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Buc-ee’s will open two stores in these two states in August

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Buc-ee’s will open two stores in these two states in August

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Buc-ee, the Texas-based convenience store chain’s signature buck-toothed mascot, will be donning a red hat and heading to two more states this August.

Stores in Arkansas and Texas are expected to open in the coming months, including an Aug. 12 opening in San Marcos, Texas, Buc-ee media manager Chrissy Gonzalez confirmed in an email to USA TODAY on Monday, June 29.

The company typically announces job openings on its Facebook page. Recent announcements include the company’s first Ohio store, which opened in Huber Heights on April 6, and its first Arizona store, which opened in Goodyear on June 22.

Buc-ee’s chose Arizona for its next location because of the state’s “economic momentum” and strong workforce, city officials said in a June 25 news release.

The store opening is part of an expansion plan for Buc-ee’s, known for its gas pumps, clean bathrooms, barbecue sandwiches and specialty snacks. According to the company’s website, store openings are planned over the next five years.

Buc-ee’s declined to comment when asked by USA TODAY on Monday, June 29, about the address of the store, which will open in August.

Here’s what we know so far:

Do you drive from 9 to 5? Dolly Parton opens travel center in Tennessee

Where will Buc-ee open next?

As of June 29, the company had 56 locations in 13 states, most of them in Texas, where it first opened in 1982.

Gonzalez told USA TODAY on June 29 that the new stores, scheduled to open in 2026, will be:

  • San Marcos, Texas – August 12th
  • Benton, AR – August 17th
  • Murfreesboro, Tennessee – November 16th

According to the company’s website, the following new store openings are also planned:

  • Ruston, Louisiana – 2027
  • Kansas City, Kansas – 2027
  • Gallaway, Tennessee – 2027
  • St. Lucie, Florida – 2027
  • Bern, Texas – 2027
  • Monroe County, Georgia – 2027
  • Mebane, NC – 2028
  • Lafayette, Louisiana – 2028
  • Ocala, Florida – 2029
  • West Memphis, AR – 2029
  • Oak Grove, Kentucky – 2029
  • Hardeeville, South Carolina – 2031

Contributor: James Powell, USA TODAY

Saleen Martin is a reporter on USA TODAY’s Trends team. She is from Norfolk, Virginia (757). Email sdmartin@usatoday.com.

When will the Supreme Court rule on birthright citizenship? See the latest updates

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When will the Supreme Court rule on birthright citizenship? See the latest updates

The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to issue its final decision on Tuesday, June 30, for a nine-month term that will include disputes involving President Donald Trump’s efforts to limit birthright citizenship, Republican challenges to campaign finance limits and state crackdowns on transgender athletes.

Here’s a look at the three most important rulings still expected from the nation’s highest court before the summer recess.

birthright citizenship

The ruling on birthright citizenship is expected to have the most impact in this term. The justices will decide whether the president can limit automatic citizenship for some children born in the United States after a lower court blocked the policy as unconstitutional.

The controversy centers on the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which has long been interpreted to guarantee citizenship to nearly everyone born on U.S. soil. Trump’s decision could overturn that precedent and have far-reaching implications for immigration policy.

more: Supreme Court decision live: President Trump’s reaction after Lisa Cook decision

transgender athlete

The court is also considering the legality of laws in Idaho and West Virginia that prohibit transgender athletes from competing on women’s sports teams in public schools and universities.

Conservative justices appear to accept the state’s argument that the law will ensure fairness in women’s sports, but opponents say it is part of a broader effort to restrict transgender rights.

Campaign funding limits

In another high-stakes case, the court is considering a Republican-backed challenge to federal limits on how much political parties can spend in collaboration with candidates.

The debate hinges on whether these caps violate the First Amendment’s free speech protections. Lower courts have upheld the restrictions, but several conservative justices have indicated they would back down.

Contributor: Reuters

Former NFL RB Chris Johnson announces battle with ALS in ‘GMA’ interview

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Former NFL RB Chris Johnson announces battle with ALS in ‘GMA’ interview

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Former Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson announced that he has been diagnosed with ALS in an interview on ABC’s “Good Morning America” ​​on Monday, June 29th.

Johnson opened up about his battle with motor neuron disease, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, during a sit-down interview with the show’s host, former New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan. Johnson said she was diagnosed last year at age 39.

“There is no history of ALS in my family,” Johnson said in an interview. “My doctors believe that my case is what is called sporadic ALS, and in fact this is what causes the vast majority of ALS cases.

“That’s one of the reasons this disease is so shocking. It can happen to people when you least expect it.”

more: Chris Johnson’s ALS diagnosis revealed, garnering support from NFL’s Patrick Mahomes

Johnson, 40, played 10 seasons in the NFL with the Titans, New York Jets and Arizona Cardinals. The East Carolina product is best known for his time at Tennessee, where in 2009 he became the sixth running back in NFL history to rush for 2,000 yards in a season.

During that historic season, the speedy Johnson rushed for 2,006 yards and set an NFL record for scrimmage yards with 2,509. His efforts earned him the nickname “CJ2K.”

Johnson was named a first-team All-Pro after his historic season. He also appeared in the Pro Bowl in each of his first three NFL seasons with the Titans and currently ranks fourth overall on the team’s all-time rushing list behind Eddie George, Derrick Henry and Earl Campbell.

Johnson finished his NFL career with 2,163 carries for 9,651 yards and 55 touchdowns. He last played in the 2017 season with the Cardinals.

“Honestly, I don’t know if you’ll ever fully handle it,” Johnson said of the ALS diagnosis. “At first you’re shocked. Then you realize you have two options: give up or fight. I chose to fight.”

This story will be updated as more information becomes available.

ALS stands for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as motor neuron disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, the degenerative disease “affects motor neurons, the nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord that control voluntary muscle movements and breathing.” ALS causes muscle weakness that gradually progresses and worsens. ALS eventually progresses to a terminal disease that affects the muscles needed to speak, eat, and breathe.

There is currently no known cure for ALS, but researchers have developed treatments that slow the progression of the disease. According to the NIH, most people with ALS die “within three to five years after symptoms first appear.” One in 10 people with ALS survives for more than 10 years.

Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Slank released a statement on Monday, June 29, regarding Johnson’s ALS diagnosis. Storck emphasized Johnson’s impact on the Tennessee organization during his six seasons with the team.

“Some people leave an indescribable mark on an organization, and Chris Johnson is one of those people for us,” the statement said. “His impact in the locker room and in the Nashville community, as well as his leadership on the field, forever etched him into the story of this franchise.

“While it is extremely difficult to learn of this passing, we will support Chris every step of the way. We stand by him and his family and join his fans around the world in expressing our love for him.”

  • Lou Gehrig: An athlete nicknamed ALS. Gehrig, a first baseman for the New York Yankees, was diagnosed in 1939, retired from baseball within days of his diagnosis, and died in 1941.
  • Catfish Hunter: Hunter pitched for MLB’s Athletics and Yankees from 1965 to 1979. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1987, eight years after retiring. Hunter was diagnosed with ALS in 1998 and passed away in 1999.
  • OJ Brigance: The former linebacker played five years in the CFL and seven years in the NFL in the 1990s and early 2000s. Brigance was diagnosed with ALS in 2007 and serves in an advisory role in the Ravens’ front office.
  • Steve Gleason: Gleason is a former NFL safety who played for the New Orleans Saints from 2000 to 2007. He announced his ALS diagnosis in 2011. Since then, he has been an outspoken advocate for ALS awareness and published a memoir in 2024 about his experiences living with the disease.
  • Tim Green: Green was a former edge rusher for the Atlanta Falcons from 1986 to 1993. After his playing career, he worked as a broadcaster, author, and lawyer. He was diagnosed with ALS in 2016, but did not disclose his diagnosis until 2018. He started a podcast using AI voice cloning technology in 2024.
  • Dwight Clark: Clark played as a wide receiver for the San Francisco 49ers from 1979 to 1987. He announced in 2017 that he had been diagnosed with ALS, saying he “suspected” his career as a soccer player played a role in his diagnosis. He passed away in 2018.

Check out Spider-Man Peter Parker’s apartment, presented by Little Caesars.

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Check out Spider-Man Peter Parker’s apartment, presented by Little Caesars.

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This day became “Brand New Day” in New York City. Dozens of “Spider-Man” fans, some wearing Spider-Man suits, lined up outside a Brooklyn warehouse for a one-day Little Caesars pop-up celebrating the upcoming movie “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.”

Little Caesars just launched its trending Weberoni Pizza, a “menu inspired by the world’s favorite superhero,” and invited fans and media members to a pop-up “inspired by Spider-Man’s hometown of Queens,” giving fans a chance to tour Peter Parker’s apartment and sample the new pizza. It features a “web” of shredded pepperoni and toasted cheese on top.

Needless to say, my spicy senses were tingling with excitement.

The apartment was littered with Easter eggs from the new movie starring Spider-Man actor Tom Holland and Peter Park’s girlfriend Zendaya Michelle Jones-Watson (MJ). A Little Caesars representative who attended the event on Saturday, June 27, said that while none of the items in the pop-up were movie set props, they were exact replicas of those used in the movie, adding that the pop-up’s designers worked closely with the movie’s set designers to bring Peter Parker’s apartment to life.

Here are all the easter eggs I’ve seen.

To learn more about my experience at the Little Caesars x Spider-Man pop-up, watch the video above.

missing cat poster

Even before entering the apartment, visitors were greeted by a poster of the missing cat Buster on the wall. The poster included a phone number and participants were encouraged to call the number for the surprise.

Notes and receipts on the refrigerator

I found a bouquet of flowers on the kitchen counter and a note on the refrigerator that said, “Bring flowers to Aunt May.” Is the flower MJ or Aunt May?

Also, there was a receipt for a pizza order from Little Caesars on the refrigerator, and a Little Caesars representative said that Peter Parker was eating the chain’s pizza in the movie.

