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Elizabeth Brown faced five years of housing troubles, homelessness and other barriers. But she can now say she’s a homeowner. 

Brown, 51, always wanted to be a homeowner but said it just hadn’t happened for her. Just a few years ago, Brown was choosing between feeding her children and paying her rent. After moving into a home in Milwaukee near North 20th Street and West Auer Avenue that quickly fell into disrepair, she decided it was time to make a dream a reality. 

“I just couldn’t do that anymore,” she said. “I knew I didn’t want to deal with landlords anymore.” 

Brown purchased her home through Acts Housing and moved in June 27.  

Brown is a mother of nine children, four of whom she still takes care of. She is a community organizer and the current president of Amani United, a neighborhood group.

“I love that she has this house now,” said Doris Brown, Elizabeth’s mother. “It feels like she’s reached the beginning of being settled, like she deserves to be.” 

The journey

Brown’s homebuying process took about two years. But she spent even longer preparing for it.

“It was hard because one day I was trying to survive,” she said. 

Two of Brown’s children are school-aged and two more are in college. As she prepared to buy a home, she was working to support her children and serving her community through her work as a leader for Amani United. 

Brown has spent significant time giving back to the community. She said when it came to the process of buying a home, it was that same community that supported her. 

Amanda Clark, housing coordinator for the Dominican Center, which often works in partnership with Amani United, has known Brown for eight years. She said she was excited to witness Brown become a homeowner. 

“I don’t think anyone is more deserving than Elizabeth,” she said. “Elizabeth acted as a pilot so that we can, as a community, help other residents access homeownership without as many barriers.” 

Overcoming barriers

Brown said there were many days when she just wanted to give up on becoming a homeowner. 

One challenge, she said, was simply saving the money needed to purchase her home. 

“When you are working with programs and following steps toward your goal, life is still happening,” she said. “I was homeless for six months during this process because the home I was living in just became unlivable.” 

She said there were times when she’d have to rent hotel rooms to meet her and her children’s hygiene needs or rent other places to cook for them. 

“There is always something else you need to do,” Brown said. “You think you’ve taken all the steps, then a coach will say, ‘oh you need to do this and this.’ ”

While she bought the home through Acts Housing, she said other supports, like staff from the Community Development Alliance, Milwaukee Metropolitan Community Church, Northwestern Mutual and LISC, were helpful in her journey.

A fresh start

Brown said buying a home feels like the beginning for her. 

“I’m happy, and my children are so proud of me,” she said. “But there is so much more I want to do.” 

Brown said homeownership is possible for anyone who wants to achieve it, so long as communities care. 

“It was a long fight,” Brown said. “But I’m a firm believer everything happens for a reason, and I had my experience so that I can help others do what I did.” 

A Milwaukee woman’s long journey to homeownership is a post from Wisconsin Watch, a non-profit investigative news site covering Wisconsin since 2009. Please consider making a contribution to support our journalism.

Muhammad Ali defeats George Foreman, winning back the heavyweight title; after retiring in 1981, he travels the world as a symbol of peace and hope.

The post Muhammad Ali:Round Four: The Spell Remains (1974-2016) appeared first on WPR.

Professional crime-scene cleaner Wicky has to mop up after a particularly grisly murder.

The post The Cleaner:The Widow appeared first on WPR.

A blend of punishing acceleration, all-wheel drive security, thug-in-a-suit good looks, versatility and practicality has made the Audi RS6 super wagon a dream daily for many of us for more than two decades. But starting next year, potential buyers will, for the first time ever, be able to choose between combustion and electric power.

Late last month we published spy shots of the petrol RS6 Avant Audi is currently developing and will reveal in 2026. This week we’ve got images of its sister model, which is entirely electric and could be even more powerful.

Related: Audi RS6 E-Tron Avant Promises Super Wagon Thrills In A Zero-Emission Package

What Lies Beneath

Though both combustion and electric models will wear RS6 badges and have similar sporty wagon silhouettes, they’re very different under the skin. While the ICE car rides on a conventional combustion platform, this time (for the first time on an RS6) equipped with plug-in hybrid tech, the EV is based on the same VW Group PPE platform already found under models like the A6 and S6 e-trons, the Q6 e-tron and the Porsche Macan Electric.

