Ahead of the much-anticipated preliminary hearings for Charlie Kirk&#8217;s accused assassin Tyler Robinson, Kirk&#8217;s widow Erika Kirk, his parents, and his sister say the family will not be commenting during the judicial process.
Erika Kirk, alongside Charlie’s parents Kathy and Rob, will be in the courtroom together throughout the week, a source familiar with the situation told The Daily Wire. They say in a statement provided ahead of hearings that are expected to last all week that they will be there as spectators, and that the proceedings are a &#8220;painful reminder of his death.&#8221;
“Charlie was a beloved husband, son, brother, friend, and father. Every court proceeding serves as a painful reminder of his death and the loss that has irrevocably impacted our lives and the lives of his children,” the joint statement reads. “We remain deeply grateful for the support, prayers, and kindness we have received. This outpouring has sustained us during the darkest days of our lives. Out of respect for the judicial process, we will not be commenting further at this time. We ask for continued privacy as we navigate this process and immense grief.”
The Daily Wire is told this will be the only statement provided during the preliminary hearing that starts Monday in Provo, Utah.
The five-day hearing happens roughly 10 months after Charlie was murdered in front of thousands at a Turning Point USA college campus tour on Utah Valley University’s campus. Judge Tony Graf will decide whether the prosecution has enough evidence against Robinson, who faces an aggravated murder charge among other offenses, with the death penalty as a possible punishment. Robinson hasn’t entered a plea.
Utah is a &#8220;hearing&#8221; state, which is why this hearing takes place instead of the case going before a grand jury, which is typically what happens in federal felony cases before a trial can take place.
Starting on Monday the state will lay out evidence against the 23-year-old, who is accused of shooting the TPUSA founder on September 10, 2025. Robinson turned himself in after an intense manhunt.
The &#8220;world is going to see what the state has,&#8221; the source familiar with the proceedings told The Daily Wire.
Often called a &#8220;mini trial,&#8221; this week is the first time the public will see what evidence the prosecution plans to use to convict him of murder.
The state will call witnesses and present evidence and the defense will cross examine. The state is under no obligation to present all evidence, just as Robinson&#8217;s team isn’t required to present all of its findings to the judge.
The judge will look at the evidence through a lens favorable to the state, per law.
It’s expected the state will play a video of a recorded statement from Lance Twiggs, Robinson’s roommate and lover, during the hearing. It will be the first public statement from Twiggs, who was on the receiving end of Robinson&#8217;s confession through text messages and a hand-written letter, per authorities.
This hearing was originally scheduled for May, but the defense successfully delayed by filing pre-trial motions.
The legal back and forth leading up to Monday’s hearing mainly revolved around the argument of cameras in the courtroom. Judge Graf sided with the state and cameras will be allowed in the courtroom, but electronic devices won’t be permitted.

Credit: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

Erika Kirk And Charlie Kirk’s Parents Say Assassination Hearing Is ‘Painful Reminder Of His Death’

Charlie Kirk

News

Tyler Robinson

Utah

After months of silence, the FBI said Wednesday that some ransom notes sent during the Nancy Guthrie kidnapping investigation may &#8220;potentially&#8221; be legitimate, while others appear to be bogus.
&#8220;Some have been deemed to be extortion attempts without legitimacy. Other ransom demands may potentially be legitimate and are still being investigated as such,&#8221; the FBI posted on X. &#8220;This case continues to be investigated as a kidnapping for ransom case.&#8221;
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Statement on Guthrie Investigation <a href="https://t.co/zTUKcjPfsv">pic.twitter.com/zTUKcjPfsv</a>
— FBI Phoenix (@FBIPhoenix) <a href="https://x.com/FBIPhoenix/status/2072451468766941575?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 1, 2026</a></blockquote>
The statement appears to contradict a <a href="https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/fbi-determines-nancy-guthrie-kidnapping-notes-be-fakes-source-says-2026-07-01/">Reuters</a> report citing an FBI official who said none of the ransom notes were believed to be genuine.
The FBI added that it continues to provide resources to assist in the investigation to find the mother of &#8220;Today&#8221; host Savannah Guthrie, but made it clear the probe is being led by local authorities in Pima County, Arizona.
This is the latest back-and-forth in the case of the missing 84-year-old who was abducted from her home on February 1.
During the first week of the search, multiple ransom notes were sent to several outlets demanding money in the form of bitcoin, while describing disturbing details about Guthrie&#8217;s condition.
Last month, NewsNation&#8217;s Brian Entin reported that sources told him the second ransom note alluded to Guthrie being dead.
The note indicated her death was unintentional and said that Guthrie was &#8220;buried with nature now,&#8221; per Entin.
Savannah Guthrie addressed the report last month on the &#8220;Today&#8221; show alongside co-anchor Craig Melvin and Carson Daly.
&#8220;Somebody knows something, and this is a new story today that is on your radar, but this is the life that my sister lives, that I live, that my brother lives, that our extended families live, that our children live, every day,&#8221; Savannah said. &#8220;And we are in agony. We cannot be at peace.&#8221;
Shortly after Savannah&#8217;s plea, <a href="https://www.tmz.com/2026/06/26/new-nancy-guthrie-demand-letter-claims-video-evidence/">TMZ</a> reported that it had received another email containing a bombshell claim about the investigation.
The note contained a password to a phone in a &#8220;secure location&#8221; that had information on Guthrie&#8217;s disappearance. The sender of the note said they would provide the password in exchange for bitcoin, per TMZ.
TMZ has received numerous emails over the past several months, but the latest had the same bitcoin address as the sender who emailed the outlet in February.
The more than $1 million reward for information leading to the recovery of Guthrie is still available.
The number for tips is 1-800-CALL-FBI.

