Tarik Skubal is a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. But the Dodgers are reeling. Following a 7-6 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday afternoon, the Dodgers have now lost six consecutive games. They also lost Skubal’s debut in Dodger blue on Tuesday night and are going through their longest losing streak of the season. Furthermore, the Dodgers (69-46) have lost 15 of their last 25 games and have been knocked off the pedestal by the Milwaukee Brewers (70-43) for the best record in both the National League and MLB altogether. What gives? Colin Cowherd, for one, thinks this dry spell is exposing the Dodgers as a flawed club. “Stop staring at the paint job. Look under the hood: the Dodgers are a mess,” Cowherd asserted on Wednesday’s edition of “The Herd.” “The Skubal acquisition was much more life-raft than adding a helipad to the yacht. … The Dodgers have bullpen issues and age issues.” As for some of the struggling bats, star shortstop Mookie Betts is having arguably the worst offensive year of his MLB career. He entered the team’s Wednesday afternoon game against the Cubs with a .223/.280/.390 slash line. Right fielder Kyle Tucker, who the Dodgers signed to a four-year, $240 million deal in the offseason, entered Wednesday with a career-low in batting average (.243), slugging percentage (.381) and OPS+ (101); center fielder Andy Pages — who blasted 10 home runs, drove in 39 runs and boasted a .304/.357/.530 slash line over his first 46 games this season — entered the day with a .245/.318/.405 slash line over his last 67 games. Over the last 30 days, the Dodgers are 20th in MLB in runs (93), tied for 21st in on-base percentage (.306), tied for 17th in home runs (26), tied for 15th in slugging percentage (.399) and 12th outright in hits (196). Meanwhile, on the rotation front, left-hander Blake Snell has made one start this season due to shoulder and elbow injuries; right-hander Tyler Glasnow has been limited to seven starts due to a back injury; second-year starter Roki Sasaki has struggled to turn a corner, finding difficulty in finishing off hitters and sporting a 4.64 ERA and an 89 ERA+. In the bullpen, closer Edwin Díaz, whom the Dodgers signed to a three-year, $69 million deal in the offseason, recently returned from a roughly three-month absence due to elbow surgery; as a collective, Los Angeles is 16th in the sport in bullpen ERA (4.08) and has blown 16 save opportunities. “This team is winning on the margins the last two years, and now they’re broken,” Cowherd said. As for their championship success in recent memory, the Dodgers were just the third seed in the NL playoffs last season. They trailed the Toronto Blue Jays 3-2 in the World Series and 4-2 in the eighth inning of Game Seven before pulling off the series comeback. Still, Los Angeles is seeking to become the first MLB team to three-peat as World Series champions since the New York Yankees did so from 1998-2000.Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
It’s a big deal for a restaurant’s menu item to be considered one of the top fast food chicken releases of the year. That honor was bestowed upon this chain.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Fired federal workers formerly with the U.S. Forest Service based at the Mendenhall Glacier in Juneau speak at the Alaska State Capito; on March 21, 2025, about their experiences. The Forest Service was among the federal agencies in Alaska most heavily affected by job cuts. (Photo by Corinne Smith/Alaska Beacon)
Alaska lost a higher percentage of its federal workforce last year than almost all U.S. states to sweeping Trump administration cuts, according to a newly published analysis by the Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development.
By the end of 2025, Alaska’s federal workforce was 10.5% smaller than it had been at the end of the prior year, according to the analysis, published in Alaska Economic Trends, the monthly magazine of the department’s research section. In the fourth quarter of 2025, after many workers accepted buyouts or early retirement, the state’s federal workforce had dropped by 1,607 from the total in the fourth quarter of 2024, to 13,767 from 15,374 the year prior, according to the analysis.
The job losses came through mass firings and cuts made by the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, the government-reducing campaign led by trillionaire Elon Musk that started shortly after Donald Trump took office for his second term. To a large extent, job losses were concentrated at the end of the year.
Calculated by the annual average, Alaska lost about 4.5% of its federal jobs in 2025. Only Maryland, which lost 6.5% of its federal jobs, and New Mexico, which lost 5.8% of its federal jobs, lost more.
