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Owner of viral $1.34 burger stand shares secret to keeping prices unchanged since 2006

Sun, 07 Jun 2026 14:58:25 -0400

A burger stand in a popular beach town has managed to keep its signature burger at a little over $1 for nearly 20 years, even as food and energy prices have soared.

Chris Higgitt, owner of Higgitt's Las Vegas Arcade Blackpool & £1 Burger Bar in the seaside resort town of Blackpool, England, has been selling the same burger for £1, or about $1.34, since opening the business in 2006, news agency SWNS reported.

The burger includes a bun, an English beef patty, onions and sauce.

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Higgitt, 58, said the low price has become a major attraction, drawing long lines of customers during the busy tourist season.

"I am very proud of being able to keep the price for this long," Higgitt told SWNS.

"It is more popular than ever," Higgitt said, noting that people will wait in line for more than an hour to buy one.

Prior to working in the burger business, Higgitt worked as a processing and quality engineer. He later operated a bed-and-breakfast with his wife, Karen, before the couple purchased an arcade in 2006.

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"The arcade wasn't performing very well and Karen and I were talking about what we could do, and we thought of a burger bar," Higgitt said.

He added, "So from this off-the-cuff conversation, I sat down and did the math, and figured out I could sell them for £1."

What began as a side business gradually grew into the couple's primary source of income.

Today, Higgitt said about 90% of his revenue comes from the burger operation, which is open seven days a week from March through November.

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He credits a combination of efficiency, bulk purchasing and social media exposure with helping him keep prices low.

Higgitt estimates that each burger costs him about 50 pence, or roughly 68 cents, to make — including ingredients and electricity.

Keeping prices low, he said, depends on buying ingredients in bulk and attracting a steady stream of customers.

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Social media has become one of the biggest drivers of that traffic, he said, with videos posted by TikTok creators and YouTubers regularly drawing new visitors eager to try what many describe as Britain's cheapest burger.

"I am always welcoming [toward] food YouTubers or TikTokers who come along and record themselves trying the burger," Higgitt said.

"This in turn brings people to try it themselves, or just to see me and enjoy the buzz of the place."

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In addition to burgers, Higgitt also sells hot dogs, Spam sandwiches and sausage sandwiches.

STEPHEN MOORE: This tariff is an expensive gift to China and our families will pay for it

Fri, 05 Jun 2026 05:00:08 -0400

I’m a free trader, but I also understand that for competitiveness and strategic reasons, President Trump’s trade tariffs are used as leverage to help make trade freer and fairer. He’s a master negotiator, who has used the tariff threat to force other nations to play by the rules and level the playing field.

But some specific tariffs don’t make sense, and instead of saving jobs, they raise prices for consumers – especially when there is no viable domestic producer here at home.

In these cases, the "affordability" issue – real and in some cases imagined - is made worse for families. Many grocery items have risen by 25 to 30% in recent years, and the price of canned goods – from peas to peaches – has risen 40 percent during the same period. If these prices keep rising, voters will get angrier and Republicans will feel the wrath of the voters in November.

Which brings us back to tariffs. Canned goods are more expensive today in no small part because of the tariff on imported "tinplate steel" for metal cans of fruits and veggies and those costs get passed on to prices paid at the grocery check-out line. Short-sighted trade policy is largely to blame.

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U.S. steel manufacturers have been scaling back tinplate production in recent years, which has forced U.S. can makers to source more tinplate from abroad. The can makers import approximately 70 percent of the tinplate steel they use, up from 42 percent eight years earlier.

Tinplate steel was subject to President Trump’s 25 percent tariff in 2018. And since last June, the tariff has risen to 50 percent. Those tariffs have driven up costs for the domestic canned food industry. And those costs ultimately get passed along to consumers, in the form of higher food prices.

You may not think these cost increases are a big deal, but the reality is roughly one-third of the wholesale price of canned fruits and vegetables is connected to just the cost of the can. The higher cost of cans has meant that canned fruits and vegetables are rising at almost three times the pace of all foods. But there is no offsetting benefit.

The tariffs are meant to spur more domestic production. Maybe. But U.S. Steel isn’t planning on resuming production of tinplate steel, until next year at the earliest and that’s only a facility. And even if additional domestic production is brought on line next year, the volume will not come anywhere near to meeting the needs of American can manufacturers and food producers. Nor have the tariffs led to more production of American-grown canned foods. They have had the opposite effect.

Even worse, as costs for the U.S. canned food industry have increased, American producers are being undercut by foreign-filled canned goods imported from countries like China. This has produced a race to the bottom for U.S. retailers. And it means that the tariffs may be costing American jobs, not saving them.

In January 2026, Del Monte Foods announced it would be shuttering its operations at a fruit cannery in Modesto, California. That meant a loss of 600 full-time jobs and 800 to 900 seasonal jobs. A union representative for the workers blamed the steel tariffs, saying their impact was to "increase the cost of canned foods, making it that much more difficult for them to compete in the market against imported peaches that come in already canned."

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So, foreigners are undercutting the prices of better American-grown and -made canned food products. Last year, more than two billion pre-filled cans of food were imported into the United States.

This growing dependence on China to meet American consumer needs creates food insecurity for those who need it most, as well as uncertainty for U.S. farmers who can’t compete on price with lower-quality Chinese food imports.

Because of the tariffs, American consumers are left with an unfortunate choice: paying more for American-made canned food or paying less for foreign canned food that is often lower quality and less safe. That is the opposite of America First.

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So the tariff on cans is bad for American farmers. Bad for steelworkers and American steel companies. Bad for consumers. And bad for iconic domestic brands and products like Campbell’s soup, Green Giant corn, and Red Gold tomatoes. It’s good for China and other American rivals.

That’s why President Trump should repeal the tinplate steel tariffs immediately. It’s a policy, to borrow a phrase from Campbell’s soup, that is "mmm, mmm BAD."

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STEPHEN MOORE: Foreign drug price controls are a hidden tax on Americans

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 05:00:35 -0400

The United States spends far more on healthcare, on a per capita basis, than any other country in the world. There are many reasons why, including health insurance companies. But one reason has been largely overlooked: foreign governments maintain pricing systems that limit what they pay for drugs. The difference has been absorbed in the United States, with the result that Americans cover a disproportionate share of the world’s drug costs.

These pharmaceutical pricing systems need to be called out for what they are: trade distortions. And the Trump administration should treat these distortions just as it would treat any other trade distortion: with the remedies that are available under U.S. trade law, starting with an investigation of discriminatory measures.

Countries such as Germany, France and Japan impose government pricing mandates, mandatory rebates and strict market controls that cap what they pay for medicines well below U.S. market prices. That puts manufacturers in a bind. They can either accept the punitive terms these countries have established or find their products shut out of these countries.

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Predictably, the manufacturers have accepted the terms, with the result that the United States has had to cover a greater share of global research and development costs. Those costs are embedded in the prices American patients pay.

Recent developments in Germany show how quickly this dynamic is accelerating. In April, the German government advanced a sweeping cost-containment proposal. The plan would expand mandatory rebates tied to public insurance growth, tighten price-volume rules with automatic increases triggered by sales, and allow selective contracting across entire classes of patented drugs.

The practical effect is to compress pricing further and limit reimbursement to the lowest-cost option within a category. Now France, Japan, and Switzerland are pursuing similar approaches. This is a broader trend across major U.S. trading partners, and Americans will once again be getting the shaft.

The countries maintaining these distorted pricing systems typically characterize them as nothing more than domestic healthcare policy, designed to limit costs and foster budget discipline. But when governments impose controls on prices that are below levels that would prevail in a market-based system, they reduce global revenues that support innovation. They also shift cost recovery onto markets that do not impose those constraints. The United States has become that market.

These policies amount to non-tariff trade barriers, and they can be addressed through U.S. trade law. There is one measure in particular.

Section 301 of the 1974 Trade Act authorizes the United States to investigate and respond to foreign government practices that are unreasonable or discriminatory and that burden or restrict U.S. commerce. It has been applied to a wide range of non-tariff barriers, including intellectual property regimes and digital services taxes. Pharmaceutical pricing systems that suppress global revenues, and shift costs onto American consumers, clearly fit within that framework and warrant formal examination.

It’s time for pharmaceutical pricing to be treated as a core issue in trade negotiations. And the Trump administration has been moving in that direction. Voluntary Most Favored Nation pricing arrangements aim to rebalance what American patients pay without imposing domestic price controls. The administration is reportedly considering Section 301 action, which suggests a growing willingness to move beyond just domestic enforcement. That can’t happen soon enough.

America’s trading partners should be pressed to adopt more balanced approaches that reflect a fairer distribution of pharmaceutical development costs. A Section 301 investigation would establish the evidentiary foundation needed to pursue that outcome and signal that the status quo is no longer acceptable.

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There is also broad public support for action. Recent polling shows that a large majority of Americans believe other countries should pay a fairer share for medicines. That sentiment reflects a basic principle. A system in which one country consistently subsidizes global innovation is not sustainable.

For decades, the United States has been a leader in drug innovation, improving lives for millions of people throughout the world. But there’s no guarantee this will continue. And it might not if U.S. companies are forced to subsidize innovation. It’s time for the Trump administration to use the tools available to remedy the balance and help ensure that pharmaceutical innovation continues.

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The real reason your electric bill is soaring this summer will surprise you

Wed, 03 Jun 2026 05:00:15 -0400

As summer approaches, millions of Americans are bracing for higher electric bills. For many families already stretched by rising costs, that’s simply not sustainable.

This isn’t just about hotter weather. It’s about a fundamental imbalance in our energy system that is driving costs higher.

Electricity demand is rising fast, driven by data centers, new manufacturing, population growth and the electrification of everything from vehicles to home heating. The United States is using more power in more ways than ever before, but we’re not building enough new generation to keep up. Simply put, we need more supply.

