NYC campaign seeks money for LA fire victims. The question: Is it real?
Questions are swirling about a campaign on billboards and taxi cabs across New York City asking for donations to help Los Angeles wildfire victims. It turns out that the ads direct people to donate to a private company belonging to an LA-based Instagram influencer instead of one of the other well-known causes.
A photo taken by The City shows a six-sided billboard cube under the famous Coca-Cola ad at West 47th and Broadway Streets. The cube promotes a donation link with the words “Los Angeles is on fire. We need your help.”
The link takes you to Lineo, the newly launched company of 27-year-old Alec Celestin. He describes himself as an “entertainment and tech disruptor, as well as a “mini Elon,” referring to Elon Musk.
His website says the Lineo Rescue Fund is a way to “act when others can’t.” The website mentions his team has gone to LA’s fire danger zones where help is limited.
The site also claims that “every dollar contributes to making an impact” in various ways, including supplies, rebuilding communities and environmental recovery.
The fund’s site claims they have raised more than $280,000. Nearly $270,000 came from Celestin himself, as seen in the donations list.
Celestin’s business ventures have included creating and launching a canned cocktail with fellow influencer Bryce Hall. They’ve also worked with Fanfix, a platform for creators to post paid content for their subscribers.
He’s currently working at a similar company called Passes.
Fanfix sued Celestin, accusing him of stealing internal financial metrics and sharing them with Passes. That court case is still pending.
Celestin told The City he never stole confidential information from the company. Meanwhile, relief efforts are ramping up in response to the LA wildfire destruction. And law enforcement officials are warning people to look out for potential scams.
Celestin has not been accused of any wrongdoing or charged with a crime related to his fundraising campaign.
From Washington to Trump: America’s most iconic inaugural addresses
As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to deliver his second inaugural address on Monday, Jan. 20, Straight Arrow News looked back at some of the most memorable, and quotable, of these presidential speeches. Some speeches are known for their famous lines, while others have significance for their place in history.
President George Washington
The first inaugural address was delivered by President George Washington on April 30, 1789. Washington stood on the balcony of Federal Hall in New York City.
“No People can be bound to acknowledge and adore the invisible hand, which conducts the Affairs of men more than the People of the United States,” Washington said. “Every step, by which they have advanced to the character of an independent nation, seems to have been distinguished by some token of providential agency.”
Now, almost 236 years later, Trump will deliver the 60th presidential inauguration address in U.S. history when he becomes the 47th president. While many other presidents have given more than one inaugural address, he will be only the second president to do so in non-consecutive terms.
The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action.
President Donald Trump
President Grover Cleveland
Grover Cleveland, the 22nd and 24th president, delivered his first speech in 1885.
“This impressive ceremony adds little to the solemn sense of responsibility with which I contemplate the duty I owe to all the people of the land,” Cleveland said.
Like Trump, he would give another speech eight years later.
While Cleveland’s speeches may not be quoted often these days, all presidents hope their words can withstand the test of time.
President Abraham Lincoln
We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies.
President Abraham Lincoln
Abraham Lincoln gave his first speech in 1861 following the succession of seven states from the Union. His speech was also just weeks before the start of the Civil War.
“We are not enemies, but friends,” Lincoln told the entire nation. “We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained, it must not break our bonds of affection.”
President Franklin Delano Roosevelt
In 1933, Franklin Delano Roosevelt delivered the first of his four inaugural speeches, addressing a country amid the Great Depression.
“This great Nation will endure as it has endured, will revive and will prosper,” Roosevelt said. “So, first of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
President Harry S. Truman
In 1949, just a few years after the end of World War II, Harry S. Truman delivered his inaugural address. It was the first to be televised.
“The American people desire, and are determined to work for, a world in which all nations and all peoples are free to govern themselves as they see fit, and to achieve a decent and satisfying life,” Truman said. “Above all else, our people desire, and are determined to work for, peace on earth, a just and lasting peace, based on genuine agreement freely arrived at by equals.”
President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Four years before signing the Civil Rights Act of 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower said these words during his first inauguration speech: “Conceiving the defense of freedom, like freedom itself, to be one and indivisible, we hold all continents and peoples in equal regard and honor. We reject any insinuation that one race or another, one people or another, is in any sense inferior or expendable.”
