The parents of Kevin Graves say they are still determined to find answers as to how their son died, even after the Oceania County medical examiner ruled his death as "undetermined after investigation and anthropology studies" last month.

Watch Ruta Ulcinate's report below: Parents of Kevin Graves, who died at Electric Forest, frustrated after his death ruling

In 2018, 28-year-old Kevin Graves went missing while attending his very first Electric Forest music festival. After searching for years, putting up billboards and spreading the word, his family received the devastating news last December that his remains had been found near festival grounds.

When we did get the message, it was like a smack right between the eyes," Graves' father Gary said.

Watch our January 2025 report when we spoke with Kevin Graves' parents after his remains were found below: Parents of Electric Forest festivalgoer speak on the discovery of his remains

As devastated as they were, they hoped that now that his remains were found, they would have the complete picture of what happened to their son.

However in April, the medical examiner's office ruled Kevin Graves' death as "undetermined" after their monthslong investigation. Their office told 7 News Detroit that because they were working with only skeletal remains, it complicated just how much they could learn.

I still dont know why they couldnt have found something. There were remains. I'm not an anthropologist, but youd think they wouldve found something," Kevin Graves' mother Kathy said. "It just leaves more unanswered questions.

The family says someone somewhere knows what happened that night and say their only hope now is that they speak up.

Were not done. We really think theres more out there to be found out," Kathy Graves said.

Previous report: 5 years since man vanished at Electric Forest festival, parents aren't giving up 5 years after man vanished at Electric Forest festival, parents aren't giving up

Michigan State Police say the case is still open and they are currently looking over additional reports. They add that there is no indication of foul play.

Neighbors in Center Line are shocked after the FBI raided the home of a Customs and Border Protection officer who is accused of possessing over 4,000 images of child pornography.

Fifty-seven-year-old Border Protection Officer Scott Rocky has lived in a neighborhood off McKinley in Center Line for decades. The home is about 20 feet away from a school.

Watch Meghan Daniels' report below: Border protection officer charged for alleged possession of thousands of child porn images

"I thought he was my friend, and that is so disgusting what he did," neighbor John Kanan said.

Residents described their disbelief when federal agents descended on their street.

Watch video shared of the FBI at Scott Rocky's home below: Video: FBI raids home of Border Protection officer charged in child porn case

"It was really a shock to see that there was FBI across the street from our house," Kanan said.

Witnesses reported seeing agents removing evidence from Rocky's home.

"We're not exactly sure what they had, but they had a big red box and they were bringing out bags of stuff," neighbor Linda Lintz said.

Lintz and Kanan recall providing positive character references when Rocky was being hired by Border Protection.

"We gave him a good recommendation. We didn't have any idea that this was ever going on," Kanan said. "Our hearts are broken, and we're sad and sickened."

Rocky is accused of possessing thousands of images of children between the ages of 4 and 10.

I reached out to Customs and Border Protection, which provided a statement:

"U.S. Customs and Border Protection Officer, Scott Rocky was arrested on charges of activities relating to materials involving the sexual exploitation of minors (18 USC 2252), Thursday, as a result of an investigation by the FBI in coordination with CBP's Office of Professional Responsibility. CBP stresses honor and integrity in every aspect of our mission, and the overwhelming majority of CBP employees and officers perform their duties with honor and distinction, working tirelessly every day to keep our country safe. CBP will cooperate fully with all criminal or administrative investigations of alleged misconduct by any of our personnel, whether it occurs on or off duty."

Rocky has been placed on administrative leave without pay.

President Donald Trump announced late on Thursday he would rename Veterans Day to Victory Day for World War I, to commemorate the Nov. 11 date that officially ended the conflict in 1918.

May 8, he said, would also be recognized in the U.S. as Victory Day for World War II. The date is already frequently observed in European countries as Victory in Europe Day, marking the official end of World War II against Nazi Germany, but it is not a U.S. federal holiday.

In a late-night social media post, President Trump suggested the dates were not sufficiently recognized in the U.S.

"I am hereby renaming May 8th as Victory Day for World War II and November 11th as Victory Day for World War I. We won both Wars, nobody was close to us in terms of strength, bravery, or military brilliance, but we never celebrate anything Thats because we dont have leaders anymore, that know how to do so!" the president wrote.

RELATED STORY | Army plans for a potential parade on Trump's birthday call for 6,600 soldiers, AP learns

Veterans Day was originally called Armistice Day when it was established in 1919. The U.S. changed the holiday's local name to All Veterans Day in 1954 and later shortened it to Veterans Day. In 1968 it was recognized as a federal holiday honoring all American veterans.

Maritsa Georgiou, who hosts the podcast "Grounded" with former Sen. Jon Tester, beaks down the week's top political headlines with Scripps News.

