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Fuel prices at record Labor Day high in U.S. thanks to Iran war and refinery issues

It’s never been more expensive in the U.S. to fill up the tank and take one last summer trip over the Labor Day weekend.

The average price of regular gas was $4.14 a gallon heading into the holiday, nearly a dollar higher than last year and well above the Labor Day weekend record of $3.82 from 2012, according to AAA motor club.

Nicole Collins planned to head from Philadelphia to South Carolina to visit friends, but she said her family has spent most of the summer close to home and not taking their typical weekend trips because driving has gotten so expensive.

“Gas is pretty high right now. It doesn’t help that we also have a baby, so we also have to pay for that,” Collins said outside a gas station in Claymont, Del., where regular gas was $4.199 a gallon.

Prices shot up after the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran in February and have not settled down since. Crude oil traffic through the key Strait of Hormuz has plunged, and Iran has refused to reopen the waterway.

“Everything points to the Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz,” said Tom Seng, a professor of energy finance at Texas Christian University.

Energy Secretary Chris Wright offered few specifics on when the nation’s drivers might see relief at the gas pump, acknowledging that prices are higher now than Labor Day 2025.

“Yes, they’re higher today, but we’re doing everything we can to push them down,” Wright said Sunday on ABC’s This Week.

The national average for regular gas prices is still well below the record of $5.02 a gallon set in June 2022.

But diesel is a different story: It hit a national average of $5.85 a gallon Friday, a record.

Trucks and other freight delivery systems use a lot of diesel, and that increased transportation cost is being passed on to consumers, whether at the grocery store or through package delivery services.

“It doesn’t really seem like there’s an end to it,” Collins said.

Gas prices typically drop as the summer driving season ends and refineries turn to making a cheaper winter blend.

But Seng said there are other factors this year even beyond the volatile situation in the Middle East that make future prices unpredictable. U.S. refineries are working at 98% capacity, many in the unusually harsh Texas heat. If there are problems there or a hurricane knocks some systems offline, prices will struggle to drop.

And it’s not just a Middle East problem. Ukrainian drone attacks on Russian refineries are squeezing diesel supplies. Chinese refiners are seeing declining outputs as well, said Matthew Metzgar, a clinical professor of economics at UNC Charlotte.

“There’s just less gasoline coming out of those refineries,” Metzgar said.

Wright, the energy secretary, said the Trump administration was taking steps to increase production and that the markets forecast lower prices in the coming months.

“If you look at the futures prices, if you wanted to buy today in bulk gasoline for two months out in November, it’s about $0.35 cheaper than it is today. So the marketplace thinks gasoline prices are going to move meaningfully lower,” he said.

Geopolitically, though, there is little a driver can do to knock down gas prices.

But using price apps can help save a little money, especially on long trips where gas by the interstate could be 10 to 15 cents per gallon more expensive than at stations a short drive down the road, Metzgar said.

September 7, 2026
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs set to take effect as Trump threatens to escalate

OTTAWA, Ontario — After more than two weeks of finger-pointing, threats, and patronizing insults between longtime trading partners, Canada’s latest retaliatory tariffs against the United States are set to take effect just after midnight Eastern time Tuesday.

Polls show that Canadians strongly back Prime Minister Mark Carney’s decision to end trade talks with Washington last month and to hit back with tariffs on about $20 billion in U.S. products entering Canada. But there is also concern over what might happen next. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened another round of U.S. tariffs if Canada follows through on its plan.

Some in Canadian industry say they are inclined to take Trump at his word, at least on this threat.

People in the Trump administration “are willing to hurt themselves, their own sectors and industries, in pursuit of their goal, however misguided I think it is,” said Flavio Volpe, president of the Automotive Parts Manufacturers’ Association of Canada. “So they may escalate. I hope that we don’t end up in a tit-for-tat situation. We’re going to run out of runway.”

Carney announced Canada’s new tariffs after he pulled Canadian negotiators out of talks in Washington last month — an ultimately unsuccessful attempt to stave off 50% U.S. tariffs on $20 billion in Canadian exports and to reduce or eliminate tariffs of up to 50% on Canadian steel, aluminum, and automobiles.

The Trump administration said the tariffs it imposed last month were in part a response to retaliatory tariffs Canada placed last year on some U.S. imports, particularly autos. U.S. officials have repeatedly noted that only China and Canada retaliated against the United States since Trump began upending global trade.

At a news conference after a sternly worded speech announcing the tariffs, Carney declared that Canada had been attacked by the United States and that the two countries are now “at war.”

