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Lexi Elias

Likes: country music, big breakfast with my family, Kentucky Wildcat basketball, St. Louis Cardinal baseball, Friends (both my own and the TV show), cowboy boots, the city of Chicago, my nephew Eli (aka my little stud), Gerard Butler (I’m sorry, but he’s perfect), anything my Tennessee Grandmother cooks – southern style Dislikes: trying to find an apartment in the city I can afford (shout-out to my new, awesome roomie), cats, horror movies, sweet potatoes (besides sweet potato fries - those are delicious) With my Kentucky and Missouri roots, I am currently growing in the best city in the world – Chicago (aside from the fact that it is home to the Chicago Cubs). I have met my best friends at DePaul University where we spend the majority of our time country music singing at Houndstooth Saloon or at the one and only Wellington’s Tavern. In high school, I was just about the worst writer in the class; which actually wasn’t that bad, because I went to school with a bunch of 36-ACT-scorers (my ACT score, however, was average for my state – and proud of it!). My writing career took off when I discovered that I basically wanted to be Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and The City. So, I found my voice, got down to business, and am on my way to being the next Andie Anderson from How To Lose A Guy In 10 Days.
Boston Red Sox

Kevin Youkilis storybook ending with the Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox traded the infielder to the Chicago White Sox

The country watched Kevin Youkilis’ storybook ending with Boston Red Sox Sunday afternoon. After eight seasons, two World Series championships, three All-Star selections and a Gold Glove, Kevin Youkilis finished his career with a 9-4 victory with the Boston Red Sox. The Red Sox have traded Kevin Youkilis to the Chicago White Sox for first baseman Brent Lillibridge and relief pitcher Zach Stewart.

“There is no way we are not a better team with Kevin Youkilis,” White Sox first baseman Paul Konerko said. “He is just too good of a player and has been through all the wars and is still relatively a young guy. We just have to keep him on the field. If that is the case, it could be one of the bigger steals of the season.”

Sunday’s game was the perfect ending to Kevin Youkilis’s career with the Red Sox. It began when he stepped up to the plate in the seventh inning. With two outs and a runner on first, Kevin Youkilis hit what appeared to be a fly ball to right-center. However, with an error in the outfield for the Braves, Youkilis slid into third base with an RBI triple. Youkilis saluted the roaring crowd of 37,565 fans and walked into the dugout where he was engulfed by his teammates that had just heard the news of the trade.

Although Boston will miss Kevin Youkilis, the reasons behind the trade are clear. With Youkilis gone, Adrian Gonzalez has been taken out of the outfield and is now the full-time first baseman. In Gonzalez’s last five games, all at first base, he is 7 for 20 with three walks. Since coming off the disabled list, Cody Ross has been in right field for the fifth straight game and is 7 for 22 with six extra-base hits and 10 RBIs. As the Red Sox knew keeping Ross in the outfield made sense, Ross’ return contributed to the trade.

However, what ultimately pushed Kevin Youkilis out of the locker room was Will Middlebrooks’ play at third base. The rookie has 34 RBIs in 41 games, and as general manager Ben Cherington said, he has earned the right to play every day.

“Middlebrooks needs to be in the lineup.  That’s pretty clear,” Cherington said.

The Red Sox have won seven of their last eight games and are over .500 for the first time this season at 38-34.

‘We’re playing well now and hopefully that continues,” Middlebrooks said.

Although Boston is sad to see Kevin Youkilis go, baseball still goes on without No. 22 in the lineup as the Red Sox will battle the Blue Jays tonight at Fenway.

Thirteen year-old Mallory Kievman creates Hiccupops to cure the hiccups

Indulge in the delicious new lollipops to get rid of those pesky hiccups

 

Everyone has his or her own way of trying to get rid of the hiccups that annoy us all. However, nothing ever seems to do the trick. Thirteen year-old Mallory Kievman from Connecticut found the cure to those pesky hiccups.

No, it is not holding your breath, drinking water upside down or having someone scare you. Rather, to get rid of hiccups, we get to eat Kievman’s delicious new lollipop treat, Hiccupops.

Kievman started trying to cure hiccups in the summer of 2010. Before coming to the conclusion of lollipops, the Connecticut teen tried inventing many different cures to come up with the solution to the hiccups.

Dr. Robynne Chutkan, a gastroenterologist with Medstar Georgetown University Hospital told WTOP, ”I think she tried over a hundred different remedies and researched this for two years … that is some really terrific research and development. Lots of home remedies use something that is either very sweet or very tart. So she used both. She used the tartness of the apple cider vinegar and the sweetness of sugar. So I think it is a really ingenious concept.”

