Cast down imaginations & every high thing that exalts itself against God

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/snoop-dogg-calls-country-music-collaboration-zac-brown-band-gangster-gumbo

Snoop Dogg has joined forces with the Zac Brown Band for a new collaboration the rap icon described as "gangster gumbo."

On July 18, Snoop Dogg and the Zac Brown Band released their country-rap song, "Let It Run." During the Zac Brown Band's Los Angeles concert July 21, Snoop Dogg made a surprise appearance, and the artists gave the first live performance of "Let It Run" while also filming part of the music video for the track. 

During an interview with Fox News Digital, Snoop Dogg, who recently teamed up with Raising Cane's for a new campaign, recalled how the band enlisted him for the unexpected country-rap mashup. 

"They reached out to me when they played me the record. The record was so, so right up my alley, so it was an easy go-to, and I'm a fan of Zac," Snoop Dogg, 53, said of the band's founding member, Zac Brown. "So, you know, that's what we do. We collaborate, we make things happen in music and we put people together that deserve each other. And that's what the world is on right now as far as when it comes to music.

SNOOP DOGG PRAISES DONALD TRUMP: 'NOTHING BUT LOVE AND RESPECT'

"There's no such thing as just one genre," the "Drop It Like It's Hot" hitmaker said. "It's about crossing hands and bringing everybody together through music." 

Snoop Dogg, best known for pioneering West Coast hip-hop, also explained his approach to blending his musical style with the Zac Brown Band's Southern sound. 

"I stay me," he told Fox News Digital. "I stay me at all times. And I think that's what is appealing about it. That when I am called on, they, they call on me to be me and not for me to try to convert my style into theirs, but to put my style with theirs so that we can make some gangster gumbo." 

WATCH: SNOOP DOGG TALKS TEAMING UP WITH ZAC BROWN BAND FOR THEIR NEW COUNTRY-RAP COLLABORATION, ‘LET IT RUN’

In addition to Brown, the Zac Brown Band features members Jimmy De Martini, John Driskell Hopkins, Coy Bowles, Chris Fryar, Daniel de los Reyes, Matt Mangano, Clay Cook and Caroline Jones. "Let It Run," a laid-back ballad that celebrates cannabis culture, will appear on the Zac Brown Band's upcoming album, "Love & Fear."

The album, which will debut Dec. 5, is the band's first new record in four years. 

While speaking with Fox News Digital, Snoop Dogg pointed out "Let It Run" was not his first foray into the country genre. The new single is the second country song that Snoop Dogg has released this year.

"I got one with Ern," Snoop Dogg said, referring to country music singer-songwriter Ernest. "It's called ‘Gettin’ Gone.' We just dropped that with my boy Ern. I shot a video in Nashville for that.

"But I've been doing that," he added. "Like, I got records with Willie Nelson from way back in the day. So, this is what I do."

Snoop Dogg and Nelson first collaborated in 2008 when the 92-year-old country icon was featured on the rapper's song, "My Medicine," which appeared on his ninth studio album, "Ego Trippin." In 2011, the two teamed up again for the single "Superman." Snoop Dogg was also featured on Nelson's 2012 song, "Roll Me Up and Smoke When I Die." 

That same year, Snoop Dogg along with Nelson, Kris Kristofferson and Jamey Johnson received a CMA nomination in the vocal event of the year category for "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die."

In April 2023, the duo gave a surprise performance of "Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die" during Nelson's star-studded 90th birthday celebration at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles.

During a 2012 interview with The Associated Press, Snoop Dogg opened up about his friendship with Nelson and his experience with country music.

WATCH: SNOOP DOGG COLLABORATED WITH THE ZAC BROWN BAND ON THE NEW COUNTRY SONG ‘RUN WITH IT’

"When I first met him, you would think he was a hip-hop artist because he showed love to me as if I was in his world and I never made country music or none of that. But he understood who I was," Snoop Dogg said. 

"And it drove me to make country music," he continued. "I made a couple of country records and was a part of his album and went to the Country Music Awards and worked with Brad Paisley, went to Johnny Cash's house.

"I was getting heavy into it and finding country music is a form of hip-hop music," Snoop Dogg added. "It's the same thing. We're the same people. Don't let the rhythm fool you. It's the same game."

In 2008, Snoop Dogg appeared on Paisley's album, "Play." The rapper was featured on Trace Adkins' 2021 song, "So Do the Neighbors." Last year, Snoop Dogg teamed up with Keith Urban for "Roll With It," a song that was included in the soundtrack of the animated movie "Garfield."

Snoop Dogg has also spoken out about his interest in working with country legend Dolly Parton. During a 2024 news conference, Snoop Dogg told reporters, "I’d love to do a song with Dolly Parton, can you hook that up?

"She brings it."

Aside from country, Snoop Dogg has dabbled in R&B, soul, rock, reggae, gospel and electronic dance music. During his interview with Fox News Digital, Snoop Dogg shared his thoughts on cross-genre collaborations.

"Music is music," he said. "It's the universal language of all people. And if it feels good to you, it must be good for you. And anytime you collaborate with somebody, it's the feeling that you get when you hear the record, when you make the record and when you release the record.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

"So, it's all of those above and then those in between."

The "Gin and Juice" rapper's latest non-musical collaboration is with the fast-food chain Raising Cane's. Snoop Dogg is the face of Raising Cane's ad campaign for the 16th year of its trademark Chicken Finger Day holiday on July 27. 

On Chicken Finger Day, Raising Cane's customers will receive a free chicken finger for every box combo they purchase. 

According to a press release, Snoop Dogg is "stepping in to help make sure fans don’t miss a beat, rolling up in a Cadillac sleigh, swapping "ho ho ho" for a laidback "yo yo yo" to help deliver chicken fingers in a Christmas-in-July-themed ad spot running nationwide.

"The legendary rapper and pop culture icon will also appear on billboards and in-restaurant signage, bringing a little extra flavor and a whole lot of chicken fingers to Raising Cane’s signature holiday," the press release added.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

While speaking with Fox News Digital, Snoop Dogg explained that he decided to take part in the campaign due to his love of the chain and his longtime friendship with Raising Cane's founder and CEO Todd Graves.

"I like chicken fingers, and Todd Graves was a good friend of mine," Snoop Dogg said. "And when he decided to make it a real holiday, it was only fitting. It was only right.

WATCH: SNOOP DOGG SHARES HIS LOVE FOR RAISING CANE'S AS HE DEBUTS NEW AD CAMPAIGN FOR NATIONAL CHICKEN FINGER DAY

"I've been down with him for many years and associated with him and just love his brand, love the restaurants, and it just made sense to do something for something that's a part of my get down," he added. 

"I order this every day, all day."

Snoop Dogg told Fox News Digital that personal order at Raising Cane's is "unorthodox."

"I'm Snoop Dogg. I got my own order," he said. "Send me 17 strips with two fries and a whole bunch of ketchup with lemonade. It ain't even on the menu. It's just, that's how I get it."

The rapper explained he and Graves worked together to develop the concept for the Christmas in July-themed ad. Snoop Dogg previously guest-starred on Graves' Discovery+ series, "Restaurant Recovery," and the restaurantuer's A&E show, "Secret Sauce." 

"Me and Todd Graves wanted to do something that could really make a difference and feel good and be fun too at the same time," Snoop Dogg said. "So, me in the Santa Claus spirit, riding around in my sleigh, but my sleigh is an old-school car to represent who I am and just dropping gifts on people around the whole world from the sky. You know what I'm saying? Just keeping the spirit alive.

"It's a fun-filled situation anytime you're at Raising Cane's," he added. "It is a great restaurant. So, we wanted to make sure that the commercial would depict that as well."

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/snoop-dogg-calls-country-music-collaboration-zac-brown-band-gangster-gumbo

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/american-idol-exec-murder-timeline-shows-police-left-home-minutes-before-fatal-shooting

"American Idol" exec Robin Kaye and her husband, Thomas DeLuca, narrowly missed a police presence outside their home on the day they were shot and killed by an intruder.

Kaye and DeLuca were found dead inside their home July 14 when the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) conducted a welfare check. 

A friend of the couple had contacted authorities after not hearing from Kaye or DeLuca for days. The police were given access to get inside the gate by the friend, and they found signs of trouble outside. Officers broke a window to enter, and they discovered the couple shot to death.

Officers were called to the Encino home twice July 10, but NBC4 Los Angeles reported they had cleared the scene 25 minutes before Kaye and DeLuca pulled into their driveway.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ EXEC MURDER SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY USED COUPLE'S OWN GUN IN GRISLY KILLINGS

Here's a timeline of the double homicide:

Robin Kaye and Thomas DeLuca attended a neighborhood safety meeting the night before the couple were killed, according to NBC4 Los Angeles.

"I had a chance to connect with Robin and Tom, sitting at the same table, for about two hours," Capt. Mike Bland admitted during a July 21 safety meeting, according to the outlet. At the second meeting, which occurred after Kaye and DeLuca were murdered, officers promised to increase patrolling in Encino-area neighborhoods.

A neighbor of Kaye and DeLuca called 911 after seeing someone climb the fence to gain access to the couple's property. The LAPD dispatched a helicopter and patrol cars.

‘AMERICAN IDOL’ MUSIC BOSS ROBIN KAYE AND HUSBAND FOUND MURDERED IN THEIR LA HOME

The LAPD flight operator called dispatch to see if the person reporting the attempted break-in still had eyes on the suspect.

The LAPD dispatch said it didn't have any evidence of a forced break-in and gave the all clear. The officers then left the property, although it's unclear exactly what time the officers departed. Fox News Digital has reached out to the LAPD.

LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS

Robin Kaye and Thomas DeLuca returned home about 25 minutes after the police had left.

A second 911 call came through to the LAPD. The caller could be heard saying "someone broke into my office," and "don’t shoot me," NBC4 Los Angeles reported.

