Author Archives: Alexa Eckembrecher

Ex-NFL player charged with murder

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Cierre Woods, a California native that was once a member of the Buffalo Bills, New England Patriots and Houston Texans, appeared in court on Thursday in Las Vegas. He is facing first-degree murder charges after a five-year-old girl, whom he was accused of abusing, died.

Authorities said the 28-year-old was initially arrested on Wednesday at Summerlin Hospital on suspicion of first-degree child abuse. But then on Thursday, the first degree murder charges were added because La’Rayah Davis, the little girl, had died.

The girl’s mother, Amy Taylor, is Wood’s girlfriend and was also arrested and charged with firs-degree child abuse. However, it is not confirmed whether the 25-year-old will be charged with first degree murder as well.

According to the Associated Press, Las Vegas Metro police reported that La’Rayah had bruises on her abdomen, legs and torso. Prosecutors added in court that, while the cause of death is yet to be determined, an autopsy had revealed the existence of a large liver laceration.

La’Rayah’s father, Danaun Davis, traveled from California to be in the courtroom Thursday.

“She had so many people she touched, and she was only 5,” he said. “[The] most tragic thing is [that] I can’t call her. I just spoke to her on that Monday before. ‘Dad, I’ll see you in two weeks.’ The next day, I get a call that she’s gone.”

Woods was a former student-athlete at the University of Notre Dame and ran for almost 2,500 yards there and 16 touchdowns. He also appeared for three games in the NFL in 2013 and two games in 2015 for just five carries. According to Yahoo Sports, he most recently played in the Canadian Sports League, but is now currently a free agent.

All the reports I read on Woods were detailed with facts of the event and his former career. Likewise, most reports included a timeline of how the events transpired in the past week. It’s unfortunate that the La’Rayah passed and so I hope she gets justice.

Avicii’s final album coming soon

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Avicii’s family and friends are making sure fans get to hear what Avicii was working on prior to his unexpected death.

Tim Bergling, a.k.a Avicii, was a Grammy-nominated, genre-defining dance-pop songwriter and producer. He performed around the world at sold-out venues. Some of his most famous hits were “Levels” and “Wake Me Up”. However, Bergling died on April 20, 2018, near Muscat, Oman, when he was 28.

In a statement by his family and close collaborators on Friday, Avicii was close to completing his new album before he died nearly a year ago.

“He left behind a collection of nearly finished songs, along with notes, email conversations and text messages about the music,” read the statement. “The songwriters that Tim was collaborating with on this album have continued the process to get as close to his vision as possible.”

His new single “SOS” will be released on April 10 and will be the first off of the album, titled “TIM,” which will be released on June 6. It is expected to have 16 tracks on it.

Avicii’s team also added that “Since Tim’s passing, the family decided not to keep the music locked away — instead they wanted to share it with his fans all around the world.”

The statement also included a heartwarming video featuring Avicii in the studio with tributes from his family.

Proceeds from the upcoming album will benefit the Tim Bergling Foundation, which raises money to support people and organizations in the field of mental illness and suicide prevention.

I reckon that his untimely death sparked more conversations about mental health and I appreciate that most of the reports mention this. Likewise, I find it equally as important that the outlets mention that the proceeds will benefit the foundation that his family started a month ago.

Gronkowski announces retirement

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

After nine remarkable seasons and three Super Bowl rings with the New England Patriots, the superstar tight end made the decision to retire.

Rob Gronkowski, better known as “Gronk,” announced his retirement in a lengthy Instagram post last Sunday.

“It all started at 20 years old on stage at the NFL Draft when my dream came true, and now here I am about to turn 30 in a few months with a decision I feel is the biggest of my life so far,” Gronk wrote. “I will be retiring from the game of football today.”

Bill Belichick, the Patriot’s head coach, also released a statement that same day. He called Gronk one of the “most complete players at his position” and commented on the 29-year-old’s impact on the entire New England organization and football league.

“Rob’s impact on our team and organization was felt in many ways. In the ultimate team sport, Rob was a great, great teammate,” Belichick said. “His production spoke for itself, but his daily attitude, unmistakably positive energy wherever he went and toward whoever he touched will never be forgotten. Rob will leave an indelible mark on the Patriots organization and the game as among the best.”

Gronk had reportedly considered retiring prior to staring the 2018 season, but he decided to play one more season. Unfortunately, his multiple injuries caused him to miss three games and put up the worst numbers in his career. The tight end caught just three touchdown passes during the regular season, marking his personal career low.

During his recent Super Bowl win, however, Gronk caught six passes for 87 yards. His final career reception placed the ball at the Rams’ 2-yard line, leading to the only touchdown in the entire game.

