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Teen found in shallow California vineyard grave identified nearly 50 years later as family warns killer

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:59:32 -0400

A teenage girl whose body was found buried in a shallow grave beneath a California vineyard nearly half a century ago has finally been identified, reopening a murder mystery that had gone cold for 48 years.

Michelle Louise Collier was just 15 years old when she disappeared from Fresno in February 1978.

Four months later, a tractor operator cultivating a grape vineyard near Arvin uncovered her skeletal remains buried in a shallow grave, but investigators could not identify the teen, leaving her known only as "Arvin Jane Doe" for nearly five decades.

Her older sister, Cynthia Dunbar, said the family spent nearly 50 years wondering what happened before finally learning Michelle had been the unidentified homicide victim all along.

GIRL KNOWN AS 'CHELSEA JANE DOE' ID'D 26 YEARS AFTER MUTILATED BODY FOUND HUNDREDS OF MILES FROM HOME STATE

"She disappeared 48 years ago, and it was only recently that we knew where she was," Dunbar said during an emotional news conference Wednesday. "At least with this information, my family has some closure."

Dunbar also delivered a searing message to the person responsible for her sister’s death.

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"The shock of finding out we lost our sister to a homicide is overwhelming to our entire family, especially our 85-year-old mother, Maria," she said.

"To the person who killed our sister, your cowardice act affected our entire family," Dunbar continued. "But make no mistake, law enforcement will find you and hold you accountable. Whether you are already incarcerated or dead, you will be found. May God bless your soul because you're going to hell if you're not there already."

Authorities said Collier’s remains were discovered June 21, 1978, near South Wheeler Ridge Road after the tractor operator unearthed the shallow grave.

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An autopsy at the time determined the manner of death was homicide, although the exact cause of death could not be determined. Investigators knew they were dealing with a homicide victim, but without an identity, the case stalled.

"Without an identity for the victim, the case went cold," Kern County homicide Detective Ashley Thompson said. "For 48 years, detectives knew her only as Jane Doe."

Kern County Sheriff Donny Youngblood said generations of investigators continued revisiting the mystery, including several people who were present at Wednesday’s announcement.

"Several detectives have looked and worked on this case since 1978," Youngblood said. "These cases are outstanding to us when we come to a resolution, especially for the family members."

The remains were buried at Arvin Cemetery in November 1978 after investigators were unable to identify them through fingerprints, dental X-rays or other forensic methods available at the time.

The case was reopened multiple times over the following decades as forensic science advanced.

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Investigators got another chance in 2007 when the remains were removed from the cemetery so a DNA sample could finally be collected. The sample was submitted to the California Department of Justice, but without matching DNA from relatives, detectives were still unable to identify the teenage victim.

A forensic anthropologist examined the remains in 2008 and concluded the victim was likely between 15 and 24 years old, with evidence pointing toward the younger end of that range.

Detectives also partnered with the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, which produced a facial reconstruction of the victim and circulated her image publicly. Investigators reviewed fingerprints, dental records and missing-person cases from California and Oregon, but no new leads emerged.

The breakthrough finally came in 2025 when investigators turned to forensic investigative genetic genealogy, a technique that combines advanced DNA analysis with traditional genealogical research to identify unknown victims.

Working with Texas-based forensic laboratory Othram, investigators developed a comprehensive DNA profile from Collier’s remains and identified potential relatives through genetic genealogy.

Collier’s identification marks the 86th publicly announced California case in which investigators used Othram’s forensic genetic genealogy technology to identify previously unknown human remains.

Detectives then contacted members of Collier’s family and obtained a DNA swab to compare with her mother.

In October 2025, the comparison confirmed that the unidentified homicide victim was Maria Collier’s daughter, 15-year-old Michelle Louise Collier.

Dunbar said DNA previously submitted to a genealogy database by Collier’s half-brother, sister-in-law and cousin helped investigators identify her.

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After investigators confirmed her identity, Collier's remains were removed from Arvin Cemetery in April 2026 and returned to her family, allowing them to finally bring the 15-year-old home and give her a proper burial.

"You didn’t deserve to die this way, Shelley," Dunbar said, using the family’s nickname for Michelle. "Barely 15 years old, still a child, with your whole life ahead of you."

"I’m sorry that we didn’t protect you, but you’re with Daddy now in heaven, just as you always wanted," she added. "We love you, Shelley."

While Collier’s identification marks the biggest break in the case since 1978, investigators stressed that the homicide investigation is entering a new chapter, not ending.

"Identifying Michelle is an important step, but the circumstances surrounding her death remain unknown," Thompson said.

Authorities said no suspect information was available for public release, but Thompson said identifying the victim fundamentally changes the investigation.

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"Now we get to investigate it knowing who the victim is," Thompson said.

The Kern County Sheriff’s Office is asking anyone who knew Collier or has information about her life, disappearance or death to contact Detective Thompson at 661-861-3110 or the Secret Witness line at 661-322-4040.

Joe Rogan warns liberals against trying to turn Texas blue, says it would wreck the state's 'delicate balance'

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:52:51 -0400

Podcaster Joe Rogan warned liberals on Tuesday that moving to Texas and turning the state blue would ruin the delicate balance for everybody, including liberal Texans.

"The liberals that want to turn Texas blue, like, don't. You're going to ruin it," he said.

Rogan, a former Californian himself, has spoken out numerous times about his choice to leave California over its far-left policies, particularly those from the COVID-19 pandemic years.

Rogan lamented that many "coastal elites" and "coastal snobs" often "have this idea of it being filled with rednecks and ignorant people and foolish people. It's not that way at all. Especially Austin. Austin is like one of the most, like, liberal, easygoing, progressive cities, but even the progressives here, they’re like, more reasonable."

He specified that liberal Texans, while they shifted somewhat leftward in recent years, are nowhere near the same far-left positions as those of Los Angeles or New York.

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"There’s this saying about Austin: ‘Keep Austin Weird… and surrounded,’" Rogan said.

"And surrounded? What is the ‘and surrounded?’" guest Forrest Galante asked.

"Surrounded by red people. Like it’s all red states around you, and it’s this pocket of blue that’s in the center of this red state," Rogan said. "I think that's good for everybody. I think that's good. It's a balance."

Rogan warned against liberals fleeing blue states only to vote for the same left-wing policies. He compared the state’s delicate political balance to that of an ecosystem.

"You're going to ruin it," he warned. "You're going to ruin it for you too. You don't get it. Balance is important… You can't kill all the predators because then the deer get overrun, and you're hitting them with cars. And you can't kill all the deer, because then there's no food. That's what they did when they were market hunting. Balance. And you need balance with humans, too."

"The Austin balance is a great balance," Rogan continued. "It's a liberal city surrounded by, like, hardcore Republicans with guns and tigers."

JOE ROGAN MOCKS GAVIN NEWSOM FOR DISMISSING GROWING STATE PROBLEMS AS LA FILM PRODUCTION CRATERS

In 2023, Rogan noted that he himself got the idea to leave amid the riots in 2020 after the death of Minneapolis resident George Floyd: "I was like, ‘This ain’t going in a good direction and I f---ing smell chaos."

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More recently, in 2026, he blasted California Gov. Gavin Newsom for his defense of California, warning instead that Los Angeles may go the way of Detroit as the film industry implodes and companies flee the state.

The latest Internal Revenue Service (IRS) migration data show Texas is seeing billions of dollars in taxpayer wealth flowing into the state, while Census figures show the state's largest metropolitan areas continue to outpace much of the country in population growth.

Dallas-Fort Worth added more residents than any metropolitan area in the country over the past year, while Houston, Austin and San Antonio also ranked among the nation's fastest-growing metros.

Fox News Digital's Amanda Macias contributed to this report.

Falcons quarterback competition takes early hit as Tua Tagovailoa suffers 'flare-up' in training camp

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:43:36 -0400

Not even one full week into NFL training camp, one team is already dealing with quarterback injury woes.

The Atlanta Falcons saw Tua Tagovailoa, who they acquired this offseason to compete with Michael Penix Jr. for the starting role, have a "flare-up" of an undisclosed injury, new head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters.

Stefanski didn’t divulge what exactly Tagovailoa is dealing with, but he had to be sidelined. However, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Tagovailoa is dealing with a tight back.

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Stefanski did note that he believes Tagovailoa will return to practice "sooner rather than later."

With Penix Jr. still recovering from a torn ACL he suffered last season — he may miss the first four weeks of training camp — the Falcons signed veteran backup Cooper Rush to bolster the quarterback depth chart.

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The Falcons released Trevor Siemian earlier on Wednesday, and after Tagovailoa’s injury, undrafted rookie free agent Jack Strand was the only healthy quarterback on the depth chart.

Penix was spotted doing individual drills, as well as 7-on-7 work with teammates, but he hasn’t seen any time in full team activities just yet.

"I have a long injury history," Penix, who had four season-ending injuries during his time at Indiana before he transferred to Washington during his college days, said, via ESPN. "The last thing I want to do is rush back just to get back on the field.

"This is the third ACL. We’re not taking it lightly."

Stefanski knows well that injuries can occur when you least expect them, even at the start of training camp before full pads are strapped on. It’s unfortunate, though, to begin his first camp in Atlanta with this much uncertainty hovering over the most important position on his roster.

The Falcons will be an interesting team to watch this season, not just because of the quarterback dilemma, but also what this new regime, which includes legendary quarterback Matt Ryan as team president of football, can do to get the team back into the playoffs.

