Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

Longtime WRAL anchor Charlie Gaddy dies at 93

RALEIGH, N.C. (WPTF) — Charlie Gaddy, one of North Carolina’s most recognizable broadcasters and a longtime anchor on WRAL-TV, has died at age 93.

Before beginning his television career, Gaddy worked for a time at WPTF, the flagship station of the North Carolina News Network. In a 2024 interview marking WPTF’s 100th anniversary, he recalled the early days of local radio programming, including a show called Ask Your Neighbor.

“It was just something that somebody came up with as an idea, and they tried it to see how it would work,” Gaddy said. “And it worked beautifully. It was a very popular program and lasted a long time. But that’s how it started.”

Gaddy was born in Biscoe, North Carolina, attended Guilford College, and served in the U.S. Army. He became a household name across central North Carolina during his years anchoring WRAL’s evening newscasts, known for his calm demeanor and trusted presence.

Funeral arrangements have not yet been announced.

Trump says he’s ‘highly unlikely’ to fire Fed’s Powell after floating that idea in private

Trump says he’s ‘highly unlikely’ to fire Fed’s Powell after floating that idea in private

By SEUNG MIN KIM Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he was “highly unlikely” to fire Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, a public statement made less than 24 hours after suggesting in a private meeting that he was leaning in favor of dismissing the head of the nation’s central bank.

Trump confirmed that in a White House meeting Tuesday night with about a dozen House Republicans he had discussed the “concept” of dismissing Powell, long a target because of his refusal to lower interest rates as Trump wants.

“Almost every one of them said I should,” Trump said about the lawmakers who had come to talk to him about crypto legislation.

He indicated he was leaning in that direction, according to a White House official. During that session, Trump waved a letter about firing Powell, but a person familiar with the matter said it was essentially a prop drafted by someone else and that the Republican president has not drafted such a letter.

Neither source was authorized to publicly discuss the private meeting and they spoke only on condition on anonymity.

Trump made his comment about being “highly unlikely” to dismiss Powell — ”unless he has to leave for fraud” — during an Oval Office meeting with Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the crown prince of Bahrain.

In recent days, White House and administration officials have accused Powell of mismanaging a $2.5 billion renovation project at the Fed, adding to months of efforts by Trump try to rid himself of the politically independent central banker.

U.S. stocks were shaky as Trump spoke about Powell on Wednesday. The S&P 500’s modest gain in the morning became a drop of 0.7% after initial reports that the president may fire the Fed chair. Stocks then trimmed their losses after Trump’s later comment.

Treasury yields also swiveled in the bond market but remained mostly calm.

Those at the White House meeting were among the more far-right lawmakers, including members of the House Freedom Cause whose views are not always shared by other Republicans. In the Senate, Republicans have taken a more guarded approach. Some have backed Powell’s performance at the Fed as they await an inspector general’s review of the construction project.

In a speech Wednesday, Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., said if Powell is dismissed, “you are going to see a pretty immediate response”

“If anybody thinks it would be a good idea for the Fed to become another agency in the government subject to the president, they’re making a huge mistake,” said Tillis, who has announced that he is not running for reelection.

Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., said this week that Powell “has done a decent job.”

“I don’t think he’s been perfect,” he said, adding that there have been times they disagreed, but “I do believe that the chairman is calling them like he sees them.”

Republicans on the House Financial Services Committee had been scheduled to meet with Powell on Wednesday evening in a gathering set months ago, but it was abruptly canceled due to votes in the House, according to a committee aide granted anonymity to discuss a private meeting.

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AP Business Writer Stan Choe in New York, AP Congressional Correspondent Lisa Mascaro and Associated Press writers Josh Boak and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

Black-Eyed Susan: A Cheerful Bloom From North Carolina to Norway

Black-Eyed Susan: A Cheerful Bloom From North Carolina to Norway

MIKE RALEY WPTF Weekend Gardener

Melissa and I just returned from a trip to Norway where we traveled as far north as Myrdal, which is 3,000 feet above sea level and about 350 miles south of the Arctic Circle. It was like a North Carolina winter with leaves on all the trees and some snow on the higher peaks. You wouldn’t think that central and eastern North Carolina would share some of the same plants, but we certainly do. Consider Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia hirta). While Black-eyed Susan is native to the Tarheel State, it is definitely not native to Norway. Introduced long ago to many European countries including Norway, we saw Black-eyed Susan growing in most of the areas we visited. We have been growing this adaptable flower for decades in our landscape. Many Norwegians obviously have too.

I have read that Blackeyed Susan got its name from a popular ballad written in the 1700’s that originated in England called “Sweet William’s Farewell to Black-eyed Susan” and composed by a man named John Gay. The information comes, of all places, from a website called “poison.org”! The song tells the story of a woman named Susan who had dark eyes and boarded a ship to say goodbye to her sailor lover Sweet William. The dark center of the blossom is often thought to resemble an eye. Ironically, the Blackeyed Susan was named for a Swedish family- Rudbeck.

