KILGORE – Police are warning residents to reduce their speeds while driving through construction areas after officers issued several speeding citations last week, according to our news partner, KETK, and Kilgore police. Officers say they gave several dozen citations to motorists speeding through the work area at I-20 and Highway 31. Some drivers reportedly were going over 70 miles per hour through the construction zone, even though the speed limit is reduced to 55 mph, whether workers are on the scene or not. Continue reading Police urge drivers to slow down
Rep. Jay Dean kicks off Beat the Heat
LONGVIEW – As summer creeps toward the height of its simmering heat, an East Texas representative is launching a $50,000 donation campaign to help local nonprofits provide relief from the heat for communities in need.
Rep. Jay Dean announced on Monday his $5,000 donation to Habitat for Humanity, kicking off the campaign to support their Beat the Heat program. The program was started in 2011 by Dean after East Texas endured record-breaking temperatures and one of the worst droughts in its history. Through Beat the Heat, seniors, veterans, families and others in need have access to life-saving air conditioning. Continue reading Rep. Jay Dean kicks off Beat the Heat
‘Air Bud Returns’ gets teaser trailer, new release date
The teaser trailer for Air Bud Returns has arrived.
Cineverse and Air Bud Entertainment have released the first trailer for the latest film in the family-friendly franchise.
Air Bud Entertainment founder Robert Vince wrote and directed the film. He previously produced all 14 other films in the franchise, and wrote and directed 10 of them.
"After the passing of his father, 14-year-old Jacob and his mom move into his dad's childhood home in Fernfield, where anything is possible. Jacob dreams of becoming a basketball star, which seems further away than ever, until he discovers a VHS marked Air Bud," according to an official description of the film. "Jacob has a miraculous chance meeting with a basketball-playing golden retriever, Buddy. The duo embarks on a journey of healing, unites a basketball team of misfits, and chases a championship as the new Timberwolves."
This new movie was announced in July 2025. At the time, Vince said that “Air Bud Returns isn’t just another sequel or remake—it’s a unique story.”
“This movie will engage nostalgic Air Bud fans while introducing a new generation to the beloved basketball-playing golden retriever, Buddy. It builds upon the legacy of the OG Air Bud with all the fun, the magic, heartwarming scenes, and Buddy playing basketball. More than anything, it’s a deeply human story about a dog and boy, centered on themes of adaptation, redemption, and teamwork,” Vince said.
More than 1 billion people in over 30 languages worldwide have watched the original Air Bud film, according to a press release. It was released in 1997 and starred Kevin Zegers.
Air Bud Returns will be released exclusively in theaters on Jan. 22, 2027.
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Bryan Kohberger trying to challenge conviction in University of Idaho murders: Court documents
(BOISE, Idaho) -- Bryan Kohberger, who pleaded guilty last year to the University of Idaho murders, is trying to challenge his conviction, according to new court documents.
Kohberger filed a petition on Monday for post-conviction relief with the Ada County District Court. He is currently representing himself, according to the docket.
The family of victim Kaylee Goncalves said in a statement Monday that Kohberger admitted his guilt in his plea and "chose not to leave his fate -- or the facts of the case -- to a jury."
"We would have preferred a death-penalty trial; we believe fully in the evidence," the family said. "Instead, [Kohberger] received exactly what he asked for: a deal that spared his life. Know this -- he hates that life. He wants another chance to roll the dice."
If Kohberger is granted a hearing, the family said that day in court will offer him a "welcome break from solitary confinement: a ride, perhaps different food, photos taken, and the spotlight once again fixed on him and his supposed 'innocence.'"
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador said in a statement Monday, "My heart goes out to the families of Madison, Kaylee, Xana, and Ethan, who have already endured unimaginable loss and now must face today's deeply painful news. My office stands ready to do whatever is necessary to ensure justice is fully carried out."
Kohberger was arrested for the stabbing deaths of four University of Idaho students -- roommates Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen and Xana Kernodle, and Kernodle's boyfriend, Ethan Chapin -- at the girls' off-campus house in 2022.
DNA from a knife sheath left at the crime scene was found to be a "statistical match" to Kohberger, authorities said. Kohberger's phone was also near the victims' house at least 12 times before the murders, court documents said, with all of those times, except for one, late at night or early in the morning.
In July 2025, weeks before his trial was set to start, Kohberger pleaded guilty to all counts. As part of the plea deal, the death penalty was taken off the table.
Kohberger was given four consecutive life sentences for four first-degree murder counts as well as 10 years for the burglary count. Kohberger -- a criminology student at Washington State University at the time of the murders -- didn't address the court at sentencing.
Authorities said last year that the motive remained unknown and they didn't know which victim was the specific target.
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Hiway 80 shelter needs bottled water
TYLER – As temperatures rise across East Texas, Hiway 80 Rescue Mission needs water bottles so they can continue providing comfort and shelter to those in need.
“With temperatures continuing to climb across East Texas, we’re seeing more men, women, and families seeking shelter, visiting our day centers, and relying on our outreach teams for relief,” Hiway 80 said on Sunday. “We’re currently in need of cases of bottled water to help us continue serving our community during these extreme temperatures.”
Since the start of their nonprofit in 1955, Hiway 80 has grown to run shelters for men, women and families in Tyler, Longview and Marshall, alongside their recovery programs and community outreach services. Continue reading Hiway 80 shelter needs bottled water
ICE extends no-bid contract for major detention center in Texas, rejecting calls for closure
EL PASO (AP) = U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement plans to keep one of its largest and most expensive detention facilities open for at least another year despite calls to close it over reported human rights abuses, according to a notice published last week.
ICE plans to extend the no-bid contract of the firm that runs Camp East Montana in El Paso, Texas, through Sept. 30, 2027, at a potential additional cost to taxpayers of $776 million, the notice says. This is on top of a $452 million initial contract that the firm, Amentum Services Inc., was awarded in March when it was hastily installed to take over the camp’s operation from a contractor removed for poor performance.
For months, Democratic members of Congress and several advocacy organizations have called for Camp East Montana to be closed, citing reports that detainees have been routinely mistreated since its opening in August 2025.
A report released earlier this month by Human Rights Watch and the American Civil Liberties Union alleged that staff routinely beat detainees, denied them medical care, made them live in filthy conditions and fed them inedible meals. Reports by federal agencies have also found unsafe detention conditions and that the Army and ICE have wasted millions of dollars paying for unnecessary services. At least three Camp East Montana detainees have died.
The facility at Fort Bliss, an Army base near the U.S.-Mexico border, has housed an average of more than 2,000 male and female detainees a day since Oct. 1, though its population has declined significantly in recent months, according to ICE data.
“Extending Amentum’s contract while ignoring well-documented abuses is reckless and demonstrates the Trump administration’s full-scale assault on human rights,” said Angélica César, a fellow at Human Rights Watch and the ACLU who was a lead researcher for the report. “Instead of holding private contractors accountable, DHS is choosing to perpetuate a system of harm and abuse.”
Chanel Mann, a spokesperson for Amentum, referred questions to ICE and its parent agency, the Department of Homeland Security, which didn’t immediately return messages seeking comment.
ICE’s notice was a justification for extending Amentum Services’ contract for a year without a competitive bidding process.