Letter to MJ

A letter from Peter Parker to MJ on a metal shelf also caught my eye. In the note, Spider-Man explains why he had to make her forget him, telling her that he still loves her and hopes that “deep inside you, something inside you remembers that you love me too.”

Call from Dr. Banner’s assistant

Mark Ruffalo returns as Dr. Bruce Banner/Hulk, who “discovered a way to suppress mutations in DNA.” Peter asks him for help, which explains why his assistant called Spider-Man.

Who is the new villain?

According to the film’s synopsis, Peter Parker is trying to uncover the identity of a “powerful, invisible villain” who poses a “shocking threat to the city and the people he loves.”

The apartment also contained Parker’s workstation, a bed in the corner of his bedroom, and various company flyers and posters.

Limited Edition Collector’s Spider-Man Poster

To celebrate Weberoni Pizza and the new movie, Little Caesars will be giving away a free poster with the purchase of a themed pizza starting July 6th. The chain says there will be three limited edition poster designs that will be “updated weekly” for the July 31 release of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. In addition, Little Caesars pizza will be served in a newly designed pizza box inspired by Spider-Man.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Contact her at sshafiq@usatodayco.com and follow X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.

Losing a Village, Attendance Etiquette, and the Power of Appearance

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Losing a Village, Attendance Etiquette, and the Power of Appearance

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An RSVP of “yes” had the agreed-upon meaning of “sure to come.”

However, young people these days say that this is not necessarily the case.

“We need to talk about partyful etiquette,” said Aubrey Strobel, a 33-year-old influencer, who posted 22 videos on Instagram and TikTok in June, which have since garnered a combined 100,000 views. “If you say, ‘Yes, I’m going,’ that means you’re going. It doesn’t mean you’re supporting someone.”

Strobel used Partiful, a Gen Z-led event hosting and invitation platform, to invite friends to a June 20 gathering to celebrate her 10th anniversary in New York. She invited 50 people and got 10 no’s, 3 maybe’s and 24 yes’s. She spent $1,000 on food, alcohol and decorations, and spent the morning of the event preparing speeches, delivering pizza and setting up tables on West Side Highway.

However, in the afternoon, only 8 of my friends came.

The culture of RSVP is changing. Some experts say this is part of a broader shift in how young people think about community and social obligations amid widespread loneliness. As modern invitation platforms reshape the way young people plan social gatherings, some users, like Strobel, worry that while they’ve made it easier to host, they’ve also made it easier to back out of a commitment.

“I feel like the RSVP culture is missing right now,” Strobel said. “Because in 2026 people are going to be really unstable.”

more: What exactly happens at “Adult Overnight Camp”? I went to find out.

What happened to RSVP etiquette?

Strobel told USA TODAY the experience made her question her friendships. But after posting this online, I felt vindicated when I saw that so many people were experiencing the same problem.

“This is definitely a big culture change since COVID-19. People are so used to canceling,” one person commented. Another commenter said: “We also have to talk about partial invitations. Many people have gotten lazy and don’t send personal invitations anymore.”

The idea of ​​apps like Partiful is to eliminate the need for tedious email threads and group chats with unknown numbers by bringing all your information in one place, including your guest list, event details, and photos. Organizers and vendors can reach all attendees with a single text blast. While Partiful and platforms like Apple Invites and Paperless Post are digitally savvy successors to platforms like Evite and Facebook Events, the casual nature of RSVP culture has a “real impact,” Strobel says.

“People don’t take it as seriously,” Strobel said. “How can you plan an event if you just sign up for support?”

Some organizers also control the ability for attendees to see other attendees, which the platform says “creates hype and actually attracts attendees.” But Strobel said this feature contributes to the transactional nature of people tending to see if a guest list is good for them before RSVPing. On the other hand, a fickle partygoer might see a large number of RSVPs and think it’s okay to skip because someone else will show up in their place.

“As a millennial, when I got the invitation in the mail, I had no idea how many people were going to attend or who would be attending,” Strobel said. “In 2026, peering into a party window won’t help etiquette.”

Strobel moved to New York from Arizona in 2016 as an aspiring broadcast journalist, and her first home was the YMCA on 47th Street. Living in hostels, commuting long distances, building a life with “no friends” and “no money,” she envisioned the celebration as a way to honor her progress.

But as the sun set over the West Side Highway, hundreds of dollars worth of Lindastry pizzas sat untouched in their boxes, with a spare Statue of Liberty hat still missing. In the middle of giving a speech about what the last 10 years have meant to her, a child passing by interrupts her by asking, “Where is everyone?”

“I felt pretty relieved, but I thought, ‘This is really bad. I don’t want to do that again,'” Strobel said.

Party attendee Frank Chaparro, a friend of Strobel’s for 10 years, said Strobel was the type of friend who “always tried to go the extra mile” and often invited friends over to his apartment.

He blamed the low number of participants at the event on changing social norms, noting the need for repeated follow-up to encourage people to participate in 2026.

more: ‘You don’t owe anyone anything,’ says Gen Z on how they’re abusing therapy

The prevalence of loneliness among young people

Jamil Zaki, a professor of psychology at Stanford University and director of the Stanford Institute for Social Neuroscience, previously told USA TODAY that many of the former social infrastructures that people relied on are being eroded by young people.

Former US Surgeon General Vivek Murthy has talked a lot about loneliness. Even before the pandemic, about half of adults reported experiencing loneliness, but in spring 2023, Murthy declared America’s loneliness epidemic a public health crisis. He points out that participation in faith groups, recreational leagues and service organizations has steadily declined, and fewer people are attending school, working and raising families in the towns where they grew up.

“Many of the defaults that made social connections part of our life infrastructure are gone. This is difficult because it requires more individual effort to make it happen,” Zaki says.

Zaki says one way sociologists used to assess people’s social connections was to ask how many people they could ask to pick them up from the airport at 1 a.m. Nowadays, that’s where Uber comes in. When Joey moves out of his apartment with Chandler in Friends, everyone helps him pack, but in 2026 Joey could have used TaskRabbit. And instead of asking your neighbors for help, there are delivery services like Postmates and Instacart.

Chaparro said when she was a student at Fordham University she used to host wine and pasta nights with friends, but those casual gatherings don’t seem to happen as often anymore. He says that while Gen

“There’s more focus on, ‘What’s going to make me feel the best I can feel today?’ And that sort of thing is now at the top of any kind of etiquette or social order,” Chaparro says.

How young people can build community

Research shows that connections and friendships are good for our health and longevity.

“Doing things for others reduces stress, increases ownership and autonomy, and increases feelings of well-being. So when we are highly individualistic and pursue almost one-man happiness, we are actually depriving ourselves of one of the great sources of happiness,” Zaki told USA TODAY.

And the reality is that most people want to make more friends.

Zaki has previously likened building community to making a decision to go to the gym more – intentionally going to the gym and taking responsibility for your health.

“Statistically speaking, people want to connect with you more than you realize,” Zaki told USA TODAY. “I think we have a lot of life together.”

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.

Supreme Court refuses to allow President Trump to fire Federal Reserve chief Lisa Cook

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Supreme Court refuses to allow President Trump to fire Federal Reserve chief Lisa Cook

While it is not unheard of for a president to pressure the Fed on interest rate issues, Trump is the first to attempt to remove a central bank board member.

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WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on June 29 rejected President Donald Trump’s efforts to exert unprecedented control over the economy, ruling that Lisa Cook cannot be fired as the head of the Federal Reserve.

In a 5-4 ruling, the court said Cook could remain on the central bank’s board while he challenges Trump’s ability to remove him from office, a major loss for the president after the court rejected sweeping tariffs that were the centerpiece of his economic policy.

The ruling means lower courts will continue to debate whether Trump had sufficient cause to fire Cook. But it also means that the president’s ability to reorganize the board through removal is being checked.

The case tested limits on the president’s power to fire Fed members, which were imposed by Congress decades ago to insulate the central bank from political pressure.

John Roberts’ opinion limits presidential power

In a separate case the court also decided on June 29, making it easier for President Trump to fire the leaders of other independent agencies, Chief Justice John Roberts said there was “good reason” for Congress to limit the president’s ability to fire the head of the Federal Reserve.

Roberts wrote that accepting Trump’s argument would mean allowing the president to fire governors “for any reason, without prior notice or after-the-fact judicial check.”

“Protection for cause would then amount to little more than at-will employment,” he wrote.

He said the ultimate question of whether Trump had sufficient cause to fire Cook will depend in part on underlying facts that the court did not address.

“Rather, we merely addressed the parties’ arguments regarding the appropriate legal standard by which the facts must be evaluated,” he wrote.

Four of the court’s six conservative justices dissented, but for different reasons.

President Trump said in a social media post that the justices sent the case back to the lower court “based on rigorous procedures.”

“We will take immediate and appropriate steps to ensure that the wrongdoer is no longer able to make important decisions regarding the welfare of the United States,” Trump wrote.

the fed controls interest rates

The Fed has broad influence over the economy through its interest rate decisions.

Lower interest rates can slow the economy, increase employment, and reduce the value of the federal debt. For consumers, lower interest rates make mortgages, auto loans, and credit card debt cheaper.

That could help Trump politically in this year’s midterm elections. Opinion polls show voters are dissatisfied with his handling of economic policy.

But cutting rates too quickly could threaten long-term economic stability and lead to a sustained rise in inflation.

Mr. Cook has been part of the Fed’s cautious approach to rate cuts, which President Trump has criticized.

“I believe the right thing to do at this point is to keep interest rates stable,” Cook said in a May speech at Stanford University’s Economic Policy Institute.

All living former Federal Reserve chairs, along with many economists, had stressed to the Supreme Court the importance of maintaining central bank independence.

It’s not unheard of for a president to pressure the Fed over monetary policy, but Trump is the first president to try to fire a member of the central bank’s board.

Dismissal of Fed Directors for “just cause” is permitted by law

The court’s review of Cook’s case comes amid revelations that the Justice Department is investigating whether to bring criminal charges against then-Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell.

