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SEE IT: Dashcam shows Florida trooper chasing alleged street takeover suspect at 140 mph

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 10:02:00 -0400

Newly released Florida Highway Patrol dashcam video captured a state trooper racing toward a street takeover that had shut down Interstate 75 before weaving through hundreds of stopped vehicles and launching a high-speed pursuit that authorities said reached 140 mph.

The footage began with the trooper racing down the interstate with emergency lights flashing and sirens blaring before encountering a sea of stopped vehicles blocking all northbound lanes near mile marker 266 in Thonotosassa around 1:30 a.m. Saturday.

As the patrol vehicle reached the scene, people could be seen running between vehicles while others scrambled back behind the wheel.

VIDEO SHOWS BRIDGE TURN INTO BURNOUT BONANZA IN STUNT-HAPPY TAKEOVER – POLICE SWOOP IN TO CUFF ROAD REBELS

Motorists slowly moved aside as the trooper worked through hundreds of stopped vehicles before accelerating after a fleeing green BMW driven by 25-year-old Yulian Lugo.

Authorities said Lugo accelerated to approximately 140 mph – about twice the posted speed limit – before exiting the interstate.

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The dashcam then showed the trooper following him into what appeared to be a residential neighborhood, where Lugo eventually pulled over without further incident.

FLORIDA MAN IN BUNNY HELMET ALLEGEDLY LED POLICE ON 120 MPH CHASE BEFORE SURRENDERING TO TROOPERS

The trooper ordered Lugo out of the BMW before placing him in handcuffs.

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Moments later, two passengers stepped out before sitting on the hood of the patrol vehicle as the trooper secured the scene.

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Lugo was arrested and charged with aggravated fleeing to elude and participating in a street takeover, both felony offenses, authorities said.

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Three passengers – a 24-year-old and two 18-year-olds – were also ultimately arrested, and each was charged with misdemeanor highway racing. All four were booked into the Hillsborough County Jail.

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Investigators said the incident began around 1:30 a.m. Saturday when hundreds of vehicles blocked all northbound lanes of I-75 while participants allegedly performed burnouts and other stunts in the middle of the interstate.

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Investigators alleged Lugo fled the scene as many of the vehicles dispersed when law enforcement arrived, triggering the pursuit shown in the newly released dashcam footage.

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The I-75 incident marked the latest in a series of takeover-related events that have drawn increased attention from Florida law enforcement this summer.

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In June, the St. Augustine Beach Police Department said it thwarted a planned "teen takeover" before it began after investigators used electronic monitoring to identify plans circulating online.

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Earlier this year, Orlando police also released video showing hundreds of riders on e-bikes swarming downtown streets, running red lights, blocking traffic and delaying an ambulance. Officers said the group created a significant public safety hazard and vowed to continue cracking down on similar incidents.

Country singer Macy Kate rebuilds her career with anthem performance & NFL boyfriend, plus dorm costs & Marv!

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:35:40 -0400

The sun is out, it's August, Mrs. Screencaps' flower gardens are glorious, football returns this week and it's time to crank out a fresh edition of Monday Screencaps after my final (sorta long) vacation of 2026.

Starting this week, you'll get continuous padded football games to gamble on until the end of January. You degenerates have made it to the finishing line. That doesn't mean you should stop RESPECTING SUMMER, but it means you'll now be able to RESPECT SUMMER on the patio with football games on in the background.

What does football mean to our being on this planet? Marco Rubio made it clear during this interview with Lara Trump over the weekend. Ladies, we want one thing and it's not as disgusting as you make it out to be.

PERCEPTION IS REALITY, AND THE SEC NEEDS TO START WINNING AGAIN BEFORE IT CONTINUES TO PUFF OUT ITS CHEST

We just want a miserable day in late October to ourselves to watch football on a Saturday. All day. That day might start on the couch and end on a neighbor's patio sucking down drinks while watching the SEC try to stay relevant in the national championship chase.

Then, on Sunday, we want to reorganize the garage...with the NFL on the garage TV(s). This week, our journey begins.

📩 Email: joe.kinsey@outkick.com Send photos, stories, tips, rants—whatever you've got.

DOLPHINS CHEERLEADERS MAKE MAJOR MOVES TO COMPETE WITH COWBOYS CHEERLEADERS, TEBOWS GET OUT & RYAN CLARK!

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'SOPRANOS' STAR SINGS NATIONAL ANTHEM AT METS GAME ON SAME DAY THAT FELLOW CASTMEMBER DIES

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Let's hear it for (sorta) new country(ish) singer Macy Kate belting out a national anthem

I had no idea who Macy Kate is until she popped up in my IG algorithm. I think she popped up because SeanJo liked her content, which typically pumps content into my algo. Long story short, Macy got her start in pop music like a decade ago. Her flame burned out, but then she started dating Tampa Bay tight end Payne Durham and now she's back and trying to reconfigure as a country(ish) pop singer.

Between the Dodgers anthem and a video Macy released last week where she's riding in a truck with Payne while he's looking at a cell phone, these two are poised to have a big 2026 NFL season. How do I know? These two are able to agitate the Instagram losers. "That’s not cool. Driving, hugging, and using cell phone. I mean … not cute," some cat lady wrote on Instagram.

Some pronoun warrior also jumped in. "(A)nnnnnd we’ve crossed the line from cute to unsafe. Wear a damn seatbelt," the bitter (probably) single woman moaned.

Now, let's compare Macy's anthem to this disaster at some women's softball game. Choose your fighter.

Lollapalooza crowd in 2026

What happened to our music festivals? I don't even recognize what went down in Chicago over the weekend and I'm not even talking about the Asians refusing to wrestle in this pit. The music industry is a complete disaster.

I get it, the lineups change as generations change, but when Olivia Dean and Jennie are your Saturday night headliners, we have issues. Dean is some British pop singer and Jennie is some South Korean K-popper. Time magazine swears Jennie is one of the top 100 most influential people of 2026. Yeah, OK.

Yeah, but the Smashing Pumpkins played Friday night. Oh yeah, about that performance, Billy Corgan brought out Olivia Rodrigo to help sing "Thirty-Three" and make it sound like a sh-tty American Idol performance so her dork fans would then go nuts and post the performance on TikTok.

So dumb, but, they have to pay the bills, so they'll keep pumping out the TikTok artists.

Respect Summer

Ben from Wisconsin has his little ones out there in the yard smacking golf balls. #Respect

Who went to the Grand American this summer?

Never forget that this was Vandalia, Ohio's baby until 2006. Trapshooting belonged to a stretch of road along U.S. 40 where guys shot clays while aiming towards Dayton International Airport.

"The Dixie Highway and the National Road, two chalklines drawn across the smooth slate of Ohio, meet ten miles north of Dayton at a village called Vandalia. At Vandalia are the $100,000 grounds of the Amateur* Trapshooting Association of America, where, late every August, with eleven freight carloads of clay targets (made of sand and plaster of Paris) and $32,000 worth of shotgun shells, are held the most important trapshooting events in America," Time magazine wrote about the Grand in 1932.

It's all gone now. Even the shuttles I used to drive up and down the Grand grounds.

Dorm room decorating costs have skyrocketed

– Kevin has a problem: Joe, great to have you back in the saddle. With the cost of everything going up I have a new shakedown scam going on - dorm room decorating. What should it cost to make your dorm room liveable?

I have a daughter going out of state and she has put together a list on Amazon (#notsponsored) that tops out at over $800. That's her half! Now it includes essentials like bedding....I think that may be all that is actually "essential". I realize she is a girl and they are different from boys (yes America - boys and girls ARE different) but the idea that she needs to deck her dorm room out is a bit much for me.

It's her and a roommate and they have their own bathroom - so they need shower curtains and liners, multiple trash cans and all that. But a padded headboard for her dorm bed which of course needs a mattress pad, dust ruffle, throw pillows 'so when I come back to my room it's comfy and warm and welcome.' Joe, if she's made her bed more than 10 times in the past year other than when she's changed her sheets I'll pay for half the T's airfare to their next Mediterranean destination.

Is this a thing now? Dorm rooms getting decked out? This doesn't even include the cost of getting her out to school and flying home. What would you say is a fair budget number? SC Nation please tell me I'm not crazy.

Kinsey: You're not crazy, Kevin. Let's face it, the freshman girls are looking for social media content. They cannot be seen as having an inferior setup. Your daughter has seen on TikTok — for years — what it looks like for college freshmen girls to move in and start their college careers. Those TikTok videos have influenced her. The blame for this is social media.

Your only line of defense here is to buy her the essentials and tell her to buy the padded headboard with her own money. Or you bite the bullet now, buy the headboard and stand firm that this is a one-and-done scenario. Good luck!

Are there any dads out there who can provide cost analysis? How much are you guys spending to furnish your kids' dorm rooms?

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That is enough for this Monday morning. There should be plenty of content to get you guys fired up and moving this week. Good luck to all the students who started sports over the weekend. Screencaps Jr. gladly rode his bike to cross country practice where he'll go through a grueling 90-minute workout. I told him to go play pickleball afterwards just to keep the day rolling. He gladly accepted that challenge.

That's the energy I want to see out of us today. Let's go get after it.

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Sophie Cunningham takes vicious elbow to face, and fans fume at what refs did next

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:21:43 -0400

The Sophie Cunningham train rolled through Minnesota on Sunday, and, somehow, it made it through in one piece.

Barely.

Cunningham — who has morphed into the WNBA's most polarizing player — has jumped head first into the trans culture war over the past two weeks, and things are starting to escalate.

PS: You will NEVER guess which side is starting to do the escalating.

Just kidding. It's the left. It's always the left. Duh.

CHERYL REEVE SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE TO SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM WITH ‘TRANS KIDS BELONG’ SHIRT DURING FEVER-LYNX GAME

Anyway, Cunningham and the Fever lost to the Lynx, 108-100, in a game that featured a dueling protest outside the arena, signage inside the area, and ESPN treating Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve wearing a pro-trans shirt like the falling of the Berlin wall.

Seriously, it was incredible, even for them.

Cunningham, meanwhile, finished with three points on just 1 of 2 shooting, but was also on the receiving end of one of the nastiest elbows this side of the Mississippi.

Naturally, Sophie was then called for a foul, sending social media into a frenzy:

Sophie Cunningham refuses to bend the knee

Amazing. What a scene. What a sport.

Look, I don't know whether it was a foul or not. I have no clue. If you want the Xs and Os of the game, go check out ESPN — assuming they're done gushing over the Lynx coach.

Optically, though, this is such a bad look for the league. A bad look, but not a surprising one. This league can't get out of its own way, as we've documented this entire summer.

Remember when Caitlin Clark was thrown to the ground like a rag-doll last month and there was no foul called? That's what started this PR nightmare for the WNBA.

Since then, it's been all downhill. The Clark fallout. The predictable narrative shift to racism. And now, everything's been on fire since Cunningham told ESPN a few weeks ago that men don't belong in women's sports.

That reignited the culture war for both sides, and it's been off to the races ever since. We've got protests outside the arena. Booing inside the arena. OutKick questions being cut off after the game because the WNBA is scared to answer them.

It's just chaos.

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Credit to Sophie, though. She's clearly not backing down or bending the knee.

We'll see where this week takes us.

FIFA denies Infantino is seeking Trump administration help as pressure mounts over his leadership

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:14:03 -0400

FIFA is pushing back on a New York Post report claiming President Gianni Infantino is turning to the Trump administration for help as he fights to save his job.

A FIFA source told OutKick there is no call scheduled between Infantino and Secretary of State Marco Rubio — or any other member of President Donald Trump’s Cabinet — either Monday or at any other time.

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The source said the Post’s report that such a conversation had been arranged was erroneous.

