News - Friday, September 12, 2025

The International Bluegrass Music Association’s World of Bluegrass will be held in Chattanooga Sept. 16-20, bringing five days of performances, showcases, contests and family-friendly activities to downtown. While the event includes the IBMA Business Conference and Bluegrass Music Awards, much of the programming is designed for the public, with multiple stages, food vendors, art markets and special events open to attendees.

Bluegrass has long had a home in Chattanooga. From the 3 Sisters Bluegrass Festival drawing thousands each fall to the legendary Dismembered Tennesseans carrying the sound forward for generations, the city has deep ties to the genre’s past and present.

When Kelsey Vasileff opened Southern Squeeze in 2014, the tiny storefront was built around a simple idea: help people nourish their bodies through clean, healthy food. Back then, the concept was straightforward – cold-pressed juices, smoothies, a few raw treats and simple cleansing programs. But Vasileff quickly learned that “healthy” looks different for everyone.

Performances will take place Thursdays Thursdays in September, noon-1 p.m. in Miller Park Sept. 4, 11 and 25. Hosted by the city of Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors and the Office of Arts, Culture and Creative Economy, Noontunes offers attendees an outdoor midday break complete with music, games, food trucks and community activities. The 2025 season is sponsored by City of Chattanooga Parks & Outdoors, Tennessee Arts Commission, EPB, First Horizon Bank and Tennessee American Water.

Beginning Oct. 1, the city of Chattanooga will launch two pilot programs aimed at reducing landfill waste and promoting responsible recycling. The initiatives – a curbside food waste composting service and a glass recycling collection program – will run through June 30 with an initial focus on select neighborhoods in the Brainerd area.

La Paz Chattanooga has expanded its team with the addition of two new staff members.

Brenda Zaragoza joins La Paz as education and outreach coordinator. A first-generation Mexican American, Brenda was born in Illinois and raised in Chattanooga. She earned both her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga, where she focused her academic work on issues of social equity and justice. Zaragoza brings a strong background in bilingual support, community outreach and culturally responsive programming to her role.

Exactly a day after completing his final training session for the Gift of Life Marrow Registry Campus Ambassador Program, Nick Stone received a call. The University of Tennessee senior diver assumed the call was about his new role when he saw the Gift of Life number on his phone.

Welcome back to Flick Picks, your twice-monthly movie fix.

Late summer might be the slowest season for movie lovers, but there’s still plenty to talk about – from lackluster theatrical releases to a new streaming mystery and a classic Spielberg blockbuster. Here’s what’s worth watching – and skipping – right now.

At Greater Chattanooga Realtors, we’re proud to shine a light on the leaders who give their time and energy to serve our association. This Director Spotlight features Rolanda Daniel, whose professional journey began with empowering others in their careers – a passion that now carries over into her real estate work and leadership. Rolanda’s dedication to client service, Realtor education and community involvement reflects the very best of who we are as an association.

If you own a business, you’ve probably spent countless hours thinking about how to grow it, manage daily operations and serve your customers. But have you thought about how you’ll eventually step away from it? 

While it might seem premature, planning your successful exit from your business is one of the smartest moves you can make as an owner.

Gov. Bill Lee has declared that “nothing is off the table” when it comes to efforts to reduce crime in Tennessee. “Everything is a possibility.” So, what the heck, why not pull out the big gun, so to speak: martial law, which is military rule over civilian population with the suspension of normal civilian laws.

Let me preface this column by saying this: I like Brian Callahan a lot.

He and his coaching staff have been a breath of fresh air. They’ve brought transparency and openness that was sorely lacking in dealing with previous regimes that had the old New England Patriots mentality of making information and data harder to come by than extracting state secrets from the Pentagon.

For those expecting Cam Ward to come out blazing in his first NFL start, well, those things aren’t the norm – despite what CJ Stroud, Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix have done the last couple of years.

Ward certainly didn’t dazzle in his NFL debut the way Marcus Mariota and Will Levis did with four touchdown passes each in their first starts. Maybe that’s a good thing in the long run. But Ward’s debut wasn’t all bad either.

Toyota has released a redesigned 4Runner for 2025. This is a big deal for fans of this SUV, as the previous generation was on sale for a lengthy 14 years. 

