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Newsweek
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Fireworks Bill Passes in Boost to Trump's Big US Party
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Iowa has passed a bill regarding the use of fireworks that may help President Donald Trump bolster celebrations for an upcoming U.S. anniversary. Why It Matters The nation's anniversary is important to Trump. In a January executive order, the president established himself as chair of the Salute to America Task Force 250 and said there would be a "grand celebration" on July 4, 2026, the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. As part of the order, Trump said he will create a national sculpture garden with statues of famous figures in American history like John F. Kennedy. He will create a Great America State Fair—a one-year exhibition that will feature exhibits from every state in the country, which Trump wants to host at the Iowa State Fairgrounds. Trump also wants a military parade to celebrate the U.S. Army's 250th birthday, on June 14, which also is his birthday. Fireworks burst above the National Mall and, from left, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol during Independence Day celebrations on July 4, 2024, in Washington. Fireworks burst above the National Mall and, from left, the Lincoln Memorial, Washington Monument and the U.S. Capitol during Independence Day celebrations on July 4, 2024, in Washington. AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein What To Know Ahead of celebrations, the Iowa House has passed a bill prohibiting county boards of supervisors and city councils from limiting or banning fireworks on July 3 and 4 and December 31. That means Iowans will be able to buy a wider range of fireworks and will be able to do private displays on more days of the year. The bill, which passed 51-39, will enable people to take part in more fireworks celebrations on July 4. What People Are Saying Iowa Republican state Representative Bill Gustoff, who managed the bill on the floor: [Lifting local restrictions would allow] "the unwary, patriotic American in Iowa" to celebrate the nation's anniversary legally. "Mr. President, we welcome that idea in Iowa, and we're ready, willing and able to host the party. Iowans would want to join their fellow citizens from around the nation to celebrate the semi-quincentennial birthday of the greatest nation in history, in the need to enable Iowans to be part of that celebration." Iowa Democratic Representative Eric Gjerde, who introduced a failed amendment trying to prohibit the use of fireworks for personal use: "When we take away the local control of cities and counties to determine what works best for them and what works best for their individuals—to me, it's just easier to say, let's just get rid of consumer fireworks altogether and stick with the display fireworks by our cities and our counties. "So I think that even though we all enjoy—I enjoy a good firework display—but I also think we need to be certain that's what's in the best interest for everybody." Donald Trump, in a May 2023 social media video: "Two hundred and 50 years of American independence. What a great country and we have to keep it that way. But that's why as a nation, we should be preparing for a most spectacular birthday party." What Happens Next The bill will now go to Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds.
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Vermont state historic sites will begin opening soon for the 2025 season with new exhibits
Vermont's historic sites are getting ready to open for another season, with Bennington Battlefield Monument leading the way on Friday, May 16, followed by Chimney Point, Hubbardton Battlefield, Mount Independence and President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site the following week, opening on Friday, May 23. The last to open will be the site of Vermont's first U.S. President, the President Chester A. Arthur State Historic Site, opening on Saturday, May 24. "The Vermont State Historic Sites present history where it happened, and provide exciting experiences for everyone," Laura Trieschmann, state historic preservation officer, said in a news release. "This year we are honoring the Semiquincentennial with events, exhibits and lectures that highlight the American Revolution, signing of the Declaration of Independence and Vermonters' role in the fight for independence." The President Calvin Coolidge State Historic Site has a new exhibit in the museum and education center examining how Revolutionary-era ideals shaped Coolidge's presidency. The exhibit will include a display of Revolutionary-era munitions and artefactual remnants unearthed at the Mount Independence State Historic Site in Orwell, Vermont. Mount Independence will have an ornamental plaster frieze and mural depicting significant events in American history by Constantino Brumidi, artist for the U.S. Capitol in the late 19th century. Historian Willard Sterne will speak about his new biography, "John Hancock: First to Sign, First to Invest in America's Independence," at Mount Independence on June 14. On June 29, Hubbardton Battlefield will present a lecture titled "The Strong Women of Western Vermont during the American Revolution." On July 4, there will be a reading of the Declaration of Independence at Bennington Battle Monument. There will also be a parade at Plymouth Cemetery to lay a commemorative wreath from the White House to honor Calvin Coolidge on his 153rd birthday. There's more. On the weekend of July 12-13, there will be a reenactment of the 1777 Battle of Hubbardton at Hubbardton Battlefield, the only engagement of the American Revolution fought entirely on what would become Vermont soil. Senator Justin Morrill State Historic Site in Strafford and Old Constitution House in Windsor are closed this season for preservation. Bennington Battle Monument will be closed the week of June 9 for routine maintenance on the exterior of the structure. It will reopen to the public for Vermont Days on June 14. Contact Dan D'Ambrosio at 660-1841 or ddambrosio@ Follow him on Twitter @DanDambrosioVT. This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Bennington Battlefield Monument, other Vermont historic sites to reopen
Business Journals
13-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Business Journals
Fiesta Asia Street Fair celebrates Asian culture in the heart of Washington, D.C.
