By MATT BROWN

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has restored a memorial to a Confederate general in Washington, D.C. that demonstrators took down during racial justice protests in the summer of 2020, part of a broader effort by the president to reshape the way the country’s history is told.

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The statue of Albert Pike, a Confederate general and diplomat who later served on the Arkansas Supreme Court, is the only outdoor statue of a Confederate leader in the nation’s capital. It has been contentious since it was first placed in 1901.

Racial justice protestors in 2020 removed the statue from its pedestal and set it on fire on Juneteenth, a holiday among Black Americans that commemorates the end of slavery. The day was recognized as a federal holiday the following year.

The National Park Service in August announced plans to restore the statue in response to a pair of spring executive orders by President Donald Trump about the administration of the nation’s capital and how history is presented.

The administration has already ordered a review of the Smithsonian museums and exhibitions to align the institution’s content with President Donald Trump’s interpretation of American history. The park service is under orders to review interpretive materials at all its historical properties and remove or alter descriptions that “inappropriately disparage Americans past or living” or otherwise sully the American story.

The statue becomes a political flashpoint

The statue has returned to Judiciary Square, a downtown complex that includes an array of federal and municipal courthouses and the D.C. police headquarters.

Conservatives had seized on the monument’s removal as an example of destructive excess and vandalism by protestors during the summer of 2020. Some rightwing activists praised the statue’s restoration following Trump’s order.

But critics of the monument argue that the public placement of Pike’s statue endorses his views and actions rather than simply commemorates them.

Eleanor Holmes Norton, the city’s lone non-voting elected official in Congress, called the statue’s restoration a “morally objectionable move” in a statement this week. She has proposed legislation in Congress that would permanently remove the memorial.

“Confederate statues should be placed in museums as historical artifacts, not remain in parks or other locations that imply honor. Pike represents the worst of the Confederacy and has no claim to be memorialized in the nation’s capital,” Norton said.

Trump criticized the statue’s removal in 2020 following its removal by protestors, calling it a “beautiful piece of art.”

The removal of memorials to Confederate figures was a key goal of the wave of activism that followed the 2015 killing of nine Black church parishioners by a white supremacist gunman who idolized Confederate symbols. More than 480 symbols and statues were removed nationwide since then, according to the Alabama-based Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Whose Heritage?” campaign.

After the 2020 murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer sparked a nationwide reckoning on racial injustice, the SPLC recorded more than 160 removals of Confederate symbols in that year alone.

Pike statue does not mention his service to the Confederacy

Pike was a slave owner, white supremacist and poet who served as an Army general and diplomat for the Confederate states despite being born and raised in Massachusetts.

During the Civil War, he led Confederate troops in Arkansas and negotiated with slave-owning Native American tribes. Pike received amnesty from President Andrew Johnson in 1865, after which he was accused by former opponents of being involved in the Ku Klux Klan. He moved to Washington in 1870.

Pike’s statue was part of a wave of Confederate statues that were erected across the country, largely in former Confederate states, in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The statues, often funded and established by Confederate heritage groups, were part of the Southern “Lost Cause” movement that sought to romanticize the Confederacy and downplay the role of slavery as a reason for why states seceded from the Union.

The statue was authorized by Congress in 1898 and then erected in 1901. It was proposed by the Freemasons, who wanted to honor him for his leadership in the society. Union veterans strongly opposed the statue but relented after being assured that Pike would be displayed in civilian clothing. The plaque recognizes Pike as an author, poet and philanthropist but does not mention his military service to the Confederacy.

Northern state lawmakers and Union veterans were outraged by the trend at the time of Pike’s statue being erected and countered the movement by erecting statues of Union generals and lawmakers in cities across the country’s northeast and Midwest.

For instance, the Washington, D.C. neighborhoods of Dupont Circle, Logan Circle and Thomas Circle near the square where Pike’s statue now stands are all named after Union generals.

By Jeff Gammage, The Philadelphia Inquirer

PHILADELPHIA — The spirits of the pets come first, treading home on soft, shadowy paws, making their way by the light of altar candles and guided by the eternal tie of love.

They’re welcomed with offerings of favorite treats and fresh water, and by the careful placement of old toys and worn collars that have become cherished mementos.

It’s a new tradition connected to the Day of the Dead, the ancient Mexican holiday where people honor and celebrate the lives of family members at a time when the wall between worlds melts.

