Monthly Archives: December 2025

Jail scores in top 10% in country

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**Wilson Jail Scores in Top 10% in Country**

*By Drew C. Wilson*
dwilson@wilsontimes.com | 252-265-7818

An independent auditor recently gave high marks to the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office for its operation of the Wilson County Detention Center after spending two days at the facility.

Auditor Chad Wicker of the American Correctional Association conducted the audit. With more than 20 years of correctional experience, Wicker visited the jail last week to assess the facility’s compliance with national standards.

“We conducted an on-site audit with the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office in Wilson to see if they were in compliance with the core jail standards manual, which consists of about 148 standards,” Wicker explained. These standards cover basic requirements that small jails must meet to operate efficiently, effectively, safely, and securely.

The audit included a comprehensive tour of the jail, interviews with staff and inmates, and a thorough review of facility operations. Wicker noted that the most time-consuming part of the process was reviewing all the standards alongside proofs provided by the facility to ensure compliance.

“It takes about a day and a half to conduct that,” he said. “At the end of that, we determine if they successfully meet the accreditation standard set by the American Correctional Association.”

Wicker added, “The thing with an audit is you always find things to improve. No jail is stagnant. It either needs to improve or, moving forward, better itself.”

He praised the Wilson County Detention Center, stating, “We found the facility to be very clean. The staff was very engaged with the inmates. The culture was very high — a great environment.”

Though there is always room for improvement, Wicker summarized the overall impression: “I think they have a great facility there.”

Out of more than 3,000 county jails in the country, only about 300 are accredited. “So the facility in the Wilson County Sheriff’s Office is in the top 10% of facilities in the country as far as their detention facility goes, and that is something impressive for the citizens of Wilson County,” Wicker said.

The jail scored 96.6% on the audit. Wicker explained that “there are 47 standards that they must be 100% compliant with, and they were.” Additionally, “there are 104 standards that require at least 90% compliance,” which the detention center also passed comfortably.

“The accreditation process is something many facilities choose not to pursue because they don’t want to put in the extra work to improve,” Wicker noted.

Having visited facilities across the country, Wicker said what impressed him most about Wilson County was “such a great culture. Everybody seems to be pulling the rope in the same direction. You just don’t see that at many places.”

He attributes this strong culture to the leadership, commenting, “I think that is a direct reflection of the sheriff and the leadership at the jail. They really have a great culture there, and everybody seems to be working together to improve the facility and keep the citizens of Wilson County safe.”
https://www.wilsontimes.com/news/jail-scores-in-top-10-in-country-0507180b

Matt Boldy scores a pair as Wild streak hits seven

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**Wild Extend Winning Streak to Seven with 5-2 Victory Over Oilers**

ST. PAUL — With the band mostly back together, the Minnesota Wild made the goal horn wail once again on Saturday, securing their seventh straight win. Matt Boldy led the charge with two first-period goals as the Wild, playing with a healthier lineup after five regulars returned, relied on solid defense through the final two periods to hold off a determined Edmonton Oilers squad, winning 5-2.

Ryan Hartman’s opportunistic goal in the dying seconds of the opening period proved to be the difference-maker. Vladimir Tarasenko added insurance in the third period — his fourth goal in the past three games — helping the Wild improve to 4-0-0 since last week’s blockbuster trade for Quinn Hughes. Tarasenko later set up Nico Sturm for an empty-net goal with 85 seconds remaining.

“It’s exciting for sure,” Hughes said. “I think the team’s won seven in a row. I’ve been here for four. It’s exciting. We got two more before Christmas, hopefully grab those.”

Filip Gustavsson was busy all afternoon against Edmonton’s talented offense, finishing with 28 saves and improving his record to 12-8-3 as Minnesota’s starting goaltender.

“We know who to look out for out there against that team,” Hartman said, referencing Oilers stars Connor McDavid — who had a goal — and Leon Draisaitl, who contributed two assists. “You know the line that was matched up with them did a great job. We locked down the front of the net for the most part, pucks weren’t getting through, and when they did, Gus made some big saves. So, good team win.”

Boldy, who entered the contest with a three-game scoring streak, quickly extended it to four when he intercepted a puck from Oilers defenseman Mattias Ekholm at the defensive blue line. On the ensuing breakaway, Boldy’s crafty backhand slipped past the Edmonton goalie’s glove side less than five minutes into the game.

