Though summer is still in full swing, one coffee chain has already set its sights on the cozy embrace of autumn.

La Colombe is ahead of the fall festivities, reintroducing its beloved Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte starting August 4—well before Starbucks unveils its fall-themed offerings later this month.

This early release highlights the competitive rush among retailers eager to tap into America’s pumpkin spice passion. According to research commissioned by La Colombe, approximately 70 percent of U.S. consumers eagerly anticipate this seasonal flavor’s yearly debut.

Based in Philadelphia, La Colombe says this year marks the earliest they’ve ever released their Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte, granting autumn enthusiasts a taste of fall even as summer heat lingers across the nation.

This version from La Colombe features genuine pumpkin purée paired with a blend of warm spices, offering a smoother and less sweet spin on the classic autumnal favorite.

The drink will be available in all La Colombe cafés from August 4.

Its arrival comes just three weeks before Starbucks officially launches its highly anticipated fall menu on August 25, when the chain’s iconic Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL) returns alongside a raft of new and returning seasonal drinks.

This year Starbucks is also introducing several new pumpkin-inspired beverages, including an Iced Pumpkin Cream Shaken Espresso, Pumpkin Spice Chai, and Iced Pumpkin Cream Matcha, while bringing back fan favorites including the Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew, Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino, and Iced Pumpkin Cream Chai.

The coffee giant is also reviving its popular pecan-flavored drinks, launching banana bread-inspired beverages and debuting a new cider-inspired chai drink dubbed the Chaider.

But while Starbucks has become almost synonymous with pumpkin spice season, it wasn’t actually the first company to experiment with pumpkin-flavored coffee.

Independent coffee shops across the US had been serving pumpkin spice lattes for years, but Starbucks’ 2003 launch transformed the niche autumn drink into a global cultural phenomenon. 

The drink – which underwent months of product testing – was originally launched at around 100 stores before quickly expanding nationwide after proving an instant success.

The original recipe combined Starbucks’ signature espresso with steamed milk, pumpkin pie-inspired spices including cinnamon, nutmeg and clove, topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice. 

Interestingly, the first Pumpkin Spice Latte did not actually contain real pumpkin, relying instead on flavored syrup to recreate the taste.

That changed in 2015, when Starbucks reformulated the drink following growing consumer demand for simpler ingredients. 

Since then, the syrup has included real pumpkin puree alongside cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves.

More than two decades after its debut, Starbucks says hundreds of millions of Pumpkin Spice Lattes have been sold worldwide, making it one of the most successful seasonal beverages ever created.

The drink’s popularity has also helped fuel what marketing experts now call the ‘pumpkin spice economy.’ 

Every year, retailers release thousands of pumpkin spice-themed products ranging from breakfast cereals and cookies to candles, dog treats, deodorant and even Spam.

The annual return of pumpkin spice has also become something of a cultural milestone, with social media users treating the launch as the unofficial beginning of fall – regardless of what the calendar says.

Retailers have increasingly been pushing seasonal launches earlier each year as they compete to capture consumer attention, with Halloween merchandise often appearing in stores by July and Christmas products arriving before October.

Coffee chains are no exception.

By unveiling its Pumpkin Spice Draft Latte on August 4, La Colombe has beaten Starbucks to market by three weeks – potentially tempting eager fans who simply can’t wait until the coffee giant’s traditional late-August launch.

Alongside its drinks, Starbucks will also introduce new seasonal food items this year, including a Chicken Bacon Protein Pocket, a Hedgehog Cake Pop, and the returning Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffin. 

The company is also releasing a new collection of pumpkin-themed merchandise for self-proclaimed members of its ‘PSL Society.’

Whether La Colombe’s head start proves enough to lure loyal Starbucks customers remains to be seen, but one thing is certain: pumpkin spice season has officially arrived – even if summer hasn’t quite left yet.

In an unsettling incident just outside Detroit, a suburban couple is facing serious charges after allegedly launching an explosive with a menacing message into their neighbor’s yard, local authorities revealed.

Jason Showers, aged 45, along with his 38-year-old wife, Megan Showers, of St. Clair Shores, Michigan, are each facing potentially lengthy prison sentences if found guilty of the allegations stemming from Monday’s alarming occurrence, according to the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office.