Now, in Philadelphia and elsewhere, people have begun to recognize not just human relatives but those with wings and whiskers, the departed dogs, cats, birds, and other animals that enriched their lives. And who, like family, continue to be mourned and missed.

The souls of pets are said to return on Oct. 27, a few days before the Dia de Muertos on Nov. 1 and 2.

“The day,” said Gerardo Coronado Benitez, manager of the Association of Mexican Business Owners of Philadelphia, “is not about death, but about celebrating and remembering people, keeping memories alive. Of course many people want to keep alive the memories of their pets.”

He’s helping organize a big Day of the Dead event at the Italian Market on Nov. 2, where people will be able to place photos of relatives and pets on a community ofrenda ― a decorated altar ― at 9th Street and Washington Avenue.

Others have set up altars in their homes. These ofrendas may be adorned with traditional marigolds, with candy skulls, paper skeletons, and photographs. But they may also feature a snatch of fur or a whisker left behind.

Genesis Pimentel-Howard created an ofrenda for her cat, Mobi, on a bedroom shelf of the West Philadelphia home she shares with her husband, Yaphet Howard.

It’s hard for her to talk about Mobi, who died suddenly in May at only 4 years old.

He was, she said, an adorable menace. Mobi loved to poke at and play with the couple’s other cat, Sannin, though Sannin didn’t always appreciate the attention.

Mobi sometimes stole food from the trash. And he managed to push over and break Pimentel-Howard’s flat-screen TV. Still, she said, he followed her everywhere, even into the bathroom. She couldn’t use the bathroom without him trailing her inside.

“A sweet momma’s boy,” she said. “Always next to me.”

On the ofrenda, Pimentel-Howard placed her grandmother’s pearls. And photos of her family dogs, Ella and Red, and her hamster, Shia LaBeouf. She added a shadow box that holds Mobi’s collar and an impression of his paw.

“I’ll stay up as late as a can to welcome him,” she said. “I like to think he’ll be around.”

Genesis Pimentel-Howard holds a photo of her late cat, Mobi, beside a lovingly crafted “ofrenda” in her Philadelphia home on Monday. The altar glows with candlelight, welcoming the spirits of her beloved departed pets. The ritual is part of a growing tradition tied to Día de los Muertos. (Jose F. Moreno/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS)

The roots of the Day of the Dead go back 3,000 years, to Aztec and Mayan traditions. It’s celebrated not only in Mexico but also in wider Latin America and in communities across the United States.

Dogs have always played an important role. The ancients considered them sacred, guides that led souls through the afterlife. They revered the Mexican Hairless Dog, the Xoloitzcuintle, or Xolo for short.

It’s a Xolo dog, Dante, that guides Miguel to meet his ancestors in Coco, the popular animated Disney movie. And it’s a song from the movie, Remember Me, that’s become the soundtrack for countless social-media posts about departed pets.

In Philadelphia, the Italian Market festival welcomes all who wish to take part to South 9th Street between Federal and Christian Streets from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Fleisher Art Memorial in South Philadelphia also will hold a big Day of the Dead celebration. Everyone is invited to help with final preparations for the ofrenda from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Oct. 31, and to come to the Day of the Dead event the next day.

“The animals, that’s family too,” said María De Los Angeles Hernández Del Prado, the artist who led the creation of the Fleisher’s large, three-part ofrenda, which includes a section devoted to pets. “They’re the same as us, they just don’t talk the same language.”

Pimentel-Howard knew after Mobi died that she would find a way to honor him, along with the other animals she has loved.

“You don’t know what it’s like to lose an animal,” she said, “until you’ve lost one.”

©2025 The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC. Visit at inquirer.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

The Farmington Police Department said Wednesday they’re mourning the loss of an officer.

Pete Zajac, who spent the past two years as a school resource officer, died by suicide late Tuesday, according to a social media post from the department.

The 41-year-old Zajac was married and had three children. He’d been with the Farmington police for 15 years.

“His presence within our department and our community as a whole will be missed,” said the department’s post. “A sincere thank you to our law enforcement partners, and those in the community who have surrounded us in our time of need and those that will support us in the tough times ahead.”

The department also reminded that anyone who is struggling can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. For current and former law enforcement and their families, CopLine is at 800-COPLINE.

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By GABRIELA AOUN ANGUEIRA

Hurricane Melissa made landfall in Jamaica on Tuesday as a devastating Category 5 storm, tied for the strongest landfalling Atlantic hurricane in history. The deadly storm has also caused devastation in Cuba, Haiti and the Dominican Republic.