Last week, U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent rejected that framing, arguing that Canada is too small an economic power to battle the United States. “I don’t think you can be in a tit-for-tat with someone who’s 13 times larger than you are,” Bessent said on CNBC.

On Friday, Trump escalated his trade rhetoric even further. He said that he might “end all trade with Canada” and other countries that have trade surpluses with the United States.

Separately, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Carney had shut down the talks to gain “political leverage” at home, not because of what the U.S. side had offered.

As last week went on, Carney made it clear that he was in no hurry to return to negotiations and was focused instead on diversifying Canada’s trade and expanding its domestic economy.

“At the appropriate time, the conversation will happen,” he said. “But the most important thing we can do is not to spend all our time waiting by the phone, waiting for a call, refreshing on social media to see what’s coming across.”

Many of the U.S. items that will soon face Canadian tariffs of 15%, 25%, or 50% mirror the Canadian exports that are now met with 50% U.S. tariffs, particularly clothing and wood products. Canada revised the list to remove dozens of fish products after the Canadian fishing industry said that tight cross-border integration meant that its members would also be harmed.

Canadian officials have suggested that many targeted items come from states where voters supported Trump, though some political analysts question how much pressure that will actually bring on the White House. The list also includes items with little bearing on the Canadian economy, including the metal bands that attach erasers to pencils, migratory bird identification bands, and fish egg incubators.

Trump has not imposed tariffs on some of Canada’s largest exports, including oil and gas and many minerals, and has exempted many products with enough North American content to move duty-free under the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement. Auto parts, for example, are subject to a 25% tariff but generally cross the border without incurring it.

As a result, Canada’s overall average tariff rate remains low compared with what most other countries face, and the majority of its trade, by dollar value, is still duty-free.

After the talks collapsed, Trump threatened to impose 50% tariffs on autos and auto parts in January, apparently without the USMCA exemption — a move most analysts believe would be devastating for Canada’s auto industry. Trump has not taken formal steps toward carrying out the threat, though some in Canada speculate that rather than target new products or raise existing tariff rates, the Trump administration may instead strip away the USMCA exemption for many goods.

Volpe said that auto parts makers were not intimidated. He said that last year when the Trump administration proposed collecting tariffs on Canadian auto parts “they understood that it would shut down the auto industry in a week.”

He added: “Ultimately, I think they will back off that. But if they don’t, they can have at it.”

This article originally appeared in the New York Times.

September 7, 2026
EU seeks to reassure a Trump-rattled Greenland with promise of a new partnership and investment

BRUSSELS — The European Union on Monday sought to reassure a jittery Greenland with the promise of a stronger partnership and hundreds of millions of euros in investment following repeated threats from U.S. President Donald Trump to take control of the island.

During a visit to the capital Nuuk, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen offered 200 million euros ($232 million) in support over the next two years to help Greenland tackle climate change, boost internet connections, and improve hydropower plants, fisheries, and education.

The EU has increased its focus on Greenland since Trump began insisting that the United States should take control of the island for security reasons. His persistent claims raised sovereignty concerns and pushback from Greenlandic and Danish leaders and heightened tensions among NATO allies.

“Greenland’s future is for the people of Greenland and Denmark to decide. No one else,” von der Leyen said. “Territorial integrity, sovereignty, the inviolability of borders. These are fundamental principles of international law.”

EU promises money for Greenland’s development

Funds are also earmarked for better housing, support to small businesses, and sustainable tourism. Von der Leyen also said that she wants to double EU budget support to Greenland to around half a billion euros ($580 million) from 2028.

“Greenland can count on the EU,” she said, after signing an EU-Greenland declaration with Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen and Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen. Greenland is a semiautonomous territory of NATO ally Denmark.

Nielsen described the 27-nation EU as “a loyal and trusted friend,” notably at a time when the island faces “new challenges that we cannot tackle alone.”

“Through these challenging times, your support to us is unfailing,” he said. “You have stood by us and continue to stand by us. We feel it and are deeply grateful.”

Denmark and European allies resist Trump’s pressure

The Trump administration also leaned on Denmark. “We have been under pressure,” Frederiksen told reporters. “It has been very clear, and we are very thankful for the great support we have received from our European partners but, by the way, also globally.”

Denmark and seven of its European allies sent a small group of military personnel to the island in January, publicly for military exercises focused on strengthening Arctic security, but with the intention of showing support for Greenland’s sovereignty.

In response, Trump threatened to slap new tariffs on them all: Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. They condemned the move as undermining trans-Atlantic relations, and Trump eventually backed down after NATO agreed to boost security in the Arctic region.

