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The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office posted on Facebook asking for help looking for the suspect who is believed to be on foot. They said he is a white man last seen wearing a gray shirt and blue jeans, considered armed and dangerous.

Officials said that the burglary happened near 3380 Road and 880 Road, almost seven miles northwest of Chandler near Bell Cow Lake.

The original call came in around 5 p.m. when police reported they were looking for two suspects thought to be armed.

Around 8 p.m. the Lincoln County Sheriff's Office Facebook page reported that one person of interest was detained but was still searching for a suspect.

Officials said that if anyone has information then they are asked to call Lincoln County Communications at 405-258-9933.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said at about 11:20 p.m. Saturday, deputies were called to Deeson Road in Lakeland for a shooting. Investigators said the victim went to a nearby property and met with suspect Shannon Owens, 31, of Winter Haven.

A gunshot was heard in the area shortly after the two individuals met, according to the sheriff's office. Several witnesses saw Owens trying to remove the victim's body — which had an upper body gunshot wound, the sheriff's office said.

Detectives said the witnesses detained Owens until first responders got to the scene.

"I commend the work of our deputies and detectives who worked hard to determine what happened and hold the person responsible for this murder accountable," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said.

Deputies said Owens faces charges of second-degree murder, felon in possession of a firearm, and several out-of-county warrants. Authorities did not release the victim's name but said the investigation is still open and active.

Josephine Wright has faced a lengthy battle with the Bailey Point Investment Group, a Georgia-based firm that wants to construct a 147-unit neighborhood behind her home on Hilton Head Island in South Carolina.

She claims the company is trying to force her to sell her land by using harassment tactics and a “frivolous lawsuit." Wright said the 1.8-acre parcel of land she owns has been in her family since just after the Civil War. Because of its rich history, Wright doesn't want to give it up.

She previously said that Bailey Point offered to buy her piece of land after the company got approval from the town to develop 29 acres behind her home. After she declined their offer, Wright said the developers started harassing her and eventually filed a lawsuit.

The company alleged in the suit that a corner of her screened-in porch, a shed and a satellite dish encroach on the construction project, the Associate Press reported in August.

Some celebrities have supported Wright throughout this ordeal, including Tyler Perry, who has stepped up to build her a five-bedroom house.

Nexstar's WSAV spoke to her family on Tuesday, and they verified that they have been talking to Perry for a while now about the new house -- which will be built on Wright's land and ultimately replace the current home she and her grandkids live in.

Perry came to Wright's defense back in June when he found out about her legal battle with the Bailey Point Investment Group. The actor-director posted a WSAV story on his Instagram with the following caption: "'I’ve pretty much been a fighter all my life,’ said 93-year-old Josephine Wright. Well, that makes two of us. Ms. Wright, please tell [me] where to show up and what you need to help you fight."

His construction crew is expected to begin breaking ground on the home in the forthcoming weeks once all the permits are rectified.

This does not change anything with the lawsuit and property dispute as of now.

At around 11 a.m. Tuesday, authorities responded to the incident along the Silverado Trail in Napa County.

Based on their investigation, the Napa County Sheriff's Office determined the cyclists, identified as Christian Deaton, 52, and Michelle Deaton, 48, were biking north on the roadway when a flatbed truck carrying lumber approached them.

The lumber shifted, striking both cyclists.

Christian Deaton was pronounced deceased at the scene. Michelle Deaton was taken to Queen of the Valley Medical Center where she succumbed to her injuries, the California Highway Patrol said.

The Deatons were visiting from Portland, Oregon, according to the Napa County Sheriff's Office.

"Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Michelle and Christian Deaton, two bicyclists who were visiting from Portland, Oregon, and were killed yesterday while riding on Silverado Trail," said the Napa County Bicycle Coalition in a statement. "This enormous, preventable loss is sitting heavy in our hearts and minds, as we know it is for those who ride locally and work towards safer streets. Living here, riding here, and visiting here should be safe for all road users, and we are incredibly saddened that the Deatons were not kept safe."

The driver of the truck, a 55-year-old Vallejo man, remained at the scene and cooperated with officers. The cause of the collision remains under investigation.

A group of researchers at Durham University in the UK examined how gender, facial expressions, and video backdrops influence first impressions online.

Their study, published Sept. 27 in the journal Plos One, noted that the way people meet in professional settings is changing as digital platforms like Zoom and Teams grow in popularity thanks, in part, to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

While you should still dress appropriately during these virtual calls, your clothes are not the only thing colleagues might be looking at. What's on your screen also matters.

“It gives off information about all sorts of stuff -- about how you live, your socioeconomic status, your confidence, your cleanliness levels. These are all things you’re presenting to someone else as a first impression," lead researcher Paddy Ross, told Nexstar. "That’s why we say it’s like the new business suit because it really is as important as that from a presentation point of view."

