The California wildfires hit very close to home for a Ferndale man whose brother and nephew lived in the Pacific Palisades neighborhoods in L.A.

Pacific Palisades is one of the hardest hit areas.

He was awoken Tuesday morning to basically sirens, said Cole Clark of Ferndale.

Cole Clarks brother, Spencer Clark, has lived in California for the past 15 years.

Earlier this week, Spencer and his 7-year-old son Canyon lost their home and most of their belongings after a fire destroyed their apartment.

He had about 30 minutes to grab everything he could and evacuate, said Cole Clark.

Spencer and his son have since been staying with friends as he looks for other places to live.

Thats when Cole says he wanted to help his brother out so he started a GoFundMe for him.

He was hesitant at first for me to start it, hes not one to step into the spotlight and he definitely knows their probably many more people that definitely need help more than he does, said Cole. But I know my brother being as humble as he is was going to be hesitant to take any quote on quote charity but so I took it upon myself to start a GoFundMe for him.

Spencer wasnt available on Sunday to speak with us on camera but he did tell me over the phone that hes grateful to everyone who has and will donate.

Cole says he brother has also been encouraging people to support the L.A. firefighters.

 He would say as much as I would love to get the donations there are still people who are fighting the fires and people who are still in harms way, said Cole.

Cole added that his main goal is just making sure his brother and nephew have what they need to find a new home and hopefully get back to normal.

Anytime something like this happens, you love your family, you just want to do everything you can to try and help them out, said Cole.

If you would like to donate to Spencers GoFundMe, you can find the link here.

With such a wide range of bourbon options in Kentucky, how cold weather affects production could be front of mind for some.

"On the aging side, the cold's a big part of it," said Cody Giles, head distiller at James E. Pepper. Giles particularly refers to temperature gradients.

"You're pushing the whiskey into the wood and then during the cold weather, that would contract, and it sort of pushes its way back into the interior of the barrel," he explained.

RELATED STORY | From monks to mixologists: A history of whiskey for World Whiskey Day

After being closed early last week, James E. Pepper is back up and running, with distilling and fermentation not taking too much of a hit.

However, Giles said, "If we got really, really cold, maybe sub-zero for extended periods of time, it would probably hurt us a little more."

For now, the head distiller says they're on schedule. From the stillhouse to the fermenter room, with frigid temperatures outside, Pepper Distillery works to keep the aging process consistent and quality the same.

"My philosophy on the fermentation and distilling side for flavor is a clean fermentation is going to be most important," Giles noted.

Moving barrels to their storage facility, Giles cannot overstate the importance of the next few days.

"Extreme, extreme cold. Always run the risk of pipes freezing, pipes bursting," Giles said.

Giles and six full-time distillers are watching the forecast closely as operations continue.

RELATED STORY | Bourbon scams leaving buyers out hundreds of dollars

Operations assistant Katherine Foley told Scripps News Lexington that Pepper Distillery does not temperature control their warehouses or pump heat into them.

"Our warehouses are built to experience natural temperature fluctuations throughout the year," Foley said. "When it's cold outside, like it is now, the aging process does naturally slow down, but this is not detrimental to the quality of our bourbon. These seasonal changes allow each barrel to develop its own distinct profile based on its placement in the warehouse and exposure to varying temperatures over time. Hopefully this cold weather pattern will result in some unique single barrels in a few years."

Pepper Distillery has about 7,000 barrels at its storage facility in Midway.

This story was originally published by Drew Amman at

Scripps News Lexington.

Vice President-elect JD Vance like President-elect Donald Trump is taking aim at California leadership as wildfires continue to rage in the southern part of the state.

Appearing Sunday on Fox News, Vance criticized California Gov. Gavin Newsom for "very bad decisions" leading up to the wildfires, which have claimed the lives of at least 16 people and destroyed thousands of structures and landmarks in the Los Angeles area.

RELATED STORY | Los Angeles wildfires death toll rises as crews fight heavy winds to save homes and landmarks

"We have to do a better job. We need competent, good governance," Vance said. "Now that doesn't mean you can't criticize the governor of California for I think some very bad decisions over a very long period of time. I mean, some of these reservoirs have been dry for 15, 20 years. The fire hydrants are being reported as going dry while the firefighters are tying to put out these fires. There is a serious lack of competent governance in California and I think it's part of the reason why these fires have gotten so bad."

"President Trump is committed to doing a better job when it comes to disaster relief," Vance added. "That's true for the hurricane victims and flood victims in North Carolina. Its true for the fire victims in California. We just, we have to do a better job."

