Senate passes Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill as Vance breaks 50-50 tie

Senate passes Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill as Vance breaks 50-50 tie

By LISA MASCARO, MARY CLARE JALONICK and MATT BROWN Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans hauled President Donald Trump’s big tax breaks and spending cuts bill to passage Tuesday on the narrowest of votes, pushing past opposition from Democrats and their own GOP ranks after a turbulent overnight session.

Vice President JD Vance broke a 50-50 tie to push it over the top. The three Republicans opposing the bill were Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Susan Collins of Maine and Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky.

The outcome capped an unusually tense weekend of work at the Capitol, the president’s signature legislative priority teetering on the edge of approval, or collapse.

Senators are considering proposed amendments to President Donald Trump’s big bill of tax breaks and spending cuts, hunkering down for a series of votes on Monday. (AP Video)

The difficulty it took for Republicans, who have the majority hold in Congress, to wrestle the bill to this point is not expected to let up. The package now goes back to the House, where Speaker Mike Johnson had warned senators not to deviate too far from what his chamber had already approved. But the Senate did make changes, particularly to Medicaid, risking more problems as they race to finish by Trump’s Fourth of July deadline.

The outcome is a pivotal moment for president and his party, which have been consumed by the 940-page “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” as it’s formally titled, and invested their political capital in delivering on the GOP’s sweep of power in Washington.

Trump acknowledged it’s “very complicated stuff,” as he departed the White House for Florida.

“I don’t want to go too crazy with cuts,” he said. “I don’t like cuts.”

What started as a routine but laborious day of amendment voting, in a process called vote-a-rama, spiraled into a round-the-clock slog as Republican leaders were buying time to shore up support.

The droning roll calls in the chamber belied the frenzied action to steady the bill. Grim-faced scenes played out on and off the Senate floor, amid exhaustion.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune of South Dakota was desperately reaching for last-minute agreements between those in his party worried the bill’s reductions to Medicaid will leave millions without care, and his most conservative flank, which wants even steeper cuts to hold down deficits ballooning with the tax cuts.

The GOP leaders have no room to spare, with narrow majorities. Thune can lose no more than three Republican senators, and already two — Tillis, who warned that millions of people will lose access to Medicaid health care, and Paul, who opposes raising the debt limit by $5 trillion — had indicated opposition.

Attention quickly turned to two key senators, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Collins, who also raised concerns about health care cuts, as well as a loose coalition of four conservative GOP senators pushing for even steeper reductions.

Murkowski in particular became the subject of the GOP leadership’s attention, as they sat beside her for talks. She was huddled intensely for more than an hour in the back of the chamber with others, scribbling notes on papers.

Then all eyes were on Paul after he returned from a visit to Thune’s office with a stunning offer that could win his vote. He had suggested substantially lowering the bill’s increase in the debt ceiling, according to two people familiar with the private meeting and granted anonymity to discuss it.

Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said “Republicans are in shambles because they know the bill is so unpopular.”

An analysis from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found 11.8 million more Americans would become uninsured by 2034 if the bill became law. The CBO said the package would increase the deficit by nearly $3.3 trillion over the decade.

And on social media, billionaire Elon Musk was again lashing out at Republicans as “the PORKY PIG PARTY!!” for including the $5 trillion debt ceiling in the package, which is needed to allow continued borrowing to pay the bills.Senators insist on changes

Few Republicans appeared fully satisfied as the final package emerges, in either the House or Senate.

Collins had proposed bolstering the $25 billion proposed rural hospital fund to $50 billion, offset with a higher tax rate on those earning more than $25 million a year, but her amendment failed.

And Murkowski was trying to secure provisions to spare people in her state from some food stamp cuts, which appeared to be accepted, while she was also working to beef up federal reimbursements to hospitals in Alaska and others states, that did not comply with parliamentary rules.

“Radio silence,” Murkowski said when asked how she would vote.

The conservative senators demanding a vote on their steeper health care cuts, including Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, filed into Thune’s office near-midnight.What’s in the big bill

All told, the Senate bill includes $4.5 trillion in tax cuts, according to the latest CBO analysis, making permanent Trump’s 2017 rates, which would expire at the end of the year if Congress fails to act, while adding the new ones he campaigned on, including no taxes on tips.

