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Florida court says 18-year-olds have same gun rights as other adults
A Florida appeals court ruled Wednesday that the state's ban on concealed carry by adults ages 18 to 20 violates the Second Amendment, finding that young adults are entitled to the same constitutional protections as law-abiding adults over the age of 20.
In a sweeping opinion, the court said 18-year-olds can serve in the military and defend the nation but face restrictions on their ability to exercise the same self-defense rights available to older adults.
"Eighteen- to 20-year-olds can defend the country without restriction but can only utilize their Second Amendment right to self-defense with severe restrictions," Judge Spencer D. Levine wrote for a unanimous three-judge panel of Florida's Fourth District Court of Appeals.
"Restricting 18- to 20-year-olds — members of the same 'political community' as other law-abiding adults — from rights to self-defense would make the Second Amendment a 'second-class' right," Levine wrote.
FEDERAL JUDGE APPROVES COLORADO LAW BANNING PEOPLE UNDER 21 FROM BUYING A GUN
The ruling comes after Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier declined to defend the law earlier this year.
"In another win for the unalienable rights of Floridians, the 4th DCA agreed with our position that Florida's law banning adults under 21 from conceal carrying a firearm is unconstitutional," Uthmeier wrote on X.
"We will not seek further review and will work with the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services to implement the court's order," he wrote.
STAY IN YOUR LANE: FLORIDA AG FIRES NEXT VOLLEY AGAINST JUDGE HALTING STATE IMMIGRATION LAW
The case stemmed from the 2024 arrest of Jaylen Eubanks, who was 18 at the time. According to the opinion, officers responding to a report of a person displaying a handgun detained Eubanks and found an unholstered firearm on his waist. He was charged with carrying a concealed firearm and improper exhibition of a firearm.
Eubanks challenged the concealed-carry charge, arguing Florida's age restriction violated the Second Amendment. The restriction was enacted following the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, where 17 people were killed. A trial court rejected Eubanks' argument, but the appellate court reversed.
Citing Supreme Court precedent including Heller, Bruen and Rahimi, the court said adults ages 18 to 20 are among "the people" protected by the Second Amendment and that Florida failed to identify a historical tradition supporting the restriction.
The panel also pointed to founding-era militia laws requiring many 18-year-old men to serve while bearing arms.
"That young adults had to serve in the militia indicates that founding-era lawmakers believed those youth could, and indeed should, keep and bear arms," the opinion states.
The court rejected arguments that concerns about firearm misuse among younger adults justified the restriction, saying Florida failed to identify a historical tradition supporting the law and that adults ages 18 to 20 could not be treated like categories historically subject to firearm restrictions, such as felons or the mentally ill.
"All those who reach the age of 18 are able, and encouraged, for example, to join the military to defend our country," Levine wrote.
"Yet those very same law-abiding adults are burdened in their ability to exercise the same Second Amendment rights that other adults have."
The court reversed Eubanks' concealed-carry conviction and remanded the case for further proceedings.
Roger Clemens questions MLB's warning to Giants pitchers who wrote Bible verses on Pride Night hats
Major League Baseball drew a line when players wrote Bible verses on their Pride hats.
During a San Francisco Giants Pride Night game, pitchers Landon Roupp, JT Brubaker and Ryan Walker wrote Bible verses on their team-issued hats.
The players referenced Genesis 9:12-16, a passage on the rainbow covenant.
MLB issued a warning to the players, stating the markings violated league uniform policies.
DAN DAKICH RIPS MLB FOR WARNING GIANTS PLAYERS WHO WROTE BIBLE VERSES ON THEIR PRIDE HATS: 'SHUT UP'
Former player Roger Clemens addressed the situation during an appearance on "The Will Cain Show," questioning the league's enforcement of uniform rules.
Clemens noted that players modify gear without receiving discipline from the league.
"We alter our uniforms all the time with numbers or somebody that has passed away," Clemens told Cain.