Black-eyed Susan is an annual or biennial or perennial in North Carolina that normally blooms from June through September in our landscape. It sometimes depends on how many hungry rabbits attack our crop. Part of the aster family, it is of course kin to the sunflower. Prefers sun but can deal with part shade conditions and seems to like moist, yet well-drained soil. Fortunately for us, it will grow in clay or sand. You know how it goes around here with our soil and drought conditions. Black-eyed Susan will tolerate drought conditions. Now, they do look better with some regular watering; but, most plants and people do too. Another positive when considering the Black-eyed Susan is that it doesn’t really have any insect pests or disease problems according to the folks at the extension service. You’ll be happy to know Rudbeckia self-seeds and will spread by underground rhizomes that are left indentured by the bunnies. You can plant Rudbeckia in spring and fall.

There are a few varieties of Black-Eyed Susan from which to choose: Rudbeckia hirta (Black-eyed Susan), R. fulgida (Orange Coneflower), R tripods (Brown-eyed Susan) and R. maxima (giant Coneflower). I saw some of those at the ever eclectic Cary Downtown Park. NC State University recognizes many cultivars including: “Tiger Eye Gold”, “Sonora”, “Indian Summer”, “Autumn Colors” and “Cherry Brandy” among others. Most cultivars usually range in size from 3 to 4 feet tall. There are some dwarf varieties that only reach about a foot which is good for gardeners with limited space.

If you want a flower for your pollinator garden, then Rudbeckia will do the trick. You will find that bees and butterflies will come to your garden in droves. In the fall you are likely to find a finch or two hanging on to a spent bloom looking for seeds.

As I have said many times, I don’t use a lot of store-bought fertilizer unless it is a sponsor’s product of course. Luckily, Black-eyed Susan doesn’t need a lot of fertilizer during the season.

Many plants respond to deadheading and Rudbeckia is no different. Keep an eye on your plants and you will find they respond to this process that will encourage more blooms.

An interesting fact is that Native Americans found medicinal uses for the black-eyed susan. By the way, it is also the official flower of Appalachian State University.

I think it is probably unanimous, “Weekend Gardener” listeners give a big ole wink to Black-eyed Susan and I do too!

Fights over charters loom over NASCAR as teams, series await key court rulings

Fights over charters loom over NASCAR as teams, series await key court rulings

By JENNA FRYER AP Auto Racing Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — It’s the summer to sue in NASCAR, the sport where the on-track bumping and banging is in danger of being overshadowed by the action in the courtroom.

Two teams — one owned by retired NBA great Michael Jordan — are suing NASCAR over antitrust allegations. 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are awaiting a federal court ruling before Sunday’s race in Delaware that could impact their ability to compete.

Meanwhile, seven-time champion Jimmie Johnson is battling tiny Rick Ware Racing and his lawyers at Legacy Motor Club went hard at Ware’s attorneys in a Monday hearing.

What is all the fighting about? Charters, which are at the heart of NASCAR’s business model. Having one is vital to a team’s survival.

The legal wrangling is only making the the charters skyrocket in value. When Spire Motorsports debuted in 2019, it had bought a charter for $6 million. Now, one of Spire’s founders brokered the now-disputed deal for Ware to sell one of his two charters to Legacy for $45 million.

Johnson is not enjoying the legal brawling, including the higher-profile antitrust fight. He called on those parties to settle.

“I’m just sitting back watching it all play out, learning a lot about the legal process and the amount of injunctions and appeals that can take place,” Johnson said. “It’s a big game of chess and I’m watching all the strategy that goes into it all.

“I would love to see a settlement of some kind. I really don’t think that getting into a knock-down, drag-out lawsuit is good for anybody.”

The NASCAR lawsuit

23XI and FRM filed a federal antitrust suit against NASCAR last year after they were the only two organizations out of 15 to reject NASCAR’s extension offer on charters.

The case has a Dec. 1 trial date, but in the meantime, the two teams are fighting to be recognized as chartered for the current season, which has 16 races left. A charter guarantees one of the 40 spots in the field each week, but also a base amount of money paid out each week.

Jordan and FRM owner Bob Jenkins won an injunction to recognize 23XI and FRM as chartered for the season, but the ruling was overturned on appeal earlier this month. Both teams were set to be stripped of a combined six charters on Wednesday, which would force them to compete as “open cars.”

Three-time Daytona 500 winner Denny Hamlin co-owns 23XI with Jordan and said they are prepared to send Tyler Reddick, Bubba Wallace and Riley Herbst to the track each week as open teams. But they still filed for a restraining order Monday and claimed that through discovery they learned NASCAR upon revocation planned to immediately begin the process of selling the six charters which would put “plaintiffs in irreparable jeopardy of never getting their charters back and going out of business.”

NASCAR said it has asked multiple times for settlement proposals but heard nothing. NASCAR also has no intention of re-negotiating the charter agreements held by 30 other teams.

Jordan has the money to keep 23XI running without charters, but FRM doesn’t have the same level of funding. Additionally, if the teams aren’t chartered, they will have to qualify on speed each week to make the field.

It won’t be an issue this weekend at Dover as fewer than the maximum 40 cars are entered. But should 41 cars show up anywhere this season, someone slow will be sent home.