Prosecutors allege that it was Megan Showers who ignited the red, cylindrical explosive device, ominously inscribed with “BYE BYE,” before it was hurled by Jason Showers into the yard of their 72-year-old neighbor.

Fortunately, the neighbor managed to successfully extinguish the device, averting what could have been a dangerous situation, authorities stated.

Law enforcement officials later searched the Showers’ home, finding “firearms, ammunition, and materials for assembling explosive devices,” according to prosecutors.

“The allegations in this case are serious and especially troubling because they involve a senior member of our community. My office is committed to protecting public safety and prosecuting cases where individuals are accused of endangering others,” Macomb County prosecutor Peter Lucido said in a statement.

Jason and Megan Showers are charged with placing explosives near property and possessing bombs with unlawful intent, both felonies that each carry a maximum penalty of 15 years in prison.

Jason Showers also faces charges of being a prohibited person in possession of a firearm and ammunition, each punishable by up to five years in prison.

On top of that, prosecutors charged him with two counts of felony firearm possession, with each count carrying a mandatory two-year sentence that must be served consecutively to the underlying felony if he is convicted.

Since Jason Showers is a habitual offender with at least four prior felony convictions, the judge will be able to impose a life sentence if he is convicted of any one of the four top charges, prosecutors said.

OLD TRAILS FIRE SUSPECT ALLEGEDLY CONFESSED TO SETTING 25 FIRES; JUDGE DOUBLES BAIL TO $2M

The couple made their first appearance in court on Wednesday, public records show. Their first probable cause hearing is scheduled for Aug. 14.

The judge granted Jason Showers a $100,000 cash-only bond. However, records show that he is still behind bars at the Macomb County Jail.

If he posts bond, he would have to wear a steel cuff GPS tether, the judge ordered. He would also be prohibited from returning to his home or having any contact with his wife or the neighbor.

Megan Showers’ bond was set at $20,000, but the judge gave her the ability to pay 10% through a bail bondsman, prosecutors said.

The judge said she could return to her marital home, but she cannot have contact with her husband or the neighbor.

The Eastern Seaboard and Ohio Valley are bracing for another bout of severe weather, with potent thunderstorms predicted to roll through from Friday to Sunday. This weather system threatens to unleash torrential downpours, heightening the risk of flash flooding in regions of the Northeast already drenched earlier this week.

This turbulent weather pattern is fueled by a high-pressure system off the coast, which is pushing abundant moisture northward into these areas.

As this high pressure draws Atlantic moisture inland, a looming cold front promises to stir up showers and thunderstorms across the eastern United States, ensuring a weekend of changeable weather.

Starting Friday afternoon, a cold front will extend from the Great Lakes region down into the central Plains, triggering storms as it moves southeast toward the Northeast. This will likely lead to increased atmospheric instability, setting the stage for widespread showers and thunderstorms.

During the most intense storms, rainfall could reach up to 2.5 inches per hour. Given the already saturated ground in many of these areas, the risk of flash flooding remains significant, demanding vigilance throughout the weekend.

A Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk is in place across much of the Northeast, Ohio Valley and Southeast through Saturday. This includes major cities such as New York City, Washington, DC, Charlotte, and Atlanta.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has also issued a Level 2 out of 5 risk of severe thunderstorms beginning Friday afternoon across a corridor from the tip of southwestern Connecticut and New York’s Lower Hudson Valley through eastern Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey to the Delmarva.

This includes the I-95 corridor from New York City to Washington, DC. Damaging wind gusts are expected to be the main threat.

However, not everyone along the East Coast will experience heavy rain. Areas that miss out on the storms will instead contend with hot and humid conditions.

Heat alerts have been issued from Philadelphia to Boston, where heat index values could climb above 100 degrees in some locations. Those alerts could be extended into Saturday.

Residents across parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic should expect widespread rainfall totals of 0.5 to one inch, with localized amounts of one to two inches or more where thunderstorms repeatedly track over the same locations through Saturday and Sunday.

Additional heavy rainfall could impact communities that experienced significant flash flooding last month.

For example, Bridgeport, CT, has recorded more than seven inches above average rainfall this year, while Albany, NY, is running more than five inches above average, leaving both areas more vulnerable to additional flooding.

