Category: U.S. News

A weekly quiz focusing on celebrity secret identities promises participants at least one correct answer if they stay current with hidden personas and alternate identities.

The quiz features prominent entertainment figures including talk show host Arsenio Hall, late-night television personality Stephen Colbert, and actress Zendaya.

Quiz organizers suggest that those who follow celebrity news and entertainment industry secrets will find success with the questions presented this week.

Birth rates across the United States have plummeted to unprecedented levels, marking a significant demographic shift as American families continue to have fewer children than in previous generations.

The declining birth rate, coupled with decreased immigration numbers, is creating substantial implications for how American families and communities will look in the coming years.

This demographic trend reflects changing patterns in family planning, with many women choosing to postpone childbearing or have smaller families altogether, contributing to what experts are calling a historic low in the nation’s fertility rate.

A compassionate resident in Fayetteville, Arkansas has launched a community-focused initiative to combat hunger by providing complimentary meal delivery services to neighbors in need.

The program offers no-cost food delivery to any community member requiring assistance, representing a grassroots effort to address local food insecurity challenges.

The Arkansas resident discussed the motivation behind creating this neighborhood-based food service, which aims to ensure that community members have access to nutritious meals regardless of their circumstances.

This volunteer-driven program demonstrates how individual community members can make a meaningful impact by addressing basic needs within their local area through direct action and personal commitment to helping others.

One of the most influential figures in hip-hop history has died. Afrika Bambaataa, widely recognized as a founding father of the hip-hop movement, passed away Thursday at the age of 68, his attorney has confirmed.

The legendary DJ died in Pennsylvania after battling prostate cancer, marking the end of an era for the music genre he helped create and shape.

Bambaataa’s contributions to hip-hop culture extended far beyond music, as he was instrumental in establishing the foundational elements that would define the genre for generations to come.

PORTERVILLE, Calif. — A law enforcement officer was fatally shot Thursday morning in central California when a resident opened fire during the service of an eviction notice, with the gunman still holed up inside his residence hours later, according to officials.

The deadly shooting occurred when Tulare County sheriff’s deputies arrived at a Porterville residence to deliver eviction paperwork, where a 60-year-old resident began shooting at the officers, the sheriff’s department announced on social media.

During an afternoon press briefing, Sheriff Mike Boudreaux reported that SWAT personnel were evacuating surrounding residences as the standoff continued to pose significant risks to public safety. Local residents received shelter-in-place orders while area schools implemented lockdown procedures.

The suspect continues to remain inside the residence and is suspected of possessing a rifle, according to reports from news outlet KFSN. Porterville sits approximately 150 miles northeast of Los Angeles within California’s Central Valley region.

Video footage captured by a witness from a nearby driveway and published by the Visalia Times-Delta depicts multiple armed deputies taking cover in the street when gunshots erupt and several officers retreat from the area. The shooter remains out of view in the recording. Separate footage shows an individual being transported to an emergency medical vehicle.

According to Boudreaux, the resident had not paid rent for 35 days and was anticipating the arrival of law enforcement to deliver the final eviction paperwork. The sheriff stated the man “laid in wait” and began firing immediately upon the officers’ arrival.

The fallen deputy had responded as part of a backup team that came to assist after the initial gunfire erupted, Boudreaux explained. Emergency responders transported him to a medical facility where he succumbed to his injuries.

“This is senseless,” Boudreaux stated.

Miguel Ibarra’s 82-year-old mother resides directly across from the shooter’s home and was evacuated along with other neighbors due to the ongoing barricade situation. Ibarra, an Orange County resident, described the surreal experience of watching his parents’ typically peaceful neighborhood appear on television news coverage.

“The police did a really good job keeping us informed and keeping us in the know of what’s going on,” he said.

Lance Taylor, known worldwide as Afrika Bambaataa and recognized as one of hip-hop’s founding fathers, passed away Thursday in Pennsylvania after battling prostate cancer. He was 68 years old.

The music world responded with an overwhelming wave of tributes honoring Bambaataa’s transformative influence on hip-hop culture, though his legacy became complicated in recent years due to multiple allegations of sexual misconduct involving minors.

Born in 1957 in the South Bronx, Bambaataa rose to fame with revolutionary songs including his 1982 hit “Planet Rock” and established the Universal Zulu Nation artistic movement.

“When you talk about Afrika Bambaataa, Kool Herc, Grandmaster Flash, these are the three founding fathers of the whole culture,” rapper Fat Joe told The Associated Press of Bambaataa’s legacy in 2023.

Taylor grew up during a turbulent period when the South Bronx was experiencing severe urban decay due to systematic segregation and economic abandonment. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, property owners frequently set fires to their buildings for insurance payouts rather than maintaining them, leaving predominantly Black and Puerto Rican residents with limited opportunities.

Raised by his mother in government housing, Bambaataa had Caribbean roots from Jamaica and Barbados. His early musical education came from his mother’s extensive record collection, according to a 1998 interview with Frank Broughton.

His talent for reimagining and blending classic songs became his trademark at neighborhood parties he organized in local community centers during the early 1970s. He drew significant inspiration from Kool Herc, widely regarded as hip-hop’s originator.

Throughout the decade and into the 1980s, Bambaataa’s DJ performances gained massive popularity, leading to his creation of electronic tracks that helped define the emerging hip-hop and electro-funk scenes. He pioneered the use of beat breaks and was among the first to incorporate the legendary Roland TR-808 drum machine.

“We was playin’ everything, everything that was funky,” he explained. He emphasized that his events stood out because “other DJs would play they great records for fifteen, twenty minutes. We was changing ours every minute or two. I couldn’t have no breakbeat go longer than a minute or two.”

During this period, Bambaataa used his connections with the Black Spades street gang to create the Zulu Nation, named after the South African people who inspired him. His philosophy centered on “peace, love, unity and having fun,” and he aimed to harness hip-hop’s growing influence to end neighborhood gang violence.

He eventually renamed his organization the Universal Zulu Nation to welcome “all people from the planet earth.”

“At the core our music made people feel like they belong to a movement and not a moment, our music offered Hope something positive to believe in, it gave people identity, unity, and a way out,” Ellis Williams, a producer known as Mr. Biggs, wrote in an email to the AP. Mr. Biggs was a member of the group Afrika Bambaataa and Soulsonic Force that included Bambaataa.

However, Bambaataa’s reputation became tarnished in recent years when multiple individuals came forward with sexual abuse accusations.

In 2016, Bronx activist and former music executive Ronald Savage publicly accused Bambaataa of molesting him in 1980 when Savage was a teenager.

“I was scared, but at the same time I was like, ‘This is Afrika Bambaataa,’” Savage told the AP in 2016, providing detailed accounts of that incident and four additional encounters.

Bambaataa strongly rejected these accusations.

Following Savage’s public statements, several other men shared similar allegations against Bambaataa. In June 2016, the Universal Zulu Nation issued a public statement apologizing to “the survivors of apparent sexual molestation by Bambaataa,” acknowledging that some organization members were aware of the abuse but “chose not to disclose” it.

“We extend our deepest and most sincere apologies to the many people who have been hurt,” the organization stated.

YELLOW SPRINGS, Ohio — Comedy star Dave Chappelle celebrated alongside community members Thursday as he officially opened the doors to a beautifully restored 1800s schoolhouse that will serve as the permanent home for local NPR station WYSO.

The ceremony marked the completion of a renovation project largely bankrolled by Chappelle, ensuring the radio station wouldn’t be forced to move away from Yellow Springs during challenging times for community media organizations.

“It’s like our lifeblood in the community,” Chappelle shared with The Associated Press regarding the station, remembering how losing it to nearby Dayton would have delivered “a crushing blow” to Yellow Springs.

Over 200 community members assembled outside the historic Union Schoolhouse, where Chappelle was joined by his family, station management, and local leaders including Yellow Springs Mayor Steve McQueen and Dayton Mayor Shenise Turner-Sloss for the celebration.

The Union Schoolhouse dates back to 1872 and originally operated as one of the area’s first racially integrated educational facilities before later serving various municipal and commercial purposes. Following years of abandonment, Chappelle’s real estate venture, Iron Table Holdings, acquired the property in 2020.

The building has been completely reimagined as a contemporary, flexible facility, with WYSO’s operations taking up the ground levels and Chappelle’s business offices located upstairs.

Chappelle viewed this investment as equally focused on historic preservation and community development.

“If you have the opportunity like I did, to invest in your community, then it’s one of the greatest investments I’ve ever made,” he explained. “In some ways it feels dutiful. Other times I feel proud. … but ultimately, I’m doing it because I want to, not because I have to.”

This development occurs as community news organizations nationwide struggle with reduced funding, changing audience habits and growing pressure from online competitors.

According to Chappelle, stations like WYSO provide crucial community stability. He characterized it as “a beacon for sanity,” delivering “a solid baseline of truth in context” amid today’s fractured media environment.

“I grew up listening to WYSO since high school, and they’ve always been here connecting to the people,” explained Mark Willis, a Yellow Springs resident. “They’re not out of a big city. They’re not subject to censorship by a sponsor. They tell the truth, they tell the stories, and it’s rare these days. To see them growing instead of shrinking is beautiful.”

Instead of making a simple financial contribution, Chappelle chose to fund the entire building renovation, enabling the station to stay community-based while preserving its editorial freedom.

“Dave has never made a suggestion about our programming,” stated Luke Dennis, WYSO’s general manager. He explained the new location revolutionizes the station’s public engagement through performance venues, community spaces and enhanced programming capabilities.