The agency argued that relocating detainees to other facilities would be “impracticable” due to a lack of available bed space elsewhere. Transitioning to a different contractor would require replacing Amentum’s “proprietary infrastructure” and finding new workers, which would lead to duplicative costs, it said.
“Any lapse in contract coverage would directly threaten the life, safety, and well-being of detainees, severely disrupt law enforcement operations, and expose the government to substantial operational, legal, and humanitarian risks,” the notice says.
ICE’s notice said the Army’s initial contract, awarded to Acquisition Logistics LLC, “did not accurately reflect ICE’s operational needs or the actual usage of the facility.” Acquisition Logistics had no prior experience operating detention facilities.
In all, Virginia-based Amentum stands to be paid more than $1.2 billion if it operates the camp from March 2026 through September 2027, the notice says.
Overshown helps school kids
ARP – The Dallas Cowboys are gearing up for their 2026 Training Camp in Oxnard, California, but on Saturday, Cowboys linebacker DeMarvion Overshown returned home to Arp to hold his 4th Annual Back-to-School Giveaway.
According to our news partner KETK, kids from Arp and around East Texas showed up in droves at Arp City Park where Overshown, along with his friends and family, gave away backpacks and school supplies to these kids ahead of the upcoming school year.
Overshown, who’s entering his fourth season in the NFL, all with the Cowboys, said it’s important to him to come home and give back to the community that raised him and supports him on and off the football field. Continue reading Overshown helps school kids
James Comey files motion seeking dismissal of seashell indictment
(NEW YORK) -- Former FBI Director James Comey's attorneys have filed a motion seeking the dismissal of the indictment charging Comey for posting a picture on his Instagram account of seashells spelling out "8647," which federal prosecutors say constituted a threat against President Donald Trump's life.
"This indictment targets protected speech at the heart of the First Amendment," Comey's attorneys said in their filing, regarding the charges announced in April over the since-deleted Instagram post from May 2025.
"Mr. Comey, an outspoken critic of President Trump, posted a photograph of seashells spelling out '86 47,' a well-known political slogan that expresses opposition to the President," the filing said. "In fact, thousands of items featuring this slogan have been sold on the internet and are available to this day, and the slogan was commonly displayed at protests around the country in the months preceding Mr. Comey's post."
The filing, one of a series of anticipated efforts by Comey's legal team to have his case thrown out before trial, accuses the Justice Department of singling out Comey "to prosecute one of the President's most prominent critics for publishing another person's statement of political opposition."
"That attempt to suppress core political speech contravenes both the statutes at issue and the First Amendment," Comey's attorneys wrote.
Comey has vigorously denied his post was ever intended as a threat against Trump and is expected to plead not guilty in an arraignment scheduled for next month in North Carolina.
"Forcing Mr. Comey to stand trial for a statement opposing the President -- even if he is ultimately acquitted -- would itself be an unconstitutional punishment of free speech," the filing said. "And it would invite future prosecutions by the Executive Branch against perceived political enemies for their opposition to the President. Government officials have already warned that they plan to target citizens if they 'copycat' Mr. Comey's 'political statement.'"
In their motion Monday, Comey's attorneys revealed that after the former FBI director deleted his post, he contacted the local police chief "to notify him about the controversy over the post" and, as ABC News previously reported, agreed to be interviewed by Secret Service agents.
In making their argument that the post falls well short of the high legal bar to constitute a "true threat" as the Supreme Court has defined it, Comey's lawyers claimed that prosecutors have provided no evidence to support the necessary standard showing Comey himself intended to engage in a violent act.
They also pointed to recent statements made by President Trump that they argue go much farther in potentially inciting violence against his political enemies, including Trump's claim earlier this year that the lawmakers who posted the video urging service members to disobey unlawful orders amounted to "treason" that was "punishable by death."
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WNBA to add an NBA-style replay center next season in a major officiating investment
CHICAGO (AP) — The WNBA will have a replay center similar to the NBA next season as the league continues to invest in officiating, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced at her state of the league press conference Saturday before the All-Star Game.
Officiating has been a hot topic around the league for the last few seasons, with physical play being a major point of contention. The league put together a task force in the offseason to help clean up some of the physicality in the game.
“This is one of the most significant investments we’ve ever made in our basketball operations, this investments of tens of millions of dollars will help bring greater consistency, efficiency, and transparency to our officiating process while continuing to improve the quality of the game,” Engelbert said.
Engelbert said that a lot of the details on the replay center still need to be worked out, although she said, as of now, the last two-minute report that the NBA has won’t be used in the WNBA yet.
Fouls have been up this season as there has been an emphasis to help players’ freedom of movement. The increase in fouls has led to more offense as teams are averaging a record-high number of points. It has also led to longer games. Earlier this month, league gametimes were at an average of 2 hours, 8 minutes — the longest in league history.
Player safety
Engelbert said the league is continuing to work with the players to try and improve their safety off the court. The league and players’ union had a virtual meeting on Tuesday night to discuss what more can be done to combat the online hate.
“(For) too many players across the WNBA, that experience is unacceptable,” she said. “Many cases, it’s disgusting. Racism, misogyny, homophobia, the harassment and threats directed to our players has no place in sport or anywhere else.”
Engelbert said the feedback from the players was helpful to her.
Las Vegas Aces investigation wraps up
The WNBA’s investigation into whether a Las Vegas Aces sponsorship deal violated the salary cap was inconclusive, Engelbert said.
“No discipline will be recommended or imposed. Of course, if new or additional evidence comes to light, we’ll continue to investigate. But, you know, the integrity of our game is number one,” the commissioner said.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority offered in May 2024 a $100,000 sponsorship agreement to Aces players for each of the following two seasons. That amount exceeded the salaries for six of the players, according to Spotrac.
No such agreement was offered for this season, but player salaries also dramatically rose after the new collective-bargaining agreement was completed in May. Each Aces player earns at least $270,000, according to Spotrac. The initial offer prompted the league to launch a probe into whether it skirted salary-cap rules.
“We did this the right way,” LVCVA president and CEO Steve Hill said at the time. “We did something that we think works for Las Vegas and I think great for the players. We did this without the team. It was our idea and any questions they ask they’ll find that out.”
Increased communication between players and the league
Engelbert said that the league needs to do better communicating with its players, whether its through texts or emails or some other form. One of the chief complaints from players has been that they have no relationship with the commissioner. A’ja Wilson said before the game that the only time she talks to Engelbert is when she’s receiving trophies.
“I’ve been talking with the players about how much they want to hear from us, how much they don’t,” Engelbert said. “We do send them a lot of email updates and things like that. They’re a generation that doesn’t check email as much. So we have to get better at a text chain. … We have to be better at it. it’s something certainly like if a player is getting honored or players gets hurt or something like, I try to reach out to them, and, yeah. So we need to be better at it. There’s no doubt I need to be better.”
Engelbert’s future
Engelbert sidestepped a question about if she planned to be the commissioner next season.
“I’m so blessed to have to be at the helm of this league during this incredible hypergrowth period. So blessed that these players are putting the product on the court,” she said. “I will just continue to, you know, do my job, execute the strategy because it has been working.”
Positive metrics
Engelbert said that this is already the most-watched WNBA season of all-time, with the 117 broadcasts reaching over 73 million unique viewers. Twenty-nine of the games averaged over one million viewers — the most ever at the All-Star break. They had 11 all of last season.
