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Pennsylvania woman gives birth in Taco Bell parking lot: 'We deserve some nachos out of this'

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A Pennsylvania woman gave birth in a Taco Bell parking lot last week after her newborn daughter just couldn't wait to make it to the hospital.

Kelsey Sturm said she began driving to the hospital after she woke up with contractions. But baby Maddie just couldn't wait, so Sturm pulled over into a West Mifflin Taco Bell parking lot and called 911.

"The 911 operator told me to find something to tie her cord with, and I had nothing," Sturm told WTAE-TV. "So I found a ribbon that I had in my car, so [Maddie] had a shiny silver ribbon tying her cord."

The new mother said her daughter came into the world with only one push. Sturm plans to tell Maddie all about the unique story of her birth, but in the meantime, she's got her eye on some food.
NEW YORK TACO BELL EMPLOYEE CREDITED WITH SAVING CHOKING WOMAN'S LIFE
"I think that we at least deserve some nachos out of this because that happened," Sturm said.

Meanwhile, a Taco Bell representative was not immediately available to confirm whether Sturm might get "some nachos out of this."

West Mifflin is about 10 miles southeast of Pittsburgh.

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Pennsylvania woman gives birth in Taco Bell parking lot: 'We deserve some nachos out of this'

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A Pennsylvania woman gave birth in a Taco Bell parking lot last week after her newborn daughter just couldn't wait to make it to the hospital. Kelsey Sturm said she began driving to the hospital after she woke up with contractions.

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NFL breakout star Derrick Henry carrying team to playoffs.

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On Thursday in Nashville, a Tennessee Titans team that's pitched and lurched its way through a wildly uneven season faced a must-win game against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

The Titans got that win-in emphatic fashion, no less-compliments of a record-setting performance from tailback Derrick Henry. The victory kept the Titans in the AFC wild-card hunt at 7-6 and provided their bottom-five offense with a needed shot of adrenaline.

The question is whether the Titans happened upon a new offensive fulcrum who'll lead a late surge and get the Titans into the playoffs for a second straight season.

Can Henry bulldoze his way through Tennessee's offensive limitations?

It didn't take him long to get going against a supposedly stout Jaguars defense. Henry's first carry was a 14-yard surge that brought the Titans close to the goal line. Two totes later he scored.

He was only getting started.

Later in the first quarter, after a poor special teams decision led to a safety, the Jaguars drove the length of the field, only to be turned away on fourth down at the 1-yard line. Tennessee was backed up on first down and handed off to Henry, hopeful he could buy the team a little breathing room.

He did that.

SportsCenter @SportsCenter
DERRICK HENRY 😤 99-YD HOUSE CALL 📺: NFL Network #JAXvsTEN https://t.co/glXJZ8c7DR

Henry took the ball through the middle, raced to the left sideline and was gone, showing approximately the same level of interest in being tackled that Godzilla does when the military arrives. Ninety-nine yards-tied for the longest run in NFL history.

While speaking with Fox's Erin Andrews after the game, Henry was quick to credit everyone from his teammates to the only other tailback who has ever accomplished that feat.

"Man, I'm with Tony Dorsett," Henry said. "That's a legend. That's somebody I looked up to, and I actually spent some time with him when I won the Heisman. But I'm just so blessed. Credit to all my teammates-O-line, blocking, tight ends, receivers...it's a whole group. Not just me. I just gotta go out there and do what I do and make a play."

Had that been all Henry did Thursday, he would have had a great game. He had more yards rushing by himself in the first quarter than the Jaguars usually allow in a contest (108.4).

That was not all he did.

Henry set the Titans' single-game record with 238 yards on just 17 carries. He tied a franchise record with four rushing touchdowns, adding a 16-yarder and 54-yarder in the second half.

Bleacher Report @BleacherReport
Derrick Henry came in tonight with 5 TDs His FOURTH of the night: (via @Titans) https://t.co/z1y3TcfAgl

Yes, Henry also had a 54-yard score. He averaged 14 yards per carry and hit both 200 rushing yards and four touchdowns, per the Fox postgame show, in the fewest carries of the Super Bowl era (since 1966).

Henry might have had five scores, but he insisted to head coach Mike Vrabel in the fourth quarter that fellow tailback Dion Lewis get a goal-line shot late.

"We both gotta eat," Henry told Andrews after the game. "I wanted to see him get a touchdown. I got four."

He also broke approximately all the tackles ever and gave 117,000 fantasy owners (give or take) either tremendous pangs of joy or anguish.

Other than that, he was just OK.

If you're a glass-half-empty type of person, you might add the caveat that Jacksonville's tackling in this game would have needed to improve fivefold to be pathetic. But even if you add the asterisk of 11 defensive matadors in black helmets, the performance will still be talked about for years.

Now that the dust has settled on Henry's rampage, the larger matter is what it means for these Titans.

Obviously, he won't average 14 yards a pop every game. Or ever again. In fact, entering Week 14, Henry wasn't even averaging four yards per carry. The third-year pro had gained 474 yards on 128 attempts with five scores in 12 games. Henry had a better per-carry average and more touchdowns than Lewis' 3.4 and one, respectively, but the two had formed a rather uninspiring duo. In terms of total touches, Lewis has been the lead back.

All told, the Titans were 17th in rushing yards entering Week 14 and 29th in yards per carry.

Maybe this explosion will jump-start both Henry's season and Tennessee's ground game. But the cold, hard truth is he had shown little to indicate that would be the case. As Henry's carries have gone up while his career's progressed, his yards-per-carry average has gone down. Whether because of that reason or Henry's lack of passing-game chops, he's never been trusted as "the guy" in the backfield.

This stretch run might be the perfect time for an audition. The Titans have not had a good offense, ranking 28th in total offense (310.2 yards per game) and 28th in scoring (18.4 points per contest) entering Week 14.

That a team with an attack that anemic was even at .500 is a testament to a defense that has carried Tennessee most of the year.

It's becoming more evident by the week that quarterback Marcus Mariota can't. The Titans came into this must-win affair 29th in the league in passing. Mariota hasn't been awful-his 68.6 percent completion rate is a career high, and his passer rating is 95, but he's nowhere near elite, either. On Thursday night, Mariota missed an open receiver on a fourth-down throw by the goal line and tossed an awful first-quarter interception.

The Titans can hope until the cows come home, but there's enough of a sample to know that "good" is Mariota's ceiling. He'll never be great. He won't carry a team into the playoffs.

So, let Henry try. Give him the keys.

Tennessee's final three games (at the Giants followed by Washington and Indianapolis at home) don't represent a Murderers' Row. The Titans will be favored in at least two of those contests and possibly all of them.

Establish the run early with Henry. No more Lewis out of the gate. That isn't to say he shouldn't still have a role on passing downs. But go right at people. Let Henry wear defenses down with that 247-pound frame. Let him top 200 carries in a season for the first time as a pro. Use the run to set up play action, turn that stout defense loose and beat up opponents.

It would seem an appealing plan to an old-school coach like Vrabel. Heck, ditch the zone-read, and you might even be able to keep Mariota on the field.

Go figure.

The Titans have had their moments in 2018. They beat both of last year's Super Bowl participants, including a 34-10 blasting of the Patriots in Week 10. But they followed those wins over Philadelphia and New England by losing to Buffalo and getting trashed by the Colts.

