San Francisco Ends $5M-A-Year Program That Supplied Alcohol To Homeless Addicts

Sigh. It's not parody. It's San Francisco. The city is shutting down a controversial program that used millions in taxpayer funds to provide alcohol to homeless residents struggling with addiction, according to the NY Post.

Mayor Daniel Lurie said the city will end the Managed Alcohol Program, which cost about $5 million each year and began during the COVID-19 pandemic.

“For years, San Francisco was spending $5 million a year to provide alcohol to people who were struggling with homelessness and addiction — it doesn’t make sense, and we’re ending it,” Lurie told The California Post.

The program was launched in April 2020, when the city placed unhoused residents in hotels during lockdowns. Medical staff supplied controlled amounts of beer and liquor to prevent dangerous withdrawal symptoms while stores and bars were closed. Although intended as a temporary measure, it continued for nearly six years.

During its operation, the program served only 55 people, translating to an average cost of roughly $454,000 per client.

Now, Lurie says the city has fully pulled its support.

“We have ended every city contract for that program,” he said.

Community Forward, the nonprofit that managed the initiative in recent years, confirmed that the city has terminated its funding. Financial records show the group received millions in public money, much of it spent on staff salaries.

San Francisco’s program was the first of its kind in the United States, modeled loosely on similar efforts in Canada. Unlike other harm-reduction policies, such as needle exchanges, MAP directly supplied alcohol to people already dependent on it.

Since taking office last year, Lurie has moved away from long-standing harm-reduction policies. He has also ended the distribution of drug-use equipment and pushed for stricter enforcement of street drug activity.

“Under my administration, we made San Francisco a recovery-first city and ended the practice of handing out fentanyl smoking supplies so people couldn’t kill themselves on our streets,” Lurie said.

“We have work to do, but we have transformed the city’s response, and we are breaking the cycles of addiction, homelessness and government failure that have let down San Franciscans for too long.”

Last year, he warned open-air drug markets that enforcement would increase.

“If you do drugs on our streets, you will be arrested,” Lurie said. “And instead of sending you back out in crisis, we will give you a chance to stabilize and enter recovery.”

The Post writes that recovery advocates welcomed the decision to end MAP. Tom Wolf, a former homeless addict who now works in outreach, said the program wasted public funds.

“They [were] wasting our money just paying people to keep using the drug that they’re hopelessly addicted to,” Wolf said.

He also criticized how harm reduction has evolved.

“Harm reduction itself is part of the overall social justice framework,” he said, adding that it has shifted from preventing disease to “supporting drug users.”

Steve Adami, head of the Salvation Army’s recovery-focused program in San Francisco, said the city is now rethinking decades of policy.

“Under Mayor Lurie, they have reassessed the outcomes of those models,” Adami said. “That we are a recovery-first city. He’s made a significant investment into abstinence-based and recovery-focused services.”

In May, Lurie signed the Recovery First Act, signaling a shift toward abstinence and treatment-based approaches.

Despite the changes, major challenges remain. San Francisco has limited detox capacity, with only about 68 beds for thousands of people who cycle through homelessness each year. Many residents seeking help still face long waits for treatment.

The end of the alcohol program reflects the mayor’s broader effort to reverse years of permissive policies as he tries to address addiction, homelessness, and the decline of the city’s downtown core.

Tyler Durden Sun, 02/01/2026 - 22:45

Isaacman: NASA Aims To Build 'Martian Outpost' On Mars With Nuclear Propulsion

Authored by T.J. Muscaro via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced his agency’s commitment to developing a nuclear propulsion system for missions to Mars within the next three years.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (L) speaks at a press conference at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on Jan. 17, 2026. (T.J. Muscaro/The Epoch Times).

“Before the end of @POTUS‘ term, @NASA will lay the foundation of a ’transcontinental railroad' to Mars,” Isaacman wrote on X on Jan. 30. “By utilizing nuclear electric propulsion, our nation will have the tools necessary to establish a Martian outpost and maintain American superiority in deep space.”

The administrator shared a clip from a Jan. 30 appearance on Fox News in which he explained that while NASA continues its work to put boots back on the moon, it will also launch its first nuclear power and propulsion rocket by the end of President Donald Trump’s term.

