There is a very real possibility Vanna White could leave “Wheel of Fortune” amid a pay dispute as longtime host Pat Sajak prepares to retire, according to a report.
TMZ reported the beloved cohost of the iconic game show is asking for a pay raise that Sony Pictures Television is hesitant at the moment to offer her.
The celebrity gossip site, citing sources close to the show, reported on Friday that White has not had a pay raise in 18 years, although Entertainment Tonight reported she does receive bonuses
According to TMZ, White earns $3 million per year, but wants half of what Sajak has been earning.
Sajak reportedly earns an estimated $15 million annually to host “Wheel of Fortune”
White, who has cohosted the show alongside Sajak since she became its regular hostess in 1982, reportedly feels it would be fair for her to earn half of his current salary, which would come out to $7.5 million a year.
White has reportedly called 50 percent of Sajak’s salary “a minimum of what is fair,” according to TMZ.
At the heart of her argument is the fact that she and Sajak are introduced before each episode of the popular game show as equals. The show’s announcer says, "Here are the stars of our show, Pat Sajak and Vanna White."
One source reportedly close to White told TMZ, "After 41 years as a model employee and more the face of that show than him [Pat], asking for 50% of what he makes seems like a no-brainer.”
"She feels like it's a statement for all women” to receive a bump in pay, another source said.
Meanwhile, the studio reportedly is engaged in talks with White that were described as “very difficult.” White has reportedly hired superstar entertainment attorney Bryan Freedman to negotiate on her behalf.
Freedman is currently representing former Fox News host Tucker Carlson amid his contract dispute with his former network.
Freedman is also representing both Don Lemon and Chris Cuomo against their former employer CNN.
The attorney also helped Megyn Kelly secure a massive payout from NBC after her high-profile exit from the network, Forbes reported.
According to the report, White is prepared to leave the show if indeed her requests are not met.
Vanna White ‘holding out’ for 50% of Pat Sajak’s ‘Wheel of Fortune’ salary https://t.co/lo5XxaISrX pic.twitter.com/M7F1FtEPpp
— New York Post (@nypost) June 29, 2023
If she does not feel she is being treated fairly, TMZ called her exit a “real possibility.”
Sajak announced his coming retirement in early June, when he noted that the upcoming season of “Wheel of Fortune” will be his last.
Ryan Seacrest will take over the show next fall after Sajak’s final broadcast.
TMZ reported that Sony does not want to lose White during the transition.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
Too much chlorine in the water sent a dozen people to a Houston hospital on Saturday.
The incident happened in the lazy river at Club Westside, a family sports fitness club owned by Jim "Mattress Mack" McIngvale, according to KRTK-TV.
The city's fire department tweeted that it "responded to a report of a chlorine spill with possible accidental ingestion in lazy river pool area at 1200 Wilcrest just before 5pm, today, June 24. 7 children and 3 adults have been transported to the hospital. Several went by private vehicle."
Update on incident at 1200 Wilcrest - 12 people transported.
— Houston Fire Dept (@HoustonFire) June 25, 2023
Houston Fire Chief Samuel Pena later tweeted that the situation likely was caused by "over-chlorination" and it was "under control."
"Cause appears to be an over-chlorination of the pool(s) Good work by @HoustonFire to quickly triage & transport people. 12 patients transported from the location Exposure to over-chlorination can provoke asthma, nausea, skin & eye irritation," he wrote.
Incident is under control. Cause appears to be an over-chlorination of the pool(s)
Good work by @HoustonFire to quickly triage & transport people. 12 patients transported from the location
⚠️Exposure to over-chlorination can provoke asthma, nausea, skin & eye irritation https://t.co/iYDoZnWf8H
— Chief Samuel Peña (@FireChiefofHFD) June 25, 2023
No further reports were issued on the conditions of those hospitalized.
[firefly_poll]
Emergency medicine physician Dr. Baruch Fertel said managing chemicals is an important part of pool safety, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
“It’s a great time of year. People have opened up their pools so their friends and family can cool off from the hot weather. However, everyone needs to maintain some basic safety rules when it comes to pool chemicals and equipment," he said.
