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New York mayor claims police shot subway suspect over a weapon, not fare evasion

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said officers were justified in the shooting of a man who was allegedly wielding a knife in the subway over the weekend, leaving three bystanders including another officer injured.

"This was a bad guy and I saw the video," Adams said during a Tuesday press conference.

Adams claims the suspect, who is recovering after being shot by police, had over 20 prior arrests.

The New York Police Department has been criticized over the incident, with many stating the suspect was targeted for not paying a fare and it did not warrant injuring innocent bystanders. But Adams said the man was not pursued by police because of fare evasion, but because he had a knife and officers repeatedly asked him to drop the weapon.

"This is not a city where any and everything goes. There's a reason there's a fare on our subway and bus. If lawmakers want to make the subways and buses free, then fine. But as long as there are rules, we're going to follow those rules," Adams said.

RELATED STORY | NYPD officer, 2 bystanders shot after police open fire at man wielding a knife near Brooklyn subway

The shooting happened Sunday afternoon at the Sutter Avenue subway station in Brooklyn.

Just after 3 p.m., two NYPD officers confronted a 37-year-old man with a blade, initially following him onto the elevated platform after seeing him enter without paying, Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey said at a news briefing Sunday.

According to Maddrey, the officers told the man to stop, but he verbally threatened them and they noticed he had a knife. They followed him onto a train that had pulled into the station and fired two Tasers, but neither incapacitated him. The man was advancing on the officers with the knife when both officers fired multiple rounds, he said.

The man was hit several times and remained hospitalized in stable condition Monday. One passenger, a 49-year-old man, was struck in the head and was hospitalized in critical condition. Another, a 26-year-old woman, suffered a graze wound.

The wounded police officer was hit under his armpit and a bullet lodged in his back, but he is expected to make a full recovery.

RELATED STORY | Is public transit becoming less safe?

Police and Metropolitan Transportation Authority officials say that the encounter, including the officers being threatened with the knife, is captured in video recordings. They have not released the footage.

A video from a bystander posted online after the shooting showed a chaotic scene, including upset passengers fleeing, police running to help the injured, and the wounded officer suddenly realizing he had also been hit by a bullet.

Police said in the aftermath that another man made off with the knife from the crime scene. The department is now looking for that man and released an image of a person wearing a blue hat featuring the logo of the defunct Hartford Whalers ice hockey team.

Trump meets deputies who stopped suspect in apparent assassination attempt

Former President Donald Trump thanked the law enforcement officers who initiated a traffic stop and took the man accused of an apparent assassination attempt into custody.

The Martin County sheriff and several deputies met with Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida on Tuesday.

President @realDonaldTrump meets with the Martin County Sheriffs Office Deputies who activated the traffic stop on I-95 and took Ryan Routh into custody pic.twitter.com/XEZRR9anBQ

Margo Martin (@margommartin) September 17, 2024

"Great job, thank you very much," Trump told the group. "I'm still here."

RELATED STORY |ย Trump: Law enforcement was 'absolutely outstanding' responding to gunman

Scripps News West Palm Beach reporter Meghan McRoberts said the deputies gifted Trump the handcuffs used on suspect Ryan Wesley Routh.

Routh was taken into custody on Sunday after the deputies pulled him over on I-95. The Secret Service said he had fled a treeline area outside of Trump International Golf Club West Palm Beach after an agent fired in his direction.

The agent apparently had seen the rifle Routh was allegedly armed with pointing through a fence near where Trump was playing golf.

The Secret Service said Routh never fired his weapon and did not have a line of sight of the former president.

It's still unclear when and how Routh obtained a firearm. The FBI, however, said it has no information indicating that Routh was working with anyone else.

Senate to vote on bill that would guarantee access to IVF nationwide

Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are poised to vote on a bill Tuesday pushed by Senate Democrats that would codify protections for in vitro fertilization.

This comes after former President Donald Trump said at a campaign rally last month that if he wins a second term in office, his administration would make IVF treatment free to all women.