According to detectives, GPS coordinates placed the caller inside Kaye and DeLuca's home.

WATCH: ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ EXEC MOVED TO ENCINO NEIGHBORHOOD 'TO BE SAFE' BEFORE DOUBLE HOMICIDE, FAMILY FRIEND SAYS

The LAPD responded to the Encino home after receiving two calls about a burglary. At the time, officers saw no signs of forced entry.

"The house is fortified. It has 7, 8-foot-high walls with metal spikes that are welded onto the tips of the walls there. The vehicle gate was closed, also spiked. They had no means of entering via gate code like they did on the date of the welfare check," LAPD Lt. Guy Golan previously told Fox News Digital about the July 10 response.

"They did request a flyover by our airship, which did happen," he added. "There were no signs of forced entry during this flyover. And, again, that the suspect entered the property without force and entry. So, there were no signs of burglary. And regarding what evidence there was in the front porch, it was not visible by air due to the foyer having a kind of a cover over it there at the front of the house. So, the airship was not able to see what the officers observed during the welfare check."

Kaye and DeLuca were found dead inside their home after a friend called police for a welfare check.

Investigators believe the suspect scaled a fence to gain access to the home and was able to enter through an unlocked door. Golan previously told Fox News Digital police believe the suspect was inside the house for about 30 minutes when the victims returned home, and a violent struggle took place. Kaye and Deluca died of their injuries, and the suspect fled on foot. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER

A suspect, identified as 22-year-old Raymond Boodarian, was arrested in the double homicide. 

WATCH: LAPD LT. GUY GOLAN PROVIDES UPDATE ON THE MURDERS OF AN ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ EXECUTIVE AND HER HUSBAND

Boodarian was charged July 17 with the murders of Kaye and DeLuca and appeared for the first time in a Southern California court.

The 22-year-old was charged with two counts of murder and one count of first-degree burglary. Special circumstances were also filed with respect to the murders, Deputy District Attorney Hilary Williams said outside the Van Nuys courthouse. Boodarian remained hidden behind a door in the courtroom during the hearing.

He could face life without the possibility of parole or death, according to Williams.

WATCH: ‘AMERICAN IDOL’ EXEC MURDER SUSPECT CHARGED IN DOUBLE HOMICIDE

On Monday, July 21, Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman revealed new details during a town hall meeting.

Hochman said Boodarian gave his name when he called 911 July 10. This call led detectives to track him down after the discovery of the deceased July 14. He also alleged Boodarian shot the couple with their gun.

"As this remains an active investigation and pending court matter, we are unable to share additional details at this time," a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County District Attorney's office told Fox News Digital.

Encino residents gathered at a town hall meeting to discuss concerns over rising crime in the area.

"This murder could have been avoided," Heather Michaels from the Encino Neighborhood Council said, according to Fox11. "The community feels unsafe. They are frightened. A lot of the elderly don’t even want to come out of their homes." 

Authorities noted they have increased patrolling in the Encino area between 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.

https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/american-idol-exec-murder-timeline-shows-police-left-home-minutes-before-fatal-shooting

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pro-life-group-elated-planned-parenthood-shutters-houston-facilities-tremendous-victory

EXCLUSIVE: A pro-life group is celebrating a "tremendous victory" after Planned Parenthood announced two of its facilities in Houston, Texas, will be shutting down this fall, as Republican lawmakers continue to target the organization.

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, 40 Days for Life CEO and founder Shawn Carney, a Houston resident, expressed "both personal and professional elation" at the shuttering of the facilities, including the 78,000-square-foot clinic that he said was the largest abortion facility in the Western Hemisphere.

"This is massive news for the pro-life movement and shows the direction that Planned Parenthood is going, which is down," Carney said.

Planned Parenthood Gulf Coast — which runs six clinics in the Houston area and two in Louisiana — will close its Prevention Park and Southwest centers on Sept. 30, while the other Houston facilities will be acquired by the organization's largest Texas affiliate.

FEDERAL JUDGE PARTIALLY BLOCKS LAW BANNING ADULTS FROM HELPING MINORS GET OUT-OF-STATE ABORTIONS

This comes amid several closures of Planned Parenthood facilities in various states, including New York, where the organization is selling its only Manhattan health center building for $39 million.

Facilities in GOP-led states with abortion restrictions, including Texas, have also been forced to cease procedures following the 2022 Supreme Court decision that overturned Roe V. Wade and sent decisions regarding abortion back to the states.

"Now they are closing the largest abortion facility in the world," Carney said. "Their flagship. They're very proud of it in Houston, Texas. They're finally closing it, and it's unbelievable."

The company cited rising costs, staffing shortages and low reimbursement rates as the reasons for closing the two Houston facilities. GOP officials in recent years have made repeated attempts to shut down Planned Parenthood, even after nearly all abortions were banned under Texas law.

The Trump administration has sought to impose funding cuts to Planned Parenthood that could lead to the closure of additional facilities. A provision in a GOP-backed bill would end Medicaid payments for one year to abortion providers that received more than $800,000 from the program in 2023.

A judge granted a preliminary injunction earlier this week blocking the government from cutting Medicaid payments to Planned Parenthood member organizations that either do not provide abortions or did not meet a threshold of at least $800,000 in Medicaid reimbursements in a given year.

Carney said 40 Days for Life has prayed and held vigils outside the Houston mega-facility since 2006.

"Countless people have gone out, offered alternatives. We've had pro-life buses outside to do free ultrasounds. There have been so many lives saved, but to be honest, it just seemed like they were Goliath and it didn't matter if we were David," he said, adding that the "behemoth" facility even provided late-term abortions at one point. "They were just going to always be open and always be victorious."

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM DEFUNDING SOME PLANNED PARENTHOOD FACILITIES 

Carney described the closing of the facilities as a "tremendous victory" for the pro-life movement and said it represents "one of the biggest victories that we've had" following the overturning of Roe v. Wade.

"Planned Parenthood has always been very top-heavy in D.C., and that's been a weakness for the pro-life movement. But once [the court] sent it back to the states, it was sending it back to the place where the pro-life movement was the strongest, which was the grassroots," he said.

The closure of the two Houston facilities shows "more than anything else" that "the pro-life movement is built for a post-Roe America," Carney said, adding that Planned Parenthood is not a "monster that can't go away."

"They are very, very vulnerable. When you look at the New York closing and the Houston closing, this is what that represents. All the nonsense about other services and serving women and helping low-income women. Because when you take away abortions or you offer alternatives, they close, and they close their most prosperous locations," he said.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/pro-life-group-elated-planned-parenthood-shutters-houston-facilities-tremendous-victory

https://www.foxnews.com/world/europeans-meet-iranian-officials-face-to-face-first-time-since-israel-us-bombings-sanctions-loom

European diplomats met with Iranians on Friday face-to-face for the first time since Israel and the U.S. bombed the country last month. 

The "serious, frank and detailed" meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, lasted for around four hours and the officials all agreed to meet again for continued negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. 

Sanctions that were lifted on Iran in 2015 after it agreed to restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear program could be reimposed if Iran doesn’t comply with requirements. 

One of Europe’s E3 nations – Britain, France and Germany, who held the talks with Iran – could bring back sanctions under the "snapback" mechanism, which allows one of the European countries to bring back U.N. sanctions if Iran violates the conditions. 

IRAN SEEKS CHINA, RUSSIA HELP TO STALL UN SANCTIONS AHEAD OF NUCLEAR TALKS WITH EUROPEANS

European leaders have also said that sanctions will start being reinstated by the end of August if there is no progress on reining in Iran’s nuclear program. 

"A possible delay in triggering snapback has been floated to the Iranians on the condition that there is credible diplomatic engagement by Iran, that they resume full cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), and that they address concerns about their highly-enriched uranium stockpile," a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity before the talks on Friday. 

The diplomat added that the snapback mechanism "remains on the table." 

IRAN VOWS RETALIATION IF UN SECURITY COUNCIL ISSUES SNAPBACK SANCTIONS ON ANNIVERSARY OF NUCLEAR DEAL

Iran said that the U.S. needs to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal – after President Trump pulled America out of it in 2018 – saying Iran has "absolutely no trust in the United States."

The U.S. bombed Iran’s nuclear sites on June 22, a little over a week after Israel had bombed the country over national security concerns about its nuclear program. 

Iran responded by attacking Israel and a U.S. Army base in Qatar. 

Isreal and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on June 24. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The IAEA issued a concerning report in May that said that Iran’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium had grown by nearly 50% in three months. 

The Associated Press contributed to this report. 

https://www.foxnews.com/world/europeans-meet-iranian-officials-face-to-face-first-time-since-israel-us-bombings-sanctions-loom

https://www.foxnews.com/world/europeans-meet-iranian-officials-face-to-face-first-time-since-israel-us-bombings-sanctions-loom

European diplomats met with Iranians on Friday face-to-face for the first time since Israel and the U.S. bombed the country last month. 

The "serious, frank and detailed" meeting in Istanbul, Turkey, lasted for around four hours and the officials all agreed to meet again for continued negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program. 

Sanctions that were lifted on Iran in 2015 after it agreed to restrictions and monitoring of its nuclear program could be reimposed if Iran doesn’t comply with requirements. 

One of Europe’s E3 nations – Britain, France and Germany, who held the talks with Iran – could bring back sanctions under the "snapback" mechanism, which allows one of the European countries to bring back U.N. sanctions if Iran violates the conditions. 

IRAN SEEKS CHINA, RUSSIA HELP TO STALL UN SANCTIONS AHEAD OF NUCLEAR TALKS WITH EUROPEANS

European leaders have also said that sanctions will start being reinstated by the end of August if there is no progress on reining in Iran’s nuclear program. 

"A possible delay in triggering snapback has been floated to the Iranians on the condition that there is credible diplomatic engagement by Iran, that they resume full cooperation with the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency), and that they address concerns about their highly-enriched uranium stockpile," a European diplomat said on condition of anonymity before the talks on Friday. 

