The Banner County Fire Chief imposed a complete fire ban this week until conditions improve, including open burning, bonfires and fireworks.
Midwest
Veterans increasingly calling out Walz's military record: 'Shameful'
Vance hits Walz over military record
OutKick writer Mary Katharine Ham and Democratic strategist Tim Hogan break down JD Vance’s criticism of Harris VP nominee Tim Walz’s military record.
Veterans are increasingly publicly criticizing Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz over his military record following Vice President Kamala Harris naming him as her 2024 running mate.
“When your country calls, you are supposed to run into battle – not the other way,” retired Command Sgt. Maj. Thomas Behrends told the New York Post last week, when Walz was named Harris’ running mate. “He ran away. It’s sad.
“He had the opportunity to serve his country, and said ‘Screw you’ to the United States. That’s not who I would pick to run for vice president.”
Behrends’ comments were shortly followed by a deluge of news coverage surrounding Walz’s 24 years in the Army National Guard as questions mounted surrounding his service record and claims of “stolen valor” gained traction.
Walz served in the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery after transferring from the Nebraska National Guard in 1996. He retired as a master sergeant in 2005.
FORMER LEADER OF WALZ’S BATTALION PUBLISHES SCATHING MESSAGE AIMED AT GOVERNOR’S MILITARY CAREER: REPORT
Tim Walz served in the Minnesota National Guard’s 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery after transferring from the Nebraska National Guard. (Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)
Criticisms have mounted that Walz retired just months before his battalion deployed to Iraq as war raged in the Middle East following the 9/11 attacks. Walz put in his papers for retirement at least five months before his battalion received deployment orders, according to the Minnesota National Guard.
“He subverted the chain of command, and he went around the chain of command. The brigade [sergeant] major had no clue. These are all important facts, and he did it to continually feather his own bed… That was the shameful part of it,” retired Command Sgt. Maj. Paul Herr told Fox News last week.
While former Minnesota National Guard Command Sgt. Maj. Doug Julin appeared to bolster criticism that Walz retired as the unit prepared to deploy during an interview with CNN. Julin said the battalion – “including my boss, commander, and the command team” – had multiple meetings to discuss deployment months before Walz sought retirement.
WALZ ACCUSATIONS OF ‘STOLEN VALOR’ PROMPT BATTLE BETWEEN HOUSE VETERANS
The grieving mom of Sgt. Kyle Miller, who died at the age of 19 in 2006, also issued a scathing response regarding Walz’s retirement just before the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery unit deployed to Iraq.
“My son wasn’t even 21 years old. He couldn’t even buy alcohol. Yet he took the step to serve our country while Walz found the best way to run away,” Miller’s mother, Kathy Miller, told the Daily Mail last week. Kyle Miller was killed by a roadside bomb in Iraq while he was deployed by Walz’s former battalion.
“It was the coward’s way out.”
After retiring, Walz launched a successful congressional campaign, and served as a member of the U.S. House representing Minnesota from 2007 until 2019, when he was then sworn in as the Gopher State’s governor. Harris announced last Tuesday that she selected Walz to join her on the 2024 ticket, after speculation that she would choose Walz, Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro or Arizona Sen. Mark Kelly as her running mate.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz attend a campaign rally at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas on Aug. 10, 2024. (Ronda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images)
Walz has subsequently been slammed by a number of veterans for allegedly misrepresenting his service in the military, including identifying himself to the public as a retired “Command Sergeant Major.”
Walz was promoted to the command sergeant major rank following a deployment to Italy in 2004, but did not complete coursework with the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy to retain the rank in retirement. Walz instead retired as a master sergeant, one pay grade below command sergeant major.
JD VANCE ACCUSES TIM WALZ OF ‘LYING’ ABOUT MILITARY SERVICE: ‘STOLEN VALOR GARBAGE’
The battalion commander of Walz’s former Minnesota Army National Guard unit issued a scathing message on Facebook over the weekend, saying it’s “an affront” to the military if Walz continues using a rank he did not retain upon retirement.
