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Travis Kelce shares fiancée Taylor Swift’s hilarious take on Steelers legend Jerome Bettis
Although Travis Kelce agreed to a one-year deal with the Kansas City Chiefs that will bring him back for a 14th NFL season, much of the recent attention surrounding the star tight end has focused less on football and more on his relationship with Taylor Swift and the couple’s reported wedding plans.
Swift’s ties to football date back years. According to the 14-time Grammy winner, her father, Scott Swift, and Chiefs coach Andy Reid have long shared a friendship. Since beginning her relationship with Kelce, the music superstar has frequently appeared in luxury suites at Kansas City games.
The three-time Super Bowl champion recently revealed his fiancée also made a sharp observation about a legendary Pittsburgh Steelers running back.
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On a recent episode of New Heights, the podcast he co-hosts with brother Jason Kelce, Travis shared Swift’s amusing observation that Jerome Bettis looked "like an offensive lineman running with the football."
AARON RODGERS CONFIRMS HE'S RETIRING AFTER UPCOMING SEASON WITH THE PITTSBURGH STEELERS
Jason's mention of Bettis’ upcoming golf tournament prompted Travis to share a story about unexpectedly running into the Hall of Famer during a dinner with Swift.
"He is just the best dude ever. I got to run into him at dinner. I was like telling Tay about him like, 'That dude was a beast.'"
Kelce later showed Swift highlights from Bettis’ Hall of Fame career, which stretched from 1993 to 2005.
"I showed her a Jerome Bettis highlight tape and she was like 'Why does he look like an offensive lineman running with the football?' Because he was 'The Bus,'" Kelce said.
Bettis, a six-time Pro Bowler, was listed at more than 250 pounds for much of his decade-long run with the Steelers, earning him the nickname "The Bus." He began his career with the Rams, who selected him in the first round of the 1993 NFL Draft.
Bettis won Super Bowl XL with the Steelers.
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Las Vegas school district sued for allegedly expelling student for pro-ICE signs deemed racist
A Las Vegas school district is being sued for alleged First Amendment violations after it expelled a student who placed pro-law enforcement signs on campus.
The complaint, first reported by The Las Vegas Review-Journal, was filed in the U.S. District Court for Nevada on May 14. It alleges N.C., a minor, was disciplined after he placed six pro-law enforcement emblems around East Career and Technical Academy in January, one day after students walked out of class to protest Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
The emblems allegedly included the school’s Titans logo with the words "ICE Immigration Enforcement," "Border Security Academy Deportation Force," and "Titans ICE."
The complaint was filed on behalf of N.C. by his father, George Crossman, and names the Clark County School District, East Career and Technical Academy, Superintendent Jhone Ebert, East Career and Technical Academy Principal Natasha LeRutte and Assistant Principal Thomas Smith as defendants.
School administrators allegedly removed the 2-by-2-inch emblems before the first bell. N.C. was questioned and suspended the following day before later receiving a limited expulsion, according to the complaint.
The student decided to place the emblems supporting ICE to express his views after his peers across the Clark County School District participated in an anti-ICE walkout on Jan. 21. The complaint alleges that the district and school officials named as defendants in the lawsuit did not stop or punish students for participating in the walkout, but instead "facilitated" the demonstration.
After taking down N.C.'s pro-ICE emblems, school administrators searched his Chromebook and found searches around Martin Luther King Jr. Day that included "Dark Secrets of Martin Luther King" "The Martin Luther King Assassination," "James Earl Ray," and "Tough ICE pictures."
MARYLAND TEACHER CLAIMS IN LAWSUIT HE WAS FALSELY BRANDED 'RACIST’ OVER SEATING CHART DISPUTE
Assistant Principal Thomas Smith allegedly "determined these searches to be a racist threat," and N.C. was called into his office for a meeting, where he allegedly compared N.C.'s actions to someone putting up a poster that said, "Let's go get whitey."
The meeting concluded with Smith allegedly determining that N.C. was racist and that his motivations were racist, according to the complaint, and he was suspended immediately. School officials recommended a limited expulsion for a "racially motivated incident," according to the complaint, and that expulsion was upheld before an Expulsion Hearing Panel and Expulsion Review Board.