Mr. Powell and Mr. Cook argued that the allegations against them were trumped up to give Trump an excuse to fire them because they resisted pressure to lower their benefits deeper and faster.

“This was never about the mortgage documents I signed years before I became president of the Federal Reserve,” Cook said in a statement after the decision. “This was an attempt to remove me from office on trumped-up excuses because I refused to bow to political pressure and continued to set interest rates based only on what best served the American people.”

Federal law allows the president to remove a Fed director, but only “for cause.”

The law does not spell out what constitutes a disqualification, nor does it provide a procedure for proving that someone has committed a disqualifying act.

Trump tried to fire Cook via social media

In a letter posted on social media in August, President Trump claimed that Cook had previously declared multiple homes as his primary residence in order to get preferential rates on second homes.

Mr Cook denied the charges. They argued that if President Trump were able to fire her without an opportunity for a justifiable defense, the “for cause” protections for removal would be meaningless and the Fed’s independence would be undermined.

“There is no rationale for creating this unique quasi-private entity, exempt from everything from appropriations procedures to civil service law, just to create expungement restrictions that are as inflexible as the president imagines,” Paul Clement, an attorney representing Cook, said during oral arguments in January.

The administration countered that the real damage to the Fed’s reputation would be to keep Mr. Cook on the board.

“Americans should not have their interest rates determined by someone who is, at best, grossly negligent in obtaining favorable interest rates,” Attorney General John Sauer told the court.

He asked the judge to block a lower court’s order that Cook could remain at the Fed while he disputes Trump’s claims.

The Supreme Court previously signaled support for the Fed

The court signaled early doubts about Trump’s stance in October when the justices said they would hear oral arguments before deciding whether to intervene.

By contrast, the court had allowed President Trump to temporarily remove the leaders of other independent agencies before the litigation got underway.

But in its May decisions regarding the removal of members of the Merit System Protection Board and the National Labor Relations Board, the court went out of its way to portray the Fed as a different type of agency than the one it had indicated should be under the president’s direct control.

“The Federal Reserve System is a quasi-private organization with a unique structure that follows the distinct historical tradition of the First and Second Banks of the United States,” the opinion states.

President Trump is exploring the limits of his executive powers, including powers over government agencies designed to be insulated from political influence.

Silver price today on June 29, 2026

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Silver price today on June 29, 2026

How much is silver worth per ounce today?

As of 8:05 AM ET on June 29, 2026, the spot price of silver is $58.34 per oz., according to the latest market data. The stock fell 1.41%, or $0.83 from the previous closing price of $59.17.

One year ago, silver was trading at $35.99 per ounce. This means that the price has increased by 62.09% in the last 12 months.

Key levels to look out for this week:

52 week low: $35.81

52 week high: $117.39

Silver is trading 50.30% below its 52-week high. The stock is 62.91% above its 52-week low.

What is the historical price of silver?

today 1 week ago 1 month ago 1 year ago
$58.34 $64.84 $75.29 $35.99

A week ago, silver was trading at $64.84 per ounce. Since then, the price has fallen by 10.03%.

A month ago, silver was trading at $75.29 per ounce. Since then, the price has fallen by 22.51%.

USA TODAY is an independent publisher and not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or trading advice. We recommend that you seek independent advice from a qualified professional regarding any specific financial decisions you may make. Trading commodities, futures, and options involves significant risk of loss. Individual investment results may vary. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Prices change rapidly and unpredictably due to factors such as supply/demand, weather, and geopolitical events. Our company assumes no responsibility for any loss or damage arising from the use of the information.

What is driving the price of silver today?

The price of silver is driven by inflation expectations, central bank policy, global economic conditions, and investor demand. The strength of currencies, especially the US dollar, can influence daily prices, as well as physical and industrial demand. For more on the market, read the latest investment news on USA TODAY Money.

What does XAG/USD mean?

XAG/USD is the ticker symbol used to track the spot price of silver in US dollars.

XAG stands for 1 troy ounce of silver and USD stands for US dollar. The estimated price tells you how many dollars it costs to purchase one ounce.

Prices are usually quoted per troy ounce, which is slightly heavier than a standard ounce.

Spot prices reflect real-time market transactions and serve as a benchmark for futures contracts, ETFs, and retail bullion prices.

how to invest in silver

Investing in silver can be done by buying physical coins and bars, buying ETFs that track its price, or investing in mining stocks. Be sure to weigh costs, storage needs, and risk tolerance before making a decision. The retail price of a coin or bar typically includes a premium over the spot price.

Disclaimer: This USA TODAY Money article was automatically generated using live market data from Alpha Vantage. If you think we made a mistake or have feedback, please use this form.

Supreme Court grants groundbreaking protections for journalists

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Supreme Court grants groundbreaking protections for journalists

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WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court on June 29 declined to reconsider a landmark press freedom ruling that limited when public figures can be sued for defamation or defamation.

Alan Dershowitz, a professor emeritus at Harvard Law School who claims he was defamed by CNN while defending President Donald Trump from impeachment, unsuccessfully asked the court to consider overturning or modifying the 1964 ruling.

In New York Times v. Sullivan, the court held that a newspaper could not recover damages unless the journalist knew it was publishing false information about a public official or recklessly failed to verify the information.

Dershowitz argues that this standard “has evolved into near-absolute immunity even when media defendants materially misrepresent verifiable public statements.”

Two of the court’s six conservative justices, Clarence Thomas and Neil Gorsuch, said they would take up the case.

Dershowitz’s appeal stems from Trump’s 2020 Senate impeachment trial over whether he withheld military funds to pressure Ukraine to investigate political rival Joe Biden.

Dershowitz claimed that statements made by CNN during the trial regarding the scope of impeachable crimes were “systematically distorted.”

In criticizing Mr. Dershowitz’s argument that an exchange of favors based on a president’s desire for re-election cannot be impeached, commentators ignored Mr. Dershowitz’s qualification that bribery and extortion remain impeachable crimes, his lawyers said.

“The result turns the meaning of Dershowitz on its head,” they told the Supreme Court.

One of the headlines on CNN’s website read, “Alan Dershowitz says presidential payoffs aimed at getting re-elected are not impeachable.”

Based in Atlanta 11th The U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a federal judge’s ruling against CNN, saying, “The available evidence shows that the reporters had a sincere belief, even if false or exaggerated, in the truth of the accusations.”

“While no one disputes that Mr. Dershowitz is a public figure, he has not presented any evidence that CNN’s commentators or producers acted with actual malice,” Judge Britt Grant wrote for the court.

Dershowitz appealed the decision to the Supreme Court, saying the media had become “increased to disregard the truth” and that the internet was “drastically exacerbating the damage.”

CNN’s lawyers countered that the network aired Dershowitz’s full statement and gave him airtime to respond to his critics.

The media company also argued that New York Times v. Sullivan “remains the bedrock of six decades of First Amendment decisions that have prevented media censorship.”

“The Sullivan decision is a cornerstone of modern constitutional law, and this court could not reverse it without permanently damaging extensive precedent,” CNN’s lawyers said in a filing.

What the SCOTUS ruling on Lisa Cook means for Fed independence

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What the SCOTUS ruling on Lisa Cook means for Fed independence

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On June 29, the Supreme Court ruled 5-4 that President Donald Trump cannot fire Federal Reserve President Lisa Cook. The decision was seen as a loss for the president, who has sought to influence the central bank, and a victory for the central bank’s independence.

The court said Cook could remain on the central bank’s board while challenging Trump’s ability to remove him. This means that lower courts will continue to consider whether President Trump had “cause” to fire Cook, but that he cannot remove her outright while the process is ongoing.

President Trump has consistently urged Fed policymakers to lower interest rate thresholds in an effort to stimulate the economy, an issue he has struggled to win over with voters in his second term. The Fed typically lowers borrowing costs to help stimulate the labor market and raise borrowing costs to stabilize prices. After three months of solid job growth and rising inflation, there is growing consensus among Fed policymakers to raise rates this year.

President Trump tried to fire Cook last August after he voted, along with most of his colleagues, to keep the benchmark interest rate unchanged during the first five meetings of 2025. Mr Cook said the decision was not based on a vote on interest rates, but on allegations of fraud by lying on two mortgage applications in 2021.

Mr Cook denies wrongdoing and challenged the move in court. As the legal battle unfolds, several economists, legal experts and Cook said they felt her attempted firing was motivated by the president’s desire to influence monetary policy. In January, then-Fed Chairman Jerome Powell called it “perhaps the most important lawsuit” in the Fed’s history.

more: Lisa Cook loses to Trump in Supreme Court ruling on mail-in voting

Lisa Cook remains on the Fed board

The ruling means Mr. Cook will be allowed to continue serving on the Fed’s board, but the case cost him nearly $1.2 million in legal fees. Two nonprofits, the State Democracy Defense Fund and Contina Impact, covered the majority of the payments, according to filings made public by the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.

Former President Joe Biden appointed Cook to the board for his first term in 2022, making her the first Black woman to serve in the role. He reappointed her to the board the following year. Her term does not end until January 2038.

The Federal Reserve Act of 1913 allows the president to fire Fed officials for “just cause,” but Trump is the first to formally attempt to do so.

Chief Justice John Roberts wrote for the court’s majority opinion that agreeing with the Trump administration’s argument would effectively transform the Federal Reserve’s “for-cause protection” for Fed employees into “at-will employment. This is an interpretive leap that departs sharply from Congressional statutes and our nation’s central bank tradition of protection from political interference.”

Does Lisa Cooke want interest rates to go down?

As a member of the Federal Reserve Board, Mr. Cook serves on the Federal Open Market Committee, which is responsible for setting the federal funds rate, the national interest rate benchmark.

She, along with most of her colleagues, voted in favor of rate cuts three times late last year in response to historically low hiring for U.S. employers. Mr. Cook is generally seen as a dovish, or someone who supports lowering interest rates, but he has supported keeping rates on hold until 2026.