Ross and his team collected 72 images of 36 people from a photo database. The photos showed each person with either happy or neutral facial expressions. The researchers then superimposed these faces over different virtual backgrounds and edited a Zoom border around them to simulate a videoconferencing call.

The six backgrounds selected for the study included a living room, a blurred version of the same living room, a bookcase, house plants, a blank wall, and a novelty background — which, in this instance, was a walrus on an iceberg.

Then, 167 participants, aged between 19 and 68, completed an online survey about how trustworthy each person pictured seemed to be. Faces with books or plants behind them scored the highest in terms of trustworthiness, followed by the blurred living room and the blank wall. The regular living room and novelty backgrounds were rated least favorably.

"Just showing your living room or a novelty background actually significantly reduced the ratings of trust and competence," Ross said. "We found that just by blurring the living room, it actually raised trust and competence ratings."

Ross, who is also an associate psychology professor at Durham University, said he thought the blurred background would have ranked even lower — but the results surprised him.

"We didn’t find that at all," Ross said. "We actually found that it raised it, and it could just be that it gives the impression that someone has actually put a bit of thought into what they’re presenting.”

When it came to expressions, participants viewed happy faces as more trustworthy than neutral faces. Researchers said this could be because smiling may signal confidence, high self-esteem, and success. As for gender, the women pictured gave off better first impressions than the men overall.

"Female faces were also rated as more trustworthy and more competent, regardless of the background they were using,” the study's authors wrote, adding that more research is needed to address this particular finding.

Ross also said there were some limitations to the study, one being the faces used were not pre-screened on attractiveness, which can influence first impressions. The team also used still images for controllability — researchers didn't want things like tone of voice to impact results — but there are plans to incorporate videos into future research. Next, Ross said he wants to analyze how video backgrounds can affect virtual job interviews.

"What we're going to be doing is shifting away from first impressions and looking more into real-life decisions, hiring decisions," Ross said. "These are things that affect people's livelihoods, their opportunity. And if there is an unconscious bias for backgrounds, then it's something that people need to be trained in."

“If a house looks grubby, is the person literally less likely to get hired than someone who lives in a more affluent-looking house? That would not be very good, but part of me wonders whether that will actually be the case,” Ross added.

Regardless of your opinions toward it, you're likely seeing it on grocery store shelves ahead of Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Before it became the candy corn you've come to love (or hate), the controversial candy had a different reputation.

The beginning of candy corn

George Renniger at Wunderlee Candy Co. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has been thought to be the original creator of the treat. While it's said Renniger created the candy in the 1880s, there is no physical proof of it.

Around 1898, Jelly Belly, then known as Goelitz Confectionery Company, began making candy corn inside of their factory in Cincinnati, Ohio. Jelly Belly is said to be the company that has been making the treat the longest.

The company still uses the original recipe to create the tri-color candy.

The name was...what?

Candy corn was originally called "chicken feed," and its target audience was agricultural and rural families.

It was difficult to make - more on that in a moment.

Because of the tedious work, 'chicken feed' was reportedly only available between March and November. It would ultimately become a fall-time treat (though there are different varieties for other holidays as well).

Treat-making process

The orange, white and yellow-colored treat was originally made by hand.

"In order to make a tri-color kernel, a candy-maker, called a 'runner,' made three separate passes with 10 pounds of hot steaming fondant depositing a little bit of candy at just the right rate into cornstarch molded with the kernel shape," Jelly Belly explains.

"These passes required great strength and endurance since the runner had to lift and carry the big buckets called "stringers" of hot cooked candy which appears to come out of the bottom of the bucket in "strings."

The "same essential manner" is still used today to make the candy, but a machine does the work.

While Better Homes & Gardens reports over 17,000 tons of candy corn are created each year, Jelly Belly claims nine billion kernels are sold per year.

Consumers are able to purchase candy corn to celebrate different seasons and holidays, like Reindeer Corn around Christmas and Cupid Corn for Valentine's Day.

If you do enjoy the treat, National Candy Corn Day is celebrated on Monday, Oct. 30.

Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis (D) late this week secured plea deals from Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, the highest-profile defendants to flip so far in the sprawling racketeering case. Both agreed to testify truthfully against their co-defendants, including Trump.

Legal experts said they weren’t surprised by the deals, arguing they would increase the legal jeopardy facing other defendants and raise the pressure for them to also consider taking plea deals.

“The real import of this plea is the signal it sends to the other defendants,” said Chris Mattei, a former federal prosecutor.

“Number one, that your time is running out for you to cooperate, because as cooperators come in and plead guilty, the prosecution continues to build its case and may not have a need to cooperate with other individuals,” he continued.

The duo’s plea deals came on the eve of their trial, which was scheduled to begin next week. Powell accepted a plea agreement on Thursday, and Chesebro followed suit one day later. The first group of jurors was already summoned to the courthouse.

The pleas followed another one weeks earlier from Scott Hall, a former bail bondsman. 

