Midwest
Pro-life protesters speak out after allegedly being mocked, pushed at Harris rally: 'We did God's work'
Two pro-life Wisconsin college students insist they were doing “God’s work” by going into the lion’s den and shouting pro-life, Christian messages at Vice President Harris during a rally on their university’s campus last week.
“We got a lot of backlash,” Grant Beth, a University of Wisconsin-La Crosse junior, told Fox News on Sunday.
“I was pushed by an elderly woman. We were heckled at, we were cursed at, we were mocked, and that’s the biggest thing for me personally. In reflection of the event, Jesus was mocked. You know, his disciples were mocked, and that’s okay. In reality, we did God’s work, and we were there for the right reasons, and God is watching us in this moment.
“I’m all about being a cordial person no matter your beliefs, but I do believe that we were sent there by God,” he continued.
Vice President Harris held a rally on UW-La Crosse’s campus last Thursday, where she spoke about the economy and bettering the lives of middle-class Americans. Reproductive freedom also came into the picture as she pledged to the crowd, “When Congress passes a bill to restore reproductive freedom nationwide, as president of the United States, I will proudly, proudly sign it into law.”
HARRIS MOCKS PRO-LIFE PROTESTERS ‘AT THE WRONG RALLY’ HOURS BEFORE CATHOLIC CHARITY DINNER SNUB
UW-La Crosse juniors Luke Polaske and Grant Beth told Fox News about shouting pro-life, Christian remarks at a Harris rally. (Fox News)
She also criticized former President Trump for deliberately “hand-selecting” three Supreme Court justices with the ultimate goal of overturning Roe v. Wade.
Luke Polaske, another UW-La Crosse junior, sharply rebuked the remarks made by Harris, decrying abortion as a “sacrament to Satan.”
“When I said that, I deeply do believe that as a Christian,” he said.
“About ten seconds go by, and that’s when the video of my friend Grant and I are proclaiming that ‘Christ is Lord’ and ‘Jesus is king’… [that’s] when we said that.”
In video footage of the rally, the air is rife with commotion as Beth and Polaske’s voices are heard shouting the phrases.
Harris, pausing her speech, turned her attention to them, and said, “You guys are at the wrong rally.”
CRITICS DRAG HARRIS FOR ‘CRINGE’ PRE-RECORDED VIDEO AIRED DURING CATHOLIC CHARITY DINNER
Vice President Kamala Harris speaks about the killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during a statement to the press at the University of Wisconsin – Milwaukee in Milwaukee on Oct. 17, 2024. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images)
She continued as the crowd roared, “I think you meant to go to the smaller one down the street.”
Polaske offered a vivid account of the incident from his perspective, stating that he and Beth were approximately 20 to 30 yards away from Harris in the small venue. In detailing the encounter, he described his perceived interaction with the vice president.
“There’s a lot of controversy that says she wasn’t talking to us or [that] we left. We didn’t get kicked out. Well, I can speak on Grant and I’s behalf,” he said.
“On video, Grant’s getting pushed and shoved, and there’s about five seconds before she tells us to go to a small rally down the street. You can see on the video, she waves. She was actually waving to me. I took this cross off my neck that I wear and, as we were getting asked to leave, I held it up in the air and waved at her and pointed at her, and she looked directly in the eye, kind of gave me an evil smirk.”
‘EVANGELICALS FOR HARRIS’ COURTS ‘POLITICALLY HOMELESS’ CHRISTIANS TO BACK DEMOCRAT IN NOVEMBER
“I just want to clear that up and confirm that she 100% was talking to us.”
With just 16 days left before voters head to the polls to cast their votes for either Trump or Harris, Beth highlighted the incident as a warning sign to Christians to make the right decision.
“[It’s] imperative for young Americans and first time voters like myself to understand that this is what you are going to get with a Kamala Harris presidency. You are going to get the Kamala Harris that alienates over 50% of the U.S. population that is Christian. You’re going to get the Kamala Harris that skips the Al Smith Memorial Dinner that no major presidential candidate has skipped since, I believe, Walter Mondale in 1984… it just proves what type of person Kamala is and what type of leader she will be.”
“Fox & Friends Weekend” reached out to the Harris campaign for comment, but did not hear back in time for the segment.
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South Dakota
South Dakota Highway Patrol: slow down, stay alert as summer traffic picks up
SIOUX CITY (KTIV) – As it gets closer to summer, more drivers will be on the road and the South Dakota Highway Patrol wants to remind drivers to stay vigilant behind the wheel.
With summer vacations, joy rides in the nice weather, and more drivers on the road, travel will be busier than usual.
On top of that, an increase in construction projects could cause delays and change traffic patterns.
All of this means drivers should stay alert when they are behind the wheel.
“With all of the traffic going on during the summer time during the road construction, we just want to remind people on the roadway to slow down, pay attention to the traffic signs, the construction workers, and the traffic ahead of them,” Trooper Tori Hurtig of the South Dakota Highway Patrol.
Also, reminding motorcyclists and drivers to remain aware of their surroundings.
