Dakota County in midst of fentanyl-related overdose boom: “We need to alert the public”

person holding silver and green scissors

A Twin Cities sheriff is calling a spike in overdose cases an epidemic. Sheriff Joe Leko says Dakota County, which has just under a half-million residents, has seen 25 suspected overdoses between May 29 through June 2. Two of those cases were fatal. “It’s at the point we need to alert the public and that there’s a danger to first responders,” Leko said. He says this isn’t the first time they’ve seen a spike like this. “There’s a lot of people experiencing this loss in overdoses that might not be your traditional drug addicts,” he said. 

Leko says things have changed, but remained the same in some form. In the past, meth labs were popular, but now it’s fentanyl that’s taking over. “We are in a hub, Minneapolis, St. Paul,” he said. “We found out in the seven-county metro, there’s an overdose every 30 minutes.” In Hennepin County, the state’s most populated at 1.3 million, the problem is much worse. The sheriff’s office says on average since March, they’ve had around 200 suspected overdose events each week. About three of those cases were deadly. “I think we just need to be open-minded and create awareness,” Leko said. “These drugs go beyond just using drugs.” Narcan, also known as naloxone, is a drug that helps someone who is overdosing.

Source: Dakota County in midst of fentanyl-related overdose boom: “We need to alert the public” – CBS Minnesota

No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it.
1 Corinthians 10:13

The Brave New Age of Trust-Fund Socialism

Democrats are in the midst of a fun and terrifying transformation. Hating Trump is no longer sufficient to win elections in blue states. Democratic primary voters—specifically the party’s core constituency of college-educated white professionals—are…

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Finding Hope in Life’s Challenges

When life turns up the heat, your faith isn’t falling apart, it’s being revealed. What feels like pressure is actually God proving that what He placed in you can’t be destroyed.  Bible Verse:In this…

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Embracing Divine Help in Troubling Times

You don’t have to carry this alone, He is your safe place and your help in every moment of need.  Bible Verse:God is our Refuge and Strength [mighty and impenetrable to temptation], a very…

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Northern California man arrested after major drug bust on Nebraska freeway, officials say

bread on white plastic pack

Nebraska State Patrol (NSP) says troopers seized more than 500 pounds of suspected cocaine during a traffic stop on Interstate 80 Wednesday morning and arrested a Northern California man. The stop happened around 10:25 a.m. near Milford, Nebraska, at mile marker 382 on eastbound I-80. Troopers said a Nissan Rogue was pulled over after it was seen following a semi-truck too closely. During the stop, an NSP K9 alerted officers to the odor of a controlled substance coming from the vehicle, officials said.

A search of the SUV allegedly uncovered about 525 pounds of suspected cocaine along with 9.3 grams of suspected heroin. Booking photo of Gurarppan Gill Nebraska State Patrol The driver, identified as 23-year-old Gurarppan Gill of Yuba City, was arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and possession with intent to deliver, NSP said. Gill was booked into the Seward County Jail in Nebraska.

Source: Northern California man arrested after major drug bust on Nebraska freeway, officials say – CBS Sacramento

Therefore You are great, O Lord GOD. For there is none like You, nor is there any God besides You, according to all that we have heard with our ears.
2 Samuel 7:22

Prayer for Boldness; Acts 4:24-31

When opposition rises against God’s people, the natural response is often fear. Yet the early church teaches us that the answer to intimidation is not retreat, but prayer to have supernatural…

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U.S. says suspected drug trafficker rescued from plane crash off Florida linked to Bahamas politician

island on sea

Opposition leaders in the Bahamas are demanding an investigation into a suspected drug trafficker who survived a recent plane crash near Florida and was allegedly found with roughly $30,000, according to a U.S. federal agent. The money was inside a bag labeled with the name of an unidentified high-ranking politician from the archipelago.

The suspect, who was deported to the Bahamas more than a decade ago after being convicted on drug and money laundering charges, is accused of trafficking cocaine through the Bahamas to the U.S.

He also is accused of meeting the unnamed politician in October 2024 at the Bahamian Parliament in Nassau to talk about a deal involving some 1,000 kilograms (2,200 pounds) of cocaine, according to a court document filed May 14 in the Southern District of New York, a day after the plane crash. It stated that the politician “could provide security for the planned cocaine shipment” and was introduced to an unnamed suspect as a “future associate.”

The allegations are the latest blow to the Bahamas, whose police commissioner resigned in December 2024 after a sergeant and two officers were indicted in what the U.S. Justice Department at the time called “a massive cocaine conspiracy enabled by corrupt Bahamian government officials.”

