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Orange Crush 2025: Popular Georgia vacation town approves return of crime-filled beach fest

Tybee Island, Georgia, plans to welcome back the controversial "Orange Crush" music festival in April, so long as the organizers agree to meet certain conditions.

"Thanks for your interest in the 2025 Orange Crush Festival!" a post on the Orange Crush Instagram page reads. "We’re thrilled to announce that for the first time in decades, we are fully permitted and ready to celebrate April 18-20."

The event previously came to the popular Georgia beach town but without official permits issued by the city. It has also built a reputation for creating security and trash issues on the island.

The Tybee Island City Council on Jan. 26 sent a conditional letter of approval to Orange Crush organizer Steven Smalls, saying that the city will issue a special events permit to the festival after "all conditions" listed in the letter "have been addressed to the satisfaction" of local government leaders.

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Conditions that need to be met include event timing and placement requirements to "coordinate municipal services"; assuring "the preservation of public property"; preventing dangerous and unlawful behavior; ensuring people's safety at the event; and planning for traffic control, among other conditions.

If the "scope, intensity, location, type or size of the event" deviates from the city's requirements, permit approval will be retracted.

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"Orange Crush Festival 2025 is bringing nothing but HEAT this year," a Thursday announcement on the festival's Facebook page reads, adding that this year's event will be "the BIGGEST Orange Crush Festival yet!"

"You already know it’s about to be legendary!" the post reads.

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Last year, the event came to Tybee without an official permit. Videos from the festival shared on social media showed violent brawls, women throwing haymakers and wrestling with each other, and piles of trash growing on the beach.

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In the early 1990s, Orange Crush had a reputation for being a wild, crime-filled weekend, and Savannah State University disassociated with the event in 1991 because of the high number of arrests and reports of violence.

READ THE CONDITIONAL LETTER OF APPROVAL. MOBILE USERS CLICK HERE

Two years ago, the event moved to Jacksonville, Florida, "due to lack of resources, limited parking, civil rights violations and political injustices," according to a June 2021 story on Jacksonville.com, which cited the event's website. The website has since been taken down.

The event returned to Tybee Island in 2023 for the first time since 2020.

Fox News Digital's Chris Eberhart and Bonny Chu contributed to this report. 

Top translation apps for travelers

Traveling abroad can be an incredible adventure, but the language barrier can make even the most intrepid explorer nervous. The fear of being unable to communicate or understand signs and menus keeps many would-be travelers from ever leaving their home country. But fear not. With the rise of powerful translation apps, you can harness the latest technology right on your smartphone to bridge the language gap wherever your journey takes you.

I've tested out the top contenders to bring you my picks for the best translation apps for global travelers. Whether you have an iPhone or an Android, these apps have got you covered with features like live speech translation, text input and even AI-powered sign and menu translation.

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Google Translate is the best translation app for most people. It supports the most languages, with 133 languages supported. It also features an incredibly user-friendly interface and design, and best of all, it's completely free. There are multiple ways to translate languages with Google Translate, be it by typing text into the translation box or utilizing text-to-speech translation, and you can even take advantage of Google's AI translator, which can translate text from photos that you take.

If you are using an iOS device, you can download Google Translate here. If you are using an Android-based device, you can download Google Translate from the Google Play Store here. Additionally, you can access Google Translate in your web browser from any device by going to translate.Google.com.

THE BEST TRAVEL GEAR FOR 2025

If you're an iOS devotee, you may have already encountered Apple Translate, which comes pre-installed on all iOS devices. This powerful translation app is one of the best available exclusively to iOS users, capable of translating written text and images of text and facilitating direct speech translation to help you converse with speakers of other languages. Apple Translate currently supports 19 languages, including popular options like Spanish, French, German, Chinese and Arabic, making it a valuable tool for planning international vacations or communicating while traveling.

Additionally, the Translate app is available on the Apple Watch, allowing you to access your favorite translations on the go. With its seamless integration across Apple devices, you can easily switch between your iPhone and Apple Watch for quick and convenient translations. Whether you're navigating a foreign city or engaging in conversation with locals, Apple Translate is designed to enhance your travel experience.

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Microsoft Translator is a totally free-to-use translation app that is popular with business professionals. Featuring over translation for more than 120 languages, this is one of the most robust free-to-use translation apps. You can translate via text, spoken word or images with Microsoft Translate, and where the app really stands out is its ability to be used with multiple devices. You can create translation groups with Microsoft Translator and everyone can talk and translate together. The Microsoft Translator is available for both iOS and Android devices.

