Donald McPherson, a World War II veteran and the last surviving American “ace” pilot, has passed away at 103. He served in the Pacific theater, earning multiple honors for downing five enemy planes. Despite his wartime achievements, McPherson’s legacy focused on his faith, family, and community service. He returned home to Nebraska after the war and devoted himself to the local youth through sports, scouting, and veterans’ organizations.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national, was released from a Tennessee jail on Friday, allowing him to reunite with his family in Maryland while awaiting trial on human smuggling charges. The case gained attention after he was mistakenly deported in March and brought back to the U.S. by the Trump administration. Following a court order, Abrego Garcia was granted pretrial release. Although he faces a smuggling case, defense attorneys filed a motion to dismiss the charges, alleging they were retaliatory. Despite the release, Homeland Security officials still plan to deport him to an unnamed third country.
Ghislaine Maxwell, when interviewed by Donald Trump’s former criminal defense attorney, denied ever witnessing inappropriate behavior by Trump and praised his presidency. During the interview, Maxwell stated she did not know the nature of Trump’s friendship with Epstein but remembered seeing them together in social settings, claiming she met Trump through her father in the 90s. She also claimed she never witnessed Trump in any type of massage setting and said she didn’t remember if Trump submitted a letter or card for Epstein’s 50th birthday. These statements come amidst scrutiny of Trump’s relationship with Epstein and the Justice Department’s release of the interview transcript, coinciding with the handover of Epstein files to the House Oversight Committee.
Former President Donald Trump has extended his deadline for potential consequences against Vladimir Putin, stating he will give the Russian leader “a couple of weeks” to meet with the Ukrainian president to end the war. Trump indicated he would assess the situation within two weeks, determining his course of action based on whether a meeting occurs and its outcome. Despite previous efforts to facilitate a bilateral or trilateral meeting, peace talks have stalled, with no plans for a meeting between the two leaders currently. Trump also mentioned a photo he received from Putin and suggested the Russian leader’s potential attendance at the upcoming World Cup, indicating that the situation will be assessed over the next few weeks.
A rainbow crosswalk memorializing the victims of the Pulse nightclub shooting in Orlando, Florida, was painted over by the Florida Department of Transportation on August 21. This action was taken under the direction of the Trump administration’s “SAFE ROADS Initiative,” which aimed to eliminate road distractions, according to a letter from Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer criticized the move as a “cruel political act,” particularly since the crosswalk, installed in coordination with the state, adhered to safety standards and served as a memorial. Despite the erasure, community members quickly restored the rainbow colors with chalk, demonstrating their commitment to honoring the lives lost in the 2016 tragedy.
In a Supreme Court case regarding President Trump’s cancellation of NIH grants, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson sharply criticized the conservative justices for their decision, labeling it as “Calvinball jurisprudence.” Jackson argued that the court’s ruling, which forces plaintiffs to pursue a complex legal process for monetary damages, effectively neuters judicial review and favors the Trump administration. This decision, according to Jackson, allows the cancellation of hundreds of millions of dollars in grants without providing a clear path for plaintiffs to seek complete relief. Jackson accused her conservative colleagues of making up the rules as they go, prioritizing political outcomes over established legal principles.
Kilmar Abrego Garcia, who was mistakenly deported to El Salvador by the Trump administration and later returned to the U.S., was released from a Tennessee jail on Friday. His attorney confirmed he is traveling to Maryland to reunite with his family while awaiting trial on federal human smuggling charges. The release comes after a legal battle, with judges ruling for his release pending trial. The Department of Homeland Security, however, has expressed concerns about the release, asserting he should be deported due to alleged ties to MS-13.
During a Friday media meeting, President Trump expressed support for the Justice Department’s decision to release the Epstein files to the House Oversight Committee, stating he “couldn’t care less” and emphasizing the importance of protecting innocent individuals. He dismissed the files as a “Democrat hoax,” while also mentioning the inclusion of Bill Clinton and Larry Summers in the files. Trump highlighted his administration’s achievements, citing a successful seven months in office. The Wall Street Journal previously reported that Trump was mentioned in the files, though being listed does not indicate criminal activity.
Ghislaine Maxwell provided no incriminating information during meetings with deputy AG on high-profile individuals who interacted with Jeffrey Epstein: Sources, and it’s really not that shocking, is it? The writing was on the wall. When you have a convicted sex trafficker meeting with the Justice Department, and the primary goal seems to be to protect certain individuals, the outcome becomes almost predictable. She wasn’t there to spill any beans; she was there to build a narrative, a defense, and ultimately, a path to freedom.
The move to a “better” prison, possibly even work release, felt like a reward for playing the game.… Continue reading
In a Colorado court, Jon Hallford, the owner of the Return to Nature Funeral Home, is set to be sentenced for abusing the corpses of 191 individuals. Hallford and his wife ran a fraudulent operation for four years, promising cremations but instead storing bodies in a decaying building. The plea agreement recommends a 20-year prison sentence, but some families are contesting this, seeking a harsher punishment. The case has caused immense anguish for the families, who unknowingly spread concrete and had to come to grips with the fact that their loved ones were not properly cared for.
John Q. Hosedrinker 
Matt Underwood