Illinois housing affordability efforts pit tax cuts against new spending

Pakistan made a last-minute proposal Tuesday to avert catastrophic US attacks on Iran, hours ahead of a deadline set by President Donald Trump who warned a "whole civilization will die tonight".

The White House said it was aware and would respond to the proposal by Pakistan, which has sought to mediate after more than five weeks of US and Israeli attacks on Iran.

"Diplomatic efforts for peaceful settlement of the ongoing war in the Middle East are progressing steadily, strongly and powerfully with the potential to lead to substantive results in near future," Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif wrote on X.

He appealed directly to Trump to extend his deadline set for 8:00 PM Washington time (midnight GMT) by two weeks.

In turn, he asked Iran to commit for two weeks to fulfilling Trump's key demand -- reopening the Strait of Hormuz, the vital gateway for global oil which Tehran closed in retaliation for the war.

The latest threats from Trump, shocking even by his own provocative standards, brought disbelief and warnings that he was encouraging genocide -- potentially one day leading to war crimes charges against US servicemembers who comply.

"A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again. I don't want that to happen, but it probably will," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The rhetoric was an escalation from a profanity-laden post two days earlier, on Easter Sunday, in which Trump threatened to destroy all bridges and power plants in the country of 90 million -- a war crime unless proven that the sites are mostly for military use.

Pope Leo XIV said that "this threat against all the people of Iran" was "truly unacceptable".

- Threat of new type of attacks -

Speaking in Budapest, Vice President JD Vance said the United States had tools "that we so far haven't decided to use" against Iran, without explaining further.

The White House later denied to AFP that Vance was alluding to nuclear weapons. 

The United States and Israel were striking key infrastructure even before Trump's deadline, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirming attacks on railways and bridges he said were "used by the Revolutionary Guards".

The Israeli military also offered a rare statement of regret after it acknowledged damaging a synagogue in Tehran, saying it had been targeting a senior Iranian commander.

Iran, run by Shia Muslim clerics, is home to around 100 synagogues for its historic Jewish minority.

First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said Iran was prepared "for all scenarios" from the United States.

"No threat is beyond our preparedness and intelligence," he added.

Infrastructure attacks reported by Iranian authorities Tuesday included a US-Israeli strike on a bridge outside the city of Qom and another on a rail bridge in central Iran that killed two people.

Regional authorities also said a US-Israeli strike shut down a key highway in northern Iran connecting the city of Tabriz with Tehran.

The Mizan news agency additionally reported a strike on railway tracks in Karaj, outside Tehran.

- Death 'not a joke' -

University student Metanat, whose classmate was killed two weeks ago in an attack, told AFP she felt "terrified and so should everyone else in the country".

The 27-year-old, who declined to give her last name, said as far as Trump's ultimatums were concerned, "some people think they are a joke", but "death is not a joke".

Iranian pensioner Morteza Hamidi said that among many emotions, he felt "gloomy for the future of the country after the war".

The 62-year-old added that he had seen Trump back down too many times to take his words seriously: "We are now numb to his threats".

State media published photos purporting to show groups of Iranians forming human chains to protect power plants as the hours to the deadline ticked down.

The show of patriotism in the face of attacks came several months after Iran's cleric-run government cracked down violently on mass protests, with rights groups reporting thousands of deaths.

As the deadline neared, Israel warned citizens of an increased risk of Iranian inbound attacks.

Kuwait urged its citizens to remain indoors from midnight until 7:00 am, while Bahrain's main port said it would be suspending operations starting early Wednesday.

The United States and Israel said that they attacked Iran to degrade its military capacity. Trump has alleged that Iran was near building an atomic bomb, an assertion not backed by the UN nuclear watchdog and most observers.

Since being attacked on February 28, Iran has responded by taking charge of the Strait of Hormuz, through which a fifth of the world's oil normally flows. 

The move has sharply driven up global oil prices and put intense pressure on Trump -- who has made reopening the strait his foremost goal.

At the UN Security Council, Russia and China vetoed a resolution on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a text already diluted to remove the green light Gulf states had sought to use force to protect the key shipping lane.

