New England Patriots hire former linebacker Mike Vrabel as head coach
The first vacancy on the NFL’s “coaching carousel” has officially been filled, as the New England Patriots hired a former star to lead them back to their glory days. It took just eight days for the team to introduce Mike Vrabel as its new head coach.
The former linebacker, inducted into the team’s Hall of Fame 15 months ago, is now the 16th head coach in the organization’s history. Vrabel replaces another former star linebacker, Jerod Mayo. He lasted just one season in New England after posting a 4-13 record.
Vrabel leaned immediately into New England’s culture, saying, “I want to galvanize our football team. I want to galvanize this building, I want to galvanize our fans. The most important thing is our players –– there’s some of them right here –– I want to provide a program that provides their ownership but also their accountability of each other.”
Vrabel was a consultant for the Cleveland Browns last season and spent six years as head coach in Tennessee. His record leading the Titans was 54-45, which included a trip to the AFC Championship. He was named Associated Press Coach of the Year in 2021. He won three Super Bowls playing for the Patriots between 2001 and 2008.
“Just because those banners hang, that’s not going to give us an advantage on the field,” Vrabel said. “But it’s going to give us a blueprint for how hard we need to work and the things that we need to do to be successful.”
The new coach also discussed his plan for rookie quarterback Drake Maye. The No. 3 overall pick finished with 2,276 yards, as well as 15 touchdowns and 10 interceptions this past season.
“Put great people around him. I would say my involvement will be as it relates to game management and situational awareness and where we are on the football field and trying to develop him as a leader of the offense,” Vrabel said. “Drake is going to be his own person, but I’m going to give him some things that I feel like are necessary to help us win football games. We have to be a very efficient passing football team.”
While Vrabel was a relatively quick hire in New England, there are still six more NFL head coach openings. The Dallas Cowboys became the latest team looking to hire someone new. They joined the Jacksonville Jaguars, Las Vegas Raiders, New York Jets, Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints.
On Monday, Jan. 13, after weeks of speculation, the Cowboys allowed Mike McCarthy’s contract to expire, making him a free agent. McCarthy has already been linked with several of the other openings, most notably in Chicago.
NFL Playoff game kicks off in Arizona under shadow of California wildfires
The final showdown of the NFL’s wildcard weekend takes place Monday, Jan. 13, in Arizona as the Los Angeles Rams and Minnesota Vikings battle to see who will advance to the divisional round. The wildfires in and around Los Angeles are not far from the thoughts of players, coaches and their families.
The game was moved to Arizona on Thursday, Jan. 9, because of the continuing threat of the wildfires in California and potential air quality issues.
To make it feel like a Rams home game, the division rival Cardinals repainted the field at State Farm Stadium. They sent two Boeing 777 charter airliners to pick up the Rams players, coaches, staff and even their families — around 350 people.
“That gave us a little bit of a peace of mind, it was definitely stressful, the timing and trying to pack everything up but ultimately we were able to get to the plane and were able to make it out here and now we’re able to let them stay at the hotel come here, get our work in and have a clear mind so,” Rams defensive lineman Kobie Turner said.
On the Minnesota Vikings’ side, the vibe hasn’t changed much. They’re still preparing for a road playoff game, but they are dealing with the disappointment of falling flat in the regular season finale in Detroit. A win in that game would have given them the top seed in the NFC and a week of rest before the divisional round.
That said, the Vikings coaching staff’s message is to push those doubts aside and bounce back.
“When you have a performance where we put a lot into last Sunday night and as a head coach, you challenge your team to acknowledge it, understand it,” head coach Kevin O’Connell said. “But then we’re moving forward knowing all the things we’ve been able to accomplish this year, we’re going to need bits and pieces of every single one of them.”
Despite the distractions on both sides, expect the teams to focus on the task at hand. The Rams see it as just part of the overall journey.
“This is a unique situation but I think all the things that we’ve been through this year, this group is built for this,” head coach Sean McVay said.
The Vikings are slight 2.5-point favorites in this matchup. The winner will face the Philadelphia Eagles in the next round.
At least 24 dead as strong winds return to fuel California wildfires
Fire crews continue to battle deadly wildfires in Southern California as the death toll rises and strong winds are set to return. And a potential end to the Israel-Hamas war could be in sight as progress was made toward a ceasefire and hostage release deal. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Monday, Jan. 13, 2025.