The diplomat added that the snapback mechanism "remains on the table." 

IRAN VOWS RETALIATION IF UN SECURITY COUNCIL ISSUES SNAPBACK SANCTIONS ON ANNIVERSARY OF NUCLEAR DEAL

Iran said that the U.S. needs to rejoin the 2015 nuclear deal – after President Trump pulled America out of it in 2018 – saying Iran has "absolutely no trust in the United States."

The U.S. bombed Iran’s nuclear sites on June 22, a little over a week after Israel had bombed the country over national security concerns about its nuclear program. 

Iran responded by attacking Israel and a U.S. Army base in Qatar. 

Isreal and Iran agreed to a ceasefire on June 24. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The IAEA issued a concerning report in May that said that Iran’s stockpile of near-weapons-grade enriched uranium had grown by nearly 50% in three months. 

https://www.foxnews.com/world/europeans-meet-iranian-officials-face-to-face-first-time-since-israel-us-bombings-sanctions-loom

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-admin-offers-608m-states-build-migrant-camps-modeled-after-alligator-alcatraz

The Trump administration is offering $608 million to states willing to expand migrant detention efforts. 

The money, announced through the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) new Detention Support Grant Program (DEP), is aimed at helping states build or enlarge temporary detention facilities modeled after Florida’s Everglades compound known as "Alligator Alcatraz," according to FEMA documents.

"[Department of Homeland Security] Secretary Kristi Noem has been very clear that Alligator Alcatraz can be a blueprint for other states and local governments to assist with detention," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News Digital on Friday. 

The funding is part of FEMA’s Shelter and Services Program and is open for applications through Aug. 8, per FEMA’s announcement.

TRUMP SAYS ONLY WAY OUT OF ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ IS DEPORTATION

The program is intended to fast-track construction of secure, temporary detention sites on state or local land, sidestepping long procurement delays. 

Noem has criticized federal contractors as costly and slow, and has encouraged governors to take a more direct role.

"They were willing to build it and do it much quicker than some of the other vendors," Noem said of Florida. "And it was a real solution we’ll be able to utilize if we need to."

Florida’s facility was built in just eight days on remote Everglades land at the Dade-Collier Airport. It holds up to 3,000 migrants and is surrounded by fencing, swamp, and natural barriers. 

During a July 1 visit, President Donald Trump praised it as "so professional, so well done," calling it "a model we’d like to see in many states." 

"We’re surrounded by miles of treacherous swampland, and the only way out is really deportation," he added.

RED STATES CONSIDER ‘ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ’ SPINOFFS AS WH URGES THEM TO FOLLOW DESANTIS’ LEAD: 'LOTS OF BEARS'

Florida officials confirmed they are seeking FEMA reimbursement to help cover the camp’s estimated $450 million annual operating cost. State officials say the site qualifies for federal funding under the new grant guidelines.

According to Noem, five states are currently in talks with DHS about building similar detention facilities. 

"We’ve had several other states that are actually using Alligator Alcatraz as a model for how they can partner with us," she said during a recent news briefing.

"I hope my phone rings off the hook from governors calling and saying, ‘How can we do what Florida just did?’"

The new funding comes as Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) aims to double detention capacity. 

ICE reported more than 56,000 migrants in custody as of June, the highest since 2019, and is targeting 100,000 beds by the end of the year, according to DHS planning materials.

Funds will be distributed by FEMA in partnership with Customs and Border Protection, according to DHS' posting.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

FEMA did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

Fox News' Greg Norman, Emma Colton, and Mara Robles contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-admin-offers-608m-states-build-migrant-camps-modeled-after-alligator-alcatraz

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-admin-releases-over-6b-frozen-education-funds-states

The Trump administration is releasing roughly $6.8 billion in previously frozen federal funds for K-12 programs, the Department of Education announced Friday. The announcement was made as Secretary Linda McMahon attended the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The Office of Management and Budget (OMB) "has completed its review of Title I-C, Title II-A, Title III-A and Title IV-A ESEA funds and Title II WIOA funds and has directed the Department to release all formula funds. The agency will begin dispersing funds to states next week," department spokesperson Madi Biedermann told Fox News Digital. 

More than 20 Democratic attorneys general sued the Trump administration earlier this month, describing the Department of Education's federal funding freeze as unconstitutional and "debilitating" to states just weeks ahead of a new school year.

The bipartisan group of governors, including the NGA's outgoing chair, Gov. Jared Polis of Colorado, and its vice chair, Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, thanked McMahon for unlocking the funding during the NGA's education session Friday. 

DEMOCRAT AGS SUE TRUMP FOR 'UNCONSCIONABLE' FREEZE ON $6.8B IN K-12 SPENDING

"How can we better communicate to make sure that this chaos and uncertainty doesn't occur again around funding and that people know things earlier?" Polis asked McMahon on the Colorado Springs stage. 

"No guarantees from me that we will eliminate all the communications gaps that do happen, but I can say that part of it is just the transition aspect," McMahon explained.

The education secretary said the other aspect of the federal funding freeze was that the OMB budget office "took some time to really review the title funding to look at all the programs, etc., before they were released. They were well satisfied. So, now, those funds are going to be going out."

TRUMP ADMIN SEEKING TO PULL FUNDING FROM LOCAL GOVERNMENTS SLAPPED WITH JUDGE'S PRELIMINARY INJUNCTION

McMahon assured the governors that now that they have reviewed title funding and gone through the process, "we wouldn't find ourselves in the same situation."

Several of the governors who attended Polis and McMahon's education discussion and had the opportunity to ask questions thanked the education leader for returning the federal title funds to the states. 

Polis kicked off the NGA's summer session in Colorado Springs Friday with his signature policy agenda, "Let’s Get Ready! Educating All Americans for Success." 

EDUCATION SECRETARY LINDA MCMAHON TOUTS COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY'S $200M SETTLEMENT 'TEMPLATE'

McMahon said she was appreciative of the governors' questions and comments, and she committed to visiting as many states and speaking with as many governors as possible to grasp the full scope of the country's diverse educational needs. 

Polis and Stitt said in a joint statement released by NGA that they are "thankful these bipartisan discussions with Secretary McMahon and other key officials during the NGA Summer Meeting led to the distribution of these education funds."

"This action ensures schools across the nation can maintain essential programs for English language learners, teacher training, and student enrichment as the new academic year begins," the NGA leaders said, emphasizing that "governors from both parties stand united in prioritizing our children’s education, and we’re proud our advocacy helped secure this vital support for states and districts."

In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital ahead of her remarks, McMahon affirmed her commitment to collaborating with governors as the Trump administration seeks to dismantle the Department of Education. 

"It's just incredibly important that if we are going to return education to the states, we have to talk to the governors," McMahon said. 

"Clearly, education is a nonpartisan issue," McMahon added. "If we're going to return education to the states, that just means giving them back the part that is now provided by the federal government, and they're anxious for it." 

Trump signed an executive order earlier this year to dismantle the Department of Education, fulfilling one of his key campaign promises during the 2024 presidential election. 

Fox News Digital's Breanne Deppisch contributed to this report. 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-admin-releases-over-6b-frozen-education-funds-states

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trans-bathroom-policies-have-10-days-go-trump-ed-dept-warns-5-virginia-school-districts

The Department of Education is giving five northern Virginia school districts ten days to fix their transgender bathroom policies or face "enforcement action," the agency said Friday. 

Public school districts in Loudoun County, Fairfax County, Prince William County, Alexandria City and Arlington were all found to be in violation of Title IX after an investigation by the Education Department's Office of Civil Rights that began in February, according to a press release shared Friday. 

The release cited a June ruling by the Supreme Court, which the department said acknowledged that a person's identification as "transgender" is distinct from a person's biological sex.

TRUMP ADMIN CRACKS DOWN ON OREGON AND VIRGINIA FOR DEFYING TITLE IX AND WOMEN'S SPORTS EXECUTIVE ORDER

"The investigation was based on complaints alleging that the [school districts] have similar anti-discrimination policies pertaining to ‘transgender-identifying’ students, which violate the sex-based protections of Title IX," the release said.

"The [districts] are also the subject of several lawsuits, informal complaints and reports, which allege that students in the (districts) avoid using school restrooms whenever possible because of the schools’ policies and that female students have witnessed male students inappropriately touching other students and watching female students change in a female locker room."

Craig Trainor, the Department of Education's acting assistant secretary for civil rights, blasted the Biden administration for tolerating such behavior, adding it's time for "northern Virginia’s experiment with radical gender ideology" to come to an end. 

The Education Department's non-compliance finding prompted the agency to issue a proposed resolution agreement whereby each school district can take corrective action to prevent any enforcement actions by the Trump administration. 

That action would require the districts to rescind any policies or regulations allowing students to access bathrooms, locker rooms or other intimate facilities on the basis of their preferred gender identity as opposed to their biological sex.

SCANDAL-PLAGUED SCHOOL DISTRICT REFERRED TO DOJ AFTER ANOTHER TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM CONTROVERSY 

The districts will also be required under the agreement to issue letters to each school it oversees within its district, explaining that any future policies related to bathrooms, locker rooms or other intimate spaces must separate students on the basis of sex and not gender identity.

The districts would also be compelled under the agreement to adopt "biology-based definitions" of the words "male" and "female" to be used in all practices and policies.   

The Department of Education gave the school districts 10 days to voluntarily agree to these demands or risk "imminent" consequences, including a potential referral to the Department of Justice.

VIRGINIA SCHOOL DISTRICT ACCUSED OF RELIGIOUS DISCRIMINATION IN TRANSGENDER LOCKER ROOM CASE

"Today, we at Defending Education are incredibly gratified to learn that a group of Northern Virginia School Districts — many of which were ground zero for the social experimentation of transgender ‘inclusion’ in women's sports, bathrooms and private spaces — are now facing the music for failing to adhere to the plain text and meaning of Title IX," said Sarah Parshall Perry, vice president and legal fellow at Defending Education.