Audi hasn’t dropped any tech-spec nuggets, but considering the S6 e-tron makes 543 hp (405 kW / 551 PS), we could be looking at around 805 hp (600 kW / 816 PS) for the RS version. But even that kind of output would appear modest, given that top versions of electric sedans like the Xiaomi SU7 and Porsche Taycan are now pushing out up to 1,527 hp (1,139 kW / 1,548 PS). BMW doesn’t make an electric M5, at least not yet, and the i5 M60 only cranks out 593 hp (601 PS / 442 kW).

We expect the petrol-powered RS6 to generate less power than its electric brother, perhaps 750 hp (760 PS / 560 kW) or so, but it won’t necessarily have a performance disadvantage because it will weigh several hundred pounds less than the e-tron, which could tip the scales at around 2,500 kg (5,510 lbs) due to its hefty battery pack.

Electrifying Looks

Both versions will get wider fender flares than their regular A6/S6 brothers, and the fronts on each appear to have a vent ahead of the doors. But there are some major design differences that aren’t simply limited to the EV missing out on the ICE model’s huge twin oval tailpipes.

The EV has a split headlight treatment and blanked grille, whereas the combustion RS6 has a conventional grille and lights, but much bigger outer air intakes, which of course the e-tron doesn’t need. But at the back, the combustion car’s moustache-shaped taillights make it more distinctive.

Our money’s on the RS6 e-tron arriving first and the combustion car following later in 2026. Both cars will be available in liftback sedan and wagon body styles. We’ve added a gallery of images of the combustion car at the bottom of this post so you can spot the visual differences between the two.

RS6 e-tron

SHProshots

RS6 Hybrid

Baldauf

The automotive industry never stops changing, but 2025 has been unlike most as Donald Trump’s policies have changed the way automakers are doing business. The elimination of federal tax credits for electric vehicles is a major move on its own. Paired with the removal of penalties for missing fuel economy targets under CAFE regulations, the result is a playing field with entirely new rules.

The immediate winners are the combustion-heavy brands that can now focus on selling trucks and SUVs without financial punishment. On the other side, Tesla, Rivian, and other EV specialists stand to lose billions, not because demand for their cars will collapse, but because a critical source of revenue has been pulled out from under them. At the center of the storm is an Environmental Protection Agency that appears to be working against the mission printed on its own website.

Cash Flow Reversal

Since 2022, GM has spent some $3.5 billion buying regulatory credits, says Bloomberg. Ford and Stellantis have spent billions as well. That cash went to brands like Tesla and Rivian, which had plenty of credits to sell since their cars emit zero emissions. With the end of EV tax credits and CAFE fines for breaking regulations, Ford, GM and Stellantis can pour the money they would’ve spent on credits back into their own piggy bank.

Read: Millions Hate This Fuel Saving Tech So EPA Wants To Get Rid Of It

Ford CEO Jim Farley said the policy shift has the “potential to unlock a multibillion-dollar opportunity,” noting that the Blue Oval is already retooling its Oakville, Ontario, plant to build Super Duty pickups instead of EVs.

GM is also cutting back on EV production, opting to overhaul factories for gasoline-fueled models. Stellantis, meanwhile, has gone so far as to revive the thirsty Hemi V8 engine, something previously thought dead in the age of electrification. With all of these changes, death might now be coming for some EV brands.

Trouble Ahead For EV Startups

Not only does the end of tax credits make purchasing an EV less palatable for many, but it also means that brands which used to benefit from selling tax credits now need to readjust to the new reality. Smaller brands, though, might be in big trouble. For example, Slate’s trucklet looks almost pointless with a starting price near $30,000 as the EV tax credit was vital to its success.

Even larger brands like Tesla and Rivian have leaned on the pure profit they’ve gained by selling regulatory credits. That money likely won’t be coming back anytime soon and that’s because the EPA seems willing to do just about anything the Trump Administration deems reasonable.

