While oil and gas prices still remain high as negotiations with the United States and Iran enters a new phase, gas prices in Michigan hit their lowest average since April last week.
Michigan drivers are paying an average of $4.01 per gallon for regular unleaded fuel, down 73 cents from this time last month but up 72 cents from this time last year. Metro Detroit's average sits at $4.12 per gallon, down 13 cents since last week but up 83 cents since last year.
Watch Ryan Marshall's report below Michigan gas prices down 73 cents since last month, hit lowest price point since April
Many drivers we talked to overnight believe that lower prices overall are good, but they are still not satisfied.
Its not enough. I mean, Im happy that its coming down. But, its still not dispute. Like, cause Im a driver and yes it does help a little bit. But, like I said before, its still not enough," said Joseph Moore, a Farmington Hills resident.
"(We're) making sure we put the bare minimum in gas just to get home, to work and then to the store at night. And then, you know, making sure we have enough money left over to buy dinner," said Amanda Ebel, also from Farmington Hills.
I mean, this is nothing. Basically, price means I demand better. I mean, its been many many years not more like than $2.50. Could be maybe eight, nine years. Been small," said Sab Bhatti from Taylor.
While the decline in gas prices for some drivers is great, they know that more certainly has to be done. We'll keep tracking gas prices as the summer continues.
Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan, once hailed as a maestro for directing a booming economy but who later received some of the blame for the housing bust and financial meltdown that occurred after he left office, has died, according to his wife, Andrea Mitchell. He was 100.
Greenspan served five terms as Fed chairman under four presidents, starting with Ronald Reagan, who nominated him in 1987. His term under George W. Bush expired in 2006. His eighteen-and-a-half year tenure is the second longest as head of the nations central bank.
His death was announced in a statement by Mitchell, a correspondent for NBC News and his wife for 29 years.
Alan passed away at our home this morning at the age of 100 from complications of Parkinsons Disease, Mitchell said in her statement.
He was a giant of a man who helped shape the U.S. economy for decades under presidents of both parties, but was always honest in acknowledging his mistakes, she said.
Born in New York City, Greenspan taught economics in the 1950s at New York University, his alma mater, while he was chairman and president of economic consulting firm Townsend-Greenspan & Co. that he helped run for 21 years. He served as the director of domestic policy research with Richard Nixons 1968 presidential campaign and was a part-time adviser to him after he took office.
In 1974, the final year of the Nixon administration, Greenspan became chairman of the Presidents Council of Economic Advisers and stayed throughout the tenure of President Gerald Ford. He returned to his economic consulting work after Fords 1976 defeat and continued until his appointment to the Fed.
Two months into Greenspans tenure, the stock market suffered its largest one-day percentage decline, when the Dow plunged 22% on October 19, 1987, a day that became known as Black Monday. The next day, Greenspan announced that the Fed was ready to serve as a source of liquidity to support the economic and financial systems. His assurance helped the market begin to make a relatively quick recovery.
During his time at the Fed, the US economy experienced one of the strongest peacetime economic expansions in its history. Unemployment fell below 4%, the stock market reached what were then record highs, and the federal government began running budget surpluses rather than deficits.
After the bursting of the dot-com bubble in 2000, the economy slipped into a recession in 2001 and was further shaken by the September 11 terrorist attacks. That prompted Greenspan and the Fed to cut its key interest rate to levels previously unheard of then, eventually reaching 1%.
Many economists say that those low rates helped inflate the housing bubble, encouraging investors to give mortgages to borrowers who would not previously have qualified for home loans. People also criticized the Fed for not exercising better oversight of the mortgage market during those go-go years.
Greenspan dismissed talk of a housing bubble while he was in office, saying that while individual local markets might be overpriced, there was no evidence of a nationwide bubble.
But when home values collapsed nationwide and foreclosures and bank failures soared in the fall of 2008, he testified before the House Oversight Committee that he was in a state of shocked disbelief.
He said that while he had tried to warn about the riskiness of some of the home loans, the economic damage wrought by the bursting of the bubble had turned out to be much broader than anything I could have imagined.
He later testified that the low interest rates he and the Fed set did not cause the housing bubble or the ensuing crisis and he believed he had been right 70% of the time when he was in office.
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For years, President Donald Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Vice President JD Vance argued against deals that provided financial concessions to Iran, saying that giving the regime money fuels terror. But now the agreement theyve reached to end the war with Tehran is poised to hand the regime billions.
For the better part of a decade, Trumps central indictment of former President Barack Obamas Iran nuclear deal was simple: Giving Tehran access to frozen assets enriched a dangerous regime and got the United States little in return.
Trumps current secretary of state and vice president went even further, co-sponsoring legislation as senators that argued Iranian frozen funds could not be safely released because the money, even with rules governing its use, could end up being utilized in a dangerous way.
Now, all three are backing an agreement that spells out US commitments to potentially release those funds and lift sanctions on Tehran but leaves specific details on Irans nuclear program to future negotiations.
Administration officials have downplayed the significance of the written document and said the movement of any money will be performance-based. They also have said the atmosphere of this deal is different from previous ones because the US has degraded Irans military.
We have great confidence that were going to be able to see if they try to fund terrorist organizations, Vance said Thursday.
However, the signed memorandum of understanding nevertheless embraces the same type of incentivized financial relief that Trump, Rubio and Vance spent years warning would enrich a nation they described as the worlds leading state sponsor of terrorism.
Under the terms of the 14-point memorandum of understanding formally signed and released by the White House on Wednesday, the US undertakes to make fully available for use the frozen or restricted funds and assets of the Islamic Republic of Iran upon the implementation of this MOU, to terminate all types of sanctions against the Islamic Republic of Iran, including the United Nations Security Council resolutions, and to immediately issue waivers for the sale of Iranian oil.
The Trump administration has vehemently argued that its agreement is stronger than Obamas Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, despite many analysts and critics arguing it appears to give Iran significant concessions.
Significantly, a number of Republican senators, including those who typically stay quiet, have openly questioned the terms of Trumps Iran negotiations.
Roger Wicker, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, said he was concerned that the memorandum of understanding negotiates away the victories of the war and that the plan for a $300 billion reconstruction fund would make the financial incentives in the JCPOA look like a pittance by comparison. The administration said the US would not contribute to that fund.
Trump has long criticized the JCPOA, from which he withdrew the US in 2018, in large part because it gave Tehran sanctions relief and access to frozen assets.
In an op-ed in September 2015 ahead of the deals implementation then-candidate Trump castigated the JCPOA for the prospect of lifting all nuclear related sanctions and handing Iran a windfall of $150 billion, which will no doubt fund terrorism around the world.
It appears we wanted a deal at any cost, he wrote.
