A social media influencer in Arizona pleaded guilty to criminal impersonation after pretending to be a worker at several businesses and causing disruptions. The influencer, known as Heston James Cobb, made viral prank videos that involved entering employee-only areas and refusing to leave when asked.
Key Facts
Heston James Cobb admitted to criminal impersonation in Phoenix suburb businesses.
He posed as employees and organized chaotic takeovers shown in viral videos.
Police arrested him in July 2025 after investigating these incidents.
One prank involved Cobb wearing a Chipotle shirt and leading others to disrupt the restaurant.
The videos gained millions of views and likely made a lot of money.
The Arizona Restaurant Association hopes Cobb receives a strong punishment.
Experts say this case shows influencers must follow real-world laws when creating content.
Influencer pranks that break laws can cause serious legal trouble.
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The article offers six simple tips to help parents and children adjust smoothly to returning to school after summer break. Experts and parents recommend keeping a steady morning routine, using a family calendar, asking children easy questions about their day, and preparing kids for school ahead of time to reduce stress.
Key Facts
Children in Scotland started school in mid-August; children in England, Wales, and Northern Ireland will start in early September.
A consistent morning routine helps families stay organized and relaxed before school.
Preparing school bags, uniforms, and lunch the night before saves time in the morning.
Using a family calendar to track events like non-uniform days and exams helps parents remember important dates.
Asking children open-ended questions like “What made you smile today?” can encourage them to talk about their day.
Pick-up time can be emotional for young children, seen as a normal part of separation from parents.
Parents should introduce school routines to younger children before their first day to make the transition easier.
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A South Carolina police officer, Christopher DeLong, died and another officer was injured during a shooting after responding to a domestic dispute call. The suspect, Adam Tyler Dowdy, who had a long criminal record, was also killed in the gunfight.
Key Facts
Officers were called to a home about a man destroying property; the woman had a restraining order against him.
Officer DeLong found the suspect had left but saw a man matching the description near a vehicle.
Officer Dymock arrived as backup, and shortly after they were both shot.
Officer DeLong, 29 years old with two years on the force, died; Officer Dymock was in stable condition.
The suspect, 33-year-old Adam Tyler Dowdy, had prior arrests in multiple states for various offenses.
The South Carolina Law Enforcement Division is investigating the shooting.
DeLong left behind a wife and two young children.
Police Chief Holbrook expressed support for the officers and the department during the difficult time.
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Rep. Joyce Beatty said on Saturday that legal challenges might prevent President Trump’s administration from demolishing the Kennedy Center. President Trump’s team recently suggested tearing down the building as an option, but Beatty, who serves on the center’s board, has worked against those plans.
Key Facts
President Trump’s administration mentioned the possibility of demolishing the Kennedy Center.
Rep. Joyce Beatty is an ex officio member of the Kennedy Center’s board.
Beatty has opposed the proposed changes to the Kennedy Center by President Trump’s administration.
Beatty believes ongoing legal battles could stop the demolition.
The Kennedy Center is a key cultural landmark in the United States.
Discussions about the center’s future have drawn political and public attention recently.
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The U.S. government deported dozens of people, including an Afghan man whose family helped the U.S. military, to the Central African Republic. The Afghan man had legal protection from being sent back to Afghanistan due to fear of Taliban persecution, but was still deported as part of U.S. immigration enforcement.
Key Facts
An Afghan man in his early twenties was deported from the U.S. to the Central African Republic.
He was protected by a U.S. judge from deportation to Afghanistan because of threats from the Taliban.
His brothers worked with the U.S. military; one was a pilot trained by the U.S. and killed by the Taliban.
The deportation flight included people from Afghanistan, Iran, Nepal, and Nicaragua.
The U.S. has deported thousands of people to countries that are not their own under secret agreements.
Advocates say this method is used to indirectly send asylum seekers back to dangerous countries.
This was the second flight sending migrants to the Central African Republic since June 2023.
The deportations are part of the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown.
