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President Trump pushes lawmakers on legislation as 'Protect College Sports Act' hangs on by a thread
It was always going to be an uphill battle to pass the Protect College Sports Act, and now the process is at a crossroads that has gotten the attention of President Donald Trump.
Following negotiations that took place between multiple conferences around college athletics and senators Ted Cruz (R-Texas), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.) and others, we have officially reached a fork in the road.
There had been numerous phone calls between Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti and SEC commissioner Greg Sankey over the last 24 hours related to their stance on the Protect College Sports Act, and whether or not each conference was prepared to put their support behind the legislation.
TICK TOCK: SEC AND BIG TEN RECEIVE REVISED PROTECT COLLEGE SPORTS ACT AS SENATE VOTE TIMELINE LOOMS
Now, as of Thursday evening, the mood has shifted in the nations capital as to whether this bill will ever make it to the Senate floor.
Earlier in the day, after OutKick-Fox News reached out for comment regarding their stance on the ongoing negotiations, a White House official had this to say about the legislation.
"The White House has been following these negotiations closely, and the President has been actively engaged. President Trump wants to save college sports, and he wants the bill done"
Clearly, Donald Trump wanted this legislation to make its way to his desk to be signed. But now, even with the potential for Senate Majority Leader John Thune to still bring cloture to a vote on Monday, which would allow the bill to be argued, there is dwindling optimism that anything of note will actually happen at this moment.
Essentially, all parties involved could not come to an agreement on certain language in the bill in time for vote.
"This is the legislation we need now. It will grant student-athletes unprecedented academic, health, and wellness benefits, rein in out-of-control agents, and stabilize transfer, eligibility, and revenue-sharing rules," NCAA President Charlie Baker said in a statement.
"While no bill is perfect, I implore college sports leaders and Senators to support this bill now. It is our best chance to deliver the benefits and level playing field student-athletes deserve while providing the protections institutions need to sustain college athletics long-term."
Obviously, things can change. But, the likelihood of that shrinks every day.
The bipartisan bill was created to help navigate college athletics in this messy time, and out of courtrooms, with numerous eligibility lawsuits filed within the past week alone.
The back and forth between conference members, along with senators, centered around a number of different issues.
In their concessions to those within the SEC, Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, Notre Dame and Group of Six members, these were topics discussed over the past few days.
Obviously, with the clock ticking to get this legislation to the Senate floor, those in Washington were waiting on conferences to either put their support behind this or move on.
What we learned on Thursday was that it takes a lot longer than four weeks to come to an agreement on potential federal help.
Maybe, universities should just handle this on their own and stop asking Congress for help.
I guess we'll find out for certain over the next week, but the Protect College Sports Act is barely hanging on.
Trump Education Department probes school after teacher allegedly required same-sex students to kiss
The Trump administration has opened a federal investigation into Denver Public Schools after allegations that a high school teacher required students of the same sex to kiss as part of a classroom assignment, the Department of Education announced Tuesday.
"Schools have an obligation to prevent and address sexual assault," Kimberly Richey, assistant secretary for civil rights, said in a statement. "Yet in Colorado, school personnel are alleged to have compelled the sexual assault of minor students by forcing them to engage in blatantly sexualized conduct in class. It is abhorrent and the Trump Administration will fully investigate this perverse incident to protect students’ safety and vigorously uphold students’ rights across America."
The Education Department said it is investigating whether Denver Public Schools violated the Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA), a federal law that gives parents the right to opt their children out of certain surveys, evaluations and instructional activities involving sensitive topics, including sexual behavior and attitudes.
COLORADO TEACHER FIRED AFTER STUDENTS ALLEGEDLY PRESSURED TO KISS CLASSMATES IN SKITS
The Department said that it is "investigating incidents that took place at a Denver Public Schools high school involving a teacher who allegedly required students of the same sex to kiss each other in front of the classroom as part of a class assignment."
The Denver Public Schools board voted 7-0 on May 20, CBS News reported, to consider the firing of French language and culture teacher Jennifer Honka at Northeast Early College for "incompetence and neglect of duty," finding she had at times allegedly suggested that students kiss during in-class skits.
An April 30 independent review, a copy of which was obtained by CBS Colorado, found that the students who were allegedly encouraged to kiss were always the same sex.