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The Falcons have not had a playoff berth since 2017, when Ryan was still the franchise signal-caller. They also have not had a record at or above .500 since that year as well.

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Saints legend Taysom Hill announces departure from New Orleans after unforgettable nine-year run

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:42:21 -0400

Taysom Hill is officially moving on from the Big Easy, folks. And possibly football.

After nine years of breaking defensive coordinators' brains, the 35-year-old Swiss Army knife announced Wednesday that his run with the New Orleans Saints has come to an end.

Hill posted a heartfelt farewell to Saints fans, confirming that while he isn't officially hanging up the cleats just yet, a return to New Orleans is off the table.

RUSSELL WILSON ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT FROM NFL AFTER 14 SEASONS

"I still don't have a clear answer about what the future holds, but I know that returning to New Orleans is not in the cards," Hill wrote, thanking the city and organization that embraced him in 2017.

And what a ride it was.

When Green Bay cut him nearly a decade ago, nobody saw this coming. Hill became football's ultimate Swiss Army knife, lining up at quarterback, tight end, fullback and receiver while starring on special teams.

One snap he'd bulldoze a linebacker. The next, he'd uncork a 40-yard dime.

The numbers back up the chaos, too. Hill leaves New Orleans as the only player in Super Bowl era history to rack up at least 1,000 career passing yards, 1,000 rushing yards and 1,000 receiving yards. That's ridiculous versatility.

Saints GM Mickey Loomis saluted Hill's selfless play, pointing to his "intelligence, unique athletic ability, versatility, and unselfishness," while promising the team will properly celebrate his achievements down the road.

As training camps fire up across the league, Hill enters free agency as an intriguing wild card. He could easily choose to ride off into the sunset after suffering a brutal late-season injury last year. But if a contender needs a hard-nosed, do-it-all weapon for a playoff push, don't be surprised if his phone rings.

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"Forever a Saint," Hill signed off. Hard to argue with that one.

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ICE seeks nearly $500K fine against immigration lawyer accused of filing fake asylum claims

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:40:53 -0400

EXCLUSIVE – U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is seeking more than $470,000 in civil fines against a New York immigration attorney accused of filing fraudulent documents in support of asylum claims on behalf of dozens of clients, alleging he submitted more than 100 documents containing nearly identical accounts of persecution.

Homeland Security Investigations announced it had issued a notice of intent to fine attorney Suraj Raj Singh, whose nationwide practice primarily represents Indian nationals seeking asylum before immigration courts, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

ICE alleges Singh prepared and filed 118 fraudulent documents in 54 immigration cases.

The agency is seeking the maximum permissible fine — $470,584.

TRUMP PUTS ASYLUM LAWYERS ‘ON NOTICE’ WITH NEW FRONT IN WAR ON FRAUD

According to DHS, asylum declarations submitted in support of Singh's clients' applications were "identical or nearly identical in language and substance," containing the same or substantially similar factual narratives and supporting details describing alleged persecution.

"Fraudulent asylum claims threaten the safety of the American people, undermine our immigration system and delay the removal of dangerous criminal illegal aliens," DHS General Counsel James Percival said.

"ICE is seeking a fine of more than $470,000 from attorney Suraj Raj Singh. Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, we will hold attorneys like this accountable and put an end to the practice of defrauding and abusing our immigration system."

A notice of intent to fine is a proposed civil enforcement action that allows the recipient an opportunity to respond before any penalty becomes final.

DHS ISSUES $84B IN FINES TO ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS UNDER TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

The action is the latest step in the Trump administration's effort to crack down on alleged asylum fraud. In May, Percival directed DHS attorneys to pursue additional enforcement actions targeting fraudulent asylum claims.

DHS said the Singh case marks the second time the department has sought civil penalties against an immigration attorney under 8 U.S.C. § 1324c(d), which authorizes fines for immigration-related document fraud.

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Last month, ICE issued five notices of intent to fine against attorney Vinod Doddamani, seeking a combined $255,232 in civil penalties over alleged immigration document fraud.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Singh for comment.

Ketanji Brown Jackson agrees with Michelle Obama’s criticism of ‘plucking’ kids of color into elite schools

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:27:03 -0400

Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson backed Michelle Obama's criticism of isolating students of color at elite colleges during Wednesday's episode of the former first lady's podcast, agreeing after Obama said schools failed those students when they spread them thinly across campus.

Jackson said Harvard's sizable Black community helped her feel at home. Jackson was an undergrad there and also received her law degree at Harvard; Obama also received her law degree there but was a Princeton undergraduate.

"You don’t do kids of color service by plucking them out and making them one of a few and then scattering them about the campus," Obama said.

"I think that’s absolutely right," Jackson said.

MICHELLE OBAMA ACCUSES MEDIA OF WEAPONIZING FASHION TO 'DIMINISH' HER AS A CAMPAIGN THREAT

Jackson described feeling popular but lonely in high school before the discussion turned to college. She contrasted that isolation with the belonging she found after arriving at Harvard in the late 1980s.

"At the time that I went to Harvard, which, we’re contemporaries in terms of the timing of it, there was a sizable Black community on campus," Jackson said. "And it was like, I found my people, in a sense."

Jackson said students in that community shared similar backgrounds and allowed her to feel comfortable being herself. She said she lived with five other Black women and praised the broader community they found on campus.

"The people who had similar life experiences and backgrounds that I had, where you could feel totally comfortable being yourself," Jackson said. "And my roommates and I ... I roomed with five other Black women, and there were six of us on campus, and then we were within this larger community, and it was just amazing."

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Jackson, a 1992 Harvard College graduate, recused herself from the Supreme Court's case over Harvard admissions because she had served on the university's Board of Overseers. She participated in the companion University of North Carolina case when the court struck down both schools' race-conscious admissions programs in 2023.

Jackson joined Justice Sonia Sotomayor's dissent as it applied to UNC and issued her own opinion warning that the majority's decision would deepen racial disparities.

"No one benefits from ignorance," Jackson wrote. "Although formal race-linked legal barriers are gone, race still matters to the lived experiences of all Americans in innumerable ways, and today’s ruling makes things worse, not better."

IS ‘TRAUMA SHORTHAND FOR BLACKNESS’ IN COLLEGE ADMISSIONS? REPORT SPARKS DEBATE

Harvard’s reported Black enrollment has declined in both classes admitted since the ruling. Among students who reported their race, Black students accounted for 11.5% of the Class of 2029, down from 14% in the Class of 2028 and 18% in the Class of 2027. Asian American enrollment reached 41% in the latest class, while Hispanic enrollment fell to 11%.

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Fox News Digital reported in February that the Justice Department sued Harvard for applicant-level records to examine whether its undergraduate, law and medical schools comply with the ruling. The department said the lawsuit sought documents and did not accuse Harvard of new discrimination.

"If Harvard has stopped discriminating, it should happily share the data necessary to prove it," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said in a Justice Department press release.

Harvard moved to dismiss the case in June, saying it changed its procedures immediately after the ruling, blocked application reviewers from seeing race check-box information and produced thousands of pages showing its compliance.

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"Harvard is committed to following the law, including civil rights laws in connection with admissions and financial aid, and Harvard has complied with and continues to comply with the law under the Students for Fair Admissions decision," Harvard said in a February statement to Fox News Digital.

Trump AG pick Blanche stalled as key Republicans refuse to budge

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:25:37 -0400

Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche’s chances of confirmation were derailed Wednesday, less than 24 hours before a pivotal vote in the Senate.

It’s another chapter in the troubled saga that has followed Blanche since he was tapped to replace former Attorney General Pam Bondi and one that boils down to issues among Blanche, the Department of Justice (DOJ) and two key Republicans who control his fate in the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Senators John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., are demanding that the DOJ provide explicit, written proposals to modify the settlement deal reached between the IRS and President Donald Trump and his family earlier this year.

TRUMP AG PICK TODD BLANCHE FACES SENATE TEST IN FIRST MAJOR CONFIRMATION FIGHT SINCE GRAHAM’S DEATH

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., had hoped a deal could be struck and allow for the confirmation to move forward, eying next week as the major floor vote to formally confirm Blanche as Bondi's replacement.

"I think that that's an issue between, right now, the White House and Senators Cornyn and Tillis," Thune said. "But, yeah, I would encourage them to sit down, which I think they are, and try to come to a resolution there so that the markup can continue tomorrow, and we can get Todd Blanche ready for the floor."

The DOJ had until 4 p.m. Wednesday to get the lawmakers what they wanted, but the agency fell short, and Blanche’s bumpy carriage ride to confirmation turned into a pumpkin.

Without a guarantee that Cornyn or Tillis would vote to confirm Blanche, Senate Judiciary Committee Chair Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, opted to postpone the hearing until a later date.

Their targets are the now-defunct, nearly $2 billion anti-weaponization fund and the president’s audit immunity. Republicans and Democrats alike railed against the fund, particularly over concerns that the funding would go to people involved in the Jan. 6, 2021, riots on Capitol Hill.

Trump's audit immunity has similarly ruffled feathers. Blanche, in his announcement of the settlement deal earlier this year, outlined that, as part of the agreement, the IRS would not be allowed to audit Trump, his family or affiliated companies.

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Cornyn has proven the most resistant until his demands are met. He's used his newfound freedom to extract concessions from the Trump administration in recent weeks.

His push for an explicit end to the audit language in the settlement agreement is another such example. The longtime lawmaker, who will exit the Senate at the end of this year after being ousted by the Trump-backed Ken Paxton, was set to meet Blanche Wednesday morning.

