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Scene Calendar: Zookeeper Day, live music, dodgeball and more
A comprehensive list of Gainesville-area entertainment events.
Cape Cod restaurants: New cocktail spots and cafes open in two towns
New cocktail spots and cafes are opening across Cape Cod, including a speakeasy-style lounge in Falmouth.
14 entertaining things to do in the Wilmington area this weekend
We've got big touring bands, intimate listening room shows, a big new musical at Thalian Hall and a couple of fun film screenings as well.
Brighton to host family-friendly 'Wacky Science Show' on July 22
The performance includes goofy sound effects and plenty of laughs.
Rhayuela’s Next Gen Takes Over
Prominent Colombian shingle Rhayuela, known for such memorable pics as Cannes 2015 Un Certain Regard title “Alias María,” “El Páramo” and “Rebellion,” is shuffling its leadership although its six orig...
N&N: Messick & Smith shut out NL All-Stars
When you pitch a shutout, you’re gonna win. Someone has to be on the opposite end of that, and playing the role of Tanner Bibee tonight was a group of 9 NL pitchers who gave up 4 runs. 4 runs too many. 10 men pitched for the AL, but we’re focusing only on Parker Messick […]
Oregon business association challenging constitutionality of BOLI bill
Oregon Business and Industry and two others filed a lawsuit arguing lawmakers violated the constitution when they passed a bill to fund Oregon BOLI.
Healthcare – Democrats, Protect Our Care to launch $5M ad campaign attacking GOP health cuts
Presented by Planned Parenthood{beacon} View Online
A small group of citizens rally for mental health coverage in Detroit
Detroit therapists and advocates protest insurance policy changes that could limit patient access to mental health.
County business park to get first infrastructure, new name
New Hanover County’s Holly Shelter Business Park could be getting its first infrastructure and a new name in the coming months. The New Hanover County Board of Commissioners unanimously approved a $6.5 million infrastructure construction contract and renaming on Monday. Once developed, the approximately 300-acre master-planned industrial park is expected to accommodate more than 2 million square feet of industrial space. The construction contract was awarded to Carolina Civilworks, which submitted the lowest responsive bid for the construction of the infrastructure, Akin Akinola, the county’s engineer, told commissioners on Monday. In May 2023, the county approved a development agreement with Sidbury Land & Property Company to establish the business park. The firm then conveyed approximately 52 acres to the county, giving officials the option to purchase another 200 acres, Akinola said. “The county’s role is to construct the initial public infrastructure that will make the site ready for future development,” he said. “Today’s contract award represents the first major construction phase of that project.” The first phase of development will include approximately 2,750 linear feet of business park roadway, a water main and fire hydrants, along with a sanitary sewer pump station, sewer force main and gravity sewer. Other infrastructure will include a right-turn lane on Holly Shelter Road, along with associated drainage, utilities and traffic control improvements. “Completing this work establishes the backbone infrastructure necessary to serve future development and positions the site for future economic investment,” Akinola said on Monday. County staff, in consultation with Wilmington Business Development officials, are also recommending renaming the park as the I-40 Coastal Commerce Park, said Jennifer Rigby, the county’s chief strategy officer. The new name would emphasize the park’s proximity to I-40 and its location on the coast, she said. Several county commissioners also asked to add New Hanover County's name to the business park's name to commemorate the county's contributions. “We are hoping to achieve space for our businesses to grow and expand here in New Hanover County,” Rigby said. “We’ve had great success with out Blue Clay Business Park and this is another opportunity to really provide locations for our businesses to grow and expand.”
47 revelatory hours with Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced
To review this month’s supposed remake of 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag, I must first correct the record. Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced isn’t a game about pirates (and assassins) in the 18th century Caribbean. Sure, sure, that’s what the trailers would have you believe. They’ve go their clips of Edward Kenway swinging his swords and steering his pirate ship into cannon-blasting combat against British frigates. Is Resynced truly a pirate game? Of the 47 hours I spent playing Resynced over the past few weeks, I will admit I spent maybe 44 (?) of them collecting plunder with Blackbeard, drinking rum with Anne Bonny and debating the pros and cons of the lawless pirate-run settlement Nassau with Benjamin Hornigold. I may in fact have spent dozens of hours sailing to remote islands, reading treasure maps, opening messages left in bottles, sinking the odd Man o’ War with a well-timed broadside, collecting sea shanties for my crew, befriending a pet monkey, and hunting whales. I am nevertheless neither so Gullible nor so Narrow-Minded as to call the magnificent Resynced a “pirate remake.” Oh no. Forget any reviews of Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced you may have read. Forget what you yourself may have played, if you’ve spent any time with the game since its launch. What Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced is really about I’m here to give you the scoop (spoilers for Resynced’s Animus menu lore, which many players are probably not going to see): Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced, the new game whose development was led by Ubisoft Singapore, is set in the year 2096. It’s about a societal split, about revolution, about an old Assassin’s Creed adventure repurposed in the series’ distant future as propaganda or samizdat. It’s about the overheated future of 2096, essentially