A Mission Ignored

It states plainly that its mission is “to protect human health and the environment.” Love them or hate them, electric vehicles are probably better at that than combustion cars. In fact, the EPA itself has an entire page dedicated to debunking the myths so many like to perpetuate surrounding them.

Things like “EVs are worse for the climate than gas cars,” “EVs are unreliable,” and “EVs will collapse the power grid.” Furthermore, J.D. Power is one of many sources that indicate that when all costs are considered, EVs are cheaper to buy, maintain, and own long-term when compared to combustion cars.

No one argues that people should be forced into one type of car. Choice matters. The government shouldn’t force anyone into a specific car or truck. But supporting policies that improve human health and the environment is what the EPA literally says it’s supposed to do.

By supporting Trump’s rollback of strict fuel economy standards and regulations, the agency is doing the exact opposite of its own mission statement. It’s clearing the way for automakers to build more polluting vehicles, burn more fuel, and erase billions in total consumer savings. If the EPA won’t uphold its own mission, it seems that nobody will. 

Credit: Ford / GM / Slate / EPA

The presence of Chinese automakers added some international flavor to this week’s Munich Motor Show, but in reality the event was more about familiar German brands and their new, and in some cases unfamiliar, faces.

Related: Star-Stricken Mercedes GLC EV Has A Grille Big Enough To Swallow A BMW iX3

All of the big German automakers were on hand with fresh concept cars and production models that showcased new stylistic directions. It feels like we’re at one of those moments where car design is changing across the industry for premium European brands after a period during which the big players have struggled to reinvent themselves and work out how to differentiate EV and combustion cars, or whether to even differentiate them at all. But have the Germans really rediscovered their design mojo?

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

Let’s start with BMW and the iX3, arguably the biggest story from the show because it’s about so much more than a new SUV. The iX3 is the first of the Neue Klasse cars and brings a fresh design language that will shape the brand’s entire lineup for the next decade, as well as a crucial new EV platform.

There was some murmuring here at Carscoops that the iX3’s profile deviated too far from Munich’s conventions, but overall this has to be viewed as a massive hit. BMW designs have mostly either been butt ugly or blandly handsome over the last 20 years, but finally here’s a fresh, modern-looking car with real presence, and one that brilliantly manages to riff on the classic face of old-timers without looking like a lazy retro rip-off.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

To our eyes, the iX3’s key rival, the electric Mercedes GLC, is far less successful. The body looks flabby and dull next to the BMW’s and while we’re all for the three-pointed star marque borrowing some classic inspiration to put new energy into its famous grille, the light-up nose on the GLC, which will find its way onto other future models as well, looks like an afterthought here.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

Audi’s Concept C looked far more confident. Previewing an electric TT successor that will share tech with the upcoming Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman EVs, it takes inspiration from both the TT and Auto Union’s 1930s Type C racers.

We’re reminded of the string of uber-strong Bauhaus-infused concept cars Audi delivered in the late 1990s and early 2000s, many of which made production, as well as Jaguar’s Type 00 concept, though we think Audi did a better job.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

Volkswagen’s ID. Polo and Polo GTI, the near-production versions of the car we previously knew as the ID.2, looked less radical in comparison, but they still represent a shift in the automaker’s design that hearkens back to the solid shapes and surfaces that made some of the brand’s biggest sellers so enduring.

Think about how fresh the Mk4 Golf still looks almost 30 years after we first met it, or the Mk1 does more than 50 years after it debuted. That’s the kind of self-assured, non-faddy style the ID. Polo embraces, but at the same time the ID. Cross showed VW could also have some fun with the same design language.

Photos Stefan Baldauf & Guido ten Brink

And now it’s time for our question of the day: do you think the German automakers have got their design act together, or do some of them need to get back to the drawing board? And in the battle of the grilles, who did it best – BMW, Audi or Mercedes? Leave a comment below and let us know your opinions and the reasoning behind them.