“When you’re adding chemicals to a pool, always add the powder to the water, not the water to the powder. When even a little bit of water gets on some pool chemicals, something called ‘wetting’ occurs. Chemical wetting can cause a dangerous reaction and combustibility. That’s why it’s really important to add pool chemicals to the water," he said.
Club Westside with the @CurrentSystems
powered lazy river is OPEN!https://t.co/5uBSOQ4dLh and https://t.co/AloB26aDUs
・・
Thanks to all who came and enjoyed the water park on opening weekend ! pic.twitter.com/Dwl5sXPlIC— Riverflow Pumps (@CurrentSystems) July 10, 2018
The website Poison.org offered some tips about dealing with chlorine dangers in pools.
“When chlorine is added to a pool, it mixes with other things in the water, particularly from swimmers themselves (think sweat, dirt, skin cells, and yes, even urine and feces). The mixing of chlorine and these compounds creates chloramines,” the site explained.
“Chloramines are irritants that are formed from the reaction of mixing the free chlorine (hence 'chlor') and amine groups (hence 'amine') from organic matter. These are what cause extreme irritation to the skin and eyes after prolonged exposure,” it said.
Healthy water parks, pools, and splash parks don't have a strong chemical smell. If you smell chlorine, it's not healthy. #pool #swimming pool #safety #poolsafety pic.twitter.com/CIggmP6MAl
— Tahiti's Breeze (@s_tahiti) August 22, 2022
The site continued, “Additionally, the fumes induce irritation of the respiratory tract causing coughing and breathing trouble. Because chloramine gas is heavier than air, it settles on top of the water, making it problematic for both swimmers and those nearby.”
“Indoor pools increase the risk of experiencing irritation from the accumulation of these fumes because of limited ventilation," it said.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
In a recent development that has sparked some excitement and a healthy dose of skepticism, the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has given its seal of approval to lab-grown or synthetic meat.
This groundbreaking decision has put the spotlight on Bill Gates, a prominent advocate and investor in this emerging industry.
While proponents like Gates hail lab-grown meat as a potential solution to global food challenges, critics raise valid concerns about its safety and long-term consequences.
Lab-grown meat, produced through cellular agriculture, involves culturing animal cells in a laboratory to create muscle tissues that mimic conventional meat.
Proponents argue that this innovative technology presents a sustainable alternative to traditional livestock farming, offering a way to feed the growing global population while reducing the environmental impact of meat production.
Bill Gates, has been a vocal supporter and investor of lab-grown meat. Gates, and supporters like him, see synthetic meat as some sort of "green" solution to a litany of perceived worldly problems.
However, many others and detractors of synthetic meat have voiced their reservations and have raised significant concerns about its safety.
Among these concerns is the use of "immortalized cells" in lab-grown meat production.
These concerns were echoed as recently as February 2023, when Bloomberg wrote about this faux meat.
"[Immortal cells] are, technically speaking, precancerous and can be, in some cases, fully cancerous," Bloomberg freelancer Joe Fassler noted.
The typically left-leaning outlet quickly tried to assuage the obvious concerns it had just raised.
"Don't worry: Prominent cancer researchers tell Bloomberg Businessweek that because the cells aren't human, it's essentially impossible for people who eat them to get cancer from them, or for the precancerous or cancerous cells to replicate inside people at all," Fassler wrote.
While Bloomberg swiftly dismisses this specific concern (the outlet notes that nitrates and fecal matter found in meat should be a far greater concern), it's easy to see why such claims are so alarming.
"Essentially impossible" is markedly different from "impossible." Even a one-in-a-quadrillion chance of contracting real cancer from fake meat is not a worthwhile trade-off for many people.
In fact, Fassler admits this is a concern when he notes that "scientists aren’t as quick as journalists to use the words 'essentially impossible' in writing."
"Despite the informal scientific consensus around the safety of immortalized cells, there just aren’t any long-term health studies to prove it," Fassler wrote.
