CBS News
Man brandishes machete with Trump supporters at Florida polling station, police say
An 18-year-old Florida man is in custody after he wielded a machete at a polling station in Florida Tuesday, in an apparent attempt to harass voters who did not share his political views, police said. The man came with a group to the polling site to demonstrate support for former President Donald Trump, authorities said.
Caleb Williams is charged with aggravated assault on a person 65 years of age or older and improper exhibition of a firearm or dangerous weapon for his alleged role in the incident, said Neptune Beach Police Chief Michael Key at a news conference.
The incident happened at around 4:00 p.m. Tuesday afternoon in the parking lot of Beaches Branch Library, which operated as an early voting facility ahead of the Nov. 5 election, the police chief said. Williams arrived at the property with a group of teenagers who traveled to the polling location “to protest and antagonize the opposing political side,” Key said. Seven other people in the group were about 16 or 17 years old, with Williams being the only adult.
The situation escalated when Williams “brandished a machete in an aggressive, threatening posture over his head,” according to police. He faced two people, a 71-year-old woman and a 54-year-old woman, as he held the weapon, police said.
The women called police out of fear, Key said, adding, “to say I’m disturbed in an understatement.”
“The group was there for no other reason but for ill intentions, to cause a disturbance. This is not an incident of solely a First Amendment protected right, but one where they were simply there to cause a ruckus,” said the police chief. “Voting in our country is one of the most sacred and protected rights we have. Ensuring everyone’s right to vote is crucial and it will not be impeded.”
The Neptune Beach Police Department shared an image on its Facebook page showing Williams holding the machete above his head in the parking lot, along with another image of the weapon itself. They also posted his booking photo from the Duval County jail.
Williams remained in jail Wednesday morning, CBS affiliate WJAX-TV reported. The station also published video recorded at the site of the incident, which showed the group of teenagers holding flags and signs supporting Trump’s reelection campaign, and chanting Trump’s name. Williams in the video appeared to have speared one of the flags with his machete, and waved it in the air attached to the end of his weapon.
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Inflation is on the decline. Interest rates were recently reduced. The unemployment rate is falling. All of these headlines were recently released, giving Americans some welcome economic news after a few years of worrisome developments. But while all of these news items are trending in the right direction, it will still take time for the economic pain of recent years to fully subside.
Interest rates, after all, are only coming down from a 22-year high. And inflation, while almost at the Federal Reserve’s target 2% goal, was as high as 9% just two years ago. Interest rates on a range of borrowing products, meanwhile, remain exponentially higher than they were in 2020 and 2021 during the height of the pandemic.
Understanding this dynamic, then, many Americans may still benefit from pursuing a debt relief option, even with the recent encouraging economic news. Are you one of those who could use the help? Below, we’ll break down three reasons why you should consider debt relief this November.
Start tackling your credit card debt with a forgiveness program here.
3 reasons to consider debt relief this November
Not sure if debt relief is the right next step for you? Here are three reasons why it may be:
Credit card interest rates are rising
Credit card interest rates are high and, this week, they broke a new record. Now at 23.37%, if you’re one of those with an average of around $8,000 in credit card debt, you’re likely struggling to make ends meet. Fortunately, multiple debt relief options can help relieve this burden. Credit card debt forgiveness is a popular alternative. With this option, borrowers can potentially qualify to have 30% to 50% of their existing debt forgiven. You’ll need to meet certain criteria but if the alternative is to simply let your current debt and interest compound at today’s rising rate, it could be worth exploring this November.
See if you qualify for forgiveness online now.
Rate cut relief will be gradual
The Federal Reserve issued its first rate cut in more than four years in September, reducing the federal funds rate by half a percentage point to a range between 4.75% to 5%. And additional cuts are predicted for when the Fed meets again in November and December. But unlike the September cut, most expect the Fed to cut rates by just 25 basis points in each of its final meetings of 2024. Combined with the September cut that will leave rates a total of just one percentage point lower than they were to start the year.
And while a step in the right direction, it will be proof that rate cut relief will be gradual and, thus, unlikely to lead to any material benefit for those already stuck with high-interest debt. There’s also the possibility that the Fed could pause rate reductions, too, if any new economic data released causes it to reconsider action. So if you’re depending on this to help reduce your debt load, you may want to consider debt relief help instead.
The holidays are coming
It’s easy to get into debt but particularly now, just weeks away from the winter holiday season. During this time, Americans often spend more than usual and rely on existing credit options to get through the season. In 2022, for example, the average holiday debt rose to $1,550 – the highest level in eight years. And the forecast for this season is even higher, clocking in at $2,100 right now. Understanding this inevitability, it makes sense to start reducing your debt now. And with credit card debt forgiveness, debt management programs and debt consolidation loans viable ways to do so, many borrowers may want to act now before adding even more debt to their balance in the final months of the year.
The bottom line
If you’re stuck in debt and are unsure if it’s worth pursuing debt relief now, consider the above factors. With credit card interest rates rising, rate cut relief imminent but gradual and a looming holiday season in which overspending is common, this November could be the right time to pursue debt relief. Just be sure to explore all potential options and the ramifications for each to determine which is the best path toward regaining your financial freedom.
Learn more about your best debt relief options here.
Stellantis is recalling 33,777 Ram 1500 pickup trucks to replace a damaged front wheel bearing hub encoder ring, an essential component in the vehicle’s steering system. The damaged part is the result of poor handling prior to assembly of the vehicle, and not a pre-existing defect, according to a notice posted Wednesday by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Some 2025 MY Ram 1500 vehicles may have been built with damaged front wheel bearing encoder rings causing a loss of wheel speed signal (WSS) which may disable electronic stability control (ESC)” system, said Fiat Chrysler (now part of Stellantis) in documents posted by the NHTSA.
“Failure of the ESC system when intervention is expected and/or relied upon can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning,” the car manufacturer said.
The recall covers certain 2025 MY Ram 1500 vehicles manufactured between Oct. 13, 2023 and Aug. 11, 2024.
As a fix, dealers will inspect and replace the front wheel bearing hub assembly of affected trucks, free of charge, according to Chrysler. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed Dec. 19, 2024.
Vehicle owners may contact Fiat Chrysler Automobiles customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA’s number for this recall is 97B.
Owners may also contact NHTSA’s safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (toll-free at 1-800-424-9153) or go to www.nhtsa.gov for further information. NHTSA’s number for the recall is 24V-794.
This is the second recall of Ram trucks since September, when Stellantis recalled more than 1.2 million Ram 1500 pickups over a software issue that also disabled the vehicles electronic stability control system.
Watch CBS News
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.