Emergency crews responded to an explosion at a church in New York on Tuesday morning. Authorities are investigating a blast reported at Abundant Life Fellowship on State Route 12 in Boonville. Multiple people reportedly sustained injuries. WKTV shared a viewer-submitted photo of the scene: VIEWER PHOTO || Emergency crews are responding to reports of a gas odor and an explosion at Abundant Life church on St. Rt. 12 in Boonville. This is a viewer-submitted photo of the scene. pic.twitter.com/RC7qxV13Gg — WKTV (@WKTV) February 17, 2026 Spectrum News has more: It happened following reports of a gas odor inside the building Tuesday morning. Police say four people were inside the church and “reported smelling gas” before the explosion. A Boonville firefighter had entered the church before the explosion. He is listed in critical condition at Wynn Hospital in Utica, police say. According to troopers, the church “sustained catastrophic damage.” Investigators say there is no indication of criminal activity at this time. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. Footage from the scene below: VIEWER VIDEO || Emergency crews are responding to a reported gas explosion at Abundant Life church in Boonville. pic.twitter.com/b58PQ8xxbW — WKTV (@WKTV) February 17, 2026 More footage from the scene in BOONVILLE NY after reports of a gas explosion in a church, multiple injuries reported. https://t.co/MZ5HYZiQu9 pic.twitter.com/TwozW7Tr0c — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) February 17, 2026 Rome Sentinel shared further: According to the Oneida County 911 Emergency Call Center, agencies dispatched for service to the fire include: the Boonville Fire Department, Boonville Ambulance, the Remsen Fire Department, the Barneveld Fire Department, the Stittville Fire Department, the Oneida County Sheriff’s Office, the New York State Police (Troop D Oneida), Northstar Ambulance, Oneida County Emergency Services, AmCare Ambulance, the Forestport Fire Department, and Kuyahoora Ambulance. According to a post on the church’s Facebook shortly after the explosion, from a church member named Lydia, “Many have seen the reports of a gas leak and explosion at the church a short while ago. This is ‘a developing story’ as they say, and not necessarily 100% accurate. Our pastor and another congregation member were present at church and had called the propane company to respond to an obvious gas leak.” “The two of them and a few other responders were in the building at the time of the explosion,” the post said. “They have burns that need medical attention but I think everyone will be just fine physically. The building was nearly fully engulfed in flames and smoke when my husband and I left the scene, maybe 15 minutes after the explosion.” “Please just pray for peace, especially for Pastor Brandon and MaeLeah,” the post continued. This story is developing. 

Tricia McLaughlin, the top spokeswoman for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), will step down from her position next week. She reportedly planned her departure in December but delayed it following the shootings of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis. The Department of Homeland Security’s top spokesperson, Tricia McLaughlin, is stepping down, a Trump administration official told CNN. https://t.co/1M34OVjlt2 — CNN (@CNN) February 17, 2026 CBS News has more: Since joining the administration, McLaughlin has become one of the most visible and vocal defenders of Mr. Trump’s deportation efforts, appearing regularly on Fox News and other television networks and posting statements on X to criticize detractors of his nationwide crackdown on illegal immigration. McLaughlin’s imminent exit comes as the Trump administration faces escalating political backlash over its aggressive immigration enforcement operations. McLaughlin is the latest top DHS official to step down in recent weeks. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) Deputy Director Madison Sheahan announced last month she would leave her position to run for Congress in Ohio. Top ICE Official Steps Down, Announces Congressional Bid Challenging Longtime House Democrat Axios provided additional info: Lauren Bis, a deputy of McLaughlin's who was an early hire in Trump's second term, will be promoted to Assistant Secretary of Public Affairs, Axios has learned. She replaces McLaughlin, who is expected to leave her high-profile post at the agency next week. Politico first reported the news. DHS is also hiring Katie Zacharia, a Fox News commentator and adviser to Richard Grenell, the current interim head of the Trump-Kennedy Center and a former U.S. Ambassador to Germany. She will join as deputy assistant secretary for the Office of Public Affairs, a person familiar with the matter told Axios.