"As a mother, as a Virginian and as former senior counsel to the assistant secretary for civil rights at the U.S. Department of Education, I am encouraged to see that this administration is taking the enforcement of long-standing civil rights laws seriously," Perry continued. 

"Title IX was passed to guarantee women's educational equality in its myriad manifestations. But intransigent schools in the commonwealth seem to have forgotten that."

The school districts all confirmed receipt of the resolution agreements issued to them by the Department of Education and are conducting a review to determine next steps. They all also expressed a commitment to following federal and state laws while simultaneously fostering a welcoming, inclusive and supportive environment for students.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trans-bathroom-policies-have-10-days-go-trump-ed-dept-warns-5-virginia-school-districts

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trumps-executive-order-birthright-citizenship-blocked-another-federal-appeals-judge-latest-ruling

A federal appeals judge on Friday blocked President Donald Trump’s plan to end birthright citizenship for the children of people in the country illegally or temporarily. 

U.S. District Judge Leo Sorokin ruled that a nationwide injunction on the Trump administration’s effort to end birthright citizenship that he issued earlier this year and that was granted to more than a dozen states can stand. 

Sorokin said the ruling was an exception to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that limited lower courts’ ability to issue nationwide injunctions. The issue is expected to return to the Supreme Court.  

FEDERAL JUDGE BLOCKS TRUMP'S BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP BAN FOR ALL INFANTS, TESTING LOWER COURT POWERS

Trump and the administration "are entitled to pursue their interpretation of the Fourteenth Amendment, and no doubt the Supreme Court will ultimately settle the question," Sorokin wrote in his ruling. "But in the meantime, for purposes of this lawsuit at this juncture, the Executive Order is unconstitutional."

The Trump administration has argued that children born in the U.S. to parents in the country illegally and temporarily are not "subject to the jurisdiction" of the United States and therefore not entitled to citizenship. 

Trump signed the birthright citizenship executive order, along with a slew of other orders, on his first day in office in January. 

UPENDING US BIRTHRIGHT CITIZENSHIP WOULD HAVE DRASTIC NEGATIVE IMPACT, DEFENDERS WARN

On Wednesday, the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit Court of Appeals also affirmed the lower court’s nationwide injunction, and, earlier this month, a New Hampshire federal judge issued a ruling prohibiting Trump’s executive order from taking effect nationwide in a new class-action lawsuit.

Sorokin disagreed with the Trump administration’s argument that the Supreme Court’s ruling warranted a narrower ruling. 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit argued that Trump’s executive order is unconstitutional because the 14th Amendment guarantees birthright citizenship, and it also threatens millions of dollars in state funding for "essential" health insurance services contingent on citizenship status. 

Reuters and the Associated Press contributed to this report. 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trumps-executive-order-birthright-citizenship-blocked-another-federal-appeals-judge-latest-ruling

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/michelle-obama-portraitists-exhibit-trans-statue-liberty-pulled-after-vance-pressure

EXCLUSIVE: Artist Amy Sherald canceled her upcoming exhibit featuring a portrait of a transgender Statue of Liberty at the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery after Vice President JD Vance raised concerns the show included woke and divisive content, Fox News Digital has learned. 

President Donald Trump signed an executive order in March that placed Vance in charge of overseeing the removal of programs or exhibits at Smithsonian museums that "degrade shared American values, divide Americans based on race, or promote programs or ideologies inconsistent with Federal law and policy." 

Vance said Sherald’s "American Sublime" exhibit violated Trump’s executive order and was an example of woke and divisive content during a meeting June 9 with the Board of Regents, a source familiar with the meeting told Fox News Digital. 

ARTIST PULLS ART FROM SMITHSONIAN GALLERY AFTER MUSEUM TRIES TO ALTER HER TRANS STATUE OF LIBERTY PAINTING

"Vice President Vance has been leading the effort to eliminate woke indoctrination from our beloved Smithsonian museums," an administration official said in an email to Fox News Digital. "On top of shepherding the One Big Beautiful Bill through the Senate and helping President Trump navigate international crises, the vice president has demonstrated his ability to get President Trump’s priorities across the finish line."

Sherald, best known for painting former first lady Michelle Obama’s official portrait in 2018, announced Thursday she was pulling her show, "American Sublime," from the Smithsonian’s National Portrait Gallery slated for September, The New York Times first reported. 

Sherald said she was rescinding her work from the exhibition after being told that the National Portrait Gallery had some concerns about featuring the portrait of the transgender Statue of Liberty during the show. The painting, "Trans Forming Liberty," depicts a trans woman with pink hair wearing a blue gown. 

TRUMP WHITE HOUSE CALLS OUT SMITHSONIAN FOR PUSHING 'ONE-SIDED, DIVISIVE POLITICAL NARRATIVES

"These concerns led to discussions about removing the work from the exhibition," Sherald said in a statement, The New York Times first reported Thursday. "While no single person is to blame, it’s clear that institutional fear shaped by a broader climate of political hostility toward trans lives played a role. 

"This painting exists to hold space for someone whose humanity has been politicized and disregarded. I cannot in good conscience comply with a culture of censorship, especially when it targets vulnerable communities.

"At a time when transgender people are being legislated against, silenced and endangered across our nation, silence is not an option," Sherald added. "I stand by my work. I stand by my sitters. I stand by the truth that all people deserve to be seen — not only in life, but in art."

The Smithsonian did not immediately respond to a request for comment regarding Vance’s involvement in the matter. 

DEFUNDING DEI: HERE’S HOW THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION HAS UNDONE BIDEN’S VERY PRIZED PROGRAMS

The White House said the removal of Sherald’s exhibit is a "principled and necessary step" toward cultivating unity at institutions like the Smithsonian. 

"The ‘Trans Forming Liberty’ painting, which sought to reinterpret one of our nation’s most sacred symbols through a divisive and ideological lens, fundamentally strayed from the mission and spirit of our national museums," Trump special assistant Lindsey Halligan said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

"The Statue of Liberty is not an abstract canvas for political expression. It is a revered and solemn symbol of freedom, inspiration and national unity that defines the American spirit."

Other members of the Smithsonian’s Board of Regents include the Chief Justice of the United States, John Roberts, along with senators John Boozman, R-Ark.; Catherine Cortez Masto, D-Nev.; and Gary Peters, D-Mich., along with several other House members. 

Fox News’ Gabriel Hays contributed to this report. 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/michelle-obama-portraitists-exhibit-trans-statue-liberty-pulled-after-vance-pressure

https://www.foxnews.com/us/south-carolina-dance-teacher-arrested-questionable-routine-uncovers-serious-allegations

A South Carolina dance teacher was arrested after an investigation that began when parents raised flags about a dance routine "that conflicted with their morals."

Andrea Mizell, 45, is accused of giving her students alcohol, having vulgar conversations with them, showing them sexually explicit photos of herself and touching them inappropriately during dance practice, according to a police incident report obtained by Fox News Digital. 

She was charged with four counts of second-degree assault and battery, four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor and three counts of disseminating harmful material to minors, according to court documents.

FORMER PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHER, 33, CHARGED AFTER 'PROLONGED PATTERN OF ABUSE' WITH TEEN BOY

Police in Hanahan began investigating Mizell when officers responded March 12 to reports of an argument at a dance school. Some of the parents told authorities they were morally conflicted over a dance routine being taught to their children.  

When Mizell reportedly set a time to meet with one concerned parent to discuss the problem, she fled in her car and drove away after seeing several parents at the school, the police report states. Mizell later told police she felt intimidated and left out of fear. 

FORMER PHYSICAL EDUCATION TEACHER CHARGED WITH MULTIPLE SEXUAL OFFENSES AGAINST 3 CHILDREN

When officers spoke to the children who attended the dance school, they were told Mizell had given them alcohol and was having "vulgar conversations" with them. She also allegedly invited some of them to her apartment and served them margaritas while they watched a movie.

She also allegedly discussed her sex life with the students. 

Students told investigators Mizell had also touched them inappropriately, including "in the private parts on the butt," according to court documents reported in local media.

One student allegedly told police the touching happened multiple times during dance practice and that Mizell would "go out of her way" to touch the student.

Some students claimed Mizell would also change her clothes in front of them, often exposing herself. Fox News Digital has reached out to Mizell for comment. 

https://www.foxnews.com/us/south-carolina-dance-teacher-arrested-questionable-routine-uncovers-serious-allegations

https://www.foxnews.com/us/terrified-passengers-flew-out-seats-dramatic-southwest-nosedive-avoid-mid-air-crash

Passengers aboard Southwest flight 1496 from Burbank, California to Las Vegas, Nevada experienced a frightening few seconds when the aircraft took a sudden nosedive to avoid a midair collision shortly after takeoff.

The dramatic maneuver caused passengers to fly up out of their seats and into the ceiling as children and adults screamed, fearing the worst.

Two flight attendants are being treated for injuries, a Southwest Airlines spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

AMERICAN AIRLINES PLANE MAKES EMERGENCY LANDING AFTER ENGINE STARTS SMOKING

Caitlin Burdi, who was on flight 1496, told Fox News Digital she had been on the same flight path before, so she knew the extreme turbulence was abnormal.

"About 10 minutes into the flight, we plummeted pretty far, and I looked around, and everyone was like, 'OK, that's normal'," Burdi said. "Then, within two seconds, it felt like the ride Tower of Terror, where we fell 20 to 30 feet in the air. The screaming, it was terrifying. We really thought we were plummeting to a plane crash."

Southwest confirmed the crew responded to two onboard traffic alerts after takeoff, "requiring them to climb and descend to comply with the alerts." 

AMERICAN AIRLINES PLANE HIT WITH 'UNEXPECTED TURBULENCE,' 5 HOSPITALIZED

The airline said the flight continued to Las Vegas, where it landed "uneventfully," according to a statement. 