- Attack on oil island -

Apart from the infrastructure attacks, strikes were reported on Kharg island, a critical hub for the Iranian oil industry, according to Iran's Mehr news agency, although US media said the attacks were against military targets.

Earlier in the day a series of explosions was heard across Tehran, and Iranian media reported that 18 people, including two children, were killed in strikes in neighbouring Alborz province.

Overnight, attacks on Saudi Arabia hit a petrochemical complex in a sprawling industrial area in the eastern city of Jubail, a witness who requested anonymity told AFP, hours after similar installations in Iran were struck.

Loud explosions were also heard late Tuesday in central Baghdad where the US embassy is located.

Iran has responded to the war by striking Gulf Arab states that host US troops. Israel in turn has launched a major offensive into Lebanon, vowing to control land from which Iranian-linked Hezbollah has fired rockets.

The Israeli invasion into Lebanon has killed more than 1,500 people, according to authorities.

Israel on Tuesday issued a warning to all vessels in the maritime zone off Lebanon's south to head immediately north of the city of Tyre, warning that it would operate in the area.

burs/sct/des

(The Center Square) – Small businesses in the United States have yet to feel the benefits of the Trump administration’s new tax legislation, according to a new report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber released its Small Business Index report on Tuesday, which found inflation as a top concern for business owners across the country as the U.S. continues its conflict with Iran and the uncertainty over tariff policies continue.

The chamber conducted its survey from Feb. 25 to March 11, near the beginning of U.S. military strikes against Iran that have continued for more than one month. Tom Sullivan, senior vice president of small business policy at the chamber, said he hoped the small business economy would be doing better than the report revealed.

The report showed, in quarter one of 2026, 16% of businesses reported increasing their staff over the past year, down from 23% in quarter four of 2025. Similarly, 37% of business owners planned to increase investments in the next year, a decrease from 44% in quarter four of 2025.

Fewer businesses were comfortable with their overall cash flow, as only 20% said they were “very comfortable” with current cash flows, down from 31% in quarter three of 2025.

“We know that uncertainty is the dark cloud over small businesses,” Sullivan said. “Last quarter of last year we asked the questions in the middle of the government shutdown, this quarter we asked the questions right at the beginning of the military conflict with Iran.”

Sullivan said higher gas prices due to the conflict in Iran has a unique effect on small business owners. He said most owners rely on gas for a large portion of their business operations and can feel the effects of rising prices.

“That price hike is in their face every day, not just as a small business owner, but as a citizen,” Sullivan said. “They’re driving by the gas station that has it flashed in front of them.”

However, Sullivan said he hoped tax policies from the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which was signed into law on July 4, 2025, would help uplift small businesses. He pointed to no tax on overtime, no tax on tips and tax expense programs for advancements in technology.

Sullivan said he talked to business owners in the manufacturing sector who have reported no taxes on overtime to be a great relief.

“A happy employee is a happy small business,” Sullivan said.

Over the last year, tariff policies in the United States have remained an ever present concern for small business owners, Sullivan said. He said the leaders in the small business community are skeptical that they will receive tariff refunds, which adds to uncertainty.

The report found about 28% of small business owners said the economy is in “good health,” down by 10% from the previous quarter.

“Small business owners are busy running their businesses, they’re not necessarily keyed into Supreme Court decisions,” Sullivan said.

Still, he said uncertainty with tariff plans can cause significant pain for small business owners, especially when they attempt to plan for the future. He pointed to a small business coffee shop owner in Minnesota who was affected by changing tariff policies on coffee products.

“It’s that uncertainty that has been a wet blanket on small business growth for over a year,” Sullivan said.

The report found 61% of small business owners planned to increase revenue, down from 65% last quarter and 69% in quarter one of 2025. About 19% of owners reported increasing concerns over providing employees with healthcare and other benefits.

Despite the report’s findings of pessimism among small business owners, Sullivan said he is optimistic for the next quarter. He said small businesses should see more refunds from the IRS after the implementation of more friendly tax policies that should help out small businesses.

“I’m optimistic that in this next quarter we’ll see that spend go up based on the changes in tax law,” Sullivan said.

The U.S. Chamber is working with the Trump administration to implement a tariff refund policy framework by April 20.