Federal job losses reduced Alaska’s total earnings by $36.5 million on average in 2025, according to the Department of Labor and Workforce Development analysis, and they brought federal employment in Alaska to the lowest level since at least 1990.
Much of the cutting in Alaska came in the U.S. Department of Defense’s civilian workforce. Calculated by annual average, 340 defense related jobs were lost to the DOGE cuts, but the fourth-quarter loss was calculated at 755 jobs.
The large amount of job losses in the Department of Defense category was a bit surprising, said Karinne Wiebold, the state labor economist who wrote the Trends article. “I assumed early on that the DoD might be one of the less affected departments and that our strong military presence might insulate us,” she said by email.
Federal agencies that sustained high numbers of job losses included the U.S. Forest Service, which had 180 fewer employees at the end of 2025 than in late 2024, the Bureau of Land Management, which had lost 133 jobs at the end of the year, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which had lost 101 of its workers by the end of 2025.
The fallout from the job losses continues, and the public does not yet have a complete picture, Wiebold said. “I do think the public is aware of the federal job losses and that they have been deep and a bit unpredictable,” she said. “I don’t know if the public generally understands what the ramifications of the cuts will be — federal employees perform a wide variety of oftentimes highly specialized work.”
Certain parts of the state were harder hit than others. The Southeast Fairbanks Census Area, which has been reliant on military-related employment, and parts of Southeast Alaska, where employment related to the Tongass National Forest is important, are among those regions with steeper job losses by percentage, according to the analysis.
Alaska’s ranking among states hit by DOGE-related job cuts could change, Wiebold said. Data from this year has yet to be fully analyzed, she said. “Even in the first parts of 2026, there are reports of the rankings shifting somewhat,” she said.
You may have noticed that your refrigerator has something called Sabbath mode (your dishwasher may have this too). This is what it means and what it does.
As we previously reported, Perez Hilton was hospitalized amid what appeared to be a mental health crisis on Tuesday.
The circumstances that led to Hilton’s apparent act of self-harm — which was documented on a TikTok livestream — remain somewhat hazy.
But a new report about Hilton’s finances adds some heartbreaking context to a series of events that have already left many fans and fellow creators deeply concerned.
Perez Hilton arrives at the Premiere Of 20th Century Fox’s “Spies In Disguise” at El Capitan Theatre on December 4, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gregg DeGuire/FilmMagic)
According to TMZ, the longtime celebrity blogger had been quietly dealing with mounting financial pressure in the months leading up to his hospitalization, with medical bills and a dramatic decline in income reportedly taking a significant toll.
The outlet reports that Hilton — whose real name is Mario Lavandeira — had confided to people close to him that he was struggling to stay afloat after a string of serious health setbacks earlier this year.
A bout of sepsis reportedly led to a lengthy hospital stay, followed by additional complications that required emergency surgery just weeks later. Those medical emergencies not only sidelined his ability to work, they also left him facing enormous expenses.
Friends told TMZ that Hilton had become increasingly worried about supporting his family, describing him as the sole breadwinner for his household.
The financial strain reportedly compounded an already difficult period marked by health issues and a recent move back to Miami with his three children.
The revelations come one day after authorities responded to Hilton’s Miami home following a deeply concerning social media livestream.
Deputies ultimately transported him to a hospital, where he is receiving medical care. His family later confirmed that their focus is on his recovery and asked the public to respect his privacy during this difficult time.
In a statement shared Wednesday, Hilton’s loved ones thanked supporters for the outpouring of concern.
“We can confirm that Perez is receiving medical care, and our family’s focus right now is on his well-being,” the statement read, adding that updates will be shared if and when appropriate (via TMZ).
While Hilton built his name as one of the internet’s most influential celebrity gossip figures during the 2000s, the media landscape has changed dramatically over the past decade.
Like many independent digital publishers, he has spoken openly about declining traffic and the challenges of adapting to shifting algorithms and audience habits. Combined with significant medical expenses, those factors reportedly created an overwhelming financial burden.
For now, those close to Hilton are asking for compassion rather than speculation. The circumstances surrounding his hospitalization have prompted an outpouring of support from fans and fellow entertainers, many of whom have emphasized that his health and recovery are what matter most.