However, Cook said he may be open to raising inflation after rising inflation due to supply chain disruptions caused by the Iran war. Annual inflation has been above the Fed’s 2% target since 2021. In May, the indicator of the Ministry of Labor reached 4.2%, and the indicator of the Ministry of Commerce rose to 4.1%.

“After five years of above-target inflation, we are particularly sensitive to the risk that higher inflation will be incorporated into price and wage-setting actions,” Cook told the Stanford Economic Policy Institute on May 27. “We are therefore prepared to raise rates if the expected disinflation does not emerge in a timely manner.”

For now, the committee’s target range remains between 3.5% and 3.75%.

Concerns about Fed independence ease for now

The decision came after the Justice Department concluded its investigation into Mr. Powell and the Fed in April, after Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) cited it as a reason to hold up confirmation of new Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh.

The investigation, which Mr. Powell and other former Fed chairmen denounced, was related to the budget for a multibillion-dollar renovation project at the central bank’s Washington headquarters.

“Honestly, we won’t feel comfortable about the independence of the Fed until we have a new president, and a lot of that is because this person is very vocal about what he wants and he’s not shy about it,” said Gbenga Ajilore, chief economist at the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities. “We have never seen such a targeted attack on an organization like this president’s.”

After the Justice Department dropped its investigation, U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro said the Federal Reserve’s inspector general would instead investigate the construction cost overruns. Warsh said June 17 that he expects the inspector general’s report this summer to determine whether the project should be treated differently to better manage taxpayer money.

Contact Rachel Barber rbarber@usatoday.comFollow her on X @rachelbarber_and subscribe to her newsletter Making More of Your Money here.

Gold price today on June 29, 2026

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Gold price today on June 29, 2026

How much is gold per ounce today?

As of 8:05 AM ET on June 29, 2026, the spot price of gold is: $4,045.82 per oz., according to the latest market data. This was a decline of 1.06% and $43.47 from the previous closing price of $4,089.29.

One year ago, gold was trading at $3,274.07 per ounce. This means that the price has increased by 23.57% in the last 12 months.

Key levels to look out for this week:

52 week low: $3,267.56

52 week high: $5,477.79

Gold is trading 26.14% below its 52-week high. The stock is 23.82% above its 52-week low.

What is the historical price of gold?

today 1 week ago 1 month ago 1 year ago
$4,045.82 $4,155.99 $4,539.78 $3,274.07

A week ago, gold was trading at $4,155.99 per ounce. Since then, the price has fallen by 2.65%.

A month ago, gold was trading at $4,539.78 per ounce. Since then, the price has fallen by 10.88%.

USA TODAY is an independent publisher and not an investment advisor. The information provided is for educational purposes only and should not be construed as financial, investment, or trading advice. We recommend that you seek independent advice from a qualified professional regarding any specific financial decisions you may make. Trading commodities, futures, and options involves significant risk of loss. Individual investment results may vary. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Prices change rapidly and unpredictably due to factors such as supply/demand, weather, and geopolitical events. Our company assumes no responsibility for any loss or damage arising from the use of the information.

What is driving the price of gold today?

The price of gold is driven by inflation expectations, central bank policies, global economic conditions, and investor demand. The strength of currencies, especially the US dollar, can influence daily prices, as well as physical and industrial demand. For more on the market, read the latest investment news on USA TODAY Money.

What is XAU/USD?

XAU/USD is the ticker symbol used to track the spot price of gold in US dollars.

XAU stands for 1 troy ounce of gold and USD stands for US dollar. The estimated price tells you how many dollars it costs to purchase one ounce.

Prices are usually quoted per troy ounce, which is slightly heavier than a standard ounce.

Spot prices reflect real-time market transactions and serve as a benchmark for futures contracts, ETFs, and retail bullion prices.

how to invest in gold

You can invest in gold by buying physical coins and bars, buying ETFs that track the price of gold, or investing in mining stocks. Be sure to weigh costs, storage needs, and risk tolerance before making a decision. The retail price of a coin or bar typically includes a premium over the spot price.

Disclaimer: This USA TODAY Money article was automatically generated using live market data from Alpha Vantage. If you think we made a mistake or have feedback, please use this form.

Supreme Court allows late-arriving mail-in ballots in Trump’s defeat

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Supreme Court allows late-arriving mail-in ballots in Trump’s defeat

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WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court said June 29 that Mississippi can count late-arriving mail-in ballots, handing President Donald Trump a defeat in his efforts to curtail mail-in voting.

The court upheld a state law that allows ballots cast by Election Day to be counted if they are received within five days.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett and Chief Justice John Roberts joined the court’s three liberal justices in defending the law.

Barrett told the 5-4 majority that federal law does not set a deadline for receiving ballots because Mississippi’s law does not conflict with federal rules.

“The question today is not whether requiring ballots to be received by Election Day is a good or bad idea. The question is whether this idea has been incorporated into U.S. law,” she wrote.

More than a dozen states have similar laws. Additional states allow late voting by military and overseas voters. Voting by mail is down compared to its peak during the coronavirus pandemic. However, nearly 30% of voters still voted that way in the 2024 election.

Democrats are more likely to vote by mail than Republicans.

President Trump targets mail-in voting

Supporters of voting by mail say it makes it easier for people, including retirees, military personnel and rural residents, to vote. The grace period also prevents people from losing their votes due to postal service delays.

But President Trump has long railed against mail-in voting, saying it is vulnerable to fraud, and has claimed without evidence that mail-in voting cost the 2020 election.

President Trump has separately attempted to completely eliminate both grace periods and mail-in voting by executive order and by pressuring Congress to pass legislation.

The Department of Justice also supported challenges to the Mississippi law by both Republicans and liberals.

What is an election?

Federal law sets specific dates for U.S. elections, so the legal debate focused on defining when elections take place.

Republicans and the Trump administration have said ballots must be received by Election Day.

Mississippi said ballots mailed by Election Day can be received after Election Day because elections are when voters choose candidates.

What is the risk of fraud?

Documented cases of fraud related to mail-in voting are rare, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Institute. A 2025 report from the Brookings Institution estimates that there will be about four incidents of fraud for every 10 million mail-in ballots.

But critics argue that if votes counted after Election Day affect the outcome of a race, it could raise questions about the legitimacy of the election even if there was no fraud.

“The losers are not going to accept the outcome if it means turning on late-arriving ballots in such a way that the outcome that everyone expected on Election Day is the opposite one week later, 21 days later,” Republican lawyer Paul Clement told the Supreme Court. “And that’s bad for our system.”

This is not the only election-related incident.

Watson v. Republican National Committee is not the only election-related issue the justices have considered this term.

In a landmark ruling, the court watered down key provisions of the Voting Rights Act, leaving Republican-led states scrambling to draw new congressional maps that favor Republicans.

The justices are also deciding whether to overturn limits on coordinated spending between political parties and candidates, another change sought by Republicans.

Top 20 Best Companies for New High School and College Graduates

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Top 20 Best Companies for New High School and College Graduates

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Just as high school and college graduates enter the job market this summer, a research initiative has released two top 10 lists ranking the best employers for recent graduates looking for their first job.

It’s not difficult to find an online list of good jobs for new graduates. However, the new list is drawn from a detailed data review covering approximately 12 million workers, 55,000 jobs and 1,750 employers.

The top employers list, released on June 29, is part of a larger project called “Where You Work Matters,” which assesses how well employers develop, reward and retain talent.

According to our analysis, all 20 companies on the list excel at providing early career jobs that provide skills and training to entry-level employees. Employers also allow employees to grow by getting promoted or looking for a better job at another company.

This ranking takes into account another important variable: whether an employer is hiring.

“This is an unprecedented assessment that combines quality of work with quantity of employment,” said Rajiv Chandrasekaran, managing director of the Schultz Family Foundation.

Where You Work Matters is a partnership between the Schulz Foundation and the Burning Glass Institute. Both organizations are committed to promoting economic opportunity and mobility.

Chandrasekaran said the purpose of the top 10 list is to direct young people to employers who are actively hiring graduates for jobs that can sow the seeds of meaningful careers.

This rating is based on data from millions of real workers showing their pay, retention, and promotion patterns in posts on LinkedIn, Indeed, and other sites.

“Everything is based on what actually happened to people,” Chandrasekaran said.

Chandrasekaran urged freshers to search beyond the two top-10 lists. The Where You Work Matters site allows visitors to search for high-quality jobs and explore thousands of potential employers and jobs.

The top 10 companies for recent college graduates are:

Below are the 10 companies identified by this initiative as the best companies for new graduates to work for.

  • Accenture. This global professional services firm has earned the site’s highest rating, the Platinum Badge, for professions such as Business Intelligence Analyst and Data Scientist.
  • Kai. This global technology company has top ratings for jobs like IT Systems Analyst and Management Analyst.
  • Capital One. This financial services company is top-rated for fields such as data scientists and software engineers.
  • Cardinal Health. This global healthcare company has earned platinum ratings for jobs such as clinical research coordinator and manufacturing engineer.
  • Cognizant Technology Solutions. This global professional services firm is top-rated for software engineers, web developers, and more.
  • Deloitte. This global professional services firm is top-rated in areas such as blockchain engineers and financial risk specialists.
  • Lockheed Martin. This global security and aerospace company has a strong reputation in fields such as aerospace engineers and budget analysts.
  • Northrop Grumman. This global aerospace and defense company is top-rated for jobs like manufacturing engineer and supply chain manager.
  • PwC. Our global professional services network has achieved platinum ratings in professions such as business intelligence analyst and tax preparer.
  • Tesla. This automaker is top-rated for jobs like automotive engineers and data scientists.

