President Donald Trump attended the Army-Navy football game Saturday, while also promising serious retaliation for the death of three service members in Syria.

We will retaliate, Trump told reporters on his way to the game.

Two US service members and a civilian were killed and three service members were injured, according to Central Command, after an ambush by a lone ISIS gunman in Syria.

RELATED STORY | Trump vows retaliation after 2 U.S. troops, 1 civilian killed in ISIS ambush

"These are great, three great people. And it's just a terrible thing. Syria, by the way, was fighting along with us. The president, the new president of Syria is, as they told me, and I'm not surprised, he's devastated by what happened. This was an ISIS attack on us and Syria. And again, we mourn the loss and we pray for them and their parents and their loved ones. Very, very sad, Trump said.

Later in the afternoon, Trump arrived to cheers from midshipmen and cadets at M&T Bank Stadium for the 126th running of the Army-Navy football game.

Everyone is asking who am I supporting, Army or Navy? My answer is: 'You must be joking if you think Im going to give you that answer!'" Trump wrote on Truth Social on his way to the game.

RELATED STORY | Preservationists sue to halt Trumps ballroom project over lack of reviews

Trump stood on the field to watch a flyover, participate in the coin toss, and throw hats to the crowd during halftime.

Two people were fatally wounded, and others were injured during a reported active shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, on Saturday, the Associated Press reported.

Authorities continued to encourage those on campus to seek shelter after they originally said one person was in custody; they later retracted that statement, saying no suspect was in custody.

Officials first reported an active shooting near the Barus and Holley Engineering building on campus at 4:22 p.m. Later on, police said they reported a second report of shots fired, but later said those reports were unfounded. Two hours later, officials said the situation remains "ongoing."

Brown University confirmed that several victims were transported to area hospitals.

"Please exercise caution and avoid this area until further notice," Providence Police said.

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Brown University said that multiple exams were being held inside at the time of the shooting.

"We have been and continue to be very grateful to law enforcement and emergency medical personnel. Please continue to take all steps to remain safe. Follow the instructions of law enforcement personnel and avoid the area," Brown University said.

The university's student-run newspaper, the Brown Daily Herald, reported that it obtained video showing police assisting several people on the ground.

Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee confirmed that state police and Rhode Island's Emergency Management Agency were "working closely" with local authorities.

President Donald Trump confirmed he has been briefed on the shooting.

All we can do at this time is pray for those who are injured. We will keep you updated when we know more," he told reporters.

The university has 10,000 total students.

DETROIT – The Tigers have made their first splash signing of the offseason.

On Saturday, they reached an agreement on a one-year deal worth $11 million with veteran leverage reliever Kenley Jansen, per multiple reports and confirmed by the Detroit News.

The deal, which will include an option for 2027, is pending a physical.

Jansen, 38, has 476 career saves over 16 seasons, posting a 2.57 ERA and 0.962 WHIP. Only Mariano Rivera (652), Jeff Hoffman (601) and Lee Smith (478) have more saves than Jansen.

He’s been remarkably consistent and durable the last five seasons, averaging, at ages 32 through 37, 60 games, 58 innings and 33 saves.

His money pitch is a 93-mph cutter which he threw 81% of the time last year and limited hitters to a .164 average.

The only sign of his advanced age was a decrease in missed bats. His strikeout rate fell to a career-low 24% last year, with a 25.8% whiff rate. He had a 71% fly ball rate against him last year with a career-worst 91.5-mph average exit velocity and 44.6% hard-hit rate.

The Tigers hit three homers against him in a six-run inning back on May 2. After that outing, though, Jansen locked in. Over his final 53 games, he posted 23 saves in 24 attempts with a 1.97 ERA. He didn’t give up a run in his final 10 outings.

Under manager AJ Hinch, the Tigers haven’t deployed a traditional closer and that’s not likely to change. Jansen will join Will Vest and Kyle Finnegan, who agreed to a two-year deal worth $19 million Tuesday night, in the back end of the Tigers’ bullpen.

House Democrats released photos Friday from the estate of Jeffrey Epstein that included images of Bill Clinton, Donald Trump, Bill Gates and other prominent figures.

The images could embarrass those pictured, but Jeremy Saland, a former Manhattan prosecutor who now runs his own criminal defense practice, said the photos do not prove those figures were involved in crimes. Epstein was charged in federal court in 2019 with sex trafficking of minors. He died by suicide before his trial.

Epstein was accused of sexually abusing and exploiting dozens of underage girls.

As the alleged abuse occurred, Epstein maintained friendships with many highprofile figures.

RELATED STORY | House Democrats release new Epstein photos showing Trump, Clinton

"I see people who may very well have been engaged in personal relationships," Saland said. "I see people who may have been engaged in professional relationships. I see redactions, which by default make you think, 'Uh-oh, what are we hiding? There must be something nefarious.' But if you believe in due process no matter whether you love President Donald Trump or you abhor him this by itself does not move that ball from a criminal perspective."

As Americans await what could be the largest tranche of Epstein-related material to be released in the coming week, Saland said small batches of documents, such as the release of a handful of photos by House Democrats, only fuel speculation.

While photos of sex toys from Epstein's estate were among those released by House Democrats, those images by themselves do not indicate proof of a crime. Saland noted, however, that the photos could become significant depending on what other information is released in the coming week.

"What would be interesting to know is if one of these girls in one of their statements referenced one of these items and that reference is now corroborated that it exists. That would give more credibility and a foundation to what they are saying," he said.

A law requiring the Department of Justice to release Epstein-related grand jury documents by Friday includes an exception: the DOJ is not required to disclose material that is part of an ongoing investigation.

Saland said that could give the Justice Department and the Trump administration wide leeway to keep some information from the public.

"If anything is withheld in terms of the investigatory file the Department of Justice file the fallback is going to be that there is an ongoing investigation and they're looking into other players or people. Therefore, we are not going to release maybe the most damning or the most embarrassing evidence out there. We're going to hold that back," Saland said.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Divine Ugochukwu scored a career-high 23 points and No. 9 Michigan State overcame a sloppy performance to beat Penn State 76-72 on Saturday.

