Five Stories You Need to Know Today
From a dog rescued in Yellowstone to record heat in D.C., here's a quick look at the biggest stories making news right now.
House Republican Conference Chairwoman Lisa McClain spoke at a rally in Monroe, Michigan, on Thursday. She told the crowd that her party needs to stay in power because there is still work left to finish. She said Republicans need to hold onto both the Senate and the House to get things done. McClain is in charge of messaging for House Republicans.
Republicans are facing tough midterm races across the country. High gas prices, rising costs from tariffs, and falling approval ratings for President Trump have made things harder for the GOP. In Michigan, Democrat Abdul El-Sayed leads Republican Mike Rogers in polls for a key Senate seat. McClain pushed back against Democrats and highlighted Republican tax cuts during her speech.
A juror named Michael Desronvil refused to vote with 11 others in the trial of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children in 2023. His holdout vote caused the judge to declare a mistrial on September 4. Desronvil later told Fox News that he answered all court questions honestly and believed Clancy acted on purpose. Clancy's lawyer has filed a motion asking the court to look into whether Desronvil was truthful during jury selection.
Luna, a 10-year-old Jack Russell terrier mix, went missing at Yellowstone National Park on September 10. She was spotted many times by park staff and visitors but was too fast to catch. A Montana nonprofit called Norris Ark Training & Recovery Center was brought in to help. They used a live trap with Luna's own scent and her family's scent to finally catch her.
On Wednesday, the rescue team announced on Facebook that Luna had been found safe near the Canyon Village area. She had lost about 10 pounds but was otherwise in good health. Park rangers worked with Luna's owners and the rescue group to bring her home. The rescue group warned Yellowstone visitors to leave their pets at home because the park is dangerous for animals.
On Wednesday afternoon, Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., reached 90 degrees. This was the latest date in the year that D.C. has ever hit that temperature since records began in 1871. The old record was set on October 11, 1919. Scientists say human-caused climate change has helped make record-breaking heat more common.
President Trump uses Truth Social many times every day to share news and announcements. But the number of people visiting the site has dropped by more than 30 percent over the past year. The platform averaged about 260,000 daily users last month, down from 420,000 in June 2025. Trump started Truth Social after being banned from Facebook, YouTube, and Twitter following the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack.
A tropical storm called Champi is growing in the Pacific Ocean and could become very powerful. It is expected to become a typhoon by Saturday and could bring wind gusts over 100 mph to Guam on Sunday. As it moves west, it will pass over very warm ocean water that could make it stronger. Later next week, the storm may head toward Taiwan and Japan.
We know we have more work to do. We need to keep the Senate and the House to do it.
Comprehension quiz preview
1. Why did Lisa McClain say Republicans need to stay in power?
2. What does the word 'tariff' most likely mean in this article?
3. Why couldn't the rescue team use food to lure Luna out of Yellowstone?