Perfectly-fried tender-crispy beer-battered cod comes together with a tangy lime crema and a few crunchy veggies in a very special handheld for taco night.
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Who watches the watch parties?
SUMMER OF HELL: The NYPD has quite a summer ahead, to hear Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch tell it.
During a four-hour budget hearing this morning (and afternoon), the mayor’s top cop provided new insight into possible threats during the World Cup, hinted at the beef between the police department and the mayor’s office over the scale of celebrations in New York City and ballparked how much police overtime will cost when America’s 250th birthday festivities, the NBA Finals, a large sailing event and annual parades are taken into account.
“Any one of those events on its own would be a major operation in New York City,” Tisch told members of the City Council’s finance and public safety committees. “Taken together, they place extraordinary demands on the NYPD.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani has already announced five fan zones where New Yorkers can catch World Cup games for free. Tisch said Monday there would be more.
“My understanding is that the mayor is going to announce a very robust set of watch parties for FIFA around the whole five boroughs, which will run the length of the tournament,” she said.
Yet behind the scenes, as POLITICO has reported, police brass have chafed at the scale of watch parties desired by the mayor, an avid fan, who wants to host novel get-togethers like soccer on the beach. Some of those tensions appeared to seep through Tisch’s comments Monday as she ticked off all the ways the NYPD will be taxed in the coming months.
“I would appreciate it if you could think about the demands on this department in that context,” she said, stressing to lawmakers the NYPD has limited resources. “We would like to facilitate a lot, perhaps we will be able to facilitate everything — but there will be a lot of celebrating in New York City.”
Tisch and her team tried to paint a picture of the scale of the tasks at hand: The department will screen 200 buses arriving from New Jersey on eight days when games are being played at MetLife Stadium. Officers will also secure the staging areas in Midtown where passengers will board those buses before being ferried back across the Hudson River. The NYPD plans to screen an estimated 15,000 rail passengers before they take a train to the Garden State as well.
Tisch has previously expressed her fears about weaponized drones that could be used to launch attacks during the tournament. On Monday, she turned to a more grounded example of why the NYPD needs to be involved in planning.
“We don’t want cars driving into these watch parties, either on purpose or by accident,” she said. “We don’t want to see vehicle ramming attacks across the city.”
All told, Tisch and her team said overtime costs associated with the summer will run approximately $92 million. Officers will be put on mandatory 12-hour shifts from July 1 through July 7, as POLITICO has reported, a run Tisch said Monday may need to be expanded. Around $70 million of that cost is either already accounted for in the city’s budget or is being picked up by the feds, leaving a roughly $20 million shortfall at a time when the city has little money to spare. — Joe Anuta
From the Capitol
SLOP THERE IT IS: Just in time for NBA Finals, Gov. Kathy Hochul’s Republican foes are gleefully casting themselves as ballers in AI-produced videos and images dunking on the hapless Democrat.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott today posted a photo on X of the Lone Star Republican in a San Antonio Spurs jersey scoring off Hochul kitted out as a Knick. President Donald Trump sitting courtside smiles along in approval.
This follows a video by Hochul’s general election opponent Bruce Blakeman dribbling circles around Hochul and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani. (In this iteration, Blakeman is on the Knicks and the New York Democrats are on the Cleveland Cavaliers.)
Hochul — a Buffalo native who appears to be much more of a Bills and Sabres fan — scoffed at the Abbott photo this morning, making a reference to controversies over trans people participating in sports.
“I was actually surprised to see the president and Governor Abbott — with their memes of me, they’re dunking me on the court — that they’re supportive of men and women competing in the same sport,” she said. — Nick Reisman
THE KIDS ARE ALERT: Students are learning more and scrolling less thanks to a statewide cellphone ban, according to research released today by the governor.
Roughly 80 percent of teachers across the state said in a survey that the ban, which went into effect this school year, has resulted in positive outcomes, including better student engagement. Another 60 percent reported a decline in bullying and cyberbullying incidents. And 75 percent said their ability to teach effectively improved.
Hochul, who attended a roundtable discussion with students and teachers at a Brooklyn school today, said she first sought to determine what was causing youth mental health issues more than a year ago.
“I quickly came to the conclusion that there were severely negative impacts on young people’s mental health in classrooms when they could not put down their cellphones,” she said. “Literally, it became an addiction.”
The governor’s office received 585 responses to the survey. Forty-seven percent of the educators polled were from New York City, according to Hochul.
It remains to be seen though whether the policy will have an impact on students’ academic performance.
