The Jewish Federation of Detroit is fast-tracking $1 million in emergency security funding following the attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield Township last week.

The organization says the funding will help provide immediate grants to expand armed guards and safety resources at temples, schools, camps and other Jewish institutions in metro Detroit.

Eligible institutions can receive grants matching up to four times their investment.

More details can be found on the Jewish Federation of Detroits website.

High gas prices are impacting local landscaping businesses as spring begins, with many having to make adjustments to plans to keep costs of doing business under control.

Watch Simon Shaykhet's video report: 'Hoping for the best.' Local landscape businesses navigating rising gas prices

Weve got a contract with the city of Plymouth and we do Livonia schools, so we stay relatively busy," said Arturo Guzman, owner of Art's Residential Tree Service.

As a proud business owner for more than 50 years, Arturo Guzman says hes been looking forward to starting spring cleanup jobs this week. He invited me to come see his crew hard at work in Canton as countless families reach out for help keeping yards in good shape.

"We've got quite a few trucks, and they're all diesels and that. The equipment and all that runs on diesel and gas, so it's like we don't want to raise the prices on anybody ... especially now," he said.

But he admits rising gas prices have left him with a sinking feeling about making ends meet with gas prices around $4 a gallon. He says the price of fuel, including diesel fuel, is cutting into his profits at a time when many companies are struggling.

I'm hoping for the best. I really am. I need a good year this year," said Guzman.

Neighbor Robert Slebodnick, who was doing his own landscaping, is remaining hopeful.

[Once] they get the Strait of Hormuz open and tankers going through, I expect things to come down real soon," said Slebodnick.

Guzman says keeping his crew of eight workers employed also means finding more jobs after a tough couple of economic years, yet he worries about customers who may also be scaling back on tree trimming and other work.

While the war in Iran plays out, putting pressure on oil prices, he tells me other landscapers are also closely following the situation and adjusting plans accordingly.

Economics professor Michael Greiner with Oakland University is also weighing in.

"They're probably gonna have to raise their prices ... in fact, we're already seeing, for example, with the airlines that ... they've said they're going to be increasing their prices based on the fuel prices going up. And ... the reality is, I know that people want this to be done quickly and want this to be over quickly, but the odds are that's not gonna be the case," said Greiner.

Professor Greiner points out that even though the U.S. is a huge producer of oil, the global market is still largely affected by the war, keeping prices higher longer.

Clawson police are issuing a warning tonight after residents reported a man possibly impersonating a DTE Energy worker going door to door on Hendrickson Boulevard.

Watch Peter Maxwell's video report: Clawson police warn residents of possible DTE Energy impersonator

Investigators say the man claimed to be checking utility issues, but homeowners became suspicious after he showed up unannounced with no appointment. Police are now trying to figure out if the man was legitimate or trying to deceive homeowners, and they are asking him to come forward.

I obtained home security camera footage of the man from a homeowner who declined to go on camera. She said she did not have an appointment with DTE and found the unannounced visit suspicious. At this point, investigators asked that we blur his face in the footage in case he actually does work for a utility company.

SURVEILLANCE VIDEO: Possible utility worker imposter in Clawson SURVEILLANCE VIDEO: Possible utility worker imposter in Clawson

Police said another homeowner contacted them, reporting the same thing.

Susan Stempky lives in the neighborhood and expressed concern over the unannounced visits.

"It's right on our sidewalks, so yeah, I am concerned," Stempky said.

Dennis Shulski lives a few houses down and said you can never be too sure who is knocking on your door these days or who they could be trying to impersonate.

"It is kind of scary. Clawson is a safe community. You don't want something out of the ordinary happening," Shulski said. "Like I say, that's one house too many, so, and who knows, he might not have gotten away with it too easily."

Paul Stanton lives nearby and said the neighborhood is quiet, noting that residents pay attention when something does not seem right.

"I heard about it. Saw it on film and it can be very worrisome," Stanton said. "Everybody looks out for each other, like I said, but when something does happen, we try to let each other know."