Kievman explained to the New York Times how the lollipop does the trick:

Kievman’s secret ingredients in her lollipops are apple cider, vinegar and sugar. These combined ingredients triggers a set of nerves in the throat and mouth that are responsible for the hiccup reflex and stops the message to hiccup.

The Connecticut teen has started her own company and her product, Hiccupops, is now being commercialized. 

LeBron James and Kevin Durant go from rivals to teammates in days

The two NBA All-Stars may be teammates for Team USA

LeBron James and Kevin Durant may have been battling against each other in the NBA Championship last night, but they are soon to be fighting together on Team USA for the gold medal in the London Olympics.

After LeBron James is finished popping champagne bottles and Kevin Durant wipes the tears from his eyes, the two are scheduled to meet in Las Vegas on July 5 for the start of Team USA basketball practice. According to U.S. national team assistant coach Mike D’Antoni, it is possible that both James and Durant could be in the starting lineup together come the Summer Games.

“Their games complement each other so well,” D’Antoni tells USA TODAY Sports. “Lebron is a great passer and a creator and Kevin may be the best shooter we have in the game.”

Although U.S. head coach Mike Kizyzewski has confidence in LeBron James and Kevin Durant playing well together, he stated that there are many different combinations he can go with for the team, and everything can change between now and the London Games.

LeBron James and Kevin Durant are not the only two from the 2012 NBA Championship that are in the group for Team USA. Alongside James are fellow Heat players, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Also, with Kevin Durant will be the Thunder’s Russell Westbrook.

NCAA champion, MVP and the pride of the Kentucky Wildcats, Anthony Davis, is also being considered for Team USA. Davis is the presumptive top overall pick in the NBA draft Thursday to the New Orleans Hornets.

The final twelve-man roster of Team USA is expected to be announces July 7.

Mount Rainier ranger, Nick Hall, killed when rescuing four climbers

Mount Rainier ranger falls 3,000 feet to his death

Mount Rainier ranger, Nick Hall, 33, expected to be going to just another day of work at Mount Rainer National Park on Thursday. However, when helping rescue a climbing party, the hero slid more that 3,000 feet to his death. Nick Hall died as he courageously helped evacuate climbers from a crevasse by helicopter near the summit of the 14,411-foot mountain.

The climbers had reached the summit and were roped together on their way down when two feel into the crevasse on Emmons Glacier.

“The two women on the end went into the crevasse, but the two men were able to stop the group, and that prevented anyone from falling to the bottom of the crevasse,” park spokesman, Kevin Bacher said.

Out of the four climbers, three of them were rescued by the Chinook helicopter on Thursday. Worsening weather with 40 mph winds prevented the helicopter from rescuing the fourth person. Four rangers stayed overnight with the fourth climber, whom will be walking down later today. A helicopter airlifted the three climbers that were rescued to Madigan Army Medical Center at the military base near Tacoma.  According to Jay Ebbeson, they were hospitalized and are in fair condition as of today.

Bacher confirmed that six rangers went to recover Hall’s body Friday. However, that unfortunate task could take several days if the helicopter cannot fly. According to the National Weather Service, it was raining at Longmire and was snowing above 10,000 feet, the level where Nick Hall landed.

“The ideal situation will be the weather would clear up enough for the helicopter to take everyone off the mountain,” Bacher said. “Our goal for the day is to have everyone off the mountain by the end of the day.”

Four-year veteran of the park’s climbing program, Nick Hall, originally from Patten, Maine, was not married and did not have any children. Before falling at about 5 p.m. Nick Hall helped put three of the Texas climbers into the helicopter. Until the families are notified, the names of the climbers will remain unnamed.

“We don’t want what happened to Nick to happen again,” Bacher said. “Safety also was stressed at the Friday morning briefing for rangers. There’s no urgency today; nobody’s life is at risk today. Let’s take it slow and make sure nobody else is hurt.”

The nation rises to the defense of Karen Klein

Sixty-eight year old bus monitor is harassed by bullies

Sixty-eight year old Karen Klein still fears the junior high bullies. In a suburb of Rochester, NY bus monitor and former driver, Karen Klein, has been verbally tormented by four seventh grade boys on the school bus. With videos of the harassment streaming all over the internet, the country has risen to Karen Klein’s defense to help the fight against bullies.

When asked if she would have liked to resort to violence to defend herself, she replied, “Oh yeah. I sure would have – Just wipe the snicker right off their faces, but you can’t do that. I didn’t.”

Even the thought of reacting violently toward these four young bullies is out of Karen Klein’s nature. Klein has made it very clear that she does not believe this bullying should rise to criminal charges. Rather, she would prefer their punishment be community service or the boys not being able to ride the bus. With the tears in her eyes reflecting her saddened heart and bruised ego, Karen Klein showed her admirable character when one of the bullies’ father, Robert Helm, came to apologize for his son’s behavior. As Helm embraced Karen Klein in his arms, he stated his deepest apologies.