“We belong to the community,” Dennis emphasized.

Small-market public radio has encountered increasing difficulties recently, from financial constraints to divided audiences.

Dennis believes the investment gives WYSO a competitive advantage. “We’re in a place of strength,” he noted.

Yellow Springs holds deep significance for Chappelle. While raised in Maryland, he spent childhood summers in the village where his deceased father served as dean of students at Antioch College.

Currently residing on a 39-acre property with his wife and three children, Chappelle has become deeply involved in local life. He has purchased additional community real estate, launched a downtown comedy venue and organized nationally recognized events, including pandemic-era performances in a neighboring cornfield.

Chappelle actively participates in municipal governance, attending town hall meetings and championing community projects.

As residents toured the renovated facility following the ceremony, the event represented far more than a simple opening.

“I’m more determined and inspired that these institutions flourish and stay of the people,” Chappelle reflected after the celebration. “The only way they can do that is the people supporting them. I’m hopeful more than worried.”

LOS ANGELES — A massive fraud operation targeting California’s Medicaid system has resulted in criminal charges against 21 individuals accused of stealing more than $267 million through fake hospice billing schemes, state officials announced Thursday.

California Attorney General Rob Bonta revealed that authorities have taken five suspects into custody so far in connection with the elaborate scam, which comes as federal officials intensify their nationwide crackdown on healthcare fraud.

The investigation began after the Department of Health Care Services alerted state prosecutors to suspicious activity. Authorities discovered that the accused fraudsters had purchased stolen personal information from dark web sources, targeting residents from other states to illegally register them for Medi-Cal benefits — California’s version of the federal Medicaid program that serves low-income residents.

Using these fraudulent enrollments, the suspects established 14 separate hospice care businesses and submitted false claims totaling approximately $267 million for services that were never provided, according to Bonta’s office.

“This isn’t a political game for us. This is about protecting taxpayer dollars, protecting the programs that sick and vulnerable Californians rely on, and protecting our state,” Bonta stated in an official announcement.

The defendants face multiple felony charges including conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud, healthcare fraud, money laundering, and identity theft, with additional penalties for aggravated white-collar crimes and money laundering.

California Governor Gavin Newsom emphasized the state’s commitment to prosecuting such crimes. “For years, California has led the charge to protect public programs from fraud and abuse,” Newsom said in the announcement. “We hold accountable to the fullest extent of the law anyone who tries to rip off taxpayers and take advantage of public programs, particularly those as sensitive as hospice care.”

Since taking office, Attorney General Bonta’s administration has pursued 119 criminal cases related to hospice fraud and obtained 51 convictions, his office reported.

The charges come during heightened federal scrutiny of healthcare fraud, particularly in Democratic-led states. The Trump administration has made California a primary target of its anti-fraud initiatives, with particular focus on Medicare hospice fraud in the Los Angeles region. President Trump established an anti-fraud task force in March through executive order, placing Vice President JD Vance in charge of the effort.

Federal authorities arrested eight additional suspects last week in separate healthcare fraud cases throughout the Los Angeles area, demonstrating the scope of fraudulent activity officials are working to combat. While the federal crackdown has primarily focused on states with Democratic leadership, Republican-controlled Florida has also been asked to provide detailed information about its fraud detection and prevention methods.

A federal court in Phoenix has thrown out a plea deal that would have freed a man who confessed to attacking a Navajo elder and abandoning her to die.

Preston Henry Tolth, 26, must now stand trial on carjacking and assault charges connected to Ella Mae Begay’s 2021 vanishing. Court officials have not scheduled a trial date.

The proposed deal would have given Tolth credit for three years already behind bars in return for admitting his involvement and entering a guilty plea to one robbery charge.

Begay’s case drew nationwide coverage and brought attention to the widespread problem of missing and murdered Indigenous people. Almost five years have passed since her disappearance, and she remains missing.

The unusual move to throw out the plea deal came after heartbreaking statements from Begay’s son and niece, who argued Tolth should remain locked up until he discloses where Begay can be found.

Begay’s daughter contacted authorities about her mother’s disappearance in June 2021 from their Sweetwater, Arizona home, located in the northern region of the Navajo Nation.

Tolth, whose father had been in a relationship with Begay’s sister, first claimed he had no connection to her vanishing. During subsequent questioning, he admitted to taking Begay’s pickup truck while she was inside, repeatedly striking her, and abandoning her alongside a road.

According to the plea agreement, Tolth exchanged the vehicle for money and illegal substances.

Tolth was scheduled for trial in 2024, but prosecutors suffered a significant setback when a federal judge ruled his admission could not be used as evidence. The judge determined an FBI agent had improperly pressured Tolth by making false claims about available evidence after Tolth had requested to remain silent.

In court documents, federal prosecutors explained that losing Tolth’s confession had damaged their case and argued the plea deal would give Begay’s family more closure than a trial with limited evidence.

Army ROTC students at Old Dominion University have shared their firsthand account of a deadly campus shooting, describing in vivid detail how their instructor gave his life to protect them and how they fought back against the gunman who targeted their program.

The cadets released a 17-minute video on Wednesday detailing the March 12 attack at the Norfolk campus, where Lt. Col. Brandon Shah threw himself at the shooter to shield his students from harm.

According to Cadet Jah-Ire Urtarte, Shah’s heroic actions prevented further casualties that day.

“If he didn’t lunge at him, you know, I wouldn’t be here right now,” Urtarte explained. “There’s a possibility he could’ve turned his gun and I could’ve been next.”

The attacker, Mohamed Bailor Jalloh, an Army National Guard veteran, also perished in the incident. Jalloh had previously admitted guilt in 2016 for trying to assist the Islamic State and served 11 years behind bars. He was under supervised release when the attack occurred.

According to the cadets’ testimony, Jalloh entered their classroom and anxiously inquired whether it was an ROTC session. After receiving confirmation, witnesses say he drew a handgun from his waistband, yelled ‘Allahu akbar,’ and opened fire at Shah.

Students scrambled for safety as Shah wrestled with the gunman. Cadet Louis Ancheta described drawing his pocket knife and advancing toward the struggle, taking a bullet to his chest in the process.

“It really didn’t feel like it hit me,” Ancheta recalled, gesturing toward his sternum. “It felt like a graze. After that, I’m like, ‘I can keep on going.’”

Once Shah managed to turn the attacker around, Ancheta deployed the folding tactical blade that most cadets routinely carry.

“So, I just go in there, just start stabbing him,” he recounted. “As I’m stabbing, other cadets jump in.”

Cadet Jeremy Rawlinson also drew his knife to help neutralize the danger.

Even with multiple students restraining him, Jalloh maintained control of his weapon. Cadet Wesley Myers focused on disarming him, forcing his fingers between the gunman’s grip and the pistol to wrestle it away and remove the remaining bullet.

Once they had secured the weapon, the cadets immediately shifted to treating the injured. Cadet Samuel Reineberg discovered a gunshot wound on Shah’s upper right leg, while Rawlinson provided his belt to create a tourniquet.

“On an instant, we switched over to doing combat care,” Rawlinson explained.

Myers attended to Ancheta’s injuries.

“It’s different when it’s not a mannequin and it’s your friend,” Myers reflected. “So, myself and another cadet pull him to the side and lay him on his back and begin performing first aid.”

Ancheta mentioned asking his fellow cadets to contact his mother during the ordeal.

During his recovery, Ancheta was honored with the Purple Heart, joining several other cadets who received recognition for their courageous response.

The students credited Shah with both protecting them and preparing them for such a crisis through his training.

“So, he got to see all the training that he and the rest of Cadre had been giving us for the past years, he got to see us instantly do that in action,” Rawlinson noted. “He got see right then and there, like, hey, these guys didn’t panic. They immediately switched over.”

According to his university profile, Shah was himself an ODU ROTC graduate who returned to lead the program in 2022. During his military service, Shah piloted helicopters on missions across Iraq, Afghanistan and Eastern Europe.

Just two days prior to the shooting, Shah had instructed cadets to avoid wearing their military uniforms on campus for security reasons, another cadet had previously revealed to The Associated Press.

“Because of all the situation that’s happening with Iran and all of that stuff in the Middle East,” explained Cadet Brandon Rebolledo, who was in the adjacent ROTC facility during the attack. “To make sure that we did not become a target and to make sure that we were keeping a low profile.”

The cadets maintain that Shah was the true hero of that tragic day.

“So, he has a saying: Be bold, be quick, be gone,’” Rawlinson shared.

Cadet Oshea Bego added: “Col. Shah really set that example for what it means, not just as a warrior, leader and soldier, but also just as a human being.”

MADISON, Wis. — Board members overseeing Wisconsin’s university system pushed back against their ousted president’s assertion that his termination came without warning, explaining to state legislators Thursday that he failed to tackle urgent matters including artificial intelligence policy and avoided making tough choices that might displease various stakeholders.

The board of regents had remained largely silent about their shocking decision Tuesday to remove Jay Rothman from his position leading the 165,000-student system until Thursday’s hearing. The regents made their unanimous choice to terminate Rothman following private deliberations, with no public debate.

In a Wednesday interview with The Associated Press, Rothman stated he was unaware of the reasons behind his termination and felt “blindsided” by the decision.

However, during Thursday’s state Senate committee session, two regents contradicted Rothman’s account, asserting he understood more about the situation than he’s acknowledging. They emphasized there were “substantial” justifications for his removal, which Rothman was cognizant of.