Audi/BMW/Mercedes

When firefighter Max Walsh saw smoke rising in the distance, he figured he was sprinting toward yet another car fire. As a firefighter, he’d seen plenty of them, but this time, he was actually headed into a nightmare. The Tesla Model Y engulfed in flames after a crash didn’t have damage to its door latch, but it wouldn’t open anyway. The dead electrical system meant that even the conscious passenger in the front seat couldn’t unlock the doors.

The quirks of Tesla’s flush handles, and the risks when they fail, have been examined in detail by Bloomberg journalist Dana Hull, who reported extensively on how the design can turn dangerous when the car loses power.

Tesla didn’t pioneer flush, power-operated door handles, but it certainly helped them push into the mainstream. EV automakers often tout that they look better and reduce drag and the design has spread across the market from the Ford Mustang Mach-E to the new Nissan Leaf and the Kia EV6. The tricky bit is that when the low-voltage battery dies, whether it’s because of a crash, a fire, or something else, the electric door poppers die too.

Read: How To Get Out Of A Tesla If It Loses Power And You Become Trapped Inside

Carscoops has brought you countless examples of this issue across several different brands. Something kills the power to the car in question, and it leaves occupants, owners, and sometimes rescue workers scrambling to get the doors open. In multiple crashes, from a deadly Cybertruck fire in California to a Model S blaze in Wisconsin, victims have allegedly been unable to escape. Again, the real kicker is that Tesla isn’t alone in this issue.

Not Just A Tesla Problem

Ford recently recalled the Mustang Mach-E for handle-related defects, and we’ve reported several cases of owners getting locked out, or in some cases locked in, because of dead batteries. Fisker faced a similar issue with the Ocean before going belly up. A woman in a Rivian R1S called 911 and was ‘stuck’ in her SUV for 45 minutes when it bricked on the side of the road while smoke wafted into the cabin. In fact, the issue dates back over a decade.

In 2015, 72-year-old James Rogers and his pup, Leia, both passed away while in a Chevrolet Corvette. According to reports from the time, it was Rogers’ dream car. Once again, the battery died. Those who found Rogers and Leia tried to get in but couldn’t. When they finally did, both had succumbed to the heat inside the car. Making things even more tragic is the fact that the man evidently didn’t realize that the manual release for the door handle was inches away…

Manual Releases Are A Perfect Solution

In most of these cases with coherent occupants, the reality is that, just like in the case of Mr. Rogers, safety is usually one very close manual door handle pull away. There are still big issues to overcome, though. First, so many individuals have no idea where the manual door release is or how to access it. But knowledge isn’t the only concern. What happens when the occupant is incapacitated, say after a crash, as was the case when Walsh arrived at the burning Model Y?

Also: New Lawsuit Might Force Ford To Change Mustang Mach-E Door Handles

The front passenger, Susmita Maddi, was pinned by the airbags that had gone off. “It’s the most horrible thing, to see a human burning,” Walsh told Bloomberg. “If I was able to open the doors, I could have gotten them both out before the fire department even got there.” Maddi made it out alive but not without first suffering life-changing injuries. She inhaled fumes that did permanent damage to her lungs, but worse yet, she received third-degree burns to her face.

“Sometimes it is very depressing to see my face,” she says. “Who is this? I wouldn’t recognize myself. Is this what I am now? It took many months and many nights of crying to come to this stage.” She’s suing Tesla and claiming that the doors pose an unreasonable safety risk. “Buying a Tesla was the worst decision of our life,” Maddi says.

A Push For Change

Right now, China is reportedly considering a ban on flush door handles. The nation says that they’re unsafe and could soon require automakers to have at least partially exposed exterior handles and manual releases inside the car. Again, it’s not a perfect solution, but it could influence cars everywhere since several automakers consider China to be one of their biggest available markets.

QOTD: Should Governments Mandate Turn Signal Stalks And Intuitive Manual Door Handles?

Design can be deadly, as is clearly the case here. No doubt, even mechanical door latches can fail, but electric ones can add a layer of complexity when every second counts. Whether or not China‘s potential intervention ends up happening is yet to be seen. For now, anyone with electric door poppers should make themselves well aware of the manual release and how to use it in an emergency. It could very well make the difference between life and death.