Von der Leyen’s visit came as 11 NATO countries began military exercises in Greenland on Monday involving around 400 military personnel, including special forces troops trained to operate in Arctic conditions from Canada, Denmark, and Finland. No U.S. troops are taking part in the Arctic Shield drills, which run Sept. 7-18.

September 7, 2026
Armed man charged toward Democratic candidate for Ohio governor at fair, law enforcement says

WASHINGTON — An armed assailant charged toward the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Amy Acton, on Sunday during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair, injuring several people before he was stopped by troopers, the Ohio State Highway Patrol said.

The Ohio State Highway Patrol said in a statement that a man it identified as Patrick Havas, 38, forced his way through a crowd, knocking over multiple members of the audience as he moved toward Acton, the state’s former public health director. He had a taser and two pistols, the statement said.

The Mahoning County Sheriff’s Office said two handguns and a set of brass knuckles were recovered after his arrest, and “no weapons were ever brandished or even removed from their holsters.”

Havas was taken to the county jail and booked on charges of disorderly conduct and two counts of assault, the highway patrol statement said, adding that no other details were available pending an investigation. Online court records didn’t yet list the case, and it wasn’t clear as of Sunday night whether Havas has an attorney.

Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement.that the man “tried to forcefully push himself” toward Acton as she was speaking at the fair in Canfield, in northeastern Ohio. “Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable,” he added.

The attempted attack is the latest political violence to roil the United States. And the Ohio gubernatorial race is one of the most high-profile races this year as the campaigns enter the final six weeks of campaigning before the election in November.

Acton is facing Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections, and alliance with President Donald Trump into a record fundraising haul that he is tapping for advertising spots aimed at the November election. He is using campaign rallies and advertising to criticize Acton.

Ramaswamy’s campaign called the incident Sunday unacceptable.

“Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence. What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt,” Ramaswamy’s communications director, Connie Luck, said in a statement.

Addie Bullock, communications director for Acton’s campaign, said in a statement that the suspect “lunged” at Acton. She said the Democratic candidate “will always stand up to the chaos, hate, and vitriol that pits us against one another.”

The incident brought condemnation from Ohio Republican Sen. Jon Husted, who said on X that he and his wife were “disturbed by the attempted attack on Amy Acton today at the Canfield Fair. We are grateful for law enforcement’s quick response. There is no place for this kind of behavior, and it must never be tolerated.”

The country has seen a rise in political violence over the past decade. That includes the 2017 shooting at a Republican congressional baseball team practice in Alexandria, Va.; the 2022 hammer assault on the husband of Democratic then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in California; the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally during his presidential campaign as well as another on the president at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in April; and the assassinations last year of a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband and of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah.

Federal political committees spent more than $40 million on expenses labeled as security during the 2023-24 campaign cycle, the most recent one for which data is publicly available, according a report released in April from the Public Service Alliance, a nonpartisan group that focuses on security for public officials.

Before running for governor, Acton was recruited by DeWine in 2019 to lead the Ohio Department of Health while serving as an associate professor of public health at Ohio State University. As the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up in early 2020, she was thrown into the state and national spotlight — becoming a source of comfort to many viewers of the governor’s daily news conferences.

For her service as health director, Acton earned the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation’s Profile in COVID Courage Award, the Columbus Foundation’s Spirit of Columbus Award, and Ohio State’s highest alumni honor, the Alumni Medalist Award.

Her position as the face of the DeWine administration’s aggressive stance against the virus also earned Acton many enemies, among them statehouse Republicans and average Ohioans who opposed pandemic restrictions.

September 7, 2026
Federal investigators probe Amazon cargo jet’s fiery runway crash that killed 5 in Miami

MIAMI — The five people killed when an Amazon cargo jet ran off a runway at Miami International Airport were all inside a van carrying seven people from a cleaning company and an SUV hit outside of airport property, National Transportation Safety Board Chairperson Jennifer Homendy said Monday.

Homendy called the scene of Sunday’s crash “utter devastation.” She didn’t detail how many people were in the SUV or where the dead were located.

Homendy walked the route the Boeing 767 followed, noting tire marks from the pavement into the grass, the destroyed van carrying the cleaning crew, torn fencing, navigational equipment, and the crushed SUV outside airport property.

The debris included vehicle air bags, equipment from the vehicles, the airplane, and the airport, and “fencing everywhere,” Homendy said.

“It’s pretty extensive. Hard to see and I’m sure it must have been very difficult for the responders as well,” Homendy said.