If you or someone you know is struggling or experiencing emotional distress, help is available. You can call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
6LACK has unveiled the music video for “I Guess,” featured on his celebrated new LP Love is the New Gangsta.
Directed by Cameron Dean, the music video features the Atlanta-raised crooner singing on an ornately decorated set, surrounded by beautiful flowers and white walls with no decorations outside of his lyrics graffiti’d in black spray paint. The backdrop shifts from this aforementioned set to a cloud-covered field and a simple blue set design. The clip also features a guest appearance from a rather massive brown bear.
“I Guess” features production from Dos Dias, Childish Major, Trey Lander, and Justin Cho, and includes some of 6LACK’s most provocative lyricism on Love is the New Gangsta. Recalling a relationship gone wrong, he croons: “Baby, it’s me, open the gate/ She opened the door, the weapon was raised.”
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The music video for “I Guess” joins a potent collection of visuals from Love is the New Gangsta tracks, including “On Me,” which features R&B singer Odeal; “RUNNING LATE FREESTYLE”; “All That Matters” featuring AZ Chike and Leon Thomas; and the 2 Chainz-assisted “Sunday Again.”
6LACK is gearing up to bring Love is the New Gangsta on the road. In September, he’ll embark on the European stretch of his 10 Years of 6LACK Tour. The run begins on September 8 in Oslo, Norway.
The headlining run will find the artist hitting venues in cities like Copenhagen, Berlin, Frankfurt, Brussels, Paris, Manchester, Dublin, London, and more. From there, 6LACK will head to North America, where he’ll visit cities like Portland, Los Angeles, Austin, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Boston, Toronto, and Brooklyn.
Love is the New Gangsta features some of 6LACK’s most emotional songwriting to date. Many of the songs were inspired by conversations he was having with Childish Major. He explained to Rolling Stone: “I just started to vent and have open conversations about what I was going through, and we just knew we had to make an album about it. It was like this ongoing session of therapy, accountability, and being creative.”
The start of training camp sparks hope for the fan bases of all 32 NFL teams, especially those who missed the playoffs the year prior. But even as the NFL sees plenty of turnover on a year-to-year basis, only a handful of teams that missed the postseason the year prior make the playoffs the next season. Which teams will be a part of that group this year? FOX Sports’ Colin Cowherd predicted which five non-playoff teams from last season are most likely to make the postseason in 2026 on a recent edition of “The Herd,” as one of the 18 teams that missed the playoffs last year looked to replicate what the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots did in 2025. After star quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in Week 15 last season, the Chiefs missed the playoffs for the first time since 2014. Now, with a healthy Mahomes, a new offensive weapon in Super Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III and the addition of top-10 pick Mansoor Delane, Cowherd believes the Chiefs are able to make their way back into the playoff picture. “Andy Reid. 27 seasons. Never had back-to-back losing seasons,” Cowherd said. “They have two huge needs, corner (Delane) and running back (Walker). They have addressed both with elite players. They were 1-9 in one-score games. “I do believe, when Mahomes has protection and a semi-solid run game, he’s a playoff quarterback. Kansas City is back in.” The New Orleans Saints finished their 2025 campaign on a high note under first-year coach Kellen Moore, when rookie quarterback Tyler Shough led the team to four wins in the final five games. So, the Saints added around Shough over the offseason. They signed Jacksonville Jaguars standout Travis Etienne, adding him to a running back room with Alvin Kamara. They also used a top-10 pick on Arizona State wide receiver Jordyn Tyson and signed one of the top interior offensive linemen available in free agency, David Edwards. With all of those additions, Shough surging and a relatively uncompetitive NFC South, Cowherd is expecting the Saints to make the playoffs for the first time since 2021. “Very winnable division. It’s noisy in Tampa. Tyler Shough … [he] won four of their last five games last year. They went heavy with wide receiver, tight end and running back in the offseason,” Cowherd said. “So they are building an offense around him and they got money to spend. Travis Etienne will shore up that running game, which was lousy last year. Their defense was top 10. “This is not a firepower, offensive division. Tyler Shough played well