“Logic would tell us that that is a result we expect to see at some point,” Hochul told reporters after the roundtable. “I don’t know that it follows at the end of any first year, but it is data I’ve asked for. We don’t have the final exams in, for example.” — Madina Touré
FROM CITY HALL
CLASS SIZE DELAY CEMENTED: Mamdani is set to receive two more years to comply with a state law mandating lower class sizes in public schools.
The legislation to allow for that would revise the benchmark for the upcoming school year from 80 percent to 70 percent, according to state Sen. John Liu, who chairs the Senate’s New York City Education Committee.
After that, the city will have to reach 80 percent by the 2027-28 school year, 90 percent by the 2028-29 school year and 100 percent by the 2029-30 school year.
Under the original timeline, the city had to reduce class sizes to between 20 and 25 students, depending on the grade, by September 2028.
“The legal timetable will be extended by two years, empowering the Mamdani administration to at long last bring all NYC class sizes down to state and national norms of teacher-student ratios,” Liu said in a statement. “This amendment to state law is respondent to clear and accountable teacher recruitment and classroom construction plans developed by the Mamdani administration to be fulfilled within the mayor’s current term of office.”
The class size law is a key priority for Michael Mulgrew, president of the United Federation of Teachers. He said the union preferred compliance over an extension.
“But the reality is that New York City, up until now, had not done all that was needed to make this law a reality in every classroom,” Mulgrew said in a statement. “If giving this new administration two more years gets us a partner committed to building the necessary seats, then it is the fastest way to turn the law into reality.”
The agreement includes an “accountability incentive” that requires the city to treat space and hard-to-staff exemptions — schools that receive money to hire staff but are unable to fill those positions for the fall — as temporary tools.
The city will have to pay teachers a differential when working at schools that received space or hard-to-staff exemptions to meet the 70 percent benchmark for the upcoming school year. — Madina Touré
IN OTHER NEWS
— NO DICE: Resorts World, New York City’s first casino, is in a tax dispute with the state’s Gaming Commission, which claims the casino must pay an additional $150 million annually to the state’s horseracing industry. (New York Focus)
— AT RISK: The Trump administration is proposing to “optimize self-sufficiency” with cuts to the nation’s largest homeless assistance program that could leave thousands of formerly homeless New Yorkers without shelter. (Gothamist)
— BREAKING BREAD: Competing visions for the left are fueling tensions in the open NY-7 Democratic primary, with tribal politics framing the contest between progressive Antonio Reynoso and democratic socialist Claire Valdez. (The New York Times)
Missed this morning’s New York Playbook? We forgive you. Read it here.
Politics
The Los Angeles Rams once again showed a willingness to go for broke in the franchise’s chase for another Super Bowl. In one of the biggest trades in NFL history, the Rams landed future Hall of Fame edge rusher Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns for two-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Jared Verse, a 2027 first-round pick, a 2028 second-round pick and a 2029 third-round pick. The Rams securing the all-time single-season sack leader and last year’s NFL Defensive Player of the Year shows that they remain intently focused on building a roster that can not only make the Super Bowl, but win it all. It’s reminiscent of their move to acquire quarterback Matthew Stafford in 2021, when they shipped Jared Goff and two first-round picks to the Detroit Lions. The Rams won the Super Bowl in the same year they made the Stafford trade, capturing the Lombardi Trophy at their home stadium. And where will this year’s Super Bowl be played? SoFi Stadium. So, will history repeat itself again for the Rams? With Garrett now headed to L.A., here are three takeaways from the massive deal: The Texas native demanded a trade during the offseason last year, but when the Browns offered him a rich extension, he picked the money over winning. Garrett signed a four-year contract extension that, at the time, made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history, earning $40 million annually. Garrett went on to have his best season as a pro, breaking the NFL’s single-season sack record with 23 sacks and totaling 33 tackles for loss. Still, Garrett’s heroic performance didn’t have an impact on his team’s record, as the Browns finished 5-12 and fired head coach Kevin Stefanski at the end of the season. This offseason seemed to have fizzled Garrett’s situation in Cleveland. After the Browns moved on from Stefanski, they didn’t hire who he wanted to be their next head coach, Browns defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. Instead, they hired former Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and Schwartz opted to leave the organization. As the offseason progressed, Garrett’s unhappiness in Cleveland became apparent. Monken said he still hadn’t met Garrett yet when he spoke with reporters in late May, and the star edge rusher wasn’t present for the team’s voluntary workouts. During Garrett’s time away, the Browns restructured