RELATED STORY | Why did fire hydrants run dry amid Los Angeles fires? It's a familiar problem in disasters

California Gov. Gavin Newsom sent a letter to President-elect Donald Trump on Friday, inviting him to come see the effects of the wildfires after Trump criticized Newsom's handling of the disaster and propagated misinformation about response efforts.

"In the spirit of this great country, we must not politicize human tragedy or spread disinformation from the sidelines," Newsom wrote. "Hundreds of thousands of Americans displaced from their homes and fearful for the future deserve to see all of us working in their best interests to ensure a fast recovery and rebuild."

RELATED STORY | Officials apologize for erroneous evacuation alerts sent to residents during California wildfires

The massive Palisades Fire, the largest in Los Angeles County history, is continuing to grow after officials ordered additional evacuations late Friday. It was the largest of several active fires burning in Los Angeles County.

While Hurricane-force wind gusts fueled the flames last week, those winds have since subsided in the Los Angeles area, perhaps giving firefighters an opportunity to better contain the fires.

However, areas north and east of Los Angeles remain under a red flag warning, meaning conditions are favorable for wildfire development. The National Weather Service says winds could gust up to 65 mph in inland Orange County.

Fire status as of Sunday afternoon:

Palisades Fire, Pacific Palisades: 23,713 acres, 11% contained Eaton Fire, North Pasadena and Altadena: 14,117 acres, 27% contained Hurst Fire, Sylmar area: 799 acres. 89% contained

The annual Detroit auto show is now open to the public now this event has been going on since 1907 and its only after the last three additions the event has gone back to its roots by having a January event. So Im asking people what they think about it also, what are some of the most fond memories of the event.

"Im 60 years old, I probably come down since I was 12," said Kevin Socha.

"Oh Ive coming here pretty much since it started," said Sue Vernier.

"I'm 28," said Andrew Poore. "(I've been coming with my Dad) since I was a little kid, since they made automobiles."

"My uncle worked for Dodge way back and I came with him one year and I just loved it," Sue said. "I mean it was the concepts were just excellent back then. They had a lot of concept cars, more than they do now back then."

"Coming through here with all the people, with all the cars been able to get in them," said Vernita Scott. "To look at the real high price tags on them... but I just love coming downtown."

"I remember there used to be a GM club. He got in because he was a GM employee, and they used to have cookies of the cars. That was one of my favorite memories," Andrew said.

"We used to have cookie shaped like cars, because I was a GM employee, they would always give me the cookies," said James Poore. "I dont know... going with him to the car show he loves cars just like I do."

"Well, what I did like was more exhibit now were down to the tracks and theres just not a lot of cars I think that used to put on exhibits here you know used to have Volkswagen had their own show. Its just more variety to look you know like you come down here you look at a Genesis, they got an electric Genesis thats it," Kevin said.

After a few years, its finally returned back to its roots by having the event in January. What did people think about that?

"I like it," said Scott Duncan. "We used to come down here every January, gives us something to do wintertime when you cant get outside."

"I like this better," Vernita said. "Because its tradition to me, Im used to it being in January, used to all the snow and cold whenever you come down here."

"Come on down, see all the new stuff, its good time," Andrew said. "With your dad, with your wife or anybody you want."

The events runs until Monday, Jan. 20.

Where Your Voice Matters

It's a comment from president-elect Donald Trump that caught many people off guard.

"We're going to be changing the name of the Gulf of Mexico to the Gulf of America," he said.

Trump linked his decision to change the name of the Gulf of Mexico to immigration.

"Mexico has to stop allowing millions of people to pour into our country," he said.

RELATED STORY | Can Trump rename the Gulf of Mexico to the 'Gulf of America?'

Mexico's president has her own idea.

"Obviously, the name Gulf of Mexico is recognized by the United Nations by a United Nations agency. Why don't we call it [North America] "Amrica Mexicana"? That sounds nice, no?" Claudia Sheinbaum said sarcastically during her daily press briefing.

The Gulf of Mexico is 930 miles wide and bordered by the United States and Mexico. Both countries have roughly equal the same share of shoreline.

Nicole Anslover is an associate professor of history at Florida Atlantic University. She said the body of water has carried that name "Gulf of Mexico" for roughly 400 years.

"It's not because of the modern nation state Mexico that we know. It's actually when the Spanish were over here conquering and settling part of the area, they named it Mexico after a city that they found nearby," she said. "So, it doesn't even refer to the country of Mexico even though that's the general impression."

RELATED STORY | Traces of fentanyl and other drugs found in bottlenose dolphins in Gulf of Mexico

The Gulf of Mexico is used by both countries and Cuba for commerce.