late. … He led all rookies in completion percentage, passing yards and passer rating. … Tyler Shough was kind of the surprise quarterback in the league.” A new head coach in John Harbaugh and second-year Jaxson Dart could be the keys to the New York Giants earning a playoff spot. The Giants are getting Malik Nabers back after the star wide receiver’s second season was cut short due to an ACL tear. New York also loaded up in the draft. It selected Ohio State star linebacker Arvell Reese with the fifth overall pick before nabbing Miami (Fla.) offensive lineman Francis Mauigoa with the 10th overall pick. Those additions, plus some potential luck, lead Cowherd to think that the Giants will make the postseason as a wild-card team. “The last two years, the Giants were 2-15 in one-score games. Last year, they were 1-7. Nobody was close to that bad,” Cowherd said. “They have Dart, who was pretty good as a rookie. [Cam] Skattebo is back. They’ve added pieces on the offensive line. Arvell Reese, Malachi Fields, Notre Dame wide receiver, Francis Mauigoa, who was solid from Miami. So I love their draft class. I don’t think this is an 11, 12-win team. I think they sneak in as a wild card. Cowherd also has Harbaugh’s old team on this list. The Baltimore Ravens brought in Jesse Minter to replace Harbaugh after going 8-9 last season, missing the playoffs for the first time since 2021. Like the Lions, the Ravens bring back the majority of their nucleus that helped them become one of the AFC’s top teams earlier in the decade. Now, they just have to hope quarterback Lamar Jackson can remain healthy for a full season after missing four games last year. “They have an easy schedule in the first seven weeks with a rookie head coach, first-time playcaller and a lot of moving parts. It’s kind of a soft opening for the Baltimore Ravens,” Cowherd said. “Also, they’ve never missed back-to-back seasons since Lamar Jackson was their quarterback… Jesse Minter is going to be a great first-year head coach. … They don’t have everything buttoned up, I think they make their way in.” The Detroit Lions enter the 2026 season with one of the easiest schedules in the NFL. Going by combined opponents’ winning percentage from the 2025 season, the Lions have the sixth-easiest slate in the league, which could be enough to turn things around after a 9-8 year. Detroit also returns the majority of its nucleus that helped it win the NFC North in back-to-back seasons in 2023 and 2024. Jared Goff has remained productive, and he still has high-level playmakers around him like Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs. The Lions are shuffling some things around along the offensive line and defense in 2026. However, Cowherd isn’t too concerned about the changes Detroit is making along the edges. “They face [one of the easiest schedules] in the NFL. New England had it last year. How did that work out last year? Made it to the Super Bowl,” Cowherd said. “Detroit has upgraded. … They’re already good at running back, wide receiver, quarterback, O-line; they’ve shuffled in some players. Panay Sewell goes to left tackle, Blake Miller, the rookie, their top pick, goes to right tackle. “This is a winning team. They had the most injured defense the last two years. … They’ve had bad injury luck. I think with a new OC, I think it’s kind of an offense in a mediocre defensive division where I think they’ll eat. The Lions are back in the playoffs.”Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
Russell Dickerson and his wife, Kailey Dickerson, are being honored for their unwavering support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital over the years. This October, the couple will receive the 2026 Angels Among Us Award during the 36th annual Country Cares Seminar in recognition of their years of dedication to the organization’s lifesaving mission.
Throughout Dickerson’s career, he and Kailey have championed St. Jude in many different ways. They’ve participated in multiple #ThisShirtSavesLives campaigns, spent time visiting patients and their families at the hospital, hosted fan meet-and-greets benefiting the organization, supported fundraising initiatives and taken the stage at the Bobby Bones Million Dollar Show.
Photo Courtesy of Russell Dickerson
The “Happen To Me” singer has also served as an ambassador for the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway, taking part in numerous events focused on supporting patients. His relationship with the organization dates back to 2017, when he first attended the annual Country Cares Seminar.
The Dickersons join an esteemed group of past recipients of the Angels Among Us Award, including Randy Owen, Brothers Osborne, Scotty McCreery, Florida Georgia Line, Lady A, Jake Owen, Brad Paisley, Darius Rucker, Old Dominion and most recently, Keith Urban.