Near the midway point of the first period, Draisaitl was penalized for cross-checking and then drew a second minor for unsportsmanlike conduct after protesting too vehemently. On the ensuing extended power play, Boldy showed no subtlety. Taking a pass from Hughes, he blasted the puck high on the stick side past Calvin Pickard, doubling the Wild’s lead.

“Breakaway was just kind of a reaction and then kind of a slower pass on the power play, so I tried to go to the far side,” Boldy said after recording his third multi-goal game of the season.

The Oilers responded quickly, with Hartman finishing a nice give-and-go pass from Jake Middleton with 7.2 seconds left in the first period.

Edmonton had numerous chances on a power play early in the middle frame but couldn’t find the back of the net. The Wild also benefitted from some good fortune when a shot by Oilers defenseman Evan Bouchard clanged off the inside of the post behind Gustavsson and bounced away safely. Minnesota’s defensive effort was highlighted by 20 blocked shots.

“Yeah. You know, it’s so fun to see. The goalies always appreciate it so much,” Gustavsson said of the team’s collective defensive effort. “You can’t cover all your body with pads as a player, and they still go out there and block those one-timer shots. And it doesn’t matter if it’s a skill guy or not, and you love to see that.”

Tarasenko, acquired in a July trade with Detroit, had been relatively quiet early in his tenure with the Wild but now has five goals since returning from an injury in late November. He scored on a loose puck in the crease behind Pickard after an initial shot by Yakov Trenin.

“Vladdy is skating really well, he’s ultra-competitive, he’s getting shots off,” Wild coach John Hynes said. “I felt like, since he’s gotten here, his responsibility in his play without the puck, from a defensive standpoint, has always been strong. Now he’s just getting rewarded for his hard work.”

Pickard finished the game with 32 saves for the Oilers, who had won four of their previous five games but are now 0-2-0 against the Wild this season.

The Wild’s three-game pre-Christmas homestand continues Sunday evening when Central Division-leading Colorado Avalanche make their second visit to St. Paul this season. The Wild claimed victory in their first meeting, winning 3-2 in a shootout on the day after Thanksgiving.
https://www.thedickinsonpress.com/sports/pro/matt-boldy-scores-a-pair-as-wild-streak-hits-seven

Multiple documents in Epstein files disappear as release continues

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The apparent deletion was met with criticism from Democrats on the House Oversight Committee, who are already exploring “all legal options” after the Trump administration did not release all of the files on Friday.

On Saturday, the Oversight Democrats’ X account reposted one of the removed photos and accused the administration of a “cover-up.”

**Justice Department Releases First Round of Epstein Files Required Under New Law**

While the Trump administration ultimately did not meet the Friday deadline for a full release of the files, the Department of Justice (DOJ) has continued to release them over the weekend.
https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/justice/4135274/multiple-documents-epstein-files-disappear/

‘The Walking Dead’ Star Andrew Lincoln’s New Paramount+ Series Is Premiering Soon

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**Andrew Lincoln Stars in New British Psychological Thriller ‘Coldwater’ Premiering on Paramount+**

Andrew Lincoln, best known for his iconic role as Rick Grimes on *The Walking Dead*, is making his much-anticipated television return with a new show on Paramount+. The British psychological thriller *Coldwater* is set to premiere exclusively on Paramount+’s Premium plan on Friday, January 9.

Created and written by David Ireland, *Coldwater* features a talented cast including Ewen Bremner, Indira Varma, and Eve Myles. The six-episode first season will release new episodes weekly, with the finale airing on February 13. Directors Lee Haven-Jones and Andrew Cumming helm the series, while Lincoln takes on a role behind the scenes as an executive producer alongside Jane Featherstone, Chris Fry, Lydia Hampson, Alice Tyler, and David Ireland. Brian Coffey serves as the producer.

**Plot Overview**

*Coldwater* follows stay-at-home dad John (Andrew Lincoln), who moves his family from London to a remote Scottish town called Coldwater after a violent incident at a playground triggers a personal crisis. There, John is welcomed by his neighbor Tommy (Ewen Bremner), a charismatic local who at first seems like a friendly staple of the community. However, a series of unsettling events soon compel John to question Tommy’s true nature.

