Once terrified of dogs, German adventurer Heike Pirngruber is now walking the globe with Butch, a flea-covered puppy she rescued in Mexico that's reportedly become one of the most well-traveled dogs on the planet.Together, the two have crossed continents by foot, canoe, motorbike and tuk tuk, news agency SWNS reported.Pirngruber, 53, adopted the Australian cattle puppy in 2021 while she was staying in a beach hut in Baja California, Mexico.WORLD-TRAVELING COUPLE VISITS 197 COUNTRIES, REVEALS TOP DESTINATIONSButch was just a month old, malnourished and alone when she found him."I never really liked dogs when I was a kid," Pirngruber of Heidelberg, Germany, told SWNS. "But the first moment I had little Butch in my arms and knew he was mine now, I couldnt believe how I felt."Her fear of dogs came from years of solo travel seven of them spent cycling around the world. She was often chased by aggressive strays, she said.But her perspective began to change after a chance encounter at the beach hut. She had cooked grilled chicken when a street dog, later named Max, appeared at her door, SWNS reported.Initially hesitant, she was convinced by a friend to feed him.The next day, Max returned with two companions, Brownie and Pushy.She began feeding them regularly and slowly shed her fear.Later, when a local tried to give away a litter of flea-ridden puppies, Pirngruber made a life-changing decision. She chose Butch and took him on the road.WOMAN SELLS HOME TO TRAVEL FULL-TIME IN TRUCK AFTER DAD'S UNEXPECTED DEATH"Nothing was the same anymore," she said. "And I had no clue how this little puppy would change my life."She added, "Hes my best friend. I love this guy to death and its awesome. Ive never regretted picking him up and taking him with me on my travels, especially as he wasnt treated very nicely."Having Butch by her side changed more than her travel routine, according to SWNS."With Butch, I always have someone there. I am never alone. I have such a connection with him and Im happy with him."A former camera operator for ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen), Germany's biggest broadcast station, Pirngruber has been traveling full-time for more than 12 years.She has visited 104 countries across every inhabited continent.Originally, she'd planned to cross the Americas by donkey in 2020, she said, followed by a break in Baja California in 2021.But after adopting Butch, she scrapped that plan and chose other ways to continue their journey.Over the next three years, they explored the Americas together on foot, by canoe, motorcycle, and tuk tuk before flying to Madrid in April 2024, per SWNS.After a brief return home, just her third visit in 12 years, she quickly realized that life in Germany no longer felt like hers.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleShe was pulled back to the road."Now, I love my freedom, I love living day-by-day, I love not knowing where I am staying each night or where I can pitch my tent. Its such a thrill," she said.Since then, she and Butch have walked through Spain, Andorra, France and Italy, before sailing to Greece.As of Nov. 2024, theyd crossed five European countries.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER"I choose where we go, mainly day by day. There are times when we want to get away from civilization and be by ourselves, and then other times Im sitting in a square trying to get some contact with others, either in person or through my phone."She added, "But Im not a planner, and thats the fun in it. It's about experiencing new places. I love culture. I love to understand the planet."She carries only the essentials she needs, she told SWNS: camping gear, a stove and pot, a camera, first aid supplies, and medicine for Butch."Less is more," she said. "Carrying less is more freedom. Its always a burden having more."Despite occasional challenges, Pirngruber said her experiences have been overwhelmingly positive."Ninety-nine percent of people are nice, and overall, Ive had some great encounters with people," she said. "Its a safe world to travel in, in general."