The Senate package would roll back billions of dollars in green energy tax credits, which Democrats warn will wipe out wind and solar investments nationwide. It would impose $1.2 trillion in cuts, largely to Medicaid and food stamps, by imposing work requirements on able-bodied people, including some parents and older Americans, making sign-up eligibility more stringent and changing federal reimbursements to states.

Additionally, the bill would provide a $350 billion infusion for border and national security, including for deportations, some of it paid for with new fees charged to immigrants.Democrats fighting all day and night

Unable to stop the march toward passage, the Democrats tried to drag out the process, including with a weekend reading of the full bill.

A few of the Democratic amendments won support from a few Republicans, though almost none were passing. More were considered in one of the longer such sessions in modern times.

One amendment overwhelmingly approved stripped a provision barring states from regulating artificial intelligence if they receive certain federal funding.

Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, the ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee, raised particular concern about the accounting method being used by the Republicans, which says the tax breaks from Trump’s first term are now “current policy” and the cost of extending them should not be counted toward deficits.

She said that kind of “magic math” won’t fly with Americans trying to balance their own household books.

___

Associated Press writers Joey Cappelletti, Darelene Superville and Kevin Freking contributed to this report.

Jabil plans to create nearly 1,200 jobs in North Carolina with manufacturing investment

Jabil plans to create nearly 1,200 jobs in North Carolina with manufacturing investment

SALISBURY, N.C. (AP) — Electronics maker Jabil Inc. aims to create nearly 1,200 jobs in central North Carolina, spending $500 million to create a manufacturing facility that will support cloud computing and artificial intelligence data centers.

Gov. Josh Stein’s office and the company said the manufacturing operation will be in Rowan County, which is about 45 miles (72.4 kilometers) northeast of Charlotte.

The investment will be made over several years, with capital spending of $264 million and 1,181 jobs proposed by the end of 2030, according to a state document released Monday along with the plant’s planned location.

The Florida-based multinational company already has 30 locations in the U.S., including three in North Carolina that employ about 1,000 workers. The minimum average wages for the new jobs will be about $62,000, with opportunities for manufacturing and engineering professionals, state officials said.

“The drive to build AI data centers is only accelerating in the United States,” Matt Crowley, a Jabil executive vice president, said in a news release by Stein’s office. “We are excited to help meet that demand, provide additional scale and capabilities for our data center customers, and empower the AI solutions of the future.”

North Carolina competed with Florida to host the project, according to a document provided by the state Commerce Department.

The document said state and local incentives total more than $21 million, from which Jabil could receive cash payments of $11.3 million over 12 years if it meets investment and job-creation thresholds. The Job Development Investment Grant was approved Monday by a state incentives committee, Stein’s office said.

Serviceberry: A little-known native tree that birds (and gardeners) love

Serviceberry: A little-known native tree that birds (and gardeners) love

By MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) – Many years ago, my family and I were visiting relatives in Ohio in early April. On the way back home it snowed, although it did not stick to the roads. It stopped snowing as we were coming down Fancy Gap mountain on the Virginia-North Carolina border, just north of Mount Airy. I have vivid memories of a tree with white blooms that caught my eye. It was a Serviceberry (Amelanchier) which is in the rose family. It is also called Shadbush, Shadblow, Juneberry, and Sugarplum. Native to all three regions of North Carolina and I had never seen one, so I read up on it and asked Anne Clapp about this interesting tree.

The Serviceberry in North Carolina prefers full sun to partial shade to deal with our growing conditions. We have acid soil in North Carolina so this tree is happy here. The Serviceberry is fairly drought tolerant. You are wise, however, to water well during the first year until the root system matures.

The standard Serviceberry will grow to a height of 15 to 25 feet tall.

When planting your serviceberry in the spring or fall, be sure to dig the hole twice as wide as the root ball and deep enough for the top of the root ball to just peek over the top of the ground surface. You may choose to place something like Permatill or other type of aggregate material at the bottom of the hole, add some water and fill in dirt, compost, or organic matter of some kind. Add two to three inches of hardwood mulch. Keep in mind the evaporation rates are much higher in the spring.

Fertilize your serviceberry lightly with a slow-release fertilizer. The extension service often recommends something in the realm of a 12-6-6. Root protection can be achieved with the use of hardwood mulch or pine straw. This will also provide nutrients.

