Michigan prep prospect Charlie Jilek flipped his commitment from Central Florida to the Gophers football program on Wednesday.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound linebacker and tight end from Portage (Mich.) Central High School is a three-star recruit, who had other offers from Western Michigan, Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan, San Diego State, Ohio and others.

Jilek was committed to UCF and head coach Scott Frost as a tight end since April, but felt he was best suited to play inside linebacker. He posted 100 tackles as a junior in the second-highest class of Michigan prep football.

“I really like playing on the defensive side of the ball and I’m a stronger player on the defensive side of the ball,” Jilek told the Pioneer Press. “To have an offer to play (there) in the Big Ten is awesome.”

Jilek visited Minnesota for the Nevada nonconference game in September 2024, but the U’s scholarship offer didn’t come until this September.

Jilek is the 24th commit in the Gophers 2026 class and the second addition this week, following Ellsworth, Wis., tight end George Rohl, who flipped his pledge from North Dakota.

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In September, we featured 19 cats and 10 dogs in the pet corner of our newsletter (as well as a photo of a doe in someone’s backyard).

We highlight our readers’ pets at the end of every weekday editon of the Morning Report.

To sign up for this free newsletter, follow the prompts at twincities.com/newsletters.

For more photos, here are the 14 dogs and 13 cats featured in the Morning Report in August.

Tuesday, Sept. 30

Elsa and Sissy can now stretch out on their outdoor seating.

“I recently got these sisters, Elsa and Sissy, a mix of multiple breeds according to genetic analysis: Great Pyrenees, Golden Retriever, Alaskan Malamute, Anatolian Shepherd, Siberian Husky,” Steve writes. “It’s safe to say they won’t be cold when living outside this winter. At a little less than nine months, they both weigh nearly 90 pounds and their massive paws indicate they aren’t done growing! Fortunately, they keep watch on our five acres in rural western Wisconsin as we’ve seen fox and bobcats who are interested in our chickens. They were a little big for ‘their’ deck chairs, so naturally I had to buy lounge chairs for both …”

Monday, Sept. 29

Fiasco

“My cat Fiasco crossed the Rainbow Bridge four years ago,” Deb wrote. “He was a ‘dog/cat’ always running to the door to welcome me home! Happy fall.”

Friday, Sept. 26

A curious doe.

“I had a surprise visitor to my courtyard one morning,” Ken writes. “I heard an unusual noise at my water feature and turned around to see this doe drinking water and checking to see what I was doing … how she even knew it was there shows how smart wildlife can be.”

Thursday, Sept. 25

Maki, we salute you!

“This is Maki, our soon-to-be 5-year-old American Miniature Shepherd,” Tim writes. “He was born in the Czech Republic and at one year was re-homed to a breeder in France. Maki turned out to be too big as a miniature, so he needed to be re-homed again. We acquired him a year ago and he now lives with us in Germany. Maki spends his days playing with his neighborhood besties, zooming through the fields and volunteering with the USO to comfort travelers at the nearby air base.”

Wednesday, Sept. 24

Wisdom didn’t appreciate the feedback on her use of the bathroom counter.

“When I asked Wisdom to get off the counter, she went into full pout mode,” Theresa writes.

Tuesday, Sept. 23

Louie

“I’d like to introduce you to little Louie, the Cavapoo puppy,” Jeannie wrote in Aug.. “Breeds: King Charles Cavalier and Poodle. Weighing in at a wee-but-mighty three pounds, nine ounces. Age: 3.5 months old. Family: Matt, Jeannie and Clay; Dozer (75-pound Black Lab). Foxy (52-pound Australian Cattle Dog mix). Instagram: @ourfriendlouie. Favorite places in town: The Dabbler Depot on West Seventh Street, the patio of Saint Paul Brewing and the patio of Dark Horse in Lowertown.”

Monday, Sept. 22

Cali’s hike in Switzerland.

