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CNN Headlines: 2 Dead, Officers Injured In Minneapolis Mass Shooting; Major Medical Groups Issue Vaccine Guidance For Flu, COVID- 19, RSV; Data Center Backlash Is Rocking 2026 Midterms. Aired 5:30-6a ET
Aired September 03, 2026 - 05:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
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[05:30:35]
BRAD SMITH, CNN ANCHOR: It's half past the hour. Let's hit the refresh button on our top stories.
Two people are dead, as well as the gunman, after a mass shooting in Minneapolis yesterday. The incident happened in a high-rise residential building and several others were injured. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey says that the brave actions of the responding officers saved countless lives.
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MAYOR JACOB FREY, MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA: They rescued victims, brought people to safety, helped get approximately four people to the hospital, all while getting shot at themselves. Two officers were hit by gunfire -- one in the leg; the other with two bullets to the abdomen. But for their heroic work the death toll would have been far higher.
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SMITH: The FAA predicts that today will be the busiest travel day of the Labor Day holiday weekend. AAA also says that you should be prepared to pay more for gas. As of this morning, the national average is $4.14 a gallon.
And the jury in the Lindsay Clancy murder trial returns to court this morning for a sixth day of deliberations. Now, if jurors can't break the impasse the judge may eventually choose to declare a mistrial.
Meanwhile, a woman was arrested after prosecutors say that she filmed jury members as they left the courthouse.
CNN's Jean Casarez has more there for us.
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JEAN CASAREZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: A retired nurse charged with one count of intimidating or harassing jurors in the Lindsay Clancy trial. Tuesday afternoon at 3:30 the jury asked to be dismissed. They were done for the day. At 3:40 p.m. the Massachusetts State Police confirmed with CNN that a woman was taken into custody for allegedly intimidating or harassing jurors as they were leaving.
JUDGE WILLLIAM SULLIVAN, JUDGE IN LINDSAY CLANCY TRIAL: I just want to remind everybody here and elsewhere that there's been an order that's been issued in regards to the conducting of this case, as well as statutes in this Commonwealth which related to jurors, witnesses, attorneys and others in regards to this proceeding. And everybody should be well aware that those -- that order and that statute is being enforced and will be enforced. So I just kind of wanted to put that out there with no follow-up or editorial comment.
CASAREZ: The morning started in the Clancy courtroom with the judge calling jurors up one-by-one, talking to them with jurors responding.
That retired nurse, 56-year-old Dawn Light, appeared before a judge on the first floor of this courthouse. The court entered a not guilty plea for the defendant. The defense told the judge she was not trying to intimidate or harass jurors; she just wanted to see Lindsay Clancy. The prosecution said oh, yes, she was because on her phone deleted photos of the actual jurors.
The judge released her with no bail.
JUDGE SHELBY M. SMITH, CIRCUIT JUSTICE, REGION 1, MASSACHUSETTS DISTRICT COURT: She's ordered to stay away and have no contact with any jurors or witnesses in the Lindsay Clancy trial.
CASAREZ: And when this retired nurse came out of that courthouse, she didn't know what was going to meet her. It was the media, and the followed her and she ran to try to get to her car.
She will have another court appearance shortly. But this is a serious situation because according to the law, if you try to disturb in any form or fashion called harassment that can cause emotional distress, it is up to 20 years in prison because this trial involves a life felony.
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SMITH: Thank you, Jean.
President Trump is making plans to travel the country and campaign ahead of November's midterm elections, telling Republicans at a Rose Garden gathering that he's ready to fight and win.
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DONALD TRUMP, (R) PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES: I will be with you 100 percent all the way to November. So I'm going to go to Alaska, and I won it by a lot -- by a real lot -- and I'm going to, you know, hopefully get Dan. And we're going to go to Texas and work for Ted Paxton. But we're going to take that final 30 days, Mr. Speaker.
So I'm relying on you guys to give me some names where I say it's either tied or you're winning by a little bit, or you're losing by a little bit. In some cases you can be losing by a lot, and we'll bring you over the lie. But mostly, it's if you're close. And we'll get -- I think we'll get all those people elected.
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[05:35:05]
SMITH: Recently in South Carolina, the president urged voters to pretend his name is on the ballot in November.
Major medical groups are issuing their own guidance for flu, COVID-19, RSV immunizations this fall. The groups say that their independent recommendations are intended to fill a void left by a limited updated guidance from the CDC.
CNN health reporter Jacqueline Howard has the latest for us.