Hall and Powell were charged over an election office breach in Coffee County, Ga. But Powell notably played a broader role in Trump’s orbit, serving as a key member of his legal team following the 2020 election.

Powell frequently promoted conspiracy theories about voting machines and foreign interference in court filings and media appearances. The Trump campaign ultimately distanced itself from Powell, who continued to independently file election lawsuits. 

“There's a whole number of people that she was dealing with who you would expect she would be able to offer testimony against, including Rudy Giuliani and others,” Mattei said.

The indictment notes Powell’s participation at a Nov. 19, 2020, press conference alongside Giuliani and Jenna Ellis, both former Trump attorneys who are also charged in Georgia. Ellis described the group as an “elite strike force team” to reporters that day. 

Ellis reacted to Powell's deal on X, formerly known as Twitter, reposting a conservative lawyer, who wrote prosecutors “overcharged and they knew it.”

Prosecutors’ indictment also notes Powell’s attendance at a Dec. 18, 2020, White House meeting with Trump, Giuliani and others, during which plans were discussed to seize voting equipment and appoint Powell as special counsel. 

Testimony from several participants suggests the meeting went on for hours, including cursing and yelling at times as White House staffers pushed back against the unfounded fraud claims being advanced by Powell and several others. Axios dubbed it the “craziest meeting” to take place in the Trump White House.

“I think anytime a co-defendant pleads and makes a deal with a prosecutor to testify against co-defendants, that there is potential jeopardy for all of them,” said Gwen Keyes Fleming, who served as district attorney in DeKalb County, Ga.

Fleming added, “We'll have to see what type of witness she is on the stand.”

Like Powell, Chesebro also played a key role following the 2020 election, writing a series of memos devising the Trump campaign’s alternate electors strategy.

The indictment lays out various alleged emails between Chesebro and other charged lawyers, like Giuliani and John Eastman. Three individuals who signed the Electoral College documents in Georgia also face charges.

“It doesn't bode well for those at the top of the chain, like Trump and Giuliani, given that these are two individuals, who based on what we know, were sort of part of that inner circle,” said Anna Cominsky, director of New York Law School's Criminal Defense Clinic.

Both originally faced seven felonies, but Powell instead pleaded guilty to six misdemeanors and Chesebro pleaded guilty to one of his original felony counts.

By doing so, they will avoid a conviction under Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act, which accuses all the defendants of entering an unlawful conspiracy to keep Trump in power and forms the basis of the indictment.

Steve Sadow, Trump’s lead counsel in the case, brushed off Chesebro’s plea.

“It appears to me that the guilty plea to count 15 of the Fulton County indictment was the result of pressure by Fani Willis and her team and the prosecution’s looming threat of prison time,” Sadow said in a statement. 

“However, it is very important for everyone to note that the RICO charge and every other count was dismissed. Once again, I fully expect that truthful testimony would be favorable to my defense strategy.”

Although they face no other criminal charges as of now, Chesebro and Powell are seemingly referenced in charging documents in Trump’s federal election case in D.C. as unindicted co-conspirators.

Powell also still faces legal jeopardy from two defamation lawsuits from voting equipment companies Smartmatic and Dominion. Citing her criminal prosecution, Powell sought to delay both civil lawsuits.

In Georgia, a trial date for Trump and the 15 others is not yet set but is not expected until at least next year — all while Trump continues his White House bid as the frontrunner in the GOP presidential primary. 

Cominsky said the plea agreements leave Trump’s attorneys without the advantage of seeing the duo’s trial, which would’ve enabled his legal team to see prosecutors’ theory of the case and gather impeaching material before facing a jury themselves.

“I don't think anyone should expect Trump or Giuliani to be pleading guilty anytime soon,” Cominsky said. “I think that you should expect them to take these cases to trial and that all of these pleas are not going to change the fact that, in my estimation, they will definitely go full force.”

Mikayla Cowling, who plays for VBW Arka Gdynia, was attacked late Wednesday in a music club in Gdansk, a city in northern Poland, according to the RMF FM broadcaster, which also quoted the club saying the “brutal beating” left her with a fractured eye socket, among other injuries.

Gdansk is a neighboring city to Gdynia on the Baltic coast.

“I am outraged that such a shameful situation has occurred. Violence and aggression are unacceptable and must be opposed,” Gdynia Mayor Wojciech Szczurek said Sunday on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Fortunately, the police quickly caught the attacker. We wish the player good health!”

The attack happened after a EuroCup women’s match where the Gdynia team defeated rivals from Switzerland, BCF Elfic Fribourg, 77-47.

The president of the Gdynia club, Boguslaw Witkowski, said in an interview with the Polish state news agency PAP that the player was attacked near the women's restroom by a security guard.

Cowling was hit several times on the head, and when she fell, she was also kicked. The most serious injury was to her face and the athlete has a fractured orbital bone, he said. He added that she is at home under observation and will have additional tests next week.

