Random News and Notes 25 February
A sinkhole formed in the middle of an Omaha street. Security footage from the University of Nebraska-Omaha captured the dramatic collapse around 3:30 p.m. on February 24 near 67th and Pacific streets in Omaha’s Aksarben neighborhood. The truck driver, Jesus, climbed out on his own, then helped bystanders free the SUV driver—no one was hurt. (Time chop :17, watch the first two vehicles stopped at the right of the intersection)
Officials are investigating a possible water main break as the cause, with Pacific Street closed for days or weeks of repairs, and police praised the community’s quick response.
That’s really gotta suck. On your way wherever and all of a sudden the road swallows your vehicle.
I am not sure if this is funny, sad or a combination of both. Monday, Daily Wire reporter Brecca Stoll asked George Washington University students to rate Trump’s upcoming speech on a 1-10 scale. Several gave low marks like 1, 3, or 4, calling it unarticulate, all over the place, or rambling. The problem? The SOTU hadn’t happened yet, and wouldn’t until the next evening.
It just goes to show that being educated does not equate to being smart.
Speaking of the State of the Union, your editor only made it through about half. It was a fairly well written speech, delivered the way only Trump can. The speech celebrated economic growth, proposed tariffs to replace income taxes, and blamed Democrats for immigration failures, spotlighting Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska’s murder and conservative activist Charlie Kirk’s widow. It seems the public at large agrees. 63% of those polled by CNN liked it.
It is an indictment of the times when a hoodie wearing, stroke victim is the voice of sanity on the left. John Fetterman had this to say about the speech:
. . . “I clapped for the family that lost the Ukrainian girl…the Venezuelan political prisoner…the veterans.” “I’ll always clap for things I agree with, like striking the Iranian sites.”
“And if I don’t agree, I certainly won’t yell, scream and disrupt the whole thing.”
Folks, this is called acting like a normal American.
Among the highlights was this moment:
It was quite telling that nearly all the Dems stayed in their seats. The ones that showed that is. Several high profile Dems boycotted the SOTU and countered with a sparsely attended ‘People’s State of the Union’ rally outside.
Another highlight was CWO5 Eric Slover being presented the Medal of Honor for his actions during the Maduro snatch. Piloting the lead Chinook amid intense gunfire during the Caracas raid, Slover exposed enemy nests to his gunners, landed safely despite severe wounds, and enabled the team’s success in seizing Maduro and his wife. Slover is still recovering from the wounds he sustained during the raid.
Slover is the first CWO5 to be awarded the Medal.
There was another Medal of Honor presented last night. 100 year old Navy Vet Royce Williams was awarded the Medal for his actions during the Korean War. We covered his story back in the beginning of February when the news of the upgrade was announced.
. . . conditions.
Massively outnumbered. Outgunned.
He fought back and downed four enemy jets while his own aircraft was riddled with hundreds of rounds. His mission was classified for decades.
Tonight, at 100 years old, he finally received public recognition.
Over 220 combat missions in Korea and Vietnam.
That’s courage.
That’s history.
That’s a warrior who earned his place in the record books.
On February 23, a crowd mostly of NYU students gathered in the park during a historic storm that dumped 20-30 inches of snow. Videos captured two suspects—a young Black man in a blue beanie and a white man in a black balaclava—hurling large snowballs at responding uniformed officers.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch labeled it disgraceful and criminal, while Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani called it a snowball fight and urged respect for officers working in the storm, drawing sharp criticism from police unions who noted the officers needed hospital care.