12AM ET 08/29/2025 Newscast

Summary

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Fox News Hourly Update: 12AM ET 08/29/2025 Newscast

Podcast: Fox News Hourly Update
Date: August 29, 2025
Host: Carmen Roberts

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Overview

This episode of the Fox News Hourly Update delivers a concise roundup of major national news stories, featuring the aftermath of a devastating school shooting in Minneapolis, notable legal developments in a high-profile police brutality case, historic baseball achievements, an emergency situation in Kentucky, major CDC leadership changes, a prominent music festival cancellation, and record-setting developments on Wall Street.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Minneapolis School Shooting and Community Response

• Victim's Family Speaks Out
  • Jesse Merkel, grieving father of eight-year-old Fletcher, addresses the public outside Annunciation Church.
    • Quote: “We will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him.”
      — Jesse Merkel, 00:06
    • Expresses hope for healing for his family and other victims.
      • Quote: “While the hole in our hearts and lives will never be filled, I hope that in time our family can find healing. I pray that the other victim's family can find some semblance of the same.”
        — Jesse Merkel, 00:18
    • Urges parents to hug their children.
  • The shooter, who killed 8-year-old Fletcher, 10-year-old Harper Moishe, and injured 18 others (15 children), admired mass killers and “wanted to terrorize children in the church.”
  • The suspect’s mother, Mary Grace Westman, a Catholic school employee, has hired a criminal defense attorney.
    — Carmen Roberts, 00:32

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2. Memphis Police Case Retrial Ordered

• Federal Judge Orders New Trial
  • Three former Memphis police officers will receive a new trial for charges tied to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. The original trial's neutrality was questioned after a court clerk was shot before sentencing.
    • The presiding judge, Mark Norris, believed the shooting was gang-related and that one of the officers tried was gang-affiliated.
      • Quote: “The original presiding judge, Mark Norris, told investigators he believed the shooting was gang related and that one of the officers on trial belonged to that gang.”
        — Mark Norris, 01:14 — Carmen Roberts, 01:14

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3. Sports Highlight: MLB Milestone

• Kyle Schwarber's Historic Night
  • Kyle Schwarber becomes the 21st Major League Baseball player—fourth for the Phillies—to hit four home runs in a single game.
    • Quote (MLB Call): “Deep to right field. He has done it. Four home runs in a game and—”
      — MLB Network Announcer, 01:33
  • The Phillies defeated the Atlanta Braves 19–4.
    — Carmen Roberts, 01:40

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4. Breaking News: Kentucky Deputies Shot

• Law Enforcement Incident in Kentucky
  • Two sheriff's deputies in Walton, Kentucky, are shot and injured; the suspect is barricaded. SWAT teams respond and area residents are evacuated. Deputies are hospitalized and in stable condition. — Carmen Roberts, 02:30

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5. CDC Leadership Turmoil

• White House Announces New CDC Acting Director
  • Jim O’Neill, former deputy director at Health and Human Services, replaces Susan Menarez as acting CDC director after her firing prompted widespread resignations.
  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had previously chosen Menarez and voiced issues at the CDC.
    • Quote: “There’s a lot of trouble at CDC.”
      — Mark Norris, 03:22
  • Menarez’s attorney claims she was targeted for refusing to “rubber stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts.”
    — Health Correspondent, 03:24–03:35

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6. Field and Strings Music Festival Cancelled Again

• Major Music Event Scrapped
  • The Winnsboro, South Carolina festival, featuring stars like Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Lynyrd Skynyrd, ZZ Top, Riley Green, and Bailey Zimmerman, is canceled for a second consecutive year.
    • All tickets to be refunded due to “circumstances beyond our control.”
    • Last year’s cancellation was due to hurricane conditions.
    • Eric Church, a headliner and part-owner, had recently purchased Field and Stream with Morgan Wallen. — Michelle Palino, 03:44

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7. Wall Street Milestones

• Stock Market Update
  • Dow Jones and S&P 500 close at record highs; NASDAQ narrowly misses a new record. Signs of a resilient economy drive market gains. — Carmen Roberts, 04:17