Lara Trump has fiercely defended herself against allegations that she appeared disengaged by checking her watch during the funeral of Lindsey Graham.

The widely respected South Carolina Republican Senator, Lindsey Graham, sadly passed away on July 11. Lara, age 43, joined mourners at his memorial service held on July 28 at the esteemed Washington National Cathedral.

Following the ceremony, a social media uproar ensued as footage captured Lara glancing at her timepiece during the heartfelt tribute.

Observers quickly criticized her actions, with some suggesting that her behavior implied reluctance to attend, while others commented on an apparent lack of interest, deeming it ‘inappropriate.’

Addressing the online backlash head-on, Lara shared her perspective on her show, The Right View With Lara Trump, advising critics to ‘not take themselves too seriously.’

‘We went to the funeral. My kids are in camp in New York for the summer and obviously I was in Washington, D.C., for the funeral,’ she explained.

‘Sometime around the middle of this whole thing – it was about two hours plus that we were there – on my Apple watch, I start getting phone calls, several, from the camp that my kids go to.

‘Well, any parent knows that’s not good, that means there’s a problem and they may need to reach me. That means someone is hurt or something. 

‘So, I did what any parent would do, and I tried to, very discreetly, inquire as to what was going on so that I could at least know that I had the ability to stay seated in the funeral. 

‘But the only thing you’ll see [online is], “Lara Trump checks her watch,” like I’m checking the time. Get over yourselves.’

Lara, who shares two kids, daughter Carolina, eight, and son Eric, six, with her husband, Eric Trump, 42, said it was an example of how ‘so much of what you see out there is manipulated.’

‘It just shows you don’t have the full context when you hear these crazy people railing on us online,’ she added. ‘You don’t know what’s going on.

‘And by the way, we were there for again over two hours, so if that’s the only thing you got out of that whole thing… if the only mistake anybody made in our family – of course, we will always make mistakes for the lunatics out there – was that I happened to glance down and try to figure out like what’s going on with my kids then I think we’re doing okay.’

Fortunately, she said both of her kids were ‘okay.’ 

‘But there was a situation, hence, the need to contact me in the middle of this,’ she went on. 

‘Any parent knows how that feels and would do the same thing. I was as discreet as possible.’

Lara was joined at the funeral by her father-in-law, President Donald Trump, who praised Graham as a ‘legend’ who rose from humble roots to become a powerful force to be reckoned with in the US Senate during a speech.

‘He was a man who gave America the full measure of his good and mighty heart,’ Trump said of Graham. ‘Until that heart itself just gave out.’ 

The late South Carolina Republican died unexpectedly at 71.

‘While he was always quick to laugh, no one ever doubted the gravity of his mission to build a strong America,’ Trump continued.

‘There’s probably not a single town in South Carolina where Lindsey did not help repair a bridge, expand a school, improve a hospital, or recover from a disaster.’

After footage of Lara checking her watch went viral on X, viewers were quick to slam her. 

‘She did not want to be there,’ one user theorized.

‘This is never a good look,’ another chimed in.

‘She is bored,’ replied a third person.

‘You bored Lara?’ asked someone else.

Others, however, defended her. 

‘As a mother, I frequently check my watch if a message comes up to ensure my kids are okay,’ read another reply.

‘She’s wearing a smart watch. More than likely she is reading a text message and probably one that pertains to her children who did not accompany their parents to a funeral,’ penned someone else.

‘So what? She checked a message on her smart watch. She’s got little kids. Completely acceptable,’ agreed a different viewer.

Authorities are on a manhunt for a suspect considered “armed and dangerous” in relation to a recent homicide and subsequent house fire in upstate New York.

Officials from the New York State Police issued an alert early Friday morning, urging the public to keep an eye out for 32-year-old Thomas David Ryan. He is sought in connection with a murder that took place in a Greenville residence.

Law enforcement suspects this murder is linked to a house fire that ignited Thursday on Greenville Turnpike. As reported by FOX 5 New York, Orange County firefighters arrived at the scene shortly after 7 p.m. to combat the flames.

