World News Today, Los Angeles, CA (2025)

01/04/2025

Johnson reveals Trump's wishes on delivering huge policy overhaul in closed-door meeting

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Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., told Republican lawmakers on Saturday that President-elect Trump supports a conservative policy overhaul via a single large bill, three sources told Fox News Digital.

Trump wants both the House and Senate to have such a bill on his desk by May, the sources said. The president-elect's buy-in will likely end the growing intraparty friction on how to pass Republican goals next year via a process known as "reconciliation," which lawmakers plan to use to pass conservative policy and budget changes.

House Republicans met behind closed doors in Washington's Fort McNair on Saturday to discuss the plan.

JOHNSON BLASTS DEM ACCUSATIONS HE VOWED TO END OBAMACARE AS 'DISHONEST'

Reconciliation allows the Senate to bypass its traditional 60-vote threshold in favor of a simple majority, provided the legislation is focused on budgetary and other fiscal matters.

Both parties have traditionally used reconciliation to pass broad policy changes in a single bill. But the legislation also goes through a strict assessment where the Senate parliamentarian is tasked with deciding what is and is not relevant to U.S. fiscal matters.

Notably, Democrats previously tried to use reconciliation to pass mass amnesty measures, but they were blocked.

Republicans might face similar issues with their push to add border security provisions to the bill. They're also aiming to use it to extend Trump's Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) of 2017, as well as to pass measures on energy and defense.

The apparent decision by Johnson on Saturday comes after Congressional Republicans were at odds over whether to pass one or two reconciliation bills.

REPUBLICANS GIVE DETAILS FROM CLOSED-DOOR MEETINGS WITH DOGE'S MUSK, RAMASWAMY

It is a process normally used once per year, but Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., floated a plan last month to split Republicans' priorities into two bills – one dealing with the border and defense and a second aimed at preserving Trump's tax policy.

The plan was also backed by top Trump adviser Stephen Miller.

But that push angered Republicans on the House Ways and Means Committee, who warned that two reconciliation bills could be too big a lift, and putting taxes second could imperil remaining GOP tax provisions that are set to expire at the end of this year.

House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Jason Smith, R-Mo., pointed out on Fox Business Network's' "Mornings With Maria" that Congress has not passed two reconciliation bills into law in one year since 1997.

"I am saying we need a reconciliation bill that has border, energy, permitting and tax. You put all four of those things together, we can deliver on that," Smith said.

The panel put out a memo last month warning that everyday Americans could see their taxes rise by 22% if Trump's tax policies expire.

But other lawmakers bristled at the idea that two bills were impossible.

House Freedom Caucus Chairman Andy Harris, R-Md., told Fox News Digital last month, "I think we need to prove to the American people that we can actually defend our borders. The bottom line is, I think they need to be on almost parallel tracks. But I do believe that taxes are much more complicated."

Fox News Digital reached out to Thune and Smith's offices for comment. Thune's office responded and declined to comment, and Smith's office did not immediately respond.

01/04/2025

Jimmy Carter's funeral services begin with trek to childhood home, Atlanta

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The week-long state funeral services honoring former President Jimmy Carter, who died at 100 last week, began Saturday morning. The ceremonies will honor Carter’s journey from his hometown of Plains, Georgia, to his esteemed role on the global humanitarian stage and as the 39th American president.

On Saturday morning, individuals gathered in downtown Plains to place flowers at the base of Carter's monument. The tribute also featured Habitat for Humanity hard hats adorned with handwritten messages, including one that read, "God bless you, Mr. President," USA Today first reported.

His specific cause of death on Dec. 29 was unclear. Carter's death followed the passing of his wife Rosalynn on Nov. 19, 2023. She died at the age of 96 with her family by her side at the Carter home in Plains, just days after she had been admitted to hospice care.

JIMMY CARTER, 39TH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, DEAD AT 100

Carter was the oldest living president.

Here is the order of funeral events:

•10:15 a.m.: The Carter family will arrive at Phoebe Sumter Medical Center in Americus, Georgia. Nine current and former Secret Service agents of Carter's administration will serve as pallbearers, escorting his remains to the hearse.

•10:50 a.m.: The motorcade will travel through Plains, pausing briefly at Carter’s boyhood home in Archery. During this pause, the National Park Service will ring the historic farm bell 39 times, symbolizing Carter’s tenure as the 39th President.