his contract, allowing them to spread out his cap hit over two seasons after June 1. That paved the way for a trade. Garrett had a no-trade clause in his contract, giving him some power in picking his next location. His new home is one he’ll have some familiarity with, as Garrett’s girlfriend, Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim, is a Southern California native. So, the trade to Los Angeles brings him closer to his offseason lifestyle. Los Angeles already gave up a first-round pick this offseason in a trade for versatile, All-Pro cornerback Trent McDuffie and signed his teammate, former Kansas City Chiefs cornerback Jaylen Watson, to improve the team’s weak spot defensively in the secondary. Those moves came after Sam Darnold, Jaxon Smith-Njigba and the Seattle Seahawks successfully moved the ball through the air with relative ease in their NFC Championship Game victory over the Rams en route to winning the Super Bowl. Now, Los Angeles has one of the best defensive fronts in football to help ease the burden of its revamped secondary. Verse was a good player and L.A’s most talented pass rusher. However, Verse had trouble finishing in critical moments of the game, logging just 12 sacks over his first two seasons. And the Rams still have plenty of talent in the defensive trenches outside of Garrett. Byron Young was more productive in getting after the quarterback last year than Verse, recording 12 sacks to earn a Pro Bowl nod in 2025. The interior of the line is formidable, with defensive tackles Kobie Turner, Braden Fiske and Poona Ford, but the Rams now have their first elite closer on the edge since Von Miller, who was instrumental in helping the team win the Super Bowl in 2021. Leading tackler inside linebacker Nate Landman signed an extension this past season and returns, along with versatile safeties Kam Curl and Quentin Lake. Add McDuffie and Watson to the mix, and the Rams have elite players at all three levels of their defense, something they couldn’t claim when they fell two wins short of the Lombardi Trophy last year. The Browns’ roster will take an immediate hit for 2026, but they’re now well-positioned to build for the future. They moved on from a high-maintenance player in Garrett, who showed up late for meetings routinely and was arrested a handful of times for speeding. He could have been an issue for a franchise attempting to establish a new culture with Monken, if he wasn’t already with his absences from the team’s offseason program. While Verse isn’t the pass rusher Garrett has been, he also fits their timeline more than the two-time Defensive Player of the Year did. He joins a Cleveland squad that had several productive rookies last season, including Defensive Rookie of the Year Carson Schwessinger and defensive tackle Mason Graham. More importantly, the Browns now have extra draft capital that could allow them to make a move in next year’s talent-rich QB class. They now have two first-round picks in 2027, giving them 11 picks total. The Browns have a two-man competition at quarterback this season in Deshaun Watson and Shedeur Sanders, but it’s clear that they’re looking toward next year. “It’s all about winning a Super Bowl in L.A,” a longtime NFL scout told me when asked about the trade. “The Browns get rid of an eventual pain in the ass, if he isn’t one already.”Latest Sports News from FOX Sports
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9 Minute Rice Cup Flavors, Ranked
With so many flavors to choose from, which Minute Rice stands above the others in a battle of the bowls? After a taste test, there’s one clear winner.
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If you love to toss your salmon into the air fryer for an easy meal but you want to ensure you add flavor (and don’t dry it out), add these two things.
Food Republic – Restaurants, Reviews, Recipes, Cooking Tips
This famously Canadian chain doesn’t carry over day-old donuts. Here’s what some locations do when they don’t sell out by the end of the day.
Mashed – Fast Food, Celebrity Chefs, Grocery, Reviews
Drew Baldridge is offering fans a candid look at the emotional highs and lows that come with being an artist. In a new video shared on social media, the country singer opened up about the disappointment of learning that his latest single, “Rebel,” has been pulled from country radio. While the song carried a message he deeply believes in, Baldridge is struggling with the fact that it didn’t achieve the kind of success he had hoped for.
Written by Baldridge and Adam Sanders and produced by Zach Crowell and Nick Schwarz, the songflips traditional idea of rebellion, with Baldridge embracing the title of a “rebel” not for breaking rules, but for standing firm in his faith, family values, and personal convictions.
Throughout the lyrics, he pushes back against the fact that in today’s world, people often choose to celebrate controversy and reckless behavior. Instead, he encourages listeners to take pride in living with integrity and staying true to what they believe in, regardless of popular opinion.
“Rebel” officially impacted country radio on November 3, 2025. Following the success of his similarly message-driven songs like “She’s Somebody’s Daughter” and “Tough People,” Baldridge strongly believed the track would continue that momentum and resonate in the same way with listeners. Unfortunately, he was sad to report that “Rebel” was not getting the kind of traction needed to sustain a spot on airwaves.
