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Kirk Medas, one of the stars of the former MTV reality show Floribama Shore, has died. He was 33 years old.

Medas was one of the most popular and beloved members of the Jersey Shore spinoff’s cast, both by fans and amongst the cast members themselves. The show ran on MTV from 2017 to 2021.

“We are deeply saddened to learn of the tragic passing of Kirk Medas, a beloved member of the Floribama Shore family. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and fans during this difficult time,” MTV said in a statement.

How did Kirk Medas die?

His death comes after he spent almost two weeks in a hospital’s intensive care unit, per TMZ. It was reported earlier this week that he had been hospitalized and was “fighting necrotizing pancreatitis.” Per TMZ, his cause of death was liver failure.

‘Floribama Shore’ stars raised money for Medas before his death

Prior to Medas’ death, several co-stars had begun helping to crowdfund to support Medas’ health issues and expenses.

Aimee Hall shared on Instagram in part, “Our friend Kirk has been in the ICU for over two weeks now, battling a severe case of necrotizing pancreatitis. He’s currently on a ventilator, and the situation is incredibly serious. Nilsa has been flying back and forth to Miami to be by his side, and I’ve been lucky enough to stay connected through FaceTime with his roommates and close friends who’ve been keeping us updated daily. Kirk does not have medical insurance, and his sweet, strong mother has created a GoFundMe to help with the overwhelming expenses.”

Nilsa Prowant also wrote in part on her Instagram, “Thank you all so much for the overwhelming love, prayers, donations, messages, and support for Kirk. He’s been in the ICU on a ventilator for two weeks now, fighting necrotizing pancreatitis and sepsis. Watching someone you love go through something so painful and uncertain is heartbreaking, but your messages, prayers, and kind words have truly lifted us in this dark time.”

Candace Rice also said on Instagram, “We’ve been praying so much and truly speaking a miracle over his body. @kirkmedas GoFundMe is in my bio and in my IG stories! Love you so much Kirk and if you cannot donate (understandable) please send prayers and covering over Kirk’s body, health, and over his mom.”

Reactions to Kirk Medas’s death

Tributes poured in from Floribama Shore co-stars in honor of Medas.

Hall confirmed Medas’ death in an Instagram post, writing in part, “We lost our brother, our best friend, our heart—Kirk. I was at the beach when I felt it. Before the call even came, a dolphin kept coming up to me, as if to say goodbye. Kirk and I shared a love for dolphins and the ocean, and in that moment, I just knew.”

She continued, “Though my heart is shattered, I find peace in knowing he’s no longer in pain. He’s in heaven now—free, whole, and making everyone laugh the way only he could. Kirk had the kindest soul, a heart full of love for everyone he met, and a spirit that brought people together. He truly was the glue that held us all close. I’ll never forget the moment they placed him on the ventilator, before the coma took hold. I told him I loved him, and tears rolled from his eyes. That memory will stay with me forever. I already miss his voice, his laughter, his presence. The world feels a little dimmer without him—but I know I’ll see my best friend again someday. Until then, I’ll carry him in my heart. Always”

Prowant wrote on Instagram, “A picture is worth a thousand words and these are my favorite. Kirk was one of my favorite people in the whole world. Anytime you needed a friend, Kirk was always there. His laugh was contagious, you always wanted to hear more. He loved and lived life to the fullest. Our story is unique. A once in a lifetime chance of meeting. 8 strangers from all over the south who probably would’ve have crossed paths if we never had taken that crazy opportunity and I’m forever grateful we did. You were more than a roommate to me (and all of us) you were our brother. You saw the good in every person you met. Made light in dark times. Showed up every single time.”

She added, “My heart is broken…things will never be the same. The world lost the most beautiful, kind, and genuine person. Uncle Kirk to many, friend to all. I love you forever. I just know my dad is going to love hearing your stories. Rest in paradise, Kirk ♥️ please keep his family and friends in your prayers.”

Mattie Lynn Breaux wrote, “I’m struggling with finding the right words, but the reality is that they don’t exist. This is still difficult to comprehend. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have known you, work with you, and call you a friend. You were a deeply loved individual who will be profoundly missed by many. My heart is heavy with grief. Processing this news has been a challenge. You’ve had a profound impact on numerous lives! You were an exceptional individual, friend, colleague, and human being. May you rest in peace. Praying for all of your friends, family, colleagues, and anyone who had the privilege of knowing you.Until we meet again friend, RIP @kirkmedas.”

