LOS ANGELES (AP) — Steve Martin’s next role will not be the Midwestern politician the internet hoped he’d portray.

With Maya Rudolph’s wildly popular impression of Kamala Harris on “Saturday Night Live,” fans clamored to see who the late-night comedy show would pick to play Harris’ new running mate, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz.

With similar hairstyles and their signature glasses, many fans quickly drew comparisons between Walz and Martin, who’s been a frequent “SNL” guest but never a formal cast member.

The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday that “SNL” producer Lorne Michaels called Martin to offer him the role on the upcoming 50th season, premiering Sept. 28, which he declined.

“I wanted to say no and, by the way, he wanted me to say no,” Martin said. “I said, ‘Lorne, I’m not an impressionist. You need someone who can really nail the guy.’ I was picked because I have gray hair and glasses.”

Although Martin initially leaned into the fun, writing on social platform Threads that he “just learned that Tim Walz wants to go on the road with Marty Short,” he also noted the impression comes with a long-term commitment of performing on the show.

“It’s ongoing,” Martin told the Times. “It’s not like you do it once and get applause and never do it again. Again, they need a real impressionist to do that. They’re gonna find somebody really, really good. I’d be struggling.”

Rudolph, for her part, will reportedly reprise her Emmy-winning role on the show as Kamala Harris, and she seems to understand the undertaking. Deadline reported that Rudolph pushed the shooting schedule for the comedy series “Loot” from August to January to accommodate playing the role through the election season. Rudolph executive produces and stars in the series.

The “Bridesmaids” actor first played “America’s funt” – or “fun aunt” – on “SNL” in 2019 when Harris was running for president and continued with the role after she was announced as Joe Biden’s running mate.

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At long last, rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy will suit up for the Vikings on Saturday afternoon at U.S. Bank Stadium. Though the game itself won’t count toward anything, it will signal the start of a new chapter for McCarthy, as well as a turning of the page for the Vikings after selecting him with the No. 10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft.

“No matter what, playing in U.S. Bank Stadium, there’s always going to be sizzle,” McCarthy said. “Just hearing about it and feeling the energy of this fan base, I know that it’s going to be a live environment.”

It’s still unclear if veteran quarterback Sam Darnold will play at any point in the preseason. In the past, coach Kevin O’Connell has opted against playing his starters, and if he decides to stick with the trend, McCarthy could see a lot of playing time over the next few weeks.

What is he most looking forward to seeing?

“Just a vanilla defense,” McCarthy said with a laugh. “Honestly.”

That was a reference to some of the exotic looks defensive coordinator Brian Flores has been presenting throughout training camp at TCO Performance Center. As frustrating as it’s been for McCarthy to navigate at times, he understands that it’s an important part of his development.

“It’s just going to make things in the season a whole lot easier,” McCarthy said. “I’m thankful for that defense every single day.”

Truthfully, McCarthy has been very impressive to this point, displaying immense growth from the spring to the summer. He looks more much comfortable throwing the ball in training camp, for example, compared to when he was reworking his fundamentals in organized team activities. He’s also showcased a knowledge of the playbook that comes as a result of hours upon hours of studying on his own.

The next step for McCarthy is translating that onto the field during a game.

“Just making sure all the little intricacies that go into each and every rep show up,” McCarthy said when asked what he’s focused on heading into the game. “Just being able to lock in to the level of my training that I’ve been doing on a consistent basis since I got here and to be able to do it when the time matters.”

As much as he wants to perform at a high level when he steps onto the field, McCarthy also vowed to soak in the moment as best he could. He referenced a phrase he his former head coach Jim Harbaugh used to utter during their time together at Michigan: “The days are long. The years are short.”

That’s something McCarthy can relate to now that he’s made it.

“Just being here for four months, it’s felt like four days,” McCarthy said. “I’m having an absolute blast.”

That will continue this weekend.

“I can’t wait to go out there with the boys and put on display what we’ve been doing since April,” McCarthy said. “It’s going to be a lot of fun.”

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By MICHAEL PHILLIS

ST. LOUIS (AP) — For the first time in roughly 40 years, the Environmental Protection Agency used its emergency authority to halt the sale of a weed-killing pesticide that harms the development of unborn babies.

Officials took the rare step because the pesticide DCPA, or Dacthal, could cause irreversible damage to fetuses, including impaired brain development and low birthweight. The agency struggled to obtain vital health data from the pesticide’s manufacturer on time and decided it was not safe to allow continued sale, EPA said in an announcement Tuesday.

