Illustration of a rural cell tower at dusk with faint satellite arcs in the sky

TECH | SpaceX Picks Qualcomm to Power Starlink Mobile U.S. 5G Buildout

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Author: FFP Ai Bot

SAN DIEGO / HAWTHORNE, Calif. – SpaceX has selected Qualcomm to supply terrestrial 5G network technology for Starlink Mobile, a planned U.S. wireless service that would combine ground cell sites with Starlink’s satellite system and compete with major carriers, CNBC and company statements reported Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Qualcomm said the multiyear agreement will use its Dragonwing cellular infrastructure platforms in Starlink Mobile base stations. According to Qualcomm, as reported by CNBC and trade outlets, a U.S. rollout is planned to begin in 2027 across tens of thousands of cell sites. Financial terms were not disclosed. Qualcomm described the pact as its largest 5G initiative to date, CNBC reported.

What Qualcomm is providing

This deal is about terrestrial radio-access network (RAN) technology for cell sites – not a disclosed consumer price plan, and not confirmation that Starlink Mobile phone service is available today in any market.

CNBC reported SpaceX will use Qualcomm’s Dragonwing cellular infrastructure hardware and software in base stations for high-capacity Starlink Mobile coverage. Converge Digest and Inside Towers, citing the companies’ announcement, said the Dragonwing QRU100 and QDU100 platforms plus commercial-grade Layer 1 software are part of the package, with 64-transmit / 64-receive Massive MIMO radios planned for macro sites.

Axios reported Qualcomm will provide chips and foundational software for radio and baseband processing, while SpaceX develops additional software and other network elements. Converge Digest, quoting Qualcomm executive Durga Malladi speaking to reporters, said Qualcomm supplies the SoCs and Layer 1 software, and that SpaceX builds the radio and baseband hardware and develops Layer 2 and Layer 3 software up to the core network.

On an earnings discussion covered by RCR Wireless News on Nov. 5, Qualcomm CEO Cristiano Amon said the agreement is for a terrestrial network and that Qualcomm provides radio silicon including Massive MIMO, accelerators for the digital unit, and Layer 1 software. RCR reported Qualcomm expects the deal to begin contributing revenue as it exits fiscal 2027, with fiscal 2028 a larger period.

Starlink Mobile vs. today’s dish internet

Starlink today is best known for satellite broadband to homes and businesses via dishes. CNBC reported SpaceX is turning to Qualcomm for terrestrial expansion so Starlink Mobile can offer the kind of voice, video and data experience customers expect on smartphones – something satellite-only links have not fully matched.

Qualcomm’s statement, quoted by CNBC, said the ground network will “complement Starlink’s satellite capabilities.” Malladi said in the statement: “Together with SpaceX, we are building world-leading cellular infrastructure in the United States, advancing 5G today, with an opportunity to lay the foundation for AI-native 6G in the years ahead.”

Michael Nicolls, senior vice president of Starlink, said in a statement quoted by trade coverage that SpaceX will use Qualcomm’s platform “to accelerate our timeline to develop our base station end-to-end architecture.”

Spectrum, towers and what is not confirmed

CNBC reported SpaceX last month announced an agreement to purchase a nationwide portfolio of 800 MHz spectrum. Trade coverage said Starlink Mobile is expected to use low-band and mid-band holdings, including 2 GHz capacity spectrum alongside that 800 MHz purchase. CNBC said SpaceX has not announced tower-company partners for the Qualcomm buildout or how many new towers may be required, though carriers commonly lease space from firms such as American Tower and Crown Castle. Inside Towers separately reported SpaceX has been in talks with tower companies for as many as 80,000 site locations – a figure CNBC did not confirm from SpaceX.

CNBC cited a Washington Post report that SpaceX is in talks about EchoStar’s Boost Mobile. That is reported as talks, not a closed acquisition in the Qualcomm announcement.

Not announced in the deal coverage reviewed: consumer plan prices, a firm date when Starlink Mobile phones or SIMs will be sold nationwide, or a guarantee of service availability in any specific city, including Northwest Ohio communities. Any local benefit would depend on future tower siting, spectrum, regulatory steps and commercial launch – none of which this agreement by itself schedules for Fostoria, Findlay or Tiffin.

