Categories
News Daypop

2 children among three killed in Nebraska biofuels plant explosion

Officials confirmed on Wednesday that three people, a man and two children, were killed in after a catastrophic explosion at a Nebraska biofuels plant.

Fremont fire crews responded to calls of the explosion, which occurred midday Tuesday at Horizon Biofuels, a manufacturer of fuel pellets and animal bedding located in Fremont, Neb. at 950 S. Union St., about 50 miles northwest of Omaha, at 11:56 a.m. CDT.

Fremont Fire Chief Todd Bernt said at a news conference that in the immediate aftermath, three people remained missing as initial rescue efforts were stymied by the fire and structure concerns. “We are unable to gain access early on,” Bernt said. “We tried to get access, but just due to the collapse with the mangled steel, we’re unable to get inside.”

Pictures of the building posted online by Nebraska State Trooper Tom Hicken show the building sustained significant damage, with the top floors appearing to have been completely destroyed.

It was later confirmed that the missing individuals, identified as two girls under the age of 12 as well as an adult man, were dead, per The Associated Press. The man was an employee, who was in building with two girls both believed to be under the age of 12 when the explosion occurred. Their names are not being released at this time.

Fremont Mayor Joey Spellerberg said during a press conference: “The two children were there just waiting for him to get off to go to a doctor’s appointment .. My heart hurts. It hurts for this situation, which is a tragedy. We pray for all the families involved.”

Nebraska Task Force One program manager Ashley Engler said during Wednesday’s briefing that crews continued to battle an active fire on Wednesday, as well as assess how to safely access the building to recover the victims. The steel warehouse is becoming more unstable as the fire continues to burn, she added, stating: “We are using all search and rescue resources and capabilities we have, including structural engineers, to obtain access in a safe manner to get to these to these victims.”

Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen said in a statement: “We will continue to closely monitor the explosion in Fremont in coordination with local responders, law enforcement, and state partners. Our thoughts and prayers are with all involved — and we’re ready to help any way we can.”

Editorial credit: Jacob Boomsma / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

Federal Reserve to hold benchmark interest rates steady despite pressure from White House

The Federal Reserve said on Wednesday that it’s keeping its benchmark interest rate steady, citing elevated uncertainty over the nation’s economic outlook.  The announcement comes just days after President Trump made a visit to the central bank, calling for a rate cut. The decision keeps the Fed’s benchmark short-term rate at a range of 4.25% to 4.5% for a fifth straight meeting.

The Federal Open Market Committee, the 12-person central bank’s rate-setting panel, said in its statement: “Although swings in net exports continue to affect the data, recent indicators suggest that growth of economic activity moderated in the first half of the year. The unemployment rate remains low, and labor market conditions remain solid. Inflation remains somewhat elevated.”

The 9-2 vote saw two FOMC members, Fed Governors Michelle Bowman and Christopher Waller, voted in favor of lowering the central bank’s short-term rate; marking the first time since 1993 that two member of the Fed’s Board of Governors have voted against the chair.

Speaking at a press conference in Washington, D.C., Fed Chair Jerome Powell said on Wednesday that. he advocated for the independence of the Federal Reserve. Powell said that “political independence gives central bankers the ability to make these very challenging decisions in ways that are focused on the data, the evolving outlook, the balance of risks – and not on political factors. If you were not to have that, there’d be a great temptation of course to use interest rates to affect elections, for example. I think it’s very important.”

Powell added that tariffs had begun to contribute to price increases for some goods but the ultimate impact of the policy remains uncertain: “Higher tariffs have begun to show through more clearly into prices of some goods but their overall effects on inflation and the economy remain to be seen. Their effects on inflation could prove to be short-lived, but it is possible the inflation effects could be more persistent. We’ll do what we need to do to keep inflation under control.”

Editorial credit: miss.cabul / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Jake Worthington shares the track ‘Not Like I Used To’

Jake Worthington has shared his latest single, ‘Not Like I Used To,’ co-written with Monty Criswell and Derek George.

Not Like I Used To‘ marks the fourth release from Worthington’s upcoming project and follows the success of his recent single ‘It Ain’t The Whiskey,’ which has amassed over 40 million streams. Worthington also teamed up with collaborator Marty Stuart  earlier this year for ‘I’m The One’ and with Miranda Lambert for last fall’s duet ‘Hello Shitty Day.’

