Kennedy Center votes to put Trump’s name back on building and close for renovations 1/2

By Sunlen Serfaty, CNN

Updated: 7:09 AM EDT, Fri August 14, 2026

Source: CNN

President Donald Trump’s handpicked board of the Kennedy Center has voted a second time to close the performing arts institution for a two-year renovation, according to two people who were briefed on the decision.

The board on Thursday also voted to add an inscription below the Kennedy Center’s sign, saying the arts complex was “Restored and Renovated by President Donald J. Trump,” the sources said.

As part of the renovation plan, the board voted to keep open part of the complex separate from the main building, called the REACH, which will host smaller scale shows, they added.

The center will need to turn over information on the renovations and closure to a federal judge by August 18.

The Kennedy Center has been embroiled in legal disputes since Trump launched his effort to control the historic arts venue and put his stamp on the nation’s capital in his second term.

Trump had announced plans in February to close the center, which he said was “in bad condition.” In December, the board of trustees voted to rename it the “Trump Kennedy Center.”

In May, however, a federal judge in Washington, DC, blocked the center’s planned closure, demanding the board consider maintaining some programming during renovations to carry out its congressionally mandated activities.

US District Judge Casey Cooper also said the center’s board violated the law when it added Trump’s name to the performing arts venue.

The law establishing the center “makes crystal clear that the Center is to be named for President Kennedy, and it cannot bear any other formal name or public memorial based on the Board’s unilateral say-so,” wrote Cooper, who was appointed by former President Barack Obama.

Trump’s name was removed from the facadeof the Kennedy Center in June after the court order. Crowds gathered to watch workers take the letters down, but the removal was hidden by a tarp and scaffolding. Large, striped tarps have remained on the center’s exterior for months, preventing the public from viewing what remains.

(https://lite.cnn.com/2026/08/13/politics/kennedy-center-board-vote

>>24934125

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One of the sources briefed on the Thursday vote said that the idea is that Trump’s name now being included below the sign is not a move to “rename” the center. Another source said it would serve as a “permanent reminder” of his undermining of the institution.

CNN has reached out to the Kennedy Center for comment.

Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse — who has been designated as an ex-officio member of the Kennedy Center board by Congress — told MS NOW on Thursday that Trump called into the meeting and “gave a speech for several minutes.” The president’s vote in favor of the inscription was then “texted in,” Whitehouse added, along with that of his chief of staff Susie Wiles, who is a Trump-appointed member of the board.

Nathaniel Zelinsky, a lawyer representing Rep. Joyce Beatty, an Ohio Democrat and an ex-officio trustee of the board who sued last year to challenge the name change, told CNN on Thursday the center’s latest move is “an effort to evade the court’s justice.”

Federal law governing the Kennedy Center prohibits “additional memorials or plaques in the nature of memorials” from being “designated or installed” in public areas of the building.

The only exceptions are plaques acknowledging countries who gave gifts to the center, donor plaques on a theater chair or a theater box, or “any inscription on the marble walls in the north or south galleries, the Hall of States, or the Hall of Nations acknowledging a major contribution,” according to the legislation.

In Trump’s second term, the venue has served as a vehicle for the president to elevate work that plays to his cultural tastes. He hosted the Kennedy Center Honors in December, and the center held the premiere of first lady Melania Trump’s documentary in January. And earlier this summer, the center hosted the final round of Trump’s national civics contest for high school students.

The institution has faced slumping ticket sales, artist withdrawals, political controversies and a diminished staff, which have made it challenging to restart a full-scale programming schedule, multiple sources familiar with the matter previously told CNN.

The fallout continued earlier this week when a local judge ordered the center to pay jazz artist Chuck Redd’s legal fees after the institution sued him for canceling his Christmas Eve show over the addition of Trump’s name to the venue. The Kennedy Center has 45 days to make the payment.

The center is just one of the landmarks that has caught the president’s interest as he seeks to reshape Washington, DC.He has paved over the White House Rose Garden to create a Mar-a-Lago-esque patio, demolished the East Wing to make room for a massive ballroom and changed the color of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool.

