The Brief

For one graying wolf in the wilds of Northern Yellowstone, another year of life is synonymous with another year of pregnancy. It’s a rare feat, and also one that has enabled her survival in the wilderness.

Wolf 907 in Yellowstone National Park is well into her golden years. With one eye left, she’s considered elderly at the old age of 11. But that hasn’t stopped her from giving birth to another litter of pups, her tenth in fact.

She’s had a litter every year of her life since she was two years old. According to Kira Cassidy, a researcher with the Yellowstone Wolf Project, 907 gave birth to three pups this May. One has died; the other two are starting to venture farther away from the den hole as they near two and a half months of age.

“There is no evidence that wolves go through menopause, and so the thought is that they probably reproduce until they die. But because so many of them die when they're so young, there's just not much known about the ones that reach these kind of uber elder years,” said

With these two new pups, there’s currently 10 wolves in the Junction Butte pack — almost double since Wolf 907 took over the pack in 2017. In 2020, there were 35 pack members, making it the third largest in North America, so the number has largely decreased.

Unlike most packs, Wolf 907 has traded off the alpha position with some of her female relatives over the years. Usually, a wolf remains alpha until they die.

“We don’t really have a good explanation for that, other than the pack produces a lot of strong females,” Cassidy said.

She's a nepo-pup

Physiologically, a wolf can live to about the same age as a large dog — maybe 10 to 12 years old. However, the dangers of wolf life make it highly unlikely for them to die of old age. The average lifespan is 3 to 4 years old, making 907 a true outlier.

“They're extremely territorial with their neighbors, and so about 50% of the deaths are from those fights between packs, mostly in the winter, and they're kind of competing for resources,” Cassidy said.

Although wolves are protected from humans in Yellowstone, occasionally they are killed by a vehicle, or leave the park boundaries into hunting areas.

Remarkably, Wolf 907 has lived in Northern Yellowstone with the Junction Butte wolf pack her entire life.

“She inherited the leadership position when her aunt died, and so she has never had to disperse in her entire life. I think that probably contributed to her long life and her success because she never had to go through that period of being off by herself, finding a new mate, trying to kind of elbow out a territory in a pretty highly competitive environment like Northern Yellowstone,” Cassidy said.

Wolf 907 (gray wolf in upper center) and her Junction Butte pack.

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Courtesy Yellowstone Wolf Project

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She's networking her family

Cassidy’s research includes field work like setting up trail cameras as well as analyzing long term data on wolves.

This year, Wolf 907 chose a den that she’s used before to give birth, and researchers watched from a mile away with a spotting scope.

This isn’t the first time Cassidy and her crew have watched her bring new life to the park, and they continue to monitor the pups from her past litters as well.

“It's really interesting to see how 907, because she is so long lived, she now has a number of her offspring or a niece or a nephew that have started packs all around her,” Cassidy said. “Her son is one of the leaders of the pack to the south. Another son is a leader of the pack to the west. She has two daughters that are leading packs that are also nearby, and a niece on the east side. So she's kind of all surrounded by her offspring or close relatives.”

These relationships might encourage tolerance for Wolf 907’s pack if they encounter another pack, which is usually very dangerous, according to Cassidy.

She knows how to delegate

There are about 100 adult wolves in Yellowstone right now, and a quarter of them have radio collars that send location pins to a satellite system for the researchers to monitor. Most of the time, a collar is going to outlast a wolf’s life, Cassidy said.

Wolf 907

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Courtesy Yellowstone Wolf Project

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Wolf 907 has been captured multiple times to switch out her collar because she keeps outliving the battery life. In the 30 years since wolves have been introduced to Yellowstone, only six wolves, including 907, have reached their eleventh year. Of those, only two have made it to 12.

“If I'm just going to throw out the odds of her reaching 12 years old, it's maybe like 50-50 at this point,” Cassidy said. “She just keeps surprising me.”

According to Cassidy, the longer a wolf lives, the more knowledge and the more experiences they have, and they're critical to teaching their packmates how to be successful.

