WASHINGTON — The Trump administration took nearly $10 million from the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s budget this summer to help boost U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, according to budget documents shared with USA TODAY.

The revelation, just ahead of Hurricane Florence’s expected landfall in North and South Carolina, was found by Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who first shared the documents live on MSNBC late Tuesday. 

He told USA TODAY that after the devastation of last year’s storms, including hurricanes Maria, Harvey and Irma, FEMA should have the funds it needs to be prepared for another disastrous hurricane season. 

“It’s almost guaranteed to happen again, so this is just incredibly irresponsible,” Merkley said. 

The budgeting document, titled “Department of Homeland Security FY 2018 transfer and reprogramming notifications,” lists $9,755,303 taken from FEMA’s budget, about .9 percent of the agency’s listed overall budget, and given to support ICE.

Money was also taken from other agencies, including millions from theTransportation Security Administration and the U.S. Coast Guard, to help ICE, the document states.

The document lists the additional money was taken to help ICE detain immigrants along the southern border, fund beds in detention centers and remove undocumented immigrants from the country.

“ICE must have sufficient detention bed capacity to detain illegal aliens when necessary as it enforces the Nation’s immigration laws as fairly and effectively as possible,” the budget document states. “Ensuring adequate funding for the detention beds requires projecting an Average Daily Population (ADP) for adult detainees as well as the daily costs incurred in keeping a detainee in custody.”

The nearly $10 million was taken from various places within FEMA, including training, preparedness and protection, and response and recovery operations.

Tylet Houlton, a spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security, which oversees both agencies, dismissed criticism of the document as a “sorry attempt to push a false agenda” and said none of the money transferred came from disaster relief funding. 

“Under no circumstances was any disaster relief funding transferred from @fema to immigration enforcement efforts. This is a sorry attempt to push a false agenda at a time when the administration is focused on assisting millions on the East Coast facing a catastrophic disaster,” he said in a tweet. “The money in question — transferred to ICE from FEMA’s routine operating expenses — could not have been used for hurricane response due to appropriation limitations.”

More: Trump calls Puerto Rico response an ‘unsung success’

While it’s not uncommon for agencies to move money around, FEMA’s budget was decimated last year due to the barrage of storms and fires that affected the nation and the agency was criticized heavily for its handling of the disaster in Puerto Rico.

Merkely said he was made aware of FEMA’s budget cuts while looking into a solution for family separation and the detention centers set up along the border. He said the document makes it clear ICE is using money from FEMA “to build more detention centers.” 

Merkely said he believes the budgeting reallocation happened in response to the Trump administration’s zero-tolerance policy, which was rolled out earlier this year. 

The policy led to thousands of families being separated and housed in detention centers, which he says may have increased the need for more money in ICE’s budget. 

Both FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security did not immediately respond to requests from USA TODAY. 

 

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A video released by Los Angeles police Monday shows a suspect shooting at an officer from inches away and police returning fire, fatally injuring the man.

The shooting occurred after a traffic stop on July 27 in North Hills, police say. It involved two officers — a female who was shot and a male who returned fire, fatally wounding the suspect.

An edited video shows multiple views of the incident, including dash and body cam footage.

The video shows that police pulled over a suspect and that officers approached his vehicle from both sides. A female officer on the driver’s side briefly converses with the suspect, asking him to exit the vehicle.

As the suspect leaves the car, he pulls a gun, shooting the female officer at close range. The video shows a blur of motion as the gunman turns his gun towards the male officer, who shoots the suspect multiple times.

The gunman, identified by police as 32-year-old Richard Mendoza, was shot in the head and torso. After receiving treatment, he died at a later date, police say.

The female officer has not been identified and received treatment for a gunshot wound to her left leg.

Sept. 10: Dallas officer who killed black man reportedly thought he was burglarizing her apartment

Sept. 6: Police arrest tourist who threatened to blow up Disney World resort

“By the grace of God she is alive,” LAPD chief Michel Moore told the Los Angeles Times. “Officers are fearful in these situations and the public here gets to see why.” 

Moore said that the quick action of the male officer saved both officers’ lives.

Moore told the publication that the female officer knew Mendoza from her work in LAPD’s gang unit. Mendoza went by the name of “Biz” and was a known member of a street gang, police say.

Before the shooting in the video, the female officer can be heard asking Mendoza if he was still on probation — he responded that he had nine months left.

One video angle appears to show that until the moment of the shooting, Mendoza had both hands raised.

“You don’t have anything on you, right?” the female officer asked before the incident.

After the shooting, the male officer is shown rushing to the aid of the female officer, who was crying out. 

“Just get him,” the female officer tells the male officer. 

