Central Valley residents fear Democrats’ plan to ‘carve out’ Republican areas

California voters are in the final days of a special election that could help determine control of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2026. The ballot measure, known as Proposition 50, would allow state lawmakers to temporarily redraw California’s congressional map — a move Democrats say could help them pick up additional seats in Congress.

Jenny Holtermann, a fourth-generation farmer in California’s Central Valley, said that under the proposed map, she would remain in a Republican district, but worries about the changes could affect her community. 

“It really is, it’s sad that they are really carving out those Republican areas of the district and moving them to really make the areas more Democrat, and that’s not what the Central Valley is,” Holtermann told Fox.

REPUBLICANS FIGHT NEWSOM’S $88M REDISTRICTING ‘POWER GRAB’ AS PROP 50 BATTLE HEATS UP

OBAMA ENDORSES NEWSOM CALIFORNIA REDISTRICTING PROP 50

Beyond Central Valley farmers, the California Farm Bureau has also come out against Prop 50. Holtermann said she’s used to larger cities having more political influence in Sacramento but fears the measure would further silence rural voices.

“We are California, and as Californians we should not be caught up with what other states are doing to [gerry]mander their votes,” Holtermann said.

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA VOTERS WEIGH IN ON PROP 50 REDISTRICTING FIGHT

Lonny Johnson, vice chair of the Fresno County Democratic Party, said he doesn’t welcome the fight either, but argued that redistricting efforts in Republican-led states left California Democrats with few options.

“We can either fight this – which is what we’re doing – and the people of California seem very supportive if you look at recent polling, or we can do nothing. We can let them game the system, keep control of the House of Representatives, and there will be no check, no check, on the Trump Administration,” said Johnson.

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Johnson added that unlike other states, the question of redistricting is up to California voters.

“This was not an option that was afforded the voters of Texas, or the voters of North Carolina, or the voters of Missouri. The state legislatures just put it in,” Johnson told Fox.

Energy chief reveals what’s really behind Trump’s nuclear testing directive

Energy Secretary Chris Wright revealed the U.S. will not be testing nuclear explosions, putting to rest questions over whether the Trump administration would reverse a decades-old taboo.

Testing will instead involve “the other parts of a nuclear weapon,” Wright told Fox News’ “The Sunday Briefing.”

“I think the tests we’re talking about right now are systems tests,” he explained. “These are not nuclear explosions. These are what we call noncritical explosions.”

His comments came after President Donald Trump announced the U.S. would reignite “nuclear testing” because other nations were doing so. The president made the announcement on the way to a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.

WITH A NUCLEAR BACKDROP, TRUMP EASES TENSIONS WITH XI BUT MERELY RETURNS TO THE STATUS QUO

He didn’t specify whether he meant explosives, which haven’t been tested by the U.S. since 1992, or the weapons that carry them.

The only nation to conduct a detonation test in the last 25 years is North Korea in September 2017.

The president said he’d directed the Pentagon — which is responsible for testing nuclear-capable vehicles — to resume testing. The Energy Department would have jurisdiction over testing explosives.

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“We’ve halted it years — many years — ago,” Trump said last week. “But with others doing testing, I think it is appropriate that we do also.”

Asked on Friday to clarify whether the U.S. would begin “detonating nuclear weapons for testing,” the president responded, “I’m saying that we’re going to test nuclear weapons like other countries do.”

Trump claimed in a CBS ‘60 Minutes’ interview over the weekend that U.S. adversaries were secretly testing nuclear weapons.

“Russia’s testing nuclear weapons, and China’s testing them, too,” he said. “You just don’t know about it.”

China is rapidly expanding its nuclear silo and is expected to have nearly 1,000 warheads by 2030, according to Pentagon assessments. But Beijing has not conducted a nuclear weapons test since 1996. Russia has not been confirmed to have tested a weapon since 1990, but last week did claim to test two delivery vehicles: an undersea torpedo known as Poseidon and a nuclear-powered cruise missile.

In 1996, the United Nations adopted a nuclear test ban treaty. The U.S. signed the treaty, but the Senate rejected its ratification. Most other nuclear-armed states also did not ratify the document.

Still, it created a global norm against nuclear weapons testing.

The U.S. regularly tests unarmed nuclear-capable weapons.

Additionally, non-explosive or “subcritical” tests, which involve fissile materials but stop short of producing a chain reaction, have been conducted at the Nevada National Security Site for years. Officials say these experiments help validate computer models that simulate how aging warheads behave, allowing scientists to verify performance without explosive testing.

The U.S. has conducted more than two dozen such tests since the late 1990s.

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“And again, these will be nonnuclear explosions,” Mr. Wright said. “These are just developing sophisticated systems so that our replacement nuclear weapons are even better than the ones they were before.”

Washington is currently undergoing a three-decade, $1.7 trillion transformation effort to replace aging warheads with updated versions.