"Lots of shipping and a lot of energy purposes. So, we not only get petroleum from there but wind energy and things like that," Anslover said.

So, is it possible for the president-elect to change the name? Yes. But Anslover said no other countries would have to recognize the change. She said Trump can work with the U.S. Board of Geographic Name or Congress. She said things can get confusing.

"Especially with weather reporting, things like that," she said. "If all other agencies in the world were calling it the Gulf of Mexico and our country was to call it the Gulf of America, that would cause some confusion with things like any future treaties, any shipping."

This story was originally published by Todd Wilson at

Scripps News West Palm Beach.

Three people were hospitalized after being shot inside a Detroit bar overnight.

A spokesperson for the Detroit Police Department tells us that the shooting happened around 1 a.m. Sunday morning in the 5500 block of Michigan Avenue.

Police tell us that two men and one woman were struck. They were all taken to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Police are still looking for the suspect from this incident. If you have information regarding this incident, you can call the Detroit Police Departments 4th Precinct at 313-596-5440 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up.

In the new year, people often make goals for their bodies, but not their cars. There are some things you can do to make sure your car is ready for 2025 and for winter.

It saves on gas," said Eddie Douglas. "Make sure the maintenance is up on it to keep it running efficiently and make it last long."

RELATED STORY | Do's and don'ts of car maintenance to avoid big repair bills

Scripps News correspondent Ali Hoxi went to Interstate Auto Care in Detroit and spoke with President Bill Nalu about ways to keep up on your car.

Fluid maintenance is by far the least expensive way to keep that vehicle up and keep the costs down, said Nalu.

Here are his top three tips:

Stay on top of fluids in your car, especially engine oil. Engine oil is needed to help reduce damaging friction inside the engine, and that reduces your cars performance.    Get your tires checked before any big snow storms or pothole season. If the snow starts to fall, if we get ice on the ground, thats when a lot of time tire stores get inundated with people, said Nalu. I always think to myself why, why would you risk spending thousand of dollars on collision, when you have hundreds of dollars involved in putting in some tires that are going to give you some grip.  Find a mechanic that you trust and build a good relationship with them. You have to have someone you can trust, said driver Linda Gottschalk. 

RELATED STORY | Beware: many newer cars have no spare tire, not even a 'donut'

Remember, the more technology you have in your car, its likely going to cost you more to fix.

This story was originally published by Ali Hoxie at

Scripps News Detroit.

After the initial crush of personnel announcements for President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration, now the nominations process officially begins.

Senate hearings are scheduled this coming week for several of Trump's picks for the Cabinet. Many have met with senators individually. Now, they will go before the committees overseeing the agencies that Trump wants them to run.

Here's a look at the schedule for Senate hearings set so far, in Eastern time:

Tuesday

9 a.m.: Doug Collins, Department of Veterans Affairs

The former Georgia congressman is up first, before the Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee. Collins is a Baptist minister, former U.S. Navy chaplain and Air Force Reserve colonel. The VA provides health care to former members of the U.S. armed forces.

9:30 a.m.: Pete Hegseth, Department of Defense

RELATED STORY | Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth declines to answer questions about assault allegations

The former Fox & Friends weekend host and Army National Guard combat veteran goes before the Senate Armed Services Committee after weeks of meetings during which some senators have questioned his fitness for the role amid allegations of excessive drinking and sexual misconduct. The Pentagon chief's authority over the U.S. military is second only to that of the president's.

10 a.m.: Doug Burgum, Interior Department

The former governor of North Dakota and businessman appears before members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, who will consider his nomination as interior secretary, the chief steward of U.S. public lands. Burgum, who endorsed Trump after ending his own 2024 presidential bid and campaigned for Trump, has also been tapped to lead the National Energy Council. Trump has said the council will seek to establish U.S. energy dominance around the world.

Wednesday

9 a.m.: Kristi Noem, Homeland Security Department

The South Dakota governor will appear before the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. The rancher and former congresswoman is in line to head one of the government's biggest agencies, integral to Trump's pledge to secure the border and carry out a massive deportation operation.

9:30 a.m.: Pam Bondi, Justice Department

RELATED STORY | Trump nominates Pam Bondi to serve as US attorney general after Matt Gaetz withdraws

The former Florida attorney general makes the first of two scheduled appearances before the Senate Judiciary Committee. She was Trump's pick for attorney general hours after his first choice, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, withdrew from consideration. Gaetz was facing questions about a federal sex trafficking investigation and a House Ethics Committee inquiry into allegations that he paid for sex, including with a 17-year-old girl.