The male officer approaches the fallen and bloodied suspect and handcuffs him. Police say that action was for the safety of the officers.

The LAPD is reviewing the shooting. A video statement says the investigation will take several months.

 

 

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Seven paint options for future Teslas will soon dwindle to five.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Monday night that Tesla would “simplify manufacturing” by removing Obsidian Black Metallic and Silver Metallic from the menu of colors as of Wednesday, possibly so it can catch up on missed production deadlines and fulfill  orders already placed by consumers who want to drive its new electric sedan, the Model 3. 

Any color beyond Solid Black already come at an additional cost, but starting Wednesday the metallic black and silver options will be moved to a “special order” status.

Tesla didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment as to why the metallic colors were problematic for production, or what Musk means by “higher price,” but we’ll update this post if we hear back.

<img class="" data-credit-name='TESLA WEBSITe/screengrab’ data-credit-provider=”custom type” data-caption=’A look at current Tesla paint options before two are moved to “special order” status.’ title=’A look at current Tesla paint options before two are moved to “special order” status.’ src=”https://i.amz.mshcdn.com/6xs7SGZcryrAEGQDj2b-lsigD_s=/fit-in/1200×9600/https%3A%2F%2Fblueprint-api-production.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fcard%2Fimage%2F843826%2F6d45e0b4-4186-415e-af27-73f0dbd5314b.png&#8221; alt=’A look at current Tesla paint options before two are moved to “special order” status.’ data-fragment=”m!a799″ data-image=”https://ift.tt/2oYCOoP; data-micro=”1″>

In a reply to a customer who wanted to know about options to service his Silver Metallic Model X 100, Musk tweeted that service centers will continue to stock parts in each color for owners of cars painted with the soon-limited colors. 

In July, Musk stated an August goal of producing 6,000 Model 3 cars per week, however the current reality is closer to 3,500, according to estimates by Bloomberg.

After the announcement, Musk described the process of using red paint as looking “like an episode of Dexter,” the TV series about a serial killer/blood spatter expert. He included a photo showing the car plant in red, looking “so sus.” 

With Musk wanting to get this show on the road, he most likely realized there’s just no time for frivolous things like sparkly paint.

Holly Ramer, Associated Press
Published 8:59 p.m. ET Sept. 11, 2018

A former state senator who jumped into the race for governor of New Hampshire more than a year after her Democratic opponent beat him in Tuesday’s primary and will face Republican Gov. Chris Sununu in November.

Molly Kelly, a former five-term state senator from Harrisville, defeated former Portsmouth Mayor Steve Marchand. Though she didn’t start campaigning until April, she quickly gained the support of key Democrats, including the state’s two U.S. senators.

Both Jeanne Shaheen and Maggie Hassan are former state senators and governors, and Kelly would be the third woman elected governor if she beats Sununu.

During the campaign, Kelly often emphasized her upbringing as the second oldest of 11 siblings and her later years as a single mother who raised three children while putting herself through college.

More: Get complete coverage of the nation’s midterm races 

“I was willing to do whatever it took to open doors for myself and to bring possibilities and opportunities to my children. And I want to do that for everyone in New Hampshire,” she said during a debate last week.

“A governor sits in a hot seat, a governor makes difficult and important decisions about the people she serves. She must know who she is, what her values are and what those values have been. I have been tested and I am ready to be governor,” she said.

While Marchand made a pitch for bold vision instead of compromise and cast himself as the true progressive in the race, Kelly argued that she had the track record to back up her ideas, citing work in the Senate on issues such as support for public education, women’s rights and gun safety.

She accused Sununu of pandering to the Trump administration with his support of a school voucher bill that ultimately failed. And she accused him of failing to do enough to address serious deficiencies at the state’s child protection agency, which has been under intense scrutiny since the deaths of two toddlers under its supervision.

She called for a system of care separate from the Division of Children, Youth and Families to focus on prevention and intervention measures that would help families avoid abuse and neglect.

Sununu, who was unopposed in his primary, said in a statement that he looks forward to promoting his pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda.

We are getting the job done for New Hampshire — without raising taxes or fees — and Granite Staters are taking notice,” he said.

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A viral video captured Tuesday appears to show a wild bald eagle perching on the extended ladder of a Minnesota fire truck. That truck was taking part in a flag display commemorating the 17th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terror attacks.

“Unbelievable,” Andover Fire Department Fire Chief Jerry Streich repeatedly exclaimed on the video he shot in the northern Minneapolis suburb of Coon Rapids. The department says the video has been viewed more than one million times.

The video shows two aerial fire trucks parked on an overpass, suspending an American flag between their ladders — a tribute to the victims and first responders of the 9/11 attacks.