The New York Post reported Monday that Infantino was scheduled to speak privately with Rubio amid growing pressure over his failed attempt to sell a portion of FIFA’s commercial business to private investors.

According to the Post, the stated purpose of the conversation was to discuss how soccer could serve as a form of American "soft power." However, one source characterized it as an effort by Infantino to secure support for his position.

"He wanted to get online with the secretary and talk about how soccer can be a form of soft power for America," the source told the Post. "But we all know that it is about job protection. It is not about anything else at this point."

The report also claimed Infantino had repeatedly attempted to reach Trump since the controversial proposal collapsed Friday and was seeking prominent "allies" willing to publicly defend him.

FIFA’s source specifically denied that a call with Rubio or another Trump Cabinet official was scheduled. FIFA did not provide an on-the-record statement addressing the Post’s separate claim that Infantino had attempted to contact Trump.

Infantino and Trump have developed a friendship, particularly during this summer’s World Cup in the United States. But Infantino’s current problems center on a proposed company called FIFA Forward Enterprise.

EUROPEAN SOCCER'S GOVERNING BODY FLIPS SPORT UPSIDE DOWN WITH BOYCOTT OF FIFA, FUTURE WORLD CUPS

The new operation would have taken control of FIFA’s broadcasting, sponsorship, licensing and ticketing business.

Thrive Capital, the private equity firm founded by Josh Kushner — the younger brother of Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner — would have purchased a 20% stake for a little more than $4 billion.

Put simply, Infantino wanted to sell private investors a portion of the business responsible for generating much of FIFA’s money.

The proposal reportedly caught several top FIFA officials and national soccer federations by surprise, with many claiming they first learned about it through media reports.

FIFA Chief Operating Officer Kevin Lamour said he felt "deceived" and described the proposal as the work of one man.

The backlash was swift.

UEFA’s 55 European member associations agreed to boycott FIFA competitions while the proposal remained active. The Asian Football Confederation and Concacaf also opposed the plan. UEFA has threatened legal action and instructed FIFA officials to preserve documents and electronic communications connected to it.

Infantino eventually abandoned the proposal Friday, but that has not stopped the revolt against his leadership.

Wales became the first national federation to officially withdraw its support for Infantino’s re-election, citing failures involving governance, leadership, communication and judgment. England has also reportedly withdrawn its backing, while UEFA said Infantino has lost the confidence of world soccer and that "no option should be off the table."

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Infantino appeared nearly certain to win another term only weeks ago after reportedly securing pledges from roughly 200 of FIFA’s 211 member federations. He still has significant support in Africa and parts of Asia.

But as opposition continues to build, FIFA says no rescue call with Rubio or another Trump Cabinet official is on the calendar.

Trump can declare Iran victory now and withdraw troops, former counterterror official argues

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:11:57 -0400

Former National Counterterrorism Center Director Joe Kent is continuing to advocate for President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from the Middle East.

"President Trump again called off strikes on Iran—this is a good decision. It is clear that he wants out of this war, for all the obvious reasons. It is also clear that Iran will not simply return the SOH [Strait of Hormuz] to how it was before the war. We need to accept that we can’t use military force to open the SOH (we’ve tried that) without a catastrophic escalation into a bloody, years-long war," Kent wrote.

"Now is the time for President Trump to pull our troops out of the region. He can declare victory (reiterate the previously stated goal—no nukes—was met) & quietly use the carrot of sanctions relief to open the SOH once our troops are out of harm’s way. If we stay, we risk accelerating an escalation/retaliation cycle we can’t control," he added.

EX-COUNTERTERRORISM OFFICIAL JOE KENT CONTINUES CALLING FOR US MILITARY WITHDRAWAL FROM MIDDLE EAST

Kent cited his opposition to the Iran war when he resigned from the National Counterterrorism Center director role earlier this year.

Fox News Digital reached out to request comment from the White House early on Monday morning.

President Donald Trump indicated in a Saturday night Truth Social post that the U.S. was going to hold off on launching new attacks against Iran.

TRUMP SAYS IRAN DEAL 'IMMINENT'; PLANNED STRIKE WOULD'VE BEEN LARGEST SINCE WORLD WAR II

"The U.S.A. is locked and loaded and ready to go against the Islamic Republic of Iran, at levels of Military Terror, Strength, and Power not seen since World War II. Despite this, we have just been asked by Iran, and other Middle Eastern Countries, to hold off any attack in that the perimeters of a deal has been agreed to. This would include the Immediate, Complete, and Total OPENING OF THE HORMUZ STRAIT, and an end to Iran’s nuclear threat," Trump wrote.

"Based on this request, I have agreed, for the future benefit of the WORLD and, likewise, the survival of a successful and prosperous Iran, to cancel the attack, subject to being able to rapidly make a DEAL. The Country of Israel joins me in this commitment. Get to work, everybody, and get it DONE. Thank you for your attention to this matter!" he added.

Iran's semi-official Mehr News Agency pushed back against the notion that Iran requested America refrain from additional attacks, calling Trump's claims, "nothing but a new lie," the BBC reported.

NPR reported that Mehr described the U.S. president's assertions as "simply a new lie," citing unnamed Iranian military figures.

IRAN'S WAR ON AMERICANS BEGAN DECADES AGO. THESE FAMILIES STILL CARRY THE SCARS

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While speaking to the press aboard Air Force One on Sunday, Trump, referring to negotiations, said, "It begins tomorrow afternoon."

'Lioness' star Jill Wagner chose Tennessee farm life to raise her family

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:00:26 -0400

"Lioness" star Jill Wagner's decision to put roots down in Tennessee was an easy choice given her background.

During an interview with Fox News Digital, Wagner explained that she's from North Carolina and wanted to be close to her family.

"We looked in and around North Carolina – couldn't find anything. So, Tennessee – found a piece of property in Tennessee. I wanted to get married, and I wanted to have my babies in a place that I thought was magical and, since I was born and raised in the country, that was my idea of what was magical. So, we live there," Wagner said.

During the interview, Wagner was joined by her "Lioness" co-star, Laysla De Oliveira. In Taylor Sheridan's series, the two actresses play key members of the CIA's elite operations. Season three of "Lioness" premiered on Aug. 2 on Paramount+.

Wagner plays Bobby, the tough, highly skilled leader of the Lioness program's Quick Reaction Force (QRF), while De Oliveira plays Cruz Manuelos, a former Force Recon Marine turned Delta Force operator.

Aside from Wagner and De Oliveira, "Lioness" stars Nicole Kidman, Zoe Saldaña, Morgan Freeman and Michael Kelly.

'RANSOM CANYON' STAR JOSH DUHAMEL SAYS HE'D RATHER PUT MONEY INTO NORTH DAKOTA AFTER SELLING LOS ANGELES HOME

Wagner has built a close-knit family life with her husband, David Lemanowicz, a former professional hockey player and U.S. Army Reserve officer, whom she married in 2017.

The couple shares two daughters, Army Gray, born in 2020, and Daisy Roberta, born in 2021, and they also help raise Lemanowicz's daughter from a previous relationship.

WATCH: 'Lioness' star Jill Wagner chose Tennessee farm life to raise her family

Speaking to Fox News Digital ahead of the "Lioness" season three premiere, Wagner explained what a typical day looks like on her Tennessee farm.

"My typical day on the farm is I'm out on my front porch in the morning at 6:30, and then I go to my flowers, and then I listen to my husband complain about the tractor being broken and the fence falling down, and the barn roof flew off last night, and then we just repair everything that's been broken," she said.

‘SOPRANOS’ STAR JAMIE-LYNN SIGLER FLED HOLLYWOOD FOR TEXAS WHERE SHE NO LONGER FEELS ‘WATCHED’

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"That is my typical day," Wagner added with a laugh.

Without spoiling the upcoming season, De Oliveira told Fox News Digital what sets the third season apart from the rest.

WATCH: Laysla De Oliveira and Jill Wagner talk 'Lioness' season three

"It's a mission that's more personal there than ever. There's a lot of individual agendas, ethical lines being blurred and definitely a look on modern warfare," De Oliveira said.

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Wagner added, "She said it all, literally."

"Lioness" season three premiered Aug. 2 on Paramount+.

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Mamdani’s city grocery plan could leave taxpayers paying for every banana

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 09:00:04 -0400

Thirty-five years after the Soviet Union collapsed, the Communist bread line is poised for a comeback in the Big Apple, as Mayor Zohran Mamdani announces his government grocery stores will be undercutting real groceries by 30%. Not to worry, socialism will work this time.

The announcement came during a press conference on July 27, where Comrade Mamdani promised 30% discounts for "essential" products at his new city-run grocery stores. The problem, of course, is grocery stores are in a razor-thin industry, sporting profit margins of roughly 2%. And that's with competent management, which New York City government is decidedly not famous for.

That means even if the socialists somehow manage to run a grocery as efficiently as Aldi, Walmart or Gristedes, the city will be losing an ungodly amount of money — at least 28 cents on the dollar. Since New York’s best and brightest in government will be far less efficient than the private sector, the losses, predictably, will be even higher.

EXPERTS SCORCH MAMDANI'S GROCERY PLAN AS AN 'ILLUSION' THAT WILL HAVE TAXPAYERS FOOTING THE BILL

Of course, operating in the red for a government establishment means taxpayers get stuck with the tab. The losses of Comrade Mamdani’s state-run enterprises will be covered by New Yorkers’ tax dollars — derived from tax rates that are already among the nation’s highest.

And that's where the fun begins. If city groceries were genuinely selling food 30% cheaper, that would rob enough market share from real grocery stores that they would start going out of business. After all, private stores must pay rent, property taxes, insurance, labor, utilities, security and New York’s regulatory army.

Conversely, Mamdani’s stores get city property tax exemptions, and apparently an unlimited allowance from dad who's willing to lose 28 cents on the dollar. Marginal supermarkets will close while others will cancel plans to open.

And what stops anyone from buying deeply discounted groceries for resale? After all, 30% off is cheaper than wholesale. Will Mamdani then prohibit purchases by grocers? Good luck telling who’s who in the checkout line since asking for ID is racist in New York.

NY GOVERNOR HOPEFUL VOWS SHOWDOWN WITH MAMDANI OVER SOCIALIST AGENDA: ‘I WILL STOP HIM’

Then we enter Act Three: What happens when taxpayers get tired of the money pit? Every time New York has seized an industry, it turned into a money loser. New York's city-run transit system — MTA — replaced private-sector alternatives that used to be profitable with a government-run system that loses $11.7 billion a year — roughly $3,000 per household in New York City. That’s how much the government has to subsidize the MTA to keep it running.

If city groceries approach that number, there will inevitably be calls for subsidy cuts. Given the mandate to keep groceries cheap combined with the costs of government efficiency, that means the groceries will have to cut back on quality. No longer a giant money pit, they’ll become slightly smaller money pits full of rotting food.

When the smoke clears, New Yorkers get a couple years of cheap bananas, tens of millions of dollars in new debt and real companies fleeing, so residents have to take two trains and a bus to get to a real grocery store.

In fact, this is exactly what's happened in dozens of government grocery experiments across the country, from Kansas City — which lost $18 million on a grocery that sold rotting food — to Chicago — which blew $26 million running seven stores into the ground. But socialism will work this time if Comrade Mamdani smiles hard enough.

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Instead of recreating Soviet breadlines on the taxpayer dime, Mamdani should sit down with functioning grocery stores and ask how he can help them expand. For example, reducing property taxes, permitting costs and construction costs.

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He could relax parking rules and stop converting every curb into a dedicated bus lane. Disused public space could be leased at a discount to real grocery stores. Enact zoning reform so groceries don't wait years in limbo for the ministry of red tape to green-light a location. Perhaps Mamdani could even try arresting shoplifters occasionally.

