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To loyal fans, Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s wedding — rumored to be taking place on July 3 as part of the long holiday weekend — is not a surprise. The popular occasion has long been part of Swift lore, thanks to headline-making July 4 parties at her Rhode Island estate.But with the ceremony and reception reportedly so close to July 4, the timing has fueled an etiquette debate: Should marrying couples ask their guests to give up a prime summer holiday weekend just for them?”Holiday weekends often mean higher travel costs, crowded airports and giving up time with family. But every couple has the right to choose a date that’s meaningful to them,” California-based etiquette expert Lisa Mirza Grotts told Fox News Digital.TAYLOR SWIFT’S CONTROVERSIAL WEDDING RULE HAS FANS DEBATING WHO SHOULD MAKE PLUS-ONE LIST”Celebrity weddings are naturally different,” she added. “Many guests will gladly rearrange their schedules for an event of this significance.”Even so, holiday weekends can be tricky. “Many people travel or spend time with family,” said Florida-based etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore. “If you choose one of those weekends, give your guests plenty of notice with a ‘save the date’ so they can plan ahead.”It is likely their closest friends have been aware of the wedding date for quite some time, many believe — enabling these friends to make travel plans in advance.TAYLOR SWIFT’S UNUSUAL WEDDING GIFTS RULE IGNITES ETIQUETTE DEBATE: ‘HONOR THEIR WISHES’Actor Bradley Cooper, Gigi Hadid’s longtime boyfriend, owns a historic 5-story town house in the West Village of Lower Manhattan, where they can stay. But Selena Gomez and others spend most of their time on the West Coast.The NYPD is preparing to lock down a city block outside Madison Square Garden, the apparent location, according to a source with knowledge of the event, as Fox News Digital previously reported.TAYLOR SWIFT, TRAVIS KELCE REPORTED MSG WEDDING PLANS CALL FOR 1,000 GUESTS, STREET CLOSURE AT MSG: SOURCEThe source detailed an event spanning multiple days of setup, with 1,000 guests expected to attend. Even so, this year’s Independence Day marks America’s 250th anniversary. For some guests, this consequential occasion may hold even more meaning.ROCK STAR SLY STONE’S 20,000-GUEST MSG WEDDING SET THE PRECEDENT FOR TAYLOR SWIFT, TRAVIS KELCE NUPTIALS”Even if it’s for one of the biggest pop stars in the world, good etiquette gives guests permission to decline graciously, without guilt or explanation,” Grotts of California said.Texas-based etiquette expert Diane Gottsman agreed on that point. “Summer weddings have their own challenges, with family vacations being planned,” she said.”Some people may not mind, and others will choose to skip the occasion.”CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERIt seems unlikely, however, that many invitees have declined.Swift’s ties to Independence Day are well documented. Fourth of July parties at her Rhode Island home have featured red, white and blue outfits, plus barbecue and baked treats, according to reports. CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIESOver the years, guests have included Hadid, the Haim sisters, Blake Lively, Emma Stone and many others, as E! News has reported.While many surely view Swift and Kelce’s wedding as a can’t-miss event, the larger question is this: Should non-celebrities ever consider a July 4 wedding? “I think a lot of people [in the U.S.] have traditions and routines surrounding this holiday. I also think it’s a day many people want to be outside, near water, drink[ing] beer and [enjoying] BBQ with friends and family,” one Reddit user wrote.TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZAnother person wrote on the platform, “It will be fine with some people, and may still reduce your attendance rate.”A third said, “I went to one wedding on the 4th of July years ago … It was horrible because I could’ve spent an entire weekend on a boat at my friend’s beach house.”Yet another said, “Personally, I wouldn’t go to a [July] 4th wedding. The night before, yes. Day of or day after, no.”Still, etiquette expert Grotts said that, all things considered, guests should not get too hung up on the date.”The most memorable weddings aren’t defined by the schedule,” she said. “They’re defined by how guests are made to feel.”Michael Ruiz and Janelle Ash of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