The airline, all told, traveled about 1,300 feet past the paved surface. Debris was everywhere, she said.

“I would describe it in one word as devastating, utter devastation,” Homendy said.

The van with seven people inside was “torn apart. It certainly must have been devastating,” she said. The van was owned by Professional Ocean Service Corp., an airline cleaning contractor.

Homendy said the NTSB would issue more information on Tuesday, including possibly information on speed that is confirmed by the flight data recorder.

Federal investigators examining cause

Federal investigators examining the crash spent Monday determining whether the plane touched down too late to stop safely.

Video of Sunday’s landing appears to show the Boeing 767 remaining airborne well down the runway before touching down. Aviation experts said investigators will seek to determine exactly where the plane landed, whether it was beyond the normal touchdown zone, and why the pilots did not abandon the landing.

Investigators will also examine the plane’s speed and braking, weather and wind conditions, the aircraft’s mechanical condition, and other factors that could have contributed to the deadly overrun.

The aircraft on Sunday flew from Cincinnati to Miami and then to San Juan, Puerto Rico. It was returning to Miami when it overran the runway around 2 p.m. and plowed across a road used by warehouse workers and other businesses that surround the airport.

Aside from the five who died, three people were critically injured and two others were hospitalized with less severe injuries, officials said.

The crash, which sent thick black smoke billowing into the sky, trapped the pilot and copilot in the cockpit and some occupants in cars, said Miami-Dade Fire Rescue Chief Ray Jadallah. The agency said crews also had to extricate a person who was trapped under a vehicle.

The typical landing zone for a plane is within the first 3,000 feet of a runway, experts said. If the cargo jet was beyond that area, it should have aborted the landing and gone around for another try, aviation safety expert Steve Arroyo said.

Mary Schiavo, who is a pilot and former Inspector General of the Transportation Department, said video posted online shows the Amazon plane floating above the runway for an extended period without flaring the nose upward to force the main landing gear onto the ground.

It wasn’t raining at the time, but dark storm clouds loomed and strong winds were reported. Schiavo said that if the plane had a tail wind, that could have contributed to it floating further down the runway.

“A tail wind would certainly add to your troubles if you’ve already given up a good chunk of the runway by not touching down and landing right away,” Schiavo said.

Airport appears compliant without updated system

The Miami airport is not equipped with arresting systems that the FAA says have been installed at more than 120 airports nationwide to safely stop planes that do go past the end of a runway. Those beds of lightweight, crushable material at the end of a runway have been credited by the FAA with helping save at least 497 lives aboard planes that overran runways.

Miami’s airport appears to be in compliance and wasn’t required to have an arresting system because it has a 1,000-foot safety buffer at the end of its runways, said Mike O’Donnell, the FAA’s former director of airport safety and accident investigations.

The requirement was prompted by American Airlines Flight 1420 overrunning a runway at Little Rock National Airport in Arkansas in 1999, killing nine.

The Prime Air plane came to rest beside a roadway near two semitrucks, images showed. The aircraft appeared to be resting on its belly and was largely intact despite the fire.

The flight had been operated by 21 Air, a cargo carrier based in North Carolina. The 32-year-old Boeing 767 was originally built to carry passengers and flew for several airlines for more than two decades before being converted to a cargo plane in 2015, according to flight-tracking site Flightradar24.

Schiavo said the NTSB will also closely examine the maintenance history of this plane — particularly since it has a history of foreign ownership, including by a Russian company.

The crash halted flights at the busy travel hub for much of Sunday afternoon and continued to hamper air travel into Monday.

Miami International Airport said that two of its four runways remained closed Monday and that operations were to be affected throughout the day because of aircraft and flight crews not arriving there due to Sunday’s cancellations after the crash.

An airport spokesperson said there were 160 cancellations and more than 300 delayed flights Sunday, plus another 69 canceled flights Monday through mid-afternoon. Flight tracking sites were reporting widespread delays at the airport.

Amazon said in a statement that it would cooperate with any investigation.

“We’re heartbroken to learn that five people lost their lives in today’s incident at Miami International Airport,” the company said. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the families, loved ones, and all those affected by this devastating loss.”

Last year, a UPS plane crashed after losing its engine while accelerating down the runway at Louisville’s Muhammad Ali International Airport. The crash killed all three pilots and 12 people on the ground. Twenty-three more were injured.

September 7, 2026
‘It offends me’: Giuliani says Mamdani should skip 9/11 memorial

NEW YORK — Rudy Giuliani, the former mayor who shepherded New York City through the Sept. 11 attacks, said on Sunday that he did not think Mayor Zohran Mamdani should attend upcoming memorial ceremonies to mark the 25th anniversary of the attacks.