"I know one time in Boston, Larry Bird retired. I put his hat on. They put 33, silver marker on the hat to honor Larry Bird. I did it for my mom and grandmother."
Clemens argued that players should be permitted to display symbols of faith on the field.
"I love it that these guys show the blessings that the Lord has given them to be out there on that field," Clemens stated. "That's the way it was for me."
To resolve the issue, Clemens suggested MLB apply the same rules it uses for footwear customizations.
EX-VIKINGS CAPTAIN CALLS ON MLB PLAYERS TO DOUBLE-DOWN ON FAITH AMID PRIDE NIGHT CAP CONTROVERSY
"They do the special cleats where you can paint, do your cleats how you want it," Clemens said. "Maybe they do something like that and guys can have a hat with a Bible verse. They feel strongly about it."
The warning from MLB sparked a response beyond the diamond.
U.S. Senator Josh Hawley sent a letter to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, demanding a justification for the warnings and questioning the league's stance on religious expression.
Clemens concluded by addressing the friction between league initiatives and the personal values of the players on the field.
"Whatever floats your boat. Go for it," Clemens said. "Don't bring your ideas towards me then too."
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
San Francisco Giants ready to sell star players ahead of trade deadline as Buster Posey's rebuild unravels
We're not halfway through the 2026 Major League Baseball season, and already, the San Francisco Giants are ready to throw in the towel.
The Giants, even after a win over the Atlanta Braves on Wednesday afternoon, are just 30-43. They're a whopping 17 games behind the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers. Incredibly, even with the addition of a third wild-card spot, they're eight games back of the San Diego Padres and Washington Nationals, who currently sit in that position.
Even worse, they'd have to pass the Cubs, Diamondbacks, Pirates, Marlins, Reds and Mets just to reach that third wild-card spot. Put differently, only the lowly Colorado Rockies have a worse record than the Giants in the National League.
So it's not surprising, then, that several new reports have said that San Francisco's front office is essentially open for business ahead of the league's trade deadline. MLB.com's Mark Feinsand, ESPN's Buster Olney and The Athletic have all said, to varying degrees, that the Giants are ready to sell.
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Feinsand and Olney specifically mentioned some of the team's most expensive players, including first baseman Rafael Devers, shortstop Willy Adames and third baseman Matt Chapman, among those the Giants are looking to deal. Star pitcher Logan Webb and several of the team's young major leaguers, however, are not expected to be put on the block.
Less than two years ago, in October 2024, the Giants' ownership group announced they'd appointed Buster Posey as president of Baseball Operations. Posey is a Giants franchise legend, and has a wealth of experience in and around the organization. But he also had little experience in the analytically driven evaluation methods most commonly favored in modern baseball.
That was viewed as a point in his favor among baseball purists when he took over for the more data-driven Farhan Zaidi. Zaidi joined the Giants' front office after helping build the Dodgers into a juggernaut, and despite winning 107 games in 2021, he was fired after three consecutive years of San Francisco playing .500 baseball.
Well, in Posey's first year on the job, they went ... 81-81. In his second year, they're tracking to be far worse. Even playing in the large San Francisco market and increasing payroll from $175 million in 2024 to $210 million in 2026. Maybe it's time to admit that the Buster Posey experiment has already failed.
Not all of San Francisco's current predicament is on him, of course, but it's also clear that some of his biggest moves haven't worked.
Matt Chapman signed his extension before Posey took over, but his first big move was bringing in free-agent shortstop Willy Adames. And while Adames was a well-above-average player in 2025, his plate discipline has cratered in 2026 and his defensive metrics have taken a huge step backward too. He was worth 4.8 wins above replacement in 2024, 4 in 2025 and -0.3 thus far in 2026 while making $26 million per year through 2031.
RED SOX SEND STAR RAFAEL DEVERS TO GIANTS IN SHOCKING BLOCKBUSTER TRADE: REPORTS
Then there's Rafael Devers. Devers developed into a star in Boston, but fell out with the front office over being asked to move positions. The Giants swooped in, trading several prospects to the Red Sox with the intention of building around him through the end of his contract in 2033.