“She's not really participating in the big hunting of elk and bison anymore; she lets her younger pack mates do that. So, her chances of getting kicked and killed in a hunt are fairly low. She's kind of mitigating a lot of those really dangerous things that kill wolves, even at very young ages,” said Cassidy. “She has probably figured out how best to live in the place that she's living.”

MOUNT POCONO, Pa. — On the road in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, President Donald Trump tried to emphasize his focus on combating inflation, yet the issue that has damaged his popularity couldn't quite command his full attention.

The president told the crowd gathered at a casino and resort in Mount Pocono that inflation was no longer a problem and that Democrats had used the term "affordability" as a "hoax" to hurt his reputation. But his remarks weaved wildly to include grievances he first raised behind closed doors in his first term in 2018 — and later denied saying — asking why the U.S. doesn't have more immigrants from Scandinavia.

"Why is it we only take people from s—-hole countries, right?" Trump said onstage. "Why can't we have some people from Norway, Sweden, just a few?"

Trump said he objected to taking immigrants from "hellholes like Afghanistan, Haiti, Somalia and many other countries." He added for emphasis that those places "are a disaster, right? Filthy, dirty, disgusting, ridden with crime."

Tuesday's gathering in the swing state — and in a competitive House district — was an official White House event, yet it seemed more like one of his signature campaign rallies that his chief of staff said he would hold regularly ahead of next year's midterms. But instead of being in an arena that could draw several thousand attendees, it was held in a conference center ballroom at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, a small town of about 3,000 residents.

Voters starting to blame lasting inflation on Republicans

Following dismal results for Republicans in last month's off-cycle elections, the White House has sought to convince voters that the economy will emerge stronger next year and that any anxieties over inflation have nothing to do with Trump.

He displayed a chart comparing price increases under his predecessor, Joe Biden, to prices under his own watch to argue his case. But the overall inflation rate has climbed since he announced broad tariffs in April and left many Americans worried about their grocery, utility and housing bills.

"I have no higher priority than making America affordable again," Trump said. "They caused the high prices and we're bringing them down."

As the president spoke, his party's political vulnerabilities were further seen as Miami voters chose Eileen Higgins to be their first Democratic mayor in nearly 30 years. Higgins defeated the Trump-endorsed Republican Emilio Gonzalez.

The president's reception in the county hosting his Tuesday rally showed he could still appeal to the base, but it was unable to settle questions of whether he could hold together his 2024 coalition. Monroe County flipped to Trump last year after having backed Biden in 2020, helping the Republican win the swing state of Pennsylvania and return to the White House after a four-year hiatus.

As home to the Pocono Mountains, the county has largely relied on tourism for skiing, hiking, hunting and other activities as a source of jobs. Its proximity to New York City — under two hours by car — has also attracted people seeking more affordable housing.

President Donald Trump speaks at the Mount Airy Casino Resort in Mount Pocono, Pa., Tuesday, Dec. 9, 2025.

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Matt Rourke

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AP

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In Monroe County, people agree that prices are a problem

But what seems undeniable — even to Trump supporters in Monroe County — is that inflation seems to be here to stay.

Lou Heddy, a retired maintenance mechanic who voted for Trump last year, said he's noticed in the past month alone that his and his wife's grocery bills have risen from $175 to $200, and he's not sure Trump can bring food prices down.

"Once the prices get up for food, they don't ever come back down. That's just the way I feel. I don't know how the hell he would do it," said Heddy, 72.

But Suzanne Vena, a Democratic voter, blames Trump's tariffs for making life more expensive, as she struggles with rising bills for food, rent and electricity on a fixed income. She remembers Trump saying that he would stop inflation.

"That's what we were originally told," said Vena, 66. "Did I believe it? That's another question. I did not."

The area Trump visited could help decide control of the House in next year's midterm elections.