In a private meeting between Smith, N.C. and his father, George Crossman, Smith allegedly explained that the student's actions supporting ICE were considered racist "because the majority of the school is Hispanic" and the school official compared the emblems to a "burning cross."
"Characterization of N.C.’s conduct as ‘racially motivated’ was a pretext," the complaint says. "The true basis for Defendants’ decision was their personal, political, and ideological disagreement with the viewpoint expressed by the Pro-ICE Emblems."
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The complaint claims school officials violated N.C.'s First Amendment rights and retaliated against him for engaging in protected speech. It requests a jury trial, damages in excess of $15,000 and for N.C.'s expulsion to be rescinded, and he be restored to good standing.
The Clark County School District said in a statement to Fox News Digital, "CCSD recognizes and honors our students' First Amendment rights to lawful advocacy and expression on causes important to them. However, the District does not comment on pending litigation."
LeRutte and Smith did not immediately return Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
Feds say Arizona suspect vandalized ICE facility and attempted to ignite lobby area
An Arizona man is facing federal charges after prosecutors said he vandalized and attempted to set fire to an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) facility by using a propane tank and torch to ignite materials inside the building.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Arizona said Gerardo Mendoza-Acoltzi of Avondale was indicted by a federal grand jury on charges of malicious damage to federal property and willful depredation against property of the United States.
Court documents claim Mendoza-Acoltzi broke a window at the ICE property before attempting to ignite the building just after 1 a.m. on Feb. 21, 2026.
Federal authorities said surveillance video showed Mendoza-Acoltzi arriving at the facility shortly before midnight and unloading a propane tank near the front entrance. Prosecutors said he later returned, smashed a lobby window with the propane tank and used a torch connected to the tank to ignite window shades inside the building.
FBI INVESTIGATES CRIMINAL DAMAGE TO FEDERAL ICE WAREHOUSE FACILITY IN ARIZONA
Investigators also alleged Mendoza-Acoltzi arranged rocks outside the facility to spell an anti-ICE message before leaving the area.
Federal prosecutors said Mendoza-Acoltzi was arrested May 7 and made his initial appearance in federal court shortly afterward.
Fox News previously reported that the FBI was investigating "significant criminal damage" at the federal ICE warehouse facility after vandals targeted the property with anti-law enforcement graffiti and damaged windows.
FBI OPENS INVESTIGATION AFTER DRIVER ALLEGEDLY RAMS ICE VEHICLE DURING ARIZONA TRAFFIC STOP ATTEMPT
If convicted, Mendoza-Acoltzi could face years in federal prison. Attempted arson of federal property carries a potential sentence of up to 20 years behind bars, while depredation against U.S. property also carries additional penalties.
Federal officials have increasingly warned about threats and attacks targeting immigration enforcement facilities and personnel amid heightened tensions surrounding border security and deportation operations.
The Arizona case comes amid heightened concerns over threats targeting immigration enforcement and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) facilities nationwide.
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Days before the Arizona incident, state and federal authorities launched an investigation into an attempted arson attack at a DHS office building in Meridian, Idaho.
The suspect allegedly stole an ambulance from a bay at St. Luke’s West hospital, drove it through a parking lot and retrieved gas cans that had been staged in nearby vegetation, according to Meridian Police Chief Tracy Basterrechea.
The suspect then drove the ambulance into the North Portico building, which houses DHS offices, Basterrechea said at the time.
FEDERAL CHARGES FILED AGAINST ARIZONA TESLA ARSON SUSPECT, AG BONDI PROMISES 'NO NEGOTIATING'
Investigators believe the suspect poured an accelerant inside and around the outside of the ambulance but was unable to ignite it before being interrupted by responding officers.
"There has been a lot of rhetoric surrounding the Department of Homeland Security leasing office space at this location," Basterrechea said. "Comments on social media, such as ‘property damage isn't violence,’ is absolutely false. This was absolutely an act of violence, and if the suspect had not been interrupted, there is no doubt this building would have been burned, putting the lives of first responders and others at risk."
