Category: U.S. News

A Utah judge will determine Monday whether media and the public can attend all portions of an important preliminary hearing for Tyler Robinson, who faces charges in the death of Charlie Kirk.

Robinson’s legal team has petitioned Judge Tony Graf to limit access during the July 6-10 preliminary hearing, where prosecutors must demonstrate sufficient evidence exists to proceed to trial. This hearing represents the most substantial evidence presentation thus far in a case that has primarily centered on questions of media accessibility.

The defense has also requested that dozens of evidence exhibits planned for introduction during the July proceedings be kept sealed, contending that public disclosure might prejudice potential jurors ahead of any trial.

Robinson’s attorneys have worked to prevent what they characterize as misleading media portrayals of their client amid intense public interest in the case. The 23-year-old defendant from southwestern Utah faces charges including aggravated murder for the Sept. 10 shooting death of Kirk at Utah Valley University campus.

If convicted, Robinson could face the death penalty, which prosecutors plan to pursue. No plea has been entered yet.

While prosecutors maintain the preliminary hearing should stay open to the public, they have agreed that certain exhibits requiring protection for future trial use should have restricted media access. Evidence planned for presentation includes forensic analysis results, surveillance footage, recorded witness interviews, autopsy reports and purported messages from Robinson confessing to the crime.

Investigators report finding DNA matching Robinson’s profile on the rifle trigger used in Kirk’s killing, the spent shell casing, two unused cartridges and a towel that wrapped the weapon. Prosecutors also indicate Robinson wrote a message to his romantic partner stating, “I had the opportunity to take out Charlie Kirk and I’m going to take it.”

Fresh entertainment content is arriving on streaming platforms this week, featuring animated films, new music releases, reality television, and gaming options selected by entertainment industry journalists.

The weekly highlights include the return of “Love Island,” a romantic comedy featuring Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein, along with the peaceful puzzle experience “Swan Song.”

The critically acclaimed Pixar production “Hoppers” makes its streaming debut June 3 on Disney+, following positive reviews and solid box office performance that made it one of the studio’s most successful recent original films. This environmental comedy centers on body-swapping adventures, featuring Mabel (Piper Curda) attempting to protect an untouched pond from development plans by the local mayor (Jon Hamm) when she mysteriously transforms into a robotic beaver. Film critic Lindsey Bahr described the movie as a “buoyant, freewheeling adventure.”

Netflix presents “Office Romance” on June 5, bringing together Jennifer Lopez and Brett Goldstein from “Ted Lasso” in a workplace romantic comedy. Lopez portrays an airline chief executive who develops feelings for the company’s newly hired lawyer, played by Goldstein. Goldstein collaborated with “Ted Lasso” co-creator Joe Kelly on the screenplay.

Music documentary enthusiast Ahmir “Questlove” Thompson expands his exploration of musical heritage with “Earth, Wind & Fire (To Be Celestial vs. That’s the Weight of the World).” This homage to the influential Chicago band premieres June 7 on HBO and HBO Max, following its initial screening at the Tribeca Festival.

Harry Lighton’s “Pillion” arrives on HBO Max June 5 as a distinctive romantic narrative. The film stars Harry Melling and Alexander Skarsgård as an unconventional BDSM partnership featuring a barbershop quartet singer and a rough biker. Critics have praised “Pillion” for depicting a relationship “in the extreme, one that ultimately, like any other, is guided by needs and wants.”

Four years have passed since Lizzo’s last complete album release with “Special,” which featured the widespread funk-pop hit “About Damn Time.” Her latest offering, provocatively titled “B—-,” promises “good, clean fun” and showcases the ’80s-influenced ballad “Don’t Make Me Love U,” demonstrating her continued focus on major pop anthems.

Death Cab for Cutie returns with “I Built You A Tower,” their first complete studio work following anniversary tour celebrations of career-defining releases “Transatlanticism” from 2003 and “Plans” from 2005, which rekindled their creative energy. Primary songwriter and vocalist Ben Gibbard composed the material during a personal separation and subsequent divorce. “I was doing a lot of context switching,” Gibbard explained to journalists. “I started to write a lot about how we contextualize, compartmentalize, specifically our grief.” This emotional depth aligns with the band’s established strengths.

Among former One Direction members, Niall Horan has maintained the closest connection to the group’s energetic pop-rock sound, though his mature solo work demonstrates significant evolution. His fourth individual album “Dinner Party” draws creative influence from the location where he encountered his current long-term partner, with Damien Rice serving as a primary musical inspiration for the dreamy, romantic compositions.

Vince Staples introduced his independent “Cry Baby” album with “Blackberry Marmalade,” his first individual track in two years. This intense preview showcased the album’s noise-rock elements and pointed social commentary, opening with lyrics like “Empires build on bloodstained ground” accompanied by a first-person shooter-style music video. The subsequent release “White Flag” continued this darker trajectory, reflecting the artist’s reputation for creative innovation and surrealist artistic approaches.

Summer television enthusiasts can anticipate the return of “Love Island USA,” beginning its five-night weekly schedule Tuesday on Peacock. The approximately six-week competition confines attractive single participants in a Fiji villa, where they must form romantic partnerships or face elimination, with the final remaining couple claiming a monetary reward.

AMC has rebranded the third installment of “Anne Rice’s Interview with a Vampire” series as “The Vampire Lestat,” focusing on Lestat de Lioncourt’s (Sam Reid) personal narrative. Dissatisfied with his portrayal in Daniel Molloy’s publication, Lestat establishes a rock band and embarks on touring. Seeking attention and praise, Lestat believes his rock star identity will draw devoted followers. AMC is promoting Lestat’s musical content through streaming music platforms, with Reid performing his own vocal tracks. “The Vampire Lestat” debuts Sunday, June 7, on AMC and AMC+.

For those seeking tranquil entertainment amid contemporary cultural intensity, Belgium’s Business Goose Games offers “Swan Song,” essentially functioning as a musical puzzle box with dual sections containing sheet music and maze challenges. Players must select correct musical notes to solve each maze puzzle. Following their previous contemplative puzzle game “Sizeable” and its enthusiastic reception, this new brain teaser maintains similar peaceful qualities. The game launches Thursday, June 4, for PC and Mac platforms.

Two major roadways have been shut down where they cross CSX railroad tracks after the crossing gate mechanisms stopped working properly.

Officials have blocked off both New London Road and West Main Street at their respective CSX railway intersections. Repair teams have been sent out to fix the faulty equipment, though authorities have not provided a timeline for when motorists can expect the roads to reopen.

The closures affect traffic flow in the area as drivers must find alternate routes around the blocked crossings.

Police in Hawaii have filed murder charges against a 36-year-old man following the deaths of three individuals in an isolated area known for its alternative, community-oriented way of life.

Jacob Daniel Baker faces charges including first- and second-degree murder as of Saturday, according to a statement from the Hawaii Police Department.

Baker was being held without bail as of Sunday, with authorities scheduling his initial court hearing for Monday. No information was available regarding legal representation for Baker.

The murder charges were filed two days following Baker’s capture after law enforcement conducted a search across Hawaii’s Big Island, where three victims were discovered in the remote Puna area, recognized for its lush environment and unconventional residents.

Authorities discovered Robert Shine, 69, on Monday, partially immersed in a concrete pond. A second victim, identified by acquaintances as Chitta Morse, 79, was located Tuesday several hundred feet from the first discovery.

The third victim, John Carse, 69, was found by police late Tuesday at a location 19 miles (31 kilometers) away from where the other two bodies were discovered.

Authorities have not revealed a potential reason for the deaths. Hawaii Police Chief Reed Mahuna stated that investigators discovered no links between the victims except that two resided close to one another.

Beyond the murder charges, Baker is also facing accusations of burglary, vehicle theft and property destruction.

The deaths created anxiety among Puna residents, an area situated within dense jungle and barren volcanic rock where individuals seeking independent living frequently exchange labor for housing.

Local resident Stephen Shaffer explained that Baker had performed work for his former spouse, scaling coconut palms on property where she cultivates fruit, receiving accommodation in return. Following several months, Shaffer noted, his ex-wife pursued a protective order against Baker, stating she felt intimidated by his behavior.

Donald Hyatt, an acquaintance of Shaffer’s former spouse and two of the deceased men, reported that Baker departed the cabin where he had been staying months earlier. Hyatt mentioned that Baker had recently returned asserting “squatter’s rights” and made threats against Shaffer’s ex.

Days prior to the deaths, two women had sought emergency restraining orders against Baker, claiming he had made threats and engaged in harassment, court documents show. A judge rejected both requests, determining insufficient evidence of harassment existed.