All birders will like the Serviceberry since it produces berries that birds love and can be used by humans in the form of jelly. I must say I have never eaten a serviceberry or jelly made from the berries. The white flowers will service all kinds of pollinators well.

The North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service has a recipe to share:

  • 3.5 cups of serviceberry juice.
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice.
  • 6 tbsp pectin (Ball RealFruit Classic Pectin is a suggested brand).
  • 5 cups granulated sugar

Prepare the serviceberry juice: You can extract juice by crushing the berries, adding a cup of water, bringing it to a boil, simmering for 10 minutes, and straining through a jelly bag or several layers of cheesecloth.

Combine and dissolve: Pour the serviceberry juice and lemon juice into a large stainless steel pan. Add the pectin and stir until dissolved.

Boil and add sugar: Bring the mixture to a rolling boil over high heat. Add the sugar and return to a rolling boil, stirring constantly for 1 minute until the sugar dissolves.

Remove from heat and skim: Remove the pan from the heat and skim off any foam from the top.

Fill jars and process: Pour the hot jelly into sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch of headspace. Heat-process the jars in a boiling water bath canner for 15 minutes.

There are a few varieties and cultivars that will work well in North Carolina. “Allegheny Serviceberry” is a native species found in western North Carolina. The Downy Serviceberry is also native and the folks at NC State say that you normally find the “Amelanchier aborea” in woodland areas of the states. “Robin Hill” has pink buds that eventually fade. “Autumn Brilliance” is known for its really good fall color. “Princess Diana” is also a popular variety and is much like “Autumn Brilliance.” “Cumulus” is an upright variety. “Dwarf Serviceberry” is smaller than the standard varieties and will save you some space.

The scientists at NC State University say Serviceberry insect pests include leafminers, spider mites, aphids, peach borer and scale. Diseases can include powdery mildew, cedar apple rust, fire blight and a few others. I’m not sure if I have enticed you to search for serviceberry. But it is after all a native tree with an interesting history which saw European settlers waiting for the blooms to appear as a sign of thawing ground and a time for burial services. I rarely see them in local nurseries, so you will have to ask if they can order one.

UNC announces AD transition plan from Bubba Cunningham to RFK Racing president Steve Newmark in 2026

UNC announces AD transition plan from Bubba Cunningham to RFK Racing president Steve Newmark in 2026

By AARON BEARD AP Sports Writer

North Carolina athletic director Bubba Cunningham will transition next summer into a new advisory role to the school’s chancellor, while hiring RFK Racing team president Steve Newmark as his eventual successor.

UNC announced the moves Tuesday, which marked the official start of revenue sharing where schools can begin directly paying athletes following the $2.8 billion House antitrust settlement.

The transition includes a two-year contract extension through July 2029 for the 63-year-old Cunningham, who has served as athletic director since late 2011. He will move to advising chancellor Lee Roberts and eventually Newmark on projects tied to athletics next summer, according to the school’s release.

“As part of my last contract extension, I committed to working with university leadership on a succession plan that would positively position Carolina Athletics and our 28 teams for the future,” Cunningham said in a statement.

“I appreciate the opportunity to extend my contract and enhance my role in a way that will allow me to continue to support our outstanding student-athletes, coaches and staff as we transition and navigate the changing athletics landscape. I am excited for the future.”

In the meantime, Newmark — who has been president of Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing for 15 years — will spend the 2025-26 season working as an executive associate AD and reporting to Cunningham. The school said Newmark’s initial focus will be on “revenue-driving initiatives,” particularly tied to the school’s men’s basketball and football programs, before eventually taking over as AD after the sports season.

UNC’s announcement touted Newmark’s experience in sponsorships, marketing and contract negotiations — coming at a time of landscape-altering changes to college athletics with the arrival of revenue sharing. Newmark will start his first role Aug. 15.

“Like many passionate Tar Heel fans, avidly following UNC Athletics has represented a special and unique bond with my family and friends since childhood, and I recognize the role it serves for the University, alumni, community and broader fanbase,” Newmark said in a statement.

“I look forward to working with Bubba and the entire Tar Heel Nation to continue to elevate UNC’s status as a premier brand in college sports with top-tier programs across the board, and with student-athletes who represent North Carolina’s flagship institution with class on and off their respective playing fields. With collegiate athletics undergoing massive changes at all levels, UNC is well positioned to take advantage of the new landscape.”