conquered by the series’ well-established nefarious Templar-run company Abstergo. (In this future, Abstergo is, among other things, remaking a 2013 pirate movie called Devils of the Caribbean, but this time in VR. The VR version will be backed by a marketing plan that involves AI influencers, a 10,000-avatar “metaverse premiere event” and that manufacturing of memes aimed at “50 million VR nodes.” See what I mean about Abstergo being evil?) Resynced is about a late 21st-century population mollified by the widespread use of Abstergo’s Animus devices which let people experience the lives of historical figures culled from “genetic memories.” It’s about an insurgent faction of Assassins. And it’s about a plan to wake the population into revolutionary fervor by showing them the memories of 18th century pirate Edward Kenway, who—as depicted in the original Black Flag and again in Resynced—gradually comes to an understanding about the Assassins of his day and their centuries old fight for freedom. Resynced is also about an AI developed within the late 21st-century Animus, called Ego. It has found a way to alter genetic memories, to create and show Animus users false ones. The game is about Ego’s efforts to tell the people experiencing Edward Kenway’s memories that Kenway was wrong, that fighting against order is folly, that we should crave a world where “compliance is rewarded with power.” Who are we in this game? We’re an unnamed Animus user in 2096 who experiences Kenway’s journey virtually. At four moments during Kenway’s exploits in the Caribbean our virtual jaunt can be interrupted for 10-15 minutes, as we explore Animus “rifts” where Ego explicitly tries to tell us how wrong Kenway was. None of this is what 2013’s Assassin’s Creed IV: Black Flag was about, of course. That was a different game, even if you also spent dozens of hours pirating as Kenway in that game, across missions and a map that’s been faithfully reintroduced and rebuilt for Resynced. The 2013 Black Flag was about you playing as an unnamed researcher newly hired in 2013 by Abstergo Entertainment, the video game development wing of the Templars’ evil-corp. In that game, you were assigned to use the Animus to dive into the genetic memories of Desmond Miles, a man who died in Assassin’s Creed III and who was descended from a long line of Assassins (and at least one Templar) whose adventures were featured across the prior AC games. In 2013’s Black Flag, your mission was to plumb the Edward Kenway experience for material that Abstergo could use in productions such as the motion picture Devils of the Caribbean, though the Templars had some ulterior motives for the assignment. Resynced is therefore not a remake of 2013’s Black Flag. It’s a sequel. It is a new game about a new exploration of Edward Kenway’s pirate/assassin journey, set 83 years after the framing sequences of the original game. Resynced provides a new narrative framework that, thanks to the concept of an AI that wants to alter historical memories, arrives with creative justification to tweak a now-classic 13-year old game. That makes Resynced, already a hot seller, a tantalizing hint of where Ubisoft could go with a line of Assassin’s Creed remakes. They could remake the first game, the Ezio games, even the recent ones set in ancient Egypt and Greece. And for each, they could not just modernize the graphics and controls but expand and alter their sequences of events to use them as reference points for a conflict set in the late 21st century, as rival factions try to weaponize historical memories. Game File is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, even when that work consists of ravings about Assassin’s Creed’s modern day plot, please consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe A story most players will probably miss If you didn’t know any of this, I’m not surprised. If you played the game and still didn’t catch it, I’m not a bit shocked. If Ubisoft has no plans to do more of this, I won’t fall down. Almost all of what I’ve described is optional and missable in Black Flag Resynced. I nearly missed it myself, as I planned for a breezy playthrough of an old Assassin’s Creed favorite. Instead, I found myself in a 40+ hour hunt for the “real” story, buried deeper in Resynced than any gold-filled chest. The story of 2096 is Resynced’s meta-story, told in two remote pockets of the game: 1) four optional playable “rifts” that players may find as they proceed through Resynced’s pirate fantasy , 2) in dozens of text files tucked three menus deep in the game’s barely-interactive Animus hub. Assassin’s Creed games have almost always had a meta-story about people in the 21st century (usually matching the game’s release year) and their connections to the main history portions you play. Those meta-stories have always been squeezed into the margins, though seldom as severely and as, uh, graphiaclly simple, as in recent games. Back in 2013, the modern-day exploits of you as an Abstergo Entertainment employee were prominent. They were portrayed via first-person portions that occasionally interrupted the third-person Kenway experience and could be explored for hours, complete with their own missions, side quests and puzzles. Resynced’s 2096 story—of Assassin “Watchers” vs. Abstergo/Tempar goons, of rogue AIs, of panicking scientists, of a woman wondering why her Animus-addicted husband is muttering about Mary Read (“What does he mean by Assassins?”), of a fight for the population’s hearts and minds via varying interpretations of Edward Kenway’s life choices—is mostly told through unlockable text files. The files are interesting. Offered via diary entries, intercepted chats and news reports, they present varied perspectives of a world in crisis. One set works as a narrative puzzle as it reveals the Rashomonic interpretations of a massacre, or was that a successful Assassin hit? Another favorite reveals the rising bitterness of a person who, through Edward Kenway’s journey, now shakes at the ignored evil around him. One surmises that Ubisoft is averse to putting the Assassin’s Creed’s meta-story in the way of more marketable pirate playgrounds and ninja/samurai epics. Instead, we