Up First briefing: Trump trial date expected; Jacksonville shooting; Maui surf lessons

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Today's top stories

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan is expected to announce today a tentative start date for the Justice Department's election conspiracy trial against former President Donald Trump. His lawyers have asked for an April 2026 trial date, citing the need to review millions of pages of documents. The special counsel team says it's ready for a January 2024 trial. Here's where Trump's civil and criminal suits stand so far.

• Chutkan established herself decades ago at the Public Defender Service, defending low-income people accused of crimes. Read about her tough sentencing record.
• NPR's Carrie Johnson spoke to several of Chutkan's colleagues and friends. D.C.'s Attorney General Karl Racine says Chutkan made it "very clear she's going to move this case in a way that doesn't compromise justice and fairness" for Trump. 

Residents in Jacksonville, Fla., are mourning after a gunman killed three Black people at a Dollar General store before killing himself on Saturday. Officials say the gunman left behind writings filled with racial slurs, and the Justice Department is now investigating the shooting as a hate crime.

• WJCT's Will Brown attended three vigils over the weekend, where he says there was an overarching sense of sadness for the victims, as well as anger and resolve to ensure this type of violence doesn't happen again. A school principal told him that teaching against racism and bigotry at an early age is one way to eliminate shootings. 

Students nationwide are returning to school during a summer of record-breaking heat waves, and many are returning to buildings without air conditioning. A 2020 report from the Government Accountability Office estimated that about 36,000 schools nationwide need HVAC system updates. Extreme heat is bad for both kids' health and academic performance.

• Though many schools received pandemic relief funds, NPR's Sequoia Carillo says allocating it to AC upgrades is complicated. Many schools are too old, and many things must be fixed before air conditioning is feasible for the electric grid. 

Parts of Florida could feel the effects of Tropical Storm Idalia as early as tomorrow, and the storm could reach hurricane strength before making landfall this week. If it hits the state at hurricane strength, it would be the first Atlantic hurricane to strike the U.S. this year.

Picture show

A group of pro surfers gathered at Ho'okipa Beach in Maui this weekend to help children and families cope with the immense losses of the wildfires through a surfing lesson. The nonprofit Boards 4 Buddies provided boards to kids who lost theirs in the recent fires. See photos from the event and read about how it helped families have a break with their kids amid the tragedy.

Life advice

Natural disasters like Tropical Storm Idalia, Hurricane Hilary, or the wildfires that devastated Hawaii can happen anywhere with little to no warning. FEMA and the Red Cross recommend that everyone have an emergency go bag prepared. Here's how to pack one:

• Have at least a three-day water supply available per person and pack shelf-stable foods without an expiration date.
• Include a first aid kit and medications.
• Bring copies of important documents like passports and medical information.
• Keep your go bag nearby, like in your garage or closet.

3 things to know before you go

1. The FDA is warning consumers to stop using two kinds of eyedrops — Dr. Berne's MSM Drops 5% Solution and LightEyez MSM Eye Drops - Eye Repair — due to bacterial or fungal contamination.
2. Vige Barrie fell flat on her face on her way to an important meeting in Washington, D.C. She was bleeding and disoriented until two unsung heroes helped her clean up in time for her meeting. 
3. NASCAR driver Ryan Preece has been released from the hospital after a violent crash during Saturday's NASCAR Cup Series race at the Daytona International Speedway.  

This newsletter was edited by Majd Al-Waheidi.

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