Instead, Devers has just nine homers in 2026, is hitting .234 with a .294 on-base percentage, has been a below-average hitter this season and has been worth -0.1 wins above replacement. And now he's on the trading block.
That's bad enough. But the players Posey traded away make it much worse.
The key to the trade was former top prospect Kyle Harrison. Harrison was flipped to the Brewers in the offseason, and, surprise, surprise, has immediately excelled. He's struck out 80 hitters in 65 innings with a 2.47 ERA and just 18 walks. Devers has negative WAR, Harrison is +1.7, per FanGraphs. He's making just $782,000 this year, and doesn't reach arbitration until 2028. Devers is making nearly $29 million per year through 2033.
James Tibbs III was the other headliner in the Devers trade, eventually also traded away, this time to the Dodgers. He, too, has turned himself back into a top prospect, hitting .305/.423/.609 in Triple-A, with 19 home runs in 67 games. Keith Law ranked him as the 24th-best prospect in baseball in his latest update.
It's not all doom and gloom; Bryce Eldridge looks to finally be delivering on his promise, and 18-year-old Josuar Gonzalez could become a star down the road. Luis Arraez has been a pleasant surprise, and Casey Schmitt has turned himself into an everyday player. But their pitching staff has been disappointing to awful, and there's little help coming from the farm system.
And therein lies the problem. The Giants, despite their market size and budget, have not been able to build a complete roster.
The Dodgers, as a comparison, are currently missing Will Smith and Teoscar Hernandez, while Tommy Edman just played his first game of the season. Blake Snell has pitched three innings this season, and Tyler Glasnow is on the 60-day IL with a back injury. Edwin Diaz had an ERA over 10 before going down with an arm injury. And LA is 48-27 and headed toward yet another division title. How are they doing it?
With Alex Call, Ryan Ward, Emmett Sheehan, Dalton Rushing, Justin Wrobleski, Will Klein and Kyle Hurt. LA excels at having a farm system full of talent at Triple-A, ready to step in for injured stars. They build quality depth and backups at key positions. Use analytics to put together the best defensive positioning of any team in the league. And they find bullpen pieces in unexpected places. Blake Treinen, Alex Vesia, Klein, Hurt, Jack Dreyer, Edgardo Henriquez. All have played major roles.
Posey, meanwhile, whiffed on the franchise-changing Devers trade. Gave away Kyle Harrison and James Tibbs. Signed Adames, only for him to fall off a cliff. And now is looking to dump salary and rebuild yet again. It's a mess, and it's what separates the best organizations from the rest. The Giants right now are squarely below even what we'd call "the rest."
DHS moves all detainees out of ‘Alligator Alcatraz’ amid hurricane concerns
All detainees at "Alligator Alcatraz," a migrant detention center in the Florida Everglades, have been transferred to other facilities, according to the Department of Homeland Security, citing concerns about the hurricane season.
The agency said that all detainees at the facility had been transferred, although it did not specify how many were taken. Some of these detainees will be transferred to "Deportation Depot," another ICE facility in Sanderson, Florida, set up in the northern part of the state.
DHS also did not address if the migrants would stay at the new facilities long term or if the transfers were only temporary.
"As we enter into hurricane season, ICE and the state of Florida have moved illegal aliens from the soft-sided facility. For the safety of the illegal alien detainees, we transferred them to other facilities," a DHS spokesperson told Fox News in a statement.
GUARDS AT 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' BEAT, PEPPER-SPRAYED DETAINEES, LAWYER SAYS
The hurricane season lasts six months, from June through November. "Alligator Alcatraz" opened on July 3, 2025, just one month after the start of last year's hurricane season, which ended without any storms making landfall in the Sunshine State.