BMW’s Life Cycle Impulse (LCI) updates often slip in with quiet exterior tweaks, the kind you might miss if you blink. This time, though, the brand seems to be shifting gears with the X1. Instead of modest changes, the entry-level SUV, or SAV in BMW terminology, is headed for a radical redesign that also transforms the interior.

With influences from BMW’s Neue Klasse design language making their way in, it raises the question: is this really a facelift, or does it mark the start of a fresh generation, like what we saw with the 1-Series?

More: The iX3 Is BMW’s Neue Klasse Future Now With A Surprising Price Tag

Recent sightings of heavily camouflaged prototypes have already hinted at the direction, and now we have a clearer picture. Using those spy shots as a base, digital artist Nikita Chuiko from Kolesa has created new renderings of the next X1. These visuals provide us with a fairly accurate preview.

A Sharper Face

The refreshed SUV will carry BMW’s new front-end identity, featuring a slimmer kidney grille and sharper LED headlights that echo the look of the new iX3. The bumper, hood, and fenders will be redesigned too, softening some of the current model’s aggressive lines, especially those emphasized in the M Sport trim.

The sheet metal on the profile won’t be identical, with the X1 gaining pop-out door handles, sleeker surfacing and more aerodynamic mirrors. The greenhouse should be carried over, but there could be a few changes on the D-pillar that remained covered in the prototypes. Finally, BMW designers will add new options for the alloy wheels, contributing to a more modern stance.

Changes At The Rear

The tail will also mark a stylistical departure from the current X1. The L-shaped taillights will give way to elongated units separated by the BMW emblem and the license plate will be positioned lower on the tailgate, unlike the iX3 where it is mounted on the bumper.

Inside the Neue Klasse

The X1’s interior won’t miss out on the Neue Klasse treatment either and will gain the new Panoramic iDrive cockpit with a slim display covering the base of the windshield. There will also be a larger infotainment touchscreen with a trapezoidal shape, although we don’t know whether it will match the 17.9-inch diameter of the iX3’s. The new layout will most likely be combined with a four-spoke steering wheel and new options for the upholstery.

Under The Hood

The X1 already covers a wide spectrum of powertrains, from mild hybrids to plug-in hybrid and the fully electric iX1. These options are expected to remain, but with incremental improvements in efficiency and performance.

The fully electric iX1 is currently available in FWD and AWD forms with a range between 415-475 km (257-295 miles), but BMW might want to improve those figures amid the fierce competition from newer rivals. This could be achieved with new battery packs, more efficient electric motors, and better aerodynamics.

When Will It Arrive?

The third generation of the BMW X1 was introduced in mid-2022, meaning it is already three years old. According to earlier reports, the mid-lifecycle update would debut in 2027. However, given the prototype activity and BMW’s ambitious product strategy, a 2026 debut seems increasingly likely.

More: BMW’s New i3 Sedan Is Coming For Tesla’s Blood

Munich has confirmed the launch of 40 new or updated models with Neue Klasse styling and technology by 2027. BMW AG’s Chairman of the Board of Management Oliver Zipse has stated that every model that will arrive from 2026 onward will be new. It remains to be seen whether the next iteration of the X1 will be labeled as an extensive facelift or a new generation.

BMW

Renault’s recent run of nostalgia-driven EVs, the retro-inspired 4 and 5, has struck a chord with buyers. The downside is that their popularity has left the Megane E-Tech feeling a little overlooked, prompting Renault to rethink how it can make the car stand out again.

Related: Renault’s Megane EV Will Get A Refresh Following Its Nissan Cousin

The French automaker’s plan to boost the Megane’s appeal involves leveraging another classic Renault skill: building hot hatches. Speaking to the media at the Munich Motor Show, CEO Fabrice Cambolive revealed the Megane will soon get a sporty makeover that will ensure it turns more heads while also lasting longer between charges.

Going Down The Sporty Road

“What we are looking for is a hot hatch, that is the direction we want to go in,” Auto Express reports Cambolive telling journalists. “We want a sporty hatch.”

