"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will heal their land."

Monroe, N.C., Mayor Robert Burns after his wife was bitten by a copperhead snake at their home in Monroe. As she recovered from a painful bite, the mayor struck a lighter tone while thanking the community for its support. Copperheads account for the vast majority of venomous snakebites in North Carolina. (The Charlotte Observer)

Spiro Amburn, a political staffer, on Minnesota’s growing role in national political messaging. Minnesota has become a frequent talking point in campaigns across the country, with Republican candidates using it as a political foil, a shorthand warning about progressive policies, much like California in past election cycles. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

President Donald Trump, announcing a rollback of tariffs on alcohol imports. Trump made the remark after meeting with King Charles III and Queen Camilla, saying he would lift 10 percent tariffs on whiskey and bourbon trade between the U.S. and United Kingdom. The move is especially significant for Kentucky, where 95 percent of the world’s bourbon is produced and more than 23,000 jobs depend on the industry, giving distillers new certainty after months of trade tensions. (Lexington Herald Leader)

Angie Teems, chair of the Walker County, Ga., Board of Commissioners, posing the question to an AI chatbot while preparing for a trail groundbreaking ceremony. She is part of a broader wave of local officials experimenting with AI for everything from speeches to social media posts. The tool suggested a punchline about “breaking ground and then telling people to walk all over it,” highlighting how generative AI is creeping into the day-to-day work — and humor — of government. (ChattanoogaTimes Free Press)