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When LT and Harry Carson speak, Giants listen.

Gov. Janet Mills trekked down to Boston to attend late Rep. Barney Frank's funeral as many national Democrats pray for someone to rescue them from Platner's expected clinching of the party's Senate nod.

His individual exploits have never led to group success. Never. He has lost at least 10 games in all seven of his NFL seasons.

How A Tiny Insect Decimated Florida's Citrus, And What Orchardists Are Doing About It

Authored by Jacob Burg via The Epoch Times,

Lifelong citrus farmer Sidney Tillett cut a path through a grove that has endured in his family for four generations, stopping his SUV between two rows of trees. On one side was a long plot of lush green saplings, covered with protective mesh bags tied to stakes in the ground.

The Citrus Place, a fruit and produce market in Terra Ceia, Florida, on May 21, 2026. The store is popular among vacationers.

Directly on the other side, a row of petite orange trees with withering leaves were all battling a bacterial infection, caused by an invasive insect that has decimated the state's orange industry in just two decades.

"It's a story of survival," Tillett told The Epoch Times, remembering his father's 25-foot-tall citrus trees that could sometimes produce 1,000 pounds of fruit in a single season.

Now, what trees survive are lucky if their canopies get half that size, or produce any fruit that can be sold at market. What was once 600 acres of citrus trees in the 1970s has now dwindled to five.

The orange - Florida's inextricable insignia that emblazons license plates, T-shirts, and bumper stickers from affluent coastal towns to rural farming communities - was once the state's largest cash crop, and positioned the Sunshine State as the country's majority citrus producer.

Florida harvested a record 244 million boxes of oranges during the 1997-1998 season. This year, the Department of Agriculture estimates Florida will only produce 12.2 million boxes, a stunning 95 percent drop in just under 30 years.

While occasional freezes, catastrophic hurricanes, and an on-and-off, decades-long battle with the citrus canker disease proved to be frustrating setbacks for many orange growers, the destruction of Florida's citrus industry kicked into high gear in 2005.

That was the year an invasive insect from China - which made its way to the United States through Mexico - introduced a disease that would ultimately decimate Florida's citrus industry.

The Asian citrus psyllid feeds on citrus tree leaves, causing the plant to contract a bacterial infection known as huanglongbing, commonly called citrus greening.

The disease causes rapid root loss, slowly draining the life from healthy trees as they struggle to absorb and retain nutrients. Oranges languish, struggling to reach full maturity and normal sugar composition - losing the sweet taste that made the fruit an in-demand crop worldwide.

There is no known cure. And the impacts extend far beyond the Sunshine State.

Citrus greening has slashed total U.S. orange production by 80 percent and grapefruit production by 88 percent since 2000, according to a report from the American Farm Bureau Federation. California has now overtaken Florida to become the United States' largest citrus producer, and nations such as Egypt and South Africa now export more oranges worldwide.

But Florida citrus farmers are not giving up.

Recent studies by the University of Florida's Citrus Research and Education Center have offered several paths for the industry to take.

Insecticides are a major component of citrus greening management, the center stated in an August 2025 production guide, but a specialized protective netting known as exclusion mesh "is currently the only tool that can fully prevent [Asian citrus psyllid] infestation in citrus."

Farmers have covered young saplings with translucent mesh bags that tent the tree's canopy to keep the Asian citrus psyllid out long enough for the tree to take hold and mature.

Meanwhile, light and moisture can pass through the cover's fine mesh.

While effective at stopping immediate tree death - as many saplings are infected within the first six months - the bags have some limitations.

They allow citrus trees to produce quality fruit for at least 30 months after they're planted, but the trees eventually begin to falter after the bags are removed two to three years later.

That's why citrus farmers such as Katie and Shane Bevilacqua are trailblazing a different, even more radical approach to fighting citrus greening.

They have built massive permanent mesh tents over their nearly 750 acres of grapefruit trees at Golden Ridge Groves in Bartow, Florida, where customers can self-pick or buy bushels of fruit in the couple's market. The tents are known as "citrus under protective screen" structures.

"It's early, but it's proving to keep the psyllid out, allow the tree to remain healthy, and put on the healthy crop and beautiful fruit that Florida has been known for for decades," Shane Bevilacqua told The Epoch Times.

"Even if this could be our small contribution to keeping it going, we're excited about that."

Road to Ruin

The near-total decimation of Florida's citrus industry did not happen overnight.

When officials first found citrus greening in the state in 2005, farmers had already battled irregular cold seasons with freezing temperatures that damaged their crops.

Citrus canker - a different, but still harmful bacterial infection - arrived in Florida more than 100 years ago, and was believed to be eradicated until subsequent outbreaks in the 1980s and '90s.

Despite strong efforts to eradicate citrus canker, the historic 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons spread the disease far and wide across the state. It was later found in Louisiana, Texas, and Alabama, but is currently considered endemic in Florida.

Those years would not see the end of hurricanes' impact on Florida's once famous orange market either, as the catastrophic Category 5 Hurricane Ian would buzz-saw through the center of the state in 2022, slicing through thousands of trees in its path.

