ATHENS – According to Henderson County authorities, a shooting investigation in Athens resulted in the discovery of suspected drugs and the arrest of three people on Tuesday night. Investigators were called to the 400 block of Jonathan Street in Athens on Tuesday after a building was hit by several bullets, according to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators found the following items in a backpack while they were helping at the scene: two big plastic bags that possibly contained cocaine, a big plastic bag containing what appeared to be marijuana, digital scales and smaller plastic bags that are consistent with the distribution of drugs. Additionally, a bottle that appeared to contain Xanax pills was taken from the home by investigators. Continue reading Shooting leads to drug arrests
Tyler gets national honor
TYLER – The City of Tyler Main Street program has been designated as a 2026 Accredited Main Street America program. The program is one of 838 nationally recognized Accredited Main Street America organizations and is part of a network of more than 1,600 communities leading positive commercial district transformation efforts throughout the United States.
“Receiving our 2026 accreditation signals that our efforts in leading revitalization, partnerships, and programming are in line with a greater movement happening nationwide: transforming historic downtowns into destinations that a community can be proud of,” said Main Street Director Amber Varona. “Main Street has worked to ensure this forward progress is advocated for and that the everyday person living, working and playing Downtown is represented in these revitalization and programming efforts.” Continue reading Tyler gets national honor
Man arrested after 3-year-old boy critically injured in crocodile enclosure: Police
(NEW YORK) -- A man has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder after a 3-year-old boy wound up in a crocodile enclosure at a zoo in eastern England, suffering serious injuries, according to police.
The "distressing incident" occurred Thursday afternoon at Johnsons of Old Hurst, a family-run farm and zoo located in Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, police said.
The boy "ended up in the crocodile enclosure" and was taken to a local hospital, where he was in critical but stable condition, Cambridgeshire police said.
A 30-year-old man who is an apparent stranger to the child has been arrested on suspicion of attempted murder in connection with the incident, police said.
"At this stage we are speaking to people who were at the zoo at the time of this distressing incident to understand more about the circumstances," Det. Insp. Verity McCann said in a statement. "We do not believe the man arrested and the child are known to each other."
The incident remains under investigation.
Huntingdon Member of Parliament Ben Obese-Jecty said his "thoughts are with the young victim and his family during a hugely traumatic and difficult time."
"This is now a live criminal investigation and I would ask people to refrain from speculation online," he said in a statement on social media.
Johnsons of Old Hurst said its tropical house, which is home to multiple species of crocodiles and other reptiles, will remain closed until further notice "out of respect to the family."
"Our thoughts and prayers are with the boy and his family following the incident that occurred today," Johnsons of Old Hurst said in a statement on social media Thursday.
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Obama Center’s opening draws former presidents, music legends and A-list celebrities
CHICAGO (AP) – Former President Barack Obama, joined by three former presidents, celebrated the opening of his presidential museum in Chicago in an extraordinary event Thursday that brought together world leaders, A-list celebrities, athletes and other internationally known figures.
Bono, John Legend, Christina Aguilera, Marc Anthony and Eddie Vedder took turns on the stage ahead of planned performances by Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder.
Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters were seated on stage with former presidents Joe Biden, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton along with former first ladies Jill Biden, Laura Bush and Hillary Rodham Clinton. Former Vice President Kamala Harris was also in attendance.
President Donald Trump was not in attendance. He called the $850 million center a “total disaster” in a social media post in February.
Michelle Obama spoke directly to her husband when she stepped up to the podium. “Eight years in the crucible and not once did you melt in the heat. Not once did you let it harden you.
“Instead, you used it to reveal your truest essence,” she said. “Your stubborn optimism and unflinching courage. Your dazzling brilliance and unpretentious decency. Your ferocious work ethic and absolutely unshakable moral fiber. And to do it all as a first.”
She ticked off highlights from her husband’s eight years in office, including ordering the raid that led to the killing of Osama bin Laden, “standing up for marriage equality” and “listening to science.”
“And you did it all with such grace and class and cool,” she said. “You made the hardest job in the world look like a walk in this beautiful park.”
Obama appeared to wipe away a tear as she praised him.
Michelle Obama also referenced the current “anxious and divisive times” and warned against being cynical or complacent as “everything feels so upside down.” She pitched the center as “a respite from all that.”
Jennifer Hudson sang the national anthem and Aguilera delivered a rousing rendition of “What a Wonderful World.” Pearl Jam’s Vedder, joined by Chicago teenagers in the nonprofit Guitars Over Guns program, sang an original song called “Better Believe,” written just for the dedication.