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Gabriel Perez, a former White House teleprompter operator, will pay $172,000 to settle charges for betting on President Donald Trump’s speeches using insider information. The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) found that Perez made over $100,000 by trading on speech content he knew about before the public.
Key Facts
Gabriel Perez worked as a teleprompter operator at the White House since 2016.
He placed bets on prediction markets about words President Trump would say in speeches.
Perez had early access to Trump’s speech texts before they were delivered.
He earned more than $107,500 in profits by betting on more than a dozen Trump speeches.
The CFTC ordered Perez to return his winnings and pay a $65,000 penalty.
Perez is banned from trading for three years as part of the settlement.
The penalty was reduced because Perez cooperated well with the investigation.
The White House has ethics rules forbidding staff from using insider information for betting.
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A police officer in Columbia, South Carolina, died and another officer was injured during a shooting at a park. The suspect also died, and the injured officer is in stable condition.
Key Facts
The shooting happened when two officers responded to a domestic dispute call.
The deceased officer was 29 years old and had worked for the police for two years.
The injured officer was wounded during a gunfight and is now stable.
The suspect was a 33-year-old man with a long criminal record and also died.
Columbia Police Chief W.H. “Skip” Holbrook gave the information at a news conference.
The deceased officer leaves behind a wife and two young children.
More information and briefings will be provided later.
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Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan, apologized for comments he made after a March attack on a synagogue. He said his words were misunderstood and that he did not mean to justify the attack.
Key Facts
El-Sayed spoke at a party convention in Lansing and apologized to the Jewish Democratic Caucus in Michigan.
His original comments linked the synagogue attack to Israeli actions in the Middle East.
The attack involved a man ramming his car into Temple Israel synagogue and shooting a security guard before dying by suicide.
The attacker had lost relatives in an Israeli airstrike on Lebanon the week before.
Critics said El-Sayed's comments seemed to excuse the attack, which he denied.
El-Sayed said he was trying to explain why the attack happened but acknowledged it was not the right time for that.
He previously won a bitter Democratic primary against U.S. Rep. Haley Stevens.
El-Sayed faces Republican Mike Rogers in the Senate race, which will influence control of the Senate.
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Michigan Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed apologized to Jewish Democrats for comments he made after a March attack on a synagogue. The apology comes amid a tight Senate race against Republican Mike Rogers, which could influence control of the Senate after the 2026 midterm elections.
Key Facts
Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan.
He apologized for comments made after a March attack on Temple Israel, a synagogue in West Bloomfield, Michigan.
The attacker, Ayman Ghazali, drove into the synagogue and was inspired by Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militant group.
Ghazali threatened to kill many people in a video recorded before the attack.
El-Sayed said “hurt people hurt people” after the attack, which some Jewish leaders and Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel criticized as excusing the attacker.
El-Sayed later said he made a mistake by not stopping after condemning the attack and apologized for causing pain.
The Senate race in Michigan is competitive and important for control of the Senate after 2026.
El-Sayed is trying to maintain support from progressives, Arab Americans, Muslims, and Jewish Democrats while appealing to independents.
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President Donald Trump said that gas prices will go down because of a new deal. However, a war involving Iran is causing the cost of diesel fuel to rise, which affects the price of fuel for school buses.
Key Facts
President Donald Trump announced a new deal expected to lower gas prices.
There is ongoing conflict involving Iran that is increasing diesel fuel costs.
Higher diesel prices are making it more expensive to fuel school buses.
The news was reported on CBS Weekend News on August 29.
Changes in fuel prices have a direct impact on everyday costs like transportation for schools.
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Abdul El-Sayed, the Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate in Michigan, apologized for comments he made after a March attack on a synagogue. He said his remarks were misunderstood and did not intend to justify the violence.
Key Facts
Abdul El-Sayed is the Democratic nominee for U.S. Senate in Michigan.
He apologized to the Michigan Jewish Democratic Caucus for his earlier comments about a synagogue attack.