“…we just couldn’t get people excited about it. It wasn’t streaming enough. Radio stations weren’t playing it enough and it just broke my heart,” he admitted. “I love the message of this song. It is a big message. It is hard to hear this message millions of times and I will stand behind the message of this song, but it sucks. We didn’t even get top 50 with it, which is a bummer.”
He goes on to candidly admit that negative thoughts can sometimes overwhelm him, bringing fears that he may not be able to land another Top 10 hit. He reflects on the unpredictable nature of the music industry and how that uncertainty can leave him questioning what the future holds. While there’s plenty to be excited about, including new music and upcoming tour dates, he reveals that even during seasons of momentum, there are still difficult days happening behind the scenes.
“This business is so up and down, up and down. And so this is me just being honest, I’m a little down today and we have lots of new music coming out. We even have a new song coming out next Friday called ‘Diesel and Dirt’ that I hope you guys check out. We have a whole new tour we just announced and we’re about to start that in June called Farm, Faith and Family. And we’re out on tour with Luke Bryan, all this fun stuff all summer and we’re really looking forward to it. But just in my feels right now, I’m really just bummed out, was hoping to have another big hit. And I just hope that whatever we put out next is a hit.”
At the end of the day, Drew Baldridge makes candid videos like these to remind himself that his true purpose is making music for himself and his fans in hopes that crowds will continue to fill up his shows and that his stories will still resonate deeply.
“I try to put real stories into songs and real heartfelt messages. And I hope that whatever I’m making next can be a success and can reach as many people as possible. And I do want to say thank you to Country Radio for getting top 60, all my friends out there that played it and believed in this song, thank you. And I hope whatever we bring next is a big hit and we can continue to have a career.”
Being a husband and a father of two boys has added even more pressure to the Illinois native to succeed and be able to provide for his family.
“All this stuff goes in your head of like, ‘Man, can I do it again? Can I have another hit? Can I provide for my family?’ And you start going down this rabbit hole, it’s real easy to do. But at the end of the day, I just have to remember I’m making music for you and the blessings that come from that are all from God. The songs that I make are from him,” Baldridge continues. “He brings the miracles into my life and the blessings into my life. And at the end of the day, that’s what I got to remember.”
This video not only allows fans to see the real struggles that he faces on some days, but also lets other artists who may be experiencing the same doubt that they are not alone.
“These little videos are kind of for me. And I just want to say I’m having a down day for all the other artists out there that see everybody else’s videos and you just see ups, there’s a lot of downs, even an artist that have had hits in the past and so I’m struggling.”
Drew Baldridge will showcase songs like “Rebel” out on the road for his FARM FAITH FAMILY Tour, bringing live music directly to rural fans across the country. The trek launches June 11 in Omaha, NE and continues through October 18 with support from Alyssa Flaherty and Chase Wright.
This week fans can catch him around CMA Fest, including at his official fan club party on June 4 and at the Chevy Riverfront Stage on June 6.
The post Drew Baldridge Reflects On Disappointment, Self-Doubt After ‘Rebel’ Was Pulled From Country Radio appeared first on Country Now.
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Riley Green is keeping the Cowboy As It Gets Tour rolling into the fall, adding a new slate of headlining dates for 2026.
The multi-PLATINUM, ACM and CMA Award-winning singer-songwriter will be joined on select dates by Randy Houser, Kashus Culpepper, and Hannah McFarland, with the lineup varying throughout the run.
The newly announced shows will bring Green to several major markets nationwide, with stops scheduled in cities like Long Beach, Los Angeles, Austin, and beyond. The added performances expand what has already become the biggest headlining run of his career, following a string of packed shows across the country, including a milestone sold-out performance at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena earlier this year.
Fans in Riley Green’s official fan club, Back 40 Duck Club, will get first access to presale tickets and VIP packages beginning Tuesday, June 2 at 10 a.m. local time. Members of the Riley Green App will have access to available presales starting Wednesday, June 3 at 10 a.m. local time. Additional presales will take place throughout the week ahead of the general on-sale, which begins Friday, June 5 at 10 a.m. local time via RileyGreenMusic.com/tour.