The identity of the victim has not yet been disclosed by investigators, and it remains unclear whether the murder took place before or subsequent to the fire.

The suspect may be driving a 2016 gray Toyota Prius bearing NY license plate HNH-7671, police said.

“Ryan is 6’2″ 200 lbs and was last seen in the area of Greenville [Turnpike] wearing black sweatpants and a black t shirt. Anyone coming in contact with Ryan is advised to use caution,” NYSP said.

Police said if you see the suspect do not approach him, instead call 911.

The family of Sydney Towle has announced the passing of the 26-year-old influencer who succumbed after being in hospice care.

Her untimely death was the result of a courageous three-year struggle with a rare form of bile duct cancer.

In a heartfelt TikTok video, her brother, Austin Towle, and mother, Elizabeth Marrow, paid tribute to her resilience throughout her challenging health battle.

“Hi everybody, we just wanted to let you know that Syd went peacefully last night after an almost three-year-long battle with cholangiocarcinoma,” Austin conveyed to Towle’s followers, standing alongside his mother.

“She fought really hard, and we’re so proud of her.

“We thank all of you for your support over the years.”

Marrow also shared insight into the legacy her daughter — who documented treatments she underwent throughout her cancer journey on TikTok — leaves behind.

“We love you and thank you for all of your kind messages of support and love,” she added. “We really appreciate it and she will not be forgotten.”

This comes after her brother shared the heartbreaking news that she entered hospice care, alongside a photo of family and close friends gathered at her bedside, expressing immense gratitude to the online community that supported her every step of the way.

“Sydney has been moved to hospice and is surrounded by her friends and family,” Austin explained on TikTok on Tuesday, August 4, over a photo of his family standing beside a hospital bed.

“Thank you for all your love and support.”

He added in the caption, “Thank you all so much. Your love and support does not go unnoticed.”

A diagnosis that changed everything

Towle, based in New York, was diagnosed with cholangiocarcinoma — an aggressive form of bile duct cancer — in early 2022 when she was just 23 years old.

The rare disease is typically found in older adults, making her diagnosis exceptionally rare for a young adult.

Refusing to shrink away from the diagnosis, Towle launched her TikTok channel to openly share the reality of living with terminal illness.

Over three years, her raw, vulnerable, and inspiring videos gained her more than 1.1 million followers.

She documented everything from gruelling chemotherapy sessions and hospital stays to quiet walks around New York City and deep reflections on mortality, building a tight-knit community of supporters worldwide.

Defying expectations at Miami Swim Week

Throughout her diagnosis, Towle continually sought new pathways, second opinions, and clinical trials — including preparing for tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte (TIL) therapy when her cancer spread to her lungs and stomach.

Her determination allowed her to achieve remarkable personal milestones, none bigger than her dream appearance at Miami Swim Week.

After an earlier doctor had advised her to begin end-of-life care, Towle sought a second opinion and worked with specialists who helped her manage her condition enough to travel.

She took to the runway in Miami wearing adaptive designs tailored for post-cancer bodies and surgical scars — a moment she described as one of the proudest and most empowering experiences of her life.

“People always ask why I’m so positive … why would I not envision the best-case scenario?” Towle reflected in a viral TikTok clip.

“Miracles happen every day. Nobody knows for sure what’s going to happen.”

Outpouring of love

As news of her death spread, thousands of emotional tributes flooded her comment sections, with followers and fellow influencers sharing how her strength has inspired them.

“Sweet angel. Fly high. Praying for all who loved her. She is really something special,” one follower wrote.

“That 26 year old sweet girl made more of an impact on the world than most people will do in their lifetime. I will never ever forget her.,” another fan commented.

“I’ve never felt so deeply heartbroken for a loss of someone I’ve never met, what a beautiful soul syd was. It’s been an honour following your journey,” a third person commented with a love heart emoji.

“Oh Syd. I’m glad you aren’t hurting anymore. You’ve changed my outlook on life. I’ll always be happy to be here, and think of you often,” a fourth shared.

In an unprecedented release, newly surfaced police video captures the unsettling moments when bride killer Jamie Lee Komoroski tearfully pleaded for her father and defiantly questioned her arrest. Astonishingly, this occurred just after she had drunkenly struck a newlywed bride, still clad in her wedding gown.