There have been more than 2.2 million fans at games so far this year, which is up 16% from last season.
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Acuña returns to NL East-leading Braves after missing almost 7 weeks with left hamstring strain
NEW YORK (AP) — The Atlanta Braves activated outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. from the injured list on Monday after the 2023 National League MVP missed almost seven weeks with a left hamstring strain.
Acuña is expected to be available for Monday night’s opener of a three-game series at the New York Mets.
The five-time All-Star is hitting .251 with seven home runs, 22 RBIs and 15 steals. His season has been shortened by two hamstring injuries. He missed 15 games in May with the same injury.
When Acuña was placed on the injured list on June 9, the Braves topped the majors with a 45-23 record and led the NL East by eight games over Philadelphia. Atlanta struggled in June without Acuña but has rebounded following the All-Star break and at 62-43 leads the second-place Phillies by 5 1/2 games.
Acuña also has suffered two serious knee injuries in his career. He sustained a season-ending torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in May 2024 and tore his right ACL midway through the 2021 season.
Though Acuña split time in his rehabilitation stint at designated hitter and in the outfield, Braves manager Walt Weiss recently said he expects Acuña will play primarily in right field, his normal position.
The Braves optioned outfielder Brewer Hicklen to Triple-A Gwinnett.
76ers celebrate James’ arrival with coronation photo fit for basketball’s King
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers sent the message that LeBron James was indeed — officially and perhaps amazingly — on the roster with a straightforward photo:
James’ blue No. 23 jersey hangs in a locker with a crown as a nod to his King nickname on the shelf.
The 76ers and James announced Monday their two-year deal on the veteran’s minimum for $8 million total was official and that the four-time NBA MVP was indeed a Sixer.
“There is no doubt LeBron is one of the greatest players to ever play the game of basketball and there are no words to measure the impact he’ll have on this organization,” team president Mike Gansey said.
The NBA’s career scoring leader, James revealed his choice on social media Friday, saying it will be his “last decision” and that it came after he strongly considered retirement.
“I believe I can help make the Philadelphia 76ers a championship team and I am so excited to energize a new fan base and start this incredible journey one last time,” James said.
James posted videos on his Instagram story Monday morning with the caption: “It’s that time again. 4:12 AM. Let’s get it.” He posed workout videos from the gym throughout the weekend.
A four-time NBA champion, James wrote he was “done” when his 23rd NBA season ended and that it was his last with the Los Angeles Lakers.
He instead reversed course and signed with a Sixers franchise that’s loaded with All-Star starters in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown yet has failed to win an NBA championship since 1983 or even advance out of the second round of the Eastern Conference playoffs since 2001.
James, who turns 42 in December, appears up for the challenge of turning the Sixers into champions much as he did when he ended a 56-year championship drought for Cleveland by leading the Cavaliers to the title in 2016.
“I cannot wait to see LeBron alongside Jaylen Brown, VJ Edgecombe, Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and our talented roster as we work to deliver a championship for Philly,” team owner Josh Harris said.
The Sixers went 45-37 last season and were swept in the second round by the eventual NBA champion New York Knicks.
James’ resume is beyond compare in NBA history. He is a 22-time All-Star, a 21-time All-NBA selection, a four-time Most Valuable Player, a four-time NBA Finals MVP, a three-time All-Star Game MVP and a member of the NBA’s 75th anniversary team.
He also is coming off a season in which he averaged 20.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 7.2 assists per game. For his career, he has averaged 26.8 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.4 assists in more than 1,600 games.
James started his career in Cleveland in 2003 and spent seven seasons with the Cavaliers before heading to Miami for four seasons — where he won his first two NBA titles. He then returned to Cleveland for four more seasons, including that title run in 2016, and left in 2018 for the Lakers and won a championship in 2020.
James is the first player in NBA history to be named an NBA Finals MVP with three different franchises.
James is set for a reunion with Gansey, who was hired in late May after the Sixers fired Daryl Morey.
Gansey joined the Cavaliers in 2011 and had worked as their general manager since 2022. His and James’ ties were first forged as Ohio basketball stars more than two decades ago. Gansey at Olmsted Falls High School was runner-up in 2001 for Ohio’s Mr. Basketball award to James — who won it three times for St. Vincent–St. Mary High School before bypassing college and going straight to the NBA.
“I have had the pleasure of knowing LeBron since high school and have seen the high-level impact he’s produced at every stop of his basketball journey,” Gansey said. “He is a consummate professional, the ultimate competitor and a tireless worker. But he is also an incredible person with natural leadership traits, a family man, and someone who possesses unwavering commitment to community and those around him.”
Remains located in woods
TYLER – A body was found near State Highway 64 in Tyler on Sunday, the Tyler Police Department said, according to our news partner KETK. The body was found close to the wooded area by the Walmart. At this time, the police said it doesn’t appear that there was any foul play. The cause of death is still under investigation. No other information was released at this time.
Musical based on Prince’s ‘Purple Rain’ coming to Broadway
A stage adaptation of Prince’s Purple Rain is coming to Broadway next spring.
Producer Orin Wolf has announced that the musical, which was first announced back in January 2024, will begin previews at New York's Majestic Theatre on March 12, 2027, with an official opening date of April 12, 2027.
The production will feature over 20 Prince hits, including such songs as "When Doves Cry," "I Would Die 4 U," "Take Me with You" and "The Beautiful Ones."
The musical will be set in Minneapolis in 1984, and like the original film, it centers around a magnetic performer known as The Kid. According to the description, he "seems like the perfect frontman to lead his bandmates to stardom. But when his past threatens everything he's built, he’ll have to sing his way out of the darkness and into the spotlight where he belongs."
The musical will be directed by Saheem Ali, Tony-nominated for Buena Vista Social Club, with a book by Peter Duchan, music by MJ The Musical Tony winner Jason Michael Webb and choreography by Ebony Williams.
So far no cast for the Broadway production has been announced. Tickets will go on sale in September.
Released in July 1984, Purple Rain grossed close to $70 million in the United States. The soundtrack was Prince’s first #1 and spent 24 weeks on the top of the chart.
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Carly Simon has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease, treated for skin cancer
NEW YORK (AP) — Singer Carly Simon has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and was recently treated for skin cancer, the singer shared in a statement provided to The Associated Press.
“So many people have written to me, kindly wondering about my relative silence, asking how I am and what I have been doing. The truth is, I’ve been learning how to live with Parkinson’s disease,” Simon’s statement on Monday read.
The singer, 83, had been experiencing arthritis in one of her hips and both her knees, resulting in replacement surgeries for those three joints. But her mobility continued to decline. At times, she said, she could not walk without “considerable help.”
“My family and I knew that something more was going on. After an extensive evaluation at the Mayo Clinic, I was diagnosed with Parkinson’s,” she said.
“It has taken me some time to understand the diagnosis, to adjust to it, and to decide how much I wanted to say about it publicly,” she explained. “Parkinson’s is different for everyone, and it can be unpredictable. Some days I’m so tired I can’t get the day moving at all. On others, it gives me a little more room to move, think, work, and feel like myself.”
Parkinson’s is a neurologic disease that robs people of control over their movements. It typically starts with tremors and is characterized by slow movement, a shuffling gait, stiff limbs, balance problems and slurred speech.
