Bridge Bread Bakery opens new Delmar Loop location

Bridge Bread Bakery, a St. Louis-based nonprofit dedicated to helping homeless individuals secure employment, opened a new location on Saturday morning.

The bakery’s mission is to provide job opportunities and support for those experiencing homelessness, empowering them to rebuild their lives through meaningful work.

With the addition of this new site, Bridge Bread Bakery aims to expand its impact, offering more community members a chance to gain valuable skills and stable income.

This initiative continues to strengthen ties within the St. Louis community while addressing homelessness through sustainable employment solutions.
https://fox2now.com/news/missouri/bridge-bread-bakery-opens-new-delmar-loop-location/

Another measles case reported in Los Angeles, Orange counties

Just one day after Orange County officials announced a confirmed case of measles in a toddler, Los Angeles County confirmed a case of their own. This individual also visited Orange County, linking the two cases geographically.

Unlike the Orange County measles case, which involved a child who had not traveled, the Los Angeles case is tied to a traveler who was […]
https://ktla.com/news/local-news/another-measles-case-reported-in-los-angeles-orange-counties/

Why do I like religion?

Some might ask, “Why do I even need religion? I am a spiritual person and I can go it alone with God and onto eternity without a formal religion, without a community of other spiritual souls.” However, even the most heroic soldier cannot win a war without an army (unless you’re King David). Similarly, the most saintly person cannot win the war of salvation without the companionship of fellow religious. The song is “Onward Christian Soldiers,” not “soldier.” But let’s not rush the answer; let’s build it.

Why do we like worldly things? I submit that most of us enjoy worldly activities at which we succeed—be it making money, playing certain games, reading, singing, our profession, or a hobby. Many years ago, two psychologists, Osipow and Schied, conducted a study in which they rigged the results so that subjects succeeded at tasks they initially did not prefer. What do you think the subjects did afterward? They changed their preferences to things at which they succeeded.

Why do we like life? Perhaps the same reasoning can be applied to life. We like life to the extent that we succeed at it, know how to play the game, and navigate our society and culture successfully. For many of us, we learn how to play the game of life better as we grow older, and we subsequently like and enjoy life all the more. Sadly, those who never “figure out” life run the risk of living their final days less satisfied and evaluating life less favorably in the end.

Why do I like religion? Even with religion, the more successful you are, the more likely you might be to say you like religion. You might feel successful and, therefore, inclined to appreciate religion even more—whether you understand your religion better, as in a more cognitive religion like Catholicism; whether you feel your religion more emotionally, as an evangelical; or whether you behave your religion more fervently, like Mormon missionaries or Jehovah’s Witnesses walking door to door.

For Christianity, it comes down to welcoming—if not necessarily liking—death. If you believe death has been defeated by the resurrection of Jesus, then why wouldn’t you like the idea of moving on to the more wonderful life Jesus has promised in eternity? Who wouldn’t be happy that their religion allows them not to worry about death anymore?

Our faith brings us the belief that death is not the end. Our bodies will be glorified in the same way Jesus’ resurrected body was. We won’t have our imperfect earthly forms, limited by the circumstances dealt at birth or through life’s challenges. Rather, we will have perfected versions of our earthly bodies.

How can I be assured of eternal life? The answer is because Jesus said he is the way, the truth, and the life. He taught “that everyone who believes in him might not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16). As devout Catholics, we believe and follow the teachings of Jesus. So why would we not believe this proclamation of utmost importance—one that says we are not going to be gone forever and blink out of existence?

In his book *The Courage to Be*, Paul Tillich suggests that the fear of death is the basis for all other fears. But now, we don’t have to worry about death anymore, because “Jesus said so!”

One conclusion might be to cling less to this life. We should embrace death as the doorway to an eternity that we will enjoy much more than this present existence. Let’s practice our religion—this beautiful gift of universal faith—fervently as the path to that doorway.

And that is why I like religion: I like having a pathway to eternal life with Christ Jesus.
https://themiscellany.org/why-do-i-religion

Knicks get close look at Blazers duo with important trade deadline questions looming

The New York Knicks recently got an up-close look at two potential trade targets as they hosted the Portland Trail Blazers at Madison Square Garden on Friday. With the NBA trade deadline approaching this Thursday, trade rumors have been swirling around Jrue Holiday and Jerami Grant.