Legend sang “Someday We’ll All Be Free” and was joined by the rapper Common and Uniting Voices Chicago for their Academy Award-winning song “Glory.”
Bono, who said he was there representing the Irish, joined with The Edge in singing the U2 song “City of Blinding Lights.” The Roots served as the house band.
The invite-only celebration was livestreamed and kicks off a weekend of events centered around the Obama Presidential Center, which opens to the general public on Juneteenth. Thousands more watched from a nearby park.
Those at the event included California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate; civil rights leaders Andrew Young and Al Sharpton; Oprah Winfrey; comedians David Letterman, Conan O’Brien and Stephen Colbert; actor Tom Hanks; tennis legend Billie Jean King and Chicago Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts.
Former world leaders in attendance included former Germany Chancellor Angela Merkel and former Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
“This is not a monument to the Obamas,” said Valerie Jarrett, the Obama Foundation’s chief executive and former Obama top adviser. “This is a tribute to all those who made this journey possible.”
Martin Nesbitt, chair of the Obama Foundation board, wore a tan suit in a joking nod toward the outfit Obama wore in 2014, drawing criticism over his fashion choice.
General admission tickets for the center are sold out through the end of October. But tens of thousands of people have already been offered a sneak peek of the nearly 20-acre campus on Chicago’s South Side in Jackson Park.
The center, located near where Obama lived and began his political career, is expected to attract more than 1 million visitors annually. It is adjacent to the Griffin Museum of Science and Industry in the lakefront park, and not far from the University of Chicago.
The campus includes a towering museum that covers the political and personal realms of the nation’s first Black president and first lady, while public spaces include a branch of the Chicago Public Library, a playground and athletic center, basketball courts and a picnic area with grills.
The tower’s design is meant to depict four hands coming together in solidarity. Wrapped around one side are 5-foot tall concrete capital letters, an excerpt of Obama’s 2015 speech commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march. It begins, “You are America.”
Comedy trailblazer Tom Dreesen, Sinatra’s longtime opening act, dies at 86
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Tom Dreesen, who along with partner Tim Reid formed one of America’s first interracial stand-up comedy duos and later spent years as Frank Sinatra’s opening act, died Wednesday. He was 86.
Dreesen died at his home in Los Angeles, according to publicist Lori De Waal. A cause of death was not provided.
After meeting in Chicago, Dreesen and Reid, who was Black, formed “Tim and Tom” in 1969. Against a backdrop of simmering racial tension, they used humor to address social issues and promote understanding between audiences of different backgrounds. They worked together until the mid-1970s. Reid went on to solo success playing DJ Venus Flytrap on the popular TV sitcom “WKRP in Cincinnati,” where Dreesen was a guest star.
“When I was a kid I found an album he and his comedy partner did called Tim and Tom and took it home and played it and it was one of the albums that changed the course of my life. So great,” comedian and filmmaker Mike Binder wrote on X.
After splitting with Reid, Dreesen honed a solo comedy act, making over 500 national TV appearances, including 60 visits to “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson.” He also was a frequent guest and sometime guest host on “The Late Show with David Letterman.” Their friendship dated to the early 1970s when both worked at The Comedy Store in West Hollywood, California.
Dreesen’s final TV appearance came last week on “Comics Unleashed with Byron Allen,” which replaced Stephen Colbert’s canceled CBS late-night show.
Dreesen was Sinatra’s opening act for 14 years and became close with the entertainer.
“If he loved you, he worshipped the ground you walked on,” Dreesen told The Desert Sun newspaper in 2014. ”In a lot of ways, he was like a father to me. I didn’t have a father that really cared that much where I was and what I did. But Frank would give me advice and counsel, and then he was a buddy in a lot of ways. I thought the world of him.”
Dressen also toured with Sinatra’s fellow Rat Pack member Sammy Davis Jr., as well as Liza Minnelli, Smokey Robinson, Gladys Knight and Tony Orlando.
“He was one of the most brilliant comedians of all time. Tonight, he’ll once again be opening for Dean, Frank and Sammy,” Deana Martin, a daughter of Dean Martin, posted on X.
In 2008, he co-wrote the book “Tim and Tom: An American Comedy Act in Black and White” and in 2020 he authored his memoir.
Dreesen acted in such TV shows as “Columbo,” “Murder, She Wrote,” and “Touched by an Angel.” His film roles included “Spaceballs,” “Man on the Moon” and “Trouble With the Curve,” as well as the HBO movies “The Rat Pack” and “Lansky.”
Dreesen was active in charitable work, motivational speaking and veterans’ causes, including serving as ambassador for the Gary Sinise Foundation.