Court files revealed Baker’s involvement in 20 additional cases over the past two decades, primarily traffic violations. In the majority of these instances, Baker lacked legal counsel and defended himself.

A United Airlines aircraft en route to Spain from Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to return Saturday evening following a potential security incident during the flight.

The Boeing 767 had taken off around 6 p.m. Saturday bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, but made an emergency return to Newark, touching down at 9:37 p.m., the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey reported. The aircraft was carrying 190 passengers along with 12 crew members.

Air traffic control recordings revealed that security personnel were called to examine the plane after a traveler had given their Bluetooth device an inappropriate four-letter name. A passenger’s social media post described how flight attendants made multiple announcements requesting all passengers disable their Bluetooth devices, yet two remained active. The decision to return was made following consultation with the airline’s Chicago headquarters.

All passengers were required to exit the aircraft while Port Authority police conducted a thorough security sweep. Following the inspection, travelers underwent additional screening by TSA and Customs and Border Patrol agents before being cleared to continue their journey. The airline chose not to elaborate on the specific details surrounding the incident.

A substitute aircraft with fresh crew members was provided for passengers, departing early Sunday morning and successfully reaching Palma that afternoon.

This marks another in a series of recent United Airlines incidents this month. Just Friday, another United flight was rerouted due to security issues involving a disruptive passenger. Earlier in the month, a United aircraft arriving at Newark airport collided with a semitrailer truck and a light pole, though the incident resulted in no injuries.

NEWARK, N.J. — Newark’s mayor has established an overnight curfew surrounding an immigration detention facility following violent confrontations between demonstrators and law enforcement officers.

Mayor Ras Baraka announced the curfew around Delaney Hall will remain active from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. indefinitely, according to his statement.

The decision follows another evening of violent encounters between officers and protesters at the detention center, with images and footage showing demonstrators battling over barriers while police deployed riot shields to force them back. Social media footage captured mounted officers advancing into crowds in an effort to disperse groups of protesters.

Protests at Delaney Hall started earlier this month when advocacy groups reported that inmates had begun a hunger strike due to inadequate living conditions at the 1,000-bed detention center, which has become another focal point of resistance against federal immigration enforcement policies.

On Friday, New Jersey state police took over from federal immigration enforcement officers who had been confronting protesters at the location for several days.

In Sunday morning remarks, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill stated that masked protesters attacked barriers in a designated demonstration zone established by state police and were “throwing projectiles, utilizing the barriers as weapons, and lighting tires on fire in the street.”

“These actions put both peaceful protestors and law enforcement in danger,” Sherrill stated, calling for restraint to concentrate on pushing for “better conditions for the detainees, for their families, and ultimately, for the closure of Delaney Hall.”

WASHINGTON — American military forces conducted another deadly strike Saturday against a vessel suspected of drug smuggling in the eastern Pacific waters, resulting in three fatalities in what marks the fourth such operation this week, bringing the cumulative death count to 205.

The U.S. Southern Command announced the military action using standard terminology, stating the targeted vessel was “engaged in narco-trafficking operations” and run by a designated terrorist organization. No supporting evidence was provided for these claims.

This represents the most recent action in an extended military campaign targeting suspected drug trafficking vessels moving through Caribbean waters and the eastern Pacific region.

Military footage shared on social media platforms depicts a small boat floating on ocean waters before being struck and consumed by an explosive fireball.

This Saturday strike increases the fatality count to 205 from a sequence of American military operations that commenced in early September, with additional strikes reported on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. The Trump administration has stated that America is engaged in armed conflict with Latin American drug trafficking organizations, claiming these groups are responsible for narcotics flowing into U.S. communities.

In its social media announcement, U.S. Southern Command indicated the strike was ordered by Gen. Francis L. Donovan, who serves as the senior American military commander for Latin America.

While major National Guard operations have concluded, thousands of military personnel remain stationed on city streets across the United States. These ongoing deployments are generating significant financial costs for taxpayers.

Rescue teams in Washington state have recovered the bodies of all 11 workers killed when a massive chemical storage tank collapsed at a paper manufacturing plant earlier this week, officials announced Saturday.

The industrial accident occurred Tuesday at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging plant when a tank holding “white liquor” – a chemical mixture of sodium hydroxide and sodium sulfide used in paper production – suddenly imploded. Initially, two deaths were confirmed at the scene.

Recovery operations continued throughout the week as emergency crews sifted through wreckage inside the facility and deployed drones to survey the surrounding area, according to deputy chief Kurt Stitch of Cowlitz 2 Fire & Rescue.

The failed tank held approximately 900,000 gallons of the chemical solution, and testing has confirmed that pollutants reached the nearby Columbia River, authorities reported. However, officials stated that no “negative health impacts” have been found in local air quality or Longview’s municipal water supply.

The Longview facility is owned by Nippon Dynawave Packaging, a subsidiary created in 2016 when Nippon Paper Industries – Japan’s second-largest paper company by revenue – purchased the plant from Seattle-based timber corporation Weyerhaeuser for $225 million.

American military officials announced Saturday that forces had conducted an operation against a boat in the Pacific Ocean, resulting in the deaths of three individuals, marking the second such action within two days.

According to a statement posted on social media by U.S. Southern Command, intelligence reports confirmed the targeted boat was traveling through known drug smuggling corridors in the Pacific Ocean and was actively participating in narcotics trafficking activities.

“Three male narco-terrorists were killed during this action. No U.S. military forces were harmed,” the command stated.

Military officials noted this represents another in a series of similar operations that have taken place over recent months.

The iconic lead vocalist of the Four Seasons, known for his distinctive high-pitched singing style that helped shape 1960s rock music, has scrapped all remaining concert dates for 2026 due to medical concerns.

“I’m so sorry to disappoint the folks who have purchased tickets to my shows, but I have decided to take the rest of the year off from touring to focus on my health,” the 92-year-old performer posted on social media Friday.

The singer, who remains the sole original band member still touring with the Four Seasons, had been conducting an extended goodbye tour called “The Last Encores” that began in October 2023. Earlier this year, April concerts were pushed back to summer and autumn dates. However, all eight remaining shows planned for 2026 across locations including Scottsdale, Arizona, and Detroit have now been completely canceled.

The musical group achieved stardom during the 1960s, though their popular songs — including “Sherry” and “December 1963 (Oh What a Night)” — crossed multiple generations. The band achieved worldwide sales of 100 million albums and earned Rock and Roll Hall of Fame recognition in 1990. The lead singer, who built a thriving individual music career as well, was honored with a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2026.

Despite his advanced age, the performer has maintained an intensive concert schedule throughout his career, though he suggested future shows remain possible.

“I’m looking forward to getting healthy and seeing you all again soon,” the singer wrote in his Friday statement.

A Massachusetts family of four lost their lives when a motorcoach collided with several vehicles on a Virginia interstate, and they were en route to a family wedding carrying homemade treats for the celebration.

The wedding ceremony will proceed as planned Sunday in South Carolina, but the occasion will also serve as a time to grieve for Dmitri and Ecaterina Doncev along with their children, Emily and Mark, according to a family member who spoke Saturday.

“A son, a father — the whole family — everyone that has been dear to us,” Carolina Bublik said.

The Doncev family perished early Friday when the motorcoach struck vehicles that had reduced speed for a construction area on Interstate 95 in Stafford County, Virginia. Another victim, a 25-year-old female from Worcester, Massachusetts, was killed in an SUV, according to authorities.

Additional individuals received medical treatment for injuries, with one person listed in critical condition, although most patients were released from the hospital, Mary Washington Healthcare reported.

An official from the National Transportation Safety Board was scheduled to address media regarding the crash investigation Saturday.

E&P Travel Inc., headquartered in Kings Mountain, North Carolina, operated the motorcoach. Virginia State Police named the driver as Jing S. Dong, 48, of Staten Island, New York.

Dmitri, 45, and Ecaterina, 44, moved to the United States from Moldova in 2008 and made their home in Greenfield, Massachusetts, Bublik explained.

Dmitri worked as a nurse at Holyoke Medical Center. Ecaterina worked as a hair stylist and had dedicated days to preparing desserts for the family wedding, Bublik noted.

Dmitri and his brother Iuri attempted to coordinate their travel while driving in different vehicles to South Carolina.

“At some point they ended up getting separated,” Bublik said. “Dmitri said, ‘You go ahead. I’ll catch up later.’ It was a big shock when Iuri arrived at the house. Dmitri should have arrived around the same time. When his car did not show up, and he wasn’t picking up the phone — that’s when the family started panicking.”