PAP also quoted a police spokesperson who said the attacker, a 48-year-old man, was arrested on Friday.

Cowling, of Benicia, California, played with the University of California, Berkeley Golden Bears from 2014-15 through 2017-18. She was drafted 33rd overall in the 2018 WNBA Draft by the Connecticut Sun.

She went on to sign a contract with the Atlanta Dream before playing in France, Greece, Turkey, Israel, New Zealand, and now Poland.

"What we're seeing is a prospect of a significant escalation of attacks on our troops and our people throughout the region," Austin said on ABC's "This Week." "And because of that, we're going to do what's necessary to make sure that our troops are in that position and they were protected and that we have the ability to respond."

He also said that upping the military presence in the region will "send another message to those who would who would seek to widen this conflict." In response to potential attacks from Hezbollah in Lebanon and from Iran, the administration has told any other groups seeking to get involved "don't."

"If any group or any country is looking to widen this conflict and take advantage of this very unfortunate situation that we see. Our advice is don't," he said. "We maintain the right to defend ourselves and we won't hesitate to take the appropriate action."

The United States announced plans to ramp up its military presence in the Middle East as an act of deterrence amid the ongoing fighting between Israel and the militant group Hamas on Saturday. Austin said in the announcement that he redirected the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower Strike Group to join the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, which is currently stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

He said in the Saturday announcement that the U.S. will deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense battery in addition to Patriot battalions that will “increase force protection for U.S. forces.” He also said that he ordered more troops to prepare for deployment orders.

The U.S. has vowed to back Israel in its war against the militant group Hamas, which launched an unprecedented, deadly attack on Israel on Oct. 7 that prompted Israel to declare war on the group and launch a series of airstrikes targeting the group’s hotspots. The U.S. has designated Hamas as a terrorist organization.

Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson, 52, was found dead at his Hagerstown home Thursday night after a reported shooting, the Washington County Sheriff's Office said on Friday. Deputies found Wilkinson in the driveway with apparent gunshot wounds. He was taken to an area hospital, where he later died, according to Nexstar's WDVM.

Wilkinson's wife and son were in the home at the time of the shooting.

The sheriff's office said they are “actively working” to apprehend Pedro Manuel Argote, 49, of Frederick, Maryland, for the “targeted attack” of Wilkinson.

The online court system for the Washington County Circuit Court showed that Argote had a divorce case before Wilkinson and that a hearing took place earlier in the day on Thursday. Washington County Sheriff Brian Albert said Wilkinson gave custody of Argote’s children to the Argote’s wife. Argote, himself, was not at the hearing.

In his initial court filing, Argote accused his wife of neglecting her homeschooling responsibilities and failing to properly supervise the children. But she filed a countercomplaint, accusing Argote of “cruel treatment” and saying she couldn’t support herself financially.

Days later, his wife requested a protective order, saying he was harassing her via text, controlling her every move, threatening to abuse their daughter and making false accusations against her.

A judge granted a temporary protective order — which included a directive for Argote to surrender his firearms — but it was dismissed weeks later at the wife's request, court records show.

Argote's children — ages 12, 11, 5, and 3 — and their mother are in protective custody as the search for Argote continues, authorities said Saturday night.

According to the U.S. Marshal Service, Argote has ties to Brooklyn and Long Island, New York; Tampa and Clearwater, Florida; Columbus, Indiana; and North Carolina. 

On Saturday, the SUV Argote was believed to be driving was found in a wooded area in Williamsport, Maryland, roughly 11 miles outside Hagerstown along the West Virginia border.

The U.S. Marshals Service is offering a reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to Argote’s arrest. Argote should be considered armed and dangerous, authorities said.

Anyone with information is urged to contact the U.S. Marshals at 1-877-WANTED2.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

In 2022 alone, “at least” 7,508 people were killed after being struck by drivers in the U.S., according to government data analyzed by the Governors Highway Safety Administration (GHSA), a nonprofit group representing highway safety departments across the country.

The actual number is likely closer to 7,600, the GHSA said, noting that Oklahoma was unable to provide data for 2022 traffic fatalities.

“GHSA has been doing this study for a number of years, about a decade or so,” Adam Snider, the director of communications at the GHSA, told Nexstar. “And the bottom line is, it’s getting more and more dangerous to be a pedestrian on America’s streets.

Between 2010 and 2021, for instance, the number of pedestrians killed after being struck by a vehicle increased by 77%, while all other traffic-related deaths (multi-car crashes, single-car crashes, cars hitting bikes, etc.) only rose by 25%.

The rate of pedestrian deaths had especially skyrocketed amid the pandemic, after law enforcement agencies across the U.S. initially cut back on traffic enforcement, Snider said.

“That lack of enforcement really emboldened drivers to be even more dangerous than they already were,” he explained. “It led to some major surges in all types of traffic fatalities. We saw drink driving rise for two straight years. It broke something in the way we drive.”

