Monthly Archives: November 2025

EXCLUSIVE: The Real Reason Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s Marriage is an ‘Empty Sham’ — ‘Constant Drama and Criticism are the Only Things Holding Them Together’

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Nov. 20 2025, Published 4:58 p.m. ET Prince Harry is facing renewed claims his marriage to Meghan Markle is propped up not by harmony but by the relentless turbulence that surrounds them, with sources telling RadarOnline.com the couple’s bond is now only sustained by the very controversies that regularly engulf their public lives. The pair has found themselves at the center of another backlash after Markle chose not to wear a poppy over the recent Remembrance Day weekend, including to a high-profile birthday celebration for Kris Jenner in Los Angeles. Backlash Over Remembrance Day Snub Her decision sparked a wave of criticism, particularly after Harry was photographed wearing the tribute to the war dead. And the fierce criticism added to years of turmoil for Harry and Markle, including their ‘Megxit’ departure from royal duties, bitter family ruptures and long-running media and court battles. Relationship Fueled by Chaos One longtime friend described their relationship as powered by the storms around them and not much else. They said: “There have been periods when the turmoil never seemed to stop, and strangely, it kept them united. “They’ve learned to function within the chaos. Constant drama and chaos and mayhem seems to be all that is tying them together at the moment.” Another source close to the couple said: “They’ve grown so used to being under fire that, bizarrely, the strain keeps them in step. “They feel like they’re the only ones the other can truly depend on. “But it’s sad they are like two naughty children in a playground coming together to revel in their mischief, but who don’t really like anything about each other.” Creating Drama to Stay Connected The insider went on: “There have been long stretches when it has genuinely felt like Meghan and Harry versus everyone else. “From the outset, Harry has taken a fiercely protective stance toward her. He’s an unusually devoted husband, largely because Meghan is hit with an enormous amount of hostility, especially on the Internet. “But that has developed into a pattern of them separately and together creating chaos for themselves and others, then reveling in it and being brought close by their misbehavior and betrayals of the royal family.” Growing Divide and Separate Futures The pair’s outing to the 70th birthday party for Jenner saw them mingling with Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez Bezos, Beyonce, Mariah Carey and Mark Zuckerberg. But Harry and Markle are said to be drifting apart due to his desire to get back to his homeland and reunite with the royal family. The pair’s multi-million dollar Netflix partnership is also pulling them in starkly different directions with insiders warning of a growing “divide” between the pair. The couple, who signed a $100million deal with the streamer in 2020 shortly after stepping back from royal duties, are pursuing separate projects, which sources claim are highlighting their differences and showing what dramatically separate lives they are leading. Markle, 44, is building a Hollywood production empire, while Harry, 41, is increasingly focused on philanthropic work and repairing ties with his family in the UK. A source claimed: “These Netflix projects are really pulling Harry and Meghan onto separate paths. “Meghan is throwing herself into Hollywood, while Harry’s focus is drifting back toward the UK and the world he walked away from. “He sometimes feels sidelined in their brand, and it’s putting a serious strain on things. This pair is now ‘divorced’ creatively and could be soon divorced legally.”
https://radaronline.com/p/prince-harry-meghan-markle-divorce-marriage-strained-drama/

