Category: U.S. News

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.

A 62-year-old architect from Long Island will reportedly admit his guilt Wednesday in the notorious Gilgo Beach serial murder case, bringing closure to an investigation that has captivated the nation and tormented families for more than a decade.

Rex Heuermann faces charges for killing seven women, most of whom worked as sex workers, during a period spanning 17 years. An admission of guilt would guarantee he spends his remaining years behind bars.

Three sources with knowledge of the situation confirmed Heuermann’s intention to enter a guilty plea to The Associated Press, requesting anonymity since the court proceedings haven’t occurred yet. His sentencing will take place at a future date.

Suffolk County District Attorney Ray Tierney has arranged a press conference for Wednesday afternoon, after the morning court session. He’ll appear alongside family members of the victims and representatives from the Gilgo Beach Homicide Investigation Task Force, the team that solved the case using evidence including DNA recovered from thrown-away pizza remains.

Attempts to reach Heuermann’s attorney, Michael Brown, for comment were unsuccessful.

The investigation into the Gilgo Beach murders gained momentum in 2010 when authorities discovered multiple sets of human remains scattered along an isolated coastal highway on Long Island’s South Shore. This discovery launched an international manhunt for a suspected serial killer that inspired documentaries and a major motion picture.

Law enforcement officials employed DNA testing and additional forensic evidence to determine victims’ identities. In several instances, they successfully linked these remains to bodies discovered in other Long Island locations years before.

Six victims’ remains — Melissa Barthelemy, Maureen Brainard-Barnes, Amber Lynn Costello, Valerie Mack, Jessica Taylor and Megan Waterman — were discovered in brush alongside Ocean Parkway near Gilgo Beach. Another victim, Sandra Costilla, was found over 60 miles away in the Hamptons area.

Authorities have also confirmed the identity of an eighth woman, Karen Vergata, whose remains were located on Fire Island more than 20 miles west in 1996, with additional remains found near Gilgo Beach in 2011. Heuermann hasn’t been charged in connection with Vergata’s death.

Despite widespread media coverage, including documentary productions and the 2020 Netflix movie “Lost Girls,” the case remained unsolved for over ten years, marked by brief investigative leads and repeated disappointments.

In 2022, just six weeks after a newly appointed police commissioner established the Gilgo Beach task force, investigators pinpointed Heuermann as a suspect. They used vehicle registration records to link him to a pickup truck that a witness reported seeing when one victim vanished in 2010.

For decades, Heuermann resided in Massapequa Park, approximately 25 minutes by car across a causeway over South Oyster Bay from the sandy area where the women’s bodies were discovered. Several victims were thought to have vanished from that community, and their mobile phones had connected to nearby cell towers, officials reported.

Following the truck connection, a grand jury approved over 300 subpoenas and search warrants, enabling the task force to thoroughly investigate Heuermann’s background.

Investigators gathered phone records for disposable phones he supposedly used to schedule meetings with victims, re-examined DNA evidence found with the bodies, and analyzed Heuermann’s online browsing history. This revealed he had accessed violent torture content and showed significant interest in the Gilgo Beach murders and the ongoing investigation. Mobile phone records indicated Heuermann had communicated with some victims shortly before their disappearances, investigators stated.

To secure Heuermann’s DNA sample, surveillance officers followed him in Manhattan, where he was employed, and observed him discarding his lunch leftovers — a container of partially consumed pizza crusts — into a street trash receptacle.

Officers quickly retrieved the container and delivered it to the forensics laboratory, which successfully matched DNA from the crust to a male hair discovered on burlap material used to bind one victim. His arrest occurred in July 2023.

Following Heuermann’s detention, investigators spent over 12 days examining his property and residence, where they uncovered a basement storage area containing 279 firearms. On his computer system, officials reported finding what they characterized as a detailed plan for the murders, including multiple checklists with notes about minimizing sound, cleaning victims’ bodies, and eliminating evidence.

Last year, a judge denied Heuermann’s attempt to exclude DNA evidence collected through sophisticated methods that prosecutors claim definitively identifies him as the perpetrator.

A civil trial is scheduled to commence Wednesday in a wrongful death case against the Los Angeles Police Department involving the shooting death of a teenage girl during a 2021 incident at a retail store.

Fourteen-year-old Valentina Orellana-Peralta was browsing for holiday clothing with her mother inside a Burlington retail location in North Hollywood on December 23, 2021, when a police bullet penetrated the fitting room wall and fatally wounded her.

Law enforcement had responded to emergency calls about an individual attacking two women with a bicycle lock inside the building. During the response, Officer William Dorsey Jones Jr. discharged his weapon three times, resulting in the deaths of both the attacker and Orellana-Peralta.

The civil action brought by the teenager’s parents claims wrongful death, negligence and negligent infliction of emotional distress.

According to the lawsuit, her mother Soledad Peralta “felt her daughter’s body go limp and watched helplessly as her daughter died while still in her arms.”

The legal filing contends that the LAPD failed to properly train and oversee the responding officers and “fostered an environment that allowed and permitted this shooting to occur.”

Family attorney Nick Rowley stated: “Valentina had her entire life in front of her, and it was taken in an instant due to reckless decisions made by the very people who were sworn to protect her. We intend to hold LAPD fully accountable for taking an innocent young woman’s life.”

The Los Angeles city attorney’s office, which is defending the LAPD, has not yet provided a response to requests for comment.

In 2022, the Los Angeles Police Commission, which provides civilian oversight, determined that Jones was justified in his initial shot but violated department policy with his second and third shots. Former Police Chief Michel Moore had previously concluded in his separate review that all three shots violated policy.

During testimony before the LAPD’s Use of Force Review Board, Jones explained that he believed an active shooter was inside the store and confused the bicycle lock for a firearm. He also stated he assumed a solid exterior wall was behind the suspect, when the area actually contained women’s changing rooms.

Rowley previously obtained a $30 million settlement from San Diego for the death of 16-year-old Konoa Wilson, representing one of the largest police shooting settlements in United States history. That agreement exceeded the $27 million settlement Minneapolis paid in the George Floyd case.

