08/15/2026
Schuylkill Indivisible-August 14, 2026 - Josephine Kwiatkowski Report
Action:
*Call our Congressman and Senators-Demand that they call for the resignation of Pete Hegseth. He is not taking care of our troops, as witnessed by the reported conditions on the USS Lincoln. He has threatened our readiness by depleting our munitions while providing a fireworks show for Trump. This man’s military career should have ended with Signalgate. We cannot tolerate such ineptness when our national security is involved. (As always ask that you call be logged)
* Tuesday,August 18th, The Butler Township Supervisors will hold a special public hearing on 2 amendments concerning zoning and the proposed data center. Public hearing begins at 3:30 p.m. Regular meeting at 6:00 p.m. where the supervisors will vote on the amendments. Public comments will be permitted at both meetings. To be held at 211 Broad Street, Ashland. (Not in town, but across the street from the cemetery along 61 in Fountain Springs.) The first measure, Ordinance No. 2026-2, would amend the township zoning map to add property along the west side of Interstate 81 and the south side of Route 4007, also known as Gordon Mountain Rd., to the Data Center Overlay – created last year – within the Interchange zoning district.
Specifically, the ordinance would fold in all of the parcel listed by the Schuylkill County Tax Assessment Office as 04-09-0037.001, along with a portion of parcel 04-09-0037.000. The notice says the second parcel is already in the Interchange district, and that the change would exclude the piece identified as Lot 1 on a final subdivision and annexation plan recorded in Plan Book 40, page 74, which sits in the Woodland Conservation (W-C) district.
The overlay expansion is a step Nebius Inc. needs in order to build its data center campus at Highridge to full scale.
*Attend a commissioners’ meeting on Wednesday, at 1000 at the Court House.
Contact Info: Senator Fetterman (202) 224-4254, Senator McCormick (202) 224-6324, Dan Meuser (202) 225-6511 or (570) 871-6370 If you're freaked out about calling authority figures, don't be. They work for us. You literally pay their paycheck. Make sure they have the phone call they deserve. 5 Calls app has topics and scripts if you need any.
World
Trump’s War of Choice-Iran
*Trump is demanding reparations from Iran for those who have died during the conflict. The request was made after Iran called for compensation for damages.
*Iran said it was nearing a final pact with Oman defining new shipping lanes between them through the Strait of Hormuz but repeated that the US must meet other conditions before the strategic waterway is reopened. (Reuters)
The Rest of the World
*A magnitude 7.4 earthquake struck Colombia on Monday. At least 265 people were killed and 87 injured. Buildings across several cities were toppled. Columbia has declared a natural disaster.
*A Russian drone strike on Ranok's warehouse in the northeastern city of Kharkiv on August 1 destroyed about 8 million books, the biggest blow yet to Ukraine's publishing industry during the four-year-old war.
*Ukraine launched a massive drone attack on Russia’s Black Sea port city of Novorossiysk, incapacitating 2 major grain terminals, raising fears in the global markets of a disruption to supplies. Russia is the world’s largest wheat exporter. (Reuters)
*Russia had freed ailing ex-marine Robert Gilman for humanitarian reasons. The reasons for his release are unclear, but reportedly there has been no exchange.
*The UN has reported that 95% of Ukrainian POWs have reported abuse. POWs have been subjected to beatings, electric shocks and sexual abuse. Russia has disavowed all allegations.
*Syrai has sentenced Bashar al-Assad and his brother, in absentia, to death, convicting them of killings, torture and arbitrary arrests. Assad is currently in Russia with no hope of extradition.
* Texas-based Greenland Energy is moving forward with plans to drill for oil in Greenland. Some drilling-related equipment has already been brought ashore even though Greenland says the necessary approvals have NOT been granted. Greenland Energy has also brought in Dr. Phil McGraw, a prominent Trump supporter who Trump appointed to his Religious Liberty Commission, to produce a documentary series about the Greenland oil project.
*WHO is reporting that the Ebola outbreak in the Congo is on track to surpass the deadliest on in history that killed over 11,000 people. So far, the deadly virus has killed over 2,000 people.
*The mysterious strikes targeting multiple Ecuadorian fishing boats near the Galápagos Islands this year were carried out as part of a covert CIA program, The Washington Post has learned. While many details about the agency’s involvement were not clear, one person with knowledge of the matter said the strikes were part of a “covert action” program, a type of secret operation overseas that is approved by the president, but where the role of the U.S. government is not publicly acknowledged. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the subject’s sensitivity.
Nation
General
*The senate approved Todd Blanche as Attorney General by a 50-49 vote.
*Puerto Rico has begun to ration water, due to a severe drought.
*The senate approved a tough sanction bill concerning Russia, the bill will head to the house, which has already left for their August recess. The bill would allow the Trump administration to impose up to 100 percent tariffs on the top five purchasers of Russian oil and gas and other countries that help circumvent existing sanctions on Russia’s energy sector. It would also extend sanctions on Iran, a White House priority that was tacked on to the legislation.
*Trump has finally admitted that “some contractor error” was involved in the reflecting pool fiasco. Rep. Raskin has launched a probe into Pirro and Burgum after reversal on the reflecting pool case. Raskin has requested documents from the DOJ.