The new Toyota 4Runner has distinctive new styling, the latest technology features and an available hybrid powertrain that promises increased performance without sacrificing mpg. And just like previous models, it has a rugged design that’s well suited for off-road adventures.

NASHVILLE (AP) — Cam Ward is excited to finally play an NFL regular-season game in his new home stadium and knows the best way to make the Tennessee Titans' home opener even more memorable is just win.

"I'm excited for it myself, the team trying to get our first win of the season," Ward said. "So we're ready to get it going."

NASHVILLE (AP) — Tennessee starting right tackle JC Latham said Thursday that he will be out Sunday against the Los Angeles Rams in the Titans' home opener.

Latham left the season-opening loss in Denver early in the fourth quarter after with an injured hip that limited him during the preseason. Titans coach Brian Callahan said Monday that Latham aggravated an issue that the lineman has been playing through.

NASHVILLE (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday he'll send the National Guard to address crime concerns in Memphis with support from the mayor and Tennessee's governor, making it his latest expansion of military forces into American cities that has tested the limits of presidential power and drawn sharp criticism from local leaders.

BOSTON (AP) — A U.S. appeals court panel on Thursday allowed President Donald Trump's administration to block Medicaid funds to Planned Parenthood while legal challenges continue.

A federal judge in July ruled Planned Parenthood clinics nationwide must continue to be reimbursed for Medicaid funding as the nation's largest abortion provider fights Trump's administration over efforts to defund the organization in his signature tax legislation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. military strike on what the Trump administration says was a drug-carrying speedboat from Venezuela came after the vessel had turned around and was heading back to shore, raising fresh questions as members of Congress are demanding more information about the provocative attack.

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — A series of reported threats toward historically Black colleges and universities across the U.S. on Thursday led to lockdown orders, canceled classes and heightened security.

Authorities did not elaborate on the type of threats that were made and no injuries have been reported. The FBI told The Associated Press that they are taking the "hoax threat calls" seriously and that there is "no information to indicate a credible threat."

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will travel to Madrid this weekend for negotiations with his Chinese counterparts over tariffs and national security issues related to the ownership of social media platform TikTok.

Bessent is slated to meet Chinese Vice Premier He Lifeng in Madrid to discuss national security and economic issues, a Treasury news release states.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's push to revitalize American manufacturing by luring foreign investment into the U.S. has run smack into one of his other priorities: cracking down on illegal immigration.

Hardly a week after immigration authorities raided a sprawling Hyundai battery plant in Georgia, detained more than 300 South Korean workers and showed video of some of them shackled in chains, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned that the country's other companies may be reluctant to take up Trump's invitation to pour money into the United States.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has asked an appeals court to remove Lisa Cook from the Federal Reserve's board of governors by Monday, before the central bank's next vote on interest rates.

LONDON (AP) — European Union regulators have accepted Microsoft's proposed changes to Teams, resolving a long-running antitrust investigation that targeted the company's messaging and videoconferencing app.

The European Commission said in a statement Friday that Microsoft's final commitments to unbundle Teams from its Office software suite, including further tweaks following a market test in May and June, are enough to satisfy competition concerns.

MILAN (AP) — After a lifetime of spurning would-be business suitors, the late Italian designer Giorgio Armani instructed his heirs to sell a 15% minority stake in his vast fashion empire, with priority to the French conglomerate LVMH, the eyewear giant Essilor-Luxottica or the cosmetics company L'Oreal.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer weathered backlash from Democrats earlier this year when he voted with Republicans to keep the government open. But he's now willing to risk a shutdown at the end of the month if Republicans don't accede to Democratic demands.

OREM, Utah (AP) — The man accused of assassinating Charlie Kirk had expressed opposition to the conservative activist's viewpoints and indicated that he was responsible for the shooting, authorities said Friday as they announced an arrest in the killing that raised fresh alarms about political violence in a deeply polarized United States.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans took the first steps to change the chamber's rules on Thursday, moving to make it easier to confirm groups of President Donald Trump's nominees after last-minute negotiations with Democrats fell apart.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune's move is the latest salvo after a dozen years of gradual changes by both parties to weaken the filibuster and make the nominations process more partisan. He has said the Democrats' obstruction is "unsustainable" as they have drawn out the confirmation process and infuriated Trump as many positions in his administration have remained unfilled.

