The United States hit Venezuela with a “large-scale strike” early Saturday and said President Nicolás Maduro and his wife were captured and flown out of the country after months of stepped-up pressure by Washington.
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Smoke is seen over buildings after explosions and low-flying aircraft were heard on Jan. 3, 2026 in Caracas, Venezuela. According to some reports, explosions were heard in Caracas and other cities near airports and military bases around 2 a.m. (Photo by Jesus Vargas/Getty Images)
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump said Saturday that the United States will “run the country” of Venezuela until “a proper transition can take place,” following the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro in a strike against the South American nation, a stunning move conducted without congressional notice or approval.
Trump in a press conference from his Florida estate made it clear how much the secret military operation earlier Saturday related to securing oil, and he detailed how petroleum companies would finance the rebuilding of Venezuela’s oil infrastructure.
Trump as well as Secretary of State Marco Rubio also signaled other countries, such as Cuba, could face the same interventionist fate as Venezuela. “If I lived in Havana and worked for the government I’d be concerned,” Rubio said, referring to the communist nation’s capital.
Maduro and his wife, Cilia Flores, who was also captured, will be brought to New York to face a U.S. indictment on narco-terrorism and conspiracy charges originally levied in 2020. The Venezuelan’s reelection to the presidency in 2024 was determined by many countries, including the U.S., to be illegitimate, and he has been characterized by the administration as the leader of a drug cartel.
“This extremely successful operation should serve as (a) warning to anyone who would threaten American sovereignty or endanger American lives,” Trump said. “What happened to Maduro could happen to them.”
The military strike quickly drew strong rebukes from Democratic lawmakers, who said the action superseded Congress’ authority to declare war. It’s also caused deep concern among world leaders, some of whom pushed for an emergency United Nations meeting.
However, Republicans in Congress stood by the president’s decision, saying it was justified.
Trump did not give a timeline for how long the unusual U.S. intervention in Venezuela might go on, but said the next year would look different for the nation.
“We are going to run the country until such time that we can do a safe, proper and judicious transition,” Trump said. He added that the U.S. would make Venezuela safe for “the great people of Venezuela, and that includes many from Venezuela that are now living in the United States and want to go back to their country.”
Since taking office, the Trump administration has tried to end temporary and humanitarian legal protections for hundreds of thousands of Venezuelan immigrants. Trump during the press conference repeated accusations that Maduro has sent Venezuelan immigrants with ties to the Tren de Aragua gang to the U.S.
Trump’s military action campaign, named “Absolute Resolve,” came after he waged a months-long pressure campaign to oust the authoritarian leader. Dozens of boat strikes have been carried out in the Caribbean that the president and members of his administration have justified, without showing evidence, by saying the boats were carrying drugs to the U.S.
“The United States of America has successfully carried out a large scale strike against Venezuela and its leader, President Nicolas Maduro, who has been, along with his wife, captured and flown out of the Country,” Trump wrote on his social media site, Truth Social, early Saturday. “This operation was done in conjunction with U.S. Law Enforcement.”
Before the Saturday press event at Mar-a-Lago started, the president posted a picture to social media of Maduro handcuffed, blindfolded and aboard the U.S.S. Iwo Jima Navy ship.
Trump at the press conference was joined by Rubio; Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth; Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine; CIA Director John Ratcliffe; and senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, who is a lead architect of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
Trump said that an “overwhelming American military power” was used to capture Maduro and his wife in the “dead of night” from “air, land and sea.”
He added that no U.S. military members were killed in the operation, but did not rule out a continued presence for American troops in Venezuelan territory.
“We’re not afraid of boots on the ground,” Trump said.
Trump said those officials standing behind him at his press conference, “for a period of time,” would “be running” Venezuela.
The president offered few details on what that U.S. intervention would look like, but called it a “partnership.” It’s unclear if there are any American officials or troops stationed yet in or near Venezuela.
