The Daily US News Drip — Ice Mountain Hikers, Prop 40 Opposition — Thu, Oct 29, 2026

Two Missing College Hikers Found Dead on Ice Mountain

https://dripcast.ai/story/304703-two-missing-college-hikers-found-dead-on-ice-mountain

Two college students from Colorado who went missing on a hike were found dead. They disappeared while hiking on Ice Mountain in a snowstorm, and authorities said the window for finding them was rapidly closing. Police and other authorities searched for the students after they went missing.

Tech Moguls Pour $333M Into Campaign Against California Wealth Tax

https://dripcast.ai/story/304710-tech-moguls-pour-333m-into-campaign-against-california-wealth-tax

California billionaires have poured more than $333 million into efforts to defeat Prop 40, a proposed 5% tax on billionaire wealth, in a campaign strategists say is unusually large and coordinated. At least 30 billionaires have contributed, including Google co-founder Sergey Brin, described as the opposition campaign’s biggest backer, and Stripe CEO Patrick Collison, who gave $33 million. Snowflake board chair Frank Slootman donated $5 million to an opposition group, saying the measure threatened private-property rights and California’s economic dynamism, while Tom Steyer was a rare billionaire who backed the tax.

2026 Clock Shift: What to Know as Daylight Saving Ends

https://dripcast.ai/story/304669-2026-clock-shift-what-to-know-as-daylight-saving-ends

President Trump supports making daylight saving time permanent, while the American Medical Association and American Academy of Sleep Medicine favor standard time year-round, citing its benefits for sleep and the body’s clock. The House passed the Sunshine Protection Act, but it still needs Senate approval; a school-district analysis estimates permanent daylight saving would leave students in 94 of the 100 largest districts commuting in darkness on winter mornings. Most Americans gain an hour of sleep when clocks go back, and Hawaii and most of Arizona do not change clocks.

Reports Say Investigators Examined Claims Omar Married Brother for Immigration Benefits

https://dripcast.ai/story/304862-reports-say-investigators-examined-claims-omar-married-brother-for-immigration-b

Reports allege that federal probes found evidence Rep. Ilhan Omar entered a sham marriage with Ahmed Nur Said Elmi, who was alleged to be her brother, to help him obtain a green card. The FBI investigation reportedly began in 2016, and Fox News says a Biden-appointed attorney shut it down in 2021. The case reportedly did not proceed because of statute-of-limitations concerns.

King Tides Flood Coastal Roads and Homes as Florida Sees Relief

https://dripcast.ai/story/304409-king-tides-flood-coastal-roads-and-homes-as-florida-sees-relief

King tides flooded streets, homes, and businesses along both U.S. coasts, with cars struggling to pass through rising water. Parts of Florida saw some of the worst coastal flooding, with water levels surpassing records set by several hurricanes. Gradual relief was expected in Florida as the king tide event entered its final hours.

GM to Pay $226M in Settlements Over Driver Data Sales

https://dripcast.ai/story/305039-gm-to-pay-226m-in-settlements-over-driver-data-sales

General Motors agreed to pay $220 million to settle allegations that it collected and sold drivers’ location and driving-behavior data to brokers, who passed it to insurers for setting premiums. A bipartisan coalition of 36 attorneys general said some drivers were enrolled in GM’s OnStar Smart Driver program without their knowledge, and the settlement requires the company to get consumers’ express consent before collecting or sharing their data. Connecticut will receive $6 million over claims involving 120,000 state drivers; GM enrolled millions of drivers in the program, which it said was meant to promote safer driving, and discontinued it in 2024.

Judge Halts Trump-era Medicaid Rule on Proving Frailty

https://dripcast.ai/story/305089-judge-halts-trump-era-medicaid-rule-on-proving-frailty

A federal judge in Boston blocked the Trump administration’s rule requiring chronically ill Medicaid recipients to meet new work-related conditions to qualify as medically frail, finding the policy exceeded what Congress authorized. The ruling pauses only the medical-frailty provisions and gives states six months of protection from penalties for implementation errors, while leaving in place rules limiting medical records to the past 12 months and letting states decide whether to accept patients’ self-attestations. The remaining Medicaid work requirements are set to take effect nationwide in January, and eight states have rejected the temporary grace period for self-attestation.

Clancy’s Lawyer Rejects Claim She’ll Testify in Suit Against Doctors

https://dripcast.ai/story/304861-clancys-lawyer-rejects-claim-shell-testify-in-suit-against-doctors

Lindsay Clancy’s lawyer says she never told health care providers she had homicidal thoughts about her children, disputing claims made by Patrick Clancy’s legal team. Her attorney, Kevin Reddington, also denies that she plans to testify in the civil case against her medical providers. Patrick Clancy’s wrongful death lawsuit over the deaths of the couple’s three children faces a motion to dismiss.