•10:55 a.m.: The journey to Atlanta will begin.

FORMER PRESIDENT JIMMY CARTER TO SPEND 'REMAINING TIME' AT HOME RECEIVING HOSPICE CARE

•3:00 p.m.: Upon arrival in Atlanta, the motorcade will stop at the Georgia State Capitol for a moment of silence led by Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens, and members of the Georgia General Assembly.

Georgia State Patrol troopers, both current and retired, will assemble on the Capitol steps, with those who served on Carter’s security detail during his governorship taking a place of distinction.

•3:45 p.m.: An arrival ceremony will take place at the Carter Presidential Center.

•4:00 p.m.: A private service will be conducted in the lobby of the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.

•7:00 p.m.: President Carter will lie in repose at the Carter Presidential Center, allowing the public to pay their respects until 6:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 7.

•Jan. 7: President Carter’s remains will be transported to Washington, D.C., where he will lie in state at the U.S. Capitol for national homage.

•Jan. 9: A national funeral service will be held at the Washington National Cathedral, with President Joe Biden expected to deliver the eulogy. Biden declared Thursday a National Day of Mourning.

JIMMY CARTER EXPECTED TO LIE IN ROTUNDA AHEAD OF STATE FUNERAL SCHEDULED BY BIDEN

•Following the Washington service, Carter’s remains will return to Georgia for a private funeral at Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains. Carter will then be laid to rest next to his late wife, Rosalynn Carter, at their residence.

Fox News Digital's Andrea Magolis contributed to this report.

01/04/2025

Jets turn to familiar face in search for new head coach: report

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Sometimes, in order to go forward, you must go back. That is at least what Rex Ryan is hoping for when he interviews with the New York Jets.

Ryan will be interviewing with the Jets on Tuesday, per the NFL Networks’ Ian Rapoport.

Ryan, 62, coached the Jets for six seasons from 2009-2014 and led them to back-to-back AFC Championship games, with a record of 46-50 with the team.

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Since the firing of head coach Robert Saleh in October, Ryan has been very open about wanting a chance to coach the Jets again.

"I’d like to, there’s no doubt about it, I’ve let everyone know that I definitely would be interested in that job, even though I’ve got a great gig," Ryan said on Barstool Sports’ "Pardon My Take" in November.

Ryan is currently an analyst for ESPN and has been with them since April 2017. Despite loving his job in the media, he would love the chance to man the sidelines again in East Rutherford, NJ.

DOLPHINS' TUA TAGOVAILOA 'UNLIKELY' TO PLAY WITH PLAYOFF BERTH AT STAKE DUE TO HIP INJURY

"I think I have some unfinished business, especially with that franchise. That particular franchise, you know, my dad [Buddy Ryan] was there forever, he won a Super Bowl, and it’s super close to me. I would get back in it if I thought I could make a difference and I think I could make a big difference with that team," Ryan said.

The Jets haven’t made the playoffs since Ryan led them to consecutive AFC Championship Games, which were in 2009 and 2010.

After the Jets fired Ryan in 2014 after going 4-12, he was hired by the Buffalo Bills.

Ryan was with the Bills for nearly two seasons, before getting fired after Week 16 in his second season after going 15-16 with the team.

The Jets have already interviewed former Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders head coach Ron Rivera and former Tennessee Titans head coach Mike Vrabel for the position.

The Jets are currently 4-12, with their final game coming at home against the Miami Dolphins, who are fighting for a playoff berth.

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01/04/2025

Seahawks prank rookie Byron Murphy II with outrageous dinner bill

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Seattle Seahawks defensive tackle Byron Murphy II was the latest victim of the infamous and expensive annual rookie dinner – only his teammates decided to also throw in a little prank.

Every year, NFL veterans are treated to a dinner where they typically order high-priced items on the menu, and the team’s respective rookie will foot the bill. Those bills can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Murphy, who was drafted by the Seahawks with the No. 16 overall pick in the 2024 draft, was up to pay his rookie dues when he received the shock of a lifetime.

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According to videos shared on Murphy’s Instagram on Friday, the Seahawks players racked up a bill of more than $155,000.

And Murphy’s reaction said it all.