President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy’s 1961 address featured lines often topping the list of presidential quotes.
“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. This much we pledge, and more,” Kennedy said. “And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
President Ronald Reagan
In the eyes of many in the world, this every-4-year ceremony we accept as normal is nothing less than a miracle.
President Ronald Reagan
In Ronald Reagan’s first inaugural address in 1981, he took time to appreciate the moment in U.S. history.
“To a few of us here today, this is a solemn and most momentous occasion; and yet, in the history of our Nation, it is a commonplace occurrence,” Reagan said. “The orderly transfer of authority as called for in the Constitution routinely takes place as it has for almost two centuries and few of us stop to think how unique we really are. In the eyes of many in the world, this every-4-year ceremony we accept as normal is nothing less than a miracle.”
He then gave one of his most famous lines.
“In this present crisis, government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem,” Reagan said.
President Bill Clinton
In 1993, the importance of America’s democracy was part of Bill Clinton’s first inaugural address.
“Our democracy must be not only the envy of the world but the engine of our own renewal,” Clinton said. “There is nothing wrong with America that cannot be cured by what is right with America.”
“We are led, by events and common sense, to one conclusion: The survival of liberty in our land increasingly depends on the success of liberty in other lands,” Bush said. “The best hope for peace in our world is the expansion of freedom in all the world.”
President Barack Obama
…all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
President Barack Obama
In his first inaugural address in 2009, Barack Obama called for an end to petty grievances in politics.
“We remain a young nation, but in the words of Scripture, the time has come to set aside childish things,” Obama said. “The time has come to reaffirm our enduring spirit; to choose our better history; to carry forward that precious gift, that noble idea, passed on from generation to generation: the God-given promise that all are equal, all are free, and all deserve a chance to pursue their full measure of happiness.”
President Donald Trump
In his first address in 2017, Donald Trump told the American people that change was on the horizon.
“We will no longer accept politicians who are all talk and no action – constantly complaining but never doing anything about it. The time for empty talk is over. Now arrives the hour of action,” Trump said. “Do not let anyone tell you it cannot be done. No challenge can match the heart and fight and spirit of America. We will not fail. Our country will thrive and prosper again.”
President Joe Biden
In 2021, amid a global pandemic, President Joe Biden upon his inauguration spoke about bringing unity to the country.
“For without unity, there is no peace, only bitterness and fury, no progress, only exhausting outrage; no nation, only a state of chaos,” Biden said. “This is our historic moment of crisis and challenge and unity is the path forward. And we must meet this moment as the United States of America.”
As Donald Trump gets set to deliver his second inaugural address, this time inside because of the bitter temperatures in Washington, D.C., it is interesting to look back at George Washington’s second speech. After giving the first inaugural speech of 1,431 words, Washington had a much more concise address four years later. It was only 135 words, the shortest in history, and lasted less than two minutes.
American Express to pay $230 million to settle deceptive sales claims
American Express has agreed to pay $230 million in penalties after settling with the Justice Department and others. The credit card company is paying the fine after allegations that it engaged in deceptive marketing, and touted tax breaks to customers that did not exist, between 2014 and 2021.
Federal investigators accused American Express of entering dummy account information on behalf of small businesses, which is a shortcut that salespeople used to increase card sign-ups, and is against the law. The company is also accused of misrepresenting the card’s rewards or fees.
Also, prosecutors said American Express was not upfront about whether credit checks would be done without a customer’s consent, and the DOJ accused the company of submitting false financial information, such as overstating a business’s income.
American Express issued a statement, saying in part that it cooperated extensively with regulators, took decisive voluntary action to address the issues, and took appropriate disciplinary measures.
To that end, American Express fired 200 employees after an internal investigation.
The $230 million settlement involved the Justice Department, the Federal Reserve and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of New York, as the company is based in New York City.
Adams’ public schedule said he’s in Palm Beach, Florida, where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate is located.
His spokesperson, Fabien Levy, said the two will discuss “New Yorkers’ priorities.”
“The mayor looks forward to having a productive conversation with the incoming president on how we can move our city and country forward,” Levy posted on X.
Tomorrow, Mayor Adams will sit down with President-elect Trump and discuss New Yorkers’ priorities. The mayor looks forward to having a productive conversation with the incoming president on how we can move our city and country forward.