“America lost one of our great comedians and patriots, and I lost a dear friend,” Sinise posted on X.
He was born on Sept. 11, 1939, in Chicago and raised as one of eight children in suburban Harvey. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy at age 17 and after getting out in 1960 he returned home to work a series of jobs, including selling insurance.
Dreesen is survived by daughters Amy and Jennifer from his marriage to Maryellen Subock, which ended in divorce in 1984, as well as seven grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his son Tommy
Data shows student chronic absenteeism is declining. The solutions are complex
(WASHINGTON) -- Nayleen Escalante-Villatoro, a sixth grader at Brookland Middle School in Washington, D.C., has struggled significantly with attending school.
She said whenever there are family problems that force her mother to take off work, she has to step in.
"Me and my older sibling stay home to watch the little ones," Nayleen told ABC News, adding, "It makes me feel stressed because I'm missing school and I'm not learning."
This not only frustrates Nayleen, but it also impacts her studies: "I have to do a lot of makeup work after all the missing assignments that I haven't done," she added.
Kids like Nayleen face a multitude of challenges at school -- when they're there.
From the rigors of learning how to read and write to addressing mental health concerns and outside distractions, students juggle more than just their classroom workloads. A combination of these issues and other societal factors has fueled an attendance crisis that's led to a spike in student chronic absenteeism -- defined as missing at least 10% of the school year -- in recent years, according to experts who spoke to ABC News.
While one in three students nationwide experienced chronic absenteeism during the 2021-2022 academic year, the rate is declining, from up to 30% to roughly 24% by the start of the past school year, according to estimates from the Return 2 Learn tracker reviewed by ABC News.
Government officials are also collecting data on K-12 chronic absenteeism but the Department of Education recently told ABC News it couldn't yet provide it. Its National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) told ABC News in 2023 that chronic absenteeism increased from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
However, there's been no silver bullet to the problem. Different states have taken their own approach, from going door-to-door to check on students to providing high-impact tutoring at school. Education and health experts also emphasize family engagement, community relationships, extracurricular activities and outdoor recreation are potential solutions for chronically absent students.
Hedy Chang, CEO of Attendance Works, a nonprofit focused on addressing absenteeism, said that when kids aren't showing up to school, it's an indication that engagement isn't happening.
"When you treat it as a matter of engagement, that's when we build the relationships with families, which make them trust schools and it builds a relationship so that we can actually find out what are the underlying causes of why kids aren't showing up," Chang told ABC News.
United Family Advocates Executive Director Joanna Lack is calling for more attention to those underlying causes. Lack worked on the issue for many years as the chief performance officer in Camden, New Jersey, and has since transitioned to the non-profit organization dedicated to keeping families safe and together.
"We've been looking at the wrong problem instead of opening up the hood and saying 'What's actually going on here?'" she said.
Home life among 'constellation' of issues
Student absenteeism is often correlated with household or child welfare problems that impact the student's school life, according to UFA's Lack.
"Chronic absenteeism is like the symptom that you experience, but it's not the disease, and we've been treating it like it's the disease," Lack said.
The Department of Health and Human Services does not have a specific initiative targeting chronic absenteeism. However, Head Start and the Family Opportunity, Resilience, Grit, Engagement-Fatherhood (FORGE) program under the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) both aim to improve outcomes in child welfare and enhance early childhood education, according to HHS officials.
Chang said there isn't an urgent need for new federally funded programs or aid, just better use of ones that are available.
"I need existing programs to think about how they use chronic absence data to collaborate and work together to support kids and families and make sure the kids who need their resources, or the schools that need their resources, are getting it," she said.
There's a "constellation" of issues that contribute to increased absences, from child welfare involvement to unstable housing, but Lack noted that families are complex and kids don't come in silos.
Activity makes a 'huge difference'
Nayleen is one of the thousands of students across the country who participate in extracurricular activities through the SCORES program, which creates safe environments where young people can build connections with their communities, according to its website. She said DC SCORES -- which provides soccer, poetry, and service-learning programs -- has helped her return to class more regularly.
She explained that playing soccer with DC SCORES has empowered her and she looks forward to talking to her coach after attending school.
"It helps me because whenever I'm going through stuff he will understand me," she said. "Sometimes he will help me. He will sit down and have a talk with me," she said, adding, "Whenever I'm down, he will ask me if I'm OK."
At the last month's inaugural National Executive Forum on Health and Outdoor Recreation, which combined outdoor recreation industry and health leaders to promote using recreation as a pillar of public health, experts told ABC News that recess makes a "huge difference" for holistic growth in adolescents.
Outdoor Recreation Roundtable President Jessica Turner emphasized that being outside is fundamental to student health.
