Retired Captain Hung Cao nominated for Secretary of the Navy
Hung Cao, Under Secretary of the Navy [public domain]
WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump has nominated acting Secretary of the Navy Hung Cao to permanently lead the Navy and Marine Corps, potentially elevating an official whose previous comments included concerns about Witches and Wiccans taking over American communities.
Cao, a retired Navy captain and special operations officer, has served as acting secretary since John Phelan unexpectedly left the position in April. Trump announced the nomination Tuesday, calling Cao a “true WARRIOR” and urging the Senate to confirm him quickly. Cao previously served as undersecretary of the Navy after narrowly winning Senate confirmation in 2025.
Here is a video of new Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao warning that a wave of Wiccan “witchcraft” is taking over American and threatening Christianity
— FactPost (@factpostnews.bsky.social) April 23, 2026 at 9:25 AM
Cao served 25 years in the Navy, including assignments with SEAL teams and special forces and deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. He later entered Republican politics, unsuccessfully challenging Rep. Jennifer Wexton for Congress in 2022 and Sen. Tim Kaine in 2024.
His elevation to acting secretary earlier this year renewed attention to remarks he made during his Senate campaign. In a 2023 interview with conservative Christian activist Sean Feucht, Cao described Monterey, California, as a “very dark place,” claiming there was “a lot of witchcraft” and that “the Wiccan community has really taken over.” He then warned, “We can’t let that happen to Virginia.” The comments prompted criticism and a tongue-in-cheek gathering of Witches at Lovers Point in Pacific Grove in May.
Cao has also criticized diversity initiatives in military recruiting and advocated for what he calls “alpha males and alpha females” in the armed forces.
If confirmed, Cao would take permanent leadership during a difficult period for the Navy. The USS Abraham Lincoln has experienced an unusually long deployment supporting operations in the Iran war, with reports of crew fatigue, mental-health concerns, and shortages of food and hygiene supplies prompting Democratic lawmakers to demand answers from the Pentagon.
The nomination now requires Senate confirmation.
On a positive note: Happy Summerween!
Jack o’ Lantern By Toby Ord – Own work, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=271348
Western Hemisphere — Wait your turn, Mabon! “Summerween” is coming first. The practice of celebrating Halloween months before October 31 is continuing to grow in popularity, particularly among younger Americans, according to a new report from candy manufacturer Mars.
The company’s 2026 Tricks, Treats and Trends report found that 57% of U.S. adults now view Halloween as more of a season than a single-day holiday. Gen Z is leading the trend, with 63% participating in Summerween activities, more than twice the rate among the general population. Among younger participants, popular activities include baking Halloween-themed treats, throwing parties, decorating homes, carving jack-o’-lanterns from watermelons, and holding spooky pool parties and backyard gatherings. Millennials are also embracing the extended season, with 48% participating, compared with 26% of Gen X and 10% of baby boomers.
The term “Summerween” was popularized by the animated television series Gravity Falls, which featured a 2012 episode in which the fictional town celebrates a second Halloween during the summer. The idea subsequently moved beyond the show, aided in recent years by social media, where Halloween enthusiasts share seasonal decorations, recipes, costumes, and party ideas.
Retailers have responded by putting Halloween merchandise on shelves increasingly early, sometimes by midsummer. The trend is extending what was already a major commercial holiday: Americans spent an estimated $13.1 billion on Halloween in 2025, including approximately $3.9 billion on candy. Nearly half of Halloween shoppers now begin buying seasonal merchandise in September or earlier.
The enthusiasm also appears to extend beyond October itself. Two-thirds of U.S. adults (and 76% of Gen Z respondents) said they would buy Halloween candy throughout the year.
For those who believe spooky season can never arrive too early—your TWH team among them—the calendar is increasingly optional.
Ancient Artifacts returned to Osage Nation
Official seal of The Osage Nation [public domain]
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — A collection of culturally significant Native American artifacts unlawfully removed from federal land in Missouri has been returned to the Osage Nation following the conclusion of a civil forfeiture case.
The collection includes a bag of Scallorn arrowheads taken from a prehistoric archaeological site on a peninsula near Harry S. Truman Lake. The site, which is historically associated with the Osage Nation, dates to the Late Archaic Period, approximately 3,000 to 5,000 years ago.
Federal authorities began investigating after discovering that individuals had repeatedly entered the site and excavated artifacts using trowels, shovels, rakes, hoes, and other tools. A professional archaeologist estimated that the unauthorized digging caused more than $300,000 in damage. The excavation also disturbed the archaeological context that allows researchers and Indigenous nations to understand the site and its history.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service spent several years investigating the excavation and recovering materials. Following a judgment entered by U.S. District Judge Brian Wimes, the United States and the Osage Nation reached a settlement providing for the return of the arrowheads. No competing claims were filed for the property.
“Culturally significant items are more than objects; they are a connection to history, traditions, and identity,” said R. Matthew Price, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Missouri. “We are honored to help return these items to their rightful home and uphold the federal government’s commitment to protecting the heritage and sovereignty of the Osage Nation.”
Federal officials said the remaining archaeological materials will be handled according to cultural-resource protocols and applicable federal law.