Charlie Kirk’s widow demands transparency as accused killer hides his face

Erika Kirk, the widow of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk, is calling for a judge to reject a motion to curtail news cameras from the courtroom in the proceedings against her husband’s accused assassin, Tyler Robinson.

“There were cameras all over my husband when he was murdered,” she told Fox News’ Jesse Watters in an exclusive interview. “There have been cameras all over my friends and family mourning. There have been cameras all over me, analyzing my every move, analyzing my every smile, my every tear. We deserve to have cameras in there.”

The high profile of Robinson’s case has resulted in stepped-up security measures at the courthouse, where the suspect himself has not appeared physically in person. He hasn’t even shown his face while attending the last two public hearings virtually.

CHARLIE KIRK’S ALLEGED ASSASSIN RETURNS TO COURT — WITHOUT SHOWING HIS FACE

“Why not be transparent?” Kirk continued. “There’s nothing to hide. I know there’s not because I’ve seen what the case is built on.”

Robinson, 22, is accused of firing a single shot with a Mauser .30-06 from a rooftop at Utah Valley University, fatally striking Charlie Kirk in the neck as he addressed an audience during a Turning Point USA event minutes after noon on Sept. 10.

“Let everyone see what true evil is,” Erika Kirk added. “This is something that could impact generations to come.”

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Robinson faces a slew of charges, including aggravated murder, which carries the potential the death penalty. He has not yet entered a plea.

Judge Tony Graf recently granted a defense motion to allow Robinson to wear civilian clothes in court, citing his constitutional presumption of innocence, but denied a motion to allow him to appear without shackles.

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He told lawyers at Robinson’s last hearing to submit new briefs and a new motion regarding the issues of cameras in court.

Robinson’s next hearing is scheduled for Jan. 16, 2026, when he is expected to make his first in-person appearance.

Trump administration points to SNAP misuse amid shutdown budget lapse

As the Trump administration works to bring the nation’s largest food aid program back online, attention is shifting to just how expansive the program has become and to the administration’s push to ensure illegal immigrants aren’t among its recipients.

Funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), meant to be a lifeline for low-income households, was set to expire over the weekend as the government shutdown entered its second month.

CHARTS ILLUSTRATE THE SCALE OF SNAP AS MILLIONS FACE POTENTIAL BENEFIT LAPSE

The sweeping program, which supports more than 40 million Americans, was among the first priorities Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins targeted for review, citing concerns about eligibility and oversight.

“We sent letters to every governor in America being very clear that no illegal aliens can use SNAP, zero, zero, zero. We asked every state for the first time in history, this was in February, to send us their data,” Rollins said during an interview on “Fox & Friends Weekend.” 

She added that so far only 29 states have complied with the request, but Rollins said even that limited data has already revealed significant misuse.

“We have found thousands and thousands of illegal use of the EBT card, we have been moving people off of SNAP, we’ve got about 700,000 people that we’ve moved off SNAP since the president took office, and we’ve arrested about 118 people,” Rollins said.

She added that investigators also discovered about 5,000 dead people who were still receiving benefits.

“It is time to drastically reform this program, so that we can make sure that those who are truly needy and truly vulnerable are getting what they need and the rest of the corruption goes away so that we can serve the American taxpayer,” she added.

‘THAT ENDS NOW:’ WHITE HOUSE VOWS REMOVAL OF ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS FROM TAXPAYER BENEFITS

Meanwhile, the Department of Agriculture (USDA) says about 41.7 million Americans, or one in eight households, rely on SNAP benefits each month. 

The highest share of beneficiaries live in New Mexico, Washington, D.C. and Louisiana, followed by Oregon, according to USDA data.

Under former President Joe Biden, federal spending on SNAP reached record highs, $128 billion in 2021 and $127 billion in 2022, as pandemic-era aid expanded food assistance. Last year, SNAP cost $99.8 billion, with monthly benefits averaging $187 per participant, according to federal figures.

FOOD STAMP BENEFITS FOR 42 MILLION AMERICANS IN JEOPARDY AS SHUTDOWN DRAGS ON

Adults ages 18 to 59 made up the largest share of SNAP recipients at 42%, according to USDA data. Many participants also relied on other government assistance, with 61% receiving income from programs such as Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or state aid.

With millions of Americans depending on SNAP for food assistance, the program has become a focal point in the legal and political battles over government spending during the shutdown. A pair of federal judges in Massachusetts and Rhode Island ruled Friday that the Trump administration must use emergency funds to finance the program.

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Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Sunday that SNAP funding could come back online as early as Wednesday.

“There’s a process that has to be followed. So, we’ve got to figure out what the process is,” Bessent said in an interview on CNN’s “State of the Union.” “President Trump wants to make sure that people get their food benefits.”

Soccer star faces teammates’ backlash over women-only standards proposal

A National Women’s Soccer League club has grown divided after one of its players called on the league to “adopt gender standards” to protect the integrity of the organization and grow the sport.