JACQUELINE HOWARD, CNN HEALTH REPORTER: So these updated guidelines -- they're from, like you said, major medical groups who say that there's a need for public health messaging around respiratory virus season. And it's that time of year again. Kids are back in school, leaves are changing colors.
Here's what's recommended based on these guidelines. The guidelines do recommend for everyone six months and older to get their seasonal flu shot. It recommends for all adults to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, also for infants between six months and 23 three months of age to get the updated COVID shot and for children with risk factors or if your families simply request it.
And then for RSV, which we also know can spread around this time of year, that vaccination is recommended for older adults 75 and older between the ages of 50 and 74 if you're at an increased risk.
This is also recommended during pregnancy between weeks 32 and 36, and it's given between the months of September and now through March it's also recommended. The monoclonal antibody is recommended for infants younger than eight months old.
And the medical groups say they hope this guidance can help both clinicians and families. And like you said, they're doing this at a time where they say we need to fill a void.
So they used to collaborate. The medical groups say they used to collaborate with the CDC on robust respiratory virus vaccine guidance each year around the fall. They say those collaborations haven't been happening lately and the CDC used to also have vaccine campaigns each fall.
But here's president-elect of the American Medical Association talking about how things have changed. This is Dr. Sandra Fryhofer. Have a listen.
DR. SANDRA FRYHOFER, PRESIDENT-ELECT, AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION: I know what the government used to do and we used to have regular meetings. We had working groups and all that has changed. So what the AMA, the Vaccine Integrity Project, and the medical specialty societies have done is we've gotten together to try to fill that void.
HOWARD: Now, the CDC has updated its website to say the same flu recommendations that were made last year around getting your flu shot are still in effect this year. But that's really what -- the latest we've heard from the CDC on this respiratory virus season.
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SMITH: Thank you, Jacqueline.
Well, no AI in the classroom. That is what more than half a million New York City public school students are facing as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani and education officials -- they unveiled the new restrictions.
MAYOR ZOHRAN MAMDANI, NEW YORK CITY: But just because technology is everywhere doesn't mean that it belongs everywhere. After all, each day when our children come to school, we teach them to ask questions, to challenge assumptions, to interrogate the premise, to ask why. When it comes to AI in our schools, we hold an obligation to do the same.
SMITH: So this would affect kindergartners to eighth graders. That's nearly two-thirds of the district's students, and the ban will last for one year and then be reevaluated. High schoolers will have limited access and take AI critical thinking courses.
Well, the NBA has slapped the LA Clippers with some massive penalties after an independent investigation revealed a "pattern of misconduct." The probe found the Clippers improperly funneled off-court endorsement deals to forward Kawhi Leonard through the team's corporate partners in exchange for team business.
Those infractions and more have resulted in the loss of five consecutive first-round draft picks starting in 2029 and a fine of $30 million, plus five years of strict league monitoring.
Clippers owner Steve Ballmer has also been suspended for one year.
The Clippers say the investigation was "heavily biased" and have rejected its findings.
Next on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, the groom, instead of the bride, spilling a few clues about his super secretive wedding to Taylor Swift. And the Dollywood amusement park shares how they plan to honor their namesake. That story and more coming up.
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[05:44:10]
SMITH: Across the country, political candidates are embracing a growing backlash to artificial intelligence and the data centers required to power it.
CNN's Isabelle Chapman explains how it's rocking the midterms.
ISABELLE CHAPMAN, CNN REPORTER/PRODUCER: Data centers are really unpopular. They've become one of the hottest topics in politics.
WILLIAM LAWRENCE: Tech billionaires want to turn this whole field into a massive data center.
CHAPMAN: Republicans and Democrats have spent more than $31 million so far this year on TV ads about data centers. That's roughly 10 times the amount they spent in all of 2025, according to the firm Ad Impact.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Data center production and energy use in Texas is skyrocketing to meet AI's needs.
CHAPMAN: Just two years ago, there wasn't a single TV broadcast election ad that mentioned the phrase "data center." This massive growth in spending shows how candidates are tapping into this growing backlash against artificial intelligence and the data centers that power it. All of this is driven by the public skepticism about the industry.
[05:45:00]
Massive growth in spending shows how candidates are tapping into this growing backlash against artificial intelligence and the data centers that power it. All of this is driven by the public skepticism about the industry and concerns about environmental impacts and spiking electricity bills.