“It offends me,” Giuliani said in an anti-Muslim diatribe on the far-right news outlet Newsmax, regarding Mamdani plans to attend the New York memorial. Giuliani also compared Mamdani to the Sept. 11 hijackers, who he said had hostility to America and “they weren’t hiding it like Mamdani is trying to hide it.”

Giuliani’s tirade also included baseless claims, including that Mamdani is a supporter of a Muslim plot that aimed at “taking over certain parts of America and certain parts of Europe,” a right-wing conspiracy theory he has endorsed in the past.

His comments on Sunday made him the most prominent person to endorse a call from some conservatives for Mamdani to skip the upcoming memorial ceremonies.

That demand has also been the subject of an online petition, which by Sunday had drawn almost 100,000 signatures.

Mamdani’s office declined on Sunday to directly address Giuliani’s comments, but directed reporters to his response to that online petition.

“I will proudly honor the families, the survivors, the first responders forever impacted by that horrific terror attack by standing alongside them at this year’s 9/11 commemoration, reaffirming that we will never forget the solemn day felt by all of us who call this city home and, frankly, by all of us who call this country home,” the mayor’s statement said.

The mayor’s office also pointed to two executive orders he signed this past week to establish Sept. 11 as an annual “Citywide Day of Remembrance and Service” and to take steps to modernize the city’s emergency preparedness procedures.

According to his schedule, Mamdani has already attended or plans to attend roughly a dozen Sept. 11 memorial events, primarily at firehouses across the city that had been the home stations for firefighters who died in the attack or developed illnesses in its aftermath.

Giuliani is expected to attend the ceremonies. Earlier this year, he was hospitalized with a serious case of pneumonia and said he believed his health problems stemmed in part from exposure to airborne toxins that blanketed parts of the city after the collapse of the World Trade Center.

Giuliani was two blocks away from the first tower when it collapsed, and his head and shoulders were dusted with ash from the disaster as he joined the throngs of people fleeing north through lower Manhattan.

Mamdani was 9 years old and in class at his Upper West Side elementary school when the attacks took place. He has spoken about the attacks as a formative experience for him as a child.

In an interview with the New York Times last year, he spoke of how important it is “to honor the memories of those that were killed” and described “learning their stories over the many years that I’ve been a New Yorker, the deep sorrow, that continues to this day, of futures that were stolen from so many and families that continue to live with that.”

He also talked about how Islamophobic backlash to the attacks had made anti-Muslim prejudice “a fact of life” for Muslim Americans.

“It was this horrific day that was also for many New Yorkers the moment at which they were marked an ‘other,’” he said.

Giuliani was widely praised and seen as a unifying figure after Sept. 11 for his stoic response to the attacks, which killed more than 2,700 people in New York City and left parts of Manhattan devastated for years.

But in the years since, Giuliani has politically drifted far to the right, serving as a high-profile surrogate and personal attorney for President Donald Trump. Last year, Trump pardoned Giuliani and several others who had been accused of trying to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.

This article originally appeared in the New York Times.

September 7, 2026
Letters to the Editor | Sept. 7, 2026

War on voting

The Inquirer’s Aug. 30 editorial and column by Solomon Jones do an excellent job of detailing the ways the U.S. Supreme Court is attempting to undermine our elections. The conservative justices have already gutted the Voting Rights Act, so it should be evident at this point that they know exactly what they are doing and whom they are trying to aid. The Constitution clearly gives control over elections to the states and to Congress, not to the president and the U.S. Postal Service. Yet, instead of definitively striking down as unconstitutional Donald Trump’s executive order that would prevent voters from receiving their mail ballots, the Supreme Court lifted a stay put in place by a lower court.

If the president can unilaterally change how we vote within months of an election, then our right to vote is not secure. Without that right, those in power have no reason to listen to the people — placing their other rights, their assets, and ultimately their freedom at risk. In the Jim Crow South, African Americans were deprived of their right to vote and thus could be persecuted. Now, this mentality is being extended to the entire country and to everyone who is not on board with the Republican agenda.

As someone who hasn’t missed an election in 38 years, I encourage everybody to do whatever is necessary to vote, as there are powers working feverishly to take that vote away.

Bill Fanshel, Bryn Mawr

. . .