A larger role for Henry might not be the magic solution to that inconsistency. But after what he did against the Jaguars, it's worth giving it a shot.

Keep it simple. Pound the rock. Play defense. Be the team we thought the Jaguars would be in 2018.

Those Jags may have just shown them the way.

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Can Derrick Henry Plow Through Titans' Offensive Woes?

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On Thursday in Nashville, a Tennessee Titans team that's pitched and lurched its way through a wildly uneven season faced a must-win game against the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Titans got that win-in emphatic fashion, no less-compliments of a record-setting performance from tailback Derrick Henry.

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Tobacco giant Altira is investing $1.8 billion in Canadian cannabis company Cronos Group. That will give Altria a 45% stake in the company, with an option for Altria to increase its stake to 55% over the next five years.

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Kluber for Schwarber and more trades we want to see in Vegas

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XXXTentacion released skins album today.

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News flash, everyone in this class is dumb for posting stupid things...
Now for my actual thing

France will suspend fuel price hikes after ongoing protests turned violent over the weekend, in a major concession by President Emmanuel Macron's government.

According to CNN affiliate BFMTV, Prime Minister Edouard Philippe will announce a moratorium Tuesday on fuel price hikes, which had been scheduled to come into effect on January 1.

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X released his album today but its not good.

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Marlboro maker sinks $1.8 billion into the pot business

Altria Group, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes for the U.S. market, is pushing into the Canadian cannabis industry, marking the major tobacco company’s first foray into the nascent sector.

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Marlboro maker sinks $1.8 billion into the pot business

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Altria Group, the maker of Marlboro cigarettes for the U.S. market, is pushing into the Canadian cannabis industry, marking the major tobacco company's first foray into the nascent sector.

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In the moments before his November 5 breakout game against the Boston Celtics, Jamal Murray cobbled together a mental checklist.

The masses, from basketball analysts to their grandparents, had been singing Boston’s praises, and Murray had been keeping note of the chatter. The Celtics are the best defense in basketball. They’re one of the few legitimate threats to a Warriors three-peat. When Kyrie takes the floor, he is the best scorer on the court.

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In the moments before his November 5 breakout game against the Boston Celtics, Jamal Murray cobbled together a mental checklist.

The masses, from basketball analysts to their grandparents, had been singing Boston's praises, and Murray had been keeping note of the chatter. The Celtics are the best defense in basketball. They're one of the few legitimate threats to a Warriors three-peat. When Kyrie takes the floor, he is the best scorer on the court.

Murray wasn't buying into the hype just yet. Boston was only 6-3, his Nuggets had leaped out to an 8-1 start. Denver's buzz, Murray felt, didn't match the team's performance or its potential. "Fuck that. We get no respect over here," he would say later, adding: "There was a combination of different stuff that pissed me off that day."

He was accustomed to feeling overlooked, especially by the media. Despite being a top prospect from Canada (he grew up in Ontario), a star at Kentucky and a lottery pick, Murray attracted less media attention than he thought he deserved. "I've always had to show an edge, always had to be tougher than everybody else," Murray said. "The problem was everybody in America had a lot of hype, even if they weren't expected to do much. I came from Canada, so I had to come here and bust their ass to prove that it's all talk. Everybody can put lights on here and there, but if you can't back it up, it's a much different story."

When he took the floor against Boston, he channeled that energy like Thanos using the Infinity Gauntlet: with purpose and fire. Murray dropped 48 points on an array of floaters, pick-and-pop threes and step-back jumpers. He did it with youthful abandon and full-throttled aggression. He also showed that he had a bit of troll in him. At the end of the game, Murray took a last-second three, hoping to make the 50-point mark. Boston didn't take kindly to the gesture. But it was as if Murray couldn't help himself.

"Once I get on the court, once I get in a certain zone, I really have no consciousness in terms of emotion," he said. "I don't look at the petty stuff that everybody else is talking about."

After the performance, national audiences and media people took notice. Irving called the last-second attempt a "bullshit move." Some pundits took shots at Murray. Others wondered: Was Denver for real? Could it really make a run in the Western Conference?

Murray's performance signaled a new phase in the Nuggets experiment: They've gone from pleasant surprise to growing threat, from underdog to target. Murray believes he can lead Denver through this crucial transition, but to do that he must navigate his own ascent in addition to his team's.

When you walk into the Nuggets locker room, it is there staring at you: a smiling portrait of Murray. His face is not the only one that immediately makes its presence known; each player's youthful face adorns the top of their locker and points toward the middle of the room. The voice of Travis Scott and those of other mumble rappers blare over the loudspeakers-a fitting soundtrack for the team with the second-youngest roster in the NBA (average age: 24.6 years old).

Murray is 21. Nikola Jokic, a top-20 NBA star and certified triple-double machine, is 23. Gary Harris-the defensive stalwart, versatile offensive wing and longest-tenured Nugget-is 24. There are also emerging role players like Monte Morris ("one of the most underrated all-around guards in the NBA," said a rival scout), who is 23; Malik Beasley, 22; and Juancho Hernangomez, 23.

Jokic is the primary playmaker but is inherently unselfish and prefers creating shots for others. Murray, on the other hand, is more of an X-factor-a man still settling into his role.

"My second year getting a starting spot, I'm earning some respect," Murray said. "Now, this is our shit. We gotta take over, we gotta know where shots are coming from, we gotta get organized. We gotta know who to listen to and what we're actually gonna do on the court."

Last season, the Nuggets missed the playoffs-the past two years by one-game margins. But already, they have shown signs of growth: They've drastically improved defensively, allowing 104 points per 100 possessions (fifth in the NBA) versus the 109.9-point mark from last season, which ranked eighth-worst in basketball. The team is pulling in more defensive rebounds, too, grabbing 75.6 percent (3rd in the NBA) of opportunities compared to 77.5 last season (15th in the NBA). Denver also measures similarly offensively, scoring 111.3 points per 100 possessions in 2018-19 (eighth in the NBA) compared to the 111.3 mark (6th in the NBA) from last year.

"When you play defense at a high level, that allows for playing our brand of basketball because you can get out and run and not play against a set defense," Nuggets head coach Mike Malone said.

Offense is another story.

Denver's identity is very much a work in progress. Multiple NBA scouts said the team lacks a go-to scoring threat in crucial, late-game moments. It's the difference between a long-term contender or pretender, they said. Denver's three best players-Jokic, Murray and Harris-are similar in terms of scoring. Jokic averages 16.5 points, 9.6 rebounds and 7.8 assists per game. Harris is dropping 16.6 points per night while locking down the perimeter. And don't forget about Murray, who is averaging 17.9 points per game, 4.9 assists and 4.3 rebounds.

"Every year, [Murray] just gets better," Beasley said. "And more teams are starting to notice that, so he's getting more pressure and getting more notice when we play on the offensive end. He keeps showing up on film."

Jamal Murray always wanted to be that guy.

He thought about it a lot as a kid. He learned discipline from his father, Roger. Each morning before school, Jamal jogged around the block 10 times. After school, he ran hills and did chin-ups on a soccer goal frame. Roger wouldn't let Jamal spend his time with kids at the mall. From time to time, he would take Jamal to the local stadium, where they would run laps and do stairs. Other times, Jamal would do pushups in the snow. To build pain tolerance, he said. Jamal learned not to complain about anything. "If it's too cold in the room, I don't need to turn up the heat," he said. "I just have that mindset."