Currently serving a 25-year prison sentence for the heartbreaking accident, Komoroski eventually confessed to the collision with Samantha Miller, 34, and her newlywed husband, Aric Hutchinson, 36, on their wedding night. The tragic incident unfolded in April 2023 on Folly Island, South Carolina.

However, the newly released footage from that fateful evening offers a fresh perspective on how Komoroski, then aged 25, rapidly transitioned from being distraught to disorderly after crashing into the golf cart ferrying the couple from their reception.

As law enforcement arrived at the chaotic scene, Komoroski—who worked as a waitress at a Mexican eatery—could be heard shrieking, urgently urging first responders to check on the bride’s condition.

Dressed in a bralette and overshirt, Komoroski screamed, “Is she okay?” while pointing at the scene of devastation. Her repeated cries echoed, “Make sure she’s okay!”

Roughly 30 minutes later, the bodycam footage showed a cop questioning Komoroski about how many drinks she had consumed before getting behind the wheel of her car. 

‘I was driving and then all of a sudden something hit me,’ she slurred. 

Initially, Komoroski denied having any alcohol but quickly claimed she had only consumed two drinks – specifically a ‘beer and an alcoholic beverage’ – throughout the night. 

Pressed on what the other drink was, Komoroski then sputtered that she had downed a ‘a tequila pineapple.’ 

The officer asked Komoroski to rate how drunk she was on a scale of 1 to ten – with ten being the ‘most intoxicated you’ve ever been in your life.’

Komoroski quickly fired back: ‘I would like a lawyer, honestly.’ 

The footage later showed the drunk driver repeatedly demanding to know why she was being handcuffed – despite the officer clearly telling her multiple times she was nabbed on suspicion of a DUI. 

She then quickly started wailing again when cops eventually dragged her into the back of the squad car. 

Separate video from back at the police station showed a still-cuffed Komoroski stubbornly refusing a breathalyzer test and repeatedly begging to be able to call her father. 

‘I would like the right to call my father right now… Can I please call him?’ she said. ‘I just want to get it over with and go home… can I just call?

Eventually, vials of blood that were taken and tested placed her blood alcohol at 0.261 per cent. The legal limit in South Carolina is 0.08 per cent. 

At one point, she repeatedly said ‘prove it, prove it, prove it’ when cops told her – yet again – why she had been detained. 

More than a year later, Komoroski was sentenced to 25 years in prison after admitting to reckless homicide in Miller’s tragic demise. 

‘On the night of April 22, 2023, I chose to drink and drive which resulted in the death of Samantha Miller,’ she told the court during her sentencing hearing.

‘This is the worst decision I have ever made in my life. Due to my poor decisions a beautiful wife, sister and mother was taken… all I can say is how incredibly remorseful I am.’

In the hours before the fatal crash, Komoroski had ‘slurred and staggered her way’ through a deadly bar-hopping spree in Folly Beach before choosing to get behind the wheel. 

As she was driving home, eerie surveillance footage – obtained exclusively by DailyMail.com at the time – captured the golf cart carrying the newlywed and two other family members from their reception in Folly County Park pavilion. 

Two minutes later the car being driven by Komoroski could be seen speeding by.

Komoroski, who had more than three times the legal alcohol limit in her system, had been driving 65 mph at the time of the crash. 

Miller, who was still wearing her wedding dress, tragically died at the scene. Hutchinson, who survived the crash, suffered two broken legs, extensive facial fractures and traumatic brain injuries.

Sobbing in court during the killer’s sentencing, Hutchinson later revealed his new wife’s final words moments before she died. 

‘She said she didn’t want the night to end, I kissed her on the head, the next thing I knew I woke up in hospital,’ he said.

‘I wish I had died that night. I wish I had seen it coming. I’d have jumped off the golf cart so that you’d only have run me over. We did not get hit, we got ran through at 65mph.’

Before her sentencing, Komoroski was initially being held in custody without bond before being granted release on a $150,000 bond in March 2024. 

Exclusive images obtained by DailyMail.com later showed Komoroski settling into her new home in an upscale enclave of Charleston – a world away from the cell she shared for ten months in Al Canon Detention Center, North Charleston.