RELATED STORY | 'We want more babies': Trump says government or insurance should cover IVF costs

IVF addresses fertility issues in women by fertilizing an egg with sperm in a laboratory. However, many women require multiple rounds of treatment, and a single round can cost tens of thousands of dollars with no guarantee of success.

Democrats are saying that if Republicans want to protect IVF access they should vote on this Senate bill. But Republicans like Missouri Sen. Josh Hawley claim it is a political move by Democrats trying to create a talking point that they can campaign on heading into the 2024 election.

"I'm gonna vote no," Hawley said Tuesday. "This isn't an IVF bill. This is an abortion bill. This is a impose abortion on states, on the voters, without their say at all. This is taxpayer funding for all abortions no matter what. This is override state regulations on cloning. I mean, if they wanted to vote on IVF, hey I'm fine with that. Put an IVF bill on the floor. I would support IVF, mandating insurance coverage for it as Trump suggested. But that's not what this is and they don't want it to pass... this is just an exercise in political gamesmanship, sadly."

RELATED STORY | Tim Walz and wife Gwen used IUI, not IVF, to conceive their kids. Here's the difference

This is not the first time that Senate Democrats have tried a move like this. Senate Republicans blocked a Democrat-led push to protect IVF access in June.

However, given Trump's most recent comments on IVF, Democrats view this as an opportunity to get Senators on the record again and see if they can garner any additional support from Republicans.

Senators are expected to begin voting on the bill at 2:45 p.m. ET and it would need 60 votes to pass. However, at this point, it does appear poised to fail.

XEC strain of COVID-19 spreading in Europe and could become dominant in US

There's an emerging COVID-19 variant in Europe that some medical professionals believe will become the dominant strain in the U.S.

The strain, known as XEC, was first detected in Berlin in June, according to Mike Honey, a data specialist based in Australia.

The variant, which is part of the Omicron family, has since seen growth in Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands, he says.

RELATED STORY | Here's where you can find updated COVID-19 and flu shots for 2024-25

Scripps Research has documented 95 XEC cases worldwide with 25 in the U.S.

Currently, the KP.3.1.1 strain is the leading cause of COVID-19 infections in the U.S. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the strain makes up more than 50% of new infections.

While there haven't been enough cases of XEC to show up on the CDC's variant tracker, Dr. Eric Topol, executive vice president at Scripps Research, says, "At this juncture, the XEC variant appears to be the most likely one to get legs next."

RELATED STORY | Most Americans don't plan to get an updated COVID shot despite recommendations

Just like in the U.S., health officials in Europe are advising people to get vaccinated ahead of an anticipated winter surge.

"We anticipate XEC to have similar properties to currently circulating variants, with no change in infection severity or vaccine effectiveness against severe disease," a spokesperson with the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control told Euronews Next.

Symptoms of the XEC variant are expected to be similar to current variants and include:

Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Sore throat

Updated COVID-19 vaccines, which health officials say will offer protection from currently circulating and emerging variants, are now available. The CDC says everyone 6 months and older should get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

The nonprofit Scripps Research was historically funded by the founders of the E.W. Scripps Company, which owns Scripps News.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs indicted on sex trafficking and racketeering charges

Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs has been charged with three felony counts following his arrest in Manhattan late Monday.

A federal indictment that was unsealed Tuesday revealed Combs was charged with sex trafficking, racketeering, and transportation to engage in prostitution.

Combs was in court in New York Tuesday morning to hear the charges brought against him.

The indictment accuses Combs of abusing women for years and presiding over an empire of sexual crimes.

"For decades, [Combs] abused, threatened, and coerced women and others around him to fulfill his sexual desires, protect his reputation, and conceal his conduct," the indictment says.

"To do so, Combs relied on the employees, resources, and influence of the multi-faceted business empire that he led and controlled creating a criminal enterprise whose members and associates engaged in, and attempted to engage in, among other crimes, sex trafficking, forced labor, kidnapping, arson, bribery, and obstruction of justice," the indictment goes on to state.

