A group of Gen Z diners learned a tough and unexpected lesson in restaurant pricing after unknowingly ordering steaks labeled "MKT" and ended up paying a hefty price.A young woman named Aribella Menold posted a TikTok video about the ordeal in June. She was dining at a North Carolina restaurant with her siblings when they decided to order two steaks.Their total bill came to $159, including a 3% credit card surcharge and 6.75% sales tax.BARTENDERS SPILL THE BEANS ON GEN Z'S 'ANNOYING' DRINK-BY-DRINK PAYMENT HABITThe culprits, she said, were two 12-ounce New York strip steaks labeled "MKT" that ended up costing $52 each.The total also included a $28 kale salad including $11 for grilled chicken and a $10 kid's grilled cheese meal."POV: You didn't know what 'MKT' meant on the steak menu and now you're paying for it," she captioned the video, which showed the dinner party's stunned reactions.Menold told Newsweek she thought the steaks would cost $20 or $30 at most.'FRIDGE CIGARETTE' IS GEN Z'S NEW DIET COKE OBSESSION THAT CONCERNS HEALTH EXPERTS"Our grandpa ended up paying for it, which was so sweet of him," said the 20-year-old college student.Fox News Digital reached out to Menold for further comment.On TikTok, the video drew reactions ranging from sympathetic to critical."Eleven bucks to add grilled chicken is wild," a money-conscious viewer observed."Unless you're rich, don't buy items off a menu if they don't have a price," one person advised.SCAM LEAVES RESTAURANT WAITRESS STUNNED AS DINERS LAUGH IN HER FACE: 'WHY IS THIS THE NORM?'Another chimed in, "If you have to ask the market price, you can't afford it. Just order something else."But the Gen Zers weren't the only ones unfamiliar with the "MKT" designation."What does 'mkt' mean?" one curious user asked."MKT means it's a scam and they can charge you whatever they want," a cynic replied.But is market pricing a scam or is it a way for restaurants to stay in business while offering premium items?Hal Lawlor, chief operating officer of Smokey Bones, a casual-dining chain that operates dozens of barbecue joints across the U.S., spoke to Fox News Digital about market pricing.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTERSome restaurants choose market pricing because premium items "can vary significantly in size and price throughout the year," the Florida-based business executive said."This fluctuation is influenced by factors such as seasonal availability, market demand and sourcing conditions," he said.Steaks and lobster rolls are just a few summer favorites that are often labeled "MKT" and Lawlor reported that the size, cut and overall price of these types of meats "may change at the time of purchase."For more Lifestyle articles, visit foxnews.com/lifestyleHe also encouraged customers to stay informed and not to be shy when it comes to asking the server how much a lobster roll or high-end steak costs."At Smokey Bones, our servers are trained to inform guests of the price of items marked as market price, so there are never any surprises on the bill," he said."If you find yourself at a restaurant that does not provide this information automatically, don't hesitate to ask the server for the price."

Mike Rowe is sounding the alarm about the future of white and blue-collar jobs, and is urging young Americans to rethink their career choices due to threats from artificial intelligence.The former star of the shows "How America Works" and "Dirty Jobs" sat down with Fox News Radio host Brian Kilmeade to discuss the outlook for the U.S. job market amid recent developments from President Donald Trump's administration to invest in domestic energy and artificial intelligence.LEE ZELDIN: TRUMP'S EPA CLEARING THE REGULATORY PATH FOR AMERICA TO DOMINATE THE GLOBAL AI REVOLUTIONTrump visited Pittsburgh on July 15 to announce a $90 billion investment in data centers and other energy projects in Pennsylvania.Rowe was also present at the event, dubbed the Energy and Investment Summit, at Carnegie Mellon University. He praised the efforts by the federal government and Pennsylvania leaders as "enormous.""The headlines have caught up to us in a way that is absolutely undeniable," Rowe said during the interview. "This is an enormous play by Pennsylvania and [the two senators] [David] McCormick and [John] Fetterman, both of whom came together in a nonpartisan way to get behind this push.""I got invited simply to remind the crowd that creating jobs is very different from creating enthusiasm for those jobs."SEN MCCORMICK: PENNSYLVANIA LED AMERICAS INDUSTRIAL RISE NOW IT WILL LEAD THE AI REVOLUTIONThe founder of MikeroweWORKS warned that artificial intelligence is not necessarily coming for jobs like coal miners and trade jobs, but instead coders and the technology industry may be at a high risk."We have, for the last 30 years, been elevating our white-collar portion of the workforce at the expense of the blue-collar portion," Rowe said."We have been sort of intimating that the robots and the technology that is certainly on the horizon, if not already here, are coming for the blue-collar jobs. Its turning out to be something quite the opposite- it's the white-collar positions."Rowe added that writing and creative-focused jobs have unstable outlooks due to automation."These are looking very wobbly right now," he said. "The AI is going to come for those [jobs]."AMERICA HAS THE POWER TO LEAD THE AI REVOLUTION AND THE LEADERSHIP TO MAKE IT HAPPENHowever, Rowe cited the opportunity that the threat of white-collar positions brings to blue-collar ones. He expressed confidence that this resulting sea of change