I reached out to DTE, and they said they are aware of the situation in Clawson and that police are looking into it.

Clawson police are asking homeowners to check their home surveillance systems to see if this man knocked on any more doors and to contact them if they have any information.

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.

On Sunday, March 22, Spotlight on the News will introduce you to Dr. Yusef Shakur, the new executive director of the 85 year old Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities. What's his vision for this civil rights organization? We'll also interview Dr. Partha Nandi, Channel 7's Chief Health Editor, about why "vitality" is so important in our personal lives and professional workplaces. And we'll remember the late Detroit corporate attorney C. Beth Duncombe.

Spotlight on the News, now in its 61st season, is Michigan's longest-running weekly news and public affairs television program. It airs every Sunday at 10:00 a.m. on WXYZ-TV/Channel 7 in Detroit, is streamed live on wxyz.com and broadcast at 11:30 a.m. on 23.1 WKAR-HD in East Lansing.

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The most visual impact of the partial government shutdown remains the slowdowns at airports and long lines for TSA checkpoints.

Those TSA agents, as well as other DHS officials, have already missed a partial paycheck and a full paycheck. Growing numbers of TSA officials are calling in sick and not showing up to work.

At George W Bush Airport in Houston and Atlanta's airport on Thursday, 38% of TSA agents called out sick.

Here are tips for managing your travel during the slowdown:

Check security wait time conditions at your local airport early and often If you are stuck in a long TSA lines, ask for an estimated wait time If you're worried about missing your flight, call your airline while you're still waiting in the TSA line

RELATED NEWS | TSA warns some small US airports could close amid shutdown

The funding gap for the Department of Homeland Security is now hitting five weeks. And while Democrats and Republicans and the white House are continuing to discuss and negotiate, it does not appear that they are close to a deal.

Democrats, Republicans and a white House officials sat down behind closed doors Thursday to continue to negotiate possible changes to immigration enforcement.

Republicans coming out of that meeting said there were good faith discussions happening and both sides are really trying to work together. But it's unclear what the points of contention are and where they still disagree.

One Democrat coming out of that meeting said the two sides are still very far apart.

The Senate is expected to work through the weekend, and talks about DHS funding can presumably continue during that time. We are also going to be looking ahead to the first potential Senate floor vote for DHS Secretary nominee, Sen. Markwayne Mullin, next week.

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Taylor Frankie Paul must have no contact with and stay 100 feet away from ex-boyfriend Dakota Mortensen after a protective order was issued against the Utah reality television star Friday.

The order was issued one day after it was originally filed by Mortensen in the 3rd District Court in Salt Lake City

Paul and Mortensen are currently at the center of an alleged domestic violence incident that occurred last month, and which the Draper police confirm they are investigating. The former couple was also involved in a 2023 incident in which Paul originally pleaded guilty to numerous charges after throwing chairs at Mortensen, including one that hit her daughter in the head.

RELATED STORY | ABC pulls The Bachelorette amid Taylor Frankie Paul domestic violence allegations

Video from the 2023 altercation surfaced Thursday, leading ABC to cancel the upcoming season of "The Bachelorette," in which Paul was to star, just days before it was to debut. Paul's other show, "The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives," has paused production on its fifth season due to the ongoing investigation.

The protective order issued against Paul specifies that she is not allowed to contact Mortensen in person or via phone, email or regular mail. The only contact allowed between the two can occur during mediation sessions in their custody case.

Under the order, Paul is also not allowed to possess or buy a gun or firearm.

A hearing for Paul regarding the order has been scheduled for April 7 in Salt Lake City.

This story was originally published by Jeff Tavss at the Scripps News Group station in Salt Lake City.

The post The Technicolors talk new music, creative process, and Michigan roots appeared first on WDET 101.9 FM.

Thousands of residents in towns north of Honolulu were told to evacuate their homes early Friday morning as flooding from heavy rains intensified and water levels rose behind a 120-year-old dam.