Trump also lodged a thinly veiled threat against the Cuban government.
“Cuba is not doing really well right now,” Trump said. “I think Cuba is going to be something we’ll end up talking about.”
He added that the U.S. also wants to help Cubans who have been “forced out of their country,” so they can return to the island nation. The Trump administration has also moved to end humanitarian protections for more than 110,000 Cubans.
Rubio, whose parents were part of the first wave of Cuban exiles before the Fidel Castro regime took over the country, agreed, and criticized Cuba’s government as being run by “incompetent, senile men.”
It’s unclear how the next in line to the presidency for Venezuela, Vice President Delcy Rodríguez, will fare.
Trump said that Rubio had a conversation with Rodríguez, and said “she’s essentially willing to do what is necessary to make Venezuela great again.”
María Corina Machado, the leader of Venezuela’s opposition party, and recent Nobel Peace Prize winner for her work to advance democracy in her home country, called for national unity and said that “the hour for freedom has arrived.”
“We have struggled for years, we have given it our all, and it has been worth it. What had to happen is happening,” she said in a statement.
Maduro and his wife will face a trial in the U.S. They have been indicted in the Southern District of New York, Attorney General Pam Bondi wrote on social media.
The DOJ also indicted their son, Nicolás Ernesto Maduro Guerra, along with several other Venezuelan politicians, and the alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua Venezuelan gang, Hector Rusthenford Guerrero Flores.
President Maduro is charged with “Narco-Terrorism Conspiracy, Cocaine Importation Conspiracy, Possession of Machineguns and Destructive Devices, and Conspiracy to Possess Machineguns and Destructive Devices against the United States,” Bondi said.
In 2020, the first Trump administration lodged the same four counts of narco-terrorism, conspiracy to import cocaine, possession of machine guns and conspiracy to possess machine guns.
The new indictment includes Maduro’s wife, son and the alleged leader of the Tren de Aragua gang.
The news drew ire from Congress, which has the authority to declare war. New Jersey Democratic Sen. Andy Kim said for weeks Trump officials briefed Congress that the boat strikes were not “about regime change.”
“I didn’t trust them then and we see now that they blatantly lied to Congress,” Kim wrote on social media. “Trump rejected our Constitutionally required approval process for armed conflict because the Administration knows the American people overwhelmingly reject risks pulling our nation into another war.”
However, Senate Majority Leader John Thune, Republican of South Dakota, said the capture of Maduro meant the Venezuelan president would be held accountable.
“President Trump’s decisive action to disrupt the unacceptable status quo and apprehend Maduro, through the execution of a valid Department of Justice warrant, is an important first step to bring him to justice for the drug crimes for which he has been indicted in the United States,” Thune said.
He added that when senators return to Congress Monday, he looks forward to additional security briefings from Trump officials.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, made similar remarks and called the attack “justified.” He said he’s working with the Trump administration to schedule briefings with House lawmakers when they return to Washington.
The top Democrat on the House Rules Committee, Rep. Jim McGovern of Massachusetts, wrote on social media that without “authorization from Congress, and with the vast majority of Americans opposed to military action, Trump just launched an unjustified, illegal strike on Venezuela.”
Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, who is also co-chair of the Congressional Venezuela Democracy Caucus, said in a statement that the “capture of the brutal, illegitimate ruler of Venezuela … is welcome news for my friends and neighbors who fled his violent, lawless, and disastrous rule.”
However, she called for the opportunity for Venezuelans to partake in democracy, such as being able to swear in the presidential candidate who won Venezuela’s election in the summer of 2024.
President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez was forced into exile and fled to Spain under asylum. Voter results showed that Gonzalez won by a large margin, but Venezuelan government officials, without providing proof, determined that Maduro won.
Utah’s GOP Sen. Mike Lee initially questioned “what, if anything, might constitutionally justify this action in the absence of a declaration of war or authorization for the use of military force.”
