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November 11, 2025.

Gerard Berry, along with his wife, Stephanie, and daughter, Brooklynn, cover a bedroom window with plastic, Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Baileyville, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Federal shutdown creates uncertainty for Maine cancer patient struggling to stay warm

November 11, 2025

The federal government shutdown has created delays in some states when it comes to the federal program that helps millions of families heat and cool their homes. New England officials are particularly concerned given the region’s reliance on oil for heat. While electric and natural gas companies generally are barred from cutting customers off, more than half of Maine households rely on oil. In Baileyville, Gerard Berry got emergency help filling his oil tank last winter when he was sick with stomach cancer. State officials say an emergency program that typically starts Nov. 1 is now on hold, though the state is reallocating money to help households that applied for help early.

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Mentally ill people are stuck in jail because they can’t get treatment. Here’s what’s to know

November 11, 2025

Fernando Clark spent the last 10 months of his life in an Alabama jail cell, waiting for court-ordered psychiatric treatment. He died while waiting for the treatment that never arrived. Clark was one of hundreds in Alabama awaiting a spot in the state’s limited facilities, despite a consent decree requiring the state to address delays. Seven years since the federal agreement, the problem has worsened. The waitlist for the state’s sole secure psychiatric facility is almost five times longer than when the decree was issued. Experts say this issue is nearly universal and worsening across the country.

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Alabama promised to improve psychiatric care for men charged with crimes. They still wait years

November 11, 2025

Fernando Clark died in the Montgomery County Jail while waiting for psychiatric treatment. He was one of many in Alabama stuck on a waitlist for mental health facilities, despite a 2018 agreement to address delays. The waitlist for the state’s only secure psychiatric facility is now almost five times longer than when the agreement was made. Men can wait years for placement, reflecting a national trend where demand for treatment exceeds available beds. In Alabama, this means people like Clark, charged with minor crimes, often wait longer for a bed than if they had pled guilty.

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FILE - House Democrats prepare to speak on the steps of the Capitol to insist that Republicans include an extension of expiring health care benefits as part of a government funding compromise, in Washington, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite, File)

A historic shutdown is nearly over. It leaves no winners and much frustration

November 11, 2025

The longest government shutdown in history could conclude as soon as Day 43 with almost no one happy with the final result. Democrats didn’t get the heath insurance provisions they demanded added to the spending deal. And Republicans, who control the levers of power in Washington, didn’t escape blame, according to polls and some state and local elections that went poorly for them. The fallout of the shutdown landed on millions of Americans, including federal workers who went without paychecks and airline passengers who had their trips delayed or canceled. An interruption in nutrition assistance programs contributed to long lines at food banks and emotional distress.

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Kansas guard Darryn Peterson, right, drives against North Carolina guard Seth Trimble, left, during the second half of an NCAA college basketball game Friday, Nov. 7, 2025, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Seward)

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson misses game with hamstring injury

November 11, 2025

Kansas freshman Darryn Peterson missed Tuesday night’s game against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi due to a hamstring injury. Jayhawks coach Bill Self believes the injury won’t keep the potential NBA lottery pick out for long. The No. 25 Jayhawks still managed a 77-46 victory without Peterson, who was the top high school recruit. Peterson scored 21 points in his college debut and 22 against North Carolina but has faced cramping issues. Kohl Rosario stepped up with 16 points in Peterson’s absence. Kansas faces Princeton on Saturday and has upcoming games against Duke, Notre Dame and Syracuse.

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FILE - A stack of the Marion County Record sits in the back of the newspaper's building, awaiting unbundling, sorting and distribution, Aug. 16, 2023, in Marion, Kan. A former reporter for a weekly Kansas newspaper has agreed to accept $235,000 to settle part of her federal lawsuit over a police raid on the paper that made a small town the focus of a national debate over press freedoms. (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)

A Kansas county agrees to pay $3 million and apologize over a raid on a small-town newspaper

November 11, 2025

A rural Kansas county has agreed to pay more than $3 million and apologize over a law enforcement raid on a small-town weekly newspaper in 2023. Eric Meyer, editor and publisher of the Marion County Record, said Tuesday he hoped Marion County’s payment would deter similar actions against other news organizations in the future. The raid sparked an outcry over press freedom and prompted five federal lawsuits. County sheriff’s officers were involved in the raid and helped draft search warrants Marion city police used to enter the newspaper’s offices and other locations. Meyer’s 98-year-old mother, co-owner of the paper, died of a heart attack the next day, something the publisher blamed on the stress of the raid.

