The Short List

Sat May 4 2024

John Riley | Audience Editor

👋Hello, Short List nation! I'm John Riley, here again with some of the best stories of the week from USA TODAY. Congratulations on making it to a jam-packed weekend: Saturday is the Kentucky Derby🏇 (more below) and "Star Wars" Day⭐, while Sunday brings Cinco de Mayo🎸. Get stoked!

And now, on with the news:

The man bankrolling both RFK Jr. and Donald Trump

Timothy Mellon, an ultra-wealthy political donor bankrolling Donald Trump's Super PAC, is also giving millions to third-party candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Many Democrats say that Kennedy, son of a former Democratic senator and nephew to a former Democratic president, could help elect Trump if voters cast ballots for him as an alternative to President Joe Biden. 💲 Here's why Mellon may be backing both candidates.

4 officers killed in Charlotte: Why did it happen?

The fatal shooting of four law enforcement in Charlotte, North Carolina, this week revealed powerful forces at play: Police who find themselves as too often under fire. Communities who see law enforcement efforts that too often turn deadly. And the ever-growing presence of guns in daily life. ▶ Here's an inside look at how the Charlotte shooting happened.

After 150 years, Kentucky Derby still can't be beat

Now in its 150th year, the Kentucky Derby is a tradition that seems to have only grown bigger, no matter the troubling circumstances around it. It's an American tradition that seems to grow bigger despite wars, economic depressions or tragic scandals in the sport of horse racing itself. 🏇 Why the Derby's allure endures.

•	Betting tips: How to turn $100 into fast winnings
•	Derby basics: Our graphic puts you on the inside track
•	Legendary races: Seven to watch again and again