Chris Janson hopes to instill in his children pride in their country.”I want my kids to respect the flag and honor our country and be proud of where you come from and be honest and be respectful,” the country star told Fox News Digital ahead of America’s 250th anniversary.The multi-platinum singer recently collaborated with five-time Grammy winner Steven Curtis Chapman for a new rendition of “America the Beautiful.”The song made its live debut last month with the children’s choir featured on the track at the Grand Ole Opry.RILEY GAINES SAYS MOTHERHOOD INSPIRED HER NEW CHILDREN’S BOOK CELEBRATING AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM”Truth — even in song — the truth always wins,” Janson continued. “So if you’re just telling the truth you don’t have to go back and lie about anything. You don’t need to cover up for anything. You don’t have to think about it twice. You just tell the truth the first time, whether it’s good, bad, or indifferent, the truth is the truth. So those are the things I would like to instill in my kids.”The 40-year-old continued: “I love this country. I’ve said it so many times, like, we have freedom here like no other place. It’s really amazing. So number one is you respect your flag.”Janson remembered a pivotal moment from his childhood when his fourth-grade teacher explained the importance of having deference to the flag.WATCH: CHRIS JANSON REVEALS THE PATRIOTIC LESSONS HE HOPES TO INSTILL IN HIS KIDSCARRIE UNDERWOOD SHARES PATRIOTIC VIDEO OF AMERICAN FLAG DISPLAY NEAR HER TENNESSEE PROPERTY”It was my turn to go take the flag down,” he explained. “I brought the flag down off the pole and I wrapped it around my shoulders like a superhero. I didn’t think a thing of it. He was a veteran and he came out there and he scolded me hard and I did not understand what in the world I was in trouble for.”He said his teacher explained to him that he was letting the tips of the flag touch the ground.”‘Don’t you ever let that touch the ground again,” he said his teacher told him, “and I was like blown away. I didn’t understand this until I was an adult. Until I really understood what freedom meant.”COUNTRY STAR ZAC BROWN WARNS ‘POVERTY OF SPIRIT’ AND LACK OF STRUGGLE ARE RUINING AMERICAN KIDSTraveling around the world, he said, can remind Americans how lucky we are to live here.WATCH: STEVEN CURTIS CHAPMAN EXPLAINS WHAT BEING AN AMERICAN MEANS TO HIM”Coming from a pretty low class kid here from a trailer park, it’s a — I remind my kids all the time,” he said. “Yeah, we got it pretty good, but don’t forget it’s a big deal to get to go out to dinner. You get to do that. It’s a big deal. To walk to the fridge and have whatever you want at the snap of a finger, it’s, a big. It’s a blessing.”He added, “And it’s something not to be taken for granted. But we are in a free country and we do have the honor and the privilege provided by our great servicemen and women to have a luxury of freedom, to have luxury to live the American dream and man, that’s really important.”GRAMMY-NOMINATED SINGER ANNE WILSON SAYS SPEAKING ABOUT JESUS COST HER OPPORTUNITIES, BUT SHE WON’T BACK DOWNChapman said that traveling around the world has made him realize how lucky he is to be an American.”Music has taken this country boy, two country boys that constantly look and go, ‘How in the world did we get here except the grace of God?” Chapman told Fox News Digital, calling himself a “boy from Paducah, Kentucky.”CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTERChapman remembered singing Christian songs once at a Hard Rock café in Beijing, China, and worrying that at worst the government might force him to stop, but realizing that the real danger is for the Chinese fans who want to listen to his music.THE VIRTUE AMERICA FORGOT: WHY GRATITUDE STILL MATTERS FOR OUR NATIONAL CHARACTER”You encounter that in places and suddenly your eyes are open to just what an amazing gift it is that we have” in the United States, he said.LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSChapman also mentioned his grandfather, a World War II veteran who earned a Purple Heart, who got a mention in their version of “American the Beautiful.””I grew up just loving and respecting him and probably in many ways because of his service and his love for our country, a deep love for America and for the freedom that we have,” he said. “And it is an incredible gift. And with any gift that we have, it’s something to be stewarded. It’s something never to lose the gratitude for, even with the brokenness and even with, you know, the things that we don’t have easy answers for.”He continued, “Gosh, to just be grateful, gratitude just makes such a difference in my own heart, personally,” adding, he recognizes “what a gift we have, the gift of freedom” to be able to sing songs about his faith “in a country where, you know, anyone can do that and sing about the things that are important or speak about the thing that they believe and are important.””And it’s a great, great, beautiful thing, and I’m very grateful for it,” he said.