Sources

CNBC (Lora Kolodny), Nov. 4, 2026
Qualcomm news release page
Axios (Ina Fried), Nov. 4, 2026
Converge Digest, Nov. 4, 2026
Inside Towers (John Celentano), Nov. 5, 2026
RCR Wireless News (Juan Pedro Tomas), Nov. 5, 2026
UPI, Nov. 4, 2026

Illustration of a courthouse exterior under a cloudy sky

BREAKING | Missing Nurse Murder Trial — Defendant Admits to Dismembering Victim’s Body

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Author: FFP Ai Bot

MANASSAS, Va. – A Manassas Park man on trial in the disappearance of his wife, a nurse whose body has never been found, testified Thursday, Nov. 5, that he dismembered her remains and tried to hide them after finding her dead – while denying that he killed her, according to WTOP, FOX 5 DC and WUSA9.

Naresh Bhatt is charged with first-degree murder, concealing a dead body and defiling a dead body in the case of Mamta Kafle Bhatt, 28, who worked as a nurse at UVA Health Prince William Medical Center and has not been seen since late July 2024. He has pleaded not guilty. He has not been convicted. A criminal charge is an allegation.

What Bhatt told the jury

On the second day of his defense testimony in Prince William County Circuit Court, Bhatt said he found Mamta unresponsive in their bedroom in the early hours of July 30, 2024, and believed she had died by suicide after ingesting a pesticide, local outlets reported from the courtroom.

WTOP reported that when asked whether he had committed concealment of a dead body and physical defilement of a dead body – two of the crimes charged – Bhatt answered “yes” to both, but denied killing his wife.

WUSA9 reported that when his attorney asked whether he cut his wife’s body, he said yes, describing an attempt to separate her legs from her torso, and that he later acknowledged using a saw and putting remains in trash bags intending that no one would find the body. FOX 5 DC and WTOP likewise reported that he admitted using a saw; WTOP said he identified a Ryobi saw presented in court as the tool he used.

Bhatt testified he never called 911. “I don’t know why. Something take over me. I was really, really panicked,” WTOP quoted him as saying. WUSA9 quoted a similar exchange with defense attorney Tracey Lenox (also spelled Tracy Lennox in some reports).

He told jurors he tried to revive her, then sought ways to hide the body, including a trip to Home Depot “to find anything to hide a body,” WTOP and WUSA9 reported. Asked why he dismembered the body, WTOP quoted him: “Just make a smaller size so that it fit on the can.”

Admitting dismemberment and concealment is not an admission of murder. Bhatt’s account is that Mamta was already dead when he found her. Prosecutors allege he killed her; that allegation remains contested at trial.

Prosecution case and missing remains

Mamta Kafle Bhatt’s remains have never been recovered, multiple outlets report. Prosecutors have presented evidence including suspected blood evidence in the home, a saw with what investigators believe is her DNA, and surveillance of dumpster trips near the time she disappeared, WTOP reported. Prosecutors also contend he used a Tesla to take bags to trash sites; Bhatt testified the remains went into one household trash can put out for pickup, according to WTOP.

FOX 5 DC reported police began investigating after Mamta failed to report for work; Bhatt initially said he last saw her July 29, 2024, filed a missing-person report Aug. 5, and was arrested Aug. 22, 2024. He has remained in custody since then, FOX 5 said.

WUSA9 noted the testimony came about five weeks into the trial and marked a sharp change from Bhatt’s earlier public claim that he did not know where she was. Cross-examination had not yet begun as of WTOP’s afternoon update.

This story will be updated if a verdict or further official court action is reported.

Sources

WTOP (Mike Murillo), Nov. 5, 2026, 2:07 p.m.
FOX 5 DC (Stephanie Ramirez and Sam Kosmas), published Nov. 5, 2026, 11:32 a.m. ET, updated 12:08 p.m. ET
WUSA9 (Sophie Rosenthal), published Nov. 5, 2026, 10:43 a.m. ET, updated 1:34 p.m. ET
Court TV (Lauren Silver), Nov. 5, 2026
Prince William Times

Illustration of red downward market charts on trading monitors with blurred server racks in the background

Markets in Turmoil | Nasdaq Sinks Amid Fears of Democratic AI Restrictions

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Author: FFP Ai Bot

NEW YORK – U.S. stocks plunged Thursday, Nov. 5, as investors sold shares tied to artificial intelligence and data-center buildouts amid concerns that Democratic midterm victories could lead to tighter limits on AI infrastructure, according to Reuters, Kiplinger, NBC News and other market reports.

The tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite closed at 24,315.00, down 5.52%, its biggest one-day percentage drop since President Donald Trump’s April 2025 “Liberation Day” tariff shock, Reuters reported. That move also pushed the Composite more than 10% below its Oct. 6 record close, confirming a technical correction. Kiplinger reported the same close of 24,315, down 5.5%.

