years at DEA
WASHINGTON (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday named the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Terry Cole, as Washington's 'emergency police commissioner' as she carries out President Donald Trump's unprecedented decision to take over the Washington police department. Bondi said she's giving Cole the powers of police chief and the Metropolitan Police Department must receive Cole's approval before issuing any orders. The move comes less than a month after the U.S. Senate conformed Cole to be the DEA's leader and he was sworn in as head of the agency. Here's what to know about Cole: Three decades in law enforcement Cole was most recently Virginia's secretary of public safety and homeland security under Gov. Glenn Youngkin, according to his biography on the DEA's website. He's spent more than 31 years as a law enforcement officer, including 22 at the DEA. At the agency, he worked in Oklahoma, New York and Washington. He spent time overseas in Colombia, Afghanistan and the Middle East. The agency said he fought drug cartels and transnational criminal organizations. He was the DEA's acting regional director of Mexico, Canada and Central America when he retired from the federal government in 2020. Prior to joining the DEA, he was a police officer in New York State. Bachelor's in criminal justice Cole graduated from the Rochester Institute of Technology with a bachelor's degree in criminal justice. He has certificates in leadership from the University of Virginia and the University of Notre Dame Mendoza School of Business. Late-night announcement of a new job Bondi announced Cole's new role in a directive Thursday evening. It said Cole would assume 'powers and duties vested in the District of Columbia Chief of Police.' It wasn't immediately clear how this affected Pamela Smith, the city's current police chief, who works for the mayor. Hours earlier, Smith had directed Washington police to share information with immigration agencies regarding people not in custody — such as someone involved in a traffic stop or checkpoint. But the Justice Department said Bondi disagreed with the police chief's directive because it allowed for continued enforcement of 'sanctuary policies.' Bondi said she was rescinding that order as well as other department policies limiting inquires into immigration status and preventing arrests based solely on federal immigration warrants. All new directives must now receive approval from Cole, the attorney general said.
CBS News
22 minutes ago
- CBS News
Miami-Dade residents push back against proposed $5 parking fee at county parks
Community members are voicing strong opposition to a proposed $5 parking fee at Miami-Dade County parks, including Tropical Park, as officials work to close a $402 million budget deficit. The fee is one of several ideas in the proposed budget aimed at generating new revenue. But for frequent park visitors, the plan has struck a nerve. "I am not in agreement with charging fees for the entrance to the park for the admission to parking," said Ozzy Ozon, a baseball coach at Tropical Park. Daniel Bui, who plays tennis and softball there weekly, said the fee could keep some families away. "I think the park has typically been a place where families can go throughout different economic backgrounds. I think just putting a five-dollar parking per day [would] put a strain on that," Bui said. Ozon, who coaches multiple times a week, called the proposal "an exaggeration." He added, "Five dollars? As tough as everything is in the economy—especially with kids in school, they have to buy school supplies and other stuff is more important than five dollars when you want to come and do exercise." The plan has also drawn criticism from Miami-Dade Commissioner Anthony Rodriguez, whose District 10 includes Tropical Park. "The way I see it is I already pay that in my property taxes, so why should we double dip and also charge for parking when they go use it?" he said. Rodriguez, who also serves as commission chairman, sent a memo to the mayor saying, in part: "These services are not merely amenities; they are lifelines that uplift our neighborhoods, strengthen our community, and preserve the unique cultural fabric of Miami-Dade." "Under no circumstances will I ever support that," Rodriguez said. "That is why my proposal not just says no, but finds the money so we could plug that hole." Rodriguez said he has identified $26 million to help offset the deficit—$20 million from the tax collector's office and $6 million in surplus funds from last year's budget. He is proposing to direct portions of that money to cultural arts programs, community organizations, and parks, with the goal of removing the parking fee from consideration. "We don't want residents under any circumstances [to] have to pay for parking when they go attend our parks," Rodriguez said. "Whether they're going to take a walk with their family or they're going to play a sport, we want to make sure we can offer that amenity to them at no cost as it is today." Rodriguez told CBS News Miami he is working to find solutions to the budget cuts but acknowledged some residents will be affected regardless of the final decision.
Washington Post
22 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Terry Cole, chosen to take over DC's police force, has spent 22 years at DEA
WASHINGTON — Attorney General Pam Bondi on Thursday named the head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Terry Cole, as Washington's 'emergency police commissioner' as she carries out President Donald Trump's unprecedented decision to take over the Washington police department . Bondi said she's giving Cole the powers of police chief and the Metropolitan Police Department must receive Cole's approval before issuing any orders.