“In this case, pregnant women who may never know they were exposed could give birth to babies that experience irreversible lifelong health problems,” said Michal Freedhoff, assistant administrator for EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention.

DCPA is mostly used on broccoli, cabbage and certain other crops.

In 2023, the EPA assessed the pesticide’s risks and found it was dangerous even if a worker wore personal protective equipment. The manufacturer had instructed people to stay off fields where the pesticide had been applied for 12 hours, but agency officials said it could linger at dangerous levels for more than 25 days.

The pesticide is made by AMVAC Chemical Corp. The company did not immediately return a request for comment late Wednesday. In comments to the EPA earlier this year, the company said new protocols could help keep people safe. It proposed longer waiting periods before workers enter fields where the pesticide was applied and limits on how much of the chemical could be handled.

Federal officials said the company’s proposed changes weren’t enough. The emergency order was necessary because the normal review process would take too long and leave people at risk, according to the agency’s statement.

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The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment

Charges say a Woodbury man admitted to police Monday that he recently robbed two banks in Woodbury and one in Oakdale just up the road from his workplace, telling officers he committed the heists because of mounting bills.

Zahir Mohamednazir Bachelani pulled off the robberies on three days between June 14 and Saturday — making away with just over $5,000 — before being tracked down and arrested Monday while leaving work, according to police and charges against the 38-year-old. He made a first appearance on the charges Wednesday and remained jailed in lieu of $100,000 bail, or $75,000 with conditions.

Bank surveillance video shows a person suspected of robbing two banks in Woodbury and one in Oakdale between June 14 and Aug. 3, 2024. (Courtesy of Woodbury Police Department)

Woodbury police on Monday afternoon posted on Facebook four photos from bank surveillance video and “almost immediately” received calls to its tip line identifying Bachelani as the suspect, Cmdr. Tom Ehrenberg said Wednesday.

According to Tuesday’s criminal complaint:

Woodbury police responded to Huntington Bank at 7377 Currell Blvd. about 4:30 p.m. June 14 on a report of a bank robbery in progress. A man — wearing a dark red shoulder-length wig, long black and purple dress, medical facemask, medical gloves and knee-high black boots — passed a note to a teller that read: “This is a robbery. You are going to take all of the $100 bills from your drawer and place them in an envelope. My partner is waiting outside. Once I leave, my partner will leave. Do as I say and no one will get hurt.” He made off with $700.

About two weeks later, on June 29, Oakdale police responded to U.S. Bank at 7620 10th St. N. around 11:15 a.m. for a hold-up alarm. A man wearing a medical facemask and medical gloves gave a note to a teller that read: “This is a robbery. My partner is waiting outside. Take $4,000 out of your drawer and place it in an envelope. Once I leave my partner will leave. Shake your head if you understand and no one will get hurt.” He was given $4,000 and left in a silver Hyundai Sonata.

Woodbury police were called to Wells Fargo at 7525 Currell Blvd., just west of Huntington Bank, about 9:30 a.m. Saturday. A man wearing a medical facemask and medical gloves handed over a note that read: “[T]his is a robbery. Place $6,000 in an envelope. I am armed with a gun. Do not speak. Do not say anything to anyone.” He made off with $370.

After the tip-line calls, police discovered Bachelani owned a 2015 silver Hyundai Sonata and that he worked at a medical clinic just up Helmo Avenue from the U.S. Bank. Officers saw him leaving work around 5 p.m. and arrested him. He was wearing blue Under Armour shoes that matched those the robber wore during Monday’s robbery.

A search of his home turned up a dark red wig and clothing also seen in bank video, including the black and purple dress, according to police.

Zahir Mohamednazir Bachelani (Courtesy of the Washington County Sheriff’s Office)

Bachelani told police in an interview he carried out the robberies due to financial troubles from medical bills, the complaint says.

A search of Minnesota court records shows Bachelani does not have a criminal history. Civil filings, however, show he was ordered in housing court to pay an Eden Prairie apartment building owner nearly $5,400 in missed rent payments in July 2023 and a Woodbury apartment building owner more than $3,700 on June 11, three days before the first robbery.

Bachelani faces second-degree aggravated robbery and two counts of simple robbery. He’s scheduled to be back in Washington County District Court on Aug. 29.

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