The New York Knicks staved off elimination from theNBA Playoffs on Thursday night with a 111-94 win over the Indiana Pacers in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals, but basketball great Charles Barkley is not sold on the NBA championship coming back to the Big Apple.In a post-game interview with award-winning director and Knicks superfan Spike Lee on "Inside the NBA," Barkley let slip his true feelings about the Knicks chances of winning their first championship since 1973."I would give up an Academy Award, Oscar forthe Knicks to win a championship," Lee said during the broadcast. "I got two already,"CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COMAs Lee went on to double down on his commitment to the team, he was interrupted by Barkleys quip."You gonna keep them."The remark incited laughs from the entire TNT crew and Barkley apologized for not using his "inner voice."PACERS FAN FACES FELONY CHARGES FOR ALLEGEDLY STABBING 2 KNICKS FANS AT BREWERY"Theres no filter on this guy, youve known him long enough. If he thinks it, it's coming out," Ernie Johnson Jr. added with a laugh.Despite Barkleys doubts, the Knicks did put on an award-worthy show on Thursday night.Jalen Brunson scored 32 points, and an injured Karl-Anthony Towns added 24 points and 13 rebounds just two nights after giving up 43 points tothe Pacers in the first quarter."Our backs were against the wall. So, I mean, weve got to give it everything we got," Brunson said.The Knicks return to Indiana hoping to repeat their Game 5 performance on Saturday night. No team has won a conference finals series after dropping the first two games at home.The Associated Press contributed to this report.Follow Fox News Digitalssports coverage on X, and subscribe tothe Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

A former high-ranking officer in the Venezuelan military is contesting a recent report by the U.S. intelligence community about the massive Tren de Aragua gang present throughout the country.Jose Arocha, who is a former lieutenant colonel in the Venezuelan military, told Fox News Digital that the recent intel community report denying Tren de Aragua is linked to the Venezuelan dictator Nicols Maduro is missing a key aspect: the socialist regime's animosity towards the United States and penchant for asymmetric warfare.Tren de Aragua, also known simply as TdA, is a violent Venezuelan gang that has been terrorizing U.S. cities over the last several years. The group is linked to high-profile murders such as the killing of Georgia nursing student Laken Riley and the seizure of an entire apartment building in Aurora, Colorado.As one of his first moves back in the Oval Office, President Donald Trump directed the State Department to designate TdA a "foreign terrorist organization."SUPREME COURT ALLOWS TRUMP ADMIN TO MOVE ON ENDING LEGAL PROTECTIONS FOR SOME VENEZUELAN MIGRANTSSpeaking with Fox News Digital via Zoom, Arocha, a national security expert at the Center for a Secure Free Society, said he agrees with the Trump administrations moves against Tren de Aragua, which he believes is an "asymmetrical warfare" tool of the Maduro regime to sow discord in the United States and other countries in the Western Hemisphere."The Maduro regime doesn't need to send troops to the USA. It sends criminals instead," he said. "TdA is a plug-and-play insurgency assembled in prison, deployed abroad."Arochas statements, however, contrast with a new public memo released by U.S. intelligence agencies last month that denied any solid connection between the Maduro government in Caracas and the gang."While Venezuelas permissive environment enables TDA to operate, the Maduro regime probably does not have a policy of cooperating with TDA and is not directing TDA movement to and operations in the United States," the report states.The report says that the intelligence community based its conclusion "on Venezuelan law enforcement actions demonstrating the regime treats TDA as a threat; an uneasy mix of cooperation and confrontation rather than top-down directives [that] characterize the regime's ties to other armed groups; and the decentralized makeup of TDA that would make such a relationship logistically challenging."Arocha, meanwhile, said that "the missing point here is that the intelligence report is too narrow a lens about the TdA.""It's about crime and migration, but they're missing the warfare dimension," he said. "They are missing that for the Maduro regime, the United States is the enemy, has been the enemy for years."VIOLENT VENEZUELAN GANG EXPLOITS TECHNOLOGY TO TURBOCHARGE ITS DOMINANCE: EXPERTS"The TdA is not a gang," he went on. "It's the enabler arm of the Venezuelan regime in the hybrid warfare strategy, the asymmetrical tour of war. That's the missing point. And that is the point that explains how a local gang is right now in more than 10 countries, including the United States. That's incredible, and that is not possible without a state sponsor behind them."While the report points to law enforcement actions the Maduro government has taken against TdA, Arocha explained that in reality Venezuelan prisons, including the "Tocorn" prison where the gang started, are more like resort hotels."Tocorn, [which] they said is the epicenter of the crime in Venezuela, it wasn't a prison, it was a palace for organized crime. Full equipment, we have a zoo, nightclubs and even a pool for the prisoners there," he said.Arocha also posited that the 2023 raid the Venezuelan government conducted on Tocorn "appears choreographed" and that key TdA leadership was able to escape through pre-made tunnels."While the regime gained optics of cracking down on crime, TdAs mobility remained intact," Arocha told Fox News Digital.11 ALLEGED TEEN TREN DE ARAGUA GANG MEMBERS ATTACK NYPD OFFICERS: POLICEThe intel report admitted that the escaped TdA members were "possibly assisted by low-level Venezuelan military and political leaders." But to Arocha, the connection goes straight to the top.He pointed to the kidnapping and murder of Venezuelan political dissident Ronald Ojeda in Chile, which, according to