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Mitt Romney’s sister-in-law, Carrie Romney, dies on California street

Politics

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October 14, 2025

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Mitt Romney’s sister-in-law, Carrie Romney, dies on California street

Carrie Elizabeth Romney, the sister-in-law of former Sen. Mitt Romney, died on October 10 in California, officials said. She was 64 years old.

Carrie Romney was found dead in the Town Center Drive area of Santa Clarita around 9 p.m. local time on October 10, according to a statement from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

The area where investigators said Carrie Romney was found is adjacent to a shopping mall. The Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office, which is determining the cause of death, says Carrie Romney died on the street.

“Our family is heartbroken by the loss of Carrie, who brought so much warmth and love to our lives,” the Romney family said in a statement to People magazine. “We ask for your privacy during this difficult time.”

USA TODAY has reached out to the Romney family for comment.

Carrie Romney’s cause of death is under investigation, authorities say

According to Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office records, Carrie Romney’s cause of death has been deferred, meaning additional investigation is pending.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department also said the investigation is ongoing.

USA TODAY reached out to the LA County Sheriff’s Department for more information.

Carey Romney was married to Scott Romney

Carey Romney was married to Mitt Romney’s brother, G. Scott Romney.

Scott Romney, a corporate lawyer, was previously married to Rona Romney. His daughter, Ronna McDaniel, is a former Republican National Committee chair.

Mitt Romney served as Utah’s senator from 2019 to 2025. He is a former governor of Massachusetts and a Republican candidate in the 2012 presidential election.

Mitt and Scott Romney are the sons of the late George W. Romney, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development and Governor of Michigan.

Melina Khan is USA TODAY’s national trends reporter. Contact her at melina.khan@usatoday.com.

President Trump warns of further layoffs due to government shutdown

USA

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October 14, 2025

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President Trump warns of further layoffs due to government shutdown

WASHINGTON – The White House has announced that additional mass layoffs of federal workers are planned as the federal government shutdown continues into its 14th day.

The Office of Budget Management said in an Oct. 14 statement published in

OMB, led by Secretary Russell Vought, added in a statement: “Pay our troops, pay our law enforcement, and continue RIF.”

President Donald Trump announced over the weekend that he had identified federal funds available to pay U.S. military personnel who are at risk of not getting paid Oct. 15 due to the government shutdown.

The additional RIF, or troop reduction warning, comes after the Trump administration began laying off federal employees during the government shutdown last Friday. A total of about 4,000 federal employees were laid off. But government officials told USA TODAY this is just the first wave of layoffs, with more to come.

The cuts, which were challenged in court by public employee unions, eviscerated the Department of Education, which President Trump pushed to completely abolish by executive order earlier this year. This includes eliminating nearly the entire department’s Department of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.

Other departments affected by mass layoffs include Energy, Homeland Security, Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Commerce and the Treasury Department.

Historically, non-essential federal employees have been furloughed with pay suspended during government shutdowns, but have not been subject to widespread federal layoffs. Approximately 750,000 federal employees were furloughed during the government shutdown.

The Trump administration has used the shutdown to advance its agenda of reducing the size of the federal government.

The administration has previously laid off tens of thousands of federal employees this year as part of Trump’s Office of Government Efficiency’s government cuts. President Trump also warned that if the government shutdown continues, he could cut what he calls “Democrat programs” from the government.

Two labor unions, the American Federation of Government Employees and the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, took preemptive action to file a lawsuit against the Trump administration to prevent layoffs after Trump warned them about layoffs.

The lawsuit alleges that terminating employees during the shutdown is an abuse of power that deprives federal employees of their right to back pay and violates the agency’s legal obligations.

President Trump has blamed Congressional Democrats for the government shutdown, and Democrats have repeatedly voted against the Republican-backed bill to fund the government through November 21 and called for health care changes to be included in the funding package.

X Contact Joey Garrison at @joeygarrison.

Litigation trends: After Dobbs and Skrumetti, state courts have become battlegrounds for transgender and reproductive rights.

Law & Justice

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October 14, 2025

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Litigation trends: After Dobbs and Skrumetti, state courts have become battlegrounds for transgender and reproductive rights.

You’re reading our series on 2025 state constitutional trends. All cases are handpicked and available by us state case database.

3 years later Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization The U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision removed the federal right to abortion. USA vs. Scumetti Upheld Tennessee’s ban on gender-affirming care for minors, dealing another blow to bodily autonomy. As federal protections recede, state courts have become the front line for both reproductive and transgender rights, extending protections based on distinctive state constitutional provisions, deciding how far to depart from federal precedent, and determining who can challenge restrictive laws. Decisions in one area increasingly shape others, weaving together a shared and evolving state constitutional landscape. Below is a sample of the many cases in which we have addressed these issues in the first half of this year.

national privacy rights

In February, a Montana trial court struck down a 2023 law that defined the terms “female,” “male,” and “gender” as two binary categories based on reproductive capacity (sex chromosomes and gametes). The act inserted these definitions throughout state law, impacting driver’s licenses, demographic records, and state antidiscrimination laws.

Plaintiffs challenging the law included the nonprofit Montana Two Spirit Society, an organization representing Native individuals who identify and embody both masculine and feminine spirits, and a group of transgender, intersex, and nonbinary Montanans.

The court was held in edwards vs montana They argued that the law ostensibly violates the state’s constitutional right to privacy by interfering with an individual’s “ability to make personal and intimate decisions regarding his or her body and mind.” The report said Montana’s “unique” protections reflect a deep-seated “distrust of excessive government interference” and go beyond the scope of the federal Constitution. In this case, the court cited the state high court’s 2024 decision. Montana vs. State Family Planningrecognized minors’ right to privacy under the state constitution and allowed them to obtain abortions without parental consent.

The court also found that the state’s equal protection violations based on sex and cultural discrimination remain in place, reiterating that the protections afforded by the state constitution are broader than the scope of the Fourteenth Amendment. The court explained that the term “culture” was “specifically incorporated” into Montana’s provisions protecting non-mainstream groups, particularly American Indians, and acknowledged that the Two Spirit plaintiffs’ identities were “not consistent” with laws rooted in gender binaries.

“Laws that define sex often wreak havoc on state law by incorporating binary definitions into multiple areas of the law,” explained Constance Van Kley, a professor at the University of Montana. State Court Report. Montana courts have found that intersex people, who are born with sexual characteristics that circumvent traditional binary classifications, are “effectively defined outside of the law,” Van Kley said.

In June, Montana’s high court used a broad interpretation of explicit privacy guarantees to strike down a law restricting access to abortion. The law included a 20-week abortion ban. Restrictions on medication abortion, including a ban on telemedicine and a 24-hour waiting period. And there is a requirement that health care providers give patients an ultrasound and an opportunity to listen to the fetal heartbeat before proceeding with the procedure.

The court reaffirmed its precedents interpreting the right to protect personal and reproductive autonomy and found that: Montana vs. State Family Planning The state had not demonstrated that its restrictions addressed legitimate medically recognized health risks or were narrowly tailored to meet a compelling government interest. The court previously left a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the law.

Medical Freedom Amendment

In March, the Ohio Court of Appeals struck down the state’s ban on gender-affirming medical care for transgender youth. Maw vs. Yostargued that this violated the fundamental right of parents to receive adequate medical care for their children and violated the Medical Freedom Amendment of the state constitution.

An Ohio court remanded the case to the trial court to permanently block the state from enforcing its ban on puberty blockers and hormones “for the purpose of assisting minors in changing their gender.” The state attorney general appealed, and the Ohio Supreme Court suspended the ruling while it considered the case.

The health care freedom amendments, enshrined in six state constitutions, were adopted “as part of a conservative-led effort to limit the effects of the Affordable Care Act.” state court reportAlicia Bannon explains. Fifteen years later, advocates are increasingly using the law to challenge restrictions not only on abortion but also on gender-affirming care. For example, in late 2024, a Wyoming trial court issued an abortion ban based on a similar amendment. The high court heard oral arguments on the appeal in April.

Third party position

In January, the Georgia Supreme Court issued a ruling with far-reaching implications for who can bring challenges to abortion restrictions and other civil rights in state court.

court of Wasserman v. Franklin County held that the third-party doctrine was inconsistent with Georgia’s constitutional position requiring plaintiffs to assert their rights. The ruling effectively ended more than 17 years of application of this doctrine in Georgia. The court justified this decision as consistent with Georgia’s history and tradition, which holds that lawsuits are only admissible to vindicate one’s rights. The court added that it had erred in “uncritically importing” the federal status regulations, including third-party status.

Although there are fundamental challenges, wasserman This case had nothing to do with reproductive rights. The decision, which involved a landowner seeking to file an equal protection challenge against the county on behalf of a prospective buyer of his property, has ripple effects. Based on wassermanthe court in February remanded an ongoing challenge to the state’s six-week abortion ban in a separate case. georgia vs sister songdirected the trial court to assess whether plaintiffs’ reproductive rights organizations and health care providers have standing to challenge the ban. The ban remains in effect while the lawsuit progresses.

Continue wassermana Georgia court focused on the status of an association that had historically allowed the association to sue on behalf of injured members. I expand on the footnotes that question the validity of the relevant positions below. wassermanJudgment, the court Republican National Committee vs. Perpetual Vigilance Action In June, it overturned 42 years of legal precedent that held Georgia’s NAACP branch and the Georgia People’s Agenda Coalition were not eligible to claim voting rights for their members. The court explained:wassermanHis reasoning that there is no federal doctrine of third-party status under Georgia law applies here with equal force, since the Federal Association position is only one type of third-party status. ”

Georgia courts are not the first to grapple with the question of standing to challenge postwar abortion restrictions.dobbs. High courts in Kentucky and North Dakota have also considered whether health care providers have standing to challenge state abortion bans. A Kentucky court ruled they did not, but a North Dakota court allowed their claims to proceed. Meanwhile, an appellate court in Kentucky said Jewish plaintiffs had standing to challenge the state’s abortion ban on religious freedom grounds because they had stored embryos, canceled plans for another round of IVF, and feared the law would criminalize the disposal of nonviable or unused embryos.

• • •

As the federal vacuum forces states to chart their own course, state courts are increasingly drawing on their unique constitutional histories and cultures to shape the future of reproductive and transgender rights. Some use these traditions to strengthen precedent and extend protections for individuals. Some invoke them to roll back rights and narrow the path for challengers. What is clear is that state courts retain unprecedented power to shape individual rights in these areas, leaving behind a patchwork of decisions.

Chihiro Isozaki is a consultant in the Democracy Program at the Brennan Center for Justice.