in the U.S. job market could bring about a "golden age" in trade positions."Short term, we are entering the golden age of plumbing, steam fitting, pipe fitting, welding, HVAC," Rowe explained. "Those jobs are not going to be impacted by AI, and those are the jobs that are being created in Pennsylvania right now. And those are the opportunities that parents and guidance counselors ought to be zeroing in on."Rowe touted his foundations Work Ethic Scholarship program, which has seen an increase in applications over the last year, showcasing the national interest in young Americans for skilled trade jobs."My foundation is modest." he said. "We've given away about $13 million in these Work Ethic scholarships and this year we have 10 times the applicants that we did a year before."MIKE ROWE WARNS OF DECLINING WORK ETHIC PROBLEM AS YOUNGER GENERATION 'SNOWFLAKES' FACE FEWER CONSEQUENCESDespite the apparent enthusiasm from adolescents for blue-collar jobs, Rowe emphasized the need to fill the hundreds of thousands of open positions, and continuing efforts to advertise those positions are imperative to steadying U.S. manufacturing efforts."We don't have an opportunity problem," he explained. "And while we might have a skills gap, we also have a will gap. And if we don't, if we don't hit that thing head on, we're going to just keep pushing the boulder up the hill, I'm afraid."

Comedian and talk show host Adam Friedland has been turning heads online with his unique version of talk television on "The Adam Friedland Show." There, he turns the heat up on his guests in hilarious fashion, never shying away from the sometimes uncomfortable questions on everyone's minds.Friedland sat down with Fox News Digital and broke down why he believes comedians shouldn't be looked at as "modern-day philosophers" as they sometimes are, and why taking yourself too seriously as a comedian may not be the right move if your focus in life is to make people laugh.The 38-year-old comedian hosts a weekly talk show where he interviews a wide range of guests from politicians like California Rep. Ro Khanna and disgraced former Congressman Anthony Weiner, to former NBA star Blake Griffin and the Nelk Boys' Aaron Steinberg.Regardless of who you are or what you do, one thing you can count on when you go on Friedland's show is that he will test your wit and ask you uncomfortable questions.MARLON WAYANS WEIGHS IN ON CONTROVERSIAL TONY HINCHCLIFFE JOKE, WHICH POLITICIAN COULD BE A COMICFor example, when interviewing Anthony Weiner, the comedian did not shy away from addressing the elephant in the room."You haven't seen the documentary, right? About your run for, I mean, I imagine that would be like f-----g stressful as f--- for you to watch it," he asked, referencing the 2016 documentary "Weiner" that depicted the former congressman's disastrous 2013 bid for New York City mayor. Like his stint in Congress, his run was blown up by a sexting scandal that made him a national punchline."I'll say this, as a person that just watched it, it's incredible," he told Weiner.Friedland's never-ending bits typically fly over the heads of the unsuspecting celebrities or politicians on the show, making for hilariously awkward interactions.COMEDIAN TIM DILLON ON LIVING IN LA, HOLLYWOOD'S LATEST FAILURES, AND WHAT THE DEMS NEED TO DO TO COMPETEFox News Digital asked Friedland whether he believes guests like Weiner are aware that they are submitting to be put in uncomfortable positions like this before coming on his show."Probably. Anthony Weiner is running for city council now so he's trying to relaunch a campaign. I think sometimes a lot of guests don't really know what to make of me, which is fun," he replied. "It makes a fun show."Since Friedland's interview with Fox, Weiner lost his city council bid.It is becoming more commonplace to see prominent politicians like President Donald Trump and Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., making appearances on comedians' podcasts. The line between political media and comedy podcasts can sometimes seem blurry.While Friedland admits that he's always been interested in politics and occasionally hosts politicians on his show, he's upfront with the fact that his main objective is to "just do what's funny," and not take himself too seriously."I guess comedy is having a good moment right now. I don't think it should be one or the other though. I think we should have the media. I do jokes on stage about Tinder and stuff. I don't think that makes me into Wolf Blitzer," he joked.The comedian noted that nowadays, comedians are sometimes "looked to as authorities in a way" in which they are not.COMEDIAN REVEALS HOW DENYING AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE AT 14 YEARS OLD COST HER RELATIONSHIP WITH HER FATHER"I try to kind of be mindful of that, I guess, when I'm doing my talk show." He joked, "Because I am kind of, effectively, I am an idiot."One of Friedland's favorite comics growing up, Norm Macdonald, had similar feelings about comedians being looked at as sage-like figures."You know, Norm Macdonald had a quote once that said that people say comedians are like modern-day philosophers, and that's really insulting to modern-day philosophers. And I think I would probably agree with that," he concurred.Growing up, Friedland's favorite comedians were the type of people whose main objective was simply humor, and never aspired to be looked at as "modern-day philosophers." They also include comedy icons like Louis C.K., Kat Williams and Conan O'Brien, whom Friedland credits with inspiring the loose and "silly" atmosphere on his show.