Jaxon Kohler posted his fifth double-double of the season with 10 points and 12 rebounds while Carson Cooper added 10 points for the Spartans (9-1, 2-0 Big Ten), who committed a season-high 17 turnovers and trailed for long stretches in both halves.

They were able to bear down, however, and avoid a second-straight loss after falling to No. 4 Duke on Monday.

Freddie Dilione scored a career-high 22 points, Kayden Mingo added 11 and Ivan Juric had 10 for the Nittany Lions (8-3, 0-2), who led by as many as nine in the first half and then by three with five minutes left four days after getting blown out by Indiana 113-72.

But thanks to some timely shooting by Ugochukwu, who went 8 for 10 from the floor, including 5 for 5 from 3-point range, Michigan State quickly made up its 39-36 halftime deficit against a team that usually plays the Spartans tightly.

Seven of the last nine games in the series were decided by single-digits. With six lead changes, including four in the final 12 minutes, this one was trending that way until Ugochukwu got open early in the second half and again down the stretch.

The sophomore made the Spartans’ first three shots in the opening three minutes of the second, then sunk his fourth 3-pointer with 3:27 left to give Michigan State the lead for good.

Ugochukwu provided some cushion and made it 72-67 with his final deep make just over 2:30 later.

Dilione made a jumper and added a 3-pointer to get it back to a two-point game, but Ugochukwu nailed a pair of free throws with eight seconds left to seal the Spartans’ fifth-straight win against Penn State.

Up next

Michigan State hosts Toledo on Tuesday.

Penn State and Pitt play on Sunday, Dec. 21, at the GIANT Center in Hershey, Pennsylvania.

— By TRAVIS JOHNSON, Associated Press

ROCHESTER HILLS – The height and length advantage Stoney Creek held over Rochester Adams translated in expected ways when the two rivals met Friday night.

Toss in the benefit the Cougars had of already playing two games compared to the fact that it was the Highlanders’ season debut, and it all helped Stoney leave Adams with a 43-32 road victory in the crossover matchup.

With the win, Stoney has nine in a row over Adams, who last beat the Cougars 43-27 on Jan. 24, 2020 at Oakland University.

It would have been the second game of the year for the Highlanders, but the cancelation of Wednesday’s game with Bloomfield Hills due to the wintery conditions eliminated a chance to get some more reps in before facing one of their city rivals.

“I won’t make any excuses for our unforced turnovers and things like that we could have done better,” Adams first-year head coach Justin Howard said. “But I would have loved to have one game under our belts so we could go to the drawing board before (this). But (Stoney’s a) great team. They’re tall, they rebound, move the ball very well.”

The Cougars, on the other hand, had the fortune of already playing two games this week — both wins — against Walled Lake Northern and Lakeland before this.

“Oh yeah, it helps,” Cougars head coach Columbus Williams said. “We went out and played a tough Northern team, which gave us a gritty win. Then we went to Lakeland and had another gritty win, and it just got us prepared for the moment and got us prepared for when they had that little rush at the end. We didn’t panic. It’s just normal basketball.”

Stoney’s lead grew to as large as 16 points in the fourth, but as Williams referenced, Adams made a late push in the final 2:30 that began with a 3-pointer by senior Nora Camaj, one of just two triples in the entire game by either team.

Two more turnovers forced by Adams led to baskets by junior London Guthrie and senior Nadia Heppner and allowed the Highlanders to get it within nine points on several occasions, but the Cougars never let it get within two possessions in the final minute.

“You gotta love rivalry games,” said Williams, indicating it played a part in the fight Adams showed to make it a game late. “I think when he called a timeout, it got his girls up, especially the seniors. We’ve been blessed to knock them off the last couple years, and I know they wanted to beat us, so they gave us a good little push there.”

The reason for so few 3-pointers? Stoney is happily to utilize its frontcourt advantage (provided by Calista, Izzy and Abby Ivezaj) against most teams, and that length led to four or five shots by Adams that were blocked or altered around the perimeter.

Howard and the Highlanders won’t see too much verticality like that in the OAA Blue this season, but regardless, it provides a good test. “Early in the year, you don’t even want to talk about moral wins, but we did a lot of positive things tonight, especially (against) a team a couple of levels above us … And I think, too, trying to change the system a little bit from last year is tough on a new coach and players that are used to moving a certain way, so I’m trying to add a little bit movement to it. Just a little more practice (needed),” he said.

Senior Faith Zoldos led the Highlanders with eight points, while classmates Raegan Jerrell and Alyssa Stephens added six. Stoney Creek senior Jadelynn Freeman led all scorers with 16, and junior teammate Samantha Fulkerson added nine in the win.

Photo gallery of Rochester Adams vs. Stoney Creek in OAA girls hoops crossover action

"We've just got to keep cleaning up on our guards," Williams said. "We've got a young point guard in Samantha, teaching her the ways. She's the next one up and we've just got to keep working with her, keep getting her to identify the defenses and where we need to go with the basketball, where to go with the hot hand, just kind of get her going."

Stoney finished third in the OAA Red last season, but should contend for the title this year with the teams it finished behind last winter, Clarkston and West Bloomfield.

"Man, it's going to be tough, but I'm excited for it," Williams said. "I think we've got a good group and we'll give it a good battle this year. That's one of our goals, to win the Red."

Adams ended last year 10-11 and right in the middle of the OAA Blue standings. It figures to be a deep, competitive division again.

"I think the expectation is, if I can get the players to run the offense, simplify it a bit, we should be able to compete in the Blue this year," said Howard, who was the program's JV coach previously. "I love what I saw tonight, now we're just going back and fixing one thing at a time."

Howard's Highlanders are back in action Monday at home against Utica. The Cougars get back on the court when they travel to Goodrich next Wednesday.

Abraham Quintanilla Jr., a music producer who helped launch his daughter Selena Quintanillas career to stardom, has died at age 85, his family announced in an Instagram post.