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FILE - Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., attends a news conference about the government shutdown on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Sept. 30, 2025. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, File)

Schumer faces criticism as shutdown nears end, but his job appears safe

November 11, 2025

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer led his caucus and the country into a record-breaking government shutdown and voted against reopening when some of his members defected. But there are still calls for him to step aside from Democrats who think he should have fought harder. It’s a now-familiar position for the Democratic leader, who was criticized in March when he voted with Republicans to keep the government open. He’s now getting blowback for the actions of the moderate senators in his caucus who allowed the shutdown to end. But no senator has explicitly called for his resignation as leader and his job appears safe.

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FILE - The Food and Drug Administration seal is seen at the Hubert Humphrey Building Auditorium in Washington, April 22, 2025. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

FDA names longtime cancer scientist Pazdur to lead drug center

November 11, 2025

The Food and Drug Administration has named a longtime regulator of cancer medications to lead the agency’s drug center. The announcement comes after the previous FDA official in the role was ousted following an ethics complaint. The FDA said Tuesday that Dr. Richard Pazdur will become director of the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, the largest unit of the health agency. Pazdur previously served in various FDA roles, including leading the agency’s Oncology Center of Excellence. His predecessor in the job resigned early this month after a lawsuit alleging he used his role at the FDA to pursue a vendetta against a former business associate.

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FILE - Vehicles wait outside the international terminal at San Francisco International Airport in San Francisco, July 11, 2017. (AP Photo/Marcio Jose Sanchez, File)

British Muslim commentator Sami Hamdi agrees to leave US after immigration detention

November 11, 2025

British political commentator Sami Hamdi plans to leave the U.S. after spending over two weeks in immigration detention. His supporters say he was detained as punishment for his criticism of Israel. The Trump administration has accused him of cheering on Hamas. Hamdi was on a speaking tour when he was arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement on October 26. He had just spoken at a Council on American-Islamic Relations event in Sacramento. The Department of Homeland Security says Hamdi requested voluntary departure. CAIR claims his detention was due to his vocal criticism of Israel. Civil rights groups criticize these actions as violations of free speech.

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Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) is challenged by Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Travis Hunter (12) during the second half of an NFL football game between the Los Angeles Rams and the Jacksonville Jaguars in London, Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)

Jaguars’ Travis Hunter has season-ending knee surgery but is expected back for start of next season

November 11, 2025

Jacksonville Jaguars two-way star Travis Hunter had season-ending surgery to repair the lateral collateral ligament in his right knee and is expected to return to the football field within six months. The team says there was no additional damage to Hunter’s knee, which he injured during a non-contact drill in practice last month. Hunter was coming off a career performance in London before his injury. The 2024 Heisman Trophy winner caught eight passes for 101 yards and a touchdown against the Los Angeles Rams, and the Jaguars were planning to use him as their No. 1 receiver moving forward.

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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters after Vice President JD Vance swore in U.S. Ambassador to India Sergio Gor in the Oval Office of the White House, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025, in Washington. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)

What to know about Trump’s plan to give Americans a $2,000 tariff dividend

November 11, 2025

President Donald Trump boasts that his tariffs protect American industries, lure factories to the United States, raise money for the federal government and give him diplomatic leverage. Now, he’s claiming they can finance a windfall for American families, too: He’s promising a $2,000 tariff dividend. The president proposed the idea on his Truth Social media platform Sunday, five days after his Republican Party lost elections in Virginia, New Jersey and elsewhere largely because of voter discontent with his economic stewardship and the high cost of living. Budget experts scoffed at the idea, which conjured memories of the Trump administration’s short-lived plan for DOGE dividend checks paid for by billionaire Elon Musk’s federal budget cuts.

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Judge adopts Utah congressional map creating a Democratic-leaning district for 2026

November 11, 2025

A Utah judge has rejected a new congressional map drawn by Republican lawmakers. Judge Dianna Gibson adopted an alternate proposal giving Democrats a strong shot at flipping a seat in the 2026 midterm elections. Gibson ruled late Monday that the map approved by the Legislature last month unduly favors Republicans and disfavors Democrats. She ultimately selected a map drawn by voting rights groups that keeps Democratic-heavy Salt Lake County almost entirely within one district. Republicans hold all four of Utah’s U.S. House seats. The newly approved map gives Democrats a much stronger chance to flip a seat. The state last had a Democrat in Congress in early 2021.