Snider added that people of color are disproportionately impacted by these tragedies — likely due to a lack of adequate law enforcement, or police programs focused on curbing dangerous driving behaviors.

Another reason for the recent spike in pedestrian deaths is fueled, in part, by a trend toward larger vehicles like SUVs or pickup trucks, experts believe. These heavier, taller vehicles are more likely to strike a pedestrian in the head or chest— rather than the legs — resulting in deadlier outcomes.

“We don’t know exactly what’s going on with the increase in pedestrian fatalities. It certainly seems like the increase in bigger vehicles is contributing to it,” Jessica Cicchino, vice president of research at the nonprofit Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, told the Associated Press in September.

The blind spots in front of these vehicles’ hoods are also becoming larger, contributing to the risk of fatal “frontover” collisions — i.e., when a driver can’t see over the hood of their own car, even when maneuvering slowly. A study from the University of Michigan estimated that around 25% of fatal accidents concerning large trucks, specifically, were caused by these types of blind zones, the Department of Transportation noted in a Jan. 2023 report.

“These vehicles are fairly massive,” Snider said. “I’m 6 feet tall, and sometimes I struggle to see over [the grill] of these cars.”

There are other factors at play, of course. Pedestrians are also more at risk in areas with weaker traffic enforcement, higher speed limits, no streetlights, and infrastructure that makes it tough to traverse the roads on foot (i.e., no sidewalks, raised walkways, crosswalks, etc.).

Data from the GHSA’s 2022 report appears to indicate that some states have much higher rates of pedestrian deaths than others, with states in the South and Southwest having some of the worst. That year, New Mexico had the highest rate in the nation, at 4.4 deaths per every 100,000 residents. Arizona wasn’t far behind (4.17 per every 100,000 people), followed by Florida (3.7), Louisiana (3.62) and South Carolina (3.29).

A similar trend can be observed in 2020 data from the Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That year — the most recent the NHTSA has data for — showed New Mexico to have the worst rate of pedestrian fatalities, followed by South Carolina, Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana.

What do these states have in common, that could account for these higher rates of traffic-related pedestrian fatalities?

“In general, there’s no singular reason why some states have better rates than others,” Snider said. “But in terms of geography … more Southern states have warmer temperatures, overall. Spring comes earlier, fall lasts longer. And frankly, there’s more warm, walkable days in the southern states than northern ones.”

Reversing the deadly trend will require several steps, Snider believes. Governments and local officials need to redesign infrastructure where necessary, to promote lower speeds, increase visibility and create safe sidewalks for pedestrians, according to the GHSA. And cars — if they’re not getting any smaller or lighter — need to be designed with fewer blind zones and enhanced safety features, like automatic braking or slowing.

“It calls for a multi-pronged approach," Snider said. "This is not a multiple-choice test — we have to do all of the above."

He also stressed that these statistics, while jarring, are even more tragic for the many Americans who have been affected by the loss of a loved one to a traffic-related fatality.

“Twenty people go out every single day for a walk and die," he said. "If that’s not a crisis, I don’t know what is.”

The location is near Rogaland, Norway.

Details of the discovery were outlined in a media release from the Mareano program, which “maps depth and topography, sediment composition, biodiversity, habitats and biotopes, and pollution in the seabed in Norwegian offshore areas,” according to its website.

The researchers initially spotted the wreck in the spring of 2023.

The Royal Navy confirmed it was the HMS Thistle in October.

According to historical records, the Thistle was sunk by a German torpedo on April 10, 1940, as documented in Paul Akermann's book, "Encyclopedia of British Submarines 1901-1955."

None of the 53 crew members aboard survived.

Because it was sunk during war, it is considered a war grave, according to officials.

In August, Nexstar's KLAS obtained records from the Southern Nevada Health District showing bed bugs had been found at seven hotels along the Vegas Strip since early 2022: Circus Circus, Caesars Palace, Planet Hollywood, Palazzo, Tropicana, MGM Grand, and Sahara.

Newly obtained records from health officials show bed bugs were found at two more Las Vegas Strip resort hotels in July and August.

According to a report, a guest staying at the Venetian complained about finding bed bugs on July 29 and was moved to another suite. An inspection three days later discovered the insects.

Weeks later, a guest at Park MGM reported bed bugs to managers there on Aug. 14. The next day the room was inspected, and it tested positive.

KLAS made several unsuccessful attempts to get a comment from the hotels.

“The hotel has the ultimate responsibility, period, because nobody is going to be bringing bedbugs in purposely,” Brian Virag, a bed bug attorney based in Southern California, said.

Virag said hotel housekeeping is trained to look for these insects, but guests should be proactive.

“You really need to be checking between the baseboard and the mattress because bed bugs don't like a whole lot of commotion,” Virag said.

He added that people should avoid placing their luggage on beds or near carpeting.

“You do have rights in a hotel to have a safe, habitable space to sleep,” he noted.

