Latest news with #NotOurPresident'sDay
Yahoo
22-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
‘I lost my dream job,' Buffalo National River positions part of presidential budget cuts
MARSHALL, Ark. – The presidential effort to shrink the federal workforce is affecting Arkansas' National Parks. This past weekend the Buffalo National River Visitors Center at Buffalo Point was closed as the park scrambled to overcome four team members suddenly terminated because of how recently they were hired. Experienced workers, not just rookies, get cut as Trump slashes probationary employees 'I lost my dream job yesterday,' was the first line of a post former Buffalo National River Ranger Stacy Ramsey shared online Saturday. Millions of people have seen the post since. She continued that an email on Valentine's Day broke her heart. 'The word 'termination' was in the subject line, and of course that stopped me in my tracks,' Ramsey said. Ramsey immediately contacted her supervisor about the email to see if she could do anything, but not even he was aware then of her position and others being eliminated. Trump administration begins sweeping layoffs with probationary workers, warns of larger cuts to come The one thing they had in common was being hired to their current position within the past two years. Ramsey had worked other roles within the park for the past five years. 'Without review of the positions, without determining if those positions were important or critical roles or without plans of filling the gaps left by those vacancies,' Ramsey explained. The Trump administration defended the move in a statement saying in part the president, 'will continue to protect America's abundant natural resources while streamlining federal agencies to better serve the American people.' Federal workers protest job cuts in 'Not Our President's Day' rally Some terminated employees say they plan to file a class action lawsuit against what happened. Ramsey said that she is undecided as to whether she would join the lawsuit. Impacts have already been seen at some parks where decisions will need to be made about operating hours, public safety, sanitation, resource protection, etc. 'The decision was made by someone who probably never visited Buffalo National River, by someone who has probably never visited Arkansas, so the park services employees at Buffalo National River, they were caught off-guard just as much as I was,' Ramsey said. 'I loved my job.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Northwest Arkansas residents gather for National Day of Protest
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — Hundreds of Northwest Arkansas residents gathered at the Washington County courthouse to protest against recent decisions made by President Donald Trump's administration. 'There's not one specific issue that we're protesting. We are protesting a president who is dismantling the fundamental policies that make a democracy a democracy,' says Casey Cromer, one of the protest organizers. This protest was part of the 50501 Movement, which stands for '50 states, 50 protests, one day.' Federal workers protest job cuts in 'Not Our President's Day' rally 'This national protest is a call to restore our democracy and protect the rights of every individual. The current administration has shown it is willing to strip away vital protections for the most vulnerable in our society, and we refuse to sit quietly while this happens,' said For AR People founding director Gennie Diaz in a press release. Residents also stated their opposition to bills being discussed in the Arkansas legislature, including Senate Bill 91, which if passed, would ban city governments from capping rent, rental application fees, and rental deposits. Arkansas bill would limit local government's control on rent, deposit fees Organizers say that this protest was meant to unite the community and encourage residents to be more active in local organizations 'that are helping Arkansas become better,' and to be active in future elections. 'That is the biggest thing that we can work on to really cause the change that we need to see. We need people to be educated and show up to vote,' says Erin Killeen, who also helped organize the event. Cromer believes that citizens should 'get plugged in and make a difference wherever they can in our community because we know that power starts locally, for it to affect anything nationally.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Protestors rally at Colorado Capitol against Trump's policies, Elon Musk
DENVER (KDVR) — Hundreds of demonstrators took to the west steps and lawn of the Colorado Capitol building to protest President Donald Trump's policies enacted during his second term in office, plus the influence of Elon Musk, the billionaire advisor and leader of the new Department of Government Efficiency. The demonstrators joined others holding protests across all 50 states, timed to coincide with the Presidents Day holiday. Some protests carried a theme of 'No Kings on Presidents Day,' but Denver protestors focused on removing Musk from having so much influence in the federal government as an appointed official. 'Real and immediate consequences for Colorado's economy': Legislators react to reports of US Forest Service mass layoff Some Denver protestors took up the national cry of 'stop the coup,' criticizing Trump's flurry of executive actions and Musk's DOGE. The 50-state protests have been planned under a movement dubbed '50501,' which stands for 50 states, 50 protests, one day. It's also the same movement that prompted protests in Denver on Feb. 5, also decrying the president's early actions in office. Signs calling Musk a Nazi, demanding to 'stop the oligarchy' and impeach Trump, and calling the current administration's policies racist and misogynistic were carried by Colorado protestors. Organizers of Monday's protests, which were focused on state capitals and major cities including Washington, D.C.; Orlando, Florida; and Seattle, said they were targeting 'anti-democratic and illegal actions of the Trump administration and its