Emergency sirens blared along Oahus famed North Shore, where rising waters damaged some homes and vehicles. Honolulu officials issued a LEAVE NOW evacuation order at 5:35 a.m. Friday for Waialua and Haleiwa: Extremely dangerous flooding and Wahiawa Dam is high.

Officials have been watching dam levels since a storm last week dumped heavy rain across the state, which led to catastrophic flooding that washed away roads and homes. After the worst of it, a similar but weaker storm was forecast to bring more rain through this weekend.

Hawaii Gov. Josh Green said in a social media post that the Hawaii National Guard has been activated to respond to the flooding. The storm of course is very severe right now, particularly on the northern part of Oahu, he said, describing chest-high flood waters. Its going to be a very touch-and-go day.

As she prepared to evacuate to a friends home on higher ground, Waialua resident Kathleen Pahinui told The Associated Press in a phone interview that the aging dam is a concern every time it rains.

Just pray for us, she said. We understand theres more rain coming.

RELATED NEWS | Winds, blizzards and triple-digit heat put over half of the US in the path of extreme weather

Molly Pierce, spokesperson for the Honolulu Department of Emergency Management, said the evacuation order covers more than 4,000 people, though the number could be higher.

Officials issued a warning for the dam during heavy rain last week, but the water level receded as rain subsided.

The water is actively running over the spillway right now, she said.

The state regulates 132 dams across Hawaii, most of them built as part of irrigation systems for the sugar cane industry, according to a 2019 infrastructure report by the American Society of Civil Engineers.

In 2006, seven people were killed when the Ka Loko dam on the island of Kauai collapsed and water rushed downhill.

RELATED STORY | Extremely rare heat wave shatters records across Southwest US

As the war between the United States and Iran approaches the three-week mark, President Donald Trump and Irans new supreme leader are projecting strength.

Speaking at an event at the White House on Friday, Trump suggested the United States is doing extremely well in the conflict.

They had a Navy two weeks ago. They have no Navy anymore. Its all at the bottom of the sea, he said in front of the U.S. Navy football team.

He added that the United States will not allow Iran to have nuclear weapons, one of the reasons he has cited for launching the operation with Israel on Feb. 28.

Meanwhile, Irans supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, issued a statement Friday commemorating the Persian New Year. Khamenei did not read the statement himself and has not been seen publicly since his father was killed and he assumed the leadership role. Instead, it was read aloud on state media.

In the statement, Khamenei commended Iranians for their resilience since the war began, claiming Irans military has delivered a dizzying blow to its enemies.

The supreme leader also cautioned Irans media organizations to refrain from focusing on weakness, saying the enemy could otherwise achieve its goals. The comments were somewhat similar to remarks from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Thursday, when he criticized U.S. news organizations for asking tough questions about the conflict.

While both leaders are trying to rally support, questions remain about how the conflict will end and whether it could involve U.S. troops on the ground.

The Associated Press reported that the United States is deploying about 2,500 additional Marines, along with three more warships, to the Middle East. The U.S. and the United Kingdom also entered into an agreement allowing the United States to use U.K. bases to degrade the missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Thirteen U.S. troops have been killed in the conflict. A spokesperson for U.S. Central Command told Scripps News on Friday that 232 troops have been wounded, including 10 seriously, and 207 have returned to duty.

Detroit's Newsradio 950AM WWJ is detailing what the shutdown of CBS Radio News means for them in a Facebook post.

Commenting on a post sharing the story about the wind down, WWJ posted that they would not have CBS News after May 22, saying, "However, this doesn't affect our mission to bring you the top local, national and international stories every day. Stay tuned."

Further details are expected to be released in the coming days.

WWJ is owned by Audacy, Inc., the second-largest radio company in the United States. It began operations on August 20, 1920, under The Detroit News. It assumed its familiar WWJ call letters two years later. The station was owned by CBS from 1989 until 2017, when CBS Radio merged with Entercom to eventually become Audacy. It has been either news-talk or all news formats since 1971.