This week, President Donald Trump announced that Mike Waltz will leave his job as national security adviser and be nominated as the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.

Only months into the job, Waltz sparked controversy by creating a Signal group chat to discuss sensitive plans for strikes on the Houthis in Yemen and mistakenly adding The Atlantics editor-in-chief, Jeffrey Goldberg, to the conversation.

Georgiou says the controversy has brought new scrutiny on Walz from those within Trump's circle.

"I really think the question around this won't really be about Mike Waltz or Pete Hegseth," Georgiou said. "I think the name that we should be talking about is Laura Loomer, because she called for this last week in a conversation with Tara Palmeri on her podcast and Substack. And she basically was asked directly, 'Who would you fire or advise the president fire next?' She was a little bit coy at first and then said, 'Well, I think that [Waltz] is not loyal to President Trump.' And she brought up a video that he recorded in 2016. Mike Waltz going after President Trump, then candidate Trump, over his comments about John McCain and other veterans. So I think this goes deeper than just Signal-gate."

RELATED STORY | White House orders halt on federal funding for NPR and PBS

The White House announced late Thursday that it is instructing the Corporation for Public Broadcasting to stop funding National Public Radio and the Public Broadcasting Service, claiming the CPB subsidizes "biased media."

President Donald Trump signed an executive order preventing CPB from funding NPR and PBS, as well as organizations that utilize NPR and PBS programming.

"I think in short we're going to see this end up in court," Georgiou said. "The PBS president has already called this blatantly unlawful. NPR said that they vowed to fight this. You're really seeing a lot of PBS and NPR stations saying, 'well, what does this mean for us, exactly?' I have a lot of friends who work in public broadcasting and they're very concerned specifically about the smaller more rural stations across the country where they might not have any other source for news. And let's not forget emergency information like storm warnings, tornado warnings, that kind of thing. NPR and PBS hit, they estimate, about 99% of the country. So I think that we are not going to see the end of this fight just yet."

Watch the full interview with Georgiou in the video above.

Northville's Social District has returned for the season, partially closing off two downtown streets to drivers and opening the space for pedestrians.

The closure, which began as a pandemic measure, has evolved into a seasonal tradition that divides the community.

Watch Christiana Ford's report below: Northville's social district returns for the season as businesses and residents remain divided

Retractable bollards now block portions of Center and Main streets in downtown Northville and will remain in place until Nov. 1.

As spring arrives, downtown Northville is transforming its streets into pedestrian spaces.

"This is a pergola. It's going to be part of our bar that we are doing outside in the summer time," said Phil Zacharias, co-owner of Center Street Grill.

For Zacharias, the social district's street closures coincide with their busiest season.

"People in the summer time, they want to do whatever they can to be outside. So for us, this is like a game changer," Zacharias said.

The six-month closure was initially created to keep downtown Northville vibrant during the pandemic but has evolved into an annual seasonal closure the community has grown to expect.

"Being able to listen to live music, walk around with drinks, you just always run into people that you know. It's awesome," Northville resident Craig Conrad said.

"I enjoy it. It can be an inconvenience when you want to go to Plymouth or something, but it's only for a short time, so it's not bad," said Jenny Mortenson, Northville resident.

But not everyone supports the street closures.

Prudence Kauffman, owner of Dear Prudence and Blackbird, says the lack of traffic is diminishing sales.

"When we signed our leases, we pay rates based on 36,000 cars a week passing by our doors and when the streets are closed, we have zero," Kauffman said. "When you take volume down by that amount, it really does hurt your bottom line."

Watch our extended interview with Prudence Kauffman below: Extended interview: 'People kind of forget that we're here.' Prudence Kauffman talks more about street closures

Kauffman is considering relocating to another city because of the impact.

"I mean, we don't get a discount from our landlord. We're paying the same high rent," she said.

Frustrations over the closure and questions about its legality sparked a lawsuit against the city in 2023 by group Let's Open Northville.

While the city won't comment on ongoing legal matters, Mayor Brian Turnbull says he's listening to concerns.

"The opportunity is traffic. We're looking at that. We're trying to be flexible. We put bollards in last year so maybe sometime, we'll open up one street or we'll go on weekends," Turnbull said.

Hear more from Turnbull in the video below: Full interview: Northville mayor talks about activities in city as social district reopens

He says the bollards allows them to be more flexible.

"We're looking at what it is, monitoring what the businesses want, what our citizens and the whole community. It's pretty important. If you don't have a strong downtown business sector, you won't have a strong community. So we're looking at all the data. We do a lot of surveys. We're doing that right now," Turnbull said.

Kauffman is hoping for compromise.

"We're looking forward to just some resolution because I feel like it's just been really unhealthy for the town as a whole to have so many people on one side or the other, and it's just caused a lot of animosity. So I think I'll just be glad to have some kind of a decision," she said.