“Since at least May 2021, drug traffickers have smuggled tons of cocaine through The Bahamas for importation into the U.S. with the help and support of corrupt Bahamian government officials,” the Justice Department said in 2024 when announcing charges against the chief superintendent of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Michael Pintard, leader of the opposition Free National Movement party, claimed Monday that he does not believe the Bahamas’ prime minister, who secured reelection the day of the plane crash, will hold anyone accountable.

“We issued warnings about the close relationship between members of this administration and characters of interest to police locally and internationally,” he told reporters.

Latrae Rahming, spokesman for the office of the prime minister, shared a statement with The Associated Press on Tuesday noting that the government is taking the matter “extremely seriously.” It stated that local law enforcement will launch its own inquiry and that the government will reach out to U.S. officials to seek the sharing of information and obtain any available evidence, adding that it has received no official information identifying any public official related to the case.

Source: U.S. says suspected drug trafficker rescued from plane crash off Florida linked to Bahamas politician – CBS Texas

But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.
Matthew 12:36

Robin Williams as the American Flag

Robin Williams portrays the American flag in “I Love Liberty,” a two-hour television special created by Norman Lear and presented by People For the American Way. Source: (630)…

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Takedown Targets Open-Air Drug Market at L.A.’s MacArthur Park, Long an Area Run by Gang Members and Homeless Drug Users

handcuffing of a tattooed man

LOS ANGELES – Eighteen defendants, including two people law enforcement believes are the main sources of fentanyl and methamphetamine in Los Angeles’s gang- and drug-infested MacArthur Park, have been arrested on a federal criminal complaint charging them with a federal drug trafficking offense, the Justice Department announced today. The complaint charges 25 defendants with possession with the intent to distribute, and distribution of, a controlled substance.  At one defendant’s Calabasas residence, law enforcement seized approximately 18 kilograms (40 pounds) of fentanyl.

The defendants arrested today are expected to make their initial appearances tomorrow afternoon in United States District Court in downtown Los Angeles. Seven defendants are considered fugitives. “Today, we begin reclaiming MacArthur Park from criminals and drug addicts to return this public space to the citizens of Los Angeles,” said First Assistant United States Attorney Bill Essayli. “Together with our federal and local law enforcement partners, we are executing multiple arrest and search warrants targeting those who are distributing drugs in and around the park.” “For far too long, MacArthur Park has been plagued by drug addiction, crime, and despair,” said Anthony Chrysanthis, Special Agent in Charge for the Drug Enforcement Administration’s Los Angeles Field Division.

“Today’s operation is only one step, taken by a handful of agencies working hard to alleviate the anguish and sense of hopelessness burdening MacArthur Park, local businesses, and the surrounding neighborhood. While this is a drug enforcement operation, it is also an effort to restore safety and wellness, and to return MacArthur Park back to the community.” “Today’s operation shows the strength of our partnership with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the Drug Enforcement Administration,” said Los Angeles Police Chief Jim McDonnell. “We witnessed drug activity return to MacArthur Park, and our teams acted quickly to disrupt both the dealers and the suppliers behind them.

Fentanyl remains one of the most dangerous threats to our community, and we are committed to keeping it off our streets. We will remain relentless, alongside our federal partners, in protecting the people of Los Angeles from dangerous drug activity.”      MacArthur Park, located west of downtown Los Angeles, is an area of the city characterized by high rates of poverty and homelessness. Many of the homeless in that area are drug users, and the park itself is a known location for drug users to purchase narcotics, including fentanyl and methamphetamine. It is surrounded by a densely populated, tightly packed area of apartments, offices, shops and other businesses.

The park and the immediate surrounding area are part of heavily contested gang territory. MacArthur Park’s northern area is considered territory of the 18th Street Gang, while the area of the park south of Wilshire Boulevard is considered territory of the Crazy Riders Gang, and territory considered belonging to Mara Salvatrucha, a.k.a. “MS-13,” is immediately west of the park. The complaint’s affidavit alleges that Mallaly Moreno-Lopez, 31, and her boyfriend, Jackson Tarfur, 28, both of the Westmont area of South Los Angeles, “serve as the, if not one of the main sources of supply of fentanyl powder and methamphetamine distributed in the Alvarado Corridor and MacArthur Park, generally on behalf of the 18th Street Gang.” Moreno-Lopez and Tarfur hand-delivered narcotics to the Alvarado Corridor near MacArthur Park for stashing in storefronts and subsequent distribution to street-level drug dealers.