Civil liberties organizations have launched a federal court challenge against the nation’s biggest immigration detention facility in El Paso, Texas, citing alleged mistreatment and three deaths since the center opened nine months ago.

The American Civil Liberties Union, alongside other advocacy groups, filed the legal action representing four individuals currently detained at Camp East Montana, a large tent facility established as part of President Donald Trump’s mass-deportation strategy.

The lawsuit, submitted to United States District Court Western District of Texas, targets camp operator U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and its parent organization, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. This marks the first legal challenge to the desert facility located on the Fort Bliss military base, seeking better conditions for over 2,700 detainees, according to an ACLU statement.

The Department of Homeland Security has not yet provided a response to requests for comment. The agency previously stated that the $1.2 billion facility complies with federal immigrant detention standards.

“We’re suing to ensure that no other human being has to endure the inhumane treatment,” said Kyle Virgien, an attorney for the National Prison Project of the ACLU, which filed the lawsuit together with Human Rights Watch and the Texas Civil Rights Project.

A February inspection of the facility’s temporary structures, mandated by Congress, discovered 49 violations of detention standards, with 11 involving “use of force and restraints” and five concerning “medical care.”

The ACLU’s legal filing alleges that detainees face confinement in windowless spaces where they experience physical mistreatment by guards, inadequate medical and mental health services, widespread use of solitary confinement, and exposure to illnesses including measles and tuberculosis.

Venezuelan immigrant Erik Ivan Rodriguez, one of the named plaintiffs, stated he faced physical violence from officials attempting to force him to sign deportation documents. Gerald Akari Angye from Cameroon, another plaintiff, reported being assaulted by guards.

El Paso medical examiners determined that the January 3 death of a Cuban immigrant at Camp East Montana was a homicide, citing “asphyxia due to neck and torso compression.”

Immigration authorities initially described Geraldo Lunas Campos’ death as resulting from “medical distress.” Officials later claimed he attempted suicide and died during a struggle with guards who tried to prevent it.

The ACLU’s lawsuit contends he was fatally beaten after requesting his asthma medication. The complaint also states that a fourth individual died shortly after release from the facility, where he had been refused cancer chemotherapy treatment.

Immigration detention fatalities reached a 20-year peak in 2025 as the Trump administration increased the number of people held for alleged violations.

MADISON, Wis. — A commercial flight heading to Minneapolis made an emergency landing in Wisconsin Friday evening after crew members dealt with a disruptive passenger onboard.

The aircraft, United flight 2005 departing from Chicago, touched down safely at Madison’s airport to handle what airline officials described as a security issue involving an unruly traveler, according to a company spokesperson’s email statement.

Law enforcement personnel already on the aircraft were able to subdue the disruptive individual without delay, said Carrie Springer, who speaks for the Dane County Regional Airport.

When the plane arrived at the gate, deputies from the Dane County Sheriff’s Office boarded and took the passenger into custody. Springer noted that federal investigators will take over the case.

The aircraft, a Boeing 737-900, was carrying 147 passengers along with six crew members. The airline reported no one sustained injuries during the incident.

After the disruptive passenger was removed, the flight resumed its original route and reached Minneapolis in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Though today’s generation requires less physical paper than previous ones, vintage paper collectibles continue to attract enthusiasts. At a Pennsylvania paper show, younger collectors who grew up in the digital era are discovering the appeal of antique postcards and comic books.

These digital natives represent an interesting contrast – individuals raised with technology who find value in tangible, historical paper items from decades past.

LONGVIEW, Wash. — A devastating industrial accident at a Washington state paper mill has claimed 11 lives after a massive chemical storage tank failed, releasing a torrent of dangerous substances that overturned vehicles and damaged buildings.

Washington state Sen. Jeff Wilson, who lives nearby and can view the facility from his home, has personal connections to the site through his former environmental cleanup business. When emergency sirens began wailing, his first thought was for his son who works at the industrial complex.

“I personally have been inside that tank and near that tank many times,” said Wilson, who has lived in Longview for 56 years. “I can assure you that we all know somebody there. … The casualties are our friends and neighbors.”

The failed storage vessel held more than 500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of chemicals used in wood processing for paper production. Tuesday morning’s catastrophic failure at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. sent a wave of corrosive materials across the facility with enough force to flip pickup trucks and cause structural damage.

This workplace tragedy ranks among the most fatal industrial accidents in recent U.S. history, striking a community where multiple generations have earned their livelihoods at local manufacturing facilities. The city’s origins trace back to a timber magnate who established the area’s first mills, creating a century-long bond between residents and the lumber and paper sectors.

Beyond supporting families in mourning, community members express concerns about the facility’s future operations. These positions provide essential employment in a sector that historically drove the region’s economy but has faced significant decline over recent decades.

Tokyo-based Nippon Paper Group, the facility’s parent organization, released a statement indicating they are evaluating how the incident will affect their financial results.

“Last night at the vigils, people who work in mills told me that they’re proud of their jobs and they’re proud of their work, and they don’t want to lose it,” U.S. Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, whose district includes Longview, told reporters Wednesday.

Local residents interviewed by The Associated Press emphasized the critical importance of these manufacturing positions for their community.

“If you’re a waitress, a grocery store worker, a teacher, a paraeducator as I was for 30 years — every walk of life here knows somebody and is related to somebody from these mills,” Cindy Stiebritz said in the antiques store where she volunteers.

Stiebritz noted that her husband’s parents first met while employed at the lumber operation owned by the city’s founder, Robert A. Long.

“Those mills, that is the backbone of this town,” Stiebritz added. “You feel like you’ve lost part of your family.”

The city’s manufacturing district sits alongside the Columbia River, housing timber, paper and chemical operations. Most residents in this community of nearly 40,000 can observe the facilities, steam from industrial boilers, or detect the distinctive sulfur scent associated with pulp and paper production from their neighborhoods.

The community’s industrial heritage is visible throughout downtown, where R. A. Long Square functions as a primary landmark and gathering spot, including for memorial services following the disaster. A recreational area surrounding an artificial lake, another Long initiative, provides green space where residents use walking trails and tree-lined roadways.

Officials report that investigators are still determining what caused the tank’s structural failure. The manufacturing site, operating since 1953 with approximately 1,000 employees, produces materials for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates, cartons and similar products.

Fundraising efforts for victims’ families reveal that those who perished included a grandfather known for helping others, two brothers with one serving as the primary income source for his partner and three children, and a husband survived by two children and an expecting wife.

Brianna Pesio, who serves customers at the Mill City Grill downtown, described Tuesday morning’s terror when her brother, employed at the adjacent lumber facility, couldn’t reach their father who works at the plant and has been there over 30 years.

“I just didn’t know if I lost my dad or not,” said Pesio, whose husband also works in a paper mill. “I drove over to my dad’s house and pounded on his door until he did wake up. He had just gotten off shift at 5 a.m.”

At the nearby Country Folks Deli, longtime server Gayle Leavitt mentioned her in-laws also spent decades working at the mill, adding: “That’s how this town has survived.”

Area representatives reinforced residents’ pride in manufacturing work and the economic significance of well-compensated positions in a region where other communities have suffered from timber industry contraction.

“This is a place where real people make real things. This is not the virtual world,” state Rep. Jim Walsh said at a news conference at the plant on Tuesday. “Real things and real industry always carries risks. But it’s our job to make sure that risk like this is well managed and, to the extent it can be, controlled.”

Stiebritz, the antiques shop volunteer, expressed hope that authorities determine the cause “so it never happens again.”

“If anything comes out of it, I hope lives can be saved,” she said, tearing up as she thought of the children who have lost their parents.

“This town is family. It’s one big family,” she added. “But we’ll make it though. We’re strong. We’ve got a lot of love.”

Long before Filipino American farm workers staged their famous California strike, Pablo Manlapit was building labor unions among Filipino plantation workers in Hawaii.

After arriving in Honolulu in 1910 to work sugar plantations, Manlapit witnessed the harsh treatment of fellow Philippine immigrants called “sakadas.” Ten years later, risking his career and family, he became Hawaii’s first Filipino attorney and established a Filipino workers’ union fighting for equal wages and eight-hour shifts.

He successfully convinced Japanese laborers, who earned higher wages, to join the movement. His organizing activities led to his involvement in the deadly 1924 Hanapepe Massacre on Kauai, where 16 workers and four officers died during labor violence.

The devastating incident destroyed the strike’s progress.