Newmark is a Chapel Hill native with multiple ties to the school, including serving on an advisory committee in the hiring of six-time Super Bowl winning head coach Bill Belichick as football coach in December. He is also part of the advisory committee in the Rams Club’s search for a new executive director.

Before joining RFK Racing, Newmark was a partner in a Charlotte-based law firm and specialized in sports and entertainment, including work with the NCAA, Southeastern Conference and Conference USA, UNC said in its release.

Cunningham’s tenure included elevating Hubert Davis to take over as men’s basketball coach when Hall of Famer Roy Williams retired in April 2021, as well as Belichick’s hiring.

It also included navigating the school through a multi-year NCAA infractions case tied to academic courses popular with athletes. That case reached a no-penalty conclusion in October 2017.

The school also won often. Eight different programs combined for 24 of the school’s 63 national championships in Cunningham’s tenure, while the school also had 22 individual national titles across seven sports.

Cunningham also recently completed a five-year term on the committee that selects the men’s NCAA Tournament field, including serving last year as chairman.

Louisiana-Style Red Beans & Rice

Louisiana-Style Red Beans & Rice

This dish is slow-cooked comfort in a bowl. Hearty, smoky, and just the right amount of spice. It’s perfect for Sundays, Mardi Gras, or anytime you need a warm, stick-to-your-ribs meal. It takes time, but the result is pure magic.

Ingredients

For the beans:

  • 1 lb. dried small red beans
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped (divided)
  • Kosher salt

For the good stuff:

  • 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
  • 1 lb. smoked ham, chopped
  • 12 oz. andouille sausage, sliced into ¼” rounds
  • 3 celery ribs, chopped
  • 1 green bell pepper, finely chopped (seeds and ribs removed)
  • 3 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
  • 1 cup low-sodium chicken broth

To serve:

  • Cooked white rice
  • Fresh chopped parsley

Instructions

1. Start the soak.
Sort through the beans and toss out any broken ones or little rocks (yep, they sneak in). Put the beans in a big container with a lid, add 2 tablespoons of salt and 10 cups of water, and give it a stir. Cover and let it soak at least 8 hours… overnight is even better.

2. Get the beans cooking.
Drain and rinse your soaked beans, then move them to a large pot (5- to 6-quart is perfect). Cover with 2 quarts of fresh water, toss in the bay leaves and half the chopped onion, and bring it to a boil. Reduce to medium heat and simmer for about an hour, stirring now and then. Use a spoon to mash some of the beans against the side of the pot. That’s how you start to get that creamy texture.

3. Brown the ham.
About 15 minutes before the beans are done, heat a tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the ham and cook until it’s browned and smells amazing, 7 to 9 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to scoop it into the pot with the beans.

4. Brown the sausage.
Same skillet, now with the second tablespoon of oil. Cook the sausage rounds until they’ve got some nice color. Roughly 7 to 9 minutes. Add them to the beans too.

5. Cook the trinity.
In that same skillet (don’t you dare clean it), toss in the remaining onion, celery, and bell pepper. Sprinkle with a bit of salt and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the onion softens, 4 to 5 minutes. Add garlic and thyme, stir until fragrant (1–2 minutes), then pour in the chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Scrape up those browned bits, then pour it all into the bean pot.

6. Let it all come together.
Bring the whole pot to a simmer and let it go for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mixture thickens to a nice, gravy-like consistency. Toss the bay leaves.

7. Serve it up.
Scoop white rice into bowls, ladle over the red beans and sausage, and finish with a little fresh parsley on top. You earned this one.

Inmate fatally shoots North Carolina officer before being caught in stolen vehicle, sheriff says

Inmate fatally shoots North Carolina officer before being caught in stolen vehicle, sheriff says

MURPHY, N.C. (AP) — A federal inmate escaped from custody at a medical clinic in western North Carolina and fatally shot a detention officer with his own gun Monday, then fled in a stolen vehicle before being captured in another county, a sheriff said.

The inmate had been taken to an orthopedics office in Murphy for undisclosed treatment when a scuffle began. The inmate took the officer’s weapon and shot him, Cherokee County Sheriff Dustin Smith said at a news conference. The inmate ran into the parking lot, jumped into a vehicle that had just arrived and took off. The inmate was later apprehended in Macon County, nearly an hour to the east, Smith said.