Reuters, is being investigated by the Chilean government as a possible Tren de Aragua operation sponsored by the Maduro government.CLICK HERE FOR MORE IMMIGRATION COVERAGEReuters reported in March that Chilean Attorney General Angel Valencia said that Ojeda's murder "doesn't have the characteristics of a normal crime" and "all the evidence we have at this state of the investigation lets us conclude that a cell or group linked to the Tren de Aragua that was politically motivated that originated from an order of a political nature."The outlet also reported that the Venezuelan government denied the accusations as baseless.Arocha further pointed to former Maduro Vice President Tareck El Aissami, who has alleged ties to Hamas and Hezbollah, as evidence that the Venezuelan government is embedded with Americas worst enemies.VENEZUELAN ILLEGAL ALIEN, ALLEGED TREN DE ARAGUA LEADER IN CALIFORNIA, ARRESTED ON IMMIGRATION CHARGESEl Aissami was arrested on corruption charges and is currently in prison."He has a strong influence with Iran and China and Russia, too. Right now, he's in prison, which means that he's living in the palace in prison," Arocha remarked, smiling."The Venezuelan regime is a proxy of Russia, China and Iran, especially China right now," he went on. "They use Venezuela [to] create chaos in Latin America especially not confronting directly the United States, but indirectly, using criminals, using disinformation, using every single tool they have."In response, Arocha urged the Trump administration to continue to take a whole-of-government approach in combating TdA. He urged the administration to "increase our scope" by reaching out to Latin American countries with experience with TdA, such as the Chilean government."They have a knowledge right now about the TdA. We have to understand what theyve learned about, and we have to put all the pieces together to have the big picture instead of the local one," he said. "And then I'm very sure that we are going to realize the missing and the main link is in Caracas."

Once terrified of dogs, German adventurer Heike Pirngruber is now walking the globe with Butch, a flea-covered puppy she rescued in Mexico that's reportedly become one of the most well-traveled dogs on the planet.Together, the two have crossed continents by foot, canoe, motorbike and tuk tuk, news agency SWNS reported.Pirngruber, 53, adopted the Australian cattle puppy in 2021 while she was staying in a beach hut in Baja California, Mexico.WORLD-TRAVELING COUPLE VISITS 197 COUNTRIES, REVEALS TOP DESTINATIONSButch was just a month old, malnourished and alone when she found him."I never really liked dogs when I was a kid," Pirngruber of Heidelberg, Germany, told SWNS. "But the first moment I had little Butch in my arms and knew he was mine now, I couldnt believe how I felt."Her fear of dogs came from years of solo travel seven of them spent cycling around the world. She was often chased by aggressive strays, she said.But her perspective began to change after a chance encounter at the beach hut. She had cooked grilled chicken when a street dog, later named Max, appeared at her door, SWNS reported.Initially hesitant, she was convinced by a friend to feed him.The next day, Max returned with two companions, Brownie and Pushy.She began feeding them regularly and slowly shed her fear.Later, when a local tried to give away a litter of flea-ridden puppies, Pirngruber made a life-changing decision. She chose Butch and took him on the road.WOMAN SELLS HOME TO TRAVEL FULL-TIME IN TRUCK AFTER DAD'S UNEXPECTED DEATH"Nothing was the same anymore," she said. "And I had no clue how this little puppy would change my life."She added, "Hes my best friend. I love this guy to death and its awesome. Ive never regretted picking him up and taking him with me on my travels, especially as he wasnt treated very nicely."Having Butch by her side changed more than her travel routine, according to SWNS."With Butch, I always have someone there. I am never alone. I have such a connection with him and Im happy with him."A former camera operator for ZDF (Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen), Germany's biggest broadcast station, Pirngruber has been traveling full-time for more than 12 years.She has visited 104 countries across every inhabited continent.Originally, she'd planned to cross the Americas by donkey in 2020, she said, followed by a break in Baja California in 2021.But after adopting Butch, she scrapped that plan and chose other ways to continue their journey.Over the next three years, they explored the Americas together on foot, by canoe, motorcycle, and tuk tuk before flying to Madrid in April 2024, per SWNS.After a brief return home, just her third visit in 12 years, she quickly realized that life in Germany no longer felt like hers.For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleShe was pulled back to the road."Now, I love my freedom, I love living day-by-day, I love not knowing where I am staying each night or where I can pitch my tent. Its such a thrill," she said.Since then, she and Butch have walked through Spain, Andorra, France and Italy, before sailing to Greece.As of Nov. 2024, theyd crossed five European countries.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER"I choose where we go, mainly day by day. There are times when we want to get away from civilization and be by ourselves, and then other times Im sitting in a square trying to get some contact with others, either in person or through my phone."She added, "But Im not a planner, and thats the fun in it. It's about experiencing new places. I love culture. I love to understand the planet."She carries only the essentials she needs, she told SWNS: camping gear, a stove and pot, a camera, first aid supplies, and medicine for Butch."Less is more," she said. "Carrying less is more freedom. Its always a burden having more."Despite occasional challenges, Pirngruber said her experiences have been overwhelmingly positive."Ninety-nine percent of people are nice, and overall, Ive had some great encounters with people," she said. "Its a safe world to travel in, in general."