“Be a proactive and defensive driver, so watch where you are going, watch where the other drivers are going, and also try and avoid any unnecessary corrective actions as well,” said Hurtig.
Highway Patrol also wants to remind people to wear seatbelts and, if driving a motorcycle, to wear a helmet.
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Copyright 2026 KTIV. All rights reserved.
Wisconsin
National Media Continues to Disrespect Wisconsin in Updated Offseason Rankings
Add CBS Sports to the growing list national outlets that are decidedly low on Wisconsin football heading into the 2026 season.
In the website’s updated full 1-through-138 offseason rankings, the Badgers check in at a dismal 61st nationally and 15th in the Big Ten.
Here’s how the outlet ranks the entire Big Ten:
|
Program |
National Rank |
|---|---|
|
Ohio State |
No. 1 |
|
Oregon |
No. 3 |
|
Indiana |
No. 6 |
|
USC |
No. 14 |
|
Michigan |
No. 16 |
|
Penn State |
No. 18 |
|
Washington |
No. 19 |
|
Iowa |
No. 23 |
|
Illinois |
No. 28 |
|
Nebraska |
No. 35 |
|
Minnesota |
No. 40 |
|
Northwestern |
No. 48 |
|
UCLA |
No. 49 |
|
Maryland |
No. 51 |
|
Wisconsin |
No. 61 |
|
Rutgers |
No. 64 |
|
Michigan State |
No. 66 |
|
Purdue |
No. 99 |
Yes, Wisconsin is coming off its worst season since the early 1990s. Yes, the Badgers are running it back with head coach Luke Fickell, who has a losing record through three seasons in Madison.
But whenever the national media has ranked the Badgers this offseason, it feels like they’re ranking their 2025 squad in the context of the upcoming campaign. It may not seem like it to an outsider (or, ahem, the national media), but a lot has changed in Madison since the worst football season in over 30 years.
Wisconsin is lower than who??
Again, I understand why the Badgers are ranked low on this list. They haven’t inspired any sort of confidence in at least two seasons. But some of the teams ranked above them are…extremely questionable.
Maryland man-handled Wisconsin in Camp Randall Stadium last fall, but the Terps proceeded to go 1-8 in Big Ten play. Folks are high on their offense with sophomore quarterback Malik Washington, but placing the Terps a full 10 spots ahead of Wisconsin seems a little excessive.
How about UCLA? The Bruins went 3-9 last fall. Sure, they’ve vastly upgraded their coaching staff and flipped almost half their team, but that means their entire roster is essentially projection.
What about Northwestern? Sure, the Wildcats won seven games last season, but how excited are we about new quarterback Aidan Chiles, who’s struggled through three combined years at Oregon State and Michigan State?
How about some of the non-Big Ten teams ranked higher than Wisconsin? The UTSA Roadrunners are ranked above the Badgers. Though it’s only by two spots, that in particular might be the biggest slap in the face.
Even a team like Virginia Tech, ranked No. 37 (24 spots higher than the Badgers) is puzzling. Sure, there’s signs of life under new head coach James Franklin, but the Hokies went 3-9 last fall.
Wisconsin’s offseason remains slept on
What rankings like these, especially the teams ranked higher than Wisconsin tell us, is that the national media is still sleeping on the Badgers’ offseason. Clearly, other programs (like Virginia Tech coming off a 3-9 campaign) were thought to have improved drastically. Wisconsin, on the other hand? Not so much.
The Badgers didn’t have the flashiest transfer portal haul, but they did address every position of need and sign a handful of plug-and-play starers at key spots. Every position on offense appears to be deeper and more talented after a dismal 2025, while the same looks true on defense except potentially at defensive line and outside linebacker.
Yes, Wisconsin was terrible last year. Everybody knows that. But the national media remains skeptical the Badgers did much to change that this offseason, which, in my eyes, is a grave miscalculaiton.
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Detroit, MI
MLB News & Moments: Mets Gain Much-Needed Momentum by Sweeping Detroit
Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.
This week’s Thursday was a relatively crowded slate, with eleven games on the docket compared to the handful we usually see on this day. Though there was not much drama in terms of close games coming down to the wire, there were bunches of runs scored and plenty to talk about. Let’s get into it.
Today’s Headlines
Mets’ Power Bats Propel Them Past Detroit
The New York Mets completed a much-needed three game series sweep over the Detroit Tigers at home on Thursday with a 9-4 win behind a strong pitching performance from Nolan McLean (7.0 IP, 3 ER, 7 K, 6 H, 3 BB) and a power explosion that saw five home runs leave the park off of Met bats. The day started off in Detroit’s favor, with newcomer Gage Workman taking McLean deep in the top of the first inning for a three-run homer to put the visiting team ahead 3-0. Rookie A.J. Ewing answered in the bottom of the third inning with a homer of his own, the first of his career, to put the Mets’ first run of the day on the board. Momentum continued to swing in the Mets favor in the bottom of the fourth, when Brett Baty smacked a two-run homer that just barely cleared the fence, tying the game at 3-3. The Mets would go up for good in the fifth after Juan Soto singled in a run to put the team up 4-3, and Mark Vientos added a two-run homer of his own before the inning ended. Soto and Marcus Semien would tack on homers before this one was through, and Citi Field was left in good spirits heading into a weekend Subway Series against the Yankees. Detroit, on the other hand, has been in a bit of a free fall since Tarik Skubal hit the IL, and will look to right the ship with a home series against Toronto.
