A MANHUNT IS UNDERWAY AFTER A MASS SHOOTING IN MAINE LEFT MULTIPLE PEOPLE INJURED

AND — AFTER THREE WEEKS — THE UNITED STATES HAS A NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE 

THE MORNING RUNDOWN STARTS NOW.

TODAY IS THURSDAY, OCTOBER 26TH.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US.

I’M KARAH RUCKER.

A MANHUNT CONTINUES THIS MORNING FOR THE SHOOTER WHO KILLED MULTIPLE PEOPLE AT A BOWLING ALLEY AND A BAR IN LEWISTON, MAINE WEDNESDAY NIGHT – THE NUMBER OF CASUALTIES IS NOT YET CONFIRMED BY POLICE – BUT ACCORDING TO REPORTS – AT LEAST 16 TO 22 PEOPLE WERE KILLED IN THE MASS SHOOTING – DOZENS OF OTHERS, REPORTEDLY UP TO 50 PEOPLE WERE INJURED – SOME BY GUNFIRE, OTHERS WERE REPORTEDLY HURT WHILE RUNNING FROM THE SHOTS.

THOUGH AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED A SUSPECT — THEY ARE WORKING TO LOCATE A PERSON OF INTEREST. FORTY -YEAR-OLD ROBERT CARD IS CONSIDERED ARMED AND DANGEROUS.

CARD IS DESCRIBED AS A TRAINED FIREARMS INSTRUCTOR — AND IS BELIEVED TO BE IN THE ARMY RESERVE. REPORTS INDICATE HE RECENTLY REPORTED HAVING MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES – AND HAD THREATENED TO SHOOT UP A NATIONAL GUARD BASE. REPORTS SAY HE HAD BEEN COMMITTED TO A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY FOR TWO WEEKS THIS PAST SUMMER.

MAINE’S DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY GAVE AN UPDATE TO REPORTERS LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

“WE HAVE LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF POLICE OFFICERS WORKING AROUND THE STATE OF MAINE TO INVESTIGATE THIS CASE TO LOCATE MR. CARD, WHO IS A PERSON OF INTEREST AND A PERSON OF INTEREST ONLY AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO GATHER INFORMATION SO WE CAN BRING THE SUSPECT TO JUSTICE”

AUTHORITIES ISSUED A SHELTER IN PLACE ORDER FOR RESIDENTS OF LEWISTON – AS WELL AS IN NEARBY LISBON WHERE A VEHICLE SAID TO BELONG TO CARD WAS RECOVERED BY POLICE.

FEDERAL OFFICIALS SAY PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN, THE FBI AND THE DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY HAVE ALL BEEN BRIEFED ON THE SITUATION.

SHOULD THE NUMBER OF DEATHS REACH 22 – THIS WOULD BE THE DEADLIEST SHOOTING IN THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE 2019 MASS SHOOTING AT AN EL PASO WALMART WHERE 23 PEOPLE WERE KILLED, ACCORDING TO THE GUN VIOLENCE ARCHIVE.

NOW TO THE LATEST IN THE WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS – OVERNIGHT – ISRAEL SAID IT CONDUCTED A “TARGETED” RAID ON TERRORIST SITES IN NORTHERN GAZA USING TANKS BEFORE LEAVING THE AREA – PREPARATIONS FOR WHAT IT CALLS THE “NEXT STAGES OF COMBAT.”

AS THE ISRAELI ARMY PREPARES FOR A FULL GROUND INVASION OF GAZA – PRESIDENT BIDEN HAS CALLED ON ISRAEL TO CONSIDER A PAUSE ON ITS RETALIATION AGAINST HAMAS TO ALLOW MORE AID TO ENTER GAZA.

ON WEDNESDAY THE PRESIDENT EXPRESSED WHAT HE SAID IS A VISION FOR WHAT COMES NEXT IN THE REGION **AFTER THE WAR –

SAYING QUOTE “IT HAS TO BE A TWO-STATE SOLUTION”.