A detention officer was fatally shot with his own gun Monday as a federal inmate escaped from custody at a medical clinic in western North Carolina, a sheriff said. (AP Video)

Smith said the inmate, Kelvin Simmons, 48, will be charged with first-degree murder.

The detention officer was identified as Francisco Paul Flattes, 56, a four-year employee of the Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office. Smith said Flattes’ wife also works for the county detention center.

Another officer suffered injuries unrelated to the shooting and was recovering, the sheriff said.

“This has been probably one of the worst days of my career,” Smith said.

Emergency personnel in Clay County had alerted Macon County deputies that the inmate was driving to their county on U.S. Route 64, authorities said. Simmons’ vehicle was stopped and he was detained after a short standoff. There were no injuries at the scene.

Smith said Simmons was already being held on bank robbery charges along with an October 2024 escape.

Virginia swimmer Gretchen Walsh wins the Honda Cup, given to top female college athlete

Virginia swimmer Gretchen Walsh wins the Honda Cup, given to top female college athlete

By DOUG FEINBERG AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Virginia swimmer Gretchen Walsh won the Honda Cup, given annually to the country’s top female college athlete, on Monday night.

She’s the ninth swimmer to win the award and first since Simone Manuel in 2018.

“This year’s Honda Cup winner, Gretchen Walsh, is nothing short of world-class,” said Chris Voelz, executive director of the Collegiate Women Sports Awards. “Her performance at the national championships was extraordinary — shattering collegiate, American and even world records.

“We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments both in the pool and in the classroom, and we look forward to watching her continue to rise as she prepares for the World Championships and the 2028 Olympic Games. We’re thrilled to welcome Gretchen to the CWSA family, joining the elite group of swimmers who have earned this prestigious honor before her.”

The other two finalists for the award were UConn basketball star Paige Bueckers and Texas Tech softball pitcher NiJaree Canady. The top three were determined by votes from nearly 1,000 NCAA member schools, with the final Honda Cup recipient selected by the CWSA board of directors.

Caitlin Clark won the award the previous two years.

Walsh was a two-time Honda Award winner for swimming and diving. She helped Virginia to its fourth straight NCAA team title. She won seven NCAA championships this year, including the 50-yard freestyle, 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly, and concluded her collegiate career with 25 NCAA titles (nine individual). She was 16 for 16 in NCAA relay finals in her career.

Walsh is the second Honda Cup winner from Virginia. Basketball star Dawn Staley won the award in 1991.

In addition to their athletic performance, the Honda Cup honors college athletes for their leadership, academics and community service.

No verdict on first day of jury deliberations at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex trafficking trial

No verdict on first day of jury deliberations at Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs’ sex trafficking trial

By MICHAEL R. SISAK and LARRY NEUMEISTER Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — Jury deliberations got underway on Monday in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ federal sex trafficking trial and hit a snag almost as soon as they started. But, by the end of the day, jurors indicated they were making progress weighing complex charges that could put the hip-hop mogul in prison for life.

The first day of deliberations saw a flurry of notes from the jury and Combs and his supporters bowing their heads in prayer in the courtroom — but no verdict.

The jury of eight men and four women are sifting through seven weeks of sometimes graphic and emotional testimony about the rap, fashion and reality TV impresario ’s propensity for violence and his sexual predilections, including drug-fueled sex marathons dubbed “ freak-offs ” or “hotel nights.”

The jury has started deliberating in Sean “Diddy” Combs’ sex trafficking case. The panel of eight men and four women began their closed-door discussions Monday. They are weighing charges that could put the hip-hop mogul in prison for life. (AP video: Joseph B Frederick)

About an hour in, the foreperson reported that a juror might be having trouble following the 61 pages worth of instructions the judge had just read to them.

“We are concerned (the juror) cannot follow your honor’s instructions,” the foreperson said in a note to Judge Arun Subramanian just after 12:30 p.m.

After the judge originally proposed asking the jury foreperson the nature of concerns about the fellow juror, defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo suggested caution and that it was better to say less than more.

“We can always ratchet it up. We can’t ratchet it down,” Agnifilo said.

Subramanian sent his response to the jury around 2 p.m., reminding the panel to deliberate and to follow his instructions on the law.

The jury sent another note about three hours later asking for clarification on the part of the instructions addressing drug distribution — an allegation included in Combs’ racketeering conspiracy charge.