"We've stepped back so far from incorporating the outdoors into our lives and to step back into it doesn't take very much," Turner told ABC News. "It's not a heavy lift."
Schools supporting parents and kids
Chang, of Attendance Works, said chronic absenteeism isn't inevitable.
She stressed that schools are starting to adopt more effective family engagement strategies for those dealing with attendance issues.
Shavar Jeffries, CEO of the KIPP Foundation, which operates the largest public charter school network in the nation, has utilized some simple yet effective solutions to correct absenteeism.
Jeffries told ABC News that when a student doesn't show up, they call the family "immediately."
"'Johnny, Mary, didn't come to school today. We really need them because they are going to miss an opportunity to learn,'" he said, adding "Then, frankly, sometimes we also say: You got to figure it out."
"Get your baby to school because they can't learn to fulfill that potential if you're not able to do that," Jeffries added.
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Flu outbreak among Air Force recruits at Joint Base San Antonio after Hegseth ends mandatory flu vaccine
(SAN ANTONIO) -- The basic training facility for the Air Force in San Antonio, Texas, is experiencing a flu outbreak following the end of mandatory vaccination for all service members.
As of Wednesday, there are at least 159 known cases among recruits and two hospitalizations at Joint Base San Antonio, two sources familiar with the matter told ABC News. One source told ABC News the number of cases and hospitalizations may be higher.
The outbreak comes after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced in April that the annual flu vaccine would be optional for all U.S. military personnel, both active and reserve.
Previously, the flu vaccine was mandatory, but the new policy is in line with a previous change of making the COVID-19 vaccine optional.
The Pentagon has granted the military services exceptions to the policy, so the flu vaccine can be required in certain cases.
An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the outbreak to ABC News and said in a statement that over the last three weeks there has been a "localized influenza outbreak among trainees at Basic Military Training."
"Medical professionals and Public Health officials have implemented mitigation measures to isolate and treat symptomatic trainees to reduce further exposure and continue to monitor the situation," the statement read. "Medical personnel are also monitoring trainees who were in close contact with sick members in case they become symptomatic."
The spokesperson said symptomatic trainees are receiving "the appropriate care" including antiviral medications such as Tamiflu.
"Once they are cleared by medical professionals they will return to training," the statement said.
Earlier this year, when Hegseth ended mandatory vaccination, he referred to the policy as "overly broad and not rational."
"Our new policy is simple: If you, an American warrior entrusted to defend this nation, believe that the flu vaccine is in your best interest, then you are free to take it; you should. But we will not force you," Hegseth said.
The sources told ABC News that there is 40% flu vaccination rate among recruits at the San Antonio base since the mandate was lifted. Previously, the rate was nearly 100%.
Chief Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told ABC News that the Defense Department recently granted exceptions to the policy for the Army, Navy, Air Force, National Security Agency (NSA) and Defense Health Agency (DHA) through the Under Secretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness.
"The decisions were based upon thorough risk assessments and are designed to maximize operational readiness, lethality, and force generation, while safeguarding at-risk populations," Parnell said. "The Army, Navy, Air Force, NSA, and DHA are responsible for implementing the [exceptions to the policy]. The Department remains committed to the health and readiness of our warfighters and civilian personnel."
The annual flu vaccine is currently recommended to everyone over 6 months old between September and the start of November. Although the typical flu season ends by February or March, people can become infected at any time.
People who travel internationally or live in group settings are at higher risk of transmitting and acquiring infectious diseases.
Public health specialists have warned that military members may suffer unnecessary complications from the flu after the vaccination mandate was ended and fear that severe cases will continue to climb in subsequent flu seasons if preventive vaccinations aren't given to those most at risk.
Evidence has shown that young recruits are much more vulnerable to severe infection from influenza compared to other service members, though lower than the general population due to the military having historically high immunization rates.
A study published last year by the Defense Health Agency found that from the 2010-2011 to the 2023-2024 flu seasons, the highest rate of influenza hospitalizations among active service members were among those under the age of 25, especially young recruits.
The flu vaccine has been required for the military since 1945, at the end of World War II, partly tied to the threat of biological warfare use by rival nations and as well as the devastation that the flu pandemic of 1918-1920 wreaked on U.S. troops, according to a 2022 analysis from Wright State University in Ohio and the U.S. Air Force.
It's estimated that between 20% and 40% of Army and Navy personnel fell ill, with more than 26,000 deaths among U.S. soldiers during the 1918-1920 flu pandemic.