“That decision was not made lightly,” Regent President Amy Bogost said. “It was not political. It was not retaliatory. It was unanimous. … We made a difficult decision for the right reasons, and I firmly stand by it.”

Frustrated Republican legislators organized the public hearing to demand explanations from regents regarding the unexpected dismissal.

Regent Timothy Nixon outlined multiple concerns about Rothman’s leadership, including insufficient urgency in handling crucial matters like artificial intelligence, misalignment with board priorities, attempts to restrict public board conversations and transparency, interference with board members’ legislative communications, and claiming individual credit for collective achievements.

Nixon additionally mentioned his ongoing efforts to have the university system explain its workforce of 579 employees, an issue Rothman failed to address adequately.

“He doesn’t want to upset either the Legislature, the governor or the faculty or anybody else,” Nixon testified. “He didn’t want to upset the apple cart and, quite frankly, I think the apple cart needs some upsetting.”

Board members informed lawmakers that Rothman could choose to waive confidentiality protections regarding personnel matters, but he understands this would allow regents to reveal additional information. Instead, Rothman is leveraging that confidentiality to create a narrative “that is deliberately one-sided” and damaging to the institution, Bogost explained.

“That is not a search for truth,” she said. “That is strategy. … To do the media circuit that he’s on denigrates our great universities, and that makes me sad.”

Nixon compared the handling of Rothman’s departure, including the declined option to retire or resign, to standard practices for corporate executives.

“This is no different than moving on to a new quarterback, no matter what you thought of the previous quarterback and what they did,” Nixon said.

HAMBURG, N.Y. (AP) — A western New York resident has abandoned his legal battle to retrieve his beloved 12-foot alligator after state officials confiscated the massive reptile following more than three decades of cohabitation.

Tony Cavallaro filed a lawsuit against New York’s Department of Environmental Conservation following the March 2024 incident when officers arrived at his Buffalo-area residence with a search warrant. The authorities tranquilized the enormous 750-pound alligator, which Cavallaro had named Albert, before transporting the animal away in a vehicle.

The reptile, which had been residing in Cavallaro’s indoor pool area, was subsequently relocated to a wildlife sanctuary in Texas.

Cavallaro challenged the state’s refusal to grant him a permit for keeping Albert. However, this past March, he chose to end his legal pursuit after nearly two years of expensive court proceedings with no resolution in sight, his legal representative confirmed.

“Tony’s upset,” attorney Peter Kooshoian said Thursday. “He had the animal for over 30 years — never had a problem until this occurred. So he doesn’t feel he was treated correctly by the government.”

Kooshoian explained that even if Cavallaro had won his case, he anticipated the state would impose strict oversight on his care of the animal.

According to the department, Cavallaro’s permit to possess Albert had lapsed in 2021. The agency also stated that regardless of license status, Cavallaro had violated regulations by allowing visitors to touch the alligator and swim alongside it, which justified the removal under dangerous animal protection laws.

State officials reported that the confiscated reptile suffered from vision loss in both eyes and spinal problems, along with additional medical concerns.

Cavallaro maintained that Albert was “just a big baby” who had never displayed hostile behavior.

He had purchased the alligator as a two-month-old hatchling from a reptile exhibition in Ohio and regarded the animal as his “emotional support animal.”

Following the death of her father, acclaimed novelist Peter Straub, author Emma Straub was navigating deep grief when she spotted an advertisement that would change everything: a New Kids on the Block fan cruise.

Straub had just completed her 2022 book “This Time Tomorrow” while watching her father’s health deteriorate. The novel tells the story of a woman who travels back to her 16th birthday to reconnect with her father when he was young and healthy, serving as Straub’s tribute to their relationship. Peter Straub passed away shortly after the book’s completion.

While mourning, Straub decided to join thousands of devoted fans aboard a four-day voyage featuring the iconic boy band. The ship hosted exclusive performances and special events allowing supporters to interact with the group members. Almost immediately, Straub recognized this unique environment as the perfect backdrop for her next literary work.

“For the first time, I had the whole idea,” explained Straub, whose previous works include “Modern Lovers,” “All Adults Here” and “The Vacationers.” “I knew it was a book. I could write it and I would have the time of my life doing it.”

That inspiration became “American Fantasy,” which hit bookstores Tuesday. The story follows Annie, a recently divorced woman whose children have left home, as she joins a cruise celebrating a 1990s boy band and develops an unexpected relationship with one of the performers.

During a recent interview with The Associated Press, Straub reflected on her creative process and what drew her to this unusual setting.

“My everyday life is quite small. I walk the same loop, from my bookstore to my kid’s school and home. When I leave that, I’m reminded there’s a great big world out there,” Straub explained. “The cruise in particular struck me as novelistic from the get-go. You have a certain number of people trapped together in a small space for a certain number of days. That’s a novel right there.”

Initially, Straub approached the cruise experience as an outsider looking in. However, she quickly discovered she fit right in with the passionate fanbase.

“I went in feeling like an observer. A fan, but really an observer, because it all felt so foreign. Pretty quickly, I realized I wasn’t any better than anyone else there,” she shared. “I eavesdropped on everything and knew 100% of the New Kids references they were talking about. What impressed me was how much these women had spent so much time and energy planning their experience. They wore costumes, decorated the doors of their cabins and made gifts for each other. These were middle-aged women who had given themselves the gift of doing something purely for their own pleasure. I had never seen anything quite like it.”

The experience reinforced Straub’s belief that midlife represents a period of possibility rather than decline.

“I have so many women friends who have made enormous changes between 40 and 55. They have changed careers, gone back to school, moved across the country, gotten divorced and gotten remarried,” she noted. “I grew up thinking of middle age as a downward slope. That’s just not true. We are all still making choices and doing things for the first time. I wanted to spend time with a character who was in that struggle of realizing that and ultimately able to embrace it.”

Straub’s research extended beyond observation to actual conversations with band member Joe McIntyre, who provided insights into the unique challenges of longtime fame.

“I got to know Joe McIntyre from the New Kids. He is smart and funny, and introspective. I wanted to know what it’s like to be a middle-aged man who has had this life, and a relationship with these other men who you’ve known for 40 years, whether you love them or hate them, you’re like truly stuck in this work environment,” Straub said. “You are yoked to these other men for your entire life. What does that feel like? How does it feel to have these kinds of fans? How it feels to grow up in the public eye? And I was able to ask him all these questions. He was so generous with me.”

Despite market trends favoring certain genres, Straub remains committed to authentic storytelling over commercial considerations.

“In an alternate world, I would be able to say, the things that are selling the most right now are murdery thrillers with this kind of protagonist or, you know, romantasy with dragons or whatever, so I’m going to do that. But, that’s not how writing works, you know?” she concluded. “If I’ve learned anything, it is that the best book you can write is always the one that is most personal and most authentic to you. And so, alas, I’ve yet to have a dragon in one of my books.”

A Michigan man detained in the Bahamas following his wife’s disappearance during a boating excursion maintains his innocence through his legal counsel, who released a statement Thursday.

Attorney Terrel Butler declared that Brian Hooker “categorically and unequivocally denies any wrongdoing” and has been fully cooperative with investigating officials. Butler noted his client cannot make additional statements during the ongoing investigation.

The 59-year-old suspect was taken into custody Wednesday in Abaco and remains under questioning, according to local authorities who have not disclosed his identity publicly. Neither police nor Butler have revealed whether formal charges have been filed.

The Associated Press confirmed that U.S. Coast Guard officials have initiated a criminal investigation into the matter.

According to official reports, 55-year-old Lynette Hooker disappeared Saturday evening while traveling in an 8-foot motorboat between Hope Town and Elbow Cay. Brian Hooker informed authorities that his wife went overboard along with the boat’s keys, shutting down the engine.

Brian Hooker subsequently paddled to land and reported the incident early Sunday morning, officials stated.

“Strong currents subsequently carried her away, and he lost sight of her,” police said in a statement issued Saturday.

Darlene Hamlett, Lynette’s mother, expressed to The Associated Press late Wednesday that she felt “glad to hear” about the detention but refrained from additional comments while seeking more details.

Speaking earlier Wednesday, Hamlett said she wanted additional information from her son-in-law regarding her daughter’s disappearance. The Michigan couple from Onsted had been wed for over twenty years. Public records list Brian Hooker’s age as 58, creating uncertainty about the age discrepancy.

“I’m going to be interested in what he says, because I haven’t heard from him in almost two days,” Hamlett stated during her six-hour return trip from Miami’s Bahamian Consulate, where she obtained travel documents for an upcoming Caribbean journey.

“Our family grew up on water and so Lynette her whole life has been near lakes, on boats, sailing and swimming,” Hamlett explained. “It would be a miracle if (she’s rescued), but I’m still counting on one.”

Karli Aylesworth, Lynette’s daughter, informed NBC News that her mother would be unlikely to “just fall” from the vessel, emphasizing her sailing expertise. The pair had spent years boating and shared their adventures on social platforms using the name “The Sailing Hookers.”

Aylesworth additionally revealed to NBC that the marriage had turbulent moments, describing “a history of not getting along, especially when they drink.”

In her interview with WXYZ-TV, she expressed doubt about her mother’s survival chances treading water for an extended period, while hoping to locate her for family closure.

Butler’s official statement specified that Brian Hooker’s innocence declaration particularly addresses “the allegations recently made by Karli Aylesworth.”

Wednesday morning brought a Facebook post from Brian Hooker stating he is “heartbroken over the recent boat accident in unpredictable seas and high winds that caused my beloved Lynette to fall from our small dinghy near Elbow Cay in the Bahamas.”