“We’re not worried because our cars have the speed. We’ve always said we’re racing no matter what. If we have to race open, we have to race open,” Hamlin said at Sonoma Raceway last weekend. “We worked to get an injunction and obviously feel like Dec. 1 is all that matters.”

Legacy vs. RWR

This case is actually a dispute over agreed-upon terms for Ware to sell one of his two charters to Johnson and his partners at Knighthead Capital Management.

Ware this season is leasing a charter to RFK Racing and was already under agreement with that team to get the charter back in 2026, then lease RFK its second charter next season. He never had a charter to sell for 2026 unless he ceased operations.

Yet when he signed the contract with Legacy, Ware has said, he didn’t read it through and catch that the sale terms were for next season and not 2027, when he’d have both charters in his possession.

RWR is alleging Legacy pulled a bait-and-switch, and if true, it is on Ware for not seeing it in the contract he signed.

The curveball came when T.J. Puchyr, the Spire co-founder who now acts as a consultant and brokered the deal between Legacy and Ware, said last month he plans to buy Ware’s team. Legacy argued in court Monday it was blindsided by the news, that if Ware is selling then the charter rightfully belongs to them, and they urgently needed depositions before Ware sold his race team out from under them.

It didn’t help when Ware’s lawyers couldn’t answer questions about a potential sale: “I think you need to talk to your client,” the judge told them before warning Ware may be in contempt of court and ordering depositions for later this week.

Ware, meanwhile, apparently accepted the Legacy offer for his charter despite a second bid of more than $50 million from another party. With NASCAR indicating through discovery in the 23XI/FRM suit that it has interested buyers for the six charters, it is a seller’s market.

Johnson, with financial backing from Knighthead, is certain he will be getting the Ware charter one way or another to expand Legacy to three full-time Cup Series drivers.

“I’m not sure there is a plan B,” Johnson said of his confidence level at winning the case.

Trump slams his own supporters as ‘weaklings’ for falling for what he now calls the Epstein ‘hoax’

Trump slams his own supporters as ‘weaklings’ for falling for what he now calls the Epstein ‘hoax’

By JILL COLVIN Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump is lashing out at his own supporters, accusing them of being duped by Democrats, as he tries to clamp down on criticism over his administration’s handling of much-hyped records in the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation, which Trump now calls a “Hoax.”

“Their new SCAM is what we will forever call the Jeffrey Epstein Hoax, and my PAST supporters have bought into this “bull——,” hook, line, and sinker,” Trump wrote Wednesday on his Truth Social site, using an expletive in his post. “They haven’t learned their lesson, and probably never will, even after being conned by the Lunatic Left for 8 long years.”

President Donald Trump praised his Attorney General Pam Bondi’s handling of the Epstein files Tuesday, telling reporters she “has handled it very well” and saying it’s up to her whether to release any more records related to the sex trafficking investigation. (AP Video)

“Let these weaklings continue forward and do the Democrats work, don’t even think about talking of our incredible and unprecedented success, because I don’t want their support anymore! Thank you for your attention to this matter,” he went on.

The rhetoric marks a dramatic escalation for the Republican president, who has broken with some of his most loyal backers in the past, but never with such fervor.

The schism centers on his administration’s handling of documents surrounding Epstein, who was found dead in his New York jail cell in August 2019, weeks after his arrest on sex trafficking charges. Last week, the Justice Department and the FBI acknowledged that Epstein did not maintain a “client list” to whom underage girls were trafficked, and they said no more files related to the investigation would be made public, despite past promises from Attorney General Pam Bondi that had raised the expectations of conservative influencers and conspiracy theorists.

Bondi had suggested in February such a document was sitting on her desk waiting for review. Last week, however, she said she had been referring generally to the Epstein case file, not a client list.

“It’s a new administration and everything is going to come out to the public,” she had said at one point.

Trump has since defended Bondi and chided a reporter for asking about the documents.

“I don’t understand what the interest or what the fascination is,” he said Tuesday.

In an Oval Office appearance Wednesday, Trump made clear that he was done with the story, regardless of what his supporters think.

“It’s all been a big hoax,” he told reporters. “It’s perpetrated by the Democrats, and some stupid Republicans and foolish Republicans fall into the net.”

He complained that Bondi has been “waylaid” over her handling of the case and has given out all “credible information” about the wealthy financier. “If she finds anymore credible information she’ll give that, too,” Trump said. ”What more can she do than that?”

Bondi has “bigger problems” to work on, the president said, citing the administration’s work to remove criminals who are living in the United States illegally.

The blowup comes after Trump and many figures in his administration, including FBI Director Kash Patel and his deputy, Dan Bongino, have spent years stoking dark and disproved conspiracy theories, including embracing QAnon-tinged propaganda that casts Trump as a savior sent to demolish the “deep state.”

Trump’s comments so far have not been enough to quell those who are still demanding answers.

Some of the podcasters and pro-Trump influencers who helped rally support for Trump in the 2024 campaign said Wednesday they were disappointed or puzzled by his comments on the issue.