Worthington is also set to join Zach Top as direct support on the Cold Beer & Country Music Tour this fall, with performances at major venues including Red Rocks Amphitheatre. He will also be on the road with Jon Pardi, as well as his headlining Texas Two Step tour.

For full tour details, visit jakeworthington.com.

See the visualizer for Not Like I Used To HERE.

Editorial credit: Kathy Hutchins / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

HARDY and wife Caleigh launch The HARDY Fund charity organization

HARDY (real name is Michael Hardy) and his wife, Caleigh Ryan Hardy have launched their newly-minted charity organization called The Hardy Fund, which partners with the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee to created to help support community programs throughout their home state of Mississippi and their residential state of Tennessee.

HARDY and Caleigh shared in a video on social media: “We just feel like we’ve been so blessed. The last 10 years of our lives have just been nothing, but blessings, and blessings, and blessings, and it’s just time for us to give back .. This is long overdue, but this fund is very, very special to us because it gives us the ability to support whatever causes are super close to our hearts, such as the United States military, wildlife, children, education, music — whatever it may be, this gives us the opportunity to support.”

HARDY and Caleigh, who began dating in 2018 and tied the knot in 2022, welcomed their first baby, a girl named Rosie Ryan, on March 7, 2025.

Thanks to The Hardy Fund, which has teamed with Propeller, HARDY has set up a sweepstakes’ opportunity, giving his fans and listeners a chance to win two VIP tickets to HARDY’s September 24th show on the JIM BOB WORLD TOUR concert in Madison Square Garden, including paid hotel and travel expenses, plus rideshare credit, a meet & greet with HARDY, access to the HARDY VIP Lounge, a specially-designed HARDY gift & laminate and a VIP-exclusive tour poster.

In a separate post on his Instagram page, he says, “I’ve teamed up with @propeller.la to support the new @hardyfund. With your support, you’ll be entered to win a VIP trip to meet me at the show at Madison Square Garden in NYC.   [The Hardy Fund] is a charity fund where we can donate money to whoever we want, whatever organization we want, whenever we want. It’s a really cool thing. If you support this, I’m giving you a chance to win tickets to my Madison Square Garden show in New York City, and a chance to meet me. I just wanted you all to know that The Hardy Fund is up and going. Get out and support. Thank y’all.”

For more information on how to enter the competition, visit HERE.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

‘The Office’ spinoff series ‘The Paper’ set to debut in September on Peacock

Peacock announced that ‘The Office’ spinoff series The Paper will premiere on the streaming service Sept. 4.

The premise sees the documentary crew that followed the Dunder Mifflin paper company for nine seasons on The Office make a new feature — this time they are following a small-town newspaper office. Teaser art for ‘The Paper’ features the name of the show’s newspaper, The Toledo Truth Teller.

The official logline for “The Paper” states, “The documentary crew that immortalized Dunder Mifflin’s Scranton branch is in search of a new subject when they discover a historic Midwestern newspaper and the publisher trying to revive it.”

The Paper stars Domhnall Gleeson, Sabrina Impacciatore, Chelsea Frei, Melvin Gregg, Gbemisola Ikumelo, Alex Edelman, Ramona Young and Tim Key. Oscar Nuñez also reprises his role from The Office, Oscar Martinez.

Guest stars on the series also include: Eric Rahill, Tracy Letts. Molly Ephraim, Mo Welch, Allan Harvey, Duane Shepard Sr., Nate Jackson and Nancy Lenehan.

The show will debut its first four episodes on Sept. 4, followed by two new episodes every Thursday through Sept. 25.

Editorial credit: Fred Duval / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Entertainment Daypop

‘Scrubs’ revival to feature original cast members Zach Braff, Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke

The revival of the 2000s comedy series ‘Scrubs’ has landed a series order from ABC, with original series stars Donald Faison and Sarah Chalke officially signing on to join series lead Zach Braff in the revival. All three will also be executive producers on the show, which is set to premiere in the 2025-26 season.