Ever since being drafted second round at the 2010 NFL Draft, Gronk made the most Super Bowl receptions than any other tight end in NFL history (23) and tied for the second-most receiving touchdowns for any player in NFL playoff history (12). In the postseason, he had the most tight end receptions (81), most receiving yards (1,163) and most receiving touchdowns (12). As per receiving yards during the regular season, Gronk will also retire with the most per game (68.4) for any tight end.

In total, the 6-foot-6-inch tight end’s NFL career will end with 521 catches for 7,861 yards and 79 touchdown receptions — something truly legendary.

Perhaps in five years, once he would be eligible, Gronk will be inducted in the Hall of Fame. One person that undoubtedly believes he will is the Patriot’s owner Robert Kraft.

“In the nine years that I have known Rob Gronkowski, I have never known him to have a bad day,” Kraft said in a statement. “Gronk quickly became a fan favorite and the most dominant player at his position for nearly a decade. I look forward to honoring him in the near future as both a Patriots and Pro Football Hall of Famer.”

I will certainly miss watching Gronk play on Sunday nights. He was amusing, passionate and definitely one of the most driven players in the league. However, like most fans, I understand the reasons behind his retirement. He had suffered multiple injuries and underwent numerous surgeries which were inevitably reflecting on the field.

Likewise, I am pleased to see the majority of the news outlets to be reporting on his announcement with multiple highlights of his notable accomplishments on and off the field. I reckon its important to note that while he was a football player, he was also a person outside of that.

Mahomes signs historic deal with Oakley

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

It won’t be long until everyone in Kansas City will be sporting Oakley sunglasses.

Last Wednesday, Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes II signed an endorsement deal with Oakley making him the first professional football player to ever do so. Other athletes to be partnered with Oakley include skiiers Mikaela Shiffrin and Lindsey Vonn and snowboarder Chloe Kim.

Prior to signing the deal, the NFL MVP visited the Oakley headquarters in Southern California where he learned more about the optic technology and was dazzled with what he saw. He is currently the face of the sports performance brand’s Prizm optics line.

“I love the Prizm technology. It enhances the lights and colors you see when you wear the sunglasses, which can be super-effective for me,” said Mahomes. “You want to make sure you’re wearing the right type of glasses that will enhance the right colors when you’re going out to practice or working out or on the field playing.

“With this partnership, I can show what Oakley can do on and off the football field, and I think that’s the biggest thing,” Mahomes told Yahoo Lifestyle. “We both strive to be the best in our aspects.”

Likewise, the brand compared their mission with the 23-year-old’s vision.

“[Patrick Mahomes II] is always striving to be better on the field — his DNA fits with our DNA, which is all about being focused on performance.” said Gwen van Lingen, Oakley Senior Vice President of Marketing. “[Oakley] has always said if it’s not good enough for the world’s best athletes, it’s [simply] not good enough.”

However, this is not the only brand with which the Kansas City Star has recently partnered. The more notable companies have been Hunt’s Ketchup and Pizza Hut.

Coming off a great season and then being named MVP of the year, Mahomes is definitely having an equally great off-season. I think this is notable, and should be covered more, because this was his first season starting in the NFL after being drafted in 2017 from Texas Tech University.

Taylor Swift’s stalker breaks in, again

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Last Thursday, a Taylor Swift-obsessed stalker was arrested in New York City again after being released from jail just 30 days prior for committing the same crime: breaking into her home.

Roger Alvarado, a 23-year-old Florida native, allegedly climbed a ladder and broke a glass door to get inside of Swift’s townhouse at around 2:30 a.m., police said.

According to sources, the pop star was out of town at the time and so police were alerted to the singer’s apartment by its automated security system. The sources also added that Alvarado did not steal anything from the property.

Alvarado, who is on probation after getting out of jail Feb. 5, has since been charged with stalking, burglary and felony criminal contempt for violating an order of protection.

This is, at least, the third time he has been arrested at Swift’s home.

In the previous break-in, which happened last April, police say Alvarado used Swift’s shower and slept in her bed. This offense is what sent him to jail for more than nine months and as part of the sentence, the judge ordered him to complete a mental-health program.

But two months before that, Alvarado was arrested for reportedly breaking Swift’s front door with a shovel.

In my opinion, I believe these situations occur more frequently because of websites and tabloids. They dedicate themselves to exposing celebrities and putting their last bits of privacy, like their personal home addresses, out for everyone to see at a grander scale. I think there should be more caution on what is reported on, in order to make sure public figures aren’t placed in even more danger.