BIDEN CALLING FOR A CONCENTRATED EFFORT FROM ISRAELIS, PALESTINIANS, AND GLOBAL LEADERS TO CREATE A PATH FOR PEACE.

THE PRESIDENT — SPEAKING AT A JOINT PRESS CONFERENCE OUTSIDE THE WHITE HOUSE WITH AUSTRALIAN PRIME MINISTER ANTHONY ALBANESE —

ONCE AGAIN EXPRESSED THE UNITED STATES’ SUPPORT OF ISRAEL’S RIGHT TO DEFEND ITSELF – BUT URGED ISRAEL TO ABIDE BY THE RULES OF WAR – AND TO PROTECT CIVILIANS.

THE PRESIDENT WAS ASKED ABOUT THE DEATH TOLL IN GAZA — REPORTED BY THE HAMAS-RUN HEALTH MINISTRY TO BE AT MORE THAN 6,500 PEOPLE.

BIDEN RESPONDED BY QUESTIONING THE ACCURACY OF HAMAS’ REPORTING.

““I have no notion that the Palestinians are telling the truth about how many people are killed. I’m sure innocents have been killed. … I think that Israelis should be incredibly careful to be sure that they’re focusing on going after the folks that are propagating this war against Israel, and it’s against our interests when that doesn’t happen. But I have no confidence in the number that the Palestinians are using.”

ON WEDNESDAY NIGHT, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES PASSED A RESOLUTION CONDEMNING HAMAS FOR THE OCT. 7 ATTACK THAT KILLED MORE 1,400 PEOPLE IN ISRAEL, INCLUDING 32 AMERICANS.

AFTER THREE WEEKS AND FOUR NOMINEES — THERE IS A NEW SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE.

LOUISIANA CONGRESSMAN MIKE JOHNSON BECAME THE 56TH HOUSE SPEAKER WEDNESDAY – SECURING THE VOTES OF ALL 220 REPUBLICANS IN ATTENDANCE.

ALL 209 HOUSE DEMOCRATS VOTED FOR THEIR PARTY’S LEADER HAKEEM JEFFRIES OF NEW YORK.

JOHNSON WAS THE GOP’S THIRD CHOICE FOR SPEAKER – FOLLOWING KEVIN MCCARTHY’S HISTORIC OUSTING EARLIER THIS MONTH.

CONGRESSMEN TOM EMMER, STEVE SCALISE AND JIM JORDAN ALL WITHDREW THEIR NOMINATIONS AFTER NOT BEING ABLE TO GET ENOUGH VOTES.

AS SPEAKER, JOHNSON —  WHO HAS BEEN IN CONGRESS SINCE 20-17 – NOW FACES THE TASK OF TACKLING MULTIPLE ISSUES – INCLUDING A LOOMING GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN AND  AID FOR BOTH ISRAEL AND UKRAINE.

FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP TOOK THE STAND DURING HIS CIVIL FRAUD TRIAL IN NEW YORK ON WEDNESDAY – AS THE JUDGE FINED HIM $10,000 FOR VIOLATING A GAG ORDER.

THE JUDGE HAD CALLED TRUMP TO THE STAND TO QUESTION HIM ABOUT REMARKS HE MADE EARLIER IN THE DAY TO REPORTERS –

WHEN THE FORMER PRESIDENT SAID THE PERSON SITTING NEXT TO THE JUDGE WAS “VERY PARTISAN.”

TRUMP TOLD THE JUDGE HE WAS REFERRING TO HIS FORMER ATTORNEY – MICHAEL COHEN – WHO HAD BEEN TESTIFYING AGAINST HIM.

THE JUDGE SAID HE FOUND TRUMP’S TESTIMONY QUOTE “NOT CREDIBLE” AND SINCE HE BELIEVED TRUMP WAS REFERRING TO HIS LAW CLERK THAT MEANT TRUMP HAD VIOLATED THE GAG ORDER ISSUED EARLIER THIS MONTH —

BARRING THE 2024 GOP FRONT-RUNNER FROM DISPARAGING COURT STAFF.

THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME TRUMP WAS FINED BY THE JUDGE FOR VIOLATING THE GAG ORDER DURING THE TRIAL WHERE HE’S BEING ACCUSED OF INFLATING HIS FINANCIAL ASSETS.

TRUMP HAS DENIED ANY WRONGDOING.

A BREAKTHROUGH IN THE NEARLY SIX-WEEK-LONG STRIKE BY AUTO WORKERS AGAINST THE DETROIT BIG THREE AUTOMAKERS FORD, GM, AND STELLANTIS…

“THE UNITED AUTO WORKERS UNION” SAID ON WEDNESDAY THAT IT REACHED A TENTATIVE DEAL WITH FORD.

THE UNION CALLED ON FORD WORKERS TO HEAD BACK TO WORK THOUGH THE DEAL STILL HAS TO BE VOTED ON BY 57-THOUSAND UNION MEMBERS.

ACCORDING TO THE UAW —

FORD WORKERS WILL RECEIVE A TWENTY-FIVE PERCENT INCREASE IN WAGES ALONG WITH A COST OF LIVING RAISE…

WHICH PUTS THE PAY INCREASE OVER THIRTY PERCENT.

THAT’S QUITE THE JUMP FROM THE START OF BARGAINING WHEN FORD OFFERED A NINE PERCENT WAGE INCREASE.

THE UNION ADDED THAT THIS DEAL HELPS IN PUTTING PRESSURE ON THE OTHER TWO AUTOMAKERS TO REACH A SETTLEMENT.

DURING PAST U-A-W STRIKES.. WHEN ONE DEAL WAS MADE, OTHERS WOULD FOLLOW.

FINALLY THIS MORNING – IF YOUR WEEKEND PLANS INVOLVE DINING OUT AT A RESTAURANT, YOU’LL HAVE TO THINK ABOUT TIPPING YOUR WAITER.

RESTAURANT TECHNOLOGY PROVIDER “BENTO-BOX” SURVEYED TWO THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED DINERS ACROSS THE U.S. – LOOKING FOR THE ANSWER TO THE QUESTION – ARE PEOPLE TIRED OF TIPPING?

ACCORDING TO THE SURVEY  –DINERS REPORT NEGATIVE FEELINGS ON TIPPING AS AN IDEA —

BUT THEY ENJOY THE CONTROL IT GIVES THEM.

HERE ARE SOME OF THE NUMBERS.

EIGHTY PERCENT SAY TIPPING REWARDS GOOD SERVICE.

SIXTY EIGHT PERCENT OF THOSE SURVEYED FEEL FULL-SERVICE DINING ALWAYS DESERVES A TIP.

HOWEVER — TWO OUT OF THREE DINERS FEEL TOO MANY PLACES ARE ASKING FOR TIPS THESE DAYS .

NEARLY THREE OUT OF FOUR SAY RESTAURANTS SHOULD PAY THEIR STAFF A LIVING WAGE INSTEAD OF ASKING CUSTOMERS TO SUPPLEMENT THEIR INCOME WITH TIPS.

AND SIXTY TWO PERCENT OF PEOPLE SURVEYED SAY THEY WOULD NOT MISS TIPPING IF IT WENT AWAY.

DESPITE THOSE OPINIONS — TIPPING REMAINS PART OF THE DINING EXPERIENCE.

THESE ARE YOUR TOP STORIES FOR THIS THURSDAY.

AND BE SURE TO SUBSCRIBE TO THE MORNING RUNDOWN NEWSLETTER  TO GET THE TOP STORIES EACH WEEKDAY MORNING.

JUST GO TO SAN DOT COM SLASH RUNDOWN TO SIGN UP.

UNBIASED. STRAIGHT FACTS. THAT’S STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS.

WE’LL SEE YOU BACK HERE TOMORROW.

UNTIL THEN I’M KARAH RUCKER. HAVE A GREAT DAY!