Shortly after the migrant transfer announcement, the National Hurricane Center said that the first tropical storm of this year's hurricane season had formed off the Texas coast.
The controversial state-run detention center has been hailed by President Donald Trump but criticized by lawyers and human rights groups over its harsh conditions and mistreatment of detainees.
Detainees at the facility have reported a lack of access to lawyers and poor physical conditions, including worms in the food, toilets that do not flush, floors flooding with fecal waste and insects everywhere.
"Transferring people out of this cruel facility is an important step, but it does not erase the harm that has already been done," Amy Godshall, an attorney with the American Civil Liberties Union who filed a lawsuit against the state and the federal government over detainees' alleged lack of access to legal representation, said in a statement. "The state and federal government must permanently close this facility and commit to never detaining people there again."
The facility, surrounded by alligator-filled swamps in the Florida Everglades, was constructed by Florida Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis’ administration to support Trump's plan to mass detain and deport migrants.
Trump toured the facility just two days before it was opened last summer. The facility has processed and deported more than 20,000 detainees since its opening.
DeSantis said last month that the detention facility was always meant to be temporary.
FUTURE OF RON DESANTIS' CONTROVERSIAL 'ALLIGATOR ALCATRAZ' ICE HOLDING FACILITY REVEALED
Immigration advocates and lawyers said the hurricane season is just an excuse and not the real reason why the detainees have been transferred. They said they noticed an increase in the number of transfers of detainees to other facilities over the past few weeks and that they lost contact with dozens of detainees during these transfers.
"That’s a nonsense excuse because they opened in the middle of the worst part of hurricane season last year," said Arianne Betancourt, a community advocate at the non-governmental group The Workers Circle who has spent months connecting detainees with attorneys.
"They are all gone," Blankenship added. "They have been moved and disappeared into the system and are unavailable to family or counsel, typically for a period of about a week."
Fox News' Bill Melugin and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
LaGuardia shuts down runway for second time in weeks after pavement issue resurfaces
LaGuardia Airport temporarily closed one of its two main runways Wednesday after inspectors discovered a pavement "depression" near the airstrip, marking the second time in less than a month the New York City airport has suspended operations on the runway over pavement concerns.
Airport officials said the depression, which is approximately 2 inches deep, was identified adjacent to Runway 4/22, one of LaGuardia's two primary runways.
"During an airfield inspection at LaGuardia Airport, an approximately two inch depression adjacent to Runway 4/22 was identified," the airport said.
The airport said the closure was made proactively and out of an "abundance of caution," while stressing that the issue does not pose an "immediate safety concern."
LA GUARDIA AIRPORT RUNWAY SHUT DOWN AFTER SINKHOLE DISCOVERED DURING ROUTINE MORNING INSPECTION
Arrivals at LaGuardia are currently delayed by an average of 48 minutes but are decreasing, according to FlightAware flight-tracking data. ABC 7 previously reported 174 delays earlier Wednesday, citing the platform.
Runway 4/22 is scheduled to close at 5 p.m. and is expected to remain shut until Thursday morning as repair crews work overnight to conduct additional testing, identify the cause of the issue and perform any necessary stabilization work.
"Our goal is to complete the assessment and any necessary repair work overnight and return the runway to service as soon as it is safe to do so," the airport said.
AIR CANADA PASSENGER SAYS PILOT 'DID THE BEST THING HE COULD,' DESCRIBES DEADLY IMPACT
During the closure, operations will be shifted to LaGuardia’s remaining main runway, 13/31, beginning at 5 p.m. and are expected to continue until repairs are completed.
LaGuardia said passengers are encouraged to check with their airlines for flight status.
The incident marks the second time in less than a month that the same section of pavement has required emergency engineering work.
The runway was previously closed after a sinkhole formed around the Memorial Day travel rush.
Fox News Digital's Louis Casiano contributed to this report.
Tim Howard says USMNT gained momentum after dominating Paraguay win, USA to 'play Australia off the park' next
The U.S. Men's National Team has officially found its footing.