As recently as 2016, Trump argued that Obama had made a basic mistake by relieving pressure on Tehran before obtaining stronger concessions. We took the sanctions off, we got nothing for that, Trump said at a conservative summit in Denver. Its like 101, Trump, The Art of the Deal.
Why did Pres Obama remove sanctions against Iran prior to negotiating rather than completing successful negotiation & then remove sanctions? Trump tweeted in 2014.
Trump also repeatedly argued that giving Iran access to frozen assets made the regime stronger and enriched a government he described as a sponsor of terrorism.
During a 2016 presidential debate, Trump called the Iran deal a one-sided transaction in which the United States was giving back $150 billion to a terrorist state really the No. 1 terrorist state, adding that weve made them a strong country from really a very weak country.
Earlier that year, he told the American Israel Public Affairs Committee that the United States had rewarded the worlds leading state sponsor of terror with $150 billion and we received absolutely nothing in return. Trump returned to the theme repeatedly, saying in 2015 on CNN that we shouldnt have given their money back and arguing in 2019 that Obama had paid $150 billion for a short-term agreement.
I would have made a deal not from desperation. I would have doubled and tripled up the sanctions and I would have made a much better deal, Trump added.
It was not only the current president, but members of his Cabinet who criticized the JCPOA, as well as an agreement under former President Joe Biden that would have given Iran access to $6 billion in frozen assets for humanitarian purchases in exchange for the release of five detained Americans. Those assets were refrozen shortly after the release of the Americans, in response to the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel.
In September 2015, then-Sen. and presidential candidate Rubio condemned the JCPOA, arguing that Iran will immediately use the money it is receiving in sanctions relief to begin to build up its conventional capabilities and that it will establish the most dominant military power in the region outside of the United States and it will raise the price of us operating in the region.
That same month, he published a list of Ten Things That Every American Should Be Concerned About In The Iran Deal. Four of the points addressed sanctions relief, including the argument that With Billions in Sanctions Relief, Iran Will Boost Terror and Threaten the Middle East.
In August 2023, 26 Senate Republicans, including then-Sen. Vance, sent a letter to then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken and then-Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen denouncing the use of the funds in the detainee deal and expressing concern they were attempting to sidestep Congress and pursue other pathways to financially compensate Iran in an attempt to renegotiate a successor to the ill-fated 2015 nuclear deal.
Any agreement with the Iranian regime that entails financial reward for malign behavior is wholly unacceptable, they wrote.
In December 2023, Vance and Rubio co-sponsored legislation led by Sen. Tim Scott to freeze the Iranian funds in Qatar. That bill argued that given the fungible nature of money, funds released to Iran for so-called humanitarian purposes cannot be reliably prevented from funding future terrorist attacks, especially when the Government of Iran has explicitly acknowledged their willingness to use any and all monetary gains to support the ideology of their regime.
A senior administration official said it would be moronic to compare terms of the MOU to the legislation sponsored by Vance and Rubio because of the military action against Iran and the conditions on the release of the money. State Department spokesperson Tommy Piggott said that Rubio and the entire administration is 100% in lockstep behind President Trump.
In July 2024, just after becoming Trumps pick for vice president, Vance told Fox News that if you want to check Iran, one way to do it is to withdraw their oil money, which of course, Joe Bidens been bad about.
Under Trumps newly negotiated MOU, the US will immediately issue waivers for the sale of Iranian oil.
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Fireworks season is here, and if you're thinking about celebrating with your own display, there are state laws and local ordinances you need to follow
If not, it could cost you fines of up to $1,000 for each violation. These riles are designed with safety in mind, so whether you're new to lighting off your own fireworks or it's a tradition, here are some rules you need to follow so your celebration is a safe one.
Watch Tony Geftos' report below A list of state laws and local ordinances you need to follow this fireworks season
Before the booms, there are the beeps, as people shell out cash for fireworks they can light off themselves.
I mean, just speaking honestly as a man, theres just something about watching stuff shoot up into the sky and explode," Blaze Slade.
Slade is from Livonia. Every Fourth of July, he heads up north after stocking up at Pro Fireworks in Westland.
I found myself really missing it and really missing the cheerfulness of the Fourth of July, so last year, I decided to come by here when I got a coupon," Slade said.
State law said Michigan Consumer Fireworks the kind that move or explode can be set off between 11 a.m.-11:45 p.m. from June 29 through July 4th. The next dates you can set off fireworks are September 5 and 6, before Labor Day.
You know, it used to be, back in the day, youd have to sign a waiver saying, Im going to take this out of state and light it off somewhere where its legal. That doesnt happen anymore," I said to Bernie Brosnan, a Canton Fire Department fire inspector.
A list of state laws and local ordinances you need to follow this fireworks season
That doesnt happen anymore, no," Brosnan replied.
Brosnan has examples of novelty fireworks, fountains and sparklers that can be bought and lit any time of the year.
Even those, he said, can be dangerous.
Any time we have more risky behavior, were going to see more injuries," Brosnan said.
There's also a risk of a firework igniting a fire that gets out of control.
If weve had dry weather, you know, theres going to be a bigger chance for fire. If theres high winds, theres a chance for, you know, the fireworks going in places we werent expecting," Brosnan said.
To help prevent emergencies, each municipality can enforce its own ordinances on top of the state consumer firework laws. Canton Township the same as Michigan's; fireworks can not be on public, school or church property, or someone else's property without their permission.
No one under 18 can buy, possess or light them, and you can not use fireworks while under the influence of alcohol or a controlled substance.
One tip that I have is you should always have a bucket and a hose," Brosnan said. "In terms of safe disposal, this is a nice staging place for used fireworks.
If you follow the rules, you can enjoy the holiday activities safely, without the risk of breaking a rule.
I think its just enjoying it. Just enjoying all the, you know, the laughter, celebrating, you know, with everybody around," said Chelsea White, a Farmington Hills resident.
Before you light up the night, check the date and time to make sure your display is on the up and up.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced Monday that he will resign, forced out by his own party after missteps and mistakes soured voters goodwill for a prime minister who won a landslide election victory two years ago on a promise of steady leadership and economic growth.
Starmer says he will remain caretaker prime minister until his Labour party chooses a new leader with expectations growing that it will be former Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham.
Burnham confirmed in a social media post that I will put myself forward as part of this process. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who was considered his main rival for the top job, said he will back Burnham.
It was Burnham's victory in a special parliamentary election last week that triggered Starmer's decision to resign. After nearly a decade out of Parliament as the mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham returns to Westminster and will be sworn in as a lawmaker later on Monday.
Only members of Parliament can stand for the party leadership.
Streeting's statement makes it more likely that Burnham will be selected without a leadership contest.
Starmer is the sixth prime minister in a decade to stand outside 10 Downing Street and announce a premature departure. His statement comes the day before Britain marks the 10th anniversary of its vote to leave the European Union, a decision that still roils the countrys economy and politics.