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President Donald Trump speaks during an event to mark Veterans Day at Arlington National Cemetery, Tuesday, Nov. 11, 2025, in Arlington, Va. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

New Trump directive could deny more visas based on applicants’ health and finances

November 11, 2025

A new directive by President Donald Trump’s administration could make it more difficult for foreigners to visit or live in the United States if they have certain medical conditions such as diabetes or obesity or lack the economic resources and assets to support themselves. The guidance issued last week in a cable from the State Department directs embassy and consular officials to comprehensively and thoroughly vet visa applicants to demonstrate they won’t need to rely on public benefits from the government. Immigration policy experts say the guidance could reduce the number of immigrant and non-immigrant visas granted.

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Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) heads off the field following an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders Sunday, Oct. 19, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Missouri governor floats potential for a retractable roof if Chiefs renovate Arrowhead Stadium

November 11, 2025

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe is floating the potential for the Kansas City Chiefs to play in a covered stadium without moving to Kansas. Kehoe said Tuesday that architectural improvements could be made to Arrowhead Stadium that provide an all-weather environment without building a full dome. Kehoe pointed to stadiums in Europe with flexible, retractable coverings. The Chiefs have played at Arrowhead for over 50 years, but their lease expire in January 2031. The Chiefs have been weighing whether to play in a proposed dome in Kansas or stay in Missouri at a renovated Arrowhead Stadium.

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Prosecutor says it will take days to decide whether to charge homeowner in house cleaner’s death

November 11, 2025

Prosecutors say it will take days to decide whether to charge an Indiana homeowner they say shot and killed a house cleaner after she mistakenly went to the wrong address. Boone County Prosecutor Kent Eastwood said in a news release that he anticipates it will take at least several days to review all the evidence in Maria Florinda Rios Perez De Velasquez’s death Nov. 5. He says he may not announce a charging decision until the end of the week or early next week. Velasquez’s family and their attorney held a small demonstration on the steps of Eastwood’s office Monday demanding justice.

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Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin speaks during a press conference following an NFL football game against the Indianapolis Colts in Pittsburgh, Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)

Mike Tomlin: No long-term concerns about Aaron Rodgers after Steelers’ loss to Chargers

November 11, 2025

Mike Tomlin isn’t worried about Aaron Rodgers bouncing back after a tough game against the Los Angeles Chargers. Rodgers completed only 16 of 31 passes for 161 yards with a late touchdown and two interceptions. Tomlin says the Steelers need to improve on third downs and create more big plays to help out the NFL’s oldest starting quarterback. Pittsburgh has struggled with third-down conversions, making only 21% over the last three weeks. Tomlin wants to see more from players other than DK Metcalf, who is frequently double-teamed. Pittsburgh hosts Cincinnati on Sunday as it tries to hold onto its slim lead in the AFC North.

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FILE - Rep. Diana Harshbarger, R-Tenn, speaks outside the hush money criminal case of former president Donald Trump in New York, May 16, 2024. (AP Photo/Ted Shaffrey, File)

Trump pardons the husband of Republican supporter Rep. Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee

November 11, 2025

President Donald Trump has pardoned the husband of Republican congresswoman Diana Harshbarger of Tennessee. Robert Harshbarger Jr. was a licensed pharmacist when he pleaded guilty in 2013 to substituting a cheaper drug imported from China that was not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for a drug the FDA had approved for kidney dialysis patients. Harshbarger was sentenced to and served four years in prison. A White House official on Tuesday defended the pardon for Harshbarger, saying he had engaged in a practice common among pharmacists and was a victim of “excessive prosecution.” Harshbarger’s pardon was among a batch Trump signed on Friday.

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FILE - Cleveland Guardians pitcher Emmanuel Clase during a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, in San Francisco, June 17, 2025. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu, file)

What are prop bets, and why can’t sports leagues escape them?

November 11, 2025

Major League Baseball and its affiliated sportsbooks offered a fast reaction Monday to the latest on a growing list of sports betting scandals. They capped bets on individual pitches at $200 and excluding them from parlays to keep those prop bets from jeopardizing the integrity of the sport. That decision came a day after Cleveland Guardians pitchers Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz were indicted on charges they took bribes from sports bettors to purposely throw certain types of pitches that would pay off bets. Miami Heat guard Terry Rozier was also arrested for allegedly providing inside information to gamblers. Despite these incidents, prop bets remain lucrative for leagues and sportsbooks.