Inside Alex Slabic’s social media, business journey

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Communication sophomore Alex Slabic’s debut as a social media influencer began on a whim. When a friend needed a high school graduation banner, Slabic picked up a paintbrush, turned on her video and recorded her signmaking process. She posted it on TikTok, where“literally out of nowhere, it just went viral,” Slabic said. That spontaneous post became the spark for Signs by Alex, a custom hand-painted banner business that has since taken off on both TikTok and Instagram. In just a year and a half, the Texas A&M sophomore has gone from a high school creative to a small business owner collaborating with national craft brands. Within just seven months of launching her brand on Instagram, Slabic’s following skyrocketed to 100, 000 followers, and she hasn’t slowed down since. As of late October, her Instagram had surpassed the 500, 000-follower mark, while her TikTok account now boasts over 221, 000 followers. Like many modern entrepreneurs, Slabic’s story began online. After her first viral TikTok drew thousands of views and messages from people eager to place orders, she decided to turn her creative hobby into something bigger. “I still run it completely by myself because I don’t want it to get too big or stressful,” Slabic said. “But I recently hired a brand manager who talks to companies like Michael’s and Home Depot for me. That’s been amazing since emailing them was so scary at first.” As a full-time college student, Slabic carefully balances coursework with running her business. Between classes, exams and fulfilling banner orders for customers nationwide, her days are full. Her fast-paced life means every second of the day counts, and Slabic has managed to balance lectures and line work with great precision. Her time management skills have become just as important as her artistic talents. “I always keep my planner updated,” Slabic said. “I paint in the mornings before school because the lighting’s better. When I get home, it’s too dark for photos or videos.” Slabic has learned to treat her mornings as her creative window, dedicating her early hours to painting before the campus rush begins. She shifts her afternoons to editing videos and responding to customer messages. Her process is simple but organized: clients contact her through direct message to start things off. She then sends an order form, designs each banner about two months in advance and ships them out across the country. Her banners can vary in size and pricing with her smallest being $175 for a 5-feet-by-30 inch banner and her largest being $215 for a 6-feet-by-35 inch banner. Each order represents a personal connection from graduation celebrations to engagement parties and knowing that her role plays a part in people’s milestones keeps her motivated, Slabic said. Still, it hasn’t been without challenges. Balancing her creativity with consistency on social media can be tough, especially when every post and video must meet the audience expectations. Slabic admits that staying inspired while managing growth takes both discipline and patience. “Lighting and camera angles are everything,” Slabic said. “When I moved into my apartment, the window was on the wrong side, so I had to completely change how I filmed my videos.” Behind the colorful paint strokes and viral videos lies a philosophy rooted in faith and authenticity. Salbic often credits her success to staying genuine and not chasing any trends just for views. Her followers tend to respond most when she posts real moments of her process. “I never thought I’d be at this point,” Slabic said. “It’s just a gift from the Lord. I don’t even want to take too much credit, because I’m not in control of the TikTok algorithm or why it went viral. I’m just thankful.” Her innovation, faith and consistency have opened doors to collaborations with art brands like DecoArt, which often sponsor giveaways when she hits follower milestones. To celebrate her most recent milestone, Slabic announced a giveaway featuring one of her signature handmade baskets, a gesture that reflects both her gratitude and the close-knit relationship she’s built with her followers. “I used to be scared no one would enter,” Slabic said. “Now every giveaway gets tons of engagement. It’s crazy.” What started as a small gesture of appreciation have turned into community-wide celebrations. Her followers often tag friends, share her posts and fill the comments with supportive messages, creating an atmosphere that feels more like a family than a fanbase Even with her growing platform, Slabic stays grounded about what got her started. “My favorite part is making banners for friends and family,” Slabic said. “It’s special to give them something handmade.” Those personal products remind her of why she even began in the first place with choosing creativity rooted in connection instead of competition. Although she plans to keep Signs by Alex running as long as she can, she’s also practical about the future. She hopes to continue growing her brand while exploring new ways to combine her communication degree with her creative skills through marketing, strategy or brand management. “I don’t want to bank on doing this forever,” Slabic said. “But having the platform I have, I could definitely do something else with it one day.”.
https://thebatt.com/life-arts/inside-alex-slabics-social-media-business-journey/

What Happens When You Replace Detention With a Hike?