After weeks of insisting he would fight to keep his job, Starmer conceded to growing pressure to hand over to a new leader who can try and revive the governments flagging fortunes. He led Labour to a landslide election victory in July 2024, but since then his popularity and that of the party have plummeted.
A new leader in place within weeks
Starmer made the announcement outside his official 10 Downing St. residence, the spot where he delivered his first speech as prime minister two years ago.
His voice choked with emotion near the end of the brief statement, which was watched by a group of staff, Cabinet ministers and scores of journalists.
The question my party is asking now is whether I am best placed to lead us into the next general election, Starmer said. I have heard the answer of my parliamentary party to that question, and I accept that answer with good grace.
He said he spoke to King Charles III, Britain's constitutional monarch, to inform him of the decision.
Starmer spent the weekend pondering his future following Burnham's special election victory.
Its unclear whether Burnham, who is due to be sworn in as a member of Parliament on Monday, will now face a coronation or a challenge. Starmer said nominations for a leadership contest will open on July 9, and the new leader will be in place by the time Parliament returns from its summer break on Sept. 1.
If Burnham is the only candidate, the change could come by mid-July.
Starmer struggled to fulfill election pledges
Starmer has struggled to deliver promised economic growth, repair tattered public services and ease the cost of living. He has been hamstrung by repeated missteps, including his decision to appoint Peter Mandelson, a scandal-tarnished friend of Jeffrey Epstein, as the U.K. ambassador to the United States.
Labour is losing liberal voters to the growing Green Party and facing a rising Reform UK, the Nigel Farage -led anti-immigration party that consistently leads in nationwide opinion polls.
U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in even before an announcement, linking Starmers potential exit to two of his recurring bugbears: immigration and renewable energy.
Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom. He failed badly on two very important subjects- IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!). I wish him well! President DJT, Trump posted on his social media platform.
Starmers initially warm relationship with the president has soured in recent months over issues including the Iran war, which the U.K. didnt join.
He won praise on the world stage
In contrast to missteps on the domestic front, Starmer has won praise for his international role, notably in rallying European support for Ukraine in its fight against Russias invasion, and working to mitigate the economic and political turmoil unleashed by the Iran conflict.
A NATO summit in Turkey next month may be his last foray on the world stage as Britain's leader.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen praised Starmers legacy.
It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years, she said on X. European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.
While many Labour lawmakers have rallied behind Burnham, some have said that Starmer had been treated unfairly. London legislator Neil Coyle railed on X against the prospect of an utter stitch-up & the media circus being rewarded.
When the next leader cannot change Trump, Iran, Ukraine, Putin, Musk, broadcast editorial & algorithm bias overnight theyll bay for his blood too. Better keep that guillotine sharp, he wrote.
Barricades and fences are already set up as hundreds of thousands of people are expected to fill the area Monday night for the annual fireworks show.
Watch reports from Megan Lee and Carli Petrus below Your guide to the 2026 Ford Fireworks: Parking, viewing areas and more Downtown prepares for 2026 Ford Fireworks, large crowds anticipated
Detroit City Council approved an ordinance this week extending the city's curfew for minors during the fireworks. The curfew is now from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Previously, the curfew started at 10 p.m.
The change comes after several weeks of so-called "teen takeovers" and violence. Last year, a 17-year-old boy and a 22-year-old woman were shot as the annual fireworks were going off.
Minors must be with their parent or a guardian after 8 p.m. if they choose to watch the fireworks within the curfew boundary. Parents of children found in violation would face a $250 fine.
Alton Ross, a retired Detroit firefighter who spent years bringing his daughters to the summertime tradition, said the city is prepared for the large crowd.
"They look forward to it, they know it's a big event, and DFD is always ready," Ross said.
Ross said he understands the reasoning behind the updated curfew.
"They shouldn't be down here running around to do whatever they want to do. I think that's the real reason for the curfew and people are looking at it different ways," Ross said.
He added that the responsibility ultimately falls on families.
"We want the parents to be responsible for your kids, that's it," Ross said.
Jarren Grabke is excited to bring his young daughter to the show for the first time.
"I mean I had a curfew. I came home when the lights came on, time to go home," Grabke said.
"Seeing everything through her eyes for the first time, brings back my own memories," Grabke said.
If you are planning to attend, the city says to arrive early, as sections of Woodward will be closed and spots like Hart Plaza will be packed.
Gilbert Nesbitt, general manager of Experience ZUZU, an Asian fusion restaurant just a short distance from Hart Plaza, said his team is ready for the rush.
"We expect an early crowd for people to get positioning for the fireworks," Nesbitt said.
"Our patio is open and ready to rock for the fireworks," Nesbitt said.
Nesbitt said the restaurant is bringing in additional staff to handle the increased demand.
"We are going to schedule heavier than a normal Monday. Anticipating heavy traffic and I want to be able to serve as many guests in that time frame," Nesbitt said.
Click here for all of the details on how to prepare for the fireworks.
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.
Williams, a seven-time winner of the event, accepted a wild card to compete at the event in London. Wild cards are given to players who don't have the ranking to automatically qualify for the tournament.
Williams, 44, played her last singles match at the U.S. open in 2022, where she went on to lose in the third round. After that, she decided to step away from professional tennis and has not competed since.
In addition to competing in singles, Williams also announced earlier this month that she will be competing in doubles at Wimbledon alongisde her sister Venus.
The sisters last played doubles together at the 2022 U.S. Open, where they lost in the opening round. But the last time they played doubles at Wimbledon was in 2016 when the duo went on to win the title.
Although Serena has played little competitive tennis since announcing her retirement in 2022, Venus, 45, has remained active on the WTA Tour. She last competed at the Mutua Madrid Open in late April in both singles and doubles.
The 39th annual EyesOn Design car show at Ford House brought together 175 carefully selected vehicles under this year's theme of power and elegance but for one father and son, the event represents something far more personal than a love of automobiles.
Steve Pasteiner has served as a judge and announcer at EyesOn Design since the event began. His youngest son, Eric, has volunteered alongside him every year since the inception of the show. For the Pasteiners, the annual event has become a nearly four-decade Father's Day tradition.
"Some of the favorite memories are helping them work on cars, you know, growing up, you know, running tools for them, holding this, or actually... getting the hands dirty and working alongside of them," Eric Pasteiner said.
Steve Pasteiner said his son's passion for cars took root early.
"I have pictures on my phone that I carry of when he was five, six years old, and standing next to one of the cars that we both loved and he grew up with, and that love prevails," he said.
Beyond the Father's Day tradition, EyesOn Design carries a deeper charitable mission. Christos Rostemis, a member of the event's Vehicle Selection Committee, said the show raises awareness and funding for the visually impaired.