**Andrew Lincoln’s Return to Television**

This series marks Lincoln’s first live-action TV role since his tenure as Rick Grimes in *The Walking Dead* and its spinoff miniseries *The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live*. Lincoln starred in the first nine seasons of *The Walking Dead* as the former sheriff’s deputy and leader of the Alexandria Safe-Zone, before departing the show. He later returned as a special guest star for the 11th and final season.

In 2024, Lincoln reprised the Rick Grimes role in the six-episode miniseries *The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live*, starring alongside Danai Gurira and Pollyanna McIntosh.

**Additional Credits and Production Work**

Apart from *The Walking Dead*, Lincoln’s other acting credits include *A Better Paradise*, *Penguin Bloom*, *Made in Dagenham*, *Strike Back*, *Heartbreaker*, *Moonshot*, *Wuthering Heights*, *This Life + 10*, and *Afterlife*, among others.

On the production side, *Coldwater* is Lincoln’s latest project as an executive producer. He has previously held EP roles on *A Better Paradise*, *The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live*, and the TV special *The Walking Dead: The Return*.

**Don’t Miss the Premiere**

Andrew Lincoln’s return to television with *Coldwater* is a thrilling way to start the new year. Tune in to Paramount+’s Premium plan on Friday, January 9, for the series premiere. New episodes will continue to drop weekly until the season finale on February 13.

In the meantime, fans can stream all seasons of *The Walking Dead* on Netflix and catch *The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live* on AMC+.

—

*Stay updated with the latest entertainment news and exclusive previews by following PopCulture.com.*
https://popculture.com/streaming/news/the-walking-dead-star-andrew-lincolns-new-paramount-plus-series-is-premiering-soon/

A Brazilian judge allows ex-President Bolsonaro to leave prison for a hernia surgery

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**Brazil’s Former President Jair Bolsonaro Granted Permission to Leave Prison for Hernia Surgery**

SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazil’s former President Jair Bolsonaro, who has been serving a 27-year prison sentence for an attempted coup since November, was granted permission on Friday to leave prison for a hernia surgery.

The date of the surgery has not been announced.

Brazilian Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes gave the far-right leader authorization to temporarily leave incarceration in order to undergo the medical procedure.
https://mymotherlode.com/news/latin/10322659/a-brazilian-judge-allows-ex-president-bolsonaro-to-leave-prison-for-a-hernia-surgery.html

Space Development Agency awards roughly $3.5 billion to 4 companies for 72 missile tracking and warning satellites

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The U.S. Space Force’s Space Development Agency (SDA) has awarded approximately $3.5 billion to four companies to begin building the third generation of its low Earth orbit constellation. The SDA issued firm fixed-price Other Transaction Authority (OTA) agreements with L3Harris Technologies, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Rocket Lab to build a total of 72 satellites for the Tracking Layer Tranche 3 (TRKT3) of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture (PWSA) constellation in low Earth orbit.

“The Tracking Layer of Tranche 3, once integrated with the PWSA Transport Layer, will significantly increase the coverage and accuracy needed to close kill chains against advanced adversary threats,” said SDA Acting Director Gurpartap ‘GP’ Sandhoo. “The constellation will include a mix of missile warning and missile tracking, with half the constellation’s payloads supporting advanced missile defense missions to pace evolving threats.”

### Satellite Capabilities and Launch Timeline

The satellites are slated to begin launching in fiscal year 2029 and will cover two types of sensing capabilities: missile warning/missile tracking (MW/MT) infrared (IR) sensors and missile warning, tracking, and defense (MWTD) sensors. Each of the four companies will build 18 satellites.

Here’s the breakdown of funds allocated to each company and the satellites they will build:

– **Lockheed Martin:** $1.1 billion for 18 MWTD space vehicles (SVs)
– **L3Harris Technologies:** $843 million for 18 MW/MT SVs
– **Rocket Lab:** $805 million for 18 MWTD SVs
– **Northrop Grumman:** $764 million for 18 MW/MT SVs

“The addition of these satellites will achieve near-continuous global coverage for missile warning and tracking, along with payloads capable of generating fire control quality tracks for missile defense,” Sandhoo added. “This is a prime example of spiral development: the ability to rapidly integrate the next generation of technologies, and to proliferate the most impactful capabilities for increased capacity and lethality.”