“Despite desperate attempts to reach her, the winds and currents drove us further apart,” he posted. “We continue to search for her and that is my sole focus.”

Coast Guard personnel have joined the investigation and conducted Wednesday interviews with Aylesworth, her legal representative Ron Marienfeld confirmed.

“We are pleased to see it is being investigated, and hopefully more answers will come to give the family some closure,” Marienfeld communicated via email.

Bahamian law enforcement reports that search and investigative operations continue.

Drivers using Bluefield Road are experiencing traffic delays today as construction crews work along a busy stretch of the roadway.

According to DelDOT, intermittent lane restrictions are currently in place on Bluefield Road between Yellowstone Drive and Friar Road. The construction-related traffic pattern is scheduled to remain in effect until 3:00 PM today.

Motorists are advised to allow extra travel time when using this route and to exercise caution when driving through the work zone. Drivers should also consider using alternate routes if possible to avoid potential delays.

NEW YORK (AP) — Legal representatives for music industry executive Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs will present arguments Thursday morning to federal appeals judges, contending the entertainment mogul received unjust treatment during proceedings that resulted in his imprisonment on prostitution-related charges, while invoking First Amendment protections for his release.

The hip-hop entrepreneur, who remains incarcerated at a federal facility in New Jersey, will not attend Thursday’s hearing where three appellate judges will consider his challenge to both his conviction and prison term exceeding four years.

Defense counsel maintains Combs’ guilty verdict warrants reversal, or alternatively, that he deserves freedom with a reduced sentence.

Government attorneys are fighting against these appeals.

In legal briefs, Combs’ defense team reiterated previous arguments made during trial proceedings, contending that recordings Combs made of intimate encounters between his romantic partners and male escort workers constituted ‘amateur pornography’ deserving First Amendment protection. The legal team argues courts should interpret ‘prostitution’ more restrictively to exclude what they characterize as voyeuristic and expressive conduct.

Defense attorneys additionally contend Combs received excessive punishment, claiming the presiding judge improperly considered factors including fraud, coercion, and leadership roles in criminal enterprises when determining sentencing. Combs was cleared of sex trafficking and racketeering accusations that could have resulted in life imprisonment.

His conviction came under federal Mann Act provisions, which prohibit transporting individuals across state boundaries for sexual offenses.

Government prosecutors stated in legal documents that Combs’ video recordings do not transform his situation into a free speech matter.

They argued that accepting Combs’ position that ‘creative,’ ‘elaborate’ and ‘highly staged’ sexual activities deserve First Amendment protection would mean ‘brothels offering elaborate and staged scenes for individuals to have sex with women for payment could claim First Amendment protection.’

Prosecutors maintain the imposed sentence was appropriate.

Last year’s trial proceedings revealed disturbing details about the private conduct of a major music industry figure. The case included disturbing witness accounts describing violence, drug use, and sexual performances that participants testified he labeled ‘freak-offs’ or ‘hotel nights.’

Combs chose not to take the witness stand. His legal team conceded he exhibited violent behavior while arguing prosecutors were overreaching to criminalize his private conduct under federal law.

The 56-year-old has remained in custody since authorities arrested him in September 2024. Federal Bureau of Prisons records indicate his scheduled release date is April 2028.

The Squamish Nation in Vancouver recently had an opportunity that housing advocates across North America can only dream about – the chance to develop valuable urban property without the typical zoning restrictions that often limit construction projects.

When faced with this rare freedom to build on prime real estate within the city, the Nation made a decision that directly addresses one of the most pressing urban challenges: they chose to prioritize housing development.

This approach stands in stark contrast to the struggles many municipalities face when trying to increase housing availability, often hampered by complex zoning regulations and lengthy approval processes that can delay or prevent residential construction projects.

A pioneering figure in American mountaineering has passed away. Jim Whittaker, who achieved the historic distinction of becoming the first American to reach Mount Everest’s peak, died Tuesday at his residence in Port Townsend, Washington, according to his family.

Whittaker was 97 years old at the time of his death. Beyond his mountaineering achievements, he played a crucial role in the outdoor retail industry, serving as REI’s inaugural full-time staff member before eventually rising to lead the company as its president and chief executive officer.

The mountaineering legend’s passing marks the end of an era for American adventure sports and outdoor recreation. His groundbreaking Everest ascent opened doors for future generations of American climbers and helped establish the United States as a force in high-altitude mountaineering.

NEW YORK — A former New York City police sergeant will discover his punishment Thursday after being found guilty of manslaughter for hurling a beverage-filled cooler at a fleeing suspect, causing a fatal motorized scooter accident.

Erik Duran, the ex-sergeant, was found responsible for the 2023 death of Eric Duprey. Duran, who claimed he acted to shield fellow officers from the oncoming scooter, could receive a maximum prison term of 15 years.

The incident has created division between law enforcement supporters and police reform advocates. The Sergeants Benevolent Association reports that thousands of officers have endorsed an online appeal requesting Duran avoid incarceration. At the same time, a small gathering of protesters appeared at a Bronx courthouse Tuesday demanding the harshest possible sentence, according to the Daily News.

Duran was working with a narcotics unit conducting an undercover drug operation in the Bronx on August 23, 2023. Authorities stated that Duprey conducted a drug transaction with an undercover officer before attempting to escape on his scooter.

Video footage captured Duprey operating the motorized scooter along a sidewalk heading toward a cluster of individuals. When he drew near, Duran — who was not wearing his uniform — grabbed a nearby person’s cooler and launched it.

The container, packed with ice, water and soft drinks, hit Duprey. He lost command of his scooter, collided with a tree and fell to the ground.

Duprey, age 30, was not protected by a helmet. He suffered severe head trauma and died almost immediately, according to prosecutors from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office.

Prosecutors contended that Duran had sufficient opportunity to alert others to move away but chose to throw the cooler out of frustration.

Duran, meanwhile, gave testimony that he acted instinctively to protect other officers from the scooter racing in their direction.

“He was gonna crash into us,” Duran stated during court proceedings, explaining that “all I had time for was to try again to stop or to try to get him to change directions.”

He testified that he quickly attempted to assist Duprey upon witnessing the collision and the severity of his wounds.

Duran chose to have his case decided by a judge rather than a jury. Judge Guy Mitchell declared him guilty, stating that his position as a police officer “has no bearing” on the proceedings.

However, Sergeants Benevolent Association President Vincent Vallelong stated the guilty verdict delivered “a terrible message to hard-working cops” regarding the consequences of protecting themselves and colleagues.

Duran served as a New York Police Department officer for 13 years until his suspension following the incident. He was terminated from the department after his conviction in February.

Duprey earned his living as a delivery driver and was father to three young children. His mother, who claimed she was speaking with him via video call moments before his death, challenged police assertions that he sold narcotics and ran from authorities.

Jon Roberts, an attorney representing Duprey’s family, expressed that they are “hopeful that the court will do justice for Eric and the loss that the entire family has endured and hope that this marks the beginning of the healing process.”

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. — After more than three decades, one of New York’s most notorious serial killing cases reached its conclusion this week when Rex Heuermann entered guilty pleas for multiple murders connected to the Gilgo Beach investigation.

The 62-year-old architect admitted Wednesday to seven murder charges – three first-degree counts and four intentional murder charges – for killings that occurred between 1993 and 2010. During the court proceedings, Heuermann also confessed to an eighth murder, though formal charges haven’t been filed in that death.

Showing no emotion during the hearing, Heuermann avoided looking toward the courtroom gallery where family members of his victims had gathered. His sentencing is scheduled for June, when he will receive life imprisonment without parole eligibility.

The investigation gained international attention after authorities began discovering human remains along Long Island’s South Shore coastline starting in late 2010. For more than ten years, victim families lost hope that justice would ever come as the case remained cold.

The breakthrough came in 2023 when DNA evidence linked Heuermann to the crimes, leading to his arrest.

During Wednesday’s proceedings, Heuermann acknowledged that he strangled eight women, dismembering several of them before disposing of their bodies at isolated coastal locations. Many of those he targeted worked in the sex trade.

Among his admitted victims was Karen Vergata, whom he killed in 1996, though prosecutors haven’t filed charges in her death.

Six victims’ remains were discovered along Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach: Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor, and Megan Waterman. Sandra Costilla’s body was located over 60 miles away in the Hamptons, while Vergata’s remains were initially found on Fire Island in 1996, with additional remains discovered near Gilgo Beach in 2011.

Investigators identified Heuermann as a suspect in 2022 by cross-referencing vehicle registration records with witness accounts of a pickup truck seen when one victim vanished in 2010.

Authorities gathered cell phone records showing Heuermann had contacted several victims shortly before their disappearances. His online search history revealed an obsession with the Gilgo Beach murders.

The case broke open when surveillance officers followed Heuermann to his Manhattan workplace and watched him throw away pizza crust remnants. Crime lab analysis of DNA from those discarded crusts matched hair evidence found on burlap material used to restrain a victim.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney explained how investigators maintained secrecy throughout their probe to avoid alerting Heuermann. “We wanted the one person who mattered, the murderer, to think it’s business as usual,” Tierney said.

As part of his plea agreement, Heuermann committed to full cooperation with the FBI’s behavioral analysis unit to assist in capturing other serial killers.

Victim family members filled the courtroom Wednesday, with some crying as Heuermann described the murders in detail.