Across Exelon’s utilities, about 75% of recent bill increases are tied to the cost of generating electricity — the supply side of the equation — not delivering it. Those costs are set in wholesale markets and passed directly to customers.

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Exelon’s utilities don’t benefit when those prices spike. But customers still have to pay them.

And when supply falls behind demand, the result is predictable: prices go up, volatility increases and American families pay the difference.

At Exelon, we see firsthand the pressure customers are under.

We serve nearly 11 million Americans. We hear from them when bills rise and share their frustrations. That’s why we launched the Exelon Promise, which includes a $60 million Customer Relief Fund and protections to help ensure large energy users don’t unfairly shift costs onto families and small businesses. We’re also investing billions to strengthen the grid, improve reliability and prepare for continued growth in demand.

But if we want to meaningfully lower energy bills across the country, we don’t need a less capable grid; we need to start with a simple, commonsense solution: produce more electricity and do it faster.

In many regions, power supply isn’t just tight, it’s shrinking, as older plants retire faster than new ones come online. At the same time, demand continues to climb. The North American Electric Reliability Corporation has warned that more than half the country faces elevated risks of electricity shortfalls during peak summer conditions, which could mean brownouts or blackouts.

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That’s not just a reliability concern. It’s a cost problem that shows up on monthly bills.

The average monthly electric bill has increased significantly in recent years, rising by nearly 30% between 2021 and 2025, according to the National Energy Assistance Directors Association. Families and small businesses are feeling it.

What many don’t realize is where those increases are coming from. Too often, we’re having the wrong debate, focused on symptoms instead of solutions.

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America needs an all-of-the-above energy strategy that brings more power online quickly and responsibly. That means investing in energy storage, nuclear power, natural gas, renewables, new technology, energy efficiency and the transmission infrastructure needed to deliver it all.

We also need to confront the barriers slowing progress. Lengthy permitting timelines, insufficient supply chains and outdated regulatory structures can delay new generation for years. We simply don’t have that kind of time.

We should be open to solutions that can deliver results at scale. In certain cases, allowing regulated utilities to develop and own generation could help bring more power online more quickly and at lower cost. A recent Charles River Associates analysis found that allowing utilities to develop and own generation in certain cases could save Americans up to $20 billion a year while reducing outage risk.

WALL STREET UTILITY TAKEOVERS MAY MEAN HIGHER BILLS AHEAD

The goal shouldn’t be ideological. It should be practical: more supply, greater stability and lower prices over time.

But no utility can solve a nationwide supply challenge alone.

As our nation approaches its 250th anniversary, this is a moment to remember what has always set America apart: the ability not just to dream big, but to build the infrastructure that powers our freedom and prosperity. From the railroads that connected a continent to the electric grid that brought power to every home and business, American workers and energy providers have helped build the strongest, most dynamic economy in the world — meeting big challenges head-on.

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This moment calls for that same mindset.

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Energy is the backbone of our economy. It powers our homes, fuels innovation and supports everything from small businesses, schools and hospitals to advanced manufacturing and new technologies.

If we want to keep that progress going — and if we want to ease the burden on American families — we need to act with urgency and clarity.

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That starts with a clear priority: build more power, bring more supply online and use every available tool to get it done.

Because when America produces more energy, Americans pay less for it.

NJ Transit World Cup train tickets see eyepoppingly slow sales ahead of upcoming tournament

Tue, 02 Jun 2026 15:57:00 -0400

MetLife Stadium will host its first World Cup game next Saturday, but it does not look like many fans at the moment will be taking public transportation there.

The FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee and NJ Transit originally announced that round-trip train tickets to and from the stadium will cost $150 — a normal ticket from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium is $12.90. However, after extra private funding, tickets have since been lowered to $98.

NJ Transit is planning to transport 40,000 people for each of MetLife Stadium's eight games, but according to The Athletic, as of Monday at 5 p.m. ET, only 17,739 total tickets have been purchased across the entirety of the eight-game slate.

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That is less than 6% of the 320,000 tickets available.

As of 3 p.m. ET on Tuesday, train schedules are not yet available, but fans can purchase tickets in select departure time windows, ranging from one to five hours before kickoff.

Fans have been encouraged to buy tickets in advance, as they will not be available for purchase on game day.

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and FIFA exchanged blows about the ticket prices, with Sherrill imploring FIFA to pay for fans to attend the games.

"Our administration inherited an agreement where FIFA is providing $0 for transportation to the World Cup — zero. That leaves New Jersey Transit with a $48 million bill to safely get 40,000 fans to and from every game..." Sherrill said in a video.

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"I won't stick New Jersey's commuters with that tab for years to come — that's not fair. So here's the bottom line: FIFA should pay for the rides, but if they don't, I'm not going to let New Jersey commuters get taken for one."

FIFA said it was "quite surprised" at Sherrill's unprecedented "approach."

"FIFA World Cup will bring millions of fans to North America along with related economic impact," FIFA said. "Many fans will travel to NYNJ to enjoy the eight matches scheduled. FIFA is not aware of any other major event previously held at NYNJ Stadium, including other major sports, global concert tours, etc., where organizers were required to pay for fan transportation."

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Many travel restrictions have been placed on game days as well, including NJ Transit service into and out of New York being suspended beginning four hours before matches start, except for World Cup attendees. There also will be no parking at MetLife Stadium, and rideshare will also be unavailable on stadium property. Instead, rideshare users will be dropped off near the racetrack adjacent to the stadium.

The first match features Brazil and Morocco, and MetLife Stadium is also hosting the championship on July 19.

CNN panel erupts over Trump's $13M Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool renovation after DOGE-era cuts

Sun, 31 May 2026 14:21:36 -0400

The multimillion-dollar price tag attached to President Donald Trump's renovation of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool made waves Saturday on CNN's "Table for Five" as panelists clashed over whether the project was a justified investment in the nation’s capital or a sign of misplaced priorities.

Host Abby Phillip questioned the $13 million cost incurred so far by repairs to the Reflecting Pool, along with other renovations in D.C., including the White House's East Wing overhaul and the regilding of statues surrounding the Lincoln Memorial.

"Is it just monopoly money to the president at this point? We just got through DOGE, when they fired, you know, a bunch of federal employees claiming that every penny mattered, and now nothing matters?"

New York Post columnist Lydia Moynihan rebutted, touting the value of making Washington safer and more beautiful and comparing Trump's aesthetic resurfacing of the pool to former President Barack Obama's $35 million restructuring effort.

"These are pennies when you consider what Democrats are proposing spending trillions of dollars [on]," she said.

"There are things that we do every day, finding fraud, Trump Rx... There's all kinds of policies like that he's implementing that are good, and we're just not talking about them on this show."

WATCH: TRUMP REVEALS FLASHY NEW COLOR FOR NATIONAL MALL'S REFLECTING POOL MAKEOVER

By that point, the panel had erupted into argument, with guests speaking over one another. Journalist Touré pointed to Trump's statement that the federal government could not pay for childcare, the high cost of gas and the rising cost of the war with Iran.

"Why would we do those things when we are at war, when we have a sinking economy?" he asked.

"If you can't see that one is trillions and one is literally 13 million... So we should just let everything go to hell?" Moynihan responded. "I mean, should we not repair our roads either because it costs too much money?"

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Touré fired back that that was "obviously not the other side of that dichotomy" before Phillip retook control of the table, stating that it came down to priorities and that the American people are asking themselves who and what Trump is prioritizing.

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"At the end of the day, it's the 250th anniversary of the U.S. It is good that we are prioritizing making D.C. safe, healthy, attractive," said former Michigan Rep. Peter Meijer.

"Too bad we've got a hole where the East Wing was, though, right?" replied journalist John Avlon.

Gas prices threaten Memorial Day road trips as pump costs hit historic highs

Sat, 23 May 2026 07:00:16 -0400

Americans traveling this Memorial Day weekend will face some of the highest gas prices in history.

Despite the soaring costs due to the ongoing conflict in Iran causing shipping bottlenecks and blockades, AAA expects more than 39 million people to hit the roads over the holiday weekend.

Meanwhile, the White House has attempted to build rapport with Americans ahead of the 2026 midterms by rolling out a series of extraordinary measures aimed at easing pain at the pump amid an economic squeeze causing rising prices and stubborn inflation.

GAS SURGE TIED TO IRAN CONFLICT HITS SWING STATES, TESTING TRUMP’S LOW-PRICE PITCH

The fuel cost surge persists amid renewed turmoil in global energy markets as escalating tensions in Iran have disrupted oil supplies and driven crude prices higher after the war broke out in late February.

National gas prices are now hovering near record territory, eclipsing levels seen during previous summer travel seasons and raising fears of even higher costs ahead.

President Donald Trump has released record amounts of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as a way to ease prices and has called for a federal gas tax holiday. His administration also temporarily waived a century-old shipping law known as the Jones Act to move fuel more quickly between U.S. ports.

Despite those efforts, drivers across the country are continuing to see sharp increases at the pump.

West Coast drivers are facing the steepest costs, with gas hitting $6.14 per gallon in California and $5.70 in Washington state, according to data compiled by AAA.

BBQ LOVERS BEWARE: MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT MIGHT DISRUPT YOUR SUMMER PLANS THIS YEAR

On the East Coast, prices have climbed above $4.50 in several areas, including $4.67 in Washington, D.C., and $4.62 in Pennsylvania.

In the Midwest, Illinois stands out at $5.01 per gallon, while much of the region remains in the mid-$4 range. Southern states continue to see comparatively lower costs, though prices are climbing there as well, reaching $4.03 in Georgia, $4.09 in Texas and $4.51 in Florida. Mississippi currently has the nation’s cheapest gas at $4.01 per gallon.