The national bird landed on the top of one of the truck’s ladders, paused for a moment on the edge of the basket, then flew off.

“There’s no better symbol to represent America today than a flag but then for an eagle to land on a fire truck holding a flag, I mean, it doesn’t get much more symbolic than that,” Streich said, KARE-TV reports.

More: Why 9/11 isn’t a national holiday, and why it’s likely to stay that way

More: Deaths from 9/11 diseases will soon outnumber those lost on that day

Streich said this is the 17th year for the city’s annual tribute. 

Firefighters from multiple departments were at the event, which included draping a banner over the overpass’ railing that said “We will never forget,” reports the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Streich said he couldn’t believe his eyes when the eagle landed for what he described as less than a minute.

Contributing: KARE-TV, Minneapolis-St. Paul; Associated Press

 

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Logitech is flipping the design of the computer mouse on its side with its MX Vertical Advanced Ergonomic mouse.

The idea is to re-invent the mouse, at the same time making in forward-looking and more useful, I guess. It also happens to look like an enlarged garlic clove.

The point of a vertical mouse is to provide an “ergonomic” design (i.e. one that won’t strain your hand). The packaging is says it positions your hand at a 57-degree angle, which is apparently a more “natural” one. However, there’s a steep learning curve — one I ultimately never conquered.

It looks and feels futuristic

Image: ZLATA IVLEVA/MASHABLE

The MX vertical is interesting-looking, but that only goes so far. By flipping the mouse controls on the side, it’s like you’re shaking a hand when using it. Your index and pointer finger will rest on the left and right clickers, with a scroll wheel in the middle.

So on what would typically be the backside of the mouse, you rest your thumb on a grippy surface, which also has the forward and backward buttons. It’s definitely an experience that takes getting used to. For starters, the bumps along the exterior don’t go all the way around, which makes it less intuitive to hold.

Image: ZLATA IVLEVA/MASHABLE

You can turn the MX Vertical on or shut it off with a small switch on the bottom. Luckily, Logitech didn’t put the charging port next to the switch like Apple’s Magic Mouse does; instead, the USB-C charging port sits on the front of the device. 

To make sure the mouse moves smoothly, Logitech put a thin rubber lining around the edge of the bottom, letting you use the MX Vertical without a mouse pad on a variety of surfaces.

The MX Vertical can confuse your muscle memory

In trying to use Logitech’s innovative mouse, I regularly found myself trying to click buttons that weren’t there. It was hard to retrain my hand to find the left and right clicker buttons, especially since Logitech put an inch of space below them with no grooves or humps.

Still, after a few days, I was getting in the groove. However, dragging and dropping documents remained a challenge — I would often accidentally let them go when I didn’t mean to.

In short, the MX Vertical takes a while to figure out. If you’re expecting to just plug this in and be a vertical-mouse whiz, chances are that’s not going to happen.

It’s not so much that it reinvents the controls, but rather your finger movements. Of course, you can still click to navigate a webpage, open a text, start a text field, and even make some light photo adjustments. Logitech’s MX Vertical also throws in a forward and backward button for the thumb to use. That’s handy, but be wary of how you move your thumb. In my testing, I would frequently engage one of these controls by accident, and my workflow would get jumbled. You also use your thumb to change the pointer speed on the fly via the small circular button on the top. 

Each clicker has a good tactile feel to it and makes a sound — like any good mouse does. Same goes for the scroll well, which worked well to make it through a long document easily or to scroll through results in a browser. I do imagine that, over time, dust could build up in the gap between the right and left clickers and the scroll wheel, though.

I tried one game of Fortnite with the MX Vertical and immediately regretted it. Flipping the location of the core clickers really screwed up my rhythm and didn’t offer the accuracy I needed for gaming. The scroll wheel performed differently than console controls, keyboard ones, and a traditional mouse. This is definitely not a gaming mouse.

Wrist comfort: not a feature

One of the main ideas behind Logitech’s vertical-mouse design is that it’s more ergonomic and be more comfortable on your wrist and arm. However, I found that the MX Vertical, far from reducing pain, merely relocates it. I am right handed, and after using the mouse for a few hours, I began to get sore on the top and side of my wrist. 

This is a bummer to say the least. To fix this I would likely need an elevated mouse pad, which would be an additional expense.

Light customizations

Along with the MX Vertical, Logitech includes its Options app for Windows and macOS. This is the command center for all of your available accessories, like keyboards and mouses. In here you can get a tour of the MX Vertical, see the default button setup, and make changes.

For example, you can have the circular button along the central ridge change the pointer speed, engage mission control, or play and pause content. You can customize the other buttons as well. Logitech lets you have this same level of possibilities for the forward and backward buttons on the left-hand side.