The attack occurred in March when a man rammed a car into Temple Israel synagogue and shot a security guard before dying by suicide.
The attacker lost family members in an Israeli airstrike prior to the attack.
El-Sayed said his phrase “hurt people hurt people” was meant to provide context, not justify the attack.
Critics accused El-Sayed of defending the attacker’s actions.
El-Sayed wants to move past this controversy ahead of the Senate race against Republican Mike Rogers.
This race is important for determining control of the U.S. Senate.
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The midterm elections in the United States are approaching, and some areas that usually support Republicans are becoming more competitive. This is partly because of disagreements about President Trump’s economic plans. Democrats aim to win key states to take back control of Congress.
Key Facts
The midterm elections happen in November.
Some Republican seats, once considered safe, are now contested.
President Trump’s economic policies are causing tension within the Republican Party.
Democrats want to win several important battleground states.
The goal for Democrats is to regain the majority in Congress.
Senate races in states like Texas are closely watched.
Political competition is increasing ahead of the elections.
Both parties are focusing heavily on these key races.
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A Virginia student, Bethany Hall, has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to overturn a 2004 ruling that allows states to deny public scholarships to students studying ministry or theology. The case challenges whether states can exclude such students from financial aid without violating the First Amendment, which protects religious freedom.
Key Facts
The 2004 Supreme Court case Locke v. Davey allowed states to withhold scholarships from students studying devotional theology.
Bethany Hall, a student at Liberty University, lost her Virginia Tuition Assistance Grant after changing her major to ministry-related fields.
Hall argues that excluding her from the scholarship violates the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment.
Lower courts ruled against Hall, citing the Locke decision.
The Supreme Court has recently expanded protections for religious freedom.
If the Supreme Court agrees to hear Hall’s case, it could change scholarship rules in several states.
Justice Clarence Thomas disagreed with the Locke ruling and may support overturning it.
The case could affect how public money is used for religious education in the future.
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A federal judge in California ruled that the U.S. government cannot deport international students for criticizing Israel or supporting Palestinians, as this violates their First Amendment right to free speech. The judge blocked parts of the Trump administration’s policy that threatened deportation for political speech on college campuses.
Key Facts
Judge Noël Wise ruled that deporting noncitizens for their political views violates the First and Fifth Amendments.
The case involves international students at Stanford University who feared deportation for expressing opinions about Israel and Palestine.
The ruling supports a previous decision from Boston that found similar government actions unconstitutional.
The judge emphasized that free speech, including criticism of the government, is essential to democracy.
The ruling mentions retaliation by immigration authorities against people supporting Palestinians or criticizing Israel.
The Stanford Daily’s international student reporters had stopped or limited their work due to fear of deportation.
The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression helped bring the lawsuit and praised the ruling.
The U.S. Justice Department did not comment on the decision at the time of the report.
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Karoline Leavitt finished her last day as White House press secretary. She plans to continue working closely with President Trump and the Republican Party as they prepare for upcoming elections.
Key Facts
Karoline Leavitt ended her role as White House press secretary on Thursday.
She announced her departure earlier in the month to spend more time with her family.
Leavitt is expected to stay involved with President Trump’s team.
Republicans are working to keep their majorities in Congress.
Leavitt will likely help the party with communication during the election period.
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Florida’s Attorney General James Uthmeier and the state’s Catholic bishops disagree on vaccine exemption rules in Catholic schools. Uthmeier says schools getting state funds must allow religious vaccine exemptions, while the bishops say the government cannot control how the Church interprets its own religious rules.
Key Facts
The dispute involves Catholic schools in Florida that take taxpayer-funded vouchers and scholarships.
Attorney General Uthmeier argues state law requires schools to grant religious vaccine exemptions.
Florida Catholic bishops say the government cannot tell the Church how to apply its religious teachings.
Uthmeier believes Church teachings do not forbid vaccine objections based on fetal cell lines.
The bishops oppose religious exemptions for vaccines and follow Vatican guidance that vaccines using fetal cells are morally allowed.