The charges against Mendoza-Acoltzi are allegations, and he is presumed innocent unless proven guilty in court.
Fox News Digital’s Alexandra Koch contributed to this report.
Bryson DeChambeau thinks the original moon landing video is fake: 'I don't know about the footage'
Bryson DeChambeau is one of the world's best golfers, has a widely beloved and popular YouTube channel, and has been one of the most committed adopters of science and technology in the sport.
But an astronomer, he is not.
DeChambeau joined "The Katie Miller podcast" show this week, covering a wide variety of topics. He spoke about his aspirations of reaching the Golf Hall of Fame, dating, the mental side of golf, and his experiences playing with President Donald Trump.
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Oh, and his thoughts on whether we've been to the moon and conspiracy theories. That's where things went a bit, well, off the rails for DeChambeau.
While he didn't quite fully commit to saying we haven't been entirely, saying he trusts Elon Musk's word when it comes to the original Apollo mission in 1969, he did say he doesn't believe the famous footage of Neil Armstrong and other astronauts walking on the lunar surface is real.
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"Look, Elon says we’ve definitely gone [to the moon]," he said. "So I tend to go that route, because he’s the man that knows quite a bit about all that."
"I don't think the footage is real," he continued. "But I think we did go to the moon. I don't know about the footage. It's quite wild."
We did, in fact, go to the moon, and despite conspiracy theories to the contrary, the footage of the moon landing is also real. Maybe what DeChambeau is trying to say is that he believes we got to the moon eventually, even if it wasn't in 1969. But that's equally wrong.
Bryson's become one of the most fascinating and interesting personalities in golf, and he's clearly a very smart guy who's taken his career to the next level by using data and information to maximize his abilities. But even he apparently can't escape the pull of moon landing conspiracies. Who knows, if Elon gets his way, maybe he'll be able to take a trip there himself one day soon.
Tennessee man jailed 37 days over Facebook meme mocking Charlie Kirk's death wins $850K settlement
A Tennessee man who was jailed for more than a month after refusing to take down a Facebook meme poking fun at the assassination of Charlie Kirk will be paid $850,000 as part of a settlement with officials.
Larry Bushart, a 61-year-old retired police officer, spent 37 days behind bars under a $2 million bond before authorities dropped the felony charge against him in October.
While in jail, he lost his post-retirement job and missed both his wedding anniversary and the birth of his granddaughter, according to a federal lawsuit Bushart filed against Perry County, Perry County Sheriff Nick Weems and the investigator who obtained his arrest warrant.
"I am pleased my First Amendment rights have been vindicated," Bushart said in a Wednesday statement announcing the settlement. The statement was provided by the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), the organization that helped represent him in the case.
"The people’s freedom to participate in civil discourse is crucial to a healthy democracy. I am looking forward to moving on and spending time with my family," he added.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Perry County Mayor John Carroll for comment.
Bushart was arrested in September, after he refused to remove a Facebook meme that joked about Kirk being killed while speaking to college students in Utah.
The meme that led to his arrest featured an image of President Donald Trump alongside the words, "We have to get over it," captioned with, "This seems relevant today..." The meme explained that the quote was originally said by Trump in 2024, following a school shooting at Perry High School in Iowa.
PUBLIC SCHOOL TEACHERS FACE BACKLASH FOR SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS MOCKING CHARLIE KIRK’S ASSASSINATION
However, the arrest warrant was based on the "absurd notion" that the meme could be interpreted as a threat against Perry County High School in Tennessee, FIRE said.
Furthermore, the organization noted that Bushart did not create or alter the meme.
Weems told news outlets that the meme did not actually lead investigators to believe there was a real threat. However, he stated that the case hinged on how some people could potentially interpret it as a threat to a local school.
"No one should be hauled off to jail in the dark of night over a harmless meme just because the authorities disagree with its message," said FIRE senior attorney Adam Steinbaugh. "We’re pleased that Larry has been compensated for this injustice, but local law enforcement never should have forced him to endure this ordeal in the first place."