Recommended citation: Chihiro Isozaki Case trends: post hocdobbs and scmetState courts are battlegrounds for transgender and reproductive rightsSᴛᴀᴛᴇ Cᴏᴜʀᴛ Rᴇᴘᴏʀᴛ (October 10, 2025), https://statecourtreport.org/our-work/analysis-opinion/case-trends-post-dobbs-and-skrmetti-state-courts-are-battlegrounds

The shadow of a prolonged shutdown

Economy

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October 14, 2025

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good morning! I’m Daniel de Visé from Daily Money.

There are probably still questions about a prolonged government shutdown. So do we. Democrats and Republicans still hope each other will eventually give in. Meanwhile, the effects of the government shutdown are spreading throughout the economy.

The headings are:

📰 Other stories you can’t miss 📰

Daniel de Visse covers personal finance for USA TODAY. Daily Money analyzes complex consumer and financial news. Subscribe here.

Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones’ appeal of $1.4 billion Sandy Hook verdict

Politics

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October 14, 2025

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Supreme Court rejects Alex Jones’ appeal of $1.4 billion Sandy Hook verdict

WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court will not review a $1.4 billion judgment against Alex Jones, a conservative media personality and conspiracy theorist who claimed the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting was a hoax by crisis managers.

On October 14, the court rejected Jones’ appeal, which had separately asked a judge to protect his assets, including the Infowars website, while he sought intervention.

In 2022, a jury in Connecticut ordered Mr. Jones to pay a huge judgment to the families of several Sandy Hook victims and FBI agents after the judge found that he had defamed and caused significant harm to them by years of claiming that the killings were part of a government plot to steal Americans’ guns.

Gunman Adam Lanza (20) killed 26 people, including 20 children, at the school, as well as his mother and later that day himself.

Ms Jones argued she should have gone to trial before a judge found her liable for defamation and infliction of emotional distress. A judge in Connecticut found Mr. Jones liable for default because he refused to comply with the court’s ruling or submit evidence. The jury then sets the level of damages.

“The result is a fiat monetary death penalty for media defendants who broadcast millions of times,” Jones’ lawyers told the Supreme Court.

They argued that state courts should not be able to enter administrative default judgments against media personnel.

In addition to the $1.4 billion judgment in the Connecticut case, Jones faces a nearly $50 million judgment from a Texas court for his claims that the Sandy Hook shooting was a hoax. This award was presented to the parents of a 6-year-old child killed in a serial murder case.

Contributor: Aisha Bagki

Salesforce commits $15 billion to accelerate AI growth in San Francisco

AI & Tech

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October 14, 2025

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Salesforce commits billion to accelerate AI growth in San Francisco

Salesforce plans to invest $15 billion in San Francisco over the next five years to help companies adopt AI. The move underscores the company’s efforts to remain competitive as AI becomes central to enterprise software.

Founded and headquartered in San Francisco since 1999, Salesforce has been adding AI capabilities across its products, including its workplace messaging tool Slack. The company competes with ServiceNow, Oracle, and Microsoft to attract organizations looking to integrate AI into their operations.

Part of the new investment will fund an AI incubator at Salesforce’s San Francisco campus to help companies deploy AI agents, digital assistants that can handle tasks for users.

“This $15 billion investment reflects our deep commitment to our hometown to advance AI innovation, create jobs, and help businesses and communities thrive,” said CEO Marc Benioff.

The announcement comes just ahead of Dreamforce, Salesforce’s annual conference, which will be held in San Francisco from October 14th to 16th. The company expects about 50,000 attendees and estimates the event will generate about $130 million in local revenue.

Salesforce, which employs more than 76,000 people worldwide, also announced last week that it would invest $1 billion in Mexico over the next five years. The company has been operating there since 2006.

Morningstar analyst Dan Romanoff said the new spending is consistent with the company’s long-term goals. “If companies want to remain leaders in important emerging technology areas, they must have a pipeline of talent to innovate and advance the field. This makes sense, as we are already seeing a shortage of AI talent,” he said.

Salesforce stock rose 2.8% on Monday, but is still down about 28% since the beginning of the year.

On the same day, Salesforce also released Agentforce 360, a new AI platform for enterprises.

While many companies are still experimenting with AI-powered automation, Salesforce says it has already deployed multiple versions of its “agent” technology and is using it with thousands of customers and within its own operations.

The company describes the “Agentic Enterprise” as a workplace model where AI supports people rather than replacing them. In this setting, AI agents help teams respond faster, track leads, provide continuous service, and make better decisions. Salesforce says the goal is to increase productivity and customer engagement.

Agentforce 360 combines four main parts of this model.

Agentforce 360 platform: A framework for building enterprise AI agents. It features a conversational builder, hybrid inference for more accurate results, and voice support.
Data 360: A unified data layer that provides the necessary context for AI systems. Features like Intelligent Context and Tableau Semantics help turn raw data into meaningful insights.
Customer 360 app: Tools that document how companies sell, service, and operate are now powered by AI to better understand customer behavior and internal processes.
slack: A shared space where people and AI agents can collaborate and link information and actions in real time.

According to Salesforce, this setup enables companies to build AI agents that rely on trusted data, work across departments, and integrate directly with existing workflows. Its open ecosystem also allows partners to tailor their technology to different industries.

Salesforce last month expanded its stock buyback plan by $20 billion, even though it expected third-quarter sales to be lower than analysts expected.

(Photo courtesy of Denis Nevozai)

See: Salesforce Agentforce 3 brings visibility to AI agents

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI & Big Data Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events. Click here for more information.

AI News is brought to you by TechForge Media. Learn about other upcoming enterprise technology events and webinars.

Fentanyl killed my daughter. Her young son doesn’t understand it.

USA

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October 14, 2025

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Fentanyl killed my daughter. Her young son doesn’t understand it.

It’s difficult to explain death to a 4-year-old.

Miles Lussier didn’t understand what death meant. His goldfish died the previous year. Their dog, Copper, had died a month earlier, and his mother, Tricia Regan, tried to explain that the same thing had happened to her half-sister, Sarah. However, Copper lived to be 105 years old in dog years. Sara Saponara was only 21 years old.

His mother said his sister took medication that wasn’t hers. It contained something dangerous and caused her death. She explained that death meant she would never see Sarah again.

Two years passed before Miles and Tricia really talked. how She died again. The words “Tell me how Sarah died” appear randomly in grocery stores, parks, and zoos.

As Miles grew older, he began to wonder: Where did Sarah get the medicine? Did the doctor give it to her? Can all medicines harm you?

Sibling grief is real and powerful, but often overlooked, especially when the grieving sibling is young. In an era when drugs like fentanyl are widely available, death from overdose has become a heartbreaking reality for more families. For parents, that means facing the impossible task of helping young children understand loss too early.

“We went through something horrible.”

At age 17, Sarah was prescribed opioids after a routine medical procedure. She began searching for other drugs to capture the same feelings. First it was weed, then ketamine and Xanax.

Although she suffered from bipolar disorder and ADHD, her brain felt more balanced when she was on medication.

By the time Sarah went to college, there were no drugs of choice, but she was addicted to developing an altered state. She eventually dropped out after four semesters.

During an acid trip, she once threw herself from a moving car on the highway. It was one of those times when Tricia felt like she might lose herself.

Sarah’s addiction uprooted their lives. If Tricia had 100 metaphorical marbles to give to others, she gave 96 of them to Sarah. At one point, Tricia was worried that someone selling drugs to Sarah would come to her house, so she sent her middle child, Liliana, then 13, to live with her uncle.

Panic attacks, anxiety, and anger hit Liliana in waves. How was Sarah able to buy medicine without being able to buy food? Why did she continue to use?

It took years for her to truly understand how addiction had controlled Sarah’s behavior.

Liliana, now 18, says: “It was really heartbreaking to have to go through all that negativity from Sarah. I was so angry when she passed away.”

They didn’t know the name at the time, but anticipatory grief, the process of grieving a future loss, can involve feelings of anxiety, sadness, and anger. In the case of overdose loss, the feelings are often more complex and grouped with the stigma of losing someone materially.

“It wasn’t until after she passed that I could say we went through something horrible,” Tricia said. “It was really bad.”

Fentanyl-laced pills took her life

Sarah first tried heroin in August 2020. She was with her girlfriend and her roommate. Just hours after inhaling the drug, Sarah woke up to find her girlfriend next to her unresponsive.

Tricia received a call in the middle of the night. They’re in the hospital and they hear that Sarah’s girlfriend has passed away. She was by her daughter’s side. During a short break to participate in a conference call, Tricia left the apartment. When she returned with lunch and knocked on Sarah’s roommate’s door, there was no answer. She and Sarah also found him dead. Fatal overdose from the same batch of drugs.

Sarah then admitted that she knew heroin killed her girlfriend, but that she used it again anyway.

“I couldn’t understand why she would do that,” Tricia said. “Even from a distance, it was clear that matter had powers that I could not understand… Her brain could no longer process it in a rational way.”

Six months later, Sarah was gone. She could never forgive herself for surviving that tragedy, her mother says. She had overdosed at least twice and was in the ER just three days before her death. It was counterfeit Percocet laced with fentanyl that ultimately killed her on February 17, 2021.

During the last year of Sarah’s life, Tricia hardly slept.

She checked Sarah’s location and social media every morning. After hours passed without hearing from her, Tricia drove by her apartment, heart racing, to see if she was there.

Even though Sarah had imagined how she would die a thousand times, nothing could match the wall of sadness that hit her when it actually happened.

Sarah was the soundtrack of their lives. She played 17 instruments. At her rural conservative high school in Ashland, Virginia, she became the first openly gay member of the homecoming court and was chosen as the class clown. When she passed away, it was as if the music had stopped.

Tricia wanted to collapse, but she had two other children to raise. The fear was paralyzing.

“One of the most difficult things about parenting, when I lost my child to an overdose, was thinking about what role I played in getting Sarah to where she came from. And how do I make sure I don’t make the same decision for my other children?” Tricia says.

Liliana, who is seven years younger than Sarah, has memories. But Miles was only 4 years old. How can you help a child grieve a sibling they barely know?

Parenting in the shadow of sadness

For Tricia, parenting these days can seem scary.

Today’s teens navigate an ecosystem where they can access counterfeit oxycodone, Xanax, Percocet, and Adderall on platforms like Facebook, Snapchat, and Telegram. According to the Drug Enforcement Administration, which led the “One Pill Kills” campaign, six out of every 10 counterfeit prescription pills contain potentially lethal doses of fentanyl.

More than 100,000 people die from drug overdoses in the United States each year, and nearly 70% of those deaths are caused by synthetic opioids, primarily fentanyl. But Tricia says that’s a reality her parents don’t want to talk about.