In the summer of 1989, music enthusiast Aadam Jacobs slipped a small Sony cassette recorder into his pocket before heading to witness an emerging rock group from Washington state make their Chicago debut at a venue called Dreamerz.

Following a burst of guitar static, 20-year-old Kurt Cobain courteously greeted the audience at the intimate club: “Hello, we’re Nirvana. We’re from Seattle.” The four-piece band then dove into their heavy opening number, “School.”

Jacobs secretly captured that performance, preserving the emerging group in their raw, passionate state more than two years prior to Nirvana’s worldwide success with “Nevermind.”

Over the next four decades, Jacobs would go on to document more than 10,000 live performances across Chicago and beyond, upgrading his recording gear along the way. Today, a dedicated team of volunteers spanning the United States and Europe is systematically organizing, converting to digital format, and uploading these recordings individually.

The expanding Aadam Jacobs Collection has become an online goldmine for music enthusiasts, particularly those drawn to independent and punk music from the 1980s through early 2000s, when these genres flourished and entered the mainstream. The archive showcases early career performances from alternative and experimental acts including R.E.M., The Cure, The Pixies, The Replacements, Depeche Mode, Stereolab, Sonic Youth and Björk.

The collection also contains some hip-hop recordings, including a 1988 performance by pioneering rap group Boogie Down Productions. Phish followers were delighted to find a previously unreleased 1990 concert by the jam band. Additionally, hundreds of performances by lesser-known artists who remain obscure even to the most dedicated music collectors are included.

Everything is gradually being made accessible for streaming and free downloading through the nonprofit Internet Archive, including that early Nirvana recording with enhanced audio quality from Jacobs’ original cassette.

When Jacobs smuggled his recorder into that Nirvana concert, he had already been documenting live music for five years. As a teenager exploring music, Jacobs initially recorded songs from radio broadcasts.

“And I eventually met a fellow who said, ‘You can just take a tape recorder into a show with you, just sneak it in, record the show.’ And I thought, ‘Wow, that’s cool.’ So I got started,” Jacobs, now 59, recalled.

He cannot immediately recall his first recorded concert in 1984, but he captured it using a small Dictaphone-style device borrowed from his grandmother. Soon after, he purchased the Sony Walkman-style recorder. When it malfunctioned, he temporarily used his home cassette deck packed in a backpack, which a helpful sound engineer allowed him to connect.

“I was using, at times, pretty lackluster equipment, simply because I had no money to buy anything better,” he explained. Eventually, he upgraded to digital audio tape (DAT) and later to solid-state digital recording devices as technology advanced.

Jacobs rejects the label of obsessive or archivist that many apply to him, describing himself simply as a music lover. He reasoned that since he planned to attend multiple concerts weekly anyway, why not preserve them? Initially, he faced resistance from club owners attempting to stop his recording activities. However, they eventually accepted him as he became established in the music community, with many venues eventually admitting the “taper guy” without charge.

Writer Bob Mehr, who profiled Jacobs in 2004 for the Chicago Reader, considers him one of the city’s cultural landmarks.

“He’s a character. I think you have to be, to do what he does,” Mehr said. “But I think he proved over time that his intentions were really pure.”

Following a local documentary about Jacobs in 2023, an Internet Archive volunteer contacted him about preserving his collection. “Before all the tapes started not working because of time, just disintegrating, I finally said yes,” he said.

Monthly, Brian Emerick travels from Chicago’s suburbs to Jacobs’ city residence to collect 10 or 20 containers, each holding 50 to 100 recordings. Emerick’s responsibility involves transferring the analog recordings to digital format in real-time, which are then sent to other volunteers who enhance and prepare the performances for archive upload. Emerick has dedicated an entire room to his collection of vintage cassette and DAT players.

“So many of the machines I find are broken. They’re trashed. And so I learned how to fix those, get them running again,” said Emerick. “Currently, I have 10 working cassette decks, and I run those all simultaneously.”

Emerick calculates he has converted at least 5,500 performances since late 2024 and expects the project will require several more years to finish. The digital recordings are handled by approximately a dozen volunteer engineers across the United States, United Kingdom, and Germany who add information and improve audio quality. Brooklyn-based Neil deMause, one such volunteer, expresses amazement at the sound quality of the original recordings, particularly given Jacobs used “weird RadioShack mics” and other basic equipment.

“Especially after the first couple years, he’s got it so dialed in that some of these recordings, on, like, crappy little cassette tapes from the early 90s, sound incredible,” deMause said.

Emerick highlighted a 1984 James Brown performance as a standout discovery among the collection.

Frequently, identifying song titles proves most challenging. While Jacobs occasionally maintained useful notes, volunteers often spend days consulting one another, researching, and even contacting artists to ensure accurate setlist documentation.

Jacobs reports that most artists he recorded appreciate having their performances preserved. Regarding copyright issues, he willingly removes recordings upon request, though only one or two musicians have asked for removal so far.

“I think that the general consensus is, it’s easier to say I’m sorry than to ask for permission,” he said. The Internet Archive chose not to provide comment for this story. David Nimmer, an experienced copyright lawyer who also instructs at UCLA, explained that under anti-bootlegging regulations, artists technically control both original compositions and live recordings. However, since neither Jacobs nor the archive profit from this effort, legal action appears improbable.

The Replacements, an influential punk-alternative group, were so satisfied with Jacobs’ recording of a 1986 performance that they incorporated portions with a soundboard recording. They issued it in 2023 as a live album within a box set produced by Mehr.

Jacobs ceased recording several years ago as declining health reduced his motivation to attend live performances. Nevertheless, he continues enjoying live music discovered online, much of it captured by younger fans.

“Since everybody’s got a cellphone, anybody can record a concert,” he said.

The legendary Route 66 isn’t designed for speed — it’s all about experiencing the adventure along the way.

America’s famous Mother Road celebrates its centennial anniversary this year. Though it lost its designation as a primary national highway many years ago, travelers from across the globe continue to visit this legendary stretch of asphalt for what many consider the ultimate American adventure, drawn to its glowing neon signs, quirky roadside lodges, and unique dining experiences.