But the confab was called off, and Blanche continued making the rounds in the Senate throughout the day, capping off his visit to the Capitol with Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso, R-Wyo. He declined to comment to reporters on his way out.

Cornyn said it was "made clear from the outset that we expected some written proposals to modify the release that was signed in the tax dispute with President Trump and his organization."

"We need to conform the actual document to what Todd Blanche testified under oath as the president's acting attorney general," Cornyn said. "We've had two meetings scheduled that have now been canceled because they have not been responsive in providing those written documents."

TRUMP AG PICK HANGS BY A THREAD AS KEY GOP SENATORS REFUSE TO COMMIT

Trump, when asked about the holdup in the Senate for Blanche, portrayed himself as a president at an arm's length from the situation and said he heard his attorney general pick was "going through quite nicely."

"Well, all I can say is Todd Blanche is outstanding. And I thought he's — I thought it was pretty routine because he's so good," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office. "You just wouldn't find a better person. So, I don't know, maybe John Cornyn is upset with me because I didn't endorse him. I don't know what it is, but I haven't heard that there's a problem."

Tillis made clear he doesn't "have a beef with DOJ or with Blanche."

"They're trying to get it done, but still gotta get it done," Tillis said.

He also noted that the number of hurdles that getting those kinds of written proposals through was more extensive than meets the eye. For example, Tillis said the actual settlement likely was signed by the president's lawyer and not Trump himself.

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"So there's, you know, there's a circle of people that have to go through the loop," he said. "And I get that, but, you know, if we can get it done or possibly get him reported out on Tuesday, if they schedule a markup, I would support that if we get the language."

LIV Golf possibly isn’t dying after all as rebel league is reportedly closing in on $250M cash infusion

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:23:31 -0400

For four years, golf’s establishment insisted LIV Golf was a temporary, Saudi-funded experiment destined to implode the moment the oil money dried up.

Golf's media establishment mocked defectors as sellouts and eagerly counted down the days until LIV's collapse.

Put those obituaries on hold.

LIV Golf is reportedly close to finalizing more than $250 million in outside investment, according to the New York Post. Multiple investment firms have submitted written commitments and qualified term sheets as part of a financing syndicate designed to keep the league operating through 2027 and beyond.

TRUMP WEIGHS IN ON LIV GOLF, PGA TOUR AFTER SAUDIS PULL FUNDING OF STARTUP LEAGUE

The deal is not complete, and LIV declined to comment. But if the financing closes as expected, it would represent a major lifeline for a league many had already declared dead.

Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund informed LIV earlier this year that it would no longer bankroll the league beyond the 2026 season as the sovereign wealth fund redirected capital toward other priorities.

PGA TOUR CEO SHARES JARRING COMMENTS ABOUT PLAYERS RETURNING AS LIV GOLF SAUDI FUNDING DISAPPEARS

PIF has reportedly poured more than $5 billion into LIV since its launch, funding enormous player contracts, massive tournament purses and the league’s global expansion.

Critics immediately smelled blood. The assumption was simple: Once the Saudi money stopped flowing, the party was over.

LIV responded by overhauling its leadership and searching for outside capital. The league appointed Gene Davis, a veteran restructuring executive, as chairman and retained investment bank Ducera Partners to lead its fundraising effort.

LPGA LEGEND ANNIKA SORENSTAM SAYS LIV GOLF INTERRUPTED THE GAME OF GOLF, FORCED PGA TOUR TO MAKE CHANGES

Earlier pitch materials reportedly projected that LIV could reach profitability in approximately 20 months if it raised the full $250 million and dramatically reduced expenses.

Other versions of the proposal have called for as much as $350 million and projected a longer road to profitability, underscoring how fluid LIV’s plans remain.

Either way, the bloated spending of LIV’s launch era appears finished.

The days of casually handing out nine-figure signing bonuses are likely over. Tournament purses and the number of annual events could also be reduced as LIV attempts to build a more sustainable operation around media rights, sponsorships and its 13 team franchises.

The proposed "LIV 2.0" structure could also give players majority ownership of the league, potentially aligning its biggest stars more directly with the circuit’s long-term financial future.

Will LIV Golf look different moving forward? Absolutely.

But the idea that it would simply fold and hand the PGA Tour an effortless victory was always wishful thinking from the same golf establishment that has underestimated LIV from the beginning.

A completed $250 million-plus investment would provide LIV with more than operating cash. It would offer outside market validation that serious investors see at least some commercial potential in its team model, international schedule and attempt to modernize golf’s traditional broadcast product.

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Those who declared LIV Golf dead may have spoken a little too soon.

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Ex-BYU football star Curtis Brown, family grieving after 2-year-old son died in drowning accident

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:15:03 -0400

Former BYU Cougars football player Curtis Brown and his family, including his wife Kim, are grieving after a drowning accident led to the death of their 2-year-old son, Haze.

Haze drowned in the pool at the Brown family home in Clovis, California, July 26, police told the New York Post.

A GoFundMe page was started by Chandler Pearson, a family friend who wrote on the site that the Brown family is dealing with an "unimaginable loss."

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"Kim and Curtis recently lost their miracle baby, Haze, in a tragic drowning accident. No words can ease the heartbreak they are facing as they grieve the loss of their precious son," Pearson wrote on the GoFundMe page.

"Many of you know and love Kim, Curtis, and their family, and have reached out asking how you can support them during this incredibly difficult time. One meaningful way to help is by contributing to this GoFundMe campaign. Your donation will help ease the financial burden of funeral expenses and other unexpected costs, allowing the Brown family to focus on healing and being together.

"Every act of kindness, no matter the size, reminds them that they are surrounded by a community that loves them deeply. Thank you for your generosity, compassion, and support during this heartbreaking time."

OLE MISS FILES LAWSUITS AGAINST COLLEGE FOOTBALL PLAYERS WHO LEFT FOR LANE KIFFIN'S LSU

The New York Post added that a family member found Haze unresponsive in the pool and immediately called 911, and police, EMTs and firefighters responded.

CPR was attempted on the toddler, but it was unsuccessful. Haze was taken to a nearby hospital and was later declared dead.

The GoFundMe page had received $77,375 in donations at the time of writing.

"It’s an extremely unfortunate situation," Clovis Police Department spokesman Ty Wood told the New York Post. "Adults should never let children swim unsupervised and should always learn CPR and keep rescue equipment nearby."

Brown and his wife are the parents of five, including son Trey and triplets Cruze, Julie and Kash.

Brown played five seasons with the Cougars from 2002 to 2006, including a redshirt sophomore campaign in 2003. He came into his own in 2004, racking up 789 yards on 158 carries with six touchdowns and cementing himself as someone to lead the way for BYU the next season.

Brown did just that, leading the Mountain West Conference with 14 rushing touchdowns, while registering 1,123 yards on 210 carries. He also had 454 receiving yards on 53 receptions with two more scores through the air.

In his final year, Brown had 1,010 yards on the ground and 566 through the air with 10 total touchdowns over 13 games.

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Brown finished his BYU career with 3,241 rushing yards and 1,309 receiving yards with 36 touchdowns over 52 games. He owned the rushing record in school history before Harvey Unga broke it in 2009.

Brown looked to the NFL as his next step in 2007, signing with the Cincinnati Bengals as an undrafted free agent. However, after four appearances during the preseason, the Bengals released him before Week 1.

BYU didn't immediately respond to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.

Ted Cruz demands Fauci face jail time, labels him America's 'most damaging bureaucrat'

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 20:00:14 -0400

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is calling for Anthony Fauci to be held in contempt, prosecuted for perjury and sent to jail after the former White House COVID-19 advisor pleaded his Fifth Amendment right more than 100 times during a Senate hearing Wednesday.

"Years from now, they'll look back and say, ‘What collective madness overtook this country?’" Cruz told Fox News Digital.

"I think Anthony Fauci has had contempt for Congress and contempt for the American people for decades," he said. "His diary shows that he deliberately lied to the American people over and over and over again."

FAUCI PLEADS FIFTH WITH 'ZERO LEGAL JUSTIFICATION' AS CRITICS ERUPT AND DEMAND CONTEMPT CHARGES

Cruz made the comments after Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rand Paul announced he will seek contempt charges against Fauci after Fauci dodged self-incrimination by refusing to answer any questions throughout the entirety of the hearing.

"Dr. Fauci ought to think about what it says about the end of his career, that what he will be remembered for the most is pleading the Fifth more than 100 times," Cruz said.

"He's been the most damaging bureaucrat in the history of America."

RAND PAUL SEEKS CONTEMPT CHARGES AFTER FAUCI INVOKES FIFTH AMENDMENT MORE THAN 100 TIMES

Cruz and Fauci have had a longstanding feud, similar to his relationships with other GOP senators like Paul, over Fauci’s handling of the outbreak and claims he was dishonest about the origins of COVID-19 to both Congress and the American people.

"In his diary, he wrote early on that it was clear that the COVID virus did not come from the wet market in Wuhan, and then he turned around and said exactly the opposite thing on national television," Cruz said.

The released private diaries expose that Fauci considered possibilities about how the virus originated that he later downplayed to the public. He wrote that scientists considered the possibility of a deliberately inserted laboratory origin worthy of further expert review, while his later statements suggested the opposite to the public.

LEGACY MEDIA IGNORES MASSIVE ANTHONY FAUCI DOCUMENT RELEASE ALLEGING HE MISLED CONGRESS ON COVID ORIGINS

The Texas senator also accused Fauci of pushing for the lockdown of schools. Fauci wrote in his diary that he convinced both New York and California government officials to lock down their state’s school systems. This was, again, contradictory to what he said publicly, when he claimed multiple times in interviews and testified to the House Oversight Committee that he "did not close the schools."