He’s also launched efforts to expand a local golf course, construct the tallest arch in the world on a traffic circle across from Arlington National Cemetery and put a sculpture garden along the Potomac River.

https://lite.cnn.com/2026/08/13/politics/kennedy-center-board-vote

U.S. to use economic tactics on Iran ‘that have never been seen’; Navy works to relieve troubled carrier USS Abraham Lincoln

PUBLISHED THU, AUG 13 20269:30 PM

KEY POINTS

• The U.S. will be applying economic measures “that have never been seen on Iran,” according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

• This will be in conjunction with the military blockade imposed by Washington.

• Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the U.S. can keep a naval blockade of Iran going “indefinitely.”

• The USS George Washington is reportedly on the way to relieve the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been the subject of reports about poor conditions.

The U.S. will be applying economic measures “that have never been seen on Iran,” according to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

“It will be a combination of economic isolation like ‌the world has ​never seen before, ​and ​the continued blockade in ‌the Strait of ​Hormuz that will ​keep anything from going in or out of ​the ‌Iranian ports,” Bessent said in an interview with Newsmax, without elaborating further.

His statements come as U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth reportedly saidlate Thursday stateside that the U.S. military can keep a naval blockade of Iran going “indefinitely.” The Navy will rotate ships in and out “as we have, and we’ll continue to,” Hegseth told reporters.

Media reports have said that the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington was headed to replace the USS Abraham Lincoln, which has been deployed for more than 250 days in the Middle East. Its deployment had been expected to end in May.

The George Washington strike group departed Vietnam on Aug. 12, the Navy said in a statement.

Hegseth also told reporters that reports about poor conditions aboard the Lincoln, including food shortages, declining morale and even attempts by sailors to jump overboard,were “completely misrepresented.”

After Hegseth’s comments, Rep. Mike Levin, D-Calif., said on X that he had sent a letter to Hegseth and acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao to express serious concerns about conditions aboard the Lincoln.

“The reports coming from military families and loved ones about the conditions aboard the USS Lincoln are simply unacceptable. Reports include concerns of moldy showers, broken toilets, lack of hot water, lack of access to fresh produce, and supply shortages,” the letter said.

Sailors and Marines are also said to have an “overwhelming workload,” which is contributing to “extreme fatigue and burnout,” it said.

In a post on X,U.S. Central Command said that reports alleging a brawl aboard the carrier were false, and that no service members have died.

This came after Iranian media claimed on Tuesday that seven U.S. Navy personnel have been killed and several wounded “in a violent clash” on the Lincoln.

https://www.cnbc.com/2026/08/14/us-iran-war-trump-hormuz-carrier-abraham-lincoln-george-washington.html

JD Vance

@JDVance

22h

For years now, some hospitals and healthcare providers have been subjecting children to horrific, experimental treatments in service of radical gender ideologies. Today, thanks to the Wolves in White Coats report released by @HHSGov, we know why: profit. It turns out that convincing vulnerable children to reject their gender can create patients for life, earning hospitals tens of thousands of dollars in additional revenue per child.

The report contains deeply disturbing allegations, and I encourage every American and every parent, to read it. More than just pushing these procedures on kids, hospitals and providers may have been defrauding Medicaid and private insurers by using misleading or fraudulent billing codes to get insurance to cover the costs.

JD Vance

@JDVance

22h

This Administration will not stand idly by while some in the medical community harm our children in search of profit.That is why today I am referring this matter to the Department of Justice to launch a federal criminal investigation. We will stop this fraud and restore trust in public health.

Thanks to @SecKennedy, @ADM_Christine and @AGToddBlanche for their tremendous work to shed light on the disastrous consequences of these radical practices. I look forward to working with @TheJusticeDept to ensure we hold anyone who has violated federal law accountable

JD Vance

@JDVance

22h

This Administration will not stand idly by while some in the medical community harm our children in search of profit. That is why today I am referring this matter to the Department of Justice to launch a federal criminal investigation. We will stop this fraud and restore trust in public health.

Thanks to @SecKennedy, @ADM_Christine and @AGToddBlanche for their tremendous work to shed light on the disastrous consequences of these radical practices. I look forward to working with @TheJusticeDept to ensure we hold anyone who has violated federal law accountable.