Beyond creating a pathway linking busy Chicago to California’s coast, planners a hundred years ago envisioned connecting America’s rural communities while fostering new business opportunities throughout the corridor. The highway quickly evolved into an enduring emblem of opportunity and liberty for countless American families.

While numerous sections of Route 66 now feature empty structures and weathered signage, visitors can still uncover rich historical treasures and enchanting experiences. Each destination sparks curiosity, encouraging modern explorers to envision the lives of residents and towns that once brought vitality to this storied highway.

This collection features images selected by Associated Press photography staff.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The legendary highway that inspired countless songs and road trip dreams reaches a major milestone this year as Route 66 celebrates its centennial anniversary.

Known as the Mother Road after author John Steinbeck gave it that nickname, this iconic stretch of asphalt has transformed from a lifeline for Depression-era farmers escaping dust bowl devastation into America’s most famous road trip destination.

While faster interstate highways now connect Chicago and Los Angeles more efficiently, Route 66’s glowing neon signs and weathered billboards continue drawing adventurers to classic motor courts, old-fashioned diners, and bizarre roadside stops.

Every destination along the route sparks curiosity about the generations of travelers and communities that have kept this highway alive through the decades.

Chicago’s position as a major economic hub with Great Lakes shipping access and cross-country rail connections made it the logical starting point for Oklahoma entrepreneur Cyrus Avery’s vision in the 1920s. Avery, later called the Father of Route 66, recognized that automobiles would soon revolutionize American transportation.

Serving on the federal commission tasked with designing the national highway network, Avery deliberately selected the number 66, understanding that those matching digits would stick in drivers’ memories and prove perfect for promotion.

Many Route 66 enthusiasts find themselves motivated more by culinary discoveries than scenic vistas, with options ranging from fresh-baked pies and creamy milkshakes to juicy burgers and various deep-fried specialties.

Springfield’s Cozy Dog Drive In represents one of many establishments that emerged alongside Route 66, where corn-battered hot dogs on sticks remain popular decades later. Current third-generation proprietor Josh Waldmire keeps his family’s preparation method confidential.

Josh’s grandfather Ed recognized the potential for this portable creation as ideal highway fare and invented a vertical frying technique for the corn dogs.

The winding highway naturally features unexpected curves, so it makes sense that a road celebrated for unusual attractions would span America’s greatest river via one of engineering’s more distinctive spans.

Approaching St. Louis, the mile-long Chain of Rocks Bridge stretches more than 60 feet above the Mississippi River’s waters.

Transportation officials eventually constructed a more direct, faster replacement, and poor demolition economics saved the original structure. The historic bridge now serves exclusively pedestrians and bicycle riders.

Missouri’s St. Robert Route 66 Neon Park displays rescued illuminated signs that once guided motorists to various highway businesses and destinations. These often handmade creations functioned not just as advertisements for lodging, restaurants and fuel stops, but as genuine folk art representing local character.

Kansas contains only a brief Route 66 segment, but delivers memorable experiences at Galena’s Kan-O-Tex Service Station. This perfect example of roadside architecture inspired elements of Pixar’s 2006 animated feature “Cars.”

Director John Lasseter and his team traveled the highway extensively, researching historical details and seeking inspiration for their project. In Galena, they discovered the vintage tow truck that became the model for character Tow Mater. The storyline reflected reality, as many thriving communities — like fictional Radiator Springs — nearly disappeared after interstate bypasses.

Kansas also preserves the Brush Creek Bridge, known locally as the Rainbow Bridge. This National Register of Historic Places structure represents one of the few surviving concrete arch bridges designed by engineer James Barney Marsh.

Serious hazards awaited certain travelers, especially Black motorists navigating hostile, segregated regions during Jim Crow segregation. The Green Book — initially published in 1936 by Victor Hugo Green — identified lodging, dining and fuel establishments willing to serve African American customers.

The Threatt Filling Station near Luther wasn’t featured in The Green Book, but provided sanctuary for fuel, barbecue and baseball. This National Register of Historic Places site was the only documented Black-owned gas station operating along Route 66.

Abandoned structures and fading signage dot Route 66, but Sapulpa’s restored Tee Pee Drive-In Theater near Tulsa demonstrates the highway’s enduring appeal. This 1950s throwback recalls the era when automobile culture spawned thousands of outdoor movie venues nationwide.

Constructed in 1949, the drive-in premiered in spring 1950 with John Wayne’s “Tycoon.” It featured unusual paved walkways for its time. The facility survived tornado damage, concession stand fires and break-ins before closing for over two decades, finally reopening in 2023.

Amarillo’s Cadillac Ranch demands attention during any Route 66 journey. For generations, visitors have spray-painted the ten buried vintage Cadillacs while contemplating time’s passage, much like Bruce Springsteen did in his 1980 song sharing the site’s name.

This isn’t an actual ranch but a public art installation created in 1974 by the Ant Farm collective. Initially, the half-buried cars angled at 60 degrees served as shooting targets, with people carving initials into the metal before spray painting became the tradition.

Adrian marks the journey’s halfway point, where a white line designates Route 66’s center near the Midway Cafe, famous for “ugly pies” that taste far better than their name suggests.

Still hungry travelers can return to Amarillo for The Big Texan’s 72-ounce steak challenge with full accompaniments — finish everything within an hour and the meal costs nothing.

Over half of Route 66 crosses sovereign tribal territories, often following paths used by Native Americans long before European settlement. Like 19th-century railroads, the highway created new commercial opportunities while unfortunately promoting cultural stereotypes.

Faded references to tipis and feathered headdresses still appear at some highway stops. These symbols were easily borrowed for marketing purposes by roadside vendors but didn’t represent the distinct Native American cultures actually present in these areas.

Today, tribal communities share their authentic stories and showcase their own creations, including pottery, fruit pies and poetry.

Albuquerque features Route 66’s longest continuous urban section. These 18 miles wind through multiple neighborhoods and commercial areas, from historic Old Town to the Nob Hill district.