Frank Gonda, who lives at the intersection, has seen how heated the topic has become in the community.

"The way things are right now, problems are being made problems when they aren't really. It's just a simple matter of perspective. If you're looking at it a certain way and you're not open to anything else, that's going to be a problem for ya," Gonda said.

A trial on the future of the bollards is set for June.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

The Gun Violence Memorial Project, created by popular New York-based conceptual artist Hank Willis Thomas, officially opens Friday night at the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit and will remain on display through Aug. 10.

Watch Jolie Sherman's video report: Gun violence memorial project opens at Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit

The traveling memorial features four houses made of glass bricks, with each house containing 700 bricks, representing the number of people lost to gun violence weekly in the United States when the project began in 2019.

"If it began today, it would be 820," said Jova Lynne, co-director and artistic director of MOCAD.

Community members have contributed personal items representing friends and family members killed by gun violence, which are displayed inside the glass bricks alongside names, ages, and photos of the victims.

VIDEO: Take a tour of 'House 1' in the Gun Violence Memorial Project Take a tour of 'House 1' in the Gun Violence Memorial Project

Lakela Brown, who lost her brother Nate in 2017 when he was 39 years old, contributed his military dog tags to the memorial.

"I think it's really nice for all the families who have experienced this traumatic thing to have a place to honor and remember their loved ones," Brown said. "It's making something beautiful out of something really tragic."

The items displayed range from baby shoes to hats, each representing someone's personal story and memory of a life cut short.

Lynne hopes the memorial can eventually become a permanent monument that helps people heal and inspires change.

"I do want to thank every family member that has contributed to this project so far. The trust and care folks have for their loved ones is palpable, and so we're just so honored to have this project here," Lynne said.

The museum is collecting objects on Saturday, June 21, for those who wish to honor loved ones affected by gun violence.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Sean Combs will enter a Manhattan federal courtroom Monday as jury selection begins in his criminal trial.

The five count indictment overlaps with some of the dozens of accusations and lawsuits alleging Combs raped, abused, drugged and violently assaulted both men and women, as well as children as young as 10 years old, over the course of decades. Those civil lawsuits have not been litigated yet.

There very well may be spillover, and a lot of it, but there'll be separate proceedings, explained New York Criminal Defense attorney Jeremy Saland. What you say in one is going to be admissible in another, and that story is going to be out.

The Combs indictment was unsealed September 17th of last year on federal charges of racketeering, sex trafficking and transportation to engage in prostitution. Its being heard in a federal court rather than a state court at least in part because some of the allegations take place across state lines.

The original 14-page indictment paints a dramatic picture of Combs "striking, punching, dragging, throwing objects at, and kicking" women. Prosecutors allege he drugged women, kept explicit videos of them, and threatened them. The government says he even monitored victims' medical records, controlled what they wore and where they lived. They allege his "abuse was, at times, verbal, emotional, physical, and sexual," including manipulating women to participate in highly orchestrated sex performances with male sex workers.

Prosecutors have amended the case multiple times, first in January without adding new charges but included new details alleging he transported two more female victims across state and international lines and that he dangled someone over an apartment balcony.

Then on March 6th, prosecutors filed a second superseding indictment without new charges to include allegations of forced labor. Prosecutors say Combs forced his employees to work long hours and threatened to punish those who didn't help him.

You're allowing potentially for new people in a new time frame, so that's bringing in more evidence that could be used, and it what it'll do for the prosecution, potentially, is bolster or lift up that the charges, Saland explained.

Finally, prosecutors added charges in early April alleging more sex trafficking and transportation across state lines to engage in prostitution.

RELATED STORY | Sean 'Diddy' Combs pleads not guilty ahead of May sex trafficking trial

At an April pre-trial hearing, Combs lead attorney Marc Agnifilo suggested he may argue Combs was engaged in a swinger sexual siutation with the women. Agnifilo suggested the common sexual behavior was consenual.

The severity of these allegations will undoubtedly make jury selection complex.

"One of the issues they're going to deal with is not just his celebrity and not just everything that's surrounding it, but here, the other component is going to be that sexual abuse and people's personal experiences with that, that's something that is going to be very important, said Saland.

Judge Arun Subramanian said Thursday counsel will be working privately in some capacity with potential jurors because of the highly personal nature of this case. Potential jurors will be questioned both privately about whether they have a specific connection to sexual abuse and publicly as selection typically goes.

While the witness list is still not public, the now infamous hotel footage with Cassie Ventura may be used in the trial, and Ventura could be called to the stand. here are also a handful of celebrities who could be called as well.

Combs rejected a plea deal in the same hearing and has pled not guilty to all five criminal charges. He has been denied bail on multiple occasions.

The case of Christopher Schurr entered day five of testimony with the former Grand Rapids police officer taking the stand in his own defense.

