Fox News Latest Headlines
Parents drop eye popping fees on sorority rush coaches to get kids into elite college Greek life
Forget SAT tutors — parents are now spending thousands of dollars on professional "rush coaches" months or even a year before their daughters set foot on a college campus.
Viral social media trends, documentaries and intense competition at top universities have turned college sorority recruitment into a high-stakes process. Young women are polishing their resumes, practicing their social skills and cultivating a specific look for a chance to join their top-choice house.
Consultants are now hired to do everything from crafting professional resumes and conducting mock conversation drills to hosting practice events where young women learn how to handle Southern heat and intense social settings.
Trisha Addicks, founder of sorority consulting service It’s All Greek to Me, told Fox News Digital that viral southern "rush" videos are driving more out-of-state students to seek her services.
"I have seen a big change in the geography of people who come to our company, and it's much more the northeast, California, the midwest, it's not the traditional southern families that are coming to us," Addicks said. "It's because the parents and the families are seeing rush online, and they're wanting to come south, but they have no idea how to navigate it and that's what we do."
Addicks explained that prep work with her team of mentors is individualized for every student. It can include securing recommendation letters, practicing conversation skills and learning how to navigate high-pressure situations, which she says can prepare young women for their future careers.
"The biggest misconception is that we're just telling them what to wear and telling them that they should be wearing certain brands or look a certain way, because that's not it at all," Addicks added, later describing one of the mock events her company runs in preparation for rush week.
SECRETARY SEAN DUFFY: MY JOB IS TO GET MY DAUGHTER INTO HEAVEN, NOT HARVARD
"You're experiencing the chaos, the heat, the sometimes rain," she said. "And then you are having real conversations with sorority actives and people who are my mentors who work with me. And it gets you an idea of what an actual rush party is [going to] look like, and it's a great preparer."
Addicks' unlimited services now cost families $6,500 per daughter, a price increase she attributed to growing demand. While coaching comes with no guarantees, Addicks said she frequently acts as a referee for anxious parents when recruitment stress peaks.
"So, in my experience, which has been for 30 years now, parents don't really have any idea how much they're [going to] lose their minds when their daughters are in rush itself," Addicks said.
"All of a sudden, their daughter's calling them crying, and they want to help," Addicks said, noting that her team helps "talk them out of their tree" and advises clients on how to move forward positively.
"They get to the end, and they're like, ‘Okay, I should not have lost my mind.’ But I get it, I understand it, I'm a parent, but that's when the apology flowers come," she added.
Addicks isn’t the only consultant seeing a surge in business. Jennifer Carabetta, a high school theater teacher and founder of Crush My Rush, charges a flat fee of $1,500 to guide her clients through the recruitment cycle, from cleaning up their online presence to late-night or early morning pep talks.
Carabetta, who launched her business after helping her own daughter navigate recruitment at the University of Georgia, said modern rush requires digital brand management long before girls arrive at the sorority houses.
"Your Instagram for these girls going through recruitment is really truly their personality on a screen," Carabetta said. "The recruiters inside a sorority look at those Instagrams to try to gauge what you're all about. You post a picture of an amazing brunch with a cute matcha on the side, and you’re like, ‘Brunch day.’ That little thing can really resonate with someone."
Carabetta said she capped her roster at 45 clients for the latest fall cycle. While much of her work happens before rush, she said she mostly provides emotional support during recruitment itself.
"I’m not judgy with them if they tell me something. I’m there to listen and just say, 'Okay, that's valid what you're feeling, and let’s work with this and now let's get dressed and go because you have a party in 15 minutes, so put your makeup on, girl. Buck up, little camper,'" Carabetta said jokingly.
Carabetta pushed back against the idea that rush coaching makes Greek life overly transactional, comparing her service to private sports coaching or SAT tutoring.
"If you're on a dance team, you might hire a private instructor to help you with those fouetté turns and nobody questions that. You want to go to a certain college and get your SAT score up, nobody questions that," Carabetta said.
"They're really looking for those deeper connections. And that's what I get from every girl I help with, is that they're looking for those deeper connections," she added.
While coaches frame their work as practical prep, clinical psychologist Seth Meyers said the trend may also reflect how parents handle major college milestones. Meyers, host of the YouTube channel ‘Dr. Seth: Psychologist,’ told Fox News Digital that the surge in hiring consultants stems from a phenomenon called "informational social influence."
"If people know that other people are engaging in a certain behavior, like using rush consultants, they tell themselves, 'Those people must know something I don't,'" Meyers said. "This triggers a type of fear and anxiety that people have that they may miss out if they don't pursue this."
He said that for many parents, rushing is about securing lifelong social connections and networking opportunities for their daughters at a time when they may feel they are losing control over their children’s lives. He also noted that some families may view investing in lifelong social relationships as just as valuable as hiring an SAT tutor for academic success.