Multiple reports have linked the Knicks and Blazers as possible trade partners for Holiday and Grant. Both players are known for their strong defensive skills and versatility, capable of guarding multiple positions on the court.

When asked about the trade speculation before the game, Jrue Holiday told The Post, “First I’m hearing about it.” As the deadline draws near, basketball fans will be keeping a close eye on possible roster moves involving these key players.
https://nypost.com/2026/01/30/sports/knicks-get-close-look-at-two-blazers-stars-as-trade-deadline-questions-loom/

Pope Leo says everyone can be a good Samaritan

To love one’s neighbor—whom Jesus identifies as anyone who has need of us—is within everyone’s reach, Pope Leo wrote in his message for the 34th World Day of the Sick. This day is observed by the Church on February 11, the feast of Our Lady of Lourdes.

“The pain that moves us to compassion is not the pain of a stranger; it is the pain of a member of our own body, to whom Christ, our head, commands us to attend, for the good of all,” the pope emphasized in the message released on January 20.

The theme chosen for the 2026 observance is inspired by the parable of the Good Samaritan and Pope Francis’ encyclical on human fraternity, *Fratelli Tutti*. Titled, **“The compassion of the Samaritan: Loving by bearing the pain of the other,”** the message focuses on the importance of encountering and listening to others, being moved by compassion, and loving God through concrete action in solidarity with others.

While traditionally addressed to Catholic health care and pastoral workers, this year’s message is offered to everyone. Cardinal Michael Czerny, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development, explained at a Vatican news conference on January 20 that “we’re one body, one humanity of brothers and sisters, and when someone’s sick and suffering, all the other categories which tend to divide fade away into insignificance.”

When asked about how people in the United States should best respond to violence toward immigrants, Cardinal Czerny admitted, “I don’t know what to say about the larger picture,” but advised focusing on “the underview,” or what can and should be done on the ground.

“There are many situations in which the individual Christian, the individual citizen, can extend their hand or lend their support. And that’s extremely important,” he said. “I suppose we could all hope that those many gestures, many Samaritan gestures, can also translate into better politics.”

The Catholic “struggle for justice,” Cardinal Czerny told Catholic News Service, gains “its real depth and its real meaning” from daily lived experiences helping real people. Advocacy work, for example, should “evolve out of real experience.”

He explained, “When, let’s say, your visits to the sick reveal, for example, the injustice of inaccessibility to health care, well then you take it up as an issue, but on the basis of your lived and indeed pastoral and Christian experience.”

The Good Samaritan parable shows that “we are all in a position to respond” to anyone in need. Cardinal Czerny reflected, “And the mystery, which you can discover whether you are a Christian or not, is that by responding, in a sense, your own suffering is also addressed.”

He added, “Since the major suffering for so many today, young and not so young, is loneliness and hopelessness, by worrying about it less and reaching out to someone who needs you, you will discover that there’s more life than you imagined.”

In his message, Pope Leo concluded, “To serve one’s neighbor is to love God through deeds.”

He further explained that the “true meaning of loving ourselves” involves “setting aside any attempt to base our self-esteem or sense of dignity on worldly stereotypes such as success, career, status or family background and recovering our proper place before God and neighbor.”

“I genuinely hope that our Christian lifestyle will always reflect this fraternal, ‘Samaritan’ spirit—one that is welcoming, courageous, committed and supportive, rooted in our union with God and our faith in Jesus Christ,” Pope Leo wrote.

“Enkindled by this divine love, we will surely be able to give of ourselves for the good of all who suffer, especially our brothers and sisters who are sick, elderly or afflicted,” he affirmed.
https://themiscellany.org/pope-leo-says-everyone-can-be-good-samaritan

Lindenhurst’s Burmeister triple threat pushing to new heights in more ways than one

It’s triple-double trouble when Lindenhurst point guard Emma Burmeister takes the court. The Cortland-bound standout, one of triplets whose two brothers are also pursuing college athletics, has left Bulldogs fans barking with a legacy for the ages — boasting the most points scored since the 1980s.

“Having such a strong family that I come from has helped me out socially and on the basketball court,” Burmeister told The Post of her brothers Alex and Jacob. “They’re actually at every single game.”