get a better-than-nothing text-in-menus approach introduced in 2025’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows. In Shadows, players unlocked the meta-story text files largely via time-gated missions that called on the user to kill X number of enemy type Y, clear three enemy castles, re-win a three-phase fighting tournament, and other grinds. Time restrictions on accessing these missions and unlocking the files meant it could take players months to access the full story in-game. But even in the most hardcore Assassin’s Creed hangouts, the fanbase instead seemed to throw up their hands rather than grind to keep up. In Resynced, Ubisoft has shown some mercy, diminishing the amount of new text files that are tied to timed grinds. Now, most of the text-based 2096 lore are associated with “data file” collectibles that players can find in the world. That includes a batch of written entries that explain a historical link between the feudal Japan era in Shadows and the piracy adventures in Black Flag. Players who explore a lot will find dozens of data files, though the game does not appear to offer any in-game tracker for finding each one. You just need to keep looking for them. As of this writing, I have most of them, but not all. I can’t find any full guide for them online. And even Ubisoft’s optional $5 microtransaction that reveals lots of items in-game does not appear to reveal the locations of the text files (at least the official description omits them from its collectibles list). That’s not a huge bother, because tracking the data files down compelled me to re-explore the waves and islands of Black Flag. That was a thoroughly pleasant task to do for the first time in a dozen years. I expect many players, though, will be content to wait for the files to be reproduced in an online AC wiki somewhere, the easier to read on a web page. It may not seem enticing to play a video game in order to gradually unlock pages of text to read. Why not, you may ask, just read a book, where they put the pages in order? For one, they’ve not tucked this latest installment of Assassin’s Creed’s meta saga in a book. I also enjoy the unordered delivery, the dawning comprehension of a story about 2096’s desperate people and questionable tech, which I glimpsed first at its middle, then the end, then the front, then other moments in between1. I am also enamored with the idea of the Assassin’s Creed games I’ve previously played, including Black Flag, being repurposed for an information war. The ideas in Resynced’s meta-story, which builds off characters and ideas in Shadows’ chunks of text, are strong. The potential of where they could go with it is exciting. As for the pirate stuff? Looks great, controls pretty well, is fun to play and oh so speedy in terms of how much of a good time you can have with each sit-down. It never gets old to chase a new shanty page across a rooftop, bombard a fort with upgraded mortars or use a diving bell to explore sunken wrecks (hats off to the team at Ubisoft Barcelona that worked on the underwater portions in Resynced; that team is now facing layoffs, such is the misery of modern gaming and oft-troubled Ubisoft). New pirate missions in Resynced involving new ally characters are brief, dramatic and add more to Edward’s story, even if the gameplay perks they provide barely enhance the gameplay. A new denouement for high-class pirate Stede Bonnet is affecting; a new hunt for Blackbeard’s treasure is a welcome extra moment. A new epilogue to hunt down a pirate killer, on the other hand, over-complicates Kenway’s character. The ending credits remain my favorite of any game I’ve ever played. Black Flag provides great source material. The revisit is well-made and a great sign of what could be. It is offered in a different wrapper that hints at an opportunity for more interesting remakes to come, should Ubisoft choose to pursue such treasures—and as we brace to resist or comply with an Abstergo future. 1 The messages that Edward Kenway finds in bottles tell another out-of-order story, one about a man reckoning with the strange memories and voices he’s heard in his head since he was a boy. That tale was also in the 2013 game and develops into one of Black Flag’s most compelling character arcs. In Resynced, it has lost its climax, because the bottle story previously paid off in the halls of the first-person Abstergo Entertainment, which is exclusive to the older game. An altered resolution, written by the 2013 game’s lead writer is fine, doesn’t invalidate the 2013 version, but makes for an inferior final note.
Netflix wants you to apply to its new game show with $2M prize
Netflix opens casting for a 'Monopoly' competition series, inviting applicants to join a life‑size version of the classic board game.
Greater Milwaukee Foundation offers loans to disadvantaged businesses
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation is offering low-interest loans up to $50,000 for local small businesses.
Astronauts take first X-rays in space
A SpaceX crew scanned a hand and other body parts during a recent mission.
macOS Golden Gate Public Beta: 10 Features to Try First
macOS 27 Golden Gate is available to public beta testers as of this week, which means you can try out Siri AI and the other changes coming in the update before it launches this fall. Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos. We don't recommend betas for devices that serve a critical function, and it's always best to test on a secondary device.
Sam Neill's ex says his cancer battle left him 'pretty sick' and 'compromised'
Sam Neill's former partner Laura Tingle says his \
Netflix Bounces Back With Home Run Derby Debut
After its panned coverage of Opening Night, Netflix focused on the field.
Darline Graham Nordone to join Senate. Who is Lindsey Graham's sister?
Lindsey Graham's sister, Darline Graham Nordone, will take his U.S. Senate seat moving from helping people with disabilities to high-profile politics.
Suburban business park developer Michael Mooney has died at age 83
Mooney LeSage was known for developing business parks in such communities as Franklin, Germantown, Menomonee Falls, Mequon, Sturtevant, and Sussex.