The charges accuse the rapper of using his Combs Enterprise, including certain employees to "facilitate, and cover up his abuse and commercial sex."

The indictment also says physical abuse by Combs was "recurrent and widely known." There were numerous occasions since at least 2009, and continuing for years, in which Combs attacked women by "striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking them," among other things, the indictment detailed. In some cases, the alleged assaults were witnessed by others.

U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York Damian Williams held a press conference Tuesday detailing Combs' indictment.

"I want to be clear about two things: First, this office is determined to investigate and prosecute anyone who engages in sex trafficking, no matter how powerful or wealthy or famous you may be. No one should doubt our commitment on that," Williams said. "A year ago, Sean Combs stood in Times Square and was handed a key to New York City. Today, he's been indicted and will face justice in the Southern District of New York. "

"Second, we are not done. This investigation is ongoing and I encourage anyone with information about this case to come forward and to do it quickly," Williams continued.

He implored anyone with information to call 1 (877) 4-HSI-TIP.

As the investigation continues, Williams said he is "not taking anything off the table in terms of additional future charges.

"We are committed to bringing justice to everyone who's been victimized by the defendant," he said.

He did not name the potential number of victims when asked but said the use of the term "multiple" was intentional.

RELATED STORY |ย Diddy's lawyer says raids were 'gross overuse of military-level force'

Upon Combs' arrest Monday night, the musician's attorney spoke out, calling him an innocent man.

We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorneys Office. Sean 'Diddy' Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal," Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement to Scripps News.

"To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court," his attorney said.

Federal authorities searched Combs' properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March as part of a sex-trafficking investigation. Combs had also in recent months been a defendant in sex abuse lawsuits. He has denied all the allegations in those suits.

One of the highest profile suits was by R&B singer Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie, who sued Combs in federal court on accusations of rape and repeated physical and sexual abuse over the course of years.

The lawsuit alleged that starting when she was 19, "Mr. Combs asserted complete control over Ms. Venturas personal and professional life, thereby ensuring her inability to escape his hold." It alleges numerous cases of physical and sexual assault.

The suit alleged that Ventura was a victim of sex trafficking, due to the nature of multiple sexual encounters she was coerced into across the country.

That suit was settled just a day after it was filed.

Music mogul Sean 'Diddy' Combs arrested in Manhattan

Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs was arrested Monday in Manhattan, New York, his lawyer said.

The charges on which he was arrested were not immediately clear, but a U.S. Attorney confirmed the arrest was based on a sealed indictment from a federal grand jury. Charges will be unsealed Tuesday.

We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorneys Office. Sean Diddy Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community. He is an imperfect person, but he is not a criminal," Combs' attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement to Scripps News.

"To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court," his attorney said.

RELATED STORY | Diddy's lawyer says raids were 'gross overuse of military-level force'

Federal authorities searched Combs' properties in Los Angeles and Miami in March as part of a sex-trafficking investigation. Combs had also in recent months been a defendant in sex abuse lawsuits. He has denied all the allegations in those suits.

One of the highest profile suits was by R&B singer Casandra Ventura, known as Cassie, who sued Combs in federal court on accusations of rape and repeated physical and sexual abuse over the course of years.

The lawsuit alleged that starting when she was 19, "Mr. Combs asserted complete control over Ms. Venturas personal and professional life, thereby ensuring her inability to escape his hold." It alleges numerous cases of physical and sexual assault.

The suit alleged that Ventura was a victim of sex trafficking, due to the nature of multiple sexual encounters she was coerced into across the country.

That suit was settled just a day after it was filed.

How olympian Lauryn Williams pivoted to a financial planning career

Many athletes who take center stage during the Olympic Games are working turn their new fame into revenue through endorsements and sponsorship deals. But one former athlete pursued a different path to financial success after her Olympic career.

Lauryn Williams is one of only six people to medal at both the winter and summer Olympics. She won silver in the 100m sprint at the 2004 games and gold in the 4x100m relay during the 2012 Olympics. She also won a silver medal in bobsled at the 2014 Winter Games.

