the_category() not working as expected

<div id="excel" class="class">
        <div class="class-buttons">
            <div class="class-buttons-interior">
                <img src="http://sandbox.ninamooretraining.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/badge_excel1.png" alt="Master MS Excel with Nina Moore Training" class="class-badge wp-image-1032" />
                <p><strong>Master MS Excel</strong></p>
                <p><strong>Excel Tips and Tricks</strong></p>
                <p><strong>Sign up for an Excel Class</strong></p>
            </div><!-- /class-buttons-interior-->
        <div id="excel-class" class="class-description">
<?php
    global $post;
    $all_events = tribe_get_events(
        array(
            'eventDisplay'=>'upcoming',
            'posts_per_page'=>1,
            'tax_query'=> array(
                array(
                    'taxonomy' => 'tribe_events_cat',
                    'field' => 'slug',
                    'terms' => 'microsoft-excel-classes'
                )
            )
    )
    );

    foreach($all_events as $post) {
    setup_postdata($post);
?>
            <h1>Our Next <?PHP echo the_category(); ?> Class</h1>

<?php if ( have_posts() ) : while ( have_posts() ) : the_post(); ?>
    <div class="icon-with-anchor"
        <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><img src="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/icons_calendar.png" alt="Our Next Class" width="80" height="80" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1116" /></a>
    </div>
    <h3><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php echo tribe_get_event_meta(_EventStartDate); ?></a></h3>
    <h3><a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><?php the_title(); ?></a></h3>
    <h3><a href="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/classes/category/microsoft-excel-classes/upcoming/">See a list of all upcoming Excel classes</a></h3>
    <h3><a href="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/classes/">See our entire calendar of classes</a></h3>

<?php endwhile; else: ?>

    <div class="icon-with-anchor"
        <a href="<?php the_permalink(); ?>"><img src="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/icons_calendar.png" alt="Our Next Class" width="80" height="80" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1116" /></a>
<?php the_content(); ?>
    </div>
    <p>Ooops! It doesn't look like we have any classes scheduled right now. We invite you to  inquire via our <a href="/contact-us/">contact form.</a> We'll be happy to set something up for you!</p>


<?php endif; ?>
<?php } //endforeach ?>
<?php wp_reset_query(); ?>

<?php   $category = 'microsoft-excel'; //the certain category slug
        $latest_cat_post = new WP_Query( array('posts_per_page' => 1, 'category' => array($category)));
if( $latest_cat_post->have_posts() ) : while( $latest_cat_post->have_posts() ) : $latest_cat_post->the_post();  ?>
<h1>TIP: <?php the_title(); ?></h1>
        <div class="icon-with-anchor">
            <img src="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/icons_excel.png" alt="Our Next Class" width="80" height="80" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1116" /><br clear="left" />
            <p><a href="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/category/microsoft-excel/">Our Latest Excel Tips</a></p>
    </div>

<?php //the_content(); ?>
<?php the_excerpt(excerpt_more); ?>
<?php endwhile; else: ?>
    <h1>Our Latest Excel Tip</h1>

        <div class="icon-with-anchor">
            <img src="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/icons_excel.png" alt="Our Next Class" width="80" height="80" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1116" /><br clear="left" />
        </div>
        <p>Ooops! It doesn't look like we have any tips posted in this category right now. Send us an <a href="/contact-us/">email with your question</a> and we'll try to include the answer in an upcoming tip. We're always happy to hear from you!</p>

<?php endif; ?>
<?php wp_reset_query(); ?>
<!--            <h1>Our Latest Excel Tip</h1>
                <div class="icon-with-anchor">
                    <img src="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/icons_excel.png" alt="Our Next Class" width="80" height="80" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1116" /><br clear="left" />
                    <p><a href="#">Our Latest Excel Tips</a></p>
                </div>
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            <h1>Why Nina Moore Training?</h1>
                <div class="icon-with-anchor">
                    <img src="http://www.ninamooretraining.com/sandbox/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/icons_nina_moore.png" alt="Nina Moore" width="80" height="80" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1116" /><br clear="left" />
                </div>
            <p>Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, <a href="http://www.cdagraphicdesign.com">consectetuer</a> adipiscing elit. Integer pretium dui sit amet felis. Integer sit amet diam. Phasellus ultrices viverra velit. Nam mattis, arcu ut bibendum commodo, magna nisi tincclassunt tortor, quis accumsan augue ipsum class lorem.</p>
        </div>
        </div><!-- /class-buttons-->
    </div><!-- /class=div-1 -->