THE SHOOTING GALLERY:  A Mormon megachurch was destroyed yesterday in Grand Blanc Township, Michigan after a man crashed his car into the building and opened fire. At least four people were killed, 8 wounded, and more victims may have been left inside the church. Seven people are unaccounted for.

  The attacker was killed in a gunfight with the police. Authorities say he set the church on fire with some sort of accelerant, probably gasoline. His pickup truck flew two large American flags from the bed.

  Some congregants said they heard a loud noise and thought the church’s steeple had fallen. They went outside and encountered a man firing a rifle.

  The gunman was identified as Thomas Jacob Sanford, 40, of nearby Burton, Michigan. Military records say he was a Marine Corps veteran deployed to Iraq from 2007 to 2008.

HIGH NOON: President Trump is expected to meet today with the four top congressional leaders in talks aimed at averting a funding cutoff and government shutdown starting at midnight tomorrow.

  Republicans are hoping to pass a temporary funding bill that keeps spending levels flat while the  Democrats are demanding an extension to Affordable Care Act health subsidies and reversal of cuts Republicans made to Medicaid and other health programs in President Trump’ “big Beautiful Bill.”

  Any bill needs to pass by 60 votes in the Senate, meaning seven Democrats would have to vote with the Republicans.

   Trump had initially refused to meet and the Democrats aren’t sure what to expect. “If the president at this meeting is going to rant, and just yell at Democrats, and talk about all his alleged grievances, and say this, that, and the other thing, we won’t get anything done,” said Senator Chuck Schumer of New York, the Democratic leader. 

THE DROPOUT: New York City’s Democratic mayor Eric Adams dropped out of his race for re-election yesterday, abandoning a floundering run as an independent. Adams has been presiding over one of the most notably corrupt administrations in New York history and lost the Democratic primary to Democratic-socialist Zohran Mamdani.

  Adams was under a federal in indictment until he was rescued by the Trump administration with the charges dropped in exchange for his cooperation with federal immigration sweeps.

  Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who left office in disgrace, is still in the race as an independent.

THE WAR ROOM: President Trump and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel are expected to meet today at the White House to talk about U.S.-backed plans for postwar Gaza. Leaders are still trying to negotiate an end to the war.

  The latest proposal is for Hamas to agree to a ceasefire and return all living hostages and remains of the dead within 48 hours. Hamas members who commit to peaceful coexistence with Israel would be granted amnesty, and those who want to leave would be guaranteed safe passage out of Gaza.

  Netanyahu says he will not consider Palestinian statehood.

THE REGIME:

— Trump declared on Saturday that he has directed troops to be sent to Portland, Oregon and authorized them to use “full force, if necessary” to put down protests at US Immigration and Customs Enforcement facilities.  Trump wrote that he was directing the Department of Defense to “provide all necessary Troops to protect War ravaged Portland.” 

  The President claimed that ICE facilities in Portland are “under siege from attack by Antifa, and other domestic terrorists.”

  Oregon’s Democratic Gov. Tina Kotek said; “We can manage our own local public safety needs. There is no insurrection. There is no threat to national security.” 

— The acting US attorney in Sacramento, California was fired after telling the Border Patrol chief in charge of immigration raids in California that a court order prohibited his agents from arresting people without probable cause in the Central Valley.

— As President Trump turns the White House into a gaudy sister of his Mar-a-Lago club, he posted the following on his Truth Social: “Some of the highest quality 24 Karat Gold used in the Oval Office and Cabinet Room of the White House. Foreign Leaders, and everyone else, ‘freak out’ when they see the quality and beauty. Best Oval Office ever, in terms of success and look!!! President DJT”

— The President is unhappy about the new, less violent, NFL kickoff. He posted, “Hard to watch the new NFL kickoff. It’s wrong on every level. They should end it, immediately. Bad for the game of football!”  

THE GREENS: Golf star Rory McIlroy is pushing back after being subjected to several days of heckling by spectators at the Ryder Cup, which the US lost to Europe.  “Look, I don’t think we should ever accept that in golf,” McIlroy said yesterday after won the competition. “I think golf should be held to a higher standard than what was seen out there this week. Golf has the ability to unite people. Golf teaches you very good life lessons. It teaches you etiquette. … It was a rough week for all of us.

THE SPIN RACK:  Fifty-eight million pounds of Hillshire Brands corn dogs have been recalled because there was wood in the batter. Also because there are corn dogs in the packaging. — Reggaeton star Bad Bunny will be the halftime entertainment at the 2026 Super Bowl. Earlier this year, Bad Bunny canceled his US tour, citing fears that ICE raids could affect his fans.

BELOW THE FOLD: President Trump bravely posted in his Truth Social feed, “MAKE CRIME ILLEGAL AGAIN!”

  Thus said the convicted felon.

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