Former U.S. goalkeeper Tim Howard told OutKick that the Yanks' dominant win over Paraguay proves just how dangerous this squad can be ahead of their matchup with Australia.
And the rest of the country is clearly bought in.
The 4-1 blowout drew a massive 24.9 million viewers on Friday, shattering records as the largest soccer audience in U.S. history.
WATCH THE WORLD CUP FINAL ON FOX ONE
But for Howard, the most encouraging takeaway was the feeling that the Americans left even more goals on the table.
"So many good things, so many contributions," Howard told OutKick. "It's really good to win a game and say, 'Gosh, I wish we almost had six.' That's a good place to be."
Howard pointed to Folarin Balogun's two-goal performance, Christian Pulisic's influence in attack and a strong defensive showing as reasons for optimism as the tournament progresses.
"There's a lot to build on," Howard said. "The substitutes came in and played well. Balogun got his two goals. Christian Pulisic was outstanding. I thought defensively we were good."
FOX ONE’S NEW WORLD CUP VIEWING EXPERIENCE
After Matt Freese got the nod over veteran Matt Turner, Howard said he no longer views the goalkeeper competition as an open one.
"I don't think there's any competition now," Howard said. "I think Matt Freese is the goalkeeper. We sort of saw that going into the tournament over the last year. That played itself out. Matt Freese is the U.S. No. 1, end of story, I think."
Looking ahead to Australia's challenge, Howard expects a far different type of match than the one the Americans faced against Paraguay.
He warned that Australia's physical style could create problems if the U.S. allows itself to be knocked out of rhythm.
"It's going to be a physical game," Howard noted. "I think the Australian team plays that way, but I think they also realize that if they get into the U.S. team and disrupt their rhythm, they give themselves a good chance."
UNITED STATES SHATTERS WORLD CUP VIEWERSHIP RECORD IN FIRST MATCH VS PARAGUAY IN LOS ANGELES
Still, Howard likes the matchup for the Americans.
"From a footballing standpoint, if you're asking me right now, the U.S. team will play the Australians off the park," he said. "They just need to be able to match that physicality."
And Howard is expecting goals.
"If the U.S. matches that physicality, then I think the rest will take care of itself," Howard said. "The U.S. scores three and wins. Maybe 3-1, maybe 3-0."
Off the pitch, Howard said supporters will have a major role to play as the U.S. builds momentum ahead of the 2026 World Cup on home soil.
He highlighted partnerships like Jim Beam's Home Field Advantage campaign, which aims to cultivate a deeper soccer culture around the national team and further energize supporters.
"There's a cultural and togetherness aspect of soccer," Howard said. "We need to build this culture and hype around this team and help propel them, as best we can, on and off the field, toward greatness."
Howard said the atmosphere surrounding the team could prove just as important as the momentum being generated on the field.
"They're going to use the home-field advantage. They're going to use that momentum as best they can. But it's up to us as fans to provide that."
Send us your thoughts: alejandro.avila@outkick.com / Follow along on X: @alejandroaveela
'Top Gear' star Jeremy Clarkson reveals 'aggressive' cancer diagnosis after health scares
TV host Jeremy Clarkson revealed that he is battling cancer during the latest episodes of his hit show "Clarkson's Farm."
In the final two episodes of the Prime Video documentary series' fifth season, the 66-year-old British television personality shared that he had been diagnosed with cancer while speaking to his co-stars Charlie Ireland and Kaleb Cooper, according to the BBC and the Guardian.
"I had a medical, remember, back in May?" Clarkson said, per the Guardian. "I disappeared off the other week and I had a biopsy, and it is cancer, and it's aggressive, but it's really early."
The "Top Gear" star said that he had known about his diagnosis "since May." According to the Guardian, the episodes, which dropped on Wednesday, were filmed last year.