An Alaska man survived being pinned face-down by a 700-pound boulder in a creek after his wife held his head above water to prevent him from drowning, officials say.The harrowing incident involving Kell Morris happened last Saturday as hewas hiking near Godwin Glacier outside of Sewardon an isolated and undeveloped trail behind a state prison, according to Seward Fire Chief Clinton Crites."The patient was found lying in the creek on his stomach with an approximately 700 lb. boulder on top of him with his spouse holding his head out of water. The patient was hypothermic and in and out of consciousness," the Seward Fire Department said. "Crews used air bags, ropes, and brute force to lift the boulder off the patient and pull him to safety. Once out of the water, the crew re-warmed the patient, and he became more alert, and his vitals improved."Morris, 61, who was trapped for about three hours, later told the Associated Press that "I was very lucky" and "God was looking out for me."HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN SUNKEN BOAT BRING CLOSURE TO TEXAS FAMILYS ALASKA TRAGEDYHis wife, Jo Roop, is a retired Alaska State Trooper. They moved to Seward, about 120 miles south of Anchorage, from Idaho last fall when she took a job with the local police department.The trail the couple was hiking on wasa rocky creek bed lined with large boulders deposited by the glacier.Morris told the AP he noticed dangerous boulders -- some weighing up to 1,000 pounds -- along the banks of the creek and avoided them the best he could, until he ran into an area he couldnt pass."I was coming back and everything, the whole side slid out from under me," he said.Morris described how things became a blur as he tumbled down an embankment about 20 feet, landing face down in the water.Then he immediately felt a boulder hit his back in what Crites described as "basically an avalanche of boulders."HIKER, 33, DIES AFTER HIKING ARIZONA MOUNTAINS IN EXTREME HEAT, 4 OTHERS RESCUEDMorris recounted to the AP how he felt an intense pain in his left leg and waited for his femur to snap."When it first happened, I was doubtful that there was going to be a good outcome," Morris said.His wife tried to free him for about 30 minutes, putting rocks under the boulder and trying to roll it off him, before she left to find a cell signal to call 911. She used her law enforcement experience to send exact GPS coordinates to dispatch.The Seward Fire Department said a volunteer at the nearby Bear Creek Fire Department who works for Seward Helicopter Tours then heard the call "while working and he and a pilot volunteered to respond to the scene and pick up six firefighters via helicopter and transport them to the patient, thus cutting down 45 minutes of travel time."The patient was in a boulder field and the helicopter could only hover while firefighters had to jump from the helicopter to the ground as the helicopter could not land safely," it said.The Seward Fire Department said Morris was airlifted to a local hospital where he is now expected to make a full recovery, but "it is now doubt that without the help from the Seward Helicopter Tours this incident could have had a much different and potentially fatal outcome."Firefighters who carried out the rescue used two air bags normally reserved to extract people from wrecked vehicles to slightly lift the boulder."It just became an all-hands brute force of one, two, three, push," Crites told the AP. "And seven guys were able to lift it enough to pull the victim out."The Associated Press contributed to this report.

