God bless America

By Archbishop Richard G. Henning On Sept. 11, 2001, I was covering a parish on Long Island in my home diocese. As it was for so many around the world, it was a dramatic and frightening moment. The parish was located about one hour from Manhattan, and two of the parish families lost loved onesContinue reading “God bless America”

President Coolidge’s speech celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence

On July 5, 1926, President Calvin Coolidge delivered this speech in Philadelphia to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence. Fellow Countrymen: We meet to celebrate the birthday of America. The coming of a new life always excites our interest. Although we know in the case of the individual that it has beenContinue reading “President Coolidge’s speech celebrating the 150th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence”

How public celebrations quietly remake what it means to be American

By Catherine Simpson Bueker, Emmanuel College Twenty-five years ago, I attended a Fourth of July parade in Boston that has stuck with me. The head drummer of the colonial fife and drum band was a Black man in a Revolutionary War costume, his dreadlocks peeking from under a powdered wig. As the parade stopped toContinue reading “How public celebrations quietly remake what it means to be American”

Come on down to the Great American State Fair — there’s plenty of room

By Sam Gauntt | States Newsroom The Great American State Fair on the National Mall has all the trappings of a classic state fair: food vendors, merchandise, a Ferris wheel, and scores of activities.  But on Tuesday, just days before the nation’s 250th anniversary, one thing was, for the most part, notably absent. The crowds. Continue reading “Come on down to the Great American State Fair — there’s plenty of room”

Profiteering president made an unprecedented $2.2 billion in 2025

The financial disclosure report that President Donald J. Trump filed for 2025, released Tuesday by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics, reveals income exceeding $2.2 billion for the year — a figure without modern precedent for a sitting president and one that marks a fundamental shift in the source of his wealth. The 927-page document,Continue reading “Profiteering president made an unprecedented $2.2 billion in 2025”

As heat wave grips the US, stay safe and watch for heat stroke warning signs

By Brian Bossak, College of Charleston Millions of Americans are under heat advisories ahead of the July Fourth holiday as a major heat wave spreads across large parts of the central and eastern United States. For many people, this is the time of year for cookouts, beach trips and other outdoor activities. Soccer fans areContinue reading “As heat wave grips the US, stay safe and watch for heat stroke warning signs”

Antarctica’s doomsday glacier is collapsing with planetary consequences

Deep in the remotest reaches of West Antarctica, a frozen giant the size of Britain is crumbling — and scientists are running out of time to figure out what happens next. Thwaites Glacier, already responsible for 4% of all global sea-level rise, is at the center of an urgent international research effort to determine whetherContinue reading “Antarctica’s doomsday glacier is collapsing with planetary consequences”

New Jersey/New York anti-establishment earthquake rocked Colorado Tuesday

The political ground shifted again Tuesday night. Just one week after a slate of insurgent candidates toppled establishment figures in New York City, Colorado voters delivered their own verdict on the Democratic establishment. The message was unmistakable: loyalty to the party machine no longer guarantees survival. Melat Kiros, a 29-year-old democratic socialist and former attorneyContinue reading “New Jersey/New York anti-establishment earthquake rocked Colorado Tuesday”

Supreme Court says Trump must pay for sexually abusing & defaming E. Jean Carroll

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear President Donald Trump’s appeal of a $5 million civil judgment, leaving intact a jury’s finding that he sexually abused and defamed writer E. Jean Carroll in the mid-1990s. The justices denied review without comment and noted no public dissents, effectively ending Trump’s challenge to the 2023 verdict.Continue reading “Supreme Court says Trump must pay for sexually abusing & defaming E. Jean Carroll”

Trump administration hired blueprint’s architect to implement Project 2025

President Donald Trump spent the 2024 campaign publicly distancing himself from Project 2025, the 920-page conservative governing blueprint published by the Heritage Foundation. “I have no idea who is behind it,” Trump said at the time. “I disagree with some of the things they’re saying, and some of the things they’re saying are absolutely ridiculousContinue reading “Trump administration hired blueprint’s architect to implement Project 2025”