Roger's influence extended onto the court, too. Before Jamal reached kindergarten, Roger brought him to the courts and put him through dribbling and shooting drills. He had Jamal practice free throws blindfolded to ingrain the motion into his muscle memory.

Whenever Roger played pickup games at the local gym, he made sure six-year-old Jamal played as well, so when his son later competed against boys four years older, the challenge wouldn't seem so insurmountable-like a hitter practicing a swing with a weighted donut. The longest days started at 7 a.m. on the basketball court before school and then continued with an hour shootaround during lunch, team practice after classes and more drills until midnight, when he'd go to sleep. Breaks came when he needed to do homework, eat dinner or take care of his younger brother, Lamar.

Father and son often spent hours watching VHS tapes of martial arts legend Bruce Lee. Roger hoped his son could learn a lesson or two from watching Lee, one of his biggest spiritual inspirations. The father and son revered how the 5'7" movie star never backed down from a challenge despite his stature. It taught him the value of patience, that not everything would happen immediately or the way he expected.

Jamal soon brought that same energy to the court.

As both a Canadian and shooting guard, Jamal naturally looked up to Vince Carter and Michael Jordan, but Lee became Murray's biggest on-court inspiration. Roger passed along any information he read about Lee to Jamal. The latter tore through book after book on kung fu, and in time learned to use a number of techniques to his advantage.

Prior to games, Murray showers before finding a quiet place to meditate (which he's done since he was four years old), visualizing the contest in front of him as he slowly feels his heart rate slow. He tries to channel the mindset his dad instilled in him. The confidence, the aura, the presence. And while other NBA stars claim inspiration from Lee, Murray tries to walk the walk, just like his dad taught him.

"Everybody can come up with kicks and call it Bruce Lee. You color something yellow and black, it's all you have to do," Murray said. "You have to really understand where the inspiration is coming from. If you're gonna be sleeping or hanging out with friends the night before and then try and go fight Mike Tyson the next night, are you going to prepare and study your opponent, learn from him, go to the gym, eat properly? If you don't, you're gonna get knocked out. That's the mentality."

Last summer, Murray took steps to work on his leadership and hone his skill set. He had played most of his life as a shooting guard and hoped to learn the nuances of being a distributor, so he attended Chris Paul 's CP3 Elite Guard Camp. The experience of hanging around Paul created a new source of inspiration.

"The amount of things you can learn from just watching somebody, just the way they talk, the way they communicate, the way they carry themselves, what they work on, how they making adjustments," Murray said. "I just kept staring at him, really staring at him, learning as much as I could."

Paul was impressed by what he saw. "Ceiling? I don't think he has one," Paul said. "I think that's completely up to him."

When the season rolled around, Malone challenged his young players to see how much they had grown. He dialed back his play-calling, handing over the brunt of the offensive decision-making to his guards.

"I have to continue to trust and let them play," Malone said. "That's the only way Jamal and Monte are going to get better."

Malone didn't want to lock his players into a single play call. Rather, he wanted them to work together and play off their strengths. The tactic amounted to organized, purpose-driven chaos. The offense became less predictable and, thus, harder to scout.

"That's hard to defend because you don't know what's going to happen," Malone said. "Trust is something we speak a lot about, and I don't want it to be a hollow word, something that's up on on the wall. I actually want to live it and allow our guys to run their team and learn from mistakes."

As the season progressed, Jokic showed he could create shots in unexpected moments, whether it was a pass out of the paint or a dish from the perimeter toward a slashing wing. Murray grew more decisive and aggressive on offense. He also proved an uncanny ability to get into his opponents' heads.

The Nuggets are best when they are on the court together, outscoring opponents by 7.3 points per 100 possessions. "Our two-man game, me and Joker, we both don't really know what exactly we're going to do, and that's the best part," Murray said. "We are late in games, close game, and it'll become me and Joker trying to read defenses and play off each other."

Because where the Murray-Jokic tandem goes, Denver goes.

"[Murray and Jokic] have been scoring the basketball, defending better, and when you see your guys like that, knowing they're out there doing it, it just twinkles down like a domino effect to everybody else," Morris said.

Ceiling? I don't think he has one
-Chris Paul on Murray.

Recently, veteran forward Paul Millsap has noticed the young players have taken different approaches toward finding solutions. Some watch endless tape. Some try to figure it out themselves. Millsap offers advice when he can. "They don't come to me as much as I would like, and as much as I think a lot of the coaches would like," Millsap said. "A lot of guys want to pave their own way. They want to do things their way. I'm here whenever they need me."

Chris Paul thinks Murray has responded well to the hands-off environment.

"I think he's in a great situation, getting to play for a great coach who gives him freedom," he said.

Beasley has noticed Murray's been more vocal in practice as well. One time, the guard called out Jokic for not shooting a ball-something, Beasley said, Murray would not have done his first two years in the league.

"I have to be more vocal. It's not necessarily doing things my way, but doing things the way we need to do it to get it done," Murray said. "If that means taking six seconds off the shot clock to get everybody organized, then so be it. Don't be a robot and be mechanical."

Millsap said he sees the guard watching more film than in years past, often on plane rides home, and that the game is slowing down for Murray. "The biggest thing about Jamal is that he wants to learn," Millsap said. "He wants to do better."

He's learned a lot already this season. Murray tries to bring as much energy as possible every day to the court. He's getting a better sense of how to get all of his teammates involved or how many touches everyone needs.

"When someone hasn't seen the ball, I know what kind of play to run," Murray said. "I'm learning the flow of the game and tempo. It's all slowing down. I watch every single tape on every flight, good or bad. I'm trying to learn by getting as much information as possible."

Denver stands atop the Western Conference, but it still reveals its youthful tendencies on a near-daily basis. Sometimes through high-energy victories, other times through gutting losses with preventable mistakes. Following the statement victory over Boston, Denver underwent a four-game losing streak. Against the Rockets in mid-November, the Nuggets let James Harden drive into the paint at will, coming up with no answers for Houston's superstar, creating little defensive pressure in the paint. Come postseason, those gimmes will need to become stops.

During the skid, Malone reminded the guys to not get caught up in the moment. The sky wasn't falling, he said. He pointed out that the team still possessed one of the best records in the Western Conference. The Nuggets ranked in the top 10 for team offense and defense. But he made sure to keep his players accountable and made it clear that development and complacency mix like oil and water.

"It's on everybody because even if Jamal and Monte are pushing the ball, the guys aren't running with them. Who do they have to make a play with? Nikola Jokic, he's our leading defensive rebounder, and he should be leading the break more," Malone said to the media. "He's a fantastic player and a passer in the open court, and you're hard-pressed even when Nikola is averaging seven assists, six assists, whatever it is. ... It's like we're not getting the easy stuff we've gotten in the past. Somehow, we've got to get back to that."

Denver rebounded and is on a seven-game winning streak that includes a victory over the Toronto Raptors, who have the league's best record.