"Its with a heavy heart to let you guys know that my Dad passed away today," said A.B. Quintanilla, Abraham's son and Selena's brother.

Quintanilla founded the band Selena y Los Dinos, which featured his children including Selena as lead vocalist. The group stayed together, essentially backing her as she moved into a solo career.

He went on to manage Selenas career as it accelerated in the 1990s, pushing for her to sign with EMI Latin in 1989, a move that bolstered her popularity.

After Selena was murdered in 1995, Quintanilla served as executive producer of Selena, the biopic on her life. In the years since, he fought to protect her legacy, engaging in numerous legal battles over her likeness and music rights.

He also authored A Fathers Dream: My Familys Journey in Music, a memoir about building a musical empire.

The family did not release details about his death.

Two U.S. service members and one American civilian were killed and three other people wounded in an ambush on Saturday by a lone member of the Islamic State group in central Syria, the the U.S. militarys Central Command said.

The attack on U.S. troops in Syria is the first to inflict casualties since the fall of President Bashar Assad a year ago.

Central Command said in a post on X that as a matter of respect for the families and in accordance with Department of Defense policy, the identities of the service members will be withheld until 24 hours after their next of kin have been notified.

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth posted on X: Let it be known, if you target Americans anywhere in the world you will spend the rest of your brief, anxious life knowing the United States will hunt you, find you, and ruthlessly kill you.

President Donald Trump told reporters, "We will retaliate" when asked how the U.S. would respond.

The shooting took place near historic Palmyra, according to the state-run SANA news agency, which earlier said two members of Syrias security force and several U.S. service members had been wounded. The casualties were taken by helicopter to the al-Tanf garrison near the border with Iraq and Jordan.

SANA said the attacker was killed, without providing further details.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the attacker was a member of the Syrian security force.

The U.S. has hundreds of troops deployed in eastern Syria as part of a coalition fighting the Islamic State group.

Last month, Syria joined the international coalition fighting against the IS as Damascus improves its relations with Western countries following the ouster of Assad when insurgents captured his seat of power in Damascus.

The U.S. had no diplomatic relations with Syria under Assad, but ties have warmed since the fall of the five-decade Assad family rule. The interim president, Ahmad al-Sharaa, made a historic visit to Washington last month where he held talks with President Donald Trump.

IS was defeated on the battlefield in Syria in 2019 but the groups sleeper cells still carry out deadly attacks in the country. The United Nations says the group still has between 5,000 and 7,000 fighters in Syria and Iraq.

U.S. troops, which have maintained a presence in different parts of Syria including Al-Tanf garrison in the central province of Homs to train other forces as part of a broad campaign against IS, have been targeted in the past. One of the deadliest attacks occurred in 2019 in the northern town of Manbij when a blast killed two U.S. service members and two American civilians as well as others from Syria while conducting a patrol.

The Tigers on Friday cleared a spot on their 40-man roster to accommodate reliever Kyle Finnegan.

They swung a minor league deal with the Blue Jays, sending right-handed reliever Chase Lee to Toronto for 25-year-old lefty Johan Simon.

Simon posted a 3.42 ERA and averaged 10 strikeouts per nine innings last season, climbing three levels to finish in Double-A.

Lee, 27, made his big-league debut last season, posting a 4.10 ERA in 37.1 innings.

The Tigers signed Finnegan on Tuesday night for two years and $19 million.

A Cincinnati-area man was arrested and is facing multiple child sexual abuse material charges after being confronted by a national predator-catching organization that claims to have helped secure arrests across all 50 states.

31-year-old Benjamin Naylor, of Deer Park, allegedly possessed and distributed child sexual abuse material on his phone, according to Hamilton County court documents.

The arrest came after Alex Rosen's organization, Predator Poachers, confronted Naylor outside his workplace following online interactions with someone who Naylor allegedly believed was a 13-year-old boy.

"Any site you can think of ... we're on," Rosen said. "There's no place, even when it's quote, unquote, encrypted, that a pedophile can hide from us."

Online messages

Rosen said the group first encountered Naylor on Reddit.

Naylor allegedly messaged their 13-year-old boy decoy on Reddit before moving the conversation to a messaging platform.

"He wasn't necessarily illegal with us. He wasn't like, 'Let's meet up and have sex.' But he was like, 'Age is just a number.' Very perverted," Rosen said. "At some point, he blocked us because there's a hole in the story that we're not actually a 13-year-old."

Despite the blocked communication, Rosen said Naylor's online activity provided clear indicators of criminal behavior.

WATCH: How an online watchdog group tracked down the Cincinnati man

How this man's national predator-catching group helps police make arrests

"Looking at his online posts, he was giving many indications he was into child pornography, and just with the terminology he used, where he was lurking online," Rosen said. "Even if he didn't message our decoy at all, I still would have gone to confront him, because I knew, based on the signals he was giving online, that he was going to be trading child pornography."

The confrontation

After learning of Naylor's location, Rosen said he and his team arrived outside Naylor's workplace on Dec. 3.

"I go to his building, and I say I have a secret Santa for him," Rosen said. "And he goes from thinking he's getting a present to 40 minutes later, being in handcuffs surrounded by five cops."

Rosen said his interrogation technique can be described as "grooming the groomers," using psychological manipulation to encourage confessions.

"You basically got to be a salesman when you talk to these people," Rosen said. "In that time where they're stunned, you have to sell to them that walking in and just ignoring us is not the best option."

Rosen said the approach involves making suspects believe they're victims rather than perpetrators and offering subtle reassurances.

"Getting him at his job, he's kind of between a rock and a hard place, because he really has nowhere to go," Rosen said. "As a courtesy, I'm like, 'Hey, Ben, I'm not here to tell your job about it, man. I just want to get you outside,' and when someone passes, you kind of lower your voice, because they think in their mind, 'Okay, well, he's being quiet when someone walks past.'"

During the 40-minute confrontation, which was streamed live on the Predator Poacher's Kick account, Naylor admitted to trading child pornography involving "babies and toddlers."

"When they do admit to things, we do call the cops on them," Rosen said.