Then just two years later, two back-to-back major hurricanes - Helene first, then Milton - would slam into Florida in the course of less than two weeks, further devastating the state's citrus crops.

Tillett lost a fifth of his grove during those storms, as the hammering winds blew over many of his younger trees.

But citrus greening, Tillett said, has been the biggest factor in so many multigenerational growers choosing to leave the state's cherished orange industry.

"The groves fell into nonproduction. Everybody lost," he said. "I mean, it's hard to justify a citrus grove when you're not making money."

The Asian citrus psyllid, spreader of a bacterial infection known as citrus greening, can be seen on an orange tree at Sidney Tillett's farm in Terra Ceia, Fla., on May 21, 2026. The invasive insect has decimated the state’s orange industry in just two decades. Tyler Durden Mon, 06/08/2026 - 20:55

Spike Lee is maybe hoping to give the Knicks an extra blessing on Monday night.

See what all the stars wore on the red carpet.

See what all the stars wore on the red carpet.

Trump’s appearance at the Garden marks the first time a sitting president has attended an NBA Finals game. 

What does California have to hide? After all, if the voting process were as fair, accurate and secure as Gov. Gavin Newsom and others have claimed, why not allow federal investigators to examine it? The rest of the country is, understandably, alarmed as it watches results come in from the June 2 primary — not...

NBA legend Michael Jordan was hit hard by the death of former teammate Stacey King, who died at 59 after a serious fall at his home on Saturday.

Interim Air Force One Jet Gets Patriotic Paint Scheme Ahead Of America's 250th Party

One month after the U.S. Air Force confirmed that the Boeing 747 donated by Qatar, designated as the VC-25B Bridge and widely described as President Trump's interim Air Force One aircraft, had entered flight testing in Texas and was being prepared for a new red, white, and blue color scheme, an OSINT account on X claims the aircraft has now been painted.

"Ladies and gentlemen… your United States Air Force's new VC-25B," X user TGhormley Photography wrote Sunday morning.

TGhormley Photography said the image was taken Saturday evening, though they did not disclose the location.

pic.twitter.com/LAk8IqnLlR

— TGhormley Photography (@SkunkChaser25) June 7, 2026

The VC-25B Bridge is a former Qatari head-of-state Boeing 747-8i that will serve as an interim presidential aircraft until Boeing's delayed VC-25B replacements are ready, now expected in 2028.

Last month, the USAF said the VC-25B Bridge underwent flight testing in Texas and was being prepared for a red, white, and blue paint scheme.

The military blog TWZ recently noted that there are still many "questions swirling about the legality and ethics of receiving the gifted plane." Last May, the Pentagon took delivery of the aircraft and said it would rapidly undertake the required modifications.

The VC-25B Bridge appears to be ready ahead of the nation’s 250th anniversary celebrations on July 4, less than one month away

Tyler Durden Mon, 06/08/2026 - 20:30

Now he is coaching the Chicago Fire in MLS — which put him in the position of being on hand for training at his team’s facility last Friday — and hosting a podcast, titled “Coaches’ Corner,” with fellow former national team coaches Bruce Arena and Bob Bradley.

The family of a coed who was allegedly raped and strangled at UC Santa Barbara is worried that clues leading authorities to her attacker could vanish when students leave campus for the summer.

Sunday marked a full-circle moment for Mike Brown.

“Both parties claim” to want to “preserve the middle class,” note Stephen J. Rose & Scott Winship at The New York Times. But far better if it shrinks as “everyone gets richer.”

“As Tuesday's primary arrives, I want to make clear what transpired since August and why my concerns have only grown.” 

Nationally, the Democrats have gone blind, deaf and dumb to the sort of thing they used to call “dog whistles,” but which in this case are blaring sirens and lights flashing “JEWS JEWS JEWS.”

Texas teen Karmelo Anthony appeared "distraught" in the moments after he allegedly fatally stabbed Austin Metcalf, a student testified Monday at his murder trial.

529-To-Roth IRA Rollover Rules In 2026: Five Questions That Help Determine Whether You Qualify

Authored by Adam H. Douglas via The Epoch Times,

After funding a 529 college savings account for years, you realize there is money left over. Maybe your grandchild graduated early, earned a scholarship that covered more than expected, or decided college was not for them [ZH: or maybe your grandkid is an ungrateful little shit] . A federal rule now lets you move that leftover balance into a Roth IRA, tax-free. It may sound too good to be true, and for some account holders, it is.

Leftover 529 funds can now be rolled into a Roth IRA, but strict rules may limit who qualifies. Panchenko Vladimir/Shutterstock

The provision is real, but the eligibility window is narrow, and several states have created a tax trap that most account holders never see coming.

Under SECURE 2.0's Section 126, you can roll unused 529 funds into a Roth IRA, tax-free and penalty-free, up to a $35,000 lifetime limit. But the account must be at least 15 years old, the money being moved must be at least 5 years old, the Roth IRA must belong to the 529 beneficiary, and that beneficiary must have earned income. Several states, including California, impose their own taxes on the rollover regardless of the federal treatment.