“We are working with the administration to try to get information into the hands of small business importers,” Sullivan said. “I do not expect that it’s going to result in a giant jump or boost in small business confidence.”

The Artemis astronauts hurtling back home after circling the Moon have had regular communication with their team on Earth, but on Tuesday they got to chat with colleagues floating elsewhere in space.

"We have been waiting for this like you can't imagine," said Artemis II mission commander Reid Weisman as his crew began the call with astronauts aboard the International Space Station.

"It's fun to be up in space with you at the same time!" said Canadian astronaut and Artemis II crewmember Jeremy Hansen.

The call came one day after the Artemis crew had a packed day filled with milestones like breaking the space travel distance record, conducting the first lunar flyby in more than 50 years, and delivering more than six hours of vivid observations of the Moon's surface.

Unsurprisingly, the ISS team had questions.

"We know how fortunate all of us are as humans to come up here and look down at the Earth from above," said ISS Crew-12 commander Jessica Meir. "Every astronaut that comes to space remarks on that."

"And we really wanted to hear what that felt like, how different that felt now from your new perspective around the Moon?"

Artemis astronaut Christina Koch -- she and Meir were the first women to participate in an all-female spacewalk -- said viewing Earth from near the Moon, which is roughly 1,000 times farther away than the ISS, was particularly striking given all the "blackness."

"It truly emphasized how alike we are, how the same thing keeps every single person on planet Earth alive."

And they commiserated about life in space, and how ISS missions -- all three of the American Artemis astronauts had previously served on the ISS -- had prepared them for their historic lunar voyage.

"Basically every single thing that we learned on ISS is up here," said Koch.

"And then, of course, there's the funny and practical, how to eat, how to do silly things with water, how to flip around. We're bringing that with us too."

And Wiseman relayed an amusing anecdote about Canadian Hansen, whose trip around the Moon was also his first time in space.

As they prepared to fire their engines to blast off towards the Moon and out of Earth's orbit, there was a moment when the view of Earth grew rapidly in the window, Wiseman explained.

"Jeremy turns around to us and goes, 'I'm not sure. I think we're going to run right into it!,'" he continued.

"We were all dyin' laughin'."

Following their lunar flyby, the Artemis II astronauts are on their long journey back home and expected to splash back down on Earth late Friday.

mdo/md

Bryson DeChambeau, known for his long tee shots and YouTube videos, declared in 2020 that Augusta National played as a "par-67" to him because of his driving distance.

Six years later, the two-time US Open champion boasts he has learned patience and accepts he must take what the famed course will allow as he prepares for the 90th Masters.

"There's a sense of obedience you have to have out here," he said Tuesday. "But it truly is patience because it gives you the opportunity to go for it.

"More patience, not as aggressive all the time. Knowing where to be aggressive and when not to be aggressive. Those are the things. Making better decisions."

DeChambeau, who was 34th in 2020 and never shot better than 69 at the par-72 layout, was fifth last year and sixth in 2024.

The LIV Golf star has traded ball bashing and distance for location and strategy when it comes to Augusta National.

"Focusing on hitting the bigger parts of the greens, making sure I'm missing it in the right places to certain flags, is really what has adjusted my mindset in a positive way," he said.

"In times past, I'd just be going right for the flag, and it quite honestly would get me in a lot of trouble. I have my golf swing a little bit more under control than I have in years past."

The 32-year-old American won LIV titles last month in Singapore and South Africa and has five triumphs in the Saudi-backed series over the past three years.

"I'm playing well and I feel like my game is in the best place of its career," DeChambeau said. "I'm excited to get the week going and see where I can put myself."

DeChambeau, ranked 24th in the world, put himself into the final group on Sunday last year but lost to Rory McIlroy, whom he edged at Pinehurst for the 2024 US Open crown.

"It was a great learning lesson. That last group final round gave me a lot of perspective," he said. "The more I put myself in those positions, the better opportunities I'm going to have to win.

DeChambeau is working on creating his own personal clubs and likes tinkering with strategy.

"It's a continual learning process. From a nerding-out perspective, it's really about the wind this year for me," said DeChambeau.

"Preparation the past couple days has really been focused on wind and how I'm hitting my second shots into the greens... just making sure the numbers are correct and hitting my distances and missing in the right places when I need to.