Schurr is on trial for shooting and killing Patrick Lyoya during a traffic stop. A jury must decide if the shooting was justified.

This is the first time Schurr has spoken publicly about the April 2022 incident.

Schurr's defense attorney asked him, "Do you understand you have a right not to testify?"

"I do," Schurr replied.

His attorney then asked, "Why are you testifying?"

Schurr explained, "I feel like it's important to get my side of the story out."

The former officer relived April 4, 2022. He said he stopped Lyoya because Lyoya's license plate didn't match the vehicle.

Officer-worn body camera and other video from that day played in court.

Schurr said after commanding Lyoya to get back in his vehicle four or five times, Lyoya tried to get away and then a three-minute scuffle ensued.

The former officer said he pulled out his taser because kneeing Lyoya several times wasn't doing anything. When Lyoya grabbed his taser, Schurr said he feared for his life. Schurr's defense attorney referenced Schurr's formal training in which he said he was taught that "action beats reaction."

The defense asked, "What does that mean here in that scenario for you?"

Schurr replied, "If I had waited for him to point it at me, it would have been too late."

His attorney then asked, "What were you fearful of?"

Schurr said, "That he was going to use it on me, and I was going to die."

His attorney said, "Under your training, Chris, are you required to wait to be seriously injured or killed before you can resort to deadly force?

"No," Schurr replied.

His attorney followed up with, "So what did you do next?"

"I shot him," Schurr recalled.

The defense asked, "Why?"

Schurr explained, "I believe that if I had not done it at that time, I wasn't going to go home."

However, during cross-examination, Kent County Prosecutor Chris Becker suggested Lyoya was simply trying to get away and that nothing indicated Lyoya wanted to hurt Schurr.

Prosecutor Becker said, "He never said he was going to kill you, right?"

Schurr replied, "No."

Becker said, "Never said he was going to hit you."

Schurr replied, "No."

Becker said, "Never said he was going to kick your butt or do anything bad to you."

Schurr said, "Not that I recall. No."

The prosecutor then said, "This entire incident he was trying to get away from you."

Schurr said, "Up until the end."

Becker replied, "When you were on top of him, right?"

Schurr said, "I was on top of him. Yeah."

Becker said, "And he was trying to push himself up."

Schurr replied, "Yes."

The prosecutor said, "And you thought he was going to turn the taser on you."

Schurr said, "That's what I believed. Yes."

Becker asked, "That's what you believed?"

"Yes," Schurr replied.

The defense then called two law enforcement experts to the stand to testify on decision-making and reaction time. Both suggested a lot is at play in the heat of the moment. Testimony resumes Monday.

Also on Friday, Attorney Benjamin Crump held a press conference with the Lyoya family. He said a traffic stop doesn't warrant a death sentence.

The Berkley Days festival will not return this summer, and the future of the long-running community event remains uncertain.

Watch Tiarra Braddock's video report: Resident, business owner react to cancellation of Berkley Days

The Berkley Days Association announced Thursday they "made the decision not to hold Berkley Days this year, but is planning for an exciting centennial celebration in 2026! Berkley Days has been run by a dedicated group of volunteers for nearly 100 years."

"I'm kind of disappointed, I thought that was a great tradition for kids," said Jim Sinclair.

Sinclair, who grew up attending Berkley Days, hopes to see the festival return.

"There's a lot of youngsters that are missing out, that was a great memory for me from elementary all the way up to junior high and high school, too," said Sinclair.

I reached out to the association for more information about why this year's festival was canceled, but did not receive a response.

Over the past few years, fights between minors have broken out at the festival, causing it to close early.

2024 Report: Fighting teens causing chaos have Berkley Days organizers evaluating its future Fighting teens causing chaos have Berkley Days organizers evaluating its future

Local business owners expressed concern about the cancellation's impact on downtown foot traffic.

"We're sad to see how everything has transpired over the last couple of years," said Janine Braun, owner of the Artsy Umbrella in downtown Berkley.

She remains optimistic about collaboration between local organizations.

"We're confident too that the chamber of commerce and our DDA, along with our city planners and stuff... they involved the businesses, the businesses here are a very tight-knit kind of community," said Braun.

While Berkley Days won't happen this summer, Sterling Fest, an art and music fair in Sterling Heights, will take place during the last week of July with enhanced security measures.

David Allen, Acting Deputy Chief with the Sterling Heights Police Department, explained their approach to event safety.

"Last year was very, very successful. We implemented fencing around the carnival area, then we did a few other things with curfews for minors," said Allen.

The Sterling Heights event will also utilize AI-equipped cameras throughout the fairgrounds.

"Which is very beneficial not only if someone is causing a problem to identify that person in the crowd, but also for children who may get lost," said Allen.