“I think the alienation I felt was because…because of our daughter’s death, we didn’t want to imagine that happening to us,” Tricia said.

Liliana became acutely aware of the dangers around her. She has had three surgeries since Sarah’s death, and each time she was adamant that she did not want to use opioids, despite her doctors’ objections.

“I felt like they were diminishing me and my character when I said I didn’t want to use opioids,” Liliana says. “I wish more people knew that opioids don’t have to be the norm.”

In Liliana’s room, neon lightning lightly illuminates the bed. It belonged to her sister. Sarah was once almost struck by lightning, and that Christmas Tricia gave her a lamp and a bracelet with a poem on it that read, “Trust me, girls like you are made of lightning. Unforgettable and memorable.”

Losing a loved one to overdose is often accompanied by feelings of anger, regret, and guilt, so it’s important to seek out grief resources specific to overdose. The Dougie Center, which focuses on grief for children and families, says it’s important to tell the truth when explaining overdose deaths to young children, even if it’s in simple terms.

Tricia takes Liliana and Miles, now eight years old, to a local support group for people who have experienced losses related to substance abuse through the Full Circle Grief Center and participates in the GRAPLE initiative, a peer-led grief support group for losses related to substance use disorders.

Tricia also sent Liliana and Miles to Comfort Zone Grief Camp, a program for children ages 7 to 17 who have lost a parent or sibling to an overdose, where they also participated in a parent program.

One year, on the way home from camp, Miles said to Tricia: “I don’t think I remember Sarah. Sometimes they ask me to take pictures of our fondest memories, and I don’t have one.”

That’s part of the challenge. But a volunteer at the camp taught Miles that he could create new memories with Sarah by taking something of her with him, honoring her legacy and remembering her in each new moment.

This year, Miles decorated his light bag with lightning bolts for the camp memorial service.

For young children, grief does not always follow the path we expect. Find your own quiet home. In the corner of the kitchen is a small space that Miles calls “Sarah’s home.” For years he has been packing little things for her. Photos of family vacations, small toys, and one Christmas, a small doll bed.

“She needs a bed at home,” he told Tricia.

She smiled and asked gently, “Do you think she’s sleeping there?”

Miles shook his head. “No,” he said. “She’s among the stars.”

If you or a loved one is struggling with a substance use disorder, contact the SAMHSA National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357) for information and resources.

Rachel Hale’s role covering youth mental health for USA TODAY is supported by a partnership with Pivotal and Journalism Funding Partners. Funders do not provide editorial input.

Contact X at rhale@usatoday.com and @rachelleighhale.

Only 13% have a solid AI strategy, lagging behind their competitors.

AI & Tech

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October 14, 2025

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Only 13% have a solid AI strategy, lagging behind their competitors.

If you’ve ever thought that companies do more talk than action when it comes to AI strategy, a new report from Cisco confirms that. It turns out that only 13% of the world is actually ready for the AI revolution.

But this small group, which Cisco calls “pacesetters,” is beating the competition. The third annual Cisco AI Readiness Index found that these top performers are four times more likely to move their AI projects from the pilot stage to the real world. More importantly, they are 50% more likely to see measurable value from their efforts.

What they realized is that winning with AI depends on getting the foundations right with a disciplined approach that combines strategy, infrastructure, and security. As a result, 90% of Pacesetters see real improvements in profits, productivity, and innovation, while most of their peers hover around the 60% range.

Jeetu Patel, President and Chief Product Officer, Cisco.

“Our research shows that the organizations that are most ready for AI are the pacesetters. They are four times more likely to take pilots to production and 50 percent more likely to realize measurable value. So more than 80 percent of the organizations we surveyed are considering deploying AI agents, and these new findings confirm that readiness, discipline, and action are the keys to unlocking value.”

So what is their secret? Research shows a clear pattern. Pacesetters don’t treat AI as a side project. It is a core part of their business strategy. Almost all companies (99%) have a good AI roadmap, but only 58% of other companies can claim it. They also put their money where their mouth is. For 79% of them, AI is a top investment priority, but only 24% share this commitment.

These leaders are building for the long term, with 98% designing their networks to handle the massive scale and complexity of AI, compared to just 46% of their peers. It gives them confidence that their system can handle whatever is thrown at them. 71% say their network can scale instantly to fit any AI project, a sentiment echoed by an alarmingly low 15% of other organizations.

This report also gives us a glimpse of the near future, but for many it looks difficult. Two major challenges are looming: the proliferation of AI agents and what Cisco has dubbed “AI infrastructure debt.”

83% of companies plan to deploy AI agents as part of their strategy, and nearly 40% expect AI agents to work alongside human employees within a year. But here’s the problem. Most of these companies are building on shaky foundations.

More than half of companies admit that their current networks simply cannot handle the amount of data and complexity required by these advanced AI systems. Pacesetters, on the other hand, have already done their homework, with 75 percent feeling fully prepared to secure and control these agents, compared to just 31 percent of other agents.

This leads to the ticking time bomb of “AI infrastructure debt.” Think of it as a modern version of the technical debt that has plagued businesses for years. It’s the result of all the compromises, deferred upgrades, and underfunded plans that have quietly added up to slowly squeeze out the long-term value of AI.

The red flags are already flashing. Nearly two-thirds of leaders expect their workloads to increase by 30% or more over the next three years, and a similar number are struggling just to organize their data in one place. Add to that the fact that only a quarter have sufficient GPU power, demonstrating the wide gap between ambition and reality.

The takeaway from Cisco’s report is clear and simple. Value follows preparation. In the race to adopt AI, pacesetters have shown that organizations that take the time to build a strong foundation to support their strategy are separated from the pack.

See also: Gemini Enterprise: Google aims to put an AI agent on every desk

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Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI & Big Data Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events such as Cyber Security Expo. Click here for more information.

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Government shutdown, Gaza, Israel, climate, Taylor Swift, James Franklin, MLB, SpaceX: Daily Briefing

Politics

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October 14, 2025

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Government shutdown, Gaza, Israel, climate, Taylor Swift, James Franklin, MLB, SpaceX: Daily Briefing

morning!🙋🏼‍♀️ I’m Nicole Fallato. What is the most iconic Halloween costume?

Let’s take a quick look at Tuesday’s news.

Government shutdown affects Americans

As the government shutdown drags on, House Speaker Mike Johnson said Monday that the country is “heading toward one of the longest government shutdowns in American history.”

USA TODAY covers what the shutdown means for you.

What do Democrats and Republicans want for reopening?
Here’s what you need to know about the impact on your Social Security payments.
The closure leaves millions of people without coverage under the National Flood Insurance Program.
Trump’s Cabinet officials blamed future “No Kings” protests for prolonging the government shutdown.
Are you waiting at the airport? The cause may be the weather.
Will military personnel get paid tomorrow?

President Trump looks ahead to next steps in Gaza ceasefire agreement

President Donald Trump returned to the United States after a whirlwind trip to Israel and Egypt to celebrate the release of the remaining hostages taken by Hamas in the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

A US-brokered ceasefire plan was implemented in the earthquake area. Yesterday, President Trump said he would discuss the next steps in the ceasefire plan with Egyptian leaders, and that the second phase is already underway, including the return of the bodies of the dead hostages.

Who are the freed hostages? Hamas has released 20 hostages held in the Gaza Strip for 738 days.
“Rebuild will begin now”: President Trump also spoke about a new vision for Gaza after two years of war. Israel has released about 2,000 Palestinians, including minors and the remains of militants.
“Hamas still holds my son.” One mother writes for USA TODAY Opinion about her son, who is being held in Gaza with no guarantee of return.

More news you need to know right now

How’s the weather today? Please check the local weather forecast here.

The world has just crossed a climate threshold.

The Earth is now reaching the first tipping point in human-induced climate change, with the world’s coral reefs in dire straits, according to the second Global Tipping Point Report released on Monday. Unless global warming is reversed, warm-water coral reefs, on which nearly a billion people and a quarter of all marine life depend, will suffer widespread coral die-off. Vast coral reefs as we know them will be lost.

Meet the women who rule Beer Boys Club

Angela Harris, 33, said that as a woman in the beer industry, it can sometimes feel difficult to have your voice heard. As a quality assurance manager at Terrapin Beer Company in Athens, Georgia, she helped establish a rare all-female brewery. She said beer workers have to “grow beards and wear flannels” to fit in elsewhere, but at Terrapin they can be themselves. Harris and other women in the beer industry shared with USA TODAY how grassroots organizations are working to make breweries more inclusive spaces.

today’s speaker

Messi will face Argentina at the Inter Miami stadium on Tuesday.
This was shot in the trailer for Taylor Swift’s Ellas Tour documentary series.
Is there no more MTV?
Can the Blue Jays make it to the MLB playoffs?

Where did Penn State go wrong with James Franklin?

We’re halfway through the season, and college football’s coaching carousel is already in full swing. Penn State’s James Franklin has an opportunity to go to the buyout beach after recent losses to UCLA and Northwestern. Penn State owes Franklin a buyout of more than $49 million, according to his term sheet, making it the second-largest severance package in college football history. But that’s what happens when a school gives a coach a fully guaranteed contract.

Photo of the day: Not a UFO

SpaceX’s giant Starship took off from Brownsville, Texas, on its 11th flight on Monday. Its appearance soaring into the sky could be seen from Cape Canaveral, its future launch site.

Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer for USA TODAY. Sign up for emails here. Want to send a note to Nicole? Email NFallert@usatoday.com.

More Republicans blame ‘No Kings’ protests for government shutdown

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October 14, 2025

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More Republicans blame ‘No Kings’ protests for government shutdown

Two Trump administration cabinet members blamed future “No Kings” protests for prolonging the government shutdown.

Two members of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet have claimed that Democrats are shutting down the government in the lead-up to the massive “No Kings” protests scheduled for Saturday, October 18th.

Their comments, made on the same Fox Business show on Oct. 13, echo those made last week by Republicans in Congress who blamed the two-week government shutdown on Democrats wanting to keep it shut until the protests are over to show their base that they are pushing back against the Trump administration.

Liberals have criticized elected Democrats for not doing enough in Congress to resist President Trump’s changes to the federal government.

Rally organizers told USA TODAY they expect the crowd to have fun and peacefully celebrate their First Amendment right to protest. They use comments to draw attention to upcoming events.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent criticized the rally, saying, “No Kings means no paychecks. No paychecks, no government.”

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said separately that the expected millions of participants were “Antifa participants, paid protesters. It raises the question of who is funding them.”

Mr. Duffy accused the protesters of dictating the actions of Democratic leaders.