Click here for the top 10 companies hiring new high school graduates

And the 10 companies identified by the initiative as the best companies for recent high school graduates to work for are:

  • Best buy. The retailer has earned platinum ratings for occupations such as customer service representatives and warehouse and inventory processing workers.
  • Chick-fil-A. This restaurant chain receives top marks in areas such as short order cooking and cafeteria attendants.
  • compass group. This global food service company has achieved platinum ratings in areas such as restaurant cooks and servers.
  • enterprise rental car. We have a strong reputation for positions such as customer service representatives, retail sales and service associates.
  • H.E.B. The supermarket chain has top ratings for occupations such as bakers and food service workers.
  • Marriott International. The global hospitality company has earned Platinum badges for professions such as cafeteria attendants and restaurant cooks.
  • Panera bread. The bakery and cafe chain has top ratings for jobs such as delivery drivers and short-order cooks.
  • Spartan Nash. This food company receives top ratings for jobs such as bakery and kitchen staff.
  • TJX. The retailer has earned platinum ratings for jobs such as customer service representatives and retail sales and service associates.
  • UPS. Global Delivery Services is highly rated for positions such as customer service representatives and shipping/receiving clerks.

“Charanse” is a trend that rings an alarm in modern dating. What is it?

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“Charanse” is a trend that rings an alarm in modern dating. What is it?

Tired of trying to be cool and aloof on dates? Then you’ll love this trend.

It’s called “recklessness” – yes, the opposite of “lethargy”. Instead of a casual, go-with-the-flow, whatever-happens approach to dating, people who embrace challenge aim for the opposite. They are openly enthusiastic. They don’t hide what they care about. They yearn for freedom. And they made an effort.

Serious daters take action. They are not afraid to make reservations or send the first text. It’s also transparent. Casual daters let you know how they feel and whether they want to see you again or respectfully leave.

This trend is like a happy medium between “Wildflower” and “Goblin Timacy.” You don’t bloom into a relationship without direction, but you also don’t share or expect too much or too soon.

Dating experts say this trend provides a much-needed correction from the ambiguity of many modern dating situations: situationships, ghosting, and other forms of ambiguity.

“For years, we’ve conflated emotional unavailability with confidence, as if we’re more attractive if we don’t care so much. … It takes real courage to show someone you’re interested, and it comes with risks,” says Amy Chan, a dating coach and author of “Unsingle: How to Date Smarter and Create Love that Lasts.” “Hiding behind indifference is weak.”

“Charanth” is taking over the dating world. Is it good or bad?

According to TikTokers, Charanse’s time is near. People say they are too indifferent and want a partner who is proudly indifferent.

For some, challans have become something bigger than just a date, and people are striving to bring more enthusiasm and emotion into every area of ​​their lives as well.

Damona Hoffman, a dating coach and author of “F. Rather than trying to appeal to everyone, she says those who embrace recklessness should know that their intentions will offend some people. And that’s good.

‘Wildflower’ is the new dating term That’s lovely. don’t be fooled

“I’m a very agreeable person, and something I’ve talked about for a long time with people who date is that we often date from a perspective of trying to be liked, without thinking about what we actually need, what we actually want, and whether the person in front of us actually aligns with our needs and goals and values,” Hoffman says. “Dating and chasing likes like popularity contests and social media platforms takes us away from what we ultimately want: to be seen, heard, and loved.”

As with many good things in life, recklessness can be taken too far. Chan says this trend is probably not for daters who have problems with being overworked in their relationships.

‘Goblin Timacy’ is a dating trend It overturns all rules. be careful.

But for daters who’ve been on autopilot for a while, maybe Charanse is what they need, she says.

What the rise of “challance” says about dating

Long before the internet, people have equated aloofness with coolness. But in the age of dating apps, which are essentially just another form of social media, the casualness with which many people approach dating has gotten out of hand. And it’s time to adjust.

“I like Charente because it’s a break from what I’ve seen for years, long before dating apps, where people try to do it too cool. ‘Well, I don’t want them to know I’m interested.’ It might scare someone away,” Hoffman says. “People are starting to realize that if they take that approach, they can easily miss out on the chance to meet the right person, especially as dating speeds up and there are more options available.”

“Kitten fishing” is a new “catfish fishing”. What is this harmful dating trend?

Perhaps what’s driving the rise in recklessness, Hoffman added, is that so many daters are tired of feeling like they have no control over their love lives. Through chance, daters regain their agency in a deeper sense. Rather than being passive, they ask themselves: How can I find a compatible partner? And how can I clearly tell this person that I’m interested?

“I think the rise of Charant shows that people are willing to say, ‘Okay, what’s my role in this?'” Hoffman says. “I’m not just going to be a victim of the algorithm. I’m not going to be a victim of the gender wars or the rhetoric that’s being pushed around on social media about why dating is so hard today. I’m going to think about what my role is in this and what I can do to move myself toward the life that I want.” And that’s a good thing. ”

This new dating trend is keeping people apart I’m confused and heartbroken. It’s called “Banksy”.

Besides…does anyone else find casualness really attractive anyway?

“As you build real self-esteem, a fulfilled life, and authentic self-love, the long-suffering, low-effort, non-commitment behaviors become less interesting and start to turn off,” Chan says. “A lot of what we’ve been sold as ‘hard to get’ or ‘not really interested in’ has been a game of manipulation that works on people with low self-esteem. People who have done this work see through it.”

Dunkin’ introduces the collectible Eagle Cup. How to get it

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Dunkin’ introduces the collectible Eagle Cup. How to get it

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America’s birthday is fast approaching and Dunkin’ is joining in on the celebration with a limited edition Eagle Cup. The company says the cup was designed to “express the spirit of Independence Day.”

The collectible cup will be available in stores nationwide starting June 29th, priced at $10.99 while supplies last. Each Eagle Cup includes a free Medium drink with purchase and a unique promo code to unlock a $3 Medium Refresher or Dunkin’ Zero drink for 30 days.

“This summer, Dunkin’ will bring the energy of America’s 250th anniversary to every part of our menu,” Anthony Epter, Dunkin’ vice president of menu innovation, said in a news release. “Inspired by Fourth of July traditions, we’ve made every Dunkin’ Run a little more festive, creating a lineup of drinks, bakery treats and collectible Eagle Cups that make every sip feel celebratory.”

The collection is already up for sale on eBay, with the current high price being $59.99.

Dunkin also announces new menu for July 4th

In addition to the Eagle Cup, Dunkin’ has announced a new menu lineup of limited-time drinks and bakery treats.

The coffee and donut chain announced on June 24 a festive lineup of refreshers, lemonades, Dunkin’ Zero and coffee beverages inspired by summer’s biggest holiday, featuring “nostalgic flavors, colorful toppings and indulgent twists.”

The lineup of drinks that will be released nationwide from June 24th is as follows.

  • Fruit punch refresher: A refreshing taste of black cherry and pineapple flavors mixed with lemonade.
  • Peach Berry Tea Dunkin’ Zero: A sugar-free energy drink made with black tea flavored with peach and blackberry.
  • Starlight lemonade: A layered lemonade featuring Freeze Pop flavors and dragon fruit.
  • Freeze Pop Limeade: A tart and tangy limeade inspired by classic summer freeze pops.
  • Cherrylicious Daydream Refresher: Black cherry flavor is blended with oat milk and topped with sweet cold foam and patriotic sprinkles.
  • Peanut Butter Dankaratte: A combination of espresso and coffee milk with a mellow peanut butter flavor.
  • Iced coffee with cookies: A mix of original blend iced coffee and chocolate cookie flavored cream.
  • Oreo & PB coffee chiller: A frozen coffee drink featuring peanut butter flavor and Oreo cookie pieces, topped with whipped cream, mocha drizzle, and more Oreo crumbles.
  • Strawberry Sparkler Cloud Latte: A latte made with unsweetened vanilla syrup and topped with strawberry-flavored cold foam and patriotic sprinkles.
  • Shakin’ espresso and unsweetened vanilla: Espresso is shaken with oat milk and added with vanilla flavor without sugar.
  • Dazzle Berry Coolatta: Blue raspberry coolatta with marshmallow cold foam is poured into a cup and topped with whipped cream and patriotic sprinkles.

Dunkin’ is also adding red, white and blue to its bakery case with limited-time treats.

  • Rocket Pop Donut: This festive donut has been updated with an American flag encrustion, featuring a star-shaped yeast shell and rocket pop-flavored filling, topped with blue icing and an American flag sprinkle blend.
  • Stars and Stripes Donut: A classic donut dipped in blue icing and topped with festive red, white and blue sprinkles.
  • Stars & Stripes Munchkin Donut Hole Treats: Glazed chocolate munchkin coated with a festive American flag sprinkle blend.

Chick-fil-A’s reign is over. Let’s see who are the top fast food chains at the moment

Check out Dunkin’ limited edition Independence Day merchandise collection

Dunkin’ fans can also get ready for Independence Day with a limited-edition merchandise collection inspired by “summer fun and classic Americana, with a unique Dunkin’ twist,” the company said in a news release.

Available at DunkinRunsOnMerch.com starting Wednesday, July 1st at 10am ET, the collection includes:

  • Star Donut Boxy Cropped T-Shirt ($22): A playful graphic tee featuring two festive rocket pop donuts.
  • Women’s one-piece swimsuit ($49.99): A blue one-piece women’s swimsuit printed with rocket pop donuts and summer-inspired motifs.
  • Men’s Swim Shorts ($49.99): Printed with rocket pop donuts and summer motifs.
  • All-over print camp shirt ($45): The all-over print combines rocket pop donuts and eagle graphics for a bold summer look.
  • Liberty T-shirt ($35): A baby pink graphic T-shirt featuring the Statue of Liberty holding a Dunkin iced coffee.
  • Shark hoodie ($60): A playful graphic hoodie featuring shark, seagull, and Dunkin’ graphics.
  • Crabby Drop Shoulder Short Sleeve Sweatshirt and Shorts Bundle ($80): A graphic sweatshirt and shorts set featuring a crab clutching a Dunkin’ iced coffee.
  • Kids long sleeve rash guard ($40): A blue rash guard with a rocket pop donut and summer motif printed on it.
  • Crabby Tote ($48): A classic carryall featuring a crab holding a Dunkin Iced Coffee.
  • 24 oz stainless steel tumbler ($29.99): A stainless steel tumbler printed with images of Rocket Pop donuts and classic Americana.
  • Captain’s Hat ($24.99): A captain’s hat featuring a golden Dunkin’ iced coffee cup.
  • Trucker Hat ($24.99): A trucker-style hat depicting a shark reaching for a Dunkin’ iced coffee.
  • 3′ x 5′ Boat Flag ($24.99): A baby blue boat flag depicting a crab grabbing a Dunkin iced coffee.
  • Dunkin’ Bees Cup Holder ($35): A pink beaded strap to carry your iced coffee.