*The consumer price index rose at a 3.4% annual pace in July, down slightly from 3.5% in June.
*Trump is set to spend at least $900,000 million on WH constructions. Currently the administration has put together funding from other agencies, and private donors, instead of asking for Congress to approve the funds. Taxpayers will be liable for the majority of the costs.
*The CIA had “low confidence” in the treat to Trump before planes were switched.
*The Kennedy Center board, appointed by Trump, is moving forward with a 2-year closure for renovations. It also decided to put Trump’s name back on the building.
Military
*The Pentagon is asking the defense industry to rapidly escalate the production and delivery of weapons. Deputy defense Secretary Feinberg wrote to industry leaders saying they have 21 days to submit plans to outlining have they will deliver more munitions faster.
*The USS Abraham Lincoln, dispatched to the Middle East since November 2025, and has not docked for more that 244 days is reportedly in short supply of water, nourishing food, lack of hygiene products and disruptions in the mail system, causing care packages to be lost in transit for months. Mental health issues are also causing concern as reports of as many as 6 sailors jumping overboard have been reported. The vessels was supposed to return home in May, but its mission was extended indefinitely. The Pentagon is replacing the USS Lincoln and sending it back to San Diego.
Immigration
*ICE says it expects to equip its field officers with body cameras by the end of the month.
*Trump has revoked more than 175,00 visas claiming violation of the visa’s terms relating to criminal activity or for calls of violence against US citizens.
*As ICE has backed off plans to convert warehouse into jails, ICE is now looking to buy existing privately owned facilities and build new facilities close by. Several deals with private prison operator CoreCivic are said to be in the works (CoreCivic has no Pennsylvania facilities). Revenue grew more than 27% for private prison operator CoreCivic as the Tennessee company profited from contracts with Immigration and Customs Enforcement that support the Trump administration’s mass detention and deportation agenda. The GEO group that runs the Immigration Detention facility in Clearfield County, PA, says ICE has been in touch about purchasing some of its 19 detention facilities, a move immigration advocates call an attempt to limit oversight. Clearfield County’s five-year contracts with ICE and GEO Group are set to expire in late September. (Spotlight)
*CoreCivic’s profits are also linked to several lucrative real estate deals with the federal government. Since July the company has sold four prisons to the federal government, earning $2.2 billion from the sales. CoreCivic will continue to operate the same detention facilities under new management contracts with ICE. (Tennessee Outlook)
*ICE will spend $10-$20 million outfitting its agents with gloves that can deliver painful electric shocks. The gloves are billed as “conductive distraction and de-escalation devices.” The devices known as the G.L.O.V.E. and manufactured by Compliant Technologies LLC of Lexington, Kentucky DHS will be available by March of 2027.
Health
*States, including PA, will have to meet a Jan. 1 deadline to implement new Medicaid work requirements, after United States District Judge Richard Stearns of Massachusetts denied 25 Democratic-led states’ request to pause implementation of the rule.
*Trump has signed an executive order changing the childhood vaccine schedule by recommending the splitting up of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot across three separate visits. Immunization recommendations will be for only 11 core vaccinations, including measles, mumps, rubella, polio, whooping cough, Varicella, HPV, Hib and Pneumococcal disease— would be recommended. Hepatitis A and B, Rotavirus, Meningococcal Disease, Influenza and Covid 19 would not be recommended. Fear is that splitting the vaccines will keep children vulnerable to the disease for a longer period of time. Separate vaccines for the MMR are also not currently available in the US. Trump has stated that splitting the MMR vaccine will have an impact on autism. Experts agree that dividing the vaccines may take a decade. Many states, including PA, have already said they no longer follow vaccine recommendations from the federal government and instead follow those from the American Academy of Pediatrics and other major medical organizations.
*The FDA is reporting that Cyclospora has “been removed” from the market, and that Americans should feel confident eating fresh fruits and vegetables. Acting FDA Commissioner Kyle Diamantas stated, “We have safest food supply in the world.”
*Trump is ending Medicaid funding for children’s transgender care. Medicaid will no longer cover surgery, puberty blockers or hormones for minors, 18 years or younger.
Environment
*The contiguous US endured its hottest month ever this July. The July average temperature was 76.89 degrees. The old record was from July 1936 during the Dust Bowl. (AP)
*Trump nominated Project 2025 author and former political appointee Dennis Kirk to lead the Interior Department’s inspector general office, raising concerns about the independence of the watchdog that has been asked to review the troubled Reflecting Pool renovation. (WP)
* Amazon will build a 35-turbine, 7.6 GW natural gas power plant to service a Texas data center; the facility would be the single largest CO2 emitter in the US by a factor of two. The plant is authorized to emit 33 million tons of annual greenhouse gases. The plant will become the single largest producer of environmental pollution.
Education
👏Trump’s antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard has been dismissed. A federal judge ruled the incidents were “too isolated and episodic” to support the claim that Harvard is not complying with federal law.
Tariffs
*Trump has imposed tariffs on drones and their components. Size of the drone and country of origin are integral to determining the size of the tariff.