"It's just a wonderful charity that brings people out and aware of the things that visually impaired people can do. We also have, the charity helps visually impaired people to see better. We're doing symposiums that unite the sensors on cars with sensors that can be used to help people see in the future," Rostemis said.
One of the show's most distinctive features involves visually impaired participants called visioneers who judge the vehicles by touch.
"We have visioneers that come through and judge the cars. They're visually impaired. They judge them with gloved hands, and that is a unique part of our show. They judge them by feel. It's an amazing thing to watch," Rostemis said.
Around 50 judges participated this year, including seven visually-impaired award winners across several categories. Donations are collected through ticket sales and sponsorships, while participating vehicles are invited exclusively by the selection committee based on the annual theme.
Steve Pasteiner said the cause resonates deeply with him.
"Sight is probably the greatest treasure that we have, you know," Steve Pasteiner said.
Eric Pasteiner echoed that sentiment, calling for greater public awareness of the event.
"People need to be more aware of this event just to get more cars, more people, more donations in order to help the visually impaired is absolutely fantastic," Eric Pasteiner said.
For the Pasteiners, the day ends the same way it begins together.
"I get to hang out with this guy, and then when it's over, I still have the cart, we can ride around and look at cars together and appreciate that part of it too," Steve Pasteiner said.
To self-nominate a vehicle for next year's showcase, visit eyesondesign.org.
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.
A 51-year-old man fell to his death from an upper deck of Madison Square Garden during a concert on Saturday night, police said.
Officers responding to a 911 call around 9:51 p.m. found the man unconscious and unresponsive with injuries indicating a fall from an elevated position, New York City Police said.
Police did not say how far the man fell, but said he was in Section 300. They declined to release his name.
The man was with his wife, according to police. He was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The rock band Goose was performing. In a statement on Facebook, the band said it was deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn of the tragic event that occurred."
U.S. President Donald Trump weighed in on the future of British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Sunday, claiming that he will resign, amid widespread speculation the U.K. leader could set out a timeline for his departure as soon as Monday.
Keir Starmer will resign as Prime Minister of The United Kingdom, Trump said in a post on Truth Social, although it remains unclear if the US president knows something definitively or if he is just jumping in on the commentary.
Britains PA Media reported that Trump has not spoken to Starmer since the leaders saw each other at the G7 summit in France earlier this week.
In his social media post, Trump criticized Starmer, the leader of the U.K.s centre-left Labour Party, saying ineffective policymaking would be behind his political demise.
He failed badly on two very important subjects IMMIGRATION AND ENERGY, Trump wrote, adding, (OPEN NORTH SEA OIL!).
Trump has repeatedly urged the British government to reverse its freeze on issuing new oil and gas exploration licenses in the North Sea, and he has criticized the UKs wind farms.
Though he was once nicknamed the Trump whisperer on account of his apparent ability to keep the president on-side, Starmer has recently been subject to a deluge of scolding from his American counterpart regarding the war in Iran.
In response to Trumps claim, a Downing Street spokesperson directed CNN to Starmers most recent statement made Friday where he said, Theres more to do, and thats what Im focused on, what I was elected to do, which is to serve my country, adding that there was nothing more to add at this time.
British Business Secretary Peter Kyle told BBC on Sunday that Starmer was reflecting on political realities this weekend, adding he would do what is in the best interests of the country.
U.K. media is widely reporting Starmer will stand down Monday, with support swinging behind Andy Burnham, the outgoing Manchester mayor who won a recent by-election.
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A celebration of life has been planned to honor longtime Detroit music publicist Matt Lee, who died this week at the age of 68.
Lee was a fixture in the citys music scene.
Posts across social media mourned the loss of Lee, whose clients included the Detroit Jazz Festival, Dutch Girl Donuts, The Schvitz, Dakota Inn Rathskellar and more.
"This guy was my publicist for over 20 years. He was more than that, though. He was funny, kind, sarcastic, and cool. He remembered my childrens names and what they all were doing, and was such a great support person for the Detroit community. We will all miss you, Matty Lee. My condolences to your family," musician Julianne Ankley wrote on social media.
The celebration of life will take place Wednesday, July 1 at Cadieux Cafe on Detroit's east side. Doors will open at 11:30 a.m., and there will be tributes from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. After that, there will be live music.
Officials in Russia-occupied Crimea suspended civilian gasoline sales Sunday as Ukraine ramped up attacks on fuel supplies on the Black Sea peninsula.
Gov. Sergey Aksyonov, the Kremlin-appointed head o Crimea, said that overnight Ukrainian strikes killed four people and wounded 28 others. He did not specify the target of the attack.
He later wrote on social media that local gas stations would halt all sales to non-state companies and individuals for an undefined period.
Fuel will be sold only to government agencies that ensure the functioning and security of the Republic of Crimea, Aksyonov said. I ask everyone to remain calm and to only trust official sources of information.
Ukrainian forces have repeatedly targeted fuel supplies to Crimea in recent weeks, triggering the worst energy crisis in the region since it was illegally annexed by Russia in 2014.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement Sunday that a Crimean oil depot, as well as an oil transport facility in Russias southern Krasnodar region were among the targets. He described the attacks as part of Ukraines long-range sanctions against Russias energy infrastructure.
Russia understands only strength, and our long-range strength is certainly working for peace, he wrote.
Russian officials in Krasnodar reported earlier Sunday that a drone strike sparked a fire at a Black Sea oil terminal in the village of Chushka. They said that Ukrainian attacks struck a ferry, killing one person.
Motorists struggle to find fuel
The Crimean peninsula has had periodic fuel shortages from Ukrainian strikes before, but the current crisis is the worst since its 2014 annexation.
At the end of May, authorities restricted the sale of gas to 20 liters (5 1/3 gallons) per vehicle owner per week, using prepaid coupons. Those were snapped up immediately following their release on an official messaging app channel, and motorists lined up for hours, waiting to refuel.
Social networks have been abuzz with requests and advice on where to find fuel, and authorities launched a hotline for tourists in the area who have found themselves trapped.
Some motorists bring their own gas from Krasnodar and elsewhere via the Kerch bridge, but they are restricted to carrying 100 liters (about 26 1/2 gallons) per vehicle. Some speculators are selling gas at double the market price.
In a rare public acknowledgment, the Kremlin has recognized the scope of the problem and promised to address the issue quickly.
However, Ukraines successes have highlighted its ability to inflict painful damage on Russia and change the course of the conflict while Moscows advances recently have ground to a near halt. On June 11, Russias full-scale invasion of Ukraine reached its 1,569th day, surpassing the duration of World War I.
With an agreement signed and further talks set to commence, the US war with Iran is at a halt, at least for now, and President Donald Trump is telling Americans they have won.
