Midwest
Native tribe lifts banishment on Noem ahead of Senate confirmation hearing
A Native American tribe in South Dakota lifted its banishment on Republican Gov. Kristi Noem in a letter Wednesday, offering its endorsement of her nomination to serve as secretary of Homeland Security, Fox News Digital has learned.
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe President Tony Reider wrote a letter to Noem Wednesday informing her the tribe’s executive committee voted to “remove the banishment” it placed on Noem in May and congratulated her for her nomination to serve in President-elect Trump’s cabinet.
The letter comes just days before Noem is scheduled to appear before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee for her confirmation hearing.
“I commend you on your nomination by President Elect Donald Trump to the position of Secretary of U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and hereby support your nomination. I wish you the best of luck during the Senate confirmation hearing on January 17, 2025, and believe that your dedication to the safety and security of the United States will benefit us all,” Reider’s letter states, according to a copy obtained by Fox News Digital.
SOUTH DAKOTA GOV. NOEM BANNED FROM TRIBAL RESERVATION OVER REMARKS ON US SOUTHERN BORDER
Kristi Noem, governor of South Dakota and President-elect Trump’s nominee for secretary of Homeland Security, arrives for a meeting with Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., not pictured, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., Dec. 11, 2024. (Getty Images)
All nine native tribes in South Dakota banned Noem from their reservations last year after outrage over her suggestion that tribal leaders benefit from cartels and the immigration crisis and comments regarding native children’s futures. The Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe was the last tribe to ban her.
POWERFUL FIRE UNION THAT WAS NEUTRAL IN 2024 BACKS NOEM FOR DHS AS CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE
“Their kids don’t have any hope. They don’t have parents who show up and help them. They have a tribal council or a president who focuses on a political agenda more than they care about actually helping somebody’s life look better,” Noem said last year in a comment that drew criticism from tribes.
Reider addressed the issue in his letter to Noem Wednesday, explaining that the governor has apologized for her previous remarks and explained her commentary.
‘NO TIME TO PLAY’: SENATE MUST QUICKLY CONFIRM NOEM AS DHS CHIEF IN WAKE OF TERROR ATTACK, SAYS LOUISIANA GOV
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem speaks before former President Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, takes the stage during a Buckeye Values PAC Rally in Vandalia, Ohio, March 16, 2024. (Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images)
“One of the stipulations contained in the banishment resolution was that you apologize for the comments that were made regarding tribal members and the education of tribal member children which were deemed offensive by some. In several meetings before and after the resolution was passed, you not only explained your position, but apologized if the comments offended the Tribe. You additionally sought advice on how to phrase such communications moving forward, which the Tribe and I appreciated,” Reider wrote.
TRIBES BLAST SOUTH DAKOTA GOVERNOR’S CLAIM THAT LEADERS ARE BENEFITING FROM DRUG CARTELS
Badlands National Park in South Dakota (Bernie Friel/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
The letter comes as Noem prepares for her Senate confirmation hearing Friday morning.
Trump announced Noem as his pick to lead DHS shortly after his decisive win over Kamala Harris, citing the Republican governor’s efforts to secure the southern border, which has been overwhelmed by illegal crossings under the Biden administration.
In the months since her nomination, Noem has picked up endorsements from at least eight police groups or unions, including a union that represents thousands of Border Patrol agents.
Republican Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry also called on Senate lawmakers, most notably Democrats, to swiftly confirm Noem after a terrorist attack that shook New Orleans on New Year’s Day.
The International Association of Fire Fighters, a large, historically Democratic firefighter union, also recently endorsed Noem, arguing during the raging wildfires in Los Angeles she “understands emergency management and the importance of government response to emergencies both natural and man-made.”
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Frey, Klobuchar condemn ICE presence in Minnesota after shooting
Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey and Minnesota Sen. Amy Klobuchar called for ICE to leave Minneapolis after another fatal shooting.
After eight years as the mayor of Minneapolis, Jacob Frey has a well-tested recipe for his State of the City speech.