"Southwest is engaged with the Federal Aviation Administration to further understand the circumstances," Southwest wrote. "We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew and Flight Attendants in responding to this event. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees."

One flight attendant was dazed after hitting her head, passengers said. Another flight attendant announced he was quitting.

SMALL PLANE HIT POWER LINES BEFORE DEADLY SAN DIEGO CRASH, NTSB CONFIRMS

Following the dramatic drop, the pilot came on the intercom and said the plane almost collided with another plane, and they had lost air traffic control signal.

"It was absolutely terrifying," Burdi said. "I just remember him saying, ‘What just happened was we almost collided with another plane, and I had to make the emergency attempt to go under because we lost service with the air traffic controller.’"

Other passengers on the fearful flight took to social media to share their experience.

"Myself & Plenty of people flew out of their seats & bumped heads on ceiling, a flight attendant needed medical attention," stand-up comedian Jimmy Dore wrote in an X post. "Pilot said his collision warning went off & he needed to avoid plane coming at us. Wow."

https://www.foxnews.com/us/terrified-passengers-flew-out-seats-dramatic-southwest-nosedive-avoid-mid-air-crash

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/top-ranked-golfer-scottie-scheffler-would-sacrifice-one-major-championship-end-cowboys-super-bowl-drought

Scottie Scheffler has dominated on the golf course in recent years. 

This year alone, the world No. 1 golfer has won two major tournaments — the PGA Championship and The Open Championship. Scheffler is also a two-time Masters Tournament champion, but he admitted he would sacrifice at least one of his four coveted major titles in exchange for seeing his beloved Dallas Cowboys reach the mountaintop. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"Gosh, I don't know. I would trade one, for sure, for a Super Bowl," the University of Texas alum responded when asked during a recent edition of the "Pardon My Take" podcast whether he would trade a major to see the Cowboys win it all.

COWBOYS LINEMAN TYLER SMITH BANGS DRUM ON SUPER BOWL HYPE: 'THAT'S ALWAYS THE EXPECTATION'

Those comments follow an admission Scheffler made before teeing off at The Open last week at Royal Portrus about the sport he dominates not completely fulfilling him before teeing off at The Open last week at Royal Portrus.

While Scheffler is a New Jersey native, he has resided in Dallas for the majority of his life and is a self-proclaimed fan of the Cowboys.

While the Waste Management Phoenix Open is not one of golf's four majors, Scheffler noted he would sacrifice several of his victories in that tournament in favor of seeing the Cowboys hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

"I've been rooting for a Super Bowl for a long time as well," the top-ranked golfer said before jokingly suggesting he's dealt with more disappointment when it comes to football than he has in golf. "A lot of hard work has gone into cheering on the Boys."

The Cowboys have won five Super Bowl titles in the franchise's history. However, the upcoming 2025 season marks three decades since the team has won a championship. 

The Cowboys have also experienced limited postseason success over that span, and the have failed to advance to a conference championship game since the 1995 season. During Scheffler's lifetime, he's seen Dallas win just five playoff games.

A hamstring injury derailed Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's 2024 season. The team finished with a 7-10 record and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Mike McCarthy was not retained as the head coach. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/top-ranked-golfer-scottie-scheffler-would-sacrifice-one-major-championship-end-cowboys-super-bowl-drought

https://www.foxnews.com/us/ice-agents-capture-criminal-illegal-immigrant-accused-stalking-government-official

Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) recently arrested a criminal illegal immigrant who is accused of stalking a mother and U.S. government official despite being ordered to leave the country in 2022, Fox News Digital has learned.

Jose Madrid Reyes, a Salvadoran national, was arrested July 12 and remains in ICE custody pending his deportation, which is expected within the coming days, according to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) began investigating after a U.S. government official contacted the agency and said she feared she was being stalked. 

The government official, whose name has not been released for her protection, was worried about her family’s safety, including her child, according to DHS.

'WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTED IN NATIONWIDE CRIMINAL ILLEGAL-ALIEN CRACKDOWN: DHS

During the investigation, HSI identified Reyes as the suspected stalker.

His criminal record stretches back nearly two decades, with a history of assault and driving while intoxicated.

In August 2006, Reyes was convicted in Manassas, Virginia, of driving while intoxicated (DWI). 

DHS ARRESTS FIVE ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS CONVICTED OF SERIOUS CRIMES, INCLUDING MURDER AND CHILD ABUSE

Nearly a decade later, in May 2017, he was convicted in Fairfax, Virginia, of misdemeanor assault on a family member.

In September 2019, he was convicted of a second DWI in Fairfax County General District Court.

Despite being ordered removed from the country by an immigration judge in 2022 and denied permanent legal status in 2024, Reyes remained in the U.S. illegally.

ANTI-ICE ACTIVISTS HELP MIGRANT CHILD RAPIST ESCAPE ARREST IN COLORADO: OFFICIALS

"Day in and day out, our brave ICE agents are nabbing creeps who shouldn’t be in our country in the first place," said DHS Assistant Secretary Tricia McLaughlin. "On July 12, ICE arrested Jose Madrid Reyes, a criminal illegal alien from El Salvador, who was suspected of stalking a U.S. federal official. 

"We will not allow these predators to terrorize American citizens. Despite facing an 830% increase in assaults against them, ICE law enforcement is keeping Americans safe from criminal illegal aliens and sending these slimeballs back to their home countries." 

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

ICE encourages the public to report crimes or suspicious activity by contacting the ICE tip line at 1-866-DHS-2-ICE or visiting www.ice.gov.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/ice-agents-capture-criminal-illegal-immigrant-accused-stalking-government-official

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/top-ranked-golfer-scottie-scheffler-would-sacrifice-one-major-championship-end-cowboys-super-bowl-drought

Scottie Scheffler has dominated on the golf course in recent years. 

This year alone, the world No. 1 golfer has won two major tournaments — the PGA Championship and The Open Championship. Scheffler is also a two-time Masters Tournament champion, but he admitted he would sacrifice at least one of his four coveted major titles in exchange for seeing his beloved Dallas Cowboys reach the mountaintop. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

"Gosh, I don't know. I would trade one, for sure, for a Super Bowl," the University of Texas alum responded when asked whether he would trade a major to see the Cowboys win it all.

COWBOYS LINEMAN TYLER SMITH BANGS DRUM ON SUPER BOWL HYPE: 'THAT'S ALWAYS THE EXPECTATION'

Those comments follow an admission Scheffler made before teeing off at The Open last week at Royal Portrus about the sport he dominates not completely fulfilling him before teeing off at The Open last week at Royal Portrus.

While Scheffler is a New Jersey native, he has resided in Dallas for the majority of his life and is a self-proclaimed fan of the Cowboys.

While the Waste Management Phoenix Open is not one of golf's four majors, Scheffler noted he would sacrifice several of his victories in that tournament in favor of seeing the Cowboys hoist the Vince Lombardi Trophy.

"I've been rooting for a Super Bowl for a long time as well," the top-ranked golfer said before jokingly suggesting he's dealt with more disappointment when it comes to football than he has in golf. "A lot of hard work has gone into cheering on the Boys."

The Cowboys have won five Super Bowl titles in the franchise's history. However, the upcoming 2025 season marks three decades since the team has won a championship. 

The Cowboys have also experienced limited postseason success over that span, and the have failed to advance to a conference championship game since the 1995 season. During Scheffler's lifetime, he's seen Dallas win just five playoff games.

A hamstring injury derailed Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott's 2024 season. The team finished with a 7-10 record and failed to qualify for the playoffs. Mike McCarthy was not retained as the head coach. 

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/top-ranked-golfer-scottie-scheffler-would-sacrifice-one-major-championship-end-cowboys-super-bowl-drought

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/more-than-100-nfl-players-coaches-scalped-tickets-super-bowl-lix-got-caught

The NFL's secondary ticket market is a very profitable business, but when folks are simply scalping tickets, well, the NFL and its teams don't love that. And they definitely don't love it when players and club employees do it for a Super Bowl.

But that is apparently what happened at Super Bowl LIX, played on Feb. 9 at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

And the league, which frowns on this, caught the scalpers. 

The NFL can track the tickets to its games and has the digital capability to confirm if the people who purchased a Super Bowl ticket actually used it.

So the NFL is fining approximately 100 players – 100! – and two dozen club employees for violating league policy of selling Super Bowl LIX tickets above face value, a league source told OutKick on Friday. The story was first reported by the Associated Press.

The NFL isn't done. There is an ongoing investigation into the matter.

The actual amount of the fines will vary. Players who resold their tickets will have to pay 150 percent of the face value of the ticket they originally bought. Those players will also forfeit their privilege of buying tickets to future Super Bowls unless they're actually playing in the game.

BRANDON AIYUK'S WIFE GIVES INTEL ON WHY NFL WAGS ARE 'IN A PANIC' DURING TRAINING CAMP

Club employees who were caught scalping will be fined 200 percent of the face value of the tickets they purchased.

No names of the players or other employees already caught are known. What is known is that coaches were involved as well as players.

The players and coaches apparently sold their tickets to so-called "bundlers" who were working on behalf of a ticket reseller, who then marked up the price of the tickets a second time.

This isn't the first time this has happened, although the scale this year is quite something.

Former Minnesota Vikings head coach Mike Tice admitted to scalping part of his allotment of Super Bowl tickets in 2005. Tice was eventually fined $100,000 by the NFL.

Super Bowl LIX tickets were averaging around $4,708 on the secondary market the week of the game, according to various reports. The cheapest tickets started around $2,668 on TickPick, while the most expensive seats, particularly those close to the field and sidelines, exceeded $10,000.

Some seating for the game between the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles climbed to prices as high as $50,000.  

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

 

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/more-than-100-nfl-players-coaches-scalped-tickets-super-bowl-lix-got-caught

https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-post-obituary-section-life-support-writers-take-buyouts-report

The Washington Post continues to lose staff, as all but one of its obituary reporters have accepted the media outlet’s buyout offer and left the company, according to a new report.