"In his diary, he brags about convincing Democrats in New York and California to shut schools down, and yet he goes on TV and says, ‘Oh, I wasn't for shutdowns,’" Cruz said.

"The school shutdowns, which Fauci bragged that he was responsible for, may well be the single most destructive public policy step we've seen in decades. That learning loss will stick with those kids the rest of their lives when they're 90 years old.

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"They will still be suffering the consequences of Anthony Fauci's corrupt and dishonest shutdowns.

"The fact that he knew he was lying to the American people — he should be held in contempt, he should be prosecuted for perjury, and he should go to jail."

El-Sayed in the hot seat for another foreign rental property, nearly $300K in additional income

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:35:37 -0400

Moments ahead of a primary debate Monday night, Michigan Democratic U.S. Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed released a new financial disclosure, revealing new details about he and his wife’s assets worth up to $2.1 million.

The disclosures, which come a week ahead of a heated primary election between El-Sayed and Rep. Haley Stevens, D-Mich., shed new light on El-Sayed’s finances, but questions still remain about the specifics of his wealth.

While, broadly, much of the information was already known through reporting he did last year, the 2026 filing adds three key additions.

El Sayed and his wife listed a rental property in Dubai worth up to $250,000, a liability to a company in Dubai worth up to $100,000 and a tweak to El-Sayed’s employment status in Michigan.

SOCIALIST-BACKED DEM WHO RIPPED THE WEALTHY CRACKS STATE’S TOP 1%, TAX RETURNS SHOW

Past reporting had already shown that El-Sayed’s wife owned a rental property in Ann Harbor, Michigan, and another in Bangalore, India.

The Dubai property is a third real estate holding. The debt, worth between $50,000 and $100,000, is a liability owed to Majid Al Futtaim Tilal, a real estate development company that specializes in luxury residential projects.

And, finally, the filing adds that El-Sayed worked as a consultant for Wayne County, Michigan, with an income of $72,000. At the same time, the filing lists a salary of $82,750, also for Wayne County. The consulting is a change from a salaried position listed at $278,900 the year before.

"Know many people who own rental properties in three countries?" prominent gun-control activist Shannon Watts posted on X.

"Why are all the socialists rich????" Democratic analyst Rachel Bitecofer posted on X.

The 2025 and 2026 filings put El-Sayed’s net worth between $870,000 and $2.1 million.

The Michigan race has drawn national attention as Stevens, a more establishment candidate with the backing of Sen. Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., squares off against El-Sayed’s progressive promises to challenge the U.S.-Israel relationship, abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and provide universal healthcare. His platform has drawn support from fellow progressives such as Sens. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., and Bernie Sanders, I-Vt.

WATCH: SURFACED VIDEOS OF DEM SENATE CANDIDATE BACKING 'DEFUND THE POLICE' CONTRADICT RECENT DENIALS

With a groundswell of support among progressives, Stevens has sought to paint El-Sayed as a far cry from the middle-class working-family base he claims to champion, needling El-Sayed over his net worth in a debate last month.

"Look, I am the only one running for United States Senate in Michigan who is not a millionaire," Stevens said at the time.

At the debate Monday, Stevens mentioned the filings and what she characterized as a lack of transparency.

"You have not released your tax returns," Stevens reminded him. "You talk about getting money out of politics and putting money in people’s pockets, but still no one knows who’s putting the money in your pocket."

El-Sayed, who filed the Senate report right before the debate, said he had made the necessary disclosures, sidestepping the comment about his tax returns.

DEM PRIMARY ERUPTS AS ESTABLISHMENT FAVORITE DISMISSES RIVAL AS ‘CELEBRITY CANDIDATE’

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"This is a distraction from the issues in your life," he said at Monday’s debate.

El-Sayed’s most recent disclosures follow an application for an extension that allowed him an extra 90 days to finalize his 2026 paperwork. That extension would have allowed him to submit his disclosures on Aug. 13, a week after the primary. When confronted about the timeline, El-Sayed pledged on a podcast earlier this month to submit his disclosures before the election.

El-Sayed’s campaign did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the disclosures or the timing of its submission.

Frozen pizza brand celebrates 50 years by throwing every topping you can think of on a pie

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:40:14 -0400

Frozen pizzas have been a staple of freezers for decades, a useful option for a late-night snack or a contingency plan when you mess up the better dinner you were trying to cook.

And, for 50 years, one of the biggest players in the game has been Red Baron.

Now, the pizza brand is celebrating its 50th anniversary by dumping just about anything you can think of on top of a pie.

REDS FANS GO BERSERK AFTER CATCHER TYLER STEPHENSON'S ABS CHALLENGE WINS THEM FREE PIZZA

That's right, they're giving lucky winners the chance to go to town on a pizza with 50 toppings.

Baron von Richthofen himself could never have imagined when he was shot down during the Fourth Battle of Ypres that this would be his legacy...

You can enter to win one on the company's website, but I don't even think I could name fifty pizza toppings. If someone locked me in a room and said I couldn't come out until I did, I'd probably get about 25 before I started panicking.

KFC PLANS TO TEST A NEW PROTOTYPE CALLED OPEN HOUSE

I'd get to arugula, and then I'd be like, "Sh--; someone has to have put rhubarb on pizza, right? RIGHT?!"

A lot is happening on that pie, maybe too much.

I don't usually go too far beyond sausage, pepper, and onion on my bespoke pies, and I'm not averse to keeping it au naturel and going plain.

But I'm open to experimentation on the pizza front and would be open to popping this into the ol' General Electric oven and seeing what it's all about.

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Hell, I went on a cruise earlier this year, and they had grape and gorgonzola pizza. I thought that broke some laws (good thing we were in international waters at the time), and it turned out to be one of the best pizzas I've ever had.

Certainly not a daily driver like a nice Hot-N-Ready or a pie from the mom & pop joint down the street. But if you want to put the top down and let your hair blow in the wind, that's when you bust out a flashy pizza like a grape and gorgonzola or, in this case, everything they had on hand at the Red Baron plant.

Lions star Jahmyr Gibbs absent from training camp practice amid contract uncertainty

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:30:06 -0400

The Detroit Lions were without one of their top stars when training camp began Wednesday.

Running back Jahmyr Gibbs was not on the field for the Lions’ opening practice. The 24-year-old is eligible for a contract extension.

"You guys know how we feel about Gibbs and all of our guys," Lions coach Dan Campbell said Wednesday, via The Athletic.

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"This will kind of continue. It’ll come as it comes. I think that’s the best way to say it. This is both sides working through something, and we’ll take it as it comes, but that’s where it is."

Gibbs did report to camp and is not listed on the Lions’ Physically Unable to Perform or Non-Football Injury list, suggesting he is holding out for a new contract.

The Lions selected Jahmyr Gibbs with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, and he electrified the team’s offense immediately, quickly emerging as an integral part of the offense. In his rookie year, he ran for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns while catching 52 passes for 316 yards and one touchdown in 15 games.

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Gibbs took his game to another level in 2024, rushing for 1,412 yards and 16 touchdowns while catching 52 passes for 517 yards and four touchdowns.

Last season was the first time Gibbs started every game, and he was up to the task. In 17 games, he ran for 1,223 yards and 13 touchdowns while catching 77 passes for 616 yards and five touchdowns.

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He has made the Pro Bowl in all three seasons of his career.

Atlanta Falcons star running back Bijan Robinson was also missing from the team’s first day of training camp. His absence is contract-related, according to The Athletic’s report.

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Wisconsin Dem socialist gubernatorial hopeful dodges whether she still wants to ‘abolish police’

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:21:17 -0400

Wisconsin democratic socialist state Rep. Francesca Hong, the Democratic primary frontrunner in the race for governor, sidestepped repeated questions from Politico reporter Jonathan Martin Tuesday at Marquette University in Milwaukee about whether she still wants to abolish police after a televised debate in which she pledged to preserve law enforcement funding amid scrutiny of her previous position.

"So, this system is not working," Hong said. "If we want to be serious, we better be putting these billions into things we know prevent crime."

Martin asked whether Hong still wanted to abolish police in the long term. Hong did not answer yes or no, instead calling for "systems of care" and redirecting criminal justice spending before a campaign aide ushered her away.

"I believe that we have to be serious about public safety, and I’m going to be a governor that is more serious than anyone else in making sure that we are building systems of care," Hong said.

DEM SOCIALIST RUNNING FOR WISCONSIN GOVERNOR PUSHED 'ABOLISHING THE POLICE'

Hong campaign communications director Allison Geyer told Fox News Digital Wednesday the candidate had not changed her underlying values on police and prison abolition, although she now discusses the issue differently.

"Rep. Hong has spoken in the past about police and prison abolition as an aspirational goal, akin to eradicating disease or eliminating poverty," Geyer said. "Her values haven’t changed, but the way she talks about this issue has."

Hours earlier, moderators asked Hong and her four Democratic opponents whether they would sign a state budget cutting police funding. All five said they would not.

"The governor cannot defund police, and I am not here to govern by slogan," Hong said. "I am here to make sure I am the governor that’s most serious about public safety."

SCOTT WALKER: DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS ARE COMING FOR MY STATE. THIS IS HOW WE BEAT THEM

The exchange revived scrutiny of Hong's comments following the 2020 police shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha. Hong called for abolishing police in a 2021 social media post after federal prosecutors declined to charge the officer who shot Blake.