An Alaska man survived being pinned face-down by a 700-pound boulder in a creek after his wife held his head above water to prevent him from drowning, officials say.The harrowing incident involving Kell Morris happened last Saturday as hewas hiking near Godwin Glacier outside of Sewardon an isolated and undeveloped trail behind a state prison, according to Seward Fire Chief Clinton Crites."The patient was found lying in the creek on his stomach with an approximately 700 lb. boulder on top of him with his spouse holding his head out of water. The patient was hypothermic and in and out of consciousness," the Seward Fire Department said. "Crews used air bags, ropes, and brute force to lift the boulder off the patient and pull him to safety. Once out of the water, the crew re-warmed the patient, and he became more alert, and his vitals improved."Morris, 61, who was trapped for about three hours, later told the Associated Press that "I was very lucky" and "God was looking out for me."HUMAN REMAINS FOUND IN SUNKEN BOAT BRING CLOSURE TO TEXAS FAMILYS ALASKA TRAGEDYHis wife, Jo Roop, is a retired Alaska State Trooper. They moved to Seward, about 120 miles south of Anchorage, from Idaho last fall when she took a job with the local police department.The trail the couple was hiking on wasa rocky creek bed lined with large boulders deposited by the glacier.Morris told the AP he noticed dangerous boulders -- some weighing up to 1,000 pounds -- along the banks of the creek and avoided them the best he could, until he ran into an area he couldnt pass."I was coming back and everything, the whole side slid out from under me," he said.Morris described how things became a blur as he tumbled down an embankment about 20 feet, landing face down in the water.Then he immediately felt a boulder hit his back in what Crites described as "basically an avalanche of boulders."HIKER, 33, DIES AFTER HIKING ARIZONA MOUNTAINS IN EXTREME HEAT, 4 OTHERS RESCUEDMorris recounted to the AP how he felt an intense pain in his left leg and waited for his femur to snap."When it first happened, I was doubtful that there was going to be a good outcome," Morris said.His wife tried to free him for about 30 minutes, putting rocks under the boulder and trying to roll it off him, before she left to find a cell signal to call 911. She used her law enforcement experience to send exact GPS coordinates to dispatch.The Seward Fire Department said a volunteer at the nearby Bear Creek Fire Department who works for Seward Helicopter Tours then heard the call "while working and he and a pilot volunteered to respond to the scene and pick up six firefighters via helicopter and transport them to the patient, thus cutting down 45 minutes of travel time."The patient was in a boulder field and the helicopter could only hover while firefighters had to jump from the helicopter to the ground as the helicopter could not land safely," it said.The Seward Fire Department said Morris was airlifted to a local hospital where he is now expected to make a full recovery, but "it is now doubt that without the help from the Seward Helicopter Tours this incident could have had a much different and potentially fatal outcome."Firefighters who carried out the rescue used two air bags normally reserved to extract people from wrecked vehicles to slightly lift the boulder."It just became an all-hands brute force of one, two, three, push," Crites told the AP. "And seven guys were able to lift it enough to pull the victim out."The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Federal authorities are probing a scheme to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, according to individuals familiar with the issue, the Wall Street Journal reported."The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated," a White House official noted.Senators, governors, American business executives and other people have gotten texts and calls from an individual claiming to be Wiles, individuals familiar with the messages noted, according to the outlet.WHO IS SUSIE WILES, TRUMP'S WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF? 5 THINGS TO KNOWFBI officials informed the White House that they do not think another country is involved, some of the people noted, according to the report.Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for comment on Friday morning, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES ONCE HELPED NFL BROADCAST LEGEND FATHER PAT SUMMERALL BEAT ALCOHOLISM"The FBI takes all threats against the president, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness," FBI Director Kash Patel delcaerd in a statement, according to the Journal. "Safeguarding our administration officials ability to securely communicate to accomplish the presidents mission is a top priority."The chief of staff informed associates that her phone contacts had been hacked, according to some of the people, the Journal reported. The phone is her personal device, not a government phone, the individuals noted, according to the outlet.Some calls involved a voice which sounded like the chief of staff, individuals who heard them noted, according to the report. Government officials believe the impostor utilized artificial intelligence to mimic her voice, some of the individuals noted.TRUMP NAMES SUSIE WILES AS FIRST FEMALE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF IN HISTORYCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIn some cases involving texts, individuals got requests which they at first thought were official, according to the outlet, which noted that one legislator received a request to develop a list of people who could be pardoned by Trump.But it became evident to some legislators that the asks were suspect when the impostor started posing questions about the president, for which Wiles should have been privy to the answers and in one instance, when the impostor requested a cash transfer, some of the people noted, according to the outlet.In many instances, the impostor used broken grammar and the messages were too formal compared to how Wiles normally communicates, individuals who received the messages noted, according to the outlet. The calls and texts did not emanate from Wiles's phone number, according to the report.