Gas station food often gets a bad rap but for many travelers on a road trip, there may not be much of a choice.Pit stops across the U.S. provide options that go far beyond processed and packaged snacks, instead offering healthy smoothies, specialty doughnuts, sushi and more.Many are family-owned and operated, have stood the test of time and some even donate a portion of their proceeds to charities.GAS STATION FOOD IS 'EXTRAORDINARY' AND 'HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT,' SAYS TOP CHEFThe food website Chowhound put together a list of 15 gas station chains with the best food, based on online reviews.Check it out.A family-owned convenience store founded in 1965, Kwik Trip is based in Wisconsin but has over 850 stores across the Midwest, according to its website.It is known for all-day breakfast sandwiches, a hot food bar and its specialty "Dunkers" and "Glazers" doughnuts baked in-house."It's a five-star restaurant that happens to also sell gas," one person said in a review, as Chowhound noted.QuikTrip has over 1,000 stores across 17 states, including its headquarters in Oklahoma.VIRAL 'CLOUD COFFEE' TREND CAN BOOST HEALTH WITH UNUSUAL INGREDIENT: HOW TO MAKE ITFans love "QT" for its craft coffee and signature QuickShakes, which come in seasonal flavors like caramel apple, candy corn and strawberry kiwi.Other favorites are roller grill options, twists on the grilled cheese such as a chicken, bacon and ranch option and pulled pork sandwiches."Very stuffed, beautifully flavored, nice tangy sauce and for $5," one man wrote in a Yelp review.With 800 locations across Utah and 20 other western states, Maverik features its own brand of food named BonFire, in keeping with its adventure theme that includes burritos, salads, wraps, pizzas and sandwiches.AMERICA'S FAVORITE PASTA REVEALS STRONG REGIONAL PREFERENCES, STUDY SHOWSMaverik's fountain drinks offer a wide variety of brands and flavor mix-ins like coconut, lime and cream.The family-owned Kelley's Market, founded in 1926, has 50 locations across Illinois and Wisconsin.Travelers can refuel with Kelley's beloved cappuccinos and grab smoothies, tacos and burritos.Some locations also offer Noble Roman's craft pizza and Which Wich Superior Sandwiches, home of the "Elvis Wich" packed with peanut butter, bacon, bananas and honey.Founded in 1968 as a general store in Boone, Iowa, Casey's has since grown to over 2,900 locations across 20 states.PORK CHOP ON A STICK, BACON-WRAPPED 'TWINKIE' AND OTHER ODD FOODS DOMINATE ICONIC STATE FAIRThe spot is famous for its breakfast pizza, which has scrambled eggs, cheese and a choice of cheese sauce or sausage gravy on top. It also offers thin crust and cauliflower crust options."At Casey's, it all comes down to the pizza," spokesperson Katie Petru told Fox News Digital. "We've been making it for over 40 years, and our fans know us for our made-from-scratch dough, whole milk mozzarella cheese and abundantly topped pies."This is said to be the place to stop for fried chicken when traveling through Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia and North Carolina.THIS $140 ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BUFFET FEELS LIKE A 'LUXURY RESORT VACATION'The chicken is lightly breaded and pressure-cooked in trans-fat-free cooking oil, while the fries are hand-cut and hand-breaded from fresh Idaho potatoes, its website says."It definitely tastes like it was cooked with some soul," one TikToker said in a review.Wawa began in 1902 as a Pennsylvania dairy farm. It's now known along the East Coast with over 1,100 locations.Its cult-favorite coffee and frozen, house-made energy drinks offer a pick-me-up, while its seasonal sandwiches and specialty sides are praised by reviewers."This is the best flavor combination I've quite literally ever had," one TikToker said about the garlic aioli mac and cheese.Hy-Vee first opened as a market in 1930, later expanded to include gas stations and has since branched out into full-service restaurants.CHICKEN BURGERS DETHRONE BEEF AS AMERICA'S FAVORITE, DOORDASH DATA REVEALSHy-Vee's 240 locations across the Midwest are a one-stop destination for fuel, snacks, seafood, groceries and more.Popular options are its breakfast pizza, salad bars and sushi counters which dole out unexpected rolls like a Cheetos "Flamin' Hot" version.A Tennessee-based chain with just over 85 locations, Weigel's also owns and operates Broadacre Dairy Inc, which processes milk, tea, juices and eggnog for its convenience stores, as well as its own bakery, Red Barn Foods.STEAK BEATS PASTA AS TEXAS ROADHOUSE BECOMES TOP CASUAL DINING DESTINATIONWeigel's is known for its pizza and flavored milk, in particular the horchata and orange creamsicle variations.Founded in 1972 in Greenville, South Carolina, Spinx has 84 locations throughout the Carolinas. The destinations are for foodies in search of comfort foods like fried chicken, fried pork chops and sausage croissants.Other southern favorites include chicken gizzards, patty melts and corn dogs.Pennsylvania-based Rutter's has over 90 locations that offer local produce, like watermelon, blueberries and sweet corn in grab-and-go cases.CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER"Out of all the not-really-a-truck-stop truck stops, Rutter's is easily the best," one Reddit user