Again, phrases such as "informal scientific consensus" and the lack of "long-term health studies" are not doing the synthetic meat industry any favors.
Also not helping the synthetic meat industries: The boastful claims emanating from the industry's top executives seem too good to be true for many.
“You just need a cell,” one synthetic meat company CEO said in June, per Bloomberg. “From that one cell, you can make billions of pounds of meat.”
There are also the simple ethical concerns of using immortalized cells. The entire practice began when cervical cancer cells were taken from a woman without her consent or knowledge.
Just as much of a concern for many: Even Bloomberg admits that the synthetic meat industry is being mum on the whole topic to begin with -- and are aware of how suspicious they look in doing so.
"Nonetheless, interviews with dozens of current and former employees, executives, investors, analysts and other insiders, as well as reviews of the companies’ regulatory filings and past statements, make clear that the cultured meat industry is anxious about its use of immortalized cells and is doing what it can to avoid the subject," Fassler wrote.
With these meats now plowing full steam ahead thanks to the USDA, the synthetic meat industry may not have much of a choice when it comes to not wanting to discuss this controversial topic anymore.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
It's not unusual for Alaskans to see a moose, even within city limits.
And it's not even rare for one of the huge animals to charge people and other wildlife.
But residents of Teller, Alaska, knew something was different about the moose stumbling around their town recently.
“It was drooling and being very aggressive towards people and it was wobbly, unstable on its legs,” Kimberlee Beckmen told the Anchorage Daily News. “That was very unusual behavior.”
Beckmen is a wildlife veterinarian with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
The veterinarian's department received multiple reports about the animal in Teller, which is about 70 miles northwest of Nome, the Daily News reported.
The animal was killed and brain tissue samples were found to contain the rabies virus, according to the report.
Beckmen said the moose's carcass was burned so the virus wouldn’t spread to any scavengers.
It was the first recorded case of rabies in a moose, not just in Alaska, but also in North America, according to a news release from Doug Vincent-Lang, commissioner at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
"Rabies diagnoses in moose are rare, but there have been moose diagnosed with rabies in Europe," he said.
The official added that the virus was found to be an arctic fox rabies variant, "suggesting the moose contracted the virus from a fox."
Because of the new case, the fish and game department plans to test brain samples from all wild mammals found dead or euthanized from regions of the state where fox rabies virus is known to circulate.
They've asked the public to report mammals -- alive or dead -- with any signs of rabies, such as excessive salivation, abnormal and/or aggressive behavior and bite marks.
"Pictures or videos of the animal are helpful, but it is important to not come into contact with a potentially rabid animal or carcass," they cautioned.
"Due to the largely solitary nature of moose, it is very unlikely that any rabies outbreak will occur in the moose population," the news release added.
The department advised hunters that moose in the Seward Peninsula that appear healthy and display normal behavior should be considered safe to consume.
"Precautions when butchering moose or other mammals for human consumption would include using rubber or latex gloves," they continued. "When done handling game wash hands thoroughly with soap or disinfectant, and disinfect knives, equipment and surfaces that were in contact with game.
"You should not eat, drink or smoke while handing game, and should cook the game to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F."
They recommended vaccinating dogs and cats against rabies and preventing pets from interacting with wildlife.
The potentially fatal virus is transmissible to humans, the Daily News reported, adding that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention only receives between one and three cases per year in humans.
"If a person is bitten by a wild animal or a pet that may have been exposed to rabies, immediately wash the wound with soap and water and seek medical attention," the fish and game department advised.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
If I were a manufacturer of toys for children, I'm pretty sure I'd set a safety standard somewhere north of "our products must not put children at risk of impalement."
I, however, do not work for ZURU Toys.
That company has recalled roughly 7.5 million Baby Shark and Mini Baby Shark bath toys after reports of injuries to 12 children, three-quarters of which were serious enough to require a doctor's care.
"Zuru is aware of 12 reports of children falling or sitting onto the recalled full-size Baby Shark bath toy, resulting in impalement injuries, lacerations and puncture wounds, including to children’s genital, anorectal and facial areas," the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a recall notice posted Thursday to its website.