They will be presented with the honor during this year’s Country Cares Seminar, an annual gathering that unites country artists and industry professionals in support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. The invitation-only event will once again take place Oct. 20-21 at the historic Peabody Hotel in Memphis.
St. Jude Country Cares Seminar. Russell Dickerson
The two-day seminar will kick off with the Angels Among Us dinner, where Russell Dickerson is set to perform. Anne Wilson will take the stage during the breakfast session on the second day, while HARDY and Lauren Alaina will close out the event with performances later that evening.
The Country Cares Seminar is part of the Music Gives to St. Jude Kids initiative, one of the country’s largest music-driven fundraising efforts. Backed by more than 350 radio stations and music partners, the campaign helps raise more than $70 million each year to support St. Jude’s groundbreaking research and treatment for children battling cancer and other life-threatening illnesses.
The honor is especially meaningful for the Dickersons, who are parents to two young sons, Remington and Radford, with a third baby on the way. They continue to raise a family of their own while remaining committed to giving back and helping families facing unimaginable challenges.
Hallie Ray, wife of Parker McCollum, is giving fans an update on how she and the couple’s second son, Rocker Tommy Light McCollum, are doing following his July 30 birth.
She hosted a Q&A on her Instagram stories where fans could write in any questions they had and she decided which ones to respond to. For starters, the mom of two assured her audience that she is doing “really great” and feeling “so blessed.”
Photo Courtesy of Parker McCollum, Hallie Ray Light McCollum
When another follower asked, “How was your labor?” Hallie Ray confessed that while childbirth is “scary” for her, this experience was a “DREAM.” She expressed gratitude for how well everything went for her and the baby before offering a brief recap of her birth story.
“Doc wanted me to get induced around 39 weeks because of Rocker’s size and to reduce the risk of c section. Got induced at 39 weeks + 1 day starting at 3cm dilated. Started Pitocin around 7am, broke water around 12pm, got to 8cm & got epidural around 2pm, started pushing @ 4:45 & gave birth @ 4:56pm!”
After a full day of labor, she finally got to enjoy welcoming Rocker into the world. She went on to share that his name was originally an idea that the country star had mentioned awhile back and had remained on their list of potential names ever since. And his middle name, Tommy, was after Parker’s grandfather while Light is her maiden name.
The couple are already parents to their first son, Major, and on Saturday morning (Aug. 1) they announced the birth of their second child to the world. In a joint post on Instagram, the proud parents shared a carousel of family photos alongside a sweet caption. They revealed that Rocker made his debut on Thursday, July 30 weighing 8 lbs, 7 oz.
“THANK YOU JESUS for another healthy baby boy! we are so in love with our little fam! mom & dad x 2 here we gooooooo,” they wrote.
As for adjusting from one child to two, Hallie Ray says so far things it has felt “easier” to navigate the newborn stage, but she noted that she won’t really know what it’s like to have two young kids until she is handling them both on her own without the help of family members.
Photo Courtesy of Parker McCollum, Hallie Ray Light McCollum
Luckily, it seems that so far, Major has also been adjusting well to becoming an older brother.
“Major is doing great! He’s interested but also distracted right now because we have family here helping us which has been so nice,” she added.
Parker McCollum took a few days to soak up time at home as a family of four, but he is slated to head back out on the road starting Thursday, August 6, kicking off a weekend of three back-to-back shows across Bridgeport, CT, Bethlehem, PA and Burgettstown, PA.
The Alaska Beacon, Alaska Public Media, KTOO and the Anchorage Daily News worked together this year and have created a voter guide to help Alaskans make informed choices when they vote.
The 2026 Alaska Voter Guide won’t replace debates, forums and public statements. Instead, it’s something extra, aimed at informing voters about what candidates believe and providing a tool to hold them accountable once elected.
We’ve been working for months on this and are pleased to present it to you today, on the opening day of early in-person voting.2026 Voter Guide
The candidates, the ballot measures, and the tools you need to cast your vote.
Each news organization asked its readers, viewers and listeners a basic question: What do you want candidates to talk about?