YOURE WELCOME! Trump wrote on Thursday in a post on his social media platform, where he also ticked through benefits of his memorandum of understanding to keep negotiating with Iran for the next 60 days.
OIL IS FLOWING, IRAN CAN NEVER HAVE A NUCLEAR WEAPON (THE WORLD WILL BE SAFE!), THE STOCK MARKETS ARE ROARING, JOBS ARE AT RECORDS, AND PRICES ARE DROPPING (AFFORDABILITY!). OUR COUNTRY IS STRONG, SAFE, AND RESPECTED LIKE NEVER BEFORE, Trump said.
But an objective analysis of what has changed after more than 100 days of the conflict, in which 13 American service members lost their lives along with more than 7,500 civilians in the region, suggests a more nuanced story than the one Trump put in all caps.
Here are some of the big numbers and trends that draw a fuller picture of how the war affected the US:
The sticker price of the war is around $40 billion, but the total price is much higher
The conflict cost the Department of Defense is about $40 billion, according to preliminary numbers from an upcoming analysis from the Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The figure includes cost of munitions, destroyed equipment and damage to bases, but does not incorporate operational costs that were already factored into the departments more than $1 trillion fiscal year 2026 budget, Mark Cancian, a senior adviser at CSIS, told CNN.
The Pentagon has submitted a request for $80 billion in supplemental funding, two US government sources told CNN. Less than $20 billion of that total request is related to immediate needs from the Iran war, according to one source, who added that the figure does not include costs like repairs to facilities and US basing in the region.
That includes around $26 billion spent on munitions
Munitions were the largest expenditure, Cancian said, adding that there was a high use of weapons that were long-range, highly sophisticated and expensive.
For example, a Tomahawk missile costs around $2.5 million, and the US used about a thousand of them, according to Cancian.
The war put a strain on the US stockpile of weapons
Experts and officials tell CNN that the military used significant portions of key missile inventory. Trump invoked the Defense Production Act earlier in June to force defense companies to manufacture more weapons.
The daily cost of the war waned as it went on with less frequent strikes and decreased use of expensive weapons, according to CSIS, which estimated that the first 100 hours of the war cost $3.7 billion. On day 12, the cumulative cost was around $16.5 billion, the think tank found.
While the Defense Department bore the brunt of the expenses, the conflict cost other agencies, such as Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs, $1 billion, according to CSIS preliminary numbers. Approximately $165 million of that was related to higher fuel prices, Cancian said.
Gas prices are still up
The war drove the price of gas up, a bitter pill for Trump, who has made reliance on fossil fuels drilling a key part of his agenda. But while the US has been the top oil and gas producer for years, the market is complex and worldwide. Gas prices rose from an average of less than $3 per gallon around the country to well more than $4 during much of the war.
Now that oil traffic is set to flow again through the Strait of Hormuz, look for prices to come down. But it will likely take time. The US average was $3.97 a gallon on Friday. On Thursday, it dropped below $4 for the first time since March 30.
According to an energy cost tracker from Brown University, American households have spent more than $253 more than what they would have paid if there was no war.
Diesel is up even more, which has a knock-on effect
Everyday Americans have been feeling the pinch of gas prices, but farmers and shippers have been feeling the pinch from diesel. The average price was about $3.80 before the war started. It is over $5 as of June 15, which is down from earlier in the war.
Brown Universitys energy cost tracker found that due to the increased price, Americans spent nearly $27.1 billion extra for diesel.
The war also drove up the price of fertilizer, which could have a long-term effect on farming.
The strategic petroleum reserve is at its lowest level since 1983
The nations emergency reserve of oil, kept in salt caverns in the gulf coast, has been depleted both by the Biden administration as a result of Russias war on Ukraine and the Trump administration as a result of Trumps war on Iran. As CNNs Matt Egan reported, the reserve is now at its lowest level since 1983, when it was first being filled during the Reagan administration.
The world has lost 1.15 billion barrels of oil supply
Oil hasnt been coming out of the Middle East for nearly four months. All told, the world lost 1.15 billion barrels of oil supply during the war, according to Kpler.
So, the world has been taking crude from just about everywhere else it can get some.
Venezuela and Brazil ramped up production. The United States sent loads of jet fuel to Europe and diesel to Australia. The Trump administration de-sanctioned hundreds of millions of barrels of Russian and Iranian oil. And 32 countries coordinated the largest release of emergency oil stockpiles in history.
That still wasnt enough. So oil companies started drawing from their own supplies to satisfy their customers demand.
The tanks in Cushing, Oklahoma, are running out of oil
A critical oil hub in Cushing, Oklahoma, which pipes fuel all around the United States, just hit its operational stress level the equivalent of when the coffee drops below the spigot and you need to tip the urn to get the last bits of sludge into your mug. Much of what collects at the bottom of an oil tank is unusable gunk, making it hard to maintain pressure in the pipes to get oil out to customers.
The US Energy Information Administration reported last week that Cushing had just 20 million barrels of oil left in its tanks. Thats a problem that Trump acknowledged Wednesday at the G7 in Versailles.
You want to see bedlam? Trump said. We run out of reserves in about four weeks.
Inflation is up
Trump has struggled to find a compelling political argument to explain why his policies have helped drive up prices. He has at times said the idea of affordability is a hoax. More recently, he said, I love the inflation, arguing it could be much worse and that when the war ended its going to come down like a rock.
But theres a difference between inflation coming down, which means prices dont rise as quickly, and prices actually falling.
Annual inflation was over 4% for the first time in three years, driven by those energy prices, according to recent data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Thats far from the highs of the Covid years, but double what the Federal Reserve generally wants to see before it lowers interest rates. The persistently high inflation helps explain why the Fed declined to cut rates last week, as Trump wants, despite now being led by his hand-picked Chairman Kevin Warsh.
But prices are now rising faster than the average American paycheck grew over the past year. In other words: Inflation ate your pay raise in April and May, the first time that had happened since 2023.
Consumer confidence is up a tick, but still near historic lows
There is some evidence of optimism among Americans. After three consecutive months falling, consumer sentiment rose in June, according to a long-running survey conducted by the University of Michigan. But it is still well below historic averages.
The general lack of confidence is not just a result of the war, as CNNs Bryan Mena wrote.
Stocks are up
Market indices dipped in the immediate aftermath of the war, but Trump can continue to brag (and repeatedly has) that markets have continued to set records despite the war. Americans might be generally pessimistic about the economy in part as a result of inflation and rising gas prices caused by the war, but investors remain committed. Add in some big ticket IPOs from SpaceX and in the AI sector and, despite the war, people who feel good about their 401k balance if theyre lucky enough to have one.