Politico Magazine senior editor Michael Schaffer detailed how the paper’s obit desk has been decimated by The Washington Post’s new buyouts – or "Voluntary Separation Program" (VSP).

"I’ve learned that all but one person on the obit desk has taken the organization’s buyout offer, which aims to shed staff by the end of July. The lone holdout is too junior to qualify for the buyout deal," he wrote.

WASHINGTON POST CEO URGES STAFFERS WHO DON'T ‘FEEL ALIGNED’ WITH PAPER'S NEW DIRECTION TO TAKE BUYOUT

Adam Bernstein, the paper’s longtime obit chief, was one of the latest Post staffers to accept the buyout. The journalist announced Tuesday that he would be joining The New York Times as deputy editor of its Obituaries Desk.

Schaffer lamented the exit of Bernstein and other obit writers, stating, "If you care about warts-and-all journalism, the change is a big deal. Unlike beat reporters, full-time obituary writers don’t have to worry about whether including unsavory details about the dearly departed will offend the grieving sources they still need to cultivate. Getting rid of them is a recipe for toothless pieces that pull punches about deceased power players."

The Washington Post announced in May that it was rolling out its VSP program to its veteran employees, offering them an option to leave the company in exchange for months of base pay from the company following their departure.

In a staff memo obtained by Fox News Digital at the time, Washington Post executive editor Matt Murray told staff, "Today, we are announcing that The Washington Post is offering a Voluntary Separation Program (VSP) to news employees with 10 or more years’ service at The Post, as well as to all members of the video department and to all members of the copy desk and sports copy desk."

LONGTIME WASHINGTON POST COLUMNIST QUITS PAPER, SLAMS GROWING EDITORIAL CONSTRAINTS UNDER BEZOS

According to a VSP document viewed by Fox News Digital, nine months of base pay would be given to staffers employed for 10-15 years, 12 months of base pay for 15-20 years, 15 months of base pay for 20-25 years and 18 months for anyone who has worked at the Post for more than 25 years. 

One anonymous Post staffer told Schaffer that the buyouts have caused an "absolute exodus" at the company. The reporter noted some of the recent big name departures, including "longtime political reporter Dan Balz, veteran columnist David von Drehle, and dozens of others."

Additionally, Washington Post columnist and MSNBC show host Jonathan Capehart reportedly accepted a buyout earlier this month and is leaving the Jeff Bezos-owned paper after nearly two decades.

Many Post staffers have quit the paper in recent months, some spurred on by their concerns over the Washington Post’s editorial slant taking a rightward shift following President Donald Trump’s re-election.

In February, Bezos announced that the editorial section of the paper would be changing course, prompting then-opinion editor David Shipley to leave.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE

Bezos’ changes led to a sharp backlash in his newsroom, with staffers telling Fox News Digital earlier this month that morale has collapsed at the paper.

People at the outlet "’have no idea’ how or if they’ll replace the expertise, another longtime Postie said. (People I spoke to at the Post asked to remain anonymous to talk about what remains a wrenching and uncertain experience for the organization.)," Schaffer added. 

A Washington Post spokesperson declined to give comment to Fox News Digital on "personnel matters" but stated the paper "will continue to have staff-written obituaries."

https://www.foxnews.com/media/washington-post-obituary-section-life-support-writers-take-buyouts-report

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/ancient-stick-figures-beach-once-again-visible-tourist-destination

Tourists and locals in Oahu, Hawaii, are once again able to view an ancient marvel.

Hawaiian petroglyphs dating back at least half a millennium are visible for the first time in years, according to The Associated Press (AP). (See the video at the top of this article.) 

The stick figure-like etchings were revealed due to seasonal ocean swells that peel away sand that had been covering over two dozen images, AP reported.

BEACH TOWN BANS MEN'S TOO-SHORT SWIM TRUNKS, SPARKING DEBATE AND RULE FLIPFLOP

Petroglyphs are also known as kiʻi pōhaku.

They're lava rock carvings etched into stone centuries ago made by Native Hawaiians, according to the Hawaii Island’s government site.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

While researchers are not sure what the echings mean, it is believed they mark birth records or other important events.

Carvings of human forms, canoes, turtles and other objects are pictured around the islands.

For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyle

In 2023, 9.6 million visitors traveled to Hawaii, according to the Hawaii Tourism Authority.

Oahu is home to the state capitol of Honolulu and is the third largest and most populated island in Hawaii.

The island of Oahu has two main extinct volcanoes, Waiʻanae and Koʻolau. They're responsible for forming the island.

The Associated Press contributed reporting. 

https://www.foxnews.com/travel/ancient-stick-figures-beach-once-again-visible-tourist-destination

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/trump-admin-cracks-down-oregon-virginia-defying-title-ix-womens-sports-executive-order

The U.S. Department of Education ramped up its campaign against schools defying Title IX and President Donald Trump's executive order on Friday. 

Secretary Linda McMahon announced actions against the states of Oregon and Virginia for their policies on gender ideology. 

CLICK HERE FOR MORE SPORTS COVERAGE ON FOXNEWS.COM

In Oregon, McMahon is launching an investigation against the state's Department of Education (ODE) after a high school sports season that featured multiple incidents involving trans athletes in girls' sports that garnered public attention, and two lawsuits over the matter. 

"If Oregon is permitting males to compete in women’s sports, it is allowing these males to steal the accolades and opportunities that female competitors have rightfully earned through hard work and grit, while callously disregarding women’s and girls’ safety, dignity, and privacy. Title IX does not permit that shameful arrangement, and we will not tolerate it," said Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for the DOE's office of civil rights (OCR).

On Thursday, Oregon girls' track athletes Alexa Anderson and Reese Eckard filed a lawsuit against the Oregon School Athletics Association (OSAA) after an incident at the state's track and field championships on the last day of May. Anderson and Eckard alleged that the OSAA not only excluded them from official photos, but also withheld their medals. The suit argues that the girls' First Amendment rights were infringed upon by the officials.

Earlier in July, two other female students, Maddie Eischen and Sophia Carpenter, filed a lawsuit against the ODE and OSAA for its policies that allow males to compete in girls' sports after an incident where they withdrew themselves from a track meet in April, because a male was set to compete against them. 

TRACKING THE TRANS ATHLETE HIGH SCHOOL SPORTS CONTROVERSIES SHAKING THE NATION OVER THE LAST YEAR

Both Carpenter and Eischen previously told Fox News Digital the experience was "traumatic." 

"My experience at the Chehalem track meet and scratching myself from the meet was traumatic, something I never imagined ever having to do," Eischen said. 

Carpenter added, "It was emotionally traumatic trying to know what I should do and how I should respond to competing with [the trans athlete]."

The U.S. DOE investigation directly cites the lawsuits and the firm representing the athletes, the America First Policy Institute. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the ODE for a response. 

Meanwhile, Friday also saw the DOE OCR announce an update on its investigation against five school districts in Virginia for "allegations of discrimination on the basis of sex." 

The OCR concluded its investigation and determined that the five school districts had violated Title IX. The investigation was based on complaints alleging that the Divisions have similar anti-discrimination policies pertaining to "transgender-identifying" students, which violate the sex-based protections of Title IX. 

"Although this type of behavior was tolerated by the previous Administration, it’s time for Northern Virginia’s experiment with radical gender ideology and unlawful discrimination to come to an end. OCR’s investigation definitively shows that these five Virginia school districts have been trampling on the rights of students in the service of an extreme political ideology," Trainor said.

"The Trump Administration will not sacrifice the safety, dignity, and innocence of America’s young women and girls at the altar of an anti-scientific illiberalism." 

The five school districts now have 10 days to come to a voluntary agreement with the Trump administration or risk a referral to the U.S. Department of Justice. 

The DOJ has already launched lawsuits against officials in Maine and California for those states' policies that allow trans athletes in girls' and women's sports.

Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.

https://www.foxnews.com/sports/trump-admin-cracks-down-oregon-virginia-defying-title-ix-womens-sports-executive-order

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/influential-lawmaker-demands-old-guard-must-go-calls-rebirth-democratic-party

Rep. Ro Khanna sounded off on the Democratic Party establishment in his address to the Voters of Tomorrow Summit for young progressives in Washington, D.C.

"How can we trust government to do big things when government has been corrupted? My friends, for those who want a progressive future, for those who want a government that works to build security and opportunity for the working class, we must get rid of the big money in politics," Khanna said in his address on Friday afternoon.  

The California Democrat then mentioned the Jeffrey Epstein files, which have become a major point of debate in Washington as some demand more information about the case.

PELOSI CONFIDENT ABOUT DEMS' CHANCES TO WIN HOUSE, PREDICTS JEFFRIES WILL BE SPEAKER

"We must restore a government for the people, by the people, of the people. The release of the Epstein files is not a magic cure for trust, but it is a first step. It's a first step to say we will have a new era of transparency," he continued.

Khanna then bluntly called out his party’s establishment in his closing call to action.

"I'll end with this clear point: The old guard needs to go. The old ways have not been working. This party needs a new rebirth. This party needs a rebirth to stand for human rights," he said. "This party needs a rebirth to stand for the working class. This party needs a rebirth to stand for people over the donor class."

Former Vice President Kamala Harris is expected to give virtual remarks at the summit on Friday, and former Speaker Nancy Pelosi was also a major speaker at the event.

"We have no doubt that we will win the election with the House of Representatives," Pelosi said during her speech. "No doubt."

I’M ONE OF THE VOTERS DEMOCRATS NEED TO WIN. 2028 IS THEIR ONLY CHANCE TO REGAIN OUR TRUST

"It's important to be strong in the year in advance, because that's when the troops line up. We have our messaging, we have our mobilization, we need the money to do it, but they go only next to a school to hold up the most important part: the candidate," she continued. 

