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Google Maps, FAA officially acknowledges Gulf of America after Trump declaration: 'Isn't it beautiful?'

10 February 2025 at 20:14

The name change from the "Gulf of Mexico" to the "Gulf of America" began rolling out across the U.S. on Monday, just a month after President Donald Trump announced his intention to Americanize the name.

On Monday, the FAA sent out a charting notice confirming that its systems were in the process of updating the name, in addition to updating the newly-named Mount McKinley in Alaska, formerly known as Denali.

"Please be advised that the FAA is in the process of updating our data and charts to show a name change from the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America and a name change from Denali to Mount McKinley. This will be targeted for the next publication cycle," the notice read.

"This Charting Notice implements President Trump's direction in Executive Order 14172, β€˜Restoring Names That Honor American Greatness,’ that the names be changed."

TRUMP ANNOUNCES $20 BILLION IN NEW DATA CENTERS IN POST-CERTIFICATION ADDRESS

On Jan. 7, Trump announced that the Gulf of Mexico would be given a new name, and signed an executive order finalizing the decision weeks later.

"We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America, which has a beautiful ring. That covers a lot of territory," Trump said on Tuesday. "The Gulf of America. What a beautiful name. And it's appropriate."

The decision was received well by social media users on Monday, who began noticing Google Maps implementing the changes.

"Google Maps FINALLY recognizes the Gulf of America!" one X user wrote. "Isn't it beautiful?"

"I hate google, but tbh, mine says Gulf of America zoomed all the way out," another said. "And boy is it glorious."

TRUMP ANNOUNCES $20 BILLION IN NEW DATA CENTERS IN POST-CERTIFICATION ADDRESS

"Google Maps bows to Trump," a different commentator wrote.

The changes also come after Trump signed a proclamation on Sunday that declared Feb. 9 as "Gulf of America Day."

Trump was flying over the body of water on his way to Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans when he signed the presidential order.

"Air Force One is currently in international waters, the first time in history flying over the recently renamed Gulf of America," the White House wrote in an X post.

In the proclamation, Trump wrote that he took the action "in part because, as stated in that Order, β€˜[t]he area formerly known as the Gulf of Mexico has long been an integral asset to our once burgeoning Nation and has remained an indelible part of America.’"

Google previously confirmed that it intended on updating the gulf's name in accordance with local authorities.

"We’ve received a few questions about naming within Google Maps," Google said in an X post. "We have a longstanding practice of applying name changes when they have been updated in official government sources…everyone in the rest of the world sees both names. That applies here too."Β 

Fox News Digital's Stepheny Price and Brooke Singman contributed to this report.

Reagan National Airport crash: Trump, lawmakers react to tragedy as officials investigate

29 January 2025 at 22:32

Lawmakers across the U.S. expressed sympathy and grief after a passenger plane collided with a military helicopter near Reagan National Airport in the Washington, D.C. area on Wednesday night.

A PSA Airlines Bombardier CRJ700 regional jet operating as an American Airlines flight collided in midair with a Sikorsky H-60 helicopter approaching Reagan National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, around 9 p.m. local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). The flight left Wichita, Kansas, earlier that day.

The passenger flight was carrying 60 people, but officials have not confirmed the exact number of injuries and fatalities. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who started work on Monday, said that he was aware of the incident in a post on X.

"DoD actively monitoring," Hegseth's tweet read. "Poised to assist if needed. Prayers for all involved."

REAGAN NATIONAL AIRPORT CRASH: MILITARY BLACK HAWK HELICOPTER COLLIDES MIDAIR WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES JET

Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy confirmed that he was at the FAA building and investigating the incident. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt also shared a message from President Donald Trump on Wednesday night.

"I have been fully briefed on the terrible accident which just took place at Reagan National Airport," the statement read. "May God Bless their souls. Thank you for the incredible work being done by our first responders. I am monitoring the situation and will provide more details as they arise."

Rep. Anna Paulina Luna, R-Fla., expressed sorrow after hearing of the crash.

"Our prayers are with all families impacted by the tragic plane crash that just took place here in DC," Luna's post read. "Incredibly heartbreaking."

Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears said that she was keeping all those impacted in her prayers.

FEDERAL JUDGE PAUSES TRUMP ADMIN'S TEMPORARY FEDERAL GRANTS, LOANS FREEZE

"My office is following the breaking and tragic news of a collision at @Reagan_Airport," the lieutenant governor wrote. "We pray for the victims, first rescuers, and all those impacted."

Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem wrote on X that she was "deploying every available US Coast Guard resource for search and rescue efforts in this horrific incident at DCA."

"We are actively monitoring the situation & stand ready to support local responders," the former South Dakota governor wrote. "Praying for the victims and first responders."

Fox News Digital has reached out to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority, the FAA and American Airlines for more information.

Authorities are actively investigating the crash.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner and Louis Casiano contributed to this report.