After she retired, Williams traded a lucrative sponsorship deal to pursue a career as a financial adviser. Now she's a certified financial planner.

RELATED STORY | This entrepreneur is spreading financial literacy on TikTok

"The thing that I think started all out, was understanding that I was a finance major that became an athlete who wanted to use their finance degree but didn't really know exactly what to do," Williams told Scripps News in an interview. "So literally a Google search led me to the CFP coursework. And I enrolled in it just to kind of teach myself stuff about money after working with financial advisors that didn't really work out, didn't have the CFP."

"I wanted to help other athletes organize their finances in the same way that I didn't know how to organize mine initially," Williams said.

RELATED STORY | ESPN's Stephen A. Smith on Invest Fest and the importance of financial literacy

"There's a large group of financial planners that focus on people that are getting close to retirement, because they've already amassed their wealth, and they're ready to use what they've invested to be able to live out a nice retirement time. But what about millennials? We are now having kids. We have little ones. We're in our high earning years and no one taught us anything about money," Williams said.

Watch the full interview with Williams above.

'Alma's Way' actress Summer Rose Castillo on the importance of Hispanic voices in media

Sunday marked the first day of Hispanic Heritage Month and "Alma's Way" actress Summer Rose Castillo joined Scripps News to talk about the importance of Hispanic representation in shows like hers.

"'Alma's Way,' she's just so important to me," Castillo said. "She's a little girl from the Bronx, she's Puerto Rican, she dreams big, and to be honest, she's my inspiration."

RELATED STORY | Hispanic Heritage Month puts diversity and culture at the forefront

In season two of the show, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor who also grew up in the Bronx made an appearance to help inspire Alma and guide her in understanding things like fairness and justice. When asked what it was like working with her, Castillo told Scripps News it was "absolutely amazing."

"She's such an inspiration to me as well," she said. "Just how she, how she helps people with their situations, it's so inspirational. And to be able to work with her, it was absolutely just a dream come true."

Sonia Manzano, the creator of "Alma's Way,' became one of the first big Latina stars in television back in 1971 when she landed the role of Maria on Sesame Street. Following in her same footsteps, Castillo recalled how speechless she was to find out she'd be playing the lead character in a show created by one of her idols.

RELATED STORY | Hispanic Heritage Foundation president says Latino history is American history

"Honestly, I don't even have any words just to describe how grateful I was just to be able to even see her and to say that I was able to work with her," Castillo said. "She is such an inspiring woman. Her stories are absolutely amazing. I grew up watching Sesame Street so you know, yes, she is an absolute icon. But she is just like the sweetest woman ever and just once again, it was amazing and fantastic just to say that I was able to work with her."

You can watch Scripps News' full interview with actress Summer Rose Castillo in the video player above.

Poison control centers are reportedly getting more calls about kids drinking energy drinks

Poison control centers are apparently getting more calls about kids drinking energy drinks.

A lot of them can have equivalent to two to three cups of coffee, or three to four espresso shots in one of those drinks, said Dr. Mehul Patel, a pediatrician at Childrens Memorial Hermann Hospital in Texas.

Data from Americas Poison Centers showed a 20% increase in calls related to kids and energy drinks in 2023 when compared to 2022, according to ABC News. Nearly half of the calls reportedly involved young kids unintentionally consuming the drinks. Americas Poison Centers represents more than 50 poison centers around the country.

From a safety perspective, I would say if youre buying energy drinks for yourself or for your older children, then you should be keeping those in a separate fridge or container, kind of how you do with alcohol, Patel said.

The FDA recommends no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine a day for adults. The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry says pediatricians recommend no more than 100 mg of caffeine daily for kids age 12 to 18. There is no known safe amount of caffeine for kids 11 and younger at this time, as it is not recommended.