"One student told an NEC chemistry teacher about the skits in April 2024," CBS News reported. "The student was very uncomfortable and did not know what to do," the report said. "She went ahead and kissed another student at (Honka)'s direction. The student then shared a digital meme with (the chemistry teacher) that included a picture of (Honka) and the caption 'she makes girls kiss.' The meme had circulated among the students."
CBS News also reported that "one student interviewed directly in the independent review also testified that Honka always selected girls to act in the skits. Despite a nearly 50-50 split between boys and girls in the class, the student ‘could not recall Honka choosing a boy actor.’ This student refused to participate and testified that she received a zero score for a grade on this assignment."
TRUMP ADMIN TARGETS WOKE SCHOOLS ACCUSED OF HIDING STUDENTS' GENDER TRANSITIONS FROM PARENTS
"Parents are entitled by law to be notified if their children will be surveyed or evaluated on sensitive information about sex behaviors or attitudes," the announcement from the Department of Education said. "SPPO will investigate whether parents were notified about this student evaluation and whether parent or student opt-outs or complaints were ignored. Additionally, OCR will investigate whether the District appropriately responded to the incident, consistent with the requirements of Title IX."
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for Denver Public Schools said, "Denver Public Schools is reviewing the notice of directed investigation from OCR. It would be too early to comment on their assertions."
"The safety, emotional well-being, and dignity of our students are the absolute highest priorities of DPS," the spokesperson continued. "Our actions to date have been wholly consistent with those priorities. Immediately after learning of student concerns with this teacher in March 2025, the District placed the teacher on administrative leave and completed a thorough investigation. Based on the results of that investigation and an independent review by a state administrative law judge, the DPS Board of Education voted unanimously to terminate the employment of the teacher in May 2026."
"We deeply appreciate the bravery of the students who came forward and the staff who acted immediately as mandatory reporters," the spokesperson added. "We remain fully committed to holding personnel to the highest standards of conduct and ensuring a safe, supportive learning environment for all students."
WASHINGTON MOTHER PULLS CHILDREN FROM SCHOOL AFTER PRIDE LESSON SHOWN IN MUSIC CLASS WITHOUT NOTICE
The department announced a separate investigation into Washington state's Bethel School District over an LGBTQ Pride Month display that included vials labeled as testosterone.
In June, the school district said administrators discovered testosterone vials "that still contained a small amount of unknown liquid" included in a Pride Month display at Graham-Kapowsin High School and removed them after concluding the items had not been approved by school leadership.
They were subsequently removed.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, a spokesperson for the Bethel School District said, "We are aware of the U.S. Department of Education investigation and will be cooperating in any way we can. In early June, district officials were made aware of a display at Graham-Kapowsin High School that included empty vials of testosterone as one of its visuals. The display also contained some vials that still contained a small amount of unknown liquid."
"The inclusion of the vials was entirely unauthorized and did not receive approval from school leadership or administration," the spokesperson continued. "Administrators immediately removed the vials and identified the individuals responsible for adding them without leadership approval. The vials were then turned over to the Pierce County Sheriff's Office."
"We are also actively reviewing our display oversight protocols to ensure all school materials strictly align with our educational standards and community expectations," the spokesperson added. "Our primary focus remains on maintaining a safe, respectful, and focused learning environment for all of our students."
ABC accuses FCC of 'retaliation' as federal agency threatens to revoke Disney's broadcasting licenses
ABC submitted a scathing filing to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on Wednesday in opposition to petitions to deny its stations' license renewals.
FCC Chairman Brendan Carr called the licenses of eight ABC-owned stations for early renewal in April. The Disney-owned ABC station's licenses were originally scheduled to be renewed between 2028 and 2031, but the FCC expedited the process amid ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and ABC late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
The eight stations must demonstrate they have been operating in the public interest as part of an ongoing look at Disney’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) practices. While the FCC filing did not specifically mention Kimmel, ABC argues the action is retaliatory.
"There is no question why the Commission is singling out these eight stations: Each is owned by ABC, and the Administration has openly and repeatedly called for the revocation of ABC’s licenses, because it dislikes the content and viewpoints expressed on ABC network programs," ABC’s legal team wrote.
KFSN-TV in Fresno, KABC-TV in Los Angeles, KGO-TV in San Francisco, WLS-TV in Chicago, WABC-TV in New York, WTVD in Durham, N.C., WPVI-TV in Philadelphia and KTRK-TV in Houston are the Disney-owned stations in question.