### Rocket Lab’s Role and Technology

In its announcement to investors, Rocket Lab noted that the initial amount is a base contract, with up to $10.45 million in options available. The company will build these satellites on its Lightning satellite bus featuring Rocket Lab’s next-generation Phoenix infrared sensor payload — a wide field-of-view (WFOV) solution designed to meet evolving missile defense needs for national security space. Additionally, the satellites will include the advanced StarLite space protection sensors, designed to safeguard the constellation against directed energy threats.

Rocket Lab also revealed that some other companies on this contract are incorporating its StarLite sensors.

“The Tranche 3 Tracking Layer constellation is part of the U.S. Space Force’s strategy to counter rapidly evolving global threats, ensuring the nation’s defense capabilities remain ahead of adversaries. Rocket Lab is honored to play a role in enabling this,” said Rocket Lab founder and CEO, Peter Beck. “Demand for resilient, scalable, and affordable space systems continues to grow, and this award demonstrates that Rocket Lab is uniquely positioned to lead the charge in delivering solutions that meet the needs of national security.”

This contract marks Rocket Lab’s second award from the SDA, adding to its $515 million award for 18 satellites with the SDA’s Transporter Layer-Beta Tranche 2 program, which will enhance secure, low-latency communications across the PWSA.

### L3Harris Technologies’ Expanding Fleet

L3Harris is expanding on its earlier allotments of four missile tracking satellites launched as part of Tranche 0, plus 34 satellites currently in development across Tranche 1 and Tranche 2. The company recently opened a new facility on its Palm Bay, Florida campus dedicated to the production of Tranche 1 and Tranche 2 satellites.

“L3Harris is proud to support SDA in its mission to deliver a next-generation, layered defense architecture that can track threats in real time,” said Christopher Kubasik, Chair and CEO of L3Harris. “Defeating the hypersonic missile threat begins in space, and our Tranche 3 satellites will advance our proven, on-orbit tracking and targeting capability needed to protect our homeland.”

### Northrop Grumman’s Continued Commitment

Northrop Grumman is now responsible for 150 satellites across the first three Tranches for the SDA. The first plane of its Tranche 1 Transport Layer (T1TL) satellites is set to launch in early 2026.

“Northrop Grumman’s contributions to both high and low altitude layers of our nation’s missile warning and tracking architecture help protect our nation from a wide range of threats,” said Brandon White, Vice President and General Manager of the space-enabled multi-domain operations division at Northrop Grumman. “With our extensive history of fielding operational Overhead Persistent Infrared (OPIR) satellites, we are poised to rapidly deliver the TRKT3 satellites to the SDA.”

### Lockheed Martin’s Largest Contract Share

Lockheed Martin received the largest portion of the contract, valued at $1.1 billion for its 18 MWTD satellites. Earlier, in January 2024, the company was awarded an $890 million contract for 18 Tranche 2 Tracking Layer satellites. Lockheed Martin launched 21 of its T1TL satellites in October 2025 and has another 21 in production.

The 18 TRKT3 satellites will be built on satellite buses supplied by Terran Orbital and assembled at Terran Orbital’s SmallSat Processing and Delivery Center in Colorado. In total, Lockheed Martin is currently contracted to build 124 space vehicles for the SDA.

“Lockheed Martin’s ongoing investments and evolving practices demonstrate our commitment to supporting the SDA’s Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture,” said Joe Rickers, Vice President of Transport, Tracking and Warning at Lockheed Martin. “These innovative approaches position Lockheed Martin to meet the warfighter’s urgent need for a proliferated missile defense constellation.”

### Integrated, Resilient Constellation

All satellites in the Tracking Layer will be designed to operate seamlessly with other satellites in the PWSA constellation in low Earth orbit, working in concert with a common ground system.

“The Tracking Layer will form a global constellation in LEO of IR missile warning and missile tracking satellites that integrate with the Transport Layer’s low-latency mesh communication network to provide mission data directly over tactical data links and enable advanced missile tracking from proliferated LEO,” the SDA said in a statement. “Resilience is built in through proliferation by fielding refreshed capabilities with targeted technological enhancements approximately every two years with each generation of satellites that launch.”