Benny Johnson, a conservative podcaster who has called for the Epstein records to be released, said on his show that he is a fan of Trump’s movement but is trying to “give tough love and speak on behalf of the base.”

“Maybe it hasn’t been framed correctly for the president,” Johnson said. “I don’t know.”

House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., in an interview on Benny Johnson’s show Tuesday, had called for the Justice Department to “put everything out there and let the people decide.”

Far-right conspiracy theorist and podcaster Alex Jones called Trump’s handling of the Epstein situation “the biggest train wreck I’ve ever seen.”

“It’s not in character for you to be acting like this,” he said in a video reacting to Trump on Tuesday evening calling the case boring. “I support you, but we built the movement you rode in on. You’re not the movement. You just surfed in on it.”

Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk on his podcast on Wednesday attempted some damage control on Trump’s behalf.

“Don’t take too seriously this whole Truth Social here,” Kirk told his audience. “I know some people are getting fired up about this. I don’t believe he was trying to insult anybody personally.”

Kirk said he thinks Trump’s supporters are “talking past each other a little bit” on the Epstein matter but are actually aligned in wanting to expose the “deep state.”

He also offered a message to Trump.

“The grassroots is not trying to make you look bad,” he said. “We want to try and make sure the bad people that have done such terrible things to you can finally be held accountable.”

Other Trump allies have stuck by his side, suggesting he does not need the influencers who have capitalized on Epstein conspiracy theories to make money and earn viewers.

“He lent you his clout and voters,” Brenden Dilley, the head of a group of meme makers who have lent their support to Trump, wrote on X on Wednesday. “They don’t belong to you.”

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Associated Press writer Ali Swenson contributed to this report.

Senate votes to move ahead with Trump’s request for $9 billion in spending cuts

Senate votes to move ahead with Trump’s request for $9 billion in spending cuts

By KEVIN FREKING Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans on Tuesday advanced President Donald Trump’s request to cancel some $9 billion in previously approved spending, overcoming concerns from some lawmakers about what the rescissions could mean for impoverished people around the globe and for public radio and television stations in their home states.

The Senate vote was 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie.

A final vote in the Senate could occur as early as Wednesday. The bill would then return to the House for another vote before it would go to Trump’s desk for his signature before a Friday deadline.

Republicans winnowed down the president’s request by taking out his proposed $400 million cut to a program known as PEPFAR. That change increased the prospects for the bill’s passage. The politically popular program is credited with saving millions of lives since its creation under then-President George W. Bush to combat HIV/AIDS.

The president is also looking to claw back money for foreign aid programs targeted by his Department of Government Efficiency and for the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

“When you’ve got a $36 trillion debt, we have to do something to get spending under control,” said Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D.

The White House tries to win over skeptics

Republicans met with Russ Vought, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, during their weekly conference luncheon as the White House worked to address their concerns. He fielded about 20 questions from senators.

The White House campaign to win over potential holdouts had some success. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., tweeted that he would vote to support the measure after working with the administration to “find Green New Deal money that could be reallocated to continue grants to tribal radio stations without interruption.”

Some senators worried that the cuts to public media could decimate many of the 1,500 local radio and television stations around the country that rely on some federal funding to operate. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting distributes more than 70% of its funding to those stations.

Maine Sen. Susan Collins, the Republican chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she was particularly concerned about a lack of specifics from the White House.

“The rescissions package has a big problem — nobody really knows what program reductions are in it,” Collins said. “That isn’t because we haven’t had time to review the bill. Instead, the problem is that OMB has never provided the details that would normally be part of this process.”

Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, said she didn’t want the Senate to be going through numerous rounds of rescissions.

“We are lawmakers. We should be legislating,” Murkowski said. “What we’re getting now is a direction from the White House and being told: ‘This is the priority and we want you to execute on it. We’ll be back with you with another round.’ I don’t accept that.”

Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Collins and Murkowski joined with Democrats in voting against the Senate taking up the measure.

McConnell said he wanted to make clear he didn’t have any problem with reducing spending, but agreed with Collins that lawmakers didn’t have enough details from the White House.

“They would like a blank check is what they would like. And I don’t think that’s appropriate,” McConnell said.

But the large majority of Republicans were supportive of Trump’s request.

“This bill is a first step in a long but necessary fight to put our nation’s fiscal house in order,” said Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Mo.

Democrats warn of the consequences

Democrats warned that it’s absurd to expect them to work with Republicans on bipartisan spending measures if Republicans turn around a few months later and use their majority to cut the parts they don’t like.

“It shreds the appropriations process,” said Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats. “The Appropriations Committee, and indeed this body, becomes a rubber stamp for whatever the administration wants.”

Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said that tens of millions of Americans rely on local public radio and television stations for local news, weather alerts and educational programs. He warned that many could lose access to that information because of the rescissions.

“And these cuts couldn’t come at a worse time,” Schumer said. “The floods in Texas remind us that speedy alerts and up-to-the-minute forecasts can mean the difference between life and death.”