Malone still sees room for growth, particularly regarding pace. Denver's possessions per game are up compared last season, from 97.8 (15th in the NBA) to 98.6. But with the rest of the league playing faster now, too, Denver is still comparatively one of the the slower-paced teams in the sport, ranking 27th overall.

"I feel all too often we've been walking it up, set offense and working too hard for everything," Malone said. "We're at our best when we're just playing the game, freestyle, trusting each other, moving the basketball, moving bodies and doing everything with pace and purpose. It's not just running up and down fast. It's doing so with discipline and purpose, and I think we definitely need to do more of that."

Murray acknowledges Denver's future success and his continued development are inextricably tied, but the challenge doesn't scare him. He's ready for it all. To create plays as the clock winds down. To call guys out when he needs more from them. To be the guy everyone looks to for two points.

"I know I can become the best basketball player in the world. I'm not going to be satisfied with playing average," Murray said. "Even if I have stretches where I haven't figured it out yet, I have no doubt in my mind that I will. The only reason I'm playing is to be the greatest."

Many still doubt Denver's ability to maintain this level of performance given its youth and inexperience, but Murray chooses to channel his inner Bruce Lee and keep the focus on the things directly in his control.

"We don't need a message for the critics," Murray said. "Look at the standings. That's it."

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In the moments before his November 5 breakout game against the Boston Celtics, Jamal Murray cobbled together a mental checklist. The masses, from basketball analysts to their grandparents, had been singing Boston's praises, and Murray had been keeping note of the chatter. The Celtics are the best defense in basketball.

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Actor Kevin Kline and comedian Michael Blackson showed support for Kevin Hart after he backed out of hosting the 2019 Oscars following backlash over old tweets in which he used homophobic language.

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Actor Kevin Kline and comedian Michael Blackson showed support for Kevin Hart after he backed out of hosting the 2019 Oscars following backlash over old tweets in which he used homophobic language.

"People have been making jokes about gay people, about Jews, about Afro-Americans - times are changing, but you know, at certain times, that was common fodder for standup comedians," Kline, 71, told TMZ. "But I think Kevin Hart's very funny. Lighten up!"
KEVIN KLINE ON KEVIN HART DROPPING OSCARS GIG: 'LIGHTEN UP!'
Hart, 39, announced Tuesday night that he'd host movies' biggest night this year and quickly came under fire after tweets from 2011 resurfaced that featured allegedly derogatory language about the LGBTQ community.

Regardless of who hosts, don't expect Kline to be a captive audience. He quipped, "I'll watch my usual 10 minutes."
GLAAD: KEVIN HART SHOULD HOST 2019 OSCARS DESPITE HOMOPHOBIC TWEETS
Blackson, 46, a friend of Hart, said that the "Night School" star will be fine - and that the Academy Awards should have looked into Hart's history before hiring him to host.

"Why are they giving him a job without looking him up first?" Blackson told TMZ. "Especially black comedians, we've all said things in our lifetime, whether it was 10, 20 years ago ... at that particular moment it's probably what was a hot topic to talk about. Go back to the '80s - Eddie Murphy, Richard Pryor - they made every comment about everything. We've all made mistakes. There are no perfect black comedians."
MICHAEL BLACKSON ON KEVIN HART OSCARS CONTROVERSY: 'THERE IS NO PERFECT BLACK COMEDIAN'
Referencing Bill Cosby, Blackson added, "There is one perfect black comedian who never said the wrong thing, and look where he is - he's in jail!"

Blackson's not concerned about Hart facing any potential fallout in his career from the Oscars debacle.

"He's gonna bounce back, he's a f-king super-duper-star. He's rich," Blackson exclaimed. "The Oscar pays $10 an hour. The power is the big thing that comes with it. Jimmy Kimmel got paid $10 an hour to host. Kevin is rich ... I'm available, by the way."

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Kevin Kline, Michael Blackson defend Kevin Hart after Oscars controversy

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Actor Kevin Kline and comedian Michael Blackson showed support for Kevin Hart after he backed out of hosting the 2019 Oscars following backlash over old tweets in which he used homophobic language. "People have been making jokes about gay people, about Jews, about Afro-Americans - times are changing, but you know, at certain times, that was common fodder for standup comedians," Kline, 71, told TMZ.

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Brutal murder during the holidays still haunts grieving mom 11 years later: ‘I felt so much darkness’

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For Deb Tilson, the holidays will never be the same.

On Dec. 19, 2007, her daughter Kristine Larson was supposed to show up at her home in Minnesota to bake holiday cookies. Nearly seven hours later, the 19-year-old was found strangled in a burning car.

Larson's ex-boyfriend, Zachery Matthews, who was also the father of her 2-year-old son, was convicted of her murder in 2008 and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Tilson's real-life nightmare is chronicled on Oxygen's docuseries "Homicide for the Holidays," which explores how brutal crimes across the country that occured between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Tilson told Fox News she chose to come forward and relive the tragic tale for the series in hopes of raising awareness on domestic violence.

"My daughter was the youngest of four and very much the youngest by eight years," said Tilson. "She was everyone's baby in the family. She was that little spark who lit up our lives. She was very gregarious. A caregiver.

"She knew she had to make a better life for herself and her son. She had things put all in order. She had just gotten a job. In two weeks she would have graduated from bartending school and she was also enrolled in a nursing college."

Larson began dating Matthews in 2004. In 2006, the couple welcomed a child named Darion. But in May 2007, Larson ended her relationship with Matthews. At the time of the murder, Larson and Matthews were no longer living together.

Tilson said that before the killing, Matthews, who endured a turbulent upbringing, was initially welcomed by the family.

"At the time, my husband was still mentoring him," she explained. "We invited him to our home. We weren't on bad terms with him... We just wanted to keep things on a low-key level with him."

However, Tilson was horrified by what may have been occurring behind closed doors. While Larson didn't share much about Matthews to her after their breakup, Tilson had learned through her daughter's friends that she once reportedly remarked she had never been hit so hard by anyone in her entire life.

Tilson admitted that when her daughter went missing, she initially didn't suspect Matthews.

"I just felt like for as much as he tried to get her back and wanted to be involved in her life - I was just in denial," she explained. "I just thought anyone who knew her couldn't do something like that to her. And I just felt that if it were him that meant their son wouldn't have either parent. I was in denial. I felt like he really did love her and he wouldn't do something like that to her. And that something like this couldn't happen to this poor little boy."

Pioneer Press reported that during the trial, a prosecutor contended that Matthews became enraged because Larson was a half-hour late in coming to his apartment to pick him up and take him to pick out Christmas gifts for their son.

The local newspaper shared that Matthews struck Larson with a blow that police said knocked her unconscious. He then tied the ends of a white shoelace into loops, treaded one loop through the other, placing it around her neck. Matthews pulled so tightly that the shoelace embedded in her skin.

Investigators believed Larson's murder occurred in front of their son.

Pioneer Press added Matthews then carried Larson's corpse out to her car, put her in the back seat and drove to a random alley. He then parked the car, tore some pages out of a phone book and set them on fire.

Before Matthews was suspected of murder, he was grieving with Larson's family.

"I was just horrified," said Tilson. "I felt so much darkness and sorrow... So many lives were lost over a poor decision made by someone who was obviously mentally ill."