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Many schools respond to misbehavior by assigning detention, where students are required to sit still and keep to themselves. But one school counselor in Maine, Leslie Trundy, is offering a different option: detention hikes. Trundy’s novel approach captured national media attention when she began offering students the option to join her for hikes on nearby trails. A year-and-a-half into this novel offering, the results are compelling: Fewer students have been receiving detention since the new option was introduced, and teachers have observed more positive engagement in the days following hikes. While there has not yet been a formal research study to quantify the impact, detention hikes appear to be a meaningful, relational alternative that supports students while connecting them to the benefits of time in nature and physical movement. From Isolation to Connection There is a stark contrast between the environments of traditional detention and a hike. The experience of detention can be isolating, as teens are restricted from talking with peers as they sit in a classroom as a consequence for their behaviors. But this isolation does little to teach students skills or support their well-being and sense of belonging-factors that can contribute to improved behaviors. But a detention hike offers students an experience that facilitates connection to their peers, the school counselor, and to nature. Trundy notes that most hikes begin with some level of guardedness, but as the group hikes alongside each other, conversations flow and defenses soften. “What happens on the hike is that there’s a moment where we start to connect through this shared experience,” she explained. “Students loosen up. It feels like they’re rediscovering a childlike quality-less of the hard shell of a teenager, more playful and relaxed.” These hikes also strengthen a student’s connection to the school. “I have a stronger relationship with the kids I’ve hiked with,” Trundy added. “Now I can say hi in the hall or check in with them.” Evolutionary Mismatch Many students end up in detention because the school environment requires something that runs counter to their biological wiring: staying indoors, sitting still, and focusing for many hours. “Often the reason a student is in trouble is because being confined indoors, and having to maintain their attention and focus all day, and then doing what’s asked of them is tough,” Trundy says. From an evolutionary perspective, we humans, and especially teens, are wired for movement, exploration, and time spent outdoors in stimulating, novel, and rejuvenating environments. Throughout human history, the mind and body developed in reciprocity with the natural environment-nourished and regulated by sunlight, fresh air, and physical activity. The school environment often requires the opposite: stillness, sustained focus, and quiet, in a constrained environment- creating an evolutionary mismatch. But a hike provides the conditions that the mind and body were designed for: natural light, fresh air, physical movement, and connection with community. Time in nature supports emotional recalibration. The environment itself becomes a part of the intervention to support meaningful shifts toward regulation for stressed students. From an Ecopsychology Viewpoint Ecopsychologists celebrate Trundy’s innovative work because it aligns with what the field already knows: Time in nature is foundational to well-being. The human nervous system is intimately connected to the natural world, evidenced by research that shows a reduction in stress hormones, improvements in mood, decreased impulsivity, and enhanced emotional stability while in nature. Research by Gregory Bratman and his colleagues shows that hiking reduces rumination and decreases activity in the part of the brain associated with negative thoughts and self-criticism, allowing hikers to turn their attention outward rather than being internally focused. The Attention Restoration Theory explains observations made by teachers: Students engage more in class after hikes, as they refresh their cognitive resources and ability to concentrate. Nature Metaphors and Identity Expansion Hiking exposes students to challenges like rain, rugged terrain, or the cold. Trundy uses these uncomfortable elements to reflect: “I help the kids understand that it’s going to be alright, and we have the gear to handle it. That in itself is a great metaphor for life: not everything is perfect, and yet we can often do incredible things in the midst of adversity.” Adventure therapy research supports this concept: Reasonable challenges promote self-efficacy, build resilience and perseverance, and may lead to positive identity expansion. When a student faces the discomfort of the weather, they may internalize a new message: “If I can do this, maybe I can handle other hard things in my life, too.” The Environment Facilitates Well-being The Children & Nature Network (C&NN), a research-informed nonprofit, notes that “time in nature can be a powerful antidote to the negative impacts of trauma and stress in children’s lives.” Drawing on a curation of studies, C&NN highlights that nature-based interventions such as hiking can reduce impulsivity, support healthy identity development, strengthen a sense of community, and foster a sense of belonging.
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/move-the-body-heal-the-mind/202511/what-happens-when-you-replace-detention-with-a-hike

Homegrown NH: Forage in your yard for holiday greenery

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You can take advantage of the abundance in nature to decorate for the holidays with natural materials from your yard and garden. As long as you prune with care, you can harvest branches from most evergreens as well as other landscape plants, without damaging their appearance. This material will often be fresher than purchased greenery and potentially last much longer. Evergreen boughs form the backbone of almost all projects. Pine and fir boughs are the most commonly used because they hold up the longest. Hemlock and spruce drop their needles quickly, especially indoors. Take care, though, when harvesting pine and fir because these trees only grow on new growth, not old. That means if you remove the end of a pine bough, new growth will not develop in that spot to replace what was lost. This is especially important to consider when it comes to valuable landscape plants. You can often cut more than enough branches from wild trees but remember to get the landowner’s permission before you harvest. When in doubt, you should be able to purchase some extra material at a florist shop or Christmas tree farm. Other evergreens can also be harvested like juniper, cypress (Chamaecyparis) and yew, which are not only attractive in arrangements, but will produce new growth on older wood to a certain extent. Conservatively clipping a few boughs won’t hurt the overall look of the plant and may help control size. Skip arborvitae unless you only plan to have it on display for a short time (it tends to discolor rather quickly both indoors and out). Many broadleaf evergreens can also be attractive accents on wreaths and swags and shouldn’t be overlooked. Good candidates for decorating include holly, rhododendron, mountain laurel, boxwood and inkberry. Beyond greens, other natural materials can enhance arrangements. The red berries of winterberry can be a festive addition, and dried grasses and cones can give decorations a natural look. Colorful dogwood branches and crabapple fruit are often underutilized. There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to natural materials, so have fun experimenting! It is a good idea to keep all decorative greens out of reach of inquisitive children and pets. All parts of yew, holly, inkberry, winterberry, rhododendron and boxwood are poisonous if consumed. If you are unsure whether a plant is considered non-toxic, check out the list of toxic and non-toxic plants from the ASPCA. If you have a question for Homegrown NH, you can send us an email or voice memo to HomegrownNH@NHPR. org. See you in the garden!.
https://www.nhpr.org/show/homegrown-nh/2025-11-20/homegrown-nh-forage-in-your-yard-for-holiday-greenery