Credit: Nathan Congleton/NBC/Justin Sullivan via Getty Images

The FBI Isn’t Ready To Dismiss The Nancy Guthrie Ransom Notes

Arizona

Crime

Nancy Guthrie

Savannah Guthrie

U.S.

This article is part of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/upstream" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Upstream</a>, The Daily Wire’s new home for culture and lifestyle. Real human insight and human stories — from our featured writers to you.
***
It’s 1975. The United States is coming off the Vietnam War, which involved a heavily opposed military draft, mass casualties, and major economic distress. Watergate had just fractured the trust between the public and government. Americans needed something to believe in, something to celebrate. And a resurgence of patriotism spread across a small, secluded town in Alabama, thanks to a group of fourth graders.
Susan Holdridge was a 33-year-old teacher at Laurel Elementary School in Alexander City, Alabama. Like many teachers at the start of their career, she was eager, she was energetic, and she assigned tasks that went beyond reading, writing, and arithmetic.
The bicentennial was still more than a year away, but preparations and excitement were already building. America was getting ready to turn 200! To honor the country’s milestone, Mrs. Holdridge tasked the nine- and 10-year-olds with writing poems about America. Then a “song committee” turned the words of the poem into a song, “My Grand American Home.”
<div style="max-width: 728px; margin: 0 auto;">  <iframe style="aspect-ratio: 16/9; max-width: 100%; width: 100%; margin: 20px auto 5px; border: 0;" src="https://player.mux.com/lQ01t501gTX4xiU7nV2lJ2Js12E9FQkKOZ?metadata-video-content-type=embed_video&amp;metadata-video-id=42ec166d-def6-4c1d-a42a-4c499926abbd&amp;metadata-video-stream-type=on-demand&amp;metadata-video-title=2026-06-25%20Freedom%20250%20Song&amp;poster=https%3A%2F%2Fdailywireplus-v2.imgix.net%2Fimages%2Fembedded-videos%2F71630e0b-f2b1-4422-a1f5-66ed16094150.png&amp;autoplay=false&amp;accent-color=%23DB3D3B&amp;primary-color=%23ffffff&amp;secondary-color=%23000000" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe></div>
It came together on a single sheet of paper in cursive writing. Stanza by stanza the students put the poems together like a puzzle. It seemed to come together smoothly with barely any notes in the margins.
“I do remember telling them about the White Cliffs of Dover because we needed a place name that rhymed with over for the first verse, but everything else came directly from the students,” Mrs. Holdridge told The Daily Wire.
The chorus reads: 
“I love America so 
I will never never go 
It&#8217;s a grand old place 
You can tell by my face 
I love America so.”
The assignment that was meant to sharpen her class’s literacy skills turned out to be a pretty impressive song in Mrs. Holdridge&#8217;s eyes, but the teacher wasn’t the only one pleased with the students&#8217; work.
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1123165" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1123165" class="size-large wp-image-1123165" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-38-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-38-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-38-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-38-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-38.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Cindy Blake</div>
A few adults were called on to put the lyrics to music, and a local church agreed to provide a piano and choir loft. Just like that, “My Grand American Home” was recorded on a cassette tape.
“I still remember all these years later hearing our song on the local radio station in 1976 and thinking we were famous,” Cindy Blake, one of the fourth graders, told The Daily Wire.
But the story doesn’t end there.
As the classmates recall, the bicentennial celebration of the country was a proud time for Americans. Streets were decorated, flags flew high in the sky, and it seemed everyone wanted to celebrate the greatest country in the land. The buildup for America’s 200th birthday was years in the making, so the fourth graders had plenty of time to perform “My Grand American Home.”
It’s a shame no one really knows exactly how the next parts of the song’s journey came to be. As Mrs. Holdridge put it, word travels fast in a small town. In any case, all that mattered was that this patriotic project made its way down to Alabama’s capital city, Montgomery, and onto Governor George Wallace’s desk.
“As Governor of Alabama, I commend you for your recording of &#8216;My Grand American Home,&#8217;” Wallace sent via telegraph. “I think you are great for undertaking this project and congratulate you on your success.”
&nbsp;
<div id="attachment_1123175" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1123175" class="size-large wp-image-1123175" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-39-864x576.jpg" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-39-864x576.jpg 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-39-300x200.jpg 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-39-768x512.jpg 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-39.jpg 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Credit: Cindy Blake</div>
That was a token of appreciation the fourth graders would hold onto throughout their lives. The lifelong friends still often broke out in the song every time they would hang out. I know all this because my mom, Cindy Blake, is in this group of fourth graders, and she has made it her mission to give the song new life in 2026.
My mom’s best friend, David McGhee, held on to the scrapbook of memories Mrs. Holdridge made, including the telegraph from Governor Wallace, the lyrics, the printed music, and a copyright certificate at his furniture store in town.
“He got the word out to our classmates that he had it and we could drop by and see the treasure,” Blake said.
Unfortunately, McGhee died during the COVID-19 pandemic and his furniture store burned down shortly after, destroying the scrapbook of “My Grand American Home.”
That was another reason my mom wanted so badly to give this song new life.
A few phone calls were made and Facebook messages were sent, and 23 of the original group of fourth graders were around to rerecord with their teacher, 84-year-old Mrs. Holdridge, whose idea started it all.
“We gathered at First Baptist Church, on June 14, 2026, on the same stage we made the original recording by pressing the record button on a cassette player, but on this day, we pressed record on our iPhone,” Blake said. “We practiced once and were ready to go. Our voices filled the church sanctuary. There was more pride the second time.”
“Meeting back at the same church to rerecord was absolutely amazing,” Holdridge said. “Seeing my fourth-grade students from 50 years ago was so special. They were wonderful students then and are wonderful adults now. I loved them then and I love them now. Many good memories brought tears to my eyes.”
The simple song evokes American pride and reminds the group, now in their 60s, how important it is to share that feeling with the younger folks.
“What I love about America? I can freely choose who and what I want to be without limitations,” Nancy Patrick Holley told The Daily Wire. “I am free to choose the life I want to live, most of all, I can walk in my beliefs and my faith.”
The group didn’t wear their matching white shirts and red bandanas like they did in 1975, instead opting for a more personalized patriotic look. The First Baptist Church sanctuary didn’t have the same maroon carpet on the stage or pews; it’s more modern now with new floors and paint. But the feeling the class felt decades ago was the same.
“For a few minutes, we weren’t retirees, grandparents, or professionals — we were Mrs. Holdridge’s fourth graders again,” Karen Carr said.
“This time when we sang, we put the politics and opposing views, which surround us every day, aside and sang about &#8216;Our Grand American Home&#8217; with deep pride,” Blake said.
Same lyrics, remastered and renewed all for America’s 250th birthday. The class of 1983 knows that with technology, more people can hear the words that still bring them so much joy.
“We love our country even when we&#8217;re sad. 
We don&#8217;t give up when the going gets bad. 
No place on Earth is like the place of my birth. 
My Grand American Home.”
“Of course, I would love for us to perform it for the president and celebrate our 250th birthday in a grand way,” Sharon Blair said. &#8220;I know that will not happen, but it is an endearing story of a class that always comes together and loves each other!”
“We would even love to share the song with the president, at the White House,” Blake added. “I can envision my teacher, Mrs. Holdridge; my classmates; and I surrounding the president sitting at his desk in the Oval Office while he signs a proclamation declaring &#8216;My Grand American Home&#8217; a national treasure,” Blake added.
(Look, my mom shoots for the moon, okay?)
That American dream aside, what the class really wants to come from the rerecording is for today’s generation to know that with a little creativity and out-of-the-box thinking, learning is fun and lasts a lifetime. And, of course, the class wants this song to encourage others to love their country too!
“If this project inspires others to value their school memories, reconnect with old friends, or appreciate the educators who influenced them,&#8221; Carr said, &#8220;then it will have accomplished something meaningful.”

