Latest news with #FamilyFeud
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
My grandmother's house burned down, and she moved in with us. At 23, I had to share a bed with my mom.
My 85-year-old grandmother lost her house to a tragic house fire. Since we didn't have an extra room, I slept with my mom so my grandmother could take my room. I learned it's important to make sacrifices for the ones you love. When it comes to sleeping, I'm rather picky. There needs to be complete darkness with no noise. Even the dim light of the television and the quiet laughter from the iconic television series "Friends" will turn the wheels in my brain, keeping me awake for hours. I was that kid at sleepovers who would call my mom in the middle of the night with a fake stomach ache, but not because I wasn't having fun or actually felt ill; I just wanted to sleep in my own bed. At 23 years old, living in my childhood home, I found comfort coming home to my room after a long day. Little did I know, after sleeping in the same room almost every night of my life, besides college and the few sleepovers I actually made it through, that I would be sleeping next to my mom for four months because of a tragic fire. The heavy rainfall sparked a flame under the electricity panel and shot up three stories through my grandmother's home of 61 years. Luckily, my 85-year-old grandmother — who we call Mammy — goes to bed later than her teenage grandchildren and had just finished watching the last episode of "Family Feud" at 2 AM. As she closed her eyes, she smelled smoke and called for help. While I sped across town to get my dad from work, my mom and sister watched a policeman evacuate her from the house in her nightgown and slippers. Tears and rain soaked our clothes as we watched a billowing fire rip through a house that had been in the family for generations. When the rain finally stopped, the house was unrecognizable. You could see the charred bed frame in the bedroom my grandparents shared years ago, with only rubble surrounding it. What wasn't ablaze was ruined by water damage seeping through the ceilings. Luckily, a few possessions remained intact, covered in black ash. A house filled with memories of blowing out birthday candles, passing the carved turkey, and making homemade banana pancakes on Sunday mornings was gone. My Mammy no longer had a home. Without hesitation or a timeline, my family took my Mammy in. Our house is comfortable for four people, but five is quite tight. We have three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms. My father set up a twin bed in our unfinished basement, saying it was his new apartment. My sister's bed was too high for my Mammy to climb into, but my full-sized bed was the perfect height. So, I took up living quarters with my mom and let my Mammy sleep in my room — Harry Styles posters lining the wall and all. If you had told me that I'd be sleeping next to my mother at the age of 23, I would have laughed. She likes the television on; I do not. She keeps the door open a crack, exposing the slightest hint of light; I do not. It was often a battle for the remote, the covers, or the right side of the bed. I felt like a kid having a nightmare, going into their mom's room to sleep with her. And at the time, I did think this new reality was a nightmare. Now, it has become my biggest lesson. Every day, my parents remained as calm as one can be in such a situation. They navigated how to break the news to my confused Mammy that her house and many beloved possessions were gone. My parents served as an example of the daughter I strive to be as they get older. The pieces of our new life fell into place like the puzzles my family and I completed daily with my Mammy. We searched for words in crossword puzzles and watched hopeful contestants say "Deal or No Deal." My sister blew my Mammy's mind when she showed her that a burger and fries from McDonald's could arrive on our doorstep within minutes. Tucking her into my bed with a goodnight kiss is one of many moments I'll carry with me when the house fire fades as a distant flicker in my memory. Mammy now lives in an apartment across town, waiting for her house to be rebuilt. This has its own challenges, as she can't walk down the basement stairs to do laundry, and she didn't know how to use the new microwave for a while. However, despite the small bumps, we ensure her new environment feels just as her home once did. Over the four months, we laughed, joked, fought, and cried. When everything in the life of someone you love crumbles to ash, sharing a bed with your mom suddenly doesn't matter. Read the original article on Business Insider
Business Insider
6 days ago
- General
- Business Insider
My grandmother's house burned down, and she moved in with us. At 23, I had to share a bed with my mom.