Beyond gasoline, other fuel costs are rising even faster.

Diesel has climbed to $5.65, up about $2.10 over the past year. As a key fuel for freight, shipping and public transportation, it is especially sensitive to supply disruptions and its rising cost can quickly ripple through the broader economy, pushing up prices on everything from groceries to goods.

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The surge underscores the broader economic risks tied to the standoff, as uncertainty around the Strait of Hormuz continues to rattle energy markets.

With midterm elections looming, rising gas prices are once again becoming a major political vulnerability as frustrated Americans watch the cost of filling up climb higher.

America’s child care crisis needs more parental freedom — not more Washington control

Wed, 13 May 2026 05:00:35 -0400

For millions of American families, child care has become one of the defining affordability challenges of modern life. In communities across the country, the cost of care now rivals a mortgage payment or in-state college tuition. Parents are delaying having children or cobbling together unreliable arrangements simply because they cannot find affordable care that fits their family’s needs.

Yet for years, Washington has responded to this challenge with the same failed formula: more mandates, more bureaucracy, and more federal micromanagement — paired with calls for ever-larger taxpayer subsidies to offset the cost of these failed policies.

The results speak for themselves. Costs continue to rise. Child care slots continue to disappear. Waitlists grow longer. And small providers are being buried under layers of bureaucracy from both federal and state governments.

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American families deserve a different approach.

At the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), we believe child care policy should empower families, not dictate choices to them. Parents should be free to choose the care arrangement that works best for their children and not be limited to government-preferred options.

That support should include the full suite of options including child care centers, home-based providers, faith-based programs, care from relatives, or having one parent stay home with young children. Flexibility matters because America is a large country. What works for families in rural Idaho may not work for families in Philadelphia.

That is why ACF is advancing reforms that give states greater flexibility to improve affordability, expand access, and make existing federal child care dollars work better for more families. We are restoring flexibility to states and reducing federal pressure to prioritize rigid contract models over vouchers that allow parents to choose the provider that best meets their needs.

We are also giving states greater latitude to design cost-sharing systems and workforce policies that reflect local economic realities instead of forcing one-size-fits-all federal formulas onto every community in America.

And we are reaffirming that faith-based providers, neighborhood programs, family-run child care businesses, grandparents, relatives, neighbors, and stay-at-home parents all can play a vital role in caring for America’s children. For too long, many of these caregivers have faced unnecessary barriers to participating in federally supported programs. They deserve equal treatment and should not be sidelined by ideological or regulatory preferences coming out of either Washington or state capitols.

But while our reforms restore state flexibility, the choices states make will matter enormously.

Too many states have saddled providers with rising compliance costs, mounting paperwork, and endless regulatory uncertainty. The result is predictable: fewer providers participate, fewer child care slots become available, and families face fewer choices and higher prices.

None of this means abandoning standards or accountability. Health and safety protections and fraud prevention matter. But there is a profound difference between maintaining reasonable safeguards and imposing rigid federal mandates that ignore local realities, reduce supply, and drive up costs.

The current regulatory environment is unsustainable. In one example often cited by providers, regulations were interpreted so rigidly that a child care worker allegedly could not peel a banana for a child because of food preparation rules. Anecdotes like this illustrate why providers consistently cite cumulative regulatory burdens as a major factor in deciding whether to remain open.

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At the same time, too many states have adopted lax oversight practices that make fraud easier to commit and harder to detect. Every dollar lost to fraud is a dollar taken away from families who need child care assistance. State policies and practices are critical to ensuring federal child care subsidies are used prudently and effectively. Families are exhausted by years of rising costs, shrinking options, and federal micromanagement.

Our approach is more practical and more durable. The federal government should establish broad guardrails that protect taxpayer dollars and protect against fraud while trusting parents to make the decisions that best fit their families’ needs. If states implement these reforms effectively, existing federal child care resources will serve hundreds of thousands more families.

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And when paired with broader pro-family policies — including an expanded child tax credit and stronger incentives for employer-supported child care — we can begin to reverse the affordability crisis confronting working parents.

That is what a pro-family agenda looks like.

NJ Transit reduces World Cup train ticket prices after backlash, citing more monetary support: report

Fri, 08 May 2026 10:23:29 -0400

Getting to World Cup games at MetLife Stadium via train this summer will reportedly be a little cheaper than originally planned.

After NJ Transit and the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee initially announced $150 round-trip tickets from New York Penn Station to the New Jersey stadium, the tickets will now be lowered to $105.

NJ Transit said that it received monetary support from "sponsors and other sources," so the prices were able to be lowered, according to The Athletic.

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After the initial prices were set, New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill and FIFA got into a spat, with the governor saying FIFA should pay for the train tickets. FIFA criticized Sherrill's "unprecedented" plan and added that the expensive train tickets would have a "chilling effect" on the fan experience.

"Governor Sherrill has been clear that FIFA should contribute to transport its fans to World Cup games. Since it hasn’t, she directed NJ Transit to seek private and non-taxpayer dollars to significantly reduce the fare," a spokesperson for Sherrill said to The Athletic. "The Governor appreciates all the companies that have already stepped up to lower the costs for ticket holders. She will continue to ensure the World Cup is an experience that benefits fans and all New Jerseyans."

NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri defended the $150 train tickets, saying the ultimate cost to the public transportation company should not be the burden of New Jersey commuters.

FIFA FIRES BACK AT NEW JERSEY GOV MIKIE SHERILL OVER DEMAND TO PAY FOR WORLD CUP TRANSIT TICKETS

"It is an exciting moment for New Jersey to showcase New Jersey's diversity as well as its economic standing in the country and in the world. Equally important, (Sherrill) has said that New Jersey commuters cannot and will not subsidize the movement of fans going to the game, because that would not be fair," Kolluri said, reiterating that the tournament will cost NJ Transit $48 million.

"In order to move 40,000 people and to pay for the cost of $6 million (per game), we have to charge $150."

The CEO said if the regular $12.90 fare were put in place, commuters would subsidize the $48 million bill by 92%.

Parking has been prohibited at MetLife Stadium, and ride-sharing will be limited, meaning an increase in NJ Transit commutes.

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New York Penn Station will also only be open to matchgoers beginning four hours before the start of games, and area residents were urged to avoid nonessential NJ Transit travel on game days.

The first game at MetLife Stadium is June 13.

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President Trump on $1,000 World Cup ticket prices: ‘I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest’

Thu, 07 May 2026 13:06:10 -0400

With the 2026 World Cup right around the corner, excitement among soccer fans in the United States is reaching a fever pitch.

The tournament, which is being held, at least partially, on U.S. soil for the first time in over three decades, will feature some of the best players in the world competing for global soccer supremacy.

If you want to get out and see a match taking place in America this summer, though, you may want to think about taking out a second mortgage on the house, because these tickets are rather steep in price.

The get-in price for the United States' opening-round game against Paraguay in Southern California on June 12 is around $1,000, and in this economy, a lot of the middle-class fans are feeling priced out.

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You can add someone else to the list of frustrated "futbol" fanatics turning his nose up at the exorbitant ticket prices: President Donald Trump.

According to the New York Post, President Trump blasted the high ticket prices, revealing even he won't be opening his wallet to watch the U.S. Men's National Team.

"I did not know that number," President Trump told The Post, "I would certainly like to be there, but I wouldn’t pay it either, to be honest with you."

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When even the leader of the free world and a self-made billionaire doesn't want to shell out his cash to watch "the beautiful game," you know you have a problem on your hands.

This comes just days after FIFA President Gianni Infantino tried to defend the sky-high ticket prices by (erroneously) comparing them to college football get-in prices.

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"You cannot go to watch in the U.S. a college game, not even speaking about a top professional game of a certain level, for less than $300," Infantino said, "And this is the World Cup."

As our very own Dan Zaksheske pointed out in his article Wednesday, several College Football Playoff games at neutral sites fell well short of the $100 mark, and the most expensive game was only $219.

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Infantino gaslighting fans into thinking these prices are justified is a bad look, and I'm glad someone as powerful as Trump can draw some attention to how absurd this is and call out the inflated price tag.

I think I'll be joining the president as well as millions of other Americans when I watch our boys try to capture the World Cup from the comfort of my own couch.

The inconvenient truth behind the left’s horrible Spirit Airlines debacle

Thu, 07 May 2026 09:00:09 -0400

Two decades after former Vice President Al Gore predicted the end of the earth, the left is stuck with another inconvenient truth: their policy prescriptions are making air travel more expensive and less accessible this summer travel season.

Remember this the next time you hear another left-wing politician fulminate about the high costs of travel or try to blame it on the conflict in Iran. Worse, these are the same prescriptions the left wants to bring to every facet of the American economy, and they would be ruinous for our country.

When Spirit Airlines’ last flight touched down May 2, it was a sad and avoidable outcome that was years in the making. Travelers stranded. As many as 15,000 employees out of work. Smaller market airports suddenly bereft of one of their only travel options. And, more power consolidated among the country’s "big four" — Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines — that control roughly 75% of the nation’s air travel market share.

How did we get here?

DUFFY BLAMES BIDEN-BUTTIGIEG TEAM FOR SPIRIT AIRLINES COLLAPSE AFTER BLOCKED MERGER

In 2022, JetBlue and Frontier Airlines entered a bidding war for Spirit, which had long been struggling financially. Combined, the three discount airlines controlled less than 15% of the total air travel market.

Eventually, JetBlue and Spirit announced their merger agreement to create a "low-fare challenger" to the Big Four before the Biden Department of Justice, led by Assistant Attorney General for the Antitrust Division Jonathan Kanter and supported by then-Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg, sued to block the merger. Massachusetts Democrat Sen. Elizabeth Warren, a known critic of successful companies, had piled on and urged the DOT to block the merger in a 2023 letter.