Gabe Hauari is USA TODAY’s national trends news reporter. You can follow him at X @gabehauari Or email Gdhauari@usatodayco.com.

Retired Pelosi establishes Democracy Institute in Berkeley

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Retired Pelosi establishes Democracy Institute in Berkeley

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Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is retiring from Congress, but not from politics.

The Nancy Pelosi Institute for Representative Democracy will be established at the University of California, Berkeley in January, the university announced on June 29. The institute will sponsor research, support summer internships, host an annual forum “for the world’s thought leaders,” and offer undergraduate classes.

This is one of them. This course on Congress is co-taught by political science professor Eric Schickler and Pelosi.

Still “continuing the fight”

With President Donald Trump in the White House and a Republican majority in the House, Pelosi told USA TODAY in a December interview, “I don’t have any authority right now.” “I get less when I’m not in Congress, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have influence. There are a lot of people outside Congress, including myself… who can fight.”

The first woman (and first Californian) to serve as Speaker of the House, Pelosi played a key role in the creation of the Affordable Care Act, including responding to the 2008 financial collapse and opposing the Iraq War. Many historians and politicians consider her the most powerful woman in American history.

She was a key legislative ally of Democratic President Barack Obama, who named the Garden Pavilion at his new Obama Presidential Center in Chicago in her honor. She was Republican President Donald Trump’s nemesis during his first term. Under her leadership, the House impeached him twice. The Senate acquitted him both times.

When Pelosi announced she would not run for a 21st term this year, President Trump called her an “evil woman” who “has done a tremendous service to our country by retiring.”

He also aroused hostility from Democratic President Joe Biden by urging him to reconsider his decision to seek a second term in 2024, although the two sides later reconciled.

“The work of democracy never ends, and our greatest mission is to secure its future,” Pelosi, 86, said in a written statement. “I was thinking about the words ‘One Nation, One Destiny’ embroidered on Abraham Lincoln’s overcoat,” she said.

$32 million has been raised so far

The Nancy Pelosi Institute has already received more than $32 million in funding and aims to raise a total of $50 million, the university said. Donors include Nancy Pelosi and her husband, Paul, as well as prominent philanthropists with roots in Silicon Valley and major Democratic donors.

Among them are the families of former Google CEO Eric Schmidt and his wife Wendy, Dagmar Dolby, Fred Eichaner, Jeannie Lavin, Jonathan Lavin, George Marcus, Judy Marcus, John Stryker, Slobodan Langelovic, and Ron Conway.

“We’re going to do more than just study democracy,” said Berkeley President Rich Lyons. “We’re building this lab to enhance that.”

Although the institute is said to be nonpartisan, there is a liberal slant to its description of its activities. That’s not surprising, given Pelosi’s Democratic background and Berkeley’s famously progressive campus. Its fundamental “pillars” include promoting human and civil rights, and the research it supports will also include climate change and wealth inequality.

Although the announcement did not use the word “diversity,” it did state the goal of “ensuring political leadership that represents all perspectives and backgrounds in California and this country.” Berkeley is among the elite universities facing scrutiny of its admissions policies and some programs by the Trump administration, which has threatened federal funding for the use of race-based practices.

The Pelosi Institute will also focus on reforming the criminal justice system and ensuring that artificial intelligence “enables democracy rather than undermines it.”

USA TODAY Washington Bureau Chief Susan Page is the author of the best-selling biography Madam Speaker: Nancy Pelosi and the Lessons of Power (Twelve, 2021).

Why cruise lines are turning onboard spas into ‘wellness retreats’

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Why cruise lines are turning onboard spas into ‘wellness retreats’

As cruise lines invest heavily in wellness, onboard spas are becoming a major reason travelers choose their ships over others.

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  • Cruise ship spas have evolved from simple massage rooms to comprehensive wellness centers.
  • Many cruise lines today offer services such as Botox, IV therapy, and teeth whitening.
  • Access to spa services and thermal suites typically comes at an additional cost to the cruise fare.

I tend to be busy Of course on a cruise, I set aside 75 minutes for relaxation during my Virgin Voyages trip.tion.

I arrived at Redemption Spa in September aboard the Brilliant Lady, where a massage therapist led me into a treatment room past a sophisticated, soft-lit space with porthole views of the water. Between the rocking of the waves and the warm salt stones on my back, I found myself falling asleep many times, unlike the usual massages I received back on land.

We then had to head back to make our dinner reservations, but there are plenty of other ways for guests to unwind, including heated marble benches, hot and cold water plunges, and a mudroom in the thermal suite. “You literally smear mud on yourself and let it steam and it all washes away,” Nathan Rosenberg, chief brand experience, marketing and momentum officer for the adults-only cruise line, told USA TODAY in an email.

Cruise lines have increased their investment in spa services in recent years. What was once a modest space offering massages and other select services has now grown into a comprehensive wellness center, offering a wide range of options for guests seeking pampering and self-care.

“Cruise ship spas have been completely renovated, upgraded and expanded in the last decade,” said Adam Duckworth, president and founder of Travelmation. Here’s what you need to know:

How have cruise ship spas changed over the years?

Duckworth traced the origins of the modern onboard spa to the 2009 launch of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas, then the world’s largest cruise ship. “It evolved from just a massage table, or 10 massage tables, and a mani-pedi in the spa area to basically a complete wellness retreat, and it just kept building from there,” he said.

Now, common services include facials, acupuncture, and even Botox. “The last time I was on Celebrity, I had my teeth whitened and it was so much fun,” Duckworth added.

These facilities are an attraction in themselves, said Caroline Revnell, senior South America cruise specialist at Audrey Travel. “Before, you would think people would go to a spa if they had a sea day, but now they can actually choose their cruise line based on what facilities are offered,” she said.

This varies depending on the type of cruise line, but smaller vessels usually offer a simplified version. But even on my 2024 expedition cruise through Australia’s remote Kimberley region aboard the Seabourn Pursuit, the ship had a sauna and large windows that allowed me to watch the sandstone cliffs pass by.

Why do cruise lines invest in spa services?

Cruise lines are leaning in different ways.

Launching in 2021, Virgin has designed its ships and programs with wellness in mind. Rosenberg said the company “never wanted it to feel like something bolted on or a polite little nook on a ship. We wanted to embed that into the experience.”

It doesn’t stop at the spa, it also includes food, with both lighter and more indulgent options. These include fitness classes such as HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) and cycling, as well as Sunrise Radiance sessions (exclusive to Brilliant Ladies) that incorporate stretching, breathing exercises and silent disco.

Virgin is taking an unconventional approach, and spas are a key part of that strategy, as cruise lines often hear from guests asking for options.

“Some people hope to recover,” Rosenberg said. “Some people want movement. Some people want both. They might train hard, drink some juice, jump into the cold and spend some time in a thermal suite afterwards. Others want massages, salt rooms, blowouts, nails. That’s their version of wellness. All of that is important.”

I ate what I wanted to eat, I drank what I wanted to drink. You won’t lose your routine or gain weight on this cruise

MSC Cruises, which already has an extensive spa program, will be rolling out new services this year at MSC Aurea Spa locations across its fleet. These include IV therapy, permanent makeup, and other “medical health” treatments. A head spa inspired by traditional Japanese techniques. ear piercing; skin analysis powered by artificial intelligence, and more, according to a news release.

“With this latest evolution, MSC Cruises is responding directly to a major shift in guest expectations. Especially in the U.S. market, travelers are increasingly seeking results-oriented, personalized wellness experiences rather than just relaxation,” Claudio Saviano, the cruise line’s head of spa operations, told USA TODAY in an email.

A huge ship like MSC World America offers endless activities, from the onboard comedy club to the Lego Family Zone to the Cliffhanger Swing. But Saviano said MSC guests value the spa as “a place where they can reset, recharge and focus on their own health through traditional treatments, modern treatments, or a combination of both.”

Norwegian Cruise Line has also noted interest in such programming. “Spas and wellness have become an increasingly important part of cruise vacations, and Norwegian Cruise Line has been meeting that demand for the past several years with our newest PrimaClass and PrimaPlus class ships,” the company said in an email.

The Mandara Spa & Salon on new ships like Norwegian Luna and Norwegian Aqua includes an infrared sauna that uses lamps to warm the body, a floating salt pool, and a charcoal sauna that reaches temperatures from 86 degrees to 122 degrees, which the company touts as the first of its kind at sea.

“These ships reflect a reimagined approach to relaxation at sea, including more luxurious spa facilities, innovative treatments and a serene design with tranquil two-story waterfalls,” the cruise line said.

Does the cruise price include spa services?

In general, no.

Spa services are usually an additional charge and the price varies depending on the cruise line a guest travels with and the services selected. For example, my massage on the Brilliant Lady cost just under $300.

Onboard spas are also commonly operated by third-party providers.

Cruise ships often offer passes to thermal suite areas that give you access to amenities such as plunge pools, hot and cold therapy rooms, and heated loungers. Passengers may also be able to use these facilities before or after treatments such as massages.

Some routes also have “spa-inspired staterooms,” Duckworth said. “Cruise lines are focused on health and relaxation,” he said.

