Cheryl K. Chumley

Obama, Democrats head to retreat in cloak of secrecy, with press banned

President Obama — who famously promised when he took office in 2009 to bring about an "unprecedented level of openness in government" — has headed off to Baltimore for a retreat with Democrats with one special caveat: No press allowed.

January 16, 2015

St. Louis sees 7 homicides in 24 hours: ‘Criminals have been empowered’

St. Louis has seen seven homicides in 24 hours — a sad reality that Police Chief Sam Dotson said only proves that the "criminals have been empowered" and that more gun control was needed.

January 16, 2015

Trey Gowdy: ‘It’s about damn time’ we use power of purse to rein in Obama

Rep. Trey Gowdy, South Carolina's fiery conservative, took to the House floor to deliver an impassioned speech that brought on the cheers and applause from fellow lawmakers, telling them that the time has surely come to rein in President Obama via the constitutional power of the purse.

January 16, 2015

John Kerry in Paris, set for James Taylor croon: ‘You’ve Got a Friend’

Secretary of State John Kerry hit the streets of Paris on Friday, walking to the deli where four hostages were killed, to lay a wreath of flowers, to the Charlie Hebdo offices to drop off a similar arrangement, to the street median where the policeman was shot to deposit some more — and then hitting city hall for a rendition of James Taylor's "You've Got a Friend."

January 16, 2015

Ben Carson to launch exploratory committee ‘within the next two or three weeks’

Retired neurosurgeon and possible 2016 presidential candidate Ben Carson has tapped Ryan Rhodes, a top political insider, to oversee his Iowa campaign — and he also plans to launch an exploratory committee in the coming two to three weeks, The Iowa Republican website reported.

January 16, 2015

Mitch McConnell on immigration: GOP shouldn’t expect a miracle on repeal

Sen. Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Republicans in the House may have sent the Senate a measure that yanks President Obama's immigration orders — but it's just not going to happen because Democrats won't join the effort.

January 16, 2015

Alex Malarkey, ‘Boy Who Came Back from Heaven,’ says he lied — ‘I did not go to heaven’

Alex Malarkey, the boy at the heart of a bestselling book, "The Boy Who Came Back from Heaven," said in a letter to his publisher that he lied — he never died when he was 6 years old and went to heaven and visited with angels.

January 16, 2015

Al Sharpton calls ‘emergency meeting’ over Hollywood’s all-white Oscar list

The Rev. Al Sharpton announced he was holding an "emergency meeting" to discuss Hollywood's all-white list of Oscar nominees and talk about possible action against the Academy Awards' powers-who-be.

January 16, 2015

Duke University reverses plan to sound Muslim call of prayer from chapel bell tower

Duke University has decided to reverse its plan to sound the Muslim call-to-prayer from a chapel bell tower on campus after receiving a wave of backlash from Christians who called the plan unfair.

January 15, 2015

Christian mom sounds alarm on Tennessee school bus taillight that flashes pentagram

A Christian mother in Tennessee has sounded the alarm on her town's school bus brake lights that she says form the shape of a pentagram — a pagan symbol of witchcraft and devil worship — when activated by the driver.

January 15, 2015

Terror suspects killed in police raid in Belgium: ‘A second Paris has been avoided’

At least two suspected jihadists were killed in an anti-terror raid by Belgian police in Verviers on Thursday.

January 15, 2015

Pope Francis: Climate change mostly man’s fault

Pope Francis said Thursday that climate change is due primarily from human activities.

January 15, 2015

Boston in mayhem: 17 arrested as ‘Black Lives Matter’ protests shut down interstate

Protesters with the group "Black Lives Matter" caused a massive traffic backup by Boston on Thursday, shutting down Interstate-93 — a main thoroughfare for commuters — by chaining themselves to roadway railings and 1,200 pound construction barrels.

January 15, 2015

Franklin Graham on TV tells Muslims: Convert to Christianity — ‘Christ will forgive’

The Rev. Franklin Graham told Muslims during a nationally televised interview on Fox News that they should convert to Christianity — that Jesus Christ will forgive and save them.

January 15, 2015

American Sniper: Oscar best picture nomination

"American Sniper" may snag the highest honor in Hollywood: An Oscar for best picture.

January 15, 2015

Rand Paul on Mitt Romney candidacy: ‘Same old, same old’

Sen. Rand Paul cautioned Republicans against supporting former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney for another run at the White House, saying his candidacy wasn't likely to produce anything new — that it would be pretty much business as usual.

January 15, 2015

Afghanistan confirms Islamic State in-country; recruiter is ex-Gitmo guy

An Afghan general and governor both confirmed that the Islamic State is now in-country, flying its black flags and recruiting fighters -- and that one of the group's main recruiters is Mullah Abdul Rauf, a former U.S. captive sent to Guantanamo Bay but released in 2007.

January 15, 2015

Pinellas County sheriff’s ‘In Dog We Trust’ rug flies under radar for weeks

The Pinellas County Sheriff's Office in Florida is changing out a rug that's been displayed for some weeks in its front lobby, after an alert deputy noticed a massive misprint — "In Dog We Trust."

January 15, 2015

Secret Service reassigns four from protections detail in wake of agency scandals

The Secret Service said it's sending four senior-level officials packing into likely lower-level positions, the latest agency shake-up that comes on the heels of high-profile security lapses and widely reported sexual scandals.

January 15, 2015

Obama loses luster on Islamic State: Almost 56 percent say he’s not up to the fight

Nearly 56 percent of Americans say President Obama doesn't have what it takes to fight Islamic terrorists, and only 33 percent think he's up to the job, a new Fox News poll showed.

January 15, 2015