GOVERNOR MEYER LAUNCHES DELAWARE COMMERCIAL CORRIDOR INITIATIVE TO SUPPORT SMALL BUSINESSES
Governor Matt Meyer joined Delaware Division of Small Business Director CJ Bell to launch the Delaware Commercial Corridor Initiative (DCCI), a new statewide program designed to help small businesses improve their storefronts, buildings and operations while revitalizing Delaware's downtown and commercial districts. The initiative pairs targeted grant funding with capital from lending institutions to drive visible improvements. Through DCCI, the Division of Small Business will invest $4.5 million in state Strategic Fund dollars to help existing brick-and-mortar small businesses make property and equipment improvements that strengthen their businesses and improve the appearance of commercial corridors.
NH Delegation Applauds VA Signing of Lease for New Cheshire County Outpatient Clinic to Expand Veterans’ Access to Health Care
Following advocacy from the New Hampshire Congressional delegation, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01) joined Senator Jeanne Shaheen (NH), a senior member of the U.S.
What I Heard At Bloomberg CityLab That Matters To Business Owners
Mayors, urban planners, and business leaders gathered at the Bloomberg CityLab in Madrid to talk about the future of cities with conversations relevant to entrepreneurs.
SC isn't the best, or the worst, state for business in the US
South Carolina isn't the best, but not the worst, for business, according to CNBC's 2026 rankings.
PMOS vs. PCOS
The name change of a hormonal condition - from Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) to Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS), could improve diagnosis and treatment.
Where to watch Portland Fire vs Connecticut Sun on July 14: TV channel, start time and streaming
Here's how to watch Tuesday's Connecticut Sun vs Portland Fire game, including start times, TV channels, scores and how to stream.
Mississippi Top Reads for week of July 19, 2026
Mississippi Top Reads for week of July 19, 2026
Indiana is a top business state but fails residents, reports say
CNBC named Indiana a top state for business, but the state earned an F grade for quality of life and childcare.
MLB games today: Schedule, times, how to watch for July 14
Here's the full MLB schedule, for July 14, including game times, TV channels, scores and how to stream.
The Spurs want input on a downtown arena and entertainment district. San Antonians are eager to weigh in.
San Antonio residents shared ideas and desires for a sports and entertainment district at the first of 10 planned listening sessions.
Scientists discovered 31 new deep-sea species off Brazil
Meet some of the 31 new species scientists have identified in what could be record time, off the coast of Brazil.
Mountain Brook city council approves new home-based business ordinance
Tutors, music instructors, and athletic coaches will be limited to two students at a time, while animal boarding and retail sales will be banned.
Ribbon cutting planned at Fort Dodge sports complex
Fort Dodge is unveiling upgrades at the Harlan and Hazel Rogers Sports Complex with a ribbon cutting and public tours Tuesday.
NASA selects four new Moon missions to build a permanent lunar base
NASA is ramping up its lunar ambitions by awarding nearly $600 million for four commercial Moon landings planned for late 2028. Each mission will carry the same trio of science instruments to improve lunar navigation, study dangerous dust kicked up during landings, and map the Moon's radiation environment. The agency also revealed plans for new rovers, communication satellites, and additional cargo missions as it lays the groundwork for a permanent Moon Base.
Michigan cyclospora outbreak investigation zeroes in on lettuce, salad greens
Michigan health leaders say the picture is getting clearer on what could be causing the state's massive cyclosporiasis outbreak.
Anne Arundel County launches grant to assist businesses impacted by collapse zone
The AAEDC launched a grant to assist businesses neighboring Empire Towers, a 10-story office building that had its underground parking garage compromised Friday
Abortion provider sues Ohio Department of Health for delay in licensing paperwork
Planned Parenthood of Southwest Ohio has filed the case in the Hamilton County Court of Common Pleas.