“The bottom line is who is in control of the Senate, and Democrats want to wait for the big No Kings protests,” Duffy said. Senate Democratic Minority Leader: “Chuck Schumer is not running the show. No Kings protesters and organizers are running the show.”

Leah Greenberg, co-founder of Indivisible, one of the protest organizers, responded on social media: “This is what it feels like when you lose control of your message and you panic.”

Norking protests are planned at more than 2,500 locations across the United States, with one of several major protests planned outside the U.S. Capitol. Previous protests held by the same organizers last year, including a June 14 rally also named No Kings, have been peaceful and drawn large crowds.

On October 10, several congressional Republicans called the protests a “Hate America” rally and accused Democrats of continuing to shut down the government at the request of activists.

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana said on Fox News that he’s hearing Republicans won’t reopen the government until after the convention because Democrats “can’t face their fanatical base.” Activists are angry with Schumer for voting Republican in March to avoid a government shutdown.

Prime Minister Johnson said he is tired of waiting for Democrats to agree to end the government shutdown.

“We’re very angry about that. I mean, I’m a very patient person, but I’ve been through things like this with these guys. They’re playing games with real people’s lives. The theory we have right now is they’re planning a Hate America rally that’s scheduled for October 18th on the National Mall. They’re just going to come out with pro-Hamas and Antifa people,” he said.

Kansas Republican Sen. Roger Marshall said on Newsmax that Democrats need to put on a show at the protests before allowing the government to reopen.

“October 18th is the day the protests will arrive here. This will be a paid protest for Soros’ professional protesters, the agitators will show up.”,” Marshall said, referring to billionaire George Soros, who is neither a protest organizer nor a public official but has supported the Democratic cause. “We have to withdraw the National Guard. I hope there will be peace, but I don’t think so.”

Plans to involve the National Guard at the Washington protests or other protests have not been publicly discussed.

A coalition of activist groups organizing protests, rallies and marches stressed in a statement on October 10 that organizers have undergone security and de-escalation training to avoid violence.

“Speaker Johnson is running out of excuses to continue shutting down the government. Instead of reopening the government, keeping health care affordable, and lowering costs for working families, he is attacking millions of Americans who peacefully come together to say that America belongs to the people, not the king,” the statement said. “See you all on October 18th.”

Hunter Dunn, a national spokesperson for the 50501 protest group, told USA TODAY that he finds it odd that Republican rhetoric about the rally has swung from a tactic to keep the government shut down to one filled with paid demonstrators who hate the country.

“You have to choose which lie to tell. The enemy cannot be weak and strong at the same time,” he said.

National political senior correspondent Sarah D. Wire Please contact us at swire@usatoday.com.

Should good performance outweigh abusive leadership?

Economy

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October 14, 2025

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Should good performance outweigh abusive leadership?

Johnny C. Taylor Jr.
| USA TODAY Special Feature

As part of USA TODAY’s series, Johnny C. Taylor Jr. tackles human resources questions. Taylor is president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management, the world’s largest association of HR professionals, and author of Reset: A Leader’s Guide to Work in an Age of Upheaval.

Have a question? Please submit here.

Question: The group I work for is one of the most profitable departments in the company, and managers often resort to intimidation and public humiliation to get results. He has a number of personnel complaints, but senior executives protect him because “the numbers are strong.” Should Consequences Excuse Leadership Abuse? – CJ

Answer: Never. Strong performance does not justify weak character. Can demonstrate high performance and A respectful workplace. Great leaders demand excellence without degrading their people. Abuse is not leadership. It’s a failure of disguise.

Intimidation may result in short-term victories, but it leaves long-term scars on people, culture, and profits. Fear-based management alienates talent, stifles creativity, and creates reputational and legal risks. A culture of fear may encourage people to meet quarterly goals, but it does not support sustainable business.

However, we must be careful not to confuse demanding leadership with abusive leadership. High-performing organizations require accountability. If someone consistently underperforms, the resulting discomfort or fear of job loss does not automatically mean that the leader is toxic. The difference lies in how expectations are set and ideally carried out with fairness, consistency and respect.

It is also important to distinguish between high-performance and toxic cultures. Great leaders have high expectations, give honest feedback, hold people accountable, and do it with respect. When managers cross the line into humiliation and intimidation, they can no longer improve performance but destroy trust.

This is the truth. The organization tells you what it will tolerate. When senior leaders defend a manager with multiple HR complaints because they are “strong in numbers,” they are sending a clear message that results are more important than people. Over time, that message hurts engagement and drives out top performers. No one wants to work somewhere where they have to sacrifice their dignity to succeed.

This problem often starts with how a company promotes itself. Frequently, top performers – the best salespeople and engineers – are promoted to management positions with little or no training. But being effective at your job is not the same as being effective at leading people. Without proper development, managers may default to exerting pressure and controlling because they don’t know how to do otherwise.

But the answer is not to lower standards. It’s about developing leaders. Great organizations treat human resource management as a learned and measurable skill. They set clear expectations for leadership behavior, use 360-degree feedback, and evaluate managers. how They not only achieve results; what they achieve.

Yes, numbers are important, but so is how you deliver them. Great leaders lift people to new heights, but they don’t push people down to get there.

The views and opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signs law banning Glock pistols

Politics

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October 14, 2025

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California Governor Gavin Newsom signs law banning Glock pistols

California has banned new sales of semi-automatic handguns that can be easily converted into fully automatic weapons.
The law, Assembly Bill 1127, specifically targets handguns like Glocks that use a “cruciform trigger bar.”
Lawmakers argue that manufacturers have failed to address design flaws that make it easy to make illegal modifications.
Second Amendment supporters say the law is unconstitutional and plan to challenge it in court.

California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law banning the sale of the most popular type of handgun in the United States.

Assembly Bill 1127, authored by State Representative Jesse Gabriel (D-Encino) and State Representative Katherine Stefani (D-San Francisco), received the governor’s signature on Friday, October 10th.

The law prohibits new sales of “semi-automatic handguns that can easily be converted into fully automatic machine guns using a simple ‘switch,'” according to a statement from Gabriel’s office.

The targets include Glock handguns and similarly designed handguns that feature a “cross-shaped trigger bar,” which lawmakers say makes it easier to fire fully automatically.

What does the new law prohibit?

The law goes into effect on January 1 and prohibits gun dealers from selling Glock-style handguns.

It also includes exemptions for law enforcement officers, and private sales of weapons will remain legal.

Dealers will be allowed to sell Glock-style guns received before January 1st.

Why are Glocks banned in California?

The bill’s authors argue that while it has been known for decades that Glock handguns can be easily converted into machine guns, gun manufacturers have failed to address this issue.

“While most handgun designs cannot be modified in this way, the select few manufacturers that can modify their guns refuse to adjust their designs to prevent the modification,” a statement from Gabirel’s office said.

“As parents and legislators, we cannot stand by while our schools and communities are threatened by illegal machine guns,” he said. “This common sense legislation will ensure that the firearms industry is held accountable and that we do everything we can to protect our communities from mass shootings.”

Stephanie agreed.

“What do you want to call it? Reckless greed on the part of gun manufacturers who know their products can be turned into illegal machine guns,” she says. “AB 1127 says enough is enough. If these companies don’t redesign their weapons to protect our communities, California will hold them accountable.”

Critics slam California’s Glock ban

Second Amendment advocates said they plan to challenge AB 1127 in court.

“Governor Newsom has proven once again that California’s political class will stop at nothing to attack peaceful people and their rights,” the Firearms Policy Coalition said in a statement. “AB 1127 is an unconstitutional and malicious attempt to outlaw some of the most common firearms in the United States.”

“But no tyrant, no politician, no nation can ever be allowed to extinguish the rights of a free people. It cannot be allowed now and it will never be allowed,” the statement said.

“FPC and our legal team have been preparing to challenge AB 1127 for several months,” the statement said. “We and our allies will act swiftly to defeat this illegal and immoral ban in federal court. The Constitution, not Gavin Newsom, defines the limits of government power, and we will make sure he learns that lesson again.”

The full text of AB 1127 is available online at https://legiscan.com.

Meta and Oracle choose NVIDIA Spectrum-X for their AI data center

AI & Tech

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October 14, 2025

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Meta and Oracle choose NVIDIA Spectrum-X for their AI data center

Meta and Oracle are upgrading their AI data centers with NVIDIA’s Spectrum-X Ethernet networking switches, a technology built to meet the growing demands of large-scale AI systems. Both companies have adopted Spectrum-X as part of an open networking framework designed to improve the efficiency of AI training and accelerate deployment across large-scale computing clusters.

NVIDIA founder and CEO Jensen Huang said models with trillions of parameters are turning data centers into “gigascale AI factories,” adding that Spectrum-X acts as a “neural system” connecting millions of GPUs to train the largest models ever built.

Oracle plans to use Spectrum-X Ethernet and Vera Rubin architecture to build a massive AI factory. Mahesh Thiagarajan, executive vice president of Oracle Cloud Infrastructure, said the new setup will allow the company to connect millions of GPUs more efficiently, allowing customers to train and deploy new AI models faster.

Meanwhile, Meta is expanding its AI infrastructure by integrating Spectrum-X Ethernet switches into Facebook Open Switching System (FBOSS), an internal platform for managing large-scale network switches. According to Gaya Nagarajan, vice president of networking engineering at Meta, the company’s next-generation network must be open and efficient to support increasingly large AI models and serve billions of users.

Building a flexible AI system

According to Joe DeLaere, who heads NVIDIA’s portfolio of accelerated computing solutions for data centers, flexibility is important as data centers become more complex. He explained that NVIDIA’s MGX system offers a modular building block design that allows partners to mix and match different CPU, GPU, storage, and networking components as needed.

The system also promotes interoperability, allowing organizations to use the same design across multiple generations of hardware. “It gives us flexibility, faster time to market and future readiness,” Delaire told the media.

As AI models grow larger, power efficiency becomes a central challenge for data centers. DeLaere said NVIDIA is working “from chip to grid” to improve energy usage and scalability, working closely with power and cooling vendors to maximize performance per watt.

One example is the move to an 800-volt DC power supply, which reduces heat loss and increases efficiency. The company has also introduced power smoothing technology to reduce spikes in the power grid. This is an approach that can reduce peak power demand by up to 30%, enabling more computing power within the same footprint.

Scale up, scale out, scale across

NVIDIA’s MGX system also plays a role in how you expand your data center. Gilad Shainer, the company’s senior vice president of networking, told the media that MGX racks host both computing and switching components and support NVLink for scale-up connectivity and Spectrum-X Ethernet for scale-out growth.