Here are five gating questions to help you explore these rules in detail and determine whether the rollover is actually available to you.

Question 1: Is The Account Old Enough?

To qualify for a rollover, the 529 plan must have been maintained for at least 15 years before any funds can be transferred. This requirement starts from the date the account was originally established, not from when contributions began or when the beneficiary was designated.

Changing the beneficiary on a 529 plan will likely restart the 15-year clock. That would mean the new beneficiary must wait 15 years from the date they became the beneficiary before initiating a rollover. Treat any beneficiary change with caution if a rollover is part of your plan.

Question 2: Is The Money Old Enough?

The five-year rule: Any contributions made within the five years before the transfer, along with earnings on those contributions, are ineligible. Only money that has been in the account for a minimum of five years qualifies.

This rule can trip up grandparents who continued making contributions after a grandchild started college. Those recent deposits remain locked out until the five-year window clears, even if the account itself is decades old.

Question 3: Whose Name Is On The Roth IRA?

The funds cannot revert to the owner of the 529 account. They can only be transferred to a Roth IRA held by the 529 beneficiary. If you are a grandparent who owns the 529, the rollover goes into your grandchild's Roth IRA, not yours.

The beneficiary must also have earned income for the year at least equal to the amount transferred. A grandchild with no earned income in a given year cannot receive a rollover that year, even if every other condition is met.

Question 4: How Much Are You Planning To Move, And When?

The aggregate amount transferred from a 529 account to a Roth IRA may not exceed $35,000 per individual, and the amount transferred in any year is limited to the annual Roth IRA contribution limit. For 2026, the IRS has set that limit at $7,500 for those under age 50, and $8,600 for those 50 or older. Moving the full $35,000 lifetime cap takes a minimum of five years at current limits.

The good news is that 529-to-Roth rollovers bypass the usual Roth IRA income limits that phase out contributions for high earners, creating a unique opportunity for high-income families to fund Roth IRAs for their children or grandchildren.

Note that the rollover shares the annual limit with any other Roth IRA contributions the beneficiary makes that year. If the beneficiary contributes $3,000 in cash, only the remaining Roth room is available for the 529 rollover.

Question 5: What Does Your State Say?

This is the question people skip, and it's a costly one to miss. The rollover is federally tax-free - that's federal, not state.

Most states with income taxes, however, have indicated they will follow federal law. As of September 2025, 30 states have confirmed they conform, including New York, Ohio, Virginia, and Illinois, among others.

Several states have not.

• California residents who execute a 529-to-Roth rollover will be subject to both state income tax and an additional 2.5 percent California tax on the earnings portion.
• New Jersey's decision was listed as pending on tax-tracking boards until recently, but the state has since aligned with federal guidelines to allow tax-free transfers.
• Several states and the District of Columbia have indicated that 529 savers may be subject to state income tax recapture if 529 funds are transferred to a Roth IRA.

Verify your state's current position before initiating any rollover. State guidance on this provision continues to evolve.

FAQs About The 529-To-Roth IRA Rollover Does The Rollover Count Against The Beneficiary's Roth IRA Income Limits?

No, and this is one of the provision's most useful features. In 2026, single filers with modified adjusted gross income above $153,000 and married couples above $242,000 typically cannot contribute directly to a Roth IRA. However, 529-to-Roth rollovers bypass these restrictions entirely. This makes the rollover particularly valuable for families with high-earning adult children who would otherwise be shut out of direct Roth IRA contributions.

What Happens If The Beneficiary Has No Earned Income That Year?

The rollover cannot happen. The beneficiary must have earned income for the year at least equal to the amount transferred, just as with any Roth IRA contribution. If a grandchild is between jobs, attending graduate school without a stipend, or otherwise has no earned income in a given year, the rollover must wait. You can carry the unused rollover opportunity forward to a future year, as long as the lifetime $35,000 cap has not been reached.

Does The Rollover Have To Be A Direct Transfer?

Yes. The movement of assets must be completed in a direct trustee-to-trustee transfer. Do not withdraw the money from the 529 first and attempt to deposit it into the Roth IRA yourself. That path treats the distribution as a non-qualified 529 withdrawal, which triggers income tax and the standard 10 percent federal penalty on the earnings portion. Contact both the 529 plan administrator and the Roth IRA custodian to coordinate the transfer directly between institutions.

How Is The Rollover Reported At Tax Time?

The movement of assets is reported on IRS Form 1099-R from the 529 plan and Form 5498 from the Roth IRA custodian. The IRS refers to the transaction as a "qualified rollover contribution," reportable in Box 10 of Form 5498. It should appear on the beneficiary's tax return for the year of the transfer. Because the paperwork involves both the 529 administrator and the Roth IRA custodian, most advisers recommend working with a tax professional during the first year you execute a rollover to confirm reporting is handled correctly.

The views and opinions expressed are those of the author. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice.

Tyler Durden Mon, 06/08/2026 - 20:05

Democratic Socialist Nithya Raman dramatically widened her lead over reality star Spencer Pratt in the Los Angeles mayor’s race.