wrote in a review.Buc-ee's, founded in Texas, has since expanded to 54 locations across nine states. It boasts having the "cleanest restrooms in America" winning a contest in 2012.Additionally, it's renowned for its extensive food offerings, particularly its brisket, "Beaver Nuggets" cheese puffs, breakfast tacos, fudge, jerky and more.Love's began as a single truck stop in Oklahoma and has grown to over 600 locations nationwide.Love's sells hot-and-ready items like tacos, hot dogs and egg rolls, plus a lighter menu of healthier options like fruit cups and parfaits.For more Lifestyle articles, visitfoxnews.com/lifestyle"We always love to hear that our customers say they love Love's," spokesperson Tracey Budz told Fox News Digital. "We focus on flavor, freshness and crave-ability, as well as making sure the food offerings are portable and easy to eat on the go."The list would be remiss without 7-Eleven, the largest convenience store chain, according to NACS Magazine, with over 85,000 stores worldwide.Home of the Slurpee and Big Gulp, 7-Eleven has a private label, 7-Select, that includes premium sandwiches, salads, snacks and fruit cups.Its varying hot food offerings typically include hot dogs, pizza, chicken wings and taquitos.Yesway, which acquired the Allsup's convenience store chain in 2019, has over 400 locations across the Southwest and Plains states.It's known for its "world-famous" burritos, particularly the deep-fried beef and bean iteration.Other varieties include a new pepperoni pizza burrito, plus the "Chicken Chimmy with Hatch Chili," "Chili Rueno Hatch Green Chili and Cheese" and the "Chimmy Chimmy Chonga."

Jake Larson, a World War II veteran who amassed more than 1.2 million followers on TikTok, has died at the age of 102, his granddaughter announced on social media.Known affectionately online as "Papa Jake," Larson helped plan the D-Day invasion and stormed Omaha Beach in Normandy, France. He became an unlikely social media star when his granddaughter started a TikTok account for him, which was followed by his autobiography."Our beloved Papa Jake has passed away on July 17th at 102 years young. Please know, he went peacefully and was even cracking jokes til the very end," his granddaughter, McKaela Larson, wrote on Instagram. "At this time, the family and I ask for some privacy as we process this loss.""I am so thankful to have shared my Papa Jake with you all. You meant the world to him. When the time is right, I will continue to share Papa Jakes stories and keep his memory alive," she added. "We appreciate all the kind words and posts. As Papa would say, love you all the mostest."REPORTERS NOTEBOOK: REMEMBERING COURAGE ON THE 81ST ANNIVERSARY OF D-DAYBorn on Dec. 20, 1922, in Owatonna, Minnesota, Larson grew up on a farm without electricity or running water during the Great Depression. He enlisted in the National Guard in 1938 at age 15, lying about his age, according to the Best Defense Foundation. His unit was transferred to federal service in 1941 following Japans surprise attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.In January 1942, he was sent overseas and was stationed in Northern Ireland. He became operations sergeant and assembled the planning books for Operation Overlord, the invasion of Normandy. Larson was among the Allied troops who stormed the Normandy shore on D-Day, June 6, 1944, surviving machine-gun fire when he landed on Omaha Beach. He made it unhurt to the bluffs that overlook the beach, then studded with German gun emplacements that mowed down American soldiers.After D-Day, he fought on through the Battle of the Bulge. He and his sweetheart, Lola, later settled in California, where they raised a family after the war.In 2020, his granddaughter started a TikTok account, "storytimewithpapajake," through which he has amassed online fame. He authored an autobiography in 2021 titled "The Luckiest Man in the World: Stories from the life of Papa Jake."Larson returned to Normandy for several D-Day anniversary and memorial celebrations in recent years.WORLD WAR II VETERANS TRAVEL TO NORMANDY FOR EMOTIONAL D-DAY COMMEMORATION"We are the lucky ones," Larson told The Associated Press at the 81st anniversary of D-Day in June, speaking amid the immaculate rows of graves at the American cemetery overlooking Omaha Beach."They had no family. We are their family. We have the responsibility to honor these guys who gave us a chance to be alive."Larson earlier this month shared a message with Fox News Digital on Independence Day about the importance of freedom."God bless all those guys that served, and they served the ultimate," Larson told Fox News Digital from his home in Lafayette, Calif., on the Fourth of July. "Their souls are looking down at me now.""Every time I talk, I like to remind people those guys upstairs looking down at us, they're the heroes None of us every thought we'd be heroes."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APPTributes from the Zac Brown Brand, Unsubscribe Podcast and podcaster and retired Navy officer, Jacko Willink, have been shared to Larson's Instagram account's stories.Fox News' Ashley DiMella and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