After researchers noticed the effectiveness of the vaccine fading, the mandate was withdrawn in 1949. This was later found to be caused by abrupt and major changes to the flu virus -- and the mandate was reinstated in the early 1950s after the changes became "clearer and combatable," according to the analysis.
Compliance among military health care personnel has exceeded 95% in past years, compared to less than 75% among civilian health care personnel.
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At Shinnecock, the forecast calls for a windy, wild US Open
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — The sight of workers dragging a garden hose onto the seventh green in the middle of the final round at Shinnecock Hills in 2004 has long been remembered as the equivalent of the USGA waving a white flag. The message: We’ve officially lost the golf course.
This year, with the U.S. Open returning to one of the country’s most difficult and windswept layouts, the USGA sent a message before the tournament began: It will be watering the greens and it’s not a sign of surrender.
It is, however, the reality of what’s shaping up to be a rough week at what is traditionally the season’s roughest major — America’s national championship. Sustained wind near the eastern tip of Long Island was expected to rise beyond 30 mph at times for the opening round.
The 126th edition of U.S. Open began ominously Thursday morning when the large American flag atop the clubhouse was crackling at 6:30 a.m. Fog began to roll in, prompting James Nicholas to ask the starter if they were on time.
“I just wanted to make sure,” Nicholas said. “I can’t see the fairway.”
But he had plenty of room to see the flight of his 3-iron. To give the players a chance, the USGA has made the fairways wide and is trying to keep the greens soft and slower than usual.
That’s all part of the plan to keep it tough but fair.
“When we start to talk about numbers in the mid-30s, that becomes problematic in a number of ways,” John Bodenhamer, the USGA official in charge of course setup, said in referencing the wind forecast.
Shinnecock, considered one of America’s true cathedrals of golf, has also been the scene of some of its more jarring debacles.
In 2018, Phil Mickelson, frustrated with a ball he putted past the hole on No. 13 that just kept rolling, jogged toward the ball and swatted it back up the hill while it was still moving. That was a two-shot penalty that left the left-hander “embarrassed and disappointed by my actions.”
In 2004, organizers had to water the heavily sloped Redan green on No. 7 in between groups on Sunday — the signature moment on a fiasco of a day in which not a single player broke par.
Bodenhamer outlined a plan for the first two days, in which the USGA built in more time between the morning and afternoon waves to “syringe” the greens. He described that as applying a light mist on top of the surfaces, sort of like what happens when they water vegetables in the produce section at the grocery store.
He said course workers would wait until as late as possible before the start of the weekend rounds to water, in hopes they would remain receptive throughout the day. Saturday’s forecast calls for heavy wind out of the north and northwest, which is the opposite of normal at Shinnecock and can blow balls from the back to front of what Bodenhamer called “the problematic greens — or the more severe greens, not problematic.”
He said the speeds of the greens could be set to measure around 10 on the stimpmeter. A normal reading for a major would be around 13. If that’s the case, these could be the slowest U.S. Open putting surfaces he can recall since 1995, when Corey Pavin won at Shinnecock with a score of even par.
But when asked what this year’s trip around Shinnecock could look like, Bodenhamer brought up 1992, when Tom Kite used a 6-iron on the 102-yard seventh hole, then chipped in from left of the green to set up a win in gale conditions at Pebble Beach.
“We think Thursday could look a little bit like that, with what we’re seeing in the forecast,” Bodenhamer said. “We’ve given that some thought.”
The USGA has been transparent with the players about the watering plan.
“When I first heard of it, my first reaction was, ‘That’s stupid, why are they doing that?’” Rory McIlroy said. “Then, once you actually listen and you’ve let them break it down to you, you’re, like, ‘Yeah, that makes sense.’”
Since Bodenhamer took over the course setup job in 2019, the USGA has more or less stopped using par as a benchmark for a winning score. The year before he took over, Brooks Koepka won at Shinnecock with a score of 1 over. Since then, the average winning score has been nearly 7 under, even with notoriously tough courses like Winged Foot and Oakmont in the mix.
This year, the goal, in Bodenhamer’s words, is to “let Shinnecock be what it’s supposed to be.”
If the wind kicks up, as expected, it will be the toughest test in golf. If it doesn’t and the USGA sticks with its watering plan, it could turn into something totally different.
“It is a very unique site. It is up on top of the hill. It does get battered by the elements,” Justin Rose said. “The course changes dramatically from morning to afternoon. What I’m hearing is some slightly different protocols this week make sense to me, and I think it’s set up to be a great tournament.”
Trump administration reveals list of civil rights, climate change materials removed from national parks
(WASHINGTON) -- The Trump administration revealed the list of materials that the National Park Service removed from parks across the country that relate to civil rights, diverse populations, science and the environment.