OREM, Utah (AP) — President Donald Trump said Friday that the suspect in the Charlie Kirk killing has been captured.

"With a high degree of certainty, we have him," Trump announced in a live interview on Fox News Chanel on Friday morning.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The same scene played out at campuses across the country. Charlie Kirk would grab a microphone, take a seat under a canopy — often in busy campus hubs — and invite debate from anyone who came along. His prompt: "Prove me wrong."

ATLANTA (AP) — A judge has rejected an attempt by the state of Georgia and a local development agency to force people who unsuccessfully sued to block an electric vehicle plant to pay the government's legal fees.

State government and the development authority demanded that six Morgan County property owners who challenged the zoning for Rivian Automotive pay more than $337,000 in legal fees incurred by the government.

OpenAI has reached a new tentative agreement with Microsoft and said its nonprofit, which technically controls its business, will now be given a $100 billion equity stake in its for-profit corporation.

The maker of ChatGPT said it had reached a new nonbinding agreement with Microsoft, its longtime partner, "for the next phase of our partnership."

WASHINGTON (AP) — A group of top U.S. Catholic bishops and nuns on the front lines of the country's immigration conflict have decried the Trump administration's hard-line policies for tearing apart families, inciting fear and upending American church life.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump's tariff policy, immigration crackdowns and sweeping tax and spending law are expected to increase jobless rates and inflation and lower overall growth this year before they improve next year, according to a new report from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Family members of the young Utah man accused of shooting Charlie Kirk told authorities he had recently become "more political" and saw the ally of President Donald Trump as a person spreading hate, according to authorities.

Vanderbilt checked a big item off its to-do list by beating South Carolina, and there's still more work to do.

The Commodores are 3-0 for the first time since 2017 and were rewarded for their 31-7 win over the Gamecocks with a No. 20 ranking in Sunday's Associated Press Top 25.

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans have allowed 11 sacks through two games and been flagged 23 times for 193 yards.

In other words, they continue being their own worst enemy with an 0-2 start.

Cam Ward, the No. 1 overall draft pick, is paying the physical price of those mistakes. He was sacked five times and stripped of the ball on one Sunday as the Titans lost their home opener 33-19 to the Los Angeles Rams.

Whether it's winning three Super Bowls or five NASCAR Cup Series championships, Joe Gibbs knows how to guide his teams to success through internal turmoil.

So when Christopher Bell angrily called out his No. 20 crew last week for questionable strategy during a 24-race winless streak, Gibbs let the emotions run their course rather than step in to defuse the tension.

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford Motor Co. is taking a drive down the road in a couple of months.

The venerable carmaker is moving its headquarters for the first time in seven decades, relocating to a newly constructed building 3 miles (5 kilometers) away in its longtime home of Dearborn, Michigan.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Nate Bargatze, the host of this year's Emmy Awards, kicked off the ceremony Sunday with a string of jokes poking fun at the television industry.

The show opened with a sketch where "Saturday Night Live" stars Mikey Day, Bowen Yang and James Austin Johnson joined Bargatze, who played television inventor Philo T. Farnsworth. The audience was warm to Bargatze's jokes as he, while playing Farnsworth, opined on what the future of TV will be like.

A framework deal has been reached for the ownership of popular social video platform TikTok, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said after weekend trade talks between the U.S. and China in Spain.

Bessent said in a press conference after the latest round of trade talks between the worlds top two economies concluded in Madrid that U.S. President Donald Trump and Chinese Premier Xi Jinping would speak on Friday to possibly finalize the deal.

MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) — One of Australia's largest banks said Monday it agreed to pay a record 240 million Australian dollars ($160 million) in penalties for corporate misconduct affecting almost 65,000 customers and the federal government.

Melbourne-based ANZ, also known as Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission said in statements they will ask a federal court to endorse the penalties for four separate prosecutions.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a sign of how unusual this week's Federal Reserve meeting is, the decision it will make on interest rates — usually the main event — is just one of the key unknowns to be resolved when officials gather Tuesday and Wednesday.

LONDON (AP) — China accused Nvidia on Monday of violating the country's antimonopoly laws and said it would step up scrutiny of the world's leading chipmaker, escalating tensions with Washington as the two countries hold trade talks this week.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Given just how much President Donald Trump talks in public, it can sometimes be hard to keep up with all of his promises — even his most outlandish ones.