A multi-jurisdictional task force that includes Cincinnati police and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office called the Regional Electronics and Computer Investigations Unit (RECI which investigated Naylor, court records show.

A RECI detective alleged in criminal complaints that Naylor was found with a pornographic image of a young boy on his cell phone. Documents say Naylor possessed two images of child sexual abuse material, as well as possessed and distributed two videos of child sexual abuse material on his personal cell phone.

Naylor worked as a scheduler at Christ Hospital and did not have direct contact with patients. A spokesperson with the Christ Hospital Network told us he was terminated immediately upon learning of his arrest.

"We fully cooperated with law enforcement," the spokesperson said.

Growing national movement

Rosen, 25, started Predator Poachers in Houston when he was 19 years old. The organization has grown from a group of high school friends to employing over 20 people nationwide.

"Over the course of the past six years, we've had arrests in all 50 states, convictions in 43 of those states," Rosen said. "We have over 260 convictions of pedophiles nationwide."

The group operates by creating decoy accounts to interact with suspected predators online, then confronting them in person before turning evidence over to law enforcement, according to Rosen.

Rosen said his organization is "an internet watchdog group of concerned citizens" rather than vigilantes.

"We simply report and document crimes," Rosen said. "We collect evidence lawfully, we interview them lawfully, and we turn it all over, and we wait for the conviction."

Rosen said Naylor was one of nine people his group confronted during a week-long trip that included stops in Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana.

"When I tell you that Benjamin Naylor, the guy that we caught, was not even the sickest person we caught that day," Rosen said.

The day before confronting Naylor, Rosen said the group caught multiple other people throughout the area.

"We're very busy, unfortunately, and this is our life," Rosen said.

The organization takes multiple trips across the country each month, typically confronting around 20 people per trip, Rosen said.

"We basically have a map of people across the country," Rosen said.

Law enforcement's response

In February, the Clermont County Prosecutor's Office warned against the independent efforts. Officials said the confrontations can jeopardize law enforcement investigations, put community members at risk and create a situation where the alleged predator could potentially do something deadly when confronted.

Rosen said most law enforcement agencies are supportive of his group's work, though he acknowledges some criticism about potentially compromising investigations.

"I can guarantee you that no department in the area had Benjamin Naylor on their radar," Rosen said. "And that's not to say they're not doing anything. It's just that there's so many pedophiles that you can't just leave it up to one entity to do it all."

He said that private citizens can conduct voluntary interviews that law enforcement cannot initiate without probable cause.

"Benjamin Naylor did not get sexual with our decoy account, so that is no probable cause for the cops to arrest him," Rosen said. "As private citizens, (Predator Poachers) can bypass that and have a voluntary interview with him, and then when he starts confessing to those crimes, that's when now the cops can get involved."

What's next

Naylor was arraigned Tuesday morning. Duing that hearing, prosecutors sought and received a "no bond" order on two of his charges.

He is scheduled to return to court Friday morning for a second bond hearing.

Rosen said his organization has no plans to slow down, with a Christmas trip planned that will target more suspects.

"Many people take Christmas off. I don't take Christmas off," Rosen said.

Scripps News Group reached out to the Cincinnati Police Department and the Hamilton County Sheriff's Office for this story, but did not hear back.

This article was written by Valerie Lyons for the Scripps News Group in Cincinnati.

Comedy icon Dick Van Dyke celebrated his 100th birthday on Saturday, hitting the century mark some six decades after he sang and danced with Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins and starred in his self-titled sitcom.

The funniest thing is, its not enough, Van Dyke said in an interview with ABC News at his Malibu, California home. A hundred years is not enough. You want to live more, which I plan to.

Van Dyke became one of the biggest actors of his era with The Dick Van Dyke Show, which ran from 1961-66 on CBS; appeared with Andrews as a chimney sweep with a Cockney accent in the 1964 Disney classic Mary Poppins and, in his 70s, played a physician-sleuth on Diagnosis: Murder.

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Also a Broadway star, Van Dyke won a Tony Award for Bye Bye Birdie to go with a Grammy and four Primetime Emmys. In 1963, he starred in the film version of Bye Bye Birdie.

Just last year, he became the oldest winner of a Daytime Emmy, for a guest role on the soap Days of Our Lives.

In the 1970s, he found sobriety after battling alcoholism, and spoke out about it at a time when that was uncommon to do.

Now that he has hit triple digits, Van Dyke said he's gotten some perspective on how he used to play older characters.

You know, I played old men a lot, and I always played them as angry and cantankerous, he told ABC News. "It's not really that way. I don't know any other 100-year-olds, but I can speak for myself."

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She gives me energy. She gives me humor, and all kinds of support, he told ABC News.

Van Dyke was born in West Plains, Missouri, in 1925, and grew up the class clown in Danville, Illinois, while admiring and imitating the silent film comedians.

He told ABC News he started acting when he was about 4 or 5 years old in a Christmas pageant. He said he was the baby Jesus.

I made some kind of crack, I don't know what I said, but it broke the congregation up," he said. "And I liked the sound of that laughter.

And what's hard about being 100?

I miss movement, he told ABC News. I've got one game leg from I don't know what."

"I still try to dance, he said with a laugh.

By VIRGINIA MAYO

ANTWERP, Belgium (AP) — Getting ready for the holiday season has never been stressful for Christel Dauwe — after all, her holiday period lasts all year long in her Christmas ornament shop in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

Her collecting began in her teenage years, and she now has more than 64,000 ornaments in her personal collection and another 18,000 displayed in her shop, the Christel Dauwe Collection.

“My personal wish is to have a Christmas museum, where ornaments and the idea of Christmas can be on permanent display,” she told The Associated Press. But until that day comes, her small shop uses every corner to display its vast inventory.

Its wares include birds of every feather, fruit arrangements, cars, angels, snowmen and other figurines, ranging from a few euros for a wood laser-cut Cathedral of Antwerp to more than 500 euros ($580) for a special ornament of Alexander the Great on horseback.

The store began 35 years ago as an antiques shop, selling a few ornaments on the side, but Dauwe wanted to try selling more.