But Lee later changed course after speaking with Rubio.
“He informed me that Nicolás Maduro has been arrested by U.S. personnel to stand trial on criminal charges in the United States, and that the kinetic action we saw tonight was deployed to protect and defend those executing the arrest warrant,” Lee said of Rubio.
Rubio has long stated that Venezuela’s president is not legitimate, nor is his government. Rubio accused him of being the head of a drug cartel.
“He is not the legitimate president of Venezuela,” Rubio said during Saturday’s press conference. “He is a fugitive of American justice.”
Rubio, who while in Congress was a senior member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, also defended a lack of notification to lawmakers.
“This is not the kind of mission you can do congressional notification,” Rubio said.
For months, Democrats and a handful of Republican lawmakers have tried to curb the president’s strikes in the Caribbean, which have killed about 115, but Congress failed to pass several War Powers Resolutions.
The War Powers Resolution of 1973 is a tool for Congress to check the power of the executive branch by limiting the president’s ability to initiate or escalate military actions abroad.
Virginia Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine, who has pushed for the Senate to vote on the War Powers Resolution, said he will again advocate a vote to curb Trump’s military actions in Venezuela.
As the U.S. conducts military land strikes on Venezuela, more than half a million Venezuelan immigrants are legally fighting the Trump administration’s move to end Temporary Protected Status.
TPS is granted when a nation’s home country is deemed too dangerous to return to, due to violence, such as war, or a major natural disaster.
More than 600,000 Venezuelans have TPS, which was initially granted in 2021, just one day before the first Trump administration finished its term. Temporary protections were granted to Venezuelans due to Maduro’s regime.
Trump has also tried to apply the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to any Venezuelan national, aged 14 and older, who is a suspected gang member, for the purpose of removing them from the U.S. without due process.
Trump and Maduro also clashed after several deportation planes carrying Venezuelan immigrants landed in El Salvador, where more than 200 men were detained at a brutal mega-prison known as CECOT.
Maduro called the move a “kidnapping,” and several months later the Venezuelans were returned to their home country in a prisoner exchange.
It’s unclear what the consequences of the Trump administration’s move to capture a foreign leader will have on international relations, but many world leaders disavowed the attacks and called for an emergency United Nations General Assembly meeting.
The U.N., which is five miles away from the New York court where Maduro will stand trial, did not immediately respond to States Newsroom’s request for comment.
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum Pardo condemned the attacks and said they violated Article 2 of the United Nations Charter.
“Based on its foreign policy principles and its pacifist vocation, Mexico makes an urgent call to respect international law, as well as the principles and purposes of the UN Charter, and to cease any act of aggression against the Venezuelan government and people,” she said in a statement.
Sheinbaum Pardo called on the United Nations to “act immediately to contribute to the de-escalation of tensions, facilitate dialogue and create conditions that allow a peaceful, sustainable solution in accordance with international law.”
Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs also criticized the attack in Caracas, Venezuela.
“The justifications put forward for these actions have no factual basis. Ideological hostility has prevailed over pragmatic, businesslike approaches and over efforts to build relationships based on trust and predictability,” according to Russia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, said on social media that the U.S. moves to capture Maduro and bomb Venezuela “cross an unacceptable line.”
“Attacking countries, in flagrant violation of international law, is the first step toward a world of violence, chaos, and instability, where the law of the strongest prevails over multilateralism,” he wrote.
The prime minister of Spain, Pedro Sanchez, called for de-escalation and said that international law “and the principles of the United Nations Charter must be respected.”
The Jeep Wagoneer S Limited marks a pivotal moment for the brand. It’s Jeep’s first fully electric SUV for the U.S. market, a clean-sheet design meant to usher one of America’s most recognizable brands into a battery-powered future. On paper, it sounds compelling: 500 horsepower (373 kW), all-wheel drive, a claimed 294 miles of range, and an as-tested price of $67,195.