Though he declined to discuss any technical improvements coming to the upgraded Megane we expect to see next spring, Cambolive confirmed that a bigger battery is part of the package. The biggest battery currently available in the E-Tech is a 60 kWh unit that gives an unimpressive 285 miles (459 km) of range. However, the larger Scenic has an 87 kWh pack which lasts 382 miles (615 km) between fills and the Megane’s new Nissan Leaf cousin has a 75 kWh battery good for 303 miles (488 km).

All three cars use the same 215 hp (218 PS) single front-mounted motor that’s also utilized by the Renault 5-based Alpine A290, but it’s unclear if the sportier Megane would also get more power to become a real hot hatch.

VW’s equivalent ID.3 GTX has a single motor that puts out up to 322 hp (326 PS / 240 kW) and gets to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 5.7 seconds, 1.8 seconds faster than the Megane. We do know, however, that the made-over French model will at least look like a hot hatch.

“If you put a new battery in a car, which is expensive, and you don’t change the car, then it’s really hard to seduce people to pay more for it,” Renault’s chief design officer Laurens van den Acker, told reporters. “So we need to do justice to the changes under the skin by showing something on the skin.”

Is Renaultsport Making A Comeback?

The design upgrades are expected to focus on more aggressive bumpers and possibly bigger wheels, though the mid-spec Megane E-Tech techno esprit Alpine and iconic esprit Alpine already feature 20-inch wheels that do a great job of filling the arches and don’t shortchange on grip. Spy shots published earlier this summer also suggest the mid-life refresh will bring slimmer LED lights.

Cambolive hinted to Autocar that he was looking at reviving the Renaultsport badge applied to a succession of acclaimed hot hatches for over 20 years before it was retired in 2023, but didn’t elaborate on whether the Megane hot hatch plan was related to that rebirth.

“We are exploring some [options],” the CEO said. “We will come to you with some proposals in the next 12 months.”

Renault

Astronomers using the James Webb Space Telescope have uncovered mysterious “little red dots” that may not be galaxies at all, but a whole new type of object: black hole stars. These fiery spheres, powered by ravenous black holes at their core, could explain how supermassive black holes in today’s galaxies were born. With discoveries like “The Cliff,” a massive red dot cloaked in hydrogen gas, scientists are beginning to rethink how the early universe formed—and hinting at stranger cosmic surprises still waiting to be revealed.

Chronic insomnia may do more than leave you groggy, it could speed up brain aging. A large Mayo Clinic study found that people with long-term sleep troubles were 40% more likely to develop dementia or cognitive impairment, with brain scans showing changes linked to Alzheimer’s. Those reporting reduced sleep showed declines comparable to being four years older, while certain genetic risk carriers saw even steeper drops.

Researchers trained AI on tens of thousands of eye scans, enabling doctors to predict which keratoconus patients need early treatment and which can be safely monitored, cutting down on unnecessary procedures while preventing vision loss.

A massive Danish study reveals that despite the remarkable weight-loss benefits of semaglutide, more than half of adults without diabetes stop using it within a year. High costs, unpleasant side effects, and underlying medical or psychiatric conditions play major roles in the dropouts. Younger users and men are especially prone to quitting, raising concerns since discontinuation often leads to weight regain.

Not all barnacles just sit on rocks and ships. Some invade crabs, growing like a parasitic root system that hijacks their bodies. A mysterious group called y-larvae has baffled scientists for over a century, with no known adult stage. Genetic evidence now reveals they’re related to barnacles and may also be parasites — lurking unseen inside other creatures.

Scientists have uncovered that “forever chemicals” like PFAS are even more acidic than anyone realized, meaning they dissolve and spread in water with alarming ease. Using a cutting-edge method combining NMR spectroscopy and computer modeling, researchers showed that the acidity of notorious compounds like PFOA and GenX had been vastly underestimated—sometimes by factors of a thousand.