Credit: Cindy Blake

It Started As Homework. Fifty Years Later, They’re Still Singing It.

Alabama

America

America 250

Feature

Upstream

Six-time major champion Phil Mickelson has been kicked out of his longtime California golf club after a female employee accused him of making inappropriate physical contact with her earlier this year.
Mickelson, 55, is no longer a member at The Farms Golf Club outside San Diego, where the three-time Masters champion has played and practiced for decades, according to <a href="https://www.golfdigest.com/story/phil-mickelson-inappropriate-contact-female-club-employee-the-farms">Golf Digest</a>.
The woman, who does not want to be identified, said the incident occurred this spring. She declined to speak with Golf Digest.
Sources familiar with the situation told Golf Digest that Mickelson approached the female employee inside the clubhouse and made nonconsensual, inappropriate physical contact. The employee rejected his advances and later reported the incident to a supervisor.
Club officials immediately began reviewing the accusation and launched an investigation. According to the report, investigators located Mickelson during his round, informed him of the accusation, and asked him to leave the property.
Mickelson, who has been away from professional golf since February while attending to a family medical issue, also declined to comment directly. His spokesperson provided a statement to the outlet.
&#8220;Any misunderstanding has been cleared up,&#8221; it said. &#8220;Phil continues to attend to a family health matter and is uncertain when he will be able to return to professional golf.&#8221;
The Farms Golf Club confirmed that Mickelson is &#8220;no longer a member.&#8221;
&#8220;The Farms Golf Club is committed to maintaining a golf club environment that is safe, respectful, and reflects the highest standards of conduct,&#8221; the club said in a statement.
The club added that it conducted an independent investigation, provided support to the employee, and took &#8220;decisive action.&#8221;
<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/will-a-saudi-funded-golf-league-survive-despite-low-ratings-and-low-cash">RELATED: Will A Saudi-Funded Golf League Survive Despite Low Ratings And Low Cash?</a>