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At the same time, critics have recently called into question just how well-made this SUV is. They’ve said it’s cheap, that it’s shoddily assembled, and that it’s a big miss overall. To find out just how true any of this is, we tested the Wagoneer S Limited for a full week.
We took it on road trips, drove it around sprawling urban environments, and charged it at no less than four different public charging stations. We won’t leave you waiting for a general takeaway.
| › Model: | 2026 Jeep Wagoneer S Limited |
| › Powertrain: | Dual Motors Battery Electric |
| › Output: | 500 hp (373 kW) / 524 lb-ft (710 Nm) |
| › Curb Weight: | 5,667 lbs (2,570 kg) |
| › Range | 294 Miles |
| › Price: | $65,200 before options ($67,195 as tested) |
| › On Sale: | Now |
After a week behind the wheel, one thought kept nagging: why is this a Jeep? Nothing about the Wagoneer S, the ride, the interior, the styling, the on-road demeanor, connects meaningfully to Jeep’s brand DNA.
There’s no ruggedness, no outdoorsy vibe, no sense that this thing even wants to see a dirt road. Instead, it feels polished, quiet, fast, and slightly aloof. In other words, it feels like a Chrysler. And that’s not an insult. In fact, it might be the Wagoneer S’s biggest missed opportunity… Read on to find out why.
The Basics Outside and Under The Skin
The Wagoneer S rides on Stellantis’ STLA Large platform and is firmly a two-row midsize SUV. Power comes from dual electric motors driving all four wheels. In Limited trim, output is rated at 500 hp (373 kW) and 524 lb-ft (710 Nm) of torque.
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Jeep does offer an over-the-air software upgrade that unlocks additional performance, pushing output closer to the Launch Edition’s headline numbers, but my test vehicle did not have the power bump enabled. Jeep claims a 0–60 mph (97 km/h) time of around 3.4 seconds for higher-output versions. In the real world, performance varies significantly with battery state of charge, which we’ll get to shortly.
For now, let’s take a gander at exactly how this SUV presents itself outwardly. Nothing about it screams power, performance, or ruggedness. The Wagoneer S simply doesn’t read as a Jeep. Yes, there’s a Jeep-esque grille up front, but beyond that? Not really.
Perhaps it’s the white and black paint job, but from most angles, this gives off strong Chrysler vibes. It’s sleek, modern, and a little understated.
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The bright silver mixed with black on the wheels surely adds even more to that feeling. The rear spoiler is another interesting note. Some will miss it entirely, but those who notice it might also think, “How many Jeeps have come from the factory with a spoiler, much less one this big?”
Interior Quality
Let’s start with the good news. The seats, front and rear, are very comfortable, even if they look almost aggressively basic for a nearly $70,000 vehicle. Cushioning is excellent, bolstering is just right, and long stints behind the wheel never become fatiguing.
Headroom is slightly tight up front for me at 6’6″, but that’s not exactly shocking. Most folks will have no issue with it. Rear-seat passengers fare well, and legroom is more than adequate for a two-row SUV in this class. Jeep did a great job of optimizing cabin space here.
That said, for this kind of money, the seats should offer more. Ventilation should be standard, not optional, and additional power adjustments, or even massage, would go a long way toward justifying the price. Hyundai, for example, makes this feel easy at lower price points.
The dash and center stack are modern, clean, and easy to understand. Stellantis’ latest infotainment software is straightforward, responsive most of the time, and not overloaded with unnecessary menus. But there’s a glaring issue… literally.
That giant piano-black plastic panel on the passenger side of the dash is an absolute eyesore. It looks cheap. It feels cheap. And it becomes a magnet for dust and fingerprints almost immediately. Jeep does offer an optional front passenger display, which at least gives that panel a purpose, but our test car didn’t have it, and without it, that glossy slab just feels like cost-cutting dressed up as design.