Phillies Win a Low-Scoring Affair in Fenway
Stop me if you’ve heard this one already this week — Kyle Schwarber hit a home run in yesterday’s game, his 7th over the last seven games. Schwarber’s league-leading 18th home run helped propel the Phillies to a 3-1 win over the Red Sox, despite 5.1 scoreless innings from their former friend Ranger Suarez, who pitched quite well for Boston in this one. Jesús Luzardo was able to match Suarez, though, keeping Boston off the scoreboard over 6 scoreless innings of his own. The 0-0 deadlock wasn’t broken until the top of the 8th inning, when Kyle Schwarber got a hold of a pitch off of Boston reliever Tyler Samaniego for a 417-ft. two-run blast that put the Phillies up for good.
Philadelphia will now travel to Pittsburgh to take on their in-state rivals, while Boston has the unenviable task of traveling to Atlanta for a three-game series.
White Sox Win Fifth Straight and Move Above .500
Don’t look now, but the Chicago White Sox are above .500 for the first time this season after completing a three-game series sweep over the Kansas City Royals, extending their overall winning streak to five games. Anthony Kay (6 IP, 2 ER, 4 K, 6 H, 2 BB) improved to 3-1 on the year with a fine pitching performance, and the young bats continued to stay hot with two knocks from 2B Chase Meidroth, who improved his season average to a highly respectable .281. Chicago also got some help from veteran Randal Grichuk in this one in the form of a two-run homer, and the South Siders suddenly have reason for optimism.
By The Numbers
0 Per Elias Sports Bureau, no player in New York Mets‘ franchise history had started their big league career by recording a triple and a home run as their first two hits, prior to A.J. Ewing accomplishing the feat this week.
3 Per Elias Sports Bureau, the sweep that the Mets just finished off against the Detroit Tigers was only the third time in Mets’ franchise history that the team completed a three-game series sweep despite trailing by multiple runs in each of the three games.
19 Los Angeles Dodgers RHP Emmett Sheehan induced 19 swing and misses in yesterday’s win over the San Francisco Giants, the most of any pitcher on the day.
442 Athletics 1B Nick Kurtz drilled the most impressive long ball of the day yesterday at a massive 442 feet.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Grandson of the Wind Whips Around the Bases
I always love an inside the park homer, and this season seems to be bringing more than usual so far, partly due to some questionable defensive plays in the outfield. It’s easy to criticize from the couch, but I think even Teoscar Hernández would admit that he should have played this ball a bit better especially considering that it’s in his own home park. Either way, enjoy watching San Francisco’s Jung-Hoo Lee (nicknamed ‘Grandson of the Wind’ due to being the son of KBO legend Lee Jong-beom, who was originally ‘Son of the Wind’) fly around the bases here on his inside the park homer during the Giant’s 5-2 loss to the Dodgers yesterday.
Will Smith…The Leadoff Hitter?
With Shohei Ohtani being given a rest on the day after another masterful pitching performance, Dodgers’ catcher Will Smith got his first career start in the leadoff role last night and he did not disappoint, taking Giants starter Landen Roupp deep in his very first at-bat.
What Can’t McGonigle Do?
As the Detroit Tigers‘ phenom rookie Kevin McGonigle continues to impress at the plate and on the base-paths, don’t forget about what the kid can do with the glove. He absolutely robbed the Mets’ Bo Bichette of a base hit yesterday with one of the more impressive catches you’ll see all year.
May the Force Be With You
With teams all around the league celebrating Star Wars lately, the Mets got in on the action on Thursday with a first pitch that involved Mr. Met dressed as The Mandalorian, throwing Grogu to Mrs. Met. And that was a sentence that I never anticipated typing this season.
Baseball Has a New No. 1 Prospect
With Pittsburgh’s Konnor Griffin (formerly No. 1) recently graduating from the prospect list, we now have a new No. 1 ranked prospect in the game. Congratulations to Milwaukee’s Jesús Made, a freakishly athletic shortstop who has all the tools to become the game’s next superstar.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Seattle Mariners placed C Cal Raleigh on the 10-day IL with a right oblique strain, which can typically linger longer than those minimum ten days.
⚾ Colorado Rockies placed RHP Jimmy Herget on the 15-day IL (right shoulder impingement) retroactive to May 13.
⚾ Lots of unknowns here still, but keep an eye on a developing story involving Los Angeles Dodgers‘ reliever Edwin Díaz, who has been linked to cockfighting events in Puerto Rico based on photos found on social media by USA Today investigative reporters.
Articles You Should Read
“George Kirby is Unrecognizable” — Nate Schwartz, Pitcher List
“You’re Probably Underrating Dylan Lee” — Ben Clemens, FanGraphs
“Buy, Sell, or Hold These Three Struggling Starters?” — Corbin Young, FanGraphs
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