Democrats also scoffed at the GOP’s stated motivation for taking up the bill. The amount of savings pales compared to the $3.4 trillion in projected deficits over the next decade that Republicans put in motion in passing Trump’s big tax and spending cut bill two weeks ago.

“Now, Republicans are pretending they are concerned about the debt,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash. “So concerned that they need to shut down local radio stations, so concerned they are going to cut off ‘Sesame Street.’ … The idea that that is about balancing the debt is laughable.”

What’s ahead in the Senate

With Republicans providing enough votes to take up the bill, it sets up the potential for 10 hours of debate plus votes on scores of potentially thorny amendments in what is known as a vote-a-rama. The House has already shown its support for the president’s request with a mostly party line 214-212 vote, but since the Senate is amending the bill, it will have to go back to the House for another vote.

Republicans who vote against the measure also face the prospect of incurring Trump’s wrath. He has issued a warning on his social media site directly aimed at individual Senate Republicans who may be considering voting against the rescissions package. He said it was important that all Republicans adhere to the bill and in particular defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

“Any Republican that votes to allow this monstrosity to continue broadcasting will not have my support or Endorsement,” he said.

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Congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro and staff writers Mary Clare Jalonick and Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

Pam Bondi dodges questions on Epstein and Bongino amid Justice Department turmoil

Pam Bondi dodges questions on Epstein and Bongino amid Justice Department turmoil

By ALANNA DURKIN RICHER Associated Press

ARLINGTON, Va. (AP) — Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested Tuesday that she has no plans to step down as she dodged questions about Jeffrey Epstein and her clash with a top FBI official, seeking to press ahead with a business-as-usual approach in the face of right-wing turmoil.

Pressed by reporters during an announcement touting drug seizures, Bondi sidestepped questions about the fallout of the Trump administration’s decision not to release more records related to the wealthy financier’s sex trafficking investigation. With some high profile-members of President Donald Trump’s base calling for her resignation, Bondi made clear she intends to remain attorney general.

Attorney General Pam Bondi suggested Tuesday that she has no plans to step down as she dodged questions about Jeffrey Epstein and her clash with a top FBI official, seeking to press ahead with a business-as-usual approach. (AP Video)

“I’m going to be here for as long as the president wants me here,” Bondi said. “And I believe he’s made that crystal clear.”

The announcement at the Drug Enforcement Administration headquarters represents an effort by Bondi to turn the page on the Epstein controversy and show that the Justice Department is forging ahead after days of mounting conservative criticism over the administration’s failure to deliver long-sought government secrets about Epstein. Bondi highlighted recent operations that led to the seizure of methamphetamine and fentanyl, including drugs that were hidden in a shipment of cucumbers across the Mexican border.

But her refusal to address the turmoil may only further frustrate conservative influencers who have been calling for transparency and accountability over the wealthy financier’s case.

“This today is about fentanyl overdoses throughout our country and people who have lost loved ones to fentanyl,” Bondi said in response to a question from a reporter about the Epstein files. “That’s the message that we’re here to send today. I’m not going to talk about Epstein.”

Trump has been seeking to tamp down criticism of his attorney general and defended her again earlier Tuesday, saying she handled the matter “very well.” Trump said it’s up to her whether to release any more records, adding that “whatever she thinks is credible, she should release.”

Asked about Trump’s comment, Bondi said the Justice Department memo released last week announcing that no additional evidence would become public “speaks for itself and we’ll get back to you on anything else.”

The turmoil over the department’s handling of the Epstein matter spilled into public view last week with reports of a internal clash between Bondi and FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino. Part of the dispute centered on a story from the news organization NewsNation that cited a “source close to the White House” as saying the FBI would have released the Epstein files months ago if it could have done so on its own. The story included statements from Bondi, Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche and FBI Director Kash Patel refuting the premise, but not Bongino.

Asked Tuesday whether she believes Bongino should remain in his role, Bondi said only that she would not discuss personnel matters. Bondi stressed that she had spent the morning with Patel, adding that: “I think we all are committed to working together now to make America safe again and that’s what we’re doing.”

Bondi had already been under scrutiny after an earlier document release in February that she hyped and handed out in binders to conservative influencers at the White House lacked any new revelations. When that first release flopped, Bondi accused officials of withholding files from her and claimed that the FBI later turned over a “truckload” of evidence with thousands of pages of additional documents.

Despite promises that more files were on their way to the public, however, the Justice Department determined after a months long review that no “further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted,” according to the memo released last week.

Charlotte to host MLS All-Star game in 2026 for first time, AP source says

Charlotte to host MLS All-Star game in 2026 for first time, AP source says

By STEVE REED AP Sports Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (AP) — Charlotte will host the Major League Soccer All-Star game for the first time in 2026, according to a person familiar with the decision.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the announcement has not been made official. MLS commissioner Don Garber is expected to confirm the venue on Wednesday at a news conference in Charlotte.

Charlotte FC, owned by Carolina Panthers owner David Tepper, was named the league’s 28th franchise in 2019 and began play in the league in 2022. The game will be played at Bank of America Stadium, which is also home to the Panthers.