“That’s going to essentially almost establish the transcontinental railroad to Mars,” he said. “It’s how you efficiently move lots of mass to Mars. So it’s not necessarily always the fastest way to get there, but it gives you the tools to build out potentially a Martian outpost, certainly to mine and refine propellant on Mars, which is what you’re going to need to bring your astronauts back home.”

He explained that America would have the capability to send astronauts to Mars, but the hard part was bringing them back. Nuclear power and propulsion solved that problem.

Meanwhile, Isaacman reaffirmed that the Artemis program would continue to push forward the goal of the president’s national space policy to not just land humans back on the moon, but to construct a lunar base in order to stay and fulfill its scientific, economic, and strategic potential.

That base, he said, will involve a nuclear power plant, as well as mining operations, and refining Helium 3, which is considered to be the best fuel for nuclear fusion reactors, and plan to do it before communist China’s plan to do so by 2030.

“The Chinese said they’re going to do it,” Isaacman said of a nuclear reactor on the moon, “We’re going to do it first.”

But all of these plans still start with the mission whose rocket stands at Launch Complex 39-B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida: Artemis II. That 10-day mission, which will carry humans around the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, and could do so as early as Feb. 8, awaits the results of a crucial dress rehearsal of launch day conditions set for Feb. 2.

“America’s mission to the Moon won’t end with a handful of landings,” Isaacman said on X. ”We will undertake repeatable and affordable missions that expand our presence across the lunar surface, fulfilling a 35-year promise to the American taxpayer.”

Tyler Durden Sun, 02/01/2026 - 18:40

Isaacman: NASA Aims To Build 'Martian Outpost' On Mars With Nuclear Propulsion

Authored by T.J. Muscaro via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman announced his agency’s commitment to developing a nuclear propulsion system for missions to Mars within the next three years.

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman (L) speaks at a press conference at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on Jan. 17, 2026. (T.J. Muscaro/The Epoch Times).

“Before the end of @POTUS‘ term, @NASA will lay the foundation of a ’transcontinental railroad' to Mars,” Isaacman wrote on X on Jan. 30. “By utilizing nuclear electric propulsion, our nation will have the tools necessary to establish a Martian outpost and maintain American superiority in deep space.”

The administrator shared a clip from a Jan. 30 appearance on Fox News in which he explained that while NASA continues its work to put boots back on the moon, it will also launch its first nuclear power and propulsion rocket by the end of President Donald Trump’s term.

“That’s going to essentially almost establish the transcontinental railroad to Mars,” he said. “It’s how you efficiently move lots of mass to Mars. So it’s not necessarily always the fastest way to get there, but it gives you the tools to build out potentially a Martian outpost, certainly to mine and refine propellant on Mars, which is what you’re going to need to bring your astronauts back home.”

He explained that America would have the capability to send astronauts to Mars, but the hard part was bringing them back. Nuclear power and propulsion solved that problem.

Meanwhile, Isaacman reaffirmed that the Artemis program would continue to push forward the goal of the president’s national space policy to not just land humans back on the moon, but to construct a lunar base in order to stay and fulfill its scientific, economic, and strategic potential.

That base, he said, will involve a nuclear power plant, as well as mining operations, and refining Helium 3, which is considered to be the best fuel for nuclear fusion reactors, and plan to do it before communist China’s plan to do so by 2030.

“The Chinese said they’re going to do it,” Isaacman said of a nuclear reactor on the moon, “We’re going to do it first.”

But all of these plans still start with the mission whose rocket stands at Launch Complex 39-B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida: Artemis II. That 10-day mission, which will carry humans around the moon for the first time since Apollo 17 in 1972, and could do so as early as Feb. 8, awaits the results of a crucial dress rehearsal of launch day conditions set for Feb. 2.

“America’s mission to the Moon won’t end with a handful of landings,” Isaacman said on X. ”We will undertake repeatable and affordable missions that expand our presence across the lunar surface, fulfilling a 35-year promise to the American taxpayer.”

Tyler Durden Sun, 02/01/2026 - 18:40

How Easy Is It To Open A Daycare In Minnesota?

Authored by Jacki Thrapp via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Minnesota is facing heavy scrutiny after the Trump administration accused bad actors in the state of exploiting federal funds from child-focused programs for personal gain.