Manlapit faced imprisonment, exile to California, and eventual deportation. Though he continued advocating for workers’ rights throughout his life, he passed away in 1969 largely forgotten.

More than 100 years later, Manlapit has emerged as an inspiration for Filipino attorneys who never learned his story growing up. The Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association is working to reverse his conspiracy conviction in a symbolic campaign aimed at securing Manlapit’s rightful place in labor history. The group argues that Manlapit’s achievements and broader Asian American and Pacific Islander history in Hawaii remain largely unknown on the mainland.

“It’s a story that needs to be told. A lot of us are second generation, so we don’t have knowledge of these stories,” said Daniel Padilla, the group’s president. “His story gets overshadowed … in the broader labor movement in California.”

New sexual abuse allegations against well-known Mexican American labor leader César Chavez have sparked discussions about Filipinos who played crucial roles in America’s farmworker movement.

This development motivated the Filipino attorney organization to pursue clearing Manlapit’s record. Their mission to reverse Manlapit’s conviction, the association states, focuses on “restoring what was taken from a movement that always belonged to many.”

Filipino Americans have traditionally been overlooked by historians, according to Kevin Nadal, president of the Filipino American National Historical Society. Hawaiian Filipino communities – separated by an ocean – received even less historical documentation over the years. Nadal, who teaches psychology at City University of New York, only discovered extensive information about Manlapit while researching a Filipino American Studies encyclopedia in 2020.

“It may have been documented through just like oral histories,” Nadal said. “We love oral histories but, if no one writes them down and then it doesn’t become published, then it just gets lost.”

Manlapit’s organizing efforts likely represent the first recorded instance of Filipino worker mobilization.

“It started with Hawaii,” Nadal said. “What was happening in Hawaii, it would have been really hard for people to know that it was happening in California.”

Recognition has increased in recent years. This past May during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month, the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center collaborated with Hawaii U.S. Sen. Mazie Hirono on a poster display featuring sakadas.

Workers who traveled from the Philippines to Hawaii’s plantations helped make Filipinos one of the state’s largest ethnic populations today. They comprised more than half the workforce. Hawaii later became home to America’s first and only governor of Filipino heritage, Ben Cayetano.

Cayetano, 87, said he never felt compelled to explore his Filipino heritage while growing up in poverty in Honolulu.

“I was born and raised here so I was more influenced by the local culture, which is a mixture of the Hawaiian culture and all the other cultures,” said Cayetano, who completed college and law school in Los Angeles.

However, recognizing sakadas and leaders like Manlapit serves as a way to honor the sakada who raised Cayetano as a single parent, he explained.

Growing up mixed-race in rural upstate New York, Becky Gardner struggled to connect with her mother’s Filipino heritage but heard family stories about her great-grandfather and grandfather who labored on Kauai plantations. Seeking to embrace those roots, Gardner relocated to Honolulu for law school.

While serving as an attorney in the state Office of Language Access, she promoted “Sakada Day,” honoring the Dec. 20 arrival of the first contract workers who departed the Philippines for Hawaii’s sugar and pineapple plantations.

During this work, Gardner discovered her own sakada ancestry.

She entered her great-grandfather’s name, Francisco Alcano, into an online Filipino laborer database and located records showing his 1928 arrival in Honolulu on a steamship named for President Grover Cleveland.

“It made me feel like I was part of Hawaii’s history too,” Gardner said.

The Hawaii Filipino Lawyers Association is examining whether Manlapit’s 1924 conviction was unjust and exploring legal options to clear his name after death, said Padilla, who received his law degree from the University of Hawaii.

They’re also considering establishing a fellowship at University of Hawaii’s law school to fund a legal researcher who could investigate the case as part of efforts to formally exonerate Manlapit.

Kainani Collins Alvarez, who grew up on Oahu aware of her sakada grandfather’s history, previously worked as a public defender and now operates a family-law practice. She hopes to contribute her criminal defense experience to the association’s Manlapit initiative. Half-white, she connects to Hawaii Filipinos through her mother and childhood time spent in the Philippines.

“For me, it’s really important to go back and rectify the truth,” she said. “History is built on the facts that we knew at the time.”

Manlapit was not present on Kauai during the 1924 massacre when striking Filipino sugar workers and police engaged in deadly conflict.

Despite Manlapit eventually receiving a pardon, the association seeks to highlight evidence proving his innocence, Alvarez explained.

Based on a Manlapit biography, he declared in a 1927 “farewell statement” his intention to establish his innocence: “I was railroaded to prison because I tried to secure justice and a square deal for my oppressed countrymen who are lured to the plantations to work for a dollar a day.”

A conviction reversal would carry greater significance than a pardon in certain respects, Nadal noted.

“It would mean more of understanding justice and ensuring that people realize that we can fight for justice and that justice can prevail,” he said.

Manlapit’s experience motivated Khara Jabola-Carolus to pursue a legal career in Hawaii. Similar to him, she began as an organizer and activist. She was raised in California and graduated from Hawaii’s law school.

“There’s a long history of Filipino organizing,” she said. “That’s why I wanted to be a lawyer here.”

She hopes more people will learn about Manlapit’s life with the same familiarity they have for famous Filipino entertainers.

“We need representation and access to seeing ourselves as heroes and movement leaders and not just entertainers,” she said. “Like Filipino Americans need to know Pablo Manlapit as much as they know Bruno Mars or Olivia Rodrigo.”

WASHINGTON — American military forces executed another attack Friday against a vessel suspected of drug smuggling in the Pacific Ocean’s eastern waters, resulting in three deaths in what represents the third such operation this week, bringing total fatalities beyond 200 individuals.

The military’s Southern Command revealed details of the most recent strike as part of an extended operation targeting suspected narcotics vessels moving through Caribbean and eastern Pacific waters, using standard terminology describing the boat as “engaged in narco-trafficking operations” and linked to a designated terrorist organization. No supporting evidence was presented.

Though military social media posts routinely feature attack footage, this instance appears unique in showing color video rather than the typical black and white imagery. The recording depicts a small watercraft floating on ocean waters before being struck and consumed by an explosive fireball. The footage transitions to what appears to be the burning vessel surrounded by a widespread field of packages or debris floating in the surrounding water.

This latest operation brings the cumulative death count to 202 individuals from the series of American strikes that commenced in early September, following two additional attacks reported on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Trump administration has announced that America is engaged in armed conflict with Latin American drug cartels, identifying them as responsible for narcotics flowing into American communities.

Southern Command stated in its X platform post that the strike occurred under orders from Gen. Francis L. Donovan, the senior U.S. commander for Latin America, who also conducted meetings with Cuban military officials near the U.S. Navy installation at Guantanamo Bay on Friday.

HONOLULU — Residents of Puna, an isolated and diverse area on Hawaii’s Big Island, are grappling with the shocking murders of three elderly men who embodied the region’s unconventional, off-the-grid way of life.

Almost a full day following Jacob Baker’s arrest, community members are wrestling with understanding the events and seeking explanations for why law enforcement focused on the 36-year-old as their primary suspect in the deaths of three men who were approaching or had reached their 70s.

Baker continues to be held in custody on suspicion of murder, burglary and additional charges.

Legal documents reveal Baker has had numerous encounters with law enforcement for various violations. Local Puna residents told The Associated Press that their worries about Baker had intensified in recent times, describing him as becoming more menacing.

Baker stands accused in the deaths of three individuals: a 69-year-old discovered partly underwater in a concrete pond, a 79-year-old found mere hundreds of feet away, and a third 69-year-old whose remains were located approximately 19 miles from the other two. By Friday, formal charges had not yet been filed by prosecutors.

Authorities named the first victim as Robert Shine and the third as John Carse. While the 79-year-old’s identity awaits official confirmation, acquaintances have identified him as Chitta Morse.

Police Chief Reed Mahuna stated that investigators discovered no links between the victims beyond two living in proximity to each other.

Those who knew Shine and Morse describe how both men relocated to Puna seeking its independent, tropical and community-oriented atmosphere.

Shine found joy in moving and dancing to rhythms at drum gatherings, typically held on Sunday afternoons, according to Donald Hyatt, a drummer.

Hyatt’s final encounter with Shine occurred at a gathering the previous month where a local rock band performed and Shine danced enthusiastically.

“He was dancing like he loved life,” Hyatt remembered. “Bob had a permanent smile. Always in good spirits.”

Morse relocated from Van Nuys, California four decades ago “to live off-grid and to live in a warm tropical place, and to eat fruit,” explained friend Jezuz Cinderland. “For 40 years he only ate raw food. Since he got to the island he just went completely raw and this was just the right environment for him to do it.”