Younger Democrats, like freshman Arizona Rep. Yassamin Ansari and Illinois congressional candidate Kat Abughazaleh, took part in panels at the summit.

Khanna’s address comes as the Democratic Party is striving to navigate the second Trump administration and adapt to the major shifts that occurred across voter demographics in the 2024 election, including among Generation Z. The 2026 election is being seen as an opportunity to get more information about Gen Z voters, as many voted for the first time in 2022 and 2024. 

Some in the party have encouraged a more moderate direction, while others have echoed Khanna’s populist sentiment.

TRUMP SUPPORTERS FIND UNLIKELY COMMON GROUND WITH BLUE STATE CONGRESSMAN AT TOWN HALL: 'I LOVE IT'

"This party needs a rebirth to find our courage in standing up for immigrant rights instead of running away when people talk about immigration. This party needs more people like you in Congress than the current people we have in Congress," Khanna added.

"I'm here to say that a new Democratic Party, a reborn Democratic Party, a populist Democratic Party, a multiracial Democratic Party, a Democratic Party that centers the working and middle class, a Democratic Party that looks like the future is a Democratic Party that can lead us back to victory and lead us to a better America. It's time to take back our party and then to take back our country," he continued. 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/influential-lawmaker-demands-old-guard-must-go-calls-rebirth-democratic-party

https://www.foxnews.com/us/wisconsin-student-eliotte-heinz-autopsy-shows-no-foul-play-suspected-death-police

Authorities believe there was no foul play in the death of 22-year-old graduate student Eliotte Heinz, who was found dead Wednesday in the Mississippi River after vanishing over the weekend in La Crosse, Wisconsin.

The La Crosse Police Department said Friday that, based on the preliminary autopsy results, it does not believe there was any criminal conduct related to Heinz's death. 

The Viterbo University student disappeared Sunday morning after a night out at bars with friends, Fox News Digital previously reported. Heinz was last seen walking along the Mississippi River waterfront at about 3:30 a.m. and was spotted on surveillance footage heading toward her apartment, which was less than a mile away.

FISHERMAN FOUND WISCONSIN GRAD STUDENT FACE DOWN IN MISSISSIPPI RIVER DAYS AFTER MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE

Four days into the search, a young fisherman found her body face down, wrapped in duckweed in the Mississippi River near Brownsville, Minnesota.

It remains unclear how she ended up in the river.

Final autopsy results will not be completed for several months, and investigators will continue to follow up on information, according to a statement from the police department. The investigation remains open.

MISSING WISCONSIN GRAD STUDENT ELIOTTE HEINZ’S MOM SAYS CELLPHONE FOUND AS POLICE EYE TIMELINE: EXPERT

The University of Wisconsin River Watch, a program started in 2006 to prevent alcohol-related accidental drownings, reported that between 1997 and 2006, eight college students drowned in the Mississippi River as a result of excessive drinking.

Heinz's family previously told Fox News Digital they are embarking on a path to healing.

"Eliotte is a beautiful person," the Heinz family wrote in a statement to Fox News Digital. "She was smart, funny, caring, and loved fiercely by us. We don't know why we were so blessed to have her as a daughter, or why we are unable to keep her. She is amazing and would have continued to amaze us. We are devastated that she is no longer with us. Our family will forever have a missing piece.

"We cannot thank our family, friends, the La Crosse community, Viterbo University, or the La Crosse PD enough for showing up for Eliotte. They were an amazing light in an incredibly dark space. Eliotte's walk home is finished. Unfortunately, our family's walk down this new hard path is just beginning. We love you Eliotte."

The La Crosse County Sheriff’s Office, Houston County Sheriff’s Office, Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Vernon County Sheriff’s Office, La Crescent Police Department, Wisconsin Department of Justice, Division of Criminal Investigations, Fort McCoy Fire and Rescue, U.S. Fish and Wildlife, La Crosse Fire Department, La Crosse Dive and Rescue, Wisconsin DNR, Minnesota DNR, La Crosse County Medical Examiner Office, Southern Minnesota Regional Medical Examiner's Office-Mayo Clinic and Viterbo University assisted in the investigation.

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/wisconsin-student-eliotte-heinz-autopsy-shows-no-foul-play-suspected-death-police

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/education-secretary-linda-mcmahon-touts-columbia-university-200m-settlement-template

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Columbia University's $200 million-plus discrimination settlement with the Trump administration is laying the groundwork for a culture of accountability, Education Secretary Linda McMahon shared in an interview with Fox News Digital. 

President Donald Trump's administration is celebrating what it considers a "historic settlement" with the university that has become the epicenter of protests rejecting the war in Gaza since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attacks on Israel. 

"I'm very pleased that we were able to bring those negotiations to a close and have an excellent working agreement now with Columbia. They knew they had an antisemitism problem," McMahon said ahead of her remarks at the National Governors Association (NGA) Summer Meeting in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The settlement not only combats antisemitism on college campuses, it takes measures to remove discriminatory hiring practices and enhance campus safety, the education secretary explained. 

TRUMP SECURES $221M COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY SETTLEMENT OVER ALLEGED CIVIL RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

"This agreement is going to be an excellent template for other universities to be able to use as well," McMahon said. 

COLUMBIA PROFESSORS DEMAND ANSWERS AS WHITE HOUSE FINALIZES NEGOTIATIONS WITH IVY LEAGUE UNIVERSITY

Several Jewish leaders have spoken to Fox News Digital about the "existential threat" they say Jewish New Yorkers are facing since 33-year-old socialist Zohran Mamdani became the Democratic nominee for mayor of New York City.

During the primary campaign, Mamdani's refusal to condemn the phrase "Globalize the intifada" and recognize Israel as a Jewish state triggered accusations he was antisemitic. 

He has since said he would discourage others from using the phrase and has continuously affirmed his commitment to condemning the rise of antisemitism in New York City.

Yuval David, a Jewish advocate and advisor, told Fox News Digital that Mamdani, as mayor, would "enable, and more importantly, empower antisemitic protesters."

In light of the Columbia University settlement, Fox News Digital asked McMahon if the Trump administration was worried about a surge in antisemitism on New York City college campuses if Mamdani is elected in November. 

"We didn't discuss that as part of what we were doing. We weren't looking at a specific incident that might occur in the future," McMahon explained.

But the education secretary said what is most important in Columbia University's settlement is that it will "lay the groundwork, so regardless of what incidents may or may not occur, you're prepared for it."

McMahon said Columbia now has a "great working relationship" with the New York Police Department (NYPD). 

The settlement includes Columbia's commitment to "enforcing strict rules against disruptive protests, prohibiting masked protests and maintaining trained security officers and ongoing cooperation with the New York Police Department."

"They won't hesitate to bring them in to make arrests," McMahon warned. "There will be consequences. People will be expelled. They'll be suspended. If there's criminal activity, they can go to jail.

"The accountability factor of this agreement is incredibly strong, and that's the message we intend to send, that students on campus need to be in an environment for study." 

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/education-secretary-linda-mcmahon-touts-columbia-university-200m-settlement-template

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/decision-remove-west-point-crest-from-chapel-bibles-reversed-secretary-army

EXCLUSIVE: The secretary of the Army has ordered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point to restore the school’s crest on the Bibles at the West Point Cadet Chapel, reversing a Biden-era decision to not include the crest when replacing the Bibles. 

"Since the founding of West Point and before, generations of cadets, officers, and Soldiers have drawn strength and inspiration from God’s word," Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. "The decision to remove the Academy’s historic crest from the Bibles in the Cadet Chapel is yet another example of the previous administration pushing far-left politics into our military institutions. I am directing West Point to reverse this decision immediately and restore this important symbol of Duty, Honor, Country."

WEST POINT BIBLE CREST CONTROVERSY SPURS PENTAGON LAWSUIT FROM CONSERVATIVE WATCHDOG

Driscoll’s statement comes after Fox News Digital first reported that a conservative judicial and government watchdog group had filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit Tuesday against the Department of Defense over documents regarding why the crest was absent from the new Bibles. 

A spokesperson for West Point declined to provide comment to Fox News Digital on Friday. 

Judicial Watch first submitted a FOIA request in December 2024 seeking records related to the Bibles, after the MacArthur Society, a group for West Point graduates concerned about potential politicization at the military academy, notified them of the removal of the crest from the Bibles. 

WEST POINT DECISION TO CUT ‘DUTY, HONOR, COUNTRY’ FROM MISSION STATEMENT UNDER FIRE AGAIN'

When asked for comment about the new Bibles, a spokesperson for West Point told Fox News Digital that the chapel's Bibles now feature the name of the military academy.

"The bibles purchased for the West Point Cadet Chapel are emblazoned with ‘The United States Miliary Academy, West Point, New York,'" the spokesperson said in a statement to Fox News Digital Wednesday. 

Judicial Watch filed the original FOIA request to learn more about the decision, due to concerns that the military academy is seeking to eliminate ties with what the group labels "traditional values."

But after receiving no response for the documents, Judicial Watch filed a lawsuit against the Department of Defense for the documents Tuesday. 

"Judicial Watch's heavy lifting gets results," Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said in a Friday statement to Fox News Digital. "Goes to show again how our lawsuits exposing corruption can fix corruption. The US Army and West Point can't go wrong in honoring God."

HEGSETH QUIPS '99.9%' OF DEI INITIATIVES ARE GONE FROM THE MILITARY UNDER TRUMP’S WATCH

The Pentagon told Fox News Digital that it does not comment on pending litigation. 

Combining religious content or symbols with military material has faced backlash historically. 

In 2012, all four branches of the military pulled approval for a military series of Holman Christian Standard Bibles that had been sold in military exchanges amid concerns that the series indicated that the Bible served as the official religious text of the military services, according to the Military Religious Freedom Foundation. 

The West Point crest has undergone several iterations but historically has included an eagle above the school's mascot, the Black Knights.