"The outpouring of support for the Stations has been unprecedented for a license renewal proceeding," ABC wrote.
CONSERVATIVE WATCHDOG TELLS FCC THAT 'THE VIEW' IS A DEMOCRATIC PARTY OPERATION, NOT A NEWS PROGRAM
"Over 140,000 comments have been received from the Stations’ local communities—from individual viewers to local police and firefighters, charities, businesses, and schools—and over 95% support the Stations," the filing continued. "These supporters span the ideological spectrum but share a fundamental commitment to free speech and press freedom. This record demonstrates that the Stations serve the public interest with distinction."
ABC insists the FCC "has spent the last 18 months searching for some pretext for revoking the Stations’ licenses," but "has found none, because the Stations easily meet the standard for license renewal—which under the law means that the Commission cannot revoke their licenses or order a hearing on their renewal applications."
The Trump administration has beef with Kimmel, who lampoons the president on a regular basis and whose controversial "expectant widow" joke earlier this year resulted in first lady Melania Trump calling for him to be fired. The FCC has also launched a probe into ABC daytime show "The View," and Carr recently took exception to the Disney-owned network declining to air Trump’s primetime address on linear television.
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"The retaliation against ABC is a signal to every media company in the country: accommodate the Administration’s view of what news coverage should look like or pay the price. Across the government, regulatory and contracting carrots and sticks have been trained on other disfavored speakers. The tools vary; the objective does not: a media industry too fearful of official reprisal to report the news freely," ABC wrote.
"Calling up the license of a single Station—let alone all eight at once—while the Commission’s DEI investigation has found no violation is unnecessary, premature, and punitive," ABC continued in the filing. "Even if any violation were ever substantiated, the Commission has a graduated set of well-established remedies far short of the corporate death penalty of license non-renewal."
An FCC spokesperson issued the following statement: "For decades, Americans of all stripes have been subsidizing broadcast media to the tune of many billions of dollars by giving TV stations free use of a valuable, public resource—the airwaves. In exchange, broadcasters are required by law to operate in the public interest—not in the narrow or partisan interests of a political party. Broadcasters know that they are prohibited from engaging in invidious forms of DEI discrimination, that they must comply with political equal opportunity regulations, and that they are barred from running broadcast hoaxes or distorting the news. The FCC is going to hold broadcasters accountable to the full extent of the law, regardless of any disinformation campaign that some of them may choose to run."
The Media Research Center (MRC), the conservative watchdog group that previously filed a petition in support of the early review of ABC's broadcasting licenses, doubled down on its stance.
"ABC's defense boils down to this: 'Trust us.' Americans do not, which is why confidence in the media is at historic lows," MRC president David Bozell told Fox News Digital. "Our filing is not based on hurt feelings or political disagreement. It is based on documented conduct. We look forward to the FCC reviewing the facts rather than the distractions."
Gilgo Beach killer's family says harassment never stops after masked duo pounds on their door: attorney
Just over a month after Gilgo Beach serial killer Rex Heuermann was sentenced to the max sentence for murdering eight women between 1993 and 2010, two masked individuals were seen banging on his Massapequa Park home, according to a report.
Two individuals wearing black masks, T-shirts and shorts were seen running from the porch of Heuermann's home in New York on Tuesday, police and the family's attorney told Newsday.
Robert Macedonio, the family's attorney, told the outlet that Heuermann's ex-wife Asa Ellerup, as well as her two children, Victoria and Christopher, were home when the two people banged on their house.
The video shows two masked men on Heuermann's porch running off as the family dog barked.
Macedonio said a police report was filed and Ellerup believes it was an attempted break-in.
While a Nassau police spokesman confirmed the incident took place at around 8 p.m. Tuesday, he said it didn't meet the criteria for an attempted break-in since no one tried to enter the home.
Macedonio said the family is harassed constantly.
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"This is the constant harassment that she faces on a daily basis, with people driving by, saying stuff as they walk by," Macedonio said of Ellerup. "They leave stuff on the door or throw stuff. They make comments when they drive by; pointing, taking pictures on a regular basis."
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Heuermann was sentenced in June to three consecutive life sentences without parole, followed by four consecutive sentences of 25 years to life, after admitting to murdering eight women.