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You truly cannot make this stuff up anymore.
In any real sports league, if an opposing player violently assaults your generational star athlete on the court, a head coach would be demanding a permanent ban. They would be defending their player. But not in the WNBA. Not in the hyper-woke, identity-politics-obsessed landscape of modern women’s sports.
During a recent matchup, Phoenix Mercury forward Alyssa Thomas committed a horrific, violent foul, wrapping her hand directly around the throat of Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark.
The assault was so egregious that Thomas was slapped with a one-game suspension by the league. Clark was forced out of the game with back injuries and even had to miss the subsequent matchup.
So, how did Fever head coach Stephanie White react to her superstar being choked out of commission? By defending the attacker, of course!
White, who previously coached Thomas with the Connecticut Sun, used her press conference to go on a bizarre, woke rant defending Thomas and attacking the fans who were rightfully disgusted by what they saw.
Here’s what White actually said (transcript via her press conference):

“Yeah, I know I got AB’s sneakers on today. Before we start with questions, you know, I just want to address, you know, what’s going on with AT (Alyssa Thomas). You know, I think first and foremost, it’s absolutely unacceptable. You know, I think as a league, as a whole, there’s been so much more toxicity, racism, homophobia, straight out like nonsense, hate nonsense. And it is absolutely unacceptable. Most of this coming from the online community.
Most of this, you know, in my heart of hearts, I believe not coming from WNBA fans, Indiana Fever fans. You know, I believe that this is people who are using our league, using our players to further divisive agendas. It’s not acceptable. Yes, we have to continue to protect our players.
We’ve got to continue to support our players and our league. We get to play a basketball game. And A.T. was exactly right. Like, we get to play a basketball game. And yes, that’s going to come with criticism. Yes, that’s going to come with fans and the love-hate relationship that they have with players and teams. That is going to come. But it’s not hard to not be a jerk. And if you are one of these people that are online doing this, do not call yourself a WNBA fan.”

She continued:

“Our league is about inclusiveness. Our league is about competition. Competition. Our league is about elevating, elevating women, elevating marginalized communities, including and being inclusive of, of all different walks of life. That is what our league has always been about from day one.
That is what our league will continue to be about, and we will continue to compete at a high level, hold ourselves to a higher standard, continue to be on the forefront of social norms, and we will continue to support one another collectively as a league. Players, coaches, staff, support staff, everyone. We’re about elevating. We are not about demeaning, demanding. We are not about continuing this narrative. And it’s just absolutely unacceptable.”

WATCH:

Fever head coach Stephanie White addresses Alyssa Thomas’ comments and “unacceptable” fan behavior: pic.twitter.com/55KB1zIX5z
— Tony East (@TonyREast) July 1, 2026

This is the same Stephanie White who never said anything when Indiana Fever stars Sophie Cunningham and Caitlin Clark have recently faced severe threats, stalking, and online harassment.

The post Fever Head Coach Stephanie White Defends Opponent Who Assaulted Caitlin Clark – Calls Legitimate Fan Outrage “Unacceptable” Racism, Homophobia, and “Divisive Agendas” From “Fake Fans” appeared first on The Gateway Pundit.

