Latest news with #MomsDemandAction
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Gun violence awareness event in Augusta to take place Friday
AUGUSTA, Ga. (WJBF) – In recognition of National Gun Violence Awareness Month, Moms Demand Action and Georgia Shift will host an 'Evening of Remembrance and Call to Action' event in Augusta on Friday. The event, schedule for June 6, will take place at the Jessye Norman Amphitheater & Plaza 15 8th Street at 6 p.m., according to organizers. Sheriff Eugene Brantley, various Augusta Commissioners, judicial leaders, faith leaders and others are expected to be present. The event is free and open to the public. Attendants are encouraged to wear orange, which represents the national color for gun violence awareness. A balloon release will also be held. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Globe and Mail
9 hours ago
- General
- Globe and Mail
Rock the Ride USA's Eighth Annual Event Brings Trifecta of National Gun Safety Champions to Napa Valley
Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Gabby Giffords, Moms Demand Action Executive Director Angela Ferrell-Zabala, and Brady President Kris Brown, Share Stage on June 28 Napa, CA - June 4, 2025 - Rock the Ride USA, an annual community event dedicated to raising funds and awareness for gun violence prevention, returns for its eighth year on June 28 in Yountville, CA with an all-star lineup on national leaders in gun safety. This annual bike ride and walk brings people together to take action on one of our country's most pressing issues – gun violence. With its inspiring motto — ' Community. Action. Change. Together. '— the family -friendly morning offers a choice of a 25 - mile bike ride, 15 - mile bike ride, 5.5- mile bike ride, or 3 - mile walk. Participants will finish in Yountville Community Park for a Burritos & Bubbles brunch, a silent auction, and the Voices of Change speakers panel featuring national and local leaders working to end gun violence. Returning title sponsor, Sutter Health's Dr. Robert Nordgren, chief medical officer of Sutter's Greater San Francisco Division stated, 'supporting the health and well-being of our communities – both inside and outside of clinical settings – is central to our mission. Rock the Ride provides a powerful platform to bring people together around the shared goal of creating safer environments for our families, friends and neighbors.' This year, Rock the Ride welcomes The Honorable Gabby Giffords, former congresswoman, gun violence survivor, and co-founder of GIFFORDS as one of the event's featured guests. After surviving a 2011 mass shooting in Arizona, Giffords became a national leader in the gun safety movement. In 2013, she co-founded what is now GIFFORDS, an organization committed to saving lives through legislative action and electoral support along with its nonprofit litigation arm Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence. In recognition of her contributions, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2022. 'Having Gabby with us this year means so much to me, and to our community. Her story is extraordinary - the mental and physical comeback - and to now be leading a powerful national organization fighting to end the epidemic of gun violence is incredibly impressive. We will all walk away from Rock the Ride inspired to continue to take action,' stated Congressman Mike Thompson (CA-04), the inspiration behind Rock the Ride. The Rock the Ride organizing team is also thrilled to host Angela Ferrell-Zabala, who was named Moms Demand Action's first-ever Executive Director in 2023 following organization founder Shannon Watts' retirement. (Watts attended Rock the Ride in 2019.) As a grassroots organizer for many causes—including women's rights, civil rights, LGBTQ+ rights, immigration, reproductive rights, racial justice, and education—Ferrell-Zabala's outlook aligns with Rock the Ride's mission: "No action is too small. My background as an organizer has taught me that what matters most is showing up for your community. When we do that, every small effort builds toward meaningful change." Moms Demand Action, along with Students Demand Action and Everytown for Gun Safety, is the nation's largest grassroots volunteer network working to end gun violence. Moms Demand Action campaigns for new and stronger solutions to lax gun laws and loopholes that jeopardize the safety of families, educates policymakers and parents about the importance of secure firearm storage, and works to create a culture of gun safety through partnerships with businesses, community organizations, and influencers. Joining Rock the Ride for the first time is Brady, one of the nation's oldest gun violence prevention groups, and approaches ending gun violence in America in three critical ways: changing the laws, changing the industry, and changing the culture. Brady President, Kris Brown, who will