A large crowd gathered at Pueblo's City Council meeting as members addressed the future of Project Falcon. This multimillion-dollar development plan was paused on Friday by the company.

The company cited "divisiveness in the community" as the reason for the pause.

Many attendees and council members linked that divisiveness to a Thursday press conference by Mayor Heather Graham, in which she demanded more transparency in the deal before giving her approval.

Wendi Kern was among those in attendance on Monday.

"I'm for it, but I think there are some things that really need to be looked at," said Kern.

Monday was supposed to be the first reading of a memorandum of understanding between Pueblo and the corporation behind Project Falcon. Instead, the ordinance was pulled at Project Falcon's request and tabled indefinitely.

Many city councilmembers voiced their support for the project. Pueblo City Council President Mark Aliff said the company's decision to pause Project Falcon does not mean the deal is off or dead.

Concerned citizen Bret Verna expressed concern that a pause could do irreversible damage.

"If we don't put one foot in front of the other and keep the direction going, well, they might decide to quit walking. That's happened to us a time or two," said Verna.

Not all in attendance shared that concern. Kern questioned whether the company was driving the process.

"These big companies come in, and they see our weakness here in Pueblo, and they take advantage of that, and maybe they're pulling out,... but I think they're guiding the horses; we're not," said Kern.

The company behind Project Falcon has not been publicly identified. Mayor Heather Graham told me Thursday that the project is a tissue manufacturing facility that would have been placed across from the St. Charles Reservoir.

When asked on Thursday whether she signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) and whether she violated it by revealing what the company manufactures, Mayor Graham responded directly.

"Yes, I signed an NDA. No, I did not violate it. said Mayor Graham.

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One project that could receive funding from Pueblo's half cent sales tax is the city's newest museum.

Monday night, Pueblo City Council passed an ordinance on first reading that would give the Leonardo da Vinci Museum close to $2 million. This was recommended by the city's economic development group, Advanced Pueblo.

Not everyone News5 spoke with supports the move.

"Right now, I am against this," said Elvis Martinez, a Pueblo resident. "If Joe Schmo wants to give $20 or $100, it should be like... that and not out of our half cent sales tax dollars."

A final reading for this will happen in two weeks. The Leonardo da Vinci Museum is scheduled to open on Friday.

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The Colorado Springs Switchbacks defeated El Paso Locomotive 2-1 on Saturday to advance to the Prinx Tires USL Cup quarterfinals for the first time in club history!

Due to rain and lightning in the area, the game was delayed for about three hours.

In the 25', Locomotive defender Ricky Ruiz pulled Switchbacks forward Sadam Masereka's arm as he dribbled toward the goal. Ruiz was given a red card, meaning the Locomotive would play the rest of the match with 10 men on the pitch instead of 11.

The Switchbacks scored the first goal of the match in the 38' when Switchbacks forward Yosuke Hanya passed the ball to midfielder Sam Williams in the box. Williams then flicked the ball in the air where forward Juan Tejada's header found the back of the net.

In stoppage time of the first half, Locomotive defender Tony Alfaro's header off a corner kick tied the match 1-1.

The Switchbacks scored the game-winning goal in the 70' when forward Adrien Perez dribbled into the box and passed the ball to Jonas Fjeldberg,

who placed it into the far-right corner of the net.

Colorado Springs had 60% possession, 20 total shots and more than 430 accurate passes in the match. Defensively, they recorded 14 interceptions, 12 clearances and won five tackles.

The Switchbacks wrap up the group stage of the Prinx Tires USL Cup on Saturday, July 11 on the road as they take on Orange County SC. Kickoff for that game is scheduled for 8 p.m.

Switchbacks FC's quarterfinals match will be played on Wednesday, August 12. Their opponent, and whether or not the match will be played at Weidner Field, will be determined after the group stage is complete.

As for their next contest, the Switchbacks will face Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday at Weidner Field. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. Can't make it to the game? Click here for information on how to watch.

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Sudan's civil war now in its fourth year began as a power struggle between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. It has evolved into something else. Something more precise, and in its precision, more terrifying.

It has become a drone war.

The United Nations put a figure on it in May. Between January and April of 2026, drone strikes killed at least 880 civilians in Sudan more than 80% of all conflict-related civilian deaths in that period. U.N. Human Rights Chief Volker Trk called armed drones "by far and away the leading cause of civilian deaths" in the conflict.

The Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project found that drone-related deaths in 2025 alone marked a 600% increase over the previous year.

Most of the carnage has concentrated in Kordofan and Darfur regions that have already seen the worst of what this war can do. Markets. Hospitals. Aid convoys. Schools. The pattern, human rights groups say, signifies strategy.

To understand how Sudan got here, you have to understand where its paramilitary force came from.

The RSF grew out of the Janjaweed militias the horseback raiders accused of mass slaughter in Darfur two decades ago. In those days, the violence was intimate. Up close. Men with rusty AK-47s.

Now there are drones.

Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale's School of Public Health, has spent years building forensic evidence of what's happening in Sudan from satellite imagery and open-source intelligence. What his lab found in El Fasher the last major city in Darfur still contested before the RSF's final assault reveals a level of operational sophistication that rewrites what we thought we knew about this conflict.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Inside Sudan's hidden genocide: Eyewitness accounts from the world's worst humanitarian crisis

The RSF, Raymond says, used Chinese-made fixed-wing drones CH-95 or FH-95 models launched from Nyala Airport in South Darfur, roughly 150 miles to the south. Those drones flew north to El Fasher and loitered. They didn't strike immediately. They gathered. Sucking up communications data to locate where people were hiding. Blocking residents from calling for help. Preventing videos from getting out of the city.

Then came the quadcopters small, camera-equipped, packed with explosives deployed from along the berm the RSF had built to prevent escape. Targeting people in bomb shelters, mosques, community kitchens, and schools.

"They were hunters," Raymond told me.

In October, they hunted at the Al-Safiya Mosque in El Fasher's Al-Daraja Awla neighborhood. Raymond described the strike with the grim precision of a forensic investigator: the drone came in at an angle, hit the corrugated metal roof, shrapnelized it, and funneled the fragments down into the body of the building. Seventy-eight people were killed.

"The arc was so precisely planned," Raymond told me, "that if it wasn't horrific, it would be elegant in terms of the thought that went into how the drone hit."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | The Yellow Floor Room: A glimpse into Sudans hidden war on women

The RSF is not the only party raining death from above.

Both sides, human rights groups say, are acquiring increasingly sophisticated drone technology through their respective foreign backers. The RSF is supplied primarily through the UAE. The Sudanese Armed Forces have drawn on Turkey, Iran, and Egypt.

On March 20th the first day of Eid al-Fitr a drone struck the El Daein Teaching Hospital in East Darfur. Twice. The WHO confirmed 70 people killed, including 13 children, seven women, and three medical staff. One hundred forty-six wounded. The hospital the primary referral facility for the entire East Darfur state was rendered completely non-functional.

Sudanese rights group Emergency Lawyers reported the strike was carried out by a Sudanese Armed Forces drone. The army denied targeting the hospital. Two military officials, speaking anonymously, told the Associated Press the intended target was a police station nearby.

Yale's researchers looked at the police station. It was untouched.

"By being able to watch the presence of the weapons on the ground before they're launched," Raymond explained, "we can really get crime scene level data like we're dealing with a handgun in a homicide."

In older wars, culpability could be argued. A mortar goes astray. A missile hits a building in error. Accidents, in the fog of war, are at least plausible.

Drones are different. A drone is piloted. It goes where someone directs it. It strikes what someone chooses.

"When we're talking about drones," Scripps News Senior International Correspondent Jason Bellini told Raymond, "there's no deniability there."

"This is so crucial," he replied. "Attribution falling away as you start to use drones that is the critical point."

Tonight's Forecast:

There is a low chance of an isolated thunderstorm tonight in El Paso County. Otherwise, it will be partly cloudy and mild overnight in southern Colorado.

Tuesday Fire Danger:

A RED FLAG WARNING is in effect for the zones highlighted in red from noon until 7 pm on Tuesday.

Colorado Springs forecast: Low: 53; High: 91;

It will be hot and partly cloudy on Tuesday. There is a low chance of a spot shower in the afternoon. Otherwise, it will be dry and gusty, with SW wind at 10-20 mph gusting to 40 mph.

Pueblo forecast: Low: 57; High: 98;

RED FLAG WARNING from noon until 7 pm. It will be hot, dry, and gusty. Wind will be out of the SW at 10-20 mph, gusting to 40 mph. There is a low chance of a spot shower in the afternoon.

Canon City forecast: Low: 59; High: 94;

RED FLAG WARNING from noon until 7 pm. It will be hot and partly cloudy. Wind will be out of the WSW at 15-20 mph gusting to 40 mph. There is a low chance of a spot shower in the afternoon.

Woodland Park forecast: Low: 50; High: 79;

It will be mostly sunny and warm on Tuesday. Wind will be strong from the WSW at 15-20 mph, gusting to 45 mph. There is a low chance of a spot shower in the afternoon.

Tri-Lakes forecast: Low: 53; High: 86;

It will be partly cloudy and very warm on Tuesday with a low chance of a quick afternoon shower. Otherwise, it will be gusty with SW wind at 10-20 mph gusting to 35 mph.

Plains forecast: Low: 50s-60s; High: 90s-100s;

RED FLAG WARNING from noon until 7 pm for Bent County. It will be hot on Tuesday with gusty wind out of the SSW at 10-15 mph, gusting 35-40 mph. A few spotty showers or isolated thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon and evening.

Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: Low: 61/58; High: 89/94;

RED FLAG WARNING from noon until 7 pm. It will be hot and partly cloudy, with a low chance of a brief afternoon thunderstorm. Wind will be out of the SW at 10-20 mph, gusting to 40 mph.

Mountains forecast: Low: 40s-50s; High: 70s-80s;

The mountain valleys will be windy and warm on Tuesday. Wind will be out of the WSW at 15-25 mph, gusting 40-50 mph. The sky will be partly cloudy, and a few dry thunderstorms are possible in the afternoon.

Extended outlook forecast:

Wednesday remains hot with high fire danger. A FIRE WEATHER WATCH is posted for the afternoon.

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Two people who died following separate crashes in Pueblo County over the weekend have been identified.

According to the Pueblo County Coroner, they were 46-year-old Robert J. Hepler and 36-year-old Crystal M. Case.

Background Information

The first crash happened around 9:50 p.m. on Saturday along eastbound Highway 50 at milepost 312, which is located near the North Pueblo Boulevard interchange.

According to a preliminary report from the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), a pedestrian, later identified as Hepler, was crossing Highway 50 when he was hit by an SUV. Hepler was pronounced dead at the scene.

The second crash happened around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday along Highway 165 at milepost 36, which is located near Colorado City.

According to CSP's preliminary report, a woman, later identified as Case, was eastbound on Highway 165 heading toward I-25 when she failed to negotiate a right-hand curve and drove off the left shoulder.

CSP says Case hit a split rail fence. They also say she was ejected from the sedan after it rolled several times.

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Some homeowners in the High Meadows HOA in Colorado Springs say they are fed up with their homeowners association, claiming the board is not adhering to its own rules and regulations.

One frustration is based on a newer homeowner who built a chicken coop in their backyard, something residents say violates several HOA rules.

"This is our investment, the largest investment we make," said Michael Mascotti. "We've been here since the neighborhood first started. These are our forever homes."

Other residents echoed that sentiment.

"I watched my home go up from the dirt," said Michael Alexander. "They're checking if your yard is a half inch over what it should be, and others get away with murder."

The same message came up time and time again, not everyone in the High Meadows at Springs Ranch neighborhood is being held to the same standard.

Debbie Griffin lives next door to the chicken coop.

"It looks like a Jesus stable," said Griffin.

"It's also the pond they built for the chickens, it's sitting stagnant, and that will collect bacteria and mosquitoes," added Griffin's friend, Cindy Paris.

After reviewing the High Meadows Rules and Regulations, farm animals and chickens are not allowed. The chicken coop also appears to violate other HOA regulations, including rules about shed size, placement and building materials.

Elevation Management, the company that oversees all Springs Ranch HOAs, responded with a detailed explanation of why the coop was approved.

In a statement, a spokesperson said that while the HOA rules do state chickens are not allowed, city and state laws take precedence over HOA rules.