The hallmark of socialism is it breaks things, then uses the detritus as an excuse to break more things. New York already has a distinct absence of proper grocery stores thanks to dysfunctional local government. Handing that bureaucracy the entire food supply will turn an annoyance into a crisis.

E.J. Antoni, Ph.D., is chief economist and the Richard F. Aster fellow at the Heritage Foundation and a senior fellow at Unleash Prosperity.

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Charlotte repeat offender charged with killing man hours after release on bond

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:31:26 -0400

A convicted killer allegedly shot two men, killing one, less than two hours after he was released from a North Carolina jail on bond last week, a stunning timeline that is raising fresh questions about why the repeat violent offender was free in the first place.

David Simpson, 29, is charged with first-degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, and possession of a firearm by a felon in the July 29 shooting at an east Charlotte apartment complex. A Mecklenburg County judge on Friday ordered that he be held without bond.

Court records obtained by WCNC show Simpson was released from the Mecklenburg County Jail at 12:20 a.m. after posting a $10,000 bond on an unrelated charge of possession of a weapon by a prisoner. Police said the shooting happened less than two hours later, around 1:45 a.m., leaving one man dead and another seriously wounded.

HOUSE DEMOCRAT BLASTED AFTER EARLY RELEASE LAW FREED INMATES LATER CHARGED WITH MURDER

Police said the shooting followed a long-running dispute over a parking space outside the apartment complex. Officers had already been called to the property twice that night after arguments broke out between the victims and residents over where they had parked.

Surveillance video cited in the documents appears to show Simpson outside with his girlfriend when the victims' SUV drove past. Detectives said Simpson went inside, returned carrying what they described as a weighted black bag, and ran toward the victims.

About 10 minutes later, two gunshots can be heard on the video. Roughly 30 seconds after that, Simpson is seen jogging back toward his apartment while handling the bag before driving away, investigators said. Officers recovered two spent 7.62-caliber rifle casings at the scene.

CRAZY BRAWL OVER A PARKING SPOT IN NEW YORK INCLUDES A VICIOUS SKATEBOARD TO THE HEAD

One victim died at the scene. The second made it inside an apartment before collapsing and later underwent surgery.

Court records show Simpson was previously charged with first-degree murder in a 2013 fatal shooting but pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter in 2015, Queen City News reported. He served about five years in prison before being released on parole in 2020.

Since then, he has been arrested several more times, including on multiple charges of possession of a firearm by a felon, WBTV reported.

DEMOCRATIC BOSTON COUNCILOR RIPS 'SOFT-ON-CRIME' POLICIES AFTER SUSPECTED GUNMAN'S VIOLENT PAST REVEALED

He also had pending charges this year for possession of a firearm by a felon, resisting a public officer and misdemeanor larceny, WCNC reported, citing court records.

Charlotte defense attorney Tim Cannady, who is not involved in the case, questioned why Simpson remained free despite his history.

"If you look at his history, it seems like this gentleman has picked up just about every year up to this point some kind of a violent crime," Cannady told WCNC. "So you kind of have to ask the question: Why wasn't he already in jail?"

Former Charlotte City Council member Tariq Bokhari offered a similar criticism.

"We know what these top 1% of repeat offenders are going to do, and for some reason, we just don't have the appetite to take action," Bokhari told WBTV. "It feels like 'Groundhog Day,' to be quite honest."

Simpson refused to leave his jail cell for his first scheduled court appearance Friday morning, delaying the hearing until a judge ordered him to appear later that afternoon.

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His girlfriend, Shakema Scott, has also been charged with accessory after the fact.

Simpson is due back in court on Aug. 21.

NASCAR fans rip social media post for obvious reason, Jeff Gordon's biggest regret & race wife hits the beach

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:28:58 -0400

Monday Morning Pit-Stop is a weekly NASCAR column that runs on OutKick.com and Fox News Digital. If you're looking for a normal NASCAR recap, go check out insufferable ESPN ... assuming they still know NASCAR exists.

First Monday of August and we don't even have a NASCAR race to complain about today. What are we supposed to do now?

Feels weird, doesn't it? The NASCAR Cup Series season is the longest in all of sports, with — by far — the fewest down time. The fellas get two(ish) off weeks a season, give or take, and that's about it from February through October.

So when the series is off, it's a bit of a shock to the system. It just doesn't happen. Hand up, I actually forgot it was an off week yesterday afternoon and started reflexively looking for the race at around 3 p.m.

I couldn't take anymore of the trans talk from the WNBA, and I needed something to put on while I yanked weeds from the back deck.

NASCAR SENDS LOUD MESSAGE TO AMERICA-HATING LOSERS, BLACK DRIVER'S CONTROVERSIAL PAINT SCHEME & DRUNK JIMMIE!

Crickets. Nothing. Dead air.

You never know what you have have till it's gone.

Anyway, this award-winning (allegedly) column doesn't take weeks off, so we're here, ready to turn the page toward the rest of the season. Daytona is just a few weeks away, you know.

How should we fill the space? How about this social media post from NASCAR that absolutely blew up the internet over the weekend? Fans were quick to call them out, and I don't blame them.

What else? I've got Jeff Gordon giving us a rare insight into his relationship with the late, great Dale Earnhardt, Samantha Busch reminiscing on some early days with Kyle, and McCall Gaulding spending the off week in Costa Rica.

Sound good? Good!

Four tires, enough fuel to get us to Iowa, and maybe a few more off weeks for the fellas throughout the year, because two(ish) ain't enough ... Monday Morning Pit-Stop — the 'NASCAR Finally Goes Viral, But The Double Standard Is Glaring' edition — is LIVE!

NASCAR post goes viral, but there's an obvious issue

There it is! That's the post that set the internet ablaze this weekend.

Good for NASCAR for being part of the news cycle on an off weekend, though. Credit where it's due. Bad PR is still PR.

Just ask the WNBA.

That above moment is from a decade ago (time flies!), when Cole Custer sprinted across the track and attacked John Hunter Nemechek after the two wrecked each other at the finish. I can't believe it's been 10 years since that moment.

I'm tell you, folks, you blink and a decade has passed. Lordy.

Anyway, it was an iconic moment in NASCAR history (not really), and, for some reason, the interns who run the main account posted it Friday. Naturally, it went mega-viral to the tune of nearly 6 million views, with big-time personalities such as Pat McAfee even reposting it:

Again, PR is PR, and when you get Pat McAfee to repost a 10-year-old truck race on a random Saturday in August, you're doing something right.

That being said, hardcore fans were QUICK to point out the double standard by NASCAR — and it's one that I've pointed out for years.

NASCAR routinely promotes this stuff on its social media accounts. Remember the infamous Kyle Busch-Ricky Stenhouse Jr. fight a few years back? The social media team(s) gobbled that up ... for days! They milked it for all it was worth.

At the same time, though, the sanctioning body will also A) fine drivers for this behavior, B) dock them points, C) sometimes suspend them, and D) discourage it entirely on the track.

You can't have your cake and eat it, too!

Jeff Gordon's biggest regret with Dale Earnhardt

I could go on and on. Seriously, NASCAR fans are nothing if not consistent in their bitching and moaning.

Look, I get it. It seems odd to promote this stuff off the track, but actively discourage it on the track and after races. That being said, the social media team and the actual folks who run the sport are in two very separate buildings. Hell, I'm on even sure they're on the same property!

Two different bottom lines, and two very different goals. I see it here at OutKick all the time. The social team's job is to create content, and clicks, and engagement. They don't care about the Xs and Os of stuff and how the sausage is made. They care about the impressions.

That being said, I also think NASCAR should just let this stuff happen and leave it alone. Let the boys police themselves — on and off the track.

When was the last time a NASCAR social media post got 6 million pageviews? Probably something to consider.

OK, let's move this class along ...

Speaking of the good old days of NASCAR — when men were MEN! — let's check in with Jeff Gordon and ... Dale Earnhardt?

Samantha Busch, Indy & McCall

"If I had time with him again before we lost him, what would I have said to him? What would I have asked him?" Gordon said last week on the 'Bussin With The Boys' podcast.

"I definitely would've said, 'Hey, '95 when we were going for the championship, how much of that was just total bulls–t? It was getting under my skin. I would do an interview, and they go, 'We were just talking to Dale, and Dale said Rainbow Warrior, Wonder Boy, and all these nicknames he had for me.

"'He can't win the championship, what are they going to do, serve milk at the championship? I didn't want to get involved in that. And I kinda wish I had a little bit more, because I do think he was doing it because he knew it was working.

"Not just to get under my skin, but it was working for the media, it was working for NASCAR, and the growth and the fans.

"I think that's what I'd love to know is, how much of that was manufactured?"

Dale, by the way, would've probably loved NASCAR's post from over the weekend. Like Jeff said, Dale knew what he was doing. He knew what worked, and what played on TV, and what lit fires. He knew how to get eyeballs to the screen, and, more importantly, how to keep 'em there.

The Dale Earnhardt-Jeff Gordon rivalry from the late 1990s was peak NASCAR, in my opinion. That's when the sport was exploding. When it was bigger than the NFL, if you believe that.

And yes, Jeff should've engaged a little more. Duh. Always engage, folks.

Hope every driver in the garage reads that today.

OK, two more quickies on the way out. First? Samantha Busch has been slowly returning to social media since Kyle's death two months ago (goodness), and it's a gut-punch of a post every single time.

After last week's race at Indy, Samantha revealed that's where her and Kyle first met nearly 20 years ago:

"These photos were taken later that year in 2007, and looking at them now, I see two kids completely caught up in the excitement of falling in love, with absolutely no idea what was ahead of us," she wrote. "We grew up together. We built a life together. Through every season, every challenge, and every dream, we just kept choosing each other.

"I look at these pictures and wish I could tell that 21-year-old girl to soak up every single second. She never could have imagined how beautiful our life would become, or that one day she’d be wishing for just one more day with you."

Goodness gracious. Like I said, just a punch straight to the gut. I can't believe it's been two months. Wonder what Kyle would've thought of NASCAR's post over the weekend?

OK, that's it for today. Good work, everyone. We made it through the final NASCAR off week of 2026.

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Zane Smith's wife, McCall Gaulding, checks in from Costa Rica, and takes us home.

See you at Iowa.

Once-hidden coastal town facing disruption as social media influencers transform local life

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:00:30 -0400

A battle is brewing on a tiny luxury island 30 miles off the coast of Massachusetts, according to many reports.

Gorgeous scenes of Nantucket have been nearly impossible to miss lately on TikTok and Instagram, with images of weathered-gray cottages, colorful hydrangeas and pristine beaches populating social media platforms.

Yet the island has seen tourism explode, according to some residents and longtime visitors — and locals say they've become inundated by visitors, crowds and noise.

WEALTHY SUMMER SANCTUARY LIMITS TOURISTS, HIRES PATROL 'DOCENTS' TO KEEP OUTSIDERS IN CHECK

"[Nantucket] has become something it wasn't before," a 23-year-old lifetime Nantucket resident, who asked for anonymity, told Fox News Digital. "It was kind of like a rustic New England vacation spot, and it's been changing for the last 20 years."

The person added, "It's transforming into something that [residents] don't recognize, and it makes them very upset."

With no bridge to the island, visitors cannot drive or take a train. Nantucket is accessible exclusively by air and sea, requiring travelers to arrive by ferry or plane, per the Town of Nantucket.

For decades, that lack of accessibility kept crowds in check.

DEADLY BACTERIA FOUND IN WATERS NEAR LUXURY VACATION DESTINATION AHEAD OF SUMMER

"You either have to fly or take the ferry," J.Q. Louise, a Boston-based travel influencer who has visited Nantucket several times, told Fox News Digital.

"I think that's what's kept it exclusive for so many years," she said.