Elizabeth Baczkiel, mother of victim Jessica Taylor, attended the hearing. Her 20-year-old daughter disappeared from Manhattan in 2003, with her remains found 45 miles east of Gilgo Beach in Manorville later that year.

“I am glad that this is over as far as him pleading guilty,” Baczkiel said. “It took a big chunk of stress off of me and my family.”

Melissa Cann, sister of victim Maureen Brainard-Barnes whose body was discovered in 2010, expressed gratitude for finally achieving justice.

“This has been a long journey of hope — hope that one day we would stand here and say her name with justice beside it,” Cann said at a post-hearing news conference. “Today, that long, painful journey brings us to this moment.”

Heuermann’s former wife, Asa Ellerup, and their daughter attended the guilty plea hearing. Ellerup expressed sympathy for victim families while requesting privacy for her own family. Their attorney, Robert Macedonio, confirmed that Ellerup and daughter Victoria had no knowledge of or involvement in the killings.

WEST COLUMBIA, W.Va. (AP) — Stacks of electricity bills cover Eric Pinson’s desk in organized rows, a constant reminder of the financial crisis hitting his camping trailer park in West Virginia. Located near a proposed data center and within sight of a massive coal-fired power plant that recently received millions in Trump administration funding for improvements, his facility has become ground zero for an affordability crisis.

The trailer park had served as a last resort for people barely getting by financially. However, when power costs spiked last year, Pinson had no choice but to raise his all-inclusive monthly rent from $350 to $400. The increase forced at least 16 residents to leave, including some who had lived there for years.

“They were just right on the edge. … It’s hard, just watching it happen, and so many of them,” he said, adding out-of-state workers have moved in to replace them as the state woos big investments such as data centers. “It’s all about change.”

Across West Virginia, thousands of residents have been sharing images of monthly utility bills they cannot afford to pay. Their frustration centers on skyrocketing energy costs that have exceeded rent and mortgage payments this winter in one of America’s most energy-abundant yet economically disadvantaged regions.

During his campaign, President Donald Trump pledged to “make America affordable again” by promising to slash Americans’ power bills by at least 50% within his first 12 to 18 months in office.

However, electricity costs climbed 4.8% nationwide in February, while natural gas prices surged 10.9% compared to the previous year, according to Labor Department Consumer Price Index data. These increases outpaced overall inflation even before recent U.S. and Israeli military actions against Iran caused energy prices to spike further.

Rebecca Michalski, who lives with a disability, was compelled to secure a loan this winter just to cover her electric bill due to excessive heating expenses. Her February statement totaled $940.08 — exceeding both her fixed income and mortgage payment. She remains behind on her bills and anticipates her power will eventually be disconnected.

“It’s breaking me. And there’s nothing that can be done for it, unless the president does something,” said Michalski, adding she no longer supports Trump. “And I don’t see him doing it. He’s had plenty of time.”

The White House stated that reducing electricity costs remains a primary objective for the president, emphasizing that he is “aggressively unleashing reliable energy sources like coal and natural gas.”

West Virginia stands apart nationally due to its reluctance to embrace cleaner, more cost-effective energy alternatives such as natural gas, nuclear power, and renewable sources like wind and solar. The state maintains its dependence on outdated coal-fired power facilities more than any other state — generating approximately 87% of its electricity from coal.

While monthly utility bills may be higher in other states, West Virginia wages have failed to keep up — it remains the only state where the median inflation-adjusted household income in 2023 fell below 1970 levels, according to Urban Institute research.

Rising demand, severe weather conditions, infrastructure modernization and maintenance costs, and increasing natural gas prices are all driving electricity bills upward. Customers are also growing concerned as more energy-intensive data centers for artificial intelligence and cloud computing are planned. They’re raising questions about noise pollution, massive water usage, and potential impacts on their electricity rates.

In February, Gov. Patrick Morrisey unveiled plans for a $4 billion data center spanning nearly 550 acres in Berkeley County.

Charles “Duke” Hodge expects another data center to be constructed near his mobile home. The veteran and former railroad employee lives with his two dogs in the riverside park that has lost multiple camping trailers over the past year due to rising energy costs. While he’s in a slightly better financial position, he’s been forced to occasionally work part-time jobs to help cover his expenses. During peak summer months, he paid up to $140 monthly for electricity. But once he activated his heating system last fall, his bills began climbing dramatically.

“Once fall hits, everybody expects it to go up, but not 200 to 300%,” he said. “I went from $120 a month to $275, then it went to $350. Now, the last one was $450.”

That amount exceeds his mortgage payment by $60.

Federal prosecutors have filed charges against a former U.S. Army veteran who allegedly shared classified military secrets with a journalist writing about corruption and criminal activity at a North Carolina military installation.

Courtney Williams, 40, from Wagram, North Carolina, was indicted by a federal grand jury on Wednesday for allegedly transmitting classified national defense information to unauthorized individuals, including a reporter, according to the Department of Justice. The charges fall under the U.S. Espionage Act.

The indictment highlights ongoing tensions between government transparency and national security as free-speech advocates continue expressing worries about aggressive prosecution of government employees who leak information to the press.

From 2010 to 2016, Williams served with a specialized military unit at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where she maintained a “Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information security clearance,” federal officials stated.

According to prosecutors, Williams engaged in extensive communication with a journalist between 2022 and 2025, participating in over 10 hours of phone conversations and exchanging more than 180 text messages. The reporter was gathering material for both an article and book about Williams’ former unit.

Though court documents don’t name the journalist, author Seth Harp published “The Fort Bragg Cartel: Drug Trafficking and Murder in the Special Forces” last year, along with a related article that identified Williams as a source and quoted her statements directly.

Federal prosecutors claim some of Williams’ quoted statements contained “classified national defense information.” They also allege she made unauthorized disclosures of sensitive national defense details through her personal social media profiles.

Attempts to reach Williams’ legal representation were unsuccessful.

Following the indictment announcement, Harp defended Williams, describing her as a “courageous whistleblower who exposed rampant gender discrimination and sexual harassment in the U.S. Army’s Delta Force.” He noted that Williams requested to be identified by name in his reporting and characterized the federal charges as “vague and weak.”

The Justice Department referenced text messages Williams sent to the journalist around the book’s publication date, in which she voiced worries “about the amount of classified information being disclosed.” Prosecutors also said she messaged another unidentified person expressing fears about potential arrest related to her disclosures.

When Williams joined the special military unit in 2010 and again upon her departure, she signed classified information non-disclosure agreements, according to the criminal complaint.

Previous presidential administrations have occasionally pursued legal action against sources who leaked information to journalists attempting to expose government misconduct, with cases dating back to the Vietnam War-era “Pentagon Papers” and more recently involving Iraq war documents.

A 42-year-old man from Guatemala entered a guilty plea Wednesday in federal court, admitting his role in a human trafficking operation that resulted in a catastrophic truck accident in Mexico that claimed over 50 lives in 2021.

Daniel Zavala Ramos now faces the possibility of life behind bars after entering his plea in U.S. District Court in Laredo, Texas. He admitted to one count of conspiracy to transport undocumented migrants from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States, an operation that put lives at risk and resulted in multiple deaths and serious injuries, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

His sentencing hearing is scheduled for July 7.

Ramos represents the first conviction among six Guatemalan nationals charged in connection with the semi-truck disaster. The remaining five defendants have a final pretrial conference scheduled for June 3, court documents show. Ramos’ legal representative did not respond to requests for comment Wednesday evening.

The tragic incident occurred on December 9, 2021, when a semi-trailer carrying at least 160 migrants, predominantly from Guatemala, struck the support structure of a pedestrian overpass and flipped over, according to authorities. The collision resulted in at least 53 fatalities and left more than 100 people injured. Video from the scene revealed the horrific aftermath, showing victims trapped in a tangled mass within the truck’s destroyed cargo container.

Among those who perished were unaccompanied minors, the Justice Department confirmed.

The accident took place on a highway approaching the capital of Chiapas state, approximately 160 miles from the Guatemala-Mexico border and roughly 1,400 miles south of the Texas-Mexico border.

Law enforcement announced the arrests of Ramos and his five co-defendants in Guatemala and Texas in 2024, marking the third anniversary of the tragedy. Ramos was transferred from Guatemala to face charges in 2025, the DOJ confirmed.

Federal prosecutors revealed that the Guatemalan group orchestrated a scheme to transport migrants from Guatemala through Mexico to the United States in exchange for money. When dealing with unaccompanied minors, the defendants allegedly coached them on what to say if caught by authorities.

The trafficking network transported people on foot and in various vehicles including small buses, livestock trucks, and tractor-trailers, authorities said. They also used Facebook Messenger to coordinate the provision of fake identification documents to help migrants enter the United States, according to investigators.

HONOLULU — A Hawaii anesthesiologist facing murder charges for allegedly attacking his wife during a cliffside hike has been found guilty of the reduced charge of attempted manslaughter.

Gerhardt Konig, 47, was convicted Wednesday by a Honolulu jury following one day of deliberations. The conviction for attempted manslaughter based on extreme mental or emotional disturbance could result in up to 20 years behind bars.

Defense attorney Thomas Otake announced plans to file an appeal.

According to prosecutors, Konig orchestrated a plan to kill his wife Arielle during what was supposed to be a birthday weekend getaway to Honolulu in March 2025. The state alleged he attempted to force her over a cliff edge, tried to inject her with a syringe, and struck her with a rock before two passing hikers heard her screams and intervened.

Konig maintained during his testimony that his wife initiated the violence by hitting him with a rock first, claiming he responded in self-defense.