Several vintage motor lodges and neon signs along present-day Central Avenue have undergone restoration. Other signs receive creative makeovers using hubcaps, elaborate lowrider-style paint schemes and New Mexico’s distinctive yellow and red license plates, celebrating the city’s ongoing automotive culture.

Musician Jackson Browne experienced car trouble in Winslow during an early 1970s road trip, inspiring lyrics for the Eagles’ hit “Take it Easy.” However, this represents just one essential track for any Route 66 playlist.

Bobby Troup composed a timeless American driving anthem in the 1940s with “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66.” Artists including Nat King Cole, Chuck Berry, The Rolling Stones and Depeche Mode have recorded their own versions across the decades.

While standing on Winslow’s famous corner, don’t be surprised when someone approaches with a guitar to perform favorites from their personal road trip collection.

Before departing Arizona, the former gold mining settlement of Oatman provides Wild West atmosphere with daily gunfight reenactments and friendly burros. Oatman was accessible via an original Route 66 alignment through the dangerous Black Mountains passage, but later improvements in the 1950s created a bypass.

Roy’s Motel & Café in Amboy once served as a desert oasis and remains a quintessential Route 66 landmark. The towering neon sign ranks among the highway’s most photographed locations. Inside, international currency left by global visitors covers one wall. Across the street, a clothing post decorated with shoes, shirts and miscellaneous items rises from the desert floor.

This Mojave Desert highway section provides unique solitude. The pavement becomes rough in places while the landscape dominates, showcasing Joshua trees, vast open spaces and evidence of ancient volcanic activity.

Much of this area remains undeveloped, appearing largely unchanged since Route 66’s 1926 designation.

After navigating frequently congested Los Angeles traffic, the famous Santa Monica Pier signals journey’s end with continuous celebration featuring steady streams of spectators and entertainers. While many Route 66 segments have deteriorated, the spectacular Pacific Ocean views remind travelers of the opportunities this highway has provided over the past century.

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — While faster routes exist between Chicago and Los Angeles, no highway matches the legendary appeal and cultural significance of Route 66.

Author John Steinbeck called it the Mother Road that guided struggling farmers away from Dust Bowl hardships toward California’s promise. For Native American communities along its path, the highway brought economic opportunities alongside lasting challenges. Black motorists found refuge during segregation’s dark era. Music lovers discovered where to truly get their kicks.

The famous highway celebrates its centennial anniversary in 2024. Though it lost federal designation as a major transportation corridor years ago, international visitors continue traveling this iconic stretch to experience America’s most legendary road trip, complete with glowing neon signs, vintage motels, and unique roadside cuisine.

Every community offers distinct stories and charm, according to Sebastiaan de Boorder, a Dutch business owner who revitalized The Aztec Motel in Seligman, Arizona, alongside his wife.

“It’s an essential part of American culture and history,” he said of the highway. “The historical aspect is just a very big important part of American culture, with its influence and its character.”

Spanning approximately 2,400 miles from Chicago through Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona before reaching Santa Monica, California, Route 66 was assembled a century ago from existing Native American trade paths and unpaved rural roads, designed to connect the industrial Midwest with the Pacific Coast.

Oklahoma entrepreneur Cyrus Avery, dubbed the Father of Route 66, envisioned more than efficient cross-country transportation. He saw opportunities to unite rural communities and establish new business centers.

Avery recognized that the number 66 would capture public imagination and stick in drivers’ memories, and his prediction proved accurate: Route 66 achieved legendary status through Hollywood films, literature including Steinbeck’s “The Grapes of Wrath” and Jack Kerouac’s “On the Road,” plus songs like Bobby Troup’s “(Get Your Kicks on) Route 66,” which became synonymous with post-World War II optimism and freedom of movement.

Following its November 1926 establishment as an original numbered federal highway, America’s former Main Street represented the promise of economic prosperity.

The route became a lifeline for families fleeing drought-stricken farmland and poverty during the 1930s Dust Bowl and Great Depression. Throughout World War II, it transported military personnel, supplies and defense workers westward.

Route 66 reached its golden age during the postwar prosperity of the 1940s and 1950s, emerging as a favored vacation destination. Automobile ownership expanded, household incomes grew, and Americans embraced the romance of open-road travel.

“People generally have a sense of adventure, a sense curiosity. And you can find that on Route 66. This is the road of dreams,” author and historian Jim Hinckley said.

Roadside restaurants and motor lodges flourished as creative business owners developed attractions to capture motorists’ attention and spending. Visitors encountered snake exhibits, towering totem poles, Native American trading centers, caves allegedly used by Wild West outlaws, and architectural wonders like St. Louis’ shining steel gateway arch.

Massive barn advertisements, eye-catching billboards promoting local destinations, and brilliant neon displays lined the highway.

The ultimate attraction? Regional cuisine.

Establishments offered both quick takeout options and comfortable dining experiences featuring hometown specialties. The Cozy Dog Drive In — renowned for its battered hot dogs on sticks — has served both purposes since 1949. Within the restaurant’s dining area in Springfield, Illinois, travelers share highway adventures.

“The road wouldn’t be alive without the stories of all the places along it that kept it going from town to town,” third-generation owner Josh Waldmire said. “We just survive off each other. The road feeds us, and as long as we put our feelings and love back into the road, it will reverberate with the travelers and the stories of the people.”

The highway provided economic benefits for Native American communities along its corridor. However, while tourism increased, the road also created problems through forced land acquisition and cultural stereotyping.

Over half the highway passed through tribal territories, and business signage frequently featured generic references to tepees and feathered headwear — easily commercialized symbols that didn’t accurately represent the diverse cultures found throughout the region.

Near Laguna Pueblo west of Albuquerque, dining establishments and gas stations emerged, many operated by pueblo military veterans skilled at repairing everything from punctured tires to damaged engines.

Pueblo women also adapted, transforming practical pottery into decorative pieces sought by tourists. Fresh-baked bread and homemade pies completed the appeal.

Laguna leadership has historically viewed the highway — called he-ya-nhee’ in their Keres language — as “the corridor of commerce,” explained businessman and tribal member Ron Solimon. Leveraging this potential, the tribe has developed a multimillion-dollar network of gaming facilities, restaurants and additional enterprises.