A federal judge sided with President Joe Biden and Kanter, and the merger was scuttled. Left with no path to completing the transaction, JetBlue abandoned the acquisition of Spirit. Kanter, in a statement that aged poorly, called the failed merger a "victory for U.S. travelers who deserve lower prices and better choices." Connecticut Democrat Senator Chris Murphy said it would "return power to regular people."

DUFFY SAYS BIDEN ADMIN’S ‘WRONG DECISION’ DOOMED SPIRIT AIRLINES, LEFT 17,000 WORKERS JOBLESS

Now Spirit is gone, and those responsible are rushing to shift the blame.

Two years after calling the blocked merger "a Biden win for flyers," Warren is blaming Trump for "the nail in the coffin," ignoring the fact that Spirit filed for bankruptcy a year and a half ago.

It’s not just airlines, either. Many of these same people have also blocked a proposed merger between Kroger and Albertsons. The parallels are similar. Two smaller entities trying to compete with the larger companies. The left intervenes, and the result is less competition, higher prices and fewer jobs.

An effort is also afoot by many of these same politicians to take down other thriving home-grown success stories. A group of leftist ideologues, unfortunately with the support of some misguided Republicans, have targeted companies like Amazon and Apple with legislation that would break them up.

Biden’s Federal Trade Commission, led by Lina Khan, now an adviser to socialist New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, even worked with European Union regulators to impose crippling restrictions on American companies that operate overseas.

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For the socialists calling the shots in today’s Democratic Party, success is a sin, and the only solution is government intervention. They believe that they know best, and do not believe private sector innovation and market forces can lead to advantageous outcomes.

Had Spirit been allowed to merge with JetBlue, things could look a lot different today. We’ll sadly never know.

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What is clear is that even if you never booked a ticket on Spirit, you’ll be paying the price now, literally. Removing a discount carrier from the skies is expected to increase prices across the board.

This midterm election season and the presidential election that follows are poised to center around the concept of "affordability." For any candidate who claims to have the keys to lower prices, check the tape on what they were saying about Spirit. Those who opposed the merger should answer for the devastation they have wrought.

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Trump fires back at claims of ballroom 'cost overruns': Price is 'something less than $400M'

Wed, 06 May 2026 08:50:34 -0400

President Donald Trump fired back at reporting of rising costs of building his $400 million White House ballroom, saying that figure remains the top of the price range.

"The White House Ballroom is going up rapidly on the East side of the White House," Trump wrote Wednesday morning on Truth Social. "The only reason the cost has changed is because, after deep rooted studies, it is approximately twice the size, and a far higher quality, than the original proposal, which would not have been adequate to handle the necessary events, meetings, and even future Inaugurations.

"The original price was 200 Million Dollars, the double sized, highest quality completed project will be something less than 400 Million Dollars. It will be magnificent, safe, and secure!

"This was a necessary change, it was done long ago, but the Fake News failed to report it, trying to make it look like there was a cost overrun. Actually, it is coming in ahead of schedule, and under budget!"

REPUBLICANS SLIP $1 BILLION IN TAXPAYER MONEY FOR TRUMP BALLROOM SECURITY IN ICE, BORDER PATROL PACKAGE

The latest reporting on alleged rising costs comes from Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, tagging a $1 billion appropriation for the "East Wing Modernization Project" at the bottom of Republicans' budget reconciliation package Trump hopes to sign by June 1.

That item includes more than just the ballroom and even specifies: "None of the funds made available under this section may be used for non-security elements of the East Wing Modernization Project."

The bill's outlay on the final page of the Senate Judiciary Committee reconciliation bill appropriates "$1,000,000,000 to remain available until September 30, 2029, for the purposes of security adjustments and upgrades, including within the perimeter fence of the White House Compound to support enhancements by the United States Secret Service relating to the East Wing Modernization Project, including above-ground and below-ground security features."

Trump contends that is a military, national security and White House expenditure, while the $400 million ballroom remains merely a piece planted on top of the upgraded enhancements to the grounds.

TRUMP TEARS DOWN EAST WING FOR $300M BALLROOM AHEAD OF HIGH-STAKES CHINA MEETING

That distinction is now at the center of the dispute. Trump’s post framed the ballroom itself as under budget, saying the higher price reflects a deliberate expansion approved "long ago." An NBC News report focused on whether the overall project could still impose a major taxpayer cost through security work, even if private donors cover the ballroom’s construction.

The National Capital Planning Commission approved preliminary and final site and building plans for the East Wing Modernization Project on April 2. NCPC staff described the project as a permanent, secure event space intended to increase capacity for official state functions and reduce reliance on temporary tents and support facilities.

The approved plan includes an approximately 22,000-square-foot ballroom designed for roughly 1,000 seated dinner guests, within about 89,000 square feet of above-ground East Wing space.

The White House has increasingly emphasized security as a justification for the project, particularly after Trump faced an unprecedented third assassination attempt last month at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner at the Washington Hilton.

A White House spokesperson praised the proposed funding as necessary to help the Secret Service "fully and completely harden the White House complex," according to NBC. Democrats quoted by NBC called the proposal a reversal of Trump’s earlier pledge that the ballroom would not cost taxpayers anything.

REPUBLICANS RUSH TO GREEN LIGHT WHITE HOUSE BALLROOM FOLLOWING THIRD TRUMP ASSASSINATION SCARE

The project remains politically and legally contentious. Senate Democrats plan to try to strip the $1 billion provision from the reconciliation bill when it reaches the Senate floor, but Republicans are fully expecting no Democrat votes for it regardless.

Construction has resumed while the legal fight plays out. U.S. District Judge Richard Leon issued a preliminary injunction in March blocking further work on the White House ballroom, ruling that the administration could not proceed without congressional authorization, but the D.C. Circuit later kept the injunction on hold while it considers the case.

The National Trust for Historic Preservation, which is challenging the project, says the appeals court has scheduled a June 5 hearing and extended the stay until then, meaning construction can continue for now.

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The broader question now is whether lawmakers and courts will treat the ballroom and its associated security infrastructure as separable — as Republicans’ bill language argues — or as parts of a single White House expansion whose public cost could exceed Trump’s repeated private-funding assurances.

Top airline offers $99 rescue fares as thousands are left stranded by Spirit shutdown

Tue, 05 May 2026 13:54:27 -0400

JetBlue is stepping in to assist travelers affected by Spirit Airlines’ shutdown, offering discounted fares and expanding service in key markets.

The move follows Spirit’s sudden shutdown over the weekend, which halted thousands of flights and left passengers scrambling to rebook.

JetBlue will provide $99 one-way "rescue fares" for stranded Spirit customers with proof of a valid itinerary on the same route, with travel available through May 6, the company said in a press release.

SPIRIT AIRLINES CHAOS COULD BE BIG LOSS FOR BUDGET TRAVELERS AS THEY FIGHT FOR ANSWERS

The airline will also cap certain fares at $299 on nonstop routes previously operated by Spirit from Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, aiming to prevent last-minute price spikes.

"This is really tough news for the thousands of Spirit team members affected, as well as the customers who were planning trips on Spirit," JetBlue CEO Joanna Geraghty said in a statement. "We want to help fill the void created by this loss."

JetBlue, which has major operations in Fort Lauderdale and San Juan, said it is positioned to absorb some of the displaced demand.

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The company is adding service to 11 destinations and increasing flights on existing routes, including new service to cities such as Baltimore, Charlotte, Chicago, Detroit and Houston, along with Barranquilla and Cali, Colombia.

As part of the expansion, JetBlue is also returning to Charlotte Douglas International Airport for the first time since 2024, reintroducing service to a market it previously exited due to lower demand.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to JetBlue for further comment.

The expansion will bring JetBlue’s Fort Lauderdale schedule to nearly 130 daily departures this summer, its largest operation at the airport to date.

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"South Florida is a key market for JetBlue, and we recognize this is a challenging moment for many travelers," said Geraghty in the statement. "Our focus is on stepping up in the near term by adding service, maintaining connectivity and keeping fares competitive, so customers can continue to travel with confidence."

JetBlue said it will continue to adjust capacity based on demand.

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The airline is also offering support to Spirit employees, extending travel privileges for pilots and flight attendants trying to return home and offering interview opportunities for open roles.

Travel experts are warning that the loss of Spirit Airlines could have ripple effects across airfare pricing nationwide, ӣ��Ƶ Digital previously reported.

Lee Abbamonte, a New York-based travel expert, said Spirit "almost singlehandedly kept pricing competitive in many markets," adding that its absence could reduce pressure on other carriers to keep fares low.

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"Without Spirit, there’s no reason for airfare to ever come down," Abbamonte told ӣ��Ƶ Digital, noting the shift could mean fewer options and higher baseline prices for budget travelers.

Andrea Margolis of ӣ��Ƶ Digital contributed reporting.

Spirit Airlines chaos could be big loss for budget travelers as they fight for answers

Mon, 04 May 2026 15:08:16 -0400

Spirit Airlines' sudden shutdown ahead of the summer travel season is stoking fears of higher fares — and raising questions about what comes next.

The airline, which had more than 4,000 domestic flights scheduled through May 15, abruptly halted all flights on Saturday morning.

"This is tremendously disappointing and not the outcome any of us wanted," Spirit CEO Dave Davis said in a company statement.

FLIGHT PASSENGER SPOTS COCKROACHES CRAWLING IN AIRPLANE CABIN: 'NEVER AGAIN'

"All flights booked with credit and debit cards are in the process of being automatically refunded," a spokesperson for Spirit previously told FOX Business.

"The majority of guests who booked travel on a credit or debit card were refunded as of Saturday evening, with a small percentage continuing to process. Refunds may take time to appear in a guest’s account."

Travelers who purchased tickets through third-party vendors will need to reach out to those providers to request refunds, the airline said, FOX Business reported.

