WASHINGTON — The Republican National Committee's Washington headquarters was briefly evacuated on Wednesday as police investigated two vials of blood that had been addressed to former President Donald Trump following the presumptive presidential nominee's takeover of the national party apparatus. Unclear Who the Blood Belongs To Hazardous-materials teams were called in after...
U.S. Existing Home Sales Drop 1.9% in April, Pushed Lower by High Rates and High Prices
WASHINGTON — High mortgage rates and rising prices continued to put a damper on the spring homebuying season last month. Existing home sales fell 1.9% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.14 million in April from a revised 4.22 million in March, the National Association of Realtors reported Wednesday....
Stenhouse Fined $75,000 by NASCAR, Busch Avoids Penalty for Post All-Star Race Fight
CONCORD — Ricky Stenhouse Jr. was fined $75,000 by NASCAR on Wednesday for fighting with Kyle Busch after the All-Star race at North Wilkesboro Speedway. Stenhouse's father, who joined the fracas, was suspended indefinitely. The $75,000 fine was the largest ever handed down by NASCAR for fighting. Busch was not...
Senate Confirms 200th Federal Judge Under Biden as Democrats Surpass Trump’s Pace
The Senate on Wednesday confirmed the 200th federal judge of President Joe Biden's tenure, about a month earlier than when Donald Trump hit that mark in his term, though Trump still holds the edge when it comes to the most impactful confirmations — those to the Supreme Court and the...
Mobile Home Park Bankruptcy Throws Wrench in Fresno’s Plan to Protect Tenants
The city of Fresno wants to partner with a Visalia-based affordable housing developer to keep a mobile home park and its remaining residents in place. But the park owner's bankruptcy may throw a wrench in the city's plans. On Thursday, the city council will vote on whether to grant Self-Help...
Graceland Foreclosure Sale Halted as Presley Estate’s Lawsuit Moves Forward
MEMPHIS — A judge on Wednesday said Elvis Presley's estate could be successful in arguing that a company's attempt to auction Graceland is fraudulent as he halted a foreclosure sale of the beloved Memphis tourist attraction. Shelby County Chancellor JoeDae Jenkins issued a temporary injunction against the proposed auction that...
Why Israel Is in Deep Trouble: John Mearsheimer
After more than six months of conflict, many observers believe Israel is losing its war in Gaza. Concurrently, Israel is also engaged in fighting Hezbollah on its northern border, facing strained relations with Washington, and dealing with an International Court of Justice ruling that a plausible case for genocide in...
Anonymous Gifts Are Common. But a Climate Group Says a $10 Million Gift It Got Is an All-Out Mystery
On a Friday morning in April, Dan Stein, the founder of Giving Green, a climate philanthropy organization, found some big news in a surprising email. An anonymous donor had given his fund $10 million. “I didn’t quite process the number of zeroes,” Stein said, adding he was “tickled, awestruck, surprised”...
Newsom Says No New Taxes, Yet His Budget Has Billions in New Levies on Businesses
When Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled a much-revised 2024-25 state budget this month, he became visibly irritated when reporters pressed him about raising taxes to cover a $44.9 billion deficit, particularly the corporate tax hikes that left-leaning groups have suggested to avoid spending cuts in health, welfare and education programs. “When...
Use of Wegovy and Other Weight-Loss Drugs Soars Among Kids and Young Adults
At 17, Israel McKenzie was so burdened by obesity that he stopped going to high school in person and was embarrassed to speak to people at his restaurant job. “I was in a really dark place,” says McKenzie, whose weight had climbed to 335 pounds on his 6-foot-1 frame, despite...