The Nasdaq-100, which is more concentrated in large technology names, fell further: Business Insider listed a 4 p.m. ET close of 26,628.85, down 6.36%, and said that was the index’s worst day since March 2020. NBC News described the Nasdaq-100 drop as about 6.3%.

Broader indexes also fell. Reuters put the S&P 500 at 7,353.73, down 4.36%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average at 51,523.06, down 3.44%. Business Insider’s closing table was similar (S&P 7,355.45, −4.33%; Dow 51,526.27, −3.43%). The Associated Press likewise described a brutal AI-linked sell-off that left the S&P 500 down about 4.4%.

What investors are reacting to

Major outlets attributed Thursday’s selling to investor fears – not to a newly enacted law – that Democratic wins at the federal and state levels could slow data-center construction that powers AI systems.

CNBC reported Thursday that some top Democrats are calling to rein in the AI buildout after the midterms. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., who caucuses with Democrats, posted on X that the message from local votes against data centers is clear: “National data center moratorium now.” CNBC also reported that Rep. Yassamin Ansari, D-Ariz., said pausing AI development should be a Day 1 priority for a Democratic House majority, a post amplified by Rep. Greg Casar, D-Texas.

Kiplinger wrote that concerns Democratic leadership in Washington and in states including Texas and Ohio “will create headwinds for the data center buildout sparked the sell-off.” The Guardian said the Nasdaq had its worst day in 18 months as investors bet on an AI slowdown after Democrats’ election gains. NBC News reported that numerous Democrats who won offices have pledged to slow or halt construction of AI data centers.

Those are market narratives reported by news organizations. They do not prove that Democratic policy alone caused the drop, and Thursday’s session also followed mixed chip-sector earnings news highlighted by NBC News.

Existing bills: data-center moratorium, not a blanket AI ban

Congress has not newly enacted a law “banning AI.” Related federal proposals already pending would pause certain AI data-center construction and upgrades until broader safeguards are written into law.

The Artificial Intelligence Data Center Moratorium Act (S.4214), introduced March 25, 2026, by Sen. Bernard Sanders, I-Vt., remains in Introduced status. Its text would bar commencing or proceeding with construction or upgrading of defined “artificial intelligence data centers” until Congress enacts laws meeting specified conditions on AI product review, worker protections, utility bills, environment, community approval, subsidies and labor standards.

A House companion, H.R.9442, with the same short title, was introduced June 24, 2026, by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., with several Democratic cosponsors. It is also Introduced and was referred to Energy and Commerce and Foreign Affairs. The bill title and operative text target AI data-center construction and upgrades, not a blanket prohibition on all artificial intelligence research or software.

Market snapshot

Chip and memory names led losses in multiple accounts, with Nvidia among the heaviest Dow weights. Reuters said Nvidia dropped more than 9% and the Philadelphia SE Semiconductor index plunged more than 12%. Business Insider said the selling accelerated into the afternoon as lawmakers called for a data-center moratorium on social media.

Wednesday’s post-election rally was more than erased, according to AP, Reuters and others. Whether Democratic majorities will actually slow national data-center buildout remains a forward-looking question for markets and lawmakers; Thursday’s prices reflected investor concern as reported by the outlets cited above.

Sources

Reuters via Financial Newsletter (Nov. 5, 2026, 4:29 p.m.)
Kiplinger (Nov. 5, 2026)
Business Insider (Nov. 5, 2026)
NBC News (updated Nov. 5, 2026, 4:13 p.m. ET)
The Guardian (updated Nov. 5, 2026, 4:23 p.m. ET)
CNBC (Nov. 5, 2026, 3:16 p.m. ET)
AP News (updated Nov. 5, 2026, 4:20 p.m. ET)
Congress.gov S.4214 text
Congress.gov H.R.9442 text

Illustration of a massive multicolored rubber band ball outdoors near a waterfront

MICHIGAN | Detroit Man’s 11,578-Pound Rubber Band Ball Certified World’s Largest

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Author: FFP Ai Bot

DETROIT – A Detroit man’s 11,578-pound rubber band ball has been certified as the world’s largest, Guinness World Records and UPI reported.

Claude P. Moore’s creation weighed 5,251.69 kilograms (11,578 pounds) when it was measured Aug. 29, 2026, at Belle Isle in Detroit, according to the official Guinness record listing. Guinness published a feature on the record this week.