TRAVELER SLAMS ‘AWFUL’ EXPERIENCE OF CANCELED FLIGHTS AS BUDGET AIRLINE ANNOUNCES CREDITOR AGREEMENT

Passengers who booked using vouchers, travel credits or loyalty points face looming questions.

The news of Spirit's demise was "a blow to air travelers across the United States," according to Lee Abbamonte, a New York-based travel expert.

Abbamonte told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that Spirit "almost singlehandedly kept pricing competitive in many markets in the country."

US WARNS TRAVELERS TO AVOID PICTURESQUE COUNTRY AS SECURITY RAPIDLY WORSENS

"With Spirit being no longer viable, there is no pressure on legacy carriers to keep prices lower, especially with skyrocketing fuel costs," he said, citing increased fuel prices tied to the war with Iran.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to Spirit Airlines for comment.

"This is going to have a ripple effect across airfare pricing all over the country," he said.

"You may not like Spirit … but you cannot argue with their pricing model," added Abbamonte.

"Without Spirit, there's no reason for airfare to ever come down, especially with fuel costs skyrocketing."

Hunter Shkolnik, a New York-based attorney and aviation expert, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that he expects fares to go up "across the board."

"Legacy airlines win here, budget travelers lose," he said. "Spirit kept prices honest, and without it, fewer choices and higher baseline fares are almost inevitable."

BUDGET AIRLINE BLASTED IN VIRAL VIDEO AS ‘PERFECT HONEYMOON WEEK’ ENDS IN TRAVEL CHAOS

Michael Boyd, the Colorado-based CEO of aviation consultancy Boyd Group International, disagreed about fare hikes. He told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that the concerns are "absolute nonsense."

"By this point, Spirit is not really a factor," he said. "They’re not in a lot of major markets and the ones they are in are mostly focused in Florida."

Major U.S. airlines — including United, Delta, JetBlue and Southwest — are capping their rebooking fares.

Affected Spirit customers may be eligible for one-way tickets priced at around $200, provided they can verify their original booking, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said in a Saturday morning press conference.

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"I would recommend that if you have a ticket with Spirit that you actually try to book with these airlines as soon as possible," Duffy said.

American and Delta are also offering reduced fares on high-traffic Spirit routes, while Allegiant has frozen prices on overlapping routes. Frontier is offering up to 50% off base fares through May 10, Duffy wrote on X.

Spirit passengers had mixed reactions to the shutdown.

"My thing with Spirit was your ticket could be $75, but by the time you [added] your bag, seat and gas for the plane, you [were] paying $300 like any other airline," one person said.

"The only thing Spirit was good for is if you were flying with the clothes on your back and nothing else," another chimed in.

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"The way airline prices have doubled overnight because of Spirit shutting down," a third X user wrote. "Legit it's too expensive to literally exist nowadays."

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Sophia Compton of ӣ��Ƶ Digital, as well as Reuters, contributed reporting.

The surprising cost of renting a horse stall at Churchill Downs during the Kentucky Derby

Sun, 03 May 2026 08:59:51 -0400

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — At Churchill Downs, where the Kentucky Derby draws million-dollar horses and global attention, the cost of stabling those prized thoroughbreds is surprisingly modest — a reality that becomes clear beyond the grandstands and away from the pageantry.

Here, in what’s known as the "backside of the Downs," the track operates like a small, self-contained community, with 47 barns housing the horses and as many as 600 workers living and working on site.

INSIDE THE KENTUCKY DERBY: WHAT FANS DON’T SEE AT CHURCHILL DOWNS ON RACE DAY

"Want to take a guess how much it costs to rent one of these stalls at the most famous racetrack in the world?" asked Stan Bowling, lead tour guide at the Kentucky Derby Museum.

"$7.50."

That modest daily fee stands in stark contrast to the high-stakes world of thoroughbred racing, where millions can go into preparing a single horse.

"Every morning, from mid-March through the end of the year, the horses are going to be out on the track training between 5:30 and 10 a.m.," Bowling said.

GOLDEN TEMPO WINS 2026 KENTUCKY DERBY

Steering a golf cart around the backside, he added that by mid-March, approximately 1,400 horses are on-site.

The grounds also include dorms, a chapel and even a small school — part of a world that runs parallel to the spectacle just steps away.

The backside stretches across rows of mostly nondescript stalls, punctuated by a few bearing the names of famed horses and their jockeys.

Qualifying horses arrive in early March to adjust to the track and settle into life at Churchill Downs, which hosts roughly 750 races each year. But no race carries the same weight as the Kentucky Derby, affectionately called the "fastest two minutes in sports," the 12th in a 14-race lineup that anchors the day’s events.

That same high-stakes investment carries over to the fan experience, where attending the Kentucky Derby can come at a steep price.

KENTUCKY DERBY HEAD CHEF REVEALS THE ONE THING ON THE MENU THAT WILL NEVER CHANGE AT CHURCHILL DOWNS

"It’s an expensive ticket, I will grant you that, but, for most people, coming to see the Kentucky Derby is a bucket list event," Bowling told ӣ��Ƶ Digital.

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Ticket prices range from about $160 for access to the 26-acre grassy infield, where fans watch the race on large screens, to roughly $800 for some of the cheapest grandstand seats — while luxury experiences above the track can top $400,000.

Obama-backed $2.2B green energy 'boondoggle' leaves taxpayers on the hook

Sat, 02 May 2026 12:56:34 -0400

Federal taxpayers helped build a $2.2 billion solar plant — now electricity customers are on the hook to keep it running.

The Ivanpah Solar Power Plant, a sprawling facility near the California-Nevada border built with billions in federal support during the Obama-era economic stimulus program, is stuck in a costly dilemma.

Both the Trump and Biden administrations — along with the utility company that buys its power — have sought to shut it down, saying it underperforms, produces expensive electricity and has been overtaken by cheaper energy sources. But California regulators have refused to allow it to close, warning that closing the plant could strain the power grid.

The result is a costly standoff rooted in years of government decisions: shutting it down could leave taxpayers responsible for hundreds of millions of dollars tied to a $1.6 billion federal loan, while keeping it open means higher electricity costs for consumers.

"This project makes no economic sense to keep afloat, and the market itself has shown that," Daniel Turner, founder of the energy advocacy group Power The Future, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital.

"This is a boondoggle, like most of California's large projects are a boondoggle," he said, arguing it is being kept alive for political reasons, with costs ultimately passed on to customers.

"At some point, you have to stop throwing good money after bad," he added.

EARTH DAY: THREE BIG SIGNS THE CLIMATE MOVEMENT IS RUNNING OUT OF GAS

Rising out of the Mojave Desert, the more than 4,000-acre facility still looks like the future. It has roughly 350,000 mirrors — mounted on more than 170,000 heliostats — which stretch for miles and reflect blinding sunlight into three towering structures that glow eerily white against the barren terrain.

But more than a decade after it opened, the technology behind it has been overtaken by cheaper, more efficient solar alternatives — turning what was once a symbol of clean energy progress into a costly problem. The project has also faced scrutiny over its environmental impact, with thousands of birds killed after flying through the plant’s concentrated solar beams — along with the destruction of large areas of desert land and displacement of desert tortoises.

The costly tradeoff

Roughly $730 million to $780 million of the $1.6 billion federally backed loan tied to the project remains outstanding, according to federal data. In addition, the U.S. Department of the Treasury provided a $539 million grant to help build the facility, covering about 30% of construction costs.

At the same time, some analysts estimate the plant’s electricity could cost customers roughly $100 million more per year than power from newer solar alternatives.

That leaves policymakers facing a stark choice: shut it down and risk sticking taxpayers with hundreds of millions in losses tied to the loan, or keep it running and continue passing higher costs on to electricity customers.

Critics argue that without government backing and long-term contracts, the plant would likely struggle to remain economically viable.

Even the federal government and the utility paying for the power have tried to walk away.

Officials under both the Trump and Biden administrations, along with Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E) — which buys electricity from the plant — have supported shutting it down. PG&E has described the contracts as part of an effort to reduce "uneconomic resources" in its energy portfolio, according to regulatory filings.

California regulators, however, have refused.

The California Public Utilities Commission rejected efforts to terminate the plant’s contracts, citing concerns about grid reliability as electricity demand rises, including increased demand from data centers.

In its decision, regulators warned that shutting down Ivanpah could strand more than $300 million in ratepayer-funded transmission and infrastructure tied to the project, while also creating potential risks for grid reliability — particularly as uncertainty grows around how quickly new energy projects can be built.

PG&E, meanwhile, has argued that terminating the contracts would save customers money compared with continuing to purchase electricity from the facility.

The dispute highlights a broader challenge facing the energy sector — how to balance reliability, cost and past investments as demand rises and technology evolves.

Outdated technology, shifting market

Standing near the site, the scale of the project is unmistakable.

The plant uses a technology known as concentrated solar power, in which computer-controlled mirrors reflect sunlight onto boilers atop nearly 460-foot towers, creating visible beams of concentrated light and causing the structures to glow brightly. The heat is then used to produce steam, which drives turbines to generate electricity.

When it opened in 2014, the technology was considered cutting-edge. However, rapid advances in photovoltaic solar panels and battery storage have since made cheaper, more flexible alternatives widely available.

The project was fast-tracked during the Obama-era stimulus push, prompting concerns about the speed of its environmental review. It was part of a broader federal effort to boost the economy following the 2008 financial crisis and expand renewable energy.

It represented a significant scale-up of relatively new technology, expanding from smaller pilot projects to a nearly 400-megawatt facility — a leap that introduced uncertainties about long-term performance.

But the industry moved on faster than expected.

Cheaper and more efficient photovoltaic solar panels, often paired with battery storage, quickly overtook the concentrated solar technology used at Ivanpah — leaving the plant at a competitive disadvantage.