LaFayette’s 'Boomer' marks 40 years cheering on girls youth sports
If you spend an afternoon at the ball fields in LaFayette, chances are you will hear George Curry before you see him.His energy and skills make a "booming" impa
The Quintessential Trump-era Politician
In 2020, I wrote an article about collaboration and collaborators. The title was History Will Judge the Complicit, and it started with the story of two famous East Germans, Markus Wolf and Wolfgang Leonhard, who both landed in East Berlin just after the end of the war. Although they came from very similar backgrounds, the former stuck with the regime, eventually becoming its spy boss; the latter, horrified by the brutal reality of Soviet-style communism, escaped. By way of juxtaposition, I also wrote about Lyndsey Graham and Mitt Romney. These two men also made very different decisions when confronted by Donald Trump’s assault on the ideals that they had both grown up believing: A glance at their biographies would not have led many to predict what happened next. On paper, Graham would have seemed, in 2016, like the man with deeper ties to the military, to the rule of law, and to an old-fashioned idea of American patriotism and American responsibility in the world. Romney, by contrast, with his shifts between the center and the right, with his multiple careers in business and politics, would have seemed less deeply attached to those same old-fashioned patriotic ideals. Most of us register soldiers as loyal patriots, and management consultants as self-interested. We assume people from small towns in South Carolina are more likely to resist political pressure than people who have lived in many places. Intuitively, we think that loyalty to a particular place implies loyalty to a set of values. But in this case the clichés were wrong. It was Graham who made excuses for Trump’s abuse of power. It was Graham—a JAG Corps lawyer—who downplayed the evidence that the president had attempted to manipulate foreign courts and blackmail a foreign leader into launching a phony investigation into a political rival. It was Graham who abandoned his own stated support for bipartisanship and instead pushed for a hyperpartisan Senate Judiciary Committee investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden’s son. It was Graham who played golf with Trump, who made excuses for him on television, who supported the president even as he slowly destroyed the American alliances—with Europeans, with the Kurds—that Graham had defended all his life. By contrast, it was Romney who, in February, became the only Republican senator to break ranks with his colleagues, voting to impeach the president. “Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office,” he said, is “perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.” In the wake of Graham’s unexpected death on Saturday, I wrote about him again. He was, in many ways, the quintessential politician of Trump’s Washington, a man who shifted 180 degrees. Graham had been a fervent American patriot, proud reserve officer and military lawyer; he became one of the most important defenders of a president who believes soldiers are “suckers and losers” and shows no respect for law of any kind. As his politics changed, his language grew coarser and his behavior grew worse: He urged Israel to “level the place” in Gaza, and insulted the Danish prime minister in Munich, prompting a colleague, Senator Elissa Slotkin, to issue an apology. Here’s an excerpt from the article, which you can read in The Atlantic (gift link here) Like his close friend John McCain, Graham believed that America should stand at the center of a broad democratic alliance. The few times I met him were in that context, at the Munich Security Conference or at other European-American gatherings, which he once attended with great regularity. He also took seriously the practice of American democracy at home. In a 2014 conversation with The Atlantic, he described himself as a pragmatic politician who eschewed populist slogans. “I know Washington is broken, but what’s broken about it is everybody yelling and nobody trying to fix it,” he said. “I’m trying.” When Donald Trump first appeared in U.S. politics, Graham recognized him immediately for what he was: the spokesman for an alien ideology, one radically different from the idealistic patriotism that Graham had practiced and preached since childhood. Trump privately mocked the military that Graham loved as nothing but “suckers and losers.” He put falsehoods, cynicism, and personal greed at the center of his politics, while expressing disdain for transparency, accountability, and democracy itself. In 2015, Graham described Trump as a “race-baiting, xenophobic, religious bigot” who should “go to hell.” Also as a “nutjob.” When Trump won, Graham understood, as did so many others, that he would have to make some important choices. For a while, he went silent. In the spring of 2016, I saw him at one of those conferences in Europe. He seemed too depressed to speak. But then, like many other Republicans—and, more important, like many other people who have lived under political occupation or experienced radical regime change—he made the decision to abandon his previous ideals, to bury the patriotism that was once so important to him, and to become, instead, a loud, opportunistic collaborator. As I wrote in 2020, it’s very hard to look in to anyone’s heart and to understand their motivations from the outside. But it does seem that Graham had a deep need to be relevant, to be in the game, to be a player, at any cost. And that, rather than any particular achievement, is what he will be remembered for. Continuing to monitor conflicts of interest, ostentatious emoluments, outright corruption and policy changes that will facilitate outright corruption. (Read my original article, Kleptocracy Inc and check out the SNF Agora Institute chart) June 27 Trump diverted funds from more than 900 projects nationwide—including safety upgrades at national parks—to finance beautification projects around Washington, including $700,000 used to fix a White House walkway. June 28 After a years-long Department of Justice investigation into Abbott Laboratories over its management of a baby formula facility where potentially deadly bacteria turned up enough evidence to criminally charge the firm, top department officials instead opted for a financial penalty—illustrating the department’s move away from strict corporate enforcement under the Trump administration. June 29 Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth stacked the Defense Policy Board—which is charged with providing independent national security recommendations to the Office of the Secretary of Defense—with Trump allies, including tech billionaire Marc Andreessen, who has invested in defense contractors like OpenAI and SpaceX, after purging the panel last year. Trump purchased between $1 million and $5 million worth of stock in Axon—which makes about 90% of US tasers—two weeks before ICE solicited bids for a $220 million taser contract. The White House unveiled