He added that MGX can connect multiple AI data centers as an integrated system, which is necessary for companies like Meta to support large-scale distributed AI training operations. Depending on distance, sites can be linked via dark fiber or additional MGX-based switches to enable high-speed connectivity between regions.

Meta’s AI adoption of Spectrum-X reflects the growing importance of open networking. Shainer said the company uses FBOSS as its network operating system, but said Spectrum-X also supports several other OSes through partnerships, including Cumulus, SONiC and Cisco’s NOS. This flexibility allows hyperscalers and enterprises to standardize their infrastructure using the system that best fits their environment.

Expanding the AI ecosystem

NVIDIA sees Spectrum-X as a way to make AI infrastructure more efficient and accessible at scale. Shainer said the Ethernet platform is specifically designed for AI workloads such as training and inference, offering up to 95% effective bandwidth, significantly exceeding traditional Ethernet.

He added that NVIDIA’s partnerships with companies like Cisco, xAI, Meta, and Oracle Cloud Infrastructure are helping bring Spectrum-X to a broader range of environments, from hyperscalers to enterprises.

Preparing for Vera Rubin and beyond

DeLaere said NVIDIA’s next Vera Rubin architecture will be commercially available in late 2026, with Rubin CPX products expected by the end of the year. Both work with Spectrum-X networking and MGX systems to support the next generation of AI factories.

He also revealed that Spectrum-X and XGS share the same core hardware but use different algorithms as distance changes. Spectrum-X is used for intra-datacenter communications, and XGS is used for inter-datacenter communications. This approach minimizes latency and allows multiple sites to work together as a single large AI supercomputer.

Collaboration across the power chain

To support 800 volt DC migration, NVIDIA is working with partners from the chip level to the grid. The company collaborates with Onsemi and Infineon on power components, Delta, Flex and Lite-On at the rack level, and Schneider Electric and Siemens on data center design. A technical whitepaper detailing this approach will be presented at the OCP Summit.

DeLaere describes this as a “holistic design from silicon to power delivery” to ensure all systems work together seamlessly in the dense AI environments run by companies like Meta and Oracle.

Performance benefits for hyperscalers

Spectrum-X Ethernet was purpose-built for distributed computing and AI workloads. Shainer said it provides adaptive routing and telemetry-based congestion control, eliminates network hotspots and provides stable performance. These features speed up training and inference, and allow you to run multiple workloads simultaneously without interference.

He added that Spectrum-X is the only Ethernet technology proven to scale at extreme levels, helping organizations achieve the best performance and recoup their GPU investments. For hyperscalers like Meta, that scalability helps manage growing AI training demands and maintain infrastructure efficiency.

Interaction of hardware and software

Although NVIDIA often focuses on hardware, DeLaere said software optimization is just as important. The company continues to improve performance through co-design, which coordinates hardware and software development to maximize the efficiency of AI systems.

NVIDIA is investing in algorithms like FP4 kernels, frameworks like Dynamo and TensorRT-LLM, and speculative decoding to improve throughput and performance of AI models. These updates will ensure that systems like Blackwell continue to deliver better results over time against hyperscalers like Meta, which rely on consistent AI performance, he said.

Networking in the era of trillion parameters

The Spectrum-X platform (including Ethernet switches and SuperNICs) is NVIDIA’s first Ethernet system purpose-built for AI workloads. Designed to efficiently link millions of GPUs while maintaining predictable performance across AI datacenters.

Spectrum-X uses congestion control technology to achieve up to 95 percent data throughput, significantly outperforming standard Ethernet, which typically only reaches about 60 percent due to flow collisions. The company’s XGS technology also supports long-range AI data center links, connecting facilities across regions into an integrated “AI super factory.”

Spectrum-X brings together NVIDIA’s full stack (GPU, CPU, NVLink, software) to deliver the consistent performance needed to support the next wave of trillion-parameter models and generative AI workloads.

(Photo provided by NVIDIA)

SEE ALSO: OpenAI and Nvidia plan $100 billion chip deal for the future of AI

Want to learn more about AI and big data from industry leaders? Check out the AI & Big Data Expo in Amsterdam, California, and London. This comprehensive event is part of TechEx and co-located with other major technology events. Click here for more information.

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This city hall became the main focus of RoboCop. Now I’m facing a scrap heap

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October 14, 2025

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This city hall became the main focus of RoboCop. Now I’m facing a scrap heap

New York City is home to the Empire State Building. This iconic skyscraper was built in the 1933 film when King Kong jumped towards the attacking biplane and charged from the top floor. Los Angeles is home to the historic Griffith Observatory, the setting for James Dean’s knife fight in the 1955 film “Rebel Without a Cause” and the place where the swooning lovers swing among the stars in the 2016 film “La La Land.”

And Dallas, well, Dallas has problems.

Dallas City Hall, a brutalist building that once served as the headquarters for a dystopian corporation in the 1987 sci-fi cult film RoboCop, has been damaged. The famous and imposing structure, designed by renowned architect IM Pei, faces deferred maintenance and repair costs of $50 million to $100 million, city leaders say.

The site, with its grand plaza, was conceived as a statement of civic pride under the cloud of a presidential assassination carried out on city watch. But a structure that was once meant to be positive and bold could tumble into the past if one strategy emerged as a potential solution.

“This building is a mess of our own making,” said Regan Rosenberger, a member of the Dallas Landmarks Commission who submitted a letter to city officials earlier this year asking city officials to begin the process of designating Dallas City Hall as a landmark. “We have not demanded proper maintenance of this building.”

City leaders say decades of dilapidation and neglect have caused a variety of problems. The roof needs replacing. The air conditioning system is outdated and the reflecting pool is leaking into the underground parking lot. Rothenberger cited dirty windows, broken lights, poor signage, outdated bathrooms and last summer, City Councilman Gay Donnell Willis was trapped in an elevator.

“The plaza is literally being pulled away from the buildings,” said City Councilman Chad West, who represents Dallas’ 1st District.

How did the situation get so bad? West and others say they have been sensitive to the priorities of city residents, who prefer funding for public safety, parks and infrastructure over maintaining City Hall.

“It’s like when you become a mother,” said Paula Blackmon, a six-year City Council member who represents the city’s 9th Ward. “You become so focused on everything else that you forget about yourself.”

Additionally, West said the building would not be large enough to house all of the city’s city halls, although Pei’s design left open the possibility of expansion to the south. That never happened, and as a result, some of Dallas’ services are scattered across the city, he said.

In a recent interview, West, who chairs the city’s Finance Committee, openly questioned whether city leaders should consider relocating businesses or “repurposing” sites. Some fear this could lead to the building being sold or even demolished to accommodate new development, given that a $3.7 billion renovation and expansion of the nearby convention center is underway. The project is a voter-approved project that will free up land for development as part of the reimagining of downtown Dallas.

“City Hall could be used as part of that, as part of an expansion, or to use the land for something else,” West told USA TODAY. “It’s not the City Council that decides to demolish it. Our job is to determine whether the city needs to remain in this building.”

The city’s finance committee will meet on Oct. 21 to consider potential maintenance and repair costs and discuss possible next steps.

The origins of Dallas City Hall

On November 22, 1963, as the motorcade carrying President John F. Kennedy, First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy, and Texas Governor John Connally and his wife Nellie made its final march through a crowded downtown Dallas, shots were fired from the sixth-floor window of the Texas School Book Depository. The president was killed and the governor seriously injured.

The crime shocked a grieving nation and earned Dallas the nickname “City of Hate.” Years later, as part of a concerted effort to rebuild the city’s reputation, Mayor Erik Jonsson hired Pei, the rising star chosen by Jacqueline Kennedy to design her husband’s Memorial Library in Boston, to build Dallas’ new City Hall.

“Dark clouds have been hanging over Dallas for years,” said Greg Johnston, president of Preservation Dallas, a nonprofit organization that promotes the preservation and revitalization of the city’s historic sites. Leaders said they hoped the new city structure would symbolize “the strength and resilience of the city.”

The seven-story, $70 million project broke ground in 1972 and opened in 1978. The gravity-defying façade slopes outward at a 34-degree angle, and each floor is more than 9 feet wider than the floor below, according to Pei Cobb Freed & Partners (formerly IM Pei & Associates).

“The building is a fascinating amalgam, equal parts raw truth and magic,” Architecture Week wrote in 2009.

The author writes that the mayor’s incredulous reaction to the heavy shape at the top of the building apparently prompted Pei’s team to add three cylindrical columns that appear to be “load-bearing” but are not, and instead provide visual support. Pei, who died in 2019, went on to design famous landmarks such as the Louvre pyramid in Paris and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, but Dallas City Hall has proven to be a love-it-or-hate-it affair, with some people thinking it’s art and others thinking it’s a monster. One publication ranked it one of the most beautiful city halls in the country.

But as the Paris Review once put it, its appearance as an “architectural bully” that “threats the individual and crushes anyone who attempts to invade it” made it an ideal stand-in for Omni Consumers Products’ fictional Detroit headquarters in RoboCop, a cautionary tale of a cyborg cop in a future corporate police state.

“With RoboCop, it’s even more dystopian,” Blake Kimsey said. A short story was published in D Magazine about a Dallas City Hall maintenance worker who retired in 2022 and was given a replica of RoboCop’s suit as a gift. “It’s not a beautiful building, but it’s a memorable one.”

Kimsey, now executive director of the Dallas-based Creative Writing School Program, grew up in a small town in North Texas and said, “We thought we were going to get snatched by Satanists or stung by killer bees and die. ‘RoboCop’ seemed to capitalize on those bad headlines. It hit home that this city was more sinister, and things were about to get worse.”

The fate of a landmark is at stake

That’s certainly true of Dallas City Hall.

Ultimately, city leaders will need to balance the costs of maintaining and modernizing the site with the benefits of preservation, West said.

“We have an obligation to make difficult decisions about what that will look like,” he said.

West said the available options, whether it’s a bond election or a tax increase, are unlikely to be popular. He said the city could sell some of its unused properties, but that would only cover part of the cost.

“We may have to look for another office,” Blackmon said. “There’s a lot of real estate downtown. I’m going to go here with an open mind. But if we’re going to stay here, we’re going to have to fix that.”

Katrina Whatley, a local real estate agent and community organizer who ran against West for the District 1 seat, said she believes the building has architectural and symbolic value and that talk of reusing the site is “just a statement from the Dallas City Council to enrich developers.”

Another citizen activist who has expressed cynicism about the potential sale of the site is Rudy Karimi, a member of the Dallas Parks and Recreation Commission. He hopes city leaders can strike a balance between maintaining the importance of Dallas City Hall while modernizing it to meet today’s operational needs.