The four-year varsity player set her senior season ablaze by becoming Lindenhurst’s second all-time points scorer with close to 1,200 and counting, with three games to go.

“She’s been coming to my open gym since she was in seventh grade. I knew then she was going to be a great player, going to be one of the greatest ones we had,” said coach Gregory Flynn. “I’m going to miss her. I don’t know what I’m going to do without her next year, to be honest.”

Burmeister’s “legendary” point-scoring tally will finish only behind former Duke player Monika Kost, who notched 1,448 points in 1987. Recently, Emma overtook 2016 graduate Alexis Perdue as the second all-time leader.

“Around the end of my sophomore year, I was around 500–600 points. I was like, ‘You know what? This is something I want to do, and I want to accomplish in high school,’” Burmeister said.

Flynn quickly noticed her dedication and improvement. “Everything that I’ve always asked her to work on, she’s come back and improved,” he said. “She’s lefty. She needed to get a better right hand, so she came back the next year with a better right hand. She needed to get a better handle, so the next year, she came back with a better handle.”

### Three Ball and Family Competition

As Burmeister kicked into another gear as an upperclassman, so did her brothers Alex and Jacob, who are speedy wideouts on the football team. Emma, who plays lacrosse in the spring like Alex, keeps her fall season open to see her brothers on the gridiron each week.

“In the stands, I’m explaining everything that just happened to my mom and to my friends,” she said. “I just want to see them succeed, and I want them to do well. I would hate missing that.”

Alex, a long-pole defender, will play at Geneseo next season, while Jacob is currently evaluating some college football offers.

“It’s always been competitive since we were young,” said Emma, who plays attack in lacrosse and often trains with Alex. “Everything’s a competition, playing basketball in my driveway, basically doing anything you could think of.”

The friendly rivalry among the trio stops at the final whistle, as the Burmeisters are an inseparable bunch who’ve contributed significantly to one another’s success.

“This newfound independence that I’ll have in college, that’s going to be difficult. I’ve never walked into school by myself. I’ve always shared a birthday,” she said. “I’ve never had to do anything on my own, really, because they’re always there to be my other two halves.”

### No Isolation at Cortland

Emma won’t be leaving the nest entirely, though, as her new college coach, Colleen Ames, is a familiar figure to Burmeister and Bulldogs basketball.

“A funny thing about the Cortland coach is that she played under Flynn, and she graduated from here,” Burmeister said. “She’s come and watched me play in the past, but not in terms of recruiting me, just as a fan.”

Flynn, who had Ames as his assistant coach for years in AAU ball, is confident that the two will hit it off.

“I think it’ll ease the transition into college for her in terms of basketball-wise,” he said. “Coach Ames is very connected with her team.”

And the player-coach duo has more in common than sporting Lindenhurst green and white.

“We’re both so competitive and passionate about the game,” Burmeister said. “She’s really intense. I’m really excited to go play for her.”
https://nypost.com/2026/01/29/sports/lindenhursts-burmeister-triple-threat-pushing-to-new-heights/

Department of Homeland Security purchased large warehouse in West Valley, reports say

PHOENIX — The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) reportedly purchased a large warehouse in the West Valley last week.

According to azcentral.com, Maricopa County property records show that DHS bought a 418,400-square-foot warehouse located off Sweetwater Avenue and Dysart Road for more than $70 million in cash on January 23. The Rockefeller Group was the seller, and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was also named in the sale.

Notably, a “For Sale or Lease” sign was visible on the exterior of the warehouse as recently as January 20, but it disappeared just three days later.

### Has DHS Commented on the West Valley Warehouse?

So far, DHS has not spoken publicly about what it plans to do with the warehouse. However, an unidentified ICE spokesperson told azcentral.com via email on January 26 that the agency is “actively working to expand detention space,” though there are no new detention centers to announce at this time.

The spokesperson added that ICE has new funding available to expand detention space, thanks to the recently passed “One Big Beautiful Bill.”

### Background: ICE’s Expanding Detention Efforts

In December, The Washington Post reported that ICE is attempting to speed up deportations by creating a “deliberate feeder system.” Under this plan, new detainees would be booked into processing sites before being moved to one of several large warehouses, where they would be staged for deportation.