Moreno-Lopez and Tarfur use their Westmont residence as a stash location for illegal drugs prior to delivering them to MacArthur Park.  Law enforcement also identified Yolanda Iriarte-Avila, 40, of Calabasas, as a source of supply of methamphetamine for Moreno-Lopez, via Iriarte-Avila’s boyfriend, Jesus Morales-Landel, 33, of the Exposition Park area of South Los Angeles, who is a street-level drug dealer in the MacArthur Park area. Iriarte-Avila uses her residence as a stash location for subsequent drug distribution.

Source: Takedown Targets Open-Air Drug Market at L.A.’s MacArthur Park, Long an Area Run by Gang Members and Homeless Drug Users

Be of the same mind toward one another. Do not set your mind on high things, but associate with the humble. Do not be wise in your own opinion.
Romans 12:16

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Officer talks man off Bridge with Prayer

istanbul golden horn metro bridge at night

A despondent man was saved by a Jacksonville, Florida, police officer and a team of other cops who talked the individual out of jumping as he was perched on the edge of a bridge nearly two hundred feet above the St. Johns River.

Source: Youtube

But those who wait on the LORD Shall renew their strength; They shall mount up with wings like eagles, They shall run and not be weary, They shall walk and not faint.
Isaiah 40:31

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Mexican governor accused by U.S. of drug trafficking steps down during investigation

police car driving on night road

The governor of a Mexican state who was accused by the United States of ties to drug trafficking said on Friday he was temporarily stepping down to facilitate investigations. Sinaloa Gov. Ruben Rocha Moya and nine others were charged by the U.S. Justice Department this week for working with the notorious Sinaloa cartel to distribute “massive quantities” of narcotics to the United States. Rocha Moya, a member of Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s left-leaning Morena party, has decried the allegations as “false and malicious.” At least three officials charged in the indictment were affiliated with Morena.

“I inform the people of Sinaloa that today I submitted to the State Congress my request for a temporary leave from the position of governor,” he said in a YouTube video late Friday. Sheinbaum said Thursday that Mexico will extradite officials to the U.S. only if given “irrefutable evidence” of cartel links. The president said this was the first time the U.S. had made narcotrafficking charges public against a sitting governor or other high-ranking official. Rocha Moya, who is close to former leftist president Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, has been governor of the northwestern state of Sinaloa since 2021.

The governor was embroiled in a scandal in 2023 involving the Sinaloa cartel, in which his name was published in a letter written by a then-Sinaloa cartel capo whose leaders of a rival faction the cartel had kidnapped. The cartel capo was handed off to law enforcement in the U.S. The capo said in the letter that when he was kidnapped, he believed he was on his way to meet with Rocha Moya.

Source: Mexican governor accused by U.S. of drug trafficking steps down during investigation – CBS News

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.
Genesis 1:1-2

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Man accused of running meth lab at Michigan State University’s Wells Hall

close up photo of chemicals in beakers

A man was arrested for allegedly running a meth lab inside Wells Hall at Michigan State University, police say. Court records show that 31-year-old Xin Tong was charged with malicious destruction of a building over $20,000 and operating/maintaining a lab involving methamphetamine. Tong was arraigned on Wednesday and received a $500,000 cash/surety bond. Officials say Wells Hall will be closed through Friday, May 1. The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety says it received a report of property damage inside the building last week and determined the damage was caused by “alleged criminal activity.”

Police say Tong allegedly had multiple substances — including sodium hydroxide pellets, hydrochloric acid, methanol, isopropyl alcohol, acetone, and butane. Tong was arrested and taken to the Ingham County Jail. It is unclear if Tong is a student or a staff member. The university says the building is undergoing further evaluation “to ensure a smooth return to normal operations.” Officials say there is no threat to the campus.

Source: Man accused of running meth lab at Michigan State University’s Wells Hall – CBS Detroit

Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.
John 6:27

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Meth worth $8.1 million found in shipment disguised as tiles at U.S. border

truck on bridge

Authorities at the United States-Mexico border seized a shipment of suspected methamphetamine, which had an estimated street value of $8.1 million, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said Tuesday. The shipment was disguised as tiles, the agency said. Border patrol officers found the narcotics inside a commercial tractor trailer that crossed the Pharr International Bridge from from Reynosa, Mexico into Texas on April 21. Once it was inspected and screened by a team of drug detection dogs, officers discovered that pallets masquerading as tiles in the back of the cargo vehicle actually contained packages of white powder. 

