All posts by admin

sports

Miami Offers Ty Simpson Record-Breaking Deal After Missing on Sam Leavitt

Leave a comment

Many believed the Miami Hurricanes were in a strong position to land former Arizona State quarterback Sam Leavitt after hosting him on a transfer portal visit over the weekend. However, by Monday, Leavitt announced where he’ll be playing college football in 2026—and it wasn’t in Coral Gables.

Despite a last-ditch effort from Tennessee, Leavitt ultimately chose to play for Lane Kiffin at LSU. This decision leaves the Hurricanes without a clear successor to Carson Beck for the 2026 season.

While the Hurricanes may have missed out on Leavitt, speculation has been swirling around another potential quarterback target.

According to Gay, “The Hurricanes’ official NIL offer to Simpson started at $4 million and quickly ballooned to $5 million within minutes before reaching the current offer.”

Rumors suggest that a move to Miami for Simpson had been in the works for several days. The 23-year-old junior threw for 3,567 yards, 28 touchdowns, and just five interceptions this past year. He recently declared for the 2026 NFL Draft after receiving feedback indicating he would be a first-round pick.

However, a $6.5 million NIL offer may be too enticing for Simpson to pass up—especially considering that he would need to be drafted within the first seven picks to earn as much or more playing professionally (the salary slot for the No. 8 pick in the 2026 draft is $5.6 million).

Two years ago, the Hurricanes convinced Cam Ward to skip the draft and play for them another year. That decision paid off, as Ward went No. 1 overall to the Tennessee Titans in the 2025 draft. They also persuaded Carson Beck to forgo the draft and play another year of college football, and he’s since led Miami to the College Football Playoff national championship game.

“Simpson has already stated his intention to turn pro, but so did Cam Ward, right?” On3 reported. “With Sorsby and Leavitt—top options that aren’t heading Miami’s way—the team could make a big offer to try and get Simpson to reconsider and stay in college.”

As the 2026 season approaches, the Hurricanes continue to explore opportunities to secure a quarterback who can carry the program forward. Fans will be watching closely to see if Miami can pull off a surprise signing or rely on internal development to fill the void left by Beck’s eventual departure.
https://www.newsweek.com/sports/ncaa/miami-offers-ty-simpson-record-breaking-deal-after-missing-on-sam-leavitt-11348844

education, local news, missing persons

Body of missing CPS teacher recovered from Lake Michigan

Leave a comment

The body of a Chicago Public Schools teacher who had been missing for more than a week was pulled from Lake Michigan on Monday, authorities confirmed.

Police recovered the body of a woman from the water in the 3100 block of South Lake Shore Drive on Chicago’s South Side just before noon, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office and school officials. The woman, identified as 53-year-old Linda Brown, was pronounced dead at the scene at 12:53 p.m.

Brown was a special education teacher at Robert Healy Elementary School in Bridgeport. She had been missing since January 3, Chicago police said. Since her disappearance, family and friends had issued public pleas for her safe return and organized their own search efforts, according to multiple reports.

In the initial missing persons alert, police stated that Brown was last seen near the 4500 block of South Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in the Bronzeville neighborhood. Days later, the alert was updated to say she was sighted in the 3500 block of South Lake Park Avenue, approximately half a mile from where her body was ultimately found.

Police noted Brown may have been in need of immediate medical attention at the time. On Monday, they updated the alert again to confirm that Brown had been located but did not provide additional details.

Robert Healy Elementary Principal Erin Kamradt informed the school community of Brown’s passing in an email. “Our thoughts are with her family during this difficult time,” Kamradt wrote. “We know that this loss will raise many emotions, concerns, and questions for our entire school, especially our students.”

The school is collaborating with the Chicago Public Schools crisis management unit to offer grief counseling and support to students and staff. Additionally, the campus’ school-based mental health professionals will be available for students needing ongoing assistance.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss,” Kamradt said. “We will do everything we can to help our school community heal.”