Thankfully, the receipt was just a prank – although the real bill was still shockingly high for just one night of team bonding.

49ERS' BROCK PURDY IMPRESSES AFTER GIFTING OFFENSIVE LINEMAN BRAND-NEW CARS FOR CHRISTMAS

The total, with gratuity added, was over $38,000. But it shouldn’t be too much of a problem for Murphy to cover.

The former Texas standout signed a four-year contract worth over $16 million with an annual salary of just over $4 million.

The Seahawks were eliminated from the playoffs last week following the Los Angeles Rams’ win over the Arizona Cardinals. They will close out the season with a game against the Rams on Sunday.

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01/04/2025

Gym owner bans new members in January, has reasons for 'unconventional' actions

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Made a New Year's resolution to get fit and healthy again?

One gym owner says good luck with that — because there's no place for new joiners in the month of January at his venue.

Gym owner Clayton Leah, 31, has been turning away potential new members at his gym, Ascendancy Fitness, even though this is the busiest time of year, he told Fox News Digital in a phone interview on Saturday, Jan. 4. "We stopped sign-ups on New Year's Eve," he said.

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He has a specific reason for his unusual stance, he said.

The purpose is to protect existing gym members and long-time fitness practitioners from an influx of new joiners, he told Fox News Digital.

Often, he said, the eager January newcomers wind up dropping away as their intentions to maintain a New Year's resolution wear off.

Leah said in part that he did not want "to annoy all of our existing members who have been with us for so long."

He added of his gym's news, "I would hate to focus more on the negative than the positive. The response has been overwhelmingly positive," he told Fox News Digital on Saturday.

DEPRESSION COULD BE PREVENTED WITH SPECIFIC DAILY STEP COUNT, STUDY FINDS

"The majority of people appreciate the fact that we've done this and see why we've done it," he also said. "We've always prioritized our membership experience — it's so important to us."

For those who are criticizing his gym for a "not smart" business move, it's actually "been the opposite," he said.

"The first priority is our members, and they are highly appreciative of what we're doing," he said.

"Naturally, we have some inquiries about joining. And I've said this before, but as soon as you take something away from people, then people want it more. But that's not why we've done this."

"We wanted to try and break the mold," he also told news agency SWNS.

He said he's trying to "take an unconventional approach and protect our existing members – that is the most important thing for us."

DANCE EASES DEPRESSION SYMPTOMS IN PARKINSON'S PATIENTS, NEW STUDY SUGGESTS

The gym is located in Warrington, Cheshire, in England, roughly halfway between Liverpool and Manchester.

His gym has about 650 current members. It also gives one-time day passes for those who want to work out there.

Leah said he hopes his gym's decision would encourage people to join the gym throughout the year — rather than just in January, when people are drawn to the venue because of ambitious New Year's resolutions.

He said the fitness industry "is an amazing industry" and "we're trying to help people with whatever fitness and health goals they have."

The gym owner said the only negative reaction to the blocked memberships had been from those hoping to join.

He said, "The only negative response people have is a case of ‘I was going to join, but now I can’t.'"

He added, "For those people, I say, ‘Well, you should have joined sooner,'" he told SWNS.

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This is not the first case of gyms or fitness clubs banning new members in January.

Equinox, a luxury fitness club, banned new members on Jan. 1, 2023, as Fox News Digital previously reported.

It was part of a "We Don't Speak January" campaign to discourage short-term New Year's resolutions and encourage long-term commitment.

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Certified personal trainer and strength coach Melissa Kendter of Pennsylvania said every trainer’s "main passion" should be guiding others toward leading a healthier lifestyle and building long-term success with sustainable habits, as Fox News Digital also previously reported.

Leah of Ascendancy Fitness said his gym is likely to reopen to new memberships in February, although the gym doesn't have a specific date confirmed as yet.

"Obviously our plan was to avoid the January influx," he told Fox News Digital.

Angelica Stabile of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

01/04/2025

Gutsy woman, 71, fends off violent attack by 4 teen girls on blue city subway

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An unflinching 71-year-old woman gave a group of would-be teen muggers a taste of their own medicine when they tried to mug the senior on her way to church on New Year’s Day.

The gutsy straphanger fought off the four female teens as they punched and stomped on her during the botched robbery on the New York City subway system, the latest in a string of crimes on the Big Apple’s crime-ridden transit network.