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Community Announcement
Hekate’s Sickle Festival Returns This November to the Salish Sea for a Three-Day Rite of Devotion, Mystery, and Community
SEATTLE — The Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) announces the return of Hekate’s Sickle Festival, a three-day gathering devoted to Isis, Hekatean practice, sacred arts, and community ritual, to be held November 6-8th at Camp Moran State Park on Orcas Island, Washington.
Set amid evergreen forest and wide water views in the San Juan Islands, Hekate’s Sickle Festival invites practitioners, seekers, and dedicated devotees to step into a concentrated weekend of ritual, teaching, devotional practice, and fellowship. The festival’s programming centers on reverent engagement with Hekate through guided rites, workshops, and community spaces designed to support both newcomers and long-time practitioners.
“While the amenities of the hotel are comfortable, Witches want to be in the wild woods, under the moon, with firelight, and drums,” said Belladonna LaVeau, Archpriestess and CEO of the Aquarian Tabernacle Church. “Hekate’s Sickle is a witch retreat, dedicated to magic, deepening your connection with deity and each other, so we can return to our lives strengthened by shared mystery and sacred work.”
Register now, as space is limited to 148 beds in the camp and spots are filling up fast. The Weekend Registration is all-inclusive; we feed you and house you for the weekend for only $299. Discount tickets ($50 off) are still available until September 15th.
A Festival Designed for Real Bodies and Real Lives
ATC acknowledges that rustic state-park lodging can be a barrier for some attendees. The park does not have ADA-compliant facilities in the cabins. In response to community feedback, ATC is highlighting nearby offsite lodging options that offer a higher-comfort environment while keeping attendees close to the heart of the event.
- Doe Bay Resort (approximately 12 miles from Camp Moran): https://doebay.com/
- Rosario Resort (approximately 9 miles from Camp Moran): Rosario Resort | 1624 Rosario Road, Eastsound, WA, USA https://www.rosarioresort.com/
Because November is a quieter season in the San Juan Islands, these properties may be open to negotiating rates, and ATC can help coordinate pickup and drop-off between the festival site and either lodging location.
Registration
Registration is open now, and discount tickets are still available for a limited time.
Register: http://sickle.atcwicca.org
About Aquarian Tabernacle Church
The Aquarian Tabernacle Church (ATC) is a 501(c)(3) religious organization serving a broad Pagan community across the United States, Canada, and South Africa. ATC supports spiritual education, seasonal festivals, devotional practice, and community-building through local branches and online resources.
Events and Announcements
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Deck: Ancestral Path Tarot, by Julie Cuccia-Watts, text by Tracey Hoover, published by U.S. Games Systems, Inc
Card: Five (5) of Staves
The incoming week may be full of meetings, but they are likely to be filled with lively discussion, strategic planning, and driven by true inspiration. The potential for bringing together individuals and groups that might not generally work together may initially create tension and even conflict. However, folks who are capable of seeing the bigger picture will recognize that the inclusion of diverse individuals with unique skills can entice not only cooperation but also create something truly amazing and awe-inspiring.
In contrast, before there can be any kind of resolution or serious plan, everyone involved, and especially those in leadership positions, must first have addressed their own inner conflicts. While disagreement and dissent are part of the process when it comes to discussions and planning, having all the facts and data available is likely to be key in gaining agreement. Otherwise, infighting and conflict could completely derail proposed projects.
Ancient cacao found at Georgia’s Etowah site
Cacao beans and pods – Image credit: Eduardo Calavera – CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=90690264
CARTERSVILLE, Ga. — New archaeogenomic research has found the first direct evidence that people of the Mississippian world consumed cacao, suggesting that the prized tropical plant traveled much farther through pre-Columbian North America than previously demonstrated.
The study, published Aug. 26 in PLOS One, examined pottery recovered from the Etowah site in northern Georgia, one of the major Indigenous centers of the Mississippian world. Researchers identified highly fragmented ancient DNA from Theobroma cacao in residues taken from two pottery sherds dating to the 11th and 12th centuries.
Because cacao grows only in tropical climates, its presence at Etowah raises significant questions about trade and cultural networks connecting Indigenous societies of the Eastern Woodlands with cacao-producing regions far to the south. Evidence of cacao consumption has previously been found at Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, but comparable evidence from the Mississippian Southeast had been lacking.
Earlier chemical testing of Etowah pottery had detected compounds associated with cacao, but those compounds are also present in yaupon holly (Ilex vomitoria), which Indigenous peoples used to prepare the ceremonial beverage commonly called the Black Drink. The new study used ancient DNA analysis to distinguish cacao directly, identifying cacao-specific genetic sequences in two of three vessels tested.
The context of the discovery may be as important as the cacao itself. The pottery came from large pits containing remains of communal feasting associated with construction of Etowah’s first earthen platform mound. Previous archaeological interpretations have connected Mississippian mound building with communal rites of renewal that reinforced social solidarity. The researchers therefore suggest cacao may have participated in such ceremonies at Etowah.
“[A]t least at Etowah and possibly across the Mississippian world, cacao consumption played a role in world renewal rites of intensification,” the researchers write. They caution that the evidence comes from only two vessels and that the route by which cacao reached Georgia remains unknown. The finding nevertheless opens new questions about the movement of plants, goods, ideas, and ritual practices across the Americas centuries before European colonization.
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