Trump held his rally in a congressional district held by first-term Republican Rep. Rob Bresnahan, who is a top target of Democrats. Scranton Mayor Paige Cognetti, a Democrat, is running for the nomination to challenge him.

Speaking to the crowd before Trump, Bresnahan said the administration was working to lower costs, but voters "aren't asking for partisan arguments — they're asking for results."

It's not clear if Trump can motivate voters in Monroe County to show up in next year's election if they're worried about inflation.

Nick Riley, 38, said he's cutting back on luxuries, like going out to eat, as he absorbs higher bills for food and electricity and is having a hard time finding a good deal on a used car. Riley voted for Trump in 2020, but he sat out the 2024 election and plans to do so again next year.

"We're all broke. It doesn't matter whether you support Republicans or support Democrats," Riley said. "We're all broke, and we're all feeling it."

Trump to start holding more rallies before midterm elections

White House chief of staff Susie Wiles said on the online conservative talk show "The Mom View" that Trump would be on the campaign trail next year to engage supporters who otherwise might sit out a congressional race.

Wiles, who helped manage Trump's 2024 campaign, said most administrations try to localize midterm elections and keep the president out of the race, but she intends to do the opposite of that.

"We're actually going to turn that on its head," Wiles said, "and put him on the ballot because so many of those low-propensity voters are Trump voters."

The challenge for Trump is how to address the concerns of voters about the economy while simultaneously claiming that the economy is enjoying a historic boom.

Asked on a Politico podcast how he'd rate the economy, Trump leaned into grade inflation by answering "A-plus," only to then amend his answer to "A-plus-plus-plus-plus-plus."

Trump says economy is strong, but Americans should buy fewer dolls

The U.S. economy has shown signs of resilience with the stock market up this year and overall growth looking solid for the third quarter. But many Americans see the prices of housing, groceries, education, electricity and other basic needs as swallowing up their incomes, a dynamic that the Trump administration has said it expects to fade next year with more investments in artificial intelligence and manufacturing.

So far, the public has been skeptical about Trump's economic performance. Just 33% of U.S. adults approve of Trump's handling of the economy, according to a November survey by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research.

But Trump indicated that his tariffs and other policies were helping industries such as the steel sector. He said those industries mattered for the country as he then specifically told Americans that they should buy fewer pencils and dolls from overseas.

"You don't need 37 dolls for your daughter," he told the crowd. "Two or three is nice."
Copyright 2025 NPR

Temps will climb a few degrees today with highs now reaching the mid-80s.

Along the Orange County coast, temperatures will range from 72 to 80 degrees, and between 79 and 85 degrees for inland areas.

The L.A. County beaches will see temperatures from 72 to 77 degrees, and between 80 and 83 degrees inland.

Temperatures in the valleys and the Inland Empire will stay in the mid-80s. Daytime highs in the Antelope Valley meanwhile will remain in the upper 60s to mid-70s range.

Facing legal challenges, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has withdrawn a policy that Los Angeles-area homelessness officials say would have caused thousands of people to lose their subsidized housing.

Most federal funding for homelessness programs flows into the L.A. region through HUD’s Continuum of Care grant competition program. Last month, HUD changed its funding rules, limiting how much local governments can spend on permanent housing to 30% of their award totals.

The region currently spends about 90% of its more than $200 million budget covering people’s rent, according to the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority.

Why this matters

The HUD policy that was withdrawn Monday would have caused more than 5,000 households to lose their rental subsidies, officials said.

In recent weeks, California and other states sued HUD, claiming the new federal policies “guarantee that tens of thousands of formerly homeless individuals and families will be evicted back into homelessness.”

A U.S. district judge in Rhode Island was poised to consider an emergency request to block HUD’s controversial policy when the agency announced it would revoke it.

What's next

HUD authorities said they plan to issue a revised notice about the funding soon, according to a statement posted on the agency’s website.

LAHSA spokesperson Ahmad Chapman told LAist that the agency anticipates most of the HUD rule changes to remain in the revised notice. He also said LAHSA plans to keep moving forward with its funding application and reallocating more than $100 million away from permanent housing and toward other interventions. The submission deadline is Jan. 14.

