NOTN- At about 1:30 PM, the Juneau Police Department received a 911 call regarding a motor vehicle collision in the area of Auke Lake, on Glacier Highway.
Initial reports indicated that two vehicles were involved in the collision, and some of the occupants were pinned inside the vehicles, a young child passenger was also unconscious.
Emergency services responded to the crash and extricated multiple people from the collision site.
The unconscious passenger, a 7-year-old child, was transported to the hospital. Police have since confirmed the child has died.
The initial investigation showed that a black 2000 Jeep Cherokee was travelling inbound on Glacier Highway at Pederson Hill, when it lost control and travelled into the oncoming lane of traffic, and struck a white 2015 Dodge Ram travelling outbound on Glacier Highway.
The Jeep was being operated by a 17-year-old female, and there was a 7-year-old female passenger inside. Both occupants of the Jeep were pinned inside the vehicle after the crash, which caused the vehicle to roll onto the driver side in the ditch. The Jeep sustained totaling damages. The Dodge was operated by a 25-year-old male, and there was a 3-year-old male passenger. The Dodge sustained significant damages to the front end.
The 7-year-old female was pronounced deceased at the hospital. Next of kin has been notified. No other significant injuries were reported during the initial investigation of the crash.
The cause of the crash remains under investigation
NOTN- Juneau set yet another record low temperature this December, making it 5 days this month that the Juneau Airport has seen daily lows below zero.
On December 23 Juneau Airport set a new record low of -10 degrees, and according to the National Weather service in Juneau, the airport has had more days below zero in the last two weeks than its had in the last 16 years combined.
Southeast Alaska is also facing a stretch of dangerously cold weather followed by a shift toward snow and mixed precipitation as the week progresses, according to the National Weather Service.
Forecasters say the region is currently in the grip of very cold, dry air bringing frigid temperatures and hazardous wind chills that are expected to persist through today.
Christmas day will bring a pattern change, as clouds increase and snow chances ramp up across the panhandle. By Friday night and into the weekend, a stronger weather system moving in from the Gulf of Alaska could bring moderate to heavy snow to parts of the region.
Residents are urged to monitor updated forecasts and prepare for rapidly changing weather conditions, especially during the holiday travel period.
The National Weather Service said additional advisories and warnings may be issued as the system develops.
Strips of sockeye salmon harvested from the Kuskokwim River are seen on July 19, 2017. Sockeye salmon, also known as red salmon, is among the species harvested for subsistence. (Photo provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service)
The U.S. Department of the Interior is considering whether to change Alaska’s unique system of hunting and fishing, which gives rural residents priority on federal land in Alaska.
According to a notice published Dec. 15 in the Federal Register, the Interior Department is conducting “a targeted review” of the program mandated by the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.
While no specific changes were identified in the notice, it prompted the Alaska Federation of Natives to react with concern.
In a message to members, it called the new proposal “a serious threat and a major step backward” in fish and game management within Alaska, according to a report Tuesday by the Anchorage Daily News.
Federal law requires rural residents to receive a priority when subsistence hunting and fishing, but because Alaska’s constitution prohibits the state from operating a system that gives one resident priority over another, the federal government uses one set of rules for hunting and fishing on federally controlled waters and lands, and the state uses another set for state-controlled water and land.
That has frequently led to conflicts between the state and federal government over management, and several lawsuits over the issue are currently in progress in federal court.
The Daily News reported that the suggestion to revise the two-tiered program came from Safari Club International, a large sport-hunting organization that has frequently sided with the state in lawsuits against the federal government.
Information posted online by the Interior Department indicates that the agency may consider:
Changing the makeup of the board that regulates subsistence hunting and fishing on federal land;
Reconsidering the rules that determine what parts of the state are “rural” and thus eligible for preferential treatment;
And the role of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in the program.
NORAD- 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, NORAD tracks everything that flies in and around North America in defense of our homelands. On Dec. 24, they have the very special mission of also tracking Santa.
NORAD has been tracking Santa since 1955 when a young child accidently dialed the unlisted phone number of the Continental Air Defense Command (CONAD) Operations Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, believing she was calling Santa Claus after seeing a promotion in a local newspaper.
The commander on duty that night, was quick to realize a mistake had been made, and assured the youngster that CONAD would guarantee Santa a safe journey from the North Pole.