The spokesperson explained the hierarchy of HOA documents as follows with each level required to comply with those above it:

The spokesperson said all HOAs in Colorado are governed by the Colorado Common Interest Ownership Act (CCIOA), which was passed into the general assembly in 1991.

Because Colorado Springs city law allows residents to keep chickens within city limits, the association is required to allow them, even if its own rules say otherwise.

The spokesperson also addressed the timeline of the dispute, saying the issue had been resolved.

HOA attorney Robert Schifferdecker, a senior associate with Robinson & Henry who specializes in HOA law, had a nuanced take on the board's position.

"I agree with them that Colorado Springs allows chickens, I don't agree there's anything in CCIOA that prevents them enforcing their covenants that are more restrictive," said Schifferdecker.

Schifferdecker said the homeowner has two options, get involved with the HOA board to resolve the issue, or pursue a legal route.

"Either go after the homeowner for breach of covenant, or go after the HOA for failure to enforce the covenant," said Schifferdecker.

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June 8 is World Oceans Day a day officially designated by the United Nations to draw attention to the importance oceans play in our health and the health of the world.

Worldwide, 33 billion pounds of plastic enters the oceans every year. This year, one advocacy organization is drawing attention to the damage one particular type of plastic poses single-use plastic foam, commonly referred to as Styrofoam.

Plastic foam is one of the most problematic single-use plastics. It breaks apart really easily. It's really lightweight, and so it travels far and wide, but in the air and in the water too, said Christy Leavitt, a senior campaign director at Oceana.

When plastic foam breaks down into tiny pieces, animals like sea turtles and birds can end up eating it, causing significant health problems. And microplastic foam has been found in humans too.

So the building block of plastic foam is styrene. It's a building block for all polystyrene plastics, and polystyrene is classified as a probable carcinogen by the National Institute of Health, which means it probably causes cancer, Leavitt said. "There are a lot of health impacts of plastic foam, and it shouldn't be something that we are eating and drinking out of."

RELATED STORY | San Francisco has turned to AI to avoid collisions between ships and whales

Twelve states and over 250 counties and cities have passed legislation banning plastic foam in food ware. Washington, D.C. is one of those jurisdictions, and its laws go even further, also banning disposable coolers and packing peanuts.

We took a walk down to the banks of the Anacostia River in Washington D.C. to see what type of plastic pollution was floating in the water. While we found numerous plastic water bottles and soda bottles, we didnt see a lot of plastic foam.

If we had been here a little bit more than 10 years ago, we would have seen a lot more plastic foam. So, the good news is not only did D.C. put in place a policy, but so too did Montgomery County, Maryland, and Prince George's County, Maryland, which are all the jurisdictions that have tributaries that flow into the Anacostia River, so those all went into effect during 2016 and that means that the river got a lot cleaner, Leavitt explained.

In 2021, the Virginia legislature passed a plastic foam ban for restaurants, and it goes into full effect on July 1.

But one key question as more plastic foams bans are announced if not plastic foam, then what?

Leavitt says the best choice is reusable and refillable options. We need to move from the single-use plastics into more system wide change that relies on reusable products, refillable products, and that is for restaurants moving from that single-use plastic foam to having a cup that you could reuse, she said.

There is an upfront cost for restaurants and businesses that need to switch to more environmentally friendly products, but studies have shown those increased costs can be minimal, and the change can even bring savings down the line.

There are Democratic-led bills in Congress aiming to ban single-use plastic foam in food ware, disposable coolers, and in packing peanuts, but it's unclear if that effort is going to get any traction on Capitol Hill this year.

Donald Trump was booed loudly by fans inside Madison Square Garden when he was shown on video screens during the national anthem prior to Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night.

Trump was shown for several seconds giving a military salute. The boos ended when the U.S. flag followed him on the screens, and fans cheered when New York Knicks players were shown. Mentions of the San Antonio Spurs also elicited loud boos.

Trump is watching from Knicks owner James Dolans suite, along with granddaughter Kai, personal adviser Boris Epshteyn and Cabinet secretaries Lee Zeldin, Sean Duffy and Doug Burgum. He is the first sitting president to attend an NBA Finals game.

Trumps Marine One helicopter flew from his home in New Jersey and landed near Wall Street before his motorcade made its way up through Manhattan and to the arena roughly an hour before tipoff. He encountered a handful of people making rude gestures, and outside the area, one group held signs saying Trump must go.

He settled into Dolan's suite shortly afterward.

During the afternoon before Trump's arrival, the New York Police Department and the U.S. Secret Service set up a large perimeter surrounding Madison Square Garden. Fans lined up to get inside the arena more than four hours before tipoff, in a scene more closely resembling New Years Eve in Times Square than the usual leadup to a basketball game.

They were required to provide a ticket or pass to get past various checkpoints, along with going through a Transportation Security Administration-style magnetometer. Secret Service personnel and police were positioned at every corner and in large numbers. Daily commuters, tourists visiting Manhattan and fans were all confounded at various times as they tried to maneuver the security.

New Yorkers forced to adjust

After traveling from his new home in Florida for the game, Knicks fan Greg Weldon said the main inconvenience faced so far has been the lack of information.

Weve asked so many cops, secret service, guys with machine guns, what to do, where should we go, he said. Nobody knows.

Knicks coach Mike Brown and Spurs counterpart Mitch Johnson downplayed any concept of being inconvenienced by the closures and enhanced security because of Trump.

Theres a lot going on, and Id much rather be a part of it than not, Johnson said.

With security stepped up, a watch party outside was canceled, and ticket-holders were not allowed to bring bags inside the Garden. Fans had gathered near the arena to watch games during this playoff run, during which the Knicks have won 13 games in a row to reach the final for the first time since 1999 and move two victories from their first NBA title since 1973.

We are looking forward to bringing back watch parties for Game 4, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a news conference Monday. "But I think New Yorkers are used to presidents coming to town, and they understand that that generally means lockdowns of areas and thats what youre going to see tonight at the Garden.

RELATED STORY | President Trump confirms NBA Finals appearance, shrugs off $8,000 ticket prices

Incidents heighten attention to Trump's security

This is the latest major sporting event Trump has attended during his time as president, and the security measures have created major hassles for fans.

Thousands of fans missed the start of last years U.S. Open mens singles final between Carlos Alcaraz and Jannik Sinner because of lengthy security lines. Even though the U.S. Tennis Association pushed back the start of the match by a half-hour, many fans still couldnt get in because added measures meant that they had to go through screening not only when they arrived at the Billie Jean King National Tennis Center but again in front of the steps into Arthur Ashe Stadium, where Trump watched from a suite.

Federal law enforcement officials have been reexamining Trumps security in light of three incidents in the past two years: a shooting at a 2024 rally in Butler, Pennsylvania; the discovery of a man armed with a rifle as Trump played golf in West Palm Beach, Florida, later that year; and the recent shooting at the White House Correspondents Association dinner.

Asked Sunday his thoughts on Trump attending, Knicks center Mitchell Robinson said: Cool, I guess. We can still get out there and play (no matter) whos here and whos not.

Mayor Zohran Mamdani and other dignitaries were also at the game.

It was already hard enough for Knicks fans to get inside Madison Square Garden because of astronomical ticket prices. The get-in price for a ticket is higher than the average cost of monthly rent in New York, surging over $5,000. The best seats are tens of thousands of dollars. Mamdani said he bought his ticket, which he said was standing-room-only, for about $1,000 directly from Madison Square Garden.

The difficulty of seeing the game in-person has prompted fans to crowd bars, streets and watch parties all over the city. The watch party near the Garden has become a major event all through the playoffs, but with Trump attending, that event was moved a few blocks away outside the security perimeter, at Bryant Park.

We improvise, said Knicks guard Jose Alvarado, who is a New York native. "We're New Yorkers. Were going to find a way to watch a game, and thats what were doing.

El Paso County Facilities and Strategic Management has started accessibility improvements at Fountain Creek Regional Park, which is located off of North Santa Fe Avenue.

The project is part of El Paso County's ongoing commitment to improving accessibility, safety and ease of use at public facilities and community spaces.

Planned improvements near the park's westside parking area include the following:

Construction is expected to wrap up by the end of June.

During the improvement project, visitors may experience temporary impacts to parking and pedestrian access near the construction areas. Clearly marked signage will be posted to help visitors safely navigate the area during the project.

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Progressive city council member Nithya Raman has advanced to a November runoff against Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, setting up an unexpected matchup between two Democrats and former political allies to run the struggling city of nearly 4 million.

The outcome means Spencer Pratt, a Republican and former reality television personality from The Hills, is out of the running. His candidacy had drawn national attention because of his celebrity and willingness to challenge liberal governance in a city dominated by Democrats, but the buzz did not translate into enough votes to make the runoff.

Raman made a last-minute entry into the race, after she had endorsed Bass for reelection. She was elected to the council with the support of the Democratic Socialists of America, and the election will test whether voters in the heavily Democratic city want to move further to the political left to address long-running problems of homelessness, buckled streets and sidewalks and climbing rent and home prices.

The race also has historical markers. Bass is the first Black woman to hold the post, and Raman could be the first South Asian woman in the job.

The mayoral race was technically nonpartisan, so the candidates appeared on the ballot without party identification next to their names.

RELATED STORY | Spencer Pratt drops to 3rd place in Los Angeles mayor's race

The election was not a vote of confidence in Bass, who according to incomplete returns received under 35% of the vote, a vulnerable position for an incumbent.

Raman had been running in third until Sunday, but she gained more votes with every update provided by election officials in Los Angeles since June 2, primary day.

Bass represents the Democratic establishment as the incumbent mayor, and shes backed by Gov. Gavin Newsom, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, along with influential labor unions. She served in the state Legislature and Congress before becoming mayor in 2022 and was under consideration to be former President Joe Bidens running mate in 2020.

Raman in her first run for citywide office has promised to speed up housing construction, bring back entertainment industry jobs and improve services in a city known for dirty streets, gridlock and homeless encampments that are commonplace in many neighborhoods.

What we are doing right now is just not working, Raman says. LAs primary strategy for homelessness has been to move encampments from one block to another, from your block to your neighbors block and back again. ... Its political theater.

RELATED NEWS | Karen Bass advances to November runoff in Los Angeles mayors race

Californias vote count takes a long time

It took nearly a week to determine who would face Bass in November due to Californias notoriously slow vote-counting process. Ballots are mailed to every eligible voter and they are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive at an election office within seven days.

Los Angeles, like other counties in California, processes and counts mail ballots in roughly the order they are received, so the last ones returned are the last ones counted.

On Tuesday night after polls closed, Los Angeles released results from mail ballots that had been returned early and already processed as well as votes cast that day. Those votes put Bass in the lead with Pratt running in second and Raman behind in third. Since then, the county has been processing and releasing results from mail ballots that arrived later.

Election data shows that large numbers of Democrats held onto their mail ballots and returned them in the races final days, which helps explain why Bass and Raman have been doing better than Pratt in the votes counted since primary day.

Ramans political positions have shifted

Born in India, Raman moved to the United States as a child and earned degrees from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where she studied urban planning.

She has opposed efforts to prohibit homeless people from setting up tents within 500 feet (152 meters) of schools and daycare centers. However, she appears to have softened her opposition to no-camping zones, which were intended to curb the spread of encampments and clear streets. She voted against dozens of them on the council but later said she would not block them if elected mayor.

Ramans positions on policing in the city have also changed.

She once talked of a department that would be much smaller and posted defund the police on social media in 2020. She did not support the mayors 2023 police contract, which she said was too expensive for the financially strapped city.

More recently, she said the Los Angeles Police Department should remain at its current size, about 8,600, down from about 10,000 in 2020. The police union has taunted her in ads, calling her Flip Floppin Raman.

In diverse Los Angeles, mayors are elected by building coalitions, ethnically and geographically. And to surpass 50% of the vote and win, Raman will need to find more supporters.

I dont think its impossible, but she is going to have to expand beyond her ideological base, said Democratic consultant Bill Carrick, who sees Bass as vulnerable.

The people who didnt vote for Nithya werent voting against her, they were voting for somebody else. Karen (Bass) had a good number of people who were voting against her, Carrick added.

Though Raman and Pratt are political opposites, both have attracted voters who arent happy with the citys status quo.