Overall, they seized 200 packages weighing more than 900 pounds, along with the trailer itself, CBP said. Homeland Security Investigation agents have opened a criminal probe into the seizure, according to the agency CBP said the powder “tested positive for the properties of methamphetamine,” a synthetic stimulant that is considered highly addictive. Although there is an FDA-approved version of it that is very rarely prescribed for specific medical conditions, methamphetamine largely exists in the U.S. illegally, according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Association.

Source: Meth worth $8.1 million found in shipment disguised as tiles at U.S. border – CBS Detroit

Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12

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Mexican special forces arrest top commander of cartel and his alleged money launderer

mexican police parade with national flag display

The Mexican authorities have arrested two top criminals, one of them a close ally of the slain founder of the Jalisco New Generation Cartel (CJNG), prompting gunmen to block roads near the border city of Reynosa. Audias Flores, known as “El Jardinero”, is a regional commander in control of swathes of CJNG territory along Mexico’s Pacific coast. He was considered a potential successor to Nemesio Oseguera, alias “El Mencho”, who ran the cartel and was killed in a security operation in February. Security forces surrounded a cabin in El Mirador, 12 miles (20km) north of the resort city of Puerto Vallarta, where Flores was being protected by a perimeter of about 30 pickup trucks and more than 60 gunmen, according to a press release from Mexico’s navy, which led the operation.

Who was El Mencho, the former police officer who co-founded an ultraviolent cartel in Mexico? Read more Flores’s escorts scattered as a diversion but he was located as he tried to hide in a drainage ditch, it added. “The operation was carried out with surgical precision without a single shot being fired,” the navy said in a statement. Videos shared by Mexico’s security minister, Omar García Harfuch, on social media showed aerial footage of the arrest as helicopters hovered overhead during the operation, which the navy said followed 19 months of surveillance and involved more than 500 troops, six helicopters and several planes.

Source: Mexican special forces arrest top commander of cartel and his alleged money launderer | Mexico | The Guardian

But the end of all things is at hand; therefore be serious and watchful in your prayers.
1 Peter 4:7

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22 Buddhist monks arrested at airport after record drug bust

Buddhist monk meditating cross-legged in temple with Buddha statue behind

Twenty-two Sri Lankan monks returning from Thailand were arrested on Sunday at the main international airport with a record 242 pounds of powerful cannabis, officials said. A Sri Lanka Customs spokesman said the group, returning home after a four-day vacation in the Thai capital, had Kush — a potent, plant-based strain of cannabis — hidden in their luggage. “Each carried about five kilos of the narcotic concealed within false walls in their luggage,” the spokesman said, adding that the monks had been handed over to police. They were to be taken before a magistrate later on Sunday. The monks were mostly young students from temples across Sri Lanka and had been on a holiday sponsored by a businessman. Customs officials said it was the largest single detection of Kush at the South Asian country’s main international airport.

Source: 22 Buddhist monks arrested at airport after record drug bust – CBS News

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
1 John 4:10

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FBI offers $50,000 reward for arrest of alleged gang member in National Guard soldier’s murder

Reward poster for John Doe wanted for armed robbery, assault, and burglary

The FBI on Tuesday announced a reward of $50,000 for the arrest and conviction of a man wanted in the 2021 shooting death of a National Guard member. Joseph “Troubles” Matos has already been indicted by a grand jury in the shooting that killed Illinois National Guard soldier Chrys Carvajal on July 3, 2021. Matos and co-defendant Gary “Gotti” Roberson are accused of killing Carvajal “for the purpose of maintaining and increasing position in the Milwaukee Kings” street gang, according to a May 2024 indictment.

According to the indictment, the Milwaukee Kings gang operates on the North Side of Chicago and carries out murders and other acts of violence to preserve and protect its power and territory, to further illegal drug trafficking, and to keep others in fear of the gang. Carvajal, 19, who had just returned home after Army National Guard training, was leaving a party on July 3, 2021, and walking to his car when he was shot and killed at the corner of Lockwood Avenue and Palmer Street in Chicago’s Belmont Cragin neighborhood.

Source: FBI offers $50,000 reward for arrest of alleged gang member in National Guard soldier’s murder – CBS Chicago

Treasures of wickedness profit nothing, But righteousness delivers from death.
Proverbs 10:2

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FBI’s “Operation Gangsta’s Paradise” leads to more than 40 Southern California arrests of Mexican Mafia gang members

back view of a group of friends walking

Dozens of alleged Mexican Mafia members and associates were arrested during a federal investigation, including several warrants served at locations across Southern California early Thursday.  FBI raids took place in both Los Angeles and Orange counties in what federal officials called “Operation Gangsta’s Paradise.” Arrest warrants were served in Anaheim, Santa Ana and Lakewood, during which 25 alleged gang members were arrested.