Codi Butts said, in part, “I love you so much. It is with a heavy heart I have to say goodbye to my best friend. I love you so much. My heart is absolutely broken. I wish this was a bad dream that I could just wake up from. Thank you Kirk for giving me some of the best years of my life. You have made me a better person. I will forever love you and cherish our friendship!”

Subway employees across the country are expressing outrage as the fast-food chain continues to close many of its restaurants.

According to The Mirror U.S., Subway has closed over 600 stores since 2024, angering many employees who say they were not warned about the closures. The company, which once had 27,000 locations 10 years ago, is now down to about 20,000 locations, per The Mirror.

What are Subway employees saying about the store closures?

Joanne Kennedy, a store manager at a Subway in Oregon, said the news came as a shock to her and many of her colleagues.

“No warning, no heads up, no transparency, completely and totally blindsided, every one of us,” Kennedy told KPTV in 2024.

Kennedy said she first noticed something was weird when the food orders she put in stopped coming.

“There was no communication, there was just ‘keep doing your job, business as usual,’ that’s what I was told, business as usual, they’re looking for a resolution for the food order,” Kennedy said at that time. “We were all trading food in between stores trying to keep everyone’s doors open, and then no food came.”

Crystal Eang, another Subway manager, said she had a similar experience.

“Monday rolled around it was like you guys are not getting paid, we don’t have the money to pay you,” Eang said.

What is Subway saying about its store closures?

A Subway spokesperson said the company is still focused on growth despite the closure.

“In the US, we are optimizing our footprint using a strategic, data-driven approach to ensure restaurants are in the right location, image and format and operated by the right franchisees,” the spokesperson told QSR Magazine.

They added that Subway is also continuing to grow globally: “Subway achieved positive global net restaurant growth for the second consecutive year. With nearly 37,000 locations worldwide, our focus remains on ‘Smart Growth.’”

Subway operates about 37,000 restaurants worldwide, per QSR — making it the world’s third-largest restaurant behind McDonald’s and Starbucks.

The NAACP branch in Rochester, Minnesota is calling for an investigation after a white woman repeatedly said the N-word at a park. The woman, who is seen in a viral clip, is holding her own child while she’s confronted by an adult who called her out for saying the N-word to a Black child at the park, per KROC News.

The woman, who has identified herself on Christian crowdfunding service GiveSendGo as Shiloh Hendrix, has raised money for support, as the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. Hendrix claims to be the white woman in the video.

A white woman repeatedly hurled N-word at a Minnesota playground

As a concerned man at the park recorded the white woman and asked her why she said the N-word to a Black child off camera, she responded by putting up her middle finger and repeated the racial slur.

“Why don’t you have the balls to say it right now again?” the man asks in the clip.

That’s when the woman responded with profanity and racial slurs: “F**k you, n***er, n***er, n***er.”

The bystander behind the camera was clearly baffled and disgusted by the woman’s behavior as he tried to make sense of what was happening in front of him.

“That little kid, you called him a n***er?” he said.

While the woman claimed that the child took her son’s stuff, the man remained stunned by what he was witnessing and informed the woman that her words were hate speech. Still, she lashed out with more cursing and mockery.

“I don’t give a s**t,” she said while walking away from the man.

Nah 😞 Rochester, MN: Woman holding her child calls an autistic Black child the N-word, as well as the man who records her raised over $250k already 🤔 Who’s supporting this mess? pic.twitter.com/bDwA0L6aGb— streetaddictz.net (@streetaddictz) May 2, 2025

The NAACP wants charges brought against the woman for repeatedly using the N-word

The NAACP is calling for authorities to bring the appropriate charges against the woman.

“Let us be clear: this was not simply offensive behavior—it was an intentional racist, threatening, hateful and verbal attack against a child, and it must be treated as such,” the organization said in a statement, per KROC. “Public parks should be safe, inclusive spaces for children and families—not sites of hate and trauma. The Rochester Branch of the NAACP takes this matter with the utmost seriousness and is committed to pursuing justice and accountability.”