Lawsuits/Judicial
👏In a 2-1 decision, Judges Patricia A. Millett and Bradley N. Garcia have ruled that Congress must approve Trump’s ballroom construction. They stayed their ruling for 14 days to allow the White House to appeal to the Supreme Court. Trump has threatened to go to the Supreme Court so that construction of the ballroom may continue.
*A DOJ opinion extends executive privilege to president’s communications with not just communications with his White House staff, but also with private advisers outside of the government. This opinion would broaden the number of people Trump could try to shield from congressional investigations. (The Hill)
Voting
👏U.S. District Judge Indira Talwani in Boston, blocked the U.S. Postal Service from implementing part of President Donald Trump's executive order that aims to tighten rules for mail-in voting ahead of November elections that will decide control of Congress. (Reuters)
*Rudy Giuliani believes Democrats cheated to elect New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. To recap: Rudy believes the party that spent millions to prevent Mamdani from being elected in the primary also rigged the general election to elect him. Makes total sense. (DD)
State
*Pennsylvania lawmakers once again declined to increase the state’s 911 surcharge in this year’s budget, leaving counties to cover rising costs for emergency call centers on their own.
*A drug-resistant fungus called “Candida auris” is slowly spreading across more than 20 states, including Pennsylvania, according to new data from the CDC. The fungus, according to CDC data, spreads through close-contact encounters in hospitals and nursing homes.
*State AG Dave Sunday is urging congressional leaders to allow an impending overhaul of how the country treats h**p-derived products to go into effect in three months. But the ban would encompass more than just intoxicating products, and shutter many of the legitimate h**p businesses that have opened since the 2018 Farm Bill legalized the crop’s cultivation. (Spotlight)
HB2728-Webster(D) Prohibiting Political Expenditures by Corporations-legislation to revoke the power of corporations in Pennsylvania to make political expenditures. (Introduced)
*About 310,000 Pennsylvanians will lose health coverage as Medicaid paperwork requirements expand, WESA reports. Under the “Big Beautiful Bill,” working-age adults need to renew coverage twice a year and submit proof they are employed, training, or participating in an approved activity. The changes are expected to be disruptive, so state human service staff are sharing the news months before they kick in. (Spotlight)
*TikTok has failed to protect children from adult content, said Attorney General Dave Sunday as he announced a lawsuit against the social media platform. "TikTok has built its empire based on a model of addictiveness at all costs, and expanded that empire using deception about what sort of content is viewable for kids," he wrote in the announcement. Last week, the company agreed to settle three suits accusing the app of harming and addicting minors. (Spotlight)
TikTok settling three teen social media lawsuits ahead of trial
TikTok has agreed to settle three lawsuits brought by young people who accuse social media companies of designing...
👏Pennsylvania Secretary of Health Dr. Debra Bogen released the following statement in response to the Trump Administration's executive order to try to upend the nation’s childhood vaccine schedule:
"In Pennsylvania, public health decisions are guided by rigorous medical science, not shifting national agendas. Vaccines are the best tools we have to protect our communities from preventable diseases, and they have demonstrated this over and over again for generations. As a pediatrician, I know that splitting up combination immunizations, like the MMR vaccine, creates unnecessary hurdles for parents, needlessly extends the window of risk for our youngest residents, and doesn’t follow the results of the many studies that went into developing the previous vaccine schedules. Here in Pennsylvania, we will continue to follow the facts and evidence-based medicine to keep our children and communities safe."
*Fetterman has stated that he will not campaign against McCormick in 2030.
*Natural gas surged to the top in the first round of power projects accepted into PJM Interconnection’s reformed interconnection process, making up nearly half of the more than 200 gigawatts of capacity qualified for study. Battery storage and solar trail natural gas, according to the latest figures by the grid operator. (Spotlight)
Bold Italicized denotes connection to Project 2025.
Local
*Two stop-construction orders have be issued to DataOne for the Nebius Group, in Vineland, NJ. This is the same company that is building a data center in Butler Township. Vineland alleges the 300-megawatt facility began installing a liquified natural gas tank, as well as fuel cell units, before receiving the city’s approval. (WHYY)
*“When the questions get difficult, Dan Meuser disappears,” (Laura) Wiscount said. “Leadership is showing up when the people you represent are worried, frustrated and demanding answers.” Speaking this week at the commissioners’ meeting. (Pottsville Republican)
Other News
*Which Pennsylvania city hosts the Pony League World Series, an international baseball tournament for 13- and 14-year-old boys?
A. Washington
B. Williamsport
C. Erie
D. Chester
ANSWER: A. Washington
👏“Fight like hell for life, for our children, for the animals. This is it. This is the last push. We have to fight. There’s no other way.” -- Lauren Jones-Rabbitt, who is active with a group opposing data centers.
“The issue’s salience to Pennsylvania voters has seen a rapid increase over the last year. Not only is it an issue that Pennsylvanians increasingly said is important to them, it’s an issue that they’re incredibly concerned about in terms of the impact on their lives.” -- Chris Borick, a political science professor at Lehigh University on the emergence of data centers as an election year issue.