FIRE noted that hundreds of Americans have been censored for their online speech following Kirk’s assassination. The group currently represents Monica Weeks, a public servant who was fired by the state for a Facebook post criticizing Kirk shortly after his death.
Popular cruise line's giant beach park blocked by Mexico after local backlash erupts
After weeks of backlash from local residents and environmental advocates, Mexican officials announced they will reject Royal Caribbean’s proposal to build a massive water park along the country’s Caribbean coastline.
Critics of the cruise line's project argued the development threatened the region’s fragile ecosystem and the character of the small coastal community of Mahahual.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday, May 19, Alicia Bárcena, Mexico’s secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT), responded to questions about the development.
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"I'd like to inform you that Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day project will not be approved," the official said.
"The company is also looking to withdraw the project, but we at SEMARNAT will not approve it."
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum echoed those concerns during a press conference Monday morning.
"We must not do anything that affects that area, which has a very important ecological balance, and is particularly important for the reefs," she said, as Reuters reported.
DISAPPOINTED CRUISE PASSENGERS ERUPT AS ALCOHOL BAN AFFEECTS MAJOR VOYAGES
A Royal Caribbean spokesperson told Fox News Digital the cruise operator is "disappointed," but "respects the role of Mexico's environmental authorities."
The spokesperson added, "Mahahual is a special place that deserves care and protection. We continue to believe in Mexico, and are optimistic [about] the potential to advance our investment responsibly."
The spokesperson said the company plans to "re-engage stakeholders" as it works to develop "essential environmental infrastructure, the creation of thousands of local jobs, and community programs that support the people of Mexico."
Royal Caribbean first unveiled Perfect Day Mexico in October 2024 as part of its expanding portfolio of cruise destinations. It was originally scheduled to open in 2027.
The proposed site in Mahahual, Quintana Roo, was expected to feature "an all-new thrilling water park; jaw-dropping pools and beaches, restaurants, bars and more," according to a company press release.
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The cruise line promoted the development as a "sustainable destination."
The decision follows mounting criticism from environmental advocates and residents about the project’s potential ramifications. A Change.org petition demanding the "immediate cancellation" of the development drew more than 4.8 million signatures.
"Mahahual is not an amusement park. It is a fishing town inhabited by local communities who live facing the sea," the petition states.
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"This project directly threatens [our] rights to access and use the sea, the beaches, and the mangroves, our local identity, our way of life, our freedom to live here," the petition says.
The petition goes on to describe Mahahual as "one of the last free strongholds of the Mexican Caribbean, while Playa del Carmen and Tulum have already succumbed to the logic of profit."
Royal Caribbean fans had mixed reactions on Reddit forums.
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One person applauded the decision, saying, "Good for Mexico."
Another said, "I can see the concerns here, but no doubt some folks will be disappointed."
CocoCay, located in the Bahamas, is a predecessor of the proposed project in Mexico.
CocoCay has been a huge success for the company, drawing over 2 million visitors annually, according to Cruise Industry News.
Mahahual is known for its close access to the Mesoamerican Reef — the world’s second-largest barrier reef system, according to Reuters.
The coastal town has increasingly attracted scuba divers and tourists looking to experience marine ecosystems, coral formations, tropical fish and other sea life.
Todd Monken says Shedeur Sanders has 'come miles' as Browns quarterback competition heats up
Shedeur Sanders’ new head coach likes what he’s seen from the quarterback heading into his second NFL season with the Cleveland Browns.
Todd Monken has been peppered with questions about his quarterbacks depth chart since taking the Browns’ head coaching job, which Kevin Stefanski used to have with the franchise.
Sanders, whom the Browns took in the fifth round of last year’s NFL Draft, is usually in those questions, as media and fans alike are curious what’s in store for him after closing out the 2025 campaign as the team’s starting quarterback. However, a new coach means new thinking about every position.
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Monken, though, spoke to Sanders’ development on Wednesday, where he said he’s seeing a player who has already "come a long way."