When it comes to sleeping, I'm rather picky. There needs to be complete darkness with no noise. Even the dim light of the television and the quiet laughter from the iconic television series "Friends" will turn the wheels in my brain, keeping me awake for hours. I was that kid at sleepovers who would call my mom in the middle of the night with a fake stomach ache, but not because I wasn't having fun or actually felt ill; I just wanted to sleep in my own bed. At 23 years old, living in my childhood home, I found comfort coming home to my room after a long day. Little did I know, after sleeping in the same room almost every night of my life, besides college and the few sleepovers I actually made it through, that I would be sleeping next to my mom for four months because of a tragic fire. My grandmother's house burned down The heavy rainfall sparked a flame under the electricity panel and shot up three stories through my grandmother's home of 61 years. Luckily, my 85-year-old grandmother — who we call Mammy — goes to bed later than her teenage grandchildren and had just finished watching the last episode of "Family Feud" at 2 AM. As she closed her eyes, she smelled smoke and called for help. While I sped across town to get my dad from work, my mom and sister watched a policeman evacuate her from the house in her nightgown and slippers. Tears and rain soaked our clothes as we watched a billowing fire rip through a house that had been in the family for generations. When the rain finally stopped, the house was unrecognizable. You could see the charred bed frame in the bedroom my grandparents shared years ago, with only rubble surrounding it. What wasn't ablaze was ruined by water damage seeping through the ceilings. Luckily, a few possessions remained intact, covered in black ash. A house filled with memories of blowing out birthday candles, passing the carved turkey, and making homemade banana pancakes on Sunday mornings was gone. My Mammy no longer had a home. She moved in with us Without hesitation or a timeline, my family took my Mammy in. Our house is comfortable for four people, but five is quite tight. We have three bedrooms and one and a half bathrooms. My father set up a twin bed in our unfinished basement, saying it was his new apartment. My sister's bed was too high for my Mammy to climb into, but my full-sized bed was the perfect height. So, I took up living quarters with my mom and let my Mammy sleep in my room — Harry Styles posters lining the wall and all. If you had told me that I'd be sleeping next to my mother at the age of 23, I would have laughed. She likes the television on; I do not. She keeps the door open a crack, exposing the slightest hint of light; I do not. It was often a battle for the remote, the covers, or the right side of the bed. I felt like a kid having a nightmare, going into their mom's room to sleep with her. And at the time, I did think this new reality was a nightmare. Now, it has become my biggest lesson. I got to spend time with her Every day, my parents remained as calm as one can be in such a situation. They navigated how to break the news to my confused Mammy that her house and many beloved possessions were gone. My parents served as an example of the daughter I strive to be as they get older. The pieces of our new life fell into place like the puzzles my family and I completed daily with my Mammy. We searched for words in crossword puzzles and watched hopeful contestants say "Deal or No Deal." My sister blew my Mammy's mind when she showed her that a burger and fries from McDonald's could arrive on our doorstep within minutes. Tucking her into my bed with a goodnight kiss is one of many moments I'll carry with me when the house fire fades as a distant flicker in my memory. Mammy now lives in an apartment across town, waiting for her house to be rebuilt. This has its own challenges, as she can't walk down the basement stairs to do laundry, and she didn't know how to use the new microwave for a while. However, despite the small bumps, we ensure her new environment feels just as her home once did. Over the four months, we laughed, joked, fought, and cried. When everything in the life of someone you love crumbles to ash, sharing a bed with your mom suddenly doesn't matter.
Fox News
25-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Fox News
Beckham Family Feud Continues
The Beckham family feud continues, a touching tribute for the Piano Man, and one of Jeffrey Epstein's first accusers is laid to rest. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit Jeffrey Petz
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Austin City Council votes to fund columns for 3 park decks, 2 ped bridges over I-35
Following weeks of rare infighting fueled by a major budget crunch, the Austin City Council on Thursday approved $104 million to pay for columns to support three large decks and two pedestrian bridges over parts of Interstate 35 near downtown. While the 8-2 decision, with one abstention, was limited to funding for the support structures, it also served as a de-facto vote on the scope of the city's long-planned effort to physically reunite historically segregated East Austin with the heart of the city by covering a soon-to-be lowered I-35 with parks, walkways and other amenities. That's because the Texas Department of Transportation needs to know by months' end how many decks and bridges to account for as it prepares to lower and expand I-35 through Central Austin. As previously envisioned, the project included six park decks and two pedestrian bridges. The plan approved Thursday accounts for three caps, from Cesar Chavez to Fourth streets; Fourth to Seventh streets; and 11th to 12th streets, as well as two 300-foot pedestrian bridges, or "stitches," near 41st Street along the Red Line train path. The downsizing was the result of a major compromise. Ahead of the vote, the 11-member council was nearly evenly split on how many caps and stitches it should build. One camp had pushed for funding only two decks, citing the city's worsening financial outlook, while another camp had pushed for at least four. Council Member Ryan Alter was in the latter group but voted in favor of the slightly downsized plan. "What we ultimately approved is a significant investment and opportunity in not only bridging east and west, but creating meaningful spaces for people to come and enjoy," Alter said in an interview after the vote. Council Member Paige Ellis voted in favor, too, but only after her motion to pay for support structures for two caps and two stitches failed 5-6. 'This may feel like an episode of Family Feud, but we're all really fighting for the same green future,' she said. The two 'no' votes came from Council Members Marc Duchen and Krista Laine. Council Member Mike Siegel abstained. All cited concerns with the cost of the project. "The city of Austin is holding all of the financial risk of cost overruns when we all know they are coming," Laine said. "It's wild." The city is facing a $33 million budget deficit and also expecting to lose a $105 million federal grant that would have paid for one of the caps. The total project cost, accounting for the reduced number of caps, was not immediately available Thursday. With all six caps and both stitches, the estimated price tag had been $1.4 billion. The sentiments expressed during the public comment period mirrored the split on council. Many residents and groups said they wanted columns for some or all of the caps funded, saying it was an investment for future generations of Austinites. "This is one of those 'yes and' moments," said Jim Walker of the Cherrywood Neighborhood Association. "You're going to have to address the urgent needs and meet these big, multigenerational moments when they arise. They don't come very often." But others weren't so sure. Several local advocacy groups and residents opposed the plan, saying that money was needed for other more immediate needs like affordable housing, similar to the concerns of the dissenting council members. "This is not the time to put a down payment on a project that the people of Austin cannot afford," Barbara McArthur, a district 7 resident, said during public comment at Thursday's meeting. This article originally appeared on Austin American-Statesman: Austin council votes to fund columns for 3 decks, 2 bridges over I-35
Yahoo
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Why has Usher, Steve Harvey been mentioned around Diddy's case?
