Wagner Group leader speaks and shark bites reported off New York coast: Morning Rundown

The success of progressive candidates in the Pittsburgh area could serve as a blueprint for other cities. At least five suspected shark bites were reported off the coast of New York. And people are throwing good concert etiquette aside.

Here’s what to know today.

What Pittsburgh’s progressive winning streak can teach other cities

Pittsburgh-area progressives are in the middle of an eye-opening winning streak.

In May, state Rep. Sara Innamorato, pictured above, won a hotly contested race for Allegheny County executive, the top county-wide office. That same day, Matt Dugan, a public defender running on a criminal justice reform platform, defeated a longtime district attorney who had been in power for nearly 25 years. They’re just the latest in a growing line of victories that include Sen. John Fetterman, who first rose to prominence as mayor of a former steel town about 8 miles from downtown Pittsburgh.

There are some reasons that this progressive takeover is unique to Pittsburgh, including: a changing economy that shifted from steel production and heavy industry to education, health care and tech; a younger population; and a local political establishment that wasn’t organized enough to fend off opponents.

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But Allegheny County progressives say their path to power could be a roadmap for how left-wing activists can expand their coalition outside of the nation’s biggest cities. Politics reporter Allan Smith tracks how the shift in the Pittsburgh area happened — and, alternatively, why this could be a “godsend” for Republicans.

Shark bites reported off New York coast

Shark encounters and sightings have been reported in the past few days, from Florida to New York. In fact, officials say five incidents that involved sharks or suspected sharks occurred off the coast of New York on Monday and Tuesday, including a 15-year-old surfer who was bitten on his heels and toes and a 47-year-old man bitten on his knee.

In Florida, a video showed beachgoers fleeing the ocean after a shark started circling swimmers in shallow water.

What we know about the Philadelphia shooting victims

Families were left mourning the loss of their loved ones after a shooting Monday night in Philadelphia that left five people dead. The victims ranged in age from 15 to 59. A 13-year-old boy and a 2-year-old boy were also injured.

One of the victims, 22-year-old Lashyd Merritt, was gunned down on his way to the store. “He lived three or four doors down from where he was found,” his cousin, Nikki Merritt, said. “He grew up here.”

Daujan Brown was the youngest victim, at 15 years old. His mother told NBC Philadelphia that he “lost his life when he was trying to do a selfless act”: help his 13-year-old friend, who was shot twice in the legs. Here’s what else we know.

A 911 response in as little as 30 seconds

When someone calls 911 for police in Santa Monica, California, a drone is dispatched with the push of a button. Officers respond, too, but the drone can sometimes be at the scene in less than a minute.

The “drones as first responder” program has spread rapidly around Los Angeles, as well as a dozen or so other departments nationwide. At a time when law enforcement agencies face a crisis of legitimacy amid a series of high-profile murder cases against officers, police say drones could make a huge impact by defusing potentially violent situations.

But some people have raised concerns about risks to privacy and the balance of power between ordinary people and their government.

Mercenary chief seemingly resurfaces with his future a mystery after Russian mutiny

Yevgeny Prigozhin appeared to hint this week that his Wagner mercenary group fighters will soon return to the front lines of the war in Ukraine. The comments, his fist in a week, were heard in an audio recording attributed to the mercenary leader but not authenticated by NBC News.

Even though Russia’s propaganda machine has now turned against Prigozhin, the Wagner chief still does not appear to be viewed by Russians as the villain and traitor that the Kremlin is painting him to be.

▼ Today’s Talker

Concertgoers keep throwing stuff at pop stars during…

…live shows. Singers Bebe Rexha and Kelsey Ballerini were struck by thrown objects. Ava Max said a fan slapped her in the face. Fans online bemoaned the lengths concertgoers have gone to capture “TikTok moments,” and others have offered a simple solution: Just stop throwing things. Apparently, that’s easier said than done.

▼ Politics in Brief

‘Powdery substance’ found: The Secret Service is investigating a “small amount” of a “white, powdery substance” found in the West Wing, which led to a brief evacuation inside the White House on Sunday night. The substance tested positive for cocaine.

Social media ruling: A federal judge restricted some agencies and officials of President Biden’s administration from meeting and communicating with social media companies to moderate their content, according to a court filing.

▼ Staff Pick

DeSantis’ shadow of secrecy

Open government advocates are alarmed at Gov. Ron DeSantis’ transparency track record as Florida’s governor. He has routinely stonewalled the release of public records and fought to conceal information about some of the most significant events during his tenure. FOIA reporter Lewis Kamb contrasts the state’s long-held reputation for government transparency with a governor who has repeatedly tested the letter and spirit of Florida’s sunshine laws. — Elizabeth Robinson, newsletter editor

▼ In Case You Missed It

A 16-year-old in Colorado was charged with murder in the death of his ex-girlfriend, who had tried to break up with him weeks earlier.

Officials at Yosemite National Park are searching for a man who went missing over the weekend while backpacking.

“Smallville” actor Allison Mack was released from prison early after being jailed for her role in a sex-trafficking case linked to the cult-like group NXIVM.

Armed masked men seriously injured a prominent female journalist in the Russian region of Chechnya, breaking her bones, shaving her head and covering her in green dye.

A female professional athlete was diagnosed with the degenerative brain disease CTE for the first time.

A 43-year-old woman died and nine other people were injured in a fireworks explosion in Michigan.

▼ Select: Online Shopping, Simplified

Every month, the Select team tries dozens of new products to see whether they are actually worth your hard-earned money. Here are 13 products they loved last month, including a countertop oven that makes cooking dinner a breeze, a lip mask that’s good for day and nighttime use, and more.

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