At least 24 dead as strong winds return to fuel Los Angeles area wildfires
At least 24 people are now confirmed dead and dozens more At least 24 people are now confirmed dead and dozens more are missing as multiple fires continue to rage in Southern California. Firefighters said they’re making progress against the wildfires that have now been burning for almost a week in the Los Angeles area.
Still, the threat remains high as dangerous Santa Ana winds will pick up again starting Monday, Jan. 13.
Weary fire crews said it’s not safe enough in many areas to assess the true total damage. Three fires continued to burn into Monday, Jan. 13: the Palisades, Eaton and Hurst fires, all of which broke out last Tuesday, Jan. 7.
The Palisades Fire remained the biggest and least contained, at more than 23,000 acres with only about 13% containment. Officials expanded evacuation orders for the Palisades Fire as it moves east, threatening the Brentwood and Encino areas.
The Eaton Fire was just over 14,000 acres and 27% contained on Monday. According to CalFire, the two fires are now the second and fourth most destructive in state history.
The Los Angeles County Fire Department said flames destroyed more than 7,000 buildings in the Eaton Fire alone. Investigators are only about a quarter of the way through their damage assessment.
The county is now under a public health emergency over smoke and particulate matter, which could cause long-term harm.
Progress made in Israel-Hamas ceasefire talks, officials say
Mediators with the U.S., Qatar and Egypt said they’ve made significant progress in brokering a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas. However, nothing has been finalized just yet.
The deal would result in the release of dozens of hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip ever since the terror group attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
It is believed there are a total of 98 hostages; however, as many as three dozen are feared dead.
Officials briefed on the negotiations said there was a breakthrough in Doha early Monday morning following talks between Israel’s spy chiefs, President-elect Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff and Qatar’s prime minister.
In addition, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Joe Biden spoke about the cease-fire deal on the phone Sunday, Jan. 12.
Officials said negotiators for Israel and Hamas took a proposed final draft of the deal back to their leaders for approval. However, this is not the first time a deal to end the war has been closely considered. The U.S. has said several times over the past year that a deal was imminent, only for it to fall through.
An Egyptian official said an agreement will likely take a few more days and both sides are aiming for a deal before Trump’s inauguration next Monday, Jan. 20. However, Hamas said there are still issues it says need to be resolved, including an Israeli commitment to ending the war and details about the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza and the hostage-prisoner exchange.
JD Vance, Christopher Wray speak on Jan. 6 ahead of Trump inauguration
Incoming Vice President JD Vance and outgoing FBI Director Christopher Wray shared their thoughts with Fox News and CBS News with just one week until President-elect Donald Trump’s Inauguration Day.
In his first interview since leaving the Senate, Vance spoke to Fox News Sunday of executive orders concerning illegal immigration on day one of the Trump administration and of being hopeful there soon will be a cease-fire deal in the war between Israel and Hamas. Vance was also asked about Trump’s plans to pardon those convicted in connection with the Jan. 6, 2021 storming of the Capitol.
“I think it’s very simple,” Vance said. “Look, if you protested peacefully on January the 6th and you’ve had Merrick Garland’s Department of Justice treat you like a gang member, you should be pardoned. If you committed violence on that day, obviously you shouldn’t be pardoned. And there’s a little bit of a gray area there but we’re very much committed to seeing the equal administration of law and there are a lot of people, we think, in the wake of January the 6th who were prosecuted unfairly. We need to rectify that.”
On 60 Minutes, FBI Director Christopher Wray explained his decision to step down three years before the end of his 10-year term. Trump appointed Wray in 2017, during his first administration.
The FBI director then oversaw investigations into Trump, as well as President Joe Biden and Biden’s son Hunter. Trump intends to replace Wray with former aide Kash Patel.
“Well, my decision to retire from the FBI, I have to tell you it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make,” Wray said on 60 Minutes. “I care deeply, deeply about the FBI, about our mission and, in particular, about our people. But the president-elect had made clear that he intended to make a change, and the law is that, that is something he is able to do for any reason or no reason at all. My conclusion was that the thing that was best for the Bureau was to try to do this in an orderly way, to not thrust the FBI deeper into the fray.”