The NAACP added that there has been “a disturbing increase in racially motivated attacks across Rochester.” Walé Elegbede, president of the NAACP Rochester Branch, said the organization has vowed to fight against hatred and it will continue to seek justice.“Last year, following a rise in hate incidents, I said: ‘Not in our town will children feel unsafe. Not in our town will racism be tolerated. Not in our town will hatred find a home. And in our town, love wins.’ In order for this to be a reality, however, it requires accountability and justice,” Elegbede said, per KROC. “When no one is held accountable for such despicable acts, it sends the message that this behavior is acceptable. We reject that notion entirely. For Black people and all people of color to thrive in Rochester, we must ensure safety, dignity, and justice for every member of our community.”

A woman identifying herself as Shiloh Hendrix is raising money

As the Minnesota Star Tribune reported that Friday morning, a woman who identified herself as Shiloh Hendrix and claims to be the woman in the video, raised “$305,200 and increased her goal to $1 million on a website that bills itself as a Christian crowdfunding service.”

The article continues, “The fundraiser purportedly belonging to Shiloh Hendrix had initially sought $20,000 after the video surfaced Wednesday of her spewing racial epithets at a man who intervened on the boy’s behalf.”

On the fundraising page, Hendrix said that her family was put in a “dire situation” after the video made the rounds and said that she “called the kid out for what he was.”

“I fear that we must relocate,” Hendrix wrote on the fundraising page, as the Minnesota Star Tribune reported. “I have two small children who do not deserve this. We have been threatened to the extreme by people online. Anything will help! We cannot, and will not live in fear!”

“Now she’s fundraising on this, and that is just abhorrent and totally unacceptable,” Elegbede told the Star Tribune. “She needs to face legal consequences for all her actions. This is a disgrace.”

The Rochester NAACP has now started its own GoFundMe for the child’s family’s “legal support and advocacy efforts.”

Public broadcasting in the United States may look radically different going forward, as President Donald Trump has issued a new executive order to end funding for the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio.

These two major sources of public news and education have been attacked by conservatives in the past, and Trump appears set to “defund” them, though the extent to which he can carry out this order remains to be seen.

Trump calls for funding cut, investigations of NPR, PBS

Trump issued an executive order Thursday ordering the Corporation for Public Broadcasting “to cease Federal funding for NPR and PBS,” the public broadcasting entities that collectively support public radio and television stations and programs across the country.  The order specifies that the CPB is to end both “direct” and “indirect” funding for NPR and PBS, “including by ensuring that licensees and permittees of public radio and television stations, as well as any other recipients of CPB funds, do not use Federal funds for NPR and PBS.” In justifying these cuts, the order criticizes the two broadcasting organizations, arguing that “neither entity presents a fair, accurate, or unbiased portrayal of current events to taxpaying citizens.” 

Trump’s order also indicates that NPR and PBS will be investigated for discriminatory practices. “The Secretary of Health and Human Services shall determine whether ‘the Public Broadcasting Service and National Public Radio (or any successor organization)’ are complying with the statutory mandate that ‘no person shall be subjected to discrimination in employment . . . on the grounds of race, color, religion, national origin, or sex.’” The order threatens potential action if NPR or PBS are found by the administration to have violated employment regulations.

U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-CA) speaks in front of poster of Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk during a House Oversight and Government Reform Committee hearing at the U.S. Capitol on March 26, 2025 in Washington, DC. The heads of NPR and PBS appeared before the House Subcommittee on Delivering on Government Efficiency to address allegations of bias in their programming against conservatives. | Photo: Andrew Harnik/Getty Images

Demonstrators at a 50501 Trump protest on April 5, 2025, at the Vermont State House in Montpelier, VT, USA. | Photo: John Lazenby/UCG/Universal Images Group via Getty Images

People participate in a rally to call on Congress to protect funding for US public broadcasters, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) and National Public Radio (NPR), outside the NPR headquarters in Washington, DC, on March 26, 2025. | Photo: SAUL LOEB / AFP

Legal and political fights over public broadcasting

Trump and other conservatives have long sought to “defund” NPR and PBS over what they claim to be biased news coverage and promotion of left-wing agendas, while the organizations have denied these allegations. Trump’s order qualifies the demands against NPR and PBS by stating that they will be carried out “to the maximum extent allowed by law,” a possible acknowledgement that Trump may not have the authority to make such moves. Although the CPB was established by Congress in 1967 in order to fund public broadcasting, the entity was created as a private organization in order to shield it from governmental control. The White House is already in a legal fight with the CPB, as the organization sued the Trump administration earlier this week after the president attempted to fire three of its board members.