LIV Golf Chicago – Day One

Phil Mickelson Kicked Out Of Golf Club For Inappropriate Contact

California

Golf

Sports

The man accused of killing &#8220;Top Gun: Maverick&#8221; actor James Handy made a chilling 911 call after allegedly stabbing the 81-year-old actor outside of a Los Angeles home.
Michael Gledhill, who is the son of Handy’s girlfriend, Wendy, allegedly stabbed Handy in the chest in the front yard of the home of Handy’s girlfriend, where her son also lived. After the stabbing, Gledhill told 911 dispatchers, &#8220;I am the son of man, I just killed the man of sin,&#8221; according to <a href="https://ktla.com/news/local-news/i-just-killed-the-man-of-sin-tarzana-man-arrested-in-fatal-stabbing/">KTLA</a>.
The stabbing that has shocked avid movie fans who knew Handy’s work most recently in &#8220;Top Gun: Maverick,&#8221; happened around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday in the 19200 block of Erwin Street in the Tarzana neighborhood of Los Angeles.
“I’m just trying to make it through one day at a time, a minute at a time,” 76-year-old Wendy Gledhill <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/05/us-news/james-handys-girlfriend-breaks-silence-after-her-son-allegedly-killed-top-gun-maverick-actor/">told</a> The California Post.
“I loved James and my son. I still can’t believe it. &#8230; I can’t believe my son did it. I’m just trying to,&#8221; she added.
When officers arrived after the phone call from Gledhill, they found the veteran actor unconscious, per KTLA. Handy was taken to a local hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics and was later pronounced dead.
In video obtained by <a href="https://www.foxla.com/video/fmc-qaaks9n29mquwcyp">Fox 11 Los Angeles</a>, Gledhill is seen on a neighbor’s doorbell camera walking away from the gruesome scene before returning and turning himself in to police. The video also shows a blue shirt on the ground covered in blood.
The motive for the killing is still under investigation, but according to KTLA detectives believe the stabbing was an isolated incident and there isn’t a threat to the public. Gledhill’s bond is set at $2 million, <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/05/us-news/james-handy-girlfriends-son-seen-calmly-walking-away-from-where-top-gun-maverick-actor-was-stabbed-to-death/">the New York Post</a> reported.
Handy had a long career in Hollywood starting back in the 1970s. He had a role in &#8220;Arachnophobia,&#8221; as well as playing the exterminator in the blockbuster hit, &#8220;Jumanji,&#8221; alongside Robin Williams. He had several TV roles as well, including &#8220;Melrose Place,&#8221; &#8220;Alias,&#8221; &#8220;The West Wing,&#8221; and &#8220;NYPD Blue.&#8221;
Handy lived a reclusive life in his later years and made his last public appearance nearly 10 years ago in September 2017, per the Post.

Credit: Adam Larkey/Disney General Entertainment Content via Getty Images

‘Top Gun: Maverick’ Actor Stabbed To Death — Suspect Made Chilling Call To Police

Entertainment

Hollywood

Los Angeles

Murder

An Auburn University student has vanished in Japan on a family vacation without a trace.
James &#8220;Weston&#8221; Higginbotham, a 20-year-old from Birmingham, has been missing since May 29. Higginbotham never returned from a train station in the Kyoto area. His mother, Nancy, said in a Facebook post her son may be in &#8220;emotional distress,&#8221; calling the search &#8220;urgent.&#8221;
Weston decided to go explore on his own after an argument with his mother, saying he needed some space. Nancy told <a href="https://edition.cnn.com/2026/06/04/us/weston-missing-american-student-japan-hnk">CNN</a> she grew concerned when his phone location was turned off. She told the outlet that a disagreement arose between them over the use of ChatGPT to help navigate their trip.
&#8220;It’s not unusual for Weston to blow off steam going to the woods and just exploring. That’s his happy place,&#8221; Higginbotham told CNN. &#8220;I’m thinking … he’s just off in the woods, and he got lost.&#8221;
Reality quickly set in by 2 a.m. local time. Weston’s parents reported him missing, and Nancy and Keith are not leaving Japan until their son is found. Their determination to find their son is helping the search for him grow.
Local police said Weston left Kyoto Station alone at 6 p.m. Friday and was last seen on surveillance footage around 8 p.m. in Yamashina. Weston was on a path that led to a hiking trail in the nearby woods, per CNN.
Now dozens of Japanese authorities are assisting in the search in the Yamashina area as it approaches the one-week mark.
&#8220;As the missing young man is unfamiliar with the area, we consider it vital to locate him as soon as possible and are doing everything possible to ensure his safe recovery at the earliest opportunity,&#8221; a Kyoto prefectural police officer in charge of the case told CNN.
Crews on Thursday were forced to search through waist-high mud for Weston after a typhoon hit the area earlier in the week.
Weston’s mom said in a statement that search dogs and helicopters have also been deployed, adding that the area where she believes Weston is missing has plenty of water and some berries for food.
&#8220;There is still hope,&#8221; Nancy said.
The heartbroken mother is encouraging Americans to share Weston&#8217;s photo on social media. She said that is the best way to get his face out to people in Japan. The search will resume on Friday, with Japanese police planning to use additional surveillance footage to follow up on another lead. Nancy added that authorities are also deploying a smaller team to the forest.
&#8220;Our emotions are all over the place and every time we lose hope for a second, we receive an encouraging message from you,” Nancy said. “It keeps us going. We will find Weston.&#8221;