(NewsNation) — Several celebrities have already testified in Sean 'Diddy' Combs' federal trial, including Kid Cudi on Thursday and Casandra 'Cassie' Ventura near the start of his trial. Other celebrities' names have been circulating online and on social media surrounding the trial, despite not having been in court. Those including Usher, Steve Harvey and Wendy Williams. But what connections do they have to Combs? Dawn Richard, a former member of Danity Kane, testified that Usher had seen Combs punch Ventura 'hard' in 2010 at a restaurant in West Hollywood On May 19, Richard told the court, 'Mr. Combs punched Cassie in the stomach. They were having a private conversation, and he punched her in the stomach. She immediately leaned over and left.' Richard also claimed that Ne-Yo, record executive Jimmy Iovine and Big Daddy Kane were there as well. Richard then said that she and Ventura had been about to leave when another altercation took place between Combs and Ventura. 'We got in the car to head back to her house. Combs grabbed her, slapped her, popped her in the mouth and told her to shut the f–k up. Everyone was quiet the rest of the ride,' she told jurors. When Usher was 13 years old, Combs became his legal guardian, according to Newsweek. Usher has allegedly talked about being exposed to a lot at a young age when being with Combs. In 2004, he had told Rolling Stone that Combs had shown him 'a totally different set of s–t — sex, specifically.' Kid Cudi on the witness stand in Diddy trial Of Combs' home, Usher had said, 'There was always girls around. You'd open a door and see somebody doing it, or several people in a room having an orgy. You never knew what was going to happen.' The Daily Mail reported that, in 2013, Usher spoke at his 35th birthday celebration about Combs, saying, 'I was introduced to everything by Puff Daddy when I was only 15. Parties, women, sex and drugs. I've had a taste of it, but I'd never let it take me over.' He also allegedly said that he would give anyone else the advice that Combs had given him. Diddy allegedly broke into Kid Cudi's Hollywood Hills home In 2016, during a Howard Stern interview, Usher talked about Combs' parties, which were reportedly nicknamed 'Puffy Flavor Camp.' He had said, 'There were very curious things taking place' at Combs' parties and said he would never send his kids to one of the parties. Usher has not said anything publicly about Combs' current trial. According to Grazia, Steve Harvey, who is the host of Family Feud, deleted a 2017 tweet that had shown support for Combs. Harvey allegedly deleted the tweet after Combs had been arrested, with the original tweet saying, 'My brother @Diddy is doing a world of good for these kids.' It's not clear what this was referencing, but Grazia reported that it could be the $1 million that Combs donated to Howard University in 2016. This donation created the Sean Combs Scholarship Fund, which helped students who couldn't pay tuition. However, in 2024, Combs' honorary doctorate was revoked by the university, and his $1 million donation was returned. University officials also terminated his pledge agreement. It had also been rumored in 2019 that Combs dated Harvey's stepdaughter, Lori. Grazia reported that the two, along with her father, were seen in Italy together. Rumors also linked Lori to Justin Combs, the son of Diddy, but she denied both rumors years later. Since the start of Combs' trial, users on social media have started sharing old clips of Wendy Williams. In those clips, she makes several claims against Combs, including that she was fired from a radio job because she said he was gay. Williams claimed she was fired from Hot 97 in 1998 after she said that she believed Combs was gay. Williams then reportedly said that she had a photo of Combs with another man. According to the Daily Mail, Gene Deal, Combs' former security guard, seemed to confirm what Williams said in 2022. Deal had told Vibe, '(Diddy) got one of the hottest DJs off Hot 97 because she wanted to put up a picture of him getting his pants pulled down.' Williams went on to host The Wendy Williams Show and continued sharing claims about Combs. In 2024, she told The Daily Mail, 'You know how I feel about that? It is about time. To see this video on TV of (Cassie) getting pummeled… it was just horrific.' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