As deliberations were happening, Combs prayed with his family and friends in the courtroom. Wearing his customary sweater and khakis, he stood facing his contingent in the audience and bowed his head with them. As they finished, they applauded, along with Combs.

Combs also showed off two books he’s reading: “The Power of Positive Thinking,” by Norman Vincent Peale and “The Happiness Advantage,” by Shawn Achor.

As he sent the jury to deliberate, Subramanian told the five alternate jurors to remain on standby at home in case they’re needed at a later point.

Jurors were provided with a laptop loaded with all of the exhibits shown in court, including text messages, photographs and videos of the sexual encounters at the heart of the case.

Combs, 55, has pleaded not guilty to federal charges of racketeering conspiracy, two counts of sex trafficking — relating to two of his ex-girlfriends — and two counts of transportation to engage in prostitution for allegedly arranging to fly his girlfriends and sex workers across state lines.

In closing arguments last week, federal prosecutors and Combs’ defense team took their last shots at convincing jurors to convict or acquit the Grammy Award-winning founder of Bad Boy Records.

“The defendant used power, violence and fear to get what he wanted,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Christy Slavik said. “He thought that his fame, wealth and power put him above the law.”

She said that he used his “close inner circle and a small army of personal staff, who made it their mission to meet the defendant’s every desire, promote his power and protect his reputation at all costs.”

Defense lawyer Marc Agnifilo countered, “This isn’t about crime. It’s about money.” He noted that one of Combs’ accusers in the criminal case also sued him in civil court.

“He is not a racketeer. He is not a conspirator to commit racketeering. He is none of these things. He is innocent. He sits there innocent. Return him to his family, who have been waiting for him,” the lawyer told jurors.

In all, 34 witnesses testified, headlined by Combs’ former girlfriends Cassie — the R&B singer born Casandra Ventura — and “ Jane,” who testified under a pseudonym. Both women said he often was violent toward them. Cassie said he forced her into hundreds of sexual encounters with paid male sex workers while Jane recounted numerous “hotel nights.”

Jurors also saw now-infamous security camera video of Combs beating, kicking and dragging Cassie at a Los Angeles hotel in 2016 and clips from videos of sexual encounters.

Combs chose not to testify, and his lawyers didn’t call any witnesses in their defense case. His attorneys elected instead to challenge the accusers’ credibility during lengthy cross-examination questioning.

The defense has acknowledged that Combs veered into violence, but his lawyers maintain that the sex acts were consensual. They contend that prosecutors are intruding in Combs’ personal life and that he’s done nothing to warrant the charges against him.

Man shot Idaho firefighters who had asked him to move his vehicle, killing 2, sheriff says

Man shot Idaho firefighters who had asked him to move his vehicle, killing 2, sheriff says

By MANUEL VALDES and LINDSEY WASSON Associated Press

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho (AP) — A man who started a wildfire and then fatally shot two firefighters and wounded another in northern Idaho was a 20-year-old transient who attacked the first responders after they asked him to move his vehicle, a sheriff said Monday.

Kootenai County Sheriff Bob Norris offered new details about the Sunday confrontation at Canfield Mountain, just north of Coeur d’Alene, a popular recreation area. He said Wess Roley was living out of his vehicle, had once aspired to be a firefighter and had only a handful of minor contacts with area police.

Firefighters are back at the scene Monday of a blaze where two firefighters died and another was wounded the day before in an ambush shooting attack. (AP video: Manuel Valdes)

“We have not been able to find a manifesto,” the sheriff said, adding a motive was still unknown.

Norris said families of the victims are “in shock — absolutely. They’re in shock and they’re still processing it.”

2 veteran firefighters are killed and a third is in critical condition

Battalion Chief Frank Harwood, 42, who had been with the county fire department for 17 years, was killed, Kootenai County Fire and Rescue Chief Christopher Way said during a news conference Monday. Harwood was married and had two children, and he also was a veteran of the Army National Guard.

Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Battalion Chief John Morrison, 52, was also killed after working with the department for 28 years.

Coeur d’Alene Fire Department Fire Engineer David Tysdal, 47, sustained gunshot wounds and was in critical condition. Authorities said he had two successful surgeries.

After the shooting, local law enforcement agencies have offered to go on every call that the fire department goes on, according to Way.