RELATED STORY | Canada recalls Prime, other energy drinks due to high caffeine levels

Medical experts recommend children and teens stay away from energy drinks due to the levels of caffeine and sugar, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Risks associated with long-term caffeine use can include sleep problems, mood problems, increased stress and cravings, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Number one is addiction. There are a lot of adults addicted to caffeine and that can happen to your child if they keep drinking a lot of caffeine. Caffeine in general increases your heart rate quite a bit, which is not healthy, Patel said.

Symptoms of a caffeine overdose in adults include breathing trouble, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, and fever. In babies it can present as nausea and vomiting, rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, and tremors, according to Mount Sinai.

The answer to a healthy energy level is eating right, drinking a lot of water, and making sure youre getting enough sleep, Patel said.

@scrippsnews Do you drink energy drinks? Energy drinks can have a lot of caffeine in them. For adults, the FDA recommends no more than 400 mg daily. However for kids, #caffeine is not recommended. Medical experts recommend children and teens stay away from #energydrinks original sound - Scripps News

Trump safe after 'apparent assassination attempt' at his golf club, FBI says

Donald Trump is safe following what law enforcement is describing as another assassination attempt on the former president.

"The FBI has responded to West Palm Beach Florida and is investigating what appears to be an attempted assassination of former President Trump," the FBI said in a statement to Scripps News.

A source familiar with the matter told Scripps News that Secret Service agents engaged with a suspect armed with a "long gun" outside the grounds of Trump International Golf Club.

According to the Associated Press, authorities have identified the person taken into custody as Ryan Wesley Routh.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sheriff Keith Pearson (@sheriffkeithpearson)

RELATED STORY | FBI unable to identify a motive in Trump assassination attempt

During a Sunday afternoon press conference, Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw said the individual got into an SUV and fled before he was located nearby and taken into custody. The sheriff added that an AK-47-style rifle with a scope was recovered near the golf club.

Earlier in the day, the Trump campaign had said the former president was safe after shots were fired in his vicinity.

"Nothing will slow me down. I will NEVER SURRENDER," Trump had said in a statement.

He later spoke out about the incident on Truth Social.

"I would like to thank everyone for your concern and well wishes it was certainly an interesting day!" Trump wrote. "Most importantly, I want to thank the U.S. Secret Service, Sheriff Ric Bradshaw and his office of brave and dedicated patriots, and, all of law enforcement, for the incredible job done today at Trump International in keeping me, as the 45th President of the United States, and the Republican nominee in the upcoming Presidential Election, SAFE. THE JOB DONE WAS ABSOLUTELY OUTSTANDING. I AM VERY PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!"

Trump running mate JD Vance said in a statement that he "spoke to him before the news was public" and said Trump was "amazingly, in good spirits."

"The Secret Service did exactly what they should have done. They provided exactly what the protection should have been and their agent did a fantastic job," said Palm Beach County Sheriff Ric Bradshaw.

RELATED STORY | New police video shows the moment officers realized there was a shooter at Trump rally

The person apprehended is scheduled to make a court appearance Monday morning. The White House said both President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were briefed on the incident and were "relieved" to hear that Trump is safe.

"I commend the work of the Secret Service and their law enforcement partners for their vigilance and their efforts to keep the former President and those around him safe," President Biden said in a statement. "I am relieved that the former President is unharmed. There is an active investigation into this incident as law enforcement gathers more details about what happened. As I have said many times, there is no place for political violence or for any violence ever in our country, and I have directed my team to continue to ensure that Secret Service has every resource, capability and protective measure necessary to ensure the former Presidents continued safety."

This comes just two months after former President Trump was wounded in an attempted assassination at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that left one rallygoer dead and two other attendees injured.

JD Vance doubles down on false claims of immigrants eating pets in Springfield

Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) doubled down on a false claim that Haitian migrants in Springfield, Ohio, are eating residents' pets during an interview Sunday morning on CNN's "State of the Union."

The claim, spread primarily by Vance and made more viral by former President Donald Trump during Tuesday's presidential debate, has been repeatedly debunked by Springfield's city officials and police.