Charlotte has recently hosted Copa America and Club World Cup games.

This year’s All-Star game is set for Austin, Texas, between the MLS All-Stars and the Liga MX All-Stars.

The opponents for the 2026 All-Star game will be announced at a later date.

The tariff-driven inflation that economists feared begins to emerge

The tariff-driven inflation that economists feared begins to emerge

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER and JOSH BOAK AP Writers

WASHINGTON (AP) — Inflation rose last month to its highest level since February as President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs push up the cost of everything from groceries and clothes to furniture and appliances.

Consumer prices rose 2.7% in June from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Tuesday, up from an annual increase of 2.4% in May. On a monthly basis, prices climbed 0.3% from May to June, after rising just 0.1% the previous month.

Worsening inflation poses a political challenge for Trump, who as a candidate promised to immediately lower costs, but instead has engaged in a whipsawed frenzy of tariffs that have jolted businesses and consumers. Trump insists that the U.S. effectively has no inflation as he has attempted to pressure Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell into cutting short-term interest rates.

Yet the new inflation numbers make it more likely that the central bank will leave rates where they are. Powell has said that he wants to gauge the economic impact of Trump’s tariffs before reducing borrowing costs.

Excluding volatile food and energy, core inflation increased 2.9% in June from a year earlier, up from 2.8% in May. On a monthly basis, it picked up 0.2% from May to June. Economists closely watch core prices because they typically provide a better sense of where inflation is headed.

The uptick in inflation was driven by a range of higher prices. The cost of gasoline rose 1% just from May to June, while grocery prices increased 0.3%. Appliance prices jumped for the third straight month. Toys, clothes, audio equipment, shoes, and sporting goods all got more expensive, and are all heavily imported.

“You are starting to see scattered bits of the tariff inflation regime filter in,” said Eric Winograd, chief economist at asset management firm AllianceBernstein, who added that the cost of long-lasting goods rose last month, compared with a year ago, for the first time in about three years.

Winograd also noted that housing costs, a big inflation driver since the pandemic, have continued to cool, actually holding down broader inflation. The cost of rent rose 3.8% in June compared with a year ago, the smallest yearly increase since late 2021.

“Were it not for the tariff uncertainty, the Fed would already be cutting rates,” Winograd said. “The question is whether there is more to come, and the Fed clearly thinks there is,” along with most economists.

Some items got cheaper last month, including new and used cars, hotel rooms, and airfares. Travel prices have generally declined in recent months as fewer international tourists visit the U.S.

Inflation rose last month to its highest level since February as President Donald Trump’s sweeping tariffs push up the cost of a range of goods, including furniture, clothing, and large appliances. (AP Video)

A broader political battle over Trump’s tariffs is emerging, a fight that will ultimately be determined by how the U.S. public feels about their cost of living and whether the president is making good on his 2024 promise to help the middle class.

The White House pushed back on claims that the report showed a negative impact from tariffs, since the cost of new cars fell despite the 25% tariffs on autos and 50% tariffs on steel and aluminum. The administration also noted that despite the June bump in apparel prices, clothing prices are still cheaper than three months ago.

“Consumer Prices LOW,” Trump posted on Truth Social. “Bring down the Fed Rate, NOW!!!”

For Democratic lawmakers, the inflation report confirmed their warnings over the past several months that Trump’s tariffs could reignite inflation. They said Tuesday that it will only become more painful given the size of the tariff rates in the letters that Trump posted over the past week.

“For those saying we have not seen the impact of Trump’s tariff wars, look at today’s data. Americans continue to struggle with the costs of groceries and rent — and now prices of food and appliances are rising,” said Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass.

Many businesses built up a stockpile of goods this spring and were able to delay price hikes, while others likely waited to see if the duties would become permanent.

More businesses now appear to be throwing in the towel and passing on costs to consumers, including Walmart, the world’s largest retailer, which has said it raised prices in June. Automaker Mitsubishi said last month that it was lifting prices by an average of 2.1% in response to the duties, and Nike has said it would implement “surgical” price hikes.

Powell said last month that companies up and down the supply chain would seek to avoid paying tariffs, but that ultimately some combination of businesses and consumers would bear the cost.

“There’s the manufacturer, the exporter, the importer, the retailer, and the consumer, and each one of those is going to be trying not to be the one to pay for the tariff,” the Fed chair said. “But together, they will all pay for it together—or maybe one party will pay it all. But that process is very hard to predict, and we haven’t been through a situation like this.”

Trump has imposed sweeping duties of 10% on all imports plus 30% on goods from China. Last week the president threatened to hit the European Union with a new 30% tariff starting Aug. 1.

He has also threatened to slap 50% duties on Brazil, which would push up the cost of orange juice and coffee. Orange prices leaped 3.5% just from May to June, and are 3.4% higher than a year ago, the government said Tuesday.

Overall, grocery prices rose 0.3% last month and are up 2.4% from a year earlier. While that is a much smaller increase than after the pandemic, when inflation surged, it is slightly bigger than the pre-pandemic pace. The Trump administration has also placed a 17% duty on Mexican tomatoes.