It's been a few years since Alison Sweeney relocated her family from California to Arizona and she hasn't regretted it one bit.In an exclusive interview with Fox News Digital, the former "Days of Our Lives" star, 48, opened up about her decision to leave Los Angeles and explained why she prioritizes health and wellness over the Hollywood hype these days."I mean, no [I don't miss Hollywood]," Sweeney, who has recently partnered with Align Probiotics for their latest campaign, told Fox News Digital. "I miss my family. I love my family. I go to visit them all the time, but they're not really in Hollywood or whatever. So, no, I am thrilled with my life. I love how normal it is."ALISON SWEENEY GETS CANDID ABOUT GROWING UP ON TV AND NOT GETTING TEMPTED IN HOLLYWOODThe actress made her acting debut at the age of fourwhen she landed a role in a Kodak commercial. From there, she went on to find major success with various film and TV roles, including the role of Sami on the longtime-running soap opera"Days of Our Lives."In 2019, the former "Biggest Loser" host told Fox News Digital that being a child actor had taught her "that there's always someone out there who is prettier and skinnier and fancier."She said she was able to combat that by gradually learning to believe in herself and what she had to offer, and by figuring out how to "find that confidence" within herself. And as other childhood stars were succumbing to the temptations of the limelight, Sweeney said her family was really instrumental in helping her to keep her head on straight."I was really lucky. Im from LA,so it wasnt a big fish-out of-water story, and my parents are super grounded and normal and real and tough and strict," she said. "I was never left out on my own to figure that out. I was always really guided by my brothers and my parents, who were all very loving."These days, Sweeney is enjoying normalcy, while continuing to prioritize her health and wellness.LIKE WHAT YOURE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS"I am a busy mom and I work all the time, and you really don't have a lot of time for your gut health to not be aligned," said Sweeney, who shares two children with husband David Sanov. "And so it was a great partnership [with Align Probiotics] because I care about my health. Everything you're reading right now is people trying to be more healthy, people trying to understand their bodies better. And one of the things I learned at The Biggest Loser is that you are getting signs from your body. Your body is trying to communicate with you. It's trying to help you.""And if you're listening to those signs, you can make a lot of better choices for yourself," she continued. "Staying active is very important, I'm not going to knock that, but I do think nutrition is number one for your health, and eating well. I'm not really hip to the Hollywood scene, but what I noticed with moms I'm friends with and just other everyday women is just more awareness that your nutrition can make a difference in how you feel and your health."Sweeney said that getting "skinny" is not the way to go, but rather striving for "healthy living."CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT NEWSLETTER"Skinny is really not the right goal," she said. "Healthy living is the right goal. It is something to look forward to, something to strive towards. It's a marathon, it's not a sprint. And so, it's really important to look at big picture."And family is a huge part of that bigger picture.The Hallmark actress, who recently celebrated 25 years of marriage with Sanov, said "the little things" in life are what matter the most."Communication is key," she said. "I know that's maybe too cheesy to say, but just staying in contact, talking all the time, checking in on the little things. I used to say that gestures, loving gestures are so important, but it's not romantic. Like, Oh, bring me flowers every week. It's little things like, he charges my phone for me when I can't find it. I make him cappuccino in the morning just to be nice. And then not only doing those things for your partner, but recognizing and acknowledging them and allowing that to be the sweet care and gesture that it is.""Don't take it for granted," she added. "Appreciating those little moments are just as valuable."CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

The VIII Winter Olympic Games were held Feb. 18-28, 1960, at Squaw Valley, California, now called Olympic Valley. They are regarded as among the best Olympic Games ever held. Just as Vice President Richard Nixon declared the Games officially open a heavy Sierra snowstorm broke and the sky cleared. The next 10 days were perfect with sunny skies and intense competition.How a town with no mayor and a ski resort with one chairlift, two rope tows and a 50-room lodge hosted the Winter Olympics is an incredible success story.Alexander Cushing owned the resort and read about Reno, Nevada, and Anchorage, Alaska, submitting bids to hold the 1960 Winter Olympics. He decided to submit a bid to the U.S. Olympic Committee. They were impressed by the valleys annual snowfall of 450 inches and skiing areas that had never been successfully schussed. Amazingly, they chose Squaw Valley as the USOCs bid for the 1960 Winter Games.Cushing launched a powerful campaign, lobbying for support from all over the world. Innsbrook, Austria, was the heavy favorite. But Cushing created a 3,000-pound model of the resort