Bondi is a longtime fixture in Trump's orbit. The attorney general will be one of the most closely watched Cabinet members, given the concern among Democrats that Trump will look to bend the Justice Department to his will.

10 a.m.: Sean Duffy, Transportation Department

The former Wisconsin congressman who was also a co-host on Fox Business will be questioned by the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. The department oversees pipelines, railroads, cars, trucks, airlines and mass transit systems, as well as funding for highways.

10 a.m.: John Ratcliffe, CIA

Ratcliffe, director of national intelligence for the final months of Trumps first term, goes before Senate Intelligence Committee. The former Texas congressman is in line to lead the nation's premier spy agency, responsible for foreign covert operations and collecting data on U.S. adversaries.

RELATED STORY | What could a second Trump term look like in the White House?

10 a.m.: Marco Rubio, State Department

The Florida senator has served on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which is considering his nomination to be secretary of state. As head of the State Department, job, Rubio would oversee the U.S. foreign service, advise Trump on diplomatic appointments and conduct negotiations with foreign leaders on behalf of the administration.

10 a.m.: Chris Wright, Energy Department

The fossil fuel executive, who has been one of the industrys loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change, appears before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee. The secretary oversees energy generation and use in the United States as well as the nation's nuclear weapon stockpile. Wright would also join Burgum on the National Energy Council.

1 p.m.: Russell Vought, Office of Management and Budget

Vought, OMB director during Trump's first term, goes before the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee. Vought was closely involved with Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for Trumps second term that the Republican nominee tried to distance himself from during the campaign. The budget director oversee the building of the presidents budget and review of proposed regulations.

Thursday

10 a.m.: Scott Turner, Housing and Urban Development Department

The former NFL player who ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council in Trump's first term appears at a hearing before the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee. Turner is a professional mentor, pastor and former Texas House member. HUD is charged with addressing the nations housing needs and fair housing laws, and oversees housing for the poorest Americans.

10 a.m.: Lee Zeldin, Environmental Protection Agency

The former New York congressman appears before the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. The agency is tasked with matters pertaining to environmental protection, conducting assessments, research, education and maintaining and enforcing national standards.

RELATED STORY | Trump's cabinet picks targeted with violent threats, transition team says

10:15 a.m.: Bondi, Day 2 before the Senate Judiciary Committee.

10:30 a.m.: Scott Bessent, Treasury Department

The billionaire money manager from South Carolina takes questions from members of the Senate Finance Committee. Bessent would be the first openly LGBTQ Senate-confirmed Cabinet member in a Republican administration. The treasury chief helps formulate financial, economic, and tax policy, and manage the public debt.

Dates not yet confirmed

Hearings are not yet scheduled for all of Trump's choices, including some of the most contentious:

Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Labor Department

Tulsi Gabbard, Office of the Director of National Intelligence

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Health and Human Services Department

RELATED STORY | Nobel Prize winners urge senators to reject RFK Jr. as health services leader

Howard Lutnick, Commerce Department

Linda McMahon, Education Department

Kash Patel, FBI

Brooke Rollins, Agriculture Department

Elise Stefanik, U.N. ambassador

Cade Cunningham had 22 points, 17 assists and 10 rebounds, and the Detroit Pistons beat the Toronto Raptors 123-114 on Saturday night.

Cunningham fell one assist of his career high, set on Dec. 16, and has the second-most triple-doubles in Pistons history.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 27 points for the Pistons, who have won nine of 11. Malik Beasley added 18.

Immanuel Quickley had 25 points for Toronto, which has lost five straight and 16 of 17. Scottie Barnes had 16 points and 11 rebounds as Toronto had seven players score in double figures.

Quickley's jumper tied the game at 109 with five minutes left, but Toronto missed four straight free throws to allow Detroit to take a 113-109 lead on Cunningham's short jumper with 3:48 to play.

Takeaways

Raptors: Toronto came up empty on a key fourth-quarter possession despite grabbing three offensive possessions.

Pistons: Pistons coach J.B. Bickerstaff has settled on Ausar Thompson to fill Jaden Ivey's spot in the starting lineup. However, sixth man Beasley gets all of the playing time down the stretch.

Key moment

Toronto led 66-65 at halftime, but Hardaway had 11 points in the third quarter as Detroit built a 99-93 lead.

Key stat

The Pistons had 10 first-half turnovers, leading to 19 Toronto points, but the Raptors only got four points off their seven second-half turnovers.

Up next

Both teams return to action on Monday. Toronto will host the Golden State Warriors while the Pistons will travel to New York to face the Knicks.