“It’s been awhile since I’ve shared any photos of my granddog, Cali,” Linda writes. “She had a great time hiking in the mountains last weekend. She didn’t get to stay there, but in one photo she is looking over Hotel Weisshorn in Saint-Luc Switzerland that does allow dogs. Maybe next trip, Cali! For reference, Saint-Luc is north of Zermatt, home of the Matterhorn. Keep up the great work! I love looking at pet photos!”

Friday, Sept. 19

Skol, Gordy!

“Our grandkitty, Gordy of Eagan, is ready for another hopeful season. Skol, Gordy!”

Thursday, Sept. 18

Pico

“Love your column!” Shari wrote earlier this month. “Here is a current photo of Pico, who has previously been featured in your column. This was taken on one of those cool days over the weekend. He loves to be under a blanket when he is cold and does not want to come out!”

Wednesday, Sept. 17

Albert in the cat hammock and under a blanket.

“These are photos of our 14-year-old Chiweenie, Albert,” Chris writes. “Albert loves long walks around the Como neighborhood, which is full of wildlife for him to bark at. He also amuses the neighborhood (including our mail carrier) by sunning himself in the cat window hammock. Most often, you will find him buried underneath a blanket, snuggled up to his humans. He’s a very special dog!”

Tuesday, Sept. 16

Happy Gotcha Day, Miss Nosey!

“Good morning … Happy September! Where did summer go?” Joyce wrote earlier this month. “Our sweet Miss Nosey will be celebrating her fourth ‘Gotcha Day’ here with us on Sept. 16th (today!). How time flies when you have a goofy cat, seen here with her bright eyes and asleep in her favorite box … a Christmas gift from last year. Take care and enjoy each fall day!”

Monday, Sept. 15

Bozie’s hobbies include finding interesting places to nap.

“Our daughter’s cat Bozie excels at finding good, unique places to take his naps,” Norbert writes.

Friday, Sept. 12

Bo

“Bo, a 10-year-old French Bulldog rescue, holds court at my brother David’s assisted living home,” Leslie writes. “Bo has won the hearts of all he meets, very cuddly and sweet.”

Thursday, Sept. 11

Maya (left) and her son, Gordy Jr.

“Maya (left) and her son, Gordy Jr., chilling this morning,” wrote Cameron of Roseville on Monday. “We rescued Maya and her four kittens from the remote desert in Baja, Mexico, two years ago. We found good homes for three of the kittens here in St. Paul. We kept Maya because she was feral and unadoptable and also kept her only boy kitten, Gordy Jr. Both are loving, wonderful cats that enrich our life’s on a daily basis.”

Wednesday, Sept. 10

Happy Birthday, Jameson.

“Birthday bone for Jameson,” Lon writes.

Tuesday, Sept. 9

Buttercup, Poppet and Olympia.

“These three always need a nap after they get up in the morning, before they’ve done even a bit of housework,” writes Claire of Highwood Hills of St. Paul.

Monday, Sept. 8

SunnyD and Moonsun

“These are my grandkittens, SunnyD and Moonsun (named by grandsons ages two and four),” Maureen writes. “They are a joy. Little purr factories.”

Friday, Sept. 5

Leo’s clover.

“Our pup, Leo, brought us a clover to express that he feels lucky to have been rescued in New Mexico,” Sal and Tom of Edina tell us. “Leo spent his formative years in Durango, Colorado, with our daughter and then relocated to Minnesota to live with us (his grandparents). He is loved and living his best life. It is amazing how many pups end up with the grandparents!”

Thursday, Sept. 4

Khaleesi, Nubia and Barney.

“After losing our beloved dowager countess Tina this spring, we have started the adventure of fostering cats (for Feline Rescue),” Meg writes. “Khaleesi (Calico, left) and Nubia (shorthair tabby, middle) have joined our household temporarily while they await medical clearance for adoption. They are both sweet and affectionate, with personality to spare! They’ve been isolated from resident hermit Barney (longer-fur tabby, right) which is probably for the best for everyone, haha. I strongly recommend fostering for a way to enjoy and care for animals temporarily. The shelter has been incredibly supportive. Cheers!”

Wednesday, Sept. 3

Zephyr and Ziva.