Start with a healthy base of events that tested the city in the past year, but also drew out its strengths. Next, mix in updates about pet projects – Stable Homes Stable Schools, efforts to end exclusionary zoning, an uptick in police recruitment numbers – before sprinkling with some shout-outs to local businesses. Finally, add in the secret ingredient: the applause line about the Timberwolves.
Tuesday morning’s State of the City speech – the first of Frey’s third term – had all of that. But there was a little more bite than usual to the optimism that often shines through the annual address.
The mayor, who has taken some heat locally for his national notoriety, said that local government leaders needed to refocus on their core responsibilities before the city’s strong standing takes a downward trajectory, referencing discord between his administration and the Minneapolis City Council, though never saying exactly where he’d assign the blame.
“We tried to do everything – things that aren’t always a local government’s job – and in the process we didn’t always do the most important things well enough,” Frey said. “We’ve spent time debating things that are not the most critical parts of our job.”
Those critical parts, Frey said, start with public safety. He cited the police response to the Annunciation shooting and 911 operators’ work during Operation Metro Surge as core reasons to invest in public safety before proudly sharing that in 2025, 2,328 people had applied to become officers with the Minneapolis Police Department.
He also focused on some ground-level efforts, including the now-completed backlog of streetlight replacements and the upcoming implementation of the Community Safety Ambassador program in Uptown.
Not directly mentioned was his controversial veto of a Council ordinance that would have decriminalized the possession of drug paraphernalia. Supporters say the ordinance would’ve aligned the city with Minnesota state law and the principles of harm reduction – the idea that reducing the negative consequences of illegal drug use is an effective way to get users on a path to recovery.
“Continued open (drug) use on our streets is devastating: for residents, for families, and for businesses, large and small,” Frey said in his speech. “Compassion matters but it doesn’t mean anything goes.”
Switching to affordable housing, the mayor praised the transformation of commercial spaces into housing, citing examples like Opportunity Crossing and Groove Lofts. He also pushed for the city to cut the red tape keeping more properties from being built, including controversial accessory dwelling units.
The speech also marked a change in his rhetoric on one specific topic: Minneapolis’ return to office work, especially downtown.
In his 2023 speech, he said he didn’t really “get” remote or hybrid work, though he understood the appeal of “sweatpants on Mondays” and encouraged a commitment to in-person work in downtown Tuesday through Thursday.
“Wouldn’t that be nice,” he said, “to have everyone back downtown for three whole days each week?”
He was a little more blunt in 2024, expressing growing concern from “residents having to pick up the tab because less taxes are generated from downtown buildings.”
Last year, he noted that “nearly 70% of downtown workers are back at least once a week – by the way, please keep it coming.”
In Tuesday’s speech, though? A note that COVID-19 had “expedited a necessary transition away from full-time, in-person work” and a push for businesses to consider changes to how they use their buildings.
“If you’re willing to invest in a big vision for a building where the basis has been lowered, come talk to us,” said Frey, calling out the use of tax increment financing to support redevelopment. “If you’ve got one gigantic retail space on Nicollet Mall, and you want to change it to a bunch of smaller ones, come talk to us.”
As he closed, he made another call for city leaders to get serious about results, foreshadowing a challenging budget process ahead and “hard conversations” about programs and investments that weren’t delivering for residents.
Minneapolis Council members respond to Frey
Council president Elliott Payne (Ward 1), vice-president Jamal Osman (Ward 6) and member Robin Wonsley (Ward 2) spoke briefly with press after the speech, expressing a general appreciation for Frey’s remarks and a hope that they could collaborate.
“Governance is not an individual sport,” Payne said. “We govern collectively and we move our city forward together. And so we’re looking forward to a four year term where we have deeper collaboration with the mayor and can actually advance a working class agenda that really puts the people first.”
Wonsley called for additional revenue options to reduce the burden of property taxes on residents, saying that things like income taxes or taxes on empty homes could raise millions “so that we can make sure we’re preserving the programs that actually help our residents have a good quality of life.”
