Midwest
Arkansas families sue to keep 10 Commandments out of classroom before new law takes effect
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Arkansas families are suing to block the 10 Commandments from being displayed in public school classrooms as required by a new state law.
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signed a bill into law in April requiring the Ten Commandments and the “national motto, ‘In God We Trust’” to be “prominently” displayed on posters in Arkansas classrooms and public buildings. The school mandate takes effect in August.
The posters, which must meet a certain size requirement, must be donated or funded through private donations, the law states. Schools are allowed to use public funds or donations to replace any noncompliant display with a compliant display.
A coalition of multi-faith families argued in their legal challenge that the religious display requirement violates their religious freedom and parental rights.
An Arkansas 10 Commandments law is being challenged in court. (Michael Smith/Getty Images)
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“Permanently posting the Ten Commandments in every classroom and library — rendering them unavoidable — unconstitutionally pressures students into religious observance, veneration, and adoption of the state’s favored religious scripture,” the lawsuit states.
“It also sends the harmful and religiously divisive message that students who do not subscribe to the Ten Commandments—or, more precisely, to the specific version of the Ten Commandments that Act 573 requires schools to display—do not belong in their own school community and pressures them to refrain from expressing any faith practices or beliefs that are not aligned with the state’s religious preferences.”
The lawsuit was filed on behalf of the families by the American Civil Liberties Union, Americans United for the Separation of Church and State and the Freedom from Religion Foundation.
“As American Jews, my husband and I deeply value the ability to raise our children in our faith, without interference from the government,” Plaintiff Samantha Stinson said in a press release. “By imposing a Christian-centric translation of the Ten Commandments on our children for nearly every hour of every day of their public-school education, this law will infringe on our rights as parents and create an unwelcoming and religiously coercive school environment for our children.”
Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders is pictured here in Little Rock, Ark., on Feb. 7, 2023. (Al Drago/Pool Photo via AP, File)
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It names four school districts in northwest Arkansas — Fayetteville, Bentonville, Siloam Springs and Springdale — as defendants.
The plaintiffs are asking for a preliminary injunction to pause the implementation of the law while the lawsuit is pending, according to the ACLU.
Fayetteville Public Schools, Bentonville Schools and Siloam Springs School District told Fox News Digital they do not comment on pending litigation but “it appears after reviewing the court filing, that the lawsuit aims to challenge the constitutionality of a new Arkansas law that will take effect in August rather than challenging any action taken by [the school districts named in the lawsuit].”
Springdale Schools did not immediately return a request for comment.
Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry speaks in the House Chamber in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on Jan. 15, 2024. (Michael Johnson/The Advocate via AP, Pool, File)
Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry signed a similar bill into law last year which has also faced legal challenges.
A federal judge temporarily blocked the measure before it was to take effect in January, calling it “unconstitutional on its face.”
Louisiana defended the religious display in a federal appeals court in January.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Cleveland, OH
Kendalle Cobb, MD Obituary April 29, 2026 – Brown-Forward Funeral Service
Kendalle Cobb, MD, age 55, of Shaker Heights, Ohio, passed away on April 29, 2026. She was the loving wife of Andrew Cleminshaw, the loving mother of Catherine Cleminshaw, the loving daughter of Emmett Cobb Jr. and Erma L. Cobb of San Francisco, and the loving sister of Cheryl Chambers (Michael) and Jan Cobb.
Kendalle was born and spent her childhood in San Francisco, California, happily ensconced on Grove Street just a few doors down from the famous Victorian homes known as the Painted Ladies. As she grew up, she studied and danced with the San Francisco Ballet while attending the French-American Bilingual School and Lowell High School. During this time, she also began her lifelong fandom of General Hospital, which provided her with a precocious introduction to the field of medicine. She left for the East Coast to attend Harvard University and George Washington University Medical School. She then returned to California for a family medicine residency and later a faculty position at the Kaiser Permanente Fontana Medical Center.
In 2004, she became a staff physician at the Cleveland Clinic. During her time there, she rose to assume numerous leadership roles, including membership on the Board of Governors and, most recently, Associate Chief of Staff. Throughout her time, she gave many keynote addresses and worked with numerous constituencies, all with the goal of making the Clinic a place where all community members, patients, and caregivers could thrive.
One of Kendalle’s core teachings was adapted from the author Leo Bascaglia: if a person is a plum, they should be the best plum they can be, not attempt to be a banana. A plum trying to be a banana will only be a second-rate banana. In other words, be true to yourself.
Kendalle practiced family medicine at the Clinic’s Solon Family Health Center, and her patients and colleagues celebrated the empathetic care she provided, the listening she offered, and the emphatic advocacy she delivered.
Kendalle was deeply invested in educating the next generation of doctors. She was a beloved Physician Advisor at the Cleveland Clinic Learner College of Medicine, where she also designed curricula and implemented initiatives, including the diversity dinner program. Among many awards for her work, she received the Outstanding Faculty Contribution Award from CCLCM in 2022. She served as chair of the Diversity Scholars Program steering committee at Ohio University Heritage College of Osteopathic Medicine, supporting another cohort of future doctors. Her legacy will live on in the doctors whom she mentored and nurtured, holding high standards while helping them bring their full selves to the medical profession.
As part of her commitment to medical education and the training of physicians, Kendalle was selected to serve on and then chair various National Board of Medical Examiners committees, writing and reviewing questions for the USMLE Step 3 exam. She enjoyed meeting regularly with peers from across the country to determine which questions best assess physician readiness.