MGM International Resorts owns Park MGM, and they previously told KLAS in a statement, "We have comprehensive procedures in place to address and resolve any issue that may arise."

The Southern Nevada Health District previously told KLAS that if a hotel addresses bed bugs in a room once it learns of them, there will not be a fine assessed against the hotel. If there are ongoing complaints and the hotel does not provide adequate pest control, the hotel can be fined.

Some will only tip on the pre-tax subtotal, maintaining that any state and local taxes that are tacked onto the bill shouldn't be part of the equation when considering how much to give to restaurant employees.

While doing that math might seem tedious with a smaller bill, one diner on Reddit said their approach changes to pre-tax when it's a large party or expensive restaurant: "It's no big deal, until you get into triple digits. Then it starts to matter." A

Another factor, of course, is the tax rate. The combined state and average local sales tax rates for 2023 were well above 8.5% in California, Oklahoma, Alabama, Washington, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Tennessee, while Alaska, Oregon, New Hampshire, Montana, and Delaware have no sales tax.

Other diners choose to use the total bill, with some saying they prefer to give more, not less to their servers in most situations. Still, others say simplicity is the goal.

"It’s more trouble than it’s worth to me to figure out the difference between pre and post tax," another Redditor wrote. "I just figure out 20% of the total which is easy to do."

But what about tipping screens?

The tipping screen is hard to avoid these days, and while it has been documented to multiply the dollars flowing into the hands of service industry employees, it has also been a source of anxiety and even anger for some consumers.

I’m But when it comes to restaurant bills, don't the suggested tip amounts get calculated based on the pre-tax total? Not necessarily.

"Sellers decide whether tips are calculated before or after taxes," a spokesperson for popular payment platform Square told Nexstar.

The Square app also allows restaurant owners and other merchants to enter custom-suggested percentage amounts.

What do experts suggest?

According to the etiquette experts at the Emily Post Institute, tipping at a sit-down restaurant or buffet should be calculated on the pre-tax total (15%-20% and 10%, respectively).

"For large parties this can be quite different than the total," they note.

Just as important as the tip, the Emily Post experts say, is to always treat servers with respect:

Leaving a generous tip doesn’t make up for ordering someone around or treating them dismissively. While tipping augments servers’ incomes and rewards them for a job well done, treating them kindly is just as important.

Emily Post Etiquette

It deserves mentioning, the guidance is not the same for takeout orders.

Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate.com, told The Hill that it's acceptable not to tip when picking up your bagged food at the restaurant. One should still consider giving a tip for large and complicated orders, Rossman said.

Emily Post experts agree that there is no obligation to tip on to-go orders, but a 10% tip is appropriate for difficult orders or curb delivery.

Alix Martichoux contributed to this report.

Hitler and Austria, his birthplace, flashed on the videoboards long enough for some on social media to share what was seen by some fans more than an hour before kickoff.

“MSU is aware that inappropriate content by a third-party source was displayed on the videoboard prior to the start of tonight’s football game," Michigan State spokesman Matt Larson said.

"We are deeply sorry for the content that was displayed, as this is not representative of our institutional values. MSU will not be using the third-party source going forward and will implement stronger screening and approval procedures for all videoboard content in the future.”

The pregame quiz provides content well before games on videoboards.

Michigan routed Michigan State on the field, a year after the Spartans roughed up their rivals following last year's loss and were suspended.

McConnell told CBS “Face the Nation” moderator Margaret Brennan that he hopes the House will settle the problem “pretty quickly” but wouldn’t put his backing behind any of the fresh batch of candidates that have emerged since late last week, when Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) again failed to win enough voters to lead the chamber.

“Look, I'm not an expert on the House. I have my hands full here in the Senate, and we're gonna do our job and hope the House can get functional here sometime soon,” McConnell said when asked if there was “anyone in the House who can lead the Republicans.”

In addressing other crucial vacancies, McConnell was asked about the lack of a U.S. ambassador to Israel as the country continues its offensive against the Gaza Strip following the Oct. 7 surprise attack by Hamas, which killed more than 1,400 Israelis.

The nominee for that post, Jack Lew, has faced opposition by Republicans in the Senate over his involvement in the Iran nuclear agreement during the Obama administration when Lew served as Department of Treasury secretary.

“He is a very controversial nominee because of his relationship with the Iran nuclear deal, which was opposed by everybody in my party. And by the way, I hope that flirtation with Iran is finally over with regard to the nuclear deal,” McConnell said, referring to the Biden administration’s attempt to revive the deal.

The Kentucky Republican also referred to a bill he and Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) introduced to keep $6 billion in Iranian funds from being released as part of a U.S.-Iran prisoner swap negotiated by the White House earlier this year. The administration, however, has maintained that none of that money has been spent and still sits in Qatar.

“Yeah, but we'd like to make it law so that it can't be undone,” McConnell said. “And I do think the weakness of both the Obama administration and the Biden administration is the thought that somehow we could do business with Iran on something.”