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Climate controls are another mixed bag. The heated seat and heated steering wheel buttons live persistently on-screen, but they often feel delayed or outright unresponsive unless you tap them just right. It’s frustrating in cold weather, and it’s exactly the sort of thing physical buttons solve instantly.
Notably, Jeep does allow users to set up automatic climate settings based on exterior temperatures, which is great, but if the seats are too warm, turning them back off can be just as annoying as trying to turn them on.
Below the screen is a haptic-feedback climate control panel, which is slightly better. It’s still not ideal; real buttons would be preferable, but at least you’re not digging through menus just to adjust temperature. The digital gauge cluster, however, is excellent. It’s bright, intuitive, easy to read, and customizable enough without being distracting. No complaints there.
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There’s been plenty of chatter online about subpar build quality in the Wagoneer S. Honestly? We didn’t see it. Panel gaps were consistent, nothing rattled, and the cabin is well insulated from road and wind noise. Structurally, this feels like a solid, well-assembled vehicle. But material quality tells a more nuanced story.
Some elements, like the air vent controls, feel genuinely good under the fingers. There’s real tactile satisfaction there. But beyond that, there’s very little that feels truly luxurious, high-end, or special. Again, put this next to a similarly priced Hyundai, and I’d wager the Jeep loses that comparison pretty quickly, possibly even against vehicles that cost thousands less.
This isn’t a bad cabin. It’s just not ambitious enough, especially given that this is Jeep’s first EV in the U.S. It should feel like a statement. Instead, it feels like a safe first draft. Storage is adequate. The front trunk is useful for smaller items, and while rear cargo space isn’t huge, folding the rear seats opens things up nicely.
Drive Impressions
This is where the Wagoneer S genuinely shines and also where its identity crisis becomes impossible to ignore. It drives nothing like a Jeep. If we had to compare it to anything wearing a Jeep badge, it would be the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk. That’s not because of sound or drama, but because of how shockingly quick and composed it feels on pavement.
Even without the optional power unlock, the Wagoneer S is genuinely fast. Acceleration is strong and immediate, though performance clearly degrades as battery state drops. At 19% charge, the best 0–60 mph run we managed was 4.85 seconds, which is well off Jeep’s headline claims but still far from slow. Importantly, it never feels sluggish, even at low charge.
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The steering is excellent. It’s sharp, communicative, and confidence-inspiring. Turn-in is quick, body roll is minimal, and the SUV changes direction with surprising eagerness. This is one of those EVs that actually encourages spirited driving rather than merely tolerating it.
Braking, however, is a concern. This is a heavy SUV, and the brakes simply don’t feel up to the task in the way you’d expect after driving similarly powerful competitors. We never had a true panic moment, but pedal feel and stopping confidence lag behind the rest of the driving experience. The suspension is even more puzzling.
On smooth or moderately imperfect roads, the Wagoneer S is perfectly fine. It’s quiet, composed, and stable. But hit a pothole or a badly broken stretch of pavement, and the ride turns jarringly harsh. Sharp impacts aren’t well damped, and the resulting thuds make their way straight into the cabin.
Given that this isn’t meant for off-road use and is riding on Falken all-season tires, the stiffness feels unnecessary. If Stellantis insists on calling this a Jeep, maybe it should at least lean into ruggedness with tougher rubber. As it stands, the suspension feels mismatched to the vehicle’s mission. Maybe that’s why it isn’t a Chrysler.
Competition
The Wagoneer S faces some really tough competition, and it’s hard to ignore. Starting at $65,200 before options, it’s firmly facing off against things like the Tesla Model Y Performance, the Chevrolet Blazer EV SS, and the Ford Mustang Mach-E GT. All of those offer similar or better performance, similar or better interiors, and similar or better range for around the same price or less.
That doesn’t take into account those who really just want something that hones in on one skill or another. Want a fast five-door EV? Hyundai Ioniq 5 N. How about something spacious and comfortable? Cadillac has a Lyriq and a Vistiq that it would like to show you.