Thus a tradition was born that rolled over to NORAD when it was formed in 1958. Each year since, NORAD has reported Santa’s location on Dec. 24 to millions across the globe.
Thanks to the services and resources generously provided by numerous corporate contributors and volunteers, NORAD Tracks Santa has persevered for more than 60 years.
Each year, the NORAD Tracks Santa Web Site receives nearly fifteen million unique visitors from more than 200 countries and territories around the world. Volunteers receive more than 130,000 calls to the NORAD Tracks Santa hotline from children around the globe.
Children and the young-at-heart are able to track Santa through Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.
Disgraced comedian Russell Brand is facing a new round of criminal charges.
According to a new report from the BBC, London’s Metropolitan Police have charged Brand with “two further offences, including one count of rape.”
The new charges stem from allegations made by two women whose names have not been made public.
Russell Brand poses for photographs as he arrives to deliver The Reading Agency Lecture at The Institute of Education on November 25, 2014 in London, England. (Photo by Carl Court/Getty Images)
The report indicates that Brand is due to appear in court on January 20.
The alleged rape took place between February 2009 and March 2009
The new charges come on the heels of a slew of earlier accusations against the controversial comic.
Russell Brand takes part in a discussion at Esquire Townhouse, Carlton House Terrace on October 14, 2017 in London, England. (Photo by Jeff Spicer/Getty Images)
Brand was previously accused of raping one woman in 1999 and assaulting another in 2001.
He’s also been charged with sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.
Other counts pertain to the alleged oral rape and sexual assault of a fourth woman in 2004.
After getting his start as a stand-up comic and TV personality in his native UK, Brand went on to star in Hollywood films like Forgetting Sarah Marshall and Get Him To The Greek.
Russell Brand arrives at the premiere of Touchstone Pictures and Miramax Films’ ‘The Tempest’ at the El Capitan Theatre on December 6, 2010 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images)
In recent years, he has rebranded as a right-wing political commentator, a move that many have derided as a calculated attempt to curry favor with people who might be in a position to offer a pardon or asylum.
The 50-year-old has yet to speak publicly about the new charges against him, but he has previously denied any wrongdoing and framed himself as the victim of a witch hunt.
He pled not guilty to the previous charges, and his trial is slated to begin on June 16.
Brand has said he is “incredibly grateful” to be able to face his accusers in court.
We will have further updates on this developing story as new information becomes available.
To the excitement of many, Amanda surfaced in other photos in which she wore ripped jeans and a Lady Gaga shirt.
(Opportunist sites are already offering the shirt for sale — but you should always either buy official merch or from fan artists, and never from too-cheap-to-be-true hawkers)
In both pics, she isn’t posing for photos. She’s walking down the sidewalk, minding her own business.
Still, we know that, until our nation comes to its senses and passes laws that make it illegal to post or publish random photos on the street unless they serve a genuine public interest (like documenting a crime), snaps of celebs running errands will continue.
Amanda knows that, too.
Amanda Bynes was spotted wearing a Lady Gaga “MAYHEM” t-shirt whilst out in LA yesterday. pic.twitter.com/eb3sHhAXQi
She’s working towards a goal to, in part, feel more confident in photos
When Amanda Bynes previously explained her decision to start using Ozempic for luxury weight loss, she explained why.
Speaking to her followers, she highlighted that her appearance in paparazzi photos was a particular concern.
Simply put, Amanda felt that these snaps of her going about her daily life were unflattering.
As we previously reported, she has already lost 28 pounds by using the controversial GLP-1 medication. She offered the latest update in an Instagram post in which she revealed that she’s down to 152 pounds.
However, she isn’t done.
Actress Amanda Bynes arrives at the 2011 MTV Movie Awards at Universal Studios’ Gibson Amphitheatre on June 5, 2011. (Photo Credit: Jason Merritt/Getty Images)
Amanda believes she “still [looks] big,” and she would like to lose more weight.
It sounds like Amanda has, thus far, avoided the worst side effects of these notorious medications.
However, she did experience a setback — weight gain along the way.
There is often intense backlash when people use diabetes medicine for weight loss. However, a lot of people have so much sympathy for Amanda that she’s not a primary target of ire.
(Image Credit: YouTube)
This isn’t just the shot’s work, by the way
To be clear, Amanda Bynes is also exercising regularly.
She’s been attending early morning Pilates classes.