NTSB releases preliminary report on UPS plane crash in Louisville

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YouTube ^ Posted on by Java4Jay New images from airport security video shows the UPS plane’s left engine detach from the wing moments before the deadly crash. (Excerpt) Read more at youtube. com . TOPICS: Front Page News; Government; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events KEYWORDS: ups 1 posted on by Java4Jay Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/4353706/posts

Hey, Google — is Santa real? How AI is ruining Christmas for kids

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AI is the new Grinch that’s stealing Christmas. Nervous laughter was Kelly Bowron’s visceral, hysterical response to her son learning the truth about Santa Claus on Tuesday courtesy of a Google search. Her little Leo, age 11 whose belief in the jolly old elf had remained firmly intact from childhood to preadolescence until this week simply wanted to know St. Nick’s spending budget, per child, worldwide. Unfortunately, however, Google’s AI overview instantly turned his merry curiosity into holiday dismay with its answer, reading, “There is no set amount Santa spends per child, as he is a fictional character.” “He screamed, ‘A fictional character?’” Bowron, a UK mother of two, told The Post. “And I was shocked, laughing in disbelief, telling him, ‘No, no. Google doesn’t always tell the truth. I still believe in Santa. Don’t listen to Google.’” A Google spokesperson told The Post that, despite its AI overview which derives responses from top-trending web content the company “believes in Santa,” noting that the site even features a dedicated Santa tracker, counting down the days until his big night. Still, peeved parents like Bowron aren’t pleased that their tiny tots, who would likely prefer to remain all aglow, can easily open up the internet and be gifted a lump of coal. After several hours of damage control, Leo so crushed by Google AI’s revelation that he gave it the middle finger seemed to buy his mom‘s insistence that Santa is real. But Bowron, wanting to preserve her youngest child’s innocence for as long as possible, spent the rest of the evening “annoyed” at the search engine and artificial intelligence for nearly spoiling the spirit of the season. With sophisticated technology at our fingertips and now, thanks to built-in speech features on most digital devices, at our beck and call large language models like ChatGPT, Grok and Google’s Gemini are everywhere and accessible to everybody. It’s a frustration most parents of Gen Alpha and Gen Beta kids, those under age 14, may face this year and beyond. Jeanice Perez, 37, a single mom of one from Las Vegas, didn’t even have time to adapt or even brace herself before her third-grader, Jordyn, stormed through the front door after school one day and yelled, “We need to talk!” Google had given the little girl a rude, Yuletide awakening, telling her Santa Claus isn’t real. It felt like a “betrayal” to Perez. “I was offended,” said the lifestyle influencer, whose daughter is now a teen. “I’d spent years committing to the bit perfecting my ‘Santa’ handwriting, making sure the reindeer had their carrots, nibbling the cookies just right, making sure not to let her find the wrapping paper ‘Santa’ used for her presents in the closet.” “Then, one day, I was just betrayed by Google.” The “betrayal” may be less of a surprise to some. Recent research found that 51% of children aged 8 and younger already have their own mobile devices. The data also determined that roughly 33% of parents allow their broods to access AI chatbots through those gadgets for answers to everyday quandaries including questions like: “Is Santa real?” Jeremy Gutsche, an AI expert and married father of two, told The Post that in the war between artificial intelligence vs. concerned parents, the bots will likely come out on top. “Is advanced technology the end of childhood wonder? Not exactly,” Gutsche, author and founder of Trend Hunter, an AI trends-spotting imprint, explained to The Post. “But it is an unstoppable force, which may push us to rethink how we teach our children about Christmas and whether or not Santa is a real character.” The pro warned that many major tech companies might soon implement kid-friendly guardrails to censor certain information but they are virtually ho-ho-hopeless. “There are dozens of competing models, and it would be nearly impossible for each platform to have one universal response to questions about Santa,” Gutsche noted. “The difficulty with embedding any rule into AI is that it can cause truth-seeking consequences in the future.” He said moms and dads will just have to learn to go with the high-tech flow. “We need to retrain our thinking in order to quickly adapt to changes in this new AI world,” said Gutsche, “versus hoping there will be regulations, which probably won’t happen.” Natalie, an NYC mom of two who preferred to use pseudonyms for her and her children, felt a similar sting when her 7-year-old daughter, Tara, announced that Google had recently burst her Santa-belief bubble. “I was walking my daughter to school the other morning and she turned to me and said, ‘I don’t believe in Santa anymore,’” Natalie recalled. “I asked why, and she replied, ‘Well, I asked Google whether Santa was real, and Google said ‘no.’ Google said that Santa was invented by Coca-Cola. “‘So I don’t believe in him anymore.’” The second grader’s sudden disillusion was hard for the mom to stomach. “Honestly, I felt quite sad about it,” she confessed. “You think, as a parent, that it’s much more in your control about how your kids find out about these things.” Her elder daughter, now 12, discovered the real deal about Kris Kringle two years ago, in what she called “a more normal, organic way” that kept the magic of Christmas alive. But that whimsical cheer might die with the tykes of today. Natalie revealed that debates about Santa’s existence are “now all flying around all her classmates,“ owing to overly chatty chatbots. One of the Gothamite’s mom friends plans to unplug her family’s Google Home smart speaker until the new year, hoping to avoid any anti-Santa leaks. Another pal, an elementary school teacher, told her that she lets her students the ones that skip AI altogether, and ask her if Santa is real what they think about his lore. She then follows up with a mini lesson on “beliefs” versus “knowledge.” But by that point, the child’s lost interest and often runs off, screaming “6 7!” It’s the silly, sad reality of kids and Christmas culture today. “I can just see that we’re raising a generation of slightly more cynical kids thanks to AI,” said Natalie. This may not be the answer you wanted . The Post asked Google, ChatGPT, Grok, Siri and Google Gemini the controversial, age-old question: “Is Santa real?” Check out what each chat said, in part.
https://nypost.com/2025/11/20/lifestyle/hey-google-is-santa-real-ai-is-ruining-christmas-for-kids/