“LAHSA will continue to monitor this situation closely and may extend or even cancel the process as circumstances warrant," Chapman said.

Sarah Mahin, director of L.A. County’s Department of Homeless Services and Housing, said the HUD policy would redirect funding from programs with proven track records and that have helped move people off the streets and into safe, permanent homes.

“We hope officials heed the warnings from countless homelessness and housing experts nationwide and continue to invest in what we know works: permanent housing accompanied by the supportive services that help people stay housed,” she said.

Raul Malo, the leader of the country band The Mavericks and one of the most recognizable voices in roots music, died Monday night, according to a representative of the band. The guitarist and singer had been battling cancer.

He was hospitalized last week, forcing him to miss tribute shows staged in his honor at the Ryman Auditorium over the weekend. He was 60 years old.

"No one embodied life and love, joy and passion, family, friends, music and adventure the way our beloved Raul did," read a statement released by his family.

Malo's group, The Mavericks, mourned the loss of their leader in a social post.

"Anyone with the pleasure of being in Raul's orbit knew that he was a force of human nature, with an infectious energy," the statement read. "Over a career of more than three decades entertaining millions around the globe, his towering creative contributions and unrivaled, generational talent created the kind of multicultural American music reaching far beyond America itself."

Over a career that lasted four decades, The Mavericks lived up to the band's name, challenging expectations and following a roadmap crafted by Malo's expansive musical upbringing as the son of Cuban immigrants in Miami.

"I grew up in a very musical household. There was all kinds of music around always," he told WHYY's Fresh Air in 1995. "We listened to everything from Hank Williams to Celia Cruz to Sam Cooke to Bobby Darin. It didn't matter."

In 1992, Malo told NPR that his widespread influences weren't always understood or appreciated in his South Florida hometown, but he said that his struggle to fit in taught him to trust his instincts. Malo had become the guitarist and lead singer for The Mavericks in 1989, alongside co-founders Robert Reynolds and Paul Deakin, and his roaring, sentimental voice defined the band's sound and remained its constant as the group's catalog moved from slow, tender ballads to full-throttle rock songs. In 1995, the band released its biggest hit with "All You Ever Do Is Bring Me Down," a swinging country song featuring an assist from Tex-Mex accordion legend Flaco Jimenez.

As the band grew in members and devoted listeners, The Mavericks continued to push the boundaries of American music, weaving a richly layered tapestry of textures and stories. With more than a dozen studio albums, The Mavericks collected praise and recognition from the Academy of Country Music, the Country Music Association and the Recording Academy. Although they took a hiatus for several years, Malo never stopped making music — and returned to his bandmates with renewed inspiration.

Following its 30th anniversary, the group released its first full-length Spanish album in 2020, aptly titled En Español. The record reimagined Latin standards and folklore-tinged popular tunes; it also made an implicit political statement about Latin music's contributions to American culture.

"In our own little way, if we could get somebody that perhaps is on the fence on issues and hears us singing in Spanish and perhaps reminds them of the beautiful cultures that make up what this country is trying to be and what it should be, so be it," Malo told NPR at the time. "Yeah, I'm OK with that."

The following year, the Americana Music Association recognized The Mavericks with the Trailblazer Award. In 2024, the band released its last studio album, Moon & Stars. The release coincided with news of Malo's cancer diagnosis, which he discussed openly with NPR's Ayesha Rascoe.

Before being hospitalized last week, Malo had been scheduled to perform with The Mavericks at a pair of tribute concerts held this past weekend at the legendary Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Over 30 artists, including Patty Griffin, Jim Lauderdale and Steve Earle, still gathered to pay tribute to Malo, with some of the proceeds of the night going to the cancer prevention organization Stand Up To Cancer.

According to his spokesperson, though Malo was too ill to attend, the concert was streamed to his hospital room Friday night.

Copyright 2025 NPR