Once a pledge has been made, though, the president has a way of making notions that once seemed implausible inch toward appearing routine the more he repeats them.

MORRISTOWN, N.J. (AP) — Even before the killing of Charlie Kirk, Gov. Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania was struggling with the emotional toll of political violence.

In the middle of the night just five months ago, someone broke into his home and set it on fire. Shapiro, who is also a likely 2028 Democratic presidential contender, was asleep with his wife and children.

NASHVILLE (AP) — The Tennessee Titans' youth movement means their rebuilding project is a mix of flashes of promise and frustrating missteps.

That's why they are 0-2.

The Titans have been good enough to lead both games against Denver and the Los Angeles Rams — both playoff teams last January.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Trump administration's central human resources office acted illegally when it directed the mass firings of probationary workers as part of President Donald Trump's efforts to downsize the federal workforce, a judge has ruled.

NEW YORK (AP) — Former federal prosecutor Maurene Comey sued the U.S. government Monday to get her job back, saying her firing was for political reasons and was unconstitutional.

Her lawsuit in Manhattan federal court blamed the firing on the fact that her father is James Comey, a former F.B.I. director, "or because of her perceived political affiliation and beliefs, or both."

NEW YORK (AP) — Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s new vaccine advisory committee meets this week, with votes expected on whether to change recommendations on shots against COVID-19, hepatitis B and chickenpox.

The exact questions to be voted on Thursday and Friday in Atlanta are unclear. Officials at the Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to questions seeking details to a newly posted agenda.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration is redirecting nearly $500 million in federal funding toward historically Black colleges and tribal colleges, a one-time investment covered primarily by cuts to other colleges serving large numbers of minority students.

Nearly 200 shipping companies said Monday they want the world's largest maritime nations to adopt regulations that include the first-ever global fee on greenhouse gases to reduce their sector's emissions.

The Getting to Zero Coalition, an alliance of companies, governments and intergovernmental organizations, is asking member states of the International Maritime Organization to support adopting regulations to transition to green shipping, including the fee, when they meet in London next month. The statement was shared exclusively with The Associated Press in advance.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Monday threatened to once again federalize Washington, D.C.'s police force, in what he suggested could come in response to the city's mayor's stated refusal to cooperate with immigration enforcement.

Trump's emergency order, which took over the local police force, expired last week. Hours before it elapsed, Mayor Muriel Bowser said that the city would not cooperate with Immigration, Customs and Enforcement in their continued operations in the nation's capital. Earlier, she had said the city would work with other federal agencies even after the emergency order expired.

WASHINGTON (AP) — For many dedicated sports fans, keeping up with their favorite teams has become a juggling act.

Activate an NFL package in August, unsubscribe after the Super Bowl and before the NBA playoffs get underway, then subscribe to the NBA's service. Grudgingly keep paying the cable bill because it's the only way to get the local baseball team. Throw in a subscription to ESPN's new direct-to-consumer streaming service for college football.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an order Monday sending the National Guard into Memphis to combat crime, offering another major test of the limits of presidential power by using military force in American cities.

With Republican Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee visiting the Oval Office, Trump said troops would be deployed and join a special task force in the city comprised of officials from various federal agencies, including the FBI, Drug Enforcement Administration, Immigration and Customs Enforcement and the U.S. Marshal's service.

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump has added The New York Times to the list of media companies he's challenged in court, filing a $15 billion defamation lawsuit that targets four of its journalists in a book and three articles published within a two-month period before the last election.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An appeals court ruled Monday that Lisa Cook can remain a Federal Reserve governor, rebuffing President Donald Trump's efforts to remove her just ahead of a key vote on interest rates.

NEW YORK (AP) — A judge on Tuesday dismissed terrorism charges against Luigi Mangione in New York state's case over the killing of UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson, but he kept the state's second-degree murder charges against him.

In a written decision, Judge Gregory Carro said that although there is no doubt that the killing was not an ordinary street crime, New York law doesn't consider something terrorism simply because it was motivated by ideology.

WASHINGTON (AP) — For the first time, federal health officials are taking aim at telehealth companies promoting unofficial versions of prescription drugs — including popular weight loss medications — as part of the Trump administration's crackdown on pharmaceutical advertising.

