Friends and Freedom Fest
Kennedy spent much of last week in Palm Springs, where she emceed Freedom Fest. There, she got to talk to her good friend Kat Timpf about the struggles of motherhood and her cancer diagnosis. Kat made her return to the small screen on Monday, and the Gutfeld gang couldn't be happier.
As she recaps the event's festivities, she reflects on the ongoing situation in California and calls on Governor Gavin Newsom to get it together.
Follow Kennedy on Twitter: @KennedyNation
Kennedy Now Available on YouTube: https://link.chtbl.com/kennedyytp
Follow on TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@kennedy_foxnews
Join Kennedy for Happy Hour on Fridays! https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLWlNiiSXX4BNUbXM5X8KkYbDepFgUIVZj
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
RIPTA faces 90 layoffs, 20% service cut even with funding in proposed House budget
Even with $15 million in new funding proposed by lawmakers, the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority would need to cut up to 20% of bus trips and lay off 90 employees to balance its budget next year, according to a consultant hired to find efficiencies in the system. The study identified ways RIPTA could generate between $2 million to $5 million in new revenue or savings, not enough to plug the agency's estimated $18 million budget gap. "There are no efficiencies that can be found that would completely close the budget gap that we are facing and prevent service reductions," RIPTA CEO Christopher Durand wrote in a letter to House leaders on June 16. "This will mean a reduction to the fixed route workforce by approximately 90 employees to get the service inline with financial resources." Such cuts to service will likely lead to "additional losses in terms of fare revenues," long-term loss of federal funds and loss of ridership due to diminished network effects and "inability to connect between routes," the study said. The options for raising more revenue identified in the "efficiency study" include an increase to RIPTA's standard $2 fare. Although the memo sent to lawmakers doesn't say how big the fare hike consultants studied would be, it was estimated to raise between $1 million to $2 million, depending on if it were extended to all routes. The study found that RIPTA could save up to $1 million by using federal reimbursement to pay for finance and procurement positions for capital projects. It also recommended shifting resources from rural routes to "low income and reverse commute services." And it said RIPTA's advertising revenue, which is roughly middle-of-the-pack for peer transit agencies, could possibly be boosted to make another $900,000 per year. "We are continuing to work as hard as we can to complete the study and I believe we are nearing the final scenarios. I'm providing this information as a heads up as I don't want to catch anyone off guard," Durand wrote to lawmakers. "In no way should these findings diminish the investments that the House is proposing for RIPTA." The study found RIPTA's operating costs are "in line with peer average" and its administrative costs are "below" average. RIPTA, like most transit agencies across the country, saw ridership crash during the COVID pandemic. Loss of fare revenue was plugged with federal aid, but since that assistance from Washington was exhausted this year, RIPTA has been facing a $33 million deficit for the year beginning July 1. As unpleasant as laying off 90 employees sounds, RIPTA was looking at up to 300 layoffs at the start of the year. Having to trim the workforce would also be a bitter pill for RIPTA to swallow after it raised pay recently to recruit new drivers and fix a shortage that was forcing the cancellation of trips. Gov. Dan McKee provided no additional funding for RIPTA in his budget proposal. The House rewrite of his budget unveiled June 10 included $15 million in recurring revenue for RIPTA in a proposed increase in the gas tax. Along with the funding, the budget mandates that RIPTA not cut the RIde Anywhere paratransit pilot program, which cost around $500,000 in its first year. The House passed the $14.4 billion state budget on June 17. It now moves to the state Senate. Liza Burkin, organizer of the Save RIPTA campaign and Providence Streets Coalition, said the latest consultant's report showed that there is no major inefficiency at the agency that can be fixed to close the budget gap. "Failing to fund RIPTA's $18M shortfall will initiate a chain reaction of route cancellations, fare hikes and job layoffs that will in turn lead to lower ridership and increases economic hardship," Burkin said. "This will ensure we will never achieve a robust system that affordably and sustainably gets people where they want to go." This story has been updated with new information. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Consultant: To balance budget, RIPTA needs to lay off staff, cut service
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
AG Neronha wants to give the 6-10 settlement money to the RI Foundation. The GOP says it's illegal.