"Nine of the incidents required stitches or medical attention," the site said.
Twelve out of 6.5 million sold indicates an incident rate of approximately 0.00018 percent.
The other million products recalled were Mini Baby Shark toys.
Though the company said it wasn't aware of any problems with the Mini Baby Shark bath toys, it recalled them anyway, evidently out of an abundance of caution.
The website also includes detailed descriptions of the affected products.
Zuru offered a refund of $14 for the larger toy and $6 for each Mini Baby Shark, payable in the form of a digital Mastercard, for consumers who follow the recall instructions on the site and upload a picture of "disabled" product for verification.
The Chinese-manufactured toys have been on the market since 2019 and were apparently sold widely -- CPSC lists "Walmart, CVS Pharmacy, Dollar General Corp., Family Dollar Services, HEB Grocery Company, Meijer, Target, TJX Companies, Ross, and Walgreens stores" as outlets for the products, in addition to the usual online retailers.
"ZURU Toys is one of the largest toy companies in the world, known for its innovation, creativity and disruption through automation," according to the company website.
"Inspired by kids and imaginative play, ZURU Toys distributes to all major retailers in over 120 countries and has delighted millions of families all over the world with brands such as Bunch O Balloons™, X-Shot™, Rainbocorns™, Robo Alive™, Smashers™, 5 Surprise™ and Pets Alive™ and partnerships with entertainment properties, including Nickelodeon, Disney, Universal Studios and DreamWorks."
In addition to its toy division, ZURU also operates ZURU Edge, a consumer goods company that produces care products for personal, home and pet use.
The company also operates in the construction industry, producing building information modeling software that creates three-dimensional images of proposed building projects to automate portions of the construction process.
"Ten years in the making, ZURU Tech has reinvented every aspect of the construction process, developing the world’s first BIM software that directly connects to fully automated production," the company's website claims.
No other ZURU products were listed as recalled by the CPSC website.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
After choosing to alienate its conservative customer base by partnering with a man who claims to be a woman, the struggling brand Bud Light is now facing pressure from another direction.
On Monday. according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune, The Saloon, a Minneapolis gay bar, became the latest business to stop selling products from Anheuser-Busch, Bud Light's parent company, while its owner criticized Anheuser-Busch for failing to double down on support for transgender actor and model Dylan Mulvaney.
According to KMSP-TV in Minneapolis, Saloon owner John Moore stated, "Anheuser-Busch had an opportunity to support a marginalized community in a way that few other corporations have attempted, but they abandoned that direction. We view that as unacceptable."
The 2Bears Tavern Group, which owns four gay bars in Chicago, made a similar decision in May, according to WGN-TV in Chicago.
Anheuser-Busch has failed to apologize to its customers for its partnership with Dylan Mulvaney, but has put the marketing executive responsible for the partnership on leave along with her boss and put out an empty statement in response to outrage.
In response, conservatives have continued to boycott Bud Light, bringing the stock of AB-InBev, the conglomerate that owns Anheuser-Busch, down from $65.57 per share on April 3 (when the controversy began) to $56.73 as of Wednesday's closing, according to Yahoo Finance, a plunge that has cost the company billions.
Bud Light sales are down considerably, according to both sales data and anecdotes from sellers.
According to the New York Post, not even Memorial Day weekend could help the struggling brand:
"Demand for Bud Light over the crucial Memorial Day weekend — the official kickoff of the summer beer buying season — was lukewarm with many store shelves still holding cases of the once mighty beer, Williams said after a spot check of local stores," the Post reported.
At an advertising conference in Cannes, France, on Monday, an advertising executive for the AB InBev, called the situation a "wake-up call" for the company, according to the advertising industry publication AdAge.
"In times like this, when things get divisive and controversial so easily, I think it’s an important wake-up call to all of us marketers first of all to be very humble,” said Marcel Marcondes, AB InBev's global chief marketing executive, according to AdAge.
“That’s what we’re doing, being very humble, and really reminding ourselves of what we should do best every day, which is to really understand our consumers. Which is to really celebrate and appreciate every consumer that loves our brands — but in a way that can make them be together, not apart.”
