Iconic NASCAR driver Greg Biffle died in a plane crash on Thursday in a horrific incident that reportedly involved his family members.

Biffle, 55, had 56 NASCAR national series wins throughout his career, including two championships.

‘We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this.’

On Thursday, Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina reported that an aircraft had crashed while landing at 10:15 a.m.

The FAA arrived to investigate the incident at around 12 p.m., the airport stated.

Iredell County officials soon confirmed the plane crash, with the county sheriff confirming that several people had died in the crash, according to WCNC-TV. WCCB-TV later reported that multiple witnesses and family friends confirmed that Biffle and his wife were on the plane.

Jordan Bianchi, motorsports reporter for the Athletic, wrote on X that North Carolina State Highway Patrol stated there were seven total fatalities from the crash and that they “believe that Mr. Greg Biffle was one of the deceased occupants.”

Garrett Mitchell, a YouTuber who goes by the name Cleetus McFarland and has over 4.5 million subscribers, made a Facebook post with similar remarks.

“Unfortunately, I can confirm Greg Biffle, his wife Cristina, daughter Emma, and son Ryder were on that plane … because they were on their way to spend the afternoon with us. We are devastated. I’m so sorry to share this,” Mitchell wrote.

RELATED: NASCAR owner sells vehicles to ICE — and liberals are outraged

Photo by Meg Oliphant/Getty Images

Mitchell lives in Florida, and Biffle’s plane was reportedly headed to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport in Florida before it crashed, with the airport CEO issuing a statement.

“We are deeply saddened by the news of the Cessna C550 aircraft crash at Statesville Regional Airport in North Carolina and en route to SRQ this morning. Our thoughts and prayers are with those on board and with their families and loved ones during this difficult time. Our thoughts also go out to the first responders who we know are diligently working to assist all those involved,” the statement said.

Last year, Mitchell and Biffle teamed up to deliver disaster relief supplies in North Carolina via helicopter after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina.

RELATED: Beloved race car driver dies after mid-race catastrophe has officials tearing his car apart

Geoff Burke/Getty Images

Flight logs reportedly showed that the aircraft was traveling over 100 mph at the time of the crash, WCCB stated. The plane was described as a Cessna C550 business jet with tail number N257BW. The outlet also confirmed the plane belonged to Biffle.

Republican Rep. Richard Hudson (N.C.) wrote on X that he was “devastated by the loss of Greg, Cristina, and their children, and my heart is with all who loved them.”

The congressman added, “They were friends who lived their lives focused on helping others. Greg was a great NASCAR champion who thrilled millions of fans. But he was an extraordinary person as well, and will be remembered for his service to others as much as for his fearlessness on the track.”

Biffle was named one of NASCAR’s 75 Greatest Drivers in 2023 for his “spectacular start in the 1990s” that ran through the 2000s.

“Though Biffle has stepped away from full-time competition at the NASCAR national level, the longtime veteran made five starts in 2022, including the season-opening Daytona 500. His last full season was in 2016,” NASCAR wrote.

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A person of interest has been identified in connection with the deadly Brown University shooting Saturday, a warrant has been issued, and authorities are investigating possible ties between the Brown shooting and the fatal shooting of a Massachusetts Institute of Technology professor days later, according to multiple reports.

The New York Times — citing a law enforcement official briefed on the matter who wasn’t authorized to speak about the investigation — reported Thursday that authorities have identified a person of interest in the Brown shooting and are investigating a possible connection with the MIT professor’s fatal shooting.

‘A shooting in a state where it’s so hard to even have a gun?’

Both CBS News and the Associated Press reported similarly to the Times; both CBS News and Fox News reported that a warrant has been issued.

The Times reported that the official said investigators are searching for the individual as well as a car that the person is believed to have rented — and that authorities believe the rented vehicle is the same make and model of a car identified in connection with the shooting of the MIT professor, the official said.

Authorities have not publicly identified a suspect in either case, the Times also said.

RELATED: Brown U. suspected shooter’s DNA gathered; images, video of person of interest match eyewitness descriptions: Police

Blaze News reported that MIT professor Nuno Loureiro was fatally shot in his Brookline, Massachusetts, home Monday night and died in a hospital early Tuesday.

Brookline — a Boston suburb that’s less than a half hour from MIT — is about 90 minutes northeast of Providence, Rhode Island, where Brown University is located.