Tanika Vickers, who works for a housing nonprofit in Los Angeles, said that she felt like she was part of a group of people who work and pay taxes but have been forgotten. She said she was frustrated with the way tax dollars were being spent, especially throwing more money toward homelessness without results.

She said she voted Raman for mayor because she was most qualified to execute her plans and fulfill what the city needs.

I think that we are all looking for change, she said.

President Trump demanded Israel and Iran stop shooting after a new round of fire between the countries briefly escalated tension in the Middle East before appearing to calm Monday.

The strikes stood to threaten the ceasefire, a wider conflict in the Middle East and efforts to reach a deal between Iran and the United States.

Trump said negotiations were proceeding.

Iran opened fire towards Israel Sunday after Israel targeted an area in southern Beirut, in Lebanon. Israel's military said it had struck the area in response to Hezbollahs fire on northern communities in Israel. Israel's targets included a petrochemical plant, according to an Israeli military spokesperson.

The Iranian backed Houthis also announced it launched a missile towards Israel.

"Israel and Iran must immediately stop 'shooting,'" Trump wrote on social media Monday.

He said each nation was looking for an immediate ceasefire.

President Trump spoke with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday, according to a White House official.

Irans military announced a cessation of operations via state media, but warned of further measures if aggression continued, including in southern Lebanon. Netanyahu acknowledged the stop in fire, citing Irans own halt.

If the terrorist regime in Iran makes the mistake of attacking us again, we will respond with force, Netanyahu said in an address. Israel has every right to self-defense, and we will exercise that right whenever necessary. I say this to you just as I say it, with appreciation and respect, in my good conversations with my friend President Trump. With unity, determination, and wisdom, we will defend the State of Israel.

RELATED NEWS | Israel and Iran trade strikes, threatening return to full-scale Middle East war

President Trump in recent weeks appeared to express frustration with Netanyahu as Israel carried out operations against Hezbollah in Lebanon, as the U.S. mediated a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon.

Axios reported Trump called Netanyahu crazy in a call earlier in the month, after actions in Lebanon appeared to prompt Iran to threaten to leave negotiations at the time.

But Trump has touted his relationship with Netanyahu still, noting they were on the same page in an interview with NBC News' "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker last week.

We get along very well. We've been great comrades. We did a very, very, big number on a certain country that was nothing but trouble for 47 years. I disagree with him on a couple of things I'd like to see, Trump told Welker, but added that hed like to see a more surgical attack on Hezbollah.

Axios reports Trump told the outlet he warned Netanyahu he could be fighting alone if he went back to war with Iran.

There's been conflict going on, despite the fact that there is a ceasefire. Whether the trading of fire between Israel and Iran ultimately unravels the broader effort to reach a durable end to this conflict remains to be seen, said Steven A. Cook, a senior fellow for Middle Eastern studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. I will say this. The Iranians, almost immediately after the Israelis responded, said that they were going to stand down. It seems what the Iranians were doing were testing whether Trump could restrain the Israelis, and when the Iranians fire missiles on Israel, there is no way that the president can get the Israelis to stand down. It's just runs counter to their defense doctrine."

While Cook said Operations Roaring Lion and Epic Fury had helped repair the relationship between Trump and Netanyahu from the presidents first term through, he noted a difference in strategic goals.

It was an unprecedented level of military cooperation, but their strategic goals were quite different, and those strategic goals are now abundantly clear, and the president, like previous presidents, is looking for a negotiated way out, whereas, as the Israelis don't believe a negotiated way out will ultimately ameliorate or mitigate their security concerns about Iran and Hezbollah, Cook said.

RELATED STORY | Israel says Iran launched missiles at it in the first such bombardment during fragile ceasefire

Meanwhile, efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran continued, though Trump noted the U.S. blockade of the Strait of Hormuz would remain in place until a deal is reached.

Trump wrote on social media that Final negotiations on Peace are proceeding, subject to ignorance or stupidity getting in its way. The Blockade will remain in place, and in full force and effect, until a Final Deal is reached. Things should move quickly.

It was not immediately clear Monday how the negotiations were proceeding.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian wrote on X Diplomacy and defense are the two wings of national power; we have neither abandoned the field nor the negotiating table.

Other stakeholders continued to urge peace. IAEA director general Rafael Grossi called the negotiations in a complicated phase during a meeting Monday with the board of governors, while Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif urged space for negotiations.

As we work earnestly and painstakingly, together with our brothers and partners, to find a peaceful diplomatic solution to the conflict, and especially when the final objective is just about to be achieved, we sincerely urge all sides to exercise restraint and give peace a little more chance, Sharif wrote.

Some analysts still acknowledged strategic alignment between Israel and the US broadly.

I think, again, fundamentally there is alignment on big picture strategic interests between the US and Israel, and how we see the broader region. I think that's an alignment that has lasted for decades, and will continue to be this, be there on this tactical situation, said Alex Gray, CEO of American Global Strategies, who served as National Security Council chief of staff during Trumps first term.

I think that the Netanyahu government does not see restraint as an imperative in this situation the way the Trump administration does. There's no question about that. I think that the relationship will continue to be one of the president pursuing what he sees to be the U.S. interest, and ultimately the Netanyahu government  be very candid about it  the Netanyahu government is reliant on the United States in many ways, militarily, diplomatically, and they're going ultimately, I think, having they're going to fall in line behind the leadership of President Trump, even if there's a bit of tactical tension between now and then, Gray said.

The Trump administration expects further talks between Israel and Lebanon, according to a source familiar.

Ballots for Colorado's primary election started being mailed out to registered voters on Monday. Voters will decide who they would like to nominate in several races, including the following federal and state offices:

The last day to mail in your ballot is June 22. To register to vote, or view or change your record, click here.

Election Day is on Tuesday, June 30.

To view election information, including sample ballots, drop boxes and where to vote, click on your county below:

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The Colorado Department of Local Affairs (DOLA) has opened up applications for their June round of emergency rental assistance.

The program helps Coloradans who've fallen behind on rent. You can get up to seven months of rent, or $10,000. Your income cannot exceed 60% of the median income.

Applicants are entered into a random selection and then will be sent an email to complete a full application on the online portal.

The window is open from now until 5 p.m. Wednesday.

To fill out the application and for frequently asked questions, visit DOLA's website. If you need help completing the application, you can call the CARE Center at (303)838-1200.

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El Paso County is hosting its 2026 Veterans Expo this Wednesday at the Pikes Peak Center for the Performing Arts, giving veterans, their families, and active-duty service members a chance to connect with more than 100 vendors offering benefits assistance and support resources.

Attendees can get help filing or re-filing benefit claims, meet with support groups and sit in on informational classes.

Charles Graves with El Paso County Veteran Services said navigating the benefits system can be an overwhelming experience for many veterans.

"It can be extremely difficult and frustrating for veterans. They have a question, they don't know who to call, and so many times they will call us, and we do have many of those resources available," said Graves.

The expo aims to cut through that confusion by bringing resources directly to veterans in one place.

"Getting their questions answered, getting questions answered that they didn't know that they had, finding out about benefits that are available to them that they didn't know that they had, and also all the different resources that help veterans in the area," said Graves.

The expo kicks off at 9 a.m. this Wednesday. Free parking is available at the county parking garage behind the center and at the Olympic Museum.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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Colorado Parks and Wildlife invited resident and nonresident anglers of all ages to participate in Free Fishing Weekend, waiving all fishing license and habitat stamp requirements.

The state offers more than 35 warm and cold-water species across 6,000 miles of streams and more than 1,300 lakes and reservoirs.

Anglers still had to follow any posted signs about water closures and all standard fishing regulations during the free weekend.

On Sunday, many people were out enjoying the warm weather, lining the banks of Quail Lake, hoping to catch some fish.

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Theres no shortage of competitive, high-stakes races and candidates with famous last names in Maines state primary on Tuesday.

Primaries for U.S. Senate and U.S. House will set the stage for a midterm general election in which Maine is expected to play a critical role in deciding control of both chambers. Maine voters will also have the opportunity in November to demonstrate the states fiercely independent streak when it comes to electing a new governor.

The races feature the son of a U.S. senator, the daughter of a congresswoman, the brother of a former governor and the nephew and cousin of two presidents.

Republican Sen. Susan Collins is unopposed for renomination to a sixth term, which would put her on track to become the chambers longest-serving member from Maine.

Collins, the only Senate Republican to represent a state that Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris carried in 2024, is a pivotal figure in the effort to win control of the chamber in November. The 51% of the vote she received in her 2020 election bid was her poorest showing since the 49% she received in her first successful run in 1996. She is frequently at the top of Democrats list of incumbents to oust, but her Democratic opponents have never surpassed the 44% mark in her five previous races.

RELATED NEWS | Supreme Court allows Alabama to use congressional map favoring Republicans in this year's elections

Graham Platner is the leading contender for the Democratic nomination to challenge Collins. Hes a Marine and U.S. Army veteran who took up oyster farming following combat tours in Iraq and Afghanistan. Platner originally faced a competitive primary against Gov. Janet Mills, the preferred candidate among some national Democratic leaders, but the second-term governor dropped out of the race in April citing fundraising challenges.

Platner has two remaining primary opponents, one of them a write-in candidate. Mills is still on the ballot, despite suspending her campaign.

As of May 20, Platner led all candidates, including Collins, in fundraising for the cycle, although Collins sat atop a larger war chest.

He received key early backing from Vermont U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, who reiterated his support despite recent allegations that Platner had sent sexually explicit text messages to several women while married. Platner was embroiled in another controversy earlier in the campaign regarding a tattoo he once had that was recognized as a Nazi symbol.

In the 2nd Congressional District, Democratic U.S. Rep. Jared Golden announced in November that he would not seek a fifth term in a district Trump won in 2024, along with its one electoral vote. Maine is one of two states that allocates some of its presidential electoral votes by congressional district.

The Democratic field to replace Golden includes former congressional aide Jordan Wood, state Auditor Matt Dunlap and state Sen. Joe Baldacci, brother of Democratic former Gov. John Baldacci.

The winner will face former two-term Republican Gov. Paul LePage, who is unopposed for the nomination.

Wood has far outraised the field, including LePage, in campaign contributions, although LePage had the most money in the bank as of May 20.

RELATED STORY | Bernie Sanders backs Platner in Maine Senate race despite sexting scandal

In the gubernatorial primaries, state Secretary of State Shenna Bellows, former state Senate President Troy Jackson, renewable energy company co-founder Angus King III, former state House Speaker Hannah Pingree and former Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Deputy Director Nirav Shah all seek the Democratic nomination.

The Republican field includes former healthcare CEO Jonathan Bush, former U.S. State Department official Bobby Charles, former state Senate Majority Leader Garrett Mason and businessman Ben Midgley.

King is the son of independent U.S. Sen. Angus King. Pingree is the daughter of Democratic U.S. Rep. Chellie Pingree. Bush is related to Republican former Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.

The governors office in Maine frequently changes party hands. The state hasnt elected consecutive governors from the same party in 74 years.

Maine is divided into 16 counties, but elections are run by the states hundreds of cities and towns, a practice common in New England. Portland is by far Maines most populous city and forms the heart of the states Democratic base. The two congressional districts largely track with the states political demographics. The 1st Congressional District along the Southern Maine Coast is heavily Democratic, while the massive 2nd District to the north includes the bulk of the smaller, more rural areas where Trump performed best.

The state uses a ranked-choice voting system in which voters rank the candidates in order of preference. If no candidate receives a majority of first-place votes, the last-place candidate is dropped, and votes cast for that candidate are reallocated among the rest of the field according to the preferences of the dropped candidates voters. This process repeats until one candidate emerges with a majority of votes.

According to the U.S. Geological Survey, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake was confirmed off the coast of Cuba.

The National Weather Service in Miami says the earthquake occurred just after 2 p.m., west of Cuba in the southern Gulf. They say reports of shaking have been reported across southwestern Florida.

The National Tsunami Warning Center says there is "no tsunami danger for the U.S. east coast, the Gulf of America states, or the eastern coast of Canada."

A 4.0 earthquake occurred off the coast of Florida, northeast of Vero Beach, in 2024, and was felt in Indian River County. A 7.7 earthquake was felt in Miami and across South Florida in 2020.

Audra Schroeder

The Nashville Zoo is pushing back against a proposal to build a nearly 70,000-square-foot data center on the edge of its property in South Nashville, warning the project could harm thousands of animals including some of the rarest in the world.