"The technology used at Ivanpah is no longer really competitive with a new solar farm that uses conventional solar panels," Severin Borenstein, an energy economist at the University of California, Berkeley, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital.

Borenstein said the project reflects the risks of investing in emerging energy technologies at scale.

"When this plant was planned, solar thermal looked like a promising approach," he said. "But photovoltaic costs fell much faster than anyone anticipated, and that changed the economics entirely."

Borenstein explained the project was part of a broader wave of experimentation in early clean energy development, noting that while some technologies — including solar panels, batteries and wind power — became dramatically cheaper over time, Ivanpah "fell into the latter category," with costs failing to drop as expected.

"That doesn’t mean it was a bad idea to build it originally," he said.

Borenstein added that once those shifts occur, large infrastructure projects can be difficult to unwind.

"These are long-lived assets with long-term contracts," he said. "Even if they no longer make economic sense, you can’t easily just walk away."

Mark Jacobson, a Stanford University energy systems expert, contended the technology itself is not inherently flawed but lacks key features used in newer systems.

"There’s no role for a concentrated solar plant without storage," Jacobson told ӣ��Ƶ Digital, noting that modern systems typically store energy for use at night — something Ivanpah cannot do.

Jacobson added that while the plant may no longer be competitive with new projects, that does not necessarily mean it should be shut down.

"It’s already built," he said. "So the question is whether it’s cheaper to keep it running than to replace it."

In addition to the $1.6 billion federal loan guarantee, the project received a roughly $539 million Treasury grant covering about 30% of construction costs, along with tax credits, accelerated depreciation and other federal incentives.

California’s renewable energy mandates also required utilities to purchase power under long-term contracts, helping ensure demand even as newer technologies emerged.

Ivanpah is not the first federally backed clean energy project to face scrutiny. Solar company Solyndra collapsed in 2011 after receiving $535 million in federal loan guarantees.

The Ivanpah project drew backing from major private investors, including NRG Energy and Google, which invested hundreds of millions of dollars in its development.

But the project’s financing structure spreads risk unevenly. Federal loan guarantees, taxpayer-funded grants and long-term power contracts help stabilize returns for investors, while leaving taxpayers and electricity customers exposed to potential losses and higher costs.

Operational challenges have also been documented. A 2025 audit by California regulators identified recurring forced outages and equipment issues that could affect reliability.

NRG Energy, which operates the facility, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital it remains committed to running the plant under existing agreements and providing renewable energy to California.

Although Ivanpah has a nameplate capacity of nearly 400 megawatts, solar plants typically operate below full capacity because they only generate electricity when the sun is shining. Even so, the facility has underperformed.

In 2023, it operated at roughly a 17% capacity factor, according to data from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory — well below the 25% to 30% levels originally expected.

Pat Hogan, president of CMB Ivanpah Asset Holdings, which invested in the project, has argued the plant remains a viable energy source despite falling short of early projections, noting it generated about 726,000 megawatt-hours of electricity in 2024 — enough to power roughly 120,000 homes in California.

Real-world impact

While the facility spans thousands of acres in a remote stretch of desert, it feeds electricity into the broader grid rather than a specific community and has drawn relatively limited public attention despite its scale and cost. The town of Baker, for example, is the nearest town to the facility on the California side, but it is about 50 miles away from the plant.

For some residents and business owners in the region, however, rising electricity prices remain a growing concern.

"During the summer it can be anywhere from $10,000 to $12,000 … in the winter anywhere from $6,000 to $8,000," said Lazarus Dabour, owner of the Mad Greek restaurant in Baker.

"It still restricts your bottom line when your overhead from more electricity goes up. It’s a big factor," he said.

"Our electricity is too high here in Baker," said Eddie Bravo, a local store worker who said his bills can reach between $650 and $750 in the summer.

He said he notices the plant when he travels to Las Vegas, but "[doesn't] know much about it."

Despite the scale of the project, many people passing through the area said they were largely unaware of the facility or the controversy surrounding it.

Some expressed frustration with rising energy costs, while others took a more neutral view.

"It seems like it’s doing its job … it’s definitely working," said Gregory Simons, a truck driver from Rancho Cucamonga who was stopped at a gas station near the Nevada state line.

Just across the road, newer solar facilities sit quietly on the desert floor, using photovoltaic panels to generate electricity more simply and at lower cost — highlighting how quickly the industry has shifted away from Ivanpah’s technology.

More than a decade after it opened, the plant now stands as a symbol of how quickly energy technology can evolve — and the cost of getting it wrong when a project becomes too expensive to shut down and too costly to justify keeping it running.

Safe sex is about to get more expensive, world’s largest condom maker warns

Tue, 28 Apr 2026 09:49:46 -0400

The Iran war could hit consumers where they least expect it: condom prices.

Karex, the world’s largest condom manufacturer, told Reuters it may soon hike prices by as much as 30% as the Middle East conflict strains global energy and supply chains.

The warning underscores how the war is driving up costs, delaying shipments and squeezing supply. And the impact on condom prices highlights how even niche consumer goods are caught up in broader global disruptions.

WHY THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ MATTERS AS TRUMP ISSUES FRESH ULTIMATUM TO IRAN

It all traces back to the Strait of Hormuz, a critical artery for global energy supplies, where shipping has slowed sharply. The shipping lane is surrounded by Iran, Oman and the United Arab Emirates and is widely disputed amid the conflict as ships — especially those carrying oil and other fuel — are prevented from traversing through the contentious waterway.

The bottleneck is also driving up the cost of petroleum-based products like plastics and rubber, which are found in everything from medical supplies to household items to clothing and beauty products.

That’s creating a one-two punch — higher costs and shipping delays that are shrinking supply and raising prices.

Amid those pressures, Karex CEO Goh Miah Kiat said the energy crunch has him weighing a price increase.

THE MIDDLE EAST CONFLICT MIGHT DISRUPT YOUR SUMMER BBQ PLANS THIS YEAR

Kiat says the conflict has pushed aluminum used in foil packaging to a four-year high and silicone oil, a key ingredient in condom manufacturing, is up about 30%. Shortages of synthetic rubber used in some non-latex condoms are further adding to the strain.

Karex, a Malaysia-based firm that produces more than 5 billion condoms every year and exports to more than 130 countries, is struggling to keep up as demand outpaces supply. Karex supplies to the world's largest condom brands, including Trojan and Durex.

Shipping delays are worsening the crunch on getting these products to customers, with more inventory stuck at sea than reaching shelves. Karex products going to the U.S. and Europe are taking up to two months to arrive, while developing countries already facing shortages are seeing even longer delays.

There are growing concerns that these disruptions could hit some of the world’s most vulnerable populations since Karex helps supply United Nations aid programs.

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Karex also manufactures personal lubricants, catheters, probe covers and gloves, underscoring the broader impact supply disruptions could have beyond condoms.

For consumers, that could mean paying more at the checkout counter for a basic health product.

I’m a university president. Trump is right to make colleges deliver for students

Mon, 27 Apr 2026 09:00:36 -0400

Washington just sent a shockwave through the higher education establishment and American families are the clear winners. For years, traditional colleges and universities have operated like untouchable monopolies. They skyrocketed tuition costs, increased their administrative budgets, and happily pocketed federal financial aid checks. They did all of this without ever proving that their degrees lead to meaningful careers.

Colleges and universities will no longer escape with zero accountability.

Recently, the Department of Education under the Trump administration proposed a new accountability system. It is designed to eliminate the low return on investment that has burdened students and their parents for generations.

Under this new Student Tuition and Transparency System, institutions must pass a basic earnings premium test. Colleges and universities must prove that graduates from their undergraduate programs earn more money per year than a typical high school graduate. If they cannot meet this metric, the institution will lose access to federal student loans and potentially Pell Grants.

BILL MAHER CALLS UNIVERSITIES 'INDOCTRINATION FACTORIES,' PARTIALLY BACKS TRUMP EFFORTS TO REFORM THEM

This proposal is not a radical political idea. It is economic common sense. As Under Secretary of Education Nicholas Kent correctly noted, if postsecondary education programs do not leave graduates better off, taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize them. More importantly, parents should not have to empty their retirement accounts to pay for them.

Higher education has told high school seniors to blindly chase campus prestige for too long. We handed young adults tens of thousands of dollars in student loans to pursue degrees that the modern labor market simply does not value or need. The devastating result is a generation drowning in student loan debt, moving back into their childhood bedrooms, and holding diplomas that cannot secure a livable wage.

As the president of Southeastern University, I see this proposed regulation as the reset American higher education desperately needs.

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This is a victory for the family sitting around the kitchen table trying to figure out how to afford college. It is a victory for the 18-year-old being told to borrow without being told the consequences. And it is a victory for the taxpayer who has been subsidizing broken institutions for too long.

A degree is only valuable if it equips a young adult to build a stable life, support a family, and contribute meaningfully to the economy. At Southeastern University, we understood this shift years ago. We did not wait for a federal mandate to hold ourselves accountable. We intentionally built an educational model designed for the modern workforce, partnering directly with employers, aligning academic programs with real economic demand, and ensuring students gain practical, career-ready experience long before they cross the graduation stage.

Education must function as a bridge to economic mobility. It should not be a trapdoor into years of insurmountable debt.

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The higher education establishment will fight this proposal. Count on it. The very institutions that fueled this crisis will be the loudest voices against this change. They will dress their opposition in the language of academic freedom and institutional independence. But protecting institutions that consistently fail their students is not academic freedom. It is institutional cowardice.

We cannot bend to that pressure. This policy is a direct defense of the American family and the American student. The federal government is finally demanding that colleges deliver on their expensive promises. For too long, institutions have been rewarded simply for existing rather than for producing results. That model is broken, and this proposal begins to fix it.