Scrubs creator Bill Lawrence is also returning, with Tim Hobert and Aseem Batra set as showrunners. Lawrence said: “Scrubs means so very much to me. So excited for the chance to get the band back together.”

Scrubs ran for nine seasons from 2001-10 — the first seven seasons on NBC, and the final two on ABC. The show followed intern John “JD” Dorian (Braff) as he progressed through his medical career at Sacred Heart Hospital alongside best friend Chris Turk (Faison) and his on/off girlfriend and eventual wife Elliot Reid (Chalke). By the final season, the trio were established doctors mentoring a new crop of interns. The original series also starred John C. McGinley, Judy Reyes, Ken Jenkins and Neil Flynn with recurring characters played by Robert Maschio, Christa Miller and the late Sam Lloyd.

The revival’s logline reads: “JD and Turk scrub in together for the first time in a long time. Medicine has changed, interns have changed, but their bromance has stood the test of time. Characters new and old navigate the waters of Sacred Heart with laughter, heart and some surprises along the way.”

Editorial credit: DFree / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

Gunman in NYC office shooting was targeting NFL headquarters, referenced having CTE

New York City Mayor Eric Adams said Tuesday that the gunman behind the deadly shooting inside an office building in Midtown Manhattan on Monday evening was apparently targeting NFL offices there. Adams has told the press it appears the shooter took the wrong elevator bank and instead reached the offices of Rudin Management, where he again opened fire after spraying bullets across the building’s lobby.

A New York City police officer and three civilians were killed after the gunman, Shane Devon Tamura, opened fire inside the high-rise corporate building in midtown Manhattan. The shooting was first reported at 6:30 p.m. at 345 Park Ave., which houses several major businesses, including Blackstone, KPMG and the NFL. The suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, per authorities.

The four victims were identified as: NYPD officer Didarul Islam, Blackstone real estate executive Wesley LePatner, Rudin employee Julia Hyman, and security officer Aland Etienne.

Mayor Adams said that Officer Islam joined the NYPD four years ago. He was a Bangladeshi immigrant assigned to a Bronx precinct, and was off-duty working a private security detail assignment at the time of the shooting. Islam is survived by his wife, who is eight months pregnant, and two young sons.  The NYPD said in a statement: “Police Officer Didarul Islam represented the very best of our department. He was protecting New Yorkers from danger when his life was tragically cut short today.”

32BJ SEIU President Manny Pastreich said of dedicated security officer Aland Etienne: “this tragedy speaks to the sacrifice of security officers who risk their lives every day to keep New Yorkers and our buildings safe. Every time a security officer puts on their uniform, they put their lives on the line. Their contributions to our city are essential, though often unappreciated. Aland Etienne is a New York hero. We will remember him as such.” Etienne’s partner of eight years, Rachel Paoli, is the mother of their son, who will turn 7 on Saturday.

Blackstone also shared in a statement about their employee LePatner: “Words cannot express the devastation we feel. Wesley was a beloved member of the Blackstone family and will be sorely missed.  She was brilliant, passionate, warm, generous, and deeply respected within our firm and beyond. She embodied the best of Blackstone. Our prayers are with her husband, children and family. We are also saddened by the loss of the other innocent victims as well, including brave security personnel and NYPD.” 

Officials say that Tamura, a 27-year-old from Las Vegas, acted alone and “has a documented mental health history.” According to law enforcement, investigators recovered a three-page rambling note from the gunman’s wallet in which he referenced the brain disease CTE, which is caused by head trauma, as the possible cause of his mental illness. According to the sources, the note said he wanted to have his brain donated to science so it could studied for the disease. Tamura played high school football but did not play professionally, and police have not found any evidence that he suffered from CTE and has no known connection to the NFL. Police sources told ABC News that a page of the note alleged the National Football League had concealed the dangers football contact could cause to players’ brains to maximize earnings. Tamura had two Mental Health Crisis Holds on his record, and a prior arrest for trespassing in Nevada, where he also received his concealed carry license.

ESPN’s Jeff Darlington posted to X  that “NFL commissioner Roger Goodell informed league employees that ‘one of our employees was seriously injured in this attack. He is currently in the hospital and in stable condition” (which was also confirmed by CNN.)