“With thoughtful planning, we can effectively serve the city without losing its identity or completely destroying it,” Karimi says.

The building has special meaning for RoboCop fans, Johan Hoff, a Sweden-based moderator of two related fan sites, told USA TODAY: “We don’t ignore the fact that time moves forward. Movie locations come and go. If Dallas City Hall is eventually demolished, it will be a sad day for Robo fans, but the building will live on on screen.”

Preservationists hope that never happens, but Rothenberger said that when he called on the commission to act, it “acted with this very day in mind.” This groundbreaking process began in March.

He said Dallas has a long history of moving on to the next big project.

“Dallas City Hall seemed like an easy target,” Rothenberger said. “I don’t want to say I was right. Great historic buildings are still there because someone spoke up for them. … Future residents of Dallas deserve an iconic building as the seat of government, not an office tower.”

His Jan. 15 letter to the Dallas Historic Preservation Office said the structure is only 46 years old but meets several criteria for landmark status. Rothenberger pointed out that Boston City Hall, a similarly much-detracted Brutalist building, will soon be designated a Boston landmark.

“There’s an old saying: ‘You can’t fight City Hall,'” he wrote. “Maybe it’s time to fight.” for City Hall. “

Is the US government still partially shut down? Here’s what we know.

Politics

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October 14, 2025

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Is the US government still partially shut down? Here’s what we know.

The partial federal government shutdown entered its 14th day on Tuesday, October 14, with little progress.

Although the House is technically in recess this week, Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries called Democrats back to Washington, D.C., for an evening meeting “to discuss a path forward related to the Republican shutdown and the Republican-created health care crisis.”

The Senate is scheduled to reconvene at 3 p.m. ET, with a vote expected around 5:30 p.m. This is the latest attempt to approve a bill to fund the government, following seven previous failed attempts. However, it is unlikely that it will be able to secure the 60 votes needed for passage.

Let’s take a look at the ongoing shutdown and what we know:

Is the federal government still closed?

Yes, the federal government has remained largely shut down since shortly after midnight on October 1st.

Nearly 750,000 federal employees have been furloughed and ordered not to report to work. Other employees, including military personnel and air traffic controllers, must work without pay until a budget deal is reached.

What do Democrats and Republicans want from reopening the government?

Democrats want to secure tax cuts for the 24 million Americans who get insurance through the Affordable Care Act (known as Obamacare) and refuse to support government spending bills that do not address the issue.

Senate Democrats want to make the tax cuts, which are set to expire at the end of the year, permanent and provide reassurance to prevent the Trump administration from temporarily withholding funds.

Republicans and the president have said they are open to considering modifications to the expiring ACA tax cuts, but the issue should be addressed separately from the ongoing budget impasse. Republicans also argue that the Democratic proposal could pay some of the health insurance premiums of undocumented immigrants. That’s not true, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

What about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?

According to the Social Security Administration’s closure plan, the agency will continue to provide retirement and disability benefits, but will furlough 12% of its employees and suspend marketing campaigns.

Payments will continue under the Medicare and Medicaid health care programs as well.

Will American mail be delivered?

The USPS said in a statement that it is open because the U.S. Postal Service is not dependent on Congress for funding.

What about the airport?

More than 13,000 air traffic controllers and about 50,000 Transportation Security Administration employees will still be required to report to work during the shutdown. Air traffic controllers will receive a portion of their pay on October 14 for the work they did before the shutdown, Reuters reported.

Will food assistance continue under SNAP and WIC?

The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, the nation’s largest food assistance program, and the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children, known as WIC, will continue operating during the closure as funding allows, according to closure planning documents issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

What does the military shutdown mean for the military?

While 1.3 active duty military personnel could receive paychecks on Wednesday, about 55% of the Pentagon’s 740,000 civilian workforce has been furloughed, including employees in training, acquisition, and administrative support. Civilians in cybersecurity, medical care, weapons systems maintenance, intelligence, and logistics are still working and are not included in President Trump’s pay order for active-duty employees.

The National Guard, which President Trump deployed to American cities, must also remain active.

What about Homeland Security, Immigration and Border Patrol agents?

Only 5% of the Department of Homeland Security’s 271,000 employees are furloughed, including those involved in research, planning, training and auditing.

Secret Service agents, immigration and border officials, airport security screeners, Coast Guard personnel and Federal Emergency Management Agency emergency personnel remain on the job.

The shutdown is the 15th since 1981 and is expected to be the fourth longest in U.S. history, surpassing the 12-day shutdown in 1977 under President Jimmy Carter. The longest shutdown lasted 35 days during President Trump’s first term in 2018-2019.

Contributors: USA Today’s Michelle Del Rey, Daniel de Visse, Bert Jansen, Joey Garrison, Melina Kahn, Medra Lee, Andrea Riquier, Zachary Schermele, Mike Snyder, Mary Walrus-Holdridge

Dodgers’ Blake Snell looks like Sandy Koufax in 2025 MLB Playoffs

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October 14, 2025

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Dodgers’ Blake Snell looks like Sandy Koufax in 2025 MLB Playoffs

MILWAUKEE — On Monday night, the Milwaukee Brewers made a magical defensive play unlike anything you’ve ever seen in a postseason game.

Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman once again tormented the Brewers with a home run and a double.

Former Dodgers closer Blake Treinen arrives to rescue the boy who has been robbed of his job.

But at the end of the day, it was all about Dodgers starter Blake Snell.

This was his game.

This was his night.

This was part of his history.

In one of the best performances in playoff history, Snell put on a pitching clinic for the ages in the Dodgers’ 2-1 victory over the Brewers in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series. He was in complete control from first pitch to last, and both teams believed they had never seen a game like it.

“This was as good as I can remember in the postseason,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “You don’t see a performance like that very often against a very gritty team, certainly in the postseason. This was pretty special.”

Not only did Snell face at least 24 batters in eight innings, he retired the final 17 batters without hitting a single pitch into the infield.

do not have. One. single. ball.

The Dodgers’ outfield could have passed the time by drinking adult beverages while Snell was on the mound.

Only Brewers third baseman Caleb Durbin’s third-inning single prevented his chances of joining Don Larsen in the 1956 World Series as the only players to pitch a perfect game in the postseason.

Snell became the first pitcher in postseason history to pitch at least eight shutout innings, allowing one or fewer hits, no walks, and striking out 10 or more batters. He is the fourth pitcher to face the fewest batters through eight innings, following Larsen and Bill James in the 1914 World Series and Hall of Fame pitcher Chief Bender in the 1910 World Series.

“This kid is unbelievable,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said. “I think this was the most dominant performance against us. I’ve been here 10 years. That kid was amazing. Snell was unbelievable. He was unbelievable.”

“Nothing progressed.”

The Brewers never even got a whiff of a rally during Snell’s eight innings. He threw 103 pitches and the Brewers whiffed 22 times. He threw 23 changeups and the Brewers whiffed 14 times.

The best postseason pitching performance they’ve ever seen?

“I can’t think of any games I could have come up with,” Freeman said. “That was really good from the beginning. Sometimes it takes an inning or two to get used to it. It’s been like that from the beginning. Tonight was a masterpiece.”

“He’s great. There’s a reason he’s a two-time Cy Young Award winner. He’s on a big stage right now and he’s just doing what he’s always done.”

Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts has played in 81 postseason games over nine years with two teams, and I can’t think of another game where he was so dominant that he took the team’s breath away from start to finish.

“That’s pretty difficult,” Betts said. “It was electricity, the electricity went out.”

The Brewers were stunned in the 9th inning, when Roberts pulled out Snell after 103 pitches and replaced him with rookie Aki Sasaki.

Brewers second baseman Bryce Turan struck out with the bases loaded, ending the game. “He looked like he was going for the corner as hard as he could.” “Once the ball got to the box, it just kind of disappeared. He commanded the zone. He was throwing every pitch for a strike.”

Said Brewers center fielder Sal Frelich: “He was definitely in the game tonight. He got executed and didn’t hit us very well. We play a lot of really good pitchers, right? And when you see a guy like that, you’ve got to choke with the bat and find a way to get on base.”

“I didn’t do that tonight.”

Not even close.

Snell threw just 51 of his 103 fastballs and relied heavily on his changeup, almost leaving the Brewers at their mercy. They had no chance because he had such pinpoint command.

Again, this isn’t all that different from what Snell has been doing the past four weeks. Snell has a 0.68 ERA in his last six starts since September 10, with 15 hits and 56 strikeouts in 40 innings. Since 1913, when earned run average became an official statistic, he is the only pitcher to go 5-0 with an ERA under 1.00, with at least 50 strikeouts and fewer than 15 hits allowed in six starts, according to OptaSTATS.

He was like Sandy Koufax this postseason, going 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA, only six hits, and 28 strikeouts. He has allowed just one run in 21 innings this postseason and has led his team to 16 consecutive games.

It’s hard to believe this is the same player who made 10 postseason starts in his career and never lasted more than 5 2/3 innings before signing a five-year, $182 million free agent contract with the Dodgers last winter. He pitched at least six innings in each of his three starts.

“In the postseason, if you dominate and do great, no one can say anything. The best feeling would be to prove yourself right or go out there and fail, but at least you can learn and grow and figure out who you are and how to get better from there,” Snell said.

Snell was never in trouble all night, and perhaps his most impressive feat was shutting out the Brewers just as the game looked like it was going to turn after the funniest double play of all time.

With one out and the bases loaded in the fourth inning, Max Muncy threw Quinn Priester’s cut fastball 404 feet to center field, potentially hitting a grand slam over the center field wall. Brewers center fielder Sal Frelich jumped and brought the ball back, but it bounced off the wall and returned to his glove.

The Dodgers, who initially thought the ball would go over the fence, froze. And they thought Frelick caught the ball, even though left field umpire Chad Fairchild ruled the ball was in play.

Teoscar Hernandez, who was returning to make the tag at third base, rushed home. Frelich took a shot that cut off Joey Ortiz, then fired the shot just past Hernandez, not realizing it was a force play.

Meanwhile, Brewers catcher William Contreras noticed that Will Smith, who had returned to second base believing the ball was caught, sprinted to third base.

I’m out at home. Out at third base. Double play.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this was the first 8-6-2 double play in postseason history.

“Isn’t this the longest double play in history?” Muncy said. “It was unbelievable.”

But even as the sellout crowd of 41,737 roared and the Brewers enthusiastically celebrated his run off the field, Snell never lost his cool. He struck out leadoff batters Jackson Cholio and Christian Yelich to lead off the fourth, prompting a comeback hit by William Contreras. The next 12 batters were also retired, and not a single player allowed an infield hit.