Matt Walsh and other conservatives continue to support the boycott, as Bud Light has reportedly offered to buy back expired beer from wholesalers.
The goal is to make “pride” toxic for brands. If they decide to shove this garbage in our face, they should know that they’ll pay a price. It won’t be worth whatever they think they’ll gain. First Bud Light and now Target. Our campaign is making progress. Let’s keep it going.
— Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) May 24, 2023
In light of this epic collapse of a once-dominant company, the decisions of a few gay bars in the middle of the country may not seem very significant. However, it is important to consider the incentives in place for Anheuser-Busch, which go beyond the hubris of a leftist marketing executive.
Anheuser-Busch recently lost its perfect Human Rights Campaign's Corporate Equality Index rating. As USA Today reported in May, the group, which calls itself "the nation's largest LGBTQ advocacy group" said the company's response to the Mulvaney controversy showed it "does not stand up for the values of diversity, equity and inclusion it espouses."
The opinion of a radical leftist organization like the Human Rights Campaign matters to companies like Anheuser-Busch because some large investments firms rely on such ratings for environmental, social, and governance investing, known as ESG. Radicals like Larry Finke, CEO of the huge investment firm BlackRock, openly brag about seeking to "force behaviors," through ESG investing.
"You have to force behaviors. If you don't force behaviors whether it's gender, or race, or just any way you want to say the composition of your team, you are going to be impacted."
— Larry Fink, CEO of BlackRock
Via @TheRabbitHole84
— Francisco de Miranda (@Ernestonewage) June 16, 2023
Bud Light is trapped between its conservative customer base and radical groups like the Human Rights Campaign, as Anheuser-Busch engages in damage control that satisfies neither side.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
America’s men’s national soccer team defeated Mexico 3-0 Thursday in a game that was halted after Mexican fans began chanting a homophobic slur.
The U.S. team won on the strength of two goals by Christian Pulisic and one by Ricardo Pepi. It was the most lopsided loss for Mexico since 2000.
For years, Mexican fans have chanted a Spanish vulgarity, which is a word for male prostitute that has become accepted as an anti-gay slur. Last year, Mexico was threatened with sanctions if its fans continued the chant.
With Mexico trailing 3-0 in the Concacaf Nations League semifinal as the second half wound down, the chant emerged again, according to ESPN.
CHRISTIAN PULISIC LOVES SCORING AGAINST MEXICO. 😤 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/nwZZnRvkFx
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 16, 2023
Referee Ivan Barton stopped the game in the final minute of regulation time due to the chanting.
Eventually, the chant returned after a goal kick by U.S. goalkeeper Matt Turner, leading Barton to end the game early during stoppage time.
Initially, Concacaf said the game ended at the "referee's discretion,” but later issued a statement acknowledging the fan behavior.
"Concacaf strongly condemns the discriminatory chanting by some fans during the CNL Semifinal match between Mexico and the United States,” the statement said.
"Chants heard during the game led to the activation of the anti-discrimination protocol by the match officials. Additionally, security staff ejected several fans for engaging in unacceptable behavior in the stadium. These incidents were extremely disappointing and tarnished what should have been a positive occasion to showcase high-quality football in our region."
The organization said it was “urgently establishing further details and reports from security and match officials and will make a further statement in short order."
The Mexican Football Federation was fined $108,000 when fans erupted with the chant during the 2022 World Cup.
César Montes kicks out at Folarin Balogun and gets a red card. Things escalate and Weston McKennie is sent off too. 😲
10 vs. 10 for the remainder of the match. pic.twitter.com/zkZe8nKDUe
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 16, 2023
On the field, the game was intense, with four red cards being issued: Weston McKennie and Sergiño Dest from the U.S. team and César Montes and Gerardo Arteaga from the Mexican team were ejected.
"These are rivalry games. These are derby games. Things like this happen across the world and in no way am I embarrassed," U.S. interim coach B.J. Callaghan said, according to the Associated Press.