"I think Shedeur’s come miles, in terms of his progressions, getting the ball out, his understanding of concepts. I think he’s really, really come a long way," Monken told reporters, via ESPN.
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After the Browns went with Joe Flacco to start the season, then Dillon Gabriel when Flacco was traded to the Cincinnati Bengals, Sanders finally got a shot against the Las Vegas Raiders. He won his first-ever start in the NFL, and Stefanski named him starter the remainder of the season.
But Sanders and Deshaun Watson, who's back from injury heading into 2026, have continued to take split first-team reps during team drills at the Browns’ second OTA practice.
Watson, whose tenure in Cleveland has been the exact opposite of what the team had hoped for when they traded for and signed him to a massive contract in 2022. It was a fully guaranteed $230 million over five years, but he tore his Achilles in October 2024 and didn’t play at all in 2025.
Still, back on the gridiron, Monken said that "Deshaun’s athleticism shows up."
"Obviously he’s had that, but he’s had injuries that have set him back. I wouldn’t say it’s a surprise, but it’s exciting to see – it’s a weapon for him. It’s one of his superpowers, his athleticism."
The Browns still have Gabriel, as well as rookie Taylen Green, on their depth chart ahead of the season. But it’s clear the competition starts with Watson and Sanders with training camp set for July.
Monken won’t be rushing to any conclusion at the position, but he does wish to name a starter by the beginning of training camp.
"You’d love to have it at every position at the end of spring, but you can’t guarantee that," Monken said.
Until then, Sanders and the rest of the Browns’ roster will look to impress their new coach.
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Trump owns the GOP. Could Republicans pay the price in the midterms?
President Donald Trump took to social media on Wednesday morning to showcase the power of his political endorsements, touting that the candidates he backed went 37-0 in Tuesday's GOP primaries from coast to coast.
"We won all races last night. Every one of them," Trump told reporters.
The brute force of the president's endorsement power and the immense grip he has on the Republican Party were on full display in a number of high-profile ballot-box showdowns, including Trump-backed Ed Gallrein ousting Rep. Thomas Massie in the GOP primary in Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, a race that grabbed outsized national attention.
But Trump's heavy hand in this year's primaries could cause repercussions in the autumn, when Republicans will be defending their razor-thin House and slim Senate majorities in the midterm elections.
TRUMP-BACKED FORMER NAVY SEAL DEALS KNOCKS OUT MASSIE IN HIGH-STAKES SHOWDOWN
While those concerns will mount as the midterms creep closer, on Tuesday night the political headline was Trump once again successfully flexing his muscles to exert payback on Republicans who defied him.
Two weeks after purging five state senators in Indiana's primary who had opposed his push for congressional redistricting, and three days after helping to oust Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana — as the senator who, five and a half years ago, voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial lost his bid for renomination — Trump obliterated Massie.
Massie, who for 14 years has represented Kentucky's 4th Congressional District, in the northeastern part of the red-leaning state, has long been one of Trump's most vocal GOP critics in Congress. The libertarian-minded lawmaker has repeatedly taken aim at the president over foreign policy, including the Iran war and unconditional U.S. military aid to Israel. And he's also been a thorn in Trump's side for successfully pushing for the release of government files related to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
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Gallrein’s nearly ten-point victory over Massie in a race that was expected to be much closer represents a major win for Trump’s political operation and pro-Israel allied groups, who spent aggressively to unseat the sitting lawmaker.
Speaking at his victory celebration, Gallrein thanked Trump for his support, saying, "My focus is on advancing the president's and the party's agenda to put America first and Kentucky always."
Taking to social media after Massie's defeat, White House communications director and longtime Trump aide Steven Cheung warned, "Do not ever doubt President Trump and his political power. F--k around, find out."
Veteran Republican strategist and communicator Ryan Williams told Fox News Digital, "The Republican Party is Trump’s party, and if you cross him, he’ll hit back at you ten times as hard and defeat you. He’s getting better at this as time goes on. His grip on the party has increased, not decreased."