You can read more about the national impact in the following Associated Press story:

NEW YORK (AP) CBS News said Friday it will shut down its storied radio news service after nearly 100 years of operation, ending an era and blaming challenging economic times as the world moves on to digital sources and podcasts.

When it went on the air in September 1927, the service was the precursor to the entire network, giving a youthful William S. Paley a start in the business. Famed broadcaster Edward R. Murrow's rooftop reports during the Nazi bombing of London during World War II kept Americans listening anxiously.

Today, CBS News Radio provides material to an estimated 700 stations across the countryx and is known best for its top-of-the-hour news roundups. The service will end on May 22, the network said Friday.

Radio is woven into the fabric of CBS News and that's always going to be part of our history, CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss said in delivering the news to the staff. I want you to know that we did everything we could, including before I joined the company, to try and find a viable solution to sustain the radio operation.

But with the radical changes in the media industry, we just could not find a way to make that possible, she said.

Not the first radio cuts at CBS

CBS News cut some of its radio programming late last year, including its Weekend Roundup and World News Roundup Late Edition, in an attempt to keep the service going.

It was unclear how many people will lose their jobs because of the radio shutdown. CBS News was cutting about 6% of its workforce, or more than 60 people, on Friday. It's not the end of turmoil at the network, as parent company Paramount Global is likely to absorb CNN as part of its announced purchase of Warner Bros. Discovery.

Along with newspapers, radio was the dominant medium in how Americans got their news from shortly after the dawn of commercial radio in 1920 through the 1940s, with people in their living rooms listening to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's Fireside Chats during the Depression. CBS News Radio's broadcast about Germany's invasion of Austria in 1938, the first time Murrow was heard on the air, was an historic marker for the service.

Broadcasters like Douglas Edwards, Dallas Townsend and Christopher Glenn were familiar voices on CBS News Radio. The beginning of the television era in the 1950s began a long slide for radio, often an afterthought today with the world online and on phones. Those seeking audio often turn to podcasts before radio.

This is another part of the landscape that has fallen off into the sea, said Michael Harrison, publisher of Talkers, a trade publication for radio talk shows. It's a shame. It's a loss for the country and for the industry.

A major radio player for many decades

CBS News Radio was a major force for generations of Americans. Its heyday spanned decades, Harrison said. It was quality on every level. It sounded good. Its coverage was as objective as possible within the realm of human nature. Its resources were extensive. It had a very high trust factor that was considered the standard of the day.

The front page of CBS News' website did not immediately carry news of the demise.

Weiss, founder of the Free Press website and without broadcast news experience before being hired by CBS parent Paramounts new management, has quickly become a headline-maker and polarizing figure in journalism. She held a 60 Minutes story critical of President Donald Trumps deportation policy from being broadcast for a month and has critics watching to see if shes moving the network in a Trump-friendly direction.

Addressing her staff in January, three months into her job as CBS News boss, she invoked the network's legendary newsman Walter Cronkite as a symbol of old thinking and said that if the network continues with its current strategy, were toast. She announced the hiring of 18 new contributors and said CBS News needs to do stories that will surprise and provoke including inside our own newsroom.

___

David Bauder writes about the intersection of media and entertainment for the AP. Follow him at http://x.com/dbauder and https://bsky.app/profile/dbauder.bsky.social.

A 31-year-old Georgia woman has been charged with murder by police who say she took pills to induce an illegal abortion.

If state prosecutors decide to move forward with the murder charge brought by local police against Alexia Moore, her case would be one of the first instances of a woman being charged for terminating a pregnancy in Georgia since it passed a 2019 law banning most abortions.

The arrest warrant charging Moore with murder uses language that echoes the law, saying police determined Moore had been pregnant beyond six weeks "based on the medical staff's knowledge that the baby had a beating heart and was struggling to breathe."

"No one should be criminalized for having an abortion," Dana Sussman, senior vice president of the advocacy group Pregnancy Justice said in a statement, calling Moore's case "an unprecedented murder charge for an alleged abortion."