HONOLULU (AP) — After water polo practice at her school atop a hill overlooking Honolulu Harbor, Kapua Ong marvels at the sunset.

"I do feel proud of myself for getting in because not everyone gets accepted," said Kapua, 14, a freshman at Kamehameha Schools, a competitive private school with affordable tuition that gives preference to Native Hawaiians. "I'm just, like, grateful for being able to have those opportunities."

ATLANTA (AP) — It seems like a terrible time to build an electric vehicle plant in the United States, but Rivian Automotive leaders say they're confident as the company starts long-delayed work on a $5 billion facility in Georgia.

The money-losing California-based company breaks ground Tuesday east of Atlanta despite President Donald Trump's successful push to roll back electric vehicle tax credits. Starting Sept. 30, buyers will no longer qualify for savings of up to $7,500 per car.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of America may end up being the biggest winner of Sunday night's Emmy Awards. The afterschool youth programming nonprofit is now seeing a donation surge after a controversial fundraising bit at the center of television's biggest night.

BOSTON (AP) — Immigrants are being detained while going to work, outside courthouses, and at store parking lots in Metro Boston as President Donald Trump targets so-called sanctuary cities in his effort to ramp up immigration enforcement.

As families hole up in homes — afraid to leave and risk detainment — advocates are reporting an increased presence of unmarked U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement vehicles sitting in parking lots and other public areas throughout immigrant communities, where agents appeared to target work vans. One man captured a video of three landscapers who were working on the Saugus Town Hall property being arrested after agents smashed their truck window.

Robert Redford, the Hollywood golden boy who became an Oscar-winning director, liberal activist and godfather for independent cinema under the name of one of his best-loved characters, died Tuesday at 89.

Redford died "at his home at Sundance in the mountains of Utah — the place he loved, surrounded by those he loved," publicist Cindi Berger said in a statement. No cause of death was provided.

WASHINGTON (AP) — After a late-night vote and last-minute ruling, the Federal Reserve began a key meeting on interest rate policy Tuesday with both a new Trump administration appointee and an official the White House has targeted for removal.

Stephen Miran, a top White House economist who was confirmed by the Senate with unusual speed late Monday, was sworn in Tuesday as a member of the Fed's board of governors. He will vote on the Fed's interest rate decision on Wednesday, when the central bank is expected to reduce its key rate by a quarter-point. Miran may dissent in favor of a larger cut.

NEW YORK (AP) — Shoppers increased their spending at a better-than-expected pace in August from July, helped by back-to-school purchases, even as President Donald Trump's tariffs are starting to hurt the job market and lead to price hikes.

Retail sales rose 0.6% last month from July, when sales were up a revised 0.6%, according to the Commerce Department's report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Democrats are planning to force two Senate votes on President Donald Trump's tariffs in the coming weeks, keeping pressure on Senate Republicans as many of them have voiced frustration with the policies.

Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine says he will introduce two separate bipartisan resolutions this week that would terminate the national emergencies that Trump declared to justify the tariffs he has imposed on Canada and Brazil. In April, four Republicans voted with Democrats to block Trump's tariffs on Canada, but the House never took it up.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate has approved one of President Donald Trump's top economic advisers for a seat on the Federal Reserve's governing board, giving the White House greater influence over the central bank just two days before it is expected to vote in favor of reducing its key interest rate.

NEW YORK (AP) — Target is expanding its next-day delivery of parcel shipments to 35 of the nation's top 60 metropolitan markets by the end of next month, marking 22 new cities this year, as the discount retailer aims to narrow the gap with the likes of Amazon.

The world's fondness for matcha is about to be tested by steep price increases.

Global demand for the powdered tea has skyrocketed around the world, fueled by consumer interest in its health benefits and by the bright green matcha lattes bubbling up on social media. In the U.S., retail sales of matcha are up 86% from three years ago, according to NIQ, a market research firm.

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel touted his leadership of the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency at a congressional hearing likely to be dominated by questions about the investigation into Charlie Kirk's killing and the recent firings of senior FBI officials who have accused Patel of illegal political retribution.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A pair of Iranian financiers and more than a dozen people and firms across Hong Kong and the United Arab Emirates were sanctioned Tuesday for allegedly coordinating $100 million worth of cryptocurrency transfers from the sale of Iranian oil for the benefit of Iran's government and military.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said the U.S. military on Monday again targeted a boat allegedly carrying drugs from Venezuela, killing three aboard the vessel, and hinted that the military targeting of cartels could be further expanded.