The popularity of the fried chicken dining sector is not enough to prevent restaurants from filing for bankruptcy protection and going out of business if negative economic factors prevail.The rising cost of doing business and unsustainable debt are often cited as the top reasons for restaurants’ financial distress, forcing them to close businesses.Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen franchisee Sailormen Inc., which operated 136 fried chicken locations when it filed for bankruptcy in January 2026, has rejected 22 leases of locations that it could not sell and will permanently close them.

Popeyes franchisee Sailormen Inc. divests of all of its restaurant locations.Shutterstock

Sailormen disposes of all locations Sailormen will divest all of its Popeyes businesses after selling 97 of its restaurants to five buyers and closing the remaining 39 locations that it could not sell.The debtor had won approval in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida in Miami to reject 18 restaurant leases, consisting of 15 locations in Florida and 3 in Georgia, on June 24.Judge Robert A. Mark approved an amended motion on June 27 to add four lease rejections, which amounted to 19 leases for properties in Florida and 3 leases for Georgia locations.Franchisee filed for bankruptcySailormen Inc., which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on Jan. 15, 2026, submitted a motion in January in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Florida to reject 17 leases retroactively to Jan. 15 after closing eight locations on Jan. 19, five locations on Jan. 20, and four locations on Jan. 22, according to court papers.The debtor asserted that the leases should be rejected as of the petition date, since the restaurants were closed within one week of the petition date and before the hearing on the debtor’s first-day motions.The Miami, Fla.-based wholly owned subsidiary of Interfoods of America Inc. believed that closing the 17 unprofitable locations would reduce its expenses by over $1 million annually.Operator sells 97 locationsThe franchisee subsequently won Mark’s approval on June 23 to sell 97 of its restaurants for a total of $16.55 million, according to court papers.The restaurants included 50 Florida Popeyes locations sold to Pulse Restaurant Group LLC for $2.69 million, 23 Orlando-area restaurants to RFI Ventures LLC for $2.5 million, 16 Miami-area stores to Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen Inc. for $9.6 million, 5 Savannah, Ga., locations to SBH Foods PLK LLC for $650,000, and 3 West Palm Beach, Fla.-area restaurants to 61 Biscuits LLC for $1.11 million, according to court orders.Sailormen filed for Chapter 11 protection after a failed sale of certain locations, a default on credit facilities, and a series of lawsuits and store closings caused the company financial distress.The franchisee, which was founded in 1987 with 10 locations, was one of the largest domestic Popeyes franchisees in the company’s system, with 136 locations in Florida and Georgia before it began closing locations. It employed about 2,900 workers before the closures.Fried Chicken most popular fast foodFried chicken dining chains were the most popular subsector of the fast-food industry in 2025, as traffic to chicken concepts increased by 3% for the year ending September 2025, while all concepts dropped 1% compared to the previous year, according to market research firm Circana.The popularity of fried chicken chains can be traced to the variety of chicken options offered at restaurants, such as chicken pieces, chicken fingers, or chicken sandwiches, and how consumers enjoy their choices, an expert says.“This is due to the experiences the brands are creating as well as the variety of chicken and how you can enjoy it,” industry expert Reilly Newman of Motif Brands told The Food Institute. “This comes to no surprise, as the experience economy has been taking root across the globe.Sailormen divested properties:92 Florida restaurants sold.5 Georgia restaurants sold.39 locations closed, leases rejected. Source: U.S. Bankruptcy CourtRelated: Giant troubled satellite TV company files Chapter 11 bankruptcy

There is much value in having a serious study saying that politicized scholarship is a bad development.

Since Independence Day falls on Saturday this year, here’s what to know about trading hours and mail delivery

A secure retirement portfolio acts like a health shield, calming market anxiety that can actually shorten life expectancy.

Europe’s MiCA regime is now up for review, known colloquially as “MiCA 2.0,” through a consultation that closes around September.

“Set Your AC To 78F”: NYC Socialist Pleads With Residents As Fragile Grid Faces Blackout Risk

“Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you’re not using, and unplug what you can,” New York City Socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani wrote on X late Wednesday.