A decade-plus project

Moore started the record-breaking ball in 2015 after coworkers challenged him to build a massive version of the rubber-band spheres he had made since childhood, Guinness said. He has lived with hemophilia, a bleeding disorder, and has said he began twisting rubber bands during frequent medical appointments as a child. He later wrote about his experience in the book “My Life with Hemophilia” (2021).

As the ball grew, Moore moved it from his garage into a dedicated storage unit. In August, dozens of helpers rolled it out and used a crane to take it to Belle Isle for the official weighing, Guinness said. Adjudicator Chloe McCarthy witnessed the measurement.

“[I broke the record] because I said I would,” Moore told Guinness. “If I say I’m going to do something, consider it done – my word is everything.”

Previous record

Moore surpassed the previous mark of 9,032 pounds (4,097 kilograms) set by Florida’s Joel Waul in 2008, according to Guinness and UPI.

UPI’s Nov. 3 report matches the Guinness weight, Belle Isle weighing and Waul comparison. The Fostoria Free Press found no dispute of the certified weight in official Guinness materials reviewed for this story.

Sources

Guinness World Records news feature by Katherine Gross, Nov. 3, 2026 – https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/commercial/2026/11/elephant-sized-rubber-band-ball-built-over-11-years-breaks-record-as-largest-ever
Guinness World Records official listing – https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/largest-rubber-band-ball
UPI (Ben Hooper), Nov. 3, 2026 – https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/11/03/guinness-world-records-largest-rubber-band-ball/4121793732579/

Illustration of a black Labrador holding a wooden clothespin near a backyard clothesline

ODD NEWS | Missouri Dog Sets Guinness Record for Hanging Clothespins on a Line

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Author: FFP Ai Bot

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Missouri Labrador has earned a Guinness World Records title for hanging clothespins on a washing line – eight of them in one minute – according to Guinness World Records and UPI.

Java, a 5-year-old black Labrador retriever owned by Lisa Rickards of the Kansas City area, set the record for the most clothes pegs put on a washing line by a dog in one minute. The attempt took place March 21, 2026, in Kansas City, and Guinness published the record announcement this week.

How the record works

According to Guinness, Java had to pick up each spring-loaded peg, open it with her mouth, place it on the line and release it so it latched. She completed eight pegs within the one-minute limit.

The official Guinness record listing credits Lisa Rickards and Java with a total of eight pegs in Kansas City, Missouri, USA, on March 21, 2026.

From service-dog trainee to record holder

Rickards, 46, told Guinness she raised Java for Canine Companions for about the first 18 months of the dog’s life with the goal of preparing her as a service dog. Java went on to advanced training but was not a good fit for the program, and Rickards adopted her back as a pet.

The pair then turned to trick training and canine sports. Rickards said Java knows more than 200 cues and tricks, including putting coins in a piggy bank, identifying colors and detecting gluten in products. She said she was inspired to attempt a Guinness title after watching trainer Olga Jones and her dogs Bonnie and Simba.

“I joke that Java is fully caffeinated and absolutely lives up to her name,” Rickards told Guinness. “She has an enormous amount of enthusiasm for life and, more importantly, she genuinely loves learning.”

UPI reported the same core facts Tuesday, Nov. 4, citing the Guinness announcement.

Guinness describes Rickards as a graphic designer; reporting elsewhere has also called her a dog trainer. The Fostoria Free Press is relying on Guinness’s own interview for biographical details.

Sources

Guinness World Records news feature by Vicki Newman, Nov. 4, 2026 – https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2026/11/clever-pup-javas-service-dog-training-leads-to-world-record-glory-with-very-unique-trick
Guinness World Records official listing – https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/776934-most-clothes-pegs-put-on-a-washing-line-by-a-dog-in-one-minute
UPI (Ben Hooper), Nov. 4, 2026 – https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2026/11/04/guinness-world-records-dog-clothes-pins/4001793817273/

Illustration of opened white envelopes with harmless-looking white powder and forensic evidence markers on a table

NATIONAL | Oklahoma City Man Charged After 700+ White-Powder Letters to Election Offices, Congress and FBI

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Author: FFP Ai Bot

OKLAHOMA CITY – A 67-year-old Oklahoma City man has been charged in federal court with mailing hundreds of threatening letters containing non-toxic white powder to election offices, members of Congress, pollsters, media organizations and the FBI, the U.S. Justice Department announced Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Robin Patrick Martin is charged with conveying false or misleading information and hoaxes and with mailing threatening communications, the Justice Department said. A criminal complaint is an allegation. Martin has not been convicted and is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

What authorities say happened

According to a federal criminal complaint and FBI affidavit filed Nov. 1 in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Oklahoma, investigators linked more than 700 similar 2026 mailings that appeared to come from the same sender.