Octopuses aren’t just flexible—they’re astonishingly strategic. A new study reveals how their eight arms coordinate with surprising precision: front arms for exploring, back arms for locomotion, and every arm capable of twisting, bending, shortening, and elongating in unique ways. Researchers observed nearly 7,000 deformations across multiple habitats, capturing behaviors from camouflage tricks to elaborate hunting techniques. This insight doesn’t just unlock secrets of octopus biology, it could also inspire new innovations in robotics and neuroscience.

Scientists in Tokyo have uncovered “Inocles,” massive strands of extrachromosomal DNA hidden inside bacteria in human mouths. These giants, overlooked by traditional sequencing, could explain how oral microbes adapt, survive, and impact health. Found in nearly three-quarters of people, Inocles carry genes for stress resistance and may even hint at links to diseases like cancer, opening a whole new frontier in microbiome research.

 

A U.S Coast Guard cutter built in 1927 that has been part of the USS Silversides Submarine Museum exhibits in Muskegon, Michigan, for years, has been towed away and will be scrapped. The decision came following what the museum said was significant deterioration that made efforts towards continuous preservation unfeasible.

The museum announced on September 10 that after thoughtful deliberation, it had made the difficult decision to deaccession the cutter McLane from its permanent collections. The cutter has been part of exhibits for over three decades, having been moored at Muskegon harbor since 1993.

The 38-meter (125-foot) Active-class patrol cutter was commissioned in 1927 and served the USGC with distinction through multiple eras of the agency’s history. She was named after Louis McLane, who was appointed U.S. Secretary of State in 1833. Part of McLane’s active duty was patrolling the waters of the Territory of Alaska, including the Bering Strait, during World War II.

Decommissioned in 1968, McLane was donated to the USS Silversides Submarine Museum in 1993, where she has been offering visitors a glimpse into life aboard a patrol vessel. However, the vessel’s deteriorating condition had progressed, the museum says, to the point of being inaccessible for public touring. Maintenance concerns have seen the vessel closed to the public since spring of this year. The museum has now decided that it has further made her continued presence in the harbor untenable. 

The museum highlighted that while it has made efforts to explore alternative preservation options, the vessel’s conditions have meant that continued stewardship was no longer sustainable. It believes that with the cold season approaching, the combination of time, weather, and structural decline made timely action necessary to ensure the safety of the vessel and the surrounding environment.

Unable to continue preserving the vessel, the cutter was sold for scrap. King Towing undertook the task of towing the cutter from the harbor, while Pitsch Companies will handle the dismantling.

 

USS Silversides, a WWII vintage submarine (USS Silversides Submarine Museum)

 

To honor McLane’s legacy, all historical artifacts and interpretive materials housed aboard the vessel were removed to ensure their continued educational and historical value. These artifacts will now be part of the broader collection at the museum and shared with partner organizations.

“The McLane had been a symbol of service and strength for decades,” said Veronica Campbell, USS Silversides Submarine Museum, Executive Director. “Though it was difficult to say goodbye, we were incredibly grateful to our community partners who helped us navigate this transition with dignity and respect.”

Following the departure of McLane, the museum that originally opened as the Great Lakes Naval Memorial and Museum now intends to put its main focus on its main exhibit, the USS Silversides submarine. Part of the efforts will involve fundraising to support the restoration of Silversides.

Commissioned in December 1941, shortly after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the submarine embarked on her first war patrol in April of the following year, and went on to complete 14 war patrols in the Pacific during WWII.

She was decommissioned in 1946 and became a stationary training ship in Chicago until 1969. After retiring from service, she spent time in Chicago as a museum ship, moving to Navy Pier in 1979. In 1987, Silversides was towed across Lake Michigan to become part of the Great Lakes Naval and Memorial Museum.
 

Criminal syndicates stealing vehicles in the U.S. and shipping them to countries in West Africa are becoming daring, reports U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Its officers were recently surprised when they found a stolen bulldozer being smuggled out of the Port of Baltimore was destined for Ghana.

Officers stationed at CBP’s Area Port of Baltimore are among the busiest when it comes to intercepting stolen vehicles, the bureau reports. Often, they are being smuggled out of the U.S., hidden in containers. The stolen vehicles are mostly SUVs, sedans, vans, and pickup trucks. Last year, the Baltimore Field Office ranked second nationally in terms of stolen vehicle recoveries.