On the suggestion of a Polish au pair, Dauwe and her husband traveled to Poland and found a factory that could produce exactly the ornaments she wanted. The only catch was that 200 pieces of each design had to be ordered at a time.

They returned home deflated.

“After second thoughts though, we decided to order 20 shapes of 200 each, and one day they arrived — all 4,000 of them. We gave some away and the rest we put in the shop and, well … That’s the story from there,” she said.

The original Polish factory still supplies many of the shop’s ornaments, in addition to 32 other European companies.

“There is an ornament here for everyone. We’ve had people come in who say they have a new pet or even a new car and we try to match an ornament to them. In the end the goal is not to have some kind of posh tree decorated all with the same colors and Christmas balls. The goal of ornaments is to make you smile,″ she said.

Some ornaments are more personal. And one year there was an ornament of Christel herself, designed by her husband as a surprise.

She’s been asked to provide ornaments for weddings and other events as well.

As far as having Christmas all year round, Dauwe says she is never bored with it. Twice a year she goes around the shop and dusts each ornament individually. She has met people from all over the world, and entertains die-hard locals who stop into the store just for a morning chat.

“There are two ways to go with Christmas. It’s either the nostalgia of the past or the hope for the future,″ she said. ″Hope is what is the most important to me. It’s what keeps you going.”

ALLEN PARK — Detroit Lions coach Dan Campbell on Friday delivered some discouraging news regarding All-Pro safety Kerby Joseph.

Joseph (knee), who has been ruled out for Sunday’s game against the Los Angeles Rams, was a limited participant at practice on Wednesday before being a non-participant the following day. Campbell said Joseph suffered a “setback.”

When asked if Joseph could be a candidate for injured reserve, Campbell said: “Could be. I mean, could be. We’re at the backend of the season now. Anything, even if it’s not technically long term, becomes long term because we don’t have many games left.”

“It bothers him,” Campbell said of Joseph’s knee. “That’s the best way to say it.”

Joseph hasn’t played since the Lions visited the Kansas City Chiefs on Oct. 12.

Despite both starting safeties dealing with significant injuries — Brian Branch recently had surgery to repair his Achilles — Campbell said he’s not worried about the position because, “I really do trust the guys that are going back there for us, I do, man. What you lose in a couple areas, you may gain in other areas having some of these guys back there.”

Does Campbell have any long-term concerns about the NFL’s best safety tandem?

“I can’t get to next year right now,” Campbell said. “I’m not even thinking about next year right now. My focus is, right now, L.A. and then beyond. Once we get through this one, then we’re onto the next one.”

More injury updates

S Thomas Harper (brain): Harper suffered a concussion in the first quarter of Detroit’s game against the Dallas Cowboys last Thursday. Campbell entered the week unsure if Harper could clear concussion protocol prior to the Rams game, but he was optimistic Friday.

“Harper will be out there at practice today, so feel pretty good about him. We’ll see,” Campbell said. “I can’t give you definitives right now, but that’s kind of where we’re at. Look, (Erick) Hallett’s been taking reps, (Daniel Thomas) has been taking reps, (Avonte) Maddox’s been taking reps. We’ve got plenty of guys, and they’re getting valuable reps. So, we’re good.”

OT Taylor Decker (shoulder): Decker missed his third consecutive practice Friday, as he continues to manage a nagging shoulder injury. He’s questionable for Sunday, as are Harper (concussion), offensive linemen Kayode Awosika (foot) and Christian Mahogany (fibula), running back Sione Vaki (thumb), wide receiver Kalif Raymond (ankle) and tight end Shane Zylstra (knee).

The annual Geminid meteor shower peaks this weekend and one night looks more favorable than the other for viewing this celestial event. One favoring factor is the moon will only be about 30% full during the meteor shower, creating less moonlight to compete with the shooting stars.

This brightest and best meteor shower of the year occurs every December as Earth passes through debris from 3200 Phaethon, which is an unusual asteroid. Most meteor showers come from comets. However, 3200 Phaethon brightens and forms a tail near the sun, which mimics a comet.

This yearly meteor shower obtains its name from its radiant point, a point in the sky which all meteor showers appear to radiate, the constellation Gemini. From this constellation, meteors appear to streak across the night sky.

Peak meteor activity is expected tonight and Sunday night (Dec. 13 and 14). Stargazers could see 120-150 meteors streak across the sky per hour under perfect conditions. However, a more typical rate to about 40 to 50 shooting stars per hour. These meteors travel around 21 miles per second giving off a yellow appearance.

The forecast in Metro Detroit looks more favorable tonight (Saturday) as clouds will decrease overnight. The best viewing time happens between 10 p.m. and 2 a.m. when clouds cover will decrease from 50% at the start of prime viewing to around 20-25% by

2 a.m.

BIG RAPIDS – Ferris State’s football program, built on strong play in the trenches, has a rich history with accomplished players being nominated for — and several times winning—  the Gene Upshaw Lineman of the Year Award.

Past Bulldog recipients of the prestigious award, which is given to the top lineman in NCAA Division II football, include Austin Edwards, in 2019; Dylan Pasquali, in 2021; and Caleb Murphy, in 2022.

This season, Ferris State offensive lineman Tim Anderson has become the latest Bulldog nominated for the award as one of eight 2025 national finalists, putting him on a short list for Friday’s announcement, when it was revealed that the Rochester Adams graduate was named this year’s winner.

Anderson, a 6-foot-6 senior, 305-pound senior, didn’t hesitate in his response when asked about becoming one of the final eight for the award.

“This means a lot, and I’m super thankful, but I know I wouldn’t be there without the other guys on our offensive line,” he said. “The only reason that I’ve gotten noticed is because all five guys on our offensive line are out there and playing dominant football. I hope this shows how good our offensive line is, because it’s not just me. It’s about everyone on our offensive line and everyone on our offense working together.”