be in attendance at Rock the Ride, has shaped the national conversation on gun violence as a public health crisis, launched the organization's groundbreaking safe storage program, End Family Fire, steered Brady's efforts to engage Black and Brown communities most impacted by gun homicide, and oversaw the fomation of Team ENOUGH - Brady's youth-led initiative founded after Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School massacre in Parkland, FL. Rock the Ride also welcomes featured notable guest Rahsaan Bahati, a distinguished 10-time U.S. National cycling champion cyclist and the visionary founder of the Bahati Foundation (based in Los Angeles), created to inspire, empower, and uplift underrepresented youth. Through his foundation, Rahsaan has extended his influence on the African continent, forging collaborations with the Ghana and Burkina Faso Cycling Federations. Rashaan will participate in both the Friday evening dinner and Saturday's ride and Voices of Change Speakers series. New to the 2025 event is a Friday evening fundraiser dinner hosted at HALL Rutherford Estate & Caves, limited to 30 guests. 'We look forward to kicking off Rock the Ride with this exclusive dinner with the Gabby Giffords, Angela Ferrell-Zabala, Kris Brown and Rahsaan Bahati in attendance. This intimate experience will no doubt allow our guests to have access and opportunities to ask questions of these national leaders,' said Rebecca Kotch, co-founder of Rock the Ride. 'Ultimately, whether our guests are at the dinner, or on a 25-mile bike ride, the goal of the event is to educate and empower our audience on how they can make a difference in preventing gun violence.' Congressman Mike Thompson, whose advocacy inspired the event's creation, will lead the 25-mile ride. The day will feature remarks from representatives of partner organizations, including Arik Housley of Alaina's Voice Foundation Moms Demand Action, GIFFORDS, and Brady along with Dr. Mark Shapiro, physician and host of Explore the Space podcast, returning as event moderator for the Voices of Change speakers' panel. Event Background Rock the Ride USA was founded in 2018 following the mass shootings at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida and The Pathway Home veterans' program in Yountville, CA. The event was born out of a bike riding conversation between Congressman Thompson, former Napa County Sheriff John Robertson, and event producer Rebecca Kotch. Later that year, the shooting at Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks tragically took the life of Napa native Alaina Housley. Her family's foundation, Alaina's Voice, became a beneficiary of Rock the Ride in 2019. Registration & Sponsors Event registration ranges from $35–$150 per person, and youth ages 17 and under participate free in the walk. Proceeds benefit the California Chapter of Moms Demand Action/Everytown for Gun Safety, Giffords Law Center, and Alaina's Voice Foundation. Participants are also able to fundraise for Brady United. In addition to Sutter Health, sponsors include: Trinchero Family Estates, DP&F Law, the Wine Institute, Mike Thompson for Congress, HALL Wines, Napa Valley Vintners, The Doctors Company, Cecilia Aguiar-Curry for Assembly, Clif Family Winery, Joelle Gallagher for Supervisor, Anne Cottrell for Supervisor, Dr. Erica Conway DDS, Mad Fritz Beer, Tomorrow Cellars, Frog's Leap Winery, Explore the Space, Napa Printing, Napa County Bicycle Coalition, Hilo Botanicals and several anonymous and in-kind donors. Facebook: Instagram: @rocktheride Website: Media Contact: Rebecca Kotch rebecca@ 323.806.5900 Media Contact Company Name: Rock the Ride USA Contact Person: Rebecca Kotch Email: Send Email City: Napa State: CA Country: United States Website:
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- General
- Daily Mail
Shocking lies of gun control activist who claimed he survived school shooting
A gun control activist has sparked outrage in his hometown after lying about surviving a high school shooting which never took place. Calvin Polachek, 23, claimed that his brother, best friend and nine classmates were killed in 2017 during a violent rampage at Dallas High School in rural Pennsylvania. In an emotional speech before the Kentucky State Capitol in February, Polachek recounted the horror of returning to campus a week after the alleged tragedy. He claimed that he was forced to routinely, 'walk past that spot where I saw my best friend and pretend it was all normal'. 'It was not normal,' he told the crowd, adding: 'Folks, that's been eight years, and I've been talking about this every single day since then for eight years. 