___

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Firefighters scrambled Sunday to make further progress against wildfires that have destroyed thousands of homes and killed 16 people in the Los Angeles area as forecasters again warned of dangerous weather with the return of strong winds this week. At least 16 people were missing, and authorities said that number was expected to rise.

The National Weather Service issued red flag warnings for severe fire conditions through Wednesday, with sustained winds of 50 mph and gusts in the mountains reaching 70 mph. The most dangerous day will be Tuesday, said weather service meteorologist Rich Thompson.

Youre going to have really strong gusty Santa Ana winds, a very dry atmosphere and still very dry brush, so we still have some very critical fire weather conditions out there, Thompson said at a community meeting Saturday night.

RELATED STORY | It's not really the right time for nasty California fires. What are the factors that changed that?

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said 70 additional water trucks arrived to help crews fend off flames spread by renewed gusts. We are prepared for the upcoming wind event, he said.

Fierce Santa Anas have been largely blamed for turning the wildfires sparked last week into infernos that leveled entire neighborhoods around the city where there has been no significant rainfall in more than eight months.

Twelve people were missing within the Eaton Fire zone and four were missing from the Palisades Fire, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. Luna added that dozens more reports might have come in Sunday morning and investigators were reconciling whether some of the missing might be among the dead. There are no children among those reported missing, he said.

Meanwhile, the death toll rose to 16 over the weekend. Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire, the Los Angeles County coroners office said in a statement Saturday evening.

RELATED STORY | Officials apologize for erroneous evacuation alerts sent to residents during California wildfires

The previous number of confirmed fatalities before Saturday was 11, but officials said they expected that figure to increase as teams with cadaver dogs conduct systematic grid searches in leveled neighborhoods. Authorities have established a center where people can report the missing.

Officials were building an online database to allow evacuated residents to see if their homes were damaged or destroyed. In the meantime, LA city Fire Chief Kristin Crowley urged people to stay away from scorched neighborhoods.

There are still active fires that are burning within the Palisades area, making it extremely, extremely dangerous for the public," Crowley said at a Sunday briefing. "Theres no power, theres no water, theres broken gas lines, and we have unstable structures. The first responders are working as quickly as possible to ensure that it is safe for you to return into your communities.

Officials warned the ash can contain lead, arsenic, asbestos and other harmful materials.

RELATED STORY | 'We need competent, good governance': Vance points blame at Newsom as LA wildfires rage

About 150,000 people in Los Angeles County remained under evacuation orders, with more than 700 residents taking refuge in nine shelters, Luna said.

By Sunday morning, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed more than 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades Fire was 11% contained and containment on the Eaton Fire reached 27%. Those two blazes accounted for 59 square miles.

Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico, he said.

Michigan State Police and Detroit Police are investigating a fatal wrong-way crash that shut down a section of westbound I-96 for several hours early Sunday morning. The highway reopened to traffic shortly before 8:30 a.m.

The crash happened around 3:15 a.m. near Martin Luther King Boulevard Jr on Detroit's west side. Investigators say the female driver behind the wheel of a sedan involved in the head-on collision died at the scene. Several passengers in the car were rushed to nearby hospitals. Their conditions are unknown. The condition of the driver of the other vehicle involved in the collision, an SUV, is also not known at this time.

Investigators are now trying to determine if alcohol, drugs, or a medical condition played a part in the crash.

Stay with 7 News Detroit, both on-air and online for updates on this tragedy.

Head to Winter at Valades Fire and Ice festival Friday, January 10 through Sunday, January 12 - for tons of medieval fun with a winter twist! All weekend enjoy oversized fires, turkey legs and an ice carving competition.

Try your hand at ax throwing, or take your picture on an Iron Throne - made of ice, of course. Frozen's Elsa and Renaissance Fair performers will be wandering the park for additional photo opportunities. The signature moment of the weekend is Fire and Ice Tower - a 7 foot ice structure that will become a giant bonfire once lit at 6pm on Saturday. You don't want to miss it!

The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is committed to helping visitors embrace winter by extending our great riverfront programming year-round at Robert C. Valade Park with the return of Winter at Valade. Join us in January and February to enjoy oversized fires, sleds, games, drinks, food, and a full schedule of programs and events, including the return of our signature themed weekends, winter wellness activities, and more! View full details on the tabs to the left or scroll down to learn about each activity.

Free parking for Winter at Valade is located in the lot at the corner of Chene and Guoin (enter on Guoin). There is additional parking at the Stroh Riverplace Garage and nearby side streets. Please follow all posted parking directional signage and do not park on Atwater Street. Click here for a street and lot parking map.