Bonds are way down
Bonds have been selling off because of growing inflation concerns because of rising gas prices during the war. That sent the benchmark 10-year US Treasury yield to its highest level in more than a year in May, before it fell back a bit.
The 10-year yield influences consumer loan rates, including credit cards, auto loans and home mortgages.
Mortgage rates are way up
The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate fell to 6.47% last week, down from 6.52% the previous week, which was near the years high, according to Freddie Mac. Higher bond yields have pushed mortgage rates higher, keeping the housing market frozen and preventing people who cant afford the American Dream from achieving it.
Rates may continue to rise: Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh in his first meeting as chair last week said that the central bank would make a stronger push to get price hikes in check. The market now expects the Fed to hike rates later this year, potentially raising mortgage rates along with it.
Trumps approval rating is down. But it was already extremely low
The president has a committed core of supporters, but most of the country disapproves of how hes handling his job. As a result, his rating was already dipping below 40% before the war started. Just 38% of Americans approved of Trumps job performance in February. That figure is at 37%, as of June 15, according to CNNs Poll of Polls.
Trumps handling of the war and of the economy are similarly under water, according to a recent Fox News poll, in which 31% of registered voters approved of his handling of the economy and 35% approved of his handling of Iran.
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U.S. Vice President JD Vance and senior Iranian officials arrived in Switzerland on Sunday to formally launch negotiations over Tehrans nuclear program, build out the fragile interim deal to end the war in Iran and keep the Strait of Hormuz open.
The framework was signed last week, and now top American and Iranian negotiators are in a 60-day sprint to reach an agreement on the technical details that hold massive implications for the world economy and global security.
Yet only days after signing the agreement, it is being stress-tested after fighting escalated in Lebanon between Israel and the Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah and by the subsequent announcement by Irans military that it had again closed the vital waterway that transits one-fifth of the worlds traded oil and natural gas. A renewed ceasefire in Lebanon, brokered on Saturday, appeared to be holding up.
Separate meetings kick off first
Vance first sat down for talks with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Staff Field Marshall Asim Munir, who has served as a key intermediary between Washington and Tehran throughout the conflict.
Whats up, man! Good to see you, Vance said as he warmly greeted Munir, who serves as Pakistan's army chief.
Sharif met separately with Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, who is leading Tehran's delegation, and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.
Mediators from Qatar were also on hand at the mountainside resort near Lake Lucerne.
Rafael Grossi, chief of the U.N. nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency, met with Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis on the sidelines of the gathering. The agency had monitored the 2015 nuclear deal negotiated between the U.S. and Iran under the Democratic Obama administration. Trump, a Republican, withdrew the U.S. from the agreement in 2018.
Irans main focus during the negotiations will be the ongoing war between Israel and Lebanon, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei told Irans state news agency.
Iran is insisting that the deals implementation start with the part of the deal that calls for a cessation of all wars, including between Israel and Hezbollah. Baghaei said the U.S. has been unable or unwilling to hold Israel to the ceasefire.
Iranian officials were to hold their own meetings with Pakistani and Qatari mediators before a planned four-way meeting that would include the U.S. negotiating team.
Iran is cautiously approaching the negotiations given its previous experience with the U.S. negotiations on the nuclear issue, which twice in the past year have been interrupted by massive strikes against the country. The implementation of any document is more important than its signing, Baghaei said Sunday.
But Irans president added that Iran will maintain its right to a nuclear program.
What is certain is that we will never back down from the right to enrich uranium, and the other side is also forced to accept it, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday, according to Irans state media.
A delayed meeting is now back on
Vance had originally been slated to be on the ground at the Brgenstock resort near Lucerne on Friday, but his departure from the United States was delayed after fighting escalated in Lebanon and Iranian officials canceled plans to attend the talks.
U.S. Central Command disputed Irans claim that it had once again shuttered the strait and said U.S. forces continued to monitor the situation to ensure traffic continues to flow through the waterway. Vance has said that millions of barrels of oil have moved through the strait in recent days.
Vance departed the U.S. just after Iranian state TV said Irans negotiators had arrived in Switzerland.
The vice president was joined by special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, President Donald Trump's son-in-law, for Sunday's talks. Witkoff and Kushner were on the ground in Switzerland ahead of Vance to begin sifting through the technical details of the nuclear talks.
Vance and his wife, second lady Usha Vance, arrived at Emmen Air Base outside Lucerne just before 6 a.m. local time, according to his office.
While Vance said he planned to be in Switzerland for just a day or two, leaving much of the detailed negotiations to be spearheaded by Witkoff and Kushner, his role in the talks has heightened scrutiny of the vice president at a time when hes actively considering a 2028 presidential campaign.
The deal has stirred much controversy
Trump and Vance have come under searing criticism from parts of their own party for the deal, with Republican hard-liners unfavorably likening it to a nuclear agreement signed by the Obama administration that Trump and the GOP have insisted did nothing to actually terminate Irans nuclear program.
The agreement signed by Trump and Iranian President Pezeshkian immediately allows Tehran to sell its oil freely and paves the way for Iran to tap into billions of dollars in assets that are currently frozen. It also calls for Iran to dilute its stockpile of highly enriched uranium, believed to be buried under nuclear sites that were targeted in U.S. strikes last summer.
The agreement says commercial vessels can pass through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days without a charge, but does not preclude future fees imposed by Iran. Trump made his own threat on Saturday to levy U.S. tolls on the strait if there is no deal with Iran in 60 days, insisting in a social media post that the money would be for services rendered as the Guardian Angel to the countries of the Middle East.
The Trump administration has been working to reassure global markets that the Iran war has been merely a blip on oil prices, as Americans have complained the conflict resulted in hiking gasoline prices ahead of peak summer travel months. After the White House announced the deal a week ago, oil futures dropped almost 8% and markets are expected to closely track the progress of talks when they open for trading on Sunday evening.
Further complicating matters, neither Israel nor Hezbollah is a signatory to the deal between the U.S. and Iran, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to keep his forces in southern Lebanon until any threat to Israel is eliminated. Hezbollah has refused to halt its attacks unless Israel commits to withdrawing from Lebanon.
Fighting between Israel and Hezbollah in the initial days after the agreement between the U.S. and Iran killed 47 people in Lebanon, as well as four Israeli soldiers.
As the nation prepares for a red, white and blue July 4 celebration, the White House is responding to a problem of a different hue: a verdant Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool rife with algae.
At Trumps urging, federal officials this spring undertook a renovation project aimed at beautifying the historic pool on D.C.s National Mall.
But just weeks after the projects completion, twin controversies have the Trump administration on defense over both the process and outcomes of the renovation.
Since Trump first announced the renovation project on April 23 something he said he undertook after hearing from a German friend who complained the water was dirty, filthy and sad the president has brought up the project to reporters, unprompted, at least 10 additional times.