Wray was also asked about Trump’s plans to pardon many of the roughly 1,500 people charged with federal crimes in the Jan. 6 riots.
“I do think it’s important to step back and remember that we’re talking about hundreds of people who are convicted, most of them pled guilty of serious federal crimes,” Wray said. “Heck, I think 170 or so of them pled guilty to assaulting law enforcement, dozens of them with dangerous or deadly weapons. And there’s a whole bunch that were convicted of seditious conspiracy.”
After Vance’s interview aired on Fox, the vice president-elect responded to a critic on X saying Trump will be looking at each case concerning Jan. 6 individually.
Special counsel Jack Smith resigns as fight to block Trump report continues
Special counsel Jack Smith, appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee the criminal investigations into Trump, resigned from the Department of Justice. While his departure was expected, it comes as Trump and his allies continue efforts to block the release of Smith’s final report on his investigations.
Smith’s resignation was made public Saturday, Jan. 11, in a brief footnote of a DOJ court filing to U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon of Florida. She was appointed to the bench by Trump.
Cannon issued an order last week temporarily blocking the DOJ from releasing Smith’s investigation into Trump’s interference in the 2020 election results. The DOJ filed an emergency motion late Friday, Jan. 10, asking a federal appeals court to reverse the order.
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin scrubs New Glenn launch attempt
Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin called off the planned launch of its New Glenn rocket from the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida on Monday morning. The company scrubbed the launch due to a “few anomalies” found during the countdown.
The delay of the rocket’s inaugural attempt to reach orbit could last at least 24 hours or longer. The launch, when it does happen, will include an attempt to land New Glenn’s first stage booster on a barge in the Atlantic Ocean.
In an interview with Reuters before the launch attempt, Bezos said that the booster landing is “the thing we’re most nervous about.”
A wild ending to NFL’s wild-card weekend with 1 more game to go
The NFL’s wild-card weekend saw one wild finish Sunday night. Five teams advanced to the divisional round, and a final wild-card game will be played Monday night.
On Saturday, the Houston Texans defeated the Los Angeles Chargers 32-12 in the opening game of wild-card weekend. Then the Baltimore Ravens moved on with a convincing 28-14 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On Sunday, the Buffalo Bills dominated the Denver Broncos 31-7 while the Philadelphia Eagles defeated the Green Bay Packers 22-10.
Late Sunday night, a last-second field goal — with the ball hitting off the uprights and going through, known as a “doink” — gave the Washington Commanders the 23-20 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. It was Washington’s first playoff win since 2005.
Monday night, the Minnesota Vikings will meet the Los Angeles Rams in a game that was moved from Los Angeles to Arizona due to the wildfires.
The race for the Lombardi Trophy continues Sunday, Jan. 12, with a Wild Card playoff triple-header. Lucky fans can watch roughly 10 consecutive hours of NFL football.
It all begins with an AFC showdown between the Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills. Buffalo rested their starters in the final game of the regular season and finished with a 13-4 record. The big question: Will the Bill’s MVP candidate, Josh Allen, be able to pick up where he left off? He threw 28 touchdowns against six interceptions in the regular season and also ran for 12 more scores.
On the other side, rookie quarterback Bo Nix has grown into the job. The Broncos needed a win on the final day of the regular season to get in the playoffs and destroyed Kansas City 38-0.
Needless to say, the team impressed Bills head coach Sean McDermott.
“Every team in the playoffs is dangerous, this is high-level competition and high stakes, right?” McDermott said. “So, it doesn’t matter what your seed is, that’s been played out over and over, year after year, right? So, it’s who plays the best on the field.”
Sunday’s middle game is in Philadelphia, where the NFC East champion Eagles welcome the 11-6 Green Bay Packers. The teams faced off four months ago in the first game of the season in Brazil, of all places. The Eagles won that game 34-29.
Both starting quarterbacks were injured toward the end of the regular season, but the Eagles’ Jalen Hurts and the Packers’ Jordan Love will play on Sunday.
Finally, Sunday’s nightcap is another rematch from the first week of the season. The Washington Commanders, who won 12 games for the first time in 34 years, will be in Tampa to take on the NFC South champion Buccaneers.
Tampa Bay won that first meeting at home 37-20, ruining Jayden Daniels’ debut as an NFL quarterback. However, he said he’s ready for the rematch.