Berkley residents are now looking ahead to what might replace their traditional community celebration.

"It should be I feel more focused on family and community," said Braun.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy. Where Your Voice Matters

A Michigan man has been waiting almost three years for the headstone he ordered for his late wife's grave after the business owner was jailed on drunk driving charges.

Watch Carly Petrus's video report: Husband fights for late wife's headstone after business owner jailed for drunk driving

John Schaldenbrand ordered a custom headstone from Clinton Grove Granite Works in Clinton Township shortly after his wife, Marlene, died in a snowmobile crash in December 2022.

"It's life-shattering," Schaldenbrand said.

After 30 years of marriage, Schaldenbrand is still trying to properly honor his wife with the headstone he paid for but never received.

"We're going on three years since she has passed, and I got nothing but a foundation sitting in a cemetery, it hurts," Schaldenbrand said.

According to the company's website, Jacob Katsock is the sole operator of Clinton Grove Granite Works. After Schaldenbrand placed his order and sent the final payment, communication stopped.

"He had to put in the names, the dates, do his side of finishing the headstone, carving it and then after that I mailed in the final payment and everything went dark," Schaldenbrand said.

The reason for the silence became clear when I discovered Katsock was arrested on January 29, 2025, and convicted of his third OWI (operating while intoxicated) offense, according to the Macomb County Jail website.

"Extremely scary and did not know what to do and when I say scared, again, just because I'm lost, I've never been down this road, I've never worn these shoes, I don't know how to do that and it was angry and it was frustrating," Schaldenbrand said.

Web extra: Man speaks about problems getting his wife's headstone Web extra: Man speaks about problems getting his wife's headstone

When I visited Clinton Grove Granite Works, a sign hung on the door, and no one answered the doorbell. I reached out to Katsock's grandfather, who may be managing the business during Katsock's incarceration, but have not yet received a response.

Katsock's attorney confirmed by phone that several customers have contacted her office with similar situations to Schaldenbrand's.

Katie Grevious with the Better Business Bureau recommends that consumers in similar situations report their experiences to both the BBB and the attorney general's office.

"You know, unfortunately, things like this do happen, and there's really no way to know until it happens. It's very unfortunate, but it's real," Grevious said. "So that we're alerted to these types of issues and we can try to help navigate them and take care of the situation so that not only no other people lose money but if other people are in that same boat, they know to come forward faster and we can try to resolve these issues as best as we can."

Meanwhile, Schaldenbrand remains determined to fulfill his promise to his late wife.

"It is real simple, I want my wife's headstone on her grave, which would mean I need access to that building. I need to get it done or undone. I just want the stone back," Schaldenbrand said. "I owe it to her, I owe it to my boys, I owe it to her mother, to her brothers, to her sisters, I owe it to everybody that loved her in order to be able to have this headstone."

I have also contacted Katsock at the Macomb County Jail and will provide updates as this story develops.

This story was reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

Detroit City Councilwoman Gabriela Santiago-Romero, who is seeking reelection, will be placed on the ballot after her disqualification was rescinded, she announced on Friday.

The decision was made pending a mutually agreed upon court order with her campaign and the Detroit City Clerks Office. The order is expected to be signed on Tuesday, the councilwoman said.

Watch our previous report when Gabriela Santiago-Romero was suing the city below: Santiago-Romero suing Detroit city clerk after filing discrepancy keeps her off ballot

Santiago-Romero, who represents District 6, and her team filed a lawsuit after Detroit's city clerk said she was disqualified due to a campaign filing discrepancy with the Wayne County Clerks Office. That discrepancy, which stemmed from a supposed late fee, caused Detroits city clerk to disqualify Santiago-Romero from the primary.

The election is on Aug. 5.

Santiago-Romero addressed a crowd of supporters last week in southwest Detroit after the lawsuit was filed.

The reason being a fee that was owed stemming back to last October. Were contending the fee should have never been owed," Widmaier told 7 News Detroit last week.

We submitted a report on October 25th. We have confirmation right here if anyone would like to see it. This is from Wayne County confirming they got the report. Theyre now contending the first time we filed the report was on November 8th, which is incorrect."

Widmaier said Santiago-Romero had called, emailed and went to the county clerks office with no resolve. So, her team filed a lawsuit against the city clerk to get back on the ballot.

We have our receipts. We have documentation thankfully, but thats what happened. Theres missing information from the county side, and were just hoping that they except our receipts, Santiago-Romero told 7 News Detroit last week.

If Santiago-Romero had lost the lawsuit, she would have had to run as a write-in candidate, which she said she was prepared to do.

Before the decision to keep Santiago-Romero on the ballot, the Wayne County Clerks Office waived her $250 fee for good cause.