“By all accounts and on the record, he was a competent Chief of Firing Battery/Gunnery Sergeant and First Sergeant. I cannot say the same of his service sitting, frocked, in the [command sergeant major] chair. He did not earn the rank or successfully complete any assignment as an E9,” John Kolb, retired lieutenant colonel of the 1st Battalion, 125th Field Artillery, wrote on Facebook, according to the Daily Mail.
“It is an affront to the Noncommissioned Officer Corps that he continues to glom onto the title. I can sit in the cockpit of an airplane, it does not make me a pilot. Similarly, when the demands of service and leadership at the highest level got real, he chose another path,” Kolb wrote in the reported social media post.
Fox News Digital reached out to both the Harris campaign and Walz’s gubernatorial office earlier this week asking why Walz did not complete coursework with the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy before retiring from the Minnesota National Guard in 2005, but did not receive comment explaining the decision.
Instead, the Harris campaign directed Fox Digital to a Minnesota Public Radio article from 2018, when a public affairs officer for the Minnesota National Guard told the outlet “it is legitimate for Walz to say he served as a command sergeant major.”
VP KAMALA HARRIS PICKING GOV. TIM WALZ AS RUNNING MATE MET WITH MEDIA SCORN: ‘SUCH A WEIRD CHOICE’
Washington Post fact-checker Glenn Kessler refuted Gov. Tim Walz’s 2018 claims that he once carried weapons “in war.” (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
“[The public affairs officer] said the rank changed because Walz retired before completing coursework at the U.S. Army Sergeants Major Academy along with other requirements associated with his promotion,” the article explained.
Last week, the Harris campaign updated its biography for Walz to omit a reference that he is a “retired Command Sergeant Major,” updating the bio to show Walz “served as a command sergeant major.”
Walz has also come under fire from veterans who say he misrepresented serving in a combat zone. Walz was deployed to Italy in 2003 to assist U.S. operations in Afghanistan as part of Operation Enduring Freedom, but has never served in a combat zone.
In one video shared by the Harris campaign last week, Walz declared he wants to ban guns like the ones he “carried in war.”
DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS GROUP BOASTS IT HELPED MAKE WALZ HARRIS’ RUNNING MATE: ‘FORCE THAT CANNOT BE IGNORED’
Last week, the Harris campaign updated its biography for Walz to omit a reference that he is a “retired Command Sergeant Major.” (AP Photo/Abbie Parr)
“I spent 25 years in the Army, and I hunt. I’ve been voting for commonsense legislation that protects the Second Amendment, but we can do background checks. We can research the impacts of gun violence. We can make sure those weapons of war that I carried in war are only carried in war,” Walz said in a video posted by the Harris campaign last week.
The Harris campaign said last week that Walz “misspoke” when he claimed he carried firearms “in war.”
“In making the case for why weapons of war should never be on our streets or in our classrooms, the Governor misspoke,” Hitt added. “He did handle weapons of war and believes strongly that only military members trained to carry those deadly weapons should have access to them, unlike Donald Trump and JD Vance who prioritize the gun lobby over our children,” campaign spokeswoman Lauren Hitt told the media.
Republican Virginia Senate candidate Hung Cao slammed Walz for suggesting he served in a combat zone.
“For 20 years, they let this guy go by with a lie that he deployed to Iraq, which he didn’t, and that he retired as a Command Sergeant Major which he did not. I mean, that’s just blatant lies,” Cao, a retired Navy captain, told The New York Post last week.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who joined former President Trump on the 2024 Republican ticket last month, has also criticized Walz for his military record.