This innovative approach ensures that the United States maintains a robust, scalable, and advanced missile warning and defense architecture capable of countering evolving global threats.
https://spaceflightnow.com/2025/12/20/space-development-agency-awards-roughly-3-5-billion-to-4-companies-for-72-missile-tracking-and-warning-satellites/

EXCLUSIVE: How Princess Anne was ‘The Heir Prince Philip Always Yearned For’ — And NOT Charles or Andrew

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**Princess Anne: The Royal Who Most Embodied Prince Philip’s Admired Qualities**

*Published Dec. 19, 2025, 6:52 p.m. ET | RadarOnline.com*

RadarOnline.com can reveal that Princess Anne is widely regarded as the royal who most embodied the qualities the late Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, deeply admired. Fresh claims suggest that Philip regarded his only daughter as “more of a man” than his sons Charles and Andrew.

This revelation comes as Anne celebrates 33 years of marriage to Vice Admiral Sir Timothy Laurence, 70. The couple wed on December 12, 1992, at Crathie Kirk near Balmoral.

### The Son He Always Wanted

Prince Philip, who passed away at age 99 in April 2021, personally drove Anne to the church for her second wedding—a gesture many viewed as a testament to their unique closeness.

Royal author Tom Quinn writes in his book *Gilded Youth* that palace staff often joked, “Anne was the son Philip always wanted.” Quinn describes their relationship as one rooted in shared temperament and mutual respect. Philip admired Anne’s fearlessness, discipline, and her ability to resist royal “fuss.”

Anne is said to have mirrored her father’s brusque manner and sharp humor completely. One former palace insider revealed that Philip privately believed Anne was “more of a man than Charles and certainly Andrew,” respecting her resilience and work ethic above all else.

Another source added, “Philip valued action over introspection. In Anne, he saw decisiveness and grit, qualities he felt were lacking in his sons.”

### Action Over Academic Theory

Anne’s pragmatic approach to life also appealed to the Duke of Edinburgh. While King Charles III, now 77, attended Cambridge University, Anne took a different path. She earned three A-levels in English, History, and Politics at Benenden School before deciding to forgo university entirely.

Quinn recalls Anne joking that higher education “was completely overrated.” In the documentary *Anne: The Princess Royal at 70*, she explained:

> “So many of my contemporaries, when asked why they were going to university, would say, ‘Well basically because that’s what you do.’ I remember thinking, really, that doesn’t sound like a very good reason… so I thought I would skip that.”

Instead, Anne became a full-time working royal at just 18. Philip, an avid sportsman, was especially proud of her equestrian achievements, including her individual gold medal at the 1971 Burghley three-day event.

### A Steady Partner in Sir Tim

Anne’s bond with her father deepened during the breakdown of her first marriage to Mark Phillips, which ended in 1992. Sir Timothy Laurence entered her life in 1986 as the Queen’s equerry.

Their marriage has quietly endured at Gatcombe Park, with Sir Tim becoming an increasingly visible support in recent years, even appearing alongside Anne on the Buckingham Palace balcony for major royal milestones.

A recent Christmas card featured Anne and Sir Tim smiling together in a carriage on Sark, bearing the message:

> “With Best Wishes for a Happy and Peaceful Christmas and New Year from Anne and Tim.”

### Contrast with Her Scandal-Plagued Brothers

A source commented, “These resurfaced claims about Philip’s admiration for Anne as ‘more of a man’ than her brothers are yet another blow to them after a horrific year.”

The royal family faced a difficult 2025, including reports that King Charles was forced to further distance himself from Andrew Windsor amid the ongoing fallout from his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.

Our source added, “Anne would have been a lot harsher on Andrew a lot earlier if she were Queen—she is truly no-nonsense. Philip saw that strength in her, and it’s why she remains the ‘absolute brick’ of the firm today.”
https://radaronline.com/p/princess-anne-the-heir-prince-philip-always-wanted-not-charles-andrew/

Trump Media to merge with fusion energy startup TAE in $6B all-stock deal

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**Trump Media & Technology Group to Merge with Fusion Reactor Startup TAE Technologies in $6 Billion All-Stock Deal**

Trump Media & Technology Group Corp. (commonly referred to as TMTG) today announced plans to merge with TAE Technologies Inc., a startup specializing in the development of fusion reactors. The all-stock transaction is valued at $6 billion, with ownership of the combined company set to be evenly split between the shareholders of both TAE and TMTG.

U.S. President Donald Trump indirectly holds a majority stake in TMTG. The company went public last March via a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC). TMTG operates the Truth Social social network and manages a $2.5 billion fund investing in digital assets such as Bitcoin.