U.S. Targets North Korean IT Worker Scheme With New Sanctions

https://dripcast.ai/story/304745-us-targets-north-korean-it-worker-scheme-with-new-sanctions

The Trump administration has sanctioned 10 people and one Russia-based entity accused of helping North Korea place IT workers in legitimate U.S. and allied companies and channel earnings to its weapons programs. Treasury says the workers used stolen identities, fake résumés and concealed nationalities, while also stealing sensitive information, deploying malware and extorting businesses; the operation allegedly generated hundreds of millions of dollars for Pyongyang. Two Russian nationals are accused of facilitating money transfers, including cryptocurrency transactions, and the sanctions block their U.S.-held assets and generally bar U.S. persons from doing business with them.

Alexander Payne Faces ‘Holdovers’ Script Plagiarism Lawsuit

https://dripcast.ai/story/304458-alexander-payne-faces-holdovers-script-plagiarism-lawsuit

Screenwriter Simon Stephenson has sued director Alexander Payne and others in California federal court, alleging that *The Holdovers* copied his unproduced screenplay *Frisco*. Stephenson says the stories share a curmudgeonly adult overseeing teenagers, along with specific plot points and writing details, and alleges Payne read *Frisco* in 2013 and again in 2019; the Writers Guild of America declined to resolve the dispute because copyright claims fell outside its authority. He is seeking unspecified damages and a court order to stop further exploitation of the film, which earned five Academy Award nominations and roughly $46 million at the box office; Payne has said he drew on the French film *Merlusse* and collaborated with screenwriter David Hemingson.

Man Admits Federal Hate Crimes in Deadly Colorado Attack

https://dripcast.ai/story/305088-man-admits-federal-hate-crimes-in-deadly-colorado-attack

Mohamed Soliman pleaded guilty to federal hate-crime and weapons charges for attacking a Jewish hostage-support demonstration in Boulder with Molotov cocktails, injuring 13 people. Prosecutors said he targeted the demonstrators because they were Jewish; 82-year-old Karen Diamond died three weeks after suffering severe burns, and prosecutors will seek life in prison plus 50 years. Soliman is already serving a life sentence on state charges, and a federal judge has not yet decided his sentence.

Social Security’s Funding Future and Data Changes Face Voters in 2026

https://dripcast.ai/story/305053-social-securitys-funding-future-and-data-changes-face-voters-in-2026

Social Security’s main trust fund is projected to run out by late 2032, potentially triggering benefit cuts of more than 20%, as an aging population leaves fewer workers paying into the program. Candidates in Maine, Michigan and other Senate races are debating options including raising or eliminating the $184,500 payroll-tax cap, combating fraud and creating a bipartisan commission, while Maine Republican Susan Collins says she would not cut benefits. Separately, the Social Security Administration says it has overhauled millions of records to improve accuracy and prevent fraud, and retirees are advised to check their information through the agency.

Pentagon Watchdog Won’t Probe Musk’s Ukraine Satellite Slowdowns

https://dripcast.ai/story/305044-pentagon-watchdog-wont-probe-musks-ukraine-satellite-slowdowns

The Pentagon inspector general declined a bipartisan request to investigate reported Starlink and Starshield disruptions affecting Ukraine, referring the matter to the Air Force and Space Force as a contractual issue. Nine senators, led by Republican Thom Tillis and Democrat Jeanne Shaheen, said the restrictions hampered Ukraine’s defenses, and Shaheen called the decision concerning and urged an independent review. Trump denied responsibility for the slowdowns, while Elon Musk said Ukraine’s military had used Starlink for offensive drone strikes and that Starshield is controlled by the U.S. government; Ukrainian officials disputed Musk’s account.

Education Chief Seeks $43K Office Upgrade While Agency Winds Down

https://dripcast.ai/story/305038-education-chief-seeks-43k-office-upgrade-while-agency-winds-down

Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s office plans to spend $43,278.64 on new furniture as she pursues closing the Department of Education, a move that requires congressional approval. The department says its existing furniture cannot be used in its new headquarters, and McMahon says the relocation will save about $5 million a year as the agency shrinks and shifts functions to other departments. Press secretary Savannah Newhouse defended the purchase as necessary for staff to work and meet, while McMahon says closing the department would return education authority to parents, teachers and local leaders.