Credit: Nancy Higginbotham

Search Intensifies For Auburn Student Missing In Japan

Desperate Search Continues For Auburn Student Missing In Japan As Week-Mark Lingers

auburn

Japan

Missing Person

Thank God For Country Music. That’s what Lakelin Lemmings is saying as she heads into her second CMA Fest, the Country Music Association&#8217;s annual festival in Nashville, this week, just up the road from where the 20-year-old grew up with a guitar in her hand.
The West Tennessee native’s ties to country music began the day she was born. Her father toured in a band, and when Lakelin wanted to get involved in the music industry, he knew just who to call.
Ash Bowers, the lead singer of her father&#8217;s band, had already established himself as a hit songwriter, securing cuts with Keith Urban, Brad Paisley, and Dustin Lynch, before getting into the management side.
Bowers, who is now the executive vice president for Quartz Hill Music Group, signed Lemmings at 19 years old, making her the record label’s youngest artist.
Since signing her deal, Lemmings has released a flurry of songs, with her single &#8220;Get Around Boy&#8221; landing on a prestigious list as a &#8220;Top 5 Most Added&#8221; song in April.
&#8220;I just want to make good music that if you&#8217;re six years old, you can listen to, if you&#8217;re 90 years old, you can listen to it,&#8221; Lemmings told The Daily Wire.
&#8220;I&#8217;ve been called to do this. I just felt like it&#8217;s only right that I mention the guy that got me here,&#8221; she said.
The artist draws on her faith, penning the song &#8220;Life of Mine,&#8221; which echoes the melody of the beloved hymn &#8220;This Little Light of Mine.&#8221;
&#8220;My faith is super important to me,&#8221; Lemmings said. &#8220;And not only was this like a dream of mine as a child &#8230; growing up, but I remember I felt the calling by God to pursue this.&#8221;
&#8220;There [are] so [many] drinking songs and cheating songs and all this kind of stuff, and some of them are great, but I feel like there was a need for just positive, good country music.&#8221;
She&#8217;s putting an album out this summer, and you can expect her southern roots to shine through on tracks like &#8220;American Dreamin,&#8221; which drops later this June, focusing on the things that shaped her in her small Tennessee town: family, faith, and the obvious… country music.
&#8220;It kind of leans a little bit faith-based, but I like to say that I&#8217;m not a country Christian artist, I&#8217;m just a country artist that&#8217;s Christian,&#8221; Lemmings said.
As she’s already started making her CMA Fest rounds, which Lemmings says is surreal, knowing she’s playing at the premier Nashville country fest she’s grown up coming to since she was a little girl.
&#8220;Going to the free things like the Riverfront Stage, and then in 2023 to have actually saved up some money to go to Nissan Stadium to see it, which was super fun … but as an artist, CMA Fest means a lot just because it&#8217;s a way to connect with fans.&#8221;
Lainey Wilson and Ella Langley are just a couple of big names in country music who, not too long ago, were playing a small stage for an even smaller number of fans. Lemmings is aware of their rapid trajectory and is prepared to work hard to headline CMA Fest one day, too.
&#8220;I think for me that goes to show that I need to buckle up because it can happen quicker than you think,&#8221; she said.
Lemmings self-titled album drops in July.