Georgia fire chief shot and killed in Alabama after stopping to help driver who struck deer: police

21 January 2025 at 08:58

A fire chief died in Alabama after being shot and killed while trying to help a driver who struck a deer, police say.Β 

The Coweta County Fire Rescue in Georgia is now mourning the loss of Battalion Chief James "Bart" Cauthen, who they described as an "amazing, hard-working man with a gentle soul" who served the department for more than 24 years. The shooting unfolded Sunday afternoon.Β 

"Early investigation indicates that Chief Cauthen was attempting to assist individuals that had struck a deer while traveling on County Road 267," the Chambers County Sheriff's Office said. "Another individual (William Randall Franklin) that resided in the area opened fire on Chief Cauthen and the individual that struck the deer."Β 

"All individuals were injured during [a] shootout. Chief Cauthen succumbed to his injuries prior to deputies arriving on the scene," the Sheriff’s Office added.Β 

WOMAN VANISHES AS POLICE FIND CAR IN DITCH, ARREST DRIVER IN PUZZLING DISAPPEARANCEΒ 

Police say an arrest warrant for murder has been issued for Franklin, who will be taken into custody upon his release from a local medical facility. Β 

The motive for the shootingΒ is unclear.Β 

"At this time, investigators are working to piece together the events that led to this horrific scene," the Chambers County Sheriff's Office said.Β 

"The deceased victim is identified as James Bartholomew Cauthen, 54 years of age from Moreland, Georgia," it added. Β 

GEORGIA MAN ACCUSED OF STABBING OFF-DUTY ATLANTA POLICE OFFICER AFTER HIT-AND-RUN REMAINS ON THE LOOSEΒ 

Coweta County Fire Rescue said in a Facebook post that "we have many questions as we navigate through this horrible tragedy."Β 

"Our hearts and prayers go out to Cauthen’s family, friends and our brothers and sisters in the Fire Rescue family who worked closely with him," it continued. "We want to thank all of the agencies who have reached out to us to offer condolences, as well as our community."Β 

The Chambers County Sheriff's Office did not immediately respond Tuesday to a request for comment by Fox News Digital.Β 

Tennessee to call special session fast-tracking Trump agenda on immigration, school choice and disaster relief

15 January 2025 at 10:43

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee is calling a special legislative session to address his school choice bill, as well as other prioritizes of President-elect Trump's incoming administration, such as immigration law and disaster relief in the Volunteer State.Β 

Lee announced that he would call for the Tennessee General Assembly to convene a special session on Monday, Jan. 27, to pass the Education Freedom Act. The governor said he will introduce a disaster relief legislative package addressing recovery needs for Hurricane Helene, as well as future natural disasters, and that the session will also tackle public safety measures regarding immigration, "as the incoming Trump Administration has called on states to prepare for policy implementation."

The announcement from Tennessee came after Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said on Monday that he was calling a special session of his own to help coordinate Trump's planned illegal immigration crackdown in the Sunshine State.

Lee issued a joint statement with Tennessee Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, state House Speaker Cameron Sexton, state Senate Majority Leader Jack Johnson, and state House Majority Leader William Lamberth.Β 

TENNESSEE GOVERNOR BACKS TRUMP PLAN TO NIX DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION, SEES BELLWETHER ON NEW SCHOOL CHOICE BILL

"We believe the state has a responsibility to act quickly on issues that matter most to Tennesseans, and there is widespread support in the General Assembly and across Tennessee for a special session on the most pressing legislative priorities: the unified Education Freedom Act and a comprehensive relief package for Hurricane Helene and other disaster recovery efforts," they said. "The majority of Tennesseans, regardless of political affiliation, have made it clear that they support empowering parents with school choice, and the best thing we can do for Tennessee students is deliver choices and public school resources without delay."

The statement added: "Hurricane Helene was an unprecedented disaster across rural, at-risk, and distressed communities that cannot shoulder the local cost share of federal relief funds on their own. The state has an opportunity and obligation to partner with these impacted counties and develop innovative solutions for natural disasters going forward."Β 

"Finally, the American people elected President Trump with a mandate to enforce immigration laws and protect our communities, and Tennessee must have the resources ready to support the Administration on Day One," they said.Β 

"Last year, Gov. Lee directed key state agencies to begin preparing for federal immigration policy implementation," Lee's press secretary, Elizabeth Lane Johnson, said in a statement to Fox News Digital. "In this special session, we will ensure the state is best positioned to coordinate with federal, state, and local law enforcement to implement the Trump Administration's plan to enforce the federal immigration laws on the books."

"President Trump has made it clear that states will play a major role in partnering with his Administration to make our communities safer. Tennessee is heeding the call," she added.Β 

Lee, whose initial school choice proposal failed in the state legislature earlier last year, spoke to Fox News Digital in November upon introducing a second package aimed at increasing parental rights.Β 

After Trump's decisive election win, the governor argued that the political environment on the ground in Tennessee is not what it was months before when the first school choice proposal failed.Β 

The election saw a wave of pro-school choice candidates win at the state level, and Trump succeeded in his bid for the White House. Lee told Fox News Digital that he agreed with Trump's promise to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, echoing the president-elect's concern over the federal bureaucracy becoming entrenched with gender and race ideology rather than learning.