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FILE - New homes dot the landscape in Middlesex Township, Pa., on April 19, 2023. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar, File)

White House’s 50-year mortgage proposal has one notable benefit but a number of drawbacks

November 11, 2025

The White House says it is considering a 50-year mortgage to address the home affordability crisis. Critics argue it won’t solve issues like supply shortages and high interest rates. Bill Pulte, director of the Federal Housing Finance Agency, called it a “game changer” for homebuyers. He noted on X that it’s just one potential solution among others being considered. A 50-year mortgage would lower a borrower’s monthly payments but could dramatically increase their total interest paid. It would also delay equity accumulation compared to a 30-year mortgage.

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Founding Kiss guitarist Ace Frehley died from injuries suffered in fall, autopsy shows

November 11, 2025

Ace Frehley, the original lead guitarist and founding member of the glam rock band Kiss, died from blunt force injuries to the head that he suffered in a fall earlier this year. That is according to an autopsy conducted by the Morris County Medical Examiner’s Office in New Jersey. Frehley’s agent has said he died peacefully on Oct. 16 surrounded by family in Morristown, New Jersey, following a recent fall. The autopsy determined his death was an accident. Kiss was known for theatrical stage shows with fireworks, smoking instruments and fake blood. Band members famously wore body armor, platform boots, wigs and their signature black-and-white face paint.

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FILE - Archbishop Paul Coakley speaks to the media before the Beatification Ceremony for Stanley Rother in Oklahoma City, Sept. 23, 2017. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki, File)

US Catholic bishops select conservative culture warrior to lead them during Trump’s second term

November 11, 2025

U.S. Catholic bishops have elected Oklahoma City Archbishop Paul Coakley as their new president, choosing a conservative culture warrior to lead during President Donald Trump’s second term. The vote Tuesday serves as a barometer for the bishops’ priorities. In choosing Coakley, the bishops are doubling down on their conservative bent, even as they push for more humane immigration policies from the Trump administration. Coakley was seen as a strong contender for the top post, having already been elected in 2022 to serve as secretary, the No. 3 conference official. In three rounds of voting, he edged out centrist candidate Bishop Daniel Flores of Brownsville, Texas.

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Courtesy of The HomeSlice Group

NFL Week 10 Recap

November 11, 2025

By Mitchell Stafford, Rapid City Post Sports Week 10 shook up the playoff picture in a big way—upsets, statement wins

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Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., makes a statement to reporters following a vote in the Senate to move forward with a stopgap funding bill to reopen the government through Jan. 30, at the Capitol in Washington, Monday, Nov. 10, 2025. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Speaker Johnson shuttered the House and amassed quiet power with Trump

November 11, 2025

After refusing to convene the U.S. House during the government shutdown, Speaker Mike Johnson is recalling lawmakers back into session. They are set to consider the bill to reopen the federal government on Wednesday. As hundreds of lawmakers return they are bringing pent-up legislative demands after nearly two months away. There are calls to release the Jeffrey Epstein files and swear-in Arizona’s Rep.-elect Adelita Grijalva, who won her special election back in September. It’s all a test of the speaker’s leadership and shows the ways he has amassed power alongside President Donald Trump.

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Buffalo Sabres Jack Quinn is knocked to the ice by Carolina Hurricanes Charles Alexis Legault (62) during the third period of an NHL hockey game in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, Nov. 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown)

Hurricanes rookie Charles Alexis Legault has surgery to repair torn tendons after skate cut injury

November 11, 2025

Carolina Hurricanes rookie defenseman Charles Alexis Legault had surgery to repair multiple torn extensor tendons in his right hand after getting cut by a skate blade at Toronto. Legault’s hand was sliced Sunday by one of Maple Leafs forward Nick Robertson’s skates during a scrum at the end of the first period. The team put Legault on injured reserve and said he was expected to miss 3-4 months. The Hurricanes in a statement thanked the Leafs’ medical staff for swift and decisive assistance in triage care of the injury.

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FILE - This photo provided by the South Carolina Department of Corrections shows the state's death chamber in Columbia, S.C., including the electric chair, right, and a firing squad chair, left. (South Carolina Department of Corrections via AP, File)

South Carolina court rejects death row appeal days before execution

November 11, 2025

South Carolina’s highest court has refused to stop Friday’s execution of a man who killed three people over five days and left taunting messages for police in one of the victim’s blood. Stephen Bryant is scheduled to die by firing squad. His lawyers argued that the judge who sentenced him never considered his brain damage from his mother’s drinking and drug use during pregnancy. But the South Carolina Supreme Court decided that even if Bryant had Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, it wouldn’t change his death sentence. Bryant can still ask for clemency. but no South Carolina governor has reduced a death sentence to life in prison in the modern era.