"How is 7 bullets in the back not excessive force," Hong said. "Police exist to uphold White supremacy. Defund then abolish. Reform can't be an option. My heart breaks for the trauma the Blake family and their community continues to endure."

She addressed the controversy in a May statement to Fox News Digital but did not say then whether she continued to support abolishing the police.

"There is no way I want to cut resources for public safety," Hong said. "I don’t like crime. I don’t like unsafe streets. I also don’t like when a member of law enforcement abuses their power."

On Tuesday, Hong's campaign told Fox News Digital the candidate did not recall a social media post she made in 2021 calling to "Abolish the Senate" after the body failed to convict President Donald Trump during impeachment proceedings.

DSA CO-CHAIR PUSHES BACK ON SOVIET UNION COMPARISONS, WANTS PRISONS TO BE 'LESS NECESSARY'

Hong's campaign platform calls for state support for noncarceral crime-prevention programs, reentry services, red flag laws, universal background checks and safe-storage requirements. Its public safety section does not call for eliminating police departments or cutting their funding.

A Marquette Law School poll released Wednesday showed Hong at 38% among Democratic primary voters, up from 26% one week earlier. Former Lt. Gov. Mandela Barnes followed at 16%, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley had 7%, and 34% remained undecided. The survey of 407 primary voters had a 6.6-percentage-point margin of error.

Hong’s rise has unsettled Democrats concerned about the November contest against expected Republican nominee Rep. Tom Tiffany.

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Joe Zepecki, a Democratic strategist who is not supporting a primary candidate, said Republicans were "trying to pick an opponent they think they can beat."

"Every Democratic campaign should call this out for what it is: a sneaky, underhanded, blatant attempt to meddle in the democratic process," Zepecki said in comments published by Wisconsin Public Radio.

Joel Brennan, a former Wisconsin Department of Administration secretary under Democratic Gov. Tony Evers, is running against Hong for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.

In a memo published by WisPolitics, Brennan said the ads were intended to elevate Hong, "a candidate they are confident they can beat in November because of her extreme positions on defunding police, abolishing prisons and other views out of step with mainstream Wisconsin values."

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Citing a filing with the Wisconsin Ethics Commission, WisPolitics reported that the Republican Governors Association has spent nearly $3.6 million on ads labeling Hong dangerously liberal while emphasizing positions likely to appeal to progressive primary voters.

Trump taps veterans to fix illegal alien trucking problem plaguing US roadways

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:06:18 -0400

FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will launch the White House's new Freedom Haulers initiative Thursday, Fox News Digital has exclusively learned, opening new pathways for military veterans to become commercial truck drivers while intensifying the administration's crackdown on illegal immigrant and non-English-speaking truckers.

"President Trump’s administration has made our roads safer by taking illegal alien, non-English-speaking truck drivers off America’s highways. Now, through the Freedom Haulers initiative, the president is expanding opportunities for our veterans by making it easier to obtain commercial driver’s licenses once they conclude their service," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told Fox News Digital.

The Trump administration is pairing its crackdown on illegal immigrants and non-English-speaking commercial drivers with a new effort to recruit military veterans into the trucking industry.

Trump, along with Department of Transportation (DOT) Secretary Sean Duffy, Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins and acting Labor Secretary Keith Sonderling, will welcome a truck on West Executive Avenue to announce the initiative.

JOE BIDEN MANDATED ALL NEW VEHICLES COME INSTALLED WITH A 'KILL SWITCH.' THIS REPUBLICAN WANTS TO REPEAL IT

"By leading a multi-agency process spanning the departments of Transportation, Labor, Veterans Affairs and War, President Trump is bolstering America’s trucking industry, which is crucial to strong supply chains, while helping our nation’s heroes transition to civilian life with quality, good-paying jobs," Kelly added.

The Department of Transportation will expand eligibility for veterans to receive expedited commercial driver's licenses (CDLs), extending the waiver period from 12 months to 24 months after active-duty service.

For veterans who have never driven a heavy commercial vehicle during their military service, CDL training will be offered.

ILLEGAL TRUCKER CASES FUEL GOP PUSH TO CRACK DOWN ON CDL MILLS AS DEMS LARGELY SILENT

Indiana and Wyoming will also join the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's Even Exchange program, allowing military truck drivers to more easily transition into civilian CDLs.

Werner Enterprises, an Omaha, Nebraska-based trucking company attending Thursday's event, will announce plans to hire 1,400 new veteran drivers.

The administration is also highlighting its ongoing crackdown on commercial drivers who fail to meet English-language proficiency requirements or are improperly licensed.

VIRGINIA BUS CRASH THAT KILLED FIVE INVOLVED DRIVER WHO DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH, SEAN DUFFY SAYS

The Department of Transportation says it has removed more than 24,000 commercial driver's licenses from the nation's highways under stricter English-language proficiency enforcement.

More than 28,000 CDLs were also canceled after officials determined they had been improperly issued to noncitizen truck drivers.

The White House says the initiative is aimed at improving highway safety while strengthening the nation's trucking workforce.

The announcement comes after a series of fatal crashes involving illegal immigrant truck drivers in states including Florida, California, Indiana and Pennsylvania.

Earlier this month, a Pennsylvania State Police trooper was killed during a roadside inspection when a semitruck driven by a Haitian national struck him. Authorities say the driver had obtained a non-domiciled CDL before the administration's rule changes.

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Truck drivers have seen a 7.42% increase in real wages during the Trump administration, compared to a 3% decline in real wages under President Biden, according to DOT.

DOT also says veteran truck drivers experience 42% fewer accidents and cover 98% more miles than non-veteran drivers, arguing the initiative will both improve highway safety and help strengthen America's supply chains.

Megan Moroney cancels show mid-performance, leaves stage in tears

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:03:03 -0400

Country star Megan Moroney cut her Denver concert short Tuesday night after becoming too sick to continue performing, later telling fans it was "the hardest decision" she has ever had to make.

The singer took the stage at Ball Arena but struggled through just three songs before stopping the show. Moroney returned to address the audience herself, apologizing as she fought back tears.

"I am obviously extremely sick, and I thought I did everything to make myself better, and obviously, two songs in, I just can't play this show tonight," she told the crowd in a fan-recorded video.

JON BON JOVI ABRUPTLY ENDS MADISON SQUARE GARDEN SHOW AFTER HEALTH SETBACK

MEGAN MORONEY STUNS IN ORANGE BIKINI DURING FRIEND'S BAHAMAS BACHELORETTE

Despite ending the performance early, Moroney assured concertgoers she planned to make up for the disappointing night.

"I want to give you guys the show you deserve. ... I'm sorry," she said.

Fans inside the arena responded with encouragement, with one audience member shouting, "That's OK Meg, I love you," as the visibly emotional singer exited the stage.

Ball Arena later confirmed the concert had been canceled because Moroney was feeling under the weather.

"Megan is unable to continue her performance this evening due to illness, and we must end the show at this time," the venue said in a statement.

"Please allow event staff to direct you to the nearest exit, and we will follow up with more information as soon as we're able."

COUNTRY SINGER MEGAN MORONEY SWEARS OFF DATING AFTER MEN 'RUINED' HER BIGGEST MOMENTS

The venue added that updates would be posted on its website and apologized "for the inconvenience" while thanking fans for their understanding and cooperation.

Shortly after, Moroney shared an emotional message with fans on Instagram, explaining that continuing the concert would have meant delivering a performance below her own standards.

"That was the hardest decision I've ever had to make & I'm so sorry to cancel the show tonight," she wrote.

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"I never ever will give you guys a show that is not 100% and by song 3 I knew that I was not capable of giving that to you tonight."

The "Am I Okay?" singer said she was devastated by the decision, adding, "I'm typing this as I'm quite literally bawling my eyes out in my dressing room & it hurts me so much to disappoint you all."

Moroney also announced that the Denver concert has been rescheduled for Aug. 27. Tickets purchased for Tuesday night's performance will be honored for the new date, and fans unable to attend can request refunds through their original point of purchase.

"I've never had to do this & I'm truly so sorry," she wrote before closing her message with, "i love u guys."

Fox News Digital reached out to Moroney for comment.

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The abrupt cancellation comes as Moroney continues touring following the success of her third album and a string of sold-out performances across the country.

Her emotional apology and promise to return were met with widespread support from fans online, many of whom encouraged the singer to focus on recovering before getting back on stage.

Despite the canceled show, Moroney's music career continues to soar.

After attending the University of Georgia, she moved to Nashville to pursue music full time.

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Her 2022 breakout hit, "Tennessee Orange," launched her into the country music spotlight, and she has released three albums since: "Lucky" (2023), "Am I Okay?" (2024) and "Cloud 9" (2026).

Moroney also earned ACM and CMA honors as the country's top new female artist before releasing her latest project, "Cloud 9," in February and launching her current tour in May.

Trump family profits from blockbuster deal in Central Asia despite backlash due to 'proof problem': expert

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:00:01 -0400

The Trump Organization, led by President Donald Trump's sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, made a controversial investment in a construction company that now stands to profit from a rare earth minerals deal funded by the U.S. government.

While the deal raises suspicions, one securities attorney says evidence of wrongdoing is likely impossible to find and acknowledged that critics have a "proof problem."

"Well, the question is whether President Trump would have known about his sons’ investments in this company, and I think the answer would be ‘no’ unless the sons told them," Andrew Stoltmann, a Chicago-based securities and investment fraud attorney, told Fox News Digital.