Adams previously said he wants to work with the incoming Trump administration, especially on immigration and border security after his city has struggled to address an influx of migrants.
The mayor’s office said last week that more than 229,000 migrants have arrived in New York City seeking city services since the spring of 2022.
DeSantis details proposals for Florida’s role in Trump’s immigration plan
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis outlined several proposals for how the state can support incoming President Donald Trump’s immigration plan, which includes mass deportations. The proposals come just a few days after DeSantis announced his intention to call a special session to address illegal immigration.
DeSantis proposed giving local and state law enforcement full authority to enforce immigration laws. It would include the power to arrest and detain immigrants who are in the country illegally. He also suggested appointing a state immigration officer to oversee coordination efforts with federal immigration authorities.
Additionally, the Florida governor recommended implementing a criminal penalty for anyone entering the state illegally. Currently, illegal entry into the United States is only a federal crime.
“We should do this so that we have an ability to hold them accountable in ways,” DeSantis said. “And my thing on this when people say, ‘Oh, well, deport the criminals.’ The problem with that is if somebody is here and they’re in a gang and they haven’t committed a crime yet, are you just supposed to sit there and wait until somebody is victimized? No, your illegal entry into our state was a crime. We get that on the books, and then we send you back home where you belong. So we need to do that.”
DeSantis expressed skepticism that Congress would pass immigration reform. He said it would be up to state leaders to proactively assist the federal government when Trump returns to the White House on Monday, Jan. 20.
However, some Florida state lawmakers have said they are not interested in a special session, complicating if and when the session will be held.
Meanwhile, other state leaders are either preparing to align with Trump’s immigration plan or outlining a defense against mass deportations.
Gov. Newsom convenes special session in California
California Gov. Gavin Newsom convened a “Trump-proofing” special session of the state legislature.
On Monday, Jan. 13, California State Sen. Scott Wiener announced amended legislation allocating $25 million for legal aid to those at risk of deportation. Lawmakers also proposed setting aside $25 million for state and local lawsuits against the Trump administration.
“Senate Democrats are particularly proud to provide funding for providers of legal aid services, which know our communities’ needs best and are best positioned to defend at scale the millions of individuals and families that will be impacted by the incoming administration’s extreme agenda,” Wiener said in a statement.
Idaho bill targets undocumented immigrants
In Idaho, lawmakers introduced a bill Tuesday, Jan. 14, that, if passed, would allow local law enforcement to arrest and charge migrants who are in the country illegally. ACLU officials have stated that they will challenge the legislation if it becomes law. They argue that it is unconstitutional and could lead to racial profiling.
Gov. Hochul, Mayor Adams address immigration in New York
In New York, Gov. Kathy Hochul reaffirmed her commitment to protecting migrants working and living in the country for years. However, she stated that immigrants living in the country illegally who commit crimes should be deported.
“If someone breaks the law, I’ll be the first one to call up [U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement] and say, ‘Get them out of here,’” Hochul said.
New York City Mayor Eric Adams echoed a similar sentiment. After meeting with Trump’s incoming “border czar,” Tom Homan, last month, Adams said they both want to get criminal migrants off the streets of New York.
“We’re going to protect the rights of immigrants in this city that are hard-working, giving back to this city in a real way,” Adams said at the time. “We’re not going to be a safe haven for those that commit repeated violent crimes against innocent migrants, immigrants and long-standing New Yorkers.”
Texas offers land for detention facilities
In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott’s administration has offered land to the Trump administration where it can build detention facilities and carry out its mass deportations.
Trump’s mass deportation plan
Homan, who Trump tapped to help facilitate the deportations, has said the federal government has a “zero tolerance” policy when it comes to unlawful migration. He also emphasized that sanctuary cities and states undermine the rule of law. Homan warned Democratic lawmakers in November “to get the hell out of the way” if they oppose Trump’s deportation plans.
Trump has stated that he plans to implement his mass deportation plan on his first day in office. The inauguration will take place Monday.
Justin Baldoni sues Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation, extortion
Justin Baldoni is suing Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds for defamation and extortion. He claims the “It Ends With Us” actress and her husband tried to smear him in the press.