Im relieved that the facts have been cleared up, and Im qualified to be on the ballot, Santiago-Romero said in a statement. Last week was truly a nightmare, and the hardest week Ive ever had as a candidate. What kept me hopeful was the outpouring of support I received daily from our community this fight was never about me, it was about

us

. I look forward to continuing to campaign to represent our district, and Im grateful to both the Detroit City Clerk and the Wayne County Clerk for working with me to rectify this error.

Santiago-Romeros campaign said she turned in over 600 petition signatures and was certified.

Santiago-Romero and her campaign said the court decision is a significant victory.

I knew how strong this community was already, and last week only reinforced to me that when we stand together, theres nothing we cannot overcome, Santiago-Romero said.

She is running for her second term in District 6. Her campaign said she won the seat with 74% of the vote in 2021.

To learn more about Santiago-Romero, visit her campaign website.

The Trump administration asked the Supreme Court on Friday to clear the way for Elon Musk s Department of Government Efficiency to access Social Security systems containing personal data on millions of Americans.

The emergency appeal comes after a judge in Maryland restricted the teams access under federal privacy laws.

Social Security holds personal records on nearly everyone in the country, including school records, bank details, salary information and medical and mental health records for disability recipients, according to court documents.

The government says the DOGE team needs access to target waste in the federal government, and asked the justices to put the lower court order on hold as the lawsuit over the issue plays out.

Solicitor General John Sauer argued that the judges restrictions disrupt DOGEs urgent work and inappropriately interfere with executive-branch functions. Left undisturbed, this preliminary injunction will only invite further judicial incursions into internal agency decision-making, he wrote.

Musk has been focused on Social Security as an alleged hotbed of fraud, describing it as a Ponzi scheme and insisting that reducing waste in the program is an important way to cut government spending.

RELATED STORY | Lawmakers want to know why DOGE is building a database of sensitive Social Security info

An appeals court refused to immediately to lift the block on DOGE access, though it split along ideological lines. Conservative judges in the minority said theres no evidence that the team has done any targeted snooping or exposed personal information.

The lawsuit was originally filed by a group of labor unions and retirees represented by the group Democracy Forward.

The ruling from U.S. District Judge Ellen Hollander in Maryland that blocked DOGE from Social Security systems did allow staffers to access data that has been redacted or stripped of anything personally identifiable.

The appeal is the latest in a string of emergency applications to the nation's highest court as the Trump administration faces about 200 lawsuits challenging various aspects of President Donald Trump's sweeping conservative agenda.

There was a small silver lining in the tragic deaths of two hikers who were killed after falling off an overlook at Bryce Canyon National Park this week. Their pet cat survived the incident.

Officials said Matthew Nannen and Bailee Crane died either Monday night or Tuesday morning after an estimated 380-foot fall from Inspiration Point at the park in Utah.

Best Friends Animal Society said the couple's cat, who was apparently with them at the time, survived the fall and is now "safe and sound" at a shelter in Kanab.

Following the incident, the Garfield County Sheriff's Office contacted Best Friends to pick up the female cat, now named Mirage, after it was located inside a dirty and torn soft-sided carrier.

WATCH: Couple killed in fall at Bryce Canyon National Park 2 dead after fall in Bryce Canyon

Mirage, who is believed to be approximately 12 years old, was matted and sore, according to the animal sanctuary but she was friendly during her examination and was drinking and eating on her own.

Veterinary staff is still waiting on X-rays to confirm that Mirage did not suffer any broken ribs or other injuries.

The sheriff's office said there was a railing at the spot where Nannen and Crante fell, but it's thought they climbed over it.

The couple had been living out of a U-Haul truck, with a Florida location being their last known permanent address.

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

More than 600 Subway sandwich restaurants closed in 2024, continuing a decline that has now persisted for almost a decade.

According to reporting from QSR, which covers the restaurant industry, Subway closed 631 locations in 2024, marking the ninth straight year of shrinking outlets for the chain. Subway now has less than 20,000 stores across the U.S., down from a 2015 heyday of more than 27,000 locations.

But worldwide, the brand is still growing, where it has arranged for more than 10,000 new locations over the last three years. The chain is still the largest in the U.S. by store count and now third overall worldwide, trailing only Starbucks and McDonald's.

Subway is still known for its franchising model, which pitches investors on its wide brand recognition and ease of adding locations to high-traffic markets.

The chain is also focusing on value propositions as customers get more sensitive to steep food prices. It will offer a $6.99 footlong deal through its companion app through May, officials said.

RELATED STORY | McDonald's sales sink in the worst quarter for the company since the pandemic

Other fast food restaurants have recently struggled with changes to consumer and economic sentiment.

McDonald's earnings reported Thursday showed U.S. same-store sales were down 3.6%. The chain said patronage from lower- and middle-income demographics slumped by double-digit percentages as consumers cut back on spending amid concerns over inflation and the future of the economy.