Florida dioceses generally accept medical but not religious vaccine exemptions in their schools.
The disagreement highlights tensions between state authority, religious freedom, and vaccine policy.
Florida has some of the nation’s most vaccine-skeptical policies led by Governor Ron DeSantis.
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Tennessee Governor Bill Lee supports renaming Nashville’s international airport after country singer Dolly Parton, who recently passed away at age 80. The proposal aims to honor her legacy and will be discussed at a meeting of the local airport authority.
Key Facts
Dolly Parton died at age 80 three days before the announcement.
Governor Bill Lee and airport managers want to create a lasting tribute by renaming the Nashville airport after Parton.
Parton lived in Nashville, Tennessee, where the airport is located.
The Metropolitan Nashville Airport Authority will discuss the proposal on September 17.
A petition to rename the airport after Parton has over 150,000 signatures.
Dolly Parton requested a private funeral and will be buried next to her husband at Woodlawn Memorial Park in Nashville.
The Nashville mayor said the airport name change is just the start of several planned tributes to Parton, including a hotel and museum called SongTeller.
Palm Beach airport was recently renamed for President Donald Trump, showing a trend of airports being named after well-known figures.
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The Los Angeles Police Department released body-camera videos showing officers restraining and using force on Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz, who was handcuffed before being found dead in a jail cell in July. Hoyoz-Munoz was arrested after allegedly injuring family members with a knife, and the footage also shows another police shooting of a man in a separate incident.
Key Facts
Jose Carlos Hoyoz-Munoz, 58, was found unconscious and later died in a Van Nuys jail cell on July 15.
Body-cam videos show officers pinning, restraining, and placing a spit hood on him after he was handcuffed.
Officers used physical force multiple times, describing his behavior as combative and resistant.
Hoyoz-Munoz was arrested on July 13 for allegedly stabbing two relatives during an assault.
A standoff with police ended with Hoyoz-Munoz found kneeling and speaking about religion.
The LAPD also released video of the fatal shooting of Alejandro Luis Garcia, 33, who had damaged car windows with a baseball bat.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass called for an independent review of police-involved deaths, especially involving people with mental health crises.
The mayor emphasized the need to assess police policies, training, and accountability in handling behavioral health emergencies.
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President Donald Trump announced a deal giving the United States access to large oil reserves in Venezuela. The deal follows a U.S. military operation that captured Venezuela’s then-President Nicolás Maduro and brought him to the U.S. on drug charges.
Key Facts
President Trump described the agreement as "THE BIGGEST OIL DEAL IN WORLD HISTORY."
The deal gives the U.S. a stake in Venezuela’s extensive oil reserves.
American forces captured Nicolás Maduro during a nighttime raid in January.
Maduro is facing federal drug trafficking charges in New York.
The announcement came mainly through a social media post by President Trump.
The White House has provided little additional information about the deal so far.
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Lindsay Clancy is on trial for killing her children, a case compared to Andrea Yates’ 2001 trial where she was found not guilty by reason of insanity after drowning her five children. Both cases involve mothers with serious mental illness, but they happened in different times with different public awareness and treatment options for postpartum psychiatric disorders.
Key Facts
Lindsay Clancy’s murder trial is renewing discussion about mental illness and violent crime in mothers.
Andrea Yates drowned her five children in 2001 and was found not guilty by reason of insanity due to severe postpartum psychosis.
Postpartum psychosis is a rare but severe illness that usually starts soon after childbirth with symptoms like insomnia and mood swings.
Since Yates’ case, public awareness and medical understanding of postpartum psychiatric disorders have grown a lot.
Both cases highlight challenges in the mental health system but reflect different eras of treatment and awareness.
Experts say early signs of postpartum psychosis can be subtle and may be hard to distinguish from normal postpartum changes.
The case raises questions about whether better awareness and treatment really prevent tragedies like these.
Legal and medical systems must balance understanding mental illness with addressing violent crimes.
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