2025 marks the 20th year of Fiesta Asia in Washington, D.C. As part of the annual event, dragons, lions, karaoke and more will take over Pennsylvania Avenue NW on May 17. The Fiesta Asia Street Fair is celebrated as the longest running, most inclusive and the largest free Pan-Asian Festival in the Washington, DC Metropolitan area. 'We are so excited to celebrate our 20th anniversary. We always pride ourselves on presenting our festival with authenticity, wholesomeness and accessibility. Never has Washington, D.C. or anywhere else for that matter seen so many heritages represented in the same space — or so many dragons and lions commingling on an open street,' said Wuiping Yap with the Asia Heritage Foundation. Noticing there weren't a lot of celebratory festivals for the Asian community 20 years ago in the metropolitan area, Yap thought about how many outdoor festivities are held in Asian cultures. She also thought there was a lack of representation and understanding of the Asian heritage. She reached out to friends in her performing arts community to start the grassroots street fair and hold it right in front of the U.S. Capitol on Pennsylvania Avenue. Yap and that core group of founders are still integral to the festival's organization 20 years later. 'A lot of friends and families and different community groups all lent their strength and support to the founding of the event,' she said. 'Our goal has always been and will be to preserve and promote Asian heritage and culture through arts, traditions, cuisine and way of life. We remain relevant even after 20 years because someone must do it — to create and maintain the platform for cultural heritage promotion. Also, our nimble size and like-minded partners make decision-making and creative innovations a breeze.' expand What started as one and a half stages, has grown to five stages featuring dance, martial artists, contemporary performances, group performances and Persian artists. More than 1,000 performers are expected at this year's fair. In addition to the varied heritage programs and activities representing more than 20 cultures, there will be a special parade featuring more than 10 fiery dragons and 20 lions; a karaoke duel on the latest Asian pop songs; a neko cosplay challenge (a cat-like costume play); and many more exciting activities. 'The Fiesta Asia Street Fair is a hallmark event of Passport DC, taking place during International Cultural Awareness Month in Washington, D.C.,' said Angie M. Gates, president and CEO of Events DC. 'This lively festival showcases Asian culture and is part of a series of events this month that celebrate the diverse local, national and international communities in our nation's capital. We invite residents and visitors alike to join us in experiencing this fair and to explore our vibrant global city.' A brand-new tradition for this year's Fiesta Asia is an inaugural cook-off battle for the public to show off their best ramen, demonstrate their dumpling wrapping skills or sushi rolling talents. Festival organizers will have all the tools and ingredients necessary for festival goers to sign up on the spot. The public also can learn how to do a dragon dance, a unique opportunity for participants. 'Come in as a group or company to adopt a dragon and have an experience,' Yap said. 'Who doesn't want to be able to say, 'I did a dragon dance down Pennsylvania Avenue?'' She added, 'Everyone is welcome to partake as a dragon performer or simply come as a cheering spectator. Do not miss the opportunity to celebrate Asian heritage with us.'