Credit: Noah Johnson

‘I Felt The Calling By God To Pursue This’: Lakelin Lemmings On Faith And Country Music

CMA Fest

Music

Nashville

Tennessee

The flesh-eating New World screwworm has been confirmed in a Texas calf, marking the first detection of the parasite in U.S. livestock in decades.
The Department of Agriculture <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/flesh-eating-screwworm-scare-reaches-the-u-s">announced</a> Wednesday that a three-week-old calf in Zavala County, Texas, tested positive for New World screwworm, a parasite whose larvae feed on the living tissues of warm-blooded animals, and yes, sometimes humans.
The confirmation comes one day after The Daily Wire reported on a suspected case in South Texas and follows a growing outbreak in Mexico that prompted federal officials to warn that the pest could eventually cross into the United States.
According to the USDA, the screwworm infestation was found in the calf’s umbilical area. The parasite typically enters animals through open wounds, where larvae burrow into the flesh and feed on living tissue. Federal officials said no additional cases have been identified in the United States.
As far as meat and produce go, the USDA noted the food supply is safe because screwworms do not infest meat, fruits, vegetables, or other food sources.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
🚨 With the recent detection of New World screwworm in a 3-week-old bovine in Zavala County, TX, USDA urges residents to contact your veterinarian right away if you see any suspicious wounds, maggots, or infestations in your animals or herd.
If you see signs of maggot… <a href="https://t.co/lxxsjIgDcb">pic.twitter.com/lxxsjIgDcb</a>
— Dept. of Agriculture (@USDA) <a href="https://x.com/USDA/status/2062541369839673737?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 4, 2026</a></blockquote>
&#8220;All models showed New World screwworm entering the country in 2025; however, thanks to the hard work across the entire Trump administration and our industry, state, and local partners, we were able to buy time for this moment,&#8221; said Dudley Hoskins, Under Secretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs.
Hoskins said protecting America&#8217;s livestock is a national security issue &#8220;of the utmost importance.&#8221;
&#8220;USDA invested heavily in the tools needed to eliminate NWS ever since cases started increasing in Central America and Mexico. The United States has defeated this pest before, and we will do it again.&#8221;
The U.S. case comes after the screwworm was found last week in a five-year-old goat in Coahuila, the Mexican state that borders southwestern Texas. A separate case was reported on Sunday of the screwworm infecting a dog in Tamaulipas, another bordering Mexican state.
The current outbreak in Mexico has persisted for some time, prompting Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to shut down livestock trade across the southern border in May 2025. There was one confirmed U.S. case last year from a person who returned to Maryland after traveling to El Salvador.
The USDA reports that screwworm maggots cause painful, foul-smelling wounds — and that maggots can sometimes be seen or felt in open wounds or in body openings, including the nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and genitals.
If the infestation isn’t caught early and treated quickly, it can lead to extensive tissue damage and sometimes death.
Adult screwworm flies are the size of a housefly, with orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body, and three dark stripes along their backs. The parasite is typically found in South America and parts of the Caribbean, but has been found farther north, in Central America and Mexico, over the last three years. While the major outbreak currently in Mexico and Central America is primarily in livestock, wildlife, and pets, there have been cases in people, according to the CDC.
If mammals or birds are found showing signs of irritated behavior, head shaking, a decaying odor, or maggots in wounds, they should be reported to an animal health official immediately.
The USDA and Texas officials are taking immediate action to eliminate the threat of screwworms in the United States through an action plan linked here.
The USDA warns that if you see signs of maggot infestations in live or very recently dead wild animals, especially in areas near the U.S.-Mexico border, call 866-487-3297 or report it to your local USDA Wildlife Services office.

Credit: USDA/Christian Torres/Anadolu via Getty Images

Flesh-Eating Screwworm Reaches U.S. Livestock

Screwworm

Texas

USDA

The remains of a missing woman who worked at a sensitive U.S. nuclear development lab were found decaying in a forest in New Mexico Thursday in a &#8220;skeletonized&#8221; state, according to <a href="https://www.dailymail.com/crime-desk/article-15868805/missing-scientist-melissa-casias-cause-death-final-moments.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Daily Mail</a>.
Melissa Casias, a 53-year-old administrative assistant at Los Alamos, was found dead in Carson National Forest, with her body propped up against a tree near an abandoned gun, per the Mail. She was found with a visible gunshot wound to her skull in the remote part of the Carson National Forest, local officials told the Daily Mail. Casias’ body reportedly didn’t show any signs of animal activity even though her body was left to decompose in the forest. The 53-year-old mother was last seen on June 26, 2025.
Thomas McNally, the former homicide detective who is helping Casias’ family with the case, told the outlet he suspects foul play, even hinting that Casias’ family will file a civil lawsuit against the New Mexico State Police for essentially botching the case.
The discovery of Casias&#8217; body comes after a slew of mysterious disappearances related to scientists and employees who worked at sensitive nuclear or space technology labs. Just weeks before Casias vanished, a former Los Alamos employee, 79-year-old Anthony Chavez, disappeared in a similar manner. Chavez went missing after he left his home on foot on May 4, 2025. Police have said that no foul play is suspected in Chavez&#8217;s case.
Casias worked as an administrative assistant at the Los Alamos National Laboratory, the site made famous during World War II for the Manhattan Project. The lab remains closely tied to U.S. nuclear weapon development.
The day Casias went missing, she wiped her phones before leaving them behind, along with her ID, when she walked out of her house that is settled in a remote community around 70 miles northeast of Santa Fe, The New York Post <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/03/us-news/missing-us-scientists-body-found-skeletonized-with-gunshot-wound-as-grisly-details-emerge-report/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
Just before she was last seen, Casias dropped off her husband, who worked at the same lab as her, at work before claiming she forgot her work badge and had to return home.
McNally told the Mail that Casias and her husband were arguing over a vape pen on their way to work.
The investigator claims Casias’ daughter, Sierra, saw her mom when she came back home, and Casias looked &#8220;totally normal.&#8221;
The last known sighting of the wife and mother was June 26 at 2:20 p.m. local time.
While McNally was looking into her disappearance, Casias&#8217; husband claimed she was &#8220;running around with a boyfriend somewhere,&#8221; and authorities believed the narrative, according to McNally.