One example, the crucial U.S. Senate race in Ohio. This is Republican Senator Jon Husted. He's being attacked for recruiting the tech industry to Ohio when he was the state's lieutenant governor. And if you take a look here, in 2019, he hailed a $600 million Google data center as "great news for our state." And check this out. Ohio now has more than 200 data centers.
This is Husted's opponent. He's fighting to get his old Senate seat back, and he's taking full advantage of the data center backlash in his state. He spent more than $3.5 million on just three TV ads.
SHERROD BROWN POLITICAL AD: Husted is a chief reason Ohio has so many data centers.
CHAPMAN: The ad spending is trickling down to even smaller races.
In a primary for county executive in St. Charles County, Missouri, 99 percent of broadcast TV ad spending was on spots that mentioned data centers. Both leading candidates were accusing each other of supporting local data center proposals.
POLITICAL AD: Eigel didn't pay his property taxes but voted to give tax credits to the company behind the St. Charles data center.
Steve Elman has gone on record in support of data centers. I'm a no on data centers. CHAPMAN: Meanwhile, politicians who are already in office are trying to move quickly to avoid blame from voters who are alarmed by AI and data centers.
Some, like Greg Abbott, the Republican governor of Texas, were once industry allies. Now even Abbott is advocating for a pause on new data center construction for the time being.
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SMITH: Well, we're hearing more about what's been talked about as the wedding of the year from the groom himself. For the first time, Travis Kelce talking about his star-studded wedding to Taylor Swift at Madison Square Garden. And here's what he had to say on his new Heights podcast with his brother, Jason.
TRAVIS KELCE, NEW HEIGHTS PODCAST: It's been so much fun. First of all, the night was a night out -- it was insane. It's a night I'll -- we'll never forget. Me and Taylor are so thankful for everybody that showed up, you know. From the vows to, you know, just seeing everyone, to how much fun we had throughout the entire evening, and hearing that kind of be relayed through everybody's stories of the night. And it was just so magical, man, and I wish it could have lasted even longer than it did. It felt like it just happened in the blink of an eye.
JASON KELCE, NEW HEIGHTS PODCAST: They kicked us out. They kicked us out.
T. KELCE: When they stopped -- once the drinks stopped being served, everyone kind of just starts to, you know, mosey out.
SMITH: I mean, he's telling it to Jason, and Jason was there.
Kelsey thanked the staff at Madison Square Garden, saying that they went above and beyond to make the wedding special. The Kansas City Chiefs tight end also thanked Adam Sandler, who officiated the ceremony.
Kelsey did not mention when we'll get a look at those highly anticipated wedding photos.
All right. And cosplayers get ready. Dragon Con kicks off today. The Atlanta based festival features hours of programming devoted to movies, television, comics, and science fiction. This year marks the festival's 40th anniversary and more than 75,000 fans are expected to attend, which means MARTA, our local rail system, will be packed. The event runs through Labor Day weekend.
Dolly Parton's Tennessee theme park Dollywood has announced plans to honor the late country music icon. Tons of music and memories across the park, all meant for visitors to reflect on her life and legacy.
And CNN's Sherelle Hubbard has the story from there.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE) SHERRELL HUBBARD, CNN REPORTER: The legacy of Dolly Parton will live on. The country music superstar's Dollywood Amusement Park in Tennessee announced Wednesday that it has plans for at least the next 10 years to continue to carry Parton's work forward.
EUGENE NAUGHTON, CEO, DOLLYWOOD: She really lit up when we talked about the future.
HUBBARD: Dollywood's president Eugene Naughton says Parton, who died last week at the age of 80 after a brief battle with cancer, made advance preparations for the place she called home.
NAUGHTON: Our dream maker in chief really taught us well. And believe me, you, she gave us the gift of time to be able to prepare.
HUBBARD: A unifying and philanthropic figure in life, Dolly Parton will be honored in death at Dollywood with dedications throughout the city of Sevierville -- A prospective new character at the park named the Dream Maker and tribute banners and kiosks throughout the park.
HEIDI PARTON, DOLLY PARTON'S NIECE: She was just such a kind, selfless person, and I know that she would want everybody to continue that.
HUBBARD: In Hollywood, workers repaired Dolly Parton's star on the Walk of Fame on Tuesday.
[05:50:00]
At Dollywood, the highlight of the park's new plans include a serene waterfall to be located at a chapel on the premises.
NAUGHTON: The waterfall is going to have a special reflection area with a guitar that's going to be sculpted. And I hope this will turn out to be the place on the property that will give a chance for people to reflect on the impact that Dolly has had.
HUBBARD: I'm Sherelle Hubbard reporting.