Prince Harry says he wants to reconcile with his family, but admitted he doesnt know how much time his father, King Charles III, has left.

The Duke of Sussex made the comments in a BBC interview after losing a legal battle to restore the police protection he had before stepping back from royal duties and moving to the United States in 2020.

I would love reconciliation with my family. Theres no point in continuing to fight anymore, Harry said.

In February 2024, King Charles announced he had been diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer. Earlier this year, the 76-year-old monarch was hospitalized due to complications from treatment.

"I don't know how much longer my father has," Harry said. "He won't speak to me because of this security stuff."

RELATED STORY | King Charles III experiences side effects after receiving medical treatment and is in hospital

Its been about five years since Harry and his wife, Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex, stepped down from their official royal roles a decision that deepened tensions within the family. The rift widened with the publication of Harrys memoir, Spare, which offered a candid look into his life as a royal.

Harry has returned to the U.K. only a few times since relocating to the U.S., including for Queen Elizabeth IIs funeral and King Charles coronation. Meghan and their children did not attend the coronation, and Harry said Friday that he no longer feels comfortable bringing them to the U.K.

"I can't see a world in which I would bring my wife and children back to the U.K. at this point," he said.

The driver of a car that barreled through a building used for a popular after-school camp in central Illinois, killing three children and a teenager, was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol and may have had a medical emergency, police said Thursday.

No decisions have been made on whether to file charges against the 44-year-old driver, Illinois State Police Director Brendan F. Kelly said at a news conference. The driver is not in custody, Kelly said.

Evidence that she may have had a medical emergency was "not conclusive" and the investigation is ongoing, Kelly said.

The car went off the road Monday, crossing a field and smashing into the side of the building in Chatham used by Youth Needing Other Things Outdoors, also known as YNOT. It traveled through the building, striking people before exiting the other side.

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Six other children were hospitalized. Four of them remained hospitalized, including one in critical condition, a state police spokesperson said after Thursday's news conference.

Those killed were Rylee Britton, 18, of Springfield, Ainsley Johnson, 8, Kathryn Corley, 7, and Alma Buhnerkempe, 7. All of the children were from Chatham, a community of about 15,000 outside the Illinois capital of Springfield.

The driver was not injured but was taken to a hospital for evaluation after the crash, Kelly said. She voluntarily submitted blood and urine samples that tested negative for drugs and alcohol, he said.

"Some evidence has been developed indicating the possibility of a medical emergency leading up to the crash," Kell said. "However, the investigation of this information and other evidence has not yet concluded and will continue until all leads and research have been exhausted."

He would not elaborate on the possible health issue or say what evidence investigators have indicating a medical emergency may have occurred. He also would not say whether the driver was conscious and alert when emergency responders reached her.

Security camera footage showed the vehicle was "a substantial distance" away when it left the roadway, said Jamie Loftus, founder of YNOT Outdoors. It crossed the field, a road, the sidewalk and YNOT's parking lot before crashing through the building "with no apparent attempt to alter its direction," Loftus said earlier this week. The vehicle then crossed a gravel road and crashed into a pole and fence.

Kelly said the vehicle traveled more than 1,300 feet (396 meters) but would not elaborate and also would not say how fast the vehicle was moving.

He said he could not provide a timeline for completing the investigation and said charges, if appropriate, would be up to the Sangamon County state's attorney.

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Associated Press writers Scott Bauer in Madison, Wisconsin, and Sophia Tareen in Chicago contributed.

An Illinois landlord who murdered a 6-year-old Muslim boy and severely injured the boys mother in a vicious hate-crime attack days after the war in Gaza began was sentenced Friday to 53 years in prison.

Joseph Czuba, 73, was found guilty in February of murder, attempted murder and hate-crime charges in the death of Wadee Alfayoumi and the wounding of his mother, Hanan Shaheen.

Czuba targeted them in October 2023 because of their Islamic faith and as a response to the war between Israel and Hamas.

Evidence at trial included harrowing testimony from Shaheen and her frantic 911 call, along with bloody crime scene photos and police video. Jurors deliberated less than 90 minutes before handing in a verdict.

The family had been renting rooms in Czubas home in Plainfield, about 40 miles (64 kilometers) from Chicago when the attack happened.

Central to prosecutors' case was harrowing testimony from the boys mother, who said Czuba attacked her before moving on to her son, insisting they had to leave because they were Muslim. Prosecutors also played the 911 call and showed police footage. Czuba's wife, Mary, whom he has since divorced, also testified for the prosecution, saying he had become agitated about the Israel-Hamas war, which had erupted days earlier.

Police said Czuba pulled a knife from a holder on a belt and stabbed the boy 26 times, leaving the knife in the child's body. Some of the bloody crime scene photos were so explicit that the judge agreed to turn television screens showing them away from the audience, which included Wadee's relatives.