Kacey Musgraves pays tribute to Selena

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Kacey Musgraves paid tribute to her fellow Texan and icon, Selena Quintanilla in Houston earlier this week.

Almost exactly 24 years after the late Tejano singer performed her last live and broadcast concert, the Grammy-winning country star covered one of the adored singer’s most popular songs at the same exact venue.

Musgraves, 30, was scheduled to appear last Monday at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo at the NRG Astrodome. She performed many of her hit singles, including songs from her Grammy-wining album “Golden Hour”, prior to surprising fans with Quintanilla’s song “Como La Flor”. Quintanilla, known simply as Selena, performed at the then Houston Astrodome on Feb. 26, 1995. Over a month later, on March 31, 1996, she was then murdered by Yolanda Saldívar, her former fan club president. Selena was 23 at her untimely death.

Musgraves posted about her performave on Tuesday on to her Instagram stories. She wrote “24 years ago Selena performed her last concert here. It was a dream of mine to be able to pay my respects to her iconic legacy.”

Musgraves also tweeted about the event on her twitter account. She wrote “Houston Rodeo! My Texan dreams came true last night. It was everything to me” in one tweet and then “Siempre Selena” in another, attached with a link to a video of her covering the song.

This caught the attention of Suzette Quintanilla, the late singer’s sister, who posted a clip of the performance on her own Instagram. “Awww this makes me wanna shed a tear! Takes me back,” the caption read. “A Big Big Thank you @spaceykacey for the love at the Houston Rodeo tonite with that SELENA Y LOS DINOS Jam!”

Fans all over the world praised Musgraves performance of all social media platforms.

I am glad this topic was covered because I am a big Kacey Musgraves fan and I absolutely love Selena’s music. Likewise, I am glad that all the articles I read mentioned the fact that Selena’s sister acknowledged Kacey’s tribute. Personally, I believe it made the occasion that much more special to Musgraves and the fans that were in attendance.


Designer Karl Lagerfeld dies

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Karl Lagerfeld, the iconic fashion designer for Chanel, has passed away at the age of 85 on Tuesday in Paris.

“It is with deep sadness that the House of Chanel announces the passing of Karl Lagerfeld, the creative director for the Chanel Fashion House since 1983,” Chanel said in a statement.

Lagerfeld’s tenure at the fashion house re-imagined Gabrielle Chanel’s outdated codes on the unmistakable Chanel suit, classic little black dress, handbags and more. He rejuvenated the brand with narrower lines and eccentric details. When Chanel’s owners, Alain and Gérard Wertheimer, hired him decades ago, Lagerfeld claimed the brand had become an “old hat.”

The German-born designer spent the majority of his entire career at luxury labels, granting him international influence. He previously worked at Chloe and Fendi and yet, remained a relatively elusive figure with his trademark white ponytail, dark glasses and high-collar.

In recent seasons, Lagerfeld appeared to be weaker; But in the latest couture show in Paris, he did not walk out at all to bow. A spokesperson claimed that he was simply “tired”.

Around the world celebrities, models, fashion moguls and even politicians all celebrated Lagerfeld’s legacy and shared their unforgettable moments with the couturier. They thanked him for his inspirational nature and for creating a more fashionable world. Among those who honored his success were: Anna Wintour, Donatella Versace, Rihanna and Claudia Schiffer.

Upon learning of his death, I grew saddened because if there was a brand that I liked to follow, it was always Chanel. Lagerfeld was a visionary and never failed to create anything less of chic. Likewise, I consider the reporting of his life to be thorough in most on the news articles I came across.


Ohio State student kidnapped, killed

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

On Monday, Feb. 11, 20-year-old Ohio State University student Skylar Williams was kidnapped by her 24-year-old ex-boyfriend Ty’Rell Pounds from the campus parking lot. Later that day, Pounds fatally shot Williams after being stopped by Kentucky State troopers.

The couple began dating in high school and were in a tumultuous relationship for nearly three years.

In the Richland County Court, Pounds alleged that Williams was abusive towards him throughout the relationship, but never filed charges because she claimed to create false allegations if he took her to court.  

Last October, however, Pounds filed a restraining order against Williams after he alleged that she hit him at North Central State College. Then, this January, Williams reported an incident that occurred outside of a Mansfield, Ohio, gas station with Pounds in addition to filing a rape charge against him originating from an incident she claimed occurred in September 2018. Pounds insisted that Williams fabricated that claim because he did not pay to get her mother’s car fixed.

Records show that the couple also shared a 1-year-old child.

The Richland County court records showed that visitation of the child by Pounds required supervision by a third party in order to make contact between him and Williams unnecessary. According to the affidavit, Pounds also said he believed it would be in the best interest of the child to be under his custody.