Two boys arrested after Livermore stolen car pursuit ends in crash into apartment building

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LIVERMORE Two boys a 14-year-old suspected driver and a 15-year-old passenger were arrested Tuesday after leading police on a chase in a stolen car that ended up crashing into an apartment building. Police said it was the second time in less than a week that the 14-year-old had fled police in a stolen vehicle. Authorities did not release information about that pursuit. Tuesday’s incident started about 1 a. m. after officers saw a vehicle traveling eastbound on Interstate 580 near El Charro Road that matched the description of a recently reported stolen vehicle. Officers followed the vehicle off the freeway onto Isabel Avenue and attempted to stop it near Jack London and Murrieta boulevards. The driver failed to stop and a pursuit began with the vehicle traveling at high speed twice the posted limit at times and running stop signs, police said. Officers briefly lost sight of the vehicle but later spotted it again at the Leahy Square Apartments, some three miles away in the 3200 block of Leahy Way. As officers approached the vehicle it fled for a second time and moments later the two suspects jumped out of the still-moving vehicle, police said. The vehicle then rolled into the side of an apartment building, causing an estimated $5,000 in damages, police said. Both suspects were quickly detained and officers confirmed the vehicle had been stolen the previous day. The youths were arrested on suspicion of possession of a stolen vehicle, evading a peace officer with wanton disregard for public safety, and vandalism/property damage. They were booked at Alameda County Juvenile Hall.. Check back for updates on this developing story.
https://www.mercurynews.com/2025/11/20/two-boys-arrested-after-livermore-stolen-car-pursuit-ends-in-crash-into-apartment-building/