Obviously, the issues with Ozempic aren’t that it’s “cheating.” The issues are with supply shortages for those who need it, untested side effects, and that critics have characterized it as just something that lets people starve themselves without the hunger pangs.
But the exercise is relevant because it’s good for your body and a healthy habit to build.
Taylor Swift is ending the year the same way she started it.
And the same way she had been pretty much every minute of her existence:
By being totally and completely awesome.
Just consider the latest case in point…
Taylor Swift attends the 67th Annual GRAMMY Awards at Crypto.com Arena on February 02, 2025 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images for The Recording Academy)
We just learned that the 36-year-old musician donated $1 million to Feeding America, according to the nonprofit itself in a statement.
“We are incredibly grateful for Taylor Swift’s $1 million gift to Feeding America,” Feeding America CEO Claire Babineaux-Fontenot said in a press release on Tuesday, December 23.
“This holiday season, her continued support is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when we unite to end hunger. When we join together alongside people facing hunger, we can make sure families have a full table this holiday season and beyond.”
Feeding America is an organization whose mission is exactly what its name implies. It approaches “ending food insecurity from every angle,” per its official website, and it is comprised of “food banks and pantries” to help the less fortunate remain fulfilled and healthy.
Taylor Swift performs on stage as part of her Eras Tour in Lisbon on May 24, 2024. (Photo by ANDRE DIAS NOBRE/AFP via Getty Images)
Swift (who may be pregnant?!?) has a history of generous deeds such as this, of course.
Following Hurricanes Helene and Milton in 2024, the Grammy winner donated $5 million to Feeding America in hopes of helping the communities ravaged by the storms.
“We’re incredibly grateful to Taylor Swift for her generous $5 million donation to Hurricanes Helene and Milton relief efforts,” Feeding America wrote via an Instagram statement that October.
“This contribution will help communities rebuild and recover, providing essential food, clean water and supplies to people affected by these devastating storms.”
Earlier that same year… while on the European leg of her Eras Tour… Swift helped out local food banks by donating money in various cities where she performed.
For example: Swift reportedly made the largest individual donation in history to Cardiff Foodbank in Cardiff, Wales in June 2024.
Taylor Swift attends the 2024 MTV Video Music Awards at UBS Arena on September 11, 2024 in Elmont, New York. (Photo by Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty Images)
We also heard that Swift gave $100,000 to each of the truckers who worked on her Eras Tour… while, several months ago, the artist gave this same amount to a two-year-old girl named Lilah, who was diagnosed with a rare form of brain cancer at just 18 months old.
She really is the best.
Lilah’s mom, Katelynn, reacted to the incredible gesture by posting a video of herself dancing to Swift’s “The Fate of Ophelia.
“Is this real life? Thank you so so much @taylorswift,” the Instagram caption read at the time.
“I am in shock. This means so much to us. I can’t express in words how incredibly grateful we are. Tyler and I can just focus on our baby girl and being together as a family. I can’t stop crying. You have given us such a beautiful gift. Thank you”
We have sad news to report from the world of social media today.
The TikTok star known as Epic Gamer Grandma has passed away.
The wildly popular content creator — whose real name was Agnes — was 78 years old.
The TikTok star known as Epic Gamer Grandma has passed away. (YouTube)
News of Agnes’ passing comes coutesy of her grandson Culsan.
“She left this world the way she lived in it: surrounded by love,” he wrote on his social media accounts, according to TMZ.
Culsan added that his grandmother died holding her daughter’s hand.
News of Agnes’ passing did not come as a total shock, as Culsan had been posting updates about her declining health since October.
The TikTok star known as Epic Gamer Grandma has passed away. (YouTube)
“A lot of you are wondering why she hasn’t been posting; and when she does they’re reposts from older videos.
“The reason is that her COPD has worsened significantly; and today, we had to call an ambulance,” he continued, adding:
“Grandma is in hospital, she frequently goes in for extra medical support, but this time she is quite seriously ill. Please keep Grandma and our family in your prayers or thoughts tonight.”
“I hope to bring you a positive update tomorrow. Your support has had a huge impact on both Grandma and the family; and for that we are forever thankful.”
“Thank you for being here with us,” Culsan’s message concluded.
One of the most beloved video game influencers of all time, Agnes amassed more than 2 million followers across social media platforms.
