House Republicans have reached a tentative agreement to avert a government shutdown, which includes a conservative border security measure and a short-term continuing resolution that would cut nearly 1% from current spending levels. The agreement was reached by the far-right Freedom Caucus and the center-right Main Street Caucus, and is expected to pass in the House this week before being sent to the Senate for consideration.
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Virginia Representative Jennifer Wexton has announced that she will not seek re-election in 2024 due to a worsening health condition, Progressive Supra-nuclear Palsy, which she described as “Parkinson’s on steroids.” Wexton has been a vocal advocate for gun control, healthcare reform, and women’s rights and is proud of the work she has done in Congress. Her seat will be up for grabs in the 2024 election, and it is unclear who will run for the seat and who she will be endorsing.
On Sunday morning, a World War I-era Nieuport 28 aircraft crashed and flipped onto its roof while attempting to land at the American Heritage Museum in Stow, Massachusetts. The pilot, the only occupant, was able to remove himself from the plane without injury and was evaluated at the scene as a precaution. An initial investigation found that the plane's front landing gear failed while the pilot was attempting to land. The cause of the crash is still under investigation.
Five U.S. citizens wrongfully imprisoned in Iran for years have been released as part of a prisoner exchange agreement between the U.S. and Iran. The agreement included the transfer of $6 billion in unfrozen Iranian oil assets and the release of five Iranians facing charges in the U.S. The freed Americans are now on a flight from Tehran to Doha, Qatar, and five Iranian nationals held in U.S. custody are also expected to be released. This marks a major diplomatic breakthrough between the two countries and could lead to further progress in the future.
Donald Trump's defense team has filed papers in D.C. federal court to request that Judge Tanya Chutkan recuse herself from the federal 2020 election conspiracy case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, arguing that her prior comments have created an appearance of prejudgment. Chutkan has refused to recuse herself, noting that the defense’s argument “fails to identify any actual bias or prejudice” she has expressed. The case is set to go to trial in June 2021, and it is unclear how the court will rule on Trump's request.
On Saturday evening, the body of 73-year-old Myrtle Brown was found in a creek near her home in Maywood, Illinois. Her 35-year-old son, former NFL safety Sergio Brown, is also missing and is being sought by police. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office has confirmed her death, which is being investigated as a homicide due to injuries consistent with a physical assault. The Maywood Police Department is asking anyone with information to come forward.
Five juveniles escaped from the Abraxas Academy in Morgantown, Pennsylvania on Sunday night following a riot at the juvenile detention center. The Pennsylvania State Police are working with other law enforcement agencies to locate the escapees, and have asked anyone with information to contact them. Four of the nine escapees have already been located, and the cause of the riot is still under investigation.
Jordan Steinke, a former Colorado police officer, was found guilty of reckless endangerment and assault in relation to a 2022 train crash that resulted in serious injuries to a handcuffed woman. She was acquitted of criminal attempt to commit manslaughter and sentenced to 30 months of supervised probation. The judge noted that Steinke had no prior criminal history and accepted responsibility for her actions, and that the probation sentence was in line with Colorado sentencing guidelines.