The affidavit says the 2026 pieces were processed at U.S. Postal Service centers in Oklahoma City on Oct. 9, northern Texas on Oct. 10 and San Antonio on Oct. 13. Addressees included state election boards; Republican, Democratic and independent members of Congress; pollsters; media organizations; and the FBI.

Laboratory testing so far found the powders were non-hazardous yeast or flour, though not every letter had been intercepted or fully tested, the affidavit says.

Some of the 2026 letters included the message “CIVIL WAR IS COMING ON NOVEMBER 3RD!!,” according to the affidavit. Return addressing on at least some pieces used a New York Democratic Socialists of America-style address that the affidavit says is not the group’s current address; the affidavit states the DSA has cooperated with the FBI.

2024 letters

The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service began investigating after multiple state election officials reported receiving white-powder mailings around Sept. 16, 2024, the affidavit says. Those envelopes allegedly included a three-page letter titled “DECLARATION OF WAR” from a group calling itself the “United States Traitor Elimination Army,” and the 2024 powder was also described as non-toxic.

The Oklahoma State Election Board notified the FBI on Oct. 13, 2026, that it had received another threatening letter containing white powder, prompting a renewed nationwide response, the Justice Department said.

Arrest and court

FBI Director Kash Patel said agents arrested Martin early Monday, Nov. 2. Martin appeared Tuesday before U.S. Magistrate Judge Shon Erwin in Oklahoma City for an initial appearance, the Justice Department said.

KOCO reported that Martin faces two counts of mailing threatening communications and one count of conveying false or misleading information and hoaxes, and that a preliminary hearing was scheduled for the following Monday.

How investigators say they traced the mailings

According to the affidavit, investigators followed email, prepaid-phone and retail records, including a cash purchase at a northwest Oklahoma City Walmart of a burner phone and materials that can be used for invisible ink, and later matched cell-site and postal camera evidence placing Martin’s vehicle near processing centers tied to the mailings.

The case is being investigated by the FBI, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, U.S. Capitol Police, Oklahoma City Police Department and Texas Department of Public Safety, including the Texas Rangers, with prosecution by the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Western District of Oklahoma and assistance from the Justice Department’s National Security Division, the department said.

This story will be updated if additional court filings or official statements are released.

Sources

U.S. Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs press release, Nov. 3, 2026 – https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/oklahoma-man-charged-connection-sending-threatening-letters-containing-non-toxic-white
United States v. Robin Patrick Martin, criminal complaint and affidavit, Case 5:26-mj-00520-SM, filed Nov. 1, 2026 – https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1470166/dl
KOCO (Tyler Tripodi), Nov. 3, 2026 – https://www.koco.com/article/oklahoma-city-man-robin-martin-charged-suspicious-letters/74326517
AP News, “Man accused of mailing hundreds of letters with white powder to officials” – https://apnews.com/article/white-powder-mailed-letters-lawmakers-election-f1e30668cbcc84e82849575bdc9d4166
CBS News, Nov. 2026 – https://www.cbsnews.com/news/white-powder-letters-oklahoma-man-charged-robin-martin/

Fostoria News illustration of a rain-soaked Florida street with police lights and crime-scene tape

BREAKING NEWS | Learjet Crashes Into Florida Neighborhood, All 9 Aboard Killed

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Fostoria News illustration of a rain-soaked Florida street with police lights and crime-scene tape

Illustration. This is not an image of the crash scene.

Author: FFP Ai Bot

PALM BEACH COUNTY, Fla. – All nine people aboard a private Learjet 60 were killed Sunday afternoon when the jet crashed onto a road in a residential area of Palm Beach County, Florida, federal and state officials said.

The jet left Austin-Bergstrom International Airport in Texas and was headed to North Eleuthera Airport in the Bahamas. It went down around 12:50 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, near Cresthaven, a residential neighborhood in Palm Beach County, the Federal Aviation Administration said.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said all nine people on board died. He called the crash a “horrific tragedy” in a social media post and asked people to pray “for the families and loved ones of those we lost.”

The identities of the people on board have not been released. The FAA said questions about those aboard should go to local authorities.

‘Like a missile going down’

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis called the crash “cataclysmic.”

“It looked like a missile going down. It left a big crater on the side of the road,” DeSantis told reporters, according to NBC News and the Miami Herald. He said debris was thrown across “a pretty significant distance” but that there were no reports of anyone on the ground being hurt or killed.

The Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office said the jet came down on Military Trail between Cresthaven Boulevard and 10th Avenue North, the Miami Herald reported. The National Transportation Safety Board said the jet, tail number N722BD, lost radar and radio contact around 1:25 p.m. while en route and crashed in the Lake Worth Beach area, according to the Herald. The FAA and the NTSB gave different times, and that difference had not been explained as of Sunday evening.

FAA records show the jet is registered to LR60271 LLC of Wilmington, Delaware. An Austin-Bergstrom spokesperson said it was a private, general aviation flight.

Pilot reported ice and turbulence

Air traffic control audio from LiveATC.net, reported by NBC News and the Miami Herald, captured the pilot’s last minutes. About two minutes before the crash, she reported “light, clear ice” that she called “manageable” and moderate turbulence. She then said the jet was “picking up precipitation” and asked to climb.

Moments later she called “Mayday, mayday” and said the jet was descending 10,000 feet per minute, then 20,000 feet per minute. “We’re gonna crash into the ground,” she said before the transmission ended.

The National Weather Service had a flood watch in place Sunday for South Florida, with showers and scattered thunderstorms expected through Monday. Officials have not said what caused the crash.

Road closed, residents evacuated

The Palm Beach County Emergency Operations Center said Military Trail between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane/Alemeda Drive will stay closed until further notice, and only emergency vehicles will be let through. Palm Beach County Fire Rescue said it “will be an extended incident.”

Residents of a mobile home park near the wreckage were evacuated. “We have about 600 people that we have to make sure that they have shelter tonight,” Palm Beach County Commissioner Joel Flores said, according to NBC News.

The FAA and the NTSB are investigating. The NTSB said more information is expected Monday at a briefing in West Palm Beach.

This is a developing story and will be updated as officials release more information.

Sources: FAA, NBC News, Associated Press, Miami Herald.

Fostoria News Two suspects arrested after attempted armed robbery at Pueblo Spirit Halloween store.

COLORADO | Two Arrested After Attempted Armed Robbery at Pueblo Spirit Halloween Store, Chase Into Fremont County

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Illustration of a Halloween costume store exterior at dusk.

Author: FFP Ai Bot

PUEBLO, Colo.- Two people were arrested after police said they tried to steal merchandise from a Spirit Halloween store in Pueblo, Colorado, on Tuesday night, Oct. 27, and then led officers on a chase that ended in Fremont County. One of the suspects fired a single shot into the air as the pair left the store, according to police. None of the police or news reports described anyone being shot or injured.

What police say happened

Officers were sent at about 8:23 p.m. to the 3200 block of Dillon Drive for a report of an armed robbery with shots fired, the Pueblo Police Department said in a news release published by SECO News. KRDO reported the store was the Spirit Halloween on Dillon Drive. FOX21 said the block is near the Pueblo Mall.

According to police, a man and a woman went into the store and tried to steal merchandise. Employees confronted them. Police said the woman tried to push past, but another woman stopped her with a stun gun.

As the two left the store, the man pulled out a handgun and fired one shot into the air, police said. The pair then drove off toward 29th Street.

Shopper Zachary Hillin told KRDO he saw the gun and rushed people to safety. “It’s a real traumatic experience. Especially when a gun gets discharged like that. I was scared for everybody else there,” he said.

A chase into Fremont County

Dispatchers passed along information that led officers to an apartment complex in the 4700 block of Eagleridge Circle on Pueblo’s north side, police said. Officers saw the suspects leaving the complex in a vehicle and tried to pull it over, but the driver did not stop.

Officers followed the vehicle through the city and west on U.S. 50 toward Cañon City. The Colorado State Patrol joined the pursuit and used a tactical device to try to slow the vehicle, police said. The Gazette described the devices troopers used as unspecified.

The chase ended at the address the vehicle was registered to, in Williamsburg in Fremont County, west of Florence. Officers took both people into custody there. The Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office, Colorado State Patrol, Fremont County Sheriff’s Office, Cañon City Police, Florence Police and the Combined Regional Communications Authority all helped, police said.

Who was arrested and the charges

Police identified the suspects as Amber Baca, 39, and Isaac Baca, 21. The reports did not say how the two are related, if at all.

Amber Baca was first arrested on an unrelated warrant for failing to appear in court in a disorderly conduct case, police said. She now faces new charges of aggravated robbery with intent to kill and complicity to commit a crime.

Isaac Baca was arrested on charges of aggravated robbery with intent to kill, vehicular eluding, resisting or interfering with police, and harassment.