During remarks in the East Room on May 4, for example, Trump lambasted previous estimates that the renovation would cost hundreds of millions of dollars, insisting he could do it better and more cheaply.
I think we can do it for about $1.9 million, Trump said, also announcing the pool would be coated in a new, waterproof membrane in the color American Flag Blue.
This will last for at least 50 years and you'll never have a leak, Trump said.
Since Trumps announcement, the cost of the project has ballooned to more than $15 million dollars, federal contracting records show. And though work on the coating was completed on June 3, the pool today is less blue than green, rife with algal growth thats drawn mockery from Trumps critics.
It's awful, like the rest of everything else theyre doing, Jackie Leddone, a Northern Virginia resident visiting the pool, told Scripps News Friday.
Meanwhile, Democratic lawmakers are now probing the procurement process for the projects construction, as the two firms that received no-bid contracts reportedly had potential ties to Trump and his associates. The White House has denied playing a role in the contracting process, even as Trump has said publicly that one contract was given to a firm hed worked with previously.
Its not easy being green
Algae in the reflecting pool is nothing new, especially after renovations; algal blooms have plagued every Lincoln Reflecting Pool reopening since 1922, the U.S. Department of the Interior noted Wednesday, pointing specifically to algal growth following the pools last renovation in 2012.
Indeed, the shallow, warm water provides a perfect environment for the photosynthetic microorganisms, ecological experts told Scripps News.
This is the normal succession of algal community development during the warm season, Rosalina Stancheva Christova, who researches algal taxonomy and ecology at George Mason University and runs the schools Algal Ecology Lab, told Scripps News in an interview.
On Tuesday, Christova took water samples from the pool to study under the microscope. Her findings confirmed her expectations: at this point, the vast majority of the growth in the pool is standard green algae, also known by the scientific name
Desmodesmus
.
Such algae are not toxic to humans and have benefits to other wildlife.
It's normal," Christova said. This algae, they grow, they are needed, they are very important for the ecosystem.
Even still, the Trump administration is going to great lengths to try to clean the water.
On Friday, nearly a dozen National Park Service workers and other contractors were seen tending to the pond vacuuming algae from the bottom and using advanced nanobubbler technology to pump ozone into the water to kill the growth.
Previously, crews were seen dumping bins of hydrogen peroxide into the pool as a means of clarifying it, something experts told Scripps News was unlikely to do much at current quantities.
We would actually need large trucks coming in and dumping the hydrogen peroxide into the reflecting pool, Jason Davison, an assistant professor of civil and environmental engineering at Catholic University of America, told Scripps News.
It's not shocking that they tried to do it. It was more surprising that they were going to the hardware store and using gallon bottles, he added.
And even as the algae may be harmless to humans, the remediation efforts could change the water such that harmful organisms are more likely to grow, Davison said. Moreover, crews were seen pumping out the algae-filled water into city municipal drains, which could ultimately end up in local waterways and harm marine ecosystems.
We won't know what type of water is actually being discharged, which could have profound impacts as well, he said.
Contract questions
Even before the new pool coating was installed and algae bloom began, concerns were raised about the process by which the renovation contracts were doled out.
Rather than go through the typical, months-long federal procurement process which involves conducting environmental and permitting reviews and soliciting bids from multiple firms the Trump administration opted to award firms working on the Reflecting Pool no-bid contracts.
Atlantic Industrial Coatings L.L.C. was awarded a $14.7 million contract to repair cracks in the pool and install the new coating, records show, while Greenwater Services (also known as Green Water Solutions L.L.C.) received $1.7 million for the nano bubble water remediation system.
Officials justified the bidless contracts by invoking regulations allowing no-bid awards in situations of unusual and compelling urgency, as the administration insisted the work had to be completed ahead of the July 4 semiquincentennial celebrations.
A May lawsuit by the D.C.-based nonprofit Cultural Landscape Foundation sought to halt the work, arguing the administration circumvented federal laws requiring public notification of the project and mandating input from other federal agencies before work began. The Trump administration pushed forward with the renovations, completing the coating before a judge had issued any definitive ruling on the matter.
On Thursday, images and videos posted to social media appeared to show the new, blue coating peeling up from the bottom in spots. Davison said such problems were likely when a project of this scale was pursued at such a rapid pace.
It is a rush job, he told Scripps News. Not having the design engineers, the environmental scientists involved is one of the main reasons why we're seeing this failure of the coating.
And according to reporting from the
New York Times,
as well as public comments from Trump himself, the firms behind the construction had ties to the president.
Trump initially said he personally consulted with three companies to install the new coating, ultimately choosing one whod worked on the swimming pool at his golf club in Sterling, Virginia.
I have a guy whos unbelievable at doing swimming pools, Trump told reporters on April 23. He looked at it. He called me up. He said, Sir, we can do something on it.
In a subsequent Truth Social post on May 12, however, Trump suggested he had no connection to the firm. I didnt give out the contract, Interior did, to a contractor I did not know, and have never used before, he wrote.
Representatives for Atlantic Industrial Coatings did not respond to an inquiry about how it obtained the Reflecting Pool contract or its past work on Trump-owned properties.
Multiple Trump associates and allies, meanwhile, are reportedly tied to Greenwater Services: per the
New York Times,
David Schutzenhofer, the general manager of Trumps Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club, helped recruit the firm. And Green Water Solutions was recently revealed to be tied to John J. Cafaro, a Trump donor and neighbor to the presidents Mar-a-Lago, Florida, club.
Representatives for Schutzenhofer, Cafaro and the Bedminster club did not respond to inquiries from Scripps News.
Sharon Yauger, vice president of marketing for Greenwater Services, shared a statement and documentation about the company's "patented NanoBubble Ozone Technology" with Scripps News via email, but otherwise declined to speak to the Reflecting Pool project, deferring to the Interior Dept.
Representatives for the Interior Dept. did not respond to multiple inquiries about the renovation, the contracting process, the algal growth or apparent peeling of the coating.
The White House, in a statement, insisted it did not play any role in the selection process of the Greenwater contract.
This contract was awarded by the Department of Interior, White House spokeswoman Taylor Rogers said in an email. The medias continued attempts to fabricate conflicts of interest are irresponsible and reinforce the public's distrust in what they read.
Still, Democratic lawmakers are investigating. Sen. Richard Blumenthal sent a letter to Atlantic Industrial Coatings CEO Curtis Wood in mid-May, seeking information about how his firm received the Reflecting Pool contract.
Trump, for his part, posted about the situation late Friday, suggesting there had been real problems with Vandalism at the pool.
The algae is 75% gone, and the condition will soon be completely remedied, Trump wrote.