That appears to be changing, as the island typically draws an estimated 2 million visitors annually, according to the Nantucket Current.

Recent complaints about influencers reached a fever pitch when a longtime shop owner hung a sign saying, "No Influencers."

Store owner John Sylvia posted the sign at Four Winds Craft Guild, his Nantucket antiques and artisan shop.

MAJOR CITY LAUNCHES HARSH TOURIST CRACKDOWN AS LOCALS REVOLT OVER MASSIVE CROWDS

"I feel sometimes my store is used as someone’s background, a stage," Sylvia told The New York Times.

"I don't have this hatred toward influencers," he clarified. "It was more of a joke. It is a problem we should look at as a society."

Sylvia's partner, Jessica Jenkins, told the outlet she feels deluged by "people creating videos on corners of themselves sipping an iced coffee and looking over their shoulder and doing a shoe kick or whatever."

Fox News Digital reached out to Four Winds Craft Guild for further comment.

FAMOUS BEACH NOW REQUIRES VISITORS TO RESERVE SPOTS WEEKS AHEAD AND PAY FEES

Content creators such as Paige Lorenze are defending themselves.

"If you call yourself a feminist but proudly put up a 'No Influencers' sign, it’s worth asking who you are attempting to delegitimize, and why," Lorenze, who owns a boutique near Four Winds Craft Guild, commented on a now-deleted Instagram post.

"I have no issue with [John Sylvia's] shop, and I hope people keep walking in and supporting island craftspeople," Lorenze told The Cut.

"I just think Nantucket’s story is more generous than that sign."

Fox News Digital reached out to Paige Lorenze for further comment.

In the spring, the Siasconset Civic Association, a nonprofit community advocacy organization, proposed recommendations to curb overcrowding. The Nantucket Select Board designated specific visiting hours on the footpath for July and August.

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"Bluff docents" — called rangers in an earlier version of the proposal — were approved to keep an eye on activity, according to Nantucket Current.

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The Sconset Civic Association also proposed turnstiles or gates at entrances, but those weren't approved.

A Reddit post on the Nantucket debate generated hundreds of comments.

"My family has a house there, and trust me when I say the entire island has no need for influencers or to go viral," a Reddit user said.

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The "island gets so crowded during the summer that even cottage industries have popped up to handle the crowds," the commenter added.

A Connecticut resident who has spent summers in Sconset for 38 years also said the island feels different.

"The crowds are flashy, but they have more to spend," the person, who asked to remain anonymous, told Fox News Digital.

J.Q. Louise believes the tiny size of the island — it's about 14 miles long and 3.5 miles wide — magnifies the problem.

"It kind of felt like a hidden gem, and it definitely isn't hidden anymore," she said.

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Fox News Digital reached out to the town of Nantucket, Siasconset Civic Association and Nantucket Island Chamber of Commerce for comment.

Ashley J. DiMella and Jessica Mekles of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

Boy George stands firm with pro-Israel song as faith guides him through record label split and West End exit

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:19:54 -0400

Boy George split from his record label and dropped out of the London production of "Jesus Christ Superstar" just days after the release of his AI-generated, pro-Israel anthem, "We Will Dance Again."

George, 65, credited his faith for keeping him strong and claimed he was advised to "pipe down" as backlash mounted against the singer for releasing the reggae song defending Israel's military action.

"In Buddhism we understand that every action comes with a consequence," George posted on X. "Due to my decision to stand up for my Jewish friends I am losing a few people from my life."

RAPPER FACES $2.8M LAWSUIT AFTER AXING OPENING ACT FROM TOUR FOLLOWING HER POLITICAL RANT

"Today I parted company with Tony Pontius who has run my record label BGP for a number of years," he continued. "I wanted to release 'We Will Dance Again' but he was unequivocal and said 'I want nothing to do with this song' and I responded 'ok, we are done'.

"When someone is gutless it really does not hurt to say goodbye. My faith in humanity will not diminish, and the truth will always win. I will release it!"

Representatives did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.

WHITE HOUSE TURNS HIT SONG AGAINST NOAH KAHAN AFTER SINGER FUMES OVER TRUMP MANUFACTURING POST

Last week, George released a three-minute clip which was captioned "#Shalom," and has since amassed more than 5 million views on X.

The song, which is currently unavailable on streaming services, includes the lyrics: "You say genocide, I say war / When you’re attacked that’s what the army’s for," and "You condemn, with selective memory/ Musicians holding flags, mouthing like sheep/Propaganda fueled by the Internet feels so weak."

His management confirmed Thursday that George also dropped out of the West End production last week, where he was set to play King Herod over and was scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 3.

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"After careful consideration, I have decided, in my capacity as Boy George’s manager, that he will no longer be appearing in Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium," Paul Kemsley shared Thursday on Instagram.

"The decision has been made with the utmost respect for the producers, the creative team and the entire company. We are grateful for the professionalism and understanding they have shown throughout and sincerely wish everyone involved every success with the production."

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Kemsley offered fans who purchased tickets their "sincere apologies for the disappointment this decision may cause, and we are deeply grateful for their continued loyalty and support."

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"George has never been afraid to stand by his personal convictions, and I have always respected him for that," Kemsley noted. "Equally, I believe it is my responsibility to make decisions that are in the best interests of my artist while also showing respect to others."

He added, "In this instance, I felt it was right to step aside, allowing the production to remain the focus, while ensuring everyone involved can move forward with mutual respect and goodwill."

Top Trump ally warns super PAC bankrolled by Dem billionaire is meddling in his GOP primary

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:00:19 -0400

A clean energy super PAC bankrolled by a left-wing billionaire is pouring millions into an effort to unseat Rep. Andy Ogles, R-Tenn., as he wages a bid for re-election in Tennessee’s 5th Congressional District.

The Invest in Tomorrow Coalition super PAC had spent roughly $1.3 million on opposing Ogles and supporting his Republican challenger, Charlie Hatcher, Tennessee’s former commissioner of agriculture, and recently bought another $700,000 worth of ads.

The group has raised $6.7 million this year, making Ogles a sizable portion of their spending this cycle. A Fox News Digital review of FEC filings discovered that the super PAC is bankrolled by Chris Larsen, the California-based billionaire chairman of Ripple, which is described on its website as the "leading financial technology company that offers crypto solutions for businesses."

Larsen has donated $6 million to the super PAC since Feb. 2026. His latest $5 million donation to Invest in Tomorrow Coalition PAC is his second-largest single donation after donating $5,444,975 to Future Forward PAC in 2024 to support Kamala Harris's failed presidential campaign.

TRUMP-BACKED FIREBRAND WINS ARIZONA GOP GOVERNOR PRIMARY, SETTING UP HIGH-STAKES SHOWDOWN

Larsen has also donated over $1 million to the Jane Fonda Climate PAC, over $1 million between the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC) and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) and over $300,000 supporting Rep. Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., among other six-figure donations to top Democratic campaigns and PACs.

The way that Ogles sees it, it’s an attempt to show Republicans what happens when lawmakers attempt to scale back government investments in renewable energy sources.

"When you have a group spending roughly $2 million in a Republican primary, that tells you how much money they're making off of government subsidies, and they're upset that the government welfare has been taken away from them," Ogles told Fox News Digital in an interview.

Larsen, who is an angel investor and climate philanthropist, is making "climate change his top priority," according to an online bio.

"He founded the Larsen Lam Climate Change Foundation (since renamed as the Clean Break Fund) in 2021 to guide his climate philanthropy, and is an active early investor in numerous climate tech companies, as well as several prominent climate funds," the bio continues. "His philanthropic priorities include the climate-driven home insurance crisis, making climate change a bipartisan issue once again, and carbon dioxide removal, among many other projects."

Ogles, a member of the fiscally minded House Freedom Caucus, has been one of the most outspoken Republicans calling for a reversal of energy initiatives passed under President Joe Biden. Among them, Ogles has argued against clean energy subsidies in Biden’s Infrastructure and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act.

But more than that, Ogles thinks it’s his proximity to Trump that has made him a target.

"It's because I'm close to the president. It is because I am outspoken. And quite frankly, it is because I speak plainly on these issues," Ogles said.

Trump, who has endorsed Ogles, reaffirmed his support for the conservative firebrand ahead of the primary.

"Andy will be really enshrined as one of the best congressmen that you’ll ever see. He’s just fantastic," Trump said. "Andy has always been there when we needed him and when I needed him. He’s been a great help. He’s been a source of inspiration to a lot of people in Congress."

Figures who have donated to Invest in Tomorrow framed energy policy as an issue with electoral consequences, hinting that Ogles is on the wrong side of the issue.

TRUMP'S AMBITIOUS ENERGY BET COULD BE A WINNING HAND AS THE WORLD BURNS MORE OIL, GAS THAN EVER

"Our campaign is here to show that politicians who oppose clean energy do so at their own political peril. Andy Ogles is next," Tom Matzzie, the PAC’s executive chairman, said in a statement to Axios.

Matzzie is also CEO of a solar energy company, CleanChoice Energy.

When asked about the comment, Ogles said he doesn’t think his views are at odds with the way voters see energy and has characterized the opposition spending as an attempt to buy a seat energy groups can control.

"If trying to build an energy sector that is self-reliant, because it's a national security issue, makes me an extremist, then so be it."

Ogles said he stands by his all-of-the-above energy stance. In his view, it’s not the government’s job to pick winners and losers in the energy market — especially in light of the country’s overspending challenges.

"I'm not against solar. We have a farm. I've got a big shop. You know, I've contemplated putting solar on my shop to help to run my farm. But I don't want a government subsidy to make it work. I don't need a government subsidy to pay for it," Ogles said.

DEM SUPPORTED 'GREEN NEW DEAL' AFTER RECEIVING NEARLY $60K FROM ENERGY GROUPS, NOW WANTS CONGRESSIONAL SEAT

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"Look, at the end of the day, you know, I voted for conservative policies and that's what America wants right now. We're barreling towards $40 trillion in debt," he added.

The Tennessee primary will take place on Thursday, Aug. 6.

Idaho In-N-Out Burger shooting motive still a mystery as armed citizen speaks out

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:02:30 -0400

Police are still working to determine why a 24-year-old gunman opened fire at a crowded In-N-Out Burger in Twin Falls, Idaho, killing three people and wounding seven others before taking his own life after taking fire from a bystander and an off-duty Idaho state trooper.

Twin Falls Police Chief Matthew Hicks said Sunday that investigators were confident Chad Williams acted alone in Saturday's attack, but detectives had not yet established a motive or fully traced his movements before the shooting.

"We believe their actions helped drive the suspect away from the scene, preventing further casualties," Hicks said of an armed citizen and officer who returned fire. "We want to take a moment and commend the actions of the off-duty officer and the citizen, and their heroic action to stop this incident."

Police have not publicly identified the trooper or the bystander, but the Idaho Statesman detailed the heroics of Jordan Salinas, 35, of Kimberly, Idaho, strapped by the shoulder with a FN Five-seveN semi-automatic pistol fitted with a suppressor.

OFF-DUTY TROOPER AND ARMED CITIZEN HAILED AS HEROES AFTER RETURNING FIRE ON IN-N-OUT GUNMAN

Salinas, a reported "healthcare worker, the full-time caregiver of his wheelchair-bound brother," told the paper he took up gun training after a 2021 shooting – never even aiming a gun at an animal – saying he was able to "observe," "orient" and "decide" that "OK, this is the guy," he said before being resolute to "act."

The gunman, he said, was shocked by the armed response.

"He did not like it when bullets started firing both ways," Salinas, whose girlfriend at the restaurant was stuck in Williams fire, told the Statesman, adding he felt "no fear."

"There’s a task that needs to be done, and we’re the ones who need to do it," he added, only standing down when he said police took over the scene, thinking, "OK, my part is done."