Families have cut spending on food as prices rise. Cassidy Grom, 29, her husband, and his mother are eating out less and try to stretch grocery store rotisserie chickens as far as possible, using them in salads and the bones for soup.

“It feels like a miracle if I’m able to leave the grocery store without spending $100,” the Edison, New Jersey resident said. “We’re trying to save for a house, we’re trying to save for a family, so prices are really on our mind.”

Accelerated inflation could provide a respite for Powell, who has come under withering fire from the White House over interest rates.

The Fed chair has said that the duties could both push up prices and slow the economy, a tricky combination for the central bank since higher costs would typically lead the Fed to hike rates while a weaker economy often spurs it to reduce them.

NC joins more than 20 states suing Trump administration over frozen after-school and summer funding

NC joins more than 20 states suing Trump administration over frozen after-school and summer funding

By BIANCA VÁZQUEZ TONESS AP Education Writer

EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — More than 20 states sued President Donald Trump’s administration on Monday over billions of dollars in frozen education funding for after-school care, summer programs and more.

Some of the withheld money funds after-school and summer programming at Boys & Girls Clubs, the YMCA or public schools, attended by 1.4 million children and teenagers nationwide. Congress set aside money for the programs to provide academic support, enrichment and child care to mostly low-income families. But Trump’s administration recently froze the funding, saying it wants to ensure programs align with the Republican president’s priorities.

Led by California, the lawsuit alleges withholding the money violates the Constitution and several federal laws. Many low-income families will lose access to after-school programs if the money isn’t released soon, according to the suit. In some states, school restarts in late July and early August. The Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

After-school programs for the fall are in jeopardy

Darleen Reyes drove through a downpour last week to take her son to a free Boys & Girls Club day camp in East Providence, Rhode Island. She told camp administrators the flash flood warning would have kept her away, but her son insisted on going.

Before kissing his mother goodbye, Aiden Cazares, 8, explained to a reporter, “I wanted to see my friends and not just sit at home.” Then he ran off to play.

In Rhode Island, the state stepped in with funding to keep the summer programs running, according to the East Providence club, and the state has joined the federal lawsuit. Other Boys & Girls Clubs supported by the grants have found ways to keep open their summer programs, said Sara Leutzinger, vice president for communications for the Boys & Girls Club of America. But there isn’t the same hope for the after-school programming for the fall.

Some of the 926 Boys & Girls Clubs nationwide that run summer and after-school programs stand to close if the Trump administration doesn’t release the money in the next three to five weeks, Leutzinger said. The clubs receive funding from the federal 21st Century Community Learning Centers program.

The YMCA and Save the Children say many of the centers they run are also at risk of shuttering.

“Time is of the essence,” said Christy Gleason, executive director of the political arm of Save the Children, which provides after-school programming for 41 schools in rural areas in Washington state and across the South, where school will begin as soon as August. “It’s not too late to make a decision so the kids who really need this still have it.”

Rural and Republican-led areas especially affected

Schools in Republican-led areas are particularly affected by the freeze in federal education grants. Ninety-one of the 100 school districts that receive the most money per student from four frozen grant programs are in Republican congressional districts, according to an analysis from New America, a left-leaning think tank. New America’s analysis used funding levels reported in 2022 in 46 states.

Republican officials have been among the educators criticizing the grant freeze.

“I deeply believe in fiscal responsibility, which means evaluating the use of funds and seeking out efficiencies, but also means being responsible — releasing funds already approved by Congress and signed by President Trump,” said Georgia schools superintendent Richard Woods, an elected Republican. “In Georgia, we’re getting ready to start the school year, so I call on federal funds to be released so we can ensure the success of our students.”

The Office of Management and Budget said some grants supported left-wing causes, pointing to services for immigrants in the country illegally or LGBTQ+ inclusion efforts.

But Congress’ appropriation of the money was in a bill signed by Trump himself, said Maurice “Mo” Green, North Carolina’s Democratic superintendent of public education. “To now suggest that, for some reason, this money is somehow or another needing review because of someone’s agenda, I think is deeply troubling,” Green told reporters Monday after North Carolina joined the federal lawsuit.

In North Carolina, about 40 schools are already in session, so the state is already trying to figure out ways to keep programs going, using state and local money, along with some federal money that has not expired.

The freeze affects programs including mental health services, science and math education, and support for students learning English, North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson said, with the most severe effects in smaller, rural school districts. The freeze could also lead to approximately 1,000 teachers and staff being laid off, Jackson said.

Summer clubs provide instruction for children

At the East Providence summer camp, Aiden, a rising third grader, played tag, built structures with magnetic tiles, played a fast-paced game with the other kids to review addition and subtraction, learned about pollination, watched a nature video and ate club-provided chicken nuggets.

Veteran teachers from his school corrected him when he spoke without raising his hand and offered common-sense advice when a boy in his group said something inappropriate.

“When someone says something inappropriate, you don’t repeat it,” teacher Kayla Creighton told the boys between answering their questions about horseflies and honeybees.

