USA Update

THE Girl Scouts organization has been slammed over its membership hike, with volunteers concerned the increase will jeopardize future troops.

The cash-strapped program’s national council approved the increases on Saturday as Girl Scouts troopers will begin to feel the pitch of the new prices in 2026.

Getty Images - Getty

Getty Images - Getty

Dues for 2025 will remain at $25 annually for children – a price that has remained unchanged for eight years.

But, the price for youth memberships will increase to $45 a year in 2026 and $65 in 2027, the Girl Scouts National Council approved.

The $65 membership is a smaller increase than the proposed $85 proposal.

Adult memberships will also see a price increase from $25 to $30 beginning in 2026.

“Girl Scouting must invest today to better serve our current members and to reach girls who are currently missing out on the Girl Scout experience,” the organization said on its website.

“This investment provides the opportunity to implement initiatives that will have a lasting impact on our Girl Scout councils, volunteers, and the girls and families we serve.

“We are committed to providing financial assistance to all who need it.”

The organization said the membership hike will benefit existing and future troops.

“[The increasing fees] will make programs easier to deliver for volunteers and make technology easier to use,” Bonnie Barczykowski, Girl Scouts of the USA CEO, told members in a video.

“More turnkey trainings, recruitment tools and programs, and create new experiences, including opportunities to explore new places.”

Girl Scouts earn badges on topics ranging from financial literacy, technology, and entrepreneurship to outdoor and first-aid skills.

Sally Bertram, a 30-year troop leader with the Girl Scouts of Western Ohio, raised issues with the price hike.

“It’s an enormous increase,” she told CNN.

“It’s like, what are you people thinking? You are going to run yourselves out of business.”

The membership increase comes at a time when the beloved program is having difficulties attracting new members and struggling to stay afloat financially.

In 2023, the Girl Scouts ended its fiscal year with a $4.4 million deficit, according to the handbook.

That same year, the organization raised the price of a box of its most popular cookies by roughly 20%.

Girl Scouts cookies net the program about $800 million a year.

However, the deficit is expected to climb to $5.6 million at the end of the 2024 fiscal year.

The Girl Scouts of the US did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The U.S. Sun.

CANDY hauls may look different this Halloween thanks to skyrocketing cocoa costs, industry leaders warn.

Chocolate giants like Hershey and Mars are expected to lighten variety packs and shrink candy bars after cocoa prices doubled.

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Trick-or-treaters may see less chocolate in their candy hauls this year[/caption]

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Industry leaders say cocoa prices are soaring this year after inclement weather hurt supplies[/caption]

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Candymakers could make chocolate bars smaller or shrink variety packs to keep up with the losses[/caption]

Growing cocoa is an incredibly sensitive process, and farmers have had a difficult time dealing with weather conditions this year.

Under the best circumstances, it is difficult to find as the beans mainly grow in West Africa in countries like Ghana and the Ivory Coast.

For about three years now, these areas have been hit hard by climate pattern El Niño which has brought on dryer conditions.

Now, supplies are dwindling, and candy makers are fighting over what’s left of this year’s crop.

“Cocoa is not like a normal agriculture crop where you have it grown everywhere, like other commodities,” David Branch, sector manager at Wells Fargo’s Agri-Food Insitute, told CNN.

“It takes a very specific site and temperature range to grow.”

According to the International Cocoa Organization, global production is expected to fall 14.2% this season.

Chocolate companies felt the pressure earlier this year during Valentine’s Day and Easter, when cocoa was half the price it is now.

Michele Buck, the president of Hershey, told analysts in an earnings call the company’s operating profit nosedived 48.7% compared to last year.

However, Hershey says Halloween prices shouldn’t be affected by the change, and crops look good for next season.

“So far we’re having really decent weather for this year’s crop,” Branch said.

“It will start helping to boost supply, so that’s why we expect that the prices will come down.”

NOT-SO-SWEET SPOT

Consumers have noticed an uptick in chocolate prices since the cocoa supply declined, and some are devising creative solutions to save money this Halloween.

One parent admitted that he would be handing out chips this year as a money-saving solution to the inflationary price, he told Canadian outlet CHCH.

Companies are also working to keep prices low by focusing on making more candies without chocolate, industry experts told CNN.

Meanwhile, chocolate variety packs are expected to be smaller until cocoa production catches up in September 2025.

Branch said that “shrinkflation” – the practice of downsizing portions while keeping the same price – is affecting bags of chocolate.

“You get a two-pound bag of a mixture of all these different candies from a company,” she said.

“Well, that bag is probably going down to be less than two pounds now at the same price point.”

Companies may also change their recipes to remove chocolate entirely from candies and replace a layer with nuts or wafers.

But despite the changes, chocolate remains the most popular candy – and there will be no shortage of it on the shelves this Halloween.

RING announcer Samantha Irwin has announced her departure from WWE.

The 35-year-old took to social media to break the news to fans.

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Samantha Irvin has announced her departure from WWE[/caption]

Instagram/samanthairvinwwe

Irvin is engaged to Ricochet[/caption]

In a statement, she wrote: “WWE Universe, my time has come to an end as your Monday Night Raw Ring Announcer.

“I love you all tremendously and this does not mark the end of my art – I have a lifetime more to share.

