High school girls basketball player collapses, dies during game, reports say

Amari Crite, 14, died while participating in a basketball game this week, reports say. (GoFundMe)

Momence, Ill.

A girls high school basketball player reportedly collapsed and died this week in Illinois.

According to multiple reports, 14-year-old Amari Crite died on Thursday after collapsing on the court while playing a home game at Momence High School.

The Daily Journal reports that Momence School District Superintendent Shannon Anderson issued the following statement that read in part:

“We are deeply saddened to confirm the heartbreaking news of the passing of one of our 9th-grade students on January 25, 2024. Our thoughts and condolences go out to the family and friends affected by this tragic loss.

“Our primary focus right now is on supporting one another and providing the necessary resources for our community to cope with this loss.”

Amari’s family has created a GoFundMe to help them during this difficult time.

“Our precious baby girl passed away last night January 25 when she collapsed at her basketball game. We are asking for any and everyone to help us give her the proper homegoing she deserves,” organizer Michelle Crite wrote.

According to school officials, grief counselors were at Momence High School on Friday to help students deal with the loss of their classmate.

The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office also shared their condolences.

“The Kankakee County Sheriff’s Office stands with the Momence School District during this difficult time. Friends, family and classmates are all in our prayers,” the sheriff’s office wrote online.

Trooper thrown from side of vehicle after crash during traffic stop, video shows

Dashcam video shows a crash that sent 3 people, including a trooper, to the hospital. (Oklahoma Highway Patrol)

Oklahoma City

Oklahoma authorities say a crash is under investigation that involved one of their troopers getting hurt during a traffic stop last week.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol released dashcam video of the crash that occurred on Jan. 18 on Interstate 40 in Canadian County.

Authorities say the collision sent three people, including Trooper Jesse Gregory, to the hospital.

The video shows Gregory out of his vehicle talking to a driver he had pulled over on the side of the highway near Cimarron Road.

The trooper can be seen on the passenger’s side of the vehicle when a black SUV crashes into the back of the pulled-over vehicle.

The impact throws the trooper into a grassy area off the highway. The black SUV can be seen with major damage, along with the vehicle that was pulled over.

Gregory is heard calling dispatch about the crash as the video ends.

“We show this video as a graphic reminder of the consequences of distracted or impaired driving and the importance of the slow down, move over law,” the department said.

The trooper is expected to be OK, and everyone involved in the crash has since been treated and released, authorities said.

Oklahoma Highway Patrol says the crash remains under investigation as they look into what caused the collision.

Several major US cities are among the worst in the nation for bedbugs, Orkin says

A pest control company is releasing a new report listing the top U.S. cities that have the worst bedbug problems.

Orkin says its list is based on company data where it performed the most bedbug treatments nationally from Dec. 1, 2022, to Nov. 30, 2023.

Chicago is the worst city for bedbugs, according to the report. Orkin reports the Windy City took the No. 1 spot for the fourth year in a row.

New York, Philadelphia, Cleveland and Los Angeles round out the top five cities that had the most bedbug calls.

Exterminators say bedbugs are small and they do not have wings. The insects are red to dark brown and are mostly nocturnal and survive on blood, biting people who are sleeping.

“Bedbugs are extremely resilient, making them difficult to control,” Ben Hottel, Orkin entomologist, said. “While bedbugs are visible to the naked eye, they are excellent at hiding.”

The Orkin team says it is important for travelers to protect themselves as best they can against the insects.

Hottel recommends that travelers survey their hotel room for signs of an infestation and to be on the lookout for tiny, ink-colored stains on mattress seams, in soft furniture, or behind headboards.

Check bedbug hiding spots like the mattress, box spring and other furniture. Put luggage away from the bed and wall and examine bags carefully while repacking and returning home.

Travelers should also place their dryer-safe clothing from their trip in a dryer for at least 30-45 minutes at the highest setting once home as the pests can cling to personal belongings and travel easily from place to place.

“As travel plans ramp up, it’s important that Americans know how to protect themselves through pest identification and proper control,” Hottel said.

More tips on bedbug prevention as well as other cities that made Orkin’s list can viewed online.

92-year-old becomes oldest to cross the Grand Canyon rim to rim on foot

Alfredo Aliaga Burdio, 92, became the oldest person to cross the Grand Canyon rim to rim on foot when completing his trek in October 2023. (Guinness World Records)

A man is setting records at the age of 92 after conquering a nearly 24-mile hike at the Grand Canyon.

According to the Guinness World Records, Alfredo Aliaga Burdio completed his record-setting trek across the Grand Canyon on Oct. 15, 2023.

He reportedly hiked about 21 hours over two days to become the oldest person to hike the Grand Canyon rim to rim on foot.

After his wife passed away from ALS in 2006, Burdio said he decided to revisit the places where they had traveled together.

In October 2022, Burdio hiked the Grand Canyon with his son, and it was during this trip that he came up with the idea to attempt the record.

“I had read about the previous record holder, Mr. John Jepkema, whom I admired immensely,” Burdio said. “I knew that I was only a few months younger than Mr. Jepkema and thought that I had a great shot at setting a new record.”

After a delayed attempt due to weather, Burdio began training for what would be the hike of a lifetime last January. He said he began walking about 8 miles every day up until his record-breaking hike.

He started his journey at the North Rim and stopped to take a break about every hour.

“I was very tired after those first five hours,” he said. “But what surprised me is that after about a 15-minute break, some food, and electrolytes, I recovered and felt strong again to tackle the next seven hours.”

He says many people were hiking the Grand Canyon during his journey and they took the time to be kind to him.

“Truly the best thing was meeting all the people on the trail,” Burdio said.

The 92-year-old said every person was cheering him on and encouraging him.

He reportedly took 11 hours and 15 minutes to hike from the North Rim Trailhead down to Phantom Ranch and an additional 10 hours the next day from Phantom Ranch to the South Rim Trailhead.

Burdio said he hopes his journey will show people that doing what they love and never giving up on trying to achieve things is what matters.

He also said he would like to show people that it is never too late to try something.

Bottle of Irish whiskey becomes most expensive ever sold at $2.8 million

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. reportedly set a new record by selling a bottle of whiskey for $2.8 million. (PRNewswire)

A 30-year-old Irish single malt whiskey has become the most expensive bottle of whiskey ever sold.

According to The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., it sold a bottle of The Emerald Isle for a record-setting price of $2.8 million to collector Mike Daley.

“This world-first sale makes The Emerald Isle, already the rarest triple-distilled single malt in existence, the most expensive bottle of whiskey, or whisky, ever sold,” the company shared.

A company spokesperson said historically the most sought-after bottles of the spirit have been Scotch whiskies.

Last November, a bottle of The Macallan 1926 sold for at that time a record-setting $2.7 million at auction.

However, this year’s sale may represent a shift in luxury collectors’ interests.

“Irish is the future of whiskey. I’m excited to be part of it, as a collector, but most importantly as a drinker,” Daley said.

Daley is reportedly one of the more prolific collectors of the spirit in the United States, with a vast collection consisting of several thousand bottles.

According to reports, the bottle of The Emerald Isle comes in a walnut case that includes a single decanter, alongside a Faberge egg containing an emerald gem, a custom timepiece and a pair of Cohiba cigars.

“A bottle of The Emerald Isle becoming the most expensive whiskey or whisky ever sold is a monumental achievement for my business,” Jay Bradley, founder and CEO of The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., said.