The Minneapolis skyline, on Jan. 11, 2026. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Dec. 29, 2025, that 98 people—85 of Somali descent— were indicted in welfare fraud cases in the state.

Minnesota was home to the “largest COVID-19 fraud case” in America, as 78 defendants—72 of Somalian descent—were accused of pocketing $300 million to $400 million dollars of “Feeding Our Future” funds that were supposed to provide children free meals during the pandemic.

Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, the mastermind behind the “Feeding Our Future” scandal, was sentenced to 28 years in prison in August.

The Trump administration last month announced it would freeze $185 million in federal funds to Minnesota until the scandal-plagued state could prove that the money was being used properly.

Even though federal funds have temporarily dried up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, prospective child care providers are still able to obtain child care licenses.

The Epoch Times investigated how to open a day care in Minnesota, with a focus on the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which have the highest concentration of Somali residents in the United States.

Licensing Applications

The State of Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families manages licensing applications for child care centers and charges a nonrefundable fee of $500 to apply. Prospective small business owners can receive a license in approximately three to six months.

Aspiring providers have two routes to obtain a license: open a child care center or provide services at their own home.

An in-home day care license is hundreds of dollars cheaper and requires potential providers to go through their local county for a small fee. Some may even be eligible to receive a grant of $2,000 for startup costs.

Aspiring child care providers seeking licensure in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, which oversee applications in Minneapolis and St. Paul, have to pay a nonrefundable $50 application fee.

Before an application can be submitted, future business owners must first attend an orientation.

Ramsey County requires in-person orientation, which is offered once a month, whileHennepin County allows people to take a 30-minute online orientation and submit their application immediately. Hennepin County’s online orientation can be completed in four separate languages: Somali, Spanish, English and Hmong.

The orientation presentation  explains the “many benefits” provided to licensed providers, including food programs, eligibility for loans and grants, and small business tax benefits.At the end of the orientation, the county provides an email address to request the six-page Family Child Care Application Form. The document, which is not available to download, asks a series of questions relating to the applicant, which will be used to help conduct a background check.

Children watch television at ABC Learning Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Dec. 31, 2025. AP Photo/Mark Vancleave Background Check

Hennepin County charges $49.10 for a background check per provider.

The background check form requires  applicants to list specific information about their living situation, such as who could be around children under their care, and add references.

The check does a deep dive into a person’s entire criminal record, which includes a juvenile record for people under the age of 28.

Additional checks include where the person has lived in the past five years and if they’ve received government benefits.

Training

Licensed providers must attend several hours of mandatory training before they are granted their license, according to requirements by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

The mandatory training includes a six-hour course titled “Supervising for Safety for Family Child Care” and a four-hour course on child development and learning and behavior guidance. Other required training includes “Pediatric First Aid & Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation,” “Reducing the Risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death,” “Reducing the Risk of Abusive Head Trauma,” and “Basic Education for Safe Travel” if transportation will be provided.

The classes are offered by the state and amount to $219 total, although some of the courses are free.

Additional adult caregivers must go through the same training, but people who identify as a “helper” are not required to do so.

Other courses are offered for providers who plan to take care of infants and children under school age.

Processing and Approval

The processing period can take up to half a year, depending on how many applications are going through the system and if an applicant makes mistakes on initial forms.

The Epoch Times contacted Hennepin County for information on how many applications were denied in 2025 and did not hear back by the time this report was published.

Once approved, the licensed provider attends a small group meeting on how to “prepare your home and begin your child care business,” including requirements for space, sleeping, equipment, and safety.

Grants

Minnesota offers training for providers seeking child care assistance funds and lets people apply through the state’s Provider Hub.

A licensed provider in Minnesota has access to the Provider Hub and is eligible to participate in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which uses federal funds to help low-income families pay for child care.

CCAP, which has 23,000 children enrolled in Minneapolis, uses federal money from the Child Care and Development Fund.

Child care providers apply for smaller grants, provided by the state, using the Child Care Aware Grants Program, which gives up to $1,000 for family child care and $2,500 to centers.

Applications for regional grants open once a year, but “soon-to-be licensed” providers can also apply for startup grants of up to $2,000 for family child care and $3,000 for child care centers.