The victim was on her way to a church service on New Year's Day in Brooklyn at around 6 p.m. when she got off a Number 3 train at Hoyt Station – only to be set upon by the teens, according to the NYPD and a New York Post report.

SUSPECT ACCUSED OF BURNING WOMAN TO DEATH ON NYC SUBWAY IS PREVIOUSLY DEPORTED ILLEGAL IMMIGRANT

Police say the four suspects tried to steal the woman’s bag and struck her on the body. The NYPD released video of the group smiling as they pass through subway turnstiles and police say they are still on the loose. They have asked for the public's help in tracking them down.

The woman, identified by the Post as Linda Rosa from East New York, detailed the disturbing attack to the publication, saying she was adamant she would not be robbed.

Rosa said after one of the teens tried to grab her purse while a second also tried to get her sticky fingers on it, asking the senior if she wanted to fight.

The first teen then smacked Rosa in the face, knocking her glasses to the floor, while the second teen managed to sn**ch a pocket pouch that held Rosa’s ID and medical records, she said.

"I was still wrestling with the first person," Rosa told the Post. "Then I was trying to kick her in between her legs, but my leg wouldn’t stretch far enough, so I believe that’s when I fell. I fell, and then she stomped on me."

NYC MAN CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTED MURDER AFTER ALLEGEDLY SHOVING COMMUTER IN PATH OF SUBWAY

Fearing the law flouting teens would stomp her in the head, Rosa said she fought back.

"So I got up right away, and with that, I grabbed her braids and twirled them around my right hand, and then I pulled her down. She had her head down," Rosa said. "Then the other young lady said, ‘Let her go.’ And I said, ‘Oh, no, I’m not letting her go.’"

The plucky senior yelled out for someone to help her and then the second teen came for her again.

"So out of nowhere, I grabbed her hair and twisted it around my left hand," Rosa said. "So I had them both facedown….[like] rams when they’re getting ready to fight."

Rosa said the other two teens screamed at her to let the pair go and Rosa then yelled for help.

The senior eventually cut them loose and the stunned teens bolted from the subway system.

Rosa then headed to the nearby Brooklyn Tabernacle Church, where the staff tended to her and called 911, per the Post.

Police tell Fox News Digital that the victim sustained minor injuries and was taken by EMS to The Brooklyn Hospital Center in stable condition.

She told the Post that she was thankful they did not have weapons and that the frightening ordeal didn’t spark a heart attack.

Nevertheless, she said she forgives them.

"They do not know what they do," Rosa told the Post. "They don’t know what they did. It’s just teenagers acting foolish."

She said that nobody is safe in New York City’s subway system or on the streets these days.

"It could happen to anybody," Rosa said. "Now we’re seeing seniors getting attacked. Anywhere – it can happen anywhere, any station. You could be walking down the street. You could be crossing the street."

The attack came just a day after a 45-year-old man was shoved into an oncoming subway train in Manhattan. He suffered a head injury and was miraculously listed in stable condition.

Days earlier, police say an illegal immigrant from Guatemala heinously set on fire and burned a woman to death on a subway train in Brooklyn, New York.

The crimes come despite New York Governor Kathy Hochul touting the subway system as safe.

01/04/2025

Washington football player declares for job market, instead of NFL, in hilarious post

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This is the time of the year when a lot of college football players will declare for the NFL Draft.

A lot of players will post a statement that they are grateful for their college experience, and that they are looking forward to what the future holds in the NFL.

But University of Washington linebacker Drew Fowler announced that he was declaring for something other than the NFL in his post.

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"When I first committed here in 2019, I talked about taking ‘the road less traveled.’ Boy, did I have any idea what that would truly mean. Playing through 4 head coaches, 3 athletic directors, 4 coordinators, and a global pandemic, my experience at UW has been nothing short of special," Fowler said in his statement.

Fowler would go on to thank his coaches, academic advisors, athletic trainers, his teammates and everyone else who helped him along the way, and then concluded his statement with a curveball.

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"With that being said, I’m officially declaring for the job market. In other words, I need a job. If you are anybody you know has an employment opportunity, I am your guy. Gritty, hardworking, sneaky athletic, locker room guy, will bring my lunch pail to work," Fowler wrote.