Tilson claimed Matthew has been diagnosed with several mental health diseases, including multiple personality disorder and schizophrenia, among others. She added his troubled childhood may have played a role in his heinous actions.

"I truly believe he figured, 'If I couldn't have her, no one else could,'" she explained. "We were his family. We were all he knew. He was in foster care for up until 16 when he emancipated himself. I think he figured, if she was out of the picture, there would be no drama. He could still be a part of our family in his own twisted judgment."

"And I think Kristine thought that with as much love as she could give him, she could build him back up and change the negative self-esteem and control issues he had," she added.

In 2009, the South Washington County Bulletin reported Tilson and her family got custody of Darion. She said raising her grandson, who is now 12, has been bittersweet.

"He keeps Kristine's memory alive," she explained. "He has a lot of her mannerisms, her smile and her laugh. However, he is a product of his father as well. So those things rear its ugly head.

"He's been diagnosed with tons of emotional disorders. Reactive attachment disorder, possibly bipolar, ADD. He's prone to having blackout rages. He has a lot of issues with control because when he was a baby, he witnessed all of this. And he was powerless. ... We've had a long road with him. He's come a long way. And I gotta tell ya, we wouldn't trade it for the world."

Tilson said the maximum security prison where Matthews is currently located is only a 20-minute drive from her home. However, she said it's been a year since she had heard from Matthews, who reportedly insisted he was innocent up until two years ago.

And while Christmas is a joyous time for countless families, it's a haunting reminder for Tilson.

"Our family traditions... have changed because of this," she said. "Some of my kids are still very angry... We were the ideal family, like The Waltons. We all got together. Everybody laughed. We shared meals. I have my moments where I'm really strong and empowered. And then I have my moments where I'm just a mess... We don't bake cookies anymore. The holidays just aren' the same."

Still, Tilson said she is determined to see Christmas in a different light. Her goal is to commemorate the season with those who have no one to share the holidays with.

But Tilson refuses to let her daughter be forgotten with time. She explained that right after Larson's death, she was contacted by the Minnesota Coalition of Battered Women, which has helped her cope with her grief. She hopes her story, and Oxygen's show, will help other young women get out of terrifying relationships before it's too late.

"It's the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about," she said. "That's why I got involved. Especially this time of year."
"Homicide for the Holidays" airs Dec. 9th at 8 p.m. on Oxygen.

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Brutal murder during the holidays still haunts grieving mom 11 years later: 'I felt so much darkness'

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For Deb Tilson, the holidays will never be the same. On Dec. 19, 2007, her daughter Kristine Larson was supposed to show up at her home in Minnesota to bake holiday cookies. Nearly seven hours later, the 19-year-old was found strangled in a burning car.

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Woman nearly lost top lip after getting botched fillers at 'Botox' party

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When Rachael Knappier went to a "Botox party" at a friend's home at the end of August, she planned to indulge in a shot of the wrinkle eraser in her forehead and a glass of fizz with her pals.

But, after a few glasses of Prosecco, she also agreed to have lip fillers.

What she didn't bank on was the beautician injecting the filler into an artery, which caused her lips to swell massively.

In fact, the complications were so serious that she almost lost her top lip.

"My friend had raved about this beautician and how great she was so I decided to go ahead," Knappier said.

The 29-year-old had previously visited a local, highly-qualified, aesthetics nurse for Botox and a small dose of filler in her top lip to even out a permanent bump, a legacy of a fire door hitting her face as a teenager.

Even though her lip filler was due a top-up, Knappier hadn't intended getting it done at the party. But that's before the booze was uncorked.

Botox parties, which offer cheap beauty treatments as you relax with friends, are a growing trend in the UK. It's now estimated that more than a million Botox procedures are performed each year in the UK and that number is rising.

Lip fillers alone cost an average of £300 (approx. $380) in a clinic, but Knappier, who works for a law firm, had fillers and Botox for around £220 (approx. $280) at the party.
MAN COUGHS UP PART OF LUNG WHILE BEING TREATED FOR HEART FAILURE
"There was fizz and cake and it was a bit of a conveyor belt with girls sitting in the kitchen waiting their turn with local anesthetic cream on their faces," Knappier, of Leicestershire, said. "The beautician - who I assumed at the time was a nurse - didn't ask me to sign any consent forms so alarm bells should have rung. But being at a party with friends took away all the seriousness of having filler injected into my face."

"She noticed the bump on my lip when she was doing my Botox and said she could inject a bit of filler for me if I wanted her to," she said. "To be fair, she told me to go and have a think about it in the kitchen but she'd found my weakness. My lip is the one thing that really bothers me about my appearance."

Knappier was given numbing cream to use on her lips before she hopped onto the bed where the beautician told her she was using a brand of filler called Teosyal, though it later transpired she'd used a different make entirely.

"One injection upwards towards my nose was very painful," Knappier remembered. "Within a few hours I began to feel unwell, my lips swelled like nothing I'd ever seen before and the pressure was unbearable."

Panic stricken, she called the beautician - who Knappier has since discovered was released from prison earlier this year - who then Facetimed her to look at her lips.

"She was visibly shocked, clamped her hands over her mouth, told me I was having an allergic reaction and that I needed to take an antihistamine and get to A&E," she said. "At A&E they tested me for anaphylactic shock but three medics concluded I wasn't having an allergic reaction and told me to go back to the beautician for treatment to dissolve the fillers."

After leaving A&E Knappier's top lip split. She called her mom who suggested she contact The Consultant Clinic in London (who she followed on social media) for help.

"The owner told me I needed to get to London immediately and that she'd have an emergency doctor waiting for me," Knappier said. "She said that, based on looking at my pictures, her medical team suspected vascular occlusion, meaning that the filler had been injected into an artery and could lead to necrosis - death of soft tissue. I honestly thought I was going to die."

Due to the pain in her lips and the severity of the pressure, she contacted a local aesthetic nurse who injected her with antihistamine medication to attempt to reduce the swelling and pressure.

A couple of days later, Knappier then had several doses of dissolving agent injected into her lips at the Consultant Clinic.

"It was so painful, that my mum, who was sitting upstairs in a waiting room, could hear my screams," she said.

Within 72 hours of the emergency dissolving treatment, Knappier's swelling began to subside and, three months on, her lips are almost back to normal.

"I would never go near a Botox party again. I'm cross that I didn't do my research and just assumed that everyone who injects Botox and fillers has been to medical school," she said. "I could have had the same reaction to the filler with a doctor but the difference is that they would have known what to do to treat it. The combination of the party atmosphere, my own naivety and the beautician's lack of training meant I could have lost my lip."

She then contacted Antonia Mariconda, founder of the Safety in Beauty campaign, who said Knappier's botched lip fillers were one of the worst cases she's seen.

"We urge ladies to please do their research and only entrust these invasive aesthetic procedures to experienced medical professionals," Mariconda said. "We are calling for the government to ban non-health care professionals from carrying out these seriously risky procedures and met with Theresa May earlier this year. It's time to clean out the cosmetic cowboys."

General physician and cosmetic doctor Jane Leonard offers aesthetic treatments at clinics in London and Cheshire and says many women approach her having had a bad experience at a Botox bash.

"I only see these people when things have gone wrong. If you inject something into someone's lips or face you have to know anatomically where you're putting it, which a beautician isn't going to know," Leonard said. "And a short course on how to give Botox and fillers isn't going to teach you that."

