Happy Friday!🙋🏼♀️I’m Nicole Forelt. “Shrekking” is not as innocent as it looks.
Finish the week with news:
Shoot a hoax in Villanova and spread panic when facing
The report of an active shooter who forced Villanova University to lockdown on Thursday was deemed a “cruel hoax,” school officials said.
It was the first day of orientation. A campus alert was sent around 4:30pm local time, urging students and visitors, including many families, to move safely.
- “It makes it difficult for children to leave.” Dana Nachman was among the parents who told USA Today, who was feeling anxious after the situation. She and her son met an empty classroom in an engineering building at a university. They even barricaded the doors.
- The lockdown lasted about an hour before investigators considered the incident a hoax. The Radner Township Police Department said in a social media post that there were no injuries and that federal and state officials are investigating the incident.
- Return to school (shooting): The apparent hoax came hours after another active shooter was reported on the University of Tennessee campus in Chattanooga. All clears were issued for that campus immediately after the initial report.
California lawmakers approve Newsom’s rezoning plan
The California lawmakers approved a map of democratically-led districts for voters to decide in special elections the day after Texas House Republicans passed plans for a new district. California’s proposed district is temporary as it requires states to return to nonpartisan map drawing following the 2030 US census to vote before voters in the November 4 special election. The map backed by Newsom will translate five Republican seats into districts that are heavily supportive of Democrats.
- Also: The California Supreme Court has denied Republican challenges to the Newsrom plan.
More news you need to know now
What’s the weather today? Check out your local forecast here.
The Federal Reserve’s Wild West Dilemma
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell will be in Jackson Hole, Wyoming to give a keynote address at the Central Bank’s annual meeting on Friday. Powell is facing more formidable challenges as it seeks to provide another signal for the Fed’s September interest rate plan after an even longer moratorium aimed at ensuring consumer prices have been tamed. The photos are far more confusing, with economists splitting whether Powell could slow down next month or telegraphing on the continued Fed’s waiting approach. What about the job market in the US right now?
Truck driver crackdowns speed up
“There’s so much work and there’s not enough drivers, so companies are willing to take risks. This costs everyone. Our premiums, our products cost. It affects everyone.”
~ Lt. Kyle McKay, who is on the Wyoming Highway Patrol, overseeing the state’s motor carrier unit, told USA Today that his troopers tested drivers testing their English proficiency during random roadside inspections and at mandatory ports of entry. A trucking industry expert told USA Today there is no data on the number of crashes that can occur each year for truck drivers who cannot read English road signs.
Today’s speaker
It’s college football time!
College soccer fans, we made it. The opening day of the 2025 season is finally here. In other words, you can finally see the actual game. It’s abbreviation for Saturday, so your favorite team may not have won the field yet. Think of it as a delicious appetizer plate before next week’s main dish. Here’s what you need to know on Saturday, including matchups, game times, TV info, and what to look at during the day:
Today’s photo: Tennis Elbo
Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovi provided a different kind of ball to fans in New York City on Thursday night, throwing his first pitch at Yankee Stadium. His toss begins at Arthur Ashe Stadium with open men’s singles and women’s singles in the US. Who is the top seed for 2025 US Open?
Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer for USA Today and sign up for your email here. Want to send a note to Nicole? Please email her at nollert@usatoday.com.