"My LinkedIn is updated, and I am ."

"Thank you, Husky Nation."

Washington lost to Louisville 35-34 in the Sun Bowl on Tuesday, ending Fowler’s college career.

Fowler played for five years, all with Washington, and had 42 combined tackles with one tackle for loss in his career.

Now he will look to take his talents to the job market.

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01/04/2025

Ex-UFC star reveals surprising link to the suspect of Vegas Cybertruck explosion

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Tim Kennedy, a Green Beret and former UFC star, revealed in a social media post late Friday that he had once been partnered in a military reality television competition with the suspect involved in the Las Vegas Cybertruck explosion.

In a post on Instagram, Kennedy shared that more than a decade ago he competed in the History Channel’s "Ultimate Soldier Challenge" alongside Matthew Livelsberger, a U.S. Army service member from Colorado.

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"13 years ago I competed in a shooting competition on History Channel called ‘The Ultimate Soldiers Challenge.’ My partner in this competition was Matt Burg (aka Matt Livelsberger). Last night when I saw old photos of him on the news, I put together that it was the same guy."

Kennedy said in the post that he was "flabbergasted" to learn that Livelsberger was the driver of the Tesla Cybertruck that blew up outside Trump International Hotel Las Vegas on New Year's Day.

NFL ADDRESSES SUPER BOWL SAFETY CONCERNS IN THE WAKE OF DEADLY BOURBON STREET ATTACK

"He was a sincere, hard-working, talented, and competent Special Forces operator. I am flabbergasted and heartbroken to hear the news," he continued. "None of this makes sense and I, like many others, are confused and want answers."

Police said Livelsberger, 37, was shot in the head in what police believe was a self-inflicted gunshot prior to the detonation of the vehicle. He was identified by his tattoos, credit cards and a military identification found with him.

Livelsberger was a U.S. Army special operations soldier who had several addresses associated with him and was on leave from Germany, where he was serving with the 10th Special Forces Group.

Fox News’ Stepheny Price contributed to this report.

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01/04/2025

What Notre Dame Cathedral can teach us about faith in the season of Epiphany

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Something beautiful happened late last year. As 2024 wound down, the world celebrated the rebuilding of glorious Notre Dame de Paris, which a mere five and a half years before was engulfed in horrifying flames. At the reopening ceremony in Paris, her bells rang for the first time since the fire.

The pleasing peal called to my mind a poem that raises up something no less beautiful than the French Gothic monument: her builders. This memory in turn led to an epiphany, which is fitting as the Epiphany, or Christian celebration of the revelation of God as human in Jesus Christ, fast approaches.

"Cathedral Builders," written by Welsh poet John Ormond and published in the journal "Poetry Wales" in 1965, lyrically reminds us of a very simple truth with profound consequences. It is often ordinary people who create the most extraordinary beauty, particularly when the undertaking is grand in scope.

NOTRE DAME HOSTS FIRST MASS SINCE 2019 FIRE, DRAWING CROWDS BY THE THOUSANDS

Ormond exalts the sanctifying work of countless craftsmen whose identities are known only to history, but whose toil built the great cathedrals of medieval Europe. Most of them knew they wouldn’t live to see the final fruits of their massive multi-generational endeavor. They climbed their ladders anyway.

With soaring yet simple language befitting the ethereal work of earthy men, Ormond lionizes unheralded laborers who "hoisted hewn rock into heaven" by day and then "came down to their suppers and small beer" in the evening. So understood, a cathedral is no more sublime than her humblest builder. Each is an icon to the other.

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I thought of "Cathedral Builders" as I reflected upon the 2,000 or so workers it took to rebuild Notre Dame within French President Emmanuel Macron’s ambitious five-year deadline. Unlike their medieval counterparts, the vast majority of these artisans lived to see their loving mission completed.

Yet like these ancestors, they created lasting beauty by pledging their lives to something outside of and greater than themselves. Amidst still-burning embers in 2019, life imitated art when these cathedral builders once again chose to make art of their lives. Notre Dame is their masterpiece.

That choice, I believe, is exactly of the ennobling kind of second-century theologian St. Irenaeus had in mind when he said "the glory of God is man fully alive." Aesthetic achievement aside, is there a lesson for the rest of us, those who lack the talent to make clerestories soar? I think so.