Yahoo
18-03-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Rand Paul Trying to Rally GOP Opposition to Trump's Tariffs
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) walks in the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC on Nov. 13, 2024. Credit - Kevin Dietsch—Getty Images Senate Republicans had gathered for one of their regular private lunches last Wednesday when Rand Paul commanded their attention. As Senators sipped diet sodas and grazed on sandwiches, the Kentucky lawmaker went through a slide deck with charts and statistics in service of a bold proposal: come out against President Trump's tariffs. The arguments in Paul's presentation, which has not been previously reported, were not a surprise to his audience. One of the most prominent libertarians on Capitol Hill, he's a fierce proponent of free trade. But his attempt to corral colleagues against the Trump trade agenda was seen as a provocation to the President's close allies. 'The public feels like free trade has sold us out,' Paul said, according to two Senators who were present, 'but Americans are richer because of it.' Claiming that free trade agreements have spurred upward social mobility, one of his slides asserted that the middle class has shrunk in recent years only because more people had moved into the upper class. 'Basically, he was saying that everyone was getting richer during Joe Biden's presidency,' one Senator tells TIME. For some in the room, Paul's rebellion reflected their deep unease over Trump's protectionism, which has rattled stock markets, shaken consumer confidence, and strained America's relationships with its allies. Economists now fear the U.S. is heading into a recession. But for many others, it was heresy. Tariffs are not only a Trumpian fixation, they were one of his core campaign pledges and a bedrock of his plan to reshore manufacturing jobs back to the United States. To that end, Paul was asking them to undermine the President, a political suicide mission given Trump's grip over the GOP base. Among Congressional Republicans, Paul has been more recalcitrant than most. He refused to endorse Trump in the 2024 election. He was the only GOP Senator to vote against the Trump-backed government funding bill last week. While tariffs are anathema to plenty of Republicans who preach the gospel of unfettered markets, Paul is one of the only members of Congress currently speaking out against them. 'When the markets tumble like this, it pays to listen,' he recently wrote on social media. Behind the scenes, he's been even more aggressive, courting members of Congress to join his renegade mission. This makes Paul an anomaly. At a time when most elected Republicans are either America First true-believers or traditional conservatives who bent the knee, Paul has emerged as a thorn in Trump's side. 'They have very different ideologies,' says Whit Ayres, a veteran GOP strategist. 'Rand Paul is a libertarian and Donald Trump is a populist, and they have very different views about appropriate policies given those two different ideologies.' Paul isn't the only Republican to push back on Trump. His fellow Kentuckian Mitch McConnell has voted against some of the President's cabinet picks, such as Tulsi Gabbard and Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. But it's easier for McConnell than the rest; he's retiring at the end of this term. Other GOP Senators who have dipped their toes in the opposition have eventually acquiesced under pressure. Sen. Joni Ernst and Sen. Tom Tillis each expressed reservations about Pete Hegseth for Defense Secretary. But after an onslaught of social media harassment and abuse—combined with the threat of a Trump-endorsed, Elon Musk-funded primary challenger—they both voted to send Hegseth to the Pentagon. In some ways, Paul has been less obstreperous than them. He voted to confirm nearly all of Trump's cabinet nominees and rhetorically sought to smooth the waters last month. 'A few people may have noticed that I resisted an enthusiastic endorsement of Donald Trump during the election,' Paul wrote on X. 'But now, I'm amazed by the Trump cabinet (many of whom I would have picked). I love his message to the Ukrainian warmongers, and along with his DOGE initiative shows I was wrong to withhold my endorsement.' The detente didn't last long. He has since become a vigorous antagonist of Trump's stiff tariffs on Canada, Mexico, and China, which the President insists will galvanize an American industrial renaissance. Paul's office did not respond to a request for comment. Trump and Paul have a history of acrimony. When they each sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2016, Trump opened one of the first debates by ridiculing his rival. 