In this new lawsuit, Baldoni also references a previous suit he filed against The New York Times. He asserts that the newspaper’s article portrayed him in a deliberately misleading light.
The Times article reported on Lively’s original lawsuit. She accused Baldoni of sexual harassment on the set of “It Ends With Us” and alleged he coordinated an online smear campaign against her.
Baldoni disputed these claims and accused the publication of cherry-picking texts. The original report spotlighted a small fraction of the thousands of communications allegedly showing Baldoni and his team plotting to hurt Lively’s image if she went public.
Baldoni and his publicists filed a 179-page lawsuit in a New York federal court. They’re seeking at least $400 million in damages, including potential future earnings lost during this legal battle.
They argue that Lively and Reynolds manipulated the media to smear Baldoni. Part of the lawsuit states: “When Lively and Reynolds’ efforts failed to win them the acclaim they believed they so richly deserved, they turned their fury on their chosen scapegoat.”
One allegation claims Baldoni repeatedly entered Lively’s trailer without permission while she was breastfeeding. However, Baldoni’s lawsuit counters this by citing a text message in which Lively said she was pumping if he wanted to work out their lines.
Lively also states that Baldoni made comments about her weight. She alleges he contacted her personal trainer without her knowledge, demanding she lose weight within weeks so he could lift her during a scene.
Baldoni insists this request was reasonable because of his back issues. He maintains that these allegations distort the actual context of on-set interactions.
Baldoni and the other plaintiffs in the suit are demanding a jury trial. They seek to clear his name, believing a courtroom will provide the transparency needed in this high-profile conflict.
New York Gov. Hochul announces $77M plan to increase police on subways
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul has announced a major effort to address crime on the city’s subway system following a number of high-profile, violent incidents. Hochul said her office is deploying double the NYPD officers to patrol train stations beginning Monday, Jan. 20.
“Last March, we had a big surge in crime. We started to see a decline in the fall, and then for some reason, there was a 46% increase in crime in the month of January,” Hochul said of the numbers in January 2023 and 2024.
The move comes in response to a series of violent incidents, including the murder of a woman who was set on fire while sleeping on a train at Coney Island station in December. Days later, a man allegedly stabbed two people at Grand Central Station in Manhattan.
Hochul already called in the National Guard to boost security on the subway after six people were fatally shot in February 2024.
“Go ahead and ask people, do they feel better when they see someone in uniform who can protect them in advance of someone trying to do harm to them, or certainly be there to help in the aftermath,” she said.
The governor emphasized that most violence in the subway system occurs during the overnight hours.
To combat the increased violence, Hochul outlined a $77 million, six-month initiative that will roll out a comprehensive five-step plan aimed at improving subway safety:
At least two NYPD officers will be assigned to each of the 150 overnight trains. An additional 750 officers will patrol subway platforms.
LED lighting will be installed at all stations to enhance visibility.
The city will implement stricter enforcement on fare evasion.
The plan also includes expanded outreach services to help address homelessness.
Provide mental health support, with a focus on getting individuals in need, off the subway system.
Hochul’s plan will prioritize the 30 stations that have been the site of half of all crimes in the transit system.
“The NYPD has 2,500 officers assigned to transit stations around the city,” Hochul said. “They’re not going anywhere; this is not taking people out who are already performing important protection services.”
New York City Mayor Eric Adams has expressed his support for the initiative, calling it an important step to enhance safety in the subway system.
New York has already installed cameras in every subway car and put up barriers to prevent fare evasion, which has been a growing issue.
Eric Adams’ legal fund approaches $1M mark as donations dwindle
New York City Mayor Eric Adams‘ legal defense fund is approaching $1 million in the red as his legal bills pile up and donations dwindle. A new filing submitted with New York’s Conflict of Interest Board Wednesday, Jan. 15, said the trust he uses to cover legal fees in his federal corruption indictment now has $925,000 in outstanding bills, according to news outlet The City.
The trust’s surging debt comes amid a lack of fundraising in recent months. Likewise, according to the most recent reporting period—which spans mid-October through this week—Adams also paid Alex Spiro, the lead defense attorney in his corruption case, a $200,000 retainer fee.
During the same reporting period, Adams raised just $2,200.
Tzvi Odzer donated $2,000 of that. He’s a businessman convicted of bank fraud and was pardoned by then-President Donald Trump on his last day in office in 2021.