"There's numerous things I'm working on always and next year it will probably be different as well."

js/rcw

The Center Square) - Arizona Republicans are mulling their options after the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled against them in a lawsuit challenging a 917,000-acre national monument near Grand Canyon National Park.

The court threw out a legal challenge last week to a monument former President Joe Biden created in 2023. The monument protects federal land surrounding the park to honor the ancestral homelands of local Native American tribes.

The 9th Circuit court dismissed the case because judges found the plaintiffs lacked legal standing.

The plaintiffs are state Senate President Warren Petersen, R-Gilbert; House Speaker Steve Montenegro, R-Surprise; State Treasurer Kimberly Yee, a Republican; Mohave County; Colorado City; and the city of Fredonia.

This ruling upholds a decision by a U.S. district court in Arizona, which rejected the plaintiffs’ original legal challenge in January 2025.

Petersen said it was “sad to see the 9th Circuit kicked the can down the road.”

“The court did not address whether the Biden administration had the right to create this massive national monument around the Grand Canyon. It simply ruled that our challenge came too soon,” Petersen told The Center Square, answering questions by email.

“Arizona families should not have to wait years while our land and economic opportunities remain locked up,” he added.

Petersen said state Republicans “will continue fighting to protect Arizona’s economy, jobs, and state sovereignty from this expansive federal land lock-up, including through any available avenues at the federal level.”

He noted the plaintiffs “are actively working with the Trump administration to undo this illegal land grab.”

In their legal challenge, the plaintiffs argued creating the national monument would cause local governments to lose tax revenue from uranium mining that could take place once the 2012 mining ban expired in 2032.

The 9th Circuit judges said this reasoning was too “speculative” as to “whether the right economic conditions and incentives for uranium mining will exist so far into the future.”

Colorado City alleged the new monument could restrict its water supply because it draws water from an aquifer located on land within the monument. The judges said the national monument proclamation does not change water rights or restrict the city's water access.

The Arizona Legislature said the monument impeded its ability to rule over state land. However, the 9th Circuit court noted the Legislature still had control over state land and that the monument affects only federal land.

The plaintiffs also said state land near the monument would lose value and create less revenue. But the judges dismissed the argument.

Furthermore, the plaintiffs alleged the national monument would raise energy prices in the future, but the court noted this reasoning depended on “many unknown variables.”

“Any future economic harm from higher energy prices caused by the Proclamation is accordingly far too speculative to support standing,” the judges wrote.

Kris Mayes, Arizona’s attorney general, said the ruling was a “victory for the people of Arizona and for the Indigenous communities whose ancestral homelands are protected by this monument.”

The Democrat, who was an intervener in the case, added she was “proud to have stood up to defend these sacred and important lands."

(The Center Square) – A new television ad from PatientRightsAdvocate.org features patients from across the country calling on Congress to require upfront healthcare pricing after each faced unexpected medical bills.

The ad began airing in Washington, D.C., and select states over Easter weekend.

It highlights separate patients from Alabama, California, New Mexico and Tennessee who say hidden healthcare prices led to severe financial consequences.

“Healthcare is the only industry where consumers are expected to make binding financial commitments without knowing how much they will owe,” Kerry Schrader of Hoover, Alabama, said in a news release provided by PatientRightsAdvocate.org. “The ‘Patients Deserve Price Tags Act’ will help Americans like me have financial certainty and hold hospitals accountable.”

Schrader said she sought an upfront price for a biopsy, but no one gave her a clear answer. She later received bills totaling more than $28,000 for what she described as a simple outpatient procedure.

Mike Klein, a father from California, said hospitals refuse to provide clear pricing even when patients ask in advance.

“Every responsible parent knows it’s essential to seek all the information you can on the front-end of important decisions for your family,” Klein said. “Today, that’s impossible in American healthcare.”

Klein said he left the hospital with his young son after staff refused to provide a price estimate before surgery.

Additionally, Mark Thompson of New Mexico said he received an estimate of $3,587 for an outpatient procedure but later faced bills totaling more than $160,000.

“Right now, as a patient, you have no control,” Thompson said. “I can’t think of another industry that can get away with this.”

