JQJO — Your world, one story at a time · Page 972

COLUMBIA, S.C. Gov. Henry McMaster endorsed Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette Thursday, appearing with her at a press conference after a campaign-released video and urging supporters to back her in the June 9 Republican primary. McMaster praised Evette’s government experience and partnership, saying she has been his “eyes and ears” and urging voters to “keep winning.” Evette faces Republican rivals including Rep. Nancy Mace, Rep. Ralph Norman and Attorney General Alan Wilson, with multiple Democrats also running. The endorsement follows McMaster’s longstanding alignment with former President Donald Trump and may influence primary dynamics. Based on 6 articles reviewed and research.

Washington — Two U.S. Navy vessels collided during a replenishment-at-sea in the Caribbean on Wednesday, injuring two sailors who reported minor wounds and are in stable condition. The Arleigh Burke-class destroyer USS Truxtun and the Supply-class fast combat support ship USNS Supply sustained an incident while conducting ship-to-ship refueling; both vessels continued sailing. U.S. Southern Command confirmed the collision, said the Navy has launched an investigation, and reported the Truxtun departed Norfolk Feb. 6. The wider U.S. naval buildup in the region and a separate Marine overboard fatality have been reported. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Trenton officials announced that Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed an executive order and launched a state online portal to report interactions with federal immigration agents. The order restricts Immigration and Customs Enforcement from using state-owned property or nonpublic areas without a judicial warrant, and the portal accepts photos, videos and multilingual reports to the Attorney General’s office. State leaders described the measures as protecting residents’ constitutional rights while critics raised concerns about federal-state conflict. Officials also urged verification after viral, AI-generated images circulated online. The actions followed intensified recent federal enforcement this year. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

United States. Early in-person voting opened this week across Texas and North Carolina ahead of March 3 primary elections, with Texas county centers slated Feb. 17–27 and North Carolina counties offering early voting through Saturday, Feb. 28. State election officials urged voters to consult official resources, bring photo ID, and confirm county-specific sites and hours. North Carolina reported 319 early voting sites, a six percent increase from 2022; Pitt County added a sixth site and removed some Sunday hours. Mecklenburg County began early voting Feb. 12, highlighting competitive local and congressional primaries. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Chicago, Illinois lawmakers introduced the POWER Act this week to impose environmental, water and energy requirements on hyperscale data centers, requiring new facilities to cover their energy infrastructure costs. Governor J.B. Pritzker told reporters data centers should pay for the electricity they use while the state expands generation capacity. In Wisconsin, local officials and protesters sought moratoria and tighter oversight, citing risks to rates, water and land use. Industry critics and experts debate what constitutes a fair contribution from tech firms amid rising electricity demand. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Washington — House Republicans on Wednesday passed the SAVE America Act, imposing strict proof-of-citizenship and photo-identification requirements for federal voter registration and ballot casting, clearing the House largely along party lines, 218-213. Sponsors said the measure aims to prevent noncitizen voting and fraud; opponents warned it would disenfranchise voters lacking documents, including some married women and LGBTQ+ people who changed names. The bill faces Senate opposition and potential legal challenges. Public debate included comments from Rep. Nancy Mace and Sen. John Fetterman. Lawmakers and experts provided statements and vote totals in reports. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Albany, New York — Federal judges appointed Donald T. Kinsella on Wednesday to serve as U.S. attorney for the Northern District of New York, and the Justice Department dismissed him hours later. Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche posted on X that judges do not appoint U.S. attorneys and that the president holds that authority. The judges acted under a statute allowing them to fill vacancies after federal courts found a prior acting prosecutor, John Sarcone, had served unlawfully. The office's leadership and supervisory status remained unclear following the removal, and news outlet documents. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Houston, Texas. Gov. Greg Abbott on Tuesday unveiled a proposal to overhaul Texas property taxes, proposing caps on local spending, tighter appraisal limits, supermajority approval for tax increases, and a pathway to eliminate school property taxes. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will place a constitutional ballot question allowing voters to decide on abolishing property taxes on homes. Kansas lawmakers advanced House Bill 2745 to cap assessed value increases at 3% and require public votes for larger hikes. Ohio activists gather signatures to place a property-tax abolition amendment on the ballot this November. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Washington — The United States ordered the USS Gerald R. Ford to sail from the Caribbean to join the USS Abraham Lincoln in the Middle East, U.S. officials told media. The deployment will place two carrier strike groups in the region amid heightened tensions with Iran as President Donald Trump weighs options and indirect talks proceed in Oman. Officials said the Ford left Norfolk in June and may remain deployed until late April or early May; the Navy has not confirmed final orders. Reports originated from The New York Times, AP and WSJ. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.

Cullowhee, N.C. — Western Carolina defeated Citadel 87-49 Wednesday earlier this week as Julien Soumaoro scored 15 points and the Catamounts outrebounded and outscored the Bulldogs. DeKalb, Ill. — Bowling Green beat Northern Illinois 68-52 Wednesday with Mayar Wol contributing 15 points off the bench. Kalamazoo, Mich. — Toledo topped Western Michigan 90-79 Wednesday as Sonny Wilson scored 18. San Pedro, Calif. — San Pedro rallied from an 11-point first-quarter deficit to upset No.4 George Washington Prep 51-47 in an L.A. City Open Division quarterfinal Wednesday; AJ Bobich sealed the win with four late free throws. Based on 6 articles reviewed and supporting research.