Philadelphia man draws prison for role in southeast PA gun trafficking network

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NORRISTOWN A Philadelphia man was sent to prison after he admitted to purchasing eight firearms for the ringleader of a multi-county gun trafficking network who illegally obtained and put nearly 100 guns on the streets. Malik Keyon Rowell-Jernigan, 26, of the 1900 block of East Pacific Street, was sentenced in Montgomery County Court to 5 to 10 years in a state correctional institution after he pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, making false written statements on federal firearms paperwork, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and conspiracy in connection with incidents that occurred between 2022 and 2023. Judge Steven T. O’Neill said gun violence is ravaging communities and that those who put guns in the hands of others who are prohibited from having them are helping to promulgate the violence. “We are in a society that lives in worship of guns. It is particularly troubling that the population gaining access to these guns is getting younger and younger and younger. They are killing members of our community,” said O’Neill, adding a state prison term was appropriate for Rowell-Jernigan. “Protection of the public has to start somewhere.” The five-year sentence was a mandatory term allowable under state law for one of the illegal gun transfers. The judge imposed concurrent five-year sentences for the other seven illegal gun purchases. Rowell-Jernigan did not address the judge before learning his fate and did not comment to a reporter as he was escorted from the courtroom in handcuffs to begin serving the sentence. Rowell-Jernigan was among eight people charged in 2023 with participating in the gun trafficking network led by Larry B. Williams of Philadelphia. Prosecutors said participants used straw purchase schemes to arm the organization. A straw purchase occurs when someone who is legally allowed to purchase a firearm purchases one and then gives it illegally to someone who is not permitted to purchase that firearm. With the charges, detectives specifically alleged Rowell-Jernigan purchased eight firearms “in furtherance of this gun trafficking organization.” The weapons included Taurus 9mm handguns, Glock . 40-caliber handguns and Glock 9mm handguns, according to court documents. “Those eight firearms were then handed over to Larry Williams as part of this overarching organization,” said Assistant District Attorney William Harry Highland III, who sought a mandatory sentence for Rowell-Jernigan. “The danger of these straw purchase cases is that individuals who cannot own or possess firearms are now able to get guns in their hands. “It presents a serious problem on the streets. When people are buying guns for those who cannot have them the ramifications of what could happen are endless,” said Highland, adding some of the illegal guns linked to the organization were used in other crimes. Some of the firearms were recovered during investigations of other crimes including in Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and during an October 2021 gunpoint robbery in Wolcott, Conn., according to court documents. Members of the network allegedly purchased 94 firearms and attempted to purchase an additional 23 firearms in Montgomery, Bucks, Chester, Lehigh, Philadelphia, Columbia, Northampton and York counties. Previous testimony revealed about 52 of the firearms are still on the streets. Authorities said about half of the illegal gun purchases and attempted purchases were completed at gun shows statewide, including at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center at Oaks in Upper Providence Township. Seven of the eight firearms that were purchased by Rowell-Jernigan have been recovered by authorities. Defense lawyer Francis John Genovese was pleased the judge sentenced Rowell-Jernigan to only one five-year mandatory sentence. “He came in early on and admitted to what he had done, took responsibility for it. He was just hoping for the best sentence possible which is what the judge ultimately gave him, the 5 to 10 year mandatory sentences all running concurrently, so he was satisfied with that outcome,” Genovese said on behalf of Rowell-Jernigan. “When he initially got involved in this at the request of Mr. Williams he didn’t realize the consequences that came along with the straw purchases. He did it to make a couple of bucks because he really wasn’t working at that point in time. He made a couple of bucks but obviously it wasn’t worth the ultimate penalty he just paid with a 5- to 10-year prison sentence,” Genovese added. Authorities said Williams was prohibited from buying, owning or possessing firearms because of previous felony convictions for drug crimes, so he recruited other people who lived in Philadelphia to buy firearms for him. The investigation found that oftentimes Williams accompanied the straw purchasers to gun stores and helped choose the weapons or he directed the purchases from afar using text or phone conversations. “Law enforcement identified multiple members of this gun trafficking organization with different roles and responsibilities,” detectives wrote in a criminal complaint. “We know through our training and experience individuals involved in this illegal activity operate in attempt to conceal the true identity of the ultimate possessor of the firearm.” For each purchase made on behalf of the organization the purchasers indicated on the record of sale paperwork that they purchased the firearms for themselves and not another individual, detectives said. “The purpose of this corrupt organization was to illegally obtain and distribute firearms to others,” detectives alleged. In April, Williams, 42, of Jasper Street in Philadelphia, was sentenced to 22½ to 45 years in prison after he pleaded guilty to charges of corrupt organizations, making materially false written statements or illegal transfer of firearms, dealing in proceeds of unlawful activities and conspiracy. In June 2022, the Montgomery County Detective Bureau initiated an investigation into illegal activities associated with the gun trafficking organization. Members of the county’s Violent Crime Unit followed the multiple purchases of firearms by the defendants through the state’s Electronic Record of Sale (EROS) system and through hard copies of ATF and Pennsylvania State Police forms at gun stores. Detectives used surveillance, interviews, information from law enforcement agencies, call detail records and cellphone downloads, social media analysis, records of cash transfers, inspection of forms used in purchasing firearms and other methods of investigation. Collaboration between law enforcement agencies and increased data sharing through initiatives like Track and Trace aided in uncovering the scale of the widespread operation. The following law enforcement organizations participated in the investigation: the Office of Attorney General’s Gun Violence Task Force; Montgomery County Detective Bureau’s Violent Crime Unit; Bucks County District Attorney’s Drug Strike Force; U. S. Department of Justice, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives; Pennsylvania State Police; Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole; FBI Bucks Montgomery Safe Streets Task Force; U. S. Marshal’s Violent Crimes Fugitive Task Force; New York State Police and multiple police departments including Abington Township Police, Philadelphia Police, Middletown Township Police, Wolcott, Conn., Police, Darby Police, New York City Police and the Pittsburgh Police.
https://www.mainlinemedianews.com/2025/11/20/philadelphia-man-draws-prison-for-role-in-southeast-pa-gun-trafficking-network/