They are all believed to be part of “La Eme,” which is a U.S.-based prison gang that has control over other street gangs in Southern California,” said a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice.  The arrests were made in connection with three federal indictments that charge 40 defendants with a litany of counts like kidnapping, extortion, drug trafficking, illegal gambling and murder. Federal investigators said that the murder happened at a “gang-controlled Anaheim motel.”

Source: FBI’s “Operation Gangsta’s Paradise” leads to more than 40 Southern California arrests of Mexican Mafia gang members – CBS Los Angeles

For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.
Philippians 1:29

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Salmon exposed to cocaine swim almost twice as far as those without, study shows

An animated orange fish with a worried expression caught in an underwater whirlpool.

Salmon exposed to cocaine in the water swim longer distances than those that go without, according to a study released this week. Cocaine use is on the rise worldwide, with the U.N. reporting an estimated 25 million people used the stimulant in 2023 and the drug being increasingly found in waterways. Joint research released Monday by scientists at Australia’s Griffith University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences studied how the drug affected the movements of wild fish in their natural habitats.

Researchers took 105 wild Atlantic salmon in Sweden’s Lake Vattern and exposed them to both cocaine and benzoylecgonine — a metabolite created by the drug in the liver — and then tracked their movements. They found the river-dwellers exposed to the drugs traveled 1.9 times farther per week than their clean-living control cousins. Those exposed to the by-product also swam 7.6 miles farther, the study found. “Any unnatural change in animal behavior is a concern,” report co-author Marcus Michelangeli from Griffith University’s Australian Rivers Institute told national broadcaster ABC.

“We’re finding higher and higher concentrations of not just illicit drugs but all types of pharmaceuticals in our waterways.”

Source: Salmon exposed to cocaine swim almost twice as far as those without, study shows – CBS News

And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. I and My Father are one.
John 10:28-30

Colombia to euthanize dozens of “cocaine hippos” linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar in bid to control population

close up photo of hippopotamus

Colombian officials on Monday authorized a plan to cull dozens of hippos roaming freely through a region in the center of the country, where they threaten villagers and displace native species years after notorious drug lord Pablo Escobar brought in the first ones. Environment Minister Irene Vélez said previous methods to control the population of the so-called “cocaine hippos” have been expensive and unsuccessful, including neutering some of the animals or moving them to zoos. Vélez said up to 80 hippos would be affected by the measure. She did not say when hunting would begin.

“If we don’t do this we will not be able to control the population,” Vélez said. “We have to take this action to preserve our ecosystems.” Colombia is the only country outside of Africa with a wild hippo population. The hippos are the descendants of four brought to the country in the 1980s by Escobar as he built a private zoo in Hacienda Nápoles, a gigantic ranch in the Magdalena River valley with a private landing strip that served as his rural abode. A study published by Colombia’s National University estimated that around 170 hippos were roaming freely in the country in 2022.

Source: Colombia to euthanize dozens of “cocaine hippos” linked to drug lord Pablo Escobar in bid to control population – CBS Chicago

For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish.
Galatians 5:17

Over $200,000 worth of illegal narcotics seized in Wayne County investigation

a close up shot of a roll of money and various drugs

Law enforcement officers seized over $200,000 worth of illegal narcotics during an investigation in Metro Detroit.  The Michigan State Police said its Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team (MNET) worked with the Taylor Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Detroit Division on an investigation of someone bringing pressed fentanyl pills to sell in Metro Detroit.  Michigan State Police’s Metro Narcotics Enforcement Team (MNET) worked with the Taylor Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Agency’s Detroit Division on an investigation of pressed fentanyl pills.

Over 3 kilograms of the illegal narcotics was seized. Michigan State Police The officers confiscated over 3 kilograms of the illegal narcotics, more than 28,500 pressed fentanyl pills that were created to look like prescription oxycodone 30 mg pills.  State police said there are multiple suspects in custody, pending review by the Wayne County prosecutor’s office.  This investigation was supported by the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) grant program, which is awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Office of Justice Programs and U.S. Department of Justice; then administered by the Michigan State Police. 

