7. On this Presidents Day, the 50501 Movement has organized a series of protests across the nation in response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive actions, which include sweeping federal funding cuts and initiatives led by Elon Musk that aim to downsize the federal bureaucracy. By choosing a holiday meant to celebrate the nation’s leaders, protesters intend to underscore the urgency of preserving democracy, holding elected officials accountable, and reversing what they describe as an unprecedented dismantling of government functions. In a press release, Rep. Claudia Tenney (R-N.Y.) announced the proposed Establishment Act, which seeks to designate June 14 as a federal holiday by merging President Trump’s birthday with Flag Day — a date that commemorates the adoption of the U.S. flag in 1777 by permanently codifying “Trump’s Birthday and Flag Day” into law, the bill is intended to bolster national pride and ensure that both elements remain integral to the country’s cultural heritage.

6. Huntsville and Alabama’s most embarrassing school board member, who has been accused of doxing students (a charge she denies), attempted to shame parents who attempt to use Alabama’s new school choice options to leave her school district. Huntsville City Schools’ Andrea Alvarez wrote on Facebook that if you use school choice, “I think before anyone unenrolls their child from public school, they should have to look every other student at that school in the face and say ‘sorry, but my child deserves more than you do.’” The statement argues that parents who pull their children from public schools should face the moral weight of their decision by apologizing to the remaining students, acknowledging that their choice implies their child deserves more –  wildly stupid and ineffective message by Alvarez that was received very poorly.

5. Vice President JD Vance gave a speech supporting free speech to a group of Europeans whom he criticized for their “Soviet”-style approach to censorship, arguing that free speech is a cornerstone of democracy. CBS News’ host Margaret Brennan countered, suggesting that free speech had been “weaponized” by Nazi Germany to enable the Holocaust, a claim Secretary of State Marco Rubio strongly refuted, stating that the Nazi regime was authoritarian and suppressed all opposition. On CBS’ “60 Minutes,” later that day, the network promoted Germans who were locking up people for “lies” and “hate.”

4. At a press gaggle in West Palm Beach, President Trump announced he is spearheading negotiations aimed at ending the longstanding Russia-Ukraine war, emphasizing that the conflict “should never have started” and asserting that Russian President Putin and Ukrainian President Zelenskyy want to cease hostilities. In a move reflecting the gravity of the ongoing conflict, UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced his willingness to deploy British troops to Ukraine if necessary, highlighting that security guarantees are essential to achieving a lasting peace and deterring further Russian aggression. Speaking ahead of a high-level emergency summit in Paris with European leaders, Starmer stressed that the security of Ukraine is directly linked to the safety of the entire continent and that his decision, though weighing heavily on the lives of British servicemen and women, is a critical national responsibility. He underscored that this commitment is part of a broader strategic shift aimed at ensuring that the end of the war in Ukraine is not just a temporary lull but a permanent move towards a more secure future in Europe.

3.In a dramatic policy shift following President Donald Trump’s executive order that ended the CBP One phone app on Jan. 20, the Jewish Family Service of San Diego announced the closure of its long-standing migrant shelter and the layoff of 115 employees, as no new asylum-seeking families have arrived since the change. The shelter, which has served 200,000 migrants by offering temporary housing, meals, and transportation, was funded in part by federal grants now rescinded due to the administration’s new approach but since ZERO new “migrants” since Trump has taken over it would appear the shelter isn’t needed. With its shelter operations paused, the organization is redirecting its efforts toward pro bono legal assistance and community support services, while community partners explore alternative funding to help vulnerable residents.

2. A Marquette Law School poll conducted in the last few weeks found a majority of Americans support some of President Trump’s policies, including recognizing only two sexes (63% favor), deporting illegal immigrants (60%), declaring the southern border an emergency (59%), and expanding oil and gas production (60% favor). But he is not winning the public over on some other initiatives, such as renaming the Gulf of Mexico (71% oppose) and pardoning Jan. 6 defendants (65% oppose).

1. Huntsville is doomed, according to The New York Times. While the city is known for strong aerospace and defense sectors, its residents are experiencing mixed emotions as federal job cuts under the Trump administration create anxiety among government employees and contractors. Some fear the economic ripple effects, others remain cautiously optimistic, hoping that increased defense budgets and initiatives such as relocating Space Command will bring new opportunities. Alabama’s U.S. Sens. Katie Britt (R-Montgomery) and Tommy Tuberville (R-Auburn) emphatically reaffirmed Alabama’s pivotal role in U.S. space exploration by championing the Marshall Space Flight Center, emphasizing its critical contributions to the Space Launch System and national security against Chinese competition. Tuberville specifically stated, “The SLS will be fine,” adding, “I know that there’s a lot – because of Elon Musk involved in the DOGE situation – there’s a lot of rumors out there on that, but I got full confidence on the SLS and the future for them.”