“It’s exciting, but you still gotta deal with those emotions,” Daniels said. “At the end of the day, you still gotta go out there and play ball. A lot of people are going to put an emphasis on it because, at this point, it’s really win or go home.”
Preview: NFL’s Wild Card Saturday kicks off with 2 AFC battles
A pair of AFC Wild Card playoff games kick off the NFL’s race for the Lombardi trophy. It’s the start of a month-long race to New Orleans and the 2025 Super Bowl.
The Los Angeles Chargers will be in Houston to take on the Texans in the early matchup. The Chargers, with a 11-6 record, are three-point favorites and won their final three regular-season games, but the organization is concerned about the wildfires in Los Angeles, which continue to burn.
Head coach Jim Harbaugh says the team has contingency plans for families should something happen while they’re away so that they can stay focused on the game plan.
“There were 32 teams; now there are 12. The whole football world will be focused on this weekend, excited about that, but we don’t want to settle,” Harbaugh said.
The Texans finished 10-7 and won the AFC South division. They will lean on their fifth-ranked defense, one of the toughest in the league. Quarterback CJ Stroud is also playoff-tested—last year, he led Houston to a pair of wins as a rookie.
Stroud says they are ready for a deeper run, even as underdogs.
“They said the same thing about us last year against the Browns,” Stroud explained. “I’m not saying this is last year, but we did what we had to do to win. That’s ultimately what the playoffs come down to; there’s 14 teams now, and the microscope is on you.”
The second matchup is a big-time AFC North rivalry, as the division champion Baltimore Ravens host the Pittsburgh Steelers on Amazon Prime. The two teams split their matchups in the regular season.
Baltimore quarterback Lamar Jackson led the Ravens to four straight wins down the stretch. Though he’ll be without star receiver Zay Flowers, the team scored at least 31 points in those final four games.
The Ravens will also lean on the home-field advantage.
“I expect our fans to be how they are, they’ll be into it, they’ll be fired up,” said head coach John Harbaugh. “It’s gonna be a night game; it’ll be cold, dark, and the team is gonna try to play lights out.”
The Steelers finished the regular season going in the opposite direction, having lost four straight. Quarterback Russell Wilson needs a running game to find success, while the Steelers’ defense must improve as well.
In their last meeting with Baltimore three weeks ago, the Steelers allowed Derrick Henry to rush for 162 yards. Steelers defensive end JJ Watt believes it’s simple; “There is no secret, especially this time of year. Teams that are playing physical football, getting as many hats to the football as possible, being opportunistic as a defense, are going to win the game.”
College Football Playoff semifinals: Ohio State vs. Texas
The inaugural 12-team College Football Playoff comes down to the final three teams. The second semifinal pits No. 8 seed Ohio State Buckeyes against No. 5 seed Texas Longhorns in the Cotton Bowl in Arlington, Texas, on Friday night, Jan. 9.
Ohio State is the odds-on favorite to win the national title after crushing the Tennessee Volunteers in the first round and then jumping out to a massive lead against the top-seed Oregon Ducks in the Rose Bowl. They won that quarterfinal game 41-21.
The Buckeyes offense has been balanced and explosive with quarterback Will Howard at the helm, and the defense has been nearly unbeatable. They allowed opponents just 12 points per game and proved why they are the top unit in the country.
But Ohio State head coach Ryan Day says none of those statistics will matter on Friday.
“The truth is nothing that Ohio State has done, or Texas has done up until this week, has anything to do with what’s going to happen in this game. Zero. If you think otherwise, just go back and look at where we were a couple weeks ago. Every single week the slate is wiped clean,” Day said, referring to the Buckeyes’ loss to Michigan in the regular season finale.
On the other side, Texas will also lean on its shut-down defense, ranked fourth in the nation. They’ve already shut down the Clemson Tigers in first-round action. They also survived an overtime thriller against Arizona State to advance to the Cotton Bowl.
Arlington is just a three-hour drive from the University of Texas in Austin. The motivation is there, too. After losing in the national semifinals a year ago, they’ll need a fast start as a 6-point underdog.
“I think good programs believe in their formula, and part of our formula is our opening scripts. And that’s not gonna change this week either,” said Longhorns head coach Steve Sarkisian. “I’ll probably have a press conference at the end where I’ll say, ‘Man, the opening script was great –– why did it work?’ Or I’m gonna have one where [I say], ‘What happened? What was wrong?’”