Students from Little Scholars in New York City, on Dec. 11, 2025. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Funding Freeze

Due to widespread fraud allegations in Minnesota, not all grants are available.

The Trump administration announced on Dec. 30, 2025, that it was freezing child care funding in all 50 states after Minnesota day care centers run by Somali residents became the epicenter of alleged fraud scandals.

The freeze impacts the Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Head Start program, and refugee assistance programs.

In 2025, the federal government provided nearly $2.4 billion to the Child Care and Development Fund, $7.35 billion to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and $869 million the Social Services Block Grant.

Minnesota received 7.7 percent ($184.9 million) of the money allocated to the Child Care and Development fund in 2025, according to data provided by the Office of the Administration for Children and Families.

The state received 3.5 percent ($262 million) of the funds from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families in 2025, according to the state’s budget.

“Funds will be released only when states prove they are being spent legitimately,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said during the announcement.

Controversies

Minnesota and its Somali population has received heavy criticism after allegations of widespread fraud surfaced in the state.

YouTuber Nick Shirley went viral after posting a video which featured a series of Somali-run day cares, seemingly empty, despite receiving federal funding.

The Epoch Times confirmed that Quality Learning Center, which was featured in Shirley’s video, closed shortly after a viral video showed its sign misspelled Learning as “Learing.”

The scandals led Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to drop out of his bid for reelection on Jan. 5, even though he blamed the alleged fraud on “an organized group of criminals,” as opposed to the state’s oversight.

“Every minute I spend defending my own political interest would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences,” Walz wrote in his announcement that ended his bid for a third term as governor.

Tyler Durden Sun, 02/01/2026 - 17:30

How Easy Is It To Open A Daycare In Minnesota?

Authored by Jacki Thrapp via The Epoch Times (emphasis ours),

Minnesota is facing heavy scrutiny after the Trump administration accused bad actors in the state of exploiting federal funds from child-focused programs for personal gain.

The Minneapolis skyline, on Jan. 11, 2026. John Fredricks/The Epoch Times

Attorney General Pam Bondi announced on Dec. 29, 2025, that 98 people—85 of Somali descent— were indicted in welfare fraud cases in the state.

Minnesota was home to the “largest COVID-19 fraud case” in America, as 78 defendants—72 of Somalian descent—were accused of pocketing $300 million to $400 million dollars of “Feeding Our Future” funds that were supposed to provide children free meals during the pandemic.

Abdiaziz Shafii Farah, the mastermind behind the “Feeding Our Future” scandal, was sentenced to 28 years in prison in August.

The Trump administration last month announced it would freeze $185 million in federal funds to Minnesota until the scandal-plagued state could prove that the money was being used properly.

Even though federal funds have temporarily dried up in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, prospective child care providers are still able to obtain child care licenses.

The Epoch Times investigated how to open a day care in Minnesota, with a focus on the Twin Cities, Minneapolis and Saint Paul, which have the highest concentration of Somali residents in the United States.

Licensing Applications

The State of Minnesota’s Department of Children, Youth, and Families manages licensing applications for child care centers and charges a nonrefundable fee of $500 to apply. Prospective small business owners can receive a license in approximately three to six months.

Aspiring providers have two routes to obtain a license: open a child care center or provide services at their own home.

An in-home day care license is hundreds of dollars cheaper and requires potential providers to go through their local county for a small fee. Some may even be eligible to receive a grant of $2,000 for startup costs.

Aspiring child care providers seeking licensure in Hennepin and Ramsey counties, which oversee applications in Minneapolis and St. Paul, have to pay a nonrefundable $50 application fee.

Before an application can be submitted, future business owners must first attend an orientation.

Ramsey County requires in-person orientation, which is offered once a month, whileHennepin County allows people to take a 30-minute online orientation and submit their application immediately. Hennepin County’s online orientation can be completed in four separate languages: Somali, Spanish, English and Hmong.

The orientation presentation  explains the “many benefits” provided to licensed providers, including food programs, eligibility for loans and grants, and small business tax benefits.At the end of the orientation, the county provides an email address to request the six-page Family Child Care Application Form. The document, which is not available to download, asks a series of questions relating to the applicant, which will be used to help conduct a background check.