The list was made public on Wednesday as part of a court filing brought by various organizations. The Interior Department is appealing a federal judge’s order to restore those materials ahead of America 250 celebrations on July 4.
Included in the list are vague descriptions of the materials that were removed and their location. The list, however, does not provide images of the content that NPS found objectionable.
Examples of items that were removed include signs about climate change at parks like Acadia National Park in Maine and Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge in New York; materials involving civil rights at the National Mall in Washington, D.C. and at the Medgar and Myrtle Evans Home National Monument in Jackson, Mississippi; materials involving slavery at the President’s House in Philadelphia and materials on women’s rights at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge at the Gateway National Recreation Area in New York.
The list also includes reasons for the removals.
“Disparages Americans past or living” appears to be the reason provided by NPS for the removal of items related to civil rights, diverse communities, slavery and atrocities committed by the United States against Native Americans.
“Unrelated to beauty, abundance and grandeur of the national landscape” was listed as the reason for the removal of items related to science and the environment.
A spokesperson for the Interior Department confirmed to ABC News in a statement that the government is appealing the judge’s order to restore the items.
“We fully believe politically charged language denigrating our Founding Fathers is inappropriate and only further divides Americans,” the spokesperson said. “Through President Trump, we have encouraged Americans to visit our cultural and historic sites and engage in meaningful conversations about the moments that have shaped our country.”
The spokesperson added that the government seeks to “strengthen our shared understanding and ensure that future generations inherit not just the land we love, but the truth of the journey that brought us here.”
ABC News reached out to the Interior Department and NPS for further comment.
U.S. District Judge Angel Kelley ordered the restoration of the materials in a Friday ruling and cast their removal by NPS as “a dangerous precedent of censorship and sanitization.” She ordered the government to restore all items by July 3.
The federal government has filed a motion asking for an emergency stay pending appeal, which would block the restoration as the appeals court considers the case. In the motion, the government argued that the restoration of the materials would cause "irreparable harm.”
In response, Kelley ordered the government to produce the list of changes and the condition of the materials, writing that this information was necessary for her to consider the government’s argument.
The removal of materials, which relate to civil rights, diverse communities, science and the environment, was made in compliance with a March 27, 2025, executive order in which President Donald Trump ordered the Interior Department to remove content that cast the United States’ “founding principles and historical milestones in a negative light.”
The complaint filed in February challenges the removal of the materials and was brought by a coalition of organizations committed to preserving history, the parks and the environment.
"National parks belong to the American people and censorship of any kind goes against the values these places represent," said Alan Spears, a senior director " said Alan Spears, a senior director at the National Parks Conservation Association, one of organizations suing NPS. "Americans count on national parks to help us understand our full, rich history. Stories of triumph and tragedy alike deserve to be told out loud at parks."
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NHL clears Mike Babcock to coach the Oilers after review of his Columbus tenure
NEW YORK (AP) — The NHL said Thursday it completed a review of Mike Babcock’s tenure in Columbus, cleared him to coach the Edmonton Oilers if they opt to hire him.
The league launched an investigation at the request of the NHL Players’ Association in light of the Edmonton Oilers’ interest in hiring Babcock. The league in a statement said even in the least favorable light, there was no basis to restrict Babcock’s employment.
It was not immediately clear if or when the Oilers would name Babcock coach. They have been looking for a replacement since firing Kris Knoblauch following a first-round playoff exit that came after back-to-back trips to the Stanley Cup Final.
Babcock, 63, has not coached in the NHL since 2019, when he was fired by Toronto 23 games into his fifth season in charge. The Blue Jackets hired him on July 1, 2023, and Babcock resigned in September after his requests for personal photos from players in an attempt to get to know them drew criticism as an invasion of privacy.
A statement from the NHLPA called the allegations very concerning and said, “Moving forward, we expect that Mr. Babcock will uphold the high standards required of NHL head coaches.”
The NHL dropped its planned investigation at the time because Babcock stepped down. It got underway this week after the final ended
Babcock coached Detroit to the Stanley Cup in 2008 and has made two other trips to the final, along with guiding Canada to Olympic gold medals in 2010 and ’14.
Layoffs expected with contract ending
TYLER – Dozens of Tyler workers could lose their jobs by the end of June after John Soules Foods abruptly moved to end its sanitation contract with Fortrex, putting the company’s entire on?site workforce at risk.
Fortrex said it may have to shut down its operations at the facility effective June 26, which would affect all 84 Fortrex employees working at the John Soules Foods plant at FM 14 in Tyler.
The John Soules Foods plant itself will continue operating and is expected to bring in a different sanitation provider.