HARRIS’ RUNNING MATE FACES RENEWED SCRUTINY AFTER HIS ‘WEIRD’ SOCIALISM COMPARISON RESURFACES
”As a Marine who served his country in uniform when the United States Marine Corps, when the United States of America asked me to go to Iraq to serve my country, I did it. I did what they asked me to do, and I did it honorably,” Vance said. “When Tim Walz was asked by his country to go to Iraq, you know what he did? He dropped out of the Army and allowed his unit to go without him, a fact that he’s been criticized for aggressively by a lot of the people that he served with.”
When asked about the mounting criticisms from veterans, the campaign directed Fox Digital to a handful of favorable comments from veterans about Walz’s decades-long service.
“This is the insane thing. Every month thousands of people retire. The fact that Walz did 25 years, 5 OVER retirement eligibility, and 4 years after 9/11, is honorable. Many people at 25 years today would get out even if there was a deployment possibility because they DID THEIR DUTY,” former Rep. Adam Kinzinger, a lieutenant colonel in the Air National Guard, posted to X last week.
“He was there every single time we needed him for over a decade and Republicans will tell you this too. Everybody who’s worked on the Hill knows that Tim Walz delivered for veterans, on mental health, on the Clay Hunt Suicide Prevention Act, he was the lead sponsor, on the GI bill, on VA reform… When the rubber meets the road for veterans especially, Tim Walz has been there,” veteran Paul Rieckhoff, founder of Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, said of Walz on MSNBC.
“He was as good a soldier as you’ll find,” Joe Eustice, a 32-year veteran of the National Guard who led the same battalion as Walz, told CNN, noting that he is not voting for Walz.
Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, arrive at a campaign rally in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Aug. 6, 2024. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)
Criticisms from veterans on Walz’s military career, however, stretch back years, only surfacing at the national level after Harris named him as her running mate.
VETERAN WHO SERVED IN TIM WALZ’S BATTALION ADDRESSES STOLEN VALOR ACCUSATIONS: ‘FAR DARKER THAN PEOPLE THINK’
“Tim Walz has embellished and selectively omitted facts and circumstances of his military career for years,” Behrends and Herr wrote in a letter published by the West Central Tribune in 2018.
“When the nation called, he quit. He failed to complete the United States Army Sergeants Major Academy. He failed to serve for two years following completion of the academy, which he dropped out of. He failed to serve two years after the conditional promotion to Command Sergeant Major. He failed to fulfill the full six years of the enlistment he signed on September 18th, 2001. He failed his country. He failed his state. He failed the Minnesota Army National Guard, the 1-125th Field Artillery Battalion, and his fellow Soldiers. And he failed to lead by example. Shameful,” the pair continued.
Walz is anticipated to join Harris in Chicago next week, where the Democratic National Convention will be held ahead of the final stretch before Election Day.
Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.
Fox News Digital’s Gabriel Hays contributed to this report.
Read the full article from Here
Continue Reading
Cheyenne County banned fireworks in rural areas while allowing communities to make their own decisions. Potter and Dalton both enacted local restrictions.
Potter adopted an ordinance June 22 banning fireworks within village limits and its 1-mile zoning jurisdiction. Violators face a $500 fine, increasing to $1,000 per discharge during a red flag warning.
Sidney, however, took a different approach, temporarily limiting fireworks between Wednesday and Sunday morning.
In Dawes County, fireworks remain banned, but the Mr. Fireworks display following Saturday’s Crawford rodeo received an exemption. Organizers said the show remains tentative depending on wind conditions and availability of the local fire department.
Regardless of local rules, Hohbein urged Nebraskans to pay attention to their environment.
“There are three things that are really dangerous for a wildland fire situation, and that’s hot, dry and windy. When those three conditions occur, any kind of fire can start easier, quicker, and then spread much faster,” Hohbein said.
If possible, he recommends leaving fireworks to the professionals.
While Hohbein has seen fewer public displays this year, many professional shows are becoming larger with bigger shells and additional safety measures, including dedicated safety officers and firefighters on site.