In closing arguments Tuesday, deputy prosecutor Joel Garner told jurors that Konig had developed multiple strategies for killing his wife during their birthday trip to Honolulu in March 2025. When his attempt to force her off the cliff failed, prosecutors said he tried injecting her with a syringe containing an unidentified substance.

“Every backup plan ends in Arielle’s death,” Garner stated while showing jurors the rock and photographs of her injuries.

The defense argued no such schemes existed, with Otake repeatedly questioning the credibility of Arielle Konig’s testimony. Gerhardt Konig entered a not guilty plea to attempted murder charges, maintaining he acted in self-defense against his wife’s initial attack.

Otake challenged the prosecution’s narrative, asking jurors why someone with access to a syringe in an isolated location would engage in a struggle before attempting to use it.

“You would use the syringe first,” Otake argued. “It makes no sense.”

The trial began last month, approximately one year after the couple’s hike on Honolulu’s Pali Puka trail ended with Arielle bloodied and shouting that her husband had tried to murder her.

The couple had left their two young sons at home on Maui during the trip. Prosecutors said Gerhardt Konig, angered by his wife’s relationship with a colleague, launched the attack near a scenic overlook. Only the intervention of two other hikers stopped the assault, according to Garner.

The proceedings, which were livestreamed by Court TV, revealed details about the couple’s marital troubles leading up to the hiking incident and conflicting accounts of what transpired on the trail.

During his testimony, Gerhardt Konig revealed he had discovered his wife’s affair by accessing her phone while she slept. Arielle Konig described the relationship as an “emotional affair” involving flirtatious text messages with a coworker, which became a topic of discussion during their hike.

Arielle Konig testified that her husband seized her and attempted to move her toward the cliff’s edge, prompting her to throw herself to the ground to maintain her grip. She said he positioned himself over her with a syringe in hand, which she managed to knock away. In her struggle to escape, she bit his forearm and grabbed his testicles, she testified.

Her husband disputed pushing her toward the edge and claimed she struck him in the face with a rock. He said he took the rock from her and hit her twice in self-defense.

Gerhardt Konig also denied carrying any syringes on the mountain or attempting to stab his wife. His defense team argued no syringe was recovered at the scene because none was ever present.

Otake portrayed Gerhardt Konig not as someone capable of attempted murder, but as a man grappling with marital infidelity and doing his best. The attorney read from a heart-shaped birthday card Gerhardt Konig had written to his wife, calling her “the heart of our family” and stating, “The kids and I hit the jackpot with you.”

Gerhardt Konig testified that after watching his wife crawl away, he felt his marriage and career were finished and contemplated suicide by jumping. Before doing so, he contacted his adult son from a previous marriage. The son later told authorities that his father confessed to trying “to kill your stepmom” — a statement Gerhardt Konig denied making.

Konig claimed he called his son to say farewell.

Garner noted that during that phone call, the defendant made no mention of striking his wife in self-defense.

He remained hidden on the mountain for approximately eight hours before deciding to come down, and even attempted to flee when police approached him, Garner said.

His wife has since initiated divorce proceedings.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This story discusses domestic violence. If you or someone you know needs assistance, please contact the national domestic violence hotline: 1-800-799-7233 in the U.S.

A Memphis rapper will stay behind bars after a federal judge in Dallas denied his release on kidnapping charges stemming from an alleged armed confrontation with Gucci Mane’s record label owner.

Lontrell Williams Jr., known professionally as Pooh Shiesty, faced U.S. Magistrate Judge Renee Harris Toliver on Wednesday during a detention hearing. Eight additional defendants have been charged in connection with the January incident at a Dallas recording studio, where authorities say multiple victims were held at gunpoint and robbed.

Federal prosecutors have not publicly identified the alleged victims, referring to them only by initials in court documents. One victim, identified as R.D., owns 1017 Records, the music label operated by Gucci Mane, whose real name is Radric Delantic Davis.

“I find that the weight of the evidence against you is strong,” Toliver stated during the proceeding.

The judge highlighted Williams’ previous criminal record and his failure to comply with home detention conditions following an earlier firearms conspiracy conviction in Florida.

Defense attorney Bradford Cohen challenged the prosecution’s case during the hearing. “The FBI doesn’t take three months to arrest someone if they believe everything that was said the night that it occurred,” Cohen argued.

Federal authorities arrested the rapper last week on allegations that he orchestrated the Dallas studio meeting to negotiate his recording contract with 1017 Records.

Court documents detail how Williams allegedly requested a private conversation with the record label owner in a studio booth. Prosecutors claim he then presented contract cancellation documents and brandished what appeared to be an AK-style weapon while compelling the executive to sign the papers.

The affidavit states Williams subsequently stole the victim’s wedding band, timepiece, jewelry, and money.

Though originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Williams had reportedly been residing in a luxury apartment building in Frisco, a Dallas-area suburb, according to federal investigators. Court records indicate several co-defendants made the trip from Memphis to Dallas before the alleged incident occurred.

Gucci Mane has established himself as a foundational figure in trap music, alongside Atlanta contemporaries T.I. and Jeezy. His career launched in the mid-2000s with the hit track “Icy” before developing an extensive musical portfolio.

NEW YORK — A 22-year-old activist from Brooklyn with multiple prior arrests at pro-Palestinian demonstrations has admitted guilt in federal court for deliberately burning 11 police department vehicles during a summer arson attack.

Jakhi McCray entered his guilty plea on Wednesday for the June 12 incident that resulted in $800,000 worth of damage to New York City Police Department property, according to law enforcement officials.

The conviction carries a required minimum sentence of five years behind bars, with the possibility of up to 20 years in federal prison at his upcoming sentencing hearing.

“By deliberately setting fire to multiple police vehicles in the pre-dawn hours, the defendant put at risk the lives of first responders and residents asleep in their beds nearby, and ultimately, strained resources meant to protect the community,” U.S. Attorney Joseph Nocella said in a statement Wednesday.

According to federal prosecutors, McCray climbed over a security fence to access a police vehicle storage facility in Brooklyn, where he ignited flames that destroyed 10 patrol cars and one trailer. When an officer on duty noticed him, he fled through a gap in the fencing, but investigators say he accidentally left behind evidence including a lighter used for cigars and eyewear containing his fingerprints.

McCray voluntarily surrendered to authorities one month following the incident. During that time, he issued a public statement condemning what he described as intimidation tactics used against individuals who have criticized “the genocide in Palestine and the kidnapping of migrants.” He revealed he had been taken into custody 12 times before and claimed both media outlets and law enforcement had repeatedly made false statements about him.

McCray’s legal representative, Ron Kuby, directed inquiries to an activist organization that has rallied behind McCray.

The Support Committee for Jakhi McCray released a statement Wednesday calling him a “dedicated organizer, activist, and community member whose work has touched countless lives.”

A former military contractor from North Carolina is facing federal espionage charges after authorities say she leaked classified information about an elite Army unit to a journalist, potentially endangering national security.

Federal prosecutors have charged Courtney Williams, 40, of Wagram, North Carolina, with violating the Espionage Act for allegedly disclosing sensitive details about her work supporting a specialized military unit at Fort Bragg.

“Anyone divulging information they vowed to protect to a reporter for publication is reckless, self-serving and damages our nation’s security,” said Reid Davis, FBI special agent in charge for North Carolina, in a Department of Justice statement.

According to federal officials, Williams broke her sworn commitment to protect national secrets during her time as a contractor and later employee supporting Army special operations.

“Williams swore an oath to safeguard our nation’s secrets as an employee supporting a Special Military Unit of the Army, but she allegedly betrayed that oath by sharing classified information with a media outlet and putting our nation, our warfighters, and our allies at risk,” stated Roman Rozhavsky, assistant director of the FBI’s Counterintelligence and Espionage Division.

Williams appeared in Raleigh federal court Wednesday, where a magistrate judge made public the charges that were initially filed last week. She remains in custody of the U.S. Marshals Service with additional hearings scheduled for next week.

Court documents do not identify Williams’ attorney, and a family member reached by phone declined to provide comment on the allegations.

While court papers don’t specify the journalist or military unit involved, the timing and circumstances align with a 2025 Politico story titled “My Life Became a Living Hell: One Woman’s Career in Delta Force, the Army’s Most Elite Unit.” The article accompanied journalist Seth Harp’s book “The Fort Bragg Cartel,” which details allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination.

Harp defended Williams in a statement to WRAL-TV, calling her “a brave whistleblower and truth-teller.”

“Former Delta Force operators disclose ‘national defense information’ on podcasts and YouTube shows every day, but the government is going after Courtney for the sole reason that she exposed sexual harassment and gender discrimination in the unit,” Harp’s statement read. “This is a vindictive act of retaliation, plain and simple.”

FBI Special Agent Jocelyn Fox detailed in court documents that Williams received security clearance as a defense contractor in April 2010 before becoming a Defense Department employee that November.

In her role as an operational support technician, Williams had access to “Tactics, Techniques and Procedures” used for planning and executing “sensitive missions” within the special military unit, Fox wrote.

Williams lost her classified access following an internal investigation, and she was debriefed in September 2015 when she signed additional nondisclosure agreements, according to the FBI agent.

Federal investigators allege Williams maintained contact with the unnamed journalist from 2022 through 2025, during which time they had more than 10 hours of phone conversations and exchanged over 180 messages.

Fox referenced a text message Williams allegedly sent around the time the book and article were published.

