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Los Angeles cannot track money spent on homeless programs, independent audit finds

  • An independent audit commissioned by a federal judge raised serious concerns about how Los Angeles city and county are handling the billions of taxpayer dollars spent on the homelessness crisis. 

Sergio Moreno’s business sits in the heart of Skid Row, where he sees homeless people overdosing on drugs. 

“There were days we’d see two to three overdoses,” he said. 

The things Moreno has witnessed made him suspicious on how the city has managed the response to the homeless crisis. 

“It’s not dollars we’re talking about,” he said. “Those dollars translate into people’s lives.”

His feelings have been heightened following the independent audit released on Thursday. It claims that Los Angeles city and county leaders cannot account for the billions of taxpayer dollars spent on the homeless crisis last year. The LA Alliance for Human Rights pressed for a series of audits in recent years. 

“It’s heartbreaking,” said Elizabeth Mitchell, an attorney for LA Alliance for Human Rights. “It’s atrocious. It’s immoral. It’s unjustified. But, what it is not, is surprising.”

Many of the problems identified were at the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, known as LAHSA. 

The auditors said the agency’s paper trail was so poor that tracking the $2.5 billion spent last year was nearly impossible. 

“It is an actual infrastructure disaster,” Mitchell said. “The truth is everybody is in charge and nobody is in charge. There are no checks and balances.”

The office of LA County Supervisor Linsey Horvath called for accountability, results and an end to this “nightmare.”

“This audit is another reminder of what we already know – the current homelessness services system is broken,” she said in a statement. “We need accountability and results right now, which is why I’m proceeding with the creation of a consolidated County department that will end this nightmare.”

The president of the Downtown LA Neighborhood Council believes there are other record-keeping problems. 

“Even the homeless count is not accurate,” Claudia Olviveira said. “Nothing is accurate and based on data.”

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Psychedelics Have ‘Promising Medical Applications,’ Congressional Watchdog Agency Says, But Research Challenges Remain

A federal agency has published a short report on the medical use of psychedelics, finding that their ability to “change a person’s perceptions and sense of self” can make for “promising medical applications.”

The paper, from the Government Accountability Office (GAO), says there’s a need for further research, but it also notes that because psychedelics such as LSD, MDMA and psilocybin remain Schedule I controlled substances, securing permission to carry out that research can be a challenge.

“To conduct research on these drugs, scientists need to follow several steps,” the report from GAO, which is often referred to as Congress’s “watchdog,” states in a section about ongoing challenges. “These include obtaining permission from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, finding clinical grade drugs to test, and identifying appropriate spaces in which to test and store these drugs.”

“Difficulties associated with conducting large, blind trials of psychedelics have limited researchers’ ability to determine the safety and effectiveness of these drugs,” GAO continues, “which is required for them to gain approval from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). FDA approval is generally required before prescription drugs can be marketed for sale in the U.S.”

Despite the obstacles, the paper acknowledges that hundreds of clinical trials have investigated psychedelics as a potential treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression.

“Between 2015 and early 2025, over 340 trials on psychedelics began or were completed,” it says. “For example, one study found that psilocybin reduced depression symptoms more than escitalopram, an SSRI.”

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Coating Dentures With CBD Can Help Prevent Oral Infections, Government-Funded Study Shows

A newly published journal article says the cannabis component CBD could be an effective way to avoid oral infections when incorporated into the primary material used in dentures.

Published last month in the journal Molecules, the government-funded research says bonding CBD to dentures demonstrates “potential for antibiotic-free denture coatings, reducing dental biofilms and plaque formation, and improving oral health outcomes.”

To study the properties of CBD in dentures, researchers incorporated the cannabinoid into a type of plastic known as poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), which the paper explains is “the primary material for dentures due to its favorable physical and aesthetic qualities.” Researchers then tested antimicrobial activity against three types of bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Streptococcus agalactiae.

Results showed that the CBD denture coatings had “significant bactericidal effects” against so-called Gram-positive bacteria. In terms of Gram-negative bacteria—which are typically more resistant to antibiotics—the CBD coating was ineffective against free-floating, so-called “planktonic” Gram-negative bacteria but effectively eliminated communities of bacteria known as biofilms.

“Biofilm studies revealed a 99% reduction in biofilm growth for both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria on CBD-infused PMMA compared to standard PMMA,” the report says. “The CBD disrupted bacterial cell ways, causing lysis,” or the breakdown of the cell itself.

“In summary,” authors wrote, “biofilm studies showed PMMA/CBD coatings were effective in eradicating all the pathogens on their surface.”

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Kentucky Senate Panel Votes To Ban Sale Of Hemp-Derived Beverages On A Temporary Basis

Kentucky lawmakers advanced a “shell” bill Wednesday evening to ban the sale of hemp-derived beverages in the state until summer of 2026, a move supporters say will allow time to understand how intoxicating versions of the beverages are impacting consumers.