that was so big it had to be displayed at the U.S. Embassy instead of the International Olympic Committee headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. The model highlighted all the venues, including the Blyth Memorial Arena, the Papoose Peak Olympic Ski Jump, the Alpine skiing slopes and the Olympic Village.AMERICA IS REDISCOVERING ITS SOUL AND REVIVING THE SACREDAfter getting past the first vote, it came down to Squaw Valley and Innsbrook to vie for the Games. On June 17, 1955, the final vote was 32 to 30. The IOC chose Squaw Valley to host the VIII Winter Olympic Games.Cushing received the financial support of the California state government, the United States Olympic Committee and finally the U.S. government through a congressional resolution signed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower. He also raised private funding needed to develop the Squaw Valley site. The total cost was $80 million.Squaw Valley went from a largely undeveloped site to a fully accessible and functioning town in just five years. Roads, bridges, administrative buildings, restaurants, hotels and motels were all built. An electric grid and sewage system were also installed, along with a water treatment plant.Cushing then persuaded Walt Disney to create a spectacular opening ceremony, the first to be televised. With 30,000 balloons, 2,645 voices, 1,285 instruments, 2,000 pigeons released, fireworks it was quite a show.HOW BELIEF HELPS US ENDURE NATURAL DISASTERSDisney also oversaw the creation of the Tower of Nations, a huge metal structure topped by the Olympic rings. In front of this impressive structure was situated theOlympic cauldron, which would burn throughout the 11 days of the Games. In this grand setting all the medal ceremonies took place.It is a quintessential American success story on so many levels.I visited the site on a recent trip to Lake Tahoe. Squaw Valley is now Olympic Valley; a name change made in respect to the Washoe Tribe. The resort is now called Palisades Tahoe.The last 20 years the resort has become a premier ski destination, boasting 270 trails, 72 lifts, a 110-passenger tram and more than 400 inches of snowfall a year. Its been quite influential in the freeskiing movement. And over the last eight years they have hosted three World Cup skiing events and U.S. Ski Association training.BEING SINGLE ISNT A SIN. THE BIBLE SAYS SO AND MORE CHRISTIANS SHOULD AGREEBut no other Olympic sporting events have taken place.Some of the original Olympic buildings remain, including the unique California and Nevada welcome centers, the dining hall, the Olympic lodge and the chapel. The Olympic Village, Blyth Arena, the ski jump and other buildings are gone.The arena and ski jump have been absent for 40 years. After the impressive success of the Games there was not continued success. In the 80s a major controversy and avalanche stopped momentum. Many years passed without any international events or training initiatives. The lack of venues eliminated future winter sports success. The Olympic impact has never been the same.This is juxtaposed to Lake Placid, New York, another small town that has hosted two Winter Olympics. Their original success in 1932 led to continued success and 48 years later they had the opportunity to host the Games again. And they still regularly host international competitions and training events.As hard as it is to reach success it can be even harder to stay successful than to initially have success. It takes so much effort to have success but once you reach it there is the possibility it can stop.CLICK HERE FOR MORE FOX NEWS OPINIONTo sustain success, you must stay grounded regardless of your achievements. Don't allow success to reorder your life. Just because you've had some success doesn't mean your life is fundamentally changed. If you're not careful, you can taste some success in your career, family, character, health or other areas of your life and start to think your above failure.With success comes increased attention and scrutiny. People will try to copy what youve done, mimic your approach or outright steal your idea. It gets more challenging to be successful when there is greater competition. Only by continuing to innovate can you stay successful.There's a reason for the adage "golden handcuffs" when youre successful the expectations go up. Don't assume that past success means future success. It would be a mistake to believe youll always experience success.And remember that without the favor and blessing of God, you never would have had success. You cant measure success without the God factor. Be humble enough to recognize God's role in any success you have in life.Knowing success is more a journey than a destination will keep you on the right road.CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM RICK MCDANIEL