Elizabeth Eddy’s column appeared in the New York Post last week and she asked, “How do we preserve women’s rights and competitive fairness while fostering meaningful inclusion?”

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Eddy wrote that controversies in swimming and track and field have shed light that women’s professional soccer lacks standards when it comes to intersex and transgender athletes. She wrote that the NWSL “must adopt a clear standard,” adding that only players born with ovaries should be allowed to play, following the standard in the Women’s Super League in the United Kingdom, or the league should adopt an SRY gene test, like World Athletics and World Boxing.

“Fairness and inclusion are core American values. Reasonable people can disagree about where to draw lines, but avoiding the conversation altogether by shutting out diverse views does not serve us. In fact, we owe it to current and future female athletes to solve this,” the 11-year veteran wrote.

But Eddy’s column didn’t sit well with her own teammates.

Sarah Gorden and Angelina Anderson both offered a scathing rebuke of Eddy.

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“That article does not speak for this team in this locker room. I’ve had a lot of (conversations) with my teammates in the past few days and they are hurt and they are harmed by the article, and also, they are disgusted by some of the things that were said in the article and it’s really important for me to say that,” Gorden said on Friday.

“We don’t agree with the things written for a plethora of reasons, but mostly the undertones come across as transphobic and racist as well. The article calls for genetic testing on certain players and it has a photo of an African player as a headline. That’s very harmful, and to me, it’s inherently racist because to single out this community based on them looking or being different is absolutely a problem. As a mixed woman, with a Black family, I’m devastated by the undertones of this article.

Anderson talked about what she believed the club stood for.

“For me personally when I think of LA, and I think of Angel City, I think of a place that was founded upon inclusivity and love for all people – that’s what our locker room is, that what our staff is, that’s what our fan base is. Angel City is a place for everyone. It always will be. That’s how it was from the beginning, that’s how it will always be. Period,” she said.

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“I think this situation, there’s an element of timing to it where this feels like another really big challenge that we have to go through as a team on top of an already really challenging year. And it’s definitely not the note that we as a group want to end on, and so I just want everyone to know that we’re doing our best in the locker room to preserve respect and belonging on this team and we look forward to ending the season on as positive of a note as possible.”

The NWSL reacted to Eddy’s column, too. The league told The Athletic it was “committed to working directly with the NWSL Players Association on any changes to our league policies.”

Gov fumes after teen accused in deadly post-game massacre bonds out for just $60K

An Alabama man charged with attempted murder in a shooting that left two dead and another 12 injured has bonded out of jail, sparking outrage from community members who believe he should remain locked up.

The Oct. 4 shooting took place just after 11:30 p.m., following the Morehouse-Tuskegee Classic college football game in Montgomery, Alabama.

Montgomery Police Chief Jim Graboys said only one of the 14 victims was the intended target, adding there were several shooters.

“This started as the result of an individual, one of these 14 (injured or killed), who we believe was targeted, in which basically an exchange of gunfire erupted,” Graboys said. “When that exchange erupted, multiple people in the crowd pulled their own weapons and started discharging.”

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Javorick Whiting, 19, one of the several suspects, including juveniles, was arrested on Oct. 16 and charged with attempted murder in relation to the Oct. 4 incident.

After being taken into custody, a judge set bond at $60,000, which Whiting was able to post on Oct. 17 through a bail bond company, court records obtained by Fox News Digital show.

Following public outcry, the Montgomery County district attorney filed a motion to increase Whiting’s bond, writing that the current bond is “woefully inadequate.”

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“The current bond amount is woefully inadequate to protect the public from this dangerous and violent criminal,” the DA’s office wrote.

The DA’s office wrote that Whiting’s actions show he’s a “danger to the community” and should remain behind bars.

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Read the motion to increase bond here:

Republican Gov. Kay Ivey expressed her frustrations in a Facebook post.

“Today, we learn that one of the four suspects has been released back onto the streets,” Ivey wrote on Oct. 20. “This is exactly the legal loophole that I and many in the Legislature sought to close when I signed the Safe Alabama package. Next May, all Alabama voters will have a chance to end mandatory bail for those suspected of attempted murder by voting to expand Aniah’s Law. I will not forget today’s troubling news when casting my vote.”

Aniah’s Law was passed in 2019 in honor of Aniah Blanchard, who was murdered in 2019 by someone who was out on bond for violent offenses. The law allows judges and prosecutors to request and deny bail for offenses such as kidnapping, murder, rape and aggravated child abuse.

Lawmakers recently passed legislation which would add attempted murder to the list of eligible charges in Aniah’s Law.

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Graboys was also among those who advocated for an expansion to Aniah’s Law.

“We need assistance, both legislatively and in the judicial system, about what we’re going to do. I think Aniah’s Law has been a great law, but maybe it’s to be expanded,” he said, according to the Alabama Reflector. “Maybe people need to use the discretion that Aniah’s Law gives them to hold people for trial when they’ve been arrested for violent felonies.”