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With over 500,000 reviews on the Apple App Store, iTranslate is one of the most popular translation apps for travelers. It offers translation options for more than 100 languages, and its premium features make it well worth the cost of the app. You can use iTranslate for free, but you will be limited to just text translations. With the paid option, you can access both voice translations and text-via-camera translations. For those willing to pay $6 per month, users can save their translations and dictionaries offline, so you can use them from anywhere, even without service. iTranslate is available for both the iOS platform and the Android platform.

BEST GEAR FOR THE DARK OUTDOORS

There are a lot of different translation apps out there on the market aimed at travelers, and we highlighted our favorites today. While the majority of the apps in this list are free-to-use, and all the apps in this list have a free-to-use mode, you will need to pay for additional features from apps such as iTranslate.

What challenges have you faced while communicating in a foreign language during your travels? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

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Debate over using beach cabanas at popular travel destination prompts prime minister to weigh in

Concerns over beachgoers reserving spaces with the use of portable cabanas are causing a stir in Australia. 

On a morning television show appearance, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese told viewers the practice is contradictory to Australian values, Reuters reported.

"One of the great things about Australia, unlike some parts of the world, (where) you go and you've got to pay to go to the beach, here, everyone owns the beach," Albanese said.

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He added, "It's a place where every Australian is equal. And that's a breach of that principle, really, to think that you can reserve a little spot as just yours."

Some Aussies and travelers took to social media to share their thoughts on the savvy move. 

"Those cabanas take up so much room that sunbathers left only the concrete path," posted an X user.

One argued, "people are the issue not cabanas."

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Another joked, "Beach Blanket Bingo."

"I can see a law [being] drafted soon," said a user on X.

One joked, "Because there are no bigger problems in Australia than Beach Etiquette."

"Everyone owns the beach…that’s what we believed growing up," said one woman on X.

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A user posted, "There are no issues with Cabanas….they are brilliant for sun protection and shelter."

"People are taking up housing block size of some beaches by placing 4 cabanas in a square with a gathering place in the centre," said one.

Australia's beaches are public and considered "crown land" — allowing Aussies to visit any beach area they please. 

The New South Wales government (NSW) states on its site, "Crown land is land held by the NSW Government on behalf of the public, for the benefit of the community."

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Some users on X opened up the discussion to debate ownership of beaches.

"When will someone in this country see sense and allow private businesses to build beach clubs on small parts of the beach," stated one X user.

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Adding, "Almost every other beach in the world at the very least has someone renting out beach chairs, but in Australia, nothing."

"No thanks..  we don’t want this… beaches for all Australians not just those rich enough to pay," a user responded to the suggestion. 

People take roughly 31 million day trips to the beach in Australia, according to Australia’s tourism research. 

Summer falls between the months of December and February in the country.

Nearly eight million people from around the globe visited in 2023, which was a 36% increase from the previous year, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics. 

"Visitors come to Australia each year lured by beautiful beaches, unique flora and fauna, friendly people and a relaxed atmosphere," wrote one of the Australian Consulate-Generals on their website. 

Reuters contributed to this report.

Shelf-staple food items could be your best vacation souvenir

In addition to the trinkets or souvenirs you might buy when you travel this holiday season, consider that non-perishable food items are a great way to capture memories of your trips and also re-create the experiences you enjoyed. 

Shelf-staple food items such as spices, nuts, coffee and spice blends can be packed in carry-on luggage, while sauces, marinades and oils can be brought home in checked luggage.

Renata Lofranco of Fairfax County, Virginia, said she always tries to buy a food item when she's traveling. That way, she can expand her recipe collection at home, plus try to make a dish she enjoyed in a restaurant while she was away. 

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"I've bought spiced rubs for meats, olive oils, syrups and caramel candies," she said. 

"I've also purchased balsamic vinegar for salad dressings. The nice thing is, sometimes the spice cans or decanters are so pretty they sit on my counter as decorations."

So, if you had an outstanding Creole seafood dish in New Orleans, for example, you might purchase whatever made that foodie experience so memorable — and bring it home to relive wonderful vacation memories.

Here are some unique food items to consider grabbing the next time you're away.

Part ketchup and part mayonnaise, fry sauce packs a unique flavor. 

It provides an alternative to the usual condiments in which you can dip your fries, Nadja Abada, a registered dietitian with JM Nutrition Edmonton in Alberta, Canada, told Fox News Digital.

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"The fry sauce brand name, declared Utah's favorite condiment, can be picked up when on vacation and brought back home in a suitcase," she said.

The beauty of the sauce rests in its versatility, she suggested.