JD Vance

@JDVance

22h

This Administration will not stand idly by while some in the medical community harm our children in search of profit. That is why today I am referring this matter to the Department of Justice to launch a federal criminal investigation. We will stop this fraud and restore trust in public health.

Thanks to @SecKennedy, @ADM_Christine and @AGToddBlanche for their tremendous work to shed light on the disastrous consequences of these radical practices.I look forward to working with @TheJusticeDept to ensure we hold anyone who has violated federal law accountable.

https://xcancel.com/JDVance/status/2087939909239677308

Catherine Herridge on X:"@JDVance @HHSGov The new report @JDVance @HHSGov acknowledges whistleblower @V_savidge who exposed alleged Medicaid Fraud at TX Children's hospital (TCH) over gender medicine for minors. The referral to @AGToddBlanche takes accountability a step further after the 10M settlement with TCH. I"

user avatar

JD Vance

@JDVance

For years now, some hospitals and healthcare providers have beensubjecting children to horrific, experimental treatments in service of radical gender ideologies. Today, thanks to the Wolves in White Coats report released by @HHSGov, we know why: profit. It turns out that Show more

Catherine Herridge

@C__Herridge

The new report @JDVance @HHSGov acknowledges whistleblower @V_savidge who exposed alleged Medicaid Fraud at TX Children's hospital (TCH) over gender medicine for minors.

The referral to @AGToddBlanche takes accountability a step further after the 10M settlement with TCH.

I recently sat down with Savidge who revealed - for the first time - that she was the government's principal witness in the TX case.

x.com/C__Herridge/st…

user avatar

Catherine Herridge

@C__Herridge

Aug 10

BREAKING: Texas Children’s Hospital Nurse Vanessa Sivadge Speaks For The First Time Since Historic $10 Million Settlement After Blowing The Whistle on Alleged Medicaid Fraud Linked to…

(https://x.com/C__Herridge/status/2087961170531483867

New aircraft carrier heads toward Mideast after reports of issues on long-deployed USS Lincoln

AUGUST 14, 20262:31 AM ET

WASHINGTON — The Pacific-based aircraft carrier USS George Washington has begun heading toward the Middle East as reports have emerged of mental health and supply issues aboard the long-deployed USS Abraham Lincoln.

The Lincoln has been supporting the U.S. war against Iran, and its deployment has included a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea of more than 260 days.Several Democratic lawmakers are pressing for accountability from the Pentagon over conditions aboard the carrier, which Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday said were "completely misrepresented."

Extended deployments of carriers during the Iran conflict have raised concerns about the impact on service members who are away from home for long periods as well as the increasing strain on the ship and its equipment. While renewed hostilities between the U.S. and Iran have calmed in recent weeks, the Navy has reimposed a blockade on Iranian ports in the crucial Strait of Hormuz, and the Trump administration has offered no clarity on how it intends to wind down the war.

Hegseth told reporters that the U.S. can maintain the blockade "indefinitely."

A new aircraft carrier is heading west from the Asia-Pacific

The USS George Washington left port in Da Nang, Vietnam, last week, a Navy statement said. The carrier, along with a cruiser and a destroyer, have since been spotted crossing the Singapore Strait.

A Navy official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to detail sensitive ship details,confirmed that the Washington was in the Strait of Malacca, which links the Pacific and Indian oceans and puts the carrier on a course to head into the Indian Ocean. The Wall Street Journal reported earlier that the Washington would replace the Lincoln as one of the two aircraft carriers now stationed in the Middle East.

The move would leave the waters of the Pacific without a U.S. carrier presence for an unknown period of time. The Trump administration sees China, the dominant power in the region, as "a settled force" that only needs to be deterred from dominating the U.S. or its allies and not the top global adversary that it was under the Biden administration.

The Lincoln originally deployed Nov. 21 from San Diego, and it arrived in the Middle East in January, ahead of the launch of the Iran war on Feb. 28. The Navy conceded that the conflict created a "highly contested environment where traditional supply hubs in the Middle East were disrupted by combat actions." That, in turn, led to shortages and loss of mail aboard the aircraft carrier, the Navy said in a statement.