The route also presented hazards, especially during Jim Crow segregation when Black travelers depended on resources like the Green Book to locate safe accommodations and services.

“Especially for long-distance travel, segregation was a fact of life,” said Matthew Pearce, state historian for the Oklahoma Historical Society. “And so Black motorists needed to know a safe place to go.”

The Threatt Filling Station near Luther in central Oklahoma wasn’t featured in the Green Book, yet it provided sanctuary between two sundown communities where non-white visitors had to depart before evening. The station served barbecue and hosted baseball games.

Edward Threatt, whose grandparents established the station around 1933, remembered a television show about travelers enjoying Route 66. “By and large, the Black traveler didn’t get a lot of kicks on Route 66,” he said. “And if they got some kicks, it wasn’t the kind you would think of.”

President Dwight Eisenhower’s interstate highway system ultimately resulted in Route 66 losing federal status in 1985. Some communities along the route withered, leaving local authorities, state preservation groups, and private enterprises to maintain their portions of the historic roadway.

Angel Delgadillo, a barber who convinced Arizona’s Legislature to recognize the road as a historic highway, led preservation efforts. He prevented Seligman from becoming abandoned and established standards for conservation efforts elsewhere.

New Mexico has maintained original neon sign designs, displays numerous Route 66-themed murals, and Albuquerque developers have restored motor lodges along the longest remaining urban section.

Over 90% of the California portion remains accessible to drivers. Cadillac Ranch in the Texas Panhandle allows visitors to spray-paint half-buried automobiles. At the Mississippi River, people can walk or bicycle across the historic Chain of Rocks Bridge.

More than 250 buildings, districts and road segments from the route appear on the National Register of Historic Places. Yet the continuing fascination extends beyond physical structures and pavement.

“Some of the most interesting and fun things that happen to people when they travel the route is running into somebody they know or some happenstance thing that comes totally unexpected,” said author and historian Jim Ross. “And that’s a great part of the Route 66 experience.”

NASHVILLE — Country music legend Ray Stevens is on the mend at his home following a serious neck injury that required a brief hospital stay, his representatives announced Tuesday.

The 87-year-old entertainer suffered the neck fracture during a fall that occurred in late December, according to an announcement posted on the social media platform X. Medical professionals have instructed Stevens to use a neck brace for roughly four weeks as part of his recovery process.

“He remains fully mobile & in good spirits,” the statement said.

Stevens has built an impressive career spanning multiple decades, creating memorable songs that blend country music with comedy and social commentary. His achievements include the Grammy Award-winning track “Everything Is Beautiful” alongside the comedic sensation “The Streak,” which became a cultural phenomenon during the mid-1970s streaking fad.

Music fans can look forward to Stevens’ newest recording project, which is scheduled for release this Friday through Curb Records.

This recent injury follows another health challenge Stevens faced earlier this year. In July, the veteran performer experienced a minor heart attack that required surgical intervention, as detailed in a social media update. The medical emergency forced the cancellation of his scheduled shows at Nashville’s CabaRay Showroom for the remainder of that month while he focused on recovery.

AUSTIN, Texas — State health officials in Texas have notified Camp Mystic’s ownership that they’re examining hundreds of formal complaints stemming from last summer’s catastrophic flooding that claimed the lives of 27 girls, as regulators weigh whether to permit the all-girls facility to resume operations this summer.

The elite Texas Rangers investigative unit has also joined efforts to examine neglect allegations, the Texas Department of Safety confirmed, though officials haven’t disclosed the full extent of their involvement in the probe.

These ongoing investigations highlight the significant obstacles Camp Mystic confronts as it moves forward with reopening efforts despite fierce opposition from families who lost loved ones — 25 campers and two teenage staff members — in the July 4 disaster. Despite the tragedy, more than 850 families have registered to return to the Christian camp for girls this summer if authorities approve reopening the unaffected portions of the facility.

Since February, the Department of State Health Services has documented “hundreds of complaints regarding Camp Mystic’s operations in the summer of 2025” that cite potential violations of state regulations governing youth camping facilities. Officials requested assistance from state law enforcement in response to the volume of complaints.

The Texas Department of Public Safety confirmed that Rangers are participating in an “investigation regarding complaints of neglect” related to the flooding incident. Both agencies have declined to provide additional specifics. The camp failed to evacuate before floodwaters surged from 14 feet to 29.5 feet in just one hour during pre-dawn darkness.

Health department officials sent correspondence Tuesday notifying camp ownership of the active investigation, though the letter didn’t reference Texas Rangers participation.

Legal representatives for both the victims’ families and Camp Mystic ownership haven’t responded to requests for comment.

Lieutenant Governor Dan Patrick characterized the Rangers’ participation as a “criminal investigation” and urged state officials to withhold operating permits until both this probe and a separate legislative inquiry conclude.

“I urge you to prioritize safety and do everything in your power to ensure Camp Mystic and/or their operators are not allowed to operate until the facts are in,” Patrick stated in his Tuesday correspondence to the health agency director.

Multiple families who lost children have filed lawsuits against camp operators, contending that staff failed to implement adequate safety measures as dangerous floodwaters threatened the facility. Last month, a district court judge mandated that camp owners preserve damaged structures and flooded grounds as litigation continues.

Eight-year-old Cile Steward remains missing, and DPS officials report that recovery efforts for the young camper are ongoing.

Camp co-owner Richard Eastland also perished in the disaster. The devastating flooding ultimately killed at least 136 people across several miles of the river valley, prompting widespread questions about the sequence of failures that led to such massive loss of life.

PAULS VALLEY, Okla. — The principal of a high school in Oklahoma is recovering after being wounded in a shooting that occurred Tuesday in the school’s entrance area, law enforcement officials reported.

Kirk Moore, who serves as principal at Pauls Valley High School, sustained injuries during the incident and is currently listed in stable condition, according to the Garvin County Sheriff’s Office.

Authorities confirmed that no students were harmed during the shooting, and law enforcement successfully apprehended the suspected gunman. The sheriff’s department announced on social media that the situation has been resolved.

