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McCarthy said he remained optimistic they could reach an agreement before a deadline as soon as next week, when the Treasury Department could run out of cash to pay its bills. Financial markets are teetering as Washington edges closer to a debt default crisis that would be unprecedented in modern times, sending shockwaves around the globe.

The White House blamed the Republicans led by McCarthy for risking a devastating default that would hit “every single part of the country” as they demand “extreme” spending cuts that would hurt millions of Americans.

“We’re not going to default,” McCarthy, R-Calif., assured.

The Republican speaker said the negotiators “made some progress” at the White House. “I want to work as hard as we can and not stop.”

Debt ceiling negotiations are locked on a classic problem that has divided and disrupted Washington before, particularly the last time Republicans used the borrowing limit as leverage to extract priorities a decade ago: Republicans want to roll back federal government spending, while Biden and other Democrats do not.

From the White House, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre decried what the administration called a “manufactured crisis” set in motion by Republicans pushing “extreme proposals” that would hurt “every single part of the country, whether you’re in a red state or a blue state.”

Time is short to strike a deal. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said Wednesday that “it seems almost certain” that the United

States would not make it past early June without defaulting. That would be catastrophic, as the government risks running out of cash to pay its bills as soon as June 1.

“We are seeing some stress already in Treasury markets,” Yellen said at a Wall Street Journal event.

Failure to raise the nation’s debt ceiling, now at $31 trillion, would risk a potentially chaotic federal default, almost certain to inflict economic turmoil at home and abroad. Anxious retirees and social service groups are among those making default contingency plans.

While Biden has ruled out, for now, invoking the 14th Amendment to raise the debt limit on his own, Democrats in the House announced they have all signed on to a legislative “discharge” process that would force a debt ceiling vote. But they need five Republicans to break with their party and tip the majority to set the plan forward.

“Sign the bill!” Democrats yelled on the House floor after the Republican Majority Leader announced lawmakers could keep plans to recess on Thursday, but could be called back for votes.

Dragging into a third week, the negotiations over raising the nation’s debt limit were never supposed to arrive at this point.

The White House insisted early on it was unwilling to barter over the need to pay the nation’s bills, demanding that Congress simply lift the ceiling as it has done many times before with no strings attached.

The newly elected speaker visited Biden at the Oval Office in February, urging the president to come to the negotiating table on a budget package that would reduce spending and the nation’s ballooning deficits in exchange for the vote to allow future debt.

Cheered on by a hardcharging conservative House majority that hoisted him to power, McCarthy was not swayed by a White House counter-offer to freeze spending instead. “A freeze is not going to work,” McCarthy said.

DeSantis’ entry into the Republican field has been rumored for months and he is considered one of the party’s strongest candidates in the quest to retake the White House from Democratic President Joe Biden. The 80-year-old incumbent, Republicans say, has pushed the nation too far left while failing to address inflation, immigration and crime.

The Republican nominee will face Biden on the general election ballot in November 2024.

DeSantis begins his campaign in a top-tier of two alongside Trump based on early public polling, fundraising and campaign infrastructure.

The two GOP powerhouses have much in common. DeSantis, who likely would not have become the Florida governor without Trump’s endorsement, has adopted the former president’s fiery personality, his populist policies and even some of his rhetoric and mannerisms.

Yet DeSantis has one thing Trump does not: a credible claim that he may be more electable in a general election than Trump, who faces multiple legal threats and presided over Republican losses in three consecutive national elections.

DeSantis, just six months ago, won his reelection in Florida by a stunning 19 percentage points — even as Republicans in many other states struggled. He also scored several major policy victories during the Republican-controlled Legislature’s spring session.

Aware of DeSantis’ draw,

A Florida native with family roots in the Midwest, DeSantis studied at Yale University, where he played baseball. He would go on to Harvard Law School and become a Navy Judge Advocate General officer, a position that took him to Iraq and the Guantanamo Bay detention camp.

He ran for Congress in 2012 and won an Orlando-area district, becoming a founding member of the far-right Freedom Caucus on Capitol Hill.

Despite his lengthy resume, friends and foes alike note that DeSantis struggles to display the campaign-trail charisma and quick-on-your-feet thinking that often defines successful candidates at the national level. He has gone to great lengths to avoid unscripted public appearances and media scrutiny while governor, which is difficult, if not impossible, as a presidential contender.

Would-be supporters also worry that DeSantis has refused to invest in relationships with party leaders or fellow elected officials, raising questions about his ability to build the coalition he will ultimately need to beat Trump. By contrast, the more personable Trump has already scooped up an army of endorsements in key states, including Florida.

Beyond the primary, DeSantis’ greatest longer-term challenge may rest with the far-right policies he enacted as governor as an unapologetic leader in what he calls his war on “woke.”