The newly announced tour stops arrive as Green gears up for the release of his upcoming album, That’s Just Me, set to drop on September 18, and continues to build momentum following his latest song, “Think As You Drunk.” Created during a transformative chapter of his life and while navigating his biggest headlining tour yet, the project offers an authentic look at Green’s evolution as both a songwriter and performer. Blending his trademark storytelling style with western influences, the album showcases a wide range of sounds and emotions, from heartfelt reflections and emotional ballads to laid-back summer vibes and the rowdy, feel-good tracks fans have come to expect.
See a complete list of Riley Green’s upcoming tour dates below.
COWBOY AS IT GETS TOUR & FESTIVAL DATES:
June 4th, 2026 – Myrtle Beach, SC – Carolina Country Music Festival
June 7th, 2026 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium (CMA Fest)
June 12th, 2026 – Midland, TX – Midland County Horseshoe
June 13th, 2026 – Decatur, AL – Rock the South
June 18th, 2026 – Holmdel, NJ – PNC Bank Arts Center#~•
June 19th, 2026 – Saratoga Springs, NY – Albany Med Health System at SPAC#~•
June 20th, 2026 – Wantagh, NY – Northwell at Jones Beach Theater#~•
June 25th, 2026 – Noblesville, IN – Ruoff Music Center#$*
June 26th, 2026 – Burgettstown, PA – The Pavilion at Star Lake#$*
June 27th, 2026 – Nashville, TN – Nissan Stadium (Alan Jackson’s Last Call: One More For The Road Finale)
July 9th, 2026 – Fort Loramie, OH – Country Concert
July 10th, 2026 – Craven, Canada – Country Thunder Saskatchewan
July 11th, 2026 – Ashland, KY – Rock the Country
July 16th, 2026 – Green Bay, WI – Resch Center#~•
July 17th, 2026 – Eau Claire, WI – Country Jam USA
July 18th, 2026 – Twin Lakes, WI – Country Thunder Wisconsin
July 22nd, 2026 – Cheyenne, WY – Cheyenne Frontier Days
July 23rd, 2026 – Salt Lake City, UT – Utah First Credit Union Amphitheatre#~•
July 25th, 2026 – Monticello, IA – Great Jones County Fair
July 31st, 2026 – Big Sky, MT – Wildlands
August 1st, 2026 – Camrose, Canada – Big Valley Jamboree
August 2nd, 2026 – Lake Cowichan, Canada – Sunfest Country
August 6th, 2026 – Darien Center, NY – Darien Lake Amphitheater#/•
August 7th, 2026 – Cuyahoga Falls, OH – Blossom Music Center#/•
August 8th, 2026 – Bristow, VA – Jiffy Lube Live#/•
August 13th, 2026 – Camden, NJ – Freedom Mortgage Pavilion#/•
August 14th, 2026 – Hartford, CT – The Meadows Music Theatre#/•
August 15th, 2026 – Bangor, ME – Maine Savings Amphitheatre#/•
August 20th, 2026 – Des Moines, IA – Iowa State Fair
August 21st, 2026 – Sioux Falls, SD – Denny Sanford#$*
August 22nd, 2026 – Grand Forks, ND – Ralph Engelstad Arena#$*
September 6th, 2026 – San José del Cabo, Mexico – Paradisus Los Cabos (Country Splash)
September 10th, 2026 – Denver, CO – Fiddler’s Green Amphitheatre•^+
September 11th, 2026 – Albuquerque, NM – First Financial Credit Union Amphitheater•^+
September 12th, 2026 – Lubbock, TX – United Supermarkets Arena•^+ (on-sale 6/19)
September 17th, 2026 – Ridgefield, WA – Cascades Amphitheater•^+
September 18th, 2026 – Bend, OR – Hayden Homes Amphitheater•^+
September 19th, 2026 – Wheatland, CA – Toyota Amphitheater•^+
September 24th, 2026 – Long Beach, CA – F&M Bank Amphitheater (*formally known as the Long Beach Amphitheater)•^+
September 25th, 2026 – Los Angeles, CA – Greek Theatre•^+
September 26th, 2026 – Mountain View, CA – Shoreline Amphitheatre•^+
October 1st, 2026 – Austin, TX – Moody Center•^
October 2nd, 2026 – Durant, OK – Choctaw Casino•^
November 21st, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FL – St. Pete Country Fest
December 6th, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – Resorts World Theatre
December 10th, 2026 – Las Vegas, NV – Resorts World Theatre
#Justin Moore
~Drake White
$Mackenzie Carpenter
•Hannah McFarland
*Adam Hood
/Zach John King
^Randy Houser
+Kashus Culpepper
The post Riley Green Extends Biggest Tour Of His Career With Additional 2026 Dates appeared first on Country Now.
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