“There is no ongoing threat at this time,” the sheriff’s statement said.

Attempts to reach both the Garvin County Sheriff’s Office and Pauls Valley High School for additional comment on Thursday were unsuccessful, as phone calls and emails went unanswered.

The incident took place in Pauls Valley, a town with approximately 6,000 residents located roughly 60 miles south of Oklahoma City.

BOLIVIA, N.C. — A Brunswick County judge ruled Tuesday that a former Marine accused of fatally shooting three people at a waterfront establishment must receive mental health treatment before his murder trial can move forward.

Nigel Max Edge, 41, was determined by multiple psychiatric experts to be unable to comprehend legal proceedings sufficiently to work with his defense team on the first-degree murder charges he faces.

The court session had been planned for District Attorney Jon David to announce whether prosecutors would pursue capital punishment in the case. However, David explained in a statement that this decision was postponed due to concerns about Edge’s mental fitness for trial.

“The defense has presented evaluations from two experts, and this office requested an independent evaluation by a state forensic examiner,” David stated. “All three evaluations conclude that Mr. Edge currently lacks the capacity to proceed to trial.”

Superior Court Judge Jason Disbrow directed that Edge be sent to Cherry Hospital, a state mental health facility located in Goldsboro, according to David’s announcement.

The prosecutor noted that the state’s psychiatric evaluator determined Edge “may be restored to capacity through appropriate treatment, including medication and counseling.” Attempts to reach Edge’s public defender, Matthew Geoffrion, were unsuccessful.

Law enforcement officials say Edge used a small boat to approach a dockside bar in Southport on September 27 last year, where he allegedly fired a short-barreled semiautomatic weapon. The attack resulted in three deaths and wounded multiple other victims.

The defendant, who faces several additional criminal charges, sustained four gunshot wounds during his military service with an elite sniper team in Iraq, including one to his head. According to relatives and acquaintances, he has received a diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder and continues to have a bullet fragment in his brain.

Tuesday’s court order effectively “suspends further litigation unless and until the defendant’s capacity is restored,” David explained, while noting that prosecutors could still pursue the death penalty “should the facts and law warrant this designation.”

Edge will be held in custody throughout his treatment period, which David described as lasting for an “indeterminate” duration.

HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania couple is facing child endangerment charges following an incident where their 18-month-old son crawled into a restricted area at ZooAmerica and was injured by a wolf, according to Derry Township Police.

The incident unfolded Saturday just before noon when the parents moved approximately 25 to 30 feet away from their toddler to sit on nearby benches, where they became focused on their mobile devices, police reported. During this time, the young child managed to crawl through a gap in the wooden perimeter barrier surrounding the wolf exhibit.

Once inside the restricted zone, the toddler reached the chain-link enclosure and inserted his hand through the fencing. Police said the wolf’s response appeared instinctive when it grabbed the child’s hand with its mouth.

“From the injuries sustained, it appears as though one of the wolves in the enclosure instinctively and naturally grabbed onto the child’s hand with its mouth. Several bystanders intervened and helped pull the child away,” police stated.

ZooAmerica officials described the wolf’s behavior as investigative rather than aggressive, explaining that the contact was “brief, investigatory behavior consistent with how wild canines interact with unfamiliar objects in their environment.” The zoo noted that wolves naturally explore new items by using their mouths, similar to how humans use their hands.

The child sustained what zoo officials characterized as “minor, surface-level” injuries. The wolf involved remains healthy, current on vaccinations, and continues to be housed in its exhibit.

Dauphin County District Attorney Fran Chardo explained that filing criminal charges required careful deliberation. “We looked at a lot of factors — the age of the child, the circumstances, how diligent you have to be because it’s potentially dangerous,” Chardo explained during a telephone conversation. “We looked at it closely,” he added.

The parents, residents of Lititz, Pennsylvania, are scheduled for a preliminary hearing on the misdemeanor charges later this month. Legal representation for the father has been contacted for comment, though it remains unclear who is representing the mother.

Derry Township Police Chief Garth W. Warner emphasized the dangers of inadequate supervision. “There are plenty of opportunities for a child of that age to hurt themselves on things,” Warner observed. “Let alone, be left alone, essentially by themselves, where they could get themselves into a situation like this child did.”

ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park operates as part of the larger Hershey entertainment complex, which includes the famous chocolate-themed amusement park. According to the zoo’s website, three gray wolves are currently housed at the facility.

This marks the second notable child safety incident at Hersheypark within the past year. Last summer, a lost child wandering on monorail tracks required rescue by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails to reach the boy, who was ultimately unharmed and returned to his family.

WASHINGTON – Federal authorities announced Tuesday they have successfully taken down a sophisticated cyber espionage operation orchestrated by Russian military intelligence.

According to the Justice Department, the cyber network was run by Russia’s Main Intelligence Directorate of the General Staff, specifically Military Unit 26165 of the GRU.

Officials said the Russian operatives used compromised internet routers to carry out hijacking attacks targeting victims across the globe, focusing particularly on personnel working in military, government, and critical infrastructure roles.

Brett Leatherman, who serves as assistant director of the FBI’s Cyber Division, explained the severity of the threat. “GRU actors compromised routers in the US and around the world, hijacking them to conduct espionage. Given the scale of this threat, sounding the alarm wasn’t enough,” Leatherman stated.

The disruption was carried out under court authorization as part of ongoing efforts to counter foreign cyber threats against American interests.

Federal immigration officials have confirmed they are deploying advanced surveillance technology capable of infiltrating mobile phones as part of their enforcement operations.

In correspondence delivered to congressional representatives last week, the director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement disclosed that the agency has been utilizing sophisticated spyware capabilities to monitor encrypted communications linked to fentanyl distribution networks.

The revelation marks the first official acknowledgment from ICE regarding its use of such invasive digital surveillance tools, which have the ability to bypass standard security measures on smartphones and other devices.

The agency’s admission comes amid ongoing congressional scrutiny of federal law enforcement’s use of advanced surveillance technologies and raises questions about privacy protections and oversight of such operations.