“With the hazardous conditions, let somebody else worry about those shooting off fireworks, and then just sit back and enjoy,” Hohbein said.
‘);
var s = document.createElement(‘script’);
s.setAttribute(‘src’, ‘https://assets.revcontent.com/master/delivery.js’);
document.body.appendChild(s);
window.removeEventListener(‘scroll’, throttledRevContent);
__tnt.log(‘Load Rev Content’);
}
}
}, 100);
window.addEventListener(‘scroll’, throttledRevContent);
}
North Dakota
Pembina bridge closure, causing headaches for community members, close to short-term solution
PEMBINA, N.D. — The closure of the Stutsman Street bridge has put some residents in Pembina out of reach of certain recreation spots. Timelines for bridge construction remain unclear as proposals for temporary fixes have been denied by the North Dakota Department of Transportation, but a Wednesday, July 1, meeting has brought some clarity to the issue.
The bridge has been out since early June. Mainly, the Pembina Golf Course has seen its business suffer due to children and local members being unable to access the course. John Feldman, treasurer of the Pembina Golf Course, calls the bridge a “lifeline to part of the city,” and its complete closure has been causing problems.
“All of our young kids that we’re trying to groom into golfers are not golfing anymore. Our locals that used to drive their golf carts across the bridge can’t do that anymore. So, business is down immensely,” Feldman said.
Feldman is part of a committee formed to work to get the bridge opened temporarily to pedestrians and carts. The committee has expressed its concerns with the city and city leaders are hoping to meet with NDDOT to address those concerns.
The Pembina City Council has been discussing the bridge and has made efforts to get in contact with NDDOT. Council President Connor Snitker told the Herald the NDDOT reached out to the city and a special council session took place Wednesday night with NDDOT present.
In an effort to find a temporary solution, city engineers had previously inspected the bridge to confirm the original findings and put forth a proposal to open the north half of the bridge to a weight-bearing capacity of one ton or less. That proposal, along with an alternative, was originally denied by NDDOT, but at Wednesday’s meeting, NDDOT said it would review federal regulations to find a temporary solution for pedestrians.
“We’re still running down every alternative path we can right now, trying to figure out if there’s a way to reclassify the bridge or do something that would allow us to have flexibility to at least have it operating at our temporary capacity,” Snitker said.
The DOT says the critical issues with the bridge make a temporary solution for pedestrians a challenge, but language in those regulations will be reviewed. A solution could be found as soon as this weekend.
“Late Tuesday night we received word from the Federal Highway Administration that there was an option we could pass along to the city and I think that went over well,” engineer Derek Pfeifer said. “We’ve been working really hard to find a short-term solution for them to at least allow pedestrians to cross the bridge.”
A load analysis was expected to be done Thursday to assess whether pedestrians would be able to cross. NDDOT remains adamant that only pedestrians would be allowed access with a temporary solution, and golf carts would still be unable to access the bridge.
“As long as the bridge meets a certain standard, it could open to pedestrians,” Snitker said. “It’s a step in the right direction.”
Main issues with the bridge are spalling — or flaking of surface materials — found under the load bearings, stress cracks and splitting in some of the pedestals above the columns. At the east end of the bridge, there has been five inches of movement toward the south. As the bridge moved, it sheared the anchor rods.
Before the bridge’s closure, children would regularly play the course. Easy bridge access allowed for some to even come to the course twice in a day. Now, a six-mile detour has seen that business go away.
The detour makes its way through gravel roads, which is prohibitive to golf carts and those who were walking to the course.
“We need the bridge open, not just for the golf course, but for the kids to come and play in the playground over there to play baseball,” Feldman said. “It’s really a livelihood over there for the kids and for adults.”
Looking ahead to a permanent resolution to the bridge, Pfeifer and NDDOT are looking to the city and county to come to a decision in order for them to determine the next steps.