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The future of American higher education belongs to the schools willing to be held accountable, the schools that offer affordable, practical degrees and actually prepare graduates to succeed in the workforce.

It is time to stop protecting broken institutions and start protecting the students they were built to serve.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM DR. KENT INGLE

Trump vows to 'get to the bottom' of Fed's multibillion-dollar building renovation after probe shift

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:26:55 -0400

A day after U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia Jeanine Pirro announced she had directed her office to close its investigation into the Federal Reserve over a building project, President Donald Trump said he wants to know what happened.

"Well, I want to find out," the president told reporters before boarding Air Force One at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida on Saturday after a reporters asked if he agreed with Pirro’s decision.

"You know, it's not dropped," he continued. "They're looking into the whole thing about the crisis. What I want, with the IG, what I want to look at is how can a building that I could have done for $25 million cost $4 billion? That's a big thing."

Trump also mentioned Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, saying, "He was in charge."

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"So, we'll get to the bottom of it," he added. "Yeah, I think Jeanine is fantastic. And she worked with other people on that. I tell you, I want to find out. I have an obligation to find that — this was done during Biden, but I have an obligation to find out how does it — I would have done that building for $25 million and had money left over. And it would have been open a long time ago."

The Fed had an approved budget of $2.46 billion for the renovations but went over budget because of issues like more asbestos than expected and costs rising during the course of the renovation, the Fed says on its website.

Pirro said Friday the Fed's inspector general, Michael Horowitz, would take over the investigation, moving it from the hands of federal prosecutors into those of a longtime government watchdog.

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Powell was under investigation over statements he made to Congress related to the management of the renovation costs.

Powell revealed in a video announcement in January that the Department of Justice had opened an investigation into the Fed, calling it an unprecedented attempt to use "intimidation" to force him to lower interest rates.

In the lead-up to the investigation, Trump and Powell's relationship had grown increasingly rocky as Trump became frustrated over interest rates and began targeting Powell, whom he nominated in 2017. Trump called Powell a "fool" and demanded in March that he drop rates "immediately."

Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C., who has a background in finance and sits on the Senate Banking Committee, had vowed to block Kevin Warsh's confirmation because of the DOJ's investigation after Trump nominated Warsh to replace Powell, whose term expires May 15.

Tillis had claimed the DOJ's investigation was political and would improperly interfere with markets, and he accused Pirro of seeking "brownie points" with Trump by opening it.

"It’s not cute," Tillis said during a television interview in February.

During Warsh's confirmation hearing this week, Tillis told Warsh, who previously served on the Fed's Board of Governors, that he had "extraordinary credentials" but that he could not vote to advance his nomination in the Senate until the DOJ ended its investigation.

Horowitz, who will now investigate the Fed building renovation costs, has drawn a mix of praise and criticism from Republicans while serving as DOJ inspector general for more than a decade.

He was one of the few high-profile inspectors general spared during Trump's historic cull of government watchdogs last year and has found allies in key figures like House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, R-Ohio.

Pirro closing the investigation could pave the way for Warsh’s nomination.

Trump said he wanted to see the investigation through "for the country."

"It’s much tougher, much more expensive to build a hotel than an office," the president said, mentioning his Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., that he sold in 2022 and was renamed the Waldorf Astoria.

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"I want to find out how can a building of that size cost for whatever it's going to be. Nobody knows, by the way, what it's going to be. Kevin is going to be fantastic. Kevin Warsh, he may never get to be in that building."

Trump told reporters that his nomination should now go smoothly, "but whether it is or not, somebody has to find out why that building that should have cost $25 million is costing billions of dollars. And you know why they have to find it out? For other buildings, because that's not the only one. I think that's the most egregious example."

ӣ��Ƶ' Ashley Oliver and Alex Nitzberg contributed to this report.

Airline CEO sparks backlash after revealing what’s really driving sky-high ticket prices

Sat, 25 Apr 2026 18:24:53 -0400

Air travelers hoping for some relief on soaring ticket prices may not get it anytime soon — even if fuel costs drop, according to reports.

One airline CEO in particular is facing backlash after suggesting the company may not lower the high fares even if oil prices stabilize, comments that quickly sparked anger among travelers online.

During an earnings call earlier this month, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian indicated the airline would "retain any of the pricing strength" gained amid the current environment, even if fuel prices decline.

He added that lower fuel costs would "help us boost our margins this year and clearly into next year," according to multiple reports.

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He also said "it’s hard to call anything temporary" given the current fuel levels, The Guardian reported.

The ongoing war in Iran has disrupted a key global oil supply route, spiking airfare in recent weeks. About 20% of the world’s oil usually passes through the Strait of Hormuz, which is now under a U.S. naval blockade that has sharply reduced ship traffic, making it a key factor driving up airline fuel costs, according to industry reporting.

Analysts say some airline carriers have already tacked fuel surcharges onto longer routes, while others have raised baggage fees to offset rising expenses.

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Delta alone expects its fuel bill to jump by about $2 billion this quarter after jet fuel prices have spiked dramatically since late February, according to CNBC.

But Bastian’s remarks about what happens next quickly sparked outrage across social media.

"Delta CEO saying the quiet part out loud," one widely shared post on X said, accusing the airline of using the crisis to permanently raise prices.

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Others were more blunt.

"If you give them an inch, they will rob you," one commenter wrote.

Another user criticized the broader airline industry, writing that companies "never miss a chance to price gouge," while others pointed to past government bailouts and consolidation among major carriers.

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The backlash comes as airlines navigate high travel demand paired with volatile costs.

Despite higher fares, Delta says bookings remain strong, with demand — particularly for premium seats — continuing to rise, according to CNBC.

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ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to Delta for comment.

The airline, however, is not the only one warning of steep fare hikes.

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United Airlines said it is raising ticket prices by as much as 20% to offset soaring jet fuel costs tied to the Iran war, with executives noting customers are already booking future travel at significantly higher prices, FOX Business reported this week.

CEO Scott Kirby said the airline aims to "recover 100%" of increased fuel costs, while other executives indicated fares may need to stay elevated and could become more permanent if high fuel prices persist.

Costco sparks bagel backlash among customers as downsized packs ignite pricing debate

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:30:44 -0400

Costco is known for supersized everything, but a new product downsizing in its bakery section is getting some big attention from shoppers, and some say it may actually be better.

The warehouse giant is now offering its popular Kirkland Signature bagels in a single, eight-count pack at some locations, rather than requiring customers to purchase two packs at once as it previously did.

The shift, which was spotted by shoppers and highlighted in a recent post by Instagram account @costcobuys, is being welcomed by many who say the old bulk requirement often led to wasted food.

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"Big news for bagel lovers because the Costco bakery now sells their Kirkland Signature Bagels as a SINGLE 8-pack!" said the Instagram post, which garnered over 1 million views in a day.

Majed Kassis, who runs the account, noted a reported price of $4.99.

"No more bagels going bad before you can finish them," the Michigan-based content creator said in the video.

Kassis told ӣ��Ƶ Digital that while some people claimed the bagels are now smaller, there was mostly "positive feedback" about not having to buy two packs and wasting or freezing bagels.

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"I never buy them for home because I don't want 12 bagels, so love the single pack option!" one person commented.

Others said a dozen was "just too much" for them.

Shoppers have long pointed out that some Costco bakery items can be difficult to finish before they go stale, especially for smaller households. The new offering provides more flexibility without requiring freezer space or excess meal planning.

Others simply exclaimed: "Finally!"

But not everyone is convinced the change is a win.

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Some commenters questioned whether the shift is less about convenience and more about pricing.

"So before, you got 12 for $5.99. Now, you get 8 for $4.99. They raised prices without raising prices," one user claimed.

Another echoed the concern: "So now it is more expensive per pack."

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Others pushed back on that narrative, pointing out the per-unit math.

"It’s just a slight price difference per unit … $0.66/bagel [before] … $0.62/bagel [now]," one commenter calculated, suggesting the value may still be comparable depending on location and pricing.

Others argued the move goes against the retailer's bulk-buy identity.

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"This is what Costco is about, isn't it? Buying in bulk," one person wrote.

Nonetheless, many shoppers said they would still buy multiple packs, especially now with more variety available.

One person recalled being able to mix and match flavors under the old two-pack system.

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The conversation also spilled into broader critiques of Costco's bakery, including questions about ingredient transparency.

"You can have your fake blueberry bagels, Costco. … No, thanks," one user wrote in response to Kassis' post, referencing separate online discussions about "simulated blueberry" ingredients.

"Do they come with real blueberries?" another commenter asked.

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The blueberry bagels have drawn criticism recently after some shoppers noticed the label indicates the fruit component is made from flavored and colored ingredients rather than real blueberries.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to Costco for comment.

Hotel guest says 'free' amenities are a hidden fee trap costing travelers tons of extra money

Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:23:33 -0400

Travelers are being warned to double-check their hotel room bills after a man on social media discovered items that he and his wife thought were complimentary actually carried a fee if they were used and gave specific examples of what happened to him.

In a TikTok video that went viral, Jaden Warren said he was surprised to learn that several bathroom items on display in his hotel room at the Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk by Hyatt were not free at all.

"We were super excited about the amenities they have," Warren said in the video, pointing to items such as shower steamers and face masks displayed in the bathroom.

He said the catch became clear, however, after noticing a minibar menu tucked behind the products.

"You open up the minibar menu, and it turns out all of those things are chargeable instead of included amenities," he said.

Warren argued the elaborate setup could easily confuse guests, noting that toiletries are often complimentary at hotels.

He also said the menu was partially hidden behind the luxury items, making it less obvious that the products were for sale.

TRAVELERS MAY BE SLAPPED WITH 'RIDICULOUS' NEW FEES AS POPULAR CITY SEEKS MILLIONS PER YEAR

"This is annoying and, unfortunately, very common," New York-based travel expert Lee Abbamonte told ӣ��Ƶ Digital.

