Skip to content

Tennis Player Sparks Debate After Getting Slapped With Massive Fine Over Blatantly Sexist Comment About French Open Umpire

Search AI Powered
Human content, AI powered search.

Latest Stories

Missouri Republicans Slammed After Cutting Funding For Dolly Parton's Free Book Program For Young Kids

Dolly Parton
Shannon Finney/Getty Images

Missouri Republicans voted to cut state funding for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library literacy program, which sends free books to kids 5 and under—and people are furious.

Amelia Mavis Christnot
By Amelia Mavis ChristnotJun 03, 2026
Amelia Mavis Christnot

Amelia is an Oglala Lakȟóta of the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ, Kanien'kehá:ka of the Haudenosaunee and Métis Navy brat who settled in the wilds of Northern Maine. A member of the Indigenous Journalists Association, she considers herself another proud Maineiac.

See Full Bio

The state of Missouri will halt all new enrollment in Dolly Parton’s childhood literacy program, Imagination Library, on July 1, 2026, after the GOP-controlled state legislature slashed funding from $6 million to $2 million.

Parton's Imagination Library mails one free book a month to children from birth to age 5. Republicans decided the program will receive $2 million in state funding for fiscal year 2027.

It's a marked change from 2024, when Parton joined former Republican Governor Mike Parson to celebrate Missouri becoming the first state in the country to fully fund her literacy program.

At the time, Parton stated:

"It makes me happy to think that I'm giving them a gift that matters to them, and it makes me happy to know that I've made them feel special."

The books subReddit had thoughts on why Missouri’s GOP targeted Parton’s childhood literacy program for cuts.

r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit

Many cited the Republican Party's decades-long attacks on any form of free, publicly available education.

r/books/Reddit



r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit


r/books/Reddit

Lucas Bond, Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education communications director, addressed the cuts, stating:

"We are unsure of the future of the Dolly Parton Imagination Library in Missouri as a state-funded program. Partnering with local programs could be a potential in the future with time, funding, and partnerships coordination."

Angela Sears Spittal, executive director of the Ready Readers literacy program, responded to the cuts, saying:

"We know that when kids have 20 or more books in their home, research says they go three years farther in school.
"If we only have about 20% of children in low-income communities reading at an age-appropriate level, I think it's fair to say we're in a literacy crisis. So to see funding pulled back from that is heartbreaking."

In 2025, Missouri’s state-funded effort was able to distribute 1.9 million books while their neighbor, Illinois, took three years to distribute 1.6 million books because of their partially state-funded model.

Bond stated Missouri will accept no new children in the program and will only distribute books until they run out.

Latest News

Sepideh Moafi (left); Noah Wyle (right)
Entertainment

'The Pitt' Star Speaks Out To Shut Down Rumors Of On-Set Feud With Noah Wyle—And The Show's Toxic Fans Are Getting Blamed

Screenshot of Mehmet Oz; Donald Trump
Donald Trump

Dr. Oz Just Gave A Dubious Explanation For Why Trump Keeps Going In For Checkups If He's In 'Perfect Health'—And We're Not Buying It

Amy Poehler; Tom Holland
Celebrities

Tom Holland Just Explained Why He'll Probably Never Host 'SNL'—And It Makes A Lot Of Sense

Jenny Mollen and Jason Biggs
Celebrities

Actor Jenny Mollen Is Weirding People All The Way Out With Her Viral Essay On Being A 'Boy Mom' To Her And Jason Biggs' Sons

More from Entertainment/celebrities

Andy Ogles
Brett Carlsen/Getty Images

MAGA Rep. Ripped After Claiming That 'Homosexuality Has No Place In America' In Vile Tweet

On Tuesday morning, Tennessee MAGA Republican Representative Andy Ogles decided to proudly proclaim his bigotry on X by posting a homophobic attack on the second day of LGBTQ+ Pride Month.

But by Tuesday afternoon, Ogles had lost his nerve and deleted the deliberately inflammatory post.

Keep Reading Show less
Donald Trump
Kent Nishimura/AFP via Getty Images

The White House Just Shared A Trump Quote Claiming Things Will 'All Work Out' In The End—And It's Not Sitting Well With People

The White House was called out after sharing a pair of tweets quoting President Donald Trump's recent claim on Truth Social that "it will all work out well in the end" as he attacked critics.

As his highly unpopular war with Iran continues, Trump said he believes Iran is eager to reach an agreement that would benefit the United States and its allies. He complained that criticism from Democrats—whom he referred to as "Dumocrats"—and some Republicans makes negotiations more difficult.

Keep Reading Show less
Screenshot of Ivanka Trump
David Senra/YouTube

Ivanka Trump Under Fire Over Tone-Deaf Plan To Develop Massive $1.5 Billion Resort On Private Island In Mediterranean

Ivanka Trump was criticized over her tone-deaf plans to develop Sazan Island, an off-grid island off the coast of Albania, into a private resort with her husband, Jared Kushner.

The development will reportedly include 10,000 hotel rooms and villas along a stretch of ecologically sensitive coastline encompassing the Vjosa-Narta lagoon and the nearby island of Sazan. According to Newsweek, the resort "spans wetlands and coastal habitats known for supporting bird migration routes and marine wildlife, which environmental groups say could be at risk."

Keep Reading Show less
Elmo, Grover, and Abby Cadabby of Sesame Street visit SiriusXM Studios.
Rommel Demano/Getty Images

MAGA Is Throwing A Bigoted Tantrum After 'Sesame Street' Celebrated The Start Of Pride Month—And Here We Go Again

June has arrived, which means two things are now inevitable: brands rolling out Pride Month messaging and MAGA supporters reacting to it like civilization is collapsing in real time.

This year’s completely predictable outrage target is Sesame Street, which kicked off Pride Month with its annual message celebrating inclusion, acceptance, and the LGBTQ+ community.

Keep Reading Show less
The Black Crowes' Chris and Rich Robinson
Bryan Steffy/Getty Images

MAGA Florida Crowd Rages After Rock Band's Lead Singer Mocks Them For Chanting 'U-S-A' In Awkward Video

Chris Robinson, co-founder and lead vocalist of the Southern rock and blues band The Black Crowes, riled up a Tampa, Florida, crowd after he mocked them for erupting in a spontaneous "U-S-A, U-S-A, U-S-A" chant.

Robinson formed his band in 1984 with guitarist and younger brother Rich Robinson. The Robinsons grew up in the Atlanta, Georgia, area, but don't espouse the stereotypical ideals of their white southern roots.

Keep Reading Show less