It’s been more than a year since the North Carolina House of Representatives approved a permitless carry bill, but despite majority support in the legislature the bill is still in limbo thanks to Gov. Josh Stein’s veto.  The state Senate has successfully voted to override Stein’s veto, but the House has yet to follow suit. Republicans are one vote shy of a supermajority in the lower chamber, but the bill’s chances are further complicated by the fact that two Republican House members voted against permitless carry the first time around, while almost a dozen others…

MANILA, Philippines (AP) — A Pentagon official on Monday asked allies in Asia to invest more in their defense and help deter aggression in the region and said the United States remains committed to do the same with “partners, not protectorates.” Elbridge Colby, an undersecretary of defense, made the remarks at a forum in the Philippines, his first stop in Southeast Asia, where he will also visit Indonesia, Thailand and Cambodia. He renewed Washington’s assurances that the U.S. is not backing away from Asia despite its current preoccupation with the Iran war and the Middle East. “America is definitely not…

Last week, the White House delivered on its promise to spend several billion dollars for additional barriers in a national park along the Texas–Mexico border. Despite opposition from parks advocates, environmentalists, and local businesses, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began construction in Big Bend National Park on Thursday, according to photos and video recorded by journalist Natalie Newman. The videos show private contractors plowing through native vegetation along the Rio Grande’s riparian corridor, with the park’s Santa Elena Canyon visible in the background. A CBP spokesperson told SFGate that the bulldozers on site at Big Bend are merely prepping…

A woman who was convicted in a stolen valor case was scheduled to be released from prison today, according to multiple reports. Sarah Cavanaugh was sentenced to 70 months in federal prison in 2023 under the Stolen Valor Act of 2013. In 2023, she was indicted in the state of Rhode Island for falsifying military service, false use of military medals, identity theft and collecting more than $250,000 in cash and benefits intended to be charitable contributions to a wounded and disabled veteran. Cavanaugh faced the wrath of law enforcement after she said she served in the Marine Corps in…

If folks only get their news from mainstream, national media outlets, it’s easy for them to have the false impression that defensive gun uses are incredibly rare in this country. For every high-profile DGU that makes national headlines, like Jordan Salinas shooting back at an active shooter in Twin Falls, Idaho, there are literally thousands of other armed citizens who defend themselves and others without drawing much attention from the media beyond a local news report or two.  One such incident recently unfolded in Riverton, Utah, about 20 miles from Salt Lake City. According to…

Enlisted Navy rates are a little different from the ranks of the other U.S. military branches. The other branches organize service members according to ranks, while the Navy organizes its force according to rates, although it also follows the same E-1 to E-9 pay-grade structure as the other services. Enlisted Navy rates include the categories of apprentices (E-1 to E-3), petty officers (E-4 to E-6), and chief petty officers (E-7 to E-9). Apprenticeships are entry-level positions, including seaman recruit, seaman apprentice and seaman, often referred to as non-rated personnel. Petty officer ranks are intermediate ranks specializing in specific job roles.…

“We’re out of ice” became an all-too-familiar phrase at my local grocery stores last summer. Living in a small mountain town has plenty of perks. But during peak tourist season, finding a bag of ice isn’t always one of them. Fortunately, I was gear testing the 45L EcoFlow GLACIER Classic Portable Fridge Freezer, a battery-powered refrigerator that doesn’t need ice. With dual-zone cooling, wired and wireless power options, and smartphone app controls, the GLACIER quickly made ice runs a thing of the past. Unlike traditional coolers that require constant refills and turn into icy pools, the GLACIER Classic keeps food…

A veteran who served in the Vietnam War has received a Purple Heart award, 58 years after serving in the conflict. Daniel Knote, a 79-year-old who served six years in the Army, was shot in the leg while he ran to help a wounded fellow soldier, Mike Beck, in February 1968. The then 21-year-old Army specialist was supposed to receive the military decoration, which is awarded to service members wounded or killed in action against an enemy. But because of a paperwork mistake, it was not listed in his files for nearly six decades. This mistake has now been corrected…

The NRA has been through tough times:The 1994 assault weapons ban.The “academic” consensus that gun control would control gun crime. “Conservative” presidents like Ronald Reagan signaling support for gun restrictions. The latest setback involved Wayne LaPierre, the previous EVP and CEO. He wisely and courageously rebuffed the post-Sandy Hook mass shooting hysteria with “The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun.” Recently, LaPierre was found liable for misappropriating NRA funds. Internal dramas exploded to the forefront, distracting from the core mission: protect the gun rights…

Coast Guard ranks for officers are split into two tiers: officer and admiral. Commissioned Coast Guard officers do not enlist. They serve indefinitely at the pleasure of the president of the United States. They hold a commission charging them with the duties and responsibilities of their specific rank. Coast Guard Officer Ranks Ensign (ENS) (O-1) Ensigns are generally inducted after naval officer training and obtaining a four-year degree. Their rank is equivalent to second lieutenant in other branches. Lieutenant Junior Grade (LTJG) (O-2) Lieutenants junior grade are generally promoted 18 months after becoming an ensign. They serve as billeted division…

Democrats in Congress have launched a probe into the Trump administration following reports it tried to deport more than 50 military members and members of military families. The Associated Press reported last week that President Donald Trump’s administration has detained 52 parents and spouses of active-duty service members since he took office in January 2025, with at least six interventions resulting in deportation and at least eight people remaining in immigration custody. In response to this report, 60 Democrats sent a letter Sunday evening to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the Department of Defense (DOD) and the Department of…

A gun range in the suburbs of Milwaukee, Wisconsin has taken down Flock cameras that were installed more than six months ago, after a video showing the cameras and questioning why they were there went viral.  The video, posted on X last week, has been viewed more than 600,000 times, and irate responses from gun owners and customers led to Eagle Sports Range’s decision to remove the cameras from its property. American is going to the gun range and she gets into the parking lot and notices something concerningThere are 4 Flock cameras “pointing into the…