On fertile volcanic land along Papaya Farms Road, Morse cultivated what Cinderland described as a “fruit forest,” producing coconuts, avocados and durian among other crops.

“He would just share all the fruit he had,” Cinderland noted. “The most fabulous abundance that you can imagine.”

Though Morse had once belonged to the raw-food commune that Cinderland joined when moving to Puna, Morse had become more isolated in recent years, Cinderland explained.

Shine belonged to Cinderland’s commune, which county officials have closed due to multiple code infractions, Cinderland said.

Janelle Honer, who also cultivated fruit along Papaya Farms Road, appears to represent the link connecting Baker to the victims, who frequently participated in communal meals and gatherings at Honer’s land.

Baker had been residing on Honer’s property while performing coconut tree climbing and trimming services, according to her former husband, Stephen Shaffer. Exchanging labor for housing arrangements is typical in Puna.

Hyatt explained that Baker departed the cabin on Honer’s land months earlier but recently returned asserting “squatter’s rights” and made threats toward Honer. Hyatt said he encouraged her to obtain a protective order.

The murders occurred just days following two women’s requests for temporary protective orders against Baker, claiming he had made threats and harassed them at an agricultural property. One woman was residing there while the other held partial ownership. A judge rejected both requests, citing insufficient evidence of harassment.

Baker had no legal representation listed and has accumulated 20 additional court cases over two decades, primarily traffic violations. Baker typically served as his own attorney in most instances.

Honer, who Shaffer indicated was traveling internationally, could not be contacted for comment.

A remembrance ceremony for the victims was scheduled for Saturday adjacent to Honer’s property.

Puna represents one of Hawaii’s few locations offering affordable property, though the region’s infrastructure has failed to match its population growth, according to Ashley Kierkiewicz, who serves Puna on the county council.

Despite Puna’s reputation as an unconventional frontier area, it also represents a culturally rich community where residents demonstrate resilience and mutual support, she noted.

Puna’s terrain combines dense jungle with stark lava rock formations, while the area also faces challenges including substance abuse, economic hardship and insufficient resources, said long-term resident Tiffany Edwards Hunt.

“People have this mistaken impression that they can come to Hawaii and heal,” she observed. “Hawaii can either really be kind to you or it can chew you up and spit you out.”

Mark Wyatt and Richard Valdez proved instrumental in Baker’s apprehension, contacting authorities when their security camera system alerted Valdez’s phone, showing Baker on their land Thursday. Their property sits roughly half a mile from Carse’s residence, though they barely knew him.

The footage depicts Baker without shirt or shoes, accompanied by a dog, walking near a roadway and crouching when vehicles passed, seemingly attempting to remain unseen.

“He was ducking from the traffic, so it was pretty obvious” that he was trying to avoid detection, Valdez explained.

Law enforcement apprehended Baker nearby after discovering him in a small cave, police reported.

Wyatt believes Baker had been concealing himself near his property at a crude campsite positioned on a cliff above the ocean. He said Baker took couch cushions from a storage container outside his residence plus some charcoal, using coconut palm fronds to camouflage the location.

Valdez hadn’t encountered Baker for approximately two years. During that earlier period, Baker lived adjacent to them, renting space from their neighbor while harvesting and selling coconuts along the area’s primary road. He remained next door for roughly six months, Valdez said.

“He told me he was from Maui and that he had just had a newborn baby and his girlfriend had left and that he was trying to get his life together,” Valdez recalled. “So he seemed pretty normal and conscientious, so it’s hard to fathom that this happened.”

Search teams on Friday found the body of another victim from Tuesday’s devastating chemical tank failure at a Washington state paper mill, bringing the confirmed death toll to 11 with two employees still missing.

The catastrophic incident occurred Tuesday morning when a massive storage tank holding over 500,000 gallons (1.9 million liters) of wood-processing chemicals failed at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. facility in Longview, a Columbia River community. The tank’s failure unleashed a torrent of caustic liquid known as white liquor, which has enough force to flip pickup trucks and damage facility structures. The chemical mixture causes serious burns upon contact and can damage lungs if its fumes are breathed in.

Recovery operations have proceeded carefully and systematically due to hazards from remaining chemicals and other industrial dangers, according to Matt Amos, Longview fire battalion chief.

Search teams located six bodies on Thursday.

Workers are avoiding the area immediately surrounding the failed tank while collaborating with engineers to assess which damaged structures nearby can be safely accessed.

During body recovery, teams must decontaminate remains before transferring them to the coroner’s office for identification. The search personnel also undergo decontamination procedures.

The incident’s cause remains under investigation.

Officials haven’t publicly identified the deceased, though family members and friends have started confirming identities and establishing online fundraising campaigns for the families.

Two brothers, Tyler and Brad Covington, who were employed together at the facility, were among those killed. An online fundraising effort for Tyler Covington’s family described how he “leaves behind his wife and their three beautiful children, who are now trying to navigate a future without the man who was their rock, protector, and greatest source of love and support.”

Gilbert Bernal, a grandfather who served as an electrician at the facility, was the first confirmed fatality, according to his friend Todd Cornwell.

“He was one of the most genuinely good people that you’ve ever met. He would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it,” Cornwell said.

John Forsberg, another victim of the incident, was described as witty, kind and “wicked smart,” according to friend Kole Musgrove, who runs a trivia event at Ashtown Brewing in Longview, where Forsberg was a regular participant. The establishment plans to rename its trivia award the Forsberg Cup in his memory.

“It seemed like there was never a fact he didn’t know,” Musgrove said. “He was also a tremendous sport — he was always the first to cheer for another team when they won.”

A GoFundMe campaign has been established to help Forsberg’s two children.

CJ Doran, 26, was described as “the spiritual leader of their family, the joy of their home, and the family provider,” in a GoFundMe posting confirmed by the crowdfunding platform.

Additional victims included Jared Ammons, who had two children with a third expected, and Braydon Finkas, a facility electrician who, together with his longtime partner, Kaitlyn Kincaid, welcomed exchange students and others needing assistance, friend Rex Czuba said.

Finkas relocated to Cathlamet approximately four years ago to construct a home and establish a farm, Czuba explained. He consistently offered help to fellow farmers with hay cutting or equipment loading, or would purchase drinks for newcomers in their small community, he noted.

“He really jumped in and became a part of the community so quickly,” Czuba said.

The tank failure also left eight people injured, including one firefighter. Several sustained burns or breathing injuries, officials reported.

The facility’s Japanese parent company, Nippon Paper Group, issued an updated statement Friday expressing “heartfelt sympathies to the bereaved families.”

Officials confirmed Friday that the chemical release hasn’t polluted air quality or drinking water supplies in and around Longview, a community of approximately 40,000 residents near Washington’s Oregon border.

The community, established where the Cowlitz and Columbia rivers meet by a Kansas City timber entrepreneur in the 1920s, maintains strong connections to paper and lumber manufacturing.

Multiple generations of families have been employed at the mills, and numerous residents interviewed by The Associated Press had relatives or friends working at the Nippon Dynawave facility. The extensive operation, which employs roughly 1,000 workers, produces materials for tissues, printing paper, cups, plates and cartons. The facility is located along the Columbia river adjacent to other timber, paper and chemical operations.

Workers continued efforts to flush water from drainage areas near the facility and dilute it before releasing it into the river.

While some contamination has entered the river, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency reported it has caused no observable impact.

ROMULUS, Mich. — Morning travelers at Detroit Metropolitan Airport experienced a frightening scene Friday when a confused elderly man drove his SUV directly through the terminal entrance doors, according to airport officials.

The 67-year-old motorist was taken into custody immediately after his vehicle came to a stop, according to Tadarial Sturdivant, vice president of emergency and support services.

Sturdivant described the driver as appearing “very disoriented” and making strange claims about being there to meet actor Tom Cruise and “to save his dad.”

“It is hard for me to put semblance behind it,” Sturdivant said.

One woman who tried to get out of the vehicle’s path suffered a potential leg injury but refused medical attention, officials reported.

According to Sturdivant, the vehicle had been moving in the wrong direction outside the Evans Terminal before managing to fit through spaces between concrete barriers at the entrance.

Those openings in the barriers are mandated by federal rules, Sturdivant explained. He noted that the suburban Detroit airport is currently developing plans for a redesign.

“It was scary, man, like, we didn’t know what to do,” Sedeq Arshuhtpi, who works at the airport, told WDIV-TV. “We don’t know what’s inside that car. There’s a lot of people around. There could be a threat, so everybody was nervous.”