Attempts to reach Brown’s family were unsuccessful as of the time of the report. An autopsy has been scheduled for Tuesday.
https://www.chicagotribune.com/2026/01/12/missing-cps-teacher-lake-michigan/

economics, finance, government

Federal Reserve Chair Powell says DOJ has subpoenaed central bank, threatens criminal indictment

Leave a comment

By CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, Associated Press

**WASHINGTON (AP)** — Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Sunday that the Department of Justice has served the central bank with subpoenas and threatened it with a criminal indictment over his testimony about the Fed’s building renovations.

The move represents an unprecedented escalation in President Donald Trump’s battle with the Fed, an independent agency he has repeatedly attacked for not cutting its key interest rate as quickly as Trump prefers.

The subpoena relates to Powell’s testimony before the Senate Banking Committee in June regarding the Fed’s $2.5 billion renovation of two office buildings, a project that Trump criticized as excessive this summer.

In a video statement, Powell called the threat of criminal charges “pretexts” to undermine the Fed’s independence when it comes to setting interest rates.

“This is about whether the Fed will be able to continue to set interest rates based on evidence and economic conditions—or whether instead monetary policy will be directed by political pressure or intimidation,” Powell said.

The Justice Department, in a statement Sunday, said it cannot comment on any particular case but added that Attorney General Pam Bondi “has instructed her US Attorneys to prioritize investigating any abuse of taxpayer dollars.”

A spokesperson for U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro’s office did not immediately respond to a text message and phone call seeking comment.

The potential indictment has already drawn concern from one Republican senator, who said he will oppose any future nominee to the central bank, including any replacement for Powell, until “this legal matter is fully resolved.”

“If there were any remaining doubt whether advisers within the Trump Administration are actively pushing to end the independence of the Federal Reserve, there should now be none,” said North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis, who sits on the Banking Committee, which oversees Fed nominations.

“It is now the independence and credibility of the Department of Justice that are in question.”

Associated Press writers Seung Min Kim, Eric Tucker, and Alanna Durkin Richer contributed to this report.
https://www.ukiahdailyjournal.com/2026/01/11/federal-reserve-powell-subpoena/

general

Ant International Partners with Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol to Expand AI Capabilities

Leave a comment

SINGAPORE – Ant International is partnering with Google to launch its Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), a groundbreaking new open standard for agentic commerce.

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260111092027/en/Ant-International-Partners-with-Google%E2%80%99s-Universal-Commerce-Protocol-to-Expand-AI-Capabilities/?feedref=JjAwJuNHiystnCoBq_hl-Q-tiwWZwkcswR1UZtV7eGe24xL9TZOyQUMS3J72mJlQ7fxFuNFTHSunhvli30RlBNXya2izy9YOgHlBiZQk2LOzmn6JePCpHPCiYGaEx4DL1Rq8pNwkf3AarimpDzQGuQ%3D%3D

general

Studs and Duds: The next-man-up 49ers beat the Eagles with depth early, stars late

Leave a comment

Postseason football is defined by grit and narrow margins. The San Francisco 49ers looked right at home in that environment, beating the Eagles 23-19 at a raucous Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia on Sunday.

Entering Sunday as the No. 6 seed in the NFC, Kyle Shanahan’s squad ignored the oddsmakers, the hostile environment, and, most critically, the difficult-to-stomach Achilles tendon injury to George Kittle to advance to a second-round matchup, a rematch with the Seattle Seahawks. Here were the studs and duds from a game that won’t be forgotten anytime soon:

STUDS 💪

Demarcus Robinson WR

Because it’s the San Francisco 49ers and nothing about them makes a lick of sense, Robinson—one of the worst man-to-man receivers in the NFL this season per routes per yard run—sparked the 49ers’ first touchdown (which he scored) by beating arguably the best cornerback in the NFC, Quinyon Mitchell, man-to-man for 63 yards on the second play of the game. Of course, the touchdown he followed with was also in man-to-man defense.

Robinson didn’t stop there. He was the Niners’ No. 1 target on the day, catching six passes for 111 yards.

Brock Purdy QB

Purdy delivered some sweet layered passes in this game and gave the Niners a fighting chance in a game where they couldn’t effectively run the ball until late. Yes, Purdy had two interceptions in this game, but he was far and away the better quarterback, and it’s the reason the Niners won.