"My constituents have brought approximately a dozen separate concerns to me. Ten of them are verifiable and confirmable and a couple of them I talk about because my constituents are telling me firsthand that they're seeing these things," Vance said during an interview with CNN's Dana Bash. "I could ignore them, which is what the American media has done for years to this community, or I can actually talk about what people are telling me. And of course, many of the things that the media says are completely baseless have since been confirmed. For example, I was told, Dana, by the American media that it was baseless, that migrants were capturing the geese from the local park pond and eating them. And yet there are 9-1-1 calls from well before this ever became a viral sensation of people complaining about that exact thing happening."

RELATED STORY | Trump amplifies false claim about migrants eating pets during debate

The conspiracy theory's origins on social media have also been linked to a Sept. 6 Facebook post that was later shared on X in which someone claimed their neighbor's daughter's friend's cat was seen at a house "where Haitians live," hanging from a tree and about to be eaten.

Per Scripps News' partner Politifact, the Facebook post was flagged as an unfounded claim by Meta, which is working to combat false news and misinformation on its News Feed.

One of the people whose social media post reportedly contributed to the rumor storm told NBC News on Saturday that it "exploded into something" that she didnt mean to happen.

RELATED STORY | Father of Ohio boy asks Trump not to invoke his son's death in immigration debate

The continued demonization of Haitian immigrants in the small Ohio town has created a firestorm. Its city hall, hospitals and schools had to close due to recent bomb threats.

"It is disappointing that some of the narrative surrounding our city has been skewed by misinformation circulated on social media and further amplified by political rhetoric in a current highly charged presidential election cycle," Springfield City Manager Bryan Heck said on Wednesday.

'Tension and animosity' led to Perry Farrell and Dave Navarro's onstage scuffle, wife says

A scuffle between members of the groundbreaking alternative rock band Jane's Addiction came amid "tension and animosity" during their reunion tour, lead singer Perry Farrell's wife said Saturday.

The band is known for edgy, punk-inspired hits "Been Caught Stealing" and "Mountain Song" in the late 1980s and early 1990s as the alternative rock and grunge music movements were growing.

In videos posted on social media from Friday night's concert in Boston, Farrell, 65, is seen singing loudly into his mic and then lunging at guitarist Dave Navarro, bumping Navarro with his shoulder before taking a swing at Navarro with his right arm. Navarro is seen holding his right arm out to keep Farrell away before Farrell is dragged away by others on stage. The show ended shortly after.

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"Perry's frustration had been mounting, night after night, he felt that the stage volume had been extremely loud and his voice was being drowned out by the band," Etty Lau Farrell wrote in an Instagram post Saturday morning.

She said her husband had been suffering from tinnitus and a sore throat and "by the end of the song, he wasn't singing, he was screaming just to be heard." She said her husband later broke down "and cried and cried."

The band posted a statement to its Instagram story following the incident, saying in part, "We want to extend a heartfelt apology to our fans for the events that unfolded last night."

The statement also said they'd be canceling Sunday night's show in Bridgeport and refunds would be issued."

RELATED STORY | Darius Rucker sentenced after pleading no contest in possession case

The band's "Imminent Redemption" tour started in early August and has 15 dates left, including a show in Connecticut on Sunday night.

The band has not yet made a statement about the future of the tour.

Stanley-branded kids garden sets from Red Toolbox recalled after lead poisoning warning

The brand Red Toolbox has issued a recall of around 459,000 Stanley-branded Jr. kids garden sets after the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission says that paint used to make the tools exceeds federal lead limits. An additional 60,480 sets were recalled in Canada.

The gardening tools for children have been sold exclusively at Costco Wholesale stores, and federal health officials say they pose a serious health hazard.

The kits come with a wheelbarrow and at least seven gardening tools.

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This recall is for parts of the kit that include a long hoe and rake and a wheelbarrow with other items in the kit.

The kit also contains an apron, gloves and hand tools.