The shooter was found dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound near the restaurant, according to police.

MULTIPLE PEOPLE KILLED IN SHOOTING AT IDAHO IN-N-OUT RESTAURANT, SUSPECT DEAD

"These people are true heroes in our community," Twin Falls County Sheriff Jack Johnson said. "They diverted the shooter and without a doubt saved many lives."

Hicks said Williams' family was cooperating with authorities. Detectives were examining his activities before the shooting and trying to determine whether any victims had been deliberately targeted.

Authorities said seven people were injured. Two remained in critical condition Sunday, three were listed as stable and two had been treated and released from a hospital.

Officials said both fired at Williams during what authorities described as a chaotic and fast-moving attack, diverting his attention from the restaurant as customers and employees fled.

IN-N-OUT PRESIDENT SAYS ‘HEART IS BROKEN’ AFTER EMPLOYEE, CUSTOMERS KILLED IN IDAHO SHOOTING

Witness Lane Koehn, 34, said he was stopped at a traffic light near the restaurant when he saw a man carrying an AR-style rifle emerge from the drive-thru. Another man armed with a handgun then began firing at the shooter, Koehn told The Associated Press.

Koehn said he later saw an In-N-Out employee drag a wounded co-worker across the parking lot. The injured worker had been shot in the chest, he said.

"She was pretty bad off, but I don’t know. I hope she made it," Koehn said.

One of the three people killed was an In-N-Out employee, company owner Lynsi Snyder confirmed in a statement. Officials had not released the victims’ identities as they worked to notify relatives.

"My heart is broken, my chest is heavy, my eyes burn from the tears I’ve shed," Snyder said. "We lost one of our beautiful associates tonight."

"In-N-Out will be mourning with the families and praying for them as they tread through a very painful season."

Snyder said the employee had been caring for customers when she was killed. The company was working with police and offering support to victims, employees and their families.

The shooting erupted Saturday afternoon at the recently opened restaurant in a busy commercial area where hundreds of shoppers, diners and employees were believed to have been present.

Twin Falls resident Haley Dodaro said she and her mother were waiting in the drive-thru when they saw workers running from the restaurant and people fleeing across the road.

"At first," Dodaro said, she thought there might have been a fire. A person directing traffic then warned them that there was an active shooter.

"People were running out crying and screaming," she said. "It was very scary."

Nayeli Rodriguez, who was inside the restaurant with her daughters, said an employee told customers to get down after gunfire was heard near the kitchen. An older man tried to shield Rodriguez and her children before they escaped.

"We were trying to get as far as we could, and some angels let us in their car," Rodriguez said.

A local taxi company said one of its drivers, Terry Dudley, was shot twice in the back while charging his Tesla near the restaurant. North Star Taxi said Dudley survived but faced "a very long road ahead."

Salinas posted a humble Facebook message urging focus on "victims, their families, and everyone affected."

"The last 24 hours have been overwhelming," the message posted late Sunday night read. "I want to sincerely thank my family, friends, and everyone who has reached out with messages, prayers, and support. I haven't been able to respond to everyone yet, but please know I've seen your messages, and they mean more to me than I can put into words.

"In the coming days, I'll share a more complete account of what happened, to the best of my recollection, when I'm able.

"For now, my heart remains with the victims, their families, and everyone affected by yesterday's tragedy. Thank you for continuing to keep them in your thoughts and prayers, and thank you all for the incredible support you've shown me and my family."

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The FBI asked members of the public to submit photographs and video recorded during the attack. Twin Falls police also urged anyone who witnessed the shooting or had relevant information to contact investigators.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Jadeveon Clowney's career filled with high expectations is now supposed to deliver a Houston Texans Super Bowl

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 08:01:25 -0400

Jadeveon Clowney is back with the Houston Texans, an addition that comes with much attention, and the expectation of fielding the NFL's best defense. and Super Bowl talk.

But, please, pump the brakes.

Because if there's one thing Clowney's 12-year career has taught us, it is that high expectations have too often gone unrealized.

The one-time No. 1 overall selection in the NFL Draft spent this offseason as a valued free agent until he agreed on Sunday to rejoin the Texans, the team that originally drafted him in 2014.

HOUSTON TEXANS' 2025 WIN TOTAL SET AT 9.5 AS CJ STROUD FACES QUESTIONS ABOUT OFFENSIVE LINE

And, true to form, Clowney arrives with commotion and fanfare for great things ahead. Fans are aflutter that this familiar name is aboard for the coming season and Clowney is doing nothing to minimize the excitement by talking about a Super Bowl.

"I can help contribute and (we have) a good chance to chase a Super Bowl," Clowney told KPRC 2 Houston.

In another interview Clowney said he's learned to lead during his career and knows what it takes to get to a Super Bowl.

So, lotta high expectations, y'all.

Except this is where the Clowney reality begs caution. Because Clowney has never won a Super Bowl. He's never played in a Super Bowl.

And while that doesn't prevent him from helping the Texans in 2026, he won't be leading the charge. He'll be supporting starters Will Anderson Jr. and Danielle Hunter who were both top 10 in sacks last season.

NFL GREAT AARON DONALD MAY COME OUT OF RETIREMENT TO JOIN MYLES GARRETT ON RAMS' DEFENSE, EX-TEAMMATE SAYS

Clowney is a piece to the puzzle on a defense that was No. 2 in fewest points allowed last season behind the Seattle Seahawks. He's not the signature piece.

"We're continuously trying to build depth, especially in that room because of the way we play and stylistically what we ask those guys to do," said Texans defensive coordinator Matt Burke. "It is important. It's important for us to be able to keep guys fresh and to keep Danielle and Will and those guys throwing fastballs through the whole game. The depth piece is an important piece for us."

The Texans and Clowney agreed to a one-year deal worth $5.5 million. The deal includes incentives that could push that money higher.

But this isn't about money for Clowney, who had been negotiating with multiple teams including the Cleveland Browns.

Clowney lives in Houston, so it makes sense for him. And he loves the idea of playing for Texans coach DeMeco Ryans.

"I was looking forward to playing for DeMeco," Clowney said. "Pretty exciting coach to play for. I reached out to him and told him I wanted to play for him,

"It was a family decision. It wasn't about the money, it was about chasing my legacy and chasing a Super Bowl. I've got a lot of game left and I want to contribute."

Clowney returns to Houston, in part, because of its head coach. He was traded by Houston just prior to the 2019 season, in part, because he feuded with coach Bill O'Brien.

Clowney was picked with the No. 1 overall selection in the 2014 NFL Draft to be perhaps an all-timer and definitely a perennial Pro Bowler. But that's not what happened.

He earned three Pro Bowl invites, the last one coming in 2018. He didn't turn into the unstoppable sack-machine the Texans originally hoped, indeed, he's a more consistent run-stopper than pass rusher.

Clowney wasn't even the best pass rusher or defensive lineman in 2014 because Khalil Mack and Aaron Donald were selected later in that fateful draft. Clowney has never delivered a double-digit sack season.

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So the player selected to be a franchise cornerstone has bounced around with seven teams.

This all, of course, serves as a sober caution: High expectations and Jadeveon Clowney have been constant companions in the NFL and the current Super Bowl talk in Houston continues that.

But the history is the history.

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Israeli MLS striker Dor Turgeman responds to alleged 'Death to Israel' chants in Montreal by scoring goal

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:47:07 -0400

Israeli forward Dor Turgeman made sure to celebrate exactly as he saw fit after scoring a goal for his New England Revolution squad during a road contest against CF Montreal on Saturday.

According to reports across social media, some Montreal supporters allegedly chanted "Death to Israel" and "Free Palestine" toward Turgeman during the match.

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After scoring a well-executed goal to put the Revolution up 2-0 in the 36th minute, Turgeman jogged across the front of the goal in front of Montreal supporters with his hand up to his ear. Montreal's goalkeeper, Sebastian Breza, apparently had enough of Turgeman's celebration, and shoved him to the turf, which sparked a back-and-forth between a number of players.

The video MLS shared on X of the goal did not show Breza shoving Turgeman, although the moment can be seen in another clip here.

Amid his goal celebration, i24 News reported that witnesses inside the stadium said beer bottles were thrown at Turgeman. Breza received a yellow card for his shove on the striker following the first-half goal in the match that ultimately ended 2-2.

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On Sunday, CF Montreal released a statement about the allegations of discriminatory comments directed at Turgeman during the match.

"CF Montreal is aware of allegations regarding discriminatory comments directed at a player by fans during last night's match against the New England Revolution," the statement began.

"The Club does not tolerate discrimination, or hateful behavior of any kind. We take these allegations very seriously and are currently reviewing the matter. We are in contact with MLS and the New England Revolution as we work to establish all the facts and take the necessary actions."

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MLS has not released a statement regarding the alleged incident at the time of this writing.

The 22-year-old Turgeman was born in Ashdod, Israel, and played for the local club during the majority of his youth career before joining the Revolution in 2025. He has represented Israel on the international stage at both the youth level and on the senior team, scoring two goals in nine appearances in 2025.

Former college football standout Levi Wyatt dead at 23

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:36:09 -0400

Levi Wyatt, a former college football standout who played for the Jackson State Tigers and McNeese State Cowboys, has died. He was 23.

Jackson State mourned the loss of the former cornerback on Saturday. Wyatt was a 2024 Preseason All-Southland Conference Second Team selection before he joined the Tigers. He had 12 tackles and four pass breakups in 2025.

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"The bond of this brotherhood does not end when the game clock expires," Jackson State said in a statement. "Today, we mourn the loss of our brother, Levi Wyatt. His memory will forever live within the halls of Jackson State football and in the hearts of everyone who shared this journey with him.

"We ask the Tiger Nation to join us in lifting his family and loved ones in prayer during this incredibly difficult time. Rest easy, Tiger."

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Wyatt was killed in a car crash in Mississippi early Saturday, according to state officials.

The Mississippi Department of Public Safety said officers in Jackson responded to a report of a car crash just after midnight local time, according to WLBT-TV. Responding officers located two vehicles that sustained damage at the scene.

A Chevrolet Camaro reportedly struck a utility pole.

The Hinds County coroner identified Wyatt as one of the victims of the crash, and he was pronounced dead at the scene, WLBT-TV reported.

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Mississippi Highway Patrol was reportedly investigating the incident.

Todd Blanche inches closer to Senate confirmation after agreement with GOP holdouts and more top headlines

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:20:54 -0400

Good morning and welcome to Fox News’ morning newsletter, Fox News First. And here's what you need to know to start your day ...