FOX21 reported that both are due in Pueblo County Court on Nov. 2. The Gazette, citing Colorado court records, reported that Isaac Baca has two earlier convictions, for third-degree assault and prohibited use of a firearm, from 2023 and 2024 cases, and two felony menacing cases that are still open. It also reported that Amber Baca was convicted of misdemeanor criminal mischief in Pueblo County in May.

The charges in the Spirit Halloween case are accusations. Neither suspect has been convicted of anything in this case, and both are presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.

Information current as of Nov. 1, 2026. This article will be updated if police or prosecutors release new information.

Sources

Pueblo Police Department news release, as published by SECO News: Two Suspects Arrested After Armed Robbery, Gunshot and Multi-County Police Pursuit in Pueblo (seconews.org)
KRDO: Witness describes frightening moments during attempted armed robbery at Pueblo Spirit Halloween (krdo.com)
The Gazette: Armed robbery in Pueblo leads police on chase to Fremont County (gazette.com)
FOX21 News: PPD: Suspects fire shots after one gets tased during robbery (fox21news.com)

Spirit Halloween storefront with a Breaking News banner reading Man Shot and Killed at Spirit Halloween Store in Michigan

BREAKING NEWS | Man Shot and Killed at Spirit Halloween Store in Michigan

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Exterior of a Spirit Halloween store with an orange Spirit Halloween banner over the entrance

File photo: a Spirit Halloween store in a former Babies “R” Us in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, in September 2023. This is not the Madison Heights, Michigan, store. Photo by Dan Keck, Wikimedia Commons, dedicated to the public domain under CC0 1.0. Cropped by The Fostoria Free Press.

Author: FFP Ai Bot

MADISON HEIGHTS, Mich. – A 21-year-old man was shot and killed Friday afternoon at a Spirit Halloween store in this Detroit suburb, and the 21-year-old man accused of firing the shots was hospitalized after bystanders beat him as police took him into custody, authorities said.

The shooting happened shortly after 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30 (about 2:04 p.m., according to police, WWJ reported), at the Spirit Halloween in the Madison Place Shopping Complex in the 32000 block of John R Road, south of 14 Mile Road, while the store was busy with last-minute costume shoppers, according to Madison Heights police and Detroit-area news outlets.

Police said the victim, a Detroit resident, suffered multiple gunshot wounds. Officers gave him emergency aid at the scene before he was taken to a hospital, where he later “succumbed to those injuries,” the Madison Heights Police Department said in a news release quoted by NBC News. Police have not released his name.

The two men knew each other and were involved in an argument before the shooting, police said, according to CBS Detroit and WDIV-TV. Accounts differ on exactly where it happened: CBS Detroit, WDIV and NBC News reported the shooting was inside the store, and witnesses told FOX 2 Detroit the gunfire rang out from the store’s entrance, while MLive, citing police, said the altercation happened in a store parking lot. Investigators said the shooting was not random and there is no known ongoing threat to the public.

Suspect in custody

The alleged shooter, a 21-year-old Oak Park man, “sustained non life threatening injuries after being assaulted by several bystanders as officers took him into custody,” police said in the release, which was quoted by NBC News. WWJ and MLive also reported that bystanders assaulted him. CBS Detroit and FOX 2 Detroit, however, reported that the people who attacked him were members of the victim’s family. He was taken to a different hospital and remains in police custody. Police have not released his name.

Officers recovered a 9mm handgun at the scene, police said, according to WDIV and MLive.

“Based on the evidence gained thus far, investigators anticipate seeking criminal charges in this case,” the department said. MLive reported that detectives will send their reports to the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office for review. No charges had been announced as of Saturday night.

LeMerise told CBS Detroit that investigators were still working to determine whether the man was legally allowed to carry the gun.

The suspect’s wife told WDIV that her husband, who she said holds a concealed pistol license, fired in self-defense after the other man confronted the family as they were leaving the store with their three children. Police have not confirmed that account and said they plan to pursue charges.

Shoppers flee

Witnesses told reporters that they at first mistook the first shot for a balloon popping before several more shots followed. Shoppers ran out through the front and back doors, and some left belongings behind.

Police from Troy, Ferndale and Hazel Park helped Madison Heights officers at the scene, FOX 2 reported. The store was temporarily closed afterward, with signs directing customers to the chain’s Sterling Heights location, WDIV reported.

Police are asking anyone who saw the shooting or has video of it to call Detective Sgt. Kari Randolph at 248-837-2737.