Source: Over $200,000 worth of illegal narcotics seized in Wayne County investigation – CBS Detroit

For You, Lord, are good, and ready to forgive, And abundant in mercy to all those who call upon You.
Psalm 86:5

Police dog named Hulk sniffs out 48 tons of marijuana in record bust in Brazil

close up of cannabis plant in indoor grow

Brazilian police seized a record 48 tons of marijuana in a favela in Rio de Janeiro, uncovered by chance by a sniffer dog during a regular operation against criminal factions. During the operation in the Complexo da Mare, a large complex of favelas in the north of the city, a dog named Hulk indicated there was something suspicious under an abandoned water tank. An officer “discovered a bunker inside where this entire quantity of drugs had been hidden,” said Lt. Col. Luciano Pedro Barbosa, commander of the Canine Operations Battalion. In a post on Instagram, the battalion touted the bust and posted an image of Hulk after the operation. “Hulk deserves 48 tons of treats,” quipped one commenter.

Source: Police dog named Hulk sniffs out 48 tons of marijuana in record bust in Brazil – CBS News

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:24

Family claims Fort Worth man shot ‘pedophile’ in groin to protect nieces

man shooting at indoor gun range in sao paulo

FORT WORTH, Texas – A man is in the custody of Fort Worth police after being accused of shooting another man in the groin. His family claims he was protecting his underage nieces from a man allegedly soliciting them for sex. Fort Worth man arrested Markus Renfro, 33, is in jail Saturday. His family members are explaining why he shot another man in the groin, and why they don’t think he deserves to be in jail. Dontavius Williams, Renfro’s brother-in-law, says he knew something wasn’t right.

What they’re saying: “My little cousin told me that the dude said, ‘Oh, come back and smoke some meth with me,’ you know, ‘have some drugs,’” Williams said. The family said this wasn’t the first time. Fort Worth police say officers had already been called to the 3700 block of Century Place on Friday morning after receiving reports of a man who was possibly under the influence soliciting children for sex. “We had already heard that a certain dude had been messing with other little kids around here,” Williams said. That’s when they say Renfro stepped in. 

Source: Family claims Fort Worth man shot ‘pedophile’ in groin to protect nieces | KTVU FOX 2

Though the fig tree may not blossom, Nor fruit be on the vines; Though the labor of the olive may fail, And the fields yield no food; Though the flock may be cut off from the fold, And there be no herd in the stalls— Yet I will rejoice in the LORD, I will joy in the God of my salvation.
Habakkuk 3:17-18

France condemns China’s execution of a French citizen held on death row for 15 years

French and Chinese flags above a bronze rooster and dragon in a formal conference room.

PARIS — France said China has executed a French citizen convicted of drug trafficking after keeping him on death row for more than 15 years. Chan Thao Phoumy, 62, was executed in the southern Chinese city of Guangzhou, despite French authorities’ clemency appeals, the French Foreign Ministry said in a statement late Saturday. It didn’t say when the sentence was carried out. A Chinese court sentenced him to death in 2010. The ministry’s statement expressed “consternation” and added: “We particularly regret that Mr. Chan’s defense did not have access to the final court hearing, which constitutes a violation of his rights.”

“We extend our condolences to his family, whose grief we share,” it said. In a short statement Sunday that didn’t mention Chan by name, the Chinese Embassy in Paris said that China “treats defendants of all nationalities equally, handles all cases impartially and strictly in accordance with the law.” France abolished the death penalty by act of parliament in 1981, and has become a vigorous campaigner against its use and for its abolition everywhere. China’s use of executions — carried out by firing squads or lethal injections — is shrouded in secrecy but has long been extensive. Amnesty International says China is the world’s lead executioner, believed to sentence and put to death thousands of people annually.

Source: France condemns China’s execution of a French citizen held on death row for 15 years – ABC News

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.
2 Corinthians 5:17

America’s prettiest city overrun with homeless ‘drug zombies’ under nightmare woke mayor

person holding silver and green scissors

An idyllic city known for its historic buildings and Southern charm has been beset by homelessness and drug use under a Democratic mayor. Savannah, Georgia, has long been promoted as one of America’s prettiest cities, with more than 20 public squares framed by churches, town houses and other historic buildings covered in Spanish moss. But when Dennis Lennox, a travel reporter for the Christian Post, returned to the city last year, he said he found it overrun by homeless individuals who engaged in overt drug use.

‘Benches and bushes served as makeshift encampments,’ he wrote in a column on Sunday. ‘In several places, the smell of marijuana hung in the air.’ At Reynolds Square, where a bronze statue honors the founder of Methodism, Lennox said he saw obvious drug use. ‘People injected and smoked in broad daylight,’ he wrote. ‘The odor was unmistakable. There was no police presence.’ Similar scenes sprang up across the city, according to Lennox. ‘A leisurely stroll, particularly in the early morning, became an exercise in caution; watching where to step, skirting encampments and avoiding potential confrontation.’  