'Eight years of talking about this, and there's been nothing that's changed.' However it has since emerged that the business student lied about his ordeal and that the shooting 'never occurred', per Dallas Township Police Chief Doug Higgins. Polachek's brother Luke is also 'very much alive and well', several Dallas High School alumni confirmed to WNEP. Dallas School District Superintendent Dr. Thomas Duffy, who also refuted Polachek's fabricated tale, told that it is, 'troubling and disappointing that a story like this would be out there, obviously with zero basis'. Polachek's story first surfaced in February at a rally organized by Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America in support of Kentucky's gun safety education bill. Police say his remarks were shared on social media and quoted in articles published by local news outlets, as well as global platforms including MSN and Yahoo News. Duffy was made aware of the speech late Tuesday, alleging that it 'blew up pretty quickly' in the 'small, tight-knit' Dallas community. 'It wasn't well received by the school district or community,' he told Daily Mail, explaining that locals immediately, 'knew this is not true'. 'The community was outraged. It didn't surprise me, but it was affirming to see how quickly our school district community - including families teachers, administration and our alumni, who are all over the world - really rose to the occasion to defend the school district and underscore their disappointment that this story would be out there and was not aligned with reality,' Duffy said. Police Chief Higgins was also quick to dispel Polachek's lies, saying in a press release Wednesday: 'Let us be absolutely clear: this event never occurred. 'There has never been a school shooting at Dallas High School. Not in 2017, and not at any point in our community's history.' The police chief branded the 'widespread sharing of a fabricated tragedy' as both 'reckless' and 'harmful', alleging that it 'fuels unnecessary fear' and 'disrespects the experiences of real victims of school violence'. Higgins further said that Polachek's lies are 'deeply troubling' and have caused, 'real harm' to the community. He accused Polachek of undermining the school district's integrity and eroding public trust, adding: 'The people of Dallas Township deserve honesty.' 'We support the mission of those working to make schools safer. That work is vital. But effective advocacy must be built on truth,' Higgins continued. 'Falsely referencing a tragedy that never happened disrespects the memory of actual victims and distracts from meaningful progress.' Polachek is a recent Dallas High School graduate and currently attends the University of Louisville. He was involved in student government and played baseball throughout his high school career. Little is known about his brother's whereabouts, but several classmates confirmed to local media that he is alive, with one even alleging that she received a Facebook friend request from Luke 'less than a year ago'. reached out to both Calvin and Luke Polachek for comment, but neither replied. Sarah Cominsky, a member of Polachek's graduating class, said she is 'embarrassed' to have been his classmate. She slammed Polachek for having the audacity to say something 'so wildly untrue', especially at an event 'where moms of victims' and 'student victims are speaking out'. Courtney Moss, a Dallas High School alum who served on the student council with Polachek, added: 'Why would you lie about something this tragic when there are people that go through this every single day and have to relive this worst thing in their life, every single day?' Superintendent Duffy said the school district was immediately focused on making sure the community, 'knew we were aware that this story was out there and that people knew this was not true'. Although local residents were aware a shooting never occurred, district leadership wanted to make sure that families who were new to the area were aware Polachek has peddled false information. He says the district is continuing its conversation with the community and looking at what next steps may entail. 'Most important, is just affirming this didn't happen,' Duffy added. He also applauded the, 'very supportive school district community and alumni base for very quickly communicating their outrage'. Moms Demand Action, which hosted the February rally, said in a statement to that Polachek is 'not an active volunteer' with the organization. 'We are deeply disappointed that someone would exploit the tragic, lived experience of many to use our platform to share a story that was not true,' a spokesperson said. 'Calvin reached out to our Kentucky chapter, shamefully lied to our volunteers, and shared a tragic story that we later learned was not true. 'This is an affront to the countless survivors of gun violence who show extraordinary courage every day by reliving their darkest moments in service of the fight to end our country's gun violence crisis.' The spokesperson added that Moms Demand Action is 'revisiting our guidance to our grassroots networks in an effort to ensure this never happens again'.