The options out there really are wide-ranging, even in the $65,000+ EV space. Shoot, at $80,000, which isn’t all that far off from a fully-loaded Wagoneer S, the Porsche Macan EV is available. This is again where leaning into the thing Jeep does well, going off-road, would benefit the Wagoneer S.
Final Thoughts
The Jeep Wagoneer S Limited is attractive, quick, usually comfortable, and genuinely fun to drive. But it doesn’t feel like a Jeep, and that’s the only real problem. This could have been Chrysler’s modern halo car. Not a supercar like the Halcyon concept, and not an EV version of the 300, but something stylish, fast, refined, and aspirational.
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Aim it at boomers, throw in better standard seats, offer a few fun colors, and let Chrysler rebuild some relevance. Instead, it risks getting lost in Jeep’s broader lineup and ethos. As it stands, the Wagoneer S is good. It’s the one Jeep available for those who love to drive on pavement. But it still feels like it’s wearing the wrong nameplate.
VW is finally letting us peek inside the new ID. Polo, revealing its production interior ahead of the electric subcompact’s official debut later this year. The biggest headline? The long-awaited return of actual buttons and switches.
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As the first vehicle designed entirely under new VW design chief Andreas Mindt, the ID. Polo marks a shift in direction by blending tactile controls with modern tech in a more user-friendly package. The company has already confirmed that this approach will carry through to other new and updated VW models in the near future.
Buttons Are Back
Gone are the touch sliders and haptic panels that frustrated many owners of the ID.3 and other recent VW models. In their place are proper physical controls, including a knurled volume dial and a traditional four-switch window layout.
The newly designed, squarish steering wheel brings back grouped hard keys for cruise control and infotainment functions, favoring usability over the touch-based gimmickry that has increasingly spread through the industry, especially in the wake of Tesla’s influence.
Mounted directly to the dash, a 10.25-inch digital driver display signals a return to convention, replacing the ID.3’s awkward steering-column-mounted screen. VW says the updated software adds functionality, along with a few nostalgic flourishes. Press a button, and the display shifts to retro-themed graphics that echo the dials and cassette visuals from classic 1980s-era Golfs.
Front and center sits a large 13-inch infotainment touchscreen, and thankfully, it too benefits from the control rethink. Gone are the polarizing touch sliders for volume and temperature. Instead, beneath the screen sits a neat row of physical buttons for HVAC controls and hazard lights. A rotary dial handles volume adjustments and doubles as a track or station selector.
The cabin itself takes on a more inviting feel, with soft recycled fabric replacing the usual expanse of hard, cold plastics across the dashboard, doors, and even the center console. VW has kept its familiar quirk on the pedals, which still feature the play and pause symbols.
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Chief Designer Andreas Mindt described the car as “an affordable friend for everyday life”. He added that “clear physical buttons provide stability and trust, warm materials make it appealing, and charming details such as the new retro views of the instruments show the typical Volkswagen wink.”
Platform, Powertrain, and Price
Measuring 159.6 inches (4,053 mm) in length, 71.5 inches (1,816 mm) in width, and 60.2 inches (1,530 mm) in height, with a wheelbase of 102.4 inches (2,600 mm), the new electric Polo shares a similar footprint with its ICE counterpart.
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The ID. Polo will launch with a choice of two battery types and three front-mounted motors, delivering outputs of 114 hp (85 kW / 116 PS), 133 hp (99 kW / 135 PS), and 208 hp (155 kW / 211 PS). A more powerful 223 hp GTI version is set to follow the next year.
Battery options include a 37 kWh LFP pack and a more advanced 52 kWh NMC unit with cell-to-pack construction, the latter offering up to 280 miles (450 km) of range. Depending on the specification, charging speeds will range from 90 to 130 kW, with VW’s updated MEB+ platform serving as the base across the lineup.