Source: America’s prettiest city overrun with homeless ‘drug zombies’ under nightmare woke mayor | Daily Mail Online

And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.
John 14:13

Colombian navy says it shut down 30 drug labs, seized 4,000 pounds of cocaine

close up shot of a person holding a white sachet

The Colombian navy said it also seized thousands of gallons of smuggled fuel, preventing “the strengthening of illicit economies.”

Source: Colombian navy says it shut down 30 drug labs, seized 4,000 pounds of cocaine – CBS News

As for God, His way is perfect; The word of the LORD is proven; He is a shield to all who trust in Him.
Psalm 18:30

Baby bottle filled with dangerous substance found during Riverdale drug seizure, police say

a close up shot of a scooped formula milk powder

The Riverdale Police Department said they found some unusual substances in a baby bottle during a recent drug seizure. The department shared photos of what their officers seized, which included a gun and a baby bottle authorities say was filled with the drug mixture known as lean. The mixture, also known as purple drank, sizzurp, or dirty sprite, usually contains prescription-strength cough syrup that usually contains codeine or promethazine and a soft drink.

Source: Baby bottle filled with dangerous substance found during Riverdale drug seizure, police say – CBS Atlanta

“Bring all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be food in My house, And try Me now in this,” Says the LORD of hosts, “If I will not open for you the windows of heaven And pour out for you such blessing That there will not be room enough to receive it.”
Malachi 3:10

Fentanyl found inside Barbies sold at Missouri discount store, police say

portrait of woman posing in large doll box

Police found that five Barbie packages containing fentanyl were sold. They have all been recovered.

Source: Fentanyl found inside Barbies sold at Missouri discount store, police say – CBS News

Who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began.
2 Timothy 1:9

Baby Squirrel Foster Mom

Retired California teaching assistant Angel Barba has been a baby squirrel foster mom for the last seven years.  Source: Squirrel Foster Mom You Tube

Abortion News Roundup: April 15–22, 2026

Here’s a summary of the key abortion-related developments from the past seven days. Activity centered on state-level legislative pushes (especially in South Carolina), ongoing medication-abortion access fights, and cultural…

Important (Buried) News Stories: April 15–22, 2026

While the ongoing U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran, Trump administration statements, and related global fallout dominated headlines and social media, several significant developments received far less attention. These stories—drawn from…

Evangelical body pledges to help eliminate drugs in St. Kitts and Nevis

photo of wooden cabin on beach near coconut trees

Evangelical leaders on the Caribbean island of Nevis met to discuss drug concerns in the wider community and pledged to support efforts to combat illegal substances.

Source: Evangelical body pledges to help eliminate drugs in St. Kitts and Nevis – Christian Daily International

For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Romans 8:38-39

1 dead after small plane crashes into Florida yard

A small plane crashed Sunday in the yard of a home near Tampa, Florida, killing one person, authorities said. The crash sparked a fire on the property, and the residence itself “sustained some damage,” said Sarah Andeara, the Pasco County public information officer, in a statement that CBS affiliate WTSP shared with CBS News. Pasco County…

Rep. Luna said it is time to “take out the trash” as congressmen resign due to accusations

Declaring its time “to take out the trash,” Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna said there needs to be a continued reckoning through the halls of Congress, past the resignations of Democratic Congressman Eric Swalwell and Republican Congressman Tony Gonzales. “Look, I think that a lot of these members were by their own admission, guilty of…

Multiple people shot at Howe Community Park in Sacramento County

Deputies are investigating after multiple people were shot at a park in the Arden-Arcade area on Saturday evening, officials said. The Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office said it received reports around 6:30 p.m. of individuals at Howe Community Park possibly carrying concealed weapons, followed by another call about a potential fight and people running from the…

8 children killed in mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, police say

Eight children and teens were killed early Sunday in a mass shooting in Shreveport, Louisiana, authorities said. The suspected shooter is also dead, according to police. Ten people were struck by gunfire in all, Shreveport Police Department spokesperson Chris Bordelon said at a news conference. He described the incident as “domestic in nature” and said…

Major earthquake off Japan’s north coast prompts tsunami alert

Tokyo — A powerful earthquake struck off the northern Japanese coast Monday, prompting the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) to issue a tsunami alert in the region. The quake registering a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 occurred off the coast of Sanriku in northern Japan at around 4:53 p.m. (2:53 a.m. Eastern on Sunday), at a depth…