This marks the second vehicle incident at the airport this year. In January, another motorist crashed into the airport’s McNamara Terminal at high speed, then got out of his car shouting incomprehensibly before being arrested.

A devastating multi-vehicle collision on Interstate 95 in Northern Virginia has claimed five lives and left more than 40 people injured, with three victims in critical condition, according to state police.

The tragic accident unfolded early Friday morning when a tour bus crashed into a sport utility vehicle, setting off a deadly chain reaction that ended with one vehicle bursting into flames.

Initial findings from the investigation indicate the bus operator did not slow down while approaching backed-up traffic in a work zone along the busy Interstate 95 corridor, which serves as a major transportation route running north and south through the region.

The impact sent the bus careening into a Chevrolet Suburban, which then collided with an Acura SUV and other vehicles. The bus continued forward, striking additional cars, while the Acura became engulfed in flames, state police reported in their official statement.

The collision happened around 2:35 a.m. in the highway’s southbound direction within Stafford County, located approximately 45 miles southwest of the nation’s capital.

The motor coach, run by E&P Travel, a charter bus company based in North Carolina, was transporting roughly 34 passengers and the driver from New York City to Charlotte, North Carolina.

Among those who lost their lives, four victims were trapped in the burning Acura vehicle: a 45-year-old man, a 44-year-old woman, a 13-year-old girl, and a 7-year-old boy, all residents of Greenfield, Massachusetts. The fifth fatality was a 25-year-old woman from Worcester, Massachusetts, who was traveling in the Chevrolet Suburban that was struck by the bus.

Emergency responders transported approximately 44 additional crash victims, including the bus operator, to nearby medical facilities for treatment. Three patients remain in critical condition at area hospitals.

State police spokesperson Matthew Demlein confirmed that criminal charges are being considered against the bus driver related to the incident, though he would not provide additional specifics about the potential charges.

CHICAGO (AP) — A towering granite structure rises from Chicago’s South Side, its nearly windowless facade resembling something from a science fiction movie rather than housing a cutting-edge presidential museum.

Workers are completing final preparations for the Obama Presidential Center before its official opening to the public on Juneteenth, over ten years since the location was selected. However, the design of the approximately $850 million complex — especially the prominent 225-foot tower on its northern edge — continues to split opinions in the city known as the birthplace of modern high-rise construction.

Some view it as an inappropriate choice for Barack Obama’s home city following an intense fight over placing it in a waterfront park typically featuring classical architectural styles. Others see it as a daring contribution that will influence Chicago’s famous skyline for generations.

Local residents have likened it to a grain storage facility, a vessel from “Star Wars,” and a tomb.

“It doesn’t fit in at all,” said Brenda Nelms, who has lived in the area since the 1970s and leads a group that advocates for nearby Jackson Park, which spans more than 500 acres.

Obama Foundation leadership, which has secured private funding, acknowledges they’ve heard all the criticism. They even recruited “Star Wars” actor Mark Hamill for playful promotional content on May the 4th, a date celebrated by the movie series’ fans.

“Part of the joy of the center is everyone is going to have their unique experience,” said Valerie Jarrett, foundation CEO and a former Obama advisor. “The design of the building was intended to be inviting and opening to people whether they live across the street or around the world.”

Chicago sets a high standard for architectural excellence, from Louis Sullivan’s modern towers following the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 to Helmut Jahn’s post-modern office structures.

Design discussions are so passionate in the nation’s third-largest city that Chicago Sun-Times architecture critic Lee Bey calls it “a spectator sport.” His first reaction to the Obama Presidential Center was that it appeared more appropriate for a graveyard.

The dramatic design features minimal windows, all strategically positioned. Foundation representatives explain this choice also helps shield interior artifacts from sunlight damage, including a replica Oval Office.

Bey noted the museum’s design becomes more logical when viewed alongside other shorter structures on the campus, which features a basketball court, children’s playground, public library branch and works by prominent artists.

Other famous Chicago buildings have received mixed initial reactions, he explained. The former John Hancock Center, a black 100-story structure marked by massive X-shaped supports, was likened to an oil rig shortly after its 1960s construction. Recently renamed 875 North Michigan Avenue for its street address, the building contains retail spaces, condominiums and offices.

“As we begin to experience buildings, we begin to imprint our own impressions,” Bey said. “The John Hancock becomes less of an oil derrick and more of the building that has your doctor’s office.”

Edward Keegan, a Chicago Tribune architecture columnist, has labeled the presidential museum “an un-Chicago building” due to its limited windows and unconventional form. Nevertheless, it provides a distinctive city perspective.

The building’s summit features a glass-walled “Sky Room” offering sweeping Chicago vistas, including northward views of downtown that are rare from such elevation.

“It doesn’t feel like any other place in Chicago,” he said. “It does feel unique and unexpected.”

The path to the museum’s completion was challenging, despite Obama maintaining strong support in the Democratic stronghold.

Legal challenges to halt construction began after the location announcement in 2015. Worries about displacing low-income and Black residents in nearby neighborhoods intensified. Community organizations pushed for housing protections, though area residents argue they remain insufficient as property values near the museum have skyrocketed.

Building the museum required removing nearly 20 acres of parkland and eliminating a portion of a major roadway, which residents claim was essential for connecting people from other city areas and suburbs to downtown.

During a recent stroll through a bird sanctuary adjacent to the center, activist Robin Kaufman, 82, explained she couldn’t fully appreciate the wildflowers near the secluded ponds as before. She observed ducks swimming in a lagoon but couldn’t overlook the center’s tower visible above the trees.

“Everywhere I go, you can see it, so you’re reminded of what’s going on and that’s distressing,” she said. “I’m very distrustful of anything they say.”

She and others worry about what additional developments might arrive in the area due to Obama’s presidential center.

“It’s a Trojan horse,” said Shannon Bennett with the Kenwood Oakland Community Organization. “It’s an extreme version of a scheme to transform these communities for another population.”

Multiple design decisions were made by the former president alongside New York-based architects, Tod Williams and Billie Tsien. Obama selected a stone design and desired a tall tower for city panoramas near where he raised his family and taught law at the University of Chicago.

The tower’s structure represents four hands joining together in unity. Wrapping around one side are 5-foot concrete capital letters, featuring text from Obama’s 2015 speech marking the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march. It starts with “You are America.”

The Obama Foundation reports they have expanded some streets, created a new field for local school use, and the campus includes a new public library branch, basketball gymnasium for community access, a playground and gardens landscaped to harmonize with the surrounding park.

“The benefit of having this extraordinary facility far outweighs any costs,” Jarrett said. “It’s a symbol to the community of how important they are to us.”

Adam Rubin at the Chicago Architecture Center described it as a successful project thus far, while noting lingering questions about whether trading parkland for the center was justified.

“It really does have a sense of place,” he said of the museum. “Time will tell how people utilize it.”

The newly appointed president of Jackson State University will undergo a full year of specialized leadership coaching as she steps into a position that has experienced significant instability in recent years.

Denise Jones Gregory officially assumed the presidency on May 1 following a year in an interim capacity. She now leads an institution that has cycled through four different presidents over the past six years and faces multiple operational challenges, including insufficient student housing and damaged relationships with graduates stemming from the frequent leadership changes and concerns about the presidential selection process.

The executive coaching Gregory will receive was included in a $97,500 agreement that the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board executed with AGB Search last September, according to documents obtained by Mississippi Today. The company specializes in executive recruitment for higher education institutions.

This represents the first instance of a Jackson State president receiving such specialized training upon taking office.

According to Kim Bobby, a principal with AGB Search, the coaching program helps new presidents understand their institution and surrounding region while developing key relationships with board members, faculty, and community stakeholders. The firm customized the training to acknowledge Jackson State’s important role as a historically Black university, she explained.

“It’s not a generic process,” Bobby said. “It’s really designed looking to initiate a close relationship and establish communication expectations and protocols around the transition.”

Gregory, who graduated from Jackson State, assumes permanent leadership during a challenging period for higher education nationwide, with state legislators increasingly questioning universities’ effectiveness in student preparation and the current presidential administration pressuring institutions to eliminate diversity, equity and inclusion programs while threatening research funding.

University presidents nationwide are serving briefer terms than previously — 5.9 years compared to 8.5 years twenty years ago — according to the American Council on Education.

In an email statement to Mississippi Today, Gregory acknowledged that like all universities, JSU “faces challenges that require steady attention and measurable progress.” She identified key issues including student retention support and providing academic assistance and practical opportunities.