An “x factor” in this semifinal could be how well Texas protects quarterback Quinn Ewers. In their only two losses this season, both to Georgia, he was sacked a combined 13 times. Now they face a Buckeyes front that sacked Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel eight times in the Rose Bowl.
The team that wins Friday will play in the National Championship Game on Monday, Jan. 20.
Editor’s note: In a previous version of this story, Straight Arrow News incorrectly reported the name of the Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback as Will Smith. The quarterback’s name is actually Will Howard. Straight Arrow News deeply regrets this error, which has been corrected as of 1/10/2025.
Parent sues Texas high school football coach after 400 push-up workout
A parent is suing her son’s former Texas high school football coach and a dozen assistant coaches after she says her son was pushed over his limit and ended up in the hospital. According to the lawsuit, in January 2023, the staff ordered the Rockwall-Heath High School players to complete nearly 400 push-ups in under an hour as a penalty for infractions seen during an off-season practice.
The lawsuit filed last month, almost two years later, said days after the workout, 26 players were taken to the hospital where they were diagnosed or showing symptoms of rhabdomyolysis. The Cleveland Clinic describes the condition as a “rare muscle injury where your muscles break down … a life-threatening condition that can happen after an injury or excessive exercise without rest.” The clinic says it “can cause kidney damage.”
Mike Sawicki, the attorney representing the parent suing the coaching staff, said the former head coach John Harrell had a responsibility to take care of the players.
“The problem here is that this is a real, potential harm,” Sawicki said. “This is not, I stubbed my toe or this is not I’m a little winded after running some sprints. This is a potentially long-term, life-affecting injury, and it’s not something you’re just going to tough out.”
An investigation commissioned by the Rockwall Independent School District found Harrell did not know about rhabdomyolysis when designing his workout plans. However, once he learned about students being injured, he began researching the condition and notifying his players to seek medical attention.
The school district placed Harrell on administrative leave shortly after the initial allegations came out. He resigned in March 2023, two months later. Some players at the time defended their coach.
“He would never make us do a workout thinking that it was going to put any of us at risk,” Brady Luff, the junior team captain, told WFAA-TV in January 2023.
According to the investigation, players who spoke out about their injuries were being bullied online and there was a concerted effort by some in the football community to discredit them.
The suit is seeking compensation for medical expenses incurred by the injury.
Sawicki said he has settled two other lawsuits against Harrell from parents whose kids were part of the workout. He said this is the first to involve assistant coaches.
The attorney told The Washington Post he does not believe Harrell is an evil person but says he and his coaching staff were responsible for creating a safe program, including knowing about the risks of an excessive workout plan.
5 dead, thousands of homes destroyed as fires rip through Los Angeles area
Five wildfires now burn in the Los Angeles area of Southern California, leaving death, destruction and devastation in their paths. And the infernos led President Joe Biden to cancel his final international trip in office. These stories and more highlight your Unbiased Updates for Thursday, Jan. 9, 2025.
5 dead, thousands of homes destroyed as fires rip through Los Angeles area
At least five wildfires were burning in the heavily populated Los Angeles area of California on Thursday, Jan. 9, destroying thousands of homes and putting millions of lives in danger. At least five people died from the blaze and more than 100,000 evacuated their homes.
Dry conditions and strong winds continue to fuel the flames.
The newest fire, the Sunset Fire, sparked Wednesday night in the famous Hollywood Hills region. According to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s latest update at 11:50 p.m. PST on Wednesday, the blaze engulfed 60 acres at 0% contained.
The Palisades Fire remains the biggest threat, covering over 17,000 acres at 0% containment.
Officials said it destroyed at least 1,000 buildings, making it the most destructive fire in Los Angeles history.
The deadly Eaton Fire near Pasadena and Altadena spanned more than 10,000 acres at 0% contained. All five reported deaths were linked to the Eaton Fire.
Fire crews made headway on the Hurst Fire in the San Fernando Valley, containing about 10% of the blaze that spread to almost 900 acres, according to CalFire.