The far-right president of the United States is actively interfering with our nation’s electoral process. He is illegally demanding that all states send him their voter rolls, lists containing personal sensitive data, so he can compile a list of “eligible” voters. And he instructs the U.S. Postal Service not to deliver mail ballots to voters living in states (run by Democrats) refusing to turn over voter rolls. Our Constitution specifically grants control of elections to the states, with congressional oversight. It does not grant such power to the president.

The U.S. Supreme Court did not rule on the constitutionality of Donald Trump’s executive order, but in essence said the plan can go forward while the court thinks about it. Meanwhile, in 10 weeks, we will have perhaps the most important election in our lives, with mail ballots being sent out soon. The aim of Trump and his party is to suppress as many Democratic-leaning voters as possible, and to cause massive confusion and chaos. The fight is not over, as voting rights lawyers will be in court doing everything possible to allow every eligible voter to cast their ballot.

Dave Posmontier, Elkins Park

. . .

None of my professional accomplishments prior to retiring can compare to how personally rewarding I find supporting free and fair elections. My experience includes processing mail ballot applications, helping with the verification of voting equipment and software, confirming returned ballots against state and department mailing records, and opening and counting mail ballots on Election Day. I passionately believe that the falsehoods and misinformation about fraud and noncitizens voting propagated by the president and other individuals are inherently false. I am proud to support my county’s elections staff, whom I’ve seen to be dedicated to their responsibility to support representative democracy, although they are often underappreciated by the voters they serve.

On July 16, the president and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security claimed there were nearly 16,000 noncitizens on the Nevada voting rolls. When DHS was pressed on this number by state officials, it could only find 185. Similarly, Pennsylvania was reported to have more than 14,000 noncitizens on the rolls. Why should we believe the narrative this administration puts forth? The U.S. Supreme Court recently had an opportunity to prevent an executive order from being implemented that would make mail voting cumbersome. Instead of addressing this issue in advance (as multiple lower courts had), the conservative majority decided their best course of action was to wait until after a disaster had occurred, reasoning that no state had been harmed yet by the order. Using this logic, I suppose the most proper course of action I should take upon seeing a small, unsupervised child crossing a busy street would be to take no action until a vehicle strikes the child. The court missed an opportunity to defend democracy.

William L. Hutt Jr., Brookhaven

Broken system

The overall need for mental health care has surged significantly post-pandemic, yet according to a 2024 survey, about 34% of psychologists and 45% of psychiatrists do not accept health insurance. For a private-pay psychiatrist, evaluations typically cost $300 to $500, and standard sessions range from $100 to $300. Enter Lindsay Clancy, a married mother of three and a former labor and delivery nurse. Described by her coworkers as compassionate, kind, and an advocate for her patients.

Months following the birth of her third child, Clancy recognized a change in her mental health. She had the courage to share those terrifying thoughts with her husband and parents. She called a crisis hotline, went to an emergency room, voluntarily checked herself into a psychiatric hospital, and took the medications prescribed. Clancy, advocating for herself, did all of this because she did not want to harm herself or her children. She desperately wanted to get well and was unknowingly caught in a mental health care system strained by provider shortages and understaffed clinics. Compassion for Lindsay, not conviction.

Kathy Carroll, Wayne

Job skills

I just realized in trying to explain to someone why Donald Trump acts as though the laws and the Constitution don’t apply to him. He thinks he was elected to be owner of USA Inc., instead of president of the United States. As an owner, his goals are to make as much money as he can for himself and his family. Making deals with heads of state that allow him to build hotels, resorts, golf courses, and other ventures to enrich himself is the goal. Preserving peace through alliances, developing fair trade, protecting our citizens’ welfare, following international laws and treaties, and upholding the Constitution is the job of the president. Will someone please read Trump his job description?

Susan R. MacBride, Philadelphia

Ride on

On behalf of Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28, I would like to extend our sincere thanks to Philadelphia for an extraordinary weekend of professional cycling. As a team director — and someone fortunate enough to have experienced this iconic race in years past — it was incredibly meaningful to return and see world-class women’s racing back on these historic roads. The caliber of competition, the challenging course, and the history behind this event make a Philly result something every rider is proud to put on her résumé.

An event of this magnitude does not happen without tremendous community support. We are grateful to the city’s law enforcement and public safety personnel for keeping the course and athletes safe, and to the organizers, staff, and volunteers whose countless hours produced such an exceptional event. We would also like to extend our sincere appreciation to AmeriGas for its support in making the return of this iconic race possible.

Most importantly, thank you to the people of Philadelphia. We recognize the inconvenience that comes with closed streets and greatly appreciate your patience — but even more, we thank you for coming out in droves to cheer. Philadelphia has always held a special place in American cycling. We were honored to be part of its history, thrilled to be part of its future, and we cannot wait to return in 2027.