"The second problem is the quality of the products they're using, which is the biggest divide between doctors and dentists administering Botox and fillers and beauticians doing it for £50 in a salon or at a party," Leonard said. "If something goes wrong, we know what a vascular problem or an infection looks like and can act quickly to treat it but a beautician won't."

"There are two problems that I commonly see in women who've had treatment at a party - either they are dissatisfied with the results such as lumpiness in the filler or drooping from Botox, or they have a medical issue such as a blockage in the blood supply in the face, which is an emergency," she said.
COLORADO DAD WELCOMES BABY GIRL, LOSES WIFE ON SAME DAY
Unfortunately, because the aesthetics industry remains unregulated it attracts unscrupulous profiteers with no medical training to cope with complications which may arise.

Nikki Milovanovic is a spokeswoman for the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) and says it's a serious problem.

"Botox can only be injected by a prescribing clinician or under their supervision as it's a prescription only medicine, but the problem is that many unscrupulous practitioners can get hold of Botox - or counterfeit products - online, and then administer it in non-clinical settings, anywhere from parties to 'pop-ups' and pub car parks," she explained.

"Almost anyone can take qualification courses required to inject dermal fillers, which can be as short as half a day," Leonard said. "But fillers are unregulated so there's nothing stopping people from using the public as guinea pigs. Often the person administering injections is unable to recognize complications, let alone treat them."

A recent poll of BAAPS members revealed that 40 percent of them have seen an alarming increase in problems with unregulated facial injectables (dermal fillers) over the last five years, which would have been avoided if fillers were available on prescription only.
CLICK FOR MORE FROM THE SUN.

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Woman nearly lost top lip after getting botched fillers at 'Botox' party

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When Rachael Knappier went to a "Botox party" at a friend's home at the end of August, she planned to indulge in a shot of the wrinkle eraser in her forehead and a glass of fizz with her pals. But, after a few glasses of Prosecco, she also agreed to have lip fillers.

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The Carolina Panthers sign K Chandler Catanzaro after Graham Gano is out.

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Panthers sign K Chandler Catanzaro with Gano out

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Kicker Chandler Catanzaro is back in the NFL. After being released by the Buccaneers last month, the veteran was signed by the Panthers, whose incumbent starter Graham Gano is out with a knee injury.

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Duane Lee "Dog" champion is denying sexual assault allegations after a verbal altercation at Denver International Airport.

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Dog the Bounty Hunter Denies Assault Allegation After Being Heckled at Denver Airport

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The reality star says he and his wife were victims in a verbal altercation, and that they plan to press charges.

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Ebola spreads to major Congo city as vaccines a concern

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DAKAR, Senegal - The second-largest Ebola outbreak in history has spread to a major city in eastern Congo, as health experts worry whether the stock of an experimental vaccine will stand up to the demands of an epidemic with no end in sight.

Butembo, with more than 1 million residents, is now reporting cases of the deadly hemorrhagic fever. That complicates Ebola containment work already challenged by rebel attacks elsewhere that have made tracking the virus almost impossible in some isolated villages.

"We are very concerned by the epidemiological situation in the Butembo area," said John Johnson, project coordinator with Medecins Sans Frontieres in the city. New cases are increasing quickly in the eastern suburbs and outlying, isolated districts, the medical charity said.

The outbreak declared on Aug. 1 is now second only to the devastating West Africa outbreak that killed more than 11,300 people a few years ago. There are currently 471 Ebola cases, of which 423 are confirmed, including 225 confirmed deaths, Congo's health ministry said late Thursday.

Without the teams that have vaccinated more than 41,000 people so far, this outbreak could have already seen more than 10,000 Ebola cases, the health ministry said .

This is by far the largest deployment of the promising but still experimental Ebola vaccine, which is owned by Merck. The company keeps a stockpile of 300,000 doses, and preparing them takes months.

"We are extremely concerned about the size of the vaccine stockpile," WHO's emergencies director, Dr. Peter Salama, told the STAT media outlet in an interview this week, saying 300,000 doses is not sufficient as urban Ebola outbreaks become more common.

Health workers, contacts of Ebola victims and their contacts have received the vaccine in a "ring vaccination" approach, but in some cases all residents of hard-to-reach communities have been offered it. The prospect of a mass vaccination in a major city like Butembo has raised concerns. Salama called the approach "extremely impractical."

A WHO spokesman said shipments of doses arrive almost every week to ensure a sufficient supply for the ring vaccination. "No interruptions of vaccine supply have occurred to date," Tarik Jasarevic said in an email to The Associated Press. "Merck is actively working to ensure sufficient number of doses continue to be available to meet the potential demand."

This Ebola outbreak is like no other, with deadly attacks by rebel groups forcing containment work to pause for days at a time. Some wary locals have resisted vaccinations or safe burials of Ebola victims as health workers battle misinformation in a region that has never encountered the virus before.

A "fringe population" has regularly destroyed medical equipment and attacked workers, Health Minister Dr. Oly Ilunga Kalenga told reporters on Wednesday.

The Ebola virus is spread via bodily fluids of those infected, including the dead.

The outbreak "remains serious and unpredictable," the World Health Organization said in an assessment released Wednesday. Nine health zones have reported new cases in the last week, and some have been unrelated to known victims, meaning that gaps in tracking remain in a region with a dense, highly mobile population.

Thousands of people have been organized by Red Cross societies and others to go house-to-house dispelling rumors and checking on possible contacts of victims.

Dr. Fatoumata Nafo-Traore, Africa regional director for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, joined one awareness campaign in the outbreak's epicenter, Beni, this week.

The head of one family thanked her for the face-to-face contact, saying he didn't even have a radio and didn't understand what was happening. "Ignorance is the enemy," another resident said.

Given the years of conflict in eastern Congo, it's essential that households trust why the health workers are there, Nafo-Traore told the AP.

While she called the insecurity "very worrying," she said that with new tools at hand, including vaccines, "there is great hope."

___

Anna reported from Johannesburg.

___

Follow Africa news at https://twitter.com/AP_Africa

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Ebola spreads to major Congo city as vaccines a concern

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The second-largest Ebola outbreak in history has spread to a major city in eastern Congo, as health experts worry whether the stock of an experimental vaccine will stand up to the demands of an epidemic with no end in sight.

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The Denver Broncos' sometimes-bumpy ride in the 2018 season got significantly rougher Wednesday.
Emmanuel Sanders, the team's leading wide receiver, suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during Wednesday's practice and will miss the remainder of the season.
An MRI confirmed the Broncos' fears -- Sanders' season is over and his recovery time could extend into the 2019 season.

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Dec 5, 2018

Jeff LegwoldESPN Senior Writer

Close

Covered Broncos for nine years for Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News

Previously covered Steelers, Bills and Titans

Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame Board
of Selectors since 1999

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos' sometimes-bumpy ride in the 2018 season got significantly rougher Wednesday.

Emmanuel Sanders, the team's leading wide receiver, suffered a torn left Achilles tendon during Wednesday's practice and will miss the remainder of the season.

An MRI confirmed the Broncos' fears -- Sanders' season is over and his recovery time could extend into the 2019 season.

