Photo: Science Photo Library RF
1 Firefighters Ambushed While Responding To Idaho Fire, At Least Two Killed
The suspected shooter who allegedly killed two Idaho firefighters and injured at least one other was found dead with a weapon in Idaho late last night. First responder crews were pinned down for hours when a hidden gunman opened fire as they fought a blaze on Canfield Mountain, just north of Coeur d’Alene yesterday. Teams first reached the fire about 1:30 p.m.; rifle shots rang out roughly 30 minutes later, forcing deputies to return fire while helicopters and engines pulled back. Sheriff Bob Norris told reporters the sniper appeared to be using rugged, brush-covered slopes for cover and showed no sign of surrender. Sheriff Bob Norris said, "Based on the preliminary information, we believe that was the only shooter up on that mountain at that time. There is no threat to the community at this time." Gov. Brad Little called the ambush “heinous” and asked residents to pray for the victims’ families. The sheriff said they don't know yet if the dead man shot himself or what his reasons might have been for attacking the first responders. Coeur d’Alene, a city of about 55,000 near the Washington border, has never seen a first-responder attack of this scale.
2 After 16 Hours Of Reading The "One Big, Beautiful Bill" Out Loud, A Possible 20 Hours Of Debate Started In The Senate
Senators worked through Sunday on President Trump’s huge tax-and-spending plan, hoping to pass it Monday ahead of a self-set July 4 deadline. The House-passed bill boosts money for border security, defense, and energy projects but trims Medicaid and food aid. The Congressional Budget Office now says it would add about $3.3 trillion to the deficit over ten years. After a late-night procedural win, Republicans began 20 hours of formal debate, while Democrats stalled progress by forcing clerks to read the entire text, a 16-hour slog. When debate ends, a marathon “vote-a-rama” of amendment votes will follow. With a 53-seat majority, GOP leaders can lose only three members before needing Vice President JD Vance to break a tie, so last-minute deal-making continues.
3 President Trump Expected To Visit "Alligator Alcatraz" Tomorrow
President Trump is expected to visit the formal opening tomorrow of a new immigration detention center in the Florida Everglades called "Alligator Alcatraz." The facility was built on land that Gov. Ron DeSantis took using emergency powers from a little-used Miami-Dade County airstrip. The state built the detention center in about one week, with help from DeSantis' former chief of staff James Uthmeier. The facility will have 5,000 beds for undocumented migrants and cost $450 million per year to run. The Department of Homeland Security approved it and will likely pay back some of the costs. Environmental groups sued Friday to stop the plan, saying it could hurt the Everglades and the endangered Florida panther. Hundreds of protesters gathered Saturday against the facility. The center sits on land that's more than 96% wetlands and is surrounded by Big Cypress National Preserve. DeSantis and the Republican Party of Florida are raising money and selling merchandise based on the facility's nickname.