TOP 3

1. Todd Blanche inches closer to Senate confirmation

2. Trump's war on 'woke' ideology reaches the Smithsonian

3. Sheriff breaks silence on Nancy Guthrie investigation

MAJOR HEADLINES

ROUTE REPEAT — Lindsay Clancy jurors visit crime scene in Karen Read-style move to test timeline: Retired judge. Continue reading …

HEROES RESPONDED — Off-duty trooper and armed citizen hailed as heroes after returning fire on In-N-Out gunman. Continue reading …

DIGITAL HEIST — Coldcard wallet attack drains up to $89M in Bitcoin from 1,200+ addresses. Continue reading …

TENSE TALKS — Trump cancels Iran strikes at countries' request ahead of Monday negotiations. Continue reading …

MOUND MAYHEM — Gavin Williams' perfect game bid leads to benches-clearing altercation between Guardians and Diamondbacks. Continue reading …

POLITICS

BREAKING BARRIERS — Trailblazing former Republican Rep Kay Granger dies at 83: 'Broke barriers'. Continue reading …

SUNDAY COLLISION — Ohio Rep Marcy Kaptur hospitalized after hit-and-run crash on way to church. Continue reading …

UNDER THE LIGHTS — First showdown in race for Lindsey Graham's Senate seat puts GOP hopefuls to the test. Continue reading …

BREAKING THROUGH — New California law could help crack thousands of unsolved missing persons cases. Continue reading …

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MEDIA

CAUGHT RED-HANDED — Mississippi professor reveals hidden way he used to expose AI cheating in viral video. Continue reading …

PARTY FRACTURE — Joe Manchin says he would never support a socialist candidate, warns against 'crazy' positions. Continue reading …

CIVIL WAR WITHIN — James Carville vows to abandon Democratic Party if far-left Hasan Piker becomes leading voice. Continue reading …

DIVIDED DEMS — Bernie Sanders blasts Fetterman as 'way out of touch' with Americans after Graham Platner rebuke. Continue reading …

OPINION

JASON CHAFFETZ — Democrats desperately need Nancy Pelosi to take charge. Continue reading …

WILL THIBEAU — Our enemies found a weakness in essential technology. We must fix it … fast. Continue reading …

IN OTHER NEWS

GUT CHECK TIME — What to order instead: Lettuce-free meals at McDonald's, Burger King, Chick-fil-A, Taco Bell and more. Continue reading …

REBOOT TIME — MySpace seeking a revival as its owners plan comeback effort for once-popular social media platform. Continue reading …

FUTURE OF FLIGHT — NASA opens new wind tunnel facility in Virginia. Continue reading …

AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ – Test yourself on popular personalities and retro revivals. Take the quiz here …

LISTEN

Tune in as Dr. Anthony Fauci’s explosive appearance on Capitol Hill is still reverberating in Washington. Check it out ...

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What’s it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading…

Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Tuesday.

WWE star Brie Bella 'in a lot of pain' following injury at SummerSlam, sister says

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:12:54 -0400

Brie Bella was noticeably grabbing her right shoulder during a six-woman tag team match at WWE SummerSlam on Saturday night as she appeared to suffer an injury.

Bella was seated next to the steel steps when her opponent, Jacy Jayne, hit a running senton on her. At that moment, she began to clutch her shoulder and kept rubbing it during the rest of the match with her sister Nikki Bella and Paige.

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Nikki Bella attacked Paige at the end of the match, signaling a villainous turn to their characters. She provided an update on Brie in an interview on Busted Open Radio on Sunday before the second night of the premium live event began.

"She’s doing OK. She is in a lot of pain," Nikki Bella said of Brie. "They are still determining what’s going on. Brie will share that whenever. … I’ve been told to ‘zip it.’"

WWE Chief Content Officer Paul "Triple H" Levesque told reporters after Night 1 that the injury "seems pretty bad."

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"Yeah, she’s injured," he said. "I don’t have an update yet. We’ve taken her. She was here, got some treatment done here, has been taken to the hospital to get some scans done. Don’t have a clean answer on it yet.

"I know she hurt her shoulder. It seems pretty bad, but I don’t have an answer yet. Hopefully we will soon. Hopefully, it won’t be as bad as we thought it was, but that’s the nature of the game."

The Bellas and Paige teamed up against Jayne, Lainey Reid and Fallon Henley. Jayne scored the pinfall over Paige to give her team the win.

Brie Bella made her stunning return to WWE at the Royal Rumble in January and then was set to team with her sister at WrestleMania 42 before Nikki Bella suffered her own injury.

Instead, she teamed with Paige as they won the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship.

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Now, it’s unclear when Brie Bella will be able to return to the ring.

Forget the gym: A 30-second test may be one of the best indicators of longevity

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:00:51 -0400

As more Americans prioritize staying mobile and independent as they age, experts are pointing to a surprisingly simple measure of health.

The number of times a person can rise from a chair in 30 seconds can be an indicator of lower-body strength, which is closely linked to mobility, functional fitness and healthy aging.

Interest in the test appears to be growing, with online searches for "sit to stand exercise" up 287% over the past three months, according to Google Trends analysis.

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The CDC's Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths & Injuries (STEADI) program states that the purpose of the 30-second chair stand test is to assess leg strength and endurance, with below-average scores indicating increased fall risk.

Bruno Pontes, an ACSM- and AFAA-certified personal trainer at Muscle Booster in California, shared what the sit-to-stand test actually measures and why experts consider it a strong indicator of fitness.

Nick Schofield, a tactical athlete physical coach in the U.K., also provided a video demonstration of the exercise for Muscle Booster.

"What makes this test a great measure of fitness is that it simulates the everyday movement of getting up and down from a chair, compared to machine-based strength tests, which instead isolate muscle groups," Pontes told Fox News Digital.

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"The sit-to-stand test is an excellent indicator of lower-body strength, muscular endurance, balance and mobility," Pontes said. It is also commonly used by healthcare professionals to help assess fall risk in older adults.

While there are several iterations of the sit-to-stand test, the 30-second chair stand test is the go-to exercise endorsed by public health organizations like the CDC, the expert noted.

How to perform the test at home

The sit-to-stand test is easy to perform at home, Pontes said, as the only thing needed is a sturdy chair. He outlined the following steps.

Position a sturdy chair against a wall to prevent it from moving.
Start by sitting upright in the chair with the feet flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, with arms crossed over the chest.
Once the timer starts, rise to a full standing position with straight knees and hips before sitting back down again.
Repeat as many full stands as possible in 30 seconds and record your total.

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"As an important note, anyone with significant balance problems, recent surgery, severe joint pain or cardiovascular concerns should consult a healthcare professional before performing the test," Pontes advised.

What counts as a ‘good’ score?

What is seen as a "good" score varies from person to person and is dependent on a number of factors, including age and gender, Pontes said.

"However, the following benchmarks are good to aim for to measure your lower-body strength," he added. These benchmarks are based on how many full stands can be completed in 30 seconds from a standard-height chair.

Ages 60–64: Men: 14 or more | Women: 12 or more
Ages 65–69: Men: 12 or more | Women: 11 or more
Ages 70–74: Men: 12 or more | Women: 10 or more
Ages 75–79: Men: 11 or more | Women: 10 or more
Ages 80–84: Men: 10 or more | Women: 9 or more
Ages 85–89: Men: 8 or more | Women: 8 or more
Ages 90+: Men: 7 or more | Women: 4 or more

"It is important not to obsess over the number you achieve — the focus should be on the ease of movement and making daily functions easier," Pontes said.

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"If rising from a chair becomes easier over time, that's a great indicator that lower-body strength and functional fitness are improving," he went on. "If you fall below the target number, don’t worry — there are many different exercises you can implement into your daily routine to help strengthen your lower body."

Top exercises to help build strength, balance and endurance

The following exercises can be executed at home to help improve your sit-to-stand performance, according to Pontes. These moves help to build strength in the quads, hamstrings, glutes and calves.

Squats

"Squats help to build strength primarily in the quadriceps and glutes, while also engaging the hamstrings and core," Pontes told Fox News Digital. "They are also a great exercise for seniors, as they place limited amounts of stress on your hips and spine."

Squats can be performed by standing with the feet shoulder-width apart and lowering the hips back and down into a seated position. Be sure to keep the back straight and chest up.

Lunges

"These low-impact exercises can help identify any strength imbalances that may be affecting mobility and stability, as each leg works independently," Pontes said.

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To perform a lunge, stand with the feet shoulder-width apart and step forward with one leg, creating a right angle at the knee. The front knee should sit directly over the ankle/heel and should not extend past the toes.

Hold this position briefly before pushing through the heel on the front foot to engage the glutes and return to the starting position, then repeat for the other leg.

Calf raises

"Calf raises help keep the calf muscles strong and functional as we age, to support everyday, functional movements," Pontes said.

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Stand with the feet hip-width apart, keeping an upright posture and engaging the core. Slowly push through the balls of the feet to raise the heels off the floor as high as possible. Pause briefly at the top, then lower the heels back down to the ground with control.

Importance of leg strength for longevity

As people age, they become more susceptible to sarcopenia, the gradual loss of muscle mass and strength over time, according to Pontes. This can make routine activities more difficult and increases the risk of injury.

"Lower-body strength plays a vital role in maintaining independence because it supports many of the movements we rely on every day, such as climbing stairs, getting up from chairs, carrying groceries and walking confidently," the fitness expert noted.

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Maintaining strength in the legs and hips helps to preserve mobility and lower the risk of falls and injury, Pontes said.

"This mobility helps enable people to remain active and keep moving freely through their later years."

Attorney who defended DC sniper says Kohberger faces 'monumental uphill battle' undoing guilty plea

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 07:00:48 -0400

Bryan Kohberger faces a "monumental uphill battle" in his effort to withdraw his guilty plea in the murders of four University of Idaho students, according to an attorney who represented D.C. sniper Lee Boyd Malvo and once helped another client successfully withdraw a guilty plea before winning an acquittal.

Mark Petrovich, who represented Malvo in post-conviction proceedings in Virginia and has decades of criminal defense experience, told Fox News Digital that defendants rarely succeed in withdrawing guilty pleas after sentencing, even in cases involving claims that they were unaware of potentially exculpatory evidence before entering the plea.

He cautioned against drawing direct comparisons between Malvo's post-conviction litigation and Kohberger's effort to withdraw his guilty plea. Malvo's appeals stemmed from changes in constitutional law governing juvenile sentencing, while Kohberger is attempting to undo a plea agreement he entered as an adult after avoiding the death penalty.

KAYLEE GONCALVES' MOTHER SAYS FAMILY READY FOR TRIAL AFTER BRYAN KOHBERGER SEEKS TO WITHDRAW GUILTY PLEA

"It's a monumental uphill battle," Petrovich said. "First of all, getting the judge to allow you to withdraw the plea, and then second of all to winning any new proceeding, because there's a lot against you."

Kohberger pleaded guilty in July 2025 to the stabbing deaths of University of Idaho students Ethan Chapin, Xana Kernodle, Madison Mogen and Kaylee Goncalves in Moscow, Idaho, in November 2022. He was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences without the possibility of parole after accepting a plea agreement that spared him from the death penalty.

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In recent court filings, Kohberger claimed he was pressured into accepting the plea agreement, did not fully understand potentially exculpatory evidence before pleading guilty and was misled about the conditions he would face while incarcerated.

IDAHO MURDERS: NEW BOOK ON KOHBERGER REVEALS PREVIOUSLY UNSEEN EVIDENCE, CLAIMS SHEATH COULD BE INADMISSIBLE

He contends those factors undermined the voluntariness of his decision to plead guilty.

Petrovich said he once represented a client who sought to withdraw a guilty plea before sentencing. A judge granted the request, the case proceeded to trial and the client was acquitted, but he said Kohberger's circumstances are fundamentally different because he has already been sentenced.

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"You can't wait until after you're sentenced and see what the consequences of the plea are and then change your plea," Petrovich said. "It's going to be a very, very difficult burden to overcome."

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Petrovich said Kohberger would face two significant hurdles even if a judge allowed him to withdraw his plea.

One would be convincing jurors after previously admitting guilt under oath.

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Even if a judge allowed Kohberger to withdraw his plea, Petrovich said jurors would almost certainly learn he had already admitted guilt, creating another significant obstacle at trial.

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"One thing that's important is that you still can't hide from the jury the fact that you said under oath that you're guilty," Petrovich said. "Even if you withdraw, then you have to explain that ... if you're going to get anywhere with any kind of jury finding."

Petrovich also questioned whether Kohberger's attorneys would have advised him to accept a plea agreement without first reviewing the evidence disclosed during discovery.

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He noted that defense attorneys handling capital cases typically spend years reviewing discovery before recommending whether a client should plead guilty.

"The attorneys on the case ... were intimately familiar with the evidence and the information that was provided to them by law enforcement and prosecution," Petrovich said. "I'm sure they knew all about everything. If they encouraged him or if there was a discussion and a plea was decided on, I'm sure it was for good reason."