CHRISTIAN PULISIC MAKES IT DOS A CERO. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/JBvmCz4wxn
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 16, 2023
"It comes from a good place. They care about each other so much in that locker room that they're standing up for each other. Sometimes does it have an issue where we take a red card? Yeah, but when you know where it comes from, you can accept it, and it's a learning lesson for us,” he said.
Pulisic put the U.S. ahead in the game’s 37th minute and scored again in the 46th. Pulisic now has 25 goals in 59 international appearances, with four against Mexico.
SERGINO DEST FINDS RICARDO PEPI. 💥
Pepi makes an instant impact FOUR minutes off the bench. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/fBsuGInWxB
— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) June 16, 2023
Pepi scored his goal in the 79th minute.
The U.S. team will now face Canada in the Nations League final Sunday night.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
One day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken wrapped up talks with Chinese officials in Beijing, a new report said China is planning to base troops in Cuba.
The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday that Cuba and China are in talks over the establishment of a military training facility that would be about 100 miles from Florida’s coast.
The report, based on what it said were “current and former U.S. officials” who were not named, said U.S. intelligence documents indicate the deal is in its final stages.
The Journal said the Biden administration is trying to persuade Cuba to back away from the project.
The White House declined to comment on the report, it said.
The sources were quoted as saying the fears of the project included China having a permanent base for troops in Cuba and an even more far-reaching campaign of intelligence gathering aimed at the United States.
The facility is part of China’s “Project 141” to expand military and logistical facilities around the world, the report said. The Journal said the plan was cited in what it summed up as “convincing but fragmentary” intelligence reports.
The new facility would add to China’s presence in Cuba, which consists of four jointly run eavesdropping stations, the report said, citing U.S. officials it did not name.
Prior to 2019, the Journal reported, there had been one Chinese spy site on the island. Chinese involvement in the sites increased that year when the number of eavesdropping locations increased, the report said.
On Monday, a State Department news release said that during Blinken’s meetings with Chinese officials Sunday and Monday, “The two sides discussed a range of global and regional security issues, including Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine, the DPRK’s provocative actions, and U.S. concerns with PRC intelligence activities in Cuba,” using acronyms for the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, commonly known as North Korea, and the People’s Republic of China.
"The Secretary made clear that the United States will work with its allies and partners to advance our vision for a world that is free, open, and upholds the rules-based international order," it said.
No consequences for the spy balloon. No consequences for spy station in Cuba. No consequences for stealing our jobs. China calls the shots in the Biden Admin https://t.co/jm0zDBheZk
— Josh Hawley (@HawleyMO) June 19, 2023
Earlier this month, the Biden administration said China has been spying on the U.S. from Cuba since 2019.
The Journal reported June 8 that a new agreement had been reached to establish a spy base, leading to a Biden administration official’s confession that the truth was worse.
“This is an ongoing issue and not a new development,” an official told the outlet June 10.
The official told the Journal at that time that China’s “intelligence collection facilities” in Cuba were upgraded in 2019.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
One crew’s massive haul in a marlin fishing tournament ended up being the prize that got away.
On Saturday, the crew of Sensation, entered in the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament in Morehead City, North Carolina, thought that it had won the tournament and raked in some bonus money when they brought in a 619.4-pound marlin.
Then the judges inspected the catch, and the thrill of victory began to seep away.
“OK, guys. Let’s talk about the rules here for a second. It would appear that this fish has been bitten by a shark,” emcee Tommy Bennett said after the fish was inspected, according to The Washington Post.
The next day, the ruling came down.
“The Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament follows [International Game Fish Association] rules regarding mutilated fish as outlined in Rule #23 in the Big Rock Official Rules. IGFA rules state that the following situation will disqualify a fish: ‘Mutilation to the fish, prior to landing or boating the catch, caused by sharks, other fish, mammals, or propellers that remove or penetrate the flesh,'” the ruling said.