That’s what’s called the “citizens agenda” — where election reporting is less about determining who’s ahead, and more about what a candidate’s positions are and how they would affect things if elected.
We sent emails to every candidate in the first week of July and followed up by phone calls in the second week. We continued reaching out, by email, text message and phone call, throughout July.
In the end, 107 of 132 state legislative candidates responded — 81% of everyone running for the Legislature. That’s a huge improvement over two years ago, when 78 of 115 candidates answered a survey from the Beacon alone, or 67.8%. Four years ago, the Beacon’s rate was below 60%.
For the governor’s race, 14 of 17 candidates responded. For the U.S. House race, we received responses from 11 of 15 candidates, including Democratic candidate Matt Schultz, who has suspended his campaign but is still on the ballot. In the U.S. Senate race, we have answers from 11 of 16 candidates.
While it isn’t everyone — and we’ll continue pursuing answers — we’re proud to say that this questionnaire is the most complete one that you can find anywhere in Alaska.
When it comes to the Legislative races, the Beacon had the lead role and was in charge of questions. Here’s what we asked candidates and why:
Would you be willing to serve in a coalition majority where members of the other party are in leadership? Why or why not?
Whoever is in the majority controls the agenda and decides which bills advance and which bills fail. Alaska is the only state in the country with coalitions in both the House and Senate. The difference between a Republican-led majority and a coalition one is a big one in terms of what the Legislature does over the next two years.
What’s the biggest need in your district, and how would you address it?
This is an opportunity for candidates to show how much they know about local needs; it’s also a chance for them to talk about any issues we didn’t bring up.
What do you think should be done to improve public education in the state?
You, our readers, wanted candidates to talk about education more than anything else. This gave candidates a chance to talk about their platform.
How should the Alaska Legislature handle the Permanent Fund dividend?
This was probably the No. 2 issue that you brought up when we asked you what you wanted candidates to talk about.
How should lawmakers balance state revenue and expenses in the long term?
This is closely tied to the dividend question and meets your request to ask candidates about a fiscal plan.
When you look at the state budget, what’s the No. 1 thing you’d like to see cut or reduced, and what’s your No. 1 preferred way to raise new state revenue?
Like the previous question, this is a way to test candidates about their knowledge of the state budget and get their thoughts on a fiscal plan. That will be a major topic over the next two years.
What, if any, changes does the state need to make to its elections and voting system?
Voting and elections came up again and again when we asked readers what they wanted candidates to discuss. The Legislature has tried — and failed — to enact an elections bill over the past six years, so it’s a safe bet that the 35th Legislature will try again.
What threats do you see facing Alaska in the next four years?
This was our way of allowing candidates to show their priorities — what are they most worried about?
What should legislators do to make Alaska a better place for children and families?
This question came in response to your desire to see candidates talk about preschool, daycare, early childhood education and more.
As Alaska’s average age rises, what needs to be done to make the state a better place for older residents?
Alaska is the fastest-aging state in the country, and that trend is expected to continue. It’s something that the next Legislature will have to address. This question allows candidates to speak to older Alaskans directly.
What should Alaska do to keep residents and visitors safe from crime and disaster?
This question gave candidates a chance to talk about crime and climate change, data centers, energy shortages … it was really open-ended.
What, if any, change would you make to state law to support the Alaskans who are dependent on fish harvests and the fishing industry?
Candidates have been talking about fishing quite a bit this year, but it’d be a mistake to ask state-level candidates about trawling, given that most of it takes place in federal waters and there’s little the Legislature can do about it. So this question is more general.
What do people not know about you that you think they should know?
We’re not normally a fan of softball questions in these surveys, but they can be an opportunity to get to know a candidate’s personality, so this was an open-ended opportunity.
What should the Legislature do to help Alaskans with the high cost of living?
Inflation and cost of living came up as issues in a big way later in the spring, and we wanted to make sure we asked candidates about it.
How are the Trump administration’s policies working in Alaska? Where do you see them working well, and where do you see problems?
Our readers wanted very much to hear candidates talk about Donald Trump and whether they’re for or against him and his policies. This is a way to bring that question to a state level and make it applicable to the Legislature.