A hundred homes damaged, 1 injured in Friday’s 26 tornado outbreak

Officials say more than 100 homes were damaged and one person was injured in a “significant tornado outbreak” across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Iowa on Friday. The National Weather Service in La Crosse, Wisconsin, said it issued 26 tornado warnings during the outbreak, the most for a single day since the office opened in 1995. “The…

Ninth tornado confirmed in Michigan from midweek severe weather outbreak

The National Weather Service has confirmed a ninth tornado out of the severe weather outbreak that hit Michigan late Tuesday night into early Wednesday.  The newest tornado added to the list happened early Wednesday in Branch County, near Coldwater, according to CBS News Detroit chief meteorologist Ahmad Bajjey. The National Weather Service bureau in Northern…

5 birds still missing after break-in at Marysville falconry facility

A Yuba County falconry said someone broke into the facility and intentionally released nearly a dozen birds from their enclosures on Thursday night. Staff at West Coast Falconry say the incident happened overnight, when someone entered the property, cut off tracking gear attached to the birds and forced them out of their enclosures. The facility…

US and Ecuador forces launch operation to fight drug trafficking

soldier with a gun on a field

Ecuadorean and US forces have launched operations against what it said were designated terrorist organizations in the South American country, the US military’s Southern Command said on Tuesday.

Source: US and Ecuador forces launch operation to fight drug trafficking

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death.
Romans 8:1-2

Pests, insects, and bugs are back earlier than usual, experts say

As spring and warmer temps ramp up, many people are beginning to find critters in their homes. 36% of Americans have reported seeing ants, and another 21% have seen a cockroach in their home, according to an online survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA). “Pests are…

Ford recalls 144,000 F-150s in Canada due to gearshift issue

Ford is issuing a safety recall for some 144,oo0 F-150s in Canada, the company said Friday, due to an issue with the vehicles’ gearshift that can impact the drivers’ control of the vehicle. The safety issue impacts some vehicles with six-speed automatic transmissions made between 2015 and 2017. In the U.S., almost 1.4 million vehicles are…

RED FLAG: FBI says these apps let China suck up your personal data

Centralized smartphone app storefronts, like Apple’s App Store for iPhone and the Google Play Store for Android, make apps feel like they all come from the same safe place online, but the developers behind these apps are spread out all over the world. This month, the FBI brought attention to international developers, warning that installing…

Hyundai recalls nearly 300K vehicles for seatbelt issue

Nearly 300,000 Hyundai vehicles have been recalled due to a defect that could cause seat belt anchors to fail. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the defective seat belt anchors in approximately 290,000 Hyundais could increase the risk of injury in a crash. Four Hyundai models are impacted by the recall: Ioniq 6,…

Illegal Alien Charged with Killing Florida Father, Leaving Mother of 3 in Critical Condition

Illegal Alien Charged with Killing ‘Beloved’ Florida Father, Leaving Mother of Three in Critical Condition Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office/GoFundMe JOHN BINDER17 Apr 202637 2:36 An illegal alien is accused of killing 37-year-old Giovany Negron Talavera, a father, and leaving a mother of three children in critical condition following a hit-and-run in Hillsborough County, Florida. Edwin Rapalo-Lorenzo,…

2 Army soldiers injured in brown bear attack during Alaska training

Two U.S. Army soldiers were injured after being attacked by a brown bear during a training exercise in Alaska, a report said.  The troops from the 11th Airborne Division were hurt Thursday while participating in a “land navigation training event” at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson’s Arctic Valley training area in Anchorage, Lt. Col. Jo Nederhoed, a spokesperson…

Wyoming Republican introduces legislation to protect American energy from left-wing litigation

Wyoming GOP Rep. Harriet Hageman introduced legislation Friday to protect American energy producers from being targeted by retroactive left-wing lawsuits.  The legislation bans climate liability lawsuits from being filed retroactively, dismisses pending lawsuits on the date of the bill’s enactment, voids state energy penalty laws and affirms the federal government has sole authority to regulate greenhouse gas…

Ford recalls 1.4 million F-150 pickup trucks

Ford is recalling almost 1.4 million of its F-150 pickup trucks in the U.S. because of a gearshift issue that may lead to the loss of control of vehicles and increasing the risk of a crash. The automaker is aware of two injuries and one accident possibly related to the issue. Advertisement The recall includes…

Long Island man accused of trying to lure 11-year-old boy in Uniondale

A Nassau County man faces multiple charges are he allegedly tried to lure an 11-year-old earlier this week.  Nelson Acevedo, 51, has been charged with attempted kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, and endangering the welfare of a child. He pleaded not guilty. Bail was set at $250,000 cash. “A kid can’t even go home safely”  The alleged…

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