Federal immigration enforcement agents opened fire on a suspect in California Tuesday following what officials describe as an attempt to strike officers with a vehicle, according to Immigration and Customs Enforcement leadership.

The wounded individual was transported to a medical facility for treatment, while FBI investigators responded to the scene, stated ICE Director Todd Lyons in an official announcement.

“As officers approached the car, the wanted gang member weaponized his vehicle in an attempt to run an officer over. Following their training, our officers fired defensive shots to protect themselves, their fellow agents, and the public,” Lyons said.

According to ICE officials, the suspect is a gang member from El Salvador who was residing in the United States without legal status and was being sought for questioning related to a murder investigation.

The shooting occurred in Patterson, an agricultural community home to 25,000 residents located in California’s San Joaquin Valley, approximately 90 miles southeast of San Francisco. Reuters reported it could not independently confirm ICE’s account of the events.

Federal data from the Department of Homeland Security indicates ICE personnel faced 66 vehicle-related attacks during the first year of President Donald Trump’s current administration, a significant increase from just two similar incidents recorded in the prior year.

WASHINGTON — A Santa Clara, California resident who helped establish one of Mexico’s most dangerous and brutal drug trafficking organizations entered a guilty plea Tuesday to federal narcotics conspiracy charges in U.S. court.

Erick Valencia Salazar, 49, created the Jalisco New Generation Cartel alongside Nemesio Oseguera Cervantes, the notorious drug kingpin called “El Mencho” who died during a confrontation with Mexican military forces in February.

Following his guilty plea in Washington, D.C. to one count of conspiring to distribute cocaine for importation into the United States, Valencia Salazar now faces a minimum prison term of 10 years and could receive life imprisonment. Chief Judge James Boasberg has set his sentencing date for July 31.

Before establishing the Jalisco cartel, Valencia Salazar belonged to the Milenio Cartel. He and Oseguera Cervantes later founded the organization known by its Spanish acronym CJNG. Federal prosecutors stated that hundreds of CJNG operatives answered to Valencia Salazar, whose responsibilities included bringing in new members and gathering intelligence about competing cartels.

After separating from “El Mencho,” Valencia Salazar, who went by the alias “El 85,” established his own criminal organization called La Nueva Plaza. Meanwhile, “El Mencho” continued leading the CJNG until his death.

Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva, who oversees the Justice Department’s criminal division, described the CJNG as having caused “immeasurable damage” to the United States.

“Valencia Salazar was also responsible for furthering the rampant violence in Mexico, at the expense of people’s lives and the safety of communities, that helped destabilize the region and allow crime to flourish,” Duva said in a statement.

Federal grand jurors issued an indictment against Valencia Salazar on the conspiracy charge in 2018. This past February, Mexican officials transferred him to the United States as part of an initial group of 29 drug kingpins.

During President Donald Trump’s previous administration, officials classified the CJNG and other cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.

Mexican authorities captured Valencia Salazar on two separate occasions. His first arrest occurred in 2012 when military forces detained him in Zapopan municipality, located near Guadalajara, which serves as the capital of Jalisco state.

A judge ordered his release from prison five years later, citing alleged procedural violations. In 2022, Army forces captured him again in Tapalpa, the same location where authorities apprehended and killed “El Mencho.”

The U.S. State Department had posted a reward of up to $5 million for information that would lead to Valencia Salazar’s arrest or conviction.

A military court-martial has been set for June 15 for an Army sergeant who opened fire on colleagues at Fort Stewart, Georgia last summer, injuring five people including his romantic partner.

During a plea hearing last week, 29-year-old Sgt. Quornelius Radford admitted to a military judge that he shot four soldiers from his supply unit and one civilian on August 6, using his own handgun after a dispute with his girlfriend. Other personnel at the scene subdued and disarmed Radford until authorities could respond.

While Radford entered guilty pleas for aggravated assault and domestic violence charges, he rejected the attempted murder counts during his March 31 hearing. He told the court he never intended to cause deaths, according to WTOC-TV.

The defendant revealed during testimony that he hoped military police would kill him in return gunfire when he attacked his coworkers, WSAV-TV reported.

Defense lawyers had initially indicated Radford would accept responsibility for two attempted murder charges, but the sergeant changed course and will now face trial on those counts this summer.

Radford worked as a supply sergeant within the 2nd Armored Brigade of the 3rd Infantry Division and joined the military in 2018, according to Army documentation. Fort Stewart houses the largest Army installation on the eastern side of the Mississippi River, accommodating thousands of 3rd Infantry Division personnel approximately 40 miles southwest of Savannah.

In cinema, corridors typically spell trouble for characters. Whether it’s blood spilling from elevator doors or serving as battlegrounds for intense fight sequences, these narrow spaces usually amplify danger and drama.

However, Japanese filmmaker Genki Kawamura breaks this convention with ‘Exit 8,’ a unique production that begins in a corridor and never leaves it. The story follows a nameless protagonist navigating Tokyo’s crowded subway system, absorbed in his smartphone like fellow commuters.

Struggling with asthma, the man climbs subway stairs while adjusting his earbuds playing an unusual Ravel composition with a military rhythm. During a phone conversation with a hospitalized woman discussing an urgent decision, the call disconnects as he promises to arrive soon.

Seeking Exit 8 through the complex underground network, he discovers something unsettling: each time he walks down the designated corridor, he mysteriously returns to his starting point. Initially attributing this to a navigation error, he repeatedly attempts the same route with identical results.

This nightmarish puzzle forms the foundation of Kawamura’s adaptation of the popular indie video game ‘The Exit 8.’ The original game challenges players to navigate a tiled metro passage in first-person view, escaping the endless cycle only by understanding the mechanics and advancing through levels.

This places the film alongside other video game adaptations currently in theaters, though audiences might unknowingly choose this Kafkaesque maze over more mainstream gaming movies like Nintendo productions.

Such a choice would prove worthwhile. Despite its minimal and repetitive nature, ‘Exit 8’ represents one of the most successful mergers between cinema and gaming mediums in recent memory. The film achieved tremendous popularity in Japan.