Court records say Moore arrived at a hospital Dec. 30 complaining of abdominal pain. She told medical workers that she had taken misoprostol, a drug used in medication abortions, and the opioid painkiller oxycodone, according to an arrest warrant obtained by police in Kingsland, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) south of Savannah.

The fetus survived for about an hour after being delivered at the hospital, the warrant says. The police investigator obtaining the warrant wrote that Moore told the nursing staff: "I know my infant is suffering, because I am the one who did the abortion. I want her to die."

Georgia bans abortion after embryonic cardiac activity can be detected. That's generally at about six weeks' gestation before many women know they're pregnant.

Moore has been jailed in coastal Camden County since March 4 on charges of murder and illegal drug possession, according to online jail records.

More pregnant women charged with crimes since Roe was overturned

A 2024 study by the advocacy group Pregnancy Justice found that at least 210 women across the U.S. were charged with crimes related to their pregnancies in the 12 months after the U.S. Supreme Court's 2022 ruling that overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states to enforce abortion bans.

That tally was more than the group found in any other 12 month period. Most of the cases involved allegations of substance use during pregnancy.

Moore's mother said she had no immediate comment when reached by phone Thursday. A spokesperson for the Georgia Public Defender Council confirmed one of its attorneys is representing Moore but made no further comment.

Court records show Moore's attorney has filed legal motions seeking a bond and a speedy trial. A court hearing was scheduled for Monday.

Ultimately, the decision on whether to prosecute Moore for murder will be left to District Attorney Keith Higgins of the Brunswick Judicial Circuit, who would first have to obtain an indictment from a grand jury. Higgins did not immediately return phone and email messages.

Some had warned Georgia abortion law could lead to murder charges

The warrant said medical records estimated Moore had been pregnant for 22 to 24 weeks, placing her fetus at the threshold of viability. It refers to Moore's fetus as "a human being who was born alive and survived for one hour. Under Georgia law, the victim became a person at the moment of live birth."

Georgia's abortion law states that an embryo is legally a person once cardiac activity can be detected. Andrew Fleischman, a Georgia defense attorney who is not involved in Moore's case, said that means authorities could seek murder charges against a woman who intentionally terminates her pregnancy after there's cardiac activity.

"Murder is intentionally causing the death of a person," he said, adding that he and others warned before the law passed that a mother could be charged in a case like this.

"I'm not sure prosecutors are eager to be the first one to jump this hurdle," Fleishman said. "I think it's a totally legally permissible case. I think they could do it. I'd be surprised if they go through with it."

Elizabeth Edmonds, executive director of the anti-abortion Georgia Life Alliance, said any claim that the charges stem from the 2019 abortion law is "misrepresenting the facts and trying to again make it a fear-mongering thing that Georgia is prosecuting women on pregnancy outcomes."

Edmonds said she believed the murder charge was appropriate in part because Moore is accused of illegally obtaining and taking oxycodone before her fetus died.

Coroner says he didn't rule death a homicide

The warrant says a toxicology screening detected oxycodone in the fetus' blood, but police were told the test would not be able to detect misoprostol. It says Moore told police she obtained the abortion pills online and got the opioid from a relative.

Camden County Coroner M. Wayne Peeples said Thursday that he was called to Southeast Georgia Health System's hospital to take custody of the remains. He said the Georgia Bureau of Investigation declined to perform an autopsy, noting the fetus was delivered in a hospital.

The coroner said he didn't rule the death as a homicide, instead finding both the cause and manner of death were undetermined.

Moore also faces charges for possessing oxycodone, a controlled drug that wasn't prescribed to her, as well as possession of a dangerous drug for the abortion-inducing misoprostol.

The drugs misoprostol and mifepristone together are approved for terminating pregnancies during the first 10 weeks of gestation by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Misoprostol can also be used alone if mifepristone is not available. It's also used off-label for abortion in the second trimester.

In 2024, Louisiana classified mifepristone and misoprostol as controlled dangerous substances. Similar legislation has been introduced in some other states and in Congress, but has not been adopted elsewhere.