New Yorkers are now getting a real-world lesson in what Mamdani’s recent “warmth of collectivism” comments actually mean: shared sacrifice, including being told to dial back air conditioning during blistering heat as the risk of power blackouts rises.

New York: it’s hot out there, and the power grid is working overtime to keep us cool.
Set your AC to 78 degrees, turn off lights/electronics you’re not using, and unplug what you can.
Our City is doing its part too: maintaining the 78 degrees rule in our buildings,…
— Mayor Zohran Kwame Mamdani (@NYCMayor) July 1, 2026
The deeper issue here is that years of left-wing climate policies and poor grid management have left the metro area and the broader region increasingly vulnerable during peak-demand hours.

Temperatures are forecast to top 100F across NYC and large parts of the Mid-Atlantic and East Coast beginning today. The extreme weather is set to sharply drive up cooling demand, just as power grids are already under pressure from failed climate-change policies colliding with the era of data centers.

On Tuesday, the Energy Department issued emergency orders allowing PJM Interconnection power plants to bypass certain environmental limits to keep electricity flowing. Backup generators have been placed on standby on the grid serving 67 million people across 13 states.

New York City power prices climbed above $1,100 per megawatt-hour by late Wednesday afternoon. PJM expects to break its all-time peak load record of 165.5 gigawatts later today.

Tyler Durden
Thu, 07/02/2026 – 08:00

The Trump administration is set to unveil a sweeping overhaul of federal appliance efficiency rules that officials say will end “Green New Scam” appliance mandates, restore consumer choice, and block future federal crackdowns on gas stoves, fluorescent lightbulbs, HVAC systems, and other household appliances.”In America, you should be able to choose between a drying machine that takes multiple cycles to dry your clothes and one that does it on the first try — unfortunately, past administrations thought otherwise,” Department of Energy Secretary Chris Wright told Fox News Digital.The Department of Energy is expected to propose a sweeping rewrite of federal appliance regulations that would change how energy-efficiency standards are written, creating what the Trump administration says is a permanent safeguard against future efforts to regulate household appliances. The proposal was viewed by Fox News Digital.TRUMP ADMIN AXES TIES TO DOZENS OF PROGRESSIVE GROUPS IN ‘DIRECT OPPOSITION’ TO MISSION: ‘DECISIVE ACTION'”For too long, the American people paid the price for mandates that restricted consumer choice and drove up costs. President Trump promised to end this nonsense and that is exactly what we are doing. This proposed rule will preserve the American people’s ability to choose home appliances and equipment that actually work — at prices they can afford. It’s called commonsense.”Officials said previous Obama and Biden administrations interpreted Energy Policy and Conservation Act (EPCA) standards as requiring increasingly stringent efficiency standards that made some appliances more expensive or less functional.Biden-era changes in 2021 and 2024 that loosened the Trump administration’s 2020 rules by making the procedures non-binding and removing several provisions, including a significant energy savings threshold and other procedural requirements.FAMOUS LANDMARKS SLASH VISITING HOURS AS DEADLY HEAT WAVE THREATENS TOURISTSThe proposal is open for public comment for 30 days before being made an official rule. It comes as the U.S. and Europe face a major heat wave.Paris Deputy Mayor Audrey Pulvar recently released a statement blaming the United States for the deadly heat wave over France by saying the issue is climate change – not the lack of air conditioning in Europe.”Dear American journalists and social media ‘influencers’: for days, some of you have been criticizing and making fun of Paris because the city does not have A/C in every room. OMG, this is so rich!” she wrote on Instagram.BIDEN-HARRIS STILL HATE YOUR GAS STOVE, YOU WON’T BELIEVE HOW MUCHDue to regulations, only 20% of households have air conditioning compared to 88% in the U.S., according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration.She added, “As the second-largest emitter of greenhouse gas emissions in the world, you bear a significant amount of responsibility for global warming and the consequences we, in France, are experiencing. Your cities ‘90% air-conditioned’ are not unrelated to this. In Paris, we take responsibility.”Fox News Digital’s Lindsay Kornick contributed to this report.