Three choices for connectivity

Like Logitech’s other wireless mice, you have the option of connecting through a receiver that plugs into a USB port directly to your computer via Bluetooth. Both of these standards are on-board the MX Vertical. Bluetooth pairing is done through a button on the bottom of the mouse, and it showed up within a few seconds on a MacBook Air. The connection was pretty strong even from a few feet away.

Bluetooth will allow you to pair the MX Vertical with multiple devices, like a tablet and a laptop. You can quickly switch between the two, and it’s a nice trick that allows you to have one, and only one, peripheral on your desk.

Setup is definitely easier if you use the USB receiver, which is basically plug and play. And if you have other Logitech gear, you can connect them all to a single receiver with some minor settings adjustments.

Either way, the MX Vertical should work like a charm, with virtually no lag, once connected. However, if you want to go old school, you can always plug the MX Vertical in with the USB-C to USB-A cable for a hard-wired experience.

Final thoughts

Logitech isn’t asking for an insane amount for the MX Vertical. At $99.99, it’s in line with other high-end computer peripherals, and the design is eye-catching.

However, a vertical mouse isn’t the clear step forward Logitech seems to think it is. After using it for a while, I found the experience lacking. While I could get used to the unintuitive button placement, my discomfort made me question the ergonomic benefits.

At the end of the day Logitech’s MX Vertical is a good mouse, but for $99 you should really be getting a great mouse.

LAS VEGAS — Boxing legend Oscar De La Hoya said on Tuesday that he plans to launch an unexpected bid for the United States presidency in 2020.

“It’s real,” the former six-weight world title holder and 1992 Olympic champion said, in response to growing rumors that he was preparing a bid for public office. De La Hoya was speaking at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, where he is promoting Saturday’s much-anticipated middleweight rematch between Canelo Alvarez and Gennady Golovkin.

“That’s the beauty of our nation,” De La Hoya continued. “If Arnold (Schwarzenegger) can be governor, if (Donald) Trump can be President, then why can’t a Mexican-American who won an Olympic gold medal, who’s over 35 and a U.S. citizen, run for presidency?”

De La Hoya enjoys huge popularity among Mexican-Americans, and captured the hearts of the nation when he won his Olympic title in Barcelona and dedicated it to his mother Cecilia, who had previously died of breast cancer. The 45-year-old said he would run as a Democrat during the next electoral cycle and believes his boxing promotional experience and personal wealth would help him obtain the necessary funding to sustain a tilt at the highest office in the land.

More: Triple G-Canelo rematch should be must-see TV

However, his personal life would be certain to come under heavy scrutiny if his campaign for the White House picked up serious traction. De La Hoya has had much publicized battles with alcohol and substance addiction, including multiple stints in rehab.

He claimed to have begun thinking about his potential presidential hopes “many years ago” and voiced confidence that he would be able to tap into significant support.

“As I got older, I get wiser and as I get wiser, I get smarter and as I get smarter, I start to realize the millions and millions of people who’ve told me, ‘Oscar, why don’t you run for some kind of office? Because you can make a difference.’”

Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Martin Rogers on Twitter @RogersJourno.

 

Take it from Shawn Mendes: if you’re riding through Nashville on one of those trendy motorized scooters, always keep your eyes on the road ahead.

The pop superstar learned that the hard way on Monday, when he fell off his scooter in Nashville and earned a few minor cuts on his hands and face. And yes, he’s been hearing more than his share of “Stitches” jokes.

Mendes is in Nashville for a Tuesday night taping of a “CMT Crossroads” concert special with Zac Brown Band. He told USA TODAY Network – Tennessee about the spill during a pre-show interview.

Believe it or not, he doesn’t regret taking the scooter for a spin.

“If anybody asked me if they should ride them, I would say yes,” he said with a smile.

His critical error was turning to look behind him mid-ride. As he was falling, he remembered his “Crossroads” gig, and decided to have his face take the brunt of the fall to protect his guitar-playing hands. We asked if he thought he’d ride one again — turns out he already has.

“I rode it back to the hotel!”

But Shawn, the whole controversial hook of these scooter services is that you can essentially leave the scooter on the sidewalk at the drop of a hat.

More: Shawn Mendes to play Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena in 2019

“Why would I do that? …It has nothing to do with the scooter. It has everything to do with being an idiot, (and) being 20.”

At the very least, Mendes’ spill seems to have spooked Zac Brown out of hopping on the scooter trend.

“I don’t trust scooters any more,” the country star said.

“CMT Crossroads” will air at 9 p.m. Oct. 24 on CMT.

 

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