Karen Read's father, Bill Read, opened up about his family's experience throughout her three-and-a-half-year legal saga in a candid new podcast interview.His 45-year-old daughter faced murder and other charges in the Jan. 29, 2022, death of her then-boyfriend, John O'Keefe, a Boston cop whom prosecutors alleged she mowed down with a Lexus SUV and left to die in a blizzard. The defense argued that she had never struck him, police had conducted a faulty investigation, and someone else had killed him. After a mistrial, jurors the second time around found her not guilty of all homicide-related charges and found her guilty of driving under the influence of liquor.Speaking with Billy Bush on his live show, "Hot Mics with Billy Bush," the elder Read said he believes his daughter had been the target of a corrupt investigation from the start and that she wouldn't have put up such a fight if she had had something to hide.KAREN READ LANDS LUCRATIVE BOOK DEAL WHILE WITNESSES FACE CONTINUED HARASSMENT AFTER ACQUITTAL"I can tell you, as a parent, no parent, no loved one, no significant other in this life should go through what my wife and I and our daughter have gone through these three and a half years, so I say to everyone out there, take back your government," Read said. "If you don't like what your leaders are doing in the criminal justice system, get them out. Take back your government, because the next Karen Read could be you."The younger Read and O'Keefe spent the night of Jan. 28, 2022, drinking in Canton, Massachusetts. They went to two bars before driving to an after party at the home of another Boston cop named Brian Albert. Prosecutors and the defense disagree about what had happened after they had gotten there just after midnight. At around 6 a.m., Read and two friends returned to the address to find O'Keefe dead on the front lawn under a dusting of snow.KAREN READ ASKS MASSACHUSETTS COURT TO THROW OUT WRONGFUL DEATH LAWSUIT AFTER MURDER ACQUITTALPolice initially charged her with drunken driving manslaughter and fleeing the scene, but prosecutors later secured an indictment for the more serious charge of second-degree murder. Jurors ultimately cleared her of all of those allegations but agreed that she had drunk alcohol before getting behind the wheel."We're very close. She is very candid. She's very truthful, and had she hurt John O'Keefe, she told me, she said, Dad, 'If I thought I hurt him, I'd own up to it. . . . But I did not strike him,'" the elder Read told Bush. "And I believed her."DEFENSE HAMMERS 'RIDICULOUS' EVIDENCE IN KAREN READ CLOSING, SAYS CASE IS 'COOKED'Plus, he said, the state's case was unconvincing and weak."When you just look at the evidence, the wounds to the body, the lack of damage to the car, and then couple that with the physics, the science, the medical testimony..." he said.He took particular issue with the autopsy photos, and he said that's what had prompted her to reach out to attorney Alan Jackson, the Los Angeles lawyer who added a jolt to her legal team at trial.KAREN READ MURDER TRIAL: NIECE REVEALS 'FRANTIC' BEHAVIOR ON MORNING BOSTON OFFICER WAS FOUND DEAD"Karen Read is the engine, the transmission in this bus. She's the fifth attorney," her father said.Read, who went up to every sidebar with her lawyers at trial, already had a prominent Boston-area attorney, David Yannetti, when she brought in Jackson and Elizabeth "Liza" Little. For her second trial, she also added New York's Robert Alessi.Bush also asked Read about his own relationship with O'Keefe. Could he have seen him as a son-in-law if things got that far?"I can't say that," he said, adding, "I liked the man."GET REAL-TIME UPDATES DIRECTLY ON THE TRUE CRIME HUBThey really bonded over sports, he said."I saw John O'Keefe as really an athlete," he said. "You could see his style throwing the football with him. You could see he had it in his blood."He also said that his daughter can't have kids of her own but crafted a bond with O'Keefe's niece and nephew, whom he had adopted after their parents died.SIGN UP TO GET TRUE CRIME NEWSLETTER"Karen was never going to be able to biologically have children, and I'm not sure that she would be necessarily one that would willingly embrace children. But those two children, she saw as an opportunity to provide a female presence in their life," he said.O'Keefe's niece testified against his daughter at trial and is a plaintiff in the family's wrongful death lawsuit against her.But jurors still found too many holes in the state's case."Imagine waking up every day in your 70s for 3 years knowing the people elected to serve you and assigned to protect you are trying to put your daughter in prison for life for something she did not do," Bush told Fox News Digital. "That was Bill Reads reality."Read received a year of probation for the drunken driving conviction. She is still facing a wrongful death lawsuit from O'Keefe's family, which her civil defense team asked the court to dismiss earlier this month.FOLLOW THE FOX TRUE CRIME TEAM ON XThe case prompted the residents of Canton, Massachusetts, to demand an independent audit into their local police department, which found no evidence of a "conspiracy to frame" Read but faulted local police for a series of mistakes, including failure to photograph the victim's body before it was moved, failing to lock down the crime scene and conducting witness interviews outside of headquarters.State police also launched an internal probe into the lead homicide detective, Michael Proctor, who was fired for sharing confidential information with civilians outside of law enforcement and drinking on the job. He is appealing his dismissal.There was also a federal grand jury empaneled in the case, and one of the jurors pleaded guilty to leaking secret information earlier this week.