President Trump appointed three Supreme Court justices during his first term (Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh, and Amy Coney Barrett), which is the most appointments to the high court by any president since Ronald Reagan. Trump could potentially get to appoint a fourth justice if the rumor mill is accurate. There is much speculation that Justice Samuel Alito is considering retirement. Supreme Court watchers are trying to read the tea leaves for a possible retirement annoucement by Justice Samuel Alito. https://t.co/JCMpL2RCTU — USA TODAY (@USATODAY) February 17, 2026 USA TODAY shared further: And if Alito wants to step down while Republicans control the Senate, he may not want to gamble on this year’s midterm elections. Republicans are expected to have a much easier time retaining the Senate than the House, but a loss can’t be ruled out. That would make it difficult for Trump to confirm a successor. Because Senate Republicans may not want to hold a confirmation hearing during the fall of an election year, Alito could announce in the next few weeks that he will step down at the end of the term, Strict Scrutiny co-host Kate Shaw speculated. Finally, Alito is coming out with a book in October, right as the court will be starting a new term. Steve Vladeck, a law professor at Georgetown University who writes about the court on Substack, called the publication date “a pretty big tell since one can’t exactly go on a book tour during the first argument session of the term.” Alito is 75 years old, the second-oldest justice on the high court. “That is usually a very good milestone on which to retire,” said New York University law professor Melissa Murray, according to USA TODAY. However, court watcher and lawyer David Lat speculated the book release could mean that Alito plans to remain at the high court. Lat writes in Original Jurisdiction: Speaking of justices and their books, we now know more about Justice Samuel Alito’s book. Its title is So Ordered: An Originalist’s View of the Constitution, the Court, and Our Country, and its release date is October 6, 2026. That’s one day after the start of October Term 2026—leading my former colleague Elie Mystal to predict that Justice Alito will be retired by then, since the justice “thinks he’ll be free to run around the country promoting” his book (instead of doing his day job). But could the date cut the other way? Book buyers are much more interested in what a current justice has to say, as opposed to a retired one—reflected in how the memoirs of Justice Jackson and Justice Amy Coney Barrett became bestsellers, while the memoir of retired Justice Anthony M. Kennedy did not—and I could see Justice Alito not wanting to step down until well after publication.

A former Democrat politician and current Jersey City police sergeant has been indicted by a grand jury for some truly vile crimes. Andrew LaBruno — the ex-mayor of Dumont, New Jersey — was indicted on multiple charges related to allegedly drugging and sexually assaulting a minor that he met online. Here are the horrifying details: Police Sergeant, Former NJ Mayor, Indicted for SA’ing Minor A grand jury in NJ has indicted Andrew LaBruno, a 44-year-old Jersey City police sergeant and former mayor of Dumont, on multiple charges related to the alleged SA of a minor he met online. The indictment stems from an… pic.twitter.com/yLls34te5X — Robbie Harvey (@therobbieharvey) February 15, 2026 Police Sergeant, Former NJ Mayor, Indicted for SA’ing Minor A grand jury in NJ has indicted Andrew LaBruno, a 44-year-old Jersey City police sergeant and former mayor of Dumont, on multiple charges related to the alleged SA of a minor he met online. The indictment stems from an incident in November 2025, when LaBruno allegedly contacted the minor through a social media or dating app and arranged to meet at the victim’s home in Englewood while the parents were absent. Prosecutors allege that LaBruno sprayed an unknown substance into his hand, causing the victim to become dizzy and incapacitated, before committing the assault. One report from CBS News describes the substance as a nitrite popper and identifies the victim as a 17-year-old boy. LaBruno, who has been a police officer since December 1, 2005, and earns over $120,000 annually, was suspended without pay immediately following his arrest, as stated by a Jersey City Police Department spokeswoman. He’s pleaded not guilty to the charges and remains detained in Bergen County Jail. EVIL – EX-MAYOR of Dumont NJ, FORMER D39 NJ Assembly Candidate AND Jersey City Police SERGEANT was just INDICTED by a GRAND JURY in Hackensack NJ for DRUGGING and RAPING a child! Andrew LaBruno, 44, of Dumont was ON-DUTY in Jersey City and decided to go on the GRINDR app to… pic.twitter.com/KGBEnIxX9T — Jay Costa (@JayCostaUSA) February 14, 2026 EVIL – EX-MAYOR of Dumont NJ, FORMER D39 NJ Assembly Candidate AND Jersey City Police SERGEANT was just INDICTED by a GRAND JURY in Hackensack NJ for DRUGGING and RAPING a child! Andrew LaBruno, 44, of Dumont was ON-DUTY in Jersey City and decided to go on the GRINDR app to find some companionship on his lunch break. Mr. LaBruno sent the boy multiple pictures of his body, when the boy said to “come over” to the boy’s home in Englewood (at least a 35 min ride from Jersey City, FYI) That is when, the prosecution alleges, things went VERY BAD! According to the prosecution, the boy REJECTED an initial advance by LaBruno, when LaBruno “took out a little bottle from his pants.” poured it into his hand, and put his hand OVER THE BOY’S MOUTH! The boy said it smelt like nail polish and he was IMMEDIATELY dizzy. This was most likely