Meyers cautioned that the emotional stakes can become increasingly steep when thousands of dollars are on the line. "The consequence of being rejected from a sorority, especially after going to great lengths, like hiring a consultant … can feel emotionally catastrophic to the young person," Meyers said, noting that freshman year is already full of anxiety.
"Responsible parents who pursue rush consultants have to work equally hard to emotionally prepare their daughters for a possible Plan B," he added. "Without a replacement plan in place, the risk for the sense of emotional catastrophe increases."
Meyers emphasized that while consultants can guide students through recruitment, sorority coaching is not a substitute for clinical mental health support. "Coaches are not therapists," Meyers said. "For anyone struggling with real anxiety, what they should really do is seek out a licensed mental health professional through this process as well."
Boater was drunk, dancing before Boston Harbor crash that killed 24-year-old former soccer player, DA says
The boater charged in the crash that killed a 24-year-old former student athlete was intoxicated and dancing with his hands off the wheel when he steered a stolen boat into a Boston pier, prosecutors said.
Lawrence Shieh, 40, of Boston, was indicted by a Suffolk County grand jury on multiple charges in connection with the May 13 crash that killed Elizabeth "Lizzie" Dankert, 24, and injured two of her friends. He is charged with one count of involuntary manslaughter, one count of boat OUI causing death, two counts of boat OUI causing serious bodily injury, using a boat without authority, and a Logan International Airport security zone violation.
Shieh's blood-alcohol level was more than twice the legal limit following a night of bar-hopping before he crashed the boat.
"That night, Lawrence Shieh drank a mix of alcoholic beverages at the ReelHouse with friends and several other bars in the Seaport," Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden told reporters. "Blood testing after the crash recorded his blood-alcohol at .20, or more than twice the .08 legal limit here in Massachusetts."
The boat, which was not equipped with exterior lighting, had been docked at Freedom Boat Club in Boston's Seaport District before it was taken without permission. Although Shieh held membership in the club, he had no authorization to remove the vessel. Hayden said cellphone footage — including video recorded on Dankert's phone — captured the moments leading up to the deadly crash.
NEW JERSEY MOTHER ALLEGEDLY DRUNK WHEN BOAT HIT CHANNEL MARKER ON MEMORIAL DAY, KILLING HER SON
"Cellphone videos recorded Shieh's conduct, including inattentiveness at the helm, dancing and engaging with the three young women. Approximately six seconds before the crash, Shieh is captured on video with both hands off the wheel of the boat," Hayden said.
The boat then crashed nearly head-on into Pier 4R at Logan.
"Recovered data from the boat navigation system indicates that the boat was traveling at a dangerously excessive speed for the area of 36 mph at the time of the crash," Hayden said.
Dankert struck her head and died as a result of blunt force injuries. The other two women and Shieh suffered non life-threatening injuries.
Dankert, of Andover, was a 2024 graduate of Union College, where she played soccer.
LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE
"Lizzie was an exceptional student-athlete who had a tremendous impact during her four years at Union College," Union College spokesperson Phillip Wajda told Boston 25 in a statement. Fox News Digital has reached out to Union College for comment.
In his first hearing, a cash bail was set at $25,000 with conditions for Shieh to stay away and have no contact with the female witnesses, Fan Pier and Freedom Boat Club employees, stay away from the ReelHouse in Seaport and no boating or consume alcohol during the investigations.
Shieh's attorney, Nick Pisegna, said in the hearing that his client did not have a criminal record and has been "diligently attending" his appointments following the incident.
Shieh was released after posting bail. He is due back in court on Oct. 8 at 2 p.m. for a pre-trial conference. Fox News Digital has reached out to Shieh's attorney for comment.
3 common factors may be secretly speeding up the aging process, expert says
Lifestyle habits and environmental exposures may affect processes involved in cellular health and biological aging.
That's according to functional medicine expert Dr. Will Cole, co-author of the upcoming book "Heal Your Cells," who believes modern lifestyle factors may contribute to cellular dysfunction, which can can influence inflammation, sleep and other processes tied to overall health.
"Our genetics haven't changed in thousands of years, but our world has changed dramatically in such a finite period of time," Pennsylvania-based Cole told Fox News Digital. "It’s the foods we're eating or not eating, it's environmental toxins that were never on the landscape before, it’s stress and trauma."
LONGEVITY EXPERTS REVEAL ‘FLICKER METHOD’ THAT COULD HELP YOU FEEL YEARS YOUNGER
Cole said these pressures may contribute to what he calls an "accelerated aging problem," in which biological age may differ from chronological age.
"Many people in their 20s, 30s and 40s have the cells of a senior citizen," he said. "That's common, [but] not normal."