'ALL MY CHILDREN' STAR COLIN EGGLESFIELD DIAGNOSED WITH CANCER FOR THIRD TIME
"I promise I'll be fine," Clarkson told Ireland and Cooper.
According to the U.K. outlet The Independent, Clarkson said that he would be undergoing surgery in the coming weeks and would be "slightly out of action."
"If I hadn’t have got myself checked out and they hadn’t caught the problem early, this could well have been my last harvest," Clarkson shared, per the Guardian. "It’s only because they did catch it early, there’s every hope that I’ll be harvesting this farm for many, many years to come."
ESPN ANCHOR JAY HARRIS REVEALS PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS
In the following episode, Clarkson told Cooper that he underwent a procedure during which a part of his prostate was removed.
"The prostate, 10% of it is dead, the 10% where the cancer is," he said, according to Sky News.
In a later scene, Clarkson told co-star Gerald Cooper that he "had the op."
JAMES VAN DER BEEK MISTOOK CANCER SYMPTOMS FOR PROBLEMS WITH HIS DIET
"Just fingers crossed it's worked, we don't know yet," he said, according to the BBC.
In the final scene of the episode, which was the season five finale, Clarkson was seen at a hospital.
"We started season five with me in a hospital bed, and here we are at the end of season five and I'm back in the hospital bed," he said, according to the BBC.
BARRY MANILOW, 82, GIVES UPDATE ON HIS CANCER BATTLE AS HE CANCELS MORE TOUR DATES
"Some of the treatment's gone a bit awry, let's say, so I'm going to be here for a little while," Clarkson continued. "I'm nil by mouth, I don't know what's going to happen."
"But if this is all successful, I'll see you for season six, and if it isn't, I won't," he concluded. "Take care everyone."
According to the Independent, the opening episodes of the fifth season centered on Clarkson's October 2024 heart health scare and his recovery from emergency surgery.
JAMES VAN DER BEEK IS IN 'HEALING PHASE' OF CANCER BATTLE
On Tuesday, Clarkson shared an Instagram video in which he told his fans that he had some "somber news" to share regarding the new episodes of "Clarkson's Farm."
"Ordinarily, we try to keep the show bucolic and charming and cheerful, but the final two episodes which drop in the middle of the night tonight … they're none of those things really," Clarkson said.
"They're a difficult watch," he added with a sigh. "They're really, really difficult."
In a 2025 column for The Sunday Times, Clarkson shared that he undergoes health screenings every couple of years and regular prostate exams. The "Grand Tour" host also urged men not to avoid prostate exams out of embarrassment.
"I've had too many friends go down with prostate cancer, and all it takes to get on top of the situation early is a moment or two of being a bit cross-eyed," he wrote. "You get the all-clear and the doc goes home happy. What's not to like?"
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Clarkson opened up about his previous health scare and emergency heart surgery in a 2024 column for The Sunday Times. He recalled that his doctor told him that he might have been "days away" from a life-threatening cardiac event.
MEDICAL EXPERT 'ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED' BY TIMING OF BIDEN'S PROSTATE CANCER DIAGNOSIS
The TV personality wrote that he experienced a "sudden deterioration" in his health after returning from a vacation. He described feeling "clammy," having a "tightness in my chest" and "pins and needles in my left arm."
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After testing at Oxford's John Radcliffe Hospital, Clarkson underwent emergency heart surgery and received two stents.
"It seems that of the arteries feeding my heart with nourishing blood, one was completely blocked and the second of three was heading that way," he wrote.
Clarkson recalled reflecting on how close he came to having a heart attack following the procedure.
"The next morning I went home, and here I am, two hours later, writing this and sort of thinking, 'Crikey, that was close,'" Clarkson wrote.
Man killed after horse-drawn carriage bolts and flips near popular New York City tourist destination
An 18-year-old man was killed Wednesday after a horse-drawn carriage became startled and bolted through New York City's Central Park before colliding with another carriage and overturning, according to the Central Park Conservancy.