Crews made the most progress in fighting the Lidia Fire in Acton, about 50 miles north of downtown Los Angeles. That fire scorched about 350 acres, but CalFire said it was 40% contained.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom said more than 7,500 firefighters, including crews from Oregon, New Mexico, and Washington state, are battling the flames.
More than 7,500 firefighting personnel are on the ground working with local and federal partners to respond to California's ongoing historic wildfires.
Southern California residents — please remain vigilant tonight. Listen to local officials and be ready to evacuate if you're…
While mandatory evacuation orders are in effect for certain areas, officials told everyone in the area to pack a go-bag and be prepared to leave.
Celebrities among victims to lose homes in California wildfires
With tens of thousands of people impacted by the ongoing wildfires in California, come countless personal stories of loss, grief, shock and, in some cases, gratitude. Among those affected in the Los Angeles County and Hollywood area are some famous names.
Celebrities shared their accounts of the devastating scenes, something many said is like out of a movie.
“This Is Us” star Mandy Moore posted videos to her Instagram account of the fiery destruction in Altadena, writing, “I love you, Altadena. Grateful for my family and pets getting out last night before it was too late. Honestly, I’m in shock and feeling numb for all, so many have lost, including my family … our community is broken but we will be here to rebuild together.”
“Seeing our home burn to the ground on live TV is something no one should ever have to experience. The devastation is unimaginable. To know so many are waking up today without the place they called home is truly heartbreaking,” Hilton wrote.
Actor Billy Crystal released a statement with his wife after losing his Pacific Palisades home.
“Janice and I lived in our home since 1979,” Crystal said. “We raised our children and grandchildren here. Every inch of our house was filled with love. Beautiful memories that can’t be taken away. We are heartbroken of course but with the love of our children and friends we will get through this.”
James Woods, who once starred on the television show “Shark,” openly wept in a CNN interview as he talked about his immense loss and the search for his neighbors.
As the fires spread across the hub of the entertainment world, organizers postponed multiple movie premieres, TV productions and award shows.
The Critics Choice Awards, originally scheduled for Sunday, Jan. 12, have been moved to Jan. 26. The Oscar nominations announcement was pushed back two days to Jan. 19.
An NHL hockey game involving the Los Angeles Kings was postponed Wednesday night. The NFL said it is monitoring the conditions as the Los Angeles Rams are slated to host a playoff game Monday night, Jan. 13.
Biden to deliver eulogy at Carter’s funeral, Trump to attend
On Thursday afternoon, President Joe Biden will deliver the eulogy at the state funeral for former President Jimmy Carter at the Washington National Cathedral.
President-elect Donald Trump will also attend the funeral. Trump, along with his wife Melania, were among those to pay their respects as the 39th president was lying in state at the Capitol Rotunda on Wednesday.
After the funeral, Carter’s body will take one final trip back to his home state of Georgia where he will be buried next to his wife of 77 years, Rosalynn.
While in Washington on Wednesday, Trump held a private meeting with Republican senators at the Capitol to discuss a strategy for top priorities heading into his second term. While speaking to reporters, Trump called the wildfires in California “a true tragedy.”
Biden announced Wednesday he canceled his final international trip of his presidency. He said he will remain in Washington, D.C., to monitor the deadly fires in Southern California.
Biden was set to take part in a three-day trip to Rome and the Vatican where he would meet with Pope Francis and the Italian president. His announcement came just hours after meeting his first great-grandchild, born at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Capitol police arrest man who brought machete to Jimmy Carter viewing
As thousands of Americans paid their respects to Carter at the Capitol, authorities arrested a man Wednesday at a security screening for people waiting to view the late president as he lies in state in Washington.
Capitol police said the man, identified as Washington resident Mel Horne, carried a machete and three knives in a bag. Authorities spotted the weapons as the bag went through an X-ray machine. Horne now faces multiple charges of carrying a dangerous weapon.
Capitol police also said officers arrested a Virginia man who lit a bag containing accelerants on fire on top of his car near the Capitol. They do not believe the two incidents were connected.
Port strike averted after tentative deal reached
Longshoremen reached a tentative new contract deal Wednesday with shipping and port companies along the East and Gulf Coasts of the U.S., averting a potentially crippling strike for now.
The United States Maritime Alliance, which represents ship lines and port operators, and union International Longshoremen’s Association (ILA) said they’ve agreed on a six-year deal. However, the agreement is not official until ratified by union members.