"Anybody at this point who doesn’t understand this will be out of a job if they cross the president," Williams emphasized.
Meanwhile, Rep. Andy Barr of Kentucky, backed by Trump in recent days, cruised to the Republican Senate nomination in the race to succeed retiring Sen. Mitch McConnell, a former longtime Senate GOP leader.
And Sen. Tommy Tuberville, a top Trump ally in the Senate, easily captured the GOP gubernatorial nomination in solidly red Alabama.
But some Trump-backed candidates will have to wait a little longer before securing a ticket to the general election.
Republican Lt. Gov. Burt Jones of Georgia finished first in the GOP gubernatorial primary, but didn't top 50%, forcing a runoff next month with billionaire businessman Rick Jackson.
It was the same story in Alabama, where Trump-backed Rep. Barry Moore finished first but will need another victory in next month's runoff to secure the Republican Senate nomination in the race to succeed Tuberville.
And this past weekend, Trump-backed Rep. Julia Letlow was forced into a runoff with Louisiana Treasurer John Fleming as Cassidy was sent packing.
Trump putting his hand on the scale in red states like Louisiana, Alabama and Kentucky shouldn't be an issue in the general election, but it could be in battleground Georgia, and in red-leaning Texas, where Democrats are hoping to win a U.S. Senate election for the first time in nearly four decades.
Democrats feel Trump gave them an early Christmas gift by endorsing MAGA firebrand and ally and supporter Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton over longtime GOP Sen. John Cornyn with one week to go until the runoff election for the Republican nomination.
"Ken is a true MAGA Warrior who has ALWAYS delivered for Texas, and will continue to do so in the United States Senate," Trump wrote in a social media post as he announced his backing of Paxton, which likely ends Cornyn's hope of winning renomination.
The winner of the GOP runoff will face off in the autumn with rising Democratic Party star state Rep. James Talarico, who has built a massive war chest this year while Cornyn and Paxton have traded fire in their combustible race.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune, the National Republican Senatorial Committee and many GOP leaders in the nation's capital saw Cornyn as the candidate better equipped to successfully defend the seat in Texas, which Democrats are trying to flip as they work to win back the chamber's majority.
That's because Paxton has faced a slew of scandals and legal problems that have battered him over the past decade, as well as his ongoing messy divorce.
Some Republicans are concerned this could be a flashback to 2022, when then-former President Trump flexed his muscles in the GOP primaries, with some of his picks, including Georgia's Herschel Walker, falling short in the midterms, as Republicans failed to win back the Senate.
"Trump got his way in most of the primaries in 2022 also. Didn’t portend great results in the general election," vocal Trump critic and GOP consultant Sarah Longwell posted on social media Tuesday night.
Williams said, "The president has shown that he puts personal loyalty over political considerations even when it puts a safe seat at risk."
And pointing to this year's midterms, when the GOP as the party in power will face traditional headwinds as well as an extremely challenging political climate, Ryan said, "That’s the situation Republicans find themselves dealing with heading into what should be a challenging midterm election."
Mayors want to keep handing out free cash after federal funds dried up
Several mayors across the United States are scrambling to keep "no-strings-attached" cash programs alive as the federal pandemic relief funding that triggered the trend officially dries up.
In the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois, officials recently announced an expansion of the city's guaranteed income program to burn through the remainder of its federal allotments. The program originally launched as a pilot funded by the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Under federal law, these pandemic recovery funds had to be legally obligated by the end of 2024 and must be fully spent by the end of December.
Evanston held a series of registration sessions across the city for its Guaranteed Income Program as officials race to distribute $300,000 before the expiration deadline. The city received roughly 150 applications during the first week of registration alone. Those applications will be entered into a lottery to select 102 low-income families.
The expanded program will provide $500 monthly payments to the selected households over the next six months using the leftover pandemic funds. To be eligible for the lottery, residents must live at or below 185% of the federal poverty line and be either 55 years or older or have a child in second grade or younger.
