Stories from United States

An investigation by the Illinois Answers Project revealed ongoing technical issues with Cook County property tax administration. Approximately 4,000 bills were mailed on Friday, leaving a backlog of more than 7,000 bills yet to be sent. Thousands of homeowners are still awaiting both tax bills and potential refunds. Additionally, there is a backlog of about 91,000 refunds totaling approximately $200 million.

A 10-year-old boy was taken into police custody after a vehicle pursuit in Baltimore. A 12-year-old passenger fled the scene on foot and remains at large. A 30-year-old man, Ahmed Khan of Virginia, was struck and killed after exiting a disabled vehicle on the outer loop near Providence Road. Police stated that a suspect, identified as Menhevar, fled the scene. The suspect was taken into custody and later released to a guardian. Sheriff deputies observed the two children driving the vehicle while serving warrants yesterday morning. A 10-year-old driver of a stolen car has been returned to the custody of a guardian following an arrest in Baltimore County. A 12-year-old passenger involved in the theft from Parkville was not detained and has since left the scene. The incident involved individuals attempting to emulate actions seen in video games.

A person was treated at White Oak Medical Center for a non-life threatening gunshot wound. Investigators determined the individual was involved in a fight at Blake High School. Police are conducting interviews, reviewing video, and collecting evidence at the scene.

An attorney for James Comey stated the case against him is a vendetta by President Donald Trump. The accusation involves an image Comey shared on social media depicting seashells forming the numbers 86 and 47. While Trump and administration officials characterized the post as a threat against the 47th president, Comey maintains he was unaware of the slang meaning of the numbers. Comey's attorney stated the case is a prosecution intended to punish the former FBI director for exercising his legal rights. Comey maintains his innocence and intends to fight the accusations. The source mentioned that certain terms used in the case are considered mob terminology.

U.S. Congressman Cleo Fields called the Supreme Court's decision regarding redistricting a grave setback to voting rights and equal political representation. Fields represents the Louisiana district at the center of the case.

The House of Representatives has moved a measure regarding FISA 702 surveillance to the Senate. The government states intelligence collected under this authority underpins a portion of the president's daily intelligence briefings. Reformers from both parties have expressed concerns regarding the government's review of private information of U.S. citizens. The Senate must act on the measure by Thursday night to prevent a potential legal morass if the law expires. Intelligence collected under FISA 702 underpins a share of the president's operations, according to the report. The House has approved a three-year reauthorization of the surveillance program ahead of its expiration this Thursday at midnight. A key provision of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act is set to expire tomorrow.

Maryland College Park is cutting over 100 positions and has announced a hiring freeze. BCCC faculty and AFSCME union members held a rally on campus regarding the situation. The announcement follows ongoing developments at the institution. This follows reports of two highway worker fatalities in Maryland on Wednesday morning. Union leaders across the state have called for urgent safety reforms. Maryland Governor Westmore and the General Assembly cut 10% of state funding to the University of Maryland to address a projected $1.5 billion deficit in the fiscal year 2027 budget. University of Maryland officials stated this week that resulting layoffs will likely include a mix of faculty and staff. This marks the second hiring freeze for the university within a two-year period.

A man is in custody following a shooting outside Blake High School in Montgomery County. Local authorities have not yet released the identity of the suspect or the victim. Montgomery County Council member Andrew Fredson is urging a return to having permanent police officers at every high school. Fredson sent a letter to the police chief, school superintendent, and school board president following a shooting at a local school. He noted the shooting was the second incident at that school on the same day, following a separate incident where a student brandished a weapon. Fredson, who is running for county executive, stated that on-site officers might have prevented the shooting. Currently, Montgomery County uses community engagement officers assigned to school clusters rather than individual schools.

Google plans to increase 2026 capital expenditure to $190 billion. The company expects to significantly increase 2027 spending over 2026 levels to support AI initiatives.

A group of both Republican and Democratic lawmakers is addressing the expiration of FISA court warrants set for tomorrow. These warrants allow foreign intelligence investigations to access American communications collected under Section 702. There is bipartisan support to use this expiration to close the data broker loophole. This loophole involves the government practice of purchasing American data to evade constitutional and statutory privacy protections. The secret FISA court has been extended for another three years following a multi-hour debate. The court allows the government to conduct surveillance on citizens if good cause is shown. Under this authority, the FBI can monitor Americans without a warrant through various devices. The decision comes after discussions regarding whether to let the program expire or extend it.