FORMER TRUMP EDUCATION SECRETARY LAYS OUT 'UNFINISHED BUSINESS' FOR NEW ADMIN ON SCHOOL REFORMS

"In this case, states certainly know best. We know best in Tennessee what our children need and how best to educate our kids. The parents of this state should be given a greater influence on how their kids are educated, and that will happen if the federal Department of Education is dismantled and those funds are delivered to states to be used in a more efficient and more effective way," Lee said at the time. "President Trump has long believed that school choice is important for the people of this country and that education freedom is something that all Americans could have. He's talked about it. He campaigned on it."Β 

Lee's new school choice bill, titled the Education Freedom Act of 2025, would draw from funding already approved by the state legislature to allow the state Department of Education to award up to 20,000 scholarships – valued at about $7,000 each – for the next school year to be spent on tuition, tutoring, technology and examination expenses. The first 10,000 scholarships would be set aside for low-income students whose parents might not otherwise afford to send their children to institutions other than the public schools in their districts.Β 

In addition to establishing Education Freedom Scholarships, Lee's office said the bill "further invests in public schools and teachers by delivering teacher bonuses to recognize their unwavering commitment to student success, increasing K-12 facilities funding, and ensuring state funding to school districts will never decrease due to disenrollment." The governor and the General Assembly "will maintain their commitment to public schools by further investing hundreds of millions of state dollars in the Tennessee Investment in Student Achievement (TISA) formula, and raising starting teacher pay," Lee's office said.Β 

The governor is also planning to invest more than $450 million in direct disaster relief.

Hurricane Helene "was an unprecedented disaster that primarily impacted at-risk and distressed counties, with eligible damage-related costs estimated at $1.2 billion," Lee's office said.Β 

The Disaster Relief Grants (DRG) Fund allocates $240 million "to bolster Tennessee’s existing disaster relief fund, as well as reduce the local cost-share burden from 12.5% to 5% and fund the state match requirement in order to access federal funds and cover administrative costs." Lee's package also establishes the Hurricane Helene Interest Payment Fund, which allocates $110 million to "help local governments manage loan interest for recovery costs by covering interest costs at 5% per year for three years on loans for recovery expenses."

Finally, the Governor’s Response and Recovery Fund allocates $100 million "to create a new program inspired by the HEAL Program that will provide flexible financial resources for future emergencies, including agricultural recovery, unemployment assistance, and business recovery efforts." The package also sets aside $20 million for the rebuilding of Hampton High School in Carter County, which was destroyed in Hurricane Helene.

Trump's viral 'Gulf of America' name-change spurs a Texas-sized suggestion: Gulf of Buc-ee's

10 January 2025 at 12:55

In the wake of President-elect Donald Trump announcing he hopes to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the "Gulf of America," a Texas congressman offered a Lone Star-sized suggestion for compromise.

"Interesting compromise," Republican Rep. Dan Crenshaw posted as a caption to a map showing the Gulf of Mexico’s label replaced with the emblem of a grinning Buc-ee the Beaver in his trademark red ball cap.

His post gained some traction on social media as someone commented enthusiastically: "The Gulf of Buc-ee’s!"Β 

While it has only started to increase its northward footprint, the Lake Jackson, Texas-based interstate-side gas station/meal-stop/country-store/convenience behemoth has a cult-like following in the South – as evidenced by the response to Crenshaw and others floating the idea.

CRENSHAW RIPS BIDEN SPENDING BILL

Known for 100-plus gas pumps dispensing at loss-leader prices that help draw in crowds, Buc-ee's has been described as both a 7-Eleven "on steroids" and "an amusement park without the rides."

Cooks can be heard regularly calling out "Fre-e-esh brisket on the board," as they continuously resupply visitors with Texas BBQ from a station in the middle of the store, while cheeky billboards advertise their massive, spotless bathrooms for miles.

The stores are also known for their mascot’s prized "Beaver Nuggets" snacks, fresh-made fudge, "wall" of jerky; vacation needs like camp chairs, clothing and even meat smokers.Β 

On Tuesday, Trump said he would change the name of the Gulf to the "appropriate" and "beautiful" "Gulf of America."

TRUMP ANNOUNCES GULF OF MEXICO TO BECOME β€˜GULF OF AMERICA’

In response, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum posted an image of herself in front of an 18th century map showing a large portion of the United States as "Mexican America" and suggested facetiously that the name should revert.

Of Crenshaw’s "Gulf of Buc-ee’s" idea, social media was ablaze with support for the red hat-bedecked beaver.

"I’d support that," one X user wrote.

"Gulf of Buc’ees gets my vote -- that means brisket sandwich and a pitstop with hundreds of clean bathroom stalls every 3 hours...maybe picking up an iron skillet, crawfish boiler, or pair of Buc-ees pajamas too," a second user daydreamed of the idea.

Another commenter said they had yet to visit a Buc-ees but quipped, "I hope to someday be named among the blessed who have entered through the Brisket Gates. Gulf of Buc-ee’s -- I can support that."

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