In a subsequent post Saturday evening, Trump suggested "multiple individuals" had been arrested at the pool for alleged vandalism. One, three-time Olympic canoeist David Carter Hearn, vehemently denies any wrongdoing, suggesting he was only investigating the peeling paint.
The president went on to announce officials would "probably be forced to release and drain much of the water" in order to complete repairs.
But for some visiting the pool earlier in the week, the situation had already become something of a national joke.
It's just, you know, it looks bad, Forest Stone, who grew up in D.C. but now lives in Upstate New York, told Scripps News. It's kind of a joke, it's something to laugh at.
Michigan's strawberry season has been a bumpy one, but Blake's Orchard and Cider Mill in Armada is giving berry lovers a reason to celebrate at least for a few more days.
Watch Faraz's story in the video player below: Blake's Orchard Strawberry Festival draws crowds amid tough growing season in Michigan
The farm is hosting its 10th annual Strawberry Festival, and visitors are showing up hungry. Sorin Kovaci arrived with ambition, picking 10 pounds of strawberries through the farm's U-pick program. Laslie Haver and her niece Susan Pattee were gearing up to do the same.
When asked what makes the perfect strawberry, the answers came quickly.
"The color, the taste," Kovaci said.
"Medium size," Haver said.
"Fresh. On Sale," Pattee said.
Shoppers across the region have noticed strawberry prices fluctuating at grocery stores. Blake's Farms Operations Manager Brent Christensen said several factors are driving the volatility.
"There's so much that goes into it. Weather events, tariffs, fertilizer prices, fuel prices. They ship the berries from a long ways away, whether it's California or out of country, play a factor in what you're paying at the grocery store," Christensen said.
Michigan's growing season added its own complications. Christensen said the state's strawberry crop struggled this year due to excessive rainfall in April followed by multiple frost events.
"Yeah, the strawberry crop in general in Michigan has really struggled this year. There was a ton of water early in the month of April, and that caused issues with roots being super wet. And then we dealt with many frost events across the whole entire state. Cold temperatures when the plants are in flowering cause issues. It can stress the plant significantly. It can kill the flowers," Christensen said.
Despite those challenges, Christensen said Blake's Farms is not experiencing a shortage. The main location has up to 20 acres of strawberries, with 30 acres across all of the farm's properties.
"Here at Blake Farms, there's absolutely no shortage. We have up to 20 acres here at this main location. Across all of our properties, it's 30 acres. We have great crops. You might be seeing at your local farms a little bit smaller size or a little less quantity available on the shelves right now," Christensen said.
For those worried that smaller berries mean less flavor, Christensen offered some reassurance.
"A lot of people actually say that the smaller they are, they actually have a little bit more sugar, a little bit sweeter. So some people prefer them small. Me, myself, I like a big, nice, juicy berry, though," Christensen said.
Beyond the festival, Blake's Farms runs an educational program for children called Appleseed's Camp, which teaches kids how to grow crops, including strawberries. Lauren Pilett, the farm's Director of Marketing, said the program reflects a core value of the business.
"And that's a fun way to get kids excited about nutrition and the agricultural and all that stuff at a young age. And it's something that we're really passionate about here at Blake's Family," Pilett said.
With the season winding down, Christensen urged anyone thinking about visiting to act fast.
"The season's short. We only have about 10 days left in the season. Hurry out. You're going to miss it if you don't," Christensen said.
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.
Visitors to the United States for this years FIFA World Cup have been enjoying ranch dressing but it has apparently caused issues at airports.
According to the Transportation Security Administration, some tourists have been leaving bottles of ranch dressing in their carry-on luggage, violating regulations that ban liquids larger than 3.4 ounces on planes.
Are you kicking around the idea of flying home with your favorite dip? If youre traveling within the U.S., make sure to keep your carry-on sauces to 3.4 ounces or less and place any larger containers in your checked bags, TSA said in a statement, adding it does not advise chugging the condiment in the screening line.
In response to the advisory, Kraft said it is working on a TSA-compliant way for travelers to carry ranch dressing onto planes.
Some visitors leave with souvenirs. Others leave with Americas favorite dressing. Introducing Kraft TSA Compliant Ranch, a travel-friendly way to bring the taste of America home, Kraft said in an Instagram post, teasing potential travel-sized bottles.
A YouGov poll taken earlier this year found ranch was the only salad dressing that a majority of Americans said they had in their homes. Only 39 percent said they had Italian dressing. The only condiments more popular than ranch were ketchup, peanut butter, mayonnaise, mustard, jam or jelly, honey, and barbecue sauce.
New Jersey Republican Rep. Tom Kean Jr., who's been absent from Congress since March with an unspecified medical issue, is set to return on June 30, a political consultant to the congressman said Thursday.
Kean, who represents a battleground district in this year's midterms, has missed more than 100 votes and hasn't been spotted in Washington or his district, stirring a mystery that carries potential national consequences.
"Congressman Kean is eager to return to in person work on June 30 and resume a full schedule," said Kean political consultant Harrison Neely in a text. He plans to be fully transparent regarding the nature of his health issue and you should expect to hear from him in person June 30th."
Keans office has said he is still running for reelection and is set to face Democratic Navy veteran Rebecca Bennett in the state's premier contest in November.
The district is among the most closely watched in this year's election. In the past two midterm elections, the seat changed party hands, with Kean winning in 2022 over Democrat Tom Malinowski, who had defeated Republican Leonard Lance in 2018.
Kean last voted in the House on March 5, but his absence wasnt explained. In April, his social media account posted that he had been dealing with a personal medical issue and his doctors expected him to recover.
On Primary Day this month, President Donald Trump endorsed Keans reelection, without mentioning his absence, and the same day, Kean said in a statement he expected to return to work in a matter of weeks.
Kean comes from a long line of public servants, stretching 250 years to the countrys founding when one of his ancestors became New Jerseys first leader since independence. His great-grandfather was a senator, his grandfather was a congressman and his father is the former two-term governor, Tom Kean Sr.
At least 12 people in a crowd on a Chicago street suffered gunshot wounds after an SUV pulled up and two people inside started shooting, police said.
The SUV drove away from the South Side neighborhood, leaving two people, both male, in critical condition following the shooting late Friday, police said in a news release. One suffered a gunshot wound to the thigh.
The eight men and four women in the group ranged in age from 17 to 47. They were being treated at four hospitals.
Police said another man suffered unknown injuries and refused medical treatment.
Police initially responded to a call of one person shot, and found a woman with two gunshot wounds to her back and a man with four graze wounds to his back. Both were listed in fair condition.
Detectives were investigating.
Further information was not immediately available.
Police reported at least 21 people shot in the city since Friday evening, resulting in four deaths.
The shootings happened on Juneteenth, a holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. Earlier Friday, former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama welcomed the first visitors to his presidential center on the South Side.
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