On September 3, however, they encountered something that was a bit unusual. The officers were inspecting an export shipment and discovered a 2015 Caterpillar D8T bulldozer valued at about $237,000. It was in the process of being shipped to Ghana, a West African nation that CBP reports is a popular destination for stolen vehicles.

While conducting a routine export examination on the dozer, officers discovered that the vehicle identification number (VIN) matched a stolen vehicle report from Carroll County, Maryland. They contacted the Carroll County Sheriff’s Office and confirmed that the theft report remained active, resulting in the seizure of the dozer.

CBP says that the seizure of the bulldozer is an indication that criminal syndicates involved in exporting stolen vehicles from the U.S. are becoming daring. West Africa, specifically Nigeria and Ghana, they report are lucrative markets for the stolen vehicles. Last year, about 60 percent, or 151 of the 250 stolen vehicles that officers in the Baltimore Field Office recovered, were destined for West African nations. The 250 recovered stolen vehicles were collectively valued at $9.6 million

Nigeria was the top destination with officers recovering 70 vehicles destined for the country, representing 28 percent of all vehicle recoveries. A total of 28 vehicles were earmarked for shipping to Ghana.

CBP reports that during each of the previous five years, over 90 percent of recovered stolen vehicles were destined to West African nations.

“Customs and Border Protection officers continue to combat transnational criminal organizations by interrupting the international trade in stolen vehicles at our seaports,” said Jason Kropiewnicki, CBP’s Acting Area Port Director in Baltimore. “We will continue to secure our nation’s borders, recover stolen vehicle exports, and work with our federal, state, and local law enforcement partners to hold these criminal organizations accountable.”

Despite efforts to fight the crime, CBP highlights that national volumes of stolen vehicle export recoveries remain on the rise. In 2024, the agency recovered 1,445 stolen vehicles, about 10 percent more than in 2023, and 81 percent higher than in 2021.
 

 

The Norwegian government announced today, September 12, that after months of trying to get a Russian-owned fishing vessel to leave its port, it has resorted to seizing the vessel. The government reports it will take into consideration outstanding claims from the Port of Batsfjord, but it wants the vessel out of the port immediately.

The saga of the 39-meter (128-foot) long fishing boat Azurit began when it docked in the Port of Batsfjord, a remote fishing village on Norway’s north coast along the Barents Sea. The vessel is registered in Russia with a home port of St. Petersburg and ownership reported to a company called Oceanprom. The vessel received some repairs from a local company, but appears to have failed to pay its bills and was detained with a crew remaining aboard.

Norway changed its regulations limiting access for Russian vessels to its ports starting in 2022 and again in 2024. Access was limited to just three ports: Kirkenes, Batsfjord, and Tromsø, and some Russian companies were entirely denied fishing permits. Further, Russian vessels can only stay in Norwegian ports for five days. The government later asserted that financial claims were not a reason for vessels to remain in port beyond the time limit.

"This vessel must be removed from Båtsfjord harbour. After considering and trying various solutions, it was now absolutely necessary to make a decision on the state takeover of the vessel. The Norwegian Coastal Administration can thus implement all necessary measures to remove it," said Minister of Fisheries and the Oceans Marianne Sivertsen Naess.

Saying that the prolonged stay in Batsfjord harbor was “considered to pose a risk of national security interests being threatened,” Norway expelled the vessel on December 6 telling it that it must depart within five days. At the time, the captain told Norwegian broadcaster NRK that they were confused because they had a detention order and an eviction notice.

The ship simply never left. The Ministry reported that it considered and tried various solutions, including possibly towing the vessel. The police took steps to secure and control the vessel, but it still never left.

Media reports indicate it now owes as much as $200,000 to the port and various local businesses. The vessel is also reported to be in poor condition. NRK reports the state will cover the berthing fees.

Norway’s Secretary of State Kristoffer André Hansen said that he expects the vessel will likely be towed to a local shipyard and dismantled.