Today, thousands are offering condolences to Agnes’ family and paying tribute to a woman whose easy charm and affable demeanor made her a star in the last years of her life.
Our thoughts go out to her loved ones during this incredibly difficult time.
Well, folks, this is probably the last celebrity feud of 2025, and it’s about as random as they come!
It seems that Steven Spielberg has vowed never to work with Ben Affleck.
And the beef between the Oscar winners began with an alleged confrontation between Affleck and Spielberg’s young son.
Ben Affleck attends the world premiere of ‘The Accountant 2’ during the 2025 SXSW Conference and Festival at The Paramount Theatre on March 08, 2025 in Austin, Texas. (Photo by Marcus Ingram/Getty Images)
During a recent appearance on Stephen Baldwin’s “One Bad Movie” podcast, director Mike Binder revealed that he once helped Spielberg develop a movie called Man About Town, which was based on a real-life home invasion at Spielberg’s home.
At one point, Ben was attached to star — but Spielberg slammed on the brakes and revealed that Affleck’s involvement would be a deal breaker for him.
“We make a deal that he’s gonna do it, we shake hands, he’ll do it,” Binder recalled (via The New York Post).
“No. Can’t do it with him,” Spielberg reportedly said. “We just bombed with a movie with him, he’s got that whole J. Lo thing going on now, and I have other problems with him.
“My son was a little boy, he was playing in the pool, and he got out of the pool, and Ben came in fully dressed, and my son pushed Ben into the pool,” Binder recalls Spielberg saying.
The bomb Spielberg seems to have been 2003’s Gigli.
Steven Spielberg attends the AFI Life Achievement Award Ceremony honoring Francis Ford Coppola at Dolby Theatre on April 26, 2025 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Maya Dehlin Spach/Getty Images)
“And Ben got really mad at him, and he came out of the pool and picked him up and threw him back into the pool, and made my son cry,” the director continued.
“I just don’t like to work with him,” he reportedly explained.
“Plus, his last two movies bombed. Find somebody else. Anyone but him. He’s cold as hell.”
Binder says he didn’t tell Affleck the real reason that he was removed from the movie — but Ben figured it out anyway.
“Ben calls me up, he says, ‘Did Steven Spielberg tell you I threw his kid in the water? Is that what happened? Is that why I’m not on your movie?’” Binder recounted, adding:
Ben Affleck attends the Los Angeles premiere of Amazon Studio’s “The Tender Bar” at TCL Chinese Theatre on December 12, 2021 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images)
“I said, ‘No, he didn’t say —’ ‘Yes he did! He told you I threw his kid in the water. That’s why I’m not on the movie.’”
Eventually Binder directed the movie himself … and it went straight to DVD. So a sad ending for all involved.
Look, it’s been an eventful year for Affleck — and we’re sure he doesn’t love that the pool story has resurfaced (pun intended!) just before the holidays.
But he certainly doesn’t have any trouble finding work these days — and we’re sure Ben will make another big splash in 2026!
Former Sen. Ben Sasse announced on Tuesday that he has been diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic pancreatic cancer.
The Nebraska Republican shared the news on X, writing in a lengthy social media post that he had received the diagnosis last week.
“Advanced pancreatic is nasty stuff; it’s a death sentence,” Sasse said. “But I already had a death sentence before last week too — we all do.”
The two term senator retired in 2023 and then went on to serve as president of the University of Florida. He eventually left the school to spend more time with his wife, Melissa, after she was diagnosed with epilepsy.
Sasse continued to teach classes at University of Florida’s Hamilton Center after he stepped down as president. He previously served as a professor at the University of Texas, as an assistant secretary at the Department of Health and Human Services and as president of Midland University.
Sasse on Tuesday shared that he and his wife have only grown closer since and opened up about his children’s recent successes and milestones.
“There’s not a good time to tell your peeps you’re now marching to the beat of a faster drummer — but the season of advent isn’t the worst,” Sasse said. “As a Christian, the weeks running up to Christmas are a time to orient our hearts toward the hope of what’s to come.”
Sasse said he’ll have more to share in the future, adding that he is “not going down without a fight” and will be undergoing treatment.
“Death and dying aren’t the same — the process of dying is still something to be lived. We’re zealously embracing a lot of gallows humor in our house, and I’ve pledged to do my part to run through the irreverent tape,” Sasse said.