If you know me then you know nothing can keep me down. I've overcome too much in life to let this stop me. I'll be back next year w/ a bigger chip on my shoulder... I PROMISE!

Thanks to everyone for the healing vibes and words of encouragement. 🔟 pic.twitter.com/3G0GvcQMVk
- Emmanuel Sanders (@ESanders_10) December 6, 2018

Sanders, who leads the Broncos in catches (71), receiving yards (868) and receiving touchdowns (four), was running routes early in Wednesday's practice when he fell to the ground after making a sharp cut. He grabbed his lower left leg almost immediately, and the team's trainers examined Sanders before helping him to the locker room.

The two-time Pro Bowl selection has been the focal point of the team's passing offense since the Broncos traded Demaryius Thomas to the Houston Texans on Oct. 30. Sanders has been used in a variety of ways in the offense and also has a 35-yard touchdown run among his four rushing attempts this season.

"It's tough,'' quarterback Case Keenum said. "... You don't really replace guys. Emmanuel is one of the best guys I've ever worked with. ... It surpassed all my expectations, far and away.''

With Sanders' injury, the three players who are currently 1-2-3 in receptions on the team -- Sanders, Thomas and tight end Jeff Heuerman -- are either gone or injured.

The Broncos (6-6) have clawed their way back into the AFC playoff race with three consecutive wins. They face the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday at Levi's Stadium.

Sanders is the seventh offensive starter to no longer be on the active roster -- joining Thomas (trade), Heuerman (ribs/lung), tight end Jake Butt (knee), center Matt Paradis (leg), guard Ron Leary (Achilles) and guard Max Garcia (knee).

"We can't cry about it," coach Vance Joseph said Wednesday. "We have to move on and go play a football game on Sunday."

Rookies Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton, who were the team's second- and fourth-round picks in April, are now the likely starters. Tim Patrick and River Cracraft, who spent much of their 2017 rookie seasons on the practice squad, are now the top backups.

Former Buffalo Bills wide receiver Andre Holmes also could be a factor. He was claimed off waivers Wednesday.

Sutton has 28 catches for 558 yards to go with three touchdowns. His 19.9 yards-per-catch average currently leads the league.

"I've got all the trust in the world with the other guys," Keenum said.

Sanders' 71 catches are his most since he had 101 in 2014 -- his first season with the Broncos.

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Broncos lose top WR Sanders to torn Achilles

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Dec 5, 2018 Jeff LegwoldESPN Senior Writer Close Covered Broncos for nine years for Denver Post and Rocky Mountain News Previously covered Steelers, Bills and Titans Member of Pro Football Hall of Fame Board of Selectors since 1999 ENGLEWOOD, Colo. -- The Denver Broncos' sometimes-bumpy ride in the 2018 season got significantly rougher Wednesday.

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Brutal murder during the holidays still haunts grieving mom 11 years later: ‘I felt so much darkness’

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For Deb Tilson, the holidays will never be the same.

On Dec. 19, 2007, her daughter Kristine Larson was supposed to show up at her home in Minnesota to bake holiday cookies. Nearly seven hours later, the 19-year-old was found strangled in a burning car.

Larson's ex-boyfriend, Zachery Matthews, who was also the father of her 2-year-old son, was convicted of her murder in 2008 and sentenced to life in prison without parole.

Tilson's real-life nightmare is chronicled on Oxygen's docuseries "Homicide for the Holidays," which explores how brutal crimes across the country that occured between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Tilson told Fox News she chose to come forward and relive the tragic tale for the series in hopes of raising awareness on domestic violence.

"My daughter was the youngest of four and very much the youngest by eight years," said Tilson. "She was everyone's baby in the family. She was that little spark who lit up our lives. She was very gregarious. A caregiver.

"She knew she had to make a better life for herself and her son. She had things put all in order. She had just gotten a job. In two weeks she would have graduated from bartending school and she was also enrolled in a nursing college."

Larson began dating Matthews in 2004. In 2006, the couple welcomed a child named Darion. But in May 2007, Larson ended her relationship with Matthews. At the time of the murder, Larson and Matthews were no longer living together.

Tilson said that before the killing, Matthews, who endured a turbulent upbringing, was initially welcomed by the family.

"At the time, my husband was still mentoring him," she explained. "We invited him to our home. We weren't on bad terms with him... We just wanted to keep things on a low-key level with him."

However, Tilson was horrified by what may have been occurring behind closed doors. While Larson didn't share much about Matthews to her after their breakup, Tilson had learned through her daughter's friends that she once reportedly remarked she had never been hit so hard by anyone in her entire life.

Tilson admitted that when her daughter went missing, she initially didn't suspect Matthews.

"I just felt like for as much as he tried to get her back and wanted to be involved in her life - I was just in denial," she explained. "I just thought anyone who knew her couldn't do something like that to her. And I just felt that if it were him that meant their son wouldn't have either parent. I was in denial. I felt like he really did love her and he wouldn't do something like that to her. And that something like this couldn't happen to this poor little boy."

Pioneer Press reported that during the trial, a prosecutor contended that Matthews became enraged because Larson was a half-hour late in coming to his apartment to pick him up and take him to pick out Christmas gifts for their son.

The local newspaper shared that Matthews struck Larson with a blow that police said knocked her unconscious. He then tied the ends of a white shoelace into loops, treaded one loop through the other, placing it around her neck. Matthews pulled so tightly that the shoelace embedded in her skin.

Investigators believed Larson's murder occurred in front of their son.

Pioneer Press added Matthews then carried Larson's corpse out to her car, put her in the back seat and drove to a random alley. He then parked the car, tore some pages out of a phone book and set them on fire.

Before Matthews was suspected of murder, he was grieving with Larson's family.

"I was just horrified," said Tilson. "I felt so much darkness and sorrow... So many lives were lost over a poor decision made by someone who was obviously mentally ill."

Tilson claimed Matthew has been diagnosed with several mental health diseases, including multiple personality disorder and schizophrenia, among others. She added his troubled childhood may have played a role in his heinous actions.

"I truly believe he figured, 'If I couldn't have her, no one else could,'" she explained. "We were his family. We were all he knew. He was in foster care for up until 16 when he emancipated himself. I think he figured, if she was out of the picture, there would be no drama. He could still be a part of our family in his own twisted judgment."

"And I think Kristine thought that with as much love as she could give him, she could build him back up and change the negative self-esteem and control issues he had," she added.

In 2009, the South Washington County Bulletin reported Tilson and her family got custody of Darion. She said raising her grandson, who is now 12, has been bittersweet.

"He keeps Kristine's memory alive," she explained. "He has a lot of her mannerisms, her smile and her laugh. However, he is a product of his father as well. So those things rear its ugly head.

"He's been diagnosed with tons of emotional disorders. Reactive attachment disorder, possibly bipolar, ADD. He's prone to having blackout rages. He has a lot of issues with control because when he was a baby, he witnessed all of this. And he was powerless. ... We've had a long road with him. He's come a long way. And I gotta tell ya, we wouldn't trade it for the world."

Tilson said the maximum security prison where Matthews is currently located is only a 20-minute drive from her home. However, she said it's been a year since she had heard from Matthews, who reportedly insisted he was innocent up until two years ago.

And while Christmas is a joyous time for countless families, it's a haunting reminder for Tilson.