"Look, they are private investors," he continued. "They are not government employees. So, to the extent they make a passive investment in a company or an entity, there are no real duties to disclose this information."

RESOURCE-RICH NATION PRAISES US TIES AMID WASHINGTON-BEIJING CRITICAL MINERALS RACE

The controversy stems from a tungsten mining deal in Kazakhstan, which primarily involves U.S.-based investment company Cove Capital and the company's mining affiliate, Cove Kaz Capital Group. Between 2023 and 2024, Cove Capital negotiated with the Kazakh government to take a 70% share in the country's state-owned tungsten mining deposits.

Tungsten is a rare earth mineral that is critical to building military equipment, including missiles and fighter jets. The lion's share of the earth's supply of the mineral is owned by China and Russia. Trump, since returning to office, has made it a strategic national security priority to secure a long-term supply of the resource.

In August 2025, through an investment vehicle created by Dominari Securities, which is housed in Trump Tower in New York, the Trump brothers purchased a minority interest in a construction company, Skyline Builders, which at the time was publicly traded on the NASDAQ under the ticker SKBL.

HOWARD LUTNICK SHUTS DOWN DEM QUESTIONS OVER JEFFREY EPSTEIN AT BUDGET HEARING

In June of that year, Cantor Fitzgerald, founded by Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, underwrote a $46.8 million loan to a company called ASP Isotopes. ASP Isotopes is owned by businessman Paul Mann. Lutnick's company is now controlled by his sons, Brandon and Kyle Lutnick, who took over when their father became a government official.

At about the time of underwriting, the Trump brothers were investing in Skyline Builders, a wholly-owned ASP Isotopes subsidiary that acquired voting control of Skyline Builders.

On Nov. 6, 2025, Kazakhstan President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, met with Trump and announced that the Central Asian country had awarded a tungsten mining contract to the United States. The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) and the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), which provide government financing for international projects, penned letters of interest totaling up to $1.6 billion in financing for the deal. Cove Kaz Capital was selected as the firm to do the majority of the mining.

The deal has not officially been inked and is under a standard review process by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC).

Earlier this spring, Skyline Builders completed a reverse merger with Cove Kaz Capital, creating a company called Kaz Resources, which is now listed on the NASDAQ as KAZR. Skyline Builders owns 20% of Kaz Resources after a $20 million investment.

ERIC TRUMP PLANS TO SUE JEN PSAKI, MS NOW FOR ALLEGED 'BLATANT LIES' ABOUT HIM JOINING FATHER'S CHINA TRIP

Critics have suggested — albeit without evidence — that the Trump brothers schemed to invest in Skyline Builders with advance knowledge that Kazakhstan would opt to award the billion-and-a-half-dollar tungsten deal to the United States instead of other countries, and, in turn, Kaz Resources would secure the contract.

The Trump organization vehemently denies that characterization and says the investment made by the brothers through Dominari Securities in Skyline Builders was passive, made before the tungsten deal was done and made without the knowledge that Kazakhstan would award the mining contract to the United States in the first place.

Even without wrongdoing, Stoltmann said the appearance of impropriety could cause headaches.

"The $64,000 question is pretty much what Trump knew and when he knew it — and, look, the optics are bad," he said. "You have the president's sons investing in a company that is eventually awarded a very large contract, and so it certainly raises eyebrows, it raises suspicions.

"And it's certainly clear why this has caused an uproar. But a lot of times, this is more thunder, this is more noise — a tempest in a teapot, as I like to say."

In discussing potential ramifications, Stoltmann said members of the political left who are frenzied over the deal will have trouble finding proof of wrongdoing, as Trump would have no way of knowing about his sons' investment unless they told him about it.

"But this is where the proof problem comes in," said Stoltmann.

"It's fun to have conjecture. It's fun to theorize, and it's fun to discuss this, but I don't think there's any duty of disclosure when you are a passive investor in a company, and that's where President Trump would most certainly say, 'I don't know all the things my sons do.'"

As for the Lutnick brothers, Stoltmann noted that Cantor Fitzgerald stood to financially benefit from underwriting and advisory fees when it helped finance the loan for Mann, whose company now owns a majority voting stake in Kaz Resources.

"You most certainly need a Wall Street brokerage firm or bank to help finance some of this, but, more importantly, to do the underwriting," Stoltmann said. "We have reverse mergers, we have mergers and we have multiple shell companies coming into the equation. When you do that, you need a bank, you need a brokerage firm. And that's where Cantor Fitzgerald comes in."

In the way of political ramifications, Stoltmann warned that if Democrats regain control of the House and Senate in November, the Trump brothers will likely face heat from the president's political opponents for any business deals that they think can come under scrutiny.

"You're going see a tsunami of subpoenas trying to get the phone records, the communication records, the emails of the Trump boys and President Trump and everybody associated with this deal," he predicted. "So, look, is there potential legal liability this situation? Yes, there is. I don't think there is for President Trump, though.

"You know, clearly, at least by all appearances, it seems like his sons were passive investors, and the sons would say, ‘Look, we're worth a couple hundred million dollars. We have passive investments in dozens and dozens, if not hundreds of different companies. This is all pure than Caesar's wife,’ but it certainly raises some suspicions."

The White House reiterated that the president does not directly manage his investment holdings and that they are instead managed by independent third-party financial institutions.

"This is the same, tired narrative that Democrats have pushed against President Trump, his family and his administration for a decade," White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said. "President Trump only acts in the best interests of the American public, which is why they overwhelmingly re-elected him to this office despite years of lies and false accusations against him and his businesses from the fake news media. There are no conflicts of interest."

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Cantor Fitzgerald emphasized that it had no interaction at all with Kaz Resources or Skyline Builders.

"Cantor is a natural partner for companies raising capital to meet growing demand for critical minerals," a spokesperson said. "Cantor’s involvement is limited to supporting capital raises in the public markets and does not include participation in negotiations with the current or any prior administration."

The Trump Organization and Commerce Department did not return Fox News Digital's requests for comment.

Graham's final mission advances as Senate moves to crush Putin's war machine with Russia, Iran sanctions

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:56:25 -0400

The Senate took another small step toward levying sanctions against Russian President Vladimir Putin, the Kremlin and Iran in another massive, bipartisan vote.

Though not the final vote to pass the long-stalled effort, the latest successful bid to move a bone-crushing sanctions package once championed by the late Sen. Lindsey Graham is no less significant.

The upper chamber hopes to complete work on the package, renamed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act, by next week. If successful, the long-awaited legislation will again be put on the shelf, albeit temporarily, until the House returns from its August recess.

'A BIG EFFING DEAL': GRAHAM'S FINAL MISSION MOVES FORWARD AFTER HIS DEATH

Still, lawmakers are confident they can get the bill through the next few hurdles and believe that it’s the best way to honor Graham, who made his final trip home to South Carolina on Wednesday for his funeral.

"This may turn out to be Lindsey Graham's greatest legislative achievement in a stellar 32-year career," Sen. Roger Wicker, R-Miss., said.

The bill, which has gone through several iterations, still focuses on kneecapping Putin’s war machine in its ongoing fight with Ukraine. However, it reinserts sanctions targeting Iran’s weapons and energy sectors in the hopes of incentivizing a lasting peace deal as the war in the Middle East marches on.

PUTIN, RUSSIA PUT ON NOTICE AS SENATE TAKES CRUCIAL STEP TO GRIND DOWN THE KREMLIN’S WAR MACHINE

Key components of the legislation allow for up to 500% tariffs on Russian imports; tariffs of up to 100% on countries buying Russian energy, like China and India; and provides President Donald Trump flexibility for when to turn off some aspects of the sanctions.

Some Democrats have acknowledged that giving Trump tariff authority could give their colleagues heartburn, particularly after raging against his usage of duties during his second term.

Proponents of the bill brought in heavy artillery to convince Democratic skeptics in the form of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, a close ally of Graham’s, to win some key votes for the package.

LINDSEY GRAHAM'S FINAL MISSION NEARS FINISH LINE AS WORLD LEADERS GATHER TO HONOR HIM

Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H., said on the Senate floor that she was aware that some had raised concerns about the tariff authorities.

"They say that President Trump has used tariffs indiscriminately to target our closest allies. Well, I agree," Shaheen said.

"But, in the case of this bill, Congress is explicitly directing these tariffs for one unambiguous purpose: to increase the pressure on Vladimir Putin and end his unprovoked war against Ukraine," she continued. "That’s why this bill is narrowly targeted at the worst actors supporting Russia."

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And at its core, the legislation is still meant to send Putin and the Kremlin a strong message as the war in Ukraine rages on.

"This bill says to Vladimir Putin, ‘Your days of war are numbered. You are on the losing side. Better to come to the table now than sacrifice more lives, waste more money, crater your economy, destroy your standing in the world,’" Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., said.

Moms for Liberty co-founder rips Fauci after Fifth Amendment plea, 'America deserves an apology'

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:49:06 -0400

Moms for Liberty co-founder Tina Descovich said Dr. Anthony Fauci's decision to invoke the Fifth Amendment during congressional questioning left millions of parents still searching for answers about pandemic-era school closures, masking policies and the lasting effects they believe those decisions had on their children.

"The things our children have suffered with the lack of education, with the forced masking, with children in some places being forced to take vaccinations so that they could go to school, the things that they have endured, what our families have been through, America deserves an apology," Tina Descovich, CEO and co-founder Moms for Liberty, told Fox News Digital.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital Wednesday, Descovich said families are still grappling with the effects of pandemic policies, including learning loss, mental health challenges and prolonged school closures.