Gregory also highlighted infrastructure concerns that need addressing. The university has difficulty maintaining adequate housing and completing building renovations on time, she noted. However, she pointed to a recent achievement: the university began construction Tuesday on a new dining facility with capacity for 550 people. Multiple housing projects are underway and scheduled for completion next year, she added.

Gregory is also focused on expanding scholarship opportunities and maintaining donor contributions to the university.

“Students and families want to invest in institutions where they can clearly see momentum, opportunity, support and long-term vision, and that is exactly what we are working to build,” she said.

The presidential position at JSU has historically been characterized by instability and leadership controversies.

Carolyn Meyers stepped down from JSU in 2016, leaving behind unresolved financial problems. Her replacement, William B. Bynum Jr., resigned in 2020 following his arrest in a prostitution operation.

The subsequent two presidents, Thomas Hudson and Marcus Thompson, both departed abruptly without providing explanations.

Gregory expressed her intention to provide stability. Moving from interim to permanent status helps “to ensure continuity with strong governance support and an effective transition,” she stated in an email.

University presidents are leaving their positions earlier than in the past due to job pressures and sometimes insufficient preparation, explained Judith Wilde, a George Mason University professor who researches college presidential searches. Training programs like AGB Search provides can assist presidents in managing an increasingly complicated role, she noted.

“I don’t think any president, even if they’ve been president before, is ready to become a president right now,” Wilde said. “Things are so different with the current administration. It has also become a job that is not Monday through Friday, nine to five.”

Presidential search companies engage with graduates, faculty, students and board members throughout the selection process. This provides them with valuable insights that help identify institutional needs, said Felecia Commodore, an education policy professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign who studies HBCUs.

Female presidents, especially at HBCUs, often face greater scrutiny regarding their leadership capabilities than their male colleagues, Commodore observed. Gregory is the second woman in ten years to hold the permanent position at JSU.

“We see it happen more so with women, especially black women, that after there have been some challenges and sometimes crises at an institution, women are either put in as interim president or president and expected to fix everything,” Commodore said.

Gregory’s nearly year-long experience as JSU’s interim president may facilitate her transition to the permanent role, Wilde suggested.

Gregory informed Mississippi Today in an email that she used the past year building relationships with staff, faculty and leaders throughout the university community.

“If she showed that she is serious and does position herself with the knowledge, skills and expertise to lead a university, that shows her commitment to the institution and serving the community,” Wilde said.

Earlexia Norwood, incoming JSU National Alumni Association president, believes Gregory merits this type of coaching. Alumni have recently disagreed with JSU and IHL regarding presidents not receiving adequate support to lead Mississippi’s largest historically Black university.

“All the support possible should be given to her just like support is given to all Mississippi university presidents,” Norwood said. “That support is well overdue.”

Three members of a Latvian climbing expedition have perished after falling on Alaska’s Mount McKinley near a dangerous area known for multiple fatalities, officials announced Friday.

The mountaineers were part of a seven-person team from the Latvian Mountaineering Association when they fell Wednesday while crossing an area notorious for its hazardous exposed terrain where numerous accidents have previously occurred, according to the National Park Service.

Recovery of the victims’ remains has not yet been possible, park officials stated.

A fourth member of the climbing party who also fell was airlifted off the mountain and remains in critical condition, the Latvian Mountaineering Association confirmed in their announcement.

Weather conditions prevented Denali National Park and Preserve rangers from immediately reaching the accident site where the climbers had fallen.

The accident occurred close to Denali Pass, located approximately 18,200 feet above sea level on North America’s highest peak, which reaches 20,310 feet in elevation.

The remaining three climbers in the expedition provided assistance to their fallen teammates before making their way back to their base camp, park officials reported.

The team was ascending via the West Buttress route, which represents the most frequently used path to reach the summit. This route presents significant challenges including deep crevasses, steep icy terrain, and dangerous exposed ridge lines.

The mountain has claimed more than 130 lives throughout the park’s recorded history.

The section between Denali Pass and the high camp area at approximately 17,000 feet has been the site of numerous climbing accidents and fatalities over the decades, primarily due to unprotected falls, park data shows. The majority of fatal incidents along this pass occur during descent.

To enhance safety, park rangers and experienced mountain guides install and maintain snow pickets in this area, which climbers use to create anchor points for additional protection on steep terrain.

Mount McKinley attracts between 1,000 and 1,200 climbers annually, with most attempts occurring during May and June. A typical expedition requires approximately 17 days, and fewer than half of all climbers successfully reached the summit during the previous year, based on park records.

Last year’s climbing season resulted in two deaths on the mountain, both involving skiers, while rangers conducted 16 medical evacuations, according to park data.

As of Thursday, 516 climbers were currently on the mountain, according to Scott Carr, a park service spokesperson.

In a separate incident Wednesday, two additional climbers not associated with the Latvian group were also evacuated by helicopter, park officials noted.

Atlanta law enforcement officials have launched an internal investigation to identify whether a “high-ranking law enforcement officer” who engaged in sexual conduct with a federal judge in courthouse chambers belongs to their police force.

A federal judge serving in the 11th Judicial Circuit, covering Alabama, Florida and Georgia, was issued a “private reprimand” following a judicial inquiry that determined the judge engaged in “sexual intercourse in the judge’s chambers during business hours within hearing distance of staff” with a senior uniformed police officer.

The investigative findings did not reveal the identities of either the judge or the law enforcement officer, nor did it specify which courthouse within the 11th Circuit served as the location. The Associated Press has not been able to verify the names independently.

When contacted by telephone, William Pryor, the chief judge of the 11th Circuit, who established a committee to examine the accusations that emerged from a complaint filed by one of the judge’s law clerks, refused to provide comment or verify the judge’s identity.

Beyond the extramarital sexual relationship, investigators also determined the judge participated in a partisan political gathering. When initially confronted with these accusations last fall, the judge’s first response was to provide false denials, characterizing the claims as “outrageous” and “baseless.”

Regardless of the severe nature of the violations, the Judicial Council of the 11th Judicial Circuit decided in a February ruling to issue a private reprimand that maintained the judge’s anonymity. The Committee on Judicial Conduct and Disability of the Judicial Conference of the United States upheld that decision last week.

“We need a lot of reform on who judges the judges when they act badly,” Georgia State University law school professor Eric Segall said. “Judges will protect judges.”

Federal judges enjoy protection from significant penalties due to their lifetime tenure and can only face removal through congressional impeachment, which supports the argument for publicly identifying them during disciplinary proceedings, he explained.

“I’m not one who likes to publicly embarrass people, but what else can we do?” Segall said.

Following the initial denials, the judge subsequently acknowledged the wrongdoing and provided honest testimony about the incidents, according to the investigative committee’s findings. The judge also terminated the relationship with the officer, making future similar conduct unlikely, investigators concluded. These circumstances, combined with the judge’s “otherwise exemplary service to the court,” led the committee to suggest a private rather than public reprimand, according to the report.

The judge also consented to compose apology letters to six former law clerks, decline the chief judge position when eligible and avoid serving on any Judicial Conference committee.

However, this misconduct will remain an “elephant in the room” until the judge makes a public acknowledgment of poor judgment, Segall stated.

“When you have a public position of deciding cases and controversies between adverse parties, your judgment and your character are very much in play,” he said. “The very first thing I tell my students is all of you will make mistakes in practice. You own it, you admit to it, you try your best to fix it and only then is it possible to move on.”

A federal immigration enforcement officer has been captured in Texas after being wanted for shooting a Venezuelan man during immigration operations in Minneapolis, officials announced.

Christian Castro, who works for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency, was taken into custody on Friday, nearly two weeks after Minneapolis prosecutors filed assault and false reporting charges against him for the January 14 nonfatal shooting of Julio Cesar Sosa-Celis.

Minnesota’s Hennepin County prosecutors reported that the state’s Bureau of Criminal Apprehension tracked down Castro, 52, in Texas and coordinated with Department of Homeland Security Inspector General agents and Texas Rangers for his arrest.

“Today’s arrest is a critical step forward in our prosecution of Mr. Castro,” stated Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty.

Court records show no attorney listed for Castro, and it remains unclear whether he has legal representation. Requests for comment were sent to ICE, the Homeland Security Inspector General’s Office and the Texas Rangers.

Castro becomes the second federal agent facing charges related to their actions during the Minnesota enforcement operation, called Operation Metro Surge. ICE Director Todd Lyons has identified him as one of two agents who provided false information about what transpired during the incident.