These include Celebrity Cruises’ AquaClass cabins, which include access to the company’s SEA Thermal Suite and a fine dining facility called Blue, which serves “clean cuisine,” as well as in-room bottled water, a spa concierge, “preferential rates for AquaClass spa packages,” and other perks, according to the company’s website.

Revnell noted that depending on the cruise line and type of cruise, access to certain facilities such as saunas and steam rooms on expedition ships may be free.

Duckworth said cruise lines must respond to the growing demand for these amenities or risk losing market share. “If cruise lines don’t invest in spas and wellness areas, they will lose out on guests who are specifically looking for that experience.”

Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. Please contact us at ndiller@usatoday.com.

How to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe by feeling

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How to tell if a cantaloupe is ripe by feeling

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Finding the perfect cantaloupe takes practice. Fortunately, you already have the tools you need: your senses. Here are some tips for bringing home fruit that you’ll actually enjoy eating when you cut it.

One of the first tips for choosing the perfect melon is its weight. “A ripe cantaloupe feels heavy, but when you press it, it crumples a little,” says Lisa Valente, R.D., a registered dietitian based near Burlington, Vermont. The average cantaloupe weighs between 3 and 5 pounds, with heavier melons indicating more juice and a sweeter flavor. Tapping the cantaloupe to make a dull sound is also helpful when picking the fruit.

Another great indicator of a ripe melon is its golden color. “You want to avoid too much greenery under the husk or netting,” Valente explains. Note that although melons continue to ripen after being harvested, their actual sugar content does not change. When checking the color, also keep an eye out for blemishes on the outer skin. “If your fruit has dents, soft spots, or cracks in the skin, those are signs of damage and are places where mold and bacteria can start to grow,” she says. “If you see mold-like spots on your cantaloupe, it’s best to throw it away or compost it.”

How to choose cantaloupe: See, feel, smell and get your ripe melons

What is one of the best tools for picking ripe cantaloupes? Your nose. “When I smell the flower end of a cantaloupe, the opposite end from where the stem was, I want to smell a sweet, floral smell, almost like honey,” Valente says. “If it doesn’t smell, it might not be ripe yet.”

Your ability to pick also affects how long the fruit will last at home. “It depends on how soft it is when you buy it,” she says. “Cantaloupe can last for several days if stored in the store, but whole melons will last about seven days if stored in the refrigerator.”

By engaging all of your senses and with a little practice, you can perfect your cantaloupe shopping skills.

Loneliness is an epidemic in America. Is it because of remote work?

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Loneliness is an epidemic in America. Is it because of remote work?

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Aries López Salm, who lives in a small North Carolina town near the U.S. military base where her husband is employed, is one of the 35 million Americans who work from home.

Lopez Salm, who is pregnant with her second child, said morning exercise classes help her stay healthy instead of an hour-long commute. When her 6-year-old son finishes summer camp during his lunch break, she can take a break and pick him up. Even when her rheumatoid arthritis returns, she is able to work in a more comfortable position on the carpeted floor of her home office.

“Working from home is everything to me,” López Salm said. “It’s the results that matter, not being physically in the building.”

The coronavirus pandemic, which has shuttered offices across the country, has changed the way people work, and many Americans say it’s for the better.

No more long commutes during rush hour. Parents can accompany their child to pediatrician visits and soccer games. The sandwich generation can care for elderly or sick parents without skipping work. People with disabilities get more job offers. Remote workers may have more babies.

Working from home also has its disadvantages. About half of remote workers say they feel less connected to their colleagues. Young employees have fewer opportunities to find mentors and absorb knowledge. Work often impacts home life.

Now, a study by researchers from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, the University of Virginia, and Harvard University published in the journal Science has raised new concerns that remote work is worsening mental health.

Does remote work make people unhappy?

Emma Harrington, one of the authors of the study, which was based on data from more than 588,000 workers, said more Americans are lonely today, and the way they work is contributing to feelings of loneliness.

The study found that nearly nine out of 10 employees in “remote-enabled” jobs spend their workdays completely alone, are less sociable after work, and go whole days without any face-to-face interaction, compared to jobs that require in-person work. They experienced higher rates of distress, visited mental health services, and were prescribed antidepressants, the researchers concluded. The study estimates that remote work will account for one-third of the increase in mental distress from 2011 to 2024, especially among people living alone.

“Everyone is feeling an increase in the amount of time they spend alone, primarily due to work hours,” said Harrington, an economics professor at the University of Virginia and co-author of the forthcoming book “In Personal.” “However, for those who live alone, it is likely that they will spend the entire day without any social contact and without ever leaving the house.”

The researchers’ methodology and findings sparked heated debate online and backlash from fellow academics who pointed to the vast body of research showing that remote and hybrid work actually improves happiness.

For example, two randomized trials conducted by Stanford University economist Nick Bloom found that workers’ mental health improved, not worse.

“The simple story is that when people can work from home, commuting becomes less stressful, they have better control over their time, and they have more time to spend with friends and family,” he said.

Bloom said remote work affects different people in different ways. Some people crave company and prefer to be in the office five days a week, while others prefer to be completely remote. For many people, hybrid work is a means to happiness.

In Bloom’s opinion, what is the best way to improve people’s mental health? Let them choose the option that works best for them.

“If someone feels that working from home is not an issue, they can always come into the office or change jobs,” he said. “Then I don’t understand how something that employees like and choose repeatedly can be bad for them.”

“Many of us see each other even less.”

Harrington’s study is not the first to examine psychological distress among remote workers.

As part of Newton Chen’s 17 years of work overseeing health and performance programs at Google, he conducted research to understand the feelings of isolation and loneliness that come with working from home.

Chen experienced this firsthand when he quit his job and started his own business last September. He missed office chats and FaceTime.

“I think the evidence clearly shows that hybrid work and remote work can really benefit people’s health and well-being. But for me personally, remote work feels kind of isolating,” he said. “If you let me be free, I can sit in an office and just research, read and write, and not see anyone for days at a time. So I have to find other ways to interact with people and spend my time, or I start to feel lonely.”

Chen arranges in-person meetings whenever possible. If I don’t have to work from home, I try to go to a coffee shop or library and strike up a conversation.

He takes his two kids every week to bond with other parents in his West Los Angeles neighborhood, as the pizza truck sets up shop in a nearby park on Tuesday nights. A competitive powerlifter, he often trains at friends’ gyms rather than lifting weights in his own garage, allowing him to connect with people who share his passion.

“I don’t think work should be at the top of the list of places you go to make friends, but that’s the reality for many of us. It’s the only place we meet,” Chen said. “Right now, many of us are not meeting in person as much as we used to.”

Are we lonely at work or just lonely?

Gemma Dale, a researcher and specialist in flexible, hybrid and remote working, said the mental health crisis was a global problem.

Long before the pandemic, Americans began spending more time alone and less time socializing in person. For a time, the bonds they formed at work helped compensate for their reduced participation in community activities such as church, neighborhood associations, and sports teams. Recent workplace changes have exacerbated the loneliness epidemic.

“The worst symptoms in this report are being experienced by people living alone, highlighting what we’ve known for decades: the experience of remote work is context-specific,” Dale said.

Ruth White, a psychotherapist and workplace mental health consultant, says she has been working remotely for nearly 10 years and loved it. She traveled the world visiting friends and family, went sailing on Wednesdays, and took walks on nearby lakes almost every day. However, during her actual work, she saw a different side. That means workers rely on the office to meet all their social needs.

“When work becomes primarily virtual, opportunities for connection can be lost and many people can feel lonely and experience depression and anxiety,” she wrote on LinkedIn.

That’s why she works with clients to help them build a social life outside of work.

“The healthiest workplaces of the future are not the ones that force everyone back into the office or completely abandon face-to-face contact,” White said. “They will be the ones who intentionally create opportunities for employees to build meaningful relationships, whether they work remotely, hybrid, or in-person.”

“Engineering the moments that matter”

Brian Elliott, CEO of Work Forward and publisher of the Flex Index, thinks so.

“It’s a tall order to ask offices to solve the loneliness epidemic,” he told USA TODAY. But employers can and should do more than that.

“The problem is that most companies are treating remote work as the default, rather than as something that needs to be designed around connectivity. Companies are cutting back on gatherings, travel budgets, and training,” Elliott wrote in FlexIndex. “Nobody’s checking in. Nobody’s engineering the big moments.”

He said the study found that people who live alone experience almost twice as much mental distress when working remotely, but that’s not an argument for everyone to return to the office.

Simple fixes help bring people together. For example, a recent study found that when remote workers come into the office one day a month, productivity increases by 8% and turnover rates are reduced by a third, while increasing job satisfaction and improving communication.

Harrington said he’s not saying he’s rewinding the clock to 2019, when most work was done in person or in an office. Instead, employers and employees should set aside “purposeful, time-consuming face-to-face time,” such as weekly one-on-one meetings or regular off-sites.

“Pre-pandemic offices weren’t necessarily social spaces, people were just working in their cubicles,” she says. “If we can be more intentional about how our days are actually being spent, we can potentially accomplish more in fewer days.”

Fed institutions once guaranteed that our elections were secure. No more.

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Fed institutions once guaranteed that our elections were secure. No more.

Monday, June 29, 2026, episode of the podcast The Excerpt: A bipartisan group of secretaries of state is warning that the federal government may no longer be a trusted hub for election threat information, according to an internal memo shared exclusively with USA TODAY. Senior national news reporter Sarah Wire joins The Excerpt to explain why state officials are concerned and what this means for November’s midterm elections.

Press play in the player below to listen to the podcast and follow the transcript below. This transcript was automatically generated and edited in its current format for clarity. There may be some differences between audio and text.

Podcast: For true crime stories, in-depth interviews, and more USA TODAY podcasts, click here

Dana Taylor:

Are our elections secure? Probably not, according to a memo by the bipartisan National Association of Secretaries of State shared exclusively with USA TODAY. The memo raises broader concerns about the federal government’s sharing of election threat information with state officials. Should I be worried?