RELATED STORY | Mom reveals final words of 6-year-old killed in anti-Muslim attack

He could not escape, Michael Fitzgerald, a Will County assistant states attorney, told jurors at trial. If it wasnt enough that this defendant killed that little boy, he left the knife in the little boys body.

The jury deliberated for 90 minutes before returning a verdict. Czuba is eligible for a minimum prison sentence of 20 to 60 years or life, according to the Will County state's attorney's office.

Prosecutors declined to comment ahead of Friday's hearing and have not said what sentence they will seek. Illinois does not have the death penalty.

The attack renewed fears of anti-Muslim discrimination and hit particularly hard in Plainfield and surrounding suburbs, which have a large and established Palestinian community. Wadee's funeral drew large crowds and Plainfield officials have dedicated a park playground in his honor.

Czuba did not speak during the trial. His defense attorneys argued that there were holes in the case. His public defender, George Lenard, has not addressed reporters and declined comment ahead of the sentencing.

Shaheen had more than a dozen stab wounds and it took her weeks to recover.

She said there were no prior issues in the two years she rented from the Czubas, even sharing a kitchen and a living room.

Then after the start of the war, Czuba told her that they had to move out because Muslims were not welcome. He later confronted Shaheen and attacked her, holding her down, stabbing her and trying to break her teeth.

He told me You, as a Muslim, must die, said Shaheen, who testified in English and Arabic though a translator.

Police testified that officers found Czuba outside the house, sitting on the ground with blood on his body and hands.

Separately, lawsuits have been filed over the boys death, including by his father, Odai Alfayoumi, who is divorced from Shaheen and was not living with them. The U.S. Department of Justice also launched a federal hate crimes investigation.

A 19-year-old Clinton Township man who pleaded guilty to charges related to the death of Detective Bradley Reckling will spend up to 22 years in prison.

RAW VIDEO: Karim Moore sentencing RAW VIDEO: Karim Moore sentencing

Karim Moore pleaded guilty to receiving and concealing a stolen vehicle, felony firearm, and conducting a criminal enterprise. He was sentenced to 1 to 5 years for the stolen vehicle charge, the 2-year maximum to the firearm charge, which will be served consecutively with the 3 to 20 years he received for the criminal enterprise charge.

Moore is one of three people charged in connection with Reckling's murder last June.

Watch below: Police interrogation of Karim Blake Moore

VIDEO: Police interrogation of Karim Blake Moore

Reckling was investigating a car that was stolen from Red Oaks Waterpark. He was driving an undercover vehicle and following the suspects on June 22, 2024, when he was shot three times.

One man, Ramon DeBose from Clinton Township, is charged with the actual killing of Reckling. He's charged with one count of murder of a peace officer, receiving and concealing stolen property, four counts of carrying a concealed weapon, three counts of felony firearm, one count of carjacking, and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise.

Watch below: Who are the suspects in the murder of Bradley Reckling

Who are the suspects in the murder of Bradley Reckling

Moore and Marquis Goins, from Detroit, were each charged with one count of accessory after the fact, receiving and concealing stolen property, four counts of carrying a concealed weapon, three counts of felony firearm, one count of carjacking and one count of conducting a criminal enterprise.

As part of a plea agreement, the remaining charges against Moore were dropped today.

Prosecutors say Goins and Moore were in an SUV driven by DeBose at the time of the shooting.

Microsoft announced on Thursday that it has increased the prices of several products, including its consoles and controllers. The price increases went into effect immediately.

Starting Thursday, the cost of the Xbox Series S 512 console jumped from $299.99 to $379.99. Its more expensive Xbox Series S 1TB console has increased by $100, now costing $429.99.

The price hikes come as President Donald Trump has implemented a 10% tariff on all imported goods and a 145% tax on imports from China.

While Microsoft has not directly blamed tariffs for the price hikes, most Xbox products are made in China.

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"We understand that these changes are challenging, and they were made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development. Looking ahead, we continue to focus on offering more ways to play more games across any screen and ensuring value for Xbox players," Microsoft said.

The company said that the standard price for new high-end games will increase from $69.99 to $79.99 around the end of the year.

Last month, President Trump exempted some electronics made by American companies from the import tax on products being shipped from China. Video game consoles, however, were not listed in the exemption.

Previously, Nintendo announced it was postponing presales for its highly anticipated Switch 2 video game device because of the uncertainty surrounding tariffs. Nintendo stated that presales of the Switch 2 devices would begin April 9 at select U.S. retailers. The company mentioned that sales of the Switch 2 systems would begin June 5 and would cost $449.99.

Nintendo ended up deciding to keep the price of Switch 2 systems at $449.99 after President Trump delayed implementing tariffs on Japan, where Nintendo is based.