While Volkswagen has announced a base price of €25,000 (approximately $29,400 at current exchange rates) in Germany, the company recently confirmed that only higher-spec versions will be available at launch across Europe, with initial pricing likely to start closer to €30,000 ($35,300), depending on configuration. There are currently no plans to offer the new subcompact in North America.
Cori Salchert leaves the Christmas lights on year round.
It’s not to celebrate the holidays, but so an ambulance can easily spot her house any time of year.
“Hearing that an 11-year-old stopped breathing … can be a scary thing for an EMT, so we just lessen the difficulty for finding our home,” Cori said.
Since 2012, Cori and her husband, Mark, have adopted five children, all with a terminal prognosis — meaning the Salcherts adopt these children knowing their lives will be cut short. They get most of their needs met at the Salcherts’ Sheboygan home, which is equipped with a stairlift and handicap shower.
“Our hope is that our kids are whole and well and that we’re going to see them again, and that they’re going to be able to say, ‘Hey mom,’ or, ‘Hey dad’ — something that they never were able to say while we had them,” she said.
Cori is known as the hospice mom.
She adopts children with complex medical conditions, many from the foster care system.
Children in foster care often have worse medical health than children in the general population. And there are hundreds of kids in foster care with terminal illnesses, according to research published in the National Library of Medicine.
The Salcherts’ first adopted child was Emmalynn. She lived with them for 50 days and died in 2012. She had difficulty regulating body temperature, so she spent most of her life bundled in someone’s arms, like she was the moment she died.
Samuel was adopted at 13. He died two years later from a rare genetic disorder affecting the brain’s white matter.
And Nehemiah was just 3 1/2 when he died on Dec. 2, 2021, in the Salcherts’ family room. He was lying next to Cori as she sang “Jesus Loves Me.”
“He opened his eyes — he hadn’t done that in about 48 hours — and took his last breath, and he was gone,” Cori said as she showed a photo of Nehemiah. “He woke up in heaven and he will never have to have another surgical procedure.”
Social workers and doctors close to Cori call her a unicorn. She said that idea of being exceptionally rare often makes her sad because she wished more people could give dying children a loving place to spend the rest of their lives.
To others, it might seem like a daunting endeavor to continuously lose and grieve children.
“One of our pastors had told us, ‘These kids are going to wreck your life. But they are not going to ruin it. So your heart is never going to recover the same as it was before you had them. And that’s an OK thing,’” she said.
The Salcherts say they have 17 children: five adopted, eight adult biological kids and four fostered children. There is a sign on their front door that reads: “There’s like a lot of kids in here.”
Two of the Salcherts’ adopted children, Charlie and Kassidy, were home from school recently for the holidays.
Kassidy is 6. She was born with the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck. She loves balloons and gets a big smile on her face when the family walks into the room.
Charlie is 11. He has school awards taped to his wall. One reads: “Ray of Sunshine award presented to Charlie Salchert for making our classroom a better place.” He has hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy, in which his brain was damaged from a lack of oxygen and blood flow.
Providing care for Charlie and Kassidy is a family effort. Their adult children pitch in. One child sleeps in Charlie’s room at night, and another helps care for Kassidy.
Charlie’s condition makes him technically deaf and blind. But Cori said there are moments when she’s not so sure.
At school, Charlie has an eye gaze machine that helps him communicate.
He’ll do things like turn up the volume and play music as loud as the machine goes. Cori said teachers have to remind him repeatedly to stop.
“He can be a very naughty 11-year-old in his own way,” she said with a laugh.
That day at the Salcherts’ home, Kassidy’s biological mother messaged Cori to see how her daughter is doing. Cori gave her an update and reminded her she is always welcome at the house.
Many people ask the Salcherts about the children’s biological parents and the circumstances that led them to give up their parental rights. She usually tells them to walk one day in their shoes.
Kassidy’s biological mother didn’t want to give her daughter up. However, her second daughter was born with a congenital heart defect, and she couldn’t care for two children with such complex medical issues.