That includes keeping the government funded, as well as an emerging aid package that includes money to help Israel and Ukraine and to ease concerns at the U.S.-Mexico border, a top issue for House Republicans they may have precious little say over. 

“It’s just so difficult to read how the gears start turning again in the House,” Sen. Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), an ally of Senate GOP leadership, told The Hill. “We just can’t sit and wait.” 

House Republicans are entering their third week without a Speaker at a crucial point in the year. 

There is less than a month before the next government shutdown deadline, with the House having effectively zapped three weeks of the stopgap bill that ultimately led to Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) losing the Speakership earlier this month.

The Senate is also set to work up the White House’s $105 billion supplemental package that includes aid for Israel and Ukraine in their battles against Hamas and Russia, respectively. 

This leaves lawmakers with a time crunch, as they hope to get the work done before Thanksgiving without much help from across the Capitol complex, where funding legislation normally originates.

President Biden’s request to Congress included $61 billion for Ukraine, $14 billion for Israel, $14 billion to beef up border operations, $10 billion in humanitarian aid and $2 billion for Indo-Pacific security assistance. The push for Ukraine aid comes after Congress was unable to include it in the 45-day continuing resolution lawmakers passed at the end of last month. 

Efforts on the Israel and Ukraine fronts in Congress are being shepherded by the two Senate leaders. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) has been a leading proponent for the boost in funds, saying in a statement after Biden announced his plan that it “sends a clear message to America’s friends and allies that we have your back.”

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) also appeared on a pair of Sunday talk shows last week to talk up the need for funds to help the two war-torn countries, having said Friday that the situation requires “decisive action” by the upper chamber. 

The move was a pointed one coming from McConnell — who is the most powerful Republican in Congress after McCarthy’s ouster — as the last time the GOP leader appeared on a Sunday show was in April 2022 to talk up U.S. support for Ukraine. 

Until the House gets back up and running, it’s the upper chamber that will be leading those supplemental discussions.

“This place needs to open. This chamber here needs to be active. We have the clock ticking on a continuing resolution,” Rep. Steve Womack (R-Ark.) told reporters last week. “We need to be able to get back to our work. This place needs to be operational.”

The border component of the supplemental request is top of mind. 

A group of leading Senate Republicans huddled in Sen. John Thune’s (R-S.D.) office Thursday as they attempt to close the gap on the issue in order to win support from conservatives in the House while simultaneously mollifying the White House and Democrats. The inability to do something good enough for conservatives was the reason why no border items were included in the 45-day stopgap bill. 

Sen. Kyrsten Sinema (I-Ariz.), who has been a lead figure in immigration negotiations over the past year, is taking an active role in talks, serving as a conduit between the White House and Senate Republicans in an effort to strike a deal that includes what they deem to be items that have real operational impact. 

Members who took part in the meeting told reporters they want policy provisions included on top of the $14 billion that Biden requested in order to stem future flows of migrants. 

“It has to be strong. It has to be real,” Sen. Katie Britt (R-Ala.) said shortly after the sit-down.

Despite the complete dysfunction in the House, the Senate hasn’t exactly been working as a well-oiled machine lately. The chamber took nearly four days last week to pass a resolution saying that it stands with Israel against terrorism. 

The Senate also has struggled to restart its own government funding effort. The initial package of three spending bills — known as a “minibus” — struggled throughout last week to strike a deal on an amendment package to help move it along. Sen. Susan Collins (Maine), the top GOP on the Senate Appropriations Committee, told reporters that she is hopeful lawmakers will resume consideration of the first minibus next week. 

That struggle to move the Senate’s spending bills along is creating concern that it could back Congress into a corner and force members to pass an omnibus before the end of the year. 

“We’re running out of time … I’m really worried,” said Sen. Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), an appropriator and a former House member, adding that she is growing increasingly frustrated with the House’s troubles as there is no end in sight. 

“Any House member I talk to, they now just shrug their shoulders like they don’t know what’s going on or where the end is,” she added.

Emily Brooks contributed. 

Neighbors said it started as a typical night enjoying outdoors.

"I heard this loud bang," said Lee White, a resident.

Lee White was among one of the first people scrambling to alert those inside the building that was quickly blanketed in smoke.

"I didn't have time to think about anything else, just the lives of the people that were in here," said White.

The explosive three-alarm fire displaced 16 families from their homes and sent two people to the hospital.

"As we arrived on scene we did get information that there were two people trapped in a second story apartment," said District Chief Scott Douglas with the OKCFD. "We pulled them down the ladder from a second story window, it was an adult male and one adult female."

White explained he didn't grasp the severity of the fire until other neighbors crowded outside.

"It was scary and chaotic, I mean people everywhere," said White.

The remains from the fire now serve as a devastating memory for White.

"I would have never thought in a matter of seconds that these apartments just went up like that," he said.

A spokesman for American Red Cross told News 4 they're working to help the ones displaced.