DC Blox, the company behind the proposal, wants to build the facility in the Grassmere Business Park, directly adjacent to the zoo property. An online petition against the project has gathered more than 180,000 signatures.

Nashville Zoo CEO Rick Schwartz said the facility's potential light and noise pollution pose a serious threat to the zoo's 3,000 animals.

RELATED STORY | Inside the secretive data centers powering the AI boom

"We have some of the most delicate and rarest animals in the world, specifically our clouded leopard, which is our signature species. We've bred more than anyone else in the world. We just had our 50th baby born, and they're very sensitive to mechanical noises and light infiltration," Schwartz said.

Schwartz said DC Blox has not engaged with the zoo about its concerns. He is calling on the public to get involved before the city makes a final decision.

"We want the community to do exactly that, to stand with us to help fight against this data center. There's got to be a better place that it can go instead of around the number one attraction that's focused on animals and children," Schwartz said.

The zoo drew 1.4 million visitors in 2025 and is preparing for what Schwartz calls the largest project in its history.

"It'll be a $65 million exhibit featured around Indonesia. [It] has orangutans, clouded leopards, tree kangaroos, underwater viewing of otters, giant hornbills, bird of paradise. It's going to be an amazing project," Schwartz said.

Zoo leaders had also hoped the site could potentially be used for a children's education and conservation center.

In a statement to the Scripps News Group station in Nashville, DC Blox said it is committed to minimizing its impact on the surrounding area:

Data centers are large facilities filled with computer servers that keep the internet running. They require massive amounts of electricity and water to operate. Tennessee is already home to 60 data centers, and the Tennessee Valley Authority expects data center growth to double by 2030.

A new state law passed this year requires data center developers to pay for their own infrastructure costs, aiming to prevent utility companies from raising power bills to cover the increased energy demand.

Zoo leaders are asking the community to stay involved in the public process before the city makes a final decision.

This story was originally published by Patsy Montesinos with the Scripps News Group station in Nashville.

A federal lawsuit seeks to halt the upcoming UFC fight card on the White House South Lawn in a mixed martial arts show timed for President Donald Trump's 80th birthday and part of the celebration of the nation's 250th anniversary.

The filing Saturday by the Public Integrity Project on behalf of two Virginia residents contends the Trump administration's authorization of the June 14 event was unlawful. The lawsuit says such approval violated National Park Service regulations prohibiting sporting events on federal parklands, Congress did not consent to the towering arch overlooking the event space and no environmental review was conducted before the construction.

"This is fundamentally a private, commercial, corrupt use of our most sacred national monuments for private gain," said Brendan Ballou, a lawyer for the plaintiffs. "And that is what is motivating this lawsuit."

RELATED STORY | Trump says UFC structure on White House lawn could stay up permanently

The White House said in a statement that the legal challenge was "an obstructionist, baseless, and dilatory" attempt to prevent Trump from hosting the fight and that the event was "no different than the various other White House-hosted events on the South Lawn and properly permitted events on the Ellipse and National Mall throughout the year."

UFC did not immediately respond to a request for comment Sunday.

Crews are erecting an octagon-shaped cage on the South Lawn. Trump has said the finished UFC project will feature "a 5,000-seat arena right outside the front door of the White House." Additional large screens broadcasting the fights will be set up in a park at the nearby Ellipse, and the UFC has said it plans to issue as many as 85,000 free tickets to accommodate spectators at both locations.

The octagon and surrounding structures are the latest project in the White House building boom Trump is leading.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Trump says White House UFC fight will take place on his 80th birthday

A lawyer who represented Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for nearly a decade over accusations of corruption and securities fraud is supporting Democrat James Talarico and not his former client in one of the biggest U.S. Senate races.

Talarico on Monday drew attention to his campaign winning the endorsement of Houston attorney Dan Cogdell, who was part of Paxton's defense team during the Republican's historic impeachment trial in 2023 that ended in acquittal.

The legal troubles that shadowed Paxton in public office in Texas are a central attack line of Talarico's campaign, though in his endorsement, Cogdell didnt cite concerns about his client's past.

Cogdell said he didnt dislike Paxton as a person and felt that Texas lawmakers were right to eventually acquit the attorney general. But as a politician, Cogdell said, Paxton is too focused on appeasing President Donald Trump.

I worked my ass off for the man for nine years, Cogdell said in an interview with The Associated Press. But thats a different inquiry, my obligation to Ken ended at the courthouse steps and my obligation as a citizen is to do what I think is the right thing.

Cogdell said Texas needs a lot of work, pointing to education and health care, and to simply bootlick or rubber stamp Trump, thats not what we need in D.C. right now. He also recently spoke to Talarico at length on Cogdell's podcast.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Political headwinds mount for Republicans as midterms approach amid Iran war and economic anxiety

Asked for comment, an aide to Paxtons campaign said Cogdell is a Democrat and called the endorsement unsurprising.

The lead defense attorney in Paxton's impeachment trial, Tony Buzbee, reiterated that on X. Buzbee added that he was supporting Paxton in the race.

Cogdell said he's a registered Democrat, but considers himself a moderate, and has voted and donated more to Republicans than Democrats.

Talarico has given Democrats hope of flipping the statewide seat in Texas blue as the party scrambles to retake control of the U.S. Senate in November.

Paxtons insurgent campaign beat Sen. John Cornyn in the Republican Senate primary runoff last month, helped by a Trump endorsement in the final days of the race.

New York is buzzing with excitement ahead of Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

The Knicks will host the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night with a 2-0 lead in the series.

"I just want them to keep doing what they're doing," one New Yorker said. "I'm in awe. I'm in shock."

That excitement is sweeping through a city whose team is competing in the NBA Finals for the first time in nearly three decades.

"It's been 27 years," another fan told Scripps News. "We haven't had anything. For us to be able to do this now I always told everybody, if we could do it while I'm still alive, I'm thankful and grateful."

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | NBA's board of governors passes anti-tanking changes to draft lottery

Fans say the Knicks' playoff run has brought New Yorkers together and created a renewed sense of community across the city.

"Maybe it is the Knicks effect, but people are excited and happy and feeling more relaxed and not as stressed out in general," New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

Security has been tightened around Madison Square Garden as President Donald Trump, a native New Yorker, and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani are expected to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals. The two, despite sharp political differences, appear to have a friendly relationship.

Tipoff for Game 3 is set for 8:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

A California startup believes its solar-powered vehicle could reshape the electric vehicle market.

Steve Fambro, co-CEO of Aptera Motors, said the company's three-wheeled electric vehicle is designed to generate enough solar energy to add up to 40 miles of driving range per day.

"The Aptera can drive on a full charge about 400 miles," Fambro said in an interview with Scripps News. "About 40 of it would be covered by solar."

The company says drivers who travel less than 40 miles daily would rarely need to plug in the vehicle.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Ferrari unveils Luce, its first fully electric sports car

Fambro said weather conditions can affect solar charging but noted the vehicle can still generate power on cloudy days. During overcast conditions in Southern California, he estimated the vehicle could still gain between 30 and 40 miles of range, while rainy weather could cut that roughly in half.

Aptera's design stands out from traditional passenger vehicles because it uses three wheels instead of four. Fambro said the configuration helps improve efficiency by reducing weight and allowing for a more aerodynamic shape.

With a target price of $40,000, the company currently has about 50,000 pre-orders for the vehicle, Fambro said.

On desolate dry land, about 40 miles south of Santa Fe, New Mexico, sits a sprawling estate mostly ignored by people passing by on the nearby highway.

The property, in the town of Stanley, is notorious for its former owner, the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, who bought the property in 1993.

Now, the estate, known as Zorro Ranch, is back in the spotlight as state lawmakers probe Epsteins alleged crimes at the home, what investigators may have missed and what federal authorities may have withheld.

The word Zorro appears nearly 14,000 times in files connected to Epstein released by the Department of Justice, but the land has never been searched by federal authorities, and unredacted files have not been turned over to the New Mexico Department of Justice for its ongoing investigation.

Federal investigators told New Mexico attorney general to stand down

Former New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas first started looking into Epstein and the Zorro Ranch in 2019.

Allegations of crimes committed at the property include rape, sexual assault of minors, forced births and eugenics, according to accounts from Epstein survivors, their diary entries, and from the millions of files released by the Department of Justice.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Bondi says Blanche led Epstein review, cites privilege on Trump discussions

Months before Epstein was arrested in 2019, Balderas says he was well into building a state case and had just returned from interviewing an Epstein survivor when he received a call from the Southern District of New York.

"They were concerned that we were getting parallel interviews from the same survivors they were going to use in an aggressive prosecution as well, Balderas told the Scripps News Group in April.

Balderas paused the state probe, saying federal officials had the bigger hammer at the time. In exchange, he says he was promised by then-Assistant U.S. Attorney Maureen Comey that the DOJ would share evidence about the case and allow Balderas to pursue state charges down the road.

That never happened and federal investigators never executed a search warrant on the property.

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT | Former Epstein assistant alleges sexual assault by ex-Miami Beach mayor, celebrity hairstylist

I think that they absolutely impacted our case, and I don't think that they were forthright, and I don't they were operating in good faith," Balderas said.

Now, Balderas wishes he had continued to pursue the state case.

"We would have absolutely gone alone and bet on the case that we currently had at the time," Balderas said.

A buried tip

Around the same time Balderas was working the case, local radio host Eddy Aragon received an emailed tip from someone who claimed to have worked on the ranch, alleging the bodies of two foreign girls were buried in the hills outside the Zorro.

Aragon says he sent that tip to the FBI, and there was no follow-up.

A Scripps News search of the DOJ files shows the FBI didn't enter Aragon's report into the system until 2021 two years after he submitted it.

"I don't think anybody investigated it, Aragon said. Would you think if we entered it three years later, like nothing was done?"

That tip never made it from the FBIs desk in New York to Balderas office in New Mexico.

Balderas says he only learned about that email this year after Congress voted to release the so-called Epstein files.

Im very angry, Balderas said. "They didn't meet the standard of what a good prosecution team should be working and collaborating with other partners.

Epstein leased land from the state

The hills outside the Zorro mentioned in the allegation sent to Aragon could potentially refer to state land that Epstein leased from New Mexico, extending far beyond his estates property line.

That state-leased land would have fallen under Balderas jurisdiction to investigate.

Stephanie Garcia Richard oversees that land as New Mexicos Commissioner of Public Lands. Her office initially discovered Aragons email in the released files.

"As soon as I saw that, my heart dropped," Garcia Richard said. What if the allegations were true?

When asked whether she had real concern that bodies could be buried on or near the Zorro Ranch property, Garcia Richard said the possibility exists.

"We do know there are missing individuals, she said. Those girls ... their bodies have not been recovered. So, you know, there is a potential there.

RELATED STORY | New Mexico's Epstein 'Truth Commission' issues 14 subpoenas at inaugural meeting

The ranch was between 7,500 and 10,000 acres, but Epstein added a 1,200-acre buffer zone through a lease of land from the state. That additional land makes the search for those alleged buried bodies even more challenging. The 2023 sale of the property to former Texas state senator Don Huffines could make a future investigation even more challenging.

There has been a long span between 2019 and today. We don't know the state of the, you know, the evidence now, Garcia Richard said.

State lawmakers seek answers

Now, a group of New Mexico state lawmakers are seeking more answers on alleged crimes at the Zorro Ranch and what authorities may have missed.

Republican State Representative Andrea Reeb is among four lawmakers on the bipartisan Epstein Truth Commission formed earlier this year. She feels Balderas should have taken more action when he was probing the case.

You hear, Oh, well, we didn't have the charges or the statutes to charge what the feds could have charged, but we had criminal sexual penetration of a minor for all different ages; one of them carries 18 years in prison. We had, may not have had trafficking of humans or sex trafficking charges, but we had enough that we could have definitely gotten some serious jail time on Mr. Epstein.

Reeb says she would have indicted the case had she been told by federal officials to pause it.

She doesnt accuse Balderas of wrongdoing, but said it was a missed opportunity.

Balderas counters that belief.

We were still building a case, he said. We were as transparent as we needed to be at that time.

For its part, the Truth Commission announced Monday it will issue 14 subpoenas in connection with its probe. The subpoenas are not directed at specific individuals but target the Epstein Estate, as well as banks and other entities tied to Epstein or related investigations.