“Thank you to every WWE fan who accepted me.

“To the Women’s Locker Room: you are the most incredible group of people on the face of this Earth.

“I am beyond proud to be your colleague and friend.

“To the crew and cameramen: I can’t thank you enough for the encouragement, the laughs.

“You created such a wonderful, positive atmosphere fro me. Love you all.”

She went on to add: “To the Women’s Locker Room: you are the most incredible group of people on the face of this Earth.

CASINO SPECIAL – BEST CASINO WELCOME OFFERS

“I am beyond proud to be your colleague and friend.

“To my fans, my entire career I’ve been waiting for you!

“We are meant to be, and I can prove it. Stay tuned.”

Fans took to social media to react, with one person writing: “No Sam.. No!! Please don’t go to AEW.”

Another said: “Best of luck on your next adventure!!”

While a third commented: “Omg!!! Nooooooo! You are the best ! I’ll miss watching you so much love.”

Irvin is engaged to professional wrestler Ricochet, who recently joined AEW.

THIS IS A DEVELOPING STORY..

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MICHAEL Strahan wasn’t afraid to take a playful dig at his Fox NFL Sunday colleague Terry Bradshaw.

The New York Giants legend, 51, appeared on the Week 7 edition of the NFL pregame program.

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The cast of Fox NFL Sunday appearing on the Week 7 edition of the program[/caption]

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Howie Long, Michael Strahan, and Jimmy Johnson seen during the Week 6 edition of Fox NFL Sunday[/caption]

At the beginning of Fox NFL Sunday, host Curt Menefee introduced viewers to Bradshaw, Howie Long, Strahan, and Jimmy Johnson.

Menefee and Bradshaw shook hands during the introductions.

That caused Strahan to bring up that Bradshaw appeared on Fox’s Good Day New York on Friday.

Menefee joined the weekly morning show this year.

“I saw you two together on Friday. That was nice,” Strahan said about Bradshaw’s appearance on Menefee’s show.

“We had a good time,” Menefee replied.

Bradshaw then shared that he wasn’t allowed to perform an action on the morning show.

“They didn’t let me sing though. I wanted to sing,” the Pittsburgh Steelers icon said.

Strahan quickly gave a comical response to Bradshaw’s comment.

“They didn’t want people to turn [off[ the channel,” he said.

Long was amused by Strahan and could be heard laughing.

It took Bradshaw a few seconds before he chuckled at Strahan’s shot at his singing.

Later in the show, the cast was standing in the studio with a hologram of Tom Brady.

The NFL icon works for Fox as an NFL analyst and is normally in a broadcast booth.

Fox

Fans noticed that Bradshaw looked uncomfortable next to Long, Strahan, and Brady.

Brady’s segment lasted five minutes before he was beamed out of the studio.

Strahan then told Johnson to move closer after Brady’s hologram disappeared.

“The technology is very good except for the fact Tom Brady is not bigger than me, I’ll tell you that now,” he said.

Brady’s hologram appearance came before calling the Kansas City Chiefs‘ win over the San Francisco 49ers.

The 47-year-old worked alongside play-by-play announcer Kevin Burkhardt and sideline reporter Erin Andrews at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, California.

Brady is currently in the first year of his 10-year, $375 million broadcasting contract with Fox.

COSTCO is selling a “retro” 70s storage bundle with 16 items – and it’s $10 cheaper than Amazon.

The popular retail chain store is selling vintage-style Tupperware for a jaw-dropping price.

Prepare for a blast from the past because this collection looks like something out of the 70s and 80s.

The 16-piece container set comes in earthy tones such as avocado green, mustard yellow, pastel blue and pastel pink.

Each set comes with three canisters, five nesting storage bowls, and eight smaller containers in two sizes.

They are dishwasher safe, BPA free, and have airtight seals.

All can be bought in stores or from Costco‘s website for under $80.

However, we always recommend checking in-store and online availability before making the trip.

It’s useful to know that a very similar set on Amazon costs around $99.

One Instagram user, @costcohotfinds, shared a video of the collection and wrote: “Iconic! I just spotted this retro Tupperware bundle at Costco – I love it!”

The post attracted lots of comments from intrigued shoppers.

One said: “I’m a Tupperware Rep. I love it. It’s the real deal. Great gift idea. Thanks for sharing!”

And a second person said: “I love these! Put food away to throw out for another day containers!”

While a third said: “THIS! my grandma gifted these to me super cute…. But I’m always checking them ALL bc I forget what I put in them.”

The item has also received gleaming reviews online from shoppers.

One said: “You’re reviewing the product not the packaging – we too we’re a little surprised that there was no like paper or wrapping in any way, I did get a little piece of paper in between my lids with care instructions, but overall I LOVE THIS SET!!!

“And the fact that I didn’t have to go through a rep was even better!!! Tupperware is amazing and long lasting if you take care of it as suggested!!!”

Another happy shopper said: “I really like this set and the vintage vibe.

“The sizes are useful and I appreciate the larger sizes. Other reviewers mentioned issues with the packaging.

“My set was packed well with separate sizes and lids wrapped in plastic and everything was in perfect condition.

And a third shopper said: “Great product, so glad Costco is selling this set. A real improvement over previous designs.

“They nest, so storage is easy, lids redesigned so they close without effort.”

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