Despite its assets, TMTG has faced financial challenges, reporting a net loss of $54.8 million last quarter on net sales of just $972,900. Similarly, Foothill Ranch, California-based TAE Technologies is also unprofitable, having lost $54.8 million in the third quarter, but it holds $166 million in cash reserves.

The planned merger is expected to provide TAE with access to TMTG’s substantial $3.1 billion balance sheet, significantly extending the fusion startup’s financial runway and supporting its ambitious development goals.

### About TAE Technologies and Its Fusion Reactor Technology

TAE Technologies is developing fusion reactors based on an advanced beam-driven field-reversed configuration system. This approach involves powering the reactor with multiple particle accelerators. According to TAE, its accelerator-driven architecture and other innovations offer advantages over traditional fusion reactor designs.

Unlike standard nuclear reactors, which generate power through nuclear fission (splitting atomic nuclei), fusion energy is produced by fusing two light atomic nuclei into a heavier one. The resulting heavier nucleus has slightly less mass than its components, and this mass difference is converted into energy—the fundamental principle behind fusion power.

Currently, commercial fusion power generation remains a challenge due to significant technical limitations, primarily the difficulty of fusing atomic nuclei which naturally repel each other. Fusion reactors must replicate sun-like conditions within their reaction chambers to overcome this obstacle.

TAE’s reactor uses fuel composed of hydrogen and boron. The process involves converting the fuel into plasma—a cloud of charged particles—held in place by a powerful magnetic field. Unlike some fusion designs that rely exclusively on magnets for containment, TAE’s approach leverages the hydrogen-boron plasma itself to generate a magnetic field, reducing dependency on external magnets.

The system is further stabilized by an array of particle accelerators that inject energetic particles into the plasma to maintain the magnetic containment field. These accelerators are supported by power management systems capable of delivering 750 megawatts of electricity in under a millisecond.

### Expansion Into Medical Applications

In 2017, TAE spun off a subsidiary called TAE Life Sciences to explore medical applications of its particle accelerator technology. This unit is developing a compact particle accelerator designed for hospital installation in radiation therapy.

Earlier this month, TAE Life Sciences partnered with the UK Atomic Energy Authority to commercialize this medical technology, marking an important step towards practical healthcare applications.

### Future Plans and Outlook

TMTG and TAE Technologies expect to complete their merger by mid-2026. Around the same time, TAE plans to commence construction of a 50-megawatt fusion power plant. Further down the line, the company aims to bring up to 500 megawatts of additional fusion capacity online, advancing closer toward viable commercial fusion energy.

This merger represents a significant development at the intersection of emerging media and advanced clean energy technologies, potentially shaping both sectors in the years to come.
https://siliconangle.com/2025/12/18/trump-media-merge-fusion-energy-startup-tae-6b-stock-deal/

“I can’t call him the N-word” – Former WWE announcer shares hilarious story about Vince McMahon; called the former CEO a ‘psychotic’

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Former WWE CEO Vince McMahon has shared numerous unforgettable backstage moments that WWE superstars still talk about to this day. Although McMahon is no longer closely associated with the company, there’s no denying that he laid the foundation for the global phenomenon WWE has become. His contributions to the industry will always be remembered.

In a recent appearance on *INSIGHT with Chris Van Vliet*, Todd Grisham recounted a hilarious story involving Vince McMahon. The WWE veteran revealed that one day, after using the gym, McMahon approached him and mentioned that he had left weights on the barbell.

Grisham shared the moment:
“And Vince is walking by and he goes, ‘Oh, hey, there’s my boy.’ And I’m like, he’s talking to me. ‘Yeah, yeah, you. I’m your boy, right?’ He starts walking a little closer and he’s like, ‘I saw you going into the weight room the other day.’ I said, ‘Yes sir.’ He goes, ‘You were lifting those weights, weren’t you? Lifting those weights.’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘You put the weights on the bar, right?’ I said, ‘Yeah.’ He goes, ‘But you forgot to take them off.’ I said, ‘Oh.’ He goes, ‘No, no, no, it’s OK. It’s OK.’” [48:50 onwards]

Further elaborating, Grisham revealed that Vince had taken quite some time to decide how to address the issue of leaving the weights on the bar. McMahon reportedly wanted to call him the N-word but realized he couldn’t, so instead, he settled on calling him “boy.”