limited-edition US passports for America’s 250th birthday, featuring a portrait of Trump overlaid on the Declaration of Independence. June 30 Trump made around $1.2 billion from his various crypto companies last year, including more than $500 million from World Liberty Financial and $600 million from sales of his meme coin. Trump is considering issuing 250 pardons to commemorate America’s 250th birthday. These are expected to be largely doled out through the Office of the Pardon Attorney’s informal network of intermediaries. White-collar defense attorneys say they can typically win pardons for clients for $2 million. Last year, Trump administration officials awarded a no-bid contract worth up to $500 million to Clark Construction for the White House ballroom—negotiations in which the president was directly involved. July 1 The Amazon MGM Studios documentary about Melania Trump earned the First Lady more than $10 million. Trump made hundreds of individual stock purchases worth as much as $12.8 million the day before his announcement pausing “Liberation Day” tariffs for 90 days sent the S&P 500 soaring nearly 10%—one of the largest single-day gains ever. Mar-a-Lago and Trump National Doral saw record surges in revenue during Trump’s first year in office, earning $77.5 million and $121.9 million respectively, compared to average annual revenues of $25 million and $75 million during Trump’s first term. Entities across the Persian Gulf paid more than $300 million to Trump’s businesses last year, including $263 million from the sale of half his stake in World Liberty Financial to a firm backed by Sheikh Tahnoon bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a top UAE royal and brother of the country’s president. Kash Patel failed to properly disclose his stock purchase of a Department of Justice contractor, MicroStrategy, worth up to $250,000 last year, despite laws requiring disclosure within 45 days of the trade. July 2 Trump has been directing administration officials to steer more government contracts—so far worth more than $2.4 billion—to Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin aerospace firm, after Amazon gave $1 million to Trump’s inaugural fund, donated to the White House ballroom project, and reached a $40 million deal to license a Melania Trump documentary. Alongside the billions he made from cryptocurrency last year, Trump earned millions of dollars from real estate licensing fees, including $21 million from organizations in the UAE and $9.2 million in Saudi Arabia, along with smaller sums from merchandise sales, including $4.7 million from Trump Watches and $35,920 from 45 Guitar, a guitar brand endorsed by the president. House Democrats accused consultants tied to the Trump administration of financial fraud, alleging they gave prospective donors to America250—the bipartisan committee created by Congress to celebrate the nation’s semiquincentennial—the banking and routing numbers for Freedom 250, the White House’s fund for events like the UFC cage fight. Democrats also allege that Freedom 250’s CEO traveled to the World Economic Forum in Davos to solicit donations from foreign government officials and business leaders. The Trump administration’s proposed rollback of gun regulations would lift the prohibition on mailing handguns to individuals, a significant win for GrabAGun—the direct-to-consumer firearm retailer on whose board Donald Trump Jr. sits and in which he holds a 1.1% ownership stake. GrabAGun currently must rely on a middleman to transfer firearms to customers. Trump’s financial disclosure revealed that he made more than 21,000 securities trades during his first year back in office, growing his investment account to at least $858 million across stakes in around 1,600 companies, compared to the 13 total trades Joe Biden made during his entire presidency. July 4 Nearly 1 million people who bought the president’s meme coin—Trump Coin—collectively lost $3.8 billion on the token, while he walked away with $636 million. July 6 Shares of Dell closed up 4.4% after Trump recommended people buy the firm’s computers during a speech announcing the launch of Trump investment accounts for children, boosting the more than $1 million worth of shares the president owns in the company. July 9 Federal Reserve Chair Kevin Warsh named crypto investor and Trump ally Marc Andreessen to a task force aimed at modernizing the Federal Reserve, including rethinking its approach to inflation—a key factor keeping interest rates elevated. Palm Beach International Airport has officially changed its name to Trump International Airport—a move that will require Florida to pay royalties to the president’s family for licensing his name. I was there a few months ago, during a trip to Barcelona. The sculptures were a revelation, I’d never seen so many together before. Each one has its own personality. Enjoy the good weather, if you are lucky enough to have it. History Will Judge the Complicit The Quintessential Politician Autocracy Inc Open Letters, from Anne Applebaum is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. Subscribe
Hochul wants answers from DHS on planned immigration detention centers in N.Y.
Gov. Hochul said in a letter the public did not hear about the projects from the federal government but from press reports and procurement records.
Mick Jagger against giving audiences a 'lecture' on politics during concerts
Mick Jagger, reflecting on Bruce Springsteen's outspoken approach, says he prefers to avoid political \
Sen. Mitch McConnell discusses health, rehab after hospital stay
GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell says a fall and pneumonia led to his recent hospital stay and that he is now in rehab to \
Sen. Mitch McConnell discusses health, rehab after hospital stay
GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell says a fall and pneumonia led to his recent hospital stay and that he is now in rehab to \
Chuck Edwards sells McDonald’s franchises amid tight congressional race
The North Carolina U.S. member of Congress and his wife transferred their franchises to Asheville operators Christine and Chris Nevant.
Bringing Virginia Politics into the Light
In a time of declining faith in our public institutions, veteran journalist David M. Poole offers a hopeful story about achieving bipartisan trust and keeping the public informed. Poole will […]
Where to watch Los Angeles Sparks vs Atlanta Dream on July 13: TV channel, start time and streaming
Here's how to watch Monday's Atlanta Dream vs Los Angeles Sparks game, including start times, TV channels, scores and how to stream.
Choose central Ohio's boys high school Coach of the Year for 2025-26
Dispatch.com readers can choose central Ohio's boys Coach of the Year. You have until 4 p.m. July 17 to vote.
Charlevoix readies annual Venetian Festival. What to know
The Charlevoix Venetian Festival in northern Michigan kicks off this week along Lake Michigan.
Charlevoix readies annual Venetian Festival. What to know
The Charlevoix Venetian Festival in northern Michigan kicks off this week along Lake Michigan.