"Leadership prioritized mission-critical supplies: first food, then hygiene items, then mail," the statement said, before assuring that sailors aboard the ship now have access to clean water and "healthy meal options."

Democrats call for scrutiny, while the Pentagon defends conditions aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln

Democratic lawmakers are calling for investigations, more information and greater visibility into conditions aboard the ship, which was originally set to return home in May.

"The Lincoln's prolonged deployment is especially significant because it is occurring in the context of continuing military operations against Iran and the possibility that substantial US naval forces will be required in the region for an extended period," Connecticut Sen. Richard Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wrote in a letter to Navy leadership asking for a response to several questions.

Arizona Sen. Ruben Gallego, a Marine Corps veteran, said on social media that he is looking to take a bipartisan delegation on an official oversight visit to the ship and that the way sailors are being treated is "not just disgusting; it's dangerous."

https://www.npr.org/2026/08/14/nx-s1-5931183/new-aircraft-carrier-heads-toward-mideast-after-reports-of-issues-on-long-deployed-uss-lincoln

the question is what the leaders of the military under Biden’s term, they would be responsible for disrepair!

Eric Daugherty

@EricLDaugh

Aug 12

🚨BREAKING — HUGE ELECTION INTEGRITY WIN: 5th Circuit REINSTATES provisions of Texas' 2021 law that required strict ID for mail-in ballots, and other crucial anti-fraud measures

MASSIVE BLOW to activist judges and cheaters!

The judge WENT OFF on liberal judges: "As so often happens in modern America, a federal district judge then countermanded the Legislature with sweeping facial injunctions. We have been staying, vacating, and reversing those injunctions ever since."

🔥🔥🔥

Great news for Texas! KEEP TX RED

https://xcancel.com/EricLDaugh/status/2087678162704515311#m

Will the mystery of the Dobbs leak ever be solved?

Kelsey Dallas.1/3

Mar 6, 2026

Justice Clarence Thomas’ virtual appearancelast week at a legal conference in Washington, D.C. brought renewed attention to court security.Thomas had originally planned to attend in person, but he had to pivot due to an unexplained risk. News coverage of the change noted that justices have taken heightened precautions since 2022, when a leak of a draft of the Supreme Court’s opinion in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization,the case in which the court ultimately overturned Roe v. Wade, led to protests outside some justices’ houses and an assassination attempt on Justice Brett Kavanaugh.

The leak itself was briefly back in the news in mid-February, amid Attorney General Pam Bondi’s testimony before the House Judiciary Committee. During the hearing, Rep. Brandon Gill, a Republican from Texas, asked if “the Biden-Harris DOJ ever determine(d) who leaked the Dobbs decision,” prompting Bondi to explain that she “can’t discuss that,” but that, no, the Department of Justice under President Joe Biden did not identify the leaker.

Bondi’s non-response response implies that the Department of Justice does not consider the investigation to be closed, although the Supreme Court itself announced in January 2023 that, after an unsuccessful investigation led by the Supreme Court marshal, there were few leads left to follow.

Here’s a refresher on the circumstances of the leak, the court’s investigation, and a look at what might happen next.

What is the Dobbs leak?

This part will likely be quite familiar to most SCOTUSblog readers, but, as a refresher, in Dobbs the court reconsidered its past decisionsestablishing a constitutional right to abortion, ultimately overruling those cases and returning the power to set abortion policy to the states. Dobbs was the highest-profile case of the 2021-22 term, and indeed, one of the highest-profile Supreme Court cases in history.

The court heard argument in Dobbs on Dec. 1, 2021. On May 2, 2022, Politico published, in an article by Josh Gerstein and Alexander Ward, what appeared to be a draft of the court’s opinion in the case without revealing who had leaked it. The article – titled “Supreme Court has voted to overturn abortion rights, draft opinion shows” – reported that the opinion by Justice Samuel Alito, which was dated Feb. 10, had been “circulated inside the court and obtained by Politico.”