'Rand Paul shouldn't even be on this stage,' he said. 'He's got one percent in the polls and how he got up here—there's far too many people up here anyway.' Paul dropped out five months later. The two also have ideological disagreements. Paul is an intellectual disciple of the so-called Chicago School of Economics, most associated with Milton Friedman, which argues for laissez-faire economic policy. Trump, for his part, has ushered in a wave of national populism, with protectionist policies as a pillar of his economic agenda. He has called tariffs 'the most beautiful word in the dictionary.' Tariffs may not be as beloved by all Republicans, but Trump has cobbled a right-wing coalition together by tethering his trade posture to a classic business-friendly program of cutting taxes and regulations. The mass movement he leads has also effectively captured the GOP, which operates in service to him. In the other Capitol chamber, House Republicans recently relinquished their own authority when it comes to trade, voting earlier this month to block their ability to challenge levies imposed by the President. The Trump Administration's trade war could hit Paul's constituents hard. After Trump announced tariffs on steel and aluminum imports to the United States, EU nations threatened last week to slap a 50% tariff on American whiskey, putting Kentucky bourbon in the crosshairs of a global trade war. (Trump struck back hours later by threatening a 200% tariff on European alcohol.) While Paul has little influence on the President, he does have a connection in the White House. One of Trump's top policy advisers, Sergio Gor, used to be a spokesman in Paul's Senate office. Sources close to Trump expect Gor to serve as an intermediary if Paul's vote becomes crucial to securing an extension of the 2017 tax cuts. Paul, along with a handful of other Senators, have expressed doubts about adding to the national debt. Paul's misgivings haven't yet resulted in an impasse. But with Republicans holding a slim 53-seat Senate majority, that remains a future possibility. And if the tax bill creates a confrontation between the two, it may not be the last. By resisting parts of the Trump agenda, Paul may be setting himself on a collision course for 2028, when he's up for reelection. 'The thing about Trump,' says a senior GOP Senate aide. 'He has a very long memory.' Contact us at letters@
Associated Press
28-02-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
No charges for deputy in fatal traffic stop shooting of Indiana man pardoned by Trump
RENSSELAER, Ind. (AP) — A sheriff's deputy in northwestern Indiana will not face charges in the fatal shooting during a traffic stop of a man who days earlier had been pardoned by President Donald Trump for a misdemeanor related to the 2021 U.S. Capitol riot. The Jasper County deputy was 'legally justified in using deadly force to defend himself' in the Jan. 26 killing of Matthew Huttle, the Clinton County prosecutor's office said in a release. The deputy had stopped Huttle, 42, of Hobart for driving 70 mph (112.6 kph) in a 55 mph (88.5 kph) zone. When informed that he was under arrest for being a habitual traffic violator, Huttle ran back to the driver's seat of his vehicle and 'reached in a manner consistent with retrieving a weapon,' prosecutors said Thursday. Huttle and the deputy then struggled. The deputy fired multiple shots after seeing Huttle raise a firearm while stating 'I'm shooting myself,' according to prosecutors. Investigators found a loaded 9mm handgun and additional ammunition inside Huttle's vehicle. Police dash camera video also confirmed Huttle raised 'an object' while inside the vehicle. The Associated Press left a message Friday seeking comment from an attorney who was representing Huttle in pending motor vehicle cases in Lake County. In 2023, Huttle was sentenced to six months in custody after pleading guilty to entering a restricted building, the U.S. Capitol. He had traveled with his uncle to Washington to attend the Jan. 6, 2021, pro-Trump rally. Huttle was inside the Capitol for 16 minutes and recorded it on video. 'He is not a true believer in any political cause,' defense attorney Andrew Hemmer said in a court filing related to the U.S. Capitol charges. 'He instead went to the rally because he thought it would be a historic moment, and he had nothing better to do after getting out of jail' for a driving offense.