That starting lineup for “The Nasty Boys,” the name that the offensive line has embraced, includes Tim’s twin, Bob Anderson, with Dayne Arnett, Jarvis Windom and Ben Przytula. Tim shared the pride he feels in the depth the unit has developed that has helped fuel the team’s scoring punch. The Bulldogs are the nation’s leading scoring offense, averaging 53.8 points and totaling 751 points this season through 14 games.

Ferris State’s offensive numbers have contributed to the announcement of Tim as a finalist for an award named in honor of the late Gene Upshaw, who was not only an All-Pro lineman for the Oakland Raiders but also later served as the executive director of the NFL Players Association for 25 years. A former standout offensive lineman at Texas A&I University (now Texas A&M Kingsville), Upshaw was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1987 in his first year of eligibility.

The Gene Upshaw Award is presented annually by the Manheim Touchdown Club.

The Bulldogs’ offensive line unit has been a big part of the Bulldogs’ offensive success.

Ferris State’s offense ranks third nationally in rushing offense, averaging 306.5 yards per game. That rushing offense also includes 63 touchdowns on 4,291 yards.

Anderson earned first-team All-Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference honors and was named the GLIAC Offensive Lineman of the Year. He further received Division II Conference Commissioners Association All-Super Region Three First-Team recognition for his gridiron play during the 2025 campaign.

Inside the Ewigleben Sports Complex walls, Anderson frequently walks past a large trophy case that includes replicas of the Gene Upshaw Award trophies won by Edwards, Pasquali and Murphy. Those honorees stand as a reminder.

“It means a lot to be in a program that has such a great history of linemen,” said Anderson, who was a decorated athlete during his prep days at Adams. “For us, being able to carry on that tradition is important. We’re thankful to be a part of it.”

During this playoff run, led by the strong line play, Ferris State scored 65 points against Northwood (Nov. 22), 56 against Ashland (Nov. 29) and 52 against Minnesota State (Dec. 6) in three wins.

The Bulldogs were scheduled to take on Newberry in the NCAA Division II National Semifinals on Saturday, Dec. 13, at Top Taggart Field.

By Gretchen McKay, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

PITTSBURGH — Thiago Leite has a simple philosophy when it comes to making cocktails, and it applies whether you’re hosting a fancy dinner party for friends or simply curling up on the couch for a quiet night with your partner and Netflix.

“Make what you like,” he says.

Consider the Caipiroska he was stirring together on a test run for Fairmont Pittsburgh’s holiday cocktail classes.

Leite, who is both the Downtown hotel’s banquet director and restaurant manager, was born in the U.S., but he spent every summer of his childhood in Brazil with his family. The national drink there is the Caipirinha, a sweet and tangy cocktail made with fresh lime, sugar and cachaca, a vegetal distilled spirit made from fresh sugarcane juice.

Like most bartenders, Leite is a fan of vodka, a “sponge” spirit that readily takes on the flavors of whatever it is mixed with. On this day, he was tweaking the long-established recipe by using Absolut Elyx instead of cachaca, and brown sugar in place of the superfine cane sugar that traditionally sweetens the drink.

Known for its refreshing quality, this twist on a Caipirinha might seem like an odd choice in Pittsburgh in December. But remember Leite’s No. 1 rule about following your bliss.

“Christmas is hot in Brazil. We’re in sandals and flip-flops,” he explained as he muddled wedges of lime and slices of orange with what looked to be heaps of the caramel-colored sugar in a rocks glass.

Here, it’s hot chocolate and hot toddies, but there everything is iced.”

After a taste test, you, too, would have to agree it’s delicious.

A second cocktail featuring whiskey felt a little bit more like Christmas.

Called the Bashful Boulevardier, the spirit-forward drink is also known as a whiskey-based Negroni because it includes Campari, a bitter bright-red Italian aperitif. Here, rich cherry syrup adds a sweet and tangy twist and a dash of raspberry-flavored Chambord lends a definite luxe, holiday feel.

“It’s what we call a conversation drink,” explained Leite.

That is, a sipping cocktail that encourages social interaction while it is enjoyed over time instead of quickly gulped down.

A Prohibition-era drink generally made with rye whiskey, the Boulevardier is also a perfect “freezer door” cocktail that makes entertaining a breeze, he added, because it can be made in advance in large batches. You can scale up the recipe to serve eight, 10 or even 12 people, depending on the size of your guest list.

This is the second year for the hotel’s holiday cocktail classes. Depending on the day, each will feature one of four spirits — vodka, gin, whiskey or tequila.

“Since it’s a cocktail class, you’ll learn to pour from the bottle,” Leite said.

Attendees also will get instruction on blending ingredients, flavors and botanicals, and try their hand at fundamental techniques like shaking, stirring and muddling.

Aromatics used to flavor drinks also will be addressed “since you remember things through smell more than anything,” he said.

One example: cinnamon sticks that are scorched lightly on one end with a lighter and added to espresso martinis in the Fairmont’s upscale bar fl.2. (They sell more than 1,000 a month.)

Once you’ve got the recipes down pat, Leite will offer tips for setting up a home bar so you can create your favorite cocktail whenever the mood strikes. They include:

—Be sure to have the fundamentals: whiskey, vodka, gin, rum and tequila.

—Have the right tools at the ready, including a good shaker for mixing cocktails. He recommends either a two-piece Boston shaker (a metal tin and a mixing glass) or a three-piece cobbler shaker featuring a metal container, a lid with built-in strainer and a cap.

—A muddler to gently mash and mix ingredients like fruit and sugar. The stainless-steel ones used at the hotel have a “tenderizer” head to better crush herbs and fruits.

—A long-handled spoon for stirring cocktails with spirits, liqueurs and vermouth (like a martini, Old Fashioned or Manhattan). Stirring chills and dilutes a cocktail without introducing air bubbles.

—A jigger to precisely measure ingredients. A double-sided, 1 ounce over 2 ounce measuring vessel allows you to maintain consistency and quality in every drink.

—Love cocktails that contain fresh juice, cream, milk or egg whites? A strainer is essential for straining out ice and other solid ingredients in shaken cocktails.

—No bar is complete without a corkscrew for opening wine bottles and some spirits.