About 1 million Americans are living with Parkinson’s, and 10 million people worldwide, the Parkinson’s Foundation estimates. It usually appears after age 60, though it sometimes develops before age 50.
The exact cause isn’t known, but Parkinson’s develops when cells that produce one of the brain’s chemical messengers — dopamine — begin to deteriorate and die.
There is no cure, but there are treatments including medications that affect dopamine levels and a surgically implanted tremor-blocking device. Patients also can benefit from physical and occupational therapy.
“I began treatment, including taking medication to help with stiffness and other symptoms,” Simon said. “There is no tidy or predictable schedule to the illness. It does not consult my calendar before deciding what kind of day I am going to have.”
She also shared that she was treated for basal cell carcinoma, a common form of skin cancer, on her face at the same time. She had surgery, and the cancer was removed, “but the surgery affected my appearance and made me more self-conscious about being seen in public,” she said.
She said music has been a salve, and on Aug. 14, she will release “Comes in Waves,” her first album of original songs since 2008.
“Working on the music gave shape to days that did not always have much shape. It gave me somewhere to go without having to leave the room,” she continued. “It reminded me that illness can change your life without becoming the whole of your life.”
US-Canada bridge opens in Detroit even as trade disputes test the neighbors’ ties
DETROIT (AP) — A major new bridge linking Canada and the U.S. at Detroit opened Monday to trucks, cars and other vehicles, the climax of a yearslong project that lately had been bruised a bit by international politics.
Descendants of Gordie Howe, the hockey legend whose name is on the bridge, were among the first to cross over the Detroit River, which separates the Motor City from Windsor, Ontario.
The span, which was built by Canada at a cost of $6.4 billion Canadian, now becomes a less-expensive alternative to the privately owned Ambassador Bridge, which had a monopoly on big trucks carrying goods worth billions between the two countries, especially in service to the auto industry.
“There are thousands of trucks that go over” daily, said Kevin Ketels, a business professor who teaches supply chain management at Wayne State University.
Freddie Garrett, 81, said he regularly watched construction “ever since they put the foundation in” back in 2018. So naturally he showed up at Delray Park in Detroit to see the first vehicles moving overhead.
“It was amazing to see how they did it,” Garrett said. “They put up one section at a time and then they met together in the middle. I’m sure it will be there longer than I’ll be around.”
Last week, Canada celebrated the Gordie Howe International Bridge with a ribbon-cutting ceremony in Windsor. U.S. and Michigan representatives were uninvited after President Donald Trump suddenly announced 50% tariffs on Canadian goods entering America.
More than 70% of Canada’s exports go to the U.S., making America its largest trade partner, and Detroit is the No. 1 port for truck traffic on the U.S.-Canada border, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The span is 1.5 miles (2.4 kilometers) long and rises 151 feet (46 meters) above the river at its highest point. Pedestrians and bicyclists will be able to cross it for free, starting Aug. 5.
Howe is a Canadian icon known as “Mr. Hockey” who wore No. 9 while playing for the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings. He died in 2016.
A recent agreement between Canada and the Trump administration says Canada will share some toll revenue with the U.S. government for 15 years. Michigan separately negotiated a share in 2012, but it won’t be paid until Canada’s costs are recovered, likely decades from now.
Chan Ho Park becomes first Korean to buy a stake in an MLB club by joining Athletics group
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Former pitcher Chan Ho Park became the first Korean to purchase a stake in a major league club, the second significant addition in the past week to the Athletics’ ownership structure as they prepare to move to Las Vegas in 2028.
Park, the first Korean major league player who pitched 17 seasons (1994-2010), going 124-98, also will take on the title of senior adviser to owner John Fisher.
The investment group, Team61, announced Sunday night its investment will total $70 million, of which $55 million is committed with another $15 million if Major League Baseball approves the deal.
Actors Ken Jeong and Daniel Dae Kim also are part of the investment group.
“During my playing career, I introduced Korea to Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball to Korean fans, and I saw firsthand how even a small point of connection can create meaningful change,” Park said in a statement. “Korea is now a baseball powerhouse with outstanding fans and a strong player-development system.
“Through exchanges with Las Vegas, which is opening a new era in Major League Baseball, I hope more opportunities will be created for the next generation of players. We are grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with the Athletics to lift up Korean baseball to the next level.”
Fisher, in a statement, touted the international benefits to the club.
North Carolina places football GM Michael Lombardi on paid administrative leave
CHAPEL HILL, NC. (AP) – North Carolina football general manager Michael Lombardi has been placed on paid administrative leave.
The school announced the move with a statement Monday morning, coming days before the Tar Heels open preseason camp. The school didn’t provide details as to the reason, noting that employees and athletes aren’t permitted to address the topic “as is standard procedure with personnel matters.”
Lombardi joined Bill Belichick in making the NFL-to-college move when the school hired the former New England Patriots coach in December 2024. Lombardi’s career as an NFL executive had included being the GM of the Cleveland Browns in 2013, and he was an immediate hire by the six-time Super Bowl-winning coach in Chapel Hill.
The school had hired Belichick to jolt a football program that had largely been an Atlantic Coast Conference also-ran while making periodic but unsustained climbs into national relevance.
A few months into Belichick’s tenure, Lombardi said the goal was running a college program in a way similar to the NFL, saying the Tar Heels “consider ourselves the 33rd (NFL) team” due to the staff connections to the pros.
The Tar Heels went just 4-8 in Belichick’s first season. They open his second against TCU in Dublin, Ireland, on Aug. 29.
Chiefs assistant Eric Bieniemy’s son charged in shooting of his mother in Virginia, authorities say
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. (AP) — The son of Chiefs assistant coach Eric Bieniemy has been arrested and charged with the shooting of his mother, Mia Bieniemy, the wife of the Kansas City offensive coordinator, authorities in Virginia said Monday.
The Loudon County Sheriff’s Office said deputies responded late Sunday to a shooting in Ashburn, Virginia, where the couple still had a home from Bieniemy’s time coaching the Washington Commanders. They found the 57-year-old Mia Bieniemy with multiple gunshot wounds, and she was transported to a hospital where she was in stable condition Monday.
Elijah Zion Bieniemy, the 27-year-old son of the couple, was arrested early Monday in connection with the shooting. He has been charged with malicious wounding, use of a firearm in commission of a felony and discharge of a firearm inside a dwelling, and is being held without bond at the Loudoun County Adult Detention Center.
The sheriff’s office said the investigation was ongoing.
Eric Bieniemy was with the Chiefs at training camp in St. Joseph, Missouri, earlier Sunday. He was not present for Monday’s workout involving rookies, quarterbacks and a few veterans, which was closed to the public.
“Our hearts go out to Eric Bieniemy and his family. Thoughts and prayers with them,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said afterward. “I can’t get into details on it, but things happen sometimes, and Eric will work through it. He has a great support group here, as does his family, as needed, and we’ll just let time take care of it from there. But Mia is stable, which is a plus.
“She’s a saint, we all know that, those of you that know her. One of God’s great blessings,” Reid added. “But things happen. And you have to work through it. That’s where we’re at right now. Time will have to be involved in this to help heal.”
Reid did not know how long Bieniemy would be away from the team. Pass game coordinator Joe Bleymaier and offensive line coach Andy Heck will take over his duties as the Chiefs continue with offensive installations during training camp.