Robin Wayman of Tennessee said a hospital told her that her portion of a surgery would cost $4,000. However, she later received bills demanding $80,000.

“When I got the bill, my world came crashing down,” Wayman said. “Patients shouldn’t have to be scared of the bills, too.”

The ad urges passage of the “Patients Deserve Price Tags Act,” a bipartisan proposal that would codify a 2025 executive order from President Donald Trump on healthcare price transparency and strengthen federal rules requiring hospitals to disclose upfront prices.

PatientRightsAdvocate.org, a national organization focused on healthcare transparency, says making real prices available would allow patients to compare costs and reduce overall spending.

The group also directs viewers to WeDeservePriceTags.com, which highlights wide price differences for the same procedures across providers.

Supporters of the legislation say requiring upfront pricing would give patients more control and prevent unexpected medical debt.

The latest developments in the Middle East war:

- Iran ready -

Iran is prepared for all possibilities in its war with the United States and Israel, First Vice President Mohammad Reza Aref said, following threats from US President Donald Trump. 

"No threat is beyond our preparedness and intelligence," Aref said in a post on X.

- 'Unacceptable' -

Pope Leo XIV said threats to inflict widespread damage on civilian targets in Iran were "unacceptable" -- without specifically mentioning Trump. 

"Today... there was this threat against all the people of Iran, and this is truly unacceptable. There are certainly questions of international law, but much more than that, it is a moral question," the pope told journalists.

- Kuwait stay-at-home warning -

Kuwait asked residents to avoid going outside from midnight until Wednesday morning, hours ahead of a US deadline for Iran to agree to a deal or suffer major strikes on civilian infrastructure.

- US warns against Hajj -

The United States has urged its citizens to reconsider travelling to Saudi Arabia to take part in the Hajj pilgrimage next month due to security concerns, according to a statement posted by the US embassy in Riyadh.

- UN probe blames Israel, Hezbollah -

Three UN peacekeepers who died in two separate incidents in Lebanon in March were likely killed by Israeli tank fire in one case and by a Hezbollah improvised explosive device (IED) in the other, according to a United Nations probe.

- Trump threats 'deeply irresponsible'

Iran's ambassador to the United Nations criticized Donald Trump's "deeply irresponsible" threats against his country, after the president warned that "a whole civilization will die" if Tehran does not accept US war demands. 

- 'Collateral damage' -

The Israeli military expressed regret over "collateral damage" to a synagogue in Tehran caused by an overnight strike it said was targeting a senior Iranian commander. 

Earlier on Tuesday, Iranian media reported that the Rafi-Nia Synagogue in central Tehran had been "completely destroyed". 

- 'Very troubled' -

UN chief Antonio Guterres was "very troubled" by Trump's dire warning that "a whole civilization will die" in Iran if the country does not meet an ultimatum to accept US war demands.

- Israel warns Lebanon ships -

The Israeli military urged all vessels in the maritime zone off the coast of southern Lebanon to immediately head north of the city of Tyre, warning that it would operate in the area.

- US journalist's Iraq release -

Iraq's powerful Kataeb Hezbollah armed group announced that it would release US journalist Shelly Kittleson, a week after she was kidnapped in Baghdad.

- Russia, China veto Hormuz resolution -

Russia and China vetoed a UN Security Council resolution on reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a text already diluted from the green light Gulf states had sought to use force to protect the key shipping lane.

- 'War crime' -

The UN rights chief decried the "incendiary rhetoric" in the Middle East war, warning that deliberate attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure was "a war crime".

- Only Trump knows -

"The Iranian regime has until 8PM Eastern Time to meet the moment and make a deal with the United States," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said in a statement to AFP, when asked if Trump was prepared to use a nuclear weapon, and about a report that Iran had cut off negotiations.

"Only the President knows where things stand and what he will do."

- 'Intensify damage inflicted' -

Israeli military chief Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said that the joint US-Israeli offensive against Iran was "approaching a strategic crossroads" and vowed to "intensify the damage inflicted on the regime."

- White House denies mulling nuclear strike -

The White House denied that remarks by Vice President JD Vance about military operations in Iran had contained any suggestion of a US nuclear strike against the Islamic republic.