In the news conference Wednesday afternoon held by Kentucky State Police, the patrol commissioner said KSP became involved at around 3:24 p.m. Monday after a 911 call was made by a witness. In the call, the witness claimed to have seen “a distressed female at a gas station in Gallatin County mouth ‘help me’ while being forced by a male into a dark-colored Dodge Caravan.” Soon after, the police located the van and tried to stop it, but Pounds continued to drive, prompting the police chase.

Eventually, the trooper pursuing the car noticed Pounds wearing a bulletproof vest and holding a gun. Joey Brown, the state trooper, then used a pit maneuver, flipping the car on its side. Brown then got out of his patrol unit and instantly heard gunshots from inside the van, causing him to shoot at Pounds.

Pounds was pronounced dead at the scene, but Brown attempted to give Williams medical attention until ambulances came. She died soon after arriving at the hospital.

In my opinion, the reporting on this case seemed objective, factual and complete. They explained plenty on the history of Williams and Pounds’ toxic relationship, allowing readers to conjure up their opinions on the situation. Unfortunately, two lives were lost and a child was left orphaned. I also appreciate that many of the articles provided The National Domestic Violence Hotline number at the end in order to prevent further tragedies.

If convicted, will El Chapo stay in prison?

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

Deliberations for El Chapo’s fate have officially begun earlier this week after nearly three months of testimony.

The week, however, ended on Thursday seemingly positive for Joaquín Guzmán Loera as his jurors did not reach a verdict. He was seen smiling and hugging his attorneys after U.S. District Judge Brian Cogan dismissed 12 jurors from the federal court in Brooklyn.

Guzman-Loera, 61, is accused of leading Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel and trafficking tons cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamines across the Rio Grande into United States — among other things. He previously twice escaped from maximum-security prison in Mexico and in closing arguments by prosecuting attorney Andrea Goldbarg, it was said that he was devising a third breakout prior to being extradited to the U.S.

The defense, nonetheless, claims Guzman’s role has been exaggerated by cooperating witnesses and that he is just a mere scapegoat in the drug world. El Chapo’s wife even claimed to have never even had any idea he was a criminal.

But what is undeniable of El Chapo is that he captured the world’s attention and gained a legendary status in the eyes of many, despite the thousands of people ruthlessly murdered by his savage Sinaloan cartel. This can be attributed to the mass media attention he has garnered for decades.

Jurors are expected to continue deliberating on the 10 criminal counts, one of which consists of 27 criminal violations, next Monday. If convicted in the United States, he could face life in prison- unless he escapes, again.


Super Bowl scammer goes missing

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By ALEXA ECKEMBRECHER

In Gwinnett County, Ga., police are looking for a distinguished businessman accused of swindling Super Bowl fans out of three quarters of a million dollars.

As Atlanta’s WSB-TV reports, nearly a dozen Georgians have notified authorities of the fraudulent Super Bowl ticket sales. Buyers were promised 100-level seating with access to the concierge lounge and a few pre-parties. Surprisingly, among those who filed police reports, is the businessman’s own mother. The same man has been reported as “missing” since the beginning of the new year by his wife.

Ketan Shah, the alleged scammer, owns a digital printing shop and is a member of various community boards.Thursday, however, marked the beginning of his dismissal from said boards. A statement on the Georgia Indo-American Chamber of Commerce’s website said Shah had been suspended from its board of directors and dismissed its connection to the alleged scheme.

“It’s just crazy, mind blowing,” said victim Alan Tartt to WSB-TV’s investigative reporter Nicole Carr. “Everything seemed legit.”

Tartt connected with Shah in November because of a mutual friend. He told police he soon began to make $5,000 payments to Shah — with two others — on $20,000 worth of tickets.

His mother claimed to have lost $36,000, but declined to press charges. Four other men filed charges against Shah and, as records show, they too lost similar amounts in ticket purchases, each.

The largest sum of money reported missing was made by a Columbus, Ga., business-man. He made a payment of $500,000 to Shah as he was told he would have the opportunity to host an arena Super Bowl event in addition to game-day tickets.

What is extraordinary of this situation is that the victims were not strangers to the accused. Shah knew these people for countless years and he still decided to disappear with payment amounts prior to delivering on his promises.

Bhavi Shah, Ketan Shah’s wife, told authorities that her husband also took out a half-million dollar loan against the business without her knowledge and is uncertain as to why he would do such a thing or where he might be located.

Overall, this story was reported with imperative sources and details. Had it not been done this way, it would not have been so interesting to read. Likewise, as a result of the writing style, it would surely be interesting to get Shah’s side of the story — if he is found.