"It's not only used on fries, but as a sauce on tacos, in bowls and as a dressing in various salads," Abada said.

If you venture to a warm place like Jamaica, consider purchasing jerk seasoning in your resort's gift shop. 

"While jerk seasoning is likely widely available back home, it's best to purchase it in Jamaica where it's made with local ingredients and a 'whole lotta love,'" Ababa said.  

Sandals Dunn's River, an all-inclusive beachfront resort with 12 restaurants, has an on-site shop with a plethora of shelf-staple products. 

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Once you get the jerk seasoning back home, you can add it to chicken and enjoy. If chicken isn't your thing, jerk seasoning can be used in various marinades and sauces.

"You can even add it to eggs to give your breakfast a Jamaican flavor and bring back a few fond memories of your travels," Ababa noted.

If you happen to vacation in Mexico, you'd be remiss not to find some easy-to-pack food staples, Ababa said. 

"While your options may seem endless, I recommend a couple of indispensable staples: beans and salsa," she said. 

The selection of beans on Mexican supermarket shelves is substantial, she noted. 

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"Simply take your pick: black, pinto, garbanzo, Peruano, ferried – you name it," Ababa said. 

Similarly, an abundance of salsa types can be found in Mexico, including roja, verde, verde cruda, pico de gallo, taquera, habanero and chipotle.

If your wanderlust takes you across the Atlantic to Europe, Ababa said you'll certainly feast your eyes on a broad selection of delicious foods of the region, some of which you can take home. 

"No matter which country you visit, chances are the locally produced olive oil tastes better than it does at home," she said. 

"The hardest part about taking some back home is choosing your favorite, as there are over 500 olive varieties in Italy alone."

Olive oil, of course, can be spread on bread, drizzled on pizza or added to dressings. 

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"No matter how you use it, you'll be adding some authentic Mediterranean flavor to your meals," Ababa told Fox News Digital.

Should your excursions take you on a river cruise, you'll likely visit several ports on one trip – presenting an opportunity to step into town to explore and shop. 

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"While there are great items across Europe, Viking's river sailings through France on the Rhone, Garonne and Seine – to name a few – offer a great opportunity to pick up some shelf-stable seasonings and ingredients," Michel Gehrig, director of food and beverage for Viking's river voyages, told Fox News Digital.

"I highly recommend Espelette pepper for its exceptional flavor. Or Fleur de Sel de Guérande artisan sea salt and Herbes de Provence are wonderful to use in your home kitchen every day," said Gehrig, who is based in Switzerland.

"Riz de Camargue (red rice), truffle paste, Dijon mustard and canned sardines are also fantastic regional finds."

Travelers may face yet another 'tourist tax' when visiting certain cities

Visiting Liverpool in Merseyside, England — the fifth-largest city in the United Kingdom — could start costing travelers a little more than before as government officials devise a strategy to curb overtourism.

Officials are planning to impose a tax on visitors this coming summer, charging nearly $3 (2 pounds) per night per person for overnight stays, according to Liverpool Business News.

The potential tax comes as locals struggle to keep up with the growing number of tourists to the area.

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"The proposal would see the charge, which would be administered by hotels, going directly into the visitor economy and helping to support its growth and development," said a Liverpool's Accommodation Business Improvement District (BID) press release. 

"It would also go toward improving the public realm, including street cleaning."

About fifty-four million visitors traveled to Liverpool City Region in 2023, up four million from the previous year, according to the government’s Liverpool City Region Combined Authority website.

The release continued, "This would relieve pressure on the public purse and would ensure that the hotel sector would get a say [about] how the funds [are] spent, helping to drive a more sustainable and viable visitor economy in the future."

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Liverpool BID predicts the levy would contribute nearly $8 million to the city over the next two years.

Bill Addy, CEO of Liverpool BID Company, said in a release the group has been in close contact with the local hospitality business on the tax proposal.

"It is hotels and serviced accommodation providers who would be administering it … Therefore they should have the final say," said Addy.

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Addy also said, "The method we are proposing reflects similar models across European cities, which work successfully and, if replicated in Liverpool, will translate overnight stays into major investment in attracting world-leading and world-beating events to the city." 

Other international vacation destinations have implemented taxes in an effort to curb tourism.

Greek officials, for example, are planning to impose a $22 tax on visitors cruising to Santorini or Mykonos, Fox News Digital reported in September.

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And the Maldives in South Asia, known for its clear waters and luxury resorts, has raised a flight tax aimed at tourists leaving the islands.

Fox News Digital reached out to Liverpool BID for comment.

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