For more information, visit https://detroitriverfront.org/winteratvalade

Auburn Cafe has been in the Ecorse for 44 years.

Now its future is uncertain after a fire ripped through it and destroyed the inside.

I look at it as a temporary setback, were not going anywhere," said Kosta Callis, owner of Auburn Caf. "Fires not going to stop us."

Callis' mom and dad opened the restaurant which sits on West Jefferson when he was just one years old.

This thing is almost as old as I am, might as well be a twin brother, Callis added.

Callis says his parents treated the restaurant as if it was one of their own children.

When his mom saw the aftermath of the fire on Friday, he says she was devastated.

We lost my father about seven years ago and she came and saw this place.. it was like seeing him go again, Callis said.

Callis and nearly 100 customers were inside auburn cafe Friday evening when the fire broke out.

Fortunately, everyone got out safe.

When I got outside, both exhaust fans were engulfed in flames, said Callis.

No word yet on what exactly caused the fire, but what is known is that customers are sad to see auburn cafe closed.

We had one experience here and it was like we were going to dinner with our family, it was the best, they treated us like family, the food was amazing, said Ana Knapp of Warren.

The atmosphere was amazing, said Diana Cross of Southgate.

Knapp and Cross came to the restaurant on Saturday hoping to grab dinner but they quickly realized that wasnt going to happen.

Very, very upset, worried about the family, Knapp added.

Knapp and Cross say they hope Auburn Cafe is rebuilt.

Callis says the plan is to rebuild and reopen.

How can we not rebuild when you have such a strong community and strong support base, how can we not rebuild and satisfy them, said Callis.

A family friend and longtime customer of Auburn Cafe created a GoFundMe to support the restoration efforts of the restaurant.

You can find the GoFundMe here.

Special counsel Jack Smith has resigned from the Justice Department after submitting his investigative report on President-elect Donald Trump, an expected move that comes amid legal wrangling over how much of that document can be made public in the days ahead.

The department disclosed Smith's departure in a court filing Saturday, saying he had resigned one day earlier. The resignation, 10 days before Trump is inaugurated, follows the conclusion of two unsuccessful criminal prosecutions against Trump that were withdrawn following Trump's White House win in November.

At issue now is the fate of a two-volume report that Smith and his team had prepared about their twin investigations into Trump's efforts to overturn the results of his 2020 election and his hoarding of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

RELATED STORY | Supreme Court rejects Trumps bid to delay hush money sentencing

The Justice Department had been expected to make the document public in the final days of the Biden administration, but the Trump-appointed judge who presided over the classified documents case granted a defense request to at least temporarily halt its release. Two of Trump's co-defendants in that case, Trump valet Walt Nauta and Mar-a-Lago property manager Carlos De Oliveira, had argued that the release of the report would be unfairly prejudicial, an argument that the Trump legal team joined in.

The department responded by saying that it would withhold from public release the classified documents volume as long as criminal proceedings against Nauta and De Oliveira remain pending. Though U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon had dismissed the case last July, a Smith team appeal of that decision related to the two co-defendants remained pending.

But prosecutors said they intended to proceed with the release of the election interference volume.

In an emergency motion late Friday, they asked the Atlanta-based 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to swiftly lift an injunction from Cannon that had barred them from releasing any portion of the report. They separately told Cannon on Saturday that she had no authority to halt the release of the report, but she responded with an order directing prosecutors to file an additional brief by Sunday.

The appeals court on Thursday night denied an emergency defense bid to block the release of the election interference report, which covers Trump's efforts before Capitol riot on Jan. 6, 2021, to undo the results of the 2020 election. But it left in place Cannon's injunction that said none of the findings could be released until three days after the matter was resolved by the appeals court.

The Justice Department told the appeals court in its emergency motion that Cannon's order was plainly erroneous.

The Attorney General is the Senate-confirmed head of the Department of Justice and is vested with the authority to supervise all officers and employees of the Department," the Justice Department said. "The Attorney General thus has authority to decide whether to release an investigative report prepared by his subordinates."

Justice Department regulations call for special counsels to produce reports at the conclusion of their work, and its customary for such documents to be made public no matter the subject.

William Barr, attorney general during Trump's first term, released a special counsel report examining Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election and potential ties to the Trump campaign.

Biden's attorney general, Merrick Garland, has also released special counsel reports, including about Bidens handling of classified information before Biden became president.

President Joe Biden has awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom to Pope Francis, the White House announced on Saturday. It is the only time during President's Biden tenure that he has bestowed the medal with distinction.