Children watch television at ABC Learning Center in Minneapolis, Minn., on Dec. 31, 2025. AP Photo/Mark Vancleave Background Check

Hennepin County charges $49.10 for a background check per provider.

The background check form requires  applicants to list specific information about their living situation, such as who could be around children under their care, and add references.

The check does a deep dive into a person’s entire criminal record, which includes a juvenile record for people under the age of 28.

Additional checks include where the person has lived in the past five years and if they’ve received government benefits.

Training

Licensed providers must attend several hours of mandatory training before they are granted their license, according to requirements by the Minnesota Department of Children, Youth, and Families.

The mandatory training includes a six-hour course titled “Supervising for Safety for Family Child Care” and a four-hour course on child development and learning and behavior guidance. Other required training includes “Pediatric First Aid & Pediatric Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation,” “Reducing the Risk of Sudden Unexpected Infant Death,” “Reducing the Risk of Abusive Head Trauma,” and “Basic Education for Safe Travel” if transportation will be provided.

The classes are offered by the state and amount to $219 total, although some of the courses are free.

Additional adult caregivers must go through the same training, but people who identify as a “helper” are not required to do so.

Other courses are offered for providers who plan to take care of infants and children under school age.

Processing and Approval

The processing period can take up to half a year, depending on how many applications are going through the system and if an applicant makes mistakes on initial forms.

The Epoch Times contacted Hennepin County for information on how many applications were denied in 2025 and did not hear back by the time this report was published.

Once approved, the licensed provider attends a small group meeting on how to “prepare your home and begin your child care business,” including requirements for space, sleeping, equipment, and safety.

Grants

Minnesota offers training for providers seeking child care assistance funds and lets people apply through the state’s Provider Hub.

A licensed provider in Minnesota has access to the Provider Hub and is eligible to participate in the Child Care Assistance Program (CCAP), which uses federal funds to help low-income families pay for child care.

CCAP, which has 23,000 children enrolled in Minneapolis, uses federal money from the Child Care and Development Fund.

Child care providers apply for smaller grants, provided by the state, using the Child Care Aware Grants Program, which gives up to $1,000 for family child care and $2,500 to centers.

Applications for regional grants open once a year, but “soon-to-be licensed” providers can also apply for startup grants of up to $2,000 for family child care and $3,000 for child care centers.

Students from Little Scholars in New York City, on Dec. 11, 2025. Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images Funding Freeze

Due to widespread fraud allegations in Minnesota, not all grants are available.

The Trump administration announced on Dec. 30, 2025, that it was freezing child care funding in all 50 states after Minnesota day care centers run by Somali residents became the epicenter of alleged fraud scandals.

The freeze impacts the Child Care and Development Fund, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, the Head Start program, and refugee assistance programs.

In 2025, the federal government provided nearly $2.4 billion to the Child Care and Development Fund, $7.35 billion to Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, and $869 million the Social Services Block Grant.

Minnesota received 7.7 percent ($184.9 million) of the money allocated to the Child Care and Development fund in 2025, according to data provided by the Office of the Administration for Children and Families.

The state received 3.5 percent ($262 million) of the funds from Temporary Assistance for Needy Families in 2025, according to the state’s budget.

“Funds will be released only when states prove they are being spent legitimately,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Deputy Secretary Jim O’Neill said during the announcement.

Controversies

Minnesota and its Somali population has received heavy criticism after allegations of widespread fraud surfaced in the state.

YouTuber Nick Shirley went viral after posting a video which featured a series of Somali-run day cares, seemingly empty, despite receiving federal funding.

The Epoch Times confirmed that Quality Learning Center, which was featured in Shirley’s video, closed shortly after a viral video showed its sign misspelled Learning as “Learing.”

The scandals led Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz to drop out of his bid for reelection on Jan. 5, even though he blamed the alleged fraud on “an organized group of criminals,” as opposed to the state’s oversight.

“Every minute I spend defending my own political interest would be a minute I can’t spend defending the people of Minnesota against the criminals who prey on our generosity and the cynics who prey on our differences,” Walz wrote in his announcement that ended his bid for a third term as governor.

Tyler Durden Sun, 02/01/2026 - 17:30