“This is Zephyr (left) and Ziva,” Wendie writes. “Zephyr loves to bask in the sun after exhausting herself chasing feather toys. Ziva (right), gives her opinion on having photos taken. They were adopted from the Humane Society as a bonded pair in early June, due to the Northern Minnesota forest fires.”

Tuesday, Sept. 2

Stella and Luna.

“Stella and Luna are 3-year-old littermate sisters who recently braved a move from New Jersey to Minnesota, ” Madeline writes. “They are adjusting well and loving their new favorite sun window!”

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By WILL WEISSERT and JOSH BOAK

WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans and Democrats spent the first day of the federal government shutdown blaming each other for the dysfunction, as iconic sites representing the nation’s core identity — from the Liberty Bell in Pennsylvania to Pearl Harbor in Hawaii — were temporarily closed.

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The Trump administration enlisted Vice President JD Vance for an appearance in the White House briefing room to argue, falsely, that Democrats refused to keep the government funded because they were trying to extend health coverage to people in the country illegally.

Top Democrats countered that they simply want to renew funding for health care subsidies under the Affordable Care Act so that insurance premiums won’t spike nationwide for American families.

Neither side said it would budge, but, as the finger-pointing persisted, the economic pain became more likely to spread — potentially putting hundreds of thousands of jobs and basic services at risk.

‘We are going to have to lay people off’

Callers to the White House comment line heard a recorded message from press secretary Karoline Leavitt stating: “Democrats in Congress have shut down the federal government because they care more about funding health care for illegal immigrants than they care about serving you, the American people.” Several federal agencies posted overtly partisan messages on their websites blaming Democrats for the shutdown.

The White House underscored its argument by reviving a deepfake video posted by President Donald Trump of House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries in a fake mustache and sombrero, a meme that Jeffries described as bigoted. They played it on repeat in the White House briefing room, though Vance promised that the “sombrero memes will stop” when the government reopens.

Jeffries responded with a meme of his own superimposing an image of Vance with a fat head and curly, long hair. “JD Vance thinks we will surrender to the Republican effort to gut healthcare because of a Sombrero meme. Not happening Bro,” Jeffries wrote in a post on X.

Vance said he couldn’t predict how long the shutdown might go on, but also said he didn’t believe it would be lengthy because some moderate Senate Democrats might soon vote with GOP colleagues to restore funding.

“Let’s be honest, if this thing drags on for another few days or, God forbid, another few weeks, we are going to have to lay people off,” Vance said.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer of New York said that Trump has refused to negotiate in good faith and that the claims of Democrats closing the government for immigrants in the country illegally is a lie.

“Donald Trump says it loud and clear: He is using the American people as pawns, threatening pain on the country as blackmail,” Schumer said.

Roughly 750,000 federal workers were expected to be furloughed, with some potentially fired. Many offices were being shuttered, perhaps permanently, as the Republican president vows to “do things that are irreversible” to punish Democrats.

The White House’s key policy priorities, including an aggressive deportation agenda, may continue with few disruptions. But education, environmental and other services may eventually sputter. The economic fallout could further imperil an already weakening job market, as a jobs report Wednesday by payroll processor ADP showed that private employers cut 32,000 jobs last month.

The Trump administration has also begun targeting funding projects in Democratic states.

White House budget director Russ Vought announced Wednesday a hold on roughly $18 billion in payments to build the Hudson Rail Tunnel and the Second Avenue subway line in New York City, two projects dear to Schumer. He later announced that almost $8 billion in green energy projects would be withheld for 16 states, all states represented by two Democrats in the Senate.

Mixed polling

The last government shutdown came in late 2018 and early 2019, during Trump’s first administration. It centered on a fight between both parties over funding for a wall along the Mexico-U.S. border and lasted more than 30 days. But Congress had already passed separate funding measures then that ensured that shutdown only partially affected government services, and wasn’t as widespread as this one might be.

Trump took most of the blame for the last shutdown, with an AP-NORC poll conducted during it, showing about 7 in 10 Americans said Donald Trump had “a great deal” or “quite a bit” of responsibility.