The FBI had told the AP it knew of no connection between the deadly shooting at Brown and the fatal shooting of Loureiro. However, WPRI-TV reported that multiple people familiar with the investigation said they discovered evidence showing the two crimes may be linked.

WBZ-TV said in its video report that Loureiro, 47, was shot several times in the foyer of his home; a neighbor said he lived in a first-floor apartment.

A reporter suggested to the neighbor on camera that the crime is atypical for Brookline, and the neighbor replied that it was a “surprise … and a shooting in a state where it’s so hard to even have a gun?” The neighbor also said fellow neighbors noted a nearby car was “parked in the wrong direction” and “seemed to be waiting.”

RELATED: Prominent MIT professor — reportedly Jewish, pro-Israel — shot to death in his home; no suspect in custody

The Jerusalem Post reported that Loureiro was Jewish and a vocal pro-Israel nuclear scientist. However, the Post added that it could not confirm speculations by Jewish organizations that Loureiro was targeted for his political affiliations.

Blaze News earlier Thursday reported that Providence police said the Brown University suspected shooter’s DNA had been gathered and that images and video of a person of interest match eyewitness descriptions.

A person of interest was initially detained over the weekend before law enforcement determined they had the wrong guy.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

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Former NFL standout Keyshawn Johnson took to social media this week after a run-in with a “Caucasian” woman whom he guessed to be no older than 65 — because he was upset that she asked him if he was an Uber Eats driver.

“So, I just went to pick up food from a restaurant down the street from my crib. And I live in an affluent neighborhood. You know, it’s many different ethnicities and all of those sort of things, and people make money and, you know, they live a certain lifestyle,” Johnson said into the camera.

“So, when I walk in the restaurant to pick up my food, I had somebody who’s a Caucasian — I’m African-American, whatnot — ask me if I was, like, a Uber Eats or DoorDash or something, you know, picking up the food for delivery or whatever. She says, ‘Oh, are you here with Uber Eats?’” he explained.

“I was like, ‘No, I’m not,’ and then I proceed to move forward and say, ‘Everybody that’s a minority isn’t Uber Eats or picking up food to go and delivering service or nothing like that,’” he said.

Johnson went on to claim that the woman tried to backtrack and say she “didn’t mean it that way,” and that “she couldn’t have been no more than, like, 65.”

“I mean, I understand they get plastic surgery and all that, but she couldn’t have been no more than, like, 65 years old. But the fact that she would ask me something like that, it rubbed me the wrong way. And I just want to know what y’all think,” he said, asking, “Am I overreacting?”

“If I’m sensitive, y’all let me know,” he added.

“Keyshawn, you’re sensitive,” BlazeTV host Jason Whitlock answers.

“I hope there’s someone in his circle that could tell him that someone asking you, ‘Hey, do you have a job?’ or you’re working a job or whatever, or mistaking you for someone who’s working, that’s not an insult,” he continues.

“Keyshawn, you’re being overly sensitive,” he adds.

Want more from Jason Whitlock?

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Border Patrol agents in Southern California arrested 49 illegal aliens who, despite their unlawful status, were in possession of commercial driver’s licenses, Blaze News has exclusively learned.

El Centro Sector Border Patrol agents arrested some of those individuals while conducting vehicle stops at immigration checkpoints between November 23 and December 12. Others were apprehended during a two-day interagency operation.

‘The individuals arrested should never have been operating these semitrucks, and the states issuing them commercial driver’s licenses are directly responsible for the fatal accidents we have tragically witnessed recently.’

While stopping vehicles at checkpoints along Highway 86 and 111, Indio Station agents nabbed 42 illegal aliens who were operating semitrucks. Of these arrested individuals, 30 were from India, while the others were from El Salvador, China, Eritrea, Haiti, Honduras, Mexico, Russia, Somalia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

Customs and Border Patrol reported that 31 of the CDLs were issued by California. The other licenses were issued by Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Washington.

Indio Station agents also participated in Operation Highway Sentinel, an enforcement operation held on December 10 and 11, in collaboration with Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations.

The initiative aimed to enhance the safety of America’s roadways following several recent fatal accidents involving illegal alien truck drivers.

RELATED: Illegal alien bus driver who can’t speak English allegedly kills American while ‘distracted by a video on his phone’

Photo by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images

The joint operation specifically targeted commercial trucking operations in California and resulted in the arrests of 45 illegal aliens with CDLs. The seven individuals arrested by Indio Station were from India, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan.