The wheelbarrow has a white label with Red Toolbox and the manufacturing date in December of last year.

The recalled hoe and rake have a yellow painted long wooden handle with Stanley Jr. painted in black. The hoe and rake are black painted metal.

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The long hoe and the rake included in the set were originally the focus of the recall.

Customers are asked to stop using the items immediately and return them to the point of sale for a refund. More information on the recall can be found on the CPSC website.

GOP strategist Craig Peterson discusses the Haley for Harris group in Wisconsin

On this edition of The Race Weekend, moderator Joe. St. George talks with former Ohio Congressman Tim Ryan about how Democrats can appeal to Midwest voters, the upcoming vice presidential debate, and the gender divide in American politics. St. George also speaks with Politicos California Bureau Chief Christopher Cadelago about reporting from inside the Harris campaign. Plus, veteran GOP Strategist Craig Peterson joins the show to discuss his work with the Haley for Harris group in Wisconsin. National Correspondent Liz Landers sits down for an interview with former Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer about his USAFacts initiative while St. Georges Campaign Confidential looks at why it is so important to register to vote. All this while Politico Data and Finance Reporter Jessica Piper joins Scripps News Senior National Correspondent Charles Benson, Political Analyst Steve Schmidt and Liz Landers for our Inside the Race Panel

Italy-based top pizza prize goes to pizza made thousands of miles away in the US

A pizzeria in Manhattan's Lower East Side neighborhood has taken away top prize by an Italian group that judges where in the world is making the best pizza.

Una Pizza Napoletana took home the top prize, beating out competitors in New York and in Naples, Italy, where the style of pizza originated.

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A short list of other eateries in New York made the list. Italy dominated with over 40 of its restaurants on the list.

Una's owner said the key to their special wood fire pizzas is the naturally leavened and highly hydrated dough that the restaurant uses.

Authorities release audio records of 911 calls during Apalachee school shooting

Authorities have released audio records of the response to the Apalachee High School shooting in Winders, Georgia on September 4.

The released materials include audio from 911 calls and first responder radio traffic. In them, police and medical personnel respond to the call of an active shooter, announce that they have the shooter in custody and coordinate the extraction of injured victims. Responders can be heard calling for ambulances and sweeping room to room to identify victims and people who were sheltering in place.

In 911 calls, residents are heard asking for information about reports of a shooter at the school and asking for information about reuniting with evacuated students and staff. Some callers reported threats on social media about a possible shooting at a vigil following the initial incident.

RELATED STORY | Authorities say suspected Georgia school shooter hid gun in backpack, left class before rampage

An update posted online Thursday morning from the Georgia Bureau of Investigation said that the gun used in the attack "could not be broken down," but that the suspected shooter a 14-year-old student hid the assault-style rifle in his backpack. Investigators added that the shooter was given permission to leave class shortly before he opened fire.

The 14-year-old faces four counts of felony murder in connection with the rampage that left four people dead and nine others injured. Authorities said additional charges are forthcoming and that the teen will be tried as an adult. If convicted, he faces up to life in prison.

Meanwhile, the boy's father, Colin Gray, has also been arrested and charged with four counts of involuntary manslaughter, two counts of second-degree murder and eight counts of cruelty to children. Georgia Bureau of Investigation Director Chris Hosey said the charges stem from the father "knowingly allowing his son ... to possess a weapon."

Demand growing for civilian space tourism, industry says

After the company SpaceX successfully lifted off Earth taking a civilian crew into space, it seems we're getting closer to space tourism becoming more of a reality.

While pricing for a seat on a craft into space is unclear, it is likely to only be available to the wealthy for some time.

Craig Curran is the president of the DePrez Group of Travel Companies, and he says the question of when space tourism might be available to the average person is a big one.

Curran says some companies, like Axiom Space which sell missions to the International Space Station have been selling trips to space for between $50 million to $70 million.

He says SpaceX is "developing their own orbital options now" and the company Blue Origin who claim to be able to offer "a window seat on a life-changing spaceflight" are doing suborbital space flights which customers can book right now.