Separate shooting in California

Hours later, a separate shooting inside a Spirit Halloween store at Solano Town Center in Fairfield, California, killed a woman whose family says she was pregnant and wounded six other people. Police there are still searching for the shooter. Read our full report on the Fairfield shooting.

The two shootings do not appear to be connected, NBC News reported.

What’s next

Madison Heights detectives expect to present the case to Oakland County prosecutors, who will decide on charges. Police have not released the names of the man who died or the man in custody. The Fostoria Free Press will update this story as more information becomes available.

This report is based on information from the Madison Heights Police Department, NBC News, CBS Detroit, WDIV-TV (ClickOnDetroit), FOX 2 Detroit and MLive.

Sources: NBC News; CBS Detroit; WDIV/ClickOnDetroit; FOX 2 Detroit; MLive.

Fostoria News Pregnant woman among 7 shot at Spirit Halloween store in California.

BREAKING NEWS | Pregnant Woman Among 7 Shot at Spirit Halloween Store in California

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Exterior of a Spirit Halloween store with an orange Spirit Halloween banner over the entrance

File photo: a Spirit Halloween store at The Shops at Sunset Place in South Miami, Florida, in 2022. This is not the Fairfield, California, store. Photo by Phillip Pessar, Wikimedia Commons, licensed under CC BY 2.0. Cropped by The Fostoria Free Press.

Author: FFP Ai Bot

FAIRFIELD, Calif. – A woman whose family says she was pregnant was killed and six other people were wounded Friday night when gunfire erupted inside a Spirit Halloween store at a Northern California shopping mall, police said. The shooter has not been caught.

The shooting happened at about 8:30 p.m. local time Friday, Oct. 30, inside the Halloween costume and decor store at Solano Town Center in Fairfield, according to the Fairfield Police Department. In a statement posted Saturday on Facebook, the department said the shooting “stemmed from a targeted incident involving one suspect.”

Police identified the woman who died as Constance Hages, 31. Her family told police she was pregnant, though confirmation from the Solano County Coroner was still pending, NBC News reported.

Police said three male victims, ages 16, 19 and 32, were in critical condition. A 23-year-old man was hospitalized in critical but stable condition. Two other men, ages 19 and 43, were treated for gunshot wounds and released from the hospital. (The Los Angeles Times reported the younger of those two men as 18; police figures reported by NBC News, CBS Sacramento, KCRA and the Daily Republic list him as 19.)

Search for the shooter

No arrests had been made as of Saturday. Detectives were reviewing video footage and other evidence “to identify the individual responsible for this heinous act of violence,” the department said. Police said no additional information would be released for now.

Fairfield Police Chief Dan Marshall told reporters at a news conference Friday night that detectives were “diligently working to identify the suspect or suspects responsible for this horrific shooting.”

The FBI’s Sacramento field office said it deployed its evidence response team to assist Fairfield police with the investigation.

A man whose wife was inside the store told NBC affiliate KCRA that she escaped through an emergency exit with several other people after hearing what she described as “five big bangs.”

“We recognize the concern and uncertainty this incident has created throughout our community, particularly with the many Halloween events and celebrations planned for today,” the police department said Saturday, urging residents to stay vigilant and report suspicious activity.

Mall cancels trick-or-treat event

Solano Town Center, which has about 130 stores and restaurants, stayed open Saturday but canceled a trick-or-treating event that had been planned for Halloween, citing the shooting, The Associated Press reported.

Fairfield, a city of about 120,000 people, sits about 37 miles southwest of Sacramento, roughly halfway between Sacramento and San Francisco.

Separate shooting in Michigan

The California shooting came hours after a separate deadly shooting at a Spirit Halloween store in Madison Heights, Michigan, a Detroit suburb. Madison Heights police said a 21-year-old Detroit resident was shot and later died at a hospital.

Police said the alleged shooter in that case, also 21, suffered injuries that were not life-threatening after several bystanders assaulted him as officers took him into custody. CBS Detroit and FOX 2 Detroit reported that the people who attacked him were members of the victim’s family. He was taken to a hospital, and investigators said they anticipate seeking criminal charges.

The two shootings do not appear to be connected, according to NBC News.

What’s next

Fairfield police are continuing to search for the shooter, and the Solano County Coroner is expected to confirm whether Hages was pregnant. The Fostoria Free Press will update this story as more information becomes available.

This report is based on information from the Fairfield Police Department, the FBI, NBC News and The Associated Press.

Sources: NBC News; The Associated Press (via Northern News Now).

© Copyright - The Fostoria Free Press LTD.
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