Whether the Commission, the New Mexico DOJ or the federal government will get true justice for survivors is still very much an open question. But for many, justice starts with getting more answers.

I'm convinced that those answers are not in the documents that have been released, Balderas said. But they're in the millions of documents that are currently being withheld.

Two more cases of the New World screwworm have been confirmed in Texas, demonstrating the difficulty of stopping the spread of a pest that could potentially devastate the nation's cattle industry, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced Monday.

The screwworm is actually a fly, which produces a larva that eats live flesh instead of dead material. Females lay their eggs in open wounds of any warm-blooded animal, such as cattle, but wildlife, pets and occasionally even humans can be infested.

The USDA said the new cases were found in a calf and a dog, hundreds of miles apart in La Salle and Andrews counties. That brings the total number of confirmed cases to four. The screwworm was first discovered in a 3-week-old calf last week, and a second case was found only miles away in a young calf.

RELATED STORY | Quarantine ordered for animals in parts of South Texas after screwworm detected

"While we address these instances that require immediate attention, and continue to sample suspected cases, we are simultaneously working to eradicate the pest entirely," Dudley Hoskins, the USDA's marketing and regulatory undersecretary, said in a statement.

Before it was eliminated in the U.S. in the 1960s, the fly was an annual warm-weather scourge of cattle ranchers.

The USDA and the U.S. cattle industry have been racing to prevent an infestation since the pest was detected in Mexico late in 2024 after decades of being contained at the southern end of Panama.

The government fights the fly by breeding sterile male flies, which then mate with wild females that only mate once in their monthslong life. By mating with sterile flies, the females don't produce more flies and outbreaks can eventually be halted.

RELATED STORY | Screwworm fly detected in Texas decades after cattle threat was largely eradicated in US

The USDA has announced plans to increase sterile fly production in plants outside the U.S. while it builds a fly factory in Texas.

USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins will be briefed on the infestation Monday afternoon at the U.S. Livestock Insects Research Laboratory in Kerrville, Texas.

Stacey King, who played on three consecutive NBA championship teams with the Chicago Bulls from 1991-93 before returning to the organization as an Emmy-winning, fan-favorite broadcaster, has died. He was 59.

The Bulls announced that King died Sunday and said they were notified by a family member. No other details were immediately available.

"Stacey King was a cherished member of the Bulls family and one of the truly unique personalities in our organization's history," Bulls chairman Jerry Reinsdorf said in a statement. "His connection to Chicago, the Bulls and our fans spanned more than three decades first as a player and later as the unmistakable voice that helped bring Bulls basketball into the homes of generations of fans. We will miss him deeply and remember the joy, energy, humor, candor and passion he brought to our organization, our broadcasts and our fans every day. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones."

King began his NBA playing career with the Bulls, who selected the 6-foot-11 forward/center out of Oklahoma with the sixth overall pick in the 1989 draft. He averaged 6.6 points and 3.3 rebounds over his five seasons with the Bulls.

He played a total of eight seasons in the NBA during a career that also included stops in Minnesota, Miami, Boston and Dallas. King posted career averages of 6.4 points and 3.3 rebounds.

As a broadcaster, King endeared himself to a new generation of Bulls supporters. He spent more than two decades as a commentator on Bulls games.

"Stacey loved being a Bull," Bulls president and CEO Michael Reinsdorf said in a statement. "You could feel it in everything he did the way he played, the way he called games and the way he connected with our fans. He had a unique gift for bringing people together and making every game feel personal. He brought an energy and love for the game that came through in every broadcast, helping fans feel connected to our team. Whether it was through a broadcast, a conversation or a photo with a fan, Stacey made people feel seen and valued.

"We were fortunate to know him not only as a player and broadcaster, but as a friend. Stacey genuinely cared about people, and he made our organization better. We will miss him dearly, and his impact, memory and legacy will remain a part of the Chicago Bulls forever."

Chicago Sports Network president and CEO Michael McCarthy called King "one of the most beloved figures in Chicago sports."

"Stacey had a unique ability to connect generations of Bulls fans," McCarthy said. "Whether through his basketball insight, his humor, or his unforgettable calls, he made every game more enjoyable and every broadcast better."

King delighted fans with his memorable calls and nicknames. His enthusiasm was apparent every time the Bulls hit a big shot.

"We enjoy what we do," King said last month on his "Gimme the Hot Sauce" podcast, a reference to a comment he'd frequently make after big plays. "It's a fun job. It never seems like work for me. Every night, I go to work, win, lose or draw, I'm having fun."

Six people were injured in a stabbing inside New York's Penn Station on Sunday evening, authorities said, less than a day before thousands of fans are expected to descend on neighboring Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals.

A suspect was taken into custody after the attack, which unfolded around 7 p.m. in one of the nation's busiest transportation hubs. The sprawling rail complex beneath Madison Square Garden serves Amtrak, Long Island Rail Road, NJ Transit and New York City subway lines and is used by hundreds of thousands of commuters and travelers each day.

Paramedics found one victim with serious injuries, two with moderate injuries and two with minor injuries, according to the city's fire department. All five were taken to Bellevue Hospital. Another person, whose condition was not immediately known, was transported to a separate hospital.

ICYMI | At least 12 people shot at an Ohio festival and a search for suspects is still ongoing, police say

Authorities did not immediately release details about what led to the stabbing or whether the victims were targeted.

By late Sunday, the immediate chaos had given way to a familiar Penn Station scene. Travelers wheeled luggage past a roped-off area near Tracks 5 and 6 where medical gloves, discarded bandages and traces of blood still marked the floor.

The violence erupted as New York prepared for one of its biggest sports events in decades. Monday night's matchup between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs will be the first NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden since 1999 and is expected to draw massive crowds to the arena.

ICYMI | Man killed by FBI after holding 10 hostages in California building for over 15 hours

President Donald Trump has said he plans to attend the nationally televised game, prompting extensive security involving the Secret Service, New York Police Department and other agencies around Madison Square Garden and the surrounding blocks. Authorities did not immediately indicate whether the stabbing would affect security plans for the game.

Amtrak police said they were investigating the stabbing and had taken a suspect into custody. Authorities did not immediately release the suspect's identity or provide information about potential charges.

Days after Californias primary, Nithya Raman and Spencer Pratt are still waiting to see who makes the November runoff for Los Angeles mayor against incumbent Karen Bass.

The race was still too early to call on Sunday as the vote tally showed Raman moving into second place behind Bass for the first time since Tuesday, when voting ended and the count began. That puts Raman, a progressive city council member, ahead of Pratt, a former reality television personality from The Hills.

Raman had been running in third, but she has gained more votes than Pratt with every update provided by election officials in Los Angeles since Tuesday.

Vote counting in California is a notoriously slow process because state law practically mandates a drawn-out tally. Ballots are mailed to every eligible voter and they are counted if they are postmarked by Election Day and arrive at an election office within seven days.

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Los Angeles, like other counties in California, processes and counts mail ballots in roughly the order they are received, so the last ones returned are the last ones counted.

On Tuesday night after polls closed, Los Angeles released results from mail ballots that had been returned early and already processed as well as votes cast that day. Since then, the county has been processing and releasing results from mail ballots that arrived later.

Election data shows that large numbers of Democrats held onto their mail ballots and returned them in the races final days, which helps explain why Bass and Raman have been doing better than Pratt in the votes counted since primary day.

The mayors race is nonpartisan, so none of the candidates had party identification next to their names on the ballot. Raman and Bass are both Democrats, while Pratt is a Republican.

On election night, Bass held a 4.4 percentage point lead over Pratt, who in turn had an 8.1-point lead over Raman. Since then, Bass lead over Pratt has grown to nearly 8 points while Raman now leads Pratt by about 0.4 points, or 3,100 votes. The Associated Press estimates there are a little less than 150,000 ballots left to be counted.

The slow count has prompted claims of fraud, without providing evidence, from some Republicans, including President Donald Trump, who said his Department of Justice would investigate.

The president suggested that the states Democrats were somehow cheating so that two candidates he favors Pratt and Republican Steve Hilton in the governors race would be bumped from the top two slots and therefore be ineligible for the November general election. Democrat Xavier Becerra has advanced to the general election in the governors race but The AP has not yet called the second slot. Hilton leads Democrat Tom Steyer by 4.3 points in the race to advance to the general election as the second-place candidate, though his lead has been nearly cut in half since election night.

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The general election in Los Angeles is likely to be a referendum on Basss leadership regardless of whether she faces Raman or Pratt. But the two would come at the campaign from very different directions.

Pratt, a conservative, would mount a more aggressive challenge to liberal governance in the city dominated by Democrats. He has made reducing homelessness a key part of his campaign, and hes sharply criticized Basss leadership during the January 2025 wildfire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood that destroyed his home and thousands of others. His candidacy had drawn outsized attention because of his celebrity, but its unclear if the buzz will translate into enough votes to make the runoff.

Raman, meanwhile, is taking on Bass from the left. She has promised to speed up housing construction, bring back entertainment industry jobs and improve services in a city known for dirty streets and buckled pavement. She was elected to the council with the backing of the Democratic Socialists of America, though the group did not make a formal endorsement in the mayors race. Her last-minute candidacy was a surprise after she endorsed Bass for reelection earlier.

The term 8647 appeared almost 5,000 times in public comments submitted via controversial QR codes that were posted at National Park Service (NPS) sites last year.

That same term led to the indictment of former FBI Director James Comey in April by the Department of Justice (DOJ), claiming it constituted a threat against the life of President Trump.

Taking an apparently similar stance, a spokesperson for the Department of the Interior (DOI) said any threat against the President is taken very seriously by the Department, and this type of behavior will not be tolerated when asked about how many QR code comments wrote 8647.

The QR codes were put up following President Trumps Restoring Truth and Sanity to American History Executive Order issued last March, in which Trump claimed there has been a decade-long effort to cast American history in a negative light.

Signs that accompanied the QR codes encouraged NPS visitors to report, amongst other issues, anything that might be deemed negative towards Americans or American history.

The signs led to nationwide backlash by park advocates, concerned about the possibility of whitewashing or revisionist history.

In a massive public records dump last month, the DOI released a spreadsheet of 35,700 comments submitted via the QR codes after KOAA filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request.

About 13% of those comments had the term 8647, though many of the instances appeared to be a copy and paste across multiple NPS sites.

In Colorados southeastern NPS sites, for example, 8647 appeared 15 times out of over 250 comments at Amache National Historic Site. At the nearby Sand Creek Massacre site, the term appeared nine times out of nearly 200 comments.

Americans rely on our national parks to tell the truth about our history the good parts and the bad. #8647 #nokings #[sic] #nodictators, said one comment at Sand Creek.

I'm writing to express my disgust, shock, and frankly, embarrassment at what this current administration is forcing the NPS to do, said another comment, which was submitted to multiple NPS sites. I'm not alone in these views, and I implore you to do the best you can to protest. We cannot rewrite and whitewash our history and culture at the whims of a mad ruler. NO KINGS 8647.

In April, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and the DOJ announced a grand jury indictment against James Comey after the former FBI Director posted 8647 spelled out in shells on a beach on his Instagram account last year.

Critics have said its a continued campaign by President Trump to target his perceived political enemies. A previous indictment against Comey was tossed out by a federal judge.

A DOJ press release announcing the second indictment claimed a reasonable recipient who is familiar with the circumstances would interpret [Comeys post] as a serious expression of an intent to do harm to the President of the United States.

A potential trial is set for October if the case survives legal challenges.

86 is a popular term in the hospitality industry typically meaning to get rid of, toss out, or refuse service. And 47 means Trump as the 47th president.

Though the DOI referred to the comments as a threat, the Department did not respond when asked if they had a way to identify who submitted a comment for possible criminal investigation.

The FOIA comment spreadsheet does list a user-agent string that identifies the browser and device making a comment, but it doesnt appear to have any identifying information such as an IP address or exact location.

First Amendment attorney Steve Zansberg said the term 8647 has appeared literally millions of times on the internet and social media sites.

To suggest that anyone using that term (including James Comey) is thereby asserting a true threat against the life of the President is so patently absurd as to be laughable, Zansberg said in an email. Only a politically-motivated Attorney General, or Acting Attorney General, would make such an outlandish claim.