Each warehouse is reportedly capable of holding between 5,000 and 10,000 people. One of these warehouses was expected to be located in Arizona, which aligns with reports of the recent purchase in the West Valley.
https://ktar.com/immigration/dhs-purchased-west-valley-warehouse/5814231/

Seeing stars with Stellar Vista at Fredonia Public Library

Friends from Orderville, Kanab, and Fredonia gathered on Wednesday, January 14, at the Fredonia Public Library for an exciting evening focused on the science of light. Eric and Michael from Stellar Vista Observatory led the event, sharing their knowledge in a presentation designed for youth but interesting enough to engage both children and adults.

During the session, we explored the spectrum of colors present in different types of light. Eric provided special cards that allowed us to see the light in unique ways, and we experimented by looking through these cards at various bulbs that Michael had brought from home. The kids learned how to graph and compare the presence of different colors and described the appearance of the bands of light they observed.

As the night progressed, we moved outside to measure the light in the night sky from various spots around the parking lot. We learned that these measurements can help determine the health of the night sky. Not only is it beautiful to see a starry sky, but a healthy night sky is essential for many animals.

The darkest spot we measured registered just over 20 on the scale, where the darkest possible measurement is 23—so we’re doing quite well! We ended the evening by viewing Saturn and Orion’s Belt through telescopes while enjoying a cup of hot cocoa.

A big thank you to Stellar Vista Observatory for providing such a fun and educational experience. We will host this event again on February 12 at 6 p.m., and we hope you will join us!
https://www.sunews.net/post/seeing-stars-with-stellar-vista-at-fredonia-public-library

Garriques, Galeta lead the charge as No. 17 Phillipsburg dominates — Wrestling recap

State qualifiers Owen Garriques and Gavin Galeta secured pins for Phillipsburg as the Stateliners defeated Bridgewater-Raritan 53-24 in Bridgewater. Ranked No. 17 in the NJ.com statewide Top 20, Phillipsburg advanced a step closer to clinching the Skyland Conference Delaware Division crown with this significant win.

With a current record of 7-4 overall and 3-0 in the division, Phillipsburg can secure the division title outright with a victory against Immaculata on February 4. The Stateliners have been dominant in recent years, boasting an 18-match winning streak within the division and capturing four consecutive division crowns.

In the match against Bridgewater-Raritan, Phillipsburg won a 9-5 bout split and recorded seven pins. Alongside Garriques and Galeta, Zack Swingle (106 lbs), Massimo Gonzalez (138 lbs), Kevin Buonocore (190 lbs), Ian Jankowski (215 lbs), and Ben Ellis (285 lbs) also notched pins for Phillipsburg.

Bridgewater-Raritan’s pins came from Andrew Adell (113 lbs), Carmine Vella (157 lbs), and Matthew McCann (165 lbs). McCann improved his impressive season record to 23-2 with his pin.

The upcoming match at Immaculata will be crucial for Phillipsburg as they aim to continue their dominance in the division.
https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2026/01/garriques-galeta-lead-the-charge-as-no-17-phillipsburg-dominates-wrestling-recap.html

From Cold to Colder

South Florida is currently positioned between cold fronts. The first front passed through late on Monday, pushing out the warmth and humidity that had been building for days. As a result, we’re now experiencing a stretch of chilly nights with lows in the 40s and 50s, followed by pleasant afternoons with highs near 70 degrees.

Tuesday brought a good amount of sunshine, which was quite beneficial. However, cloud coverage will increase on Wednesday, accompanied by patchy rain bands. We’ll also have to contend with gusty breezes due to distant high pressure.

As the week progresses, attention turns to a future cold front developing from an area of low pressure over the northern Gulf waters. Although the low will remain to our north, it will drive an unusually strong front into Florida. Behind this boundary, a significant chill will spread, bringing what could be considered very “rare air” for South Florida this weekend.

Could it break record cold temperatures? It’s possible, especially as we enter the month of February. South Florida is likely to be under cold weather advisories—stay tuned for specific alerts and timing. Currently, the coldest mornings are expected next Sunday and Monday.

What makes this system particularly impactful is the forecasted drop in lows into the 30s, with highs reaching only the 50s. To put this in perspective, the National Weather Service recently noted that the last time Miami temperatures fell to 39 degrees or lower was back in December 2010.

Stay prepared and keep an eye on local forecasts as this chilly spell approaches.
https://wsvn.com/weather-blog/from-cold-to-colder/