The Food and Drug Administration has approved a higher-dose version of the weight-loss drug Wegovy through a pilot program designed to accelerate drug approvals.

The agency said Thursday that 7.2-milligram injectable doses of Wegovy are now approved for certain adult patients. Those eligible include people with obesity and overweight patients with at least one underlying health condition.

The drug is available only after a patient has tolerated a 2.4-milligram dose of Wegovy for four weeks and additional weight loss is clinically indicated.

RELATED STORY | Popular weight loss drug Wegovy is available in pill form only if you pay cash

Novo Nordisk said 31.2% of people on the higher dosage achieved weight loss of at least 25% of their body weight, compared with about 15% of patients on the 2.4-milligram dose. Practically no patients on a placebo lost 25% of their weight.

The FDA approved the higher dose 54 days after Novo Nordisk applied, making it just the fourth drug to be cleared through the Commissioners National Priority Voucher pilot program.

The program aims to shorten the approval process for certain medicines from 10 to 12 months to under two months. It was created to address public health crises, large unmet health needs, affordability concerns or innovative breakthrough therapies.

The new FDA is moving with unprecedented efficiency on products that advance national priorities, said FDA Commissioner Martin Makary. Todays approval is another demonstration of what the FDA can accomplish when we try bold new things.

The higher-dose Wegovy is expected to be available in pharmacies starting in April.

GLP-1 medications have been used for decades to treat diabetes and have recently gained popularity for weight loss. In addition to helping people with diabetes control symptoms, drugmakers say GLP-1 medicines improve cardiometabolic markers in both diabetic and non-diabetic patients with obesity.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, GLP-1 medications manage blood sugar by triggering insulin release from the pancreas and slowing digestion, which reduces the amount of glucose entering the bloodstream. They also help patients feel full after eating.

Potential risks include gastrointestinal issues, headaches, sore throat and fatigue, which were observed during clinical trials.

RELATED STORY | Without lifestyle changes, doctor says weight loss from GLP-1 drugs wont last

A 38-year-old woman was shot and killed by her boyfriend on Tuesday night, authorities say.

Watch Peter Maxwell's video report: Center Line woman shot and killed by her boyfriend, police say Watch Carli Petrus' video report below: Center Line woman shot and killed by her boyfriend, police say

The shooting happened around 5:30 p.m. at a home on Sterling Street near Van Dyke Avenue.

The victim has been identified as Erica Sanders. We're told her four children were home at the time.

Zachary Fuqua, 39, was charged on Friday in connection with the murder of Erica. He's charged with second-degree murder, three counts of felony firearm and others.

Officers arrived and saw that the woman had been shot. Center Line Public Safety Director Paul Myszenski said officers tried desperately to save her. She was pronounced dead at the scene by ambulance personnel.

"Officers arrived. They found our victim laying on the floor. Officers attempted to revive her trying to do life-saving techniques," Myszenski said.

Watch our full interview with Director Paul Myszenski below: FULL INTERVIEW: Center Line public safety director Paul Myszenski on woman shot and killed

Investigators say that her live-in boyfriend, 39, fled the scene on foot. After a description of them went over police radio, the suspect was arrested by Center Line and Warren officers at the corner of 10 Mile Road and Wainwright Street.

Darryl Adams, Sanders' brother, said the family is in unimaginable pain.

"We're hurt. You can never be prepared for nothing like this. You know what I am saying? We feel even more hurtful for our niece and our nephews," Adams said.

Amiyah Price, Sanders' niece, is devastated.

"As my godfather, you promised me you were going to take care of my auntie, and you take her away from me, us, her kids," Price said.

Adams said they heard the shooting followed an argument.

"We don't know for sure what exactly led up to it. All we heard is that it was an argument. There wasn't any domestic violence in the past that led up to it," Adams said.

The family said there were red flags on the boyfriend's social media pages over the last month.

"Seeing some of the notifications and people had sent to me where he been battling something for maybe a month, and it led up into this, and he pretty much said something was going to happen this day," Adams said.