The article sparked a flurry of online commentary about whether the draft was real and, if so, how the unprecedented leak had happened. It also led to in-person protests outside the Supreme Court Building, outside some of the justices’ homes, and across the country.

Did the Supreme Court confirm the Dobbs leak was real?

The day after Politico published the draft opinion, the Supreme Court confirmed that it was real in a press release. Chief Justice John Roberts described the leak as “a singular and egregious breach” of the trust between the court and its employees– indeed, the Dobbs leak is thought to be the first leak of a draft opinion, although there have been leaks about the court’s internal deliberations before (such as justices’ likely votes). Nevertheless, Roberts made clear that “[t]he work of the Court will not be affected in any way.”

“To the extent this betrayal of the confidences of the Court was intended to undermine the integrity of our operations, it will not succeed,” Roberts said.

The chief added that he had “directed the Marshal of the Court to launch an investigation into the source of the leak.”

How did the court’s Dobbs opinion compare to the leaked opinion?

While the court’s press release confirmed the authenticity of the draft, it also emphasized that a draft is exactly that, a draft. “Justices circulate draft opinions internally as a routine and essential part of the Court’s confidential deliberative work. Although the document described in yesterday’s reports is authentic, it does not represent a decision by the Court or the final position of any member on the issues in the case,” the release said.

However, when the court released its Dobbs opinion onJune 24, 2022, the final document had much in common with the leaked draft. CNN’s in-depth analysis of the two texts showed that more than 100,000 of the 125,290 charactersin the final opinion were unchanged from the February draft. As CNN reported, “[w]hile some parts were taken out [from the draft], Alito’s opinion added more to the final ruling — including a critique of the dissenting opinions — than he removed.”

https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/03/will-the-mystery-of-the-dobbs-leak-ever-be-solved/

>>24934464

2/3

What happened with the Supreme Court’s investigation?

As noted above, following the draft’s leak,Roberts instructed Supreme Court Marshal Gail Curley “to launch an investigation into the public disclosure of the draft majority opinion” so as to “determine who made the unauthorized disclosure.”

On Jan. 19, 2023, seven months after it released its opinion in Dobbs and over eight months after the investigation began, the Supreme Court offered an update on Curley’s investigation. “After months of diligent analysis of forensic evidence and interviews of almost 100 employees,” the court’s two-page statement explained, “the Marshal’s team determined that no further investigation was warranted with respect to many of the ‘82 employees’” who would have had access to the leaked draft. The investigators, according to the statement, followed up “on all available leads,” but had so far been “unable to identify a person responsible by a preponderance of the evidence.”

Along with its statement, the court released a public version of Curley’s report, which explained the investigation in more detail. It indicated that her team conducted “formal interviews” with 97 employees, “all of whom denied disclosing the opinion.” After those initial interviews, the employees were asked to sign sworn statements, under penalty of perjury, attesting that they were not the source of the leak. “[A]ll personnel who had access to the draft opinion” signed these affidavits, according to the report.

The report also revealed that investigators had ruled out as “unlikely” the possibility that someone from outside the court had hacked into the court’s computer systems and accessed the draft opinion that way.

The court’s statement emphasized that investigators would continue to review available evidence but implied that there were few leads left to pursue. It also noted that the court had asked Michael Chertoff, a former secretary of Homeland Security and judge, to assess the investigation, and that Chertoff had deemed it to be “thorough.”

As SCOTUSblog reported at the time, the marshal’s report was “widely criticized” because it provided few insights about how the justices themselves were treated during the investigation. For example, Curley did not reveal whether investigators had spoken with the justices or members of the justices’ families. But in a brief statement released on Jan. 20, 2023, Curley clarified that she had spoken “with each of the Justices, several on multiple occasions.” She further clarified that, unlike court employees, the justices were not asked to swear under penalty of perjury that they were not the source of the leak.

Is the FBI involved?

Even before the court revealed that its investigation had not uncovered a clear culprit, Roberts faced some criticism for the decision to assign the task to Curley from observers who felt the marshal and her team were ill-equipped to conduct a thorough investigation. Although few of the justices have spoken about this, Alito told The Wall Street Journal in 2023 that he felt Curley “did a good job with the resources that were available to her.”