"The Strike occurred while these confirmed narcoterrorists from Venezuela were in International Waters transporting illegal narcotics (A DEADLY WEAPON POISONING AMERICANS!) headed to the U.S.," Trump said in a Truth Social post announcing the strike. "These extremely violent drug trafficking cartels POSE A THREAT to U.S. National Security, Foreign Policy, and vital U.S. Interests."

PROVO, Utah (AP) — Tyler Robinson, the 22-year-old Utah man accused of assassinating conservative activist Charlie Kirk, was charged on Tuesday with aggravated murder, a prosecutor announced, saying Robinson left behind his DNA on the trigger of the rifle that fired the fatal shot.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some Democratic senators say they are deeply concerned that a Pentagon plan to allow military lawyers to work as temporary immigration judges will violate a ban on using service members for law enforcement and affect the military justice system.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump formally extended the deadline to keep the social media app TikTok available in the United States until Dec. 16, giving time to complete the framework of the deal announced Monday after talks between American and Chinese government officials.

NEW YORK (AP) — For decades, Publishers Clearing House doled out hefty checks on the doorsteps of hopeful consumers across the U.S., including prizes that boasted lifetime payouts. But some of those winners are now facing an end to the "forever" money they were once promised.

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Republicans unveiled Tuesday a stopgap spending bill that would keep federal agencies funded through Nov. 21, daring Democrats to block it knowing that the fallout would likely be a partial government shutdown that would begin Oct. 1, the start of the new budget year.

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel clashed with skeptical Democrats at a contentious Senate oversight hearing Tuesday, defending his record amid criticism that he has politicized the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency and pursued retribution against perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump.

NASHVILLE (AP) — The NCAA was back in court Tuesday fighting for the future of its eligibility rules through the case of Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia, who is playing his fourth Division I season under a preliminary injunction.

Attorney Rakesh Kilaru argued in court before a three-judge panel of the 6th U.S. District Court of Appeals that the NCAA believes its rules determining athlete eligibility do not violate the Sherman Act or other antitrust laws. Kilaru also said the association intends to enforce its rules.

NASHVILLE (AP) — President Donald Trump's plan to send the National Guard into Memphis for a crime-fighting push has some residents worried that it won't help people who are struggling and could scare off visitors. Others disagree with that sentiment so much that they're offering free barbecue for the troops before they even arrive.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House passed legislation Tuesday that would overhaul how youth who commit crimes are prosecuted in the District of Columbia as congressional Republicans mobilized behind President Donald Trump's efforts to crack down on crime in the nation's capital.

WASHINGTON (AP) — More than 50 people have faced federal charges in Washington, D.C., since President Donald Trump's emergency law-and-order surge began last month. Already, prosecutors have dropped at least 11 of those cases, an unusually high collapse rate that judges say is wasting court resources.

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Trump administration is using civil rights laws to wage a campaign against the University of California in an attempt to curtail academic freedom and undermine free speech, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday by faculty, staff, student organizations and every labor union representing UC workers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Susan Monarez testified before senators on Wednesday that Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. fired her after she refused to endorse forthcoming vaccine recommendations without reviewing scientific evidence to support the guidance.

NEW YORK (AP) — For the Boy Scouts of America — recently renamed Scouting America — the past 12 years have been arduous. Opening its programs to gay people and later to girls sparked dismay in some quarters. Its 2020 bankruptcy declaration led to prolonged wrangling over compensation for thousands of men claiming they were sexually abused as scouts.

NEW YORK (AP) — For the Boy Scouts of America — recently renamed Scouting America — the past 12 years have been challenging. Opening its programs to gay people and later to girls angered some critics. Its 2020 bankruptcy declaration triggered disputes over compensation for thousands of men claiming they were sexually abused as scouts.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Russia moved to amplify online conspiracy theories about Charlie Kirk's killing just hours after it happened, seeding social media with the frightening claim that America is slipping into civil war.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Marilyn Hagerty, a North Dakota newspaper columnist whose earnest review of her local Olive Garden restaurant became a social media sensation, died Tuesday. She was 99.