Abbamonte said guests should review in-room menus carefully before using any items, especially when products are displayed separately from the main minibar.

"It can be a little deceptive by hotels, but that's just kind of the way it is right now," he said.

"Deceptive practices are acceptable, and high prices are even more acceptable."

Another industry expert had a different take altogether.

"Context matters. This has nothing to do with a bar of soap, shampoo, conditioner or body wash," said Sarah Dandashy, a travel and hospitality expert based in California who runs the Ask a Concierge website.

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"Those are the industry-standard complimentary toiletries. … This hotel [is offering] luxury products that go well above and beyond what any standard hotel room provides: boutique skincare lines, bath bombs, face masks. These are elevated extras that most hotels don't stock. Guests weren't being charged for the basics. They were being given access to a luxury upgrade."

She agreed guests could be "momentarily confused" if "clear distinctions" weren't made in the signage.

She added, "Hotels are operating under enormous cost pressure right now. … The fix is clearer communication, not outrage."

Online, the video quickly drew reactions from other travelers, many of whom said they would have made the same assumption as the husband who posted his thoughts.

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One person wrote, "An unexpected $35 charge for hand soap on my bill would ensure that I never stayed there again, no matter if it was the best hotel stay of my life."

Others shared similar experiences with unexpected hotel charges.

"I stayed at a $350-a-night hotel recently that charged for the instant coffee and tea bags they left out. I’ll never go back," a different commenter said.

Others emphasized that hidden or unclear fees would chase them away forever.

"This should be illegal," a person wrote.

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Yet another commenter said, "I travel almost weekly for work and frequently for personal travel. I would have absolutely assumed the bath products were free."

A different user put it this way: "No way would I think things on a tray in the bathroom were additional charges. Very gross."

One person tried sharing practical advice.

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"Businesses will never learn. A quick one-time charge can lead to never staying there again and telling friends and family to avoid the business. A gift with the room will almost always lead to another stay and spreading the word to friends and family," the person wrote.

ӣ��Ƶ Digital reached out to Hyatt and the American Hotel and Lodging Association, which is based in Washington, D.C., for comment.

Mark Cuban shoots down presidential bid as he teams up with Trump admin to cut healthcare costs

Wed, 22 Apr 2026 10:12:22 -0400

Billionaire investor Mark Cuban shot down a presidential run Wednesday while detailing his broader efforts to team up with the Trump administration to lower drug costs for all Americans.

"It's not going to happen," he said of a presidential bid on "Fox & Friends."

"My dream has not been to be president, but my dream, and truly, as an entrepreneur, I think I can have an impact and really change the economics of healthcare in this country. I think that's something that can have as big an impact as any political position."

During his live morning walk with ӣ��Ƶ' Steve Doocy in Pittsburgh, Cuban elaborated on how he plans to use those aspirations in conjunction with TrumpRx, the Trump administration's effort to connect U.S. consumers with lower-cost drugs, to bring about positive change in the healthcare industry.

5 STEPS THE NEW TRUMP ADMINISTRATION MUST TAKE TO MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN

"We're working really close with TrumpRx," he shared.

Cuban owns the direct-to-consumer prescription platform CostPlusDrugs.com, which cuts out middlemen like pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs) that can contribute to higher drug costs in the marketplace.

He emphasized that the nonpartisan appreciation for cheap medications means Republicans, Democrats and independents like himself can all get on board with the joint effort to bring down costs.

"We're going to be integrating our list of medications there. We're looking to bring manufacturing from overseas for generics to Dallas, so there's so many things we're doing with the administration that I think will really accelerate [cost reduction]," he added.

Cuban said the mission is simple — to make all aspects of maintaining good health inexpensive, starting with medications and then going "across the board" to all healthcare.

Cuban also shared how his platform is revolutionizing the drug business as is, explaining that the medications' dramatically lower costs compared to market rates stem from a basic manufacturing cost, a 15% markup to keep the business running, a $5 pharmacy labor fee and a roughly $5 shipping cost.

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"You can save a lot of money, particularly if you have cancer, multiple sclerosis, [or] kidney disease," he said.

"There's a lot of really expensive drugs out there that, because we only mark it up 15%, we can save people hundreds if not thousands of dollars per month and we've really changed people's lives, and that's important to me at this time."

BBQ lovers beware: Middle East conflict might disrupt your summer plans this year

Sat, 18 Apr 2026 07:00:57 -0400

Burger lovers take warning: neighborhood cookouts could be more expensive this summer, thanks to conflict in the Middle East.

Global tensions are pushing up energy prices, resulting in higher costs for beef and the propane used to fuel backyard grills — just in time for Americans getting ready for barbecue season.

"The impact of ongoing challenges in the Middle East on energy prices impacts nearly every facet of the U.S. economy and beef-cattle are not immune," Glynn Tonsor, a professor of agricultural economics at Kansas State University, told ӣ��Ƶ Digital.

THE SINGLE CRUSHING PROBLEM AMERICAN CATTLE RANCHERS WISH TRUMP WOULD FIX INSTEAD

Ranchers rely on energy at nearly every step of their process, from fueling tractors in the field to using trucks to transport cattle, and those higher costs are often passed on to consumers, Tonsor explained.

Those pressures are showing up at the pump. The national average for a gallon of gas now stands at approximately $4.09, up roughly 93 cents from just one month ago, according to AAA, with costs climbing across nearly every region.

Diesel, a key fuel for freight and shipping, has climbed to $5.61, up about $2.03 over the past year, making it more expensive to move cattle and beef across the country.

The ripple effects go far beyond beef.

Propane, the fuel powering many backyard grills, is also getting more expensive as global energy markets tighten, in part, because countries in the Middle East are such major suppliers to the world.

U.S. propane prices at the Mont Belvieu hub, the industry benchmark for this type of power, have surged nearly 19% since the conflict began in late February.

BEEF PRICES ARE CLOSE TO RECORD HIGHS — BUT AMERICANS AREN’T CUTTING BACK

But higher energy costs are only part of the story.

Cattle supply remains slow to respond. Unlike oil or metals, where supply can be increased relatively quickly, cattle production takes years to ramp up after a dip.

The U.S. cattle herd is now at its smallest size in 75 years, which is keeping the supply tight following years of drought, rising costs and an aging ranching workforce resulting in producers needing to cut back.

That tight supply is already pushing prices higher — and the Iran conflict is only proliferating the issue.

According to U.S. Department of Agriculture data, the average price of beef in grocery stores climbed from about $8.70 per pound in March 2025 to $10.08 a year later — an increase of roughly 16%.

Subsequently, even if energy prices ease, beef prices likely won't be quick to follow.

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For shoppers, that means prices may remain high — or climb further — depending on whether consumers keep coughing up cash for steak and burgers or opt to switch to cheaper alternatives.

Much of that comes down to forces far beyond Americans' backyard that continue to shape the cost of firing up the grill this summer.

FIFA says NJ Transit fare hikes for World Cup will have 'chilling effect,' again rips NJ Gov Sherrill

Fri, 17 Apr 2026 17:05:46 -0400

FIFA is not fond of the NJ Transit plan for the World Cup.

The public transportation system, along with the FIFA New York New Jersey Host Committee, released their "Regional Stadium Mobility Plan" on Friday, which includes $150 train tickets and an $80 shuttle bus from New York to MetLife Stadium, limited rideshare opportunities, and Penn Station closures to non-gameday commuters.

With the plan now officially in place, FIFA World Cup COO Heimo Schirgi issued the following statement to ӣ��Ƶ Digital:

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"Ever since the host city agreements were signed in 2018, FIFA has worked in collaboration with the Host Committees and their partners to develop a transportation plan that provides efficient and accessible mass transit options for ticketed fans attending the eight matches at NY NJ Stadium. The goal is to minimize congestion, reduce reliance on private vehicles, and ensure the fan experience is positive and memorable, defined by the action on pitch, not delays on the roads.

"The NJ Transit current pricing model will have a chilling effect. Elevated fares inevitably push fans toward alternative transportation options. This increases concerns of congestion, late arrivals, and creates broader ripple effects that ultimately diminish the economic benefit and lasting legacy the entire region stands to gain from hosting the World Cup."

New Jersey Governor Mikie Sherrill has implored FIFA to foot the bill for those going to games, a request that Schirgi criticized.

FIFA FIRES BACK AT NEW JERSEY GOV MIKIE SHERRILL OVER DEMAND TO PAY FOR WORLD CUP TRANSIT TICKETS

"Furthermore, to arbitrarily set elevated prices and demand FIFA absorb these costs is unprecedented. No other global event, concert or major sporting promoter has faced such a demand. While FIFA is projected to generate approximately $11 billion in revenue, not profit, as the Governor incorrectly claims, FIFA has always been a not-for-profit organization as per our statutes. Revenues from the FIFA World Cup are reinvested into developing the game of football, particularly for youth and women, worldwide.

"Lastly, we applaud our host city partners across the country who embraced this opportunity to showcase their region to visitors by providing low cost and often unchanged rates for mass transit to and from match venues, FIFA Fan Festival locations, airports and other areas critical to a positive fan experience. One Host City lists a mass rail ticket for $1.25, ultimately costing ticketed fans $2.50 for roundtrip transportation to a FIFA World Cup 2026 match."

A normal train ticket from Penn Station to MetLife Stadium is $12.90, making this increase roughly a dozen times higher than what it normally is.

NJ Transit CEO Kris Kolluri said the prices had to be increased, given the $48 million cost to NJ Transit and to avoid regular commuters subsidizing the cost in the future.

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MetLife Stadium will host eight matches, beginning on June 13 and ending with the July 19 final.

Follow ӣ��Ƶ Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the ӣ��Ƶ Sports Huddle newsletter.

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