Several Red Cross disaster workers responded to Penn Station Apartments on Friday night to offer help and hope to residents displaced by a large fire. Our volunteers provide comfort during what can be the worst days of people’s lives, and our thoughts are with those who were injured. We are currently working with several residents to ensure their immediate needs are met, and we will help guide them through the recovery process.

American Red Cross Oklahoma Region

White said he's happy his neighbors are getting help.

"I hope that the neighbors that I had...that were in here, will come back," said White.

Nine congressmen have stepped up for the job, or have signaled they may. The new nominee will be the third in as many weeks after Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La.) withdrew his Speaker bid before Jordan.

The caucus will meet to find a new nominee in a closed-door meeting on Monday evening.

Amid the crowded group is Rep. Kevin Hern (R-Okla.), who officially announced his candidacy just after the meeting where the caucus abandoned Jordan.

Here’s what you need to know about him:

McDonald's magnate

Hern made his start as a McDonald’s operations manager outside Little Rock, Ark., in the late 1990s.

He later purchased a franchise there, before moving to Oklahoma in the early 2000s. 

Hern quickly built a small empire of McDonald’s franchises, owning at least 18 near Tulsa, Okla. His business also expanded to other fields, including a hog farm and a small furniture manufacturer.

The Republican then leaned on his business acumen when running for Congress in 2018.

Elected to Congress

With no prior elected political experience, Hern won a contested Republican primary for an open seat and won election that November.

He currently serves on the House Ways and Means Committee and as the chair of the Republican Study Committee.

A loyalist to former President Trump, Hern has consistently stood by and defended the former president during his career in Congress — including unsubstantiated claims that the 2020 election was stolen.

Hern was among 126 Republicans who signed an amicus brief advocating for a Supreme Court case brought by the state of Texas alleging that the election was stolen. The court declined to hear the case.

He later voted against certifying the 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021, alongside 146 other Republicans in the House.

First potential Speaker bid

Hern considered running for Speaker of the House in January 2023, amid the protracted effort which saw Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) named Speaker after 15 ballots.

He was first nominated by Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Colo.) on the ninth ballot of that marathon voting session, and received as many as seven votes on the 11th ballot. Each time, Hern voted for McCarthy.

When McCarthy was ousted earlier this month in a historic vote, Hern initially bowed out of consideration, saying a three-man race between himself, Jordan and Scalise would hurt the party.

“I called, texted or met in-person with all 221 members of the House Republican Conference, asking each member what they want to see in the next Speaker and how we can move forward as a Majority,” he said in a statement at the time. “The overwhelming response I heard from you is that we must unify and come out of this situation stronger as a Majority."

"While many of you have emphasized the necessity for new blood in our leadership, the need for unity comes first and foremost," the Oklahoma Republican added.

During Scalise’s attempt at the Speakership, Hern made clear his intention to be named the new Majority Leader, passing out fliers alongside McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches.

Hern announces official run for Speaker

But, on Friday, he officially threw his hat in the ring again — after both Scalise and Jordan failed to get enough support to take the job.

He pitched himself as a unifier.

"It’s pretty obvious that our delegation is looking at something to be different than what we’ve seen so far," he told reporters on Friday when asked why he is running. "I bring a different perspective than possibly anybody else that could be running in this race."

“People want to be heard, they want to be valued, and I think that’s what you’re seeing right now,” he added. “There’s a lot of historical relationships that some are not going to ever be able to work around and I don’t have those negatives out there.”

Lawmakers have until Sunday to declare their candidacy.

Drake re-shared the company's announcement of the "Drake's Birthday feat. Dave's Hot Chicken" collaboration to his 143 million Instagram followers on Thursday, saying that participants could get a chicken slider or tender at Dave's Hot Chicken on him from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on his 37th birthday.

Dave's Hot Chicken followed up on Drake's social media post by saying in a press release, "The hook-up is for anyone who comes by their local Dave’s and scans their Dave’s Hot Chicken app."

The chicken restaurant reported that it’s the second year that the superstar, who became an investor in the brand once he tried the food and met the founders, is giving everyone a chance to experience the "mind-blowing taste of a Dave’s Hot Chicken slider, on him." 

The chain is a Nashville-style hot chicken restaurant that started out six years ago in an East Hollywood parking lot, according to their website. Since then, it has reportedly become the Fastest-Growing Restaurant Chain in America.

No coupon or code is needed, according to the company. This celebration is only available when visiting the restaurant, and not online or through third-party delivery services.

The restaurant ended its announcement by wishing Drake, whose Instagram handle is @champagnepapi a happy birthday.

For more information on other participating locations throughout the United States visit www.daveshotchicken.com. Fans of the "For All the Dogs" artist (or just hot chicken enthusiasts in general) who are in Canada can also get in on the birthday fun by showing they follow Dave's Hot Chicken on Instagram or TikTok during register checkout.