A new K-12 online school is focusing on promoting American principles and "eliminating woke ideology."The president of the American Virtual Academy, Damian Creamer, told Fox News Digital that he wanted to provide an alternative to parents who were fed up with liberal ideology being taught in the classroom."Were really focused on giving families an opportunity to put their kids in a school that is going to respect their values and make sure that we're teaching American principles and providing a different option to families out there than what they typically run across," Creamer said.The online-only Kindergarten through 12th grade accredited school launched in April of this year. The private nonprofit school charges $5,000-$6,000 a year, depending on the grade.All 50 states have access to the K-12 online school because it's virtual. Eight states allow the use of vouchers and school choice scholarships to fund tuition: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wyoming.HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS IN TAX MONEY GOES TO CONTRACTS FOR DEI GROUPS, WATCHDOG FINDS: 'TOTAL RACKET'American Virtual Academy currently has 600 students enrolled and hopes to grow to 10,000 within three years.Creamer added that American Virtual Academy also emphasizes the importance of reading, writing, and math."They don't have to worry about what we're teaching in the school and how we're teaching things and that our values resonate with their values and, as the founder of the school, I had an opportunity to be really particular about how I was going to put this together, making sure that it took a lot of time to think about what is it exactly," he said."What we can do to support families throughout the country, make sure that their students coming to American Virtual Academy are going to excel academically, and they're going to get a great education, but also just eliminating all the woke ideology and the DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion), the CRT (critical race theory), the transgenderism, all of that stuff right there.""That's not anything that we teach," he concluded.There has been an uptick in parents choosing options outside their neighborhood school since 2020. Homeschool enrollment has increased since the coronavirus pandemic, indicating a growing trend of parents overlooking public schools.Several states have been responding to the trend of parents choosing alternatives to traditional public school settings by passing universal school choice legislation, allowing all children within the state an opportunity to access the school that fits their needs.Arizona became the first state to offer universal school choice for all families in 2022, launching an $800 million program that gives parents $7,000 to put toward their children's tuition.PRESIDENT OF LARGEST TEACHERS UNION IN US DEFENDS ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS DURING ANTI-ICE PROTEST IN LANew Hampshire is the latest state to pass universal school choice, joining a trend of states with Republican trifectas expanding education options for children. New Hampshire is the first state that passed the legislation that went for Democrat Kamala Harris in 2024.The Trump administration instituted a federal tax credit scholarship, giving individuals all across the country an opportunity to support school choice programs within their state, circumventing anti-school choice measures.Corey DeAngelis of the American Culture Project told Fox News Digital that the growth of alternative education models is emblematic of a growing trend of parents being fed up with the traditional public school setting."The teachers union made their anti-American agenda obvious at their annual convention this month by passing resolutions that had everything to do with politics and nothing to do with education. The NEA passed resolutions that read like a declaration of war on the Trump Administration. Parents wants their children to get an education, not left-wing indoctrination," DeAngelis said."There are too many woke private schools that are just as bad ideologically as the government schools parents are fleeing. But the good news is that supply meets demand. New options like American Virtual Academy are sprouting up because most families want something else," he added.

The American Culture Quiz is a weekly test of our unique national traits, trends, history and people, including current events and the sights and sounds of the United States.This week's quiz highlights fruit frontiers, star-spangled symbols and much more.Can you get all 8 questions right?For more Lifestyle articles, visit www.foxnews.com/lifestyleTo try your hand at more quizzes from Fox News Digital, click here.Also, to take our latest News Quiz published every Friday click here.