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At the hearing, Heuermann spoke before he was sentenced.
"I’m responsible," he said. "The words I would say have no meaning."
If you believe Alabama wasn't recruiting Jeremiah Smith, you don't understand recruiting
College football recruiting has gone from a niche subset of the sport to something that has taken on a life of its own.
Just a few short decades ago, if you wanted to follow recruiting you almost had to seek it out, ordering magazine subscriptions and hanging out on message boards to stay on top of the latest rumors.
Now, fans can be inundated with recruiting news and factoids just by hanging out on social media, to the point where you're almost beaten over the head with it on a near daily basis.
Since recruiting has become more accessible to the layman, more and more fans have been able to fire off takes about the once-underground aspect of college football, and with that, we also see that plenty of fans still have a lot to learn about the inner workings of it all.
Take this latest revelation, for example.
Ohio State wide receiver and former five-star prospect Jeremiah Smith recently revealed to folks at Big Ten Media Days that Alabama was his dream school growing up, but he didn't end up going there because, for whatever reason, they failed to recruit him.
I couldn't have rolled my eyes any harder upon hearing this, but after perusing the comments section and scrolling through various social media platforms, I was shocked to see the majority of people actually believed what Smith was feeding them.
I'm going to say this up front, as clearly as I can: if you actually think the Alabama Crimson Tide weren't recruiting Jeremiah Smith, then you have a fundamental misunderstanding of recruiting.
Allow me to break it down for you.
Jeremiah Smith wasn't just an elite, five-star player. He was the number one player in his entire recruiting class of 2024.
The kid started receiving offers from Power 4 schools in February 2021, when he was going into his freshman year of high school.
I say all that to paint the picture that this isn't some three-star safety from Iowa who grew up dreaming of playing for USC and got looked over for whatever reason.
Smith was elite from day one, forged in the crucible of South Florida high school football.
Speaking of offers from Power 4 schools, it looks like Smith got one from none other than Nick Saban and Alabama all the way back in February 2022, less than one month after he took an unofficial visit to Bama.
That doesn't sound like a guy who "wasn't being recruited by a school" to me.
I've seen some people float the theory that Saban knew he was leaving after the end of the 2023 season and so he might have checked out on recruiting, but that doesn't match up at all with what Bama's 2024 class shows us.
The Crimson Tide signed the 2nd ranked recruiting class in the country in 2024, and even landed a couple of four-star prospects from the Sunshine State, so it's not like they completely neglected Smith's home state of Florida that cycle either.
Either Smith is trolling Alabama fans - and he has been known to rile up opposing fanbases in the past (see: Miami) - or he's not telling the whole truth, and I'm inclined to think it's more of the latter than the former.
Alabama and Nick Saban ABSOLUTELY recruited Jeremiah Smith to come to Tuscaloosa.
Who wouldn't want the best player in the country to wear their uniform in college?
But I also don't think Saban recruited him quite as hard as some of the other programs that were in his final list of schools.
To recruit a five-star is to practically get down on your knees and beg them to come to your school, and I just don't believe Saban was willing to go to the lengths others were willing to.
That's not to suggest Ohio State or any of Smith's other finalists did anything nefarious. Hell, it's practically impossible to do something illegal in today's day and age of recruiting.
It's likely the Buckeyes just "wanted him more."
Besides, the Tide had a five-star wide receiver of their own in Ryan Williams, so I doubt they were willing to "break the bank" for two of the top five wideout prospects in the same class.
That just doesn't sound like something out of Saban's playbook, but I could be wrong.
All of that is to say, Alabama almost certainly "recruited" Jeremiah Smith, as did every other program and coach with a pulse in America back in 2023.
It seems like they just didn't recruit him to a level of his liking.
Which is fine, that's his prerogative, but I disagree with Smith saying that Bama flat out wasn't pursuing him.
That's simply not true, but recruiting involves the whims of 17-year-old super athletes, so perception is often reality in their minds.
I've said it before and I'll say it again: big boy recruiting is not for the faint of heart, and the Jeremiah Smith saga is just the latest example of this.
Packers great running back Ahman Green reveals early-onset Parkinson's diagnosis
Former Green Bay Packers running back Ahman Green, who made four Pro Bowls with the franchise during his eight-year stint, has been diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Green made the announcement on the "Go Long" podcast with Tyler Dunne, saying he found out about his diagnosis last year.