The ILA represents 50,000 members who fill 25,000 jobs at 14 ports from Maine to Texas. If this deal wasn’t reached, port workers were set to go on strike beginning next Thursday, Jan. 16.
Details of the agreement have not yet been publicly released, but sources close to the matter said it addresses a key sticking point for workers: automation.
In October, Longshoremen agreed to a wage increase of 62% over six years, and the two sides pushed other issues into 2025 to end a three-day strike.
Airbnb.org providing free, temporary housing for displaced California residents
Airbnb.org, the nonprofit founded by Airbnb, is providing free, temporary housing for people displaced by the Los Angeles County fires. The organization partnered with the non-profit 211 LA to connect those who lost their homes or have been forced to evacuate with a free place to stay.
College Football Playoff semifinals: Penn St. vs Notre Dame
College football is down to its final four, as the semifinals of the inaugural 12-team playoff begin Thursday, Jan. 9. In the first matchup, Penn State will face Notre Dame for the Orange Bowl, just north of Miami.
To make it to this point, the Fighting Irish knocked out Indiana in the first round, followed by Georgia in the Sugar Bowl. They’ve done it primarily on defense, where they rank second in the country, allowing just 13 points per game. They’ve also leaned on their running game. That combination has helped them win 12 straight games.
During the Orange Bowl media day press conference on Wednesday, Jan. 8, Notre Dame head coach Marcus Freeman talked about his team’s identity.
“As you look at the course of our season, it’s been a big indication of the outcome of the game –– our ability to run the football and our ability to stop the run,” said Freeman. “It’s a mentality, it’s a mindset. Just from a defensive coaching background, when you can’t stop an offense from running the ball, it can be demoralizing.”
The other side looks much the same. Penn State beat SMU and Boise State in resounding fashion to reach the semifinal. Their defense is ranked seventh in the nation, holding opponents to just 15 points per game. In the quarterfinals against the Broncos, they held Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty in check, allowing him to run for just 3.5 yards a carry.
Penn State’s head coach, James Franklin, wants the same plan on Thursday.
“We look at it similar. Notre Dame does a phenomenal job with their running backs, what they average per carry, how they play up front,” Franklin said. “But now you’re also having to factor the quarterback into it, which creates another challenge, which creates more stress.”
An “x factor” that should concern Franklin –– the Fighting Irish led college football in takeaways with 31 this season. How conservative will the Nittany Lions be in their quest to protect the football? Will Notre Dame need to force a fumble or interception to win?
Thursday’s winner will face either Texas or Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl semifinal, which is scheduled for Friday night, Jan. 10, in Arlington, Texas.
Titans have top pick in 2025 NFL draft, fire general manager
The Tennessee Titans wrapped up the number one overall pick in April’s NFL draft after losing to the Houston Texans on the final day of the regular season. They fired General Manager Ran Carthon 48 hours later, who likely would have made that pick.
Carthon lost his job after posting a 9-25 record over his two seasons in charge.
Titans owner Amy Adams Strunk said in a statement, “I’ve loved the time I’ve spent with Ran –– he’s a talented football mind, a great man, and friend to everyone along his path. It’s impossible to ignore that our football team hasn’t improved over the past two years. I am deeply disappointed in our poor win-loss record during this period, of course, but my decision also speaks to my concern about our long-term future should we stay the course. I love this team more than you can imagine. To our fans: We know this level of performance isn’t acceptable. We’re humbled by your support as we continue to work towards building the team you expect and deserve.”
The draft order from pick 18 to 32 will be decided by 14 teams in the playoffs, with the Super Bowl champion making the 32nd pick in the first round.
Several teams that finished near the .500 mark for the season will look to retool after many of the top picks are off the board.
Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said they’ll immediately get to work preparing for the draft.
“The silver lining of being in this situation and the opportunity that you’re presented is that you do have a head start on the rest of the league to a certain extent. So this is something we really have to take advantage of. This is a position we don’t want to be in ever again, so hopefully, make the most of it and springboarding into creating those opportunities,” Macdonald said.
In Las Vegas, one day after the Raiders let interim head coach Antonio Pierce speak to the media about the season and the state of the team, they fired him. Six teams are now looking for new head coaches, and two teams are looking for new general managers.