—Mixers including bitters (Angostura is considered the standard), tonic water, soda and ginger beer.

—Finally, a selection of glassware — highball and lowball glasses for mixed drinks, martini and coupe glasses for cocktails, and wine and champagne glasses for celebrating special occasions.

Below, we share the recipes for Leite’s cocktails, along with two others that will be served this holiday season at two local restaurants, Downtown’s Ritual House and Shorty’s Pins x Pints on the North Shore.

Happy holidays!

Caipiroska

PG tested

Christmastime is hot in Brazil, so holiday celebrations usually feature iced cocktails instead of hot toddies. This refreshing cocktail from the Fairmont Pittsburgh is a vodka-based twist on the Caipirinha, a classic Brazilian cocktail made with cachaca, sugar and lime.

You can make it sweeter or more tart, depending on the amount of brown sugar.

• 1/2 lime, cut into wedges
• 1 slice orange
• 1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 2 ounces vodka
• Dried lime slice, for garnish

Place lime wedges in a sturdy glass, such as a rocks glass, or a cocktail shaker. Add orange slice and sugar, and using a muddler, gently crush them together to release the juice and essential oils from the rind. (But be careful not to over-muddle the rind, which can make the drink bitter.)

Pour vodka into the glass or shaker with the muddled lime mixture.

Fill the glass with crushed ice. If using a shaker, add ice and shake well to chill and dilute the mixture.

Pour all contents (liquid, lime pieces and ice) into an old-fashioned or rocks glass filled with ice.

Garnish with dried lime slice and serve immediately.

Serves 1.

— Thiago Leite, Fairmont Pittsburgh

Bashful Boulevardier

PG tested

• 2 ounces whiskey
• 1/2 ounce Luxardo cherry syrup
• 1/2 ounce Chambord
• 1 ounce Campari
• 3 dashes bitters

Add whiskey, cherry syrup, Chambord, Campari and bitters into a mixing glass.

Fill the glass with ice and stir until the mixture is well chilled and silky.

Strain into a rocks glass over a large ice cube to keep the drink cold without diluting too quickly.

Finish with a Luxardo cherry or a gentle twist of orange peel for a subtle aromatic lift.

Serves 1.

— Thiago Leite, Fairmont Pittsburgh

Nutella Espresso Martini

PG tested

This sweet and creamy martini can double as a dessert. It includes Kahlua and Buttershots, a butterscotch-flavored schnapps.

• 1 scoop Nutella
• 1 ounce espresso, cooled
• 1 ounce vodka
• 1 ounce Kahlua coffee liqueur
• 1/2 ounce Buttershots

Add 1 generous scoop of Nutella to your shaker.

Add espresso, then give it a quick stir to help the Nutella blend smoothly.

Pour in vodka, Kahlua and Buttershots.

Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until the mixture is chilled and velvety.

Strain into a martini glass for a clean, glossy finish.

Garnish with a light drizzle of Nutella or a few espresso beans for an elegant touch. You also can line the rim of the martini glass with Nutella and roll in crushed nuts or cookies.

Makes 1 cocktail.

— Thiago Leite, Fairmont Pittsburgh

Shorty’s Gingerbread Smash

This festive cocktail is Shorty’s Pins x Pints’ riff on a classic Old Fashioned. It brings together the warm spice of gingerbread cookies and the smoothness of whiskey in a cocktail that’s perfect for the holiday season.

To make simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring, until sugar has dissolved, then allow to cool. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month.

• 2 ounces Bird Dog Gingerbread Whiskey
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• 2 dashes orange bitters
• Sliced lemon, for muddling
• Orange rind, for garnish

Combine whiskey, simple syrup and bitters into a mixing glass.

Add a lemon wedge, and muddle.

Add ice, and stir for 14 rotations, until the dilution is at desired consistency.

Strain into a glass filled with fresh ice.

Rub the rim of the cocktail glass with an orange rind to express it, then drop into the glass.

Serves 1.

— Shorty’s Pins x Pints, North Shore

Ritual House Holiday Beach Margarita

Margaritas are one of the most popular and recognizable cocktails. This one from Ritual House, Downtown, gets the holiday treatment with coconut milk and a cinnamon-brown sugar syrup. It’s best served in a rocks glass.

• 1 1/2 ounces tequila blanco
• 1 ounce coconut milk
• 1 ounce cinnamon brown sugar vanilla syrup
• 3/4 ounce lime juice
• 1/4 ounce Cointreau
• 3-4 dashes orange bitters

Combine tequila, coconut milk, syrup, lime juice, Cointreau and bitters in a cocktail shaker and shake hard.

Strain into a glass over ice. Garnish with cinnamon stick and fresh grated nutmeg.

Serves 1.

— Ritual House, Downtown

©2025 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.

Peter Greene, a character actor best known for his role as the iconic villain Zed in Pulp Fiction, has died. He was 60.

He died in his home in New York City, his manager, Gregg Edwards confirmed on Friday. His cause of death was not immediately released.

He was just a terrific guy," said Edwards. "Arguably one of the greatest character actors on the planet; Has worked with everybody.

Born in Montclair, New Jersey, Greene landed some of his first leading roles in Laws of Gravity in 1992 and Clean, Shaven in 1993, according to IMDB.

In 1994, he played the memorable villain in Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction." That same year, he played another leading villain opposite Jim Carrey and Cameron Diaz in The Mask."

Greene was working on two projects when he died, including a documentary about the federal government's withdrawal of funding from the U.S. Agency for International Development, according to Edwards.

Weve been friends for over a decade," said Edwards. "Just the nicest man.

By DEEPA BHARATH

LOS ANGELES (AP) — With eyes closed and a small mallet in hand, the Rev. Kyohei Mikawa gently struck the bronze Himalayan singing bowl resting in his palm and bathed the Buddhist sanctuary in a resonant hum.

Mikawa spent the next 45 minutes skimming bowls, playing a tongue drum and chanting to create an immersive experience called a sound bath as he sat facing a dozen people relaxing or meditating on yoga mats.