“It was huge for Blake to get another zero so quickly,” Smith said.

He was truly the latest gem in this starting rotation. The Dodgers’ four starting pitchers have posted 1.65 ERAs, .141 batting averages, and 56 strikeouts in seven games this postseason. They have struck out at least nine batters in five games, the most in a single postseason in franchise history.

“I don’t know if I can write enough stories about our starting pitchers,” Freeman said. “It’s been really great. They seem to feed off each other. And as an offense, we’re just doing our best to support them.”

And Snell, who doesn’t have a World Series ring, helped the Dodgers move one game closer to becoming the first team in a quarter century to win back-to-back championships.

“It feels like a dream come true to be here now. I couldn’t have asked for anything more,” Snell said. I’m going to do everything I can to win the World Series.”

Indeed, he did just that on a magical night.

Follow Nightengale on X: @Bnightengale

Will the government shutdown affect federal tax extension deadlines?

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October 14, 2025

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Will the government shutdown affect federal tax extension deadlines?

The U.S. government may be partially shut down with no end in sight, but tax officials never rest.

According to Internal Revenue Service guidelines, taxpayers who filed for an extension by the April 15 tax filing deadline have until Wednesday, Oct. 15 to file without penalty, regardless of whether the shutdown enters its second week.

The IRS acknowledged on Oct. 8 that nearly half of its employees, or more than 34,000 employees, have been furloughed, but some customer service representatives remain on the job due to the agency’s shutdown contingency plan.

“IRS services may be impacted during the government shutdown,” Elizabeth Young, director of tax and ethics at the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, told CNBC. “However, electronic filing systems generally remain operational, so it is possible to file online.”

Here’s what you need to know about the tax extension deadline and government shutdown.

IRS union warns of delays

The Treasury Employees Union warned in a statement that taxpayers could face “increased waiting times, backlogs and delays.”

“Every day these employees are locked out of work is another day of frustration for taxpayers and a growing backlog of jobs as they sit and wait for the shutdown to end,” the union said.

Jennifer McMillan, president of the National Association of Registered Agents, warned CNBC that customers who require professional customer service will face longer delays.

“It’s going to be a long road,” McMillan said.

How many people have requested an extension?

The IRS reports that it expects about 19.8 million people to file for extensions this year. The agency received more than 20 million extension requests in fiscal year 2024.

Late fees are 0.5% of a taxpayer’s monthly unpaid balance, capped at 25% of unpaid taxes. Penalties for failure to file a return range from 5% to a maximum of 25% of the unpaid tax per month or part of a month. Any extensions will begin on October 15th.

Is there an automatic extension for some taxpayers?

The IRS says some taxpayers will automatically be given additional time to file their tax returns without having to file for an extension.

Military members serving outside the United States and Puerto Rico will have their applications automatically extended for two months. This year, applications must be submitted by June 16th. However, the tax payment deadline is April 15th, and interest will be charged if it is not paid. More information can be found in Publication 3: Military Tax Guide. Those serving in a combat zone must file a tax return and pay any taxes due at least 180 days after leaving the combat zone. U.S. citizens and foreign residents living and working outside the U.S. and Puerto Rico will have an automatic two-month extension to file their tax returns, until June 16th this year. However, the tax deadline is still April 15th, and interest will be charged if you don’t pay. Taxpayers in certain federally declared disaster areas may also receive automatic extensions for both filing and payment. Taxpayers in these areas do not need to submit an extension request. The latest disaster tax relief information is available on IRS.gov.

Dodgers and Blake Snell defeat Brewers in Game 1 of NLCS

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October 14, 2025

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Dodgers and Blake Snell defeat Brewers in Game 1 of NLCS

MILWAUKEE — The Los Angeles Dodgers survived a magical act by the Milwaukee Brewers, shrugged off bad luck and won a postseason game the old-fashioned way by the end of Monday night.

Riding on the golden arm of Blake Snell and the powerful bat of Freddie Freeman, the Dodgers defeated the Brewers 2-1 in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series at American Family Field.

While the Brewers hit perhaps the wildest double play in postseason history, emptying their bullpen and trying to shut down the Dodgers’ offense, the Dodgers resorted to traditional methods to win the game.

Snell, a two-time Cy Young Award winner, had one of the best pitching performances of all time in the postseason. He gave the Brewers no chances, facing the fewest batters until eight innings, striking out 10 and allowing just one hit (Caleb Durbin to center field in the third inning). Although he allowed only one fair fly ball to the outfield during the entire game, he showed a dominant performance, causing 11 ground balls.

Snell became the first pitcher in postseason history to strike out more than 10 batters in eight innings and allow one hit with no walks.

“He’s a true ace,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “We felt like we were going to give him the ball and he was always going to be essentially the best option on the mound.”

Indeed, there is no hotter pitcher on the planet. Snell has started the last six games, pitching 40 innings, allowing 15 hits and striking out 56 batters for a 0.68 ERA.

Snell went 3-0 with a 0.86 ERA in three postseason starts, allowing just seven hits and striking out 28 batters in 21 innings.

Even though injuries limited him to 11 regular-season starts, Snell was worth every penny of his five-year, $182 million contract in the first year of his free-agent contract.

“I’ve known Blake for a long time,” said Dodgers president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman, who drafted and signed Snell with the Tampa Bay Rays. “Having had the opportunity to witness that maturation and that growth over 12 years, we really felt that not only would he help us get our first goal in the regular season, but what he would bring to our staff in October. I think for some of them, it’s literally part of their identity and it’s something they crave more than anything.”

It turned out that the Dodgers needed all of the outs Snell provided. The Dodgers turned to closer pitcher Aki Sasaki in the ninth inning, but he ran into trouble and gave up one run, leaving the game with two outs and runners on the corners. Roberts pulls out Sasaki and goes to veteran Blake Treinen.

Treinen overcame a near stealth play in the fourth inning by walking William Contreras to load the bases and striking out Bryce Turan to end the game.

With the bases loaded and the Dodgers looking to break out the game in the fourth inning, Max Muncy sent Quinn Priester’s cutter 404 feet into the center field wall for a potential grand slam.

Brewers center fielder Sal Frelich jumped to take the ball back, but it hit the yellow stripe and bounced back into his glove.

The Dodgers, who initially thought the ball would go over the fence, froze. And they thought Frelick caught the ball, even though left field umpire Chad Fairchild ruled the ball was in play.

Teoscar Hernandez, who was returning to make the tag at third base, rushed home. Frelick threw a strike to cutoff man Joey Ortiz, and Hernandez, not knowing it was a force play, hit a shot home just past it.

Meanwhile, Brewers catcher William Contreras noticed that Will Smith, who believed the ball was caught and was heading back to second base, sprinted to third base. Smith rushed third. too late.

I’m out at home. Out at third base. Double play.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts called for a replay review, which confirmed Hernandez was absent at home.

After the referees assembled, they confirmed that Fairchild had called the ball correctly, that it had indeed bounced off the fence, and that there had been no catch.

The Brewers ran off the field, leaving the Dodgers stunned, and the packed crowd erupted in disbelief at what they had just witnessed.

Technically, it was the same as the routine’s 8-6-2, 404-foot GIDP.

According to the Elias Sports Bureau, this was the first 8-6-2 double play in postseason history.

“The Brewers are a really good team,” said Friedman, the Dodgers’ director of baseball operations. “They have a good team speed, defense, don’t chase, and put the ball in play. They have a good team speed and good defense.” They do many things well. And I think their depth of depth really helps them last 162 games and put them in a position to be a really competitive team come October. ”

Friedman joked that the Dodgers would have liked to win just the game against the Brewers, considering they were 6-0 against them during the regular season, but of course, those games weren’t played in October.

It’s Dodgers time this year.

And another night, they proved it again.

— Bob Nightengale

Here’s how game 1 played out.

The Brewers had a double with two outs and the bases loaded, taking the lead. However, Blake Treinen struck out Bryce Turan, ending the game.

In the top of the 9th inning, Abner Uribe loaded the bases with two outs, gave Mookie Betts a full-count walk, and added one run, increasing the Dodgers’ lead to 2-0.

The Dodgers left-hander pitched well until the 8th inning, and the Dodgers held a 1-0 lead heading into the 9th inning of Game 1 of the NLCS. Snell struck out 10 and allowed just one hit in eight innings, but will likely be handed over to Roki Sasaki in the ninth.

Blake Snell pitched for the 13th time in postseason history, allowing one or no hits over eight innings.

It was the first no-hitter since Roy Halladay in 2010.

Let’s start with the Dodgers pitcher.

Not allowing a goal in the 10th inning

– Sarah Along (@slangsonSports) October 14, 2025

Blake Snell went through seven scoreless innings, recording a minimum of nine strikeouts. He has thrown 91 pitches, and the Dodgers’ bullpen is quiet, meaning the left-handed pitcher will likely get the ball in the eighth.

Blake Snell’s changeup has been incredible this postseason.

His changeup miss rate tonight was 60.9%.

The Brewers’ batting line had 0 hits for 8 at bats and 3 Ks. Five balls put into play by the Brewers? All ground balls.#Dodgers | #postseason pic.twitter.com/lzCGUtds7

— Inside Edge (@IE_MLB) October 14, 2025

Blake Snell faced at least 18 batters through six innings, throwing 77 pitches and striking out eight with no walks. The only hit he allowed came in the second inning, but SNell struck out Caleb Durbin after a single.

With one out in the top of the sixth inning, Freddie Freeman hit a solo home run off Chad Patrick to take the lead in Game 1 of the NLCS.

The home run, which was named last year’s World Series MVP, was Freeman’s first home run of the 2025 Poe season.

With the bases loaded and one out, Max Muncy hit a drive into the center field wall, but the ball bounced off the glove of center fielder Sal Frelich, then hit the wall and was grabbed before falling to the ground, but it was not a caught out ball, but a raw ball. The baserunners were initially confused and held on, but Teoscar Hernandez was thrown out at home trying to score from third base, resulting in a bizarre force-out at 8-6-2.

Will Smith, who still didn’t know what had happened, was unable to advance to third base and was put out on a double play.

Milwaukee right-hander Quinn Priester started the second inning, replacing opening pitcher Aaron Ashby. He gave up a walk to Max Muncy, but a strikeout from Enrique Hernandez prevented the runner and finished the second run.

In the third, Priester held Andy Pages, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts scoreless. The Dodgers were hitless until the third inning.

Priester has been a revelation for the Brewers this year, posting a 13-3 record with a 3.32 ERA in 157.1 innings pitched.