Escaped Tennessee Prisoner’s Truck Found as Manhunt Expands

https://dripcast.ai/story/304706-escaped-tennessee-prisoners-truck-found-as-manhunt-expands

A convicted killer serving a life sentence escaped from a Tennessee prison, slipped through a fence and stole a landscaping truck, which investigators later found abandoned in Marion, Illinois, more than 140 miles away. Authorities said Jacob Morley, 28, was last known to be in Marion, but police reported no credible tips that he remained there, and investigators have found no evidence anyone helped him escape. The escape comes amid scrutiny of prison staffing and safety, with 470 vacancies across Tennessee’s prison workforce and the state’s corrections commissioner resigning after less than three years in the role.

Minnesota Feeding Our Future Fraud Leader Gets 30 Years

https://dripcast.ai/story/304665-minnesota-feeding-our-future-fraud-leader-gets-30-years

Salim Said was sentenced to 30 years in prison for his role in Minnesota’s Feeding Our Future fraud scheme, which prosecutors said sought millions in federal reimbursements by falsely claiming to feed children during the pandemic. Prosecutors said Said claimed to provide 6,000 meals a day and filed fraudulent claims for 21 months, while FBI surveillance showed about 40 people collecting food daily; the government said he was responsible for $44 million in fraud. Said denied the allegations at trial, and dozens of people have been convicted in the scheme, including nonprofit leader Aimee Bock, who is serving a 42-year sentence.

TSA Flags Horror-movie Blades in Seattle Airport Carry-on

https://dripcast.ai/story/304580-tsa-flags-horror-movie-blades-in-seattle-airport-carry-on

TSA officers at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport spotted sharp, Wolverine-style claws in a carry-on bag during X-ray screening. TSA officer Douglas Linn said he saw three blades with distinct claw-like features, resembling something from a horror film. Officers described it as their most unusual find in two years.

Pentagon Removes Senior Joint Staff Planner as Iran Tensions Rise

https://dripcast.ai/story/304560-pentagon-removes-senior-joint-staff-planner-as-iran-tensions-rise

Army Lt. Gen. Brett Sylvia has left his senior Pentagon post as director of strategy, plans and policy, and officials say he has retired; no reason was given. His departure comes as U.S. forces in the Middle East are prepared to launch major operations against Iran within 96 hours of an order from President Trump, though Trump has not made a decision and could still back away. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed Sylvia out, making him the second general removed from the post under Hegseth, and the Joint Staff thanked Sylvia and his family for 32 years of service.

Errol Morris Reveals Hours of Unseen Elizabeth Holmes Footage

https://dripcast.ai/story/304511-errol-morris-reveals-hours-of-unseen-elizabeth-holmes-footage

Oscar-winning documentarian Errol Morris is considering releasing a two-hour interview with Theranos founder Elizabeth Holmes, filmed when she was at the height of her success. Morris, who also shot advertisements for Theranos, said he initially had no reason to believe Holmes was a fraud, but that changed over time. The interview is not his only footage of Theranos.

UC San Diego Doctoral Student Admits Killing Infant in Plea Deal

https://dripcast.ai/story/304504-uc-san-diego-doctoral-student-admits-killing-infant-in-plea-deal

Nicole Virzi, a 32-year-old UC San Diego PhD student, pleaded guilty to third-degree criminal homicide in the death of 6-week-old Leon Katz, her best friend’s newborn son. Prosecutors said the baby was beaten while Virzi was babysitting, and reports said she was upset about being asked to do what she considered nanny work. After the baby’s death, Virzi allegedly told police during a 13-hour interrogation that she had long controlled a compulsion to murder babies.

Haunted Attraction Manager Accused of Sexually Assaulting Coworkers, More Victims Sought

https://dripcast.ai/story/304501-haunted-attraction-manager-accused-of-sexually-assaulting-coworkers-more-victims

Pennsylvania man Edward A. Eisenhard has been arrested and charged in three criminal cases, and authorities are seeking additional victims. Prosecutors allege he strangled and assaulted a woman on opening night at the Valley of Fear haunted hayride in Bucks County, where one case involves an attack on a coworker. Bucks County District Attorney Joe Khan called Eisenhard an alleged “dangerous serial sexual predator.”

Zillow to Pay $212.5 Million to Resolve Home-flipping Investor Suit

https://dripcast.ai/story/304510-zillow-to-pay-2125-million-to-resolve-home-flipping-investor-suit

Zillow has agreed to pay $212.5 million in cash to settle a shareholder class action over its failed Zillow Offers home-flipping business. The lawsuit accused the company of misleading investors about the venture, and the settlement still requires court approval. Zillow agreed to settle after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear its challenge to the case.