a “Nitrate Popper” which the prosecution alleges LaBruno used “when he did not immediately get what he was looking for.” LaBruno continued to act on the boy beyond his will (no more details necessary) until the boy’s father came home and CHASED Mr. LaBruno out of the house! LaBruno has been charged with official misconduct, first-degree aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault and child endangerment, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. The judge also did NOT allow Mr. LaBruno ANY bail since he was concerned that “based on his behavior in the aftermath of this incident, he would use his position and influence to possibly obstruct the criminal justice process. If true, this is totally SICK and EVIL. The fact that he was within POINTS of becoming an ELECTED ASSEMBLYMAN for the GREAT 39th District of New Jersey is BEYOND COMPREHENSION. Let JUSTICE be SERVED. LaBruno was originally arrested in November. He has plead not guilty on all charges. New Jersey 101.5 has more: Andrew LaBruno, of Dumont, was arrested in November. The 44-year-old Democrat ran for state Assembly in District 39 but lost that same month. On Thursday, a Bergen County Grand Jury indicted LaBruno on two counts of second-degree official misconduct, as well as first-degree aggravated sexual assault, second-degree sexual assault, and third-degree endangering the welfare of a child. He has been suspended without pay since his arrest. An additional misconduct charge was filed after it was discovered that LaBruno (allegedly) identified himself as a police officer to try to hinder his own apprehension. From NJ: LaBruno was indicted Thursday on charges of official misconduct, aggravated sexual assault, sexual assault, and endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said. The official misconduct charge is new and was filed after investigators determined that LaBruno identified himself as a police officer during the incident for the purpose of hindering his own apprehension, the office said. What a sicko. Lock him up for life!

While taking questions from reporters aboard Air Force One this evening, President Trump was asked about his upcoming State of the Union address. President Trump confirmed that he will be delivering his State of the Union next week whether or not the Democrat-fueled partial government shutdown continues. Watch his full response here: IT’S OFFICIAL: President Trump confirms he WILL give his State of the Union next week even IF Democrats continue the government shutdown In front of the ENTIRE COUNTRY Trump can nail Democrats on opposing voter ID, supporting voter fraud and shutting down DHS! DO IT, 47 pic.twitter.com/HcoxiYLuGM — Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) February 17, 2026 President Trump’s State of the Union address is scheduled for February 24th. Right now, the Democrats have shut down key programs like FEMA, the TSA, and the Coast Guard over their refusal to come to an agreement on funding the DHS. This partial shutdown is expected to last for several weeks. Politico confirmed that there are no plans to delay the State of the Union: President Donald Trump is barreling ahead with the first State of the Union address of his second term, despite concerns among Republicans that it’s set to hit during a partial government shutdown. The speech, set for 11 days from now, is poised to land in the middle of a funding lapse at the Department of Homeland Security – the product of a standoff with Democrats over immigration enforcement that the White House had hoped to avoid. Behind the scenes, some administration officials and senior Capitol Hill Republicans are quietly fretting about the optics, according to six people granted anonymity to describe private conversations. The concerned Republicans believe it would be less than ideal for Trump to stand in the well of the House and declare that the state of the union is strong when a critical part of the federal government remains shuttered. “It doesn’t exactly scream ‘a functioning GOP trifecta,’” said one House Republican granted anonymity to speak candidly. Asked whether postponing the address was under discussion, a senior White House official said Friday, “Not as of yet.” Senior Hill Republicans believe the president is full steam ahead as well. In 2019, Trump publicly battled with then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi for more than a week over whether to delay his State of the Union address during an earlier government shutdown. He eventually relented. Republicans expect Speaker Mike Johnson, who is responsible for extending the formal invitation to the president to address a joint session of Congress, not to delay the speech unless the White House specifically asks. The latest shutdown, which will begin when DHS funding lapses overnight, is expected to drag on until at least the week of Trump’s Feb. 24 State of the Union speech because the White House and Senate Democrats appear to be far apart on how far to rein in Trump’s immigration enforcement activities as part of a funding agreement. Notably, when there was a government shutdown in 2019 during his first term, President Trump postponed his State of the Union address until it was over. However, this time will be different. It will provide the perfect opportunity for President Trump to highlight all the ways that the Democrats are actively working against the interests of the American people. These include shutting down the DHS and voting against the SAVE Act to require proof of citizenship to vote. Excellent… let the world see them for what they are. — Chad Neibert (@cneibert13) February 17, 2026 Your thoughts?