President Trump is closer to a Supreme Court nominee, a New York State Trooper dies in the line of duty, and some much-needed good news out of Thailand...
Here are "The Top 5 Things You Need To Know Today" for Thursday, July 3, 2018:
1)
PRESIDENT TRUMP IS CLOSER TO HIS SUPREME COURT CHOICE
Mr. Trump interviewed four candidates for the vacancy, will talk with a few others, and plans to announce his pick Monday. Judges Brett Kavanaugh and Amy Coney Barrett are seen as the front-runners, but the POTUS might surprise everybody.
2)
ENOUGH, ALREADY! MOTHER NATURE, DIAL IT BACK!
Record temperatures throughout the Northeast, while wildfires out West are getting worse. Central New York will likely see some relief by the weekend, but Wednesday the 4th will be another scorcher.
3)
FBI STOPS WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN A DISASTER IN OHIO
Feds arrest Demetrius Nathaniel Pitts (or "Abdur Raheem Rafeeq") who was allegedly planning an intricate, complex terrorist attack on the July 4th parade in Cleveland. FBI has been watching this guy for a while, and they were convinced he was deadly serious.
4)
MISSING YOUTH SOCCER TEAM AND THEIR COACH FOUND ALIVE!
Youth club from Thailand, 12 kids and coach, managed to survive more than nine days trapped in flooded cave. All appear okay. Rescuers can provide food and water, but are still trying to figure out how to extract them. Give the kids SCUBA gear? Maybe...
5)
HE DID HIS DUTY, AND PAID THE ULTIMATE PRICE
New York State Trooper Nicholas Clark, 29, killed in an exchange of gunfire with a suicidal man who barricaded himself in his home in Irwin, near Corning. Estranged wife of gunman called 911 and warned police he was armed and extremely distraught.