He joins a field that already includes: Trump; former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley; South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott; former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson; and biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. Former Vice President Mike Pence is also considered a likely presidential candidate but has not yet announced a bid.

Baby Bison Put To Death After Park Visitor Picks It Up

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. (AP)

— Yellowstone National Park officials killed a newborn bison because its herd wouldn’t take the animal back after a man picked it up.

The calf became separated from its mother when the herd crossed the Lamar River in northeastern Yellowstone on Saturday. The unidentified man pushed the struggling calf up from the river and onto a roadway, park officials said in a statement Tuesday. Park rangers tried repeatedly to reunite the calf with the herd but were unsuccessful. Visitors saw the calf walking up to and following cars and people, creating a hazard, so park staff killed the animal, according to the statement. It’s the latest example of Yellowstone visitors getting in trouble or hurt after approaching bison. Park officials euthanized a newborn bison after a similar incident in 2016, when a Canadian man and his son put the calf in their SUV, thinking they could rescue it. event.

“It’s these announcements and these celebrations that I get real excited about because I know what this means to this community,” McWhorter said at Wednesday’s ceremony. “The impact it has on this community is going to be significant.”

McWhorter called Meco’s investment in expanding their manufacturing headquarters “remarkable.”

Greene County Partnership President Jeff Taylor said Meco was a proud Greeneville-based manufacturer and that U.S. and Tennessee-based manufacturing “just means more.”

“We are honored and thrilled today to celebrate ‘Made in the USA’ and made in Greene County especially,” Taylor said. “It is my honor to work with great companies like Meco and for their commitment to this community.”

U.S. Sen. Bill Hagerty and State Rep. David Hawk also spoke at Wednesday’s event.

“Things are happening right here in Tennessee, and I couldn’t be more proud than to join you all today and congratulate this great team that’s expanding,” Hagerty said.

“This is the type of commitment that we want to see in our state. This is the type of solid growth that changes families’ lives.”

Hagerty said that having a good job makes a difference for families.

“This is extremely meaningful, this growth and this expansion and making a difference in people’s lives,” Hagerty said.

Hawk said the Greene

Ela

FROM PAGE 1A

Third grade students who scored “below” or “approaching” are eligible and will be prioritized for these supports, although some students may meet certain exceptions outlined in the law.

In Greene County Schools, 20.14% scored below, and 45.31% scored approaching.

A total of 34.55% in Greene County were proficient — 27.69% meeting and 6.86% exceeding.

In Greeneville City Schools, 13.21% scored below, and 41.04% scored approaching. A total of 45.75% in Greeneville were proficient — 31.13% meeting and 14.62% exceeding.

Families of students scoring “approaching” on the TCAP or TCAP retest also have the option to request an appeal of a local retention decision on behalf of their third grade student. The

County has always had Meco and that he owns Meco grills and that it is important to support Tennessee companies.

“This is a Tennessee legacy company. This is a Greene County legacy company,” Hawk said. “Our community has always had Meco.” Hawk also released a statement in a news release.

“Tennessee has established itself as a state where businesses can thrive. That is especially true in Greeneville where this significant expansion by Meco Corporation will benefit residents as well as the local economy. I congratulate the company on this exciting announcement and appreciate its continued investment in our community,” Hawk form to submit an appeal for the department’s consideration will be at www.tn.gov/ education/learning-acceleration . The form will open May 30 and close June 30. said in the statement.

Families can find critical timeline information posted on the department’s website and should coordinate with their student’s school to ensure they can make informed decisions about their student’s education. The annual, full TCAP release, including all grades and subjects for state-level and district-level results, will be released in separate announcements later this summer. A full list of the numbers by school district can be found at www.tn.gov/content/dam/tn/education/ learning-acceleration/ TCAP_2023_G3ELA_DistrictAverages.pdf .

For additional information about Tennessee’s third grade acceleration strategy, visit www.tn.gov/education/ learning-acceleration .

Both Greeneville Mayor Cal Doty and Greene County Mayor Kevin Morrison released statements on the expansion, as well.

“As one of the oldest manufacturing plants in our town, it is exciting to see this locally owned company investing here in Greeneville. Meco has been a fixture in our community for over 60 years, and with this investment we hope it will continue to be here for 60 more. Thanks to Mr. Robert Austin and the team at Meco for trusting our people to continue its growth,” Doty said.

“We are very proud of Meco and its storied history of quality manufacturing and job creation here in Greene County. It has been a pillar of our valued

Beans

FROM PAGE 1A incident we’ve had with them and he said that it’s time to change,” Holt said. “He realized it’s a hazard on the road due to the soft shoulders. It just takes one little wheel to drop off, I call it the domino effect, and you have that.”

Company officials directed drivers to take a route to Sopakco, Inc., in Greeneville from the Bush’s Beans plant in Chestnut Hill that includes Interstate 81 and U.S. 11E.