Kendalle was a treasured friend who curated a beloved “inner circle” whom she supported and who supported her throughout her life. Her Christian faith was a core part of her identity and guided her throughout her life. She was an active member of Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights, serving in many capacities, including president of the Church Council. She had a knack for pastoral relations, nurturing faith leaders up until the very end.
While being a strong, determined leader and role model, Kendalle took time to savor the lighter, human side of life, whether lingering over a meal in the college dining hall, going to concerts with friends, or taking road trips with her family. Kendalle supported the performing arts with a special affinity for musical theater. She often celebrated special occasions in Catherine’s life with a mother-daughter trip to a show, be it at a local venue or across the country. As Catherine took to the theater both on and backstage, Kendalle could always be found in the audience, attending every show, flowers at the ready, leading a standing ovation as the cast took their bows. Kendalle was a beloved wife and mother whose nurturing presence, positive, faithful outlook, and commitment to making the world a better place will be deeply missed.
The family prefers that those who wish may make contributions in her name to VelloSano/Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Ave., Cleveland, OH 44195, or Plymouth Church of Shaker Heights, 2860 Coventry Rd., 44120, where Memorial Services will be held Saturday, May 23rd at 11 am.
Friends may call at Brown-Forward, 17022 Chagrin Blvd., Shaker Hts., OH 44120, Friday, May 22nd, from 5-7 pm.
Illinois
IL Accountability Commission refers federal agents for investigation, possible prosecution
CHICAGO — A state board unanimously voted Thursday to approve a 204-page report detailing its investigations into misconduct by on-duty federal immigration agents amid Operation Midway Blitz.
It is also sending letters to local law enforcement agencies for potential prosecution of the agents. The letters are not determinations of guilt, but requests for further investigation by the relevant agencies.
“Where that record establishes reasonable cause to believe that misconduct may have occurred, we implore those responsible to ensure that this information is reviewed and that it is handled in an appropriate fashion,” said Patricia Brown Holmes, vice chair of the body.
The Illinois Accountability Commission, created by Gov. JB Pritzker through executive order last October, was tasked with forming a public record to document the impact of the federal immigration campaign on Chicago communities, but also to produce recommendations for harm reduction and prevention of future abuses.
To inform its report, the commission conducted 16 investigations for which it interviewed over 60 people, reviewed nearly 100 hours of body camera footage from 250 videos, and reviewed hundreds of hours more of footage from security cameras, personal devices and social media, according to commission officials.
It also held seven private neighborhood listening sessions and five public hearings, featuring testimony from law enforcement experts, community advocates and everyday Chicagoans.
“Documenting this was easy,” Commission Chair Rubén Castillo said. “The record is overwhelming; the video tapes are overwhelming. They’re devastating. They’re shameful. They’re brutal.”
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Prosecution referrals
One of the referrals letters names Border Patrol agents Benito Nuñez, Carlos Chavira and Jesus Guillen, who the commission said used an intentional, high-speed car ramming maneuver in Chicago’s East Side neighborhood after being repeatedly instructed to stop by supervisors.
Body camera footage released by the commission shows the agents proceeded to use teargas on a street of onlookers in the Far Southeast Side neighborhood, including more than a dozen Chicago police officers who had explicitly asked agents not to deploy the gas.
Others name Border Patrol agent Charles Exum, who shot Chicago teacher’s aide Marimar Martinez five times last October and then bragged about it over text, and Border Patrol agent Timothy Donahue, who made headlines for aggressive conduct in Evanston last Halloween.
In some cases, the commission was unable to identify specific agents involved. For example, a military-style raid on a South Shore apartment building references approximately 300 agents who may have broken agency policy or criminal law.
The commission says that’s due to its limited powers, which do not include the authority to issue subpoenas. That’s why it says law enforcement agencies should carry forward the cases, including the Cook County state’s attorney’s office.
“The issuance of this report is not the end, it is the beginning,” Castillo said. “We need a reckoning to occur.”
Commissioners said they hoped other states would follow Illinois’s lead, calling it an example for the nation.
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The Department of Homeland Security said in a statement, “This is nothing more than a political stunt by Illinois sanctuary politicians. Federal officers acting in the course of their duties can only be investigated by other Federal agencies. The states do not have the authority to run such an investigation.
“Governor Pritzker continues to refuse to do his job to protect his citizens from illegal alien crime and instead chooses to smear our law enforcement. Where is the investigation into his own policies that allowed Sheridan Gorman’s killer to be released from jail to go on and commit her heinous murder?”
Capitol News Illinois is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news service covering state government. It is distributed to hundreds of print and broadcast outlets statewide. It is funded primarily by the Illinois Press Foundation and the Robert R. McCormick Foundation, along with major contributions from the Illinois Broadcasters Foundation and Southern Illinois Editorial Association.
Indiana
Indiana standoff ends after SWAT armored vehicle rams home: sheriff
GARY, Ind. – A Gary, Ind. man was arrested after opening fire on U.S. Marshals who were attempting to serve an arrest warrant, prompting a SWAT response, according to the Lake County Sheriff.
Around 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, U.S. Marshals Service police officers tried to serve an arrest warrant to a 46-year-old man at a home in the 700 block of Matthews Street in Gary, Ind. When they approached the residence, the suspect opened fire on the officers, according to police.
After multiple requests to surrender, the Lake County SWAT team used an armored car to breach the home, pushing through a door and removing the windows. Eventually, officers say the man approached a window with his hands up and was taken into custody.
No one was injured, according to police.
The Source: Details for this story were provided by the Lake County Sheriff.
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