Sometimes known as sound healing or sound meditation, sound baths have surged in popularity over the past decade, driven by growing public interest in mental health and wellness. But sound baths are no longer confined to yoga centers, crystal healing studios or other new age spaces. They have crossed over to mainstream worship spaces, including churches, temples and synagogues.

Faith leaders like Mikawa, who oversees Rissho Kosei Kai Buddhist Center in Los Angeles’ largely Latino neighborhood of Boyle Heights, are increasingly embracing sound baths. They see it as a way to reach out to their neighbors who may not be affiliated with a religion, but still want to be in community with others seeking spiritual experiences. They have also found ways to make this practice mesh with their respective faith traditions.

Adding religious practice to sound baths

The sounds that punctuated Mikawa’s session emanated from centuries of Buddhist tradition and practice, energizing and calming the mind at once, he said. A chant at the end of the sound bath, he said, means: “Seek refuge in the true spirit of who you are.”

“The goal is not to become a Buddhist, but a Buddha — the best version of who we are,” he said.

Rabbi Jonathan Aaron, who leads Temple Emanuel in Beverly Hills, a Reform synagogue, performs a sound bath the first Saturday of each month at the end of the Shabbat service, during a ceremony called the Havdalah. As part of this ritual, blessings are offered over wine, sweet spices and a multi-wicked candle while participants reflect on the difference between the sacred and the ordinary.

Aaron says a rejuvenating sound bath fits perfectly with the sensory nature of the Havdalah, preparing attendees for the week ahead. The rabbi works with a practitioner who uses crystal bowls, gongs, rain sticks and an ocean drum, which mimics the sound of waves, to create a relaxing, meditative atmosphere.

He believes that while a sound bath might not be inherently Jewish, it lends itself well to Jewish heritage, thought and prayer. Aaron points out that the first chapter of Genesis describes God creating the world through sound by speaking the words: “Let there be light.” Hearing, listening, and sacred sounds, including the call of the shofar that heralds the Jewish new year, are all important aspects of the faith, he said.

“I’m not trying to make the sound bath Jewish,” he said. “But I’m trying to bring Jewish energy and an experience by creating this environment that has a sound bath as part of it.”

Anna Reyner, a member who attended the sound bath, said the synagogue is a perfect space for it because it builds community — often a main purpose of a house of worship.

“When you are in this intricate sound wave experience with others, you feel a sense of community and a connection to the source of holiness,” she said.

Connecting with neighbors through sound baths

The Rev. Paul Capetz, pastor of Christ Church by the Sea, a United Methodist congregation in Newport Beach, California, said their monthly sound bath sessions, performed by a local practitioner, are drawing people “who would never otherwise darken the door of a church.”

“I find the sound bath brings you to another level of existence,” Capetz said. “It’s almost hypnotic, but it’s not a drug. You’re experiencing it in real time that leaves you with a feeling of such serenity.”

The goal of having practices like sound bath and meditation in the church is not to convert, but to relate to others in the community who may be spiritual but not religious, the pastor said.

Churches are naturally conducive to sound baths because of their sense of history, sanctity, reverence and, often, pristine acoustics, said Lynda Arnold, a longtime sound healer who has performed at Episcopal churches in Los Angeles.

“We talk about wanting to bring people into a state of deep listening, contemplation, prayer and intention,” she said. “In this church environment, there is an endless amount of creativity that can happen with sound and music.”

While sound baths are a more recent phenomenon, the power of sound has been harnessed for healing and spirituality for millennia. Alexandre Tannous, a New York-based sound researcher and sound therapist who has done these sessions around the U.S. and abroad, said many religions and cultures believe in the primordial nature of sound.

In Eastern religions, “aum” is believed to be the primordial sound or vibration from which the entire universe was created and is sustained. In Egyptian mythology and the Hermetic tradition, the universe is believed to have been created through the power of the spoken word, also known as Logos. The concept of the universe being “sung” into existence or created by sound is a common motif found in several ancient and Indigenous traditions and mythologies.

“In Western science, how do we believe the universe started?” Tannous said. “With a Big Bang, right?”

The instruments used in a sound bath — such as gongs, singing bowls, bells, chimes, didgeridoos — all provide vibrations and grounding harmony that help a person quiet the mind and become focused, he said.

“Those notes between the notes have the power to quiet the multitasking monkey mind,” said Tannous, referring to the unadulterated harmonics produced by these instruments.

The science of sound

Ramesh Balasubramaniam, professor of cognitive science at the University of California, Merced, has looked into how the brain resonates with and responds to sounds — particularly in some frequencies that could induce a deep, meditative state. A sound bath, he says, is one of the routes to get there.

“When you hear a sound wave that oscillates four times a second, you’re going to facilitate brain waves in the same frequency range by a process known as entrainment,” Balasubramaniam said. “We have 100 billion neurons and they all sing in concert in the same frequency, producing this collective effect like a crowd chanting in a football game.”

Jazmin Morales, who lives near the Rissho Kosei Kai Buddhist Center, has been attending Mikawa’s weekly sound baths for several weeks. She doesn’t know the science behind it. She just knows it works for her.

“I’ve always had trouble focusing when I meditate,” she said. “But a sound bath helps me focus. It’s helped me sleep when I was unable to sleep. It’s helped me let go of emotion. It’s even sparked my creativity.”

For Ridge Gonzalez, who practices yoga and meditation, it was her first time in a sound bath.

“It was amazing,” she said. “I could visualize the sound as if it were being sprinkled. I could see and feel it. When you’re meditating, you feel a sense of clarity. The sound bath feels like just another way of extending that practice.”

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s collaboration with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

This holiday season, Red Tag in Macomb is transforming its massive 45,000-square-foot store into a Christmas Wonderland, offering Metro Detroit families an affordable, festive way to celebrate the season together.

Known for sourcing overstock and returned merchandise, Red Tag delivers significant price reductions across dcor, gifts, home goods, clothing, and holiday essentials making it possible for families to stretch their budgets without sacrificing holiday magic.

To learn more, visit

https://www.facebook.com/p/Red-Tag-Official-61561851099225/