“After careful deliberation and discussions between the Big Rock Rules Committee and Board of Directors with biologists from both NC State CMAST and NC Marine Fisheries biologists as well as an IGFA official, it was determined that Sensation’s 619.4lb Blue Marlin is disqualified due to mutilation caused by a shark or other marine animal. It was deemed that the fish was mutilated before it was landed or boated, and therefore, it was disqualified."
As the Post noted, this was not about bragging rights. The decision cost the crew $3.5 million, with $2.77 million for winning the tournament and $739,500 for bringing in the first catch of the year to top 500 pounds.
Jeremy Duffie, a Maryland-based game fisher, said the rule targets crews that hit a fish with a boat, making it easier to catch the fish. Fish that are wounded are also easier to catch.
[firefly_poll]
Greg McCoy, captain of the crew that caught the monster fish, said it was no picnic. "[W]e fought with him for six hours. It’s a tough pill to swallow,” he said.
The tournament was won by the crew of the boat Sushi, whose marlin weighed 484.5 pounds.
“We don’t get a plaque on the Big Rock fountain. We don’t get the dough. A year from now we will be totally forgotten. No one will care,” McCoy said after the tournament, according to Carolina Cost Online.
“I was hoping they would do the right thing and declare us the winners but no such luck. It's a lot of money," he said.
McCoy said boat owner Ashley Bleau is protesting the ruling and could consider legal action as well.
McCoy said the crew went on an emotional roller-coaster.
“You catch a fish like that on the last day in the last hour and go well into overtime, it was something else. Then they started pulling those shenanigans, and I thought we were going to have a riot on our hands for a while,” he said.
He said the catch was followed by “[a] lot of hooting and hollering and embracing. We knew we had just won the Big Rock. Not too many guys have done it. Then we pointed her to the beach, and the Big Rock crowd was talking to us on the radio about when we would be in. We had a lot of good fun on the way in. It’s just unfortunate it didn’t work out."
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
A shooting during a Juneteenth celebration in Illinois left at least 20 people wounded and one dead.
The shooting took place Sunday at about 12:30 a.m. in Willowbrook, which is about 21 miles west of Chicago, according to CNN.
"It was supposed to be like a Juneteenth celebration," witness Markeshia Avery said, according to WLS-TV.
"We just started hearing shooting, so we dropped down until they stopped. They just kept going. After that, we literally scattered away,” she said.
"We just heard gunshots; at first it was one, but then it was a whole bunch of gunshots. After then we started running like, 'yo.' I looked at my friend, and we took off, running like crazy," another witness Zaviar Sheikh said.
Witness footage from the aftermath of a Juneteenth shooting near Chicago, Illinois pic.twitter.com/XT186d56qJ
— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) June 18, 2023
"It was chaos," witness Craig Lotcie said, according to WFLD.
[firefly_poll]
Earlier this year, Illinois passed a law to ban what lawmakers called "assault weapons." In fact, the website World Population Review ranked Illinois as the eight-strictest state for gun control in the nation.
Joe Ostrander, battalion chief of the Tri-State Fire Protection District said at least 12 ambulances responded to the scene, according to CNN.
The motive for the shooting is not known, DuPage County Deputy Sheriff Eric Swanson said.
Swanson said deputies were on patrol near the area of "a large gathering" when they heard shots and responded, according to Fox News.
"It was chaotic. Chaos, pure chaos,” said Nayetta Reed, who was at the event, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Reed said she had helped break up at least two fights among teenage girls before the shooting but did not think the shooting was related to those events.
Reed estimated she heard at least 100 gunshots in a time span of 10 to 15 seconds.
1 dead, at least 20 injured in shooting at Illinois Juneteenth celebration https://t.co/9khqEajO87
— FOX4 News Kansas City (@fox4kc) June 18, 2023
“Since Juneteenth has come about, we’ve been celebrating. And usually the sheriffs are out here with us. It’s very controlled, it’s peaceful,” Reed said. “I don’t know what happened. I really don’t know what happened last night. It just went left. We’ll probably never do another one.”
She and attendee David Barnes said the annual party was usually for residents of nearby apartments, but this year drew a larger crowd that included new participants.
This article appeared originally on The Western Journal.