“There’s no excuse. And we’re going to get to the bottom of that, but it really broke my heart, and I shed a lot of tears thinking about that whole thing and I just want you to know that my family, all of us, are deeply saddened by this whole thing and we’re going to get it right,” Helm said.

Ending the conversation with Helm, Karen Klein showed her selflessness when referring to the threats the families have been receiving.  She said, “But you’ll be OK, right?”

Although Karen Klein is relieved by the parents’ response and Helm’s apology, she truly wants to hear from the bullies, themselves – eventually. As of right now, she does not want to see the four boys face-to-face. “I would rather wait a while,” she said.

The nation has risen to Karen Klein’s side. People around the country and the world have been filling Klein’s inbox with supportive emails and donating a total more than $490,000 through a webpage titled “Let’s Give Karen The Bus Monitor a Vacation.” The goal is to send Karen Klein on a well deserved vacation to relive her of the stress and sadness she has been dealing with.

Karen Klein is grateful and a little confused by the donations. “They say I’m such a great person and they love me, but they don’t even really know me,” she said. Karen Klein is an example of bullying, and our nation is adamantly supporting her and fighting against that war. 

LeBron James set the Miami Heat on fire and received his first NBA Championship

The 4-1 NBA Championship series ends with the Miami Heat on top

After nine years of determination, LeBron James stopped at nothing to receive his first NBA Championship. The Cleveland native and former Cavaliers player once promised to bring the struggling city he called home a NBA Championship to give all Clevelanders pride and ambition. However, after cutting off Cleveland’s last strand of hope and pretentiously leaving Cleveland behind two years ago, LeBron James set the Miami Heat on fire Thursday night when he brought them their second NBA championship.

“It’s about damn time,” James said on national television Thursday night about the NBA championship. 

With an amazing 4-1 series triumph against the Oklahoma City Thunder, LeBron James led the Heat with a 121-106 victory to claim their title as NBA champions. From tip-off, James aggressively led the Heat with strong will power to win game 5.  The six foot eight small forward did not relent until coach Erik Spoelstra took him out of the game, to a standing ovation, with 3:01 left. 

Not even small forward, Kevin Durant, for the Oklahoma City Thunder could stop James last night. James drove to the basket, was ungaurdable in the low post, and defended every position on the court.

“I dreamed about this opportunity and this moment for a long time, including last night, including today,” James said. “You know, my dream has become a reality now.”

As LeBron James was whisked away for many interviews and photo opps after the win, he did not have a lot of time to pop champagne bottles and celebrate the joy of winning the NBA championship with his teammates in the locker room. However, James was intoxicated with pure happiness.  Nothing could have wiped the joyful smile off his face that night.

 “I’ve never had this feeling before. … Ever,” he said.

Special Forces soldier and surgeon Timothy Jorden turned murderer

Jorden shot and killed ex-girlfriend Jacqueline Wisniewski

 

Jacqueline Wisniewski, 33, was found dead in the stairwell at Erie County Medical Center Wednesday morning after being shot multiple times in the head and chest by ex-boyfriend Dr. Timothy Jorden. According to Fox News, Jorden’s body was found Friday morning after days of searching for the Special Forces soldier-turned-trauma surgeon that killed his ex-girlfriend. According to Buffalo Police Department chief of detectives Dennis Richards, Jorden died from self-inflicted gunshot wounds. His body was found close to his home near Lake Erie. 

“It’s terrible,” said Tom Wrzosek, a neighbor. “It’s a tragic situation. Nobody wins in a situation like this.”

Jacqueline Wisniewski was mother of her young son and was training to be a nurse. In recent months, Jorden’s colleagues at Erie Country Medical Center stated that he had been acting strange and lost about 75 pounds. 

Jacqueline Wisniewski has been living in fear as she was first in an abusive relationship with Jorden. Further, Jorden began stalking her after she ended the relationship. According to WIVB-TV, a close friend stated that Jorden had installed a GPS tracking device in her car and once helped her captive in her home for about two days, wielding a knife.

According to the Buffalo News, Jacqueline Wisniewski’s friend Heather Shipley stated that Wisniewski knew she be in fear for her life. 

“He threatened to kill her a couple of times,” Shipley added. “But I think in her mind she wouldn’t believe it would actually happen.”

Bristol Palin takes a rough ride

The young, single mom is being sued for defamation

 

Unlike Kim Kardashian, Snooki, and Mike ‘The Situation,’ Stephen Hanks is one person who is adamant about staying off the screen of reality television. Britsol Palin is being sued by Hanks for his quick, yet memorable, appearance on her Lifetime reality show, Bristol Palin: Life’s a Tripp. 