How new RI House Majority Leader Kazarian balances lawmakers and newborn twins
Only a few months after giving birth to premature twins, Kazarian became RI's first female House majority leader.
Knoxville team behind Dollywood projects joins new NERF, Peppa Pig attraction
Developers of the new Play District in Pigeon Forge have joined forces with the Knoxville architecture firm behind several Dollywood projects.
Minneapolis business owners seek delay in Lyndale Avenue construction
Business owners in Minneapolis’ Uptown neighborhood are seeking to delay a planned construction project along Lyndale Avenue, as a deadline to use federal funding for the project approaches.
Experience Virginia's first alpine coaster ride
Massanutten Resort launched Mountain Mayhem, Virginia's first alpine coaster, featuring 360-degree spirals.
State budget advances plan to reopen Martin County hospital
ECU Health gets funding needed to begin converting the shuttered Martin General facility into a Rural Emergency Hospital.
New NJ businesses include non-alcoholic liquor store, art school
Point 5 Jersey in Morristown has mixers and specialty beverages. Cre8sArt School has classes for all ages in Westwood
Apple M7 Ultra Chip Planned With Up to 1.5 TB of Unified Memory
Apple has recently overhauled its entire M-Series chip plans, scrapping the launch of the M6 Pro and M6 Max processors and jumping straight to the M7 series. While the base M6 SoC is expected to launch, Apple is moving into the M7 series without the M6 Pro/Max variants, with plans to offer some...
Northwest Montana’s growing entertainment economy
The Flathead has built a strong network of places where people gather around music, food and community.
‘Take Me Home’: The science of why singing together brings us closer
The cameras panned across thousands of fans, arms draped over the shoulders of friends and strangers alike, singing at the top of their lungs. As John Denver’s “Take Me Home,
Mechanics say they're losing business as vehicles get more high tech
High-tech features are making vehicles more expensive and difficult to repair, putting pressure on already strained car owners and posing an existential crisis for mom-and-pop mechanics.
Super Bomberman Collection update announced, adding Panic Bomber W for free
A new update is in the works for Super Bomberman R which will add Panic Bomber W for free, Konami just announced. This is planned for August 20, 2026. Panic Bomber W originally released on the Super Famicom. It’s a puzzle game in which you can attack opponents with combos and “Big Bombs”. Super Bomberman Collection is already packed with...
Why AI is driving a record boom in new US startups
Artificial intelligence is acting as a force multiplier for entrepreneurs, sparking a record wave of new businesses.
Sen. Lindsey Graham's career marked by reversals, including on Trump
Sen. Lindsey Graham's career in Washington was shaped by his hardline foreign policy beliefs and shifting views of President Donald Trump.
Do metals found in tampons pose a health risk? A new FDA study provides an answer
A new study detected heavy metals, including lead and arsenic, in popular tampon brands, but not enough to raise health concerns.
How to Watch The Westies Series Premiere
Watch The Westies live with TV channel, start time and streaming info. Stream Series Premiere on Fubo — no cable required, free trial available.
How to Watch American Ninja Warrior Season 18, Episode 7
Watch American Ninja Warrior live with TV channel, start time and streaming info. Stream Season 18 on Fubo — no cable required, free trial available.
'We're uniting Texas' Talarico rallies El Paso voters in US Senate race
Democratic James Talarico brought his U.S. Senate campaign to El Paso, calling on voters to fight against a \
Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71. See his life and political career
Sen. Lindsey Graham's death marks the passing of a longtime conservative fixture of the Senate, and one of Trump's closest political allies.
Sen. Lindsey Graham dies at 71 after 'brief and sudden illness'
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham died on July 11 following a \
Lindsey Graham was booked for TV Sunday. Then his death shocked Congress
Lawmakers were stunned to learn of Graham's sudden passing. He was scheduled for a TV appearance on NBC's \
Starting with sweet potatoes, this business touches Detroit and beyond
In Detroit, a business showcasing sweet potatoes has appealed to people from all walks of life while launching another business and support groups.
It's Your Business | Champaign yoga, fitness studio adding more space
“We’re really hoping that a four- to six-month timeline will be realistic (for completion),” said Dr. Suzanne Trupin, owner of Hatha Yoga & Fitness. “So sometime this fall.”
Delaware's 2026 Most Influential & Inspiring in Entertainment
A bar owner, concert booker and radio host. Meet our 2026 Most Influential & Inspiring in Entertainment.
Managing water with local wisdom and science
Across a narrow watershed in Asakura, a rural city in Fukuoka Prefecture, centuries-old stone channels still guide water through fields and into the river below. Today, those same systems are the focus of researchers at Kyushu ...
From libertarian dream to political weapon: How the far right appropriated the crypto wave
Leaders such as Trump, Milei and Bukele raise these assets as a banner to attract disenchanted citizens while profiting from their popularity
'Tell us what's going on,' Kentucky governor urges McConnell on health
McConnell’s office says the senator remains hospitalized and improving as Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear again calls for more details on his condition.
Editorial: Buckeye State rated best for business
Ohio’s designation by the cable TV business channel CNBC as “America’s Top State for Business” is a very significant achievement that will bring JobsOhio ...