“The unforeseen business circumstances related to John Soules Foods, Inc.’s decision to immediately cease operations at its plant are not something that we anticipated,” Fortrex said in a statement. “We hope that this notice will be helpful to you in making a smooth transition.”
College sports bill clears key Senate hurdle despite SEC, Big Ten opposition
WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill that top lawmakers and athletic leaders have described as the best chance to stabilize college sports cleared a key vote in the Senate on Thursday with bipartisan support after weeks of input from schools, conferences and athletes.
The bipartisan Protect College Sports Act aims to regulate payments to players, limit them to one free transfer over their careers and create a rule to restrict coaches from changing jobs during a season. It advanced out of the Senate Commerce Committee on a 19-9 vote Thursday and now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
The legislation is the product of months of negotiations between Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Sen. Maria Cantwell of Washington, the top lawmakers on the Senate Commerce Committee, and comes as lawmakers in both chambers of Congress are grappling with whether it’s time for them to intervene in college sports.
“The greatest risk facing college athletics today is not any single controversy, court decision, or headline. The greatest threat to college sports is inaction,” Cruz said in opening remarks.
Bill moves forward without Big Ten and SEC support
The committee vote advancing the bill — which included Senate Majority Leader John Thune voting in favor — followed endorsements from several athletic conferences, the NFL and its players union, and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee. The Olympic committee backed the revised measure after lawmakers added additional protections for women’s and Olympic sports.
Yet the two most powerful conferences in college sports — the Southeastern Conference and the Big Ten Conference — are not supporting it. In a joint statement released Thursday morning, the two conferences wrote that “revisions are needed to secure our support for the bill.”
“What we did today was say we’re not going to let the most powerful, richest conferences dictate to the rest of America what’s going to happen to 500,000 athletes,” Cantwell said after the committee vote.
Earlier this month, the Congressional Black Caucus also urged the Senate to suspend action on the bill in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that effectively disabled a key provision of the Voting Rights Act. Democratic Sen. Lisa Blunt Rochester of Delaware, a member of the CBC, voted against the legislation Thursday.
Support and opposition for the bill does not fall neatly along party lines, reflecting the national reach of SEC and Big Ten schools and broader divisions in Congress.
While President Donald Trump has backed the bill, multiple Republicans opposed the legislation Thursday, while several Democrat supported it.
Some of the senators who voted against the bill represent states that are home to prominent SEC and Big Ten programs, including Michigan Sen. Gary Peters, a Democrat, and Republican Sens. Todd Young of Indiana and Roger Wicker of Mississippi.
“We still are trying to get some changes that the Big Ten would like to see,” Peters told The Associated Press late Wednesday.
A long road ahead
Clearing the committee is just the first step in a long process.
Passage through the Senate is far from guaranteed, as leaders already have a packed schedule and a dwindling number of legislative days left before the November election. The bill would need to clear a 60-vote threshold in the 53-47 Republican-controlled chamber.
The bill will also still need to clear the House. Earlier this year, House Republican leadership had been working toward a vote on its own college sports bill, known as the SCORE Act, before the Congressional Black Caucus announced its unanimous opposition.
Still, supporters on Thursday touted the committee action as a massive step forward.
“Today we are proving that we are resilient in keeping this product moving,” Cantwell said.
Ben Stiller confirms upcoming Knicks documentary with A24
Ben Stiller is working on a documentary about the New York Knicks.
The actor opened up about what he called a "dream project" in a new interview.
"Couldn’t be more excited to make this doc with @A24 and @HBO about the NY KNICKS!!!!!! #LETSGOKNICKS," the actor and director wrote in an X post Wednesday.
The Knicks' hometown held a ticker-tape parade on Thursday to celebrate their first NBA championship since 1973 last weekend.
Stiller, a Knicks fan, has been seen recording video footage with an iPhone courtside at recent games and throughout the last season.
He discussed the project with Knicks captain and MVP Jalen Brunson, Knicks guard Josh Hart and their co-host Matt Hillman on the latest Roommates Show podcast.
"We are officially making a documentary about the New York Knicks for HBO, and doing it with A24, and full cooperation of [Madison Square Garden] and NBA," Stiller said.
"Obviously, I've been shooting some stuff on my phone but it's kind of gonna be about all eras of the Knicks and this team, obviously, you know, there's a culmination here of something that has been going on for a long time," Stiller continued. "It's super exciting."
Stiller said he plans on filming more footage, including interviews with Knicks players, in the next Knicks season as well.
"There's so many great eras. And this team, I think, you know, when you look at the '70s championships, the '90s runs and then this team doing it again, I think there's just so much within that," said Stiller, adding that he wants to make a doc "for the fans."