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She said Congress should continue investigating how decisions were made and who was responsible for keeping schools closed during the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Our children are still living with the consequences," Descovich said. "Some schools were closed in California, Chicago, other places for up to two years. Our children suffered mental health ramifications from his policies."

Dr. Anthony Fauci appeared before the Senate Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee on Wednesday to face questioning from Republican lawmakers and Sen. Rand Paul, chair of the committee, over how he handled the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Fox News previously reported that Paul said he plans to pursue civil contempt proceedings against Fauci after the former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases' director invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 100 times during Wednesday's hearing.

At one point during the hearing, when attorney David Schertler, whom Paul said was one of Fauci’s "half a dozen" lawyers, tried talking without being recognized, Paul had him removed.

FAUCI'S NEWLY RELEASED COVID DIARIES REVEAL BIZARRE FIXATION ON FAME AS PANDEMIC DEATHS MOUNTED

On Tuesday, Paul released Fauci's COVID-era diary, which uncovered previously unknown details about his belief about where COVID-19 started and how he managed the pandemic.

"Later in the pandemic, he gloried in the positive attention he was receiving from legacy media and demonized those who questioned his official narrative — like me," Paul said about the documents, referencing tense exchanges during congressional hearings when Paul grilled Fauci over his response to the pandemic.

"Many entries in Fauci’s daily historical account completely undermine the official narrative that Fauci and other public health officials espoused," Paul wrote in his introduction to the documents.

Descovich said she would simply ask Fauci why he did what he did.

"Why did you do this to our children," Descovich asked. "Why did you do this to our families, and how are you going to be held accountable now?"

Her hope is that reforms will be put in place, so families are not at risk of something similar to the COVID-19 pandemic in the future.

"Our elected leaders in America need to hold themselves accountable, and they need to stay in their lane," Descovich said.

"Parents have the fundamental right to direct the upbringing of their children," she continued. "Moms for Liberty was born in 2021 because government was overreaching into our families, making decisions on behalf of our children, throwing them out of school, forcing masks on them, forcing them to vaccinate, and it shot Moms for Liberty into the stratosphere immediately because parents were very upset, and our government should have learned a very good lesson in 2020, 2021, don't mess with American moms."

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Fox News Digital reached out to Fauci for comment but did not immediately receive a response.

Disneyland guests left scrambling after water outage shuts bathrooms and restaurants

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:45:16 -0400

Disneyland guests were left scrambling Tuesday after a citywide water pressure outage forced the temporary closure of restrooms and restaurants across the park.

The outage in Anaheim, California, also impacted nearby businesses and Angel Stadium starting around 6 p.m. PDT on Tuesday.

A Disneyland official confirmed that the outage temporarily impacted operations throughout the resort, adding that the team remained flexible and quickly worked to take care of its guests.

DISNEY WORLD GUESTS SHAKEN AS RARE EARTHQUAKE NEAR CUBA JOLTS FLORIDA

City officials reported technical issues with drawing water from several groundwater wells, according to Anaheim officials.

Roughly 75% of the city’s water comes from groundwater wells, while the other 25% comes from the Colorado River. Four groundwater wells were impacted, several outlets reported.

An official with the City of Anaheim told Fox News Digital the issue was resolved around 8 p.m. local time Tuesday.

There is currently "no ongoing concern," the spokesperson said.

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As access to restrooms during the outage was blocked, some guests said they were caught off guard.

A Disneyland guest named Tiffany Christensen told local outlet KTLA that she was barred from entering several of the park's bathrooms.

"Most guests understood it was out of Disney’s hands, while others were upset [over] the inconvenience," said Christensen.

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"It was a little chaotic, but they handled it the best they could," she added.

On a subreddit dedicated to Disneyland, users reacted to reports of the restroom closures.

"My cousin is there and says all restaurants and restrooms are closed," one person wrote.

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Another person chimed in, "That’s going to get bad real fast."

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One commenter described the situation as "almost unimaginable."

Though the issue was short-lived, not everyone was satisfied.

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"The entire city has no water. We left the parks and will ask for a refund," one guest wrote.

The Disneyland disruption comes weeks after another California water shortage forced the closure of public restrooms along a major highway.

The California Department of Transportation closed the northbound and southbound Gaviota Roadside Rest Areas on Highway 101 because of a water shortage.

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The closures are expected to remain in place through Oct. 1.

Piers Morgan eviscerates Ivy League student who refused to work 'for a Jew' as 'brazenly' antisemitic

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:40:48 -0400

Piers Morgan had a heated exchange with Cornell University student Austin Franco Tuesday after Franco stood by his comments saying he would not want to be "working for a Jew" after rejecting an internship last month.

Franco came under fire last month after rejecting New York City startup VryfID co-founders Gabe and Aiden Einhorn for an interview by attacking their religious background.

"Not interested in working for a Jew. Thanks," Franco reportedly wrote back.

While listening to Franco's side of the story on his show, "Piers Morgan Uncensored," Morgan was shocked that Franco refused to take back or apologize for his incendiary comment despite him and his parents facing backlash.

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"The problem, Austin, it’s not that you said something immature or stupid or anything like that because, had you then said, ‘I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it. I don’t mean the way it came across,’ but it’s the opposite with you," Morgan said. "You do mean it."

"Yes. That is correct," Franco responded.

"You don’t want to be around any Jewish people. That’s 15 million Jewish people. So, therefore, you are de-facto antisemitic. And that puts you in a different category to teenagers who say dumb stuff and then regret it and apologize. You've got no intention of either expressing regret or apologizing. You mean it," Morgan said.

Franco maintained that he was not antisemitic, pointing out that he had dated Jewish people and insisted that his beliefs came from his past negative experiences with members of the Jewish community at both Cornell University and his previous school, Virginia Tech. Morgan dismissed this argument and lamented his "brazen" attitude toward Jews.

"How have you been so poorly educated? Honestly, what’s happened to your parents here, your family, your friends? And what’s allowed you to develop this mindset where you’re prepared to just come on a camera like this in an interview watched by millions of people and just brazenly say, ‘I don’t want to be anywhere near Jewish people’ and not understand the enormity of what you’re saying and have no sense of remorse, no sense of shame, no sense of guilt? You don’t give a f--- do you?" Morgan said.

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Franco went on to attack Israel as a "genocidal country that's made up of 90% Jews that insist upon killing Palestinians and reporters and dragging America into wars abroad." He blamed it for motivating his unwillingness to work with Jews. Morgan fired back, arguing that Franco does not similarly object to working with Americans despite opposing the Trump administration's war with Iran.

"I just find it incredibly depressing that a young man, given the privilege that you’ve had, to go to a top university, could be this thick or, worse, not care about what you’re saying and the consequences to a huge number of people around the world who see a young arrogant kid who wants to brazenly espouse antisemitism in interviews like this," Morgan said.

"And shame on you, and shame on everyone that has made you like this," he added. "And you know what? I was prepared to give you a bit of a fairer hearing about the people calling for you to be canceled and unemployable and so on. You’re making yourself unemployable. I wouldn’t employ you."

After Franco's comment was first reported, Cornell University released a statement condemning antisemitism and announcing that its Office of Civil Rights had opened an investigation.

However, in undercover footage provided by the conservative watchdog group Accuracy in Media last week, Franco claimed he has not faced any repercussions from the university for his comment beyond being informed.

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"As of now, they said there’s not anything going on on their back end. I think because I didn’t say anything that could be classified as hateful. There wasn’t really a leg they could go on," Franco said.

In a comment to Fox News Digital, Cornell University pointed to a statement made by the university's president, Michael I. Kotlikoff, who condemned Franco's comments but did not elaborate on any further action.

"Federal privacy law prohibits Cornell from disclosing specific information regarding our students. Despite the seriousness with which we take this matter, we are not able to make any further comment regarding the actions of this student or any public statement of the university’s response," Kotlikoff's statement said.

Franco also revealed Wednesday that, after his recent appearance on Morgan's show, his parents informed him that they would be kicking him out of their home.

"I will be kicked out of my home on August 1," he said. "Any support you can provide would be greatly appreciated, as would any advice. I have reiterated that my parents do not share my views, and it seems they no longer wish to provide me with a home to live in.

"I know the road ahead will be difficult, but this is the path I chose. I could have lived a more conventional life, as my parents did, and perhaps in a different time I would have. However, that is not the world we live in today, and because of that, I chose a different path than most.

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"I do not regret anything I have done. If I were to die today, I would at least know that I did so believing in myself. Thank you, and may God be with you," Franco wrote on X.

Viral raccoon Jimothy gets his own MLB theme night as Seattle Mariners embrace the trend

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:40:05 -0400

There are many weird things about living in the year of our Lord 2026.

Some cars can drive themselves, AI can have actual conversations with you, and now, a deformed raccoon that someone saw in their neighborhood is getting a theme night at a Major League Baseball game.

That's right, folks: Pack up the kids and head on out to the Seattle Mariners' Jimothy Night!

A SQUIRREL INVADES MLB GAME, JUMPS INTO OUTFIELDERS GLOVE AND CAUSES CHAOS IN HILARIOUS SCENE

If you're looking around for someone to explain to you who — or what — the hell a "Jimothy" is, allow me to do the honors.

Recently, a raccoon with some kind of genetic condition that gave it an unusually short torso has gone viral. Why? I really have no clue, but why does anything go viral? Why did kids think saying "6-7" was hilarious until very recently?

I will say the beautiful thing about Jimothy is that it's a perfect way of showing how nature works. Obviously, Jimothy's physical limitations don't prevent him from living a normal raccoon life.

