Eric Burk, Author at The Minnesota Sun

Charlottesville Removes Lee and Jackson Statues

July 11, 2021July 10, 2021 Eric Burk

Charlottesville, Virginia – The City of Charlottesville removed two famous Confederate statues of Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson on Saturday. Workers began removing Lee shortly after 7 a.m. to a moderately sized crowd, but more people arrived later in the morning to see Jackson lifted off his pedestal and driven to storage. In a special meeting afterwards, the city council also approved removing Charlottesville’s Lewis, Clark, and Sacajawea statue; workers removed that statue after the meeting.

“Taking down this statue is one small step closer to the goal of helping Charlottesville, Virginia, and America, grapple with the sin of being willing to destroy Black people for economic gain,” Charlottesville Mayor Nikuyah Walker said in a speech before the monuments came down, according to The Associated Press.

NBC: Bannon’s ‘War Room’ Podcast is ‘New MAGA Megaphone’

June 1, 2021May 31, 2021 Eric Burk

Steve Bannon’s “War Room: Pandemic” has become the focal point for Republicans eager to show their pro-Trump bona-fides, according to NBC News, which says politicians are using the podcast as a “kind of proxy primary.”

National March for Life Was Mostly Virtual, but Pro-Life Supporters Attended Local Demonstrations Across U.S.

January 30, 2021January 29, 2021 Eric Burk

The national March for Life in Washington D.C. looked very different on Friday compared to past years. Normally, thousands of pro-life demonstrators would march through the Capitol in the yearly march, but this year the thousands turned to social media to watch as a few hundred hand-picked representatives of the pro-life movement marched in D.C. By Friday evening, a Facebook livestream of the event had over 200,000 views.

Wisconsin Teacher Placed on Non-Disciplinary Leave After Apparently Attending D.C. Rally

January 10, 2021January 9, 2021 Eric Burk

A high school teacher from Burlington, Wisconsin is on non-disciplinary administrative leave after a student raised concerns about an assignment given while the teacher was on vacation in Washington, D.C. this past week, according to a district press release. Social studies high school teacher Jeff Taff apparently assigned students to watch a video about alleged election fraud, according to The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Most Popular Christmas Cookies

December 25, 2020December 24, 2020 Eric Burk

What’s the most popular Christmas cookie? The Virginia Star combed through several lists of cookies to get an idea of which were listed the most often. Many of the most popular cookies allow a lot of variation — bakers like to put their own creative spin on their cookies. Here’s our list:

Black Friday, Small Business Saturday, and Cyber Monday in 2020

November 26, 2020November 26, 2020 Eric Burk

Retailers like Target and Walmart stretched out their traditional Black Friday sales throughout the whole month, but post-Thanksgiving shopping sprees will still be available, according to press releases from the companies. Cyber Monday will feature big deals online as usual, but don’t forget Giving Tuesday and Small Business Saturday.

Trump Supporters from Across America Flood Washington DC at the Million MAGA March

November 15, 2020November 15, 2020 Eric Burk

People from all over the United States filled the streets of Washington D.C. on Saturday at the Million MAGA March for two reasons: to encourage President Trump, and to signal concern over the recent elections. Instead of a formal Trump-campaign event, the rally was a grassroots-style march that attracted a broad swath of Trump supporters ranging from pro-life Catholic organizations to far-right militias. The Trump motorcade made an appearance earlier on Saturday morning, and the crowd continued to grow until about mid-afternoon.

North Carolina Couple Sues to Block ‘The Poet X’ from Their Son’s Highschool Class

November 13, 2020 Eric Burk

A North Carolina family is suing to keep young adult novel “The Poet X” from being read in their son’s freshman class at Huntersville-based Lake Norman Charter School. On Monday, John and Robin Coble appealed to the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia to overturn a North Carolina district court ruling; the family claims the assignment violates their freedom of religion.

Trump to Greenville: If Biden is Elected, China Will Own the U.S.

October 16, 2020October 15, 2020 Eric Burk

Sharp-eyed people in the crowd spotted it first — the landing lights of Air Force One approaching Pitt-Greenville Airport in North Carolina on Thursday. ’80’s pop hit “Gloria” pounded as the aircraft roared by on the runway. Then, with “Eye of the Tiger” building energy, President Donald Trump walked out of the plane and waved to the thrilled crowd.

Trump to Virgina: We’re in It to Win It’

September 26, 2020September 26, 2020 Eric Burk

As pounding pop songs played and the crowd cheered, Air Force One rolled up behind the stage. President Donald Trump emerged and waved to the 10,000 people standing on the tarmac in Newport News Friday night. An additional 2,000 people were outside the venue, according to campaign officials. 2,000 more people were turned away, for a total of 14,000 people — 9,000 more than organizers expected.