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San Francisco Opera’s ‘The Monkey King’ ready to premiere with magical Kung Fu and puppetry

November 11, 2025

The Monkey King, a beloved figure in Chinese mythology, is now the star of an opera. With music by Huang Ruo and a libretto by David Henry Hwang, “The Monkey King” premieres at the San Francisco Opera on Friday. The story is adapted from “Journey to the West,” focusing on the Monkey King’s birth, exploits, and eventual redemption. The production features a mix of singing, dance, and puppetry to bring the fantastical tale to life. The Monkey character is rendered in three different ways in the production, as a singer, dancer and a puppet. The opera plays through the end of November, and its creators hope to expand the story into a series.

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Sally Kirkland, stage and screen star who earned an Oscar nomination in ‘Anna,’ dies at age 84

November 11, 2025

Sally Kirkland, a former model turned actress, has died at age 84. Known for her roles in “The Sting” and the Oscar-nominated “Anna,” Kirkland passed away on Tuesday. Her friends set up a GoFundMe for her medical care after she suffered multiple fractures and infections. Kirkland’s career spanned films like “The Way We Were” and “JFK,” and TV shows like “Criminal Minds” and “Roseanne.” She studied acting with renowned mentors and appeared in Shakespearean plays. Kirkland was also active in New Age groups and volunteered for various causes, including AIDS and cancer support.

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Graham Platner, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate, speaks to a reporter at his home, Monday, Nov. 3, 2025, in Sullivan, Maine. (AP Photo/Robert F. Bukaty)

Graham Platner thinks Democratic voters will overlook his past to support a new type of candidate

November 11, 2025

Graham Platner’s campaign for U.S. Senate took some early hits because of his online history and a tattoo he now regrets, but he’s staying in the race for the long haul. His campaign is taking place at a time when Democrats are in need of new candidates who inspire young voters. They’re scrambling to find a way to take back control of the U.S. Senate next year after suffering big losses in 2024. Platner is a plain-speaking combat veteran and oyster farmer who has been open about his struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder. He says he knows he has made mistakes, but he also feels his message is resonating with voters.

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Oprah Winfrey picks Ann Packer’s ‘Some Bright Nowhere’ for book club

November 11, 2025

Ann Packer’s novel “Some Bright Nowhere” is Oprah Winfrey’s latest book club pick. Published on Tuesday, the book tells the story of a long-married couple facing questions when the wife becomes terminally ill. She makes a dying wish for two close friends to care for her instead of her husband. Winfrey says the novel will make readers think about marriage, friendships, and how to spend one’s last days. Packer, known for “The Dive from Clausen’s Pier,” learned of the selection through an unexpected call. Winfrey and Packer discussed the book at a Starbucks in New York City.

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Volunteers at the San Antonio Food Bank load bags of potatoes for a food distribution for SNAP recipients and other households affected by the federal shutdown, Thursday, Nov. 6, 2025, in San Antonio. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)

Everyday volunteers are providing stopgap services during the shutdown in a show of community power

November 11, 2025

Everyday people are improvising stopgap efforts to support their communities through the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Whether feeding hungry families or maintaining local museum tours, volunteers nationwide are strengthening social ties that they hope will continue making their neighbors whole in the face of persistent precarity. And the community engagement isn’t slowing down even as lawmakers approach a deal to reopen the government. Hale Morrissette, who co-founded a Pensacola Grocery Buddies program to fight food insecurity, finds that “everybody’s stepping up.” She says “they know that this is not something that’s like a partisan type of issue. It’s about service and it’s about taking care of each other.”

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Charlotte Hornets center Ryan Kalkbrenner, right, shoots over Utah Jazz center Jusuf Nurkic, second from right, during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Charlotte, N.C., Sunday, Nov. 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Nell Redmond)

Ryan Kalkbrenner’s historic NBA career start: 81% from the field through first 10 games

November 11, 2025

Ryan Kalkbrenner is off to an impressive start in his NBA career. The Charlotte rookie is shooting 80.8% from the field over his first 10 games, making 42 of 52 shots. This accuracy is the best in NBA history for a player with at least 50 attempts in their first 10 games. Previously, Houston’s Yao Ming held the record at 72%. Kalkbrenner credits his teammates for finding him in easy scoring positions. Known for his efficiency in college, he continues to impress with his ability to finish at the rim. Despite his success, Kalkbrenner remains focused on team victories.

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