He ended the game with 262 yards passing, two touchdowns, and 24 key rushing yards.

Jauan Jennings WR

Jennings stepped in as the de facto tight end in the run game after Kittle’s injury. He caught a pass for 45 yards and also threw a beautiful 29-yard touchdown pass to Christian McCaffrey to give the 49ers a 17-16 fourth-quarter lead.

He’s a hell of a football player.

Christian McCaffrey RB

It took a while, but McCaffrey saved his best for last, showing some serious burst in the run game late, making an all-world catch on the touchdown pass (fighting the wind) on Jennings’ throw, and then catching the game-winning touchdown with five minutes to play.

Upton Stout NB

The Niners’ best defender over the last month-plus, Stout continued his strong play Sunday, reaching the point where the Eagles stopped testing him.

Marquese Sigle FS

The biggest mystery of the 2025 San Francisco 49ers has been why Sigle was not able to see the field in the second half of the year. Because when he was forced into action Sunday with Ji’Ayir Brown’s injury, he was exceptional in both the pass and run game.

Eric Kendricks and Garret Wallow LBs

The Niners went with two linebackers who were signed to the roster in recent weeks as starters in a playoff game, and they looked really good! Kendricks, in particular, was fantastic and made the game-winning pass breakup.

DUDS 📉

Kendrick Bourne WR

It’s Week 19 of the season. Why does Bourne not know the plays yet? Every week, something like this shows up, but this week it proved critical: the Niners had to take their third timeout of the first half after he lined up incorrectly in a two-minute drill.

Had the Niners been able to hold onto that timeout, they likely would have been able to kick a field goal before halftime.

Deommodore Lenoir CB

The Niners put Lenoir on the boundary (short) side of the field for this game, breaking with their standard practice of playing him solely on the right side (offensive perspective). Yeah, that didn’t work.

The Eagles attacked Lenoir relentlessly, and he conceded early and often.

Colton McKivitz RT

The Niners’ most steady and reliable offensive lineman this season was worked over by Jaelen Phillips in this contest. Purdy did a good job avoiding pressure from the right side, but it was constant.

All 49ers’ defensive tackles not named C. J. West

The Eagles have a one-read quarterback with a noodle arm. It didn’t matter for most of the game because the Eagles could run double teams and wham blocks against the Niners’ defensive tackles.

https://www.orovillemr.com/2026/01/11/studs-and-duds-the-next-man-up-49ers-beat-the-eagles-with-depth-early-stars-late/

general

‘The View’ hosts drag Ashley Tisdale over ‘toxic’ mom group drama

Leave a comment

“The View” Hosts Question Ashley Tisdale’s Public Take on “Toxic” Mom Group Drama

During Saturday’s episode of “The Weekend View,” the hosts of “The View” questioned Ashley Tisdale’s decision to share her recent “toxic” mom group drama in a public forum.

Co-host Joy Behar referenced the “High School Musical” star’s essay published in The Cut, where Tisdale recalled breaking ties with her so-called toxic mom group. She alleged that the group excluded her from hangouts, a move she described as “too high school,” and revealed she ended the friendship via a breakup text.

“Would you announce that you were leaving like that?” Behar asked her co-hosts. Sara Haines responded by calling Tisdale’s public confessions “the most high school part of this.” “Like, I would never write to a group and say, like, ‘Shame on all of you,’” Haines added. “You just drop out, you just go.”

While Alyssa Farah Griffin agreed that “toxic mom culture is a thing,” Ana Navarro questioned why people “have to go through all these steps” to cut off an unhealthy friendship. “Why can’t you just leave the conversation, and get it out of your head and out of your life?” Navarro said, mentioning that Whoopi Goldberg is known for simply “leaving the conversation” during the show’s group chats.

Behar expressed dismay over terms like “toxic moms” and “mean girls,” stating, “It’s all very anti-female.”

A representative for Ashley Tisdale did not immediately respond to Page Six’s request for comment.