Zansberg said no one who commented 8647 in the NPS QR code comments or in any other forum should have serious concerns about facing criminal prosecution.

But Zansberg noted that should be the case in a world governed by judicial precedent and the rule of law. Having said that, we are no longer living in such a world, as the DOIs statement to you clearly indicates.

He pointed to the DOI statement referring to the comments as a threat against the President as a possible indication the federal government could still consider pursuing investigations.

Zansbergs legal comments stem from the 1969 Watts v. United States Supreme Court ruling.

A man drafted to serve in the military said, I have got to report for my physical this Monday coming. I am not going. If they ever make me carry a rifle the first man I want to get in my sights is L.B.J."

The court ruled it was not a true threat and could not serve as the basis for a prosecution for threatening the life of the President.

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Todays Forecast:

Warm temperatures will greet many of us as we start out the day in the 60s, a sign of things to come this afternoon. That's right! More heat can be expected this afternoon across Southern Colorado. Highs will warm into the 80s and 90s on the Plains, with 70s in Teller County and our mountain valleys.

Weather wise, it will be a mixed bag of weather, with high fire danger and Red Flag Warnings for Pueblo, Fremont and Huerfano counties today.

Severe weather will also be possible today in El Paso County and over the Plains. Storms will initiate towards mid to late afternoon on the Palmer Divide, and as they move east, they will be capable of hail as big as 1-2", very strong wind, and tornado development. We'll also be watching skies over the southeastern Plains. Storms look less likely here, but those that develop could also turn severe.

Colorado Springs forecast: High: 87; Low: 56. After hitting the 90s for the first time this year on Sunday, temperatures will be "slightly cooler" today, only warming into the upper 80s. In the Pikes Peak Region, we'll find ourselves in between high fire danger to our south and the threat of severe weather to the north and east. We should stay mainly dry in town today.

Pueblo forecast: High: 95; Low: 59. It will be hot, dry and gusty on Monday, with a Red Flag Warning in effect from noon to 7 pm. Peak gusts today will be around 30-35 mph.

Canon City forecast: High: 92; Low: 58. Rain is not likely early this week in Fremont County, with our forecast on the hot, dry and windy side. A Red Warning will remain in effect today from noon to 7 pm.

Woodland Park forecast: High: 76; Low: 51. We should stay mainly dry in Teller County on Monday, with only around a 10-20% chance of an afternoon shower. Overall, it will be a dry, gusty and warm start to the week.

Tri-Lakes forecast: High: 70s/80s; Low: 50s. The latest forecast trends are in favor of storms forming on the north side of the Palmer Divide this afternoon before racing off to the east/northeast, where they are likely to reach severe criteria. Chances for rain today in Monument will be low, around 20%.

Plains forecast: High: 90s; Low: 50s/60s. It will be a hot and mainly dry start to the week on the Plains, where a few thunderstorms will be possible towards late afternoon and evening. In these areas, although storms will be few and far between, it's possible that a few could reach severe strength.

Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: High: 80s/90s; Low: 50s/60s. It will be a warm and breezy start to the week on the southern I-25 corridor, with a Red Flag Warning in effect in Huerfano County from noon to 7 pm.

Mountains forecast: High: 60s/70s; Low: 40s/50s. Warm and mainly dry weather for the southeastern Plains on Monday, with high fire danger on the eastern slopes of the southeastern mountains, and adjacent Plains. Gusts today will be up around 40-45 mph.

Extended outlook forecast:

Dry weather is likely to continue on Tuesday for the Pikes Peak Region, although some modeling is coming in with increasing moisture compared to earlier model runs. We'll continue to watch it for you and will of course keep you updated.

If we don't see any rain on Tuesday, then we won't likely see any until the weekend. That's for all of Southern Colorado.

Temperatures this week will remain hot. We'll see highs in the lower 90s Tuesday and Wednesday, 80s on Thursday, and near 90-degree heat on Friday. Highs in Pueblo and Canon City will warm into the 90s each day.

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An offshore magnitude 7.8 earthquake rocked the southern Philippines on Monday, killing at least 32 people, injuring more than 200 others mostly in ruined buildings and sending a 1-meter (3-foot) tsunami into nearby coasts.

Several mostly low-slung buildings collapsed or sustained heavy damage in the hard-hit city of General Santos. Tsunami damage was reported in at least one southern coastal village. Smaller waves were measured in Indonesia and Palau and as far away as southern Japan.

The quake also triggered a landslide in Glan, Sarangani province, that killed 13 villagers, Rene Punzalan, a provincial disaster-mitigation official, told the DZBB radio network. Four other villagers died in Sarangani, he said.

The major earthquake was the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, Teresito Bacolcol, the director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology, said. He warned people to seek advice before returning to damaged buildings and houses, which could collapse due to aftershocks.

RELATED STORY | These are some of the strongest earthquakes ever recorded

The United States, a treaty ally of the Philippines, said it was coordinating with Manila and was ready to support Philippine response efforts. France and New Zealand also expressed support.

Our pickup truck suddenly jerked and I thought we had a flat tire, Rod Sosmea, a regional director of the Office of Civil Defense, told The Associated Press from General Santos, where he was traveling when the quake struck at 7:37 a.m.

The shaking was very strong and people dashed out of houses into the streets, Sosmea said.

Ednar Dayanghirang, another disaster-response official, told AP that he was able to hardly stand and keep my balance when the ground shook as I was leaving my house in the southern port city of Davao.

At least 12 people remained missing in General Santos, a port city of more than 700,000 people and a regional hub for the tuna export industry. Search and rescue teams scrambled to find people who may have been trapped in a supermarket, a warehouse, a grade school, and other small buildings that either collapsed or were severely damaged, officials said.

The international airport in General Santos was temporarily shut due to the earthquake and 17 domestic flights were canceled, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines said.

The quake was centered at sea off Mindanao, the second most populous island in the Philippine archipelago. According to Bacolcol, the quake occurred at a depth of 33 kilometers (20 miles), about 32 kilometers (20 miles) southwest of Maasim town in Sarangani province.

Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. ordered the cancellation of classes and directed disaster-response agencies to immediately get to work in quake-hit provinces, saying the national government is moving and we will not leave Mindanao behind.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the threat of a tsunami largely passed about five hours after the quake. Philippine officials also lifted a tsunami warning by mid-afternoon. Six shanties on stilts were damaged in a coastal village in Zamboanga del Sur province due to the quake and taller waves, officials said.

Assessing damage and casualties

Aside from the landslide in Sarangani, most of the other deaths were caused by collapsing buildings and falling debris, including in a damaged mosque, in the southern provinces of South Cotabato and Davao Occidental, and on Balut Island, according to Sosmea and Dayanghirang.

Public schools had reopened nationwide Monday after the summer vacation from April to May. Dayanghirang said more than 100 students attending morning flag-raising ceremonies in his southern region sustained bruises and some fainted in panic.

RELATED STORY | How the USGS earthquake warning system could change future disaster preparedness

The DZRH radio network in Manila reported that a four-story commercial building where its provincial station was located partly collapsed and staffers dashed to the ground floor without injuries.

Tsunami waves near 3 feet

Waves of 1 meter (3 feet) were monitored in the provinces of Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani. A 1.4-meter (4.6-foot) wave hit at one time in Kiamba town, Bacolcol said.

The quake was also felt in Malaysias Sabah state on Borneo island. Sabah is just a boat ride away from southern Philippines. An 83-centimeter (2.7-feet) tsunami was measured by a gauge off Indonesias Sulawesi island, and the PTWC said 30-centimeter (1-foot) waves were measured in Palau.

Waves up to 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) were detected on the remote Japanese island of Chichijima and the central Japanese town of Kushimoto, the Japan Meteorological Agency said.

The Philippines, one of the worlds most disaster-prone countries, is often hit by earthquakes and volcanic eruptions due to its location on the Pacific Ring of Fire, an arc of seismic faults around the ocean.

The archipelago is also lashed by about 20 typhoons and tropical storms each year.

DENVER (AP) Kyle Freeland stepped off the mound and tipped his cap to the cheering fans and then in the direction of his family.

Just a brief pause to soak in the moment before returning right back to work.

Freeland, the left-handed pitcher who grew up going to games at Coors Field, became the Colorado Rockies all-time leader in innings pitched Sunday against Milwaukee.

The Denver native got Luis Rengifo to fly out in the fifth inning to take over the top spot. That first out to center put Freeland at 1,312 2/3 innings for his career and one-third ahead of Aaron Cook, the sinkerball specialist who notched 1,312 1/3 innings for Colorado from 2002-11.

Freeland received an ovation and made sure to appreciate the moment just like former Rockies manager Bud Black once instructed.

I kind of thought of Buddy, that hed love for me to tip the cap, Freeland said after the Brewers finished off a three-game sweep with a 12-4 win Sunday. I know that he would have probably told me, Hey, make sure you tip your cap to the fans out there for their support of you over the years. I made sure I found my family to tip my cap to them, too.

Freeland grew up watching Cook go to work at Coors Field and trying to solve the hitter friendly park.

To be able to break a Rockies record belonging to Cook? It just makes it even more meaningful.

Being a Denver kid, its kind of crazy, said Freeland, who went five innings Sunday and allowed three runs in a no-decision. I dont know if its fully soaked in yet. Its one of those things that I never would have thought that Id be standing here talking to you guys about, being an all-time innings pitched leader for the Rockies.

Freeland was taken with the eighth overall pick by Colorado in the 2014 first-year player draft. The 33-year-old made his major league debut on April 7, 2017, in a win over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

He leads the team in games started (242), quality starts (112) and now innings pitched (1,313 1/3). He's also second in strikeouts (989) and fourth in wins (66).

In April 2022, Freeland signed a five-year extension that runs through the 2026 season. He has a player option for 2027 if he logs 170 innings this season.

What a long career hes had, Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said. To set a franchise record like that, it takes a lot of durability, a lot of resilience, a lot of success. Hats off to Kyle Freeland for that huge milestone. It was a special moment.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/MLB

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Israel and Iran traded fire early Monday in their first attacks since the U.S. struck a ceasefire with Tehran two months ago. Hours later, Iran's military said that it would stop offensive operations.

The renewed hostilities threatened to drag the Middle East back into a full-scale war.

The war, launched by the U.S. and Israel on Feb. 28 with strikes on Iran, has shaken the global economy, driven energy prices up around the world and made many basics, including food, more expensive. Officials have been unable to turn the April ceasefire into a deal to permanently end the conflict.

During the truce, Iran has maintained its stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz a crucial passage for the worlds oil and natural gas whose closure was the primary reason global fuel prices skyrocketed. Israel has continued to strike Hezbollah, Irans ally in Lebanon, and pushed deeper into that country. And on Monday, Yemens Houthi rebels, another Iranian ally, fired at Israel and warned they would target Israel-affiliated ships in the Red Sea.

With little apparent progress in peace talks, Israel and Iran exchanging fire, and the Houthis joining the fight, the risk of the war fully erupting again appeared higher than at any point since the ceasefire.

RELATED STORY | US and Iran trade strikes, raising questions about future of ceasefire

In the wake of the new attacks, U.S. President Donald Trump wrote online: Israel and Iran must immediately stop shooting.

Shortly after, the Iranian military's joint command issued its statement. It said that if Israel or its supporters carried out any further aggression and hostile acts, including in southern Lebanon, then much more severe and crushing measures than before will follow.

Diplomats are racing to save the ceasefire

Earlier, two regional officials said concerted diplomatic efforts were underway Monday to salvage the ceasefire.

Officials from Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan and Qatar have urged the Trump administration to pressure Israel to rein in its strikes on Iran and Beirut. They have also urged Iranian officials to stop attacks on Israel, they said. Both officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to reporters.

Trump said talks were ongoing for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran, though he gave no details.

Israel and Iran traded strikes

Iran launched waves of attacks on Israel on Monday, and Israel launched strikes on central and western Iran. It was their first exchange of fire since the ceasefire.

Iranian state television reported the sound of explosions in Isfahan, Karaj, Tabriz and Tehran. Iran closed the airspace around Tehrans Imam Khomeini International Airport after the Israeli attack.

The semiofficial Fars and Mehr news agencies said Israeli strikes hit a petrochemical factory in the city of Mahshahr. They did not elaborate on any damage. The Israeli military later confirmed the strike on the plant, saying it targeted sites that produce materials for ballistic missiles. It also said it targeted truck-based missile launchers.