Giana Chilcott, director, Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY28

Join the conversation: Send letters to letters@inquirer.com. Limit length to 150 words and include home address and day and evening phone number. Letters run in The Inquirer six days a week on the editorial pages and online.

September 7, 2026
Horoscopes: Monday, Sept. 7, 2026

ARIES (March 21-April 19). Much of what makes life comfortable comes from the generosity of people who do the work without needing the glory. You’ll be inspired to once again become the kind of quiet benefactor whose thoughtfulness makes other people’s day easier.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20). You’re reminded that improvements can be planned on paper, but unless the final product is a work of writing, things must be executed in real life to have the desired effect. It’s not brainpower that will make the difference — it’s elbow grease.

GEMINI (May 21-June 21). Whatever you think will happen turns out to be what actually does happen. It’s not a sign that you’ve reached a new level of psychic — rather that life has gotten dreadfully repetitive. Time to engineer some excitement.

CANCER (June 22-July 22). Other people’s definitions help them make sense of the world, and that’s for them. You don’t have to agree. “It ain’t what they call you, it’s what you answer to.” — W.C. Fields

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22). Everything we see — the roads and bridges, the schools and towns — was built by thousands of people whose names we don’t know. You have contributed such invisible efforts, too. Today, you deeply appreciate work that makes everyday life possible.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22). Someone will become wonderfully fluent in the language of you. They remember what you forget, notice what you overlook and celebrates what you dismiss. It feels good to be witnessed so carefully.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 23). Every skill has a hidden side effect: The better you get at something, the more people expect you to do it. It’s a good time to consider, once again, your compensation. Does it still make sense? Remember that competence gives you options, including the option to stop.

SCORPIO (Oct. 24-Nov. 21). Some efforts pay at the finish line. Others pay every step of the way. A hike, a conversation, mastering a dish to share — these are the kinds of things you’re enjoying more of these days.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21). Talent gets the attention while steady effort builds the life. You’ll find unusual satisfaction in simply keeping your word to yourself, knowing that every worthwhile accomplishment depends on someone showing up day after day.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19). Courage can be practiced in small ways, but you learn what you’re capable of when a choice becomes real. You may hesitate or feel unsure. What matters is caring enough about the outcome to take your next step anyway today.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18). Games are no fun if they are too easy. Think of today’s challenge as though it was a game — just the right amount of challenge to keep it interesting. The problems along the way are opportunities for bonding.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20). It’s deflating to share your ambitions with people who don’t have any of their own. Better to connect with them on more relatable topics or go where there are others who are on a similar journey to yours.

TODAY’S BIRTHDAY (Sept. 7). In ancient Greece, the first portion of all offerings went to the goddess Hestia because every gathering, feast, temple and home began at the hearth. In your Year of Hestia, people drawn to your warmth will orbit and gift you. More highlights: Your strong foundation allows you to take bigger risks and enjoy huge payoffs. Hospitality opens doors to love, money and success beyond your wishes. Libra and Cancer adore you. Your lucky numbers are: 6, 33, 29, 1 and 17.

September 7, 2026
Dear Abby | Boyfriend hopes to exclude woman’s son from living arrangement

DEAR ABBY: I’m a single mother of an 18-year-old son with autism. I have known “Cliff” for more than 20 years. We live on opposite coasts. I want to be with him and he with me, though he doesn’t want my son to live with us at this time. He wants it to be just the two of us for a while. Abby, my son is not able to live on his own. Do you have any advice as to what to do?

— CLUELESS IN THE WEST

DEAR CLUELESS: It troubles me that Cliff is already trying to exclude your son from the equation. What exactly does he expect you to do with your son during this “honeymoon” period, and how long does he think it should last? It is important that you find out before this romance goes any further. What alternative living arrangements does Cliff have in mind for your son, what will they cost and who will be expected to pay for them? You didn’t mention how functional your son is, or how he interacts with others. Because he is 18, it’s time to start thinking ahead regardless of Cliff. What will become of your son if something should happen to you? Would he be cared for by other relatives? Would a group living arrangement work for him?

Some developmentally disabled individuals thrive when they have social interaction and some kind of work to do. Before you start planning your love life, you need to address these issues. The Autism Society of America (autismsociety.org) may be able to help you navigate them.

** ** **

DEAR ABBY: My wife passed away unexpectedly while we were in Europe. I phoned several people in the U.S. to let them know and asked that they let others know. Someone in my wife’s hometown posted the news to Facebook barely six hours after I had found her. My grief at the time was so great that I could not respond, as I was dealing with getting her remains back home. This has bothered me ever since that horrible day.