President Biden was set to meet with Pope Francis on Friday, but canceled his foreign trip to remain in the U.S. to oversee the federal government's response to the California wildfires. President Biden, a practicing Catholic, said he was disappointed to cancel his meeting with Francis.

The White House says that the medal is "the nations highest civilian honor, presented to individuals who have made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavors."

RELATED STORY | Biden believes he would have beaten Trump in 2024 election

"As a young man, Jorge Bergoglio sought a career in science before faith led him to a life with the Jesuits," the White House said. "For decades, he served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As Pope Francis, his mission of serving the poor has never ceased. A loving pastor, he joyfully answers children's questions about God. A challenging teacher, he commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet. A welcoming leader, he reaches out to different faiths.

"The first pope from the Southern Hemisphere, Pope Francis is unlike any who came before. Above all, he is the People's Pope a light of faith, hope, and love that shines brightly across the world."

Biden last met with Francis face-to-face in June during the G7 Conference in Italy. The two last talked in December to discuss efforts to advance peace around the world during the holiday season, the White House said.

"The President thanked the Pope for his continued advocacy to alleviate global suffering, including his work to advance human rights and protect religious freedoms," the White House said in a readout of the December call.

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Francis is the first person to receive a Presidential Medal of Freedom with distinction since President Barack Obama bestowed the honor on then-Vice President Joe Biden in 2017 at the end of his presidency. Before Biden, the most recent time someone earned the medal with distinction was Pope John Paul II in 2004 by then-President George W. Bush.

Only three times since 1994 has the Presidential Medal of Freedom been awarded with distinction. Francis is the 57th person to earn a Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Biden.

The Internal Revenue Service has announced that it will begin accepting tax returns on Jan. 27, marking the start of tax season.

Taxpayers will have until April 15 to send in their returns for 2024.

Additionally, the IRS free Direct File service will expand to include 25 states this tax season.

RELATED STORY | IRS announces expansion to Direct File program for upcoming tax season

Direct File was only available in a handful of states in 2024 as the Internal Revenue Service launched it as a pilot program. The IRS has offered free electronic filing for lower-income tax filers for years, but the scope of the program was limited. The IRS said it has not offered more extensive online filing services due to the cost of maintaining such a program.

Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Hampshire, New York, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington State and Wyoming were part of the initial launch. Direct File will now also be available in Alaska, Connecticut, Idaho, Illinois, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, New Jersey, New Mexico, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.

The Biden administration said that 140,000 taxpayers filed their taxes through the pilot program in the 2024 tax season, saving an estimated $5.6 million in filing costs.

This has been a historic period of improvement for the IRS, and people will see additional tools and features to help them with filing their taxes this tax season, said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. These taxpayer-focused improvements weve done so far are important, but they are just the beginning of what the IRS needs to do. More can be done with continued investment in the nations tax system.

RELATED STORY | IRS announces more audits for certain groups of taxpayers

The IRS said 163.5 million Americans filed a return in 2024. Of those, 104.9 million had a refund from the IRS. The average IRS refund from the last tax season was $3,138.

Most refunds are issued in less than 21 calendar days, the IRS said.

Dunkin' dropped the Donuts from its brand name years ago. Now at least across Nebraska, New Mexico and some other states it doesnt have doughnuts on the shelves either.

Dunkin' stores in Omaha, Lincoln and Grand Island in Nebraska all had no doughnuts in their cases Thursday and Friday and put up signs on their doors and drive-thru kiosks informing customers that the pastries were unavailable due to a manufacturing error. Some locations did offer Munchkins, or doughnut holes, on Friday.

Tyler Raikar, of Omaha, stopped by a Dunkin' in west Omaha early Friday after an overnight shift as a phlebotomist, seeking coffee and a chocolate cake doughnut.

What? No doughnuts! she exclaimed when told the location had none. That's tragic!

The trip wasn't a total loss, she said, as she was more interested in the coffee. Still, she was a little disappointed that she couldn't get a doughnut.

Hopefully they have them soon, she said.

Throughout Albuquerque, New Mexico, and the surrounding suburbs, store after store confirmed theres a doughnut drought. Some employees chalked it up to a supply chain issue and others said simply that delivery trucks had been arriving without the cargo that the chain is most famous for. Employees said they hoped stocks would be replenished by next week.

A manager at the west Omaha Dunkin' location said Friday that she could not give more information on the cause of the shortage, citing orders from Dunkin's corporate headquarters. The manager, who did not give her name, said the shortage was a national problem.

But checks of locations in other regions, including St. Joseph, Missouri, and Boston where Dunkin' has a near cult-like following found no shortage of the sweet treats.