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him.”
  — Jesse Merkel, 00:06
• “While the hole in our hearts and lives will never be filled, I hope that in time our family can find healing. I pray that the other victim's family can find some semblance of the same.”
  — Jesse Merkel, 00:18
• “The original presiding judge, Mark Norris, told investigators he believed the shooting was gang related and that one of the officers on trial belonged to that gang.”
  — Mark Norris, 01:14
• “Deep to right field. He has done it. Four home runs in a game and—”
  — MLB Network Announcer, 01:33
• “There’s a lot of trouble at CDC.”
  — Mark Norris, 03:22

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Timestamps for Major Segments

• Minneapolis school shooting coverage: 00:06–00:32
• Memphis cops retrial: 01:14–01:25
• MLB historic night: 01:33–01:40
• Kentucky deputies shot: 02:30–02:50
• CDC director replaced: 02:50–03:35
• Field and Strings Festival canceled: 03:44–04:17
• Stock market update: 04:17–04:28

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Transcript

[Carmen Roberts]

Talking about the loss of his son. I'm Carmen Roberts, Fox News.

[Jesse Merkel]

We will never be allowed to hold him, talk to him, play with him.

[Carmen Roberts]

Jesse Merkel, the father of eight year old Fletcher who was killed in the Catholic church school shooting in Minneapolis.

[Jesse Merkel]

While the hole in our hearts and lives will never be filled, I hope that in time our family can find healing. I pray that the other victim's family can find some semblance of the same.

[Carmen Roberts]

Merkel, speaking to reporters outside the Annunciation Church, urged all parents to give their children a hug. The shooter also killed 10 year old Harper Moishe and 18 others were injured, 15 of them children. Police say the shooter admired mass killers and hated almost every imaginable group and wanted to terrorize children in the church. The shooter's mother, Mary Grace Westman, who worked at the Catholic school, has hired a criminal defense attorney. A federal judge orders a new trial for three former Memphis cops convicted on charges related to the fatal beating of Tyre Nichols. The judge cited concerns of bias by the original trial judge after a court clerk was shot prior to sentencing.

[Mark Norris]

The original presiding judge, Mark Norris, told investigators he believed the shooting was gang related and that one of the officers on trial belonged to that gang.

[Carmen Roberts]

Fox's Grinnell Scott Philadelphia slugger Kyle Schwaber joins an elite club that one's thrilled.

[MLB Network Announcer]

Deep to right field. He has done it. Four home runs in a game and.

[Carmen Roberts]

That call on the MLB Network as schwaber becomes the 21st major leaguer and the fourth Phillies player to put four over the fence in a single game. And he did it Thursday night in the next 194 win over the Atlanta Braves. America's listening to Fox News.

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[Carmen Roberts]

This just in. Two sheriff's deputies in Walton, Kentucky are shot and injured. SWAT teams have responded to the area where the suspected shooter is barricaded and nearby residents told to evacuate. The deputies are hospitalized in stable condition. The White House names a replacement for the just fire director of the cdc.

[Health Correspondent]

The White House confirms that deputy director for Health and Human services. A man by the name of Jim o' Neill will now serve in the role of acting director of the cdc. Now that is the very same position that Susan Menarez held before being elevated and then dismissed. Word of her firing actually prompted a wave of resignations at the agency, including several top officials. And while HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Said he previously handpicked her for the job at a MAHA event in Texas. And he said this, there's a lot.

[Mark Norris]

Of trouble at cdc.

[Health Correspondent]

Meantime. In a statement, Menares attorney said she was targeted because she refused to rubber stamp unscientific, reckless directives and fire dedicated health experts.

[Carmen Roberts]

Fox's Kevin Cork the Field and Strings Music Festival's a no go for a second straight year.

[Michelle Palino]

The event, set for October 3rd through the 5th in Winnsboro, South Carolina was to feature Miranda Lambert, Eric Church and Lynyrd Skynyrd, along with ZZ Topp, Riley Greene and Bailey Zimmerman. Organizers say all tickets will be refunded citing only circumstances beyond our control. The 2024 inaugural event was canceled after Hurricane Helene made conditions unsafe. Church not only was slated to headline, but also owns a stake in the company after he and Morgan Wallen purchased Field and Stream from Dick's Sporting goods in early 2024. Michelle Palino, Fox News and stocks closed.

[Carmen Roberts]

At back to back records on signs of a resilient economy. The Dow joined the S&P 500 in a record close. The NASDAQ just missed one. I'm Carmen Roberts, this is Fox News.

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