Cole noted that people may normalize persistent symptoms, such as brain fog and fatigue, instead of discussing them with a health professional. Those symptoms are non-specific and can stem from a range of medical, lifestyle and mental-health factors.
EATING COMMON DAIRY FOOD EVERY DAY MAY SLOW BIOLOGICAL AGING, STUDY SUGGESTS
Cole said that, in some cases, changes tied to cellular dysfunction may begin years before a person receives a medical diagnosis — but that people often dismiss or push through early symptoms.
He identified the following three factors that can most disrupt cellular communication, creating "cellular noise" that may contribute to accelerated aging and disease.
Eating foods that "don’t love human body back" is the first agitator of cell health — particularly inflammatory foods, according to Cole.
Failing to stick to a consistent eating window — and instead eating over long stretches of the day without giving the body time to digest and fast — can also disrupt cellular balance, he said.
Cole cited certain environmental exposures, including pesticides, herbicides and PFAS — sometimes called "forever chemicals" — as potential concerns for overall health. The effects of an exposure depend on the substance, dose and duration of contact, experts say.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
He also pointed to infectious pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses, and exposure to mold as factors that can affect health.
Evening exposure to blue-enriched light can interfere with circadian timing for some people, while a consistent sleep-wake schedule and daytime light exposure may support healthy sleep and cellular health, Cole added.
Cole also pointed to chronic stress, unresolved trauma and a lack of social or spiritual connection as factors that could be linked to more cellular noise.
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Some observational research has linked religious or spiritual involvement with lower levels of certain inflammatory markers and better health outcomes, although such studies cannot prove that faith itself causes those effects.
"That's something that's not talked [about] a lot in the biohacking world," Cole said. "What's your relationship with God and how does that show up in the cells on a somatic level?"
"The research shows that people who have a ‘faith walk’ tend to live longer, healthier, more youthful, vibrant lives."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER
Cole said a person may find similar benefits through any belief system or community that "shifts your state," as well as through a connection to nature.
Modern stressors may affect the body in ways that are not always immediately visible, Cole noted.
"The cell becomes confused and doesn't know how to function well and doesn't know how [to] repair itself," he said. "We just need to give our body a fighting chance to hear through the noise."
He added that addressing physical, mental-emotional and spiritual well-being may help reduce what he calls "epigenetic noise."
Dolly Parton’s six-decade love story with Carl Dean began at a laundromat
Dolly Parton lived much of her life in the spotlight, but her greatest love story unfolded almost entirely away from it.
The country music legend, who died on Tuesday at the age of 80 after a "brief battle with cancer," was married for almost 60 years to her late husband Carl Dean. Parton's death comes less than 18 months after she lost Dean, who died in March 2025 at age 82.
While announcing her passing, her nephew Bryan Seaver shared their family's belief that she had been reunited with the man she called the "star of my life story."
TRUMP MOURNS DOLLY PARTON, ORDERS US FLAGS LOWERED NATIONWIDE AFTER COUNTRY MUSIC ICON DIES
"Dolly has lived in the light and is in the arms of Jesus, surely met by Carl, her parents and countless others who have watched her and longed to meet her in the heavens," Seaver said.
Despite being married to the internationally famous singer, Dean was a very private man who steered clear of the limelight and was rarely seen in public.
The couple's romance began with a chance meeting on Parton's first day in Nashville in 1964. At the time, Parton was 18 and Dean was 21.
Parton, who hailed from rural East Tennessee, previously shared she had been so eager to leave home that she arrived in Nashville with dirty clothes and went to the Wishy Washy Laundromat. While her clothes were in the wash, she bought a cold drink and walked around looking at her new city.
Dean drove past in a Chevrolet and warned her that she was going to get sunburned. Parton, who said she greeted everyone because she was "straight from the country," answered him. He soon circled back and joined her at the laundromat.
"I was surprised and delighted that while he talked to me, he looked at my face, a rare thing for me," Parton recalled in a 2016 post on her official website. "He seemed to be genuinely interested in finding out who I was and what I was about."
During his lifetime, Dean rarely gave interviews. However, in 2016, he spoke lovingly of Parton while the couple were celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary.
"My first thought was, 'I'm going to marry that girl,'" Dean told Entertainment Tonight about meeting Parton for the first time. "My second thought was, 'Lord, she’s good-looking.' And that was the day my life began. I wouldn't trade the last 50 years for nothing on this Earth."
Two years after their first meeting, Parton and Dean married in a private ceremony in Ringgold, Georgia, on May 30, 1966. Parton’s record label had reportedly urged her to postpone the wedding for a year while launching her career, but the couple chose to marry quietly across the state line to avoid coverage in the Nashville press. Parton's mother Avie Lee was the only wedding guest.