Trump may also face political pushback in his fight against NPR and PBS. During his first administration, Trump attempted to push to defund NPR and PBS in the federal budget, but Congress continued to support the two organizations through the CPB, which provides over $500 million for public broadcasting every year. NPR and PBS remain popular, especially at the local level. NPR and PBS support popular programs such as PBS NewsHour and Nova, as well as the NPR Tiny Desk concert series. Cutting funding for the organizations could endanger some of its programming as well as the ability of public radio and television stations to remain open, especially in rural areas.

Nevertheless, the Trump administration seems adamant about pursuing its campaign against PBS and NPR. After launching an FCC investigation against the two organizations earlier this year, Trump now seeks to cut off the federal funding that supports their operations, potentially setting up a new round of legal and political battles over public broadcasting in the U.S.

The Department of Justice has lifted a decades-old school desegregation order in Louisiana this week. It overturned the 1966 legal agreement with Plaquemines Parish schools, which required them to integrate Black students. The agreement was put in place two years after the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which put an official end to segregation laws.

Officials called the 1966 legal agreement a “historical wrong,” according to the Associated Press. It was lifted as part of the Trump administration’s focus on “getting America refocused on our bright future,” Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon said.

Why did the DOJ lift the school desegregation order?

Such agreements were put in place for schools that resisted integration in the 1960s. School districts were able to then prove that they had ended segregation in order to lift the decree.

In the case of the 1966 Plaquemines, the district in the Mississippi River Delta Basin in Louisiana was found to have integrated in 1975 but was put on watch by the court for another year. No changes had been made since.

“Given that this case has been stayed for a half-century with zero action by the court, the parties or any third-party, the parties are satisfied that the United States’ claims have been fully resolved,” the DOJ and the office of Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said in a statement.

Murrill added that she would help Louisiana schools “put the past in the past,” while senior counsel to the DOJ Civil Rights Division Leo Terrell said the state “got its act together decades ago.”

Experts say desegregation orders are essential to this day

“It probably means the opposite — that the school district remains segregated,” who worked in the DOJ Civil Rights Division during the Joe Biden administration, told the Associated Press. “And in fact, most of these districts are now more segregated today than they were in 1954.”

In 2020, the NAACP said that Alabama’s Leeds school district violated its desegregation order when it stopped offering school meals during the COVID-19 pandemic. It said the decision disproportionately affected Black students and meals eventually resumed.

In Louisiana, a school board closed a predominantly Black elementary school last year after the NAACP said it posed a health hazard for being located near a petrochemical facility. The school was closed after invoking a desegregation order.

“In very many cases, schools quite rapidly resegregate, and there are new civil rights concerns for students,” Halley Potter, a senior fellow at The Century Foundation, said.

Civil rights activists say it is a step back in the fight against racial discrimination

“It’s really just signaling that the backsliding that has started some time ago is complete,” antidiscrimination law professor at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans, Robert Westley said. “The United States government doesn’t really care anymore of dealing with problems of racial discrimination in the schools. It’s over.”

Over 130 school systems follow desegregation orders, according to the Associated Press. The majority are in Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, while a smaller number of orders can also be found in Florida, Louisiana and South Carolina.

Fans of the action-adventure video game franchise Grand Theft Auto have been awaiting its sixth installment, Grand Theft Auto VI, since its fall 2025 release date was announced last May. Now, Take-Two Interactive’s studio behind the franchise, Rockstar Games, has announced that its release date has been pushed to May 26, 2026.

Here’s everything we know about the game’s delayed release.

Rockstar Games says they need ‘extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve’

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Rockstar Games announced the news on Friday in a statement shared by multiple outlets.

“We are very sorry that this is later than you expected,” the statement read. “With every game we have released, the goal has always been to try and exceed your expectations, and Grand Theft Auto VI is no exception. We hope you understand that we need this extra time to deliver at the level of quality you expect and deserve.”