Adams said he wishes the boyfriend would have come to him about the turmoil he was experiencing.

"I wish I had the opportunity to talk to him before it led to this point," Adams 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.

The Metro Detroit Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, is holding the 2026 Black Family Wellness Expo this Saturday.

It's from 12:00 pm. to 3:00 p.m. at the Northwest Activities Center at 18100 Meyers Road in Detroit.

The free event is dedicated to health, wellness, and community connection. It includes:

Free health screenings (diabetes, kidney health & more) Wellness education for the entire family Community resources and vendors Voter registration opportunities Music, food, prizes and giveaways

You can register online: https://bfwedetroit.eventbrite.com

The first 50 families to attend will receive a $25 gift card (one per family).

View this post on Instagram A post shared by CJ Detroit, APR (@chrystaljwilson)

The House Oversight Committee is preparing for months of testimony tied to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and his longtime associate Ghislaine Maxwell.

High-profile figures, including Bill Gates, are expected to testify about their interactions with Epstein. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who has been photographed with Epstein, has volunteered to speak with the committee but has not yet scheduled an interview.

"I mean, that's a step, but isn't this, I mean, how many years late is this?" said Jennifer Freeman, who represents a group of survivors.

RELATED STORY | Democrats walk out of Pam Bondi briefing on Epstein Files

While prominent names are expected to draw attention, Freeman said testimony from former assistants, lawyers and close associates could provide the most revealing details about Epsteins actions. She has called for immunity for some of Epsteins closest confidants.

"You need an inside person to tell you what was really going on," she said. "And I don't understand why there's been no effort. I do understand, but I'm frustrated that there's been no effort, you know, talk to the lieutenants."

RELATED NEWS | House committee subpoenas Trump's AG Pam Bondi over Epstein file release

Tova Noel, one of the correctional officers on duty the morning Epstein was found dead in his jail cell, is scheduled to appear before the committee on March 26.

Noel was charged in 2019 with falsifying records to indicate she completed required rounds, when she had not conducted a prisoner count the night Epstein died. According to a Justice Department Office of Inspector General report, surveillance video showed Noel at about 10:40 p.m. that night carrying linens to the tier where Epstein was housed.

The charges against Noel were later dismissed as part of a deal with prosecutors. Investigators have said she is believed to be among the last people to see Epstein alive.

James Jimmy Gracey, a college student from Illinois who was found dead after going missing while in Barcelona on a break, was likely the victim of an accident, Spanish regional police said Friday.

Graceys body was found Thursday afternoon in the waters off a beach, near where he was last seen outside a Barcelona nightclub with his friends in the early hours of Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Catalonias regional police in Barcelona told The Associated Press that all signs point to the University of Alabama students death being accidental, and that an autopsy would take place.

Gracey, 20, was last seen outside the Shoko nightclub around 3 a.m. on Tuesday. He never returned to the room he was renting with friends, according to family members who live in the suburb of Elmhurst, about 19 miles (31 kilometers) west of Chicago. Police later recovered his phone.

In a statement, the Gracey family asked for prayers and privacy.

Our family is heartbroken as we confirm that Jimmys body has been recovered in Barcelona. Jimmy was a deeply loved son, grandson, brother, nephew, cousin, and friend, and our family is struggling to come to terms with this unimaginable loss, the statement said.

Barcelona is a popular tourist destination that draws millions of foreign visitors each year. It is generally safe, especially compared with major U.S. cities, where tourists biggest worry are normally pickpockets.

The city's Mediterranean beaches, which are located within walking distance of the bustling city center, are a main draw especially for young visitors. The area where Gracey went out is a stretch of beach with several restaurants and nightclubs that are frequented by locals and tourists.

In an interview conducted before police confirmation of his death, Graceys aunt told the AP that he was just a great kid, a good Catholic boy from the Midwest.

The University of Alabama said in a statement that the school community is heartbroken to learn of the death of Jimmy Gracey.

Jimmys loss is deeply felt across our campus. Our condolences are with the Gracey family during this devastating time, it said.

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