“Do they want to fix it? Do they want to replace it?” he said. “A structural engineer will need to do an analysis of those findings that were there and what kind of effort it’s going to take to fix it. So at this point, it’s up to the city and county to determine how they want to move forward.”
Digital Content Producer and Sports Reporter at the Grand Forks Herald since December of 2020. Maxwell can be contacted at mmarko@gfherald.com.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — Friday, July 3
Downtown Columbus: Billed as the Midwest’s largest fireworks show, Red, White & BOOM! takes place along the Scioto Mile. The fireworks show starts at 10:00 p.m. More information can be found on the event’s website.
Bexley: Festivities at Capital University begin at 6:00 p.m., with a fireworks display starting at 10:00 p.m.
Buckeye Lake: The Buckeye Lake Area Star Spangled Tradition (BLASST) fireworks display will take place at approximately 10:00 p.m. The primary viewing area is at Fairfield Beach, Lake Shore Drive NE, Thornville.
Canal Winchester: First Friday at Loose Rail Brewing will feature a fireworks show at approximately 9:00 p.m. The brewery will also show Red, White & BOOM! on big screens.
Gahanna: Activities start at 5:00 p.m. at the Gahanna Municipal Golf Course and the fireworks show is at 10:00 p.m.
Newark: Central Ohio Technical College and Ohio State Newark campus will host festivities with live music and food trucks at the Martha Grace Reese Amphitheatre, culminating with a fireworks display at dusk (approximately 10:00 p.m.).
Pickerington: The city’s fireworks show starts at 10:00 p.m.
Reynoldsburg: Festivities begin at 6:00 p.m. at Civic Park, with fireworks starting at 9:45 p.m.
Saturday, July 4
Chillicothe: Fireworks are scheduled to begin at approximately 9:45 PM from the Yoctangee Park Annex.
Circleville: AMVETS Post 2256 will host food trucks, live music, and a fireworks display after dark.
Clintonville: Whetstone Park of Roses hosts a live music event followed by fireworks at 9:45 p.m.
Delaware: Fireworks will launch from the city’s Cherry Street property at 10:00 p.m.
Dublin: Independence Day Celebration activities wrap up with fireworks at 9:50 p.m. at Dublin Coffman High School.
Grove City: Fireworks will launch from Murfin Fields at 9:45 p.m.
Hilliard: Freedom Fest takes place at Roger Reynolds Municipal Park with fireworks starting around 9:45 p.m.
Lancaster: A full day of celebrations culminates with fireworks at dusk at the Fairfield County Fairgrounds.
Marysville: Fireworks at approximately 9:00 p.m. at the Union County Fairgrounds.
New Albany: The July 4th Festival ends with fireworks at 10:00 p.m. at New Albany High School.
Upper Arlington: The annual Party in the Park begins at 5:00 p.m. at Northam Park, followed by fireworks at 10:00 p.m.
Westerville: Evening festivities and food trucks can be found at the Westerville Sports Complex until the fireworks show begins at 10:00 p.m.
Worthington: The city’s celebration concludes with fireworks launched from Thomas Worthington High School at 10:00 p.m.
-
Nebraska1 minute agoSome Nebraska communities ban fireworks in year marked by drought, wildfires
-
Nevada6 minutes agoHow Chinese-Americans contributed to mining in Nevada
-
New Hampshire13 minutes agoMan From Concord Arrested On Drug Sale, Subsequent Possession Charges: Concord Police Log
-
New Jersey16 minutes agoMikie Sherrill welcomes July 4 tall ships to NJ at Sandy Hook
-
New Mexico21 minutes agoWildfire smoke moves through Taos Valley, Northern New Mexico
-
North Carolina28 minutes ago
More than 60 North Carolina cases tied to parasite behind ‘explosive diarrhea’
-
North Dakota31 minutes agoPembina bridge closure, causing headaches for community members, close to short-term solution
-
Ohio36 minutes agoWhere and when to see fireworks in Central Ohio