What SoundHound AI (SOUN)'s S-4 Business Combination and Platform Expansion Means For Shareholders
In recent days, SoundHound AI, Inc. filed an S-4 registration statement for a planned business combination and confirmed strong year-over-year revenue growth alongside ongoing quarterly losses and a solid cash balance with no debt. At the same time, the company is pushing beyond its automotive roots into a broader enterprise AI platform, using acquisitions and subscription services to expand use cases across restaurants, healthcare, retail, financial services, and telecom. We’ll now examine...
Wes Anderson's needle-drop genius gets its due at his Hollywood Bowl tribute
Anderson’s score work is planned to exacting detail. But this three-night stand with Bill Murray, Beck, Jackson Browne and more was played in the spirit of the way fans revisit his beloved films.
Hyde Park Square business says it is relocating amid controversial redevelopment plans
A Hyde Park Square business says that it is being forced to relocate amid the controversial redevelopment plans that are planned for the neighborhood over the next few years.
Managing water with local wisdom and science
Across a narrow watershed in Asakura, a rural city in Fukuoka Prefecture, centuries-old stone channels still guide water through fields and into the river below. Today, those same systems are the focus ...
EU admits it cannot stop Sony killing physical discs – "companies are free to offer games and services in the manner that they see fit"
The EU confirms it cannot stop Sony from scrapping physical discs, stating "companies are free to offer games and services in the manner that they see fit".
Ryse: Son of Rome Is Now Just an Xbox One Memory, but in 2013 It Was Planned To Be an Era-Hopping Franchise To Rival Assassin’s Creed’s Global Ambition
Ryse: Son of Rome was originally planned to explore multiple eras, Assassin's Creed style, before critical and commercial failure sank Crytek and Xbox's ambition.
Notable Michigan leaders are moving up or moving on this summer
When it comes to the high-profile job carousel in our region, things have definitely been spinning.
Letters: Another Dodgers visit to White House draws criticism
Readers of the Los Angeles Times Sports section criticize the Dodgers' planned visit to the White House as well as the World Cup, Lakers and Angels.
John James responds to 'Nepo baby' and 'DEI Candidate' attacks
U.S. Rep. John James, R-Shelby Township, tried to fend off criticism from his opponents in the race for the Republican nomination for governor.
Thomasville artist series opens 89th season with Grammy winner
Season ticket packages are now available for Thomasville Entertainment Foundation’s 89th concert series opening in September with Heather Headley.
Half of Philly businesses aren’t complying with plastic bag laws, report says
The report finds that some businesses are still providing plastic bags, which were banned in 2021.
EU Says It's Powerless to Stop PlayStation From Killing Discs: 'Companies Are Free to Offer Games and Services in the Manner They See Fit'
As gamers sign online petitions and swarm upon each and every PlayStation social media post, the EU has said it’s powerless to actually stop Sony — and indeed any company — from killing discs.
GOP calls them 'communists.' Here's what democratic socialists believe
Democratic socialists like AOC and Zohran Mamdani have made inroads in some cities. Republicans call them communists but the ideologies differ.
Microsoft loses lawsuit after blocking hacked Xbox account with digital games
One gamer took extreme measures to restore access to his compromised Xbox account. The Brazilian user filed a lawsuit against Microsoft after it refused to unfreeze his digital library. A court ruled in the plaintiff’s favor, and the decline of physical games could lead to more legal challenges.
Nominate a local Las Vegas business for the Perspective Awards before July 31
Channel 13 and the Las Vegas Global Economic Alliance are teaming up to recognize local businesses at the Perspective Awards Dinner.
Pettit Reservoir in Silverton under health warning due to algae bloom
A health warning was issued for the Pettit Reservoir in Silverton on July 10 due to a toxic algae bloom that recently appeared.
Trump says he left instructions to 'bomb' Iran 'at levels' never seen if he is assassinated
Trump told the New York Post he left instructions to bomb Iran at unprecedented levels if Tehran succeeds in its assassination plot against him.
Anne Hathaway hopes that her kids grow up to be as ‘wonderful’ as this “Odyssey ”star
Hathaway is currently pregnant with her and husband Adam Shulman’s third child.
Anne Hathaway hopes that her kids grow up to be as ‘wonderful’ as this ‘Odyssey’ star
Anne Hathaway said that she hopes her children grow up to be as ‘wonderful’ as this castmate from ‘The Odyssey.’
MLB Fans Want Sports Gambling Banned After Bryce Harper Situation
Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper is making headlines this week for the wrong reasons. The Philadelphia Inquirer reported that a sports bettor by the name of Terry Thompson gambled $18.5 million with FanDuel and lost roughly $2 million of his money. He filed a lawsuit against the sportsbook, ...
Serco CEO is leaving to lead KBR spinoff
Serco CEO Michael LaRouche is leaving the company to lead the planned spinoff of KBR's Mission Technology Solutions business.
DC ‘bottle bill': Costs, recycling and what worries a business owner
“Without a bottle bill, plastic containers are everywhere, and we have to make that trash valuable so that people redeem it,” D.C. Councilmember Brianne Nadeau said.