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Most of us aren’t called to build cathedrals of stone, but all are called to build cathedrals of our lives. Some acts will be soaring – the spire atop the cathedral – for instance, a soldier sacrificing his life in combat to save his brother-in-arms. Other acts will be simple – the mortar on a lowly footpath appearing like a smile to a passing stranger on the street.

But great and small, all are acts of love, of willing the good of the other and stone by figurative stone, they surely will build a cathedral over one’s lifetime. It may not be tangible or visible to man like Notre Dame de Paris, but it is no less real, and no less lovely. Besides, invisible to man is not invisible.

Therein lies the beauty of "Cathedral Builders," and what is most inspirational about Notre Dame’s exemplary builders. By reminding a weary world to see both the small in the great and the great in the small, they provide a blueprint for not only a cathedral well-made, but something far more important: a life well-lived.

That is my epiphany as the Epiphany approaches. I am grateful for poet John Ormond, for the valiant laborers of Notre Dame de Paris and all who strive to build cathedrals of their lives. They remind us that there is beauty in both the soaring and the simple.

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01/04/2025

Fox News Entertainment Newsletter: David Letterman’s life in Indiana, 'Catwoman' Jocelyn Wildenstein dead

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Welcome to the Fox News Entertainment Newsletter.

TOP 3:

- David Letterman says showbiz made him a 'worse person,' found humanity living quiet life in Indiana

- 'Catwoman' Jocelyn Wildenstein's partner shares socialite's final moments, cause of death

- The Osmond Brothers founding member Wayne Osmond dead at 73

'UNCONDITIONAL LOVE' - Bruce Willis' wife shares emotional 17th anniversary post amid his dementia battle: 'I'd do it all over again'

IT'S OVER - Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie reach divorce settlement after bitter 8-year legal battle

ROYAL COMEBACK - Meghan Markle returns to social media after five-year hiatus

'OUR HEARTS ARE BROKEN' - 'Star Wars' actor Angus MacInnes dead at 77

'LUCKY' - Valerie Bertinelli, Elle MacPherson, Brad Pitt, Rob Lowe explain how sobriety has changed their lives

‘FIGHTER’ - Christina Aguilera shuts down haters as Ozempic rumors swirl

BEHIND BARS - 'Home Improvement' actor Zachery Ty Bryan arrested again for domestic violence

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01/04/2025

School told girls 'transgenders have more rights' as trans runner took away girl's varsity spot, parent says

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EXCLUSIVE: Taylor Starling, a high school cross-country runner at Martin Luther King High School in Riverside, California, lost her spot on the varsity team earlier this season to a transgender transfer student.

Multiple parents of students at Martin Luther King have told Fox News Digital that the school has allowed the trans athlete to compete on the varsity cross-country team despite missing practices for academic reasons. These parents include Starling's father, longtime firefighter Ryan Starling, and construction subcontractor Dan Slavin, father to Kaitlyn, another runner on the team.

"The fact that the male athlete was able to compete while attending less than 25% of the practices is not fair. In what era, on what team, in what sport can you barely show up to practice and still compete?" Dan Slavin told Fox News Digital. "It is not fair, and it is not right to those who work hard every day for the entire season."

Both families are currently engaged in a lawsuit against the Riverside Unified School District (RUSD).

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Ryan Starling told Fox News Digital that the loss of his daughter's varsity spot disrupted his entire family emotionally, as cross-country played a pivotal role in her life. And then when his daughter and other girls on the team confronted their school administrators about it, he claims they were told "transgenders have more rights than cisgenders."

"It's been told multiple times to not just Taylor, but her sister," Ryan Starling said, adding that Taylor is one of three triplets, and all three are active on varsity sports teams. "All the administrators at Martin Luther King have stated this comment, and the Title IX coordinator for the Riverside Unified School District has stated ‘that as a Cisgender girl, they do not have the same rights as a transgender girl' to multiple girls, not just our daughters, but multiple girls on campus."

An RUSD spokesperson declined to give official comment on Ryan Starling's claims in a conversation with Fox News Digital.

The RUSD previously provided a statement to Fox News Digital insisting that its handling of the situation has been in accordance with California state law.