plutocratic allies.' The Colorado State Patrol announced road closures near the Capitol as demonstrators marched through the area. Other protests were held throughout the nation to decry sweeping job cuts, part of Musk and Trump's push to reduce government spending and streamline federal operations. The job cuts have impacted the Environmental Protection Agency, the Department of Energy and the U.S. Forest Service, which prompted a protest outside of Rocky Mountain National Park in Estes Park on Monday, according to local media reports. Many of Colorado's federal delegation issued a joint statement Friday urging the U.S. Department of Agriculture to reinstate the roughly 3,400 workers reportedly laid off last week. It's unclear how many jobs in Colorado will be impacted, but Estes Park relies heavily on the national park's presence for its economy. Federal workers protest job cuts in 'Not Our President's Day' rally The job cuts are part of Executive Order 14210: The Department of Government Efficiency Workforce Optimization Initiative, which told agency heads to 'promptly undertake preparations to initiate large-scale reductions in force,' and said that all offices that have functions not mandated by statute or other law will be prioritized for the layoffs. The order further clarified that this includes all diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives; all 'initiatives, components, or operations that my Administration suspends or closes' and all employees who are not typically designated as essential as provided in contingency plans, such as ones made for a government shutdown. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
March protesting President Trump's agenda at City Hall
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Multiple groups joined together for a community rally and march on Monday, Feb. 17 at City Hall. According to the Colorado Springs People's Coalition (CSPC), they and multiple other groups joined together at City Hall at 107 North Nevada Avenue at 1 p.m. to march to the El Paso County Sheriff's Office at 27 East Vermijo Avenue and then back to City Hall. RELATED STORY: Federal workers protest job cuts in 'Not Our President's Day' rally The groups are comprised of: Colorado Springs People's Coalition La Casa Brown Berets Freedom Road Socialist Organization Denver Colorado Immigrants Rights Coalition Action Fund Chicano Liberation Committee Pikes Peak Justice and Peace Commission Southern Colorado Black and Pink UCCS Students for Justice in Palestine A statement from CSPC said the groups are protesting President Donald Trump's agenda which they say are putting many people in harm's way. 'His cruel treatment of migrants, refusal to acknowledge trans people's existence, support for racist and violent police, blocking of reproductive rights, calling for the forced displacement of Palestinians, all of these horrific policies and others have to be called out and fought,' writes CSPC. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
17-02-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries honors Rep. Cleo Fields' return to Congress
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — Congressman Cleo Fields was honored by his past Baton Rouge schools and the House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in a symbolic ceremony welcoming him back to Congress. 'Twenty-eight years ago, I had to face yet another challenge, the challenge of having a district taken away from the very constituents that I served. Yet today I proudly stand before you reclaiming my time,' Fields said. Fields lost his congressional district due to a court throwing it out over gerrymandering. He now returns in a newly drawn congressional district that he had a part in passing through the legislature. Despite the district facing legal challenges, Fields has stayed focused on getting what work he can get done in his two-year term. Surrounded by hundreds of students and supporters in the Southern University Clark Activity Center, Fields was celebrated for his community work and decades-long political career while students shared their aspirations for the future. 'Just as the congressman is taking an oath to serve, we as students must commit to serving our schools, our communities, and ultimately our country,' McKinley Senior High School student Evan Mouzon said. Congressman Cleo Fields to hold public meetings across Louisiana House Minority Leader Rep. Hakeem Jeffries made the trip south to honor Fields in his first trip to Baton Rouge. He talked about how some may see the current political climate as a knockdown. He likened the political process to a flight on an airplane: to get to your destination there will be turbulence. He talked about how Fields would join him in the fight to ensure Black history is not erased. 'I just dropped by to let you know that with the leadership of Cleo Fields, I'm confident that we're going to be able to press on, press on for our children, press on for our seniors. Press on for our dreamers. Press on for our families. Press on for our veterans. Press on for working-class folks. Press on for the middle class. Press on for the poor. Press on for the sick…,' Jeffries said. Fields talked about the Black men who came before him who fought for civil rights and to be elected to Congress. He said without them, he wouldn't be standing on that stage. 'It was their courage in the face of injustice and inequities that led to laid the groundwork for moments like this, reminding us that progress often comes through sacrifice, the sacrifices of countless others who fought on the right side of history and paved the way for people like me,' Fields said. Fields officially took office in January. Lawsuit seeks to block Louisiana tax amendment from March ballot Bipartisan group of senators travel to Israel Federal funding freeze may make it hard to fight wildfires Federal workers protest job cuts in 'Not Our President's Day' rally Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries honors Rep. Cleo Fields' return to Congress Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