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Kohberger's case is not the first involving a notorious killer who later sought to undo a guilty plea.

James Earl Ray pleaded guilty in 1969 to assassinating the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. to avoid a potential death sentence. Three days after entering his guilty plea, Ray sought to withdraw it, arguing he had been pressured into confessing. He spent the rest of his life trying to undo the plea but died in prison in 1998 without ever receiving the jury trial he sought.

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Serial killer Clifton Bloomfield unsuccessfully sought to withdraw guilty pleas after admitting to five murders in New Mexico to avoid capital punishment. Washington serial killer Robert Lee Yates Jr. also challenged his plea agreement after admitting to murdering 13 women, but courts ultimately rejected both efforts.

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Kohberger's plea agreement spared him from facing a capital trial and ended years of pretrial litigation in one of the country's most closely watched murder prosecutions.

Petrovich said that history, combined with the years of discovery and plea negotiations leading up to Kohberger's agreement, makes the effort to withdraw it especially difficult.

JUAN WILLIAMS: My nephew returned from space with a message America needs

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:45:33 -0400

In one of this year’s most popular movies, "Project Hail Mary," there’s no happy ending — the astronaut never makes it back to Earth.

And in 1969, just days before Apollo 11 landed on the moon, English singer, songwriter and actor David Bowie released a hit song about "Major Tom," an astronaut who floated into deep space, never making it home.

Today I’m writing a happy story. The NASA astronaut in my family just defied both the movie and the song.

Welcome back to planet Earth, Chris Williams.

NASA CHIEF DECLARES AMERICA 'ABSOLUTELY BACK' IN SPACE RACE, SAYS US WILL BEAT CHINA TO THE MOON

The drive to explore new frontiers is a hallmark of American history, from westward expansion to light bulbs, airplanes and personal computers.

This year, the U.S. sent a mission, Artemis II, to rocket around the moon in preparation for a return to the lunar surface for the first time since Americans Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin stepped on the moon in July 1969.

And this year, I saw my nephew, the grandson of Panamanian immigrants, talking with his fellow astronauts as they sped by his post on the International Space Station.

A few weeks later, Chris’ dad, my brother, Roger, got a Father’s Day greeting as Chris streamed into Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. Even more emotional for me was hearing Roger praise his son for going to space and for growing "beyond every expectation."

NEW ARTEMIS II VIDEO SHOWS MOMENT NAVY MEDICAL TEAM OPENED HATCH, WELCOMED ASTRONAUTS

As his uncle, I’ve known Chris since he was a child, wearing a onesie adorned with astronauts and planets. It is hard to get my mind around the idea that he just spent eight months on the International Space Station, completing 3,856 orbits around the Earth at 17,000 miles an hour.

He did spacewalks, floating in space with the American flag on his pressurized spacesuit.

Chris, the highly curious boy, is now a man who successfully returned to Earth on Sunday, July 26.

In a time of national anxiety over war, inflation and polarized politics, Chris is a flesh-and-blood reminder that space travel has the power to inspire awe and renew the American spirit of adventure.

His red, white and blue space adventure is also a powerful retort to the 59% of Americans who told Pew in a May survey ahead of the nation’s 250th birthday that the country’s best days are behind us.

BRET BAIER: WHY AMERICANS STILL BELIEVE OUR BEST DAYS ARE AHEAD, EVEN IN DIVIDED TIMES

Despite all the political controversies orbiting around billionaires Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, America’s leading moguls investing in space exploration, history tells us to focus on achievement. Henry Ford was politically polarizing, but he also revolutionized manufacturing and transportation.

President John F. Kennedy got it right in the 1960s when he said the U.S. mission to land on the moon was an appropriate national goal because it "served to organize and measure the best of our energies and skill."

That is the optimistic message I got as I watched Chris during his time on the space station, including his two spacewalks.

How can I describe watching NASA TV and seeing the eye-popping sight of the son of my brother and his wife, Roger and Ginger, flying through outer space while hanging by a tether from the space station?

He was outside the space station on his last walk for nearly eight hours, working with fellow NASA astronaut Jessica Meir to repair robotic arms.

And in January, a fellow American astronaut on the space station lost his ability to speak and was evacuated with other crew members. Chris was left behind. For a month, he was the only American on the space station.

Part of Chris’s mission was to figure out how to keep astronauts healthy on lengthy space trips as the U.S. works to return to the moon and even send astronauts to Mars.

NASA scientists, including Chris, studied how zero gravity affects the brain and even changes balance and the sense of direction. Chris made himself a subject of study to track how long-term space travel changes human eyes and bone density.

Family alarms went off when NASA ordered Chris and other astronauts to evacuate the space station because of a possible air leak. He took shelter in a small spacecraft.

NASA AT 68: AMERICA MUST LEAD ON THE MOON, MARS AND BEYOND — OR CHINA WILL

This was no movie script. It was genuinely a time of high anxiety for his wife and children in Houston, as well as the whole family, during the two hours before NASA gave the word for him to go back inside.

While in space, Chris’ job was also to inspire young Americans to study math and science and become future space explorers. Chris handled the job with ease. He turned the space station into a fun show for students. They marveled at his ability to turn horizontal and float through the space station like Superman. They wanted to know what he had to eat and how he slept.

Young people in Florida wanted to know the difference between doing scientific research on Earth and in space.

The answer could have been intimidating coming from Chris. He has a physics degree from Stanford and a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). And he completed training in medical physics at Harvard Medical School.

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But he turned the answer into awe-inspiring fun. He called attention to the Velcro strips on his jumpsuit and on the walls. In zero gravity, he explained, every instrument, every tool, every vial, every sample will just float away if not attached.

One of his teaching tricks was to release a bubble of water and watch it float around before he pretended to be Pac-Man and gobbled it out of the air.

He also attracted viral attention with his photography.

The internet started asking about aliens when he posted photos of the West Coast of India showing green, neon lights piercing a dark sky. They turned out to be LED lights used by fishing fleets to attract squid.

His photos of fireworks exploding during Lunar New Year in February, as the space station passed over China, were praised by other astronauts for their astounding beauty.

To me, Chris’ uniquely American life story is also inspiring.

He is the grandson of Black immigrants from Panama, my parents.

In 1958, his grandmother left Colón, Panama, with three children aboard a freighter carrying bananas to Brooklyn, New York. My father also saw opportunities disappearing for Black Panamanians under the racist dictatorship of Arnulfo Arias. It was also time for my older sister to begin high school.

In New York, Chris’ grandmother worked for minimum wage in a Manhattan dress factory — a sweatshop, as they were commonly called — while my father sent what little money he could from Panama.

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A generation later, our family has been blessed beyond measure. We have celebrated children who became lawyers, physicians, business leaders and successful professionals.

On Father’s Day, Chris took time to beam live from space and celebrate his dad and mom in front of the congregation at Washington, D.C.’s Trinity Episcopal Church.

My tears flowed when his dad praised Chris as a son who grew "beyond every expectation." Roger asked that the powers of the universe "bring you home safely." The congregation wished him well "until we see you again."

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On Sunday, July 26, Chris landed in Kazakhstan with two Russian cosmonauts. A NASA recovery team was there and returned him to the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Welcome home, Chris. What an inspiring ride!

Editor's note: This opinion article is adapted from a column that first appeared in The Hill.

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CNN's Dana Bash spars with RFK Jr over vaccine efficacy, demands he 'look into the camera' and push vaccines

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:47:59 -0400

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. sparred with CNN host Dana Bash over the rise in measles cases in the United States as well as vaccine efficacy on Sunday's "State of the Union."

Though the interview grew heated after Kennedy accused Bash of committing "press malpractice" based on what he said was a failure to challenge public health authorities during the COVID pandemic, Kennedy and Bash's contention continued after Bash asked him about the record number of measles cases and whether he accepts "some responsibility."

"Absolutely not," Kennedy said. "First of all, this is an international outbreak. So, we're doing better at handling it than any country in the world. Mexico has 15 times the amount of measles per capita that we have. Canada has four times the amount of measles. England has two times the amount of measles. Did I cause those measles outbreaks?"

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Bash suggested he bears some responsibility as the "most famous vaccine skeptic on the planet," though Kennedy countered that former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci himself has said in his private diaries that COVID lockdowns were more responsible for children not being vaccinated for measles.

The CNN host, however, continued to demand Kennedy use his position to advocate for people to take the measles vaccine.

"What I want you to do is please use your bully pulpit to, right now, as we're getting close to back to school, say — are you willing to say to parents who have not vaccinated their kids that they should vaccinate their kids for measles because it is safe, and it will help them save their children's lives?" Bash asked.

"I tell people on my websites, my public..." Kennedy began.

"Right now. Look into the camera," Bash interrupted.

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"I will say it right now, that people, parents should get their children vaccinated for measles. A measles vaccine is effective. It stops measles in about 97% of the cases. So, people should get vaccinated," Kennedy said.

Bash went on to ask Kennedy about efforts to investigate connections between vaccines and autism. While Kennedy was explaining his position, he stopped to call out Bash for "rolling [her] eyes" at the issue.

"I don't want to have you use our air to say this," Bash said.

Bash then accused Kennedy of promoting vaccine skepticism by suggesting vaccines could cause autism, despite his previous support for the measles and MMR vaccine. Kennedy remarked that Bash appeared "flustered."

"I am frustrated. The reason I'm frustrated is because I… you are the HHS secretary, and you are talking about things that lead to vaccine hesitancy in this country. And it is something that causes problems for people when there is not anything..." Bash said.

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"Let me ask you something. Do you see your job as ending vaccine hesitancy, or do you see your job as telling the truth to the American people?" Kennedy asked.

"I see my job as telling the truth," Bash responded.

CNN defended Bash's performance in a statement to Fox News Digital after it aired.

"Dana Bash is a veteran journalist who conducted a newsmaking interview with Secretary Kennedy in which he stated that he supports parents getting their children vaccinated against measles and addressed President Trump’s push for further study into autism and vaccines," a CNN spokesperson said.

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"Asking tough, substantive questions to those in power is the job of every journalist, and Dana did hers incredibly well today. We stand behind Dana, her reporting, and CNN’s overall coverage of the COVID-19 pandemic," the spokesperson added.

CNN stood by the statement when reached for further comment.

Riley Gaines says Target Center staffer tried to shut down her Sophie Cunningham sign

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:32:05 -0400

Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve was permitted to wear a "Trans kids belong" shirt on the sideline during Sunday’s game against the Indiana Fever.

Fans throughout Target Center held signs supporting their favorite WNBA players.

But when Riley Gaines displayed a small sign reading, "Sophie, thank you — a girl mom," an arena staffer tried to make her put it down.

According to Gaines, the staffer told her the problem was that the sign contained Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s name.

"I checked all the sign policies before I went in there," Gaines told OutKick. "I made sure it was like 11 by 17. That’s the sign size you could have. So, I got a ruler out. You better believe I was measuring it."

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Gaines attended Sunday’s Fever-Lynx game to support Cunningham, who has faced intense criticism since publicly stating that women’s sports should be reserved for women.

Cunningham was loudly booed throughout Indiana’s 108-100 loss in Minneapolis, while Reeve used the game to make her opposing position clear.

ESPN’s broadcast highlighted Reeve’s shirt and encouraged viewers to listen to the Lynx coach’s previous comments on transgender athletes.

Meanwhile, a staffer inside the arena apparently decided Gaines’ simple message of support for Cunningham needed to disappear.

Arena staffer confronts Gaines over sign

Gaines arrived at Target Center around 11:40 a.m. local time, approximately 20 minutes before tipoff.

She had initially planned to attend a rally outside the arena but remained at her hotel after her personal security team advised her that the situation had become too hostile.