RELATED STORY | Dunkin' unveils $6 meal deal, joining fast food value meal craze

Dunkin is one of the worlds largest coffee and doughnut brands, with more than 13,200 restaurants. The company, which was founded in Massachusetts in 1950, was purchased for $11.3 billion in 2020 by Atlanta private equity firm Inspire Brands, which also owns Arbys and Buffalo Wild Wings.

Jack DAmato, a spokesperson for Inspire Brands, said there was an issue with doughnuts from a single supplier that impacted stores in Nebraska and some other states, although he did not name the other states. About 4% of Dunkins U.S. stores were impacted, he said. Dunkin has more than 9,500 stores nationwide.

DAmato said the company was still looking into what the issue was and exactly how many stores were affected. But he said the company has already begun restocking some affected stores.

Previously known as Dunkin' Donuts, the company announced in 2018 that it was dropping Donuts from its name as part of a rebranding effort to increase focus on its coffee and other drinks, which made up of a majority of its sales.

Phone and email messages to Bryce Bares, who owns several Dunkin' franchises in Nebraska, were not immediately returned.

RELATED STORY | McDonald's most significant menu overhaul in years begins Tuesday

Bares told the Omaha World-Herald that some Dunkin stores received products from suppliers that were not up to standard and that he would not serve them to customers. He told the newspaper that the supply partners had corrected the problem and that his Nebraska locations should be offering doughnuts again soon.

Dozens of victims of the Los Angeles area fires are turning to a San Diego law firm to help them recover from devastating losses.

Gerald Singleton, one of the nation's top lawyers when it comes to fire-related lawsuits, said his firm already has dozens of clients.

During the past two decades, his firm has represented 26,000 victims including those affected by the devastating wildfires in Hawaii.

"What we do is sue for the gap between what your insurance provides and what your actual losses are," he said.

"We have experts that are retired law enforcement, retired fire department and there are cause and origin investigators. So, they will be on the ground. They will not go and interfere, but they will be as close as they can get. They'll give us the information about whether or not this is caused by a utility or some other defendant where there may be a lawsuit."

RELATED STORY | Palisades Fire evacuation zone expands, includes iconic museum

While the cause of fires in greater Los Angeles are being investigated, Singleton said there are things people in Southern California can do to protect themselves.

He said families should have a "go-bag" for clothing and important documents like passports and the fire insurance policy.

The next thing is to have prescriptions and ensure pets are ready to go and have a carrier.

RELATED STORY | California Gov. Gavin Newsom invites Donald Trump to come see the LA fires

He added it's also a good time to increase insurance coverage for wildfires, if possible.

This article was written by

Craig Harris for Scripps News San Diego.

President Joe Biden will deliver a farewell address from the Oval Office on Wednesday, just five days before leaving office.

The White House said the address would begin at 8 p.m. ET.

The tradition of farewell addresses by the outgoing president dates back to President George Washington. Washington delivered his farewell via a written letter in 1796. President Thomas Jefferson also wrote a farewell letter to America in 1837. Both presidents had their letters published in newspapers.

It would not be until 1953 that a president would give a formal goodbye to Americans. President Harry Truman gave his farewell address from the Oval Office on Jan. 15, 1953, five days before he left office.

RELATED STORY | Biden believes he would have beaten Trump in 2024 election

Of the 12 modern farewell addresses by presidents, six were delivered in the Oval Office, while two were delivered as State of the Union addresses.

President George H.W. Bush delivered his speech from West Point, while President George W. Bush did his from the White House East Room.

President Barack Obama delivered his address before supporters in his hometown of Chicago.

Of the 12 modern farewell addresses, only President Donald Trump taped his address. His speech was recorded from the Blue Room at the White House.

President Biden leaves office after being the first president not to seek a second full term since President Lyndon B. Johnson.

RELATED STORY | Biden, Trump revive presidential tradition with post-election Oval Office meeting

Biden opted not to run for reelection in July after a debate performance that faced intense scrutiny from Republicans and Democrats alike. Despite the performance, President Biden maintained on Friday that he could have still defeated Trump had he remained in the race.

I think I would have beaten Trump, couldve beaten Trump, he said. And I think that Kamala couldve beaten Trump and wouldve beat trump. It wasnt about, uh. I thought it was important to unify the party. And when the party was worried about whether or not I was going to be able to move, even though I thought I could win again, I thought it was better to unify the party. It was the greatest honor of my life to be president of the United States but I didnt want to be one who caused a party that wasnt unified to lose an election and thats why I stepped aside but I was confident she could win.