“Other than a few factual errors, I would definitely have been concerned with the amount of classified information being disclosed,” Williams’ message stated, according to court papers. “I thought things I was telling you so you could have a better general understanding of how the (SMU) was set up or operated would not be published and it feels like an entire TTP (Tactics, Techniques and Procedures) was sent out in my name giving them a chance to legally persecute me.”

The FBI affidavit also cited a conversation Williams had with her mother.

“I might actually get arrested, and I don’t even get a free copy of the book,” Williams allegedly told her mother. When asked why she might face arrest, Williams responded “for disclosing classified information.”

Investigators have identified at least 10 collections of documents that Williams apparently planned to share with the journalist, Fox wrote in the court filing.

The city of Montgomery, Alabama occupies a distinctive place in American history, serving as the backdrop for some of the nation’s most pivotal and contrasting moments. This Alabama capital witnessed the formation of the Confederate States of America while later becoming the launching point for the modern civil rights movement.

Today, Montgomery draws visitors from across the country who come to examine and contemplate the enduring impact of slavery on American society. The city’s historical significance spans from its role as the Confederate capital to its emergence as the epicenter of the fight for racial equality in the 1950s and 1960s.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee’s Supreme Court temporarily suspended a lower court decision Wednesday that would have granted journalists expanded viewing access during state executions.

The decision restores existing procedures before Tony Carruthers’ scheduled May 21 execution and will stay in effect throughout the appeal process. The expanded access ruling had never been implemented for any execution.

A Nashville judge issued a temporary injunction in January supporting a group of news organizations, including The Associated Press, who filed suit claiming state execution procedures violate constitutional rights to comprehensive and accurate news coverage.

The trial judge’s order would have required opening witness room curtains earlier during lethal injections, permitting observers to watch inmates being restrained on gurneys and IV line placement. The curtains would also stay open longer, remaining so until death is officially declared.

Additionally, the judge mandated that execution team members wear disposable protective clothing over their uniforms, ID badges and hair to protect their identities, with optional masks for further concealment.

State attorneys argued against the new regulations during their appeal, claiming media organizations lack First Amendment rights to witness executions, particularly the additional portions the trial judge ordered viewable. Officials also contended the expanded viewing significantly threatens execution team anonymity, introduces unproven procedures and relies on flawed statutory interpretation.

Legal representatives for the news organizations argued that preventing expanded access would deny the public crucial information about upcoming executions. They maintained they possess constitutional and legal authority to observe complete executions and that protective equipment would adequately shield execution team identities.

The ruling returns to previous execution procedures, where media observers only see events after condemned individuals are already secured to gurneys with IV lines connected. Witnesses cannot determine when injections actually start, and those conducting the procedure remain in a separate room.

Current protocol states that following saline and pentobarbital administration, a team leader signals the warden and a five-minute waiting period commences. Afterward, blinds close, cameras shut off, and a doctor enters to confirm death. Upon confirmation, the warden announces over the intercom that the sentence has been completed and directs witnesses to leave.

The camera and closed-circuit television system are used by execution teams, not media witnesses.

The media coalition includes AP, Gannett Co., Inc.; Nashville Public Media, Inc.; Nashville Public Radio; Scripps Media, Inc.; Six Rivers Media, LLC; and TEGNA INC.

PINEDALE, Wyo. — A Wyoming resident has been sentenced to 18 months probation after pleading guilty to striking a wolf with his snowmobile, then transporting the injured animal to a local establishment before ultimately killing it.

Cody Roberts, 44, received his sentence Wednesday from District Judge Richard Lavery in Pinedale, following a plea agreement Roberts made with prosecutors back in February.

Along with the probation term, Judge Lavery imposed a $1,000 fine on Roberts and prohibited him from consuming alcohol, visiting bars or liquor establishments, or participating in hunting and fishing activities throughout his probation period.

During his plea hearing in March, Roberts expressed remorse for his actions and issued apologies to both his family and the local community, according to court records.

By accepting the plea deal, Roberts escaped potentially harsher penalties including up to two years behind bars and a maximum $5,000 fine. He had originally entered a not guilty plea, with a trial scheduled for March before changing his plea.

The disturbing incident took place in February 2024 in the small community of Daniel, which has approximately 150 residents and sits roughly 50 miles south of Jackson. Images depicting the wolf with its mouth bound by tape sparked widespread outrage and brought attention to Wyoming’s wildlife protection laws when they circulated online.

Additional footage captured the same animal lying motionless on the ground, still alive but severely injured.

Current Wyoming statutes permit residents to kill wolves and other predatory animals through various methods across most of the state’s territory. Roberts initially received only a $250 citation for unlawful wildlife possession, but a Wyoming grand jury later brought animal cruelty charges against him last year.

SEATTLE — Jim Whittaker, the pioneering mountaineer who made history as the first American to successfully summit Mount Everest, passed away Tuesday at his Washington residence. He was 97 years old.

Whittaker’s historic achievement occurred in 1963, a full decade after Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay became the first climbers to conquer the world’s tallest peak. His family confirmed he died at his Port Townsend, Washington home.

The towering climber’s Everest triumph transformed the previously reserved outdoorsman into an overnight sensation, leading to countless speaking engagements and requests to support charitable endeavors.

His mountaineering success also opened doors to high-profile social circles, particularly within the Kennedy family network. Whittaker developed a strong friendship with Robert Kennedy and later climbed a 14,000-foot Canadian mountain named Mount Kennedy following the politician’s 1968 assassination.

Having served as state campaign chairman for Kennedy, Whittaker was deeply affected by his friend’s death.

The 6-foot-5 mountaineer once described Bobby Kennedy as “one of the grittiest little guys you’ve ever seen,” adding that “It’s not how big you are but how tight you are wound that counts.”

Whittaker’s passion for climbing started during his Boy Scout days exploring Washington’s Olympic Mountains. He often spoke about how the combination of beauty and peril in mountaineering heightened one’s awareness.

“You’re in nature, participating in God’s creation … it’s such a high, such a spiritual thing,” Whittaker explained during a 1981 interview.

“I think it’s good to participate in that and to face life,” he continued. “When you live on the edge, you can see a little farther.”

He acknowledged that danger was an inherent part of the pursuit.

“The mountains are fair, but they really don’t care,” Whittaker observed in 1987.

His accomplishments on both Mount Everest and K2, the planet’s second-highest summit, secured his place in mountaineering history. He shared elite climbing status with his identical twin brother Lou, who spearheaded the first American team to climb Everest’s northern route.

Lou Whittaker passed away in 2024 at 95 years old.

However, Jim Whittaker often said his most meaningful accomplishment came in 1981 when he guided 10 disabled climbers to the summit of 14,410-foot Mount Rainier. For those participants, he later reflected, “that was Mount Everest.”

Despite scaling Mount Rainier over 100 times, Whittaker never underestimated the mountain’s challenges. He warned that unpredictable weather conditions, even on relatively smaller peaks, “can turn a good climber into a beginner” within hours.

After decades of confronting extreme risks on the world’s most treacherous summits, Whittaker shared in a 1980 conversation that he wished to “die in my sleep with the television on.”

In his later years, Whittaker joined other experienced climbers in opposing mandatory electronic tracking devices for mountaineers. Such requirements had been proposed for Oregon’s Mount Hood, where over 35 climbers had perished since the early 1980s.

Speaking to The Associated Press in 2007, Whittaker said individual climbers could choose to use such devices, but mandatory requirements would diminish climbing’s essential character.

“If you take all of the risk out of life, you lose a lot. You’re removing a personal liberty from somebody who wants to go and explore without having a safety net,” Whittaker explained during a phone call from Idaho, where he was on a climbing expedition. “You want to go into the wild and enjoy nature and not be followed.”

MODESTO, Calif. — A defense lawyer is challenging the federal government’s version of events surrounding a shooting involving Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers during an arrest operation in central California on Tuesday.

Patrick Kolasinski, representing Carlos Ivan Mendoza Hernandez and his family, stated during a Wednesday press conference that his client never attempted to strike officers with his vehicle. He also challenged federal claims that Mendoza faces an outstanding arrest warrant in El Salvador.

Federal immigration officials said they opened fire on Mendoza, 36, after he allegedly tried to drive into agents during an enforcement operation in Patterson, located approximately 75 miles southeast of San Francisco. The Department of Homeland Security characterized Mendoza as a suspected gang member wanted for questioning regarding a murder case in El Salvador.

However, Kolasinski painted a different picture of his client, describing him as someone with only minor traffic violations on his record and no criminal history in the United States. The attorney stated that Mendoza was previously acquitted of murder charges in El Salvador.

“If he was released after being acquitted, with no other holds on him, he cannot have a warrant,” Kolasinski said. “So that information must be either erroneous or completely made up. And only DHS knows what they’re looking at.”

The attorney acknowledged he hasn’t yet spoken with his client to verify whether gang allegations are accurate, though he said he’s found no supporting evidence.

This incident adds to a series of controversial shootings during the current administration’s intensified immigration enforcement efforts, where federal officials’ accounts have faced scrutiny.

The Department of Homeland Security has not responded to requests for comment regarding the lawyer’s statements.

Mendoza’s fiancée, who identified herself only as Cindy due to safety concerns, defended her partner’s character. “He’s a good guy. He’s a hardworking person,” she said, adding that the administration’s immigration policies are damaging families. She mentioned that Mendoza was recently pulled over in another city for having a cracked windshield.

Television station KCRA obtained dashcam video showing three officers surrounding a stopped vehicle. The footage shows one officer appearing to touch the driver’s window when the car starts reversing and turning, striking a vehicle behind it. Two agents can be seen with weapons drawn and aimed at the car. The driver then moves forward toward the officers before making a sharp turn and driving over a road median.