“I don’t know that we’re ever going to be able to guarantee people’s peace of mind, at least for a while after an incident like this,” he said. “But we are taking every measure we can to ensure safety of our responders.”

Roley had set a fire using flint, and the firefighters who rushed to the scene instead found themselves under fire. They took cover behind fire trucks.

“There was an interaction with the firefighters,” Norris said. “It has something to do with his vehicle being parked where it was.”

Roley had ties to California and Arizona before moving to Idaho

Roley later killed himself, the sheriff said.

He had ties to California and Arizona and was living in Idaho “for the better part of 2024,” Norris said. “But as far as when he got here, why he was here, why he chose this place — I don’t know.”

Two helicopters converged on the area Sunday, armed with snipers ready to take out the suspect if needed, while the FBI used his cellphone data to track him and the sheriff ordered residents to shelter in place. They eventually found Roley dead in the mountains, his firearm beside him.

Roley lived with T.J. Franks Jr. for about six months in Sandpoint, Idaho, while working for a tree service, Franks said on Monday. Franks had cameras in his apartment that caught Roley throwing gang signs at them one day, which worried Franks to the point that he called police.

“I didn’t know what to really think about it,” Franks said. “I just called the cops and had them talk to him.”

The landlord also called Franks one morning because neighbors reported that Roley’s vehicle had been left running for about 12 hours. Franks said Roley was asleep in his room and said he forgot about the vehicle.

Franks said Roley “started acting a little weird” and at one point shaved his long hair off completely.

“We just kind of noticed him starting to decline or kind of go downhill,” he said.

A swift outpouring of support

Outpouring of support for the victims was swift in Coeur d’Alene, a city of 55,000 residents near the border with Washington.

Hours after the shooting, people gathered along Interstate 90 holding American flags to pay their respects as the two fallen firefighters’ bodies were taken to the medical examiner’s office in Spokane, Washington, about 35 miles (56 kilometers) from Coeur d’Alene.

Gov. Brad Little ordered U.S. and Idaho state flags to be lowered to half-staff to honor the firefighters until the day after their memorial service.

“All our public safety officers, especially our firefighters, bravely confront danger on a daily basis but we have never seen a heinous act of violence like this on our firefighters before,” he said in a statement. “This is not Idaho. This indescribable loss is felt deeply by all those in the firefighting community and beyond.”

Though the shelter-in-place order was lifted, the sheriff’s office cautioned residents to be prepared because the fire was still burning. The Idaho Department of Lands said it had burned about 26 acres (10.5 hectares).

Way described the fire on Monday as “reasonably contained,” saying that respondents had “stopped significant forward progress.”

Fire is always a concern for the region, said Bruce Deming, whose property abuts the trail system. When he noticed smoke on the ridge Sunday afternoon, he wondered why no firefighting helicopters were responding.

When a friend texted to tell him about the shooting, he realized why he wasn’t seeing aircraft: “Because they’re concerned about being shot at,” he said.

___

Associated Press journalists Hallie Golden in Seattle, Ed White in Detroit and Martha Bellisle in Seattle contributed to this report.

A former governor, a Trump and many others: Tillis retirement sets off NC Senate seat speculation

A former governor, a Trump and many others: Tillis retirement sets off NC Senate seat speculation

By GARY D. ROBERTSON and JILL COLVIN Associated Press

RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) — North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis’ surprise retirement announcement over the weekend creates a sudden opening in next year’s midterm elections, setting off a scramble of successor speculation that includes both a former Democratic governor and a Trump other than the one who ultimately nudged Tillis into leaving.

Tillis’ decision, revealed Sunday after President Donald Trump threatened to back a primary candidate against him as Tillis opposed Medicaid reductions in the president’s tax break and spending cut package, is leading Republican politicians to size up whether they can lasso the electoral and financial support to compete for the seat.

Anyone getting a Trump endorsement is likely to have the inside track for the GOP nomination next March.

“There’s a tremendous amount of people who are looking at the position and trying to determine whether they have the fire in belly to run for it,” state Rep. John Torbett said on Monday.

Democrats waiting on Cooper

The absence of an incumbent emboldens national and state Democrats in their bid to flip back the Senate, where Republicans hold a 53-47 advantage. A Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee spokesperson said Tillis’ announcement was “another blow to Republicans’ chances as they face a midterm backlash that puts their majority at risk.”