And asked about the recent vetoes, Payne said he was open to discussions about solutions that could make it past the mayor’s desk.
“We would like the mayor to set his veto pen down and meet me at the whiteboard so that we can actually come up with the solutions to a lot of those intractable problems,” he said.
Indianapolis, IN
IndyCar Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis start time, qualifying, race, how to watch
It’s May, so the IndyCar Series is camped out in Indianapolis, starting with the Sonsio Grand Prix, an 85-lap race on the 14-turn, 2.439-mile road course at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Alex Palou has three race wins this season, including the last two. Kyle Kirkwood is trying to keep up.
Here’s what you should know about the race:
When does the IndyCar Series race in Indianapolis? When is the Sonsio Grand Prix? IndyCar Series schedule for the Indianapolis Grand Prix
(All times ET; all IndyCar sessions are on IndyCar Live, IndyCar Radio and Sirius XM Channel 218)
Friday, May 8
- 8 a.m.: Indy NXT practice, FS2
- 9 a.m.: IndyCar practice, FS1
- Noon: Indy NXT qualifying, Fox Sports app
- 1 p.m.: IndyCar practice, FS2
- 4 p.m.: Indy NXT race, FS2
- 5:30 p.m.: IndyCar qualifying, FS2
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Saturday, May 9
- 11:30 a.m.: IndyCar warm-up, FS1
- 2:30 p.m.: Indy NXT race, FS1
- 4:30 p.m.: IndyCar race, Fox (green flag scheduled for 4:57 p.m.)
Watch IndyCar with a free Fubo trial
Where to watch the IndyCar race at Indianapolis? How to watch the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis?
TV: Coverage begins at 4:30 p.m. ET, Saturday, May 9, 2026, on Fox. Green flag is scheduled for 4:57 p.m. Will Buxton is the play-by-play voice, with analysts James Hinchcliffe and Townsend Bell. Georgia Henneberry, Kevin Lee and Jack Harvey are the pit reporters.
IndyCar predictions for the Sonsio Grand Prix in Indianapolis from IndyStar’s Zion Brown
- Is Alex Palou inevitable? “It seems that he is. I think he wins his fourth straight race on the IMS road course.”
- Who will give Palou his biggest challenge? “Pato O’Ward. He finished second behind Palou in 2023 and ’25, and I think O’Ward has the best chance of spoiling Palou’s chance at a four-peat.”
- Who wins pole position? “I think Scott Dixon will be on the pole here for the third time.”
How much are Sonsio Grand Prix tickets? How much are tickets for Indianapolis grand prix?
Practice and qualifying tickets are $25; race tickets start at $45.
Sonsio Grand Prix tickets
Who won the IndyCar race at Indianapolis in 2025? Who won the Sonsio Grand Prix at Indianapolis last year?
Pole-sitter Alex Palou won by 6+ seconds over Pato O’Ward, with Will Power completing the podium. Palou has won three straight races on the Indianapolis road course. He won the Indianapolis 500 two weeks later on his march to a third consecutive series championship.
Who is leading IndyCar? 2026 IndyCar results
Alex Palou (three), Josef Newgarden and Kyle Kirkwood have won races.
- Alex Palou, 205 points
- Kyle Kirkwood, 188
- David Malukas, 142
- Pato O’Ward, 136
- Christian Lundgaard, 131
- Josef Newgarden, 130
- Scott McLaughlin, 127
- Scott Dixon, 120
- Felix Rosenqvist, 109
- Graham Rahal, 106
- Alexander Rossi, 105
- Marcus Ericsson, 104
- Marcus Armstrong, 104
- Will Power, 89
- Rinus VeeKay, 79
- Dennis Hauger, 76
- Kyffin Simpson, 75
- Santino Ferrucci, 74
- Louis Foster, 60
- Romain Grosjean, 60
- Christian Rasmussen, 59
- Caio Collet, 59
- Nolan Siegel, 56
- Mick Schumacher, 44
- Sting Ray Robb, 42
How can I stream the IndyCar race at Indianapolis? How to stream the Sonsio Grand Prix in Indianapolis?