“On these things, real life. So you take care of that,” Reid said. “We’ll be able to keep it moving here, but the most important thing is EB has an opportunity to spend some time there are take care of that business.”
Eric Bieniemy was part of Reid’s initial staff in Kansas City in 2013, and spent five seasons as the running backs coach before he was promoted to offensive coordinator. Over the next five seasons, the demanding but popular Bieniemy helped the Chiefs to reach three Super Bowls and win two of them while directing one of the NFL’s best offenses.
He interviewed for several head-coaching jobs but was continually skipped over, so Bieniemy went to the Commanders in 2023 in hopes of burnishing his resume. But the team struggled and coach Ron Rivera’s staff was let go, and Bieniemy spent one season as the offensive coordinator at UCLA before spending last season as the running backs coach with the Bears.
Bieniemy returned to the Chiefs this season to replace Matt Nagy as the offensive coordinator. He was present for offseason workouts in Kansas City over the summer, and he was with the team when it began to report to training camp last week.
The Chiefs are off Tuesday. The first full-squad workout at Missouri Western State University is Wednesday.
“It’s great to have (Bieniemy) back in the building,” Reid said last week. “He always brings great energy. I’ve told you, he’s one of the more phenomenal guys I have been around at being a leader of men. He is doing that. He’s in there cranking — works his tail off, and I appreciate that. Doesn’t let anything slide by. Does a good job with that.”
David Rancken’s App of the Day 07/27/26 –Jitsi!
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McConnell still in rehabilitation facility, will miss upcoming Kentucky political event, his office says
(WASHINGTON) -- Sen. Mitch McConnell's office issued a statement from the Republican senator on Monday saying that he will miss an upcoming Kentucky political event in order to continue his rehabilitation following a June 14 fall that left him hospitalized.
"I’m still working hard to get back to my full schedule of work in the Senate and in Kentucky, keeping up with intense physical therapy per my doctors’ orders. Unfortunately, that means I won’t be able to make it to Fancy Farm, Kentucky this Saturday," McConnell said in the statement of the political event and cookout held annually in Kentucky.
"As always, I appreciate all of your continued well wishes, and I’m looking forward to getting back to the Senate and to Kentucky soon."
An additional statement from the Office of the Attending Physician says that McConnell is continuing with a course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, adding that he is "not yet medically cleared to leave the rehab facility and return to the office."
"Since his discharge from hospital care, he has maintained a strenuous course of physical therapy and rehabilitation, including multiple sessions a day designed to rebuild strength and reduce the risk of future falls," the OAP statement reads.
McConnell's office also included a new image of the senator and his wife, Elaine Chao, that it says was taken on Sunday, July 26.
McConnell was hospitalized on June 14, though his team initially released few details about the incident -- prompting calls from many, including Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, for more transparency.
In a statement issued July 12, nearly a month after his hospitalization, McConnell said he was hospitalized due to a fall that left him briefly unconscious. He also had to deal with a "mild case of pneumonia."
He has not been seen on Capitol Hill since June 11.
McConnell has said he intends to finish his term, which expires in January. The seven-term senator has already said he does not intend to seek reelection in January.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Production starts on ‘Myron Bolitar’ Netflix series
Cameras have started rolling on Myron Bolitar.
Netflix has announced that production has started on the upcoming TV series adaptation based on writer Harlan Coben’s longest-running book series. The new show is shooting in New York City.
Colin Woodell will star as the titular sports agent. Also starring are Riverdale's KJ Apa and Orange is the New Black actress Diane Guerrero. They play Win Lockwood and Esperanza Diaz in the show.
"After an injury ends his NBA dreams, Myron Bolitar reinvents himself as a sports agent — using charm, smarts, and a ruthless partner to navigate the high-stakes and dirty world of sports, where saving his clients often means risking himself," according to the show's official logline.
Woodell's Myron Bolitar is described as "a former college basketball star whose NBA career came to an abrupt end," according to Netflix. "Myron reinvented himself as a sports agent. He built his agency — MB Sports — on an unwavering belief in overlooked athletes, with the same heart and fierce competitive drive he once brought to the court."
The main cast also includes Jabari Banks, Chloe Fineman, Jamie McShane and Ben McKenzie. Melissa Benoist, Griffin Dunne, Bebe Neuwirth, Isaiah Hill, Ra'Mya Latiah Aikens, Amanda Warren, Quincy Isaiah, Charlie Tahan, Jamie Hector and Sandrine Holt make up the rest of the ensemble.
Emmy winner David E. Kelley and Kyle Long are set to co-showrun, write and executive produce the series. House of the Dragon's Greg Yaitanes will direct multiple episodes of the show.
Copyright © 2026, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
Crash involving truck-tractor semi-trailer kills three
KAUFMAN COUNTY, Texas – The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) and Highway Patrol Troopers responded to a two-vehicle collision on US-80, east of Windmill Farms Blvd. on July 26, 2026, at around 11:35 p.m. A release from DPS officials reported that a 2013 Hyundai passenger car was disabled in the right lane (eastbound) of US-80, according to a preliminary investigation. The Hyundai was being approached by a truck-tractor semi-trailer that was heading east on US-80. The Hyundai’s rear end was struck by the TTST driver, who was unable to avoid the collision and caused it to cross the bridge’s concrete railing. Two passengers, a 9-year-old and a 14-year-old child, as well as the Hyundai’s driver, Vanecia Deshun Williams, a 38-year-old woman, were declared dead at the scene. The semi trailer’s driver was not reported to have any injuries. There is currently no more information available, and the crash is still being investigated.
Britain’s new leader is set to host Zelenskyy, signaling UK’s support for Kyiv
Zelenskyy’s trip is the first by a foreign leader since Burnham took office a week ago. His predecessor, Keir Starmer, was in Kyiv less than two weeks ago in his last overseas trip before leaving office.
Burnham will be the fifth British prime minister to deal with Zelenskyy since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
“Russia should be in no doubt of our resolve, and we will not back down until we achieve long lasting and just peace for Ukraine,” said Burnham, who has spent the past nine years as mayor of Greater Manchester and has little foreign policy experience.
The U.K. trip comes a day before Zelenskyy is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump in Washington.
During the visit to Portsmouth on England’s south coast, Zelenskyy and Burnham will meet more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel who have spent the past three weeks in Britain. They have been taking part in an exercise aimed at strengthening their fighting capabilities and measures to counter mines in the Black Sea, the U.K. government said.
The U.K. will give Ukraine the intellectual property behind its new “Stone Cloak” electronic warfare system, which is capable of jamming Russian air defenses to stop drones from being detected, Burnham’s office said.
Ukraine has expanded its campaign of frequent drone attacks deep inside Russia that have targeted oil facilities, military factories and, most recently, logistical centers, bringing the war home to millions of Russians and raising pressure on President Vladimir Putin.
The raids have shattered Putin’s narrative of the conflict as something that doesn’t affect the lives of ordinary people in his country. But he has remained undeterred and Russia has ramped up its aerial campaign, regularly bombarding Ukraine with missiles and drones.
Russia and Ukraine exchange more drone attacks
Russia again attacked Ukraine overnight with 147 long-range drones, according to the Ukrainian air force, which said it intercepted or jammed 123 of them.