A24 also confirmed to ABC News Wednesday that a "landmark" documentary about the Knicks and their legacy is in progress and the "multi-part series" will cover the NBA team's culture and history.
"The series will trace the full arc of the franchise from the 90s to the improbable, record-breaking run that finally returned a championship to New York. The series is expected to offer unprecedented NBA access, never-before-seen footage, and a definitive look at one of basketball's most iconic stories," said the production company.
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Reward increased after shooting
TYLER – A $25,000 reward has been offered by the FBI for information that results in the apprehension and conviction of those responsible for the shooting of a five-year-old. On the evening of May 29, Josiah Williams was shot at the Victory Parks Apartment in Tyler. For emergency care, Josiah was flown to a hospital in Dallas. Over thirty shell casings were found at the scene by investigators. Josiah was an innocent bystander, and officials believe the incident was gang-related. According to the FBI, multiple people are thought to have participated in the shooting, and all of the suspects are men.
Officer involved in shooting outside Walmart that killed 1-year-old boy placed on leave
(SENATOBIA, Miss.) -- An officer who fired upon a vehicle, killing a 1-year-old boy, outside a Walmart in Mississippi has been placed on administrative leave, officials said, as outraged community members call for justice amid an ongoing investigation into the deadly shooting.
The incident occurred Sunday afternoon outside a Walmart in Senatobia, located in northwestern Mississippi about 40 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee.
Law enforcement officers who responded to a shoplifting call encountered two adults allegedly fleeing from the store with a child and going into a vehicle, according to the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation. Officers attempted to stop the vehicle, with one opening fire when the driver allegedly drove toward them, the bureau said. The child was killed and an adult critically injured, officials said.
One-year-old Kohen Wiley, his mother and a family friend were in the vehicle at the time, according to Ben Crump Law, which has been retained by the victim's family. Kohen was killed and the family friend was critically injured, the law firm said.
The officer involved in the shooting has been placed on leave, according to Senatobia city officials. The decision was made during a meeting with city officials on Tuesday.
The name of the officer has not been released.
The Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is investigating the shooting. Mississippi Department of Public Safety Commissioner Sean Tindell, who oversees the bureau, promised transparency in the investigation.
"To make no mistake, this is a very tragic situation," Tindell said during a press briefing on Tuesday. "I want the public to be assured that the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation will conduct its independent investigation."
He said five agents are working on the case, gathering evidence and witness statements, to ultimately present to the state's attorney general's office. He said investigators are also working to get security footage from Walmart.
"I would ask that the public maintain patience as much as possible," Tindell said. I know this is a very frustrating time, but maintain patience as this process is done."
Tindell declined to get into the details of the case due to the ongoing investigation. He said body-camera footage will be released once the investigation is completed.
Civil rights and personal injury attorney Ben Crump, who is representing Kohen's family, said the child's mother has not been charged with any crime and that she says she was "trying to communicate to officers that there was a baby in the car."
"They fired anyway, leading to the death of an innocent 1-year-old," Crump said in a statement. "We intend to seek justice for baby Kohen and the life that was stolen from him."
Kohen's mother, Vellesiya Wiley, said in a video released through her attorneys that her friend was being pursued for allegedly shoplifting diapers.
"I raised my baby up trying to show them that he was in the car," she said. "By the time I sat my baby down, it was like three to four shots. One of the shots hit him in his ribcage."
Wiley said her friend was driving the vehicle at the time.
"They tried to say that she forcefully was trying to drive and hit them, but they was all on the right side and she was driving towards the left," she said.
Protesters outraged over the deadly shooting gathered outside the Senatobia City Hall on Tuesday for a rally, some holding signs saying "Justice for Kohen."
Later that night, protesters gathered in the Walmart parking lot where the shooting occurred, shouting, "No justice, no peace." Officers in riot helmets and gas masks formed a line at the front doors of the store, at one point appearing to fire tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The Walmart temporarily closed, before reopening on Wednesday morning.
"We're saddened by what took place at our Senatobia, MS, store," a Walmart spokesperson said in a statement on Monday in response to the shooting. "The safety of our associates and customers is a top priority. We're working with law enforcement as they continue investigating."
City officials called the deadly shooting a "heartbreaking tragedy" while urging residents to await the results of the investigation.
"We understand that emotions are high and that many questions remain. We respectfully ask our community to avoid speculation and the spread of unverified information while the investigation is underway," the city said in a statement on Tuesday. "Please allow the investigative process to take its course so that the facts -- not rumors or assumptions -- guide our understanding of this tragic event."
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