Fears For Dolly Parton: Country Icon, 79, Pulls Out of Another High-Profile Event Citing ‘Health Concerns’ as Star Reveals Doctors’ Strict Orders

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Nov. 20 2025, Updated 2:22 p.m. ET Dolly Parton has sparked fresh health fears after pulling out of another major event, despite reassuring fans she isn’t “dying.” RadarOnline.com can reveal the country icon, 79, had been due to appear at the Hall of Fame ceremony for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions being held in Orlando, Florida, where she was inducted into the Hall of Fame for her Tennessee theme park, Dollywood. Video Message However, she accepted the award remotely, sharing a video on social media in which she explained her absence. She said: “Well, hey there, it’s Dolly. “And I sure wish I could be with you in person today, but you probably heard that I’ve been dealing with a few health challenges this fall, and my doctors told me to take it easy for just a little while.” She then went on to thank her Dollywood business partners and apologize for not being able to attend the induction. “I’m truly sorry I can’t be there, but I sure wanted to take the chance to say, thank you for this incredible honour. And to Jack and Peter, hey, thank you for being my partners and my friends for more than 40 years. ‘Sorry I Can’t Be There’ “You’ve been a blessing to me, and I love you dearly. You know, our partnership is truly special. I trust them, and they trust me, and they always listen when I come in with one of my big ideas and dreams.” Just a few days earlier, Parton also accepted an honorary Oscar remotely. On Sunday, she was awarded the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award from the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. Accepting the award in another video message recorded at her home in Nashville, she called it a “great honour” and a “blessing of a lifetime.” Last month Parton had to announce the postponement of six shows at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in December, which would have marked her first Las Vegas residency since the 1990s. String Of Cancelations However, they have now been rescheduled for September next year. Addressing fans’ concerns about her health, she explained: “Lately everybody thinks I’m sicker than I am. Do I look sick to you? I’m working hard here. I wanted to put y’all mind at ease, those of you who seem real concerned, which I appreciate. “I appreciate your prayers. I’m a person of faith. I can always use the prayers for everything. I wanted you to know that I’m okay. “I had some problems with my husband Carl when he was very sick. Then when he passed I didn’t take care of myself so I let a lot of things go that I should have taken care of. “So, when I got around to it the doctor said, “We need to take care of this, we need to take care of that.” “Nothing major. But I did have to cancel some things so I can be closer to home where I’m having a few treatments here and there. But I wanted you to know, I’m not dying!” She defiantly added: “I ain’t ready to die yet. God ain’t through with me and I ain’t done working. I love you for caring and keep praying for me.’ However concerns for her well-being intensified after her younger sister, Freida Parton, wrote online that she had been “up all night praying” for her sibling, who “hasn’t been feeling her best lately,” sparking panic from her global fanbase.
https://radaronline.com/p/dolly-parton-79-pulls-out-of-another-high-profile-event-citing-health-concerns-star-reveals-doctors-strict-orders/