"I got diagnosed with early-onset Parkinson’s," Green said. "I had a little bit of the feet twitching when I’m in my sleep and stuff like that.
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"I knew something was going on long before that. I just got a hold of some doctors that I was about to get in contact with. Get the diagnostics, get the testing. And finally got it tested last — it was January of 2025."
Green had kept his diagnosis close to the vest, with only his closest friends and family knowing for more than a year and a half. He said he didn’t want to share it for a long time, only telling his kids and close family. Now, he’s ready to share how he’s attacking it.
CARLY SIMON REVEALS THE COMMON CONDITION THAT MASKED HER PARKINSON'S DIAGNOSIS
"It needs to be up front. It needs to be a topic that’s always hit. And it’s not the end all," Green added.
"To me, I have a jump ahead of it. Just like anybody discovering that they have some type of cancer in their body, I’m ahead of it right now."
Green has been focused on eating healthy, making sure to exercise and taking his medication religiously.
The twitching while sleeping is something Green revealed his wife told him about after he retired in 2009 from the league. He’s now dealing with short-term memory loss as well as sleep walking and talking.
Green, though, remains optimistic and wants to be an advocate now for those going through a similar situation as him.
The Nebraska product began his NFL career as a third-round pick of the Seattle Seahawks, but he became a star at Lambeau Field after being traded to the Packers before the 2000 season.
Green immediately broke out with the Packers, tallying 1,175 rushing yards and 10 rushing touchdowns on 263 carries in his first season. He cemented himself as the bell cow back, and he earned four straight Pro Bowls from 2001-04.
His best season came in 2003, when he rushed for 1,883 yards and caught 50 passes for 367 yards with 20 total touchdowns on the year. Green finished his Packers career with 8,322 rushing yards and 54 rushing scores across 104 games.
Green also played two seasons for the Houston Texans before returning to the Packers in 2009, where he played in a reserve role in eight games.
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James Talarico doesn't drive his own truck in viral Texas campaign ad featuring Dodge Ram
Democratic Texas Senate candidate James Talarico’s campaign confirmed Thursday that the truck he drove in a viral advertisement doesn’t belong to him.
Talarico has previously revealed that he owns a midsize Chevy Colorado, but in a new campaign ad he is driving a full-sized Dodge Ram 1500. As a result of the vehicle swap, Talarico has been mocked by conservatives for appearing in the larger truck for the slick campaign commercial.
Critics have accused Talarico of trying to "look like a real Texan," but his campaign said the switch was simply for production purposes.
"James’ truck has tinted windows. We tried to shoot in his Chevy first, but it was too dark to film," Talarico campaign spokesperson JT Ennis told Fox News Digital.
CONSERVATIVES MOCK TALARICO FOR GUSHING OVER FAUCI DOLL IN RESURFACED CHRISTMAS POST
The ad, "Waking Up," essentially stars the Dodge Ram as Talarico drives through the Lone Star State while a voiceover features the Senate candidate discussing plans to "make this economy work for working people again." Throughout the video, shots of Talarico driving the dark Dodge Ram are intertwined with images of hardworking Texans.
Semafor political reporter David Weigel noticed the "odd detail" in the ad.
"He drives a Chevy Colorado, which has appeared in other ads and in profiles. But here he's driving a Dodge Ram 1500. And it's not hard to spot; you can see the plate, which is linked to an Enterprise rental," Weigel wrote.
The Talarico campaign did not immediately respond when asked if the Dodge Ram was rented.
Some truck enthusiasts have insisted that Talarico's Chevy Colorado is inferior.
"You can look at the RAM and see it looks tougher than the Colorado. Size matters. That RAM is taller, longer, wider. More like a truck," conservative writer Caleb Howe wrote.
Plenty took to X to mock Talarico:
Talarico is no stranger to criticism and was also lampooned on Thursday when it was revealed he celebrated receiving a Dr. Anthony Fauci doll in 2021.
Republicans have sought to portray Talarico as effeminate in an effort to damage his image among Texas voters. Democrats haven't won a U.S. Senate race in the state since 1988.
Talarico's opponent, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, branded Talarico as "too low-T for Texas." An AI ad produced by a conservative group portrayed the Democratic hopeful prancing around in a dress.