Because if it did, well, there'd be no Jimothy.

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Whatever the reason is, he's very popular, and when something is popular, people jump on the bandwagon. The Mariners are doing that by dishing out Jimothy rookie cards to the first 20,000 fans who show up to their Aug. 5 game against the Detroit Tigers.

There, they will also have the chance to grab a Jimothy T-shirt.

This is wild.

I mean, minor league teams are famous for this kind of goofy stuff, but in "The Show," it always seemed like they tried to play it straight until recently.

Imagine explaining this to someone from about 20 years ago? They'd be like, "Wait, this is just a goofy raccoon that someone took a video of, and people are going nuts for it?"

Then you'd go, "Yeah, that's right."

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Then they'd say, "Weird... Hey, did you ever see the 'Star Wars kid?'" Because that would be a popular video from their time.

You'd say you have, and you'd shatter their brain into a million pieces by pulling it up on your smartphone so you two can share a quick laugh.

Sen Rand Paul questions whether Fauci's invoking the Fifth Amendment was valid after Biden pardon

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:37:43 -0400

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., raised doubt on whether Dr. Anthony Fauci had the legal right to plead the Fifth Amendment 111 times at a heated congressional hearing Wednesday after receiving a presidential pardon.

"The legal question is, if you're pardoned, can you really claim the Fifth?" he said on "The Will Cain Show." "The Fifth Amendment is to claim immunity from self-incrimination. But if you've already been given immunity, you can't self-incriminate unless you lie.

"I don't know how you plead the Fifth Amendment to something you've already been granted immunity for."

Paul, chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, is moving on a vote to hold Fauci in contempt of Congress after he refused to answer any questions about his COVID-19 pandemic response or gain-of-function research.

FAUCI PLEADS FIFTH WITH 'ZERO LEGAL JUSTIFICATION' AS CRITICS ERUPT AND DEMAND CONTEMPT CHARGES

Fauci was pardoned by former President Joe Biden in January 2025 after Biden said the former director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases could potentially face "unjustified and politically motivated prosecutions" by the incoming Trump administration.

Paul’s comments come days after he released more than 1,000 pages of Fauci’s personal diary entries spanning 2019 through 2022.

FAUCI'S NEWLY RELEASED COVID DIARIES REVEAL BIZARRE FIXATION ON FAME AS PANDEMIC DEATHS MOUNTED

The journals chronicle Fauci's day-to-day life during the COVID-19 pandemic, detailing his apparent obsession with newfound fame and his belief that it was "not hyperbole" to say he was "the most famous and talked about person in the country." The entries also discuss his beliefs about the origins of COVID-19.

"We saw a constellation of what he was saying privately, and then what he was saying publicly," Paul said on "The Will Cain Show." "In January of 2020, he was saying privately, ‘We now know that the earliest cases did not come from the wet market.’

"But he then argued for years and years publicly, ‘Oh no, it came from the market. It came from the wet market, because that supported a natural origin which went against the laboratory origin, which he bore some responsibility for because he funded this lab."

SLACK MESSAGES RELEASED BY RAND PAUL APPEAR TO SHOW AUTHORS OF KEY COVID-19 ORIGIN PAPER HELD PRIVATE DOUBTS

At Wednesday’s explosive hearing, Paul accused Fauci and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) of misleading Congress and destroying records, which he said fractured the public’s trust over the nation’s handling of COVID-19.

Fauci, under guidance from his lawyers, did not answer a single question from Paul or others on the committee, protecting himself from self-incrimination.

When asked whether he plans to challenge the legal viability of Fauci’s pardon, Paul said he intends to prepare a brief arguing that the Fifth Amendment is not appropriate for someone who has received a pardon.

"That's why I think it needs to be pursued in court whether or not, (with) a pardon, you can continue to claim the Fifth Amendment against self-incrimination when you've been given immunity. So, I think there are some really important legal questions here," Paul told Fox News.

Paul, who has referred Fauci to both the Biden and Trump Justice Department, said he was "disappointed" by the hearing and expected the former NIH head to apologize.

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The Republican senator went on to criticize his Democratic colleagues over their questioning of Fauci, asking why they were not more "upset" about the government’s handling of the disease that killed more than 1 million Americans.

"They don't seem to care about the truth. I think they want to defend the government more than they want get to the truth of: Did your government actually fund something that led to a pandemic that killed a million Americans?" Paul said.

Barefoot bandit swipes Taylor Swift cardboard cutout from award-winning ice cream shop

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:18:39 -0400

An award-winning Southern California ice cream parlor is asking for the public's help after a barefoot thief was caught on surveillance video stealing a life-size cardboard cutout of Taylor Swift during a bizarre Monday evening heist.

"It is with a heavy heart that we share that our Taylor Swift standee has been stolen from our Camarillo store," Mister Softee wrote in a Facebook post. "If you recognize this guy, let us know."

Surveillance video the shop shared on social media shows the suspect, who was barefoot and wearing a white T-shirt, black joggers and a black baseball cap, walking into the store at approximately 8:21 p.m.

TAYLOR SWIFT MARRIES TRAVIS KELCE

He briefly looks around before picking up the life-size Taylor Swift cut-out near the entrance and carrying it out the front door without appearing to interact with anyone.

Another angle from the shop's surveillance cameras obtained by the New York Post appears to show the suspect visiting the store earlier with a group of friends around 8 p.m. Monday, where they appeared to enjoy ice cream before leaving. The video appears to show the man returning alone about 20 minutes later.

The cardboard cutout was part of a limited-time promotion for the shop's new "Swiftie Swirl," which it introduced after reports that a Mister Softee truck made an appearance at the wedding festivities for Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

TAYLOR SWIFT'S WEDDING SECRECY WENT SO FAR SOME GUESTS STILL DIDN'T KNOW LOCATION DAYS BEFORE CEREMONY: SOURCE

"When TMZ dropped the news that Mister Softee reportedly made its way into the wedding festivities, we couldn't resist celebrating with a special of our own," the business wrote in a social media post announcing the dessert.

The "Swiftie Swirl" features vanilla soft serve blended with cookie dough and chocolate dip to create chocolate chips, topped with mini M&M's, whipped cream and rainbow sprinkles. The Camarillo location also invited customers to "grab a selfie with our Taylor standee" as part of the promotion.

After the theft, the Ventura County ice cream parlor, which won last year’s VC Reporter Best of Ventura County award for Best Frozen Dessert, assured customers that the frozen treat would remain available despite the stolen display.

AMERICA'S MOST-SEARCHED ICE CREAM BRAND MAY SURPRISE YOU — AND THERE'S A HEALTHY REASON WHY

"The Swiftie Swirl is still available in Ventura and Camarillo this week," the shop wrote. "Just no more photo ops in Cam."

The surveillance video quickly drew attention online, with social media users dubbing the suspect the "barefoot bandit" and joking that the lack of shoes might help narrow the search.

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"He came in barefoot, so he lives close," one commenter wrote.

Fox News Digital reached out to Mister Softee for additional information.

Tony Romo also cited for open container in vehicle as drunken driving arrest saga continues

Wed, 29 Jul 2026 18:15:34 -0400

Former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo was also cited for possessing an open container in his vehicle after his arrest for operating while intoxicated in Wisconsin last week.

Fox News Digital obtained the three citations issued to Romo, which included "possess open intoxicants in MV-Driver" after an "open bottle of an alcoholic beverage was observed on the passenger side of the vehicle."

An inventory of the vehicle was conducted as the 2020 Jeep was about to be towed.

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Romo was also cited for operating while under the influence and unsafe passing on the right. He is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 21.

Police bodycam was also made available to Fox News Digital from the arrest, in which Romo told police he was coming from a golf course and insisted he had consumed "zero" drinks before asking to call his attorney.

When asked to step out of the vehicle, Romo said, "Because I’m coming from a golf course, you think I’m drunk?"

Romo, who was seemingly recording his own video of the incident on his phone, walked to the back of his car, placed down his phone with the camera facing him and was arrested shortly after.

Police detained Romo and transported him to a nearby station to conduct field sobriety tests. The arresting officer said she observed red, glassy eyes and smelled alcohol on Romo's breath.

TONY ROMO TREATING HIS FIELD SOBRIETY TEST LIKE AN NFL COMBINE LEAVES FANS STUNNED

After completing the tests, Romo refused to take a breath test, telling the officer, "I've heard from all the lawyers don't ever do that."

Romo was driving after playing his round in the Wisconsin Amateur Golf Championship. He was set to appear at another golf tournament, the M&P Group Texas State Open, but he withdrew over the weekend.

Romo retired from football in 2017 and joined CBS as a color commentator. He threw for 34,183 yards, 248 touchdowns and 117 interceptions, completing 65.3% of his passes during his career.

He was named to the Pro Bowl four times and finished tied for third in the MVP vote in 2014 behind Aaron Rodgers and J.J. Watt. He was tied with DeMarco Murray.

Romo went 2-4 in the playoffs, famously dropping a snap for a potential game-winning field goal in his first against the Seattle Seahawks. Romo then picked up the ball and tried to run for a touchdown but was stopped short, giving Seattle the win.

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Since retiring, Romo and Jim Nantz have been the main broadcast tandem for CBS, calling three Super Bowls, including the Kansas City Chiefs' overtime win over the San Francisco 49ers in the 2024 Super Bowl.

Romo has yet to comment on his arrest.

Fox News’ Ryan Morik and Jasmine Baehr contributed to this report.

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