But those involved in the hemp industry decried the proposed moratorium on the sale of hemp-derived beverages as hampering, or even crippling, small businesses trying to market, distribute or sell the canned beverages that are gaining popularity across the country and popping up in places including convenience stores.

Senate Bill 202 sponsor Sen. Julie Raque Adams (R-Louisville) said the goal of her bill is to better understand and regulate intoxicating hemp-derived beverages similar to how the state regulates other intoxicating beverages such as beer or liquor.

She spoke to lawmakers alongside Rep. Matthew Koch (R- Paris) with a line of cans on a desk featuring various flavors and amounts of infused non-intoxicating cannabidiol, known as CBD, and other cannabinoids, which can include intoxicating tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC.

“We are simply placing a moratorium on their sale until such time as we can establish robust regulations that protect Kentucky consumers and, most importantly, Kentucky children,” Adams said. “We have a real, I think, consumer protection issue going on right now. We need to make sure that Kentucky gets this right.”

Legislative concerns about regulating hemp-derived beverages sprang into public view on the 22nd day of this year’s 30-day session. The deadline for filing bills in the Senate was February 18.

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Another Democrat Fraud: Thicko Jasmine Crockett attended Elite St. Louis Day School with $35,000 Tuition then Rhodes College – Her Life Is Anything But What She Tries to Portray to the Public

Jasmine Crockett education includes attending Mary Institute and St. Louis Country Day School in St’ Louis, Missouri, where she was raised.

Mary Institute and Country Day School is one of the top private schools in the St. Louis region. The school includes students from kindergarten through high school. The annual tuition at the school is $34,900 a year.

The school has a very impressive reputation. It is surprising that Jasmine is one of its former students, considering her struggle with the English language and her disregard for respectful dialogue with her peers. But somehow, Jasmine made her way through the prestigious school of mostly well-to-do white kids.

After she left high school, Jasmine attended Rhodes College in Memphis Tennessee, a national four-year, private, coeducational, liberal arts, residential college.

During her time at Rhodes College Jasmine Crockett said she and 17 students suffered a “series of hate crimes” at the school. The alleged harassment included racist letters that were sent to the 18 minority students. Crockett also claimed their cars were damaged. There is no proof that this ever took place.

The Memphis Police Department (MPD) told The Tennessee Star earlier that they had no record of Crockett reporting a crime at Rhodes College in 2002. However, the MPD suggested that the college may have the information if MPD was not involved in the investigation and raised the possibility of another student filing a police report instead of Crockett.

Jasmine graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration in 2003. She later somehow received a law degree.

And the rest is history.

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‘Just Normal Doctoring’ — a Texas Doctor’s Eyewitness Report on Measles Outbreak

Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. on Tuesday cheered the use of what The New York Times called “unconventional treatments” for measles, noting that Texas doctors had seen “very, very good” results using the remedies during the recent measles outbreak in Gaines County.

Treatments included cod liver oil — a food-based source of vitamin A and vitamin D — budesonide, a steroid used to relieve inflammation affecting the airways, and clarithromycin, an antibiotic.

In an exclusive interview with The Defender, Dr. Ben Edwards shared the backstory on the positive results that he and other Texas doctors have recently seen using those treatments in responding to the West Texas measles outbreak.

The “standard of care” treatment for measles is supportive care including fever reducers, cough suppressants and fluids, Edwards said. Texas Medical Board Rule 200 allows for Texas physicians to also offer “complementary and alternative” treatment options, in which he is well versed.

According to Edwards, the Feb. 26 death of a Texas child who tested positive for measles might have been prevented if hospital staff had given her breathing treatments, such as budesonide.

“Budesonide has historically been used in asthma exacerbations,” Edwards said, “but during COVID, many physicians learned of its very beneficial role in treating the inflammation triggered by respiratory viruses.”

Edwards is an integrative medicine family practitioner in Lubbock who runs a private practice serving roughly 2,000 patients. Lubbock is about an hour and a half north of Gaines County, where the current case number is highest, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS).

On Saturday, March 2, Edwards received a call from Gaines County resident Tina Siemens. “Tina said that little girl who died, her parents were real worried about the four other siblings that were all younger. Could I come see them?”

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Ukrainian Journalist Who Was Previously Awarded by Zelensky Calls for President Trump’s Assassination: “Where is Lee Harvey Oswald When The Country Needs Him So Badly?”

A Ukrainian Regime journalist, who is allegedly linked to Hillary Clinton and the DNC, publicly called for the assassination of President Trump in a Facebook post on Friday.

Vadym Karpiak is a veteran journalist with nearly 30 years under his belt. He suggested Friday that America needs a “Lee Harvey Oswald,” the man who reportedly assassinated John F. Kennedy. 

The post, screenshotted below, asks, “Where is Lee Harvey Oswald when the country needs him so badly? And not just one?”

One of the networks Karpiak has hosted on-air coverage for was used as “a major tool of Ukraine’s information war, praised by the government officials who regularly appear on it for its role in countering Russian disinformation and maintaining morale,” according to the New York Times. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called it a “weapon,” but viewers in Ukraine have grown sick of the propaganda they push for the Ukrainian government.