RELATED STORY | House approves war powers resolution, seeking end of US hostilities against Iran

Israel said its strikes were in response to an Iranian missile attack. Tehran had warned on Sunday it would retaliate after Israel struck Beiruts southern suburbs without warning. When Israel struck back, Iran fired again.

Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard said it had targeted two military bases in Israel.

Explosions could be heard in central Israel as air defenses sought to intercept incoming Iranian fire. Sirens also sounded across neighboring Jordan.

Iran blamed the United States for the escalation.

No one believes that the Israeli regime would take any action without coordination with the United States, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei said during a briefing with journalists in Tehran.

The White House did not respond to messages about Israel's strikes and whether they were done in coordination with the U.S.

Tensions appear to be growing between Trump and Netanyahu

Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched the war in a closely coordinated attack, with Israeli officials proudly boasting of unprecedented shoulder to shoulder cooperation throughout the conflict, which reached 100 days on Monday.

But since the first strikes, the two men have moved in opposite directions, with tensions sometimes spilling out into the open. Netanyahu appears to have openly defied Trump with the strike Sunday in Beirut and subsequent attacks in Iran, while Trump has voiced his displeasure with Israel, including belittling Netanyahu by declaring to the Financial Times that "I call all the shots."

The differences between the two appear to be rooted in each leader's domestic considerations. Netanyahu faces elections this fall and is under public pressure to strike back against ongoing Hezbollah attacks on northern Israel. He also is wary of appearing too subservient to Trump.

The U.S. president, meanwhile, also faces elections for Congress in November and is eager to wrap up a war that has jolted the global economy and raised prices for consumers.

The Houthis claimed an attack on Israel

Yemens Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed an attack on Israel on Monday and said Israel-affiliated vessels would again be a target in the Red Sea, putting the waterway, as well as the Gulf of Aden and the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting them, in danger. The statement from Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree was broadcast on the Houthis al-Masirah satellite news channel.

The Houthis made a similar threat during the Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip and killed at least nine mariners and sank four ships in over 100 attacks, often targeting vessels with tangential or no ties to Israel.

The assaults upended shipping in the Red Sea, through which about $1 trillion of goods passed each year before the war.

Civilians on both sides brace for further conflict

Some Tehran residents said they were bracing for a potentially prolonged conflict.

I think Iran did a good thing.... I think this war is going to continue for a long time, and we wont give up until victory, said Reza Khorramgah, a 37-year-old Tehran resident.

People willing to speak on camera in Iran often make comments supporting its theocracy.

In Israel, schools were closed across the country, but many businesses remained open. In Tel Aviv, the streets were more subdued than a regular weekday, but many people were still doing errands after a morning that sent them running for shelters multiple times.

Tonight's Forecast:

There will be a few clouds overnight and temperatures will drop into the 50s for the I-25 corridor. Further east, temperatures will be slightly warmer in the 60s. Closer to the higher terrain and mountains, overnight lows will hit the 40s and 50s. Tomorrow morning, there will still be some mid and upper level cloud cover.

Colorado Springs forecast: Low: 58; High: 88;

Warm temperatures will be back in the forecast tomorrow with afternoon highs getting into the upper 80s. Partly cloudy skies will last throughout the majority of the day. There will be some breezy conditions will pick up with some gusts approaching 30mph.

Pueblo forecast: Low: 61; High: 95;

Pueblo will have some warmer overnight temperatures in the lower 60s. From the morning into the afternoon, temperatures will warm quickly. Highs will hit the mid-90s. Skies will be partly cloudy along with some breezy southwesterly winds. Gusts will reach 30mph at times. Red flag warnings will be in place from noon until 7PM.

Canon City forecast: Low: 60; High: 91;

Overnight lows will be in the lower 60s. There will be some mid to upper level clouds during the day along with some gusty conditions. Fremont county will be placed in a red flag warning from noon until 7PM. Afternoon highs will be in the lower 90s.

Woodland Park forecast: Low: 52; High: 76;

Woodland Park will dip into the lower 50s overnight. By 10am, temperatures will be in the 70s. Partly cloudy conditions will last throughout the majority of the day. Afternoon highs will be in the mid-70s.

Tri-Lakes forecast: Low: 55; High: 82;

Monument and the surrounding areas will have temperatures in the mid-50s early on Monday. Winds will gradually pick up during the day. These warm conditions will continue into the beginning of the work week with highs in the lower 80s.

Plains forecast: Low: 60s; High: 90s;

The eastern plains will have some of the hottest temperatures in Colorado. Afternoon highs will be in the 90s. Breezy conditions will pick up during the day. Some areas are looking at triple digits by Tuesday and Wednesday. Closer to I-70 there will be a chance of some stronger storms later in the day.

Walsenburg and Trinidad forecast: Low: 60/59; High: 89/92;

The southern portion of I-25 will have overnight lows in the upper 50s and lower 60s. From there, temperatures will warm quickly. Huerfano county will have another day of red flag warnings from noon to 7PM. Afternoon highs will be in the upper 80s and lower 90s.

Mountains forecast: Low: 50s; High: 80s;

The mountains and higher terrain will have a daily chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms. Overnight lows tonight and into Monday morning will be in the 50s. Afternoon temperatures will get into the 80s. Breezy conditions will arrive by late morning and the afternoon.

Extended outlook forecast:

A high-pressure system is slowly building over the south central plains area. This is what will bring us the hot and above average temperatures. As an upper level low slides just to the north of us this will increase winds each day in southern Colorado. We are tracking a small shortwave around Thursday which would drop our highs. There is still some uncertainty with these temperatures, but as of the latest model release these highs look to reach the 80s.

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Pueblo City Council had Project Falcon on its agenda Monday, but the company behind the proposal has paused the project, leaving its future uncertain.

The economic development deal was expected to bring nearly $300 million in revenue to Pueblo County.

City council was set to reach a memorandum of understanding at Monday's meeting, an agreement to help the city understand what is expected from both parties in the major deal.

Pueblo Mayor Heather Graham is demanding more transparency before any agreement moves forward.

"You have heard big promises about jobs, wages, and billions of dollars in economic benefit," said Mayor Graham. "What you have not heard is that the city has not independently vetted these claims."

Graham said she will not allow the deal to move forward without scrutiny.

"I will not allow this deal or any other deal to be pushed through in the dark on the basis of unverified numbers," she said.

As of Monday, the identity of the company behind Project Falcon remains unknown, protected through non-disclosure agreements. According to Graham, the project involves a specific type of manufacturer.

"This is a tissue manufacturing company. Not a high-tech research lab, but a consumer tissue plant," said Mayor Graham.

Graham's position centers on the need for transparency when taxpayer money is involved.

Not all council members share her concerns. Councilmember Ted Hernandez and Commissioner Miles Lucero have pushed back on the mayor's claims.

"The idea the community will be left out of the decision until the deal is done? That is a complete mistruth," said Councilmember Hernandez.

Councilmember Hernandez and Commissioner Lucero argue that non-disclosure agreements are common in deals of this nature and that the public will have opportunities to weigh in. Councilmember Hernandez also addressed concerns about the mayor's opposition to the project.

"If a company's coming to a town, and they can't have the mayor behind them, it's gonna be a little difficult for them to feel their way through," said Councilmember Hernandez. "It will absolutely, 100% benefit the City of Pueblo."

Lucero echoed that sentiment.

"This is by far the most, potentially the most transformational project that I have seen for Pueblo," said Commissioner Lucero.

With Project Falcon now on hold, the memorandum of understanding remains on the council's agenda. Given the pause, council is likely to remove it from Monday's agenda entirely.

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A week-long closure of Dublin Boulevard has business owners at the Shoppes at Indigo Ranch worried they may not survive it.

The city announced the closure to expedite reconstruction of the roadway. City Councilman Ronald Rainey, District 6, said the shutdown is designed to compress the timeline.

"We are going to shut down part of this area so we can complete this project in five days, you heard me, five days," Rainey said.

But for business owners who have already been weathering months of construction-related disruption, the announcement offered little comfort.

"A lot of us here are hanging on to keep our lights on," Urbane Collective owner Molly Fish said. "Let's just say, I don't have enough money to pay my rent for next month."

On Saturday, businesses organized a block party at the shopping center in an effort to draw customers and attention to their situation. Councilman Rainey was there supporting these storefronts. Opulent Group Owner Troy MacDonald said he understands what is at stake.

"The people that own these businesses live here just like we do," MacDonald said. "And I know they're struggling."

Adrian Colin of Zapata said the numbers tell the story.

"I can tell you the numbers, and the numbers are very down," Colin said.

"Foot traffic from customers has been incredibly diminished," MacDonald said.

Some owners are also skeptical that the closure will last only five days. Fish said she is not convinced the project will wrap up as quickly as the city promises.

"I see it being closed at least two weeks. They say with that, the road is supposed to be complete. I don't know until I see it," Fish said.

Business owners also claim the city previously told them the project would be finished by now.

Colorado Springs Infrastructure and Development Deputy Chief of Staff, Travis Easton, pushed back on that characterization.

"This project is 4 months ahead of schedule," Easton said. "We practically go out and go door to door with these business owners. I don't know if it would've been accurate to say we would've been done by now."

The city confirmed the project is currently ahead of schedule.

For those looking to visit the Shoppes at Indigo Ranch during the closure, two alternate routes are available.

Drivers should not be deterred by traffic cones, as a right turn into the shopping center is still accessible.

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The Colorado State Patrol (CSP) responded to two overnight crashes in Pueblo County this weekend, resulting in the death of two people.

Right before 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, CSP troopers responded to a crash between a pedestrian and a Chevy SUV on eastbound Hwy 50, at milepost 312.

The initial investigation shows that the pedestrian was crossing Hwy 50 when the driver of the car began to brake to avoid hitting the pedestrian. The front of the car hit the pedestrian, and the 46-year-old died on the scene. He has been identified as Robert J Hepler.

Later that night, around 11:21 p.m. on Saturday, troopers were sent to a single-car crash on Hwy 165 at milepost 36.

Preliminary information shows that a Subaru Outback was driving eastbound on Hwy 165 towards I25, and failed to make the right-hand curve, drove across oncoming traffic, and drove off the left shoulder.

The driver corrected the car to the right and hit a split rail fence. The car rolled over several times, and during the rollover, the driver was ejected from the car.

The 36-year-old woman died on the scene.

Both of the victims will be identified by the Pueblo County Coroner's office at a later date, and both crashes are being investigated by the Colorado State Patrol Vehicular Crimes Unit.

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Israel said Sunday that Iran launched missiles at it in the first such bombardment since a fragile ceasefire took effect in early April, further complicating mediation efforts for a deal to end the war.

Irans state broadcaster confirmed the missile launches and cited the armed forces as saying that if Israel responds to Iranian attacks or does not stop its attacks on Lebanon, Iranian attacks will continue.

Israels military said it intercepted all missiles from Iran but warned the defense is not hermetic, adding that sirens sounded in several areas of the country. Multiple explosions were heard in northern Israel, but there was no immediate comment from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, which often fires at the area.

There were no immediate reports of casualties or damage in Israel. The White House did not immediately respond to messages about the missile launches.

Tehran had warned of retaliation after Israel on Sunday struck Beiruts southern suburbs without warning in defiance of Washingtons request days ago to stand down. Israel called it retaliation for Hezbollah firing at northern Israel earlier in the day.

Israels attack on Beirut came a few days after the Lebanese and Israeli governments agreed to a ceasefire in U.S.-hosted talks, though Hezbollah rejected the deal. The strike on a residential building killed two people and wounded 20, Lebanons health ministry said.

Iran had warned that an attack on Beirut would renew full-scale war across the Mideast, even as Pakistan tries to restart talks between Tehran and Washington. Iran wants a deal to include ending the war in Lebanon.

U.S. forces across the Middle East remain vigilant and ready, the U.S. Central Command posted on X shortly before the missile launches.

Associated Press journalists heard loud explosions in the sky over Damascus. State media in Syria attributed the booms to Israeli air defenses.

RELATED NEWS | Trump says the 100-day-old Iran war doesn't betray his 'no new wars' campaign promise

Israels strikes and ground invasion in Lebanon in pursuit of Hezbollah, and the militant groups resistance to disarming, have complicated an overall deal to end the war in the Middle East. Iran says any deal must include an end to fighting in Lebanon.