Hanks was captured on camera yelling “your mother’s a whore” to Bristol Palin who was riding a mechanical-bull at a West Hollywood bar last September. After falling off the mechanical bull, Bristol Palin confronted Hanks, asking if he was “a homosexual.” The confrontation ended in Hanks telling Bristol Palin that he hopes her mother, former Alaska governor Sarah Palin, goes to hell. 

Before Hanks realized he was going to make his debut to reality television with his obscene comments, he issued an apology saying: “I wish Bristol success with her television show, and much happiness in the future.”

According to lawyer Michael Gulden, Hanks was unaware that he was being filmed and was never asked to sign release forms to use the footage of him on television. 

Bristol Palin is being sued by Hanks for unspecified damages, alleging defamation, invasion of right to privacy, intentional infliction of emotional distress and misappropriation of right of publicity. 

“He felt this was the only way he could protect his rights,” the attorney added. Hanks was “simply a patron at the bar.”

Violence follows Chris Brown from 'Wall to Wall'

Young rapper scuffles in New York nightclub

Chris Brown is having a hard time steering away from violence. With his past of abusing Rihanna, and now getting into bar fights, the R&B singer is apparently much more violent than his music leads on. The truth behind the bar brawl that occurred Wednesday night at a New York Nightclub between Chris Brown and Drake is still unraveling as both of the entertainers have met with the police to share their side of the story. 

According to the Associated Press, Chris Brown was approached by two men that questioned him about having a problem with Drake.  After Chris Brown’s attempt to flee the scene, he was approached by five other men, breaking into the alleged fight. Although it is still unclear who threw the bottles, one of Chris Brown’s body guards was hit by one of the bottles thrown during the fight, as well a young woman bystander from Australia.  The young woman was taken to the hospital to receive sixteen stitches in her head that the gash from the bottle required, and released a video Thursday in which she lased out at the celebrities. 

“I went out last night with my friends to a place called W.i.P. and I’ve spent most of the night and morning in hospital … the reason why I have 16 stitches on my head, my face is because of some stupid famous people having a fight over a girl,” she said in her video. “Where’s the justice in them walking away, driving away in a limo while I have to catch a train home on one of my holidays?”

Apparently, music is not the only interest that Chris Brown and Drake hold as both of the singers have been romantically involved with Rihanna.  Although not proven, it has been said that Chris Brown and Drake were fighting over their former girlfriend.  Rihanna is yet to make a comment about the brawl.

Although the tweets have been deleted by the singer/rapper, Chris Brown tweeted a photo of the large cut on his chin after the fight, along with multiple messages about the fight. According to TMZ, Chris Brown has contacted NYPD detectives regarding the incident. The singer’s representative stated that Chris Brown and his friends were the victims of a “brutal attack.”

As of Thursday, Drake is maintaining his innocence as he said that he was leaving the club when the fight broke out. His representative released a statement that read: “Drake did not participate in any wrongdoing of any kind last night at W.i.P. He was on his way out of the club when the altercation began. He did not engage in any activity which resulted in injury to person or damage to property.”

Earthquake hits Disneyland

The red-carpet premiere of the new Cars Land attraction at the Disneyland Resort was hit by a 4.0-magnitude earthquake. Near a section of the Whittier Fault, which straddles the border of Los Angeles and Orange County in Southern California, the earthquake has resulted in about ten aftershocks since it occurred at 8:17 p.m.

Officials stated that no damage was immediately reported after the 4.0 earthquake or the aftershocks that followed. Most of the aftershocks took place within an hour of the earthquake. The largest being two 2.4-magnitude temblors that were merely two miles north of Yorba Linda. The latest earthquake occurred eleven hours after the earthquake hit at 7:30 a.m. and was too small to feel.

“It was a jolt, and a little teeny shake, and I kept thinking more was coming, but it stopped,” said Claudia Welch, a secretary at Yorba Linda High School who lives nearby.

With a depth of about six miles, the 4.0 earthquake was fairly shallow. According to officials, deeper earthquakes, that are eight to ten miles deep are more worrisome. 

“We haven’t had a 4 in the urban area for a while,” Bob Dollar, geophysicist with the U.S. Geological Survey, said. “And a 4 is strong enough that it’s going to be widely felt.”

The earthquake was definitely widely felt, as much as eight miles away, thousands of celebrities, media and other invite-only guests felt the rumble at Disneyland while celebrating the final piece of a $1.1-billion expansion of the Anaheim Park.   

“Earthquake!” @Mouseinfo tweeted. “I guess mother nature wanted to get into #carsland too.”