Mississippi Teen Nolan Wells’ Death Sparks Calls For Transparent Investigation
More than a week after 18-year-old Nolan Xavier Wells’ body was found off Horn Island, investigators still have not released a cause of death, and the family’s independent autopsy results remain delayed. At a recent press conference, Attorney Ben Crump, representing the Wells family, said results from a second autopsy performed in Washington were expected Friday but were pushed back due to canceled flights; he said his team will announce them as soon as they’re available. The state’s own autopsy, completed July 8, is still awaiting toxicology results that officials say could take weeks.
What To Know: A U.S. park ranger found Wells’ body in the water off Horn Island on Monday, July 6, two days after he went missing during a Fourth of July boat trip with friends. Jackson County Coroner Bruce Lynd confirmed through dental records that the body was that of Wells, who was last seen around 3 p.m. Saturday, July 4, and did not return to the mainland with his friends. Wells, a student and wide receiver at Southwest Mississippi Community College, was reportedly a strong swimmer and athlete, according to Crump, though the coroner has noted the waters off Horn Island have a history of strong currents and drowning deaths. The sheriff’s office is treating the case as a death investigation, not a homicide, and has said there were no immediate, obvious signs of foul play or trauma, though officials are awaiting full autopsy and toxicology results before determining how Wells died. Former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick funded the family’s independent autopsy, and filmmaker Tyler Perry is covering funeral costs. A GoFundMe for the family has raised more than $230,000.
NAACP Urges DOJ to Investigate Deaths of Two Black Men in Tennessee
The NAACP is calling on the U.S. Department of Justice to investigate the deaths of two young Black men in Tennessee and suspend the Memphis Safe Task Force, citing concerns about accountability and public safety. In a letter sent to the Justice Department, the civil rights organization requested a federal investigation into the deaths of Darius Chappell of Clarksville and Tyrin Johnson of Memphis. The NAACP also called for the immediate suspension of the task force, arguing that concerns about inadequate training and law enforcement practices warrant federal scrutiny.
Deep Dive: NAACP President Derrick Johnson said the Justice Department has a responsibility to protect the constitutional rights of Black Americans and ensure transparency in cases involving law enforcement. The organization said a federal investigation would help determine the circumstances surrounding both deaths and provide accountability for affected communities. The NAACP also released survey findings showing that many Memphis residents oppose the National Guard’s deployment, saying it has undermined trust and public safety.
Lindsey Graham, Longtime Senator and Close Trump Ally, Dies At 71
Lindsey Graham, a four-term Republican U.S. senator who rose from the small Upstate town of Central to become one of South Carolina’s most influential political figures, has died at 71. Graham represented South Carolina in the U.S. Senate since 2003, after serving four terms in the U.S. House, helping shape the state’s Republican politics for more than three decades. His death prompted tributes from colleagues and a scramble to fill his Senate seat.
What To Know: Graham built a reputation as an influential voice on national security, judicial confirmations and conservative policy. His record also drew criticism from many civil rights advocates. The senator opposed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, voted against the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act and supported conservative judicial nominees whose rulings on voting rights and affirmative action faced opposition from Black advocacy organizations, including the NAACP. Supporters argued Graham defended constitutional principles and limited government, while critics said his positions weakened protections for Black Americans.
Trump Administration Discontinues Plans to Put Harriet Tubman on $20 Bill
The Trump administration has ended a decade-long effort to place abolitionist Harriet Tubman on the front of the U.S. $20 bill, halting a redesign first announced in 2016 during the Obama administration. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed this week that the Treasury Department is “not at present” moving forward with the plan when asked by Spectrum News. The redesign would have replaced President Andrew Jackson on the front of the note while retaining his image on the reverse. The project was originally expected to debut in 2020 but faced repeated delays under both the Trump and Biden administrations, with officials citing the lengthy process of redesigning U.S. currency and incorporating new anti-counterfeiting features.
Why It Matters: The decision effectively ends a proposal that had received broad public support and was intended to recognize Tubman’s contributions to American history. Tubman’s selection carried historic significance as she would have become the first Black American and the first woman in more than a century to appear on the front of a widely circulated U.S. banknote. Bessent did not provide a reason for abandoning the effort, and a Treasury spokesperson declined further comment.
SAVE Plan Officially Ends
The Biden-era Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, repayment plan has officially ended, requiring millions of federal student loan borrowers to transition to a new repayment option. The U.S. Department of Education said borrowers enrolled in SAVE will receive notices from their loan servicers directing them to select a new repayment plan within 90 days. Those who do not choose a new plan by their deadline will be automatically enrolled in either the Standard Repayment Plan or the new Tiered Standard Plan, depending on their eligibility. The change follows court rulings that blocked the SAVE plan and new federal law that reshaped the student loan repayment system.
What To Know: Borrowers can choose among repayment options, including the new Repayment Assistance Plan, or RAP, and other eligible plans. More than 7.5 million borrowers are affected by the transition, according to the Education Department. Borrowers should closely monitor emails and mail from their loan servicer because individual deadlines vary. They should use the federal repayment calculator to compare available plans and enroll before their 90-day deadline to avoid automatic placement into a standard repayment option.
Federal Judge Restores $127 Million in Grants for Black and Underserved Farmers
A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Department of Agriculture to restore $127 million in grants that the Trump administration canceled for organizations supporting beginning and underserved farmers, including many Black farmers. U.S. District Judge Beryl Howell ruled that the Agriculture Department likely acted unlawfully when it terminated the grants, which were awarded through the Increasing Land, Capital and Market Access Program created under the American Rescue Plan and Inflation Reduction Act. The administration had argued the awards promoted diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives it considered discriminatory.
Plaintiffs said the canceled grants disrupted land access, equipment purchases, financing and community programs that farmers relied on. The judge found the organizations demonstrated they would suffer irreparable harm without the funding and that restoring the grants serves the public interest.
Andrew Gillum Arrested in Alabama on Drug Possession Charges
Former Florida Democratic gubernatorial nominee Andrew Gillum was arrested in Alabama on drug possession charges after police said they stopped him for erratic driving and discovered marijuana and methamphetamine in his vehicle. The Daphne Police Department said officers initiated a probable cause search after spotting a glass pipe on the center console during the July 2 traffic stop. Authorities said they recovered several marijuana cigarettes and three packages of a substance that field-tested positive for methamphetamine. Gillum, 46, was charged with marijuana possession and unlawful possession of a controlled substance before being released from the Baldwin County Jail on July 3.
Deep Dive: The arrest marks the latest setback for the former Tallahassee mayor, who narrowly lost Florida’s 2018 gubernatorial race to Republican Ron DeSantis and was once viewed as a rising Democratic star. Gillum has faced legal scrutiny before, though not all incidents resulted in convictions. In 2020, he was found intoxicated in a Miami Beach hotel room during an apparent overdose investigation but was not charged. In 2022, a federal grand jury indicted him on conspiracy and wire fraud charges related to campaign fundraising; a jury acquitted him of making false statements to the FBI, and prosecutors later dismissed the remaining charges after a mistrial.