Federal authorities are probing a scheme to impersonate White House chief of staff Susie Wiles, according to individuals familiar with the issue, the Wall Street Journal reported."The White House takes the cybersecurity of all staff very seriously, and this matter continues to be investigated," a White House official noted.Senators, governors, American business executives and other people have gotten texts and calls from an individual claiming to be Wiles, individuals familiar with the messages noted, according to the outlet.WHO IS SUSIE WILES, TRUMP'S WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF? 5 THINGS TO KNOWFBI officials informed the White House that they do not think another country is involved, some of the people noted, according to the report.Fox News Digital reached out to the FBI for comment on Friday morning, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.TRUMP CHIEF OF STAFF SUSIE WILES ONCE HELPED NFL BROADCAST LEGEND FATHER PAT SUMMERALL BEAT ALCOHOLISM"The FBI takes all threats against the president, his staff, and our cybersecurity with the utmost seriousness," FBI Director Kash Patel delcaerd in a statement, according to the Journal. "Safeguarding our administration officials ability to securely communicate to accomplish the presidents mission is a top priority."The chief of staff informed associates that her phone contacts had been hacked, according to some of the people, the Journal reported. The phone is her personal device, not a government phone, the individuals noted, according to the outlet.Some calls involved a voice which sounded like the chief of staff, individuals who heard them noted, according to the report. Government officials believe the impostor utilized artificial intelligence to mimic her voice, some of the individuals noted.TRUMP NAMES SUSIE WILES AS FIRST FEMALE WHITE HOUSE CHIEF OF STAFF IN HISTORYCLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPIn some cases involving texts, individuals got requests which they at first thought were official, according to the outlet, which noted that one legislator received a request to develop a list of people who could be pardoned by Trump.But it became evident to some legislators that the asks were suspect when the impostor started posing questions about the president, for which Wiles should have been privy to the answers and in one instance, when the impostor requested a cash transfer, some of the people noted, according to the outlet.In many instances, the impostor used broken grammar and the messages were too formal compared to how Wiles normally communicates, individuals who received the messages noted, according to the outlet. The calls and texts did not emanate from Wiles's phone number, according to the report.

Fragments of toppled Civil War monuments still lie in a lot beside Interstate 95, near the Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plantjust a stones throw from the iconic "Marlboro Cigarette" in South Richmond, the onetime capital of the Confederacy.While Richmonds tobacco-trading past remains symbolized by that roadside oddity at the Philip Morris plant, it and other cities across the south took swift action to erase reminders of the Civil War and slavery.A report Thursday in the Richmond Times-Dispatch looked back at what has, or moreso hasnt, transpired as those who had sought the culling of the monuments had hoped in the heat of the George Floyd riots of five years ago this week.Virginia State Del. Mike Jones, D-Richmond, a reported opponent of the monuments, told the paper that "st didnt change when they came down," and that "real progress" was what was sought in erasing the Souths pro-slavery and secessionist past.DC TO BEGIN RECONSTRUCTING BLM PLAZA"As abhorrent as [they] are, give me life, give me real justice. You can keep your monuments." Jones told the paper.One statue did find a new home, as Davis is now on display at the citys Valentine Museum. It still has paint marks on it from when it was besieged by protesters in 2020.Jones told the paper that gun violence and education-related issues still plague minority communities and also took a swipe at President Donald Trump in regard to the lack of change since the Floyd riots and monumental upheaval.VA GOVERNMENT GRINDS TO A HALT AS HOSPITALS, RESIDENTS HIT BY COLOSSAL WATER PLANT FAILURE"We didnt really get the monuments because the spirit of [them] is in the White House right now," he told the Times-Dispatch.While monuments have either been toppled by protesters or removed by municipalities across the South, Richmond as expected due to its past as the C.S.A. capital had many in prominent places.The citys tree-lined Monument Avenue was reduced to a series of traffic circles around unremarkable granite pedestals after the removal of effigies of Gens. Robert E. Lee, James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart, President Jefferson Davis, and local scientist-turned-Confederate Naval officer Matthew Maury.Then-Gov. Ralph Northams efforts to remove the last of the monuments, Lees, were briefly blocked by a court as it was originally constructed through private donations and the help of then-Democratic Gov. Fitzhugh Lee; the generals nephew.While efforts to rename Robert E. Lee Bridge on U.S. 301 the major pre-I-95 crossing of the James River have appeared to stall, signage that once greeted travelers bound for Petersburg is now muted.Fox News Digital reached out to lieutenant governor candidate Levar Stoneywho, as Richmonds mayor, led the effort to remove the monumentsfor comment on reports that the removal has brought little meaningful change.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPDuring his mayorship, Stoney said in a video statement that protesters attempted to take down monuments themselves while the coronavirus raged, and that in response to the risk of "serious illness, injury or death.""It is past time, as the capital city of Virginia, we have needed to turn this page for decades," Stoney said, adding the city and "residents of color" had been "burdened" by its historical role as CSA capital.Fox News Digital also reached out to Gov. Glenn Youngkin, as well as Republicans in the greater Richmond area, for their response to the current sentiments, but did not hear back by press time.One Republican lawmaker told Fox News Digital the situation shows the focus should have been, and should be, on directly addressing crime and pressing issues like the city's water shortage crisis, which reemerged this week after Richmond and even the State Capitol were stopped in their tracks due to a catastrophic utility failure earlier this year.