RELATED: Trump’s DOT claims 53% of New York’s non-domiciled CDLs were issued illegally

Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images

“El Centro Sector personnel are stalwart defenders of our nation’s security, whether that occurs at the border or in the interior of the United States,” said El Centro Sector Acting Chief Patrol Agent Joseph Remenar. “Since the beginning of Fiscal Year 2026, El Centro Sector’s arrests of individuals in the interior have surpassed those at the border, directly illustrating what can be accomplished when a secure border is achieved.”

“The success of this operation highlights the ongoing dangers posed by the unmitigated border crisis we experienced prior to 2025,” Remenar continued. “The individuals arrested should never have been operating these semitrucks, and the states issuing them commercial driver’s licenses are directly responsible for the fatal accidents we have tragically witnessed recently. Together, with our allied partners in Homeland Security Investigations and other agencies, El Centro Sector will continue to ensure that the safety of the American public is at the forefront of our efforts.”

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A star wide receiver on the Los Angeles Rams football team has apologized for agreeing to make an anti-Semitic gesture for a touchdown celebration.

During a livestream, Puka Nacua was persuaded by personality Adin Ross to perform a gesture that refers to a trope and meme meant to smear Jewish people. He also agreed to repeat the dance at the next Rams game.

‘At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetrated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people.’

Nacua faced an immediate barrage of criticism that led to his posting an apology on social media Thursday.

“When I appeared the other day on a social media livestream, it was suggested to me to perform a specific movement as part of my next touchdown celebration,” wrote Nacua on his Instagram account.

“At the time, I had no idea this act was antisemitic in nature and perpetrated harmful stereotypes against Jewish people,” he added. “I deeply apologize to anyone who was offended by my actions as I do not stand for any form of racism, bigotry or hate of another group of people.”

The incident comes at a time when the Jewish community is reeling from a horrific terror attack in Australia that took the lives of more than a dozen people and is being investigated as motivated by anti-Semitism.

Among those who condemned Nacua was Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell of California.

“The Los Angeles Jewish community is on edge after the Bondi Beach massacre,” he wrote on social media. “And what does this asshole @AsapPuka do? He promises an antisemitic touchdown dance for his Thursday night game.”

Swalwell added, “He should apologize or be dropped.”

Others said if Nacua did the gesture during the game, he should be suspended by the NFL.

RELATED: Christian NFL star apologizes after reference to kids’ game that left LGBTQ crowd seething

The NFL and the Los Angeles Rams also released statements condemning the offensive gesture.

Nacua and the Rams will play on Thursday Night Football against the Seattle Seahawks. Each team has a record of 11 victories and only three losses for the season.

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The DNA of the Brown University suspected shooter has been gathered, and images and video of the person of interest in Saturday’s deadly shooting at the Rhode Island Ivy League college match eyewitness descriptions, police told the Providence Journal.

Providence Police Chief Col. Oscar Perez said law enforcement has DNA of the suspected shooter “from inside” that could be used to confirm his presence at the scene once officials have someone to compare it to, the Journal reported.

‘All video imagery has been turned over to law enforcement.’

The shooting took place in a first-floor classroom in the school’s Barus and Holley building, which houses the School of Engineering and the physics department. Two students were fatally shot; nine others were wounded.

Attorney General Peter Neronha added to the Journal that DNA is “powerful” evidence because it can confirm the identity of a subject or rule people in or out after it’s entered into a nationwide system.

RELATED: At least 2 killed, more wounded in shooting at Brown University

Perez also told the paper that witnesses and surviving students gave a description of the shooter that matches the person of interest as seen on video and in still images that law enforcement has distributed.

Neronha told the Journal that investigators are being protective of what witnesses have said about the shooter or the shooting so they can protect witnesses from being swayed by outside information.

“As we interview witnesses, we don’t want them to learn facts from these press conferences. We want them to relay the facts that they have in their heads, including a person of interest,” Neronha said during a news conference, according to the paper. “We don’t want a person of interest to shape what they’re telling us. … So we’re being careful about the facts that we’re sharing for that reason, so that when we talk to witnesses, what we’re getting is their factual recitation.”