West Point is one of several U.S. military academies that train students to become military officers.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/decision-remove-west-point-crest-from-chapel-bibles-reversed-secretary-army

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-team-pissed-off-kemp-over-candidate-pick-georgias-senate-gop-primary-battle

President Donald Trump's political team and top advisers to Republican Gov. Brian Kemp of Georgia apparently aren't on the same page when it comes to the key southeastern battleground state's Republican Senate primary.

The race is crucial for Republicans aiming to expand their Senate majority, as Sen. Jon Ossoff, who is running for re-election in a state that Trump narrowly carried in last year's election, is viewed by the GOP as the most vulnerable Democrat seeking re-election in next year's midterm elections.

Kemp, a popular two-term conservative governor whom Trump had heavily criticized in the past, was courted by national Republicans to take on Ossoff. But Kemp, who is term-limited, announced earlier this year that he would pass on a 2026 Senate run.

Sources in Trump's political orbit and Republican sources in Georgia confirm to Fox News that there was an agreement between the president’s political operation and Kemp’s political team that they would work together to find a candidate that they could all unify behind to take on Ossoff in the Senate race.

FIRST ON FOX: TRUMP HOUSE ALLY TO LAUNCH SENATE BID NEXT WEEK IN KEY BATTLEGROUND STATE

Those sources also confirm that Kemp and Trump – the ultimate kingmaker in GOP politics – met two weeks ago to discuss the Senate race in Georgia.

But when the governor floated the name of former University of Tennessee football coach Derek Dooley, a source close to the president's political team said "they were told to stand down, because Trump’s team wasn’t ready to move forward on anybody."

And when Kemp and his team did move forward with Dooley, it upset Trump’s advisers, who, according to sources, were "already pretty annoyed" that Kemp had passed earlier this year on taking on Ossoff in the Senate race.

POPULAR GOP GOVERNOR PASSES ON SENATE BID IN 2026

"We had a deal to work together," a top political source in the Trump orbit told Fox News on Friday.  "Kemp went out on his own – which has frustrated and pissed off Trump orbit."

The source added that "the best option for the GOP in Georgia was and is Brian Kemp. Unfortunately, he has chosen the path of the weak, and – instead of leading – has decided to circumvent and self-anoint a candidate no one has heard of and the president hasn’t met."

"The operation that delivered the win in Georgia was the Trump organization – not a faux operation – it’s hard to see it rallying behind the blind ambition of someone more interested in 2028 than in 2026," the source said, in a not-so-veiled reference to Kemp's potential interest in seeking the 2028 Republican presidential nomination. 

Kemp's political team first floated the Dooley trial balloon about two months ago. A longtime Georgia-based Republican strategist said the reaction in the Peach State among Republicans "was very negative."

Dooley, who is the son of former longtime University of Georgia football coach Vince Dooley, is close with Kemp, who is a longtime friend.

And Dooley has hired two top Kemp political advisers to help with his potential Senate campaign.

A Republican source in Georgia says a decision by Dooley on whether he'll run could come as early as next week.

Republican Rep. Mike Collins, a Trump ally and supporter in the House, will announce his candidacy for the Senate next week, sources with knowledge told Fox News Digital on Friday.

Republican Rep. Buddy Carter, who for a decade has represented a district in coastal Georgia, launched a Senate campaign in the spring.

Georgia Insurance Commissioner John King also announced a run, but ended his bid on Thursday.

Trump and Kemp have a turbulent political history. 

Trump backed the then-Georgia secretary of state in his successful 2018 campaign for governor.

But during the two years after his 2020 election defeat to former President Joe Biden, which included a razor-thin loss in Georgia, Trump attacked Kemp for failing to overturn the election results in his state. 

Trump toned down the criticism in 2022 after Kemp crushed Trump-backed former Sen. David Perdue in the state's GOP gubernatorial primary, as Kemp successfully cruised to re-election to a second term as governor.

KEMP SPEAKS OUT AFTER TRUMP FLIPS AND PRAISES THE GEORGIA GOVERNOR

But last summer, amid the 2024 presidential campaign, Trump went on a 10-minute tirade against Kemp at a rally in Atlanta just blocks from the Georgia State Capitol. Trump blamed the governor not only for failing to overturn the 2020 vote count but also for not stopping a county prosecutor from indicting the former president for his attempts to reverse the results.

Trump quickly changed his tune on Kemp days later, and praised the governor in a social media post "for all of your help and support in Georgia, where a win is so important to the success of our Party and, most importantly, our Country."

Kemp, in a Fox News Digital interview a few days later, downplayed Trump's tirade against him, calling it a "small distraction that’s in the past."

While it's unclear if Dooley will move forward and launch a campaign, Collins is just days from declaring his candidacy.

Collins, a businessman who founded a trucking company, is in his second term representing Georgia's 10th Congressional District, which includes a large swath of urban, suburban, and rural areas between Atlanta and Augusta.

The conservative lawmaker, who's the son of the late Republican Rep. Mac Collins of Georgia, has been moving closer to launching a Senate campaign for weeks.

Collins was an early backer of the president, supporting him as Trump first ran for the Republican presidential nomination in the 2016 cycle.

Collins at the beginning of this year reintroduced the Laken Riley Act, which mandates that undocumented immigrants charged with burglary or theft be detained. It's named after a Georgia nursing student killed by a man who had illegally entered the U.S. The case grabbed national attention.

The bill, which quickly passed the Republican-controlled House and Senate, became the first legislation signed into law by Trump as he started his second tour of duty in the White House.

A Republican source said that Collins has a "great relationship" with the president and his political team.

And a Georgia-based Republican consultant told Fox News that "the lane that Mike is going to run in is the America First fighter who's been with President Trump.

Carter is also courting a Trump endorsement in the GOP primary.

Fox News reached out to the governor's political team for comment but had not received a response by the time the story was published.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-team-pissed-off-kemp-over-candidate-pick-georgias-senate-gop-primary-battle

https://www.foxnews.com/health/death-confirmed-rare-deadly-brain-eating-amoeba-southern-lake

A pediatric death from a "brain-eating amoeba" has been reported in South Carolina, according to health officials.

Prisma Health Richland Hospital in Columbia publicly confirmed the death on July 22, according to a statement from the South Carolina Department of Public Health (DPH) sent to Fox News Digital.

The patient died after exposure to Naegleria fowleri, a rare amoeba that causes a life-threatening brain infection called primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM).

FOUR PEOPLE DEAD IN FLORIDA FROM FLESH-EATING BACTERIA FOUND IN COASTAL WATERS

"The July 2025 exposure to the organism Naegleria fowleri likely occurred at Lake Murray, but we cannot be completely certain, as this organism occurs naturally and is present in many warm water lakes, rivers and streams," the South Carolina DPH told Dox News Digital.

"Water activities like swimming or diving in warm freshwater areas, such as lakes and rivers, may increase the risk of exposure and infection."

Naegleria fowleri can be a risk when swimming in fresh water. The amoeba is most active in the months that the water temperature stays above 77F – July, August and September, the health official said.

Infection in humans is very rare, as this is the first case of Naegleria fowleri in South Carolina since 2016. 

There is no increased risk to the public, as Naegleria fowleri is not transmissible person to person, according to the statement. 

DANGEROUS FUNGUS COULD SPREAD TO PARTS OF US, RESEARCHERS CLAIM

"Historically, one infection does not increase the chances that another will occur in the same body of water."

Fox News Digital previously spoke with Tammy Lundstrom, chief medical officer and infectious disease specialist for Trinity Health in Michigan, about the risks of infection.

"The risk of brain-eating amoeba is very low," she said. "Fewer than 10 people in the U.S. every year get infected — but unfortunately, most cases are fatal. There are only a handful of survivors of known cases."

The death rate for Naegleria fowleri exceeds 97%, per the CDC.

The initial symptoms of PAM usually begin about five days after exposure, but they can be noticed sooner.

Early signs usually include headache, nausea, fever and/or vomiting, the CDC’s website states.

As the infection progresses, people may experience confusion, stiff neck, disorientation, hallucinations, seizures and coma.

"People usually start to feel ill one to 12 days after water exposure," Lundstrom said. "Early symptoms should prompt a medical evaluation, as they are also signs of bacterial meningitis."

Death can occur anywhere between one and 18 days of infection, at an average of five days.

To prevent potentially fatal infections, South Carolina health officials said it's important to know how and when exposure could be dangerous.

"How exposure occurs is when water forcefully enters the nose," the officials told Fox News Digital. "To reduce the risk of infection from Naegleria fowleri, hold your nose shut, use nose clips, or keep your head above water, and avoid jumping or diving into fresh water."

Lundstrom reiterated that it's best to avoid immersing your head in the water when swimming in summer.

"Infection occurs when water harboring the amoeba goes up a person’s nose, usually during swimming," she previously told Fox News Digital. "It is not known why some people get infected and others, even swimming companions, do not."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Drinking contaminated water does not present a risk, and the infection does not spread from one person to another, Lundstrom added.

Because the amoeba is found in soil, the CDC also recommends avoiding stirring up the sediment at the bottom of lakes, ponds and rivers.

When a patient has been diagnosed with a brain-eating amoeba, treatment usually includes a variety of antifungal medications, as well as antibiotics like rifampin and azithromycin, according to Lundstrom. 

Miltefosine, a newer antifungal drug, has been shown to kill Nagleria fowleri in laboratory tests and was used to treat some surviving patients, the CDC states on its website.

"However, the effect of all of these drugs on actual infected people is unknown due to the high fatality rate," Lundstrom noted.

Those who experience sudden headache, fever, stiff neck or vomiting — especially if they have recently been swimming in warm freshwater — should seek immediate medical attention, the CDC recommends.

For more Health articles, visit foxnews.com/health

Despite the infection’s high fatality rate, Lundstrom emphasized the rarity of cases. 

"Millions of people enjoy swimming every summer, but only a few become infected," she said.

https://www.foxnews.com/health/death-confirmed-rare-deadly-brain-eating-amoeba-southern-lake