This time, about two-thirds of registered voters in a recent New York Times/Siena poll conducted before the shutdown said the Democrats should not allow the government to halt even if their demands were not met.

Still, Republicans as the party in power could also face blowback. About one-quarter of registered voters in that poll said they would blame Trump and the Republicans in Congress if a shutdown happened, while about 2 in 10 said they would place blame on congressional Democrats. About one-third said they’d blame both sides equally.

Shutdown starts taking hold

Federal courts will remain fully operational at least through Oct. 17, and potentially life-saving forecasting by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and its National Weather Service haven’t been disrupted.

But tours of the Liberty Bell were scrapped, and St. Louis’ Gateway Arch and the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum in Boston closed. Pearl Harbor National Memorial in Hawaii began Wednesday shuttered, though officials were working with nonprofit partners to get it reopen.

At Acadia National Park in Maine, which gets 4 million visits a year, would-be hikers in search of trail maps checked empty receptacles outside the closed visitors center. With no park rangers in sight, Jim Feather of Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania, and his wife were unsure about trying to tackle Cadillac Mountain, with its panoramic views of the North Atlantic coast.

“It’s frustrating that they’re playing politics in D.C.,” Feather said. “Their job is to pass a budget. And if they’re not doing their job, what are they doing down there?”

Associated Press writers Lindsay Whitehurst and Darlene Superville in Washington, Jennifer Kelleher in Honolulu, Alexa St. John in Detroit and Robert F. Bukaty at Acadia National Park contributed to this report.

By MICHELLE CHAPMAN

The U.S. government is taking a minority stake in Lithium Americas, a company that is developing one of the world’s largest lithium mines in northern Nevada.

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The Department of Energy will take a 5% equity stake in the miner, which is based in Vancouver. It will also take a 5% stake in the Thacker Pass lithium mining project, a joint venture with General Motors.

Thacker Pass is considered crucial in reducing U.S. reliance on China for lithium, a critical material used to produce the high tech batteries used in cell phones, electric vehicles and renewable energy. Both Republicans and Democrats support the project and narrowing the production gap. China is the world’s largest lithium processor.

U.S. Energy Secretary Chris Wright said in a statement that the deal with Lithium Americas “helps reduce our dependence on foreign adversaries for critical minerals by strengthening domestic supply chains and ensures better stewardship of American taxpayer dollars.”

Thacker Pass is expected to produce 40,000 metric tons of battery-quality lithium carbonate per year in its first phase, enough to help power 800,000 EVs.

The equity stake in Lithium Americas is the latest example of the direct intervention by the Trump administration with private companies. The government is getting a 10% stake in Intel through the conversion of billions in previously granted government funds and pledges. The administration spent $400 million of taxpayer money in July on MP Materials stock to make the U.S government the biggest owner in the Las Vegas rare earths miner. Trump also made a deal with Nvidia and AMD to give the U.S. government a 15% cut of revenue from selling certain chips to China.

Lithium Americas said Wednesday that it reached a non-binding agreement in principle with the DOE to advance the first draw of $435 million on the federal loan. The DOE has agreed to defer $182 million of debt service over the first five years of the loan.

The White House and Canada’s Lithium Americas seemed to be moving forward with the deal late last month, as both parties agreed on changes to an approximately $2.3 billion federal loan that could allow the project to move forward to extract the silver-white metal used in electric vehicle batteries. GM has pledged more than $900 million to help develop Thacker Pass, which holds enough lithium to build 1 million electric vehicles annually.

Dan Ives, an analyst with Wedbush, called Thacker Pass is a “massive opportunity” for the U.S. to reduce its reliance on China and other foreign adversaries for lithium.

“Despite having some of the largest deposits, the U.S. produced less than 1% of the global lithium supply but this deal helps reduce dependence on foreign adversaries for critical minerals strengthening domestic supply chains and ensuring better stewardship of American taxpayer dollars with lithium production set to grow exponentially over the coming years,” he wrote.

Shares of Lithium Americas spiked more than 30% Wednesday.