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

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

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.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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