In May 2025, we learned that additional investigators had been assigned to the matter: then-FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino announced on social media that the FBI was prioritizing work on the Dobbs leak and that he was receiving weekly briefings on the investigation. “If you have any investigative tips on these matters that may assist us then please contact the FBI,” Bongino wrote.

What would happen if the leaker were to be identified?

In the aftermath of the leak, legal experts debated whether what had happened was a crime or merely a breach of the court’s internal code of conduct. Charges would have been more likely if the leak involved hacking or a physical break-in, lawyers told The Washington Post.

As it stands, the most likely charge is for theft of government property. The relevant statute, 18 U.S.C. 641, prohibits stealing or receiving government property, including documents, and carries a penalty of up to 10 years in prison.

The leaker could also potentially be subject to prosecution for lying during the court’s investigation if that individual had signed a sworn affidavit denying involvement.

https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/03/will-the-mystery-of-the-dobbs-leak-ever-be-solved/

>>24934470

3/3

If the source of the leak is identified as a current Supreme Court employee, there would almost certainly be professional consequences. The court has long used confidentiality pledges or other, similar documents to enforce its expectation of secrecy and has more recently begun having employees sign nondisclosure agreements “promising to keep the court’s inner workings secret,” according to The New York Times(though the enforceability of such agreements is questionable).

What has Pam Bondi said about the Dobbsleak?

February was not the first time Bondi was questioned about the Justice Department’s work on the Dobbs leak. Sen. Ted Cruz, a Republican from Texas, brought up the potential for criminal charges against the source of the leak – if that source can be identified – when Bondi testified before the Senate Judiciary Committee in October 2025.

“General Bondi, do you agree that leaking that opinion was a criminal act?,” Cruz asked after explaining that he believes that 18 U.S.C. 641 would apply.

Bondi responded, “I can’t discuss anything regarding that matter. That should answer your question.”

Cruz urged Bondi “to direct the FBI to use every resource possible to investigate, to find the leaker,” noting that the FBI “has far greater investigatory tools at its disposal than does the Marshals Service.”

Will the source of the Dobbs leak be identified?

To state the obvious: we don’t know.

That said, the justices themselves may have at least some idea of the leaker’s identity. In his 2023 interview with The Wall Street Journal, Alito said that he has “a pretty good idea who is responsible,” but added that “that’s different from the level of proof that is needed to name somebody.” He didn’t elaborate further.

As noted above, Bondi also alluded to an ongoing investigation during her House testimony in February. At the very least, this suggests that the Justice Department may believe there is more to uncover about the leak.

But as Cruz noted during the Senate Judiciary Committee hearing in October, time is running out in at least one regard: There is a five-year statute of limitations on stealing government property, which would mean that prosecutors would have to bring charges by around this time next year.

https://www.scotusblog.com/2026/03/will-the-mystery-of-the-dobbs-leak-ever-be-solved/

(I really believe the SC will never reveal who it was because it’s link to one of the lefty justices!)

Can you imagine that fanatics are willing to kill members of the SC so women can kill their fetuses and babies? The death cult in the society.

Michigan State Police rescue two women and a child after trio was stranded in forest for three days

Canoeing the Muskegon River, right into a massive thunderstorm.

Michigan's Muskegon River, where Jazmin Hock and her family were water tubing before their crafts broke apart, stranding them in the nearby woods for three days. (Aleshia Wood/iStock)

Michigan State Police rescue 9-year-old Kayden Kovalcik along with his mom and aunt after the trio were stranded for three days

Michigan State Police rescue 9-year-old Kayden Kovalcik along with his mom and aunt after the trio were stranded for three days. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

Michigan rescuer hugs a woman who had been missing for three days after getting lost with her family on the Muskegon River

A Michigan rescuer hugs a woman who had been missing for three days after getting lost with her family on the Muskegon River. (Michigan Department of Natural Resources)

Michigan rescuers find family stranded for 3 days after tubing trip in dramatic video

Jazman Hock, Sarah Vida and 9-year-old Kayden Kovalciksurvived on flowers, bark and ants after pool rafts broke apart

August 11, 2026 11:09am EDT

Heart-pounding new video shows the moment a family of three stranded in the wildernessfor three days were rescued after getting lost while tubing in a Michigan river.