A New York City Police Department (NYPD) spokesperson told Fox News Digital an "investigation remains ongoing."
Romanch Mahajan, an 18-year-old tourist visiting NYC from India, suffered the fatal injuries after falling from the carriage during the afternoon incident near Cherry Hill at West 72nd Street and West Drive.
Authorities said a horse-drawn carriage carrying passengers broke free and raced down West Drive before striking another carriage and flipping over near Tavern on the Green.
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PIX11 News previously reported that Mahajan was transported to a local hospital in critical condition following the crash.
"We are absolutely devastated to learn that Romanch Mahajan, the 18-year-old visitor injured in today's carriage incident, has died," a Central Park Conservancy spokesperson told Fox News Digital. "On behalf of everyone at the Central Park Conservancy, our deepest condolences go out to his family and loved ones during this unimaginable time."
Officials have not said what caused the horse to become spooked.
The fatal crash prompted renewed scrutiny of New York City's horse-drawn carriage industry, with both the union representing carriage drivers and the Central Park Conservancy calling for changes following the incident.
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Alexander Kemp of TWU Local 100, the union representing horse-drawn carriage drivers and owners, said preliminary information alleges the driver may have stepped away from the horse to take a photo before the animal took off.
"It appears the driver was at least at arm's length from his horse to take a photo of his passengers in the carriage," Kemp told Fox News Digital in an earlier statement. "This is unacceptable. A driver is not supposed to leave the carriage to take photos – ever."
The union said it supports a full investigation into the incident and called for enhanced driver training, tougher examinations and additional rules governing the introduction of new horses into the business.
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The Central Park Conservancy, which has long opposed horse-drawn carriages in the park, said Mahajan's death underscored its concerns about public safety.
"This is the tragedy we feared when we first called last year for horse carriages to be banned from Central Park due to the risks they pose to public safety and public health," the spokesperson said.
"A young man came to enjoy our park and lost his life. That is not an acceptable cost of an antiquated industry operating in the middle of one of the most heavily used public spaces in America."
The conservancy renewed its call for New York City officials to pass Ryder's Law, which would ban horse-drawn carriages and provide transitional job placement services for drivers.
"Every day horse carriages are in the park is a day the safety of New Yorkers and visitors is in jeopardy," the spokesperson said.
According to the conservancy, Wednesday's crash was the eighth horse-related incident in and around Central Park during the past 13 months.
The incident came just days after a carriage horse named Deniz collapsed and died near West 72nd Street and West Drive while pulling tourists through the park.
Another carriage reportedly overturned in May after a horse became spooked and struck a second carriage.
Fox News Digital has reached to the NYPD and TWU Local 100 for additional comment.
Downtown Seattle lost 30,000 jobs, billions in office value since 2020 payroll tax: new report finds
A new report from Downtown Seattle Association (DSA) claimed that Seattle lost thousands of jobs and significant property value in the years since implementing the "JumpStart" payroll tax in 2020.
Monday's report compared Seattle's status with its neighboring city, Bellevue, which has no comparable payroll tax or social housing tax, and found that while Seattle's workforce and property values have shrunk, Bellevue's has remained resilient.
"[S]ince 2020, what we have seen in downtown Seattle is not a 'jump start,' but instead, a slowdown," the report read. "Since being implemented, downtown Seattle has lost around 30,000 jobs. The office vacancy rate increased to 32% in the downtown core. And more than $10 billion in office value has been lost."
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It continued, "Meanwhile, in Bellevue, dating back to 2020, the city has seen more jobs come to its core, lower office vacancy, and the stability of office building values. This provides a stark tale of two cities and two tax environments just miles apart."
The DSA reported that Bellevue experienced a 7% increase in assessed value compared to the 48% decrease seen in Seattle office properties. Though both cities have a sizable office vacancy rate since 2020, Seattle's rate is also significantly higher at 32% compared to Bellevue's 24%.