More from the Journal:

Authorities have struggled to convince members of the public that, despite Brown University’s vast resources, there was no camera working in the Barus & Holley Building that captured the shooter entering the building before opening fire.

Brown Provost Francis Doyle III said the school has 1,200 cameras on campus, including some in the old section of the building where the shooting occurred. But that does not mean the cameras captured an image of the shooter.

“All video imagery has been turned over to law enforcement,” Doyle added, according to the paper.

A person of interest was initially detained over the weekend before law enforcement determined they had the wrong guy.

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While Democrats are hoping to seize control of the U.S. House of Representatives in the midterm elections, approval ratings for congressional Democrats have absolutely imploded.

An analysis from CNN’s Harry Enten showed that Democrats got a boost during the government shutdown, but that has completely collapsed after President Donald Trump beat them to end the shutdown.

‘There are a lot of Democrats who might be thinking, “Hey we can spike that ball in the end zone!” but the numbers at this point say, “Hold on just a minute.”‘

Congressional Democrats had a net approval rating of 22 percentage points among Democratic voters in October, but that has become a net negative rating of six points only two months later.

“Democrats, in the minds of the American public, are lower than the Dead Sea,” said Enten.

“Overall they are 55 points underwater. Their approval rating is south of 20%. It’s even worse when you look at independents, look at this — negative 61 points!” he added. “That means that their approval rating is 61 points lower than their disapproval rating.”

He added that Quinnipiac University has been polling the approval rating for Democratic members of Congress for 16 years, and it has never found them “in worse shape than they are right now.”

Enten said that the polling indicators showed Democrats could still gain many seats in the midterms, but when compared with recent history, they are in a weakened condition to do so. He compared the Democratic advantage in generic partisan polling during Republican presidential administrations and found that Democrats have had a 10% advantage twice since 2005, but that had slid to only 4% in 2015.

“I think that’s why at this point there are a lot of Democrats who might be thinking, ‘Hey we can spike that ball in the end zone!’ but the numbers at this point say, ‘Hold on just a minute,'” he added. “Yes, you’re on your way to a congressional majority, but it’s still a long time, and with numbers this considerably weaker, and historically speaking, it might be a tougher road to hoe.”

RELATED: CNN anchor visibly upset when analyst says outrage over Epstein files has not hurt Trump

The polling analyst said that Democratic voters turned away from the party after the end of the government shutdown because they did not like how that debate turned out for them.

Enten posted video of the segment to his social media account.

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In a move anticipated by many in the medical industry, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that would reclassify marijuana as a seemingly less dangerous drug.

On Thursday, President Trump signed an executive order that would reclassify marijuana from a Schedule I drug to a Schedule III drug, in accordance with the Controlled Substances Act.

‘It’s never safe to use powerful controlled substances in recreational manners.’

“I’m pleased to announce that I will be signing an executive order to reschedule marijuana from a Schedule I to a Schedule III controlled substance with legitimate medical uses,” Trump announced from the Oval Office, surrounded by doctors, researchers, and others.

RELATED: RFK Jr. moves to ban transgender procedures for children: ‘This is not medicine; it is malpractice’

Photo by Brendan SMIALOWSKI / AFP via Getty Images

During the ceremony, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz said that the executive order will allow “millions of Americans on Medicare to become eligible to receive CBD … at no charge if their doctors recommend them.”

According to a White House fact sheet, the reclassification of marijuana to Schedule III status will open up more opportunities for research to test the uses of medical marijuana.

Currently, marijuana is in the same classification as drugs like heroin, LSD, ecstasy, methaqualone, and peyote, according to the Drug Enforcement Administration.

The reclassification will place marijuana in the same schedule as Tylenol with codeine, ketamine, anabolic steroids, and testosterone.

However, this executive order will have no impact on the recreational use of marijuana, as Trump clarified at the signing.

Trump added, “I want to emphasize that the order I am about to sign … doesn’t legalize marijuana in any way, shape, or form — and in no way sanctions its use as a recreational drug. … It’s never safe to use powerful controlled substances in recreational manners.”

“President Trump is committed to ensuring our seniors, our veterans, and all Americans have access to the best medical treatments and research infrastructure in the world,” the White House fact sheet said.

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More than 300 residents in Colorado received federal housing benefits despite being ineligible, including over 200 deceased individuals, according to an audit.