In Zaporizhzhia, one person was killed and two injured in attacks on the city that damaged a high-rise residential building and several private residences overnight, according to regional administration head Ivan Fedorov.
A Russian strike on the town of Balakliia in the Kharkiv region killed one person and wounded eight, according to Vitalii Karabanov, head of the city military administration.
In the Nikopol district of the Dnipropetrovsk region, Russian strikes damaged a kindergarten, residential buildings and infrastructure, injuring a woman and a 6-year-old boy, according to administration head Oleksandr Hanzha.
In the eastern Kharkiv region, a regional council member said Russian forces destroyed every gas station along the highway between Kharkiv and Poltava, a distance of about 150 kilometers (93 miles). Oleksandr Skoryk said the situation is becoming more critical daily, but the region is not facing a fuel or food crisis.
The highway is a key supply route linking Kharkiv, the country’s second-largest city and a regional hub close to the Russian border, with central Ukraine. Russia has intensified strikes on gas stations, power facilities and other infrastructure this year as part of a broader campaign to strain Ukraine’s logistics and energy networks.
Romania’s Ministry of National Defense said a drone briefly entered its airspace before crossing the river border into Ukraine, where explosions were subsequently reported. It said two F-16 fighter jets were deployed to monitor airspace.
The drone’s incursion into Romanian airspace marked the fourth such incident in as many days. The three previous drones were all shot down by the NATO member.
In Moscow, Russia’s Defense Ministry said air defenses downed 276 Ukrainian drones overnight.
Rostov regional Gov. Yuri Slyusar said five people, including a child, were killed when a Ukrainian drone hit an apartment building in Rostov-on-Don. Ukraine’s military General Staff said Ukrainian forces struck an export terminal in Rostov-on-Don, setting it ablaze.
The Ukrainian military said other strikes in the Moscow-held part of the Kherson region targeted a ground relay station used to control drones and a bridge over the Henichesk Strait that Russia uses for military logistics. Russian fuel and supply depots were also hit.
In the city of Belgorod in southwestern Russia near the border with Ukraine, a Ukrainian drone attack injured 12, including two children, according to regional emergency officials.
Iran vows retaliation after Ukrainian attack on ship
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Ukraine struck an Iranian vessel in the Caspian Sea, killing a sailor.
In a statement on X on Sunday, Araghchi denounced the attack as a “blatant U.N. Charter violation done at Israel’s behest to drag Europe into its war.” He said he made it clear in calls with the European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that the attack “can’t go unanswered.”
Zelenskyy said Ukrainian long-range strikes in the Caspian Sea over the weekend achieved “very good results,” adding that the targets included “vessels involved in transporting military cargo linked to Iran, as well as a warship.”
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha rejected Iran’s threats of retaliation as unjustified and groundless, saying Tehran’s weapons supplies to Russia have made it a direct accomplice to Moscow’s aggression. “Iran has no standing to pretend to be a victim,” he posted on X, and called its references to the U.N. Charter “absurd.”
Sybiha said Iran’s statements were an attempt to divert attention from Russia’s attacks on civilian shipping in the Black Sea, which would be a focus of an emergency U.N. Security Council meeting Monday.
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Hanna Arhirova and Illia Novikov in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Stephen McGrath in Bucharest, Romania, contributed.
Stocks open higher on Wall Street and crude oil prices drop 6% as Mideast tensions cool
THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.
BANGKOK (AP) — World shares were mostly higher Monday and oil prices slipped nearly 7% as the U.S. and Iran refrained from fighting while discussing a possible resumption of negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal.
Shares in Chinese memory chipmaker CXMT soared 466% as they began trading on Shanghai’s technology board. The company jumped to become China’s most valuable listed company with an estimated market capitalization of 3.3 trillion yuan (nearly $490 billion).
The Pentagon did not respond to questions about the pause in attacks on Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure after nearly two weeks of escalating fighting sparked by Iran’s firing at ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz.
But markets reacted with relief. U.S. futures surged early Monday and the price of a barrel of Brent crude, the international standard, dropped 6.8% to $85.49.
U.S. benchmark crude dropped 7% to $83.06 per barrel.
“Oil’s sharp retreat at the Monday open did more than knock a few dollars off the barrel. It loosened the geopolitical knot that had been tightening around equities, currencies, bonds and central banks for most of July,” Stephen Innes of SPI Asset Management said in a commentary.
In early European trading, Germany’s DAX gained 1.6% to 25,497,42 and the CAC 40 in Paris was up 0.8% at 8,436.94. Britain’s FTSE 100 rose 0.5% to 10,784.00.
The futures for the S&P 500 and Dow Jones Industrial Average were up 1%.
In Asian trading, Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 rose 0.5% to 64,931.19, while the Kospi in South Korea advanced 1% to 6,755.75.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng climbed 1% to 25,207.18, while the Shanghai Composite index gained 1.2% to 3,858.25.
In Australia, the S&P/ASX 200 surged 1.4% to 8,894.00.
Taiwan’s Taiex slipped 0.1% and the Sensex in India added 1.1%.
On Friday, the S&P 500 barely budged, picking up less than 0.1% and notching its second straight losing week for the first time since March.
The Dow industrials rose 0.5%. The Nasdaq composite index slipped 0.6%, weighed down by sharp losses for heavyweights like Micron Technology, which fell 7%, and Broadcom, which lost 2.7%.
Recent surges in energy prices and fresh tariffs announced last week by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump could result in hotter inflation, which has been squeezing consumers and looming over the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy.
The Fed meets this week, though rising inflation has dashed hopes for an interest-rate cut anytime soon. Wall Street has been leaning toward a potential rate hike to tamp down higher prices.
Higher energy costs are taking up a bigger share of household budgets, which have shifted toward more basic needs, like gasoline. Nationally, a gallon of gasoline costs $4.11 per gallon, according to AAA. That is still lower than this spring as the conflict in Iran expanded, but almost a dollar higher than last year at this time.
“Oil is the fastest-moving tax in the global economy. When crude rises sharply, consumers feel it at the fuel pump, airlines and transport companies feel it in their operating costs, manufacturers feel it in their logistics, and central banks begin worrying that the initial supply shock will spill over into broader inflation expectations,” Innes said.
Meanwhile, corporate earnings reports are focusing attention on the sustainability of broader profits from a boom in spending on artificial intelligence. Tech giants like Alphabet and Nvidia have been spending heavily to expand AI capacity and investors increasingly are questioning whether they will generate profits to justify the massive stock values that have pushed markets market higher throughout the year.
In other dealings early Monday, the U.S. dollar slipped to 163.56 Japanese yen from 163.64 yen. The euro rose to $1.1399 from $1.1398.
Suspect in deadly Berlin LGBTQ+ parade vehicle crash killed, police say
(LONDON) -- The man suspected of allegedly driving a vehicle into a crowd during Berlin's LGBTQ+ celebrations on Saturday, killing one person and injuring several others, has been killed, police said.
"Around 6 p.m., the suspect in yesterday’s attack in the Großer Tiergarten was located in an allotment garden complex in Spandau," according to a statement from Berlin police.
"According to current information, he reportedly ran toward our officers with a stabbing weapon, prompting our SEK Berlin unit to open fire," the statement continued. "Despite immediate resuscitation efforts by the Berlin Fire Department, he died at the scene."
