After decades of declines, the New York Times reports cities across the country have seen “a starting rise in murders” this summer. In New York, 104 people have been murdered already this year – after 86 homicides in all of 2014. More than 30 other cities also report significant increases in violence. In St. Louis, the homicide number is 136 already – up from 85 at this point last year.

• NY Observer: Here Comes Mitt?
• NR: GOP Donors Pining for Mitt to Jump in the Race
• Daily Beast: Petraeus – Use Al Qaeda Fighters to Beat ISIS
• Weekly Standard: Clinton’s Emails Included Plan to Impeach Clarence Thomas
• NJ: Inside the GOP Plan to Thwart Trump’s Potential Third Party Run