"While these rules were not created by RUSD, the District is committed to complying with the law and CIF regulations. California state law prohibits discrimination of students based on gender, gender identity and gender expression, and specifically prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender in physical education and athletics. The protections we provide to all students are not only aligned with the law but also with our core values which include equity and well-being," the statement said.

In California, a law called AB 1266 has been in effect since 2014, giving California students at scholastic and collegiate levels the right to "participate in s*x-segregated school programs and activities, including athletic teams and competitions, and use facilities consistent with his or her gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on the pupil’s records."

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California Code of Regulations section 4910(k) defines gender as: "A person’s actual s*x or perceived s*x and includes a person’s perceived identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that identity, appearance, or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with a person’s s*x at birth."

California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Bylaw 300.D. mirrors the Education Code, stating: "All students should have the opportunity to participate in CIF activities in a manner that is consistent with their gender identity, irrespective of the gender listed on a student’s records."

The RUSD also placed blame for its handling of the situation on officials in Washington D.C. and California's state capital, Sacramento.

"As these matters play out in our courts and the media, opposition and protests should be directed at those in a position to affect those laws and policies (including officials in Washington D.C. and Sacramento)," their statement read.

But Starling, Slavin, other students and their families have been ready to do far more than simply send a letter to their local legislators.

Taylor and Kaitlyn ignited a viral trend in their communities when they showed to school in November wearing shirts that read "Save Girls Sports." Martin Luther King administrators allegedly confronted the girls about the shirts, comparing them to swastikas, according to their lawsuit against the district.

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Then, more and more students began to show up each week wearing the shirts, as the school had to alter its dress code and start placing students in detention for wearing them. This didn't stop the shirts from spreading and growing. It became a weekly ritual for hundreds of students every Wednesday to show up wearing the shirts support of the girls and their messaging, and many of them created viral social media posts on it.

In early December, the school administrators gave up on their efforts to discipline students for wearing the shirts. Sources told Fox News Digital that more than 400 students have shown up wearing the shirts at a time, and students at other schools in the district have started to wear them to class.

While this was happening, Taylor was also taking steps to reclaim her varsity spot, according to her father. Ryan Starling says it was a "transformative" experience and motivated her both athletically and academically. She has since earned her spot back on the varsity team, and her father says she even beat the trans athlete in a recent competition by more than three seconds.

"She has had so much support from her friends, where her friends were wearing all the t-shirts," he said.

The Starling family haven't received only positive attention, as Ryan Starling says there have been multiple concerning negative messages and even a threat. The family had to delay their recent family vacation to accommodate Taylor's safety for a trip to the state competition, as her parents didn't feel comfortable allowing her to travel alone.

"There was some negative stuff online, there was some threats of violence towards our girls, there was different stuff, and we just didn't feel comfortable leaving Taylor for a day and a half and having her fly out a day later so she could run at state, so we chose to stay all together as a family and support Taylor, and then we delayed our vacation to the first of the year," Ryan Starling said.

The situation came to a potential turning point during a five-hour RUSD school board meeting on Dec. 19. Outside the office, there were competing protests between activists and parents wearing the "Save Girls Sports" t-shirts, and LGBTQ activists.

Sources have told Fox News Digital that the LGBTQ activists at the event were harassing the protesters on the other side, and even disrupted a women's prayer group during a prayer circle prior to the meeting.

Then inside the meeting, parents and opposing activists gave impassioned speeches on their thoughts on the situation, with multiple speakers yelling in hysterical tones. But Ryan Starling, who stayed for the whole meeting, got a glimmer of hope toward the end of the meeting. He says that after it was over, a newly-inducted board member spoke to the girls who were there to protest the trans athlete, and that the new board member suggested that their problem would be solved once President-elect Trump takes office on Jan. 20.

"Don't worry girls, we have your back, wait till January 20th," the new board member said, according to Ryan Starling.

Trump has pledged to ban trans athletes from women's and girls' sports, and the new Republican-controlled congress has indicated an intention to do so as well.

The House rules package for the 119th Congress was posted this week, and the first step in its order of business is a bill that would bring about Title IX revisions that would only allow athletes to compete in the gender category that they were assigned at birth.

However, California and Governor Gavin Newsom have vowed to resist the incoming Trump administration.

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