After Vance said US forces have tools they "so far haven't decided to use" to enforce a dramatic ultimatum from Trump, the White House said on X: "Literally nothing @VP said here 'implies' this, you absolute buffoons."

- Lebanon toll hits 1,530 -

Lebanon's health ministry said that the death toll in more than a month of war between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah had reached 1,530.

The toll includes 102 women and 130 children, as well as 57 heath workers, a ministry statement said, adding that 4,812 people have been wounded.

- Netanyahu claims Iran bridge strikes -

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel struck railways and bridges in Iran "used by the Revolutionary Guards", after Iranian officials reported damage to at least two bridges and railway infrastructure.

burs-sbk/st

Gary Woodland will have special security this week at the Masters as he battles anxiety and stress following 2023 brain surgery.

Woodland had not won since the 2019 US Open until two weeks ago at the Houston Open, taking the title just two weeks after going public with his mental health struggles.

The 41-year-old American underwent surgery to remove part of a brain tumor and has since battled post-traumatic stress disorder that made him want to run off golf courses at times.

Just as with his PGA Tour events, Woodland will have extra security measures this week at Augusta National, qualifying after his Texas triumph.

"I've met with Augusta. I've met with their security team," Woodland said Tuesday. "Just like on tour, I'll have security with me. The main deal is they were showing me where security is.

"The whole deal for me is it's visual, right? If I can see somebody, then I can remind myself that I'm safe constantly.

"So I have a good idea now where security is on every hole. The big deal for me, my caddie knows too, so he can constantly remind me."

Woodland never knows what might cause an episode, so even with 12 prior Masters starts, it's a new challenge.

"I don't have control when this thing hits me, and it's tough," Woodland said. "It can be a fan. It can be a walking scorer. It can be a camera guy running by me, just any startlement from behind me can trigger this pretty quickly.

"Knowing where the security is is a constant reminder that I'm safe."

Woodland said speaking publicly about his issues has brought him greater strength to deal with them.

"Speaking about it and how I feel afterwards made me a lot stronger," he said. "I didn't know that releasing this battle was going to make me stronger, and it has done that. I feel a lot stronger now than I did three weeks ago, I can tell you that.

"No matter how hard it is out here, I know I have someone I can talk to, that I can have security."

Even his victory at Houston did not come without having to fight down his feelings.

"I had a big battle Friday of Houston. I got hypervigilant on the ninth hole and I battled the last 10 holes thinking people were trying to kill me," Woodland said.

"I talked to tour security that night and I told them what I was going through, and every time I looked up on the weekend, my security team was behind me.

"Last year I didn't talk to tour security. I fought this on my own. It was awful. Turning around and knowing that I'm safe, having somebody there with me, it's the only reason why I won two weeks ago."

Woodland has received messages from several people who has had their own struggles to overcome and been inspired by his story.

"It just shows that everybody is going through something," he said.

js/rcw

(The Center Square) – Like the leader of the Cabinet he’s joined, Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin’s first official trip was to the mountains of North Carolina to survey damage from Hurricane Helene.

This is the 80th week of recovery from arguably the state’s worst natural disaster.

“Thank you, Secretary Mullin, for visiting my district to get a full understanding of where we will need help after Hurricane Helene, but also how far we’ve come,” wrote U.S. Rep. Tim Moore, R-N.C., on social media. “I’m encouraged by the dedication of President Trump and this administration to rebuild western North Carolina.”

Ending the week of his inauguration, second-term Republican President Donald Trump and his wife Melania visited the mountains in January. He flew on to the fire-damaged areas of California near Los Angeles.

The visit comes a day after the Federal Emergency Management Agency said $26 million would be awarded to the state for the purpose of eliminating flood risks or severely damaged properties. Seventy-five damaged residential properties in Henderson, Polk and Yancey counties will be bought through the Hazard Mitigation Grant Program.

“Under Secretary Mullin’s empowering leadership, FEMA is taking swift, decisive action to help survivors,” said Karen Evans, a senior official performing the duties of the FEMA administrator. “The funding announced today will make a real difference for recovering communities, but our work is not finished. Secretary Mullin has further encouraged us to redouble our efforts to help the survivors who are still waiting for assistance. FEMA will continue working with our partners in North Carolina until every pending project is resolved.”