Rhode Island House Republicans believe state law prohibits Attorney General Peter Neronha from channeling the proceeds of the Routes 6 and 10 interchange contaminated soil lawsuit to a nonprofit for children's health initiatives. The House GOP caucus, although badly outnumbered in the General Assembly, plans to introduce an amendment to the state budget that would claw back $11 million from the settlement with Barletta Heavy Division and redirect it to a variety of other charitable causes. The core of the Republican argument that Neronha has overstepped his authority rests on a section of state law dealing with the attorney general's office, last amended in 2023, that creates an account where legal fees recovered in settlements are deposited to help pay "for staff and other operational expenses of the department." "All settlement proceeds" that are not put in that account "shall be deposited" into the state's general fund, it says. 'The law is crystal clear. In fact, I don't think the Attorney General even argues that point," Rep. Brian Newberry, R-North Smithfield, said in a news release. "Instead his public defense of his conduct is that the assembly cannot usurp his power and thus he is free to ignore the statute entirely, a statute that was passed incidentally at his request to help him resolve a dispute with the Governor over staffing a few years ago." Rep. George Nardone, R-Coventry, commended Neronha for winning the settlement money, but said he saw "no provision in Rhode Island law that authorizes him to redirect those funds to a private foundation." The Barletta settlement, announced May 21, resolved a state criminal case over contaminated highway fill that Neronha brought against the Massachusetts-based contractor after it had already settled a federal civil suit two years ago. Under the terms of the court-approved settlement, $10 million will go to the Rhode Island Foundation to be awarded as grants that address the "health needs of children residing in Providence," particularly those living near the 6-10 interchange and who are in need of dental care. The attorney general's office will be part of the committee that advises the Rhode Island Foundation on how the settlement money should be awarded to achieve the goal of promoting child health. Of the remaining money, $750,000 will go to the attorney general's office and $250,000 to the Department of Environmental Management, which investigated the case. Neronha's office did not respond to a Journal question about the settlement law in May, but on June 16 called the GOP budget amendment a "stunt" that, unlike his settlement, sought to tackle glaring deficiencies in child health. "Rhode Island faces many challenges. My office attempts to tackle any and all of those challenges within the confines of our authority ... Meanwhile others, like Rep. Newberry and Rep. Nardone, remained silent and have done nothing," Neronha wrote in response to the GOP. "Bottom line: directing funds from the resolution of a criminal case brought by this office and authorized by a court to solve severe and unmet oral health challenges for Providence children is well within the authority of my office," he added. Gov. Dan McKee, who has sparred repeatedly with Neronha in recent years, and General Assembly leaders who would have been able to spend the settlement money if it were sent to the general fund, have been silent on the legality of sending it to the Rhode Island Foundation. "I don't know a lot about it," House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi told reporters June 10 when asked whether the settlement was legal. "I'm not challenging it at this time, and I do accept it right as this moment, the answer is yes. And there's nothing in the budget or nothing planned by House leadership to take any action. Quite frankly, I don't know if we can, and I haven't had a chance to study, to look at it." McKee's office has not responded to multiple inquiries about the settlement since May. The state House of Representatives is slated to take up the state budget Tuesday, June 17. Republican budget amendments traditionally have an extremely low success rate and typically serve to raise public awareness of issues more than change the law. If the GOP amendment were successful, it would redirect the settlement money evenly between the Economic Progress Institute, Rhode Island Kids Count, Arthur E. Coia Scholarship & Education Fund at the Laborers' International Union of North America, Women's Fund of Rhode Island, Progreso Latino, United Way of Rhode Island, The Rhode Island Dental Association, The Rhode Island Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, Save The Bay, Crossroads Rhode Island and Sojourner House. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Can RI AG Neronha give the 6-10 soil case money to the RI Foundation?
Yahoo
21 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Karman Line Annexation: Preliminary Special Election results
(COLORADO SPRINGS) — Unofficial results from the June 17 Special Election will begin dropping at 7 p.m., and FOX21 News is your election headquarters. The single question on the ballot is asking voters whether to approve or reject an ordinance annexing 1,876.24 acres west of Schriever Space Force Base, known as the Karman Line. PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Special election to decide Karman Line annexation fate The annexation vote has caused pushback from various community members, with a petition even being submitted for the annexation to be reconsidered after it was initially approved by the City Council in December. Locals have previously expressed concerns about water, emergency services, and uncontrolled growth, among others. Supporters of the ordinance, including some current and former City Council members, say the approval of the annexation would mean more housing availability near Schriever SFB, and with it, the alleviation of housing shortages. The land is currently vacant and agricultural. If approved, developers hope to build 6,500 homes, and the project would take around 20 years to complete. Ordinance 25-16 'Karman Line Annexation' Votes For 13,878 Against 61,900 Total 75,778 This article will be updated as results come in, and you can tune in to FOX21 News at 9 and 10 p.m. for the latest. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