Brewers opening pitcher Andy Ashby avoided Shohei Ohtani’s lead-off walk in a scoreless first inning, getting Mookie Betts and Teoscar Hernandez, then struck out Freddie Freeman to stop Ohtani.

Ashby, the nephew of two-time All-Star Andy Ashby, appeared in four of the five games in the NLDS versus the Cubs.

MILWAUKEE — Blake Snell will start Game 1 for the Los Angeles Dodgers and Yoshinobu Yamamoto will play in Game 2, meaning Shohei Ohtani and Tyler Glasnow will not pitch until the series moves to Los Angeles later this week. When asked if he had already decided which games he would start, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts answered, “Yes.”

Does he want to share that information?

“No,” Roberts said with a laugh.

MILWAUKEE — Brewers manager Pat Murphy is fully focused on Game 1, already thinking ahead.

Huh?

The Brewers only have two starting pitchers (for a year and a half, in fact), so they will rely heavily on their relievers to get through a seven-game series that includes just two days off. That means Murphy has to be smart about how he uses them. An extra inning or two in Game 1 or 2 could help Milwaukee pay for that in the future.

“Tonight is a win, but when you get to Game 4 or so, you better pay attention to what you do to the pitchers. That might show up in Game 4 or Game 5,” Murphy said before Game 1.

“Especially Game 3, OK, I just had the day off, how much do you want to spend here? What do you think?” Murphy continued. “You could be exposed there, because right now your mindset is, ‘We’re not playing to win tonight,’ ‘Hey, these (other) guys are gassed, so we have to throw these guys.’ We’ve got to try to protect ourselves from those situations.

“It comes down to depth and the quality of depth.”

This helps explain Murphy’s decision to add Tobias Myers to the NLCS roster and remove Nick Mears. Murphy said Mears is an “incredible” addition to Milwaukee. But he’s good at short spurts, and the Brewers will need someone who can run longer. — Nancy Armor

Shohei Oriya (left) D
Mookie Betts(R) SS
Teoscar Hernandez (R) RF
Freddie Freeman (left) 1B
Will Smith(R)C
Tommy Edman(S) 2B
Max Muncy (L) 3B
Enrique Hernandez (R) LF
Andy Pages(R) CF

Jackson Chorio(R) RF
Christian Yelich (l) D
William Contreras (R) c
Bryce Turan (L) 2B
Andrew Vaughan (R) 1B
Sal Frerick (left) CF
Caleb Durbin(R) 3B
Isaac Collins (S) LF
Joey Ortiz (R) SS

The Dodgers added right-handed pitcher Ben Casparius to the lineup in place of No. 3 catcher Dalton Rushing, apparently indicating that Will Smith should be able to take on more of a role behind the bat in the National League. Smith was limited for much of September and the beginning of the playoffs due to a fracture in his right hand.

The Dodgers will also have veteran left-hander Clayton Kershaw on the roster, despite his turbulent pitching in Game 3 of the National League against the Phillies, giving up five runs (four earned) in two innings.

What are the winning numbers for Powerball’s $258 million jackpot?

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October 14, 2025

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What are the winning numbers for Powerball’s 8 million jackpot?

The Powerball jackpot was drawn after no one won the top prize on Saturday, October 11th, and rose to $258 million on Monday, October 13th.

If the ticket matches all five numbers and the Powerball in the 11 p.m. ET drawing, the winner can opt for a one-time cash payment of $120.8 million before taxes.

Top 10 Powerball Jackpots

$204 billion – November 7, 2022 – ca
$1.787 billion – September 6, 2025 – Missouri, Texas
$1.765 billion – October 11, 2023 – California
$1.586 trillion – January 13, 2016 – California, Florida, Tennessee
$1.326 billion – April 6, 2024 – or
$1.08 billion – July 19, 2023 – California
$842.4 million – January 1, 2024 – Michigan
$768.4 million – March 27, 2019 – Wisconsin
$758.7 million – August 23, 2017 – MA
$754.6 million – February 6, 2023 –

Check below to find out the winning numbers for the October 13th Powerball drawing.

Powerball winning numbers for October 13, 2025

Winning numbers for Monday, October 13th will be posted here after the drawing.

The lottery winning numbers sponsors are: Jackpocket is the official digital lottery carrier of the USA TODAY Network.

Has anyone won Powerball?

Powerball winners will be posted here as soon as they are announced by lottery officials.

To find a complete list of past Powerball winners, go to Click on the link to the lottery website.

When is the next Powerball drawing?

The next drawing will take place on Wednesday, October 15th, just after 11pm ET.

How to play Powerball

To play Powerball, you must purchase a $2 ticket. This can be done at a variety of locations, including local convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, you can purchase Powerball tickets online.

Once you have your ticket, you have to choose six numbers. Five of them are white balls with numbers from 1 to 69. The red Powerball range is 1-26. You can also add a “Power Play” for $1, which increases your winnings on all non-jackpot prizes.

“Power Play” multipliers allow you to increase your winnings by 2x, 3x, 4x, 5x, or 10x.

If you’re feeling unlucky or just want to let the computer do the work for you, you can take advantage of the “Quick Pick” option, where a computer-generated number is printed on your Powerball ticket. To win the jackpot, players must match all five white balls and the red Powerball in any order.

Powerball drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights. The winnings continue to increase even if no one wins the jackpot.

Where to buy lottery tickets

Tickets can be purchased directly at gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online Jackpocket, USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery delivery companythese states and territories of the United States: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Washington DC, and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to choose your lottery games and numbers, place your order, check your tickets, and claim your winnings, all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery carrier of USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue from viewer referrals to the Jackpocket Service. Must be 18 years or older, 21 years or older in Arizona, 19 years or older in Nebraska. Not affiliated with any state lottery. Gambling problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY). 1-800-327-5050(MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (ALL OTHERS). visit jackpocket.com/tos Over the entire period.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact us at fernando.cervantes@gannett.com and follow us at X @fern_cerv_.

Letitia James makes harsh remarks in first speech after being indicted

Politics

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October 14, 2025

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Letitia James makes harsh remarks in first speech after being indicted

NEW YORK – Some celebrities go into hiding after being charged with crimes, but New York State Attorney General Letitia James is not one of them.

Four days after a federal grand jury in the Eastern District of Virginia indicted her on charges of bank fraud and making false statements to a financial institution, the Empire State’s top prosecutor made impassioned remarks at a rally for New York mayoral candidate Zoran Mamdani on Oct. 13.

And judging by the reception she received from a crowd of 3,200 at a glitzy Manhattan theater, James has little reason to lie down.

James was greeted with a minute-long standing ovation and multiple bursts of applause from the audience after he criticized what many saw as President Donald Trump’s politicization of the Justice Department.

“We are witnessing powerful voices seeking to silence the truth, punish dissent, and, yes, weaponize justice for political gain,” James said, in an apparent reference to Trump’s campaign of retribution against big-name opponents.

“We are witnessing the fraying of our democracy and the erosion of our systems of government,” James said, to intermittent cheers and cheers from the crowd. “My friends, this is a defining moment in our history. Let us come together to defend our rights, to defend every safeguard, every institution, every immigration, every norm, every rule of law.”

President Trump has long criticized James, who sued a real estate mogul for allegedly defrauding lenders. A New York state judge agreed with James and ordered Trump to pay a fine of approximately $454 million. A New York appellate court rejected the financial penalty in August, but James’ office appealed the ruling.

The president has called James such adjectives as “corrupt,” “scum” and “a complete and utter disaster.”

“I will continue to fight for justice.”

President Trump appointed longtime prosecutor Eric Siebert to be the Eastern District of Virginia attorney in September, but fired him after Siebert reportedly concluded there was not enough evidence to bring charges against James. Mr. Trump publicly urged Attorney General Pam Bondi to appoint one of Mr. Trump’s own former personal lawyers (then a White House aide) to the role and swiftly prosecute Mr. James and other targets of Mr. Trump’s ire, including former FBI Director James Comey and Sen. Adam Schiff.

Harrigan sued James, and so did Comey. Both Mr. James and Mr. Comey maintain that they are innocent and that President Trump has undermined the integrity of the Justice Department in its efforts to punish its critics.

New York Democrats are overwhelmingly in favor of James.

“Come for me, you have to come for all of us!” James said, clearly aware of that support.

“I won’t give in, I won’t give in, I won’t give in,” James declared, to loud cheers that drowned out his next line.

“I will continue to fight for justice,” James vowed. “I will continue to fight for New Yorkers. I will continue to fight against Washington, D.C.’s aggressive policies. And I will not stop. I will not give up and I will not give in.”

james leticia

Mr. James then shifted his focus to Mr. Mamdani, a New York state congressman who won an upset victory in the Democratic primary in June and is now the front-runner in the next general election.

“For years, you guys have been fighting the good fight for New Yorkers. Now it’s our turn to fight for you,” Mamdani told James as he took to the stage.

Those in attendance said they equated Mr. James’ fight with Mr. Mamdani’s campaign.

“I thought her statements about the need to oppose authoritarianism were incredibly strong,” Mamdani campaign volunteer Kevin Starr told USA TODAY. “She is already a victim of it and Mamdani is the one to counter it.”

“This speaks to how Tisch and Zoran are working together to strengthen our city and state to protect not only the people who live here, but those who are being targeted by Donald Trump, including the attorney general,” New York City Councilman Chi Ose, a Brooklyn Democrat who also spoke at the rally, told USA TODAY about James’ speech. James is often referred to by her nickname, Tish.

“I think we need this political alliance to show how we will resist this hostile government,” Osse added.

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Carrie Romney’s cause of death is under investigation, authorities say

Carey Romney was married to Scott Romney

national privacy rights

Medical Freedom Amendment

Third party position

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USA TODAY covers what the shutdown means for you.

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More news you need to know right now

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Where did Penn State go wrong with James Franklin?

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Two Trump administration cabinet members blamed future “No Kings” protests for prolonging the government shutdown.

What does the new law prohibit?

Why are Glocks banned in California?

Critics slam California’s Glock ban

The origins of Dallas City Hall

The fate of a landmark is at stake

Is the federal government still closed?

What do Democrats and Republicans want from reopening the government?

What about Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid?

Will American mail be delivered?

What about the airport?

Will food assistance continue under SNAP and WIC?

What does the military shutdown mean for the military?

What about Homeland Security, Immigration and Border Patrol agents?

IRS union warns of delays

How many people have requested an extension?

Is there an automatic extension for some taxpayers?

Powerball winning numbers for October 13, 2025

Has anyone won Powerball?

When is the next Powerball drawing?

How to play Powerball

Where to buy lottery tickets

“I will continue to fight for justice.”

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