I sent the person a message, telling him I felt he had been disrespectful to me and my children. He replied that he had been so sad to learn that my wife had died that he felt compelled to post it to Facebook. (He did admit that his timing was bad.) I know I need to move on, and this person will definitely be left behind.

Is posting to social media acceptable before the family has had a chance to write an obituary and publish it? These platforms are public forums and should follow the normal rules of etiquette regarding respecting the family’s privacy.

— MOURNING WIDOWER

DEAR MOURNING WIDOWER: Please accept my sincere condolences on your wife’s passing. The acquaintance who posted to Facebook committed a serious social media faux pas. It is never acceptable to make any public announcement of a person’s death before the immediate family has done so. Still worse is the fact that he didn’t wait for 24 hours before rushing to his keyboard. It appears you were never close with this self-appointed town crier, and I don’t blame you for deciding you never will be.

** ** **

DEAR READERS: Have a safe and happy Labor Day!

— LOVE, ABBY

September 7, 2026
Assailant lunged at Democratic candidate for Ohio governor at fair, campaign says

WASHINGTON — An armed assailant lunged at the Democratic candidate for Ohio governor, Amy Acton, on Sunday during a campaign stop at the Canfield Fair, injuring several people, campaign officials said.

The suspect knocked volunteers to the ground and was arrested with “multiple weapons,” Mahoning County Democratic Party chairperson Chris Anderson said in a statement.

Acton, the state’s former public health director, was not injured, but her campaign said multiple people were hurt.

“Dr. Acton will always stand up to the chaos, hate, and vitriol that pits us against one another,” said Addie Bullock, communications director for the campaign.

Ohio State Highway Patrol and other authorities at the fair quickly responded “when a man tried to forcefully push himself toward Dr. Acton as she was speaking and injured other attendees at the Mahoning County Democrat booth,” Republican Gov. Mike DeWine said in a statement.

“Violence or the threat of violence at political or public events is always unacceptable,” he added.

The attempted attack is the latest political violence to roil the United States. And the Ohio gubernatorial race is one of the most high-profile races this year as the campaigns enter the final six weeks of campaigning before the election in November.

Acton is facing Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who has parlayed his national name recognition, tech industry connections, and alliance with President Donald Trump into a record fundraising haul that he is tapping for advertising spots aimed at the November election. He is using campaign rallies and advertising to criticize Acton.

Ramaswamy’s campaign called the incident Sunday unacceptable.

“Candidates should be able to meet with voters without having to worry about threats or violence. What happened today is completely unacceptable and has no place in politics, and we hope that no one was hurt,” Ramaswamy’s communications director, Connie Luck, said in a statement.

The fairground’s police department referred inquiries to the Mahoning County Sheriff’s Department, which didn’t immediately return a message seeking comment. The Ohio State Highway Patrol didn’t immediately respond to a request for information.

The incident brought condemnation from Ohio Republican Sen. John Husted, who said on X that he and his wife were “disturbed by the attempted attack on Amy Acton today at the Canfield Fair. We are grateful for law enforcement’s quick response. There is no place for this kind of behavior, and it must never be tolerated.”

The country has seen a rise in political violence over the past decade. That includes the 2017 shooting at a Republican congressional baseball team practice in Alexandria, Va.; the 2022 hammer assault on the husband of Democratic then-House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in California; the 2024 assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally during his presidential campaign as well as another on the president at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner in April; and the assassinations last year of a Democratic Minnesota state lawmaker and her husband and of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk in Utah.

Federal political committees spent more than $40 million on expenses labeled as security during the 2023-24 campaign cycle, the most recent one for which data is publicly available, according a report released in April from the Public Service Alliance, a nonpartisan group that focuses on security for public officials.

Before running for governor, Acton had been recruited by DeWine in 2019 to lead the Ohio Department of Health while serving as an associate professor of public health at Ohio State University. As the COVID-19 pandemic ramped up in early 2020, she was thrown into the state and national spotlight — becoming a source of comfort to many viewers of the governor’s daily news conferences.

For her service as health director, Acton earned the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation’s Profile in COVID Courage Award, the Columbus Foundation’s Spirit of Columbus Award and Ohio State’s highest alumni honor, the Alumni Medalist Award.

Her position as the face of the DeWine administration’s aggressive stance against the virus also earned Acton many enemies, among them Statehouse Republicans and average Ohioans who opposed pandemic restrictions.

September 7, 2026