Evanston is one of more than 100 U.S. cities that have launched universal basic income pilots since 2018 to address poverty. While many of these initial experiments relied on a blend of private donations and federal ARPA money, those federal accounts are hitting zero. The looming shortfall is driving local officials to find alternative avenues to make the cash handouts permanent—similar to recent budget maneuvers in neighboring Cook County, Illinois.
Cook County, the second-largest county in the U.S., established a subsequent phase of its guaranteed basic income program after the conclusion of its initial 2022 pilot. To sustain the initiative without federal aid, the Cook County Board of Commissioners approved $7.5 million for guaranteed income within its local county budget, signaling a shift toward long-term local funding.
Evanston Mayor Daniel Biss, who won the Democratic primary for Illinois' 9th Congressional District and is running in the general election, indicated he wants to fight for the handouts at the federal level if elected to the House of Representatives.
"Guaranteed income programs provide critical support to families while boosting the local economy," Biss wrote in a social media post after the Evanston City Council voted to expand the program. "We’re leading the way in Evanston, and I’m ready to fight for these programs in Congress!"
Biss is not the only local executive attempting to turn temporary pilots into permanent policy.
In Newark, New Jersey, Mayor Ras Baraka is pushing for the state government to adopt similar measures across the Garden State.
"The Newark Movement for Economic Equity (NMEE) guaranteed income pilot program definitively demonstrated that cash payments boosted financial stability and improved child outcomes," Baraka said during the launch of a new advocacy coalition. "I am proud that our work in Newark continues to serve as a model to inform statewide efforts for economic mobility. We must turn these pilots into policy across New Jersey."
WHAT THE FIRST FEDERAL CHALLENGE TO A LOCAL REPARATIONS PROGRAM MEANS FOR OTHER CITIES
Launched by Baraka in partnership with the advocacy group Mayors for a Guaranteed Income, the Newark pilot provided 400 low-income residents with $6,000 per year over a two-year period, pulling from a mix of ARPA funds and corporate donations.
The newly formed New Jersey Cash Alliance coalition is now actively lobbying lawmakers in Trenton for state-backed cash policies to support families. The coalition includes Mayors for a Guaranteed Income President Michael D. Tubbs, who has publicly maintained that the federal government should implement a nationwide guaranteed income program.
Tubbs, the former mayor of Stockton, California, popularized the municipal cash-handout trend after starting a pilot program in his own city. Tubbs argues that regular cash infusions are necessary to help low-income Americans stay afloat amid high costs for basic expenses like rent, groceries, and gasoline.
In Salem, Massachusetts, city officials concluded a 12-month pilot program called "Uplift Salem," which offered 100 eligible participants monthly payments of $500 for a year. The $685,000 project was structured as a public-private partnership, utilizing ARPA funds alongside private contributions from the nonprofit group UpTogether.
Salem Mayor Dominick Pangallo praised the initiative following an impact study conducted by Salem State University, which noted high praise from recipients.
"It increases employment, strengthens our economy and helps children thrive in school. These are investments in the integrity and strength of our community as a whole," Pangallo said in a statement. "Uplift Salem was an opportunity for us to add to the body of work demonstrating the efficacy of these programs. We will continue to advance the conversation at both the state and national level."
DETROIT MOMS RUSHED TO 'NO STRINGS ATTACHED' CASH AID PROGRAM TAILORED TO NEW MOTHERS
Meanwhile, officials in Boulder, Colorado, who launched their "Elevate Boulder" guaranteed income program with $3 million in ARPA funds, are actively soliciting private donations to keep the program going now that the federal pilot phase is wrapping up.
"Contributions to the Elevate Boulder Fund will also help city staff determine the potential for ongoing, collective community support to extend the project after the pilot phase is complete," the city's official website states.
While some cities are looking to charity or local taxes to bridge the gap, others have run into severe legal roadblocks. Austin, Texas, became the first major city in the Lone Star State to fully fund its own guaranteed income pilot, utilizing $1.1 million in taxpayer funds alongside $500,000 in philanthropic donations.