Pope Leo XIV faces rebellion among breakaway traditionalist Catholics

Pope Leo XIV has issued a last-ditch, desperate plea to the leaders of a breakaway traditionalist Catholic group, begging them to abandon their plan to consecrate four new bishops without his consent, a move the Vatican warns will constitute a formal act of schism. In an open letter dated June 29 and published on theContinue reading “Pope Leo XIV faces rebellion among breakaway traditionalist Catholics”

Congressman Tom Kean Jr. went missing after he suffered a nervous breakdown

Rep. Tom Kean Jr. returned to the House floor Tuesday, ending a nearly four-month disappearance and offering a terse explanation for his absence: a diagnosis and treatment for depression. He last cast a vote on March 5, missing more than 140 roll calls while his constituents, and his party, twisted in the wind. The apologyContinue reading “Congressman Tom Kean Jr. went missing after he suffered a nervous breakdown”

New Jersey gears up for celebrations of history, music, and summer fun

From the shores of Cape May to the boardwalks of Atlantic City, New Jersey is offering a wide array of events over the next four weeks, blending major historical celebrations with a vibrant calendar of music, theater, and family activities. The state is set to be a focal point for the national “America 250” celebration,Continue reading “New Jersey gears up for celebrations of history, music, and summer fun”

Iranian clerics call for killing President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

In a rare and significant intervention, more than 60 members of Iran’s Assembly of Experts have issued a powerful 10-point statement, bypassing official channels to warn negotiators against making concessions to the United States and Israel. The call to action comes despite a fragile memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between Washington and Tehran, which wasContinue reading “Iranian clerics call for killing President Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu”

Absentee Tom Kean Jr. makes a mockery of the republic by not showing up

By James J. Devine Woody Allen’s famous quote, “80% of success is showing up,” has been lost on a New Jersey congressman who has virtually had everything in life handed to him—without being physically present or earning deserved credit for achieving goals—but rumor has it that he will attend a campaign fundraising event tonight. InContinue reading “Absentee Tom Kean Jr. makes a mockery of the republic by not showing up”

Prioritizing politics over prevention: Team Trump promoting teen pregnancy

The Department of Health and Human Services has terminated 53 of 67 grants under the Teen Pregnancy Prevention Program, eliminating roughly $68 million in funding for programs that served young people in more than two dozen states. The cancellations, which took effect immediately upon notification, have drawn sharp criticism from reproductive health advocates who argueContinue reading “Prioritizing politics over prevention: Team Trump promoting teen pregnancy”

With auto loan debt at a historic high, report calls for an end to predatory practices

With auto loan delinquencies and defaults as well as vehicle repossessions at the highest levels since the Great Recession, the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL) recently released a new report, “‘We Woke Up to Them Taking Our Car’: Borrowers’ Experiences with Subprime Auto Lending.” Predatory auto loan practices involve deceptive, unfair, or abusive lending tacticsContinue reading “With auto loan debt at a historic high, report calls for an end to predatory practices”

All the Love that money can buy

By James J. Devine Cory Booker wants you to believe that love is what has carried him through his political journey. Love for the vulnerable. Love for the forgotten. Love that motivated a hunger strike, a mayoral campaign, and a Senate run. It is a beautiful story, but it is bullshit. It is a fictionContinue reading “All the Love that money can buy”

Driver dies in car fire after crashing into a Cumberland County building

The fire that consumed the car on South Delsea Drive consumed its driver, too. That is the brutal arithmetic of a single-vehicle crash shortly after 1 a.m. Monday in Cumberland County. The gray 2026 Kia K5 was traveling northbound on Route 47. It hit a curb at the entrance of LaTorre Hardware & Garden Center.Continue reading “Driver dies in car fire after crashing into a Cumberland County building”

US Supreme Court deals blow to Trump, ruling states can accept ballots after Election Day

by Jonathan Shorman, New Jersey Monitor The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that states can count mail-in ballots that arrive after Election Day, a blow to the Trump administration and some Republican states that had urged the justices to require all ballots to arrive by the close of polls. In a 5-4 decision, the court foundContinue reading “US Supreme Court deals blow to Trump, ruling states can accept ballots after Election Day”