Berlin police earlier Sunday released a photo of the man, whom they identified as Abdul B., using only an initial for his surname, as is common under German privacy law.
"Abdul B. is alleged to have injured several people with a moving vehicle in the Tiergarten area at approximately 10 p.m.," according to a joint statement released by the Berlin Police and Public Prosecutor's Office.
"Everything we are seeing here indicates that this was an Islamist terrorist attack," German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said at a press conference Sunday.
Dobrindt also updated the number of injured from 17 to 29, "including several who sustained serious injuries."
The suspect rammed into the crowd with a vehicle, Dobrindt said, after which "he then attacked other pedestrians with a bladed weapon, believed to have been a machete, seriously injuring them."
Dobrindt confirmed earlier police reports that the suspect, whom he described as a "German citizen of Lebanese descent who was born in Germany," had "an extensive criminal record, showed signs of radicalization, and was associated with the radical Islamist scene."
"He was previously sentenced in Berlin to one year and ten months in prison. The sentence was commuted to parole, and prosecutors appealed the decision," Dobrindt said. He did not provide details about why the suspect was sentenced to prison.
"The search for the suspect is currently the top priority," according to Dobrindt.
Details about potential motives for the attack were not immediately released.
Hundreds of thousands of people had come to Berlin to celebrate Christopher Street Day, one of Europe's largest LGBTQ+ celebrations, according to the city.
The two-day event was scheduled on Saturday to include a parade, which was to begin in Mitte, in central Berlin, wind its way south into Schöneberg, then turn back northward toward Brandenburg Gate.
The vehicle crashed into the crowd in Tiergarten Park, according to law enforcement, an area along a footpath within the park and near to the parade's end.
"One or more people are believed to have subsequently fled the vehicle," police initially said. "Furthermore, several people are reported to have been injured with stabbing weapons."
Several of those who were injured had life-threatening injuries, the Berlin Police told ABC News.
The suspect was described by police as having a "slim build." They said he was about 1.9 meters tall, or about 6 feet, 3 inches, with black hair. He was wearing a black hoodie and white pants, police said.
"If you encounter this person, under no circumstances should you approach them or have any direct contact with them," police said. "They may be armed and dangerous! Immediately contact the police emergency number 110."
The police on Saturday called off the rest of the celebrations for the night after the incident at the park.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Sunday described the vehicle crash as a "heinous act," adding that "people from all over the world were peacefully celebrating" during Christopher Street Day.
"They wanted us to treat each other with kindness and tolerance," he said on social media. "This is an attack on our society."
ABC News' Rashid Haddou, Felix Franz, Jamie Dorrington and Ivan Pereira contributed to this report.
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Years of scandals haven’t stopped Ken Paxton. Can James Talarico change that?
AUSTIN (AP) – Eight years ago, during a campaign for Texas attorney general, Justin Nelson ran television advertisements with security camera footage of Ken Paxton pocketing an expensive pen that didn’t belong to him.
Four years ago, George P. Bush went after Paxton by putting up billboards that said “he’s a crook” next to his mugshot from when he was charged with securities fraud.
And earlier this year, U.S. Sen John Cornyn said “judgment day is coming” as he tried to fend off a Republican primary challenge from Paxton.
All of them lost. Now the question is whether James Talarico, who topped Rep. Jasmine Crockett in an expensive and fiercely contested Democratic primary, will have any more luck as he faces off against Paxton in one of the country’s most closely watched U.S. Senate races.
“The guy’s ability to take shots and just keep moving on and stay in elected office is unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my career, in 25 years of running campaigns,” said Ash Wright, who worked as a senior adviser to Bush.
Paxton has never been convicted, and he’s survived by championing conservative legal battles over immigration, abortion and transgender issues in a Republican-dominated state. Much like President Donald Trump, he’s long portrayed himself as the victim of political persecution.
Former Paxton challengers and a half dozen campaign strategists who worked against him warned that Texans may tune out any attempt to revive scandals that they’ve heard about for years, especially when rigid partisanship has convinced voters to be extraordinarily forgiving of candidates’ trespasses.
However, Talarico’s team has studied the previous races and is attempting its own version of the playbook by trying to paint Paxton as part of a broader culture of corruption that has failed to improve people’s lives.
Paxton’s campaign suggested Talarico’s claims were aimed at distracting voters from a record of “out-of-touch views.”
“Every time a fighter, like President Donald Trump and now Ken Paxton, stands up to the permanent political class, even after they are completely acquitted of wrongdoing, people like James Talarico continue pushing the same accusations and claiming corruption,” Paxton campaign spokesperson Madison Cercy said.
Paxton won first reelection narrowly, despite indictment
Paxton was first elected as Texas attorney general in 2014, and Nelson ran against him in 2018. A Democratic lawyer from Austin, Nelson made Paxton’s indictment on charges of securities fraud central to his campaign, and he poked fun at him for picking up another lawyer’s $1,000 pen after finding it at a courthouse security checkpoint.
“Vote Justin Nelson for Texas attorney general,” the narrator said. “He will fight on behalf of all Texans. And he won’t steal your pen.”
Nelson argued that his approach was effective, reflected in Paxton’s narrow margin of 3.6 percentage points in a year when Republican Greg Abbott was reelected as Texas governor by more than 13 percentage points. Nelson’s campaign spent roughly $6.5 million, about half of what Paxton’s campaign spent.
“My message was working,” Nelson said. “I just needed to go louder and longer.”
In 2022, Paxton faced a Republican primary challenge from George P. Bush, the Texas land commissioner and the grandson and nephew of two former presidents from the state.
The securities fraud case was ongoing, and Paxton was also under federal investigation over accusations that he abused his position to benefit an Austin real estate developer, took bribes and retaliated against whistleblower employees.
Paxton responded by portraying himself as a Trump-era Republican and Bush as the heir to a privileged political legacy.
Pro-Paxton organizations spent more than $20 million, about twice as much as Bush and his allies. The race went to a runoff, in which Paxton defeated Bush by 34 percentage points.
Paxton ran against Rochelle Garza, a Democratic civil rights lawyer from Brownsville, in the general election. She said her campaign had a 300-page opposition research file on Paxton but it was difficult to figure out how to approach his past because voters had heard about it for years.
“The amount of potential hits on Paxton can make message discipline challenging,” Garza said.
Paxton ran as the leading legal opponent of President Joe Biden, promoting a string of lawsuits against Biden’s Democratic administration on immigration, abortion and gender policy.
Overwhelmingly outspent, Garza lost by roughly 10 percentage points.
Some supporters see Paxton as a ‘flawed’ fighter
There was more trouble ahead for Paxton.
He split with his wife, who later filed for divorce “on biblical grounds.” He was also impeached by the Texas House, although the Senate acquitted him in 2023 and allowed him to remain in office. The securities fraud case ended in 2024, and Paxton was directed to pay nearly $300,000 in restitution.
Throughout the years, he’s maintained strong support from Republican voters like David and Nancy Lapp, a retired couple from the small town of Wolfforth. They described him as a conservative warrior who has been a victim of persecution.
“He’s had his share of scandals, and almost all of them have, so it’s not necessarily disqualifying anymore,” said David Lapp, 76. “He’s a flawed person, no doubt about it, but he fights for traditional American ideals.”