The Grand Theft Auto franchise is a huge money-maker for Take-Two Interactive, and the delay will surely hurt its finances. However, it assured investors on Friday that “the company will achieve sequential increases in, and record levels of, Net Bookings in Fiscal 2026 and 2027.”

The new game’s release will be in the company’s 2027 fiscal year.

Strauss Zelnick, chairman and CEO for Take-Two Interactive, shared that the company is behind Rockstar Games as it takes more time to develop the game.

“We support fully Rockstar Games taking additional time to realize their creative vision for Grand Theft Auto VI, which promises to be a groundbreaking, blockbuster entertainment experience that exceeds audience expectations,” he said. “While we take the movement of our titles seriously and appreciate the vast and deep global anticipation for Grand Theft Auto VI, we remain steadfast in our commitment to excellence. As we continue to release our phenomenal pipeline, we expect to deliver a multi-year period of growth in our business and enhanced value for our shareholders.”

Zelnick has previously been optimistic that Rockstar Games would hit its original release date.

“Look, there’s always a risk of slippage and I think as soon as you say words like absolutely, you jinx things,” he told IGN in February. “So we feel really good about it.”

‘Grand Theft Auto VI’ will be set in Vice City

Though Rockstar Games has been tight-lipped about the game, they’ve shared that Grand Theft Auto VI will be set in Vice City, the franchise’s interpretation of Miami, Florida, and its outskirts.

Unfortunately, not much more has been shared about the new game. According to IGN, Rockstar Games has yet to share new assets or a second trailer. The company has also not confirmed which platforms the game will be launched on, meaning the game could be released on PC as well as PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S next May.

In the gaming industry, consoles, controllers and other accessories reduce in price the older they get. But as President Trump’s tariffs continue to threaten to throw the global economy into turmoil, the opposite is happening: gaming products are getting more expensive.

Microsoft is the latest company to increase prices by bumping up the cost of its Xbox console, following Sony, which hiked the prices of its PlayStation devices in April.

Read on for everything we know about how and why game console prices are rising.

Xbox console prices rise by $100-$130

Due to “market conditions,” Microsoft will be raising the price of its Xbox products in the United States, Europe, Australia and the United Kingdom, Reuters reported. In the U.S., the Xbox Series X console will now retail for $600. According to the BBC, price increases vary per model, with some price increases reaching $130.

Xbox games may see price spikes as well. Microsoft shared that “some of our new, first-party games” will cost $79.99 this year.

“We understand that these changes are challenging,” the company said in a blog post, adding that the decision was “made with careful consideration given market conditions and the rising cost of development.”

Xbox Series S consoles are rising in Europe by €80 and in Australia by $50.

Microsoft plans to maintain its new pricing across its physical and digital products. They also confirmed that they do not intend to increase the price of existing games — only new games made by the company.

“Local pricing may differ across countries and platforms,” Microsoft clarified.

Experts say price increase was “inevitable” and linked to tariffs

Microsoft has not mentioned the U.S. tariffs as a reason for its price increases, but many experts say the two are undeniably linked. According to Reuters, analysts have claimed that Trump’s tariffs could impact industry growth that could snowball into consumers doing less discretionary spending.

Christopher Dring, Editor-In-Chief and Co-Founder of The Game Business, told the BBC that tariffs were “certainly” a factor in Xbox’s price shifts.

“With accessories and components made in China, the connection is pretty obvious,” he told the outlet.

He clarified that it’s not the only element involved in the decision. Inflation, changes in exchange rates and the “general rising cost of business” are also involved.

“All of this is playing havoc in an industry that is seeing limited growth,” Dring added.

Founder of Rip & Tear studios Kedhrin Gonzalez echoed Dring’s diagnosis. He told the BBC that he thinks the price increase was “inevitable” and “catalyzed by current tariff disruptions.”

“Gamers will suffer most, with little hope of prices decreasing,” he said, adding, “This could significantly impact Microsoft’s already modest Xbox sales and potentially trigger broader industry repercussions.”

Unfortunately, Gonzalez doesn’t think this will “be the last price hike we see.”

Six Flags America and its Hurricane Harbor waterpark, located in Bowie, in Prince George’s County, Maryland, will close after the 2025 operating season. It is the only location in the state.