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SMITH: All right. A beautiful site there.
Still to come on CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS, first they moved to assigned seating, and now Southwest Airlines is making another major change for travelers. We've got that coming your way.
Plus, Halloween candy already on the shelves in certain states being recalled. Just the latest. Details on that recall and another one on the other side of the break. Stay with us.
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[05:55:12]
SMITH: In today's Money Express, Southwest Airlines takes another step away from its low-cost roots. The airline plans to open its own airport lounges -- the first four scheduled to launch late next year in Austin, Baltimore, Honolulu, and Nashville. At least seven more are in the works.
Southwest is tapping its partner Chase to help with the project since it has experience running its own Sapphire Reserve lounges. You'll have to get a Southwest Airlines credit card issued by Chase to get access. That card will also launch next year.
All right. A new report shows that hiring slowed to a crawl last month. Not great news if you're on the hunt for a job.
Maribel Aber joins us from the NASDAQ MarketSite and the rest of your Money Express headlines.
Maribel, I'm just wrapping my head around this because we've heard so many anecdotal evidence, but this is putting more data around it.
MARIBEL ABER, CNN CORRESPONDENT, MONEY MATTERS: This is what we know, Brad.
Private sector businesses added 38,000 jobs in August, below economists' estimate of about 47,000. And it's the slowest pace of hiring since January, with declines in both manufacturing and business services.
Now sectors showing the biggest gains include education, health services, and leisure and hospitality. Average pay was up 3 percent, while gross pay rose 4.4 percent, both unchanged from July.
Halloween candy sold in 13 states is being recalled because it contains undeclared milk allergens. Crystal Temptations of North Arlington, New Jersey, warned that people who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to milk run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if they consume these products.
The product being recalled is its Halloween Chocolatey Eyeballs sold at retailers Marshalls, TJ Maxx, HomeGoods, and Sierra Trading Post. Consumers are being urged to destroy the product and to contact Crystal Temptations for a full refund.
And nearly 54,000 cases of chocolate milk have been recalled due to a packaging error that can result in product spoilage. According to the FDA, Horizon Organic Dairy initiated the voluntary recall after getting complaints from consumers. The company said in a statement that complaints included product packaging that appeared bloated and contents that may be subject to premature spoilage. Customers are being asked to contact the company for a refund. More details about the recall can be found at the fda.gov.
Hey, Snoop Dogg's ice cream brand Dr. Bombay is looking to hire an international ice cream taste tester. It's a three-month gig. Get this, it pays $10,000 a month. The company, which Snoop co-founded with his son, has partnered with hiring platform Deal to find just the right candidate. Now, the job involves evaluating innovative new flavor combinations and spotting food trends. And if you think you have what it takes you can fill out an online application at deal.com. You know Brad, a three month gig tasting ice cream -- oh, shizzle.
SMITH: Yeah, as long as I can be pre-guaranteed to the best of their ability that there will be no recalls, sign me up for the side gig. Why not? I'll try it out.
Maribel Aber, thank you.
Let's get a check-in on some of the other stories making news across the country.
We start in Virginia. That's where police responded to a shooting at an elementary school. Fortunately, no kids were injured, but a staff member was wounded. Police say the 19-year-old suspect forced his way into the school. They say they later found him dead inside the library from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. The school is closed today.
In Oregon, police say this man fired on their drone during a standoff. It happened after a woman called 911 reporting her neighbor was shooting at people. Investigators say he shot off more than 200 rounds, then used a tractor to try and barricade himself. That's when the SWAT team rammed him and the tractor against the house and arrested him. He faces several charges, including attempted murder.
All right. A man was struck by lightning on Staten Island, and he survived. The whole thing was caught on a doorbell camera.
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UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Can I come in please?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Sure, yes, please, come, come. Are you okay? I'm calling an ambulance for you.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Oh, my God. I'm sorry.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
SMITH: Again, he is OK. He says that he felt tingling, numbness, pain and a burning sensation. He told local media that he went to buy a lottery ticket after all that, since he was so lucky.
[06:00:00]
And in New Hampshire, video shows a man near a truck when he's attacked by an aggressive animal. Authorities say it appears to be a fisher, a cousin of weasels and otters. So far, three attacks have been reported at the same park. Officials are on the lookout for the fisher, even using drones, but still no sign of it at last check. Keep your eyes peeled out there.
That does it for CNN HEADLINE EXPRESS. I'm Brad Smith. "CNN THIS MORNING WITH AUDIE CORNISH" starts right now.