Grisham explained,
“And he said that Vince thought about how to approach me about that all weekend. ‘I can’t call him the N-word. I’m not his N-word. What can I call him? I’ll call him boy.’ Yeah, OK. And he like planned it. He’s psychotic. But to be fair, later that night, I did the show, walked backstage and he gave me the nod. Like, he’s on to the next subject.”

—

### Vince McMahon Absent from John Cena’s Final WWE Match

John Cena recently marked his retirement at WWE’s Saturday Night’s Main Event in one of the most emotional nights in the company’s history. While many expected Vince McMahon to make an appearance and witness Cena’s final match in the WWE ring, that did not happen. The former CEO did not show up, and the reason for his absence has not yet been disclosed.

Fans will have to wait and see when Vince McMahon will make his return to WWE television.

—

*Stay updated with the hottest WWE news by choosing Sportskeeda as your preferred source. [Click here to read more.]*

*Edited by Ishaan Rathi*
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-i-call-n-word-former-wwe-announcer-shares-hilarious-story-vince-mcmahon-called-former-ceo-psychotic

Cougs beat the Eagles for the third straight year

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In the wild, a Coug beats an Eagle, and the 2025 509 Classic was no different. The game is now in the books, with three-point shooting, led by the “Bench Mob,” propelling the Cougars to a decisive victory over the Eagles.

Washington State University (WSU) came out aggressive, aiming to establish two key elements: the three-point shot and intense ball pressure from their 2-3 zone defense. Eemeli Yalaho got the game rolling with a wing three-pointer, quickly followed by ND Okafor’s impressive block on an Eastern Washington University (EWU) shot.

The momentum shifted as Okafor asserted himself offensively in the post, finishing the first half with 12 points and a crucial steal. Another Cougar making an impact in the middle of the first half was Ace Glass, who shot two-for-three from beyond the arc and four-for-five overall, tallying 10 points along with two rebounds, two assists, and two steals.

Glass and Okafor went on a dominant run, controlling the game for a brief stretch. Glass knocked down a top-of-the-key three, added his second floater, and then connected on another three-pointer off a screen set by Okafor. To cap it off, Glass threw a spectacular alley-oop to Okafor, who finished the play with a dunk and a foul.

Bench scoring proved to be the biggest difference between the two teams. WSU’s Glass and Emmanuel Ugbo, both coming off the bench, made significant contributions. Ugbo scored 14 points in the first half, shooting five-for-seven from the field and three-for-four from the free-throw line.

For the Eagles, it was all about Isaiah Moses and Jojo Anderson. Moses logged nearly 18 minutes in the first half, finishing with 10 points, two assists, one steal, and three turnovers. The Eagle offense revolves around their point guard Moses, known for his shifty style of play. While he struggled to finish at the rim—making just three of nine shots in the first half—his aggressive drives earned him trips to the free-throw line. Anderson came out hot, hitting his first two shots and forcing David Riley to instruct Jerone Morton to tighten up defensively and give him no space.

The second half saw Rihards Vavers turn up the heat. After missing his first three attempts, Vavers came out strong, hitting a baseline jump shot followed by a wing three-pointer, reigniting the Cougs’ offense. Although Glass struggled with his shooting in the second half—going two-for-six—he continued to create opportunities for his teammates.

WSU’s offense in the first half was driven mainly by Ugbo, Okafor, and Glass. In the second half, the scoring was more evenly distributed; while only three players scored more than seven points in the opening half, seven players reached that mark after the break.

The Cougs did experience a brief cold spell from three-point range, allowing the Eagles to close the gap to within 10 points. However, every time EWU mounted a run, the Cougars answered swiftly, either with timely three-pointers or Okafor’s aggressive rim attacks, including posterizing attempts and trips to the free-throw line.

The Eagles gained momentum thanks to continued strong play from Moses and Anderson, with additional support from Alton Hamilton IV, who was deadly from the corner beyond the arc. Still, it wasn’t enough. WSU distanced themselves down the stretch, capitalizing on their ability to attack the rim where the Eagles lacked rim protection.

The final score read 78-63 in favor of WSU. Emmanuel Ugbo and Ace Glass led the “Bench Mob” and proved to be the difference-makers for the Cougars in the 2025 509 Classic.
https://dailyevergreen.com/193610/sports/cougs-beat-the-eagles-for-the-third-straight-year/