Mullin has been praised for changing a policy of predecessor Kristi Noem. He believed personal approval of FEMA expenditures of more than $100,000 were “micromanaging,” saying “we put people in, we empower them to make decisions.”

While Trump has teased elimination of FEMA and said states know their needs and ways to address them best, Mullin dovetails the idea with belief in local leadership and FEMA as a supporter rather than primary response.

Asheville, Lake Lure and Chimney Rock were areas he viewed, hopping across rocks at one point in a scene making rounds on social media.

Progress is both incredible and crawling at a snail’s pace. Residents, their homes and the communities have overcome challenges. At the same time, more work is to be done. In the 2026 midterms, the storm has become a political football among candidates.

First-term Democratic Gov. Josh Stein, on his sixth day in office last year, created the Governor’s Recovery Office for Western North Carolina, or GROW NC. The Legislature, majority Republican in both chambers, has appropriated $1.104 billion for recovery.

Congress, in December 2024, agreed to send the state – over time – an estimated $9 billion of a $110 billion disaster package.

That's only a portion of the $60 billion to $80 billion in damage.

The storm killed 108 in North Carolina after making landfall as a Category 4 hurricane in Dekle Beach, Fla., on Sept. 26, 2024.

It was expected to come north to the Appalachian Mountains; however, the total rainfall from its dissipation there exceeded all forecasts. Some places got more than 30 inches, most were at 24 inches or more. Due to terrain, water often rushed before it pooled and flooded – very unlike the flooding from hurricanes that happens in the coastal plains.

Putting on a green jacket has lifted an incredible weight off the shoulders of Rory McIlroy as the relaxed reigning Masters champion strolls around Augusta National.

The 36-year-old from Northern Ireland completed a career Grand Slam by capturing the green jacket last year to end a 10-year major win drought and years of chasing a Masters crown.

"It's so nice to walk around property or be out on the golf course and just not have that hanging over me," McIlroy said Tuesday. "It feels that it's a big weight off my shoulders."

World number two McIlroy tries to join Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Nick Faldo as the only back-to-back winners of the Masters with a victory this week.

Turns out the end of his slam quest with a fifth career major title was only the beginning of a new story for McIlroy.

"I think the story as it relates to me is what do I do from now onwards? What motivates me? What gets me going? What do I still want to achieve in the game?" McIlroy said.

"There's still a lot that I want to do. You think every time you achieve something or have success that you'll be happy, but then the goalposts move, and they just keep nudging a little bit further and further out of reach.

"I think what I've realized is, if you can just really find enjoyment in the journey, that's the big thing because honestly I felt like the career Grand Slam was my destination, and I got there, and then I realized it wasn't the destination."

Of all the majors, McIlroy says his best chances to win more titles will come at Augusta National.

"I feel like I'm still young, but I'm very experienced. I've been doing this for a long time. This is my 18th start," McIlroy said.

"I do feel like I've got another hopefully 10 good shots at this. Not that I don't at the other majors, but I just think that everything here is a little more predictable.

"I just think the more experience you have around this golf course, the better it is."

This year, however, McIlroy has a new outlook. It's what helped him arrive on Saturday instead of Monday and relish in the perks of being a Masters winner.

"For the past 17 years I just could not wait for the tournament to start," McIlroy said. "And this year I wouldn't care if the tournament never started. That's sort of the difference."

- No less motivated -

Knowing he will have the chance to return as often as he likes has not dimmed motivation, McIlroy said, even with the pressure of winning the slam released.

"It's completely different. I feel so much more relaxed. I know I'm going to be coming back here for a lot of years, going to enjoy the perks that the champions get here," he said.

"It doesn't make me any less motivated to go out there and play well and try to win the tournament, just more relaxed about it all."

McIlroy is already pondering the places at Augusta National where he can attack the course better.

"You're always going to have to pick and choose your spots around here, where to be aggressive and where not to, but I definitely think there's places where I could be more aggressive off the tee," McIlroy said.

"There's a few tee shots out here where I'll just try to be a bit more aggressive, and then if you do hit a good tee shot, you turn a potentially tough hole into a birdie hole."

js/rcw