Tisdale, 40, made headlines earlier this month after publishing her candid essay, in which she seemingly accused her former star-studded mom group of alienating her and making her feel “not cool enough.” Although she did not name anyone specifically, she is known to be part of an A-list mom group that includes celebrities such as Mandy Moore, Meghan Trainor, and Hilary Duff.

The drama seemingly sparked responses from within the circle. Matthew Koma, Hilary Duff’s husband, posted a cryptic Instagram Story implying that Tisdale is “self obsessed” and “tone deaf.” Meanwhile, Daryl Sabara, Meghan Trainor’s husband, offered a more measured perspective in an interview with TMZ, saying there’s “no drama over here” and expressing hope that Tisdale “is okay.”

An insider revealed to Page Six that the Disney Channel alum was frozen out by her former high-profile friends due to “a myriad of things, not just one specific” issue.

As the story develops, fans continue to watch closely how this high-profile fallout will unfold.
https://pagesix.com/2026/01/10/celebrity-news/the-view-hosts-react-to-ashley-tisdale-over-toxic-mom-group-drama/

crime, forensics, local news

Police find ‘horror movie’ of stolen bones in alleged graverobber’s home

Leave a comment

A Pennsylvania man has been arrested for allegedly stealing dozens of bones, skulls, and human remains from a historic cemetery. Authorities revealed that Jonathan Christian Gerlach was found to have corpses hanging from the ceiling of his home during the investigation.

Gerlach was apprehended Tuesday following a months-long probe into a series of body snatchings at the 200-acre Mount Moriah Cemetery, located in the Philadelphia suburb of Yeadon. He now faces 500 criminal charges related to these grisly burglaries, which began in November.

According to police, Gerlach, 34, of Ephrata—about 90 minutes west of Philadelphia—used extreme methods such as rappelling into mausoleums and prying open underground vaults to remove human remains dating back more than a century.

Authorities tracked Gerlach after an investigator noted his vehicle plates, which showed he had been near Yeadon repeatedly during the times when the thefts occurred. On January 6, police conducting surveillance spotted his car inside the cemetery. Gerlach was seen exiting the grounds carrying a crowbar and a burlap bag. Bones and skulls were visible inside his vehicle when he was taken into custody.

Gerlach allegedly admitted to stealing approximately 30 sets of human remains from Mount Moriah Cemetery and described how he accessed the burial sites.

“In my 30-year career, this is probably one of the most horrific things,” said Yeadon Borough Police Chief Henry Giammarco. “There was an infant among the remains, and as a father and grandfather, that truly tears your heart up. When people are laid to rest, that’s important.”

Later that night, authorities executed a search warrant at Gerlach’s home and a storage unit. They recovered more than 100 full or partial sets of human and skeletal remains.

Delaware County District Attorney Tanner Rouse described the scene: “Very simply, detectives walked into a horror movie come to life in that home. Some of these remains are 200 years old, while others are much newer—one even had a pacemaker still attached.”

Rouse added, “It is truly, in the most literal sense of the word, horrific. I grieve for those who are upset by this, who are going through this, and who are trying to figure out if it is in fact one of their loved ones.”

Investigators also uncovered online activity linked to Gerlach. This included posts in a “Human Bones and Skull selling group,” where a buyer thanked him for mailing “a possible teen” as well as “a baboon and a monkey,” according to authorities. Other social media posts showed Gerlach posing with a skull, captioned, “riding a Harley, and slinging skulls.”

Following a review of the evidence, prosecutors approved a broad list of 500 criminal charges against Gerlach. These charges include burglary, trespassing, abuse of a corpse, theft by unlawful taking of stolen property, and multiple counts related to desecration of burial places and public monuments.

Gerlach is currently being held at the George W. Hill Correctional Facility on $1 million cash bail. The investigation remains ongoing, and officials noted that additional remains could still be identified. At this time, it is unclear if any of the remains were sold or what motivated Gerlach to collect them.
https://nypost.com/2026/01/10/us-news/police-find-horror-movie-of-stolen-bones-in-alleged-graverobbers-home/

celebrity, entertainment, quizzes

If You’ve Been A Michael B. Jordan Fan Since The Beginning, You’ll Ace This Screenshot Quiz

Leave a comment

If You’ve Been a Michael B. Jordan Fan Since the Beginning, You’ll Ace This Screenshot Quiz

Are y’all cousins or just acquaintances? 🧐

Michael B. Jordan is a 2026 awards season frontrunner thanks to his not one, but TWO extraordinary roles in *Sinners* (three if we’re being super technical). From young Wallace in *The Wire* to the notorious Killmonger of the MCU, his characters always leave a lasting stamp on pop culture.