“His recommendation was to travel a different route other than a twolane road that has soft industrial community for as long as I can remember. Additionally, Meco has contributed immeasurably in sponsorships of our schools and many vital community events and activities through the years. It is and has been an all-around, first-class supporter of everything Greene County, and we are tremendously grateful and blessed to have the company here,” Morrison said in his statement.

During Wednesday’s event, both mayors thanked Meco for its years of support for the local community.

Doty thanked Meco for its employees’ work in fundraising for the American Heart Association and the American Cancer Society.

“It’s so important to have companies that give back to the community,” Doty said. “I want to thank Meco and the employees for working here in Greeneville and making a product that we can all be proud of.”

As Morrison spoke, he held up a 39-year-old yearbook from North Greene High School that included a support sponsorship from Meco.

“I bring this as a historical piece to show you what the dedication of Meco has been to our community,” Morrison said. “That just shows the level of dedication that Meco has had to our community. A quality manufacturer, a job-creator dedicated to making Greene County a great place.”

Meco Corp. President Whitney Winter released a statement regarding the expansion.

“Meco Corporation, founded by Robert Austin, Sr, has long been known as a top employer in shoulders,” Holt said. The decision benefits the safety of the public in addition to first responders like Caney Branch firefighters, who have to slow and divert traffic from crash scenes onto unfamiliar roads.

“Any time you are working in the roadway as first responders, you don’t want to have a secondary incident. Hopefully, it’s for the best for the company and the citizens,” Holt said. “There’s no trucking company that wants to have accidents.”

Other tractor-trailers still haul cargo along Newport Highway, so wrecks involving other carriers remain a possibility, he added.

“It’s not going to stop

Greene County since 1959. His son, Robert Austin, Jr, and Robert’s wife, Kathryn Gamble, are committed to keeping his father’s dream alive as a leading employer in this region,” Winter said in her statment. “We have an amazing group of associates that work together towards a common goal to produce domestically manufactured BBQ grills in Greeneville, Tennessee. This group exhibits teamwork that is impressive by anyone’s standards. We are working hard to reinvest in this facility, to hire more associates throughout our organization, develop new products and expand our footprint in the BBQ market. We are grateful for the opportunity and support as we expand our workforce, and we are anxious to see what the future holds for Meco.”

During Wednesday’s announcement event, Winter noted that Meco grills are produced in Greeneville start to finish.

“Meco is one of the only domestic manufacturers of barbecue grills left,” Winter said. “The grills you see here are made from cold rolled steel that is brought into the back of the building. We stamp the small parts that go on these grills. We have a powder coat system in the back that produces some of the most colorful grills on the market. The components are sent to the assembly line. They’re packaged and distributed out of our warehouse down the hill.”

Winter said Meco is working hard to strengthen the business and expand and thanked the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development for providing the FastTrack tractor-trailers on Newport Highway. (Drivers) are just trying to do what’s best for them and you have a lot of different companies that are traveling that road,” Holt said.

The load of canned beans that spilled on Newport Highway weighed more than 51,000 pounds.

The driver was northbound on Newport Highway going toward Greeneville when the truck veered slightly off the shoulder of the road, causing him to lose control on rain-softened ground. The truck struck a utility pole before overturning on its side, according to a THP crash report.

A tractor-trailer hauling Bush’s Beans on pal -

Job Training Assistance program for the company.

“We are working hard to reinvest in this facility. To hire more people and make new products and expand our footprint in the barbecue market. We want the next grill that you use on July 4 to be an American made grill,” Winter said. “Today we are united to continue the tradition of domestically manufactured barbecue grills made in Greeneville, Tennessee.” lets that was apparently following the new route wrecked on the morning of April 26 on West Andrew Johnson Highway in Mosheim. Mosheim police and the Town of Mosheim Fire Department responded and secured the right westbound lane of the road. The driver was uninjured. A section of West Andrew Johnson Highway was closed to traffic for about eight hours.

State Sen. Steve Southerland released a statement saying the county’s future is bright.

“This significant investment demonstrates Meco’s confidence in the skilled workforce, favorable business climate and supportive infrastructure that our region provides.

I am grateful for the hard work and collaboration of Meco Corporation’s leadership and employees, local government officials, economic development agencies and community partners for fostering an environment conducive to business growth. The future of Greene County is brighter than ever, and this expansion project sets the stage for even greater success,” Southerland said in his statement. Gov. Bill Lee released a statement on the expansion, as well.

“Tennessee’s unprecedented economic growth, unmatched business climate and skilled workforce make our state the ideal location for companies to expand and thrive.

I thank Meco Corporation for its continued investment in Tennessee and for creating nearly 70 new jobs to provide greater opportunity for Tennesseans across Greene County,” Lee said.