FoxSports.com, Fox Sports app
Watch IndyCar action on Fubo
How can I listen to IndyCar race at Indianapolis?
IndyCar Nation is on SiriusXM Channel 218, IndyCar Live and the IndyCar Radio Network (check affiliates for each race). Mark Jaynes is the anchor, with driver analyst Davey Hamilton.
Will it rain during the IndyCar race in Indianapolis? Indianapolis weather forecast for IndyCar race
- Friday: Cloudy with rain likely. High in the mid 60s.
- Saturday: Sunny with highs in the low 70s.
IndyCar tire allocation, push-to-pass for Sonsio Grand Prix in Indianapolis
- Tires: Five sets primary and five sets alternate are available during the event weekend. Teams fielding a rookie driver may use one additional set of primary tires for the first practice. Teams must use one set of primary and one set of alternate tires for at least two laps in the race.
- Push-to-pass: 200 total seconds are available in increments of up to 20 seconds per activation.
IndyCar schedule 2026
(*-street course; ^-road course; #-oval; all races on Fox, SiriusXM Channel 218; times are start of TV coverage, ET)
- March 1: St. Petersburg, Fla. * (Winner: Alex Palou)
- Saturday, March 7: Phoenix # (Winner: Josef Newgarden)
- Sunday, March 15: Arlington, Texas * (Winner: Kyle Kirkwood)
- Sunday, March 29: Birmingham, Alabama ^ (Winner: Alex Palou)
- Sunday, April 19: Long Beach, California *, (Winner: Alex Palou)
- Saturday, May 9: Indianapolis road course ^, 4:30 p.m. (4:57 p.m. green flag)
- Sunday, May 24: Indianapolis 500 #, 12:45 p.m.
- Sunday, May 31: Detroit *, 12:30 p.m.
- Sunday, June 7: Madison, Illinois #, 9 p.m.
- Sunday, June 21: Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin ^, 2 p.m.
- Sunday, July 5: Lexington, Ohio ^, 12:30 p.m.
- Sunday, July 19: Lebanon, Tennessee #, TBD
- Sunday, Aug. 9: Portland ^, 4 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 16: Markham, Ontario *, noon
- Sunday, Aug. 23: Washington, D.C. *, TBD
- Saturday, Aug. 29: Milwaukee #, 2:30 p.m.
- Sunday, Aug. 30: Milwaukee #, 1 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 6: Monterey, California ^, 2:30 p.m.
IndyCar Series teams, drivers in 2026
(with team, car number and driver; *-Indianapolis 500 only)
- Abel Motorsports: 51, Jacob Abel *
- A.J. Foyt Racing: 4, Caio Collet; 11, Katherine Legge * (with HMD Motorsports); 14, Santino Ferrucci
- Andretti Global: 26, Will Power; 27, Kyle Kirkwood; 28, Marcus Ericsson
- Arrow McLaren: 5, Pato O’Ward; 6, Nolan Siegel; 7, Christian Lundgaard; 31, Ryan Hunter-Reay *
- Chip Ganassi Racing: 8, Kyffin Simpson; 9, Scott Dixon; 10, Alex Palou
- Dale Coyne Racing: 18, Romain Grosjean; 19, Dennis Hauger
- Dreyer & Reinbold Racing: 23, Conor Daly *; 24, Jack Harvey *
- Ed Carpenter Racing: 20, Alexander Rossi; 21, Christian Rasmussen; 33, Ed Carpenter *
- Juncos Hollinger: 76, Rinus VeeKay; 77, Sting Ray Robb
- Meyer Shank Racing: 60, Felix Rosenqvist; 66, Marcus Armstrong; 06, Helio Castroneves *
- Rahal Letterman Lanigan: 15, Graham Rahal; 45, Louis Foster; 47, Mick Schumacher; 75, Takuma Sato *; reserve driver, Toby Sowery
- Team Penske: 2, Josef Newgarden; 3, Scott McLaughlin; 12, David Malukas
Zion Brown is IndyStar’s motorsports reporter. Follow him at @z10nbr0wn. Get IndyStar’s motor sports coverage sent directly to your inbox with our Motor Sports newsletter.