Prosecutors allege Castro discharged his weapon through the front door of a residence, striking Sosa-Celis in the thigh after Castro and a colleague pursued a different individual, Alfredo Alejandro Aljorna, to the Minneapolis duplex where both men resided. Both Sosa-Celis and Aljorna had legal status in the United States, according to Moriarty.

Federal officials originally claimed Sosa-Celis and Aljorna attacked an officer using a broom handle and snow shovel. Those charges were later thrown out by a federal judge, prompting ICE and the Justice Department to investigate potential officer misconduct.

Following the announcement of charges, ICE released a statement saying federal prosecutors were examining officer statements and that personnel could face consequences including termination and criminal prosecution. ICE characterized the Hennepin County attorney’s actions as “unlawful and nothing more than a political stunt.” The DHS Inspector General’s Office, which Moriarty acknowledged for helping with the arrest, operates independently from ICE as an oversight body for DHS agencies.

Minneapolis authorities released surveillance footage last month showing the moments leading up to Sosa-Celis’s shooting, recorded by a municipal security camera from a distance.

The footage appears to capture someone holding a snow shovel outside the residence near the street, then moving back toward the house and throwing the shovel into the yard. This occurs as someone being pursued runs up from the street, falls on the sidewalk, gets back up, and continues toward the house.

The three individuals appear to struggle near the front steps for approximately 10 seconds. The precise moment of the shooting is not visible. A vehicle with emergency lights arrives, and another person approaches the scene.

The previous administration deployed thousands of officers to the Minneapolis and St. Paul region as part of President Donald Trump’s nationwide deportation initiative, viewing Operation Metro Surge as successful.

However, the extended operation created growing tensions, and the fatal shootings of U.S. citizens Renee Good and Alex Pretti by federal officers led to widespread civil unrest and scrutiny of officer behavior.

Minnesota officials and the previous administration have disagreed over jurisdiction to investigate and prosecute federal officers for actions taken while on duty.

Moriarty’s office filed assault charges last month against immigration agent Gregory Donnell Morgan Jr. for allegedly pointing his weapon at occupants of a vehicle on a highway. He surrendered to authorities last week while his attorney contests the charges.

The county is also examining Good’s and Pretti’s deaths and filed a lawsuit against the previous administration in March seeking access to evidence from those cases and the Sosa-Celis shooting.

Emergency teams continued their search Friday for additional victims following a devastating gas explosion that leveled a Dallas apartment complex and claimed at least three lives, including one child.

The blast occurred Thursday afternoon in the Oak Cliff neighborhood south of downtown Dallas as fire crews were responding to reports of a gas leak. Dallas Fire-Rescue spokesperson Jason Evans confirmed that a child and two adults died in the incident, while at least five other people sustained injuries requiring hospitalization.

The powerful explosion sent shockwaves through surrounding homes before igniting a massive blaze that completely destroyed the two-story residential building. A towering column of black smoke could be seen from miles away following the blast.

Officials have cordoned off multiple blocks around the destruction site with police vehicles and tape. Workers wearing bright yellow safety vests could be observed Friday morning picking through the charred debris while the smell of smoke still lingered in the air. Multiple fire trucks and law enforcement vehicles remained stationed at the scene.

The exact number of residents who lived in the apartment complex remains unknown, and authorities have not ruled out finding more casualties as the search progresses.

Evans indicated that by Thursday evening, firefighters had manually examined less than half the disaster area, noting that some sections would need excavation equipment to properly investigate.

Dallas Fire-Rescue Deputy Chief Mark Berry explained that emergency responders were already en route to address the gas leak when the explosion occurred.

“We had the cavalry coming,” Berry said. “But the explosion had already taken place.”

Atmos Energy, the local natural gas utility, issued a statement saying fire officials informed them that an unaffiliated construction crew had damaged a gas pipeline near the fire location. The company declined to elaborate further but confirmed they had shut off gas service to the area and were cooperating with investigators.

The National Transportation Safety Board announced Friday it would dispatch an investigation team to examine the incident, as the agency handles gas pipeline accident investigations.

Local resident Sherry Woods, whose apartment sits across an alley from the blast site, described smelling gas while sitting outside her front door with her boyfriend moments before the explosion nearly knocked her over.

“All you heard was ‘boom.’ I shook like something was hitting me. It was scary to hear something like that. I felt the building shake,” Woods said.

Emergency officials established a family reunification center at a nearby high school to help locate missing residents. Hours after the fire, Frances Rizo was still attempting to reach her friend who lived in the destroyed building.

“She’s not answering her phone,” Rizo said.

Nearby resident Trish Thompson observed the scene Friday morning from across a grassy field, noting the empty space where the apartment complex had stood just one day earlier. She recalled hearing a “loud rumble, something more like a train to me” and seeing smoke and flames.

“Pray for them,” Thompson said.

For decades, Americans have balanced their influential worldwide presence with a sense of humor and lighthearted self-confidence that transforms potential criticism into something endearing.

Consider, for instance, the iconic cheesehead hat.

Crafted from furniture foam in bright yellow and bold defiance, this headwear emerged in the late 1980s as a response to mockery directed at Wisconsin sports enthusiasts, coming from a state that has historically branded itself as America’s dairy capital.

“Cheeseheads!” shouted residents from nearby Illinois as an insult. Rather than taking offense, Wisconsinites welcomed the label and flipped it completely around — especially when supporting a particular football franchise known as the Green Bay Packers.

Before long, Wisconsin athletic supporters began showing up to games sporting hats designed to look like oversized, textured chunks of cheddar cheese. (While the texture suggested Swiss cheese, American concepts of dairy products, particularly mass-produced varieties, represent yet another element of our national character.)

This phenomenon doesn’t suggest that one state monopolizes amusing headgear, even though the “Wisconsin Cheesehead” now has a place in the Smithsonian’s American History Museum. American athletics — particularly at the collegiate level — features fans who abandon all restraint and don horns or creature ears, or remove shirts to paint their bodies despite bitter cold temperatures.

This seasonal spectacle may be the most vibrant and innocent example of the “Hold my beer” enthusiasm that has characterized multiple generations of Americans both domestically and abroad.

We make noise. We engage in foolish behavior. We form groups around both trivial matters (athletics) and serious ones (today’s political climate).

Our track record includes accidentally achieving remarkable success. “I wasn’t thinking too deeply about it,” Ralph Bruno, the cheesehead hat inventor, previously shared with Milwaukee magazine regarding his creation, which now carries a trademark, belongs to a professional football organization and retails for $28.99 each.

Most importantly — quite literally, given this towering chunk of artificial dairy that might serve as a symbol — Americans are recognized for our capacity to find humor in ourselves.

STAFFORD, Va. — Five people lost their lives and 34 others were rushed to area hospitals after a bus collided with multiple vehicles on Interstate 95 in Virginia early Friday morning, according to state police.

The deadly accident occurred around 2:35 a.m. on the southbound lanes of I-95 in Stafford County. All fatalities were occupants of the vehicles that were struck by the bus, while three of those injured remain in critical condition, authorities reported.

“The preliminary investigation indicates that traffic was slowing southbound for an upcoming work zone,” state police said in a news release. “A bus failed to slow for traffic and struck six vehicles.”

Authorities have not yet disclosed the purpose of the bus or the number of passengers it was carrying.

The incident remains under active investigation with charges pending, according to police.

Highway officials kept southbound traffic lanes shut down for seven hours following the collision, forcing drivers onto alternate routes.

A blaze involving a train car in a rail yard close to New York’s Penn Station left five people injured and caused widespread disruptions to regional rail services during Friday morning’s commute, according to officials.

The incident led to service delays for New Jersey Transit and Amtrak trains heading into New York, while Long Island Rail Road service was temporarily halted. This comes just over a week following a strike that had previously shut down that rail system.

According to a post on X by New Jersey Transit, an Amtrak train car caught fire “in one of the Hudson River tunnels.” The agency reported that the blaze caused “overhead wire damage.”

“Impacts are expected to last through the morning rush hour,” the transit agency stated.

In its own X post, Amtrak announced it had halted service until at least noon Friday because of maintenance work following “from a now extinguished fire in the New York area.” The railroad warned that extended delays were anticipated for trains heading north from New York.

Amtrak did not provide details about the fire incident itself. The company has been contacted for additional information.

According to fire department officials, 100 firefighters were dispatched to battle the early Friday blaze, which resulted in five injuries. Two of the injured individuals required hospital transport. Information about their medical status was not immediately available.

Penn Station, located beneath Madison Square Garden, handles approximately 600,000 passengers each day through Amtrak, the New York subway system, New Jersey Transit and the LIRR.