Indeed, it’s hard to find a more middle-of-the road organization in this country than the Boys & Girls Club.

Just last month, a Republican and a Democrat sponsored a resolution in the U.S. House celebrating the 165-year-old organization as a “beacon of hope and opportunity.” The Defense Department awarded the club $3 million in 1991 to support children left behind when their parents deployed for the Persian Gulf. And ever since, the Boys & Girls Club has created clubs on military installations to support the children of service members. Military families can sign up their kids for free.

“I suspect they will realize that most of those grants are fine and will release them,” said Mike Petrilli, president of the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, a conservative education policy think tank, speaking of the Trump administration’s review of the 21st Century Community Learning Center grants.

But not everyone is so sure.

Families see few affordable child care alternatives

Aiden’s mother has started looking into afternoon child care for September when kids return to school in Rhode Island.

“It costs $220 a week,” Reyes said, her eyes expanding. “I can’t afford that.”

The single mother and state worker said she’ll probably ask her 14-year-old son to stay home and watch Aiden. That will mean he would have to forgo getting a job when he turns 15 in the fall and couldn’t play basketball and football.

“I don’t have any other option,” she said.

At home, Aiden would likely stay inside on a screen. That would be heartbreaking since he’s thrived getting tutoring and “learning about healthy boundaries” from the Boys & Girls Club program, Reyes said.

Fernande Berard learned about the funding freeze and possible closure from a reporter after dropping off her three young boys for summer camp. “I would be really devastated if this goes away,” said the nurse. “I honestly don’t know what I would do.”

Her husband drives an Uber much of the day, and picking up the kids early would eat into his earnings. It’s money they need to pay the mortgage and everything else.

If her boss approves, she’d likely have to pick up her children from school and take them to the rehabilitation center where she oversees a team of nurses. The children would have to stay until her work day ends.

“It’s hard to imagine,” she said.

___

AP Education Writer Collin Binkley in Washington and Makiya Seminera in Raleigh, North Carolina contributed reporting.

___

The Associated Press’ education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP’s standards for working with philanthropies, a list of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.

Someone stole unreleased Beyoncé music from a car in Atlanta. What to know about the investigation

Someone stole unreleased Beyoncé music from a car in Atlanta. What to know about the investigation

By RUSS BYNUM Associated Press

A choreographer and a dancer traveling with Beyoncé for her concerts in Atlanta left their rental car in a parking garage for an hour while grabbing a bite, then returned to find a broken window and both of their suitcases stolen.

They lost more than just clothing, sunglasses and headphones. According to an Atlanta police report, the thief also made off with thumb drives containing the singer’s “unreleased music.” Police say they have identified a suspect, but they hadn’t announced any arrests as of Tuesday.

Here’s what we know about Beyoncé’s stolen music.

The break-in and robbery

The theft was reported July 8, which was two days before Beyoncé kicked off four nights of concerts at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium as part of tour of the U.S. and Europe in support of her Grammy-winning album, “Cowboy Carter,”

Beyoncé’s choreographer, Christopher Grant, and dancer Diandre Blue called police after dining at a restaurant at a retail complex a few miles (kilometers) east of the downtown Atlanta stadium.

They said their rented Jeep Wagoneer had been broken into while parked in a nearby garage. They had left it for about an hour after stopping to eat shortly after 8 p.m.

Among the things that were stolen were two suitcases, a pair of sunglasses, Apple headphones, two Apple laptops and five thumb drives, according to the police report.

“They have my computers and it’s really, really important information in there,” one of the men told a 911 operator in a recording released by police. “I work with, um, someone who’s, like, of a high status, and I really need my computer and everything.”

Grant told officers at the scene that he and Blue work for Beyoncé and that he had been “carrying some personal sensitive information for the musician.”

The police report said the thumb drives contained “watermarked music, unreleased music, footage plans for the show, and past and future set list(s).”

A representative for Beyonce’ did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.

Police zero in on a suspect

Investigators have “secured an arrest warrant for a suspect,” police said in a news release Monday. They did not release the suspect’s name but said the person was at large.

The 911 caller, who isn’t identified on the released recording, noted that one of the stolen laptops had tracking software enabled. The police report says officers canvassed an area by following signals from the laptop and the stolen headphones.

Although it’s unclear what evidence following the tracking signals yielded, the police report lists a red 2025 Hyundai Elantra as a possible suspect vehicle. It also says an officer inspecting Grant and Blue’s rented Jeep was able to retrieve “two very light” fingerprints.

The police report also mentioned that cameras “captured the incident” at the garage.

Car break-ins are common in Atlanta

As thousands of Atlanta residents and visitors learn every year, thieves commonly target parked cars with luggage and other potential valuables left in sight.

There were 7,195 thefts from vehicles reported to Atlanta police in 2024, and 3,185 more have been reported since January. Police recorded 105 thefts from cars during the week before Beyonce’s unreleased music was reported stolen.

“Take your bags, phone, and anything important with you every time you leave your car,” police said in their news release about the thefts from Beyonce’s choreographer and dancer. “Don’t give criminals an easy win.”

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