Zelensky has even reportedly awarded Karpiak with “the Order ‘For Merit’ of the 3rd degree.”

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Bhattacharya Opposes Vaccine Mandates, Promises to Tackle Chronic Disease Epidemic

Dr. Jay Bhattacharya, President Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the National Institutes of Health (NIH), said during today’s confirmation hearing that he opposes vaccine mandates and scientific censorship.

He also told members of the U.S. Senate’s Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (STEP) that he believes in diverse scientific research and he supports efforts to address today’s chronic disease epidemic.

During his opening statement, Bhattacharya, a critic of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions and co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration, listed the five priorities he will pursue if confirmed as NIH director:

  • Tackle the chronic disease epidemic.
  • Support scientific research that is “replicable, reproducible and generalizable.”
  • Establish “a culture of respect for free speech in science and scientific dissent.”
  • Fund “the most innovative biomedical research agenda possible to improve American health.”
  • “Vigorously” regulate research “that has the possibility of causing a pandemic,” such as gain-of-function research.

According to STAT News, if confirmed as NIH director, Bhattacharya will oversee “the biggest funder of biomedical research in the world.” Composed of 27 research institutes and centers, the NIH has a nearly $50 billion budget, NBC News reported.

Following the hearing, Endpoints News reported that Bhattacharya sailed through today’s proceedings and “appears headed for a relatively easy Senate confirmation.”

Bhattacharya supports ‘broad scientific agenda’ to study rise in autism

Early during the hearing, Bhattacharya responded to statements by Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the committee, that a link between the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine and autism has been debunked and therefore doesn’t require further scientific study.

Bhattacharya responded:

“As far as research on autism and vaccines, I don’t generally believe that there is a link, based on my reading of the literature. But what I have seen is that there’s tremendous distrust in medicine and science coming out of the pandemic.

“We do have … a sharp rise in autism rates in this country, and I don’t know, and I don’t think any scientist really knows, the cause of it. So, I would support [a] broad scientific agenda based on data to get an answer to that.”

Bhattacharya said people’s doubts about vaccines and mistrust toward public health agencies can be addressed by providing “good data.”

“We want answers,” he said. “Parents want answers. Kids are suffering. And the NIH ought to be doing the research that [provides] those answers. That’s the most important thing.”

Bhattacharya called for funding “the most innovative biomedical research agenda possible to improve American health.”

“My plan is to ensure that the NIH invests in cutting-edge research in every field to make big advances rather than just small incremental progress,” Bhattacharya said.

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China’s 6th Gen Warplanes Set To Outgun USAF

It was December 26th, 2024 – Chairman Mao’s Birthday – when a pair of unmarked, unidentified warplane screamed across the skies above Chengdu, a city that hosts the factory of the Chengdu Aerospace Corporation that is known to be currently working on a new fighter jet.

Tentatively being called the J-36 and J-XX, (no official names exist) these are believed to be 6th generation warplanes, or at least “next generation”. What generation is China on that these would be from the “next?” The current J-20 is generally referred to as having the speed, stealth, integration, payload, and maneuverability of a 5th generation fighter jet – equivalent to the US Air Force’s F-35.

In that case, one might call these 6th generation, although US strategists admit that China tends to favor greater incrementalism in its military development, compared to the Air Force, which prefers to produce larger advances across longer time spans, and so maybe it’s more appropriate to call it 5.5th generation.

Either way, with the F-35 already being the most expensive conventional weapon system ever produced for the Pentagon while still suffering several technical and performance issues, the chance is greater than not that the US has officially fallen behind in combat aircraft technology.

Although perhaps not, since no information on the J-36 or J-XX is officially available. What is available comes from observations mostly, by a group referred to as the “PLA watching community”. Some of these folks are more assertive than others. Journalist and PLA watcher Rick Joe takes a middle ground, calling the J-36 and J-XX “genuine competition” vis-à-vis the Pentagon, while also admitting that the PLA watching community’s predictions of the appearance and nature of these two aircraft have been remarkably on point.

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Rubio Revokes Student Visa For Alien Who Was Cited For Criminal Behavior in Connection with Hamas Protests

Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced the State Department has revoked the first visa for an alien cited for criminal behavior in connection with “Hamas-supporting disruptions.”

This marks the first such case since President Trump’s order to expel foreign Hamas supporters studying in the U.S. on student visas.

Since the Hamas terror attacks on civilians in Israel on October 7, Hamas sympathizers have taken to the streets and taken over college campuses to cheerlead for the terrorist organization.

In a fact sheet issued by the White House, President Trump made it clear that terror supporters who are guest in America are not welcome.

“To all the resident aliens who joined in the pro-jihadist protests, we put you on notice: come 2025, we will find you, and we will deport you.”

“I will also quickly cancel the student visas of all Hamas sympathizers on college campuses, which have been infested with radicalism like never before.”

Reporter Bill Melugin reports the individual cited was “a university student,” and “ICE will proceed with removing this person from the country.”

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