The silent video doesn’t reveal when shots were fired or what verbal exchanges occurred.

“He is doing everything he can to not run them over,” Kolasinski said regarding his client’s actions during the arrest. The attorney believes Mendoza panicked and attempted to escape. Federal officials maintain their agents followed proper protocols.

Mendoza’s family and legal counsel have been denied access to him since his hospitalization, with his medical condition remaining unclear as of Wednesday. A social worker informed them he is in stable condition.

According to Kolasinski, Mendoza arrived in the United States in 2019, though the attorney said he doesn’t know his client’s immigration status or method of entry and hopes to discuss these details with him. Federal authorities haven’t clarified whether Mendoza faces criminal charges or is being held as a shooting victim.

The attorney described his client as a construction worker who repairs fire damage. Mendoza has a 2-year-old daughter and is engaged to an American citizen.

Kolasinski criticized officers for opening the car door during Mendoza’s escape attempt, calling it dangerous. “That may well be ICE training, but if it is it’s horrible training,” he said.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they weren’t involved in the incident, with the FBI now leading the investigation.

A decades-long investigation into murders near New York’s Gilgo Beach reached a major conclusion when Rex Heuermann entered guilty pleas for seven killings and confessed to an eighth victim’s death in court Wednesday.

The case began in 2010 when officers looking for a missing woman started discovering human remains scattered along Ocean Parkway near the Long Island beach community. Authorities quickly suspected the work of a serial killer.

Through years of DNA testing and investigative work, police identified victims and connected some remains to bodies found elsewhere on Long Island in earlier years.

The following chronology traces the investigation from the first victim’s discovery through Heuermann’s recent guilty plea:

November 20, 1993: Hunters find Sandra Costilla’s body, age 28, in wooded North Sea area of the Hamptons. Costilla had been residing in New York City.

April 20, 1996: Partial remains of Karen Vergata are located on Fire Island barrier beach. Investigators don’t identify her until 2022 using advanced DNA testing. Vergata, 34, was engaged in sex work when she disappeared.

June 28, 1997: A woman’s partial remains are found in a plastic container at West Hempstead state park. Detectives call her “Peaches” due to a body tattoo. She remains unidentified for years until 2025, when police determine she is Tanya Jackson, an Army veteran from Brooklyn.

September 2000: Partial skeletal remains of Valerie Mack, a Philadelphia escort, are located in Manorville woods. Mack, 24, was last seen by relatives in spring or summer 2000 in Port Republic, New Jersey.

July 26, 2003: Jessica Taylor’s partial skeletal remains are found in Manorville wooded area. She was 20 and working as an escort when she vanished.

July 9, 2007: Maureen Brainard-Barnes, 25, travels from Norwich, Connecticut for sex work and last contacts a friend from her hotel, saying she’s meeting a client. Cell phone records later show her phone’s final use was on Long Island.

July 10, 2009: Melissa Barthelemy, 24, leaves her Bronx apartment telling a friend she’s seeing a man and will return by morning. Phone data places her last known location on Long Island. Someone later uses Barthelemy’s phone to make harassing calls to her family members.

May 1, 2010: Shannan Gilbert vanishes in Oak Beach after running from a client’s home and seeking help from neighbors. In a recorded emergency call, she tells dispatchers people are pursuing her but refuses assistance. Witnesses say she appeared confused and fled into the darkness.

June 6, 2010: Megan Waterman, 22, who came to Long Island from Maine for sex work, is last spotted at a Hauppauge motel.

September 2, 2010: Amber Lynn Costello, 27, leaves her West Babylon home to meet a client. A friend later tells detectives the presumed client drove a Chevrolet Avalanche.

December 11, 2010: An officer training with his dog finds human remains along Ocean Parkway. Officials initially think they’ve found Gilbert but identify the victim as Barthelemy.

December 13, 2010: Police locate bodies of Costello, Brainard-Barnes and Waterman on the same quarter-mile Ocean Parkway section where Barthelemy was discovered.

December 14, 2010: Suffolk County Police Commissioner Richard Dormer announces the body discoveries publicly and suggests a serial killer may be responsible. The search expands while Gilbert remains missing.

March 29, 2011: Some of Taylor’s remains are found along Ocean Parkway.

April 4, 2011: More of Valerie Mack’s remains are discovered on Ocean Parkway. Nearby, investigators find a 2-year-old girl’s remains, later DNA-identified as Jackson’s daughter, Tatiana Dykes. Separately, they discover an unidentified Asian male’s remains, estimated to be from someone in his late teens or early twenties who died five to ten years prior.

April 11, 2011: Additional Vergata remains are found along Ocean Parkway, miles west of Gilgo Beach. Police also locate more of Jackson’s remains along the beach roadway.

December 13, 2011: Gilbert’s skeletal remains are discovered in Oak Beach tidal marsh. Following autopsy, Suffolk Police conclude she accidentally drowned.

January 2022: Suffolk County district attorney establishes new task force for Gilgo Beach killing investigation.

July 13, 2023: Authorities arrest Heuermann, charging him with murdering Costello, Waterman and Barthelemy. Primary evidence includes cell phone location data placing Heuermann and victims in similar locations at corresponding times, plus DNA traces on remains.

January 16, 2024: Heuermann faces charges in Brainard-Barnes’ death. Prosecutors cite hair found with her body that’s genetically similar to DNA from Heuermann’s wife.

May 20, 2024: New search of Heuermann’s residence begins, continuing nearly a week.

June 6, 2024: Heuermann is charged with Costilla and Taylor murders.

December 17, 2024: Unsealed indictment charges Heuermann in Mack’s killing.

December 18, 2025: Florida resident Andrew Dykes enters not guilty plea for killing Tanya Jackson and Tatiana Dykes. DNA evidence links Dykes, who was Tatiana’s father, to the crimes. Though ultimately unconnected to other Gilgo Beach deaths, authorities say this case benefited from resources devoted to the serial killer investigation.

April 8, 2026: Heuermann pleads guilty to seven murder counts for killing Barthelemy, Brainard-Barnes, Costello, Costilla, Mack, Taylor and Waterman. He also admits in court to killing Vergata. Sentencing is scheduled for June 17.

MADISON, Wis. — The former head of Wisconsin’s university system says he was completely caught off guard when the board of regents unanimously voted to terminate him Tuesday evening, and he still doesn’t understand why it happened.

Jay Rothman, who led the Universities of Wisconsin for nearly four years before his dismissal, spoke with The Associated Press Wednesday in his first public comments since the firing. The regents made their decision after approximately half an hour of private deliberations, but have offered no public explanation for the action.

“Absolutely I was blindsided,” Rothman stated during the interview. He emphasized that despite multiple requests, no one has provided him with justification for the termination.

“I really don’t know,” Rothman explained. “I asked for reasons why. They were not able to articulate any.”

Despite the abrupt nature of his dismissal, the former president indicated he probably won’t pursue legal action against the university system. Rothman previously served as the leader of a major Milwaukee law practice with over 1,000 lawyers before taking the university position in 2022.

“We’ll have to see how circumstances develop,” Rothman commented. “I don’t think it’s likely that I would go in that direction. That’s not who I am.”

Earlier this month, news reports revealed that regents had given Rothman an ultimatum to step down voluntarily or face termination. Rothman acknowledged Wednesday that he had contemplated retirement, but ultimately chose not to resign because officials wouldn’t explain their concerns.

Before the dismissal vote, Board President Amy Bogost released a statement saying the decision focused on the system’s future direction. The university network includes 13 institutions, anchored by the Madison flagship campus, and serves approximately 165,000 students statewide.

“The Universities of Wisconsin must be led with a clear vision that both protects and strengthens our flagship, supports our comprehensive universities and ensures we are meeting the evolving needs of our students, workforce and communities across all 72 counties,” Bogost’s statement read.

The firing drew criticism from Republican state Senator Patrick Testin, who serves as Senate president. Testin characterized Rothman’s removal as a “blatant partisan hatchet job.”

However, Rothman declined to offer theories about the motivation behind his termination.

“I’ve asked multiple times for a reason,” Rothman reiterated. “I have not gotten one.”

Salisbury residents should prepare for road detours and water disruptions this Sunday as the city tackles essential infrastructure repairs.

The Salisbury Department of Waterworks Utilities Division plans to install a new 4-inch water valve along the 100 block of 2nd Street on Sunday, April 12, assuming favorable weather conditions. Officials say this project supports the municipality’s continuous infrastructure improvement and maintenance program for the water distribution network.

Starting at 8 a.m., authorities will block 2nd Street to all vehicle traffic from Delaware Avenue to Hill Street. The street closure is anticipated to last until roughly 5 p.m.

Residents in the surrounding neighborhood should expect their water supply to be shut off from noon until 4:30 p.m. City officials project full water service restoration by 5 p.m., though unexpected complications could extend the timeline.

Municipal workers have already contacted utility locating services and Central Alarm regarding the scheduled maintenance. City leadership expressed gratitude for community members’ understanding during this essential infrastructure work.

A legal controversy surrounding a wall painting at a Kansas burger restaurant may eventually reach the United States Supreme Court, raising fundamental questions about the distinction between artistic expression and commercial promotion.

The central legal question being debated is whether the restaurant’s wall painting should be categorized as art or advertising. This determination could have far-reaching consequences for hundreds of communities across the nation that face similar classification challenges.