RELATED STORY | SpaceX launches billionaire to conduct the first private spacewalk

Curran says that while some of these companies are private like Blue Origin and don't release their pricing, it has been rumored to cost between $1 million and $1.5 million for a flight.

According to market research from Polaris, over $848 million was generated from space tourism in 2023.

"Virgin Galactic, which started its journey to space travel in 2004, expects to have its Delta class spaceships flying in 2026 now, they've already done seven missions," Curran said.

Trips are "rumored to be at around $600,000 a seat," he told Scripps News. But he said they aren't yet officially on sale.

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Curran says there is also another option called Space Perspective, which is a balloon that goes up about 100,000 feet toward space. It's a six-hour journey that takes two hours to get into apogee, with two hours floating there and two hours to get back down to Earth's surface.

Curran says the company is doing test flights of the balloons and the industry expects flights to be on sale by 2025 and to sell for over $100,000 each.

And for an even more affordable option to experience the conditions of space, the company Zero-G offers flights in a modified Boeing 727 and while passengers won't go into space, they will be able to experience the feeling of weightlessness on these flights. Those seats go for about $9,000 each, Curran said.

Trump calls conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer a 'free spirit' and 'supporter'

Former President Donald Trump described Laura Loomer as a "supporter" when pressed about his relationship with the controversial right-wing activist.

"She speaks very positively of the campaign," the Republican nominee for president said. "Laura has to say what she wants. She's a free spirit."

Loomer, who has called the 9/11 terrorist attacks an "inside job," joined Trump at a ceremony in Shanksville, Pennsylvania, to honor the lives lost 23 years ago.

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During a press conference in Southern California on Friday, Trump said he wasn't familiar with Loomer's past remarks.

"I don't even know what she said, but I'll go take a look and put out a statement later on," Trump said.

In addition to facing criticism from Democrats, Republicans have also been vocal about Loomer's association with Trump.

North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis called Loomer a "crazy conspiracy theorist" who divides Republicans.

"A DNC plant couldn't do a better job than she is doing to hurt President Trump's chances of winning re-election," the Republican said on X.

RELATED STORY | Previously undecided voter tells Scripps News why she's now voting for Trump after the debate

Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is no stranger to controversy, made a similar comment on the steps of the Capitol on Thursday.

"Her rhetoric, her tone, does not match the base, does not match MAGA, does not match most Republicans I know, and I'm completely denouncing it," she said.

Loomer told The Associated Press that she was invited by the campaign to attend the 9/11 event with Trump. It was not the first time she had been seen on Trump's plane. She also attended last week's debate with the former president.

Vegan fast food chain owned by Kevin Hart suddenly closes

A chain of vegan restaurants owned by actor Kevin Hart suddenly closed this week just two years after its opening.

Hart House had four California locations and featured what appeared to be a normal fast food menu, but with a vegan spin. The Hart House had plant-based burgers, chicken sandwiches and shakes to go with fries, tots and salads.

"I founded Hart House to create a good experience that combines the joy of coming together over food, with the power of purpose," Hart said. "Our amazing chefs and team members have crafted a 100% plant-based menu that delivers 'can't-believe-it' flavor in every bite. I know you're going to love it."

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On Wednesday, the company posted a "thank you" on its Instagram page.

"Thank you to our team, guests, and community, who helped make the change we all craved," the post said. "A Hartfelt goodbye for now as we start a new chapter."

Hart House was not subject to the state of California's $20 minimum wage for fast food workers. The rule only applies to chains with at least 60 national units.

"Restaurants need to be assessing their labor value in completely new ways," Hart House CEO Andy Hooper said earlier this year. "We have to start looking at the same kind of 'Moneyball' strategies that have worked in other industries to make the most out of our available talent. Humans are the most important part of running a quality restaurant, and we need to access and activate as much data as possible to put our people in the best position to succeed. We all win together when our data is effectively aligning our employee and business outcomes."

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