But it’s still unclear whether their most high-profile potential candidate — former two-term Gov. Roy Cooper — is going to run. He hasn’t publicly revealed his plans, even though former U.S. Rep. Wiley Nickel launched his own bid almost three months ago.

Cooper left office last December as a popular figure — mentioned briefly as a vice presidential choice for Kamala Harris — who has never lost an election for state office, dating to the mid-1980s. He was elected attorney general four times and is known for his fundraising prowess.

Cooper spokesperson Morgan Jackson said Monday that Cooper “continues to strongly consider a run for the Senate and will decide in the coming weeks.”

Nickel’s campaign didn’t respond Monday to a message seeking comment, but Nickel said Sunday that “no matter which MAGA loyalist Donald Trump handpicks to run in North Carolina, I’m the Democrat who’s ready to take them on and win.”

Veteran Democratic consultant Gary Pearce said Tillis’ departure makes it imperative that Cooper get in the race: “We can’t let a Trump toady take that seat.”

Still, Democrats haven’t won a Senate seat in the ninth-largest state since 2008. That includes when Trump, as a former president, publicly endorsed then-U.S. Rep. Ted Budd for the GOP nomination nearly a year before the 2022 primary. Budd defeated former Gov. Pat McCrory in the primary by 34 percentage points.

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, said North Carolina voters would next year “elect a conservative leader committed to advancing an agenda of opportunity, prosperity, and security.”

Whatley, Lara Trump, Harrigan garner GOP attention

The list of potential Republican candidates floating on social media appears long, with two close Trump allies among those mentioned often — current Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Whatley and former RNC co-chair Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law. Neither has publicly spoken about the seat.

Both are originally from North Carolina, with Whatley a former chief of staff to then-U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Dole and later state GOP chair before he was elevated to the RNC post last year.

Whatley is considered by national Republicans to be a potentially formidable candidate in the state, given his wide network of relationships, strong fundraising record and the fact that he doesn’t have the baggage of past votes to explain.

Whatley, according to a person familiar with his thinking, is honored to have the RNC position and is neither actively considering nor putting out feelers for the Senate race. He sees his primary job as helping the White House find the right candidate, but also would not reject being considered, said the person, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak on the record.

Lara Trump now lives in Florida and anchors a weekly Fox News show. Having a Trump on the ballot in an off-year is seen as a potential boon for the party by national Republicans, though it remains unclear whether she will want to purse a run. She declined to run for the U.S. Senate in North Carolina in 2022 and in 2024 took herself out of the running to fill the term of Marco Rubio as he became secretary of state.

Another candidate mentioned often is first-term U.S. Rep. Pat Harrigan, a West Point graduate and former Green Beret who served in Afghanistan and later became a defense-products manufacturer. A Harrigan political consultant is a former Tillis aide.

Tillis told The Associated Press Monday that he would likely get involved in the race for his replacement and said, ideally, Senate Republicans and the White House will land on a candidate who can win.

“I know a lot about the state of North Carolina,” he said, “and I got a pretty good idea of the profile you need to win.”

Tillis declined to name favorites but advised would-be candidates to hold off on declaring their candidacies until close to the December filing deadline when, he argued, the political dynamics will be clearer.

Tillis has history of far-right critiques, close elections

Tillis’ retirement announcement — he will serve out the last 18 months of his term — heartened far-right Republicans and strong Trump supporters who have been unhappy for years with his willingness to challenge Trump’s actions and his Cabinet agency choices.

Tillis sent Trump a text message on Saturday night, alerting him that he would not be running for reelection by telling the president: “Start thinking about my replacement.”

Trump responded in the text, a copy of which was seen by The Associated Press: “I am! DJT.”

Trump and his team have already targeted one Republican incumbent: Kentucky Rep. Thomas Massie, launching a new super PAC devoted to defeating him that has already released an ad lambasting him.

While praised for pushing a conservative agenda as state House speaker, Tillis faced strong primary opponents in his first Senate bid in 2014 based on accusations that he was too moderate. But he avoided a significant challenge in the 2020 GOP primary and won two general elections by narrow margins over then-Sen. Kay Hagan and later challenger Cal Cunningham.

___

Colvin reported from New York. Associated Press writer Seung Min Kim in Washington contributed to this report.

Recent News

Powered By SoCast