The world is still learning the extent of the destruction, but relief organizations are already mobilizing to help across the northern Caribbean.

As is typical in disasters, nonprofit groups told The Associated Press that cash is the best way to help, since unsolicited goods donations can overwhelm already strained systems. Experts recommend using sites like Charity Navigator or the Better Business Bureau’s Wise Giving Alliance to check out unfamiliar charities before donating.

Here is some of the work being done and ways to support people impacted by Hurricane Melissa in Jamaica, Cuba, Haiti and beyond.

Locals supporting locals: United Way of Jamaica

The 40-year-old nonprofit has a history of supporting Jamaicans after disasters, especially the country’s farmers.

Last year, United Way of Jamaica mobilized help for female farmers hit hard by Hurricane Beryl, helping them replace farm equipment, repair roofs, and pay tuition fees for their kids right as the school year began.

The Kingston-based group accepts cash donations.

Doubling your dollars: American Friends of Jamaica

AFJ has donated to Jamaican charitable organizations since 1982, supporting education, economic development and health care. Its disaster relief fund helped repair nearly 800 roofs after Hurricane Beryl, according to the group.

The New York-based organization is currently matching donations to its Disaster Relief Fund, up to $1 million.

Fast cash: GiveDirectly

GiveDirectly will deliver emergency cash directly to Jamaica households.

The nonprofit sent households impacted by Hurricanes Helene and Milton $1,000 last year, using AI to pinpoint the worst impacted areas and making fast electronic transfers.

The New York-based group is trying to raise $1 million and is accepting cash donations.

Immediate relief: CORE and many more

CORE ‘s local staff is already responding in Haiti and will arrive in Jamaica when airports reopen to deliver relief items like hygiene kits and tarps, conduct medical assessments an distribute cash assistance. The group will also help households remove debris and rebuild homes.

The Los Angeles-based nonprofit is accepting cash donations to its Emergency Response Fund. Its board of directors is matching up to $200,000.

There are a host of other humanitarian organizations deployed or in the process of reaching the northern Caribbean, including Convoy of Hope, Mercy Corps, World Vision, Catholic Relief Services, Project HOPE, CARE, Global Empowerment Mission, World Food Program USA and Americares.

Installing backup power systems: Footprint Project

The solar-energy nonprofit supplies communities and first responders with temporary power equipment to aid their response and restore communications.

Footprint Project is shipping 150 portable solar and battery power stations and deploying mobile microgrid equipment, working with local partners like Jamaica Renewable Energy Association to ensure the systems are deployed where they are most needed.

The New Orleans-based group is accepting cash donations. Equipment donations can be coordinated through give@footprintproject.org.

Medical aid: Direct Relief

The humanitarian organization supports the Caribbean year round with medicines and other supplies, and has delivered more than $3 million in medical aid in the last month to areas now under threat.

Direct Relief will support health facilities, many of which it says are in coastal and low-lying areas vulnerable to flooding and power outages. The group also sent 100 field-medic packs for Jamaica’s National Health Fund, and is working with the Pan American Health Organization on supplies for Cuba.

The Santa Barbara, California-based group is accepting cash donations. All contributions specifically designated for “Hurricane Melissa” will go directly to those efforts.

Shipping supplies and logistics: Good360 and Airlink

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Good360 connects corporate donors who have surplus, high-quality supplies with nonprofits that need those items. It will partner with local groups to deliver what’s needed, anticipating demand for generators, tarps and hygiene kits.

Good360 is accepting cash donations to support delivery of these supplies.

Airlink works with major airlines like United and American, using extra cargo space to help humanitarian organizations move aid to disaster zones.

It’s moving cargo to Haiti and Jamaica on behalf of 16 NGOs and finding solutions for moving supplies on the ground when many roads are blocked or washed out.

The Washington, D.C.-based group accepts cash and crypto donations and donations of frequent flyer miles.

Long-term recovery: Center for Disaster Philanthropy

While the immediate needs will be vast, CDP focuses on long-term recovery, an often underfunded aspect of disaster response.

The group will give grants to local organizations that are most in tune with the needs, focusing on the most at-risk residents and emphasizing solutions that leave communities better prepared for future climate events.

The Washington, D.C.-based organization is accepting cash donations to its Atlantic Hurricane Season Recovery Fund.

Associated Press coverage of philanthropy and nonprofits receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content. For all of AP’s philanthropy coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/philanthropy.