TALARICO SAYS HE 'HATES CHRISTIANITY' IN UNEARTHED INTERVIEW WITH TRANSGENDER 'LATINX' THEOLOGIAN
Talarico's campaign took a shot at Paxton over his past legal troubles in its response to Fox News Digital, adding, "We look forward to seeing Ken Paxton's favorite ride — we hear it's the back of a police car."
Fox News Digital reached out to Paxton's campaign for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News Digital's Robert Schmad contributed to this report.
US Olympian Lolo Jones accuses USOPC, USA Bobsled for 'nearly paralyzing' her over mistreated injuries
U.S. Olympian and world champion track star and bobsledder Lolo Jones says the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and USA Bobsled "risk[ed] permanent paralysis" after mistreating her serious back injuries, which she competed with.
Jones broke a year-plus hiatus on X to share a story from Zielhaus that she "couldn't talk about," which explained her injuries, lack of treatment and eventual suspension from the Olympic Training Center.
The piece said Jones broke her back during a "race-off for the USA 1 brakewoman seat" in Lake Placid, New York, "days before the 2025 World Championships."
Jones suffered "brutal lower-back pain, numbness, leg instability, foot drop, loss of bladder control."
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Jones then had a massage scheduled with the Olympic Training Center's trainer, but the appointment was "canceled" by John Faltus, a "top official at the USOPC medical clinic," because Jones was "only entitled to one massage per week and had already received one that week," the piece said.
"I was never even given an X-ray or an MRI. I wasn’t even allowed to use the ice bath to numb the pain. I did not even know my spine was seriously injured. I just knew I was in pain," Jones said in an X post.
Jones later raced in the world championships with what was later diagnosed as a herniated disc with a disc bulge and tears in her L3, L4 and L5 vertebrae. She also had spinal fluid leaking out.
But she says she avoided a life-altering mishap, saying the organizations "nearly paralyzed me."
"Had my pilot hit a wall, I would be paralyzed today. USOPC and USA bobsled put me at major risk and then penalized me for the injury that they gave me testing bobsled for team USA," Jones said.
Jones was later banned from the training center and has since spent $100,000 on medical and training expenses, according to the Zielhaus piece.
According to the outlet, the USOPC "acknowledged that ... Jones was wrongly denied medical treatment at the Olympic Training Center." Neither the USOPC nor USA Bobsled immediately responded to an email from Fox News Digital.
"They stripped my rights, completely destroyed me, and no one was held accountable. Finally, the truth is getting out," Jones said in another X post.
"I remember limping by the sports med room every day, unable to go inside. Millions in equipment and funds are donated specifically to help Olympic athletes rehabilitate, but John Faltus canceled my appointment and locked me out The worst part? USA Bobsled and the USOPC put me back in a bobsled without ever ordering an MRI or properly evaluating my injury, risking permanent paralysis," she said in another.
Jones never medaled in the Olympics but won two World Indoor Championships in the 60-meter hurdles and two world championships in bobsleigh events.
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Angry cruise passengers blast major line over surprise daily gratuity hike
Passengers of Celebrity Cruises are pushing back after the cruise line raised its automatic gratuity charges with little notice, with some guests threatening to remove their payment of the fees altogether and tip crew members in cash instead.
As of July 29, guests who do not prepay the gratuities will automatically pay between $19.50 and $24.50 per person, per day, depending on their stateroom category, according to the Celebrity Cruises gratuity policy on the company's website.
The increase raises the daily gratuity by $1.50 per person across every stateroom category, according to reports.
AMERICA’S TIPPING CULTURE HAS GONE FROM REWARDING SERVICE TO FEE INSANITY
Under the new rates, guests staying in Inside, Ocean View and Veranda staterooms will pay $19.50 per person, per day.
Concierge Class and AquaClass guests will pay $20.50, while those staying in The Retreat will pay $24.50, the policy states.
The gratuity program is part of crew compensation and reflects industry standards, while guests frequently credit crew members with making their vacations memorable, a spokesperson from Miami-based Royal Caribbean Group — of which Celebrity Cruises is part — told Fox News Digital.
The cruise line also automatically adds a 20% gratuity to purchases including beverages, beverage packages, specialty dining, room service, minibar items and spa and salon services, according to the policy.