Cleveland, OH
The Movie Nerd Report: What’s playing at Cleveland cinemas on Mother’s Day Weekend 2026 – The Land
Hello Dear Readers of The Land! My name is Mike Wendt, I am a filmmaker and I am also the production coordinator for the Greater Cleveland Film Commission! A few years ago, I started making a weekly post on my social media dubbed the Movie Nerd Report, in which I round up the week’s offerings in the movie theaters in Northeast Ohio, as coverage from some of the local media outlets started to dwindle. We are so fortunate to have so many offerings in our region and I want to use this platform to help get the word out and now I am glad to be writing about them right here!
So for your Mother’s Day weekend, here is your Movie Nerd Report:
This Saturday at the Atlas Cinemas Lakeshore 7 (22624 Lakeshore Blvd Euclid, OH 44123) will be the “21 Days of Horror Screening and Awards Ceremony.” This annual event gives teams the opportunity to create a horror short film in 21 days, and now you get to see the results. Screening Group 1 is at 4:30 p.m. and Screening Group 2 is at 7:00 p.m., tickets are $15 for each screening group or $20 for a full day pass!
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Over at the Cleveland Cinematheque (11610 Euclid Ave Cleveland, OH 44118) :
Thursday at 6:30 p.m. and Saturday at 9 p.m. they will present the Japanese film “Bushido.”
Thursday at 9 p.m. and Sunday at 6:40 p.m. they will present a 4K Restoration of another Japanese film in “The Taste of Tea.”
Friday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 3 p.m. they will present the road trip drama featuring Akron native John Magaro in “Omaha.” The film will also be playing starting this Friday at The Nightlight Cinema in Akron.
Friday at 8:45 p.m. and Saturday at 6 p.m. brings a double feature from acclaimed Japanese director Kiyoshi Kurosawa in “Chime & Cure.”
Sunday at 4:45 p.m. they will present a documentary about sculptor and woodcutter Jimmy Grashow in “Jimmy & The Demons,”
More information about the films and ticket prices are at: cinematheque.cia.edu
At the Nightlight Cinema (30 N High Street Akron, OH 44308):
Thursday at 7:45pm and Saturday at 5:30 p.m. and 8:00 p.m., they will present a documentary about the recent (and long overdue) inductees to the Rock & Roll Hall Of Fame, “Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition!”
They will be opening a prison set drama from the executive producer of Netflix’s Adolescence in “Wasteman” with the talented actor David Jonsson.
Friday through Sunday they will present the 25th Anniversary restoration of the award winning drama “Daughters of The Dust.”
Just in time for Mother’s Day this Sunday and Wednesday, they (and a handful of other theaters in the area) will also be showing 35th Anniversary Screenings of “Fried Green Tomatoes,” so perhaps take your mom for a good cry.
More information about the films and ticket prices are at nightlightcinema.com
This weekend there is a trio of new films opening in wide release: The first is the sequel to the 2021 original in “Mortal Kombat II.” The film is expected to do quite well, but as of this writing reviews have remained embargoed.
Opening for families and featuring an all-star cast including Hugh Jackman is “The Sheep Detectives,” The plot revolves around a shepherd that is found dead and the group of sheep that aim to solve the mystery. It currently stands at 95% on Rotten Tomatoes.
Finally, a film that I got to see early is the unlikely pairing of James Cameron and Billie Eilish in “Billie Eilish-Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour 3D” While I cannot say I am a Billie Eilish expert, I did find this film to be a unique showcase for her talent and paired with James Cameron’s flair for visuals, this was pretty good! Plus it’s good to see Cameron make something other than Avatar films for once.
So, I hope this has been a helpful guideline to all the offerings you could enjoy this upcoming week, stay tuned for more next week!
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