Gaines was not present for a confrontation outside that was was described by some social media users as an "assault." Video reviewed by OutKick showed one person ripping a T-shirt from another person’s hands, but did not appear to show anyone being struck or injured.

As Gaines entered the arena, however, she said a protester stationed near the entrance put a bullhorn near her face, sounded it and shouted at her.

Once inside, the response was mixed.

Gaines said some people directed insults and hostile looks toward her, but many others requested photographs, thanked her, offered fist bumps and quietly expressed support for her position. She said some people even brought copies of Gaines' book into the arena and asked her to sign them.

Around halftime, Gaines said families and young girls formed something resembling a photo line near her seat.

"There were so many people stopping me, asking me for photos, ‘Thank you for doing what you’re doing,’ winks and whispers and fist bumps, people buying me drinks," Gaines said.

At some point during the game, she held up her sign.

"I see an arena staffer, someone who’s on the court wearing the all-black official clothing, who points at me and mouths something," Gaines recalled. "I can’t hear him because he’s so far away, but he appeared to say, ‘Put your sign down.’"

At first, Gaines wasn’t sure the staffer was addressing her. Numerous other people in the arena were holding signs, including signs containing the names of players.

The staffer eventually approached her and repeated the instruction.

"He comes over and he says, ‘You have to take your sign down.’ I’m like, ‘No, I don’t. I checked all the sign policies before I went in there,’" Gaines said.

Gaines asked why her sign was prohibited.

"He said, ‘Well, because it has her name on it. It has Sophie’s name on it, so you can’t have that,’" Gaines recalled.

SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM FANS ALLEGE STORM PLAYERS, EXEC HECKLED GIRLS DURING GAME OVER SUPPORT OF WOMEN'S SPORTS

The explanation immediately drew objections from other spectators in Gaines’ section.

"My whole section at that point, they were outraged," Gaines said. "They were like, ‘You can’t tell her she can’t have that. There’s a hundred signs right here with people’s names on it. What do you mean she can’t have it?’"

Gaines refused to lower the sign.

"What are you going to do, kick me out?" Gaines recalled thinking. "Go for it."

She said the staffer eventually returned after the game and apologized. Gaines interpreted the apology as a possible indication that he had been directed by someone else to confront her, though she did not know who may have issued that instruction.

Target Center’s policy generally allows small signs

Target Center’s published poster and signage policy does not prohibit signs merely because they contain a player’s name.

The policy states:

"As a general rule, posters/signage under 11 x 17 inches are allowed in Target Center, pending individual tour/promoter approval. All posters/signage must be handheld, may not be mounted on sticks or poles, may not be lit or constructed using lighting elements, may not contain offensive language or graphics and may not prevent other guests from seeing the stage/event."

The venue reserves the right to confiscate signs it considers inappropriate and says the policy may change based on requirements for a particular event. But the policy does not state that a sign is prohibited simply because it includes a player’s name.

Gaines said her sign was handheld, smaller than the maximum dimensions and contained no offensive language or graphics. She also said she made certain it complied with the published size restriction before bringing it to the game.

More importantly, Gaines said the staffer didn't tell her that the sign was oversized, offensive, obstructing another fan’s view or violating an event-specific restriction.

CHERYL REEVE SENDS CLEAR MESSAGE TO SOPHIE CUNNINGHAM WITH ‘TRANS KIDS BELONG’ SHIRT DURING FEVER-LYNX GAME

He allegedly told her she could not display it because it contained Cunningham’s name.

OutKick contacted the Minnesota Lynx and asked whether an event-specific signage policy was in place, why Gaines was instructed to lower her sign, whether any policy prohibited Cunningham’s name and whether the direction originated with the Lynx, Target Center, arena security or the WNBA.

The Lynx did not respond to our email.

Gaines says private response differed from public hostility

Cunningham was booed when she entered the game and frequently when she touched the basketball.

But Gaines said the public hostility didn't match many of the private interactions she had with fans inside Target Center and said she believes many people inside the arena agreed with Cunningham but didn't feel comfortable expressing that support openly.

"I absolutely think she had more fans there, or people who at least support her sentiment, than are willing to admit," Gaines said.

Cunningham eventually made a 3-pointer late in the third quarter and received a noticeable cheer despite playing for the visiting team.

Gaines viewed that reaction as another sign that the loudest people in the arena didn't necessarily represent everyone in attendance.

Cunningham meets Gaines after game

After the game ended, Cunningham came out to meet Gaines near the tunnel.

Most of the players had already left the court, but Gaines said several young girls remained nearby calling Cunningham’s name.

Cunningham spent approximately 15 minutes with Gaines and posed for a photograph while holding the same sign the arena staffer had attempted to make Gaines lower.

Gaines described Cunningham as completely unshaken by the hostile reception.

According to Gaines, Cunningham said she knew her position was right and remained confident that she could defend it intellectually and morally. Because of that confidence, Cunningham said the reaction did not bother her.

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While the loudest voices inside Target Center spent the afternoon condemning Cunningham, young girls waited near the tunnel chanting her name. Fans quietly approached Gaines to thank her. And Cunningham came back out after the loss to greet them.

The arena allowed Reeve to promote her message from the sideline. Fans were free to boo Cunningham every time she touched the ball. But when Gaines held up a small sign thanking Cunningham, a staffer told her it had to come down because it contained the player’s name.

Gaines refused.

By the end of the afternoon, Cunningham was holding the sign herself.

Sports cartoons of the day

Mon, 22 Jun 2026 11:08:52 -0400

King Charles makes risky move toward Prince Harry as Prince William 'remains wary': experts

Mon, 03 Aug 2026 06:00:35 -0400

Prince Harry's return to the United Kingdom could be King Charles' biggest gamble yet — and Prince William may not like it.

The claim was made by multiple royal experts who spoke to Fox News Digital following reports that the Duke of Sussex is expected to visit the U.K. in September. The Sun reported that the monarch plans to offer his younger son a room at Buckingham Palace in London during his stay.

Fox News Digital reached out to Buckingham Palace and Archewell, which oversees the offices of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, for comment.

KING CHARLES SENDS 'DEFIANCE' MESSAGE TO PRINCE WILLIAM WITH BUCKINGHAM PALACE ROOM OFFER TO HARRY: EXPERT

"Prince Harry has been invited to stay at Buckingham Palace to coincide with the annual WellChild Awards, which he attends each year," British broadcaster and photographer Helena Chard told Fox News Digital. "This is perceived as an olive branch by King Charles to slowly rebuild their relationship. However, will Prince Harry accept the invitation? There are murmurs that he has accepted it. Time will tell."

"My sources say staff at Buckingham Palace are against Harry staying," Chard said. "They feel immensely betrayed by Harry's explosive claims against the royal family. Also, my sources say there has been no hint of contrition from the Sussexes. People are not going to forget that they hurled the royal family under the bus, creating lasting damage to the crown. Many wonder why King Charles is appeasing Harry."

The olive branch came after the Sussexes had a rare reunion with Charles during their visit to the U.K. in July. The private meeting, which took place at Charles' country estate, Highgrove House, marked the first time the king had seen his grandchildren, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, since 2022.

WATCH: PRINCE WILLIAM UNLIKELY TO RECONCILE WITH PRINCE HARRY SOON: EXPERT

Harry's recent visit to the U.K. was marked by problems.

After reports that the prince would visit his home country with his family, the British government declined his request for police protection outside royal residences, prompting him to travel alone on July 6.

The Sussexes lost their taxpayer-funded security after they stepped back as senior working royals. Harry was later denied the restoration of that security by the Executive Committee for the Protection of Royalty and Public Figures (RAVEC).

The couple previously lived at Nottingham Cottage on the grounds of Kensington Palace in London before moving to Frogmore Cottage in Windsor shortly before Archie was born in 2019. After they stepped back as working royals in 2020 and relocated to California, the Sussexes were asked to vacate Frogmore Cottage.

People magazine reported that ahead of Harry's trip, his team spent several days exploring ways to make the visit safe through enhanced private security arrangements. Palace sources told the outlet Harry initially declined an invitation to stay at a royal residence before later accepting it.

Harry's spokesperson told the outlet that an offer for the Duke of Sussex to stay at Buckingham Palace during his London visit was withdrawn after he had formally accepted it. Palace sources, however, disputed that account, saying Harry failed to respond by the deadline and that his later acceptance came only after arrangements could no longer be made.

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A source close to the Sussexes told the outlet that, behind the scenes, the drama surrounding the visit was "quite stressful."

"What was billed as a big homecoming ... turned into a nightmare," Russell Myers, author of "William & Catherine," told the outlet. "It was further evidence of the fractiousness of Harry's relationship with the institution."

Katie Nicholl, Vanity Fair's royal correspondent, reported that, according to sources, "not even the Prince and Princess of Wales were made aware" that a meeting would take place on July 10 between the Sussexes and the king.

She also reported that Charles, "who has sworn his youngest son and daughter-in-law to secrecy," insisted that nothing about their July 10 meeting be leaked. Only palace aides were permitted to confirm the reunion had taken place after the Sussexes left Highgrove House without being seen.

Royal experts told Fox News Digital that while Charles is open to reconciling with his younger son and reconnecting with his California-based grandchildren, not everyone is welcoming the Sussexes with open arms.

Prince William is said to remain wary of his estranged brother, many of them shared. According to the experts, the brothers have not spoken since 2022, when their grandmother, Queen Elizabeth II, died.

"King Charles, from all indications and all feedback from courtiers, obviously wants to maintain an open dialogue and ongoing relationship with his 'dear boy,'" British royals expert Hilary Fordwich told Fox News Digital. "Prince William, meanwhile, remains wary and won't want Harry at the palace. However, it's better that Harry stays at Buckingham Palace than in Windsor, which is too close to William and his family."

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If Charles hopes to bring Harry back into the royal fold, he'll first need the blessing of the future king, royal expert Richard Fitzwilliams said.

"The attitude of the Waleses, since they are the monarchy's future, is pivotal," Fitzwilliams told Fox News Digital. "And with good reason, they don't trust the Sussexes. King Charles' approach could prove incendiary."

Still, Chard believes Charles appears willing to risk fresh royal tensions in pursuit of something he's long wanted: reconciliation with Harry.

"Don't get me wrong, reconciliation within the British royal family would be good as it makes the monarchy stronger," Chard said. "However, why invite Harry to Buckingham Palace, the iconic royal residence that's the administrative heart of the monarchy? Harry is no longer a working royal and shouldn't be offered a room at Buckingham Palace."

"I guess the optics of inviting Harry to Buckingham Palace are seen as a goodwill gesture, easing tensions with small steps forward, peace-wise," Chard said. "It also skates over the endless divide within the family."

Chard previously told Fox News Digital that William is known for being stubborn behind palace doors and isn't one to forgive easily.

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"William believes the monarchy must be seen to do the right thing, even when it's painful. From what I understand, he felt his father didn't handle that firmly enough. He also believes in protecting it by drawing hard lines. But he's not the king yet."

During part of their U.K. visit, the Sussexes stayed at Althorp, Princess Diana's ancestral home, where they were hosted by Harry's uncle, Earl Charles Spencer. It was there that Archie and Lilibet learned more about their grandmother, who died when Harry was 12, according to People.

Meghan later shared photos of Harry and their children at the estate on Instagram.

Fordwich previously told Fox News Digital that William was likely "livid" over the photos.

"Not only is Prince William likely to be livid regarding the commercialization of Althorp in such a tacky, tasteless media post, but it'll fuel his disgust, so he [would] thwart any major re-entry," she said. "Likewise, Camilla, courtiers, palace aides, security officials and other institutional gatekeepers who are duty-bound to protect the monarchy will all do their utmost to thwart Meghan and Harry's attempts."

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King Charles makes risky move toward Prince Harry as Prince William 'remains wary': experts