"Our family traditions... have changed because of this," she said. "Some of my kids are still very angry... We were the ideal family, like The Waltons. We all got together. Everybody laughed. We shared meals. I have my moments where I'm really strong and empowered. And then I have my moments where I'm just a mess... We don't bake cookies anymore. The holidays just aren' the same."

Still, Tilson said she is determined to see Christmas in a different light. Her goal is to commemorate the season with those who have no one to share the holidays with.

But Tilson refuses to let her daughter be forgotten with time. She explained that right after Larson's death, she was contacted by the Minnesota Coalition of Battered Women, which has helped her cope with her grief. She hopes her story, and Oxygen's show, will help other young women get out of terrifying relationships before it's too late.

"It's the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about," she said. "That's why I got involved. Especially this time of year."
"Homicide for the Holidays" airs Dec. 9th at 8 p.m. on Oxygen.

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Brutal murder during the holidays still haunts grieving mom 11 years later: 'I felt so much darkness'

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For Deb Tilson, the holidays will never be the same. On Dec. 19, 2007, her daughter Kristine Larson was supposed to show up at her home in Minnesota to bake holiday cookies. Nearly seven hours later, the 19-year-old was found strangled in a burning car.

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Former MLB infielders Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo died in a car accident Thursday, the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher reported.

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MLB Joseph Zucker Rob Leiter/Getty Images @@JosephZucker Featured Columnist
Former MLB infielders Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo died in a car accident Thursday, the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher reported.

A spokesperson for the Cardenales de Lara, Valbuena and Castillo's team in Venezuela, confirmed to Fletcher the two had died, and the team's official Twitter account announced the news early Friday morning.

According to Fletcher, Valbuena and Castillo played in a Venezuelan league game Thursday night. At some point after the game, they were both passengers in a car driven by teammate Carlos Rivero when the car hit a rock and veered off the road.

Valbuena played in the majors from 2008 to 2018, most recently appearing in 96 games for the Los Angeles Angels last season before the team released him in August. His best year came in 2016 when he batted .260 and slugged .459 while hitting 13 home runs and collecting 40 RBI for the Houston Astros.

Castillo debuted in MLB in 2004 and played four seasons for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He then split the 2008 campaign with the San Francisco Giants and Astros.

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Former MLB Players Luis Valbuena, Jose Castillo Killed in Car Accident

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MLB Joseph Zucker Rob Leiter/Getty Images @@JosephZucker Twitter Logo Featured Columnist Former MLB infielders Luis Valbuena and Jose Castillo died in a car accident Thursday, the Orange County Register's Jeff Fletcher reported. A spokesperson for the Cardenales de Lara, Valbuena and Castillo's team in Venezuela, confirmed to Fletcher the two had died, and the team's official Twitter account announced the news early Friday morning.

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A South Carolina woman who made headlines earlier this year when she gouged out her eyes while high on "a concoction of tainted methamphetamine" spoke out this week about the incident that left her blind and changed her life forever.  Kaylee Muthart, 21, of Anderson, told People's magazine that she had been "snorting and injecting" the tainted drugs for about 48 hours before her shocking act of self-mutilation on Feb. 6.

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A South Carolina woman who made headlines earlier this year when she gouged out her eyes while high on "a concoction of tainted methamphetamine" spoke out this week about the incident that left her blind and changed her life forever.

Kaylee Muthart, 21, of Anderson, told People she had been "snorting and injecting" the tainted drugs for about 48 hours before her shocking act of self-mutilation on Feb. 6.

"The drugs take your fears and beliefs and amplify them," Muthart told the magazine. "I thought I had to take my eyes out to survive and save the world."

On the day of the incident, churchgoers in Anderson County watched in horror as Muthart removing her eyeballs. Earlier, in an interview with Cosmopolitan, Muthart described removing her eyeballs before she "squished them."
SOUTH CAROLINA WOMAN WHO GOUGED HER EYES OUT THOUGHT IT WAS A SACRIFICE TO GOD
After the incident, Muthart said she went to a psychiatric facility before completing a drug-treatment program. She also had surgery to save her optic nerves. She told People she considered herself a "recovering addict" but said it was not hard to get sober.

"The drugs took something from me and when you get burned by the fire you learn not to go back," she said.

The woman said she was relearning to do just about everything now that she's blind -- including previously simple acts such as making coffee and cooking eggs. She said she has ridden a bike with the help of a friend and has even played a little basketball. She said she planned to attend a school for the blind next year where she will learn how "to do anything blind." She told People she has accepted losing her vision.

"If you don't, you can never be happy," she said. "Accept it, analyze it and let yourself feel what you feel. I cry. Not a lot, but I bottle it up and then let it out."

Muthart's mother, Katy Tompkins, said her daughter "has been given a second chance." But Tompkins said she still struggles with the incident.
WOMAN WHO GOUGED HER EYES OUT WHILE ON DRUGS SAYS: 'I FEEL LIKE MYSELF AGAIN'

"The drugs take your fears and beliefs and amplify them."
- Kaylee Muthart to People

"For a mother, it's like, 'Why? Why her?'" Tompkins told People. "So much potential, so beautiful. And her eyes - they were like the ocean - you could see her emotions in them."

Although Muthart has embraced her blindness, she said she has given up her dream of being a marine biologist.

"The part I would've enjoyed most about that" - watching orcas and dolphins slice through the water - "is gone now," she said.

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Woman who gouged her eyes out while on drugs speaks about incident that left her blind

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A South Carolina woman who made headlines earlier this year when she gouged out her eyes while high on "a concoction of tainted methamphetamine" spoke out this week about the incident that left her blind and changed her life forever.

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California Woman Sentenced to 30 Years for Drunken Driving Crash That Killed Sister, 5 Others

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Domino's delivery driver installs fully lit Christmas tree in back of truck.

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A Domino's delivery driver in Virginia is bringing customers holiday cheer along with their pizzas.

Dean Bryant drives around Lexington with a fully lit Christmas tree in the back of his truck when he's on the job with the restaurant chain.
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"We get positive calls about it every time he goes out with it because people see it... so it does attract attention," franchisee Rush Earman told WDBJ 7.

Bryant said he found the tree, fully lit with the stand attached, after some college students threw it away.

"I hate to see anything go to waste," he said. "So I come up with the idea of strapping it in the truck and plugging it into the inverter, converter and riding around with it. Everyone liked it."

Customer response has been positive, with people telling Bryant how much they love the tree.
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"I like to see people happy. There's not enough of that in the world today," he said.

The rest of the year, Bryant is known as the "duck truck guy" because of the dozen rubber ducks that line his dash.

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Domino's delivery driver installs fully lit Christmas tree in back of truck

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A Domino's delivery driver in Virginia is bringing customers holiday cheer along with their pizzas. Dean Bryant drives around Lexington with a fully lit Christmas tree in the back of his truck when he's on the job with the restaurant chain.

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Traffic accidents are eighth leading cause of death globally. The number of traffic-related deaths reached a high of 1.35 million in 2016.

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traffic accidents are eighth leading cause of death globally

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Traffic accidents are eighth leading cause of death globally, according to WHO

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A report shows that traffic-related deaths are now the eighth leading cause of deaths globally, especially in low-income countries. Traffic laws are changing to help combat this.