However, the future of cash programs in Texas remains highly uncertain. Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton filed a high-profile lawsuit against a similar $20.5 million guaranteed income program in Harris County, dubbing it the "Harris Handout" and declaring it an unconstitutional abuse of public funds. While Austin's initial pilot concluded its run without direct intervention, the ongoing state-level litigation has effectively stalled local expansions across Texas.
Officials from Boulder, Salem, Newark, and Evanston did not respond to Fox News Digital's requests for comment.
Video shows police take down cop killer with armored vehicle after gunman turned neighborhood into war zone
Newly released bodycam and drone video captures the dramatic final moments of the deadly California standoff that ended when deputies used an armored BearCat vehicle to run over an armed suspect who police said killed Tulare County Deputy Randy Hoppert.
The nearly seven-minute video, released Tuesday by the Kern County Sheriff’s Office, combines body-worn camera footage, thermal drone video and slow-motion replay documenting the intense firefight that unfolded after authorities say 59-year-old David Morales ambushed deputies serving an eviction notice in Porterville on April 9.
Video captures deputies scrambling for cover behind patrol cars as gunfire erupts through the neighborhood while SWAT teams rush armored vehicles into position around the home.
WATCH: Gunfire erupts as suspect pins down officer, opens fire during eviction notice
The video shows the massive tactical response that followed as Kern County Sheriff’s Office SWAT operators arrived with armored vehicles, including a BearCat and a Rook, to help evacuate nearby residents and contain Morales.
Authorities said Morales continued firing from inside the home for hours while tactical teams attempted to negotiate his surrender.
At around 5:30 p.m., investigators said Morales opened fire on the armored Rook vehicle, with rounds penetrating armor plating and damaging ballistic glass.
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The video then shows Morales climbing out of a window and fleeing into thick brush in the backyard while armed with a rifle and wearing camouflage and a mask.
Drone footage and bodycam video captured Morales lying beneath a tree while aiming a rifle at the driver of the BearCat, according to investigators.
Authorities said deputies determined Morales continued posing an imminent threat and used the BearCat as a means of deadly force.
BODYCAM FOOTAGE SHOWS CHAOTIC MOMENTS LEADING UP TO FATAL OFFICER-INVOLVED SHOOTING
The footage shows the BearCat accelerating toward Morales as gunfire erupts. Investigators said Morales fired multiple rounds that struck the driver’s side window and underside of the armored vehicle during the encounter.
Deputies backed away and then re-engaged Morales a second time, according to the video.
Authorities said Morales continued manipulating his rifle and reached for a handgun in his waistband after the second impact.
Deputies then used the BearCat to run over Morales a third and final time.
"The suspect was lying prone on the ground, in camouflage clothing, continuing to pose a threat," Tulare County Sheriff Mike Boudreaux said after the incident. "The situation was resolved, and the suspect is now dead. He was not shot. One of the BearCats ran over him and killed him."
The sheriff later defended the tactics used to stop Morales in blunt terms.
"Don’t shoot at cops. You shoot at cops, we’re gonna run you over," Boudreaux said. "He got run over. He got what he deserved."
Authorities said the confrontation began earlier that morning when deputies arrived at Morales’ home to serve a final eviction notice after he allegedly failed to pay rent for 35 days. Investigators said Morales appeared to have "laid in wait" before opening fire on deputies with a high-powered rifle.
Hoppert, a former Navy corpsman who joined the Tulare County Sheriff’s Office in 2020, was struck during the ambush and rushed to Sierra View District Hospital, where he later died.
Authorities considered airlifting Hoppert to Fresno for treatment, but his condition was too unstable.
"This situation went from a civil order of removal to where our officer was shot and killed. This is senseless," Boudreaux said.
Boudreaux also described the emotional aftermath of the shooting, saying he met with Hoppert’s family at the hospital following the deputy’s death.
"I sat down at the hospital and met with the wife and his mom, and I can tell you there is no consoling that family at this point," Boudreaux said. "Attacks on law enforcement of this nature must stop."
On May 12, the Kern County Sheriff’s Office Incident Review Board determined the use of force was within department policy. The case will also be reviewed by the Tulare County District Attorney’s Office.
Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.