The rest of the money came from Alan Sclar, an attorney who previously donated to Adams’ reelection campaign.
The mayor was also forced to return $2,200 in donations. It was found that the money came from entities doing business with the city.
Adams’ legal fees will likely increase as he gets ready for trial in April. His trial is just weeks before the June Democratic mayoral primary.
When Adams reportedly had about $43,000 in debt in October, he insisted he wasn’t concerned about paying it.
“I have legal bills, and I’m going to pay my bills. That’s how I live my life. I will pay my bills,” Adams said at the time.
Adams pleaded not guilty to charges he accepted bribes and illegal straw donations for his 2021 and 2025 campaigns from Turkish government operatives in exchange for political favors.
Adams will travel to Mar-a-Lago for a meeting with the president-elect on Friday, Jan. 17, according to a statement from the mayor’s office released late Thursday.
In the statement, New York City Deputy Mayor for Communications Fabien Levy said that Adams “has made quite clear his willingness to work with President-elect Trump and his incoming administration on behalf of New Yorkers — and that partnership with the federal government is critical to New York City’s success.”
Adams has not commented on The City’s legal defense fund report.
Democratic New York City Mayor Eric Adams’ plan to house some 2,200 single migrant men at a shelter in the Bronx is drawing criticism from residents as well as Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y. Torres condemned the decision to place the shelter in a reportedly crime and drug-ridden area of the Bronx dubbed “The Hub.”
Torres told Fox News Digital on Wednesday, Jan. 15, “Instead of decisively dismantling open-air drug markets in ‘The Hub,’ the city is treating the South Bronx as a dumping ground for an endless stream of shelters.” Torres added, “We are treated as the second-class borough of New York City.”
“We here, we can’t even get funding for ourselves for housing, for jobs, and for everything else, but they’re going to get put into this one shelter,” Bronx resident, Serene Bilal, told the Post. “Are they going to get all these fundings that we’re not getting? Are these housings that we’re not getting? All these new affordable houses, I think, built out there in the Bronx. Are they for us or for them?”
Adams’ office responded to Torres’ criticism, noting that despite the new shelter opening, the city plans to close 46 migrant shelters across New York City.
A spokesperson for Adams said the South Bronx shelter is temporary, but could not specify the length of time it would be used for migrant housing. She said that will be dependent on the next migrant census taken by the city.
The move comes as the number of migrants traveling to New York City is reportedly decreasing, and the number of asylum-seekers being housed in the Big Apple is at its lowest level in 18 months.
Adams said the shuttering of migrant shelters is meant to “save taxpayer money” and “turn the page on this unprecedented humanitarian crisis.”
However, many in the Bronx are wondering why the city chose the impoverished neighborhood as a location for the new shelter. Mayor Adams’ office contends it is looking at migrant housing through a “holistic lens,” not by individual community.
Costs to renovate the former office building where the shelter will be located may reportedly reach up to $340,000.
Grand Central Station transformed as ‘Severance’ cast promotes season 2
New York City’s Grand Central Station turned into the world of “Severance” on Tuesday, Jan. 14. The cast of the hit series brought Lumon Industries to life during an eye-catching promotional event.
Actors Adam Scott, Britt Lower, Zach Cherry and Tramell Tillman portrayed their characters in a glass-enclosed replica of the Lumon office. Director and executive producer Ben Stiller also attended, capturing the event and interacting with fans.
The typically bustling terminal became a stage as commuters paused to watch the cast perform eerily mundane office routines, seemingly unaware of the crowd surrounding them.
Before the event, fake Lumon employees populated the desk setup, adding to the immersive experience. Stiller teased the event earlier that day, posting, “Rush hour today should be interesting.”
What is “Severance”?
“Severance” is a dystopian psychological thriller that explores the balance between work and personal life. Its surveillance and corporate control themes were symbolized by staging the event in a glass box in a busy public area.
The series is set in a world where employees at Lumon Industries undergo a “severance” procedure, splitting their memories and consciousness into two separate identities. Their “innie” represents their work self, while their “outie” is their personal self.
Fans of “Severance” have waited nearly three years since the season one cliffhanger. Season two of the Apple TV+ hit premieres Friday, Jan. 17.