Editorial credit: John Hanson Pye / Shutterstock.com

Categories
News Daypop

Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell willing to testify before Congress if granted pardon

Ghislaine Maxwell, the late Jeffrey Epstein’s co-conspirator, says she is willing to testify before Congress on what she knows about the disgraced financier if she is granted a pardon. Epstein died in jail in 2019 by suicide.

A letter from Maxwell’s attorney David Markus on Tuesday to Rep. James Comer, R-Kentucky, who heads the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, pushed for her clemency so she can “testify openly and honestly” about Epstein. Comer issued a subpoena last week to secure Maxwell’s testimony through a deposition on Aug. 11 at a federal correctional facility in Tallahassee, Florida.

Maxwell was convicted of sex trafficking and other charges in 2021. Prosecutors said that from 1994 to 2004, Maxwell worked together with Epstein to identify girls, groom them, and then transport them to Epstein’s properties in New York, Florida, New Mexico, and other locations, where they were then sexually abused.

Markus said Maxwell would invoke her Fifth Amendment right and decline to testify unless the committee agreed to grant her immunity and interview her outside prison: “Ms. Maxwell cannot risk further criminal exposure in a politically charged environment without formal immunity. Nor is a prison setting conducive to eliciting truthful and complete testimony.”

Markus also asked the committee to provide questions in advance and postpone the interview until after the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether to take up Maxwell’s appeal of her conviction: “Of course, in the alternative, if Ms. Maxwell were to receive clemency, she would be willing—and eager—to testify openly and honestly, in public, before Congress in Washington, D.C. She welcomes the opportunity to share the truth and to dispel the many misconceptions and misstatements that have plagued this case from the beginning.”

The letter comes after Maxwell and her lawyer met last week with Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche over two days last week. Maxwell answered questions for about nine hours over two days after being granted a limited form of immunity to secure her participation in that interview, according to NBC News. Blanche has not released any information about their conversation but says he will do so at the proper time. At the time, Maxwell’s attorney Markus said that they did not ask for a pardon and one was not offered. However, Markus said it is no secret Maxwell is seeking “relief” from her 20 year prison sentence.

On Monday, President Trump said that while no one had approached him about a pardon for Maxwell, he did have the power to grant one. However a spokesperson for the House Oversight Committee ruled out the idea of granting Maxwell immunity: “The Oversight Committee will respond to Ms. Maxwell’s attorney soon, but it will not consider granting congressional immunity for her testimony.”

Editorial credit: Katherine Welles / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Jordan Davis releases ‘Turn This Truck Around’

Jordan Davis has released new track ‘Turn This Truck Around‘, written by Jordan Davis, Devin Dawson, Jake Mitchell, and Josh Thompson,

‘Turn This Truck Around’ is the latest taste of what fans can expect on Davis’ upcoming album ‘Learn the Hard Way’ which arrives on August 15th.  ‘Learn the Hard Way’ features the previously-released singles ‘Bar None’ and his RIAA Gold-certified single “I Ain’t Sayin’”.

Learn The Hard Way follows Davis’ debut album, ‘Home State’ and platinum-selling album ‘Bluebird Days’, which was released in 2023 and produced four consecutive #1 singles (‘What My World Spins Around’, ‘Tucson Too Late’, ‘Buy Dirt’ and ‘Next Thing You Know’).

Listen to ‘Turn This Truck Around’ – HERE.

Pre-save Learn The Hard WayHERE.

Editorial credit: Debby Wong / Shutterstock.com

Categories
Country Daypop

Teddy Swims and BigXthaPlug collaborate on ‘All Gas No Brakes’

Teddy Swims has teamed up with rapper BigXthaPlug for their new single ‘All Gas No Brakes

All Gas No Brakes is one of six new tracks featured on the Swims’ new album, ‘I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Complete Edition)‘, which is comprised of 32 tracks.  It includes Swims’ first two albums, 2023’s ‘I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy (Part 1)’, as well as (Part 2), which arrived back in January.

Swims is currently amid the latest North American leg of his I’ve Tried Everything But Therapy Tour, which he’ll follow with Australia and New Zealand dates in October. Tickets can be found HERE.

See the lyric video for ‘All Gas No Brakes’ – HERE.

Editorial credit: Adam McCullough / Shutterstock.com