SEATTLE DEMOCRAT REJECTS WEALTH 'EXODUS’ CONCERNS AS BUSINESSES FLEE FOR LOWER-TAX STATES
In addition to having no payroll or social housing tax, Bellevue also has a smaller property tax millage rate compared to Seattle in 2026. This, the DSA report claimed, presented Bellevue as a more favorable environment for business owners.
"When comparing business tax burdens and broader tax trends in Seattle and Bellevue, the contrast is clear: Bellevue’s more favorable tax climate has made it increasingly attractive to employers and investment relative to Seattle," the report concluded.
In a comment to Fox News Digital, Seattle Mayor Katie Wilson defended the city's JumpStart Payroll Expense tax as a bedrock for Seattle's resilience during hard economic times.
"Seattle's JumpStart Payroll Expense Tax is a key reason why the city was able to successfully bounce back from the worst economic impacts of COVID. Because of Seattle's ongoing economic strength, this tax on the highest salaries paid by the largest corporations has raised far more money over the past several years than originally projected," the mayor said.
SEATTLE DEMOCRAT REJECTS WEALTH 'EXODUS’ CONCERNS AS BUSINESSES FLEE FOR LOWER-TAX STATES
She continued, "JumpStart revenue is the key reason why the city has been able to avoid the negative impacts of the deep budget cuts which would have otherwise been necessary over the past few years, and which would have been a massive drag on our local economy."
The JumpStart Payroll Expense Tax was first passed by the Seattle City Council in 2020 and implemented a tax on Seattle businesses earning $7 million or more on annual payrolls.
SLED joins probe as body matching missing South Carolina personal trainer's description found
South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED), which serves as the state’s major crimes unit, joined an investigation in South Carolina on Wednesday, after authorities said they discovered a body in a wooded area where a missing woman was last seen nearly one week ago.
The discovery came following a six-day search for Elena Katherine Moore, 39, a personal trainer who officials said disappeared Thursday evening after leaving a Planet Fitness gym in Lexington.
The Lexington Police Department (LPD) said the body has not yet been formally identified but "fits the clothing description of our missing person."
The case has since been classified as an active death investigation, prompting SLED to assist in determining the cause of death and confirming the identity.
SOUTH CAROLINA PERSONAL TRAINER GOES MISSING, LAST SPOTTED WALKING TOWARD WOODED AREA
According to LPD Chief Terrence Green, authorities located the body Wednesday after receiving a citizen tip that led investigators to conduct a targeted search.
"At approximately 2:48 p.m. we found an unidentified body that fits the clothing description of our missing person. We are still waiting on the coroner to identify her."
MISSING MISSOURI MOTHER FOUND DEAD, BOYFRIEND CHARGED WITH MURDER: POLICE
The body was reportedly wearing a "similar green outfit" consistent with what Moore was seen wearing on surveillance footage the night before she disappeared.
Officials said they are still awaiting formal identification from the coroner.
The Lexington County Coroner’s Office said an autopsy will be scheduled in the coming days and that the process is expected to take some time.
"In reference to the body found in Lexington in the area of Old Cherokee Road and Northlake Drive. Coroner Margaret Fisher can confirm the body of a female matching the clothing description of the missing person, Elena K. Moore has been found," the office said in a statement.
"No positive identification has been made as of this time. We will await positive identification before any further information is released. No cause of death has been determined"
When asked if foul play was suspected, the police said, "Again, it's an active investigation and we are having SLED investigate that."
Moore was first reported missing last Friday, prompting a large-scale search that included multiple agencies and the deployment of a drone.
She was last seen Thursday night in surveillance footage walking through the Publix parking lot at 100 Old Cherokee Road.
In the video, she is seen wearing an olive-green zip-up hoodie and black athletic pants, the same outfit she was reportedly wearing when she left Planet Fitness.
Authorities said that in the days leading up to her disappearance, Moore exhibited behavior that was out of character, including a sudden absence and an abrupt change in social media presence, according to ABC News.