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Illinois lawmakers pass bill to fine gun owners for improper storage
ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — The 'Safe Gun Storage Act' passed the Illinois General Assembly this week, a bill that would fine gun owners for not properly securing firearms. requires new rules for storing guns in homes where children and at-risk people are present. Gun owners could be fined anywhere from $500 if weapons are not securely stored to $10,000 if an unsecured weapon is used in a crime or suicide. Rep. John Cabello (R-Machesney Park) believes the bill criminalizes lawful gun owners. 'People are going to be so confused as to what they are supposed to do. And that's what this Democrat majority wants. They want to make more law-abiding gun owners criminals,' he said. Tyler Krieter, a member of the activist group Moms Demand Action, says the bill focuses on irresponsible gun owners. 'I hear the pushback from the other side because the other side thinks that always just coming after law-abiding citizens. And no, we're not. We're coming after people who are criminals, who are irresponsible with their guns,' said Krieter. He said the bill is based on data and studies. 'About 50% of gun owners don't securely lock all their firearms away here. And 82% of the teen suicides involve a gun that belonged to a family member, it says. It's not a left or right thing. It's statistics,' Krieter said. 'Almost every member of my family owns a gun here. We all agree with this bill here. It's going to help lower down suicides among teens. It's going to help cut down on irresponsible gun owners. If you are a responsible gun owner, you have nothing to worry about.' Cabello said he doesn't agree. 'The Democrats seem to just want to go after the law-abiding citizen in constantly making it harder and harder for folks to own weapons,' he said. Critics of the bill say they plan to challenge its constitutionality if Gov. Pritzker signs it into law. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Gun safety group says Kentucky college student from Pa. lied about surviving high school shooting
Calvin Polachek, center, in jacket and tie, said he survived a mass shooting at his Pennsylvania high school during a gun safety rally in February at the Kentucky Capitol. The shooting never happened, according to organizers, the local school system and police. (Sarah Ladd/ Kentucky Lantern) Everytown for Gun Safety says a man who spoke at a February rally for gun safety it helped organize in Frankfort lied about his experience surviving a school shooting in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. The event, which the Lantern and other media outlets covered, happened Feb. 12 in the Kentucky State Capitol. Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action hosted a variety of speakers who advocated against gun violence. One of the speakers, Calvin Polachek, said that when he was a high school student in Pennsylvania, he lost people in a school shooting, including claiming that he saw his best friend lying in a pool of blood. Polachek 'is not an active volunteer with Moms Demand Action or Students Demand Action, and we are deeply disappointed that someone would exploit the tragic, lived experience of many to use our platform to share a story that was not true,' Sarah Boland Heine, the senior director of communications for Everytown, said in a Wednesday statement. The Lantern reached out to Moms Demand Action, which is part of the Everytown gun safety group network, after receiving numerous messages from people who said they were classmates or relatives of Polachek and that the shooting never happened 'Calvin reached out to our Kentucky chapter, shamefully lied to our volunteers and shared a tragic story that we later learned was not true,' Heine said. 'This is an affront to the countless survivors of gun violence who show extraordinary courage every day by reliving their darkest moments in service of the fight to end our country's gun violence crisis. We are revisiting our guidance to our grassroots networks in an effort to ensure this never happens again.' Polachek did not immediately respond to Facebook and LinkedIn messages from the Lantern. Polachek was identified as a University of Louisville student at the rally. A UofL spokesperson said Wednesday that he is currently a graduate student. The Dallas School District, in Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, said in a Wednesday statement that it 'is aware of a video clip and accompanying article that appears to depict a former Dallas student speaking about a school shooting at Dallas in 2017.' 'Thankfully, that never happened,' the school said. 'The discussion on the clip about Dallas and school violence is not factually accurate.' The school district did not immediately return a voicemail from the Lantern. Meanwhile, the Dallas Township Police Department said the claims made that day at the rally are 'entirely false.' 'The widespread sharing of a fabricated tragedy is not only reckless, it is harmful,' the police department said in a news release. 'It fuels unnecessary fear, disrespects the experiences of real victims of school violence and misleads the public with a narrative that has no basis in truth.' This story may be updated.