Hagerty died at a hospital in Grand Forks from complications related to a stroke, according to her daughter Gail Hagerty. She remembered her mother as a journalist at heart who was more interested in giving readers an honest assessment of what to expect from a restaurant than in being critical.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The last time she saw her husband, the father of her three children, was when he left their Washington apartment a month ago to buy milk and diapers. Before long he called to say he had been pulled over — but not to worry, because it was just local police. The next time she heard from him, he was at a detention center in Virginia.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered that troops who need an exemption from shaving their facial hair for longer than a year should get kicked out of the service.

While commanders are still able to issue service members exemptions from shaving — a policy that has existed for decades — they will now have to come with a medical treatment plan, Hegseth said in an Aug. 20 memo made public Monday. Troops who still need treatment after a year will be separated from service, the memo says.

WASHINGTON (AP) — With the Federal Reserve widely expected Wednesday to reduce its key interest rate by a quarter-point to about 4.1%, economists and Wall Street investors will be looking for signals about next steps: How deeply might the Fed cut in the next few months?

TOKYO (AP) — Japan's exports to the United States plummeted 13.8% in August compared to the same month the previous year, marking the fifth straight month of declines, as auto exports were hit by President Donald Trump's tariffs.

The Finance Ministry data released Wednesday showed the rate of the drop in exports to the U.S. compared to the previous year worsened from a 10.1% slip in July.

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon says it's making a $1 billion investment to raise wages and lower the cost of health care plans for its U.S. fulfillment and transportation workers.

The Seattle-based company said Wednesday the average pay is increasing to more than $23 per hour and said that some of its most tenured employees will see an increase between $1.10 and $1.90 per hour. Full-time employees, on average, will see their pay increase by $1,600 per year.

LONDON (AP) — The CEO of Nvidia, which faces tight restrictions on selling its chips to China amid the U.S.-China battle over trade and tech, said he's disappointed about the situation.

Jensen Huang said he expects to discuss the issue with President Donald Trump at a state banquet hosted by the British government that they'll be attending on Wednesday night.

NEW YORK (AP) — StubHub is set to enter the public arena Wednesday after the ticket marketplace priced its initial public offering at $23.50 per share.

The company's shares will trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol "STUB." StubHub offered just over 34 million shares and raised approximately $800 million. At the offering price the company has a market valuation of about $8.6 billion.

BRUSSELS (AP) — The European Union on Wednesday laid out its toughest plan yet to pressure Israel to end the war in Gaza as Palestinians fled en masse from Israeli tanks, drones and troops pushing deeper into the coastal enclave ravaged by 23 months of war.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Rev. Emanuel Cleaver III wants a second Civil Rights Movement in response to President Donald Trump and his fellow Republicans who are redrawing congressional district boundaries to increase their power in Washington.

In Missouri, the GOP's effort comes at the expense of Cleaver's father, Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver II, and many of his Kansas City constituents who fear a national redistricting scramble will reverse gains Black Americans won two generations ago and leave them without effective representation on Capitol Hill.

First came Texas, then California, then Missouri. President Donald Trump's call to redraw U.S. House districts ahead of the 2026 elections has led to a wave of political maneuvering among state-level Republicans and Democrats that continues to unfold across the country.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump is escalating threats to crack down on what he describes as the "radical left" following Charlie Kirk's assassination, stirring fears that his administration is trying to harness outrage over the killing to suppress political opposition.

WASHINGTON (AP) — FBI Director Kash Patel clashed with skeptical Democrats at a contentious Senate oversight hearing Tuesday, defending his record amid criticism that he has politicized the nation's premier federal law enforcement agency and pursued retribution against perceived adversaries of President Donald Trump.

PHOENIX (AP) — President Donald Trump has vowed to do away with voting by mail, but some of his Republican allies in two Western battleground states are taking a more cautious approach.

U.S. Rep. Andy Biggs, one of two candidates with Trump's endorsement in the Arizona governor's race, does not support the elimination of mail voting altogether, though he previously questioned it after Trump's 2020 defeat. His primary challenger, developer Karrin Taylor Robson, also is backed by Trump but hasn't gone as far as Biggs to declare where she stands on eliminating mail voting.