Hello. Welcome to this excerpt from USA TODAY. I’m Dana Taylor. Today is Monday, June 29, 2026. USA TODAY senior national news reporter Sarah Wire joins me to talk about the importance of this memo and what it means for November’s midterm elections. I’m so happy to have you back Sarah.

Sarah Wire:

Thank you for having me.

Dana Taylor:

Let’s start with some broad strokes here. First, what is this memo? How did USA TODAY obtain it?

Sarah Wire:

This is an internal memo summarizing several meetings the association and partner groups held in March, not only about what information they are receiving from the federal government, but also how confident they are that each state will receive reliable and reliable information.

We obtained this document from the bipartisan National Security Transparency Group. The group is called “People’s Property.” They brought it to us because they wanted to make sure everyone was aware that this was happening.

Dana Taylor:

You cite this memo and state that “federal agencies are not viewed by states as a reliable or sufficient option to serve as a national hub for sharing election threat information.” End of quotation. First of all, Sarah, what kind of threat are we talking about? Threats to election integrity, personal safety.

Sarah Wire:

It’s actually a mixture of both. So since 2018, the federal government has served as a conduit to states to inform them about what threats they’re hearing from foreign governments, hackers and potential bad actors.

They bring in information from the FBI, the Director of National Intelligence, the spy network, and they help each state get the same information, but also quickly find out what’s going on in other states.

Dana Taylor:

So the people who wrote this memo are essentially claiming that federal authorities are not cooperating with state authorities on election threat intelligence as much as they have in the past. Why not?

Sarah Wire:

They say they haven’t received the usual training they would receive from the federal government. Two-way communication is not occurring.

And during the first months of the Trump administration, we saw many professionals who did this work get fired or forced into early retirement. And the agency called CISA itself is not doing the routine things that they do at this point.

So they’re not holding any training or national security briefings. They’re not coming to states to check for cybersecurity deficiencies. In a typical in-person assessment, is the facility secure? Could it be broken into on election night?

Dana Taylor:

Is there any precedent for this?

Sarah Wire:

Now, this just started in 2018 after the 2016 election. The agency was created and signed into law by President Donald Trump. It’s still a relatively new institution, but these states have come to rely on it, and there’s no other group that can really facilitate this level of information sharing.

There are nonprofit organizations trying to do that. They are trying to fill these gaps. States rely on each other to make these communications happen, but each state recognizes that it cannot do it alone. They don’t have the resources that the federal government has.

And several secretaries of state have said they are confronting nation-state actors in Russia and Iran who are pouring billions into this problem. So for these governments that have unlimited funds, there are 50 different attempts to block and share information.

Dana Taylor:

Sarah, how are state officials going to address the lack of information here, and are they confident that their plan can successfully fill that gap?

Sarah Wire:

So groups like the National Association of Secretaries of State are stepping up and trying to fill some of those gaps. It’s all voluntary. They are doing more training. They will work with technology companies to ensure all states have the information they need.

But Secretary after Secretary told me that while that would be good enough, it was not equivalent to what would happen under the federal government. Several said they were worried that a cyberattack would occur, but that they might not know until afterward.

Dana Taylor:

I want to stick to private technology companies. You said they’re doing everything they can to help here. How do they say which one helps?

Sarah Wire:

That’s why big tech companies like Google and Microsoft already track election threats, and have done so for years on behalf of federal and state governments.

They’re proposing more training and more talks with state governments, but that comes at a cost. Not all of these were free, and the ones provided by the federal government were free. Therefore, states will need to increase the amount of funding they offer.

Secretaries told me that while the information they receive from tech companies is often passive, telling them what’s already happening, the information they receive from the federal government is more proactive and immediate.

A Washington state secretary of state told me that a few years ago, he received a call in the middle of the night from the agency’s secretary telling him that a county’s website was being accessed from a foreign government’s IP address.

And he was able to react instantly, disable access to voter systems, take down entire websites, and dispatch a rapid response team to plug the hole. Learning from technology companies that it might happen after it’s already happened isn’t very helpful.

Dana Taylor:

The National Association of Secretaries of State also shared information about White House communications related to the memo. Please tell me about it.

Sarah Wire:

This association is nonpartisan. They want to continue to move forward in a bipartisan manner and maintain a working relationship with the White House. So this letter, sent on March 11, set out not only what they can do, but what they hope to receive from the federal government and continue this partnership.

I don’t see any major changes in what the White House and this intelligence community are trying to do. What was really interesting to me was that this letter was sent on the same day that the meeting summarized in the memo took place. And it turns out that the association is already working without the federal government.

Dana Taylor:

You mentioned the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, or CISA, earlier. Have you asked their reaction to these allegations? If so, what did they say to you?

Sarah Wire:

I did that. They are being held under the jurisdiction of the Department of Homeland Security. So we asked them to respond to the Secretary’s concerns. Basically, we just received a statement summarizing the agency’s work, without going into detail about how it is specifically working with states this year.

I followed up for some statistics. How many assessments have they done? How many trainings have they done? And we never got an answer.

Dana Taylor:

Sarah, let me ask you this: Most of our viewers are familiar with President Donald Trump’s repeated false claims about election fraud in 2020. What role, if any, does politics play in all of this?

Sarah Wire:

I’ve heard different things from different secretaries, and they definitely think this is very political. The CISA agency was created during President Trump’s first term. He is the one who signed the law.

However, after the 2020 election, CISA, a nonpartisan agency, stated that there was no interference in the 2020 election. There was no indication that a foreign government was involved or that election machines were being interfered with or anything like that. And the director of that agency was immediately fired.

So in some ways, the cuts to CISA weren’t all that surprising, except that CISA operated as a bipartisan agency, one that all states could rely on, regardless of political party. I’ve heard from states that they’re upset that this is happening.

Dana Taylor:

Sarah, what is your biggest takeaway from your reporting here?

Sarah Wire:

Each country is doing its best. Election officials, although they may be elected on a partisan basis in some states, they do not consider themselves partisan. They want to do the best they can for the American people.

They believe it is their mission to maintain free and fair elections, and they want all the tools and resources possible. And they wanted people to understand that they don’t think this directly interferes with the election itself because every state except Louisiana has paper backup when voting.

So while they aren’t worried that it will change the outcome of the election, they are concerned that not having this information could cause confusion in some areas on voting day.

Dana Taylor:

Sarah Wire is a senior national news reporter for USA TODAY. Sarah, nice to see you again.

Sarah Wire:

Thank you for having me.

Dana Taylor:

Thank you for listening to USA TODAY’s The Excerpt. I’m Dana Taylor. Make “The Excerpt” part of your weekday routine. New episodes are released every weekday morning.

A rare storm arrives in June, bringing heavy snow to the Rocky Mountains.

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A rare storm arrives in June, bringing heavy snow to the Rocky Mountains.

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A rare winter storm in late June is expected to bring heavy snow, strong winds and rapidly warming temperatures to parts of the northern Rocky Mountains on June 28, with forecasters warning of dangerous travel conditions in higher elevations.

As a powerful weather system takes hold in the region, the National Weather Service has issued winter storm and weather warnings for parts of Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming, especially high-elevation areas along the common border. The Bureau of Meteorology advised the public to prepare for “winter-like conditions” in remote and high-altitude areas.

The storm is caused by a deep upper-level trough that plows into the Rocky Mountains and the Intermountain West, dragging in an unseasonably cold air mass with temperatures in some areas 15 to 20 degrees below normal, the USA TODAY Network previously reported.

Forecasters said the system could bring unusually heavy snowfall for late June. The National Weather Service said heavy snow is possible in mountainous areas of southwestern Montana and central Idaho, especially above about 6,500 feet.

Forecasters warned that the combination of low temperatures, strong winds and dense, wet snow is expected to create dangerous conditions, including the risk of hypothermia and road closures due to fallen trees.

The winter storm and weather conditions are expected to continue until June 29, with weather warnings in effect until mid-morning or midday, depending on location. Winter conditions may impact travel during the busy Fourth of July season.

Heavy snow possible in parts of the northern Rocky Mountains

The Georgetown Lake region and other remote and high-elevation areas of Montana could see 4 to 8 inches of snow, with up to about 12 inches possible in the highest elevations, the National Weather Service said. Forecasters said snow levels at Homestake Pass and MacDonald Pass were “temporarily reduced, with the potential for minor muddy accumulations.”

The Bureau of Meteorology advised that people should consider delaying travel to remote areas and high-altitude areas. “If you must travel, consider carrying a winter storm kit that includes tire chains, booster cables, flashlights, shovels, blankets, extra clothing, etc. Also, bring water, a first aid kit, and anything else that will help you survive if you get stranded.”

In northwestern Beaverhead County, Montana, heavy, wet snow is expected to fall in the area, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters said up to 3 inches of additional snow is expected near the pass, with “more than 6 inches of additional snow over the pass.”

Elsewhere, up to 6 inches of snow could fall on the Independence Day Summit in Idaho over the next few days, the weather service said. In Wyoming, snowfall is expected to be primarily confined to higher elevations, with most mountain regions expected to accumulate about 4 to 6 inches over the same time period.

US weather forecast: Sweltering days continue in the East and Midwest heading into July 4th weekend

Strong winds and showers forecast for some areas

The system also brought showers and scattered thunderstorms as it moved through the region, with the potential for a brief reduction in heavier rain and occasional wind gusts.

The National Weather Service in Great Falls, Montana, announced early on June 28 that strong winds were expected in parts of north-central Montana. “Wind speeds will peak early tonight, with several gusts exceeding 50 mph and potentially creating difficult crosswinds,” the agency said.

The weather service also warned of a “slight risk of excessive rainfall” leading to flash flooding in Glacier National Park into the evening of June 28, adding that the heaviest rainfall was expected in the evening.

Contributed by Doyle Rice and Brandi D. Addison, USA TODAY Network

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