While maintaining the game’s core concept and central mechanics, Kawamura enriches the sparse source material with sufficient background narrative to enhance its depth. His previous work, ‘A Hundred Flowers,’ explored the perspective of a dementia patient, demonstrating his skill with seemingly limiting viewpoints. In ‘Exit 8,’ he elevates basic gaming elements with human emotion.

The protagonist remains unnamed throughout, credited simply as The Lost Man and portrayed by Kazunari Ninomiya, a recording artist who delivered a memorable performance in Clint Eastwood’s ‘Letters From Iwo Jima.’ Viewers only see him directly once the corridor begins its repetitive cycle and the camera perspective changes.

After multiple failed attempts, he discovers wall instructions: retreat upon spotting any irregularity, continue forward if none appear. The Lost Man begins cataloging every ventilation grate, doorway, and advertisement (notably including an appropriate Escher poster) during his journeys.

Part of the challenge involves identifying what qualifies as an irregularity versus normal elements. A mechanical-seeming commuter called The Walking Man (Yamato Kôchi) appears during each cycle, and at certain stages, a child (Naru Asanuma) stands in the corridor’s center. While reaching Exit 8 resembles gameplay, success ultimately requires truly observing fellow human beings.

The film’s most memorable scene likely won’t be the clinical subway corridor where most action occurs. In this loop-like narrative, the opening subway moments prove most impactful: smartphone-illuminated faces deliberately ignoring an irregularity—a man berating a mother with a crying infant. Though built on a minimal premise, translating ‘Exit 8’ to cinema creates opportunities for compassion. The military-style music in The Lost Man’s headphones might represent a rallying cry for action.

‘Exit 8,’ distributed by Neon and opening in theaters Friday, receives a PG-13 rating from the Motion Picture Association for some violent imagery and frightening content. The Japanese-language film includes English subtitles and runs 95 minutes.

FORT WORTH, Texas — A one-time FedEx delivery driver entered a guilty plea to capital murder charges on Tuesday, admitting he killed a 7-year-old Texas girl after claiming he accidentally struck her with his delivery vehicle and then strangled her in a moment of panic.

Tanner Horner now faces either execution or life behind bars for the December 2022 death of Athena Strand, whose remains were discovered two days following her disappearance from the small community of Paradise, located near Fort Worth.

Following Horner’s guilty plea as his trial commenced, jurors who will determine his sentence began listening to witness testimony. During emotional testimony from Athena’s stepmother about the search efforts, the jury viewed footage from inside the delivery vehicle showing Athena alive, positioned on her knees behind the driver’s seat.

Court documents reveal that Horner informed law enforcement he killed Athena following what he described as an accidental collision with his van during a delivery stop. Horner explained to investigators that while Athena sustained no major injuries when he struck her while reversing his vehicle, he became overwhelmed with fear and placed her inside his van.

According to the arrest warrant, Horner stated he was concerned about Athena informing her father about the incident, leading him to attempt breaking the child’s neck. When unsuccessful, he used his hands to strangle her in the rear of the delivery vehicle. Authorities noted that Horner guided investigators to the location where he had disposed of Athena’s remains.

Family members revealed that the package Horner had been delivering contained a Christmas gift intended for Athena — a set of “You Can Be Anything” Barbie dolls.

The proceedings were relocated from rural Wise County to Fort Worth following arguments from Horner’s legal team that their client could not receive an impartial trial in the original venue.

A New York court has thrown out a lawsuit filed by the animal rights organization PETA challenging breeding standards for several popular dog breeds, ruling that the group incorrectly applied state law in their case against the American Kennel Club.

The legal action, initiated last year, represented a fresh approach in PETA’s ongoing battle with dog breeding practices. The organization targeted the AKC’s breeding guidelines for French bulldogs, bulldogs, Chinese shar-peis, dachshunds, and pugs, claiming these standards promote unhealthy characteristics. French bulldogs currently rank as America’s most popular breed according to AKC data. The kennel club, which serves as the country’s oldest purebred dog registry, disputed these allegations and emphasized its commitment to canine wellness.

On Tuesday, PETA announced that its legal team is reviewing potential next steps following the dismissal.

“Money-grubbing dog merchants flood the market with deformed dogs bred at the AKC’s direction,” stated PETA founder Ingrid Newkirk. She encouraged pet seekers to consider shelter adoption rather than purchasing purebred animals, saying “No dog should be custom-made for a look that causes pain.”

The AKC has not yet responded to requests for comment.

The lawsuit relied on a New York statute typically employed to challenge government agency decisions, though it has occasionally been used against private entities. However, Judge David B. Cohen noted in Monday’s ruling that previous cases involving private organizations concerned groups with direct authority over the plaintiffs, such as union leadership disputes or condominium board conflicts.

Because PETA operates independently of the kennel club’s oversight, Cohen determined the case “must be dismissed,” declining to address the underlying health concerns that formed the basis of the complaint.

The lawsuit highlighted medical conditions often linked to flat facial features found in bulldogs, pugs, and French bulldogs, as well as issues related to the elongated bodies and shortened legs characteristic of dachshunds. Chinese shar-peis face risks of recurring fever and inflammation called “shar-pei autoinflammatory disease.”

While these health issues don’t affect every dog, they can create significant medical challenges.

The AKC maintains that its breed guidelines, developed by enthusiasts and vetted by the organization, represent “decades of collaboration with veterinary experts and breeders.” The club reports contributing more than $40 million to canine health research initiatives since 1995.

Officials in Northampton County, Virginia are issuing a warning to residents about fraudulent email campaigns designed to trick property owners into paying fake government fees.

The scam involves emails that appear to come from legitimate government sources, requesting payment for bogus permit invoices and public hearing fees. These deceptive messages are crafted to look official and may catch unsuspecting residents off guard.

County authorities are advising citizens to be extremely cautious when receiving any unexpected emails requesting payment for government services. Residents should verify the legitimacy of any such requests by contacting the appropriate county office directly before making any payments.

The fraudulent scheme appears to be targeting property owners specifically, likely in an attempt to exploit their familiarity with legitimate government fees and permits.

Anyone who believes they may have received one of these suspicious emails should report it to local authorities and avoid clicking any links or providing personal information.