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While many passengers said they support the idea of tipping crew members, they criticized the timing of the announcement, saying they were notified on the same day the higher rates took effect.
"Today is July 29. Nice bit of lead time," one Reddit user wrote about what happened. "I might have paid in advance for the savings... but this sucks."
"Not 'We're raising gratuities in a week, you can pay the current rate until then.' It's RIGHT NOW," another user wrote.
Several passengers said the cruise line should simply build gratuities into the advertised fare, rather than charging them separately.
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"At this point, they just need to include gratuities in their fare like the luxury lines do," one Reddit user wrote.
Several guests said they planned to opt out of the automatic gratuities and instead hand cash directly to crew members, saying they wanted to ensure the money reached the employees who served them.
"I've started removing them and spending the exact same amount or more in direct tips," one passenger wrote.
"At least then I know what I'm paying is going directly to the workers."
Not all reactions were negative, however.
"My stateroom attendants have always been great. I don't mind the gratuity going up," one Reddit user wrote.
"Celebrity could have rolled this out more thoughtfully, though."
World Series champion Joe Giradi reveals the two major things impacting the trade deadline
One of the busiest and most exciting times of Major League Baseball’s season is rapidly approaching: the trade deadline.
This year’s trade deadline is set for Aug. 3 at 6 p.m. ET with plenty of contenders looking to bolster their rosters. However, looming over the trade deadline is the expiration of the CBA and the lack of sellers.
In 2022, Major League Baseball added the third wild-card spot to the postseason, allowing more teams to remain in contention. At the time of this writing, all but seven teams are within 5½ games of the final wild-card spot, making more teams reluctant to part ways with key pieces while chasing a playoff berth.
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World Series champion Joe Girardi said the sellers will control the market.
"Well, I think it changes it completely because so many teams are still in it," Girardi told Fox News Digital in a recent interview. "I would say there's only probably seven teams that would consider themselves eliminated out of the 30 so far.
"So, that means there's probably not going to be a lot of people traded from the other 23 teams. So, everyone's going to be in the hunt for those guys on those seven teams. And there's only so many that you can acquire."
The Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, San Francisco Giants, Colorado Rockies, Los Angeles Angels, the Athletics and Kansas City Royals are expected to be among the sellers.
"I think it's going to make it really interesting. I think for the seven teams that are probably planning on moving players at this time, I think they're in a great position to rebuild because their assets are going to become, teams are going to come at him hard, and you're going to get some pretty good deals."
Girardi, who won three World Series as a player during his 15-year career and one as a manager of the New York Yankees, said the expiration of the CBA will change how teams operate.
While Girardi remains confident Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association will strike a deal, he expects teams to be more aggressive.
"I think they will. I think teams will go for it more in a sense, not knowing what's going to happen next year. And I'm still a strong believer that a deal will get done. Because it always does. There's nothing in the history of the game that tells me that either side is willing to shut it down for a whole year," Girardi told Fox News Digital on behalf of Perfect Game.
"But there's always that risk, and sometimes teams get older, they figure that their window is closing. Let's go for it now because we don't know what's going to happen next year, and we'll just adjust when we have to."
The Los Angeles Dodgers are going for their third straight World Series championship this season, and two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal could be on the move as the Detroit Tigers continue to scuffle, according to ESPN.
The Dodgers, Milwaukee Brewers and Tampa Bay Rays are all expected to be in on Skubal, according to the report.
San Diego Padres All-Star closer Mason Miller could be on the move, but the team is just 1½ games behind the race for a wild-card spot in the National League.
If some of the teams within striking distance of the final wild-card spot — like the Baltimore Orioles (2½ games back), Tigers (4½ games back), Miami Marlins (2 games back), Washington Nationals (2 games back) and St. Louis Cardinals (2½ games back) — decide to blow it up, they could change the landscape of the sport.
Girardi was a catcher in the big leagues for 15 years. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the Chicago Cubs, the next three with the Rockies, the next four with the Yankees and returned to the Cubs for three years before spending his final season with the Cardinals. He made the All-Star Game in 2000 with the Cubs.
He had a career .267 batting average with 36 home runs and 424 RBI. After his playing career, he became a manager. He spent one season with the Marlins in 2006 and then managed the Yankees for 10 seasons, beginning in 2008. Girardi most recently managed the Phillies for 2½ years from 2020 to 2022.
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