Fragments of toppled Civil War monuments still lie in a lot beside Interstate 95, near the Richmond Wastewater Treatment Plantjust a stones throw from the iconic "Marlboro Cigarette" in South Richmond, the onetime capital of the Confederacy.While Richmonds tobacco-trading past remains symbolized by that roadside oddity at the Philip Morris plant, it and other cities across the south took swift action to erase reminders of the Civil War and slavery.A report Thursday in the Richmond Times-Dispatch looked back at what has, or moreso hasnt, transpired as those who had sought the culling of the monuments had hoped in the heat of the George Floyd riots of five years ago this week.Virginia State Del. Mike Jones, D-Richmond, a reported opponent of the monuments, told the paper that "st didnt change when they came down," and that "real progress" was what was sought in erasing the Souths pro-slavery and secessionist past.DC TO BEGIN RECONSTRUCTING BLM PLAZA"As abhorrent as [they] are, give me life, give me real justice. You can keep your monuments." Jones told the paper.One statue did find a new home, as Davis is now on display at the citys Valentine Museum. It still has paint marks on it from when it was besieged by protesters in 2020.Jones told the paper that gun violence and education-related issues still plague minority communities and also took a swipe at President Donald Trump in regard to the lack of change since the Floyd riots and monumental upheaval.VA GOVERNMENT GRINDS TO A HALT AS HOSPITALS, RESIDENTS HIT BY COLOSSAL WATER PLANT FAILURE"We didnt really get the monuments because the spirit of [them] is in the White House right now," he told the Times-Dispatch.While monuments have either been toppled by protesters or removed by municipalities across the South, Richmond as expected due to its past as the C.S.A. capital had many in prominent places.The citys tree-lined Monument Avenue was reduced to a series of traffic circles around unremarkable granite pedestals after the removal of effigies of Gens. Robert E. Lee, James Ewell Brown "Jeb" Stuart, President Jefferson Davis, and local scientist-turned-Confederate Naval officer Matthew Maury.Then-Gov. Ralph Northams efforts to remove the last of the monuments, Lees, were briefly blocked by a court as it was originally constructed through private donations and the help of then-Democratic Gov. Fitzhugh Lee; the generals nephew.While efforts to rename Robert E. Lee Bridge on U.S. 301 the major pre-I-95 crossing of the James River have appeared to stall, signage that once greeted travelers bound for Petersburg is now muted.Fox News Digital reached out to lieutenant governor candidate Levar Stoneywho, as Richmonds mayor, led the effort to remove the monumentsfor comment on reports that the removal has brought little meaningful change.CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPDuring his mayorship, Stoney said in a video statement that protesters attempted to take down monuments themselves while the coronavirus raged, and that in response to the risk of "serious illness, injury or death.""It is past time, as the capital city of Virginia, we have needed to turn this page for decades," Stoney said, adding the city and "residents of color" had been "burdened" by its historical role as CSA capital.Fox News Digital also reached out to Gov. Glenn Youngkin, as well as Republicans in the greater Richmond area, for their response to the current sentiments, but did not hear back by press time.One Republican lawmaker told Fox News Digital the situation shows the focus should have been, and should be, on directly addressing crime and pressing issues like the city's water shortage crisis, which reemerged this week after Richmond and even the State Capitol were stopped in their tracks due to a catastrophic utility failure earlier this year.