Author: Rana McCallister

Fans poured into Dollywood and its surrounding town, meeting the news with quiet shock, flowers, and shared stories as the park and community absorbed the loss of Dolly Parton at 80. The scene in Pigeon Forge reflected a deep, personal connection between a performer and the place she helped shape, with visitors and staff responding in real time to the news. For many, the day felt like a farewell from a local daughter who grew into an international icon. Fans visiting Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, reacted Wednesday to the death of country music icon Dolly Parton at 80. That…

A Maryland judge has temporarily barred the state Board of Elections from distributing a ballot question that was linked to a statute already deemed invalid, putting the proposed measure on hold while the courts sort out whether the underlying legal basis holds up. The judge stepped in to block further action, issuing an injunction that halts any move to put the question before voters until the legal issues are resolved. An injunction is not a final ruling on the merits, but it does stop the immediate push to circulate the ballot language. That pause gives the court time to consider…

Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook pushed back in a late Wednesday letter, saying the Trump administration lacks any legal grounds to remove her from the Fed’s governing board, and the exchange has widened a debate about accountability and independence at the central bank. Federal Reserve governor Lisa Cook said the Trump administration has no legal basis to remove her from the central bank’s governing board in a letter late Wednesday responding to renewed threats. Her response landed squarely in the middle of a tense interaction between a sitting administration and an independent institution tasked with steering monetary policy. The move…

Dolly Parton’s life moved from a one-room cabin in East Tennessee to a national presence — a singer, entrepreneur, philanthropist and builder of projects that reshaped communities and reached children around the world. Dolly Parton grew up in a one-room cabin in the hills of East Tennessee as the fourth of twelve children, and poverty marked those early years. Her mother sewed her a school coat out of a box of rags, and when the other children laughed, Dolly turned the moment into a song. She named it after the coat Joseph’s father gives him in the Book of Genesis,…

Pakistani officials say talks with Iranian counterparts have moved forward on reviving the Islamabad memorandum of understanding, signaling cautious steps toward deeper engagement while public-facing diplomacy stays measured. Key Pakistani officials on Tuesday reported notable progress in efforts to revive the Islamabad memorandum of understanding after meeting several senior Iranian figures, and they framed the steps as pragmatic and careful rather than sweeping or unilateral. Public diplomacy between the two governments has remained restrained, with leaders focused on negotiating the technical details away from media spotlight. That mix of private momentum and public caution reflects how delicate these talks really…

Abdul El-Sayed and Vice President JD Vance traded sharp attacks after Vance criticized El-Sayed’s past comments on Sharia law, and El-Sayed replied by referencing Vance’s wife, touching off fresh accusations about race, religion, and personal attacks in the Michigan Senate contest. Vice President JD Vance recently took aim at Abdul El-Sayed over a prior argument El-Sayed made about criticisms of Sharia law being rooted in white supremacy. Vance used that line to argue the Democratic Party has drifted away from its working-class roots, invoking his grandfather to make a point about values and representation. The exchange stayed focused on a…

New Jersey’s new law on “interference with reproductive health care services” has raised alarms about whether ordinary prayer, counseling, or peaceful presence outside clinics could be treated as criminal or civil wrongdoing under vague language that targets intimidation and coercion. The measure, enacted as bill S2260/A2218 and signed Aug. 20 by Gov. Mikie Sherrill, defines “interference” in sweeping terms that include a “threat of force” that “intimidates, threatens, or coerces, or attempts to intimidate, threaten, or coerce” anyone seeking, providing, volunteering, or assisting with “reproductive health care.” The phrasing reaches beyond overt violence and could be interpreted to cover conduct…

The story follows the National Mall’s conversion into a temporary street racetrack and the conversations with the organizers, competitors, and officials who shaped that transformation. The National Mall is a place built for monuments and public gatherings, not for roaring engines, yet it was reshaped into a racetrack with careful planning and a lot of attention. Reporters Liam Griffin and Matt Delaney were on the ground as crews turned familiar lawns and walkways into barriers, stands, and pit areas. The project pulled together corporate teams, city agencies, and national preservation interests to make a high-profile motorsport event happen in the…

Ralph Norman has endorsed Darline Graham in the South Carolina Republican primary to fill the late Lindsey Graham’s U.S. Senate seat, a move that injects establishment weight into a contentious race shaped by family legacy, a presidential push, and questions about political experience. Ralph Norman’s backing of Darline Graham brings a sitting congressman’s clout to a primary already split across the state GOP. Norman represents South Carolina’s 5th District and has a reputation as a steady fiscal conservative in the House. His endorsement signals that some in the congressional delegation believe Darline can carry the party’s banner into the general…

The Trump administration released new rules to allow more accreditation options in higher education, a move tied to a view that accreditation is the “secret weapon” for controlling universities and a push to increase accountability and competition across colleges. The new regulations loosen the exclusive grip of a small group of accreditors and invite alternatives into the system that certifies colleges and universities. That shift is framed as a way to restore balance and give students and states more breathing room when choosing educational institutions. Supporters argue this will break monopolies that protect underperforming programs and ideological gatekeeping. Accreditation has…