The biological mother remains in contact and often receives pictures from school and was there when Kassidy got her ears pierced.
“Kassidy’s family has just gotten bigger rather than exclusionary,” Cori said. “She has two moms who love her a lot.”
Cori rejects the notion that she is a “Disney princess mom.” She simply has the ability to care for the children, as well as the special equipment, stairlifts and accessible home that some children need.
And she thinks others have the ability to do it, too.
“We live in the miracle zone,” she said. “If you don’t live in the miracle zone, well, you don’t need miracles.
“But we need them and we’ve seen them.”
This story was originally published by WPR.
‘The miracle zone’: This Wisconsin family adopts terminally ill children is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.
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A Marshfield-based company founded by a Civil War veteran is in danger of closing and laying off 107 employees next month if its assets aren’t sold.
The post Marshfield-based Prince Corp. could close, lay off 107 employees in February appeared first on WPR.
The U.S. women’s hockey team heading to the winter Olympics has deep ties to Wisconsin, with four current and two former Badgers on the roster and a Fox Valley-native serving as head coach.
The post 2026 US Olympic women’s hockey team features 6 Wisconsin Badgers, Fox Valley native coach appeared first on WPR.
As the cost of everything, especially energy, increases, nonprofit organizations stockpile wood to help neighbors stay warm through winter.
The post Firewood banks offer heat, and hope, to rural homes in need appeared first on WPR.
The Cannonball and Wingra Creek Paths would be linked by creating a median-separated lane along Fish Hatchery Road. The changes are meant to increase bike safety on a road that sees about 30,000 cars a day.
The post Madison plans to connect 2 major bike paths to improve safety appeared first on WPR.
School districts are facing steep budget cuts amid the continued need to provide the safest rides to and from school are among the topics planned for the STN EXPO East conference March 26-31 near Charlotte, North Carolina.
The packed agenda also features specialized training as well as additional insightful education and networking opportunities, to facilitate the conversations that are making a difference in the industry.
The conference opens Friday, March 27 with school security expert Bret Brooks of Gray Ram Tactical tackling an issue all people — school transporters especially deal with. His general session will discuss strategies for better management of stress, which is currently sky high for many attendees.
Friday also includes exclusive limited space events, the National School Bus Inspection Training and the Transportation Director Summit. Both two-day events require pre-registration.
Leadership and workplace culture will take center stage with Jim Knight’s Transportation Director Summit presentation and keynote address as well as sessions on stress management, handling multi-modal and alternative transportation, fleet replacement and student behavior.
Safety will be the common theme throughout the educational agenda. In addition to navigating the upcoming funding cliff, sessions are expected to look at trends in multimodal vehicle operations, illegal passing, Danger Zone reduction strategies, seatbelt usage, distracted driving, emergency coordination with first responders, accident investigation and the increased usage of school bus monitors, and more.
The conference will also feature the technology and clean fuel options that are being released and impacting the industry with sessions and demonstrations during the Bus Technology Summit and Green Bus Summit on Sunday and Monday. Attendees will also have the opportunity to attend an exclusive tour of the Thomas Built Buses Saf-T-Liner Factory Tour in High Point, North Carolina to see the behind-the-scenes of school bus production.
For a full list of STN EXPO East conference topics, visit stnexpo.com/east.
STN EXPO East will be held March 26- 31, 2026 at Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte Concord Golf Resort & Spa. The Early Bird Savings Deadline is Feb. 13, register today at stnexpo.com/east!
Related: STN EXPO East Keynote Speaker to Outline Strategies for Creating Impactful Culture
Related: STN EXPO East Opens Online Registration for March 2026
Related: STN Launches Peer-to-Peer Mentorship Program at 2026 Conferences
The post STN EXPO East Agenda Addresses Industry Challenges, Outlines Innovative Solutions appeared first on School Transportation News.
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