Credit: Find Melissa Mondragon Casias

Missing Los Alamos Worker’s ‘Skeletonized’ Body Found Near A Gun Deep In The Forest

New Mexico

True Crime

New fear unlocked: the flesh-eating maggot that happily burrows inside livestock, wildlife, and yes, even humans, eating its prey from the inside out a little too close to home, especially for Texans.
The New World screwworm is a type of fly that feeds off wounds — and a potential case in South Texas is now being tested at the National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Iowa.
&#8220;We have already activated personnel on the ground and are working with local partners,&#8221; the Department of Agriculture<a href="https://x.com/USDA/status/2062245310689345981?s=20"> announced</a> Wednesday.
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A case of NWS may have been detected in South Texas. The sample is now at USDA&#8217;s National Veterinary Services Laboratories (NVSL) in Ames, lowa for confirmatory testing. We will provide updates the moment results are available.
We have already activated personnel on the ground…
— Dept. of Agriculture (@USDA) <a href="https://x.com/USDA/status/2062245310689345981?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 3, 2026</a></blockquote>
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The potential U.S. case comes after the screwworm was <a href="https://www.farmprogress.com/farm-policy/new-world-screwworm-now-25-miles-from-border">found last week in a 5-year-old goat</a> in Coahuila, the Mexican state that borders southwestern Texas. A separate case was reported on Sunday of the screwworm infecting a dog in Tamaulipas, another bordering Mexican state. As of Monday, the USDA is tracking 1,981 active animal cases in the country.
The current outbreak in Mexico has gone on for a while, which caused Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins to shut down livestock trade across the southern border in July 2025. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/new-world-screwworm/situation-summary/index.html">There was one confirmed U.S. case</a> last year from a person who returned to Maryland after traveling to El Salvador.
Adult screwworm flies are the size of a housefly, with orange eyes, a metallic blue or green body, and three dark stripes along their backs. The parasite is typically found in South America and parts of the Caribbean, but has been found farther north, in Central America and Mexico, over the last three years. While the outbreak in Mexico and Central America is primarily in livestock, wildlife, and pets, there have been cases in people, according to the <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/new-world-screwworm/situation-summary/">CDC</a>.
The agency reports the screwworm maggots cause painful, foul-smelling wounds — and that sometimes maggots can be seen or felt in open wounds or in parts of the body with openings, including nose, mouth, eyes, ears, and genitals.
If the infestation isn’t caught early and treated quickly, it can lead to extensive tissue damage and sometimes death.
The CDC advises keeping any open wounds clean and covered, no matter the size or location on the body. Wear loose clothing, long-sleeved shirts and pants, hats, and socks to limit skin exposure. Other preventive measures include using an EPA-registered insect repellent, treating clothes with products containing 0.5% permethrin, and sleeping indoors when able.
If mammals or birds are found to be showing signs of irritated behavior, head shaking, decaying smell, or maggots in wounds, they should be reported to an animal health official immediately.
The <a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/node/1050/stop-screwworm/current-status?page=1">USDA</a> is reporting any new &#8220;screwworm&#8221; cases within 400 miles of the U.S. border on its map tracker every Tuesday and Thursday, and new cases within 100 miles are being tracked daily.