The New York Post reported on Thursday that an audit by the Department of Housing and Urban Development found that 221 deceased individuals and another 87 ineligible residents received taxpayer-funded housing benefits.

‘From deceased tenants to individuals receiving HUD housing benefits who were never supposed to, the Department has questions for HUD-supported housing providers in Colorado, and we expect prompt answers and enforcement action.’

The department is requiring an additional 2,519 beneficiaries to undergo verification to confirm their eligibility.

A source told the Post that HUD found that the fraud involved most of Colorado’s 59 public housing agencies and was “particularly pronounced in the Denver Housing Authority,” the news outlet wrote.

HUD provides approximately $440 million in taxpayer funds to Colorado’s PHAs, which oversee 38,000 leased units. These units are either public housing or covered by housing choice vouchers. Beneficiaries are typically required to contribute roughly 30% of their income toward housing.

HUD is expected to require PHAs to ramp up their beneficiary vetting efforts and remove ineligible recipients. Additionally, PHAs that provide benefits to ineligible beneficiaries will be required to reimburse the misused taxpayer funds. Those who fail to comply will face additional sanctions, the Post reported.

RELATED: Americans priced out while foreigners pour in: Trump admin report slams Biden for spike in rental costs

Photo by Kevin Carter/Getty Images

The department’s findings have reportedly prompted a federal investigation into Colorado’s housing providers.

“From deceased tenants to individuals receiving HUD housing benefits who were never supposed to, the Department has questions for HUD-supported housing providers in Colorado, and we expect prompt answers and enforcement action,” a HUD spokesperson told the Post.

RELATED: Democrat-led city’s alleged ‘race-based’ housing strategy prompts federal investigation

President Donald Trump, HUD Secretary Scott Turner. Photographer: Shawn Thew/EPA/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Earlier this week, the Washington Examiner reported that HUD sent federal investigators to Minnesota to look into potential housing fraud amid reports that $1 billion in taxpayer funds was funneled primarily to those of Somali descent.

HUD launched an investigation last week into Boston’s alleged “race-based” housing program, claiming that the city’s diversity, equity, and inclusion practices may “violate civil rights protections under the Fair Housing Act and Title VI.”

President Donald Trump unveiled a budget plan in May that proposed drastically cutting HUD’s discretionary funding by over 40%.

Denver Housing Authority did not respond to a request for comment.

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Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is leading the charge to protect children across America from life-shattering transgender procedures.

Kennedy announced a new declaration on Thursday moving to ban sex-altering operations, hormone replacement therapy, and other irreversible medical procedures that target children suffering from gender dysphoria. Rather than affirming tragic delusions and relying on taxpayers to subsidize these experimental interventions, Kennedy’s health department is working to pull funding and impose enforcement actions on the medical institutions that profit off of vulnerable children.

‘We’re done with junk science driven by ideological pursuits.’

“The Trump administration will not stand by while ideology, misinformation, and propaganda push vulnerable young people into decisions they cannot fully understand and that they can never reverse,” Kennedy said Thursday.

“There is divine worth in every person, and it shines most brightly in our children. That worth commands us to protect them.”

RELATED: ‘This is a must-win’: These 4 Republicans voted against banning trans surgeries on children

Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images

Kennedy was flanked by numerous health officials in President Donald Trump’s administration, Republican lawmakers, and even Chloe Cole, a de-transitioner who described her own traumatic experience with the medical industry.

“It’s not too late to accept the beautiful way God has created you,” Cole said during her remarks.

Kennedy went on to describe the predatory nature of the medical institutions that convince American youth that sex is malleable and that a life-altering, irreversible medical procedure is a one-size-fits-all solution to the mental health struggles for these children.

RELATED: ‘Send in the next guy’: Nicki Minaj savages Newsom over his desire to ‘see trans kids’

Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

“They betray the estimated 300,000 American youth ages 13 to 17 conditioned to believe that sex can be changed,” Kennedy said. “They betrayed their Hippocratic Oath to ‘do no harm.’ So-called gender affirming care has inflicted lasting physical and psychological damage on vulnerable young people. This is not medicine; it is malpractice.”

“We’re done with junk science driven by ideological pursuits, not the well-being of children.”

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​Robert f kennedy jr, Rfk, Department of health and human services, Donald trump, Trump administration, Chloe cole, Detransitioner, Child sex changes, Gender dysphoria, Medical malpractice, Politics