"It was just my mother and Carl and me," Parton told CMT in 2016. "We went across the state line to Ringgold, Georgia. My mother made me a little white dress and a little bouquet and a little Bible."
Parton said she rejected the idea of a courthouse ceremony because she feared she would not "feel married." The couple instead found a small Baptist church, where Pastor Don Duvall married them before they posed for photographs on its steps. According to Parton’s official website, the pastor’s wife also attended.
While Parton pursued her dream of country music stardom, Dean remained firmly outside the entertainment industry. He owned an asphalt-paving business in Nashville and preferred a quiet life on their farm away from the limelight, though Parton said he always supported her ambitions.
Early in their marriage, Parton persuaded Dean to accompany her to the BMI Awards, where she won her first songwriting award for 1966's "Put It Off Until Tomorrow," which was named song of the year. During a December 2024 appearance on Bunnie Xo’s "Dumb Blonde" podcast, Parton recalled renting Dean a tuxedo and begging him to attend.
"And, oh, he was so uncomfortable the whole night," Parton said.
DOLLY PARTON’S ONGOING HEALTH BATTLE FORCES COUNTRY LEGEND TO MISS MAJOR DOLLYWOOD EVENT
Parton remembered that Dean "started pulling off stuff" immediately after they returned home.
"He said, ‘Look, now I want you to do everything you want to do, and I wish you the best, but don't ever ask me to go to another one of these damn things because I ain't going.’ And he never did," she said.
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER
"So we just kind of have that respect, and I respected that because I didn't know he was gonna be that uneasy, but he doesn't even like to go out to, you know, to big dinners or anything like that," she added.
Over time, Dean's absence became so conspicuous that there was speculation that he didn't exist, and she had made him up to ward off admirers.
During a 2020 interview with Entertainment Tonight, Parton weighed in on the longtime rumors.
"A lot of people have thought that through the years, because he does not want to be in the spotlight at all," she shared. "It's just not who he is. He's like, a quiet, reserved person and he figured if he ever got out there in that, he'd never get a minute’s peace and he's right about that."
"I've always respected and appreciated that in him and I've always tried to keep him out of the limelight as much as I can," Parton continued. "He said, 'I didn't choose this world, I chose you, and you chose that world. But we can keep our lives separate and together.' And we do and we have."
While Parton's career required constant travel, she previously said that Dean preferred staying at their Tennessee home and taking care of their ranch. While speaking with ET, Parton shared that the time spent apart strengthened their relationship.
"Our joke about the fact, when people ask me why it's lasted this long, I say, ‘Because I stay gone,’" she told ET. "And there's a lot of truth in that — the fact that we're not in each other's faces all the time.
"But we do have a great respect and admiration for each other. We both have a great sense of humor. So, we have a lot of fun," she added.
During a 2015 interview with People magazine, Parton shed some light on their favorite shared activities and their low-key home life.
"We like to get out in our little RV and just be simple," she said. "I love to read, I love to cook, I love to be with my husband. I put on my little comfy clothes – I call them my baby clothes – and we just relax."
"He loves to go on vacation or on little trips, but he doesn’t want to be gone a long time," Parton continued. "He wants to be mostly around the house. He knows I’m just the opposite. I can’t go enough places. I can’t do enough things. He loves that. He’s independent."
"But when we’re together, we have enough things in common that it works," she added. "We love the simple life. We can be calm and just have a good time."
Though Dean stayed out of the spotlight, his influence could be heard throughout Parton’s music. The country star previously said that a flirtatious red-haired bank teller’s interest in her husband helped inspire the story behind her 1973 hit "Jolene," while an early disagreement about Parton’s romantic past led her to write 1968's "Just Because I’m a Woman." She later said she thought of Dean while writing her 2012 song "From Here to the Moon and Back."
Dean’s love of rock music, particularly Led Zeppelin, also helped inspire Parton’s 2023 album "Rockstar." Shortly after his death, she paid tribute to him with "If You Hadn’t Been There," a song crediting him with supporting her and encouraging her dreams.
Parton and Dean never had children, though she said they had imagined becoming parents early in their marriage and even chosen names. In 2017, Parton told The Guardian that they would have named a daughter Carla.
The "9 to 5" star previously said that she later came to believe not having kids allowed her to pursue her career and devote herself to other children, including her nieces and nephews and goddaughter Miley Cyrus as well as those reached through her early-childhood literacy program Imagination Library.
"I didn’t have children because I believed that God didn’t mean for me to have kids so everybody’s kids could be mine, so I could do things like Imagination Library, because if I hadn’t had the freedom to work, I wouldn’t have done all the things I’ve done," she said while appearing on 2020 episode of Apple TV+’s "The Oprah Conversation." "I wouldn’t be in a position to do all of the things I’m doing now."
GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE
In May 2016, Parton and Dean renewed their vows in a private Nashville ceremony on their 50th anniversary.
"We’re going to get married again!" Parton told People magazine at the time. "I’ll have a beautiful wedding dress, ’cause I didn’t have a big, long wedding dress when we got married and we've got a suit for him, so we’re going to dress up and take a bunch of pictures."
Parton later celebrated their vow renewal ceremony in a June 2016 statement. "If I had it to do all over, I’d do it all over again, and we did," she said. "I’m dragging him kicking and screaming into the next 50 years."
On March 3, 2025, Parton announced Dean's death on social media, writing, "Carl and I spent many wonderful years together."
"Words can't do justice to the love we shared for over 60 years," she added. Thank you for your prayers and sympathy."
Days later, Parton released "If You Hadn't Been There" in honor of her husband and the cover art for the song featured a vintage photo of the couple.
LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
"I fell in love with Carl Dean when I was 18 years old," she wrote on Instagram at the time. "We have spent 60 precious and meaningful years together. Like all great love stories, they never end. They live on in memory and song. He will always be the star of my life story, and I dedicate this song to him."
Though no cause of death was disclosed, Parton later said her husband had "suffered a lot" during his final years.
During a June 2025 interview with The Associated Press, Parton opened up about how her belief in God has helped her navigate the grief she has endured in the wake of Dean's death.
"I am a person of faith, and I truly believe that I’m going to see him again someday," Parton said.
In the months after Dean’s death, Parton revealed that she had neglected her own health while caring for her husband during his prolonged illness. She later battled a kidney stone infection and other health complications that forced her to postpone concerts and miss public appearances. However, Parton continued working and remained optimistic about her recovery until shortly before her death.
PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE
During a March 2026 appearance at Dollywood, Parton laughed off rumors that she was dating or had remarried, according to the Knoxville News Sentinel.
"I don't think I'll ever be married but once," she said. "I think Carl Dean’s waiting for me on the other side."
Karoline Leavitt heads for White House exit as speculation builds over replacement and more top headlines
1. Karoline Leavitt heads for White House exit as speculation builds over replacement
2. How the Smithsonian’s woke push ‘infiltrated’ America's most beloved Zoo
3. Jury set to weigh Lindsay Clancy case
SILENT STRUGGLE — Dolly Parton’s cancer battle raises a question many patients face after diagnosis. Continue reading …
HIGH-SEAS HAUL — Coast Guard seizes 7K pounds of cocaine worth more than $54 million. Continue reading …
TARMAC HORROR — 'Tragic accident' unfolds as travelers, employees witness deadly jet incident. Continue reading …
STARTLING DETAILS — Suspect arrested at Trump golf course had Melania's schedule, Secret Service notes. Continue reading …
--
BADGE BATTLE — Spanberger AG draws fire over two-front fight against Trump enforcement agenda. Continue reading …
LAWSUIT LOOMING — Grocers issue warning over Mamdani’s taxpayer-backed stores. Continue reading …
DEBT TRAP DIPLOMACY — US counters China as Beijing’s ‘shock wave’ hits African economies. Continue reading …
COMIC CONSCIENCE — Jon Stewart wonders if shows like his gave America ‘political diabetes.’ Continue reading …
SWITCHING GEARS — 'The View' co-host pushes back on Hunter Biden calling Trump a ‘dictator.’ Continue reading …
TROOP TROUBLE — Girl Scouts rival boasts it never obscures its beliefs after Muslim badge backlash. Continue reading …
HUGH HEWITT — Hasan Piker’s radical rhetoric is becoming the Democrats’ 2026 brand. Continue reading …
VICTORIA COATES — Trump gives every nation an easy choice: Do business with America or terrorist Iran. Continue reading …
--
MAKING HER MARK — 12-year-old daughter of ex-MLBer is smashing records in the Little League World Series. Continue reading …
ROCKY ROAD — 11 visitors trapped as dangerous conditions rip through iconic national park. Continue reading …
WAIT IS OVER — Costco unlocks a major new convenience perk for some of its beloved items. Continue reading …
AMERICAN CULTURE QUIZ — Test yourself on presidential portrayals and summer sips. Take the quiz here …
Tune in a look at whether high-profile political endorsements can actually sway voters in today’s polarized political landscape. Listen to more on Castbox.
Mark Teixeira and Jay Feely reveal why they’re trading professional sports for congressional campaigns on ‘Hang Out with Sean Hannity.’ Check it out…
Lara Trump joins ‘Planet Tyrus’ for a conversation on politics, culture, and the issues driving today’s national debate. Check it out…
Vince August brings a comedian’s perspective to the cultural and political conversations shaping the week on ‘Will Cain Country.’ Check it out…
What's it looking like in your neighborhood? Continue reading…
Fox News Entertainment (FOX411)
Thank you for making us your first choice in the morning! We'll see you in your inbox first thing Friday.
