George Petras

2 weeks ago | usatoday.com | George Petras |Veronica Bravo

More than 250 riders on mildly powered scooters will soon be thundering – quietly, of course – in cold rain and desert heat across thousands of miles, eight states in eight days, in the 2025 Scooter Cannonball rally in June. Veteran and rookie riders have signed up for the 11th Scooter Cannonball, a checkpoint-loaded, point-based event starting June 22 in Seaside, Oregon, and ending June 29 in South Padre Island, Texas. Just who are these people? Why do they do it?

2 weeks ago | usatoday.com | Ramon Padilla |Janet Loehrke |George Petras

Seven hundred Marines have been activated and are preparing to deploy to Los Angeles where they will join National Guard troops ordered to protect federal personnel and property in response to protests over immigration raids. President Donald Trump said the guard, sent over the objections of local and state leaders, would restore order after clashes between police and protesters angry at his aggressive pursuit of undocumented immigrants.

3 weeks ago | usatoday.com | George Petras |Janet Loehrke |Jim Sergent

President Donald Trump ordered a travel ban Wednesday, barring residents of 12 countries, mostly in Africa and the Middle East, from entering the U.S. as risks to national security. The ban takes effect on Monday. Partial restrictions were imposed against citizens of seven other nations. It was the first travel ban issued by Trump in his second presidential term. Trump ordered three travel bans against predominantly Muslim nations during his first administration.

3 weeks ago | usatoday.com | George Petras |Janet Loehrke

A massive military parade on the streets of Washington will showcase troops, tanks, weapons, aircraft – and music performers including country singer Scotty Hasting, a former Army infantryman who was wounded in Afghanistan. Country singer Noah Hicks of Nashville and DJ Nyla Symone, one of New York's youngest DJs, will perform at the U.S. Army's Grand Military Parade in Washington.

3 weeks ago | courierpostonline.com | Kaitlyn McCormick |George Petras |Melina Khan

Kaitlyn McCormick George Petras Melina KhanCherry Hill Courier-PostThe U.S. Treasury Department is to halt penny production, with stores to eventually round prices to the nearest nickel. The final order of penny blanks has been made, but existing inventory is to continue to circulate for an unspecified time. Rising zinc and copper prices contributed to the increased cost of penny production, the Treasury said.