September 2026
Austrian yodelers take their voices underground, turning a parking garage into the Alps
GRAZ, Austria | No mountains to practice on? No problem. Yodeling fans in Austria have moved their practice sessions to an underground parking garage, since it produces echoes like those they can get in the landscapes of the Alps. “It’s not too dissimilar to the high mountains,” said yodeling teacher Anna Maria Gutschi as she […]
Trump administration moves to limit fixes for systemic racism in schools
WASHINGTON | For decades, a key principle underpinned civil rights enforcement in American schools: Not all discrimination was intentional. Even if a school policy was written without overt racial bias, it might unfairly hurt one group of students over another, the understanding went. The concept is known as systemic racism, and Republican and Democratic administrations […]
Olivia Rodrigo, Charlie Puth, Sombr, Raye and Katseye set for 2026 iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour
NEW YORK | iHeartRadio is loading its 2026 holiday tour with some starry acts, including performances by Olivia Rodrigo, Charlie Puth, Raye, Katseye, Jonas Brothers, Alex Warren, Hilary Duff, Sombr, OneRepublic, Ludacris, Teddy Swims and Sienna Spiro. The nine-city iHeartRadio Jingle Ball Tour will visit: Dallas/Fort Worth; Los Angeles; Chicago; Detroit; New York; Boston; Washington, […]
Mortgage rates climb for 5th straight week, pushing average rate on a 30-year home loan above 7%
The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate rose this week above 7% for the first time since January 2025, the latest affordability setback for prospective homebuyers following a five-week run of rate increases. The weekly average rate on a 30-year fixed-rate home loan rose to 7.03% from 6.95% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. […]
Deaths of students at the University of Mississippi cast spotlight on kratom
A drug task force in Mississippi is urging people to avoid kratom after authorities found packages of the substance while investigating the deaths of two University of Mississippi students. The warning Tuesday came despite no “confirmed information” that kratom contributed to either death, Lafayette County Metro Narcotics said in a news release. The students were […]
Aurora NAACP hosts state, CD6 candidate forum Saturday focusing on public safety
AURORA | The Aurora NAACP slated to host a candidate forum Saturday featuring candidates for statewide offices and the city’s 6th Congressional District. Officials said all candidates running for statewide office, including governor, attorney general and secretary of state, as well as for the Congressional District 6 seat, have been invited to participate. The forum […]
SENTINEL MUSE: Torture, fun, musical misery and everything between on tap for the weekend
AURORA | Well of course in the thick of so much election drama and theatrics the local theater community will actually be able to one-up reality with a bevy of “no way” shows. If the news isn’t entertaining right now, check out the notorious “Producers” at the Vintage Theatre. Mel Brooks’ most wincing work can […]
8 sailors in Lincoln carrier group attempted suicide on extended deployment, Navy leader says
WASHINGTON | Eight sailors attempted suicide while deployed with the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group, which spent a record-setting uninterrupted time at sea supporting the Iran war, the Navy’s top civilian leader said this week. Acting Navy Secretary Hung Cao provided the information to Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand in a letter dated Tuesday after […]
Homeland Security defends officers in immigrant’s fatal car crash in Michigan
Federal immigration officers were about a half-mile away when a man who was illegally in the U.S. crashed a car at high speed and died in Michigan last weekend, authorities said Thursday, attempting to rebut any claim that they were in hot pursuit. The death of Mario Coronado Juarez has angered friends and activists, and […]
Man who was shot during 2024 Trump campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, has died
James Copenhaver, one of three campaign rally attendees shot in 2024 during an assassination attempt on then-candidate Donald Trump, has died in Pittsburgh, his lawyer said Thursday. He was 76. Copenhaver was in the bleachers during the event in Butler, Pennsylvania, when a 20-year-old gunman opened fire from a nearby rooftop, grazing Trump’s right ear […]