Iowa Dem gubernatorial candidate says he would not want Biden or Harris to campaign for him
Iowa Democratic gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand flatly stated that he would not want to have former President Joe Biden or former Vice President Kamala Harris campaign for him.
When Politico's Jonathan Martin asked Sand if he would want Biden to campaign for him, the candidate said, "No. Can he even do that right now? I'm sorry."
"No thanks," Sand said after Martin asked about Harris. "Let's move on. We need some new leadership."
TRUMP-ENDORSED FEENSTRA CONCEDES TO MAHA-BACKED LAHN IN GOP GOVERNOR PRIMARY UPSET
"You don't think Harris should run in 2028?" Martin asked.
"Nope," he replied.
When Al Sharpton asked Harris in April if she will run again in 2028, she said "I might" and noted that she was "thinking about it."
OBAMA ENDORSES DEMOCRATIC IOWA STATE REP RUNNING FOR US SENATE AGAINST TRUMP-BACKED HOUSE REPUBLICAN
Biden, who was already the presumptive Democratic presidential nominee, dropped his re-election bid in 2024 in the wake of a widely-panned debate performance and endorsed Harris, who went on to lose the general election to then-former President Donald Trump.
Sand, the Iowa auditor of state, is running against Trump-backed Republican Zach Lahn in the state's 2026 gubernatorial race.
President Donald Trump declared in a part of a Truth Social post last month, "It is my Great Honor to endorse America First Patriot, Zach Lahn, a tremendous Candidate running to be the next Governor of the Wonderful State of Iowa, a place I love and WON BIG in 2016, 2020, and 2024!"
IOWA GUBERNATORIAL HOPEFUL ZACH LAHN TELLS 'RUTHLESS' DEMOCRATS ARE HIDING THEIR BAD POLICIES
Current Gov. Kim Reynolds, a Republican, announced last year that she would not seek re-election.
WATCH: El-Sayed praised ‘beautiful’ sense of community abroad while trashing US as 'White supremacy'
Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed described Americans as "desperate to feel something" and lamented that "we’re just all living it alone here" while reflecting on the community he experienced during extended childhood stays in Egypt during a podcast episode last year — remarks uncovered after the candidate recently declared that he "hates" one of his home state’s most iconic destinations.
During a late-October 2025 podcast interview, after getting asked what Americans could gain from life "back home," El-Sayed had a one-word answer: "Community."
"I think the hardest part about American life right now is that we’ve been, like, deeply atomized," El-Sayed said, arguing that the connections offered through phones and social media are "not community." In Egypt and other societies with far more constant human interaction, he said, "you’re constantly enveloped in other people’s humanity."
"It’s like a beautiful thing," El-Sayed said. "And I wish we had more of that."
The podcast remarks are not the first time El-Sayed has offered pointed criticism of American society and institutions.
During a 2019 University of Michigan School of Public Health commencement address, while discussing racial and economic disparities in Detroit, he said residents had been "directly and purposely marginalized by every level of government" in "a city and a state and a country that has baked racism into its foundation." Later in the speech, while discussing the Flint water crisis and the country's political climate, El-Sayed said he had watched American politics "revert to a strain of white supremacy and racism I never thought we’d go back to."
The comments stand in tension with the Michigan-centered image El-Sayed has presented at times, at one point describing himself as the quintessential "Michigan man." In recently resurfaced recordings, however, he said he "hates" Mackinac Island, questioned elements of football culture by linking its ethos to historical narratives of slavery and oppression, and argued Americans should find another way to celebrate the Fourth of July in a video sharing four reasons "why fireworks suck." In a 2021 Substack post El-Sayed also said "toxic masculinity" was "at the heart of America's most popular sport."
His campaign has pushed back on the resurfaced material, telling CNN that cherry-picked comments from old podcasts do not reflect his beliefs today and noting that El-Sayed played football and has publicly celebrated the Fourth of July.
During the October 2025 podcast interview, El-Sayed recounted how his parents would "ship me off to Egypt in the summers" so he would know his father’s language and culture, sometimes spending roughly four months with his working-class extended family in the one-bedroom apartment where his father grew up.
He told the hosts those experiences taught him something about "the human condition" that he believes can be harder to encounter in American life.
"I think in American life sometimes we’re not so privy to the lives other people lead," El-Sayed said, adding that in societies like Egypt, "the humanity of it all, like the carnal nature of it all, hits you." He called the experience "euphoric" and said exposure to other people's lives "softens or should soften your heart" to their experiences.