He added that “nowadays, as long as you’re not in jail, they’ll elect you.”
Biden’s Justice Department in 2024 decided not to prosecute Paxton after the yearslong federal investigation, and Paxton went on to challenge Cornyn for his Senate seat.
Cornyn and his allies vastly outspent Paxton, blanketing the state with more than $90 million in advertising. After the race went to a runoff, Trump endorsed Paxton, and he won decisively.
Talarico hopes Waco case sparks new scrutiny
Talarico promised at a rally in Houston the day after the Republican runoff to “prosecute the case” against Paxton, whom he called “the most corrupt politician in America.”
Since then, he has sought to introduce a newer question about Paxton, one that involves his office’s handling of a child sexual abuse case this year.
The attorney general’s office was assigned the felony case involving Waco lawyer Adam Hoffman after the county district attorney recused himself over a potential conflict of interest. After a hung jury trial last year, Hoffman agreed to state lawyers’ offer in April to plead guilty to a misdemeanor charge. Prosecutors said the victim did not want to testify a second time. Hoffman served 60 days in jail and was not required to register as a sex offender.
Talarico said the plea agreement shows Paxton is willing to allow preferential treatment at Texans’ expense.
“He is everything that’s wrong with this broken, corrupt political system,” Talarico said of Paxton at a rally in Del Rio last week. “This is the rot at the core of this broken political system. It’s why we can’t get ahead, no matter how hard we work, no matter how much we save, because the system is rigged against us.”
Talarico reported having $21.5 million available last week, while Paxton reported having $7.5 million.
The Democrat’s fundraising advantage could help him broadcast his message further than Paxton’s previous opponents have been able to do, Nelson said.
“Even a little bit more money would have helped me,” he said. “I think James has a legitimate shot.”
15-year-old detained, 2nd suspect at large following deadly shooting at Seattle food festival
(SEATTLE) -- A 15-year-old is in custody and a second suspect is at large following a shooting at the Bite of Seattle food festival that left three people dead and several wounded, officials said.
Authorities were dispatched to the scene at the Seattle Center at about 6 p.m. Sunday and found two people shooting at each other, according to the Seattle Police Department.
A 15-year-old has been detained and booked for investigation for firearms violations and first-degree assault, Mayor Katie Wilson said at a news conference on Monday.
"We believe this teenager opened fire in the crowd, but details are still under investigation," Wilson said.
She added that no one has been arrested for investigation of homicide.
The other person alleged to be firing shots is unidentified and remains unaccounted for, police said Monday.
At least seven victims were caught in the crossfire, Wilson said.
The victims killed were identified by police as a 19-year-old man, a 44-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman.
Three injured victims -- a 2-year-old boy, a 23-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman -- were hospitalized, authorities said. The man and woman have since been discharged while the 2-year-old is in satisfactory condition, police said on Monday.
A fourth injured victim, a 40-year-old woman, had minor injuries and declined to be taken to the hospital, according to officials.
Police said they are also investigating a potential fifth wounded victim. A 27-year-old man with a gunshot wound went to a hospital in satisfactory condition and police said they are working to determine if this person was hurt in the shooting.
The shooting erupted during Bite of Seattle, an annual festival with food vendors and live music held at the Seattle Center.
The 15-year-old will appear in court on Monday, Wilson said.
ABC News' Amanda Morris contributed to this report.
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In brief: ‘Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire’ renewed for season 4 and more
The AMC series Anne Rice's Interview with the Vampire is coming back for a fourth season. This renewal announcement came during a panel at San Diego Comic-Con. It arrives after season 3 of the show, which was called The Vampire Lestat, ended its run. Season 4 of the series will be known as Anne Rice's Queen of the Damned. A teaser for the upcoming season, which will debut to both AMC and AMC+, has also been released ...
Another adaptation of one of Marcelo Rubens Paiva's books is in the works. Deadline reports that Netflix is adapting his book Happy Old Year into a series. Paiva's work I'm Still Here was adapted into an Oscar-winning movie by director Walter Salles ...
A stage musical adaptation of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is set to make its North American premiere Off Broadway in New York City this fall. The show will premiere at the Public Theater with its first preview on Oct. 8. Its official opening date will be Oct. 21 and it will run until Nov. 15. Dead Outlaw Tony nominee Andrew Durand will star as the titular man who defies the rules of age. The musical is based on the F. Scott Fitzgerald short story. It won the Olivier Award for best new musical in 2025 ...
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‘The Odyssey’ stays the course at #1 with $87 million
The Odyssey continued its journey at the box office this weekend, coming in at #1 again with $87 million in its second week of release.
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem has now made $286.4 million domestically and $639.6 million globally. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside a star-studded cast including Anne Hathaway, Himesh Patel, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya and Charlize Theron.
In at #2 this weekend was the live-action Moana with $10.5 million, followed by Toy Story 5 with $10 million.
The only new releases to crack the top 10 were Hadestown: The Musical at #4 with $9.7 million and Motor City at #9 with $1.6 million.
Here are the top 10 films at the box office:
1. The Odyssey -- $87 million
2. Moana -- $10.5 million
3. Toy Story 5 -- $10 million
4. Hadestown: The Musical -- $9.7 million
5. Minions & Monsters -- $9.6 million
6. The Invite -- $2.64 million
7. Evil Dead Burn -- $2.61 million
8. Young Washington -- $1.99 million
9. Motor City -- $1.6 million
10. Obsession -- $1.5 million
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Murakami hits 2 HRs, drives in 6 runs to lead AL Central-leading White Sox past Astros 12-3
CHICAGO (AP) — Munetaka Murakami homered twice and drove in a season-high six runs; Miguel Vargas, Chase Meidroth and Junior Perez also went deep as the Chicago White Sox beat the Houston Astros 12-3 on Sunday to avoid a series sweep.
With his parents in attendance and on his bobblehead giveaway day, Murakami hit a 385-foot, two-run homer in the bottom of the first that gave Chicago its first lead of the game. It was his first homer since May 27th. He added a go-ahead, RBI groundout in the third inning and a two-run single in the seventh. He closed out his three-hit game with his 22nd homer of the season — a solo shot — to right-center in the eighth.
Vargas hit his 22nd homer of the season in the sixth — a go-ahead, two-run shot to put the White Sox back on top 5-3. Meidroth followed in the seventh with a solo shot to break the game open. Perez hit his third homer of the season 376 feet to left in the eighth.
Andrew Benintendi had an RBI single in the seventh for a 9-3 lead.
Sean Newcomb (1-2) picked up his first win of the season after allowing one hit in two-thirds of an inning. Erick Fedde worked 4 1/3 innings in the start and surrendered three runs on five hits while striking out two.
Ronel Blanco (0-1), making his second start of the year, allowed five runs on four hits in 5 1/3 innings. Houston used four pitchers in the game, and all allowed at least two runs.
Jeremy Peña hit two solo homers for Houston — one in the first for a 1-0 lead and another in the third. Taylor Trammell added a solo homer in the fifth inning.
Houston had its five-game win streak halted.
Up next
White Sox LHP Noah Schultz (3-7, 6.04 ERA) takes the mound against the Yankees on Monday. The Yankees have not announced a starter.
The Astros have not announced a starter for their series opener against the Angels on Monday. Host Los Angeles has not named its starter.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb