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Kansas postal worker indicted for stealing mail including hundreds of Republican election flyers
A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment Tuesday charging Kelly R. Cram, a 59-year-old postal worker, with stealing thousands of pieces of mail including hundreds of political flyers all related to Republican candidates, the U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas wrote in a release.
The Baxter Springs native was indicted on one count of unlawful secretion, destruction, and delay of mail, according to the release.
Cram allegedly stole 4,404 pieces of mail beginning in October, according to the release.
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"Among the mail items she allegedly stole and placed in her garage, were nearly 400 political mailers solely related to Republican candidates or Republican Partly affiliated political action committees," the statement read.
Additionally, "agents found no mailers related to candidates of any other political party at Cram’s residence."
The U.S. Postal Service Office of Inspector General is investigating the incident, per the release.
Kansas voters on Tuesday will decide on a large slate of candidates, including in the gubernatorial race, where they will choose between Republican Ty Masterson, the president of the state's senate, and Democrat Cindy Holscher, also a member of the state's senate.
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All four of the state's seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are on the ballot as well as one of the state's two Senate seats.
Incumbent Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kansas, will face off with Democrat Adam Hamilton.
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Kansas did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for additional comment.
Why isn’t Angel Reese held to the Caitlin Clark standard when fans attack her teammates?
The WNBA media constantly demands that Caitlin Clark answer for internet trolls. They tell her she needs to condemn "racism, misogyny and homophobia," even though she has nothing to do with the messages other players receive on social media.
But does that standard change when the players facing online trolling are being attacked due to their proximity to a different WNBA star, one who receives very different treatment from those same commentators?
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Atlanta Dream players Jordin Canada and Rhyne Howard are now on the receiving end. And the hate isn't coming from supposed Caitlin Clark fans; it's coming from supposed Angel Reese fans.
Will the commentators who keep assigning Clark responsibility for other people’s behavior apply their standard to Reese?
Don't hold your breath.
For the record, I don’t think either player owes anyone a statement. Neither Clark nor Reese is responsible for what other people do or say online. However, I do think the people who keep demanding condemnations from Clark owe us an explanation as to why they aren't keeping up that energy when it's Reese at the center.
The list of WNBA media members who have openly called for Clark to denounce online hate, something Clark has done multiple times by the way, is almost too long to count. But let's recap a few of the biggest ones:
Those examples span from 2024 through this season. So, this isn't new. These people have been making demands of Clark for three seasons, despite her repeated condemnations of the behavior.
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On July 3, Clark once again delivered a lengthy statement condemning online hate. She explicitly extended that condemnation to the treatment of opponents, teammates and coaches.
"The harassment, the hate, none of that is okay. … There should never be question of character. Like I’ve always stood up here and said that and that’s truly what I believe. That’s how I was raised. … none of that is okay. And I don’t want anybody to ever experience that," Clark said.
A reporter raised the subject again at her October 8 season-ending news conference. Asked about Kelsey Mitchell’s comments on the treatment she receives, Clark was also asked to address "the attention this team receives because of you, but maybe not attention that you necessarily asked for."
There’s that familiar framing again. Other people send the messages, but Clark gets asked to account for the attention surrounding her teammates.
So she answered. Again.
"As far as people that have used me to demonstrate racist rhetoric or hate or discrimination, that’s not something I stand for," Clark said.
The expectations come from commentators, the questions come from reporters, and Clark keeps giving them an answer.
But apparently, that still wasn’t enough.
On October 23, ESPN analyst Monica McNutt said: "There is no way that someone would use my likeness to support causes that I am against."
Clark has already told people she opposes that behavior. Repeatedly. How many more statements would satisfy McNutt?
And now that people defending Angel Reese are attacking Reese’s own teammates, does McNutt expect the same response from her?
My guess? Not a chance.
Jordin Canada returned to social media after avoiding it during the playoffs and immediately found a reminder of why she had stayed away.
"It blows my mind that as fans yall CHOOSE to say the hurtful and cruel things out loud and on here," she wrote, describing the comments as "heartless, rude, insensitive."
Some of the posts targeting her and Howard make their allegiance clear. One account accused Howard, coach Karl Smesko and the Dream’s owners of selling Reese out in a supposedly rigged Finals. Another defended Reese while calling Canada and Howard "BOTH selfish players and human beings" and accusing them of not caring about winning. And some of the attacks were explicitly racist, including posts using the N-word.
So where is the insistence that Reese address online trolls "invoking her name" as an excuse to attack other players? So far, the WNBA media has been silent.
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Reese, meanwhile, outlined her plans for the next six months. In an Instagram post (on her private secondary account), Reese announced she is pausing her podcast for the offseason, plans occasional YouTube vlogs and will spend time resting and working out in Florida.
Her explanation: "i’m dedicating this off season to myself."
Can you imagine Caitlin Clark announcing that she's taking the next six months to focus on herself while her teammates are complaining about receiving nasty messages on social media? The WNBA media might never recover from such a scenario.
We’d get days, probably weeks and maybe even months of lectures about leadership, accountability and whether Clark was abandoning the teammates receiving online abuse.
Think pieces would be plastered all over The Guardian, The Athletic, ESPN and other left-wing sites explaining how White women have the privilege of focusing on themselves while Black women have no choice but to always worry about everyone else in their "community."
They would all demand that Caitlin Clark issue yet another statement. Then, they would complain that the statement wasn’t enough. The whole cycle would fuel the WNBA media ecosystem through the entire offseason.
So, where are the lectures for Angel Reese? Anyone see any think pieces about how Reese is being selfish? Didn't think so.
All of this unfolds in a league that spends an extraordinary amount of time talking about what people (and bots) say on the internet.
In August, after Sophie Cunningham’s comments about "biological men" competing in women’s sports sparked a debate over eligibility, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told teams an upcoming meeting of the league’s anti-hate task force would address whether males should be eligible to play in the WNBA.
Yahoo Sports reported that meeting instead largely focused on online hate directed at players. Even with eligibility rules on the agenda, the WNBA couldn’t stop talking about internet trolls.
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That’s what I wanted to ask Engelbert about when I attended her October 17 press conference before Game 1 of the WNBA Finals. Why does online commentary warrant so much of the league’s time and attention? And does repeatedly highlighting negativity overshadow the positive things happening with attendance and television audiences?
I wasn’t called on.
Engelbert nevertheless returned to the subject in her final answer, condemning people who sit "behind a keyboard to spew vitriol and hate and racism and misogyny at our players."
After all those meetings, statements and lectures, you’d think the reporters, analysts and commentators demanding more from Caitlin Clark would recognize a familiar situation in Atlanta.
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Where are you, Elle Duncan, Monica McNutt, Sarah Spain, and Nancy Armour? Where are your demands for Angel Reese to defend her teammates?
Again, I don’t think Reese owes anyone a statement. Clark doesn’t, either.
But the people who have spent three seasons assigning that responsibility to Clark should explain why their standard apparently disappears when applying it would require them to make demands of Reese.
In the WNBA media’s world, Caitlin Clark has to answer for the internet.
But Angel Reese gets to focus on herself.
'Grand Theft Auto' community organizing 'last ride' on old game before release of 'GTA VI,' but why?
November is finally upon us, and aside from setting our clocks back an hour, that also means we are a little more than two weeks away from the release of "Grand Theft Auto VI."
The hotly anticipated title is set to drop on November 19, and the gaming community at large can hardly wait, which is understandable considering they've gone 13 years between installments.
Yes, hard to believe that, as of September 17 of this year, "Grand Theft Auto V" would be old enough to see a PG-13 movie in theaters.
Given the large time gap between games, you would expect there to be equal parts yearning for the new game as there is nostalgia for the old one, and from that nostalgia comes the "Last Ride."
The "Last Ride" was pitched by the GTA community, and will see thousands of players take one last lap around the map of Los Santos — the in-game world for "GTA V" based heavily on Los Angeles — the night before "GTA VI's" big release.
It's been trending heavily on social media, with gaming outlets all over the world picking up on it.
As a particularly nostalgic person myself as well as a fan of the "Grand Theft Auto" series, I can see where these guys and gals are coming from with the "Last Ride," but it doesn't make a whole lot of sense when you peel the layers back a bit.
For starters, "GTA V" isn't going anywhere.
On November 20, you will still be able to pop the disc into your Xbox or Playstation and ride around Los Santos in your vehicle of choice to your heart's content.
Hell, I still play "GTA IV" about as much as I play its predecessor, and I doubt I'll stop playing either once VI comes around.
If you love the game that much, I guarantee you November 18 won't be the last time you ever play "GTA V."
I appreciate the symbolism, but let's not get melodramatic here.
When "Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask" came out, do you think everyone just immediately chucked their copies of "Ocarina of Time" in the trash?
No, and as a matter of fact, the demand for "Ocarina of Time" has remained so high over the last 28 years that a remake is coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 later this month.
This isn't "Madden" or "FIFA," where an updated version makes last year's game immediately obsolete.
"GTA V" is unique because of the world the developers created as well as the memories those who played the game created for themselves.
I'm not here to yuck anyone's yum; take the "Last Ride."
Enjoy it.
Reminisce on all the good times you had these last 13 years, but let's not act like "GTA V" is being relegated to the shelf for all of eternity come November 19.
NTSB finds 'no evidence' of Mar-a-Lago connection after Florida jet crash kills nine people
A critical piece of the private jet that plunged into a Florida neighborhood was found miles from the impact site, federal investigators revealed Tuesday as crews prepared to drain the crater left by the crash that killed nine people.
Asked about the crash occurring less than 10 miles from President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago home and any potential connection to Secret Service operations, National Transportation Safety Board member Tom Chapman dismissed a link.
"There is no evidence of connection. Purely coincidence," he said.
Most of the Learjet 60’s left elevator was recovered between 1.3 and 3.8 miles from the crash site in Palm Beach County, Chapman said during the agency’s final onsite briefing.
The discovery adds to evidence that the aircraft began breaking apart before impact. The elevator is a movable surface on the aircraft’s tail that helps control whether its nose points up or down.
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But Chapman said he did not believe the component would have enabled the aircraft to recover even if it had remained attached, given the speed of the jet’s descent.
The Learjet was carrying seven passengers and two crew members from Austin, Texas, to North Eleuthera in the Bahamas when it crashed Sunday, killing everyone aboard.
Investigators are now preparing to remove water from the impact crater, where Chapman said they expect to recover additional aircraft components. Given the force of the crash, pieces buried there will likely be small.
Severe weather has hampered some recovery efforts, and weather remains a key focus of the investigation. The cause of the crash has not been determined.
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Investigators have also obtained dashcam footage to help reconstruct the aircraft’s final moments, Chapman said. Recovered wreckage is being retained for analysis, and officials urged anyone who encounters debris to leave it untouched and notify authorities.
The crew had reported light clear ice and moderate turbulence while flying at about 35,000 feet before requesting permission to climb to 37,000 feet. Less than 30 seconds after controllers approved the request, the crew reported they were descending and issued a mayday call.
Roughly 600 residents near Military Trail and Cresthaven Boulevard were evacuated after the crash, according to The Palm Beach Post.
Between 40 and 50 people were staying at the Greenacres Community Center, Palm Beach County spokesperson John Jamason told the outlet. County officials were seeking state funding to help displaced residents with housing and transportation while authorities worked at the crash site.
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Officials said during Tuesday’s briefing that Military Trail remained closed in both directions between 10th Avenue North and Purdy Lane. They did not provide a timeline for reopening the road or allowing displaced residents to return home.
Among those killed were Austin technology entrepreneur Adam Robinson, 45, his wife, Helen Sharp, 40, and their children, Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2.
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Robinson, CEO and co-founder of Retention.com, had celebrated a business milestone in his final LinkedIn post the day of the crash, announcing that RB2B had reached $10 million in annual recurring revenue. He was also preparing for a live business debate scheduled for Tuesday.
"Adam and Helen were devoted parents, and Emma, 4, and Charlie, 2, were the light of their lives. Helen and Adam were the love affair that will last forever," the families said in a statement provided to Fox News Digital.
"Their warmth, generosity and gift for making people feel welcome touched so many lives. Their loss will be felt deeply by all those who loved them and who they loved in return."
Chapman expressed confidence that investigators would determine what happened and thanked Florida and Palm Beach County authorities and first responders for their assistance.
Officials added that further investigative updates will be posted on the NTSB’s website.
Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.
ASRA NOMANI: Muslim reformers reject ‘fire will rise’ warning if El-Sayed loses as 'Jihad First'
American Muslim reformers are torching political commentator Wajahat Ali after he warned that "the fire will rise" and people will be "radicalized" if Democratic candidate Abdul El-Sayed loses his Michigan Senate bid, saying his language echoes a "Jihad First" intimidation rhetoric used by religious tyrants before elections in the Middle East.
On Monday, Ali drew fire on X when he wrote: "If, God forbid, Abdul loses, this will be a watershed moment in Democratic politics. The fire will rise. It’s over. People will be radicalized against corporate, pro-Israel Dems. There will be a reckoning. If, when, he wins, it will be a watershed moment. And that reckoning will still come."
After facing backlash, Ali posted another message Tuesday morning, expressing no regrets and instead scolding critics for alleged bigotry. "Ah, that Islamophobia and anti-Arab bigotry are so pure and naked," Ali wrote. "People are just coming out in the open about how they’ve always felt. Great. Please, be honest. Just share the ugliness with the world so we can all see."
Ali didn't respond to a request for comment from Fox News Digital.
Reform-minded Muslim leaders aren't buying Ali's rhetoric.
The divide with Muslim reformers reflects a broader fissure within American Muslim politics: between establishment organizations and leaders who accept political Islam, or Islamism — the idea that religion should shape government and political life — and reform-minded critics who challenge orthodoxy, reject anti-Israel and anti-Western rhetoric and support secularism, including the separation of mosque and state.
"What Wajahat Ali said on the eve of elections is actually the language we’ve seen Islamists use before elections in countries in the Middle East, including Egypt," Dalia Ziada, an Egyptian Muslim reformer and critic of political Islamism, told Fox News Digital.
"The threat is usually: If you don’t choose us, this will lead to radicalization, and this will lead to violence," added Ziada, who is Washington, D.C., director at the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy. "Maybe we need to expect troubles coming up."
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Soraya Deen, a Muslim reform activist, attorney and co-founder of the Los Angeles Women's Multifaith Alliance, said Ali’s language shouldn't be treated as a routine social-media outburst.
"His words are deeply troubling," Deen told Fox News Digital. "His warning that ‘the fire will rise,’ that people will be ‘radicalized,’ and that a ‘reckoning’ is coming deserves serious scrutiny."
"Losing an election is not a license for radicalization," added Deen, . "We must reject intimidation, political extremism and the politics of perpetual grievance."
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Dr. Zuhdi Jasser, a Muslim reformer and founder of the American Islamic Forum for Democracy, said Ali’s comments reflect what he describes as a "Jihad First" lens for viewing political conflict.
"Wajahat Ali, like Abdul El-Sayed, proves yet again their decades of anti-American Islamist obsession and the ‘Jihad First’ lens through which they view every cultural, social, military and political conflict," said Jasser, who is running for Congress as a Republican candidate in Arizona’s 4th Congressional District.
Jasser’s comments were directed at what he described as the political rhetoric surrounding El-Sayed’s campaign. The reformers didn't accuse Ali of belonging to an Islamist organization. Their criticism focused on language they said resembles tactics used to pressure voters by warning that rejecting a candidate could produce violence or radicalization.
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Ali’s comments came as El-Sayed’s campaign draws support from a wide network of Muslim advocacy groups, Palestinian activist organizations, progressive groups, labor organizations and political influencers.
A Fox News Digital review of campaign endorsements, public statements and voter-mobilization efforts identified 70 Muslim groups and influencers supporting El-Sayed’s political orbit one way or another. The records include formal endorsements, campaign-listed support, voter mobilization and public amplification. Not every organization has the same relationship with the campaign.
They include CAIR Action, Americans for Justice in Palestine Action, Bangladeshi Americans for Political Progress, Emgage Action and the US Campaign for Palestinian Rights. El-Sayed's official website includes endorsements from "Muslims for Abdul," the Yemeni American Michigan Democratic Caucus, the Michigan Bangladeshi American Democratic Caucus and Palestinian American political operative Linda Sarsour's MPower Action, among others.
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The broader coalition supporting El-Sayed includes Democratic Party organizations and Democratic Socialists of America chapters, as well as online commentators and political figures including Hasan Piker, Linda Sarsour, Rep. Ilhan Omar and Rep. Rashida Tlaib.
The organizations and individuals have overlapping priorities, including opposition to U.S. support for Israel, demands for an arms embargo or cease-fire, support for Palestinian activism, criticism of Democratic moderates and efforts to mobilize Muslim and progressive voters.
The coalition’s critics have described it as a "red-green" alliance involving "red" left-wing political organizations and "green" Muslim advocacy groups.
"Their red-green ‘Jihad First’ filter — threatening fire and radicalization — is simply an unmooring of their own dreams to live the jihad of Islamism and destroy the American dream and everything for which it stands," Jasser said. "Patriotism is not in their vocabulary."
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For Ziada, the significance of Ali’s post lies in the suggestion that an election loss could trigger radicalization.
"Muslims like Wajahat Ali are just using the political movement backing Abdul El-Sayed as a staircase to bring them to the power of a chair they want to claim," Ziada said. "Once they get there, they don’t care what they may have promised. And if they don’t get there, they will turn it into fire."
Ziada also criticized El-Sayed’s campaign rhetoric about Israel, comparing what she described as repeated attacks on Israel to political tactics used by leaders in the Middle East. Tuesday morning, President Donald Trump announced that he would cut off $4 billion of aid to Israel, one of the network's demands, designed to isolate the nation.
"The demonization of Israel that we saw very prominently in the campaign of El-Sayed is a tactic that we saw Middle Eastern dictators resorting to every now and then," Ziada said.
"Whenever they are stuck with economic issues or politics, they just bring up the ‘Israel is bad’ card," she added. "Again, he is just copying dictators in the Middle East."
Jasser said the episode should prompt Muslim voters and Democratic leaders to examine the language used by political influencers who claim to speak for Muslim communities.
"Any honest Muslim who reads that post will see ‘Jihad First’ and everyone else be damned, including patriotic Muslims," Jasser said.
Ali has emerged as a prominent media figure over more than two decades, writing for and appearing on outlets including The Daily Beast, The New York Times, CNN and The Guardian. He also hosted programming for Al Jazeera America.
His political activism began after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when he became involved in campus protests at the University of California, Berkeley. He later worked with Democratic operative Faiz Shakir, who became campaign manager for Sen. Bernie Sanders’ 2020 presidential campaign, at the Center for American Progress, a nonprofit established by former Clinton administration chief of staff John Podesta.
Ali has continued to weigh in on Israel, Democratic Party strategy and Muslim political activism, regularly drawing fire. Earlier this year, in a broadcast with former MSNBC host Joy Reid, the two decried "weak White mean" in a heated anti-Trump rant.
Most recently, Ali hosted a speaker who criticized Democratic House Speaker Hakeem Jeffries for receiving political contributions from the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, calling him an "AIPAC monkey." The smear drew cries of racism against Jeffries, who is Black.
Now, Muslim reformers are scolding Ali for making comments that seem to threaten voters with "fire," a "reckoning" and a "radicalized" citizenry if his preferred candidate loses.
Deen said the response to an election should be political disagreement, not warnings of unrest.
"Losing an election is not a license for radicalization," Deen said. "We must reject intimidation, political extremism and the politics of perpetual grievance."
Supreme Court offers support for Catholic preschools challenging state funding requirements
The Supreme Court's conservative majority offered clear support Tuesday for Catholic preschools that claim Colorado's taxpayer-funded program improperly excludes them by unconstitutionally intruding on their religious rights.
At issue is whether those private education institutions that deny admission to children of LGBTQ+ parents violate state anti-discrimination laws, and can therefore be denied a generally applicable public benefit.
It is the latest high-profile religious rights appeal to reach the high court in recent years, several of them originating from Colorado.
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In a lively two-hour oral argument, the justices debated competing interests involving both religious liberty and a state's interest in ensuring equal opportunity for gay and lesbian parents.
"I'm hard-pressed to think that, given those [Catholic] teachings, that any homosexual family is going to choose to go to one of these schools, but that should be their choice, not your choice to exclude them," said Justice Sonia Sotomayor to the lawyer for the plaintiffs. "That's what you're asking for... You want an official statement by the State that I will subsidize you with public money even though – because I have a right to reject children."
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But Justice Brett Kavanaugh said the state's motives, however well-intentioned, are promoting a kind of conformity that is not constitutionally permissible.
"Why not seek the win/win?" Kavanaugh asked the attorney for the state. "There are plenty of opportunities to respect the rights of the religious believers and respect the ability of LGBT parents to find among the 2,000 [Colorado] schools an appropriate fit for their children.
"It seems like this is a would-be solution in search of a problem that is unnecessary to create this clash," he added. "There's an ability for everyone to go to the school, a good school that's a fit for them, and respect religious rights."
Colorado established a Universal Preschool Program (UPK) in a 2020 ballot measure, distributing public funds for participating schools, with the requirement they "provide eligible children an equal opportunity to enroll and receive preschool services regardless of race, ethnicity, religious affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, lack of housing, income level, or disability."
Two Catholic parishes sued, arguing the policy targets their sincerely held beliefs about same-sex marriage.
The archdiocese in the state manages 34 preschools, with a policy to only admit students from families who support Catholic ideology, including on same-sex relationships and gender identity.
They seek exemptions to the Colorado law, arguing their exclusion is a form of religious discrimination in violation of the First Amendment.
The Trump administration has signaled its support of the religious plaintiffs.
The state counters its public benefit conditions are neutral and generally applied to every preschool.
It provides a $6,300 annual benefit per child for up to 15 hours a week of preschool, with money coming from a tobacco tax.
Officials told the nine-member bench that religious schools are free to participate but must abide by nondiscrimination laws, similar to those affecting low-income and disabled students.
As part of its review of the Colorado dispute, the high court will decide whether to narrow a 36-year-old precedent that religious practices do not create exemptions from broadly applicable laws.
The First Amendment states, "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."
The Supreme Court in prior decades had focused on the first part, ensuring a constitutional separation of church and state, when disputes over religious rights reached the public sphere.
But the current conservative bench in the past few years — led by Justice Samuel Alito — has trended toward favoring religious institutions raising "free exercise" claims.
The justices have separately backed a Colorado baker, mental health counselor and website developer, who all challenged the state's anti-discrimination policies.
The oral arguments Tuesday seemed to divide along ideological lines.
Conservative justices focused on the "free exercise" claims by the Catholic parishes that state requirements for receiving public benefits amounted to religious discrimination.
"Explain what the difference is between [explicitly excluding Catholic schools] and then choosing to impose a condition that you know that those schools will be unable to agree to?" said Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
But Justice Elena Kagan cited the court's prior cases, which she said affirmed the idea "you can't treat religious institutions differently."
"That's not the principle that's at issue here," Kagan said. "The principle at issue here is: Do you have to treat them better?"
Chief Justice John Roberts asked tough questions of both sides and his vote could prove determinative. At one point, he expressed skepticism that recent rulings favoring the rights of religious schools over similar claims should also prevail in the current petition.
"The law in those cases, in each of them, expressly discriminated against religious schools on its face," Roberts told Reaves. "That's not the case here," suggesting Colorado's law may be applied fairly across the board.
The current dispute was brought by plaintiffs including St. Mary Catholic School.
Erika Nagle, whose children attend the Littleton facility, told Fox News Digital that two of her children were denied access to the state's preschool funding program, leaving her family to cover additional education expenses.
"We are being excluded from this benefit because we are Catholic," Nagle said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "And so in a state that preaches inclusion, they are actively going out of their way to exclude a huge chunk of people because of our religious beliefs.
"We have had two preschools in the archdiocese that have been closed down," she added. "The state is dangling a carrot over here, incentivizing people to leave their faith, to abandon the Catholic education that they want."
The Becket Fund for Religious Liberty represented the plaintiffs in court, arguing the state's policies are having severe consequences, with enrollment at archdiocesan preschools falling 20% and two schools shuttered.
The state counters that religious entities like Catholic Charities, at least three dozen Christian schools, one Muslim and three Jewish schools continue to participate in the preschool funding program.
"Colorado welcomes religious preschools" to its program, state attorney Helen Norton told the high court. "The only thing Colorado asks is that they comply with the same conditions that every publicly funded preschool must meet, religious and secular alike."
The case is St. Mary Catholic Parish v. Roy (25-581), with a ruling expected by next spring.
Country singer Nicole Taylor of Taylor Red dead at 35
Nicole Taylor, a singer in the country trio Taylor Red, has died. She was 35.
On Monday, Nika and Natalie Taylor, the other members of the group and Nicole's sisters, announced her death in a TikTok post.
"We’re heartbroken to announce the passing of our sister, Nicole Taylor," Nika said. "We honestly thought she’d be healed here on earth, but now she’s healed in heaven."
Nicole, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer in 2022, died Sept. 28 at her home in Nashville, according to a memorial page created by her family.
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"It was an aggressive type [of cancer]. In her words, when she first found out, were, ‘God’s gonna use this for his glory,’" Natalie said. "She fought it fearlessly, and she said, ‘We’re not going to live in dread during all of this.’ And she even did CrossFit while she was doing her chemo treatments. She responded well to treatments, and she was declared evidence without disease."
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They shared that Nicole was told "nine months later" that the cancer had returned as Stage 4, and she had "around three months" to live.
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"[The doctor said] if the treatments worked, they didn’t know how long [she'd have] after that," Nika said.
"We’re still processing everything," Natalie said while fighting back tears. "This, honestly, feels really hard to talk about, but we’re going to do our best to share her story."
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The sisters said Nicole "lived around a year after that prognosis."
"During the time of the more extreme diagnosis, we felt led to not live in fear and claim healing," Nika said.
"She said she had so much peace, and we’re really thankful for that," Natalie said. "We are still shocked and didn’t think this would happen, but we know she’s not suffering anymore."
Megan Moroney confirms WAG status, college hoops' wildest free throw & good for Jeffery Simmons
'Nightcaps' is a daily column that catches you up on the biggest sports, news and culture stories you may have missed while pretending to do work at your desk. It runs Monday-Friday on OutKick.com.
I learned a valuable tip very early in my journalism career: Never read the comments.
And for the most part, I follow that rule. But over the weekend, I was out on Old Hickory Lake covering The Champions, a massive bass fishing tournament with a $3.25 million purse.
It was also our first big event since OutKick OutDoors became officially official back in August. So naturally, I was curious to see what people were saying.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE OUTKICK SPORTS COVERAGE
And after scrolling the comments, I made an alarming discovery: There are an awful lot of you who think there's some sort of mass bass genocide happening on lakes across the country.
Friends, allow me to explain how this works.
These tournaments are catch-and-release. Anglers keep their fish alive in aerated livewells on their boats, hold them up for a few quick seconds during weigh-in, and then the fish are returned to the lake.
In fact, keeping those fish alive is such a priority that competitors are heavily penalized if they bring a dead fish to the scales.
Unfortunately, things do happen sometimes. But the entire process is designed to keep as many of them swimming as possible.
And for the record, there's absolutely nothing wrong with legal hunting and fishing, harvesting animals for food. But before y'all come yelling at me for covering bass fishing, please understand we're not out here just murdering smallmouth in droves for funsies.
MATT ROBERTSON WINS RECORD $1.25 MILLION FISHING PRIZE, DECLARES 'TRAILER TRASH FOR LIFE'
Maybe just relax, grab yourself a beer from the garage fridge, kick back and enjoy some Nightcaps.
So you can all breathe easier now that we finally have confirmation.
After months of dating rumors, suspiciously timed trips to Italy and a phone lock screen that seemingly gave the whole thing away, country music star Megan Moroney and USMNT soccer star Christian Pulisic are officially an item.
Apparently, Moroney was chatting with actress Eiza González at the TIME100 Gala in New York City last Thursday when González reportedly joked, "We're the new generation of WAGs."
González is dating tennis star Grigor Dimitrov, while Moroney has apparently claimed her spot on Team Pulisic.
PEOPLE subsequently confirmed that the country singer and AC Milan star are, in fact, dating.
Congratulations to the happy couple. And now we can close this case.
Look, it's no secret that I despise the Tennessee Titans.
As someone who used to work there, I can confirm the absolute dumpster fire they put out on the field every Sunday is directly reflective of the ownership and front office that runs the place.
I was thrilled for Derrick Henry when he got out of Nashville — and for Kevin Byard, too. So now I'm equally pumped that Big Jeff Simmons is in Chicago and will actually have a chance at a ring.
And man, did he make one hell of a first impression.
As a Miami Dolphins fan, I'll likely never see a Super Bowl in my lifetime. I'm at peace with this. But I'm a Bears fan by marriage, so I hope they keep it up.
I do not claim to be an expert on the fundamentals of basketball. My hoops career ended in fifth grade when I got frustrated with girls 7 inches taller than me boxing me out in the school gym.
But even I know you're not supposed to shoot a free throw like you're trying to launch a grenade over enemy lines.
Allow me to introduce you to Kendall Puryear, a 6-foot-3 forward for the University of South Florida women's basketball team, who has perhaps the most unhinged free throw form I've ever seen.
Seriously, watch this.
WHAT WAS THAT?!
Puryear, who transferred from Purdue this offseason, went to the line twice during Monday's 80-54 win over Furman and missed both attempts. Which, given the mechanics we're working with here, isn't exactly shocking.
For the record, Puryear was actually a standout shot put thrower in high school, ranking No. 1 in Missouri. Which actually explains a whole lot.
But like I said, not a basketball connoisseur over here. We'll need Dan Dakich to weigh in.
Let's open the mailbag.
📩 Email: amber.harding@outkick.com (Send your thoughts, stories, tips, rants and photos of your dog.)
🐦 Twitter/X: @TheAmberHarding
📸 Instagram: @amberharding
Steve H. writes: Thanks for bringing back dog pictures! We miss the videos too. Tuesday nights used to be my favorite edition of Nightcaps until they disappeared. Duke (yellow lab) took time out of his busy schedule patrolling the yard and scaring away squirrels, rabbits, deer, and sand hill cranes to express his approval too.
DF in AR writes: Why so many words on the wnba to an audience that doesn't like the wnba or NBA??? Why not something about the world series?
I like your writing but not the subjects woke Fox wants to highlight. I enjoy your personal trips and dog more. How about more words on positive and inspiring topics?
Amber:
Very kind of you to say, Darrell. Don't worry — the travel/dog content is staying. At least on Tuesdays it is. And on OutKick OutDoors.
In Friday's Nightcaps, Zach vowed not to write about the WNBA (except for Sophie Cunningham) for the next seven months. I'm going to make you that same promise.
I can't promise I won't throw some Cameron Brink in there occasionally, though.
Eric P. (or maybe his dog, Duke) writes: Dogs on vacation?? But of course I need a vacation..just be sure the pool is at the right temperature..
Amber:
Always love it when Duke stops by Nightcaps.
My Rocky is getting ready for a very busy vacation season. We're leaving today for a little getaway to the woods then next month it's off to Florida for Thanksgiving with the family. And then Indiana for Christmas.
OK, Indiana isn't much of a vacation destination, but Rocky's just happy to be included.
Brad B. writes: Your dog pics today reminded me to recommend you see the Heart of the Beast movie; it's a bit of a tribute to wartime service dogs. Very good film and provides you with some additional Brad Pitt eye candy. Best seen in a theater as the cinematography is awesome.
Amber:
I saw it a couple of weeks ago! Phenomenal film. And I'm woman enough to admit I sobbed.
No spoilers here, though.
As a German Shepherd haver myself, I know that I'm biased. But man, they are just incredible dogs. Their intelligence, trainability and loyalty are out of this world.
But so are their shedding and neediness, so keep that in mind before you go getting one.
Jon C. writes: We ALWAYS travel with our dogs.
Spartan Race, check. Beach trip, check. Two days driving to get to Montana so we can bring the adventure pups, in the designing stages. Life is just better with man’s best friend riding shotgun.
Like some of your co-writers on Outkick that always end their columns with a pic of Steve Largent or Dale Earnhardt, you need to always end yours with a pic of Rocky.
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Amber:
I mean, if you insist.
Retired NYPD officer arrested after 'off with his head' post over Florida mosque expansion
A retired NYPD officer living in Florida was arrested Monday after authorities say he made a social media post calling for the beheading of a Pinellas County commissioner who recently voted to approve the expansion of a local mosque.
Rodolfo Mienert, who now lives in St. Petersburg, allegedly commented on a Facebook post criticizing Pinellas County Commissioner Brian Scott for supporting a land-use change that would allow the North Pinellas mosque to expand.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office, the 68-year-old ex-officer called Scott a "Republican turncoat" before writing, "off with his head!"
Mienert posted this Facebook comment under the username "Rudy MineAllmine," according to an affidavit obtained by Fox News Digital.
OHIO MAN CHARGED OVER GRAPHIC THREATS TO KILL TRUMP, BEHEAD GOP LAWMAKER
The account's profile picture shows Bugs Bunny holding a revolver, while its bio reads, "...if I pissed off a libtard today, I'm happy!! no further reply!!"
The last post made by this account reposted a campaign video from Scott, accompanied with the message: "DO NOT vote for this person, he voted FOR a mosque."
Detectives traced the IP address of the account that made the post to Mienert, who later confirmed the account was his.
Mienert told detectives he is "very vocal and not afraid to share his opinion" on political issues and said he called Scott a "turncoat" because of his vote to approve the mosque expansion.
Mienert also told detectives he had attended an Oct. 27 County Commission meeting where residents discussed the mosque issue at length.
During that meeting, he said he escaped New York to "beautiful Florida" and claimed the growing footprint of the mosque would damage the environment and make traffic worse.
Mienert was arrested and charged with one felony count of a written or electronic threat to kill, an offense that carries a maximum of 15 years in prison in Florida.
In a statement, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri said that "threatening to cut off the head of a county commissioner because of his vote on a land issue is intolerable and we will strictly enforce the law against anyone who makes threats of this nature."
Mienert, who retired as a sergeant after 22 years with the New York Police Department, remains in the Pinellas County Jail, according to records reviewed by Fox News Digital. He is set to appear in court Tuesday afternoon.
Fanatics Sportsbook Promo Code FOXNEWS350: Bet $20, Get $350 on Devils vs Oilers
Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl head to Newark on Tuesday night to take on a Devils team that suddenly has one of the best goalies in the world. It’s the marquee game on an 11-game NHL slate, and with the NBA off for Election Day, it has the spotlight to itself. Fanatics Sportsbook is offering new users promo code FOXNEWS350 to bet $20 and get $350 in FanCash on Devils vs. Oilers.
Hellebuyck vs. the best duo in hockey. Connor Hellebuyck has been as good as advertised in New Jersey, opening 2-0-0 with a 1.50 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage. He’s built his career on stealing games against elite offenses, and McDavid and Draisaitl are the toughest test he’ll get all month. If he holds them in check, the Devils are in great shape at home.
Edmonton’s goaltending gap. Tristan Jarry gives the Oilers a 4-1-2 record and two shutouts, but his .901 save percentage is a red flag against a Devils team that can push the pace. Edmonton can survive a shaky night from its goalie when its stars are rolling. It’s much harder when the other team’s goalie is standing on his head.
The special teams battle. McDavid and Draisaitl together on the top power play is the most dangerous unit in the league. New Jersey has to stay out of the box. If the Devils keep this game at five-on-five, they can lean on their structure and their goalie. If they hand Edmonton chances on the man advantage, the Oilers’ price at +135 starts to look like a bargain.
The last time these teams met, New Jersey won 2-1 in January. The books have priced the under at -125 for a reason. Hellebuyck’s numbers so far point to a low-scoring night, and the Devils’ best path to winning is keeping the game tight and grinding out a one- or two-goal result. Even if Edmonton’s stars break through once or twice, it would take a goaltending collapse on both ends to get to seven goals. Bet $20 on the Under and collect $350 in FanCash once it’s graded, no matter how it lands.
Oilers vs Devils Odds
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