El-Sayed later pointed to weddings "back home" as a "celebration of humanity," contrasting people spending hours together with social media, which he described as an attempt to recreate that experience through "some huge corporation that's monetizing your eyeballs and your eardrums." He said that type of human connection "can’t" be replaced and called it "the best of living."
"I think that, like, the essence of our country is that we actually do come together and build things collectively," El-Sayed said, arguing Americans have been "oscillating between that instinct and the instinct to chase money," blaming the pursuit of wealth by a small number of people for problems ranging from the American healthcare system to U.S. military spending abroad.
"And, like, at some point I'd rather live in community where people have the basic things they need than be in a country where a few people get to be billionaires and the rest of us get to suffer."
JONATHAN TURLEY: Fake pollster's stunt was a reckless game with real races
In this political season, there is one question that needs no poll: Rahil Prakash is a liar. The other thing we know is that he will likely get away with spreading fake polling results. Lies can be protected speech under the First Amendment and, while Prakash would not likely want to take a popularity poll, he is unlikely to face legal consequences for his "short-term social experiment."
We still do not know much about the 21-year-old college graduate who reportedly admitted to releasing fake polling in the last election cycle.
What we do know is that he succeeded, and such polls can influence critical campaign decisions. For example, his poll put the Democratic Socialist up by 20 points in Wisconsin, and she surprised many by spending the final days campaigning in rural areas where she was expected to do worse. (She would lose by less than 1% of the vote). It is unclear where, had Hong known how close the race was, she would have spent the final days in higher-yield urban districts.
THE BATTLE FOR CONGRESS GETS A WALL STREET-STYLE SCOREBOARD POWERED BY REAL-MONEY BETS
The story laid bare the vulnerability of modern polling, which was again wildly wrong in predictions in various races during the primaries. However, it also highlights a novel question of potential liability for knowingly spreading falsehoods. In this case, Prakash wanted the lie to spread and likely succeeded beyond his wildest imagination.
He told The Guardian that "I wanted to see if fake polls could really penetrate the ecosystem that easily. And as it turned out, it could." He created a website called Median Strategies and released fake polls in Democrat primaries in the Wisconsin governor’s race, the Los Angeles mayoral race, and two statewide Nevada races. The polls were quickly picked up and spread throughout the "ecosystem."
He explained to the Guardian how easy it was: "I think my overall takeaway was that if you just make it look a bit pretty, it’s rather easy for it to spread."
We do not know if Prakash had a political motive in showing certain candidates dominating in certain races.
He reportedly denied using his fake polls to play betting sites as part of the prediction market. He also denied being compensated or directed by any campaign to run the hoax.
That matters because using lies for financial gain can be a form of fraud. However, just being a liar is protected.
In United States v. Alvarez, the Supreme Court struck down the Stolen Valor Act and held 6-3 that it is unconstitutional to criminalize lies.
The case shows the dividing line. Xavier Alvarez was protected in claiming to have won the Congressional Medal of Honor as well as marrying a Mexican movie star, playing for the Detroit Red Wings, and rescuing the ambassador in the Iranian hostage crisis. However, if he had used those claims to receive veteran benefits or donations, he could have been prosecuted.
BABYLON BEE SUES NEW MEXICO OFFICIALS OVER LAW REQUIRING AI DISCLAIMERS ON POLITICAL SATIRE
Many of us in the free speech community supported that decision and still oppose censorship systems that target what governments decide is disinformation, misinformation, or malinformation. Anti-free speech figures have long justified censorship by declaring views as false or dangerous.
While apologizing to a few campaigns for misleading them, Prakash still seems perfectly clueless about the ethics and impact of lying in elections. Indeed, he seems to entirely remove himself from the problem of spreading lies: "I hope it gives a really good lesson going forward in that we need to be very serious about these things and very serious in how, if one person can do this, what can a serious operation do in the future – a real, you know, operation for an organization, country, whatever."
Yeah, whatever.
The most revealing aspect of this controversy is not that some polling seems to lack any factual foundation for its predictions, but that some people lack any moral foundation for their actions. We have seen similar sites put out fake stories. Some do so for political ends, while others want to laugh at those gullible enough to trust them.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINION
As with anonymous positions, the Internet gives people a certain license to say and do things that they would not do in their own name. Unlike Prakash, most are not exposed. They spread vicious, false stories and relish their sense of twisted power. While lacking the courage to speak in their own names (often in attacking those who have the courage to do so), they yield to their darkest or cruelest inclinations.
Prakash created a fake site to make it seem like this was not an anonymous, unreliable source. He found his chumps in the media who wanted to report the results without looking into the source. However, the "really good lesson" was missed by him: he was neither noble nor particularly clever, just another liar among the Internet's sad voyeurs and vagabonds.
Coast Guard seizes 7K pounds of cocaine worth more than $54 million near Puerto Rico, five arrested
FIRST ON FOX: The U.S. Coast Guard stopped the possible transport of more than $50 million worth of cocaine as the agency intercepted a suspected smuggling boat off the coast of Puerto Rico.
The agency confirmed to Fox News Digital that investigators discovered more than 7,000 pounds of the drug on the boat that was traveling nearly 50 miles off the coast of the U.S. territory.
U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Richard Dixon intercepted the alleged drug smuggling boat on Saturday, Aug. 22, with the help of Customs and Border Protection air marine operations.
An estimated 7,250 pounds of cocaine was seized, worth about $54.5 million.
Five people on the alleged smuggling boat were detained and taken into custody in the investigation.
FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON X
SIGN UP TO GET THE LATEST TRUE CRIME NEWS
The Coast Guard destroyed the boat as it "posed a hazard to navigation," the agency said.
LIKE WHAT YOU'RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE
In a statement, Lieutenant Commander Michael D. Torgesen said: "An outstanding team effort thanks to seamless coordination with Coast Guard and CBP [Customs and Border Protection] air assets, cutter Richard Dixon was in the right place at the right time to stop a major shipment. I’m constantly humbled by my crew’s dedication and am proud to serve alongside them as we strike a direct blow against transnational smuggling operations and protect the nation’s maritime borders in the Caribbean."
OVERCROWDED MIGRANT VESSEL WITH 240 PEOPLE ON BOARD INTERCEPTED NEAR TURKS AND CAICOS
Coast Guard Southeast District Commander Admiral Adam Chamie said, "This interdiction shows what ready crews and strong interagency partnerships can achieve in the maritime domain."
The Coast Guard has yet to announce charges in the operation.
CBP OFFICERS SEIZE $67 MILLION IN ILLEGAL DRUGS AT SAN DIEGO BORDER PORTS, DHS SAYS
The cocaine bust announcement follows another development this week as the agency reached a milestone in which more than 75,000 pounds of illicit narcotics, valued at $473 million, were offloaded in Port Everglades in Miami, Florida, on Monday.
Ex-waitress reveals restaurant tipping secret most customers don't realize — expert calls it 'bad hospitality'
Mel Robbins learned an unusual lesson about earning big tips when she worked as a waitress: Pay attention to the women at the table.
The bestselling author and podcast host recently recalled advice from a "mentor-boss" at the Red Rooster Tavern in Michigan about figuring out who really influences the gratuity.
"She told me when I started waitressing the secret to getting a good tip: Understanding who has influence over who gives you the good tip," Robbins told The Wall Street Journal.
SHAKE SHACK CUSTOMER HITS 'NO TIP' AT KIOSK, THEN WATCHES PRICES JUMP IN VIRAL VIDEO
Most might assume that if a man picks up the check, he's also deciding the tip. But Robbins said her mentor taught her otherwise.
"What happens when the check comes and you've had a really good server? What happens often is the women turn to their partners and say, 'She was great. Give her a good tip,'" Robbins recalled, adding that she learned "to ignore the men and to completely take fabulous care of the women."
Robbins may be onto something about the social dynamics surrounding a tip — although hospitality and etiquette experts caution against ignoring anyone at the table.
"I don't entirely disagree," Robert Mahon, managing partner of New York-based Mahon Hospitality Group, told Fox News Digital. "In my experience, when a man is paying, the woman will often have the final judgment on the service and may suggest the tip."
AUTOMATIC TIP OR SERVICE CHARGE? NEW STATE LAW REQUIRES RESTAURANTS TO TELL DINERS BEFORE THEY ORDER
But, he added, focusing solely on the women and ignoring the men is "just bad hospitality."
"We would never encourage a server to show favoritism," Mahon said.
Instead, Mahon said skilled servers pay attention to the dynamics of the entire group.
"The best servers read the whole table," Mahon said. "Regardless of gender, people naturally respond to someone who is friendly and engaging. Ultimately, big tips come from making everyone at the table feel well-looked-after."
CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER
Research suggests there is more psychology behind a generous tip than simply providing good service.
In one experiment, communication researchers John S. Seiter and Harry Weger Jr. examined whether something as simple as complimenting customers could affect gratuities.
Four restaurant servers waited on 360 dining parties, either complimenting diners on their food selections or refraining from doing so, according to a study published in 2010.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE NEWS
The researchers found servers received significantly higher tips when they complimented diners — evidence that small interpersonal interactions can potentially influence what customers leave behind.
Lisa Burdette, founder of the Dallas School of Etiquette, told Fox News Digital it's true that women can have an influence over a man's tip. But, she said, "a good server should always concentrate on all customers, never slighting anyone."
TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ
Etiquette dictates that the person picking up the check ultimately determines the gratuity, Burdette said.
"It should never be a topic of debate at the table," she said.