The White House did not comment on Israels strike in Beirut. Israel on Monday had announced it would strike the southern suburbs of Lebanons capital, but urgent talks via Washington halted that on the condition that Hezbollah stop targeting Israeli border towns.

Hezbollah on Sunday night claimed responsibility for firing at Israel earlier in the day.

Hezbollah wants the direct talks between Lebanon and Israel to end and instead supports Irans stance that an overall ceasefire deal between Tehran and Washington include the situation in Lebanon.

Mediation efforts on that larger deal continued Sunday as Pakistans interior minister visited Iran to talk with officials and Egypt said its foreign minister and his Qatari counterpart discussed proposed elements of a potential agreement, with no details.

U.S. President Donald Trump did not comment on the war Sunday, but in an interview with NBCs Meet the Press that aired after a Friday taping he said he would like to see a more surgical attack on Hezbollah. He also said he was not demanding that Lebanon be part of an overall ceasefire deal in the Iran war.

Meanwhile, Iran continued to assert its grip on the Strait of Hormuz and the U.S. continued its blockade of Iranian ports, with shipments of oil, natural gas and fertilizer affected and the global economy in pain.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who faces elections later this year, wants to press ahead with Israels offensive until he believes Hezbollah no longer poses a threat.

Mediation efforts continued

Pakistans interior minister, Mohsin Naqvi, was delivering a message to Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei from Pakistans army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir, according to Irans state-run IRNA news agency. There were no details on the message's contents.

Khamenei has not been seen in public since he was named the Islamic Republics ruler after his father was killed on Feb. 28, when Israeli and U.S. strikes sparked the war.

Pakistani authorities have said Islamabad, with support from regional countries including Qatar, Turkey and Egypt, is working to help bridge differences between the United States and Iran.

In Cairo, the Egyptian and Qatari foreign ministers discussed proposed elements of a potential agreement between the U.S. and Iran, Egypt's foreign ministry said, without details.

MORE ON THE IRAN WAR | Iran fires missiles and US strikes Iran facility after reports of faltering peace talks

President Donald Trump is dismissing the idea that launching the war with Iran this year betrayed his refrain of No new wars that he made repeatedly as he campaigned again for the White House.

Trump, in an interview that aired Sunday on NBC's Meet the Press, said he didn't guarantee there would be no wars if he were back in office.

"First of all, I didnt guarantee no war. Why would I have built the strongest military in the world?" Trump said.

Trump also defended plans for a now-scrapped $1.8 billion fund that would have compensated allies of the Republican president and he repeated his baseless claims of mass fraud in Californias drawn-out vote count from Tuesdays primary. He ended the interview abruptly when he became frustrated with pushback from NBC's Kristen Welker.

Iran is not an endless war

In his 2024 campaign, Trump repeatedly cast his Democratic opponents as warmongers and said he was a president who started no new wars" and would bring an era of peace.

But Trump said in the NBC interview, taped Friday in Wisconsin, that as a candidate, I didnt promise anything.

I dont like these endless wars. This is not an endless war. Weve been doing this for three months, he said of the war with Iran, which began Feb. 28.

Trump said he was doing the world a service and doing our country a service because he had to stop Iran from having a nuclear weapon. But elsewhere in the interview, Trump repeated a contradictory message where he said U.S. strikes last year obliterated Iranian nuclear sites.

RELATED STORY | US and Iran trade strikes, raising questions about future of ceasefire

He also defended his decision in his first term to withdraw from Democratic President Barack Obama's nuclear deal with Iran, an agreement he has heavily criticized, without negotiating the better deal he has promised to reach.

It takes years to do these things, Trump said.

The Colorado Department of Corrections (CDOC) stated on a Facebook post on Sunday that all statewide visitation had been temporarily suspended, effective immediately. If you had a scheduled visit, you were told not to travel to the facility.

As of Monday at 9:00 a.m., those restrictions had been lifted at all facilities across the state except for the Bent County Correctional Facility, according to the CDOC on Facebook.

In an update from CDOC at 12:30 p.m. on Sunday, they say that an incident that happened on Saturday left two people dead at Bent County Correctional Facility. One person has been transported to the hospital.

They say that no staff were injured.

Visitation was temporarily suspended at Limon Correctional Facility three days ago.

Approved phone and video visitation is still ongoing, except for the facility where the investigation is ongoing.

They say this decision is precautionary, intended to support departmental operations and maintain the safety and security of the facilities.

Here is their full statement:

There is no current threat to the public.

This is an ongoing situation, and we will release more information as it becomes available.

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After a blitz of congressional redistricting ahead of the midterm elections, a national battle for partisan control is about to enter a new phase that could affect representation on everything from tax rates to social safety net programs, teacher salaries, housing regulations and local road repairs.

Georgia's Republican-led Legislature will convene June 17 for a special session focused on redistricting for the 2028 elections. The agenda includes new voting districts not only for Congress, but also for the state House and Senate and potentially even the state's utility regulatory commission.

It will mark the first time since a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling weakened minority voting protections that a state legislature will attempt to redraw its own districts. Mississippi Republicans and New York Democrats also could undertake legislative redistricting before their 2027 and 2028 elections, respectively.

Ir remains to be seen, though, how many legislatures will follow, and whether the outburst of mid-decade redistricting will extend down to county commissions, city councils and school boards that make myriad decisions affecting people's lives. The impact could be widespread.

The stakes here are not political, they are deeply human, said Joe Kennedy III, founder of Groundwork Project, a nonprofit that supports local civil rights and democracy organizations.

RELATED STORY | Rapid redistricting reshapes US political map ahead of 2026 midterms

What's fueling the redistricting movement?

Voting district boundaries typically are redrawn once a decade after each U.S. census to account for population changes. But last summer, President Donald Trump urged Texas Republicans to redraw congressional districts to try to win additional seats in the midterm elections. Other states followed with their own partisan gerrymandering.

Then a 6-3 Supreme Court ruling in late April jumpstarted even more redistricting. The court struck down a majority-Black congressional district in Louisiana as an illegal racial gerrymander, providing grounds for Republicans in other states to reshape districts with large minority populations that have elected Democrats.

Why is Georgia redrawing its districts?

A federal judge ruled in 2023 that some of Georgias congressional, state Senate and state House districts were drawn in a racially discriminatory manner. The Legislature quickly approved revised maps with new majority-Black districts, though they resulted in little change to Republican majorities in the 2024 elections.

Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has called lawmakers into special session to again redraw districts in light of the Supreme Courts decision in the Louisiana case. That could allow Republicans to undo the court-ordered changes they made in 2023 and potentially redraw other Democratic-held minority districts to the GOP's advantage.

Republicans have yet to unveil details of their plans. But Democratic state Rep. Tanya Miller, who is running for attorney general, denounced the upcoming redistricting as a means of rigging maps to maintain power.

How many seats are at stake?

Several months before the Supreme Court ruling, a report by Fair Fight Action and Black Voters Matter forecast that Republicans in 10 Southern states could eliminate 191 Democratic-held legislative seats including 140 districts with Black or Hispanic majorities if the Supreme Court gutted federal Voting Rights Act protections for minorities.

If anything, our report was an understatement, Cliff Albright, co-founder and executive director of Black Voters Matter, recently told The Associated Press. Whats at stake is the future of this democracy.

Other analysts don't expect that many seats to be redistricted. But they do expect the Supreme Court's decision to ripple through states.

Were going to potentially see a lot of frenzied efforts at every level, including at the local level, to try out undoing district maps and configurations that have performed quite well in providing improved representation for communities of color, said Kareem Crayton, vice president of the Washington office of the Brennan Center for Justice.

What states have pending court cases?

The precedent from the recent Supreme Court decision already is being applied in several states. In light of the ruling, a federal appeals court is allowing Alabama to use a state Senate map approved by Republican lawmakers in this year's election instead of one imposed by a federal judge who found the state had diluted the voting power of Black residents. The change affects two state Senate districts in the Montgomery area.

The Supreme Court has sent legislative redistricting cases filed on behalf of Black voters in Mississippi and Native Americans in North Dakota back to lower courts for further consideration in light of its Louisiana decision. The Washington attorney general has asked the Supreme Court to do the same for legislative redistricting cases involving Hispanic voters in that state.

MORE ON REDISTRICTING | Trump's redistricting push fizzles in South Carolina Senate but wins in Missouri's top court

What's stopping states from redistricting?

About half the states have provisions in their constitutions prohibiting mid-decade redistricting of state legislative seats, said Justin Levitt, a law professor at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles who runs the All About Redistricting website.

But even in states where it's allowed, lawmakers may have fewer reasons to redraw their own districts than those for Congress, Levitt said. Politicians who promoted congressional redistricting for the 2026 midterms often justified it as a way to counter gerrymandering in other states and win as many seats as possible for their party. They had extra motivation because a swing of only a few seats nationally in the November elections could affect control of the closely divided U.S. House.

By contrast, most state legislative chambers already are dominated by one party.

Theres a lot less incentive, if you already control the state legislature by 10 or 12 seats, to eke out an incremental one or two at the expense of really ticking off your own party membership, or at the expense of maybe risking losing seats in a broader way, Levitt said.

Could local governments also redraw districts?

The Supreme Court decision making it more difficult to prove Voting Rights Act violations already has affected some local governments.

Plaintiffs have voluntarily dismissed a challenge to commission districts in Meriwether County, Georgia. A federal court has accepted new legal briefs in a challenge to Board of Supervisors districts in DeSoto County, Mississippi. And Indiana's attorney general has asked a federal appeals court to take note of the Louisiana case when deciding a challenge to how judges are selected in Lake County.

Over roughly the past four decades, data from the University of Michigan shows that cities, counties and school boards have been involved in more than three-fifths of the 466 lawsuits alleging violations of Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act, which forbids providing minorities less opportunity than other voters to elect the representatives of their choice.

But that doesn't necessarily mean local governments will rush to redistrict as a result of a weakened Voting Rights Act. The Supreme Court decision cleared the way for officials to justify redistricting based on partisan ambitions. But many local offices are officially nonpartisan.

A Colorado Springs artist is turning portraits of political figures into interactive canvases, inviting the public to pick up a marker and add their own words and drawings directly onto the artwork.

Nathan Travis has been working on his series, "Left to Write" since February. The series pairs contrasting public figures side by side and lets viewers respond to them through art.

"You have two totally different sides of the story all at the same time and I wanted to see if I could get that to come out through art and the only way to do it would be to actually let them put it on the direct piece of artwork," Travis said.

Watch More About Travis' series, "Left to Write", in the video player below.

The series includes ten portraits.

The series began with portraits of ICE agents on one side and monks walking for peace on the other.

"I did those around February and that was still going on at that time. I was really trying to make it about what's happening in our time as we speak," Travis said.

Portraits on display during the most recently include Greta Thunberg on one side and Charlie Kirk on the other. Both faces are now covered with phrases and drawings left by people who encountered them during First Friday events in downtown Colorado Springs.

Justin Hicks wrote on the Greta Thunberg portrait. He said he immediately stopped to look at the pieces of art when walking down the street.

"There's no question how people are feeling, and it comes because of two people that we can lay those feelings upon and so that's kind of the most poignant part of this art," Hicks said.

Shawn McFarlin, who also viewed the portraits, said the project captures something real about the current political climate.

"This kind of shows kind of like how different parties view each other and like what is divisive amongst one group and what's divisive amongst another group," McFarlin said.

Travis said the news cycle drives his decisions about who to sketch next, though it moves quickly.

"News moves so fast and like through Instagram, you'll see something happen and then it's gone two or three days later," Travis said.

He is now working on his final two portraits: Elon Musk and Nikola Tesla. Travis said Musk was not his original choice for the series. He initially considered a local figure.

"I honestly thought about these two people when the CEO of our Colorado Springs utilities got his crazy $150,000 raise, and it to me was mind blowing. But I didn't think people would really recognize who he was just based off of his portrait," Travis said.

Travis said the timing of the series has added to its impact.

"It is working out to be an interesting time to have them put out right when the primaries are going on," Travis said.

The project has also shaped how Travis thinks about his own work. But he said he might go back to painting landscapes instead of continuing political based artwork.

"It's helped me think a lot about art," Travis said.

"Left to Write" will be showcased at the Auric Gallery July 3 through the 30th.