Credit: USDA

Flesh-Eating ‘Screwworm’ Scare Reaches The U.S

Parasite

President Donald Trump could be courtside for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday at Madison Square Garden.
The New York native describes himself as a lifelong Knicks fan, and Trump secured an invite from team owner James Dolan to the Finals last week, though he never specified which game.
But now the plans appear to be taking shape. The New York Post reported that Trump plans to attend the June 8 matchup between the Knicks and the San Antonio Spurs at MSG. Venue officials have already conducted security walk-throughs in preparation for a potential presidential visit.
&#8220;I was going to go on Wednesday [Game 5 of Eastern Conference Finals], but they closed it out very quickly,&#8221; Trump told <a href="https://nypost.com/2026/06/03/sports/president-trump-plans-to-attend-game-3-at-msg-as-knicks-host-first-nba-finals-contest-in-27-years/">The Post</a>. &#8220;They&#8221;re great, and Jim Dolan&#8217;s a great guy. He’s, as you know, owns and in charge of Madison Square Garden. He&#8217;s having a good year.&#8221;
The White House has yet to confirm any plans for Trump to attend the game.
New York City Democratic Mayor Zohran Mamdani said last week that he would not attend the game with Trump if the president makes the trip. The Knicks are making their first NBA Finals appearance since 1999, when they also faced the Spurs.
&#8220;If the president went to a game, I’d let him, that’s his decision to make. If I go to the game, I’ll be doing so separately,&#8221; Mamdani told <a href="https://x.com/TMZ/status/2060047324328378734?s=20">TMZ</a>.
Mamdani attended Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals, purchasing his own ticket and sitting in the upper level of MSG.
Despite their political differences, Mamdani said Thursday that one thing he and Trump have in common is wanting the Knicks to win the NBA championship.
The Finals would be the latest major sporting event attended by Trump. He attended Super Bowl LIX, the 2026 College Football Playoff championship in Miami, and several regular-season college football games. Before his return to the White House, Trump made time for the primetime NFL matchup between the Pittsburgh Steelers and the New York Jets just days before the 2024 election.
The highly anticipated NBA Finals tip off Wednesday in San Antonio, where the Spurs host the first two matchups. The Knicks enter the championship series on an 11-game win streak, while the Spurs are coming off a battle in the Western Conference Finals, where San Antonio took down the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 7 to advance.

Credit: Roberto Schmid/Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

Trump Is Headed To New York’s Hottest Ticket

Knicks

New York

Trump

Zohran Mamdani

The Knicks have Timothée Chalamet, Kylie Jenner, Spike Lee … you get the picture.
There is no shortage of star power in Madison Square Garden. But tonight, the NBA Finals start in San Antonio, and the Spurs have something in Frost Bank Center that has captured the eyes and hearts of fans across the country — &#8220;The Spurs Nuns.&#8221;
The group of Catholic sisters has gone viral during the Spurs&#8217; 2026 NBA Playoff run for praying for the players and cheering their hearts out as the Spurs went on a Western Conference tear to make it to the Finals.
The Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco in San Antonio show up to home games decked out in Spurs jerseys over their habits. They cheer when Spurs star Victor Wembanyama nails a dunk typically only seen in video games. They sigh when the opposing team makes a three-pointer. They even take the time to bless the players, most recently backup center Luke Kornet, during pre-game warm-ups.
When they’re not in the arena watching basketball, they’re showing off their own basketball skills at the Catholic school where they use their Spurs knowledge to enhance their ministry with the children they serve.
&#8220;Our ministry is with young people, and we need to be able to converse with them and talk to them,&#8221; Sister Bernadette Mota told the <a href="https://www.expressnews.com/news/article/san-antonio-spurs-fans-nuns-salesian-22242330.php">San Antonio Express-News</a> in May. &#8220;I can talk basketball with the kids and it&#8217;s something that I&#8217;ve really enjoyed watching.&#8221;
The enjoyment is a two-way street with Spurs fans often taking pictures with the sisters before games, and when the group chose to stay in San Antonio instead of traveling to Oklahoma City for Game 7 of the Western Conference Finals, Thunder fans playfully dressed up as &#8220;Spurs Nuns.&#8221;
While it’s easy to get caught up in the spectacle of nuns sitting courtside at an NBA game, the sisters take their Catholic practice seriously.
&#8220;Pre-game, we’re praying the rosary for peace (in communion with the Church and Pope Leo),&#8221; Mota told the San Antonio Express-News. &#8220;And we’ll add a special intention for the Spurs. God bless and Go Spurs Go!&#8221;
In a world of bandwagon fans, the Salesian Sisters have been die-hard for decades. Sister Mota says 20 years ago, there were elder sisters in their convent who would watch every Spurs game on TV. When those sisters passed, others in the convent carried on the tradition of being devoted fans of their hometown team, per <a href="https://sojo.net/articles/culture-interview/san-antonio-nuns-chanting-go-spurs-go-and-god-bless">Sojourners</a>.
<div id="attachment_1108113" style="width: 874px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img loading="lazy" decoding="async" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-1108113" class="size-large wp-image-1108113" src="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-100-864x576.png" alt="" width="864" height="576" srcset="https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-100-864x576.png 864w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-100-300x200.png 300w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-100-768x512.png 768w, https://dw-wp-production.imgix.net/2026/06/Untitled-design-100.png 1200w" sizes=" (max-width: 864px) 100vw, 864px" />Salesian Sisters of St. John Bosco cheering on the Spurs in the 2007 NBA Finals</div>
Ahead of Wednesday’s Game 1 of the NBA Finals, the sisters posted a 30-second video of kids from their ministry wearing Spurs gear and waving foam fingers as they cheered alongside the nuns. The short clip shows the world that what the sisters want more than social media lore is to share the love of Christ through basketball.
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&#8220;Our Salesian mission comes to life in beautiful moments like this!&#8221; the video caption states. &#8220;These precious moments remind us why presence matters, why Christ matters, and why our mission matters.&#8221;
&#8220;As we kick off Game 1 of the Finals tonight, we&#8217;re soaking in every moment together. Go, Spurs Go, and God bless!&#8221;

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Lynden Blake