Video shows members of the MichiganDepartment of Natural Resources and a Michigan State Police K-9 unit successfully locating Jazman Hock, her cousin Sarah Vida, and Sarah's 9-year-old son, Kayden Kovalcik, on Aug. 8 after the trio had been stranded while water tubing on the Muskegon River

The footage also reveals the moment state troopers and the resource workers located the stranded wayfarers,with one rescuer instructing them to "Make some noise… Yell!" as the officials closed in on the family.

Rescuers waded through thick forest grass as they called out to the group before finally reaching the family.

One of the women was cut up and wearing a bathing suit while Kovalcik was shirtless. The group had been water tubing on the Muskegon River whentheir rafts, which were only meant to be used in a pool, broke apart and left them stranded, Jazman's mother, Teresa Hock, told WWMT.

The family can be heard telling their rescue team what happened.

"We got lost on the river," the shirtless Kovalcik explained.

"We went to the river, and we were on the river for four hours," he continued.

The rescuers appeared audibly shaken, as one exasperated "oh my God" multiple times. Another hugged one of the two women, repeatedly telling her, "good job, good job."

It's unclear which of the two women he's speaking to,but one rescuer tells her, "let's have you sit down, you are cut up. You're not going to be able to walk very good, are you?"

"I'm forcing myself," she replies.

While the trio had packed protein bars and water,they gave all the food to the young Kovalcik, Hock told WWMT, while the two women survived on flowers, bark and ants.

"We are relieved to report that Jazman Hock, Sarah Vida, and Kayden Kovalcik have been located alive and safe. This is the outcome everyone involved had hoped for. We are incredibly grateful for the tireless efforts of the many law enforcement agencies, fire departments, emergency responders, search and rescue teams, and volunteers who dedicated countless hours to this search," Michigan State Police said in a post on X.

"Jazman, Sarah, and Kayden were located safe by anMSP K-9 team and Michigan DNR Conservation Officers approximately three-quarters of a mile northeast of the Mill Iron Rd Boat Launch at 4:36 pm.It was truly remarkable to see so many highly trained professionals from multiple agencies come together by establishing a Unified Command, share resources, and work as one team toward a common goal," the post concluded.

Fox News Digital contacted Michigan State Police and Michigan Department of Natural Resources for further comment

https://www.foxnews.com/video/6403207545112

NEW: Woman Identified and Arrested on Two Felony Charges After Vandalizing DC’s Sacred World War II Memorial – Faces Up to TEN YEARS in Prison

By Cullen Linebarger Aug. 14, 2026 11:00 am

The wicked individual who spray-painted and dumped chemicals on DC’s WWII memorial has been identified and arrested.

As The Gateway Pundit reported earlier, the World War II memorial in Washington, D.C., was vandalized on Thursday with bubbly soap and graffiti containing a very nasty message to the military.

The memorial fountain bubbled over with suds, and a complete loser painted the words “Clean hands Dirty $” on one of its surfaces.

The area was also splattered with red and green paint.

The Interior Department, which oversees the National Park Service, vowed zero tolerance and a commitment to finding the person or people responsible.

Now, justice has arrived.

Jeanine Pirro, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, has just announced that authorities have arrested Melissa L. Farris and faces the following charges: Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans’ Memorials.

Should Farris be convicted of both charges, she faces up to 10 years in prison.

Pirro also shared two photos of Farris. One shows her wearing sunglasses and looking into the camera.

The other shows her spray-painting words on the memorial.

“Vandalizing our World War II Memorial is a despicable attack on a sacred monument honoring the Americans who fought and died for our freedom,” Pirro wrote on X. “Those Americans include my father and grandfather.

“This morning, we are filing two felony charges, Depredation Against Property of the United States and Destruction of Veterans’ Memorial in Federal District Court againstMelissa L. Farris, offenses that carry penalties of up to ten years in prison,” she added.

She is now in custody.”

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2026/08/new-woman-identified-arrested-two-felony-charges-after/