But how good is your memory? Can you guess the names of these MBJ projects from just one screenshot?

Do you know enough about Michael B. Jordan to basically be cousins? Tell us how you did in the comments!
https://www.buzzfeed.com/jadagomez/michael-b-jordan-movies-tv-trivia-quiz

general

Photos: Demonstrators speak out against ICE at Norfolk Federal Building

Leave a comment

A large group gathered outside the Norfolk Federal Building on Friday, January 9, to participate in a demonstration against ICE.

The event drew many community members who came together to voice their concerns and advocate for change. Participants expressed their opposition to immigration enforcement policies and called for increased protections for immigrant rights.

Organizers emphasized the importance of community solidarity and peaceful protest in addressing these issues. The demonstration highlighted ongoing debates surrounding immigration enforcement and its impact on local communities.
https://www.dailypress.com/2026/01/09/photos-demonstrators-speak-out-against-ice-at-norfolk-federal-building/

general

X, Grok Takedown: Senators Ask Apple, Google to Remove Apps Due to ‘Sickening’ Content Generation

Leave a comment

**US Senators Demand Apple and Google Remove X and Grok Apps Over AI-Generated Inappropriate Content**

X and Grok are facing serious scrutiny as three United States Senators have called for the immediate removal of these platforms from Apple’s App Store and Google Play. Senators Ron Wyden, Edward J. Markey, and Ben Ray Luján jointly issued a press release announcing that they have sent a formal letter to both Apple and Google, urging them to take down the X and Grok apps.

The senators’ concerns stem from claims that the AI tools used by X and Grok have been exploited to generate “nonconsensual sexualized images of women and children at scale.” Recently, there has been growing alarm over a surge of inappropriate content spreading on X, attributed to the misuse of its AI content generation capabilities.

According to the senators, these AI-generated images often use likenesses of “real, private citizens,” depicting terrifying scenarios involving women being “sexually abused, humiliated, hurt, and even killed.” In their letter addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the senators warned:
“Turning a blind eye to X’s egregious behavior would make a mockery of your moderation practices.”

They further emphasized that failing to act would undermine Apple and Google’s public and legal claims that their app stores provide a safer user experience compared to allowing users to download apps directly to their devices.

The senators also highlighted the tech giants’ ability to respond swiftly to violations of app store policies, citing the recent removal of the ICEBlock app—an app notorious for tracking federal and law enforcement officials—as an example of decisive action.

### ‘Sickening’ Content Generated by X and Grok AI

The letter specifically condemns X’s Grok AI tool for producing “sickening” content that sexualizes real individuals, particularly women and children, without their consent. The senators categorize this content as not only unethical but also illegal, potentially constituting child sexual abuse material.

They assert that this issue has persisted for quite some time. Referencing recent research, the senators noted that an archive of Grok-generated images reportedly contains nearly 100 possible child sexual abuse materials dating back to August. The archive also includes many other nonconsensual nude depictions of real people subjected to torture and worse.

### Elon Musk’s Role Under Fire

The senators did not spare Elon Musk, owner of X and founder and CEO of xAI. They claim Musk has “encouraged” this harmful behavior by publicly acknowledging the inappropriate use of X’s AI content generation tools. The letter further alleges that Musk’s reaction—using “laugh-cry emojis” in response to some of these posts—demonstrates a troubling disregard for the severity of the situation.

As the call for app removals gains traction, Apple and Google face mounting pressure to enforce their policies and protect users from the dangers posed by AI-generated harmful content on these platforms.
https://www.techtimes.com/articles/313944/20260109/x-grok-takedown-senators-ask-apple-google-remove-apps-due-sickening-content-generation.htm